RedHood001: Thank you! It just felt like a missed opportunity and I had to take it. I totally agree with you, fan fiction writers can really dive deep with their stories; it's why I like reading it. I want to work to be that good of a writer and more.
1971kr: Exactly, my whole point was that the possession thing really doesn't add up. Anyway, I like Gajeel but his entering the guild was always going to be complicated. I can especially picture certain people, like Team Shadow Gear, being especially wary. Levy's holding back her judgement for the time being, she trusts Makarov to do what's right by them but she's definitely not comfortable being around him.
Honestly, the last part may have been a bit much but considering the times and situations where those two fought. Like the one time they kept fighting for three days after beating a monster, leaving Happy completely wiped out and then they wound up hitting Erza so she beat them. I think it was in either the Tartaros or Sun Village Arc. So yeah, I wouldn't put it past them. People just get carried away and mess up sometimes. Doesn't mean they can't make up for it. And thank you.
Chaos in Fairy Tail was such a usual occurrence that many of the members had learned to tune it out. This included Levy, who would simply curl up in a seat and read when the mood struck.
But the book in her lap was practically forgotten, not one word on its pages having sunk in for the solid script mage. There was a much more poignant factor than the chaos niggling at her.
And it came in the form of a certain iron dragon slayer.
Now Levy did understand her teammates' worries, even if she thought they were being a bit much. Makarov wouldn't have let Gajeel join the guild easily, not after what he'd done. He'd been the one to teach them that Fairy Tail was a family and guild master, he would do everything to protect it. And she highly doubted Gajeel could fool him.
Levy's real issue with him was less of distrust and more of fear. Her memories of the time he'd ambushed them were a bit foggy but what always stuck with her were the feelings of helplessness. He'd dismissed most of their attacks like nothing and she could do little to stop him as he hurt Jet and Droy. She knew she was far from the most powerful combatant but she had worked hard to improve with her magic. Solid script magic wasn't really about power, but more for skill and versatility, which was why it appealed to Levy so much. But back then, she couldn't do anything...
Gajeel seemed all right but now she could still recall that frightening grin and cackle when he fought them...how he wound up just tossing them aside like they were nothing...Levy knew, she knew Makarov wanted to give him a second chance and as much as she admired that, she wasn't sure she had it in her to do the same.
Fortunately, it wasn't long before she came across someone who may be able to allay some of her concerns.
''Riku...?''
The brunet looked back, his welcoming expression fading into one that told her he immediately picked up on something amiss. She wasn't surprised, even with how long they'd known each other aside, Riku was one of the most insightful people she'd ever met.
Levy spoke after almost a minute ''Hey...what do you think...about Gajeel?''
'You're still on guard, huh?' She nodded, hazel gaze lowering for a moment 'There's nothing wrong with that-we all are in a way. You didn't see the way Master reacted when we found out what he did, Levy. The only reason he didn't pound Jose into the dirt was that he was already gone when we made it to Phantom's HQ. Bastard probably knew he didn't stand a chance right from the get go.' Knowing he was going off a tangent, he amended 'But Master's not exactly relaxed around him either. He's trying to give him a chance but that's all. Gajeel's definitely going to have to earn trust from here on out and he knows it too.'
''So, you didn't...you know, pick up on anything off about him?''
Levy let out a breath she didn't know when she was holding at the following headshake. Now she didn't doubt that Riku would've said something if anything had been wrong but she was just realizing how much she needed to see for herself. Riku's ability to sense malice had proved to be incredibly useful over the years; its accuracy was certainly reassuring now.
Admittedly, a part of her felt bad about bringing this up now as Riku had plenty of his own trouble to deal with but the brunet had been firm on his request not to be treated like glass. It did seem like he was improving at least. Even when they'd chewed Natsu and Gray out for starting the fight the other day, Riku hadn't minded once he'd calmed down, accepting their apologies in good grace.
'Well, it's nice to know for sure why you've been going overboard with the research lately.'
''It...wasn't that bad, right?'' Levy managed.
Riku's dry expression spoke for itself 'Right. So, I was just imagining the time when you fell asleep over at Lucy's couch and even Erza chewing the guys out for the mess they caused didn't even so much as make you stir?'
The girl scratched the back of her neck sheepishly, at a loss for words. He was right, after all. She had dived right back into research but even if it had helped her learn some new spells, she wondered if it would be any good. Maybe she'd just wasted her time...
'You do know that if worse comes to worse, we'll be there to help out, right? You guys were ambushed and no one could've seen it coming.'
