The air in the Fairy Tail guildhall hung thick with unspoken questions and a low hum of worry. The usual boisterous energy was replaced by a tense quiet, only broken by the occasional rustle of fabric or a muffled sigh. Around a large, roughly hewn table sat the members who had a run in with said mage, faces etched with concern. In the infirmary, behind closed doors, Wendy and Porlyusica tended to two children brought back just hours ago, still lost in an unnatural slumber. Most of the other members had already left for the night.
"Start from the beginning," Erza requested, her voice firm yet laced with apprehension, her scarlet hair seeming duller than usual. Gajeel and Levy, sitting side by side, exchanged a look. Levy, small as she was, seemed to shrink further into herself, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced by a haunted look. Gajeel, typically gruff, was uncharacteristically subdued.
"After Makarov asked us to spy on Echelon… we figured it would just be to collect general information on the goings on the place," Gajeel began, his voice gravelly. "But that's the thing, it looked like a run of the mill farm with a couple extra buildings. Yet, I was positive that the Master's scent was there. It even had traces of the pyromaniac though much duller. It was... odd."
Levy took over, her voice softer but trembling slightly. "We thought to get closer only to have a barrier stop us. It seemed simple enough at first so I tried to bypass it."
"It was built like a crabbing trap… easy to get in, but hell to get out," Gajeel continued, his metal arm clenching. "Thanks to shrimpy here, we managed to stay on the outside. Then… then he showed up."
A collective intake of breath echoed around the table. 'He'. Salamander. There has not been a single instance where a run in with him had led to something good.
"He just… appeared," Levy breathed, her eyes wide as if reliving the moment. "One second, it was just us, trying to figure out how to deal with the barrier. The next, the ground started to rumble. Not like an earthquake, but… focused. Like something was about to explode from beneath us."
Gajeel nodded grimly. "Then, the floor beneath the barn… imploded. Rock and dirt flying everywhere. We had to shield ourselves. When the dust cleared…" He paused, searching for words. "It was like he just… erupted from the earth. Standing in the hole he'd made, holding both kids, one in each arm. He looked… pissed, Levy, didn't he?"
Levy shivered, despite the guildhall's warmth. "Furious. His eyes… they were like burning embers. And the… the magic rolling off him, Gajeel… it was suffocating, even through the magic dampeners in that place."
"Dampeners?" Erza questioned sharply. "They had magic dampening in the prison? Master didn't mention anything like that."
Gajeel grunted. "Yeah, thick magic barriers, runes carved into the stone. Supposed to weaken mages. Didn't seem to do much to him."
Levy picked up the narrative. "He walked out of the hole, calm as you like, carrying those two kids like they weighed nothing. He ignored us at first, just looking at the barrier. It was strange, I swear he had gone feral the moment he say it. He set the kids down gently. Then… he just grabbed his cuffs. And tore them off himself."
A shudder went through several guild members at the thought of the strength required. Magic suppressing cuffs were designed to be nearly unbreakable, even for powerful mages.
"Not just tore it," Gajeel clarified, a grimace twisting his features. "Like ripping paper. The metal just… twisted and snapped."
"He's either vastly attuned to pain or... numb," Levy added, her voice barely above a whisper. "Then he looked around, he glanced at the main barrier, and just… burned it."
"Burned it?" Lucy repeated, confusion etched on her face. "But barriers… they're usually dispelled, not… burned."
"It wasn't normal fire, Lucy," Levy stated, her voice firm with conviction. "It started out normal, flickering orange and red. Then… it changed. First, it turned a deep, vibrant blue, burning hotter than anything I've ever seen. Then it shifted again, swirling with emerald green and flashes of gold. It was mesmerizing, terrifying… and it just… ate through the barrier, exploding like a million glass windows."
Gajeel nodded, his eyes mirroring Levy's awe and unease. "The whole prison shook when that barrier went down. We thought he was going to burn us too, but I... he kept his flames in complete control. Otherwise the kids..."
Levy continued, "He walked towards us then, just like we were supposed to be there. He looked at us, really looked, for the first time. His eyes… they softened a bit when he saw us. He walked right up to us, put a kid in each of our arms, gently… then he left, into the woods. Just like that. Disappeared."
Silence descended upon the table, heavy with the weight of their words. Mirajane, her usual gentle smile absent, spoke softly, "And the children? They've been unconscious since?"
"Yeah," Levy confirmed sadly. "Wendy and Porlyusica have been checking them over, but they haven't woken up. They're stable, physically… but…"
"Magically drained," Wendy's voice drifted from the infirmary door, which had been slightly ajar. She stepped out, her face troubled. "The cuffs… they weren't just suppressing their magic, they were actively draining it. They're in a state of magical exhaustion. It will take time for them to recover."
