Okay this week for sure all stories are getting updated! I promise! Too be honest I doubt a lot of you even read Roommates, but Homecoming will be updated too!
Enjoy!
"Look, I know I fucked up. I wasn't expecting the kid go blow himself up." Zeus sighed as Ares once again gave him a pathetic excuse. He had hoped that sending him and Demeter in to retrieve the girl would be fruitful, but as usual there was complications.
"I don't care what your problem was, now we must track her down again. Take care of your injuries, this isn't over yet." Sighing, Zeus cut the telepathic connection between himself and Ares. He hadn't been a fan of blasting Magnolia sky high, but it needed to be done. They were running out of time. Before Zeus could do anything else, Athena entered the room swiftly, screens floating around her face as usual.
"Sir, I have news." She said. Zeus nodded, glad that something was going their way.
"Report," he replied. Athena nodded, swiping at the screen in front of her.
"I am currently tracking END's magical signature." She said. "It momentarily spiked in the city, giving me enough time to lock on. They seem to be heading towards Sabertooth."
"They want backup," Zeus surmised, making Athena nod. "Send word to Hermes, he must deliver a message for me."
"Yes sir," Athena replied. "One more thing." Zeus watched as Athena swiped her screens, one casually floating over to him. The screen was displaying what looked like a brain, and it's brainwaves moving around. After a few seconds, these waves were disrupted with a bright red signal, causing the waves to alter their course.
"What is this?" He asked. Athena smiled.
"I wasn't completely on board with Hades plan," she said. "So I developed a brain control spell. This spell is specifically designed to disrupt Ms. Dragneel's brainwaves, changing them in our favour. With this, we don't need to make her submit. All I need is to infect her brain. I've even constructed a relay tower to be used in case...In case I meet my demise."Zeus frowned at this. He didn't like the idea of Athena preparing for something so harsh, but it was just like her to prepare for every outcome. She was part of the reason they had made it this far.
"And with what Ares reported, it seems her wiped memory is of no use to us." He said, also smiling. "Excellent work Athena. We'll see it is used as soon as we have her. Trust me, we will not need your relay tower. You'll be fine." Athena nodded, and turned quickly to leave the room. Once she was gone. Zeus turned to watch the sea below his window, smashing against the mountain.
"And that's only a matter of time," he said to himself.
In retrospect, perhaps it was foolish to forget about Michael's past with Nashi, or Luna. He had dated her prior to her apparent death, and the too had been quite close. And now, here he stood, staring at the girl he thought he'd lost. Drake was a fool for being so carefree about their entrance. He was already to used to Luna being around, that much was clear.
The rest of their friends from Sabertooth were also in shock, but Drake wasn't as concerned about them. Mainly because they didn't stat wandering towards Luna with their hand outstretched, lost in some sort of daze.
"N...Nashi," Drake heard Michael whisper. "It's...It's really you..." Drake watched the boy worriedly for a second or two longer, before finally deciding he had to act. Moving swiftly, he put himself in between Luna and Michael, causing Michael bounce off of him weakly. Drake kept his eyes elsewhere as Michael bounced off a few more times, visibly irritated now.
"Drake," he hissed, not taking his eyes away from Luna. "Get out of my way."
"I can't do that," Drake replied, still not looking at Michael. He couldn't bring himself to look. This only seemed to agitate Michael further, and the man growled.
"Drake," he seethed. The rage was clearly flowing freely now. "You're a great man. You're like a brother to me. But if you don't get the fuck out of my way, I swear to God I'll rip your-"
"She doesn't remember anything," Drake said finally speaking up. The words silenced Michael immediately, just as he expected they would. After a few seconds of silence, Drake summoned the strength to look at his friend. The blonde looked shattered, as though Drake had ripped the carpet out from under him.
"W-What?" He asked weakly. Drake sighed, lowering his gaze.
"She doesn't have any memories," he relied, louder this time so that the others could hear. "She's a blank slate." These words stunned Michael into silence, making him looked lost and confused. He looked between Drake and Luna for a few seconds, not saying a word. After this, he gritted his teeth.
"Can I speak to her?" He asked. "Please?" Every bone in Drake's body told him this would be bad idea, as he doubted Michael would be smooth in doing so. However, the mans desperate look was far too swaying.
"Fine, be quick." He replied. "She's prefers to go by Luna for now." Nodding, Michael pushed past Drake and approached Luna. Drake knew the smile he'dput on his face was fake, clearly for her sake.
