Author Note: So, this is my newest brainchild. The title and the summary should give you a decent idea of what this will end up as. I have some vague notes and a very rough idea of where the plot should go, but as always, my characters have a habit of derailing everything that's pre-planned. Without further ado, please dive in!
~Laxus Dreyar~
Turning off his Sound Pods, he looked at the horizon. The world was engulfed by a beautiful orange gleam as he enjoyed the last rays of the sun on his skin.
'How long has it been? I'm 23 this year. More than a decade then. Time sure flies when you're having fun, huh...' He mused with a hint of nostalgia, thinking back to his childhood. He wasn't originally from this world. He had taken over Laxus's body after Ivan had disposed of it since the Lacrima Transplantation failed and killed him. Laxus's original soul and his own merged moments before the young boy truly crossed over, and he possessed the body. It was later found by a guildie and quickly transported to Porlyusica where spent two weeks in a coma, assimilating the memories and conversing with Laxus's original Soul.
They quickly grew close, with him taking somewhat of a Big Brother role for the little brat. He was genuinely heartbroken when it was time to part but Little Laxus just smiled genuinely and offered up his entire potential for him to use. Both, of the Body and of the Soul. Once he reincarnated, he would do so without magic but he said he was alright with that. If he would take over Laxus's role as a powerhouse of the Guild, he would need all the help he could get.
'I shouldn't have lingered this long, but you are the first one who truly listened to me. You didn't patronise me. You didn't try to fill my head with your crooked ideology. Instead, you gave me the full story. You told me exactly who I would have bevome and how much I'd have come to regret it later on. I am so thankful for that. Make sure to live a good life, big bro.'
'You too, brat. Don't become a pushover in your next life just because you'll lack magic.'
That was the moment he decided to fully embrace his new life. To show Little Laxus how it's done. He shook his head lightly and smiled wrily. Something about sunsets always woke the melancholic and sentimental side within him. Now wasn't the time for that, though. He had to smite a little shit for attacking his guild after all.
~Gajeel Redfox~
Sometimes, he had second thoughts. But then he remembered all the times he would have needed help and no one was there to support him and they faded into the background. A scruffy little brat like him didn't deserve any consideration, was the general consensus. So he stopped caring too. He had to, if he didn't want to go hungry. Feeding himself wasn't easy. Sure, he could just stuff himself with cheap and rusty iron and be satiated for a while, but his strength would start to decline quickly until he wouldn't be worth more than a heap of scrap. And he swore to himself that he wouldn't ever be weak again.
If he wanted to punch his Father's face after finding him, he'd need to be a monster. After all, only true Monsters could call themselves equal to a Dragon. And if he was both? Well, obviously he was going to beat his dear ol' dad to a pulp for leaving him in a wasteland without as much as a goodbye. He had other reasons for becoming truly strong, but that was the first one. And it would always have a special place in his steelplated heart.
This time, those intrusive second thoughts were far harder to silence, however. He couldn't help but notice the passion in every gesture of that slip of a girl. Levy Mcgarden. As he observed his target, he could only think. 'Cute. She's a midget. But a cute one.' It was uncharacteristic for him, but no matter how much he tried to bury it, it resurfaced.
He almost backed out, then. Out of principle, he only took assassination jobs when they dealt with dark guilds. But he usually didn't have that many problems with just roughing someone up a bit. He wouldn't give in to such weak instincts, though. After gathering his determination, he got their attention and taunted them a bit. He was surprised that the midget wasn't weak at all, actually. From the feel he got, her reserves sat somewhere around mid-A Rank and the way she bristled against his oppression clued him in that she had at least enough fighting experience to punch a bit above her weight class. A feral smile spread on his face as he thought that this might actually be more fun than he thought it would be. Things rarely went according to plan, though, and this time wasn't an exception for that rule either.
He was just about to make his first move on the ferocious midget and her two sidekicks when his danger sense screamed at him to 'Dodge!'.
Hastily jumping backwards, he was suddenly blinded. All he could see was white as the smell of ozone invaded his nostrils. Whoever the intervening party was, they were courteous enough to wait until his disorientation faded. He could feel himself pale when he took in the figure in front of him.
'Fuck. It's the Hammer of Judgment. Well, I had a good run I guess.' His thoughts stood in stark contrast to the cocky smirk he forced onto his lips.
"Gihihihi. Who'd have thought that such a big shot would intervene for some weak little sheeps? Maybe this will be an interesting job after all."
The blonde fucker looked at him with pity and it made him furious. As a dragon, he had his pride. And it was well and truly roused. He hated those sanctimonious bastards who thought themselves above others because they were born with silver spoons up their arse. Who was this elitist little shit to judge him?! He'd show him why he was called a nightmare for lightning based mages!
"[Iron Dragon's Lance!]"
He roared as a thick metal pole grew from his right arm. He swiped it in a circular motion with the intention to make the prick back off, which would create some space for him to maneuver. That wasn't what happened. Instead, it felt as if he had hit an immovable object.
He gaped at the man in front of him. One hand was in the pocket of his trousers while the other held his attack in place. 'There is no magic in his hand. That's his raw physical prowess...' He thought absentmindedly as he felt the extension of his arm strain under the Blondie's power. He could feel his fingers penetrate deeper into the metal even as he heard it creak under the force of his grip. It was an agonising sensation but he grit his teeth and weathered it like the dragon he was. The Hammer of Judgment glanced curiously at the trivialised pole in his hand.
