Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail nor any other characters who appear in this story. They all belong to their respective authors and works.
Chapter 18 - How Do You Keep Them Safe?
The further into the woods Locki followed Gildarts, the more the young guildmaster felt like he was on a journey to his grave. He knew through rumors that Fairy Tail had some sort of schism in the past, but most of the information was hearsay and quickly covered up. Locki knew there were things he couldn't look too deeply at, and he knew, beyond any doubt, that those skeletons were best left alone.
Of course, Locki wouldn't be himself if he didn't try to figure out something. His Curse worked better with confidential information, so he had developed a habit of sorts.
All of that did not help his case, though. He had no way to outrun the Crash Mage, and he didn't doubt that Gyutaro would stand a couple seconds against the man before the mage realized they could simply blast off Gyutaro's arms and legs with impunity. Locki knew he couldn't take advantage of a Fiore Mage's natural hesitation to commit severe bodily harm when he dealt with S-ranks.
Every S-rank had seen or done something where that "no-killing" rule became something of a matter of opinion instead of law. Locki wouldn't risk it with the Horizon Eyes, so he sure as hell would not with the Crash Mage.
However, no matter how many times he thought up a reason why they needed to go into the woods to find his guildmate, the more the teenager's thoughts drifted to the worst case scenario. Even Gyutaro started to tense up after they walked a good mile away from Magnolia's city limits.
On top of that…
"So, you guys are really from that uh, Evermore place? With the Glazed Dancer bar that's next to that street that does that turn thing? Roundabout. Yeah, roundabout. Its right next to those two bars." Gildarts asked awkwardly as he took wide, confident strides through the forest.
Yes, Gildarts form of small talk was to talk about his home's various clubs and red light districts. The fact that the man memorized the entire city's layout from those alone was both oddly annoying and terrifying. In any other context and situation, Locki would assume the redhead was just an old drunkard with too much time and money on his hands.
Still, Locki held in the boiling annoyance that settled within his stomach.
"Hmm, Evermont, you mean, mister Clive." Locki smoothly correctly, picking up pace to palace the mage within his Curse's range. "You certainly match the rumors of you being rather… free and open with your preferences. It is certainly a breath of fresh air to meet someone so blunt."
Gildarts picked his ear with his finger, digging deep for what Locki could only assume was the man's missing decorum. "Ah yeah, sorry about that. A habit of mine is to see most places where a bunch of people gather." His hand rose up in a fist, and Locki could feel how the air seemed to tremble, afraid of the power he held. "My magic doesn't let me get close to a lot of people."
"I apologize." Locki said, trying to find where the problem actually was. Though, he pushed onwards regardless. "You seem to have it hard. Not many know nor care for your struggles despite your impressive strength."
Gildarts smiled, all teeth and dimples. Locki was reminded of a wolf. "Thanks, and you're not as bad as the rumors put you out to be, Guildmaster Wyn. You must've really given up going drinking since you barely even noticed when I switched up some of the streets and bars. You're a good kid."
Locki tried not to immediately go into fight or flight. He restrained the instinctive urge to use his Curse on the man, knowing that Gildarts would no doubt free himself somehow. Then, he'd have to deal with the fact that he initiated an assault on a Fairy Tail mage after they had taken in his own guildmates for treatment. It would be a political disaster that might just get him immediately burned.
"Ah sorry, I do that a lot." Gildarts immediately apologized, rubbing the back of his head like a child who had broken his toys. "The old man, er, Guildmaster Makarov, asked me to vet you out. Some of the rumors we heard about you were rather… well-"
"I get it. I feel like I know who spread those out." Locki cut him off with a growl. A smear campaign against his image was a perfect way to stop people from outside Evermont from ever including his Magic Guild in their minds for new missions.
Gildarts chuckled dryly. "My condolences. I heard Evermont was a shithole. Last time I went I had almost gotten stabbed twice. Twice! You'd think they'd learn after I blew up their base, but no."
"That was you?" Locki asked, rubbing his brow. He remembered when he was younger about a series of random explosions that took out several gangs, but everyone just laughed when he asked what gas leak caused it. "That… that makes a lot more sense. Do you make it a habit to blow up a building every time you visit a city?"