"L-Luna?" He asked, voice shaky. Luna met his eyes and smiled.
"Hi!" She greeted. "Did I used to know you? I bet we were great friends if you were willing to take us in!"
Michael didn't reply
Rather, as soon as Luna had smiled, it was clear he'd been shattered. He stood and gaped at the girl, lost for words, as she smiled at him.
"I..." Michael tried, his voice barely working. "I..." After not being able to form a sentence, Michael cursed under his breath and hid his face in his forearm, turning around and walking a short distance away. Drake watched him sympathetically as Luna frowned in confusion.
"D-Did I do something wrong?" She wondered aloud.
"No, nothing like that." Ultear said, moving in immediately to comfort the girl with a hand on her shoulder. "You guys were just good friends. Seeing you with no memory must be..."
"Heartbreaking," Juno finished, hugging herself tightly. She too looked close to tears as she watched Michael struggle with his emotions.
"Everything," Keita said, looking over at Drake. "Tell us all of it, leave nothing out."
And so, just like the last two times, it fell on Drake to explain the entire story. He explained how he and the girls went to find Ultear, how they defeated The Enchanted Blades again, and how they found Luna. He told them how Magnolia was completely destroyed, and how Rocky had given himself up to keep Luna safe. Throughout the whole story he was watched with a mixture of horror and surprise, which came to a head as he finished telling his story.
He had left out END, though. That wasn't important right now. Keeping Luna safe was. They had all the time to figure that out later.
"So, they're after Luna." Keita surmised, Elise playing with her hands next to him.
"Pretty much," Drake said.
"And they went so far as to blow Magnolia up?" Juno asked, sounding horrified. Drake could only nod. "H-How many people...?"
"1134." He replied. "That's how many people survived and made it here. Who knows how many died." Silence came over the group at this, everyone to stunned to say anything.
"So what's stopping them from doing the same thing here?" Rina demanded. "From blowing us sky high too?" Drake didn't have a response for her, mostly because he knew there wasn't anything stopping them from doing it again. "I figured that much. So we're in danger."
"What should we do?" Juno demanded, looking agitated. "Toss them out? We don't do that."
"I never suggested such a thing," Rina snarled, looking upset that Juno attacked her. "I'm just saying, we can die at any moment."
"That's super welcoming," Kyoko muttered, playing with her hair.
"We'll figure something out." Drake replied sternly. "We always do. For now, we need to recuperate and find a way to strike back. Sitting around moping isn't going to help anyone." His words seemed to cheer everyone up somewhat, and that made him smile. "I need to talk to Laxus and Sting. Michael, can you come with me?" The blonde had been silent the entire talk, and he perked his head up slightly at the request.
"Why?" He asked, voice hollow.
"I want you to help me figure this out," Drake said. It was the truth. Well, that and he didn't want the man to have to suffer near Luna any longer, at least for now. It was clearly eating him alive. "Come on, let's go." Michael nodded and slowly got up, going after Drake. Juno grabbed his hand, and he looked down to look at her. The two seemed to communicate quietly, and he nodded curtly. She released him at this, and together the pair walked off to find the masters of the two guilds present. The silence between them was deafening, and Drake wished he could find something to say.
"How can you be do calm?" Drake looked over to find Michael's eyes obscured by his hair, staring at his feet as they came to a stop. "And rationally think of a plan? How can you get her out of your head?"
"Who said she was out of my head?" Drake asked, pocketing his hands. "I never did." Michael only grew confused at this, staring at Drake like he'd grown a second head.
"Than how are you functioning so normally?" Michael demanded. "How're you able to stand seeing her like that? So lost and...Gone, yet here?" Drake made a face and looked past Michael back to the group, where Luna was listening to the group speak with an attentive look. Perhaps she was relearning her friends names.
"Welcome to the club," Drake replied as his eyes lazed back to Michael. "I acted like you are for a solid year. Unable to function. But, you know, just seeing her alive and well is enough for me right now. Sure, she doesn't have her memories. For all we're concerned, she isn't even Nashi."
"Then how-"
"And I intend to fix that," Drake said, not letting Michael's interruption stop him. "One of the hardest things in this world is finding something to fight for. Some reason to keep going after losing so much. She's my reason. I'll gladly fight tooth and nail if it gives her her life back. The life she gave to save me and the others. I'll fight for her as long as I have to. Of course it hurts seeing her so lost and confused. But it's better than dead and I'll take it over that any about you, Michael? What're you going to fight for?" Michael just watched Drake quietly for a few minutes, before looking back over his shoulder at Luna. After a few seconds, he laughed.
