The Youngest Celestial and the Lone Dragon

by Sarcastic_Pretzel

Summary:

Having grown up in her mother's guild 'The Celestials', Lucy has been trained to become a first class assassin, who doesn't back away from a challenge; be it taking on a blue haired trafficker or having an argument with a stranger via a public website at 4am.
Natsu has lost everything long ago, but continues his mission to defy the corrupt Rune Knights at every turn, throwing down pepper-grenades along the way.
An unspecific mission request results in weapons clashing and nicknames being exchanged.
Blasts from the past and new enemies rear their heads, whilst the Celestials just want to keep their youngest nakama out of trouble. But when she's paired with a fire-blasting pinkette; that's a losing battle.

Notes:

I don't know if this is necessary, but it seems that everyone is doing it, so here it goes: I do not, in any way or form, own Fairy Tail. I got nothing except the story line.
In case it isn't already obvious from that, this is my very first fanfiction, as well as the first time I post anything online.
But that doesn't mean you have to be nice! Like it? Hate it? Think I've completely messed up somewhere along the way? Please let me know in the comments. I would love to hear your feedback.
Now, without further ado: here is the first chapter of my Fairy Tail Assassin AU. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 1: Bora the 'Last Dragon'

The night was warm and cloudless, stars shining onto the sleeping city below, giving everything an almost peaceful appearance. That however, was the furthest thing from the truth. Whilst the honest citizens –few that there were- slept inside their homes, after having triple checked that all the doors and windows were securely locked, if they were smart, the not-so-honest people awoke.

They went about their own business, ranging from theft, to bribery, black-mail and even those very shifty figures that worked in the trafficking rings; be it drugs or people. In their country, plagued by corruption and haunted by generations of weak kings with devious advisors, that’s how things went.

Long ago, Fiore had been a truly great nation, where the Rune Knights worked to uphold the peace and security and not to spread chaos how it suited them, all in order to line their own pockets. Where it hadn’t been lethal to take a stroll at night, or to use alleys as shortcuts (risky, yes, but not a sure method of suicide). Where the law had to be obeyed by everyone and wasn’t just used as rough guidelines or ignored completely. That’s what people told each other anyway.

At some point, the people must’ve had enough and decided to fight fire with fire. And that’s how the guilds had formed. If the state didn’t care for them, why should they listen to their rules? To stand even a chance against the illegal businesses and corruption that the old laws did nothing against; new, unofficial laws were created. And those guilds were the result. People with certain skills and determination that worked just as far outside the law as every criminal, yet they did it to benefit their cities, to bring some semblance of safety to the common man.

That’s why she was there.

Standing on a rooftop across from the old warehouse, watching the happenings with an unreadable expression, was the youngest member of one of the most feared assassin guilds in all of Fiore.

An unmarked, white van –how original of them- had parked in front of the warehouse’s opened side door. She frowned, displeased with the people she saw. Only the common goons you’d expect to be out at this time of night, but the leader –and her target- hadn’t shown yet.

How rude of him. She was up at the ungodly hour of 3am, and he was late for his appointment to be killed. Not that the guy knew about it, but he could at least make an effort to supervise the loading of his ‘shipment’.

A loud motor cut through the silent night, and a sleek, mid-life-crisis, sport’s car cut around the corner.

Bingo.

If that wasn’t him, then she’d volunteer for laundry duty for a whole month.

A tall man, with dark blue hair and a strange x-tattoo over one eyebrow, stepped out the roaring monstrosity.

She wouldn’t have to wrestle with the mountain of laundry made by eleven people! That was him.   

As silent as a shadow, the girl slipped of the roof, down onto the street below, close enough to hear the boss giving the order to start with the ‘loading’.

Two goons stepped out the warehouse, carrying an unconscious young woman between them. She wore a dress and heels, ready to go out and party.

So that was his ruse. Trick them into accepting an innocent invitation to a get-together and then strike. Not that it would help him anymore.

They loaded her into the back of the van, the next two already following behind, carrying the next woman.

She’d seen enough. This assassin liked to see the damning evidence for herself before she carried out her mission, just in case someone had made a mistake. But there could be no doubt about what was happening here and what she had to do.

Taking a quick breath and adorning the innocent smile of a normal teenager, she stepped out of the shadows and into the dim light coming from the warehouse, a few steps behind the –illegally- parked car from the boss.

“Oh my.” She inquired loud enough for them to hear her clearly, completely calm. “What is going on here?”

Every –conscious- head snapped in her direction, five pairs of eyes taking in the sudden appearance of a girl in her mid-teens, staring at them with a theatrical look of mild curiosity.

Of cause they hadn’t bothered to hide their trafficking business better. Why would they? The Rune Knights wouldn’t stop them, or else risk getting no bribes or ‘taxes’ from the resulting profits. Citizens of Crocus were too smart to walk about at night, and any tourists that had the brain-fart to actually go on vacation in their country’s capital, would be thoroughly warned before even stepping foot out the hotel’s door.

So a young woman running into them, seemingly by chance, was something clever criminals might get suspicious about. Luckily, there were no clever criminals in sight.

“Well, well. Look what we have here boys.” The boss, Bora, if the mission poster had been correct, grinned. “Wouldn’t she make a fine addition to the group?”

His cronies laughed darkly in agreement.

“That’s a kind offer, but sadly I cannot join you this evening.” The polite comment with a friendly smile –not the usual reaction one would expect from a lone teenager in such a situation- managed to startle the five men a little, but still, no alarm bells went off in their heads.

The blonde girl sighed innerly. Sometimes it was too easy to even be considered a good exercise.

“Maybe if you release these women, hand yourselves over to the Independent Police and confess to all your crimes, you might get a few years off your sentence for cooperation.”

Bora shook his head, impatient to get on with the task at hand and gestured to one of the men, a large, bold guy with an eyepatch. “Grab her, will ya? This kind of luck doesn’t come about every day.”

The man grinned gleefully, happy to have something more exciting to do.

“Come on now, girly. If you cooperate, we won’t hurt you.” He advanced towards her, facing her still smiling and relaxed pose. As he stretched out one arm, intend on roughly taking her by the shoulders, a snap echoed through the otherwise silent street.

Everyone stared at the girl again, caution finally coming to mind.

In a split second, she’d dropped the innocent-girl-act, and stood there in a defensive stance, a whip swinging back into her waiting hands.

The man with the eyepatch touched his cheek with a shaking hand. When his fingers came back blood red, realization finally shone in his eyes.

A teenage girl, legendarily quick and using a long whip with a metal tip...

“You...you’re an assassin!” He finally shouted, jumping back and pointing an accusing finger at her.

The girl in question simply smiled, a knowing and cunning kind of smile, the sweet and polite look long gone. She lifted up her left hand, the golden ink of her emblem glistening in the little light that reached her.

A circular star with ten points, the symbol of a key in the center: the sign of the eleventh member of the Celestials, one of the biggest, fiercest and best assassin guilds in Crocus –if not all of Fiore.

“Lucy of the Celestials.” She said simply. “At your service.”

 

-----

 

Bora stood frozen. So he’d finally done it. He’d gotten the attention of an assassin guild. And of the Celestials no less.

This would raise his reputation tenfold, making his merchandise even more desirable. His fingers itched at the possibility of so much money, yet his stomach refused to ease up on the queasy feeling. For him to make, and then spend, all that cash, he had to survive the night. And the Celestials weren’t such a high-ranking guild for letting their targets escape. His business brain was running through all the possible outcomes of the next minutes:

He could die. But that wouldn’t happen. Sure, this Lucy was a Celestial, but she was alone, small and outmatched in terms of weapons and numbers.

She could die. More likely and more desirable, in his opinion. But there was also her guild to consider. If someone killed a member, the rest would drop whatever they were doing and go after that person with a vengeance. He might survive this encounter with a single one of them, but if the other ten would come after him...

Then there was the other side of the coin; flight, not fight. If he ran, he couldn’t be held responsible by the other assassins for her injuries...or death.

He’d have to abandon his shipment, something which made him growl in frustration. But he could get new stock, his impersonation of celebrities was a sure guarantee for that.

Before he could make a final decision, the assassin spoke again. Her level voice and composed features as business-like as his mind.

“I’m not here for you, just Bora.-”

He realized she was talking to his men, the two in front of him, one still clutching his cheek, and the other two by the van behind him. With slow movements, Bora began reaching through his open car door, his hand searching for the backpack on the passenger seat, the carefully laid out options forgotten.

 

-----

 

“-If you leave now and don’t turn back, I will let you live. However, I swear that if I hear a whisper, if I so much as suspect that you’re in this line of work again, I will hunt you down and won’t even wait for a request...or an explanation from your side. And I never break a promise.”

Lucy watched the terrified eyes of the four men she had addressed. The two by the van looked as if they were about to –or already had- soiled their pants. Their eyes met for a second, then sprinted down the other side of the dark street, disappearing as they skidded around the nearest corner.

“Cowards!” Bora shouted after them. “I will get you for this!”

“No you won’t.” Lucy stated calmly, letting her whip curl by her feet, ready to fly with a sharp movement of her wrist. “You will never hurt anyone ever again.”

 

 

Mission successful.

Lucy walked peacefully down the dark streets, looking up into the starry sky.

The one with the eyepatch –and what would soon be a considerable scar on one side of his face- had also tucked tail and ran, following his two companions from before. Only one had stayed to defend his boss, albeit with a slightly shaking hand that was clutching a large knife.

Lucy had to admire his loyalty –if to the wrong sort of person. She’d let him live. Knocked-out and severely injured, but alive. Bora hadn’t been so lucky.

After fumbling around in his car –not nearly as inconspicuous as he would’ve liked to believe- he’d pulled out a black bag, hoisting it over his shoulder in a quick motion. Lucy had let it happen, curious what exactly his plan was.

As it turned out, a flamethrower had been his plan. Black flames had shot out of the igniter, straight at her. It had been disappointingly easy to dodge them. Lesson for the day, well night: flamethrowers aren’t very handy in close combat!

She hadn’t even needed to come close enough to risk getting burned. Her whip had severed the fuel hose from a safe distance, leaving the machine leaking an oily substance, but no more flames. Bora had fallen in the same strike. And she hadn’t even needed to get her knives –her signature weapons- dirty.

Lucy had called the Independent Police –anonymously, of cause-, made her mark and stayed with the unconscious women until she heard the sirens approaching. She was operating well outside the law, old and new, but the I.P. needed her kind. They were grossly underfunded, understaffed and under pressure to just keep both eyes shut. They didn’t have the resources to take out someone like Bora on their own. But they could be trusted to get those girls back home safely, to throw the henchman into hospital and then jail, and to remove the blue haired man’s corpse.

And tomorrow Lucy would find a small sum of money on her bank-account from an overly grateful family, who’d gotten their daughter back.

She smiled into the night sky, pleased with herself. The streets of Crocus would be a little bit safer because of her. She sighed happily, before remembering that there was one more thing she had to do...

“You can come out now!”

There was a muffled curse from the roofs that lined the street, accompanied by a worried whimper.

Seconds later, two figures dropped onto the street in front of her. Lucy rolled her eyes and walked to the ginger man with sunglasses –despite the fact that it was nighttime-, wearing a black suit and the young woman with pink hair and a fluffy, white dress.

“Lucy, dear.” The ginger called with over the top levels of enthusiasm. “What a coincidence to run into you here...I’d completely forgotten that you had your mission tonight...”

Lucy raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“What? Such things happen...”

“Loke, you were the one who taught me how to lie.”

“Crap. I did do that, didn’t I?”

Lucy rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. “Even though you can’t do it to save your life.”

Whilst Loke was making sounds of protest, the pinkette looked at Lucy with big, worried eyes.

“I’m sorry for spying on you.” She mumbled.

“Don’t worry, Aries.” Lucy smiled reassuringly at her fellow Celestial. “I find it sweet that you worry about me. Although-“, she added with a side-look at Loke, “I am perfectly capable of dealing with thugs on my own and don’t need supervision.”

“Why are you looking just at me?” Loke deflected, but the way he averted his gaze told Lucy all she needed to know.

“Because I know you talked her into it.” She put an arm around Aries small shoulders as they continued down the streets on their way home.

“We were worried about the baby of the family.” Loke said in a sing-song voice, quickly jumping aside to dodge Lucy’s half-hearted swing.

As the street got narrower, Lucy walked behind her two guild members; Loke and Aries walking side-by side, arms intertwined.

She smiled when Aries leaned further into her partner and Loke rested his head on hers.

Guilds were family, especially to Lucy who’d been raised by the Celestials. A guild was a home and a sanctuary to all its members. If one was hurt, kidnapped or even killed on a mission or in an attack, the entire guild would rally, and whoever had harmed their nakama, their breaths were numbered.

But a partner was something else. They were two pieces of one whole assassin. Their fighting styles complimented each other, they played off each other, made the other reach their fullest potential. They were also the first in line to revenge their partner’s pain or –in the worst case scenario- death. Partners had an unbreakable bond; they had each other’s back no matter how hopeless things looked, trusting each other with their lives –which meant a lot in their line of work.

Loke brought Aries out of her shell, making her less shy and apologetic solely with his presence. Aries made Loke’s playboy-persona soften and brought out a certain look in his eyes, whenever he looked at her.

The relationship between two assassins could range from anywhere in the spectrum:

It could be romantic, like Aquarius and Scorpio, or completely platonic, like Cancer and Capricorn or Virgo and Gemini. Or the ‘we-are-totally-not-in-a-romantic-relationship’ (wink, wink; nudge, nudge) of Loke and Aries, or as they put it: ‘it’s complicated’.

Lucy loved her family above anything else and would’ve stuck her eleven knives into anyone who dared to hurt any of her nakama, without hesitation. But as she watched Loke and Aries, she longed for someone she could share that unique bond with.

 

-----

 

Natsu wasn’t having a great night. There was something about being impersonated by a cold-hearted criminal in the human-trafficking business that ruined a Saturday evening.

It had taken some time, but he’d finally found information on the guy here in Crocus who called himself ‘the last Dragon’. Apparently the guy worked in the warehouse district, conducting his ‘business’ there at night time.

Problem was, the warehouse district was huge. There were empty ones; ones still in use, packed with goods and surrounded by night guards; and the abandoned ones.

Natsu, having assumed that this imposter had a little brain behind his skull, had thought that he’d operate behind the closed doors of a guarded warehouse, with hired goons acting as the watchful eyes, warning the boss if trouble was approaching.

It seemed Natsu had overestimated the guy’s intelligence. 

After having broken into a good dozen warehouses –and having been chased by guards 7 times, by guard dogs 3 times and attacked by an angry pigeon once- he still couldn’t find a trace of the fake-him. So, his next move had been to work through the rest of the large buildings systematically, something very unusual for him. He’d stopped 6 drug dealers, 2 drunken brawls that could’ve turned ugly and 1 attempt at animal abuse from some bored goons, before he heard the sirens, only a few streets away.

Watching from the shadowy safety of a nearby roof, Natsu saw DIY police cars blocking both sides of the street, lights still flashing on top of the vehicles. An ambulance had pulled up beside a plain white van. Paramedics were rushing around, one checking the glassy eyes of a groggy looking woman with a small flashlight, whilst a whole group were being questioned by the I.P.. Two of the doctors were loading a badly beaten man onto a stretcher and into the back of the ambulance. One officer was taking photos of a flashy sports car. But what Natsu was mainly interested in, was the sight two police officers were looking at: a blue haired man, with a demolished flamethrower on his back, lying face-down on the cold street, a pool of blood beneath him.

The description fit. Someone had gotten to the imposter before Natsu. He felt a little sulky that he hadn’t gotten justice for his name being dragged through the mud. But one look at the women, some crying and being comforted by the I.P., some still passed out and some looking around confused with slow moving eyes, and he realized that he would’ve probably been too late.

He couldn’t be sure of the exact details of what had happened in front of that long abandoned warehouse, but any idiot could tell you that this had been an assassin’s doing. The boss dead, the loyal foot-soldier harshly warned and none of the victims hurt.

Natsu scanned the area from his vantage point, looking for the tell-tale sign that told anyone from their professional circles who it was that had succeeded at a mission. Old graffiti and tattered posters from movies long gone from the theatres hung around the walls of the warehouses. One, however caught his eye.

Right next to the building’s opened door, only steps away from the cooling body, which was now being covered up with a white sheet, was a freshly painted symbol: a golden sun –no, not a sun- a round star with ten points and an old-fashioned key inside the circle. It stood apart from the old paint beneath it, practically shining in the beaming light from the cars’ headlights.

Natsu was willing to bet his supply of smoke bombs that that paint would be washed away during the next couple of rainfalls, leaving no evidence that anything had happened there in the first place. He couldn’t recall ever having seen that emblem before. Possibly a new guild had formed, or one from a few towns over had taken on the mission.

Either way, they had cost him one fight that could’ve turned out interesting. Fire vs fire. Now he was feeling sulky again.

Natsu made his way back home, taking the shortcut over the rooftops. He was still itching for a good fight. Maybe he should check the online request board. That way the bad guy couldn’t be taken out before he’d actually gotten there.

A few jumps later and Natsu slipped in through the window into his apartment in one of the many unsafe districts of the city. Hey, might as well be close to the action.

A small ‘meow’ greeted him, quickly followed by a blue kitten, jumping onto Natsu’s arm, finding hold on his scarf.

“Hey buddy.” The assassin scratched the tiny cat’s head. He slumped into his spiny chair in front of his desk, staring at the blank computer screen.

Happy meowed again, looking at his roommate with big eyes.

“No, it didn’t go as planned.” Natsu answered the question. “Someone got to the guy before me. I didn’t get the chance to teach that ass not to disrespect the Dragons’ name...”

He trailed off, before a thought sprang to his mind. In a quick motion, which made Happy whine in protest and cling his little claws further into the scarf’s fabric, Natsu switched on his laptop, typing in his password and called up the website, specifically tailored for assassins and job requests.

The Rune Knights constantly tried to shut down this way of communication between the guilds and desperate citizens, but never managed to, no matter how often they banned the use of this site.

Requests with all the needed information –who, what, when, where, why and how much the reward was- could be posted anonymously. However, only registered ‘legal’ assassins could log in and claim such a mission and correspond with whoever had send the post.   

The password was changed every month, given out by the Assassin Council at the meeting that occurred at the same time, open for all guilds to attend.

But there was also an option to view recently completed missions.

Natsu quickly logged on:

Username: SALAMANDER

Password: Yajima’s Weekend Special

He bypassed the requests for now, heading straight to the ‘Completed’-list.

There, right at the top, posted only a few minutes ago, was the request speaking of a missing daughter and the suspect of a certain ‘Bora’.

Natsu cursed himself. He’d seen that request a few days ago, but hadn’t guessed that this guy was the one impersonating him. He’d only found out the scumbag’s name today. Well, technically yesterday.

Below it said in bold letters ‘Completed’, but there was no username given. Just the picture of the same golden symbol he’d found at the crime scene: the golden star encircling a key.

The pinkette squinted at the emblem, unable to enlarge it. The whole thing was unfamiliar to him, the key itself however... He was sure of it. That key was the sign of the Celestials; the crazy powerful guild that operated here in Crocus.

He’d seen them at a few meetings, always there in teams of two, but never the whole guild. He couldn’t blame them, the meetings were boring with a yawn in the word. They went over the recently accomplished missions, talked rules and news about the Rune Knights –which was never anything spectacular. The only reason most assassins were there was to receive the password at the end, same as him. That’s why there were only ever one or two members of a guild present at any time. Those lucky enough to have a guild would just be waiting to share the new phase with their nakama back home.

Every Celestial had a key in their otherwise unique emblems. For example, he’d seen a scary looking, tall woman with blue hair, who had the key symbol beneath a wavy line on her collarbone, whilst a red and white haired man beside her had the key under a weird ‘m’ with a pointy end on his shoulder.

Usually guilds all had the same emblem as their nakama, but the Celestials were something special in their own way. He’d heard crazy stories about their members; like how one of them had defeated a room full of armed gang members with just a bottle full of water, or how another blinded their opponents with a flashlight, so that all they had to do was simply push them over. Apparently, one used knitting needles as a weapon, whilst another gave out free haircuts to the rescued victims. If the rumors were to be believed.

He wondered which one of them had taken out Bora. Maybe he could challenge them to a fight, if he ever ran into them. Taking on a Celestial was something every sane person tried to avoid at all costs, but it would make up for the fight Natsu had missed tonight.

Filled with new enthusiasm, he clicked on the little speech-bubble icon and began typing.

Chapter 2: New Missions and Acquaintances

The trio of Lucy, Loke and Aries entered the large house inhabited by the Celestial guild, with the key painted on the front door, to find their members sitting around in the kitchen or the joined living room, despite the time of night. Or morning.

“I told you, she’d know you’re following her.” Capricorn said from his spot on the large armchair, sipping on a cup of coffee and reading a thick volume, not looking up from his studies.

“She always does.” Scorpio yelled enthusiastically from the kitchen, giving Lucy a thumbs-up sign.

“I take it the mission went well?” Virgo, formal as ever, asked Lucy, standing at attention in her maid outfit.

“Yep, complete success.” The youngest member answered, a hint of pride in her voice. “Bora is gone and the women are safe. It felt a little too easy.”

“We knew yooooou could dooooo it.” Taurus yelled from the sofa, not quite managing to stifle a yawn.

“Of cause you could do it.” Aquarius said sternly, sitting at the kitchen counter with a tall glass of water. “We trained you too well to have problems with such a small criminal.”

That was basically like a bouquet of roses coming from the blue haired woman and Lucy felt proud, despite the relative ease she’d finished the job with.

“Is that why you’re all up at 3:30am, waiting for me to come home safely?” She asked innocently.

The usual sputters of ‘couldn’t sleep’ (Taurus), ‘just came down for something to drink’ (Aquarius), ‘reading is a night-time activity’ (Capricorn), ‘I had to fix my hair’ (Cancer), ‘I haven’t realized how late it is’ (Virgo) and ‘my favorite show was on’ (Scorpio, despite the TV being off) came from her guild mates and Lucy had to laugh. It didn’t matter how strong she became, how many bad guys she defeated, her family would always worry about her. It was a nice feeling, to know that she had people who cared so much for her well-being that they would stay up all night, ready to head out if they got word from the two spying on her that she was in trouble.

“Technically, not all of us, baby.” Cancer said, whilst styling his hair in the hallway mirror. He gestured over to the kitchen island where Sagittarius lay passed out, drooling on yesterday’s newspaper and to the second armchair, where Gemini was snoring contently. 

Taurus got up and heaved the man in the horse costume over his shoulder in one swift movement, and Virgo picked up Gemini princess style, both assassins continuing to sleep. They said their goodnights and carried their respective partners upstairs.

Lucy followed them, waving goodnight to her remaining nakama, who were pretending that they weren’t about to face plant from lack of sleep.

Walking past Gemini’s room, she saw Virgo tucking him in, tightening the blanket so hard it was a miracle the elderly, light-blue haired man’s blood circulation wasn’t cut off.

Lucy continued up the flights of stairs until she reached the very top; her cozy attic room. The stars shone down on her from the large roof window, as she got ready for some well-deserved sleep, carefully placing all the knives she’d taken along onto her desk. Except her eleventh with the star engraving. She kept that one around her neck at all times. In her profession, you could never be too careful. Plus, she liked to keep it close.

Lucy had posted the completion of the mission via her phone on the way back home, but she checked the site once more out of habit. The client hadn’t answered yet, but that was to be expected. They were probably reuniting with their daughter and she wouldn’t want to disrupt that moment for them.

Lucy did see however, that someone had texted something on the website. The option was usually used for assassins to warn each other about fake jobs; laid out traps by the Rune Knights, or about particularly dangerous criminals. But what she saw surprised her:

 

SALAMANDER: 2 whichever celestial killed Bora: HE WAS USING MY NAME! I SHOULDA TAKEN HIM OUT!

 

Lucy didn’t know what this guy was thinking. He should’ve taken the job request first then. Before she could think about it for too long, she wrote a response:

 

STARLIGHT: It’s not my fault you were too slow to accept the mission! You snooze, you lose!

 

Not exactly a very grown-up response, but it was too early for Lucy to think of a reasonably sophisticated message to return.

She was about to shut off her phone, drop onto her inviting bed and watch the stars above her as she drifted off to sleep, but another textbox appeared and postponed her plans.

 

SALAMANDER: I DIDN’T SNOOZE YOU MEANIE! didn’t even know his real name until 2night!

 

Well, he wouldn’t win any awards for maturity either!

Lucy sighed. She could just put her phone away and go to sleep, but something told her if she did that, it would be seen as a victory for the idiot on the other side of the conversation. So, she made herself comfortable in her bed and started texting a more measured response:

 

STARLIGHT: It’s not my fault you couldn’t figure out who was using you name, Salamander! Next time call a dibs or something. I’m just doing my job. And what does it matter? Bora is dead. He won’t be calling himself anything anymore. Your name is cleared.

SALAMANDER: but I missed out on a good fight cause of u! heard the guy used fire 4 a weapon

 

That’s what he was sulking about?!

Lucy read the message twice. This guy -who had no regards for proper grammar- was upset because he missed out on a fight with a guy who misused his name?! It’s not like there was a shortage of scumbags around Crocus. There was plenty to do for an assassin.

She was very tempted to correct his ‘4 a weapon’ to ‘AS a weapon’, but managed to restrain the storywriter inside her.

 

STARLIGHT: Listen, it really wasn’t much of a fight. It was over in two seconds. Flamethrowers don’t make good weapons! And this is Crocus! You’ll find someone else to beat up!

SALAMANDER: u still o me a fight

STARLIGHT: I most certainly don’t!

SALAMANDER: oh cmon. heard you celestials are always ready 2 brawl

STARLIGHT: ONLY FOR A GOOD REASON!

STARLIGHT: Why am I even still talking with you? It’s almost 4 am! Get some sleep and think before you challenge people you don’t know!

SALAMANDER: FINE! but if we eva meet I’m gonna challenge u 2 a spar! 

MICHELLO: You are aware that this can be seen by EVERY assassin on the platform, yes?   

 

Lucy threw her phone on her desk and screamed into a pillow. She was relatively new in the assassin circles and did not need a reputation for causing fight. Let alone on a ‘public’ platform for everyone to see! Damn this Salamander.

Who does he think he is, ‘owe me a fight’?! Lucy huffed and dropped back on her bed. Whoever he was, she was sure they wouldn’t see each other anytime soon.

 

Lucy woke up to the sun shining in her face through the rooftop window and the sound of birds chirping just behind it. Not the worst way to start the morning...midday.

Still in her Pajamas, she hopped down the steps, energy fully restored and the silly argument forgotten. She was very quickly reminded of said incident, when she was greeted by Loke sitting at the kitchen island, scrolling through the requests on his tablet.

“Morning Princess.” The clock on the wall told them it was 12:47, but assassins were nocturnal workers, so messed up sleep-patterns were all part of the package. “I see you’ve made a friend.”

He lifted the tablet slightly to show her the chat from that morning.

Lucy rolled her eyes and poured hot water into her cup with the herbal tea bag. “I mean seriously. He gets mad that I took a job and did it right.”

“How do you know it’s a guy?” Loke countered.

“Only a guy could be that obnoxious.” Aquarius stated as she walked down the steps, her too having had a late night.

“Although you shouldn’t have indulged his whining!” She added with a sharp glance at Lucy.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Sensing the commotion, Capricorn came up from the basement -the gym/training room of the guild-, with Taurus coming back from the shed, as per usual, wearing nothing but boxers, where he’d just sharpened his beloved axe.   

“So Lucy.” Capricorn started, thankfully changing the conversation. “Have you considered what kind of job you would like to do next?”

The blonde nodded eagerly. “I’ve seen a few good-looking jobs requesting to take out small gangs or groups that are terrorizing parts of the city. Those could be interesting.”

“Yeah, but yooooou’ll want to hurry.” Taurus said matter-of-fact with a smirk. “After all...you snoooooze, you looooose. Right Luuuuucy?” The muscle packed man laughed as he easily caught the tea bag Lucy threw at him.

Alright, so maybe the conversation from that early morning wouldn’t go away that quickly.

 

-----

 

“Ooooh, Happy this sounds interesting.” Natsu was slouching in his chair, going through the requests online. Since he didn’t get his Celestial spar, he had to burn his energy in a more productive way.

“Listen to this: it’s from the Police themselves! They want someone to capture a couple of escaped members from an illegal guild! They want to get more information from them on other members...this could be fun.”

He quickly checked over the provided information. "Eisenwald...I’ve heard of those guys. Didn’t they try to eliminate the I.P. headquarters once?”

Happy meowed whilst munching on a fish, which the pinkette took as confirmation.

“Says here some members got away. Aaaaand two are supposed to be here in Crocus! Happy, this sounds like a job for the Salamander!”

The cat made a sound of acknowledgement that someone had said his name, but kept his full attention on the fish between his tiny teeth.

“Wait...they want two people for this job. Makes sense I guess for two criminals...But I’m sure I can manage them by myself! And if you come along buddy, we are technically two!”

He pressed the accept button, even though there was no option for plus-one cat, and the mission was pinned straight onto his start screen of the website.

“Alright, Happy. It looks like it’s time for some tracking down baddies!”

Meow.

“...After you’ve had your fish. Then we’ll go find some dirtbags! I’m all fired up now!”

 

-----

 

Lucy hadn’t lied when she said she wanted to take on small groups of criminals. But she was looking for something more challenging than the disappointing show-off with the blue-haired, flamethrower wielding trafficker.

“Eisenwald... pretty sure they were stopped by some guild from Magnolia...escaped members...two of them here in Crocus ...oooh, nice reward...” She muttered to herself, as the blonde assassin sat in her room, eying this one particular request straight from the I.P..

It would be a challenge. She’d heard of Eisenwald; the guild from a town east of Crocus, who had planned to do some truly heinous things. Any member from a guild like that would surely make for quite an opponent.

She checked the print at the bottom of the request form.

Only plus one person needed. So one person or more? If the I.P. thought so, it couldn’t be that difficult.

Before someone else could snatch the mission from under her nose, Lucy pressed ‘accept’ and the request disappeared from the list and went to her pin board.

And she didn’t even have to fib to keep her family from worrying; two people were technically a ‘small group’ and they had -technically- been terrorizing a city. Sure, another city, way east from them, but she’d never specified. No matter what the I.P. recommended in terms of numbers, she knew that her guild would either come along or sneak after her again. So maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t be too specific about the details and possibly forget to inform them when the night of the mission would come.

Finding Bora had been all too easy, but Lucy had a feeling these two wouldn’t be as simple-minded as to stay in the same hide-out for months on end.

She became giddy at the challenge before her. Two thugs in a city full of them. She’d have to find two needles in a pile of other needles. And she couldn’t wait.

Grabbing all her eleven knives and whip, Lucy climbed out her window, and jumped over the roofs of Crocus, ready to gather the information she needed.

 

-----

 

Maybe he should’ve thought twice about the mission he’d accepted so eagerly. Natsu had wanted a good fight. But to get that ‘good fight’ he had to find the bad guys first. And he hadn’t expected it to take so damn long.

Igneel had always counselled patience when on a mission, but it really wasn’t the young Dragon’s strongest attribute.

It took him three days to even catch a rumor of the escaped baddies he was looking for. Another one to track down the source of said rumor, which resulted in him having to sit through a three hour gossip-fest with the underworld’s lead man on information: Crux.

What he found strange was that, as a leaving comment, he heard that someone else had been asking the same questions as him. Was someone trying to steal his -this time even official!- mission? Again?!  

Another two days passed until he’d narrowed down one of the possible locations the two members from Eisenwald might be using as a meet-up.

On the evening of the seventh day after he’d accepted the request, Natsu was gearing up in his apartment, double checking his itinerary once again;

His staff with the matchbox fabric at either end? Check.

Belt with the color-coded grenades: smoke, pepper, special and classic? Check.

Gloves with build in blowtorch? Like he’d ever forget those.

Extra fabric for his staff -just in case-, together with a first-aid-kit in his backpack? Check.

Tiny, blue roommate sitting on top of previously mentioned supply in said backpack? Meow.

“Are you ready, buddy?” Natsu called out to his bag, whilst adjusting his scarf. The tiny blue head of his kitten poked out of top and gave an enthusiastic ‘meow’.

“Alright, here we go.” The Salamander whooped, gripping onto the window frame and propelling himself out. He landed nimbly on the nearest roof, watching for a few seconds, as the last rays of the sun disappeared behind the pink horizon before him. He was all fired up.

 

The moon had risen and lit up the dark sky, when Natsu reached his destination: an old train station, long out of use -because who in their right mind would voluntarily come to Crocus?

With the full moon out, it felt too bright to him, but he wouldn’t wait another night to try and catch these guys. And with the light from the moon, Natsu could better make out the shape of the train station.

The building used to be beautiful, with its tall, stone structure and pillars on the sides. But parts of the wall had caved in from neglect, the pillars were smeared with graffiti (and not very good one). Natsu perched on the nearest roof and could see that even the ceiling of the once majestic station had collapsed in the middle, leaving the neatly tiled floor beneath shattered.

This place was most likely a usual hang-out for dealers, thieves, or just bored non-assassin-teenagers, but everything was silent. Natsu took that as a good sign. It meant a bigger fish had driven them all away. Or they were scared off by the gloomy atmosphere the space emitted.

The pink haired assassin lay perfectly still...for as long as his hyper personality let him.

Twelve minutes; a new record.

“All right Happy.” He gently lifted his blue companion out of his bag and set him down onto the roof. “I’m gonna go check this place out. Maybe they’re hiding somewhere inside.”

Happy gave him a quiet meow, looking at his friend with worried cat-eyes.

“I’ll be fine. You just be on look-out, OK?”

He heard his cat’s unique confirmation of me-aye-w and petted him goodbye, before silently climbing down the house’s wall, careful to stay in the shadows.

Natsu stayed crouched there for a few heartbeats. Everything was deadly silent. It was possible that the two thugs weren’t here yet. Hell, it was possible that they wouldn’t show up at all. But if they did, wouldn’t it be smarter to ambush them from the inside of the building, so they didn’t have an opportunity to escape?

With that plan in mind, Natsu set out towards the abandoned building, keeping his body low and his eyes open. He entered the building through one of the many broken windows, landing soundlessly between heaps of shards and debris. The ground floor he was on, was almost completely taken up by the piles upon piles of ceilings that had fallen down from every floor above. He could see the sky from his position. Only a little floor, along the sides of the walls remained on the levels above. Otherwise there was just a gaping hole in the middle.

Despite his immediate worries that the whole thing might collapse right that minute, Natsu stayed in his spot and waited.

Everything stayed quiet, but there! Illuminated by the full moon in the background, a figure had just darted across one of the broken windows on the floor above him.

So the old man Crux hadn’t been misled. There was something happening in this location. Natsu grinned to himself and silently shrugged off his backpack, depositing it by the remnants of a flight of stairs beside him.

He adjusted the grip on his staff, impatience bubbling in his gut, as he waited for the shadow to show itself again.

Instead, he heard the smallest noise of stone moving. Before he could move from his somewhat crammed space between the window and staircase, a loose piece of the wall, about the size of a fist, was thrown onto his head. Hard.

Natsu cursed, rolling under the partly collapsed staircase, away from his hiding spot. And right to the massive pile of rubble, in full light of the moon.

Now he cursed himself, taking a defensive stance and searching the upper level for any sign of life.

He had quite good vision at night, and yet only managed to catch a quick glimpse of a black figure rushing around the little path there was.

“Where is your partner?” A feminine voice called out.

That startled the assassin for a second. How did they know this job was meant for two people? Was the site compromised?

“I repeat...” A light thud across the room on his side.

The silhouette of a young woman appeared from the darkness. She had her hood pulled up, the shadow covering the top half of her face. She wore a long-sleeved, black jacket with leggings and light combat sneakers of the same colour. But what Natsu was watching most wearily were the hilts of knives he spotted on her figure, along with a long whip curled at her side, a metal tip gleaming in the moonlight.

“...where is your partner?”

 

-----

 

It was Lucy’s second night on the stake-out, watching the old train station like a hawk. There had been nothing yesterday, and she’d feared another wasted night until a flash of white had caught her eye.

Finally. Grandpa Crux’s information and Virgo’s research hadn’t been wrong. Something was definitely going on.

The figure had made its way to one of the broken windows, so Lucy had scaled the outer wall, watching the proceedings from the first floor...or what was left of the first floor.

The blonde assassin had little time to mourn the decay of such an impressive feat of architecture, seeing the figure crouching beneath a window. As fast and as silently as she could, Lucy darted to the other side, around the gaping hole in the center, until she stood right above her target.

Where was the other one? The request had specifically stated two.

And who was stupid enough to wear a -what she could now see was a- white scarf when trying to remain undetected in the night?!

She had to lure him out of his ‘hiding’-spot somehow, and the easiest option lay plentiful around her combat shoes. The stone hit home, not too impressive, seeing that she had a perfect view of the head thanks to the white scarf.

A male voice cursed and the figure stumbled right into the moonlight. Just as planned.

She saw a spiky, pink head of hair scan the surroundings. He wore a black vest which revealed well-toned, muscular arms. A belt surrounded the top of his wide trousers, stocked with -what Lucy could only assume- were explosives. Large combat boots stood in a ready position, whilst finger-less gloves held a long bo-staff out in defense.

Lucy hadn’t expected someone so young to have been involved with a guild such as Eisenwald. He couldn’t be much older than her, so how...

Lucy shook her head. There was no time for personal questions. She had a job to do.

“Where is your partner?” She asked loudly, watching his reaction from above. For a split second, the guy tensed.

Hadn’t he expected that she knew about the other member of the dark guild? At least she now knew that she had the right assassin. That still didn’t give her the answer to her question though.

“I repeat...” Lucy dropped from the unsecure pathway that once was the first floor, stepping out of the shadows across the room from him. She was meant to bring him in alive and she could only do that from close distance.

“...where is your partner?”

She could see him sizing her up. She definitely wasn’t revealing as much as him, wearing her usual night-time-gear. What he was focusing on were her weapons: her whip and the four visibly, identifiable hilts of her knives.

In total, 7 of her knives were visible; 4 of them recognizable, 1 hidden and 2 disguised. The other 4 were tucked away under her clothes, not even a bulk showing under her hoodie or boot. Plus her whip, ready in her hand.

“I could ask you the same thing.” He called over.

What was he talking about? She herself didn’t have a partner and the request said one or more people, so why was he expecting a team to show up? Did dark guilds just assume everyone had found their partner?

“Don’t worry, pinkie. It’s just me.” Lucy tried to play over her confusion with some Loke-like confidence. “I was expecting two of you though.”

“Nah, there’s only one of me.” He gave her a lop-sided grin, which startled her with its...she couldn’t quite explain it...does adorableness count?

Her mind quickly jumped back to the important matters at hand, as his hand slowly moved towards his belt. To the -what she assumed were- grenades.

Lucy really wasn’t in the mood to let her target escape after a smoke-bomb and surely no one would be stupid enough to light an actual explosive in such a fragile building. Although the guy was wearing a white scarf on a secret meeting with his evil partner, so...

Before he could either make his escape or drop the rest of the train station on them, Lucy let her whip snap forward. Instead of wrapping around the pinkette’s arm though, the metal tip only made a scratch in the hastily thrown up staff.

So he had very fast reaction. Good to know.

But with that move, the fight had officially commenced. Lucy let her whip curl back around her feet, just as her opponent smiled eagerly.

“I’ve been waiting a while for this.” He said, readjusted his grip on the staff and charged at her.

Notes:

Anyone catch the indirect mention of Fairy Tail?
Btw, the actual FT guild won't make an appearance for quite a while; this is a heavily Natsu-and-Lucy oriented story. Just in case anyone was hoping for some Gray/Erza/etc. shenanigans...sorry.

Chapter 3: The Eisenwald Assassins

Natsu had been grumpy about missing out on the fire-fight with that Bora and about the rejected offer to spar with a Celestial, but the ensuing fight made up for all of it.

She was fast, impossibly fast; the tip of that snapping whip coming a little too close to him for comfort.

Natsu charged at her, not going to bother with the planned smoke-attack, but the hooded figure met him half-way.

In one fluid motion, she curled the whip around her upper waist and in the same jump, pulled out a long, thin dagger with a thick, golden hilt.

Blade and wooden staff met with a loud clank next to the mountain of rubble.

Natsu was stronger, managing to push her back just a little with the force behind his charge, but his target wouldn’t be thrown off so easily. She jumped right back, but with a flick of her wrist and another dagger appeared from the hidden sheath beneath her right sleeve. And just like that, she had him on the defensive.

He had to basically twirl his staff out in front of him to keep up with the furious slices of her daggers. She was pushing him back, her blades just thin streaks of silver and gold in the moonlight.

When she managed to lightly cut across his fingers holding his weapon, Natsu realized two things; one, maybe the I.P. hadn’t been completely wrong with needing two members for this job –he wasn’t sure how well he’d be faring, if the other Eisenwald assassin had shown up too. Second, he really needed to change the course of the fight.

She had the upper hand, but Natsu was intend to...even it out a little. He simply had to repeat the reason why the fight had started in the first place.

Whilst blocking her speedy strikes, aware of the deteriorating state of his staff, Natsu watched her carefully for an opening.

All he had to do was hold out for that one moment, before she had him cornered against the wall-there! She moved to strike at his side, aiming at his dominant hand.

He kept hold of his bo-staff with his right, reaching for his belt with the left. Just as before, the movement caught her eye –he assumed, since he still couldn’t see much under her hood- but she started to move towards his other side. (Did this woman really think he was going to bring the roof down on them? He wasn’t completely idiotic. And he had to bring her in alive after all.)

Natsu watched the position of her feet, as she shifted her weight to stop his hand reaching the grenade. She had to move her body out of the graceful routine she’d been using, in an attempt to disarm (or disembowel, Natsu wasn’t sure) him, putting her off balance for just a moment.

But the pink haired assassin saw her footing widen and used that brief window to kick out hard, slamming his heavy boot into her open lower leg, throwing her completely off balance. At the same time, Natsu finally made an offensive move by twisting his staff so that it hit his opponents left wrist, the one with the long, thing dagger.

The blow made her fingers twitch, the handle slipping from her grasp as she fell back from the kick.

Natsu caught the golden knife mid-air, whilst his target recovered quickly, using the falling momentum to flip backwards, a safer distance away from him, still holding the other dagger in her right hand.

During the stunt, her hood had fallen back, revealing golden hair that shone similar to the knife in Natsu’s hand under the light of the stars.

She was much younger than Natsu had assumed, maybe his age or a year younger. How could someone in their teens have been involved with Eisenwald? Maybe she grew up there...

Natsu had to focus! Dangerous enemy still in front of him, glaring threateningly with chocolate brown eyes, at the dagger that now rested in his bleeding hand.

“This is pretty.” He dared a quick examination of the blade. It was good quality; the blade sharp and well balanced. It was long and thin and somehow reminded him of a very lethal knitting needle. Someone had carefully carved a flourished ‘V’ into the round, gold-plated handle. Or was it a weird ‘T’?  

That was apparently the exact wrong thing to say. Those pretty, warm eyes fixed him with a deadly stare that reminded Natsu of a certain red-head he’d met years and years ago.

There were five more knives he could see; the one in her hand; one strapped to her thigh (with a handle that looked like a pair of scissors –what was that about?); a large, double-sided blade -that looked more like the head of an axe- on her back; an old-fashioned, round guard (like a sword’s?!) was visible on one side of her belt and Natsu was sure he’d seen another hilt in a hidden compartment in the back of her belt, during her flip.

And those were just the ones he could see!

Given the fact that she’d already pulled one knife from her sleeve, he had no doubt she had more stashed away somewhere.

“You’re not keeping it!” She glowered, crouching into a ready-to-spring-position.

Natsu tucked the knife into his belt, both hands on his weapon again. He watched her muscles tense, seconds before she would jump at him again.

Not wanting a repeat of the last round, Natsu also played the surprise card.

As the blonde girl came running at him again, switching the dagger to her left hand and reaching for the hilt that looked like a sword’s, Natsu put his plan in motion. Before she could reach him, he swiped the ends of both sides of his staff along the stone floor with one quick movement. The matchstick fabric threw sparks at the friction, lighting the tightly wrapped cloth on either end on fire. Natsu didn’t stop moving, spinning the now blazing weapon around; more for show than anything else.

But it had the desired effect. Her eyes widened for a moment, her momentum slowing down just a little, but not in fear like most others who saw the swirling circle of destruction. Her gaze was fixed on the display of red and orange, the fire letting the shadows from the destroyed building dance across whatever wall was left. She watched from her jump in mid-air, mesmerized.

Stupidly, his trick worked two ways. Natsu loved fire, but his own attack wasn’t the reason he too stared transfixed for a split second; for that one moment, where time seemed to have forgotten its job and stopped, his dark onyx eyes saw into hers. The reflection of his fire made the brown colour light up like a fire place and the general curiosity and intrigue in them startled him.

She was from a dark guild, even considered ‘illegal’ by people who quite literally made their living through assassination. Those guilds were filled with greedy, spiteful and psychotic individuals. So then why couldn’t he see her as one of those people at all?

She snapped out of her flame induced stupor, pulling the weird hilt from the left side of her belt. It really looked like an old fashioned rapier, but the blade was only –maybe, something like- 20cm long. And thin and very, very pointy.

They met on the side of the rubble pile again. Just this time, it was more balanced. The flames had Natsu’s opponent ducking and blocking more, keeping away from its heat, as well as limited the areas where she could strike.

However, saying that Natsu had her on the defensive now, would be a lie. He still had to move out of the way of her speedy strikes, although he could then parry with his staff. Her choice of weapons had been perfect; the classic dagger in her left was used to attempt to break through his defense (but this time he made sure to keep his hands safe) and the weird tiny sword one, was her defense. The round guard kept her hand safe from the flames, at least during the short blows they exchanged.

At one point, the blonde jumped onto the pile of rocks and tiles in the middle of the ground floor, in order to dodge a swing from the lit up side of his weapon. And the pinkette had followed.

It was a complicated dance, jumping around the debris, careful not to set in motion an avalanche of rocks, whilst also dodging the other’s attacks. Natsu was glad that his fire provided some more illumination than the moon above, so that he could see the unstable slabs of stone more easily.

The girl never stopped moving, jumping about with precision, then came to attack, before getting out of reach just a second later.

It was frustrating. He was obviously heavier than the Eisenwald assassin, so Natsu couldn’t follow onto the more fragile pieces of the used-to-be ceiling. And she knew that, using the height to her advantage to try and push him further back. But Natsu was still curious about her. And a little small talk never killed anyone. Right? Right?!

“So...where’s the rest of your guild?” He asked casually after she had just flipped back onto a larger piece of the (he assumed) second floor. He caught the glimmer of a golden emblem, almost fully hidden beneath the sleeve of her hoodie.

He was interested, but he could also use a quick breather. Thanks to the stupid mini-sword, he now sported another cut on his upper arm and –due to a rather un-ninja-like tumble down the rubble- a pounding headache.

“My guild is none of your business!” She said darkly, tucking the sword away and reaching for another blade. “However I am interested in yours.”

What? Why?

“My guild is long gone.” He said earnestly, not wanting to let the emotions behind those words show. Maybe if he opened up a little, she’d return the favor, which may lead to a possible cooperation on her part.

“We both know that’s a lie.” She moved about like a cat, another knife catching the dimming light of his fire in her hand.

Natsu could see that she was tiring too, her breaths ringing heavier through the empty building and the black fabric on her left shoulder had burned away, leaving what had to be an uncomfortable injury. But at the moment, he was just confused.

“Your guild was disbanded.” She continued, keeping her pretty eyes on him as she moved slowly around her higher ground. “But that means your nakama are still roaming around, just like you. And your partner.”

Huh?!

Even if she had somehow done research on him, she was completely wrong! Was she expecting another assassin to show up?

“No it wasn’t!” He answered incredulously. Who the hell was this Eisenwald member confusing him with? Herself?! “Yours was!”

“My guild is intact and legal!” She shot back, now also looking a little irritated.

“Right, I’m sure that’s what every loyal member has to say.” He rolled his eyes, but tried a more approachable...approach. “If you just tell the I.P. where your partner and the rest of your nakama are, I’m sure they’ll-”

The blonde looked at him like he’d just gotten out ballet slippers with a matching tutu and gave his best impression of swan-lake, right there on the rubble!

“You want me to go to the I.P. ... why...?” She trailed off, still looking at him like he was the crazy illegal guild member here. “Who are you?”

Aha, the small talk approach worked!

“I’m Natsu Dragneel of the Dragons.”

Her jaw dropped. Knifes forgotten, as well as the next planned attack.

Natsu thought the reaction was due to his guild’s name or maybe she’d heard of him...

“That doesn’t make sense.” She muttered.

Not what he was expecting.

“Huh?”

“If you’re who you say you are...”

Natsu held up the remaining embers of his fire to his left shoulder. The dark red ink was now fully visible; three dragon heads chasing each other in a circle.

“But why...the request...Eisenwald...” The blonde kept muttering to herself.

Maybe she was crazy? Natsu had no idea, but her sudden attitude change puzzled him. They were still enemies, and yet she was letting her guard down and mumbling nonsensically to herself.

“...plus one member...plus one...PLUS!” She suddenly shouted, slapping her face with a free hand. “I’m so stupid.”

Possibly crazy.

“Uhm...so are you willing to come to the I.P. with me...?” Natsu asked carefully, not quite sure what to expect from her now.

“Why? We haven’t found the Eisenwald members yet.”

Definitely crazy.

He was about to argue that the member was standing right in front of him, when someone else beat him to the punch.

“My, my. What do we have here?” A voice to his left said.

Natsu’s head snapped to the noise, still keeping his staff up, just in case the crazy blonde was going to attack again. Was this her partner? Great. Just then he heard the familiar me-aye-w from one of the upper window sills. Happy was giving him the signal.

A few seconds too late buddy, but thanks anyway.

He should really trust his cat more.

“A little party in our place, it seems.” Another voice rung through the building, this time from the other side.

Wait, three?! The mission had been for two!

Following the first voice, a man stepped out of the shadows, with a long white coat and a short, black ponytail, smirking at the two on the pile of concrete above him.

From the other side, another man, this one very tall and with silver hair, had a peculiar fashion sense; a long, worn skirt hung almost to the ground, no shirt, but a black cloak that revealed the blue tattoos on his torso, walked into the room. The massive scythe was also hard to miss.

The blonde didn’t look pleased to see her nakama, staring back at each one with a hard glare; similar to the one she’d given Natsu when he took her dagger.  

“So you’re the Eisenwald assassins.” She said loudly, placing her knives back in their respective places and readied her whip.

Natsu felt like he’d stepped into the wrong movie. What the heck was going on here?

“Correct. And that would make you...?” The black haired man smiled condescendingly up at her.

“My name is Lucy of the Celestials and I’m here to bring you in.” She pulled up her left sleeve, revealing the gleaming emblem on her hand.

Natsu’s eyes doubled in size. There, in the full moon light, for everyone to see, was the ten pointed star with the key in the center. Holy crap!

“Wait, wha...you’re not the Eisenwald member?!” He stared at her, completely ignoring the two men surrounding them.

She quickly shook her head no, not letting her attention slip from their new opponents.

He wanted to ask more questions, like why hadn’t she said anything before?!

But before he could voice any of these, the silver haired man spoke:

“Enough of this!” He hadn’t smiled like his nakama, instead having a constant mask of distaste on his face. “Since you are after our guild, we will have to destroy you.” He moved his scythe to point at Lucy. “It appears, Kageyama, that you will get the fight you were so after.”

Ponytail cackled, bringing out two thick, black ropes...whips? “Finally.” His eyes were fixed on Natsu, who eventually managed to tear his astound gaze away from the not-Eisenwald-assassin, and faced his new opponent. The real one this time.

“I’m all fired up now.” He replied, giving the man in the white cloak an equally eager grin.

This was probably a bad moment for the torches on his staff to finally give up and extinguish.

 

-----

 

Aquarius couldn’t be happier. She was sitting on the couch in the living room, practically melted into Scorpio’s side, as they watched a romantic movie together. The house was quiet -an oddity all on its own- with most of their nakama being in their rooms or in the soundproof gym. Or in Cancer’s and Capricorn’s case, out on a mission.

In short, everything was perfect.

She didn’t know why she expected the peace and silence to last. And it wasn’t a surprise at all as to who was the destroyer of her romantic evening with her boyfriend.

“Lucy has been acting weird.” Came the voice of a certain ginger, as said man walked in from the kitchen.

Aquarius was ready to wring the life out of the overgrown kitty, but she just barely reigned her instinct in. Something she only ever managed when Scorpio was around. Luckily for Loke.    

“What do you mean?” Scorpio asked, pausing the movie.

Aquarius shot her unofficial co-leader a deadly glare that said ‘this had better be quick’.

Or ‘run while you still have legs’.

The glare could be open to interpretation.

“It’s the second night she’s gone to bed early. She missed movie night yesterday and was out all day today, looking for a new book doesn’t take that long, does it?”

“Sometimes you just have to give people their space.” Aquarius said, not entirely without a double meaning, as she glanced meaningfully at herself, Scorpio then glared at him again.

“Maybe someone should check on her.” Loke said, either ignoring or being oblivious to Aquarius’ threatening looks. Looks that had made seasoned mafia bosses cry for their mothers. But if Loke was one thing, it was brave. And stubbornly prideful and overly confident and...

“Then someone should!” The blue haired woman basically hissed at him.

“If you say so.” Loke grinned and rushed to the stairs.

The couple rolled their eyes, then had to laugh quietly at the lion’s antics. He was just looking for an excuse to check in on the youngest. Probably not wanting to appear like the mother hen he was. Especially after Lucy had caught him and Aries red-handed on her last mission.

Come to think of it, what was Lucy working on at the moment? She hadn’t shared much information with them...maybe Loke was right (Mavis, just thinking it felt wrong) about Lucy acting strange.

Scorpio pressed the play button and the gentle piano music continued as the love interest walked through the door on screen, catching the eye of-

“OH CRAP!”

...and the romantic atmosphere evaporated from the room as Aquarius had the urge to strangle the noisy lion.

They heard quick steps coming back down the stairs, along with the doors of their guild members opening.

“What’s going on?” Gemini’s voice asked groggily, obviously having been woken up.

“Leo, is everything alright?” Aries worried voice followed.

Taurus and Sagittarius emerged from the training room in the basement, barely dodging Loke as he bolted past them, back to the two lovers in the living room.

Scorpio pressed a reassuring kiss on Aquarius’ temple and paused their movie again, waiting for the ginger to get to the point.

Aries was right behind him, looking scared at her partner’s actions. Taurus and Sagittarius stayed a little behind them, weary of the unfriendly look Aquarius was dealing out. Gemini brought up the rear, mumbling something about a proper work/sleep balance, as the elderly man stood there in his pajamas, leaning on his walking stick.

“Remember how you said we trained her too well?” Loke asked the blunette, panting a little.

“Yes.” Aquarius tried to put as much menace in her tone as per usual, but she was getting concerned now. “Where is Lucy?”

Loke held up a note clutched in his hand. Everyone leaned in closer to squint at the neat writing they knew so well.

Btw. I have my mission tonight.

Don’t wait up.

Lucy <3

Aquarius cursed. Clever little brat.

“So what?” She tried with her usual, calm and collective voice. “This isn’t her first mission.”

“But none of us are there!” Loke argued. “What if something happens or it’s a trap from the knights or...”

“Loke, calm down!” Scorpio said sternly. “You’re upsetting Aries.”

That always did the trick. The lion quickly went from hyperventilating to calming down his pink haired partner who was also working herself up in panic.

“Lucy will be fine! She’s probably tired of you sneaking after her.” She added with a stern look at the assembled assassins.

She’d never admit it, but she was secretly glad that someone was always looking out for the blonde. The teen was all she had left from her long gone childhood friend, after all.

Although Aquarius was forever scoffing at the mention that Lucy might be in trouble, she still waited up all night until she knew her youngest nakama was safe and sound. And it wasn’t even worth mentioning that, if someone should injure Lucy, she would’ve found a new target for her trident.

Usually it was Capricorn who would calm down the nerves of everyone, when Lucy pulled something like this (this was far from the first time she’d snuck out). His calm and collected manner, backed up by facts and data, never failed to de-panic their hectic guild members. But the wise man with the white goatee was out with Cancer, another voice of reason.

So, tonight it would be her job to make sure the six of them wouldn’t comb through the city, looking for Lucy. She was very sure the blonde wouldn’t appreciate it.  

Speaking of six, Virgo appeared –as she usually did, out of nowhere-, making Taurus jump in the process.

“Ah yes. Princess did start her mission last night.”

“Wait you knew?!” Gemini turned to his partner, sleep deprivation forgotten.

“Of cause. I helped her research.”

This was no surprise. Virgo had a cunning talent for maps and plans. She knew the layout of the entire city off by heart and with her practical brain, she always had a clue to narrow down a search.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Loke asked exasperated.

“Princess asked me to keep it a secret.” Virgo answered emotionlessly, like that explained everything.

“Well, whooooo or what was she loooooking for?” Taurus leaned down to be on the pinkette’s level.

“It’s still a secret.”

Loke groaned in frustration. They all knew Virgo well enough to know she wouldn’t give up any information if she was sworn to secrecy, especially from Lucy.

The woman in the maid outfit didn’t show her emotions. Ever. And she was, just like Capricorn, sure that Lucy would be alright. She only went to spy on their eleventh member because Gemini went. And she would follow her partner into the underworld, if she had to. But due to her stoic facial expression, no one was sure if she was worried or not.

“Look, Lucy is smart.” Aquarius voice made everyone look to the sofa again. “She wouldn’t have gotten over her head, and she can always call us if she needs help. Scorpio and I will stay up, just in case.”

There was a mumble of disgruntled agreement, Gemini heading back to his room with slurping steps. Aquarius was sure that Loke wouldn’t sleep, but he too went upstairs. The Taurus-and-Sagittarius-team went back to the gym, most likely tearing apart their training equipment. Virgo just disappeared again. No one knew if that woman ever slept. She was always dressed and never showed signs of tiredness, much unlike her older partner.

Scorpio placed an arm over her shoulder as they snuggled back into the couch.

“Don’t worry, she’ll be alright.” He whispered.

“I’m not worried.”

He raised a red eyebrow at her.

Right, she’d forgotten that he knew her better than she did herself. So, she didn’t say anything more and just hugged her partner as the movie continued.

Notes:

I did so much research and notes on weapons, explosives and the likes, I'm probably on some sort of government watch-list. And I haven't even introduced ALL of Lucy's knives yet!
Anyway, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or an Agreeable Assemblage of Moments (if you want to be extra politically correct).
PS: Anyone catch the Erza hint?

Chapter 4: The Switcheroo

Lucy had wanted a more exciting mission.

Ask and you shall receive.

That she would first waste energy on fighting the wrong assassin hadn’t exactly been part of her plan. And was hopefully something her nakama would never find out about. Oh, they wouldn’t let her live it down. Ever.

She also couldn’t believe how stupid she’d been in regards to the poster. Plus one person. Not one person plus. They were asking for one more assassin. It meant that someone had already taken it. But, as it had turned out, that someone had no clue he was to expect help. The request really should’ve specified on this part.

At least now she was no longer confused about the assassins’ appearances. Lucy could definitely believe that those two were from a dark guild. The one with the black hair was grinning menacingly at her...job partner (apparently), but not in the way the pinkette had smiled at her before their fight; it had been part warning, but also partly innocent excitement at the prospect of a good match. She’d felt the same way, but hid such emotions beneath a mask she’d modelled after Virgo’s unique (and only) expression.

This guy however, he just looked eager to tear someone apart limb from limb, no want to learn from his opponents or improve his own skill. Just pure bloodlust.

Scythe-guy wasn’t much better. He was eying her like a vermin that had crept out of the gutters. Not like he was a looker himself!

 

There was a moment of silence after Natsu’s fire went out, the room only illuminated by the moon and stars once again.

The famous calm before the storm stretched on. Lucy held her whip tightly, waiting for the silver haired man to make the first move. From the corner of her eye, she could see the fire-happy pinkette adjusting his grip on the staff, facing the man in the white coat. They had the tactical high ground, an advantage for any form of combat. And at least now she knew who she was supposed to fight. Yet, she still felt a little uneasy about this.

The –real- Eisenwald assassins could’ve just left after seeing them fighting in their hide-out. Making all her effort in finding her targets wasted, but it would’ve been the smart thing for them to do. So why hadn’t they left? Lucy and Natsu wouldn’t have heard them, too busy in their own battle, so why did they risk it?

Perhaps, tonight of all nights had been a bad time to sneak out, only leaving a note on her desk.

Well, she could still send out the emergency signal, causing every electronic device in her home to flash her emblem and location, along with a small siren going off in the living room. But tonight was Aquarius-and-Scorpio-movie-night and Lucy still wanted to live. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to rely on the emergency flare around her neck-

Her last-hope-plans were disrupted by a sudden battle cry coming from the silver-head.

He was flying at her, that massive scythe swinging around him, seemingly disregarding any common knowledge about physics, as he used an unsteady slab of stone as a platform to propel himself at the blonde assassin.

By the time the rock tumbled down the pile and shattered into smaller pieces on the ground below, Lucy had already let the metal tip of her whip fly at the illegal assassin. He easily swiped it away with his large weapon, not letting gravity stop him in his way up the rubble, sending more debris rolling down the pile with each large jump.

She could vaguely sense the other one charging as well. Natsu would have to handle that one, because the silver-head might prove a challenge. Compared to Bora, anyway.

Lucy focused, disregarding any distractions around them. Through her tunnel-vision, it was only her, her opponent and her most immediate surroundings; prior injuries forgotten.

She stood on top of the pile, her whip curling back into her waiting hands. Her enemy was so close, she could see the rage in his cold eyes, the way his blue tattoos shimmered in the dim light and the tatters of his skirt flying behind him. He swung the scythe, the sharp, metal blade coming down at her. Exactly what she had expected from him.

The blade struck deep into the boulders of the collapsed ceiling, where Lucy had stood just a split second earlier. The blonde assassin flipped backwards, sending her whip at the momentarily exposed Eisenwald assassin, who was trying to dislodge his weapon from the stone. It scraped across his shirtless collarbone, right above his heart. She wasn’t meant to kill him, after all.

Lucy didn’t give him a chance to retaliate. Using a large piece of –maybe- the second floor, she launched herself back to her original position; the remainder of the first floor, from where she’d thrown a rock at Natsu and started the evening’s escapades. The partial tiles that poked out of the wall gave a path no bigger than one or two feet. And he needed to swing that scythe to get momentum.

Let’s see him do that up here!

Her opponent didn’t seem to think anything of the narrow space, following in her footsteps, causing more of the pile of rocks to shift downwards.

“You can run, but you cannot hide from the Death God!” Lucy’s attacker bellowed, hacking downwards with his weapon. He didn’t have the same range anymore, due to the wall blocking one side, but the Celestial still couldn’t get close enough to work with her knives.

“The ‘Death God’? Seriously?” She asked, jumping back from a swing that made the little ground under their feet shake and caused layers of dust to fall down onto their fighting counterparts. “Did you get stuck in a Halloween costume or are lame code names a requirement for Eisenwald?”

“Silence!” The Death God roared, too distracted by his outrage to notice the gash made by Lucy’s whip on his forearm. “You are not worthy to talk about a guild as magnificent as Eisenwald!”

And bingo. Sore spot detected.

“Magnificent?! It can’t be that great. I mean you were stopped by a single guild from...was it Magnolia?” Lucy said innocently, watching as his strikes grew less calculated.

He yelled with anger, the shout radiating throughout the building and up into the night sky.

Easily dodging his attacks and moving further around the edge of the first floor, Lucy dared a quick glance down, feeling a pair of eyes on her. Her job partner was watching the two of them, his opponent moving to collect himself. He raised one pink eyebrow at her in question. And Lucy understood his plan. She gave the barest motion of a nod.

Whilst the self-proclaimed Death God rambled on about the superiority of his guild, swinging wildly at her, Lucy kept one eye on the other man’s way of fighting. What did the silver-head call him...Kageyama? He used the ropes similar to her whip; bringing them snapping forwards with much more force onto Natsu’s bo-staff. The pinkette was also watching her fight; his eyes scanning the way ‘Death God’ held his weapon, how he swung it, his footwork; much like he’d done just before he’d thrown her off balance.

Only paying some attention to a murder-happy, illegal guild member, had its downsides, however. Lucy barely flipped out of the way of the scythe, while she payed closer attention to the Kageyama-fellow. He kept her temporary job partner at a distance, bringing the heavy whips crashing down over and over again. Natsu proved to be much more agile than she’d assumed at first; flipping and twisting out of the way. But he too slipped up, due to the split attention.

Kageyama seemingly noticed the distraction in his opponent. Lucy watched as he swung one whip low, making the other snap in the air, coming down hard. Natsu managed to jump over the first, but the high one was too fast. Once again, he flung up his staff protectively over his head. The snap echoed along the walls as Natsu was thrown back by the force of the attack, the splintered pieces of his staff still in his hands.

He was forced back by the blow, skidding backwards along the broken tiles, barely managing to use the momentum to jump back onto his feet.

“Well, it lasted longer than I expected.” He said with his easy smile as he tossed the two parts to the side, not bothered by the fact that he was now short a weapon.

“Hey Luigi, are ya ready-LOOK OUT!” Lucy’s head snapped back to her opponent, whose existence she’d briefly forgotten.

Pure instinct had her jumping back. The scythe missed its original goal of slicing her into two, but still managed to snag a cut into her thigh.

What was happening tonight? She was usually much more focused and professional on her jobs.

Ignoring the pain, or the warm, thick liquid she could feel running down her leg, Lucy reacted to Natsu’s prompt.

“Ready Pinkie?” She called down to him.

“As I’ll ever be, Luigi.”

To the evident confusion, surprise and annoyance of the Eisenwald member, Lucy let herself drop from the first floor, back onto the ground beside the huge rubble pile. Natsu was by her side as she landed, barely suppressing a small hiss as her injured leg hit the floor.

“You alright, Luigi?”

“It’s Luc-” Her correction was cut off as ‘Death God’ came barreling towards them from above and both of the legal assassins had to jump back.

“My bad Luce.” He said while they recovered in the space where their weapons had first clashed.

Kageyama was on one end of the room, and the scythe-swinging-psychopath on the other, with them in the middle like trapped prey.

“It’s Lucy.” But she didn’t really care anymore, glaring back at her silver haired foe.

“Make up your mind, will ya?”

“How cute.” The smug Eisenwald assassin sneered at them. “They’re doing back-to-back.”

“Like that will help them now.” ‘Death God’ said darkly, adjusting his grip.

“Well, you shouldn’t count us out just yet.” Natsu proclaimed confidently from behind Lucy.

His black-haired opponent huffed haughtily. “In case you haven’t noticed, you coral-topped-moron, you don’t have a weapon and your pretty, little friend is hurt.”

Little?! She was the eighth biggest person in her guild, thank you very much. Or the forth smallest, but she preferred to think about it the other way around.

“Don’t worry about me.” Natsu continued good-naturedly. “You should worry about her.”

With that he suddenly had a firm grip on her wrists, and before Lucy could say as much as ‘what?’ he was swinging her around, like a carousel on steroids.

The Celestial was sure she let out a very unprofessional squeal somewhere along the way.

Before he let her go, she felt something cold and metallic being shoved into her hand. And with a “go get ‘im, Starlight” he released his grip on her wrists just as suddenly as he’d grabbed them before.

Three people in the old train station where perplexed by this sudden change, including Lucy, who was now flying. Not towards The Death God, though. But towards Kageyama. That had been their plan when they’d exchanged that quick glance. A switcheroo.

Being flung across the room in the process had been news to her though. But she understood her job-partner’s actions. He knew she was hurt. So he gave her the momentum and the surprise-attack she needed to give her an advantage. Lucy gave a small smile as she glanced at her hand. Aries-the-knife was lying there, securely in her grasp.

Not bad, Pinkie. Not bad at all- wait! Had he just called her Starlight?!

She stared straight ahead, into the surprised face of the ponytail-guy. He had no time to send his whips/ropes at her, only able to jump back from her first slash with Aries.

He had been focusing on Natsu, but both of the ‘legal’ assassins had been watching the other’s opponent. Lucy knew how her new foe moved and how he held his weapons.

That’s why it came to no surprise to her when the Eisenwald assassin managed to swing one of his black ropes low, in an attempt to entangle her legs, to stop her movements.

But the youngest Celestial saw it coming, using her momentum and a little twist to side flip over his attack. Still in the air, she tucked Aries safely back into her belt, and heaved the knife Taurus had gifted her, off her back.

Maybe ‘knife’ wasn’t the right term. It was basically a double-sided axe head, with her hand and arm acting as the handle. And by far her heaviest weapon.

With the assistance of gravity, her own falling force and the weight of the weapon in her hand, Lucy brought the axe crashing down onto the ground, before she’d even landed herself.

The sharp blade chipped the tile on the floor on impact. And cut right through the rope/whip that had meant to stop her.

Kageyama was not ready for that. The backlash of his weapon suddenly being shortened had him stumbling back. Lucy allowed herself a brief moment of satisfaction, seeing the smug expression wiped of the illegal assassin’s face, as she landed smoothly back on the cracked tiles.

But the blonde teenager didn’t give him time to recover. She darted forward, leaving Taurus stuck in the ground for the time being.

The Eisenwald assassin knew he had a problem as Lucy pulled the dagger that had been Loke’s gift to her years ago, back out of her right sleeve. Kageyama used the intact rope he had left as a shield, blocking her speedy attacks, just as Natsu had before they’d figured out their little identity mix-ups.

However, Lucy wasn’t planning on wearing him down. She didn’t fool herself about her abilities. She knew she was getting tired, she knew she was losing blood and wouldn’t be able to keep up this pace for much longer.

But she was close to him now. That’s all she’d wanted to accomplish.

In a sudden aversion to her routine of spinning and striking, Lucy flipped the dagger by the thick hilt, so that the blade was now pointed at her.

Before her enemy could fully understand the motion, or think of a way to use it against her, Lucy pressed onto the little button right under the golden cross guard of the dagger.

To her secret joy and to anyone else’s anguish (in this case the black-haired assassin trying to end her life) the pommel of Loke’s dagger revealed its true purpose.

200 watts worth of battery powered, electrical light shot out into the darkness from the concealed torch in the hilt. Curtesy of Loke and his obsession with spotlights.

And it was aimed right at Kageyama’s face. The man yowled at the furiously bright spot of light that shone in his eyes, which had gotten used to seeing in the dark ever since he and his partner had entered the building.

From some not so well planned out experimentation of her own, Lucy knew from experience that all he’d be able to see for the next couple of minutes would be white and black spots dancing across his field of vision.

In short, her target was out of the fight.

Her bag with rope, along with other necessities for such late-night missions, hung outside of a first floor window and Lucy didn’t have the energy or the time to go and retrieve it.   

A well-aimed Lucy-kick (with her uninjured leg) to the man’s temple took care of her problem. Kageyama of the Eisenwald guild collapsed onto the floor, unconscious.

The blonde let out a long breath of relief, the adrenaline wearing off.

She turned the hidden torch off, tucking Loke-the-knife back into her right sleeve. Small flashed of light from the other end of the station drew her attention, reminding her that there was another fight going on.

Maybe she should try to help-

Was Natsu spouting fire from his hands?!

Lucy thought for a second that she too had been blinded, but no. Her pink-haired job-partner’s grinning face was illuminated briefly by quick bursts of flames that appeared to come right out of his hands. Wait, not his hands. Lucy had to squint, but she was sure the fire originated from the assassin’s gloves. Which made more sense. She was also pretty sure he had this covered.

Mavis, she felt drained all of a sudden. Stupid, still-bleeding injury. Perhaps she should do something about that.

But first things first. Lucy limped over to Taurus, pulling the axe head out of the tiles and hefting it back into the fixed strap on her back. She immediately felt better, having its reassuring weight back.

Next, she plopped down onto a large slab of rubble, pressing onto the cut with both hands. She gritted her teeth at the pain, but was more concerned when both her hands came back covered completely in red.

This could become a problem.

 

-----

 

Natsu was having much more fun with this Grim Reaper wanna-be than that insulting Ponytail guy from earlier. The silver headed man was so easy to rile up, it was too good.

To the dark assassin’s shock, Natsu had come at him with flaming fists. Well, technically flaming gloves, but it’s the aesthetics that matter in this case.

The bad guy wasn’t bad with his weapon, Natsu had to give him that. But the younger assassin wouldn’t let himself get pushed back. He stayed close to his new mark, getting in as many burning punches as he could, whilst dodging the curved blade.

From his peripheral vision, the pinkette saw his job-partner slumping down onto the pile of debris.

She was done already?! Now he had to hurry this up.

When the scythe was lifted up high, Natsu rammed into the Death God full force, effectively sending them both sprawling.

Natsu held the other man down by his throat with one hand, whilst the silvernette kept him at arm’s length with the staff of his weapon. That would be called a stand-still.

“What now, you pathetic excuse of an assassin?”

OK, Natsu really had enough of the name-calling for the night. How old were these guys?

Grinning at the man beneath him, the pinkette slowly plucked a red-labelled grenade from his belt with his free hand.

The Eisenwald guy’s eyes went wide and he began to struggle, as Natsu dislodged the pin with one hand and closed his eyes.

An orange dust cloud engulfed them both with a small ‘pop’.

Natsu heard the screams from the illegal assassin as his special mix of chili-, pepper- and gunpowder found its way into his eyes.

He dropped the empty shell and put the other man out of his misery with a swift punch to the temple.

Sneezing, but happy, Natsu righted himself and walked away from his KO’ed opponent. He wiped the chili powder off his face, ruffling through his hair so it returned to its natural pink color, orange particles trailing behind him.

“Hey Luce, wanna call the I.P., or should I-”

His question was cut short as he approached the Celestial assassin who’d refused to spar with him via the website.

She looked pale beneath the moonlight that shone onto her from the hole in all the roofs. He could see beads of sweat on her forehead. But what concerned him most was the dark liquid pooling out of her leg from beneath her fingers. A trail of the dark splats led from where he’d given her a boost, to where the dark haired assassin lay unconscious, to where she sat now. Too much blood to be classed as ‘just a scratch’.

“Crap, hold on.” Natsu darted to the staircase where his trusty backpack was waiting for him. Why hadn’t he realized how bad her injury was? Because he hadn’t worked alongside a human for five years? It didn’t matter.

Rummaging for the first-aid-kit, Natsu went back to his job-partner, fishing a gauze and bandages out of the small container. He doubted plasters would do much in this situation.

“I’m just gonna try to compress the wound and stop the bleeding.”

Always talk to the patient. Igneel’s voice came back to him. He was really glad his dad had forced him to learn first-aid.

He didn’t have the time, nor the light to clean the wound properly, so he pressed an entire roll of bandaged onto the bleeding cut.

Lucy winced, but didn’t complain. Instead a weak “thanks” was audible in the now silent building.

Natsu gave her a hopefully reassuring grin. “Don’t mention it Luce. Can’t have you bleeding out. You still owe me a spar, you know.”

He felt the cogs turning inside her brain.

“Salamander?!” She blurted, injury briefly forgotten.

“The one and only.” He replied, wrapping a separate roll over the make-shift compress.

Happy made his presence known with a small meow, rubbing his small head against Natsu’s kneeling form.

“Hey buddy.” He greeted him, unable to remove his hands from the wrapping process.

“You have a blue cat.” It wasn’t really a question, but a statement that came from the blonde’s blood deprived brain. “And you bring it along on a mission.”

“Of cause. Here press down on this.” Natsu grabbed his phone from the bag and called the three digit number for the I.P..

“Yeah, hello. We accepted a request for you guys...about the Eisenwald assassins... yeah, that one...listen, we’re at the old train station...I dunno, it had red bricks and like four holes in the roof. There can’t be that many with that description...how soon can you be here?...Yeah we got the two guys, why else would I be calling?...No, we won’t be waiting...got an injury on our hands...just hurry up, please?”

Natsu switched his phone off. “Alright, just keep pressing and...and hold Happy.” He pushed the blue cat into her free hand, so that her mind had something to focus on.

Rope in hand, he quickly dragged the guy Lucy had knocked out, over to his partner, who was still lying under a cover of chili powder, tying their hands together. It would be enough until the I.P. got here.

Rushing back to his injured job-partner, Natsu saw Happy nuzzling the blonde’s side, whilst the assassin was gently stroking his fur with a smile on her face.

A cat person. Always a good sign.  

“Alright you two, let’s get out of here.” He offered a gloved hand to Lucy and helped pull her up onto one leg.

The blonde with the warm eyes slung one arm over his shoulder. Instinctively, he wrapped one arm across her waist, stabilizing her as the two started walking/hopping out of the nearly destroyed building.  

Notes:

Don't shine flashlights into other people's (or your own) eyes, kids!

Chapter 5: Meeting the Guild

Her leg burned at every painstakingly slow jump she made, but Lucy gritted her teeth and soldiered on through. Natsu had shown nothing but care when it came to her injury, but he really didn’t have to think she was so weak that she could no longer move on her own...and perhaps with a little support.

“How far is your guild?” The pinkette asked beside her.

“Not far.” Lucy said through clenched teeth, trying not to let the pain she felt reflect in her voice. “Royal Garden’s Street.”

It wasn’t that far off. But no exactly one quick jump away either. She really hoped she’d be able to make it that far, now that her blood was staying where it was supposed to be, thanks to the bandage.

She felt Natsu nod in confirmation, before her feet were suddenly lifted off the ground.

“Hey, what are you-” The Celestial assassin squealed.

“Carrying you, you weirdo.” Natsu, who’d picked her up princess-style, replied casually.

“I can see that.” She huffed, really hoping her blush wasn’t visible in the moon’s light, at the sudden and close proximity to her new...acquaintance. “But why?”

“Didn’t you say it yourself, Starlight?” He gave her a crooked grin whilst examining the stability of a rain gutter just above their heads. “This is Crocus. There is always someone to fight and you don’t really look up for that. Therefore; rooftops.”

He wasn’t wrong. The rooftops -even the slippery, poorly constructed, uneven ones amongst them- were still by far the safest way of getting around Crocus on foot. Mugging/Attacking someone was a lot harder when trying to balance on some wonky roofing tiles, multiple meters off ground and in a situation where the victim could easily move away in a different direction.

But that didn’t mean Lucy didn’t feel a little silly, having to be carried on said rooftops.

“Still can’t believe you’re the whiny Salamander-guy.” She mumbled, whilst the pinkette swung both of them over the roof’s edge with one arm, the other tightly wrapped around her.

Lucy swung her own arms around his neck, helping him support her –plus eleven knives’- weight. She couldn’t help but notice how warm he was, despite only wearing that black, open waistcoat, and how it felt kind of nice to be so close...Mavis, she needed sleep! Then her brain would function normally again, and not get hung up on silly observations, like her job-partner’s body heat! Seriously, tonight was just weird for her.

“Whiny?” Natsu exclaimed, not breaking stride and jumping across a gap between two houses with practiced ease. “I just pointed out that I was only a couple of minutes behind you!”

“By complaining about it on the website!” She countered accusingly.

“Hey I offered a spar in return!”

“Which is even more unsafe! I could’ve been anyone; a borderline dark assassin, an actual illegal one or even a Rune Knight who hacked their way into the system! That was really a reckless move.”

“Y’know, you’re being pretty rude to someone who could chuck you off this roof, Luce.” His tone implied playfulness and no intend of carrying out the action to his words.

Still she looked up at her job-partner with a critical eye. She didn’t know this person at all. Sure, they’d helped each other with this mission and he’d been kind enough to give her a boost after her injury and to patch it up afterwards...and now he was carrying her, because otherwise it might be too dangerous. And he was taking her home instead of just leaving her for the I.P. to find...

OK, so maybe he appeared like a kind, considerable –if slightly childish-, overly energetic assassin. But that could be a ruse! Again; this was Crocus! The capital of Fiore, aka. the country with the highest crime rate in...everywhere!

As if sensing her guard rising, Natsu flashed her a sunshine-and-rainbows-grin, which somehow managed to calm her cautious panic instantaneously. How did he do that?

“Don’t worry Luce, I wouldn’t actually do it. For one thing: I’m not evil. Secondly: what kind of an example would I be setting for Happy, if I just went around, throwing injured people off of buildings?” He motioned to the little, blue fur ball running just behind them. “And also: how long do you think I’d survive if word got out that I’ve hurt a Celestial?”

Lucy let out a weak chuckle at that. Yeah, her nakama would definitely come after him. With a vengeance. And her guild was notorious enough for everyone to know that.

“Thank you, Natsu.” She said earnestly.

He just smiled down at her, before clutching the blonde tighter as he took a large leap off the house, landing softly in someone’s overgrown flowerbed.

“No problem Luce. I think we’re here.”

Lucy turned her head slightly to see the passing street sign. It wasn’t hard to pick out her guild’s house from there. It was tall and thin, painted in a dark blue that almost made it blend into the night sky above it. That and the golden key painted on both the door and the mailbox were kind of a give-away.

Lucy gave a quiet sigh when she saw that the living room lights were still on, together with multiple ones on the floors above. They must’ve found her gone, leaving just the note in her place. So much for her plan to just sneak in and make everything not look as bad as it was.

Natsu walked up to the door and the smaller assassin tried to slide out of his grasp. But the fire-spouting pinkette obviously didn’t seem to find anything wrong with the situation and pushed the button for the bell.

Oh crap.

Before Lucy could warn him about her nakama’s overprotectiveness, the door was violently swung open to reveal Aquarius in all her glooming glory. She looked ready to give a stern lecture about sneaking out and scaring your guild mates. Instead, she was greeted by the sight of a stranger holding her youngest nakama who was injured?!

Multiple sets of footsteps were audible, as the rest of the Celestial guild came crashing to the door.

Oh oh.

 

-----

 

This was turning into a very educational night for Natsu. He’d already learned so many things, like:

          1. Always double check the fine print on a mission request; you never know, someone could be send to help you.

          2. Don’t work on Pokémon logic and attack the first person you see.

          3. And, perhaps the most important of the night’s lessons: Never -and I mean never!- turn up at a guild with their injured nakama without offering an explanation in about half a second. Especially if that guild should be the Celestials of Crocus.

In the blink of an eye, Lucy was no longer in his arms, whisked away by a fellow pinkette in a maid outfit. The tall, blue haired woman who’d answered the door, grabbed him by the scarf, shoving him into the hallway.

About two seconds after he’d rung the bell, Natsu had a trident, a shotgun, two knitting needles, a large flashlight, a first edition copy of Jane Eyre, a pair of scissors, a drawn arrow, a walking stick and a huge ass axe pointing at him.

And he couldn’t recall ever being more terrified for his life before.

“Uhm...hi?”

Happy jumped into his roommate’s arms, baring his little teeth protectively. But both cat and owner cowered back as the blue haired woman with the trident build herself up to her full height.

“What is your involvement with Lucy’s injuries?” Her loud voice boomed through the hallway, her glare staying firmly on him.

“Uh...partial?” Natsu shrunk further into the wall behind him.

          4. Also: if such an occasion should arise, choose your words extremely carefully!!!

He could practically feel the dark aura pouring out of the Celestials and regretted his choice of words –even if it was technically true- immediately.

“Wait, wait, wait!-” He added quickly, as the peculiar array of weapons inched closer to him.

“-There was a...misunderstanding about identification and the-the poster wasn’t very clear and, uh...” Natsu used one finger to carefully nudge the trident’s spikes away from his throat, whilst clutching Happy to his chest with his other arm.

“But you had a part in injuring our nakama?” A middle-aged man with a white beard and sunglasses, holding the classical novel threateningly over Natsu’s head, asked in a monotone voice with a slightly dangerous undertone.

Choose words carefully! Choose words carefully! Choose-

“Yes.-”

Dammit!

“-But it was mutual!” He hurried to add, really fearing for his well-being at that moment.

He was debating with himself if a smoke bomb could get him and Happy out of there, when:

“Guys!” Someone shouted from behind the cluster of angry Celestials.

The assassins turned, not lowering their weapons though and Natsu had to lean slightly closer to the knitting needle than he was comfortable with, to look around the blue haired woman he’d seen at the meetings from time to time.

His job-partner stood, leaning against the doorway that seemed to lead to a kitchen/dining area, still looking too pale, whilst the young, pink-haired woman tried to tug her back into the room, a fresh roll of bandages in one hand.

“He helped me!” Lucy said loudly. “We were hired for the same job and I got hurt then!”

“Then why didn’t you say that?” A ginger man, also wearing sunglasses and a suit, asked in exasperation, tucking away the flashlight he’d been aiming at Natsu’s eyes.

“And why did you say you were to blame for Lucy getting hurt?” The man, who reminded Natsu a bit of a goat, asked, one white eyebrow raised.

“Well...uh, at first we both thought the other is the Eisenwald assass-”

“Eisenwald?!” Half the guild exploded, making Natsu jump dangerously close to the sharp pair of scissors.

He saw Lucy sigh, looking really tired.

At once, the attention was away from the pinkette, still holding his blue furred cat, and on the youngest Celestial.

“You took on Eisenwald assassins?! Alone?!” The ginger looked like he was having multiple heart attacks.

The tall bluenette just looked annoyed. But more so at the torch-guy than Lucy.

“That was very dangerous.” Another pink haired woman mumbled quietly from the back of the group.

“I thooooought Eisenwald was disbanded.” The really tall and really muscular man, wearing nothing but shorts and fingerless gloves, scratched his chin with an axe that was bigger than Natsu.

“But not all the members were caught, baby.” Scissors-guy, also wearing sunglasses –what was with these people and their dislike of light?!- added.

“Is this the request about two of their missing members?” Ginger piped up again. “That mission was for two people! What were you thinking?”

“Loke!” The woman in the maid-outfit said harshly. “We do not yell at injured nakama!”

“Yeah! And also, when I saw it, it said plus one!” The blonde countered stubbornly, as the small woman tugged at her arm again, presumably to get her to finally sit down and rest her injured leg. “And anyway, Natsu was kind enough to patch me up, after we succeeded in the mission, by the way, and carried me all the way here!”

Suddenly, eleven sets of eyes were on the Dragon again, who’d been slowly inching his way towards the door.

“Natsu, hold on.” He saw her wince as she took a shaky step towards him. “You’re hurt too.”

“Nah, I’m alright Luce.” His throat was closing up and his smile felt forced. “I’m gonna go. See you around.”

And before anyone could make a move, he’d darted out the door and scaled up the nearest house, running as if he was being chased.

Only when the fresh, night’s air hit his face again, did Natsu feel like he could breathe freely.

It hadn’t been the unspoken threats of the Celestials or the prospect of nearly being stabbed, shot, impaled, blinded or hacked to pieces by them that had twisted his heart.

Heck, this entire evening had opened the box of memories Natsu tried so hard to shove into the far back of his mind.

Working on a request with someone that was not Happy had taken him back:

When he’d supported Lucy on their way out of the destroyed train station, it’d reminded him of all the times he’d hobbled along the streets with his older cousin, whenever one of them had done something extra stupid, which had resulted in a twisted ankle or the likes, causing one to lean on the other.

He’d carried their younger cousin over the rooftops in the same way, after the small, girl had tried to glide off a building with a homemade kite and had dislocated her shoulder after the resulting, bad fall.

But he’d been sure he could handle the close proximity to another person –which didn’t include an attempt to end the other’s life- and the rush of emotions it provided.

But once inside the Celestial’s guild...after they’d stopped interrogating him and went on their worried rant about Lucy’s safety...that had been one display of nakama-affection too many for him.

It had blown open that locked box of his comforting, yet painful past. Memories of crimson eyes and piercings; long, dark blue hair flowing in the wind; Grandeeney’s medicine that always tasted like sweet potato syrup to him; the gruff but well-meaning comments on his attempts at metal welding from Metalicana; and his...his dad helping him construct his first pair of fire spouting gloves, flooded to the forefront of his mind.

And it was too much.

Too much to sift through whilst having to maintain a conversation with Lucy or her nakama. He needed peace and solitude, and he wouldn’t get either of those on the streets/roofs of their city.

From his place below Natsu’s chin, wrapped up in the white scarf, Happy gave a small meow. Natsu looked around, realizing that they had already reached his apartment block. He’d sprinted over the roofs in what had to be record time. Or maybe he hadn’t noticed the time passing. Either way, he swung in through his window on the top floor, landing heavily on the wooden floorboards, possibly alerting and/or waking up the people in the apartment below his.

But Natsu was still too caught up in the whirlwind of scattering memories to notice much. He immediately flopped onto his hammock, pulling Happy close to his chest and squeezed his eyes shut.

Over the years, he’d found that this was the most comfortable position when the rush overcame him. The gentle swinging of the hammock calmed him down, if the sadness should turn to panic, and having Happy close by was always a source of peace. Now all that was left was to push the memories back down and lock the box once more.

Four months after...everything had happened, Natsu had realized in shock that he couldn’t remember the exact shade of Grandeeney’s eyes. Nor if his younger cousin’s hair had been just above or just below her shoulders. And exactly how did that annoying laugh Metallica and his son both shared, sound again? The pink haired assassin had been terrified of forgetting those little things about his family. Because if it continued, did that mean he’d forget them all at one point?

So, from time to time, Natsu forced himself to think back to those happy days, where the Dragon’s guild had been intact and proud, no signs of crumbled walls or smoking, burning rooms. It brought with it a feeling of longing and pain, but Natsu could handle that, if only for seeing his nakamas’ smiling faces behind his closed eyelids again.

But all those flashes of a happy, early childhood would always inevitably lead up to the destruction of their guild. Those memories, Natsu always forced into the back of his mind, not wanting to relive that night, nor the first weeks that followed. Also, because he couldn’t quite keep the feeling of panic and fear at bay. Despite his best efforts, those particular flashes of his past came back in his dreams, taunting him with the fact that they would always find him there.

Natsu took a deep breath, opening his eyes to the dark apartment. Happy looked up at him, his eyes glowing lightly in the semi-darkness.

“I’m alright, buddy.” Natsu assured him.

He didn’t know how well cats could remember things, but he was certain his blue-furred roommate would sometimes think back to the other felines that had inhabited their guild.

“Everything’s gonna be alright.”

He sat up and finally remembered that Lucy had been correct. He too had been injured. The cut that ran horizontally across his right knuckles, had stopped bleeding, but would still require treatment; same with the injury on his upper arm.

Natsu grabbed the nearest medical kit (of cause he had multiple lying around, in his profession you could never be too prepared) and started applying an antibacterial salve on his fingers. There was nothing he could really do about the bruises from being pushed around by Ponytail-guy, except maybe taking it easy for the next couple of days. A cold compress would hopefully minimize what would soon be a considerable bump on his head.

Not a fan of silence, and now assured that his friend was alright, Happy jumped onto the cupboard besides the hammock, landing on the on-button of the old radio that stood there.

The music of the random song filled the chaotic space and made Natsu think again. Despite the mess of emotions this evening had thrown him into, he’d still enjoyed working with someone again. Technically, this had been his first mission ever, where he’d worked in a team. He’d been too young back then, to do anything but practice with his cousins and dad and maybe sometimes sneak after the adults to watch from afar. And he had to say, he liked the feeling.

And although she’d called him ‘Pinkie’ multiple times tonight, and had thrown a rock at his head, –and they’d both tried to seriously injure the other, but that wasn’t so important- he liked the small Celestial assassin. She’d immediately understood his plan in the midst of the fights and was evidently stubborn enough to carry out said plan, despite a serious injury. Plus, Happy seemed to like her.

Maybe he’d visit her tomorrow, to see how she was doing.

 

-----

 

Virgo appeared back in the living room of the guild, having returned from helping Lucy up to her room. After thoroughly checking over all her injuries and bandaging them, she’d prescribed the blonde a good night’s rest.

Of cause, during her inspection of Lucy’s wounds, the youngest had been grilled by the rest of their nakama on the events of the night.

Taurus hadn’t been able to restrain himself and had to poke fun at the fact that she attacked the wrong assassin, questioning innocently if she might need some glasses. Which resulted in Sagittarius having to protect his laughing partner from a flying roll of plasters.

Capricorn hadn’t understood how Lucy could’ve trusted an unspoken plan from a stranger in the midst of a fight, based on one look they’d shared. But the blonde merely shrugged, saying that it was very obvious in the moment that the male pinkette planned on doing a switcheroo.

The comments, questions and critique had stopped abruptly, once Lucy had mentioned her job-partner’s name. There’d been a beat of silence, which the blonde didn’t seem to notice, too tired and exhausted from her previous activities.

After a shared look with Aquarius, Virgo had ushered Lucy up the stairs, supporting her hopping movements.

Layla’s daughter had fallen onto her bed and passed out immediately. Virgo carefully placed the beloved knifes on their designated cupboard, smiling softly when she held the knife she’d gifted Lucy all those years ago. The blonde had carefully carved Virgo’s emblem on the hilt of the small weapon that dangled on a thin chain; usually disguised as a ‘harmless’ bracelet when it was worn.

The older assassin had made sure to tuck Lucy in tight and silently closed the door.

Using one of the many secret passages in the building, Virgo appeared back in the living room, unseen by her nakama, and stood next to her older partner in the armchair.

“Princess is asleep.” She stated into the room, where an emergency meeting of all the Celestial S-Class assassins was now taking place.

“Yooooou heard the name tooooo, right?!” Taurus exploded, unable to hold back his confusion.

Aquarius gave their largest member a stern glance at his noise volume, but nodded. “I believe we didn’t all simultaneously mishear.”

“Perhaps he was lying.” Capricorn considered out loud.

“Only pathetic criminals would stoop so low as to take on the name of a fallen guild!” Virgo’s partner piped up beside her, gesturing with his walking stick in a very grandfatherly fashion that every Celestial could appreciate.

“I saw him at the meetings sometimes.” Scorpio added. “I doubt an illegal assassin would get in. Especially not multiple times.”

“And he helped Lucy.” Aries mumbled quietly. “I don’t think he’s a criminal.”

“He’s not.” Loke agreed. “He’s the real deal.” The ginger man had been uncharacteristically quiet after Lucy’s job-partner had left so suddenly and hadn’t said a word after she’d told them his name.

“How can you be sure?” Their unofficial -yet recognized- leader, Aquarius, asked him.

“I saw his emblem when he ran out. The three dragon heads...and also, I remember him.”

“You remember him, moshi moshi?” Sagittarius prompted.

“The pink hair isn’t easy to forget. I wasn’t certain before, he’s changed quite a lot over the last...twelve or so years...” Loke looked deep in thought, a rarity on its own.

“Twelve years ago.” Aquarius repeated. “You weren’t a Celestial back then.”

“No. It was my final year in my last guild. The Dragons visited us, five of them with one pregnant, I believe. Just once, after a collaboration of our guilds. Natsu was with them. I doubt he remembers me though. He must’ve been, what five or six at the time?”

The resulting silence stretched on, as each Celestial –sans a sleeping Lucy- contemplated what this meant. Some –aka. Capricorn, Aquarius, Loke, etc.- more than others –like...Taurus.

“But this is goooood, right?” The tall man asked, seeing nothing wrong with the situation. “Shooooows the Knights that guilds keep going, nooooo matter what!”

“Perhaps.” Capricorn, the guild’s intellectual, spoke up. “But we have to remember that the Rune Knights have, in the past, deemed it necessary to eliminate the Dragons’ guild.”

“That was...five years ago.” Gemini scratched his balding, blue hair. Virgo had long since discovered that he did that whenever he tried to recall something from his long life. It was one of the many, humane traits he had, which she admired so much about him and their nakama. So many different, little habits for her to categorize and analyze.

“Yes, but it still happened.”

“What exactly are you saying, baby?” Cancer, for the benefit of those assassins who couldn’t quite follow the track of the conversation, asked, whilst retying one of his many, little braids.

“What if the Knights go after ‘the last Dragon’ and therefore; Natsu?” Aquarius explained.

“You think that would link him to us?” Aries said quietly in a panicked voice.

Virgo watched as Loke took his partner’s hand and Aries’ shoulder just as quickly became less tense at the touch, whilst the rest of their guild contemplated what had been said.

The Dragons’ guild had been legendary in Crocus, and probably all over Fiore too, easily on the same level as the Celestials. They’d worked in the southern side of their huge city, whereas their guild was north of the castle, which stood in the center.

Not counting the monthly meetings, the two guilds had never interacted. Not to Virgo’s recollection, anyway.

That was one of the rumored reasons as to why the Dragons had been targeted by the Knights; they’d collaborated with others too much. Whilst the Celestials kept a carefully constructed, solitary reputation, Natsu’s guild had openly worked together with others. Like Loke’s last guild, apparently. And that posed a danger to the government.

“I seriously doubt it.” Scorpio’s relaxed voice rung through the living room. “Think about it; the kid hasn’t exactly been keeping a low profile. He kept his name and his emblem. If the Knights were still after him, they would’ve struck by now.”

Virgo saw Aquarius shoot her partner a thankful look.

“Exactly.” The bluenette tried to soothe the concerned mood in the room. “And Lucy only worked randomly with him on one mission. I do not think we’ll hear from him again anytime soon.”

Notes:

Not a psychiatrist! I don't know how people would react in Natsu's situation, so I took some creative liberty.
Also, yes, Happy is a feline therapist.

Chapter 6: Breaking, Entering and Hacking

Lucy woke up to the sun shining relentlessly into her eyes through the circular roof-window across from her bed. She tried to shield herself from the stubborn rays of light, but found she couldn’t lift her arms. She looked down and saw that her blanket had been tucked so tight into the folds of her mattress, she felt like she was being faxed.

Virgo must’ve tucked her in last night. With a smile, Lucy slowly began the process of wiggling her way out from between the mattress and the blanket, when suddenly the sun no longer blinded her.

For a split second, the blonde enjoyed the shadow over her face. Then nearly jumped out of her skin, when her muddled brain finally caught up with the fact that there really shouldn’t be anything between her and the window.

“Mornin’ Luce!”

Lucy yelped. If it hadn’t been for Virgo’s brutally efficient tucking-in from the night before, she would’ve definitely fallen out of bed and alerted her nakama.

Her first instinct was to reach for a weapon. But she still couldn’t exactly move freely. Plus her ten knifes lay perfectly arranged on the dresser beside her bed. Just out of arm’s reach.

In her helpless position, Lucy finally looked up to the shadow.

Spiky hair, the pink colour illuminated by the sun’s light behind him, dark eyes looking down at her and slightly sharper-than-normal canines grinning at her bewildered expression.

“N-Natsu?!”

This had to be a dream, right? There was no way her job-partner from last night was standing in her bedroom. Loke and Capricorn would’ve thrown him out of the house, even at the suggestion of such a ‘violation of manners’.

The blonde finally managed to wrench one arm free from the blanket’s grasp and rubbed her eyes. But the lean silhouette of Natsu refused to disappear.

Oh Mavis, this wasn’t a dream.

“What are you-? Why are you-? How are you here?!” Lucy decided, staring up at the pinkette.

“Wanted to see if you’re alright.” The other assassin shrugged casually, like that was a completely reasonable explanation. “And I wanted to return this.”

He held up her backpack, which she’d had to abandon the night before, outside of the train station.

Alright, that answered her first two, half-formed questions.

“OK, OK. But how are you here?” Mavis, her hair had to look a mess. Lucy managed to detangle her legs from the covers, her injuries giving a little twinge of protest at the movement, and grabbed a hair bobble from the bedside table. Now that blonde strands weren’t obstructing her field of vision anymore, she could get a clearer view of the last Dragon.

Said person looked at her like she’d just asked the dumbest question imaginable.

“Through the window, duh.” He pointed to the circular skylight above on the aslant roof.

“R-Right...the window...the window...YOU BROKE INTO MY ROOM?!” Lucy had to restrain her voice, or else risk alerting her nakama to the pinkette’s presence. Aquarius would straight up murder him.

“It wasn’t that hard.” Natsu shrugged again, completely misunderstanding her outrage.

“That’s not the point!” Lucy hissed, hearing steps descending down the stairs. “You can’t just break into someone’s guild! Or into a girl’s bedroom! Especially not while I’m sleeping!”

Natsu cocked his head in confusion, swaying back and forth on the heels or his boots. “But I can, Luce. It’s really not that difficult.”

Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose, taking deep breaths. Apparently her job-partner from the previous night had never heard of social etiquette. Or of some Mavis-damn common sense!

She supposed entering through her window wasn’t the hardest task for a skilled assassin. The lock was normal, because if Rune Knights were to attack her guild, they surely wouldn’t enter in the most inconvenient location of the building, would they? Their weapons were –in the largest part- downstairs, together with most of the emergency exits. And also, how would an army of ‘soldiers’ first climb up the house’s side, then silently force her window open and then attack them? Although Natsu had managed to do the first two, with none of her nakama being the wiser.

The rest of the Celestial guild was practically a fortress. The windows on the lower floors were made of thick, bullet-proof glass, as well as being one-way. Meaning they could look out, but no one (a sniper or a spy, perhaps?) could look in on them.

The walls were of the old, classical stone build; not easy to knock down in one go. There was a camera above the button for the bell and an alarm for every door, if it someone were to try to open it forcefully.

Lucy knew that her guild was riddled with secret passages and hiding spots. She’d found sixteen so far, but only Virgo knew all their locations for sure. Several of those led to safe locations outside her home, in case of an escape.

And who would be insane enough to actually try to confront the renowned Celestials in their own home?

In short; finding a relative stranger, who had accomplished the feat of breaking and entering the Celestial’s headquarter, was something new for Lucy.

The blonde decided not to explode about Natsu’s uninvited presence, because then Loke or Virgo or anyone else, might become aware of him being in her room...without their knowledge. And she’d barely managed to calm them down when Natsu was the hero who’d carried her home. This would be a little harder to explain.

So instead, she gave a defeated smile and said: “Thanks for checking on me, Natsu. I feel much better. Although, maybe enter through the door next time?”

“No offence, Luce. But last time I did that, I was nearly turned into a pincushion.”

Lucy was about to explain, and maybe also apologize, for her nakama’s reaction, when a small, blue spot of fur jumped onto her covers.

“Hello again.” She said smiling and picked up the little cat. “Happy, right?”

The small animal gave a weird sound that went something like me-aye-w and purred contently when she started petting his back.

Whilst she was doing that, Lucy looked over to the cat’s...friend, who was examining –but not touching- her unique collection of blades.

It was the first time she saw him in full light –without her being ready to drop from exhaustion and blood loss- and Lucy couldn’t help but think that it was unfair how refreshed he looked. He must’ve been up just as long as her, maybe even longer, considering he had to make his way home after...‘dropping her off’ at her guild. And he’d evidently already been back at the train station, proven by the return of her backpack. Yet he showed no signs of fatigue, his naturally tanned skin glowing healthily in the sunlight and his eyes as bright as last night. He’d changed his peculiar get-up from the previous evening for a more conventional T-Shirt and jeans, although still wearing the white scarf.

“I knew you had more than I could see-what are you staring at?” He’d turned to face her.

Lucy noticed that she’d been openly checking him ou- no! She hadn’t been doing that! She’d simply gotten...lost in thought and hadn’t realized she’d been looking at him. That’s it!

“Nothing.” She quickly looked down at Happy, feeling heat rising to her cheeks at being called out.

Even the cat didn’t look like he believed her.

“Just wondering how your injuries are doing.” Lucy saved herself. She could see some bandaging through his shirt and plasters covered every finger on his right hand. Those cuts had been her doing after all.

“It’s nothin’.” He waved it off.

Ah yes, the Assassin’s Pride. Everything was ‘just a scratch’ until they literally collapsed. And Lucy had to admit that she too tried to downplay her hurt, if she got injured on a mission. Of cause her nakama never let it slide.

It felt stupid to apologize for it, seeing that they’d both done minor damage to the other. Her shoulder still throbbed beneath the anti-inflammatory salve and soft bandaging, where the burning end of his staff had landed a solid hit. She wasn’t mad though. For one thing; it would be hypocritical. And also; he’d quite possibly saved her life right after the mix-up had been cleared up.

“By the way,” Natsu started, holding up her retrieved backpack. “Hope you don’t mind, I sprayed your emblem at the station too.”

“You did?” Lucy asked astonished. Her bag of cause included a can of water-soluble, golden spray-paint, which she’d last used during the mission with the trafficker and his flamethrower.

“Yeah. Think I got it right. Ten points and the Celestial key, right?”

She nodded, pausing in her movements to stroke Happy’s fur, to hold up her left hand.

‘Making your mark’ at the scene of a successful mission wasn’t really a necessity, the paint would wash away after the next rainfall anyway, but it had its practical uses. For one; assassins could see that a mission had recently been completed there, warning them to be weary of Rune Knights, who might be trying to scout out that area to gather clues. Also; the I.P. could see that it had been a ‘legal’ assassin’s doing, not having to worry about a new criminal gang that might’ve been the cause for whatever’d happened there.

“That’s right. Thanks for adding mine. I doubt I’ll be allowed out the house anytime soon.” She gestured to her heavily bandages thigh and quickly resumed in petting Happy, who’d started making dramatic noises of complaint.

Those little cat-whines had been enough to catch the attention of another Celestial though.

“Lucy? Are you up, kiddo?”

Both teenaged assassins froze at Gemini’s voice, coming from one flight of stairs below them.

“You have to go.” She whispered to Natsu, who was already scooping up his little friend.

“Yeah, Gemini. I just woke up!” Lucy called down, hearing the old man’s slow steps, accompanied by the steady ‘tock’-‘tock’ of his walking stick, coming up her stairs.

“Hey, Luce?” Natsu whisper-yelled to her from his position beneath the circular window, one hand already on the handle.

He didn’t look her in the eyes, and if Lucy hadn’t been so concerned about his well-being in the very near future, she might’ve noticed the light blush dusting his cheeks.

“We made a pretty good team, right?”

“Yeah. Yes, we did.” Lucy answered, a little confused by the question –because, to her, the answer was obvious- and also getting a little nervous at the approaching steps from the oldest Celestial.

Sure, Gemini wasn’t a brawler the likes of his partner, but the blonde knew for sure that the old man could –and would, if he found an intruder in his nakama’s bedroom- do some damage.

“Well...uh...” Natsu scratched the back of his head, stalling his next question and doing nothing for Lucy’s nerves. “Would you like to...ya know, go on another mission together?”

Lucy looked at him in surprise. She hadn’t expected that. He wanted to go on another mission...with her?!

Taking her silence for dismissal of his idea, the pinkette quickly added: “Ya know, if you wanna...if not, that’s totally fine...I should probably go-”

“You want to take on another request with me?” Lucy interrupted his rambling. “Although I got myself injured? And you had to help me?”

Now Natsu looked at her with confusion.

“Duh, Luce. We make a great team.” His cheerful smile was all the reassurance to his earnest Lucy needed.

A curse about ‘damn steps’, panting and knocking came from the other side of her door.

“Yes, I’d love to go on a mission with you, Natsu.” Lucy returned his smile.

She barely caught a glimpse of his grin widening and him readjusting his grip on Happy, before he disappeared out the window in the blink of an eye.

“Hey kiddo. How are you feeling?” Gemini pushed open the door, to see the guild’s youngest smiling at an empty spot under her skylight.

“Pretty good, Gemini. Pretty good.”

 

 

It took two weeks, until Virgo let Lucy move further than the bathroom. Her minor injuries had healed into thin scars, if not disappearing completely. Her leg was doing fine for the circumstances and she could walk about with no difficulty.

During those two weeks of undebatable –she’d tried, but had been outnumbered 10:1- bedrest, Lucy had taken some time to write her novel, catch up on some reading recommendations from Capricorn, and had send back half the reward money from the Independent Police.

The latter was a common practice among legal guilds. Although assassins were also –technically- criminals, in the eyes of the facetious law, they had great respect for the I.P.. It was an unspoken tradition, to only take half of the money the I.P. rewarded, if they chose to turn to the website, as a sign of gratitude for their hard work.

Now, the blonde was burning off two weeks’ worth of pent up energy in the guild’s basement-gym. The punching bag swung back and forth, as Lucy threw attack after attack at it with her bandages fists.

On the other side of the spacious room, were Taurus and Sagittarius. The bull-themed assassin was bench pressing a barbell that looked like it equaled the weight of all other Celestials combined. His partner stood at his head, acting as the spotter, arms outstretched. But that was more of a formality than anything else.

Ever since the great ‘Gemini-tried-to-use-dumbbells-way-over-his-ability-by-himself-and-dropped-it-on-his-foot-incident’ from four years ago, Aquarius had put a strict two-people-minimum regulation on the gym.

Lucy very much doubted that the skinny man in the horse costume could even move the impressive weight his herculean partner was using with ease. But, as the saying goes; ‘better safe than face the wrath of Aquarius’.

Testing out the strength in her newly healed leg, Lucy threw a few kicks at the bag suspended from the ceiling. There was some pressure, but she’d be fine.

“Princess.”

Lucy squeaked, whirling around in a ridiculous excuse of a defensive stance.

Virgo had appeared –as she usually did; completely magically!- beside Taurus’ bench press. The latter, cursed in surprise, barely refraining himself from letting go off the weight, which started swaying dangerously from one side to the other. His partner’s attempt to stabilize it, resulted in, as Lucy had predicted, nothing really.

“Mavis, Virgooooo!” Taurus panted, resting the barbell back on the safety bars. “Make a noooooise, or something!”

The pink haired woman with the pixie cut ignored him, instead keeping her poker face directed at the teen.

“You said you’d take it easy with your leg.” She stated.

“Bu-, I just...that was...I kicked it THREE TIMES! EIGHT SECONDS AGO! How do you know...?” Lucy stared at her open-mouthed.

Taurus, Scorpio and her, had long since tried coming up with theories of how Virgo knew everything, everywhere, all the time. Scorpio’s idea of a magical, third eye was looking pretty good right about now.

The mysterious woman simply kept looking at Lucy, not giving a reply, but those who could read Virgo’s stoic features, could see the slightest twinkle of amusement in her blue eyes.

“Alright, alright. I promise; no more kicking.” Lucy held up her hand in the ‘scout’s honor’ fashion.

Virgo nodded in approval. Everyone knew Lucy didn’t break promises. Layla had taught her that your word is your bond, and to always respect that.

She should probably take a break anyway. Her fingers were starting to go numb and she could use some hydration.

Lucy didn’t need to turn back around to know that, as soon as she’d walked to the bench leaning against the wall, Virgo had vanished again.

“I tooooold ya,” Taurus started, stretching out his muscles and grinning over at her, “she’s secretly a spirit.”

The blonde shook her head sagely, taking a swig from her water bottle. “I’m still saying she can see through walls.”

“Perhaps teleportation, moshi moshi?” Sagittarius theorized with them.

Whilst Taurus inaugurated his partner in all the silly theories they’d come up with so far, Capricorn and Loke came down the steps, heading for the sparring mat.

Lucy’s curiosity was drawn, because when the guild’s two hand-to-hand experts went up against each other, an impressive show was always guaranteed. Especially since those two assassins were pretty much opposite, in everything but their fighting style...and their choice of clothing.

Gemini hurried down the stairs after them, as fast as his bad leg would let him. He plopped down next to Lucy, together with Taurus and Sagittarius, all of them observing the two on the mat with analytical interest.

“Who do you think will win this time?” She whispered to the blue haired man beside her.

“Well, statistically, Capricorn is the best bet.” He answered in a conspiratorial voice. “But Loke is...Loke.”

They shared a knowing smile. Whilst ‘the Lion’ usually used his flashlights -either for blinding his opponent, or as a blunt force weapon- Capricorn worked exclusively with his fists. And also, Loke was no longer allowed to use the torches during sparring, since the ‘wrong-battery-power-causing-the-audience-(aka. the Celestials!)-to stumble-around-blindly-for-a-few-minutes-accident’ of last July, authorized by none other than Aquarius. And as the saying goes...

“You ready, old man?” Loke grinned at his stone-faced sparring partner, who almost rivaled Virgo for the poker-face-of-the-century-award.

“HEY!” Gemini piped up from the bench seat. “I believe that is my title, kid!”

“Kid?!” Loke bristled in response. “I’m almost thirty years old, you geez-”

“And start!” Lucy yelled, before this well-known argument could start anew.

Capricorn shot her a thankful look over his sunglasses, before readying himself.

Loke pounced first, a blow which Capricorn easily brushed aside and countering with one of his own. The four sets of eyes from the spectators went back and forth, like watching a ping-pong match on fast-forward, as the two before them exchanged, dodged and parried kicks, punches and attacks.

The room was devoid of any talking. Until, of cause, Loke used his primary weapon; his ability to annoy anyone.

“Hey Cap.” He started, smiling all too innocently at the older man. “Do you know why the sun is my favorite planet?”

If Lucy hadn’t been looking for it, the small frown on Capricorn’s face might’ve gone unnoticed by her.

“Because it’s so reliable. I mean it’s been circling around the earth for hundreds of years...” He jumped over a sweeping kick.

Gemini chuckled next to her, watching the exchange intently.

As someone who corrected his enemies during a fight, if they should dare to say anything factually incorrect, Capricorn was having a hard time keeping his mouth shut, even though he knew exactly what Loke was doing.

Whilst Loke recounted his knowledge of the sun being responsible for x-rays, Lucy’s phone beeped next to her.

She glanced at it quickly, not wanting to miss too much from this valuable lesson in ‘driving your opponent insane’-by Loke, but was distracted by the message from a strange number.

 

Unknown

Hey Luce. U feelin up 2 kick some butt?

 

Below it was a screenshot of a request from the website. It looked quite good; stopping a small gang, which had been the cause of a series of robberies in the eastern part of Crocus. Not dull, but not too hard: perfect for her to get back in the game after the injury.

That was Lucy’s first thought. Her second was: How in the world had he gotten her number?

The only way that was possible would’ve been to access her phone, which was password/fingerprint protected. So how...?

Alright, so her job-partner not only had no scruples about breaking into buildings, but also people’s phones! He must’ve hacked his way in, when he’d gotten her backpack from the station, two weeks ago. And she couldn’t really be mad at that, so Lucy decided to have some fun.

 

Lucy

I’m sorry, I don’t seem to have you in my contacts. Who is this?

 

Of cause it had to be Natsu. No one else called her ‘Luce’. Or had that little respect for typing out full words!

 

Unknown

it’s Natsu

Lucy

How do I know it’s really you?

Unknown

c’mon Luce?

Lucy

What is your hair colour?

Unknown

salmon

Lucy

So you are a fake! His hair is pink!

Unknown

NO ITS NOT!!! ITS SALMON!

Lucy

Are you sure? Not taffy then?

Unknown

no...isn’t that smth 2 eat?

Lucy

Or is it bubblegum?

Unknown

-_-

Lucy

What about fuscia?

Unknown

r u just makin up words now?

Lucy

Or maybe coral...

Unknown

now u sound like the ponytail guy Luce

 

The blonde chuckled quietly to herself, saving the number in her phone.

“What are you laughing at, Princess?” Loke asked, deflecting an open-palmed strike.

“I’m just texting with Natsu.”

 

Lucy

I’m sorry, Natsu. But I had to make sure my phone wasn’t hacked. It was outside of the train station unsupervised for an entire night.

 

The sound of strike on block had ceased and Lucy looked up in confusion. Had Loke driven Capricorn mad already? It usually took much longer, and incorrect quotes from classical literature, to accomplish that.

Five assassins stared at her, the two sparring ones, frozen mid-movement.

“Natsu?” Loke asked, as if unsure of his hearing.

“Yeah. The one that dropped me off, two weeks ago? The one you interrogated in the hallway and scared off?” She prompted, one eyebrow raised at them.

 

Natsu

Weirdo

Natsu

so, r u up 4 it?

Lucy

Definitely. Meet you tonight at the train station?

 

Lucy couldn’t be sure, but she thought Loke muttered something like “don’t think we’ll hear from him again anytime soon”.

 

Natsu

sure thing Luce. CU then

Lucy

See you soon, Natsu.

 

She shut off her phone, anticipation for the coming night rising. Two weeks may not sound like a long time to be ‘resting’, but to Lucy it felt like an eternity had passed since she’d jumped over the roofs of Crocus or had carried all her eleven knifes.

Her nakama were still staring at her, or exchanging glances that Lucy could not figure out the meaning behind.

Capricorn got over the sudden tension first, following through with the motion, which resulted in his fist slamming against Loke’s jawbone. The latter Celestial was still too caught up in whatever thoughts were running through his head, to dodge in time.

“Hey, ow! Unfair!” He yelled, as he was thrown back onto the mat, holding his hurting jaw.

“That’s for saying the sun is a planet.” Capricorn said coolly, readjusting his cufflinks in a business-like manner.

“Why are you texting with Natsu, Princess?” Loke moved his mouth around experimentally.

“We’re going on another mission together.” She answered, not knowing of the conversation the older Celestials had had, the night of her first –face-to-face- encounter with the pinkette.

“How nice.” Gemini responded first, daring any of the others to say anything on the contrary with a sharp glare. “Are you sure you’re up for it?”

“Yes.” Lucy answered without hesitation. “Virgo said I no longer have to stay in bed and that I should take it easy with my leg. I’ll be careful.”

Capricorn nodded. “Have fun, Lucy. And please relate my apology to Natsu, for nearly hitting him with my favorite work from Charlotte Brontë.”

“I will. See you guys tomorrow!” Lucy grabbed her things and darted up the stairs, already making a mental check-list for tonight and forming plans.

 

-----

 

“She’s going on another mission with him?” Aquarius asked in surprise, turning to face her four nakama.

“Yep. She’s preparing for it as we speak.” Loke answered.

The ten S-Class assassins stood around the kitchen island, in an improvised emergency meeting.

“I don’t see what the problem is.” Gemini managed to clamber his way onto one of the tall stools. “We’ve established that he is neither a criminal, nor a threat to us.”

“Yes, but...” Aquarius trailed off, looking oddly unsure of her next sentence.

“But...?”

“Isn’t she too young to be meeting up with boys?” The tall bluenette exploded, crossing her arms defensively.

There was a beat of silence in the kitchen, before half the guild burst out laughing.

“That’s what you’re woooooried about?” Taurus chuckled.

“Lucy is seventeen.” Aries added, politely hiding her smile behind her hand.

“And a pretty girl like her, I’m surprised we haven’t had to scare off any guys before now.” Gemini laughed along.

Aquarius harrumphed, muttering “we obviously didn’t do it well enough”, but was prevented from dignifiedly storming off, by two strong arms encircling her waist gently from behind.

“Maybe I should remind you, sweetheart,” Scorpio stage whispered, grinning and resting his chin on her shoulder, “that we were their age, when we became partners.”

Aquarius would’ve liked to respond with something snappy, but was overpowered by her partner’s warm embrace. Traitorous euphoria.

“And no one said anything about partners.” Gemini finished the discussion. “It’s good she gets some friends her own age. You worry too much.”

Notes:

Oops, got caught up with the Celestials...
I promise there'll be more 'Natsu and Lucy' in the next chapter.

Chapter 7: A Furious Follower and the Gossiping Grandpa

She’d seen him shoot fire out of his gloves, detonate a home-made grenade in closed quarters and twirl a burning staff about like it was a toy.

So why did Lucy think working with Natsu this time, would be anything but chaotic?

Because that was the only way she could accurately describe their first –wanted- mission together. That, and ‘fun’.

Natsu had the personality and the energy of a never-ending firecracker, and somehow –although she didn’t know how- it worked really well with her more professional and serious work-attitude.

They’d found the problematic gang fast enough, heading straight east, over the rooftops for a while. Although the rag-tag group of thieves had tried to be somewhat stealthy –using glasscutters, instead of going with the tried-and-tested method of just smashing in the glass front-, they hadn’t been hard to find. 

Karma had struck them, when they’d decided to target a ‘Watch and Clock Repair Shop’ and had accidentally set off a grand cuckoo clock. An extremely loud cuckoo clock.

The thieves had panicked, obviously quite new at this, and started to scatter with whatever loot they’d been able to grab, just as Lucy and Natsu had reached the scene, following the cuckoo’s loud calling.

Once again, without discussion, both teen assassins knew what to do; splitting up as soon as they’d seen the situation. They quickly rounded up the bandits, before they could escape the narrow streets and into the tangle of alleys, herding them back to the shop’s front. Lucy with the methods of threats and intimidation via the Celestial name, and Natsu with an explosion, causing the entire row of houses to shake! Different, but equally effective.

Whilst Natsu had stood guard on his side of the street, the I.P. already on the phone, one of the bandits attempted to break through. He’d picked out Lucy as the less dangerous of the two assassins (idiot), charging at her in a ‘surprise attack’, a gilded watch-case opener in his grasp.

That little rebellion lasted for all of two seconds, as Lucy easily twisted his arm and used his running momentum to fling him back to the others. No more break-outs were attempted after that.

The flashing cars of the Independent Police had squeezed their way through the narrow street soon after, whilst Lucy pulled up a black mask. Natsu simply used his scarf. This was more a formality than anything else. Just so the officers could claim “no identification”, making everyone’s life a little easier.

As they loaded the half dozen thieves into the backs of their cars, one officer raised an eyebrow at the smoking spot, where Natsu’s hand grenade had made its permanent mark. Luckily, he just shrugged and didn’t ask about the greater details.

The pinkette waved them off, before joining Lucy in front of the shop’s front, getting out his own can of spray paint.  

“That was fun.” He said cheerily, stretching his arms up into the night’s sky, before spraying the image of the first, red dragonhead with practiced strokes on the street.

“It was.” Lucy agreed, meaning it fully, whilst making sure the star’s ten spikes were all of the same length.

Not even the trip to the location had been boring, with Natsu keeping up amusing conversations, or the short ‘who-can-do-the-best-flip’-competition (he won, but Happy had been deemed judge, and Lucy believed that he was a little bias), made for a very entertaining journey.

She finished with the key, watching for a few moments as Natsu finished off his more detailed emblem; the three dragonheads chasing each other in a circle with silent roars.

When he was done, they both climbed onto the rooftops, heading north-west, to return to their homely part of the city.

There was a beat of silence between the two, with Natsu looking at her expectantly.

“What is it?” Lucy questioned.

“Are you gonna mention it, or should I?”

“Mention what?” She asked again, although she had an idea of what he was hinting at.

“Your nakama following us?!” He said in exasperation, giving a barely discernable nod to the large chimney, two houses over.

Lucy sighed. She’d really hoped he hadn’t noticed them. Mavis, this was embarrassing. Now he would think she needed babysitters.

“I mean, why are they even trying to hide?” Natsu continued, as they walked over the roofs. “And why did the biggest ones follow you? I’m pretty sure the cow-guy tried to hide behind a lamppost at one point.”

Oh Mavis, he’d seen that too.

“I’m sorry.” Lucy mumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose. “My guild, well, actually just six of them, they follow me sometimes...to make sure I’m safe. I don’t need it! And I’ve asked them to stop, but well, they...worry.”

Natsu watched her reddening face, as she went on her embarrassed explanation, letting Happy clamber into his backpack.

“No need to apologize, Luce.” His reassuring grin was illuminated from the few functioning streetlamps below –one of which Taurus had tried to hide his massive figure behind, only minutes before. “They’re just looking out for ya. It’s what nakama do.”

“I know. And it’s sweet, I guess, but still...” She trailed off, not entirely sure how to talk about her nakama without hurting Natsu. He was the last Dragon after all.

They jumped over a gap, both sensing the tall figures moving to follow them.

Jogging in silence for a while, Natsu motioned her to stop, a mischievous smile on his face.

“How about another competition, Luce?”

“Sure, but Happy can’t be judge this time, because that’s-”

“Nah, nah. Let’s see who can shake a Celestial first.” He motioned inconspicuously behind them.

“You want to try and lose them?” Lucy clarified, a smile forming on her face as well.

“Yeah. What do you normally do?”

“I usually just call them out on it.”

“Well, if you don’t think you can do it...”

“Nice try. You’re on. First at the train station, alone?”

“I’ll wait for you there, Luce.” He replied confidently, positioning himself on one side of the roof.

“We’ll see about that.” Lucy huffed, taking the other side.

On a silent count, they jumped off, running in different directions.

Lucy glanced behind her, seeing the two shadows stand still in confusion for a second, before they parted, each heading after one of them.

Lady Luck was on her side tonight, as she saw the bulking figure of Taurus following her trail. Natsu would have a more difficult time.

 

-----

 

Natsu panted, as he arrived at the old train station. He was not surprised to see Lucy, sitting in one of the empty window frames, grinning at him.

“I thought you wanted to beat me here, Natsu.” She called over innocently.

“Yeah, yeah.” He huffed as she made room, so he could sit down beside her. “That was not fair! You definitely got the easier one. Horse-guy has eyes like a freaking hawk!”

His job-partner chuckled at his exhausted figure. “That’s Sagittarius. He’s an archer. I’m honestly surprised you managed to lose him at all.”

It certainly hadn’t been easy! Natsu had lost count of all the U-turns, backtracks and hiding behind dumpsters, he’d had to do to be sure the tall man in a horse-onesie had lost his trail.

“Who’s the guy following you?” He asked, fishing out his water bottle beside his blue roommate.

“Taurus. The –I can say with all confidence- least stealthy member of our guild.”

“Unfair.” Natsu muttered again, half-jokingly. “So not all of them follow you on missions?”

He didn’t want the conversation to end already. Being around Lucy was fun and he didn’t want to go back to his silent apartment just yet.

“No, not all of them. Capricorn, for example, he’s the one with the white beard. He says ‘sorry’, by the way, for nearly hitting you with that book-”

“Because it would’ve hurt me, or because the book could’ve gotten a dent?”

“...not too sure, both probably. Anyway, he and his partner agree that I can take care of myself, same with...”

Natsu listened, as Lucy went on talking about the blue haired woman –Aunt Aquarius- and Scorpio. He’d noticed how she’d gotten awkward about talking about her nakama before, on the rooftops. And he couldn’t help but feel that it was partly due to his guild’s history. He guessed she must’ve been around twelve when it had happened. And her guild was connected well enough for her to have heard about it.

Meaning, she didn’t want to rub his face in the love of her nakama, but Natsu wanted to prove to himself, and the universe, that he could handle it.

“...So, now that I’ve won this little competition...” Lucy started, pulling him out of his determined thoughts. “...I get to pick the next mission!”

“Alright.” Natsu tried to keep his voice even, not to let too much of the bubbling happiness inside him seep out that this hadn’t been a one-time, thanks-for-bringing-my-backpack-back-mission.

Lucy smiled at him, before stretching her arms and jumping off the window sill. “I should get back. See you soon Natsu?”

“See ya, Luce.”

With a wave, she was gone, jumping over the roofs, heading further north to her guild.

Natsu stayed for a few minutes more. He’d listened to her talking of her guild. And he was doing fine. He didn’t feel the gunshot-like pang of loss, not more than usual. And he was looking forward to seeing his new friend again, with no fear of being reminded of his family.

It looked like –dare he say it?- things were finally looking up for him.

 

-----

 

He’d found his target. And ‘The Last Dragon’ wasn’t alone.

He’d found him through the unmistakable explosion of a warehouse in the middle of the night. He’d sprinted towards the sound to see multiple people running out of the burning building, some carrying –obviously- fake stacks of money.

Counterfeiters. So this was the doing of assassins on a mission. He was about to leave and go back to his impossible task of finding one person in the country’s capital, when fate/destiny/luck did him a favor. The signature spiky, pink head of hair looked around a corner, a stupid grin on the corresponding face.

He almost lost all of his restraint and jumped that idiotic nuisance right there and then from his concealed spot on a dark rooftop, when another figure came from behind the safety of the corner.

“Natsu! I thought you said this would be a ‘small, contained explosion’! Just to scare them out?!” Another teenager yelled, the female blonde gesturing wildly to the smoky remains, glaring at the pinkette.

“It worked, didn’t it?” His target replied with a huff, grabbing one of the scared crooks by the collar to stop him from running away.

The heavily armed blonde started lectured him on ‘unnecessary destruction of property’ whilst the two rounded up the rest of the counterfeiters with such ease, it seemed more like a secondary occupation besides their conversation.

Since when did that damn Dragon have a partner? He’d heard nothing of the sorts when he’d started asking questions about that doomed fool. Or was this a one-time-collaboration? Dragons had a reputation for that after all.

He retreated further into the shadows, as the cars of the I.P. showed up. Pesky cops. Everywhere those meddlers were.

A middle-aged, tired-looking officer continued the blonde’s lecture –‘Luce’ as the Dragon had called her- on properly preserving evidence. And fire safety. There had been a whole section on fire safety.

The criminals (respectable businessmen, if you’d ask him) were loaded into the police cars and driven off, but his attention was on the two teens, who’d started their own way over the roofs, away from him. He followed. Staying a generous distance away from them, but keeping his eyes and ears open as not to lose them in the chaos that was the city-layout of Crocus. And that’s when the universe remembered that he could never have it that easy. Because he might’ve found his mark, but that night had another surprise in store for him.

The two teens slowed down once they reached ‘Royal Garden’s Street’ in the northern part of the oversized city. The girl dropped to the ground, entering a dark blue, tall building through the front door. His target –strangely enough- clambered his way to the top of the house and slipped in through a circular window on the slanted roof. What...?

He shook his head. He wasn’t there to find out about teen romance, only to find information on the Dragon. So this had to be Luce’s house, not his place of residence. He’d have to find that too.

Focusing his eyes onto the front door of the house, he tried to maybe make out a name or something like that, but he got much more info than he’d bargained for. The golden paint of the painted key practically glowed in the darkness.

The Celestial key.  

He cursed into the night sky. This could not be real. Why did the universe have to play such games with him?

Yes, he’d found his target; a feat near impossible, considering the size and population of Crocus. And, last he’d heard, Natsu worked alone. The hardest thing on his personal mission should’ve been the ‘finding’-part. But now...

He was friends –if not partners- with a Mavis-damn Celestial assassin!

This was bad news. Real bad news. A single assassin, no matter how well trained, with no friends, no nakama and no connections, would’ve been easily disposed of. But this...

The man took a deep breath, crouching further into the shadows. This was a complication. A major set-back in his not yet fully developed plan. But he could work with this. It might not be so easy now, but he would not be deterred from his mission.

Everything inside of him screamed for vengeance, but he rained those feelings back in, saving them for when the time would come.

He was good; but not ‘take on eleven Celestials’-good. No one was. So he couldn’t get them involved. This would require a great amount of planning and coordination and more luck than he’d like to depend on, but it could work.

He swore that to all the stars above him. He would make the final Dragon pay.

Natsu of the Dragons would not get away with the murder of the man’s nakama.

 

-----

 

Lucy rushed past them after she’d entered the guild, giving a quick ‘good-night’ before jumping up the steps. No one had followed her tonight, because –once again- she hadn’t told them about it.

Cancer chuckled quietly to himself, focusing back on his work. After many minutes of him begging, Aquarius had finally lamented and allowed him to try out a new hairstyle on her, since they’d be staying up anyway to wait for Lucy’s return. Her endless, smooth hair were a dream to work with for the hairstylist, who was momentarily braiding and twisting the strands into a masterpiece of fashion.

“You know, when I go to sleep, it will be ruined, right?” Aquarius asked over her shoulder.

“Worth it, baby.” He replied, gently nudging her head back so that she was looking forward again.

The assembled assassins –that being Scorpio, Capricorn, Gemini, Virgo, himself and his guinea pig Aquarius- sat around the kitchen island, with the other four out on their own missions.

Gemini was half dozing, half reading the newspaper (comic section), whilst Virgo entertained herself by cleaning the oven. His partner was reading a non-fiction book about the solar system, most likely preparing himself mentally for his next spar with Loke. Scorpio was scrolling through the website, occasionally reading out missions to Aquarius, who either hummed in agreement or denial.

Just as he heard Lucy’s door closing, did the little –perfectly styled- hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Despite the tinted windows, Cancer carried on with his work, but exchanged a glance with his partner over the tops of their sunglasses.

Gemini sat up straighter and Virgo’s head popped out of the oven –Mavis knows how she’d seen him from there.

“You see him too?” Aquarius asked calmly, staying still.

“Across the street, three houses to our left.” Scorpio reported, not looking up from the tablet.

“Shall I go puni- investigate?” Virgo asked, dusting off her pinafore.

“Please do.” Aquarius said and with a little bow, Virgo vanished around the corner.

“Are you thinking Rune Knight?” Cancer asked casually, referring to the outline of a head that had been briefly visible on the rooftop across from them.

“No, I don’t think so.” Aquarius replied relaxed. “I’m sure I saw spiky hair. Knights wear helmets.”

“Perhaps incognito.” Capricorn added.

“Maybe.”

There was no panic about being spied on. It was a package-deal in their profession and after ‘meeting’ Virgo once, people tended to not come back and try again.

“He was gone.”

Scorpio jumped a little, when Virgo stood behind him, giving her report to Aquarius.

“Before you could identify him?”

“Yes. All I could make out was some cursing. I believe he heard me coming.”

“Someone heard you coming?!” Gemini asked astounded. “That’s...never happened before.”

“Punishment?”

“No, Virgo.” The group chorused.

“He probably left before you even went out.” Aquarius said diplomatically. “I doubt it’s anything to worry about. Maybe he was just curious and if he, or anyone else, should come back, we’ll ask them then.”

 

-----

 

Grandpa Crux was –to the honest people of Crocus- known as a kind, sleepy, old man with a small book shop, who liked to chat about every topic you’d start him on, but especially about the freshest of gossip.

To the not so honest people, Grandpa Crux was known as the man who knew everything about everyone, everywhere in Crocus (and the greater parts of Fiore too). And instead of selling the wanted secrets for cold, hard cash to the highest bidder, the old man swapped information.

If you didn’t have the right characteristics for a pleasant conversation, the patience for when he searched his mind for information, nor the proper manners to offer the facts he asked for in return, you were not welcome in Grandpa Crux’s bookshop.

Luckily, Lucy had all three.

She and Natsu were sitting in the backroom of the bookshop, the old man with the large mustache pouring them each a cup of tea.

“Lucy, Natsu. I heard rumors that you two are working together now.” He said, taking a sip of his tea. “And I must say, I’m very glad they are true. It’s good to see you making friends, Natsu. But I assume that that’s not why you’ve come visit me today.”

Lucy nodded, offering him one of the pastries she’d brought with them (another way of guaranteeing you’d get the right information).

“We found this one mission, which sounds very promising and interesting, but also a little...strange. We want to make sure it’s not a fake request.”

They’d gone on a mission last week –which resulted in the destruction of a –thankfully- abandoned warehouse, along with plenty of usable evidence, such as the printing press of the counterfeiters- and neither wanted to stop there. No matter how many buildings he turned into ashes, Lucy really likes working with Natsu.

During that time, he’d dropped in –literally- several times. Without announcement, or invitation, and completely soundless...alright, so sometimes, he’d given her a jump-scare and once (no wait, twice) she’d Lucy-kicked him out of pure instinct.

She’d also asked him multiple times if he couldn’t knock. To which he’d answered totally straight-faced “knocking is for doors, Luce.”, as if she required further explanation on the topic!

Natsu took the phase ‘make yourself at home’ quite literally and somehow, Lucy couldn’t find the enthusiasm to care.

And given the fact that Lucy no longer locked her skylight when she was home, it would be hard to say that she was against him visiting. Because, much like working with him, just ‘hanging out’ was fun too. Plus she got to cuddle with Happy whenever he came around.

On his last unsuspected, but also kind of suspected, visit, he’d shown her the digital poster of a mission. The one they were gathering information about right now.

“What does this mission entail?” Grandpa Crux asked, chewing on an éclair.

“It’s about a guy called Duke Everlue.” Natsu said, using the moment Lucy sipped on her tea to pounce at the pastries. “Someone named Kaby Melon is ready to pay a large amount of money for us to steal one book.”

“Just one book?” The old man clarified.

“Yes. That’s the strange part, Grandpa Crux.” Lucy said, moving the plate out of Natsu’s reach. “Do you know of a Kaby Melon?”

The old man shut his eyes, little snores filling the otherwise quiet room.

Lucy and Natsu shared a look. They both knew this man long enough to know that he wasn’t sleeping, but thinking.

The Celestial guild had a good relationship with the bookseller thanks to Virgo. She and the old man would spend hours chatting about...Lucy didn’t even want to know. Grandpa Crux probably knew more about the happenings of their guild than she did.

“I know very little of a Kaby Melon.” The old man woke with a start. “To my recollection, he’s posted such a request before.”

“He has?” Lucy asked. To her the mission sounded reasonably simple. Sure, she’d never done a breaking-and-entering mission before, but seeing that Natsu would be her partner on this, she doubted they’d have much difficulty. “So you believe it’s a trap?”

“No, I don’t think so.” The old man replied, refilling his cup. “Duke Everlue is very real. He is a politician in Shirotsume Town.”

“Corrupt?” Natsu asked with his mouth full.

“Of cause. He holds absolute power of that town, like a small-scale dictator. To my recollection, a team of assassins had accepted this mission quite a while ago...”

“They didn’t succeed?”

“Much worse. Everlue had them killed when they broke into his mansion.”

“Killed?!” Lucy exclaimed. What on earth was this book that was worth 200,000 jewels to steal and precious enough to spill blood over? “How did he justify that? Even if he holds all the power, the I.P. or Assassin Council would’ve asked questions, right?”

“Indeed they did, Lucy. However, I am sad to say, Everlue could not be held accountable. The assassins were trespassing and attempting to steal something from him, so he had every right to defend himself and his property. On the official statement, he claimed “attempted arson” too, I believe.”

Lucy looked over at Natsu with a worried glance. It would not be hard to pass off anything he did as ‘attempted arson’. If they got caught, this Everlue could easily get away unscathed again. But their inner Assassin’s Pride prevented them from giving up on the mission. They would succeed, she was sure of it. To revenge the fallen assassins and perhaps free a town from a tyrant. And she couldn’t deny that her curiosity about that precious book was growing by the minute.

Natsu didn’t look the least bit worried, cheering that he’d have someone to beat up when Grandpa Crux told them that Duke Everlue had hired several guards after the last break-in attempt.

Well, at least they didn’t have to worry about morale.

“So, Lucy.” Grandpa Crux began, a light twinkling in his eyes. “What’s new with your guild?”

“Nothing much. Capricorn beat Loke in a spar, when he said that the sun circles around the earth...”

The old man chuckled. “Speaking of which, are Loke and Aries together yet?”

“Sadly, no.” Lucy and Grandpa Crux both sighed.

“Those two like each other?” Natsu mumbled, stuffing two slices of cake into his mouth. By his request, Lucy had told him more of her nakama, so by now Natsu knew their names and the general background information. 

“Oh, it’s so painfully obvious.” Crux exclaimed with Lucy nodding in agreement.

“Ever since they joined the guild...like eleven years ago...they’d been looking at each other with hearts in their eyes.”

“Then why don’t they just become boyfriend and girlfriend and all that stuff?”

“No one knows! Seriously, it’s infuriating.”

“Indeed. When I asked Loke about it he denied any of it.” The old man said with a displeased huff. “Even a blind man could see it! And the ram was no better; she turned as pink as her hair and would only speak in squeaks the entire time!”

Lucy shared a sympathetic look with him.

“What of Scorpio and Aquarius? Are they engaged yet?” He asked hopefully.

“You know they’re not. You probably would’ve been the first to hear about it, Grandpa Crux.”

“By Mavis! What is it with you Celestials and confessing feelings?”

Lucy shrugged helplessly.

“Ah, well. All in due time I suppose.” He amended, but the blonde was sure she heard him say under his breath: “although that could’ve been a decade earlier!”.

Soon after, Lucy and Natsu rose to leave. The blonde was already half out the door, thanking the bookseller for the tea and the information, when the old man called out:

“Natsu, can I speak to you for a second?”

The pinkette shrugged. “Sure Grandpa. I’ll be right out Luce.”

Whatever Crux told Natsu, it didn’t take long, but when her job-partner stepped out the shop’s door, he looked more thoughtful than Lucy had ever seen him before.

“Everything alright?” She asked, falling in step beside him.

His ‘there are no problems in the world’-grin reappeared immediately, easing her worry. “Of cause, Luce. Just some more rumors.”

“Anything interesting?”

“Nah.”

Lucy decided to let it go. It couldn’t be anything bad, if he took it that easily.

“Alright, so I’ll see you tomorrow morning at the train station?”

“Sure, but isn’t that a detour to Shirotsume Town?”

“I mean the functioning station, in the center of town. Not our train station.”

‘Our’, sounded surprisingly personal and Lucy looked at Natsu to see if he caught it too.

The pinkette looked at her in horror.

OK, so maybe ‘our’ did sound a little strange, but it wasn’t so bad as to look at her like she’d jumped straight out of a thriller movie-

“You mean we have to go by train?!” He yelled, earning them a few surprised stares on the street during the afternoon-shopping-rush.

“O-Of cause.” Lucy answered perplexed.

“We can just walk!”

“Don’t be silly, Natsu. Shirotsume Town is miles away. It would take ages.”

“So? Fitness is healthy!” He said almost desperately.

