Chapter summary: Gray sees something. Wendy hears nothing. The Team wanders lonely as a clod and stumbles upon a field of daffodils (and daisies and gardenias and gladioli).

Chapter Thirty One

The sombreness of the cloudy night sky was reflected in the mood of the wizards that walked under it. The steady hum of rain shrouded them, the sound interspersed with the crackle of lightning and the wet splash of their feet through the puddles on the sodden road.

Lucy rubbed her still-roiling belly. Was this how Natsu and Wendy felt every time they were in a vehicle? She wanted, desperately, to sit down for a while. "I don't feel so good."

"Me neither," said Happy.

Gray, Wendy, and Charle murmured their agreement. "I don't think I have anything left in me to throw up," added Charle.

"Any more and it'll be my intestines that come out," replied Gray.

Wendy clapped a hand to her mouth. "Could we please not use such strong imagery?"

Erza turned from the head of the group to give them all a disdainful look. "Yeesh, you people are pathetic." But Lucy knew it was just her iron will that was keeping her going. Erza had set a brisk pace as she led them away from the bridge where the Guardian had left them, but she stopped now to allow them a few moments of rest. "Charle, is there any way to see what became of Sacerdotisa with your precognition?" she asked.

Charle leaned a paw against a nearby boulder and replied, "I've been working on a new technique with the Horse. They called it scrying. I can finetune my visions to just a few seconds in the future and catch a glimpse of things that are taking place almost as they happen. But I can't scry people as yet, only locations."

"It's unlikely she'll still be near the original Tenrou tree," said Wendy. It had been a few hours since they had been attacked.

"Maybe she went back to the Horse's mansion," said Natsu.

Charle shrugged. It was worth a shot. "Does anyone have a mirror? It will amplify the spell and allow you to see what I see."

"Here. Ice Make: Cambuscan!"

Charle closed her eyes, fighting past the tiredness and lingering nausea to gather her magic. A hazy image of the Horse's mansion flickered across the icy mirror. She squeezed her eyes tighter, but the vision refused to come into focus. "Something is blocking me," she said through gritted teeth.

Lucy placed a consoling hand on her shoulder. "It could be that the Horse placed enchantments on their house to protect against spies."

"I have just about enough magic power left to check the Tree. Shall I?"

"Don't push yourself too hard," said Erza.

Charle grunted. She was feeling a bit light headed, but she used her ability anyway. The black sands of the beach wobbled into view.

The rain was lashing down; the sea churning up flecks of white foam along the edge of the mirror. She heard a gasp as lightning crackled across the sky, illuminating the landscape for an instant. The Great Tree stood charred and blackened, thick chunks of its bark breaking away in the downpour. Charle focused on the roots of the tree, hoping to catch a glimpse of Sacerdotisa's long white robes amidst the soot and sand, but she could see no trace of her.

"Maybe she escaped," offered Lucy hopefully.

Gray's outlook was much grimmer. "Or maybe she's been taken prisoner by the Snake."

Lucy flinched. "We don't know that it was the Snake's army that we saw. Besides, the Rules of the Quest state that Guardians are prohibited from hurting the denizens of Earthland." Her voice took on a reassuring tone. "So even if that is the case, then she won't be harmed, Erza."

Natsu smashed his fists together. "If she's been captured, then we'll just have to bust her out!"

Erza's hand slashed out to her side. "Enough. Sacerdotisa stayed back to face the enemy to give us the best chance of escape. We cannot let her sacrifice go to waste." She turned away from them, the set of her shoulders firm. "Let us keep going."

They travelled through the night and most of the day, stopping off in the afternoon to buy provisions for their journey. They walked quickly, with no firm destination in mind, occasionally cutting across fields and fording streams to throw off anyone who might be tracking them. That evening, they made camp in a dilapidated outbuilding on one of the farms that dotted the Giltenese countryside. They took turns keeping watch, allowing themselves to catch some much-needed rest.

The next morning, they planned.

Calypso was the lone city state on the continent of Giltena. Shaped like a crescent, the city encircled a vast lake that was famed for its pure and clear waters. Known for its tremendous wealth, advanced magical technologies, and unique geography, the nation was the only one on Giltena that did not allow the free movement of people across its borders. They were not selective about who could enter the city, but they made sure all visitors had appropriate travel documents.

Zitel handed over her identification papers and smiled politely. It did not matter that she was a dignitary who had been invited to the grand exhibition that was to take place a few days hence, she was still subject to the same rules of entry. She hoicked Plue into a more comfortable position as she left the gatehouse. "Another week, another city. Do you think this one will be it, Plue?" she asked.

