Author's Note:
Hi~!
Hope you guys enjoyed the last 2 chapters. And I sincerely hope that you'll enjoy this one as well. Much love!
- nana
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.
Chapter 3 - Lightning Strikes
He was absolutely spent. Sure, he secured the entire city of Magnolia during the Fantasia fiasco but that took him two weeks and he had a lot of downtime in between. This one though, under the orders of their Master, he had to secure almost three mountains worth of land and had to do it in just a day.
"It's for Lucy."
Master wouldn't divulge what Lucy needed it for but knowing their small Master, he wouldn't just give out orders like that if it wasn't important. There has to be something going on with their resident blonde Celestial Mage.
But, Master wouldn't say.
"Is this something that the entire guild should look out for? Are we in trouble?" Freed had asked, wanting to at least have some sort of knowledge whether everyone's safe or not.
He recalled Master looking a little too serious. "No."
Freed had let out a sigh of relief that he didn't know he was holding in.
"But I would highly appreciate it Freed if you don't go around telling your team or the guild about this. You know how they are."
Freed agreed without hesitation.
He left the guild with nothing but a map from their small Master.
He was prepared for the onslaught of questions coming from his team but knew that he's not allowed to divulge anything. Whatever it is that's going on with their Celestial Mage, he's hoping that it's not too serious and that she comes back unharmed.
His trek back to the guild was uneventful but his legs did feel like lead. He so badly wanted to go home and get some much needed rest but as with every job, he needs to report back to their Master.
As Freed approached the guild, he spotted Bickslow and Evergreen walking along the same path.
"Bickslow! Ever!" he called out.
The duo turned in unison, their expressions lighting up in recognition. "Freed! You're back!" Bickslow exclaimed, his usual playful grin widening.
Evergreen, ever the picture of calm, gave a nod of acknowledgement. "How was the job that Master gave you?" she asked.
"It went well." He had to be careful with his words. "Where's Laxus?" he asked, trying to steer the conversation away.
Evergreen's eyes narrowed briefly. She knew Freed too well. After spending so much time together, she could always tell when he was deliberately withholding something.
"Haven't seen him yet, but we're pretty sure he's in the guild." she responded casually, her suspicion tucked away for the moment.
The trio continued their walk to the guild, making casual conversation along the way. As they pushed open the guild doors, an unexpected scene greeted them. There, at the bar, sat Laxus and Lucy, deep in conversation.
They moved closer, intending to speak to Laxus, but what happened next only confirmed the Raijinshuu's growing suspicions about Laxus' feelings for Lucy. It was an innocent moment, really, yet telling in its simplicity. Lucy, ever the kind-hearted soul, casually wiped a smear from Laxus' lips, not thinking much of it.
But they noticed everything.
Laxus, who was usually all intense and sharp, visibly softened. His gaze lost its typical hardness, and his posture – normally tense – relaxed under Lucy's gentle touch.
And then there was Mira, standing off to the side, her mischievous matchmaking grin in full bloom. She was clearly lost in her own world, already imagining "blonde-haired babies".
Freed recalled how Laxus had been eager to take on a job recently, but due to the sudden request of their Master, Freed felt like he needed to take a few more days to recuperate. He also wanted to check in on their resident Celestial Mage.
"Laxus."
Mira wanted to strangle Freed. Yes, the ever bright and sweet Mirajane, had the biggest urge to strangle Freed Justine.
'Does he not know how to read the room?!'
She was definitely not imagining it. There was something between Laxus and Lucy but it seemed like both parties were still unaware of how they felt about each other. 'Then Freed had to swoop right in and ruin the moment!'
Oh… Mirajane Strauss was beyond pissed.
"Ah, Freed!" Mira called out, plastering on the fakest smile she could muster. "Master is waiting for you. You should go to his office and tell him how your job went."
Freed knew the game that Mira was playing. She had that glint in her eye, but he wasn't going to budge.
"H-hi, everyone…" Lucy greeted the Raijinshuu, her tone a mix of embarrassment but still filled with warmth.
Mira was so close to breaking the glass in her hand. 'Oh no they won't -!'
"Freed."
Mira snapped out of her fiery trance and turned her gaze toward the small figure of their Master, who had just emerged from his office. "Did you finish your job?"