"Do you remember when Nashi and I started dating?" He asked, a slight crack in his voice. "And you threatened to kill me if I hurt her?" Drake frowned. What did this have to do with anything?
"Sure," he replied. Michael looked back at Drake, smile still present despite the pain on his face.
"I'm reminded of that now." He said. "She's so damn lucky she has someone like you, Drake. Someone who'd cross the River Styx to bring her soul back."
"Anyone one of us would do that," Drake replied. Michael just scoffed.
"I'm sure." He replied. "Come on, let's find my dad."
Elise was only halfway listening to the group as they recanted the Grand Magic Games to Luna, who seemed heavily enthralled in the storytelling Kyoko had. She already knew all about it, she'd bee there. So instead of listening, she just looked around at the pure devastation around them. Thankfully nobody she truly cared about had been hurt, so that was a good thing.
As soon as that thought crossed her mind, Elise felt disgusted. How could she be so cold towards the people that lived in Magnolia? They were hurting, most of them were probably dead. And yet she was glad, because no one close to her was gone. Disgusting.
"You okay?" Elise's train of thought was broken at this, looking over as Keita asked her this. It seemed he too had withdrawn from the conversation. eyeing her carefully.
"Yeah, I'm fine." she replied, shrugging. "I didn't really get hurt to much. I just covered myself in iron and-"
"I didn't mean physically." Keita interrupted. Elise knew he wasn't that dull, but perhaps she hoped he would just take her at face value. Sighing, Elise's eyes landed on Luna as she listened to Rina recant her fight with Drake during the GMG.
"Not so much," she replied, relenting instead of resisting. There was no point anyway. "Seeing my home go up in flames so shortly after coming home...It's not easy to see."
"I can imagine," Keita replied as he too watched the group talk. "I'm sorry, I never expected them to go so far."
"I don't think any of us did," Elise replied. "Even after they threatened us last time." Elise knew she'd been told to not speak of that threat from a year ago, but what was the harm? Magnolia was gone anyway. "I never imagined, even after what they've gone, that they would go this far..." Keita just hummed in agreement, bouncing his leg up and down. Elise couldn't tell if it was a habit or if he was nervous.
"It any case, it's good to see you again." He said as he smiled at her. "It's been too long." Elise just scoffed at this despite the smile on her face.
"It's only been a couple of months," she replied. "It's not a big deal."
Yeah, she'd never told the others that.
During her exodus from Magnolia and Fairy Tail, Elise had travelled all over Fiore in search of peace after the loss at Mt. Olympus. She'd gone North and South, East and West. Yet, somehow, she'd ended up spending several of those months here, with Sabertooth. Perhaps she'd been looking for some sort of stability in her life, she didn't know. But the few months she had spent here, with everyone, were probably the most normal she'd felt since Phantom Dove. There was no impending threat, no loss of life she had to deal with. She could be a normal person here. Maybe she'd needed that.
And yet, the more time she'd spent here the more she realised that she needed to go home. She missed her friends, her family, and she knew that abandoning them like she had wasn't good. She'd figured that out right quick during her conversation with Drake over a drink. They were all suffering, and she'd run away. Perhaps Michael had best summed in up a while ago.
"Suffering on your own sucks ass. Suffering with people you care about makes it just a little bit more bearable, no matter how fresh the wound is."
That was probably Elise's tipping point, where she'd opted to go home instead of wandering around like a lost dog. She didn't know. But, of course, as soon as she did the loss reared it's ugly head again.
"Still," Keita said. "You were in a bad place when you showed up here. It's good to see you're doing better."
"Just wish my visit was on better terms," she replied, smile fading a little. Keita nodded, pressing his lips into a thin line.
"Sometimes we can't have what we want, huh?" Elise nodded, smiling a bit as she did so. It was good to see Keita again. Even though there friendship had started off rocky, they were good friends now. She doubted he'd ever truly appreciate it as much as she did, considering he'd probably saved her life. Or maybe he did, she didn't know.
Before either of them could say anything more, Elise's eyes widened as a familiar smell invaded her nose.
"Most people are okay right now," Laxus said as Drake and Michael stood nearby and listened to the conversation. "Wendy's still helping those with the worst conditions."
"I sent Minerva to get doctors from around the city as well," Sting replied from behind his desk. Both men looked so aged from stress it was unreal. "She should be back soon.
"We need to discuss protection as well," Drake said.
