Chapter Sixty-Seven
Jellal watched as Gray ran into the main part of the Magi-Hover with Lucy hot on his heels. She leapt, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist and started to pull on his hair. He growled; twisting to and fro, and trying to shake her off. She was growling too; and everyone watched as her eyes glowed brightly. They turned to Natsu who was still laughing.
"Aren't you going to stop your growlkin?" Meredy asked and Ultear shook her head but her friend kept looking at him intently.
"She's not going to hur…" Gray howled as Lucy's scalut created long sharp blades and caused scratches down his arms. "…she's not gonna kill him."
"Lucy!" Erza's voice made both people freeze and Gray slowly turned and looked over. Erza was sitting in a chair, arms and legs crossed and just staring without blinking. Lucy unfurled from around Gray and then pushed him. He spun and was about to snarl and she whipped her head around and growled.
"I don't know what I did but I'm sorry. Damn it!" He sulked over by Juvia and Romeo and the bluenette healed his scratches with a healing tool that Alfie produced. Lucy turned back to Erza and the redhead lifted a brow.
"Don't." She said and Erza's lips quirked. "Zaza…"
"Luce." Natsu chuckled and walked over to her and pulled her close. "While I don't mind Gray getting a beating; I'd rather us not be down a fighter in this war."
"I'd only kill him a little." She joked and Gray looked uneasy and Erza lost it and started to laugh. Lucy's lips also twitched and Natsu nuzzled her.
"All the affection." Sting muttered darkly, jealously flaring deep within him. Rouge turned to him slowly and his friend huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. Jellal cleared his throat and everyone looked back at him.
"I think I know why General Makarov was always stressed." He murmured and the Fairy Tail members all chuckled, soft smiles on their faces. "Also, I think that we need to do research on the story about the people being stuck in cards."
"Research is Levy's specialty." Erza said looking at him. He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "We could try, but most of the guild's books weren't catalogued. Levy complained about it."
"Unfortunately Erza is correct. While I have the titles listed; the contents of the books and other texts were not scanned." Alfie stated and Jellal rubbed his head.
"We understand the stress." Lucy said and turned in Natsu's arms. She rested against his chest and gave Jellal a pitying look. "But we also need to be realistic. Searching haphazardly won't do anything but depress and stress us out."
"That's a good point." Ultear murmured. "Maybe it would be best to work on training or…"
"Talking with friends?" A bright voice interjected and a screen sprang to life. Mira's face bright. Meredy's mouth fell open as the smile nearly blinded her.
"Mirajean!" Erza called and the girl in question smiled and moved so that Evergreen, Elfman and Habiki were visible.
"We're on the way back to Earthland." Habiki stated. "Ren and Eve are working on the engine to try and speed it up."
"How did everything go on the Guild?" Lucy asked, holding her breath. Everyone on the Blue Pegasus ship visibly darkened. Juvia inhaled sharply and Romeo wrapped a hand around her forearm.
"It was a trap. But Alfie managed to integrate with the Guild Station's systems and helped us to prevent any losses."
"On our side." Mirajean muttered darkly under her breath with a hard grin.
"It also incentivized General Bob into taking action. The Guild Station will be moved into the orbit of Earthland as soon as they get here. I'm not sure how many of the members are going to come." Habiki stated and met the gaze of Lucy. "Most will probably only be able to provide support and medical aid…our Guild members aren't much into physical fighting."
"Any help is welcome." She said and shook her head. "And I'm assuming that the trap wasn't a surprise to General Bob?"
"Hades threatened the rest of the Guild…he did what he thought he had to to protect them." Elfman filled in and Jellal shook his head and swore in his language. Alfie didn't translate it and Lucy's face twisted and Erza nodded calmly.
"Not sure what that meant but I have a feeling I would agree." At the voice; Mirajean, Elfman and Evergreen all jerked.
"Why did that sound like Cana?" Mira asked, her voice cracking. Lucy slowly turned and stared at the table.
"Shit…" Cana swore and the card started to move as Alfie picked it up and extended it out to be seen by the communication screen.