Freed nodded without hesitation. "Yes, Master. My enchantments should be good for a couple of days before it falls."
"Excellent. Lucy," Makarov's gaze shifted pointedly to their one and only Celestial Mage. "I need to speak to you for a moment."
Lucy blinked, already knowing what this was about. "Yes, Master." she replied, her voice steady.
Makarov gave a curt nod. "Come."
Lucy took a long sip of her strawberry smoothie, savoring the last taste before hopping off her barstool. "Sorry," she said with a quick smile to Laxus and the rest of the group. "I'll catch up with you guys soon, okay?"
As she turned to leave, Freed's voice cut through. "Lucy."
She glanced back. "Hai?"
Freed, usually reserved, offered her a rare, sincere smile. "Take care, okay?"
A flicker of understanding crossed Lucy's mind like a bell ringing softly. 'Freed…' she thought, grateful for the unspoken support. She smiled warmly in return. "Thank you…" she whispered before turning to follow their Master.
Silence fell upon the group.
Bickslow gulped nervously.
Evergreen shifted, suddenly feeling uneasy.
The atmosphere around them thickened, humming with the unmistakable charge of Laxus' crackling energy.
"Has Loke spoken to you?"
"...yes, Master."
Makarov sighed. It pained him to know that one of his children would have to endure suffering. "I hope you're not mad at Loke. It was a good thing he came to me."
Lucy stayed silent.
"I had Freed set up barriers a couple of mountains ahead where you can expel the extra energy. We don't know how this is going to affect you, but," Makarov paused, turning his gaze to Lucy, whose expression was tinged with sadness. "I believe in you, Lucy."
Makarov offered a gentle smile at the blonde-haired Celestial Mage. "Remember, your pain is the guild's pain as well."
Lucy felt like crying right then and there.
A flash of golden light appeared in the guild hall. It was Loke.
"Yo, Loke!" Bickslow called out to his old wingman. "Missed seeing ya' around here!"
"Bickslow!" Loke greeted back, meeting him with a smooth high-five. "Finally getting your act together, huh?" he teased, fully aware of the Seith Mage's habits when he wasn't out on jobs with his team.
Bickslow chuckled. "Come on, Loke – you know the fun doesn't start until later." he responded with a mischievous grin.
"Ah, so I was told." Loke grinned.
Evergreen rolled her eyes at their exchange. "You guys are disgusting." Without another word, she turned on her heel and made her way towards Juvia and Wendy.
"So," Loke started, taking the barstool next to Bickslow. "How have you guys been?"
Bickslow shrugged casually. "Same old, same old." Suddenly, his expression brightened as he leaned in closer to the lion spirit, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret. "But these two knuckleheads here," he gestured subtly to Laxus and Freed. "Seem to be caught in some sort of rivalry about Lu -"
"I can fucking hear you, Bicks." Laxus growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Bickslow and Loke laughed at Laxus' annoyance. "Might do you some good to have some sort of competition once in a while, Laxus." Loke commented, his eyes glinting with mischief.
Laxus only grunted in response and continued on with his meal. He was not about to let Bickslow slip up. He knew the hell that Team Natsu would raise when it came to Lucy, let alone her spirits.
"So," Bickslow turned his attention back to Loke. "What are you doing out here? Got bored with the chicks in your realm?"
Loke shook his head with a casual smile. "Nah, Lucy and I are heading out somewhere."
All of a sudden, Laxus wanted to hear more of this conversation.
The Seith Mage's eyes widened. "No way… isn't that kinda… forbidden?"
Loke glared at Bickslow. "It's not like that, idiot. We're heading out to train for a couple of days."
"Eh?" Mira chimed in, drawing everyone's attention. "But I remember Lucy being excited about that meteor shower you mentioned."
Bickslow's face lit up in realization, an evil grin spreading across his lips. "Oh, I get it now. So, you and Lucy are going off to 'train', and then, conveniently, you'll be watching the meteor shower together – just the two of you, huh?"
Unconsciously, Laxus tightened his grip on his fork.
Loke rolled his eyes at the Seith Mage's predictable conclusion. Of course he'd think that. "It's always like that with your nasty ass brain, huh?"