"That too," Laxus said. "You mentioned Luna?"
"Yeah," Drake said. "Rocky and Luna both said they were after her. So we need to make sure she's safe above all else, or this will keep happening."
"And how exactly do we protect against a satellite?" Sting asked, looking unimpressed at Drake's suggestion. "For all we know it's aiming at us right now."
"That's why we need as much help as we can muster," Laxus said to this. "Contact Jura, Ichiya, Bacchus and Kagura. They'll help us. And we'll need it."
"I've already sent word," Sting said. "Jura is on his way, as is Ichiya. Bacchus might be, I couldn't tell from his drunken slurs. And Kagura apparently already heard of Magnolia's destruction and was suited up already. So they're on their way." Drake couldn't help but smile at this. Backup was on the way!
"That's great!" He said. "The more help the better. We just need to-!"
Drake was interrupted as a rapid knocking sounded on the door, making all four men look at in worriedly. Michael moved to open it, and it revealed a frantic looking Elise.
"Elise?" Michael asked as the short girl pushed her way into the office. "What is it?"
"You need to come with me," She said to Drake as she grabbed his arm. "You need to see this."
"What?" Drake asked, worried now. What had happened? Elise said nothing as she walked out of the room, towing him along silently. The others followed close behind, not saying a word and waiting for Elise to point out the problem.
And soon, she did.
"That's..." Drake croaked, heart racing as he watched the man glance around the guild hall warily.
"That man..." Laxus said. "He's the man that offered you all the job from a year ago!"
Just like last time a tragedy had befallen the Fairy Tail guild, Hermes stood by to deliver a message. The messenger seemed to take notice of the group watching him, and he smiled as he approached. Drake readied poison in his hands, which made Hermes laugh.
"I'm not here to start a fight," he said pointedly. "I just came to tell you all something."
"Spit it out before I kill you," Drake hissed, nerves getting the better of him. This just made Hermes laugh.
"We weren't expecting you all to regroup so quickly after the blast on Magnolia," he said. "Impressive, for sure. That being said, this isn't over. I bring a message directly from Master Zeus."
"What is it?" Laxus asked, pushing Drake away from the man before he made a rash decision. Hermes smiled at Laxus, looking as though he was greeting an old friend.
"Zeus was not a fan of blasting Magnolia sky high," He replied. "But he figured it had to be done. He was not expecting you all to resist so thoroughly. Especially that Rocky boy." At the mention of Rocky, Drake's mind became muddled with the image of the hero who saved Luna fading away into the wind, which only angered him more. He was close to snapping.
"So what do you want then?" Laxus asked, maintaining his cool. Despite that, Drake could smell ozone. Laxus was ready to fight if he had too.
"We'd really rather not more innocent lives fade away today," Hermes replied. "So, I'm here to offer you a trade. Give me Nashi Dragneel, and we will not fire on this city as well."
This threat cast silence among the group of five, no one saying a word. So they would fire if they had too. Drake wasn't surprised, but hearing it from one of them made him light headed. Now what?
"And if we refuse?" Sting asked. Hermes just scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"Then we fire on your city as well, Master Sting." He replied. Despite the respect in his tone, it was clear he had none of either master. "And every city containing allies of yours. we know of all of them. Hand her over, and no more innocent lives need to be lost."
"Is that so?" Laxus demanded. Hermes nodded.
"We request she be handed over to us at the ruins of Magnolia," he said. "It would be best we do it there."
"Why's that?" Drake asked. "Scared of us here?" Hermes shrugged.
"It'd be a bigger problem here," he said. "What with all of the adults nearby. Oh, I nearly forgot." Great, another stipulation. As Hermes remained silent for a moment, Drake could only imagine what this condition was. What, did they need a blood sacrifice or something?
"Spit it lout!" Michael shouted, also growing impatient. Hermes smile only widened.
"If anyone over the age of 25 leaves this city, we will fire without hesitation on all of your allies."
Y'all are lucky. I was gonna cut it off after Hermes came in but I decided not too!
Despite all of the plot in this chapter, I kinda wanna mention something. I really have been driving home the character development this arc. Every character has started differently, but they all rounded back to the same point that I drove home with Michael: You need to get up after you fall down. If you don't, you'll just keep falling deeper and deeper. And I think that's a really good message, don't you guys? Cause if you fall and stay down, that's just giving up. And doing that doesn't help anyone, least of all you. I dunno, I think it's a really nice message these days. What do you guys think?
Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!
Chapter 313: Letting Her Go Again