Porlyusica emerged behind Wendy, her expression as gruff as ever. "They are young, but resilient. They will recover. But…" She fixed her sharp gaze on the gathered guild members. "This Salamander… he is powerful. Alarmingly so. If he was able to do all that... break out, fight, and rescue. Then have enough strength to escape?"
"He was holding back, back when you all tried to apprehend him." Makarov stated grimly earning a wave of apprehension from his children.
"Why?" Gray asked incredulously.
"I don't know... You should have seen the state he was in. I don't think interrogated is the right word here. He was physically beaten, but his eyes... they were far from snuffed out. He knew. To think someone so young is so capable." Makarov lamented.
Cana, who had been quietly shuffling her cards throughout the conversation, finally spoke up, her voice laced with a thoughtful drawl. "Okay, we're all impressed by Mr. Fire Show. But… something's bugging me. Something we've all been too caught up in the excitement to think about."
All eyes turned to her. Cana laid down her worn cards on the table, the intricate patterns facing upwards. "How did they capture him in the first place?"
The question hung in the air, stark and unsettling. They had all been so focused on the dramatic rescue, on Salamander's power, on the children, that they hadn't considered the glaring anomaly. Salamander, this force of nature, had somehow been captured by the magic council. It didn't make sense.
Cana continued, her fingers tracing the cards. "By all means, someone like Salamander should have known that they would do a plenty to keep him contained. Or experimented on as Master so politely informed. They had magic suppressing cuffs. They had magic barriers in place. These aren't normal circumstances for a criminal, just look at Brain, they were prepared for a monster." She flipped over a card, the 'Tower' depicting chaos and destruction. "Yet… they captured Salamander? The guy who ripped through those cuffs like they were made of paper? Who burned through a magic barrier with… rainbow fire? Salamander should have known what they would do to him. It was a massive bounty for crying out loud, given by the Headmaster! Did he not have any fight in him?" Cana sighed.
She laid down another card, 'The Hanged Man', symbolizing sacrifice and suspension. "Let's see what the cards say about it." Cana closed her eyes for a moment, focusing her magic, then laid down three cards in a row. 'The Hermit', 'The Chariot', and 'The Fool'.
She opened her eyes, her brow furrowed. "The Hermit… isolation, introspection. The Chariot… willpower, control, direction. The Fool… new beginnings, faith, and…" Cana's voice trailed off, her eyes widening slightly as she looked back at the cards. "And… voluntary action."
Cana looked up, her gaze meeting Erza's. "The cards… they're saying… Salamander let himself be captured."
Makarov stayed silent, he figured as much as the conversation he had with Salamander confirmed as much, however her didn't want to influence his children's thoughts of the rogue. Best to let them come to the conclusion themselves. A stunned silence descended upon the guildhall. The implications of Cana's reading were staggering. Why would someone like Salamander, with such immense power, willingly be captured? What was his purpose? What was he playing at?
Gray broke the silence, his voice low and thoughtful. "But… why? Why would he let himself get caught, just to break out or to rescue those kids?"
Lucy shivered, a chill running down her spine. "It's… unsettling. He seemed so… casual about it all. Like it was planned."
The stunned silence in the Fairy Tail guildhall hung heavy, each member wrestling with the uncanny pronouncement Cana's cards had delivered. "Salamander let himself be captured." The words echoed in their minds, refusing to settle, refusing to make sense. It was like trying to grasp smoke – the more they tried to understand, the more elusive the meaning became.
Erza, ever the strategist, was the first to break the quietude, her brow furrowed deep lines into her forehead. "Why? He possesses a raw power I've rarely witnessed. Subduing him, let alone capturing him willingly…" She trailed off, the thought incomplete, yet the implication was clear: it was almost impossible.
Gray leaned back against the bar, arms crossed, his usual cool demeanor slightly ruffled. "But…? Why would he let himself get caught, It's overkill, even for someone as… theatrical as him." Gray usually reserved sarcasm for guildmates, but even now a hint of grudging respect laced his tone.
"He gave Levy and Gajeel the children," Erza reiterated, her voice sharper now, focusing on the tangible. "He placed them directly into our care. He must have known they'd bring them here. So why us? Why involve Fairy Tail at all, if this was some grand, pre-ordained scheme?"
Wendy, her youthful face etched with worry, spoke softly, "Maybe… maybe he needed us to take care of the children while he did something else? Something… dangerous?"
Charlè, perched on Wendy's head, added her own insightful perspective. "He was remarkably considerate, for a rogue mage. He ensured the children were in safe hands. That suggests a level of… responsibility that doesn't align with a simple desire for chaos."
The conversations continued, theories spun and discarded, doubts raised and tentatively addressed, but none truly landed.