She had convinced her parents to let her travel the continent with a fixed goal in mind, but that did not mean she could not enjoy the journey. It had been two months since she had set off, and she was yet to tire of it. Every city offered excitements she had never heard of before. After growing up in the icy wilderness near Silestina, the bright lights, colours, and bustle of the more southern parts of the continent thrilled her.

The streets of Calypso were crowded. There were more people outside the apothecary on the corner than in her entire hometown. But it was not just humans that flocked to Calypso. Cats darted here and there, zig zagging in between the pedestrians' feet. The inhabitants of Calypso held them in the greatest esteem, treating each cat like a citizen in their own right. There was scarcely a sunbeam to be found in Calypso, that did not already have a cat lying in it.

There were no vehicles allowed on the smaller streets, making it safe for both pedestrians and felines. The only automobiles in the city could be found on the three ring roads that ran concentric to the city walls and the main thoroughfares from the city gates that intersected them like the spokes of a wheel. The majority of the citizens preferred to travel by air. Railway tracks criss-crossed above the city, allowing the glittering sky trains to carry the city's commuting masses to and fro effortlessly.

Zitel stepped to the side to allow a Calypsan on a mobility scooter to drive past before taking a left turn onto a larger street. "They say the head of state here is a bit odd," she told Plue. "She appears in public only every few years. All her business is conducted through her deputies." She paused as a familiar poster on a wall caught her eye. "Do you think she will attend the exhibition?"

"Plue, plue, plue," said the Celestial Spirit.

"You're right. I guess we'll just find out for ourselves on the day," she replied, continuing down the street.

The Fairy Tail wizards spent a month travelling the countryside, resting in abandoned barns and forest clearings and gathering information on their short transits through the smaller cities and villages. It had been Wendy's idea to focus on the Horse's last clue to them—the Palace of Bones. So far, they had found no mention of it in any of the libraries they had visited. None of their discreet enquiries at village inns and rest stops had borne fruit either. The place sounded evil, whatever it was, but the Horse had wanted them to visit it, and so they felt compelled to.

In truth, Erza felt that most of their questions had already been answered. The Horse had probably sensed the impending attack that afternoon and chosen to divulge whatever information they could. Still, the thought of working with incomplete information did not sit well with her. The upcoming battles were too risky. Their enemies had already shown that they were more than willing to come to them. They had one shot against each of the other Guardians and they needed to make the most of it.

So they trained every day. Often twice. Those who could, worked on new magic and spells. Erza looked towards Wendy, who was lying on her sleeping bag and reading a magic book, lacrima headphones blocking distractions from her ears. Even Happy had taken to meditating to increase his magic power.

Erza grunted as she hefted the makeshift dumbbell towards her upper body. Her own efforts to improve her skills had been limited by her inability to buy new armour. Charle had pointed out that the Snake's people had been watching and tracking them, and armour was not a common item. Nor could she order armour from her usual suppliers; it was quite likely that the ships coming in from Ishgar were under surveillance. Instead, she spent her training sessions like this, lifting weights, practicing her footwork, and meditating.

The silence of the early morning was disturbed by the sound of scuffling. Erza, Charle, and Happy looked up as Natsu and Gray came wrestling into the campsite. Wendy continued reading, blissfully unaware of the noise.

"You pervert!" yelled Gray, pointing at Wendy. "There are children here!"

Natsu brandished a sheet of paper. "You're the one who kept walking even though I put a sign on that tree!"

"No one can read that scribble! I thought Happy made a drawing of a fish!"

"Why am I being dragged into this?" protested Happy.

Erza turned to Lucy, who had arrived moments after Natsu. "What's this about?"

Lucy looked away sheepishly, her face bright red. "Ah. Uh. No idea. The usual."

"Don't go insulting my handwriting just because you're jealous," scowled Natsu.

"I'm jealous?!"

"Coz I'm ahead of you on this, Baby Ice!"

Gray scoffed. "Oh please, Ash Spice, I could walk into the nearest village and catch right up if I wanted to. Heck, I could even overtake you!"

"Oh yeah? You wouldn't be able to keep up with me even if you begged people!"

"If I was available for that kind of thing, I'd make you eat your words!"

"No way, you can't chicken out now. We're heading into town tonight and we're gonna see who can get more-"

Lucy appeared behind Natsu with a deadly glare in her eyes. "Get more of what exactly?"