A sigh ''Yeah...I've been telling myself that too but, it...really doesn't help. It's the first time in so long that learning new things only made me feel worse...what if it's no good anyway, what if I can't get stronger?''
'Well, we all know magic isn't just about power, it's also connected to our hearts and minds. So, confidence pays off, believing in yourself and doing the best you can, that's half the battle.' Riku shrugged 'At least that's what a certain brilliant friend pointed out to me years ago.'
Levy mock-pouted despite the compliment making her blush, half-heartedly swatting at him ''That's some nerve you got, quoting my own words back to me. Dummy...'' The two shared amused looks ''...but I hear you, thanks.''
He began to smile 'For the record, the only thing that's in danger around Gajeel right now is our hearing.'
The odd statement baffled Levy but one look at the other dragon slayer made the question die in her throat.
Riku waved a hand and translucent violet bubbles surrounded their heads just as Gajeel strummed his new guitar. She was among the many relieved for the quick spell following the dissonant disaster that followed, the bubbles diluting what their newest member considered music.
''...Yup, it's definitely our hearing we have to worry about now...'' Despite her misgivings, Levy couldn't deny that seeing the others yelling at him was pretty funny.
As she would soon find out, the blue haired girl wasn't the only one worrying about this...
Laxus had overheard most of their talk. For despite the usual commotion of the guild, his senses were more than sharp enough. Even while he and Makarov got along much better now, some of his grandfather's decisions just didn't make sense to him, this one a prime example.
He'd heard of Makarov's utter fury when they discovered the battered and crucified Team Shadow Gear. It was why he understood and helped make sure Gajeel kept his distance from the trio, Laxus certainly didn't blame them for being so upset and cautious either. Makarov had always maintained that everyone in the guild was family and it upset him back when he was an idiot who acted like his so-called father, but he'd come to learn how true it really was. Thankful that they'd eventually given him a second chance, Laxus had come to appreciate the guild...even if some of his guild mates' antics got on his nerves, they were family and Fairy Tail was home to them all.
A good number of them had wanted to pound Gajeel into the dirt for a reason.
He'd be a complete hypocrite to begrudge someone a chance to make up for the past but...like this, and so soon? Surely Makarov knew better than to expect this to work, so why?
The sight of a glass being waved in front of his eyes snapped him out of his thoughts, bringing his attention to Lucy holding up what Laxus realized was the drink he'd asked for a while ago.
''Mira-san was calling you a while back and you looked really spaced out. She's...uh...'' The girl turned back and Laxus held back the urge to roll his eyes when he saw Mira facing a number of their squabbling friends. ''...yeah, she's got her hands full so I figured I might as well help.''
She smiled as he thanked her ''So I'm guessing by that look on your face, you were trying to figure out what the heck Master was thinking, huh?''
''You too?''
A sigh ''I think we've all been there. Erza flat out threatened the guy when we ran into him the other day and Gray looked like he was this close to helping her. Riku's better at hiding his emotions but I know he's keeping lookout too and I'd be shocked if Gajeel got anything past Erik.'' A valid point for sure ''We're all chalking it up to Master having some sort of plan or reason for this, Natsu told me he's been talking to Gajeel a whole bunch in his office...''
Laxus had noticed that too. He didn't think it was just plain talk, judging from his grandfather's expressions. Whatever was going on, Makarov didn't want to say for some reason.
''...Levy-chan's trying to be diplomatic about it but I know it's really bugging her... although in all fairness to the guy, he's at least keeping his distance...'' Lucy remarked idly.
Come to think of it, that was true. Even though Gajeel had his fair share of goofy antics beneath the gruff demeanor he tried to project (the fact that he was still squabbling with the others in defense of his so-called music only emphasized this), he'd never interacted with Team Shadow Gear.
Distracted from his musings by Lucy calling his name, the girl staring at a figure near the Raijinshuu ''Did we get a new member? I thought people were still trash talking the guild since Gajeel and Juvia joined...''
''Oh, that's actually...''
''Mystogan!''
Admittedly, it took Happy a bit to recognize the staff mage, for he was clad in one of the disguises they'd procured for him over the years. His hair was dark and windswept, his eyes a bright green color. Happy would say his face was different too but well, considering how little he knew of the masked mage's appearance, he really had no way to be sure. He didn't fail to spot the ring Loke had prepared for him, one out of several for when Mystogan deemed necessary. ''I almost forgot you still have the rings. Do you really have to keep going through all the trouble though?''