Suddenly, a sharp, insistent knock echoed through the usually boisterous guildhall. The unexpected sound cut through the buzzing murmur of speculation, silencing the room instantly. Knocking at Fairy Tail, especially at this late hour? It was unusual, to say the least. Makarov, perched atop the bar, narrowed his eyes, while Erza, ever vigilant, subtly shifted her stance, ready for any confrontation.
"Who could that be?" Lucy whispered, her earlier unease returning, amplified by this new interruption. Gray simply shrugged, his ice-make magic unconsciously forming frost patterns on the table closest to him.
"I'll get it, Gramps," Macao volunteered, pushing himself up from his seat. He lumbered towards the heavy guild doors, the only sound now the creak of the wooden floorboards under his feet. He reached the doors, his hand hovering over the latch, a flicker of apprehension in his eyes. With a deep breath, he swung them open.
Standing on the guild's doorstep was a woman of striking presence. She was tall, easily matching Erza in height, with an air of composed authority that radiated even in the dim light filtering from within the guildhall. Her hair was the color of spun moonlight, a pale silver that framed a face both sharp and elegant. But it was her eyes that truly caught the attention - light blue, the shade of a winter sky, and intensely intelligent, assessing everything in a single, sweeping glance. She wore a tailored coat of dark blue, embroidered with subtle silver threads that seemed to shimmer in the lamplight, and beneath it, glimpses of a formal, high-necked dress. She carried herself with a refined grace that was distinctly… un-guild-like.
Silence hung heavy in the doorway as Macao blinked, taken aback by her unexpected appearance. The woman offered a polite, almost formal cough, breaking the stillness.
"Good evening," she said, her voice clear and modulated, carrying a hint of professional detachment. "My apologies for the late hour. I am Elara, assistant to Headmaster Gran Doma of the Magic Council." She paused, letting the title hang in the air, a subtle reminder of the weight she carried. "I am here on official business. I need to gather some information."
The name 'Magic Council' resonated through the guildhall, a collective intake of breath the only immediate response. Council business rarely, if ever, brought officials directly to Fairy Tail's door, especially at this hour. Macao, still slightly flustered but regaining his composure, stepped aside to allow her entrance. Elara swept into the guildhall with a smooth, purposeful stride, her light blue eyes taking in the scene with a detached curiosity.
Every member of Fairy Tail watched her, an unspoken tension tightening their ranks. The usual chaotic energy of the guild was replaced by a watchful stillness. Elara's gaze flicked over the gathered mages, lingering for a moment on Erza, then Makarov, before finally settling on the general assembly.
"I understand you are Fairy Tail," she stated, unnecessarily, her tone neutral. "My business concerns a… rogue mage who has recently come to your attention. He calls himself Salamander."
The name dropped into the silence like a stone in still water. Cana's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, glancing towards her scattered cards on the table, a silent confirmation of their earlier discussion. Beside her, Lucy fidgeted, her hand instinctively reaching for the celestial spirit keys at her belt. Gray's frost deepened on the table, while Erza's gaze remained fixed on Elara, sharp and assessing.
Elara continued, seemingly oblivious to the charged atmosphere. "Salamander is now officially labeled a terrorist by the Magic Council." A ripple of surprise, quickly suppressed, ran through the guild. Terrorist? For rescuing children? It didn't make sense, not within the context they knew.
"This designation comes after his subsequent break in and escape from… custody, and the resulting destruction of a government agricultural facility." Elara paused again, letting the information sink in. "This facility, located in the wooded region east of Magnolia, was completely razed. Significant damage, loss of resources."
'Agricultural facility,' she called it. But Fairy Tail knew better. They knew, instinctively, that 'Echelon Farm' was no ordinary farm. Even without knowing its true purpose, the oppressive energy they'd felt, the sheer security surrounding the place… it reeked of something far more sinister. But they remained silent, playing along with the Council's carefully constructed narrative.
"Council investigations indicate that Fairy Tail had an… encounter with Salamander just weeks prior to his apprehension," Elara continued, her gaze now focusing on Makarov directly. "During that encounter, there was… some level of conflict, I believe?" She phrased it as a question, but it was clear she already knew the answer.
Makarov, who had been listening with a deceptively placid expression, finally spoke, his voice calm and measured. "Indeed, young lady. We encountered this 'Salamander.' A powerful mage, certainly. Caused a bit of a ruckus, he did." He chuckled lightly, a sound that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"And after this… ruckus," Elara pressed, her gaze unwavering, "Salamander vanished? Disappeared?"
"Precisely," Makarov confirmed. "Vanished into thin air, as they say. My kids haven't seen hide nor hair of him since. Came and went like a summer storm."
Unseen by Elara, Gajeel and Laxus, standing at the back of the guildhall, exchanged a subtle glance. Both Dragon Slayers possessed heightened senses, particularly scent. And both of them could detect a faint, but distinct, aroma clinging to Elara. It was the scent of fire, not just any fire, but the distinct, almost metallic tang of Salamander's flames. It was faint, as if lingering from a brief encounter, but undeniably there.