"Scary Lucy!" chirped Happy.

"Get more…. Ummm… Look there's something behind you!" Natsu took off running.

"NATSUUUUU!"

Erza followed Lucy around the campsite as she gave chase to Natsu, before shooting Gray a puzzled look. He blushed profusely and turned away.

The penny dropped with the weight of an anvil. She quickly turned her attention back to her bicep curls, ignoring the answering redness in her cheeks.

Gray was still trying to chase away the memory of Natsu's surprisingly hairy backside (could dragons have body hair?) when they walked into the train station that evening. After a month wandering the eastern parts of Giltena, the team had had to admit defeat. There was no information for them to find here. The town they were in lay at the edge of a desert that spanned the upper middle of the continent. They would have to continue their journey in the western half of Giltena. It was too far to travel on foot, so they had decided on a train journey—one with plenty of changes to throw off attempts to follow them. They had not picked their first destination as yet, planning instead to hop onto the first train they found.

Gray was looking at the train timetable when he overheard the group next to him discussing a massive exhibition that was going to be held in a few days in a city called Calypso. He shrugged it off, they had decided to avoid major cities on their journey. But then the travellers said something that had him rushing back to his comrades. He grabbed Lucy, dragging her quickly over to the noticeboard.

"My brother is taking his kids to see it—they've only ever seen silver keys before," said the person standing in front of them.

"Are you sure it's a real one? My grandpa used to be a Celestial Wizard and he said they haven't left the continent of Ishgar in decades," said another member of the group.

"No way. The government of Calypso wouldn't include a fake in their exhibition," chimed in a third.

"Maybe one of the refugees from Ishgar brought it in," replied the first person, as the group began to move away.

Gray noticed Lucy vibrating with suppressed nerves next to him. The moment the area around the display board was empty she walked over, feigning nonchalance as she looked at the poster. Her finger ran down one of the notices beside it to throw off anyone potential spies, but he knew what she was looking at. He watched her read the items advertised on the poster for the exhibition, the ancient Potamelian artefacts, jewellery and art loaned by some of the richest families on the continent, fossils from the ancient animals that had once roamed Earthland, and there, at the end of the list, a golden Zodiac key.

She turned to look at him with a determined expression on her face. "I guess we know where we're going first."

Lucy smiled winsomely at the guard, adjusted her short brown bob, and tried to communicate trustworthiness with her eyes.

The guard stared down at her fake id, back up at her, and down at the id again. Finally, she sighed and gestured for Lucy to step out of line. Lucy's stomach fell. A waiting guard led her into a back room, and Lucy's stomach found a new subbasement upon seeing all six of her nakama there. So much for the 'state-of-the-art' forgeries they'd obtained at the previous town.

Coming to Calypso had been a risk. A frisson of unease ran down her spine. It wasn't farfetched that the Snake had a network of spies across the continent. There was another equally troubling worry too—what if someone had already formed a contract with Aquarius? The continent didn't lack for Celestial Spirit Wizards. She bit her lip. Even if that was the case, she owed it to herself to be completely sure. She had to see Aquarius with her own eyes, speak to her, and apologise for failing.

She took a seat in a hard plastic chair, leaving an empty spot between her and the stacked pet carriers that housed Happy and Charle, who were pretending to be regular cats. When she flicked her eyes in that direction, Lucy could just about see the top of Wendy's head above the cat carriers and Gray sitting next to her in terse silence.

The wizards all ignored each other by prior mutual agreement. Individuals were less conspicuous than a large party of wizards. Not that it had mattered in the end, since they were the only people who had been pulled out of line all day.

Finally, after half an hour or so, a woman came in through the door that was on the opposite side of the room. "Red and Dandy Halfduster-Barbell" she intoned, reading from a sheet of paper. Gray and Wendy—travelling as a brother and sister pair—got to their feet, each grabbing hold of one cat carrier and making their way over to the woman. Lucy glanced sheepishly down at her own ID, which bore the name 'Sushi Branefobia,' and wondered if letting Erza choose all their fake names had been wise. They were certainly nothing like their actual names. But maybe naming Natsu, 'Tonkatsu Pushhammer' was a touch too far. 'Ahna Violett' was probably the most normal name of the bunch.

The woman at the front of the room seemed to be asking Gray and Wendy a series of questions. Lucy strained her ears to listen, but their voices were too low. She risked a glance at Natsu, the set of whose mouth seemed to convey that the conversation was going badly.