Mystogan gave him a look, Happy raising his paws in surrender ''You can't blame a cat for trying.''
Okay, maybe they had gotten a bit carried away with trying to take his mask all those times. But Happy really thought it'd make it a lot easier for their friend to just stop with all the secrecy all together. He didn't understand why it was so necessary, especially after they'd gotten closer to him.
That line of thinking brought another point to mind ''You do know this disguise is doing the exact opposite of blending in, right?''
Now that Mystogan hadn't expected ''How so?''
''People are badmouthing the guild because Gajeel and Juvia joined. Especially because they know what Gajeel did to Levy and the others-a new member coming in now, that's just going to raise more questions.''
''I see your point, yes...'' He hadn't considered such a factor, having indeed come to rely on the disguises to avoid too much attention. He had come a long way from his recent job and you don't see much people with his typical attire every day.
But...all things considered, there was another reason he'd chosen to don the spell today...
''So, any plans for Miss Fairy Tail? Oh, and by plans, I mean, something other than a fairy dress.'' Cana added cheerfully.
Evergreen gave her a withering look ''Yes, yes, you're hilarious.'' Rolling her eyes at the card mage's grin, she huffed ''But yeah, a few, I'm working on it.''
''Oh yeah, what was that you said last year, about coming out on top and beating Erza and Mira? Happy mentioned something about you working your butt off to figure out a way to win, I think.''
''H-he was exaggerating!'' The quick response had Cana suspicious. Sure, they knew of the blue cat's tendency to spin things a little too far, mostly to wind up people up. But Evergreen could be a bit of a sore loser so...''As if my beauty needs that much effort to be demonstrated!''
''Sure, sure...''
But the former wasn't listening, having noticed a trio of their friends leaving the hall. It seemed as if Riku and Belle wanted a private word with Mystogan.
Evergreen's sole thought at the moment was that it was about time.
Makarov had followed the three, having been close enough to spot their expressions and thus left curious. He arrived in time to see Mystogan turning to face his best friends, only to be surprised when Riku seized the moment to take the magic ring.
A pouting Belle broke the silence ''Dummy. That was about as subtle as a hammer to the face.''
Makarov couldn't have said it better himself.
He'd already known something was wrong upon hearing that Mystogan hadn't been to see the duo despite having been back for this long. This only just confirmed his suspicions. Sighing, the guild master shook his head. Why did that boy always act like he just had to carry the world on his shoulders?
Riku exhaled, his glare fading 'We've been through this. You're not him-I won't deny that what he did is going to affect me for a long time but that doesn't have to do with you. And I don't want anyone walking on eggshells around me.'
''You do that on a regular basis with everyone already.'' Belle groused.
That was certainly true. Laxus and the Raijinshuu also knew the truth due to having encountered Mystogan during a mission by chance last year. The similarity to the famous councilman 'Siegrain' led Laxus to demand answers, and Makarov wished he had any.
The only reason he knew Mystogan's real appearance was that he and Gildarts had been the ones to find the boy years ago. Battered and weary, clearly having endured much hardship. To this day, Mystogan wouldn't explain how he wound up in the forest or why he was so determined to keep his origins quiet. He'd assumed the boy was related to Siegrain in some way before and then the truth about Jellal came out. Keeping secrets was one thing, everyone did that. After hearing about the tower, wanting to hide his true appearance made sense. But the fact that he had been avoiding his best friends for this long spoke for itself.
The fact remained that something in his past clearly made him feel that he had to hide to such an extent. Why was he still determined to keep his walls up even around his them?
Riku's next actions elevated both Makarov and Mystogan's spirits. 'You're our friend, he isn't. That's what matters most, got it?'
Mystogan's positive response elicited a smile from Belle. The little cat hadn't even considered how much the resemblance between Jellal and Mystogan could've affected her partner but it was great to know they had nothing to worry about.
Makarov joined the two with a laugh, Riku already heading back ''You should've known that was coming, brat.''
Mystogan rubbed his recently punched arm, the pain barely even registering as he began to smile ''...I suppose I should've...''
Riku plucked a strawberry off Erza's cake, being one of the few people she would allow such a thing from. That the confectionary remained untouched for some time only confirmed his suspicions of something being wrong. But then again, considering what he heard this morning, it wasn't a surprise...