Gajeel subtly inclined his head towards Makarov, barely a twitch, but enough. Laxus mirrored the gesture, his golden eyes narrowing slightly. Makarov, ever attuned to his guild, caught the silent communication. His own expression remained unchanged, but a flicker of something unreadable passed behind his aged eyes. He understood. Elara had been close to Salamander, more recently than weeks ago.
Elara continued her questioning, oblivious to the silent exchange happening behind her. "Given your… prior interaction, and the fact that you are, shall we say, a guild known for its… connections," she paused, searching for the right word, "…effectiveness," she finished with a slight emphasis, "the Council believed it prudent to inquire if Fairy Tail might have any… insight into Salamander's current whereabouts."
She paused, her light blue eyes scanning their faces, searching for any flicker of recognition, any hint of deception. The silence stretched, thick with unspoken words and carefully guarded secrets. Fairy Tail, masters of improvisation and loyalty, held their ground.
Makarov leaned forward slightly, resting his hands on the bar. He met Elara's gaze directly, his own eyes reflecting an air of amiable ignorance. "Insight, you say? Into a rogue mage who appeared out of nowhere, wreaked a bit of havoc, and then disappeared just as quickly? My dear Miss Elara," he said, his voice laced with a touch of avuncular condescension, "if we had any 'insight' into such a fleeting phenomenon, wouldn't we have stopped him in the first place?"
He spread his hands, a gesture of innocent bewilderment. "We are Fairy Tail, yes. Effective, as you so kindly put it. But even we can't conjure information out of thin air. And like the wind, he is gone." He offered her a grandfatherly smile, a practiced mask of amiable cluelessness. "I am afraid, Miss Elara, that Fairy Tail is of no assistance to you in this matter. We know nothing."
"Why the prison, Master Makarov?" Elara's voice remained level, polite, but there was a new sharpness to it, a honed edge that hadn't been there before. She leaned forward slightly, mirroring Makarov's earlier posture, her light blue eyes unwavering. "It's… unusual, wouldn't you agree? For a Guild Master of your stature to personally visit a rogue mage of questionable morals, apprehended and awaiting Council judgment."
A beat of silence hung in the air, thick enough to taste. Erza and Mirajane, subtly glanced towards the bar, sensing the subtle shift in the air. The implication of his visit.
Makarov chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that was meant to convey amusement, but didn't quite reach his eyes. "Ah, Miss Elara, you wound me. Questionable morals? Perhaps. But 'rogue mage' encompasses a rather broad spectrum, doesn't it? From petty thieves wielding illusion magic to… well, to individuals like Salamander." He tapped a finger on the counter, his gaze steady on Elara. "My visit was… purely professional curiosity."
He paused, letting the words settle, then continued with a touch of theatrical flourish. "Think of it from my perspective, Miss Elara. A mage of immense, untamed power appears, causes significant… disruption, and then vanishes like smoke in the wind. He leaves behind echoes of raw magical force, patterns of energy that are… fascinating, to say the least. As a Guild Master, whose responsibility it is to understand magic and protect the innocent, wouldn't you agree that seeking to understand such a phenomenon is… prudent?"
He spread his hands again, an open, almost pleading gesture. "I went to see him, yes. To observe him, to perhaps glean some insight into his… nature. Was he truly malicious? Was his rampage deliberate? Or was he, perhaps, simply…" He trailed off, searching for the right word, "… overwhelmed by his own power? Misguided? I went as a student of magic, Miss Elara, nothing more."
His voice was smooth, persuasive, the words carefully chosen and delivered with the gravitas of years of leadership. It was a masterful deflection, a carefully constructed narrative designed to appear reasonable and even laudable. He even managed a slightly wistful sigh, as if lamenting the missed opportunity to understand a complex magical being.
Elara listened intently, her gaze never wavering. She absorbed his words, dissecting them, searching for inconsistencies or telltale signs of deception. Makarov was a seasoned politician, a master of manipulation in his own right. She knew that. But Elara herself was no novice. Years within the Magic Council had honed her own senses for falsehood.
"Professional curiosity," she repeated slowly, considering the phrase. "That's… understandable, Guild Master. Indeed, admirable, in a way. To seek to understand even those who cause chaos." She offered a small, almost imperceptible nod, as if conceding a point. "And you say this visit occurred after his capture, while he was secured in custody?"
"Precisely," Makarov confirmed, a hint of relief entering his voice, as if she were starting to accept his explanation. "The very next morning I found out, in fact. I requested a brief audience. It was granted, under strict supervision of course." He added the last part almost as an afterthought, a detail to further reinforce the image of a harmless, professional inquiry.