"I'm sorry, I have no choice but to send your documents for further examination." This was spoken louder than the previous sentences, perhaps to underscore the finality of the statement. She picked up a stamp, blotted it emphatically on an inkpad, and drew Gray's travel documents over to her.

Just then, the door through which she had entered burst open. A guard scurried in, leaning over to whisper in the woman's ear. She whispered something back but the guard shook their head. An indignant look came over her face and she stalked through the door, as if to verify the information for herself.

"It looks like they're letting us all go," Natsu murmured, just loud enough for the rest of them to hear.

Minutes later, the woman was back, all false smiles and pleasantries. "I am so sorry for the misunderstanding. Please, go ahead through the door on the left. Welcome to Calypso." She bowed deeply and gestured towards the exit.

It was suspicious, but Lucy didn't wait for her to change her mind.

The first thing newcomers tended to notice about Calypso was the humidity. A wall of damp, sweet air hit the wizards as soon as they came through the gatehouse, causing the edges of their assorted wigs—essential to travelling incognito—to gently frizz and curl. But there was still something refreshing about the air. It was warm without being stifling, and the city's architecture with its dozens of narrow wind tunnels ensured there was a constant breeze.

"That was strange," said Gray, giving voice to the thought running through everyone's heads.

"Why did they suddenly change their minds about letting us into the city?" asked Happy.

"I might have had something to do with that." A familiar figure peeled itself away from the wall to their left. "Long time no see, Southlanders." Zitel paused a minute to take in their appearances before bursting into guffaws. "What's with the wigs?"

"Zitel!" exclaimed Lucy.

"It's the girl from the snowy mountains!" chimed in Natsu.

Zitel turned away and waved a beckoning hand. "Come on, there's a lot to catch up on!"

The wizards fell into step beside her as she started down a crowded alley. "Zitel-san, what did you mean by you might have had something to do with us being permitted into the city?" asked Wendy, walking in double time to keep up.

"I'm the daughter of the Silestenese chiefs," she shrugged. "I overheard some off-duty guards say there was a group of wizards with two suspicious looking cats held up at the gate, so I told them you're part of my entourage. Silestina's got good diplomatic relations with Calypso."

"If that is the case, we owe you our thanks."

Zitel waved Erza away. "Speaking of suspicious looking cats, you'd better let your Exceeds out of those carriers. They're not really used in Calypso."

The seven Fairy Tail mages looked around at that statement, noting for the first time the abundance of cats walking the streets. Happy and Charle were the only Exceeds though, so Lucy and Wendy carried them rather than letting them draw attention by walking upright.

Zitel led them confidently down a narrow alleyway that let out in front of a grand hotel. "This is where I'm staying," she said, pointing at the towering edifice. "Come on, I'll buy you lunch…" she paused uncertainly, looking at the mops on the wizards' heads. "But lose the wigs first."

The Hotel Royale lived up to its reputation as the best hotel in Giltena. Despite hosting several of the elite attendees of the exhibition as well as their respective entourages, the staff were still able to accommodate Zitel's last minute request for a private dining room with alacrity.

Platter after platter of exquisite dishes were carried in by liveried waitstaff; succulent pork swimming in raspberry sauce, moist, flaky fish with crispy skin, vibrant vegetables cooked to tenderness and drizzled in butter—the dishes were laid before the group until the hardwood table was practically groaning under their weight. Zitel had advised against ordering fire for Natsu ("We don't share the same superstitions in the North as the rest of Giltena, but it's better not to draw that kind of attention," she had said, and the wizards had agreed after remembering the awkward encounter they had had in the liquor store in Barya), but there was still plenty for him to eat and more. She had even insisted he sit next to her and walked through the entire menu with him line by line, much to Lucy's annoyance.

Fed up of the simple fare they had been limited to while on the road, the wizards fell upon the feast like ravenous animals. Zitel could only watch in horror and awe as they demolished every one of the twenty or more dishes that had been laid on the table. And then they did it again with the desserts. She had never seen people eat with such single minded determination; she half felt like applauding. Even the white cat, who seemed to be the most dignified of the lot was draining cups of Darjeeling tea like cracked mud in a Valerian summer.

Zitel was not quite sure why she had invited them to lunch. Or eased their passage into the city for that matter. She did not remember liking them this much when they had met back in December. But it felt good to have someone to talk to and share a meal with. She did not like to admit it, but her travels were a bit lonely with no one but Plue to keep her company—on the days she was contractually allowed to summon Plue, that was.