"Cana is in a card?" Evergreen asked and Cana waved.
"Guilty." The brunette blushed. "Sorry Lucy."
"Lucy why didn't you say anything?" Mirajean asked, looking hurt.
"Because we don't know how to get her out of the card…or how she got in there." Lucy sighed. "We didn't want to get anyone's hopes up and distract them."
"I can understand that to an extent." Elfman said and Habiki was frowning.
"Why does that sound familiar?" He shook his head and tapped on something on his wrist. The screen split and Eve appeared. He looked at everyone and then his eyes narrowed on the card.
"Ohhh…card magic."
"Card magic?" Everyone said in unison and he nodded.
"It's a rare magic found in the Geometearian lines." He screwed up his face. "I think there's only a handful left."
"Isn't Gildarts a Geometearian?" Natsu asked and Lucy tilted her head back.
"Who is Gildarts?"
"He's one of our best fighters. Gramps had him on a mission with another team. I think he's one of the teams that Gajeel and Levy are trying to find."
"Oh…maybe he will be able to explain how to get people out."
"Wait!" Cana shouted and everyone looked at her. "Who is the Geometearian that put us in here…shouldn't they be able to get us out?"
"That, I cannot answer." Eve shook his head. "Could have been someone on the other side who didn't fully agree with the attack…an act of defiance?"
"Whatever, or whoever, I'm grateful." Mirajean shook her head and wiped at the tears on her face. "Are there others that survived?"
"Everyone from the Guild Station…and a large selections of the parts to the station too." Natsu stated and even Evergreen let out an emotion-filled breath of relief. Elfman put his hand on her shoulder and she didn't shake it off.
"I'll look in my archive to see if there's anything about getting people out. And ask Gajeel to talk with Gildarts." Eve said and his screen went dark. Habiki cleared his throat and looked at everyone.
"I don't want to dampen the happiness, but I think that we need to figure out the best plan for using Blue Pegasus Guild Station once it's in orbit."
"Habiki is right." Erza said and stood up and she looked at Lucy who waved at her. She smiled and looked over at Jellal. He nodded at her and she looked at Habiki. "Contact your General; get a head count and what they're willing to do. We will be able to better plan that way. In the mean time we can look at what we have with Alfie and start a rough draft of division of power."
"I believe it would be best for the Blue Pegasus Guild Station to house the survivors from Earthland that Laxus is currently in charge of; as well as the female and hatchling that Bixlow and Lisanna are bringing to Wendy to be healed."
"That's a good idea. Get them off world and away from the majority of the fighting. But we'll need to ensure that the Guild Station doesn't get attacked like Fairy Tail did." Lucy agreed and Alfie hummed. "Alfie?"
"I have been making changes to the Blue Pegasus systems since I was granted access upon attaching to it. I have overwritten the security programming and can ensure that it will not be hacked. I copied security measures that I found on the Earthland air files—they are very impressive for such a primitive planet and nothing like I have seen before. I also am trying to push the same measures to all other online Fairy Tail systems. It is taking some time to get around the corrupted coding."
"Someone has been busy." Erza said impressed and Alfie hummed as if pleased.
"I am curious about one thing." Habiki said and they waited. "Alfie, will the health metrics be able to be put through to Blue Pegasus?"
"Yes. Currently the only ones still needing the tracking devices are Lisanna, Bixlow, the human female with them; the hatchling is too small. Mickey is also hesitant to attach it; as are the humans in Laxus' care."
"Don't blame them." Gray muttered and they all nodded. He sighed heavily. "Do any of the Zodiac's have them?"
"Negative. I cannot find a way to make the trackers work with their biometrics." Alfie stated.
"Lucky duckies." Elfman muttered and Mira's lips twitched. Lucy shook her head and Natsu sighed, tightening his arms around her.
"I do regret that I could not avoid them being painful." Alfie apologized and Erza sighed.
"Don't worry. A little pain reminds us we're alive."
"Humans are seriously tough." Meredy muttered and every human lost it; laughing until they cried. Natsu held Lucy up, smiling as her laughter surrounded him.