Turning to Mira, who had been listening in on their conversation, Loke softened his tone. "You remember Capricorn, right?"
Mira nodded.
"He's… pretty strict with Lucy's training," he smiled sheepishly. "But don't worry, we will all be there to keep an eye on her."
"Loke?" That familiar, melodious voice belonged to none other than Lucy.
At the sound of his master's voice, Loke seemed to shine even brighter, if that were possible. "Ah, Princess! Ready to head out?" he asked with a playful grin.
Lucy nodded. "Did you grab all my stuff?"
Loke gave her a genuine smile, bowing lightly. "I wouldn't dare forget. Always at your service, Princess."
Lucy had to roll her eyes at his over-the-top antics. "Oh my, what would I ever do without you…" she deadpanned, almost sounding like a robot. "I'll go tell Natsu and the others. Wait for me outside." she added before heading over to Team Natsu's table.
Laxus took a quick glance at Lucy before hopping off the barstool and heading off to the designated Raijinshuu table.
Laxus and the Raijinshuu decided to call it an early night. They were going on a short job tomorrow, despite Freed's reluctance. The four of them were walking in the streets of Magnolia, the distant hum of chatter from taverns mixed with the soft echo of footsteps, created a peaceful backdrop to the night.
"So, Freed," Bickslow started, his totems flying around them. "I never got to ask earlier but, what was the job that Master gave you?"
Freed sighed, not really knowing what to say to his team and to Laxus. "I… can't really say."
Their eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"What do you mean?" Evergreen piped in.
"Master only told me what I needed to do… that's about it."
"And you never asked why?" The fairy queen prodded, clearly not satisfied with that answer.
"Is the guild in danger, Freed?"
They all looked at their leader who had stopped walking and kept his eyes at Freed. The green-haired man wanted to wither at the intense gaze. His thoughts went to a blonde Celestial Mage for a fleeting moment, but that's what his runes were for – to keep Lucy safe. "No." he responded, keeping his voice steady.
Laxus kept his eyes fixed on the 'self-proclaimed' leader of the Raijinshuu. He could hear everything – Freed's rapid heartbeat, the shallow intakes of breath. He can tell that there was more to this job than just being a direct order from his grandfather, but he can overlook that for now. As long as the guild wasn't in imminent danger, he doesn't have to know the rest.
"Then, that's all that matters." Laxus officially dropped the subject and continued his leisure walk back home.
"Eh?" Evergreen nearly pulled her hair out in frustration. "Well, I wanna know!"
Laxus glared at the fairy mage, his lightning magic seeping through his skin. "Drop it."
His commanding voice left no room for argument.
Freed could only stare in admiration. 'Laxus-sama!'
Lucy gazed up at the dark sky, where countless stars twinkled like tiny beacons of light. Normally, she would have taken comfort in the beauty of the night, letting it soothe her worries, but her mind was too preoccupied with what lay ahead. Still, the vastness of the sky reminded her of the endless possibilities beyond. And the stars… so many of them. They seemed to whisper promises of guidance, always there to light her way, no matter how uncertain her path felt.
"Master picked a really good place for you, Princess." her orange-haired spirit commented, also admiring the scenery in front of him. "I think you're becoming his favorite child."
"Don't say things like that." Lucy chided playfully, resting her head on Loke's shoulder.
He chuckled, his hand gently running through her soft, golden locks. "It's just us, Lucy."
Leaning closer, Lucy whispered in his ear. "Freed's runes are up, remember? What if there's some sneaky enchantment in there that lets them hear?"
Loke laughed at the absurdity of the thought, but a flicker of doubt crossed his mind. Freed's enchantment couldn't do that… could they? He hesitated for a moment, then shook it off with a silent nod. Nope. Freed isn't Mira.
A gentle breeze swept through, causing Lucy to shiver slightly. Loke glanced at her, sensing the late hour. 'It's getting cold…' "Let's get you inside the tent, Princess. You'll catch a chill."
"Just…" Lucy's gaze remained on the stars above, their twinkling beauty too captivating to pull away from. "A little longer. Is that okay?"
Loke smiled softly. "Yes, Princess."
Author's Ending Note:
3rd chapter - DONE! Not so much going on in this but will pick up the action in the next coming chapters.
Hope you guys enjoyed this one!
- nana