Thinking of a little something to surprise you guys with, but that's not important at the moment. We'll see.
Enjoy!
"So after all of this, we still don't have a plan?" Gray asked, making Laxus sigh. They'd been at this for hours, but so far no concrete plan of action had been decided on.
"No, not yet." He said. "Other than fight them all."
"Is that for the best though?" Levy asked. "From what the kids said, they've got an army at their command."
"We've taken on bigger armies, shrimp." Gajeel said. "I'm sure we can think of something."
"We probably shouldn't." Erza said. "We might get the people in Magnolia involved, and that's the last thing we need." That much was true. The people who lived here had gone through so much as a result of Fairy Tail's enemies they deserved a break.
"Plus they don't sound all bad." Juvia added. "I know they're after Gin and tried to kill Damien, but they are Demon Lords. They tend to be rather violent, right?"
"That too." Laxus said, scratching his chin. Due to his past with most demons, he respected what Neptu and his group did. Most weren't the kindest. Still, they were a problem.
"We can't hand over Gin." Erza said. "They'll kill him."
"So we're stuck." Levy surmised. "Perhaps we can try to make them back off without any kind of violence either way? Maybe Neptu will see reason and back off."
"He does seem reasonable." Laxus said. "I guess we'll have to see, we don't exactly have any other option..."
Everyone turned as the door to the office opened, revealing Lucy and Natsu as they walked in.
"There you two are." Laxus said. "I wanted you here for the meeting."
"Sorry." Lucy murmured. "Did we miss anything?"
"No, we have no real plan." Gray answered before turning to Natsu. "Did you have to go find your husband after he ran off scared?" Usually Natsu would've replied to a remark like this, but he just stared blankly out the window. Gray made a face. "You ignoring me, flame brain?"
"...No." Natsu said quietly. "Just thinking."
"That's unusual." Gajeel said, snickering. Usually Natsu would've erupted and tried to start a brawl at things like this, but he remained totally still. Lucy coughed.
"We have a problem, everyone." She said.
"What?" Laxus asked. Lucy seemed unaware of how to say whatever the problem was, and Natsu was still blankly staring.
"Well, it's pretty much like this-" She started.
"Neptu's a Fire Devil Slayer." Natsu announced, cutting her off. At this, silence fell over the small room. No one spoke up for a moment, and Natsu scoffed. "No one else figured it out? And you say iI'm a dumbass."
"Are you sure?" Erza asked. Natsu nodded.
"Positive." he then jabbed a thumb at Gray. "Same feeling I got from ice prick over here. He's one, no doubt." Gray seemed a bit startled.
"Now that you mention it, yeah." He said. "He did feel familiar somehow."
"That's why you backed down." Levy said, Natsu nodding. "Does he...Well, wall you?"
"Essentially." Natsu said. "That fire could kill me. If I ate it, if it touches me...I can't beat him."
"You sure you couldn't Zancrow him?" Laxus asked. "Eat it and get some other form?" Natsu shook his head.
"Don't know." He said. "And I'm not keen on finding out if I can or if it'll roast me alive." At this, Natsu's frown deepened. "That's why I told Nashi to stay away from him if it comes to a brawl."
"It'll kill her too." Levy said, nodding.
"When are you going to tell her?" Juvia asked, casting another silence.
"She has a point." Gray said. "First Silverridge, then those times at the Games. Sooner or later Natsu, she needs to know."
"You want to do it?" Natsu snarled. "You want to go out there and tell her what she is?"
"Natsu..." Gray started.
"I know she needs to know." Natsu growled. "I know better than anyone. But how exactly do you go about telling your daughter that she's a beast created from the DNA of a human woman and a monster forming together? How do you tell her that she's got powers that were created over four hundred years ago by the most powerful dark wizard in history? Do I mention that those very same powers could take her over if she isn't careful?!How do you say any of that?!" Another silence came over everyone at this. Lucy put a hand on Natsu's shoulder, and he turned to glare at the window.