Elara's gaze flickered towards the ceiling for a moment, then back to Makarov. "Council prisons, as I understand, are… meticulously monitored. Security lacrima are in place, recording all comings and goings, all interactions within their walls." She paused again, letting the implication hang in the air. "Surely, such a lacrima would have recorded your visit, Master Makarov. And… the duration of your conversation."
Makarov's smile widened, becoming almost disarmingly open. "But of course, Miss Elara! Why wouldn't it? Council security is exemplary, as it should be. By all means, check the lacrima records. Verify my account. You'll see that I arrived, spoke briefly with Salamander, and departed. Nothing more, nothing less." He leaned back slightly, radiating an air of complete transparency, an invitation to scrutiny. "In fact," he added, a touch of helpful eagerness in his voice, "I encourage you to do so. It will confirm the… innocent nature of my interest. And perhaps put your… concerns to rest."
"Indeed," Elara said, her voice thoughtful, her gaze still fixed on Makarov. "Checking the security lacrima is… standard procedure. And we will, of course, review the recordings. It's simply a matter of due diligence." She paused, then added, "However, Guild Master, you must understand, the Council takes the threat of rogue mages very seriously. Especially those as… potent as Salamander."
She let the word 'potent' hang in the air, a subtle emphasis that suggested she wasn't just talking about raw power, but something more, something… dangerous. "His… actions, while seemingly random, caused significant damage and instilled fear in several communities. The Council needs to understand his motives, his affiliations, if any. And prevent any future… incidents."
"Of course, of course," Makarov nodded gravely, his expression now mirroring her serious tone. "Fairy Tail understands the importance of security and order. We are, after all, upholders of justice ourselves, in our own way. Though our methods as you know are a bit excessive at times." He gave a small, reassuring smile. "And as I said, we are cooperating fully. Check the lacrima. Ask your questions. Fairy Tail has nothing to hide in this matter."
He spread his hands again, an open invitation to scrutiny. It was a masterful performance, a carefully crafted persona of innocent cooperation. But deep within his aged eyes, behind the mask of amiability, a flicker of something else remained. A deep, unwavering resolve. A fierce protectiveness that went beyond mere guild loyalty. It was the instinct of a father protecting his children, even from the well-intentioned but potentially dangerous scrutiny of the outside world.
"Very well, Guild Master Makarov," Elara said finally, breaking the silence. She straightened, her light blue eyes still holding his gaze, but with a new, almost imperceptible hardness in them. "We will certainly review the security lacrima footage. And we appreciate your… cooperation. For now, I believe I have asked all the pertinent questions."
She offered a polite, almost curt nod towards Makarov, and then turned, her gaze sweeping across the assembled members of Fairy Tail. She saw faces of varying degrees of curiosity, mild amusement, and feigned indifference. But she saw nothing that truly gave them away. Fairy Tail, as always, was a fortress of carefully guarded secrets and unbreakable loyalty.
"Thank you for your time, Guild Master. And to the members of Fairy Tail." Elara's voice was cool, professional, devoid of any warmth. She turned and walked towards the guildhall entrance, her footsteps echoing slightly in the now noticeably quieter hall. As she reached the door, she paused, just for a moment, and glanced back over her shoulder.
Makarov was still standing behind the bar, watching her go, his grandfatherly smile still plastered on his face. But this time, Elara thought she saw something else flicker in his aged eyes. Something that wasn't amusement, or innocence, or even professional curiosity. It was… a spark of defiance.
The heavy guild doors swung shut behind Elara with a soft thud, the sound echoing in the strained silence that had descended upon Fairy Tail. The moment the latch clicked, a collective breath seemed to release within the guildhall. Makarov's genial facade instantly crumbled, replaced by a look of deep contemplation. He turned from the door, his gaze sweeping over his guild members, a silent question hanging in the air.
It was then, as if on cue, that two small figures emerged tentatively from behind the large, ornate bar. The orange-haired boy, a little unsteady on his feet but eyes wide and curious, peeked around the corner first. Behind him, a girl with hair the color of a summer sky, her expression a mix of apprehension and wonder, followed. The quiet hum of relieved conversation that had just begun to bubble up in the guildhall abruptly died again, replaced by a stunned silence.
Every head swiveled towards the children. Jaws dropped. Eyes widened in disbelief. They were awake. And walking. Wendy, who had been hovering near the bar, her brow furrowed with worry, gasped, her eyes going wide with surprise and then blooming with relief. "They're… they're awake!"
Before anyone could fully process the shock, Wendy was already rushing towards them, her usual shyness forgotten in her surge of medical concern. "Are you alright? How are you feeling?" she asked, her voice a flurry of anxious questions as she gently reached out to examine them.
Porlyusica, who had been observing from her usual perch near the guild's infirmary entrance, slowly descended, her expression a mix of skepticism and professional interest. She approached with her characteristic gruffness, but there was a hint of genuine concern in her narrowed eyes. "Wendy, step aside. Let me have a look."