"Depends… does your guild make it a habit to kill people just because they target you?"
Locki narrowed his eyes on the man. He had gotten a good grasp on Gildarts' personality. The mage was lacksidal but observant when he needed to be. He was fairly easy-going, but he seemed to have certain lines that Locki could see the man followed to the letter. On top of that, there seemed to be a chivalrous spirit the mage held; a sort of mindset that tried to keep people safe in his own way. It was something that Locki never saw a glimpse of within Evermont. After all, Gildarts apologized sincerely every time he felt he overstepped Locki's boundaries.
To be honest, Locki respected the mage. Of course, respect and healthy paranoia were things Locki seeped himself with these days.
It meant that he could trust Gildarts not to kill him for his answer, and that the mage wanted something that probably tied back to the question at hand. And that Gildarts didn't want this answer for him, but for the person who he was concerned about. Locki quickly combed through his memories, focusing on his call with Guildmaster Makarov.
There were names: Erza, Gray, and Daki was also heard over the Lacrima. Kagura was presumably in bed. Daki had somehow been in a fight with the person named Erza; most like a small spat that didn't escalate.
Locki suddenly dearly hoped it didn't escalate. No, Gray had been called to hopefully break up the fight. That meant the problem lay with Daki and Erza. Daki should have been under strict orders to protect Kagura, and to not get into too much trouble. She hadn't had any time to actually understand her place, so she should have still been as scared as Gyutaro had been, wondering if any fault could send her back to literal hell.
That meant it was Erza who wanted to attack Kagura? Locki couldn't quite wrap his head around that statement. However, it was the only thing that made sense. Ah, it suddenly clicked. Locki felt like he figured it all out.
"Don't worry about Erza," Locki said, assured in his thoughts. "I have no idea what grudge they hold on Kagura, but I am actually a stalwart defender of Fiore's stance on killing. I find the act abhorring and something only the lowest form of mages resort to."
Locki gave the best smile he could muster, catching Gyutaro's snort of amusement as he glanced at the demon. Though, no one was ready for the uproarious laughter that bellowed from Locki's shadow. Apparently, Locki's words were enough to finally make Max, the Haunter, give up on their hiding place and knock Locki to the ground as it rose up from the floor.
Gildarts, for his part, didn't so much as pay the Pokemon a second bewildered glance. He just smiled and shook his head. Max took that no one stopped him to be free and hover around the nearby trees, passing through a couple just because he could. What caused Gildarts to pay more attention was when the Pokemon licked a tree, causing most of the once green leaves to brown and fall.
"S'not what I mean." He said easily, watching as Max disappeared into the shadows of one of the trees. The only sign that MAx was nearby was a high pitched laughter that echoed out occasionally. "I know as much as you do what kind of place you grew up in. I also didn't grow in a place of happiness and sunshine. I'm just asking if you force that ideology on your guild members."
Locki squinted, suddenly unsure. "Why would I do that? I can just do it myself."
Gildarts seemed to relax at that statement, easing up slightly. "The girl, Kagura, killed a Zeref Cultist in their mission. That white-haired girl didn't make a big deal about it, and wondered why everyone was so shocked when they heard it."
"Oh…" Locki could see why Gildarts was worried, thinking that the young guildmaster was training child soldiers. Well, technically he was training a force to be used by one of the criminals of Evermont, but those were semantics. "How is she?"
"Stable, if weak and bedridden." Locki breathed a sigh of relief. Sucking it back in when Gildarts continued. "The problem it actually er… it comes from our end."
"Come again?" Locki asked carefully.
"Well, I am not too sure, but it would be better to see for yourself." Gildarts said, rubbing the back of his head.
Locki always hated when people were mysterious. He wanted to ask what the man meant. However, he supposed he didn't need to learn from Gildarts. His ears picked up shouts and the familiar clash of metal on metal.
Gyutaro immediately pulled ahead in a sprint. Locki hadn't seen the demon move in such a hurry, but he quickly understood the problem as soon as he drew closer.
The forest around him parted, opening up into a clearing. The grass and bushes had been stomped down and cleared to reveal matted down dirt with a small path of tilled soil that served as a garden marked by wooden stakes and wire. However, there was nothing that grew there other than a dry, empty series of stems.