“I have to be back by tomorrow night! We’re having a full-guild dinner and whoever misses it, is on next for laundry duty!”

“Well...then you take the train and I’ll start walking tonight...”

He stopped when he saw the disbelieving look on Lucy’s face.

“Natsu, you can’t hike all night and then expect to defeat that Duke Everlue and all the guards!”

“Yes I-”

“No, you can’t. Do you really want to risk getting caught and end as an ‘attempted arsonist’ in the knight’s files?”

Natsu wanted to argue again, she could tell, but found no arguments that could support his wanted hike. Like the overgrown child he was, he mumbled grumpily as they continued walking down the market street, including but not limited to lines like: ‘I wouldn’t go out as an attempted arsonist!’ and ‘bossy pants’.

He cheered up considerably when Lucy got him a chili dog from one of the street vendors...oh Mavis, he really was a child in a young man’s body, wasn’t he?

They were just about to part ways, when Lucy called after him: “By the way, what do you have against trains?”

All she heard was a mumbled: “It runs in the family.”

Notes:

Sorry this chapter took so long, but I've fallen into the trap of writing scenes from way ahead in the story (just because it's fun) and might've neglected writing the happenings in chronological order. Oops...
But at least now we've gotten an unspecific, first look at a main antagonist! Yay?

Chapter 8: Duke Everlue

Motion sickness.

That’s why Natsu didn’t like trains. Lucy learned that very quickly.

He’d shown up at the train station, minutes before their train was due to leave, and it had taken Lucy all of those minutes -plus a good amount of dragging and pushing- to get Natsu on said train.

They’d barely sat down in an empty compartment, before the train lurched forward. Lucy watched in equal parts amazement, surprise and shock as Natsu’s face turned a shade of sickly green and he flopped onto the bench like a stranded fish.

“Eh...Natsu?”

He groaned dramatically.

Seeking help, Lucy looked at Happy, who’d curled up in one of her over-head lockers. Either that cat was magic, or Natsu’s ability of speaking with the little, blue feline was rubbing off on her, but either way, Lucy could’ve sworn his expression said: ‘he’s a drama queen’.

That might be true, but judging by the persistent green colour of his face, Natsu wasn’t doing too hot.

“Are you OK?” She tried.

He shook his head weakly. “You’re evil, Luce!”

“Excuse me?”

“For making me go on this train. This is pure eeeeevil!”

“I didn’t know you have motion sickness, you dork!” Lucy shot back, but took pity on his pathetic state.

With a gentler tone, she asked: “Is there anything I can do?”

“Pull the emergency brake so I can walk the rest of the way?” He tried making puppy-eyes at her, but the effect was very quickly destroyed by him jumping to the window and emptying his stomach very loudly. At least they were out of the train station by then.

“I’m not going to do that.”

“What about-”

“No, you’re not jumping off a moving train to walk the rest either.”

“And-”

“Happy can’t fly, Natsu.”

“Could you-”

“I’m not knocking you unconscious.”

He groaned again. “Eeeeevil.”

“Anything realistic I can do?”

He seemed to think for a moment, before getting up and stumbled over to her bench. Before Lucy could ask what he was doing, he flopped down and dropped his head on her lap.

“What-?” She squeaked in surprise. But why was she even surprised? Natsu knew nothing of personal space (as evidenced by him breaking into her room on almost a daily basis).

Happy got her attention with a small, lazy meow.

“What?”

Meow.

Dear Mavis, she really was turning into a crazy lady who talked with cats, wasn’t she?

Lucy looked uncertainly at her job-partner, before following Happy’s command and began running her fingers through his hair. It was surprisingly soft, not gelled like she’d assumed. What kind of genetics made someone’s hair stand up in spikes naturally?

Natsu made little –what she could only describe as- happy-noises, interrupting her inner questions. It was a much more pleasant sound than the constant retching noises from before. Lucy was sure that, if he were a cat, he’d be purring.

“This really helps?” She asked the back of Natsu’s head.

He hummed. “Yeah. My aunt used to do this and it would always make us feel better.”

His voice sounded sleepy, but Lucy was intrigued. “You all had motion sickness?”

He nodded his head weakly. “Yeah, except Grandeeney. She’d do this for me and my cousins, whilst our dads puked their guts out the window.”

Lucy pictured that image. Poor Grandeeney.

“We didn’t take the train much.” He explained sleepily. Lucy stayed quiet and a few moments later she felt Natsu’s chest move in slow, deep breaths, little snores filling the otherwise quiet compartment.

Grandeeney. She knew that name. Of cause she did, everyone who hadn’t been living under a rock knew of the Dragon guild. And their fate.

There had been six of them in total, but only three “legal” assassins; the founders. Grandeeney had been one of them. The other two were Metalicana and Igneel.

The Celestials didn’t do collaborations, so Lucy had never met them in person. She’d seen pictures though, at one of the meetings shortly after the elimination of Natsu’s guild.

Grandeeney had smiled kindly into the camera, luscious, white hair flowing around her like clouds. There had been nothing about her that screamed ‘danger’, but you couldn’t get a reputation as an assassin without knowing how to hide a body. Metalicana’s photo had been a mugshot –presumably from an undercover mission- and he looked like he was trying to make up for Grandeeney’s sweet smile. If looks could kill, then the poor I.P. officer who’d taken that photo, would’ve been six feet underground. Menacing, red eyes had stared straight out of the projected image, partnered with a mean smile that had made many of the assembled assassins take a step back. The black spikes of his hair had well passed the seven foot mark on the wall behind him, and the numerous piercings only helped his ‘run while you still can’-appearance. And lastly, there had been a flaming red headed man, who’d gone for the middle ground between ‘sweet’ and ‘downright scary’; grinning confidently to the crowd of assassins, whilst flexing one of his heavily muscled arms in the frozen image.

Now that Lucy knew The Last Dragon, it wasn’t a far stretch to link the ginger man’s grin to that of her job-partner.

There had been no pictures of his cousins, the two other junior Dragons, due to the fact that their parents had made sure to keep them out of any assassin-related news or photos. Sure, Rune Knights could try and jump a grown and experiences assassin, but children born into guilds were a different matter. Aquarius had kept Lucy away from “the public” until her first mission, when she’d turned fourteen. It was a simple safety precaution.

She’d kept up with moving her fingers through his hair, whilst pondering once again how Natsu could –after losing everything- still be Natsu. Asking him about it had always seemed too personal...poorly timed...inappropriate? Because it would inevitably bring on a surge of sadness and she didn’t want to be the one who made the happy pinkette loose his smile.

As Lucy was still thinking about that, Happy made a little noise. She looked up to the over-head compartments, to see the cat staring at the two of them with a shit-eating smile on display. Was that even biologically possible for cats?

“What?” She hissed, wary of not waking Natsu and starting another round of ‘sprints to the window’.

Happy’s smile widened, making him look like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland.

“Wha-, no I don’t-, shut up, you stupid cat.”

Still doing what Lucy interpreted as a cat-grin, Happy lazily rolled over. He was ignoring her! Arrogant cat.

 

 

Natsu’s eyes flew open, as the train slowed to a stop.

“WE’VE STOPPED MOVING!” He yelled, grabbing his backpack and Happy, and ran down the train’s corridor like it was the final meters before the end of a marathon. “WE’VE FINALLY STOPPED MOVING!”

Lucy followed, smiling sheepishly at the other passengers.

Natsu was on the platform, cartwheeling around with a wide grin on his face.

She felt a little guilty when telling him that, no this wasn’t Shirotsume Town. This was where they’d get their connecting train.

More hair-stroking, green faces and emptying of stomachs ensued.

 

 

After “WE’VE STOPPED MOVING!”-Round 2, which included Natsu hugging a lamppost, they stepped off the little station in Shirotsume Town (for real this time).

From the looks of it, it was a small and clean -by Crocus standards- town, with rows of single, brick houses and paved streets. It was around midday, so people were bustling around, street-vendors sold their wares and children ran about in the market square.

Natsu darted for the first cart with a hot-dog sign above it, ordering five with everything. Whilst the vendor watched with equal parts horror and awe, offering a napkin to the messy pinkette, Lucy asked conversationally:

“So, Duke Everlue is in charge here, right?”

“That’s right.” The man said, wiping the surface of his cart. “He’s the mayor.”

“Yeah.” An old woman behind a nearby fruits stand heckled. “The last election was twenty-seven years ago.”

Interesting.

“Because we didn’t need one!” The man said hurriedly, looking around panicked, as if thinking the man himself would jump from the nearest corner.

“The town is doing quite well for itself, isn’t it?” Lucy asked in the direction of the older woman, sensing that she’d get more information out of her.

“Pha! It’s all one big-”

“Duke Everlue takes good care of our town!” The hot-dog vendor insisted.

“Yeah.” The old woman huffed. “Or else the money laundering would be too obvious, wouldn’t it?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Sweat was forming on the man’s forehead. “I don’t even know her!” He said loudly, before quickly wheeling his cart away from them.

“Money laundering?” Lucy leaned closer to the woman. Maybe this was what their mission was about. To get a book of files on the duke’s shady business, exposing it so openly that not even the Rune Knights could protect him.

“Definitely.” The elderly woman said conspiratorially. “That guy is involved with so much fraud, you could fill a book with it!-”

Very interesting.

“-But everyone here is too chicken to talk about it!” She glared around the market place.

“Isn’t it still good for the town though?” Natsu joined them, polishing off his last hot-dog with gusto. 

“Pha! Look around, sugar! Everything sparkles outside, but inside the houses are crumbling. The duke taxes like a mad man and he got rid of our guild as soon as he stepped into power.”

She looked at the two teens –plus one cat- in front of her, scrutinizing Natsu’s bizarre outfit and the whip on Lucy’s hip. It wasn’t uncommon for people to walk around armed, even during the day -at least not in Crocus- but it might catch some eyes in a town like this.

“Have this.” She tossed them each a rosy, red apple from the pile in front of her.

Before Lucy could object, she added “For good luck.” with a knowing smile.

“And also for vitamins!” She called, after they’d thanked her. “Seriously, sugar. You keep eating like that, you’ll get a heart-attack!”

 

 

“You mean this book has nothing to do with the fraud and laundering going on here?!” Lucy exclaimed in surprise, soon after they’d sat down with their client.

Kaby Melon shook his grey haired head.

“Then, if you don’t mind my asking, why do you want it destroyed?”

Natsu shrugged. “For 200,000 jewels, who cares?”

“I cannot allow ‘Daybreak’ to exist any longer!” The man said darkly. “And also, the reward has been moved up to 2 million jewels.”

“TWO MILLION?!” Both assassins yelled in unison.

What on earth was this book that was worth 2 MILLION (!) jewels to destroy?

“Alright! For that kinda money, I’d just burn his house down! C’mon Luce!” Natsu jumped up and dragged Lucy out of Mr. Melon’s mansion, whilst the blonde reminded him of their conversation about attempted arson.

“Exactly, Luce. It won’t be attempted.”

 

 

By the time the trio reached the edge of the forest bordering the duke’s impressive mansion grounds, Lucy had managed to talk Natsu out of turning the entire building to ashes, arguing that they wouldn't be able to be 100% certain that the book was destroyed too. 

The sun was still high in the sky and neither had the time (Lucy) or the patience (Natsu) to wait until nightfall to start on Operation Daybreak. They’d have to be extra sneaky and discrete.

Natsu hadn’t been able to take his staff, since it would’ve drawn too much attention and Lucy only brought her inconspicuous set of knifes, meaning that Taurus’ axe-handle, the short rapier from Scorpio and Aries’ dagger had stayed behind in her room.

“Ready Luce?” Natsu asked, enthusiasm pouring off him in waves, as he eagerly stared at their target; the mansion. He connected a small tube from his gloves to the black wrist-guards that looked like thick bracelets on first glance. During their last mission, he’d explained that those were actually hollow and the place where he stored the necessary butane gas, which fed the flame-throwing gloves.

“Ready.”

Me-aye-ow.

 

-----

 

Ah, more foolish assassins who tried to take what was not theirs. Hadn’t he taught the last bunch not to touch his things?

Duke Everlue sat in an armchair watching the live video feed from the cameras hidden around his home. He laughed darkly, whilst one of his maids handed him a cool drink.

He’d have his fun with these imprudent children! He’d teach them the same lesson as those fools years back! He’d show the world once again that you did not mess with the great and powerful- WAS THAT A CELESTIAL KEY?

Everlue choked on his drink, sunken eyes staring at the close up of the female assassin. Specifically, her left hand. That was their key alright. He knew it all too well, because years ago, he’d received numerous, threatening letters concerning a former employee of his. All signed with different emblems, yet all containing that symbol.

He growled at the blonde on screen. Had she come to carry out those, often very descriptive, threats to his life? But why?

As soon as those letters had started arriving, he’d done his research on who those emblems belonged to. It had quickly led them to a guild he’d heard of: The Celestials of Crocus, led by the famous Layla. Too far out of his reach to squash them himself. And the local Rune Knights were too scared to do anything about them. Bunch of cowards.

But the last letters had arrived over a decade ago. Why was one of them now on his doorstep? False, not doorstep; scaling the walls of his mansion with her partner in crime and levelling open a window?! How had they gotten past the guards? Everlue flicked through the different feeds, before getting his answer in the two unconscious forms of his hired hands, lying just behind the forest’s edge.

Alright, no need to panic. He was the almighty Everlue, after all. He’d get all the answers he was after. First and foremost: what they were after.

He held a button for the intercom. “Get ready.”

 

-----

 

Why did mansions have to be so big? And so well lit? Natsu, at first, had tried to ninja his way through the endless corridors. But the fact that Lucy wasn’t playing along and that there was nowhere to hide, made it kinda pointless.

“It’s really quiet.” Lucy whispered, looking down yet another empty hallway.

“Maybe everyone’s out?” Natsu suggested. The window he’d broken open had let them into a little storage room. A locked storage room. So when no one came running, after he’d busted the door open, it was a sure bet that the owner of the mansion wasn’t home.

Perhaps this would be an easy, very well-paying mission; the universe’s way of making it up to him that he’d been on two trains today.

When they eventually found (stumbled into) the giant room that served as a library, the number of books was disheartening. There were rows upon rows of them, stacked so high in shelves that ladders were positioned around.

“How are we supposed to find one book...in this?” Natsu yelled, gesturing wildly to all the shelves around them and taking a second to take in a huge, horrendous, golden statue of a potato-shaped man.

Lucy shushed him about noise, before climbing onto one of the ladders. “We just start looking. Hopefully we’ll be in and out before the duke even realizes anyone was here-”

“Found it.”

“Sorry?”

Natsu held up a thick volume. “It’s bright yellow. And has ‘DAYBREAK’ written on it in big letters. And it was on eye-level.”

“Wow.” Lucy slid down the ladder. “That’s great.”

“Looks like this really is an easy mission.” Natsu grinned. “You hear that buddy? We’re done already!”

An enthusiastic meow came from his backpack and Happy peaked his head out.

Why did he have to jinx it?

Lucy had taken the book, examining the cover, when suddenly the ground beneath them started to shake.

“What...?” She squeaked.

“An earthquake?!” Natsu yelled.

He tried holding onto her, but as the tiles on the ground started parting, both assassins were forced to jump on opposite sides of the room. In a twisted version of hopscotch, Natsu leapt over the forming gaps to avoid falling into the darkness that opened up before him, trying his best not to let his vision blur at the movement of the floor.

A platform rose from the hole in the middle of the room, the tiles closing neatly around it, effectively ending the shaking that had made Natsu’s stomach flip.

A man, as wide as he was tall, stood on the risen platform, wearing a black suit and a toupee that Natsu guessed was supposed to pass as hair. It was the guy from the ugly statue. A moustache –or was that nose hair?- framed a mean grin, as the little man stared down at them.

“So, you intruders are after Day-”

“Luce, are you alright?” Natsu called over to the other side of the room, ignoring the man’s theatrical entrance, instead focusing on what was important here.

“I’m fine. What about you? You look a little green.” She was clutching the prized book to her chest, the same way he was holding Happy, who was giving the little man an unimpressed look.

“All good over here.” He flashed her a grin.

“HEY!” The man, Natsu assumed Everlue, shouted angrily, stomping his feet. “How dare you break into my mansion and steal my book?”

Lucy shot him a look across the room. Natsu knew what that meant. Distract him. She flipped open the cover, scanning the first pages.

Was she seriously reading the book they were supposed to destroy?! A time and a place, Luce!

“Don’t worry, dude.” He said, loud enough for the duke to look at him, turning his back on Natsu’s job-partner. “We don’t want to steal it. We’re gonna destroy it.”

“WHAT? How dare you?! Don’t you know who I am, you little, snot-nosed brat? I am the great, the magnificent, the- HEY! GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY BOOK!”

He was glaring at Lucy, who looked up from the page with a deep frown. “I think there is a secret to this book, Natsu.”

“A secret?!” Both the pinkette and the duke exclaimed.

“I’m going to read it!” She called over.

HUH?! This was really not what they’d come for!

“ENOUGH OF THIS! Hand over my book, ugly!” The duke yelled.

Ugly? Lucy? Was this guy blind? Natsu would’ve asked him that, if the little man hadn’t pulled out a remote and dramatically shouted:

“VANISHING BROTHERS!”

Two of the bookshelves parted close by him, revealing two men standing behind them. This mission was getting interesting. At the prospect of a good fight, Natsu suddenly didn’t mind that their objective had shifted from ‘destroy’ to ‘reading session’.

“I’ll buy you some time, Luce!”

“Are you sure-”

“Go, I’ll be fine.”

She returned his smile, before sprinting out the nearest door, nose already stuck between the pages.

“HEY! GET BACK HERE!” The chubby man yelled, but seeing that Lucy wouldn’t obey that command, he turned to the two men. “I’ll go after the girl. Eliminate the brat!” And with another click of the remote, his platform began moving underground again.

Something about that confident grin didn’t sit right with Natsu. He knew Lucy could take that guy in her sleep, but he’d already made the Mavis-damn floor shake, so there was no telling what other tricks he had up his sleeve.

“Happy, go help Lucy.”

His roommate looked at him.

“I’ll be fine on my own. Go on.”

Me-aye-ow. And Happy was skidding on the tiles, darting out the door to follow their blonde friend.

The two men –one with no discernable weapons, the other with a huge frying pan strapped to his back- stood in his way, glaring down at him.

“Come on then, little assassin.” One said, moving his hands in the universal sign of ‘come at me’.

Natsu let a few sparks dance across his fingers. “I’m all fired u-”

RIIIIING RIIIIING RIIIIING

His phone rang. What in Zeref’s name...?

“Sorry, could you give me a minute?” He fished for his phone in his pocket, earning himself a couple of incredulous looks from the brothers.

He hit ‘accept’ for the incoming video-call from a strange number. He was supposed to be buying Lucy time, after all.

“Natsu? Thank Mavis. Where’s Lucy?”

Multiple faces were crammed into the image. The faces of Lucy’s nakama...what...?

“Ginger- I mean, Loke?!” Natsu stared back at the other man across the line. “What are you-”

“Enough of this!” One of the brothers bellowed. “Face us and your doom!”

Really, what was it with Celestials and really poorly times activities whilst he was on a mission?! Lucy reading, them calling, could they not do this in their free time? How did they even get his number?

His surprise was cut short by him ducking beneath the frying pan.

“Listen, lion-guy. This isn’t really a good time...” He flipped back, dodging a kick from the other one.

“Natsu, this is important. Where-”

He didn’t catch the rest, as he twisted out of the way of the pan, which hit the floor so hard the tiles shattered with a cloud crack.

Alright, fighting and staying on the phone. Nothing he’d done before, but hey, what was the point of missions if not to gather new experiences?

Multi-tasking it was then.

Notes:

No points for guessing who the former employee of Everlue is. ;)

Chapter 9: The Videocall

“We might have a problem.”

Loke didn’t know how many conversations had started with that sentence in their guild. And how many of those were started by him.

He darted to the living room, where the Celestials not on a mission sat. Aquarius was being aided by Scorpio and Virgo with paperwork from the Assassin Council. Gemini sat in one of the armchairs, reading a borrowed Sherlock Holmes novel, his bad leg propped up on an ottoman. Aries looked up from her knitting.

“What kind of problem?” Aquarius asked with practiced boredom in her voice, scanning over a news report from the council. 

He stepped further into the living room, tablet in hand. “The kind Lucy is in and couldn’t technically know about and it’s kind of our fault...”

“What are you talking about?” Aquarius sounded annoyed, but Loke knew he got her attention as soon as he’d said ‘Lucy’.

“Princess is in trouble?” Virgo asked, straightening up, presumably ready to vanish and appear right by their youngest’s side, if need be.

“Well, I don’t know exactly, it’s a little weird and completely chanced and-”

“Spit it out, Loke.” Aquarius glowered.

“So, Lucy’s laptop was updating, and she wanted to view a mission Natsu had send her, so she asked to borrow my tablet and forgot to log out-”

Aquarius growled and Scorpio made subtle signs for him to hurry up.

“-after Aries and I joined, you once told us of a certain Everlue...”

Gemini’s head peaked up at this. “Everlue?!”

“Yeah. Lucy and Natsu accepted a mission that involves destroying a book from a ‘Duke Everlue, Mayor of Shirotsume Town’...this wouldn’t be the same Everlue you told us about, would it?” He asked nervously.

Aquarius cursed. “You mean the guy we threatened multiple times? I believe that’s him.”

Virgo looked up in surprise. “Threatened?”

 

It had been over a decade ago when he and Aries had just joined the guild. Layla had assembled a secret meeting, without a six-year-old Lucy and a Virgo in her late teens. To this day Loke didn’t know how Layla had managed to pull that off, without Virgo finding out about it. Perhaps she’d been sleeping, or charging, or changing her batteries, or contacting her home planet...

Layla had explained how things worked in their guild. As was tradition with the Celestials; they shared their enemies. Virgo had previously worked for an emotionally abusive asshat (her words, not his) by the name of Duke Everlue, a corrupt politician of the mentally unstable kind. Loke knew the policies on ‘personal-’ and ‘hired missions’, so he understood that they couldn’t just kill the guy. Assassins’ Rules existed for that very reason.

So, each Celestial had written a very descriptive and very threatening letter to the Everlue-guy (apparently Gemini had written whole paragraphs after he’d joined), to make sure that, if the duke should try anything, he’d know what was in store for him.

Layla had said that, if Karen Lilica were still alive, they’d do the same to her. That’s the precise moment Loke had felt at home in the guild.

As the last members to join, theirs had been the latest letters to the duke.

He’d asked if there were any more blasts-from-the-past they should be looking out for. Layla had shaken her head.

“Not really. Taurus became an assassin for the sheer heck of it; Sagittarius became friends with him and never left; Aquarius and Scorpio already destroyed that factory; Capricorn became fed up with the knights after they shut down the university he was teaching in; similar story with Cancer; Virgo, you know now; Gemini killed over a dozen Rune Knights after they picked the wrong fight;-”

Loke had looked over to the dozing man, a new respect growing for him. And wariness.

“-you said Karen is dead; and there are no ghosts from my past coming anytime soon, so we’re all good.” She’d said with a cheery smile that he saw so often on Lucy now.

Aquarius had harrumphed at that last part but hadn’t gone into further detail.

Only years later would Loke learn that there had been a lot more than ghosts out to get their first leader. But by then it had been too late.

 

“So, you’re saying Lucy has gone to the duke’s mansion, with no clue that he might hold a grudge against anyone with the Celestial name?” Scorpio stated, bringing the lion back to the present.

“Precisely.”

Aquarius cursed again –like the secret sailor she was- jumping up from the couch, phone in hand. It rang a couple of times, before Lucy’s voicemail sounded through the speaker.

“Of cause, she has her phone off during a mission! We taught her that!”

“Threatened?” Virgo asked again.

“Thousands of requests!” Aquarius started pacing the length of the room, making Loke jump out of her path. “Thousands! And they pick the one where the target has a longtime grudge against us! The ONE!”

Not quite true, Loke thought. With their guild being as successful as it was, there had to be hundreds, if not thousands, of criminals out there who hated them. But the little spark of self-preservation that he had, told him not to give voice to his thoughts, whilst a worried/angry/distressed Aquarius was in the immediate proximity.

“What about Natsu?” Aries said quietly.

“What about him?”

“He might have his phone on.”

“But we don’t have his number.” Scorpio said.

“Actually...” Loke sat down, resting the tablet on his knees. “We might have his number...”

“How?” Aquarius asked, stopping her pacing to lean over his shoulder.

“Remember when I said a joined database would be the most practical decision, so then we don’t all have to save contact information individually?”

“Not really.”

“Not surprised. But that means, if Lucy saved his number on her phone, we’ll have him in out contacts as well.”

“That works?” Scorpio.

“We have a joined database?” Aquarius.

“What’s a database?” Gemini.

Sometimes the technological knowledge of his nakama frightened Loke.

“It looks like you’re finally good for something.” Aquarius patted his shoulder.

“Aw, thanks- wait, finally?! I’ve been here eleven years!”

Aquarius made no move to correct herself and he might’ve pressed further, had it not been for the light laugh that escaped from Aries’ mouth. His pride could take a hit, just to hear that sound.

“Well, what are you waiting for, kid? An invitation?” Gemini piped up from his armchair, ruining the moment.

Loke resulted to an annoyed huff, not going to start an argument whilst Lucy was in possible danger, typing the number under ‘Natsu’ into his phone.

Luckily, Lucy had the good sense to call her contacts normal names. Glancing quickly over the collected, saved numbers from their nakama, Loke had no clue who most of them were supposed to be. ‘guy from the thing’, ‘the one with glasses’ and ‘idk’ were not very helpful.

Natsu’s phone rang on the other line. The five Celestials scootched closer to him, all trying to see the screen.

“Threatened?” Virgo tried again but was shushed as the ringing abruptly stopped.

Natsu’s face appeared on the screen, looking -understandably- confused.

“Natsu? Thank Mavis. Where’s Lucy?” Loke breathed a sigh of relief.

“Ginger- I mean, Loke?!” Natsu looked at their six faces, squished into the frame of his phone. “What are you-”

“Enough of this!” A voice off-screen yelled, making the pinkette look up. “Face us and your doom!”

Oh Mavis, they were already at the location, weren’t they?

“Listen, lion-guy. This isn’t really a good time...” Natsu started, before jumping to the side, dodging a blurred strike from his opponent. He appeared to be in a fancy library.

“Natsu, this is important.” Loke insisted. "Where is Lucy?” A crash sounded through his phone’s speaker, pieces of tiles flying around as Natsu flipped over a...frying pan (?).

“I didn’t catch that last part.” Lucy’s friend huffed. “Could you maybe call back a little later? I’m kinda busy.”

What little they could see of the action presently happening, Natsu turned 180 and flew at one of the men, one fist...on fire?! Instead of connecting with the tall man, Natsu’s hand slammed against a hastily thrown up (it really was a) frying pan. A smaller man with a semi-bold head, wielding the culinary weapon, threw him back, whilst the taller one followed through with a kick. Natsu (and the watching Celestials) rolled out of the way.

“Where is Lucy?” Aquarius yelled loud enough to catch the last Dragon’s attention, making her assembled nakama’s ears ring.

“Reading.”  Came the hasty answer, as the teen they’d collectively interrogated in the hallway, flipped back, but found his way blocked by a...was that a golden statue of a potato? With a moustache?

“She’s not with you?” Loke asked, dread rising.

“Nope. Gone to figure out some hidden message in this book we’re supposed ta destroy-” Natsu clambered onto the weird statue.

“Have you seen Duke Everlue?” Aquarius asked, again unnecessarily loud and way too close to Loke’s ears.

“Yeah. That jerk made the damn floor shake! He’s gone after Lucy and the book.” Natsu looked down onto the circular floor, the two men grinning cockily up at him.

The dread made itself a home in Loke’s stomach.

“Natsu, Lucy might be in serious trouble-”

“Is that all?” One of the men’s voices interrupted Aquarius. “You might be a Dragon, but you’re still just a little, lone assassin!” He taunted further.

“Whaddaya mean, Lucy’s in trouble?” Natsu asked them, ignoring his opponents. “She could take that guy easily.”

“Duke Everlue is not a man you want to mess with.” Virgo said, leaning further into the picture.

“He might have a grudge against her-”

“Big brother! He’s ignoring us!”

“Grudge?! We just got here- never mind, give me a second.” Natsu set down his phone, plucking a grenade from his belt with his free hand.

The six S-Class assassins could only watch as white smoke filled their screen and Natsu pulled his scarf over his mouth and nose. Surprised and enraged yells sounded from further away, before the pinkette leapt from the camera’s angle. Sounds of exchanging blows were vaguely recognizable. They all leaned back from the screen in unison, as a woosh sounded and flames covered a good part of their viewpoint.

“What the...?” Gemini started, interrupted by the noise of two bodies hitting the floor.

“Brother...tell me when the room stops spinning.”

Seconds later, Lucy’s friend was holding his phone again, his hair smoking ever so slightly and covered in a fine layer of ashes.

“I might’ve gone a little overboard.” He explained sheepishly to the questioning looks from their side. “Now...why are ya calling?”

“We saw that you’re going after Everlue and need to warn you that he might try to harm Lucy.” Aquarius explained in her business voice.

“But we just need to steal a book. Why would he go after her for that?” Natsu flexed his free hand, the one he’d hit solid Teflon with, grimacing slightly at the movement.

“Long story. We threatened the guy ages ago and he might be a little bitter.” Gemini summarized.

“Why’d ya threaten him?”

“I would like to know that as well.” Virgo said from the side.

“Again, long story. You need to make sure Lucy is alright. Please.” Aquarius added after a second.

“Of cause...But I don’t know where they are. This place is huge!” Natsu exclaimed through the phone’s speaker, sounding reasonably worried enough to Loke’s ears.

“Princess would search for a secluded, quiet place...” Virgo mused, her deep-in-though-face (discernable from her normal expression by the tiniest of creases between her brows) on display. “I believe I know where she might go. Natsu of the Dragons,” She leaned further into the frame. “do you see a golden sconce beside the door to the left of the statue?”

“A what?”

“A golden...candlestick holder? On the wall.”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“Please stand in front of it.” Virgo instructed.

“Why? Shouldn’t I try to find Luce before that Everlue-guy does?”

“Pull the left one towards you.”

“I really don’t get what this is supposed to dAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH-”

Their image suddenly dropped, accompanied by the Dragon’s screaming.

“That slide leads directly to the sewers; the logical place for Princess to head, if she took the door Natsu of the Dragons gestured to.” The maiden assassin explained calmly.

“How do you know that?” Loke asked, amazed at her precise memory from over a decade back.

“I build it.” She stated naturally. “I believe Natsu of the Dragons will quite enjoy the ride. It contains loops.”

 

-----

 

Daybreak intrigued Lucy from the moment she’d seen the author’s name on the cover. The late Kemu Zaleon was one of her all-time favorite authors.

And then she’d read the introduction. Duke Everlue was the hero of this story?! Why would a renowned author like Kemu Zaleon write an entire book praising that man? That’s when she’d looked closer at the author’s note. It was a jumbled mix of words and numbers, making no logical sense to read.

It brought up memories of Capricorn reading to her as a child. Specifically, his collection on cyphers, encryptions and secret writings, which they’d used to pass ‘secret’ messages back and forth as a game.

Leaning against the stone wall of the sewers beneath the mansion -it had been the first place she’d found which was relatively well hidden- Lucy recalled some of Capricorn’s teachings. Translating letters to numbers was one of the simplest and common ways of disguising a message. She tried it, but it made no sense:

21:04:16 = U D P

45:25:08 = ? Y H

No, these numbers had to mean something else. It had to be related to the book. The most obvious answer would be ‘page:line:word’. Her excitement grew as the first word combinations made sense. Drowning out the noise of the rushing water in front of her, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the multifunctional pocketknife from Gemini.

Whilst most of her nakama had taught her one, or multiple, forms of combat and gifted her an appropriately coherent weapon, Gemini had given her an ‘adaptable blade’, which housed (amongst other things) a set of lockpicks, a screwdriver, a tiny saw, a knife, a wire cutter and -what she was now making use of- a little pen.

Using the flyleaf as the blank sheet of paper, Lucy hastily flicked back and forth in the book, following the author’s hidden instructions.

Her excited smile faltered, as she uncovered more and more of the message left by the author. She furrowed her brows in silent rage, hatred for the duke rising from the pit of her stomach. She’d worked her way through roughly half of the given numbers, the message getting clearer and clearer the faster she translated the code. Her universe of numbers, letters and the feeling of riffling pages was disrupted by the slightest sound of stone moving on stone.

Still half entranced by Daybreak, Lucy’s head snapped around, just quick enough to see the stone wall sliding to the side directly behind her, smooth as butter. Before she could move from her cross-legged position, two arms shot out of the opening, grabbing her wrists, and twisting them behind her back. Lucy hissed a curse as her muscles protested at the unnatural movement, and that she’d gotten distracted during a mission yet again! If Aquarius ever found out about this...oh Mavis, that lecture would never end.

“So, what secrets does Daybreak hold?” The duke’s slimy voice echoed along the sewer tunnel. “Let me guess...he buried his fortune and there is a treasure map hidden inside!-”

Lucy stopped momentarily in her struggling to stare at the man over her shoulder. That’s what he thought the secret was?! Nothing to do perhaps with the...oh she didn’t know...blackmail and unrightful detainment?! 

“-You will tell me what you have found!-” Everlue twisted her arms further, eliciting another hiss from Lucy as her joints burned. He was much stronger than she’d assumed. She just needed him to step out of the opening a little further...

“-I commissioned this book, therefore any secrets it holds rightfully belong to me!-”

Lucy’s right hand was still clutching Gemini’s pocketknife. She slowly tucked in the pen, feeling along the side for the little knife.

“-So, tell me, or I will snap your arm like a toothpick!” He pushed her further away from the wall.

The blonde was ready with a come-back, managing to look over her shoulder at the duke. But the words died on her tongue, when she saw the door sliding closed, near soundlessly. In the exact same way that one of the entrances to a secret passage in their gym did. This could only mean...no! No more distractions! One thing after the other. Break grip first, then inspect the hidden door!

In a move she’d practiced since she could walk, Lucy hooked one of her legs around the duke’s, preventing him from lifting her off the ground.

He cursed and before either he or Lucy could plan another move, something small, blue and furry flew at the duke’s face. The man howled as Happy left little, red scratch marks down his cheek, before jumping off to the side. This was enough for Lucy though.

Everlue’s grip loosened just enough for her to turn her wrist, grazing his own with the pocketknife and earning an enraged yell of pain from her attacker. He’d barely let go of her right arm, when Lucy was already slamming her elbow between his ribs, finally gaining enough room to turn and Lucy-kick the creep away from her, earning the release of her left arm in the process.

The duke crashed onto the hard ground several meters away and Lucy felt safe enough to roll her arms about, relaxing the previously strained muscles in them.

“Thank you so much, Happy!” She grinned over at the little feline, who meowed back proudly and promptly jumped into...the sewer water.

“Happy no!” Lucy groaned, as Natsu’s roommate started paddling around happily in the murky stream. She did not envy the pinkette, when Happy’s next bath-time rolled around.

“YOU DAMN CELESTIALS!” Everlue bellowed angrily, getting back on his feet.

Lucy tightened her grip on her whip, daring him to step too close.

“I know these types of passages!” She shouted back, gesturing to the invisible door in the stone wall. “Those were built by Virgo, weren’t they?”

It was the only explanation she could come up with. The platform should’ve tipped her off, but now seeing another one of Virgo’s architectural masterpieces, it was clear as day.

The duke sneered. “That ugly girl used to work here, until I couldn’t stand the sight of her anymore.”

Lucy stared at the man. Virgo? Ugly?! Was he blind or something? He was just giving her more and more reasons to hate him, wasn’t he?

“What did you mean with ‘you Celestials’?” She demanded, trailing the duke’s movements carefully. Because if she knew anything about Virgo, then she knew there were a lot more passages around here than the one she’d already seen.

“Don’t play dumb with me, you little-” A circular part of the stone ceiling behind the duke rolled open. Lucy tensed, prepared for more guards or any other trick that sleezy creep had prepared. What she didn’t expect, was the distant screaming that grew louder and louder, echoing out of the opening.

“What the-?”

A blurred Natsu crashed onto the ground, abruptly ending the screaming, holding his phone up with one arm to save it from the fall.

“Natsu?” Lucy asked confused.

The assassin in question groaned, before bolting up and lunging for the edge of the stone floor and proceeded to empty his stomach of the five hotdogs -plus one apple- into the sewer water, luckily downstream from Happy.

“A-Are you alright?” She questioned carefully, after the disgusting noises had stopped.

He groaned again, weakly holding up his phone.

“Lucy?! Thank Mavis, you’re alright!”

“Aquarius?!” Lucy stared past the duke, at the lit-up screen in Natsu’s hand. Why did they call him? HOW did they call him? And did Aquarius just express genuine worry?! What was happening here?

“Is this your new plan? When I sneak out, you call Natsu?!” Lucy accused her six nakama over Natsu’s phone.

“No -well, maybe- but that’s not the point!” Lucy could see Loke pushing his face closer to the camera. “Stay away from Duke Everlue, Lucy. There is some history-” He trailed off, as he saw Lucy’s apologetic smile.

“What?”

Natsu turned the phone slightly further to his left, so that they saw the oval form of Everlue, standing between himself and Lucy.

“Well...shoot.” Gemini huffed from the other line.

The duke in question had regained his cocky grin, building himself up to his full -not exactly intimidating- height.

“Oh, this is just perfect. Just perfect, indeed.”

Lucy was lost. She looked from the queasy pinkette, to his phone, then to the duke and back to the phone, which Aquarius had wrestled away from Loke and was glaring through the camera at Everlue.

“Stay away from her! She had nothing to do with those letters!”

Letters?!

“These two brats broke into my mansion and are trying to destroy my book! Rest assured that every Rune Knight will be on my side, no matter the outcome of this!” He shot back at Aquarius. Had their bluenette leader been there in person, he would’ve been begging for mercy already.

Lucy looked over at Natsu, who’d managed to prop himself up on his knees, still looking a little pale from...however he’d gotten down here. She raised an eyebrow in question to him and he shrugged.

“I dunno, Luce. Something about threatening potato-guy over there. Don’t know why.”

A lightbulb went off in Lucy’s head. This made sense now. Celestials were known for their threats and that they carried them out if needed. So, if Virgo used to work here, and Everlue would’ve tried to use their past to gain advantages from her...of cause her nakama would’ve put preventions in place against that. Hold on, why hadn’t she gotten to write a threat too?

“-you criminals have picked the wrong man to mess with!” Everlue proclaimed confidently, slowly drawing out the remote control from his suit’s pocket. “But since I’m such a nice person, I might send you her marked hand...to remember her by.”

Lucy’s focus snapped back to the present, as she levelled Everlue’s glare with one of her own. She’d be damned before she’d let herself get taken out by that little gremlin.

“Why, you little-” Gemini started. Everlue pushed one of the buttons.

“Princess, duck!” Virgo screamed, panic in her usually monotone voice.

Lucy threw herself onto the ground, just as one of the stones in the wall shot out at her, grazing her blonde locks on her way down. She quickly rolled underneath the extended piece of rock, still attached to the wall. It looked like the wall had tried to punch her.

“Really, Virgo? Traps?” Lucy asked in a lighthearted tone, trying to soothe the panic she knew the pinkette would be feeling. “Good thing I haven’t found those at home yet.”

Before anyone could retort, the duke pressed another button. The tiniest of sound prevented Lucy from being squished beneath another boulder, pure reflexes guiding her jump to the side.

Alright, this was getting serious.

“Okay, that’s it!” Lucy and the duke glanced to Natsu, who stood back on his feet, looking about 110% done with their mission. “I’ve been on two trains today, experienced an earthquake, went down a Mavis-damn slide AND FOR SOME REASON my cat is swimming in sewer water! This day is not ending with my friend being squashed by a rock!” He turned his phone towards him. “We’ll call you back when this is over.” And disconnected the call, with the barest sounds of protest managing to come out of the speakers.

Despite the situation they were in, Lucy smiled at Natsu’s words. Somehow that little speech had raised her confidence tenfold, reassuring her that they would get out of this mess. Without killing the duke. Assassin’s Rules and all.

“Then you had better not mess this up, right Natsu?” Lucy called over, levelling herself into her ready-to-spring-position, smiling as she could practically feel her knives humming in anticipation. Daybreak was safely tucked into the back of her belt, half of Kemu Zaleon’s message written on the blank page.

“Hah! Right back gotcha, Luce.” He got into a solid stance; fingers ready to push the igniter in his gloves.

Duke Everlue looked from one to the other, carefully contemplating his next move, Lucy could see it in his beady, little eyes, thumb hovering over a series of buttons on the remote.

Notes:

Alright, first Celestial-backstory done! It's not very specific, but I hope you get the picture of where Virgo was before joining Layla and the others. I suppose, I could've been more detailed with her past, but I couldn't get myself to write someone being so mean to Virgo this early on. But I thought I'd start with her backstory, because she seems to be a lot of people's favorite character... And with "a lot of" I mean two people from the comments and myself...
More backstories were hinted at and most of them will get further explanation, if not their own chapters.

PS: No, I don't know how databases work. I'm Gemini in this context.
Also, if anyone is interested, the way Lucy broke Everlue's grip is a converted version of "Women self defense - How to escape a grab from behind" by Master Wong on YouTube. So minus the knife and the blue cat.

Chapter 10: The Secrets of Kemu Zaleon

“Did he hang up on us?!”

Scorpio ignored Loke’s indignant yell at his dark phone screen, instead focusing on his girlfriend’s own coping mechanism when worried. Aquarius had gone back to pacing the length of the living room, muttering curses underneath her breath, whilst glaring murder at the hardwood floor.

Scorpio could’ve started rationalizing the events to his nakama right then, but stayed quiet, knowing exactly what would have to come first...

“Is there a way for us to get there, like right now?” Aquarius’ head snapped to the five of them, blue hair whipping the air in the sharp movement.

...the impossible question. It would always be asked by someone if they sensed the immediate danger to one of their own. And if -like in this case- the danger and their nakama were a long distance off, the question would always be followed by...

“I could drive!”

...Virgo’s enthusiastic offer of driving them there. Also known as the near-death-experience with multiple heart attacks due to her break-neck-speed, whilst praying to every god in existence that you might survive the next curb.

Loke visibly paled at the mention of Virgo’s unlicensed (because no county in their right mind would’ve given her driving abilities a legal pass!) operation of a vehicle. Which would, of cause, lead to...

“I don’t think that is necessary, Virgo dear.-”

...the polite decline of Virgo’s offer, this time said by her elderly partner.

Now would usually be the time where either Capricorn, Cancer, Aquarius or himself, would calm everyone down. But since the first two weren’t present and Aquarius herself was indulging in a rare display of worry, it should be up to him.

But to his surprise, Gemini -usually on the more [over-]protective side of the spectrum- carried on:

“-Let’s be reasonable here.” (A stolen catchphrase from Capricorn.) “Everlue is only one person. Lucy is a very talented assassin, who has yet to fail on a mission and Natsu is a Dragon, who obviously cares about her. They will be fine.”

Aries nodded her silent confirmation from her seat, too shy to give such speeches of her own, but she usually agreed with the saner portion of their guild. Unlike her partner, who was frowning with displeasure at their predicament.

Even Virgo pouted a little (you could tell by the slightest down tilt of the corner of her lips) but more so that she wouldn’t have the opportunity to cause 100s of 1000s of jewels in damages from their road trip (it was like she took hitting every mailbox on their way as a personal challenge!). Yet there was something else swimming in her blue eyes. Something she was trying to disguise. Alongside the worry they were all feeling, Scorpio detected the smallest sliver of guilt that the pink-haired assassin couldn’t hide; most likely the reason Gemini had given them a Capricorn-worthy talk in the first place.

Those pillars that had missed Lucy by a hair’s breadth, those were of her own creation. If they were the reason for any injuries on Lucy’s behalf... Scorpio knew Virgo would freak out. And that was something no one wanted to see.

So, the scorpion-themed assassin reached out a hand and lazily ruffled the short strands of pink hair. Virgo let out a surprised squeak -a sound too cute for this world- and batted his hand away.

“Don’t stress about it.” He gave her a well-practiced, confident grin, whilst Virgo repositioned her ruffled headband, giving him the full force of her stink-eye. “You forget Lucy was raised by Loke, Aquarius and Taurus. She’s too stubborn to be squashed by a rock. The stone would probably break on impact, but not her.”

Gemini shot him a thankful look. He could see Virgo contemplating his words for a moment, perhaps coming up with arguments for why she deserved punishment. But then something else popped up in her head. She remembered what the phone call had been about.

“I still request an explanation of why you threatened Mas- Duke Everlue.” She said, formality back in place.

Scorpio watched his partner’s head snap back up, stopping on her way of pacing a whole in the floor. Here was something she could do. Something to distract all of them.

“Well...” She fell back onto the couch between himself and the stoic pinkette. “...It started shortly after you joined...”

 

-----

 

Natsu watched the duke’s finger carefully as they glid over the remote, prepared to bring down the entire ceiling on them, he was sure. His gut had been right when it told him that this guy had tricks up his sleeve and, judging by the little claw marks down his cheeks, he’d also been correct to send Happy after her. That reminded him, he’d have to give him an extra fish for that later on...

And, evidenced by the bleeding wrist holding the deadly remote, Lucy had gotten in a few hits of her own. Thinking of... Natsu met the blonde’s brief glance across the tunnel.

She gestured to her whip, then looked into the air. That could work. He raised one eyebrow, patting his grenade-belt gently, glanced to the ground. She smiled, gave a brief nod. She’d start this off and wait for his signal.

Both teens looked back to the duke, the plan they’d formed in a split-second ready to go, Natsu smiling confidently and Lucy as business-like as always when facing an opponent. He could see it in the focused look in her eyes. She wouldn’t take any of the previous events into account. Lucy wouldn’t think about her nakama, she’d ignore the fact that Everlue had threatened her personally -although it sure as hell motivated Natsu.

Lucy snapped her whip, not to hurt the duke, just to grab his attention with the loud sound. It worked. Everlue, thinking she was attacking, pressed a button. Another pillar shot out of the ceiling, smashing into the horizontal one from his first attack.

Dust and debris clouded Natsu’s vision as he reached for a grenade. He hissed quietly when the fingers of his right hand made contact with the cool metal. Yup, those were definitely bruised. Stupid frying pan.

“Look.” Lucy’s calm voice came from somewhere in the dust cloud. “I know the whole story now. This horrible adventure novel is about a trashy, little character named Duke Everlue!” She taunted further.

Natsu stayed focused, trying to reach the wanted grenade with his uninjured, left hand.

“I wouldn’t call the mighty protagonist trashy!” Everlue shot back, sending more boulders shooting out of the walls. Natsu finally managed to dislodge the pin in the weapon with the white label. He let it roll slowly towards the duke, a silent hiss following its movement.

“I can’t believe your arrogance!” Natsu let go of a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding at the sound of Lucy’s voice. “You forced him to write this!”

“What’s the big deal? Any author should count themselves lucky to have me as their mu- hey! What is this?!”

The duke had finally noticed the white smoke slowly escaping from Natsu’s grenade. Nothing explosive and it was too heavy to take up the entire room, but this was only step 1 in their plan. Unfortunately, this also brought the attention of the duke back to Natsu.

The pinkette yelped, as a pillar of stone slammed down, grazing the skin on his arm as he jumped to the side.

“But that Zaleon-fellow had the nerve to say no!” Everlue went on, a sneer on his round face. “So, I gave him some inspiration in the form of an ultimatum; write the novel or I’d let his family feel my wrath.”

Something tightened in Natsu’s chest.

“You threatened his family?!” He yelled angrily, earning himself another pillar that shot up from the ground in front of him. He stumbled, landing on his back. Only thanks to the warning shout from Lucy, did he roll out of the way of a second boulder, crashing down beside his head.

“But that’s not everything, is it?” Lucy’s voice called out again, distracting the duke long enough for Natsu to jump back on his feet and roll another smoke bomb towards the middle ground between himself and Lucy; right where the duke stood.

The prompt was enough to catch the narcissist’s attention.

“No.” He cackled, coughing a little as the smoke that wafted up to his chest found its way into his lungs. “I didn’t like his attitude, so I thought he’d stay best focused on the novel in a cell! It is amazing how quickly someone will swallow their pride, when you make just the smallest of threats. It is truly hilarious!”

Natsu saw red.

This man... this man had kept that novelist away from his family for years... holding their safety over his head... keeping that dread and uncertainty going... and he found it funny?

He wished he had his staff, just so he could have something that stopped his fingers from digging into the material of his gloves, squeezing the tubes and metal coverings beneath to the brink of breaking them.

Whatever he was thinking must’ve shown on his face, because Lucy’s gaze caught his own across their battlefield, half covered by piles of rubble where pillars had crashed onto other pillars. She slowly shook her head. He knew, he knew.

Assassin’s Rules stated clearly that a target could not be killed, if not necessary. As much as he loathed it, Everlue hadn’t murdered anyone himself, he wasn’t trafficking humans, nor extorted them. No, all they could get him for was level 100 corruption and that was no crime to end someone’s life for.

Natsu was not a bloodthirsty person, not by any stretch of the imagination, yet he hated the fact that, no matter what secrets Lucy had uncovered in that book, the I.P. wouldn’t be able to do squat to Everlue. He was too powerful, too well connected, too buddy-buddy with the Rune Knights... it was frustrating.

He gave her a forced smile, not to show that he agreed, but just to show her that he understood.

And then Duke Everlue made his fatal mistake; he kept running his mouth.

“But perhaps I should’ve made an example of them... well, it’s never too late.” He mused. “I’m assuming that one of Zaleon’s offspring contacted you criminals... the Rune Knights would need no further evidence to convict them. They’d lose their citizenship at the very least. Or perhaps they’ll end like those assassins all those years back... so many options!”

A clear, unmistakable threat to the client’s life.

Natsu didn’t know which section in the Assassin’s Rulebook stated it, but that was one of the sanctioned reasons to fulfill the name of ‘assassin’. Lucy did know which part of the book that passage was in -heck, she knew the whole thing off by heart- and once again, brown eyes met his onyx ones across the tunnel.

He nodded glumly. She nodded back, gesturing to the smoke, to her whip and then pointed subtly to her upper thigh, where she’d strapped the scissor-knife under her skirt. Natsu understood. Same plan, different ending.

Everlue didn’t notice the change in atmosphere from his two opponents, too busy dreaming up ways of tormenting Zaleon’s predecessors for generations to come. He still felt safe, Natsu realized. The duke didn’t know that he’d just given them justified cause to end his life. He might as well have started digging his own grave.

Natsu gave the signal. The tiniest of spark from his glove was enough to set fire to the white -flammable- smoke, dispersed so perfectly around the duke by his grenades.

Everlue saw the wall of flame speeding towards him, his eyes widening marginally. The fire would eat away the smoke almost instantaneously, and it was barely hot enough to singe the duke’s suit. But he didn’t know that.

And just like they’d predicted, the little man pressed a button, a slab of stone beneath his feet jumping up just enough to send the duke flying over the smoke. At Natsu. Another variable they got right.

Natsu didn’t bother moving out of the way, even as the round man came barreling closer at him. Because Lucy’s whip was already flying after Everlue, its snake-like movements a black blur, as it curled around the duke’s waist mid-air. To counter his falling momentum, Natsu jumped up, kicking Everlue, at the same time Lucy tugged on her whip.

The duke let out a partially surprised and pained grunt, as they were forced back in Lucy’s direction. The blonde was already moving, meeting them in the air, Cancer’s knife in one hand. It might look like a pair of scissors, but the weapon was actually two razor-sharp halves of a blade.

Just as gravity was taking its hold and the three of them began falling back down, did Lucy draw back the dagger. Natsu’s hand found hers and helped her in the movement. Everlue let out a gasp, his eyes going wide and then rolling back into his head, as both assassins pushed the blade between his fourth and fifth ribs. Shared mission, shared credit, shared responsibility.

Everlue’s body slumped to the ground with a soft thud, blood already starting to leak onto the stone floor beneath him.

 

-----

 

“So, you see, Mr. Melon,” Lucy continued, handing the man the book. “Your father explained everything in his last novel. In fact, the word ‘Daybreak’ can be detangled to spell ‘Dear Kaby’...” She trailed off, watching their client smile at the novel, more specifically, the translated message, with watery eyes. That he was the son of the famous author had become evident quite quickly after she’d finished the decoding.

“I-thank you.” He breathed. “Now I finally have some peace of mind.”

Lucy returned his smile. After everything his father had been through, he deserved that peace. Even if it caused a whole lot of sleepless nights for other people. The I.P. was probably already swarming Everlue’s mansion by then, after they’d called. They would be up to their eyes in paperwork, in investigating how far and deep the roots of Everlue’s corruption had spread over the years.

“Now, the matter of your payment...” Lucy was snapped out of her thoughts of trucks piled high with files by their client. Before she could respond, Natsu, who’d been strangely quiet said:

“Don’t worry about it.”

Lucy and Mr. Melon both blinked.

“A-Are you sure, because-” The man started.

“Yeah. When the mission went up to two million jewels, the objective changed from ‘steal’ to ‘destroy’. We did not do that. Therefore, it would bring dishonor to our guilds’ names if we accepted your money.”

Lucy narrowed her sharp eyes at Natsu’s smile. It didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“I-If you’re sure...” The older man stammered.

“Of cause. It wouldn’t be right to accept.” Lucy agreed, because Natsu was right. “It has been a pleasure working with you, Mr. Melon. We’ll see ourselves out.” She was sure the man wanted to read through his father’s last message to him in peace, instead of entertaining the two of them any longer. And they had a train to catch. Also, the I.P. would probably come soon, as they’d told them that a certain novel with the name of ‘Daybreak’ might serve as a vital piece of evidence in proving the duke’s crimes.

They walked down the empty hallway in silence. Finally, Lucy turned to her job-partner and asked conversationally:

“So, what gave it away to you?”

Natsu gave a distracted ‘hm?’.

“That this isn’t Kaby Melon’s house?”

“Oh, the pictures over the fireplace. It was a different family. He must’ve borrowed this place from a friend. You?”

“His suit was borrowed too. Too big for him. Figured he was trying to make the impression of someone who has two million to spend on retrieving one book.” Which he certainly didn’t.

Natsu made another, half-hearted ‘hm’-sound, his eyes looking ahead as they walked down the long driveway, yet his thoughts were far away. Lucy didn’t try to start another conversation, giving him time to think through whatever it was that occupied his mind.

They only stopped briefly on their way to the train station, to dump Happy into the fountain in the town’s square, trying to get the smell of... whatever the sewer contained, out of his fur. There was already a heavy I.P. presence in the town, along with Rune Knights. The two assassins stayed out of their way, walking calmly to the waiting train, not engaging with officers nor knights. The bureaucratic battle was not their part of the job, but the police’s. And the head of each guild’s, to Aquarius’ endless frustration.

Natsu barely registered that they’d stepped onto the train. Only as it moved forwards, did he break out of his silent trance and made a face at his revolting stomach. Had he not emptied it into the sewers, he would’ve most likely been hanging out the window again. He managed to raise a pleading eyebrow at Lucy as the train took a sharp left-turn and the blonde had barely pushed aside her whip, when Natsu was already flopping back down beside her, resting his head on her lap again.

“Hey, what happened to your hand?” Lucy exclaimed, seeing that Natsu’s ring- and middle finger on his right hand had started going a shade of purple-y blue.

“Hm? Oh, frying pan-guy.” Was all the explanation he offered.

Lucy huffed. Damn Assassin’s Pride. Sure, she had some scrapes and bruises as well, but nothing that serious! She managed to reach Natsu’s backpack from her sitting position and fished out the medical tape form his well-used first aid kit.

Natsu hissed quietly as she gently pulled his right hand up and taped the two injured digits together.

“Don’t be such a baby.” She teased. “This wouldn’t have happened, if you’d been more careful.”

There was no whiny or comically outraged response from the pinkette. The silence worried Lucy much more than the bruising.

“Hey, Natsu?” She carefully finished taping his fingers. “Are you... alright?” She hoped he knew she didn’t mean the motion sickness, not even his injury.

“Of cause, Luce.” His numb voice didn’t sound like he believed it himself. “Thanks.”

Lucy ran her fingers through the pink spikes again. She could feel how tense Natsu was and although his breathing started evening out, he didn’t doze off like on the train ride here.

Perhaps this was him working through taking a life. Some assassins took it harder than others. Lucy felt no remorse or bone-crushing guilt the way civilian authors sometimes romanticized an assassin’s way of life. This was her job. And she took pride in doing it well. And she wouldn’t lose any sleep over the duke no longer being on this earth.

She remembered the old fruit-seller who’d gifted them the apples. The woman had known -or at least guessed at- the reason they’d come to Shirotsume Town. Lucy would bet that she would be pleased at the news that her town was now rid off the tyrant. Maybe they could reestablish their guild and start to truly prosper.

But as she watched the low sun over the passing countryside, Lucy poked holes in her own theory. Natsu had looked ready to end the duke the second he’d threatened Zaleon’s family. Maybe the aftermath was different for him...

The blonde looked up at Happy with a questioning gaze. The feline knew Natsu the longest after all. Happy just gave a sad ‘meow’ as he looked at Natsu. It didn’t answer Lucy’s silent question.

Or maybe it had just been the prospect of more train rides that had gotten to her job-partner. But Happy’s worried glances at his roommate made her doubt that even more than her previous theory.

 

 

Natsu stayed quiet during the entire ride back home. He didn’t even do his little happy-dances as the train slowed to a stop, he just let out a relieved sigh.

Alright, something was definitely wrong.

“Are you sure you’re... alright?” Lucy asked again lamely, trying to find a way to formulate her worry into words.

“Duh, Luce. Why ya asking?” Natsu grinned at her as they stepped out of the train. It looked like the time when he’d ran out of her guild, right after their -technically- first -unofficial- mission with Eisenwald. Completely fake.

Lucy was about to tell him why she kept asking, when-

“Princess. Natsu of the Dragons.”

“Hey, kiddos.”

Both teens whirled around on the reasonably deserted platform. Lucy wasn’t at all surprised to see Virgo and Gemini standing in front of them. Neither was she surprised at the fact that the elderly man with a walking stick and the woman with bright pink hair had managed to sneak up on them.

“Hi guys.” The blonde greeted her nakama. “What are you doing here?” She’d send a message to the Celestial group chat as soon as they’d stepped back on the train. They knew she was fine.

“Checking if you are injured.” Virgo stated, summoning a roll of bandages to appear in her hand.

“I should get goin’.” Natsu said quietly, turning to exit the station.

“Oh no. That goes for you too, Natsu.” Gemini smiled at the teen. “You’re Lucy’s job-partner, after all.”

“Yeah, but Luce already fixed my-”

“Nonsense.” The blonde watched with some amusement as Virgo grabbed a startled Natsu by the arm and dragged them both to one of the empty benches along the rails.

He shot her a help-seeking look, but she just shrugged. “Don’t fight it. If you thought Sagittarius was hard to shake, these two are impossible. They once tracked their target to a hidden bunker beneath a mountain. There is no escape.” She sighed dramatically.

“We’ll take that as a compliment.” Gemini smirked right back as his partner procured a can of disinfectant spray out of... only Mavis knew.

“I apologize for the traps beneath Duke Everlue’s manor.” Virgo said suddenly, whilst spraying the raw skin on Natsu’s arm from where a boulder had grazed him. “I should have disabled them when I left.”

“You couldn’t have known that I would one day stumble into the mansion.” Lucy quickly amended. “And in the end, they helped us bring him down.” The duke had used one to fly right into their trap after all.

“Is he...” Virgo started, turning her attention to Lucy’s forearm, where Everlue’s grip had left bruises.

“Threatened our client.” Lucy answered.

“Good.” Virgo said, looking a little relieved.

Gemini nodded his agreement. “The world is a better place for it.”

Lucy watched her job-partner carefully at that statement. He looked like he fully agreed with her nakama. So, he wasn’t guilt ridden by their actions beneath the duke’s mansion. Why then-

“So, was it your turn to follow Luce?” Natsu asked in an attempt to get Lucy’s focused attention off him, all too aware of her analytical assessment.

Gemini chuckled. “Technically, yes. But- why hello there.” He bent down to pick up Happy, who’d been scratching at his cane curiously, rubbing him between the ears. “Such a cute cat. We couldn’t exactly hop on the train with you guys.-”

Lie. Lucy knew that Virgo -ruler of all the sneakiness in every universe- and Gemini -master of disguises and trickery- could’ve easily been in the same compartment as them, and they wouldn’t have realized it. This either meant that they wanted to give them privacy on their first, big mission... or that Virgo didn’t want to leave her preparations for the full-guild-dinner in the hands of someone less capable than her (aka. everyone else).

“-So, we decided to greet you here. Virgo wanted to check your injuries, but also...”

“What also?” Lucy asked, thanking Virgo after she tucked in the last of the bandages around her wrist.

“We wanted to warn you about-”

“There you are!” A new, but familiar, voice called, shortly followed by Loke’s head poking around one of the pillars as he came marching towards them.

“-about the kid.” Gemini huffed. “He’s a little upset, because-”

“You hung up on me!” Loke accused, coming to a stop in front of Natsu.

The pinkette blinked. “Huh?”

“Under Everlue’s mansion? You hung up!”

“So?”

“What do you mean, ‘so?’?! We could’ve tried talking him down! So that he wouldn’t have tried bringing the ceiling down on you two! Or distracted him or-”

Gemini chuckled obnoxiously, catching the ginger’s attention.

“Oh please. As if you could ever talk someone down, Kid.” The old man challenged, smirking as Loke’s eyes narrowed at the name. “All you would’ve managed to do is to rile him up further.”

Loke had the galls to look offended. “I could’ve totally calmed him down, you geezer! And anyway...”

Lucy would’ve happily continued watching Loke vs. Gemini: Round x^Y, if not for the sad look in Natsu’s eyes. He looked like he wanted to curl up into a ball, much like Happy, who was still on Gemini’s lap.

Alright, this called for an intervention.

Lucy caught his gaze and motioned with her head for them to get out of there. Natsu gave a relieved nod, before discretely grabbing his backpack.

Loke and Gemini were still arguing full force over the fine line between ‘reaction’ and ‘overreaction’, as the two teens slowly backed away from the bench.

“See you at dinner.” Lucy called quietly to Virgo, who waved them off before returning to the verbal sparring-match, which had garnered the attention of the few people waiting around at the station. Happy jumped off Gemini’s lap and followed them.

“Don’t mind Loke.” Lucy smiled as they left the platform, heading further into the streets of Crocus. “That’s just how he shows worry and that he’s happy we are alright.”

Another uncharacteristically lifeless ‘hm’ was all she got from her friend. Lucy exchanged a glance with Happy. The feline seemed to agree with her that something had to be done. So, without hesitation, Lucy grabbed Natsu’s arm and started walking towards the tallest building she could spot.

Time to get to the bottom of this.

Notes:

I figured, since this is an Assassins AU, and so far there has only been one active death in this story, it was about time that someone else was un-alived. And since neither the anime, nor I, gave Everlue any redeemable qualities, it should come as no surprise that he was the next target. And this time I would not be a coward and do it off screen!
Anyway, bear with me, as in the next chapter, I attempt to write emotions...I promise nothing.

Chapter 11: Memories of Dragons

Instead of going in the direction of either Natsu’s apartment or her guild, Lucy led them towards the tall apartment complex she spotted right by the station.

“Hey, Luce. What are ya doing?” The surprised assassin asked as he was forced to keep pace with the blonde.

“Don’t ask, just climb.” Lucy ordered, pointing at the pipe that ran vertically down the building.

She didn’t wait for a retort, jumping at the pipe and started shimmying her way up, using available windowsills as a boost.

Below her, Natsu muttered something that definitely included the word ‘weirdo’, but she heard the pipe gave a small creak as his own weight was added, following her up.

Lucy heaved herself over the edge, landing on the flat roof of the building. From up there, she could just barely make out the outline of the palace in the far distance, starkly contrasted by the sunset behind it. Everything had an almost -dare she say it?- peaceful and beautiful appearance; two things the real Crocus was not.

Natsu’s heavy boots landed on the roof beside her and before he could question what they were doing there, she’d grabbed his hand again and led him to the pieces of metal that barely classified as a safe railing. She sat down onto the border around the roof, facing the disappearing sun, using the railing as an armrest. Lucy gestured for Natsu to sit down beside her.

“Didn’t know you were a sucker for sunsets, Luce.” He commented, letting Happy jump onto his lap.

Lucy didn’t respond, instead keeping her eyes on the pinkette.

“Want to tell me what’s wrong?” She asked carefully with a gentle smile.

Natsu didn’t meet her warm gaze, looking into the display of red, pink and orange before them.

“Nothing’s wrong.” He mumbled, scratching Happy’s fur.

Now there was an obvious lie.

“Natsu, I can tell something is bothering you. You don’t have to tell me, but maybe I can help.”

“It’s nothing you can help me with, Luce.”

The Celestial deflated a little. She’d hoped she and Natsu had grown close enough to confide in each other when something was amiss. Perhaps she’d misjudged.

“It’s what that Everlue-guy said...” Natsu said to her surprise, still staring into the sunset.

Everlue? That disgusting man had pushed multiple of her buttons as well, but Lucy didn’t know what he could’ve specifically said for Natsu to still ponder on.

“What did he say?” She questioned.

“It’s not exactly what he said, just...” He trailed off, trying to find the right words.

Lucy waited patiently, until Natsu clutched his fists and burst out:

“It’s the way he talked about what he’d do to Kemu’s family! He blackmailed the guy by threatening who was closest to him... He toyed with the idea of destroying their lives!” He took a deep breath, burying half of his face in his scarf as he went on. “Families are like guilds...and he threatened to get the Rune Knights involved...so he would’ve destroyed their guild... I mean, don’t those people understand how important family and guilds are? That they mean everything to someone?”

It finally clicked in Lucy’s head what was eating away at Natsu. His guild had been eliminated by the Knights five years ago. And today they’d fought a man who’d threatened to cause the same fate to someone else, just to get his way.

“I just keep thinking...” Natsu continued quietly. “My family might’ve been...k-killed because someone like Everlue felt like it that day and let the Knights to their dirty work. All for something as pointless as a novel!”

Lucy moved closer to the Dragon, putting one arm around his shoulders. “I’m sorry, Natsu, I didn’t mean to probe.”

“It’s alright Luce.” He said softly.

They sat like that for a few minutes, both watching the sun grow slimmer and slimmer in the horizon, neither saying a word.

 

-----

 

“They were the best, ya know.” Natsu decided to break the silence, doing something he hadn’t in five years; talking about his guild with someone who wasn’t Happy.

He kept staring into the setting sun but saw Lucy’s head peak with attentiveness from the corner of his eyes.

“The Dragons?” She asked carefully.

Natsu nodded, slowly cracking open that forbidden box in the back of his mind.

“My little cousin...her name w-was Wendy...all she ever wanted was to fly. To fly like a bird. She once tried to build her own pair of wings, shortly followed by a kite. Both times she sprained something. But both times she told us proudly how long she’d managed to stay in the air for...” Natsu chuckled a little at the excited, little girl who’d popped up in his head.

“She sounds like a little dare-devil.” Lucy’s gentle voice said from his side. It was enough to raise Natsu’s confidence to carry on.

“She was an angel compared to me and my older cousin Gajeel. Oh Mavis, we got into so much trouble together...-” He felt his throat closing up with unshed tears, but still found a small smile on his face from the happy memories that came before all the horror and pain that had caused his life to flip upside down.

“-And when we’d return h-home, bruised and bleeding half the time, Gajeel would always come up with the most ridiculous excuse. Like: we thought having a race against a stray Pitbull sounded like fun. But he’d say it so straight-faced that our dads never knew if he was kidding or not. Heck, most of the time he wasn’t, but they still thought he was making that stuff up. If that was the case, we wouldn’t even get into trouble.-”

In what felt like a show of support, Lucy leaned further into his side. He slung one arm around her waist, resting his head on top of hers as he continued his story.

“-Dad and Metalicana weren’t much better though. Whenever Gajeel or I planned something ‘big’, they were more than happy to help us, if it involved getting one over on the other. Like, one time, dad helped me make the mix for my very first pepper-grenade, but he insisted we put some in Metalicana’s coffee...as a ‘trial run’. Gajeel’s dad was so mad, he built a glitter-bomb with him and put it in dad’s car...he was trailing glitter particles for a week!”

He felt Lucy’s chest move with light laughter.

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me at all.”

“Yeah. Grandeeney, Wendy’s mom, she always used to say that she was the only mature adult in the house. She was a medic and Wendy wanted to be just like her. She used to practice on me and Gajeel...her gummy-bear-tincture against the flu was something else, I’ll tell ya...”

Natsu’s smile faltered as the box in his mind revealed the next set of memories...none of them pleasant.

He couldn’t vocalize all those images; the explosion...the bullets flying about...his father’s screams...

But he didn’t have to.

He felt Lucy nod slowly, taking the pressure off explaining what had happened next and letting him push those memories back down.

Despite not sharing them with his friend, Natsu felt a strange sort of weight lifting off his chest. Talking to someone about his family, making sure their memory lived on in another person; it felt good. No matter what happened to him, there was now someone who’d from time to time think about the five Dragons that hadn’t made it out of the guild. It felt like reassurance.

“That’s why I ran out of your guild.” He admitted quietly. It felt like ages had passed since then, back when he hadn’t been brave enough to form a friendship with a human. “Y’know, after the Eisenwald mission? It...they really reminded me of...home. The ‘worried’-voices and the ‘angry-but-happy-you’re-ok’-looks and the ‘I-will-murder-whoever-hurt-you’-attitude...or the guy who carried you home, but semantics...

“Grandeeney would always start ranting if one of us got hurt, going on about ‘idiotic recklessness’ and ‘the genetically inherited death wish’ -although that one was just for me and Gajeel. Loke sounded a lot like her, actually. But Grandeeney was also more collected, like Virgo...”

He trailed off, not knowing how to describe the deceased, white haired woman and do her justice.

“She sounds a little like my mum.” Lucy picked up on the silence. “She was always so calm and sweet, but if someone hurt one of our nakama, Mavis forbid, she was first by the door to hunt those people down.”

“Layla of the Celestials.” Natsu said quietly. Definitely one of the most famous assassins in Crocus, perhaps in all of Fiore and beyond. “Grandeeney would sometimes say that she admired your mom, ‘cause she had eleven other members to deal with and she barely managed to keep us five from ‘jumping head-first to our deaths’.”

He felt Lucy chuckling against his side. “Mum definitely had her hands full... Like trying to keep Capricorn from killing Loke, after he said that Pride and Prejudice is a zombie story. Or trying to keep Virgo from killing Taurus on their first meeting, when he made vulgar comments on her figure. Or trying to resuscitate Cancer, when Gemini found one of the secret passages and knocked from the inside of the walls. And raising me...”

Natsu could tell she wanted to tell him more about her mother but found the same hesitation he’d faced stopping her.

“Rune Knights?” He asked gently, giving her a start.

“No, for once it wasn’t them.” She answered quietly. “Mum went after a dark guild. Alone.”

Oh. Natsu thought back to the night they’d met. How her guild had acted so worried when they’d heard about Eisenwald. Now it made sense, on top of the usual nakama-affection.

“Why’d she go alone?” Natsu asked carefully, not wanting to overstep the easy, friendly relationship they’d been building. He was genuinely pleased that he had someone to share these kinds of stories with, and that Lucy trusted him enough to do the same.

“No one knows.” The blonde next to him sighed. “I know they all blame themselves for not noticing she’d gone sooner, or demanding she’d take them along, or...I don’t know.

“I don’t really remember much about that night. I was asleep for most of it. Mum told me she was going on a quick mission and that’s the last time any of us saw her. No one wants to tell me, but I think it was about my father...”

“Your father?” Natsu asked after a few seconds of silence. To his recollection, Lucy had never mentioned her dad.

“Yeah. I’ve never met him. He died before I was born. Mum used to tell me that he was a clever businessman. An honest one too. He worked on railroads, supplying them, I think. Mum said that he tried to make our country prosper again, with a well-build network of rails, for import, export and all that stuff.”

“He sounds like a good guy.”

“I’m sure he was. Apparently, he was too good. He was killed by greedy people of power, who wanted his money for their own agendas. He refused to work with them, wanting nothing to do with-”, she gestured around them, to all of Crocus that lay below, “-this. He wanted to be honest and help people. And he was killed for that!-”

It was how things worked in their country. But that didn’t mean Natsu –or anyone- had to like it. That’s why assassin guilds had formed in the first place, after all.

“-I’m pretty sure my mum had finally gotten a lead on who murdered him.” Lucy continued, her voice growing a little thick. “And she wanted to deal with them herself.”

Natsu hugged her tighter with one arm. So, the death of the infamous leader of the Celestials wasn’t just a mystery to the rest of the world.

Happy padded over Natsu’s lap, curling up in Lucy’s free arm, coming after his duty as professional feline therapist.

“I don’t know how you did it.”

He’d almost missed the sentence Lucy had said quietly.

“Did what?” He asked back.

“How you can still be...you. I mean, after my mum was killed, it felt like the world was crumbling around me. But I had my nakama. We all miss her like crazy, but we still have each other. Sometimes at the beginning, when it got really bad, we would all just sit together and tell stories about mum. Most of us would start crying, but it felt good, because she lived on in all of us.

“I trained so hard, learned everything I could, was so careful on my missions, so they wouldn’t have to worry about me leaving them too.

“But...you didn’t have that. I don’t know how you could’ve gone through losing your guild alone, and still be...you.”

“Whaddaya mean by that?” Natsu stalled.

“You know; lively, cheerful, chaotic-” He huffed at that one. “-but in a good way, caring... someone who talks to his cat, and banters with his opponents, and has a smile that’s like a mix of sunshine and rainbows-” A blush spread across Natsu’s face at that one and he was glad Lucy was looking at the sunset and not him. “-and also, a complete goofball...you know; you.”

She’d said it, like it was completely obvious. Natsu was sure his face rivaled both his hair and the sunset. How could she say things like that so easily?

The stalling had completely backfired, because Natsu still didn’t know what to say and now he was also blushing like an idiot.

“I...I, well...” He had to remember her original question and when he thought about it for a little while, the answer seemed perfectly clear to him.

“Well, I guess I knew that dad and all the others wouldn’t want me to be sad forever. What’s the point of having survived, if I wouldn’t...live?-” He tried to explain.

Lucy nodded, making his own head move up and down with the movement.

“-And I had Happy.” He added, reaching over to scratch his roommate’s belly. “I guess I owe it to my nakama to be the best assassin I can be, ‘cause they never got the chance. And I couldn’t do that being sad all the time. I-I miss them like crazy. And sometimes I don’t know why I’m the only one who made it out of our guild and how unfair it is that Wendy and Gajeel never got to go on their first mission...”

He felt a warm tear slide down his cheeks and quickly wiped it away.

Fourteen was the magical number when an assassin could go on their own, official mission (“legally”). Gajeel had promised –although rather reluctantly- to wait the three months until they could both go on their first mission together. And secretly, they’d pinkie-promised a six-year-old Wendy she could come too. Neither of them had been fourteen when their guild had been destroyed, so neither had gotten the chance to fulfill their promise. It was just so...unfair!

Natsu had just turned thirteen, when he’d taken on his first request. He’d needed the money and the distraction. The entire time he’d chased the robber over the rooftops, he’d seen Gajeel running beside him, calling him a ‘slowpoke’ and laughing his annoying laugh that he missed so much now.

Wendy had been on his other side, defying gravity and gliding over Crocus with a pair of white wings, giggling and calling down to him. He’d almost let his target escape, if it hadn’t been for his subconscious projection of Gajeel saying ‘are ya seriously going to fail on yer first mission?’ and ‘Mavis, ash-for-brains, keep up, will ya?’ the whole way.

A second droplet of water escaped from his eyes at the memory.

Gajeel and Wendy had disappeared just as suddenly as their ghosts had come. And they hadn’t returned. Only in his dreams would he sometimes see his nakama. Sometimes it would be the adults; his dad waving and smiling at him, but no matter how hard he tried, Natsu could never reach him. Sometimes his cousins would be standing beside him, yet their young faces would get more and more unspecific as the time passed. And sometimes he’d see their burning guild-

Natsu blinked a few times, and sniffed, trying to suppress any more tears from coming.

Lucy had let the silence stretch on, but now shifted her head to look up at him.

“I’m sorry I never got to meet them.” She said, meeting his watery gaze with a warm smile.

“They would’ve loved ya, Luce.”

Happy gave a ‘me-aye-ow’ in agreement, nuzzling Lucy’s free hand.

“Thanks guys. That means a lot.”

With a deep breath, Natsu shook himself, rattling Lucy, who was still sitting so close beside him, banishing any sad thoughts from his mind.

“Thanks for listening, Luce.” He smiled at her, feeling lighter somehow.

“Anytime Natsu. That’s what friends are for.”

“Hey, don’t you have a full-guild dinner to get to?” He asked, seeing that the sun had set almost completely now.

“I do.” She said but didn’t move away from their hug. “Why don’t you join?”

“Huh?”

“Come have dinner with us.”

“I doubt your nakama will be pleased, Luce.”

“Nonsense. Last time was a misunderstanding. And if you enter through the door, I’m sure they won’t mind.”

“I’m not sure... I don’t want to intrude-”

“Oh please, Natsu! You have no qualms about intruding anywhere! Breaking into my room is like a hobby for you! And also, today is Friday, so I’m sure Virgo whipped up some fish...”

At that Happy’s head peaked up, looking up pleadingly with his big, brown eyes at Natsu.

“Alright, alright fine.” He relented, powerless against his buddy’s begging-look. “Two against one.”

“Great.” Lucy jumped up smiling, holding Happy safely in her arms. “Come on then, Natsu. Don’t want to be late.”

She turned to run back to the drainage pipe, her golden hair shining in the last rays of the sun. His arm felt strangely empty now and for a moment he missed her warmth and that she’d been so close he’d been able to smell her vanilla and honey shampoo. He shook his head and stood up to follow her. This emotional talk had really messed with his head.

 

-----

 

Lucy stepped into her guild, an uncharacteristically cautious Natsu in tow. The lovely smell of full-guild-dinner drifted to her nose as soon as she opened the door. Since assassins had a very irregular work schedule, and it was very rare to have all their nakama at the house at the same time, her mum had long ago declared these dinners a priority. And no one had felt like objecting.

She’d been told that Virgo had put herself in the position of head-chef the minute she’d entered the guild, and the other Celestials rotated in helping her with the dinner. It had been Lucy and Cancer last time.

Taurus had long since been banned entry to the kitchen, after he’d taken personal offense from a particularly stubborn walnut and nearly chopped the kitchen in half with his axe. Neither Virgo nor Aquarius had been amused, as he’d proudly held up the split walnut, the kitchen counter in splinters behind him.

“Wow, something smells amazing.” Natsu sniffed the air and Happy agreed with an enthusiastic meow. 

“I hope you don’t mind; I invited Natsu.” Lucy called to her bustling guild.

“Of cause not.” Gemini came up to them, smiling up at Natsu. “It’s nice to see you again. How was the mission? How’s your hand feeling?”

He dragged her job-partner to the dining table, whilst Lucy added another plate to the set-up, placing a saucer on the ground for Happy.

“It was interesting.” Natsu answered Gemini’s first question. “Those flying-boulder-thingies were really something else.”

“Ah, yes.” The eldest of their guild agreed, as he gestured for Natsu to sit down beside him. “Virgo is a genius when it comes to such things.”

Lucy watched Virgo smile proudly whilst they carried over the last of the bowls laden with steaming food. The guilt she’d seen at the train station no longer lingered in her eyes, making the blonde smile in relief.

“I installed some traps of a similar style shortly after I joined.” The small pinkette added, taking her seat on Gemini’s other side. “Sadly, I had to take them down, after some careless buffoon triggered them accidentally.”

Natsu snickered, a sound Lucy hadn’t realized she’d missed until that moment. She sat down next to her job-partner and slipping a piece of the steamed salmon on Happy’s saucer. The little cat immediately pounced at it and began tearing it apart with the kitten version of a roar.

“I was that careless buffoon, baby!” Cancer toasted his glass, smirking at Virgo from his chair beside Capricorn.

“Really?” Lucy asked in surprise, helping herself to the fried carrots. Cancer was known for his speed and precise movements. It didn’t sound like him to stumble into a trap.

“I know. You’d think it would’ve been Taurus or Loke. They certainly act like they’ve been hit on the head with a rock most times.” Aquarius said ice-cold.

“But it wasn’t us!” Taurus said smugly, like that was some great achievement. “Loke wasn’t even a member back then!”

Loke face-palmed at the bull’s inability to pick up on their leader’s not-at-all-subtle, snide remark.

“Nope, all me, baby. A fractured skull, six bruised ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a broken ankle, all for trying to find my scissor-sharpener in the basement.” Cancer sighed dramatically.

“I gave a detailed presentation of where I placed the traps and how not to activate them!” Virgo snapped back, all whilst maintaining her cool composure.

Gemini patted her shoulder in comfort. “Don’t worry, Virgo dear. I’m sure you explained everything thoroughly.”

“I did.” The small woman muttered, forking her potato with more force than necessary.

“So, Natsu.” Capricorn started after a few seconds of peaceful silence. “I heard you managed to lose Sagittarius. That’s quite an impressive feat.”

“Ah, well...” Lucy watched him go a little pink at the compliment. “It wasn’t easy. Took me forever.”

“Where were you at the end, moshi moshi?”

“Between the recycling bin and the dumpster behind the I.P. station.” Natsu answered, mouth filled with mashed potatoes.

“Hmm, I thought I saw a shadow heading further north.” Sagittarius scratched the head of his horse-onesie in thought.

“That was Happy. I send him ahead, and then he doubled back, didn’t you buddy?”

Happy gave a proud me-aye-ow from his place between their chairs, whilst munching at the piece of the fish with gusto.

“Outwitted by a cat.” Loke muttered, grinning into his glass. “What is the Celestial name coming to?”

“Oh please, it’s not like you’ve never been caught by Lucy.” Scorpio defended the archer.

Loke made a few undeterminable protest-sounds but couldn’t say anything against that.

“Have any of you actually managed to tail Lucy without her realizing?” Natsu asked curiously.

“Virgo and Gemini.” Came the answer in unison.

“No one hears or sees Virgo and Gemini can become anyone on the street, so they can actually make sure she’s safe.”

“Although I don’t need it.” Lucy mumbled quietly, then louder said: “But when I don’t feel followed, I know it’s you two, so, technically, I know you’re there.”

“You have a point.” Gemini shrugged, reaching for more of the green beans.

“Hey, Cap.” Taurus said, oblivious to the other man’s pointed stare at the nickname. (Loke, being the one who’d set it in motion, laughed quietly.) “Why didn’t you congratulate Lucy on looooosing me?”

There was a beat of silence, as each Celestial, plus Natsu, tried to see if the tall man was serious. He was.

“No offense, but it wasn’t exactly difficult.” Lucy tried gently.

“What? I was toooootally silent!”

“Taurus, you tried to hide behind a lamppost!”

Aquarius sighed. “You did what?”

“I blended in.” Taurus huffed.

“With a cow print jacket? In the dark? Beneath a lit streetlight?!”

“It was a spur of the moooooment decision!”

“Clearly not your forte.” Loke grinned, then ducked a flying piece of bread roll.

“No throwing with the food!”

“Sooooorry Virgo.”

Lucy quickly shot Natsu a side look. On the rooftop he’d said that her guild had reminded her too much of his own, making it overwhelming. But he looked calm, joking with Gemini and having a brief contest with Taurus to see who could fit the most bread rolls in their mouth. (Before Aquarius put a stop to it, Natsu had been winning.)

Why did Lucy think, anything to do with her guild and Natsu, could ever be this peaceful for the entire duration of a dinner?

Although, it was surprising to see Scorpio –if unknowingly- being the one bringing on the chaos.

“So, why’d it take you so long to visit us again?” The man with the red and white hair asked, leaning back on his chair with his trademark, easy smile. “Did we scare you off that badly?”

Natsu was about to respond, probably declaring that they hadn’t been that scary, though that would’ve been the lie of the decade, but never got the chance. Because another pinkette beat him to the punch.

“Natsu of the Dragons has been visiting.” Virgo corrected Scorpio.

“He has? Did I miss it?”

The rest of the Celestials exchanged questioning glances, trying to ascertain who’d let Natsu in after their first ‘meeting’.

Lucy’s eyes widened in shock.

Virgo. How could she forget that she saw/knew/heard everything?! And she’d thought they were being so sneaky, with Natsu only coming in through the skylight. Of cause, Virgo being the queen of sneaky, would not have been fooled by that.

Oh no.

Notes:

Once again, not a psychiatrist. Not even a first-year-psyche-major. However, I do know that talking about lost loved ones helps and can make you feel better.

Also, in the comments, some of you have expressed eagerness for the Celestials' reaction to Natsu visiting Lucy without their knowledge. Well, guess what's happening next chapter?!

Chapter 12: Entering through Doors is Unlucky

Lucy looked over at Natsu, who was still eating calmly. Either he had a much better poker-face than her, or he hadn’t caught on yet. And perhaps Virgo had only seen him once while they were chatting. And maybe she wouldn’t mention-

“He has. I once went up to check on Princess and saw them cuddling in her bed.”

Oh. Mavis. No.

Loke choked on his food.

Aquarius spurted her water.

Capricorn’s eyebrows nearly left his forehead.

Gemini made wild gestures for Virgo to stop talking.

Scorpio almost tipped back on his chair.

Lucy sent up a prayer.

Aries was first to react, hitting her partner on the back several times, since his face had gone an unhealthy shade of red. Loke coughed a few times and jumped up before his face could regain its natural color.

“HE DID WHAT WITH WHO IN WHERE?!”

Well, she’d lived a good life. Not long, but good.

“We weren’t cuddling.” She tried to diffuse the sudden tension in the room.

Of cause, Virgo had seen exactly that one occasion, where they’d watched a movie on her laptop, and they’d happened to doze off.

Natsu only then realized -with three sets of eyes staring murder at him, the rest with either amusement or worry- that he might be in trouble. Scratch that; danger.

“Then what was he doing in your bed?” Aquarius asked in her calm-before-the-storm-voice. Lucy shivered involuntarily.

“We fell asleep-”

“WHAT?!” Loke.

“-whilst we were watching a movie.”

“IN YOUR BED?!” Still Loke.

“Everything sounds bad when you yell it.” She tried a smile but was very quickly shut down. “Well, we couldn’t both sit on my chair, so it was the best option...”

“Virgo, you knew about this?” Capricorn said dangerously low.

“Of cause.” She replied calmly.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Aquarius took a deep breath.

No matter how angry someone got, no one yelled at Virgo. For one, it did not seem fair to someone who had trouble grasping and expressing emotions. Also, Gemini would murder you in your sleep.

“I did not think it necessary.”

“You didn’t?!”

“No. I thought this falls in with the privacy discussion we had.”

Aquarius sighed, but refocused her rage onto the original target.

Natsu had been gathering up Happy and slowly moved towards the door.

“Uhm, thanks for dinner, but it’s getting late, and I should-”

“YOU STAY RIGHT THERE!” Aquarius was in full rage. Mavis, save us all.

Scorpio quickly tackle-hugged his girlfriend, preventing her from storming at Natsu.

“Babe, maybe take a deep breath before you’ll do anything you might regret?”

Aries was in a similar position with Loke, easily holding him back with a police grip, and Cancer had placed himself strategically between Capricorn and Natsu. Taurus and Sagittarius were watching unhelpfully from the sideline, the bull still stuffing his face, eyes glued to the scene, like this was an entertaining drama-series. 

“Punishment?” A slightly confused Virgo asked out of habit.

“YES!” / “NO!”

This did not help the pinkette in her confusion.

“Virgo, yes!” Aquarius tried to wiggle her way out of her partner’s grip.

“Virgo, no.” Gemini said calmly, with the slightest tone of panic in his voice.

This still did not help the maiden-themed assassin. She started muttering to herself about “following the leader’s orders” or “loyalty to partner”.

Seeing that the guild’s primary enforcer of rules was stuck in ‘Processing-Mode’, Natsu took the chance, leaping over the wrestling Aquarius/Scorpio team, Happy in his arms.

“Well, it’s been fun, Luce. See ya soon.”

If this were a cartoon, there would’ve been a Natsu-shaped dust cloud in the doorway.

Lucy gave a deflated sigh. Everything had gone so well. They’d completed their first, big -official- mission together, she’d learned so much about him and his family, he’d listened as she’d told him about her mum, and he’d gotten along with most of her nakama.

And now...he’d been run out of their guild, yet again. And even before desert!

Last time had started with a misunderstanding. But this time, neither of them had done anything wrong. Her nakama were the ones out of bounds on this occasion.

Lucy spun back to face the dining room, meeting Aquarius’ glare with one of her own defiantly.

 

-----

 

Sagittarius knew he had a reputation as ‘the quiet one’ in their guild. He had his reasons for it.

For one, as an archer, he carefully observed and watched his target from afar, trying to predict their next step to a fault. Talking was a close-combat-thing, so not something he practiced on a daily mission-basis.

For another, on many occasions it was a whole lot safer to stay neutral than to pick sides. Tonight, it turned out, was one of those occasions.

It started with Lucy’s pink-haired friend leaving their house with an impressive speed, considering that he’d eaten just as much as Taurus. Scorpio relaxed his hold on Aquarius with a relieved sigh as soon as he’d run out the door.

Said assassin rose to her feet in an elegant movement, challenging Lucy’s glare as the little one turned back around. Sagittarius wondered if the two women knew that they were mirroring each other’s posture perfectly.

The tense silence was disrupted by none other than Loke, whose arm was still being pinned behind his back by his partner.

“Aries...sweetheart...Juliet to my Romeo...light of my life...you can let go of me now...”

Aries squeaked an apology, quickly releasing her partner’s arm, having forgotten about it whilst they’d all watched the ‘Water Bearer’ and ‘Starlight’ gear up.

The archer wasn’t sure if Loke could’ve broken her grip if he’d tried, or if he just hadn’t wanted to.

His attention was brought back to the matters at hand pretty quickly by Lucy shouting “WAS THAT REALLY NECESSARY?!” at none of them in particular.

“You let him into your room?!” Aquarius fired right back. “SECRETLY?!”

Sagittarius watched silently with his partner -whom he’d shared his tactic of ‘observing and neutrality’ with long ago- as their nakama picked sides and started arguing their points. Loudly.

“Perhaps we should all take a deep breath-” Scorpio tried.

“It wasn’t secretly!”

“You never told us!”

“BECAUSE I KNEW YOU’D-”

“Now, now, children.” Gemini stepped up. “I don’t think it’s necessary to yell-”

“That doesn’t mean you didn’t let a stranger into our guild!” Loke joined them. “How did he even get in?” 

“Natsu isn’t a stranger!” Lucy now faced Loke. Sagittarius noticed how she didn’t answer the question though. “We’ve saved each other’s a-”

“Language, Princess.” Virgo reminded her calmly, closing the front door after Natsu’s hasty exit.

“-butts plenty of times!”

“Lucy’s right.” Gemini said. “They’ve gone on plenty of missions together.”

“That doesn’t excuse the fact that he was in her bed.” Capricorn rose from his chair, stepping to the arguing crowd.

Oh-oh. Capricorn picked his side. The older man was the smartest person Sagittarius had ever met and he knew how to deliver a good argument. Luckily for Lucy, here there were no facts he could pull out to support his point.

“I told you, we were watching a mo-”

“You could’ve done that in the living room!” Aquarius countered.

“Oh please, you wouldn’t have left us alone! And you would’ve interrogated Natsu again!”

“With good reason! We barely know anything about him!”

“Because you keep scaring him off! If you’d actually take the chance to get to know him-”

“Didn’t Virgo make cupcakes? How about we sit back down and-” Scorpio stood between the two sides, looking desperately over to the ‘non-participation-party’, now including Virgo. It was Cancer who came to the scorpion’s rescue.

“Scorpio is right, babies. It was a long day, what with Everlue and Lucy’s mission...so how ‘bout we call it a night and talk about this when we’re all calm-”

“We know what happened to his guild, Princess.” Loke replied, both ignoring the two peacemakers. “But five years can change a person. I know you don’t want to hear this, but maybe-”

“Loke,” Lucy started in a dangerously low tone, “if you’re implying that he’s working for the Knights, I will Lucy-kick you out of the window!”

“Agreed!” Gemini huffed, looking offended for the young Dragon. “That is a ridiculous theory!”

“I doubt it too.” Aries quickly added.

“Not necessarily the Rune Knights.” The three spectators’ heads went to Capricorn. “But have you considered how exactly Natsu has survived for so long by himself? This is Crocus-”

“Natsu has made it this far because he is a good assassin! Certainly not by working with Knights, or illegal guilds, or criminals, or whatever you’re thinking!”

It was a possibility they’d discussed during their emergency-meeting after the blonde’s Eisenwald mission. Gemini had wanted to hear none of it and had demonstratively gone right back to sleep.

Neutrality be damned, Sagittarius didn’t believe it either.

“Are you saying he’s only here because of some ulterior motive and that the thought that he just wants to be friends with me is unthinkable?!”

Sagittarius had to bite his lip from smiling at the victorious spark in the blonde’s eyes. She knew she’d thrown the others off with that.

They quickly went on the defensive, back-pedaling their previous point and thereby weakening their entire argument. Capricorn had taught her too well and it showed in the small, proud of smiles from the white-haired man, despite him losing the verbal fight.

It didn’t stop Aquarius from trying one last time though:

“Lucy, we just want you to be careful with-”

“No, you’re just being overprotective again!” Lucy interrupted her. “I don’t know why you have such prejudices against Natsu but stop letting it out on him!”

With that she turned and stormed off to the stairs, taking them two at a time until they heard her door close loudly at the top of the house.

Aquarius let out a “Urgh!” and went storming off to the living room herself.

There was a beat of silence, before Virgo rose from her chair.

“Alright, now that that’s done, who would like a cupcake?”

 

-----

 

Natsu sat on the Celestial’s roof, beside the circular window he’d entered through so many times, waiting for Lucy. He hadn’t wanted to run back home like last time.

He could break in again, but the argument seemed like a private guild-thing. And the stars were beautiful tonight, Lucy would love it.

Sitting in the dark silence, Natsu had time to properly contemplate what Grandpa Crux had told him yesterday. He’d been too psyched about the mission after they’d visited him, and he couldn’t think much about anything whilst he was on the moving death-traps called ‘trains’. And after Everlue, other things had occupied his mind. But now, up here with the stars watching him, it was the perfect place to think. No wonder Lucy loved her attic-room so much.  

“Do you think it’s something serious, buddy?” He asked Happy quietly.

The little cat meowed, a little grumpy at leaving the guild before he’d had the chance to finish his fish.

“Yeah, me neither.”

Natsu watched the stars again, trying to find the dragon Lucy had told him about. He couldn’t see any shapes in the twinkling lights though.

“But what if it is?” He turned back to Happy.

Someone was asking questions about him. That’s what Crux had said. Someone was trying to find him.

As much as he’d tried to stop it, his first thought had been another Dragon. But the old man had read his expression and quickly destroyed the hope before it had a chance to grow. The man hadn’t been a Dragon, Grandpa Crux remembered them all too well. And again, before Natsu had been able to ask, he’d quickly assured him that he hadn’t told the stranger anything. Apparently, he’d been quite rude and disrespectful, and Grandpa Crux wouldn’t have tea with someone like that.

So, Natsu had pushed the information to the back of his mind. But now that he thought about it longer, who would be looking for him? Grandpa Crux had looked pretty worried, so nothing good, Natsu trusted the old man’s people instinct enough to guess that.

Something mission related made the most sense in his opinion. And it had to mean pre-Eisenwald, since they only asked about him and not Lucy as well...

Slam!

The muted sound came from inside Lucy’s room. Natsu turned to look in through the window to see his friend angrily pace towards her dresser, muttering to herself.

Or maybe the old man was just getting paranoid, and this was another identity mix-up. Natsu chose to believe that until he had definite proof of the contrary.

For the first time, he carefully knocked on the glass.

 

-----

 

Aquarius paced the length of the living room, just like she’d done that very afternoon, vaguely hearing her nakama arguing over who got what cupcake flavor in the dining room, with Virgo insisting there was enough for everyone.

“She get’s that from you, you know!” She whirled on the framed picture on the mantle above the fireplace. Her earliest friend looked back at her from the frozen image, smiling softly.

“She does! Always so careful, but as soon as a guy enters the picture you both get reckless! Oh, don’t look at me like that; you know it’s true! Her coming home injured and you taking on entire guilds on your own... And not telling us things! You both do that! And look where it’s led us...”

Layla’s picture didn’t answer her.

Aquarius sighed, anger flowing out of her. She felt tired. Tired and scared. She leaned against the mantle, eye to eye with Lucy’s mother.

“What if history is repeating itself, Layla? Hm? Lucy is becoming more like you every day, so what if it all happens again? She is you and Natsu is...Jude.” The name left a foul taste in her mouth.

‘Speak no ill of the dead’, but Aquarius happily made an exception for that man.

“So, what if a clumsy Dragon get’s himself into trouble with the wrong sort of people and our Lucy goes after him, even though it’s too late? And she goes alone, because... Because why, Layla? Why would someone with a loving guild go after a threat by themselves?” That was the question every Celestial had asked themselves countless times over the past seven years. None had ever come up with a satisfying answer.

Aquarius cleared her throat, taking a step back from the framed photo. This was not why she’d come here.

“The day Lucy was born, you made me promise to look after her, if the worst should happen to you. Well, I...I don’t know what to do here, Layla. ‘Cause much like you, she doesn’t listen to me!”

Despite the bluenette’s distress, the seven-year-old photo remained smiling.

“So that’s what this is about.” Scorpio’s voice filled the room.

Aquarius had known he was there. Only he and Loke were brave enough to go after her when she was worked up. And the lion would’ve definitely made a comment whilst she’d been talking with a picture like some madwoman.

“You can’t seriously think that Natsu is like Jude?” Hearing the name out loud made Aquarius quake.

“Well, what if he is?” Aquarius turned to her partner. “What if this is the universe being cruel and making it happen all over again? He was reckless enough to take on Eisenwald by himself, so what’s to say it won’t happen again in the future?”

“There is a fine line between bravery, stupidity and arrogance, babe.” Scorpio rested his hands on her shoulders, grounding her with the weight. “And whilst I’m not sure about the second one, I’m certain the little Dragon isn’t arrogant or hateful enough to try and get in-league with the big scumbags in this country.”

Aquarius scoffed at the stupidity of Layla’s fiancée. That conniving businessman had taken it too far with his grand scheme to step up in the world. And they’d all paid the price for it.

She stepped closer to her partner, leaning against him wordlessly. He, in turn, rested an arm across her shoulders, whilst they both looked at the last photo taken of their friend.

“Is that what Cap and Loke are worried about too?” Scorpio asked after a few seconds of silence.

“I think Capricorn caught the repeating patterns too. Loke...I’m pretty sure he’s just giving into his mother hen side. Everyone else...they seem to be on Lucy’s side on this.” Aquarius let a hint of accusation lace the last part of her sentence.

“Hey, I was totally prepared to step in before Loke got kicked out the window!” Aquarius let herself chuckle at that. “And you know Aries doesn’t judge people on their past, Cancer dislikes conflict and Gemini most likely sees himself in the kid.”

Dammit, he was right.

“Even the neutrality-squad was on their side.” She evaded. “I could see it in their eyes.”

“You see? You’re outnumbered on this.” She could feel him grinning beside her, making it harder to fight the slowly forming smile.

“I’m sure history isn’t repeating itself, babe.” He added, more serious again. “If the Dragons are known for one thing; it’s their protectiveness.-”

‘And their fate’ was left unsaid in the otherwise silent room.

“-And Natsu has already shown that he carries that trait, as they all did.”

The Dragons had offered their condolences during the monthly meeting right after Layla’s death. Even the brutish looking ‘Iron Dragon’, who -as Aquarius had learned back then- had often traded tips and tricks for keeping blades sharp with their leader, had broken his steely façade and expressed his genuine sorrow.

And despite her polite rejection of their offer to help if they could -keeping with the ‘safety through solidarity’-tactic- Aquarius had found some comfort in Grandeeney’s soft voice Igneel’s hopeful attitude and Metalicana’s unrelenting calm.

No one at that meeting could’ve possibly known that the Dragons would all suffer the same fate only two years later. All but one.

Would they be upset if they knew Aquarius was so cautious about Natsu? Would they be outraged by her questioning his loyalty to the assassins’ principles? Would they be offended at the notion that the only survivor of their guild would not uphold their beliefs?

Aquarius knew they would be. But she also knew that, to some degree, they’d understand her reasoning too.

Still, she could agree that Natsu hadn’t done anything to warrant her suspicion. Not yet anyway. And it might be unfair to compare him to...Jude. No one deserved that.

“History isn’t repeating itself.” She said quietly, trying to believe it wholeheartedly. She felt Scorpio giving her shoulders a comforting squeeze.

“And if it is, you get first swing, promise.”

She let out an airy laugh. She’d be forever thankful for Scorpio’s steadying presence. Layla’s picture seemed to smile back at her brighter than before.

“Now come on.” Scorpio led them back in the direction of the dining room. “I saw Taurus eying the vanilla frosting...”

Aquarius gasped in -partially- fake shock.

“There had better be chocolate-vanilla left, when I get there!” She yelled the message, hearing a worried cough coming from the other room and Gemini’s voice saying: “Told you, you should’ve picked another one.”

 

-----

 

“You actually knocked!” Were Lucy’s first words when she opened her window.

“First time for everything, Luce.” Instead of jumping into her room as per usual, Natsu held out his hand, gesturing for her to come out instead. Lucy saw why when he’d pulled her through the window, and she got the full view of the night sky. The stars were truly beautiful tonight.

“I’m really sorry about dinner.” She said as soon as she’d sat down beside her job-partner, Happy curled on her lap. “They were...over-overprotective tonight and should’ve really minded their own business and shouldn’t have yelled at you and-”

“Don’t sweat it, Luce.” Natsu said with a shrug, head tilted up, as if soaking in the star’s light.

“No, but this time wasn’t some misunderstanding!” Lucy exclaimed, rattling Happy who gave a sleepy ‘meow?’. “I thought you getting to know each other better was a good idea, because we’re...job-partners and friends, but...”

“But they don’t like me, right?” Natsu turned his head.

“Gemini does!” Lucy blurted out, trying to make this sound better than is looked. “And Aquarius is just worried, I think. I don’t know why though.” She added with a sigh.

They sat in silence for a few moments, Happy’s little snores and the noises of a city the only sounds between them. Lucy couldn’t concentrate on her usual game of finding and naming new star formations, because she was trying to come up with an explanation of why Aquarius, Capricorn and Loke were acting like Natsu was an escaped felon.

“Maybe they’re superstitious?” Natsu broke the silence, making Lucy look back down.

“What do you mean?”

“Some people believe that anything related to a fallen guild is unlucky.” He said too easily.

“Seriously?!” Lucy stared at him open-mouthed.

Natsu hummed. “They’ll avoid anything or anyone to do with it.”

Mavis-dammit, she hadn’t known that. Lucy thought back to all the times she’d been together with Natsu. Sure, some people had always been wary of them, if they were on their way to a mission, armed to the teeth and determined to carry it out. But no instance sprang to mind where someone actively went out of their -or Natsu’s- way because of some silly ghost stories. Still, from the way Natsu had said it, it was clear that he’d come across people like that.

“Well, those people are idiots!” Lucy said simply, getting a raised eyebrow from Natsu. “And my nakama definitely don’t think like that. Aquarius laughs in the face of superstition and Capricorn can give an entire presentation on the subject of ‘The Fabricated Concept of Luck’...I know, because I’ve heard it!”

Both teens chuckled into the relative silence, Lucy thinking back to that occasion and Natsu imagining it.

“Then I guess they’re just overprotective, huh, Luce? Or maybe entering through doors is just unlucky.”

“Yeah, maybe.” She agreed quietly, although she knew there had to be something else bugging her nakama. But as long as they didn’t blame Natsu for whatever was bothering them, she didn’t mind.

“Hey, can you tell me which one is meant to be Draco? Cause I can’t see a dragon anywhere up there!”

 

-----

 

“I must say, old friend,” Capricorn started, looking at Gemini over the top of his book, “your behavior towards Natsu rather surprises me.”

The evening had grown late and most of their nakama had retired, leaving the ground floor with a peaceful quiet.

“Oh?” The older man set his own book down on his lap, meeting his inquisitive gaze from their respective armchairs in the living room.

“You have been very, shall we say, defensive of the relationship between himself and Lucy. It’s quite unusual to see you so relaxed about anything that concerns her.”

And it was. Gemini had been defending Natsu since their very first emergency meeting about the subject and it puzzled the scholar, since his blue-haired reading companion was usually on the openly protective side when it came to the young blonde.

“Ah.” Gemini chuckled secretively to himself. “It’s really not that surprising.”

“Humor me.” Capricorn ran his fingers through his goatee, a small habit which helped him concentrate. A former student of his had dubbed it his ‘Disney-Villain-Move’ around twenty years ago, when he’d been Prof. Dr. Capricorn, proud and respected teacher at Oshibana Community College.

“I suppose you still remember how I was when you joined the guild?” The man who maybe had a decade on Capricorn, asked conversationally.

“Certainly.”

Capricorn had become a member of the Celestials 13 years ago, after his beloved College had been burned down and never rebuilt, due to “insufficient funding”.

He’d replaced Gemini as ‘the new guy’ (Taurus’ words, not his) since the blue-haired man had joined a few months before him. Gemini had been...different back then. Not so much caring grandpa-figure, but more emotionally closed off, less talkative to the point where he matched with Virgo and Sagittarius, who would join some years later, and forever carrying the saddest of looks around with him.

Capricorn had never studied psychology, so he couldn’t accurately name the stages Gemini had gone through. All he could say was that his mental and emotional condition had improved steadily over the following months. He knew Gemini’s partner and a four-year-old Lucy had been the main factors, but Capricorn liked to believe that their whole guild had their part to play in his recovery.

“I know what it’s like to lose a family. And I know you’ve felt something similar...” Gemini trailed off, trying not to bring up more memories than necessary. But Capricorn’s college was never far from his mind. Or to be more specific, it’s destruction.

 

A gas-leak had been the Rune Knight’s declaration. The laziness in the explanation on its own was enough to make Capricorn frown. Their school hadn’t used gas for decades.

The self-defense classes and truthful history lessons had been the final nails in the college’s coffin, he was sure. Both of which had been led by him.

The old, stone building had been burned down to its foundation, yet another clue that accelerant must’ve been used. Gas would’ve caused an explosion, not an inferno.

Capricorn, younger and naïve, had tried to bring up all those facts to the I.P. and even to the knights. The Independent Police couldn’t start an investigation since the Rune Knights had immediately claimed jurisdiction. And the knights...they’d barely kept themselves from laughing in his face and had dismissed his “conspiracy theories” just as quickly.

To top it all off, his teaching license had been revoked by the government for ‘incompetence, inefficiency and insubordination’ the very next day.

Capricorn hadn’t even bothered to read through the entire letter after that, to say that he was more than agitated, would’ve been a gross understatement.

His following actions might’ve been a little petty in hindsight, but Capricorn regretted none of it. It had only taken him a few days of planning until he’d slipped into the knight’s weapon storage in Oshibana, disguised as a cleaner. Truthfully, it had been a little easy.

With the knowledge from his collection on chemistry books, he’d set off an explosion in the cool, tiled, empty (of cause, he’d checked for that) basement. A gas explosion, to be perfectly correct. There’d been a loud ‘bang’, part of the wall had collapsed, but no fire, since there was nothing flammable about the building, much like his college. Before he’d detonated the explosion, Capricorn had written ‘This is what a gas explosion does...’ on the wall.

Using the confusion of the following hours, he’d immediately broken into the Rune Knight’s file storage on the other side of town. Yes, they had most of it saved as digital copies, but the message had mattered more to Capricorn than the actual destruction. He’d still be lying if he’d say that it hadn’t felt good to burn down the -disorganized- filing system with a little petrol. He’d made sure that the fire wouldn’t spread outside of the room and the next morning, the knights found the words ‘...and this is what a fire accelerator does.’ written on the burned wall.

Perhaps, a little passive-aggressive, but it had made Capricorn feel like a little balance had been restored to the world.

Of cause, he’d fled the same night. Now, as a disgraced teacher and arsonist, wanted by the knights in Oshibana, he’d gone to Crocus. Statistically, it was his best bet for staying undetected: highest population in Fiore, as well as the highest crime rate.

 

“...and Natsu has too. And he was just a child when it happened.” Gemini continued, snapping Capricorn’s thoughts back to the conversation at hand. “We both know that caring about others again can be a lot harder than it sounds, but sometimes, it just takes that one person to make it possible again.”

Capricorn couldn’t argue against that. It had been Cancer for him; his straight-forward nature and own view of the world had fascinated him from the start.

“And I do believe that Lucy might be that person for Natsu.” Gemini finished, knowing exactly what was going through his companion’s head.

“Don’t get philosophical with me, Gemini.” Capricorn deflected, pretending to straighten his bookmark.

“Yet you know it’s true.” Capricorn rolled his eyes, not impressed by Gemini’s childish smirk, but paused, considering.

“You knew of Natsu’s visits.” He didn’t phrase it as a question.

Gemini’s smile only widened. “I did.”

“And you didn’t say anything either.” Capricorn accused.

“Wasn’t my place, now was it?” Gemini countered easily.

“So, Virgo told you, but no one else.”

“Actually, my friend, I’m proud to say that I knew before my partner.”

Now Capricorn was impressed. “That must be a first. How?” How was it that both Virgo and Gemini had figured it out, yet no others from this group of highly trained assassins...including himself?

“Her backpack.” The blue-haired man stated. “She didn’t come home with one, yet when I checked on her, it was beside her bed.”

Capricorn gave an amused huff at the simplicity. “You should stop reading detective stories, old friend.”

“Why, Watson,” Gemini gasped, hand theatrically resting on his brow, “how could you ever say such a preposterous thing?”

“So dramatic.” Capricorn muttered just loud enough for the other man to hear, reopening his book. The two carried on in their stories for a few minutes before he couldn’t keep it to himself anymore:

“And for the record, I’d be Poirot.”

 

-----

 

Miles south from the Celestial Headquarter -right in the center of the city, in fact- stood the imposing castle, the symbol of Fiore’s ruling class and monarchy. The gleaming stone-build and cheerful flags did their best to distract from what went on inside the towering building, especially below the ground floor.

“Floor -1” was reserved for Rune Knight business, filled with storage, conference rooms and private offices. Not even the most experienced of knight knew exactly what was beneath their feet. ‘Prisons’ they’d been told by higher-ups, yet the office-gossip spread many terrifying rumors about that place. Perhaps only to keep curious, young knights away from there, but it certainly worked.

One such experienced knight, a captain in his field, stood in a dim conference room, staring at a large white board filled with photos, reports, written pieces of evidence and strings criss-crossing amongst them.

The rest of the knights had left that room hours ago, leaving behind only superficial ideas and coffee-rings on the long table behind him.

He’d been spearheading this special taskforce for months now and though they’d gathered plenty of evidence, none of it helped him come any closer to his goal -and with it a promotion that guaranteed him his own office.

He knew the faces and names on the photos like his own by now, their images haunting him in his sleep and every time he got the snippy question ‘if he’d made any progress yet’ from a superior.

The captain was young for his title, yet with a bright mind that had gotten him to where he was now. He’d been confused when none of the other, more seasoned captains had volunteered to take in this special project like he had. He’d figured it out pretty quickly, yet only after he’d pegged his career on this.

He took off his glasses, rubbing his eyes. He desperately needed a break in this case-

“Captain Lahar?”

He turned to the doorway, where a young knight stood. One of his from the taskforce.

“What is it?” Lahar asked, exhausted and frustrated from the endless rereading of the evidence.

“I went to Crocus as you told me to-”

“Just write your report, I’ll read it later.” Lahar made a dismissive motion with his hand.

“But sir, I think I found something!” The excitement in the young man’s voice made the kernel of hope in Lahar throw sparks.

“Well, spit it out, soldier!” He snapped, giving him his full attention.

“I found out pretty fast that the man for the information is called ‘Crux’, sir-”

“And you tracked down this Crux?”

“Of cause, sir. He wouldn’t let me buy the information, instead...we had tea...”

“Tea?”

“Yes, sir.”

Crocus was getting weirder with every report Lahar got. “Well, go on!”

“I said I was interested in assassin guilds and he got to them pretty quickly.-”

Lahar noticed how his men refrained from even saying their name in order not to rile him up. Had he really gotten so obsessed with this?

“-And, if Grandpa Crux is to be believed-”

“Grandpa?!”

“...Yes, sir.-”

With every report!

“-A new face has joined them.”

“Who?” Lahar could feel his excitement growing. A new person in the guild?! Maybe they would be open to bribes or could be manipulated-

“He’s called ‘Natsu of the Dragons’, but also goes by ‘Salamander’ and gets referred to as the ‘Last Dragon’, sir.”

Lahar deflated. Damn Dragons! Five years later and they were still bugging the Rune Knight’s work! Perhaps the older generals were right, and they should’ve gone after the ‘Last Dragon’ back then.

“He won’t work with us.” He sighed. “You’re dismi-”

“But that’s not all, sir!” The young man said eagerly.

“What? Then get to it, soldier!”

“Gra- Crux told me that there was someone else asking about this Natsu! Someone who didn’t seem like a friend to him!”

Now that was someone Lahar could use!

“Who is this person?” He asked, barely refraining from jumping up and down with happiness.

“...I don’t know, sir. I...was thrown out before I could ask.”

“You...-what?”

“The old man works on a quit pro quo basis, sir. He demanded information from me on my work in return and I couldn’t give him classified facts, so...”

“So, you were thrown out by an ‘old man’?”

“...Yes, sir.”

Perhaps it wasn’t just Crocus that was getting stranger by the day.

“Did Crux guess that you are a knight?”

“I don’t think so, sir.”

“That’s good. You were very helpful, soldier. Thank you, you may go now.”

The young man gave him a beaming smile and left him back in the silent room.

Lahar’s mind was going a hundred miles a minute. Whoever was planning on threatening Natsu, he’d find them. He’d force them to work with him, because if Salamander was truly a part of his targeted guild, then he’d get to him. And by doing so, he could finally get to The Celestials.

He turned to the white board again, a victorious smirk on his lips for the first time as he looked at the photo of their blue-haired leader, taken from far away. Now, he finally had a foot in the game. And the Celestials didn’t even know he was playing.

Notes:

This was most definitely the longest it's taken me to update. And I apologize for the wait, but between school starting back up, my computer spontaneously shutting down, causing me to lose my writing-progress thanks to it and getting guilt-tripped into going outside because "it's nice weather", I haven't been able to make much headway.
I've also come to the end of my planning for this story and it took me a while to find a storyline I like. This being a chapter with the zodiacs, I -of cause- got caught up with them anyway, which is the reason this chapter is twice the usual length.
Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 13: A New Addition

Aquarius was already downstairs, waiting by the kitchen island, sipping on a steaming mug as Lucy came down the steps.

Lucy halted, raising an eyebrow in question.

Aquarius rolled her eyes, as if even needing to have this discussion annoyed her.

“Let’s get this over with, I’ve got a mission to prepare for... I’ll give the kid a fair chance.” She muttered the last part into her coffee, pushing Lucy’s own mug towards her.

The blonde took the peace offering in both hands, inhaling the vanilla scented tea.

“That’s all I ask, Aunty.”

Aquarius only scoffed at the endearment; Lucy’s own offer to bury the hatchet.

“But if I find him in your bed, I’ll be the one kicking someone out the window.”

“That’s fair.” Lucy conceded, still feeling like the winner of the previous night’s argument. And Aquarius knew it.

“Pfff, still a child and already hiding her boyfriends from us.”

Lucy’s tea went down the wrong way, causing her to cough into the mug.

“Natsu isn’t my- and I’m not a- and anyway, it totally isn’t like-”

The winning smirk was already back on the bluenette’s face.

“Natsu isn’t my boyfriend.” Lucy said clearly, wiping her chin on her sleeve in a way which would have Virgo frowning in displeasure.

Aquarius’ answering “mmmhmmm” managed to push all of Lucy’s buttons and she had to take a deep gulp to keep herself from arguing further. Because that would make it look like wrongful denial.

So, she gave a mumbled “Whatever.” and turned to go back upstairs to get ready for the day. Aquarius’ second -somehow even more infuriating- “mmmhmmm” made her quicken her steps, until she nearly splashed the rest of her tea on the stairs.

Damn the bluenette and her ability to turn something that wasn’t even a proper word into a very effective weapon.

 

 

Roughly an hour later, Lucy sat on her bed, scrolling down the long list of requests on the website. A summer storm was raging on over Crocus, and she enjoyed the sound of heavy raindrops splashing against her skylight. Even most criminals would stay in their burrows with this weather, yet there was no shortage of missions for her to pick from.

“Hmmm...‘Jewel thief on the run’...” She said to no one. Lucy had gotten so used to Natsu being around, it felt almost weird when he wasn’t. Maybe the rain was keeping him away too.

She scrolled past that request, not feeling up to chasing a thief over wet rooftops.

“‘Espionage at the castle’-” Most definitely not!

No assassin in their right mind would accept such a request. They might as well turn themselves in to the Rune Knights. Her nakama had told her often enough to stay far away from the center of the city when on a mission. And if all ten of them could agree that something was bad; it had to be really bad.

“Alright...what else?” The sender of the next request caught her eye. An animal rights group: that was rare.

“Illegal experimentation on animals...caught off the streets...cosmetics factory...eastern boarder of Crocus...they want evidence gathered; photos, documents...” Now this sounded promising! No direct conflict, so they could rest a bit after Everlue, and they’d get to stick it to some cruel bastards! Natsu would definitely enjoy the latter.

She quickly sent Natsu a link to the request and only had to wait a few minutes before he answered:

 

Natsu

looks good Luce

wanna go 2night?

Lucy

Are you sure you don’t want to wait for the rain stops?

Natsu

why? afraid you’ll melt?

Lucy

Just wanted to ask because-

Did you just call me the Wicked Witch of the West?!

Natsu

hey, if u pick boring movies I’m gonna quote em!

Lucy

Wizard of Oz is not...you know what? Fine! I’ll see you tonight.

And don’t complain to me when your gloves don’t work because of the rain!

Which is why I asked in the first place!

Didn’t think of that, did you?!

Natsu

...

my gloves r waterproof Luce...

Lucy

...dammit

Natsu

XD

CU 2night

 

-----

 

Lahar turned up the collar of his coat against the heavy rainfall, standing -discreetly, he hoped- at the corner of a street in one of the -more than usual- dangerous parts of Crocus.

He’d stayed up all night, narrowing down his intended ally through the process of elimination and the few facts he’d gotten on this man from the young soldier. He truly hoped he hadn’t wasted his time.

Cursing the raindrops on his glasses, he took them off, trying to wipe them dry with short-lived success. As he put them back on, new droplets already blurring his sight, he spotted the figure of a man coming out of an alley in the otherwise empty street. Some black markets were located there if Lahar remembered correctly. This location most famous for poisons. Now he was sure he had his man.

Lahar started speed-walking after the man, who was tucking whatever he’d bought into an inner pocket of his long, white coat.

“Excuse me.” Lahar called out. The other man didn’t stop. He huffed. The polite approach never worked.

“Erik!” He yelled through the rain instead.

The man froze on the spot, as did Lahar, staying a safe distance away. His research about this person had come up with the same answer everywhere he looked: he was incredibly dangerous and aggressive. And when someone got descried like a wild animal by multiple Rune Knights, then you knew you were dealing with a real piece of work.

“I prefer ‘Cobra’.” The man said in a low voice, turning slowly to face Lahar, looking him up and down. “And you reek of knight.”

So much for his civilian clothes.

“I am Captain Lahar, Head of the Custody Enforcement Unit.” He introduced himself. “It wasn’t easy tracking you down, Cobra.”

The glare he received made the captain question his decision of coming alone. Cobra could kill him on the spot and there would be no witnesses to come forward. Not that any would for the death of a knight. His job wasn’t exactly appreciated by most people.

“You are an assassin.” He stated. “Of the disbanded guild ‘Oracion Seis’.”

“You should know, captain.” Cobra sneered. “Whilst we were attacked by damn Fairies, you knights stood by, doing jackshit.”

Lahar tried to fool himself into thinking that the shiver running down his spine came from the rain.

“That was years ago-”

“What do you want, captain?” Cobra interrupted him.

This wasn’t going right. He was supposed to be in control here, not a criminal on the run!

“I heard you’re going after a certain ‘Natsu of the Dragons’.” Lahar went right to it, hoping to startle the assassin with his knowledge. This attempt was unsuccessful.

“So?” The other man replied coolly.

“You are aware that he is affiliated with quite a renowned guild? Ever heard of ‘The Celestials’?” He questioned mockingly.

“The ones running circles around you knights for...over two decades now?” Cobra shot right back. “Yeah, I might’ve heard of them.”

Lahar decided that he didn’t care much for Cobra.

“And I’m touched by your concern.” The purple eyed man drawled, starting to turn back around. “But I’m not worried about them.”

“I want you to work f-with me!” Lahar said loudly, deciding it would just be best to let Cobra see all his cards.

The assassin turned back around. Blinked. Then tilted his head back and laughed. The deep sound matched the thunderclouds rolling over them, the wind making it echo along the street.

Lahar frowned as Cobra calmed himself, wiping non-existent tears from the corner of his eyes.

“You are amusing, captain. When your career fails, you should consider stand-up.”

“I’m nothing but serious.”

“Then you’re already a clown!” Cobra spat; humor evaporated just like that. “I’m not having some ass-kissing paper-pusher meddle in my plan and mess everything up!”

“I want to rid this country -this world- of that damned guild-”

“Then you are worse than a clown. You are a Zeref-damned fool!”

Lahar collected himself. “I didn’t think you’d care so much for them.”

Cobra scoffed. “I don't! My guild was considered illegal by all sides. But I know what I cannot beat.”

“You claimed you’re not worried about-”

“Because I plan to work around them, fool!” Cobra walked closer and it took every ounce of determination Lahar had not to back away. “And when you get yourself killed provoking people so much stronger than you, you had better keep my name out of it! Or I will make Zeref-damn sure you land six feet underground before they come for me. Got it?”

Cobra didn’t wait for him to answer, turning and walking away. Lahar could only watch as his chance of completing his mission disappeared in the streaks of rain.

He wiped at his glasses again, a new plan already forming in his mind. Alright, so he himself could not get through to Cobra. So, he’d have to find someone who could. Someone less stubborn and open to at least hear his plan.

It would be back to research -which this experience proved he preferred much more than legwork- but Lahar would find a way. He’d finally found his red string and he would not let go of it.

 

-----

 

“Why are there no guards?” Lucy whispered beside Natsu.

They were sitting side by side on the roof of a building across from the factory they were supposed to infiltrate.

“Maybe they think the outskirts are safe enough?” Natsu answered quietly.

Rain was still drizzling down around them, the clouds blocking out any light from the moon.

“Or there isn’t much to steal, so they think cameras are enough?” Even at night. It was a miracle this place hasn’t been robbed ten times over.

They both pulled up their mask and scarf, wary of cameras that might lead to direct evidence against them.

“Try not to trigger any alarms.”

“Right back gotcha! You were the one falling down a slide at Everlue’s mansion.”

“Hey, that was Virgo’s doing, and you know it!”

Mid bickering, they both dropped from the building, sticking to the shadows as they made their way to the fence surrounding the compound.

Natsu stood with his back to the fence, knees bend and motioned Lucy with his head. With a little run-up, she jumped off his cupped hands, the boost making her fly like an acrobat to the top of the obstacle. He jumped right after, grabbing Lucy’s waiting hand in the dark, relying on her to help pull him up. They were over in a few heartbeats, landing on the factory’s parking lot, any noises drowned out by the consistent rain.

Breaking open a window was easier than getting into Lucy’s room. This company must pay the knights very well if they could have such lax security.

Natsu pulled down his scarf as soon as they were inside, shaking his dripping hair, causing Lucy to squeak.

“There could still be cameras in here, you know.” She muttered, flicking the raindrops off her face.

He merely shrugged in return. If the activists were right about this place, the owners would have much more pressing matters on their plate than tracing him.

“Alright, I’d say we start from the top and work our way down.” Lucy said quietly.

Natsu nodded. “I take second floor, you first?”

“Sounds good.”

They parted ways, steps as silent as possible on the old, wooden floorboards.

Natsu groaned quietly as he opened the first door on the second floor. Files.

He rifled through the cabinets as quickly as possible, flashlight between his teeth. Employment records, retirement funds, insurance policies, something with lawyers... Alright, door 1 was a bust.

The problem with monotone work was that his mind had time to wander again. Specifically, to the topic it had been occupying since last night -oh, who was he kidding?- for long before that...

The second was just a copy room, with no important looking papers in the tray.

...Lucy had taken on the scariest, smartest, and most stubborn assassins her guild had to offer because of him. No, for him. And it refused to fit in with the image of Lucy being ‘just’ his job-partner...

The third was a breakroom.

...Because, if she took his side against her family; people she’d known all her life, that had to mean something, right?

Three offices for managers and their secretaries left him empty-handed.

...Perhaps that she could see them becoming more than job-partners too?  

Natsu stood before the jackpot, right at the end of the hall. The CEO’s office, the name displayed by a golden plaque on the door.

...Being partners was something so much more than a friendship; it would be a huge step for both of them...

It was by far the biggest office, but the binders along the shelves brought up nothing but standard paperwork. Then Natsu looked to the large, oak desk with a very comfy looking spiny chair behind it.

...And even though she’d defended him to her nakama, some didn’t really like him. They would probably oppose the idea of him becoming Lucy’s partner, because it would link her to his fallen guild. And maybe she wouldn’t even want-

He found the small safe in the desk’s cupboard. It was nothing movie-worthy; no build-in self-destruction-mode, no signal that alarmed the nearest Rune Knight station to an unauthorized opening, nor a fingerprint scanner.

A sprinkle of gunpowder from one of his grenades, a spark with his glove, a small ‘BAM’, and a smoke cloud later, Natsu held the opened safe in his hands, trying to fan the smoke out of the way.

The ‘CONFIDENTIAL’ sign on top of the yellow file he pulled out basically begged him to read it.

It was a series of correspondence; proof that the company had found and identified a variety of harmful toxins in a range of their products and the boss’ order to test them anyway, just in case they “...aren’t truly harmful”.

Natsu’s stomach twisted. Sick bastards.

He quickly took photos of the pages, careful that the signatures at the bottom were clearly identifiable. If the CEO came in on Monday, they might realize their safe was suddenly broken, but Natsu was sure the activists would make their move before the weekend was over.

“Found anything?”

Lucy’s voice made Natsu jump, bumping his head against the edge of the table.

“Zeref-dammit...yeah, they definitely know their stuff is toxic.” He held up his phone, rubbing the back of his head with his other hand. “You?”

“Bribes to the knights. They didn’t even try to hide it or do it under some fake investor’s name or anything!”

“Must have a friend real high up.”

Lucy hummed in agreement. “Should we dare to check out the basement?”

Natsu nodded absentmindedly, trying to focus solely on the task at hand and not the train of thought from before he’d found the safe.

The two retraced their way down the back steps, staying away from main stairs and elevators with the higher chance of security measures.

“What do you think is down there?” Natsu asked as they reached their starting point on the ground floor.

“Not sure.” Lucy picked the lock of an emergency exit that led from the basement to the hallway with an ‘AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY’-sign. “Maybe more paperwork or storage...”

She was only half right.

Technically, there were plenty of extra cabinets and stacks of files. But neither teen took those in as the door swung open.

The little noises of restless rustling and surprised squeaks reached their ears at the top of the basement stairs first. Then the smell hit them.

“Oh my Mavis...” Natsu vaguely registered Lucy’s shocked voice at the sight before them. In what seemed to be the back of the spacious basement, there were rows of metal desks, illuminated by the harsh, white light coming from industrial lamps on the ceiling.

And on the grey desks stood several cages, different in sizes and shapes, but all filled with quaking shadows of animals trapped inside. Natsu gritted his teeth hard, trying to soothe the angry flame deep inside him. Animals could be very sensitive to human emotions and the last thing they needed was his anger at whoever ran this Zeref-forsaken company.

“They test on animals...here?!” Lucy spoke again, tugging down her mask to get a better view of the situation. “Not somewhere remote or hidden...but here, in Crocus?!”

Those activists had better prepare a flawless, bullet-proof battle-plan against these bastards, in every legal and social form that was known to man.

Natsu hurried down the steps, eyes darting wildly from one cage to the next. The largest ones held rabbits, big and most likely caught from the bordering forest. Bleary eyes watched his movements fearfully and tuffs of their fur were missing.

A few scrawny and hissing cats were cramped into another one, trying to edge as far away from the cage’s door as possible.

The tallest one held a large, grey bird -what kind exactly, Natsu couldn’t say- watching the two new humans uninterrupted with mistrustful eyes.

Natsu turned to Lucy, who was evidently working out a plan for their next step. She met his onyx eyes and they both agreed: ‘Mission Information Gathering’ had become ‘Mission Prison Break’.

Natsu was really glad he’d left Happy at home that night.

 

-----

 

Scorpio and Cancer sat in the kitchen, the former raiding the cereal-shelf since both he and Aquarius had missed dinner that night due to a mission.

“Anything interesting happen?” Cancer asked, flipping through the pages of a magazines on ‘This Summer’s Top 10 Hairstyles!’ folding the pages he liked to remember later.

Scorpio shrugged. “One of them made a ‘dumb-bluenette-joke’.”

“Oh-oh.”

“Yeah, I tried holding her back, but -hey, I’m only human.” Scorpio stopped trying to pick one late-night beverage and simply grabbed all the cereals from the ‘unhealthy’-shelf. “They surrendered right after.”

“Can’t say I blame th-” Cancer was interrupted by the basement door flying open and his partner walking out.

“How’d it go, baby?”

Capricorn gave a long sigh, rubbing his temples. “That man is going to drive me insane one of these days.”

“Loke?” Scorpio asked unnecessarily, drowning his cornflakes with milk.

“Who else?” Capricorn eyed the honey-nut, cocoa, sugary, chocolate-chipped, food-coloured concoction in his bowl, but didn’t say anything.

If he couldn’t even muster the energy to give a lecture on nutritional value, it must’ve been really bad.

And the very reason for the ex-professor’s mood came bounding up from the gym, an all too satisfied smile on his lips.

“Ah, midnight snack?” Loke asked cheerfully.

“I’m going to listen to some classical music.” Was all Capricorn muttered, before ascending the stairs to his room.

“What did you do?” Cancer hissed as soon as his partner was out of earshot.

“We were sparring.” Loke answered with an innocent shrug, pouring himself a glass of water.

“Uh-huh...and what did you say?” Scorpio asked just as sweetly.

“I may or may not have mentioned that I don’t understand the hype about this ‘Mozart’-guy...”

“Go on...” Cancer said, just as suspicious as Scorpio about the next part of the lion’s sentence.

“I just said that Mozart can’t be that great of an artist...I’ve never seen a painting from him.” Loke finished, downing his water.

Both Scorpio and Cancer rolled their eyes.

“Don’t Lucy or Gemini usually stop you before you can attack anything classical?” Scorpio questioned, gesturing to Loke with his spoon.

“Both on a mission. I was left unsupervised.” The ginger said, hands raised in defense.

“Lucy’s on a mission? In this weather?” Cancer looked out the window. “Hope she remembered to wear something with a hood.”

“More importantly,” Scorpio crunched on his cereal, “Lucy’s on a mission and you’re not following her? Afraid of a little rain...kitty?”

Loke shot him a glare. “Nothing like that, you glorified desert-spider. It’s just information gathering against some company. Nothing dangerous.”

“For whom?” Cancer flipped to the next page, frowning at whatever was depicted there. “That would require way too much hairspray...who thought that was a good idea...why not just use cement...”

“Animal Rights, I think. Something against animal testing.”

Scorpio and Cancer shared a look over their magazine/bowl.

“Lucy’s gone to a company where they test on animals?” Cancer summarized.

“Yup.” Loke clearly didn’t see the danger in this. Scorpio realized that Loke had joined after Lucy’s ‘obsessed-with-pets’-phase. It had never completely left though, merely settled.

With a quick “goodnight” the ginger man disappeared up the stairs.

“Fifty jewels says she comes home with a pet.” Scorpio said, debating whether to add sprinkles to the cereal-mix or if that would be too much sugar before bed.

“Seventy says she’s already named it by the time she gets here.” Cancer answered, grabbing the chocolate flakes from below the counter and pushed them towards him.

“You’re on.”

 

-----

 

Lucy looked around the -now empty- basement once more, not exactly happy, but content that they’d at least managed to get the animals out.

The bird with the scarred eye had flown off immediately, evidently not hurt badly enough to be restricted in movement, disappearing in the drizzle and into the darkness.

Using Gemini’s pocketknife, Lucy had cut open the chain-link fence with the wire cutter, whilst Natsu had carried the caged rabbits out of the building. They’d hopped away into the forest quick enough, both assassins having watched carefully for mayor injuries on the animals.

The cats, despite Natsu’s best efforts, had scattered as soon as he’d unlatched the doors, even as the pinkette had stood there with his first aid-kit and good intentions.

“I’m sure they’ll be alright.” Lucy tried to sound as optimistic as possible at Natsu’s sad expression.

They’d briefly considered somehow taking them to a vet, but logic dictated that this wouldn’t do anything good for the felines. Animal shelters were overcrowded and none of them had tags or collars, proving that they were indeed “caught off the streets”.

Lucy really hoped the activists would tear this company apart thoroughly...and publicly.

The two job-partners were spraying their respective emblems in their bold colors right on the floor of the basement. A warning for any boss or employee that trouble would come for them very soon.

Lucy took a step back from her finished mark, satisfied that the ten points (one for each of her nakama) were of equal length. Natsu has just moved on to the second dragon head, spraying the little swirls of their circling bodies with expert strokes, fully entranced by his work. The three painted dragons circled around nothing, and Lucy realized for the first time that her own unique emblem would fit perfectly into that empty spot-

That’s when the blonde heard a little rustle. Her first instinct -the same as every assassin’s- was ‘danger’. Aquarius’ knife was from the back of her belt in her hand in an instant, her mind going through the possibilities of an employee of the company, a knight, a curious onlooker...

Her sharpest knife caught the harsh light from the lights above as Lucy moved closer to the corner of the room, hidden behind rows of tables and cabinets. The paracord around the handle guaranteed a solid grip on the weapon.

“It can also be used underwater!” Aquarius had told the seven-year-old Lucy proudly, back when she’d gifted the blonde her very first knife (to the concern of her mother and every other Celestial). She’d never needed to use a blade in water before, but she’d always found the wavy metal pretty and useful, even on land.

With silent steps, mindful of the odd piece of paper lying about, Lucy walked closer to what seemed to be the front of the basement, near an elevator which they hadn’t risked taking. Her thumb traced the two wavy lines she’d carved into the knife, eyes darting around.

Another rustle. A pile of cardboard boxes filled with mail shook. Lucy crept closer, debating whether or not to call out to Natsu when the top box tipped over, spilling its envelopes across Lucy’s feet.

“What in Mavis’ name...”

The reason for the minor earthquake was another cage, pilled in with random boxes, as if quickly placed there before the workday’s end.

Sensing that there was no need for it, Lucy placed Aquarius’ knife back into the little compartment in the back of her belt, stepping closer. Big, black eyes stared back at her, a little fearful, a little curious.

“Why, hello there.” Lucy said as gently as she could, carefully prying the small cage out of the mess of paper and cardboard.

Inside was a tiny dog, perhaps a poodle, looking right back at Lucy from between the metal bars. His fur was dirty, but he looked uninjured. Perhaps the little dog hadn’t been exposed to the experimentation yet, maybe he was a new arrival. Lucy hoped it.

“I’m Lucy.” She said smiling. Could dogs read facial expressions? She wasn’t sure but tried to make herself seem as least threatening as possible. “How did you get here, huh?”

The little dog replied with a small bark.

“Hold up, let me get you out of there...” She carefully placed the cage on the ground, moving the latch slowly. The last thing they needed was a startled dog running around this place.

“Luce?!” She heard Natsu’s yell across the large basement. “Where are ya?!”

She winced at the noise, watching the little dog for any reaction. He merely cocked his head to the side, not taking his eyes off her.

“I’m over here.” She said, just loud enough for the pinkette to hear. Lucy saw a dash of pink, as Natsu jumped up between the rows of cabinets like a grasshopper on caffeine, trying to get visual contact with her.

“What are ya doing over there?” He walked closer, but Lucy focused back on the now open door of the cage. The little dog gave a tentative sniff, before slowly walking out. Lucy stretched out her hands, letting the small animal sniff them patiently.

“We almost missed one.” She said, turning to Natsu who was watching the exchange with a smile.

“What are we going to do with you?” She asked the dog, slowly moving her hands across his dirty fur.

“No collar.” Natsu remarked, squatting down beside her. “Can’t return him anywhere.”

“Shelter?”

Natsu raised an eyebrow at her. Right, they’d covered that possibility before.

Lucy pondered for a moment. “Do you know anyone who might be looking to adopt a dog?”

Natsu stared at her, like she was meant to be getting a hint here.

“What?” She said, cupping the dog’s head and scratched his neck when he didn’t move away.

“How about...you?”

“Me?!” Lucy exclaimed. “I can’t just waltz home with a dog in my arms!”

“Why not?” Natsu shrugged easily.

“Because a pet it a great responsibility and I’d have to ask my nakama-”

“I thought the Celestials let new members join all the time...” If Lucy hadn’t been so focused on the little dog, she might’ve noticed the questioning, almost hopeful, undertones of Natsu’s statement.

“The last one was years ago! And he was a fully trained assassin, not a little puppy.”

Natsu looked thoughtful for a moment. “You can argue that it was either keeping the dog or abandoning him on the streets.”

Lucy wasn’t convinced yet. Yes, this would be the best option for the little dog...but how to convince her nakama of this? She’d wanted a pet every since she’d been a little girl but had gotten the typical responses of ‘too much responsibility’ or ‘we’re not home enough’.

“And if all that isn’t enough...you can blame it on me!” Natsu grinned at her, letting the dog sniff his own hand.

“Huh?”

“I found Happy in an alley, Wendy had a white cat named Carla and Gajeel found Pantherlily after a zoo-outbreak.” Lucy didn’t have time to question what kind of pet his older cousin had had. “So, it’s kinda a tradition for Dragons.”

“But...I’m not a Dragon.” Lucy said quietly.

“Not yet”, a traitorous, little voice said in her head, but she ignored it. Now was not the time to think of such things.

Natsu went a little red, thinking the exact same thing. “W-Well, no...b-but you’re job-partners with one. That’s gotta count for something.”

Lucy watched the little puppy again. He’d began wagging his tail and kept pushing his head into her outstretched hands.

“That definitely counts for something!” She grinned at the pinkette. “Upholding traditions is important; Capricorn has said so many times after all. And who am I to argue against that?”

“Exactly!” Natsu grinned right back, rising back onto his feet. “We should get going. Don’t wanna leave Happy alone for too long.”

Lucy carefully lifted up the little dog, holding him close to her chest.

“You still need a name.” She pondered, as the three headed back for the staircase, walking alone their two emblems, side-by-side. Lucy studied the small animal closer. Beneath the dirt, his fur was a pristine shade of white, almost a frosty blue.

“What about...Blue?” She thought out loud.

“Did you say Plue?” Natsu asked, already at the top of the stairs.

“No, I said...you know what? I like that better!” She smiled at the puppy in her arms. “Plue it is!”

Notes:

To summarize:

Cobra is going after Natsu solely. He is the 'rude' man Grandpa Crux warned him about and the person who followed Lucy and Natsu in chapter 7. The only hint I dropped that it is Cobra, is the fact that he 'heard' Virgo coming to investigate.
Lahar has been tasked to eliminate the Celestial guild and sees Natsu's connection to them as a possible opportunity. That's why he wants to work 'with' Cobra, who -again- is going after Natsu.
Cobra isn't exactly a fan of that idea.

Believe me, that summary is as much for me as it is for you, because I can barely read my own notes anymore and needed to reaffirm myself that everything is making sense...at least a little.

Chapter 14: The Internet has all the Answers...Or Not

Scorpio and Aquarius had planned on sleeping at least until noon after their late mission.

This hope was dashed at roughly 9am, when an argument broke out downstairs.

“I think the kids are up.” Scorpio joked sleepily, watching as his girlfriend woke up with a huff beside him on the king-sized bed.

“Maybe they’ll stop soon.” She mumbled, hugging him tighter.

They did not.

Scorpio gave the bluenette a reassuring kiss on the forehead, as the noise coming from downstairs did not lessen.