The Fairy Tail wizards made sure to thank Zitel effusively at the end of the meal. Free food was not something they took lightly at all. "Which hotel are you booked into?" she asked casually as they left the restaurant.

"We thought we'd figure out accommodation once we were here," admitted Lucy.

Zitel shook her head wryly. "Good luck with that. All the hotels in town are booked out." She pulled a card from her pocket and scribbled something on it. "I'm taking part in a walking tour that starts in five minutes, so I've got to go. But let me know if things don't work out, I'll see what I can do." She looked appraisingly at Natsu. "I'm sure I could accommodate at least one of you in my room."

She walked away smirking, leaving Lucy sputtering red-faced in her wake.

A few hours and several disappointed head shakes later, the wizards had to admit that Zitel had been right. Every hotel they had stopped at was out of rooms.

"What do we do now?" whined Lucy, stretching a crick out of her neck. They had all been looking forward to sleeping in proper beds again.

Charle folded her arms and sighed. "I suppose none of us could have foreseen this situation." It was then that a sign across the way caught her eye. "Fiore Florals," she read aloud. "Do you think that shop is run by someone from back home? Maybe we can ask them to help their fellow countrymen out with some leads on hotels."

"Only one way to find out," called Natsu over his shoulder, already halfway across the road.

The inside of the shop was a profusion of colours. Blooms of every hue dripped from tables that ran the length of the shop, dividing it into narrow aisles. These stood in stark contrast to the walls, papered green by shelves that carried ferns of every shape and size. "Hello?" called Wendy, trying to peer past a particularly extravagant bouquet to see if the proprietor was present.

"Hello!" yelled Happy. "Is anyone here?"

"Coming, coming!" replied someone from the back room. A mass of flowers emerged from the doorway, bustling down the centre aisle until it came to a stop in front of the wizards. "How may, how may I help- gasp!"

The wizards peered up at the person who had approached them, if they could be called a person at all. From somewhere under the vibrant blooms of yellow and pink came a booming bass baritone, "Are you, are you really Fairy Tail wizards?!"

Gray took a hasty step back as a vaguely head-shaped mass of flowers lurched towards the guild emblem on his bare chest. "Watch it!"

"Apologies, apologies! I got carried away in my excitement," replied the shopkeeper, twirling rapidly, causing the flowers on his body to lift, float away, and land purposefully in various bouquets that littered the shop. Beaming down at them was a large, moon-shaped face, with baby's breath for eyebrows and a moustache made of the kind of curling leaves you only found in children's drawings. A glorious crown of nasturtium and gladioli encircled the shopkeeper's head matching the short multicoloured cape he wore. "Welcome, welcome, Erza Scarlett-san! And Natsu Dragneel-san, Gray Fullbuster-san, Wendy Marvell-san, Happy-san, Charle-san, and Lucy Heartfilia-san! How can I help you?"

Natsu's brow furrowed. "How do you know who we are?"

Erza crossed her arms and moved beside Natsu, echoing his suspicious tone, "And who are you?"

"Of course, of course, Erza Scarlett-san, I have failed to introduce myself! I am Florian, Giltena's foremost Fiorephile!" He began to move towards the back of the shop, gesturing fervently to the wizards to follow.

"Fiorephile?" said Wendy.

"Someone who's a fan of all things Fiore," replied Happy cheerfully.

"I can't wait to find out how wrong that is," muttered Charle.

Florian paused before an unobtrusive door at the back of the room. "Correct, correct. Happy-san is, Happy-san is absolutely correct!"

Charle steadied herself on a door jamb, finding herself literally wrong-footed.

"Indeed indeed, it is my greatest joy to invite you to my humble shrine, reserved only for true Fiorians and the most ardent Fiorephiles!" He threw open the door and ushered the wizards inside.

They walked, stunned, into an approximation of the Magic Library in Fiore. A bulletin board stood off to the left, bearing notices and photographs of events in Fiore. Beside it stood a large, square showcase that took up almost an entire wall. Held within it were figurines of Fiore's most popular wizards.

"I can't, I can't believe I have the Erza Scarlett-san in my room. I have all your figurines!" The Fiorephile went twirling past the showcase, a trail of petals floating along a shelf that held prime position. Dozens of models of Erza in her various armours dotted the space. Gray and Natsu stopped before the one of Erza in her Heaven's Wheel armour that was several sizes larger than the others. It was remarkably detailed, down to the terrifying expression on her face. "Eep!" they flinched simultaneously.