"Good power. Nice move for crowd control. Decent speed, though nothing to write home about..."
Only his enhanced hearing let him pick up on the mutterings of the monster in front of him. What was that about? Was he testing him? The idea hurt his Pride even more than his patronising behaviour, but he forced calm upon himself. Flipping his shit wouldn't help. Here he was, putting his all in the attack, only to have it stopped casually without effort. He wouldn't survive if he began raging without rhyme or reason.
"Let's check your durability then."
Just in the nick of time, he managed to clad himself in his [Iron Dragon's Scales] before a fist slammed into his abdomen with enough force to crack them. Instead of barreling through the buildings far behind him as he'd expected, he just kinda awkwardly floated in the air after being lifted from his feet. He was completely stunned by the force of the blow, until the next fist landed.
And then came the next, and the next, and the next. An unending barrage that juggled him mercilessly. He lost count of how often his insides were rearranged by pure physical might until his entire defensive magic was cracked and useless. Almost casually, the insane Monster in front of him delivered an axe-kick that slammed into his shoulder. He grunted as he slammed down into the ground with enough force to bury him only to have the ground around him explode outwards from the force.
Light and quick footsteps approached him hurriedly. He groaned as he disorientedly glanced up and saw dark brown eyes looking down into the crater he produced with his landing. For some reason, the midget looked worried.
"Ano... Are you alright?"
He heard the blue haired girl ask him. Incredulously, he thought. 'Let's not talk about how obvious the answer to her question is. But... Is she fucking serious? Doesn't she know that I was about to decimate them and make an example out of them?' he couldn't help but laugh, only to wince in pain, before answering.
"Ghihihi... Ouch. It's been a while since I suffered such a beatdown but I'm gonna be alright. You do know that I was sent by Jose to do you guys in, right? No need to be worried about scum. Not even to mention that I'm an enemy."
A stubborn look came over her face after she searched his eyes and found something in them apparently. She turned around to face the Hammer. He was strolling over in a bored manner with his hands behind his head as he stretched from side to side before cracking his neck. That was honestly a bit insulting but he couldn't bring himself to be offended by it. He didn't give a good showing to the Monster after all.
"Please stop, Laxus-nii. He's had enough."
What the fuck was wrong with that girl's head? Why did she want to protect him? He was a scummy guy who did what he could to make a living. No need to spare his feelings or his body. He wasn't a prissy little girl after all. He denied himself the acknowledgement of the slight warmth that had spread in his chest at someone actually caring. The Monster just glanced a tad helplessly at the midget and shrugged his shoulders.
"Gramps wants him in the guild. I'm just making sure he is up to par. Now move, Levy. I'm just going to talk to him, alright?"
Her demeanour communicated reluctance as did her crossed arms but it was clear that she trusted the man. That thought wasn't really what was important, though. His gramps was Makarov Dreyar. An absolute Monster in his own right. One of the ten Wizard Saints and the Master of Fairy Tail. And he wanted him in his Guild? What the everlasting fuck?
"... Just talking?"
She asked uncertainly, commanding his undivided attention yet again. This was getting old quickly. Blondie nodded and she stepped out of his way, though she did stay around, fretting with a worried expression. To keep an eye on the young Dreyar, she claimed. Gajeel tried to move, to do anything else but laying there, pathetically and in pain, but his body refused to cooperate. He could feel subtle electric currents run through him and understood that those were the reason for his hopefully temporary paralysis. Forcing out a pained laugh, he asked.
"Ghihi. What does the old geezer want from me? Need someone to do your dirty work? Need to keep your image bright and hire a thug like me to clean up the unsavoury bits?"
He was pretty sure he was correct but the savage smile he got from the man who had sat down on the corner of the crater with his legs dangling over the edge made him uncertain.
"The only unsavoury thing we do is cleaning up after we obliterated a threat to either us or civilians. Well, and Gray's habit of stripping in public. If we needed a cleaner though, we'd hire a fucking cleaner. Wanna apply for the job? I'm sure we can find a maid uniform in your size. It would fit well with your aesthetic, I think."
'That fucking bastard...' He tried to bristle at those words and the shit eating grin he finished his statement with, but all he managed with his severely limited mobility was a glare, grit teeth, and a dark growl that made the fucker laugh. He heard that Laxus, the second Ace of Fairy Tail, was a bit of an ass but he didn't think that the guy had such a talent to get under his metal-enforced skin.
Just as the little midget indignantly worked herself up into what would probably become a whole tirade against swearing, the Monster grew serious.
"Makarov Dreyar met you a while ago. He observed you and he judged you to have the potential for good. It seems even though he is growing weaker with old age, his eyes are still as good as ever. In the name of the Third Master of Fairy Tail, I extend an invitation to you, Gajeel Redfox. Join us. Become part of our family. Let us show you what it means to be part of a true Guild. Fulfill the desires hidden deep within your heart. The life you are living now is empty. It is filled with harshness and unneeded cruelty."
He jumped down into the crater, landing softly and with a grace that belied his rather muscular body. His intense dark-grey eyes that showed only mockery before were filled with compassion as he extended his invite.