“Why this early?!” Aquarius muttered, swinging herself out of the bed, cursing every nakama with a momentarily stable sleep-rhythm.

Scorpio chuckled, leading Aquarius towards the door after she’d stared a little too long at her trident hanging from it’s hook beside their dresser.

“You won’t be needing that, babe.”

“Are you sure though?” She huffed, walking out of their room and down the steps, the voices of their nakama growing in volume.

“This had better be about life or death.”

“It’s probably the usual.” Scorpio looked at the framed photos as they walked down. Lucy’s fifth birthday; Gemini’s first attempt at a selfie which no one let him take down; last Christmas’ group-photo... “Maybe Gemini is complaining about Taurus’ strong-smelling protein-shakes again, or Capricorn is lecturing about the common decency of refilling the coffeepot again, or Aries and Cancer are fencing for the last muffin...again.” It was really a marvel their guild had made it so far, considering that arguments were as common as completed missions.

“Was anyone awake when Lucy got home?” Aquarius asked.

“Don’t think so, babe. Cancer and I were the last ones up. But Loke assured us her mission wasn’t dangerous.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about...” Aquarius mused more to herself. “I just have a hunch...”

Aquarius’ hunch was on point, they realized, as the couple stepped into the kitchen to find all their nakama there.

Having everyone in the guild at the same time was quite rare. Having everyone awake in the guild at the same time...that was an anomaly.

Aquarius narrowed her eyes at the scene before them. Everyone was talking at once, gesturing about, being generally too noisy for her liking.

Capricorn, Loke, Cancer and Lucy all looked sleep deprived. Yet their youngest was standing behind the stove...making pancakes.

Scorpio could see the gears turning in his girlfriend’s head. Something was up here. They hadn’t forgotten a birthday, no anniversary was today, so why was the blonde making pancakes for everyone?

All eyes went to the kitchen’s entrance at their arrival, both in their pajamas, hair still mussed from sleep and an Aquarius looking unhappy.

“Why, in Mavis’ good name, are you making so much noise at this Zeref-damned hour?” Aquarius yelled over the remaining talking.

Scorpio watched with bemusement as several eyes from their fully awake nakama travelled to the kitchen’s clock, which traitorously showed the time of 09:07am.

“Good morning, Aunty. Good morning, Scorpio.” Lucy exclaimed cheerfully, flipping a pancake in the pan, undisturbed by the bluenette’s tone.

Aquarius’ eyebrow rose in suspicion at the endearment and at the breakfast-food.

“What did you do-”

“Morning, Lucy!” Scorpio interrupted her quickly. “What-”

“Woof!”

All eyes went from Aquarius and Lucy to the little furball, hiding behind the blonde’s legs.

“What’s that?” Aquarius looked back to her protegee.

“Pancakes.” The blonde said, eyes fixed on the pan.

“The other thing.”

“Oh that? That’s a little dog. Strawberries or blueberries?”

Aquarius blinked at the shivering animal, eying her back curiously, tail wagging.

Before she could say anything else on the topic, Scorpio shouted “HA!” to the surprise of everyone else.

“Told you so, Cancer! You owe me-”

But the other assassin merely smiled, eating the first batch of Lucy’s totally-not-a-bribe-pancakes. “She called him ‘Plue’, baby.”

“Dammit.”

 

-----

 

After they’d split ways, Lucy had received a link from Natsu:

‘How to Convince Your Parents to Get a Dog’

Shockingly, there was no 1:1 result for ‘How to Convince Your Extremely Stubborn Nakama to Take In a Random Dog you’d Found the Night Before in a Scumbag Factory’. Lucy had checked.

At the sound of pans being moved in her kitchen, Virgo had appeared first beside Lucy that morning. She’d looked at Plue for a second, before stroking his back, stating “Fluffy.” and promptly helped Lucy mix the pancake-batter.

One after the other, the rest of their nakama had shown up, drawn in by the smell of cooked breakfast. Cancer and Taurus had merely shrugged and accepted their plates with no remark of the dog jumping around their feet. Cancer had just smiled victoriously when Lucy had stated that his name was Plue.

The trouble had started to sizzle when more of the assassins had come downstairs, coming to a boiling point with Aquarius’ entrance.

“You brought home a dog?!” The bluenette asked loudly, after her boyfriend’s unexpected outburst.

“His name is Plue.” Lucy smiled at her. “I found him in that cosmetic factory from last night’s mission-”

“I didn’t ask for his origin-story!”

Alright, time to implement Step 1 from Natsu’s link.

“I know dog’s need a lot of attention, like going for walks and a proper diet-”

“What are you doing?” Aquarius interrupted. “Did you prepare a speech?! I thought we went over this when you were five-”

“And, and I could totally care for him. I could take him on missions, like Natsu does with Happy-”

“Mavis-dammit.” Loke swore, rubbing the corners of his eyes, evidently too tired for this. “Did that kid put you up to this?”

“N-No.” Lucy added an unnecessary amount of whipped cream onto a stack of fresh pancakes. Which Sagittarius happily took off her hands.

“A dog isn’t the same as a cat, Lucy.”

“I know that!” The blonde huffed. Perhaps Step 3 would work better. “But you know I’m very responsible and could handle it!”

No argument there.

Step 6: “And I’d get more exercise with a dog-”

“Lucy, you’re an assassin. More exercise isn’t something you need to worry about.”

Damn, true.

“I...uhh...would feel safer at home...?”

No one believed that one. Not even herself.

Alright, time to go off script!

“I couldn’t just leave him there! They would’ve tested stuff on him!”

Aries gave a displeased huff, scratching Plue between the ears as he tottered over to her chair.

“What about-”

“He doesn’t have a tag and you know the shelters aren’t exactly great for a little dog.” Lucy quickly interrupted.

Aquarius sighed. “Capricorn, what do you think about this?”

The older man looked up from his project of perfectly distributing banana-slices on his pancake.

“Well...” He adjusted his glasses, taking a good look at Plue. “...I’d say the dog is a mix between a poodle and something bigger. Still a puppy, I think, though I’m no expert on animals. From the size of his paws however-”

“I mean the general concept of having a dog in our guild.”

“Oh that...” The scholar stroked his goatee in thought. “...Technically speaking, having a dog is another security measure, no matter his size. And not just here, but also with Lucy, if you do intend on taking him with you on missions.” He added in Lucy’s direction. “And as long as he doesn’t chew on my books, I have no qualms about having him here.”

Lucy grinned at Capricorn. “And Virgo likes him!-” She added, before anyone could say anything against Plue.

The assassin in question turned away from the mixing-bowl to face them. “He is very fluffy.” She stated.

“-And Sag loves animals in general!”

The tall man nodded simply, his onesie’s horsehead swaying with the motion.

And with Taurus already on his second plate of ‘please-be-on-my-side-in-this’-pancakes, Lucy had the neutrality-squad in her corner. Things were going well...

“Lucy, you know we’re not home a lot and our work schedule is nothing that could be called consistent-” Aquarius rubbed her temples, rehashing the exact same speech she’d given Lucy twelve years ago.

“But someone is always home!” Lucy interrupted. “And we have a lot of space-”

“We don’t even know what type of breed he is exactly.” Aquarius gestured to the little dog, momentarily getting a belly-rub from Cancer. “He could become aggressive or even dangerous-”

“Do you really think this little guy could become a threat?” Cancer asked.

As if to concrete that point, Plue gave an adorable, little whine at the momentary pause in belly-rubs.

Capricorn muttered some comment about “big paws” into his coffee that wasn’t heard by anyone.

“Not threat as in ‘he’s been sent to kill us all’, but some dog breeds aren’t exactly family friendly-”

Lucy used Aquarius’ brief attempt to correct herself, to scoop up Plue and held him an inch away from the bluenette’s face.

“What the-”

“Just look at those eyes and tell me you’d send him back on the streets!” Lucy wailed dramatically.

Plue, as if sensing that this moment would be crucial for his imminent future, looked right at the leader, giving off little whines.

“Lucy-”

“Pleeeeease!”

Aquarius glared at the little dog, still hovering in front of her face and only got the ‘puppy-eyes’ in return. And not just from the actual puppy. But also from the blonde, Taurus, Aries, Gemini, Sagittarius, Cancer…

“You know what?! It’s too early to play bad cop! You can keep him-”

A cheer went around the guild, mixed with a happy bark from the newest addition.

“-BUT, we’re putting up posters, just in case he belongs to someone-”

“Alright.”

“-AND we’re taking him to the vet! I’m not having him infest our home!”

“Thank you, Aunty-”

“Don’t even start. Now give me those blueberries and-” she glowered back at Plue whilst claiming the pile of blueberry-pancakes for herself, “-if I ever get woken up because of you again, you’ll be sleeping in the garage!”

The image of the terrifying assassin was somewhat disrupted by her pouring a waterfall’s worth of chocolate sauce onto her plate and the little puppy, happily jumping around her legs.

 

-----

 

Natsu was having a crisis.

Happy was watching his roommate pacing up and down the messy apartment with a bored stare. He’d been doing that for a while now.

Natsu knew for sure that he liked Lucy. He knew for sure that they worked perfectly together. And that he trusted her more than any other human on this earth.

What he didn’t know was how to convey that into words and form the question about partnership.

Happy was no help.

“But what if she doesn’t want to be partners...?”

“Meow.”

“It is a big step...”

“Meow!”

“And not something you can just take back...”

“Meoooow!”

“Don’t call me an idiot! This is hard!”

“Me-ow.”

“Oh sure! But don’t come crying to me when you need help asking someone!”

Happy had rolled his eyes at that point.

Not even the almighty internet had the answers Natsu was looking for. There were plenty of results on ‘How to find the perfect partner’ and ‘How to be a good partner’. He knew all that! He needed ‘How to tell someone you want to be partners’. But no luck there.

Natsu slumped onto his hammock, staring at the ceiling.

“You know what? I’ll just ask her, Happy!”

“Me-aye-ow!”

“You’re right, what’s the worst thing that can happen?”

She could say no.

You could ruin your friendship.

You could infuriate the Celestials-

No! Now was not the time to start thinking things through! When had he ever done that before? And things have always worked out one way or another.

As he saw it, it was his best option. It wasn’t like he had anyone he could ask stuff like this.

 

-----

 

“Hey, how did you two become partners?”

Taurus looked at the little blonde as she sat down onto one of the stools around the kitchen island.

He and Sag were currently in the process of making a high-in-protein/vitamins-lunch before Virgo could come back from shopping and lecture them on “Order in the Kitchen”...again.

“Why’d you want tooooo know?” Taurus asked, throwing some almonds into his Greek yoghurt.

“Oh, just curious.” Lucy shrugged, lifting Plue onto her lap.

“That was ages agooooo...” Taurus thought back to that night.

“I wasn’t even a member back then.” Sag supplied, cutting up a carrot for the puppy.

“You were partners before you were a Celestial?” Lucy asked surprised.

“Yes, moshi moshi.”

“I-I didn’t know that. So, you just became partners outside of the guild or...?”

“We met during a missiooooon!” Taurus started.

“I was new to Crocus and heard some ruckus.” Sag carried on, letting Plue pick up a piece of carrot from his palm. “Helped out Taurus when I saw he was in trouble.” His partner said with a casual shrug.

They’d been perfect together, Taurus recalled fondly. Sag had spotted his legal guild-mark and asked if he needed assistance. And since he’d been cornered, he hadn’t said no.

He’d taken on those who’d come too close, and Sag had picked off anyone from a distance. Perfect balance or whatever older assassins liked to go on about.

“Sooooo, I asked if he wanted to be partners.” Taurus threw some oats into his bowl for good measure.

Lucy blinked.

“You asked him to be partners...the night you met?!”

“Aquarius said the saaaaame thing!” Taurus really didn’t understand the big deal. He’d known Sag was a good person -he was intuitive like that- yet his guild had been somewhat startled after that mission. “She gave me a whooooole speech on...actually, I forgot what she said exactly, but it was looooong!”

“It was on thinking things through, moshi moshi.” Sag said with a smile.

“Oh yeah.”

“So...you just asked him?” Lucy asked, not looking them in the eyes, but fiddling with Plue’s new collar. “You didn’t ask the guild first or anything?”

“Nope!” Taurus said happily, not noticing the blonde’s strange behavior. “It was a spur of the moooooment decision. And no matter what Loke says, those are toooootally my forte!”

“Virgo did a background-check on me.” Sag added. “Aquarius wasn’t too happy about my sudden appearance, but your mother was welcoming-”

“Best not-thought-out-decisiooooon I ever made!” Taurus proclaimed, throwing an arm around his partner’s skinny shoulders.

“I bet it was!” Lucy grinned right back. “Thanks guys, this helped a lot!”

With that she sped out the kitchen, carrying Plue up the stairs (because, as Sag had told them, puppies aren’t supposed to walk steps early on, bad for bones and all).

“Isn’t it nice that the little one is interested in our history.” Taurus smiled, taking the first bite of his lunch.

Sag raised a black eyebrow at him.

“What?”

“You don’t honestly think that’s what that was about, moshi moshi?”

“Huh, what else?”

Sag didn’t reply, merely rolled his eyes with a smile.

“What?!”

“For someone who claims to be intuitive, you can be very oblivious, Taurus.” With that, he walked over to the dining table with his salad bowl.

“Huh?! I am nooooot! Wait, what are you talking abooooout?”

“I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough, moshi moshi.” Sag said with a rare smirk, as Taurus tried to figure out what Lucy’s question might’ve been about.

 

-----

 

Midnight got woken up by someone knocking on the door of his apartment.

Midnight hated being woken up.

Why in Zeref’s name did someone deem it necessary to knock on his door?!

He knew nobody here, he wasn’t expecting anyone and only very few people from his past knew where he was. And none of those would ever knock whilst he was sleeping.

Because he hated being woken up!

Grumpily, Midnight got up from the very comfortable couch, slurring over to the door after the obnoxious knocking seized to stop.

“What?!” He all but yelled as a greeting, swinging the door open violently. He didn’t bother with a weapon. He didn’t need one.

In front of him stood a man with round glasses and neatly tied hair. His posture was too stiff to be casual, his purple eyes too aware to be calm. Rune Knight then.

Great, Midnight hoped he wouldn’t have to hide a body today. That would seriously decrease his naptime.

“Macbeth-” The knight started.

“I prefer ‘Midnight’.” The younger man interrupted him.

“Of cause you do.” The knight sighed, moving his glasses further up his nose. “May I come inside?”

“You got a warrant?” Midnight shot back.

The knight looked at his civilian clothes. “How do you always...never mind. I’m not here to arrest you or gather evidence of any kind.”

“Mhm.” Was all he replied, mind already wandering back to the couch.

“I am Captain Lahar of the Custody Enforcement Unit...”

“Mhm.”

“...and I’d like to talk to you about an old nakama or whatever you call it, of yours...”

“Mhm.”

“...because I have requested their help on a special government-project I’m leading...”

“Mhm.”

“...but since they have proven to be rather stubborn-Sir! Are you listening to me?!”

“Mhm.”

“Midnight!”

“I’m up! Sorry, what was that last part?”

He met the displeased frown of Lahar through half-opened eyes.

“Would it help your focus, if I told you that Erik, aka. Cobra, is in over his head?”

That did get Midnight’s attention. His spine straightened at his friend’s name, his eyes now attentive on the captain.

Lahar noticed, a subtle smile forming on his face that Midnight did not appreciate.

“You’ve talked to Cobra?” He asked, his voice still groggy and tired.

“I’ve had the...pleasure, yes.” Lahar sniffed.

“And you think he’s in trouble?” Dammit, Midnight couldn’t keep the concern out of his voice. But he didn’t really care at that moment.

“I do.”

The younger man narrowed his red eyes in suspicion. “And why exactly does a highly esteemed knight care about an illegal assassin?”

Lahar glared back. “I’d be more than happy to explain.”

Midnight only hesitated a moment before stepping back and inviting the captain into his temporary home with a lazy gesture.

Damn Erik. What have you gotten yourself into now?

 

-----

 

To say that Natsu was nervous would be an understatement.

To say that Lucy was completely confident would be a lie.

But after both teens had talked themselves up and gotten the necessary support from their respective animal sidekick, Natsu had gathered enough courage to ask Lucy to meet at the old train station via text and Lucy felt reassured enough to send back a thumbs-up.

Natsu was there first, pacing on the roof, mindful of the ever-growing hole going all the way down to the ground floor where he had met Lucy.

The blonde assassin joined after only a few minutes, panting after her trip over the rooftops of Crocus.

“Hey Luce!” Natsu called down, grabbing his job-partner’s hand and pulled her up from the highest windowsill.

“Hi Natsu, hi Happy!” She said and carefully swung her partially open backpack off her shoulder. “Meet...Plue ‘Canis Minor’ of the Celestials!” She announced cheerfully, pulling out the little puppy from the night before.

“Woof!”

“You gave him an assassin name?” Natsu laughed, petting the fluffy dog.

“It only seemed right.” Lucy shrugged, setting Plue down.

The little poodle took in his new surroundings, panting happily as Happy moved closer.

The blue cat sniffed Plue, watching him warily. Happy bared his little teeth, hissing and the little hairs along his spine rose in what was supposed to be an intimidating appearance.

Plue kept looking at Happy unphased, before promptly licking his face.

Happy blinked, threatening pose forgotten. With a dignified ‘humph’, he turned and walked away with his tail raised.

The little puppy, convinced that this was a game, tottered right after him.

Happy, not liking this, fastened his pace.

Plue, barking happily at this newfound playmate, chased after him.

Natsu’s roommate, now concerned for his wellbeing, went into a full-on sprint.

This resulted in two blurs of white and blue chasing each around the hole in the roof, their human assassins watching and laughing at the display.

“I’m glad you texted, by the way.” Lucy started, nerves doing summersaults in her stomach. “I wanted to ask you something...”

“Oh?” Natsu tried to keep his voice even. “I wanted to talk with you too.”

There was an awkward silence as both teens tried to gather their thoughts.

Natsu began: “Y’know, Luce, we’ve been friends for a long time - well, not that long, but for a while...and more importantly; we’ve been working together - technically, we’ve been doing that longer than being friends, if you count Eisenwald...and I think we’re a great team and I really like doing missions with you and-”

“Natsu?” Lucy interrupted, not having heard a word the pinkette had been rambling. “Do you want to be partners?”

Natsu, being mid-sentence, stared at his friend, mouth hanging open.

“Nonononononono.” He waved his hands about, trying to remember the next part of his halfway structured speech.

“You...I...” Natsu saw Lucy’s crestfallen expression, his brain trying to recall what exactly she’d said. “Wait...WHAT?!”

“It’s fine.” The blonde said quickly, not meeting his surprised stare. “It’s probably a stupid idea anyway...”

“Nononononono!” Mavis-dammit, he was messing this up badly.

“You’ve already said that.”

“No, that’s not what I-”

“You don’t need to explain. It’s probably too soon anyway, so sorry for bringing it up-”

No, this was not how Natsu had planned this. At all!

“For Zeref’s sake, Luce!” He said loudly, finally getting the Celestial to look at him again. “I was trying to ask you the same thing!”

“You...what?!”

“Yes!”

Happy and Plue had called a truce in their chase and sat a few meters away from their humans. The cat rolled his eyes at their antics. Plue, not entirely sure what was going on, simply watched the two, wondering what they were discussing in their strange, human language.

“Then why did you say ‘no’, you dork?!”

“I didn’t expect you to ask, you weirdo!”

“What makes me the weirdo here?! And why shouldn’t I ask?”

“Because you’re the one who thinks things through!”

“What makes you think I didn’t?”

“You just said that it’s a stupid idea!”

“Because you said ‘no’!”

“Because I didn’t think you’d want to be partners!”

“Why, in Mavis’ good name, would I not want to be your partner?!”

“Oh, I don’t know; maybe because your nakama don’t like me-”

“Only some of them...and that’s not against you personally!”

“-I’m from a fallen guild-”

“Why would that matter?”

“-like you said, we don’t know each other that long-”

This time, the pinkette was cut off by Lucy cupping his face with both hands, making him look her in the eyes.

“Natsu...do you have something you want to ask me?”

The Dragon looked down into the warm eyes of his friend. He took a deep breath.

“Lucy ‘Starlight’ of the Celestials...owner of a very impressive knife-collection and lover of incredibly boring movies-”

“Hey!”

“-do you want to be my partner?”

Lucy mimicked taking a deep breath, trying her best to maintain a serious expression.

“Natsu ‘Salamander’ of the Dragons, detonator of homemade grenades, coral-topped-pyromaniac-”

“Hey!”

“-yes, I’d love to be your partner.”

They looked at each other before a grin spread across both their faces.

Natsu threw his arms around her waist, lifting the smaller assassin a few inches off the ground with the hug.

“You sure, Luce?” He smiled as the blonde hugged him back.

“Duh, you dork. You’re never getting rid of me now!” Lucy exclaimed, giggling as Natsu swung her around once.

“I like the sound of that...partner.”

Notes:

Ah, finally; Lucy and Natsu are partners in...CHAPTER 14?!
This was a given since Chapter 1!
I really need to pick up the pace...
But thank you to everyone who's been patient enough to stick around, I appreciate it. <3

Chapter 15: Another New Addition

Natsu didn’t precisely know how Lucy had convinced him to come back to the Celestial guild. Again.

He blamed it on the rush of happiness that was still running through his veins, after their little ‘who-asked-who-to-be-partners’-mishap had been cleared up.

With Plue in one arm, Lucy swung open the door, the golden paint of the key shimmering in the moonlight.

“Come on, Natsu. Third time’s the charm.” She called cheerfully. Plue gave a supporting “woof”.

Sure, but a charm for who exactly?

Natsu wouldn’t call himself superstitious, but these were Lucy’s (and soon-to-be his) nakama, and he was taking no chances.

So, instead of following Lucy through the door, Natsu quickly jumped through the narrow window beside it, landing quietly on the wooden floorboards beside his job-partner.

“Seriously?”

“We agreed that going through this door is unlucky for me, Luce.” Natsu shrugged, letting Happy jump into his arms.

Lucy rolled her eyes and pulled him down the hallway, towards the opened living-room door. Light and voices filtered out of it:

“Virgo, you landed on a chute. You have to move down.”

“I don’t understand that.”

“You see, it’s like a slide. So, your figure has to slide back down.”

“But I could easily climb this slide.”

“That’s what I saaaaaid!”

“Taurus, you wouldn’t even fit in a slide.”

“Exactly! Sooooo I shouldn’t have to move dooooown!”

“Dear Mavis, why?”

“I have climbed chutes several times-”

“Okay, maybe in real life, but not in this game, Virgo.”

“That is very unrealistic.”

“Who got out the damn boardgame?!”

“Unrealistic?! The other version has snakes!”

“How about Monopoly, moshi moshi?”

“NO!”

“Can we please just watch a movie?”

“I’m fairly certain this tradition is called ‘Movie and Game Night’, so, technically, they are just completing the ritual.”

“At least it’s not Battleship again-”

“Don’t you dare invoke that name!”

“Diagonals aren’t allowed, and you know it!”

“It’s the ocean! There is no such thing as ‘vertical’ or ‘horizontal’, baby!”

“See what you’ve done?!”  

This was the colorful mess of conversations that the two teens burst into.

A handful of Celestials sat around the coffee table on cushions, arguing over the probability of Taurus breaking a hypothetical slide, which would result in him moving back down anyway.

The others were spread around the numerous sitting arrangements, two armchairs taken up by Capricorn and Gemini, both with a pile of instruction-pamphlets from the games on their laps, trying to find the answers to their nakamas’ questions.

“Lucy, you’re late!” Aquarius called, her eyes only then finding Natsu standing behind Lucy in the doorway. “And you brought company.”

Natsu realized that every Celestial was there. Lucy had timed this! He didn’t know how, but she had made sure all her nakama were present to hear the news. He couldn’t decide whether that was a good thing or not, considering the full-guild-dinner from a few weeks back.

“You’re all here.” He stated lamely, smiling into the gathering of S-Class assassins awkwardly. Gemini enthusiastically returned the gesture.

“On rare occasions, this happens.” Capricorn supplied. “We turn it into a traditional ‘Movie and Game Night’. Though by waiting for Lucy, we went a little crazy and switched it up. So, therefore it is now a ‘Games and Movie Night’, I suppose.”

“Truly crazy.” Loke muttered, shoving the little figurines and dice back into their carton. “Why are you so late, Princess?” He asked louder.

“Well...” Lucy turned to grin at Natsu. Aquarius fixed him with a suspicious stare. “Natsu and I talked and -eventually- we got to the topic of-”

“We’re gonna be partner!” He burst out, blaming the bluenette’s all-seeing glare for his tactless announcement.

There was a beat of silence in the spacious living room.

“Called it, moshi moshi!” Sagittarius declared, earning himself a confused look from his partner.

Natsu pretty much expected the chaos to break loose. It was still kind of fun to watch it unfold.

“You didn’t think to consult us first?!” Aquarius jumped from the loveseat she and Scorpio had been occupying.

“I did!” Lucy set Plue down, so she could cross her arms. “I asked Sag and Taurus-”

Loke stepped into the fray, massaging his temples. “You asked Taurus on any kind of relationship advice?!”

“The hell is that suppooooosed to mean?!”

“He’s just jealous she asked us, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius patted his partner on the back reassuringly.

“That’s not what this is –those two?! Seriously, Princess?!”

“Hey!”

“At least we didn’t become partners the night we met!”

“HEY!”

“That’s because you two were trying to kill each other when you met!”

“Not true, Aunty...only to injure each other. Big difference! And a misunderstanding!”

“A misunderstanding.” Aquarius scoffed. “Not even those two morons managed that!”

“HEY!”

Natsu watched the back and forth, no real menace in the words or hurt in the outrage. These were the kinds of arguments that had occurred so many times in the Dragons’ guild.

They would understand, Natsu thought whilst scratching Happy between the ears. He wasn’t replacing them, no, that was impossible. But like he told Lucy on that random rooftop after the Everlue mission: they’d want him to be happy, to live. And he was happy when he was with Lucy. And he could imagine how homely the Celestial’s guild could feel when you weren’t being chased out the door.

And hey, maybe one day he’d be a part of such a guild-like argument, not just the cause.

His thoughts were interrupted by a short, pink head of hair (actual pink, not salmon like his) catching his attention in front of him.

“Let me be first to welcome you to the guild, Natsu of the Dragons.” Virgo said formally. “I am very happy that you and Princess will be partners.”

Her expression sure didn’t support her claim, but Natsu knew from the few times he’d seen the young woman that this didn’t mean much.

“Thanks, Virgo. That means a l-hrrgnn.” He was cut off by a rib-breaking hug from the pinkette, nearly lifting him off the ground. Happy managed to save himself with a jump to the side, watching with -that was definitely- amusement as his roommate’s life was squeezed from his lungs.

“Very happy.” Virgo repeated, gracing the Dragon assassin with a rare, small smile.

She released him and dusted of her pristine pinafore. “I will make the popcorn for the ‘Movie’-portion of tonight.” She declared, an eager glint in her eyes at the self-set challenge.

A warm hand clasped Natsu’s shoulder as soon as she’d bustled out the door. He turned his head to see Scorpio and Cancer standing beside him, both watching the chaos before them.

“Welcome to the family, Natsu.” Scorpio said and the teen had to swallow heavily.

“Hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself into.” Cancer supplied. “Cause this can still be considered ‘tame’, baby.”

“Oh yeah.” Gemini appeared on his other side, leaning onto his walking stick. “Just wait until incorrect references or foolish challenges make their rounds. Actually, those smoke-bombs of yours might come in real handy, kiddo.”

Natsu huffed a laugh, emotions getting the better of him. And the assassins around him seemed to know this, as Gemini patted his free shoulder in grandfatherly affection.

“How about we start with the screening of the selected movie?” Capricorn rose to his full height, towering over most of the arguing/watching assassins.

“Excellent idea, my friend!” Gemini exclaimed happily, moving back to his armchair.

Murmurs of agreement broke up the quarrel.

“Are you staying, Natsu?” Aquarius called over, startling the pinkette.

“Uh, I-I’d like that.” He mumbled, scratching the back of his head, suddenly all too aware of all the eyes on him.

“Then take a seat.” The bluenette huffed, gesturing impatiently to the couch.

Natsu sat down on the empty spot between Lucy and Aries, sinking into the comfortable cushions.

Lucy beamed at him. “Welcome to the guild.” She whispered, nestling closer, just like they’d done on the rooftop.

“Thanks, Luce.” He whispered back, watching as Aquarius got the TV started.

“You too, Happy.” The blonde added, the little cat jumping between their laps.

He ‘me-aye-owed’ in return.

Plue tried joining them as Virgo came in and started passing out bowls with steaming popcorn. Happy managed to swat him away with his tail, so the puppy took a seat one spot over: on Aries’ lap. He was almost invisible, laying on the fluffy, white fabric of her dress, while Loke made comments on there being “two shedding nuisances in the guild” now, with a look at Happy. A look which the kitten returned with a stink-eye.

“What mooooovie are we watching?” Taurus mooed from his spot on a pile of cushions.

“Gimme a sec.” Aquarius reached for a bowl on the coffee table, filled with folded bits of paper.

“Wait, we didn’t get to add one.” Lucy said.

“That’s what you get for being late.” Aquarius replied coldly, hand rifling through the pieces of paper.

Lucy huffed, leaning back into Natsu’s side with a muttered: “Next time, I’m voting for Jaws.”

The Celestial’s leader fished one out of the mix, unfolding it and read: “Titanic” out loud.  

Taurus groaned. “A historical one, again?!”

“Well, we weren’t going to watch Rocky IV, again.” Capricorn replied, settling into his chair with a smile.

“Wasn’t Titanic a ship?” Natsu leaned closer to Lucy, whispering as Aquarius put the disc in.

“Yup.”

“And didn’t it-”

“Yup.”

“Aw man, I don’t like unhappy endings.”

He didn’t need to worry about it though. Only a handful of the gathered assassins made it to the end of the movie.

Unsurprisingly, Gemini was the first to doze off, sometime around Capricorn’s appraisal of the realistic staircase. Taurus went next, around the time Natsu and Aries discovered their mutual love of spicy popcorn. Sagittarius followed soon after. Aries fell asleep in her partner’s arms sometime around the dance scene, Plue right along with her.

Natsu noticed Lucy’s steady breathing during Capricorn’s lecture on who really went down with the ship. She nudged closer in her sleep until her head rested below his chin. He shifted slightly so he could rest their combined weight against the corner of the couch, arms slung around his partner. The scent of vanilla and honey filled his nose as his eyelids grew heavy. The last thing he saw was the knowing cat-smirk from his roommate. But sleep pulled him in before he could mutter a ‘no, I don’t’.

 

-----

 

Taurus’ head snapped up just as the credits started playing.

“Great mooooovie!” He tried blinking the sleep from his eyes.

“Oh, save it.” Aquarius whispered. “We heard your snoring.”

“That was hard coooooncentration.” He whispered back, seeing that most of their nakama were asleep. Sag was out of it, long limbs spread out over a beanbag chair. Loke was scooping up Aries, careful to keep a sleeping Plue balanced in her arms. Virgo had already disappeared with Gemini and Capricorn was gently shaking his partner awake, knowing full well the ex-hairdresser would have a meltdown tomorrow morning, if he went to sleep without his night-routine.

Aquarius, eyes a little puffy from crying at whatever had happened at the end of that movie, stood before one of the couches.

“You can’t send him home at this time of night, babe.” Scorpio stood beside her.

“I know that.” She whisper-snapped, eying the sleeping teens on the couch sternly.

The little blonde was basically laying half on top of Natsu, head nestled just below his collarbone. The pinkette had his nose buried in her hair, hugging her to him as they slept side by side.

“They also don’t need a chaperone.” Scorpio smiled in the semi-darkness.

“I know that too.” His girlfriend moved to grab a spare blanket from the ottoman, snapping it open with a little more force than necessary.

Happy gave a sleepy ‘meow?’ at the gust of air, but quickly fell back asleep as Aquarius threw the blanket over the teens.

“What?!” She hissed quietly at a smirking Loke.

“Nothing, nothing.” The ginger shrugged, quite impressive since he was carrying his partner and a puppy, before turning to the staircase.

“As if that mother-hen would’ve done any different.” Aquarius muttered, following her boyfriend out the living room with a last look to the couch.

Capricorn and a very groggy Cancer walked out behind them.

“C’mon, Sag.” Taurus picked up the archer, who gave a sleepy ‘hm?’. Half supporting, half carrying his partner up the stairs, Taurus asked quietly:

“Hey, Sag?”

“Hm?”

“Lucy and Natsu became partners cause of our story, didn’t they?”

“I’m sure that was part of it, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius yawned.

Taurus smiled contently to himself, bidding the black-haired man goodnight at his door.

There had been a time when he'd been cautious around feelings, had thought things through. And while that relationship had been one of the best things Taurus would ever experience, he had lost precious time by doubting and questioning himself. That was time he would never get back, but he'd realized that after it had already been too late. After that, Taurus had decided to always go with his heart. His partnership with Sagittarius was the perfect example of this. Thinking things through could go suck it.

 

-----

 

Grandpa Crux had lived in Crocus all his life. And becoming a senior in this city deserved some kind of award in his opinion.

He’d acquired a good many survival skills in his life, he reflected. Like sensing trouble from a mile away. Or being able to smell a Rune Knight in a ten-block radius. Or always knowing when someone was following-

“Hello Grandpa Crux.”

“AAAAAAH!”

The old man spun around, swinging his shopping bag clumsily at the person who’d spoken, because two seconds ago, there definitely hadn’t been anyone behind him.

The pink-haired Celestial easily side-stepped the attack, looking at him curiously.

“Virgo, dear Mavis-” Grandpa Crux panted, holding a hand over his pounding heart. How in the world had Gemini not died of a heart-attack yet?!

“What’s wrong, Grandpa Crux?” The young woman asked.

“What’s wrong- you scared the life out of me!”

Virgo cocked her head in confusion. “But I even announced my presence by saying hello this time.”

Yeah, this time. Last time, she’d forgotten that part and had gone straight to giving him a hug in greeting. Grandpa Crux had thought death had come to claim his soul.

“Well...” He took a deep breath, letting the assassin squeeze him in a quick hug. “How about approaching not from behind next time?”

“I’ll remember that!” Virgo proclaimed, a happy twinkle in her eyes. Grandpa Crux highly doubted it, but didn’t stop her, as she linked their arms and carried on down the shopping street.  

“So, what’s new with you?” Crux asked as they stopped by a fruit vendor.

“Not much with me.” Virgo replied, as she did often. “But Lucy got a puppy.”

“How lovely.” He replied, eying the bakery down the street.

“His name is Plue.”

“Blue?”

“No, P-lue.”

“Strange name.”

Virgo shrugged, giving the apples a critical look. “He is very fluffy.” She stated simply, deeming the fruit worthy enough for whatever she had planned to bake with them. “Oh, and someone drank the last of Aries’ hot chocolate-mix. She is currently searching for the culprit.”

“I suppose you know the guilty party?” Crux asked, waiting as Virgo paid for the apples and bagged them.

“I have my suspicions.” She said, not a single movement betraying her thoughts. “But the cocoa powder was a Christmas gift from Loke, which I guess is why she was quite upset about it. She even put her name on it.”

The Celestials were a strange bunch, Crux thought. Anyone you’d ask on the street would tell you with either fear or awe that they were the best guild in Crocus, undefeatable and efficient. But then there were Virgo’s stories, which made the assassins seem more like a cluster of roommates who’d known each other for too long.

“Hm. I heard an animal rights group is gearing up to take down one of the factory giants.” Grandpa Crux supplied. He was so used to swapping information, it came natural to him to offer something in return.

“That will make Princess and Natsu of the Dragons very happy.”

“Ah yes, I heard those two are still working together. Good for them.” Crux eyed the display of pastries behind the glass display, his mouth watering at the sight. The question was whether to be health conscious and get a fruit pastry or give into the temptation of the double-fudge-brownies-

“Of cause they are.” Virgo said. “They are partners after all.”

Crux’s head whipped from the assortment of baked goods to the young assassin beside him so fast he swore he must’ve dislocated his spine.

“I’m sorry- they’re what?!”

Virgo blinked. “Princess and Natsu of the Dragons are going to be official partners very soon.” She repeated in a tone like she was broadcasting the weather.

“Since when?!” How had he not heard of this?! A new partnership...from two of the strongest guilds in Fiore...right at his doorstep...-this had to be the best gossip news he’d gotten in weeks! Maybe he was getting old...

“They announced it last night.”

Oh, thank Mavis, he wasn’t losing his edge, the information was simply too new to have reached him sooner.

“And you tell me about puppies and cocoa powder before this?!”

Virgo hinted a raised eyebrow. “But Plue is very fluffy. And Capricorn is going to have to protect his partner from an angry Aries very soon-”

“Never mind, never mind.” Crux interrupted, waving his hands in a dismissive motion. “This is wonderful news! Finally, a Celestial who isn’t afraid of feelings!”

‘Healthy’ could start tomorrow; this deserved to be celebrated with a brownie that probably held more sugar than all the other cakes combined!

“Which of my nakama are you referring to, Grandpa Crux?” Virgo inquired as the old man ordered two pieces of brownies. “Scorpio and Aquarius are in a happy relationship.”

“I don’t mean those two.” Crux handed the money over to the vendor.

Virgo went silent for a moment, the slight crease between her brows indicating the gears turning in her mind.

“Mavis- Aries and Loke, Virgo.”

“Oh. But those two aren’t-”

“Precisely!” He took the food wrapped in napkins and handed one to his gossip-buddy.

“Thank you.”

“Hm. So, the little Dragon found a partner. I’m very happy for both of them. By the way,” he chewed on a gooey piece of caramel, “did Natsu tell you about my warning?”

“What warning?”

Take that as a no then. Stubborn Dragons.

“A particularly not pleasant person was asking about him some weeks back. Didn’t like it.”

“Do you think it’s serious?” Virgo’s tone was unbothered as she slowly worked her way through the brownie, but Crux knew her hackles were raised.

“I can’t be sure.” He huffed. “Until now, nothing’s happened, so maybe it was just the usual.” The usual dangers that came with being an assassin. Crux didn’t know how they did it half the time.

Virgo hummed. “Well, whatever it was, Natsu of the Dragons is now a part of our guild. He’ll be safe.”

“I’m glad to hear it, Virgo.” Crux smiled up at the young woman. The kid had grown on him, he’d made sure Natsu had been alright after the death of the Dragons. Or as alright as a thirteen-year-old could be in that situation.

With the Celestials keeping an eye out for him, Grandpa Crux could finally stop worrying. He bit into the brownie, savoring the afternoon as he spent it with one of his closest friends.

 

-----

 

Cobra returned to his apartment after the sun had set behind the skyline of Crocus. He’d been preparing for the final part of his plan for days on end and he’d needed a break with fresh air and people to scowl at.

Cubellios had hissed at his suggestion of leaving the warm apartment, so she’d stayed behind, comfortably curled up under the radiator.

That’s why the noise surprised Cobra. Before he’d even opened his door (he’d found that having a huge, venomous snake in the room tended to scare of any robbers or snoopers, so locking it was unnecessary) he knew someone was inside. Someone human.

His first thought went to the prissy knight with the bun and the glasses. But Cubellios could (and would) use that guy as a chew-toy. And he was hearing breathing. Deep, heavy, rhythmic breathing...

Hold on, that wasn’t-

Cobra pushed open the door, eyes immediately searching the lumpy couch he’d pushed to the side, so he’d have more space for his plans and equipment.

A figure sat there in a slumped position with his legs crossed, black hair sticking out in spikes, except the longer white strands that had fallen over his face. Purple beads clicked against each other as his sleeping friend shifted in his sleep.

Cobra stared at him, mouth hanging open.

Cubellios slithered up to him, excitedly nudging his leg, as if saying ‘look who’s here!’. Cobra patted her head absentmindedly. This was...unexpected.

“Hello, Eric.” Midnight’s groggy voice brought a smile to the red-haired man’s face as he slowly rose from the couch. Zeref, he’d missed that voice.

“Long time, no see.” Cobra responded, pulling his longest friend into a quick hug. Neither were a huge fan of physical contact, so they broke it off after a second.

“When a little knight throws me your locations and tells me to sort out your mess, I suppose it’s time for a visit.” Midnight responded, eying him from beneath his dark bangs.

Cobra cursed silently. That damn fool. Now setting his friends on him.

“I haven’t made a mess.” He defended.

Midnight pointedly looked at the plans strewn around the floor. “Yet.”

Cobra harrumphed, gathering up a heap of the pages to bring some semblance of order to the room.

“The Celestials? Really, Eric?!”

He sighed, knowing how insane his plan must look to his friend.

“I’m not planning on attacking them.” He ground out through gritted teeth.

“Just the Salamander?”

“Yes.” He dumped the pile beside his worktable beset with little jars and powders that could kill someone ranging from seconds to hours.

“You’ve heard that he is a Celestial now?” Midnight asked coldly.

Damn it to hell, no he hadn’t.

“Doesn’t change anything.” Cobra shrugged. “I was never planning on involving them anyway.”

“Eric, they will get involved! They will investigate-”

“And find no clues to the mysterious death of their newest member. Tragic.” Cobra hissed. “It’s not like an unexplainable death is something new for them.”

“Eric...” Midnight rubbed a tired hand down his face. “This is stupid on so many levels. Have you even considered the knight’s offer?”

“I’m not working with that fool!”

“Did you listen to his plan? Or did you storm off before he could share it?”

Damn McBeth and his knowing smirk. Cobra didn’t deem it necessary to reply.

“Thought not.” Midnight stretched lazily, reminding Cobra of a cat. If cats hibernated. “His plan will guarantee that there is no evidence linked to you.”

“Oh?” Cobra had to admit that sounded good, considering what guild he was -technically- going up against. Damn that Dragon and making a partnership. Couldn’t have waited a few more weeks?!

Midnight smiled, knowing he’d gotten his attention. “Let’s discuss this, shall we?” He sunk back into the couch, letting Cubellios slither close and gently stroked her scales.

Alright, maybe Cobra would listen. But if there was even a chance that fool of a knight would mess up his plan, he’d be going back to Plan A in seconds.

 

-----

 

“Hey, Princess.” Loke poked his head around the living room door, where their youngest sat on the spot she and Natsu had shared during the movie night the evening before.

She looked up from her book –“A History of the Assassin’s Council”, Capricorn was really getting to that poor child- and saw him leaning against the doorframe.

“Hey Loke. What’s up?”

The living room was empty apart from them, most of their nakama either making use of the late summer weather or sitting around the kitchen island, chatting. Even Plue had gone to join Virgo on a leisurely stroll through town.

“I know you apparently get your advice on partnership from Big and Long-”

“Loke...” Lucy whined. “They were just the first ones I saw.”

“Great!” He grinned, plopping onto the couch beside her. “Then you won’t mind hearing my particular tale on partnership, now would you?”

Lucy huffed a laugh but closed her book and sat up. “I guess not. I don’t think I know all the details how you and Aries joined.”

“I know you don’t. Because we were saving that story for when you’re old enough.” Loke smiled, trying to hide the nerves he was feeling at digging up all those memories. The story of how he and Aries met wasn’t precisely a pleasant one, but one the blonde might gather some lessons on partners from.

“Alright. Consider my interest peaked.” Lucy returned his smile.

Loke knew she loved stories. Even as a little kid she’d always ask for (kid-friendly) retellings of their missions and sat through the stories with joyful glee.

“Perfect. Then listen up, Princess. Cause this is going to be much more interesting than whatever Axe and Arrows had to offer.”

He ignored her eyeroll, instead focusing on how best to start. The beginning, he concluded, was always a good place to start.

“This was years and years ago...”

Notes:

Did I have to look up historical accuracies from Titanic for this? Yes, yes I did.

Also, I have glossed over or briefly explained some Celestial backstories so far, but I have set myself the challenge of a proper backstory chapter(s). And since Loke and Aries canonly have the most detailed history, I have chosen them. Meaning, the next two chapters will be taken up by Laries (and some Fairy Tail faces).

Also also, if Karen Lilica is your favourite character:
a) are you ok?
b) the next two chapters might not be for you

Chapter 16: The Lion and the Ram

“This was years and years ago...” Loke began, sitting next to Lucy onto the living-room’s couch.

Aries stayed silent on the other side of the wall, right beside the open doorway, feeling slightly guilty about eavesdropping on her nakama. She’d been about to join them when she heard Loke’s introduction to their partnership.

So, for once her curiosity trumped her polite and anxious nature. And she felt like she had at least some right to listen to their story. Loke was the better storyteller of the two, so she’d sit this one out.

“Aries and I were both in different guilds back then...oh, you must’ve been...five at the time.” Loke began.

“I’d been sent on a secret mission by my master. To do a little...investigating of this one guild outside of town. A guild we really didn’t get along with. They were technically legal, but from the stories you’d hear...let’s just say; there was room for suspicion of them being not quite as decent as they liked to appear.

“Anyway, I –being my usual charming self– got myself an invitation from their master. Kind of an open evening for potential investors. This was one of the reasons we suspected them of being shady, by the way.

“So, there I was, sitting in a horrendously decorated sitting room, with a few other guys and flirting with their master, Karen...”

Aries suppressed a shiver at the name, the cruel, pink eyes popping into her head with no warning.

Lucy’s easy voice stated “Naturally.” from the other room and the picture of Karen was replaced by the blonde teenager, rolling her eyes at Loke’s tale.

“All part of the mission, Princess.”

Loke’s good-humored smile joined the eye-rolling Lucy in Aries’ mind, pushing Karen’s mean face out completely.

“...But before I could get any information on either her guild or the other guys around me –who knew, there could’ve been a Rune Knight amongst them– something happened...”

He trailed off and Aries had a feeling she knew what was coming next. Lucy, of cause, didn’t.

“What happened?” She asked, shaking Loke out of his memories.

“I saw the most beautiful girl in the world.” His dreamy voice said it so casually. Like he had no idea how that made Aries’ heart skip or turned her cheeks the same color as her hair.

“Aries.” Lucy said, the smile audible in her voice.

Loke made a sound of agreement.

Aries remembered the night he was referring to, like it was yesterday.

 

Karen had ordered her to bring drinks for their guests. When she entered with the tray in her trembling hands, she was met with the hazel gaze of a very attractive, young, ginger man, sitting amongst Master Karen’s ‘guests’. She barely met his eyes, before quickly adverted hers and focused back on her task.

His hair had been shorter back then, but still in the same untamed spikes that framed his face at the present and stuck out at every angle.

 

“The master, Karen...” Loke continued. “...she didn’t treat Aries right. No, scratch that, she treated her inhumanely! That woman basically told her guests they could...‘play around’ with her.”

Lucy’s gasp was loud. “That witch!” She exclaimed; her voice equally angry as Loke’s.

Aries silently slid down the wall she was leaning against, wrapping her arms around her knees protectively. She remembered those instances far too well. They sometimes resurfaced in her nightmares; strangers hugging her too close for comfort or Karen’s displeased stare when she managed to distract the suitors by performing little tricks with her needles...

But sometimes those nightmares had mercy on her, dispersing into dreams that included her knight in shining armor. Or in a two-piece suit.

“Of cause, I couldn’t let that continue.” Loke went on.

“What did you do?” Lucy asked eagerly.

“I knew I’d have difficulties taken all of them on –Karen wasn’t the guild master for nothing. So...I basically shouted that ‘by the way, I’m a spy from your rival guild!’.”

Back then, Aries hadn’t understood what was happening.

 

The young man who’s piercing eyes she was avoiding, suddenly jumped up from his seat, just as the others started getting too close to her. He proclaimed loudly that he had been send to spy on them, even pulling up his shirt to show them the enemy’s emblem on his back.

 

“You didn’t!” Lucy said disbelieving. “How did you get out alive?”

“Well, for a moment everyone was shell-shocked...”

They certainly had been.

 

Aries stared at him like he’d just sprouted wings. Karen was the first to recover, quickly getting her guests to rush at Loke. He managed to side-step out of the way of the first to reach him but was stuck between the couch and the coffee table, so the next two grabbed him before he could move again.

They held him down whilst Karen sashayed over, confidence quickly regained after the surprise. She spouted some nonsense about how she’d suspected he was a ‘rotten apple’ since the beginning, or something similar.

Aries wasn’t too sure about what exactly had been said. She was standing in the same spot, quivering and hiding in the turtleneck of her dress, forgotten by her master and the guests.

Her eyes didn’t leave the figure lying on the carpeted floor, twitching and buckling as the hits and kicks rained in on him.

She still couldn’t think of a reason why he’d suddenly blown his cover. It gained him nothing. Nothing good anyway.

But then a gut-wrenching blow to the ribs made the ginger flip onto his stomach and Aries met his eyes behind the tangle of legs. He sported a bleeding cut above one eyebrow and a split lip, but despite all that, he looked at her and gave a reassuring smile.

And that’s when it hit her. He was distracting them. He gave them something else to focus on. So that they left her alone.

Guilt that someone (even a person who she’d been told was supposed to be her enemy) was getting hurt so badly because of her, mixed with uncomprehending gratefulness to a complete stranger rolled through Aries at that moment. Two feelings which she quickly squashed. 

 

“...But it worked well enough in getting the attention away from Aries.”

Lucy made sounds of encouragement for him to go on.

“Luckily, Karen had invited me into her guild, so she couldn’t do anything more than gracelessly throw me back out. All I had were some bruised ribs and a couple of scrapes and cuts.-”

It had definitely been worse. Aries had seen all of it, after all. But trust her partner to be too stubborn to admit to that, even years later.

“-And I had to explain to my master why exactly I’d come back a little roughed up from my harmless ‘intel mission’ at Phantom Lord-“

“Phantom Lord?” Lucy interrupted. “I’ve heard of them. They’re still around; somewhere near Magnolia, right?”

“That’s right. But they do have a new master. Shush now, little one. This is only the beginning.”

Aries could hear the teenager harrumph in the room behind her, but stayed silent otherwise, too eager to hear how their story went on as to fight Loke on the ‘little’ comment.

“So, after I’d convinced my nakama that I hadn’t just stepped in because the damsel in distress looked like an angel, but because I’m a gentleman-”

Lucy mumbled something that sounded like ‘when cats fly’, but Loke chose to ignore it.

“-I was given the death-sentence: two weeks bed-rest with Porlyusica as the doctor. Just believe me when I tell you I’d been better off asking Phantom Lord for medical supplies.

“But having to endure Porlyusica’s treatment didn’t seem too bad when I thought back to the pretty, pink-haired assassin back in Phantom Lord...”

“You went to go check on her, didn’t you?”

“The very next night. How’d you know?” Loke asked, ignoring the interruption.

“It’s a very Loke-thing to do.”

Aries smiled along-side her nakama in the other room. Yes, it definitely was the thing everyone would expect from her brave partner.

But she hadn’t known that back then.

 

She nearly got a heart-attack when, the night after the ‘infiltration’ as Karen now called it, there was a soft tapping on the window of her small room.

To this day she had no clue how Loke had picked the right window, not Karen’s in the room right beside hers.

And she was too distracted to ask the ginger stranger from last night, as he clambered up that window, one arm in a sling.

Aries was...confused above all else. Baffled by his appearance; that he had come back to her guild in the first place; and the fact that she had no idea what to do. Karen was the one who gave her orders to follow, but her master was still in the bar of Phantom Lord.

So, the pink-haired assassin was just standing there, needles drawn out from her long-sleeved mitts, but otherwise motionless as her rescuer from last night managed to haul himself over her windowsill and land -reasonably gracefully considering his injuries- on her fluffy, pink carpet.

“Good evening. Sorry about my manners, but I thought using the door might be a bit too risky at the moment.” Were the first words he’d ever spoken to her, paired with his charming smile.

 

“She was...surprised to see me, I believe.”

Understatement!

“I did however manage to convince her to not impale me with her needles; so, you can say that we really hit it off...”

Loke’s playful undertone disguised the seriousness of the past events, Aries assumed, for Lucy’s sake.

 

“Are you alright?” He asked her, the warm smile contrasted by the worry she saw behind his tinted glasses. Though she’d later learn that his question was genuine, at the time Aries wouldn’t even consider the truth behind it. This was the man who’d tricked Karen, after all.

Her initial shock wore off quickly and as soon as Loke tried to take a step away from the window, Aries brandished her weapons anew, resulting in the ginger raising the arm not in a cast in a sign of peace.

“What are you doing here?” She hissed quietly, worried eyes glancing to the connecting door that led to Karen’s room. Her master could be back any second.

Should she call for her? Would Karen want her to? Or would Phantom Lord’s master see it as bothersome and expected her to deal with the second intrusion in two days by herself?

And what would happen to the Fairy, if Karen found him in her guild again? She had always itched to prove herself better than Makarov. Perhaps a battle of bureaucracy with the Assassin Council over the death of a spy would be what she wanted...

“Seeing if you’re alright.” Loke’s answer brought her back into the moment, spoken like it was the most obvious reason in the world. The pinkette didn’t believe him.

“You have to leave. Please.” Aries almost begged. She had no orders to follow, so perhaps letting him leave was the best option. Technically, he had helped her the day before and the unspoken rules of the Assassin’s Pride dictated that she owed him for that.

“Not until you tell me.” He replied stubbornly.

“Tell you what?”

“If you’re alright.”

“Yes, o-of cause I am.” Aries stuttered, finding herself unable to meet his questioning eyes.

“I don’t believe you.”

What did he mean, he didn’t believe her?! Aries met the stranger’s eyes again. There was no playfulness left in them.

Instinctively, she shrunk back a little, suppressing an apology for not being convincing enough. And anyway, she was alright, wasn’t she?

“What happened yesterday...” He continued, a little gentler at seeing her shrink back. “...That’s happened more than once, hasn’t it?”

Aries straightened a little at that. She definitely wouldn’t talk bad about her guild or Master Karen to someone who had literally proclaimed himself to be a spy.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.’ She said clearly, proud how steady her voice was. “Now, please lea-”

“But you know it’s not right.” He interrupted her, tone almost challenging.

Aries had to focus hard not to crumble beneath his gaze.

“I do what Master Karen asks of me-”

“But why?”

“It’s none of your bu-”

“Why do you stay here if-”

That time she was the one to interrupt him, finally having enough of his questions, snapping at him what Karen had told her for years.

 

“...That vile woman had made Aries believe that she was completely worthless. That she was lucky to be kept around. That she was weak.”

“Weak?! Aries?!” The disbelief in Lucy’s voice made the pinkette’s heart swell with pride; that her younger nakama held her skills in such high regards, as to even find the notion of her being weak laughable. Even though, now, looking back at everything, she felt a little ashamed for having been under her old master’s thumb for so long, believing the lies she’d been fed since childhood.

“I told you, Karen was the master of a borderline dark-guild for a reason. She could manipulate and deceive like it was second nature.”

“How did you get Aries out?”

“Not for a very long time. Too long, in my opinion...but I wanted to help her. So, after everything had calmed down a little, I asked her if she’d mind if I came by to visit once in a while. And I did that. For weeks. And-”

“Hold on!” Lucy interrupted again, taking no notice of Loke’s annoyed huff. “When you said you and Aries are like Romeo and Juliette, I thought you were kidding! But you two were literally from hostile guilds, having secret meetings, life and death hanging in the balance...you actually climbed in through her window!”

“Well, maybe you should trust my word more. So, there we were, meeting up in her room, talking and at some point, I found out...”

“Found out what?” Lucy pressed.

Aries knew what was coming next, tugging at the sleeves of her mitts nervously.

“...Karen didn’t just use Aries to distract suitors...she also used her as a shield.” The anger and sadness in his voice were audible, and Lucy waited for him to go on.

“As in, a literal shield. Pushing her in front to get closer to her mark in a full-blown fight!”

“What?!” Aries imagined that Lucy’s jaw dropped. “Like a cover...why...that witch...poor Aries...how could she...?!”

Wool brought a feeling of comfort and warmth to the young woman with the pink curls. But that wasn’t the only reason she wore the long, fingerless sleeves and stockings. Beneath the fluffy fabric was porcelain white skin, dotted with several scars she’d gathered over her years in Phantom Lord. Every time Karen had hidden behind her and ordered her to march through the fighting mayhem, there had been new ones added. Back then, she’d believed they were trophies of her accomplishments, something to be proud of. But now they were a constant reminder of how mindlessly obliging she’d been in her teens.

Aries didn’t mind that Loke was telling Lucy their story; they’d discussed it ages ago that they should tell the little blonde if she ever grew curious. There were some important lessons to take from their journey to the Celestials after all.

“I know.” Loke’s comforting voice reached her ears again. “I’d known it was bad, but not that bad.”

“What did you do?”

“The only way I could think of to break Aries loyalty to Karen, was to show her what a real guild is.”

“You took her to your guild?”

“Correct.”

 

It had taken so much persuasion for Aries to agree to this. Loke had come by on multiple occasions to visit, and the internal war Aries fought became less each time. The fact that Loke had never tried to pry information about Karen, Phantom Lord or their allies from her had Aries’ caution slowly lessening, but never fully vanishing.

But sneaking out, without her master’s knowledge, to visit an enemy guild whilst in the company of someone who had tried to spy on them?! The very thought had sent Aries shivering.

But Loke -being Loke- managed to talk her into it. Aries settled some of her nerves by telling herself that this was a spontaneous counterespionage. This is what she would tell Master Karen, if she should get caught, anyway.  

So, when Karen was soundly asleep in the attached bedroom, Aries jumped out of her own window alongside her new...friend, the one that Loke had gone in and out of countless times by that point.

Fairy Tail was...a shock to the then teenaged Aries-

 

“You were a member of Fairy Tail?!” Lucy exclaimed. “Aren’t they one of the best guilds in Magnolia?”

“The best guild in Magnolia, Princess. Always have been, always will be.”

Lucy gave a low whistle, before focusing back on the original tale.

 

Despite the time of night, the hall was still lively; some drinking, some singing, others just chatting the time away, whilst a group of children ran about in a game only known to them.

Aries felt like she was on a different planet. No hushed silence, no weary glances, no leering looks...was this really what other guilds looked like?

All eyes were on them, as Loke swung open the wooden double doors beneath the Fairy Tail insignia with a grand gesture.

That made the small assassin shrink back, regretting her decision to follow her newfound friend and just wishing she’d be back in her room. But Loke was by her side, gently leading her into the colorful chaos that is Fairy Tail.

Aries kept her head down, nervously glancing at the people around them. She recognized a few that Karen had pointed out to her via photos. And some, she was pretty sure, she’d faced in the frequent Fairy Tail/Phantom Lord fights.

A young boy separated himself from the jostling group of children, looking curiously up at them with big, blue eyes.

“You’re fluffy.” He stated with a grin and looked at the new arrival.

“I’m sorry.” Was her instant reply.

The blonde looked at her in confusion.

“Hey Laxus.” Loke ruffled the spiky hair of the boy who tried swatting his hand away. “Where is Gramps?”

Laxus gestured to the bar, whilst trying to fix his hair into the upright spikes again.

“Thanks pal.”

“Bye Fluffy.” Laxus called after them, before jumping right back into the fray that was quickly building up to becoming a brawl.

Loke chuckled at her stunned expression. “A little different to Phantom Lord, huh?”

She only managed to nod numbly.

He led them to the bar at the back of the guild hall, where most of the adults sat, debating when to stop the kids’ game.

“And this is Master Makarov.” Loke gestured to a very small, elderly man with a white moustache and a friendly face, who turned on his stool to face them.

Aries recognized the senior man from photos and newspaper articles. Master Karen’s self-declared, personal rival.

“Nice to meet you.” She mumbled in a small voice, not meeting the warm, grey eyes of the old man.

“Pleasure’s all mine. I must say, Loke didn’t exaggerate when he said you look like an angel.” Fairy Tail’s master wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

Aries’ face went the same color as her hair, as she stared at the master.

Loke, on the other hand, remained completely calm. “I forgot to mention, our master is a bit of a perv.” He fake-whispered.

The pinkette tensed in horror, awaiting a punishment from the little man for such a disrespectful comment. But none came. Loke’s master chuckled at the remark!

What was this place?

“Loke, can I have a word?” The master asked and moved to the other end of the counter. The ginger gave her a reassuring smile and followed. Before Aries could start to panic about being by herself, a voice piped up:

“I recognize you!” One of the young men at the bar yelled over, gesturing to her with his tankard. “We fought at South Gate Park!”

Aries looked closely at the speaker. Yes, she did recall that dark-blue hair and the corresponding mission. Master Karen had ordered her to dispose of any Fairies that got in her way.

Panic rose in her chest. Was this where things would turn ugly? She felt for the comforting metal of her needles-

“You mean the mission where you came back black-and-blue? She must’ve really handed you your a-” The man beside him started, grinning into his beer, no malicious intensions towards the newcomer detectable in his voice or gestures.

“Shut up, Wakaba!”

“I’m sorry.” Aries squeaked, hoping to avoid a fight altogether. That way Karen couldn’t hear about it.

But the dark-blonde man only smiled.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s good he gets his ego checked once in a while.”

“Wakaba, I swear to Mavis-”

“Although I would’ve like to have seen it-OH MAVIS, Erza’s drawn sword! KIDS STOP THAT! PUT THAT DOWN, RIGHT NOW!”

Whilst the two men dashed to the center of the hall, trying to keep a red headed girl with the weapon away from another with silver hair, Aries sensed someone standing behind her.

“So, you’re the reason Loke is sneaking out all the time.” A raven-haired boy, maybe a couple of years younger than Laxus, looked up at her with quizzical, grey eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

“You apologize a lot.”

“I’m-” Aries cut herself off, nervously fiddling with her dress’ turtleneck.

“Seriously,” the little boy said, taking off his shirt absentmindedly. “I’ve never seen Loke crush on someone this hard. It’s kinda scary. Like he’s completely hooked-”

“Gray!” Loke was back beside her, quickly cutting his younger nakama off. “I’d like you to meet Aries.”

To the pinkette’s surprise, Loke’s cheeks also matched the color of his ginger bangs.

“We’ve met.” Gray replied coolly. “I just wanted to tell her to watch out. Cause you get into more trouble than you’re worth.”

A squabble between the teen and the kid ensued, with Loke insisting he didn’t get into ‘that much’ trouble, and little Gray countering with naming all the previous incidents that Aries couldn’t know about, counting them off on his fingers as he went on.

And whilst Loke tried to distract from the descriptive listing of all the times he’d done something ‘mind-bogglingly stupid’, as Gray called it, by pointing out that at least he wasn’t stripping in the guild hall, Aries found herself quietly chuckling at the atmosphere around her. She surprised herself but had to admit that Fairy Tail had a nice feeling about it. Not to say anything against Phantom Lord, of cause. But this place...it was different. And maybe the assassin liked it.

 

“My master asked me if I really was sure about Aries. He pointed out all the logical consequences that might ensue. It was possible Aries was sent as a spy, to first befriend me and then gather Fairy Tail’s secrets to bring them to Karen. But I told him that there was no way Aries could be that heartless as to play with people’s emotions. That was all Karen.

“He also mentioned the possibility of what might happen if her master discovered our little...get-togethers. And I told him that I’d be prepared to do anything.”

“So then did Aries leave Phantom Lord?” Lucy asked with the enthusiasm of a reporter on the trail of a hot, new story.

“Sadly, no. You have to understand, Princess, Aries was raised by Phantom Lord. She was still loyal to her master.”

“But she went to Fairy Tail with you.”

“That was the beginning. I knew she was growing further apart from Karen, the fact that she didn’t rat me out when I came to visit was already proof of that...but...”

“But what?”

“Karen noticed it too. She wasn’t stupid and she knew something was going on with her best assassin...”

Lucy made a barely audible, worried noise.

“...and she very quickly figured out who was distracting Aries.”

“She came after you?”

“No. She wouldn’t start a guild war with Fairy Tail. Kicking me out of Phantom Lord was justified, since I openly admitted to spying on them. But going after another assassin, for no clear reason...that wouldn’t have stood with the council. Or my guild, obviously.

“No, Karen devised a plan worthy of her manipulative brain: she pegged me directly against Aries...”

The ex-Phantom Lord assassin could recall every moment of that event. She’d been oddly happy and felt generally more confident after her secret visit at Fairy Tail. Aries now knew surely that she had a friend in Loke and what another guild looked like; how it was supposed to look like.

But her master noticed. Aries didn’t know exactly when or what had given her and Loke’s secret away, but Karen had figured it out.

And the green-haired woman revealed that fact to Aries not too long after her introduction to Fairy Tail.

 

Karen took Aries on a ‘mission’ one evening, just the two of them. Of cause, she went along, no questions asked. But when they stopped on a narrow, high cliff, overlooking a beautiful waterfall and Karen turned to her with a cruel smirk, Aries knew something was wrong.

 

“...I received a letter from Karen.-” Loke told a concerned Lucy. Despite her knowing that both he and Aries were now safe, she still didn’t like where this was going.

 

“I know that pesky Fairy Tail assassin has been bothering you.” Karen said, pouting in such a faux-sympathetic way, it would’ve looked more believable on a rattlesnake.

“What?” Aries asked, fear coiling in her stomach, facing her master who stood before the waterfall. How did she know? What should she do now?

 

“-It told me to meet her at Magnolia’s waterfall. And to come alone. Or else she’d hurt Aries.-”

 

“No reason to be afraid, little lamb.” Karen cooed, sending shivers down Aries’ spine. “After tonight, he won’t distract you anymore. Not with the trap I’ve laid out for him.”

 

“-Rationally thinking, it would’ve made no sense for Karen to harm Aries. She was probably the only reason why Karen managed to stay guild master for so long. She was definitely one of her best assassins, and by far the one with the most loyalty...but I wasn’t thinking rationally, Princess.

“I was scared of what Karen could do to her if she blamed Aries for meeting with me. Or what she’d do if she found out that Aries went to my guild.”

 

“W-What trap?” Aries got a very bad feeling and the urge to disobey her master and run straight to Fairy Tail to warn Loke.

Karen grinned sadistically, her pink eyes glinting in the semi-darkness. Aries barely heard her over the noise of the falling water, but it sent her trembling anyway.

“You.”

Notes:

Happy 1 Year Anniversary of this fic!
Thank you to everyone who has stuck around for so long, it means a lot <3

I hope you have enjoyed my attempt at a Modern Day/ No Magic take on the Laries backstory (aka. the cheesiest thing I've ever written) and in case you were wondering...no, Karen doesn't get a happy ending, because I recalled how canonly evil that character is!

Chapter 17: The Lion and the Ram II

Loke paused for a moment, looking a thousand yards away, remembering the ensuing events. Lucy, for her part, didn’t urge him on, instead staying silent and waiting for him to continue.

He had to smirk at his own stupidity back then.

“I didn’t even try to get a good view of the situation, I just barged right onto that cliff, zero plan in mind...”

 

Karen stood there, one arm around Aries, close to the edge of the cliff, smirking down as he came crashing through the surrounding undergrowth, like she’d already won. Problem was, Loke didn’t know what game she was playing.

He liked nothing about that situation. Karen literally had Aries in her grasp; standing too close to the cliff’s end; and the way Aries looked at him, big eyes filled with fear...all he wanted was to get her out of there.

Only when he saw her fingers twitch, seemingly at random, but it was really a signal for him to leave, did Loke realise she wasn’t afraid for herself. But for him.

“How nice of you to come.” Karen sneered.

“What do you want?” Loke glared up at her, not bothering with his usual tactics of annoying, flirting or sweet-talking. He could tell it wouldn’t work, nor did he ever want to say a nice thing to the master of Phantom Lord again.

“It’s been a while, Loke of Fairy Tail.” Karen continued, ignoring his question.

Loke tried to make eye contact with Aries, but the pinkette wouldn’t meet his gaze, instead looking at her feet. She was trembling under Karen’s arm that rested across her shoulders and Loke knew what that meant: she was panicking. This had happened a few times when he’d visited her. Talking calmly and offering support if she needed/wanted it had always helped calm her down in those situations.

Likewise ignoring Karen, Loke said gently: “Aries?” And when the small assassin didn’t respond, he added: “Don’t worry. Everything will be alright.”

“Oh, it will be.” Lilica piped up again, unhappy that she wasn’t the centre of attention for more than five seconds. “Once you stop harassing my nakama.”

Loke gritted his teeth, beginning to realise her plan. She could very well paint that picture; that he’d been bothering a member of her guild, so she’d had to take drastic measures. The only possible foil in that plan would be Aries. This entire spectacle would be decided by her. Karen was sure that Aries would play along on her side. And Loke would be lying if he’d say that he was 100% confident that she wouldn’t.

Only then did he come to the conclusion that maybe coming alone had not been the smartest decision of his life.

 

“I don’t know how long they had been there already. And I could only guess what Karen had been telling her. I’m sure she tried to undo all of Aries’ confidence, telling her all the lies over and over again.” Loke couldn’t stop himself from running a hand through his hair, frustrated at events from over a decade ago.

So far, he’d made a good job of keeping their story as light-hearted as possible for the young blonde. But he knew Lucy saw through it as she studied his strained smile for a second and then moved closer on the couch, tucking herself into his side like she’d done when she was six and he’d distracted her from the furious thunderstorm outside by making shadow-puppets with his flashlight.

“I should’ve asked her much sooner to defect to us. To Fairy Tail. I’d never asked because...well, because I knew she’d say no. But maybe, if I had, all that could’ve been avoided...”

“Did Karen tell Aries to fight you?” Lucy asked quietly, adding two and two together.

“Yeah.”

“But she didn’t really, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here, right?”

Loke gave a weak chuckle at that, throwing his arm around the little blonde. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Princess.”

Lucy huffed. “You know what I mean.”

“Yeah.”

 

At that point, Loke had never actually seen Aries fight. But even so, he knew she was holding back immensely.

Needles clashed against his torches with sure aim, the blow barely hard enough to make him pause. He even suspected she’d only approached him to be further away from Karen.

“You have to leave, please.” She whispered as Loke dodged a sweeping kick that anyone could’ve seen coming a mile away.

“If I leave,” he answered, pretending that a slash to his sleeve had actually hurt him, “what’s going to happen to you?”

Aries flipped over a simple punch. “I don’t know.” She admitted after a few seconds, although Loke was sure that she had some ideas. And none of them good.

“I’m not leaving.” He stated, his resolution undermined a little by him tripping over a rock in the semi-darkness.

“You have to.” Aries muttered, using his fall to jump at him at what had to be only a fraction of her usual speed.

Loke wondered how much longer the master of Phantom Lord would believe their little charade.

“Come with me then.” He said, rolling out of her way.

“W-what?” Now Aries stumbled in her surprise. Hopefully it looked like she’d also tripped over a loose root.

“Come with me.” He dared a smile as his back was momentarily turned towards Karen. “Become a Fairy. No one can hurt you then.”

Aries was torn, he could tell. She’d been that way so many times when he’d visited. But he was determined to get through to her.

“They wouldn’t-I can’t-Phantom Lord-they wouldn’t want me-”

Using her momentary hesitation, Loke grabbed Aries’ arms -making it look much harder than it was- pinning them to her side in what almost resembled a hug.

“Wha- what are you doing?” Aries squeaked.

“Fairy Tail would love to have you.” Loke whispered in her ear, his hold close to non-existent. “Gramps told me so.” He could sense her surprise at his words. “Erza would adore you, believe me. Macao doesn’t hold anything against you, Laxus already has a nickname for you and Gray thinks you’re out of my league.” The two put on a show of struggling, but Loke could see the fight raging on in Aries’ mind.

She finally ‘broke’ his grip, jumping back a safe distance.

“Why...why are you saying this?” She asked almost desperately, trying to find the tells of trickery, of an intricate lie he was spinning.

She wouldn’t find any.

“Because”, he said, dodging an ‘attack’, “I would hate to see you stay in that poor excuse of a guild and I’ll happily take on any Phantom with you that says differently.”

Aries leapt towards him again. Loke could’ve easily moved aside, but instead he stayed still, letting her come close. The two assassins clashed in a stalemate: Aries’ needles pointed at Loke’s ribs, and his dark torches pointed directly at her eyes.

“And because”, he panted, “I really enjoy your presence in my life and”, he leaned in closer, smiling at the pinkette, “-tell me if I lose you here- I genuinely care about your well-being.”

“Aries!” Karen’s voice cut through the night, impatience and annoyance clear in her tone. “Hurry this up!”

Aries’ eyes stayed trained on Loke, as if she hadn’t even heard her master’s order.

“Why?” She whispered so quietly Loke barely heard it.

He openly grinned now. “Because that’s what friends do.”  

“ARIES!” Karen yelled.

She flinched. All she’d have to do was close her eyes to be safe from Loke’s threatened light-attack and stab.

Sending up a prayer, Loke slowly let his arms sink, tucking his flashlights back onto his pockets.

 

“That is both very romantic and incredibly reckless.” Lucy said.

“Agreed. Which is why you will never do something like that.”

“Proclaim my friendship in front of an evil assassin in the dark on a cliff? Don’t think I will.”

“You never know.” Loke shrugged.

“So then what happened?”

“I told her I trusted her.”

“And...?”

 

Aries needles lowered so slowly that Loke thought he’d imagined it. But Aries let her arms fall to her side, weakly holding her weapons.

“I trust you too.” She said with a shaky voice, finally looking up to meet his gaze with watering eyes.

 

Lucy whooped beside him. “Freaking finally!”

Loke tutted. “So impatient.”

“But what about that bi- Karen?”

“She wasn’t exactly pleased...”

“Did she try to attack you?”

“Well...she was on her way...”

“...And?!”

“Remember it was night?”

“Yeah.”

“And I had flashlights?”

“Oh boy.”

“And what’s the normal reaction to a sudden, bright light?”

“Shielding your eyes and...taking a step back.”

“And she was standing on a cliff...”

“You pushed the master of Phantom Lord off a cliff with just a beam of light?!”

“...Yeah. Pretty much.”

“Mavis...”

“I know, I am awesome.” Loke pretended to brush dust off his shoulder.

“Aries did join Fairy Tail with me”, he recalled fondly, “and soon after she asked me if I’d want to be partners.”

Those weeks had been amazing.

 

Just like he’d predicted, his guild welcomed Aries with open arms. Erza was immediately taken by Aries’ skill with her ‘blades’, pleading for spars every chance she got.

And after no time at all, jokes were made about that time Aries sent Macao home in bandages and Loke jumping head-first into danger in the name of friendship.

 

“Sounds peaceful.” Lucy commented whilst Loke revelled in those memories.

“It was.”

“But then what happened?” They were here in Crocus as Celestials after all, not in Magnolia as Fairies.

Loke sighed. “You know the saying ‘no rest for the wicked’? Yeah, Karen took that very literally.”

“She survived a fall off a cliff?!”

“There was a waterfall and a river...” Loke muttered. “She made threats towards Fairy Tail, a few fights broke out...”

“But she had no right to do anything.”

“Try telling that to a Phantom. Aries knew that Karen’s pride had been hurt and that she’d do anything to regain some semblance of power...with her as an excuse.”

“A guild war.” Lucy breathed. Loke knew she’d heard about such occurrences, mostly between a legal and an illegal guild. The consequences could be horrific.

“Aries wouldn’t let it come to that. Not because of her. I know she loved Fairy Tail as much as the guild loved her... She said she’d leave. You have no idea how much our nakama tried to change her mind, Princess. But the risk of a war was too great, and Gramps understood.

“I told her I’d come with her. She was shocked, tried to get me to stay.” He smiled into the distance. “But she's my partner. And that will always come first. So, we said goodbye, and left for Crocus. We then met a fierce assassin who said there was still space in her guild. And that’s how we came here, Princess.”

Loke looked down at the little assassin still leaning into his side. Lucy had gone quiet, pondering something with a serious expression.

“You...left your guild for your partner?” She finally asked quietly.

Loke knew that that was the exact point of his and Aries’ story. “I did. Because that’s what partners do. No matter what happens, you stick by them.”

Lucy stared into the near distance. Loke could guess what was going through her head.

“That won’t happen again, right?” She asked, tightening her hold on Loke. “You two won’t leave again, will you?”

“No.” Loke quickly assured her, hugging her closer. “Fairy Tail is a very different guild. There are lots of children and not that many S-Class assassins. But here”, he ruffled her hair, “no Karen Lilica can hurt us. Especially because she’s dead.”

“She is?”

“Yeah. Without Aries there to protect her, Karen was eventually...overthrown. A lovely, chaotic power-struggle ensued, and Fairy Tail was left in peace. So, don’t worry, princess, we’re not going anywhere.”

They sat like that for a few moments before Loke sighed and said:

“I wish I’d told you all this before you partnered up with a flame-throwing Dragon. But in my defence, it went from ‘I’m going on a job with Natsu’ to ‘by the way, we’re partners’ in no time.”

Lucy chuckled. “Wouldn’t have changed anything. And speaking of time, when did you fall in love with Aries?”

Well, at least she didn’t beat around the bush. “Sometime after we joined...after or during one of the near-death-experiences...”

“Which one?”

Loke shrugged casually. They all started to blur together after a while.

“And you never thought to tell her that?”

“You know that feeling...” Loke paused, trying to find the right words. “...that you have something so wonderful, and you’re scared you might mess everything up?”

Lucy looked away for a moment. “Yeah.” She said quietly. “Ruining my friendship with Natsu by asking him to be partners.”

“Exactly. Now imagine ruining a partnership for similar reasons.”

Lucy looked thoughtful for a while. “I suppose that’s kinda scary.”

“It’s terrifying, Princess.” Loke had tried to make his feelings clear subtly many times. But flirting had only ever gotten him blushing squeaks from Aries and all-too knowing looks from the rest of their nakama. Except Virgo.

“So...you-” Lucy was about to follow up with another question that Loke probably wouldn’t have wanted to answer. But she was interrupted by a pink blur dashing into the living room.

“You’ve been in love with me?!”

Lucy and Loke sat frozen on the couch, the younger assassin mid-question, both staring at the pinkette with big eyes.

“A-Aries.” Loke tried. “How long have you been listening?”

“The whole time.”

Well, shit.

Lucy, the little traitor, muttered something about checking on Plue -who was still out with Virgo- and darted out of the room.

“You were in love with me?!” Aries said again, disbelief laced in the question.

“Present tense is more accurate.” Loke muttered, getting up from the couch.

Aries stared at him. “You’re in love with me?!”

“Have been for years.” Loke smiled at her, hoping the panic he felt wasn’t showing. “Thanks for noticing.”

Aries was looking at him as if he’d sprouted wings, or better yet, lion ears from the top of his head.

“You-you never said anything.” Aries stuttered, the familiar blush creeping onto her face.

“Well...I kind of did.” Loke deflected.

“That doesn’t count!” Aries said defensively. “You flirt with everyone!”

“Not for real!” Loke sputtered.

“How am I supposed to know the difference?” Aries was close to pouting, arms crossed in front of her.

“Aries, when I tell a bald bouncer that his luscious locks are hypnotising in the starlight, so that you can sneak into the building -believe it or not- that’s not for real.” He had to bite back a genuine smile that threaten to take over. “When I call you the ‘light of my life’ or ‘angel’ or ‘Juliette-”

“Alright, alright.” Aries muttered, pink darkening steadily on her cheeks.

“-then that is for real.” He finished, taking a step closer to his partner so that they stood right in front of each other.

“Then why didn’t you say it outright?” Aries challenged.

“Well...you know...worried you don’t reciprocate, and then ruining our partnership, which would lead to a guild-divorce, and I’d probably get stuck with Virgo and Gemini and probably Plue too-”

“Leo.” Aries cut his rambling off, using the old nickname he had gained after being given the corresponding star sign by Layla all those years ago.

“Hm?” Her partner replied, more than happy to stop talking.

“Can I try something?” Aries nearly shouted it, nerves pooling off her in waves.

“Huh? Wh-”

Before he could possibly ruin the moment by saying something dumb, Aries had suddenly risen onto her tiptoes, barely tall enough to quickly press a kiss onto Loke’s lips.

She drew back just as fast, face as pink as her hair, eyes daring him to say something.

“Wha...?”

“I do reciprocate!” She blurted out, a little too loud to be calm.

“Then why didn’t you say anything?!” Was the first thing Loke’s mind could come up with, the largest part still stunned or too preoccupied with the fact that his partner had just kissed him (!) to do much thinking.

“Same reasons as you.” Aries mumbled, fidgeting with the sleeves of her mittens. “Except I’d end up with Aquarius and Scorpio and would have to endure their relationship advice and because I was scared about losing you in case your flirting wasn’t serious and because I remember a whole speech on enjoying someone’s presence in your life and that seems like the most important thing, no matter what-”

“Endure our relationship adv-”

“Wait, babe, I think they’re about to-”

The partners -one mid-rambling, the other still trying to comprehend everything- turned to the open doorway, Aquarius and Scorpio in the empty door frame, the latter smiling sheepishly whilst trying to block the way into the room.

“Did he kiss her yet?” Cancer’s voice piped up.

“Why did you interrupt? Aries’ speech was so sweet!” Lucy whispered, although there wasn’t much use for it now.

“How about smallest to the front?” Gemini could be heard from somewhere further back.

“Nooooo, she kissed him.” Taurus answered the earlier question, leaning in from the side.

“Get to it, kid!”

Loke glared at them all. One moment of privacy was too much to ask for in this house.

His glare found the blonde head of hair standing behind Scorpio. The presumable reason for why every present nakama had gathered in the hallway to eavesdrop. Lucy shot him an apologetic grin, shrugging as if to say, ‘I’m powerless here too’.

“Excuse us, but we were having a conversation-”

“And we were listening.” Aquarius replied, crossing her arms, no indication of moving from her viewing-spot. Loke made a mental note to somehow ruin her next movie night with Scorpio, no matter the risk of a flying trident coming for him.

“I really don’t see why you should be-”

“Because we have been watching you two dance around each other for years now!” Gemini’s walking stick could be seen in the back, gesturing wildly whilst the owner was still too small to look over his nakamas’ shoulders.

“We just wanted to make sure you don’t...mess things up.” Scorpio shrugged.

“We’re not messing this up.” Aries muttered defiantly, blush half-buried in her turtleneck.

Loke knew that mentioning the particular piece of jewelery he’d helped Scorpio pick out seven years ago would be below the beltline. But by Mavis, he was tempted, if only to get some attention away from him and his partner.

As if sensing his thoughts, Scorpio shot him a glare that said: ‘Don’t you freaking dare!’

Loke glared right back, something along the lines of: ‘What kind of person do you think I am? Someone who disrupts people’s love-life?! Hint, hint!’

Ok, judging by the confused stare, maybe Scorpio didn’t quite catch all of that -their silent communication wasn’t that on-point- but Loke was sure the older man understood the rough meaning.

“Well, come on!” Gemini shouted from the back. “I left my book in there!”

Loke was more than ready to argue that they should kindly back off further, but Aries seemed to have sensed that this would go nowhere, and they’d probably still be standing there until nightfall if nothing happened. And perhaps she was more than ready to finish it as well.

“Leo...” She said quietly, directing the gazes of her partner and their nakama towards her again. But as soon as those shining, hazel eyes found hers...she’d forgotten everything she’d been piecing together in her mind during the argument.

“Uhm...want to be my boyfriend?” That sentence was out before she could think of something better, even if the words sounded lame to her own ears.

Loke -the jerk- raised an amused eyebrow.

“That’s it?!” Cancer shouted appalled from the doorway. Gemini shushed him. 

“From partner to boyfriend...” Loke mused. “Sounds like a step down, if you ask me.”

Aries was certain her face had gone beyond the shade of a tomato and could be seen from space. “Th-Then you come up with something better.” He pouted, intentionally not meeting his smiling gaze. Which is why it came as a surprise to the small assassin when there was suddenly a hand on the small of her back and before she could blink, her partner had dipped her with all the grace of his feline equivalent, as if they were in a slow dance.

Loke’s sparkling eyes were so close to hers, she could read the answer to their current position in them: ‘If they want a show, we might as well give them one.’

“You know what, darling?” Loke stage whispered. “I’d love to be your boyfriend.”

At those words, Aries grinned up at him. It was that full, unfiltered grin of pure joy that had made Loke’s heart skip a beat so many times in the past, that he’d considered going to see a doctor about it.

Aries slung her arms around his neck, using it as leverage to pull herself closer. This time, Loke met her halfway.

“Finally!” Cancer cheered.

Lucy clapped and released a high-pitched squealing noise.

Scorpio mumbled “smooth”.

Gemini asked what was happening.

“The fact that it took you two idiots this long.” Aquarius said. Loke assumed she was rolling her eyes too, but he was too focused on Aries’ lips against his to notice much of anything else.

“Alright, that’s enough. Mavis, get a room you two!”

Chuckling, Aries pulled away, still in Loke’s embrace. Her look told Loke everything he needed to know, had wanted to know for years now. ‘I love you.’

‘I love you too.’ He answered silently.

“I’m going to assume that those two are done, can I please get through to my book-”

The front door opened, and a “woof” rang through the house.

“Good news, I managed to get good strawberries this late in the season.” Virgo’s voice announced happily. Or Virgo’s version of ‘happily’, meaning a little more pitched than normal.

She walked past the living room door, noticing the huddle of assassins there. “Why are you staring at Loke and Aries?”

“They’re finally together!” Cancer burst out before either assassin in question could answer the pinkette.

“And I thought they’d been partners for a while-”

“No, no. Like boyfriend and girlfriend-together.”

“Ah, I see.” She nodded sagely, turning to the new couple. “Is it appropriate to offer congratulations?”

“More appropriate than watching like this is a theatre show.” Loke shrugged.

“...Congratulations then.” And that was that for Virgo as she walked to the kitchen, saying quietly: “I’m sure Grandpa Crux will be happy to hear this news.”

“Congrats, kiddos.” Gemini offered as he walked past them to get to the novel lying on the mantel.

Lucy squeezed them both into a quick hug.

Aquarius gave a heartfelt “Try not to mess this up.”  

Sag and Taurus gave them matching thumbs-ups behind their leader’s back.

Aries leaned into her partner/boyfriend who pressed a kiss on top of her head.

“This isn’t going to change anything, is it?” She asked quietly whilst their nakama started going back to whatever they’d been doing before.

“Nope.” There was nothing but certainty in Loke’s voice. “We’ve basically been dating all this time, if you think about it.”

“Hmm...” Aries wrapped her arms around him. “Spending time together.”

“Definitely.”

“Going on dates.”

“I will argue that many of our missions were very romantic.”

“We’re technically already living together.” Aries looked up at him.

“Exactly.” He grinned. “This isn’t going to change anything. Except now I can do this.” He pressed another kiss to her temple, feeling Aries chuckle, her face and heart glowing with happiness.

Notes:

Alright, romantic side-story completed! Aka. the chapter where POV went out the window halfway through.

Just to be clear: I'm not saying you should leave everything you know behind to follow one person. I'm also not saying you shouldn't do that. This chapter is just meant to show how important partners are in this AU.

Also: the cliff-side fight was the closest way I could think of to mimic the Angel vs Lucy battle in the anime. Only felt right to somehow include it.

Also also: Yes, Karen got a completely anticlimactic death off-screen after being defeated by a beam of light. No villain ghost redemption for her!

Chapter 18: Losing to a Lake

“Hold still, Luce.” Natsu muttered, brows furrowed in deep concentration as he carefully dipped the fine brush in the paint again.

Lucy tried to keep her left hand as steady as possible, but she couldn’t help flexing her fingers as the cold paint took hold.

Despite what most civilians of Fiore believed; an assassin’s emblem wasn’t a tattoo. Most assassins would definitely be loyal enough to permanently carry their guild’s mark on their skin, but logically speaking, it did have its downsides. If a guild disbanded, for example. Or if a member had to go deep undercover.

The special paint for such occasions was as good as ink, with the added benefit that it could be removed with the right mixture of chemicals. Other than that, it was as unremoveable as any tattoo.

Not even Capricorn had managed to explain the chemical structure of this paint to her, but it was widely distributed among their circles, and everyone just agreed that some incredible mind must’ve come up with the formula long ago.

The deep red paint hissed before it sunk into her skin, making them official partners. Natsu was currently on the second dragon-head, moving the brush slowly to create every detail of the Dragons’ emblem.

“This so much easier with spray-paint.” He mumbled, tracing the shape of a dragon’s eye.

The golden key with its surrounding star already gleamed on his shoulder, right inside the circling dragons.

During the painting process, Natsu had reminded Lucy several times to be careful. To not accidentally draw over his original emblem.

The blonde had been ready to snap by the fourth time this had happened, leaning back to tell Natsu that she knew perfectly well what she was doing. That was until she’d seen the lower half of his face buried in his scarf, eyes watching the paintbrush like a hawk.

It had hit Lucy then. There was no one who could redraw the Dragons’ mark on his shoulder. So, she hadn’t said anything, but had been very cautious with how close the golden spikes of the star got to the three dragons.

Happy watched the two of them, sitting on top of Lucy’s desk. Plue had been occupied by rolling around on Lucy’s fluffy, pink carpet, before starting the game of trying to catch Happy’s dangling tail. The blue cat, well aware of Plue’s intention, only egged the puppy on, by drawing his tail in at the last second, before innocently letting it hang off the table’s edge again.

“Alright...looks like I’m done, Luce.” Natsu sat back, nearly knocking over the small vile of dark red paint onto her bedsheets.

Lucy examined her left hand. Three red, swirling dragons circled around the golden star protectively, jaws open in unheard roars. The added dragons made the entire emblem much larger, the paint reaching from her wrist to the middle of her fingers.

“I love it.” She beamed at him.

He grinned back, catching Happy as the cat jumped on the bed, examining Natsu’s new, shiny emblem.

“What do you think, buddy?”

Happy gave a me-aye-ow, seemingly approving, before turning his head to watch Lucy lift Plue onto the bed as well.

“What should we do to celebrate?” The blonde asked, drawing little circles on Plue’s back. The puppy yawned in response.

Natsu thought for a moment. His face lit up. “You know what we haven’t done for ages?” The question was more directed at Happy. “Fishing!”

At that word, the little blue furball whipped his head around to the pinkette, eyes as big as saucers.

“Meow!”

“Have you ever been fishing, Luce?” Natsu asked, just as excited as his roommate.

“Aquarius took me on a boat trip once...” Lucy pondered. “But that was to stop a drug-smuggling operation...it ended with her crashing the boat on purpose. And we got chased by Rune Knights after. It was quite a fun day.” She recalled fondly.

“Right...so, that’s a no?”

“Yup.”

“We used to go all the time! There’s a really cool lake right in the woods and loads of fish-”

“Meoooooow!” Happy demanded, tugging at Natsu’s scarf like he wanted to go right this minute.

“Sounds like fun!”

“Awesome! Let’s go!”

“Me-aye-ow!”

Natsu grabbed Lucy’s free hand, Happy clinging onto his scarf.

“W-Wait, right now?” Lucy exclaimed, attempting not to trip over her own feet as the two assassins plus pets sprinted down the many steps.

“Duh, Luce.”

“Hold up!” Lucy managed to slow her partner down on their way through the kitchen. “It’s better for Plue to stay here. Not too sure about him running around a lake.”

The puppy gave a weak bark of protest in her arms but didn’t put up much of a fight as he was set down in his little bed in the kitchen, tired after the ‘game’ he and Happy had played.

“We’ll be back soon.” Lucy whispered, seeing the puppy’s drooping eyes. With a last back scratch, she left him dozing there, following her overenthusiastic partner and his roommate down the hallway.

They were almost at the door when it opened, letting in Aries and Loke. Exhausted and entirely-done-with-everything looking Aries and Loke.

“Hey guys! Mission go well?” Lucy asked, putting all her effort into slowing down her partner for a second time. Happy meowed his displeasure.

Loke muttered something under his breath that sounded like a string of Aquarius-worthy curses, removing his glasses to rub at his eyes.

“Was supposed to be simple.” Aries yawned. “But they had a get-away-car...”

“I hate Mavis-damned foot-chases.” Loke mumbled.

“And in a last-ditch-attempt, they threw their loot in a ravine...”

“I hate rock-climbing.” Loke supplied.

“And then we had to search for hours...and find them again...then the long train ride back...”

“Freaking trains.” Both Loke and Natsu said quietly.

Lucy winced. “Sounds awful.”

Aries was about to respond but Loke was quicker with a sleepy “Well, it wasn’t all bad.”

His partner raised a pink eyebrow at him. “Really? What part was good?” she gestured to the both of them, ready to sleep for the next five days straight.

“Got to spend all 57 hours with you.” He smiled, pressing a quick kiss to her temple.

“You,” Aries started, hiding her blush from the teens by turning around and leading an about-to-drop Loke to the stairs, “turn into a romantic sap when you’re sleep-deprived.”

“I’m always sleep-deprived.” He said, badly suppressing a yawn.

“Exactly.” Aries smiled up at him as the two made their way up the steps with slow movements.

“Sleep tight!” Was all Lucy managed to call after them before Natsu was already on the move again, pulling her along.

She barely heard their mumbled responses of “Thanks” and “I’m not always a romantic-sap!”.

 

-----

 

Plue knew he was a smart dog.

He immediately knew Lucy was a good human, for example. He had a very good sense for humans. Speaking of...where was everyone?

Plue rolled around his little doggy bed, staring up at the kitchen counter, wishing he was big enough to reach the unsupervised fruit bowl that stood there.

Since the fruit bowl refused his small barks to move closer, Plue got bored of the sight and dragged his bed beneath the dining table. He squeezed his way through the jungle of chair legs and found-

A squeaky toy! Even better, the one shaped like a carrot! Plue had been looking for this!

Excitedly, Plue left his bed lying there and grabbed the toy beneath his tiny teeth, tail wagging with joy at the squeaking sound.

He started running around the kitchen island, tossing the toy and watched it slide a bit on the tiles, before jumping at it again.

It was a very fun game. Plue wished he could share it with his best friend Blue Cat. Blue Cat loved playing games with him, Plue knew it, always jumping out of reach or hissing at him. Blue Cat was funny like that.

He shook the plastic carrot wildly, a series of squeaks echoing around the open kitchen.

“Why are you making so much Zeref-damned noise?!”

Plue whipped his head to the stairs he wasn’t allow on yet, spotting-

Carrot Hair! Plue dropped the toy, dashing to the steps to greet one of his favorite humans.

Carrot Hair! Carrot Hair!

“Would you please be quiet?” The human male rubbed his eyes, looking tired, if Plue judged it right.

Had he just woken up? And come down to play with Plue?! Yay!

Carrot Hair yawned, walking towards the living room with the strange rectangle in his hand. Plue, ever the loyal playmate, followed.

The human plopped onto the couch, the rectangle resting on his knees. He pushed a button and it lit up. Plue was fascinated by those magical objects that humans could wield. Lucy had a smaller one. And a big magical device hung on the wall in this very room.

The puppy tottered to the couch, giving a little bark to be let up.

“Na-ah. I’m not letting you shed all over me and the couch.” The human said, shaking his head.

Plue had some trouble understanding the human language, but he knew what the shaking of the head meant: no. That could only mean-

Carrot Hair was giving him a challenge! He thought Plue could make it onto the couch by himself!

Carrot Hair’s trust in his abilities warmed Plue’s little heart.

Alright, Carrot Hair, Plue wouldn’t let you down! The puppy walked back a few paces, determined to succeed. He stared at the challenge before him: the height of the couch.

With an encouraging bark, Plue sped across the living room, not taking his black eyes of the obstacle. And...jump!

“GAH- what in Zeref’s name-?!”

Carrot Hair! Did you see? Did you see?! Plue made it! Plue made the jump! He stood on the human’s lap, eagerly waiting for his response.

“Wha- how, aw man, you’re getting fur all over me!”

Aww, Plue loves you too, Carrot Hair!

“Can’t you go chase your tail?! Or eat one of Cap’s books?! You know, normal dog-stuff?!”

Yes, of cause Plue would keep you company!

The puppy turned, facing the magical rectangle and sat down on the human’s legs.

“Urgh- fine- whatever. Just don’t interrupt me. I have work to do.” The man clicked on the rectangle, new colors and shapes and black, squiggly lines appearing with every movement. Human magic. Truly a wonder.

After a few minutes of silence, Carrot Hair started talking. Plue couldn’t quite understand it all, but he learned plenty of new words like “lock screen” and “storage capacity” and “motherboard”.

At some point, the human stretched out on the couch and Plue didn’t miss his opportunity to lay down on Carrot Hair’s stomach, as he often did with Fluffy Sheep Lady. Carrot-haired human held the rectangle in front of them, continuing to swipe and tap at it.

“...and you see Plue, that’s how a joined database works.”

Database. Another magical word. Gripped by a sudden want for exploring, Plue moved closer to the rectangle, curious what magic felt like. He pressed his little nose against it. Magic, it turned out, felt like glass. Warm glass.

But when Plue moved back, he saw the rectangle change! The black lines that were called text, as he’d learned thanks to Carrot Hair, suddenly changed color where his snout had touched it.

Plue spun around to face the human. Did he see that?! Did he see Plue change the magical rectangle?! That could only mean one thing-

Plue possessed human magic!

Carrot Hair laughed, the movement shaking Plue who stood on his chest, staring at him, waiting for answers about this power.

“I’ve never seen a dog with a surprised expression before.” He ruffled the fur between Plue’s ears. “That’s a touchscreen.”

Touchscreen. So, Carrot Hair agreed...Plue possessed the magic of the touchscreen!

Amazed at this discovery, Plue turned back to the rectangle, watching the expert human control its power. Maybe one day, Plue could master the power of the touchscreen too! He was, after all, a smart dog.

 

-----

 

As it turned out, going on a spontaneous fishing trip with minimal preparation in autumn, wasn’t the smartest of choices.

On the way, Natsu had quickly hopped in and out of his apartment, grabbing the fishing equipment that had been gathering dust for a long time.

“You enter your apartment through the window?”

“Duh, Luce.”

“Why not the door?!”

“The door is locked. Ever heard of security?”

“Ever heard of a key?!”

“I lost that ages ago, you weirdo.”

The lake was as beautiful as ever, sparkling under the few rays of sunshine in what felt like the middle of the forest but was actually just a few miles away from the city.

And it had been completely empty.

When they used to go there semi-regularly, there would always be some kids swimming or some people rowing or fishing out of their boats.

It appeared that everyone else had better weather-instincts then them.

Natsu had caught a few small fish, which Happy immediately pounced on as soon as they hit land. But thanks to a fish with a very strong will to live, the blue kitten had to chase the flopping animal. Yet, the fish managed to escape back into the lake, with Happy noticing that a little too late and slipping right in after.

Being a good friend, Natsu tried to rescue his roommate, promptly stumbling over a root beneath the water and faceplanting on the surface.

Lucy had laughed and taken photos of both cat and owner trying to right themselves in the shallow water with twin grumpy expressions.

But no five minutes later, autumn made itself known. A strong downpour surprised them and by the time they’d reached Crocus, both assassins and kitten looked like they’d went swimming.

Neither had thought to take an umbrella.

“That was a horrible idea.” Were the first words Lucy spoke as they rushed into the Celestial’s guild.

“It wasn’t bad,” Natsu answered shaking his hair, “the weather is just being a jerk.”

Happy meowed his agreement, blue fur sticking up in all directions.

Hearing their voices, Loke stepped out of the living room, Plue in his arms.

“Ah, you’re back- Mavis, what happened to you?!”

Natsu said: “Fell in a lake.” at the same time as Lucy said: “Rain.”

“Ah yes,” Loke began poetically, setting down a scrambling Plue who immediately dashed to Happy’s side, “if only there were inventions for these kinds of things. Like, oh I don’t know...umbrellas, raincoats, ponchos, a weather forecast...”

“Yeah, yeah.” Lucy muttered as Loke laughed.

Virgo, being Virgo, stepped out from behind a corner, carrying three towels. “Going without a coat was unwise.”

“I know Virgo, I know.” Lucy sighed, taking an offered towel gratefully.

“Didn’t I teach you not to go swimming during a storm?” Aquarius asked from the stairs, walking down to join them.

“Technically, only Natsu and Happy went swimming.” Lucy said, rubbing her wet hair with the towel.

“I wouldn’t exactly call it swimming.” Natsu muttered, wrapping Happy in one of the towels.

“Then what would you call it?” Scorpio asked, slinging an arm around his girlfriend’s shoulder.

“Losing a fight to a lake?”

The older man barked a laugh. “I’ll put on the kettle.”

“Already done.” Virgo said before he could move towards the kitchen. “A warm cup of tea is good in weather such as this, both physically and emotiona-”

A sneeze echoed along the hallway.

All Celestials froze, Virgo stopping in her appraisal of hot beverages. They slowly turned towards the pinkette.

Natsu sniffed. “Sorry.” He muttered absentmindedly, setting Happy down in his blanket-burrito.

He looked up to find the horrified stares of his nakama. “Uh...do I have to say ‘excuse me’ or why-”

Lucy sighed. She knew what was coming next.

“Did you catch a cold?!” Aquarius demanded, tone accusing as if she was asking if he’d murdered someone innocent.

“I mean...I don’t know, maybe? But it’ll be fine, I’ll just-”

“Fine! He says fine!” Their leader bellowed, throwing up her hands.

Natsu shot Lucy a confused look. He hadn’t brought her home injured; he hadn’t been caught sneaking into her room or sleeping in her bed; he hadn’t been late for a movie night...so what had he done now?

Lucy looked like she was about to explain but firm hands were suddenly on Natsu’s shoulders, guiding him towards the living room.

“Uh, Virgo what are you-”

“Sit down. Don’t move.” Virgo ordered, pushing him onto the couch. “This is now a quarantine zone!”

“Huh?”

Lucy smiled apologetically at him. “Colds are kind of a big deal-”

“A very big deal!” Aquarius snapped, rummaging around for a woolly blanket. Natsu suspected handmade by Aries. “I believe we all remember the flu epidemic from six years ago?”

Natsu didn’t. But all Celestials winced at the memory.

He caught the blanket that Aquarius tossed at him. “It’s not that bad, I-”

“I heard a sneeze!” Capricorn came down the stairs.

“The newbie got a cold.” Loke gestured to Natsu.

“It’s not a cold yet.” The teen grumbled.

“It is best to notice early symptoms and combat them as quickly as possible.” The scholar said, staying a safe distance away from the couch.

“It’s just that colds and flues and fevers spread very quickly in a guild of eleven -now twelve- people.” Scorpio explained. “And when it happens, it’s not pretty. Imagine all of us in a bad mood, sluggish and grumpy that we can’t go on missions.”

Imagining just Aquarius like that was enough for Natsu to get the picture.

“Yeah.” Scorpio said, seeing his expression at the mental image.

“If it’s such a big deal,” Natsu started getting up from the couch, “I can just go home-”

“Like hell.” Aquarius threw a second blanket at him, effectively knocking him back onto the sofa. “Going back out in that weather would just make it worse. And we know you two,” she gestured at him and Lucy, “can’t stay away from each other, so then she’d catch it and bring it here...”

“What our loving and caring leader is trying to say,” Loke stepped between them, “is that perhaps it would be best for you to stay here for the night.”

That’s how Natsu found himself wearing a dry sweater which -judging by its similarity to a tent- had to be from Taurus, wrapped in multiple blankets with a cup of steaming tea in his hands.

“I really don’t think this is necessary-”

“Lemon tea with honey is proven to prevent dehydration and soothe a sore throat.” Capricorn said. “Non-caffeinated liquids, vitamins and rest are essential to stop a cold before it can properly begin.”  

“Are you a doctor?” Natsu asked, sipping at the tea that Virgo had handed him a safe arm’s length away.

“Yes.” Capricorn stroked his goatee. “But not a medical one. I simply read a lot.”

“Cap knows everything.” Lucy said with a yawn, cuddled up beside him in her own pile of blankets. She’d been the only one daring enough to enter the ‘quarantine zone’, together with Plue and Happy in his towel-burrito.

“An exaggeration.” Capricorn said quickly, but Natsu didn’t miss the small smile that flashed across his face.

The rest of their nakama that were present went to sleep a little later, leaving the two teens and their pets on the couch in the pillow-and-blanket-fort they’d built.

“Hey Natsu?” Lucy whispered into the dark just as his eyelids started to feel heavy.

“Mmm?” He felt her move beside him, leaning more onto his side.

“You okay?”

“Told ya Luce,” he stifled a yawn, scratching Happy’s back so that the kitten purred in his sleep, “it’s not a cold.”

“I meant the whole nakama-affection.” She said quietly.

Oh. Natsu had to admit the getting-sick-scenario had brought up many memories. More than usual.

Memories of Grandeeney’s medicines. Of Wendy’s improvised versions of them. Of Gajeel threatening to sing until he got better so they could get back to sparring.

Of his dad cooking his favorite spicy meals so he’d get better. Of Grandeeney arguing that spicy foods would do nothing to soothe his throat. Of his dad countering with “but it’s so hot, it’ll burn all the bacteria”. Of Grandeeney facepalming at that and giving up whilst his dad grinned at him victoriously behind her back.

Of Metalicana muttering that of cause it’d be Igneel’s kid who caught the first flu of the season. Of his dad asking what he meant by that. Of the two wresting over it, their children betting on their dads.

He cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m alright.”

Lucy hummed, resting her head just beneath his chin like she’d done on his first guild-movie-night. He slung his free arm around her, holding her close. Because maybe the comfort wasn’t entirely unwarranted at that moment.

“You know Aquarius isn’t scared of you infecting me and then me infecting the guild, right?” She asked, hugging him back through the multiple layers of blankets.

“Lemme guess,” he said, “chucking blankets at people is her version of saying ‘I care about you’?”

Lucy chuckled. “Pretty much.”

She was silent for a while, so long that Natsu thought she’d fallen asleep.

“Natsu?” She asked again, startling the pinkette fully awake again.

“Still here.” He mumbled.

“You know they all care about you, right? All of us?” Her voice was so drowsy, Natsu was sure she wouldn’t remember half of this conversation the next morning.

Still, he felt warmth rising to his face at her statement, muttered so casually as if it were a simple fact.

He took the silence as Lucy waiting for an answer.

“Uh...I guess.” Was the best he could come up with on the spot. But Lucy’s even breathing let him know that she hadn’t heard any of that.

Natsu knew the Celestials cared somewhat about him. They’d welcomed him into their guild after all. Most of them had thrown a look at his shoulder and Lucy's hand and had given them approving nods of the joined emblems. Just...having Lucy say it so matter of fact was something else. Something related to complicated emotions that -in his opinion- did not need expressing.

But...maybe the confirmation was nice. Because, maybe, Natsu cared about the whole guild too.

Perhaps he liked picking up on all the unconventional ways Aquarius cared for people. Or the way Virgo would express her emotions by random surprise-hugs, often appearing out of nowhere.

And he could admit that he liked the sound of Cap’s voice when he spoke like a professor. And Loke’s good-natured eyerolling at the complicated words the older man would use.

He hadn’t found anyone with so much enthusiasm about chilies than Aries since...well, since he’d lost his guild. But it was nice to challenge someone to a spice-tolerance-test and to enjoy the horrified expressions of their nakama again. Igneel would’ve liked Aries, Natsu was sure. He would’ve gotten out his red cookbook with a flame on the front and exchanged recipes with her, no matter how much Metalicana would’ve chuckled at them for it.

And just maybe, all those little things like Scorpio’s positive attitude and Gemini’s lectures on sleep and Taurus’ tendency to throw -not pass- everything and Sag’s silent support and Cancer’s fussing were comforting to the newest member.

Yes, Natsu could be sure that he also cared about their nakama. A lot. And that he was glad he’d complained about the Bora mission on the website and had gotten the chance to meet his partner.

He was also glad the blonde had fallen asleep, and he didn’t have to say any of that out-loud. Because that was a whole other thing.

 

 

The teens woke up sometime the next morning by two oranges (because vitamins) being thrown at them (because safety distance), hitting them square on the head (because Taurus).

“No throwing with the food!”

“Sooooorry Virgo.”

Natsu woke up groggily, rubbing his forehead and squinting at the direction from which the orange projectile had come from. Their pillow-fort had collapsed during the night (because amateur architects).

Taurus and Virgo stood in the doorway, Cap and Aquarius behind them.

“Sleep well?” The latter asked, one eyebrow raised.

Natsu was about to nod but realised that Lucy’s head was still beneath his chin. That would explain why the air smelled of honey and vanilla.

His partner had caught the orange from falling onto the ground and was glaring at the piece of fruit and then at the adults.

“Seriously?” She muttered, trying to sit up whilst moving the impressive amount of blankets and collapsed fort lying on her.

“Vitamins are impooooortant.” Taurus shrugged, throwing a piece of orange into his mouth.

“How are you two feeling?” Capricorn took a step into the living room.

“Like I’ve been hit by an orange.” Lucy mumbled, finally succeeding in sitting upright beneath the weight of the blankets.

Capricorn took that as a sign of health.

“And you, Natsu?”

The pinkette didn’t answer immediately, his still sleep-muddled brain only thinking about the loss of warmth from his partner. A thought he knew Aquarius noticed because that one eyebrow rose even higher.

“F-Fine.” He stuttered quickly, running a hand through his hair.

“Are you sure? No sore throat?”

“No.”

“Running nose?”

“I’m fine, really.”

“Pressure on your sinuses?”

“I...my what?”

“The kid’s fine.” Aquarius said with a dismissive motion from the hallway, walking off towards the kitchen.

And she was right. Thanks to tea, blankets and sleep, Natsu had avoided a cold and was not the cause for another guild-epidemic.

Something he saw as a personal victory.

Notes:

I cannot tell you what kind of late-night-ghost possessed me to write a Plue POV, but I am now convinced that
a) touchscreens are magical objects to puppies
b) they have trouble remembering many names
c) that they have best friends
and I will not be taking criticism about points a-c at this time.

Anyhow, this is the last chapter filled with (basically only) Celestials and Natsu fluff for a while, because the next chapter features a long forgotten character: The Plot! And it's going to be a long one.

Chapter 19: Dragon Missing

Natsu jumped across the rooftops of Crocus one afternoon, heading North to the Celestial’s headquarter.

Although he hadn’t been chased/kicked out since he’d become an honorary member, Natsu still liked to use Lucy’s skylight as his point of entry. For old time’s sake. Or maybe because he wanted to see his partner first.

The dark blue house was the tallest on the street by a little. It required a long jump and daring trust in the stability of the drainpipe that ran along the roof.

Neither was a problem. Natsu had done this more times than entering through the door.

Happy sat on his shoulder, holding onto his scarf as the pinkette swung them both onto the slanted roof, only a few steps away from the window. The tiles were slick with rainwater and the low-floating clouds promised more of the same.

A fluttering caught Natsu’s eye. At first, he thought a small pigeon had taken up residence on the Celestial’s roof, but as he carefully stepped closer to the skylight, he saw that a slip of paper had been tucked between the window and the frame, flapping in the breeze.

Happy jumped off his shoulder, landing sure pawed on the slippery tiles. He sniffed at the paper.

“What is it buddy, hm? Did Luce leave a note?” Although she could’ve just sent him a text. And she didn’t even know he was coming right now.

He bent down to pick up the paper.

“Meow!”

“I don’t think fingerprints are gonna matter, Happy.”

Natsu tucked at the note, unfolding it on the rooftop.

Bold, ornate lines stared back at him. They looked like a strange 17 or I7 with two bent lines beneath the I.

Natsu froze and it had nothing to do with the chilly wind. He remembered that emblem quite well, even though it had been many months when he’d seen it last.

He slowly crouched down beside the feline, stroking Happy’s fur absentmindedly as he stared at the mark.

“I think we might be in trouble, buddy.” He said quietly.

Natsu scanned the surroundings beneath him. But he didn’t even know who he was looking for. He examined the note more closely. The paper was dry. The last rainfall had been...maybe two to three hours ago. Long enough for whoever had placed the note to be long gone.

What concerned Natsu most was that the piece of paper had been put here: on Lucy’s window. They hadn’t even known each other when Natsu had made the fatal encounter with an assassin bearing this emblem. It had happened months before that chance-meeting in their crumbling train station.

“Do you think this is a threat?” Natsu asked quietly, still standing on the rooftop beside his roommate.

“Meow.”

Happy was right. No guild was stupid enough to go against the Celestial’s youngest. There were easier ways to die. But probably none as efficient.

“Maybe they want to show how much they know.” He mused, staring at the emblem as if it might give him the answer.

“Me-aye-ow.”

“But how did they find me?”

“Meow.”

“Through our partnership? You think?”

“Me-aye-ow.”

“True, it does make sense.” Rumors of ‘The Last Dragon’s’ and ‘A Celestial’s’ partnership would be the easiest way to track him. His new guild didn’t exactly try to hide their presence. And of the people he knew, only Lucy knew where he lived. Unless he’d been followed from here to his apartment...

“You think they know, buddy?”

“Meow.”

“I know it’s a possibility.”

“Meow!”

“What is it-” Natsu turned the piece of paper that Happy was swatting at. On the back, right in the bottom corner was scrawled:

Warehouse District, East Side,

Red Building, 10pm, Tonight!

Grandpa Crux’s long forgotten warning flashed back into Natsu’s mind.

“Someone is looking for you. And I doubt he has friendly intentions.”

That suddenly made a lot of sense.

“What do you think, buddy?”

“Meow!”

“If they’re that desperate to get in touch-”

“Meeoow!”

“I’m aware that it could be a trap!”

“Meow?”

“I think we should still go.”

“Me-ow?!”

“It’s not idiotic! I will be careful. Maybe they just want to talk about what happened to their nakama-”

“Me-ow.”

“Stop calling me an idiot! If I didn’t know what happened to my family, I’d want to find out too.”

Happy looked up at him, that sad understanding in his big eyes. “Meow?”

“No, I’m not telling Luce.”

“Meow?!”

“Because she had nothing to do with the whole thing.” And because he had done some light research on the guild that stood behind this mark. It had taken the strongest assassins of the guild Fairy Tail of Magnolia and several others to take them down. And that hadn’t stopped most of their members to either evade or break out of prison. One of which, Natsu had met briefly all those months ago.

He didn’t need to put an even bigger target on the Celestial’s -and especially Lucy’s- back than he already had by getting them involved. Just in case.

“Me-ow.”

“Maybe. Tell you what: we just go to check it out. And if either of us even senses danger, we get outta there and tell the guild. Deal?”

Happy didn’t look completely pleased but after a moment of consideration, he slowly nodded his head, understanding the worry of his human somewhat.

“Alright! Let’s go buddy.” Natsu had already grabbed Happy and swung them both off the roof, note in his pocket.

Sure, it was hours until the set meeting time, but Natsu wanted to check out the spot as soon as possible.

Oracion Seis was not to be underestimated.

 

-----

 

Lucy was deep in concentration, summarizing the past weeks’ events in a neat letter to her mother.

The exercise was always soothing, it let her rethink the near past but most importantly; it made her feel close to the woman she had lost seven years ago. They had all lost seven years ago.

Despite having known them for the shortest time, Lucy knew her mother would be so happy to hear that Aries and Loke were finally an official ‘thing’.

And she knew she’d adore Natsu. If her memory wasn’t tricking her, Lucy recalled Layla having the same boundless energy as her partner.

And she was certain that her mother would’ve made a comment on Happy being the cat-equivalent of Aquarius: the blue hair/fur, the huffy attitude, the eye-rolling... And she knew her mother would’ve laughed at Aquarius’ immediate outrage at the statement, probably having to dodge a flying cushion for it.

At some point, the blonde was half-shaken out of her precise penmanship by a light thud on the roof above her. But she barely registered it, writing it off as a gust of wind, signalling the coming of another storm.

The second thud a little later went unnoticed altogether by the little assassin as she wrote about how well Plue had found his home in their guild.

Only a random glance at her phone let the blonde know that she had been writing for two solid hours.

Lucy decided to end the multiple-paged letter then, neatly folding it into thirds, placing it into a pink envelope and tucking it away into the little shoebox designated for storing these private writings.

Dusk had settled over Crocus, the pretty colours obscured by the thick, grey clouds rolling by overhead.

“Natsu and Happy haven’t come by yet, have they?” She turned to Plue who had been dozing on her fluffy carpet contently. He only raised his head at the name of his play-buddy.

She chuckled, moving to pick Plue up and carry him down the stairs. “I’ll take that as a no.”

Once, she’d been so fixed on her writing, she hadn’t even noticed Natsu swinging into her room through the window. When -an unknown time later- she’d happened to glance a strange silhouette from the corner of her eyes, both assassins had nearly gotten a heart-attack. Lucy by the fact that someone was suddenly here and Natsu by the fountain pen flying at his throat. (Both Natsu and her pen had survived the encounter.)

Taurus, on the way to the kitchen, met them at the bottom of the stairs. “Hey Luuuuucy. Hey Nats-” He looked up the stairs behind her. “Natsuuuuu not with you?”

“We’re not joined at the hip.” Lucy huffed, setting Plue down. Although she had been wondering the same. Her partner had stopped by...every day since they exchanged emblems, she was sure. And since he had claimed that her room was nicer than his apartment and the fact that she would not enter his home through the window “like a criminal” (Natsu had looked a little offended at that), their meeting spot was still her room.

“Yooooou might as well be.” Taurus shrugged, heading for the kitchen. “Hungry?”

“I could eat.” She joined him, Plue skidding after them because he was sure the word ‘hungry’ was related to ‘food’.

“Evening.” Sagittarius greeted them, mid-process of making their vegetarian dinner. He waited as they walked in, looking at the door expectantly. “Natsu not here?”

“Clearly not.” Lucy deadpanned.

“And that at dinner time.” Sagittarius pondered, returning to the cutting board.

Plue did his best to catch a glimpse of what was being prepared on the counter, jumping up excitedly. He only seized in the exercise when Sagittarius handed him a piece of uncooked carrot.

“You know you shouldn’t feed him from the table, right?” Loke walked in.

“Says whooooo?” Taurus challenged, grabbing the salad bowls delicately from the top cabinet.

“The internet...every book on dog care...common sense...” Loke counted off, gathering the cutlery.

“It’s just a carrot.” Lucy mumbled, distracted by her hunt for more bread rolls.

“Sure. Hey, where’s Natsu?”

Lucy’s head poked out of the pantry.

“I don’t have a tracker on him, you know!”

“He’s not here.” Taurus stage whispered.

“And that at dinner time.”

“That’s what I said, moshi moshi.”

Lucy shot the grinning men a glare. It’s not like they were wrong.

Hearing the noise, Aries -the last present member of the guild- walked into the kitchen, holding a large, clear bag with dried chili peppers in her hands.

“Please tell me that’s nooooot for the salad.” Taurus blanched at the sight.

“No, no.” Aries quickly assured him, peering around the gathered assassins. “Isn’t Natsu here?”

Lucy rolled her eyes. “For the last time, I-”

“Because we wanted to make chili powder together.”

Lucy stopped mid-sentence. “You did?”

“Yes. Yesterday we agreed to make some after dinner. He wanted to see what types I use and maybe swap recipes.”

Like most assassins, Aries had secondary weapons to her needles. One was a tight-knit ball of pink wool. Contrary to popular belief, the wool wasn’t dyed pink by traditional means. It was the combination of her chili powders laced into the wool. Harmless by appearance, incredibly tedious (and effective) when hit with in the face.

“Thought it was strange that he’s not here, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius supplied.

An uneasy feeling spread in Lucy’s guts. That Natsu hadn’t shown up was strange, but understandable. Maybe he’d wanted a quiet evening. But if he’d made plans with Aries...Natsu wasn’t one to bail out on such things. Especially not if it included weapons made with chilies.

“I’ll try calling him.” She fished her phone out of her pocket, trying to sound calm.

It went to voicemail.

Lucy stared at the phone with a worried look.

“Don’t worry, Princess.” Loke said, walking past her to the table, holding the bowl of hard-boiled eggs. “He’s probably asleep. Didn’t you stay up half the night watching movies together?”

They had.

“Exactly,” Loke read her expression, “the kid probably passed out. A stable sleep schedule is very important-”

“Which is why nooooone of us have one.” Taurus finished.

“Precisely.”

They were probably right, Lucy concluded. She and Natsu had started dozing off at some point in the very early morning. And remembering Aquarius’ threat of being thrown out of a window if found sleeping in her bed, Natsu had begrudgingly left through the window with a “See ya, Luce.”

“I guess.” She agreed, tucking her phone away.

Happy would most likely wake her partner up in a few hours with a judgemental “me-ow” for forgetting his chili-powder-making-session with Aries.

So, together with her nakama, Lucy sat at the dining table, enjoying the mix-n-match salad bar they’d assembled, laughing with them at their latest mission-stories.

 

Natsu had not returned her phone call or had read her texts by the time they finished dinner. She told herself not to worry. Natsu was more than able to handle himself.

 

The situation hadn’t changed when Lucy went to bed a few hours later. It was fine. She was turning into a proper Celestial; always fearing the worst, she scolded herself, forcing the stubborn, uneasy feeling away.

 

Lucy woke early the next morning, hand immediately searching for her phone before even being fully awake.

Nothing.

“Alright. This calls for an investigation.” The determination in her voice was loud enough to wake Plue, who was eager to accompany her.

The sun was in the midst of rising, chasing away the last clouds that had thundered throughout the night. Lucy was already jumping across Crocus, trying to enjoy the rays of sunshine, Plue in her backpack, inconspicuous knives on her.  

The first vendors and store owners were out and about, barely glancing up at the figure dashing over their roofs.

Mid-jump, Lucy pulled out her phone, hoping that maybe Natsu had finally woken up and answered her texts. But nothing.

She wrote one more message, just to announce her visit, a curtesy he had never bothered with.

 

Yesterday

Lucy

[1 missed call]

Hey. Aries is asking where you are.

Something about making chili powder together?

 

Lucy

Loke’s saying you fell asleep after movie marathon last night.

I told you, you could’ve slept on the couch.

[1 missed call]

And since when do you have your phone on silent?

Isn’t Happy your personal alarm?

 

Lucy

I’m betting you lost/destroyed/exploded your phone in a very Natsu-way.

That should’ve been my first guess.

[1 missed call]

Guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.

Night Natsu

 

Today

Lucy

[1 missed call]

Okay, you can call me paranoid or a weirdo all you like...

But I’m coming over to check on you.

Because we’re partners and I’m allowed to worry.

 

Lucy had pressed send on the last text before she could think too much about it. Maybe she was being paranoid. But they both worked in one of -if not the most- dangerous professions in Fiore. So, she had every right to check on her partner.

Maybe she was over-exaggerating and she’d find a groggy Natsu in his apartment, confused as to why she’d woken him up this early in the morning. But at least then she could quench that relentless, uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach that had refused to leave since last night.

Natsu’s apartment-building was far off any major road, tucked away between alleys and run-down houses that only someone with nothing left to lose would dare enter.

“Might as well live close to the action.” He’d said by way of explanation when they’d briefly stopped here to get his fishing gear.

Third floor, fifth window from the right, if Lucy remembered correctly. She really hoped she was.

Getting to the window wasn’t the challenging part. A neighbouring building stood just close enough to jump from there to Natsu’s windowsill. Balancing on the very frail and thin windowsill with a curious puppy looking over her shoulder, that was the tricky part.

Gemini’s pocketknife was already in her hand, prepared to open the window by unconventional means. However, the window was already half-open, the autumn-breeze flowing inside the apartment.

To avoid being a hypocrite, Lucy quickly rapped against the dirty glass with her fist, listening intensely for an answer.

“Natsu? Happy?” She called into the flat.

Once again, nothing.

She quickly slipped into the room, wondering how many people had seen her doing so. She seriously doubted they’d alert the Rune Knights though.

The small apartment was one open space with two doors; one presumably leading to a bathroom, the other -constantly locked one- for the hallway. To her right was a living area, desk, couch and hammock squished into that side. To the left was a small kitchen area. And everything was a mess!

Old water bottles and take-out cartons littered the kitchen and coffee table. Pillows and blankets were strewn on the hammock and couch. The desk was a hurricane of loose papers and notes and plans with no order whatsoever, some fluttering around from the wind coming in through the opened window.

But worst was the floor. Half-finished grenades, weapons and explosives lay about in what had to be a violation of every health-and-safety rule ever invented.

Virgo would have a field day in here.

“Good Mavis, Natsu.” Lucy whispered, carefully edging along a box with so many warning labels, she wouldn’t have touched it with a ten-foot pole. At least she knew she had the right apartment.

Despite the unhygienic state of the place, there was still a pleasantly fresh scent in the air. Lucy hadn’t expected her partner to be the kind of person who used air-fresheners. Or maybe the outside air was coming from the forest, not the city of Crocus itself.  

“No, Plue, you stay right there.” She told the puppy who’d been whining to be set down.

“Natsu?! Happy?!” She called louder. Nothing. Again.

She carefully walked over to the hammock. How someone with motion sickness could sleep on that was a mystery to her.

Printed pictures and newspaper clippings taped to the wall caught her eye. She recognized the Dragons from newspaper cutouts. Grandeeney turning away from the camera in an attempt to hide her identity. Metalicana flipping the person taking the photo off. Igneel grinning broadly. It was the same picture of him they’d used in the meeting after their deaths.

A few selfies with her. Lucy had some of the same ones printed out in her room. Plenty of Happy.

A newspaper article about the capture of the two Eisenwald Assassins. Natsu had taped a little post-it-note to it, reading: First Mission with Luce.

Another about the drama surrounding Cosmos Cosmetics and its animal testing with a note saying: First Official Mission with Luce + Plue.

The blonde smiled at the memories, but her mind returned to the matter at hand quickly. Namely: where her partner was. And his cat.

“What do you think, Plue? Reason to worry, or no?”

The puppy didn’t seem to think so, happily examining his surroundings from the backpack.

 

Lucy

I’m here and you’re not.

Please tell me everything’s alright.

I’m getting worried Natsu.

 

Her earliest training came back to her. Gemini telling her detective stories and drawing lessons from them for her.

“Alright kiddo, when investigating a scene, what do you look for?”

“Clues!” Had been the seven-year-old’s immediate answer.

“Good. And what is a clue?”

That had let her think for a moment. “Something...that’s not supposed to be there?”

“Not bad. But remember, something that isn’t there can be just as important as what is.”

Lucy looked around. She’d established what was here: chaos. But what wasn’t? Her partner for one. And his feline roommate. But what else?

The staff. Lucy couldn’t spot the long bo-staff anywhere. Even in this mess, she should be able to find it.

What else? She rummaged around the desk. It’s not like she could make it worse. No gloves to be found either.

In the flow of investigating, Lucy got her phone out and tried calling again. Silence. So, his phone wasn’t here either. She knew he’d never put it on silent!

His backpack for Happy and the equipment was in no corner nor cabinet.

Spare grenades of all variety lay about and were in stacked boxes. But not his utility-belt.

However, after a little searching, Lucy found the little, red first-aid-kit. They were plenty lying about, but this was the one Natsu liked taking with him on missions. She remembered it from the very first night they’d met face to face.

“When things seem chaotic, make mental lists to keep things organized.” Capricorn had once told her.

Fact: Natsu’s mission equipment was missing, except his preferred first-aid-kit and he’d left the window open.

Conclusion: He’d geared up before leaving his apartment last.

Explanation: ... Had he gone on a mission without her? And had forgotten the kit? And left the window open?

It was the one thing Lucy could think of. Why else...but why without her? Partners didn’t do that.

 

Lucy

[1 missed call]

Did you go on a mission or something?

Seriously, where are you?

 

What were her options now?

Lucy sent a quick text, summarizing the situation, into the Celestial group-chat, asking her nakama to be on the look-out.

“What now Plue?” She mused out-loud, hating that the uneasy feeling was growing.

Plue yawned, curling into the backpack.

“You’re right, we’ll check out some other places.” Lucy was sure that’s not what the puppy had thought of, but the possibility of finding her partner somewhere else gave her hope. There was the train station, the lake, his favorite below-the-counter shop for explosives...

Closing the window behind her, Lucy jumped back across the roofs, fighting the urge to constantly check her phone.

 

-----

 

Aquarius awoke to her phone beeping on her nightstand. Scorpio shifted in his sleep at the noise.

Date night had them coming home late last night and both would’ve preferred to sleep a little longer.

“Wassit?” Her partner drawled as she unlocked her phone.

“Lucy wrote something in the group chat.” She murmured, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“This early?” Scorpio propped himself up on his elbows, looking at the time on her phone.

“Natsu’s missing.” Aquarius read, her brows furrowing.

“Missing?” Scorpio looked more awake.

“Wasn’t here for dinner, missed a 'chili-making-session' with Aries, hasn’t read or answered her calls, isn’t at his apartment...”

“Doesn’t sound good.”

“No.” Aquarius answered briskly, theories running through her head. She knew Natsu was a capable assassin, the Dragons could be trusted in that, and the past five years had proven that he could handle himself alone perfectly fine.

“It could be nothing.” Scorpio said from beside her.

“I know.” She kept staring at the screen in her hand.

“But it could also be something.” He admitted quietly.

Neither assassin felt like going back to sleep then, instead settling on starting the day sleep deprived.

Aquarius swore into her coffee. Damn that brat for making her worry. And for once, she didn’t mean Lucy.

 

 

The morning passed with no positive news. It turned into midday. Fresh clouds rolled in over Crocus. A few tidbits of information from their nakama were shared in the chat.

No one had seen or heard from Natsu. Virgo and Loke reported that the GPS in his phone had been turned off and they wouldn’t be able to trace him that way. Lucy was Mavis-knew-where, trying different locations where her partner might be, reporting negative results along the way.

Aquarius found nothing better to do than to pace the length of the hallway, racking her brain for something useful to do. She was too stressed to nap and regain some needed sleep as Scorpio was doing in the living room.

She hated the fact that she could do nothing useful. Whatever few leads Lucy had, their youngest was following them herself and it’s not like she could contact the kid's family-

A shrill ringing ripped her from her thoughts. The guild-telephone, only ever used for official business -so, primarily by her- was making the noise.

Aquarius grabbed the receiver off the wall, holding the phone close to her ear.

“Hello? Is this...the Celestial guild of Crocus?” A male voice asked hesitantly.

Aquarius took a breath, previous worrying still fresh in her mind.

“Yes, this is the right number. I am the official leader of the guild.”

“Ah, good.” A short ruffing was audible through the line. “This is Chief Detective Serpico of the Crocus I.P.. We found this number in our record from previous cases you worked with us.”

“Alright.” Aquarius said just to say something as the man was clearly waiting for affirmation.

A brief pause.

“This morning we...found someone we believe to be one of your nakama...”

Aquarius’ mind whirred to attention.

“...he has your key on his shoulder and through the emblem we managed to identify him as ‘Natsu Dragneel’ also known as ‘Salamander’ or ‘The Last Dr-”

“Yes!” Aquarius yelled excitedly, forgetting her professionalism. “Yes, he is one of our nakama.”

She let out a relieved sigh. “I’m glad you called, Chief. We’ve been wondering where he is since last night. Do we need to do the bureaucratic dance, or can we pick him up somewhere?”

More papers were shuffled on the other end of the line.

“I’m afraid it’s not that easy, ma’am.” The I.P. detective stalled.

“What do you mean?” Aquarius frowned down the hallway. “He wasn’t picked up by the knights, was he?”

“No, no, ma’am.” The man said a little too hurriedly.

Aquarius rubbed her temples. “If you officially caught him whilst he was conducting Assassin Business, I’m sure we can relay it to the council and go through the motions to-”

“No, ma’am, it’s not that...”

Cold dread washed through Aquarius. She’d gotten a call like this once before.

“Then what is it?” She asked weakly, leaning against the wall, phone in hand, feeling her energy draining.

The man cleared his throat. “Ma’am, I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but...”

Aquarius slowly slid down the wall until she sat on the wooden floorboards, hand holding the phone shaking.

 

-----

 

Cobra set the receiver down, blowing out a long breath.

He turned, triumphant grin on his face. “Am I good or what?”

McBeth rolled his eyes. “Chief Detective Serpico?” He deadpanned. “No, ma’am?”

Cobra shrugged good-naturedly. His plan was finally coming together. Nothing could ruin his mood.

“Come on.” He gestured for his friend to follow, walking out the borrowed office down the hallway with its harsh lights.

“Lets get this show on the road!”

 

-----

 

“You found him?!” Lucy came rushing into the guild, panting heavily, Plue still on her back.

She’d received Aquarius’ text of news half an hour ago and had sprinted back home as fast as the wet rooftops had let her.

The rising panic whenever she’d arrived at another location only for her partner to not be there had finally subsided.

Her brown eyes scanned the hallway. Two sets of pink hair. Neither Natsu’s. Everyone else though...

All their nakama were there. All watching her coming inside, all standing in the hallway, awkwardly squished together. None of them looking glad that they’d finally gotten news about Natsu’s whereabouts. Some didn’t even meet her hopeful gaze.  

“I got a call from the I.P..” Aquarius separated herself from the crowd, taking a step towards her protegee.

“Did they arrest him?” That would explain why she hadn’t been able to find him. Only what in the world had her partner done to get himself arrested? Or was him walking about in his full gear enough for an officer to think-

“No, they didn’t arrest him.” Aquarius said calmly. “They found him.”

So he was injured! Lucy knew to trust her instincts. She’d known something bad had happened, had suspected it ever since last night!

“Is he in a hospital? Can we pick him up, how did he-”

Aquarius rested a hand on her shoulder, leaning down to be on eye-level.

Lucy read something in her eyes that she didn’t like. The same thing she’d read seven years ago.

“Aunty?” She breathed it so quietly only the woman before her could hear.

Aquarius’ gaze revealed the sorrow she’d been hiding before.

“I’m sorry Lucy. But he’s not in a hospital.”

 

 

This wasn’t real.

There was a misunderstanding.

The I.P. officer had made a mistake. It wasn’t Natsu they’d found. It was someone else.

They had made a mistake.

Lucy looked out the car window from her backseat, looking at the grey clouds in the sky that darkened by the minute. She saw her own reflection in the glass; jaws set stubbornly to the mantra running in her mind, eyes fixed on the outside, pretending not to see the worries glances Aquarius and Scorpio shot her from the front seats.

Someone had messed up. Mistook their red and golden emblem for someone else’s.

This wasn’t real.

She barely registered the car pulling up in front of an I.P. station, barely remembered stepping out and walking with her two nakama through the swinging double doors. It was a large facility. Had to be one of the headquarters dotted around Crocus. But it felt empty. Scorpio must’ve done a quick security sweep; he always did after all.

Everything felt like walking through water; slow and unfocused.

Someone else. It had to be. It was!

Lucy was sure they walked down a long hallway, bright lights shining from the ceiling, reflected back from the well-worn tiles on the floor.

She vaguely recalled Aquarius greeting someone. A man with spiky, red hair and unusually pointy ears. He must’ve been the officer that had informed her. He must be the one who made a mistake.

Did Lucy greet him? Did she meet his eyes? If she had, would she have seen through the fake-sympathy, the façade of second-hand sorrow? She couldn’t recall.

Would Gemini and Loke have been able to tell with their experience in acting? Would Capricorn have read the man’s micro-expressions and deemed him untrustworthy? Would Virgo have recognized him from the image of a wanted poster that she kept stored in her mind?

Or would they all have kept their worried attention on her, waiting for her reaction -any reaction- just as Scorpio and Aquarius were doing?

It didn’t matter, did it? Because the person in question couldn’t be her partner. The officer had made a mistake after all.

They were standing before another set of double doors, painted white to match the sterile surroundings. ‘Morgue’ was written over the doors in bold, simple lettering.

Lucy didn’t really listen to the officer talking about ‘identification of a body’. Because she wouldn’t be able to identify anyone that was beyond those white double doors. Because Natsu was safe.

She was sure Aquarius tried to say something to her, had rested a steadying hand on her shoulder, but Lucy’s eyes were fixed on the doors, ready to get this over with and continue searching for her very much alive partner.

A hand pushed the doors open in front of her, Lucy was sure it had been the detective. The room behind it was oppressively clean, the white tiles gleaming beneath the florescent lights, the whitewashed walls and silver equipment looking freshly polished.

But she didn’t register all that.

Her brown eyes honed in on the one spot of colour in the room; a single, pink spot defying the given colour-code. Although he’d call it salmon.

Lucy’s knees gave out, but pale arms wrapped around her shoulders to keep her upright. That must’ve been Aquarius. She didn’t know if she made a noise or said anything, all Lucy could focus on was the person lying motionlessly on the metal gurney, half covered by a white sheet of plastic.

Lucy didn’t know where the strength came from, but somehow she managed to right herself again, managed to separate herself from the supporting arms and slowly inch closer to the gurney.

No one tried to stop her as she moved closer, because there was still a shrivelled bit of hope in her that this wasn’t her partner.

But her vision was already blurred by tears she hadn’t noticed as she stood beside the head of the gurney.

His skin was so pale, making him look like a ghost. It made a stark contrast to the blue bruise on the side of his forehead, only partially covered by a large plaster. His face was as expressionless as a mannequin’s, no trace of the cheerful grin that could light up a room. Onyx eyes were closed, not twitching, no breath moved his perfectly still frame. Only the emblem -their emblem- shone in the light on his shoulder as it always had.

Lucy slowly stretched out a hand. She didn’t know if it was the blurred vision that was making everything hazy or if her hands were truly shaking. Her fingers gently grazed Natsu’s cheek, as if wanting to wake him from a nap.

She pulled her hand back as if she’d been bitten.

Cold. Ice cold his skin was, not the slightest remnant of the warmth that she had noticed on their very first encounter. None.

Someone pulled her away, pulled her close. Blue hair flowed over her shoulders as Aquarius held Lucy tightly to her, turned away from the gurney. Only then did the blonde realize that she was shaking. Not because of the frigid temperatures in the room but because...because...

She sobbed hard and clung onto her aunt who held her just as tightly, soaking in her warmth that this room seemed to drain.

...because Natsu was dead.

Notes:

The clues are there.

Chapter 20: No More Dragons

Scorpio didn’t know what hurt him the most; the sight of the teen who had only two days previously been teaching him the tricks of a videogame so he could finally get close to Loke’s high-score, now lying still as a stone; the choked sobs that rang from the morgue down the hall, coming from their youngest who had once again lost someone she cared deeply for; or the expression of the woman he loved most in this world, sadness cracking her desired façade of steely determination every time a new sob broke free from the blonde in her arms.

He forced himself to look away, turned to the detective that stood beside him at the double doors. Someone had to take care of the formalities and he seemed to be the only one capable at the moment.

The other man did his best to seem sympathetic, although true sorrow could not be found on his face. Scorpio wondered how many times he’d had to do this before. Detective Serpico must be an expert in compartmentalization.

“How-” Scorpio’s voice was groggy, and he had to clear his throat, but the detective seemed to understand.

“We got a noise complaint from the warehouse district – thought it would be some drunks getting into a fight or some small gang meeting up...but when we got there, we only found him.” He gestured to the morgue that Scorpio made a point not to look at or risk losing what little composure he had left.

“Evidence?” Scorpio managed.

The red-haired man gestured to follow him, leading him a few doors down. The I.P. station was really empty, the assassin noted.

“Busy night.” Detective Serpico answered his silent question. “Lucky it wasn’t like this yesterday, or we wouldn’t have gone out for a noise complaint.”

‘And wouldn’t have found your nakama’ remained unsaid.

He led them to what looked like a storage room, rickety cabinets holding dozens of cardboard boxes labelled with dates and names, some ringing familiar with Scorpio. He stayed in the open doorway -safety habit- whilst the detective heaved a box from the lower rows, Natsu’s bo-staff poking out of it.

“We found an impressive amount of explosives on him,” Serpico said, placing the box onto a small table that groaned beneath the weight, “together with other weapons, a phone-”

“Do you know who else was there?” Scorpio interrupted, subconsciously scanning the hallway behind him.

The detective sighed. “We’ve checked for notable traces. No fresh tire marks, fingerprints couldn’t be identified, there are no cameras in the district...”

“So, no?”

“We could find no evidence of other individuals present. Well, except for...” The detective trailed off.

Except for the body.

Scorpio had to cough again. “How...what...?”

“Blunt force trauma to the side of the head.” The detective answered shortly.

“From behind?”

“Looks to be from the front.”

From the front. Scorpio paused at that.

“Indications of a fight?” Mavis, he hated how he was repeating the words from seven years ago. The answer was the same.

“Only old bruises.”

Who had met Natsu in that district, that could knock him down with a blow to the head, from the front...without the kid having time to defend himself?

“This...” Serpico started, tugging at a little plastic bag from the box and interrupting Scorpio’s train of thought, “might be of some interest on that matter.”

He handed Scorpio the little evidence bag, containing a piece of paper ripped from a larger sheet. All it read was:

Warehouse District, East Side, Red Building, 10pm, Tonight!

“Looks like someone was waiting for your friend.” Serpico said matter-of-fact.

Scorpio examined the ripped edge. “Where was this torn from?”

“That was all we found.” The detective said.

So, if this had been a set meeting, there must’ve been someone else. And if Natsu had fully geared up, the kid must’ve known it meant trouble. But then why go in the first place? Why not tell the guild? And why was the page torn? There had to be something else, something that might give it away-

“You’re free to take his things with you.” Serpico interrupted again. “We found nothing useful on them and we need the space.”