"The point is," Lucy said. "That's he's dangerous, and if it comes down to a fight, we have a serious problem."
"Because he could kill both Natsu and Nashi without even trying." Laxus said. "Yeah, that's quite a problem."
Gin trailed behind Nashi as they walked towards the others, still deep in thought after playing with her baby brother a bit. He was certain combat wouldn't be a good thing, but could he really do what he felt was right? What would happen then?
"Hey guys." He looked up as Nashi greeted the others, and they too looked up.
"Hey." Simon greeted. "Hey Gin." Gin nodded slowly, still unsure.
"Hey Luke." Ultear said warmly with a smile. "Can I hold him, Nashi?"
"Yeah, sure." Nashi replied, leaning over the table to hand the baby over. Ultear smiled down at Luke and played with him, while Elise looked up.
"Hey, you went up to see Damien, didn't you?" She asked. Gin nodded.
"I did." he replied.
"Is he okay?" Ultear asked.
"Wendy said he should be." He replied. "She's working on it." The others seemed to relax at this.
"Thank God." Simon muttered.
"I was really worried." Drake said, crossing his arms. "He looked pretty shitty for a long time."
"Yeah." Elise agreed. "And even then she said our best hope was a coma."
"She's better than she gives herself credit for." Simon said. "Look at how many times Nashi has ended up in their after a serious incident." At this, Nashi laughed weakly.
"That's true." She said.
"You get hurt often?" Gin asked her. She turned to him and nodded.
"Yeah, it's a bad habit I guess." She said, looking rather sheepish. "I end up hurt all the time."
"Hurt, surviving a point blank Etherion explosion, it's all the same right?" Drake asked. Gin felt his head spinning.
"Is that true?" He asked, shocked. Nashi nodded, staring down at the table.
"Yeah." She said. "I did that. It was pretty intense..." At this, Nashi swayed in her seat, before shaking her head. "Sorry, I got lightheaded." Gin made a face, and as he looked up, he noted that Drake was staring intently at Nashi, a serious expression on his face. Drake saw Gin had noticed him, and diverted his gaze elsewhere. What was that about?
"Regardless, it's good that he'll be okay" Ultear said. At this, Gin watched as Luke started to paw at Ultear's shirt. She made a face and looked down at him. "Can I help you?" She asked in a baby tone. Luke just made a strange noise back at her.
"Sassy little shit, isn't he?" Simon asked. Luke just continued pawing at Ultear and making weird noises.
"What?" She asked, laughing a bit. "Am I ignoring you?" A thought occurred to Gin as he watched the baby grab at her.
"I think he's hungry." he said. This made everyone go quiet for a moment before Drake snickered.
"Oh yeah, that's definitely it." he said, nudging Ultear, who was a little pink in the face. "Get on it, Ul."
"I am not breastfeeding Luke." She said, making a face at Drake.
"Aw come on, you're gonna be mean like that?" Ultear rolled her eyes and made Luke stop grabbing at her.
"You just want me to pull my boob out, don't you?" She muttered, making Drake cackle.
"Damn, foiled again." He said. "You got me there."
"Perv." Elise said. Drake rolled his eyes at her.
"This coming from the girl who doesn't close her door."
"You walked in on me!"
"Trust me Elise, twelve year old you wasn't anything to look at."
"Oh please, you stared for a long while."
"Was that before or after you broke my nose for seeing you in the nude? I don't recall if the shock from you naked or the impact made me stare."
"Doesn't really matter" This little argument made the others laugh, and even Gin felt himself cracking a smile. These people seemed to have a very infectious attitude. And despite the threat hanging over their heads, they found time to laugh. Quite interesting.
Before the others could start talking again, a door opened. Gin turned to find Master Laxus`office door opening, and the older members of the guild walked out of it.
"Looks like the strategy meeting is done." Simon said. "Let's see what happens." Gin watched as Laxus stood in the center of the guild hall and cleared his throat.