"You had it hard, no doubt about it. From a young age, you had to fight for yourself. To survive in this world's darkness, you had to learn to steel your heart. To thrive, you did many things you aren't proud of. But that doesn't matter. Fairy Tail does not judge you based on who you were. On your past deeds. We don't care about that. Who you are now will be taken into consideration. But... who you strive to be is what truly matters. We all made mistakes in our lives. We own up to them and we grow. We learn and get shaped by the environment we live in. Every single one of us has a story to tell, and only few are without tragedy. You'd fit right in, I'd be bold enough to claim. So what do you say? Join up with us before you end up as an unnamed casualty when we end Phantom Lord's existence."
His obvious charisma aside, he said the last part so casually. As if it was a certainty of life. 'This guy is dangerous. And not just because he trounced me with only the lightest touch of magic while relying on that monstrous body of his. His insight is just as scary...' He was really considering it, he realised. Before he knew it, he was pulled into that man's orbit. But before he made his decision, he needed to know something.
"Why now? I demolished your guildhall and there was no reaction from you guys. What changed? Why are you retaliating now?"
He had a suspicion but he needed to hear it from his mouth. The Monster deliberately stared at Gajeel and his facial expression twisted. Murderous rage shone through the lackadaisical visage as if it was just a mask concealing his true emotions. Gajeel had seen many a shitshow in his life and he wasn't scared easily. But he had to admit, this was fucking terrifying. His eyes were glowing slightly and static electricity seemed to build up and discharge into the atmosphere in irregular pulses. And then he spoke. The obvious rage in his eyes was nearly completely left out of his voice. Only the slightest of tensions ran through it. And that control made him seem all the more dangerous.
"A building is a building. While we made some precious memories in there, it isn't as if we lost them. As if we never made them. They stay in our hearts, always. We will rebuild bigger and better and we'll make even more memories. Until the next minor catastrophe obliterates the hall. Fairy Tail is a jolly and rambunctious bunch. Between Natsu challenging everyone to fights near-daily, Erza doling out her own brand of justice, our traditional brawls over the silliest reasons, and Gildarts being a fucking Menace by existing, we never even expected the Guildhall to stand as long as it did. It's a pleasant surprise, really. There was one mistake to be made by your top guy, though. He dared to send you after our family..."
And suddenly, it wasn't a human standing in front of him. It was a humongous Dragon looking down on him with savage eyes and bared teeth. It's body was rippling with muscles beneath its golden scales and the baleful glare it levelled on him nearly made him piss himself. The horns on its majestic head twisted backwards, reminding him of some depictions he saw of the devils of old. Not even Metallicana, his old man, was this menacing. Before he could even really grasp what he was seeing, he was forced deeper into the ground as a monstrous magical Aura settled on him. It didn't even target him directly but he couldn't move a muscle. He grunted in exertion as he heard the ground crack and thunder rumble. The Dragon squatted in front of him to look him in his eyes.
"And for that unforgivable audacity, we go to war."
With those words, spoken an octave deeper than usual, he realised a simple fact. 'Phantom Lord' was well and truly fucked. For the first time in his life, Gajeel couldn't help himself. He whimpered.
~Makarov Dreyar~
Red hot Rage boiled in his veins when he heard his grandson's report. The fact that Jose would go as far as ordering an ambush against his children... The surroundings began to strain and creak under the weight of his Aura and the barrel beneath him cracked. His usually superbly controlled magical power swirled around him in barely contained fury. Until he was snapped out of it, that was. His head slammed into the ground as Laxus gave him a hearty slap to the back of his head.
He just wanted to indignantly shout at him when he noticed several of his children breathe heavily from the exertion of enduring his Presence. Immediately, guilt consumed him. He really should have himself better under control at his age, but the the mere thought of his children, beaten and bloody, presented like a trophy and made an example of... It was a challenge to keep himself contained. He hastily reigned himself in and apologised contritely.
"Ah, I am truly sorry, my children. My emotions have gotten the better of me, it seems. Though, you could have been more gentle. I'm not the youngest anymore. A tap to the head like this might leave permanent damage, you know?"
He sent Laxus a gimlet eye with a slight frown. His eyebrow twitched when his unfilial grandson laughed into his face at his words.
"As if, gramps. You're still easily capable of tanking my strongest attacks as if they were nothing. There's no way you'd be taken out by something like this."
That... wasn't exactly true, not that he'd tell him that. The last time he tested Laxus was some months back, and he had to exert himself quite a bit to make his victory seem as nonchalant as it did. And he knew that the Lightning Mage hadn't used any of his trump cards except for the basics of his [Lightning Dragon Slayer Magic] and [Electric Enhancement]. Oh, he had no doubt that he could still school him as it was, but Makarov knew his age was catching up to him. It wouldn't take his grandson long to truly surpass him and he couldn't be prouder. He turned his serious gaze onto the object of his thoughts and received a mien free of levity in return. He appreciated that Laxus knew when to be serious. He had an easy grasp on the atmosphere and could read the room as well as he could capture it.
"This is an act of war, Laxus. We will respond in kind. I can let a destroyed guildhall go, no problem. It happens rather regularly, after all. It's just a building. Nothing of true value lost, though it hurts our finances some. But this, going after my children... Oh, it makes my blood boil in ways I haven't experienced for a long time."
