Chapter Forty-Four

Bixlow leaned in close to Ren's face and the other male eyed him warily. "Yer lucky it was me and not Natsu who got here first. Hope you appreciate that."

"Quit tormenting them Bixlow." Lisanna sighed heavily. She walked over and pushed at him until he got away from them. She turned back. "Sorry. He's cranky. He was hoping to fight some draconics and we didn't come across any."

"What's the point of coming down if you don't fight and kill something?"

"Oh I don't know," She put her hands on her hips. "Executing the mission you signed up for?"

"Pfft… That's lame thinking."

"Then maybe you should have asked either Mira-sis or Elf-nii to ride with you." She turned and walked over to the prisoners. She knelt in front of them and tossed her head over her shoulder. "He's a pain in the ass but he was one of the few people willing to come down; and being magicless the general thinks we're helpless. Which is crazy. I mean, Mira-sis survived draconic venom for days and Elf-nii killed a draconic with his bare hands. I even took down Evergreen so like…we aren't really weak."

The eyes of the three kept getting larger with each thing she said. Bixlow was glowering behind her and they were looking from her to him and back to her. Then to him again.

"Are you oaky? Those ropes look super tight."

Bixlow's babies rose behind Lisanna's back and they and Bixlow glared at the three of them and they nodded out of self-preservation. She sat back and nodded. "Do you all need anything? Food or the restroom? I'm not sure if behing held prisoner is really necessary. It's not like you'd do anything stupid right?"

"That is not for us to decide little lady." Bixlow interjected and put his hand on her head. She shook it off and glare up at him. He crossed his arms over his chest and sighed.

"They tried to trap Lucy. That's enough reason to keep them tied up."

"Where are they going to go? Gray is outside; Freed and Mirajean weren't far out and Evergreen and Elf-nii aren't far behind them. And I'm sure that Natsu and Wendy aren't far off either."

"We never found their ship on any scans. There is no telling where it is; or if it's possible to get off world with it. If it is possible then what would happen to Lucy if they slipped past someone?"

"That is such a far shot. They look really repentant."

"They look terrified. As they should be." Bixlow turned and sat with his back to her and them. They squinted their eyes and tried to show a kind look. She offered them a smile and got up and walked away, kicking Bixlow and hissing at him as she walked by. She sat down next to Lucy and curled up close to the other girl.

Once her breathing was even, Bixlow sent one of his babies over and it rested in front of her. He then got up and walked over to the members of Blue Pegasus. "Don't think she's weak because I insisted that the Thunder Legion come down with her and her siblings. We did that to protect you from them."

"Hmphmhp."

"What I mean Hibiki," Bixlow's tongue unrolled to his chin. "That little slip fo girl used Takeovrian moves to take down Ever. Then she told the Takeoverians that she and her sister were going to keep studying their techniques and they needed to get over themselves. Her big sister; did survive the venom for a long time; that wasn't a lie. And she's the sweetest little thing you'll ever meet. But she put the fear of Mavis in Evergreen after the fight with her sister; and she did it with a smile. Even Laxus eyed her wearily at the time. And their brother…well…his name may sound delicate, but he's a monster of a man."

The three nodded slowly and leaned away and rested against the wall. Bixlow went and stood at the opening in the wall and looked out over the buildings. The early morning air was still cool and he could see further than he expected. There wasn't any mist or fog. According to Levy; the Thunder Legion had originally be in a place called England; where mist and fog were more common than Magnolia.

"Hey." Freed appeared and Bixlow nodded. Freed looked around. "Where is Gray?"

"In his Magi-Hover resting. Where's Mira?"

"In my Magi-Hover resting." Freed crossed his arms and looked over at the three prisoners who were leaning against each other and dozing off. "What are they bound with?"

"Celestial rope and cloth curtesy of Virgo."

"That's impressive." Freed looked at the nails on his right hand. "Do you want to rest now that I've shown up?"

"Nah? I'm good." Bixlow looked out. "It's so quiet around here."

"Yeah, I performed an extended view spell; and there are no draconics around until the next town in this direction. There is a lot of carnage though."

"Interesting. I wonder what happened."

"Lucy happened." Gray said appearing and they looked at him. He shrugged and yawned, stretching backwards to pop his back. He had learned from Lucy and Erza and did find it oddly relaxing. Freed and Bixlow cringed and he got a secret joy from that.