But it was not just wizard figurines, there were several other artefacts littered about the room. A tabletop replica of Blue Pegasus' guild hall, a rock with a bronze plaque proclaiming it was from the final of the Grand Magic Games in X791, a skintight black leotard with an extra-large seat that Charle made let out a little shriek of horror—these were just some of the things Florian counted among his collection.

"I have, I have all your Sorcerer Weekly covers too, Erza Scarlett-san," continued Florian, impassioned. "Could you please, could you please autograph them for me!"

A towering stack of magazines was set on the table before Erza. She took the proffered pen and sat down coolly. "Just Erza is fine."

"Oh my, oh my Mavis! I can't believe the Erza Scarlett-san has given me permission to address her so intimately!"

"Is it just me or is he starting to get on your nerves a little bit," said Gray in an aside to Charle.

"I think, I think he could do with toning down the exclamations!" she deadpanned.

"You know, I was on the cover of Sorcerer Weekly a few times too," said Lucy, leaning against the desk sultrily on the other side.

Florian crouched on the floor beside Ezra. "Even her, even her autograph style is so decisive!"

"I was a reporter for the magazine for a year too." Lucy sidled up to him, extending one long leg to hike her skirt up just a fraction in his direct eye line.

"From, from swordsmanship to penmanship, is there nothing she can't do?!"

"I've even had some steamy gravure photo-spreads in the magazine."

"The others, the others in the Fiorephile Committee are going to be so jealous when they see this!"

"Maybe you recognise some of my more popular poses?"

"She's embarrassing herself," said Natsu, sweat dropping as Lucy contorted herself into a series of glamour model poses.

"Aye."

"You two could be more supportive you know!"

"Actually, actually, it would be great if you could all sign my autograph book. My rival, my rival Nami has an autograph from Aria-san from the former Phantom Lord that she has been lording over me for years. To imagine, to imagine I could outstrip her accomplishments manifold in just one day! Truly today, truly today is the best day of my life!"

The wizards barely had time to react to this speech before extra leaves were added to the table and chairs materialised from a storage cupboard. Florian continued to flutter around the room, drawing multiple autograph books off the shelves and placing them reverently on the table.

"Um, Florian-san. Do you know of any hotels that might have rooms available for tonight?" Wendy ventured. They might have been momentarily knocked off track by his over-familiarity with them, but the replica Infinity Clock on the wall told her evening was edging closer.

Florian's entire body began to vibrate with excitement. "Oh, oh, what brilliant luck! You do not, you do not have a place to stay the night?! Then I must, then I must insist you stay with me!"

Erza finished autographing the final magazine in front of her and set it aside. "Very well. If you are willing to accommodate us, then you have my thanks."

"It is, it is my honour, Erza Scarlett-san! However, however, if you would like to express your thanks by doing me the great honour of listening to this poem that reminded me of you, then I would, then I would feel truly blessed."

He did not wait for a response. Instead, he pulled a shoebox out of one of the many drawers fitted into the bookshelves. 'Erza Scarlett memorabilia' proclaimed the neatly printed block letters on the top. "Here it is, here it is," he exclaimed, "a poem by one of my favourite poets!"

Erza sweatdropped as Florian got down on one knee and began his recitation, all while maintaining intense eye contact with her.

"It's not even a poem he wrote himself?" muttered Lucy to Gray as Florian waxed on about Erza lifting a pearl-pale hand.

Gray grunted. He had to admit the poem was good, and it certainly fit Erza, but he doubted this kind of stuff was to her style—and he didn't think he was speaking from a place of jealousy when he said that.

"Aye Natsu, what's a tress?"

"A dress with trousers at the bottom."

"That's not right at all."

Gray idly flipped through the contents of the shoebox, only one ear on the conversation. He came across an assortment of Heart Kreuz jewellery, several interview articles from Sorcerer Weekly, and more than one gravure shot of Erza, each one carefully laminated in clear film.

"The poet's use of metaphor could use some improvement."

"You're a harsh critic, Charle."

Gray's fingers hesitated for only a fraction of a second when he came across the item. He would be a fool to begrudge the gravure shots and armoured figurines. But this? Call him petty but he did not want to share this. In a flash, the item was secreted away into his pocket.

"Er, thank you," said Erza politely when Florian was done.

"Your, your praise means the world to me Erza Scarlett-san!"

"I didn't hear a compliment in there," murmured Lucy.

Gray met Erza's gaze as Florian continued his over-the-top exclamations of joy. "Your fans really are something else."

She nodded, resigned and sheepish. "Yes."