"Attention, everyone." He called, earning everyone's attention. "As I'm sure you're all aware, Neptu and his Hunters want us to hand over Gin. As am sure you all also know, the odds that we'll end up doing that are slim. But, obviously, we need to find a solution that we can all get behind. So, as of now, the plan is to try and talk Neptu down and make him leave. Any objections?" No one spoke up to this, so Laxus nodded. "Good. Now you should all turn in for the night. Tomorrow...Might be a problem." With this, members of the guild went about their business. Gin watched as A blonde woman walked up to them.
"Hey guys." She said. "Are you all okay?"
"We're fine, Lucy." Drake said. "How'd the meeting go?" Lucy did not reply to this, she simply sighed.
"I'll take Luke now, Nashi." She said. "It's way past his bedtime." Nashi nodded and took the baby from Ultear, and then past him to Lucy. "See you tomorrow, guys."
"Mom?" Nashi asked, making Lucy stop as she tried to walk away. "Did you find out why Dad acted like that? What's up?" Lucy didn't say anything for a moment or two, but soon she let out a small laugh.
"You're Dad was just worried about everyone." She said, turning and casting them a smile. "Didn't want to hurt anyone in the crossfire. And of course, not his precious baby girl." This made Nashi's cheeks turn a bit pink, and Lucy turned back around to leave. "Goodnight." And with this, she left.
"Huh, I guess that makes sense." Elise said. "He is pretty destructive."
"Right..." Nashi murmured, sounding unsure. Gin stared down at the table. From the sounds of things, the guild wasn't going to hand him over. And he very much doubted Neptu and the others would simply say that was fine and leave at that.
"Anyway, I'm going to go to bed." Ultear said, standing up. "I really missed my bed these past few days." Slowly but surely, everyone got up from the table and left, except for Nashi.
"You okay, Nashi?" Gin asked.
"Oh, uh, yeah." She said, looking up and offering him a weak smile. "I was just thinking about this whole thing." Gin nodded. "Don't worry, we won't let Neptu take you away, alright? We won't."
"...Okay." Gin replied. Nashi smiled and stood up from her seat, stretching.
"Don't worry about staying here." She told him. "You'd probably be safest right here anyway."
"I'll find someplace to sleep." He reassured her, now feeling the affects of his long travel here as well. Nashi got up and left, and Gin slowly rested his head down on the table, mind consumed with worry about the following morning. Whatever happened, he hoped nobody got hurt.
Because if they did, it was more hurt innocents caught in the crossfires he regularly caused.
"Wake up, kid." Gin jumped awake at this course voice speaking to him. Looking up, he swallowed hard as he noted Mortavius standing over him.
"M-Mortavius?" Gin asked weakly, and a cold breeze slapped in the face to boot. Looking around, Gin noted he was no longer in the guild hall, but on the very top of a building. Not only that, but the sun was bearing down on him. "W-Where are we?"
"On top of the guild hall." he answered simply, pockets in his hands as he smirked down at Gin. "I wanted to show you something, and I figured the best viewpoint was right here." Gin slowly stood, and glared at Mortavius.
"What is that, exactly?" Mortavius grinned and pointed behind Gin. As he did so, Gin's stomach dropped, and he paled. He had a bad feeling about this.
As he slowly turned, he now knew why.
Just on the outskirts of the city of Magnolia, was a gigantic mass of what looked like tenets, and people in black cloaks.
"Oh no..." he whispered, blood draining from his face. Mortavius chuckled.
"Looks like Neptu's preparing for a war out there." he said. "Nice view of em, huh?"
"This bad. Really, really bad." Gin said. "What do I do?"
"Well as I see it boy, it don't really matter." Gin looked over his shoulder to find Mortavius giving him a wolfish grin. "This won't end well for anyone."
"There has to be something!" Gin shouted, wind whipping around them. "I could give myself up, regardless of what the guild says!"