"Blondie?" Bixlow asked and Gray nodded.

"I heard from gramps that she performed a unison raid with the stars. It eliminated every draconic around here."

"Good Word." Freed looked over at the blonde who was curled up on her side and sleeping peacefully.

"Yeah. She's full of surprises."

"That's her second unison raid; right?" Freed asked and Gray nodded.

"I wonder if Erza or Levy will be able to do unison raids as frequently?" Bixlow wondered and Gray shrugged. "You aren't concerned?"

"I'm only concerned when they start staring at me and I feel chills down my spine." He joked and they both cracked small grins.

"Shouldn't you still be resting?"

"Eh, I got a message from Gajeel. Levy found something but she didn't know what it was and wanted to see if Lucy knew what it was, but it didn't scan well so they are headed this way."

"Ohhh." They both looked over and Hibiki was shaking his head and looking worried.

"This will be interesting." This time the three all chuckled together.

"Whose Magi-Hovers are those?" Levy asked as they jumped from Gajeel's Magi-Hover. He looked at them and then her.

"Freed and Bixlow."

"Why are they down here?"

"I'm not sure. But that doesn't bode well to me. Let's go see what Bunny Girl got into." He said and wrapped an arm around her waist and leapt. +

She held onto the object in her hands and held her breath. He had a habit of just grabbing her and jumping or carrying her around. She tried to make him stop but he never did. She secretly did get a kick out of it though because it was just like in her books; a damsel getting swept off of their feet. But she wasn't going to tell him that she liked it, even a little.

"Stupid Gajeel! How many times do I have to tell you not to do that!?" She moved the item around in her arms and glared at him. She kicked out and he stepped back and grinned while shaking his head.

"Levy…" Lucy and Lisanna both chided as they sat up, rubbing their eyes. Levy looked ashamed as the girls slowly got to their feet.

"Sorry for waking you up." She lowered her head and then held the item out. "Any idea what this is?"

"The hell?" Lisanna walked over and looked it over and shook her head.

Lucy walked over and looked at the item. She squatted down and looked at it intently. It was a large long box with weird ruins on it. She held her hand over it and felt a vibration from it. She looked up at Levy. "Did you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

'It just vibrated."

"No it didn't." Levy shook her head so Lucy held her hands out and Levy cautiously put it in her hands. Once Levy let go; some of the ruins lit up. Levy's breath caught and Lucy closed her eyes.

"Lulu?" Lucy opened her eyes.

"It's definitely tied to the Celestial world. But I'm not sure how or what it is." She said and held it in her left hand and then ran her right over the top. The light brightened and followed her hand.

"Could one of the guards help?"

"Possibly, but I don't want to bother them unless it's critical." Lucy shook her head and set the item down carefully. "If Loke is still with Natsu I can ask him."

"Why would Loke be with Natsu?"

"Natsu ran into a pregnant draconic."

"They can be pregnant?" Freed gasped horrified and Lucy nodded. There was the sound of skidding rubble and they all turned towards the sound. The three prisoners were cowering closer together and looking horrified.

"Whose that?" Gajeel asked sneering at them and if possible they shrank into the floor.

"The team sent by Blue Pegasus." Gray answered dryly.

"And they're tussled up why?" Levy asked as Gajeel just stared at them hard.

"They tried to trap me." Lucy's response had Gajeel taking in a deep breath and lowering his arms and tensing. Levy gasped and then turned her eyes to them, narrowing them in anger and raising her hand. "Stop that."

"Lucy!" Levy rebutted when her friend pushed her arm down.

"Blondie isn't trying to say not to hurt them. Just don't kill them."

"Bixlow!" Freed, Lisanna and Lucy scolded in unison as Eve's eyes rolled back into his head and he fell backwards. Lucy face palmed and shook her head.

"They came here because their General was threatened by the others." Freed informed Levy and Gajeel. Levy relaxed slightly but Gajeel didn't.

"And that's reason enough not to end them?"

"Yes!" Lucy argued and he looked at her in offense. "Wouldn't you do anything to protect General Makarov?"

"That is neither here nor there." The grouchy Dragis snorted. Lucy rolled her eyes back and looked over. Ren and Habiki where trying to bring Eve back to the land of the living. But it was hard as they were bound.

"Is he okay?" Mira's voice was soft and Ren's coloring darkened as he looked at her. Lucy's mouth nearly fell open. The older girl was in tight jeans, and a tight black shirt. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail and she wore chunky black boots that made her taller.