A few hours later, Erza's patience was wearing thin. Florian had offered them his hospitality, so she did not think it was appropriate to deal with him in her usual heavy-handed manner. But would spending the night wandering the streets of Giltena really be worse than this? He was presently using his figurines to perform a play-by-play reenactment of the Nirvana incident. Except, of course, he only knew what had been released in the official records, so he had no idea of Jellal's involvement, leading to a number of holes in the plot that he had filled in with wild exaggerations of his own.

"And then, and then Natsu Dragneel-san got a power up using Ichiya Kotobuki Vandelay-san's Fire Breathing Parfum," he said excitedly, transferring a tiny detachable test tube from the Ichiya figurine to the Natsu figurine, and then swapping it out for a figurine of Natsu spraying fire everywhere.

Lucy and Wendy nodded tersely when he looked towards them for approval. Natsu and Happy were happily dozing in the corner and Gray was flipping through an old issue of Sorcerer Weekly.

Erza has tried to dissuade Florian from reenacting an incident that they had not only participated in firsthand, but also had unfavourable memories of, but he had seemed impervious to her glares. She had even given him an experimental biff on the head but he had seemed invigorated by it rather than chastened. She leaned her head against a bookshelf and gave a deep contemplative hum.

A bell rang in the distance and Florian stiffened. "I forgot, I forgot to flip the shop sign to closed," he said, following the statement up with profuse apologies. He excused himself to tend to the customer.

Charle leapt to her feet the minute he was out the door. "Let's escape while we can!"

Natsu and Happy had suddenly come awake, looking as alert as a pair of overcaffeinated squirrels. They grabbed their bags and exited swiftly after Charle.

"Are you serious?" asked Wendy.

"I can't take another minute of this," wailed Lucy. "We can go sleep in the park. He wants to reenact the Eclipse incident next. He even got a bottle of mayo out of his fridge."

Gray paled at those words. Lucy had published a report of the Eclipse incident to add to the dwindling canon of Celestial Spirit lore, but there were some aspects of the event that he could not afford anyone else learning about. "Come on," he said to Wendy and Erza.

"You as well, Gray?" Erza asked.

"He has eight other poems in that box."

"I have heard the parks are quite pleasant at this time of year."

She scribbled a hasty note on the back of a magazine and they slid out of the room stealthily, sticking to the aisle closest to the wall and thanking Mavis for the overgrown plants scattered around the shop.

Wendy using her wind magic to hold the doorbell's clapper still so they could leave the shop undetected and heaved a sigh of relief. "That was close." Just then, the shop door opened, whacking her in the behind. "Oof," she exhaled, landing on the asphalt.

"I'm so sorry!" said the customer, hurriedly setting aside their newly purchased bouquet to help Wendy up. "Oh my gosh, it's you!"

Erza blinked in recognition at her doppelgänger from Fairy Nail. "Er-"

"Dan. It's Erdan." The redhead stooped to pick up the fresh bouquet of gerbera daisies and turned back to the wizards. "The last time we met I gave you the mistaken impression that I was a woman. That was because I was not yet ready to live my truth as a man. But I am now."

Erza took in the familiar brown eyes and the thick, full lashes. Erdan was the same person she had met back in Fairy Nail, but also different in so many ways. It was not just that his hair was shorter and his build noticeably narrower. Gone was the body language that seemed to shrink into itself. Gone too was the nervous look in his eyes. "Are you happier now, Erdan?"

A grin cracked across his face. "Very much."

"I hate to break up the reunion, but we need to get going before Florian realises we've left." Charle said, as a strange cry went up from inside the shop. It appeared Florian had found Erza's note.

The sobering thought of more re-enactments lit a fire to the wizards' feet, and they hurried quickly from the scene, taking Erdan with them. They stopped a few streets away, in a public square that housed an ornate granite fountain. Lucy promptly peeled her boots off and dipped her feet in its cool waters.

"So, Erza-lookalike-guy-" Natsu began.

"What the hell kind of nickname is that!"

"-how come you're here in this town? You on some kind of mission?" he continued blithely despite Lucy's scolding glare.

Erdan chuckled. "Performer guilds call those gigs. But no, I'm home for a short vacation. Calypso is my hometown."

"You must be happy to be home, Erdan-san," smiled Wendy.

"It's nice, but it's not as relaxing as I thought it would be." Erdan pointed towards the bouquet. "My big brother has me running all kinds of errands for the family inn- what is it? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

"So Erdan," a calculative gleam came into Lucy's eyes, "how long are you in town for?"