"I think they've just accepted pain as being normal; but don't consider it to be tough." He said and Lucy nodded and Meredy shook her head.
"Something like that." Cana said, struggling to breath through the tears. "Oh, I never thought I'd laugh like that again."
"Glad to be amusing." Meredy offered and shrugged. Lucy took a deep breath to try and calm down. She let out the breath and straightened.
"Sorry. It's nothing against you. We've just heard it a lot." She said and cleared her throat. She looked at Habiki.
"Habiki, thank you for being concerned. Is there any apprehension about it being uploaded to the Guild?"
"No. I wanted to make sure they could track us. I assume Alfie will make trackers for whoever from the Guild offers to fight."
"Affirmative." Alfie said softly and then there was a momentary hum and followed up with; "Should I warn them? Or just record their reactions?"
"Alfie…" Lucy's tone was dry. "Have you been watching the old reaction videos on the Internet?"
A humming sound came and then an almost reluctant sounding, "Affirmative."
"No. Warn them." She said and shook her head. Habiki cleared his throat. "What?"
"I would feel slightly justified if we went with Alfie's idea."
"Oh brother." Mirajean giggled and shook her head. Elfman shrugged and grinned.
"I agree with him. They didn't want to get involved and thought we should have let Hades and his goons run rimshot over us."
"Petty bitches." Cana cackled. "I like you all a little more."
"Cana!" Erza and Lucy scolded but the brunette shrugged. Evergreen sighed.
"Anything else to report?"
"Not on our end. Major storm here. It's got us hunkered down until it eases up. The hybrids are next to the Magi-Hover so we don't want them out in this." Romeo pipped up and the three Fairy Tail members nodded and Habiki blinked.
"You have the hybrids with you?"
Chirp! The small one's head popped up in the hole and they heard the growl of the larger one that was still out of sight. He blinked repeatedly and moved it's head side to side.
"Wave…he's waving at you." Sting said and Habiki and the others waved. It made the small hybrid chirp again. Happy cleared his throat.
"He wants to know if more friends will arrive soon."
"Not too soon." Lucy said and the small head disappeared.
"I think that made him sad." Happy commented and Lucy and Natsu smiled sadly at the Exceed.
"We're their friends?" Evergreen asked and everyone in the Magi-Hover nodded. She took her glasses off and cleaned the lenses and then looked at everyone. "We've had stranger friends. They fit in with the Guild."
"That's what I was saying!" Natsu crowed and everyone broke down in laughter.
"Laxus? Freed?" Mickey came out of the restroom and they looked up at her. She held out a metallic device and they both visibly flinched away. "That isn't a reassuring reaction."
"Sorry." Freed cleared his throat and ran a hand down his shirt. "Did Alfie tell you anything about that?"
"That it's a health tracker and it has to be…sub-dermal?"
"Yeah…" Laxus coughed and straightened. "It burrows under your skin like a parasite."
"I think I'mma be sick." She paled and looked at the thing in her hand.
"I do apologize that it is such; but if it was visible it would be a target." Alfie stated and there was a hum. "Or would you prefer it was visible?"
"No…no. I don't need anymore of a target on me then that I'm a human siding with you all." She said and put the device down. "I just wish I had some anesthesia or something."
"What is that?" Freed inquired.
"Chemicals that we used for medical procedures to be unconscious during painful procedures."
"There is something like that?" Laxus asked and she nodded slowly.
"Yeah…we don't like pain." She said and they stared. "What?"
"But you all endure it all the time?" Laxus said looking incredulous. Mickey closed her eyes, pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed a heavy sight before opening her eyes again.
"We endure it yes. But we do not…well…okay…so…not all of us; enjoy it. We just know there are some instances where we can't escape getting hurt. But if we know ahead of time there is going to be pain; we try to prevent it."
"Some humans actually enjoy the pain?" Freed asked, clearly hung up on that and Mickey nodded.
"We call those people masochists." She saw the blank stares. "People who derive physical…gratification from pain or humiliation. It's a whole kink genre."