All of that did not distract from the small cot that shone within Locki's [Carpentry] skill. The house was tiny compared to the others in the city; those were loud with the presence of magic in their make, but this one was quiet and, to Locki's senses, seemingly perfect. At the front was an old woman with thick lines of age that framed her dull red eyes and bright pink hair.
Locki tried not to meet the disgruntled woman's eyes as she seemed inordinately annoyed with the scene in front of her. Not that the teen would blame her, though. He was also severely disappointed with the clash in front of him.
Daki and who he could only assume was Erza were locked in what seemed like mortal combat. The demon, dressed in a thick cloak like Gyutaro, danced around the child with her speed and agility while the red head moved awkwardly with oversized armor. Large, rectangular strips of cloth cycled around the white-haired demon as she manipulated them to attack the redheaded child that fought with unmatched ferocity.
Erza was a small, waif-like thing. Locki could see the clear signs of abuse he recognized from Kagura when they first met, and the teen noticed quite a few of them were in similar size and position. Near areas where the most pain could be inflicted without actually damaging muscles and bones.
The girl must have been in Fairy Tail for a while since most of the scarring had faded and dulled while her arms and legs were showing signs of weight finally countering malnourishment. Locki would know, he had seen the same thing after he took in Kagura. Suddenly, it made more sense about why Daki and the redhead were in a fight.
Erza and Kagura were from the same area. It would fit why there were rumors about Fairy Tail looking into the Tower of Heaven, and now they just so happened to have found another survivor of whatever escape had happened. The fact that they weren't plagued by cultists proved that Fairy Tail was either too strong for the cultists to attack or that they were being hunted down by the Magic Guild's S-rank mages, like Gildarts.
And now, they wanted to poach Kagura from him…
Locki knew he had almost given the girl away to Fairy Tail before, but that didn't mean he felt the same now. He had put so much effort into her. More importantly, Kagura was already his precious guildmate that had a high chance of growing into an S-rank. Unless a Tier 2 Gold Prism offered S-rank mages on a platter, Kagura was literally his golden ticket. He would not hand her over even if he wasn't already attached to the former slave.
The young guildmaster wanted to turn to Gildarts and question him, but found the man missing. Instead, the Crash Mage had walked in front of the fighting girls, standing next to a silent Gyutaro. It didn't take long for Daki to notice the presence of the mage and her brother while Erza glared at him and Daki in turn. Though, Locki did praise the girl's intelligence not to pick a fight with one of the most powerful men in Fiore.
"Why are you fighting?" Gyutaro asked from the side, inclining his head in his sister's direction.
Daki clicked her tongue, freezing slightly when she saw Locki. "This bitch wants to kidnap the brat. I told her no, and she took offense to the brat killing an idiot. Brats like her need to be discipline–"
Gyutaro nodded to cut her off. He shot a glance at Locki, raising a hand as if to say he would handle her. "Good job, but we are not here to fight them. The guildmaster can take it from here."
"Fuck that shit! The redheaded brat thinks that she owns the place. She comes in here and tells me I'm the one in the wrong and that I need to release the sword brat? Where does she get off to tell me what to do?"
"Kagura should not even be hurt here like this." Erza spoke up, glaring at the cloaked demon. "Someone so self-absorbed and rude as to ask Healer Porlyusica to do their chores and fetch them food is not someone I wish her to spend even a second with. That is not a family she deserves."
"Huh? Don't talk down to me, bit–"
"Daki." Gyutaro cut in, stepping in front of his sister.
"What? Don't tell me you expect me to let some little girl talk down to me like that? I can handle one brat, but two? I am not a damn doormat."
Gyutaro didn't say or do anything other than stare at the irate demon. Slowly, Daki seemed to understand something as she shrunk back under his stare, and then calmly stepped away. "Let the guildmaster handle the rest. Don't make a scene again."
"Should I be concerned about this? Haha…" Gildarts chimed in after he watched the whole display, but Locki knew the man's worries were well hidden. Daki was too headstrong to take an insult lying down, and it seemed that that attitude did not translate well with Erza's own.