“Right...” Scorpio muttered, eying the box as another challenge to his momentarily fragile composure.

“By the way,” the detective turned to him, “just curious, I thought you Celestials don’t work with other guilds.”

Scorpio’s brain needed a moment to comprehend what he was asking. “We don’t. But Lucy and Natsu became friends on a mission and he...he-” Scorpio had to fight hard to keep his eyes dry, “he’s a good kid.” Using the past tense seemed like an impossibility, so Scorpio stuck with the present.

Serpico only nodded at the explanation, as if it had been his attempt at small talk. He muttered “it was just a freaking coincidence” under his breath, so quietly that the assassin by the door didn’t hear him. How much easier this would’ve been, if those two kids hadn’t met.

The detective lifted the box off the table, handing it over to Scorpio who refused to look too long at the belongings inside.

Aquarius and Lucy stood outside the morgue in the bright hallway, the teen still clinging onto the bluenette, her sobs reduced to sniffs that made her shoulders quake.

He shared a look with his partner over the blonde’s head and the box. Tears were shimmering in both their eyes, but both nodded in silent understanding that they needed to be the strong ones right now. Emotions had to take a backseat until they got into the safety of their home.

Lucy raised her head a little, waterfilled eyes fixing on the bo-staff in the box, realizing what Scorpio was holding.

“Is that...” Her voice was barely above a hoarse whisper as she looked up at him.

Scorpio only managed to nod and gesture helplessly at the box in his hands. It was disturbing how everything a person used to be could fit inside a little cube.

Lucy stepped closer, Aquarius not leaving her side, and took a tentative look at the contents. Scorpio dared to look down as well, understanding why new tears flowed down the streaks on Lucy’s face.

Everything encompassed by the cardboard screamed Natsu; the color-coded grenades, a random assortment of sweet that lay at the bottom of the pile, his scarf, the gloves attached to the thick bracelets, scraps of matchbox fabric, ...

Lucy reached a hand into the box, gently tugging the white scarf free that had wrapped itself around the staff. She held it close without saying a word.

“We should get going.” Aquarius said with the steadiest voice of the three legal assassins present.

Scorpio made eye-contact with the detective who nodded in serene condolence as the Celestials turned to the entrance.

“Wait!” Lucy said suddenly, spinning back around to the officer. “Was there-”, her voice croaked, and she had to clear her throat, “was there a blue cat with him?”

Serpico looked into the red-rimmed eyes of the teen, scrunching his forehead in thought. “A blue cat? Not that we saw, no.”

The little energy Lucy had shown deflated, and Aquarius was back at her side immediately, glaring at the officer as if Happy’s absence was somehow his fault.

Scorpio shot the man the best impression of an apologetic glance he could muster, leading that way back down the hallway and out into the rainy night. Aquarius and Lucy were right behind him, the bluenette doing her best to soothe Lucy’s shaking frame as she slung the scarf around her shoulders, burying her face in the fabric like her partner had done so many times.

 

-----

 

Cobra watched the minivan drive off into the dark, rain obscuring the taillights until they turned a corner.

Only then did he finally breathe. He closed the door to the I.P. precinct, flopping onto the polished floor like a sack of potatoes.

He’d done it. He’d fooled the Celestials. In Zeref’s unholy name, he brought two of them close to tears! He rested an arm over his eyes, panting as if he’d sprinted a marathon.

His confidence towards McBeth might have been a little exaggerated. He’d been waiting for one of the Celestials to turn on him any second and proclaim they knew of his plan. He would’ve probably died of a heart attack on the spot.

Cobra was so glad that the leader had stayed with the girl, the Dragon’s partner. He might’ve cracked just from the force of her cold stare, fessing up to everything.

A shadow spread over him, blocking out the florescent light.

“One hundred percent certain, hm?” Midnight asked, looking down at his friend, white strands of hair dangling between them.

“I was with my old plan.” Cobra defended. Although he would’ve been just as nervous then. Facing the Celestials head-on, without weapons, just his ability to lie, would’ve terrified him in any scenario.

“Wouldn’t it have been easier to trick an officer into doing this part.” Midnight gestured to the morgue where Cobra had just pulled off the best acting of his career.

“I’m already juggling freaking knights, a Dragon and Zeref-damned Celestials, McBeth.” Cobra huffed. “I’m not about to throw in another moron that might mess everything up.”

“Speaking of,” Midnight grabbed Cobra’s arm and pulled him back onto his semi-stable legs, “we have to call the knight.”

Cobra rolled his eyes on instinct. At least now he didn’t have to be polite, sympathetic, collected Chief Detective Serpico.

“I know, I know.” Midnight soothed. “He’s an annoying prick, but this was only Step One.”

“I’m aware. On both accounts.” Cobra grumbled, following him to the detective’s office where he’d called ‘Aquarius’ from.

The terrifying part was over. The nerve-destroying, annoying part would now start.

He should’ve never agreed to work with those stuck-up knights.

 

-----

 

Ever since Lucy had cried herself to sleep, the rest of the guild had been gathered in the living room, quiet sadness only disrupted by the occasional sniff or sob.

Aries was curled up beside Loke, quietly sniffing into a tissue whilst her partner held her tightly, the clear plastic bag with the chili peppers clutched in her hand.

Virgo hadn’t taken her hand off Gemini’s shoulder, the old man slumped in his armchair with a far-away look in his eyes.

Taurus had given up on putting up a strong face long ago and let Sagittarius hug him from their spots on the couch, his partner’s onesie-horse-head resting on top of his own.

Cancer and Capricorn were among the more stoic ones in the room, both staring over their glasses at a distant spot. Cancer thinking about how they could’ve seen it coming, how they could’ve prevented it. Capricorn thinking about their next steps, no matter how shook up everyone else was. Someone had to make a plan and he was using the mental exercise to distract himself from the oppressing sadness in the room.

“Grandpa Crux told me about a threat towards Natsu.” Virgo suddenly broke the quiet.

“He did?” Capricorn lifted his head in her direction.

Virgo nodded solemnly. “He’d told Natsu about a man asking questions about him.”

“Natsu never mentioned.” Loke said quietly.

“He must’ve thought it was just paranoia, baby.” Cancer shrugged sadly. “There are endless people who might want...wanted to hurt him – as the last Dragon, I mean.”

Taurus nodded his head silently in agreement.

Another moment of silence passed before Virgo whispered: “I promised Grandpa Crux we’d keep him safe.” You didn’t need to be an expert on Virgo to hear the sorrow and guilt in her voice.

Gemini clasped a warm hand over her own on his shoulder. “It’s not your fault, Virgo dear. None of us could’ve seen this coming.”

“All we can do now is make sure that it doesn’t happen again.” Capricorn said clearly.

Everyone nodded even though the words felt empty. Because it had happened twice now.

 

 

The final pair wasn’t in the room.

Scorpio stood, leaning against the wall in the dining room attached to the kitchen, watching his partner.

Aquarius had not stopped pacing the length of the table, turning once she’d reached the end, hair whipping around her at the sharp movement.

Her eyes were trained steadily on the floorboards she was walking along, as if they could solve all their problems.

 

“Lucy...your mom...she isn’t coming home.”

“Is she on a big mission? Is she working with the I.P. again?”

“No, she...Layla is somewhere else – somewhere safe.”

“When is mommy coming back?”

“She...she can’t, she won’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because...Lucy, your mom is...gone.”

 

She hadn’t been able to say the word to the ten-year-old then and she hadn’t been able to now, no matter how much time had passed since then.

 

“She isn’t coming home.”

“He’s not in a hospital.”

 

It was history repeating itself! Just like she’d predicted after that catastrophe of a guild-dinner, after Natsu had ran out their door.

Not quite like she’d predicted; Lucy hadn’t gone after someone by herself. She was home and safe. Thank Mavis and all the spirits for that.

But still: one of theirs had been taken from them by some previously unknown threat. Remaining unknown for now.

Lucy had lost someone she cared for deeply, again. They had all lost someone who’d become a part of their lives. Again.

Aquarius was sure history was laughing at her, taunting her with the altered cycle of loss and grief.

And what could she do? Nothing.

No matter how hard she’d worked to protect this family, something had slipped through, someone was out there with Celestial blood on their hands.

They could find that someone. They’d failed when it had been Layla, but they would do better this time, she swore to herself. They’d eliminate the threat, avenge the last Dragon and know their guild as safe again. That was something she could do-

She caught black eyes tracking her repetitive movement. There was something she could do first.

Abruptly leaving her back-and-forth-path, Aquarius went straight to Scorpio, who wrapped his arms around her as soon as she got close enough.

Both were still in the same mindset as in the I.P. precinct: stay strong, no emotions, no weakness. It was the mask that every assassin presented to the world whilst working. It was safer than revealing too much, even to an officer.

But here, here they were safe from people trying to find a weak spot in their armour.

Scorpio was first to take off that emotionless mask, his arms tightening around Aquarius as she barely heard a whispered: “He’s gone.”

Those two words were enough to tear her defences down. “I know.” She hiccupped on a sob, sinking further into her boyfriend’s embrace.

“How did this happen?” He asked quietly, yet it sounded loud in the silent room. In the silent house.

That was the question that had plagued them all those year ago, come back to haunt them.

“We’ll find out.” Aquarius promised.

“It won’t bring him back.” Scorpio breathed and Aquarius felt a tear slide down her cheek.

She slowly shook her head where it rested in her partner’s shoulder. “It won’t.” She managed to croak out. “But we can make sure whoever did this won’t hurt anyone ever again.”

The promise and the threat towards the unknown enemy hung in the quiet of the room as the two assassins stood there, holding onto each other like the world was crumbling around them.

 

-----

 

On an unspoken accord, the Celestials had gone back to the same procedure from seven years ago.

Whenever someone’s face scrunched up and their eyes watered and their body hunched in on itself, everyone in that person’s proximity would move in, holding onto them as if to keep them from falling apart.

Partners wouldn’t move from each other’s side, always there first to comfort their counterpart.

Lucy noticed this numbly, feeling disconnected from it all. She also noticed the worried glances her nakama shot her way, always close in case she broke down.

The blonde couldn’t find it in herself to counter with a reassuring smile. Smiling felt like an impossible feat, a thing of the past when it had been so easy to conjure one.

But she wasn’t the only one. None of her nakama could muster an expression other than sorrow, in whatever way they displayed it. And no one spoke much. The wound was too fresh to tell stories about her partner. And reassurances that everything would be alright were pointless. Lucy was sure she couldn’t even say his name without crumbling.

She didn’t know who or when exactly, but someone at some point suggested going to the...the place where it had happened -to the warehouse district. To investigate on their own.

The thought brought some -not exactly energy- but movement into the guild. Lucy could feel her brain treading out of the swamp of sadness, logic and facts running through her grey cells again.

The warehouse district. The address on the little piece of paper. The piece of paper that someone had sent Natsu. Most likely the same person who-

Getting out of the grieving silence of the guild would be good for them. And they had someone to find.

The Celestials geared up, moving in little groups, but in tandem, through their city on the cloudy midday.

They were still quiet as they arrived on the spot where their nakama had been killed two days previously, right outside the red warehouse. No one trusted the stability of their voice to say a few words about it.

So, they split up wordlessly, all going after different possible leads.

Gemini polished his magnifying glass, Capricorn his glasses.

Sagittarius climbed onto a broken streetlamp, looking for anything out of place from high above with his sharp eyes.

Loke switched on his flashlights, handing one to Aries as they ventured into the red building.

Taurus and Virgo went to inspect a nearby drain cover, the former moving to heave it off whilst the latter checked if anything of note had washed inside or if anyone would’ve been able to hide there.

Aquarius was poking through nearby piles of old, clumped-together newspapers and posters with her trident, trying to find the matching piece of paper from the torn corner that had led them here.

Scorpio and Cancer went off in opposite directions to search for possible witnesses, anyone that could’ve seen or heard anything two nights ago.

Lucy watched them separate into their little groups, moving in a meticulous rhythm that came with years of working together.

She didn’t join any of them. She knew that if there was any sign of her partner or his assailant, they would find it. Instead, she got the bag of fish-shaped cat-treats that Natsu had left in her room a while ago.

Lucy started down the closest alley, ratting the bag in her hand. “HAPPY!” She called, scaring a nearby pigeon into taking flight.

They’d never discussed it, but Lucy knew Natsu would want her to look after Happy, should the worst happen. And since it had happened...

“HAPPY!”

Even though he didn’t tell her about the meeting here at the warehouse with that unknown party, he would’ve taken Happy with him. The cat was with Natsu on all missions, always by his side.

“HAPPY!”

That meant the blue feline had been here too. And hopefully was still hiding somewhere.

“It’s me, Happy!”

She turned a corner, doubling back the next ally and repeated the process to establish a radius around the crime scene.

“Meow?” Lucy whirled to a trashcan beside her where the noise had come from.

“Happy?!”

Golden eyes looked back at her, surrounded by black tuffs of fur. Wrong cat.

“You’re not Happy.” She sighed, momentary hope vanishing again.

The cat looked at the bag in her hand, not caring about the blonde’s distress.

Lucy left a large handful of the treats beside the cat before moving on down the street, calling for her partner’s roommate.

 

-----

 

The Celestials searched for clues and a cat until dusk settled over Crocus, partially obscured by clouds.

The groups gathered where they started, right in front of the red building, squashed in the narrow alley between more warehouses.

“Anything?” Aquarius started.

Gemini rubbed his eyes that he’d been straining for the slightest trace during the last hours. “I couldn’t find anything.”

Capricorn shook his head. “No traces of blood, no marks of a vehicle, no fresh cigarette buds. And if there were any, the rain would’ve washed them away the same night.”

Sagittarius hadn’t spotted anything the two could’ve missed either. No clue, and no blue fur.

“The canalization doesn’t connect to this part of the city.” Virgo reported. “Only small pipes.”

“And nooooo clues there either.” Taurus supplied.

They looked at Loke and Aries.

“This building hasn’t been used in ages.” Loke said. “Dust everywhere.”

“But no footprints. Nothing.” Aries finished sadly.

All eyes went to Scorpio and Cancer, but their expressions left no room to hope.

“No one heard anything on my end.”

“Neither, baby. Most buildings are abandoned, so no workers, no guards and no thieves trying to steal.”

“Happy’s not here.” Lucy whispered the obvious, still holding onto the half-empty bag of cat treats.

Silence enveloped the group, only the wind howling through the narrow buildings made a noise. This was far too much like Layla’s death.

How could there be nothing? There had to be something. Natsu had been injured, someone had been waiting right here for a good amount of time to attack him, the I.P. had shown up...how could there be no trace of any of that, not one person who’d heard the commotion?

Just like seven years ago...a Celestial, an ambush, a gunshot, the I.P. and absolutely no trace of the culprit.

“We should get home before it turns dark.” Aquarius made the call. “We can try again tomorrow.”

Everyone knew that there was little point. If they hadn’t found anything now, they certainly wouldn’t after another night full of rainfalls. But they solemnly nodded nonetheless, heading back northwards.

But Lucy turned East, a little kernel of hope still fighting in her chest.

“I’m going to look for Happy by his apartment. Maybe he found his way back.” She said.

Aquarius only nodded and she took off in the other direction, jogging through the narrow pathways until she got to the main streets of Crocus, jumping over the roofs all whilst keeping an eye out for a speck of blue in the dimming light.

Lucy knew Loke and Aries were following her, but she didn’t care.

 

 

There was little sunlight left as Lucy reached the apartment complex she’d visited the previous day. How much had changed since then. It felt like a lot more time had passed.

The window to Natsu’s apartment was still closed, just like she left it. Happy couldn’t have gotten inside by himself. She felt some relief at that fact.

Lucy wasn’t ready to enter that space again, not yet. Looking inside the cardboard box had been enough to make her cry all over. But the space where he lived, where it felt like Natsu’s personality had exploded across every wall? That was too much for the moment. She needed a clear head and clear eyes to find the blue cat.

“Happy.” She first called softly, shaking the bag. Lucy waited for a response.

“HAPPY!” She called louder. No noise came as answer.

Lucy repeated the process, walking down the streets leading towards the building, checking trashcans, moldy boxes and windowsills for any sign of the feline.

She had to scare off one or two -attempted- muggers. In this part of town, there should’ve been more. Lucy was sure Aries and Loke had moved them out of her way before they could reach her.

Lucy’s steps slowed as she came full circle around the building without Happy. The poorly lit streets suddenly became wonky and watery and before Lucy knew it, arms in fluffy mittens were around her.

“I’ve got you.” Aries whispered as the waterfall Lucy had been holding back all day broke loose.

Stronger arms wrapped around both of them, Lucy now safely between her two nakama as she cried.

Lucy didn’t know what she’d been expecting. Maybe that, when she found Happy, everything else would fall into place. That finding the blue feline was the catalyst to solving the whole mess, that somehow everything would be alright, if only she had that one little victory.

But how could anything be alright? Nothing could bring Natsu back, not even finding Happy. Somehow that obvious realization hadn’t manifested until now, whilst hugging her two nakama in the middle of a street in the late evening.

“We’ve got you, Princess.” Loke said quietly.

That reassurance was the only thing keeping Lucy from falling onto the concrete and shattering into a thousand pieces.

 

-----

 

Lucy spent the next day like the first, searching for Happy. Natsu would want the little cat to be safe, so that had become her priority. It also helped to keep the maddening fact at bay that they had zero leads on finding the guilty party.

Gemini and Virgo offered their assistance outright, instead of trailing her. Virgo had already drawn up a map with all animal shelters in Crocus, splitting the list into three sections.

Lucy nodded at their offer, grateful that they understood why it was so important for her to find the kitten.

Their nakama gave mumbles about going back to the crime scene, about talking to contacts, asking Grandpa Crux, anything to gather more information.

Morning turned into midday turned into afternoon turned into evening.

The lack of messages in their group-chat disheartened all of them, because it meant nothing new had been found, neither information nor feline.

Lucy met up with Virgo and Gemini after they’d all worked down their respective lists.

Gemini, bearing several scratches from tiny claws, shook his head in defeat, his eyes just as empty as Lucy’s. “I’m sorry, kiddo. He wasn’t there.”

Virgo’s search had brought forth the same outcome.

As had Lucy’s.

Every shelter she’d visited had brought a new flare of hope that maybe this was the one. The one Happy had been brought to after he’d been caught wandering the streets. But that flare had been drowned every time she’d left empty-handed.

She shook her head silently as well, although their knowing expressions made it pointless.

“We should get back home.” Gemini coaxed gently, trying his best to hide the emotional abyss he was in from the teen. “Tomorrow’s another day.”

Lucy nodded numbly but paused in following them. “I need to do something first.” She said hollowly, turning south with slow strides.

Virgo moved to follow but Gemini held her back with a hand on her arm. “Let’s stay behind, Virgo dear. I think she needs to be alone right now.”

 

-----

 

Autumn made its presence known that evening, a chilly wind singing in the streets and throwing up leaves in swirling patterns.

Clouds had taken over the sky and with dusk fast approaching, everyone had gone home for the day, the streets empty of any foot traffic.

Only one noticeable figure stood beneath a barely functioning streetlight in the south-eastern part of Crocus, golden hair illuminated by the little light, a white scarf around her neck flattering softly in the breeze.

Natsu had taken her to this place only a couple of weeks ago, right after they’d become partners.

“Welcome to my guild, Luce.” He’d said in a quiet voice, looking at the rubbles before them.

Back then, Lucy had felt sadness as he’d shared stories of his earlier childhood in that house. Now, she felt hollow and empty after the hours of crying she’d done.

The once proud house had stood at the corner of the street, the nearby woods only a stone’s throw away. After the attack five years ago, only broken bits of stone and tiles remained. Vines and weeds had taken over what was left of the walls, marking a rough outline where rooms used to be.

The little bunch of flowers felt heavy in her hands as Lucy slowly walked through the space in the rubble where the doorway had once been.

“Us three shared a room.” Natsu had told her, looking at the ghost of a staircase long since collapsed. “We’d build pillow forts whenever we couldn’t sleep or told scary stories. Gajeel’s were the best.”

The wind howled around a corner, making Lucy wrap Natsu’s scarf tighter around her. The lingering smell of chili powder and log fires was enough to bring fresh tears to her eyes.

Despite space being precious in Crocus, the remainders of the guild hadn’t been torn down and nothing new had been built on top.

“They say it brings bad luck.”

So now, the burnt remainders of the Dragon’s home were a reminder from the Rune Knights. And a place of mourning for assassins.

“The official report says it was a raid with resistance. And the explosion was accidentally set off by one of our own devices. But Grandeeney would never let us keep any big explosives in the house.”

Lucy looked over a broken bit of wall, across a small grass area that was supposed to pass as a park. On the other side stood a little playground, the rusty swing set screeching in the wind.

“Our parents always told us to wait at the playground if something happened.” They had stood at exactly this spot. “I waited for two nights. No one came. And the knights had declared us all dead by then, so...” He’d trailed off and all Lucy had been able to do was to squeeze his hand as he’d buried his face in the white scarf, just as she was doing now.

She stood in what used to be the living room, the barest outline of a fireplace recognizable thanks to a few bricks still stacked on top of each other.

Lucy scanned the area, softly calling for Happy. Maybe he’d returned to his old home. That’s what she’d dared to hope anyway. But no me-aye-ow came from between the rubble, no blue fur poked out behind a corner.

Slowly, Lucy turned her attention back to the flowers in her hands.

Fire Lilies. Six of them.

She slowly placed one on the floor before the fireplace.

“Metalicana was in the basement, I think, when they came. I-I heard loads of shots fired, but he still tried fighting his way up the steps. But they had him outnumbered.”

Lucy placed a second flower beside the first.

“Grandeeney was here in the living room, just reading. I...I don’t know if she had a chance to fight back, ‘cause she was closest to the door...”

Lucy looked to the doorway, then to the spot where a couch might have once stood. There were no walls between those two places, merely a few steps; no distance at all for a bullet.

She set another flower on the floor.

“Dad was in the kitchen, making dinner. A curry or something. I was there because I wanted a snack. When...when we heard the front door burst, dad pushed me out the window and told me to run. I...I think I just stood there for a minute. Or a second? I wanted to help, but when I heard the guns and my dad yelling...I ran, Luce. I grabbed Happy and ran.”

Lucy plucked two more flowers from her hand, carefully placing them beside the others.

“Gajeel and Wendy...we were all in our room until I went downstairs to dad. I don’t remember what we were doing. Playing one of Wendy’s games probably. They...I-I don’t know how they...if it was the explosion or...” Natsu hadn’t been able to finish his sentence and Lucy had simply held his shaking frame tightly.

“Gajeel would’ve fought back.” He’d whispered as he’d hugged her back hard. “He would’ve done anything to protect Wendy.”

Lucy held the last flower gently between her fingers, twirling it slowly so that the red colour could catch in the dim light. Red like the dragons on her left hand.

“I’m so sorry.” She whispered into the semi-darkness, voice cracking.

Sorry, that she hadn’t been able to protect their last nakama; sorry, that she couldn’t find the reason for her partner’s death; sorry, that the Last Dragon could no longer stand as a symbol against the knights.

“I’d just reached the playground when our home exploded.” Natsu had absentmindedly touched a spot on his neck beneath his scarf. “I hid in the tunnel-slide for two nights. No one came. They were all...gone.”

“I’m so sorry, Natsu.” Lucy clutched the flower to her chest, fresh tears sliding down her cheeks and vanishing in the soft fabric of Natsu’s scarf.

“I’m...sorry.” It was all she could think to say as that now familiar hurt sprang back up in her chest, tearing apart all feeling of stability.

With a trembling hand, she placed the last flower onto the pile before the fireplace. The petals swayed softly in the wind, the picture of calm and peacefulness. The serenity only made more sobs rise from Lucy’s throat.

That’s what Natsu was now. At peace. No longer loud and energetic. No longer able to share his smile that had made any situation look bright and hopeful. No longer warm or full of life or all fired up-

The cold wind howled through the demolished doorway, emphasizing the absence of her partner’s warmth so much more.

“So, so sorry, Natsu.”

Notes:

I think I got all my seasonal-sadness out with this chapter.
Murder Mystery starts in the next chapter, so now's the last chance to come up with your own theories.
Until then.

Chapter 21: The Sa(botage)d Case of the Last Dragon I

The brown cardboard folder still sat unopened on the hallway cabinet. Everyone had walked past it several times, but no one had dared picking it up and seeing the image of their dead nakama and the police report inside. It would’ve made everything too real, like adding salt to an open wound.

It had been the same with Layla, all those years ago. Aquarius had been the first to tear through her folder after the call, after they’d...found her. There had been no evidence either, nothing linking her murder to the knights, to a rival guild, to a criminal group. Nothing.

Layla’s blue-haired best friend had stared at those I.P. pages for hours, trying to find the slightest clue that could lead to something, anything.

The I.P. had done their best, the Celestials knew. They’d figured out who the blonde woman was pretty quickly, even with...the bullet hole in her forehead. They’d worked as efficiently as possible, willingly handing over all information they had to the guild. Layla had been a distant role-model for many of them, a teary-eyed officer had told them seven years ago.

The file had been one of the most detailed they’d ever seen and yet even the I.P.’s hard work hadn’t amounted to anything. A fact that had driven them all half-mad; the uncertainty of who had come after their leader, their friend.

Capricorn knew someone had to brave it, had to look through Natsu’s file now too. The crime scene in the warehouse district had no links, no evidence, just as the detective had said. So, the last option was the I.P. record.

The old man knew Lucy was in no shape to do so. The poor girl was going through the pain of losing her partner. Capricorn shuddered every time he imagined parting from Cancer only for him to turn up dead 24 hours later. All partners had become clingier, he’d noticed, himself no exception.

Capricorn stared at the brown folder, raising his mental walls. Compartmentalisation was a skill he’d mastered during his college-years. Back then he’d used it to shut everything else out and to focus on the most important paper at hand. He’d prided himself on being almost uncontactable when he was in such a state of mind.

After changing professions, he still frequently used this skillset, including his own emotions and pains in the list of things that he needed to ignore. Not healthy for the psyche, he knew, but sometimes unavoidable in situations like these.

He flicked the cover open, sitting down at the otherwise empty dining table.

Natsu’s stony, pale face greeted him first, pink hair contrasted by the metal gurney beneath him. Capricorn pushed all emotions away, turning the photo around and moved on to the report.

Locations, dates and times seemed accurate enough. The description of the crime scene had room for improvement.

No photo of said crime scene, Capricorn noticed. No labelled evidence, however small, listed. Sloppy work.

A detailed inventory of Natsu’s weapons. Better, but useless to them.

His grenade-belt had been completely stocked, Capricorn realised. He hadn’t yet looked inside the box with the pinkette’s things. According to this report, his gloves had also been fully fuelled when they found him.

The coroner’s report was smudgy at best, neglectful at worst. Cause of death was immediately written off to the headwound, although no other tests had apparently been done to verify that claim. Time of death was put ‘somewhere around’ the afternoon of that day.

That meant, if those dates were to be trusted, that Natsu had been dead over 24 hours before Lucy identified him.

Capricorn knew the Independent Police were a private, definitely not government-funded, organisation and that they were overworked and understaffed on a good day. Still, he wished for a little more accuracy and detail from this report. In Mavis’ good name, they hadn’t even bothered with trying to identify what type of weapon had knocked Natsu out!

The lack of evidence only increased his frustration. How could there be nothing?! Not even an unrelated piece of assumed evidence had been picked up and catalogued.

Capricorn took off his glasses and rubbed a hand over his face in annoyance, his concentration feigning.

“Mental lists, mental lists...” He muttered to himself, refocusing on the task at hand.

• Fact: Natsu was dead.

Even thinking it hurt, despite his best efforts to suppress those distracting feelings.

• Fact: He was killed in the warehouse-district.
• Fact: He’d been waiting for someone/ someone had been waiting for him.
• Fact: He had a full stock of grenades and other weapons with him.
• Fact: He couldn’t / wouldn’t defend himself.
• Conclusion: ---

Capricorn’s mind went blank.

He let his head drop onto the table with a groan.

“You okay, baby?”

Capricorn straightened in his chair, meeting his partner’s concerned gaze from the doorway. He gestured to the folder in front of him wordlessly.

“Ah.” Cancer took a careful step forward, looking at the pages with apprehension. “Anything?” He asked.

“Nothing!” The older man exclaimed. “This has to be the worst conducted investigation that I’ve seen in my day. And I’ve seen many. I burned down the knight’s Mavis-forsaken storage-unit for Zeref’s sake!”

“I know you did, baby.” Cancer came up behind him, looking over his shoulder at the few pages. “Not much, is it?”

“And what’s there is useless.” Capricorn huffed.

Cancer carefully picked up the turned-down photo from the pile. A sigh escaped him as he looked at it.

“The poor kid.” He said quietly. “Do you think...do you think it’s because of us?”

Capricorn had followed that train-of-thought already. And had come to a sure conclusion.

“No.”

“You sure? Think about it, baby: five years with no guild, no family and he got by just fine. And then, barely a month our nakama and this...”

“Natsu was meeting someone at the warehouse.” Capricorn said, pointing to the line on the inventory-list that read ‘torn note’. “He wouldn’t have gone, if he didn’t know them; that’s common sense. And since Lucy has no idea who might’ve sent that note, it is only logical that the sender knew Natsu before becoming our nakama. Meaning, this was an attack on Natsu personally, not on his affiliation with us.”

“That...” Cancer needed a second to follow, “makes sense, I think.”

“It does.” Capricorn mumbled, eyes scanning the pages before him once more, trying to find something that the rational part of his brain told him wasn’t there. Perhaps he should look over the sparce information with Gemini. The oldest Celestial had a talent for finding impossibly hidden details. Maybe he could read something between the lines that Capricorn was missing-

“I don’t understand how they got to him, without the kid countering.” Cancer muttered sadly.

“That’s what I’m wondering too.”

“Nasty injury.” His partner said, studying the picture. “Don’t think the band-aid is enough. They should’ve used a bandage.”

“Hm.” Capricorn hummed distractedly. Wait- “Did you say band-aid?!” His head snapped to his partner.

“Yeah. He’s got one on his wound...” Cancer said, gesturing to the photo that Capricorn had skipped over in order to uphold his emotionless analysis.

He snatched the photo from his partner’s hands, staring at the offending image with full attention now. Cancer was right. There was a band-aid on the wound on his temple. And as this had been the only wound, it had been labelled the cause of death. So, clearly, the I.P. had put it on. But why?!

“This makes no sense...” He stared at the photo.

“What doesn’t, baby?” Cancer asked from beside him, confused at his partner’s sudden change in mood.

But Capricorn barely heard him. “The report said time of death was that afternoon...they found him that evening, hours later.”

“Right.” Cancer agreed, trying to follow.

“Natsu would’ve been dead for hours!”

“...Yes?”

“And the fatal blow was from the front!” Capricorn stared at his partner expectantly.

“Baby, I need you to back up a little for me.”

“If he was hit from the front, how would he have fallen?”

“Onto his back.”

“Correct. According to this, that was the cause of death, so his heart-”

“Would’ve stopped beating. I know that much, baby.”

“Right. And when the heart stops beating, it stops pumping blood through the veins.”

“Correct.”

“Gravity would pull the blood down, away from a wound on his coronal suture!”

Cancer frowned, seeing what the ex-professor was getting at. “The wound shouldn’t have bled anymore?”

“Exactly. So why the band-aid? It only obstructs the investigation, makes it harder to inspect -not that those buffoons did much of that anyway...” His mind was going the speed of a bullet-train, thoughts and theories flying his head that he was trying to organize from ‘reaching’ to ‘possible’.

“Maybe it’s a coincidence, baby.” Cancer tried to calm his partner down. But he knew how Capricorn was when he had an ‘epiphany’. There was no talking him down.

“Could be, could be.” Capricorn said, but both assassins knew he was onto something that would prove the contrary. “Yet, I’m sure there is something amiss here. This whole report is wrong, something is...wrong.” For a man who’d read his way through the dictionary that description was very plain, but he had other things to focus on.

Cancer only nodded, knowing the older man long enough to trust his instinct when it came to faulty paperwork. “Are you going to tell Lucy?”

That question brought Capricorn back down to earth. “No. Not until I have sure evidence. I wouldn’t want to crush any hope.”

“Hope?” Cancer peaked up at the word. “You think there’s any hope we could find out who-”

“I don’t know yet.” Capricorn stroked his goatee in thought. One single theory was taking up the most space in the forefront of his mind. Something he hadn’t focused on before. Question everything was one of his favourite mantras. Even facts by a source you thought you could trust.

Abruptly, he got up from his seat, shoving the report and photo back into the folder.

“I need to look at that crime scene again.” He said decisively.

Cancer hadn’t seen his partner so alive ever since Aquarius had told them the news before Lucy’s arrival. His rediscovered energy was infectious, and the smaller man darted after him.

“I’ll come with, baby!”

Capricorn nodded, having expected nothing less of the ex-hairdresser, and together they strode out in the misty autumn weather.

 

-----

 

Cancer had always loved watching his partner follow a trail of clues. It was like watching a bloodhound’s search for its prey in a maze.

The former hairdresser hugged himself against the harsh wind that howled through the narrow passages between the warehouses. They’d been here before, two days ago, following the only usable clue -the small, torn piece of paper with this address- with no success.

But that one band-aid had triggered Capricorn’s alarm-bells and here they were once more.

“We are too trusting!” Capricorn said loudly enough from the corner of the red building so Cancer could hear.

“That’s not a word I’d typically use to describe us, baby!” Cancer shouted back, watching as the older man darted to another spot; a barely existent crack between two neighbouring warehouses, crammed full with garbage bags from Mavis knows when.

“Last time, we searched for clues indicating a fight or another person...” Capricorn trailed off, squinting through a window covered in posters and graffiti.

“And found nothing.” Cancer finished for him.

“Precisely. Because we trusted the basis information,” Capricorn rattled at the wooden planks used to cover a hole in the warehouse’s wall, “that we are dealing with an ambush.”

Cancer followed his partner’s path. The impossibly slim passages around this spot, the smeared windows, the stable walls...

“There’s no spot to blitz-attack someone from.” He said it as it clicked in his head.

Capricorn nodded his approval. “Only one last chance...”

Both men looked up. The roof of the neighbouring warehouse was the only place someone could hide here with a chance of attacking a person waiting below.

Wordlessly, Capricorn gave Cancer a boost, so that the smaller assassin could look at the cheap, tin roofing of the building. Moss covered the greatest part, cracks flowing along the panels that no one had thought to replace.

Cancer set his hand experimentally onto a panel which immediately creaked and shuddered under the pressure.

“Not a chance, baby.” He called down. “This wouldn’t even hold Virgo. Scratch that, this wouldn’t even hold a pigeon.”

Capricorn nodded at his words, letting him jump off his shoulders.

This confirmed his earlier theory.

• Fact: Natsu was dead.
• Fact: He was killed in the warehouse-district.
• Question: He’d been waiting for someone/ someone had been waiting for him?
• Fact: He had a full stock of grenades and other weapons with him.
• Fact: He couldn’t / wouldn’t defend himself.
• Conclusion: Someone was purposefully hindering their investigation.

“I’m as good as certain that this isn’t the crime scene.” Capricorn said, staring at the filthy buildings around them.

“But, but that means...” Cancer began.

“That we can trust no information that we haven’t sourced ourselves.” Capricorn said, mind racing to accommodate the new facts.

“It means that the detective lied.” Cancer said quietly.

“Precisely.” His partner replied, a clear, three-string plan formed and ready to go. He turned his back on the red building, walking back the way they’d come from with a brisk pace.

“We’ll need Gemini and Loke.”

 

-----

 

Lucy sat in her room, together with Plue, staring at the box with Natsu’s things. Just hours previously, the sight had brought on new tears, but now, all it did was raise questions in the blonde’s head.

It was like the waterfall of sorrow and hurt had frozen over. It was still there, still as towering and empowered as before, but no longer so loud that she could hear nothing else but its roaring. And Lucy used that moment of clarity, going over the things that had bothered her before she’d even set foot in the I.P. morgue.

“Why didn’t he pack a first-aid kit, huh, Plue?” She asked, the absence of the little, red case glaringly clear to her.

“And why didn’t he use any weapons?” The staff bore no dents or scratches that indicated a defensive position, and the match-fabric was intact. Natsu would never go down without a fight. He’d told her himself that he owed it to his Dragon-nakama to live for all of them. No way would the Natsu Lucy knew give up without trying.

“And since when does he wear a hoodie to a fight?” On the inventory list from the detective, it had stated as much. “Why not his vest?” Natsu had claimed it gave him more freedom for movement, so it was his mission attire.

It all made no sense to the teen and there were too many inconsistencies to write it off as a coincidence.

“What’s going on here, hm, Plue?” She asked quietly, stroking the puppy’s head whilst staring at the cardboard box.

“Maybe he was in a rush?” But brought all weapons? “He didn’t see them coming?” From the front?

Lucy groaned silently, questions floating around in her head, taunting her. She still had the urge to grab her phone and call Natsu, to ask what he thought about all this. It always took her a moment to remember that no one would pick up.

That no one would ever pick up again. That she’d never hear -Stop! Lucy shook her head stubbornly, refusing to let that clarity slip for now.

“We can figure this out, can’t we Pl-”

The horrific sound of something sharp scratching on glass made Lucy flinch and stop mid-sentence. Plue gave a little whine at the noise.

The blonde teen whirled, realizing where the noise had come from. Her eyes found the round skylight in her room, the day’s last rays of sun contrasting against a tiny silhouette leaning against the glass.

Lucy stared open-mouthed at the window, scared to blink in case the shadow vanished again.

A little yowl at being denied entrance snapped her out of her stupor.

“H-Happy?”

One second, she’d been sitting on her pink carpet with Plue, the cardboard-box before them, the next she was at the window, her hands fidgeting with the lock that wouldn’t snap open fast enough.

As soon as the window opened a crack, a small furball collapsed into her waiting hands. He was caked in dirt, one paw covered in dried blood and Lucy could feel his ribs far too well beneath her fingers...but the familiar blue still shone through it all, black eyes looking up at her through the fatigue.

“Oh, Mavis – Happy! It’s you! It’s really you!” Lucy pressed the cat to her chest, something akin to happiness flooding through her body as she held him close. It took her a moment to realize that she was smiling into her room.

Plue had walked over, uncertain what had fallen into Lucy’s hands, sniffing the air experimentally. His eyes became perfectly round as he caught a whiff of a familiar scent. He jumped up and down around Lucy’s legs, barking loudly as he recognised his best friend.

Happy gave a tired “me-aye-ow”, which had Plue spinning around wildly, his tail wagging at the speed of light.

Despite her best efforts, Lucy’s eyes had gone moist again. She lifted the kitten to the height of her face. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I’m so glad you found your way back.”

Happy smiled back at her, finally safe, finally in the dry warmth of a room, finally off the streets with its dangerous cars and loud humans and bigger strays.

The mutual light -and in one puppy’s case ecstatic– mood lasted right up to Happy’s black eyes catching sight of the white scarf around Lucy’s neck.

The cat’s face fell, as did Lucy’s momentary feeling of weightlessness. The tears in the corner of her eyes were suddenly no longer ones of joy.

“I’m sorry, Happy.” She whispered. “He...N-Natsu is gone.”

Happy’s eyes started shimmering and he let out a quiet, desperate sound of disbelief.

Lucy shook her head, cradling the little bundle of fur against the scarf. “I’m so, so sorry. But I saw him, Happy. He’s...he’s really gone.”

The tiny body started shaking, little huffs escaping as Happy buried his nose in his buddy’s scarf.

Even Plue had stopped bouncing up and down, staring at the two in confusion, wondering why their moods had changed so quickly.

Lucy blinked hard but tried to say in a soothing voice: “Come on. Let’s get you patched up, hm?”

 

 

Happy stayed perfectly still and silent whilst Lucy carefully washed off the dirt and grime in the bathroom sink one floor down from her room, Plue sitting on the floor, waiting impatiently until his friend could come down.

But Lucy talked. She told Happy about her calls to Natsu the night they hadn’t shown up for dinner. She described her visit to their apartment whilst she gently applied disinfectant on the small cut just above his paw. She gave an unnecessarily detailed description of the locations she’d searched for them, if only to make up for the silence, whilst bandaging the injury.

And as Happy stared at the pile of fish shaped treats with no interest, Lucy had reached the part about the morgue, tears flowing freely at the memories.

Only when she mentioned the guild’s search at the warehouse did some semblance of life return to the cat.

He meowed loudly, protesting and cutting Lucy off as she spoke of the red, abandoned building.

Lucy looked at him. “I’m sure there’s something wrong, Happy.”

“Me-aye-ow!”

“So, you agree! So much doesn’t add up. He didn’t have his first-aid-kit with him! And he was wearing a hoodie!” She wiped her tears away, her thoughts just before Happy had scratched at her window returning.

The kitten nodded vigorously. Beside him, Plue copied the motion.

“Maybe we should look at the warehouse again-”

Happy yowled in protest.

“No? Then where...maybe the apartment to check if-”

“Me-aye-ow!” Happy agreed, jumping up.

“Alright, we’ll look for anything there.” Lucy didn’t know how ready she was to face Natsu’s home so soon. But if it could hold a clue, then she’d happily go through all the emotions.

Happy limped over to the skylight, Plue supporting his side, gesturing for Lucy impatiently.

The blonde teen looked at the cat, his injury, his lost weight, the tiredness that shone on his eyes, not even concealed by the new enthusiasm...

“Hey...” She said gently, picking the two animals up. Happy gave a surprised yowl. “It’s getting late. And dark. We should wait until morning.”

Happy looked like he disagreed.

“We’ll see more when it’s light out. Plus, we can all use a night’s sleep.” She set the two down.

Plue made no objections and although Happy rolled his eyes, he couldn’t deny how tired he felt after five nights of restlessness.

And to Lucy’s relief, he even ate his way through a small pile of the treats with his new determination to find out what happened to his oldest friend.

A few minutes later, Happy lay curled up on Lucy’s collarbones, wrapped in Natsu’s scarf, Plue draped over Lucy’s shoulder to be as close as possible to him.

The teen turned off the lights with as little movement as possible. She lay back, slowly running her hands through Happy’s still damp fur as the kitten gave off little huffs in his badly needed sleep.

She hoped Natsu knew he was safe.

That she’d look after his childhood friend.

That he could truly be at rest now.

 

-----

 

“I’ll get Gemini.” Cancer called as they returned to the guild in the late evening, dashing up the stairs to the eldest’s room.

Capricorn only nodded, poking his head into the living room. Aries sat there by herself.

“Evening. Where’s Loke?” He asked.

“Kitchen.” Aries said quietly, wondering what had brought on the determination in her nakama. He and Loke hadn’t sparred with fists or words ever since...

“Thank you.” Capricorn was already moving again, heading for the next door over.

The ginger-haired man was staring impatiently at the kettle, two teacups waiting beside it.

“Loke, I require your assistance.” Capricorn said from the doorway.

Loke turned around, surprised at the urgency in his nakama’s tone.

“You’ll finally let me update your computer?”

“No, something much more pressing.”

“Cap, I’ve told you, they make the updates for a reason. A virus could really wreck-”

Capricorn pulled out the brown folder from his coat. “It has to do with this.”

Loke’s face fell. “Oh. What about?”

Capricorn only gestured to follow him, heading back to the dining room. No need to spread rumours as long as they were nothing but speculation.

But the relentless, nagging feeling that something was just off about the case of Natsu’s death wouldn’t leave him alone. And he’d need help to conduct a proper investigation.

 

-----

 

Gemini had been in an emotional slump for the past days. He’d been there twice before. Once before he was a Celestial, back in his younger adult years. Then again after their leader had been taken from them. And now, because of the absence of a third head of pink hair in the guild.

After the first time, he’d thought his heart had been hardened against grief. But he’d been proven wrong, now twice over.

Gemini sighed into the silence of his room. It had taken him years to get out of his first slump, years and the help of a guild full of Celestials.

Natsu had been so much stronger than him. He’d known it from the first time he’d seen the kid, carrying a bleeding Lucy through their door and every time after that. He was cheerful and energetic and lively...all of that despite losing everyone. And he hadn’t had a guild with nakama to help him. He had managed on his own.

Gemini had thought they could be that for him now. The place where he could feel safe, where people cared about him. But now...

A hasty knock rattled Gemini out of his thoughts and before he could so much as turn to the door, Cancer had stuck his head inside.

“Capricorn needs you.” He said urgently.

Gemini blinked. He hadn’t felt like reading for days now, so he and Capricorn hadn’t exchanged opinions on their latest reads.

“It’s about Natsu.” Cancer said quietly, gesturing for the old man to follow him. “There’s something fishy going on.”

Now that got him Gemini’s full attention. Capricorn could be trusted with many things, one of them being properly sourced evidence.

For a second, he weighed the emotional pain of diving into the case with the possible result, however slim the chances of finding the perpetrator were.

Gemini got up with the help of his cane, following the younger man down the stairs silently. If there was even the possibility of finding out who did this, he owed it to Natsu to try it.

 

-----

 

The four assassins sat in the dining room: pages of the report strewn on the table between them.

“A plaster makes you think there’s something off?” Loke asked after Capricorn had explained it, tone skeptical.

“Yes. It makes no logical sense.”

“You can’t always trust the I.P. to make the most logical decisions.” Gemini added. “But it’s worth checking, I guess.” The old man had regained some enthusiasm, Cancer noted with relief.

Capricorn nodded in agreement, pushing the pages towards him.

“And why was I invited into the detective-duo?” Loke asked.

“I need you to look up the detective who investigated the case.” Capricorn said.

“Why?”

“The crime scene isn’t the crime scene.” He let that sink in for a moment.

“You’re sure?” Loke asked after a few seconds of contemplation, not questioning the way Capricorn and Cancer has figured that out. If they’d gathered enough to come to that conclusion, both he and Gemini knew the information was rock-solid.

“Certain.” Capricorn replied.

“So, Serpico lied.” Loke murmured. “Someone is trying to cover their asses.”

Neither of the elder assassins at the table spoke up about the use of language.

“Very likely. Can you look into possible money-trails linked to him?”

“I can do my best. If there’s something dirty on the guy, I’ll find it.” Loke nodded, itching to get to his laptop.

“What can I do?” Gemini asked, eager to do something after all inaction.

“I need you and Virgo to search for the true crime scene.” Capricorn said. “There we might find evidence that will lead us to the culprits.”

“That ranges from...Natsu’s apartment to the warehouse.” Gemini mumbled, drawing up a mental plan of the city.

“It’s a considerable area, yes.”

“I’ll take Taurus and Sagittarius with me as well. We can cover more ground that way.”

Capricorn nodded. “Just try to keep this a secret from Lucy for now. We shouldn’t share this information until we can back up the theory.”

“Agreed.” Both assassins nodded.

“What will we do, baby?” Cancer asked.

“We’re going to that I.P. station and talk with some people. Look around, if possible. We’ll have to wait until morning though. They’re always too busy during the night.”

Cancer looked out the window. Dusk was just settling over Crocus. The I.P. would be all over, responding to every call they could. Not a good time to make inquiries.

“I don’t have to wait.” Loke said, getting up. “I’ll have a look what I can find on this Serpico.”

“Neither do I.” Gemini added, needing a little longer to rise to his feet than the ginger.

“Are you sure?” Capricorn asked, not quite able to keep the concern from his voice.

“Night can be just as useful as day to find something.” Was the only answer Gemini gave, walking out to gather the neutrality-squad as his search-team.

The partners remained for a moment in the dining-room. Capricorn stared at the photo of Natsu, at the band-aid that had started all this.

“The ball is rolling.” He said quietly.

Cancer clasped a hand on his partner’s shoulder. “We’ll figure it out.” He said, not doubting his words. “We’ll find who did this.”

“Yes, yes we will.”

Notes:

And the detectives are off!
The fact that Capricorn (because logical deduction) and Lucy (who knows Natsu best out of the guild) are the ones to start off their own investigations should come as no surprise.

Btw. If you don't understand how a character made a leap of logic, by all means: ask me and I'll do my best to explain my thoughts behind it. My notes for this part look like a tangled mess of scribbles, connection-arrows and timetables, so it's possible I forgot to expand on something :)

Chapter 22: The Sa(botage)d Case of the Last Dragon II

Loke stared at screen before him, trying to figure out the best way to start.

The I.P. made it a priority to keep their officers as safe as possible. There was little to no information on them stored in their digital files; no addresses, no real names, no details that could help someone track them. A smart move on their side, but it made Loke’s job difficult now.

Still, the man was a Chief Detective. There had to be something registered under that name in their database.

Getting into their system wasn’t hard. Loke only needed access to one officer’s account, and he had all their files at his fingertips.

He typed ‘Serpico’ into the search bar, sitting back in his desk chair as the I.P.’s system searched for results related to the name.

It only took a few seconds until a photocopy of an I.P. officer’s ID popped up on his screen. A middle-aged man stared back at him with a neutral facial expression, brown hair greying at the sides and eyes of a non-descript grey tone.

‘Chief Detective Serpico’ stood beneath the photo, the official seal of the I.P. completing the ID of the officer.

The other file the system had to offer was an impressively long list of all the cases Serpico had been involved in during his career. Loke checked the date of the most recent one. It was from three years ago.

Interesting, Loke mused, taking a screenshot of the ID’s picture and placed it in a facial recognition system that he may or may not have stolen from the Rune Knights a long time ago.

While the search ran, Loke pondered what else he could do whilst he was inside the I.P.’s system. He scrolled through the most recently opened files, finding notes, photos and evidence lists on the numerous cases they were working on.

He searched for the date Natsu died, finding an equally long list. He scrolled through, not entirely sure if he wanted to see what they’d found. Perhaps Serpico hadn’t given them the whole file, if the bastard was lying anyway.

But Loke found nothing on Natsu. Not the photo, not the inventory, not the coroner’s report; nothing.

“Maybe they moved it up one day...” He muttered into the quiet of his room. They’d found him at night after all. So, Loke skipped to the next date, the day Lucy had identified his body, and found...a blank page looking back.

“What in Mavis’ name...”

He refreshed the page, but there was no loading-error. There was simply nothing for that day, as if all officers had gone on strike.

Had there been an event that day? Loke tried to recall but couldn’t think of anything that might require an entire precinct to attend. But there had to be some form of correspondence...

Loke checked the E-Mail account of the officer whose profile he was currently borrowing.

“Bingo.” He breathed, staring at an E-Mail from three days before Lucy, Scorpio and Aquarius had gone into that station.

On that exact day, there was to be a fumigation of the building, so the officers had been stationed at different precincts for the duration. No I.P. officer had been present that day.

“Holy mother of Zeref-”

A ping stopped his outburst. Loke’s head whipped to the monitor, where the program had found a match on Serpico’s face.

It was from a popular, though slightly outdated, social media platform. The program had matched the face on the ID to the face in the profile. Loke quickly scrolled through the most recent photos posted.

The greying hair had turned thin, the wrinkles more pronounced. On one photo Serpico stood before a lit grill, beside him a man in his thirties and a little girl, all looking into the camera with grey eyes and grinning broadly. The caption read ‘3 Generation BBQ’.

Serpico had retired three years ago and had moved to the countryside.

Loke leaned back in his chair, running his hands through his hair as all the information came together.

This wasn’t the case of a dirty I.P. officer. This was a case of identity-theft, plain and simple.

That also meant he didn’t know who to look for...the E-Mail! Loke turned right back to his laptop. Whoever had orchestrated the E-Mail was involved in the charade in the station that night and every E-Mail had a return address-

“Here you are.” Loke jumped at the voice, turning to face his partner standing in the doorway with an amused smile and two cups of steaming tea in her hands. “Thought it was funny how long the kettle was whistling.”

“Shoot, completely forgot. Sorry.” Loke took the offered mug, setting it down beside his keypad.

Aries merely smiled, knowing that Loke could be just as bad as Capricorn when he was in the middle of a project. But since they clearly had a project, it meant something to do, other than sitting in their own sadness. She slung her free arm around his shoulders, using the arm of Loke’s desk-chair as a seat.

“What’s all this?” She gestured to the open I.P. files, the social media website, the photos of the detective a few years apart.

“Cap and Cancer found some details about Natsu’s case strange.” Loke explained, Aries’ attention peaked. “This,” he nodded to the photos on his screen, “is the supposed man who phoned Aquarius.”

Aries blinked. “But he’s...”

“Retired.”

“Identity-theft.” She breathed.

Loke hummed, fingers flying over the keys again. “Best thing yet to come: no I.P. officer was at the precinct that night.”

“That means...the file, the evidence...”

“It all stinks to high heaven and back.” Loke concluded, still working on getting through to the original return-address from the E-Mail, which had been cleverly disguised behind the name of Crocus’ official department of health.

Clever, but not professionally done. It looked more like an assassin working off his basic skill set, nothing specialized.

Interesting, Loke mused as he hacked away at the digital cover and finally-

“Domus Flau Public Library?!” Aries exclaimed beside him, keeping a track on the writings onscreen.

Loke rubbed a tired hand down his face. “Smart. Hundreds -if not thousands- of people are there every day. It’s not going to be easy to figure out who sent this exact E-Mail-” He paused, thinking.

Domus Flau was the largest library open to the public in Crocus. The former, circular stadium was enormous and flashy, meaning it was a jewel for the city. Meaning...

“Are you thinking cameras?” Aries asked.

Loke smiled up at her, the first smile he’d mustered in five days.

“Fancy a late-night stroll, love?”

 

-----

 

Plue was over-the-white-circle-in-the-sky-happy to see Blue Cat was staying with them. But something was off.

The humans in the house had been sad for days now. Lucy had cried so much, no matter how many times Plue had cuddled with her. And it saddened the puppy to see that he couldn’t do anything about it. But Lucy had finally smiled again when she saw Blue Cat. Because Blue Cat was amazing like that.

But even Plue’s best friend was sad. He didn’t hiss or jump or swat at him, the cat simply stayed in the blonde’s embrace.

When Lucy had fallen asleep, Blue Cat carefully extracted herself from her hold, jumping onto her desk with grace that Plue admired.

It took the puppy a minute or two, but after using a combination of a pile of books, the chair that could spin around and a daring jump, Plue made it onto the desk’s surface, landing not quite as gracefully beside his friend.

Blue Cat was looking at a printed-out photo. Specifically, a selfie, as Carrot Hair had told him. Lucy and Blue Cat’s Human were grinning into the camera, the male holding a fishing rod, a sparkling lake behind them.

Now that he thought about it...where was that human? Had Plue missed him in the house today? No, no he was sure the only pink-haired people had been the two women.

Plue sat down beside Blue Cat, nudging him with his nose. The cat didn’t even blink.

Where was Blue Cat’s Human? Plue wanted to ask. But his friend merely sighed, big eyes fixed on the photo.

Oh no, was his human hurt?!

But Blue Cat slowly shook his head. Plue didn’t know what that meant; then why was everyone so sad? What else could it be...

Happy looked at the younger animal, big black eyes watching him with worry and confusion. He wouldn’t be surprised if the puppy didn’t know the concept of death.

Plue settled on not perfectly understanding what had gotten everyone so down -something to do with Blue Cat’s Human, he was sure of that- and instead focused on comforting his best friend.

The feline didn’t move away as Plue leaned onto his side, unknowingly taking over the supportive-pet-role that Happy had been occupying for years now.

Perhaps the cat didn’t mind the presence of the often-annoying pup. Maybe it was just the tiniest bit comforting. Maybe Plue still reminded him of his old friends from over five years ago, especially with his white fur. But it was possible that Happy didn’t mind so much at that moment.

 

-----

 

Domus Flau -former stadium for gladiatorial combat, sport competitions or loud poetic readings (depending on the century)- had been converted into a roofed building in the last hundred years, now holding the less valuable books of the city.

It still looked magnificent in the dark of the night, illuminated by the functioning streetlamps in the better part of the city, huge stone statues surrounding it with stern gazes.

On their first scope around, Loke and Aries spotted a few lights still on inside the library, even though it had closed for the public hours ago.

“Who do you think is still inside?” Aries whispered, crouching beneath one of the intricately carved windows with Loke.

“Domus Flau collabs with the ‘King Crocus College’. So, probably some old scholars researching or desperate students studying.”

Aries raised a pink eyebrow at him.

“Cap once rambled on about the place.” He shrugged as they snuck further around the building. The windows would have an alarm, that was for sure. Meaning the easiest point of entrance would be the same door the people inside had come through...

Aries came to an abrupt stop in front of Loke. She silently held up a fist, then raised two fingers and shook them slightly in the direction in front of them.

A guard.

Her partner carefully crouched down beside her, looking around the bend of the building. An incredibly bored looking man stood before the door, looking at his watch then the night sky, then at his phone.

Loke tapped the back of his hand with two fingers, then moved his hands one in front of the other, as if maiming taking steps.

Usual procedure?

Aries nodded, slowly backtracking and disappearing into the darkness.

Loke waited a few seconds before standing up, straightening the sleeves of his suit and walked confidently around the circular building.

“Evening.” He called over to the guard, who snapped to attention, phone disappearing into his trouser pocket.  

Good, Loke definitely had his attention. Now he just had to keep it.

“I didn’t know the library did night-tours.”

The guard assessed Loke in a not at all subtle manner. Loose suit, no visible weapons, hands casually swinging by his side...not an immediate threat. The man relaxed a little, his shoulders slacking.

“Not a tour. Private gathering.” He stated methodically.

“Ah, is that available for booking?” Loke inquired lightly. Keep the guy’s attention away from the shadow moving closer to the entrance behind him. And hey, maybe he’d found a Christmas present for Capricorn.

“No.”

Oh well, bookstore gift-card it was then.

“It’s a university thing. A few professors are writing a paper on-” The guard continued in a bored voice and Loke could relate. Still, he had the guard’s semi-attention. He might still spot the slim shadow from the corner of his eye.

“-so now they’re debating until all hours of the night what the main religion of Fiore was when dinosaurs were still around, or something-”

“You have really pretty eyes, by the way.” Loke interrupted.

The guard stopped, now fully turning around to face him, eyebrows raised in surprise.

“What?”

“Just saying,” Loke shrugged casually, spotting a glimpse of white wool dashing past the guard’s back through the door, “starlight really makes the blue stand out. I just think the world could use a few kind compliments once in a while.” He smiled up at the other man like it was self-explanatory.

“Right...” The guard said, clearly at a loss for what to respond. “Ugh...I like your hair?”

Loke’s smile broadened. “Thanks.” He didn’t need to exaggerate with this guy. The brief moment of distraction had been enough.

Sometimes it was fun to go over the top with flirty compliments. But he needed a certain type of unknowing adversary for that. The type that got unreasonably angry when another guy made a flattering remark. The guard was very clearly not that type.

All for the better, Loke guessed. He didn’t need to start a street-fight right now. They had a different target.

“Well, have a good night.” He waved over his shoulder and started sauntering back the way he’d come.

“Yeah, you too.” The guard replied, taking a moment to look after the strange guy wearing sunglasses at night. He shook his head. Some people were just weird.

 

-----

 

Aries had gotten past the guard easily enough thanks to Loke. She paused for a moment after the second set of doors swung closed soundlessly behind her.

The library was absolutely huge, the rows and rows of shelves curved slightly to accommodate for the building’s round shape, creating a labyrinth sort of feel.

In a far spot where the lights were turned on, she could hear a group arguing lively, throwing around words like arianism, protestants, catholic, etc.

Aries shrugged it off, keeping to the outer most wall where they’d looked through the arched windows just minutes before. From her angle, she could tell that there were in fact cameras inside the library. However, they only pointed at certain corners, most likely where the most valuable prizes sat behind glass display-cases.

Silently opening one window without triggering the alarm was easy enough and a few seconds later her partner was climbing in, having walked around the walls until he saw the opening.

They didn’t dare speak, although the scholars across the span of the library likely wouldn’t notice a bolt of lightning striking the building in their debate.

The partners crept along the aisles of books, careful to stay away from the windows, the range of the few cameras and from the light shining over from the professors’ table.

Aries tapped Loke’s shoulder when she saw it. An enticing door with a sign reading ‘Restricted Access. Personnel only.’

He nodded, staying low as they made their way over.

The professors were still a few aisles of bookshelves away when Loke got out his set of lockpicks from his suit’s inner pocket.

He was no Gemini or Lucy when it came to silently cracking locks, but it was part of every S-Class assassin’s basic skillset. Aries kept careful watch until the little click sounded from the door, far too loud in the near-empty building.

They both paused for a second, waiting for an alarmed voice from the table or an alarm ringing out.

But everything stayed silent and had one of the professors looked through the spaces between the bookshelves at that moment, they would’ve seen an empty spot before a closed door.

 

-----

 

Loke’s eyes darted around the small room they’d found. They were definitely at the right spot.

Several small screens were dark, only a few showing images of the professors sitting around their table. Each one was for one camera.

“Lets hope they have one on the computer section.” Loke whispered despite the closed door.

He switched the control board on, watching the feeds flicker to life on the screens before them.

“Alright,” he muttered, searching for the one he needed, “the computers are in the back, so it should be-”

“There.” Aries pointed at one screen in the far-right corner.

The computers were set up in the same format as the bookshelves, two long rows running parallel to each other, printers on each end and chairs set up before the screens.

“Perfect.” Loke said, taking a minute to figure out how to bring the small image onto the bigger screen before them.

“The timestamp on the mail was 13:46...” Loke said for no other reason than to fill the silence.

“13:30?” Aries suggested.

Loke nodded. He doubted someone in the act of sending a fraudulent E-Mail would stick around long enough to browse through the library afterwards.

He had to go far back to the recordings of last week. Thank Mavis, they hadn’t deleted them yet. That part had been completely based on dumb luck, something neither assassin liked to rely on.

Loke scrolled through the timeline of that day, searching for the early afternoon.

The scooting of a chair was audible from the other side of the door. Both assassins froze, hoping that whoever had stood up didn’t hear the whirring of the computers. There were no windows in this room, and they were close enough to city central that the Knights wouldn’t take long to arrive.

Nothing happened, the discussion only grew in volume.

“Lets do this quickly.” Aries whispered and Loke could only agree.

He found the early afternoon, stopping the recording at 13:30 exactly. The computer section wasn’t filled to the brim, but not completely empty either. A perfect time to not stand out like a sore thumb, but still be guaranteed a free computer. He pressed play.

Three preteens were cramped around one screen, one hacking furiously at the mouse and keypad whilst the others made wild gestures. Loke cleared them of suspicion.

A young woman sat before another, a pile of books on marine biology beside her, taking notes from whatever her research on the internet had given her. Unlikely but not impossible to be the suspect.

A man in a suit carrying a briefcase sat a few screens over. But he left at exactly 13:42, four minutes before the E-Mail was sent.

A bored employee clicked on a spacebar with lazy movements.

And right in the back, furthest from the camera’s watchful gaze...a spiky head of black hair, half of a pale face visible sporting eyeliner and a matching, dark lipstick shade.

Loke squinted at the hazy image. The -he wasn’t 100% certain- guy typed on the keypad with sluggish movements, yet he could tell he was pressing the keys quickly.

He stood up at 13:47 on the dot.

The employee and the young woman remained seated, barely sparing a glance as he walked past.

“That’s him.” Loke said with certainty. It had to be.

His head was angled away from the camera, even as he moved closed to leave the designated area for computers.

Loke suppressed a curse. If he could only get an image of half his face, the search would be near impossible-

The child playing the computer game suddenly threw his hands up in the sign of victory, pushing himself off the table on the little wheels of the chair, spinning around with a grin on his face.

And bumped straight into the man leaving.

Although it wasn’t so much a bump as an elegant evasion on the E-Mail sender’s part, twisting just barely out of the way of the careening kid.

But that move made him turn his face directly in the camera’s direction.

Loke quickly froze the image on the screen before them. It was pixelated. Badly. But the sharp features on the pale face were visible. The Knight’s recognition programme would be able to work with this.

Loke turned to his partner, his second real smile in several days on his lips. “We got him.”

Aries returned the smile, pressing a fast kiss to his cheek. “Then let’s get going.”

He quickly took a photo of the frozen image, shutting everything down again whilst Aries listened at the door for any sign of a waiting surprise.

They left the same way they’d come in, silent as ghosts, leaving the professors to their debating, the security guard regretting his job by the door and one window slightly cracked.

 

-----

 

As soon as the sun had started to peak into Lucy’s room that morning, Happy had nudged the blonde awake by tapping her nose impatiently.

Not long after, Lucy was jumping over the roofs, Plue in her backpack, Happy sitting on her shoulder, claws dug into the white scarf for hold.

Five days previously, Lucy had taken the exact same path across the rooftops, also intend to find clues on her partner’s whereabouts. Now she’d be looking for someone else’s whereabout, because she knew where Natsu was.

His window was still unlocked but closed, just as Lucy had left it five days ago.

She carefully pushed it open, taking a second to prepare herself for the sight she’d find: Natsu’s home.

Nothing had changed from five days ago. And how could it? No one had been in here, so it was all just as messy and chaotic as before, the fresh scent weaker but still lingering.

Happy immediately jumped off her shoulder, also taking a moment for himself to look around his home, seeing his roommate everywhere he looked. He shook his tiny head. He had a murder to solve.

“What exactly are we looking for, Happy?” Lucy asked quietly, not sure why she was whispering.

Happy wasn’t too sure either, but he started sniffing around, searching.

Plue whined to follow his friend and this time Lucy let him down, trusting Happy to keep Plue away from the half-finished explosives that lay scattered about.

The blonde looked around, nothing new appearing unusual to her. But if Happy had seen Natsu alive last and he was sure there was something off here, then she’d look again until they found it.

“Sometimes you have to look at things from a different angle, moshi moshi.”

Sagittarius had said that once to her, after she’d questioned why he was shooting arrows whilst hanging upside down from a drainpipe.

A different angle...

Happy and Plue had the ground level covered, she’d searched from her viewpoint five days previously...leaving the high ground.

Lucy hopped onto the coffee table in the living-/ sleeping-/ work-area of the apartment, scanning the open room in a 360° view.

There was nothing off about the desk, covered in boxes, papers and random bits of equipment. The window beside it had been open five days ago, yet no signs of forced entry. The kitchen with its mountains of take-out cartons showed nothing out of the ordinary. The closed door to the bathroom and the locked one to the hallway-

Lucy paused abruptly in her slow spinning, her eyes narrowing in on the hallway-door.

“Ever heard of a key?!”

“I lost that ages ago, you weirdo.”

If Natsu never opened that door...then why was there a perfectly round, clear space in front of it? As if the door had been opened and had pushed all the loose wires, cartons and grenade shells to the side.

Had...had Natsu left that day through the door? Why in the world would he? He always came and left through the window, he’d told her that many times. ‘Fastest way’ and ‘security’ had been his explanation.

So, if Natsu hadn’t opened that door...who had?

Lucy touched the scarf around her neck. Now that she saw it, it seemed stupid that she hadn’t noticed it five days ago. But then she hadn’t been looking for signs of a fight. She’d just been looking for the pinkette.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a little bark at her feet. Plue stood before the coffee table, staring at one of its wooden legs, growling softly at its dark brown colour

To both Happy’s and Lucy’s surprise, the puppy had split up from the cat and had followed his own lead.

“What is it, Plue?” Lucy asked softly. The puppy didn’t take his eyes off the leg of the table. Happy stayed by the couch but looked over with curiosity.

Lucy examined the wood closer, nudging Plue aside so that the light from the window could reach the spot. She reached for Gemini-the-pocketknife, letting the tiny magnifying glass slide out of its compartment.

A slight discoloration was visible on the table leg. She frowned, trailing the light change in colour up until the small table’s edge.

Her nakama would’ve recognized that shade of dark brown immediately and it didn’t take Lucy long to realize what Plue had found.

“That’s blood.” She whispered, sitting back.

Plue didn’t know that word, but he knew the scent and concluded that he didn’t like it. He growled softly again.

Lucy’s mind ran at a hundred miles an hour.

His injury. She’d seen the ugly bruise on Natsu’s temple when she’d identified his body.

What if... what if he hadn’t been attacked from the front? What if he’d been attacked from behind and had fallen...

Her eyes shot back to the door.

“If someone picked the lock here,” she gestured to the door, two pairs of eyes following her movement, “and Natsu was standing here,” she moved to the spot where she’d found his red first-aid-kit, “and someone hit him from behind...” Lucy calculated the distance. If she’d fall in that direction, she’d land just short of the little table. She’d land on the pile of comics just before. But with Natsu’s height...

“...then he would’ve hit the edge of the table.” She finished. Happy’s eyes darted around, following her logic and approved with a nod of the head.

The science behind it made sense. But not much else.

“But then why take him to the warehouse district?” Lucy mumbled.

Happy whined at her. “Me-ow!”

“There’s no sign of a struggle, so if Natsu was unconscious, why drag him out of here only to-”

“Me-ow!”

It clicked.

“Question everything.” was a favorite phrase of Capricorn’s. She’d trusted the I.P., but everything now pointed to-

“The detective lied!” Lucy exclaimed, outrage and shock increasing the volume of her voice.

“Me-aye-ow!”

“Holy Mother of Mavis...” Lucy’s knees felt weak. A high-ranking member of an organization that she’d looked up to since she was little...had lied to cover up the truth behind her partner’s murder.

Although she wanted to go over that for a little longer, to get her brain to understand what that meant – more questions were bothering her.

“But wait...” Plue looked at her attentively whilst Happy still sniffed along the walls of the room. “The door wasn’t busted open. It must’ve been picked.-”

Happy gave a distracted “me-aye-ow”.

“-But how did Natsu not hear that? Even if they broke it, he would’ve had time to react.” And the spot where he must’ve stood was a good two/three steps away from the door. Natsu would’ve seen or heard them coming and should’ve rolled out of the way.

Happy didn’t have an answer for that, instead he continued examining the walls with its flaying wallpaper.

Lucy went over the different stages in her mind.

• Fact: Natsu had gotten a note which told him to come to the warehouse district.
• Fact: However, that wasn’t the actual crime scene. More and more likely, his apartment was.
• Link: ???

Why the two locations? Or was the note a lie as well? Unless...

“The note wasn’t sent here, was it?” She asked in Happy’s direction.

The cat shook his head.

If the attacker knew where Natsu lived and a place where he’d find the note, it meant that her partner had been shadowed for a while before last week. Meaning they both had. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought.

“So, he received it somewhere else. If it was the same day...then he would’ve come here to gear up! Maybe they knew that and were waiting-”

“Me-aye-ow!”

The pieces clicking together gave Lucy a sense of control in the mess that had consumed their lives during the past six days.

She moved on to the next stage.

• Fact: The door to his apartment had been opened recently.

“Maybe they were already inside before you two came back...” But as soon as Lucy said it, she realized Natsu would’ve noticed one or more intruders in his little home. Happy’s shaking head only grounded that dismissal.

But then how did they get the jump on a skilled assassin and a cat with very good hearing?

Happy hissed in frustration, still pacing along the outline of the room.

“What are you looking for?”

Happy hissed again, but not with an angry or annoyed undertone.

“I can’t help if you keep hissing!”

The cat rolled his eyes, before honing his gaze onto the drywall again.

Lucy went back to theorizing. She was getting close to understanding it all, she could feel it. Only one major problem remained; how Natsu hadn’t defended himself.

“Maybe he tripped and knocked himself out?” She mumbled. With the mess it was a wonder it hadn’t happened more often.

Lucy was just trying to figure out the attacker would’ve known that Natsu had tripped when Happy gave a victorious yowl that had Plue jumping straight up.

“What did you find?” Lucy rushed over to where Happy was scratching at the wallpaper, hissing furiously. From the window’s point of view, he was attacking the right-side wall, right between the couch and Natsu’s hammock.

Lucy crouched down to Happy’s height, squinting at the wall. At first, she thought it was just another dent or scratch in the cheap drywall that had Happy so upset.

But light doesn’t shine through dents or scratches.

“What in Mavis’ name...?”

It was a tiny, perfectly round and straight hole going right through the wall.

Happy hissed again, glaring at the spot in the wall with menace.

“Let me guess...that’s not supposed to be there?” She breathed.

“Me-aye-ow.”

She tried looking through the hole, but it was far too small, almost imperceptible if you weren’t looking for it. Instead, Lucy got a nose-full of that fresh-cut-grass-scent.

Happy had been looking for this, she didn’t need to be Natsu to understand that.

“How about we check out the next-door apartment?”

“Me-aye-ow.”

“Woof?”

 

-----

 

Four groups were working on the same thing in different parts of Crocus.

(Unbeknownst to the others) Lucy was at Natsu’s apartment with the pets.

(And, unbeknownst to Lucy) Capricorn and Cancer had made their way to the I.P. station in the earlier morning hours, hoping to catch someone on a break.

Virgo and Gemini kept their eyes and ears open for any indications of an event that could’ve been Natsu’s murder.

Sagittarius and Taurus were doing the same in another part of the city.

And Aries had dozed off whilst Loke ran the enlarged image of the man from the library through the Knight’s recognition programme.

That left two out of eleven people out of the loop. And those two people noticed.

“What in the world is going on?” Aquarius asked, staring into the emptiness of the kitchen, the dining- and living room.

“Maybe they took missions?” Scorpio suggested.

“All of them?” Aquarius deadpanned. “At once?”

She could practically feel the...energy? Movement? Dare she say hope that her nakama had left behind. And Aquarius would be lying, if she said that it wasn’t a nice change to the oppressive quiet from before.

Trouble was, it was still quiet. But for a different reason.

“Something’s happening.” She glared at the empty hallway, as if her stern gaze could summon her guildmates and make them explain their unified absence.

“Maybe.” Scorpio agreed, slinging an arm around her shoulders. “But I think whatever it is, it’s a good thing.”

Aquarius could summon an agreeing hum.

“Lucy’s not here either.” She said it more as a statement than anything else. Even though Lucy had left a note:

Found Happy.

Am taking him and Plue on a walk.

Be back soon,

Lucy

That still didn’t made Aquarius feel any better about her disappearance. Really, so soon after they’d lost someone, and they all thought it would be best to spontaneously vanish.

“Fresh air is healthy.” Was all Scorpio could answer. “And at least Happy’s safe. That should make her feel a little better.”

“Hopefully.” Aquarius sighed. Lucy deserved that little win. She needed it. Hell, they all did.

“Still,” her eyes honed in on the hallway cabinet, more specifically the spot where the brown cardboard folder had been, now absent together with the rest of their nakama, “I want an explanation when they get back.”

Notes:

And the chase continues!
There'll be one more part III of this murder-mystery series.

Btw. the signs Loke and Aries used to communicate silently are altered versions of the ASL signs for 'guard', 'normal' and 'procedure'.

Chapter 23: The Sa(botage)d Case of the Last Dragon III

The hallway was empty when Lucy and the two animals stepped out of the apartment, the blonde having picked the lock just like someone else had done six days ago.

She examined the door one down to the right. After quickly checking that no one was watching, she put her ear against the keyhole. No sound came from the apartment.

Knowing she had no cover-story or believable excuse, Lucy knocked on the door. They were so close to figuring something out something important, she could feel it. A tenant wouldn’t scare her off now.

Nothing moved behind the door, no one came to answer the knock.

“What do you think?” Lucy asked, already getting the pocketknife out. “Should we risk it?” Before either animal could respond, Lucy had checked both sides of the hallway again and carefully slid the lockpicks inside the door’s lock.

A few heartbeats later, the three of them rushed into the apartment, Lucy shutting the door behind them again, Happy and Plue looking around.

No one came at the intrusion and Lucy could see why.

The apartment had the same open layout as Natsu’s. But where his was cluttered in a messy -yet homely- fashion, this apartment was empty.

No furnishing, no tables, no chairs, not even curtains in front of the murky windows. The only thing that could be counted as comfortable were the two random sofa cushions lying on the otherwise empty floor, as out of place in the apartment as the three intruders were.

And yet, it was clear someone had been here.

Fresh scratches ran across the wooden floorboards. Burns stained parts of the walls and the ceiling, the paint blackened and crumbling.

Both Lucy and Happy searched the wall and they found the little hole soon enough. The leftover bits of drywall that had come out whilst drilling were still lying in a little pile beneath.

It didn’t answer the question why someone had drilled it there though.

“What are you thinking, Happy?” Lucy asked quietly.

The kitten hissed again, clawing at the hole leading to his apartment.

Lucy’s forehead scrunched up. She couldn’t understand why the cat was so angry at the hole in the wall.

She looked around the open room again, her eyes catching on the burned marks beside the window. They were irregular in a somewhat circular pattern.

“Those kind of look like...” She trailed off, trying to remember where she’d seen them last. “...like the shed.”

Capricorn had performed some experiments inside the shed once to explain the concept of chemical reactions to her.

They’d started with baking soda and lemon juice, but the professor had gotten a bit carried away when he’d gotten his hands on some phosphorus. The resulting explosion had taken a good chunk out of the wooden panels of the shed with it and had left burn marks on the other half that still remained to this day. Together with a new Aquarius-implemented rule about the purchase of explosives.

“Chemicals...” Lucy muttered, stepping closer to examine the burns. They weren’t big enough to be caused by an explosion, but something else.

“If they were working with chemicals here,” she gestured to the spot to the window, noting the scratch marks on the floor, “then dragged something heavy to there,” she pointed at the hole that Happy was still guarding, “that means they were...”

A cold realization swept through Lucy. Chemicals, a heavy apparatus dragged to a small opening that gave them access to Natsu’s apartment...the open window. They’d opened the window on purpose because-

“Gas.” She breathed, feeling unsure on her feet.

Happy hissed again, nodding his head furiously.

A hiss. Like gas rushing through a small opening.

Lucy felt sick to her stomach. That fresh scent she’d noted five days previously. Had that been...could that have been...?

• Fact: Someone had sent Natsu the note.
• Fact: He’d rushed back to his apartment to gear up.
• Fact: They’d been waiting in the neighbouring apartment and when they’d heard him enter, they’d let gas into his apartment through the small hole.
• Fact: Natsu had collapsed, falling onto the corner of the table.
• Fact: The attackers had all the time to open his door and take Natsu.
• Fact: They’d paid off an I.P. officer to cover for them.

“Oh Mavis.” Lucy whispered, sliding onto the ground in the middle of the room.

Plue and Happy were immediately by her side, one looking at her with worried confusion, the other with sad understanding.

“If...if they used poisonous gas...” The words were near impossible to speak. “...Then he never even had a chance-”

Happy only shook his head sadly, curling into her side.

“But then how are you-”

The cat nodded to the window.

“You were on the windowsill?” Lucy asked, gently stroking the blue fur. “And the window was open?”

Happy nodded, sad eyes shining back at her.

She hugged the kitten gently. “You know Natsu would be happy that you were, right?”

It took him a moment, but Happy slowly nodded back.

“Okay.” Lucy released a shaky breath, holding back the tears that had filled her eyes. Not yet. She had found the cause, but not the person behind it. There was still work to do. “We need to find out more information about who lived here.”

Happy shook himself, giving a me-aye-ow in agreement.

The apartment complex didn’t seem to be the sort of community that regularly exchanged pleasantries along the hallway, so Lucy’s best chance was:

“Let’s see if the owner of the building is in.”

Happy nodded and Plue wagged his tail at the prospect of getting out of the foul-smelling apartment.

 

-----

 

Loke stared at his screen in utter frustration. Watching the pixelated face of the E-Mail-sender being compared to a new registered photo in the Knight’s database every half second -and yet no victorious ding ringing out- was grating his nerves.

And this had been going on for two hours now.

Aries yawned from her spot on his bed, knitting something Loke couldn’t identify yet.

He wished there was something else he could focus his depleting energy on. Like another clue or-

Riiiiing!

Loke’s eyes shot up to his monitor, only to see the faces change again and again, none matching with the man from the library. It took his sleepy brain a second to realize that it was his phone that had made the noise.

Riiiiing!

The display read ‘CAP’.

Right. Maybe they should’ve informed the older assassin about their findings.

Loke pressed on the green button and held the phone to his ear.

“Serpico is a fake!” He said at the same time as Capricorn said “Serpico is a fraud!”

“Wait, how do you know?” Loke demanded.

“I asked the real Chief Detective.” Capricorn answered.

Oh yeah. That would’ve been much easier than combing through their files.

“How do you know?” The scholar asked.

“Facial recognition programme.” Loke replied, knowing he wouldn’t need to explain further. Technology was one of the few departments Capricorn knew precious little about. “Also no one was at the station that night.”

“I know.” Capricorn said. “I was just told by the aforementioned Chief Detective. They were told a fumigation was to take place.”

“I know.” Loke suppressed a yawn. “Oh, also, we got a lead on the culprit who told them that.”

“So do we.”

“Black and white hair and looks like he hasn’t seen the sun in about a decade.”

“We have a different description.” Capricorn said.

“Oh?”

“Yes. A man came by the night before, to remind them of said fumigation. Dark red hair, dark eyes, tanned skin and ears that make him look like -and I quote- ‘one of Santa’s little helpers’. So, I’m guessing unusually pointed?”

Loke hummed. “Two attackers, at the least, then?”

“It appears so.” Capricorn responded. “What are you working on now?”

“Trying to identify black‘n’white guy.” Loke answered. “You?”

“Clues around here. No camera footage, no folders, no body either.”

“This gets stranger every time.” Loke sighed, watching the faces change on the screen before him.

“Which means we’re getting somewhere.” Capricorn said in a stern voice that left no room to argue.

Loke hummed again.

“I’ll let you know if we find something.” Capricorn said by way of a goodbye and hung up.

Loke put his phone away, eyes returning to the screen in front of him.

“Anything new?” Aries asked from behind him.

“Nothing we haven’t gathered yet.” He slouched in his chair.

“Maybe you should try to nap?” Aries suggested even though they both knew that would be a hopeless endeavour. The thrill that any moment the answer to their questions could pop up on that screen was too intense for Loke to relax. All he needed was that new lead and-

Ding

“Ding?!” Loke copied, spinning back to his monitors.

The screen had finally stopped moving rapidly from face to face. On the right side was the unclear, enlarged image from the library security tape. And on the left; a mugshot of a man with black hair and white strands and pale skin, barely able to keep his eyes open as he looked out at Loke.

Aries was beside him.

“McBeth, aka. Midnight.” She read aloud. “Former member of the disbanded guild...” She trailed off as two pairs of eyes fixed on the name that stood beneath the photo.

“Oracion Seis.” Loke muttered.

Why in Zeref’s name had illegal assassins gone after Natsu?

 

-----

 

The owner of the apartment complex lived in the very first apartment on the lowest floor, right beside the main entrance to the building.

Lucy looked at the nametag above the bell.

‘Mrs. Patrona’ was apparently the landlady of this place.

“Here goes nothing.” The blonde mumbled, pressing on the little bell-symbol.

She could hear it ring inside, together with the shuffling of feet, growing louder as they moved towards the door.

A small, stout, elderly woman opened the door, a messy bun of grey hair adding to her height. She looked at the teen in front of her with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah?”

“Good morning.” Lucy said politely. “I was wondering of you could spare a few minutes and-”

She had to break off as Plue suddenly darted around her legs and towards the old woman, circling her a few times before whining for belly-rubs.

“Plue, oh Mavis, I’m so sorry, ma’am. Plue get back here!”

“Oh, don’t worry.” The old lady responded, bending down to scratch the puppy. “I don’t mind pets.”

Clever dog, Lucy praised mentally.

“Anyway, I was hoping to ask you some questions about a particular tenant of yours...” Lucy gritted her teeth, preparing for the immediate rejection.

The old lady shrugged. “Sure.”

Lucy’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?” She asked in surprise. No one in Crocus was willing to just give up information for no exchange, let alone to a complete stranger.

Mrs. Patrona shrugged again, picking Plue up and cradling him like a baby in the crook of her arm. “I know what kind of people rent rooms here.” She gave Lucy a once-over, making it clear that she counted assassins and criminals alike to the definition of ‘that kind’. “I make sure to keep outta all of it. If I know something, sure I’ll tell. Healthier for my lifespan that way.”

Lucy only nodded. As an elderly woman, living in this part of Crocus, it was safer to keep a healthy disinterest to anything going on in the other apartments.

“My friend, my partner actually, he lives...used to live here. On the third floor.” Lucy began.

The old lady looked up at her. “Pink haired kid?” She asked.

“Yeah, Natsu. That’s him.” Lucy cleared her throat. “Did anyone...did anyone ever ask questions about him? Recently, like in the past few weeks?”

Mrs. Patrona cocked her head to the side for a few seconds, thinking.

“No. You’re the first in many years.”

Lucy ran that piece of information through her mind. They didn’t ask about Natsu. So, the must’ve known where he lived without the landlady’s help. That was another point for the stalking-theory.

“What about the apartment next to his? Fourth one from the other end of the corridor, facing West?”

A memory sprang to the landlady’s mind, Lucy could tell by the way her head perked up.

“Yes actually. Young man came by...weeks and weeks ago. He was very specific about that apartment. Had a tenant living there back then. But most people don’t stay here for long. I rented it to him...maybe two weeks ago?”

Lucy’s brain whirred. Two weeks ago. A little over a week before Natsu’s death. Plenty of time to prepare whatever they used, to drill the hole, to write the note...

Her mind went back to the night five days ago. Her memory of anything besides the image of her partner lying motionlessly in the morgue was hazy at best. That one memory would stay with her until the end of time, she knew. But the detective. The one who must’ve lied. She managed to conjure up a semi-clear image of him.

“The man, did he have dark red hair and bronze skin and pointy ears?” She asked, both her and Happy leaning forward in anticipation.

The old lady was quick to shake her head.

“No. It was a tired-looking, pale fellow. Black and white hair. And eyeliner-skills I can only dream of.” She recalled.

Alright. Not Serpico then. Perhaps an accomplice. Or the person behind it all?

“Anything else?” She asked eagerly, hoping for anything she could use to connect the two suspects together.

Mrs. Patrona tilted her head again, not stopping in the motion of scratching Plue’s head.

“Some guild mark, on his shoulder, I think.” The words made Lucy’s heart speed up. A usable clue! “Didn’t recognize it though. Couldn’t be from Crocus.”

Lucy was already scrambling through her backpack, fishing out a small notepad with a pen. “Could you please draw it for me?”

The old woman shrugged again, setting Plue back onto his own paws. “Sure.”

Lucy, Happy and Plue watched curiously as the landlady drew some uncertain lines onto the page, frowning at it, then adding more, putting a little curl on another one.

After a few moments the landlady handed the notepad back. “Not perfect, but something like that.”

Lucy and both animals peered at the piece of paper. It was maybe a swirly 17. Or maybe a decorative 11?

She didn’t recognize it either, but it was something she could go on. The Council had a register with every guild, legal and illegal, that assassins could access. She’d find this person.

Energy at the prospect flooded through her. She’d find who did this. There wouldn’t be another mystifying death linked to the Celestial’s name.

“Thank you so much, ma’am!” Lucy said, managing a genuine smile for the small lady.

Something akin to disappointment that the conversation was to end already shone in Mrs. Patrona’s eyes. Still, she shrugged casually.

“Like I said, I keep outta it.” She was about to turn back into her apartment when she paused. “Did something happen to the pink haired kid?”

Lucy swallowed heavily. “Yes. I believe the person you described, he might’ve...it’s possible that he’s the reason my partner-”

Mrs. Patrona didn’t force her to finish that sentence, cutting her off with a slow nod of her head.

“Too bad.” She sighed, giving Plue one last rub between the ears. “With all the noise-complaints I got about him, he always brought some life into this building. I was wondering why it was so quiet lately.”

Now it was Lucy who could only nod. Both women turned to go about the rest of their day when the teen made a quick decision.

“Ma’am?” She called.

Mrs. Patrona had already half-closed her door but looked back down the hallway again.

“Have you heard of Grandpa Crux’s bookshop?”

The landlady raised a grey eyebrow at the question but shook her head.

“It’s in the North-East Market Square. Everyone there knows it. Maybe you’d like to check it out when it’s getting too quiet for your taste. The owner loves to gossip.”

 

-----

 

Late night had turned into early morning had turned into midday. And still no trace of anyone.

Aquarius harrumphed into the silence of the living room. Loke and Aries were in the guild. But when she’d gone and knocked on the ginger’s door, all she got in response was a sleepy “busy” and the sound of furious typing.

Now she sat beside Scorpio on the couch, both assassins using the time to repair and clean their weapons. Scorpio was stitching up a little tear in one of the beanbags he filled his shotgun with. Aquarius was sharpening her backup set of knives, the sound of the blade running up and down the block of stone the only sound on the ground floor of the guild.

That was, until two slurring -but hurrying- set of steps came down the stairs.

“We found something!” Loke declared happily, holding up several pieces of freshly printed paper.

Aquarius and Scorpio exchanged looks over their weapons.

“What did you find?” Scorpio asked cautiously, seeing the bags under their eyes.

“The bad guys of cause.” Loke replied.

Aries, who’d apparently gotten the chance to nap at some point in the last 24 hours, stepped forward.

“Capricorn thought something was off about Natsu’s case. So, he asked Loke to look up the detective. And-”

“There was no detective.” Loke yawned. “Or any I.P. officer.”

Temper flared inside Aquarius. “WHAT?!”

Loke nodded his head. “Yup. So, we broke into the library-”

“You broke into a library?” Scorpio asked.

“Technically only Loke. I entered through the door.” Aries supplied.

“-and we found this guy,” Loke carried on undeterred, setting down the mugshot of the red-eyed man, “who sent an E-Mail to the precinct to make sure no officers were there.”

Aquarius was doing her best to keep up with the unstructured explanation of the two assassins in front of them. But all her mind could focus on was that they had been lied to.

“That wasn’t the man pretending to be the detective.” Scorpio said.

“Thought so.” Loke spread the other pieces of paper out before them. “The guy, Midnight, was part of Oracion Seis and these were his nakam-” He had to pull his hand back as a knife dug into one of the pages, imbedding itself in the wood of the coffee table.

“The hell Aquarius-?”

But their leader didn’t mind his outrage. Her eyes were fixed on the mugshot of a tall, red-haired man; tanned skin, dark eyes and strangely pointed ears.

“That’s him.” She growled.  

Scorpio only nodded silently.

“That’s Cobra.” Aries explained. “One of the members. He broke out just two months after the raid. Neither Council nor Knights could catch him again. Same with Midnight and some others...”

They’d been tricked! This Cobra had stood before the three of them, calm as anything, and had lied his ass off! Right to their faces!

Aquarius’ knuckles turned white as her grip on the sharpening-stone tightened.

That man was the reason Lucy had been crying her eyes out for days! The reason everyone had been feeling like failures, unable to protect a nakama!

She decided there and then that Cobra was on her kill-list.

Aquarius took a breath. “What exactly does all this mean?”

“Well,”, Loke started, “Cap figured out the crime scene isn’t the crime scene-”

As if summoned by his name, Capricorn and Cancer came in through the front door, closing it quickly to keep the chilling wind outside.

“Nothing! How could there be nothing?!”

“Someone deep cleaned the whole place, baby.”

“I’m well aware. But not one person happened to see-”

Capricorn was cut off by the sight of the four assassins in the living room.

Loke held up the mugshots from Cobra and Midnight, after pulling the knife out of the former.

“These two have their hands in it.” He said. “Oracion Seis members.”

“Oracion Seis?!” Cancer exclaimed. “Weren’t they disbanded?”

“They were.”

“But apparently they do annual get-togethers.” Aquarius said with steel in her voice. “Where were you two all day-”

The front door opened again, slamming against the wall with the force of the wind.

“Hooooow could no ooooone hear a thing?!” Taurus complained.

“And leave not one scrap of evidence behind, moshi moshi?” Sagittarius added.

“Grandpa Crux heard nothing.” Virgo’s calm voice stated.

“And since when does that happen?!” Gemini sighed in exasperation, fatigue clear in his voice.

They all paused when they walked past the open living room door.

“Did we miss a meeting?” Gemini asked confused.

“No.” Aquarius said coolly. “But I’m starting to think I missed something.”

“We cooooouldn’t find the crime scene.” Taurus reported to Capricorn. “Loooooked freaking everywhere, but-”

“Nothing?” The older man guessed. “Same with us.”

“But we found out who’s behind it.” Aries said, gesturing to the mugshots.

“That’s at least something.” Gemini suppressed a yawn.

Aquarius’ spine straightened on the couch. “Excuse my interruption, but how about you tell me-”

The front door flew open again, two light footsteps rushing into the warmth whilst one bigger set shut the door again.

“Stupid weather.” The blonde teen muttered, shrugging off her coat.

“Me-aye-ow!” A certain feline agreed.

All three caught sight of the gathering in the living room.

“Oh good, you’re all here!” Lucy said with notably more energy then in the past few days.

Happy walked over to Gemini who greeted the kitten.

“The crime scene isn’t the crime scene!” Lucy exclaimed.

And was met with blank stares.

“We know.” Capricorn said.

Lucy blinked. “And the detective lied.”

“We know.” Loke replied, one eyebrow raised. “He’s not a detective at all.”

“Wha- how do you know?”

“Hacked into the I.P. system.” Loke.

“I simply asked them.” Capricorn. 

“And we broke into Domus Flau.” Aries.

“The landlady described a pale man with black and white hair and-”

Loke held up Midnight’s mugshot wordlessly.

“...and she drew his guild emblem for me, it looks something like a seventeen or-” Lucy was searching for the notepad but paused.

Aries pointed to the printed image of the Oracion Seis emblem.

“We have got to work on our communication.” Cancer mumbled.

Lucy huffed. “You didn’t think to tell me any of this?”

Loke crossed his arms. “You didn’t think to share this with us?!”

Aquarius rose from the couch. “How about: YOU ALL didn’t think to tell ME?!”

The gathered assassins shrunk back a little, exchanging glances between themselves that read: “wait, you didn’t tell her?” and “thought someone already did.”

“I left a note.” Lucy brought up timidly.

“That you were going for a walk.” Aquarius glared at her. “Not doing a solo investigation!”

The group looked over at Scorpio, still sitting on the couch.

“Don’t look at me.” He said. “I’m mad to be left out too.”

“It wasn't a conscious decision.” Capricorn explained. “I wanted to keep the team small until we have actual proof.”

“Which just happened to include everyone but us?” Aquarius shot back.

Capricorn looked around. “Strangely...yes.”

Aquarius rubbed her temples. “I want every detail. Now!”

“I noticed a medical error in Natsu’s report.” Capricorn began.

“So, we checked the supposed crime scene again.” Cancer continued.

“Where there is no space to blitz-attack someone from.” Capricorn concluded. “I therefore asked Loke to research the detective and Gemini to search for the true crime scene.”

“And I took Virgo, Sag and Taurus with me.” Gemini supplied.

“And I Aries.” Loke added. “I found the real detective Serpico has retired but went on the E-Mail which was sent to the precinct.”

“Which lead us to Domus Flau library.” Aries said.

“From the cameras we got Midnight’s photo and with facial recognition, we discovered his identity and affiliation.”

“Whereas we found no crime scene.” Gemini said sadly.

“Nor we any evidence at the precinct.” Capricorn added.

“To summarize:”, Scorpio said in order to stop another outburst from his partner at their accidental discression, “we have the ‘who’ and we have a rough ‘when’. What we don’t have is the ‘why’, the ‘how’ and the ‘where’, correct?”

Lucy, who’d been silently listening to her nakamas’ summaries of their busy night, piped up.

“Actually, I know the last two.”

Every head spun around to her.

“You do?!” Capricorn asked, contemplating his choice to leave the little blonde out of his line of investigation.

“Why didn’t you start with that?” Loke asked.

Lucy ignored him, starting at the beginning, when she entered Natsu’s apartment again.

She told them of the clear space before the door, of Plue’s discovery of the blood, the hole in the wall.

Capricorn and Gemini made agreeing noises at the detective work, petting Plue appraisingly at the good job.

“-And then I noticed the chemical burn marks and Happy kept hissing...so, I think they used a gas to...to, you know...”

Aries swallowed heavily. “Cobra’s speciality is poison.” She whispered.

“Poisonous gas!” Aquarius exclaimed, rushing to Lucy’s side. “You were in the room the day after! Are you feeling alright, were you exposed-”

“I feel fine, Aunty.” Lucy soothed, although that wasn’t completely true.

“If they used gas, Natsu never even had a chance.” She whispered, letting Aquarius’ slender arms circle around her in support.

There was a serene moment of silence in the living room with everyone contemplating the unfairness of Natsu’s death. He probably didn’t even realize what was happening.

Only two people were quiet for another reason. Capricorn shared a look with Gemini across the room.

Gemini furrowed his eyebrows, gesturing to Happy.

Capricorn nodded in silent agreement.

Even when sitting by an open window, the small body of the cat shouldn’t have withstood gas strong enough to take out a fully grown human.

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright?” Aquarius asked again, looking down at the blonde in her arms with worry.

Lucy nodded glumly. “I thought there was a weird scent in his apartment. But it wasn’t very strong.”

Capricorn’s head peaked up at that. “Describe the scent, please.”

“It was like...like freshly cut grass. Kinda nice actually.”

Capricorn ran through every chemistry book he’d read, through every lecture and conversation with other assassins.

Gemini and Cancer watched his eyes dart around, moving on from fact to fact in his mind.

• Fact: Natsu was dead.
• Fact: He was killed in the warehouse-district at his apartment.
• Fact: He’d been waiting for someone/ someone had been waiting for him
• Fact: He had He was in the middle of packing a full stock of grenades and other weapons with him.
• Fact: He couldn’t / wouldn’t defend himself.

It all made much more sense than at the beginning. Yet not everything fit in with the rest.

Happy was alive, even though it shouldn’t be possible.

Where did Natsu’s body go, since it was no longer at the precinct?

And the band-aid? The stupid plaster that had set all this off. If they moved his body immediately from his apartment, why bother with it?

Capricorn stroked his goatee. All the facts from the beginning of the investigation had changed. All except one.

• Fact: Natsu was dead.

He went through everything he knew on poisons. The strangely bitter taste of pistachios, the odd smell of fish inside a house, the unusually bright colours on certain animals. Where did the freshly cut grass fit into that?

Then it sprang into his mind. It exploded like a New Year’s firework, glittering lights dancing across his field of vision.

It made sense. It all made sense now.

There was no body at the precinct.

They put a plaster on a wound that was no longer bleeding.

The smell of freshly cut grass in the middle of a big city apartment.

• Fact: Natsu was dead.

“According to this, that was the cause of death, so his heart-”

“Would’ve stopped beating. I know that much, baby.”

“Right. And when the heart stops beating, it stops pumping blood through the veins.”

“Correct.”

What if the plaster had been a necessity?

Because, what if the wound had still been bleeding?

And why? Because his heart hadn’t stopped beating.

There was no body at the precinct.

There was no body-

There was no body.

And the weird scent...

“I’m so sorry, Lucy.” Aquarius soothes quietly, still holding the blonde. “We’ll find who did this. I promise you-”

“No.” Capricorn interrupted.

All eyes that hadn’t already been watching turned to him.

Cancer and Gemini scooted closer in their seats.

“What no?” Aquarius asked.

Lucy’s brown eyes looked at him in question, wondering what the professor had figured out. To her, it added up.

“Lucy, the smell you described fits with no poison I’ve ever heard of.” Capricorn began. “Now, it is entirely possible that a professional such as this Cobra made a whole new concoction, however...”

“What are you saying, baby?”

“That description fits more to a knock-out gas.” Capricorn stated.

Lucy’s eyes widened considerably.

• Question: Natsu was dead?

Capricorn took a deep breath, putting all his hope into his ability to connect the dots, praying to Mavis that he wasn't misleading his nakama and giving them false hope.

“Lucy, there is a very slim possibility that Natsu might be-”

Notes:

Alright! Everyone who guessed a fake death; congratulations! Predictably, you were correct!
Coincidentally, this fic has also cracked the 100K mark, so yay?
Now we can move on from the [murder] mystery to ‘let’s find Natsu’! (A very non-expert explanation on how Cobra pulled it all off will be included in the next chapter.)
Until then.

PS: I’m fairly certain Lucy’s landlady in the anime doesn’t have a name. So, “Patrona” literally means ‘landlady’ in Corsican. On a related note: “Serpico” is an Italian surname meaning ‘snake’.
Subtlety? Don’t know her.

PPS: Thanks to this chapter, I now also have “what does knock-out gas smell like” on my search-history. Honestly, if anyone ever reads that thing, they’ll think I’m a Grade A conspiracy theorist.

Chapter 24: Alive

[Several weeks ago, following the conversation between Cobra and Midnight]

 

Midnight smiled, knowing he’d gotten his attention. “Let’s discuss this, shall we?” He sunk back into the couch, letting Cubellios slither close and gently stroked her scales.

Alright, maybe Cobra would listen. But if there was even a chance that fool of a knight would mess up his plan, he’d be going back to Plan A in seconds.

“The knight’s plan would involve not killing the Dragon though.”

Now that got his attention. Cobra whirled on his friend. “I’m sorry, what?!”

“Eric-”

“You know why I’m doing this, McBeth!” He snapped. “An eye for an eye-”

“I know, Eric.” Midnight interrupted. Then gentler said: “I know. Believe me, I don’t like that Dragon kid either for what he did, and I understand your need for revenge but-”

“But nothing, McBeth! He killed one of ours, so it’s only fair-”

“Ah, but is it, my friend?” Cobra knew to be wary of the scheming twinkle in Midnight’s eyes. “He killed one of our nakama, so ‘fair’, by definition, would be to kill one of his.”

“I’m not going to go after a Celestial!”

“Not what I meant.”

Cobra frowned at him. “I admire your faith in my abilities, McBeth, but even I can’t bring the Dragons back from the dead, only to kill them again.”

Midnight huffed, looking over at Cubellios, as if she were the only other sane individual here.

“Consider this,” he started, “if you kill Salamander, he’s dead.-”

“That’s usually what killing entails, yeah.” Cobra growled.

“-But, if you give him to our mutual knight friend,” Midnight carried on undeterred, “that means alive, Eric, he will be bait for the other Celestials. A trap, the knight told me.”

“I have no beef with their guild.”

“Ah, but see,” Midnight said, as if explaining a mathematical problem to him, “by doing so, Salamander will be the reason for the threat to his new nakama. Perhaps even for their death. Therefore...”

“I would’ve taken his nakama from him, without killing him.” Cobra muttered, hating that Midnight’s plan made sense.

“An eye for an eye, as you said.” His friend smiled. “And the added bonus: should the plan fail utterly due to knightly incompetence; you can deny everything and pin the blame on our little friend with the glasses.”

He had to admit, that part sounded quite tempting.

“McBeth, I’ve made plans, I have the routine timed perfectly-”

“So, change it.” His friend stated matter of fact, as if all this hadn’t taken Cobra weeks and weeks to gather and prepare.

“Or better yet,” Midnight went on, scratching Cubellios beneath her chin, “don’t start from scratch, just leave out the killing-bit.”

“The killing-bit is kinda the point of the whole thing!”

“I thought revenge was the point.”

It was, but-

“If you at least try it the knight’s way,” Midnight rose from the couch, “I’ll help you with the plan.”

Damn him to Zeref and back, that offer was tempting.

“I’d have to concoct a whole new poison.” He said, even though Midnight’s knowing smile made it obvious that he was aware of Cobra’s changing attitude.

“So make it.” His oldest friend said easily.

“It will take time.”

“We have all the time.” Midnight responded. “The Salamander is already a Celestial. You missed the ideal time already-”

Cobra grumbled at what was sadly a fact. He’d had to wait for that one damned apartment to be free.

“-a week more or less will make no difference now.”

“A big part of my beautifully simple and safe plan,” Cobra began, “was pinning the blame on someone else-”

“You can still do that. Use the knight.” Midnight repeated.

“-convincing the Celestials that he was killed by someone they can search forever for because that someone doesn’t exist.”

“Because it was supposed to be you.” Midnight said slowly, not quite following.

“Correct. And I was going to place the blame on that imaginary someone by showing them his very dead body.”

“Oh?” Intrigue was clear in Midnight’s voice. Obviously, because Cobra’s perfect, original plan was awesome.

“Yes. Fake trails, impersonation, untraceable evidence...”

Midnight gave a low whistle. “Quite elaborate of you, Eric.”

“I’m aware.” Cobra glowered. “So, I can hardly use my first plan because I kinda need his body for that!”

“Get creative.” Midnight shrugged, getting comfortable on the couch as if the issue was solved that simply.

“The hell you mean ‘get creative’?! Am I supposed to use alchemy to create a duplicate of the Salamander or what’s the idea?!”

Midnight yawned, poking at one of the couch’s cushions. “Although that sounds like something for the history books, I was thinking more along the lines of slightly less lethal poisons.”

It clicked in Cobra’s head. He groaned. “McBeth, do you know how complicated that ‘non-lethal’-shit is?”

“No.” Came the simple answer. “Because that’s your territory.”

“It’s extremely- and the dosages- and the materials needed- and don’t get me started on the damned-”

“Eric, if anyone can do it, you can.” Midnight interrupted, drawing lazy circles on Cubellios’ head.

True and they both knew it.

Still, Cobra had spent most of his life studying and experimenting with the very, very lethal kinds of poisons. What kind of assassin only fake-killed his targets? He’d only tampered around a little with the won’t-kill-if-used-correctly poisons, just because Brain wouldn’t have wanted him to.

Ah, Brain. Cobra had always used the fast-working poisons for his missions. But for Midnight’s dirtbag of a father, he’d gotten a little creative. And Zeref could damn him, if he ever felt anything but satisfied pride at that fact.

“You know what,” he ran a tired hand down his face, “sure, we’ll do it the knight’s way, since it means so much to you.”

Midnight smiled from his spot on the couch, legs and arms already crossed in his favorite sleeping position.

“It’s safer that way, Eric. Trust me.” His friend mumbled sleepily.

Cobra rolled his eyes although the other human in the room couldn’t see it.

Midnight wasn’t completely incorrect. This way, he wasn’t the one killing a member of the Celestials; always a good outlook to have in life. Mavis only knew what would’ve happened if that guild had also gotten involved at the Oracion Seis raid all those years ago. Where he and Midnight would be now. Six feet under was a good guess.

Revenge was what he wanted. In the end, both plans got the thing done. So, why not pick the safer option? It would take a little longer, mixing new formulas, calculating the correct dosage... But it might just be worth it.

 

-----

 

[18 hours before body identification]

 

Natsu groaned.

Every nerve in his body was screaming at the stiffness yet protested even louder when he tried to shift.

There was a pounding between his ears, so strong that he could both hear and feel it.

His eyes flickered but he immediately shut them again as a bright light burned into his retinas. Natsu tried shielding them but found he couldn’t move his hands.

The whole situation was painful and disorienting and Natsu wanted nothing more than to wake up and realize he’d fallen asleep on the Celestial’s comfy couch.

The Celestials...Lucy...hadn’t he been at the guild?

Yes, yes, he had been. He’d been on the roof, gone through the window...

No wait. The window...there had been the slip of paper. He hadn’t gone inside. Hadn’t told anyone because...because-

Natsu bolted up.

Everything spun around him worse than on any train and he had to fight the urge to puke his guts out.

He blinked rapidly, taking deep breaths as a grey room slowly came into focus.

-because of the note. The emblem, the location. The location, the warehouse... What had he found out? What was missing from his dazed brain?

Natsu squinted around, ignoring the pain in his head at the sudden movement. The wall to his right was thick concrete, whitewash not hiding its unfriendly grey colour. All the other walls...

They weren’t walls at all! They were bars! Large, round bars that went from floor to ceiling. Behind them was a larger, grey room, an empty desk in one corner, a staircase going up into the unknown on the other side. He couldn’t see more because the lights were off over there, hiding the rest in darkness. No windows.

He was in an I.P. holding cell. A place he’d only ever seen from the outside.

Natsu felt metal digging into his wrists as he subconsciously tried to stand up. He turned his head as much as his stiff muscles would allow. Alright, so he was inside an I.P. holding cell with his wrists cuffed to the bars of said cell.

Think, he yelled at his brain, desperate to retrace his last steps. He couldn’t recall arriving at the red building. Had the I.P. picked him up on his way to the warehouse? Had he slipped on a roof and knocked himself unconscious? No, Natsu was sure that couldn’t be the reason. He’d never once fallen badly enough to cause memory loss. Happy would’ve never let him live that down...

Happy! Natsu scanned the surrounding area again. The blue furball was nowhere to be seen. Alright, no need to panic. Happy was smart, he would be fine.

Had he lost him at the warehouse? On the way...

They’d never been on their way! Natsu had to fight off another wave of dizziness as the memories came flooding back.

They’d found the note, headed back home to prepare, he’d been packing his bag. He’d been about to reach for his red first-aid-kit, when...

When nothing. There was nothing after that, just the feeling that his limbs weighed a ton and that his head was filled with cotton. And a crash.

Natsu frowned, trying to piece together what that meant, when he felt a sharp pain on his temple at the movement. He hissed, forced to stay still to fight off the wave of nausea.

Carefully, he moved his shoulder up as far as the cuffs would allow him, nudging at his temple. Another burst of pain flared up and he quickly stopped in that endeavor.

Alright, so definitely an injury.

But treated. He’d felt the rough material of a band-aid, could still feel it when he carefully moved his eyebrows.

There was only one explanation that made some semblance of sense to him. He’d been blitz attacked in his own apartment. By the Independent Police? Natsu wasn’t sure how exactly, but that didn’t matter too much at that moment.

Just as he realized that his wide bracelets with butane-gas and simultaneous hiding-spot for his lockpicks were missing, a door swung open, and footsteps could be heard echo down the staircase leading to the holding cells.

Natsu watched two men enter the basement of the I.P. station, one with tired, red eyes, the other with a sharp stare that immediately found the teen behind the bars.

“Listen, there was some sort of misunderstanding-” Natsu started but was cut off by a smirk from the man in the white coat and red hair.

“We should really be offended that you take us as officers.” He said in a voice that failed at being relaxed.

He took a step closer, the other man staying in the shadows, leaned casually against the grey wall.

Natsu’s eyes narrowed as he tried to make out who exactly the man on the other side of the bars was.

He recognized the spiky hair, the pointed ears rang a bell, but the pinkette knew for sure when he made out the deep shade of purple in the man’s eyes. The same eyes that had stared back at him from a wanted poster he’d found online, right after a mission from months ago. He knew that he was in deep trouble then.

Natsu’s reaction must’ve been obvious enough for the assassin to know he recognized him if his growing smirk was anything to go by.

“Then I guess you know why you’re here.”

Natsu straightened on the hard bench as much as the handcuffs would allow.

“I know why you want to talk with me. I don’t know why I’m here.”

The illegal assassin snorted, sharing a look with his partner that said: ‘can you believe this guy?’

“We don’t want to talk with you, Salamander.” Cobra said, his tone dropping.

A cold shiver ran through Natsu, who did his best to suppress it, staring back into the man’s purple eyes with what he hoped was collected calm.

“Then why am I here?”

“You killed Racer.” Was the simple response, no trace of the smirk left, only cold accusation.

“I-”

“You see, our nakama Racer formed his own guild after ours was forcefully disbanded.” Cobra went on. “Harpuia. A sub-guild of Oracion Seis, if you will. And one day, a few members find us and say that The Last Dragon killed their master, our nakama.”

“I didn’t-”

“Pushed him off a cliff, watched him fall to his death.”

“I didn’t kill your nakama!” Natsu finally shouted.

Cobra raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “Really? We have multiple witnesses claiming otherwise.”

Natsu knew what the illegal assassin was referring to. Racer and his small guild had been at the back of his mind ever since that late spring day. And they hadn’t even been part of his mission, not in the slightest.

The pinkette had taken a job from a small village some distance away from Crocus. He’d been after a Rune Knight, a particularly nasty piece of work going by the name of Anton Kruger, who’d cut of the village’s water supply for personal, petty reasons.

Going after a Rune Knight should’ve been the most dangerous and memorable part of that mission. But it had been the blonde man with a mohawk and a racing suit, who’d jumped him at the edge of a forest.

To this day Natsu didn’t know why exactly. Perhaps the emblem on his shoulder had been enough to catch the illegal assassins’ eyes, but before he knew it, he’d been fending off impossibly fast attacks from a blurry figure.

“I didn’t kill Racer.” Natsu repeated.

“Right.” Cobra said with a frosty glare.

“I didn’t! He attacked me first and-”

“So, you threw him over a cliff?”

“No! He- Racer was...crazy. I don’t know what kind of steroids he was on, but no one should be able to run that fast and he couldn’t think straight-”

“You’re trying to tell me that Racer ran over the edge by himself?” Cobra sneered.

“He did!”

Natsu saw the older man roll his eyes.

“No, he did! I was standing in front of the slope, and he charged at me, so I dodged but he was way too fast and couldn’t stop in time – didn’t even try to stop...I tried to catch him. But he didn’t even try to slow down.”

Cobra stared down at him, his face right behind the bars.

“I’m telling you; he was out of his mind. I didn’t kill him, I just dodged.” He tried to sound sincere, practically begging Cobra to believe him.

“You just dodged?” Cobra repeated slowly.

“Yes.”

“And Racer ran right into his death?”

“Yes.”

“And to everyone else on the scene, it just happened to look like you pushed him?”

Natsu knew the questions weren’t sincere in the slightest, but he still repeated the word “Yes” once more, barely above a whisper.

He looked in the man’s cold eyes and knew that he’d never believe the truth. Natsu could say anything, and Cobra would still hold him accountable.

“Are you going to kill me?” Natsu wished his voice sounded steadier, not timid.

“Yes...”

Primal fear ran through every vain in Natsu’s body, the age-old fight-or-flight instincts kicking in, yet in his position he couldn’t enable either.

He was going to die.

Lucy would never know what happened.

Neither would Happy.

Would they find him? Would the Celestials be able to-

“...and no.” Cobra finished, deliberately drawing out the second part to his answer.

The roaring in Natsu’s ears caused by his erratic heartbeat subsided a little.

“What?”

Cobra stood right before him, only the metal bars separating the two assassins.

“To the world, you’ll be dead.” The older man said, as if explaining a simple math exercise to a child. “The Celestials will see your dead body, identify it and news that you have passed on at such a tragically young age will spread around like wildfire.”

Natsu’s breathing was heavy. He knew Cobra was drawing out the second part to his answer again, wanting to leave him in suspense.

“And in reality?” He asked carefully.

Cobra smirked. “In reality – or, I should say, in theory – you will wake up, just like from a coma, and be right as rain in no time.”

Natsu’s brain whirred, his injury pounded, and his thoughts tumbled about with no order at the explanation.

Cobra saw that the younger assassin was stumped and used the opening it gave him.

“OW, what the-” Natsu had no time to react, let alone perceive the quick jab into his upper arm. He only saw Cobra’s hand quickly retract back through the gaps of the bars, holding a now empty syringe.

“What was that?” Natsu couldn’t keep the panic out of his voice, staring from the burning spot on his arm to the assassin in front of him.

“Something new I’ve been working on.” Cobra said conversationally, carefully placing the used syringe into a plastic bag. “It’ll slow down your heartbeat until it is imperceivable. Or completely gone.”

“Erik.” The second man muttered sleepily from the staircase.

“I told you I haven’t had a chance to test it. If all goes well, he’ll wake up again.” Cobra replied.

“Isn’t it too early?” The other asked.

“This stuff works very slowly. His body has to get used to it. Otherwise, he’d go straight into cardiac arrest.”

Natsu tried to calm down his breathing as the two men talked so casually about his future.

“Where’s Happy?” He finally said, drawing their attention again.

“Who?”

“My cat.”

“Right...” Cobra looked over to the other man. Midnight, if Natsu’s research on their former guild was correct.

“Threw him in a dumpster along the way.” Midnight shrugged.

Anger flooded through Natsu. “Why would you do that?!”

“Couldn’t keep evidence at the scene, could we?” Was the reply.

Natsu willed himself to calm down. Happy was smart. He’d find his way back home.

That thought gave him the courage he needed to ask: “Why are you doing this? Why not just kill me?”

“Excellent question.” Cobra said with a side-glance at his partner, who only rolled his red eyes. “You can thank your replacement-nakamas’ reputation for that. And some douchebag knight.”

Knight.

To the world, you’ll be dead.

You will wake up.

Knight.

“You’re gonna sell me out to the knights?!” Natsu yelled. This was below the belt for any assassin, illegal or no.

“Believe me, not my idea.” Cobra sneered.

“Why?” Natsu asked again.

“You made us mourn a nakama. Now your guild will do the same.” Midnight said easily. “An eye for an eye, so to say.”

“The Celestials have nothing to do with Racer!” Natsu shot back.

“They’re your nakama.” Cobra shrugged, turning away. “That’s enough.”

“No wait!” Natsu shouted as the two men started to leave for the stairs. “My nakama don’t have to get involved. They did nothing!”

But the former Oracion Seis members ignored him and disappeared back up the stairs of the I.P. precinct, leaving the young assassin alone.

 

-----

 

[13 hours before body identification]

 

Natsu had tried to break out of the handcuffs multiple times, but without lockpicks, a clear line of sight, nor his full strength, it was a fruitless endeavor.

Still, he continued trying until his wrists hurt.

“They can’t think I’m dead.” He muttered to himself.

He couldn’t let Lucy think he was dead. They had just become partners. And what kind of a crappy partner would he be if he just left so suddenly?

 

-----

 

[8 hours before body identification]

 

Natsu had stopped panicking a while ago.

His heartbeat was steady, no longer rising to meet his hectic thoughts. Adrenaline was long gone.

Maybe Cobra had been lying. Maybe the syringe was a bluff.

 

-----

 

[5 hours before body identification]

 

It had gotten cold in the I.P.’s basement. Or that’s what Natsu felt anyway as he suppressed another shiver.

He’d been drifting in and out of consciousness, just napping to regain energy. That’s what he told himself.

But Cobra’s explanation in the serum’s effects wouldn’t leave his mind, no matter how sluggish it had gotten.

 

-----

 

[3 hours before body identification]

 

Natsu could no longer feel his heartbeat. Or maybe his fingers had just become a little numb. It was probably nothing-

Everything around him was blurry and breathing had become unnaturally difficult.

He closed his eyes for just a second, determined to stay awake.

He wouldn’t open them again for many hours.

 

-----

 

[3 hours after body identification]

 

“-still looks pretty dead to me!”

“Will you shut up?! He’s stable.”

“We had a deal, Cobra-”

“Which you never seize to point out.”

“...I can still take you in, if this fails!”

“Oh, I beg you, fool; try!”

“Don’t tempt me-”

“Maybe I’d let you. Would love to see your boss’s reaction to their little captain working with big bad me.”

“Could you two morons keep it down? I’m trying to sleep-”

“I bet the Celestials’ reaction to your involvement would be better!”

“You don’t have the balls, you little son of a-”

“Hold it! He’s waking up.”

Natsu’s eyelids fluttered. Everything felt heavy and out of focus, like he’d just woken up from a fever dream at 2am.

He couldn’t put faces to the voices, he didn’t even try to. The few seconds of consciousness were enough to tire him out completely and the teen fell straight back into deep sleep.

 

-----

 

[4 days after body identification]

 

Natsu paced up and down his small cell, hands ringing for something to do.

They’d arrived at the Western most prison yesterday; an ancient network of cells and hallways carved right into the cliffside.

He rubbed his hands up and down his arms, attempting to ward off the chilling breeze that howled into the enclosed space through the tiny, barred window facing the ocean. The thin, cotton prison-attire did next to nothing to guard from the cold, as did the fiber-thin piece of fabric that served as a blanket on the lumpy mattress, taking up one corner of the room.

Natsu missed his scarf. Not just its warmth, but primarily the comfort it had always given him. How it helped ward off panic. He could really use that right now.

The cold was a pleasant distraction compared to the thoughts running rapidly through his mind.

Lucy thought he was dead. Gone.

The Celestials thought the same.

The world thought so too.

He was a ghost, just like the rest of the Dragons. Only difference that his heart was still beating.

That was the worst part about his situation, he’d realized that far too quickly. Not the cold, not the terrible food, not the knight’s pestering questions. Instead, it was the uncertainty what happened to Happy, the guilt he could feel gnawing at him about the hurt he’d brought his nakama and the bleakness of his situation that kept him up at night.

The hopelessness was what got to him.

How could he get out of here?

Natsu had no reason to hope for the Celestials to arrive in full gear, busting down the thick, wooden door. They thought he was beyond reach.

He had no equipment; no lockpicks, nothing explosives or flammable within reach, no weapons.

The door was sturdy, the window barred and far too small for him. And even if he could miraculously squeeze through the slim opening, a vertical cliff face was the next impossible challenge, together with sharp rocks and a strong current waiting for him below.

And should he somehow manage to leave this cell, he’d managed to glimpse armored guards at every corner in the narrow hallways, decked out with batons, tasers and Zeref could guess what.

The blasted knight who’d orchestrated all this had made all those points very clear to him.

Lahar had come for a visit on his first day here, just when the chemicals that Cobra had injected Natsu with had left his system enough for him to form coherent sentences.

“I imagine you’re wondering why you are here.” That self-righteous prick had started, walking the length of Natsu’s cell with all the importance of a general facing his troops.

Two more guards had stood on either side of the door, keeping a careful eye on Natsu, who’d stayed seated on his mattress, glaring daggers at Lahar.

“For two reasons, to put it simply.” The Knight had continued. “For one: you are a criminal and deserve to be behind bars. Also: because you can be useful to rid this country of more criminals with the information you possess.”

He'd looked at Natsu expectantly.

The pinkette had cleared his throat. “For one: I’ve never collaborated with a wanted assassin, so I’m doing better than you.” Lahar’s eyes had hardened behind his glasses. “Also: I believe we have a very different definition of the word ‘criminal’.”

The knight had stepped closer. “A person who has committed a crime, based on the breaking of official laws decreed by the royal family and enforced by yours truly.”

“Yeah, but what if the law is criminal?” Natsu had answered coolly, remembering Loke’s nonchalant answers to Capricorn’s increasingly annoyed questions. “If a criminal criminally breaks a criminal law...would that cancel out the criminal altogether? So, would that be just a regular person or nothing at all-”

“Enough!” Lahar had snapped. “I want information on your guild.”

Natsu had gone back to glaring at the man. “You know everything there is to know about my guild.”

“Not the Dragons. I want information on the Celestials.” Lahar had unnecessarily clarified.

“And why in Zeref’s name would I tell you anything?” Natsu had countered.

“Perhaps because it is your only option.” Lahar had said with far too much confidence.

“Oh yeah?”

“Of course. What else is there? Your precious nakama think you’re dead; gone to join the Dragons.-”

Natsu’s heart had tightened at that, and he’d clenched his fist to keep the outburst controlled. He couldn’t let this man know what hurt him. But the knight already seemed to know.

“-Your nakama will search for the culprit and fail in finding one. Or maybe they’ll find someone to pin the blame onto. Either way, they won’t be coming here.”

One of the guards had taken the liberty to snort at that. And when Lahar looked at him, he’d explained: “He’s not a real Celestial. I doubt they’ll put much effort into searching for anyone.”

In a twisted version, the guard was technically right. An assassin could -officially- be part of only one guild. Honorary membership was a possibility. Lucy was an honorary Dragon, just as Natsu was an honorary Celestial. He could’ve chosen to fully switch to his new guild, but no one had expected that of him.

On paper it looked different, but to guilds an honorary member was just as much their nakama as the original founder. There was no difference.

Lahar, of course, hadn’t known that and the victorious glint behind his glasses had made Natsu’s eye tick.

“You see?” He’d asked. “Why would they have any reason to look for you? Even if they care enough; you’re dead to them.”

That didn’t shake Natsu. Lahar liked to think he knew a lot about his nakama, but he knew nothing. To him, they were all heartless criminals. He didn’t know what it was like inside the guild. How it could easily be replaced with the word family. Natsu knew perfectly well that the Celestials cared about him. And that they’d kick him from one end of Crocus to the other if he ever doubted that fact due to the knight’s words.

“If you think that,” Natsu had countered, “why do you believe I know any important details about the guild?”

“Because you’ve worked with them!” Lahar had answered, standing over Natsu who’d still sat cross-legged on the mattress. “You know how they work.”

Natsu had rolled his eyes. “Everyone in Crocus knows how we work.”

“Oh? Do tell.”

“Perfectly.”

Lahar had pinched the bridge of his nose, lifting the glasses slightly to rub at his eyes.

It had been clear to all four people in the room that the conversation was going nowhere. The guards by the door had exchanged glances, either at Natsu’s stubbornness or at Lahar; the captain who’d waltzed into their prison and was barking orders like a chihuahua.

“Let me make this perfectly clear.” Lahar had finally said, turning back to face the teen. Natsu had briefly wondered if he was worried about losing face in front of the guards. “You can tell me what I want to know. Your nakama will be arrested and given a fair trial-”

“Like mine?” Natsu had shot back.

“-or,”, the knight had continued, “my superiors will grow impatient and the Celestials will end like the Dragons.”

Natsu’s eyes had turned dangerous at the last part, noticeable enough for the two guards to move closer, hands on their weapons.

“We both know that’s not gonna happen.” He’d hissed. Scorpio had told him about the strategic positioning of their guild, the safety measures in place. Natsu had never asked, but he’d been grateful that the older assassin had soothed his old fears nonetheless.

“You can’t blow up the guild, the other houses are too close. You can’t blitz-attack them because they can see you coming a mile down the road. There’s only one entry point you could try to exploit but that would mean single-file entry for you.” Natsu knew the captain was aware of all these facts too. Otherwise, the knights would’ve attacked the Celestials head-on.

“And even if you somehow get inside the guild, there is no chance in Zeref’s hell that you’ll catch all of them.” Lucy had told him about the secret passages inside the house, had shown him a few that lead them to other parts of the building or to different parts of the city. The Celestials would scatter like sand in the wind if their guild was breached.

“My nakama have more weapons than kitchen utensils. I know because they’ll sometimes use daggers to cut vegetables. There’s some personal info on the guild. Can I go now?”

The teen and the captain had held a brief staring contest, wills clashing whilst the guards watched.

“Your loyalty, however misplaced, is admirable, really.” Lahar had drawled. Natsu had barely repressed the urge to flip him off. “And yet, it is wasted. No one is coming for you. Cobra -despite all my expectations- has managed to pull off a very believable show. I’ve been told your nakamas’ reactions were quite dramatic.-”

Natsu’s muscles had tensed, his relaxed position turning into one of imminent action; such a subtle shift that neither guards nor knight nor the teen himself had noticed.

“-Especially the blonde girl. Cobra said she literally jumped back after seeing you in the morgue and could barely manage coherent senten-”

CRACK

Lahar had stumbled back, clutching his face. Natsu, without truly realizing it, had shot up just as the knight had gotten a little too close to his corner of the cell, the top of his forehead crashing against Lahar’s nose as accurately as if the assassin had been waiting for his moment.

Before the teen could truly comprehend what he’d done, one of the guards had pushed him against the stone wall with such force that his ears rang.

The other one stood between Natsu and Lahar, who was bent over and cursing as he carefully felt along the bridge of his nose, eyes watering, unsure of what to do.

He decided on picking up the cracked glasses off the floor and awkwardly holding them out to the captain.

“That’s why we had the talk on safety-distance...” He’d quietly mumbled.

Lahar had glared at him, snatching the glasses out of the guard’s hand, whilst still holding his nose. Most likely broken, Natsu had thought as Lahar had turned his glare onto him before stalking out of the cell, the guards, after one last shove, following soon after and locking the door behind them.

 

Days had passed since then, no sign of Lahar. The injury on Natsu’s temple was still throbbing after the spontaneous headbutt as he continued to pace the length of his cell.

Lahar had gotten through to Natsu, the pinkette didn’t even try to lie to himself about it. The guilt in the pit of his stomach left no room for doubt.

“I’m really sorry, guys.” He whispered, instinctively moving to bury his face in the absent scarf.

Why hadn’t he told them about the note? Because he wanted to keep them out of the mess that was Racer and Oracion Seis. They shouldn’t have to deal with his problems, the Celestials were busy enough making Crocus a safer place.

And because he’d been stupid enough to hope that maybe they only wanted to talk. Natsu wanted to kick himself for leaving the rooftop of the guild with that piece of paper.

And then there was-

“especially the blonde girl”

“jumped back after seeing you in the morgue”

“barely manage coherent sentences”

Natsu plopped onto the thin mattress, ignoring the sting in his head at the impact, and hugged his crossed legs.

“I’m really, really sorry Luce.” He apologized quietly, not knowing that miles and miles away, between the rubble of the place he’d once called home, his partner was kneeling before a small pile of red flowers, doing the same thing.

Notes:

Anyone remember that really unimportant scene in the anime, where Natsu barrels through Racer's guild whilst looking for Jellal? No? Well, I used an altered version of that one incident as the foundation for this entire fic. I did not know about story-boarding when I started. But in my opinion* this scenario of Racer's death makes the most sense for Cobra and Midnight to get involved as antagonists.

Also, I have zero clue if serums that can slow your heartbeat down that much or steroids that make you lose focus exist (and I'm not about to google that), but for the sake of this story, please suspend your disbelief :)

*to any confused Americans reading this: where I live, I'm still allowed to have those

Chapter 25: Twisted Truths

Capricorn’s words set off complete chaos.

Everyone started talking at once, questioning the ex-professor, discussing the statement with their partner, or vocalizing their surprise.

Happy’s head whipped around from one person to another, desperately trying to follow their conversations about his roommate.

Plue understood nothing of what was being said, but darted around the Celestials’ legs excitedly, going with the new atmosphere in the room.

Aquarius needed a moment to catch up, her mind still set on comforting Lucy to the best of her abilities. She shared a look with her partner, who looked equally surprised. If Capricorn was sure enough to share this theory with the whole guild, then they could be certain that it was a real possibility. Which meant-

“QUIET!” Aquarius bellowed.

The chatter abruptly stopped, Plue and Happy sat down instinctively.

The bluenette cleared her throat. “Thank you. This may be a new line of investigation that we’ll have to follow-”

“But we saw him.” Lucy interrupted. “Natsu was so...so cold and-and lifeless.”

“The heartbeat can be slowed down immensely with the right equipment and knowledge.” Capricorn explained. “I’ve never heard of it being done in such a degree, but...it is astounding what modern science can do.”

Loke shivered. “I think you mispronounced ‘horrific’ there, Cap.”

The assassin in question gave him a one-shouldered shrug.

Aquarius was watching the little blonde still beside her. Lucy’s eyes were wide, staring into nothing, calculating what their nakama had just said. Hope was starting to bloom in her features, whilst she tightened her hold on Natsu’s scarf, still wrapped around her shoulders.

The leader shared a long look with Capricorn over the heads of their family.

Are you certain, her eyes were asking.

The most well-read of their guild blinked slowly in affirmation.

That was good enough for Aquarius.

“We need a plan!” She announced into the living room. The mood turned from previous mourning and startled confusion to imminent action again. And this time, no one was left behind.

The Celestials gathered around the large coffee-table.

“We need to figure out where Natsu is.” Scorpio started them off.

“If he’s alive, but not here, that means someone has him, baby.” Cancer continued. “The question is who and where.”

“Cobra?” Lucy suggested, letting Happy jump into her arms.

“It’s possible.” Gemini mused. “We know of two assailants. Are they working by themselves?”

“With knock-out-gas twooooo people could technically handle Natsuuuuu.” Taurus said.

“But why wouldn’t they kill him?” Aries asked then winced at her own bluntness. “Sorry.”

“No, no, it’s a valid question, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius soothed. “My best guess is they want something from him.”

“Like what?” Aquarius prompted.

“He’s very good with explosives and pyrotechnics.” Lucy considered.

“He’s good, yes.” Loke nodded. “But there are other experts in that field. Experts that can be hired ‘legally’.”

“Then what could they want from him?”

“Let’s think about it.” Aquarius started. “Two illegal assassins, wanted by the knights, the I.P. and the Council...they can’t afford to transport a skilled fighter -and lockpick- such as Natsu for an indefinite time. The risk of them getting caught is far too great in that scenario.”

“So, they’d have to keep him in a secondary location?” Gemini asked.

“But that would mean having to return to said location on multiple occasions.” Loke argued.

“And routine is dangerous for fugitives.” Virgo finished. “Which would lead us to the conclusion that-”

“They handed him over to a second party.” Lucy realised, running her hand absentmindedly through Happy’s fur.

Everyone looked around the room. That explanation seemed to make sense. It was the only reasonable conclusion.

Aquarius rose to her full height, effectively gathering everyone’s attention.

“Alright, plan of action: we need to identify that other party and thereby find Natsu’s location. Also, we need to track down Cobra and Midnight. To make damn sure that they won’t try anything like this again. Ever.”

Everyone nodded their agreement.

Aquarius turned to the tallest members of the guild.

“Taurus and Sagittarius; you’re on research. Comb through the website, old articles, search for Natsu’s prior missions – go back at least two years. Focus on convicts that were recently released from prison and might still hold a grudge against him.”

The two of them nodded solemnly. Computer-work wasn’t the team’s strongest suit, but Aquarius knew that Sagittarius’ sharp eyes were most likely to spot the right passage in a text or a buried link.

Aquarius turned to the armchair.

“Virgo and Gemini will hunt for information.” The oldest assassin cracked his neck, Virgo straightened her pinafore. “Take the names Taurus and Sagittarius found and see if any of them have recently made an appearance in Crocus. Also check if any illegal guilds have made noise about Natsu. We don’t know who we’re dealing with, so we have to keep all options open.”

Gemini and Virgo nodded, each assassin planning the fastest route to sources and possible informants.

“You two,” Aquarius looked over to the other armchair, at Capricorn and Cancer, “will work between the two groups. Try to find connections between the gathered information; which ones are the most likely and which ones can be written off as coincidences.”

“Looks like we’ll need to get out the red string, baby.” Cancer said in affirmation.

“Scorpio and I will chase the leads that Capricorn and Cancer have deemed most likely to amount to something. We will do this until someone can tell us what we want to hear.”

Scorpio twirled one of the fixed beanbags in his hand, knowing exactly that they’d be doing this until kingdom come if that’s what it would take.

“So, that makes you the group looking for Natsu. Suppose that leaves us...” Loke began.

“To track down Cobra and Midnight, exactly.” Aquarius confirmed. “I want their location and location only. No interaction until we have Natsu’s definite location and the identity of the second party, clear?”

Aries nodded and Loke saluted.

“What about me?” All eyes went to the little blonde with the cat in her arms and the puppy by her side. “What do I do?”

“You can join any group you want.” Aquarius said.

“Maybe I could-” Lucy started but was immediately interrupted.

“And you’ll stay with one group at all times.” Aquarius said sternly.

“But-”

“It’s not up for debate. Whoever has Natsu wants something from him. And we know how stubborn the kid can be. One effective method would be to go after his partner.” Aquarius gave Lucy a long look. “And that’s not happening, understood?”

“Aunty, I doubt that’s necessary-”

“Understood?” The bluenette repeated, Layla’s photograph looking at Lucy from behind her shoulder.

“Understood.” Lucy answered. “I’ll help where I’m needed.”

Aquarius nodded, feeling the responsibility on her shoulders. She’d delegated the jobs well and she knew that. But she wasn’t about to risk Lucy’s safety, not even if it could get them the vital information right this second. Not for anything.

“Alright, then let’s get going.” She dismissed the meeting.

Loke and Aries headed straight upstairs to Loke’s computers. That’s where they would start the search.

“I’ll go get the whiteboards from the basement.” Virgo said and Taurus moved to help her.

Sagittarius began setting up his own laptop in the dining room, together with Capricorn and Cancer.

“I’ll give Crux a call and see if he’s still available to talk tonight.” Gemini got up from his chair.

“I’ll help Taurus and Sag.” Lucy said. “Look through Natsu’s old cases.”

Aquarius nodded, watching her nakama disperse and start their work with the efficiency of an ant colony.

“I know some of you were up all night!” She yelled after the scurrying groups. “Try to get in at least a few hours of sleep! Or powernaps!”

There were some half-hearted mumbles of agreement coming from different corners of the guild, though both Aquarius and Scorpio doubted anyone but Plue would take that order seriously.

 

-----

 

Within minutes of Capricorn’s announcement and Aquarius’ distribution of jobs, the guild had transformed from an (almost) normal family home to a comfier version of an I.P. precinct.

Sagittarius, Taurus and Lucy had taken up residence on one side of the dining room, each with their laptops and notepads. They had quickly gotten access to Natsu’s mission-records from the Council (it generally only took one phone call from Aquarius to overcome bureaucratic obstacles in a matter of minutes) and were each combing through them, noting down names and dates, then looking up said people to try and find out if they’d been in Crocus recently.

Virgo and Gemini had left the guild as soon as they’d set up their station on the other end of the table; a large, magnetic whiteboard with fresh markers -sorted by colour in a rainbow formation, of course- at the ready.

Cancer and Capricorn were between the two groups, their own board pushed against the wall beside the long table. Cancer hadn’t been kidding about the red string and had borrowed a ball of red wool from Aries’ knitting-basket. Something which Happy took great interest in. They’d have to wait for Gemini and Virgo to return before they could get started properly, same for Aquarius and Scorpio.

The latter two were preparing for conflict. If they were to go after multiple leads -none too pleasant was a safe assumption- they’d need to be combat-ready. Scorpio was deep cleaning his shotgun, the little parts strewn around the coffee table. Aquarius, after making sure her trident was up to standard, took one look at the setup in the dining room and muttered something about going out to get more coffee.

Lucy scrolled through the long, long list of Natsu’s missions before they’d met at the train station.

“The kid really didn’t take any time oooooff, did he?” Taurus asked, reading along the same list on his laptop.

“No, he likes having something to do.” Lucy replied quietly. Because it distracted him from the all-encompassing loss that he still carried around with him.

Lucy was still processing the news that her partner might be alive. Just like she’d done when everyone had told her he was dead. Her brain couldn’t quite work through it all just yet, she was just acting on auto-pilot.

It seemed like investigating was the Celestials’ way of dealing with big news, she realized, double-checking that the leader of a minor illegal guild Natsu had taken care of last year was still behind bars.

Inaction wasn’t for them and burying themselves in work kept the pesky emotions at bay. Just like Natsu had done.

 

-----

 

The market-street were already silent as Gemini walked up to the blue door, a wooden cut-out of an opened book swinging above his head.

A ‘CLOSED’-sign hung in one of the windows, but before he could even knock, the door swung open, revealing Grandpa Crux in slippers and a checkered dressing gown.

“Your call did surprise me a little.” He yawned, gesturing Gemini to step into the little shop.

“I apologize for the inconvenience.” Gemini started, but Crux waved him off, shuffling over to the kettle.

“Must be important.”

“It’s about Natsu.” Gemini got right to it.

A sad sigh escaped from the shop-owner. “It’s such a waste of a life.” He mumbled silently, reaching for two cups. “I really wish I could help you, dear friend. Have you figured out who did it yet?”

Gemini took a deep breath, fiddling with his walking-stick. “That’s the thing, Crux. We don’t think anyone killed him.”

CRASH

Gemini jumped as one of the cups glid from Grandpa Crux’s grip and shattered on the wooden floorboards.

“I’m sorry, what?” Crux turned to face him fully, ignoring the shards of his third-favourite mug.

“Capricorn connected the dots. A staged death with a kidnapping sounds much more likely.”

Crux looked like he needed to sit down, and Gemini was about to suggest just that when the other senior beat him to it.

“Tell me everything.” Crux demanded.

Gemini did. About the puzzling lack of evidence, Lucy’s findings in the apartment building and finally Capricorn’s epiphany.

Crux silently nodded along, memorizing the details with the mind of a professional gossip.

“-what we need to know now,” Gemini continued, “is whatever happened at the I.P. station that night.”

“That’s asking a lot.” Crux said after a moment of silence, running a finger along his moustache.

“Is no one willing to talk about it?” Gemini asked. In Mavis’ name, he’d send Aquarius after them. Then anyone would be willing to part with the information.

“Worse, Gemini, worse.” Crux shook his head. “There is no one to talk about it. Whoever is behind it, they did their research.” He explained. “The I.P. station is in a better part of town, meaning everyone living in the vicinity was asleep at night, no calls to the I.P. were made and no stray thief would dare to try anything that close to a precinct.”

Gemini cursed silently. Crux only nodded in answer.

“I can’t get my hands on the information if no one has it. I’m sorry I can’t help you.”

Gemini did his best to swallow the disappointment he felt. It wasn’t his friend’s fault; it was the damn clever planning of those two Oracion Seis assassins and whoever was working with them.

“Nothing you can do about it.” He said soothingly, rising from the chair he’d been occupying and headed for the shop’s door. “Let us know if you hear anything?”

“You know I will.” Crux answered, lost in thoughts.

Gemini nodded and with a wave, he was on his way back down the dark streets towards his guild.

This hadn’t been a success. But he always had more than one plan at the ready. He just needed a quick costume change.

 

-----

 

Lucy had to rub her eyes from staring at a screen for multiple hours. Her back cracked from the hunched position, and she saw the digital names and dates even behind closed eyelids.

She was about to reach for her mug -containing her third...fourth...seventh coffee that night- when it was pushed just out of her reach.

Lucy made undeterminable protest noises and managed to focus her bleary eyes on the person between her and the mug.