"And have them jump in to defend you like last time?" Mortavius demanded. "They won't let you die."
"Surely they'll see reason here..."
"Have they yet?" Gin slowly looked back out at the fields of enemies before looking back at Mortavius.
"Why'd you bring me up here?" He demanded. "What does seeing this accomplish?" Mortavius' grin only darkened.
"Too prove my age old mantra to you, kid." Gin closed his eyes slowly at this. "No matter how much you dislike it, or how much you want to avoid it. It comes regardless."
"...Bloodshed in inevitable." Gin finished. "I remember." Mortavius nodded.
"So what now, Gin?" He demanded. "Will you resolve to fight for once?" Gin stared down at his feet. What was he going to do? Give himself up, or fight? If a fight was inevitable...
"I don't know." He hissed.
"Better hurry up boy." Mortavius said. "Looks like times up." Gin made a face, but turned to look over the side of the building. Walking towards the guild was a group of five people.
"Oh God..." Gin hissed. With this, he sped past Mortavius, who took his leave and disappeared. He barreled down the stairs and arrived at the bottom floor before Neptu and The Members of the Cross did.
"Guys!" He shouted. "Neptu, he-!"
"Has an army on our doorstep?" Laxus asked, from the center of the guild. "We saw. Don't worry, it'll be fine."
"How can you people be like this?!" He demanded, starting to panic. "So many people could get hurt in this fight! Just let me go, it's not that big of a deal!"
"That's just it." Gin turned to find Nashi and the others watching him. "It is a big deal. Your life is just as important as mine, or Damien's, or anyone else's. Stop acting like handing you over to be killed is something we can just do. Because it isn't."
Gin had hoped, he really did.
But it still seemed as though the guild would not heed his prayers. Instead, they'd opt to defend him.
"I'm sure we don't need much of an introduction." Gin looked up to find Neptu and The Cross entering the guild hall. "Have you considered my offer, Fairy Tail?"
"All night, we did." Laxus replied, everyone watching carefully. "And we came to a decision."
"Oh?" Neptu asked. "Can I hear it?" Laxus nodded.
"We opted to ask you to leave this place and Gin alone." He said. "This isn't a fight that needs to be fought." Neptu just stared at Laxus, unmoving. After a few tense seconds of this, he sighed.
"Perhaps I was not perfectly clear last time." He said. "So allow me to reiterate. The boy is a Demon Lord. If you hand him over, we'll leave."
"I know." Laxus replied. "Doesn't really change anything."
"Are you not aware of the damage this one has caused?" Neptu asked. Although he still seemed calm, his voice showed slight irritation. "He's a monster. Do you have even the slightest idea what he's capable of?"
"Oh I'm very aware." Laxus replied. "I've seen it before."
"Than perhaps you'd reconsider again." Neptu said. "Hand him over. Now."
"And I suppose that's why you've summoned up an army outside our walls, right?" Laxus asked. "Just for us to hand him over?"
"I called them on the assumption that you'd be difficult." He replied swiftly. "From what Quinn said in his report, you're a difficult bunch."
"So to threaten us?"
"In a way, yes." Neptu replied. "Was I wrong in thinking that this would happen?"
"Not at all, but no fight needs to be had."
"If you refuse to hand him over, I politely beg to differ."
"Why chase him so thoroughly? What has he done?"
"Beside being in league with the worst creatures on the planet?" Neptu asked. "He's attacked and killed many of my men. More than enough to say that simple revenge isn't that much to ask in return."
"How much of that was in self defense to your men trying to kill him?" Laxus fired back immediately. At this, Neptu fell silent. "That's what I thought. So I'll say again, we aren't just going to hand him over." Neptu sighed.
"I'm trying really hard to understand you." He said. "You know full well that the kid's trouble, and yet you stand here and just...Just say no, we're gonna keep him here? Why?"