He also filed away that Gyutaro might get physical with Daki easier due to their insane healing factor. It was something that others might call out as despicable behavior, but the teen didn't know just how long the two spent as demons to actively comment on their established habits. Not to mention the time and effort he'd need to spend to acclimate them to not lashing out at everything. He was lucky Gyutaro seemed the least bit agreeable to his commands.
Gyutaro then brough Daki out of the sunlight-filled clearing, taking her to the shade of the trees. Locki could barely hear the two whispering about something, but he trusted Gyutaro to not overtly plot against him. Daki seemed to switch between enraged, calm, and as well as casting a glance Locki's way every now and then.
All in all, it seemed to be going well.
"Daki can be difficult." Locki moved to stand in front of the redheaded girl. One of her eyes was covered by a lock of her bangs, and from how she moved earlier, how she seemed to have to turn her head fully in order to anticipate Daki's attacks, the teen wondered if she was blind in one eye. "I want to formally apologize for her behavior; I had ordered her to keep an eye on Kagura and fight off anyone who would seek to take her away. She was only carrying out my orders."
Erza seemed to stand up straighter at the perceived authority. Locki knew she had some deference for that, and he supposed it was either a habit from her times as a slave or Fairy Tail's own. Still, the small girl didn't back off as much as he wanted as she stepped into his personal space and tried her best to seem taller.
"I want you to hand over Kagura. She's my sister."
Locki looked over the girl, unimpressed at the lie. He didn't even need his Curse to confirm that. "What's your last name again?"
"S- Scarlet…"
"That's a beautiful last name." Locki smiled as best as he could fake it, noting how the girl blushed at the sudden compliment. "Sadly, last I checked, Kagura's only relative is her brother. Someone named Simon."
"Simon?! Is he okay?" Erza's previous image of steadfast confidence shattered in an instant. She looked around the clearing, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kagura's brother. He wasn't there, but her reaction did confirm Locki's final suspicion about her and Kagura being from the Tower of Heaven.
Nearby, Gildarts coughed audibly, shifting both their eyes to him.
"Sorry to interrupt your important… thing." the man said, no doubt knowing exactly what Locki was doing. "I figured Scarlet Hand's guildmaster would want to know that guildmaster Makarov is here."
Locki paused not because he was startled by the man's appearance, but from how he thought Fairy Tail's guildmaster would have been. The rumors stated he was a giant. A powerful master who could grasp the stars and knew magic powerful enough to evaporate all enemies while still having enough control to leave their allies untouched.
Locki didn't know what he expected. A massive, bigger than a bear, man who radiated power and respect was the first and top of his list. The last, though, was someone he'd have to crane his neck down to take in fully.
He was short. Barely tall enough to reach Locki's waist. His features were a mix of jovial and grandfather, and where Drumlowe's face was a mask, Locki actively believed that Makarov Dreyar, Fairy Tail's Giant, was as kind as his smile seemed to be. He almost seemed ethereal in how he carried himself; a slow, constant presence of a man who just… understood. Even Locki's Curse agreed that the midget in front of him was someone who wanted nothing more than to help Kagura and him out of their sticky situation.
The mage was dressed like one would a jester. Orange and blue striped hat with a matching orange jacket that hung loosely over his shoulders. His plain white shirt was stenciled with the Fairy Tail insignia in the middle, showing off to the world where his loyalties lay. The ends of his brown pants were stuffed into his boots messily, as if he couldn't find the right size.
Still, at the back of his mind, Locki knew that no matter how kind the man was, the teen would still report back to Drumlowe. Despite the distance between the two Magic Guilds, they just lived in two different worlds.
"Nice to meetcha! Glad to finally put a face to the name." Makarov said with a genial smile. "You're a lot younger than I expected, but you talk like one of those boring oldies in the Council."
Locki gave a polite laugh at the joke. He hoped it was a joke at least. "I feel that people treat me more seriously when I talk like this, guildmaster Dreyar. I hope you don't mind too much."
"Ah, you don't need to call me with the title. It would be too much if we both had to keep up appearances. Please just call me Makarov."
"Then, call me Locki."
"And call me annoyed with all the humans on my property." The old woman, Porlyusica at the front of the small cot interrupted.