"Kink? What is a bent genre?" Laxus asked, his face screwed up in utter confusion.
"No…not like a bent kink. A…kink." Mickey sounded exasperated. "Lord I was not planning on explaining human sexual history, theories or preferences to aliens….that was not on my apocalyptic bingo card."
"Can you try to make sense?" Freed asked and she looked at him and lifted a hand. His expression changed. "There is no need to be vulgar."
"Oh…you know what flipping the bird is but you don't know what a kink is? Lord whoever integrated you into human social circles had skewed priorities."
"Cana." Laxus and Freed sighed in unison and then Laxus chuckled.
"Lucy a little too I guess."
"Levy had a few lessons she dished out to Gajeel and us by association." Freed conceded.
"Listen; it's not important." Mickey said and waved her hands in the air. "Is there any way to knock me unconscious so I won't feel the pain of this thing doing a reverse face hugger on me?"
"Face…hugger?" Freed asked and Mickey sighed and shook her head.
"It's a movie reference…"
"Ahh…yes…Lucy and the girls mentioned movies. They quoted some as well but I can't recall them now."
"At least you know what a movie is." The woman sighed and crossed her arms.
"I have studied up on the chemicals you explained about." Alfie interjected and the three went still; having forgotten she had been a part of the conversation before the spiral of questions and answers.
"Tell me you can help me?" Mickey said and Alfie hummed.
"Unfortunately I cannot." Mickey pouted and started to reach for the tracker. "But I do see that there is something with the chemical signatures not far away. I believe if we get it; Wendy could use it with some of her equipment."
"I'm down to be a guinea pig if it means I don't have to be awake for this." Mickey offered; and while some of the sentence went over their head; they understood what she meant and nodded.
"I'll go and find this stuff with Alfie's help." Freed said and stared to write runes on his clothes as he walked towards the door to the Magi-Hover. "You work on figuring out what we need to do to make the bank hospitable for the female and her hatchling."
"I'll help him with it." Mickey said and Freed nodded before stepping out into the storm. She looked at Laxus. "Is he okay out there alone in this storm?"
"I'd be more worried about anyone else stupid enough to run into him." Laxus said and frowned down at some schematics. "He may be cool and collected the majority of the time; when he decides to go rouge…it's best to not get involved."
"The quiet ones usually are the craziest." Mickey agreed. She leaned forward on the table. "I think; that if we can break these down; we can put them in the windows here. They're marble-a type of thick strong stone. It wouldn't be perfectly impregnable but it would be hard for humans to get through if this bad guy sends humans out as a first wave offensive."
"Okay. That's good to know." He said and they looked through things; with Alfie pulling up current drone footage of inside of the bank. Mickey was explaining what she remembered based off of the live feed. Laxus was grateful to have a human on board who was willing to explain things and answer his questions without making him feel stupid.
"Freed has returned." Alfie's voice was low and Laxus looked around. Mickey was asleep, her arms crossed on the table and her head resting on them. He wasn't even sure when she had fallen asleep. They'd been talking and making plans; with her explaining human building specifics that she knew and identifying objects left behind in the bank and the streets surrounding it. He stood up and pulled a blanket out of a panel and covered her with it. He went to the door and opened it and stuck his head out. Freed was stepping back from the supply port when he spotted Laxus. The rain had let up for a few moments and they both inhaled the damp air.
"This planet can smell so fresh and new at the weirdest of times." Freed murmured and his leader nodded.
"It can also smell dangerous at the drop of a hat as well."
"Too true." Laxus watched as Freed sighed and leaned against the Magi-Hover. "Found some medical supplies that Alfie confirmed where what she had read about on the air files. It was a healing place of some kind. It was small though; and there were hateful words painted outside of it. Alfie said it was often boycotted by people who didn't like the procedures they performed."
"This planet never ceases to surprise me." Laxus crossed his arms.
"Where is Mickey? I figured she'd be out here demanding I knock her out with this stuff right away."