He rumbled and had to restrain himself. It wouldn't do to fall into a rage again. The deep gaze his grandson gave him, as if he was searching for something, helped tremendously in that. Whatever he was searching for, he seemed to have found it as he sighed while closing his eyes. With a soft voice that didn't quite fit the situation, he told him of his preparations.
"Patience, Gramps. Leave it to me. I already drafted a report for the council, complete with Gajeel Redfox's magically signed statement. Of course, I warned them that we will take appropriate action in response. Phantom Lord sent out a single S-Class Mage to commit actions of war. We will retaliate in kind. All that's left is for you to sign and file it. I also included that we will take in some of the willing mages from Phantom Lord as it is unlikely that their front is completely united. I'm sure not everyone agrees with Jose's overly aggressive stance. Gajeel agreement to join up with us should be proof enough for that assumption."
The enigmatic smile that spread on his lips wasn't exactly a friendly one but it was one that was well and truly understood by Makarov. The fury boiling his blood simmered down when he realised that his capable grandson had everything well in hand. A fond smile wanted to sneak onto his lips and for once, he allowed it. With eyes shining in grandfatherly pride, he gazed at the muscular form of his only acknowledged blood relative. After his son, Ivan, nearly killed Laxus, he fell into a terrible fury and magically cast the man out of the Dreyar Family.
He never truly regretted the decision itself. Every action had consequences, and his former son wasn't an exception to that rule. Not hunting the miserable whelp down was already more consideration than he deserved for his deeds. He did regret the circumstances that forced it to go as far as it did, however. He truly didn't know where he went so wrong with his son. But every mistake he made with him, he apparently inadvertently corrected with his grandson, and he couldn't be more grateful for that. The young man who inherited his hair colour grew up splendidly and showed that he was strong and not easily cowed. He took his negative experiences and used it to fuel his determination, growing powerful in body as well as in mind.
He wasn't just an impressive mage, though that was a bit of an understatement. He also knew to use his brain and showed himself capable of critical thinking at a young age. He questioned everything and didn't take anything for granted. He had all the qualities of a superb Guild Master, and most of all, he had the compassion needed to succeed him as Fairy Tail's Number One. Only his mouth ran away with him a tad too often but as far as faults went, it was a minor if annoying one. And also one that he shared if he was brutally honest with himself.
Soon, he'd hand over the Guild into his capable hands, and he'd do so without regrets. He'd be able to retire and play the role of an old and wise advisor while having none of the responsibilities that weighed so heavily on his crooked back. He loved all of the children who chose to come under his umbrella and he would lay down his life to keep them safe. That wouldn't change with his retirement. But they were troublemakers. Each and every one of them, even the seemingly rational and silent ones. Knowing that he had been quiet for a bit too long, he gave a weighty nod, much to Natsu's chagrin. Makarov was surprised that he managed to keep himself contained as long as he did, but expected the explosion that announced itself with trembling fists and a grimace of fury. What he didn't expect was for his grandson to put a stop to the impending tantrum with a single word and a deep look they exchanged.
"Natsu."
He said with a command and a warning in his surprisingly measured voice. The Fire Dragon Slayer's brows were pulled into a frown of frustration and his eyes were burning as they stared into each other's eyes, neither backing down. It almost seemed as if his infamous stubbornness would win out over reason, but it seemed he had seen something in Laxus eyes, because his stance relaxed slightly. A heated huff pushed past his petulantly pouting lips and he crossed his arms as he averted his eyes first.
"Fine... You owe me a fight, though. You always say I can only challenge you when I'm ready, but how should I know if I'm ready when I didn't even get to fight you? I did all those exercises you showed me, and daily at that, but I need a point of reference to start with."
His lips twitched in amusement when he saw Laxus's excessive show of surprise and the barely hidden smirk beneath it.
"That was a coherent thought, wasn't it? There was even a valid reasoning behind it... I think we need to prepare for the worst, gramps. When Natsu shows that there are braincells not yet boiled away in that hothead of his, then there is at least one apocalyptic event on the horizon."
Makarov had the distinct impression that his grandson was only partly joking, but Natsu took the bait as he always did. He showed off that quick temper of his splendidly when he jumped the muscular blonde with his fist cocked and his magic surging, only to be stopped and pulled into a headlock with lightning quick reflexes, causing much exasperation and a few smiles all around. The heavy atmosphere dissipated when several others were inevitably pulled into the roughhousing as was always the case. As long as Laxus was a participant, the damage was mostly contained, so he was content with observing them and wallowing in his memories of the times where he was the one to bicker and brawl down there. Back then, he had none of the duties that weighed on him nowadays. It was an easier time and he only truly understood the sacrifices of his predecessors after he had to face those choices himself. He wouldn't change any part of his life, however. For his choices, all of them, were what led him to witnessing this scene today. He was the person he was only because of the choices made by him and those he allowed in his life.