Locki eyed her, looking back and forth between the sweating Makarov and the irate woman. There was an unwritten courtesy that the uninvolved should not get between a talk between guildmasters. To do so without active backlash meant she was either too comfortable with Makarov or simply that mad. He wondered if she and Makarov… yep, his Curse confirmed it. This truly is [Cursed Knowledge].
With that knowledge, Locki stifled whatever complaints he could have and offered the woman a disarming smile. "I apologize for the discourtesy, ma'am. I want to thank you for helping treat my injured guildmate as well as deal with Daki."
Porlyusica just snorted, turning around in a huff. "Whatever, just keep it down. There is a patient nearby, and I don't want to look at the dumb, fake smile on your face any more."
Locki's fake smile froze on his lips, and he could feel his cheeks twitch at her comment. "I will… Keep that in mind."
Makarov seemed to find the whole interaction amusing, laughing loudly. He quickly froze as another high-pitched laughter mirrored his own, and blankly stared at the odd looking Haunter that appeared from the forest and hovered over to rest its three-fingered, disembodied hands on Locki's shoulders.
"A ghost?" He asked carefully, and Locki could feel the old mage's attention on his Pokemon.
Locki nodded. "His name is Max."
"A- ah, okay…"
"Is Max dangerous? Like… that sword thing?" Erza piped in timidly, eyeing the purple body of Hunter that hovered behind Locki. Max noticed her attention and leaned closer to her, sticking out its tongue.
Locki slapped the Pokemon before anything could happen. He glared at the ghost. "Don't do that." he then turned to the now concerned redheaded girl. "Don't let Max's tongue touch you."
Erza nervously nodded, eyeing Max with fierce intensity. The Pokemon found her attention amusing enough to start chasing her around the front of the cot. Gildarts sighed and went to go make sure the Pokemon didn't harm the girl.
"Where did you even find such a creature?" Makarov asked, looking over the Pokemon inquisitively as Erza waved a sword at it. "I can feel that its fairly similar to that sentient sword that is watching over Kagura."
Locki blinked in confusion he understood. Of course, someone who is a Wizard Saint should be able to feel out the energy used by Pokemon. His little booklet called it Ghost-Type Aura, and that Haunter and Honedge have a secondary typing. To be able to not only sense that unknown energy but also figure out the differences in them… Locki knew only a Wizard Saint level mage would be able to do something on that scale.
"... They are similar, yes. But, I am not too sure about the details enough to give you a good answer. Let's talk more about the compensation for Kagura's treatment." Locki segued into the most important part of the conversation.
"Right, I forgot." Makarov said with a laugh. "Don't worry about it. The young girl, whenever she woke up delirious, always said that your guild did not have enough to pay us."
Locki rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "No, we have enough to pay for her treatment. She is just exaggerating."
"Its fine, Locki. I know it doesn't seem like I know what troubles go into a small Magic Guild like yours, but there was a time when Fairy Tail wasn't as big as you might think. I am fine with just an agreement to help each other when in need can be enough as payment, too."
Locki held back from rolling his eyes. He knew what Makarov was doing. The man was jovial and nice, almost too accommodating. Evermont may have not been a nice place, but it did let Locki know when he was being scammed.
Makarov may have just worded it as only an agreement, but one favor will become two. Then, two favors will eventually add up till his guild was basically tied to Fairy Tail through "good intentions." And it all came down to what Locki had to offer; which, when he thought about everything he had, all they could possibly want was Kagura herself.
Because Erza was in Fairy Tail, the guild must also be on the lookout for the Tower of Heaven. It would certainly help to keep Kagura nearby, and Locki didn't doubt they would definitely keep the girl safer than he could.
However, Locki had no doubt that that involved Kagura to stay with Fairy Tail for… well, as long as they wanted. That was the problem with agreements of only faith. They never ended as long as that "faith" was maintained. A long enough time to simply indoctrinate Kagura to simply abandon him as well.
And the more Locki thought of that, the more he lost the composure he kept up this entire time. He could handle faking pleasantries. He could handle presumed shows of power and enthusiastically nice people. However, he hated the idea that Fairy Tail was trying to poach his guildmate from him and presenting it as a good thing.