The knight mage had been on a job over the last few days so it was easy to miss at first but she had been withdrawing a bit from everyone. She definitely wasn't dealing with the aftermath of the tower ordeal as well as she pretended. Happy brought him up to speed earlier; unsure of what else to do as Erza seemed intent on keeping them all at arm's length. Riku suspected that no one told him earlier because of the trouble he'd been facing too. Being treated like he was fragile did get on his nerves but he understood their concerns. Still, if there was something he could do to help then he had to try.
Knowing Erza though, the direct approach was never going to work now...
The redhead finally snapped out of her reverie when he sat opposite her, glancing at their friends in the midst of mini-scramble 'Surprised you're not stopping them now.'
''What's the point?'' A huff ''Clearly all my scolding and beating has done nothing, I'm just chalking this one up as a lost cause. Those idiots aren't about to stop their ridiculous squabbles anytime soon.''
'Well, no one's perfect. But you gotta admit, they do come through when it counts.'
''I'm not denying that, would it kill them to get along though? All those brawls do is cause chaos.''
Both had to duck to avoid a chair that soared above them a moment later, which Riku felt emphasized Erza's point.
''Although, on the subject of friends...'' He looked back at the girl ''...I'm assuming you finally talked to Mystogan about why he's been acting so strange?''
It went unsaid that she knew the masked mage kept avoiding her when possible. For the life of her, she had no idea why but she hoped she hadn't done anything to hurt or offend him somehow. Riku had assured her that she hadn't but it still didn't explain why he was always this way.
'Yeah, we just straightened a few facts out. Like when he just had to keep taking so many jobs that he nearly collapsed that one time, remember?'
''Oh, yes.'' Amusement flickered in her eyes ''Belle was planning to trap him in a bed at one point.''
'It comes off as a joke but considering how obstinate he can be...'
She definitely wasn't going to argue with that one. Like many of their friends, she wished he didn't have to keep being so secretive, it couldn't be easy. He was getting along with everyone better just when he'd let his walls down a bit. Bickslow was busy heckling him about something and Mystogan seemed mostly exasperated but took it in stride ''At one point, I thought he would've left all together. You're a good influence on him though.''
The same went for Belle. She'd truly flourished from that shy little kitten, to the loyal and compassionate friend who was always by their side. The sight of the purple cat laughing at something Gray said before he ruffled her head made Riku smile.
''I'm beginning to wonder if they consider those ridiculous brawls a form of training.'' Erza sincerely hoped that wasn't the case ''Max and the others were talking about the S-class exams-they're in a few months now.''
'Oh, yeah-wonder if everyone's going to lose their heads again.'
The redhead fought the urge to scoff, remembering that too. For the last couple of years most of the guild was under the impression that they would get nominated if they did as many jobs as possible, which led to a massive rush during the weeks leading to the exams, with everyone pushing themselves to the limit.
''I tried telling them that it doesn't really have to do with the jobs but they never listen.'' She took a bite of her cake, grumbling. Although that did have her wondering, how would Riku fare in the exams?
The subject had come up once before. The brunet made it clear that he didn't think he was anywhere near ready for the S-class, especially not with the curse haunting him. While Erza agreed that the curse would be a detracting factor, she still thought he wasn't seeing what they all did. Riku had worked so hard to master his spells that with the exception of the curse (and to be fair, it was out of his control) he had grown much stronger. He'd praised her strength often and yet; she knew she wouldn't have made it this far without him. She wished he would see how much of a difference he made, how far he'd come along as well.
Even now, talking to him like this made her feel better than she had in days. And yet, the redhead knew she was avoiding the issue that had been gnawing away at her. A part of her wondered if she should talk to him, usually she'd trust him with anything. But...no, she couldn't burden him, not after all he had to deal with...
Riku's attention was on the one person who seemed to take the exams the hardest every year, Cana.
For some reason, despite her being nominated a number of times, Cana wasn't the least bit happy. In fact, had he not known about all the work she put in over the years in preparation, Riku would've said she dreaded them. She'd actually joined him and Belle for training after failing for the second time. And yet, she wouldn't say just why she wanted to be S-class so badly but it was clearly something of the utmost importance.
The card mage was currently doing fortune telling. Erza followed his line of sight ''Oh, yes-she did say she was trying to predict Gajeel and Juvia's fortunes now that they've joined us.''
'Do you know what she found?'
''Well, it seems the results were quite good all things considered. But she still seemed worried, last I checked, she said something about trouble brewing soon.''
Then, as if on cue, Makarov called everyone to attention ''All right, brats-we really need to talk...''