"She fell asleep some time ago. I didn't even notice." The Dragis and said and shifted. "I don't think she's use to sleeping much."
"I can't blame her. I wouldn't either. Not as a female on a planet where just being females means you are targeted for things you don't want to be."
"Yeah. That's true." Laxus sighed. "Do you think it's a mistake. Letting her fight beside us?"
"We need all he help we can get Laxus."
"Yeah but..she's not like the others."
"What do you mean?" Freed asked and Laxus stared out into he distance; watching the next wave of the storm approach.
"There is something about her; it's different than the other girls we know from this planet. It's as if they have traces of magic in them. Whereas Mickey…she doesn't have that spark. Yeah she's got the personality of the other sassy wenches we've been dealing with. But I can't see her suddenly gaining a trait from any other world."
"I know what you mean. Her ability to learn fighting was good but not spectacular. And she didn't seem to regain her energy as quickly as the others."
"I just worry if we let her fight…she won't make it."
"But that's her choice Laxus. You know that as much as I do." Freed looked at his friend and leader and saw the sorrow etched in the creases around his eyes. "We can't stop people from making their free choices."
"I know. But…"
"It's her choice. We don't have to like it." Freed moved to enter the Magi-Hover. "Just believe in her. I think she needs that as much as she needs an alien ancestral quirk."
"Fine. Fine. Don't tell her."
"What? That you care? I would never betray your stoic personality."
"Shuddup." Laxus huffed and turned to follow his friend onboard.
"Lisanna?" Bixlow stuck his head in her room, saw her bundled up and stepped back out. He didn't want to wake her up. He remembered the first time he'd came into his powers. He was hungry and exhausted for a week. He couldn't even imagine how she felt. She'd done more running off of instinct than he'd been able to do with several years of training.
He returned to the room the female and her hatchling were in and stared at the tray of food sitting on the outstretched ledge. He picked it up and watched as the ledge receded and then took a deep breath. He had tried to go in with food but her fear had filled the room and the hatchling had started to cry so he'd retreated. He had decided to go get Lisanna until he'd seen her looking so comfortable. The woman eyed him and curled more into the corner. He set the food on the edge of the bed in the middle fo the room and retreated to the wall by the door and sank to the floor. He drew his knees to his chest.
"You can eat." He pointed at the tray and mimed eating. Her hatchling was fussing in her arms but her wide eyes stayed trained on him. "I don't know if you can understand me. but if you can, you need to eat."
He mimed eating a little more and then waited as she stared at him. Her breathing was heavy and erratic. He watched as her hold on the hatchling sifted. He took a pillow off of the bed and slid it toward her.
"Set your hatchling down before you drop her."
"It is a male hatchling." Alfie corrected and the female looked around confused.
"That is the AI system. Not a hidden person." Bixlow explained, or tried to. She twisted, protecting more of her hatchling from view.
"I don't want your hatchling. I want you to eat." He mimed again. "Can you just eat? Or speak? Or something other than cower?"
Silence and the stench of fear. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall. He understood Lisanna's sighing better now. The female looked so small and frail; and her fear was so thick he could taste it. And it didn't help that he knew Lisanna took the pain and fear personally. She was so friendly and bubbly; anyone who was scared of her; when she didn't want them to be; was a slap to the face. He heard the scraping of the tray on the floor but he didn't move. He cracked one eye open and peered through his lashes and visor.
The female held her hatchling with one arm but had stretched the other out and was slowly pulling the tray to her. She looked at him, didn't seem to realize he had opened his eye; and sniffed at the food. Lisanna has reassured him that it looked and tasted; like food from Earthland; for the most part. She hesitantly picked something up and tasted it. And he saw the surprise on her face at the taste. Then she inhaled the food. Jiggling her hatchling to keep it calm. Bixlow forced himself not to smile. He didn't want her to realize he was aware that she was eating.