He sighed, a tad exasperated with the way his thoughts wandered. Nostalgia was always a bittersweet poison, waking all those buried memories from long past, but from time to time he let it take hold. Since his grandson was there for him to rely on, he could allow himself to relax a bit. He would step in if things went out of control, but as long as his children could manage to deal with those problems themselves, he wouldn't stifle them. Old Monsters were supposed to protect and shelter. They were to provide guidance and an invisible umbrella to fend off those threats that grew over their children's heads. Their purpose was to lay down their lives for the next generation, should it ever become necessary. Most importantly however, they had to provide a Home. A place that would allow theirs to savely recuperate and lick their wounds. But children needed to experience the world on their own terms. Never should their potential be impeded on, even if one had the best intentions in doing so.
Drawing himself some of the good whiskey, he smiled indulgently at his rambunctious brats. Should it become necessary, he'd tear the world asunder for them. But that wasn't the case here. So he'd let them deal with it. He drank deeply from his well filled mug and enjoyed the liquid's taste as it burned down his throat and left a pleasant warmth in its wake. It was nice to have a family capable of caring for themselves. More rest for his old bones was always going to be a good thing.
~Aria~
As he sat at his desk, reading through the reports he was sent for the day, he couldn't help but sniff. He could feel the onset of tears already and his sight was slightly obscured by the moistness of his eyes. It was just so sorrowful... Suddenly, without a warning, Gajeel disappeared. No trace was found, except for some burnt earth. As if lightning had struck repeatedly in the same place. The smell of ozone had lingered too, imperceptible for most. But he was an accomplished Aeromancer. It would have been rather embarrassing if he didn't manage to pick up on that. There was only one viable conclusion to be drawn. Their precious 'strongest S-Rank Mage', Iron Dragon Slayer Gajeel Redfox, was intercepted and disposed of by Fairy Tail's Hammer of Judgment, Laxus Dreyar.
That, of course, threw a wrench into their plans, but at least he managed to destroy their Guild Building before ending up fried by lightning. It should have been enough to incite their ire. They were known to be collectively rather simple and hotheaded after all. Yes, it was sad that they lost a 'Precious Comrade' to the Fairies, but what was done was done and the payday would more than compensate them for their loss. The Heartfilia Patriarch was not just exceptionally vicious in his dealings but rather generous too. Truly, it moved him to tears to see just how far a father would go to bring back his wayward daughter.
As his tears flowed freely, he suddenly felt a weight settle on his shoulders. His entire body locked up before he could mobilise even a smidgen of the Ethernano in his container, and he was well and truly at the mercy of whoever had invaded his private chambers in their secondary Guildhall. He couldn't even turn his head to get a look at the Monster who managed that feat, though he had a suspicion as to who it was. 'Maybe, pulling his ire wasn't worth the massive payday after all...' He thought. In hindsight, he recognised that there was a reason he was called the Hammer of Judgment. Threats to Fairy Tail were eliminated with extreme prejudice by the man who he presumed to be the one who had immobilised him. Phantom Lord's striving for glory was fated to end in tragedy, it seemed. How absolutely devastating! The tears wouldn't stop flowing, even if he wanted them to.
"You know, I haven't even started torturing you. Why the hell are you crying already?"
That brought him up short. Even his tears stopped flowing as his body wanted to shudder, but even that small mercy was denied to him. Terror began to settle in his guts at the conversational tone in his assailant's voice. Before he could wonder why he wanted to commit such an act of cruelty, the Monster besides him was already answering.
"I don't have anything against you personally, really. But I heard a little something about your plans. You wanted to use a rather nasty piece of Magic called Metsu on my Gramps. Do you know what depriving someone at his age of all his Magic would do to his body? He's hardy and he'd probably survive, but not without suffering something akin to a stroke combined with a heart attack. And something tells me, even though this plan stems without the shadow of a doubt from the sick mind of Jose Porla, you would have gone through with it without a moment's hesitation. I'll give you a chance, though. If you manage to endure one attack from me without crying out, I'll just knock you out for a while."
By now, there was sweat flowing from his brows. He had no idea just how he got wind of that. As far as he knew, no one blabbed and not even Gajeel was informed of this particular detail.
"Oh? Wanna know how I know? Well, too bad. I won't give up my sources, no matter how tacky their moustache is, or how boisterously they brag of soon being the Master of the sole strongest Guild in Fiore while drunk."
Once the playful words registered, he swore vengeance. '... Jose, I'll castrate you, you miserable little worm. This is beyond sorrowful.' He wasn't capable acting on that impulse. All he could do was think of it. His body was still completely unresponsive and by now he knew why. There was a subtle current running through him. It wasn't overwhelming power that did him in, but impeccable control. And wasn't that even more terrifying? Laxus Dreyar was known for his tyrannical might and the ruthless way he wielded it against dark mages while also being recognised as one of the most benign, and indeed, friendly mages for mundane people to interact with. His faultless control was entirely unsung, but it made sense. Several magics he was known for demanded it after all. He just never made the connection before now.
He sighed inwardly and acknowledged. 'We shouldn't have provoked this Dragon by attacking its nest. But who knew that even the exaggerated tales about him were still an underestimation of his true capabilities? Sorrowful doesn't even begin to describe our miscalculations...'
"And you are crying again... I thought they exaggerated about that, but you're really... Open about your feelings, aren't you? Nevermind, I guess. Endure that one attack without screaming and I'm gonna leave you alone. I'll make sure you aren't a danger to my Guild while I dismantle Phantom Lord, though."