What seemed like a peaceful day soon turned into the prelude of chaos in a heartbeat.
It all started when a strange barrier covered all of Magnolia, leaving the town obscured in darkness that released black spheres which were barely visible as they descended to the ground. The spheres soon disappeared, revealing a number of men and women, all clearly primed for battle.
A strange figure of a green humanoid with oddly square limbs and face led a charge through the streets, soon coming across a kid who was too scared to move. ''Well, what do we have here?'' The kid recoiled as he lashed out with a vicious kick, only for him to be blasted back something small and golden. Evergreen flew in a moment later, snatching the kid and bringing him back to his frightened mother, who hugged him tightly ''Thank you! What's going on?! We just got the warning to move to the shelters but no one explained anything...''
''We just heard ourselves. Ivan Dreyar's here, with a lot more flunkies.'' She bit out, aggravation coloring every word.
''He's back?!'' The woman remembered the last time he was in Magnolia far too well.
''We're trying to keep any causalities to a minimum but if you can find Riku, Erik and Cubelios, they can get you to the shelters faster. Tell everyone to make sure they steer clear.''
''Right!'' Both hurried away, the newly arrived Freed and Bickslow covering their escape.
''Guttmann Kubrick...'' Bickslow scowled ''...if this doesn't prove what a piece of shit Ivan is, I don't know what would.''
''I couldn't have said it better myself.'' Freed pursed his lips. This monster's crimes should've been enough for the authorities to lock him up and throw away the keys in the deepest ocean.
The serial killer laughed ''Well, if it isn't the Raijinshuu themselves! Let's have some fun!''
Natsu punched a dark mage off a roof, leaping to the next one. Happy flying next to him ''You got anything?''
''It's like their scents are all over town! How'd that jackass get so many people working for him anyway? He practically left all his flunkies to rot last time!''
That was unchallengingly true. Ivan had sustained quite a bit of injuries after Riku tricked him into thinking he'd won before unleashing his secret technique, which left him to come face to face with Makarov. The only reason he'd managed to scarper before the Rune Knights arrived was that he literally used his men as shields and stepping stones, even sapping their magic power to flee.
Frankly, Happy thought the bigger question was how on Earthland did he pull this off?
Both immediately sprang into action as more enemies made their presence known, Happy tossing a lacrima that absorbed the spells they unleashed before it burst. Natsu leaped in, knocking them out with a few strikes. ''Let's keep going!''
''Aye, Sir!''
A giant blackish barrier surrounded all of Magnolia, eerie specters reminiscent of the shades floating around it. They didn't really affect anything but certainly added to the rather eerie atmosphere even before realized what was going on.
Levy continued analyzing the barrier to the best of her ability, hampered by both the fact that it hurt anyone who came too close and the number of enemies spread throughout their home. Thankfully, her teammates and friends had her back, keeping any interlopers away.
She'd known things were about to turn for the worse after their talk with Master Makarov but this…?
No one was sure what to expect after Makarov called for them to gather around. His grim expression speaking for itself…
''As much as I hoped to avoid things coming to this, there's no other way. The whole town's going on lock down starting now.'' His fists clenched. ''Ivan's coming back, he plans to finish what he started three years ago.''
Several cries of shock and outrage escaped them, those who had been present for the event remembering said incident far too well.
An utterly baffled Juvia looked at the troubled Lucy ''Lucy-san…?''
''It's really bad.'' She returned tersely. ''Loke told me about the trouble he caused back then, he almost killed Laxus just to get the lacrima he forced on him to begin with. The only reason that failed is because Riku found them in time and that's what cost him his voice. Safe to say, Ivan's as evil as they come.''
Their guildmates certainly shared the sentiment, quite a few like Natsu and Elfman cursing the man out.
But none were anywhere near as angry as Laxus. ''…Some people just don't learn. Well, what's the plan, Gramps?''
The girl had to marvel at the way Laxus handled himself, knowing what the man put him through. She wouldn't be surprised if the prospect of pounding his so-called father into dirt provided him with some much-needed focus.
Hey, she was all behind that. Heck, she'd cheer him on!
It was clear that some of them had come prepared, for Juvia was trapped by a pair of mages using some lances radiating heat and magic which invoked steam. The girl was too far away to help and her friends were preoccupied, but someone had to do something!
''Well, lookie here, we got ourselves a wannabe hero. Let's not pretend you weren't just like us only a couple of months ago, eh, girlie?'' One taunted in a slimy voice.