"I think, guildmaster Dreyar, that I can pay just fine." Locki said, leaning back so that he stared down at the smaller mage. Now, the teen no longer tried to hide the frown that marred his face.
"Have I done something to offend you?" Makarov asked, seemingly confused at the change. "It is no problem to just have a simple agreement. I can see that your guild member and my own have their own history, so it would probably be good for them to see each other often."
Locki tried not to scoff. "Sure, they can go on missions if they want. However, I would like it if you stopped trying to steal Kagura under my nose."
"Your loyalty to your guild is admirable." Makarov said, and his own smile disappeared without a trace. Locki once again was reminded that old mages are rather terrifying. "And what happens when she gets injured again? If she kills another again to just save herself? Is this an environment you want to raise a child in? Is this how you treat your family? You believe I am trying to steal her?" The man's mustache twitched as if in annoyance. "I am trying to give her a home to grow up in."
"So, here we are." Locki said, eyes boring into old mage.
"Do you not understand the gravity of being a guildmaster? Can you not protect your guild? Will you let something like this continue just because of your own pride?" Makarov said, voice barely louder than a whisper, but Locki heard it like an explosion.
"Protect my guild? Are you not just trying to coddle the feelings of a little girl who just escaped a life a slavery?" Locki asked, trying to hide his smile. There were a couple of footsteps that reached his ears, and the teen didn't even need to turn to see the twin demons had already stood behind him. If anything they were there to protect him.
Locki leaned forwards, feeling a wave of terror that brushed past him. He knew that pressure. The Horizon Eyes had done something similar, but this one dwarfed that S-rank mage. It was like standing in front of a blazing bonfire instead of a crackling campfire. The young guildmaster brushed off the pressure, shooting a glance at the serious-looking Gildarts.
"Gyutaro." Locki whispered, catching the Crash Mage in his Curse the second the man reached his range.
Gildarts froze momentarily, eyes widening at the mere fact that he didn't see the magic coming nor stop it. Of course, it didn't stop the mage for longer than a small second, but that was long enough for Gyutaro to reach him. Sharp spears of blood hung within the air with red lines that trailed back to Gyutaro's slit wrists. Gyutaro himself stood next to the Crash Mage, holding his [Ausauchi] to the mage's neck.
Locki knew it would probably barely slow the mage even a minute, but it was the act itself to prove his point.
"Enough!" Makarov ordered, casting a glance to the confused and startled Erza. "Are you trying to start a fight like this?"
Locki looked at the guildmaster of Fairy Tail for a minute. Makarov was a good guildmaster and an even better mage. However, if he had to compare the terror he felt from the small mage to Drumlowe, he would still fear Drumlowe more. Makarov was a man who desired peace without a conflict, but he had lines he would not cross no matter what in some moral quandary.
The teen was under no illusions that Makarov would beat him black and blue. However, the midget would never destroy him and wipe him from the face of the Earthland. In other words, Makarov would not outright kill him right now.
"You won't." Locki said imperiously, ignoring the prickling feeling of his magic choosing now to act.
"G-guildmaster…" At the moment things seemed to boil over, a feeble voice broke through the tension like a knife.
Locki's head snapped over to the opened door, finding a bandaged Kagura looking at him. An annoyed Porlyusica hovered behind the girl as he leaned on her Honedge to force herself to walk. Locki ignored Makarov as he rushed over to the girl, and felt the tiny girl wrap her arms around his waist.
"I'm sorry…" her voice trembled as it came out. "I should have been more careful… I'm sorry."
Locki awkwardly patted her back. "Its okay… you're safe."
And like that, the burgeoning conflict ended with Kagura wetting Locki's shirt with her tears.
I feel that Makarov was a little OC in this, so I wanna defend this version. The man is nice and caring, seeing his guild as a family. Of course, he would want to see another guildmaster, who he views as someone young and foolish, to see their guild as a family too and protect them as a family. Locki of course is super paranoid and combative, which leads up to the small confrontation at the end. Would Makarov actually poached Kagura? No, Makarov would like for Kagura to follow who she wants; he just wants to keep Erza happy by having her friend around. However, should Kagura want to leave her guild because of her relationship with Erza, Makarov also would not have minded.