Wendy hesitated, then nodded, taking a step back but still keeping a close watch on the children. Porlyusica, with surprisingly gentle hands for someone so outwardly stern, began a quick but thorough examination. She checked their pulses, peered into their eyes, and listened to their breathing. After a moment, she grunted, a sound that could be interpreted as grudging approval. "They appear… stable. Surprisingly so." She shot a pointed look at Wendy. "Did you use any of your magic after I stabilized them?"
Wendy shook her head vehemently. "No, Porlyusica-san! I only checked on them like you told me to."
As Porlyusica continued her cursory checks, the children, bewildered by the sudden attention, looked around the bustling guildhall. Their eyes, wide with a mixture of apprehension and dawning curiosity, scanned the unfamiliar faces – Erza with her scarlet hair and imposing presence, Gray with his habitual stripping, Lucy clutching her celestial keys, and the rest of the motley crew that made up Fairy Tail.
The tension in the children's small bodies seemed to visibly ease as they soaked in the warm, chaotic atmosphere of the guild. It was nothing like the cold, damp prison they had been held in.
"Are you… are you really okay?" Wendy asked again, her voice softer this time, filled with genuine care.
The orange-haired boy, finding his voice first, nodded hesitantly. "Yes… I think so. My head… it doesn't hurt so much now. And… and I can stand up." He wiggled his toes experimentally.
"Me too," the blue-haired girl chimed in, her voice a little higher pitched. "I feel… much better."
Makarov, who had been silently observing, stepped forward, his grandfatherly smile returning, albeit a bit more subdued than before. He crouched down, bringing himself to their level. "Welcome back to the waking world, little ones. We're very glad to see you both up and about." He paused, his eyes twinkling gently. "We haven't properly met, have we? I am Makarov, the Guild Master of Fairy Tail. And these," he gestured broadly to the assembled guild, "are my… children."
A ripple of fond exasperation went through the guild at Makarov's usual dramatic flair.
"I'm Mikey," the orange-haired boy said, a little shyly. "And I'm nine."
"And I'm Luna," the blue-haired girl added, her voice a bit stronger now. "And I'm eight."
"Mikey and Luna," Makarov repeated, a warm smile gracing his lips. "It's very nice to meet you both. Can you tell us… do you remember what happened? How you came to be… unwell?"
Mikey and Luna exchanged nervous glances. Luna spoke first, her voice barely above a whisper. "We were… playing in the forest near our village. Picking berries. And then… then some men in black cloaks… they just… came out of nowhere."
Mikey nodded, his brow furrowing in remembrance. "They were really fast. And… scary looking. They put sacks over our heads… and then we were… somewhere dark. And cold."
"A prison," Gray stated bluntly, earning him a sharp elbow from Erza.
"It wasn't very nice," Luna continued, her voice trembling slightly. "They… they shouted at us sometimes. And… and we were very hungry. And scared."
Wendy knelt beside Luna, placing a comforting hand on her small arm. "You're safe now. You're here with us. Nothing bad will happen to you here."
Makarov nodded in agreement. "Indeed. You are under the protection of Fairy Tail now. Tell us, Mikey, Luna, do you remember… anything else about this place, this prison? Anything… unusual?" He steered the conversation subtly, wanting to guide them toward the information Elara had been so interested in, the information about the mysterious Salamander.
Mikey chewed on his lip, thinking hard. "It was… it was mostly just dark. And… and there were other people… in cages. But we couldn't see them very well. It was… far away."
Luna's eyes widened suddenly. "Oh! But… but there were noises! Loud noises. From… from further inside. Like… like things crashing and… and roaring, maybe?"
Mikey's eyes lit up in recognition. "Yeah! You're right! Whenever we were… when the bad guys were shouting at us, or… or when they were going to give us… yucky food… we'd hear noises! Really loud ones. And then… and then the bad guys would get all jumpy. They'd go check it out, further inside. And then… then they'd leave us alone for a bit."
A murmur rippled through the guild. Noises further inside. Diversions. Makarov's eyes sharpened, a flicker of understanding dawning in them.
Luna continued, her voice gaining confidence now that she had remembered something important. "It was really strange. We never saw who was making the noises. But… but it felt like… like someone was… helping us. Even without us knowing."
Mikey nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! It was like… like a monster was keeping them busy so they'd forget about us!" He puffed out his chest, trying to sound brave.
"And then…" Luna's voice became softer, more reverent. "And then… Salamander came."
The word hung in the air, echoing Elara's earlier pronouncement. Every eye in the guild turned to Makarov, a silent question in their gaze. He remained impassive, letting Luna continue.
"He just… appeared. One minute we were scared and cold, and then… there was fire. Bright, warm fire. Well not really a fire, but like the essence of a comfortable campfire. And… and he was there. Standing in front of our cage. He… he broke through the doors. Just like that!" Luna snapped her fingers, mimicking the suddenness of it.