Juvia bristled ''No, that's not true…!'' Even at her worst, Juvia never wanted to hurt any innocents. She'd never liked Jose's plan but at the time, she didn't see much choice, only one guild had taken her in, she'd been alone. But her desperation also led to trouble as she learned the hard way, Phantom didn't put up with dissenters for long. And strong she may be, Juvia wouldn't be able to handle them all alone.
The man just cackled, his compatriot sneering as she fired another steam blast which Juvia dodged. ''Oh, please-we all know it's because that old fart's a bleeding heart that the two of you got to stay. After what Black Steel did to those three weaklings? Is it any wonder Fairy Tail is being derided? What a joke!'' She stiffened. ''Quit deluding yourself, you won't ever fit in!''
Juvia's heart sank, the worst part was that they were repeating some of Juvia's own misgivings. Thoughts she'd already had more than once, whether he admitted it or not, she knew the same went for Gajeel. Everyone had been so nice, recalling the chats she'd spent with Mira and the other girls, spending time in the garden with Belle and Cubelios and enjoying the fruit immediately coming to mind. There were so many other members like Riku and Erik who'd been so welcoming…was…that had something…
Right?
Incensed, Levy was about to throw all caution to the wind. Whatever her reservations about the new members, Juvia didn't deserve this.
It took her a moment to discover that she wasn't the only one who'd witnessed the interaction.
''Armatus Celeste!''
Eyes traveled to Lucy as she spun Aquarius' key in a circle, a shimmering golden gate formed. It released bright light around her before it gathered into the mermaid spirit's urn. Expression set in fierce determination, she angled it towards the enemies, releasing a forceful burst of water which sent them both down while drenching Juvia.
''Don't listen to them!'' Lucy barked ''This is your life, Juvia, no one gets to decide how you live it. You're happy being in Fairy Tail, you want to find a new home to be with friends, well how do you think we feel? You're already making friends and we're glad to have you. I know you're smarter than this so quit listening to those assholes! Now get back in there and kick their butts!''
Shocked and more than a little touched at the very much unexpected show of support, Juvia couldn't help smiling. The water having dismantled their efforts, Juvia already felt her strength coming back ''…Gladly, Water Jigsaw!''
The wide spread blasts of water forced the two on the defensive, the lance wielder aiming to target Lucy, who hadn't moved a muscle. He soon discovered why when the blonde tapped a foot on a certain block, erecting a wall of energy that threw him back. ''You guys really are idiots, just because your scumbag boss managed to ambush Fairy Tail once doesn't meant it'd work again!''
''What? But that means…!''
''You won't win, Water Nebula!'' Juvia watched in satisfaction as her second spell hit hard and true, both targets landing in the river.
Levy's smile was wide ''Way to go, Lu-chan! You nailed it!''
The girl gave her a thumbs up ''Thanks to you!'' Noticing Juvia's confusion, she added ''I found this spell when Levy-chan helped me do some research. Still getting used to it but it basically means I get to borrow some of my spirits' powers for a short period of time.'' Lucy made a face ''I've got to ask Aquarius how she handles that thing. I came this close to falling in the river…jeez…''
This was the second time the blonde helped her just like that, leaving Juvia's guilt to magnify…what with some of the less than charitable thoughts she'd had about her.
Perhaps Mira-san had been right after all?
''Well, I guess I see where the misunderstanding came from but Gray's not even interested in dating right now. He would've worked hard to save any of us, even if we do have our squabbles, at the end of the day we're always there for each other.''
Mirajane had been such a soothing presence that Juvia couldn't help confiding in her and the girl's explanation had truly resounded with her. When she thought back, they had really worked so hard, helping each other through the entire battle against Phantom and that was how they came on top. Numerous stories about the guild spoke of their irreplaceable bond, a family that fought together and stayed together. And it was just what she'd wanted for so long…
''…Thank you, Lucy-san.''
The girl beamed, looking back up at Levy ''You just keep working that magic, Levy-chan. We've got this!''
Juvia nodded, Levy's smile growing as she called back an affirmation. Right, every minute counted, Fairy Tail would triumph once more.
They soon learned that the barrier hurt anyone who came too close, even the enemies weren't spared. It portrayed eerie figures and sounds that frightened many. Two of the townspeople had just been about to hurry to safety when the terrifying shriek resounded once more.
A dark mage made to attack only to find himself face to face with Mystogan before a swift kick to the face knocked her out cold. ''Go!''