Ah, that was it then. They provoked the wrong person and paid the price for it. He didn't necessarily agree with all of Jose's plans, but he also didn't actively oppose them. He simply didn't really care either way. He should have, it seemed. Just when that thought entered his mind, it fled under the assault of agony. He felt a light tap against his shoulder and the subtle current running through his nerves and muscles grew into a thick torrent, still under the unerring control of Laxus Dreyar. Otherwise he was sure he'd have burned from within. It felt as if every single of his nerve ending was stimulated in the worst ways. His muscles continued to spasm irregularly as he fell to the ground, but he refused to cry out, knowing what would come would be far worse than this if he did. Just when he thought his mind would break, the pain finally receded.
Lying there, he breathed deeply as his numb body was still twitching slightly. He looked up to the ceiling with contemplating eyes while trying to manage a breathing rhythm that wouldn't aggravate His sore muscles. He would need to think about the life he lived up to this point if it led him to this moment.
"Hmm. Just some grunts. No outright cry or shout. Your endurance is higher than I suspected. Well done, I guess. I'm a man of my word so I'll just knock you out, but if you turn your sight on my guild again, I'll show no mercy. I'll rip you apart and make sure you're alive and conscious for it."
The matter-of-fact way he said it chilled him to the bone. There was no outright anger in the man's voice. Just pure protective intent. He'd do anything to protect his people and honestly, that was something he could respect. Especially in tandem with the abnormal strength that he called his own. His last thoughts before sinking into blessed oblivion were dedicated to his choices of countries to flee to as soon as he would be roused from unconsciousness. Staying in Fiore when this Monster was negatively aware of him wasn't really an option, after all.
~Totomaru~
He sighed in aggravation. Morons, all of them. No matter how much he argued, none of them understood. Juvia didn't care about anything and she was depressed as heck so she was kinda excused, but the rest of them? He shook his head as he continued on his not-so-merry way to his personal apartment. Jose, their Guildmaster, was focussed on his goal to push Phantom Lord towards the Number 1 spot in Fiore. Aria found everything and everyone sorrowful for one reason or another, and was crying all the time. No one really understood what went through that muddled head of his most of the time.
Sol was an elitist bastard and arrogant beyond everything he'd ever seen. He thought he could take on Makarov Dreyar, the legendary Wizard Saint of Fairy Tail, by himself. Delusional fuckwad, that one. He didn't know if that guy genuinely believed the drivel he shat out of his mouth, but it didn't matter either way. He didn't really understand the true terror of the fairies. Even their 'weakest' S-Rank, 'The Beast' Elfmann Strauss, was objectively strong enough to rival the members of the Element 4. Well, him at least.
There were also several A-Ranks among them who were strong enough to easily rival and even beat S-Ranks in a fight but simply lacked in the maturity department too much to be promoted, like 'Salamander' Natsu Dragneel and 'Frozen Menace' Gray Fullbuster. Then there were the well established monsters, like 'Titania' Erza Scarlet and 'Demon-Fairy' Mirajane Strauss, who were probably a good bit stronger than everyone in Phantom Lord except for Jose, Gajeel, and maybe Aria. Sol just wouldn't measure up, no matter what the delusional bastard claimed. A different beast altogether was 'The first Ace' Gildarts Clive. That guy was in a league of his own already and he didn't think they could take him down even if all four of them worked together. With Gajeel, they might have had a very small chance but that dude didn't work with anyone except for Juvia from time to time.
... Totomaru also didn't often ask for his opinion since the dude was scary and he was a bit of a coward even though he was an S-Rank Mage. Scary things were scary. A fancy title didn't change that. In terms of things that terrified him, there was one person he hadn't dared to think about yet. The 'Hammer of Judgment', Laxus Dreyar. While Gildarts was a Fairy through and through, he was also a wandering Mage, rarely seen in Magnolia. And if he by chance returned, they'd have ample time to prepare since the entire city shifted for him and they'd be warned for it.
Makarov wasn't that active anymore, preferring to keep himself out of most affairs. He was sure that would change once they overstepped his sensibilities, but Jose claimed to have a plan for the old Titan and he trusted in that devious mind cooking up some nefarious scheme, if nothing else. He wasn't informed of what exactly it was and he probably wouldn't approve of it if he did, but who would listen to the 'weakest of the Element 4' anyways?
The one who actively put the Fear of Fairy Tail in him was Laxus Dreyar. He lost count of the number of dark guilds that man soloed since his debut. There were several notable ones too. Unholy Trinity, Abyssal Descent, and Roaring Giant all had several Mages classified as S-Rank threats in their rosters, but none of those Guilds survived more than a week once he took the quests to take them down. And this included travel time.
He also reacted violently to every threat leveraged against his Guild which increased his own threat level quite a bit. That said, he had actually met the man before and found him to be pleasant company as long as you weren't on his bad side. They even had a few drinks a while back when he was still an A-Rank. No airs were had by him that day, even though he was already an accomplished S-Rank with an impressive assortment of achievements under his belt.
They exchanged some fun anecdotes and he'd even encouraged him, saying he had faith that he'd soon reach S-Rank himself. He'd call him a friend if it came down to it, which was another reason why he argued heavily against their plans. Why couldn't they just coexist? Was it that bad to have two nearly equal guilds in a single country? There were enough dark Guilds out there that threatened peace as it was. Countries preparing for and waging war as well as cults worshipping demons and dark Deities were notable threats too. Why wasn't it possible to pull on the same string and concentrate on those wanting nothing but causing havoc and panic?