“You’re cut off.” Aquarius stated.

“But Aunty-” Lucy interrupted herself with a yawn.

“No but Aunty. Go to bed. Now.”

“It’s a long list.” Lucy protested.

“Which you can carry on with tomorrow.” Aquarius countered, pulling her chair away from the table and gently nudging the blonde to get up.

“I can carry on a little longer.”

“Yes. Tomorrow.”

Lucy turned her head to gesture at Sagittarius and Taurus. “Why do they get to stay up?” She asked like a three-year-old arguing over their unfair bedtime.

“Because they’re stubborn morons who will pass out on top of their laptops and have the keys imprinted on their faces.” Aquarius stated matter of fact. Both assassins in question were too focused and sleep-deprived to even notice their leader in the room.

The bluenette turned back to her protegee. “You’re smarter than that.”

Lucy was about to protest that she could be just as stubborn as those two when another yawn stopped her from bringing up that fool proof argument.

“Exactly.” Aquarius said, leading the teen along the table and to the stairs.

Plue and Happy had been the first to fall asleep, sharing the puppy’s little bed beside Capricorn and Cancer, who were silently theorizing with what little they had to go on.

“Alright.” Lucy mumbled, too sleepy to annunciate properly. “But only a few hours.” She said defiantly, slowly making her way up the series of stairs to her room.

“Sure, brat.” Aquarius smiled after her, knowing the blonde’s fatigue would have her sleeping until the late morning, noon if she was lucky.

As soon as she was in her attic-room, the door still swinging behind her, Lucy flopped onto her bed, the softness of the blankets and pillows immediately lulling her into sleep.

She had time for one thought before she was out.

Natsu might be alive.

Lucy smiled into the dark of her room, her eyes slowly closing and her breath deepening.

 

-----

 

In an altogether different part of town stood an old bar famed for its watered-down whisky and food you didn’t want to know the expiration-date of.

Still, it was popular with one particular group. Illegal assassins and small-time criminals liked to use this joint as their little get-together, sharing embellished stories and forming temporary alliances. It was like Grandpa Crux’s bookshop for crooks. And without the tea.

The stools at the bar were filled by rough-looking characters, each nipping at their own drinks, laughing and talking.

“We didn’t even have to pay off the knights.” A man with a three-day-beard said. Judging by the shotgun slung over the back of his stool, he was a member of Naked Mummy. “They would never find us so deep in the forest.”

“Not bad.” A woman with tattoo-sleeves beside him said, tilting back her tankard. “We always got to deal with damn I.P. snooping around.” She seemed to be a member of Death’s Head Caucus. They’d been recruiting left and right after their most powerful team -Trinity Raven- had disappeared off the map years ago.

“Tell me about it.” Another man huffed. He had the figure and probable body-mass of a grizzly. Blue Skull if the emblem on his hand was anything to go by. “You walk around a corner and bam those bastards are standing there, watching.”

The conversation came to a stop as each one took a drink in commissary of the Independent Police.

A man with broad shoulders sat down his glass with a loud clank, sighing in contentment as he finished his drink. No visible association to any guild or organisation.

“Have you heard about the dragon kid?” He asked, turning his head to the group by the bar. An impressive scar running from his temple to the edge of his mouth, drawing one corner up in a permanent sneer, became visible.

“Which one?” Grizzly asked. “The dead one, the dead one or...the dead one?” He chuckled into his tankard.

“Yeah. And I figured he was untouchable now.” Tattoos said.

“He should’ve been.” Stubbles agreed. “No one is stupid enough to against the Celestials.”

A dishcloth swatted at him, belonging to the barkeeper and owner of the establishment.

“This is Happy Hour!” The short man hissed. “We do not invoke that name during Happy Hour.”

“Apologies, apologies.” Stubbles said, hands raised in surrender.

The barkeep shot him a glare before heading off to serve another customer.

“Someone clearly was stupid enough to go after them.” Scar whispered.

“But he was the newest member, wasn’t he?” Tattoos asked, leaning back. “Does that even count?”

“You think the Ce- they will care?” Stubbles asked, shuddering despite the stuffy warmth in the room. “Whoever killed him is dead meat.”

“Oh, definitely.” Grizzly agreed, waving for another pint. “Absolute idiots -whoever they are- if you ask me. But I’m not gonna cry for the kid.”

“Nah.” Tattoos said. “He was a nuisance. A small nuisance but well, still a Dragon.”

Scar hummed. “Whatever’s happening, I’m going to keep my head down.”

“Oh?” Tattoo asked mockingly. “You scared the killers are coming for you next?”

“Pfff. No.” Scar scoffed. “But there will be pissed off Celestials running around, asking questions. And if they don’t like what they hear...” He drew a finger over his throat, making a grimace that contorted his face even more. “They aren’t known for being patient, are they?”

Tattoos sat upright again, and Stubbles couldn’t suppress another shiver.

“Aw man, and we just got our new HQ set up!” Stubbles whined.

“Relax.” Grizzly said dismissively. “The only one’s gotta worry are the actual killers. Blue Skull doesn’t go close to them. We should be safe.”

“You think we’re crazy enough to provoke them?” Stubbles shot back. “Still don’t want to be confronted by them!”

“Agreed.” Tattoos added solemnly. “But they’re not about to go bashing down every door.”

“And what if they don’t find the actual killers?” Stubbles asked. “Then they will come knocking!”

Now everyone in the trio pulled a face.

“Let’s pray it doesn’t come to it.” Grizzly said, raising the refreshed tankard to his lips.

Stubbles ran a hand through his hair nervously. “Zeref-damned idiots. Whoever they are. Just brought a truckload of trouble for all of us!”

“Eh, I doubt it’ll be that bad.” Scar shrugged, getting off the stool.

“Didn’t you say you were gonna stay low for a while?” Stubbles asked.

“Yup. Just in case it does get that bad.” Scar said with a wicked grin.

He left the bar with every person in earshot contemplating what he’d said.

Scar staggered out the door of the bar, his long strides carrying him to one of the nearby side-streets. Anyone passing him would see a middle-aged, muscular, not too tall man who’d clearly seen some violence in his days.

The man walked into the empty street, stopping by a pile of splintered crates.

“How did it go?”

The man sighed wearily; the gruffness gone from his voice.

“Not too great, Virgo dear.” Scar’s entire posture sagged.

Virgo held out a hand and Gemini stepped out of the platform shoes that added an impressive amount to his small height and into the waiting slippers that his partner had been carrying. He shrugged off the padded jacket, taking off Scar’s muscles and wide shoulders all at once.

Lastly, he pulled the shaggy brunette wig off his head, ruffling his blue hair.

“Either illegal assassins are formidable actors when drunk, or they really think Natsu is dead and we’re going after the killers.”

Virgo nodded, folding the jacket into a bag.

“Heard Naked Mummy has new headquarters somewhere in the forest.” Gemini added. “The man seemed terrified of us going after them, so it might be worth a shot sending Aquarius and Scorpio there.” Gemini doubted it, but it was a lead. And however weak it was, it was something.

He scratched at the fake scar on his cheek. He’d deal with the make-up, rubber, and glue on his face when they got home.

“Then let’s tell them.” Virgo stated, handing him his walking-stick.

“Yes, let’s.” Gemini agreed. “And thank you for waiting for me.”

Virgo shot him a side-glance before rolling her pretty eyes.

They both knew well that she’d never leave his vicinity during a mission, even if it was just intelligence gathering.

And Gemini would never be able to formulate how much that meant to him.

 

-----

 

It had taken a few days for Lahar to show his face in Natsu’s cell again.

This time, the two guards stood behind Natsu, as ready to pounce as a wildcat behind its prey.

Lahar stood on the other side of the room. Not a large distance, but far enough that Natsu couldn’t reach him before the guards.

Not that the pinkette was planning on. The thick plaster across the bridge of the captain’s nose and the replacement glasses (circular monstrosities with a frame just as thick as the glass itself) were enough to satisfy the young assassin for the time being.

“We got off on the wrong foot last time.” Lahar began.

“Nooo.” Natsu said in mocking surprise.

Lahar glared at him. “But as I have made clear: I am your only chance to ever breathe fresh air again.”

Natsu gestured to the bared window, to the gust of wind carrying the ocean breeze with it. “I’ve got plenty of that, thanks.”

“You should be thanking me, you know.” Lahar said.

“Oh? Do explain.” Natsu crossed his arms.

“If it weren’t for me, that harmless knock-out gas would have been the real deal and your corpse in the morgue wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”

Natsu merely rolled his eyes.

Sure, even if there was some truth to the claim, Natsu wasn’t going to thank the man for keeping him locked up and his nakama in uncertain mourning.

Lahar could see that the gratefulness-tactic wasn’t working, so he went for the topic that had gotten a rise out of Natsu the last time: Lucy.

“Perhaps you’d be more willing to share information if we got to your little partner...” He was waiting for Natsu to jump again, the guards tensed behind him.

But the pinkette had to suppress a laugh, huffing at the captain’s weak threat.

“It’ll be interesting to see who kills you first: her or our nakama. If you could so easily get to a Celestial, you wouldn’t have needed Cobra’s help to get me here.” Natsu knew mentioning the knight’s work with an illegal assassin riled him up. He could see it work in the sharp glance Lahar shot at him.

“Fine.” The captain said, thinking for a few moments. He found something new, Natsu could tell by the way his eyes honed onto him.

“What about”, the captain started, “getting you out of solitary confinement?”

Natsu leaned forwards, the words telling Lahar where he could stick his offer on his tongue.

But he paused, held the words in.

Lahar couldn’t suppress a victorious smile, now sure that he’d gotten to the assassin in front of him. Deep down, everyone looked out for themselves first.

Natsu’s thoughts were racing. He knew his chances of getting out by himself were slim to none. If he could at least leave the cell, he’d get a better understanding of the prison’s layout. Maybe other inmates still had links to the outside. Maybe they knew something about the Celestials, any news that might prove contrary to Lahar’s claims. And -however slim the possibility- maybe someone was working on an escape plan. Natsu had seen plenty of prison-movies. Someone was always working on something.

“Remember,”, Lahar interrupted, “no one is coming for you.”

Natsu did his best not to glare, wanting to leave the knight in the belief that he’d finally gotten through to him.

“Information can be more valuable than all the gold in the king’s treasury.” Grandeeney had once told them.

“Desperate people will believe most everything.” Capricorn had once said, after Cancer had questioned the stupidity of a character on-screen during a movie-night.

Lahar was clearly desperate for information on the guild. Natsu didn’t know why exactly, but he knew he could use it to his advantage. He just had to play this extremely carefully.

The knight was desperate, but he wouldn’t be so stupid as to jump on the first thing he said. He’d be looking for tell-tale signs of a lie. So, Natsu had to tell the truth, just with little twists.

For the briefest moment, Natsu could see Grandeeney high fiving Capricorn in his mind.

“Fine.” He tried to sound conflicted and beaten, squinting up at Lahar to see if he was buying it. If the smirk on the knight’s face was anything to go on, then yes.

“Let’s start easy.” Lahar said, back straight with the pride of victory. “Who is the strongest assassin of the Celestials?”

“Taurus is the strongest.” Natsu replied, selectively leaving out the word ‘physically’.

“This Aquarius,”, Lahar continued, eyes narrowed, “is she the actual leader?”

“Sagittarius is above her.” ‘In height’ remained unsaid by the pinkette.

Chapter 26: Smile Please

The slam of the front door had every head snapping up, either those engrossed in their work, or those lucky enough to have gotten a few hours of sleep.

Aquarius strode down the hall, trident over her shoulder, clothes wet and muddy.

“I take it he wasn’t at the Naked Mummy’s headquarters.” Capricorn stated, watching the partners shake off their soaked boots.

Virgo appeared with towels.

“He was not.” Scorpio answered shortly, ruffling his hair with one of the towels so that his middle-part became tousled between the red and white colours.

Cancer poked his head out of the dining room. His bleary eyes widened considerably when he saw the long strands of hair from their leader.

“Hold up.” He darted past them, up the stairs. “I’ll get my detangle-brush!”

Lucy stood in the living room doorway, watching the two returning wordlessly. Gemini had said that the lead was thin, just a snippet of random information. But they’d still gone after it.

Finding the exact location of the hidden HQ had taken them a few days and Aquarius and Scorpio had left immediately.

“Two hours of tracking in the blasted rain,” Aquarius started, peeling off her once-marine-blue jacket, “through that cursed forest, only to find that their headquarter is little more than an oversized treehouse!”

“It looks like kids built it and Naked Mummy just took it over.” Scorpio muttered.

“Were you spotted, moshi moshi?” Sagittarius asked, carrying two cups of steaming tea into the hallway.

Aquarius gestured to their muddy clothes, leaves sticking to the fabric. “We had the perfect camouflage, believe me. Could’ve stood right outside a window and they never would’ve seen us.”

She spotted Lucy, standing silently in the doorway. Her eyes softened a bit.

“Sorry, Lucy.” Aquarius said. “We’ll find him, don’t worry.”

Lucy knew they would find Natsu. The notion that he was alive had been accepted by the entire guild. But she still worried. He was trapped somewhere, close to imminent danger with no backup and presumably no weapons.

Every minute she wasn’t doing something to try and find him felt like wasted time. Like she was just leaving her partner to fend on his own.

“I know.” She said, faking a smile that convinced no one.

 

-----

 

Events were repeating themselves and Sagittarius didn’t like it.

First the desperate search for Natsu’s killer. Now the same for the kid himself.

Yes, the premise was a much more hopeful one, but did little for morale when they could find no trace.

Lucy, Taurus, and he had gone through the entire list of Natsu’s missions, noted down every criminal that was both alive and not in jail.

Gemini and Virgo had gone after every source of information they could, taking the names and digging deeper.

Capricorn and Cancer’s whiteboard was overflowing with pages, notes and the red string, crisscrossing from one corner to the other.

Aquarius and Scorpio had physically gone after every possible lead; their present return only one of many during the past week.

And Aries and Loke...Mavis knew how far they were digging to find Cobra’s location. The archer would bet his bow that neither had slept more than five hours a day. Probably not even four.

It was frustrating to say the least. All that effort, all that work with minimal results. The only thing they knew for sure was who didn’t have Natsu. Which left only a few thousand other options.

Sagittarius looked over to the couch where his partner had passed out again after Aquarius had stopped yelling her frustration.

He should probably get some sleep too, but his brain was still too wired, the disappointment of yet another failed attempt at finding Lucy’s partner too fresh in his mind.

“I’m going for a walk, moshi moshi.” He told no one in particular.

Aquarius threw a quick “be careful” over her shoulder, taking the brush and conditioner-spray that Cancer offered her.

Sagittarius hummed, slipping out of the door and onto the dark streets waiting. Dawn was maybe an hour away, leaving the city quiet and the rooftops empty as the archer jumped across them.

He had no real plan on where he was going, simply enjoying the fresh breeze on his face. Before he knew it, Sagittarius was standing on the roof across the I.P. precinct that had caused them so much trouble.

It was lively at the hour; cars coming and leaving, some with sirens others incognito. Officers were bustling about behind the lit windows inside, carrying stacks of paper or balancing multiple cups of coffee.

They’d been here already, many times in fact. No one had been here to see Natsu leave the building. The cameras had been wiped, everyone else had been asleep in the neighbourhood.

Still, he stayed for a little while, observing the happenings, finding peace in the organized chaos that was the I.P.

An I.P. car passed by the opposite street, lights flashing and tires screeching as it darted around the corner into the parking lot.

Sagittarius would’ve watched what had the officer behind the wheel in such a hectic state, but something else caught his eye.

The strobe lights had briefly illuminated a dash of yellow outside of a house on the other side of the precinct.

It was bright, cheerful and so very out of place here. And it intrigued Sagittarius.

He walked around the I.P. station via the roofs of surrounding houses until he reached the house that had snagged his attention. Sliding down the house’s drainpipe, Sagittarius saw that the yellow dot belonged to a metal sign attached to the front door.

A bright yellow smiley grinned at him from the sign. Words were written beside it. Words in another language, one that Sagittarius didn’t know.

One word however made him look twice. He quickly fished the phone out of his pocket and snapped a picture of the sign.

When he was done, he grinned right back at the smiley.

Sagittarius darted back the way he’d came, his long legs eating up the distance back to the guild. Mid-stride, he looked at the picture again, at the one word he could partially translate.

‘Videoüberwachung’

 

-----

 

“Well, I’m a little rusty...” Cancer began, squinting at the photo on Sagittarius’ phone.

All guild members -that weren’t actively missing- had assembled in the living room upon hearing the door slam open for the second time in the past hour.

“We could just use a translation app.” Loke drawled. He and Aries had made their first appearance that wasn’t just for coffee since the search had commenced. They were both in official research-gear, meaning sweatpants, hoodies and dark circles under their eyes.

Cancer glared at him. “...I’m fairly certain that this sign says ‘Smile please. Camera Surveillance’, baby.”  

Sagittarius’ smile grew again. “See, moshi moshi?”

“What good is camera footage of a front door?” Aquarius asked him.

“The house is right behind the precinct, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius explained. “Maybe -and this is a big maybe- if the camera has a wide enough range, it could have an angle on the back entrance.”

“You think they parked there?” Lucy asked.

“Possible. With no one there, they could’ve used the front door, but it would be an unnecessary risk, moshi moshi. And anyway,” Sagittarius smiled, “they’d have to drive past this house to even get to the I.P. parking lot.”

“Meaning: if the camera reaches that far, we could get the vehicle’s details.” Virgo said.

Sagittarius nodded. “Assuming they didn’t fly in via helicopter, yes.”

Aquarius nodded. “I’m guessing we’ll need the homeowner’s permission to get to the footage?”

“Technically, we could also break in, but that close to a precinct...maybe not the brightest idea.” Loke yawned.

“We’ll try the legal way first.” Aquarius said. “Cancer and Virgo, you two head over there in a few hours.”

After Loke, Virgo was the handiest with technology in the guild. Surveillance videos would be nothing to her, even without proper access. And since Cancer knew at least snippets of the language and was a master in small talk, he was most likely to get along with the inhabitants of the house with a smiley on the front door.

The two assassins in question nodded their agreement.

Lucy didn’t dare put too much hope into this plan. Even if the people who had picked Natsu up from the precinct hadn’t also wiped the house’s private camera surveillance, the range and quality of the footage had to be good enough to make out anything beyond the front door.

But it was another lead. Something to go on.

 

-----

 

Natsu had to shield his eyes from the sunlight as the guards pushed him into the prison’s courtyard; a dusty bit of semi-even ground, surrounded by chain-link-fences topped with barbed wire.

Plenty of other prisoners stood, sat or jogged about in little groups, all pausing in their activities to look at the newcomer.

The guards left him, taking up position with their colleagues; spread around the yard and keeping a somewhat attentive eye on the happenings.

A man with the muscles of Taurus and the height of Metalicana separated from his group, stalking over to Natsu with all the elegance of an elephant and the friendly demeanor of a charging bull.

Before the teen could think of a way to avoid conflict, the man’s eyes caught on Natsu’s shoulder, specifically the golden paint decorating it. He took one look and turned right back around to his friends, muttering something that sounded like “nope-nope-nope”.

Natsu looked at the emblem. The gold of Lucy’s star and key shone in the light, lifting his spirits with its soft glow. For a moment, he let himself enjoy the sunshine he’d been lacking for so long, smiling into the sky.

He remembered his plan. To make a plan of escape. But for that, he’d need more information.

Natsu scanned the yard, onyx eyes passing over the established groups, spotting a lone figure sitting against the fence. Everyone else had made a wide berth around the man, backs turned to him as if denying his very presence.

That might be a good start.

Trying to appear casual, Natsu walked over to the blue-haired man who had his face turned to the sun as well, enjoying its warmth.

“Hi.” Natsu started, not quite sure how else to address a fellow inmate.

The man opened one eye framed by a red emblem beneath his blue bangs. He was maybe a few years older than Natsu.

“Hello.” He responded calmly, looking Natsu up and down. “You must be the reason they”, he gestured subtly to the guards, “have been increasing in number.”

Natsu shrugged in what should look like nonchalance, not wanting to give away anything. “Maybe.”

The man snorted at his answer, his amused expression quickly turning into one of pain as he clutched his side.

“You okay?” Natsu crouched down beside him, wishing he had his first-aid-kit.

“No.”

Natsu didn’t know how to respond to that. It’s not like he could offer any help.

The man saw his puzzled expression, deciding to offer an explanation: “Being the brother of a council member doesn’t get you a lot of compassion here.” Again, a subtle gesture towards the guards.

“Your brother is in the Assassin Council?!” Natsu asked, sitting down beside the bluenette.

“Yeah.” He responded, the pain from his bruised side finally subsiding enough to sit upright again.

So, this man had to be an assassin as well, a fact that had Natsu’s caution sinking around him. Maybe the red emblem was from his own guild.

“Can’t he get you out?” He questioned. Council members were some of the highest ranking assassins with the loyalty and the resources of every legal guild behind them.

But the man beside him shook his head. “They move me around a lot. And always on a second’s notice.”

Constantly being moved around in the armored vehicles. Natsu’s stomach gave a lurch at the blurry memory alone. But the bluenette’s answer brought up another question in Natsu’s mind. One he tried to subtly slide into the conversation.

“So...you haven’t been here long?”

“Sorry kid”, he closed his eyes again, soaking in the sun, “no perfectly crafted escape-plan from me.”

Natsu slumped in disappointment. His intentions must’ve been obvious, but he’d still hoped the lone prisoner might be working on something that could help him.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, only the chatter of the others and the gentle crashing of waves from down below disturbing the silence.

“But I know they’ll come for me.”

Natsu jumped when the man spoke up again.

“The Council?” He asked in confusion.

“No. My brothers. They’ll come. Mystie is undercover in another country right now. It’ll be hard to contact him. But Siegrain will and they’ll get me out. No matter where they try to hide me. Cause that’s what family does.”

He spoke with such certainty that Natsu expected the two brothers to show up right this instant. It made him think of the doubts Lahar had managed to implant in his mind, no matter how much the pinkette tried to ignore them.

“Mine thinks I’m dead.” He admitted quietly, needing to get it off his chest. And since the two were in a semi-similar situation, the man beside him was his best option. Natsu turned so that he could see the emblem on his shoulder.

“The Celestials?!” The other exclaimed surprised.

“Yeah.”

He mused for a while. “I never heard of the knights getting one from your guild.”

“Actually, Taurus once let them catch him, so he could bust out an informant.” Natsu replied.

Interest shone behind the blue bangs. “How’d he do it?”

“Punched his way through a wall.” Natsu said casually, recalling the scars Taurus had proudly showed him beneath the wrappings on his knuckles. “He claims it wasn’t built well anyway. And his partner was waiting for him on the other side.” The word ‘partner’ had him clearing his throat.

The other inmate gave a low whistle. “That sounds like a story worthy of the Celestial name.”

There was another moment of silence, but Natsu expected the other man to break it again. It seemed like he hadn’t gotten to talk to anyone in too long. Only the topic surprised him.

“I’m here so they can blackmail may brother in the council.” He started.

Natsu looked at him. “Is it working?”

The bluenette chuckled again, careful to not rattle his ribs too much. “By Mavis, no. Siegrain isn’t the type who gives into threats. Or negotiates. He knows I can handle myself.-”

Natsu noted the bruises and scrapes on the man’s skin with a questioning glance but didn’t say anything.

“-But, I’m wondering why you’re here, if your nakama think you’re dead.” Curiosity laced the indirect question and Natsu sighed deeply.

“They want information on my guild.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “And seeing you out here, I’m guessing you gave them what they wanted.” Natsu didn’t miss the accusation in that.

“I gave them answers to their questions.-”

A blue eyebrow rose at his tone.

“-I never said they were the right ones.” Natsu’s pride straightened his spine at the notion that he might betray his family like that. Only when he said it, did he realize that he’d just given the bluenette ammunition he might use against him.

But the other man merely laughed, holding his side beforehand until one guard shot them a suspicious look.

“Lets hope whoever asked never finds that out.” He whispered when the guard had turned her back on them again.

“Yeah.” Natsu said quietly.

The older man had closed his eyes again, but something was bugging Natsu, something he hadn’t been able to share with anyone.

“I don’t know if they’ll come.” He blurted it out like a shameful secret.

The bluenette looked at him, surprised that he’d broken the silence first.

“My nakama, I mean...they don’t know I’m alive, so how would they know to look for me here...” He hated that Cobra’s words were still haunting him and that Lahar’s repetition of them had only strengthened their hold in his mind. But they were right. Why would Lucy look for a ghost? Why wouldn’t she follow the trail Cobra had laid out so meticulously?

“You shouldn’t worry about that.” The man beside him said calmly.

“Why not?” Irritation at the simple dismissal of his worries seeped into Natsu’s voice.

“I’ve seen plenty of fake deaths. Faked my own briefly. Included a tower, an explosion and an improvised exit off the balcony with my friend.”

Natsu didn’t know how that was supposed to help him but kept quiet.

“Point is: my brothers didn’t believe for a second I was gone.” The bluenette concluded.

“How?” Was all Natsu could think to ask.

“They saw the faults in it. The explosion I’d had to improvise, my friend’s miraculous survival, the conveniently deep ocean right beneath... They pieced it together before I could even let them know I was alright.”

“But my nakama don’t have that!” Natsu said urgently, trying to make the other man understand. “There’s no fault.”

“There’s always one string that can unravel everything. No plan is perfect. There will be one detail, one witness, one trail that will throw everything into question.”

Natsu hugged his legs to his chest. “They saw my dead body.” He whispered, trying to get the images of that encounter that his imagination kept procuring out of his head.

The bluenette blinked at him. “You...have a twin?”

“No.”

He stared at Natsu for a while longer before shaking his head. “Even so; there will be one string. And I’m sure your nakama will find it.”

Natsu envied the man for that certainty that was always in his voice when he spoke. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because that’s what family does.” He offered Natsu a reassuring smile. “I found one very obvious fault already.”

“Oh yeah?”

He hummed. “You’re here. Alive. That means no murderer.”

Natsu frowned. “I guess... But that just means that they’re chasing an imaginary person.” Somehow distancing himself from his own situation brought it all into clearer perspective for him. Talking more hypothetically made it easier to keep the fear at bay.

“The Celestials didn’t get their reputation by chasing dead-ends.” His conversation-partner countered. “They’ll know something’s off when they don’t find that imaginary someone soon enough.”

“Maybe...” Although the logic was sound, Natsu couldn’t quite get himself to be as confident as the man beside him.

And the bluenette knew it. “Think about it,” he started, “if the roles were reversed, I mean, if your partner was in your shoes-”

He’d seen the double-emblem. The man knew Natsu had a partner, and every assassin knew what that meant.

Natsu couldn’t suppress a shiver at the unwanted image that popped up in his mind: Lucy dead. He...Mavis, he didn’t know what he’d do.

“-then wouldn’t you do everything to find the person or people who killed them?”

He would. Natsu definitely would.

“And you wouldn’t just stop after coming to a dead-end, would you?” He looked at the younger assassin.

“No.” Natsu said quietly.

“Exactly. They won’t stop looking for you either. Because family doesn’t stop.”

And somehow, the words from the stranger worked. He made it seem so obvious that Natsu would be found, just like Lahar had confidently proclaimed the contrary. Natsu’s worries weren’t fully gone, but everything he’d said...it made sense to the teen.

He was alive. There was no murderer. Cobra said nothing about a fool-proof scapegoat, since there wasn’t enough money in Fiore to bribe someone into being an open target for the Celestials. There would be no body either. His nakama would notice this, wouldn’t they? And once they started digging...

They were a guild of eleven people strong. They had members that could hack, infiltrate, impersonate and investigate on top-tier level. Why wouldn’t they find a fault?

But how would they connect it to the knights?

Natsu shook that thought from his mind for now.

“You put a lot of trust in family.” He said instead.

The bluenette shrugged. “If you can’t believe in that, what can you believe in?”

“I guess.” Natsu answered quietly.

A shrill bell rung, interrupting both men in their thoughts of home.

“Looks like it’s time to head back inside.” The older assassin said, slowly pushing away from the fence.

Natsu carefully put one of his arms across his shoulder, gently helping his new friend to his feet.

They walked to the center of the courtyard where everyone was lining up.

“I’m Natsu, by the way.” He realized he hadn’t once introduced himself.

The man beside him smiled. “I’m Jellal.”

They paused in the center of the court with all the others.

“Do you think we’ll see each other again?” Natsu asked. He’d just met Jellal, but he liked him. He was comforting in a nothing-can-phase-me kind of way.

“I somehow highly doubt that.” Jellal answered.

Two guards separated themselves from a group and headed straight for them.

“Are you going to be okay?”

Jellal followed his line of sight. He shrugged. “I’m more worried about my brothers’ lecture on getting caught. It’ll be a long time before I live this down.”

He took a step away from Natsu, but one of the guards still grabbed his arm roughly to drag him away.

Natsu would’ve liked nothing more at that moment than to shove that guy, but he and Jellal were a little outnumbered here.

The bluenette looked over his shoulder at Natsu as he walked away.

“Good luck, Natsu of the Celestials.” He called with a smile.

No one had called him that before, he realized. He’d always been ‘Natsu of the Dragons’.

But everyone in the yard had heard that name. And no one looked at him twice or even tried to bother him.

Natsu thanked Jellal silently, wishing him well for the future.

If he could be positive in his situation, Natsu could be too.

 

-----

 

Virgo knocked on the door, just above the metal sign that Sagittarius had spotted. Cancer stood beside her, the bustle of the I.P. station behind them.

It took a few moments but eventually they heard the shuffling of feet and the door opened. An elderly man, maybe Gemini’s year, stood before them, his lumberjack-figure still visible beneath the knitted cardigan.

“Yes? Can I help you?” He asked the two, his accent drawing out the y.

“Good day, sir.” Cancer started, relieved that the homeowner spoke their language. “My name is Cancer, this is Virgo,” the pinkette gave a little curtsey, “and we would like to ask you some questions about your security camera-”

“It’s legal!” The old man immediately said. “I checked in ze record of the surveillance laws and in paragraph 15 it clearly states zat-”

“No, no,” Cancer waved his hands, “we’re not here about that.”

The man rose a suspicious eyebrow at them.

“We’d like to take a look at the recordings, if you would be so kind as to let us.”

“Look for what?” He asked.

“A specific vehicle.”

“Why?”

Virgo jumped in before Cancer could answer. “Because we believe the owner of the vehicle took a friend of ours.”

The senior looked surprised at the seriousness that came with the statement.

“He’s a good kid.” Cancer said. “And we want him back safe and sound. Your camera might’ve recorded something important.”

The man seemed to think for a moment. Then shrugged his shoulders. “I do not see why not. If it’s for a good cause.” He gestured for them to come inside.

“Thank you so much, ba- sir.” Cancer said.

“We have ze video-stuff on ze computer.” The man led them to a small office with a large-screen laptop on the desk. Virgo immediately went at it.

“Are you detectives?” The old man asked Cancer.

“No, not detectives. More like...private investigators.”

The curiosity of the homeowner had clearly been drawn, but before he could ask something else, a loud, feminine voice coming from somewhere upstairs yelled:

“WHO WAS ZAT?”

“INVESTIGATORS!” The man yelled back.

“INVESTIGATING WHAT?”

“OUR VIDEOCAMERA!”

“DID I NOT SAY IT?!” The voice from upstairs sighed loudly. “WE SHOULD’VE ASKED FOR A PERMIT.”

“NO, NO, LIEBES. THE CAMERA IS FINE. ALL LEGAL.”

An unsatisfied muttering was audible.

Cancer rubbed his ear subtly. “So, how long have you lived in Crocus?”

“A few months.” The old man replied, scratching the beard that circled his mouth. “We like ze -how do you say- ‘hubbub’ of ze big city. Very lively.”

“That’s...one way of putting it.” Cancer said with a smile.

The man nodded. “Found zis place for very cheap. Close to ze police, always good, you know?”

Cancer was sure he would’ve been driven insane by the near constant sirens from next-door after a few days, but he still nodded.

“We looked at other place near ze other police, but my wife didn’t like dem as much.”

Other police... “The knights?”

“No, we looked at it during ze day.”

Cancer blinked. “No, I mean the other police, they’re the knights, right?”

“I’m sure zey work at night too.”

“No,” Cancer took a deep breath, “they’re called the k-nights.”

“Ah, the Knights.” The man said happily. “Yes, zose ones.”

“It is best to stay away from them.” Cancer said.

“Oh?” The senior asked curiously.

“They...aren’t exactly reliable. Or trustworthy. Or too friendly.” Cancer tried to explain. Because really, how do you explain the system of corruption in Crocus to someone who’d just bought a house here?

“DID YOU HEAR ZAT, LIEBES?” The man suddenly yelled again, making Cancer jump back.

“HEAR WHAT?” Came the same voice as before.

“YOU WERE RIGHT ABOUT ZE KNIGHTS!”

“ZE WHO?”

“ZOSE OTHER POLICE OFFICERS. WIF ZE WEIRD HATS.”

“DID I NOT SAY IT?” The triumphant voice asked. “ZERE IS SOMET’ING FISHY ABOUT ZEM!”

“She has a very good sense for such t’ings.” The man said to Cancer.

And yet they still willingly moved to Crocus. But he bit back that response.

“I found something!” Virgo said from her spot on the large armchair in front of the computer.

Cancer was by her side in a flash, as was the owner of the computer.

“What is it?”

“Did you find your friend?”

“Aquarius, Scorpio and Lucy arrived here,” Virgo said, freezing the image as their guild’s van drove past the camera.

It just barely caught sight of the street, but it was enough. Cancer thanked Mavis for this bit of luck.

“...and here they drive away again.” Virgo continued, skipping forwards a good half an hour.

“Your friend, ze kid?” The old man asked.

“No, our...other friends.” Cancer answered.

“Zey were wif your friend?”

“…indirectly, yes... It’s kinda difficult to explain.” Cancer said with an apologetic smile. He couldn’t explain all that. He didn’t even know all the details himself!

“And now, we wait.” Virgo declared. The video went on fast-forward, only detectable by the streaks of rain blurring the image.

Three pairs of eyes watched transfixed.

An hour after their van had left.

“If your friend is in trouble,” the old man whispered, mindful of the tension in his office, “would it not be clever to tell ze police?”

“Well...in normal cases, yes. But this is a little more...” Cancer struggled to find the right word.

“Personal.” Virgo finished for him.

“Ah,” the senior nodded, “ze good old vigilante justice.”

“I wouldn’t call it vigilante.” Cancer said.

“Wouldn’t you?”

Cancer opened his mouth but closed it again. Yeah, okay - they were pretty much the definition of vigilantes, but at least they had rules.

“Here!” Virgo slammed the space bar. The image froze.

Cancer adjusted his glasses. Between the blurred lines of rain was another vehicle. It was quite large for a city car but could’ve easily fit in with everyday traffic.

“Ze bad guys?” The homeowner asked.

“Maybe.” Virgo mumbled, working on enlarging the image.

The car parked in front of the back doors of the precinct. The angle didn’t reach that far, so they could see no one enter of leave, but the car stood still.

“Can you get the plates?” Cancer whispered.

“The rain is blurring it.” Virgo said in a cool voice.

She had to freeze and unfreeze in rapid succession in order to find one shot where they got a clear line of sight.

“There!” He shouted, just as Virgo froze the screen again.

Pixelated, but clear enough for recognition.

“We got the plates.” Virgo stated.

“We got the plates!” Cancer yelled, jumping up and punching the air.

Calm and collected could come later! They had a lead!

Virgo’s eyes shone with victory. “I’ll send it to Loke.”

The senior watched them with a fond smile and a shake of the head.

“WHAT’S HAPPENING, SCHATZ?” The voice from upstairs shouted down.

“YOUTHS AND ZEIR TECHNOLOGY.” The man yelled back.

“DID ZEY FIND SOMET’HING?”

“YES; PLATES.”

“ALL ZIS YELLING ABOUT CROCKERY?”

“NO NO, LIEBES – ZE PLATES ON CARS.”

“STRANGE YOUTHS.” The woman muttered.

Virgo rose from the chair. “We should get going.”

Cancer grinned at her. “Let’s get back to the guild.”

The old man walked them to the door.

“Thank you so much for letting us look at the footage, sir.” Virgo said to him.

“No problem at all.” The man waved it off. “I hope you find your friend quickly.”

“So do we.” Cancer smiled at him as they walked towards the I.P. precinct on their way back home.

“Can you believe our luck?” He asked Virgo as they walked around the building.

She looked up at him.

“If that sign hadn’t been from a foreign company, whoever took Natsu would’ve noticed it too.”

“And as a direct consequence have destroyed the camera. And thereby the evidence.” Virgo continued.

“Exactly.”

“We deserve a little luck.” She said.

“Definitely.” He agreed. “Just don’t tell Capricorn. Or we’ll hear his speech on-”

“The Fabricated Concept of Luck.” She gave a subtle Virgo-smile.

“Yeah. Again.”

Notes:

Not much action in this one, but I have to move the plot along somehow.

Yes, Jellal, Siegrain and Mystogan will be triplets in this AU. And will make an appearance muuuuuch later on (spoiler warning).

Also, the 'foreign' words that pop up in this chapter are just German. As is the accent. I have heard enough German accents to know that 'th' turns into 'z', 'd' or 't'. And that a silent-k doesn't exist.

Also also, "Liebes" and "Schatz" are German nicknames for loved ones meaning "dear / love" and "treasure" respectively. Don't say fanfics never taught you anything :)

Chapter 27: "The Knights?", "The Knights.", "The Knights!"

“THE KNIGHTS?!”

The yell could be heard all the way down the street.

Neighbors carefully peaked out of their windows, the odd passerby looked around in confusion, nearby pigeons took to the sky in fright.

Loke rubbed his ear. “Looks like it.”

The whole guild had squeezed around the coffee table in the living room as Loke had done his thing and had followed the car via its license plate from the nearest security camera to the next.

It had taken him a good while and although he had reminded his nakama of that fact -multiple times- they’d still not stopped watching his every move in front of the laptop. Because that wasn’t annoying or anything.

He'd lost the vehicle many times thanks to the few available cameras stationed around Crocus. But eventually, he’d gotten a look at the car through a low-quality traffic-camera, heading into a crumbling parking garage.

The guild had been certain they’d lost it for sure, Aquarius and Scorpio had been ready to head over there at once. That was until a much larger van left the same building only ten minutes later, barely visible in the dark pixels that made up the footage.

He'd the repeated the procedure, just this time tracking the dark van as best as he could.   

And just before it had reached the highway with no further cameras and methods of following the vehicle virtually, Loke had managed to capture one decent shot from a shop’s security camera.

It wasn’t just a large van.

It was armored. With no plates at all.

“The knights?” Gemini asked startled, woken up by the previous yell.

“The knights.” Loke confirmed. The I.P. didn’t have such equipment at their disposal. And the absence of plates was a classic Rune Knight schtick.

“The knights!” Aquarius shouted again. “I knew that Cobra was a spineless coward, but THIS – working with the knights?! That is a whole new low!”

Loke hummed an agreement. He still hadn’t found Cobra. The bastard was off the grid and determined to keep it that way. But he was closing in, he knew it.

But that was all secondary.

Primary focus was Natsu.

Aquarius cursed again. “This complicates things.”

The room contemplated.

“He could be anywhere!” Lucy spoke first.

Happy meowed in concern.

“We were working under the assumption that the identity of the third party is directly linked with Natsu’s location.” Capricorn gave a tired sigh.

“But knights have hide-outs everywhere. And prisons and headquarters and offices and Mavis-knows-what.” Aries mumbled.

“Doesn’t matter.” The attention went to Scorpio. “We carry on like before. Eliminate options until we find him.”

“Except now, the ‘options’ are either strongly guarded, hidden or both.” Gemini rubbed his eyes with the balls of his hands.

“It will require a great deal of caution and planning, yes.” Capricorn confirmed.

Loke clapped his hands together. “Doesn’t matter.” He echoed Scorpio. “They were heading west on the highway. Given their vehicle change, I doubt they doubled back. That already narrows it down.”

“To the western half of Fiore.” Lucy said.

“A bit more than that actually.” Loke pulled up a map of Fiore on his laptop. “We can forget anything east of Crocus,” he cropped the map down the middle, “and for anything above Oak Town they would’ve used another route,” he cut off another part of the map, “I doubt they could get through the thick of Phoenix Mountains with that truck, which leaves us with...” Loke turned the screen around to them.

“Still a pretty big areaaaaa.” Taurus said.

“True.” Loke shrugged. “But smaller than before.”

It left them with the mid-western part of Fiore. Lots of towns of all sizes, large expanses of land, the northern part of a mountain range, the coast, ...

Yes, it was a sizable portion. But nothing they couldn’t handle. Loke told himself so.

Gemini hummed. “What else can we leave out?”

“They’d need high security.” Lucy added. “Natsu wouldn’t just play along. He’d be looking for a way to escape.”

“And given that he hasn’t yet, moshi moshi...”

“We can assume he’s somewhere with very good security.” Virgo nodded.

“Meaning we can forget about any hidden bases they’ve got, baby. If it’s supposed to stay hidden, they can’t have a ton of guards or walls.”

“Also big cities.” Lucy considered. “If they want to keep him hidden, they wouldn’t risk a spot with a lot of people around, would they?”

“Good thought, Princess.” Loke said. He crossed larger towns off the map. “If we manage to track that same van, we will have a much smaller field.”

Aquarius nodded. “Virgo, you get on that. Loke, you continue with Cobra and Midnight.”

“What about the rest of us?” Lucy asked.

“Try to research knight HQs and prisons in that area?” Aquarius suggested.

Cancer raised an eyebrow. “Is that efficient, baby?”

“Not really, no.” Aquarius sighed. “But it’s either that or sit and wait for Virgo to find something.”

Gemini patted his partner’s shoulder. “No pressure, Virgo dear.”

There was an unhappy grumbling noise that came either from Happy or Lucy.

“It’s the best we can do right now, Princess.” Loke said.

“I know, I know.” The blonde ran her fingers through Happy’s fur. “I just wish there was something I could do.”

“Start by resting up.” Aquarius ordered. “Everyone. If it all goes well, we’ll have a break-out mission soon. And I want no sluggish assassins then!”

“Yes, ma’am.” They chorused.

 

-----

 

Lucy did try to rest. Briefly.

But after five unsuccessful minutes, she took to pacing around the round, fluffy carpet instead.

Plue, who was in the center of the same carpet spun around with her to keep the blonde in his field of vision. Happy watched from her bed.

“The knights.” Lucy mumbled to no one.

What could they want from Natsu?

Why all the mystery and effort to keep him hidden?

Why work with illegal assassins of all people?!

Because they could get the job done. Evidently.

Yes, they got behind the plot. But she didn’t know his location. And what was the point if they couldn’t find Natsu?

“A prison is most likely, right?” She turned to Happy.

“Me-aye-ow.”

Lucy nodded. “Best security there, no one questions another person, no visitors, no chance of anyone seeing him...”

Her nakama knew this too. But they shouldn’t leave out any other options.

“There are a lot of knight prisons.” Lucy admitted to the feline. Even in just the section of Fiore that Loke had narrowed it down to.

“We can’t storm all of them.”

Could they even storm one? With the knights on alert? Or would they be? They were sure the Celestials thought Natsu was dead, so...

“We got the element of surprise.” Lucy said the last part of her thought out loud, coming to a stop in front of her desk.

Happy meowed in interest, Plue tipped over, dizzy after all the spinning.

“The knights don’t know we know.” Lucy said. “They won’t expect us.”

“Meow?”

“True, we don’t know where to go, but...”

“Meow?!”

“But we will eventually. Virgo and Gemini can track anyone. Plus, Loke can find anything online. We’ll find him!”

“Meow?”

“No, we can’t help with that.” Aquarius’ warning about going out on her own stuck with Lucy. Her nakama shouldn’t have to worry about her.

“However...”

“Meow?!”

“Prisons get no visitors.” Lucy whispered to herself, taking a seat in front of her laptop. “Not unless you’re a lawyer or bribed your way in or...”

The digital version of a newspaper appeared on her screen. A report from some months ago, speaking of the knights’ definitely humane and fair trial system, including multiple shots of a prison. From the inside.

“We can’t do anything about finding him.” Lucy turned to Happy. “But we can prepare for getting to him.”

If they did have to break Natsu out of a high-security facility, it would be best to have someone on the inside.

Lucy started researching colleges and majors, creating a new profile on the most prominent social media platforms.

Aquarius didn’t have to know about this yet. But it felt good to be doing something productive.

 

-----

 

Virgo aimed to please.

She knew perfectly well that she was a so-called “people pleaser”. Making people happy had always felt like her duty and ever since she found the group of assassins that deserved all her love and subtle affection, she’d been happy too.

Which is why it nagged her horribly when she couldn’t accomplish a task that would benefit everyone she cared for.

Virgo growled quietly into the stillness of her room.

She’d tried Loke’s method of tracking the armored van via cameras. Problem was: the western part of Fiore consisted mostly of smaller towns with wide stretches of grassland between them, solely connected by roads and railways.

Country roads and small-town train stations didn’t have security cameras.

Bigger problem: ever since she lost the van on the highway, there was no guarantee that any van from the knights she spotted would be the right one. They were identical. Probably for that very reason.

Virgo rested her chin on the back of her hands, staring at the monitor.

Perhaps if she could get into the knights’ video cameras from their headquarters and prisons... But that would take far too long. And what were the odds that she’d spot the familiar pink head of hair in one of them?

Still, it was the best idea she had at the moment.

Virgo cracker her knuckled and began typing commands.

 

-----

 

Aries stretched in her seat, a satisfying series of cracks sounding from her spine.

They almost had them.

Midnight and Cobra were good at hiding. They’d been avoiding knights, assassins and the council for years.

But Loke was very good at tracking. Perhaps not in person, as he always managed to land himself in a situation where he stood in direct limelight. But in the world of recordings, search histories and online receipts? He was unstoppable.

There had been no sign of them in Crocus, no bus stop or train station had any records of them purchasing tickets, no one had reported anything about two illegal assassins on the prowl.

The conclusion: they’d escaped Crocus through the forest that could lead them anywhere.

It had felt like a defeat. No cameras there.

But Loke wasn’t one to give in easily.

“However Cobra did it, it took planning. And planning means focus. And focus means time-investment. And time-investment means-”

“Leo, please get to the point.”

“...I’m betting he’s short on cash. He’ll need a job soon.”

Which is how Loke got to checking for requests in the area east of Crocus, across little towns bordering the forest.

Illegal assassins used a ‘dark’ version of their job-website. No one had managed to pinpoint it, nor hack it.

So, they had simply looked for complaints on the internet about xy that had suddenly stopped during the past few weeks and were in the estimated area.

And they had found it. A large-scale farmer had posted several complaints about his neighboring, even-larger-scale farmer using up all the groundwater.

Those posts had stopped very suddenly.

An accompanying newspaper article had a small notice about a ‘gas leak’ in an old farmhouse.

“That was definitely him.” Loke said.

They’d gotten far too familiar with the man’s work during their search.

“But where are they now?”

“I’m guessing not far. This article is only a few days old.”

“The farmhouse is right on the edge of the woods.”

“Meaning they’re still there?”

“Camping out for days?”

Loke pondered. “What if they found a hideout? There are villages in the forest.”

“Maybe. I’ll look up if there are any in the area.”

“I’ll try to calculate how far they could’ve gotten on foot from the farm in the past days.”

Aries began looking up nearby villages hidden in the thick of the forest. And after only a few minutes, stumbled across something interesting.

“Loke...”

“Hm?”

“I think I found something.”

 

-----

 

Midnight didn’t mind their temporary new home too much. They’d found a little ghost town somewhere between Crocus and Oshibana, deep in the forest. Its location had made it too perceptible to passing criminals and out of reach of major I.P. forces, pushing the residents out one by one until only critters and boars regularly visited this place.

The buildings were in decent enough condition, even without electricity.

Midnight sunk further into a couch with just a few questionable stains, watching his laptop charge on the solar-power-bank.

They were here because of a job a few miles away. Cobra had tried to hand Lahar the bill for all the equipment he’d needed to subdue the dragon-kid, but shockingly the knight had barely suppressed a smile.

Cobra had then proceeded to flip the captain off and call him a range of creative names. Midnight had dragged his oldest friend out of there before Lahar could make good on his threat to arrest Cobra too.

He hadn’t felt like cleaning up a bloodbath.

Now, the plan was to lie low, pray to Zeref that everything worked out and catch up on some naptime. The latter more for himself since his insomnia had been acting up with all the stress.

Midnight closed his eyes, sinking further into the couch in his sitting position. Lying down was too risky, it was one of the first lessons he’d learned in his life. This way he could be up in half a second.

Although, it was unnecessary here, he contemplated. They were in the middle of nowhere and Cobra and Cubellios were downstairs in the same house. No one could get him here. Still, old habits and all.

He was about to drift off, the room blurring in his vision when-

BEEP BEEP

Midnight was across the room in the blink of an eye, standing in front of his charging laptop.

He’d set up a digital alarm of sorts, to know if anyone was following them. Yes, Cobra’s plan was good -masterful even- but he’d still felt safer with it.

And just now, someone had looked up their exact location; the ghost town deep in the forest.

He cursed, working on retracting the signal. Maybe it was a coincidence. Maybe some poor kid had to research this place for some lame presentation on the long-term effects of crime in Fiore. Or maybe some I.P.-intern was looking up the failure that this little town represented. Hell, maybe someone had just typed in the wrong name.

The system buffered, pinging from different cell towers.

Midnight was by no means a ‘computer-whizz’, but between himself, Cubellios and Cobra, he was their best shot at keeping their digital footprint hidden. With Cubellios as a close second, since Cobra tended to either dismantle a laptop for parts or to spill vast amounts of chemicals over the keypad.

He'd narrowed it down to Crocus.

Alright, no need to panic. The highest concentration of people was there after all.

The program did its thing with the efficiency that only technology possessed but it still felt like snail’s pace to Midnight.

When it honed in on the northern side, he started having trouble suppressing the growing panic.

The system stopped when it reached a radius of four cell-towers. Whoever was searching for this town was hiding their signal, making it impossible to pinpoint their exact location.

But it didn’t matter. Because Midnight knew what he was looking for.

Among others, ‘Royal Garden’s Street’ had access to all four of the towers.

That was too much to be a coincidence.

Zeref clearly hadn’t been listening.

“We have a huge problem!” Midnight stated, sliding down the ladder into the main part of the house.

Cobra looked up from the book he was reading and Cubellios lifted her head from the sunny spot on the windowsill.

“What is it?” His oldest friend asked.

“They know.”

“Who knows what?”

“You know who knows what.”

Cobra looked at him for a second then slammed his book down. “Shit!”

“Exactly.”

“How?”

“I don’t know how. I just know that someone around their guild looked up this spot.”

“Shit!”

“Yeah.”

Cobra began to pace. “That means they know we’re involved.”

“Most definitely.”

“And where we are.”

“Mmm.”

“How?!” Cobra asked again. “I swear, if that knight blabbed, I will hide Cubellios in his briefcase!”

Midnight watched him walk up and down the length of the living space. Cobra’s shoulders were tense, his anger hiding the gnawing worry poorly.

The Celestials were like...like a huge hydra with eleven heads. Sure, they saw everything in a 360° radius, but if you stayed low enough there was a chance, you’d slip their radar. By getting involved with Racer’s killer and the knights, Cobra and Midnight had basically turned a spotlight on themselves. Now they had the attention of all eleven hydra-heads on them.  

Cobra’s posture suddenly sagged. “I’m sorry, McBeth.”

Midnight blinked. “For what?”

“For dragging you into this.”

The assassin rolled his eyes. “You didn’t drag me into anything, Erik. I invited myself in, remember?”

“Because I was going up against one of them.”

“I would’ve insisted, even if the knight hadn’t showed up on my doorstep.”

“You wouldn’t have known if Lahar hadn’t shown up!”

Midnight shrugged. “Maybe. But I would’ve been pissed that you tried something like this by yourself.”

Cobra ran a tired hand down his face. “What are we going to do?”

Midnight walked up to him, placing a hand on his friend’s arm. “Two options as always.”

Cobra hummed. “Fight or Flight?”

“We could run again. Run and hide. But if they found us once...” Midnight began.

“They’ll find us again.” Cobra finished. “So, fight then. But we can’t win against them.”

Midnight had to think. “Consider this,” he started, “what will be their priority? Revenge on us or the dragon-kid’s safety?”

“Definitely the dragon.”

“Exactly. They’ll go for him first.”

“But would they risk us running again?”

Midnight squinted out the cracked window, trying to predict the Celestials’ next move. With ‘good-hearted people’, it was usually terrifyingly easy.

“They will either get the kid first, or they will split up.” Midnight decided.

“So what?!” Cobra began to pace again. “We can’t beat half of them and not all of them at a later date!”

“No, we can’t.” Midnight agreed, a smile curling his lips. “But it will give us time.”

“Time for what? Write our last will and testament?”

“No, Erik. To call for backup.”

Cobra stared at him, finally realizing what he was playing at.

“No.”

“No what?”

“You know what!”

“Why no?”

“I’m not dragging more people into this!”

“We made a promise, Erik...”

“Oh, don’t start-”

“...to not be idiots and take on the world alone. We agreed to call each other when we need.”

“It was a stupid promise.”

“We made it with you in mind, you know.”

Cobra glared at him. Midnight stared back, one eyebrow raised.

“They could get hurt.”

“Oh yes, that’ll scare them off.”

Cobra’s glare hardened. But after spending most of his life with him, Midnight was immune against it.

“How about this,” Midnight started, because he had to get somewhere, “we ask them if they want to get involved. No guilt-trips about promises, no ‘pretty-please’. Just a question?”

“You know they’ll come either way.”

“True. But with them, we have a chance, Erik.”

Cobra grunted.

“Either stand and fight as four or run for the rest of our predictably short lives.”

Cobra finally took his sharp eyes off him, looking over at Cubellios as if she had the right answer.

The snake merely stuck her tongue out at them, curling further in on herself.

“Fine!” Cobra gritted his teeth. “I’ll call them.”

Midnight smiled. “Thank you. Was that so hard?”

Cobra merely flipped him off as he walked away to get his phone.

Midnight looked out the window. He didn’t know how much time they had to prepare. And he definitely didn’t know if they had a fair chance.

Maybe Zeref could be a little kind this time and only send a few Celestials after them.

A few they could handle.  

 

-----

 

“Virgo dear?” Gemini knocked against the light pink door across from his. “I haven’t seen you all day. Everything alright?”

Two days ago, Aquarius had given his partner the job of searching for that one truck. As good as impossible, in his opinion, but Virgo -of course- took it like a challenge.

And that was the last time anyone had seen her.

Loke and Aries had trampled down the stairs hours previously, yelling that they found Cobra’s hideout.

Aquarius’ eyes had gleamed at that, but everyone had agreed that they’d find Natsu first and then go after the two Oracion Seis members.

Even with all noise, Virgo hadn’t appeared as she usually did. That was reason for him to worry.

A grumbled answer sounded through the door that Gemini couldn’t make out.

“What was that?” He called louder.

Incohesive answer again.

“I’ll just come in, alright?” He opened the door and stepped inside.

Everything was as it usually way: in uniform condition. The bed was made with military precision, her books and maps stored away in alphabetical order, not one bit of dust floating about.

The only thing that didn’t fit into the orderly room was Virgo herself.

Gemini sighed quietly. He should’ve known.

Virgo was hunched over her laptop, her usual upright posture sagging, her bright eyes dull and red.

“Virgo!” Gemini said, standing beside her chair.

His partner looked at him. “Good morning, Gemini.”

“It’s evening.”

Virgo blinked slowly at him then turned her head to look at the timestamp on her screen.

“So it is.”

Gemini clasped his hands together. “Please don’t tell me you’ve been up all this time.”

Virgo pondered. “I don’t recall sleeping or napping.”

Gemini sighed. Then noticed something. Or -more precisely- the lack thereof.

“Have you eaten today?” He asked. There were no plates or cups on her desk.

Virgo considered again. “I believe I had a snack at...”

Gemini didn’t let her think of the answer. “Alright, that’s it for today.” He pulled her chair away from her desk, earning himself an indignant squeak from the pinkette. “You need food. And sleep. In that order.”

“Gemini, I’m fine.” Virgo said, not getting up.

Her partner began pushing her chair towards her ensuite bathroom. “Mhm. What happens when we stay up too long?”

Virgo sighed. “It interferes with memory, focus, reflexes and vision.”

“Mhm. And what happens when we don’t eat?”

Virgo rolled her eyes. “Low blood sugar, resulting in fatigue, confusion and irritation.”

Capricorn would be proud.

“Exactly. So, what should we all do?”

“Eat and sleep.” Virgo grumbled.

“And what haven’t you been doing?” Gemini bit back a smile.

“Alright, alright.” Virgo said, getting up from her seat. “I don’t recall you asking Loke about the side-effects of sleep deprivation and lack of nourishment.”

“Loke is a lost cause.” Gemini said. “And he has Aries to keep him alive. You got me.”

Virgo mumbled something that was between annoyance and appreciation. A rare combination.

“Come on”, he said, nudging her to the door, “you get ready for bed, I’ll make you something to eat.”

“You don’t have to-” Virgo started but Gemini cut her off with one look.

“See you downstairs.” She said instead.

Gemini nodded and made his way down the stairs.

As he began assembling the ingredients for cinnamon porridge, he muttered about youths and their lack of self-care and how he was he only reasonable person in that regard in the guild.

At least Loke was now passed out. Had been for the past thirteen hours.

Taurus and Sagittarius were checking all their equipment together with Aquarius and Scorpio. They’d need it soon for the rescue mission. Hopefully.  

Capricorn was reading up on everything he could find on the knights’ fortification from centuries ago until today.

The rest were presumably sleeping.

And Lucy...Gemini wasn’t exactly sure what she was up to. He should check up on her too soon, he decided whilst keeping a careful eye on the milk in the microwave. Because someone had to be the responsible assassin here!

He'd just finished assembling thin slices of apple to form a smiley on top of the cinnamon porridge when Virgo appeared in front of the kitchen island.

“Thank you.” She said, sliding onto on of the stools surrounding the island.

“Of course, dear.” Gemini said, setting their two teacups in front of them as he took his own seat.

Virgo dug into the porridge, careful not to disturb the smiley face.

Gemini had to smile as he noticed the light blue Pajamas Virgo was wearing, the sleeves a little too long and falling over her hands as she ate. They had been her Secret Santa gift from last Christmas.

 

 

Since it would be incredibly disorganized and confusing if every Celestial got a present for every nakama (aka. Eleven people buying ten gifts), they had long ago decided to make a Secret Santa out of it.

Aquarius had held a raffle, punctual on the first of December, but she shouldn’t have bothered. Because -as it went every year- the little slips of paper with the names on them were swapped within ten minutes of distribution. Inquiries were made as to who had which name (usually with Virgo’s help, since Cancer had managed to convince her that it wasn’t “breaking the rules” but an “unspoken tradition”) and by the end of the day, everyone had the name they’d wanted.

Even Capricorn hadn’t been above the ‘pay-back-through-passive-aggressive-gifts’-scheme. Which is why it came as a surprise to absolutely no one when, on Christmas Day, it turned out that he and Loke were each other’s Secret Santas.

Half the guild had nearly died laughing, as they’d sat around the Christmas tree in the evening, watching the gift exchanges. Capricorn had shoved a box of empty batteries in Loke’s direction with a heartfelt “Now your flashlights are as dim as your brain activity.”

Loke, not one to be outdone, had accepted this present with much grandeur, before pulling out an envelope in a flourishing movement, handing it to the ex-professor.

‘A donation in your name has been made to: Wikipedia.’

“Since I know how much you love to support factual, always correct and properly sourced information.” Loke had said with a smirk, everyone watching as Capricorn managed to grit out a “Thank you”. Bets about the outcome of their next spar had been made that very night.

As it turned out, Cancer and Scorpio had partnered up on their present idea for Gemini and Virgo. They both given the team a soft package. Virgo had squeaked with happiness as she’d pulled out the long, blue pajamas. Gemini had raised an eyebrow at the matching, pink set for himself. Each their partner’s signature colour.

Thanks to the power of peer-pressure and “But it’s Christmas!”, the old man had been convinced to change into his new outfit. Virgo had merely shrugged on the shirt -a little too big but she didn’t seem to care- by the time he’d trodden back down, welcomed by a very convincing “Pink is totally your color!” from an all too happy Scorpio.

Of cause, partners still gave each other a present and everyone got something for Lucy.

 

 

Gemini thought of his favorite, dark blue Fedora in his closet, Virgo’s gift to him. And the blueprints of the original subway system (from times where the subway was still a safe and quick method of transportation) he’d given his partner must be in one of her drawers. He’d had to disguise himself as three different people to get his hands on those classified documents.

 

 

Aries, bless her sweet heart, had made the mistake of coming to Gemini and Taurus for advice on what she could get for Loke.

The tall and short men had shared a look, then had both smirked. They’d managed to convince the ram to knit her partner a sweater. But not just any sweater.

“It should definitely be pink.” Gemini had advised, like the caring person he was.

“Pink?” Aries had asked confused.

“So yooooou can match!” Taurus had caught on. “With a cat on the frooooont.”

“Cause the kid is basically a big cat.”

Aries had seen the connection there, nodding along as she formed a knitting pattern in her mind.

“Oooooh, and how abooooout a cat-pun?” Taurus had added the cherry on top.

“A-A cat-pun?”

“He does like bad jokes like that.” Gemini had nodded sagely.

They’d both watched eagerly as Loke had opened his gift from Aries, pulling out the fluffy pink sweater with a smirking, ginger cat wearing sunglasses on the front. Both lion and ram had blushed ten shades of red as he’d read the knitted words: ‘I think you’re purrrfect’.

No one had known Aries could be that bold. Good for her.

Loke had quickly collected himself and had told Aries that he loved it with a kiss on her cheek. He’d needed zero persuasion to put on his present, proclaiming loudly “Check Meowt!”, earning himself a collective eyeroll from most gathered assassins.

He’d worn that sweater through the entire winter. Because really, what had Taurus and Gemini expected? Loke was too confident to be embarrassed and since his long-time crush partner had made it, he would’ve proudly worn that sweater if it had prancing unicorns on the front.

And thanks to Aquarius and Scorpio gifting Lucy a camera (because that’s how you make proper pictures, not just with phones), there were roughly 126 photos of Gemini and Loke wearing bright pink clothes on Christmas Day in existence. One of which hung framed in the hallway.

 

 

“I can’t find him.” Gemini was snapped out of the memory as Virgo broke the comfortable silence. She didn’t look him in the eyes, instead staring into her near empty bowl.

“It was never certain that you would.” Gemini soothed. “There are hundreds of trucks just like that one. As soon as Loke lost it on the highway, the chances of finding it again were slim to none.”

“I know.” Virgo said quietly.

Gemini stayed silent for a moment.

He knew Virgo hated failing. She saw it as a direct reflection on her own character. Gemini would’ve loved to show her that it was alright to fail, that it didn’t immediately mean that she let someone down.

Problem was: she’d never -in all their years of being partners- had failed at something. Virgo always managed to pull off everything and then some.

“I don’t know what else to do.” She admitted quietly.

“Maybe you could ask Loke for some help? When he wakes up?” He asked.

“I doubt he’d find anything either.” She replied. “There’s no way of tracking that one vehicle without a continuous camera feed.”

Gemini took a long sip of tea.

Technology wasn’t working anymore. They’d have to approach this differently.

“Tell you what.” He said, setting down the cup. “Tomorrow, you and I will give it another try.”

Virgo raised a pink eyebrow at him, hiding her response in her own cup.

“Not with the computer-stuff.” He waved his hand dismissively. “We’re doing it old-school!”

“Old-school?” She asked, interest drawn.

“Yes. Tried and tested for centuries. Not all that...” He mimicked typing on a keypad.

“Where will we go?” Virgo asked.

“Tomorrow.” Gemini insisted.

Virgo was about to protest but Gemini was faster with “Sleep, remember?”

The pinkette grumbled but finished her tea.

“Tomorrow.” She said, putting her dishes away and turning to the stairs.

“Tomorrow.” Gemini agreed.

“Good night then.”

“Good night, Virgo dear.”

He watched her leave with a fond smile. He never had kids, let alone grandchildren.

But he was the ‘old man’, the ‘grandpa’ of this guild. And Mavis knew he wore those titles with pride.

Gemini climbed down from the stool, carrying his cup to the basement steps. He just needed to check they’d have everything ready for tomorrow.

Notes:

It's getting cold and uncomfortable outside, therefore: Christmas flashback scene!
Speaking of, for that scene I feel morally obliged to give credit to GuardianArtemis, because they helped me come up with the Virgo-Gemini-PJs, Loke's jumper AND Capricorn's gift to Loke. So, thank you <3

This chapter is basically Midnight, Gemini and I asking you, dear reader, if you have slept enough this week.
Have you? 🤨

Chapter 28: Two Birds, One Stone

In the center of Crocus stood the ever-imposing castle of the royal family. Yet the largest part was occupied for knights and nobles of varying ranks and titles.

And one thing was true for both military and nobility: both loved to gossip.

Sadly, not even Grandpa Crux’s ears reached as far as the inside of the castle, but there were certain -highly risky- ways for assassins to gather intel all the same.

A part of the ground floor of the humongous building was dedicated to a gallery; rich paintings decorated the walls in thick, golden frames and marble statues of kings, generals and other noteworthy ‘heroes’ stood around on heavy pedestals.

People who thought themselves “of class” liked to meet here, brag about their knowledge of this painter and that depiction of a distant relative and most importantly; to share what was going on in different parts of the kingdom.

On one evening, sometime in autumn, two military generals, with ranks high enough to be permitted entrance to the gallery, participated in that exact activity; killing time by slowly walking about the spacious room, talking about this or that piece.

“I understand this is your first time here.” One of them spoke to the other.

“Quite right.”

“This place is a cultural treasure.” The first went on, gesturing to the art the likes of a knowledgeable teacher.

“I must confess, I’ve never been one for the fine arts.” The second responded, eying the statues with a skeptical eye.

They were expertly crafted, no doubt about it. Had the white marble been painted, the figures would’ve looked life-like. He shivered at the thought.

They walked among the pedestals in silence for a moment. That one had to be a king, crown on head, scepter in the other, glaring at the visitors with a hard, stone stare. There was some general, sword in hand, pointed towards the horizon. There a queen in a flowing ballgown, the skirts chiseled to such perfection, they looked like they were spinning around her, caught mid-movement.

This one had to be some sort of tactician, the officer thought, taking a moment to inspect the aged features of a statue. The man sat on a chair, chin rested on his hand and eyes closed as if deep in thought. He must’ve been quite the person if they deemed him worthy to immortalize.

“Have you heard about Lahar?” The first one suddenly spoke, turning away from a painting of the first king of Fiore.

“Ah yes.” The second one said, glad to be on equal footing on at least this subject. “Apparently the captain had a break in his case.”

“Don’t tell me he got rid of that guild without us noticing.” The other man chuckled.

“I highly doubt he’ll ever manage that.” Was the reply. “Bitten off more than he can chew, I’d say.”

“Inclined to agree. And yet, a break you say?”

The second one hummed. “Took someone into custody, I heard.”

“A Celestial?!” The other man exclaimed, parts panic, parts excitement in his voice.

“By Mavis, no. A friend of the guild, or something of the sort.”

The first man looked greatly relieved. “That could indeed be a break for him.”

“It could be. But I hear the kid is a stubborn pain and Lahar is too soft to do much about it.”

The first one snorted. “It’s his career, not ours.”

“Precisely. And the longer it takes him to get the information he needs; the longer poor Lahar has to freeze his butt off.”

“They’re not here?”

“No. The captain thought it best to get him out of Crocus. No possible contacts and the likes.”

The first one thought for a moment. “Maybe the young man does have some potential.”

“Perhaps.” The second agreed.

They continued for a few minutes longer, the first giving a detailed retelling of an angry conversation he’d overheard between a higher-up and his wife, before both decided that it had been enough culture for the day and exited the gallery.

Dusk shone in through the windows, illuminating the white statues and the intricate colors of the paintings. A few minutes passed in silence, until the doors were locked from the outside, a resounding click reaffirming that no one would be getting in or out of the room until the next morning.

Another moment passed, nothing stirred in the gallery. Deadly silent until...

A groan rang through the gallery, followed by the cracking of joints. The statue of the tactician shook itself fully awake, stretching his arms and blinking several times. Slowly, the man rose from his chair, clambering down the pedestal that was almost the same size as him.

One of his legs, after hours of sitting still, wobbled and he might’ve fallen, had it not been for strong hands gripping his shoulders and guiding him back onto the floor.

“Everything alright?”

“Splendid, Virgo dear.” Gemini shook himself again, white powder flying off him and creating a cloud around them. “I must say, the chair was a brilliant idea.”

Virgo fanned the floating powder particles away from her. “Did you find out anything useful?” She asked, handing him his walking stick.

“Very useful! We should get back home immediately.”

Virgo nodded, not questioning the information, leading the way to an old tapestry. A long-forgotten servant’s entrance was hidden behind, the door crafted into the wall so precisely, it was hard to spot even without the tapestry.

Behind the old door was a dingy tunnel, no windows, no light. Virgo had been staying here for the hours Gemini had been hiding in plain sight.

This method of intelligence-gathering was nothing short of risky; right in the lion’s den, where discovery could’ve been caused by the involuntary twitch of a muscle from Gemini or another person who knew about the tunnel. The duo didn’t make it a habit to infiltrate the stronghold of the Rune Knights, but today had been worth it.

There was a storage room filled with statues somewhere in the castle. They swapped them out occasionally, to keep things interesting. Tomorrow someone would think someone else messed up and forgot to deliver a statue to the gallery. That was the beautiful flaw of so many divisions. They always thought someone else was at fault, rarely suspicious of outside influence.

The two partners came out onto one of the large streets surrounding the castle. Sunday Market was in full swing and although the usual amount of guards stood about, no one batted an eye at the two extra people walking down the street with sure steps.

 

-----

 

Natsu had fallen into a routine.

Lahar would periodically bother him with questions about the Celestials, specifics about their strength, organization and hierarchy.

Natsu usually managed to spin the half-truths into complete fabrications. And whenever he couldn’t, he’d just stay stubborn. The most difficult part was to remember which lies he’d told the captain, always careful not to contradict his own statements.

As far as he knew, Lahar believed him, if his regular trips to the courtyard were anything to go by.

However, he hadn’t seen Jellal again after their first meeting. Natsu didn’t know if he was in another location already or just locked up. Either way, he hoped Jellal was doing alright. Or as alright as he could be doing.

Natsu hadn’t been talking much to anyone else. Turns out, movies weren’t always right. Or maybe, whoever was planning a breakout didn’t want to include a random teen.  

But he was doing better. Natsu could feel it. Yes, the food was awful; yes, it was really chilly inside the place; yes, he was lonely and felt guilty for getting Lucy into this mess... but the hopelessness had retreated.

Someone had “killed” a member of the Celestials. For pride alone, they would get to the bottom of it.

 

Natsu was being led back to his cell, up all the spiraling steps to one of the highest floors of the old building. He’d gotten a pretty good sense of the layout from his trips to the yard. But he wouldn’t try anything now.

There was a guard right behind him, he was handcuffed and had no weapon or method to breach any doors between him and the outside world.

Instead, he was recalling all the ‘facts’ he’d told Lahar the day before.

Virgo was by far the weakest, not even a real assassin.

Taurus was the most feared in the assassin circles.

Aquarius was overhyped, just a rumor of strength and power.

Gemini had his psychopathic moments-

A clash and a yell interrupted his thoughts. The guard pulled him to a stop by his handcuffs.

“Wait here!” She ordered with a sharp glare. Natsu smiled at her as she darted around the corner to squash whatever fight was going on.

Natsu let his eyes wander along the corridor they’d paused in, catching immediately on the half-opened door of the utility closet. He’d walked past it several times and had managed multiple glances inside. There was -of course- nothing sharp inside, nothing flammable either.

However, a shiny, plastic bucket used for mopping the stone floors had caught his interest. Specifically, its thin metal handle.

Natsu listened for the footsteps of the guard. But she was still occupied around the corner, the sounds of a scuffle reaching his ears.

 

The guard returned a minute later, latching her baton back onto her belt. The pink-haired prisoner with the sunny smile was standing in the same spot she left him, hands folded behind his back.

She made a gesture with the head for him to continue up the stairs.

Had she taken a moment to look inside the closet, she might’ve noticed the bucket without a handle. Still, she would’ve written it off as coincidence, as crappy material supplied to the prison.

She wouldn’t have suspected the cheap and malleable metal wire to be hidden in the hands of the teen-prisoner walking in front of her.

Just because Natsu trusted his nakama didn’t mean he’d play along with being the helpless damsel. He’d do something.

 

-----

 

“WE FOUND SOMETHING!”

Lucy flinched as the yell from downstairs pulled her focus away from her laptop.

She shared a look with Happy before they started sprinting to the door and down the stairs.

Plue followed with an excited bark.

The teen nearly ran into Loke, who was coming out of his own room with messy hair and pillow creases on his cheek.

“What’s happening?” He asked.

“I’m guessing Gemini and Virgo were successful.” Lucy answered.

“CELESTIALS ASSEMBLE!”

Loke groaned. “Must be something big. He’s making modern references.”

Lucy grinned and both assassins leapt down the steps two at a time.

They were the last to arrive. Everyone else had gathered around Virgo and Gemini, the former with a victorious gleam in her eyes, the latter practically bouncing up and down with excitement and...covered in flour?

“Well?!” Aquarius demanded of them, seeing that the last two had arrived with a screeching halt.

“A certain ‘Captain Lahar’ took a ‘friend of our guild’, a 'kid', into ‘custody’.” Gemini started. “A ‘stubborn pain’ to be specific.”

Lucy’s heart did summersaults.

“That has to be Natsu!” She exclaimed.

“Me-aye-ow!”

“My thoughts exactly!” Gemini agreed, grinning like a child on Christmas.

A rumble went around the room.

“Captain Lahar.” Aquarius mused. “I haven’t heard of him.”

“Nor we.” Virgo said. “He must be quite new to the rank.”

“Any idea where he is, baby?” Cancer asked.

Gemini shook his head. “No specifics, but a clue!”

“A clue?” Capricorn asked. The word always felt like a challenge to him.

“Indeed. Lahar will be ‘freezing his butt off’ wherever he and Natsu are.” Gemini recalled.

Loke, who’d slung his arms around his partner as soon as he’d arrived downstairs, shared a look over Aries’ head with Virgo.

“Somewhere cold.” He prompted.

“The west coast is famed for its temperamental weather.” Virgo replied.

Loke nodded. “If I remember correctly, there are several prisons along the coast, but...”

“Only one directly by the sea. Closest to storms and thereby cold weather.”

Loke smiled. “It is called the ‘Coastal Prison’, I believe.”

“I have read about it.” Capricorn added. “It is one of the oldest fortresses in Fiore. Back in the day, it was used to guard the shore from naval attacks. A king had it converted into a prison a few centuries ago. Its security is famed. As is the structure.”

“The structure?” Aquarius prompted.

“Yes.” The scholar said, stroking his goatee. “They carved the fortress right into the cliffside. A hard undertaking, I imagine. However, even in the more modern eras, they never managed to get it insulated. Glass would crack due to the winds, causing a draft throughout the whole construct.”

“Meaning people would freeze their butts off!” Lucy said.

“Precisely.”

“That has to be the place!” Gemini cheered.

They had the location. Lucy couldn’t quite believe it. They knew where Natsu was! That he was alive!

“We cannot be absolute certain.” Aquarius tried to calm the mood a little, but no one could deny the spark in her eyes as she spoke. “It is the best lead we have. And we will follow it to the end.”

“That means right intooooo the prison?” Taurus asked, cracking his knuckles.

“Into its very heart!” She said.

Taurus let out a booming laugh. “A prisonbreak! It’s been tooooo long!”

“Alright!” Aquarius called. “We need a battle plan!”

Everyone started moving at once.

“Taurus, get the whiteboard!”

The large assassin was already jogging out of the living room.

“Virgo, check in your collection of blueprints-”

The woman in question had already disappeared.

“Capricorn, get all your books mentioning that prison down here!”

The former professor was on his way with his partner to help him carry.

“Loke, search the internet for anything on that place!”

Loke trudged back up the steps.

“Aries, you do the same for that Lahar-guy.”

The ram squeaked and darted after her partner.

Scorpio and Sagittarius were clearing the coffee table of the scented candles and decorative flower arrangement to make room.

“Lucy-”

The blonde stood at attention.

“-make coffee. We’ll need it.”

Lucy saluted and turned to the kitchen.

“The big pot!” Aquarius called after her.

“What about me?” She heard Gemini ask.

“Clean that powder off?”

“...good idea.”

 

-----

 

The armored vehicle drove down the dusty road, shaking occasionally due to the natural potholes and dents in the dirt.

Multiple vans had been sent out from the Coast Prison simultaneously, all with tinted windows and guards. Only one with the valuable prisoner.

The safety measures were necessary, the drivers and accompanying guards had been told. The prisoner himself wasn’t the problem. Not really. Sure, he was an assassin, but hadn’t been violent since his arrest.

The problem, they’d been told excessively, were the people coming after the prisoner. There had been no breakout attempt, no unusual activities around the prison, nothing. And yet, their superiors were dead set on their paranoid actions concerning the man.

Two guards sat across the bluenette on cold metal benches in the back of the van.

He was quiet, eyes closed and body relaxed, merely flinching whenever another bump in the road rattled one of his injuries. He was trying not to give the guards any reason to inflict more.

The driver and guard on the passenger seat were quiet too. Not nervous, but simply enjoying the silence on the dirt road and the scenery of sparce trees on the side.

Everyone in the van had done this several times already. Always without a hitch. So why worry?

That’s why the bang was so unexpected.

All four guards flinched. The bluenette opened his eyes slowly and watched the others try to get a sure foothold as the van spun around and around.

The tires screeched and the brakes whined. Only for a few seconds.

The van came to an abrupt stop. Dead silence followed.

“Bust tire?” One guard asked the other after he managed to right himself.

The other clicked the safety off his shotgun. “Watch him.” He grunted with a jerk of the head to the prisoner.

The other guard leveled his own weapon at the restrained man, who showed no reaction to the happenings around him.

The first guard kicked the double doors at the back of the vehicle open, pointing his weapon at the dirt road expectantly. No trace of anyone.

He carefully crept to the edge of the rectangular van, quickly jumping around it, gun raised. No one.

Maybe it was a busted tire?

Had he paid a bit more attention during his trainee days, he would’ve remembered that armored trucks couldn’t get a flat tire.

He walked up to the driver’s side window.

“Hey guys!” He knocked against the tinted window. “What’s with the stop?”

No response from the inside.

“Hey-” The guard paused when he saw that the door wasn’t completely closed.

Slowly, he nudged it open. “What’s going...”

He was cut off by the scene before him. Both guard and driver were limp in their seats, the latter draped over the steering wheel.

They were dead?!

He saw no blood, no injury, no...

No, not dead. The guard saw their chests slowly move in deep, rhythmic patterns.

They were...asleep?!

His first reaction should’ve been to do a more thorough assessment of his surroundings. And the guard remembered that precisely when he felt a blinding shock of pain in the side of his neck.

A cry of pain escaped his mouth before he crumbled to the ground like a dropped ragdoll.

His limps wouldn’t quite listen to him, his shotgun lying uselessly beside him.

But when he strained his eyes enough, he could make out the form of a man in a long, white coat standing beside him.

The face of the prisoner stared down at him. It was identical, down to the strange, red mark around one eye.

There was only one difference. Not the lack of bruises, no. These brown eyes were colder than the ones of the prisoner. Just as calculating, but the guard got a feeling that this man would happily throw him to a pack of wolves and watch the show.

The copy smirked at him.

Why wasn’t he dead? Or at least knocked out? He’d yelled, meaning the other guard would be alarmed...

The guard cursed. His colleague would investigate, leaving the prisoner.

Just as he’d finished that thought, he heard the noise of a body hitting the soft ground.

Two attackers then.

The man with the cold eyes stalked away from him, turning to the back of the van. He was a very busy person. He’d cleared his schedule for the day, but no need to draw this out.

He walked past Mystogan, currently searching the guard he’d knocked out for the keys he knew they’d need.

“Are you ready to go, Jellal?” He called into the van.

A grunt of a laugh sounded from the inside, followed by quieter grunt of pain and the rattling of chains.

His youngest brother’s face appeared in the sunlight. Siegrain had to violently suppress the urge to snap the guards’ necks at the bruises he could already make out. And the only thing stopping him from doing that was his brother’s smile.

“Hello Sieggie. Nice of you to stop by.”

Siegrain rolled his eyes but moved closer to help his younger brother step out of the truck.

“Didn’t have much choice when my reckless fool of a brother gets himself captured.” He replied.

Jellal’s smile only widened. “I missed you too.”

Siegrain was saved from finding a characteristically nonchalant response by Mystogan appearing beside him, keys dangling from his finger.

“Mystie!” Jellal called. “You came all this way?”

The assassin merely nodded at the rhetorical question, taking one of Jellal’s wrist to unlock the handcuffs.

Neither brother missed the tiny wince Jellal tried to hide at the movement.

Maybe Siegrain would come back later and snap some necks then.

His indulgent thoughts of revenge were disrupted when the handcuffs fell to the ground and Jellal threw his arms around both of their shoulders, planting himself between them.

“I really missed you guys.” He whispered in earnest.

Siegrain hugged him back carefully.

In Mavis’ name, he’d missed his brothers too.

Mystogan had been off in a far away country, helping a rebel uprising against the monarchy. Jellal had been...doing whatever it was Jellal did. Reforming villains, being a pain in the knights’ side, scheming until his heart’s content. Something like that. And Siegrain himself had been juggling the duties of a council member. There was little time for social calls.

“I missed you too.” Mystogan answered, moving around their younger brother so that his cloak shielded him from the brisk autumn wind.

Siegrain let himself enjoy the closeness to his only family. They’d been separated before, long ago when they’d been children.

Mystogan had crisscrossed the country, trying to find a trace of them. Siegrain had screamed bloody murder at the council members when they’d told him there was nothing they could do to find his brothers. He'd sworn to put them all out of business. And fifteen years later, he had.

But it was Jellal who’d gotten the shortest end of the stick between the three of them.

It had taken them years to find each other. Mystogan quiet and always looking over his shoulder; Siegrain filled with rage at the useless authority figures; Jellal madly in love and with a plan to blow up the largest human trafficking ring Fiore had seen to date.

The experience had taught them independence, but Siegrain had still gotten a horrible case of déjà vu when he’d heard that the knights had gotten Jellal.

“They were after me, weren’t they?” Siegrain asked, still holding onto his brothers.

Jellal tensed ever so slightly.

“Yeah.” He admitted quietly.

“Did you know?”

“I hazarded a guess when they asked me for Hyberion’s home address.”

“I mean before they got you. Did you play into the mix up?”

“Actually, I didn’t. It was just a very good trap.”

Siegrain hummed in some relief. At least he had some survival instincts.

“But I would’ve.” Jellal said, as if to solely disprove Siegrain’s last thought. “If I had known.”

He rolled his eyes, holding the youngest Fernandez brother at arm’s length.

“You’re an idiot.” He said plainly.

“Must be a hereditary condition.” Jellal shot back with a grin.

“You wish.” Mystogan said, pulling off his cloak to wrap it around Jellal’s shoulders. “That’s a you-thing.”

“Well, two out of three triplets got a brain.” Siegrain shrugged.

“Not too bad overall.” Mystogan agreed.

“I was in prison, you jerks.” Jellal huffed. “Don’t I get a grace period?”

“You picked the wrong brothers for that.” Mystogan wrapped one arm around Jellal to support him as the three started walking away from the armoured truck.

“I’m sorry, picked?”

“Yes.”

“Can I still change my choice?”

“No. Way too late, Jellal.”

Siegrain massaged his temples. “If anyone should get to make changes, it would be me.”

“Aw, do we stress you so much, Sieggie?”

“Yes, Mr. throws-himself-into-jail and Mr. I-became-a-rebel-leader-on-accident!”

“I didn’t throw myself in jail!”

“It wasn’t on accident. Just...unexpected.”

“Mhm.”

The guard watched the three men walk away, finally regaining some feeling in his fingers, hearing their argument. He was sure he actually was unconscious because three assassins wouldn’t talk like that, would they?

 

-----

 

Aquarius cracked her neck as the first light of dawn shone through the living room windows.

They’d been pouring over books, articles and maps all night, studying that fortress as if it were a subject for an exam. Because it would be.

“So, we are in agreement.” Aquarius started. “Ambushing a prison transport into the prison or a supply van is the best choice?”

Capricorn nodded, as did most other assassins.

“The prisonbreak mission will be split into three groups.” Aquarius summarized.

“One to ambush the truck.” Aries started.

“One close by the prison on the outside to cause a distraction if needed.” Virgo continued.

“And one in our vehicle a little distance away to serve as the HQ.” Gemini finished.

Everyone mumbled in agreement.

“I propose four groups.”

All eyes turned to Lucy.

“Another group for what, princess?” Loke asked.

“We’ll have no one on the inside. In case the incoming group via the transport needs help.”

“Good thinking, Lucy. But we don’t have time to fake credentials, get hired as a guard, steal a uniform...” Capricorn began.

“Well technically, we don’t need to do that.”

“Scaling the walls is too dangerous.” Scorpio said.

“Not what I mean. I...I’ve been working on something.” The blonde looked at her aunt.

“Working on what?” The bluenette replied in a cool tone.

Lucy swallowed. “I’ve been thinking...who gets easy access into prisons? Except lawyers and law officials? Well, reporters. So, I’ve been making some social media profiles, forged a few documents from a university, wrote some titbits for articles... I even sent an E-Mail with my ‘credentials’ to a knight HQ. It took some time, but I got a response. They’d be happy to let me interview ‘for the university’s newspaper’. And if I request to interview someone in that prison, maybe...”

“Ab.” Aquarius.

“So.” Loke.

“Lute.” Aquarius.

“Ly.” Loke.

“Not!” Aquarius.

“But-”

“You’re not going into the lion’s den alone!”

“But Group One will arrive right after me.”

“And if something goes wrong with the transport? You’ll be on your own, surrounded by knights on their turf! Not happening.”

“But they don’t know I’m an assassin.”

“They might figure it out.”

“Might, aunty. There’s always a small risk-”

“And not one I’m willing to take. However small.”

“You would if someone else had the idea!”

“Because everyone else has more experience.”

“I have experience! Plenty!”

“On prisons, journalism and the knights?”

Before Lucy could argue, Aquarius gestured to Taurus.

“He’s actually been inside a prison before. And Sagittarius busted him out. Loke could talk his way out of any situation. Capricorn has been to university. And no one sees a threat when they look at Gemini.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” The latter said.

“Lucy, I know you’re capable.” Aquarius continued. “But this is too many new things for you. And we’re not testing it out in this situation. Too much could go wrong.”

But at least then I’d be close to Natsu! Lucy held back that last thought. She knew Aquarius wouldn’t consider that an argument of any standing.

Capricorn cleared his throat. “However, the idea is quite brilliant. Maybe we could send Virgo instead. She could still be in university.”

“That’s not going to work.” Lucy grumbled. “I posted pictured of myself on those profiles. And on my resume.”

“YOU WHAT?!”

“With the brown, curly wig and Loke’s spare glasses!” Lucy soothed.

“So that’s where they went.” Loke mumbled.

Aquarius was about to start again, but Cancer stepped into the fray.

“How about we keep it in the back of our mind, hm, baby? And for now, we focus on getting Group One into the transport and into the prison. In that order.”

Lucy and Aquarius both huffed and turned away.

Scorpio gave Cancer a subtle thumbs-up.

“I think a supply transport is easier to anticipate.” Virgo said. “There will be no schedule that we have access to, but we could just check with local stores.”

“Whenever they have a large delivery to an unspecified place, moshi moshi?” Sagittarius asked.

“Exactly.”

“Smart.” Loke said, positioning his laptop on top of the blueprints Virgo had brought down the previous night. “It might take some time, but I’ll try to find out who supplies the prison with food. They’ll need to restock that regularly.”

“You do that.” Aquarius agreed. “Everyone else, help him!”

Virgo, Aries and Sagittarius got back to their own laptops.

“The rest of us,” Aquarius turned to the group, “we need to think of a distraction that Group Two could use. Just in case.”

“Fireworks were always a favourite of mine.” Gemini said with a tone that said he was reliving memories.

“We have sooooome spares in the basement. I think.” Taurus supplied.

“Good, that’s Plan A. I want B to at least Q.”

“How about-”

Loke cleared his throat. “We might have a problem.”

Aquarius suddenly got flashbacks from the last time he'd said that. At least Lucy was here this time.

“What?” She asked between clenched teeth. No more obstacles. They really couldn’t use them right now.

“Uhm...I just looked on the assassin website. To see if anyone maybe knows something on prison supply chains...”

“And?! Don’t tell me they grow their own vegetables!”

“No, no. It looks like the knights are on high alert around their transports and supplies right now.”

“WHAT?! Why?!” Everyone crowded around Loke.

“Well...it looks like a council member ambushed a prisoner transport. Yesterday.”

All eyes went from him to Aquarius.

The bluenette took a deep breath. “Which council member?” She asked with her calm-before-the-storm voice.

“If sources are to be believed...” Loke looked at her over the top of his glasses. “Council member Fernandez.”

“Ugh, of course it was that smug prick!” Aquarius turned on her heel, stalking out of the room with dark clouds above her head.

She stormed into the hallway, the landline phone already in her hand as she punched in the numbers.

Everyone else stood back and watched their leader’s deadly glare at the ceiling as the call connected.

“Hello. This is the office of Council Member Fern-”

“GET ME FERNANDEZ NOW!” Aquarius yelled into the receiver. “And don’t even think about putting me on hold!”

A squeak and the quick shuffling of steps were audible from the other line, as well as a muffled “sir, there’s a very angry woman demanding to speak with you...?”

A male voice sighed and evidently took the offered phone from the poor secretary.

“Hello? This is-”

“THE HELL FERNANDEZ?!” Aquarius interrupted.

Another sigh. “Hello Aquarius. I should’ve known...”

“WHY IN ZEREF’S NAME DID YOU AMBUSH THAT TRANSPORT?!”

“You’ll have to be more specific.”

“LIKE HELL I DO!”

Sigh number three. “Why, in your esteemed opinion, should I not have ambushed that truck?”

Aquarius’ eye twitched. “Because” she started in a bitter-sweet voice, “it is custom that council members inform guilds before they pull something like that.”

“Custom, but not rule.” Fernandez replied easily. His calm was admirable.

“WELL, YOU SHOULD MAKE IT A DAMN RULE!”

“Why? Were you planning on overtaking an armored transport vehicle?” The council member asked mockingly.

“YES!” Aquarius yelled at him. “YES, WE DAMN WELL WERE!”

The shrug was audible across the line.

“AND NOW WE HAVE TO START FROM SQUARE ONE BECAUSE SOMEONE DIDN’T THINK TO SHARE HIS PLANS BEFOREHAND AND NOW THE KNIGHTS ARE ON HIGH ALERT!”

“It was a personal mission.” Fernandez argued.

“SO IS OURS!”

“Then you understand the importance.”

Aquarius had both hands wrapped around the phone and Lucy was just a tiny bit glad that Fernandez wasn’t standing in their guild, or they’d have a murder-charge on their hands as well.

“I couldn’t risk sharing my plans due to the confidential and dangerous nature of the mission.” Fernandez tried handing over the information like an olive-branch.

Aquarius batted it away like a pesky fly. “NEXT TIME THINK THINGS THROUGH! WE COULD’VE WORKED TOGETHER ON THIS! TWO BIRDS, ONE STONE! MORON!” With that she slammed the phone back against its charging port on the wall.

She took a deep breath and faced her nakama. “It appears we will have to rework the plan.”

“I’m inclined to agree.” Capricorn said.

“What are we going to do?” Lucy whispered, feeling her eyes starting to water.

They had a good-as-certain location for Natsu. He was right there, miles away by the ocean in a stone fortress. And she couldn’t get to him!

The reassuring hand on her shoulder came from Taurus.

“Don’t wooooorry, Luuuuucy. Breakouts are more complicated than they loooook. Mine didn’t gooooo as planned either.”

“It didn’t?” Lucy asked.

Sagittarius shook his head firmly behind his partner.

Taurus grinned and flexed his bandaged knuckles. “Yooooou think punching throoooough a wall was part of the plan?”

“Let me guess,” Lucy smiled back, managing to suppress the tears, “spur of the moment decision?”

“That’s right!”

“Technically, Plan B was to climb the wall, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius added. “Taurus skipped that step and just walked through it.”

“Time management.” The bull shrugged.

“Back to the matter at hand!” Capricorn called out. “This is a setback, yes. But we will find another way. Work a different angle.”

“Agreed, old friend!” Gemini cheered.

“I cooooould get myself arrested again.” Taurus offered.

Aries shook her head. “It worked last time, because they didn’t know the informant was associated with us.”

“If they happen to arrest another Celestial in the same vicinity as Natsu...we’ll lose our element of surprise, baby.” Cancer added.

Taurus huffed, seeing the reason behind it.

“How about this,” Aquarius started, feeling a headache coming, “we take a short break. Rest, sleep, eat, clear out minds. We’ll start again in two hours!”

Everyone mumbled their semi-agreement, some trudging out of the living room, others taking books and maps with them to study further.

Lucy slowly walked up to her room, Happy and Plue following her up the steps. She wrapped Natsu’s scarf tighter around her, trying to think what they could do.

She was stuck in Crocus because they couldn’t get inside a building. Lucy knew Natsu would never stop in front of such an obstacle if the roles were reversed. He’d blow the walls sky-high, look for her in the chaos and then run away with her. It would be reckless, loud and dangerous. Just the way Natsu liked his missions. But the Celestials didn’t work like that. Safety always came first.

 

-----

 

The hallway phone rang about half an hour into the mandatory break-time.

Everyone looked in the direction of the noise as if the phone had decided to start yodeling. It rang very rarely.

Aries, being closest, picked up the receiver hesitantly.

“Celestial guild of Crocus, Aries aka. ‘the ram’ speaking.”

There was a brief pause in which the other person spoke.

“I’m sorry, but a-are you sure?” Aries asked with a look into the living room.

Another pause.

“If that’s what you want...”

She walked over to Aquarius, sitting on the couch beside Scorpio.

“It’s council member Fernandez for you.” Aries said, holding out the phone.

Aquarius’ eyebrows nearly left her forehead.

“Are you sure?” She questioned.

“That’s what I asked him.” Aries answered with a shrug.

Aquarius took the phone, flicking her hair back as if preparing to fight in person.

“The hell do you want, Fernandez?” She said as a greeting.

“Continue our lovely conversation from before.” The council member’s voice deadpanned across the line.

Aquarius sat up on the couch. “I hope you’re not mocking me.”

Scorpio sent up a prayer.

“Calm down, Aquarius.”

“DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO D-”

“I want to help you.”

Aquarius’ glare was fixed on the coffee table. “Given by your previous unregistered actions, I think we’ll be able to deal without your help, esteemed Council Member Fernandez.”

Aries sent up a prayer.

Siegrain, sensing that his time with a semi-rational Aquarius was limited, got to the point.

“I have done some research of my own on the Coastal Prison.”

Aquarius stayed silent.

“I’m assuming that’s your target.”

Aquarius’ stubbornness won out and she didn’t reply.

Unseen by anyone, Siegrain rolled his eyes. “They protect the landside very well. Cameras, guards, watchtowers, the whole setup. However, they neglect the waterside. A lot.”

“Go on.” Aquarius said, leaning back against the cushions.

Scorpio and Aries exchanged glances.

“The prison is so high up they don’t bother watching for ships. Too many rocks anyway.”

“Your point?”

“Little to no watchers on that side. Would be abandoned with a little distraction from the landside.”

“I am deeply flattered, Fernandez. But even we cannot grow wings and phase through solid stone to get inside the place.”

A tired sigh from the other side of the line had Aquarius’ temper flare.

“You have some brains in your guild, don’t you?”

“LISTEN HERE YOU LITTLE-”

“Windows, Aquarius.”

“Bars, Fernandez!”

“Not every opening is barred on the waterside.”

Aquarius stared at nothing.

“WHY IN ZEREF’S NAME DIDN’T YOU START WITH THAT?!”

This time the eyeroll was audible. “There’s no pleasing you.”

“Why are you in such a sharing mood?” Aquarius asked, ignoring the previous comment.

“Let’s just say...I have some unfinished business with that place. But revenge is so time consuming, you know? Figured, giving your guild easier access would solve the issue. How did you put it so eloquently...‘two birds one stone’?”

Aquarius took a deep breath. “This information...may be useful for upcoming ventures of the Celestial guild.”

“I suppose that’s as close to a ‘thank you’ as I’m going to get.”

Aquarius was about to snap something -she didn’t quite know what yet- but Siegrain saved her the trouble.

“Good luck. Don’t die.”

With that the call disconnected.

Aquarius glared at the innocent phone in her hand for a second.

“EVERYONE!” She started. “GET IN HE-”

Only to realize that everyone had already assembled in the hallway during the phone call, carefully peering around the doorway.

“Lucy, contact the prison! You’ll want an interview for that newspaper.”

“WHAT?” Both Loke and Lucy asked, one more joyous than the other.

“We have a new plan!”

Notes:

I got the Gemini-pretending-to-be-a-statue-bit from an Asterix and Obelix comic. Kudos to anyone who knows which one. And to those of you who don't know who Asterix and Obelix are...I'm sorry, your childhood must've been very boring.

Chapter 29: The Element of Surprise

Lucy tugged a brown strand of hair behind her ear, clenching and unclenching her right hand. Her left one was in a cast. A fake one that conveniently covered up her guild mark and had enough room for her to smuggle Loke’s and Aries’ daggers in.

She’d already passed a checkpoint half a mile or so away, driving in an inconspicuous blue car they'd rented a few days prior. She’d smiled at the guard, handed him the documents she’d received in answer to her e-mail, showed him the fake ID that Loke had helped her with and had conveniently distracted the guard long enough for Group 2 to slip by the checkpoint.

 

“We’ll have three groups and Lucy.” Aquarius began, standing behind the coffee table, looking at the blueprints Virgo had managed to find.

“Lucy will enter through the front door in disguise and play along until she hears the signal.”

 

Lucy parked the car in the allocated space usually reserved for staff of the prison.

The wall towered above her, casting her in its shadow. It was made from the same stone as the cliff itself, the ocean calling to her just behind it. She could make out guards patrolling up there, some sparing the newcomer a glance.

 

“Said signal will be given by Group 2. Two or three people will be outside the prison, close and unseen. They will light explosives near the wall. Nothing to cause major damage, but to draw the attention of everyone inside.”

“I still propose fireworks.” Gemini said.

 

Lucy couldn’t see Group 2, even in the sparce vegetation that decorated the dusty ground around the fortress. Good.

She stepped out of the car, leaving the keys in the ignition, feeling her nerves dancing around. Deep breath.

Lucy felt for her necklace, tucked beneath her jumper so that he telltale emblem was hidden. Capricorn’s ring was on her right hand and the chain bracelet with the small knife beneath her sleeve from Virgo.

Only the most invisible weapons for this mission. Not even Sagittarius-the-throwing-knife or Aquarius’ blade were with her.

A door opened in the prison’s outer wall.

A man in uniform stepped out, flanked by a guard. He wasn’t wearing the same uniform, but the turquoise of the knights.

Deep breath and smile.

Lucy walked towards them with a confident bounce in her step, bag swinging at her shoulder.

“Hello, you must be Miss-” The knight started.

“Please, call me Stella, sir.” Lucy interrupted holding out her right hand.

He watched her for a second before shaking it. The knight had a small, white plaster across the bridge of his nose and intelligent, purple eyes. They were obscured by truly hideous glasses with thick frames resting on the plaster. Lucy silently thanked Loke for his good fashion sense as she straightened his glasses on her nose.

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” The knight said. “I’m Captain Lahar of the Custody Enforcement Unit.”

So that was the captain that was in cahoots with Cobra. Lucy let her eyes go wide. “I didn’t know prisons were under the command of a captain of the knights.”

The guard behind Lahar rolled his eyes.

“They’re not. Not usually.” Lahar smiled and beckoned her inside.

Lucy nodded in thanks, stepping through the doorway into the fortress. She knew Group 2 was watching her. But it would be Group 1 that she’d meet up with.

 

“That will also be the signal for Group 1 to start climbing. They will come from the waterside.”

Loke ran a hand through his hair. “The most dangerous part, I’m guessing.”

Aquarius hummed. “The night before Lucy arrives, four people will take a small boat and anchor right beneath the prison.”

“Won’t we be spotted?” Aries asked.

“Not during the night.” Aquarius said. “And when dawn breaks, you will stay beneath the cliff.”

“Beneath, baby?”

“That coast has experienced storms since the beginning of time.” Aquarius explained. “The constant waves will have dented the cliff’s surface at the bottom. A bit like an alcove.”

“Won’t we be crushed by the waves in a small boat?” Loke asked.

“Wind is coming from the East.” Capricorn said. “We’ll have a land breeze. Meaning the climbers will be protected and the waves should be at minimum strength.”

“Exactly.” Aquarius agreed. “We’ll have three climbers. One person stays on the boat as backup and to be the get away driver.”

 

-----

 

Sagittarius stood on the rocking rubber dinghy, staring up at the challenge before them. The cliff looked impossibly high from their vantage point.

 

“I volunteer to be a climber, moshi moshi.” Everyone’s attention went to Sagittarius, standing beside his partner. “I am the obvious choice.” He added.

It was true. He was Aquarius’ first choice for this job. The archer was an expert at scaling walls, had no problems with heights and was guaranteed not to get dizzy.

“Thank you, Sagittarius.” Aquarius said.

“Then I vooooolunteer too!”

“I’m sorry, Taurus. That won’t work.”

“But-”

“We suspect the openings in questions were used for canons in the past.” Capricorn jumped in. “They won’t be very big. We need...smaller people for this.”

It was clear he means horizontally small.

Taurus huffed in disappointment.

“I’ll be fine, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius rested an arm across his shoulders.

“I know.” Taurus mumbled.

 

They’d been down there for hours. Navigating the temperamental waters in the dark and avoiding the sharp rocks had been a challenge and a half. But they’d managed. They’d waited in the dark, listening to the waves lapping against the dinghy. And when dawn broke shortly thereafter, they knew they were safe from the eyes above them, the jutting rocks hiding their small vessel.

The time spend there hadn’t been unpleasant at all. Virgo had packed a picknick.

 

“I also volunteer.” Virgo called. “I am a proficient climber.”

“You’re an excellent climber.” Gemini corrected.

Aquarius nodded at her.

“I’ll sit this one out.” Gemini said jokingly, tapping his bad leg.

 

Aries had brought a big, knitted blanket which they all cuddled up in and Cancer entertained them with stories from his hairdresser days.

 

“I’m not half bad at climbing.” Loke offered.

Aquarius shook her head. “I want you as Group 3 in the van. See if you can get into the prison’s cameras. You’ll direct everyone from there.”

Loke nodded slowly, sensing what was coming.

One spot was left open for the climbers. It wouldn’t be Capricorn. He was too grounded, too much of a planner to climb an uneven, steep surface based on gut-feeling. Taurus and Gemini were out, Lucy was her own group...

“Cancer and Aries,” Aquarius started, “which one of you has steered a motorboat before?”

The two assassins in question looked at each other.

“I haven’t, baby.”

“I did once, long ago for Karen.” Aries recalled.

“Then Cancer, you will be the third climber and Aries will remain by the boat.”

Both agreed.

Loke hoped no one saw his little sigh of relief.

 

“It’ll start soon.” Cancer said, looking at his watch.

They carefully stood up in the dinghy, spread out for balance.

Aries handed them the climbing gear; the harnesses, the cord, the pitons.

Virgo strapped pads usually meant for skating around her knees and elbows. Her headband was replaced with a black, woolly hat in order to hide her pink hair.

Cancer tied his braids into a low bun, securing his sunglasses and slipped on gloves.

Sagittarius had left his onesie at home, opting for a practical, black outfit. He felt strange without it.

They all strapped themselves into the harnesses, got a grip on the pitons. There was no time to hammer them into the rock individually. They’d have to use them as picks. Luckily, the stone was relatively soft as far as rocks went. Which could be positive and negative.

All four of them placed small comms into their ears.

“This is Group 1.” Aries tested. “We’re in position.”

 

“Now, about Group 2...”

“If I don’t get to climb, then I want to throw fireworks!” Taurus interrupted.

“Alright. Taurus for one,” the bluenette looked between the two oldest members, “who else?”

“I have sufficient knowledge on explosives.” Capricorn stated.

“Okay, Taurus and Capricorn-”

“Me too!” Gemini said.

“No. I want someone to watch Loke’s back in the van while he works.”

“Great,” the oldest huffed, “I get to babysit.”

“HEY!”

 

“Lucy just parked the car.” Capricorn’s voice told them. “Won’t be long.”

“This is Loke. I can see most of the camera feeds. I’ll see if I can mess around with them a bit.”

“Perfect. Waiting on your go, Group 2, moshi moshi.”

“Goooood luck, Sag.”

“You too.”

 

Aquarius nodded, satisfied with the plan. “Any questions?”

Aries raised her hand timidly. “I’m sorry for questioning you, but...”

Aquarius raised an eyebrow expectantly.

“...but isn’t steering boats and predicting waves your thing?” The ram asked.

Capricorn watched the partners standing behind the coffee table. “You took yourself out of the equation.” He observed.

Scorpio and Aquarius shared a look.

“We will be going on a separate mission.” The bluenette announced.

“We will go after Cobra and Midnight.” Scorpio clarified.

Gemini narrowed his eyes. “Do you think that’s wise? Two v two?”

“We have to move simultaneously or else the news of a prison break might spook them again.” Aquarius explained.

“And we have the element of surprise.” Scorpio added. “They don’t know we’re coming. It’ll be fine.”

There was some agreeing but concerned mumbling in the living room.

“Any other questions?” Aquarius called before someone could poke holes in her plan. She wanted to go after Cobra, had promised herself she would.

“Me-aye-ow!”

All eyes went to Happy in surprise.

“Meow!”

“I think he wants to come with us.” Lucy translated.

“Me-aye-ow!”

Aquarius blinked. “...Group 3 will have Happy with them for moral support.” She declared.

“Meow!”

“I get to babysit two cats.” Gemini smiled.

Loke glared at him.

“Woof!” Plue said, feeling left out.

“...And Plue will remain here to protect the guild.” Aquarius added, wondering what she’d gotten herself into when she'd started allowing pets.

Plue’s tail wagged. He wasn’t sure what his exact job was, but he was sure it was important.

 

-----

 

Aquarius and Scorpio were moving once again through the large forest east of their city. Cars -or any method of transportation– were useless in the thicket of trees and undergrowth. One of the reasons the village they were searching for had been abandoned so quickly.

“We should be close.” Scorpio said, disrupting the serene silence that had consisted of crunching leaves beneath their shoes and the occasional snap of a small branch in their path.

Aquarius hummed, gripping the strap that secured her trident across her back. She knew how serious this was.

Technically, they were breaking the Assassin’s Ruled by pursuing this personal mission with fatal intend. But Cobra -and Midnight, she had to keep reminding herself– had staged the death of a legal assassin of two renown guilds, had kidnapped the same assassin and had conspired with knights.

No council official would bat an eye at their actions.

That didn’t mean they could let their guard down. Cobra and Midnight had proven that they were sneaky bastards.

Once again, Aquarius contemplated the choice of taking just Scorpio with her for this mission. But Lucy’s safety was much more important than this revenge side-plot.

Aquarius hated that she wasn’t in the blonde’s immediate vicinity. The only fact that gave her some peace of mind was that eight S-Class assassins had her back at this moment. Plus Natsu, once he was found.

“She’s doing alright.” Scorpio said, reading her stoic expression.

“I know.” Aquarius replied.

“And we’ll be alright too.”

She shot him a side-glance, asking herself for the millionth time since she met him, how her partner could read her like a frontpage headline.

“I just can.” Scorpio grinned at her.

Aquarius rolled her eyes with a soft smile, looking up at the canopy above them.

Autumn had all the leaves turning brilliant shades of red, orange, yellow and grey... Grey?

Aquarius sharpened her stare. Smoke.

Scorpio followed her concentrated gaze.

“A fire?” He whispered, one hand on his shotgun.

“Would they be ballsy enough to start one?” Aquarius asked back, trident already firmly in her grip.

“Village’s been abandoned for years. No electricity, no gas... They might have to.” Scorpio replied.

Aquarius hummed again, slowly looking past a large oaktree that revealed the sleepy village behind it.

A soft strand of smoke rose from one of the half-crumbled chimneys.

The two shared a look. Scorpio nodded at her. Aquarius nodded back.

Silent as ghosts, they crept past empty houses, peaking through broken windows in anticipation of an attack.

They had the element of surprise. But you could never be too cautious.

Aquarius rolled beneath an intact window of the house with the fire inside.

Scorpio came to a stop on the other side of the window.

They could hear light mumbling drifting through some crack from the inside. Lights flickered behind the glass, illuminating silhouettes of either old furniture or people.

Scorpio gestured upwards.

Entry through the upper level would give them the high ground. But Aquarius didn’t trust the stability of the roofs. They didn’t need a twisted ankle before any of the actual fighting happened.

She shook her head, gesturing to the window and to the door on her other side.

Scorpio nodded, pointing at the window then himself.

Aquarius agreed, moving to the door silently. She rose to her feet, taking a step back.

She held up three fingers. Then two. Then one.

Aquarius kicked hard against the worn door of the house, the hinges flying off on impact. Beside her, she could hear glass crashing, watching as her partner used the butt of his shotgun to make an opening for himself.

She stormed into the house, Scorpio swinging in through the broken window simultaneously.

It only took them a second to map out the layout of the building. They were standing in an open living room, the fireplace crackling on the other side. Stairs led up to a second floor that overlooked this room. Rafters crisscrossed the ceiling.

And, sitting right in front of them on a faded couch were the faces Aquarius had stared at too long on wanted posters.

“You could’ve just used the handle.” Cobra said with a raised eyebrow. “It wasn’t locked.”

Aquarius was ready to throw her trident the short distance and call it a day. But something was off.

Cobra looked nervous -the other guy looked asleep– but not nervous enough. Not nearly.

“You were expecting us.” Scorpio said easily, twirling his firearm in one hand that never failed to get an unnerved look from the people in front of him.

“We were.” The black-and-white-haired man said, not moving from his crossed-legged position beside Cobra. “The lion isn’t the only one who knows how to use a laptop.”

Aquarius cursed soundlessly. So much for the element of surprise.

Still, two vs two. They could handle them. She’d read the little information available on Oracion Seis extensively. She knew what to expect.

And yet...they were too calm.

Something was very wrong.

Aquarius decided to test it. She snatched one of her backup knives from her belt, raising her arm as if she would throw it directly at Cobra. (Which was the general plan anyway.)

Cobra’s eyes only had time to widen, one of Midnight’s opened, fixed on the glinting metal.

But before the knife could even leave her hand, Aquarius’ suspicion proved itself true.

Another knife shot out from above them, catching hers by the hilt and knocking it from her hand.

Both knives clattered onto the wooden floorboards away from them.

Aquarius let her lips form into a confident smile, as if she’d known all along what was going on.

Cobra glared at her. Midnight had both eyes open now.

A white blur jumped from the rafters above their heads, landing beside the couch in an elegant crouch.

A young woman with hair as white as her dress rose to her full height, smirking at the bluenette. Plenty more knives were tucked around her waist in a matching belt.

“Anyone else care to join in?” Aquarius asked sweetly.

A shadow emerged from behind the steps. A circular man with long, orange hair and strangely quadratic facial features stepped into the light from the broken window, coming to a stand on the other side of the couch.

“And I feared this would be boring.” Scorpio cracked his neck.

To everyone else in the room he sounded confident. But Aquarius could detect the slightest undertone of worry in his carefree statement.

Four vs two. They’d faced worse odds. But Oracion Seis was hunted throughout Fiore for a reason.

Retreat wasn’t really an option. Either the four would pursue on territory they’d had more time to study, or Aquarius would lose her chance to tie up this loose end.

“We’ve got these clowns.” Scorpio said, clicking the safety off his gun.

Aquarius had always admired his positive attitude despite everything. And he was right. They’d have to be smart about it. Aquarius had not preached safety for two hours last night to Lucy only to end up being a hypocrite.

“He’s not taking about me, right?” The ginger whispered to Midnight who skillfully ignored him.

Aquarius used the minimal distraction to quickly throw another knife with a flick of her wrist.

Cobra cursed as he barely managed to duck so that it only grazed his temple and not struck his throat. Midnight was suddenly on his feet, the ginger jumped back, Angel started moving towards the bluenette and Scorpio raised his shotgun.

And with that, the fight officially began.

 

-----

 

Lahar didn’t really like the press.

They were all vultures in his opinion, ready to tear anyone apart for their own benefit.

But he saw their use. The public could be heavily influenced by what they read in headlines.

So, a paper published by a renown university, painting the government in a positive light with his name in it? It could only be to his favor.

He had caught the Celestial-Dragon and he was getting answers from him. But it couldn’t hurt to have another win under his belt. Not with his superiors anyhow. 

“I read that this place used to be a fortress.” Stella began, notepad propped on her cast, pen in her right hand as they walked through the corridors. “Does that mean you still have old canons standing around?”

“Oh no.” Lahar chuckled politely at the icebreaker. “Those are in a museum somewhere. We use the space for storage now.”

Stella smiled up at him through the lenses of her glasses. Lahar cursed that his replacement ones still hadn’t arrived.

“You said that a captain isn’t usually in charge of a prison.” She continued. “Then how come you are here?”

“Some prisoners demand special attention.” Lahar answered smoothly.

“Especially dangerous ones?” The curious student asked, jotting something down in her notepad.

The guard behind them couldn’t quite stifle a snort at the question. Stella either didn’t hear it or chose to ignore it.

“Dangerous due to the information they possess.” Lahar said, glaring at the guard over his shoulder.

Stella adjusted the white scarf around her neck as a breeze greeted them around a corner.

“Quite chilly here.” She commented.

“This prison is famed for it.” Lahar shrugged.

He’d lead her around a few corridors, then invite her into his office to answer final questions. There were currently a number of prisoners in the yard, and he would most definitely not show a young student around there.

“What else is this prison famous for?” The journalist-to-be asked, drawn by his answer.

“Let’s see...” Lahar pretended to think for a second. “It’s long history for one. The security provided by the ocean itself...”

“No one has ever escaped across the water?” Stella asked, pen raised.

“By Mavis, no.” Lahar smiled. “The fall from such a height would be deadly, even without the rocks waiting below. Let alone the steep climb without equipment... And even if they made it into the waters alive, how would they get away? The nearest accessible beach is some miles away.”

“A boat?” Stella suggested.

“I think we’d spot a boat waiting for a convict easily enough.” Lahar said with a small laugh.

“Would you?”

Lahar paused at the strange question, giving the brunette a side-glance. She smiled back innocently.

His lingering question of why they wouldn’t be able to spot a boat was interrupted by a sudden disturbance.

BOOM!

Lahar spun around to the echo of an explosion ringing down the stone corridor. The guard had his weapon raised.

“What was that?!” Stella asked, clutching her injured arm.

“Perhaps a car engine backfired?” The guard suggested.

BOOM!

Lahar stepped closer to the guard, Stella remaining behind him.

That was his mistake, he’d realize seconds later.

Lahar saw something coming from the corner of his eye but had no chance to dodge or deflect in time.

A black boot crashed into the side of his head, knocking him against the unforgiving stone with the other side of his face. He hoped the crack he heard was the frame of his glasses and not his skull, just as he was sinking to the ground.

The guard did have time to spin around, shotgun with rubber bullets poised. He fired just as Stella kicked the firearm upwards. Rubber bullets zigzagged around the corridor, bouncing off the stone. But behind Stella, narrowly avoiding the dazed captain.

Another kick had the shotgun flying out of the guard’s hands. He threw a punch at the student. One which she easily deflected with her left arm. Her left arm which didn’t seem so injured anymore.

The guard -Lahar couldn’t recall the man’s name for the life of him- cursed violently as his fist connected with the plaster. It gave Stella the second she needed to do a quick succession of roundhouse kicks to his unprotected side. One into the ribs, one to the side of the head.

The guard crumbled to the ground unconscious.

That reminded Lahar of his own position; not unconscious but getting there if the roaring between his ears was anything to go by.

“I hope you know you are in violation of several laws.” He said. Why did blinking hurt? And why was his vision cracked? Ah, the lenses of his backup glasses. That meant it wasn’t his skull that had made that noise. Small blessings. “Infiltrating a government detention facility, attacking law officials, conspiring to...” To what again? There was something...

He watched the blurry outline of Stella shrugging off the cast around her arm, revealing two glinting, silver objects. They looked sharp.

She tucked her glasses into a pocket and grabbed something from her bag before abandoning it on the ground together with the fake cast.

“This is very much illegal!” Lahar tried again.

Stella looked at him. “Oh, I know.” She said, smiling.

She flexed her left hand. Gold and red shimmered in Lahar’s field of vision. He knew that colour combination. Had seen it on the shoulder of one particular prisoner...

“But you’ve got my partner.” Stella -who Lahar was now sure wasn’t actually called Stella- said.

With that Not-Stella sprinted past the guard, around the corner they’d come from.

Lahar got a bad feeling that this would have a negative influence on future promotions before slipping into the inviting darkness.

 

-----

 

Lucy tucked the small comm into her ear that she had previously disguised as headphones.

“This is Lucy.” She called. “I’m alone and safe.”

“Group 1 has begun the climb.” Aries reported.

“Groooooup 2 is having a blast!” Taurus yelled.

“Figuratively and literally!” Capricorn added.

“This is Loke. I can see the camera feed. Princess, you’re visible.”

Lucy looked around and spotted the rectangular box in the closest corner. She waved.

“Any sign of Natsu?” She asked, moving below the camera to be in its blind spot.

“He’s not in the yard.” Loke said. “There are a bunch of others though. Most guards are on the landside looking for Group 2.”

“Any sign of him?”

“No, sorry Princess. The cell doors are from two centuries ago. I can’t open them.”

Lucy cursed. The fortress had multiple layers and was complex. This could take a while. Too long.

“However...the gates to the yard are electric. I could open them.” Loke offered hesitantly.

“Do it.” Lucy said, tucking her knives into her belt.

“Are you sure, this could be dangerous.”

“I know. But the more chaos the better.”

“Okay. Be careful!”

“I will.” Lucy picked a direction and started running, all the while glancing around corners, trying to find corridor that looked like it would inhabit cells. Up might be a good way to go.

Notes:

Happy 2 Years to this fanfic! 🎈
What started out as a writing exercise has grown into a multi-perspective tangle of plots and tropes that is steering towards the 200-300k mark.
On a positive note, I now (after 2 years) know exactly where I'll be taking the allusive plot. Let's hope it won't take me another year to finish this, but with my writing speed...I promise nothing.
Hope you enjoyed.

Chapter 30: The Prison Break I

Natsu had just engaged in his favorite pastime activity -counting the individual stones that made up his cell (he got a different number every time)- when he was shook from his concentrated counting. Literally.

BOOM!

“What the-?”

For a moment he wondered if he’d imagined it. Maybe that had been his final brain cell, tired of staring at the stone ceiling.

But then-

BOOM!

No, that was very real!

Natsu was on his feet in an instant, one ear pressed to the wooden door.

He could hear people yelling, heavy boots stomping by and out of earshot.

Something was happening. Something big.

Judging by the hectic shouting, it was something the prison hadn’t authorized.

For a small moment the teen hesitated. There was a distraction. But would it be enough? If he was caught, he’d lose the little trust he’d managed to build with the knight. And he’d be back to spending all his time in this little room.

But when would he get another chance? At least now there was a possibility of getting out. Or getting somewhere.

“You can’t plan for everything, son. Sometimes you gotta go with your gut feeling.”

Igneel and Metalicana had lived by that creed. Grandeeney less so, but she’d had to agree with the first part.

‘And look where it got them’, a nasty voice that sounded suspiciously like Captain Lahar said inside Natsu’s mind.

The pinkette shook his head. If Lahar’s voice spoke against it, then it was definitely a sign to do just that.

He shoved his mattress to the side, carefully feeling along the stones for the small gap he’d found some days prior. He fished the wire that had been the handle to the helpful cleaning bucket out of its hiding spot.

Natsu listened again carefully. There was more yelling, a lot of clashes and an alarm ringing, all some distance away. It looked like his section of the prison was clear.

Natsu used one side of the wire to gently pry the keyway open, creating the tension he’d need later to -hopefully- turn the lock. The other side had to serve as the rake, a poor substitute for his beloved lockpicks, but the best alternative he’d get here.

He slowly inserted the wire into the lock, carefully wriggling the piece of metal up and down. He could feel the pins sliding upwards as the wire managed to push further into the mechanism.

The nerves were starting to make the slow movements more difficult, and the teen had to remind himself to calm down. It was a simple lock, nothing special about it. Just him and the lock.

“Patience can be more effective than any key.” Metalicana had told him and Gajeel once, just as he was introducing them to lockpicking.

“Never thought I’d hear that from you.” Natsu’s dad had responded with a smirk.

“The hell’s that supposed to mean?!”

“No swearing in front of the children!” Grandeeney had cut in, pointedly gesturing to a toddler-sized Wendy.

“Hell!” The tiny bluenette had proudly proclaimed, clapping with her tiny hands at the new word.

Metalicana had had to hide for the rest of the evening from a furious Grandeeney since his argument that “hell’s not a swear – it’s just a fictional place” had not held up with the medic.

“Patience is key.” Natsu repeated quietly to himself, continuously moving the wire inside the lock. 

BOOM!

Another explosion rocked the prison’s foundation, but Natsu remained steady, not letting the wire slip from his grip.

“Patience is key. Patience is-”

He felt the wire hit the back of the lock.

Slower than he ever had before, Natsu tugged at the first side of the wire to turn the lock.

Click

“-key.”

Hesitantly, he pushed open the old door, the hinges creaking far too loud for his liking. But no one came. No guard came to investigate, to lock him back inside the cell.

The reason for the deserted corridor became clear very quickly. The noise was much louder now that the door was open; sounds of a massive fight echoing along the old stones. A riot.

“Now or never.” He muttered, slipping into the hallway and closing the door behind him. No need to arouse unneeded suspicion.

But as Natsu headed for the spiraling staircase he’d always been led down to get to the yard, he realized there was little need for extra precaution.

Somehow, a large number of inmates had managed to break open the gates from the yard and had overrun the building. Natsu could see the chaos only one floor beneath his: guards were wrestling with prisoners, rubber bullets were flying around, injuring both parties, someone had gotten a hold of a set of keys and was opening more cells, the constant blaring of the alarm a mere background noise compared to the action before him.

Natsu jumped to the side, just as a guard was sent flying against the steps. The man he’d seen on his first day out in the yard -the one as tall as Metalicana and with the build of Taurus- had three guards hanging off him, each trying to subdue the large prisoner. Each unsuccessful as another was thrown off.

Natsu dodged a clumsy swing of a baton, tripping the attacking guard with his own force, right into the path of the hurricane that was the tall prisoner. Said man easily swatted the nuisance away, catching Natsu’s eyes as he did so.

The pinkette got into a fighting stance, watching the other man carefully. But he merely made a dismissive gesture before jumping into a larger brawl including three prisoners and five guards.

There were two more staircases leading further down. One behind the massive brawl that had just gotten even larger and one to his right. Not wanting to try his luck with the enthusiastic fighter even more, Natsu chose the one to his right, even though the path wasn’t anywhere near clear there either.

With a running start, he vaulted off the wall to jump over a wrestling pair of inmates, one wielding a mop like a longsword, the other holding two crappy plastic knives like daggers.

Natsu rolled beneath a gaggle of guards being held at bay by a convict holding a fire extinguisher threateningly above his head.

In front of him, right between himself and the staircase leading further down, was a guard who was using the issued pepper-spray generously on anyone daring to step too close, be it prisoner or co-worker.

Someone tried to rugby-tackle Natsu from behind, but the teen managed to twist out of the way, grabbing the attacker and send him crashing into the pepper-spray-guard.

The canister dropped from the startled guard’s hand, rolling along the uneven stones with a clatter. Natsu grabbed it as he jumped over the confused pair, swinging himself around the corner and down the spiral of steps. He used the handrail to propel himself over another wrestling duo, who’d decided steep, stone steps would be the best place to hash out their differences.

No one managed to stop him on his way to the lower levels. To potential freedom.

 

-----

 

Lucy was sprinting up the spiraling stairs, hoping to be too fast for anyone to really notice her. However, given that the chaos had escalated from a small explosion outside to a full-on prison-riot in less than two minutes, no one paid her much attention.

She jumped over someone’s back as she ran, dodging the odd swing or kick that came her way.

“They destroyed most of the cameras.” Loke cursed through the comms. “I lost visual. Can’t see you, princess.”

“That’s alright.” Lucy answered, taking two steps at a time. “I see plenty.”

The corridor greeting her was even worse than the one beneath them. Every cell door was open, people fighting in them or in the hallway.

The largest group was centered around a colossus of a man, the prison shirt barely managing to contain the bulging muscles. And he was right in Lucy’s path. She could head back down, but what if Natsu was here? Caught up in a fight or still locked up? Or worse; hurt?

With a quick assessment of the chaos, Lucy jumped right in, dancing past the fighting mayhem to peak into every cell. The inmates that caught a glimpse of the golden paint on her skin immediately backed off, the rest were cautious of the daggers in her hands.

One guard separated himself from the largest brawl as he saw her coming, hoping for an easy victory. Lucy threw her wig at his face, which startled the guard enough for her to simply push him over.

She shook her golden hair free, eyes darting around. No head of pink hair anywhere to be seen.

The large man was only a few steps away from her now, free to roll his enormous shoulders for a second as he’d just disposed of the closest attacker.

Lucy held out her daggers in a defensive pose in front of her.

The prisoner raised an eyebrow. “Why does everyone always assume I’ll immediately attack them?!” He huffed.

But given the fact that he had casually flung a guard into the wall without breaking eye contact with her whilst he’d said it, didn’t give Lucy any reason to lower her defenses.

“I’m looking for my partner.” She said in a sturdy voice.

The man looked at her left hand. “The pink-haired kid?”

Lucy’s heartbeat fastened. He knew Natsu! It was the first eye-witness confirmation that he was here. That he was alive!

“Yes!” She said, hoping to sound collected.

“Headed down the stairs.” He gestured behind him to another staircase.

He had no reason to lie. But he had no reason to help her either. Lucy regarded him carefully, stepping out of the way of a flying plastic chair.

“Hey, I don’t mess with Celestials.” The man said, hands raised before promptly holding out a fist so that a running convict crashed against it. “I tried that once at the last place I was at. The funny-talking-guy gave me a concussion that I won’t forget. Or that I won’t remember, I guess.”

Of course, Taurus had picked a fight with the largest person available during a rescue mission.

“Thank you.” Lucy said, dashing past him and the next wave of people heading for the prisoner.

He gave her a dismissive wave before smashing the two heads of whoever had the misfortune of being closest to him together.

Lucy flew past the people between her and the second staircase, barely registering the half-hearted attacks thrown her way.

Natsu was close! He was alive and moving.

Natsu was alive!

 

-----

 

Sagittarius reached the opening in the stone wall first. He heaved himself over the edge, his weight tipping him inside, which resulted in the archer landing face-first on the floor made of the same material as everything in this blasted place.

Not a minute later, Virgo’s black hat made an appearance at the oval entrance into the building. The pinkette rolled into a standing position beside him.

“Everything alright?” She asked as Sagittarius disconnected the rope between their harnesses.

“It was a good workout, if anything, moshi moshi.” The tall man replied.

A gloved hand grasped the stone edge of the opening beside them.

Virgo walked over and pulled Cancer into the spacious room, saving him from making an equally ungraceful entrance as Sagittarius had.

“Two out of ten, baby.” Cancer panted. “Great view, but little to no safety features or opportunities to rest. Would not recommend.”

“At least the way back down will be easier.” Sagittarius said, stepping out of the climbing gear.

“One way or another.” Virgo added.

“Not. Helpful.”

BOOM

“Looks like our partners are having fun, baby.” Cancer said to Sagittarius.

“Just as much as everyone else.” He replied, gesturing with a nod to the door. Behind it, they could hear yelling and clashes, a few bangs against the door. But this room hadn’t been breached yet.

“This is Group 1.” Sagittarius said, pressing the comm in his ear. “We have arrived successfully, moshi moshi.”

“Well dooooone, Sag! I knew you could dooooo it!”

“Thanks, Taurus. We appear to be in a large storage room.” Sagittarius added.

There were boxes and boxes piled along the walls around them. Some torn open, revealing spare uniforms, plastic plates, prison attire, new mopheads and much more.

“This is Lucy. I haven’t found Natsu yet. But someone saw him heading further down. I’ll look for the storage section when I find him.”

“We’re on the lower levels, that’s for sure, baby.” Cancer said.

“Inform us when you have found Natsu of the Dragons. We’ll clear the way for you.” Virgo finished.

“Perfect. I’ll see you soon!” Lucy called from wherever she was currently.

She was confident. That’s good, Sagittarius thought. Everything was going according to plan. That didn’t happen very often.

The archer shrugged off the backpack he’d been carrying.

“First we prepare for a speedy exit, moshi moshi.”

“Then we pick the door and wait for Lucy’s signal, baby.”

“And then we will join the chaos.” Virgo said, fishing her heavy chain bracelets out of her own bag.

“Sounds like a plan, moshi moshi.”

 

-----

 

Natsu came to an abrupt stop at the bottom of the second staircase. He was on some middle level now and it looked like backup had arrived.

Guards were slowly working their way up the floors, some in small groups, a few in heavy gear specifically designed for such an occasion.

Meaning, the lower he went, the more guards there were. Natsu cursed.

He’d gotten this far. Why stop now?

With that in mind, he took a few steps into the fray, hoping to stay under the radar of the guards.

Natsu ducked a swing aimed at his throat, side-stepped a kick from a heavy boot and walked behind a guard in full gear, staying out of his field of vision thanks to the plastic helmet on the man’s head.

He wasn’t really sure who was fighting who. All he knew for sure was that it was getting crowded in the stone corridor.

Two interlocked prisoners were blocking his way and Natsu couldn’t dodge being rugby-tackled by one of the guards. Air left his lungs as he was slammed against the wall back first. He elbowed the attacker in the face, gaining enough room to lift up his hand clutching the can of pepper spray. The guard’s eyes only had time to widen as the painful particles filled the air between them. And then abruptly stopped, the can making a few pathetic wheezing sounds.

But it was enough to get the guard to back off, swearing profoundly as angry tears streamed down his face.

Natsu cursed the empty canister as he saw another guard approach to aid his colleague. He chucked the can at the new opponent, which bounced off the man’s bulletproof vest harmlessly.

It was high time to move on.

Natsu rolled beneath the attempted grab from the backup guard, quickly sweeping the legs out from under him before he could turn around and pursue.

He leapt over the next person in his way, using his momentum to grab the reaching arm of a nearby guard to spin and fling him into the nearest gaggle of fighters. The momentary confusion of someone crashing into them like a bowling ball gave Natsu the second he needed to dash past the group, avoiding being squashed between a large, plastic shield and the wall.

He’d reached the corner of the corridor, the next staircase at the end. Natsu sprinted the 90° angle, having to twist suddenly as a fist flew at him. The hit caught his shoulder instead of the intended target -his throat- but it still stung.

Natsu snatched the inmate with his uninjured arm, letting himself fall backwards. The man barely had time for a startled yelp before he was already being dragged down by the pink-haired teen. When Natsu’s shoulders hit the hard floor, he tucked his legs in, waiting for the right moment to ram them into the falling prisoner’s stomach, sending the man flying over him. Natsu was back on his feet before the man had hit the ground behind him and was already moving.

This part of the corridor was a bit calmer than the first. Natsu could see the next staircase behind the few wrestling pairs in front of him.

He grinned, dashing past the distracted guards and prisoners alike. The next floor was probably even worse. But one step at a time.

One guard saw the teen approach with high-speed, getting into a grounded stance to stop him. Natsu didn’t slow down, which worried the guard a little. Instead, he jumped up right in front of the guard, knocking him down with a less graceful version of a pike-jump. Natsu stumbled over the fallen guard, regaining his footing right in front of the staircase.

He was about to continue, ready to fight his way through all the floors until he was finally overpowered, when-

“NATSU!”

The pinkette stopped dead in his tracks. That sounded like...

“Luce?”

He shook his head. Was he starting to hear things now? Had the rugby-tackle against the wall been one impact too many for his brain? Had he been knocked out a while ago and his mind was making him hear things he desperately wanted to-

“NAAATSUUU!”

The call echoed along the stone, stronger than all the noises and alarms.

Natsu turned to look the way he’d just barreled through.

His breath caught in his throat, his heart seemed to stop and speed up at the same time.

There was someone so out of place turning the corner that she drew the attention of everyone. One of the inmates Natsu had just knocked down like bowling pins received a harsh kick in the stomach from her, succeeding in her being left alone. Gold metal glinted in the sunlight through the narrow window behind her.

“LUCY!”

Her head whipped around, golden hair and the ends of his scarf flying behind her.

Chocolate brown eyes widened as they caught side of the dash of salmon on the other side of the corridor, her expression mirroring his.

“Natsu?”

He could only see her mouth his name.

It was her. His partner was here. His Lucy was here!

Natsu felt his face break out in a wide grin.

“LUCE!”

 

-----

 

This corridor was much worse than the one above. It took Lucy a minute -and an unavoidable punch to the ribs- to get to the halfway-corner, shouting Natsu’s name all the way.

Someone grabbed her around the waist. Lucy slashed with her daggers, the motion more threat than action as it was enough to get the attacker to jump back. A Lucy-kick to the stomach settled the matter.

“LUCY!”

The blonde froze and moved at the same time. Her eyes scanned the second part of the corridor before her. A few people were fighting, a few lying on the floor, doing their best to get back up.

And at the very end, one dash of pink.

“Natsu?” She whispered, blinking a few times to make sure the image didn’t disappear.

Her partner stared back. The sunshine-and-rainbows-grin spread across his face and a sob suddenly broke out from Lucy.

“LUCE!”

Lucy couldn’t contain the wild laugh bubbling up inside her, even as her vision started blurring from unshed tears. It was him! Natsu was right there!

“NATSU!” She yelled back, grinning madly at her partner across the corridor.

Simultaneously, the two started moving towards each other.

Lucy was pretty sure that there had been some people between them. And yet she couldn’t remember dodging or blocking anyone. She must have, given the chaotic state of the place.

There was one guards in her direct line of sight to Natsu.

The man looked incredibly confused, having a déjà vu moment as the pinkette came running at him again.

Natsu side-stepped the guard, bodychecking him so that he went toppling over again, not once taking his eyes off Lucy.

Lucy vaguely recalled twisting out of the way of someone or something, although who or what she had no idea. It must’ve been more instinct and muscle-memory than actual awareness of her surroundings. Her nakama definitely wouldn’t be happy about that, but Lucy couldn’t find it in herself to care much about anything other than the energetic assassin running towards her.

“LUCE!” Natsu yelled again, as if he was afraid she’d disappear. As if Lucy would be anywhere else other than this exact hallway surrounded by a fighting mayhem.

Lucy only grinned back and then Natsu was only a step away from her, coming to a screeching halt so that he wouldn’t knock into her.

Lucy didn’t. Instead, she jumped at her partner, arms outstretched.

Natsu didn’t miss a beat, catching the blonde teen and holding her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

The corridor, the fighting, the whole prison was gone as Lucy buried her face in Natsu’s shoulder, inhaling deeply, the only sound her own erratic heartbeat thundering in her ears.

A fresh wave of log fires and chili peppers washed over her senses at the contact, the same scent that the white scarf around her shoulders had slowly been losing over the past weeks. She didn’t even try to stop the tears running down her cheeks, soaking Natsu’s shoulder.

Natsu stood perfectly still, his arms around her like vices to make sure no one could get between them. One of his hands was cradling the back of Lucy’s head, trying to come to terms with the fact that this felt real, not like some fever-dream or mirage. His Luce was really here.

Lucy felt Natsu take one step to the side, a little gust of wind proving that whoever had tried running at them was now stumbling past them.

That was the callback to reality she needed. Not wanted, but they were still in enemy territory. And they had a plan.

Fighting her reluctance to just stay in Natsu’s arms forever, Lucy let herself slide downwards, unhooking her legs in the process.

Natsu loosened his hold on her a little but didn’t remove his arms from around her waist as Lucy stood before him.

It was the first time she could look at him properly since their mad dash through the corridor.

Natsu looked like he lost some weight, and he was a little pale. There was still a light bruise on his temple; the worst of the injury seemed to have healed.

But his smile was as radiant as ever as he met her teary eyes. They were standing so close that Lucy could still feel his warmth, the cold surroundings only amplifying it. Warm and smiling and alive.

Another sob broke from her as Lucy remembered Natsu’s cold and lifeless form in the morgue as a stark contrast to now.

“Damn Luce,” Natsu said with a chuckle thick with emotion, “is it that bad to see me again?” He raised one hand to brush a tear from her cheek.

Lucy let out a breathy laugh that did nothing to stop the shaking of her shoulders, leaning into the touch. “Don’t...don’t even say that, you-you jerk.”

“I’m sorry.” Natsu whispered, referring to a lot more than his last question.

But Lucy shook her head, her smile not once faltering as she took a small step back to unwrap the scarf from around her neck.

“I believe this belongs to you.” She said.

Natsu leaned down a little so that the smaller assassin could lead the white fabric around the back of his neck. The familiar feeling that accompanied the scarf brushing against his skin had a weight disappearing from Natsu’s shoulder; almost as freeing as seeing his partner again.

Lucy didn’t lower her arms when the scarf was back where it belonged. She knew this pause was risky and that there were a million better places to have a reunion, but Zeref damn this entire prison, she needed to be close to her partner.

Natsu had no objections to staying at their spot in the middle of a hectic corridor for a few moments longer, smiling down at the small blonde.

“I’m really glad you’re alive.” Lucy hiccupped suddenly, like it was some shameful secret that she’d ever doubted it.

Natsu’s smile wavered a bit and he pulled her close again, Lucy’s head resting beneath his chin.

“So am I, Luce.” He said quietly, running a hand through her hair. He pressed a kiss on the top of her head. Just because it felt like the right thing to do.

Lucy let herself enjoy Natsu’s soothing hold for exactly three seconds before a crash coming from somewhere around the corner had her realizing -for the second time in less than two minutes- that they really should be going.

“Alright,” she straightened up, sniffing and blinking rapidly. “I’m okay now.” Lucy lied.

Natsu only smiled knowingly, taking one of her hands into his.

“What’s the plan?” He asked.

“Getting you out of here.” Lucy responded, her grip firm in his hand.

“Right...” Natsu pointedly stared at the nearest gaggle of squabbling people. “How exactly?”

Lucy grinned up at him. “You think I came alone?”

A bubbling feeling rose in Natsu’s chest. He hadn’t really thought about getting out when he’d seen Lucy. He’d just been happy that she was here.

But of course there was a plan to break him out. And of course their nakama were there.

For the first time in a long time, Natsu truly believed he’d be leaving this place for good.

“Come on!” Lucy tugged him down the corridor that Natsu had sprinted down twice before already.

The guard just looked annoyed as he saw the pinkette approaching yet again and simply moved out of the way this time.

 

-----

 

Cobra had hated Midnight’s plan from the get-go.

He’d felt a little better when Hoteye and Angel had knocked on the door of the hideout, their characteristic confidence in themselves making him see a glimmer of hope for his life expectancy.

That glimmer had immediately been extinguished when Hoteye told them that two Celestials were on their way.

“It’s just two of them.” Angel had said with a bored shrug.

“Exactly!” Hoteye had cheered.

Cobra and Midnight had exchanged a glance. Two was better than ten of them. But still two more than they’d liked.

The plan of bait (him and Midnight) and surprise attack (Angel and Hoteye) had failed miserably.

The blue-haired leader had known something was off, had forced Angel to come out of her hiding spot.

Neither women had let surprise of the other’s appearance show on their faces. Cobra knew Angel well enough to know that she’d happily take on Aquarius in a fight.

Angel was their best close-combat fighter, so it would’ve made sense to let her go up against Aquarius.

But did that plan work out? Of course not!

The bluenette had plucked another knife from her belt -faster than Cobra had been able to track with his eyes- and had thrown it.

At him.

Cobra would’ve been flattered that Aquarius had thought him the biggest threat of the four of them. If the cut on his temple didn’t hurt so bloody much.

He cursed, pressing a hand to his injury.

Midnight was standing beside him.