"Eve is fine. He just fainted." Bixlow said and waved her over. Mira pulled Lucy into a hug and smiled at her as she pulled away. Then she turned and hugged Levy and waved at Gajeel.

"Why are they tied up?"

"Apparently they tried to kidnap Lucy." Her sister offered and Mirajean turned slowly and glowered. Everyone felt the air cool off. Lucy stepped between her and them and made Mira look at her.

"I'm fine. Virgo tied them up. So it's all good."

"Until Natsu gets here and finds out."

"Or you all could get them off world first?" Lucy suggested and Mira looked at her pointedly.

"He'd smell them on you and want to know what was going on."

"Good point." Lucy frowned. "Wish I had some perfume…mess with his sense of smell that way."

"Lets not kill him." Levy joked and Lucy shrugged. Lisanna put her arm around her sister and they shared a look.

"What's wrong?" Lucy asked and they looked over at her.

"Elfman and Evergreen still aren't here yet." Lisanna whispered softly.

"Poor Elfman." Levy said and Lucy snickered. Freed and Bixlow mumbled an understanding sound and walked way to speak quietly. Gajeel scowled and shook his head.

"I'll go down to the Magi-Hover and see where her's is. Try and reach them through a comm channel."

"Thank you." Mira said as he turned. Levy watched as he got to the opening of the building and looked around before jumping down.

"It's scary isn't it?" Lucy whispered and she looked up at her friend. The blonde offered her a small smile. "Watching them just jump probably a hundred feet down like we jump off a stair."

"They say we have no sense of preservation." Levy rolled her eyes but was glad that Lucy knew what she felt. She put her arm around Lucy's waist again and rested her head on her shoulder.

"We found some more gardening stuff. There was a nursery that we sent up whole. Stuff had grown wild. And there was some medicinal plants in it; so I think Droy is going to be in Heaven."

"Thats cool. We found chainsaws."

"What are those?" Bixlow asked as he and Freed walked back over.

"Tools for cutting though wood and things. They have a rotating chain of super sharp blades that cut through everything." Lucy explained and they looked impressed. Levy squeezed her waist.

"It was originally created to help cut babies out of mothers who were having a hard time giving birth." She said perkily. "And most of the women lived afterwards so it was popular until better processes were created."

"WHAT?!" Freed screamed looking horrified. Ren and Habiki both passed out; falling over top of Eve.

Lucy, Mirajean, Lisanna and Levy were all snickering as Bixlow walked into a corner and started to heave. Gajeel came back looking around; his arm a blunt metal shape. "What's happening? I heard Freed scream."

"Just told him the original use of a tool we have called a chainsaw. Lucy and Natsu found some."

"And it made you scream like that? Come on man…" Gajeel crossed his arms and sighed heavily.

"They used them to cut babies out of women."

"Say what now?" Gajeel blinked and his mouth fell opened as he looked at the green haired male in front of him.

"Cesarean sections. It's the name for the procedure of cutting a pregnant woman open and removing the baby because she can't deliver it naturally." Lucy supplied as Levy was bent over laughing.

"I've said this before, and I'm going to say it again," Gray said as he appeared behind Gajeel. "This planet is brutal."

"We have moved on from the chainsaws for surgery." Mira giggled. "It's less brutal now."

"Less brutal is still brutal. And what happened to those three?" Gray asked pointing at the Blue Pegasus group.

"They passed out for various reasons. No strong constitutions." Lucy said and shook her head.

"Listening to tales of this planet I don't blame them. Blue Pegasus is more of a technological Guild than a warrior Guild." Bixlow said as he walked over, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Oh grow up." Lisanna chided and shook her head. She pulled her pack around and handed him a stick from a green package she'd produced from inside.

"What is that? Poison?"

"Gum. You chew it and it makes your breath smell better." She said and he took it and sniffed.

"Take the paper off first!" Lucy called as she pulled away from Levy and walked over to the hole and looked out.

"Did you get a hold of Evergreen?" Mira asked Gajeel as they watched Bixlow unwrap the gum and lick it with the tip of his tongue. Levy and Lisanna were rolling their eyes and Freed stood by warily. He put the stick in his mouth and started to chew.

"That's not too bad." He said after a few chews.