Nodding, the two apologized before jumping into the gate spelled to lead to the shelters. The sound of footsteps alerted him to more enemies, preparing three of his staves before a large familiar shadow caught his eye.
Cubelios, who'd been carrying three kids on her back, gave a wary hiss while keeping an eye on the situation. Mystogan waved one of his weapons, raising a shield ''Keep going, I'll hold them off.''
Just as he turned his full attention to the situation, Mystogan happened to see a short, somewhat stubby figure rushing in the distance, brushing through the barrier like it was nothing.
What was that? And more importantly, how did it do that?
Watching in satisfaction as the earth shook with a single gesture of his, Riku took comfort in the ever-present feelings represented by his earth magic.
It was so strange. Using it felt so natural, even when he'd hardly known any spells, it was akin to riding a bike after many years. The whole thing just came naturally, and it also felt soothing…
It was honestly quite the relief. Riku was still plagued the trauma from the Tower of Heaven, certainly not helped by the fact that a good number of those illusions included Magnolia in devastation.
Mentally shaking himself, Riku thought back to their plans. This wasn't anything like what happened three years ago or the tower, the curse was inactive and Ivan wasn't getting the better of them this time.
A multitude of cries reached his ears, revealing a multitude of the enemies he'd just beaten with a strange stubby figure in the middle. What he was startled to recognize as their magic was flowing from them within the being.
Before he quite knew it, a particularly terrified enemy managed to point Riku out, declaring that the being was supposed to take out all opposition. Evidently, he'd done something right because the being immediately leaped away, the man fleeing in his terror as it raised its arms. Riku's attempt to strike came to a screeching halt with the sight of a black sphere materializing in the air, it formed arms and legs before slowly taking a grotesque shape as it landed. The being towered over Riku, hollow eyes and wide fangs bared in a snarl.
He could barely see the stubby figure in the background before being forced to dodge an attack. The monster's legs shimmered with blue flames before it struck again, Riku stopping it with a dragon roar. Then it began gathering power in its maw, a sphere beginning to coalesce. Riku moved fast, trapping it in a gate that sent it into the air before casting Dark Dragon's Shadow Lancer, the strike enough to tear it to the bits of black power that composed it before it dissipated.
The figure was already back at work, three more spheres forming around it this time. Catching on, Riku empowered himself with Dark Dragon's Ethereal Shroud and cleaving one of the spheres in half. But as he had, the other two had already conjured more monsters.
Eyes narrow in determination, Riku met them head on.
The battle continued in such a vein, him defeating more enemies only for others to arrive. And the more he carried on, the more he couldn't help wonder just what he was missing here. Something about those monsters was…familiar, though he was sure he'd never faced them, he couldn't dismiss the notion.
It was the thorny demon that gave him the answer, the appearance bringing a distant memory to mind.
That was the common thread between those beings, they were recreations of Zeref's demons!
He still remembered helping Mira look into demons in an effort to understand the scope of her power and most, if not all of those enemies were replications of those monsters.
Thankfully, it seemed that creature couldn't replicate them at full strength. He wasn't completely sure about this but it didn't seem to be much of a fighter either. While quite sturdy, all it had done was avoid his attacks and continue to hide behind its summons.
The strangest part was that Riku could've sworn he sensed another presence for a moment. It was coming from that creature, but it faded so fast that he wasn't sure what to think.
The sight of the oncoming energy binds left him shelving that thought, it wasn't important right now. That summoning creature may not be much of a fighter but that didn't make it any less dangerous, it had to be stopped.
The last few minutes had gone so fast that her head was still spinning.
First, she was working on activating the town's defense system which had been reinforced by the guild. It let her keep surveillance over many parts of Magnolia while helping impeded Ivan's flunkies. It was also how she began helping lead people to safety through the surveillance magic overlooking the town when…
Mira wasn't quite sure what happened. Maybe she'd been so focused on her task that she missed it, but whatever the case, everything had suddenly gone dark and she found herself in a quiet forest.
A roar reached her ears then, making her freeze. She knew that one far too well, an ever-present reminder of the worst day of her life.
And just as she feared, there was Lisanna pleading with the berserk Elfman to snap out of it. Even as she looked away and instinctively blocked her ears, Mira could never forget what happened.