Hoteye had moved back a step, his book clutched to his chest and one hand securing his secret weapon (and Cobra’s last case emergency plan).

Angel made the first aggressive move of them, swiftly moving towards Aquarius.

Her partner -Scorpion, if Cobra recalled correctly- moved between them in a graceful motion, using his shotgun to block her slash with one of her silver blades.

Aquarius positioned herself behind Scorpion, that was until Midnight tried to sweep her legs out from under her.

His best friend’s attempt was in vain as the Celestial’s leader saw him in the shadows, jumping to avoid his attack and made a counterstrike in the same movement.

Midnight was forced to jump back and Aquarius followed him.

It drove a wedge between the two Celestials and Cobra briefly wondered if that had been Midnight’s plan.

Their two opponents seemed wholly unphased by this development; Scorpio blocking Angel’s fast attacks and Aquarius exchanging blows that kept missing with Midnight.

Hoteye looked between the two pairs, unsure of where to join.

Cobra gestured for him to help Angel. He didn’t like Midnight fighting Aquarius alone.

Cobra slipped his bagh nakh over his knuckles, also known as ‘Tiger Claws’. His preferred weapons (after poison) were like brass knuckles but upgraded with curved ‘claws’ between each knuckle.

Usually, he did spike the small blades with some sort of poisonous substance -be it to kill or to simply stun- but he hadn’t been able to do it for this fight, even though he really wanted to. Given Hoteye’s clumsiness and his nakamas’ general gift for chaos, he hadn’t trusted them around lethal substances.

So, traditional hand-to-hand it was. Unfortunately, that really wasn’t his strong suit.

Neither was it Midnight’s. Or Hoteye’s.

Midnight could maneuver out of the way of any attack. His defense was second to none. His offence however... His best friend stayed in the shadows, striking quickly when no one suspected him. That hardly worked when his opponent had both seen him and was actively keeping him in her field of vision.

It seemed the Celestials had also done their research on them. Flattering, if it weren’t so terrifying.

Cobra himself had earned his reputation by being efficient. Poisons were clean, didn’t require him to actually be there and were hard to trace. He wasn’t known to be a brawler. Because he wasn’t. The closest they had to one was Angel, who was currently occupied with Scorpion.

Cobra jumped over the couch, one clawed hand raised to strike at Aquarius’ back. But the Celestial seemed to have expected him, smoothly twisting and bringing the staff of her trident with her.

Cobra -still mid-air- had to block with his arm, a stinging throb answering the blow as Aquarius -still spinning- turned back to face Midnight.

“If we only get one of them, the others will stop fighting.” Midnight, in his infinite wisdom, had said before their arrival.

Easier said than done!

Aquarius was a fast-moving tsunami of daggers and a freaking trident, always keeping both her opponents in her line of sight, no matter how many times Midnight tried to slink into the shadows.

He dared a quick glance across the couch. Angel was keeping Scorpion on his toes and vice versa. Both had to dodge, parry and attack in a perfect rhythm to avoid being bested.

Scorpion had a shotgun, but he was fine with close combat.

However, fighting Angel did take all of his focus, meaning Hoteye had a chance to...

“You are pretty good at this. Like really.”

“Thanks?”

Scorpion raised a brow at the ginger man’s comment but kept his eyes on the daggers in his opponent’s hands. She was good. Lucy would’ve made a great sparring partner for her, he’d briefly thought. If this Angel weren’t an illegal assassin and actively trying to send two Celestials into the afterlife.  

“With your skill, you must be rich.” Hoteye continued, shyly fidgeting with his book.

“Not really.” Cobra was surprised the Celestial even bothered to reply. He inwardly sighed at Hoteye’s inability to read the room, which in this case -with active fighting going on- really shouldn’t be that hard!

“Well, you could be...” Hoteye drawled.

“Not interested.” Scorpion said directly, managing to kick Angel away from him.

Cobra froze as he heard the safety click off and a bang echoed around the small village.

A...beanbag?! A red beanbag shot out of the gun. Angel quickly twisted and it grazed her hip before crashing into the wall between Cobra and Aquarius.

Angel cursed but got back onto her feet.

“Non-lethal?!” His silver-haired nakama yelled indignantly.

“He doesn’t want to hurt us!” Hoteye squealed at the same time.

“I don’t want to kill you.” Scorpion corrected, already jumping back as Angel advanced.

“Just admit you like us, really!” Hoteye said, his sharp eyes not once leaving the Celestial.

Cobra paid for his split attention with another blow from the trident’s staff, this time ramming into his stomach.

“We just want to kill one of you.” Aquarius explained, staring murder at him.

Cobra did his best not to let his fear show as he heaved a deep breath.

“And why’s that?” Midnight, calm as ever, asked, his face half covered by the shadows from the staircase.

“Only one of you staged our nakama’s murder, Chief Detective.”

“Technically, two of us.” Midnight clarified.

Aquarius shrugged, leaping away from his claws. “I’m happy to kill you too.”

“No!” Cobra yelled, glaring at Midnight. No need to drag him down too, should this all turn sour.

Midnight simply stared back unimpressed.

“Let’s try to keep the killing to a minimum, babe!” Scorpion yelled across the room.

Aquarius rolled her eyes.

“He has such a good heart, totally!”

“Will you shut it, Richie?!” Angel yelled. “Are you going to help or just stand there?”

The question was rhetorical, every Oracion Seis member knew as much. Hoteye was useful in many situations, but close-combat-fighting was simply not the round man’s forte.

“No promises.” Aquarius yelled back to her partner, her second attack on Cobra blocked by Midnight. “They hurt Natsu.”

“The kid deserved it!” Cobra shot back, managing to nick the bluenette’s arm with his claws. If only he’d laced it with something poisonous.

“Like hell!” She yelled, not reacting to the minor injury.

“Did he ever mention someone named Racer?” Midnight asked, keeping a safe distance away from the spikes of the trident.

“Let me guess...one of you lot?” Aquarius’ sneer made Cobra see red.

“He was our nakama!”

“And Natsu is ours!”

Claws and trident clashed.

“Your nakama killed ours!” Cobra yelled.

“Without a mission.” Midnight added.

“Bullshit!” Aquarius shouted, pushing him back and aiming a kick at Cobra.

“Natsu wouldn’t do that.” Scorpion added unhelpfully from across the couch.

“Yeah right!” Angel mocked. “Not like Dragons ever knew when to keep out of other people’s business.”

“There are witnesses!” Cobra said, facing Aquarius, hoping to throw her off her game.

She merely huffed. “Civilian-witnesses? Legal-assassin-witnesses? Hell, even knight-witnesses?!”

Cobra’s glare answered her question.

“I’m guessing not. Ever heard of a bias?!”

“Murder is murder.” Midnight said coolly.

“You’d know.” Scorpion retorted.

“This is personal.” Cobra justified.

“One thing we can agree on.” Another knife flew from her hand and Cobra was too slow to react this time. The blade imbedded itself in his shoulder.

He swore.

“Erik!” He could hear Midnight’s worried voice, but the black spots in his vision prevented him from seeing his friend.

But given the fact that he wasn’t dead yet, Midnight must be between himself and Aquarius.

This was very much not going as Cobra and Midnight had planned it. Right now, the two groups were roughly evenly matched. But their side sported the heavier injury, whilst the Celestials only had shallow cuts to show for their trouble.

Cobra had hoped not to need Hoteye’s expertise. He liked this village and this would’ve been a nice safe house for future use. But well...they had bigger problems.

“Hoteye...” He called to his nakama. “Get ready.”

“Really?” The ginger whined. “Must I?”

“Yes.” Cobra said annoyed, blinking rapidly to regain his full vision. The whole side of his upper body was burning. He grabbed the knife an pulled it out, ignoring common sense and the shock of pain.

He didn’t have time for inconveniences right now.

He saw -a little blurred- how Aquarius and Scorpion exchanged a glance. Not exactly worried, but cautious. The Celestials inched closer to each other.

Good, that was only favorable for them.

Hoteye shot him a pleading look but Cobra wasn’t indulging his little crush. A time and a place!

He saw his nakama give a sad sigh, the screen from his phone lighting up behind his back.

Hoteye had done this so many times before, he could do it with his eyes closed.

“You have more pigeons waiting in the ceiling?” Aquarius mocked. Angel smoothed out her feathery dress, glaring daggers at the older woman.

She and Scorpion had come to a stalemate, both staring at each other from a little distance away, panting and clutching their weapons.

“Not the ceiling.” Cobra growled.

Aquarius and Scorpion were looking wary now, moving closer and closer towards each other. Midnight was right; legal assassins were predictable.

He nodded to Hoteye.

His nakama made puppy-eyes at him.

Cobra glared.

Hoteye sighed again but Cobra could see his thumb moving over the screen of his phone. His friend had done some preparations when he and Angel had arrived in the village.

Cobra would’ve liked to use the same method as with the Dragon kid; sneak attack via knock-out gas. But given that the houses in the forest were old with plenty of cracks and that the Celestials most likely wouldn’t fall for the same thing twice, they’d had to settle on something a little more...direct.

Angel backed away a few steps, Midnight had already melted back into the shadows behind Cobra and Hoteye threw and apologetic glance at Scorpion.

Aquarius’ sharp glare ran over each of their faces, trying to figure out what was happening. She’d attack again soon enough, Cobra could tell by her tense muscles.

Hoteye tapped onto the screen of his phone.

Scorpion and Aquarius looked at each other with confusion.

A little click was audible to Cobra’s fine ears.

Aquarius’ eyes widened for just a split second. She’d heard it too and she knew that sound. Most people in their line of work did.

But instead of jumping away, she rammed her body into her partner who went tumbling to the side with a surprised yell.

Just in time before the wooden floorboards beneath her feet exploded, sending splinters of all sizes flying upwards.

The bluenette’s scream of pain rang through the silent village as dust clouded the room.  

Notes:

The main characters have reunited! And it only took me 12 chapters!

I had some trouble substituting Hoteye's magic for this AU. I guess not everyone can be a god-tier fighter, so making him a demo-man made sense. To me at least 🙃

As always, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Chapter 31: The Prison Break II

“I’ve got Natsu!” Lucy yelled, one finger pressed to the comm in her ear, her other hand holding Natsu’s as the descended down the stairs.

“Perfect, moshi moshi!”

“What is your position, princess?”

“I think we’re heading for the lowest level.” Lucy said, shooting Natsu a questioning look.

He nodded.

“We are!”

“We will clear the way for you as soon as we have visual contact.”

Natsu suddenly tugged Lucy close to him, the baton of a guard that had come up the spiral staircase grazing her hair as it missed its target.

“I think that might be a bit difficult.” Lucy panted, kicking the legs out from under the attacker, seeing more of the same coming at them. “There’s a lot of them.”

“You forget who you are talking to, princess.”

With that the line went quiet and Lucy could fully concentrate on the situation at hand.

The situation being that guards of the prison were doing their best to work their way up the spiralling stairs whilst the two assassins were trying to get past them.

The concept of ‘unnoticed’ and ‘covert’ had gone out the window long ago. Now it was all about not getting squashed by the stampede of uniforms and -most importantly- not getting separated.

Natsu’s arms wrapped around Lucy, his momentum twisting them out of the way of getting hit by a plastic shield.

He shot her a look from their close proximity.

Lucy raised an eyebrow.

Natsu smiled.

It could work.

Instead of running further down, trying to dodge the numerous opponents, both teens took a solid stance on one of the stone steps, side by side as the singular guards approached.

Lucy blocked the first guard’s punch, grabbing his arms and pushing him back down a few steps.

The guard swore, bumping into the one behind him.

Natsu followed suit, not letting anyone up the stairs but keeping them in front.

“I feel like Cap would make a high-ground comment.” The pinkette panted, sending another attacker stumbling back down.

“And Loke would be shocked that he watched Star Wars.” Lucy responded, laughing.

“And then Cap would be confused.” Natsu grinned. “And Gemini would say-”

“It’s the one with ‘Beam me up, Scotty.’” Lucy said, mimicking Gemini’s voice.

A crowd of guards was before them now, each pushing and shoving, the ones further in the back shouting angrily at the hold-up.

Natsu laughed. “And then there would be a fight over who gets to quote what movies.”

Lucy flung a small guard back into her colleagues as she tried to dart past them. “And Capricorn would still be confused because he just tried to-”

“Explain the advantages of strategic placement on elevated spaces during a fight.” Natsu finished, running one hand down an imaginary goatee on his chin.

Lucy giggled and surveyed the large group of guards standing in each other’s way.

“You think this is enough?” Natsu asked.

“Should be. Do you want to or should I?”

“Together?” He suggested.

Lucy smiled and gripped his hand tighter.

“I really missed you, partner.”

Natsu’s smile softened.

“You have no idea, Luce.”

Just as one guard was starting an attempt at moving upwards yet again, both teens pushed off the step, using their combined weight to crash into one particularly large guard who quickly hid behind the large riot shield in his hands.

He succeeded in blocking the attack on his person. However, the teenagers were the least of his problems as he realized what was about to happen.

The guard only had time to yell a string of curses as he was forcefully thrown backwards, crashing into the people behind him.

Due to the combined efforts of Newton’s second law of motion, gravity and the narrowness of the stairs, the array of uniformed prison personnel kept knocking into each other as the steps descended, creating a domino effect of clattering weapons and colourful swearwords.

Natsu and Lucy were right behind the falling wave of guards, running down the stairs, using the few spots on the ground that were not taken up by confused bodies.

The last guard at the bottom of the stairs -who had been yelling about ‘hurrying it up’ for the past two minutes- let out a surprised yelp as his locker-buddy fell on top of him and two teens, who definitely weren’t supposed to be running around here, jumped over their heads.

Natsu and Lucy came to a halt a few steps away from the staircase, breathless after the sprint.

“So that worked.” Lucy panted.

“You doubted my plan, Luce?” Natsu countered, running his free hand through his spiky hair.

“Course not.” Lucy grinned up at him. “Because it was my plan.”

Natsu let out an airy huff, facing the corridor that now lay ahead of them. “You wish, weirdo.”

“I know, dork.”

“Princess?” The comm in Lucy’s ear cackled to life.

“We’re on the lowest floor!” Lucy yelled, trying to give her voice the upper hand when compared to the noise around them.

It also garnered them the attention -if they did not already have it- from every person standing between them and wherever their nakama were.

“And we have been spotted.” Natsu mumbled beside her.

“And there’s still a lot of people here.” Lucy told the other assassins.

“We’re on our way, moshi moshi.”

“They’re coming.” Lucy told Natsu.

“Quickly, I hope.” Her partner said quietly, eying the crowd of people in front of them.

There were way less prisoners on the lowest floor when compared to the numbers of guards. Proof that the clean-up-strategy of the guards was working. The ones behind them were slowly getting back to their feet, groaning and slowly focusing their accusing eyes on the two teens.

This worried Natsu more than the imminent fight. If he was recaptured...well, he knew what to expect.

He’d lost any chance of convincing Lahar that he was cooperating when he picked the lock to his cell. There’d be no more time in the yard for him, he’d be alone until the captain decided to annoy him with more questions, more threats. Maybe some guards would go back to pushing him around a little. Natsu could survive that. He had for this long.

He was worried about his partner.

Lahar had threatened Lucy before. Natsu had laughed at him back then because she’d been untouchable in their guild in Crocus. The captain could’ve unleashed the entirety of Fiore’s army onto the dark-blue house with the gold mark on the door and their nakama would’ve still gotten the blonde to safety.

But now...now Lucy was already inside the prison, surrounded by the enemy.

Something in Natsu’s chest clenched painfully. If Lahar hurt his partner...or worse; all the captain had to do was separate them and Natsu would go crazy with worry. He’d tell Lahar anything he wanted to know, and the Rune Knight was clever enough to figure that out.

“Natsu? Natsu!”

His head snapped down to meet the worried eyes of his partner. “What’s wrong?”

Natsu cleared his throat. “Nothing, partner. We just gotta get you out of here.”

If Lucy noticed his hold tightening on her hand, she didn’t comment on it. “We will both get out of here.”

Natsu eyed the obstacles before -and behind- them critically.

“Where exactly are-”

His question was cut off by an angry yell and heavy footsteps coming up behind them. Natsu tugged Lucy out of the way, putting himself between the blonde and the furious-about-being-used-as-a-domino-piece guard.

There was no place where he could safely dodge the attack, but maybe if he caught the first blow-

Natsu’s thoughts were -again- cut off. By another attack. But not on his person.

An arrow whizzed past him in a perfect line, imbedding itself in the bulletproof vest of the guard with a satisfying thud. The man was thrown back, gasping for air.

“I FOUND THEM, MOSHI MOSHI!” A very familiar voice yelled from behind the gaggle of guards in front of them.

“You found them?” Another voice, this one feminine and much closer, asked in a disbelieving tone.

Natsu blinked and Virgo was standing in front of them, heavy chains dangling off her petite wrists.

The commotion was in full swing as the prison personnel were trying to figure out where the new intruders had come from and most importantly, how to stop them.

“Yes, I found them!”

“I reached them first.”

“I helped them first, moshi moshi.”

“IT’S NOT A COMPETITION, BABY!” A third voice yelled from somewhere further down the corridor.

“Of course not...but if it were,” Natsu could make out the tall figure of Sagittarius, using his bow to keep batons and shields away from his long limbs. He looked weird without his onesie.

“Then I would’ve won.” Virgo finished, spinning the chains with minimal effort, catching the odd shoulder or collarbone.

Lucy snapped Natsu out of his surprised stupor by nudging him non too gently.

“You shouldn’t have shielded me.” She said annoyed, moving out of the space between Natsu and the chaos to kick one approaching shield away from Virgo.

“Can’t have you doing all the rescuing, Luce.” Natsu defended his strategic placement.

“Except I have these,” Lucy held up one of her daggers pointedly, using it to block the swing of a baton.

“Oh yeah.” Natsu muttered. He’d completely forgotten about that.

Lucy rolled her eyes. “Dork.”

“Virgo! Stop playing around, moshi moshi. We’ve got to go!”

The small pinkette harrumphed, throwing one more guard over her shoulder.

“Fine.” She gestured to the two teens. “Come along.”

Virgo led them closer to Sagittarius and Cancer as if this was a guided tour; completely nonchalant about any of the disturbances around them. Mavis, Natsu had missed her eerie calm in the craziest situations.

Lucy pulled him down, a baton swinging over their heads from behind them. A sharp whack with the chains around Virgo’s wrists had the attacker backing off immediately.

They reached Sagittarius who gestured for them to go ahead, keeping their backs free with flying arrows and wild swings with his bow.

Cancer was waiting for them by a half-opened door that read ‘Storage’. His scissors were nothing but streaky blurs of silver as he parried and slashed at any weapon or person coming too close.

Natsu elbowed a guard out of the way as Virgo shoved him and Lucy into the storage room, waiting for Sagittarius to shake off a particularly pesty uniform that had been hanging onto his leg in an attempt to apprehend the archer. Although the effort was remarkable, it was altogether unsuccessful as one of Virgo’s chains whacked at the guard’s arm and forced them to let go.

Virgo tugged Sagittarius into the room before the tall man could so much as nod in thanks.

Cancer was right behind her as the pinkette slammed the door shut again. Sagittarius held it closed while Cancer made quick work of undoing their previous lockpicking, furious voices and banging coming from the other side.

All three jumped back as the lock clicked back into place and the wood withstood the onslaught from the corridor.

Cancer huffed a breath of relief and fading adrenaline, Sagittarius cursed about close combat fighting and Virgo...simply looked pleased.

In unison they turned to face the two teens, standing in the centre of the room where Virgo’s shove had propelled them.

“NATSU!”

The enthusiastic yell echoed from wall to wall and the assassin in question jumped as his three nakama rushed at him and Lucy.

“You’re alive, moshi moshi!”

“It’s good to see you, baby!”

“Your absence was terrible for all of us.”

Sagittarius’ arms were thrown around Natsu and Lucy, Cancer ruffled the pinkette’s hair affectionately and Virgo enveloped him in a crushing hug that had Natsu hiding a wince as bruises -both old and new- acted up in protest.

Still, he could feel the tension that hadn’t really left him since entering his apartment all those weeks ago and smelling something funny in the air, slowly leaving his body.

“I missed you too.” He muttered into the group, hugging them back as hard as he could.

“That’s enough affection for now.” Virgo declared, stepping away and towards the middle window -or rather, opening without glass or frame- that showed a spectacular view of the ocean. Natsu might’ve appreciated the glimmers of sunlight reflecting on the waves if that hadn’t been his only view for the past weeks. Lucy took a second to enjoy it though.

A very long rope was secured into the stone ceiling of the room with multiple hooks and screws. It hung outside the opening, billowing softly in the light breeze. Four small, metal devices were attached to the rope, each with a small lever.

Natsu’s stomach gave an involuntary lurch as Virgo handed him a climbing harness.

“You go first.”

“A-Are you sure?” Natsu questioned.

“You came here first; only fair you get to leave first.” Cancer said with a grin, mistaking Natsu’s nervousness.

Natsu swallowed his nerves because he was getting out of here! And his genetically inherited motion sickness would not stop him, dammit!

He tightened the waist belt and Sagittarius showed him how to hook the belay loop to the descender. Unsurprisingly, Natsu had never been one for climbing gear. Winging it and hoping for a safe landing had always been his strategy.

Natsu stood in the opening, leaning out just enough to see the waves crashing against the rocks below.

What if he couldn’t stand the motion of the descender? It wasn’t a method of transportation, strictly speaking, but Natsu didn’t trust his stomach to know that. And what if he held up the line and the others couldn’t get down because he was too busy fighting his spinning vision-

Click

Another carabiner hooked into the descender and Lucy jumped up on the ‘windowsill’ beside him.

“Wha-What are you doing, Luce?”

His partner raised an eyebrow, slowly leaning out of the opening. Natsu followed her movement.

“Did you think I’d let you go down a cliff by yourself with your motion sickness?” She asked, only the tips of their shoes still touching the stone.

Natsu couldn’t stop the sigh of relief. He turned to face the blonde, who was getting a secure grip on the descender.

“You know I love you, right Luce?”

Lucy met his eyes, surprise shining in hers for just a second. She grinned.

“Duh.”

Sagittarius gave them a thumbs-up.

Lucy carefully pulled at the lever and the rope ran through. Natsu’s guts churned and he held onto Lucy’s spare hand for dear life.

The teens slowly stepped off the ledge, walking steadily down the side of the cliff face backwards.

 

-----

 

The three adult assassins watched the teens grow smaller and smaller, giving encouraging smiles whenever one of them looked up.

“Alright, your turn.” Virgo said, handing the two men their own harnesses.

“I should go last, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius argued.

“You shall.” The pinkette stated. “I will not be joining you.”

Cancer and Sagittarius shared a look. That wasn’t part of the plan. And it had been working so perfectly for now.

“That doesn’t sound too smart, baby.” Cancer carefully tried.

“I will go help your partners.” Virgo said.

That gave them pause.

“Help them, moshi moshi?”

“Them and you in the get-away. The streets will be full of knights and guards. They will be looking for you. Our van might draw their suspicion. I shall create a diversion.”

“Together with Taurus and Capricorn?”

“Precisely.”

It sounded like a good addition to the regular plan. And both assassins liked the thought of Virgo being with their respective partners. Strength in numbers. Still...

“I don’t know, Virgo. I don’t like the thought of you dealing with...” Cancer gestured to the door and the crowd outside, “...by yourself.”

“I will be perfectly fine.” She declared.

“But what if you get caught and-”

Virgo tilted her head down minimally, glowering at Cancer with her insulted expression.

“-right, sorry.”

“I will be perfectly fine.” Virgo repeated in a tone that left zero room for arguing.

“If you’re sure, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius said.

The smallest of the three nodded.

“Alright then.”

The two men got into their harnesses, connecting them to a descender each. Sagittarius put Virgo’s spare gear into his backpack.

Cancer turned back to her one more time.

“Just...just be careful, okay baby? Gemini will kill us if you’re hurt.”

“Of course.” Virgo promised.

She watched as her nakama exited the room the same way Lucy and Natsu had, waving them off with a small tilt of her hand.

When they were out of sight, she stepped closer to the boxes lining the large space. The uniforms were easy enough to find.

Virgo smiled as she imagined Gemini’s proud reaction to her plan. He’d taught her well.

 

-----

 

Natsu survived the journey down the cliff with no incidents. And if he’d been gripping Lucy’s hand so hard that she’d stared losing feeling in her fingers, she didn’t say anything.

Aries’ pink hair became a point of focus whenever she looked down.

The small assassin stood in the rocking boat in her big sweater, tugging at ropes tied to nearby shards of rocks to keep the dinghy somewhat steady; like the world’s fluffiest captain.

“You made it!” She cheered as Natsu’s feet met the slippery ‘deck’ of the small boat first.

He did his best to return the smile, although Lucy could tell the movement of the waves was doing nothing for his stomach.

Natsu held her by the waist as a stronger wave hit the dinghy, guiding her down onto the tilting plastic.

She quickly disconnected them from the rope and met Aries’ beaming smile.

“Sit down. Sit down, please.” The little ram gestured to the back of the boat. “And hold these.” She gave them each a rope she’d been holding to keep the dinghy between the rocks and not crash against one of them.

The rope was taut and Lucy had to pull hard against the tug.

Aries balanced with careful steps to a pile of equipment on one side of the dinghy. She pulled a large, knitted blanket free and threw it over the two of them, giving Natsu a quick hug in the same movement.

“I’m so glad you’re okay!” She had to yell a little as waves crashed against stone. “Both of you.” She looked at Lucy.

“So are we!” Natsu shouted back. His previously pale complexion was steadily turning into a shade of green and Lucy was glad when a noise crackled through the comm in her ear.

“We’re almost there, moshi moshi.”

Aries and Lucy looked up and Natsu followed their motion.

Sagittarius and Cancer were identifiably close to sea-level now.

“Start the engine, please.”

“Understood.” Aries yelled, pressing the little device in her ear. Lucy could hear the echo of her voice twice.

Aries stumbled over to the engine, pulling at the chord. It took her a few attempts but finally the machine rumbled to life, contesting with the noise of the waves.

Sagittarius and Cancer touched down onto the deck, one after the other, both cursing as they slipped and struggled to stay upright.

“The wind picked up a bit.” Aries smiled apologetically as each one of their nakama arrived.

“You don’t say, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius replied as Cancer had to hang onto him so that the archer wouldn’t be thrown into the furious waves.

“Where’s Virgo?” Natsu yelled, doing his very best to not hurl his stomach’s content into the ocean.

“She has a different exit-strategy, baby.” Cancer answered, sitting down heavily beside the teens so that Sagittarius and Aries had room to manoeuvre around the small space.

“A different strategy?!” Lucy shouted, hanging onto the rope with all her strength. “That wasn’t part of the plan!”

Cancer shrugged. “It’s Virgo. She’ll be fine.”

Lucy knew that. But it didn’t mean she liked the idea of her nakama being there by herself.

“So, we’re good to go?” Aries asked.

Sagittarius nodded.

“Alright, let go of the ropes...now!” Aries yelled and both teens followed the command.

A wave shoved the dinghy against a rock, the rubber bouncing off the stone harmlessly and thanks to Aries manning the motor, the boat slowly moved away from the cliff, zigzagging through the natural obstacles.

The dinghy had just barely cleared the sharp rocks that made up the bottom of the cliff face when Cancer yelled:

“The rope!”

All heads swivelled back up to the prison to see the long rope falling down, twisting and curling in the wind. It hit the water behind them, tangling around the rocks.

Lucy had to squint and maybe it was the sun in her eye, but she was sure she saw a dash of pink by the window they’d exited the prison from.

 

-----

 

Virgo watched Sagittarius and Cancer reach the dinghy safely. She waited before cutting the rope, not wanting it to accidentally hit her nakama.

It felt like a safety measure, even though no knight or guard in their right mind would think to follow them down.

She’d already donned a spare uniform -the smallest she could find- with a helmet and a tinted vizier hiding the top half of her face.

The people in the corridor outside had not given up their attempt at breaking down the door. But given the fact that these doors were designed to not be broken down, they were entirely unsuccessful.

But they wouldn’t be for long.

Virgo adjusted the helmet and got out the lockpicks that had already locked and unlocked the door for her.

She listened for a brief moment, could hear swearing and banging through the keyhole. The pinkette smiled and got to work with the picks.

 

Not a minute later, the wooden door suddenly swung open inwards, surprised yells ringing around the storage room as a heap of guards tumbled inside. Their balance was thrown and they stumbled and tripped over each other.

“What in Zeref’s fresh hell...?” Someone yelled.

The first few got back on their feet as more guard filtered into the room.

“Where are they?”

“Where’d they go?”

A voice from somewhere that no one recognized nor questioned yelled: “The window!”

“No way!”

“Move!”

Uniforms crowded around the small openings in the wall facing the ocean.

“I don’t see anything!”

“Wait, I think they secured something here.”

“Where?”

“There are drill holes in the ceiling.”

“You sure?”

“What else can it be?”

“Worms?”

“Worms?! In stone?”

“Hey, you never know.”

“Yes, I do know!”

“Would you morons be quiet! We have to report this!”

“That we let a high value prisoner escape via a non-existent rope, out of a window, down cliffs that are described as “deadly” and “impossible to escape down” in the training book?!”

“...Are you volunteering?”

“NO!”

It didn’t take a person with a maxed-out level in sneakiness to leave the noisy room. But for someone with that skill, it was nothing.

Virgo smiled softly as she peacefully walked through the chaos, sirens still roaring and voices in the speakers still yelling orders in panic and confusion.

She would have some fun.

 

-----

 

Taurus was having so much fun!

He was lying on his stomach under a plastic tarp that matched the colour of the cliff’s stone; making him invisible to anyone looking from above. He looked like any other rock formation.

His dwindling supply of explosives was beside him in a bag. But they were ready to leave, given that his partner had just called in to let them know they were on the dinghy and on their way to shore.

Capricorn was standing behind the nearest tree, one of the few sparse signs of life on top of the cliff.

He was out of fireworks.

Meaning it was high time to get to the rented car Lucy had arrived in and make a speedy but unsuspecting exit. Which is why he was slowly crawling towards the thin shrubbery, not drawing attention to himself from the sharp eyes on the walls.

“Are you ready to go?” Capricorn asked as the moving rock formation was within earshot.

“Toooootally.” The crawling rocks mooed.

There were less people looking for the noisemakers outside of the walls because of the full-blown riot that was going on inside, curtsy of Loke and the prisoner that had been in the yard.

Taurus rose to his feet when the trees gave him enough cover, shrugging off the yellowy-grayish tarp.

“Yooooou think we’ll go by unnoooooticed?” He asked the former professor.

“Highly unlikely.” Capricorn replied coolly. “But as long as we reach the car before they spot us, we should be fine.”

Lucy had parked the rented car as close to the nearby shrubbery as the parking space in front of the prison had allowed her. That would be their exit-vehicle.

The two assassins crept around the compound, keeping to the thicket of the trees further away.

The few search-parties that had been sent out had been recalled ages ago to deal with the mayhem inside, so they ran into no trouble.

The trouble was the open -very visible- stretch between their hiding spot behind a bush and the car.

Taurus could spot the nondescript vehicle from behind the thin branches. Lucy had left the doors unlocked and the keys in the ignition. All they had to do was actually get there.

“Ready?” He asked the older man beside him.

Capricorn nodded.

This was the last -arguably dangerous- part of the plan. Everyone else was safe and far away. They couldn’t be the ones to mess it up.

“Alright...gooooo!” Simultaneously, they burst from the shrubbery and sprinted for the car. No chance of being sneaky for this part.

Taurus reached the car first and went for the driver’s door. He yanked it open and-

“AAAGH!”

“What’s wrong?!”

“Good day, Taurus.”

Taurus was clutching the spot where his heart was doing triple-time.

“Virgooooo?! What are you doooooing here?!”

“Virgo?” Capricorn reached the car.

“Hello Capricorn. I am helping you escape.”

“That wasn’t part of the plan.” Capricorn stated, getting into the passenger seat.

“The knights will be looking for a suspicious vehicle.” Virgo explained. “Before they find the van, I thought we should distract them.”

That...wasn’t a bad addition to the plan, Taurus had to admit.

But Virgo’s driving...

“No time to argue!” The pinkette declared, revving the engine. “We must get going!”

Taurus sighed but got into the seat behind her. That was the safest one on a car, right?

The brakes screeched as Virgo let the car jump forward, dust flying around them as she turned for the dirt road that led to the prison.

Taurus sent up a prayer and secured his seatbelt.

 

-----

 

Scorpio was on high alert when Cobra and the ginger man -Hoteye, or something like that- had started exchanging mischievous glances.

The larger man didn’t seem like a fighter, proven by the fact that his way of ‘helping out’ consisted of standing around and making commentary / flirty remarks.

The warning alarm in his head rose from small chimes to church bells when his partner pushed him to the side.

For a split second he thought Cobra or Midnight had made a quick attack from her side.

But then the ground exploded behind him and all he could see was dust. And then her scream echoed around in his head, much more terrifying than any alarm bell or explosion ever could be.

“Aquarius!” He yelled in panic, jumping to his feet, shotgun forgotten on the floor.

He stumbled to her side, tripping over larger bits of floorboard, half-blinded by the falling dust.

Aquarius was lying on her side, half curled into herself and teeth gritted against the pain.

“Babe?!” Scorpio hectically felt along her shoulders and down her waist for any injuries. Her arms had some minor scratches but her lower legs took the heaviest damage.

Little streams of blood ran down onto the wreck of a floor beneath her.

“I’m fine.” Aquarius hissed, trying to sit up.

“No, you’re not.” Scorpio insisted. 

His instincts screamed at him to get them both out of there, but the little common sense that hadn’t been overtaken by fear knew that it wasn’t possible.

Oracion Seis had tasted blood now; their first win since the two of them had burst into the run-down house.

He could hear the four illegal assassins vaguely swearing at the poor visuals of their surroundings.

They had maybe a few seconds left before the dust settled enough for their opponents to attack. They were one fighter down and he’d left his weapon lying a short distance away.

“Scorpio...” Aquarius grimaced. He could see the fear in her eyes, something she only ever allowed him to see during situations like these.

He could see Angel’s silhouette close to his shotgun, Hoteye must still be in his spot behind the couch, unless Scorpio missed his movement in the chaos. Midnight and Cobra were still hidden behind the curtain of floating splinters and dust particles. Which meant he and Aquarius were still partially hidden as well.

For a few more seconds at least.

“Dammit, Richie! You said it would be ‘contained’!”

“It was, totally!”

A plan formed in Scorpio’s mind.

Scorpio met his girlfriend’s worried gaze. He gave her the most confident smile he could muster.

“Don’t worry.” He whispered, closing her hand over her trident. Just in case. “I have a plan. Try to get to the ladder.” He gestured to the barely visible set of ladders that led to the second floor in the open layout of the house, right beside the spot where she’d been hashing it out with Cobra and Midnight.

The bluenette managed to raise one weak eyebrow in question. But he only winked at her, certain that his “plan” wouldn’t soothe her worry.

“I can’t see anything! How is that contained?!”

“It’s not my fault the wood is so old and dusty, really!”

Scorpio took a deep breath and dashed forwards.

“That’s fair...Hey Erik, would it have killed you to mop in here once in a while?!”

“We were a bit busy, Angel!”

“Oh, I can only guess how busy you two were- oof!”

Angel hadn’t been able to see her previous opponent running at her, his elbow jabbing her between the ribs as he ran past her.

She fell back with a startled cry, noticing that the red-and-white-haired man had grabbed his shotgun whilst moving past her.

“Angel?!” She heard Midnight call, still unable to see him.

“He’s on the move!” She yelled, rubbing her side.

Scorpio could hear the others rustling about but he kept his goal in sight; the round assassin that didn’t fight.

Hoteye only squeaked in surprise when he saw Scorpio jumping at him, not even moving out of the way when the Celestial rammed into him. He rolled to the side, his phone gliding out of his hand, the screen still alight. That was Scorpio’s target.

He snatched the phone up, careful not to accidentally turn it off.

Daring a quick glance at the screen, Scorpio saw a rectangular board, which was a rough outline of the house they were currently in. Multiple red dots were strewn around the board, with one coloured a light grey. Because it had already gone off. If he was interpreting this correctly, and Scorpio saw no reason to doubt it, there were a good dozen more explosives buried beneath the floor. Just as he’d suspected.

A flash of silver had him jumping to the side, barely missing Angel with a knife in her hand. He parried her next attack with his gun, managing to gain a little room to move closer to the ladder.

He could make our Aquarius as a dash of blue in the dusty air. She’d propped herself up against the second step of the wide ladder, keeping Midnight at bay with her trident.

Cobra was standing a little off to the side, clutching his shoulder with one hand. He looked a little dazed. Perhaps from the noise of the explosion. His file had said that he had very sensitive hearing. All the better for Scorpio.

The Celestial assassin slung his shotgun over his shoulder, waiting for Angel’s next strike.

Instead of blocking it, he caught her wrist, her knife managing to nick his lower arm in the process.

She looked at him with a mix of anger and confusion. Another stalemate wouldn’t do him any good, not with an injured partner and being outnumbered. But Scorpio didn’t plan on another standstill.

Angel swung as best as she could with her free arm, creating the momentum that Scorpio needed. Not letting go, he ducked beneath her second slash, the blade barely missing his multi-coloured hair. He turned with her attacking force, flinging Angel into Cobra by tripping her with an outstretched leg.

Both illegal assassins swore excessively, both at each other and at Scorpio as they crashed together onto the busted floor.

Scorpio didn’t pause, instead running for the ladder. Midnight sensed him coming and jumped to the side to avoid his aimed punch, moving like he was underwater. It didn’t matter too much. Scorpio just needed him out of the way.

He was by Aquarius’ side in an instant. His partner didn’t have time to ask questions as he scooped her up with one arm and started up the steps.

“What...?” The bluenette slung her arms around his neck, trying to hide the pain at the quick movements.

“I have a plan, babe.” Scorpio tried to sound confident.

Aquarius was about to ask again but her boyfriend quickly spun around on the steps, shotgun in one hand, facing the main part of the house.

One click and a boom had the dazed Oracion Seis members ducking as rubber bullets bounced around the room, preventing them from either throwing a knife at his back or following them up the steps.

Scorpio was panting by the time they made it up the steep ladder, carefully setting Aquarius down onto the floor.

“What exactly is your plan?” She asked sceptically.

Scorpio held up the phone wordlessly.

Aquarius studied the dots on the screen for a second before her eyes went wide with understanding.

“That’s your plan?”

“You got a better one?” Scorpio countered.

“What happened to keeping the killing to a minimum?!”

“The explosions aren’t strong enough to be lethal. I think.”

“You think?”

“You’re still here, aren’t you?” Scorpio tried to keep his tone playful but imagining the opposite had his throat closing up.

Aquarius gave him a soft smile, knowing what was going through his head.

“And I’m not going anywhere.”

Scorpio moved a strand of long blue hair behind her ear before pressing a light kiss to her lips. “You better not.”

“You think hiding up there will save you?!” Angel’s enraged voice yelled.

The Celestials turned to look down into the living area they’d just vacated. The dust had finally settled enough to view the entire room.

Cobra and Hoteye were emerging from behind the couch after Scorpio’s ray of hurtful bullets, Angel was rubbing her shoulder with an accusing glare and Midnight appeared to be unharmed.

“Uhm...guys?” Hoteye stared, nervously clutching his book.

“Not now, Richard!” Cobra snapped.

“But-”

“You’re outnumbered!” The pointy eared man called. “You can’t hide forever up there!”

“We don’t intend to.” Scorpio breathed silently, eying the phone in his hand.

It was risky and reckless and not something they would ever tell Lucy about. But it was their only shot.

“Erik...it’s important.”

“What, Richard?!”

Scorpio looked at his partner. She couldn’t hide how pale she’d gotten, nor the winces of pain every time she moved her legs; not to mention the drops of blood that marked their trail up the steps.

Aquarius nodded, putting her hand over his.

“He...uh...he took my phone.”

“HE WHAT?!”

Scorpio took a deep breath.

At the same time, they pressed onto the remaining, glowing dots on the phone.

Clicks echoed around the house in a chorus, quickly followed by booms, dust and splinters.

Scorpio held Aquarius close during the deafening chaos one floor beneath them, feeling small bits of wood flying harmlessly against his back, slowed down by the height and the distance.

A symphony of swears and shouts proved his theory of weaker explosives true.

Notes:

We're this close to having all the Celestials in one place again.
Next chapter will conclude the entire Natsu-missing, Murder-Mystery, prison-break section of this story.
And after that...who knows? 🙃

Chapter 32: Home

Midnight froze when he heard Richard’s admission about losing his phone.

With the power to detonate the small explosives he’d placed beneath the floorboards.

To the enemy.

In his defence, their tactic since childhood had always been to shield Hoteye from physical combat, so that the jolly assassin could concentrate on his demolition plans. It had always worked to great success for them.

The cloud of dust had been their downfall.

A self-inflicted downfall as it had been caused by one of their explosions.

Someone with a sense of irony would call it karma.

Midnight’s senses flared as he heard little clicks all around them.

He remembered vaguely where Hoteye had placed them. But only vaguely.

One warning sound was right beside him and Midnight quickly jumped to the side.

He had just enough time to see Hoteye tugging Angel towards the fireplace. A safe-spot then. But one too far away for him and Cobra to reach.  

Then everything went from bad to catastrophic.

Loud blasts assaulted his hearing and Midnight could feel splinters flying all around him.

He could sense where the next one would go up, feeling the vibrations just before the blast and zigzagging around the space accordingly.

Midnight twisted to see Cobra shielding his face and covering his ears, not moving but betting on the odds that he was relatively safe in that one spot.

One explosion went off right beside a supporting rafter of the house, sending a crack through the beam of wood that travelled up towards the ceiling.

Midnight saw it spread in slow-motion. The wood was brittle from all the decades of moisture and storms with no upkeep. The shock was all it needed to finally break.

The force and sudden lack of support had the beams that held the wooden planks of the roof groaning in protest.

Midnight only had time to stare as another explosion, once again too close to the wall, rocked the foundations of the house. One shock too many for the old beams above them.

The first came crashing down, followed by a good many planks and tiles. Midnight jumped to the side, rolling beneath the ladder to avoid the falling threats.

Another beam slipped from the decaying hold of the stabilizing rafters, tilting down and crashing onto the couch as the roof started to cave in.

Midnight could see nothing as dust and splinters once again clouded their vision.

He barely heard alarmed shouts coming from above him, from the Celestials. He hoped one of the beams got them.

He tried to focus his eyes back to his nakama. Angel and Hoteye were too far away to see, but he could make out the silhouette of his best friend.

Midnight heard wood moving on wood and looked up to see a looming shadow coming closer. Heading straight for Cobra.

“ERIK!” Midnight yelled but it was too late. He heard more than saw the impact of the beam in the vicinity of Cobra, followed by a pained yell from the assassin.

“Erik?!” Angel’s worried voice called over, hidden by the half-collapsed roof between them.

“Get out!” Midnight yelled to them. “I got him!”

The explosions had stopped and although the whole ordeal had taken just seconds, Midnight felt like he’d aged twenty years as he jumped over a pile of broken rooftiles to get to his friend.

Cobra was slouched against the remainder of the wall behind him, clutching the side of his face with one hand. Blood was seeping through his fingers. The offending rafter lay in broken bits beside him.

“Erik!” Midnight said, kneeling down beside him.

“‘m fine.” He growled through clenched teeth. “Not a direct hit.”

Small blessings.

“Let me look.” Midnight insisted, carefully prying Cobra’s fingers away from his face.

He couldn’t hide a wince as he saw the deep gash above his eye, blood running down in streams. He couldn’t see where exactly the injury ended.

“That bad?” Cobra asked.

“Pfff.” Midnight took off the long piece of fabric he liked to use as a decorative belt, shook it free of straying splinters and pressed it into Cobra’s hand. “It’s an aesthetic improvement, if you ask me.”

Cobra managed a huff. “Jerk.” Then the wary look came back into his functioning eye. “Where is everyone?”

“Angel and Richard are outside. They sounded fine.” Midnight started, gripping his friend under the arm and helped him to his feet.

“And the others?”

“Not a clue.” He admitted.

Cobra scanned their surroundings.

“I think they have bigger worries than us.” Midnight soothed.

“Do they?” Cobra questioned, limping out of the ruined doorway beside him.

As soon as they were a few steps away the done damage became clear. The house looked like a cake that had been taken out of the oven too early; collapsed in the centre and the outside walls bent beneath their own weight.

Midnight saw Hoteye peaking from behind a semi-stable corner of the building.

“It’s us.” He called. “We’re alive.”

“Barely.” Cobra muttered.

Hoteye and Angel rounded the corner. The silver-haired woman holding her side with a sour expression.

“I’m deleting your numbers after this.” She said then saw the blood-soaked fabric pressed to Cobra’s face. “The hell happened to you?”

“What do you think?” Cobra shot back.

“Deep wound and definite concussion.” Midnight explained in his stead.

“Concussion?” Angel asked. “Wouldn’t that require a brain to get injured?”

Cobra flipped her off with the hand he was using to keep the bleeding somewhat controlled.  

Before the two could continue their post-fight banter, Midnight saw a streak of blue through a crack in the broken wood of the house. And it reminded him that it wasn’t post-fight yet.

Hoteye had spotted it too, nudging Angel to get her attention.

Midnight slowly turned with Cobra beside him to see the two Celestials standing by the other corner of the building.

Aquarius was leaning against her nakama and on her trident, her legs just barely supporting her weight if the tremors were anything to go by.

Scorpio looked remarkably uninjured, just scratches and early signs of a few bruises marring his skin.

The two groups stared at each other for a long moment, each assessing the other.

Scorpio raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t think that through with the explosives, did you?”

Cobra glared at him.

“They were small...so they shouldn’t have done that...really.” Hoteye stuttered.

“A+ for calculating damage.” Angel deadpanned.

“It’s not my fault the house is...was so old, totally!”

“Well, you’re still alive, so you could say it didn’t quite work.” Cobra said.

“Right back gotcha!” Aquarius answered.

Scorpio’s phone went off and the assassin fished it out of his pocket.

“We cannot continue this.” Midnight tried to mediate.

“LIKE HELL!” Cobra, Angel and Aquarius shouted.

“We both have injuries that require immediate attention.” Midnight continued.

“And I still got a bone to pick with him!” Aquarius weakly gestured to Cobra with the tip of her weapon.

“He’s right, babe.” Scorpio said, tucking his phone away again. “I think they got the point to stay away from Natsu.”

Cobra was about to retort something but a sharp glare from Midnight had him keep his mouth shut.

“They got him?” Aquarius asked her partner.

Scorpio grinned. “Safe and sound and on their way home.”

Cobra snorted. “The damn fool is useless. Never should’ve worked with him.”

“No kidding, genius.” Aquarius glared at him.

“We should leave.” Scorpio tried again in a gentle voice. Midnight somehow related to the man with the bicoloured hair.

“We came to do something.” Aquarius argued, her eyes not leaving Cobra.

“We came to make sure they would never come after Natsu again.” Scorpio said.

“He killed our nakama!” Cobra, to Midnight’s despair, yelled.

“Bullshit!” Aquarius yelled back.

“I think the Dragon-kid learned to stay clear of us.” Midnight tried, making Cobra look at him.

His friend looked unconvinced.

“He had to spend all that time with the fool.”

Cobra contemplated that for a second. “That’s true.” He mumbled.

“I think that’s revenge enough, really.” Hoteye added his two jewels. “We should pursue more lucrative business!”

Angel merely rolled her eyes.

“And they know that we’ll hunt them down in full force the next time we so much as hear a rumour that one of them is in town.” Scorpio said, his light voice not bothering to hide the threat.

Aquarius and Cobra scowled at each other.

“I only take people off my kill-list in one way.” Aquarius hissed at him, her hand holding her trident tightening.

“First time for everything, babe.” Scorpio said.

Aquarius didn’t take her eyes off her target and Midnight was worried they’d have a second round out in the open.

“Fine.” Aquarius grumbled. “It’s your lucky day.” She yelled at Cobra.

“Please.” The poison-expert sneered. Midnight elbowed him in the side before he could say something stupid.

“Come after any member of our guild again,” Aquarius started, “and I will make you wish you died in there!” She pointed to the shambles of the house.

“Kill any of our members again,” Cobra shot back before Midnight could stop him, “and I won’t bother with knock-out-gases!”

“Watch it.” Aquarius warned in a low tone.

“Come on.” Scorpio nudged his girlfriend. “Not worth it. Everyone is safe.”

“Damn right not worth it.” Aquarius muttered, looking at Oracion Seis like they were dirt beneath her soles.

The two groups stared at each other for a moment longer, neither willing to be the first to turn their backs.

“Let’s go home.” Scorpio finally said.

He was the only one there with a long-distance weapon.

Aquarius finally took her eyes off the group. “Alright.”

Scorpio gave her a smile and scooped his partner into his arms, turning away from the illegal assassins across the collapsed building.

“I can walk.” Midnight could hear Aquarius protesting as they strode away.

“And I can carry you.” Scorpio replied.

“Well, with that solid argument-”

Was the last they could hear before the two assassins disappeared behind the treeline.

“So romantic, really.” Hoteye sighed.

Cobra rolled his good eye.

“Who’s up for a hospital visit?” Angel called, wincing as she touched her ribs.

“Hospital’s no good.” Midnight said. “Too much surveillance.”

“Okay. So, who’s up for a raid of a hospital’s supplies?” Angel tried again.

“Sounds perfect.” Cobra muttered.

Midnight knew it would be up to him. But he didn’t care too much about the extra trip. All his nakama were safe and they had the Celestial’s off their backs.

That was more than he’d dared hope for that day.

 

-----

 

Natsu did not manage the whole ride to shore without incident, hanging limply off the side of the dinghy whilst Cancer held onto the back of his shirt so the teen wouldn’t take an unwanted swim.

Natsu was surprised he’d lasted this long, to be honest.

With relief, he saw that the shore was growing closer, a patch of sandy beach where they could safely access land without the risk of being crushed against the rocks.

Aries slowed the dinghy down as they got close enough for the bottom of the rubber boat to scratch against the sand.

Sagittarius and Cancer jumped out, tugging them closer to shore as Aries turned the motor off.

Natsu vaulted out of the dinghy, tugging a startled Lucy behind him, and threw himself onto the blessedly unmoving and stationary ground of the beach.

“We’ve stopped moving!” He cheered weakly, revelling in the sound of Lucy’s laughter.

“For the moment anyway, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius said, watching his youngest nakama with a fond smile.

Hearing Lucy laughing again was like a healing ointment for all their hearts. Their guild had gone far too long without that sound. Far too long in silence when compared to before Natsu had disappeared.

Mavis only knew how much longer it would’ve taken for a carefree, wild laugh to ring in their ears again, if Capricorn and Lucy hadn’t followed their investigative natures.

“We can’t stay here.” Aries said, pushing the dinghy back out onto the water after Cancer grabbed the last of their equipment.

The little hut they’d rented it from, some miles down the coast, would find their rubber boat drifting along soon enough with the strong tide, the owners probably wondering what had happened to the colourful assortment of people who’d rented it the night before.

Lucy nodded. “Let’s get going.” She tugged Natsu up and shook sand from her hair.

“What’s the plan?” He asked.

“Calmly driving away.” Aries replied, leading the group away from the shore.

A siren of a police car started wining just a few blocks away, making Natsu flinch and caused Lucy’s hand to tighten in his.

“Calmy and quickly.” Aries muttered, hurrying her pace as the group climbed over the dunes.

“Don’t worry.” Lucy leaned close to Natsu. “We’ll get you home.”

“I’m not worried about myself, Luce.” Natsu whispered back, nervously looking over to the row of little seaside houses where the noise was emanating from. “I don’t want to drag you into this mess. Any more than I already have.” He added quietly.

“We’re partners.” Lucy smiled. “We get to drag each other into messes. It’s part of the deal.”

“But not messes this bad.”

“Especially messes this bad.” Lucy argued.

Another siren started up, this time a few streets further down, saving Natsu from trying to hold onto his argument.

The two sirens started moving, the sounds joining and echoing along the streets. A third joined them.

“Did they spot us, moshi moshi?” Sagittarius asked, one hand gliding down an arrow.

“Unlikely, baby.” Cancer said but eyed the road behind the dunes sceptically.

“We’re almost there.” Aries said, walking over the last stretches of sand towards a small car park designated for beachgoers.

A few cars were parked there, ranging in size and colour. The larger, dark-blue van in one corner barely drew attention to itself, even though all its windows were tinted and it had been standing there for hours now.

“Come on!” Lucy urged, a large grin on her face. “Someone will be very happy to see you!”

Natsu’s heart did a summersault. He hadn’t dared ask Lucy about his roommate, scared of the answer.

“You mean...he’s okay?”

Lucy turned to him, the sun making her golden hair glow. “See for yourself.”

The door to the van slid open, revealing Loke who blinked in the bright light.

Aries squealed and jumped up to hug him. “It worked!” She sang.

Loke quickly caught her. “Of course it did. With you as the fearless captain at the helm, what could go wrong?” Aries laughed at the teasing.

“She makes a better captain than you.” Gemini said, appearing beside Loke as it had taken him a minute longer to stand up inside the van.

“Yeah, don’t cats hate water?” Cancer asked sweetly.

“I volunteered to climb!” Loke shot back.

“Suuuure, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius drawled.

“Jerks.” Loke muttered, setting his giggling girlfriend back onto the ground.

His eyes went to the two teens behind Cancer and Sagittarius.

“NATSU!” Both Loke and Gemini shouted.

The latter vaulted out of the van and crashed into the pinkette.

Natsu stumbled back a little, using his free arm to support the old Celestial.

“You’re alive, kiddo.” Gemini said with a raspy voice.

“Yeah.” Natsu whispered, not quite sure how to respond to that statement.

Loke threw one arm across his shoulders. “It’s good to see you again. You had us worried.”

“I-I know.” Natsu mumbled. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize! We’re just happy to have you back!” Gemini sniffed.

The noise outside of the van woke a small cat who’d been stress-napping inside.

“Meow?” Happy trotted to the open van door, squinting in the sunlight.

“Happy!”

The cat’s head snapped up at the familiar voice, eyes round as saucers as they spotted a dash of salmon and big, onyx eyes.

“Me-aye-ow!”

Happy jumped into Natsu’s arms, immediately nuzzling his face in the pinkette’s shirt, purring like a motor.

“I missed you too, buddy!” Natsu sniffed, burying his face in the soft fur. “They-they said they threw you in a dumpster.”

“Me-aye-ow.”

“He found his way back.” Lucy said, smiling at the reunion.

“Of course you did.” Natsu laughed. “Clever cat.”

Aries cleared her throat. “We should get going.”

The sirens seemed to move in circles, never tiring in their whining.

All assassins -plus cat- could agree with that.

“By the way, I’m assuming Virgo has chosen a different exit?” Gemini asked.

“You knew, baby?”

The old man shrugged. “I assumed as much. She loves escape plans.”

Aries took the driver’s seat with Loke beside her as they looked the least inconspicuous out of all of them.

Sagittarius and Cancer got in behind them with Gemini in the middle and the teens and Happy took the seats at the very back.

“There will be a lot of driving.” Lucy whispered apologetically to her partner. “We’re a long way from home.”

“I can handle it, Luce.” Natsu replied, still holding Happy close.

But as soon as Aries turned the keys and the van rumbled to life, Natsu’s empty stomach flipped.

“Come on.” Lucy said knowingly.

Natsu didn’t need to be told twice and plopped his head onto her lap, legs tucked in.

Lucy smiled and began running her hand through his hair.

Natsu gave a happy sigh.

“This brings back memories.” Lucy said.

Natsu hummed. “Feels like ages ago.”

“Just a few months, actually.” Lucy corrected but she agreed with him.

Natsu began to roll so that he could look up at the blonde.

“Thanks, Luce.” He mumbled, eyes dropping.

“For what?” She whispered.

“Everything.”

Before Lucy could follow up with what exactly he meant, the van came to an abrupt stop at an intersection.

Natsu shot up, although it made his vision a little blurry.

“What is it, baby?” Cancer asked.

“Sirens coming this way.” Aries replied, nervously glancing down the street to their left.

“Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm...” Loke muttered to himself, putting on his best convincing smile for any passers-by.

Natsu gripped Lucy’s hand again as the sirens got louder and louder and more cars pulled over to the side to make way.

“Everything will be okay.” The blonde whispered.

Everyone leaned close to the left side windows, watching intently for any sign of the knight’s vehicles.

“I see something, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius called first, squinting down the long street. “Flashing lights coming towards us!”

“What do we do?” Lucy asked, not able to keep the panic fully from her voice.

“We stay calm!” Loke said a little too loudly.

“We’re a perfectly innocent group of people on an outing.” Gemini insisted.

“Yeah. Two in all-black gear, one in a prison uniform and with a truckload of weapons and monitors in the back.” Loke said. “A totally innocent group.”

The flashing lights were now visible to everyone as they came barrelling towards their intersection.

“Wait...” Sagittarius said.

“We are!” Loke replied.

“No...they aren’t just knights, moshi moshi.”

“What do you mean?” Gemini asked.

“There’s a civilian car in front of them.” Sagittarius explained.

“A civilian car- Virgo.” Cancer realized.

“You think?” Gemini asked, leaning over Sagittarius to get closer to the window.

“I’m as good as certain.” Cancer replied.

A dash of dark blue whizzed past them, going above every speed-limit, let alone the inner-city one.

Eight sets of eyes stared as they saw inside the vehicle when it was right in front of them.

A small pinkette sat behind the wheel, leaning over it to see better.

Behind her, in the passenger seat, was an elderly man with a white goatee, holding the handle above the door with an iron grip.

And in the backseat was a muscular man with a buzzcut, his mouth opened wide in a scream that they couldn’t hear.

The group in the van blinked and the car was gone. Sirens and lights flew past them in hot pursuit.

The intersection remained frozen before traffic slowly started to flow again.

Someone honked behind them and Aries snapped out of her stupor and she quickly hit the gas.

Natsu lay back down as soon as they started to move.

“Are...are they going to be alright?” He asked carefully.

“Who are you referring to?” Loke asked. “Our nakama, the knights or the vehicles?”

“You’ve never driven with Virgo, have you, baby?” Cancer quickly interrupted, turning in his seat so that he could look at the teens.

“No.”

“Be glad.” Loke muttered, catching Gemini’s stink-eye in the rear-view mirror.

“She’s...enthusiastic.” The old man defended.

“Yes. They will be alright.” Aries concluded, calmly turning a corner. “No one has managed to catch up to Virgo yet.”

“Because she is a skilled driver.” Gemini added, nodding to himself.

“And because the pursuers usually have a will to live.” Sagittarius added.

“They’ll be fine. Physically at least.” Lucy mumbled to Natsu.

 

-----

 

“Mavis, Virgooooo!” Taurus yelled as he was thrown against the window.

“Yes?” She asked, skidding around the street corner.

“Slooooow dooooown!”

“And let them catch us?” Virgo asked incredulously, watching the pursuing knights in the rear-view mirror.

“And keep yooooour eyes on the rooooad!”

Virgo barrelled past a stop-sign, causing a near collision when two cars had to hit the brakes. One of the vehicles chasing them caught the tail of one of the cars, spinning and coming to a stop in the middle of the junction.

Drivers got out and started yelling, shaking their hands angrily.

“Did you know...” Capricorn started, much calmer than the assassin in the backseat, “that cars were invented in X886?”

“That’s nice.” Virgo said, pulling the handbrake to drift around a corner.

“However, traffic signs only became a wide-spread phenomenon in the X910s.”

“You don’t say.”

“For Mavis’ sake – dooooon’t distract her, Cap!”

“That means for some time, there were cars with no means of street regulation.” The professor concluded.

“That sounds like fun.” Virgo mused.

“It decidedly dooooes not!” Taurus argued, arms wrapped up in two seatbelts.

“Of course, the first cars could only go a maximum speed of 10 miles per hour.” Capricorn added, adjusting his hold on the handle.

“Oh, sweet times.” Taurus sighed.

“Then I do prefer modern technology. Even with the regulations via signs and traffic lights.”

“Yooooou don’t even fooooollow them!” The largest assassin in the car yelled.

“I do. Sometimes.” The pinkette corrected.

They were heading for the city limits, the traffic lightening up a bit and rows of houses making way to fields in the distance.

“We still have company.” Capricorn looked behind them.

“I’m aware.”

“Do you have a plan of procedure?”

“Yooooou think any of this is a plan?!”

“I’m waiting for inspiration.”

“Oooooh, Mavis, save us!”

“There!”

“Where?”

“There’s a roundabout coming up. I shall use that to rid us of the pursuers.”

The little assassin hit the gas.

“Uuuuuuhm, Virgooooo...?”

“Will you...what’s the word...drift around the circle?”

“No. I will go straight over it.”

“WHAT?! Virgooooo, going around is in the name, maybe recooooonsider and-”

But there was no reconsidering on Virgo’s part as she drove towards the raised, circular hill that was the roundabout.

Cars saw them approaching at full speed and made the wise decision to slow down or stop.

The knights in the cars behind them exchanged worries glances.

“AAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!” Taurus screamed, his fingers digging into the seatbelts as Virgo sent them flying.

 

-----

 

“Are you sure, Luce?” Natsu asked, barely suppressing a yawn.

“Definitely. Virgo is...gifted in the driver’s seat.”

Natsu hummed again but kept his eyes stubbornly open.

“Why don’t you get some sleep? You look like you need it.” Lucy whispered.

“Wassat supposed to mean, Luce?” Natsu drawled. “You saying I look bad?”

Lucy chuckled. “Please, as if that’s a possibility.”

Bantering with Natsu again felt so good that she didn’t really notice what her words implied.

Only when Cancer turned around with a smirk and a raised eyebrow did she realize that it toed the line between banter and flirting.

She shot the hairdresser a glare and his smirk only widened as he turned back around.

Natsu, oblivious to it all, gave a tired laugh.

“Seriously, try to sleep.” Lucy insisted. “Time will go by faster.”

“I don’t wanna.” Natsu yawned.

“You don’t want to sleep?” Lucy was a little confused.

Natsu tucked Happy closer to his chest. “Scared this is all a dream.” He mumbled quietly.

“Natsu, you went down a cliffside, been on a boat and saw Virgo driving.” Lucy smiled. “You really think your subconscious can come up with all of that?”

He hummed. “Don’t wanna wake up there again.”

“You won’t.” Lucy insisted, leaning close so that their faces were only inches apart. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” She whispered.

Natsu hummed again, his eyelids finally fluttering shut.

“I promise.” Lucy said again, pressing a quick kiss to his temple. Because it felt like the right thing to do at that moment.

 

-----

 

Sleep wasn’t restful or rejuvenating.

Every time the van stopped at a light or turned a corner, Natsu’s eyes flew back open, expecting trouble or surroundings made of stone.

But every time he woke up, Lucy would start running her hands through his hair again, whispering sweet nothings and Happy would nuzzle closer.

This cycle continued for the hours it took them to drive East, away from the coast, through the flat fields, beside the mountains until they passed the sign welcoming them into Crocus city limits long after the sun had set.

“Home sweet home.” Loke said.

Cancer nudged Gemini, who had a much better nap than Natsu, awake as they turned into their street.

“Couldn’t have carried me inside?” The senior mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

“I think you’re sixty years too old for that, moshi moshi.”

Gemini huffed something about rude youths as the tall house, only visible due to the lit lights inside, came into view.

“You think Virgo and co. made it back before us, baby?” Cancer asked into the group.

“With the speed they were going...definitely.” Aries reasoned.

“What about Aquarius and Scorpio?” Lucy couldn’t help but worry about those two, even though an angry Aquarius was a foe no one had yet managed to defeat in combat.

“They’ve been home for a while too.” Loke soothed. “Texted while you two were napping back there.”

Lucy hadn’t noticed. She quickly looked at her phone and saw that she’d missed dozens of messages in their group chat.

“Where’d those two go?” Natsu asked, sitting up as Aries pulled into the driveway.

“After Cobra and Midnight.”

Natsu’s eyes shot up. “They did?”

“Yeah, and it looks like...” Lucy scrolled through the messages, “like they came to some sort of understanding. Aquarius wasn’t very specific.”

“But they’re okay?” Natsu asked, looking over her shoulder at the screen.

“Yes, they are.” Loke answered for her.

“But Aquarius seems grumpy, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius added. “She only texted a few words at a time.”

Natsu saw the passage he was referring to on Lucy’s phone.

 

Aquarius

We’re fine.

Aquarius

Oracion Seis is dealt with.

Aquarius

Not as much as I wanted to

Aquarius

But enough.

Aquarius

Heading home.

 

Scorpio

Drive safely everyone 💙

 

“Not as much as she wanted to?” Natsu questioned.

“We’ll know soon enough.” Lucy grinned. “We’re home!”

The van came to a stop and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“We did it!” Cancer cheered.

Loke cracked his back. “Hallelujah.”

Natsu looked at the house. Everything still felt surreal and if he blinked too much, it might all vanish into the darkness.

“Come on.” Lucy tugging on his wrist, a sleeping Happy in her other arm, had Natsu daring to look away from the guild. “I promise it’s safe to enter through the door this time.”

The pinkette huffed a tired laugh. “Are you sure Luce?” He followed the rest of their nakama out of the van. “If Aquarius is already in a mood...”

“Eh, you’ll survive.” Loke said casually, leading the group to the welcoming doorway with the golden key symbol shining in greeting.

“Thanks for the confidence.” Natsu deadpanned.

“I was talking to myself.” Loke returned a pleased grin at the teen.

Natsu mumbled something unintelligible that Lucy would’ve liked to decipher if it weren’t for the front door flying open that very second.

“THEY’RE HERE!”

Virgo’s yell echoed along the silent street.

Happy startled awake and jumped out of Lucy’s arms straight into the air, landing in the entranceway.

“A court crier has been lost on you, you know that?” Cancer asked as they filed into the hallway.

Booming footsteps came running around the corner of the living room.

“SAG!” Taurus yelled, sweeping his partner into a bear-hug. “You’re oooookay!”

“Of course I am, moshi moshi.” The spindly assassin wheezed. “Merely a few bruises. How about yourself?”

Taurus briefly turned paler than he already was. “We flew.”

“You flew?”

“He is exaggerating.” Virgo stated, giving her own partner a squeeze.

“I am nooooot.” Taurus said, setting the archer back onto the floor.

Capricorn’s entry into the hallway was stopped by Cancer crashing into him, making the taller man stumble back a step.

“Good to see you too.” The professor smiled down at him, resting a bandaged hand on his shoulder.

Gemini caught it immediately.

“Everything alright, old friend?”

Capricorn flexed the hand in question. “Quite. Merely a small dispute between myself and a hand-held explosive.”

“Capricorn.” Cancer chided.

“The package clearly stated that I had five seconds between lighting the fuse and throwing it a good distance away.” The professor defended. “I held it for a maximum of three seconds before it grew a little...hot.”

Cancer levelled him with an unimpressed stare from over his glasses.

“I have already written a firm letter of complaint to the manufacturer.” Capricorn soothed, as if that was his partner’s reason for concern.

“NATSU!” Taurus’ booming voice stopped Cancer’s ensuing lecture on not holding explosives at all.

The teen was wrapped into a hug just as Sagittarius had been, lifted clean off the floor and spun around.

Happy side-stepped the twirling assassins by jumping on the tallest and safest spot available; Sagittarius’ shoulder.

“YOU’RE ALIVE!” Taurus cheered.

“I am.” Natsu managed to wheeze.

“For Mavis’ sake, put the boy down.” Capricorn stepped closer. “I imagine he has one or two bruises from his adventure.”

Adventure. That’s one way of putting it, Natsu thought.

“Not entirely wrong.” He said instead, his side complaining about the pressure.

“Ooooops, sorry.” Taurus abruptly set him down. “Just sooooo happy to see yooooou!”

“Same here.” Natsu returned the -much gentler- hug then turned to smile up at Capricorn who had placed his unbandaged hand on his shoulder.

“It’s such a relief to see you, Natsu.”

“You too.” The teen sniffed, eyes caught on the white material around the old man’s other hand. “And I’m so sorry for all the trouble I’ve-”

“WHERE IS HE?!”

A very familiar voice yelled, making most of the assassins in the hallway jump a little.

“Babe, slow down. Remember your legs.”

“Pfff, they’re fine.”

“They’re not.”

“Fine enough. Now, where is-”

Aquarius leaned heavily against the doorframe to the living room, eyes roaming the gathered faces. Scorpio was right behind her, offering a supporting arm that went thoroughly ignored by the bluenette.

Something clenched in Natsu’s gut when he saw the multitude of plasters dotted around her arms and it only increased when he saw that her lower legs were completely encased in bandages.

Lucy was following the same train of thought as him.

“Aunty, are you okay-”

But Aquarius had found her target, standing between Taurus and Capricorn, looking smaller than she’d ever seen him with bruises forming on his skin, skinnier than he’d been before and dark bags under his eyes.

It made her want to hunt for that snake again.

But one thing after the other.

Aquarius staggered the few steps towards the teen, their nakama smartly moving out of her way and only holding out their arms in case she should lose her balance.

The blue-haired assassin grabbed Natsu’s shoulders and pulled him close, staring into his wide, onyx eyes.

“I always thought Lucy would be the reason my hair turns prematurely grey, but it seems you two have teamed up for that!” She shook his shoulders lightly, which was more her legs screaming at her to sit back down rather than trying to get Natsu’s attention.

“Wha- what did I do?” The blonde behind Natsu asked.

“I-I’m sorry about-” Natsu tried, holding onto Aquarius’ arms to give her some stability.

“Honestly, the number of years you two have taken of my life span...I must be in the minus by now!” Their leader continued undeterred.

Natsu’s throat closed up and he had to blink a few times so that the exhausted looking face of Aquarius remained clear in front of him.

Everyone had been hugs and well-meaning concern since Lucy ran into him on one of the middle floors of the Coastal Prison. But with every warm smile, Natsu could feel the guilt gnawing on his insides growing. It made him want to wince every time he saw Capricorn’s bandages hand, Lucy’s bruises from her mad dash through the stone corridors in search for him, Aquarius’ badly beaten legs...

Every person standing squished together in the hallway had taken a huge risk. For him.

All because he’d gotten himself into a mess. Because he hadn’t been able to get himself out on his own.

Aquarius saw Natsu’s bottom lip quiver ever so slightly, the moistness in his eyes not escaping her notice either.

“I’m so sorry.” He said again, this time barely more than a whisper.

Aquarius grumbled something unintelligible to her own ears and pulled the teen close, pressing his face to her shoulder.

Natsu’s arms immediately wrapped around her waist, his entire frame shaking ever so slightly.

“I’m really, really sorry.” He sobbed quietly.

Everyone was watching the two of them with sad and understanding eyes, quietly observing the way Aquarius took on the role of pseudo-parent once again with the determination she always displayed.

“It’s okay.” She soothed, one hand holding the back of his head.

“It’s not.” Natsu argued. “I asked him to keep you out of it. I told him you weren’t involved-”

“Who? Cobra?!”

Natsu nodded against her shoulder.

Aquarius grumbled something again.

“And Lahar.” He added.

“The captain?”

Another nod. Another grumble.

“They-they kept saying you thought I was d-dead.” Natsu hickuped. “They- I- I didn’t know if...how you could know...” He couldn’t bring himself to finish that sentence, feeling it didn’t do his nakama’s recently displayed bravery justice.

“We did figure it out.” Lucy could no longer just watch her partner silently crying into her aunt’s shoulder, so she squeezed herself beside the two, throwing her arms around both of them.

“I knew you would.” Natsu said. “Lahar is just really good at planting doubt.”

“You’re home now.” Scorpio added, gently holding his girlfriend from behind, letting her lean some of her weight onto him. “That guy isn’t getting to you again. Ever.”

“I know.” Natsu mumbled quietly.

“Groooooup hug!” Taurus yelled.

Any Celestial not able to follow his instruction fast enough was pushed into the huddle by the tall assassin himself, his large arms managing to wrap around half of the group.

Natsu huffed a tired laugh as he was surrounded by a wall of protesting and chuckling bodies, knowing there was no safer spot in all of Fiore than where he stood at that very moment.

“As for us not being involved...” Gemini’s voice, somewhere to Natsu’s left, started. “We very much were. From the beginning!”

“No. I ran into Racer long before I met Luce and-”

“Doesn’t matter.” Loke wheezed, trying (and failing) to gain a little more personal space.

“We share our enemies.” Aries explained in his stead.

“Like you did with Everlue.” Virgo added.

“But this was way more dangerous.” Natsu argued.

“Hence: full guild mission.” Capricorn said in his no-argument-professor-voice.

“It’s been way too long since we’ve done one of those anyway, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius petted Happy’s head, the cat still crouched on his shoulder like the world’s strangest parrot.

“And it was a good one, baby.” Cancer nodded.

“Prisooooon breaks are alwaaaaays fun!”

“Agreed. We once again displayed excellent team working abilities.” Gemini said approvingly. “Could’ve done without the bit before the prison break, though.”

It didn’t escape Natsu’s attention that Lucy hugged him tighter at that.

“I really didn’t think Cobra would go this far.” He said in a small voice. “I thought they wanted to talk about their nakama...”

“Racer?” Scorpio asked.

“You heard?”

“Got the whole dramatic tale from the snake.” Aquarius sneered.

“I didn’t kill him!” Natsu said quickly.

“We know.” Scorpio soothed.

“Cobra didn’t believe me.”

“We gathered that too.”

There was a moment of silence in which Natsu simply enjoyed the physical contact and the Celestials either thought about the happy end to their mission or what they’d like to do to the illegal assassin with the spiky ears.

“Can’t believe that dirtbag worked with the knights!” Aries, clearly in the latter group, said fiercely. Then quickly apologized for her language.

“Some people sink low.” Capricorn stated.

“And some keep digging their way lower!” Gemini added.

“They are afraid of you.” Natsu cleared it up for them. “Thought if they have the knight as a scapegoat, you’ll never find them.” His tired eyes refused to open, so he simply listened to the surround-sound of his nakama dealing with that piece of news.

“First smart decision of their lives!”

“Well, not that smart, baby.”

“Loke and Aries did find them.”

“I meant them being afraid of us.”

“Who isn’t?”

“The knight, moshi moshi?”

“Eugh, the knight.”

“Captain Lahar of the Custody Enforcement Unit, to be precise.”

“What was his deal anyway?”

“Yeah, knights don’t like illegal assassins either.”

The pause was enough for Natsu’s sleepy brain to realize that he was asked to fill in the blank.

“Information.” He said. “About you.”

“What a cowardly tactic!” Gemini exploded, his walking stick swinging wildly in the air, nearly knocking out Cancer. “If he wants to know my favourite colour, he should grow a pair and ask me directly!”

“What exactly did he want to know?” Aquarius, close to Natsu’s ear, asked solemnly.

“Loads of things. Who’s the strongest, who’s in charge, who has what role, tactics, prior missions...all that stuff.”

“Did you tell him?”

Natsu suppressed a yawn. “Yeah.”

A beat of silence and Natsu’s head shot up, just barely avoiding headbutting Aquarius.

“But it was all wrong!” He added in a panic. “It was technically telling the truth, but I kinda twisted it and it’s completely wrong now and I only did it to be let out sometimes and get to know the layout and-”

“Calm down, kiddo!”

“We know you’d never rat us out.” Lucy nudged her shoulder against him.

“Right.” Natsu mumbled. Of course they’d never think that. This was the group that just risked their own necks to bust him out of prison. He’d spent far too much time worrying about his nakamas’ reaction to this entire mess. And stupid Lahar had only encouraged those thoughts. Stupid Lahar.

“Do you remember what you told them, baby?” Cancer asked.

The pinkette nodded.

“We can discuss that at length tomorrow.” Virgo declared, standing beside the circle of assassins, straightening her pinafore.

“Okay.” Natsu managed to say, his limps feeling like a ton each.

“The knights have misinformation about us...” Gemini started.

“This could be very useful to us indeed.” Capricorn read his friend’s mind.

“All in due time.” Scorpio insisted.

“Of course, of course.” The older men pacified.

Natsu huffed a laugh. Of course the hobby-detectives’ first thought was how to use this situation to their advantage.

“Great, now you’ve started something.” Aquarius grumbled. “Won’t stop hearing their plots and theories about the power of rumours for ages.”

Natsu smiled. “I’m sorry, Aunty.” He hadn’t slept properly in weeks, that together with the relief of finally being home and his nakamas’ forgiveness had his limps growing heavy and his mind sluggish. That’s why he didn’t notice the slip of tongue at the endearment only Lucy used for the bluenette.

Everyone else did, including the assassin in question.

Aquarius paused for a quick moment; eyebrows raised in surprise at the teen. Then she only huffed a “brat” and held him tighter.

Virgo clapped her hands twice in quick succession, officially calling the group hug to a close.

“New arrivals: health check – yes, mandatory. Everyone who has had their injuries checked can set up the living room.” The Celestials started breaking up slowly. “Aquarius, you lay back down. Your legs need to rest.”

It was a true sign of how tired the bluenette was since she didn’t protest the command nor Scorpio scooping her up again to carry her back to the loveseat in the living room.

The sudden loss of support had Natsu sagging against his partner.

Lucy chuckled. “You need sleep. Badly.”

“Mmmaybe.” He yawned.

“Definitely.”

Happy, having deemed it safe to jump down from Sagittarius’ shoulder now that the trampling, running and squeezing was over, jumped right back into the pinkette’s arms.

“What did Virgo mean with setting up the living room?" He asked, running his hand through Happy’s fur.

Lucy led him to the dining room where multiple first-aid-kits were already spread around the table.

“I’m guessing everyone will sleep there tonight.” She answered.

“Everyone?”

She nudged his shoulder. “You think anyone’s letting you out of their sight after what happened?” She grinned devilishly at him. “You’re about to experience the full force of the Celestials’ overprotectiveness first hand. On a level never seen before.” Lucy added in a dramatic voice.

Natsu only smiled at that. Having all of his nakama close sounded like the best thing in the world to him.

 

Fifteen minutes later, after Virgo had shone a flashlight in Natsu’s eyes and declared that he had a mild concussion and would have to take it easy -something everyone was planning on doing anyway-, all twelve Celestials plus pets were spread around the living room.

Aquarius and Scorpio shared their loveseat, whilst Taurus and Sagittarius had once again claimed the beanbags.

Air mattresses were set up for Capricorn and Gemini (“rights of the elder”, the latter had proclaimed before jumping onto one).

Aries and Loke were on one of the couches, covered in the knitted blanket.

Cancer had curled himself up on his partner’s usual armchair after having insisted that he would not take one of the mattresses.

And Virgo...Virgo was somewhere, although Natsu couldn’t quite pinpoint where exactly.

He couldn’t really focus on anything; he was wearing a warm shirt that -with its similarity to a tent- had to be from Taurus, Happy was purring on his shoulder and Lucy was squeezed between himself and the back of the couch, her head resting on his chest. Just like movie night.

Everything was perfect.

Although fatigue was wearing on him, Natsu stayed awake for a little while longer, simply revelling in the feeling of being home, of holding his partner close again.

He hugged the blonde to him, the soothing smell of vanilla finally lulling him to sleep.

“Thank you.” Natsu whispered into the room, right before consciousness left him.

He didn’t hear the whispered answers of:

“Of course.” -Aries

“Nothing to thank us for, kid.” -Scorpio

“It was our pleasure.” -Virgo

“You would’ve dooooone the same for us.” -Taurus

“Always, partner.” -Lucy

And:

“Shhhh!” -Aquarius

Notes:

It's done!
This chapter officially concludes the "Character-Death / Prison-Break" portion of this fanfiction. I hope you have enjoyed it.
Now, if anyone needs me, I'll be back in my comfort zone of writing functional family dynamics and fluff until the plot insists on being a part of the story again.

Chapter 33: Promise

Gemini lazily blinked his eyes awake. He frowned at the unfamiliar ceiling. And why was he so low on the ground?

Living room. Natsu’s return. Celestial sleepover. Right.

It took the old man a few tries to get off the air mattress without sinking right back into it. In the end he hooked his cane onto the armrest of the nearest chair and pulled himself into a sitting position.

Where was everyone?

He looked around the silent living room. The couches, the seats, the beanbags were all empty. Then a loud cluttering and a “there’s enough for everyone!” rang down the hallway.

Breakfast. Looked like he'd slept in.

Gemini stretched, appreciating the comfy mattress and got up. Had he slept on a couch or Mavis forbid a beanbag, his bad leg would not be cooperating right now.

He walked down the hallway, the noise from the kitchen growing steadily louder as he approached.

“Did you tell them anything abooooout me?” Taurus’ excited voice rung above the other casual chatter.

“Yes, I did.” Natsu, that was definitely Natsu’s voice; well rested and happy. And eating.

“Oooooh...what is it?!”

“That you’re the strongest Celestial.”

“That’s nooooot a lie! That’s the truuuuuth!” Taurus proclaimed, far too pleased about the news.

A dismissive “pfff” was audible.

“Yooooou got anything to saaaaay, little sheep?” The challenge was clear in Taurus’ voice.

“Bring it on, you overgrown cow!” Aries responded.

“Come on guys, we’ve had enough excitement. How about we have a nice, relaxed breakfast-”

Gemini stepped to the side to let the inelegantly wrestling tumbleweed that was Aries and Taurus pass by down the hallway.

The senior walked into the kitchen to see his family -sans bull and ram- sitting around the kitchen island, plates with pancakes of varying sizes stacked around the counter.

“You got this, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius called after his partner, his attention more on the bowl of freshly cut strawberries.

“Go get ‘em, love!” Loke echoed, turning his gaze to the new arrival. “Morning, old man.”

“Good morning, kid.” Gemini nodded to Lucy and Natsu. “Other kids.” The two teens were sitting so close together, you couldn’t have passed a piece of paper between them.

A round of “Morning.” went around the island.

“I saved you a seat.” Virgo said by way of greeting, gesturing to the barstool beside her.

“Thank you, Virgo dear.” He said, climbing onto the chair with practised ease.

“Natsu was telling us the ‘twisted truths’ as he calls them, which he told the knight.” Capricorn explained.

“How exciting.” Gemini faced the teen over his stack of pancakes whilst dousing them in maple syrup. “Did you get to me yet.”

“We did.” Loke was hiding a smile with a large bite. Gemini narrowed his eyes.

“What did you tell them?”

Natsu swallowed his own mouthful. “They kinda believe that you’re...psychotic.”

Gemini nearly dropped his fork.

“Excuse me?!”

Natsu shrugged. “That’s how they interpreted it.”

“Interpreted what?!” The old man demanded. “How is that even similar to a truth?”

“Lahar asked if you have violent tendencies...” Natsu started, shrinking under his hard gaze.

“And you said yes?!”

“I said you’re very enthusiastic about following people.” The pinkette said apologetically. “Which is kinda true.”

“You make me sound like a stalker! Lucy, your partner made me sound like a stalker!” He complained to the blonde.

She wasn’t even phased. “Makes you sound dangerous.”

“Makes me sound crazy.” He muttered, taking a large bite of the fluffy breakfast.

“Yeah, that’s how the conversation went to psychotic tendencies.” Natsu said. “Lahar’s words, not mine.” He raised his hands in surrender.

Gemini grumbled into his tea. “What provoked the knight to ask that in the first place?”

Natsu thought for a moment. “Lahar mentioned something about a string of dead bodies that were credited to you...like, ages ago?”

The oldest Celestial rolled his eyes. “You go on one murder spree and all of a sudden you’re psychotic.” He shook his head. “Everyone is so sensitive these days.”

“You went on a what?” Both teenagers at the table asked.

“Long story.” Aquarius intercepted.

“Another time.” Capricorn added.

“They started it!” Gemini insisted but didn’t give more information.

“It’s pretty useful to us though.” Scorpio said, reaching to pull the bowl of blueberries closer to himself and Aquarius. “The knights think you’re dangerous.”

“What do you mean; think?!” Gemini hit his fist onto the counter. “I am dangerous!” His statement was somehow diminished by the drooping maple syrup smiley face on his plate.

“You know what I mean.” Scorpio waved his outburst off. “Dangerous-dangerous.”

“I am-” Gemini’s rebuttal was cut off by Virgo placing a placating hand on his shoulder.

“We all know you can be a threat. And now the knights will take that seriously. They’ll stay far away from you. I’m pleased about that.” She nodded to Natsu gratefully.

“I’m glad something good came of all this.” The teen answered.

Gemini didn’t fight the point any longer but grumbled the word “slander” into his tea.

“Hey, you heard that Lahar was stuck with an annoying pain and you immediately thought of me!” Natsu harrumphed at the old man.

A smile crept on Gemini’s face at that. “By process of elimination.” He said innocently.

“If the shoe fits, baby...” Cancer grinned. Natsu scratched his head with his middle finger.

“What about you, Virgo dear? Anything interesting about you?” Gemini asked before his partner could spot the rude gesture.

“Oh yes. The knights believe I am not a true assassin. Merely a housemaid.”

“Ha!” Gemini laughed to himself. “Those fools.”

“I do see how they can make that assumption.” Capricorn gestured to Virgo’s outfit.

The assassin in question shrugged. “I suppose.”

“Anything else?” Aquarius asked Natsu.

The teen swallowed the last bite of his eighth pancake.

“Yeah. They think Sagittarius is our leader.”

The archer looked up from his plate.

“Oh?” He and Aquarius both asked.

Natsu nodded. “They were pretty sure that it was you,” he looked at the bluenette, “but I told them Sagittarius is above you.”

Loke scrunched his brows for a second. “In height?” He ventured.

Natsu nodded, happy that his nakama understood his way of thinking.

“Smart.” The ginger man said approvingly.

“HEY TAURUS!” Sagittarius called loudly. A crash coming from the dining room was his only answer. “Get in here, moshi moshi! I just got a promotion!”

Another crash and a grunt from the tall man reached their ears.

A second later, both Taurus and Aries returned to the kitchen, the former holding his back and the latter moving her wrist experimentally.

“And?” Scorpio asked.

“We settled on a draw.” Aries explained.

“Proud of you.” Loke pressed a kiss to her temple. “For going easy on him.” He added quietly.

“A draw fooooor nooooow anyway. We’ll settle this ooooone of these days.”

“Sorry for the disturbance.” Aries said hurriedly.

“Sooooo, what happened?”

“The knights believe that I am our leader, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius said, grandly putting a hand to his heart.

“Ha!” The bulky man laughed. “The leader and the strongest Celestial,” he flexed his biceps while Aries rolled her eyes, “we’re toooootally on their radar nooooow!”

“That’s not an accomplishment, baby!” Cancer objected but was ignored by the laughing duo.

“And, given the fact that they went through so much trouble to get to Natsu in order to get information on us, we can safely assume that we are already on their radar.” Scorpio added, throwing a blueberry into his mouth.

“But we’re like suuuuuper on it now.” Taurus argued.

Scorpio didn’t bother with another rebuttal.

Good Mavis, Gemini had missed this. The last time they’d sat together this carefree; eating, joking and fooling around had been weeks and an emotional lifetime ago.

 

-----

 

Plue, the naturally born guard dog who had slept soundly through the entire late-night reunion of the Celestials, was surprised and ecstatic to find all his favourite people back home when he woke up.

He jumped up and down around the kitchen island, greeting everyone with a headbutt against their legs, too fast for anyone to even try and pet him.

They were all here! His tail wagged so quickly; it was barely visible.

There was Pink Hair Lady, standing by a bowl of yellow paste that smelled very nice but Plue wasn’t allowed to have, beside her were Small Old Man and Tall Old Man, and there was Scissors Guy and Fluffy Sheep Lady and Carrot Hair, there was Cow Man and his best friend Horse Guy...

He'd bumped into all of them in greeting, excitedly rounding the next corner when Strawberry-and-Vanilla managed to scoop up the blur of white, holding onto him tightly as the puppy hadn’t yet realized that he was no longer touching the floor and continued to run in the air.

“Hello Plue. You gotta be a bit careful with her for a while, okay?” He nodded to Blue Boss Lady beside him. “She’s pretty hurt.”

Hurt! Plue knew that word! Who was hurt?! Where?! Should Plue bite someone in revenge?! He could and would!

He spun around on Strawberry-and-Vanilla’s lap, searching for the culprit in all directions.

“Clearly a very smart dog.” Blue Boss Lady deadpanned.

Smart. Yes, that was Plue. He was glad someone else recognized that fact.

In gratitude, he jumped across the small gap to land in her arms, nudging her in the stomach.

“Oof, alright alright, calm down.” She muttered, petting him twice on the head before handing him directly over to-

Lucy!

“Hey Plue.” The blonde said affectionately, ruffing up the fur between his ears. “Did you guard the house while we were gone?”

Guard. Yes, Plue had! He’d chased away two squirrels and a big cat through the window! Although the cat hadn’t appeared threatened by his barking. It had wandered off from boredom after a while. But Lucy didn’t need to know that.

“I’m sure his snores scared off any potential intruders.” Carrot Hair said with a laugh that Plue liked to hear.

“Oh, shush!” Lucy said, letting the puppy rest his weight against her stomach. “He will be a great guard dog.”

Plue would’ve tried to pick up new words from their conversation, but a familiar scent wafted into his nose.

That was Blue Cat!

He vaulted off Lucy’s lap, onto to the table where Happy was ready for him; in a firm stance and away from breakable glassware. The force of a careening dog was still enough to knock both pets off their feet and to tumble a way on the kitchen island.

Blue Cat rolled his eyes but gave the puppy a soft swat against his nose as they got back up on their feet, some of the humans grumbling about having animals this close to their food.

Blue Cat was clearly in a much better mood than he’d been the last...Plue couldn’t remember when.

That could only mean...

Plue danced around on the spot, looking at all the faces again. There were three heads of pink hair; Pink Hair Lady, Fluffy Sheep Lady and – Blue Cat’s Friend! He got well again!

Plue barked at him in greeting, bumping his head into the offered high-five that the pink-haired human was holding up.

“Missed you too.” He said.

Everyone was smiling and there was loads of food. The world was clearly in the right again.

 

-----

 

Lucy sat on her bed with Natsu, right across from each other, their knees touching. The pets were rolling around on her carpet and her partner was playing with the strands of his scarf. It was the definition of peaceful.

After the full-guild breakfast with Natsu being peppered by questions about the prison, the knights and Cobra, the silence felt loud between them in her quiet room.

It wasn’t unpleasant but there was still so much left unsaid.

“Does it still feel like a dream?” She asked.

Natsu shrugged.

“Kinda feels like everything that happened was a bad dream, y’know?”

She did. How many times had Lucy woken up in the past weeks, panting but glad that Natsu’s death had just been a nightmare. Until she’d seen the I.P.-issued box with his belongings standing beside her desk and everything had flooded back to her.

The box with the bo-staff poking out of it still stood in its place. Neither teen had felt like rummaging around in it just then.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Was Lucy’s next question.

Natsu kept his eyes on his scarf.

“About what.”

She nudged him with her knee, so he’d look at her. Lucy leaned closer, carefully brushing her fingers along Natsu’s cheek, right below the eye where his skin was coloured a fading blue.

“That is definitely older than the fight yesterday.”

Natsu rolled his eyes but leaned into the touch.

“I was an idiot sometimes.”

“Only sometimes?”

He nudged her back harder and Lucy laughed.

“Okay, but really – what happened?”

He shrugged again. “Nothing, really. Why do you want to know?”

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him. “So, if I ever disappear and then show up again with bruises, you wouldn’t want to know?”

Natsu glared back at her, either at the notion that she should disappear, be hurt or that he wouldn’t care. Lucy looked at him expectantly.

“I broke Lahar’s nose.” He said plainly.

Lucy gaped at him. “That was you?!”

The smallest of smiles played around Natsu’s lips when Lucy started laughing. “Yeah.”

“Now I know what you mean with being an idiot. Attacking the captain of the prison you are currently in...not the smartest move.”

Natsu brushed against the fainting bruise. “It wasn’t.”

“Then why’d you do it?” Lucy asked.

“It was kinda an accident.”

“You broke Lahar’s nose on accident?” His partner asked disbelieving.

“Yeah?”

“How?”

“Anger, I guess.”

Lucy paused at that. Natsu wasn’t an angry person. Let alone someone who would act upon such a powerful emotion. It made her worry that the reason was much worse.

“Did he hurt you?” She asked carefully. Did Natsu have more bruises she hadn’t seen yet? How far would Lahar have gone to get the information he so desperately wanted? Her thoughts started to race until Natsu’s huff cut her off.

“No, Luce. It’s not that.” He knew what she’d been thinking of.

Relief sagged Lucy’s shoulders. But her question remained unanswered.

“Then what?”

He didn’t look at her, so Lucy took one of his hands in hers and waited.

Realizing she wasn’t giving up on receiving an answer Natsu quickly said.

“He kept talking about you.”

Lucy looked surprised. “About me?”

“Mhm. You, everyone.”

“What did he say?” She ventured.

Natsu swallowed heavily.

“He...he was saying how helping him was my only option because you wouldn’t know to look for me and that you wouldn’t anyway ‘cause I’m not a real Celestial – I know, I know that’s not true,” he said quickly, “Lahar kept threatening to...to end this guild like the knights did my family.”

Lucy squeezed his hand at that. “You know that would be incredibly difficult, near impossible to pull off.”

“I know. I told him that too.”

“But?”

“But then he described your reaction to...to seeing me. Dead.” He didn’t miss how Lucy moved closer to him at that, if ever so slightly. “And that really hurt. Because you were hurting because of me. I was angry at myself, and I couldn’t do anything to change what was happening to you...”

Lucy moved around so she could lean her head against his shoulder.

Natsu took a deep breath. “And around that time, I broke Lahar’s nose.”

“So, you’re in a dangerous situation and you worry about my emotional state?” Lucy asked after a few seconds of silence.

“Of course.” Natsu replied without hesitation. “Lahar knowing about you and about this-” he rubbed his thumb over the joined emblems on the back of her hand, still holding his own, “-it’s a threat.”

“Lahar couldn’t have gotten to me.” Lucy said.

“I know that. But...” Natsu stayed quiet for a minute. “...he got to me.” He said eventually.

“Because you were on your own.” Lucy tried to keep the accusation out of her voice, but Natsu interpreted it anyway.

“I didn’t think it would end that badly.” He defended weakly.

“You knew they’re a dark guild.” Lucy answered. There was no anger in her voice because she didn’t want Natsu to start apologizing again. She wasn’t angry with him. Just angry that he hadn’t told her as soon as Oracion Seis had made contact. How much could’ve been prevented?

“Why didn’t you tell me?” The question that was bugging her the most since she’d known for sure that her partner was alive was finally out in the open.

“I wanted to keep you out of it.”

“Why?” It was a simple question, but both knew the answer wouldn’t be as easy. So, Lucy waited while Natsu tried to work on how to phrase it best.

“They...Cobra sent me a note. To meet them.”

“We know. He gave us part of it.”

“I found it outside your window.”

“My-” Lucy broke of her sentence and looked up at her skylight. How hadn’t she noticed? But if Cobra or Midnight had placed it there specifically...

“You saw it as a threat? Against me?”

Natsu nodded silently.

“And you didn’t think you should tell me?!” Now Lucy did let some emotion seep into her sentence.

Natsu’s spine straightened. “No!”

“And why in Mavis’ name not?!” Lucy had backed away a little so that they could looked each other in the eyes as they argued.

“It was pretty clear Luce! ‘Go further and something will happen.’” Natsu crossed his arms.

“You couldn’t have known that!”

“Of course I did! I’ve dealt with Oracion Seis before!”

“And yet you still thought going after them alone was a smart move?!”

“I wasn’t going after them!”

“Oh?!” The blonde asked in disbelief.

“No! I was hoping that they just wanted to talk. That the note was just a way to guarantee I’d show up.”

“Well, it worked!”

“If I’d sensed trouble, I would’ve called you!”

“And that clearly didn’t work!”

“That was a little out of my control!”

“It would’ve gone different with backup!”

“Would it?!”

The teens had gotten loud enough for Happy and Plue to take notice of the change in atmosphere. While the puppy had no idea what they were angry about, Happy was wondering if the two knew that they were still holding onto the other like they were each other’s life raft.

“Of course it would’ve been different!”

“How?! If you’d been in my apartment, you would’ve been knocked out too!”

Lucy opened and closed her mouth again.

“Maybe.” She conceded. “But at least we would’ve been together. We could’ve worked our way out toge-”

“No!” Natsu interrupted her, almost panicked.

“No, what?”

“That would’ve made everything worse!” He tried to explain.

Lucy backed away a little. “How would that have been worse? Our nakama would’ve noticed our disappearance much quicker; they would’ve been combing through the city the same night! Not days, weeks later.”

“That doesn’t guarantee they would’ve found us in time!”

“Maybe not. But they would’ve been looking! And we would’ve known that the other was alright!” Lucy countered.

“I somehow doubt Lahar would’ve let us share a cell, Luce!” Natsu shot back. “Do you think I would’ve lied to Lahar or made lockpicks, if I’d known you were there too; somewhere I wouldn’t be able to help you?! He threatened you and it didn’t work because I knew you were safe. Here!” He pointed to the room they were in, to the skylight.

“I can handle myself!” Lucy snapped.

“I. Know. That.” Natsu said painstakingly slowly.

“Then why don’t you act like it?! Why do you insist on putting yourself in more danger in order to keep me safe?!”

“Because I can’t lose you too!” Natsu’s voice was a cracked yell.

Lucy forgot what her next argument would’ve been, mouth already open to spew it out.

“I can’t go through that again!” Natsu said pleadingly.

“Natsu-”

“I was terrified – for ages to get close to anyone! Grandpa Crux and Happy were the only family I had. But then you showed up and your nakama and...it feels like home again. You feel like home. And there’s no way I’m risking that! Ever!”

“I get that!” Lucy heard herself shouting back. Natsu sat back a little at the volume.

“I get it.” Lucy repeated, a little more collected. “Because I can’t lose you either, Natsu! Not again. When I thought you were dead...it destroyed me. You’ve become such an important part of my life, getting up every morning, knowing you weren’t there anymore...it felt impossible on many days. I was a wreck! It took me ages to figure out something didn’t add up and it took even longer for me to understand that you were still alive. All that time...”

“I was dead to you.” Natsu finished in a small voice.

“Yeah.” Lucy was angrily wiping at her eyes, knowing if she started crying, she’d set off Natsu too.

“I’m-”

“Don’t apologize!” Lucy snapped. “Just...” She took a deep breath. “...just promise me you’ll tell me if you’re ever in a situation like that again.”

“I won’t put you in unnecessary danger, Luce.” Natsu replied in a soft but stubborn tone.

His partner glared at him.

“You know I’d take on the entirety of Fiore’s army with you.”

“I know.”

“You know I’d go to Zeref’s deepest hell and back with you.”

“I know.”

“And you know I’ll blindly follow you into any situation, especially if you go without me.”

“Luce-”

“I’d be safer for both of us, if we get into a dangerous situation together, no?” She challenged.

Natsu huffed in defeat.

“Promise me.” Lucy repeated.

“Fine!” Natsu threw his hands up. “The next time someone leaves a threatening note on your roof, I’ll tell you about it.”

“Generalize that.” Lucy demanded.

“Gener-what?”

Lucy held her hands out a wide distance from each other, looking at him expectedly.

“The next time I get any threatening note, I’ll tell you?”

Her eyebrow rose.

“Fine – any type of threat and I’ll let you know.”

“Immediately.”

“...sure.”

“Before you go look for yourself.”

“I’m capable of-”

“Natsu...”

“I’ll tell you immediately.” He mocked but Lucy was satisfied. “As long as you do the same!” Natsu added. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

The two stubbornly stared at each other, despite both getting what they wanted. 

Lucy let her posture relax first, slowly leaning back into Natsu's side.

"Are we good?" Her partner asked silently. 

"Of course we are, you dork." She answered. "We're always good."

He wrapped an arm around her, the silence from before sinking over them again. 

Lucy shifted her head from where she was resting it on Natsu's collarbone to look up at him. 

"Are you going to be okay?"

Natsu breathed in deeply. "Of course I'll be, weirdo." He answered with a smile. "I'll always be okay." After a pause he added. "Maybe I'll stay away from Rune Knight Captains for a while though."

Lucy hummed in agreement. "Good idea." Then added. "If it makes you feel better, I think I rebroke Lahar's nose."

Natsu couldn't control his burst of a laugh at that.

"You're serious?!"

"Well, I mean, technically that was Stella, but..."

Natsu continued to chuckle, imagining the face he'd been forced to know so well over the past weeks, reacting to a teenager the captain had personally greeted suddenly round-kicking him in the face. 

"Still," he said after a moment, "I'll keep my distance from knights for a while."

"We both should." Lucy agreed. "Promise?"

Natsu grinned down at her, repeating: "Promise." 

Notes:

Sorry for the long wait; I moved continents.

Chapter 34: Home is...where?

“Are you sure?” Lucy asked again for what felt like the 100^th time that day.

“Yes, Luce.” Natsu let his exasperated fondness show in his voice.

“Just asking.” She held up her hands, slipping Virgo-the-knife into her sleeve in the same motion.

“Expecting trouble?” Natsu asked.

“With you – always.”

The two teens were in Lucy’s room, Lucy gearing up to head out and Natsu holding the I.P.’s cardboard box under one arm. It had been a few days since Natsu’s rescue and he hadn’t been back to his apartment yet. Aquarius hadn’t said anything when Natsu stayed with Lucy, forgoing on her promise of his speedy exit via window. The youngest Celestials had been attached to each other like superglue.

But Natsu felt like it was time to go back to his apartment. He had the matter of rent to settle and he needed to see that everything was in order (his version of ‘order’, not Lucy’s) and, as comfortable as Taurus’ hoodie was, he wanted to wear his own clothes again.

“I’m just saying...” Lucy started.

“Luce, I already got the traumatic environments speech from Cap.” Natsu interrupted. “And, as I told him, I don’t even remember it. Literally.”

“Fine, fine.” Luce said, accepting defeat. Perhaps her reasons were a little selfish too, she pondered whilst opening the skylight, letting in the crispy cold air of an early winter’s morning. Maybe she wanted Natsu to stay; being close to him was calming and thrilling in a way she couldn’t quite describe.

Natsu jumped up on the roof after her, Happy poking his head out of the backpack for a second before determining that it was too cold for his liking.

Plue barked his goodbyes as Lucy closed the window and the two teens set off.

“You really don’t have to come with me, Luce.” Natsu said as they sped up to take a leap between two houses.

“Yeah, not a chance.” The blonde answered easily.

Natsu huffed. “You’re turning into a real Celestial, y’know?”

Lucy grinned. “I’m only stalking you because I love you.” She said in a sing-song voice.

Natsu rolled his eyes but couldn’t ignore the way his heart jumped. And he doubted it had anything to do with their steady running across rooftops.

That was the main reason he’d decided to head back to his apartment. He’d given the Celestials many reasonable reasons, but they all sounded like excuses to him.

The truth was that he needed to figure some stuff out. Some emotional stuff. He had no idea how, but being alone to sort out his thoughts might be a good start. Or as alone as he could be with a judgemental cat waiting to mock him, currently snuggled in the warmth of his backpack.

“Loke would be proud.” Was the only thing he could think of replying.

Lucy laughed into the sky, her breath clouding in the cool air. Winter was steadily approaching. Natsu was very glad he was no longer in the freezing prison. The season had to be unbearable there. And according to the Celestials, his briefly made friend Jellal was also somewhere safe. Aquarius hadn’t gone into detail on that; just muttered a series of curses directed at a council member. But Natsu had taken their word for it.

“Did you lock my window by chance?” Natsu asked after a few minutes of avoiding slippery rooftiles, shifting the box in his arms.

“Of course I did.” Lucy said. “Your door too, by the way.”

His door...oh yeah, the way Midnight and Cobra had gotten easy access to his apartment after Natsu had been knocked out. Natsu couldn’t help but shudder at the thought; someone just walking in while he was in no position to defend himself or Happy.

“You okay?” Lucy noticed his reaction; of course she did.

“Yup.”

“Natsu-”

“I’m completely fine, Luce.”

She did drop the subject for now, his building coming into view before them.

Natsu awkwardly held the box whilst trying to pick open the flimsy lock with his other hand. He was nervous and he knew it. When the latch finally snapped to the side, he practically fell into his apartment, the box cluttering inside behind him.

“Elegant as always.” Lucy said, swinging herself in.

“Wouldn’t want to upstage you, Luce.” Natsu groaned, pushing away the empty grenade shell he’d fallen onto.

“How gracious of you.” Lucy sketched a curtsey, surveilling the room as Natsu got back to his feet. “This is how I left it.”

Natsu looked around. On first glance, there was nothing noticeably out of place. But his eyes immediately fell onto his coffee table.

Lucy followed his gaze. “Took me two visits to figure it out.” She said quietly. “And it was Plue who did, actually.”

“Smart dog.” Natsu whispered, seeing the slight discoloration of dark brown on the table’s corner.

He’d lied a little to Capricorn and Lucy. He remembered some things from Cobra’s attack; the unexplainable dizziness, the light-headedness, and the intense fear that something wasn’t right. Then nothing.

“I’m just gonna...” He gestured to the table, walking over to the small kitchenette to grab a semi-clean dishtowel, drenching it beneath the faucet.

Lucy nodded and started to poke around in his cupboards and shelves wordlessly.

Natsu didn’t question her, instead sitting down in front of his coffee table and started wiping at the dried stain on the corner.

A small “aha” made him look at his partner briefly. She was holding a crusty tube of spackle.

“This should work.” She said with a smile. “I’m somehow not surprised that you have wall repair equipment.”

Natsu huffed a laugh. “Half the walls are filled with that stuff...don’t tell Patrona.”

His partner walked past him to crouch down in front of the wall.

“Is that where...” Natsu didn’t need to finish the sentence.

“Happy found it.” Lucy explained.

Natsu petted his roommate, who was sitting contently beside him.

“Good job, buddy.”

Seeing where the blonde was sitting, Happy gave a vicious hiss before cuddling into his best friend’s side.

No one broke the silence that stretched on as Lucy filled the small hole drilled from the other side by two wanted assassins and Natsu scratched at the stubborn blood marking his table. When he finally got the worst of it off, he poured a chemical cleaning agent (which he had originally not used for its designated purpose) over the spot, rubbing at it some more. Just to be sure.

“I think you got it, partner.” Lucy’s gentle voice finally made the pinkette stop. “It looks spotless.”

He hummed in agreement, standing to throw the towel in the sink. Then thought better of it and chucked it straight in the trash.

“Looks like everything is back to normal.” Lucy commented, looking around the small, cluttered space.

Natsu agreed. Everything...except the space in front of his door. Where the opened door had shoved his building material away. The hint Lucy had needed to solve everything.

“Can you help me with something?” Natsu asked, walking over to a heavy dresser that had been in the apartment when he’d moved in all those years ago.

“Sure.” Lucy didn’t ask why when they both used their combined muscle to slowly shift the solid wooden dresser in front of the door.

“Just another precaution.” Natsu panted.

Lucy didn’t say anything but simply nodded.

The quiet had suddenly turned awkward; Lucy knew Natsu needed some space and yet she really didn’t want to leave him alone. But that’s what he wanted right now, and she would respect that.

She cleared her throat. “I’ll get going.” She gestured stiffly to the window.

“Oh, yeah, okay.” Natsu ran a hand over the back of his head. “Thanks for your help.”

“Always.” Lucy walked to the only entry and exit point of the apartment. “See you tomorrow? Breakfast?”

“Sounds great.”

She swung her legs over the windowsill. Turning back, she called. “Natsu,” he looked over to her where he hadn’t moved from the dresser, “you know, if you’re late, we’ll all be combing the city for you, right?”

He smiled. “I know, Luce. I’ll be on time. Promise.”

“Alright then.” She jumped, landing on the nearest roof. Lucy hesitated for just a few seconds before shaking her head and starting her way back to the guild.

Maybe some alone time was a good idea.

 

-----

 

Scorpio sat on the couch in the living room, his girlfriend beside him, both skimming the newspaper article in his hand.

Still nothing on their prison break. Of course, the knights wouldn’t advertise their failure, but a wanted poster with Natsu’s face wouldn’t be out of character for them. But for now, they had made not a peep.

Scorpio heard a groan and suddenly their youngest nakama slumped down on the couch on his other side, dramatically dropping her head in his lap.

Scorpio had to hide a smile as he passed the newspaper on to Aquarius.

“I’m getting a very subtle hint that you want attention.” He looked down at the small blonde.

“I’m looonely.” Lucy pouted.

Aquarius let out a snort. “You’re being pathetic.”

“Hey!”

“Natsu hasn’t been here for half an hour.”

“It feels weird!” Lucy argued, sitting up to face her aunt the right side up.

Honestly, seeing Lucy without Natsu by her side did look weird to Scorpio. After their return home, you wouldn’t have found one without the other. And understandably so.

“You’ll survive.” Aquarius said cooly, flipping a page in the paper. “You’re acting like a lovesick puppy.”

“I am not!”

Scorpio bit his lip to stop himself from commenting on the rising redness in her face.

“Mhm.” Was the only noise Aquarius made.

Lucy grumbled but clearly didn’t feel like exploring that alley of thought further. “What are you two doing?”

“We just finished planning our next mission.” Scorpio grinned.

“Really?” Lucy tried to subtly look at Aquarius' bandaged legs.

A look the bluenette caught. “I’m not made of porcelain.”

“I know, I know.” Lucy said hurriedly. “Just thinking it might be a bit soon...”

“You think you know better?” Aquarius snapped.

“May I remind you, that you kept me on bedrest for two weeks after I got a scratch on my leg?” The teen shot back.

“Because I’m an adult!”

“And you magically heal faster after you turn eighteen?”

“It’s a simple mission.” Scorpio quickly intervened. “One tiny, amateur gang in Hargeon. Just to get back in the game.” He rested a hand on his girlfriend’s knee.

Lucy made an approving noise; if Aquarius’ injuries should act up, Scorpio would be able to finish the job by himself. Which is exactly why Scorpio had picked that mission, not that he would tell Aquarius that.

Their leader did not appreciate their worrying but knew arguing against either would be pointless.

“We’ll be leaving after dinner.” She informed her protégé.

“Have fun.” The blonde said. “Maybe Natsu and I could go on a-”

“Lovesiiick.” Aquarius sing-songed.

“Am not!”

“Not two minutes without you mentioning him!”

“So?!”

Scorpio sighed happily, sitting between the two arguing assassins. Although he very much cared about Lucy’s potential crush, he had much bigger things on his mind.

 

-----

 

Natsu hopped back into his apartment, the sun having set long before. Happy jumped into the hammock immediately, curling himself up beneath the blanket, hissing at the cold that followed them through the window.

"Home sweet home, buddy." Natsu said, quickly shutting the window and rubbed his hands together. He’d had a busy day; first, he’d gone to see his landlady, starting to apologize for the delayed rent when he’d been informed that last month had been covered by the Celestials.

‘Something about an active crime scene.’, she’d shrugged. Natsu would have to remember to pay them back.

Next, he’d gone to see Grandpa Crux, who’d been informed about his not being dead by Gemini. The old man had talked with him for hours, asking for miniscule details about the prison, the knights and most prominently: the breakout.

After many happy tears shed by the gossip, Natsu had gone around the city, stoking up on essentials and equipment. He knew he was stalling going back to his apartment. He’d berated himself for being a coward; that small space was his homebase, his headquarters, his safe space!

Natsu dropped the bag of (illegally) acquired gunpowder onto the ground, far away from any fluids or lighters.

Happy poked his head out of the blanket.

“Meow?”

“What’s up?”

The cat fixed him with a pointed stare.

Natsu groaned. “Not now, Happy.”

“Me-aye-ow!”

“It’s been a long day...”

“Me-ow!”

“I’m not being an idiot!”

Happy tilted his head.

“Nothing has changed!” Except that was a total lie.

“Okay, fine.” He picked up Happy, slumping into the hammock and letting the kitten rest on his stomach. “Something’s different.”

Happy nodded sagely, rubbing his face in Natsu’s scarf.

He’d noticed it right after the breakout, once they’d all been back in the guild, safe and sound.

Natsu had always liked being close to Lucy; from the moment he’d convinced himself to bring her his backpack from the train station after he’d carried her home the night before. But now his heart would speed up every time they touched, and he had the constant urge to pull her a little closer.

“I thought it was a fluke, Happy!” Natsu said, looking at his roommate pleadingly. “I hadn’t seen her for so long, so when I saw her in the prison...” Looking like a warrior angle sent from another realm entirely. “...I thought it was normal to want her close. But...it hasn’t stopped!”

“Meow.”

“That can’t be it.”

“Meow!”

“Maybe it’ll wear off?”

“Me-ow!”

“Please, another time Happy!” Natsu pleaded.

The cat looked at him stubbornly but relented after a minute.

“Meow.”

“I promise, another time.”

Natsu hit the light switch, sighing contently in the darkness. He didn’t know why he’d been so worried. He was in his apartment, in his hammock, Happy was there safe and sound-

Footsteps echoed along the hallway outside and Natsu tensed. He carefully followed the sound, the steps walking past his door and further down the hall, growing quieter and quieter.

Nothing to worry about, just another tenant.

He wrapped the blanket tighter around himself and Happy-

The window frame creaked. Was someone trying to break in? Natsu jumped up, startling Happy, and turned the light back on. He jumped to the window, looking outside. No one.

Just the wind. That was normal. He shook his head.

“Sorry, buddy.” He mumbled, dropping back onto the hammock.

It took a full hour until Natsu slowly drifted off. He stubbornly kept thinking happy thoughts: fireworks and fishing and Lucy and the lake and chilies and Lucy and the soft swinging of the hammock and Lu-

Was that a hiss?!

Natsu startled fully awake, looking around frantically for a small hole in the wall, or the ceiling or maybe the floor... It took him a minute to hear over his loud heartbeat that his apartment was silent.

He cursed. Maybe Cap and Lucy had been onto something.

Happy, now also very awake, jumped off his lap and onto the windowsill. He tapped the glass.

“Happy, I-”

The cat glared at him, scratching along the frame.

“Fine, fine.” Natsu sighed, putting his shoes on. “We’ll just stop by.”

 

-----

 

“Hey kiddo!”

Natsu waved to Gemini, the senior sitting in his large armchair with an open book in his hand.

“Can’t sleep?”

“Not tired.” Natsu lied, standing in the doorway of the living room. Happy immediately made himself at home, jumping into the waiting lap of the oldest Celestial, purring contently.

He'd planned on entering through Lucy’s skylight, as he always did. But he’d seen that his partner had been fast asleep, Plue curled up beside her on the pillow.

So, for the first time by himself, he’d walked through the front door, expecting at least a few Celestials to still be up.

“Lucy’s in her room.”

“I know. I didn’t want to wake her up.”

Gemini gestured to the couch, his other hand running through Happy’s fur. “Have a seat.”

“And...” Natsu started, taking out a little bag and tossing it towards Gemini, “...I wanted to return these.”

Gemini empties the bag’s content into his hand, holding the tiny devices at arm’s length to squint at them.

“I’m guessing these are trackers?” He ventured.

Natsu nodded, sitting down onto the couch. “Seven of them.” He let the accusation show in his voice.

Gemini chuckled. “Then I’m sure you missed some.”

“Seriously?”

The old man shrugged. “You get kidnapped, you get the full protection package. It’s part of the contract.”

“What contract?!”

“The unofficial guild contract of the Celestials. It’s in the fine print.” Gemini grinned.

Natsu huffed. “So, how long do I have to fish trackers out of my shoes?”

“Be patient with our nakama.” Gemini said. “Most of us have lost people important to us. This is how some of us try to prevent it.” He shook the small bag for emphasis.

“Isn’t it a little overboard?”

The old man laughed. “We don’t know the meaning of the word!”

Natsu sighed. “Lucy did warn me something like this might happen.” He sank back into the couch, feeling the inviting softness of the cushions; his eyelids grew heavy.

Gemini saw the teen’s fatigue and smiled sadly.

“Do you want to talk about the real reason you’re here?” He set the trackers onto the table, forgotten already.

“Couldn’t sleep.” Natsu mumbled.

“You know...” Gemini sank back into his chair, comfortably resting his hands on a dozing Happy’s back, “...there was a long period of time in my life, when no place I stayed at felt like a home.”

The teen sat up, wrapping his arms around his knees. “It’s not that.” He said quietly.

Gemini waited patiently.

“I- It never really felt like a home. Not like...like home.” He tried.

The old man nodded. “Let me tell you a story.” He said.

Natsu looked up, a little surprised but grateful for not having to be the one who talked.

“A story about what?” He asked.

“About my partner.”

“Virgo?”

“No, not Virgo.” Gemini got a far away look in his eyes. “About my first partner.”

Oh. Natsu hadn’t known that. An unsettling feeling went through him; assassins usually had a second partner for one reason only.

“I suppose I should start with my name.” Gemini began. “Do you know why I’m called Gemini?”

“Because of the whole zodiac-theme?” Natsu guessed.

“Not quite.” There was a heavy pause. “My given name is Gemi. Mini was my identical twin brother.”

Was. The uneasy feeling settled at that word.

“We went by Gemini. Most people thought we were just one person. We didn’t have a guild, but we were partners. This was well before your time, but things hadn’t been much different back then. Us two went freelancing around Fiore, taking on every job that sounded like a challenge.”

Even though he had unpleasant expectations for the outcome of the story, Natsu gave a small smile at the old man’s story-telling voice and the dreamy look in his eyes.

“As you know, my specialty is disguises. I can become someone else’s twin. Walk like they do, talk in their voice, impersonate them to get everyone else off guard. Mini though...”, a sparkle came to the blue haired man’s eyes and a soft smile graced his wrinkled features as he continued, “...he could mimic a person’s fighting style. No matter what weapon, no matter what kind of combat you use, Mini would battle with your exact tactics.

“It would be like fighting yourself, like he could predict your next move, even before you’d think of it. Key difference was that my brother could see the mistakes our opponents made. The openings they left, a weak stance, an old injury acting up...the smallest fault in their armour and he would’ve seen it. And he’d continue to use their methods of fighting against them; so, in the end, it was like you were beaten by yourself.

“I would infiltrate whatever group we’d been sent after, getting us into trouble, and Mini would bust us back out, no matter how outnumbered we were. We had the perfect balance.”

Natsu was listening to the Celestial, eyes big, like a child being read an exciting storybook, tiredness forgotten.

Gemini had trailed off, lost in pleasant memories of fights long since fought.

“So, if you could pretend to be anyone, get inside of every gang you wanted, and your brother could kick everyone’s a- butt...” Natsu paused to picture the pure awesomeness that those two must’ve emitted in the midst of a full-blown fight.

But one question was bothering him, the question that would answer what the older man’s story had inevitably been leading up to.

“How...how was it possible for you two to be...stopped?” He phrased carefully, not entirely sure he wanted to know the answer.

Gemini’s face darkened, as he kept stroking Happy’s fur.

“Rune Knights.” He stated simply, yet the underlying hatred clear in his voice. Natsu could relate all too well. “It was a trapped mission. We’d grown too dangerous for them, too openly disregarding their laws by doing our jobs. They’d learned our tactics. They knew we liked to scope the places we’d be infiltrating out first. And they were waiting...”

Gemini sighed deeply, the hate replaced by years’ worth of sadness and regret. Natsu wanted to say the right thing; that he didn’t have to continue the story, but the old man wouldn’t hear of it.

“I was looking for possible entrances for Mini on the ground floor, whilst he was checking the roof. It was quiet. Too quiet. I knew something was wrong, but when I was about to call to Mini to retreat, they came.”

Natsu suddenly heard the sounds of a front door crashing open, of Grandeeney’s surprised yell, of his father shouting for him to run. He gripped the soft cushions harder, reminding himself where he was as Gemini continued.

“They’d been waiting around on the streets, no uniforms, but plenty of firepower. I was surrounded immediately. Fifteen of them. But they hadn’t found Mini. And, being ‘Gemini’, they thought I was alone...

“At that moment, I knew my chances were looking slim to none, but Mini would be alright. He was out of their reach and could’ve made it out...”

Could’ve. Natsu swallowed, both wanting to know what happened next, and hoping against hope that this had a happy ending. 

“...I remember absolutely everything about that night.” Gemini said quietly. “Even now, nearly thirty years later, I sometimes get confronted with all the details. I remember what each of the Rune Knights incognito were wearing, what kind of gun they were holding, what colour their eyes were...

“They opened fire. All at once. At that moment I saw my life flashing before my eyes, with Mini in all of the scenes. But he really was there. The bullets didn’t take me down. Mini did. He came jumping from the ceiling, tackling me to the ground, shielding me from the bullets...” The old man massaged the bridge of his nose, eyes shut tightly.

“Mini died on the spot. He died protecting me, his thirty-five minutes older brother, when he could’ve made it out safe. There were no last, reassuring words coming from him, no promise that he’ll always be with me. Nothing...”

Natsu was painfully reminded that he hadn’t gotten that either. He hadn’t gotten the chance to say goodbye to his dad, his uncle, his aunt...not even his cousins.

“The Knights were stunned from Mini’s sudden appearance and that’s how I’m still alive. My brain kicked into survival mode, and I pushed my brother’s corpse off me and jumped out the nearest window. I left him lying on that cold, hard floor, his blood...splattered on the ground, on the walls and all over me.

“The knights got in a few shots, which is how I got this”, Gemi gestured to his bad leg, “but I made it out. I made it out, but my twin didn’t.

“And that’s the story of how I lost my brother, my partner, my family and half of myself in a single night.”

Natsu stared at the old man, trying to blink away the moisture that had gathered in his eyes. What could you say to a story like that?

Gemini took a deep breath and looked the younger assassin right in the eyes.

“You’ve felt that loss too, I know you still do.” Gemini hadn’t missed Natsu’s reactions to his tale; he hated that someone so young had to go through that. “And I don’t know how you dealt with that pain, clearly much better than I did.”

“What did you do?” Natsu asked quietly.

Gemini sighed. “I went through the stages. Except I skipped ‘denial’. Mini died right in front of me, there was no way I could deny that to myself. Instead, I went straight to ‘anger’. It’s safe to say that none of the fifteen Knights that shot my brother that night lived long enough to brag about it. I let my anger out on revenge. That would be the little murder spree you discussed with Lahar. Not an honorable method, I know. But back then...I couldn’t begin to see a future for myself; so, why bother with etiquette? To this day, I can’t find it within myself to regret it.

“My point to all this, is that I never really had a building to call home when I was young. My home was my twin; I felt safe when we were together. After he died, no place could give me that feeling again.” He reached over and rested a hand on Natsu’s shoulder. “And I know that you know what that feels like.”

Natsu looked away, instinctively burying his face in his scarf.

“When home is no longer a possibility and the best option you have is safe.”

“The apartment was safe.” Natsu said. “Or it felt like it. But now...”

“It no longer does.” Gemini finished for him.

Natsu sighed. “I think it’s temporary. It’ll all be normal again soon.”

Gemini leaned back. “Are you sure?”

“It has to be.” Natsu shrugged. “I don’t want to move.”

“You know...” Gemini started, knowing that he should discuss this with the guild but also knew that everyone would agree with him, “...you could move in here.”

Natsu huffed a laugh. Then saw that the old man was serious. “You’re kidding!”

“Of course not!” Gemini argued.

“I remember a very specific threat about me flying out of a window...” Natsu hinted.

Gemini made a dismissive gesture. “That was an age and a half ago. Plus, you would make Virgo the happiest woman alive, if you gave her a reason to build on an extension.”

Natsu smiled. “That’s really nice, but... I don’t think I’m ready for that yet.”

The senior nodded in understanding. “It took me a very long time to find my home here.”

“But you did?” Natsu blurted out.

Gemini hummed.

“How?” Was all the teen could ask.

“I didn’t for a long time. A very long time.” Gemini repeated. “I couldn’t look into a mirror without Mini looking back at me. It took over a decade for me to get out of stage four; ‘depression’. And I didn’t do it by myself. Not at all. I met certain young, golden-haired assassin on a mission, who was a founder of this legendary guild called the ‘Celestials’...” He looked up to the fireplace, at a golden-framed picture of a slightly older version of Natsu’s partner.

“Lucy’s mother?” Natsu asked, following his gaze.

“Exactly. She introduced me to her nakama after I –mostly accidentally- saved her life on that job. And here I met Virgo. Neither of us talked much or liked showing our feelings to the world. She never asked about my past and I returned the favour. Through this mutual understanding, we became friends and then partners surprisingly quickly and at one point I realized that this place,” he gestured around them, “had become my new home. This place, but mainly these people. They were the reason I managed to pick myself back up again. To start living and to start caring about others again.”

Natsu understood. You needed someone to help you after something like that. He’d been filled with unimaginable anger and sorrow, but it had led him nowhere. Happy had been there for him, reminding him that life carried on. But he hadn’t truly started moving on until he’d become Lucy’s partner. Having someone he’d risk everything for again was scary. But also reassuring that there was someone who’d do the same for him.

The teen sank back into the cushions of the couch, letting all that he had just heard run through his mind. Maybe home wasn’t possible yet. But safe he could do.

“Thanks as well, for...you know, telling me about everything.” He said to the senior who was suppressing a yawn.

“Of course, kiddo.” He stood up slowly, handing a sleeping Happy back to the pinkette.

“And I’m sorry about your brother.” Natsu added quickly. “I would’ve liked to meet him.”

Gemini reached for his cane and chuckled softly. “Oh Mavis, you and Mini. Poor Crocus wouldn’t have stood for long.”

When the senior was by the door he turned around and added: “You should sleep here tonight.”

Natsu was too tired to argue.

“Okay.”

The teen pulled a blanket over himself and Happy, the same one Aquarius had thrown at him not long ago when he’d dared to sneeze in the guild.

“Good night, Gemi.”

Gemini gave him a wobbly smile. “See you tomorrow, kiddo.” And turned off the lights.

 

 

Natsu woke, after seven blessedly uninterrupted hours, by Plue doing his best to jump up on the couch and onto his stomach, his target the bleary-eyed cat.

“Morning Plue.” Natsu drawled, scratching the puppy on the head. “Isn’t it really early?”

“It is.” A voice beside his head said. “You took being on time for breakfast to a whole new level, partner.”

Natsu turned his head to see the smiling blonde standing beside him in her PJs.

Immediately, a warm feeling spread through him, like the sun had personally greeted him to a new morning.

Instead of answering, Natsu gripped Lucy’s arm and tugged her onto the couch next to him.

Lucy, having expected nothing less, laughed and curled herself up against him.

“Everything alright at the apartment?” She mumbled into his shoulder.

“Yeah, all good. Just couldn’t sleep and had a chat with Gemini.”

Lucy hummed. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Turning his head slightly to rest it on hers, Natsu replied in a tired voice: “Me too, Luce.”

 

-----

 

Aquarius sighed happily. If someone were to tell her that this was what heaven looked like, she would die with a smile on her face.

The setting sun painted a magnificent display of warm colours onto the waves at the faraway horizon and the fresh ocean breeze carried the salty scent over to them, playing softly in her long, blue strands of hair.

Scorpio and she had long since ditched their shoes and walked barefoot over the soft, yellow sand of Hargeon Beach, weapons slung lazily over their shoulders. It was one of the last, warmer days of the year and their mission had been just as easy to complete as predicted.

“Do you remember this place, sweetheart?” Scorpio asked from her side, their hands intertwined.

“Of cause.” The blue haired woman replied, tearing her gaze away from the beautiful spectacle of colors Mother Nature was presenting to them, in order to look at her partner. “This is where we met.”

It had been long before Lucy had been born, long before the founding of their guild, even before either of them had been assassins.

Aquarius had gone protesting against the pollution of the ocean. Layla had accompanied her.

Oh, Layla. Aquarius’ heart gave a small twinge as she saw her younger self and her deceased friend marching on this very beach, protest signs in hand.

 

The sixteen-year-old Aquarius hadn’t wanted to dress up for the event, but Layla had talked her into it. At first, the bluenette had felt a little silly wearing the homemade fishtail –crafted out of recycled materials- which made her look like a mermaid. But she’d forgotten all her self-consciousness when she’d seen Layla’s costume. She’d burst out laughing at her blonde friend’s get-up. The brown, fluffy hoodie and leggings of the same colour had been the most ‘normal’ looking things about her. She’d gotten into the carnival make-up and together with the round, brown ears (which Aquarius was sure were actually for a bear costume) she’d turned herself into a human sized otter.

When Aquarius had been able to refill her lungs with enough oxygen to ask her friend about her outfit, Layla had pointed to her sign.

‘YOU OTTER BE ASHAMED’ had stood there in big, bold lettering.

“What? Don’t I look amazing?” Layla had asked in mock offense, before proceeding to strut a series of ridiculous poses, like a model on her seventh cup of coffee.

That show had thrown the teenaged Aquarius into another laughing-fit and was still enough to bring a smile to the grown-up version now.

When her younger self had told Layla that she didn’t have to make such a big fuss about the demonstration, the blonde future-assassin had merely grinned and linked their arms together.

“This is important to you. So, it’s important to me too.”

 

Mavis, Lucy resembled her mother in more than her looks. She’d be so proud of her daughter now.

 

The protesters had assembled on this very beach, with Layla and Aquarius being far from the only ones in costumes. There had been several people wearing industrial sized bin bags with plastic waste glued onto it, more dressed as oceanic creatures like Aquarius, and a group of children had darted around in a game of tag, proudly presenting their self-made fish-costumes to everyone who looked at them.

Almost everyone held a sign; some as creative as Layla’s, others simpler like hers, which had read: ‘Be a part of the Solution, not the Pollution!’

The crowd had marched across the beach, towards the large factory, which had been dumping its toxic waste into the ocean and had stubbornly ignored the countless petitions to stop.

Rune Knights had shown up not long after. What the teens hadn’t known at the time was that they’d been bribed long ago by the factory owner to just forget the existence of environmental laws when it came to their facility.

 

Aquarius and Scorpio both looked up to the cliff, where the old, grey building still stood. But it hadn’t been emitting smoke or letting its rubbish drip down the cliffside for almost twenty years now. It had been one of their first missions.

 

Chaos had ensued, when the Rune Knights had started throwing tear gas and flares at the unsuspecting crowd of hundreds with no warning. Everyone had panicked and tried to escape the situation over the dunes. A stampede had formed, sand was flying everywhere, and screams filled the air when the wind carried over the hurtful gas.

Aquarius had lost sight of Layla almost immediately, her brown-clothed, otter-friend nowhere to be seen. She’d started panicking when someone knocked her over in an attempt to escape. More people rammed into her, preventing her from getting up and regaining balance. So, she’d stayed down, covering her head with her arms, and prayed for the best.

Her prayers had been answered, in the form of a hand grabbing her elbow and dragging her up. Aquarius had been so surprised that she just let herself get pulled through the crowd, away from the mayhem and into the safe dunes. Thanks to her mermaid tail, she kept tripping, but the hand wouldn’t let her fall back down, holding her up until the panicked people had scattered into different directions and Aquarius could make out bronze skin and perfectly halved hair; one side white, the other bright red.

When her unknown saviour had finally stopped, they’d slumped onto the soft sand, hidden from any potential Rune Knights behind a dune, both panting from the sprint.

Aquarius’ breath hitched for a different reason, when the owner of the peculiar hair had turned to face her.

“That was not what I expected from a ‘peaceful’ protest.” He gave her a tired grin. He’d still been clutching the remaining tatters of a ‘If you leave TRASH, you are TRASH!’-sign in his free hand.

 

Years later, Scorpio would confess to her that he hadn’t been nearly as calm or confident when they’d first met. The only reason he’d been able to drag her out of the stampede had been because he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her.

They’d both blushed furiously, as he’d told her that he’d seen her at the beginning of the protest and had stayed close, whilst trying to work up the courage to go up and talk to her.

He’d called it ‘love at first sight’ and Aquarius had to admit that it was mutual.

 

“I-I... thank you.” Aquarius had stumbled over her words, finding her face grow warm under the friendly gaze of the handsome teen.

“No worries.”

“I’m Aquarius, by the way.”

“Oh cool, another star sign name! I’m Scorpio.”

They’d both gone a shade of tomato, when they’d simultaneously realized that he’d still been holding onto her hand.

Aquarius had finally remembered that she hadn’t come to the beach alone, wanting to head back to try and find Layla. But Scorpio had stopped her, saying that he’d seen her “bear...weasel...otter?-friend” guide the group of children to the shore. Layla would later confirm that, after she’d lost sight of the bluenette, she’d herded the kids with the fish-costumes to the edge of the water and backtracked their way to the parking lot.

Because even in a hectic and dangerous environment, Layla would still remain cool-headed and formulate a plan instantaneously.

 

These traits would only expand as the years went on and Aquarius watched her childhood friend grow into the famous assassin that she was renowned for to this day.

 

-----

 

Scorpio looked at his partner. He knew what she was thinking about because he was following her train of thought.

His sixteen-year-old self would’ve never believed that the day he’d gone to a demonstration against the pollution of Hargeon Beach, would be the day his life changed completely. He would’ve never believed that it would be his introduction to the world of assassins, that he’d be one of the first members of a guild that would soon after claim legendary status and least of all, that the beautiful mermaid with the blue hair would become his partner.

Yeah, he’d been smitten immediately. Some people didn’t believe in ‘love at first sight’, but Scorpio liked to believe that his relationship with Aquarius was proof enough to dispel those critics. Because sometimes life didn’t have to be complicated.

 

After the failed demonstration, Scorpio had been introduced to Layla –not yet a household name- and he’d been able to tell that the blonde had not been too fond of him at the beginning.

He’d learned quickly that this was nothing against him personally, but merely the protocol for ‘the guy who is dating my best friend’. He knew that, as the years passed and people like Taurus, Cancer and Virgo became their nakama, Layla warmed up to him. Although he had been (and still was) sure that, if he’d ever hurt Aquarius, his body would’ve never been found.

But a few years after they’d become an official guild, some time before Gemini, Capricorn, Loke and Aries would become their nakama, Scorpio had realized that he’d had it easy. Because around that time Jude had entered the picture.

Jude...blonde, ambitious, sharp-minded and gone before he’d ever seen his daughter. And Scorpio couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or not.

Not knowing the trouble that young man would cause in the unforeseeable future, he hadn’t minded him. Aquarius had been a different story.

Scorpio couldn’t recall her ever saying a nice thing about Layla’s fiancée, declaring from their first meeting that she didn’t like him. To his face.

It was either a very harsh version of ‘the guy who is dating my best friend’-protocol, or Aquarius had been able to sense that Jude would bring about nothing but trouble. Well, one good thing came out of Layla’s and Jude’s relationship: Lucy. But by then, Jude had been dead already.

No one had ever said it outright, yet every Celestial assassin blamed that man for Layla’s death. None of them knew the exact details of that night, only that Layla had gone because of him.

 

Scorpio shook his head. He wouldn’t think of that on this evening. Not on this beach much less. This was the place where his life had truly started, and he would not spoil it with unpleasant memories.

“So much has changed since then.” He heard his partner’s voice drifting in the wind.

He hummed in agreement.

“The guild, our nakama, Lucy...” Aquarius trailed off, smiling softly into the sunset.

“And now, if a crowd had the choice between running over you or running at Rune Knights, they’d definitely pick the latter.”

She met his grin, as he led them over the dunes, moving away from the waves softly washing up on the clean sand.

“I suppose we have changed as well.”

They certainly had. Back then he was a teenager, nervous to talk to a pretty girl. Now he was an adult, nervous to ask a beautiful woman something. Totally different.

This beach held nothing but happy memories for them. And he was planning on adding another.

With his free hand, Scorpio felt for the little, velvet box in his pocket, anticipation rising.

He’d had this box, and the piece of jewelry inside of it, for many years now. He’d planned on popping the question much sooner, but then tragedy had struck, leaving Aquarius to be Lucy’s surrogate mother in all but name. It hadn’t felt right to ask back then, nor did he find ‘the perfect moment’ after that. Or perhaps he’d been too nervous, just like back at the demonstration.

But here, this beach, it was perfect. And no amount of butterflies-on-caffeine that zigzagged about in his stomach could stop him.

The dunes had shifted over the past two decades, due to the wind and the foot traffic of beachgoers, but Scorpio was sure the hill of sand they’d hidden behind as teenagers had been in close proximity to where they stood now.

Alright, deep breath.

 

Having been the closest thing to family for Aquarius for most of their childhood, Scorpio had always planned on asking for Layla’s blessing, the traditional act of respect before the engagement.

But he’d missed that chance. And since there had never been a gravestone to mark Layla’s last place of rest, he couldn’t ‘visit’ her either.

But he’d asked her anyway. On a clear night’s sky not too long ago, Scorpio had sat on the roof of their guild and talked with the twinkling lights above him. They’d given no reply, but he also hadn’t been struck down by a meteoroid, and the assassin took that as a good sign.

 

His grip tightened around the little box, as they stopped behind one of the dunes. Aquarius was facing the direction of the ocean behind the piles of sand, smiling contently at the sound of waves.

Now or never. Now or never.

Scorpio swung the shotgun off his back, resting it on the sand.

“Aquarius?-”

His partner turned at the sound of his voice. Her eyes went wide as she took in his position; on one knee with a small box in his hands.

“Would you do me the honour of-”

“YEEEEES!”

Before Scorpio could even finish asking his question, he was tackled in a hug, which flung both of them into the sand. He was on his back, arms wrapped around her waist instinctively, one hand still clutching the box, which he hadn’t even gotten to open yet. Aquarius was grinning down at him, arms hugging him around the neck, their noses almost touching.

“-becoming my wife?” He breathed out.

Aquarius rested her forehead onto his, her long hair gliding over her shoulders and creating a curtain of blue around them.

“Yes.” She said again, quieter, before closing the remaining distance between them.

Scorpio smiled through the deepening kiss.

He’d done it! And she’d said yes!

Aquarius broke off the kiss suddenly, leaving her partner gasping for air.

“What took you so long?” She demanded, still lying on top of him in the sand.

“I...” he began, fumbling, “...I was waiting for the right moment but after everything happened, I lost my courage and...”

Aquarius took pity on his stuttering, silencing him with another, quicker kiss.

“Okay.” She breathed. “But then why now?”

Scorpio chuckled to himself at the answer that popped into his head at the question.

“Would you believe me, if I told you, it’s because of Loke?”

Aquarius gave him a dead stare. “You’re kidding.”

“No.” He laughed, tucking a long strand of hair behind her ear. “He threatened to propose to Aries before I did to you, if I didn’t hurry it up.”

“That meddling...” Aquarius broke off a curse. “He kept me from proposing to you, saying it’s only a matter of time!”

“You were going to propose to me, babe?” Scorpio asked, touched.

“Of course I was. But Loke insisted I wait for you!”

“He knew... he helped me pick out the ring.” Scorpio told her.

“Seriously?”

He shrugged as best as he could in his position.

“He knows his stuff about shiny things.” A realization appeared in his mind. “So...technically...we have Loke to thank for this?”

Aquarius grimaced. “He can never know!” She said quickly.

“Agreed. He’d be so smug about it.”

The two looked at each other. Then burst into giggles, like they were young teens once again.

“Oh Mavis.” Aquarius laughed, head buried in Scorpio’s shoulder.

“I love you.” Scorpio pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I love you too...fiancé.”

“That sounds really amazing.”

Aquarius grinned down at him. “It does, doesn’t it?”

Scorpio held up the small box. “Now can I at least show you the ring?”

“Yes, yes you can.” Aquarius said. And then couldn’t help herself. “Got to see if Loke has good taste.”

It took another round of giggles before the -arguably beautiful- ring was slipped onto Aquarius’ ring finger and two lovebirds continued their walk along the beach, both glowing brighter than the setting sun.

Notes:

I wrote an entire cheesy chapter about home and the importance of supportive people and didn't once say "home is where the heart is". Well, now I did; so, now the chapter feels complete 😊

Also: canonly, it would've made sense for Gemini to be 2 people...because twins. But then the pairing of the Celestials wouldn't have worked. Therefore, I give you: ✨tragic backstory✨

Chapter 35: Winter Time is Here

For the Celestial guild, wintertime didn’t start when the first snow fell, or the temperature dropped. No, it was announced by Virgo baking her Christmas cookies. The sweet and buttery smell would rise through all the floors of their guild, proclaiming loud and clear that winter had arrived.

And for a guild of twelve people, Virgo mass produced the cookies as if they’d eat nothing else until spring.

“Virgo, dear. I think you’ve made enough dough...” Gemini tried, but it fell on deaf ears.

“You can never have too many cookies!” His partner exclaimed, measuring the necessary amount of flour for the...Lucy had lost count on which batch they were on.

She chuckled, standing beside Natsu, Aries and Loke -all on decorating duty- around the kitchen island. Gemini was pressing the cookie-cutters into the rolled-out dough by the counter. Virgo was managing the oven, making sure that there was a steady stream of raw dough going in and fresh cookies coming out. Scorpio and Aquarius had taken a seat a safe distance away, watching the organized chaos in the kitchen from the dining table.