"Don't sound too surprised." Lisanna quipped and looked at Gajeel.

"Evergreen and yer brother are close. They got slowed down by a nest. But they took care of it."

"That's good." Mirajean visibly relaxed. "I'm glad to hear that. Thank you for checking for us."

"No problem." Gajeel said and walked over to a desk and tested it before flipping it upright. He sat on it; his right left bent at the knee, and his left hanging off of the desk. He leaned back on his hands and stared up at the ceiling.

Levy looked away from him and over to Lucy. She wanted to go talk to her but at the same time she felt like her friend needed to be left alone. Lisanna and Mira were talking quietly with Freed and Bixlow. Gray was exploring the office at the end of the room. She turned and walked over and pulled herself up onto the desk at the opposite end than Gajeel. She swung her feet and closed her eyes.

"A bolt for your thoughts." Gajeel said as he carefully nudged her with his foot. She looked over at him.

"Not thinking of much. Just sitting in silence."

"If I've learned one thing about ya; it's that yer brain never sits in silence. It probably whirls in yer sleep." He scoffed and she blushed. She looked down and shrugged, and stopped swinging her feet. She threw her head back on her shoulders and looked up at the ceiling.

"I don't like just sitting here. Waiting. We don't even know what we're waiting for aside from Evergreen and Elfman showing up, maybe Natsu and Wendy."

"Well from what I heard from Bix and Freed, they're gonna take our 'guests' and send them off world. Then Gramps is gonna send a message to all of the other Generals that if they try something like that again it's gonna be Fairy Tail against everyone else."

"No!" Her mouth fell open.

"Trust me Gwolmp, they'll apologize before they go up against us. In the Alliance; we're the power house."

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just call me that to try and get my mind off of what you just said."

"Che…Like I'd insult ya just to try and distract ya."

"Uh huh." She crossed her arms and shook her head at him. He grinned leaned forward, resting an arm on his raised knee.

"Ya don't believe me?"

Levy raised a finger and wrote 'No' and gently sent it to him and it popped against his ear and he heard her voice whisper the word.

"Getting fancy over there." He joked and she giggled and rolled her eyes. He reached out and ruffled her hair. "I promise ya…it's all gonna be fine."

"I'm sure." She said and looked around. "It's just hard to sit still in times like this."

"It is. But like I told ya before. Ya just learn to appreciate them when ya get them."

"I know." She said and tilted her head and looked at him as he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Everything okay?"

He cracked open an eye and looked at her and she raised a brow. "For now."

"Okay." She uncrossed her arms and leaned back on the desk.

"Oye, Levy!" Bixlow's voice broke the silence and they both jerked as he appeared beside the desk. Levy looked up at him as Gajeel glowered. "I found this in the library. Thought it might help your studies."

He held out the book and she jumped off of the desk and grabbed the book. She opened it and her brow furrowed. She looked up at him. He gave her a wink and walked off. She turned back to the book and leaned against the desk. Gajeel had watched the interaction and felt like something was off. He shifted, swinging both legs off of the desk and lifted up on his arms and shuffled over then dropped down. He looked over her shoulder.

"That's a book on Dragis culture…what's that got to do with magic transference through blood sharing?" He asked and she jerked in surprise. She closed the book and look at him.

"It was code obviously."

"Code?"

"Bixlow's way of making sure I know what Dragis culture Lucy needs to be aware of. Duh."

"Oh…ya could just ask me." He said and flicked her forehead. She batted at his hand with the book.

"So you would have explained the mark of a mate?" He froze and narrowed his eyes on her. "I didn't think so. That's something Lucy should prepared for. I mean, if a Dragis were to just latch onto the joint of my neck and collarbone like that I'd be concerned they'd gone crazy and were trying to rip my throat out."

"Well typically when that happens; the two involved aren't just sitting or talking on a bench." He said and she looked at him. "It's done in the heat of a mating frenzy."

"A what now?"

"Mating frenzy. Ya know…when two mates get so riled up that the only thing that is going to calm them down is mating until they can't move anymore."

"Yeah humans don't have that issue." Levy's eyes widened and she shook her head as a blush worked its way up her neck and into her face. Gajeel got quiet and looked around and then leans in closer.

"We may need to compare notes in the Magi-Hover…if the others hear it might get crazy."

"You think?" She asked blushing hotly. "But later. We're not walking out of here to discuss it now. That would look weird."

"Deal."