Hebiko still remembered the day she had met her father. It had been cold and wet and grey, so grey. The rain had swelled the gutters, leaves and trash floating on streams along the side of the road. When she closed her eyes she could almost hear the splish splash of people running for shelter. She had not run. There had been nowhere to go. She had just clutched her little sister's hand and walked on.

She remembered the hunger that had gnawed at her belly and the apple she had shared with her little sister earlier that day. Stolen from a street cart, most likely. She did not remember how they had come to be on the street. There had been a flat, once. A flat where she had waited and waited for months. Where she had cooked for her sister and herself in the tiny kitchenette, standing on a chair to reach the stove. They had left at some point; started living on the streets.

A speeding wagon had thundered past, sending a spray of murky water over the two of them.

That's when she had seen him. He had been standing in the middle of the pavement, his head tipped back, letting the raindrops wash over him.

She had stopped and stared and stared. This grown up, standing on the road in the rain, enjoying himself, being the one thing she had not been in a very long time—carefree.

And then he had looked at her and her sister—and he had smiled.

A flicker of hope had kindled in her chest at the kindness in his expression.

He had taken them home, tucked safe into his jacket to shield them from the rain; and although Otou-san's skin was always clammy and his body always cool, there, nestled in his arms with her sister safe beside her, she had felt warm.

She remembered going home, where Baba had peered at them; worried and uncertain. She remembered the cup of warm, sweet chocolate that had been placed in her shivering hands. And she remembered smiling then, for the first time in a long time.

They had been happy once. Even after they had moved to Earthland. There were memories of sunny days and snowy ones. Of playing games with her sister in the garden. Of warm beds and clean sheets. A childhood.

Then one day, the idyll had been ripped apart. After that, Otou-san had never smiled again.

And she and her sister had become orphans once more.

Her reverie was interrupted by the sound of the throne room door dragging against the floor. "Hebiko-sama," said a palace guard, bowing stiffly.

She lifted her hand a fraction to indicate he continue.

"It is with regret that I inform you that we have failed to secure the Fiorians. We were notified of their arrival by Gatehouse 16, but they were gone by the time we arrived. We were told the daughter of the Silestinese chiefs had claimed them as a part of her entourage."

"And where are they now?"

"Our attempts to track them down were unsuccessful. They are not with the Silestinese and neither are they registered at any of the hotels in the city."

Hebiko nodded. It did not really matter that the Questers were roaming free in her city. She had accounted for that contingency, among many others. First, she had sent an invitation for the exhibition to the daughter of the Silestinese chiefs, after learning she had been travelling with the group. Then, she had put up posters for the exhibition in every town and village across the continent. The exhibition was the day after. They would be sure to turn up. When they did, she would be ready—and if someone in her spy network chose to make a report before that, then that would do as well.

"Have the platoons responsible for this failure report to the stellanium mines to the west of the city at dawn tomorrow. Each individual must undergo fourteen days of hard labour as a punitive measure. An additional fine of ten thousand Asteroid is to be levied on the captains, to be deducted from next month's salary."

The palace guard saluted smartly. "Yes, Hebiko-sama! As you command."

The door was pulled shut behind the guard with the same earsplitting screech with which it had been opened and Hebiko returned to her musings.

In two days' time, this would all be over.

After all, unlike her father, she was not bound by the Rules of the Quest.

A/N: Sorry this is a skosh late. I've been unwell. I am unwell. I'm in the middle of a pretty bad, 4-week long pain flare up. I haven't even proofread this chapter before posting, but here's hoping the first 15 times I proofread it were enough.

A/N 2: Erdan was originally going to be Elliot. But a few months after I had the idea, Elliot Page came out, so then I thought everyone would think I was copying him. But a while later, when I was reading a Chinese webtoon I came across Erdan. The webtoon said it's a nickname usually given to second sons, because it means literally, 'two eggs'? I figured then that we could make him Erdan, because he's now the second son in this family (there's a brother, who will appear next time). But ironically enough, it's been so long now since Elliot Page came out that no one would probably make the connection anyway haha.

I hope I handled this respectfully. Please let me know if otherwise and I will edit!

As usual, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Regardless of whether you did, please leave me a review. Only the amazing CrimsonStarbird reviews me (please read her work, although you probably already do!), and it feels a little bit like this fic is if Cait Shelter was a fic—it's a fic for one. So yeah, please please please leave me a review. I'm having a pretty bad chronic pain flare up right now, and it would really cheer me up!

Thanks for reading, and see you on *gasp* Valentine's Day! :)