Mikey's eyes were wide with awe. "He was so strong! And… and he smelled like… like smoke and adventure!" He giggled, a small, childlike sound in the suddenly quiet guild hall.
"Adventure?" Lucy repeated, a curious smile playing on her lips.
Mikey nodded seriously. "Yeah! Like… like a really exciting story! He was… he was like a hero!"
"Did you see him before he… rescued you?" Erza asked, her voice gentle but probing. "Did you see him in the prison before he came to your cage?"
Luna and Mikey both shook their heads. "No," Luna said. "We didn't see him before. Just… the noises. And then… then he was just there, saving us."
Mikey added. "He was… really quiet. Until he broke the cage. Then… then he roared! It was amazing!" He made a small roaring sound himself, mimicking what he remembered.
Makarov straightened up, his gaze thoughtful. "So, you didn't see him before he rescued you. Just heard noises… noises that seemed to distract your captors?"
The children nodded in unison.
Makarov looked around at his guild members, a slow smile spreading across his face. "It seems our mysterious 'Salamander' is even more intriguing than we first thought." He chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that filled the guildhall. "A rogue mage… who was also a prisoner… causing chaos from within… and rescuing children in the process." He shook his head, a mixture of amusement and something akin to pride in his eyes. "Leave it to a Salamander to cause such a stir." Maybe he really is just a lost soul.
Makarov clapped his hands together, breaking the spell of contemplation. "Alright, Fairy Tail! It seems we have a new mystery on our hands. And perhaps, just perhaps, we have a new type of… hero roaming Fiore." He winked at Mikey and Luna. "A very… noisy hero, at that."
Mira raised her hands, her usual gentle smile replaced with a look of quiet urgency. "Alright everyone, hold on a minute!" Her voice, though soft, carried through the guildhall, quieting the remaining bustle of the evening, leaving the members who had dealt with the fiery showman – gathered around the scattered remains of dinner and Cana's tarot cards. Even Happy had stopped gnawing on a fish bone, his blue eyes wide with curiosity.
"What is it, Mira?" Erza asked, her gaze sharp and attentive.
"It's about… Salamander." Mira began, her brow furrowed in thought. "Remember when Gajeel mentioned that the Magic Council had caught Salamander? Put him in Echelon for a couple of weeks?"
A low murmur of agreement rippled through the group. They all recalled Gajeel's gruff, almost dismissive, comment. It seemed the Council finally managed to catch the infamous rogue. A surprise to them for sure.
"Well," Mira continued, her voice dropping slightly, "when that Council assistant, Elara, was here just now…" She paused, searching for the right words. "She said… she said Salamander 'broke in'."
A beat of silence hung in the air, thick with unspoken questions. Gray was the first to speak, a confused frown etching itself onto his face. "Broke in? But… Gajeel said they caught him. Broke in where, exactly?"
Lucy, ever the quick thinker, was already replaying Elara's words in her head. "Wait… she said she was investigating Salamander's whereabouts after he broke out, right? But then she said break in…" Her eyes widened slightly. "Did she… did she mix up her words?"
Erza's brow furrowed deeper. "Elara seemed very composed, very professional. Magic Council assistants are trained to be precise with their language. It's unlikely she made a simple slip of the tongue, especially on official business."
Cana's eyes widened even more, her gaze snapping down to her cards, still scattered across the table from her earlier reading. She pushed a few aside absently, her mind clearly elsewhere. "Mira, you're sure she said 'broke in'?"
"Positive," Mira nodded, her expression serious. "She said, and I quote, 'This designation comes after his subsequent break in and escape from… custody.' Break in then escape. Not the other way around."
The implications began to dawn on them, slowly at first, then with the force of a sudden tidal wave. Gray's frown deepened into a scowl. "So… you're saying… he didn't break out of prison. He broke into it?"
Lucy gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "That's… that's insane! Why would he break into a Magic Council prison? Just to sit in there and endure whatever it is they wanted!? He could have just disappeared again!"
Erza's scarlet eyes narrowed, focusing inwards as she processed the new information. "He was in custody for weeks, Gajeel said. If he broke in… and then escaped… that means… he let himself be caught. And not in the way we first thought. We assumed he was outside and somehow was captured, but... What the hell?"
The words hung heavy in the air, mirroring the stunned silence that had fallen upon the guildhall earlier when Cana revealed her card reading. It was a bizarre, almost unbelievable, notion. Salamander, the rogue mage who could incinerate dark guilds whole, willingly submitting to capture? It defied all logic and reason.
Cana finally looked up, her voice hushed. "My cards… they were right. So did he walk into the prison and just give up? That's mad!" She gestured to the scattered tarot cards on the table, a silent confirmation of the strange reading she had revealed earlier.