“Do you have enough melted chocolate for dipping?” Virgo asked, flitting back and forth between the oven and her workspace.

“We have enough to rival a waterfall.” Lucy assured her, hair in a bun to keep it safe from the icing.

Natsu was in deep concentration, piping intricate details onto a dragon shaped cookie.

Virgo had long ago acquired a set of cookie-cutters in the shapes of the zodiac signs, together with a star for Lucy and the most recent addition: a dragon for Natsu. The little slivers of remaining space on the dough were taken up by a cutter in the form of an old key.

Aries was making a peculiar mixture of icing sugar and chili powder, certain that only she and Natsu would dare to touch those.

Loke was going with efficiency over detail, zigzagging across an entire batch with melted chocolate, producing much more of the finished cookies than the other three combined. He was the only reason they just about managed to keep up with the oven-fresh batches that Virgo set onto the island.

All four of them looked like they’d had a battle with multi-coloured icing sugar. And lost. Badly.

“Something smells goooood!” Taurus came up from the gym, Sagittarius right behind him.

Virgo’s eyes parted from the mixing bowl, fixing Taurus with a glare. “No eating until they’ve cooled down.”

“I wooooould never!” Taurus said dramatically, conveniently giving his partner the cover to snatch a few cookies off a cooling baking tray.

Natsu gave a satisfied huff beside Lucy, examining the finished cookie before him. The tiny splotches of piped icing sugar looked like individual scales; the eyes filled in with dark chocolate.

“Those are too pretty to eat, kiddo.” Gemini said, turning around on his stool.

Natsu grinned, placing the cookie carefully onto the cooling rack. “What do you think, buddy?”

Happy gave an encouraging meow, momentarily too busy to look at his roommate’s work, instead getting petted by Scorpio, while the assassin wrote down everyone’s names for the Secret Santa.

Plue was on Aquarius’ lap, watching as she did a crossword puzzle, trying to understand why the human was taking so long to just doodle some signs into the white squares.

Several times, Aquarius tilted her hand slightly to look at the sparkling ring on her finger, before continuing with a small smile.

Lucy had been the first to notice the change when they’d arrived back from their mission last week. The teen had let out a shrill shriek, loud enough to startle everyone in the guild, causing Cancer to shatter a glass and Taurus to drop a dumbbell in the gym.

She’d careened into Aquarius and Scorpio before either could set their bags down, congratulating them profusely. The rest of the quickly gathered guild -except Loke- had looked very confused. Until Aquarius had held up her left hand. Then the chaos had simply intensified. Everyone had rushed them, Gemini had snuck away to give Grandpa Crux a call and Virgo had somehow produced celebratory cupcakes within ten minutes.

Aquarius fidgeted with the ring again, letting Plue sniff at it. Their nakama’s reaction had been exactly what she’d expected from them. And she’d pretended not to see her fiancé’s quivering lip when Lucy had called him ‘Uncle Scorpio’. Everything was perfect, she thought as she filled in another word in her crossword. And hopefully it would stay that way for a while.

Back by the kitchen island, Lucy cracked her neck, sore from being hunched over the cookies for so long, attempting to unsee the different colours of icing that remained behind her closed eyelids. Maybe a break would be a good idea...

A few notes of a melody she recognized sounded from the radio.

“I love that song!” She exclaimed, jumping at the opportunity.

Gemini chuckled, turning the volume up.

“Come on, Natsu!” Lucy grabbed her partner’s arm, pulling the startled assassin away from his next masterpiece.

“Wha- what are ya doing, Luce?” Natsu stuttered, his face heating up at her sudden closeness.

“Dancing, duh, you dork.” Lucy laughed, jumping up and down in time with the beat, spinning whilst holding onto Natsu’s hand.

Their nakama chuckled behind them, Loke snapped a photo.

“D-dancing is lame!” Natsu tried to protest, stumbling behind Lucy’s steps.

Loke gasped. “That demands an answer! Come on, darling!”

Aries squeaked in surprise, giggling as Loke spun her around, easily finding her partner’s hands as they moved elegantly in time to the music.

“You look ridiculous.” Aquarius said from the sideline, smirking at the three dancers. And Natsu.

“You just don’t want to admit that we’re better than you.” Aries smiled sweetly at her, earning herself a heartfelt laugh from Loke.

“You’re on, little ram.” Scorpio stood beside his fiancé as if summoned by the challenge. “Let’s show them, babe!”

The bluenette had no time to protest, already in the midst of the unofficial dance floor around the kitchen island, swaying in his arms.

She and Natsu shared a suffering look over their partners’ shoulders.

Gemini huffed at the display, climbing down from his seat and set his walking stick to the side.

“Back in my day, you’d ask the lady first.” Demonstratively, he turned to Virgo in a flourishing motion, sketching a bow and extended his hand. “Virgo, dear. Would you do me the honours of a dance?”

Virgo dusted her hands off her pinafore before curtseying and taking his hand. “I’d love to.”

Gemini smiled up at her, leading her to the other side of the island and the two started with a slow waltz, which, despite the height difference and Gemini’s bad leg, looked heaps better than whatever Natsu and Lucy were doing.

The two teens had somewhat found their rhythm, energetically moving and jumping around the more professional couples, Natsu occasionally lifting Lucy up and spinning the two around: flower and icing flying everywhere. The pinkette had caught the enthusiasm of his partner, laughing with the rest of their guild as one song changed to the next.

“Pfft, mooooove aside, amateurs!” It was the only warning the dancers got before Taurus and Sagittarius cut through the floor.

Natsu’s eyes nearly fell out of his skull as the tallest members of their guild tangoed past them in perfect, precise movements, faces completely serious.

“Holy Mother of Mavis...”

Lucy chuckled at his expression. “Yeah, those two aren’t half bad.”

Aquarius scoffed. “They’re alright.”

“We toooook classes!” Taurus explained casually, spinning Sagittarius in immaculate form.

“To get closer to an unknowing informant, moshi moshi!” The archer supplied. “You’d be surprised how much people chat during the five-minute breaks.”

“We even won the cooooompetition at the end!”

“You’re kidding! They’re kidding, right?” Natsu turned to Lucy, both keeping up with their somewhat regular ‘dancing’.

Taurus dipped Sagittarius and the black-haired man used his free arm to point at a picture hanging on the magnetic fridge.

Natsu’s jaw dropped. A cut-out photo from a newspaper hung there, depicting the two men in suits, smiling and holding a trophy between them.

He turned back to Lucy. “They’re not kidding!”

She grinned at him. “Nope.”

The front door opened and a few moments later a: “What in the world is in those cookies, baby?” rang through the kitchen.

Cancer and Capricorn had arrived from their mission, the latter folding together an umbrella from the snow-rain outside, the former staring at the swirling couples.

“It appears they are moving in time to the rhythm of the song.” Capricorn said calmly. “I wouldn’t go so far as to call it dancing.” He added with a look at Natsu and Lucy. The blonde stuck her tongue out at him, happily spinning in Natsu’s arms.

“Nor is there any correspondence amongst the others as to what type of dance is being performed.” Capricorn added, wiping his glasses clean. “I see a waltz, a tango, a mixture of foxtrot and swing, something that might be a slowed down paso doble but that’s being generous...”

“No one asked you to judge!” Loke said, turning Aries so that he could face Capricorn over her head.

“Technically...” Scorpio began, taking his time to lead Aquarius into a slow spin, “it was your partner who claimed you two are better than us.”

He shot Aries a challenging grin. One which the small woman returned.

“Nope.” Cancer simply said, walking over to the pile of cooling cookies. “I know when to pick my battles.”

“It’s really not that complicated.” Capricorn eyed the two pairs. “Both of you have already lost.”

“WHAT?!” The four of them yelled, stopping abruptly, the competitive nature rising in all of them.

Lucy laughed as Natsu watched curiously.

Capricorn shrugged. “In a formal ballroom competition, lifts are prohibited in waltz, paso doble, foxtrot...”

“What?!”

“That makes no sense!”

“That’s stupid.”

“...and you’ve all done lifts in the short time I’ve been watching.” Capricorn finished with a subtle smirk. He leaned a little to the side to catch Taurus’ eye on the other side of the kitchen. “That counts for tango too, by the way.”

“Oooooh, we know.” Taurus said, in the middle of lifting Sagittarius up, so that the archer could strike an impressively graceful pose mid-air. “But it’s fuuuuun!”

“It is, moshi moshi.”

“But we’re not doing ballroom.” Natsu cut in.

“I can see that.” Capricorn adjusted his glasses. “That is...interpretive dance? Freestyle, maybe?”

“Sure.” Lucy shrugged.

“Yes...but no.”

“Wha- why not?” The blonde protested.

“Where do I start? No symmetrical movement, no clear step patterns, no fluid motions...and I’ve seen Natsu step on your toes three times already.”

The pinkette winced. “Sorry, Luce.”

“It’s alright.” Lucy smiled at him. “We still lasted longer than them.” She gestured to the couples behind her. “That means we’ve got second place.”

“It does not!” Aquarius snapped.

“Which leaves...” Capricorn gestured to Virgo and Gemini, both assassins not having broken their coordinated series of steps.

Gemini bowed his head in Capricorn’s direction. “I’m glad true talent is still recognized.” He said in a mock-posh voice. Virgo giggled.

“Objection!” Loke called, crossing his arms. “The judge clearly has a bias!”

Capricorn shrugged again. “All facts.” And walked over to Cancer to inspect Natsu’s artwork on the tray.

A ding from the timer had the last of the dancing break up as Virgo dashed to the oven and shouted:

“I think we need more chocolate!”

Aquarius clapped her hands together once.

“Now that everyone is here, we can give out the names for Secret Santa!”

Scorpio shook the glass with folded up pieces of papers in it. A cheer went around.

“But this year, with some rules!” Aquarius added.

“Awww.”

The bluenette glared into the group which silenced them quickly.

“What rules?” Loke asked.

“No switching!”

“Awww.”

Another glare. “I’m sick of the swopping and the passive-aggressive gifts!”

All eyes went to Loke and Capricorn.

“That’s ridiculous.”

“I don’t recall any instance in which I-”

“Save it!” Aquarius interrupted the two. “You get a name and you don’t swop it with anyone! Got it?”

Everyone nodded, some more amused, some more reluctant.

“Alright!” Scorpio held the glass out to Natsu. “You start.”

“Oh- okay.”

“Pick one, don’t look at it until everyone is done.”

Natsu complied, quickly picking a piece from the top. Lucy went next, closing her eyes for good measure.

Scorpio went around the gathered guild; Loke taking a full minute to search around the glass, fixing Capricorn with a look the whole time.

“On three,” Aquarius let the last name drop into her hand. “One, two, three!”

Everyone unfolded their piece of paper, secretly holding it behind their hands. A few muffled sounds of triumph or exasperation went around the kitchen island.

Lucy looked at the name on her piece:

NATSU

She grinned. That was perfect!

“Anyone got their own name?” Aquarius asked.

Everyone shook their head.

“Okay. That’s your Secret Santa and no-”

“No switching.” Everyone chorused.

Their leader nodded approvingly.

The assassins in the kitchen slowly started to disperse, some staying to pack the cookies into tins.

“Who do you have, Luce?” Natsu tried to look over her shoulder.

“Nu-uh!” Lucy quickly hid the piece in her pocket. “No saying!”

He rolled his eyes. “More rules?”

“Yup.”

“Aquarius didn’t mention that.”

She shrugged. “Better safe than face the wrath of Aquarius.”

“Is that the guild’s motto?”

“Basically, yes.” Lucy latched the lid of a jar, now full of chocolate covered Christmas cookies. “You have an idea what to get for your Secret Santa?”

Natsu hummed. “Pretty good idea. You?”

“I’ll think of something.” Lucy smiled conspiratorially.

“I already have.” Natsu countered.

“Show off.” Lucy muttered.

He grinned. “I’m going to the market to get some inspiration.”

Perfect, Lucy thought. This would be opportune to brainstorm ideas of her own.

“I’m staying in the warmth.” She said pointedly.

“Suit yourself. See you at dinner, Luce.”

With that, Natsu was out of the door, slinging on his jacket on the way out, Happy on his heels.

“He’s enthusiastic.” Gemini commented, dipping the last batch of cookies in freshly melted chocolate.

“It’s his first Secret Santa with us.” His partner said. “I believe he wants to get it just right.”

“I think so too, Virgo dear. I hope whoever has Natsu gets it right too.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry.” Lucy said nonchalantly. “We all have pretty good taste... Okay, most of us do.”

She went up the many sets of stairs to her attic, smiling all the way.

“You shouldn’t worry about Natsu.” Virgo stated to her partner.

“How come?”

The pinkette’s smile mimicked Lucy’s. “I may have made some plans of my own.”

Gemini’s interest peaked.

“Oh? Do tell, please.”

“Not yet.” Virgo said. “I still have some planning to do.”

“Alright...” Gemini muttered, far too curious about the secrecy. “Let me know when I can help.”

“I shall.”

 

-----

 

Natsu sat on a rooftop, watching the bustle of the winter market below him.

The fresh cover of snow made Crocus look downright beautiful; peaceful enough that even the crime rate sank during the festive time.

The teen looked at the slip of paper again.

TAURUS

Not hard at all. Taurus was one of the most straightforward people Natsu had ever met. But he’d been informed that partners got something for each other too. That was trickier; he wanted it to be special.

Speaking of his partner...

“It hasn’t gone away, Happy.” He told the cat, sitting beside him with eyes fixed on a few robins sitting on the opposite roof.

“Meow.”

“I know you know.” Natsu sighed.

And he knew what it meant. During the past week, he’d stayed over at the guild for a few nights and once, Lucy had slept over at his apartment, claiming that it was too dark and cold to go back. Natsu had seen through that lie easily but hadn’t argued against it. It resulted in uninterrupted sleep in his apartment for the first time since Cobra. After that first night, it had gotten easier to trust the small space again; even if he’d sometimes called Lucy late in the evening, just to hear a familiar voice.

During all that time the new feeling hadn’t left.

Natsu was no idiot, despite what his late cousin would have claimed. He knew emotions, even if he hadn’t been used to voicing them. And he’d seen enough romcoms (Loke, Taurus and he were working on a conspiracy that Aquarius rigged the voting) during Celestial movie night to know exactly what was happening.

“I’m screwed, aren’t I?”

“Me-aye-ow.”

“Crap.” He slumped against the chimney behind them.

The two watched the scurrying or browsing people on the ground, walking from stall to stall, carrying bags filled with gifts for themselves or others.

“You know what, Happy?” He asked.

“Meow?”

“I kinda want to tell her.”

The cat looked at him surprised.

“What?!”

Happy made a small noise that said ‘nothing, nothing’.

“But what if she doesn’t feel the same.”

The blue cat huffed ‘and here we go’.

“I know we had this talk before...” Natsu remembered his panicked conversation about asking the pretty, blonde assassin to be his partner. That time, she’d beaten him to the punch. This time, he wanted to say it first.

“...but, I think there’s a possibility that – maybe she kinda likes me too?” The teen said hurriedly, looking at his roommate for a comment.

Happy gave him a dead stare. Plue had a better grasp on emotions than his pinkette did.

“You don’t think so?!”

“Me-ow!”

“Hey!”

“Me-ooow!”

“You know what?!” Natsu jumped up on the roof, looking at his feline companion. “I will tell her!”

“Me-aye-ow!” Happy cheered, jumping into his arms.

“We’re close enough to always be friends, no matter what!” Natsu hyped himself up.

“Me-aye-ow!”

“We’ll always be partners!”

“Me-aye-ow!”

“I just have to... wait. Happy, how do you tell someone you like them?”

“Me...ow?”

“You don’t know?!”

Happy stared at him. He was the cat here!

Natsu sat back down. In the movies they’d watched, romantic confessions were always the big climax. But those were...complicated.

They either involved the big reveal that the competitor was the writer of loving mails, or a romantic declaration during a gunfight, or a daring rescue with a parachute in the name of love.

But Lucy already knew Natsu, and he didn’t want to get into gunfire with his partner and no one was getting kidnapped ever again!

Natsu played with the end of his scarf. He really would’ve liked to have his dad sitting beside him at that moment. He really needed some advice. But that wasn’t going to happen...but it could! His dad wouldn’t be able to give him advice in this situation, but Natsu had more people to turn to now.

“I’ll just ask someone!” He declared.

Happy shot him a questioning look.

“The person who knows everything!” His eyes fell on the crowd below again. “But first, let’s find something for Taurus.”

Happy didn’t understand Natsu’s plan perfectly but liked the teen’s optimism. He jumped down after him, winding their way through the colourful hubbub.

 

-----

 

Lucy groaned, dropping her head into her arm a day after the names had been given out. She’d thought having Natsu for Secret Santa would be sooo easy; two birds with one stone. But Gemini was right! Natsu’s first Christmas with them should be special.

She knew him well enough to know what he liked; new toys for Happy, spare pairs of safety goggles, literally any type of food... But that was all so basic! Something he’d expect!

Lucy stared at her laptop screen, the search bar empty of any ideas.

“What am I going to do, Plue?” She moaned, turning to look at the puppy snuggled up on her blanket.

He barked, acknowledging that someone had said his name.

She sighed again, getting up and walking towards her door. No use in sitting around; maybe someone else would give her an idea.

Getting close to the kitchen, Lucy heard her nakama in a debate.

“We should look at dresses.” Aries’ calm voice stated.

“Oh my Mavis, yes!” Cancer whooped.

“We haven’t even set a date yet!” Aquarius argued, but there was no real opposition in her voice.

“It doesn’t hurt to look, moshi moshi.”

“Just for some inspo.”

“You don’t want to leave it till the last minute, do you?”

“Okay, fine. Hey Lucy,” Aquarius turned to face the blonde reaching the bottom of the stairs, “we’re going to look at wedding dresses. Want to come with?”

“Yes!” She squealed. “Absolutely. Let’s go!” Maybe this was the mental break she needed.

“Alright, grab whoever wants to come and let’s go.” Their leader started for the door.

As it turned out, whoever wants to come was everyone but Capricorn, Taurus, Natsu (who declined over text) and Scorpio, and that mostly because they knew all of them would never fit into a small boutique (and the groom was obviously not invited).

Lucy smiled into the cold sky. This would be fun.

 

-----

 

---

“Thank you, Mr. Rochester, for your great kindness. I am strangely glad to get back again to you: and wherever you are is my home - my only home.”

I walked on so fast that even he could hardly have overtaken me had he tried.

---

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Capricorn looked up from his novel, a little annoyed at being interrupted during one of his favourite parts.

“Come in.” He called out from his large armchair in his study. He’d hoped to use the tranquillity of the guild to do some reading for the sake of entertainment.

To his surprise, the door opened to reveal Natsu standing there, looking –if he judged it right- a little sheepish and uncertain.

“Natsu.” Capricorn rose to greet him. “What an unexpected pleasure. Lucy isn’t here at the moment. She’s gone with Aquarius and most of our nakama to look at wedding dresses.”

“I know...I actually wanted to talk with you...if that’s alright...”

He looked like he secretly hoped Capricorn would say no. This intrigued the older man greatly.

“Of course. Please, have a seat.” He watched Natsu swallow heavily, before taking the offered, second armchair.

“Well, uh...” The Dragon stalled, not meeting Capricorn’s eyes. “Lucy said you’re like one of the smartest people ever and you know everything, so...I was hoping I could ask you something...”

Mavis, the kid looked at him like he was Lucy’s father, and he was about to ask for his blessing.

Trying not to let his pleasure about the flattery show, Capricorn told him to ask away.

“Well, since you know like everything... could you tell me how... how...”

His face went past the shade of pink of his hair and rivalled a ripe tomato.

“Yes?” He prompted, his curiosity growing substantially.

“Do you know how to tell someone you like them?” Natsu blurted out, looking up at Capricorn from where he’d buried his face in his scarf.

The middle-aged man stared at him.

“Uuuhhh”- was probably the least academic thing he’d ever said, along with one of the very few times he had nothing to say on a topic.

Natsu looked at him with such hope, it reminded him of Lucy when she’d been four and he’d promised to wait up for Santa with her. (That night had ended with him losing track of Lucy and the little blonde cornering a panicking Gemini dressed as Santa Claus. The older man had barely escaped via the chimney. He’d been coughing up soot until New Year’s.)

He looked away from Natsu, studying his large collection of perfectly sorted books on the shelves beside them. Helplessly, he scanned the backs of medical texts, studies about the animal kingdom, theories in the field of quantum physics and his section of preferred classical novels.

“I can offer you information on the human heart.” He tried, giving the teen a hopefully enthusiastic smile.

“Does that include feelings? And how to tell them?” Natsu asked sceptically.

“...No. No, it does not.”

Capricorn was wracking his brain for something helpful to say.

“You know...a great scientist once said: ‘The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: If there is any reaction, both are transformed.’”

Natsu blinked. “Riiiiight...and about telling someone that you feel transformed?”

Why couldn’t he have asked him about any other topic than love?! Capricorn played through all of his favorite novels:

• Jane Eyre? Wrong century. Confessing your feelings was basically a proposal, so not relevant.
• Sherlock Holmes? Once again, not up to date. And not exactly romance focused.
• Emma? Pride and Prejudice? Sense and Sensibility? No, not useful for today’s standards.
• The Art of War? Completely irrelevant!

He sighed. Why did classical novels have to be so wonderfully old?

Deciding to get a clearer perspective, he asked: “We are talking about Lucy here, correct?”

The tomato shade of red was back as Natsu nodded sheepishly.

Alright, good. Ground knowledge. He could work with this.

“So...how do you feel about her?” He attempted.

“I-I-I...I mean I really like her. Like a lot. Like more than partners, I think...like a lot a lot.”

Focus, he could do this. It was like any other puzzle. A puzzle with no clues or sufficient background knowledge and he didn’t even know what kind of puzzle it was exactly...

Mavis, why did Cancer have to go along on the shopping trip? His partner had claimed on several occasions that being a hairdresser demanded a keen intuition about feelings and expert skills in giving advice. How much Capricorn would like to test that statement right at that moment.

Who else was at the guild? Scorpio, who hadn’t been allowed to join the wedding dress expedition. Because of the tradition that the groom couldn’t see the bride in the dress before the wedding (from times when arranged marriages were all the trend). Of course, that was still relevant. But everything else he’d read about the topic was ‘outdated’. Capricorn huffed at the complexity of it all.

Still, the white-and-red-haired man must know more about these matters than him. He was getting married after all. But to Aquarius. And Capricorn didn’t doubt that her fiancé would tell her and then she wouldn’t be able to keep quiet about it to Lucy...

No. He might not be an expert on this field of study (was it even a studied field?) but even he knew that it should come from Natsu himself.

And Taurus had all the tact of a bull in a porcelain store.

It really was up to him, wasn’t it?

“Have you considered...just telling her?” He tried to say it with much more confidence than he was feeling. Fake it, ‘till you make it! Usually, he didn’t have to fake it.

“Yeah, but I don’t know what exactly to say. I mean, how do I drop that into conversation? ‘By the way, I really, really like you’?”

“From what I’m seeing...yes. I believe that is your best option.” Confidence. Confidence. He totally knew what he was talking about. Why didn’t he go along on the shopping trip?

“You think I should just blurt out ‘I really, really like you, Luce’?” Natsu asked, one pink eyebrow raised.

Was that not what young people did? Was there a more modern form of courting, between a simple confession and what he’d read in his books?

“Yes...maybe add some flowers? I have seen that in a lot of modern media. Is there a...special place you two have?”

“We met at the old train station.”

“There’s a start! Tell her there. Make a picnic out of it and then just be brave and tell her.” Capricorn was very pleased with himself. That plan sounded simple, romantic (if he knew anything about it) and fool-proof. What more could you ask for? Cancer would be proud.

“Flowers, picnic, blurting it out...I can do that!” Natsu looked cheerful for the first time since he’d stepped into his study.

He jumped up, usual energy back in full flow. “Thanks, Capricorn. This helped a lot.”

“Anytime Natsu.” The older man smiled and waved as the pinkette darted out of the room, presumably finding the first window to jump out of and go through with their plan.

That hadn’t been so bad. At it proved once again, that there was no problem a logical mind couldn’t solve. Capricorn smiled contently to himself before picking up his book again.

---

Little Adele was half wild with delight when she saw me. Mrs. Fairfax received me with her usual plain friendliness. Leah smiled, and even Sophie bid me “bon soir” with glee. This was very pleasant; there is no happiness like that of being loved by your fellow-creatures, and feeling that your presence is an addition to their comfort.

---

 

-----

 

Hour number three rolled into the boutique and Lucy slumped into the fancily upholstered sofa, exhausted. Wedding dress shopping should be introduced to the Olympics.

‘Just looking’ had turned into ‘trying on’ and was steadily heading for ‘might buy it’. Aquarius had tried on several dresses at that point; Virgo, Aries and Lucy serving as comparative models for other dresses. Cancer and Loke gave constant feedback while Sagittarius gave a thumbs up or a wavering hand to certain styles and Gemini said they all looked beautiful in everything.

“You think she’s going to buy it?” Lucy asked Loke, gesturing to the mermaid style dress with long, flowing sleeves and dainty embroidery, which Aquarius was staring at with the energy of interrogating someone.

“Maybe.” The ginger man surveilled their leader. “I’m leaning towards yes.”

Lucy hummed, letting her eyes wonder around the little shop. Small chandeliers provided soft lighting, colourful flowers were dotted around, contrasting against the racks of primarily white dresses of all shapes and sizes. Pictures of happy couples wearing dresses from the store hung on the walls, looking so perfect that they might as well have come with the silver frames.

Lucy thought to the staircase in their guild, decorated with photos starting at her door and reaching all the way to the kitchen. Family photos, snapshots of important events that no one would forget either way.

Family photos...

Lucy shot up, startling the assassins sitting beside her.

“What is it, princess?” Virgo asked, ready to evaluate a threat.

But Lucy kept staring at the silver frames hanging on the walls. It could work! If she could pull it off.

“Loke,” she said, “when we get home, can you help me with something?”

He shrugged. “Of course. What with?”

She grinned. “I have an idea.”

 

-----

 

Taurus sat in the kitchen.

Waiting.

Playing with Plue.

Waiting.

He should’ve gone with the group! He was bored!

Working out without Sag was no fun and he wasn’t the type of person who could lose themselves in a book for hours on end.

He sighed.

Petted Plue.

Sighed again.

A key turned in the door.

Both bull and puppy jumped up, excitedly running down the hallway.

“Yooooou’re back!” He greeted the group.

“Woof!”

They bustled inside, hiding from the chill that followed them through the open door.

“It went great, moshi moshi!” His partner informed Taurus. “She looks amazing!”

“Awesome!” Taurus eyes the long dress-bag in Aquarius’ arms. She was glowing with happiness.

Lucy, dragging Loke behind her, ran up the stairs with an excited grin on her face.

“You’re back!” Scorpio poked his head out of the living room. “And you bought a dress!”

“I did!” Aquarius squealed. Squealed!

The two jumped up and down while the rest filtered inside.

Virgo stepped next to Taurus and Sagittarius, subtly leading them a little further away from the group, currently giving Scorpio a play-by-play of the last four hours.

“Lucy is in Loke’s room.” She whispered.

Meaning: the coast is clear.

Taurus leaned down, whispering: “Did you get permissiooooon?”

The small woman nodded.

Sagittarius was sceptical. “Really, moshi moshi?”

Virgo shrugged. “I asked to clean out the space.”

“Virgooooo, that’s very vague.” Taurus argued.

She shrugged again. “A yes is a yes in my book.”

The partners exchanged a glance.

“Fine.” They agreed.

The neutrality squad slowly dispersed into the background, unquestioned by anyone.

Notes:

Alright, a lot of references in this one:
“The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.” ― Carl Gustav Jung
Also, the extracts Capricorn was reading are from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë; I really liked that last paragraph and felt like it fits the story well.
And finally, the movies Natsu was thinking about are: You've Got Mail, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Point Break.

Chapter 36: Secret Santa and Secret Doors

Christmas was just a few days away. And Lucy had finally had a break in her festive mission.

She and Loke had jumped up and down with glee in front of his monitors, yelling cheerful cries of victory into the room. Loud enough for Aries to come jumping in with her needles drawn, expecting an attack.

Loke had slumped against his partner immediately, half asleep already.

Aries had shot Lucy a questioning look but the younger woman had simply replied: “Secret Santa stuff”; so, top secret.

The ram had rolled her eyes at the two before dragging her dozy partner into bed.

Lucy was more than ready to jump into her own and sleep for at least twelve hours. But seeing Loke and Aries together made her long for her own partner.

Natsu had been around for the past weeks, always smiling when he saw her, sometimes whispering with Happy and then blushing when he thought she’d overheard their conversation.

Lucy (wrongly) assumed the secrecy was about Christmas, when instead the Dragon and the cat were discussing what Capricorn had advised him.

Whilst Lucy was thinking about him, she noticed that she was already pulling herself out of her window and into the cold night.

The trip took longer than usual, the snow making the already wonky rooftiles slippery and showing recognizable tracks.

The jump from the roof onto Natsu’s windowsill wasn’t graceful in the dark and Lucy didn’t need to knock because she careened into the glass with her miscalculated force.

“Luce?!” Natsu opened the window, staff in hand at the loud noise.

“Hey, partner.” Lucy grinned, jumping into his apartment.

“What’s up-”

Lucy slumped against him, throwing her arms around his neck.

“I missed you.” She mumbled.

Natsu huffed, leaning forward to close the window again.

“I saw you yesterday.”

“But not long.”

“You were busy with your secret stuff.”

Lucy hummed, soaking in her partner’s warmth.

“You really take that Secret Santa seriously, don’t you?”

“It’s tradition.” She yawned.

Seeing that she wouldn’t move, Natsu picked her up and carried her over to the couch.

“And it’s important enough to stay up all night?”

“Nights!” Lucy corrected. “Multiple.”

Natsu leaned back against the couch, Lucy resting on his chest, content as could be.

Happy opened one eye to surveil the noise then curled back up on the hammock.

“Must be really important then.” Natsu humoured his sleepy partner.

“Yeah.” Lucy sighed.

Suddenly, she lifted her head, so close that their noses were almost touching.

“But it was totally worth it!” She grinned. “It’s a really good – hey, your heartbeat is going really fast.”

“Huh?” Natsu, cheeks red at how close their faces were, tried to maintain focus.

Lucy rested her head back on his chest.

“It’s going really fast. You okay?”

“Perfectly fine, Luce.” Natsu ran a hand through her hair.

“Nervous?”

“No.”

“Did you just exercise?”

“You should sleep.” He tried to change the subject.

“You sound like Gemini.”

“Thank you.”

She laughed quietly, snuggling closer than she already was.

“Are you set for Christmas?”

Natsu was grateful she stopped asking about his heartbeat.

“Yeah.”

It had taken him a while to track down the perfect present for her. But he’d found it and Natsu was happy with it.

Happy had hinted multiple times that his confession should be Lucy’s present. Natsu had stubbornly refused. Telling someone you liked-liked them was nerve-wracking enough. He wasn’t about to do it in front of the whole guild! No, he’d give himself a little more time and then, when the moment was right, he’d carry through with it.

If he didn’t lose confidence by then.

But seeing Lucy smiling softly as she doused off, hugging him closer while he ran his fingers through her hair, Natsu felt pretty confident about his plans.  

 

-----

 

Virgo moved through one of her secret passages that led from the third floor over a rickety ladder to the pantry adjoined to the kitchen.

She could hear Taurus before she saw him, soundlessly shutting the pantry door quietly behind her.

“Princess is staying with Natsu.”

“Mavis, Virgooooo!” Taurus nearly dropped his salad bowl. “Make a noise.”

She blinked. “I did.”

Sagittarius chuckled into his glass.

“Now is the opportune time to continue.” She carried on.

“Alright. But we have to be quiet, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius stood up. “Most of our nakama are already asleep.”

“Quiet as ghooooosts.” Taurus agreed.

The three tip-toed (or, in Virgo’s case, just walked) up the stairs to the third floor, standing on the landing where Gemini was already waiting for them. The senior had been included in the plan a few days previously. Now, he was giddy with the idea, unable to wait to finish the project.

Using a small hook on a stick, Sagittarius pulled open the hatch to the attic, the ladder sliding out to greet them.

The attic spanned across the length of the building. Lucy’s room was a sectioned off part of the whole thing; a wall separating her room from the other half, which had been previously used for storing rarely used items.

The neutrality squad had cleaned out the space already, getting rid of broken furniture, a busted punching bag, hideous picture frames that someone had gotten as a ‘thanks’ from a client years ago, and all the things that collected after years of living together.

Looking at the ladder, Gemini said: “I will go get the tools.” And hobbled down the steps.

Virgo went up the ladder first, Sagittarius following her. Taurus stayed behind, ready to take the tools from Gemini to carry them up. He had some difficulty fitting his frame through the narrow opening, but he’d managed before.

He grinned up the steps.

“This will be awesooooome!” He whispered.

“I know, moshi moshi!” His partner whispered back, looking down through the hatch.

 

-----

 

Scorpio and Cancer sat in the kitchen, enjoying a late night bowl of cereal when they saw Gemini scurrying down the stairs and disappearing into the garden with a grin on his face.

“Little late for a walk.” Scorpio observed, looking after the senior in confusion.

Not a minute later, Gemini reappeared, much slower this time and dragging a...

“Gemini...” Cancer started, “what are you doing with a sledgehammer, baby?”

“Oh, you know...things.” Gemini attempted to swing the massive hammer over his shoulder, but the force nearly tipped him over.

“Okay.” Scorpio said, quickly stabilizing his older nakama by holding the business end of the sledgehammer. “Why don’t I take this and-”

“No, no.” Gemini waved him off. “I got it.”

Scorpio rolled his eyes and continued holding onto the heavier side whilst Gemini started up the stairs, Cancer following behind with curiosity.

Taurus was waiting for them on the landing, standing beside the opened hatch that lead to the messy part of the attic.

Scorpio’s eyes narrowed. “What exactly are you up to?”

Taurus took the sledgehammer with ease off the two. “Oh, you know...stuff.”

“What is taking so long, moshi moshi?” Sagittarius’ onesie-head appeared above them. “We’re on a timer here.”

“A timer for what?”

He was shushed by the three men.

“Others are sleeping.” Gemini whispered.

“A timer for what?” Scorpio asked again, quieter.

Virgo looked down at them beside Sagittarius. “Do you recall the instance when I asked Aquarius if I may clean out the attic?”

“Yes...?”

“We did just that.”

“...with a sledgehammer?”

“That is for the second step?” She stated.

“The second step in what?”

The neutrality squad plus Gemini looked at each other sheepishly.

“Guys...” Scorpio said in warning. “What are you planning?”

“I hear hushed voices.” Capricorn stepped out of his study beside the ladder, looking at the scene before him.

“Shhhh, baby.” Cancer said. “Others are sleeping.”

“Then why are you gathered out here?” Capricorn whispered back.

“It is Christmas related.” Virgo said.

“Do you need assistance?” Was the older man’s reply.

Gemini thought. “Do you have any books on pyrotechnic you could spare.”

“A few, yes. But what exactly-”

BOOM

Taurus had made his way up the ladder, one hand carrying the hammer, which he clumsily set onto the attic floor. Loudly.

“What was that?!” Aries’ head poked out of her door.

“Shhhh!”

“Sorry, what’s going on?”

“A sledgehammer.” Gemini explained.

“Right...why?”

Scorpio shrugged helplessly.

“Wass goin on?” Loke looked over Aries’ shoulder.

“Shhhh!”

“Our nakama are playing with sledgehammers in the middle of the night, sweetheart.” Aries whispered.

“Of course...why?”

“It’s a surprise.” Gemini said quietly.

“Is this the spooooot?” Taurus’ voice could be heard from the attic.

“Indeed.” Virgo’s calm reply.

“Alright, ooooone, twooooo, three!”

BANG

Cancer jumped into his partner’s arms, Loke quickly shielded Aries from the sounds of a collapsing ceiling.

BANG

“WHAT IN MAVIS’ GOOD NAME IS GOING ON HERE?!” Aquarius came storming up the steps.

“Shhhh!”

“Why are you shushing me?! We’re all here!”

Looks were exchanged.

“Oh yeah.”

BANG

“Virgo!” Aquarius yelled up the ladder.

The pinkette appeared. “Yes?”

“What are you doing up there?”

BANG

“Making a hole in the wall.”

Aquarius’ eye twitched.

“Why?” She asked with forced calm.

“Do you recall the instance when I asked to clean out the attic?”

“...yes?”

“I thought we should renovate it too.”

“By knocking a hole in a wall?!”

“Precisely.”

“Okay, that’s it!” Aquarius pushed the assassins aside. “I’m coming up there!”

Virgo moved to the side as their leader came stomping up the narrow steps of the ladder in her pyjamas.

Grumbling curses, Aquarius pulled herself into the attic space. Hands stemmed onto her hips, she looked around, thinking of what to yell about first.

The old rubbish that had been collecting up here was gone. A few pieces of old furniture remained, furniture which Virgo was currently polishing.

Sagittarius stood by the window, cleaning the glass and oiling the hinges.

And Taurus...Taurus stood on the far side, hammer in hand, beside a huge hole in the wall, revealing Lucy’s room behind it.

Aquarius looked around and knew exactly what was going on.

The neutrality squad was waiting for her reaction.

She huffed. “Fine.”

“Fine?!” Taurus mimicked in disbelief, but Aquarius didn’t bother to repeat herself.

She went back to the open hatch, calling down: “Darling, could you please get the toolbox from the shed? And Cancer, get the vacuum cleaner, the big one. Loke, I need you up here with a new lightbulb. Aries and Capricorn, join us too, we need more hands. Gemini, start making a list of necessities and split it up between the groups. I’m going to refine some of the guild rules on explosive materials within the building.”

Although most assassins still had no idea what was happening, they followed the instructions, either too tired or too curious to question them.

Virgo stood next to Aquarius.

“You should’ve told me.” The bluenette said, stubbornly staring out of the freshly cleaned window.

“I know.” Virgo replied. “Punishment?”

Aquarius rolled her eyes. Sure, fix that,” she gestured to the wall, “before Lucy comes home.”

Virgo smiled. “I shall.”

 

-----

 

Days after the late-night, noise-complaint incident at the guild, Natsu was walking down Royal Garden Street, the actual street. He didn’t want to risk slipping on the roofs and dropping his carefully selected presents into the snow. And also falling and breaking a bone; that too.

He looked up as he walked to see thick snowflakes drifting down, unrelenting in their beauty.

Christmas at the Celestial guild would be a big change from the recent years. Happy had always tried to cheer him up on this day but nothing had really managed to get Natsu out of his lonely, grieving gloom. This year would be different.

His dad would be proud.

The tall, blue building came into view and Natsu shook the thoughts from his mind. He’d have fun today; he’d be with his Luce.

Scorpio was standing outside, shovelling the last of the snow off the walkway.

“Hey Natsu!” He called over cheerfully.

“Hi. Need help?” The teen offered.

Scorpio waved him off. “Nearly done. In there though...” he motioned to the front door, “I hope you’re prepared for chaos.”

Natsu grinned at him. “I thrive in chaos.

Scorpio laughed. “Alright then. Oh, and don’t go into the kitchen unless Virgo gives you permission!”

“Got it!” Natsu had learned not to questions orders like that.

He shouldered open the door, the sound promising enough to let Happy poke his head out of the backpack.

“Morning Natsu!” Loke called to him, looking around a large, cardboard carton labelled ‘Ornaments’.

“Morning, where should I put-”

“Has anyone seen-” Gemini came speeding around the corner, crashing into Loke. The wavering box was quickly stabilized by Aries.

“Mavis, old man. Lost your glasses?!”

“Ha-Ha! No, I’m looking for tape! I can’t find tape and need to wrap my presents – oh, hello Natsu.”

“Morning, Gemi.”

Sagittarius walked past them, nose so close to the ground he didn’t notice the newcomer, in order to vacuum up a trail of pine needles leading to the living room.

“A little to the left Taurus!” Aquarius was audible from there.

“My left ooooor your left?”

“...we’re standing on the same side! It’s our left!”

“Alright, alright...like this?”

“Hm...a little more.”

Natsu followed Loke into the living room, seeing Taurus hugging a tree to inch it along the floor with Aquarius standing a little behind.

“Natsu!” Lucy was rummaging through another box, a cookie in one hand. “Merry Christmas, partner!” She came bounding towards him, throwing her arms around his shoulders.

“Merry Christmas, Luce.” Natsu tried to hug her back whilst holding onto the two wrapped parcels in his hand and the bag of baby carrots resting on top.

“For Plue.” He explained when Lucy pointed at the vegetables.

“He’ll love it!” She grinned. “Hello Happy.”

The cat meowed his greeting, preferring to stay in the safe bag for now.

“I think a little to the front.” Aquarius mused.

“I think it looks goooood here.” Taurus argued.

“You think?”

“I chopped it down, I know where it looks good.”

“Fine.” The bluenette put her hands up.

“Hi Natsu.”

“Morning. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry-”

“We require more assistance!” Capricorn’s voice called from the kitchen.

“On it!” Lucy yelled back, grabbing Natsu’s arm. “Just leave those there.” She gestured to the pile of presents already mounting in one corner. “We’ll put those under the tree when its decorated.”

And that’s how Natsu was swept into his first Christmas since five years; running errands in the kitchen under Chef Virgo’s careful eye, placing baubles onto the tree, eating cookies for breakfast and lunch, avoiding an over-excited Plue sprinting around everyone’s feet with a bow around his collar, assisting Cancer in the search for his wrapping paper, and playing a guessing game with Lucy of what was in which parcel until Aquarius told them to cut it out.

The whole guild settled in front of the TV in the afternoon when everything in the kitchen was resting, rising, or cooking with no supervision needed. They watched an old movie, the credits at the beginning paired with Capricorn explaining that the original title actually translated to “Three Hazelnuts for Ash-Girl”.

Natsu had no idea where the time had gone when everyone had changed out of sweatpants and hoodies, and was sitting around the large dining room table with steaming bowls and pans before them.

Virgo was thoroughly congratulated on her management skills, the golden paper crown found in Capricorn’s Christmas cracker passed to her in honour.

“You all helped.” She said, but Natsu could see a light flush dusting her pale cheeks when Gemini placed the crown on her head.

“How are you liking your first Christmas with us?” Scorpio asked Natsu at one point.

Natsu passed the beans on to Sagittarius. “It’s great!” He said earnestly. “You really know how to do the holidays.”

“We don’t do things halfway.” Capricorn agreed.  

“You should’ve seen it, when someone,” Aquarius gave Loke a pointed look across the half eaten roast, “thought it would be fun to gift Gemini a glitter canon.”

“I liked it!” The old man piped up, playing with the tiny toy from his cracker.

“It took months to get rid of all the sparkled, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius argued gesturing with a breadstick. “Months! I’m still haunted by glitter!”

“It was Christmas!” Loke argued.

Aquarius looked at Natsu. “If anyone ever asks you to build a glitter grenade...” she gave him a meaningful look.

“I will decline!” He replied.

“Good kid.” She patted his shoulder.

“That would certainly surprise people in our next mission.” Lucy laughed, a pink crown sitting lopsided on her head.

Without thinking, Natsu reached to straighten the crown, stroking a strand of golden hair behind her ear in the same movement.

“Thanks.” Lucy said, cheeks warm enough at the small touch that Natsu should’ve had the answer to the question he was still gathering the courage to ask her in the near future. But he was too busy watching the Christmas lights sparkle in her eyes, hand hovering by her face for a little longer than necessary.

Looks were exchanged around the table.

Cancer looked at his partner.

‘Are you seeing what I’m seeing?’ His eyes said.

Capricorn’s smirk revealed that ‘I know something you don’t.’

Cancer’s eyebrows rose. ‘Excuse me?!’

The older man raised a smug eyebrow of his own. ‘I might know emotions better than you think.’

Cancer’s look made it clear that he would have to spill everything as soon as they were alone.

“Shall we move to the living room for the giving of the gifts?” Virgo asked, standing up.

“YES!”

At the loud noise, Natsu quickly withdrew his hand, both teens looking away sheepishly like they’d been caught.

Lucy kept her eyes on her plate as she carried it to the kitchen, avoiding Aquarius’ searching gaze, which she knew would say ‘lovesiiiick’.

The furniture in the living room had been arranged in a semicircle in front of the glittering tree and the presents underneath. Gemini and Capricorn took their usual seats in the armchairs, the rest taking their spots on couches and cushions. Lucy sat beside her partner on one of the beanbags, watching as Scorpio once again rustled a glass with little paper bits inside.

“Alright, going first is...” He paused for effect, drawing out a slip of paper. “Aries!”

The ram squeaked at the sudden attention on her.

“That was me, moshi moshi!” Sagittarius called, getting up to pull a rectangular package out from the pile and handing it to the small assassin. “I hope you like it.”

Aries thanked him before she’d even started unwrapping the gift. Five small vials lay in a box, each holding a different shade of fine powder.

“Oooooh.” Taurus went. “...what is it?”

“The strongest chili powder I could find, moshi moshi.”

Aries studied the labels on the vials. “Two of these are illegal in most countries!” She exclaimed. “How did you get your hands on these?”

“Long story,” Sagittarius said, “involved a bloodhound, a block of cheese and a very grateful merchant from Seven.”

The pinkette grinned at him. “Thank you so much! I will test these out on our next mission.”

Sagittarius nodded appreciatorily.

The procedure repeated many times; Scorpio drawing a name and the corresponding Secret Santa giving the present.

Capricorn got a new set of colourful neckties from Virgo, Loke unpacked new sunglasses from Cancer, Scorpio got a wedding-planner manual from Gemini...

Plue was kept content with free access to the bag of carrots from Natsu while Happy finished off the last of the salmon, only sometimes throwing a look at the humans and the presents that weren’t anywhere near as good as fish.

Taurus unwrapped the large parcel from Natsu with a grin, a grin that only widened when he saw the set of hoodies inside, all in varying cow prints. “Sooooo soooooft!” He said, throwing one on immediately.

“Since you let me borrow yours so often.” Natsu explained.

“These are invaluable!” The bull said. “Dooooo you know, how many people steal my hooooodies?” He let an accusing glare go around the group. Most assassins looked away innocently.

“The biggest person gets their hoodies stolen. It’s a law of nature, baby.” Cancer shrugged.

“Uh-huh. Well not these!”

A muttered “sure” went through the room.

Lucy grew increasingly nervous as the presents were given out. Had her idea been truly so great?

Unbeknownst to the teens, the other Celestials had rigged the pulling of the names so that Natsu’s name would be drawn last.

After Lucy put on a knitted poncho from Aries, Sagittarius got tickets to a petting zoo, Aquarius got teary eyed over a matching veil for her wedding dress that Loke had picked up in the same store, Gemini unwrapped a set of fake moustaches, Virgo smiled at a boxset of home renovations and Cancer thanked Aquarius for a collection of temporary hair dyes, the blonde knew she was up.

“I guess that makes it my turn!” Lucy called into the room, trying to sound more confident than she actually was at the prospect of giving Natsu her gift. “And I had Natsu.” She said, pulling out the envelope from beneath the tree.

“Isn’t that cheating?” Scorpio questioned.

“No,” Lucy replied with a grin, “it’s luck.”

She faltered a little when Natsu’s beaming smile was directed at her and the envelope she’d decorated with little trees and reindeer.

Maybe the gift was too personal?

Maybe it didn’t technically count as a ‘gift’ because she would’ve given them to him at any time of the year, if she’d thought about it then.

So, maybe this did count as cheating? Had she cheated her partner out of a gift on his first Christmas with their guild?!

Maybe this had been a bad idea-

“You okay, Luce?” Natsu asked, pulling Lucy out of her tumbling thoughts and fears.

“Uh, yeah...I thought, well – I wanted to...” She caught Loke’s eyes and he gave her an encouraging nod.

“I didn’t really know what to get you.” She confessed quickly, all too aware of all the attentive stares on her. “I thought about fireworks, gunpowder, chili powder, a voucher for Happy’s favourite pet store...”

“I’d love any of those, you know that.” Natsu said with a smile, trying to ease his partner’s nervousness that he couldn’t quite explain. It was just him. Why should she be nervous about anything?

“Well...those were too simple.” Lucy explained, fidgeting with the present in her hands. “So... I had this idea and asked Loke for help,” the assassin in question gave a casual salute in Natsu’s direction, “and after a lot of digital digging-”

“A lot!” Loke -who’d lost a great number of nerves during that trip into the vaults of time- emphasized.

“-we managed to find-”

“Recover!”

“-we managed to recover-”

“And enhance!”

“-we managed to recover and enhance...these.” Lucy quickly pushed the envelope towards Natsu before she could lose her nerve.

Natsu, still a little confused by her apparent apprehension towards giving him the envelope, took it with a raised eyebrow.

Loke and Lucy were being -respectively- expertly and unintentionally vague about what was actually inside.

It felt light and he could hear things shuffling around.

A pamphlet? In an envelope? No, that didn’t seem likely.

Maybe tickets for something? The envelope was too heavy for that. There was a stack of something inside.

“Well, don’t keep us waiting, kiddo!” Gemini called over from his armchair. Every assassin wanted to know what was so special that Lucy and Loke had locked themselves into their rooms, the former for days at a time, to work on.

Natsu carefully ripped open the envelope’s seal, not wanting to tear the delicate drawings.

He opened his free hand to catch whatever was inside as he tilted the envelope over. His breath caught.

Very familiar red eyes stared at him, paired with a cocky grin that showed unusually pointed canine teeth. Spikes of black hair framed a tanned face, earrings shining through the mane. It was a face he hadn’t seen in over five years.

“Gajeel.” Natsu whispered in shock.

He was holding a picture of his twelve-year-old cousin. 

“How...” He started, not daring to look away from the pictures.

A dash of dark blue caught his attention on the photo beneath Gajeel’s.

Big brown eyes looked out at him, chubby cheeks with a smudge of paint on them, topped off by a short crop of blue hair.

Wendy. When she’d been three. It had been her first-time using watercolours.

“I know you don’t have any photos of your family.” Lucy began, watching Natsu’s reaction cautiously. “Because you didn’t have your phone back then and the guild was burned down. You told me once that you were scared of forgetting your cousins’ faces...”

Natsu looked at the next picture, holding the small pile so cautiously as if he feared they could break and shatter at the slightest mishap.

It was one of his dad, wearing his ridiculous apron, grinning confidently at the camera despite the pot on the stove beside him emitting an alarming amount of smoke. The newspapers had never gotten this picture.

Natsu’s eyes started to burn.

“...So, I got thinking...maybe some photos were stored digitally somewhere. Hard drives weren’t an option, but maybe one of the Dragons uploaded them to a cloud...”

Metalicana was glaring up at Natsu, flipping the person taking the photo off whilst Grandeeney was securing a bandage around his head with a scolding expression.

His dad had taken that photo because Metalicana had gotten the light injury by walking straight into a low hanging sign out on the streets and he’d found it hilarious.

“The might Iron Dragon...defeated by a vicious wooden sign.”

“Shut it, Iggi!”

“Does that mean wood beats iron?”

“I swear to Mavis, if you don’t zip it-”

“And fire definitely beats wood...meaning, fire must beat iron too.”

“Come over here and say that again, you-”

“We should immortalize this moment! Say cheese!”

“How’s this for cheese?”

“Will you two quit it! One of us is trying to work here!”

“...And it took a hot minute. But Loke found your aunt’s old phone number and I managed to crack her account password and there was this ancient OneDrive folder. Most of the stuff was corrupted or missing dozens of updates to function properly...but this is what I could recover. And then Loke showed me how to clear them up a bit. And those are the result.” Lucy finished lamely.

Natsu hadn’t taken his eyes off the pictures once since opening the envelope.

Scorpio, sitting beside the teen, placed a hand on his shoulder.

“You alright, kid?”

Natsu didn’t so much as react.

Lucy fumbled with her words. “I know its pretty personal, but I only got the idea after the names were given out, so I thought it could be a good idea and-”

Natsu was on his feet, throwing his arms around her, face buried in the knitted fabric of her new poncho.

“This means everything, Luce.” He sniffed, photos still in one hand. “Thank you.”

Lucy hugged him back, relief flooding over her. “I’m glad.” She whispered.

The rest of the guild watched quietly, not wanting to disrupt the moment between their youngests.

Aquarius and Virgo exchanged a look. The bluenette gestured for her to go on. Virgo gave Loke a nudge. The ginger man cleared his throat.

“Natsu,” the teens broke up the hug, but stayed right by each other’s sides, “as this is your first Christmas with us, we thought we’d do something special...”

The individual groups of partners moved to the tree, pulling out more wrapped parcels. It suddenly made sense to Lucy why the pile had looked bigger than usual.

“I thought we only got something for the Secret Santa and for our partners.” Natsu said in a mild panic.

“Oh, we do.” Loke soothed. “This,” he gestured to the small rectangular package Aries was holding, “is just a little something special.”

Lucy took the photos from Natsu so that he could accept the present from Aries and Loke.

“It’s really nice,” the teen said awkwardly whilst opening the wrapping paper, “but I’ve been here for a while and this really isn’t necessary-”

Another picture in a golden frame was lying in his hands. Of a guild Christmas long since passed. Wendy had been a baby, curled up in Grandeeney’s arms; Metalicana had done his best to keep Natsu and Gajeel still for the photo while Igneel had tried to figure out the remote trigger for the camera.

“Its in the pile too.” Loke gestured to the photos in Lucy’s hand. “We just thought it might be nice addition for the hallway.”

All Natsu could do was nod silently, holding the frame tighter to hide the tremble in his hands.

“I’d love that.” He choked out.

“Us next!” Taurus broke the emotionally laden silence, pushing his way to the teen. Aries quickly snatched the frame back as the tall assassin pushed a heavy present into Natsu’s arms, heavy enough for the teen to let out a surprised ‘oof’.

Peeling back a corner of the paper revealed a bright red-

“It’s a weighted blanket, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius explained.

“They’re awesooooome! It’s like the world is giving yooooou a comforting hug!”

“Thanks guys.” Natsu said. It was a useful gift but how he was supposed to get the heavy blanket from here to his apartment was beyond him.

“I hope you do not mind,” Virgo dragged a rolled-up carpet with a bow around it into the room. From where, no one would ever know, “we did not wrap it.”

Swirls of red and orange and yellow made up a beautiful pattern that reminded Natsu of a bonfire.

“You shouldn’t have.” He said sheepishly, feeling slightly overwhelmed.

“Don’t mention it, kiddo!” Gemini beamed at him.

Natsu didn’t have the heart to tell them that the carpet would never fit into his cluttered space.

Capricorn handed him a stack of books. Natsu read the covers. They were on pyrotechnics throughout the ages.

“For shelf space, baby.” Cancer explained.

“Thank you, I’ll definitely learn something from them.” Natsu said. Clearly, they’d never been in his apartment, or they’d know that ‘shelf space’ had long since been filled and he’d moved onto ‘floor space’.

Aquarius and Scorpio stepped forwards. Wordlessly, the bluenette held out her hand, a ring holding two keys dangling from one of her fingers.

Natsu’s eyes widened.

“Is that...”

“The big one is the key to the front door.” Scorpio said with a smile. “So, feel free to use it more often.”

Natsu shifted the weighted blanket and pile of books onto one arm, taking the keyring from Aquarius.

“And the little one?” He asked, looking at the second, much smaller key.

Aquarius turned to leave the room. “Follow us.”

Most assassins were smiling conspiratorially, following their leader up the stairs.

Natsu shot Lucy a questioning look. ‘Do you know what’s going on here?’

But the blonde merely shrugged. ‘Not a clue.’

So, still loaded with presents, they simply did as they were told, forming the end of the que of Celestials going all the way up the stairs until they’d squeezed themselves into Lucy’s room.

“What are we doing here?” Lucy asked, understandably confused.

“Taurus, if you please.” Aquarius gestured for the strongest assassin to start.

Taurus cracked his knuckles, grabbing Lucy’s closet, which stood on the right side of the room, and began dragging it to the side.

“What in Mavis’ name...?” Lucy stopped talking when she saw a door becoming more and more visible the more Taurus pulled her closet to the side.

“How long has that been there?!” She asked.

“Roughly for four days now, princess.” Virgo explained.  

Lucy blinked. “What?!”

“It was a renovations project.”

“These morons knocked a hole in the wall at 1 am.” Aquarius sighed.

Lucy was still trying to comprehend that there had been a door behind her closet, and she hadn’t noticed it.

“I told you, your room smelled like woodchips.” Natsu said, unbothered by the news.

“Your focus should be on what’s behind the door.” Loke said.

“What is behind the door?” Lucy mocked.

Aquarius rolled her eyes, pushing the door open and stepping to the side. “Look for yourself.”

Lucy had expected to see the collection of broken furniture, old trinkets, and ancient thank-you-gifts that someone had been too sentimental to throw out. Instead, they saw...

A clean space. A few pieces of old but repaired furniture stood around: a dresser on the side, a closet in the corner and a well-used workbench underneath the window; the wooden floor had been polished and a small plant stood in one of the empty shelves beside a bag of cat treats.

And on the far side, securely hanging from two bolts in the ceiling, was a hammock.

Natsu slowly stepped into the room beside her, mouth open as he looked around and understood what this meant.

“I know you said you’re not ready to move.” Gemini said hastily. “And we completely understand that – this wasn’t even my idea originally. Virgo had the brilliant idea of remodelling this room, so that you can have a space of your own in the guild. For when you plan a mission with Lucy or stay late for a movie night...or whenever you just want to stay here.” He finished, looking up at the teen.

“This...” Natsu swallowed heavily. “This is too much, I-”

“Nonsense!” Virgo cut him off. “This is the most efficient use of space for this room.” She snapped open the carpet, placing it in front of the hammock where it fit perfectly.

"Plus, at times it can be useful to have everyone under one roof." Aquarius said, trying to make it sound as technical as possible. The 'and we like having you around' didn’t need to be said for Natsu to hear it. "This is my present to you; the number of nerves I lost when trying to coordiante everyone."

"We were very cooooordinated!"

"Indeed!"

“The second key,” Scorpio nodded to the ring in Natsu’s hands, “is for the window.”

The teens followed his gaze, looking out at the snowy night sky in the process.

“Because we know you preferred method of entry.” Capricorn added.

“Thank you so much.” Natsu whispered.

“And we didn’t bother putting a lock on the door.” Loke said. “There’s a hatch, but we’re guessing you’ll be in Lucy’s room most of the time anyway.”

Natsu’s face flushed, even though no suspicious comment was hidden under Loke’s sentence.

“This is awesome!” Lucy squealed, jumping up and down. “Honestly, I can’t believe you build a door between our rooms!”

“Not my idea.” Aquarius grumbled. “Taurus had a hole in the wall before I knew what was going on.”

The bull tapped his head. “Tactical panning." He said with a wink.

Lucy jumped up wrap her arms around him. “You’re a great tactician!”

“I’m mooooore than aware.” He laughed.

“Now that you have your own place to sleep here,” Aquarius turned to Natsu, who was still looking around the his room with a stunned expression, “the rule on you in Lucy’s bed equals a free flight through the window is back to being enforced.”

“Aunty...”

“No buts! Understood?”

Natsu, realizing that he was asked to respond, nodded quickly.

“Alright.” Their leader said slowly. “No funny business!”

Natsu hid his face behind the weighted blanket still in his arms, quickly turning to the hammock to pretend to set it down.

“Aunty!” Lucy’s face was as red as the blanket.

“None. At. All!”

“It’s not like we-”

A look from her legal guardian cut Lucy off.

“Fine.” She mumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Aquarius nodded, content. She marched out of the room, the rest of the guild following her with hushed giggles at the flustered teens.

“They’re ridiculous.” Lucy muttered, both teens unable to look each other in the eye for the moment.

“They’re awesome.” Natsu said, putting the books from Capricorn on the far side in a shelf.

“The two aren’t mutually exclusive.”

He laughed.

“My gift for you is so lame in comparison.”

Lucy’s mood softened at that. “I highly doubt it.”

His present to her was a scarf. But not any scarf, Lucy noticed it as soon as she unwrapped the soft fabric in Natsu’s new room, hidden away from curious eyes and hinting comments.

“This is...this is your scarf!” She exclaimed.

The pattern was the same, the material just as soft and sturdy. Except this one was soft pink.

“You wore my scarf for so long...” Natsu started, “...and you looked really good in it. So, I found the maker of my scarf and they had a pink one.”

Lucy knew there was more to it, even if she had to subtly look away at the casual compliment he’d given her. Igneel had given Natsu his scarf; it was the only thing he had left of his guild beside Happy. And now, she had a symbol that she was part of that.

“I love it.” She leaned in closer to press a quick kiss to Natsu’s cheek.

He smiled sheepishly. “Great.”

Lucy wrapped the scarf around her neck in a loop, the way she’d worn Natsu’s for those terrible weeks of loneliness and uncertainty. Just like then, the scarf felt comforting, even if this one didn’t smell like smoke and gunpowder.

Her eyes caught on the little pile of photos sitting on the dresser beside them. Natsu followed her gaze.

“That is still the best present I ever got.” He said softly.

“I’m so glad I found them.”

“So am I.”

Lucy turned back to him. “Do you want to talk me through them?”

Natsu hesitated for a second before nodding. “I’d like that.”

She smiled and got up from the carpet and went to the hammock.

“Uh, Luce...”

“What?”

Natsu rubbed the back of his head. “You heard what Aquarius said...”

“She said you in my bed.” Lucy argued, slipping under the weighted blanket. “This is not mine and clearly not a bed.” She patted the space beside her.

Natsu thought for one moment. Then shrugged, tucking himself beside his partner while the hammock swung gently.

"Just promise you’ll call an ambulance when I faceplant onto the street?”

Lucy chuckled. “That won’t happen...”

“You say that, but I’m sure-”

“...the sidewalk is outside my window. So, you’d faceplant onto there.”

He gave her a dead stare, causing Lucy to giggle harder. “I promise I’ll protect you from faceplanting anywhere.” She swore.

“I’m gonna hold you to that.” Natsu shifted so that Luce could rest her head on his shoulder and he held the photos out in front of them.

Lucy flipped through the photos. “I have questions about...this one!” She pulled out a shaky image, half of which was taken up by Igneel’s screaming face, Gajeel was in the middle chasing a black blur and Grandeeney could be seen off to the side, brandishing a rolling pin. “...what?”

Natsu laughed. “That was one of Gajeel’s attempts at getting a pet.”

“What pet?!”

Natsu pointed to the chased blur in the centre of the photo. “That.”

Lucy squinted. “What is that supposed to be?”

Natsu grinned. “A skunk.”

“No!”

“Yes. Gajeel really wanted a pet of his own. Wendy had a white cat named Carla and I’d found Happy a few months before this was taken. My cousin kept trying to bring home wild animals he found and on this occasion...”

“He thought a skunk was a good idea?!”

“In his defence, he thought it was a badger.”

“Oh, Mavis...”

“Yeah.”

Lucy tiled her head towards Natsu while he talked, dark eyes fixed on the picture in his hands. If he were to look at her now, they’d be so close that they’d almost be...

No! Not now. This night had been very emotional for Natsu, she knew that. It wasn’t the right time to lean in and close that taunting distance between them, no matter how much she wanted to. Instead, Lucy snuggled closer, listening to her partner talk about Grandeeney having to buy one-hundred-and-three cans of tomato juice after the skunk incident.

One day soon she’d dare it, she’d promised herself that.

One day soon.

Notes:

Pick your festive greeting for today (or, if you celebrate on the 25th, tomorrow):
a) Happy Holidays
b) Merry Christmas
c) a long period of time without seasonal depression

Chapter 37: The Psychopathic Grandpa

Virgo held a certain...position of respect on the streets of Crocus.

She was the sole reason catcalling had stopped completely in their part of town.

She was also the reason why no one dared to throw trash onto the streets in a ten-block radius around the Celestial guild.

And the small pinkette could pride herself on being the person responsible for the caution of drivers around the elderly, after an almost-incident with Gemini and a lorry driver a few years back had her...exchange a few words with the driver.

Perhaps a little hypocritical, since Virgo had all the tact of a drunk giraffe behind the wheel, but that almost-incident all those years ago had left a memorable impression on all drivers in Crocus.

Which is why it surprised her when one late afternoon in the middle of January, a large figure stepped out of a side-alley, putting himself right in her path. She’d been wondering what was taking Gemini -who’d said he’d meet her by the stalls after a stroll through the nearest bookstore- so long, just as the shadow of the silhouette covered her.

Virgo paused, her shopping bags over one shoulder, and looked up at the man with her usual unimpressed expression.

The man wore the familiar, turquoise uniform with a white cross on his chest. Even the ridiculous, three-pointed helmet sat atop his head. He was trying to make an impression.

“Virgo of the Celestials?” The large Rune Knight asked. His breath fogged between them, the icy cold had gotten comfortable in Fiore over the winter and spring was taking its sweet time to do anything about it.

Virgo merely blinked up at the man before her.

“In the name of our king, Toma E. Fiore, I am placing you under arrest for suspicion of illegal activities and collaboration with assassins.”

He towered over her, using the silly hat to make himself even taller. Although he shouldn’t have bothered. Most everyone towered over Virgo. All but Gemini, Lucy, Aries and Grandpa Crux. Though the two women were still slightly taller than her. So, would that count as ‘towering’? How much bigger did one person have to be for it to be classified as ‘towering’? Did she tower over Gemini?

In her silent theorizing, Virgo forgot to respond to her arrest, which -adding her stony facial expression- unnerved the knight before her.

“I repeat: you are under arrest for-”

“Thank you, but I understood you quite well the first time.” Virgo politely interrupted.

The knight stared at her. “I-I suggest you make this easy on yourself and come with us quietly,” at his words, more knights stepped out of the nearby alleys and side streets, encircling the lone assassin in the middle of the cobbled street, “or this will be very unpleasant.”

Virgo studied the faces behind the helmets with eerie calm. A half dozen perhaps.

Strange.

She’d thought with her reputation they’d send a few more after her. And not in this well-traversed part of town.

“I imagine it will be rather unpleasant.” Virgo stated, finding the eyes of the speaker again. “I do hope your field equipment includes a first aid-kit.”

Now the knight’s brows furrowed in outright confusion and annoyance.

He’d been told by his superiors that the “small, lithe, pink-haired female, often seen in a maid-outfit” was the “weakest member of the guild”. That she was more of “a housekeeper, not a real assassin”. And if you believed the canteen-rumours, that information had come straight from a confidential informant of the Celestials.

He'd figured arriving in full force and uniform would scare the small woman enough to get her to the castle with no trouble.

Clearly, something was off.

He watched as the pinkette in the ruffled skirt carefully put her bags down, gently setting them aside as if her biggest worry was the groceries being damaged.

Maybe assassins were just weird, the nonchalant part of his brain said. Maybe the small woman was kidding herself into thinking she could take him on, let alone all his colleagues around them.

He unclasped the handcuffs from his belt, taking a step closer to the Celestial, who was straightening the sleeves of her pink coat, watching his movement with disinterest. Or well-hidden interest. He honestly couldn’t tell with this woman. But there were a few bystanders. He had to do this by the books, with all the authority and dignity that his position demanded.

“I will repeat myself one more time; you are under arrest. If you resist, I will be forced to-”

He blinked as he stepped closer. And she was no longer in front of him.

No, the small woman was suddenly beside him, grasping the other end of the handcuffs.

Before the knight could so much as make a peep in protest, the Celestial had tugged his arm behind his back. He heard the metal clatter of the cuffs and felt one of his wrists being restricted.

“What in Zeref’s hell?!” He yelled, jumping away from the woman. His own handcuffs were dangling from one of his own wrist!

And she had the nerve to look completely calm!

“You’re rather slow.” She stated.

His colleagues stared at their superior with dumbfound expressions, trying to follow the action.

The knight stuttered something incomprehensible before finally yelling: “GET HER!”

That got about half of the soldiers around the two moving, the rest staying behind to secure the area.

Virgo let her eyes drift over the approaching ‘threats’, considering her best options.

Should she just leave? It was an option. But then, they challenged herherher. By the Assassins’ Rules, she was allowed to accept that challenge. And exercise was important after all.

Virgo stepped to the side, letting two soldiers that came running from opposites sides crash into each other.

The knight muffled a curse as their armour clattered on the cobbled ground.

He very quickly needed to get this situation under control.

The small assassin grabbed the arm of the nearest soldier, shifting her weight to send him flying over her shoulder and into a pile of snow.

She slowly roller her neck, waiting.  

“EVERYONE!” He shouted, gesturing wildly for the rest of his troop to attack, the handcuffs flying around his wrist. Where was the key for those? He had them somewhere...

More crashes sounded as the knight searched his belt for the key. When he looked up, he saw...not the assassin!

“Where did she go?!” He yelled, frantically looking around.

One of his soldiers shrugged, looking just as confused as he felt. Two more were doing their best to stand back up.

The commotion had drawn more bystanders, some with their phones out. This was bad, this was really really bad-

“Behind you!” One of them shouted, pointing their camera at him.

The knight didn’t have time to turn before a push had him stumbling forwards, straight into the confused soldier.

The pinkette stood there in the light drift of snowflakes, serene as a stone statue. She was no longer surrounded, all of them were now in front of her. Why didn’t she run? She was fast, that much was clear. Then why was she just standing there?

The knight righted himself, all too aware of all the eyes on him.

“Do you think it’s wise to mess with Fiore’s elite?” He asked loudly, trying to assert dominance in this situation.

Virgo shrugged. “It’s always fun.” She said. “But I need to get the groceries home. I’ve got eggs in there.”

The knight turned to see the pile of bags behind him. That’s why she was still here?!

His head was turned and he knew that she’d use this moment to advance again. Quickly, so fast that he heard his spine crack in protest, he turned back around, just in time to see a dash of pink dashing past the soldier to his left.

He jumped at her, ramming his startled subordinate to the side. He didn’t manage to grab her, but she had to veer to her right, close to where another soldier had just gotten back to his feet, closely flanked by another. Said soldier had his taser at the ready and the knight saw victory.

A walking stick swung at the soldier’s hand holding the buzzing taser. Another one of his colleagues was attacking one of their own?!

The soldier swore, the taser fell onto the street and the assassin had time to jump a safe distance away, right next to the traitor.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” The knight yelled at the soldier with the cane, furious at the foiled win.

How could one of his be a traitor? Had the Celestials bribed their way into their ranks? Did they have people on the inside?

But he knew all these people in his troop personally. How could one of them... And since when did a soldier fit for field-duty have a cane...?

He studied the face of the solider beside the assassin.

Hold on. No one in his group was that old.

“Are you alright, Virgo dear?”

“Splendid, thank you.” The pinkette replied.

That wasn’t one of his! That was another face from the pin board in the meeting room beneath the castle.

“That’s Gemini.” Someone behind him whispered fearfully.

“Isn’t he psychopathic?”

“That’s the one!”

Back-up! The housekeeper brought back-up. He should’ve counted on that.

“I was wondering what was taking you so long.” Virgo said, walking over to the bags of groceries.

“I saw them sneaking down the street.” Gemini said, gesturing to the beaten gaggle around the knight. “Thought I’d join them to see what was going on.”

Where was the soldier who the set of armour belonged to? The knight feared the worst. He slowly reached for his holster, for his issued firearm. Firing whilst civilians were around was strictly forbidden. But what else was he to do? Be humiliated?

“I strongly suggest you leave that be, son.” The old Celestial fixed him with a hard stare.

The knight quickly pulled the firearm free, pointing it directly at the senior.

The crowd of civilians standing behind the assassin quickly moved to the side.

“And why would I do that?” He sneered.

“It’s rather uncivilized, is it not? I’d say my partner won this round fair and square. No one likes a sore loser.” Gemini said calmly, taking a few steps towards him. What was it with Celestials and their calm?! Couldn’t they at least pretend to be intimidated for the cameras?

“There is no winning against the law!” The knight yelled back.

“I disagree.” Gemini shrugged.

From the corner of his eyes, the knight saw the figure in the pink coat standing still beside the bags, watching carefully.

“Stay right there, don’t move and surrender to the authority of-”

Crack

With a small movement of his wrist, Gemini had swung his walking stick in a perfect arch, bringing it crashing down onto the handcuff still dangling from the knight’s wrist.

The knight screamed in pain as the metal dug into his wrist, the gun flying out of his hands.

Half a second later, a fist connected with his cheek, sending a blinding flash through his head. The knight tumbled right after his gun.

A few of the soldiers tried to intercept the pinkette but she was already standing beside her partner, bags in one hand.

“Virgo!” The senior scolded, taking her free hand to inspect. “You know you shouldn’t punch people in the face. It only hurts your hands.”

Virgo looked at her sore hand, flexing her fingers experimentally. “Hm. It seems I let my emotions get the better of me.”

Gemini tutted. “Silly woman.”

Two soldiers were by the knight’s side, checking his injury and helping him back to his feet.

A few of the others stepped closer to the assassins.

“Ah-ah-ah.” Gemini said, wagging his finger at them. The soldiers froze. “Remember what I said about sore losers?”

He turned back to his partner. “We should go home, Virgo dear.”

“I agree. The eggs should be put in the fridge.”

“STOP THEM!” The knight roared, both at his soldiers and at the crowd that parted and closed behind the assassins.

He stumbled towards the civilians, refusing to look at their pointed phones as he went.

Shoving two people out of the way, he looked around for the pink coat and the stolen uniform. And couldn’t see them.

He cursed loudly, getting an outraged look from a mother with a stroller in return.

They’d lost them.

Someone held a phone right in his face.

The knight growled and snatched it out of the teen’s hand.

“Hey-!”

“This is evidence!” He yelled, waving the phone and stalked back to his dishevelled group.  

 

-----

 

“This is nice.” Lucy sighed happily, leaning her head against Natsu’s shoulder while holding the marshmallow above the flames.

Natsu hummed in agreement, a little too distracted to notice that his own marshmallow was burning.

His new year’s resolution had been simple: just tell Luce. Actually doing it had felt far more daunting but today would be the day!

When Capricorn had given him advice, both assassins had failed to take the season into consideration. A picknick with flowers wasn’t really practical in the depth of winter. So, Natsu had tweaked it a little. Instead of a picknick, a bonfire and in place of a bouquet: a bag of marshmallows. Lucy seemed to be happy; so, he took that as a win. They sat on the broken roof of the train station that had started everything, light snowflakes drifting into the dark abyss that was the crumbling hole.

Natsu took a deep breath.

“Hey, Luce?”

“Hm?”

“Y’know...we’ve been partners for a long time. And friends! Which is kinda more important – anyway, because we’ve known each other for a while, I wanted to tell you that I have been having some...emotions. And those seem pretty important-”

“Natsu, you’re on fire.”

He blinked at his partner. “Thank you?”

“No, your stick!”

The flame from the marshmallow has reached the wood of the branch he had picked up from the nearby forest and was steadily moving towards Natsu’s hand.

“Ah – shoot!” Natsu, forgetting all his pyrotechnical expertise, waved the stick around, the charred marshmallow flying off and landing in the snow with a hiss.

“Just hold it in the snow, dork.” Lucy said, biting down a smile.

“R-right. Snow.” Natsu’s face matched his hair as he put out the spontaneous torch, more than aware of Lucy smirking beside him.

“I expected better from a pyromaniac.”

“I’m not a-”

Natsu was cut off by a perfectly golden marshmallow with a gooey centre being shoved into his mouth.

“That's how you do it.” Lucy laughed. “Now, you were saying about emotions?”

Natsu, chewing furiously, tried to regain focus. “Well, you see – I was thinking – and I, with some help, came to the conclusion – that I should tell you...”

Lucy looked at him a little worried. “Yes?”

Natsu wished he had brought Happy along after all. An encouraging nod would have helped a lot.

“It’s no big deal really, just that I-”

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Both assassins jumped at the sudden alarm. A sound everyone in their circles knew and dreaded.

“An emergency flare!” Natsu said breathlessly.

Lucy was the first to pull out her phone, a red dot blinking in time with the alarm on a map of Crocus.

“It’s the guild.”

“An attack?!” Natsu kicked snow over the fire, abandoning sticks and marshmallows.

“Unlikely. Impossible.” Lucy said but he could see the panic in her eyes. “More likely an emergency meeting.”

“A meeting with an emergency flare?!”

“It must be bad.” Lucy grabbed his hand. “Come on, we’ve got to get home.”

Despite the snow and ice, Natsu was sure they had never travelled the distance between the guild and train station so fast before. The gnawing worry sped up their steps, all the while Natsu had the image of a burning guild before his eyes.

When they arrived in the street, their guild stood tall and proud as it always did, no smoke, no clashing weapons, no screams. Natsu could’ve sunk to his knees in relief at the sight if it weren’t for Loke and Aries arriving from the other side, waving them closer.

“A meeting?” Lucy asked, panting from the sprint.

“Must be.” Loke said. Natsu had never seen him look so serious.

“Aquarius sent the flare.” Aries added. “Something’s happened.”

“And it can’t be good.”

 

-----

 

Everyone was looking at Aquarius, all thirteen sets of eyes, eleven human and two from the pets.

This was her role. This was the mantle she’d taken on after Layla’s death. Whatever she decided, her nakama would follow through with it, Aquarius knew that.

That was the scariest thing about making decisions such as these. The consequences would be on her, both officially and emotionally.

But something had to be done.

The bluenette had it up to here with the Rune Knights. First, they took Natsu from them and now they’d gone after Virgo.

Thank Mavis, Natsu had managed to convince them that Virgo was the weakest link in the guild. If the knights had gone after a lone Sagittarius, or a distracted Capricorn, or a sleep deprived Loke, things could’ve gone very differently.

Two attacks in relatively close succession. There’d be more, she knew and most everyone in the dining room knew it too.

They’d humiliated the knights by busting Natsu out. But that had been subtle, far away from prying eyes and ‘officially’ no one by the name of Natsu Dragneel had ever been at the Costal Prison.

However, Virgo and Gemini had openly beaten the knights in the streets of Crocus. There’d been witnesses, photos, videos. News would spread through the city and beyond. That was a blow to their ego that the Rune Knights wouldn’t leave unanswered for long.

“So, what are we going to do?” Loke broke the silence first, watching the bluenette making up her mind.

Their leader’s eyes studied the assembled bunch of assassins before her briefly. They had some of the best fighters in Fiore gathered in the room. If not them, then who?

“We go on the offensive.” She said decisively.

Looks were exchanged around the group. Some excited, some already scheming, all as determined as her.

“Sorry, but how ‘offensive’?” Aries asked.

“I want to know everything they got on us! Everything they’re planning, and how they think they’re going to finish us off. The knights have been careful, but there’s no guarantee they won’t try an attack similar to the one on the Dragons’ guild.” She nodded to Natsu who looked back with steely resolve.

“Bombing our guild is as good as impossible.” Loke said.

“True. But they’ll try something big soon enough. It’ll be foolproof, public, and bad for us. We have to know their plans before they can set them in motion.”

“The flashiest intelligence-gathering operation to date.” Gemini said, smiling up at his partner whose eyes shone with anticipation.

“That information will be in the castle, baby.” Cancer said.

“On the lower levels.” Capricorn added.

Aquarius nodded. “I’m aware. Which is why we’ll need a good plan.”

Capricorn smiled to himself.

“Natsu told the knights that Virgo is the weakest in the guild,”, Aquarius continued and Natsu mouthed a quick ‘sorry’ at the other pinkette, “today they found out what she can do. Question is: do they still believe that Virgo is the weakest and therefore Natsu’s information is correct?”

Gemini pondered that for a moment. “Quite possibly. The ‘weakest’ of a very strong guild is still stronger than the average knight. And I, the psychopathic grandpa, was there as back-up.”

Aquarius hummed in agreement. “My thoughts exactly. So, they’ll most likely still be going on the information from Natsu.”

“How’s that going to help us?” Scorpio asked.

Aquarius smiled. “To get inside the castle, we’ll have to split up. And to do that best, we’ll need a distraction.” Her smile found the two tallest members standing at the back of the group.

Taurus grinned. “Oooooh, hell yes!” He high fived his partner.

“And who better than the ‘strongest Celestial’ and our ‘leader’?” Aquarius asked sweetly.

Sagittarius plucked the string of his bow absentmindedly, smiling as he said: “Looks like we’ll be the rabbits, moshi moshi.”

“You will be. Virgo and Gemini know the streets around the castle best. They will help you stay safe and plan a route.”

The two pairs winked at each other.

“If Virgo is otherwise occupied...does that mean I’m tech-support again?” Loke asked.

“I was thinking you could be anti-tech-support. To switch things up.” Aquarius tempted.

Loke pursed his lips. “You have my attention.”

“The lower levels have no windows. They need electronic light. Now, a power outage would come in handy...” The bluenette prompted.

Loke smiled. “I could definitely cause that.”

“Sooooo could I.” Taurus said. “Just hack at sooooome wires.”

Aquarius and Loke exchanged a glance. “I’d rather not leave too much evidence of our visit behind. There’s provocation and then there’s an unmistakable middle-finger to their faces.”

“Have you thought about this before?” Capricorn asked their leader.

Aquarius gave a non-committal shrug. “Once or twice.”

“Good.” The professor straightened his glasses. “Because so have I.”

“Suggestions?”

“We’ll need a larger search party than on our last full-guild mission.” He nodded at Lucy. “The lower levels are vast and who knows where they make their plans.”

“I agree.” Aquarius nodded.

“Virgo and I could venture there and search beforehand.” Gemini offered.

Everyone else looked unconvinced.

“Perhaps not the wisest. Since Virgo was their latest target, baby.” Cancer said.

“If we stumble on unforeseen problems, we’ll get back to you.” Aquarius decided. The two small assassins nodded.

“Lucy and I can be part of the search party.” Natsu volunteered.

“We have experience.” Lucy quickly added. “We had to find one document in a huge warehouse for the animal rights activists. And I found Natsu in the prison.”

Loke and Aquarius unsuccessfully hid their scowls at the idea.

“Better them in the search group than the distraction group.” Scorpio said.

“I guess.” His fiancé mumbled.

“Happy’s a great look-out.” Natsu pointed at the cat.

“Me-aye-ow!”

“Fine, fine. You three are Search Team 1.”

“We’re Search Team 2, baby.” Cancer raised his arm.

“I pray they are better organized than in Oshibana.” Capricorn muttered.

“Then Scorpio and I will be Search Team 3. If the searchers get discovered, we will be the ones who lead them away. Understood?” The question was directed at the teens. “No impromptu chases or fights. You two are strictly on looking and reading.”

“Yes, aunty.”

She fixed Natsu with a hard stare.

“Y-Yes, of course. No fights. Got it.”

“Loke and I are the Technical Distraction Team?” Aries asked.

“Correct.”

“Dibs Team 1!” Taurus yelled.

“Fine.” Gemini mumbled.

“We’re Distractiooooon Team 1!” Taurus proclaimed. “With the leader.”

Sagittarius rolled his eyes with a smile at his partner’s antics.

“What about the Garou Knights?!” Cancer suddenly panic-shouted into the group.

Everyone looked at the hairdresser.

“Are they even real?” Loke questioned.

“They are, baby!”

“I thooooought they’re just a scary bedtime story.”

“They’re not!”

“Based on some articles I have read,” Capricorn started, “the Garou Knights appear to be quite real.”

“Really?” Natsu was surprised. Everyone talked about the Garou Knights but no one ever saw them. Metalicana had always laughed any mention of them off, saying they're just ghosts made up by the knights to scare assassins.

“But no one has ever encountered one.” Lucy added, having been told the same as Natsu growing up.

“That’s because they are not hunters or enforcers.” Cancer lowered his voice. “They’re executioners.”

“Myth or not.” Aquarius interrupted, sensing a growing unease in the room. “The Garou Knights are said to work in the lowest levels beneath the castle.”

“Which is where we’re going!” Cancer argued.

“We will not. We will look for documents and documents only. We are not aiming to investigate all of the levels.-”

Virgo gave a disappointed pout at that.

“-If something seems too dangerous, we will leave it alone.” Aquarius stated. “This is a hunt for information, nothing we couldn’t live without, if we have to. Caution is the first rule.”

Cancer didn’t look completely satisfied but nodded nonetheless.

“Shall I get my maps of the castle?” Virgo asked, bringing the focus of the group back to the planning at hand.

“Please.” Aquarius nodded.

Virgo disappeared behind a corner.

“I’ll get my source material.” Capricorn headed for the stairs.

Taurus left to get the whiteboards from the basement.

“This feels familiar.” Scorpio said, stretching his arms.

“Only this time, everyone is here.” Lucy squeezed Natsu’s hand.

Her partner smiled back at her.

The assassins turned towards the kitchen table, ready to spend the next hours pouring over maps and reports and equipment.

Lucy tugged at Natsu’s hand, staying behind the group that shuffled into their seats.

“You wanted to tell me something?” The blonde prompted. “Something with emotions?”

“Oh, I – uh,” Natsu caught Cancer’s eyes, the hairdresser wagging his brows, making Natsu look right back at his partner, “it can wait.”

“You sure?” Lucy walked to an empty chair around the table. “It sounded important.”

Natsu waved her off, stubbornly refusing to look at Cancer. “Nah, I’ll tell you later.”

Lucy shrugged, taking an offered book from Capricorn off the pile the professor had brought down. “Okay.”

Natsu met Capricorn’s gaze over the blonde head of hair.

He raised an eyebrow.

Natsu mumbled something too quiet for anyone to catch, focusing his attention on petting Happy.

Cancer rolled his eyes.

Aquarius and Scorpio were wondering what was going on.

Lucy was oblivious to it all.

Notes:

Alright, the final stretch of the story has begun 😊

Chapter 38: Beneath the Castle

Aries would deny it until she died, but she was a little scared about going into the castle. She too had grown up hearing horror stories about the Garou Knights, how no assassin who went beneath the castle was ever seen again.

“Everything alright, love?” Loke asked, his knees pressed against hers where they sat hunched over in an old dumbwaiter.

“Of course.” Aries evaded.

Loke raised an eyebrow. She’d never been able to hide her thoughts from him, let alone under such close proximity.

“A bit worried.” She admitted. “We’re pretty far apart.” Referring to the individual teams, not herself and her partner.

“True.” Loke mumbled.

Virgo and Gemini had guided them all inside the castle through an ancient passageway that may have been used for deliveries or secret rendezvous back in the day.

Loke and herself had been shown to the old freight elevator, once used to bring hot dishes from the lower kitchens up to the dining rooms. Gemini’s directions were clear: one floor up and right across from them should be the main machine room. Given that the senior and Virgo seemed to know the castle’s layout off by heart made Aries wonder if her two nakama even possessed fear receptors.

Although Aries and Loke were squished inside an old dumbwaiter that hadn’t seen repairs for at least a few decades, they had the safest jobs on their hunt for information.

“Sagittarius will be chased around by knights.” Loke mused. “But he’ll have Taurus, Gemini, and Virgo looking out for him.”

“And the entire castle guard on his heels.”

“True.” Loke sighed. “But Sag is fast. And Gemini and Virgo know every nook and cranny in this place. And Taurus will bring the whole castle down before he’ll leave Sag. They can escape if they need to.”

“And six of our nakama will be underground.” Aries deadpanned.

There would be no running for them.

“I know.” Loke sighed again. “That’s what we’re here for. We’ll cause chaos and no one will notice them.”

“Still.” Aries paused. “Do you think this is smart?”

“Sitting in this dumbwaiter? No. I doubt any engineer has looked at this since-”

“No,” Aries interrupted, “I mean this entire mission. It’s dangerous.”

“It’s a little risky...”

“It’s bordering on reckless!” Aries argued. “This isn’t like Aquarius.”

“What would you have her do? Wait for another chance attack on one of us? Or another dark guild being paid off to hurt us?”

“No. I-” Aries took a deep breath, “I’m just worried.” She studied her partner. “This might be the first time you’re calmer than me in a dangerous situation.”

“Oh, trust me, love.” Loke played with the rings on his fingers. “I’m scared shitless.”

“Loke!” Aries hissed, biting down a smile. It was rare to hear her eloquent and fine-mannered partner swear so casually.

“It’s the truth.” Loke shrugged as much as he could. “The fact that Lucy will go underground, separated from most of us, with no telling how many knights are around-”

His phone buzzed twice, cutting of the panicked rant. The signal.

The two looked at each other.

“Let’s go.”

 

On a peaceful Sunday, sometime in early spring, only a few guards were posted inside the castle. Everyone else was enjoying their weekend. It was calm.

No one heard or saw the ancient dumbwaiter slide open, nor saw two suspicious individuals stepping out of it, hurrying to the machine room across the hall. No one was there to raise an eyebrow as an old tapestry was pushed to the side and a whole group of people who should not be there stepped out of a forgotten doorway. Six carried empty backpacks and were dressed in black, three more were covered in white powder as they took positions around the gallery, and one wore a peculiar onesie with a horse design. Truly a group to behold, but no one did.

Without a button being pressed, all the elevators rose to the highest floor and stayed there. With further manipulation from the first duo, the doors to the elevators slid open, revealing the dark and empty shaft going far down.

With a nod to each other, the two cut through multiple cables inside the machine room, sinking the entire lower floors into darkness.

After waiting for a daydreaming guard to round the corner on the main floor, the six people dressed in dark didn’t hesitate and jumped into the shaft, using the thick cables to slide down into the lower floors, night vision goggles giving their eyes a green hue.

The two youngest of the group jumped off first, arriving silently in the pitch darkness of the first floor beneath the castle. The second pair, one a former professor, the other a hairstylist, departed one floor beneath them. Jumping off the cable and onto Floor -3 were the last two, recently engaged.

Three floors were as far as any of them dared to go. Tempting fate was one thing, outright challenging it quite another.

A frustrated knight, previously sitting comfortably in his office on Floor -2 watching football highlights, fumbled for the phone on his desk. It took him a few minutes until he managed to dial the right number.

A few floors above him, another telephone rang, shrill and annoyed just like the caller.

The guard on duty picked it up, startled out of her nap on such a peaceful day.

“Hello?” She said, supressing a yawn.

“It’s dark!” A agitated voice yelled.

“...right.” The guard blinked a few times. “Have you tried opening your eyes?”

The knight’s eye twitched. “The power is out, genius!” He shouted into the receiver, attempting -unsuccessfully- to find a flashlight in his drawer.

“Huh.” The guard looked up. “Ours is working.”

The knight took a very deep breath. “That’s nice.” He said through gritted teeth. “Ours isn’t!”

“Alright, alright.” The young guard stretched her arms. “I’ll give maintenance a ring. They’ll send someone down.”

Maintenance found it strange that a power outage could happen on a day with no storms or disturbances reported elsewhere in the city. They did send someone to investigate the problem. Had the electrician reached the elevators, he would have seen the open doors and the absence of any elevators behind them. That would have raised alarm for sure and every available knight would have swarmed to the lower floors of the castle.

However, before the electrician could reach the elevators, a peculiar figure blocked his way.

“Hello there, moshi moshi.”

The electrician looked up from his phone, seeing a gangly figure in a horse-onesie leaning against the doorframe before him.

The confused man looked him up and down. “Hi?”

The stranger cleared his throat. “I am Sagittarius of the Celestials.”

Both stared at each other for a few seconds.

The tall man sighed. “Please tell your boss that I am here.”

“Do you...have an appointment?” The electrician asked, quite sure of the answer.

“No, moshi moshi. But trust me that they’ll want to know either way.”

Deciding that he didn’t get paid enough for this, the electrician pulled out his walkie-talkie and waited for his superior to answer.

No more than thirty seconds later and no one was thinking about the power outage or the lower floors anymore. Everyone was too busy chasing after the leader of the Celestials, who appeared and disappeared around corners and into shadows inside the castle.

The six people sneaking around beneath the surface had complete peace to work.

 

-----

 

Lucy snuck down the dark corridor, seeing the stone walls and passing doors of Floor -1 in shades of green through the night vision goggles.

Natsu was behind her, soundless as a cat, only detectable through the warmth Lucy could feel at her back.

Administration one door read. Perhaps a ruse to protect valuable information from spies. But the knights felt more than safe in the castle. Why would they feel the need for added security?

They moved on, scanning the labels as they went.

Registration

Office CX – CXXV

Storage XIV

Lucy was reconsidering the knights’ ability to hide their important documents when Natsu tapped her shoulder. They were standing next to a door, sunken into the wall and hidden from immediate sight.

Authorized Personnel Only!

Lucy grinned and handed Natsu Gemini-the-pocketknife. Without looking, Natsu pulled out the lockpicks and began to work. She would never understand how someone who had trouble sitting still, could be so calm when fidgeting with the intricate mechanisms of a lock. After a guild-wide competition, she’d had to reluctantly agree that she and Natsu were evenly tied when it came to lockpicking. The real showdown had of course been between Gemini and Virgo; a very polite showdown in which both parties continued to encourage and complement each other, much to Loke’s displeasure as he’d been trying to gather bets.

The click was deafening in the silence and Lucy prayed that the knights were too busy with fixing the power outage to investigate along the hallways.

Natsu disappeared inside the room, Lucy right behind him, closing the door as silently as possible.

“Alright.” Natsu whispered, letting Happy jump out of his backpack.

“Light.” Lucy responded, switching on the hidden flashlight in Loke-the-dagger’s pommel. Natsu followed suit, both teens taking off the goggles. Reading through countless documents would be faster in normal lighting.

“I think we’re in the right place, Luce.” Natsu said, looking at the rows of filing cupboards lined up against the walls, creating a small labyrinth inside the room.

“Oh joy.” Lucy muttered.

“Time?” Natsu asked.

The blonde looked at her phone.

“Seven minutes and thirty-two seconds until rendezvous.”

“Then let’s be quick.”

The teens split up, starting on either side of the large room whilst Happy stayed by the door, ears poised to catch any distant footsteps in the hallway.

Lucy scanned the labels on the cabinets. Alphabetized. Capricorn would approve.

She was standing at the end of the alphabet.

“I got C.” Natsu whispered over, knowing her thoughts.

Lucy nodded, racking her brain for what information might be useful.

U for Urgent?

She rifled through the neat lines of folders inside the cabinet, holding the flashlight between her teeth. Nothing caught her eye.

P for Plans?

Lucy opened the first drawer, the name of the first folder greeting her.

Phantom Lord

She hummed in interest, pulling out the contents of the yellow file from Aries’ first guild.

Gleaming eyes paired with a creepily wide smile looked up at her from a black and white photo.

“Jose Porla.” Lucy mumbled to herself. A fitting face for the reputation Phantom Lord had.

She shoved all the pages into the carrier bag over her shoulder. Perhaps not useful to the task at hand, but maybe valuable for two assassins back home to catch up on.

“Anything?” She asked Natsu, walking up to his side of the room.

He held up one of the larger yellow files.

Celestials

Natsu tipped the file over. Empty.

Lucy felt like swearing into the silent room.

“Seems like someone else is interested in us too.”

“You think Lahar?” Lucy asked.

Natsu shrugged, placing the empty folder back into the drawer. “Likely.”

“That means the information will be somewhere else.”

Natsu checked his phone. “Four minutes and a little.” He said.

“Not enough time to search again.”

He shook his head in agreement. “We’ll have to hope the other teams found something.”

“What should we do while we’re here?”

Natsu thought for a moment, his eyes catching on the cabinet close by.

F

Natsu opened the first drawer, scanning through the files.

“Fairy Tail.” Lucy whispered excitedly, seeing the guild’s name in the first row.

“Looks like most of it was taken out already.” Natsu looked inside the slim file.

“Still.” Lucy held her bag open. “Aries and Loke might be interested.”

Natsu shrugged, slipping the few pages in the carrier.

“Are you looking for the Dragons?” Lucy asked quietly when Natsu continued to rifle through the rows of files.

He hummed. “There’s nothing in D. I checked.”

“F for...”

“Fallen, yes.” Natsu kept his eyes trained in front of him.

Suddenly, the cabinets labelled F looked suspiciously large in quantity to Lucy.

She opened the cabinet beside Natsu’s, the label jumping out at her.

Fallen

“Natsu.” She whispered. “I got it. You’re in the guild section.”

The cabinet seemed to mock them with its size.

“That’s a lot.” Natsu said heavily.

Lucy only nodded numbly. “It’s not the only one either.” She checked her watch. “Two minutes seventeen.”

“Alright.” Natsu crouched down, looking through the lower drawer.

Lucy mirrored his movement, looking at the crooked and squeezed files inside. “This organization...leaves to be desired.” She muttered.

“Looks like they just stuffed the folder in here when they were done with a guild.” Natsu said, his emotions poorly suppressed.

Lucy squeezed his hand in the dark wordlessly.

“Let’s find them.”

 

-----

 

Two floors lower, Aquarius and Scorpio moved through the pitch-dark hallways without a sound. They ducked into a corner when a knight stomped past them with a flashlight, muttering something about lazy guards and a useless maintenance crew.

Through most doors they pressed their ears against, muttering of annoyed knights was audible, impatient for the power outage to be fixed. One office has started singing to pass the time, the country’s national anthem sounding through the doors off key. Another two knights were playing ‘I spy’, the answer being ‘darkness’ three times in a row.

The engaged couple moved on, scanning doors and signs through their goggles. The knights’ muttering (and singing) ebbed away the further they moved down the long hallway.

Conference Rooms

Deciding they had enough time before rendezvous to look around further, the two split up, each taking one side of the hallway.

Aquarius listened at the door of Conference Room I and dared to open the door when she heard nothing inside. The room was deserted, one forgotten coffee mug the only telling object that anyone had been there. She made eye contact with Scorpio’s night vision goggles at the door to Conference Room II. Both shook their heads and moved on.

III and IV, V and VI yielded the same results.

Scorpio stuck his head into Conference Room VIII, scanning the space for anything useful. His attention was immediately taken by a face that he’d recognize in every lifetime. Her usually brown eyes were black through the goggles, but the glare was unmistakably that of his fiancé.

Scorpio clicked his tongue and Aquarius was by his side. They slipped inside the room, closing the door behind them. Taking off her goggled, Aquarius blinked in the brightness of their flashlights.

“Jackpot.” Scorpio whispered beside her.

The air inside the room smelled of stale coffee, evidence that it had been frequently used. And on the far side stood a huge pinboard, covered in so many photos, articles and post-its that the original board was no longer visible.

Aquarius found her own face staring back at her, arms crossed with a mean scowl on her lips. It was her wanted poster.

Scorpio gestured to it as they walked closer.

“I recognize that dress. Wasn’t that a date night, babe?”

“It was.” Aquarius studied the offered amount of jewels for her capture. The number in the high millions was acceptable to her.

“Why were you glaring during one of our dates?”

“I was trying to read the specials menu!” Aquarius hissed. “It was on the other side of the restaurant!”

Scorpio laughed silently as they studied the other photos. Most were snapshots of their nakama, taken discretely whilst walking past. Except Loke’s; the lion smiling devilishly into the camera, looking like a model at a shoot. Aquarius rolled her eyes. The ginger assassin has probably asked the undercover knight to get him at a better angle.

Natsu’s and Lucy’s posters hung together in one corner of the board; Natsu’s photo being his mugshot from the Costal Prison, the ugly gash on his temple making Aquarius wince. Lucy’s was a blurry, black-and-white photo taken from one of the prison’s security cameras. She still wore the wig and glasses and the poster only read “Stella?” and “Starlight”. At least her youngest protégé was still relatively unknown to the knights.

But then Aquarius started focusing on the printed pages and little notes posted around the board. And her heart sunk. The plans she read were crude and unfinished, but they got the point across:

 

Befriend Neighbours

Discretely move them (invite somewhere?)

Bomb guild

Damage control? Destruction of neighbouring houses?

Explanation: Gas Leak?

 

Fresh Water

Poison to weaken guild

How to isolate their water supply?

 

TUNNEL A

Connection to basement of nearby produce store

TUNNEL B

Connection to sewers beneath Square Market

Most effective use?

Gas

Sneak attack

Full scale attack

 

“Holy Mavis.” Scorpio whispered beside her, following the same notes as Aquarius. “How did they find two of our tunnels?”

“I don’t know.” Aquarius swallowed heavily, the lump of fear refusing to leave.

“Virgo won’t be happy.”

“We need to take pictures of this.” Aquarius got out her phone.

The two snapped photos of every inch of the pinboard, knowing for sure they’d found more information than any of their nakama.

 

-----

 

“One minute until rendezvous.” Loke looked at the timer on his phone.

“We should head to the elevators.” Aries confirmed.

The anti-tech support had stayed in the machine room since they’d manipulated the elevators for their nakama. They’d occasionally heard shouts and running guards pass outside the door, but no one thought to check there.

Aries listened at the door while Loke packed up his small bag of tools.

“All quiet.” She reported and creaked the door open.

“Perfect.” Loke slipped into the hallway first. “Looks like we’re in the cl-AAARGH!”

Loke nearly jumped out of his skin as he rounded the doorway into the hallway, Aries clinging onto him in surprise at the sudden yell.

Inches from Loke’s face stood a tall man, the lower half of his face covered by an iron mask and two huge scythes loomed over his shoulders. Beside him was a small woman with messy, pink hair wearing a large, fluffy cap.

“Hello.” The man said, ignoring Loke’s hectic breathing.

“Hi.” The ginger assassin panted, noticing how Aries’ grip on his arm tightened considerably as she took in the two people standing before them.

“Are you the tech-guys?” The scythe-man asked. He noticed a shaking Aries, half hidden behind Loke. “Sorry, tech-people?”

“We are!” Loke recovered quickly, confidently swinging the tool-bag over his free shoulder.

“The power is out on the lower levels.” The small woman piped up, examining her nails. “Even the elevators are out. We had to use the stairs. Not cute.”

“We have heard of that issue.” Loke assured them, trying to hide a wince at Aries’ finger’s digging into his arms like vice grips. “It looks like some of the old cables burned through.”

The man in the armour and scythes sighed. “Always lazy with the maintenance.”

“Tell me about it!” Loke rolled his eyes, playing his role. “You should see the budget they give us! It’s ridiculous.”

“I know. The lowest levels haven’t had a renovation for over a decade!”

Loke hoped Aries’ little squeak at the words ‘lowest levels’ went unnoticed.

“We don’t even have AC.” The woman dressed like one big flower sighed. Her eyes fixed on Aries and before either Celestial could react, she lunged forward.

Aries let out a shocked squeal when the other pinkette was suddenly holding her arm.

“Your mittens are sooo cute!” The Garou Knightess exclaimed, running her fingers up and down the soft material on Aries’ arm.

Loke, who had thought their ruse had been discovered and they’d imminently be thrown into the lowest level, never to be heard from again, could hear his heartbeat in his eardrums.

Seeing that Aries looked like she was about to faint, her whole frame shaking like a leaf, Loke quickly jumped in:

“Yes, Junior Electrician Ram is quite the craftswoman.” He swung an arm around his partner’s shoulder, discretely nudging the two pink-haired women apart. “Now, we have to give our report to the high-ups and hopefully this will all be fixed quickly.”

Loke turned the two of them around, turning their backs on possibly the most dangerous employees of the castle.

“Hang on!”

Both partners froze in their steps at the Garou Knight’s demanding voice.

“How come the back-up generator didn’t kick in?” The knight asked.

Loke, who had disables the back-up generator before he’d even cut the power cables, turned back around with the most confident smile he could fake.

“The generator runs on solar energy.” Was the first excuse he could think of.

The Garou Knights raised their eyebrows. Even Aries briefly stopped in her quivering to shoot him a confused look.

“It runs on...sunlight?” The woman asked. “Like flowers?”

“Yup.” Loke could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead. “Due to the recent push to be more environmentally friendly, solar panels were installed on the roofs of the castle.”

“Really.” The scary-looking knight looked to the ceiling, as if he could see the non-existent panels above them.

“Uh-huh, those replaced the toxic batteries from before.” Loke was sure Capricorn would come busting through the floor from beneath them, ready to lecture everyone in the vicinity on sustainable energy to combat the nonsense he was spewing.

“And...the panels are broken?” The knightess asked.

“No, no.” Loke desperately thought of a way to round up the fairy tale he’d created. “You see, during the winter, there was snow on the panels, so they could get no sunlight and store no energy. And because,” he swallowed heavily and prayed to Mavis this would work, “it is only now starting to get warmer, the solar panels haven’t had time to charge enough energy to sustain such a large power outage.”

The two groups looked at each other, blank expressions hiding bare nerves and confusion respectively.

“Makes sense.” The Garou Knightess shrugged. “Some plants hibernate over the winter and need their time to grow all big and beautiful in the spring.”

“I guess.” The taller one stated.

Loke felt like his knees would give out in relief.

The Garou Knights turned to leave.

“Just have it fixed quickly.” The man said, the sharp weapons over his shoulders glinting in the light as he moved. “It would be difficult to help sinners repent in the complete darkness.”

Loke laughed nervously. “I bet. We’re on it.” With an awkward salute, he turned himself and Aries around. They sped-walked down the corridor, not once daring to look back.

“Those...those were-” Aries started.

“I know, love.” Loke said, his voice shaky.

It took them only a few moments until they arrived at the open and empty elevator shafts, with six of their nakama standing there, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible.

“How are you two the ones that are late?” Aquarius hissed as they got close. She noticed Loke’s paleness and Aries’ shaky hands. “What happened?”

“Later.” Loke rasped. “Let’s get out of here.”

Although eight people without uniforms should have looked suspicious in a military stronghold, no one stopped or questioned the group as the snuck back to the art gallery. Everyone was too busy chasing a shadow, judging by the sound of it, on the other side of the ground floor. Just as planned.

“Yooooou’re back!” Half the group flinched as the largest statue jumped in front of them.

“Was the mission successful?” Virgo dusted her pinafore, the fine, white powder encircling her like a ghost in the mist.

“Not exactly relevant,” Lucy looked at her bag, filled to the brim with papers, “but useful either way.”

“As it turns out, Floor -2 is where the canteens are located, baby.” Cancer sighed.

“They use too much salt in the vegetable broth.” Capricorn added.

“We found some...relevant information.” Aquarius’ tone revealed to some that it was both very relevant and very serious. “We have to get home. Where are-”

On cue, Sagittarius came bounding around the corner, out of breath as he careened into Taurus who caught him easily.

Gemini came hobbling around the opposite entrance.

“We got thirty seconds!” The old man announced, trailing white particles behind him. “Until they realize he took a shortcut back here.”

“Plenty of time.” Virgo elegantly held the ancient tapestry to the side, inviting the group to step into the forgotten entrance way and out of the castle.

Six spies, two anti-technicians, three statues, a cat, and a distraction made their way casually onto the streets surrounding the impressive feat of architecture while inside, half the knights were grumbling in the dark and the other half were chasing their own shadows.

The whole operation had been started and completed in less than half an hour. And would have consequences that would last far longer than that.

Chapter 39: Sleepless in Fiore

Captain Lahar stood in his conference room, VIII on Floor -3, staring at the pinboard and the collected faces upon it.

Something was very wrong.

The Celestial leader had been spotted inside the castle, had led the guards on a wild goose chase from one end of the building to the other.

That, Lahar could have written off as paranoia. Perhaps a young cadette had started seeing faces in shadows, had heard the stories, and had jumped into action.

But that wasn’t all.

A power outage had sunken the lower floors beneath the castle into the dark, including the room he was standing in now.

Perhaps one of the cables had burned through. With the old equipment used, no one would be surprised. However, once the technicians had arrived on scene, they had reported that the cables had been expertly cut. Only the ones that would cause perfect darkness only on the lower floors. That screamed of sabotage.

Something was off. Lahar could smell it. Someone had been inside this room, even if nothing was out of place. He could feel it.

Not to mention the timing! Sundays were the calmest days, the fewest guards, the fewest knights present. Far too many infractions at once to possibly be considered a coincidence. It had been his day off too. Lahar had gotten a confusing call but as soon as the word “Celestial” had fallen, he’d been running to his car, on his way to the centre of Crocus.  

He’d immediately ordered an inventory to be done for every filing cabinet, office, every storage closet. Not a very popular order, and as it turned out, rarely anyone went through the bureaucratic procedures of taking out paperwork and simply took the file they wanted. There was no way of knowing which missing file might have been stolen, and which had simply found its way into the lowest drawer of a lazy officer.

“It was them.” Lahar said, still looking at the pictures and wanted posters before him.

“Are you sure, sir?” A young knight by the name of Mest Gryder, who Lahar had claimed as his assistant, asked.

“I am. Sagittarius spotted inside the castle, the power cut, documents missing...”

“But if their leader was really here,” the young man started, looking at the wanted poster in the centre of the board. It showed the tall assassin in question, bow drawn during an archery tournament, his muscly partner screaming encouragements in the background, “how did no one catch him?”

Lahar sighed. “That is an excellent question that I will relay to the guards on duty.”

“How would the Celestials even get inside the castle?”

“Yet another, excellent question.” And it irked Lahar to no end that he couldn’t answer either. It was dangerous to have some of the most skilled assassins being able to wander into his place of work as they pleased. Especially highly skilled assassins that held a personal grudge against him. Lahar absentmindedly touched the bridge of his nose, the slight bump barely noticeable but he still felt it.  

“If they were here-”

“They were.”

“-then they didn’t take anything from here.” The Mest examined the pinboard. “Did they?”

“No.” Lahar had walked the perimeters of his room meticulously, had crawled along the cheap carpet for any signs of intrusion. Nothing. Yet he was certain they had been here. What were the odds that the “best” assassins in this city hadn’t found the one room dedicated to their downfall? “But I am willing to bet they took inventory of what we know.”

“Excuse me sir...but what do we know?”

“Quite a lot, actually.” Lahar retorted, feeling himself get defensive. His passion-project had been written off as ‘impossible’ or ‘a joke’ by many of his colleagues of all ranks. Especially after the Costal Prison fiasco. “We found two tunnels we believe lead into their guild.”

Mest studied the post-its Lahar gestured to.

“How did we find the one in the sewers?”

“A loyal citizen reported it.”

Total coincidence. In actuality, they’d gotten a report about illegal trades being made below the streets of Crocus. One of the tunnels that had housed the illicit trading hadn’t been documented on any map.

“And how do we know they lead to the guild?”

“Natsu. The Dragon-turned-Celestial let that tidbit slide during one of my interrogations.” Lahar said proudly. “Apparently one of those criminals is quite the craftsman.”

“Then why haven’t we stormed the tunnels?”

Lahar sighed again. He’d desperately tried to get a commando together for exactly that. However, his superiors had laughed his request off, stating that he should lay low after letting his prison be stormed by assassins before making more demands. And now the one trump card they had: possible, discrete access to their homebase, was lost.

“Bureaucratic difficulties.” He answered.

The young knight hummed, not digging deeper on the issue.

“I am wondering though...” he started after a few moments of both staring at the board.

“Yes?” Lahar hoped it wasn’t a stupid question. He couldn’t deal with much more today.

“Why would they go through all this effort? We don’t know that much about them. Nothing that could seriously hurt them.” Mest added quickly, seeing Lahar’s glare. “Why break in at all.”

That, Lahar could answer. And he couldn’t stop the little smile that formed on his lips.

“Because they are scared.”

“Scared?”

“Yes.”

“Breaking into our stronghold doesn’t look like fear to me, sir.”

“Oh, but it does. Why else take the risk? We went after one of theirs-”

“Virgo?”

“Yes, Virgo.” An unholy mess that luckily hadn’t been under his orders. “And that rattled them.”

His assistant hummed again. “What will you do now, sir?”

That had been the main thing on Lahar’s mind. His next step. This attack demanded an answer.

He examined the pinboard.

“We need to do something that isn’t on here, something they won’t expect.”

First, the Celestials had blown the gates to his prison wide open when busting out the infuriating pink-haired kid. It was far out of the public eye, but his colleagues knew. And they never let him forget. Next, the two smallest members of their guild had played cat-and-mice with a half dozen of Crocus’ finest. And apparently, they had been the cats all along. And now they had practically pranced around the castle, mocking him and everyone inside.

“What might that be?” Mest asked.

Lahar smiled. The Celestials had humiliated him yet again today. But they had also shown their hand. They’d been freaked out enough to enter this fortress. And what they had found in here must have heightened their fear exponentially. None of the plans on the board were finalized or had gone beyond the brainstorming phase. But his enemies didn't know that.

Lahar planned on capitalizing on that fear. In hopes they would make another reckless move. One he would be better prepared for.

“Something so simple, they won’t see it coming.”

 

-----

 

Aquarius wandered through the dark corridors of the guild, her nakama sleeping behind the closed doors she passed.

Everyone was on edge after going through their findings. All but Natsu and Lucy. They didn’t know all of the details. By design. The teens had run off with their found documents and might still be going through them.

Virgo had immediately gone and collapsed the discovered tunnels, making them impossible to access from either side.

Loke and Aries had made plans to discretely check out all of their neighbours tomorrow, checking if they were truly who they claimed to be.

Capricorn had run tests on their freshwater.

Taurus and Sagittarius had checked all of the vents for signs of foul play.

The building was safe. But for how long?

Aquarius arrived in the living room, the gentle moonlight framing her best friend’s face inside the picture. But for the first time, Layla’s kind smile did not bring the bluenette any comfort.

How had she not noticed the Rune Knights creeping into her neighbourhood? How had they discovered a couple of their tunnels? Why hadn’t she thought of a backup water supply for the guild?

The Celestials had grown too dangerous for the knights. And something would be done.

Aquarius turned away from Layla’s photo. She had to diffuse the threat. But how? How could one guild go up against a whole country?

They could not stop doing their work, no assassin under her roof would stand for it. And what kind of message would that send to the rest of Fiore? But if they kept going, what would happen to the people she cared most for?

Aquarius sighed into the silence. Her role as protector and leader of her best friend’s guild had not weighed this heavily on her since Layla passed away.

RIIIING

The hallway telephone didn’t have time to wake anyone with a second ring, the receiver already in Aquarius’ hand.

 

-----

 

Siegrain stretched his arms over his head, hearing joints pop in a satisfying order.

It was late. Or early, depending on your point of view. The youngest council member had been working through piles and piles of paperwork and was very ready to head home and sleep until he no longer saw fine print beneath closed eyes.

Just as he was about to close his laptop, a familiar ping had a new email popping up on his screen. Usually, Siegrain would have called it a night and dealt with it tomorrow. But two words immediately caught his eyes. ‘Celestials’ and ‘Castle’. In the same sentence. That could not be good.

Siegrain flew over the report sent to him. Knights had spotted Sagittarius of the Celestials inside the castle in Crocus. There had been injuries and destruction of machinery equipment.

Siegrain blinked into the darkness of his office.

“What?” He asked no one.

No guild he knew was dumb enough to launch a full-scale attack against the Knights’ castle. Except, apparently, he did know one.

His council-issued phone was in his hand, the dial tone already sounding through the silent office.

“Celestial guild of Crocus, Aquarius aka. the Waterbearer speaking.” A familiar voice came out of the speaker.

“Good evening, Aquarius.” Siegrain looked at the clock hanging above his door. “Or should I say good morning?”

“If you’re calling, it can’t be a good anything.” Aquarius shot back. But her voice lacked its usual venom. “Why are you still working?”

Siegrain chuckled soundlessly. He had worked so many hours overtime, he could take the next three years off. The thought tempted him sometimes, up until the moment he remembered the whole council would surely break apart without him.

“Oh, the work of the council is never done.” He said eloquently.

Aquarius snorted. “I can send one of my nakama over who’ll give you a detailed presentation on a proper work-life balance.”

“No threats tonight, Aquarius.” Siegrain yawned. “I’m too tired for that.”

“Then why are you calling, Fernandez?”

Siegrain looked at his laptop again. “I got a very interesting report just now. Your guild was mentioned. Care to wager a guess what it discusses?”

Aquarius sighed through the line, sounding more defeated than annoyed. An uneasy feeling spread through Siegrain’s guts.

“Yeah, we did a thing.”

“Is that what you’d call it; a thing?!”

“...yeah.”

“Aquarius, you broke into the knight’s strongest stronghold. Without informing anyone.”

“I thought that was just a guideline.”

“Let’s not start that again.” Siegrain massaged his temple. “You attacked the castle. What in Mavis’ name possessed you to do something so stupid?”

“First of all: it wasn’t an attack.”

“Oh?”

“It was an intelligence gathering mission.”

Siegrain bit his tongue before a comment on the Celestials desperately needing more intelligence could slip out.

“Right.”

“And it was entirely necessary.”

“How so?”

“They went after one of mine again.”

“Virgo.” Siegrain had heard of the incident, had chuckled at the videos of the small pinkette flipping knights around like strawmen.

“Exactly.”

“And that led to you infiltrating the castle? As far as I heard, Virgo and Gemini were both unharmed.”

“Not the point. Two attacks back-to-back. I knew they’d be planning something bigger.”

“And?” Siegrain prompted. “Are they?”

Aquarius sighed again, more fatigue than anything else in her voice. Siegrain didn’t like that at all.

“They are.” She said quietly.

“Bad?”

“Bad.” Aquarius confirmed. “They’re playing multiple angles. Everything from a full-scale attack to poison to dynamite.”

Siegrain swallowed heavily. He’d dealt with an angry Aquarius many times before, during assassin meetings, over the phone, and at times through her biannual reports to the council. But he’d never faced a scared Aquarius. Siegrain doubted many people had. And that scared him more than any fury the assassin on the other end of the line could have unleashed upon him.

“What are you going to do about it?”

“I don’t know.” Aquarius admitted. “The threat is so big, I don’t know where to look.”

Siegrain fidgeted with a pen on his desk. “Your guild will be the target.”

“I’m aware.”

“Thought of taking a holiday? I hear Seven is lovely this time of year.”

Aquarius huffed. “Everyone here is too stubborn to run.”

Of course they were.

“Has becoming spirits crossed your mind?”

“Briefly...” Aquarius started, “there’s just one flaw.”

“Which is?”

“The kids.”

“The kids.” Siegrain repeated. Those being Layla’s daughter Lucy and recently adopted Dragon Natsu.

“Yeah, I can’t leave them by themselves.”

Both assassins sighed in harmony.

“Looks like you’re in a real mess, dearest Aquarius.”

“Tell me about it.”

“The knights will retaliate sooner rather than later.”

“I’m aware. Don’t worry, no guild is being wiped out in Crocus again. Not on my watch. I know that would be a mountain of paperwork for you.”

“It would be.”

“I’ll think of something.”

“I’m sure you will. Oh, and Aquarius,” Siegrain added, “remember that you have resources. The council is there for more than being a pain in your backside.”

“That would be a first...but I’ll remember that.”

“Good. Have a restful night. Try to get some sleep.”

“Look who’s talking.”

“Touché.”

“Good night, Fernandez.”

“Good morning, Aquarius.”

 

-----

 

The telephone call between the two blue-haired assassins remained unnoticed by the only other two awake in the guild, Natsu and Lucy. The teens sat on Natsu’s carpet, had been for hours now, still pouring over the files they’d hastily pulled out of the knights’ Fallen cabinet.

Since the alphabetisation of the drawer had left much to be desired and time had been running out, Natsu had simple pulled out a large chunk of pages around the letter D, hoping it might include something from his family.

The two had spent the better part of the night organizing and categorizing the pages upon pages of reports, photos, and documents.

“Here!” Natsu had said, sometime around midnight.

“You found them?” Lucy had dropped her pile, shuffling closer to Natsu’s side.

“It says July 7^th, that was the day...” Natsu trailed off, eyes flying over the page.

“They call it...” He’d swallowed heavily. “They called it Project Acnologia.”

“The attack on your guild?” Lucy tried catching up by reading over his shoulder.

“No, the bomb they used. I knew the accidental explosion was a lie!” He’d paced up and down his room, eyes fixed on the pages in his hands.

“No one doubted it!” Lucy quickly assured him. “Does it say who ordered the attack...or why?”

Natsu had shaken his head, turning the few pages over and over again.

“Nothing. It describes the successful detonation of the explosive but that it was stronger and more unpredictable than assumed and junk like that...they – they,” he had to clear his throat, “they used the word extermination.”

Natsu had sunk back onto the ground, leaning heavily against his partner who immediately started running her fingers through his hair.

“I’m sorry, Natsu.” Lucy whispered.

He shrugged beside her. “Nothing to be done, Luce. It’s not like this would’ve brought them back,” he’d gestured to the few pages in his hand, “I just wish I knew what suddenly made us targets.”

“I doubt there was any rhyme or reason behind it. Just fear.”

The two had sat like that for many minutes. Until Natsu had shaken himself and declared that he wanted to see what else they’d gotten from the Fallen cabinet. Lucy hadn’t objected, curious herself, and knowing that her partner needed something to do to distract himself.

Many hours had passed since then, and the only relevant pages they found were a few surveillance photos of the Dragons, which Natsu carefully smoothed out and placed to the side.

Currently, Lucy was looking through the last pile of documents they’d snagged.

“I think we got some documents from the C portion of the drawer.” Lucy told Natsu. “Have you ever heard of Cait Shelter?”

The pinkette thought for a moment, watching a sleeping Happy swinging gently in the hammock.

“No, I don’t think so.”

“The knights got them a few months ago. Judging by this, also with an explosion.”

“Poor souls.” Natsu leaned closer to examine the report over her shoulder. “Any explanation there?”

“Just the typical threat to the security of Fiore nonsense.”

Lucy pulled out a wanted poster with the face of a smiling, older man wearing a feather headdress.

“This was the guild master.”

“Must’ve been an important guy if the knights went after him so strong.” Natsu gave the picture a respectful nod.

Lucy hummed in agreement. “They were all the way in Worth Woodsea too. That’s not exactly a central location to anything.”

Natsu looked at the pile of paper. “What else is there?”

“Looks like some more posters, missions linked to the guild, and an attempt at piecing together a list of members.” Lucy rustled through the pages.

She handed Natsu the list of possible guild associations and assumed members, mostly consisting of chosen assassin names and filled with question marks. Lucy looked through the posters, giving a silent thank you and goodbye to the faces she saw on them. Just as she’d moved on to the biggest missions Cait Shelter had accomplished during their time, she heard Natsu suck in a sharp breath.

“What is it?” Lucy asked.

Natsu’s eyes were wide as he stared at a single page, his grip on it so strong it started tearing on the edges.

“Natsu?” Lucy tried again, a little worried.

His gaze snapped to her, wild and unfocused.

“You know my cousin? Gajeel?” He asked suddenly.

“Yes?”

“He - and I - we did the names – and...”

“Natsu...breathe.” Lucy said in her calmest voice, miming taking a deep breath.

Natsu mirrored her movements for a few cycles, slowly regaining a calmer demeanour.

“Now, what about your cousin?” Lucy prompted gently.

“We came up with our assassin names together. When we were really young.”

“Right.”

“I always thought salamanders were cool.”

“I know you do.”

“And Gajeel always wanted to be the strongest. He wanted to be even stronger than his dad one day.”

“So, what name did he pick?”

Natsu turned the page of Cait Shelter members to her, his finger pointed at a line with two words on it.

Lucy read it as he said it:

“Black Steel.”

 

-----

 

A large shadow was cast down the narrow hallway, a hush following quickly after. The large figure started stalking down the corridor, eyes straight ahead, face as unmoving as a stone.

The few assassins that stood around watched his every move. They knew his situation; they knew he held no real power. But the one guy who’d tried pointing that out was still in the infirmary with a fractured skull and memory loss.

His heavy footsteps were the only sound as he passed by onlookers, heading towards one door with purpose. He knew the effect he had on the people around him; he’d spent years making himself look as intimidating as possible. And he’d garnered a reputation to back it up.

He came to a stop in front of a large, wooden door with a guard standing beside it, a bar keeping it closed.

The guard tried to show who was in charge by not moving immediately to unlock the door. But one slow head movement and being fixed by piercing eyes that said open it or I’ll use your torn limb to do it had him moving quickly, the latch sliding to the side and the door creaking open.

The man stepped inside wordlessly, waiting to move until he heard the door slam shut behind him.

“Gajeel!”

His entire façade crumbled at that sound, his stiff shoulders slacking and his face softening.

“Hey, little one.”

He went on one knee so that the small girl could wrap her arms around his neck, burying her face in his black mane of hair.

Gajeel felt his tense muscles relaxing at the contact, knowing that his cousin was safe for another day.

Notes:

Okay, show of hands: who thought Gajeel and Wendy were actually dead?
For those of you with your hands up: why do you think I called it 'The Youngest Celestial and the LONE Dragon' and not '... and the LAST Dragon' 😉
I'm hoping this reveal was somewhat more of a surprise than the last one (obviously I wouldn't unalive Natsu in the middle of a fic about him and Lucy), and that you enjoyed it.
Until next time 👋

Chapter 40: Cait Shelter

It was a testimony to his nerves that Natsu did not fall asleep on the train ride to the Worth Woodsea region. His head resting on Lucy’s lap, she could feel how tense he was, his fingers drumming on the seat cushions continuously.

She’d been surprised when Aquarius had readily agreed for the two to go explore this far away area on the whim of two words typed up in a stolen document. Their nakama had encouraged their journey, finding them the best train route and even pointing out ‘locations worth visiting’ along their way.

If Natsu hadn’t been so preoccupied with the name listed among Cait Shelter members, and Lucy hadn’t been so preoccupied worrying about Natsu, the two teens might have found it suspicious that their nakama wanted them gone from the guild. But as it was, neither had the peace of mind to think about such things.

“Natsu?” Lucy whispered into the otherwise empty train cart after a long while.

“Mmh?”

“What...” Lucy paused, trying to find the right words. “What if it is a coincidence?”

“Black Steel?” Natsu asked.

“Yes. It could be a simple bureaucratic mistake or another assassin entirely...”

“Then at least I’ll know.” Natsu turned to look up at her. “Don’t worry Luce, I’m not getting my hopes up.”

His partner sighed sadly. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

Natsu squeezed her hand. “I’ll be okay, Luce. I promise.”

Lucy highly doubted Natsu had been remotely okay ever since spotting his cousin’s assassin name on that list, but she didn’t retort anything. She knew Natsu wanted to say more, could feel it in the way he’d sometimes tense up, pause, and then stayed silent. The blonde teen let Natsu take his time, knowing he would confide in her when he was ready to do so.

That moment was roughly half an hour later, when Natsu suddenly turned on his back to looks directly up at her.

“Hypothesize with me, Luce.”

Lucy had to bite down a smile. It was clear Natsu had spent a lot of time with Capricorn and Gemini. She doubted the pinkette from one year ago would’ve even known what hypothesize meant.

“Go on.” She encouraged.

“If – and I mean if – if Gajeel somehow survived...how would he have done it?”

Lucy debated giving an answer. If Natsu was looking for possible explanations, didn’t that mean he was truly considering that his cousin was still alive after all these years? But if she didn’t join in, Natsu would just go over every so little explanation in his head, over and over again.

“You escaped.” Lucy decided to add.

Natsu nodded. “But I was downstairs.”

“Are you sure Gajeel wasn’t?”

Another nod. “I would’ve seen him on the stairs.”

“A window?”

Natsu considered that for a moment.

“Maybe. It would’ve been a bit high, but not impossible. But” he quickly added, “we were told to wait by the playground in an emergency. No one else ever showed up.”

That was quite the foil in any theory on Gajeel’s survival.

Lucy hummed in thought. She could feel her curious nature getting dragged into this thought-exercise, even though she knew it had to end in further heartbreak for her partner.

“I’m not sure.” She admitted.

They sat in silence for a while, the gentle rocking of the train going unnoticed as the gears turned in their heads.

“Okay, okay.” Natsu said suddenly, shaking his head to clear it. “Ignoring the how, why would Gajeel have gone north? To a guild we’d never collaborated with before? Never even heard of before?”

“Coincidence? Maybe he needed to get out of the city?”

“I don’t think Gajeel would have left.” Natsu said quietly. “I think he would’ve done exactly what I did: keep the Dragon’s name alive.”

From what Natsu had told Lucy about his older cousin, it did sound like something he would have done.

Both assassins fell into silence again, the already slim possibility that Black Steel had anything to do with the oldest Dragon-kid growing slimmer and slimmer in their minds.

 

-----

 

Natsu wasn’t wrong.

Gajeel’s priority five years ago would have been to keep his family’s name alive and to be as big a pain in the knight’s side as he possibly could be. He would have run downstairs to do his best to help fight off the attack, no matter how lost his effort would have been in the end.

That is, if he had been alone.

But Gajeel hadn’t been alone.

Ever since he’d heard the door bust open, had heard gunfire and yelling, his sole focus had been on protecting his little, blue-haired cousin. A six-year-old Wendy had still been frozen in shock at the sudden noise coming from downstairs when Gajeel had grabbed her and thrown both of them out of their bedroom window.

Gajeel had rolled off the impact, just like his dad had taught him, Wendy tightly curled against him, clutching Carla while Pantherlily had followed Gajeel’s path. And he had taken off running. Towards the nearby forest, out of sight from the attackers.

He had felt the warmth of the explosion on his back as he ran, had heard Wendy’s cry as splinters sailed past them, but had stubbornly kept his head forward and continued on through the trees.

They had waited in the treehouse that the three youngest Dragons had built the previous summer, just like their parents had told them to do in an emergency situation.

After two days, no one came.

At barely thirteen years of age, Gajeel knew then that he was responsible for the only other surviving member of his guild. Wendy had been shaking and crying ever since the explosion had rattled them to the bones. Gajeel had known he wouldn’t be able to protect them both in Crocus. Too many knights were out for Dragons’ heads.

If he had been alone, maybe he could have protected himself. And if he’d stayed, Gajeel would have run into Natsu sooner or later in Crocus.

But he hadn’t been alone.

So, showing his little cousin none of the fear and sorrow that clenched his heart, Gajeel had stowed them all away on the first train he’d spotted at the station the third night after they’d lost everything.

The train would send them north, and after a few weeks of camping out in the deep forests of Worth Woodsea, Master Roubaul would discover the two.

But a lot had changed since then.

 

-----

 

The location of Cait Shelter was nowhere near the train station. It took Natsu and Lucy three days to hike through the thick forests towards the mountain range. The nights were spent in sleeping bags around a campfire that warded off the last of the early spring’s chill.

Lucy couldn’t recall it ever being this quiet while she was with Natsu. Both were deep in thought as they hiked, the peaks of the mountain an easy signal to follow.

She could guess at Natsu’s thoughts: a mixture of theories surrounding his cousin’s survival, Cait Shelter’s involvement, and a relentless mantra not to get his hopes up. The latter Lucy knew was pointless. Natsu had seen the name and it had sparked a hope in him that had been buried for over five years in the sandbox of a playground near a destroyed guild.

Lucy’s own thoughts...they were all over the place but centred around one topic.

It was during their second night in the Worth Woodsea Forest, the sunset and diminishing light having forced them to set up camp only a few miles away from Cait Shelter, that Lucy let her mind wonder in one particular direction again.

Natsu lay across the small campfire from her, arms crossed behind his head as he looked up at the brilliant night sky through the canopy. Though the Celestial display was clearer out here in the wilderness than it would ever be above a big city like Crocus, Lucy couldn’t get herself to shift her sights.

Natsu in firelight was something to behold. The gentle flickering of the flames reflected perfectly in his dark eyes, making them shine gently, and his bronze skin seemed to glow behind the orange flames. As he looked up expressionless into the sky, he could have been a being from another realm entirely.

Lucy sighed soundlessly to herself. She knew her thoughts only reflected her emotions. She should have said something during that wonderfully peaceful time between Christmas and now. Natsu and her had never been closer, it would have been the opportune time to share her feelings.

But it had been too perfect. Why risk making things awkward? And now was the wrong time once again. Natsu had anything on his mind but romantic feelings.

She was an idiot, Lucy concluded resolutely, watching the shades of pink in Natsu’s hair shift with the fire’s movement. A really, really big idiot.

“Hey, Luce?” Natsu’s eyes were suddenly on her.

Lucy actually jumped a little in her sleeping bag, quickly burying her face in the pink scarf around her neck and looked at Happy curled up beside the fire.

Natsu either didn’t notice that he’d caught her staring, or he didn’t care.

“What’s up?” She quickly responded.

“If...if Gajeel survived...why didn’t he come find me? Most people know me as ‘The Last Dragon’. Not exactly a mystery to who that is.”

All thoughts of shining eyes and fire-deities from other dimensions vanished from Lucy’s mind at his question.

“Maybe he didn’t hear of you?” She ventured. “It’s quite a distance between here and Crocus.”

“I guess. But my name became associated with the Celestials. And that’s known everywhere.”

“True.” Lucy mused, turning onto her back.

Both teens looked up at the night’s sky, poking holes in a theory whilst trying to patch them up with logic.

“Do you think...do you think he’d be mad at me?” Natsu asked after a minute, eyes remaining fixed on the stars.

“Mad?” Lucy asked in surprise.

“For running. Back then.”

Lucy knew he’d been asking himself that question long before he’d found Black Steel written on a knight’s list. Perhaps this was the first time he’d dared to ask it aloud.

“No.” She said firmly. “No, Natsu, never.”

She reached out a hand around the fire, one Natsu took with no hesitation.

“Your family would want you to be safe. Your dad told you so.”

Natsu swallowed heavily.

“And if Gajeel is alive, then he must have run too.” Lucy reasoned, interlocking her fingers with Natsu’s.

“I s’pose.” Natsu said after a while.

“And I am certain.” Lucy added, giving him her best, hopeful smile across the fire.

“How?”

“You told me so much about Gajeel, I feel like I know him. And who knows, maybe I’ll really get to meet him.” Giving false hope was not what Lucy wanted to do, but the thought of getting to know someone so important to Natsu made her wish on every star that Cait Shelter’s Black Steel was somehow linked to the eldest Dragon child.

“Maybe.” Natsu said quietly, sounding more sceptical than Lucy.

The two lay like that for a lot longer, holding hands whilst looking up at the stars. Both thought about what the next day would bring, what secrets the fallen guild by the mountain might reveal.

 

-----

 

“You okay?” Gajeel asked, as he always did, hugging Wendy during his current nightly visit in the guild’s basement.

“Of course I am.” Wendy replied, as she always did. “Are you?”

“Yeah.” He lied and they both knew it.

Gajeel felt a nudge against his leg and he turned slightly to pet Pantherlily’s large head.

“You been keeping watch, Lil?”

The large cat grumbled in response; the underlying anger clear. He wanted to fight someone, to tear something apart. Gajeel could relate.

Wendy let go of him, taking a step back, both Dragons scanning the other over for injuries or lack of neglect.

“I’m fine.” Wendy said, drawing out the I that it reminded Gajeel of a preteen Natsu. He couldn’t help but smile at the memory, even as his chest constricted.

“Just makin’ sure.” He held his hands up in surrender.

“I’m in here!” Wendy gestured to the windowless room; a small bed on one side, blankets on the ground for the cats and a toilet wedged in one corner. On a rickety table lay a few, well-read books.

“Not doing dangerous stuff out there!” Wendy continued with a pointed look.

“It ain’t that dangerous.” Gajeel said.

“Liar.”

From her spot on the fluffiest blanket, Carla meowed her agreement.

“Wendy...” Gajeel sighed.

“Just tell Jose no!”

“I’m not risking that, little one.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Y’ don’t know that.”

“I know you won’t be if this continues!” She shot back.

The two held a staring contest, stubbornness clashing against stubbornness.

“Juvia was here.” Wendy brought up suddenly. Her trump card.

Gajeel groaned. “What’d she tell you?”

The quiet, pale assassin was the only one Gajeel semi-trusted in this blasted guild. That Juvia had taken it on herself to keep an eye on Wendy while he was otherwise preoccupied helped. It didn’t mean he liked the rain woman giving his little cousin all the details about the going-ons of Phantom Lord.

“Everything.” Wendy said, crossing her arms.

Gajeel raised a pierced eyebrow at her attempted bluff.

“Nice try, kid. What’d she say?”

Wendy gave an annoyed huff.

“That you’re going to do something brainbogglingly stupid.”

“I doubt those were her words.”

“That’s my interpretation.”

“Of what exactly?”

“Juvia is worried. Really worried. Scared, I’d say.”

Gajeel thought for a moment. Jose had given him his next, unavoidable mission. One that made his stomach churn and the words  traitor traitor traitor circling in his head. Yet he had no choice but to do it.

What the Elemental 4 member had to do with it, he had no idea. Let alone why she should be scared.

“She’s dramatic.” Gajeel evaded. Not exactly a lie.

Now it was Wendy’s turn to raise an unimpressed eyebrow.

“What has Jose told you to do?” She demanded straight out.

“Its...” Gajeel didn’t know how to word the horrific act he’d been ordered to commit. “...not great.” He gave up.

“Then don’t do it!” The preteen pleaded.

“Y’ know I have to, kid.”

Wendy’s eyes started to water. Carla instinctively moved closer to her.

“I’m sorry.” She choked out.

Gajeel had his arms wrapped around her again before she could say anything else.

“Y’ got nothing to be sorry for, little one.” He said gently, one hand holding the back of her head to his shoulder. “None of this is your fault.”

“It’s all my fault!” Wendy argued, hands clasped in his shirt.

“No! I was an idiot for trusting that monster.” Gajeel sighed. He’d like to go back to last year and knock himself over the head for this stupidity.

“You were trying to protect me, like you always do.” Wendy sniffed. “And now you’re doing bad things because I can’t defend myself!”

“I would burn down all of Fiore, if it meant you were safe, kid.” Gajeel ran his hand comfortingly over her hair. “And no one can take on this whole guild. Not even me. Or I would have already. But,” he nudged her chin so she would look up at him, “I will get us out of this mess. I promise.” He put all his hope in that one smile, as little as there was.

It appeared to be enough for Wendy to wipe her tears away and take a deep breath.

“But what if you get hurt?” She asked.

“Then I’ll come right here so you can patch me up.”

Wendy frowned at his fake-enthusiasm.

“I mean badly hurt. What then? I’ll be alone and you’ll have no one to help you and-”

“And,” Gajeel interrupted, “that won’t happen. I’m careful. Plus, you’re never alone.” He gestured to their feline friends.

Pantherlily’s presence in Wendy’s unofficial cell had been the one negotiating point Jose had allowed. Because really, Gajeel had nothing to negotiate with, but the oversized cat hadn’t been a big deal to Phantom Lord’s master.

“I’ll be careful.” Gajeel repeated.

He would have liked to find more comforting words for the little girl but a loud banging on the door cut him off. Visitation was over.

At the sound, Wendy clung onto Gajeel tightly again.

“I’ll be alright.” He promised, squeezing her back. “As long as you’re safe, nothing can hurt me.”

He slowly eased out of the hug, giving the Phantom on the other side of the door no reason to come in. No need to test Jose’s patience. Not yet anyway.

“Be safe.” Wendy pleaded, taking a step back as he turned to the door.

“I will.” He lied and they both knew it.

 

-----

 

Lucy and Natsu were up as soon as the sun rose, the mountains illuminated in shades of pink and gold as they hiked towards them.

They reached the foot of the mountain within the hour. It took a minute, but eventually Happy found a sign with a two-tailed cat on it, half hidden by overgrown bushes.

“Looks like no one has been here for a while.” Lucy mumbled as they took in the trampled path behind the sign, overtaken by tree roots and shrubbery.

Natsu simply hummed as the two began to edge their way along the beaten footpath. It lead them further up and to the east side of the mountain, the heavy overgrowth slowing them down considerably.

It took them until noon to reach the old site of the fallen guild. Lucy nearly ran into Natsu’s back when he suddenly stopped right at a sharp turn on the mountain side.

“Natsu, wha-” Lucy started as she rounded the corner to stand beside her partner. The sight before them made her quickly forget her next words.

They’d arrived at a large plateau with a spectacular view of the underlying forest stretching on for miles. Neither assassin noticed any of that though. The only thing they could focus on was the wreckage before them.

The mountain’s light stone bore large, dark marks from the detonation. Nearby stones had burst, leaving chipped pieces of rock scattered around in a large radius. The side of the mountain itself bore marks of the attack; a large chunk having been blown away, leaving a large alcove where smooth rock had once been.

Cait Shelter had been a small guild from what they could gather. Mostly assembled through tents and huts, the only evidence of either being flaps of weatherproof fabric that was stuck under the gravel and splintered breams lying about crisscross.

Lucy examined the black marks on the stone carefully. It was strongest right in the centre of the overlook, stretching out over the entire plateau with gradually less force.

“They sent it right here.” Lucy pointed to the centre.

“Must’ve been big.” Natsu said quietly, looking at the dented mountain side. “Cowards.”

“It seems very extreme.” Lucy thought back to the stolen documents on Cait Shelter that were now tucked away in her backpack. “This guild was no major player in Fiore’s political scene. They did relatively small jobs around here. It’s like the knight went duck hunting with a canon.”

Natsu only nodded at her words. He let his bag slide off his shoulders as he slowly turned to look at Lucy.

“If Gajeel was here...how could he have survived this?”

Lucy found no answer to his question.

 

-----

 

Gajeel sat on a rooftop in Magnolia, hunched beside a chimney like a gargoyle.

It was past midnight and most of the town was sleeping. Only a few were still awake, among them the people he’d been sent after.

Gajeel looked up, the stars were bright over the town, almost as bright as they had been at Cait Shelter. Something twisted in Gajeel’s guts at the memory.