She set the emptied tray down and looked at him and then down at the small bundle in her arms. She shifted both herself and her hatchling and lifted it to her shoulder. Or he thought it was her shoulder; but it looked lower. Then he heard sucking sounds but couldn't tell what was happening; but he did see that she had a blush creeping up her neck and into her face. After some time, she readjusted and started to pat the back of her hatchling. It released a belch that had him jerking. She stilled and Bixlow pulled off his visor and looked over.
"Is it okay after that sound?" He was genuinely concerned. And for the first time; her lips ghosted with a smile and she nodded. He pulled his visor back on. "Okay. Well that's good. Do you need more food?"
Her smile faded and he sighed. "Please. If you need more food; tell me. You can't take care of your hatchling if you starve. Lisanna is worried. Hell I'm worried."
"Bixlow..." Alfie hissed softly and the female looked around, her shoulders tensing. "You are elevating her stress signals."
"Alfie so help me if you tagged her with one of those trackers…" Bixlow snarled; thinking about this woman being hurt and there was a loud humming.
"I did no such thing." The AI stopped trying to be quiet. "Humans have basic biometrics that I can compound to create a basic average reading and can determine when it varies too much. I know not to inflect more pain on this poor creature."
"Well she hasn't trusted me or Lisanna so obviously something is wearing on her. Why wouldn't she be more worried if you hadn't…"
"Maybe because you…"
"Huh." They both stopped arguing at the sound and Bixlow looked over. She had bit her lip and was looking down at her hatchling, but he saw the rounding of her cheeks.
"Think it's funny that I'm arguing with the AI huh?" He asked and she looked up at him through the curtain of her tangled hair. "Well you should know I'm going to lose. The damn thing has been influenced by Earthland women."
"Eh ah ha." She choked on some laughter and looked away. He shook his head and crossed his arms.
"I swear all the females around side with one another. An army of likeminded temperamental monsters."
"The females of this planet aren't monsters." Alfie objected.
"I beg a differ. I've seen how monstrous they get." He shook his head.
"I do not think it is fair to put all of this planet's females with the group that first joined Fairy Tail." Alfie objected again. "I believe our group may be outliers."
"What about that Mickey lady? Didn't she take Freed off of his feet?"
"Affirmative but still…I believe she is on a difference level."
"Mi…Mick…Mickey?" The female asked, her voice dry and Bixlow looked over at her. He nodded.
"Alfie, show a picture of Mickey." He requested softly. The female looked at the image and her breathing got more ragged. "Hey, hey. What's wrong?"
Bixlow got worried and the female pointed at the screen, tears running down her face. "Mickey."
"You know Mickey?" He guessed and she nodded.
"Well you'll see her soon." She looked at him. "We're close to some allies who are going to treat your injuries and your hatchling. Then once that's done; we're gonna take you to where Mickey is."
"Rea…really?"
"Yes." She hiccuped and looked down at her hatchling at then at him. "So…will you let me get you more food? Something to drink? Maybe get Lisanna in here to help you into better clothing?"
"What…cost?" He stilled at her question. Scenarios raced through his mind, each one worse than the others.
"Nothing. We're here to help. No charge." He held his hands up. He got to his knees and waited. When she didn't panic he got to his feet. "I don't know what you went through before. But we're just here to help. I'll go get Lisanna; if you'll let her help. Otherwise; we'll leave you alone until we get to the other Magi-Hover."
"Magi…"
"It's a vehicle just like this one." Alfie offered and she looked around then looked at Bixlow and she nodded.
"Good. I'll go get Lis." He grabbed the tray and left the room. He put it on the ledge that Alfie had pushed out; and he kept walking even as Alfie retracted the tray and put the new one with food on the ledge waiting to go in there.
"Lis…" She moaned, turned her head and nestled deeper into the softness of the cloak. She felt a warm hand cup her shoulder. It shook her and she opened one eye. Bixlow was leaning over her and she frowned.
"I was in the middle of a good dream."
"Sorry, but the female said she'd let you help her."
"What?" Lisanna sat up quickly, the cloaks falling around her waist and she looked up at him in confusion. "How?"
"I sat in there and eventually she ate the food. And apparently she knows Mickey."
"Really?" He nodded and she blinked. "Okay. That's good. Progress. Okay."