He sighed again, this time in exhaustion. Once upon a time, he'd thought that reaching S-Rank would be the thing that enabled an easy life for him. Instead, all he got was more responsibilities, more paper work, and less sleep, and time in general really. Sure, the pay was better, but what use was it if he couldn't enjoy the fruits of his work? And now this unreasonably suicidal stunt? He had well and truly enough. Finally, his dragging feet carried him the last stretch towards his door, only for his well honed instincts to warn him of his impending doom. 'Fucking fantastic...' He thought sardonically even as he opened the gateway towards his near-certain demise with a tired sigh. No need to panic anyways. It wasn't as if it would change anything.
"Look, can I at least get some food into my belly and maybe a drink or two before you raze me from this shitty world? A last meal and drink with a friend, what do you say?"
He asked the clearly amused blonde Mage who was sitting in his favourite chair. Maybe he'd find a way to survive, maybe he wouldn't. What was life without a bit of danger?
~Lucy Heartfilia~
Wandering the lively streets of Magnolia was always an experience. One she hadn't been able to enjoy for long but wouldn't want to miss at all in her life. She knew with everything that was going on, she shouldn't wander about without a guild mate, but she needed some time alone for once. Some time to think and to put some order to her mind. Promising to stay on the well populated streets and to avoid entering dark alleys was enough to make Erza reluctantly agree to let her wander in solitude for a bit.
Ever since she joined Fairy Tail, things had been Chaotic with a capital C. One adventure after the other, not a single day without any of her Guildies' antics causing an incident. Gray's incessant stripping, Loke's womanising ways, though he kept his distance from her for some reason, Natsu's penchant for destruction and his endless desire to fight those stronger than him, and so much more. No day was boring at all.
And now, after returning from a quest that Natsu took her on to prove that he was ready to become an S-Rank Mage, they returned just to find their Guildhall demolished. She accompanied the Fire Dragon Slayer and his loyal and surprisingly knowledgeable flying blue cat Happy because they enticed her with money, and more importantly, a Gold Key of the Celestial Circle. Every single one of those was unique and if she wanted to become a strong Celestial Spirit Mage, she'd need as many of them as she could get her hands on.
She hummed in pleasure when she thought of the new key she was able to add to her collection. Sagittarius, the archer. It was the fifth of the Golden Zodiac Series she could call her own and he was a polite one. The set consisted of 12 keys so she nearly had half of the available ones already. With the pleasant thoughts came a slight shadow, though. They were hunted down by Erza and chewed out something fierce. The stern woman wasn't even really angry at them, just disappointed in Natsu for his immaturity and her because she went along with his irresponsible antics.
A sigh of relief slipped past her lips. She was glad she wasn't thrown out shortly after joining. She knew that lacking knowledge didn't mean she was protected from the consequences, but appreciated the leniency of the old master nonetheless. She could have done without being called young and impressionable before receiving a slap to her rear as 'punishment', but if that was the price to pay for her continued membership in this Guild, she'd pay it gracefully. Besides, what she felt from him was more along the lines of playful teasing than the usual slimy scumbaggery when something like this happened.
It was hard to believe sometimes that beneath that facade of a jolly and slightly lecherous old man, there was one of the strongest Mages in all of Fiore. She had done her research and knew that the seemingly minuscule man was called the 'Titan of the Light' once upon a time. His usage of light based magnification magic was absolutely legendary and it was said that he had access to a plethora of other magics too, though which ones those were, no one seemed to be able to agree on.
She resurfaced from her wandering mind when she felt water on her skin. Confused, she looked upwards and found the sun shining down. 'Huh? It's raining but the sun is out?...'
"Drip, Drip, Drop..."
Her attention was quickly pulled by the emotionless voice of the strange woman walking her way. The pale beauty, dressed exclusively in blue, continued on her quest to confuse the crap out of her.
"I am a rain woman. What type of woman are you?"
Before she could even think of an answer, the woman walked past her, put up a pink umbrella, and told her that it's been a pleasure. 'What the heck...?' was the only thing on her mind when another voice was heard in the alleyway that she only now noticed to be empty except for her, the woman, and the newcomer.
"You know, walking past your target like that after clearly recognising her might be considered treason by the tacky idiot."
Her eyes were pulled to the origin of the voice. Leaning against the wall of the building besides her, there was a man. A gorgeous man. Blonde, spiky hair. Close to two metres of pure muscular masculinity. Crossed arms with casually bulging bicepses over a chest with droolworthy pecs. He was wearing dark purple, somewhat loose fitting, pants and a black sleeveless shirt with weirdly fitting white fur trims. Around his neck, she spied the newest model of the Sound Pods. 'I thought Natsu, for all his childish antics, is a hottie. But look at this beefcake of a man...' She snapped out of her lust induced haze when he threw her an amused side-eye that made her blush in embarrassment, and only then registered his words.
'Wait, target?...' Her gaze snapped to the blue-themed woman who was now standing in the middle of the street. Slowly, she turned around. Her cold eyes were quickly fixed on the blonde man who had addressed her. Water was starting to collect as it floated around her cycling through various shapes. 'A mage then... Why should I be her target, though? And who's the tacky idiot?'