Makarov, who had been listening intently, his usual jovial demeanor replaced with a thoughtful gravity, finally spoke. "Indeed." He nodded slowly, his gaze distant, as if replaying a past conversation in his mind. "I… I had a conversation with him at the prison. Something… something he said then… it didn't quite make sense at the time. But now…" He trailed off, his gaze meeting Erza's, then Cana's, acknowledging their deductions without outright stating his own suspicions. He had suspected something was amiss, but he had wanted them to reach their own conclusions.
"But… why?" Lucy whispered, her voice barely audible. "Why would he do that? Endure capture, interrogation… Break in? I'd get breaking into a bank or something because, you know, criminals do that sort of thing. Yet, a prison?"
Gray slammed his fist lightly on the table, the frost on its surface crackling slightly. "This is insane! We're talking about Salamander! He could take on armies! Why would he willingly get locked up? What kind of twisted plan is he playing at?"
The confusion was a tangible thing in the room, a thick fog of bewilderment obscuring any clear path forward. They had been so focused on the immediate threat of the Magic Council labeling him a terrorist, they hadn't stopped to truly analyze the strangeness of the situation.
Suddenly, a small voice piped up from the corner, breaking the tense silence. Mikey, who had been quietly munching on a large apple slice throughout the entire conversation, looked up, his innocent eyes wide. Luna, beside him, nodded in agreement, her own cheeks stuffed with bread.
"Why not just ask him?" Mikey said, his question simple and direct, cutting through the complex web of speculation and confusion. "He's right here, isn't he?"
The simplicity of the question was almost jarring. In their attempt to unravel the mystery, they had overlooked the most obvious solution. Ask Salamander himself. He was under Fairy Tail's protection, safe within their guild. They could simply ask him. The thought, so obvious in retrospect, hung in the air, a beacon of clarity in the fog of confusion.
Then, with a sound like a thousand whispers of flame, he arrived.
Salamander dropped from the rafters with a theatrical flourish that should have sent mugs flying and tables scattering. Instead, an unnerving silence fell. It wasn't the surprise that silenced them, but the absence of surprise.
Everyone except Mikey, that is. The young boy barely glanced up from his apple slice, offering a small wave. "Hey, Salamander!"
The reaction was immediate. Erza's steel gaze snapped upwards, armor gleaming under the dim light. Gray shot to his feet, a thin layer of frost forming on his hand. Lucy yelped, scrambling behind a table. Even Gajeel and Wendy, dragon slayers with heightened senses, were visibly startled, their heads whipping upwards in unison. Laxus, leaning against a pillar, barely flinched, but a subtle tightening of his jaw betrayed his surprise.
No one had sensed his approach. No one had felt the subtle shift in the air, the telltale prickle of magic that usually announced Salamander's presence like a roaring inferno. He had moved like a phantom, a whisper in the wind, unseen and unheard until he chose to reveal himself.
Makarov, his eyes narrowed, observed the scene with a practiced eye. He felt the residual heat clinging to the air where Salamander had landed, the echoes of a terrifying power meticulously controlled, and wondered how any mage could completely erase that presence. He kept his thoughts to himself, knowing that now was not the time to voice his questions.
Salamander, his signature grin absent, surveyed the scene. His fiery pink hair, usually a beacon of youthful enthusiasm, seemed dimmed, almost subdued. "Funny," he drawled, his voice a low rumble that echoed through the stunned silence, "that the only one who noticed me was a kid." He flicked a glance towards Mikey, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.
The relief that they knew he had saved Mikey and Luna was quickly replaced by caution. Despite the fact that he had protected two of their members, they were all ready to go.
Before anyone could speak, Salamander's gaze hardened, focusing on Makarov with an intensity that sent a shiver down Lucy's spine. "Don't mistake me for a hero," he growled, the playful edge completely gone from his voice. The air around him shimmered, a barely contained inferno threatening to erupt. "I did what was right. That's all."
The guild erupted into a cacophony of questions.
"Salamander, what were you doing in that prison?"
"Why did you let yourself get captured?"
"Were you working with the dark guilds?"
"What's going on?"
Salamander ignored them all, his eyes sweeping over the assembled mages, dismissing them with a disdainful flick of his wrist. He moved with a fluid grace that belied his brutish reputation, his gaze lingering for only a moment on Erza, then Gray, Wendy, Cana, Mira, landing on Gajeel, before finally settling on Laxus.
He stood motionless for a long moment, his fiery gaze fixed on the lightning mage. He sniffed the air, his nostrils flaring. His brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing into slits, burning with a sharp intensity.
Laxus maintained his stoic posture, but a bead of sweat trickled down his temple.
"What... are you?" Salamander finally asked, his voice barely a whisper, but filled with an unsettling undercurrent of suspicion and something akin to… malice?