"Still a little sleepy there kitten?"
"Shut up." She swatted at him but he caught her wrist and pulled her out of the bed. She stumbled against him and was about to yell when he pulled her into a hug. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist and waited. He released a few heavy, broken breaths.
"She's been through bad things. I don't know what…but she wanted to know what she had to do for the food." He whispered and she shivered. She had an idea. She squeezed him, running her hands up and down his back.
"I'm sorry you had to learn that Bixlow." She whispered. "I'm sorry."
"Why? Why would…"
"The darkness in people is…on par with Mard Geer. Which is why they side with him." She whispered and shook her head, burrowing closer to him. "All we can do is try and show them a world where that isn't the norm."
"I'm sorry." He muttered and she tilted her face, looking up at him and she froze. Tears were running down his face, she could see them under the visor at her angle. She felt her heart twist. She released his waist and reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.
"It's not your fault. You are here to help her and others like her." She whispered against his helmet and tried to block the image of him crying from her mind. His shoulders jerked once or twice, but his arms tightened around her waist. She held him until his arms went slack. She pulled back and pushed him onto the bed. He looked up at her and squeezed his shoulders. "Rest Bixlow. You need it. I'll go and help her."
"I need…"
"To rest." She pushed him and he let her push him back to the mattress. He looked up at her; watching carefully as she pulled his visor off. She set it on the floor and looked at him. She covered him with the cloaks and ran her hand through his hair. He closed his eyes and nestled close to her hand. She held it against his cheek for a few moments before pulling away and heading out of the room.
"Thanks Lis." He whispered and she hummed acknowledgement before shutting the door behind her.
"Hello." Lisanna said softly as she entered the room. The woman looked up at her and then over her shoulder. "Bixlow is resting. I hope."
"Affirmative. He is asleep." Alfie stated softly. Lisanna nodded, a relieved look on her face. The female looked at her hesitantly.
"More food. And this drink, while the green color is a bit off-putting; tastes amazing. Reminds me of pina colada." The woman took the clear bottle and took a small sip, before chugging more than half of it down. "Glad to find a fellow fan. Do you want some regular water too?"
"Please?" The woman asked and Lisanna tapped the panel next to the door. Alfie produced a medium bottle of water and Lisanna set it next to the tray of food. She dropped to the ground and watched as the woman eyed the food.
"Do you want me to hold your baby while you eat? I won't move from this spot with him."
"Promise?" The woman asked and looked down at her son and Lisanna felt her heart twist.
"I promise." The woman hesitantly handed over her son and once he was in Lisanna's arms; she looked ready to snatch him back. Lisanna didn't pull him in close but waited. She looked up at Lisanna and slowly sat backwards. She pulled the tray back with her as Lisanna sat back and pulled the baby close to her chest.
"Thanks." The woman said around a mouthful of food.
"Of course." Lisanna said and then smiled down at the baby who was regarding her with large brown eyes. "Hi handsome. How are you?"
He cooed and reached up with a pudgy little hand. She smiled, holding him close and lifted one hand for him to latch onto her forefinger with. "Aren't you a big strong handsome little man? Yes you are."
"Alexander." The woman said and Lisanna looked over at her. "His name is Alexander."
"Hello Alexander." Lisanna smiled down at him. "Such a strong name for such a strong little handsome man."
"Don't let…Anyone…change his…name." Lisanna looked up.
"No one will. He's your son. You don't have to worry."
"If his fath…"
"I'm going to stop you there." Lisanna said and the woman looked at her with wide eyes. "That sperm donor will never lay a hand on you or Alexander ever again. We're going to get you somewhere safe; and then we are going to end Mard Geer and his cronies—alien, demon or human."
"Real..really?" The woman asked and Lisanna nodded. "Thank you."
"Don't cry." Lisanna chided, feeling her own eyes start to tear up. She looked down at Alexander who was watching her with his wide eyes. "And you don't have to worry handsome. You and your mom are protected by Fairy Tail—and that is the best thing to be protected by."