"You really shouldn't talk about our Guildmaster like that. Why are you here, Mister Dreyar?"
Several things quickly cleared up in her mind. The woman was a mage from Phantom Lord. The man was Guildmaster Makarov's grandson, Laxus Dreyar. The tacky idiot was Jose Porla, a Wizard Saint. And she was the target. She wanted to claim she didn't know why, but the ugly, foreboding feeling in her guts called her out on her lie. The only person who both, wanted her abducted and had enough money to mobilise an entire Guild like this, was her father. She didn't know why he wanted her back when he never really cared about her in any way since her mother's death, but it was the only feasible reason.
She grimaced at the thought of being responsible for the destruction of the Guild's home and dreaded just how guilty she'd feel if someone got hurt because of her. 'Should I just return?... I don't think I could forgive myself if someone suffered just because I was a stubborn brat.' Her focus returned to the two Mages in front of her when Laxus answered.
"I simply kept an eye on the reason for this whole idiocy. You are the only one left by the way. Gajeel and Totty joined up with us, Aria will stay unconscious in an out-of-the-way hospital for a week or so, and that shmuck Sol is back there in the alleyway two streets down. He's a bit on the crispy side at the moment but otherwise he should be fine."
The blue woman's pupils were pinpricks by the end of his little speech and she was trembling slightly, but the water in the air never faltered. Instead, edges began to form, as if she'd lash out at any moment. Lucy knew most of those names, though. Gajeel was the rumoured strongest S-Rank of Phantom Lord outside of Jose Porla himself, who was one of the ten Wizard Saints. Aria and Sol were members of the Element 4. It took her a moment to recognise Totty as Totomaru, another S-Rank and member of the Elements, which would make the woman in front of her Juvia Lockser. An impressive S-Rank Water Mage and the last of the Element 4.
"This doesn't have to end in a fight, you know? Fairy Tail would be delighted to welcome you in our fold. With a Master like that moron Jose, the atmosphere in the guild can't be a pleasant one. For a lotus flower such as you, that's not an environment you can bloom in. Join us and we'll show you what it means to be family. To have each others backs and to bleed for one another. Why should you have to suffer in the darkness if it's so easy to turn to the light?"
There was a genuine smile on his face and he reached out to the woman. Lucy could see that she was off kilter from the sudden compliment and recruitment pitch. There was uncertainty in her eyes before they hardened and the water blades she formed earlier launched without warning. Before she could do as much as shout a warning, the attacks disintegrated with the water falling harmlessly to the ground. Electricity arced around him as his mien grew serious.
"Might I ask why you reacted like that? I don't think I gave you a reason for aggression. Besides the whole 'knocking out your entire team and your superior' thing, I guess."
She sweatdropped at the nonchalant way he phrased it while cracking his neck. The answer of the rain woman made her sad, though. She could feel sympathy for her well up in the depths of her heart.
"Juvia nearly did fall for your honeyed words, but then she remembered that she is someone who only brings darkness and misfortune into the lives of those around her. How could she ever be a lotus flower? Juvia will not let herself be deceived!"
The atmosphere grew ambiguous when Laxus avoided the water whip she wielded against him by disappearing only to suddenly reappear behind the formidable Water Mage. He looped his arms around her and addressed her with a silky voice that sent shudders down her back and she wasn't even the target of his seduction.
"Oh, but that isn't at all what I see. In my arms, there is a strong and gorgeous woman with more Magic Power than she knows what to do with. It bleeds into the atmosphere due to her lacking control and causes the water from the surroundings to be drawn to her. She is depressed because the only weather she ever experienced is rain in all its variations. But she doesn't understand that rain has its own charms."
He paused for a moment. It was clear that he hadn't trapped the bluenette in his arms. They were softly folded in front of her. She could escape any time she wanted, but chose to stay there. Not that she'd choose otherwise if she was in the same situation. She was at least this honest with herself.
"A short, refreshing rainfall after a day filled with the summer heat. A peacefully rainy evening in the autumn. The fascinating and destructive beauty of a tropical storm. Rain can be as captivating as any other weather phenomenon. You just have to learn to find the beauty in it."
'Why the heck did my eventual abduction transform into the prelude of a steamy scene straight out of one of my more risque romance novels! And why am I not the main character!' She raged indignantly on the inside even as she spied through the fingers of her hands that she'd placed in front of her eyes. Her blush had spread all the way down to her neck by now and she was thankful for the rain that was pelting Her just moments ago since it helped her cool down. Absentmindedly, she glanced upwards and murmured.
"Huh... It's clearing up again."
The other two looked upwards too and Laxus softly told the woman in his arms with a smile in his voice.
"Will you look at that. The sun is peeking through. Well done reigning in your magic. I'm proud of you."
Lucy's gaze turned to the pair again and almost gasped. With glistening eyes full of unshed tears and a slight blush on her face, Juvia's lips turned upwards into the smallest and yet most gorgeous smile Lucy was ever allowed to witness. 'Somehow, those two look really good together...' Her mind supplied even as she felt her own lips pull into a soft smile. She was still slightly resentful that a scene that should have had her as a main character transformed into a seduction scene for those two, but if that was the result, she decided she could live with it.