"Because I don't want him to die." Laxus said. "Simple as that. My son got hurt believing the same. I won't let that be in vain."
"Fools...All of you."
"Just...enough." Gin spoke up, staring at his feet. "I'll go with you."
"Gin!" He heard Nashi shout.
"Just stop it!" He said. "I've said a million times how this attitude you people have doesn't make sense, and I've had enough!" he slowly looked up at Neptu. "If you'll leave these people alone, I'll go with you." Neptu nodded.
"That was the deal initially, so I'll still abide by it." He replied.
"Will you withdraw your forces and never come back?"
"Absolutely. Might take us a day though, they mobilized a few days ago." Gin nodded and steeled himself, walking forward. He shook off the others trying to convince him to stop, and only did so once he was right in front of Neptu.
"I got him." Quinn said, moving forward to move Gin into the center of them. Neptu looked over at Fairy Tail.
"See?" he asked. "That was all that needed to happen. We'll be on our way now. The army should be out of the way by tomorrow morning. A lot of people, you understand. He then turned to Gin and his followers. "Get moving." At this, Gin was shoved towards the outside, and walked weakly with them out of the city.
"Good job handing yourself over kid." Quinn said in his ear. "Or else that would've gotten dirty."
"I know..." Gin replied.
Bloodshed is inevitable.
"...I know."
Nashi watched as Neptu left with Gin, feeling rather angry about the whole situation.
"This is so dumb..." She hissed. "He just gives himself up like that."
"Don't worry about it, Nashi." She heard Laxus say. Looking up, Nashi noted her Master was watching her with a small smile.
"Why not?" Nashi asked. "What're we supposed to do?"
"I thought Gin might do something like this when he started talking about how foolish he were to get in the way yesterday." Laxus replied. "This isn't over, we're getting him back."
"How?" Simon asked. "There's a whole army out there." Laxus smirked.
"And?"
Gin had been moved into a tent by himself, but he'd heard plenty of people talking about him from the outside. From the sounds of it, they all wanted to know why Gin wasn't dead already. Quite honestly, Gin wondered that himself. Perhaps Neptu was just waiting.
Looking up, Gin noted that that very man had entered the tent, walking towards him.
"What do you want?" Gin asked. "Just kill me."
"No," Neptu said. "Not yet." He leaned down and got in Gin's face. "I got a question, Gin. And you'd better answer it to the best of your ability, or else." Gin didn't reply, he just stared at him. "Got it?" Neptu asked again.
"Yeah, sure." Neptu narrowed his eyes at Gin.
"Does the name Drakhosz mean anything to you?" He asked in a low tone. Gin, however, just raised an eyebrow.
"Who?" He asked. "I've never heard that name before, sorry."
"Are you positive."
"Absolutely." Neptu seemed a little unhappy with his results, but he sighed and stood nonetheless.
"Figures..Not even you know where to look..."
"Who is that?" Gin asked. again. Neptu simply looked back at him.
"Enjoys these moments, kid." he said. "They're some of your last." With this, the man turned and left the tent, only leaving Gin more confused. After a few seconds, however, Gin heard Mortavius laugh.
"Drakhosz?" He asked. "Now that's a name I haven't heard a mortal speak of in a long time."
"You know him?" Gin asked, turning to the Demon Lord. Mortavius laughed.
"Do I know him?" He asked. "How could I not? You think I'm bad when you unleash my power."
"Who is he?" Gin asked. Mortavius looked down at him.
"He's the Demon Lord from the 7th Circle of Judgment." He said. "Also known as the Lord of Pain." He certainly sounded as if he fit the bill for a Demon Lord, Gin knew that much. "I get it now. Wow. Poor guy."
"What?" Gin asked. Mortavius grinned.
"If that poor guy is the way he is now because of Drakhosz, I'm surprised he's let you live as long as he has."
As I said above, I have an interesting idea for the story, but I'm keeping it to myself for now. I hope you enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try to get five!