Seeing Lisanna be struck down, Elfman continuing to rampage and the struggle…the realization that they would never see their youngest sister again, never hear her laugh and see her sweet smile, her energetic presence which brought light to both their lives, gone…
Mira fought back her own tears as she watched the image of her brother sob. While they had come a long way since those days, she wasn't sure they'd ever quite heal from this loss. The guild had really helped them out, coming through when she least expected it. Which once again left her wondering if things could've been different had she given them a chance, Natsu, Happy and Erza had offered to come along to the Beast mission. The last had been especially concerned due to the suddenness of the situation but Mira's pride had her turning them all down. But the fact that even Erza was so willing to help despite their then bitter rivalry really should've been a poignant factor. Yet she'd been so foolishly convinced of her strength that she never gave it a second thought.
And look what that led to…
She let the past sour her perception of everything that she practically kept even her own family away. It should've been her who helped Elfman with his insecurities regarding his magic but instead it was Riku, Levy and the others who kept supporting him. Lisanna had similarly flourished with their newfound home and family, but Mira had never really been able to open up to them like her siblings had.
Perhaps a part of her was still so angry at what led to all this. They'd just been living peacefully all their lives only for that twist in fate to upend everything. People who'd known her for so long denouncing her as a monster just for trying to help, she'd helped protect the town and yet they lost their home for it. She was so grateful that her siblings didn't resent her but it never should've come to that at all. It was why she couldn't help relating to Riku, seeing the people of Magnolia, who'd been so friendly all this time, simply shun him for the curse was more than a little upsetting. Even when they made the situation clear, quite a few of them remained convinced that they were in the right. And it left her all the more convinced that Master Makarov had been right, people like that weren't worth their time or effort.
Mira started as her surroundings seemed to flicker for a few moments before solidifying again. This time, she was in the forest, in one of the areas the guild used to train. A thump made her turn back only to find a sight that turned her blood to ice.
Elfman was lying on the ground, a spike like formation she recognized from one of her brother's forms piercing his chest. Mira forgot to breathe, her eyes never leaving his figure. A distant part of her mind noted that he must have been training again, he'd redoubled his efforts after Lisanna's death and this was some sort of accident…
But she was mostly focused on all that blood. No…no, this…this couldn't be…she couldn't lose him too!
A thought suddenly pierced through the fog of brewing terror threatening to overwhelm her. This wasn't right. Elfman had literally just been with her before…before all this went down.
Her eyes shut tight even as the images began playing again. A single question circling her mind. What the heck was going on? This couldn't be real…
And that was when the realization sank in.
This was just the sort of torture Riku faced in the tower, wasn't it? It certainly fit with the stories. A myriad of emotions surged within her at the thought, fury returning towards Jellal for hurting her friend so badly, disgust and scorn for the cause of all this and sheer…
So, they wanted to break her? They thought it was so easy?
Well, they had another thing coming. A surge of power long dormant rose within her, determination fueling her forward despite the horrific images.
They would pay dearly for this.
And let's stop here.
Well, here we go. Ivan's back for revenge after another after what happened three years ago, and I'll explain more about it soon. But yeah, Fairy Tail's prepared to the best of their ability, Magnolia's defenses are pretty tough. They've got pretty good surveillance over the town with magic at the ready. Hey, if they can make something like the Gildarts shift just because the guy's a space cadet, I don't see why this couldn't work.
Mystogan still wants to avoid involving his friends if he can help it, they're not happy about it but they know too little to interfere. Erza pretty much attacked Siegrain on sight years ago so her finding out about him definitely wouldn't go well, even more so now with the tower. So, he finds it better to keep his distance, he might have gotten closer to the guild over the years but he does still keep them at arm's length a lot. Gajeel joining wouldn't go smoothly, Fairy Tail's rep took a hit since people what he's done now. Juvia's not facing as much flack because the guild knows her circumstances and she's done a lot to make up for the past and he knows he has to do the same. I know the canon makes a big deal about Juvia joining for Gray but the way I see it, for someone who hasn't really known true friendship all these years, a place like Fairy Tail would be just what she wanted. No one's really sure what Makarov is thinking but they're fine waiting for answers. So yeah, it's all me trying to look at the situation from different angles.
I don't want to use too many OCs if I can help it and the Fairy Tail verse has a lot of characters so I figured I'd use Kubrick since I'm not doing the key of the starry skies arc. And just to clarify, that creature Riku's fighting is actually Obra. Considering his origins, I didn't see any reasons why he couldn't be involved sooner so I tried giving it some new powers. Mira figured out the trick fast because of what happened with Riku and I'll explain more in the beginning of the next chapter but yup, she's making her comeback.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. Till next time!