The camp beside the mountains had been his and Wendy’s home for five years. Nothing close to the house in Crocus, where their parents had been laughing, fighting, and living in, but it had been safe. They’d had friends there.

Master Roubaul had taken them in with no question, smiling kindly despite Gajeel’s mistrust and anger. The kind old man had been the one who’d finally managed to break down Gajeel’s walls, whose shoulder the teenager had cried against for a long time when Wendy hadn’t been around.

Wendy had found people who would teach her about medicinal plants and grew her knowledge on first aid and emergency care.

Gajeel had focused solely on growing stronger; a task easily accomplished as he looked more and more like his father with every passing year. By the age of 16, Gajeel had been one of the strongest assassins in Cait Shelter. He’d been the one who others would turn to for help on a particularly tricky or dangerous mission. He'd been the one who dealt with the groups of bandits that liked to pick on the small guild up in the isolated mountains. His reputation had grown around their area. It hadn’t been enough to ward off all dangers though.

The knights’ attack had been a surprise.

Gajeel had no idea what had possessed them to go after such a small fish like Cait Shelter. They had few members, fewer associations, and only took on local jobs.

It hadn’t been an attack meant to extinguish every single member. Gajeel, Wendy and a few others had been at the right place at the right time: the woods.

Gajeel had listened patiently to Wendy ramble on about the benefits of lavender, watching as she picked a bushel to dry later, when a sharp whistling noise got his attention. He’d been first to hear it, everyone else confused as he shushed them.

Then they all saw it: a light blue flare shooting across the mountains, trailing smoke behind it.

“A firework?” Someone had guessed.

“A very large one.” Someone else had added.

Gajeel had known it was something different by the way the little hairs on the back of his neck rose as the flying object came closer and closer.

“Everybody down!” He’d yelled, his tone leaving no room for question or argument as he’d grabbed Wendy and ducked behind the biggest tree.

Seconds later, a shockwave had blown the leaves off the trees they were hiding behind, an ear-deafening BOOM following right behind.

When the small group had dared to look, their guild had been gone.

For the second time in his life, Gajeel was left wondering how something so bright and cherished could become nothing but smoke and misery within a moment. He’d never gotten the chance to thank Master Roubaul for his kindness. Or pay him back by protecting what was important to them both.

It had been Wendy who’d pulled him back into reality, urging them all to flee before the attackers came in person. Gajeel doubted they ever did. What was the point?

The small and shaken group dispersed almost immediately. Some decided to take their grief deeper into the mountains, trekking until they found a new reason to fight. Some saw it as a sign that Fiore was too dangerous, leaving for the neighbouring country of Earthland where a rebellion was mixing up the political scene. Others didn’t have the strength to leave at all. They remained by their guild for weeks, digging graves and praying that Mavis might receive their souls.

If Gajeel had been alone, he most likely would have remained in the latter group. Perhaps he’d even go after the trail of the missile to find whoever had launched it and send them right after Master Roubaul into the afterlife.

But Gajeel hadn’t been alone. His priorities hadn’t shifted in the past five years. And they never would.

On one stormy night when Wendy had already been asleep, some of Cait Shelter’s members had gathered in the master’s tent to hear his stories. Gajeel had been among them. One story told was that of Roubaul’s collaboration with the famous guild Fairy Tail. Gajeel remembered Fairy Tail. His family had visited once, many years ago on a similar group project.

From what he recalled, they were large, loud, and happy to call anyone family who walked through the front door. Maybe they would take in two Dragons from twice fallen guilds.

That had been the plan.

The plan had failed.

Because Gajeel’s reputation had spread further than he’d assumed. And the Dragons’ name was still fresh in many people’s minds. Including one Jose Porla.

Jose Porla, the master of the Phantom Lord guild, was a collector. Not of stamps, or coins, or normal things, but of assassins.

He enjoyed filling his ranks with people of wide renown. Gajeel, unbeknownst to him at the time, was one of those people. He bore the Dragons’ emblem, he’d built a reputation for himself, and he looked the part. Wendy’s disinterest in all things fighting and killing had made her an immediate non-contender to Jose. But he’d found a use for her anyway: to control the Dragon he wanted.

Gajeel had let the sleaze of a man lull him into a false sense of security on their way to Fairy Tail, had listened to the promise of a safe place for himself and Wendy. And the oldest Dragon had fallen for it, just long enough for Jose to have an iron grip on his little cousin.

Gajeel was sure Jose thought he would at one point like being a Phantom. But until then, Wendy was safely stowed away in a room beneath the guild. Until Gajeel could convince Jose otherwise, he had no choice but to dance to the man’s tune. Jose never needed to speak a threat towards Wendy. It was very clear.

Gajeel felt sick to his stomach at what he was about to do; easily the cruelest mission he would ever complete.

He looked up into the night’s sky. The stars were beautiful.

“I need help, pa.” He whispered. “I don’t know what to do.”

What would Metalicana do in his situation?

Trick question, Metalicana would never have gotten himself into this mess. His dad never would have trusted a character such as Jose, would never have risked Wendy’s safety so foolishly.

Gajeel sighed into the night. “I’m glad y’re not seeing this. You must be real proud of me, huh?” He said flatly.

Movement down on the streets stopped his quiet self-loathing.

Three people, Fairy Tail assassins to be precise. The people Gajeel had wanted to ask for sanctuary. He could forget that after tonight.

One was a small, bluenette girl, happily chatting away with her two companions. Another unsubtle threat of Jose’s towards Wendy, judging by the similarities of his target and his cousin.

Gajeel asked Mavis to understand as he jumped down from the roof, as silent as Pantherlily.

The three Fairies only saw a flash of black and silver before their worlds went completely dark.

Chapter 41: That

Cancer hummed to himself as he walked down the stairs into the guild’s kitchen. His nakama were pretty evenly divided between being on edge from the threat of the knights and being sure in their guild’s strength and safety.

Cancer counted himself to the latter group. The Celestials had been around for a long time. The knights’ little brainstorming was ineffective, especially now that they knew of their plans. What could happen?

The doorbell rang.

Cancer turned away from the cookie jar, promising to be right back, and walked down the hallway, past the dining and living room to open the blue front door.

“Hello.” A cheerful delivery woman greeted him. “Got a package for you.” She handed Cancer a rectangular box.

“Thank you!” Cancer waved as she got back in the yellow truck.

He closed the door as he examined the package. Capricorn had mentioned ordering the newest book from a YA fantasy series, a secret indulgence of his that only Cancer and Gemini (and most likely Virgo) knew about.

It felt a little light to be a book though. Cancer shook the package a little, hearing a rattling sound.

And then a click.

He froze. And his thoughts started racing.

Who else was on the ground floor with him?

Loke and Aries were out, cautiously observing the neighbouring houses.

Taurus and Sagittarius were in the gym, he was pretty sure.

Capricorn was upstairs, rereading The Art of War to combat his gnawing anxiety about the knights’ plans.

Where were Aquarius and Scorpio?

Was anyone in the dining room? Or in the living room?

Gemini liked to curl up in either one to read in peace. And Virgo was everywhere and nowhere.

And Plue! Where was the puppy?

Cancer knew he couldn’t run outside. The nice delivery lady had parked right across the street to stop by their neighbours.

Living or dining room?

The ex-hairdresser dared to take the time to glance to his left. He could only see a small corner of the dining room through the open door. Any of his nakama might be in there. No time to call out and confirm.

His eyes shot to the right, to the living room. He was sure no one had been there when he’d walked past carefree not one minute ago. But maybe Plue was curled up under the coffee table. Or Aquarius was lounging on her loveseat.

Cancer risked another, precious second to step into the living room’s doorway, eyes darting around. He saw no one.

Adrenaline pumping through his veins, Cancer threw the package into the stone fireplace. It was still sailing through the air when the assassin lunged back into the hallway, hands covering his head.

The explosion rocked the building, its strength blowing through the wall to the hallway easily, showering Cancer with debris and shards while he was still ducking for cover.

 

-----

 

Lucy walked behind Natsu as they descended back down the Worth Woodsea mountains. They had spent a full day combing through the plateau on which Cait Shelter had once stood. Very few words were spoken between them that day and during the night they’d stayed on the edge of the fallen guild.

Neither Natsu, nor Happy, nor Lucy had found a trace that might tell them a Dragon had been here. No emblem painted anywhere, no initials scratched into the trunk of a nearby tree. Nothing.

The next morning, Lucy had offered to spend another day combing through the site. But Natsu had declined with a downtrodden voice. If they hadn’t found anything yesterday, they wouldn’t find anything today.

Lucy’s heart had ached at the defeat in this tone. But there was nothing to be done.

They had hiked back silently, their path down the mountain going by much faster than their trek up. Lucy calculated that they would only need to sleep in the woods for one night on their return trip. That night, they had simply looked up at the stars wordlessly.

Now, on their last stretch to reach the train station, the mood hadn’t changed. Right until one feline decided to change that.

Happy jumped in front of Natsu, halting him in his tracks.

“What is it, buddy?” The pinkette asked.

Happy gave an unimpressed hiss.

“Fine. You down for lunch, Luce?” He asked, turning around.

“Sure.” Lucy shrugged off her pack.

No words were spoken as Natsu set up the small gas stove and Lucy filled a pot with water from a river and threw in two packets of instant ramen. Natsu peeled back the cover of a tuna can, letting the hungry kitten pounce on it.

Lucy dug through the backpack, searching for her chopsticks, when her rummaging caused a few pages of the knights’ report to slide out. She huffed in annoyance, quickly grabbing the pages before the breeze could carry them away.

‘Guild Associations’ was the top page in her hand.

Had she looked through those? Lucy couldn’t recall either her or Natsu studying that section of the report. Names and faces had been far more interesting.

Should she let Natsu know?

Lucy glanced at her partner across the tiny fire. False hope was cruel. But she was fixed on this hunt now too. And what damage could these pages really do?

“Hey, Natsu.” She called out.

“Hm?”

“Have you looked at the guild associations?”

“Don’t think so.” Natsu stirred the pot. “Why?”

“I...I was thinking...” Hope or no hope, hope or no hope? Lucy knew what she would choose. “...what if...what if Gajeel was here? And what if he did survive the knights’ attack on Cait Shelter...where would he have gone?”

“What are the odds of that, Luce?” Natsu asked, but she could tell his attention was peaked.

“No harm in looking.” Lucy handed him the single page.

“I guess.” He mumbled, already scanning through the listed guilds.

Lucy watched over the blubbering ramen while he read, occasionally looking up to see if Natsu had any reaction to the names.

“And?” She asked after a minute, unable to keep her curiosity down.

“I haven’t heard of any of these, except...” Natsu trailed off, looking at the bottom of the list, “this one. Fairy Tail.”

“Fairy Tail?” Lucy asked, leaning over to read it herself. “Loke’s and Aries’ last guild?”

Natsu nodded. “I’m pretty sure our parents worked with them. Ages ago. We were five or six? Wendy wasn’t even born yet.”

“Would Gajeel have remembered that?”

“Probably.”

Natsu stared at the page silently for a moment.

“What if this is a bad idea, Luce?” He suddenly turned to her.

“What is?”

“Chasing after this – this ghost? What if it is a waste of time?”

“We have all the time in the world.” Lucy assured him. “I’ve never been to Magnolia before. And our nakama did say to explore a little.”

“But what if it was all a coincidence? What if Fairy Tail is another dead end?”

“Then,” Lucy moved closer to him, “we’re going to drown our sorrows in Magnolia’s world-famous strawberry cheesecake.”

Natsu huffed a tired laugh.

Lucy pressed a quick kiss to his cheek as she leaned into his side.

“And even if we find nothing again, I feel like Gajeel would find the idea of making you run around half of Fiore funny.”

Natsu rested his head on her shoulder. “You’re right, he would.”

“There you go.” She said quietly, watching the little flames dance in the breeze. “Nothing is wasted.”

 

 

A few miles later, the two partners sat at the Mt. Hakobe station, waiting for their train to Magnolia to arrive.

Natsu had regained some enthusiasm. The search was still on. And if it all came crashing down again, Lucy would be right by his side, holding him together.

A train pulled into the station before them, heading the opposite way: back to Crocus.

“Twenty more minutes.” Natsu looked at the clock.

“Excited to go on a train?” Lucy teased.

“This train...kinda.” Natsu found it hard to sit still. Harder than usual.

Lucy was about to suggest getting some snacks before their ride on the train when her phone rang.

“It’s Aquarius.” She told Natsu, seeing the caller ID on the screen.

“Probably checking in. We had no signal in the woods.”

Lucy hummed in agreement, clicking on the green phone icon.

“Hi aunty. What’s up?”

There was a heavy pause.

“Aunty?” Lucy tried again.

Natsu immediately picked up on her tone, leaning in closer to hear what was being said.

“Hi Lucy.” Aquarius eventually said. Her voice was shaky. “You kids alright?”

“Yes, we’re back at the train station in Hakobe. What’s going on?” Lucy asked again.

Aquarius gave a long sigh. “Something happened. An attack.”

“An attack?!” Lucy yelled, jumping up from the bench, Natsu and Happy right beside her.

“Everyone is...alive.” Aquarius tried to soothe but Lucy’s thoughts were racing.

“Who is hurt?!” She demanded.

“Cancer.”

“How?”

Another quivering sigh. “A parcel bomb.”

At the word, Natsu’s face went pale and he looked at Lucy with fear in his eyes.

His partner took a deep breath. “Cancer will be okay?”

“According to Virgo, yes. It’s the shock more than anything.”

“Right. How is Capricorn doing?”

A pause. “He’s taking it worse than Cancer.”

“Understandable.” Lucy muttered more to herself. “Anyone else hit?”

“No. No one else was on the ground floor.”

“The guild?”

“Some damage.” Aquarius’ emotions were poorly hidden. She tried clearing her throat. “Nothing we can’t live without.”

Her tone did nothing to convince Lucy.

“Alright, we’re heading home now.” She caught Natsu’s wide and conflicted gaze. “Or maybe just me – we’ll see. Be home soon, aunty.”

“Be safe, brats.”

The call disconnected.

“You’re not coming?” Lucy asked, putting her phone away.

“I...” Natsu looked away guiltily. “I want to make sure Cancer and everyone is okay, I really do, but...” He trailed off again.

“Natsu, it’s okay.” Lucy took both his hands in hers, getting him to look at her.

“It’s just...I have to follow this trail. Wherever it goes.” Natsu pleaded. “I know it’s stupid and hopeless and I’m wasting my time, but-”

“You’re not wasting anything.” Lucy interrupted. “I get it. If there was the slightest hint, just a rumour, that my mother was still alive, I would chase that down until the end of the world. And I would search for your family for all eternity with you. But I have to get back home and see that everyone is alright. I’ll be no use for anything before I have some peace of mind.”

Natsu sighed in relief. “Thanks for understanding, Luce. And I get it too. I’d be rushing home too, if I heard there was an attack. I just can’t let this search go cold.”

She squeezed his hands with a smile. “Be safe. And text me as soon as you find Fairy Tail.”

“I will, Luce.”

She turned towards the waiting train, her hands slipping out of his. It hit Natsu then: he would be chasing blindly after a ghost and she’d be running back to a place that had just been attacked by the knights. They would be apart again.

What if something happened? And he’d never gotten to tell her.

“Wait, Luce.” Natsu grabbed her wrist as she moved towards the train to Crocus.

“What is it?”

The undivided focus of her warm eyes on him had Natsu’s tongue go heavy.

“I...you remember on the roof of our train station? When – when I wanted to tell you something?”

“Yeah?” Lucy turned back fully around to him.

Happy nudged Natsu’s leg in encouragement.

He stepped closer, taking hold of her hand properly.

“I thought...I should probably tell you now...cause we’re splitting up?”

“Alright, then tell me.”

Tell me. So simple. Yet all of Natsu’s thoughts dried up.

“I...I just wanted to let you know that I kinda...”

Love you.

Can’t stop thinking about you.

Carry you in my heart wherever I go.

See your face whenever I picture the future.

“...oh Mavis, I’m bad at this.” Natsu cursed. Happy rolled his eyes.

“Just say it. Like tearing off a band aid.”

“You know I suck at talking about emotional stuff, Luce.” Natsu sighed.

“Then...show me?” A confused Lucy tried helping him out.

“Show you?” Natsu asked bewildered.

“I mean – if that works? I don’t really know what-”

Natsu’s hands cupped Lucy’s face, cutting off her question, and before he could overthink it further, he pressed a kiss on Lucy’s lips. It wasn’t like in the big, dramatic movie scenes; it wasn’t a long, soulful kiss with fireworks going off in the background, it was more on the corner of Lucy's mouth, barely grazing her lips and Natsu pulled away so quickly, it was over in the blink of an eye. But it had been a kiss, unmistakably so.

Lucy stared at him, mouth slightly agape and eyes as round as saucers.

“That.” Natsu said in a shaky voice.

He slowly let his hands drop from her face, looking like a fawn caught in headlights, ready to run away in a split second.

Lucy tried to say something -anything- but her mouth refused to produce any sound.

“Right.” Natsu said, taking a step back as the realization of what he had just done sunk in. “That’s that. We got trains to catch and a lot to do and-”

Before he could move another step away, Lucy had a firm grasp on his scarf, pulling him back down to her.

This time, it was like the movies. Lucy gently pressed her lips onto his, free hand holding the back of his neck. And she didn’t pull away. After the second it took for the surprise to wear off, Natsu slowly kissed her back, one hand gliding through her hair while the other pulled her closer. Neither assassin would have noticed if fireworks had gone off behind them.

Lack of oxygen, and no other reason, had the two breaking apart after what could have been seconds or hours to them.

The two stared at each other as they gasped for air. At the same time, they broke out into nervous giggles.

“That too.” Lucy said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Oh, thank Mavis.” Natsu breathed, leaning on his knees.

Lucy could only laugh harder despite everything. “Were you worried?”

“Very!”

“Dork.” She said lovingly.

He only smiled at her. Not the sunshine-and-rainbows smile Lucy had loved for so long, but something softer; a sunset-and-first-stars smile. Lucy decided she might like this one even better.

It made her want to put her feelings into better words than just ‘that’.

“You know, I’ve also been wanting to-”

“TRAIN DEPARTING TO CROCUS CENTRAL STATION, BOARDING NOW!” An electronic voice boomed over the train station.

Everything came flooding back.

Cancer. The guild. The attack.

Lucy’s words died on her lips and Natsu’s smile faded.

“I...I got to get going.” Lucy cursed inwardly. This was the worst possible moment to be apart from her partner.

“You do.” Natsu’s eyes told her he understood.

Lucy didn’t want to leave with so little said and so much changed. But they didn’t have the time. If she couldn’t say it, she would show it, just like Natsu had.

“Here,” Lucy pulled the necklace she never took off from her neck. “take this with you.”

“Your mother’s necklace?” Natsu asked surprised. “Luce, I can’t-”

“You can!” Lucy decided, looping the necklace over his head. “It’s my emergency flare. Press three times on the symbol if you’re in trouble,” she touched the carved star on the key’s bow, “and for last case defense.” She clicked the hidden switch on the side of the key, watching as a tiny blade popped out.

Natsu smiled. “Your mum thought of everything, huh?”

Lucy looked up at him. “She did.”

“I’ll keep it safe, Luce.” Natsu tucked the necklace under his scarf.

“You better. I’m coming back for this.”

He grinned. “I know you will.”

“I-”

“LAST CALL FOR TRAIN DEPARTING TO CROCUS CENTRAL STATION!”

The train started whistling.

“Go.” Natsu nudged her gently. “Give Cancer a hug from me.”

“I will. See you soon, partner.” Lucy pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, absorbing as much of his warmth as she could.

“See you soon.”

Natsu watched as her train departed, heading back west, until it was nothing but small bouts of smoke in the distance.

Until the train disappeared, he let himself revel in the feeling of requited love. That everything had worked out better between himself and Lucy than he could ever have imagined.

Only when the train and the blonde glint of hair at the window disappeared, did Natsu make himself focus on the task at hand once more.

 

-----

 

Aquarius could only hear the drumming of her blood running through her veins at thrice its normal pace.

Her nakamas’ voices were muffled in the background while they sat around the dining room table, all eyes carefully trained on Cancer as Virgo put his arm in a sling with Plue on his lap. Capricorn stood on the hairdresser’s other side, sharp gaze concentrated solely on his partner’s injuries.

Even Aquarius’ vision refused to focus on the scene before her. She turned back into the hallway. Or what had once been the hallway. The wall to the living room was as good as gone, only a few patches remaining along the outer side, leaving the view into the living room open. What was left of it.

Dust and floating bits of debris still clouded the air, but the destruction was evident. The fireplace was no longer recognizable, the bricks laying scattered around the space, some having flown all the way into the kitchen. Couches, loveseat, armchairs, and beanbags were torn apart, cushions and handmade blankets turned to scraps of fabric and wool. Books had become charred, lone pages, and vases nothing but colourful shards glinting between the stones. The window was shattered, letting in a cool breeze that gently ruffled the shreds of wallpaper still clinging on for dear life.

Aquarius didn’t really see any of that. Her eyes fixed right below where the fireplace had once stood. Layla’s frame was splintered into a thousand pieces, together with the protective glass. The last photo of her friend lay between the rubble in shreds, many of which burned away completely.

Aquarius had to lean against the remnants of the doorframe, digging her fingers into the fraying wood. Her free hand was still clutching the small note they had found in a metal container after the blast.

 

Still more subtle than your entrance.

~ Capt. Lahar

 

She should have gone after that knight as soon as they’d gotten Natsu out of the prison. Aquarius crushed the note in her fist. This was merely a show of power. A sample of what the knights were ready to do. When was the moment when they stopped caring that the Celestial guild was surrounded by civilians? When would the knights stop caring about numbers and write off anyone as an ‘unfortunate casualty’ on their mission to wipe them out?

Aquarius knew they couldn’t wait for an answer.

BANG

Aquarius flinched back into reality as the front door swung open behind her.

A panting Lucy stood in the doorway, throwing her backpack onto a pile of rubble.

“What happened?!” She demanded. “Where’s Cancer?”

“I’m in here, baby.” Cancer called from the dining room.

Lucy rushed inside, closely followed by her aunt.

Cancer greeted them with a brave smile, his braided hair sticking out from a bandage around his head, and his left arm in a sling.

“How did this happen?!” Lucy was beside him in an instant, carefully putting an arm around his shoulder.

“Mystery package in the mail.” Cancer’s smile soured.

“Lahar.” Was all Capricorn gritted out.

“That coward.” Lucy hissed.

“It’s really not that bad.” Cancer tried.

“I had tooooo lift part of the wall ooooof you!” Taurus argued.

“You have several bruises, a sprained wrist, and a concussion.” Vigo added. “Along with a mild burn along your left arm.”

“I’ve had worse.” Cancer attempted a dismissive gesture but winced as he moved his shoulder.

Lucy sighed, running a hand through her hair, relieved at the first-hand knowledge that everyone of her nakama was safe.

“Not a good argument.” Aries objected.

“Hey, where’s Natsu, baby?” Cancer changed the subject.

“He’s heading to Magnolia.” Lucy kept her answer short. Now was not the time to think -let alone talk- about what had happened between the two at the station.

“Magnolia?” Loke asked.

Lucy hummed. “There was a link between Cait Shelter and Fairy Tail. His last hope is to look there.”

Aquarius met Loke’s gaze across the room.

Fairy Tail...

“How sure is he of the connection?” Aquarius asked, the first time she’d spoken to the guild since rushing down the stairs after being thrown off her feet by the explosion.

Lucy sighed again. “The chances that Gajeel survived are miniscule. Let alone that he’s in Magnolia. But...Natsu just has to know. I get it.”

“Has he arrived at the guild yet?”

“No. I bet he’s walking the last stretch.”

“Okay.” Aquarius’ thoughts whirred. “You left in good graces, right?” She turned to Loke and Aries.

“We did.” The lion confirmed.

“Is Fairy Tail safe?”

“One of the safest locations in Fiore.” Aries nodded. “Their master, Makarov, once saved the King’s life. He received his gratitude. Fairy Tail became untouchable to the knights after that.”

Aquarius let the crumpled pieces of Lahar’s note fall to the ground, a plan clearly forming in her mind for the first time since they’d broken into the castle.

“What are you thinking, babe?” Scorpio walked up to her.

“As soon as Natsu sends the all clear for Fairy Tail, we’re heading there.” She declared.

“Really?!” Many surprised voices asked.

“We’re going to Fairy Tail?!” Aries squeaked, unable to hide her excitement.

Aquarius nodded. “The air is getting a little hot around here. A trip might do us good.”

“I don’t like the idea of running, baby!” Cancer objected.

“We’re not running.” Aquarius argued. “We’re forming alliances.”

“A dangerous game.” Gemini observed.

“It is. But it can be no more dangerous than this.” Aquarius gestured to the destroyed hallway. “Safety through solidarity worked in the past. It no longer does. I say it is time we make some new friends.”

“How exciting.” Virgo stated cooly.

“It is!” Aries said cheerfully.

“Agreed!” Lucy said.

“I will write Master Makarov an email, informing him of our intentions to make formal acquaintances.” Aquarius let everyone know. “I suggest you start packing. We’re leaving as soon as Natsu lets us know about Fairy Tail’s current situation.” That wasn’t the leader’s full plan. She recalled her conversation with Siegrain. Fairy Tail might be the possibility she was hoping for.

“You shouldn’t have to worry about that.” Loke said, walking by to follow his excited girlfriend up the stairs. “Fairy Tail is a safe place.”

Little did he, or anyone in Crocus, know that at that very moment, the majority of the Fairy Tail guild was storming another guildhall in a fury, eager for revenge. No one could know that one Jose Porla was playing a dangerous game, involving every Fairy and soon to be three Dragons.

 

-----

 

Pure chaos reigned in the guild of Phantom Lord. Chairs were flying, tables were thrown, weapons sailed through the air, and assassins of all shapes and sizes were hashing it out in between.

A chaos that Gajeel’s actions under Jose’s orders had started.

The oldest Dragon had no time to think about Jose’s motives behind provoking a strong guild like Fairy Tail. He was sprinting through the mayhem, one clear goal in mind.

Gajeel threw an incoming chair back in the direction it had come from, not caring who it might hit. He bodychecked a Phantom away from the stairs leading to the basement, taking the steps three at a time down.

He reached Wendy’s door in a few seconds, the guard who should’ve been standing outside gone to fight upstairs. Gajeel pulled the handle. Still locked. He was about to call out when-

“Metalicana!”

Gajeel froze, slowly turning back the way he’d come from.

Two figures stood between him and the exit: two men, one with deep blue hair, the other dark blonde with a cigar between his lips.

“I thought you were dead.” The bluenette stepped forward, breathing heavily from running after the Dragon.

Gajeel drew himself to his full height, staring menacingly down at the two men.

“He is.”

The blonde put a warning hand on the other man’s shoulder, staring at Gajeel from beneath bushy eyebrows.

“You’re too young. You’re his kid!”

“So, what if I am?” Gajeel crossed his arms.

The men’s eyes fell on the emblems there, specifically the newest one.

“You’re a Phantom now?” The first one all but yelled.

“That’s my business.” Gajeel retorted, polishing his armguards as if the conversation bored him. If anything, it made him anxious. He had to get Wendy out of there. Who knew how much longer the fighting would cover their tracks. How long before Jose’s attention focused back on him.

The smoker’s eyes narrowed at the work of metal around his lower arms.

“Team Sahdow Gear...that was you!”

Gajeel could feel bile rising in his throat at the memory.

“It was.” He said nonchalantly.

Wakaba looked at him with disgust while Macao tried to comprehend how is old friend’s face could fit on the assassin standing before them.

“I remember you.” He said in disbelief. Macao had been only a few years older than Gajeel was now when the Dragons had visited. "You got into fights with all the kids. You and your cousin-"

“That was a long time ago.” Gajeel cut him off right there. He turned to the door, keeping the Fairies in his peripheral vision.

“What would your dad say?!” Macao demanded.

Gajeel gritted his teeth, taking a step back from the door in preparation.

“Not much I imagine – he’s dead.” With that, he kicked hard against the locked door. The lock blew clean out, splintering the doorframe and swinging the door open.

“You’re not getting away with this!”

Gajeel ignored the blonde man’s meaningless threat.

“Wendy?” He called into the dusty room. “It’s me, it’s safe!”

“Gajeel?!” Her head poked around the fractured door, Carla clutched to her chest and Pantherlily in front of them.

He smiled at her. “Let’s get outta here.”

“Really?” She rushed to him, pressing herself into his side.

Gajeel rested a hand on her head. “Told ya we would, didn’t I?”

Pantherlily’s hiss brought the youngest’s attention to the two men standing in front of their escape path.

“Who are they?” Wendy asked, holding onto Gajeel a little tighter.

“No one of importance.” He turned to fix his crimson glare back at the two Fairies, who were watching the scene with evident confusion.

“Wendy...you’re...you’re Grandeeney’s kid!” Wakaba took a step closer. “I remember her talking about baby names-”

Pantherlily jumped in between the groups, growling a clear warning as the blonde tried to approach.

“You knew my mum?” Wendy asked cautiously, peaking at him from behind Gajeel.

“Doesn’t matter.” Gajeel interrupted before Wakaba could answer. They were losing time. He had no idea which side was winning upstairs, and he wasn’t planning on sticking around to find out. “We’re leaving.”

He started moving towards the Fairies, towards the exit with Wendy tucked against his side, Pantherlily one step in front, daring either man to make a move.

“Hang on!” Macao broke his stupefied silence.

“Try and stop us and I’ll crack your skull open!” Gajeel fixed him with a stare, one that had scared off far bigger and stronger opponents before. But the Fairy had courage and loyalty on his side.

“You hurt our nakama!” He said, widening his stance.

Pantherlily’s muscles tensed, just waiting for his human’s okay to pounce.

“He didn’t want to!” Wendy suddenly darted in between them.

“Wendy!” Gajeel quickly grabbed her shoulder to pull her back.

“Jose made him do it!” The little girl ignored him. “Or he would’ve hurt me!”

The Fairies exchanged a glance.

“Is that true?” Wakaba asked Gajeel.

“What’s it to you?” He growled back, successfully manoeuvring Wendy back behind him. “We are leaving!”

“But Gajeel!” Wendy tugged at his arm. “Wasn’t this the plan?”

“The plan failed. I’m startin’ to get sick of guilds.” Gajeel continued moving them closer to the exit.

“You don’t mean that!” She argued.

He merely grunted, any other response forgotten as everything started shaking around them.

“What-” Wendy squeaked, holding Carla closer as Gajeel scooped her up into his arms.

“What’s happening?!” Macao shouted, holding onto the wall as the floor shook.

“We – are – leaving!” Gajeel barrelled past them both, Wendy’s head pressed to his chest as small bits of the ceiling were coming loose.

The Fairies followed them back up the stairs with no argument. The hall looked like a battlefield, even as the shaking stopped. And the Phantoms were smiling. Gajeel didn’t like that at all. He continued running for the guild’s doors, multiple Fairies having the same idea as him. He couldn’t see Jose or Juvia, something to think about later.

“What happened?!” He heard the blue-haired man yell when they were outside, the cool night greeting them.

“Master is hurt.” Every head turned to the domineering voice belonging to a tall, red-haired woman wearing the modern equivalent of knight’s armour. Gajeel had heard some of the Phantoms whisper about her: Titania Erza. A sword glinted in her hand. Gajeel slowly placed Wendy back on the ground, ready to reach for the iron club slung over his back.

“Hurt?!” Many of the collected assassins yelled.

“The old man should never have joined us.” Macao sighed.

This could be their moment to slip away. Gajeel nudged Wendy but the preteen remained still stubbornly.  

“We need to disperse and reconvene at the guild!” Titania declared. “Gray has taken the Master. We need to give any pursuers something else to chase.”

Groups started splitting off, disappearing into the dark in different directions.

Erza’s dark eyes suddenly fixed on the two new faces. Then hardened when she saw Gajeel’s emblem.

“Who are you?” She demanded, hand tightening around her sword.

Gajeel touched the handle of his club.

“We’re Gajeel and Wendy, formerly of Cait Shelter, formerly of the Dragons!” Wendy jumped in.

The remaining Fairies looked at them with surprise.

“I thought you were dead.” Erza looked at them with suspicion.

“We get that a lot.” Gajeel retorted.

“Jose was holding the little one hostage.” Wakaba came to their aid.

Erza nodded. “Alright then, with us.” She ordered, starting down a dark street to lead the remaining group away before the Phantoms could regather their troops.

Gajeel hesitated. He had no reason to trust this woman or the Fairies. He’d hurt three of them personally, they had no reason to trust him either.

Wendy tugged at his arm. “Come on!” She said, watching as the assassins ran into the dark alleys. “Mum trusted them.” She argued. “And so did your pa.”

She was right. Their parents had trusted the Master of Fairy Tail over ten years ago. And whatever grudges they held against him, they had nothing against Wendy. At least it would be safe for her. Safer than running into an unfamiliar city with Phantoms at their heels.

“Fine.” Gajeel took her hand and started running after Titania. “But only temporarily!”

 

-----

 

Lucy was right, Natsu had walked the last stretch to Magnolia. Travelling by train was horrible. Travelling by train without Lucy was unbearable.

It took him a night’s worth of hiking, but he eventually saw the skyline of Magnolia contrasted against the rising sun, a far prettier and smaller city than Crocus.

The Fairy Tail guild was hard to miss, a large stone building standing atop a hill, overlooking the city it protected.

The sunny day made everything look bright and peaceful, the vendors on the street nodding to the newcomer in greeting.

Natsu had no way of knowing that the guild he was walking towards had been in a tough fight only the night before. A fight they couldn’t claim as a victory.

His steps slowed as the building with its flying banners came into view, the sun now shining brightly in the sky.

“How about you wait here, Happy?” Natsu let the cat jump out of the backpack. “I’ll just go check it out.”

The truth was, Natsu had no idea what he would find in that guild. Nor how he would react. Finding Gajeel was a hopeless dream. But hope famously dies last. If it would die here today, Natsu was not ready for that.

Just remember, you have someone wonderful waiting for you, he told himself, recalling the taste of cherry-flavoured lip balm on his lips and the feeling of soft, golden strands between his fingers. No matter what, he had something waiting for him.

With shaky knees and a roiling stomach, he walked to the large, double doors of the guild.

He rested his hands on the doorhandles. His heart thumped wildly in his ears.

Risk going inside and finding out everything was a hoax? Or turn around and live with uncertainty?

Natsu knew what he had to chose.

With a final, deep breath he threw open the doors, hard enough for them to slam against the walls.

Notes:

Alright, this NaLu fic is finally NaLu-ing in Chapter 41!

Chapter 42: Seein' Ghosts

Levy sat in one of the booths in the guild hall, cautiously glancing over the top of her book at a very beat up Gajeel who sat across from her.

He was scratching Pantherlily’s head, but she saw him wince as the large cat –which Levy was 72% sure was an actual panther- nudged its head lovingly against Gajeel’s bandaged arm.

“Maybe you should’ve stayed in the infirmary a little longer.” She suggested, laying her book on the table’s surface.

“I’m fine.” He assured her, like he’d done to everyone else who’d pointed out his not-yet-healed injuries.

Levy raised an unimpressed, blue eyebrow. Gajeel would’ve made a very convincing mummy at a Halloween party the way he looked right now. He had a bandage wrapped around his head, acting like a bandana, and keeping the long strands of jet-black hair from his face. The white fabric covered parts of his arms, as well as peeking out from beneath his T-Shirt.

She knew he was mistrustful of the guild, of anyone who wasn’t Wendy. That his injuries were likely the only reason he was still in the guild, and his guilt towards her the only reason he was sitting at her table. But as long as he was in the Fairy Tail hall, he was subject to well-meaning-nagging and unsubtle hints at physical wellbeing.

He saw her cut-the-bullcrap-look and sighed.

“The kid was feeling guilty.” He gestured over to the bar where his cousin Wendy was talking with Romeo. “Still thinks it’s all her fault.”

Levy nodded, understanding his need to put up a nothing-is-wrong-front to the little girl with the dark blue hair.

“You know it isn’t either of your fault, right?” She asked.

When he only huffed, she added: “But Jose’s?”

He didn’t answer her question, instead replying in a low voice: “I was an idiot for trusting that guy. Even for a second.”

Levy hummed disapprovingly.

She remembered very little of the night that had sparked the Phantom Lord/Fairy Tail battle and all the destruction and fighting that had ensured over the course of last night.

All she could recall was walking down a street after she’d left the library, the sun having set long before. And then she woke up in Fairy Tail’s infirmary with a pounding head and hurting arms. Nothing in-between. She’d been knocked out clean by the assassin now sitting in front of her, not meeting her eyes. The assassin whom she’d met once, years and years before, when he’d come on a visit with his father and guild.

“You know, after everyone figured out that Jose was controlling you by threatening Wendy, we forgave you for what you did.”

Now it was Gajeel’s turn to raise a disbelieving eyebrow, while he pointed to his bandaged head –although he could’ve really pointed anywhere at that moment- and to the electrical burns hidden beneath.

“Ok, Laxus didn’t know what was going on. All he heard was that Phantom Lord had hurt his grandfather while he was out on a mission. And you just happened to be in the blast radius-”

“The blast radius?! He kicked me up and down the streets!”

“Well, you didn’t explain yourself...” Levy tried, but knew her argument was weak.

“Oh sure! You try coming up with an explanation of why you have the enemy’s emblem on yer shoulder, whilst being tasered with Mavis knows how many volts!”

That had been a mess of a situation. Erza’s group had nearly made it back to the guild when Laxus had shown up, panting and worried about his Gramps. All the tall blonde had heard was ‘Phantom Lord’ and when he’d seen Gajeel running at the heel of the group, the emblem clear in the moonlight, had counted two and two together. Incorrectly. No one had had the time to explain that he was not a pursuer before the heir of Fairy Tail had launched himself at the oldest Dragon.

Levy knew Laxus was easily one of the strongest assassins in their guild. And between electricity and iron, there was a clear advantage.

“I’m just saying, if Wendy sees that you stop blaming yourself for everything, she might realize that none of it was her fault either.” Levy summarized.

He simply huffed. She’d noticed he did that when he knew he was beat but didn’t want to admit it.

“Point is, the kid thinks it’s her fault for getting taken hostage by Jose –ranked as one of the most powerful fricking assassins!- then for everything I’ve done as a result of that AND finally, for Laxus’ reaction as a result of that. Least I can do is make the latter not look as bad as it...looks.”

His explanation seemed to make perfect sense to him, and in a way, Levy understood why he was walking about with severe burns and fractures bones.

“She’s lucky to have a cousin like you, looking out for her.”

He grunted, which Levy took as either a ‘thanks’ or a ‘yeah right’.

They both looked over to the bar, where little Wendy was sipping on a milkshake, her bright eyes looking around the guild, as if taking everything in once again. She was far more trusting than Gajeel, despite everything that had happened to them. She took the memory of her mother as indisputable evidence that this place was safe.

Wendy’s eyes fell on the corner table frequently inhabited by the Thunder Legion. The warm, brown eyes hardened as she sent an Erza-worthy glare at the back of the tall, blonde figure that was Laxus Dreyar. He too bore a fresh bandage around his lower arm from where Pantherlily had mauled him during the misunderstood attack from the night before.

Levy chuckled as the young girl turned back to her milkshake, a cheery smile back on her face.

“I heard her tell Romeo that, when she’s older, she’s going to wipe the floor with Laxus for what he did to you.”

Gajeel grinned, scratching Pantherlily between the ears. “I pity the guy. She’s gonna blow us all away at some point.”

The confidence and pride in his voice as he looked at the little medic-in-training across the hall was heart-warming and it only proved to Levy that Gajeel was a perfect fit for Fairy Tail. He might appear gruff and distant, but he definitely cared about family. And wasn’t that what their guild was all abo-

SLAM.

The double doors to the guild were thrown open with such force that they slammed against the walls.

Still a little on edge from the not-too-distant fight with Phantom Lord, everyone jumped up, reaching for the nearest weapon.

A single silhouette stood in front of the afternoon sun. Levy could make out the shape of spiky hair.

“GAJEEL, ARE YOU HERE?” The figure yelled, stepping into the guild and looking around franticly.

Pink hair and tanned skin, baggy clothes, a large, white scarf and fingerless gloves...it rang a bell inside Levy’s head, her mind searching for the corresponding memory.

She could feel Gajeel tense next to her, his breath hitching.

Everyone else had made a clean line of sight from the intruder to Gajeel, looking between the two in understandable confusion.

Gajeel didn’t move. The dark eyes of the pink-haired guy found the tall assassin staring motionlessly back at him.

“Gajeel.” He breathed, his eyes growing in size.

Said person snapped out of his shock-induced-paralysis, shaking his bandaged head.

“Man, Laxus must’ve fried my brains harder than I thought.” He blinked a few times, crimson eyes staying firmly on the pinkette. “I’m seein’ ghosts.”

“Gajeel!” The intruder shouted again, a grin that seemed too big for his face forming as he started running at one of Fairy Tail’s newest protegees.

And that’s when it clicked inside Levy’s head. That enthusiastic grin, the bursts of energy and that white scarf. An old childhood friend of the guild, always ready for a fight, someone thought long dead! And the red emblem on his shoulder only proved her suspicion.

“Natsu?” Gajeel whispered and a collective gasp went through the guild.

The pinkette crashed into Gajeel, having to jump a little to wrap his arms around the taller Dragon.

Gajeel barely budged, still staring at his cousin who had his arms wrapped around his neck, all pain caused by his injuries pushed to the back of his mind.

“Natsu!” He breathed again, finally hugging his long-lost cousin back.

Levy, along with the whole guild, watched mesmerized, some covering their mouths with their hands, some had smiles and watery eyes on display and some of the newer members still looked on in confusion, as Gajeel tightened his grip on the other assassin and squeezed his moist eyes shut.

Natsu had happy-tears in the corner of his eyes, the grin remaining firmly on his face, whilst still dangling a few centimetres above the floor.

“N-Natsu?” A small, timid voice rang through the silent hall.

Every head turned to Wendy, standing beside her bar stool, staring open-mouthed at her second cousin.

“Oh my Mavis. Wendy? WENDY!” Natsu didn’t have time to run to her, as the smallest Dragon came barrelling at her two older cousins. Tears were already streaming down her cheeks as she slung her small arms around Natsu's shoulders. Gajeel encircled her form with one arm and the three of them just stood there in their group-hug, the eldest holding the other two up, seemingly with no effort.

The guild was deadly silent, all eyes on the trio.

Wendy’s silent sob was heard through the hall: “I had this dream so many times.” She sniffled.

“Me too.” Natsu whispered back. “Although you weren’t as tall.” He shifted his head to look up at Gajeel. “Or this beat up. What happened to you?”

Levy was sure she misheard, but she thought she heard Gajeel mumble something along the lines of: “Thought using a powerline as a high-wire sounded like fun.”

Natsu simply huffed, slowly slipping out of his cousin’s grip, until he stood back on his own two feet.

“You’re alive.” He stated smiling, a tear finally escaping from his eye.

“So are you.” Wendy’s muffled voice came from where her face was still firmly buried in Natsu’s scarf. “We thought-we thought-”, she hiccupped, unable to get the words out.

“We thought you’d died.” Gajeel finished.

“I was waiting on the playground.”

“We were in the treehouse.”

Levy didn’t know what that meant, but it seemed to make sense to the Dragons.

“Natsu?” Erza had taken a step forward, eyes still wide and shimmering.

The pinkette gave her a lopsided grin. “Yeah.”

Suddenly, the red-headed woman was next to the Dragons, squeezing all three of them into a hug.

“How dare you stay away for so long?!” Her usual, commanding tone was weak, and everyone could see the smile on her pretty face.

“We were so worried.” Mira joined them.

“How manly of you to come back from the dead!” A sobbing Elfman crashed into the party, nearly sending them flying and eliciting a muffled curse from Gajeel.

Levy giggled, seeing where this was going. She ran at the group, pushing herself in the free space next to Natsu and Erza.

“It’s nice to see you again.” She mumbled.

“Yeah, should’ve known you’re too stubborn to actually stay dead, flame-brain.”

“What took you so long?”

“I would’ve betted my booze-supply that you weren’t gone!”

“You’ve grown so much!”

Levy could feel more and more of her nakama moving in one the hug, even those who hadn’t met Natsu before.

This was the kind of happy event their guild needed right now. The near-distant fight, their master’s condition, and the worry about Phantom Lord’s reasoning were put to the side for the moment to revel in the happiness of the three cousins.

The Dragons were in the middle of the hug, all smiling and holding each other like they’d never let go again.

And Levy doubted they would.

 

-----

 

Lucy was wrestling with her backpack that afternoon, which refused to hold the books she was planning on taking - due to its obedience to the laws of physics.

The blonde was doing her best to not think of the journey ahead, because that would lead to her thinking of Fairy Tail, which would make her think of Natsu, which would make her think about the kiss, which would make her question what exactly they were to each other now, which would make her think about Natsu being by himself right now in a distant place and dammit – she would not constantly worry!

Loke had reassured her that Fairy Tail was safe as could be and that, no, she couldn’t go on ahead. They’d all go together; as a guild.

Interrupting her hectic thoughts, Lucy’s phone started ringing. She froze as “I’m on fiiiiiaaaaa” rung through her room. Lunging over her suitcase, Lucy grabbed the phone, narrowly avoiding tripping and severing her Achilles heel over Taurus-the-knife and answered immediately.

“Natsu?!” She panted, regaining her balance.

There was a beat of silence. Lucy could hear many people laughing and chatting in the background.

“They’re both here, Luce.” Natsu’s excited voice, a little raspy with emotion, said.

Lucy’s eyes went wide. “Both of them?”

“Yeah.” Natsu sounded like he couldn’t quite believe it himself, the smile was audible in his tone. “Gajeel and Wendy.”

“Natsu, that is wonderful!” Lucy breathed, smiling brightly into her room. “I’m so happy for you!”

“Thanks Luce. Wendy is really excited about meeting ya and Gajeel doesn’t believe I actually have a partner.”

She chuckled lightly. “Well, you can tell him to get ready, because we’re coming to Fairy Tail.”

“All of you?”

“Yeah. Loke wants to see his old guild, and Aquarius said it’s too dangerous to split up at the moment, so we’re all coming.”

“That’s awesome! I can’t wait for you to meet everyone. By the way, how is Cancer?”

“He’s doing okay.” Lucy rubbed the back of her neck. “Mostly just bruises. Still scared everyone though.”

“Of course it did. Guess it’s good that you’re all coming here then.”

“Yes. We’re heading to the train station first thing tomorrow. Virgo said Cancer needs a good night’s sleep.”

“And there’s no arguing with Dr. Virgo.” Natsu said sagely.

“You know it.”

Both teens smiled knowingly in their respective locations.

“Aquarius said to wait for your call that everything is safe. Fairy Tail is safe, right?” Lucy asked, more for her own peace of mind than anything else.

“Totally.” Natsu said confidently, then paused. “Well, as far as I heard, there was a pretty big fight yesterday. But that was somewhere else, the guild is fine. Their master took a pretty hard hit though.”

Lucy hummed. “That would explain why he hasn’t answered aunty’s email yet.”

“I bet. Everything else is fine though.”

Lucy chuckled. “No need to worry, we’ll be coming either way. Just try stopping Aries and me from getting on that train.”

“I can’t wait to see you, Luce.” Natsu said in a soft voice. “This is going to be awesome!”

“Yes!” Lucy agreed, grinning brighter than the sun. “Now, go be with your cousins.”

“Tired of me already, Luce?” Natsu sighed dramatically.

“I could never!” Lucy answered just the same. “But I got to pack, and you have a lot of catching up to do.”

“We do.”

“Well then, I’ll see you tomorrow, partner.”

“See you soon. I...I’ll see you.” Natsu wavered at the end, not entirely sure what he’d wanted to say.

“Bye.” Lucy said as the call disconnected.

Gajeel was alive! And so was Wendy!

Lucy walked into Natsu’s room to look at their photos on his wall.

She would get to meet her partner’s family! Her partner was no longer the Last Dragon!

Her squeal of happiness could be heard throughout the whole guild.

 

-----

 

“It was the treehouse, ya moron!”

“No! Dad told us to wait by the playground!”

Levy cautiously entered Fairy Tail’s infirmary the next day, following the noisy argument.

Gajeel sat on one of the beds, Natsu standing beside him. Wendy was trying to reapply the eldest’s bandages, a task made a lot harder by said Dragon waving a fist at Natsu.

“That was before we built the treehouse!”

“And it was never a meeting point!”

“Yes, it was!”

“No, it wasn’t!”

“Wendy!” Both yelled, turning to the smallest Dragon to see who was right.

“I really don’t remember.” Wendy smiled sheepishly.

Smart move; staying as far out of it as possible.

“Hey, guys.” Levy approached them. “What’s going on?”

“They’re trying to figure out which one is the idiot.” Wendy smiled innocently.

“HEY!”

“The answer might be multiple choice on that one.” The two bluenettes snickered.

“HEY!”

“I’m saying ‘all of the above’.” Gray, who was sitting beside an unconscious Master Makarov’s bed as a guard added cooly.

“HEY! It’s clearly him!” Both Gajeel and Natsu said in unison, pointing at the other.

“At least I didn’t hide away in the mountains! How was I supposed to find you?!” Natsu fired first.

“It’s called stayin’ below the radar!”

“Well, if you had crawled out from under the rocks once in a while, you might’ve heard of The Last Dragon in Crocus!”

“I did hear about a last dragon.” Gajeel mimicked. “Last I heard, he was killed and outed as a trafficker!”

“That...was the wrong Last Dragon.”

Gajeel made a dismissive noise.

“Luce was the one to get rid of him!” Natsu said defensively.

“Right. Yer partner. Does she live in Seven?”

Natsu puffed his chest in outrage. Levy had to bite her lip from smiling.

“She’s very real, you jerk!” Natsu tapped his shoulder where red dragons circled a golden star. “And the whole guild is coming here!”

Levy took the chance to study Natsu’s joined emblem a little closer. It didn’t just consist of dragons and stars but also...

“Is that the Celestial key?!” She didn’t realize she’d suddenly moved close enough to hold Natsu’s arm.

“It is.” Natsu said, not minding that his new friend was studying his emblem like a science project.

Gray rose to his feet as the name fell.

“Your nakama are the Celestials.”

“They are!” Natsu confirmed proudly.

“Do you know Loke and Aries?”

“I do. Aries is great! She has really good taste in chili powder. Loke annoys everyone but everyone loves him anyway.”

Gray nodded his head slowly. “That sounds about right. You said they’re coming here?”

“Yup.”

The dark-haired assassin hummed and said nothing more as he sat back down beside Makarov.

Gajeel scratched his head. “Remind me, the Celestials are...”

Levy gasped. “You don’t know the Celestials?! You grew up in the same city!”

“Here we go.” Gray muttered under his breath, having known Levy long enough to realize when one of her little obsessions would become relevant.

“Also grew up in the same city as the king, doesn’t mean I’ve met him!” Gajeel defended.

“They’re only one of the top guilds in all of Fiore, if not the world!” Levy exclaimed. “There are ten S-Class assassins, each corresponding with a zodiac sign, except their founder Layla, who died mysteriously seven years ago.”

“That’s Lucy’s mum.” Natsu added casually.

Levy’s head slowly turned to him. “You’re telling me, your partner is the daughter of Layla of the Celestials?” She said, forcing herself to remain calm.

“Yeah.”

Yeah. He said ‘yeah’ like this was nothing! Like Levy hadn’t theorized for years who might have been behind her role model’s death. As if Levy hadn’t grown up with Layla’s wanted poster on her wall, hoping to one day be as successful as her.

Levy took a deep breath. “Cool.” She said.

Gray snorted a laugh, shrugging off his T-Shirt absentmindedly. The movement made Levy look back over to him. His torso was also covered in bandages from the last fight. Many Fairies looked like him; the fight against Phantom Lord hadn’t been easy. Levy hadn’t participated, having been in the infirmary herself. The consequences of the battle were most evident through Master Makarov; he still hadn’t fully regained consciousness after his ordeal with Jose.

“What does the whole guild want here anyway?” Gajeel’s question distracted her from their master’s condition.

“To visit, duh.” Natsu replied.

“All of them?” Gajeel asked skeptically.

“Yeah. Plus, the guild was just attacked, so a little distance is probably a good idea anyway.”

“Their guild was what?!” Levy and Gray shouted.

“No one was hurt badly.” Natsu quickly added. “The knights just have it out for them ever since they broke me out of prison.”

“You were in prison?!” Wendy asked bewildered.

“After they faked my death, yes.”

“You faked your-”

A whistling noise cut Gajeel off, all heads peaking attentively.

“Are you hearing this?” Gray asked, rubbing his ear.

“What is it?” Levy whispered.

Gajeel, who’d grown far too familiar with that sound in his short life, jumped out of bed.

“It’s nothin’ good!” He yelled, just they heard the loud splintering of wood coming from the main hall and the building shook in its foundation.

“An explosion?!” Wendy cried, already in Gajeel’s arms.

“I smell no smoke!” Natsu ran to Gray’s side, shielding the master from the cloud of dust.

The infirmary’s door was kicked open, showing Erza in the process of strapping on her Kevlar breastplate, sword on her hip. Pantherlily jumped into the room right after her, Fairies running around grabbing weapons in the background.

“We’re under attack!” Erza yelled. “Get everyone who is injured behind the bar, grab your weapons, split up: half inside the guild, the other outside!”

“What was the attack?!” Levy helped Bisca limp out of the infirmary.

“A cannonball.”

“A cannonball?!” Levy got the image of a medieval battle in her head.

“Precisely.”

“I assume we can guess who the sender is?”

Erza’s gaze hardened. “Very much so.”

Levy saw Wendy tugging Gajeel into the hall, the last person to leave the infirmary.

Just in time as another whistling sound rang through the air.

Notes:

Alright, we're now entering the second phase of the Phantom Lord Arc. With all the players!

Chapter 43: Fairies, Phantoms, Dragons, and Celestials

Loke, Aries and Lucy could barely keep still on the train ride that felt like an eternity. Their constant pacing, talking and looking out the window excited little Plue, to the point where there were four over-excited Celestials in the cart.

Aquarius had already threatened to throw them out of the window -whilst moving- if they didn’t calm down and Gemini had muttered something about “no respect for the elderly” when he got woken up by their chattering. 

The attack on their guild felt like a bad dream. And as they left Crocus behind them, the tension visibly ebbed out of the room, replaced with excitement at the prospect of meeting old and new friends.

Loke and Aries wanted to see their old guild and Lucy couldn’t wait to meet her new Dragon-nakama.

She desperately wanted to make a good impression. This was Natsu’s family and although she knew the pinkette would laugh at her for it, she’d taken extra care in picking her outfit for today. Just because she and Natsu had tried to seriously injure each other during their first meeting, didn’t mean she had to make such a violent impression on Gajeel and Wendy. Which was also the reason why she only wore her hidden set of knives and whip. Taurus-the-axe, Scorpio-the-sword, Aries-and-Loke-the-daggers, Cancer-the-double-bladed-scissors and even Aquarius-the-knife were safely stored in her suitcase in the overhead-compartment.

She didn’t care to admit how many times she’d checked her hair in the reflection of the window and how many times Cancer had told her to “stop touching it!”.

When the endless green countryside finally took pity on the cart full of Celestials and parted to reveal the city of Magnolia in the near distance, the three of them were already on their feet, staring out the window like five-year-olds on a sugar rush.

Virgo started handing out the bags and suitcases, which she had piled into the lockers with master levels of Tetris-skill, as soon as the breaks of the train started screeching and slowing to a stop at the station.

“Come on! Come on! It’s not far from here!” Loke urged, tapping his foot impatiently whilst the rest of their nakama filed out of the train like normal individuals.

Lucy and Aries were already beside him, practically bouncing with nerves and excitement, Plue mirroring their movements.

“Would you three stop making such a scene!” Aquarius hissed at them, sparing an apologetic glance at anyone who passed the group. No one paid them much attention though. “I want us to keep a low profile. We’re guests in this city and I won’t have our guild’s repu-”

A ringing interrupted her. A ringing that everyone had been hearing too much of lately. It came from all their pockets, bags and purses.

Lucy’s heart slowed, dread filling her gut where happy anticipation had been residing before.

The Celestial’s shared a quick look, before they pulled out their phones. Lucy’s emblem was flashing on each screen, even on Gemini’s flip-phone, a red dot shining in time with the SOS-sound.

“Natsu...” Fear reared its ugly head in Lucy’s heart. “Where-”

“Follow me!” Loke was already moving through the crowd at the station, bag forgotten on the platform. “It’s not far!”

Lucy rushed after him, shortly followed by the rest of their nakama, pushing their way through the mass of people.

As soon as the group of assassins were out in the open, the crowds in the train station were beginning to make sense. They could hear yells and explosions from what had to be a few streets away. The sounds of a fight. A big one.

Loke picked up the pace again, Lucy close behind. Her boots clicked on the cobblestone street. Not the best choice for running, but the large heels were at least stable enough that she didn’t have to worry about it breaking off. Still, she missed her comfortable trainers at that moment. 

Aquarius and Scorpio caught up to them in the lead, Cancer and Capricorn flanking them, dodging the people who had the good sense to run away from the mayhem. Cancer held his left arm whilst running, but stubbornly refused to meet the eyes of anyone who was shooting him a concerned look.

Despite his best efforts, Gemini started falling behind. That was before Taurus strode past, an easy jog compared to the rest of them, and scooped up the old man with one arm. Lucy had little time to wonder where Virgo and Plue were before they’d already reached their destination.

“What the...”

The Celestials stood with their mouths hanging open, watching the absolute chaos before them:

The tall, stone structure of the Fairy Tail guild –easily identified due to the huge emblem hanging above the door- had multiple holes in its roof, smoke was bellowing through the windows and clashes of weapons sounded from the inside.

A house-on-wheels from hell stood a few hundred meters away. No, not a house. A full, Mavis-damn guild-on-wheels! It had large canons pointed at Loke’s old guild, which fired a constant stream of cannonballs at the building, or its close surroundings. Although it looked like one or two had already stopped working.

Assassins from both guilds were battling it out on the grassy field in front of the guild.

“A safe place, huh?” Aquarius sighed. “Why can things never just go smoothly?”

“Phantom Lord vs Fairy Tail.” Loke said calmly, readjusting his sunglasses and smiled at his partner. “Tale as old as time. Some things never change, do they love?”

In response, Aries let her long needles slide from her mittens, returning his smile.

Cancer shrugged off the sling around his shoulder, circling his arm experimentally under the disapproving stare of his partner.

Virgo appeared beside Gemini, her chain-bracelets dangling ready from her wrists.

“Plue and the luggage are safe.” She stated, straightening her hairband after the sprint.

“Alright, partners spread out.” Aquarius ordered, swinging her trident off her shoulders. “Help the Fairies and try to stop whatever that thing is. Cancer, you take it easy. Lucy-”

A loud bam came from inside the guild hall, the few intact windows turning orange with a powdery substance. A weight fell off Lucy’s chest. There was only one person crazy enough to detonate a chili-grenade in closed quarters.

“I’ll go help Natsu!”

Aquarius gave a quick nod and Lucy was already sprinting towards the splintered double doors, uncurling her whip.

Honestly, knowing how she met Natsu, why did she think meeting his cousins would be any different?

 

-----

 

Things weren’t looking good.

Wendy shrunk back behind the guild hall’s counter as another cannonball rocked the roof, causing more debris to rain down.

She didn’t know how things were looking outside, but inside the guild, things weren’t going favourably for the Fairies.

The first Phantoms had burst through the double doors soon after they had exited the infirmary.

Relief and hope had flooded through the preteen when Natsu had thrown himself into the fight, fists ablaze and whacking Phantom Lord member unconscious with his staff left and right. He definitely hadn’t been slacking in the past five years and he let their enemies feel it.

With determination and stubbornness only found in true fighters, every injured Fairy had tried their best to defend their master. That had been the last time things had looked up for them.

Titania Erza had been knocked out whilst stopping the largest cannonball in Phantom Lord’s artillery from disintegrating their guild with just a shield and presumably pure force of will.

Gray had gone off to take down one of the canons, despite being still injured from the last fight. Laxus and his circle of friends were also taking on the monstrosity on wheels outside, which was probably the reason the constant shelling of the guildhall had lessened. A fact which Wendy would never tell the huge blonde.

Every other Fairy was outside, battling in hand-to-hand combat with the Phantoms. How many standing and uninjured was unknown.

Levy had a laceration on her forehead, thanks to parts of the roof collapsing, which Wendy was now patching up behind the relative safety of the bar’s counter. But the small bluenette kept a wary eye on her cousins, especially Gajeel.

He shouldn’t be fighting. Stupid Laxus had hurt him badly enough, but now, the second battle so soon after... She knew those fractured ribs were hurting him, yet her stubborn cousin kept getting back up, as if he really was made of steel, even after he’d taken the brunt of the aforementioned roof collapsing. He kept going back to Natsu’s side, the two fighting back-to-back for as long as the situation let them, like neither wanted to leave the other alone again.

It made Wendy feel so useless, as she bandaged Levy’s head and kept a groggy Erza, who kept saying that she was perfectly fine, down with her other hand. Gajeel had kept them both safe for five years and Natsu taught himself to become a lethal assassin, all alone. And here she was: flinching as another Fairy was thrown back and didn’t get up again.

Natsu was the only one on their side who wasn’t too injured to fight at full strength. Or he had been. He was only human after all and couldn’t keep up with the constant stream of attacks.

His staff lay in splinters on the ground, his gloves spouted only the tiniest of flames with the remaining drops of fuel and he was panting heavily, sporting multiple cuts and the first indications of bruises.

And then Totomaru made his appearance. Theatrically, as his personality demanded, and late enough for him to be sure that the remaining Fairies were weakened if not already defeated. Coward.

Wendy hadn’t seen a lot of the S-Class assassin whilst she’d been detained at Phantom Lord. But she knew he called fire his element, much like Natsu did. That was most likely the reason the Phantom eyed her pink-haired cousin with cruel glee as he stalked into the crumbling guild hall.

“So, the rumours are true.” He drawled, shuffling the bangs of his black/white hair to the side. “The last dragon has risen from the dead.”

“Technically, I’ve done that twice now.” Natsu panted, grinning at the older assassin with the unwavering optimism Wendy had known since she’d been a baby.

“For some reason,” Totomaru went on, as if Natsu hadn’t said anything, “Master Jose is very interested in the little Dragons becoming Phantoms. Your...cousin wasn’t very cooperative...” He glared at Gajeel, who was panting heavily, clenching his teeth as he held his side.

Not good. That wasn’t good at all. Wendy resisted the urge to run to him, knowing she wouldn’t be able to help in these circumstances.

“...But I suppose that’s what the little one was for.” The Phantom said. Wendy shivered as his eyes turned on her. She felt Levy squeezing her hand reassuringly.

Gajeel growled out a curse, his knees buckling as he tried to stand.

“Keep calm, metal-head.” Natsu said easily, moving between Totomaru and the counter, effectively blocking his view of her. “I got this half ‘n’ half bastard.”

The Phantom smirked at him, drawing the katana from his side. Natsu circled him slowly, drawing him away from the bar, Wendy realized. She could see him taking in his new opponent. He had to know he was outmatched. Natsu’s weapon was broken and his gloves out of fuel, he was out of breath and heavily outnumbered.

And you couldn’t count on a Phantom to honour a fair fight.

Totomaru charged at Natsu. Her cousin dodged, ducking beneath the razor-sharp blade and rolled out the way.

Wendy vaguely saw a figure move from the corner of her eye. One of the Phantoms, previously backed away as Totomaru had taken the stage, was edging closer to their position; to the injured master of Fairy Tail.

Before the preteen could think of something to do, a black shadow jumped over their heads. Pantherlily had left Gajeel’s side and snapped at the attacker, scratching the woman’s bicep with his sharp teeth.

With the huge feline no longer at his side, Gajeel was suddenly much more of a target again.

The action that had slowed down a little when Totomaru had entered, was back in full swing as Levy darted back into the chaos, swinging a server’s tray at a Phantom’s knees.

Pantherlily was guarding one side of the bar, daring anyone to step too close with a dangerous glint in his golden eyes.

A Fairy named Bisca, propped up against the far wall of the guild due to a twisted ankle, protected the other side, lifting her gun with the arm that wasn’t dislocated and sent assassins falling to the ground, twitching under the force of her electrical bullets.

Wendy was desperately trying to calm down Erza. A second concussion could be lethal, and the red-haired woman clearly didn’t seem to care.

And in the midst of the regenerated chaos were Natsu and Totomaru, one slicing the air with his weapon, the other using whatever splintered furniture he could find to shield against it.

Totomaru had clearly been waiting for such atmosphere. With a grand gesture, he swished his katana about. Something clicked and Wendy could just make out clear liquid running down the blade. A second click sounded and suddenly Natsu’s opponent had a flaming weapon.

“My staff does that too!” Natsu exclaimed cheerfully, his hand slowly wandering to his scarf. “Well...it used to do that. What kind of fuel do you u-” He had to duck a stab from his opponent.

Natsu was still fumbling for something beneath his scarf. He finally detangled a chain-necklace from the white fabric. It cost him a cut to the arm. He hissed but held the little pendant firmly in his bleeding hand.

BEEP

“Are ya seriously protectin’ yer jewellery right now, ya moron?” Gajeel yelled from the other side of the hall.

“It’s not my necklace, you idiot!” Natsu shouted back.

BEEP

Another Phantom moved behind Natsu. Wendy gave a warning shout that had the pinkette dodging the attack but made him jump directly into Totomaru’s reach.

“Natsu!” Wendy shouted as the flaming blade sliced into her newly found cousin’s side.

He swore, clutching his newest injury with his free hand.

BEEP

Despite the situation, Natsu smiled victoriously at his enemy.

“The hell are you grinning at?!” The Element 4 member demanded, moving closer.

“Our victory.” Natsu said easily, ignoring the red liquid dripping to the floor. Wendy certainly didn’t.

His hand dropped from the pendant. It was an old-fashioned key, a small emblem scratched into the round bow. A small, red light blinked there, like the steady beating of a heart.

An emergency flare.

The Phantom scoffed. “Whoever you called; they will be too late.”

Wendy’s breath hitched at the promised threat.

“Nope, you’re gonna lose.” Natsu responded.

“You are all alone!” Totomaru laughed airily, gesturing about the destroyed building, moving closer to Natsu.

“You’re still screwed.” One of Natsu’s legs gave out and he fell backwards. He kept moving away from the flaming katana until his back hit the bar.

“Oh, do tell, little Dragon,” Totomaru drawled, letting the tip of his katana slide along the wooden floorboards, closer and closer to Natsu, “who is going to come to collect your bodies? Shall I deliver a message?”

Wendy could no longer see Natsu, both Dragons on other sides of the bar. She prayed to Mavis that he still had his confident grin, his unwavering trust in whoever was on the receiving end of that emergency signal.

She dared to peek over the counter, seeing Totomaru towering over her newly found cousin. Gajeel tried to move towards them but found his own injuries and several Phantoms blocking the way. Pantherlily growled but had to stay put to snap at another attacker.

A blue blur separated itself from the rafters above, crashing into the Elemental 4 assassin’s face.

Totomaru cursed, whilst Happy quickly jumped back, seeing that Natsu was reaching for his last grenade. He threw it towards the entrance of the guild, where most of the Phantoms were standing. A bam rang through the hall, red powder covering the broken door, windows and plenty of Phantoms who started yowling and rubbing at their eyes.

The attack had been meant to catch Totomaru off guard, but the assassin had moved just in time, watching his nakama dealing with the chili-aftermath with an angry expression. That anger turned back on Natsu as he approached again.

Wendy looked around frantically, searching for...her large medical scissors she used to cut the bandage for Levy went flying at their opponent. And hit his ribs with the harmless side. It still earned her an enraged look from the assassin. Wendy glared back, daring him to step closer.

“A cat and a little girl aren’t going to save you, last Dragon.” Totomaru spat, drawing his hand back from the large scratch on his face curtsey of the blue kitten.

“Happy, stay with Wendy.” Natsu ground out.

“Natsu...” Wendy whispered, trying her best to keep the tears at bay. She’d just gotten Natsu back and now-and now...

“Don’t worry, Wendy!” Natsu said over his shoulder. “I promised an old assassin that I’d be more careful. And I gotta keep my promise. Cause his partner can be really scary.”

“Enough of this!” Totomaru bellowed, raising his weapon. “Either swear loyalty to Jose and our guild or perish now!”

“Does anyone still use the word ‘perish’?” Natsu mused out loud. “I guess Cap would...and Loke would mock him for it...”

Wendy didn’t know if it was the blood-loss talking or a plan to buy more time from Natsu.

“Shall we vote?” The pinkette called to her and Gajeel. “I vote for this guy sticking his sword where the sun don’t shine!”

“I second.” Gajeel called over weakly.

The assassin growled. “Have it your way.”

Wendy shrieked as he grabbed Natsu by the scarf, pulling him closer so they were face-to-face. Her cousin winced, clutching his side harder but glared right back at his opponent.

“I’ll tell whoever you called that you died an idiot.” Totomaru muttered into Natsu’s ear, just loud enough for Wendy to hear.

The little Dragon froze, panic seizing her movements. She was going to lose Natsu again, Gajeel would lose Natsu again-

The katana glinted in the sunlight shining in from the broken roof above them. Wendy screamed, Gajeel yelled something she couldn’t hear, Natsu shut his eyes on instinct, clutching the necklace.

A whizzing noise rang through the guild, effectively cutting through the frozen moment.

Totomaru yelled as something wrapped around his wrist that was holding his weapon so close to Natsu’s throat, the katana cluttering to the ground.

A metallic tip gleamed at the end of the whip. Several pairs of eyes followed the rope from Totomaru’s wrist to its origin.

“I suggest you let my partner go!” A strong voice demanded from the shattered doorway, the sun streaming in behind the person.

“Luce!” Wendy had never heard so much relief in one word before. Natsu’s tense shoulders immediately loosened at the sight of the girl in the doorway.

She didn’t take her beautiful brown eyes off the threat towards Natsu, glaring at the Phantom.

Totomaru recovered quickly from the surprise, letting go of Natsu’s scarf and smirked at the newcomer.

Natsu slumped onto the ground with a groan, barely managing to sit upright against the bar.

Only then did his partner look at him, anger replaced with worry. “Natsu, are you alright?” She called across the hall, letting her whip curl back around her.

“Pfff, just a scratch, Luce.” Natsu grinned at her, but Wendy knew the girl was looking at his blood-covered hand, holding his side tightly.

Still, she managed a smile. “I leave you alone for five minutes...”

So, this had to be Lucy. Natsu had not stopped talking about her for ages. Lucy...Lucy of the-

“Where’s everyone else?” Natsu asked.

“Kicking butts outside.” Lucy gestured over her shoulder to the chaos still going on beyond the guild’s walls.

More backup. 10 S-Class assassins as Levy had explained. Wendy felt a weight lift off her chest, like she could finally breathe again.

“So, you are the emergency contact.” Totomaru drawled, taking in Natsu’s partner whilst picking his weapon up off the floor.

Lucy stiffened again; warmth replaced by cool calculation in her features.

“Who exactly are you?” The Phantom asked, picking his sword up.

The blonde lifted her left hand. “I am Lucy of the Celestials from Crocus.”

Totomaru stilled at the words. “A Celestial.” He said with a tone Wendy couldn’t quite place. Fear? Excitement? “You’re on the wrong side of this fight.”

“I disagree.” She replied coolly.

The little fights around them had stopped. Bisca could rest her arm, Levy and Gajeel watched the exchange from the corner and Wendy, together with a heavily concussed Erza, watched from behind the bar. The still conscious Fairies used the time to gather back around their master. The Phantoms in turn, hovered closer to Totomaru.

“I do not have the time for interferences.” The S-Class assassin said dismissively, though the eager tone was still in his voice. Lucy widened her stance, making it very clear that she was not going anywhere.

“You okay with me taking over, partner?” She yelled across the eerily silent hall; eyes trained on the burning weapon.

“All yours, Luce.” Natsu waved weakly. “I wore him down for ya.”

“As much as I would enjoy defeating a Celestial,” Totomaru said, turning back towards Natsu, “my orders were regarding the Dragons.” He made a lazy gesture towards Lucy. “Get rid of her.”

The Phantom Lord assassins grinned at Lucy, who looked completely unimpressed.

“Told ya you’d lose.” Natsu proclaimed confidently, moving away from the glowing tip of Totomaru’s katana.

Wendy switched between watching the threatening weapon and her...Lucy was her nakama too, right? Yeah, the red dragons circling her golden emblem on her hand proved it. Between Natsu and her new nakama and the hoard of Phantoms separating her from them.

With a hearty battle cry, the Phantoms attacked at once, charging like the world’s most uncoordinated fighting unit.

Lucy didn’t even spare them a glance, keeping her eyes on the black-and-white-haired target.

She started sprinting towards the hoard, whip uncurling in her hand.

A few surprised and confused outcries sounded, both from the Phantoms and the Fairies.

Shortly before the group and the Celestial would’ve clashed in the middle of the long hall, Lucy let her whip fly a second time. At an intact rafter high above their heads. The metal tip hooked itself around the beam and Lucy...

Wendy’s eyes widened and she let out a little gasp.

With a perfect jump and a pull at her whip, Lucy flew.

Chapter 44: Heel Problems

Gray hauled himself up the side of the monstrous guild, cursing Jose for his sense of drama and need to build the damn thing so tall.

He hadn’t received the usual signal, which worried him more than he’d like to admit. But Gray had a pretty good idea of where his target was. Of course it had to be by the canon on the open platform of the guild, so high it felt like touching the sky.

Gray’s bruises from the previous Phantom fight protested every time he pulled himself higher but he steadfast ignored them. Who knew how things were going down there – he had a job, he had a meeting, he had a canon to destroy.

The ledge of the platform came into view and if he’d had any breath to spare, Gray would’ve sighed in relief. Just a few more meters.

His hand gripped the edge of the platform after what felt like hours, arms burning at the prospect of having to pull himself up.

A gloved hand suddenly wrapped around his wrist. Deep blue eyes focused on him dangling off the Phantom Lord guild like a tired flag.

“Hello there, Fairy.” The pale woman said with a hint of an Eastern accent, pulling him onto the platform.

Gray groaned as he heaved himself away from the deadly drop, taking deep breaths and slowly got to his feet.

“Phantom.” He said cooly, staring the woman down.

She tapped her umbrella onto the ground. “Juvia has seen concussed sloths climbing more elegantly than you.”

Behind her stood the metallic monstrosity that was one of Phantom Lord’s canons. It was the size of a small house.

“Oh?” He replied. “Well, why would you pick the highest freaking place to put a canon?!”

“Because Juvia knew you would expect her here.”

Of course the woman who moved like rain would chose the highest place, closest to the clouds and wide, open sky.

The two stared each other down from only a few paces away; ice clashing against the wide ocean in their demeanours.

It was Gray who cracked first; his firmly set mouth turned into a defeated smirk at the woman’s haughty expression.

“I’m too tired for this. You win.” He sighed.

Juvia full on smiled at her victory, diminishing the sun behind her with the motion.

“You have a terrible poker face, my heart.” She closed the distance between them, moving like a flowing river.

Gray drew her in, resting his forehead on the crook of his girlfriend’s neck. He absorbed the scent of willow trees and splashing rivers, the soft feel of her winter coat despite the warming temperature.

“I was so worried about you.” He sighed again, holding her a little closer.

“You should not worry about Juvia.” The blue-haired woman soothed, running gloved hands through his hair. “Jose did not suspect a thing.”

“Still.” Gray mumbled. “I couldn’t reach you. I thought something happened.”

“Juvia apologizes. Jose took all forms of communication from us. I had no way to warn you.”

“It’s not your fault, sunshine. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

“Juvia is safe. However...” Juvia suddenly held Gray by the shoulders an arm’s length away, giving him a critical once-over, “...you look terrible.”

Gray huffed a laugh. “Yeah, I caught a blow or two.”

Juvia frowned at his bandaged torso. “Looks more like ten or twenty.”

“It was a tough fight. I’m glad you weren’t there.” He brushed a light blue strand of hair back behind her fluffy hat.

“Juvia was on a scouting mission. To see where Jose could bring the guild for this attack. The Phantoms have talked like the fight last night was a victory.” Fairy Tail’s unofficial spy said. “How bad was it?”

Gray thought back to the man who’d raised him since the last decade, lying in the infirmary bed that seemed too big for him.

“Gramps has taken a hard hit from Jose.”

Juvia nodded. “So Juvia has heard. Will he live?”

“He will!” Gray said quicky. Another alternative was not an option.

Juvia nodded plainly. “Who else is here?”

“Laxus and his team are taking on the other canons. And I think Elfman and Mira were close behind.”

“That is good. Who will fight Jose?”

Gray thought to all the hectic movement inside the guild. Laxus and his crew had rallied like a well-oiled machine, declaring they would run straight into the belly of the beast. Gray had to basically beg them to let him go too, knowing that his girlfriend would be tasked with guarding one of the canons. He did not like the thought of one Thunder Legion member going up against her.

No one had called dibs on Jose.

“I don’t know. I’m guessing Laxus would, if he finds him first.”

“Do you think he stands a chance?”

“Mavis, I hope so. Fairy Tail can’t take another hurt Dreyar.”

Juvia rested a gloved hand on his cheek. “Then let us help them.”

He smiled at her. “Are you ready to become a Fairy?”

Juvia’s rare smile shone again. “Of course.” She pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “Let us get rid of that thing first.”

Gray’s eyes fixed back on the monstrous canon.

“Not our most romantic date,” he slung an arm around her, “but I suppose it’ll do.”

Juvia chucked, hooking her arm around his. “The places you take me to, beloved.”

 

-----

 

Thank Mavis the beam above her held. The roof looked like it could collapse all around them at any moment. And thank Mavis that she decided to wear shorts beneath her skirt that morning.

With a graceful arch, Lucy sailed over the storming group of whoever the hell was attacking Loke’s old guild. She was heading straight for the discount-Natsu with his stupid flaming sword.

Her heels crashed into the wooden floorboards, inches away from her opponent, who had to jump back to avoid his toes being crushed. Trainers would definitely be preferable to heels, but at least they made for good aesthetics. Her whip was left dangling from the rafters, hooked around too tightly to remove in a simple motion.

She was now between her very injured partner and the jerk who couldn’t pull off Scorpio’s hairstyle.

“Go get ‘em, partner!” Natsu wooed enthusiastically, fatigue colouring his voice.

“You’ll be alright?” Lucy asked, daring a glance over her shoulder. Her partner bore more cuts and bruises than she could count, his gloves were a wreck, and he was bleeding too much to be considered just a scratch.

“Of course, weirdo.”

The guy with the katana watched the two of them. The hoard stood behind him, waiting for orders.

“I got this.” He said darkly, getting into a fighting stance. The flames on his weapon had died out, which didn’t seem to bother him at all. “I always thought you Celestials would be more...awe-inspiring, fearful, you know...more impressive.”

Lucy shrugged, letting her arms rest at her sides, although her fingers itched to draw a blade. “You’re more than welcome to go outside and challenge a seven-foot mountain of muscles with a huge axe.”

“No, the pink-haired woman in a maid-outfit!” Natsu said from behind her, inching his way to the safety of the bar.

Lucy gasped. “Natsu, that’s just cruel!” She’d thank Mavis, Zeref and all the spirits to have ever existed that she’d come at just the right moment, not a second later.

The katana jabbed at her, a predicably boring move that Lucy dodged, moving away from Natsu and the remnants of a bar.

“So, Phantom Lord, huh?” She asked conversationally, dancing out of the way from the precise slices her opponent delivered. They were in the middle of the hall. “A nakama of mine once defeated your old master with a beam of light. You guys can’t be that great.”

Katana-guy was evidently more collected than the Eisenwald assassin with his scythe, Lucy recalled. She didn’t miss the flicker of annoyance in his eyes though, either at her jab or her constant dodging.

She found an opening and went in for a kick. Her opponent jumped back easily. Alright, definitely not to be underestimated.

The katana swung at her in fluid motions and Lucy dodged equally gracefully, leading her opponent further and further away from her partner and the Fairies with every step.

It looked like an elegant dance the two of them were performing. If one wasn’t actively trying to kill the other, they could’ve sold tickets for this show. Their current audience seemed captivated enough, (conscious) Phantoms and Fairies watching their two champions hashing it out in the crumbling guild.

“Is your genius plan to just dodge?” Totomaru asked the blonde.

“Aww, you think it’s genius?” Lucy swooned, hand held to her heart.

The Phantom’s eye twitched. Clearly, he didn’t deal with teenagers on a regular basis. And clearly, he did not like being mocked.

Lucy heard a little click and for a second she thought he was going to hurl an explosive at her. But instead, a clear liquid ran down the katana and ignited, Lucy could only presume for the second time since the assassin had entered the guild.

Totomaru swung the blazing weapon at her horizontally. Lucy leaned backwards to avoid the slash, having to drop to the floor when stray beads of the flammable liquid flew right over her face, little flames trailing behind them.

She quickly rolled as the weapon struck the floorboards, jumping back on her feet.

They were doing their dance again. Just this time, Lucy was much more on the defence, her movements limited to where the heat of the flames couldn’t reach her.

This might be a problem.

She had exactly four knives on her. Her mother’s necklace with the hidden fold-up blade was in Natsu’s hand. The rest were in her suitcase.

She would’ve very much liked to have Scorpio-the-sword with its protective hilt in her hand. Or maybe Aries-the-dagger; its length would’ve made it easier to reach her opponent through the flames.

All her available knives were too short-range for her situation, except Sagittarius-the-throwing-knife, which was too long-range.

Another problem: Totomaru was pushing her back towards the bar, closer to her partner, his cousins, the injured Fairies and the group of Phantoms. Exactly what she’d been working to avoid.

“Luce?” Natsu’s voice sounded worried.

He was propped up against the side of the bar, his cousin fixing a bandage around his torso in place. Wendy’s hair had grown longer than in the most recent photos Lucy had managed to find. Her eyes were still large in her round face as the preteen looked up at her.

Lucy shot her most convincing smile at both of them.

“I’m alright.” She turned back to twirl away from the flames. “You gave me a tougher time when we first met.”

She heard her partner chuckle. “Good times.”

Yeah...especially since she had all her knives back then.

A plan was forming in Lucy’s mind. She’d have to time it perfectly and preferably quickly before she was forced to move into the crowd of phantoms. Which was probably Totomaru’s plan, come to think of it.

She formed her right hand into a fist, inconspicuously fidgeting with her ring.

Her eyes were fixed on the katana, hyper focused on its next movement, on the range of the dancing flames.

She was waiting for a wide, horizontal slash, ideally aimed at the height of her throat. A wide, horizontal slash, a wide, horizontal- there!

Totomaru tried to take advantage of her single-minded focus and aimed wide.

But instead of leaning back just far enough to avoid the attack, Lucy dropped with one leg outstretched, letting the weapon fly over her head, allowing her to jump back up much faster.

Before Totomaru could swing his weapon back again, Lucy had his sword-arm in a firm hold, her right hand free to fly at him. The Phantom managed to yank his arm up a little, her quick hits landing on his shoulder and bicep.

It looked like an ordinary punch to anyone watching, but Totomaru’s yell of pain and surprise revealed the truth.

Lucy jumped back quickly from his renewed attack, a bead of blood dropping from her ring to the floor.

It had been Capricorn’s gift to her; a golden ring with a flower crowning the top. A flower that could be unscrewed to reveal a small spike beneath it.

“Perfect for a surprise in a close combat situation.”

He hadn’t been wrong.

Totomaru was clutching his shoulder with his free hand, glaring at the blonde teen.

“What?” She asked innocently. “You didn’t want me to just dodge all the time.”

Lucy was trying to buy time until her nakama had helped cleaning up outside to come into the guild and help. She hadn’t expected this many Phantoms to be here nor so many injured Fairies.

Managing to put a scratch on the highest-ranking Phantom had seemed like a good idea. But that was because she’d assumed he’d play fair. That had been a naïve thought; a realization that hit her full force in the form of a bat crashing against her shoulder from behind.

“Luce!” She heard Natsu yell, blinking away the pain as she stumbled towards Totomaru from the force of the blow.

Her second naïve thought was that maybe their leader would call the other Phantoms off, telling them again that he would deal with her alone.

But drawing first blood had evidently convinced him that one teenager was too much trouble and that he should use his obvious advantage: his numbers.

Lucy cursed colourfully, as she dropped and rolled beneath the katana coming at her with renewed vigour, then again when she had to flip over a lance as soon as she’d gotten one foot back on the ground.

The guildhall turned into a free for all; Fairies realizing that their brief rest was over and Phantoms seeing that the show the Celestial and Totomaru had been performing was now open for audience participation.

With a flick of her left wrist, Virgo’s knife attached to a short chain that usually disguised itself as a bracelet was in Lucy’s hand. She twirled it around wildly, trying to put some distance between herself and the closest attackers.

Her shoulder screamed at the movement, so she tried to make use of Capricorn-the-defender-ring as much as she could. The small, metal flower top flew out of her clutched hand when a Phantom body-checked her into a pillar. She’d have to look for that later, Lucy thought, ducking the following blow and let herself smile as the Phantom’s fist cracked against the pillar.

She dared a quick glance towards the bar, towards her partner.

Natsu was back on his feet, wobbly and holding his side but batting away approaching Phantoms with a broken end of his staff.

Wendy was behind him, holding large medical scissors in both hands, daring anyone to come close with set brows.

A beautiful woman with deep red hair that was partially obscured by a thick bandage around her head was swaying slightly behind the bar, looking around with unfocused and confused eyes that spoke of a concussion. That had to be Erza, aka. Titania!  

A Phantom jumped across the bar, right in front of the tall woman. She blinked at him. Then backhanded him across the face with such casual force that the man went flying right back over the counter.

The Phantom tried to get back up groggily but was beset by a – was that a panther?!

Lucy shook her head in bewilderment, the large, grey cat not growing any smaller or less threatening in her vision. Right then. A panther. Why not?

A bat with an array of rusty nails hammered into it made the blonde forget about the feline for a moment. She spun and jumped back only to be greeted by a familiar katana.

“Son of a-”

“I told you, you’re on the wrong side of this fight!” Totomaru seethed, turning his back on the Fairy he’d been occupied with.

“Still disagree.” Lucy gritted her teeth, barely parrying a blow from the sword with Virgo’s small knife.

Totomaru was forcing her closer to the bar, but on the other side from where Natsu had just smashed a wine bottle on a Phantom’s head.

She had to jump straight back to dodge a thrust at her stomach, unable to check her surroundings beforehand.

Lucy landed on a piece of broken chair, the heel of her boot catching on the wood. Her ankle gave out and the young assassin fell backwards, pure luck and gravity putting distance between her and Totomaru’s follow-up stab.

She landed hard on more splintered furniture, her shoulder flaring with pain as she cushioned her fall.

Totomaru was standing over her victoriously, not bothering with long speeches this time as he aimed for her exposed neck.

Lucy shut her eyes tightly out of reflex as the katana came at her. She expected the pain, the burn but only heard a loud clank. She dared to open one eye to see Metalicana standing beside her, holding a metal tray in both hands which he’d just used to parry Totomaru’s strike, hard enough for the Phantom to stumble backwards.

No, not Metalicana, he’d be older. But the resemblance was striking.

Piercing red eyes looked down at her. The same ones she’d seen on the photos she’d gifted Natsu for Christmas. Lucy was about to say something, some sort greeting but the oldest Dragon was faster.

“Why are ya wearing heels to a fight?”

Lucy blinked.

“Gajeel!” A light voice behind Lucy scolded. Thin and surprisingly strong arms lifted Lucy up by the shoulders, setting her back on her feet.

The burst of pain in her ankle, and the realization that she hadn’t just died, had Lucy’s thoughts returning to regular speed.

“I didn’t know I’d be in a fight, did I?!” She snapped at the tall assassin, standing guard with the tray as she found her footing. “It’s not my fault you Dragons can’t go a day without getting into a fight!”

“We Dragons?!” Gajeel asked in bewilderment, batting away an attacker with his ‘weapon’.

“Yes, you Dragons!” Lucy snapped back, throwing the broken end of a tankard at a Phantom with her uninjured arm. “Attracting trouble is totally your thing!”

“First of all, it’s definitely a Natsu-thing!” Gajeel retorted. “And, if I may remind ya of the mark on yer hand, y’re a Dragon too!”

Lucy snapped her mouth shut. He was right. On both accounts.

“It’s nice to meet you!” She shouted as both leaned to the side to dodge a thrown table aimed in their general direction.

“Likewise!” He yelled back, taking the offense at a startled gaggle of Phantoms.

A chuckle rang through the chaos beside her. A very pretty girl with a blue pixie-cut and large, brown eyes turned to face Lucy.

“Don’t mind him. I'm pretty sure he’s always grumpy. Especially when fighting. And hurt.”

“Yeah, it looks like you’ve already gone a few rounds.” Lucy tugged on the girl’s arm so she had to lean forward, avoiding a stray knife flying overhead.

“I’m Levy!” She yelled, holding out her hand.

Lucy shook it. “Pleasure. I’m Lucy.”

“I know.” Levy spun the blonde around and kicked the charging Phantom right in the guts. “You Celestials are famous!”

Lucy laughed despite her pain. “Probably for the wrong reasons.”

“No.” Levy said quickly. “You’re the best in Crocus! I’m really glad you’re here.”

Lucy smiled at her. “So am I, trust me.”

A Phantom had climbed the bar, charging towards their end with a yell. Erza swiped his legs out from under him with one sweep of her arm. The Phantom crashed and skidded along the countertop; Lucy and Levy taking a few steps back to avoid being knocked down as he careened past them like a kid on a sled.

Levy darted towards Gajeel and a green-haired woman with a rifle to tackle a Phantom approaching from their blind spot.

Lucy looked over to the other side of the bar, catching a glimpse of salmon. She carefully edged along the counter, knowing she was of little use in her condition but would still try to help her partner.

The worst of the mayhem was in the centre of the hall and she tried to keep to the edge of it, seeing Totomaru pushing back Faries left and right. The black-and-white haired man spotted her though, his eyes gleaming at the easy target.

Lucy cursed, hobbling along quicker. With Natsu by her side, they might have a chance-

“I hope you know this is your fault!” He called over to her, taking long steps closer.

Lucy supported her weight with one arm leaned against the bar, her free hand clutching Virgo-the-knife.

Totomaru was still unfairly uninjured, although he seemed to be out of flammable liquid for his katana. That didn’t help much considering he still had the weapon at all.

Lucy’s shoulder flared in pain whenever she moved and she was limited to one leg that could carry her weight. Levy and Gajeel were in the other corner, being beset by group of Phantoms who all looked injured in one way or another, but still had them outnumbered. Erza was currently wrestling with someone behind the bar if the swearing was anything to go by.

Totomaru charged, so fast Lucy barely saw him, the katana slicing past her face so closely she could hear it. The Phantom chuckled as Lucy flinched so hard she hit the bar with her back. He was in a playful mood again, drawing this out for his entertainment.

“Natsu!” Lucy yelled panicked, garnering a mocking smirk from Totomaru who withdrew his weapon from the splintered counter.

“I’m getting déjà vu...” He drawled.

“I hope you know there are ten Celestials out there who will tear you apart either way!” Lucy retorted stubbornly.

She saw the spot of pink moving closer in her periphery vision.

“You have to know you stand no chance against us.” Keep his attention, keep his attention...

Totomaru chuckled. “No small guild from the capitol has any chance against Phantom Lord’s might. Not even the Celestials!”

“Pfff.” Lucy made a dismissive gesture, hiding a wince as she moved her arm. “You must be compensating for some sort of weakness,” she didn’t like how close her opponent still was, close enough for a quick strike at her, “if you felt the need to bring your entire building with you.”

Totomaru rolled his shoulders, preparing.

“Some people would say that bombing a guild from far away is a cowardly tactic.” Lucy added.

“You call this far away?” The Elemental 4 member was so close Lucy could feel the warmth of the katana, still faintly glowing.

Suddenly, Totomaru was no longer standing in front of her. Natsu had inelegantly charged at him, using his remaining strength to bodycheck the Phantom away from his partner. He stumbled and gritted his teeth at the impact, red blossoming through the bandages around his torso.

“Natsu!” Lucy was both relived and worried, hopping to her partner.

He slung one arm around her, both teens supporting each other’s weight.

“You okay, Luce?” He rested his head against hers, watching Totomaru get back to his feet slowly.

“Honestly...a little worse for wear.” The blonde admitted. “You?”

“I’d be a lot worse if you hadn’t shown up. Perfect timing, Luce.”

Lucy gestured to Totomaru. “Right back gotcha, partner.”

The Phantom glared daggers at them and Lucy wondered how the two of them were supposed to take him on when-

CRASH

Every (conscious) head whipped around to see a window plus frame exploding into thousands of shards and splinters, a man flying through it, his mouth open in a yell.

He flew past Gajeel and Levy, his arms windmilling in the air. Totomaru had no time to react as the airborne Phantom crashed into him, sending them both tumbling across the floor.

“Taurus!” The voice from outside the previously intact window could be heard in the suddenly quiet guild. “Watch where you throw that, moshi moshi!”

Taurus’ head peaked in through the new hole in the wall.

“Sooooorry everyone. I thought the wall would hooooold that.”

“No, no!” Lucy called to him. “Perfect aim!”

Taurus grinned, stepping into the hall whilst ducking beneath the remaining shards hanging onto the frame.

Lucy saw multiple Phantoms take a few steps back as the colossus of a man stretched his arms, one hand casually holding an axe that was bigger than most people inside the building.

“Hey Sag!” He yelled. “The fun’s heeeeere!” He scanned the hall, his eyes catching on Gajeel who stared back with suspicion.

Sagittarius jumped in after his partner.

“It appears so, moshi moshi.” He drew an arrow.

With a gleeful battle cry, Taurus charged at the group standing closest to him, the same one that had surrounded Gajeel.

“Sweetheart, the real party is in here.” Loke held out a gallant hand to help his partner step through the newly constructed entrance to the guild.

Aries spotted Totomaru, who’d succeeded in pushing his nakama off him and getting back on his feet for a second time in as many minutes.

“The traitor.” He sneered at the ram. “Back again.”

Aries smiled, adjusting her grip on her needles. “Just this once.”

She turned to Loke. “I got this.”

He nodded. “I’ll be right here.”

She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. The next second, Aries was already charging at Totomaru with silent lunges, needles held to her side.

Totomaru only had time to adjust his grip on the katana before he already had to parry a blow from Aries, sword and needles clashing between them.

Lucy had seen Aries in a real fight only a handful of times. And she was something to behold; a graceful ballerina, her steps resembling twirls and her strikes reminding of artistic poses worthy of being immortalized with a painting.

All Fairies breathed a sigh of relief as the power dynamic within the guild suddenly shifted.

 

-----

 

Aquarius groaned in annoyance. How many stairs did one need to install in their guild?! Phantom Lord was ridiculously full of itself, she decided.

“Everything alright, babe?” Scorpio paused beside her.

“This place is a freaking maze!” Aquarius clunked her trident onto the floor.

Getting inside the moving guild had been a task by itself. The guild was a moving, shaking fortress and it had taken a well-timed boost from her fiancé to get her onto a window’s ledge. It had taken another well-timed moment to let Aquarius grasp Scorpio’s hand and haul him up after her.

“I’m sure we’ll find someone to fight.” Scorpio grinned at her. “Just by chance.”

“We better.” Aquarius grumbled. “I did not walk all those stairs for cardio!”

Scorpio was about to laugh but Aquarius suddenly held a finger to his lips.

She glanced towards the corridor leading away from the stairs. Scorpio understood as he too heard the voices.

“I would like to speak to the architect of this place.” A male voice huffed. “And ask if they might require some glasses. Or professional help.”

“Not really the point, Freed.” A deeper voice spoke. Two shadows neared their location. Aquarius twirled her trident preparation.

“The corridors are not parallel to each other, Laxus! Only a madman could have conjured up this design-”

The voices suddenly stopped, sensing the Celestials’ presence before they had rounded the corner.

"Hello there.” Scorpio called out. “You wouldn’t happen to be Phantoms, would you? My fiancé needs to blow off some steam.”

Aquarius rolled her eyes with a loving smile at him.

A mountain of a man came around the corner. Scorpio and Aquarius had to tilt their heads back to look him in the face. Hay-blonde hair stood up in spikes, not doing anything to cover the long scar running over the man’s eye, nor the scowl on his face.

He would make an excellent sparring partner for Taurus, Aquarius briefly thought.

“We’re no Phantoms.” The man said darkly. He covered the smaller figure of a green-haired man in a fine, red coat holding a rapier in one hand.

“Too bad.” Scorpio said easily, using his shotgun as a walking stick to lean on as a sign of peace. Aquarius moved her trident back into a vertical position, following his lead.

“Leaves the question of who you are.” The blonde said.

“I am Aquarius, leader of the Celestial guild of Crocus.”

“The Celestials?!” The smaller man poked his head around the large coat of the blonde.

Aquarius gestured to her collarbone, the jagged lines with the key declaring who she was.

The green-haired man gasped. “I am a huge fan! I love the work you did at Hargeon Beach.”

“So did we.” Scorpio said easily, as always much more graceful with making friends than her. “I’m her fiancé, Scorpio.”

“It is a pleasure!” The smaller man shook both their hands, ignoring the annoyed glance of the blonde. “My name is Freed Justine. This,” he gestured grandly to his companion, “is Laxus Dreyer, heir of the Fairy Tail guild.”

The man in question grunted a greeting.

“You’re Makarov’s son?” Scorpio asked.

“Grandson.” He corrected.

“How is your grandfather faring? Natsu has informed us about his condition.”

“He’s a stubborn, old man.” Laxus’ dismissive tone would’ve irked Aquarius, if Freed’s gentle expression at his words didn’t reveal the worry Laxus truly felt. “He’ll be fine.”

“Good to hear.”

“What are you doing here?” Laxus asked with no flourishes.

“One of our nakama has ties to two protegees of your guild. The Dragons.” Scorpio explained just as the guild started moving again.

“In short,” Aquarius held onto one of the walls for balance, “we’re fighting on your side and have some pent-up energy to spend.”

“Then you are more than welcome here.” Freed said with a kind smile as the building stabilized again.

Laxus grunted again.

“He agrees.” Freed translated.

Laxus shot him an annoyed glare.

“How about we take whatever lies at the top of the stairs, and you take the rest of the corridor?” Scorpio proposed.

“That sounds logical.” Freed agreed, secretly a little disappointed at the prospect of not seeing the legendary Celestials in action.

“Fine.” Laxus grumbled, already moving down the hallway.

“We will reconvene when this is over.”

Freed beamed at Aquarius’ promise, quickly moving to follow his friend.

“Why did you give us the stair-route?!” Aquarius hissed at her partner when the two Fairies were out of earshot.

“Think of the cardio, babe.”

Aquarius grumbled something Virgo would disapprove of, continuing their trip up the staircase they had randomly chosen.

It lead them up further and further, to the point where Aquarius was considering the option of being trapped in a time-loop.

Finally, the stairs ended right before a set of double doors. Nothing else.

“One room?!” Aquarius held her side. “All those stairs lead to one single room?!”

“I’m sure whatever is in there, is worth it, babe.” Scorpio breathed heavily.

“It better be.” Aquarius shrugged off her blazer and tossed it to the side. Much like Lucy, she had also wanted to make a good impression on Fairy Tail. She had a big favour to ask them after all, and ‘business casual’ had seemed like a good idea. It’s not like she could’ve guessed that introductions and professional attire would go out the window as soon as they’d seen the guild.

She held her trident with both hands and kicked open the doors, tensing for an immediate attack.

A large room with open, stone walls greeted them, a few pillars stood around, supporting the roof right above their heads. The sole source of light came from the open doorway, casting their long shadows into the room.

“Hello there.” A slimy voice said from somewhere inside.

Both Celestials tightened their grips on the weapons, taking a few steps inside.

“I have been waiting a long time for this.”

Scorpio caught a glimpse of a shadow moving about behind the pillars.

“We’ll try not to disappoint.” Scorpio answered.

Slowly, a long figure separated itself from the shadows, white teeth gleaming in the little light through a sardonic grin.

Dark eyes narrowed at them.

“I’m afraid you already have.” The Master of Phantom Lord sneered, looking them up and down. “Who in the world are you?”

“We are Aquarius and Scorpio of the Celestial guild of Crocus.” Aquarius introduced them yet again.

“Celestials?!” Dark eyes widened in surprise. “I must say, that is unexpected. I was hoping the oldest Dragon would grace me with his presence yet again. Perhaps in this situation, he would see whose guild is the superior option. Or at the very least I expected Makarov’s brat of a grandson to be the one to meet me here.”

“I’m more than happy to go get him.” Scorpio gestured to the open doorway. “I’m sure he’d love to meet you here too.”

Jose smirked at him. “I’m afraid that opportunity has passed. Your status will also accomplish my goal.”

Aquarius did not like where this was going but stayed silent. Clearly this greasy guy liked to hear himself talk.

“Let me welcome you to Magnolia.” Jose continued with a grand gesture. “I do hope you are enjoying the show.”

“Special effects are a little over the top.” Aquarius, not one for the showmanship, deadpanned.

“And while the setting is quite stunning, the context is a bit vague, in my opinion.” Scorpio added with a smirk.

Jose scoffed at them. “Only the keen mind can analyse such a multidimensional play.-”

Capricorn could tear this man apart, Aquarius thought.

“-Once the current king falls, his successor is clear.” Jose gestured wide at nothing.

“Laxus is Makarov’s heir.” Scorpio said.

“I do not mean the king of Fairy Tail.” Jose sighed. “I mean the king under the guilds.”

“And here I thought we were a democracy.” Aquarius checked her nails.

“No, the unofficial king. The one who enjoys protection from the very top.”

“We all enjoy protection from the Council.” Scorpio tried to follow along.

“Higher than that. The king himself!” Jose, getting a little annoyed with the Celestial intruders, gritted out.

“So...the unofficial king, who is supposed to fall, received protection from the actual king?” Aquarius, who had officially lost the thread, summarized. Now she really wished Capricorn was there with them.

Jose wished other assassins had been the ones to find him.

“Makarov’s guild is untouchable. The king himself proclaimed his gratitude to him.”

“So, Makarov is the king you were speaking of, right?” Scorpio scratched his head.

“But he said he wasn’t talking about the ‘king’ of Fairy Tail.” Aquarius turned to her fiancé.

“This is just bad storytelling.” He concluded.

“I will be king!” Jose exploded at them.

“Are we talking metaphorical or actual now?” Scorpio asked his partner.

Aquarius shrugged.

“Once Fairy Tail is wiped off the map, guess who will become the untouchable ones?” Jose pinched the bridge of his nose. This was not how he’d envisioned his grand finale.

It clicked in the Celestial’s minds.

“I think I got it now, babe. The knights can’t touch Fairy Tail cause the king said no...” Scorpio started.

“But another guild could. And because the knights and the king aren’t always on the same wavelength...” She continued.

“The knights got someone else to do their dirty work. The king will be non the wiser...” Scorpio encouraged.

“And the traitors were promised protection from the same people who hired them.” Aquarius finished.

“Honestly, you could’ve just said that, mate.” Scorpio looked back at Jose.

“I am no traitor!” The Phantom declared loudly. “I am merely playing the game.”

“The lives of assassins and the people they protect are no game.” Aquarius twirled her trident.

“Pff.” Jose’s dismissive huff made her eye twitch. “Why should I not do the most to protect my guild?”

“If it involves ruining another, that doesn’t really equal out, does it?” Scorpio played with the trigger on his shotgun.

“Of course it does.” Jose moved back a little into the shadows. “If the guild is lesser than mine.”

“No such thing.” Aquarius had had enough of talking.

Jose sensed the time for dramatic monologues was over. So, with yet another theatrical movement, he pulled the black fabric off a bulky machine beside him, previously perfectly blended into the shadows.

“A gift from the knights.” He declared grandly.

Scorpio raised an eyebrow. The machine, which resembled a cannon but with no opening for ammunition to shot from, reached the Phantom’s shoulder. The barrel was closed and connected to several wires and cords along the body of the machine.

“That’s...a very complicated looking Wi-Fi router.” He decided.

Jose gritted his teeth, but the creepy smile returned to his lips at a memory. “Mock all you want. This contraption is what sent Makarov out of a window.”

The Celestials eyed the thing with much more caution at the proclamation.

“I call it Thought Projection!” Jose said proudly, fingers sliding along the machine with care. “For what is stronger than the power of the mind?”

With no warning, he suddenly pressed a button. It took the machine less than a second to charge the power it needed and fired.

Scorpio and Aquarius jumped apart on instinct, even as no projectile came shooting at them. Yet the doors they had stood before just half a second ago flew off their hinges and cluttered down the stairs.

“What in Zeref’s name...!?” Aquarius quickly rose to her feet, eying the thing.

Pure force had been sent at them. She’d never heard of such a thing. How could energy be gathered to such an extend and then be discharged at will? Of course, it had to come from the knights’ laboratories. What other twisted mind could conjure up such things?

Jose cackled menacingly.

“Beautiful, is it not?”

“Not! Decidedly not!” Scorpio shook small splinters out of his hair.

“Then perhaps you should take a closer look.” Jose turned the weapon to point at the scorpion.

He looked at Aquarius.

She nodded.

Another beam of invisible, destructive energy shot at him. The stone pillar was knocked apart, large rocks tumbling down.

Aquarius was already moving while Scorpio ducked and rolled for cover.

Time to finish this.

Notes:

So, I know I'm cheating a little by making Gray and Juvia an established couple from the beginning, but I honestly couldn't think of a way to make their canon 'relationship' non-toxic and actually healthy. And hey - it mirrors Loke's and Aries' story, so why not?

Chapter 45: Not Five Minutes

“Are you two alright?”

Lucy reluctantly looked away from Aries and Totomaru, to see Loke standing in front of her and Natsu.

The ginger man rested a hand on her shoulder, retracting it immediately when Lucy flinched.

“Uhm...I might have dislocated a little something.” Lucy admitted.

Loke looked down at her leg, the one hovering over the floor.

“And I may have sprained a little something else.” She added.

Loke’s pointed gaze landed on the red stains of Natsu’s bandage.

“I scratched a little something.” Natsu said with a pained grin.

Loke rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses.

“Can’t leave you two alone together for five minutes.”

“That’s what I said.” Lucy chuckled weakly.

Loke sighed and helped the two hobble and limp back to the bar.

“What’s happening?!” Titania’s head popped up behind the counter.

“You have to lie down!” A small voice insisted, and Lucy could see Wendy trying to hold the red-haired woman back.

“Reinforcement, Erza.” Loke said calmly. “You can rest now.”

Erza nodded solemnly. “That is acceptable, familiar looking man.” She slumped back behind the bar, nudged by Wendy.

Lucy and Natsu sunk down beside her, both groaning and clutching injured body parts.

“Not five minutes.” Loke muttered again, before his eyes caught the small figure laying behind Erza.

“How is Master Makarov doing?” He directed his question at Wendy.

“He- he is stable.” The little girl stuttered.

“I’m alive, brat!” The croaking voice had everyone looking at the master of Fairy Tail.

“Really?” Loke smirked, moving to his side. “Cause you look half-dead.”

“Pff. Well, how can I rest with you kids making so much darn noise?!” The old man tried to sit up, his frame shaking at the effort.

“Hang on, Gramps. You’ll throw out a hip.” Loke soothed, helping his former master lean up against the bar.

“I’ll show you a thrown hip!” Makarov mumbled in pain, his eyes finally focusing on the ginger crouched before him. “You got old.”

Loke laughed. “And yet you still recognized me.”

“I’d recognize that annoying voice anywhere.”

“I have missed you too, old geezer.”

Makarov mumbled something Lucy couldn’t decipher, so she focused back on her partner who was getting his bandage redone by his cousin.

“Give it to me straight, doc. Will I live?” Natsu asked dramatically.

Wendy shot him an unamused stare that had Lucy biting her lip.

“Don’t joke about that!” She scolded.

“It’s just a-”

“Don’t you dare say it’s just a scratch!”

Natsu snapped his mouth shut. Lucy finally let the laugh escape.

“At least one Dragon who isn’t completely taken by the Assassin’s Stupidity.” Lucy giggled.

Wendy’s face flushed at the compliment.

“Y-You’re a Dragon too though.” The little girl mumbled.

“Oh, I absolutely count myself to that description.” Lucy held out her uninjured hand. “I’m Lucy.”

Wendy quickly shook the offered hand. “Wendy. It’s really, really nice to meet you.”

“Same here, Natsu has told me so much about you.”

“Likewise.”

“Yeah, the idiot wouldn’t shut up about ya.” Gajeel, leaning heavily on Levy, crumbled against the wall opposite them.

Wendy was quickly by his side.

“What hurts?” She demanded.

“Nothin’ much...just everything.” Gajeel gritted out, clutching his side.

“Do you think your ribs might be broken?” Wendy asked worriedly, carefully feeling along the black-haired assassin’s side.

Gajeel hissed a breath. “Maybe. It’s not that bad though-”

“Don’t you start too!” Wendy ordered. “You need to lay down.”

“I just need a powernap.” Gajeel mumbled as Wendy helped ease him into the floor behind the bar.

Not the ideal place for healing, but it was the best Wendy could find. Her first order of business after the fighting had stopped would be to build a makeshift infirmary, the young Dragon decided.

“You should really stay awake.” Wendy pleaded. “You might have a concussion.”

“I will, I will.” Gajeel said weakly, his voice growing thinner and thinner.

“What happened to him?” Lucy asked Natsu. From the old set of bandages, it was clear this hadn’t been Gajeel’s first fight this week.

“He got beaten up by Laxus.”

“Who’s Laxus?”

“His grandson.” Natsu gestured to the small master sitting beside Loke.

“Right...why?”

“Laxus thought Gajeel was a Phantom.”

“Why would he think that?”

“Cause he kinda was.”

Lucy stared at the trio. “Dragons have a knack for accumulating insane stories, you know that?”

Natsu grinned at her. “We sure do, partner.”

A loud yell of pain suddenly rang through the guild.

Leaning heavily on each other, Lucy and Natsu managed to stand up far enough to peak over the bar’s countertop.

Aries stood above Totomaru, the Phantom kneeling on the floor, clutching his heavily bleeding shoulder. One of the ram’s needles was dripping red onto the floor.

“What’s happening?” Master Makarov demanded, trying to get up himself.

“Stay down, Gramps.” Loke gently pushed him back down. “Just my girlfriend. Being awesome.”

“So, you’re actually dating now, huh?” Makarov grumbled. “How long did that take you?”

Loke’s grumpy expression was all the answer Makarov needed as he giggled knowingly.

Seeing that their strongest fighter was out of commission, the remaining Phantoms started dropping their weapons, not too thrilled about the prospect of fighting either the pink-haired woman with her needles or face the bull’s swinging axe.

“Cowards!” Totomaru yelled at them but was quickly silenced by Aries tapping against his injured shoulder.

“Did we win?” Makarov asked.

Aries gave Loke a thumbs up across the hall.

“Yes, we did.”

“Where are the rest of my kids?” The old man’s eyes started focusing on the few Fairies around him.

“Outside. Or storming the Phantom’s guild.”

Lucy noticed at that moment that she hadn’t heard the whistling approach of another cannonball for quite a while.

“Quite successfully, it seems.”

Makarov narrowed his eyes at her, trying to place the blonde teen sitting behind the bar with him.

“This is Lucy, Layla’s daughter.” Loke explained.

“Pleasure, sir.” Lucy nodded at him.

“Layla’s daughter, of course.” Makarov turned back to Loke. “She’s her spitting image.”

“Tell me about it.”

On the other side of the bar, the Celestials and Fairies still able to stand were starting to disarm the Phantoms, rounding them up in one corner with Taurus standing guard before them, his grin only daring one of them to make a move.

That is what Laxus saw when he ran inside the smoking, crumbling guildhall: tall men standing guard in front of Phantoms in a corner, and a small woman towering over a cowering S-Class assassin clutching his shoulder.

Laxus narrowed his eyes at her as he strode inside.

“Fluffy?” He asked.

The small woman turned to him. Eleven years had passed since they had seen each other but she had barely changed.

“Hello Laxus.” She smiled up at him. “You’ve grown.”

“You haven’t.”

She laughed. He remembered that sound.

“Where’s Gramps?” His eyes scanned the hall. He couldn’t still be in the infirmary, that part of the building lay in shambles.

Aries pointed at the bar with one of her needles. At a ginger man who stood up from behind it to see who had entered the battlefield. Now that was a face Laxus definitely knew.

“Over here.” Loke waved.

Laxus rushed behind the bar, seeing the heap of injured assassins taking cover behind it. His eyes immediately homed in on the smallest person there, sitting weakly beside Loke.

“Gramps!” He stepped over the others carefully and knelt down beside him. “You okay?”

“Oh please,” Loke patted the old man’s shoulder, “this guy slept through all the excitement.”

“I’m fine.” Fairy Tail’s master insisted. “Are you? Where were you?” He looked Laxus up and down.

“Took care of the Phantom guild, Gramps. I’m fine. Barely got a scratch on me.” Laxus soothed. Aria and his squad of assassins had been a challenge for him and Freed, but they had made it out mostly unmarred.

“Jose?” Makarov asked.

“Couldn’t find him.” Laxus scowl told his grandfather exactly how much he regretted that.

“That’s Laxus.” Natsu told the blonde girl sitting very close beside him.

“Gotcha. Do we have to beat him up? You know, revenge for Gajeel?” She responded very casually.

Laxus turned his head to look at the two teens, each holding bleeding or bruised body parts, with an incredulous stare. Neither one looked like they could take on a ladybug in their current condition.  

“Nah.” Natsu waived off with his free hand. “Wendy said she’ll take care of that.”

“Alright then.” The blonde leaned back into Natsu’s side, ignoring the huff from Laxus.

“Aquarius!” Aries’ voice rang through the hall, announcing their leader’s arrival.

“Aunty!” Lucy cheered, once again doing her best to get up to look behind the bar with Natsu’s help.

Makarov tried smoothing down his hair. “Lift me up, Laxus.” He said.

“Gramps-”

“Just do it.”

Very carefully, Laxus picked up the old man and placed him onto the bar’s counter in a sitting position.

Aquarius walked to the centre of the hall, coming to a halt a few steps in front of Makarov. Scorpio stood a few paces behind her, keeping an eye on any Phantom still strewn about in semi-consciousness.

Aquarius bowed her head respectfully. “Master Makarov. I am Aquarius of the Celestials of Crocus. I have been wanting to make a formal acquaintance between our guilds.”

Makarov also tried to bow his head, but the movement nearly had him topple off the counter if Laxus hadn’t quickly stabilized him.

“Pleasure to meet you.” He put a hand to his bandaged head. “As you can see, you arrived at just the right time.” The old man chuckled to himself. “Can’t say things ever get boring around here.”

Aquarius smiled back. “I will say, I hadn’t expected such a grand welcome. Thank you, for providing such a well-rounded workout opportunity.”

Makarov full on laughed at her quip. “I’m afraid I can’t claim all credit for that. Jose Porla organized most of this event.”

Aquarius’ smile turned to an annoyed scowl. “So we’ve been told. Extensively.”

“Did you find Jose?” Laxus asked from behind his grandpa.

“We did.” Aquarius subtly glanced at her trident, specifically the red liquid still stuck to the weapon’s tip. “You...you didn’t need him for anything, did you?” She asked Makarov.

“No no.” He waved off. “Quite glad I won’t have to deal with him again.”

“Until we have to deal with the paperwork of this guild war.” Aquarius added.

Both guild leaders sighed in harmony.

“Speaking of, has the I.P. been informed?” Makarov asked into the guild.

“By pretty much every citizen of this town, I’d say.” Scorpio answered. Their fight hadn’t exactly been subtle.

“I’ll call to let them know it’s safe to approach.” Aries got out her phone.

The Independent Police were people with enough sense to stay out of a full-blown assassins vs assassins battle. Fighting was a guild’s job. Apprehending the guilty party and processing them, that’s when the I.P. came in.

“So much paperwork.” Makarov groaned again.

“Until they get here,” Loke stood up behind the bar, “how about we set up a little hospital here?”

“Agreed!” Wendy was barely tall enough to look up behind the counter. “We should get the mattresses from the infirmary in here!”

“You heard the doctor!” Loke snapped his fingers, and the little girl flushed at the title. “Everyone who can walk,” he looked at the people in the hall, “which appears to be a small minority, follow me.” He headed to the attached infirmary, Scorpio, Taurus, and a small number of Fairies following dutifully.

They began the process of Taurus stemming the broken rafters and bits of ceiling long enough for the others to grab the scattered mattresses and pull them from the rubble and into the hall. Levy helped Wendy in assembling them into neat rows, brushing off remaining splinters and broken roof tiles.

“Gramps, first mattress.” Laxus ordered his grandfather.

Said grandfather waved it off. “I am busy discussing important details with Master Aquarius.” He argued.

“Just Aquarius, please.” Lucy’s aunt added.

“Important detail with Aquarius.” Makarov repeated.

Laxus rolled his eyes. “You can discuss that whilst lying down and letting someone look at your injuries. Has anyone contacted Porlyusica yet?” He asked the last part loudly into the room.

Loke, along with several Fairies, shuddered out of reflex.

“Do we have to?” Bisca asked, trying to keep the whine out of her voice.

“Yes, we do!” Laxus said sternly.

“Given that this fight wasn’t exactly subtle,” Scorpio began, dragging a mattress with a torn sheet past the bar, “I believe everyone with a radio or television will be informed within the next few minutes.”

“Meaning Porlyusica will be on her way.” Loke sighed, secretly glad that he had no injuries bad enough for the retired doctor to examine.

Aquarius leaned over the bar far enough to spot the heads of blonde and pink. “Are you brats alright?”

“It’s just a scratch.” They answered in unison.

Their legal guardian rolled her eyes. “Mattress. Now.”

“What do you say, Luce?” Natsu offered his partner a hand and, with a great deal of groaning and support from Levy, the two managed to stand up.

“Good Mavis, you sound like Gemini getting up from the couch.” Loke winced.

Both teens were too tired to argue and started to slowly limp towards the growing array of mattresses and blankets, Aquarius supporting Lucy on her uninjured shoulder while Levy let Natsu lean on her during the short distance.

Laxus, seeing the opportunity, picked up his grandfather and, with a great deal of complaining, brought the old man over to the impromptu medical bay. Loke held up a very groggy Erza, following the small trek to the centre of the hall. 

“Come on, you next.” Wendy gently nudged Gajeel. The oldest Dragon gave no reaction, slumped fully to the floor behind the bar.

“Gajeel.” Wendy said louder.

“What’s the matter, little Dragooooon?” She looked up to see the man with the large axe leaning over the countertop.

“He passed out.” Wendy tried to keep calm, but her worry must have been clear as the Celestial leaned the massive weapon against the bar and swung himself onto their side.

“Not tooooo worry.” He replied. With more gentleness than Wendy would have expected from anyone his size, the Celestial picked up her oldest cousin, carefully placing one arm behind his back as not to rattle his ribs or risk his head rolling to the side.

“Careful.” Wendy pleaded needlessly, walking beside them as Taurus slowly lowered Gajeel onto one of the cleaner mattresses available, right beside Natsu and Lucy.

“There, safe and sooooound.” He assured her. “It is likely just exhaustion.”

“This guy would know, moshi moshi.” The other tall Celestial with a clear love for horses walked past them, dragging bedding behind him. “He’s passed out so many times...stubborn bull.”

“Can confirm.” Lucy proclaimed, lying beside Natsu, moments away from sleep.

Taurus rolled his eyes as his partner passed, leaning down to Wendy to whisper conspiratorially, “I just don’t like to let fatigue win.”

Wendy almost managed a smile at that, her worry returning at Gajeel’s motionless form.

“Tell you what, little Dragooooon, why don’t you do your rounds,” Taurus gestured to the quickly filling beds around the hall, “and I keep an eye on our group of reckless hotheads over here.”

Natsu was the only one of the three implied assassins who could give a weak protest at that description, Lucy already breathing heavily onto his shoulder.

“I don’t know...” It did not feel right to Wendy to leave her cousin’s side. She knew Gajeel would never leave her if she were hurt. But it also felt wrong to ignore everyone else who might benefit from her knowledge on first aid.

“I will flag you dooooown when any of them wake up.” Taurus encouraged.

“Promise?”

The largest Celestial grinned and plopped down onto the ground beside the teens’ mattresses demonstratively. “I will not budge. Prooooomise.”

“Alright...” Wendy still did not like it, but after one more glance at Gajeel’s sleeping form, she turned to the direction of Master Makarov, who was presently engaged in seemingly deep conversation with Lucy’s aunt and Laxus.

Loke had darted around the guild and had pulled out every first aid kit from under the bar, offices, and cabinets that had survived the battle. The pile of medical grade treasure lay in the centre of all the mattresses and Wendy headed there first to arm herself. Pantherlily appeared by her side, dutifully trudging along, getting a pet on the head as a reward.

Just as Wendy was stacking rolls and rolls of bandages into her arms, the single door - the other side of the double doors lay on the ground broken in half – to the guild flew open. Half the assassins inside the hall flinched, not at the noise but at the figure who stood in the doorway.

“What did you idiots do now?!” A woman perhaps in her late fifties with a neat bun of pink hair atop her head demanded loudly.

Loke, who had returned to the stash with a box of antiseptic wet wipes from the kitchen, sighed.

“Mavis help us.”

 

-----

 

Gemini was getting too old for this. Leaning heavily on his walking stick, he entered the remnants of the Fairy Tail guildhall, trying not to look as out of breath as he truly was.

“Hey, old man!” Loke jogged towards him. Gemini inwardly cursed the younger man for still having the energy to jog.

“Hey.” He wheezed.

“Mavis, you look like you’re about to drop.”

Gemini was too tired to accurately tell the ginger what he thought of the comment.

“Covered a lot of distance.” He managed. “How is...everyone?” He gestured around the mattresses in the hall.

“Scorpio and Sag got some good bruises out of it. Worst of are Lucy and Natsu. Naturally.”

Gemini, without his glasses, managed to make out a dash of blonde and pink on one of the mattresses. “Bad?”

“Nothing they won’t shake off within a week or two.” Loke reassured him. “Zero sense of self-preservation between the two. Speaking of,” he looked behind Gemini, “where is Virgo?”

“She dropped me off here and has headed back into town. I presume to check on our luggage and Plue. And possibly secure rooms for us tonight.”

“Shouldn’t be too hard. I doubt many tourists are still within city limits after this.”

“Likely not.”

After Natsu had sent them the emergency flare, Virgo had dashed into an inn right beside the train station, inquiring if the owner might be so kind as to look after their bags and the puppy. Given that every single guest had run out of the establishment screaming a few minutes earlier, the innkeeper had been quick to offer his services.

“What were you two doing?” Loke asked, nudging a mostly intact chair towards Gemini.

“Confused the hell out of them.” Gemini, pride losing to exhaustion, sank onto the chair.

Loke laughed. “Such language!”

The older man shrugged, stretching out his bad leg. “It is an accurate description. The Phantoms travelled in small teams. I’d slip into the group and tell them that Jose Porla had requested they go to this specific location.”

“And they just believed that you were a Phantom?”

“It’s a very big guild. And since they did not know that I am a stranger, I believe their master hired some mercenaries as well.”

“Clever.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m assuming at whatever location you sent them to, Virgo was waiting?”

“Either her or absolutely nothing. Communication failed pretty quickly, and they had no idea what they were supposed to be doing. What about you, what were you up to?”

“Fighting outside, fighting inside.” Loke looked over to Aries who was talking to an I.P. officer. “Watching her...”

“Well, I’m glad you two are okay.”

“We are right as rain...” Loke trailed off, seeing something approaching behind Gemini. “Anyway, I’ll do some rounds. See you, old man.” With that, he took off in hurried steps.

Gemini looked after him in confusion until a tall woman with pink hair and an annoyed expression stepped before him.

“Injuries?” She practically barked at him.

“No thank you?”

She stared down at him and Gemini swallowed his next attempt at humour. “I have no injuries.” He answered dutifully.

“You sure?” She eyed the walking stick leaning against his chair.

“Unless you have something against old age,” Gemini cracked his back, “then I cannot be helped.”

She sneered. “Clearly.” With a click of her tongue, the woman stalked off, long red cape swishing behind her.

Across the hall, Gemini caught Loke’s eye.

Coward, the old man mouthed at the younger one.

Loke simply shrugged, knowing where his priorities lay.

Notes:

Alright, apologies for the long break, I once again got distracted with future scenes from a different part altogether.

Chapter 46: The World’s Most Comfortable Floor

Capricorn had had a hell of a time outside the Fairy Tail guild. He’d felt like he was recreating a medieval battle; standing against an enemy hoard, throwing punches and swiping out the legs of anyone who charged at him. Most Phantoms had appeared to head towards the guild, so Capricorn had done his best to stop their flow. It had not been easy, least of all because of the sheer number of opponents, and most of all because of his injured partner claiming he was in full fighting capacity.

Capricorn had circled around Cancer, making sure no one got too close and that at most, only one Phantom reached him at once. Cancer, fully aware of his actions, had allowed it, deeming it a better alternative than to argue his medical clearance all over again.

“What a game!” Cancer declared now, leaning against Capricorn as they headed back to the Fairy Tail guild. The younger man felt drunk on the adrenaline of the fight whereas his older partner felt all his years.

“Yes, that was quite...something.” Capricorn agreed.

“I think we won.” Cancer grinned as they walked through the opened doors of the hall.

“I believe you are right.” The building was taken up by mattresses and blankets on which sleeping or drowsing assassins lay, anyone with a Phantom Lord mark was being dragged out by I.P. officers into an army of awaiting vans.

“Let us see if we can find you an empty spot.” Capricorn adjusted his glasses to scan the room better. All their nakama but Virgo were accounted for, either sleeping or sitting by bedsides, talking to various people he did not know. Gemini gave them a tired wave as they walked inside, slumped in a chair and looking like he was not planning on moving ever again.

“I am fine.” Cancer argued. “Maybe you should lay down.” At his partner’s withering glare, he added, “You are no spry fifty anymore.”

Capricorn rolled his eyes, which brought his gaze upon the back of a familiar-looking head of rosy hair.

“Porly?!”

The pink bun whipped around at his voice. A sharp tongue was about to lash out about the nickname until equally sharp eyes shone with recognition at the man in a black suit.

“Capricorn?”

“You know each other?” Cancer asked, a little surprised because he’d been sure he knew his partner’s entire and rather small circle of friends.

“Ah, yes.” Capricorn cleared his throat. “This is Porlyusica. We went to university together. Although, I assume it is Doctor Porlyusica now?” He asked his fellow alumni.

Porlyusica waved him off. “Lost my license a while ago, so no more Doctor. Like I care.”

“That is too bad. I must say...” Capricorn took a good look at the woman. The last time they’d seen each other, she’d been in medical school, and he’d recently gotten the position of professor at the local college. “...I am more than surprised to see you here. From our last conversation, I recall your opinions on assassins.”

Porlyusica snorted dismissively. “Well, things change.”

“You haven’t changed a bit.”

“Look at you, baby.” Cancer, the adrenaline finally draining fully from him, sagged further against Capricorn. “Knowing people wherever we go. Such a social butterfly.”

Capricorn quickly stooped to catch him. “This is my partner, Cancer.” He said to Porlyusica. “Would you mind...”

“Of course.” Porlyusica turned to the young woman whose shallow cuts she’d been disinfecting before Capricorn had called her name.

“I’m fiiine, Doc.” The brunette woman wearing a bikini top drawled.

Porlyusica ignored her. Turning her head, she yelled. “Child!”

A girl, perhaps ten years old, flinched at the shout and quickly hurried over, her small arms laden with bandages. A huge grey cat, which Capricorn was 65% sure might be part panther, followed her, alongside a white feline.

“A kitty cat!” Cancer cheered. “Two kitty cats.”

Porlyusica ignored him too.

“I need you to finish cleaning these wounds and putting some plasters on them.” She told the girl.

The child nodded fervently, her dark-blue bangs whipping up and down.

“I told you I’m fiiiine.” The brunette whined again. “I just need a strong drink. Or five.”

She went ignored by everyone as the girl, who Capricorn finally recognized as the blue-haired toddler from Natsu’s photos, sat down beside her and started dabbing at the cuts with disinfectant.

Porlyusica focused her attention on Cancer, guiding him to the floor with Capricorn’s help.

“By Mavis, what happened to him?”

Capricorn sighed. “Our guild was the unhappy recipient of an explosive threat from the knights. Cancer was the unlucky one to receive it.”

Porlyusica’s eyes widened. “And you let him fight?!” She slapped Capricorn’s arm.

“I tried to stop him!” He defended.

“He did.” An increasingly groggy Cancer backed him up.

“And yet you fought anyway!”

His partner grinned. “I did.”

Porlyusica grumbled the word assassins under her breath, fashioning a makeshift sling out of bandages for Cancer’s arm.

“So, you found yourself a partner?” The former doctor asked, suspicion in her tone as she remembered the younger Capricorn from all those years ago.

“An assassin partner.” Capricorn quickly explained.

“He calls you baby.” She deadpanned.

“He calls everyone baby!”

“That’s true, baby.” Cancer told her.

Porlyusica shook her head. “This is certainly a lively bunch of idiots you have found for yourself.”

Capricorn shrugged. “I cannot claim to be any better than them.”

“Oh, I know.”

“The same could be said for you.” He looked around the guild.

“It’s more like they found me.” Porlyusica grumbled, holding Cancer’s chin to look into his eyes. “He’s concussed.”

“I know.”

She gave him another withering glare.

“I tried to get him to sit this one out.” Capricorn repeated.

“Try harder next time!”

“I’m fine, babies.” Cancer said, snuggling into Capricorn’s side. “I just need a quick powernap.”

“You need several hours of sleep.” Porlyusica argued.

Cancer yawned. “I can live with that.”

“I finished with Cana’s injuries.” Natsu’s cousin walked up to them.

The brunette woman in question had staggered to her feet, her side free of blood and secured with large, medical band aids.

“I’m gonna go see what bottles survived.” She said and stalked off towards the bar at the end of the hall.

The girl took one look at the drowsy Cancer. “I’m afraid all the...beds are filled.”

“That’s okay.” Cancer mumbled, moments away from passing out. “This must be the world’s most comfortable floor. This’ll be just fine, Baby Dragon.”

“Hang on.” Capricorn shrugged off his blazer, folding it and placing it under Cancer’s head as his partner let himself sink to the floor.

Porlyusica muttered the word assassins again before pulling off her cloak and spreading it over Cancer.

She glared at Capricorn who still sat beside his partner. “Do you need healing?”

“Not unless you have something against old age-”

“Don’t even start!” Porlyusica rubbed her temple. “Your nakama made the same joke not ten minutes ago.”

Behind her, Gemini shot him a thumbs up. “Great minds think alike, old friend.” He called over.

Capricorn rolled his neck, feeling the sore muscles. “Emphasis on the old, Gemini.”

With a final eyeroll, Porlyusica walked away towards the next victim/patient, her walk a little less intimidating without the ruby cloak flowing behind her.

Wendy, Capricorn finally recalled her name, stood beside them awkwardly.

“I don’t know if I should follow her.” She whispered to Capricorn. “I really want to learn from her...but she’s a little scary.”

“You definitely should.” He encouraged.

“But she looks so annoyed. And what if I’m in her way?”

“Do not worry about it. Porlyusica likes you.”

Wendy looked at him with big eyes. “She does?”

“Certainly.”

“How can you tell?”

“She asked you to take over for one of her patients. I have never seen her delegate her work to anyone before.”

“Really?” She looked after the old doctor. “Then maybe I should...I’m Wendy, by the way.” She held out her hand.

Capricorn shook it, the two roughly on eye-level as he was still sitting beside Cancer. “Pleasure, Wendy. I have heard much about you from Natsu. I am Capricorn.”

“It’s good to meet both of you.”

Cancer gave a little snore from his spot on the floor curled up beneath the cloak.

“I better go after her.” Wendy looked over to Porlyusica who was towering over a young man in a woven poncho.

“You should.”

She gave them a quick wave before hurrying after the healer.

The cats trudged after her, both giving Capricorn an analytic stare. The former professor nodded at both politely, watching as they followed the youngest Dragon.

“Kitty cats indeed.” He mumbled.

 

-----

 

Gemini had resigned himself to staying in the chair forever. None of his muscles could be motivated to do something like move, and he’d be happily slumped in the seat for all eternity.

“Hello Gemini.”

“Virgo dear!” He rolled his head lazily to look up at her. “Good to see you have returned.”

“My apologies for taking so long. The innkeeper was desperate for information on the fight. I had to reassure him several times that the danger has passed. Plue and the luggage are well taken care of.”

“Good, I am glad to see everything worked out.”

Virgo eyed him carefully. “You are alright?”

Gemini groaned as he stretched. “I am an old man, Virgo.”

“You are not even seventy yet.”

“I am practically ancient.” He went on undeterred.

“That is incorrect.”

“You are partners with a fossil, Virgo dear.”

She stared at him. “You are being dramatic.”

He grinned at her. “I am.”

Virgo rolled her eyes.

“But seriously, the last time I ran around this much...” Gemini tried to recall the last time he’d been this exhausted.

“Last summer, when you were chasing after the ice cream van.” Virgo supplied.

“Yes! But not since then. And hopefully never again! Next time there is a big fight, I’d like a week’s notice in advance with an exact time and place, so that we can schedule transport and accommodations with no rush.”

“That would be nice. But people who start fights are usually very inconsiderate when it comes to the logistics of others.”

“They certainly are.”

“Aquarius is waving to us.”

Gemini looked up to see the bluenette doing just that from the other side of the hall. Aquarius sat beside Master Makarov, together with Scorpio and a very tall, blonde man. The two guild leaders were doing most of the talking, but Gemini knew that his position as guild eldest meant his opinion on important decisions was valued. And he could sense that a very important decision was about to be reached.

Mentally saying goodbye to the chair, Gemini grasped his cane. “Then let us go over and see what is being discussed.”

“Shall I carry you?”

“I’m not that old!”

“All of a sudden?” Virgo asked innocently, holding his free arm as they crossed over to their leader.

 

-----

 

Gajeel groaned when he woke, the bright sunlight shrining through the broken roof creating a sharp pain in his head.

“Yooooou’re awake!”

The sudden noise did not help his migraine and Gajeel slowly turned his head to glare in the voice’s direction.

It took his eyes far too long to focus and what they saw made little sense.

The large man who had busted through the guild wall as if it had been made of cotton candy sat cross-legged beside him, a too bright grin plastered in his face.

“What...?” Gajeel started.

“You passed out. Not the only one though, that was quite a fight. We moved the injured into the hall. What’s left of it anyway.”

The man spoke so fast, his strange speech impediment didn’t even shine through.

Gajeel frowned, feeling the soft fabric beneath him. If he got one of the precious few mattresses, then it must be bad.

“Where-”

“Your little cousin is helping the injured together with some doctor and Natsu is right there.” The man in the cow-print jacket fired again, finishing with a wide smile.

Gajeel slowly -painfully- turned his head to the other side. On the mattress right next to him lay Natsu, a little pale and sleeping. One of his arms was curled around the crazy, jumping blonde who’d charged at an army of Phantoms. In heels. Happy lay snoring between the two.

He could spot Wendy’s dash of dark hair further down the hall, kneeling over another mattress whilst staring at the label of a pill bottle which an older woman with rose hair had handed her. Pantherlily sat beside them. Good.  

The oldest Dragon slowly turned his head back around, flinching when he saw how close the Celestial was, still smiling at him expectantly.

“Okay...” Gajeel started, inching away a little. “Who are you?”

The man beamed, puffing his chest out.

“I’m Taurus ooooof the Celestials!” He proclaimed happily.

“Right.” If Gajeel had spent any time thinking about that guild of assassins, he would have imagined the figure of Taurus just like the man sitting beside him.

“And?” The teen asked irritated when Taurus kept looking at him with intensity.

“Well...” The man rubbed the back of his wide neck. “You see, I have been wanting tooooo – I’ve always wanted – when he-” Taurus abruptly cut off, sighing. “You loooook a lot like your pa.” He finally said.

“So I’ve been told.” Gajeel replied tightly, wary of the hesitation in Taurus’ voice. Something was off about the Celestial.

“I...I knew him.” Taurus added after a few seconds.

“A lot of people did.” Gajeel tried to sit up, the blaring pain in his ribcage immediately putting a stop to his endeavours.

“I know. I know. He was great. He...” Taurus mumbled, taking the large axe off his back and ran his fingers along the blade absentmindedly.

Gajeel followed the movement, still suspicious of the stranger who wouldn’t stop beating around the bush.

“Yooooou know what, this isn’t the right time to talk. Yooooou need sleep and-” Taurus made to get up, but Gajeel’s hand shot out, resting on the tip of the axe handle.

Taurus stilled immediately, Gajeel didn’t take his eyes off the weapon.

“Pa made this.” The Dragon said quietly.

There was no mistaking it; he’d spent much of his early childhood watching his father hammering, shaping, and filing weapons of all kinds in the basement of their home, had often been allowed to help by holding a tool or running to get more coals.

Few people would believe it when they’d seen the largest of the Dragons, but Metalicana had liked forging intricate details into the weapons he created; little swirls that reminded of fire and clouds, geometrical patterns along handles, or his favourite: symbols that represented the wielder.

The expanse of the symmetrical blades showed twin carvings reminiscent of bull horns.

“Yeah.” Taurus cleared his throat. “He did.”

“Why?” The teen asked curtly.

Metalicana had never sold the weapons he made, he’d kept them for himself, for the guild, or for close friends. And there was no denying that this axe had been tailor-made for the Celestial sitting beside him.

“We...we were close.”

Gajeel eyed Taurus carefully. “Close?”

“Yeah.”

“How close?” Gajeel asked, not quite knowing how to interpret the awkwardness of the man beside him.

“Well...” Taurus ran his fingers over the carvings on the axe absentmindedly. “...clooooose enough for that night almost six years ago to really hurt. Fooooor it to still hurt at times.”

Gajeel let the man’s words flow over him. He found that he believed them.

“I haven’t met you, have I? Before...”

“No, we neeeeever met. Your pa and I talked about it, but in the end...” Taurus tapped his finger against the axe, letting the ringing of steel fill the silence, “...we never had the chance to follow through on it.”

“How come?”

Taurus’ brows lifted a little, surprised at Gajeel’s willingness to ask questions and not telling him to get lost already.

“Well, in your pa’s case, he was always thinking of you. Nooooo matter how close we were, he didn’t want to bring anyone into your life who might just up and leave at any time.”

That definitely sounded like Gajeel’s dad. The oldest Dragon always knew his father must have been seeing people, Igneel’s stupid remarks and knowing grins at breakfast were enough to tip anyone off. But Metalicana had never mentioned anyone to Gajeel and, being a preteen, he hadn’t really known to ask or cared much.

“And in my case,” Taurus continued, “the Celestials have always been pretty reclusive. Layla called it safety through sooooolidarity. Rune Knights might look a little too close when guilds make too many alliances.”

“Yea, I know.”

Taurus smiled sadly. “Sooooo, both your pa and I had our reasons. We didn’t hide or anything, we just didn’t make a big deal out of it. We were...happy.”

“None of your nakama knew about pa?” Gajeel asked. He was sure his aunt and uncle must have known about Taurus, in their small guild nothing escaped attention for long.

“Oh, I am willing to bet the majority of them knooooow.” Taurus said quickly. “Sag is my partner, so of course I told him. Virgooooo knows everything, and many of my nakama are sharp as detectives, I wouldn’t be surprised if mooooore know. Oh, and Layla definitely knew because she was with me at the bar the night I met your pa.” Taurus nodded to himself. “She didn’t stay until clooooosing like he and I did, but she knew.”

“Wait,” Gajeel’s injured head whirred at all the names, but one stood out among the rest, “Layla of the Celestials?” He clarified unnecessarily.

“Yup. Her mom.” Taurus looked over to the small blonde sleeping beside her partner.

“But she died...two years before pa did.” Although Gajeel had never thought to pay special attention to the Celestial guild, everyone had heard about Layla.

“Yeah, your pa and I were tooooogether for quite a while.”

Gajeel felt a little stupid that he hadn’t realized as a kid that all of Igneel’s suggestive comments and wiggling eyebrows were because of the same person in his dad’s life.

“And I thooooought, now that you know I exist and I know you’re alive, we could...talk sometime.” Taurus fidgeted with the axe again. “When you’re all healed up.”

“I’d like that.” Gajeel surprised them both with his quick answer. He knew he wasn’t the chatty type and any comments about his dad were usually met with one-word answers, but this Celestial might have more to offer than the superficial compliments and hollow anecdotes others usually gave about Metalicana.

Taurus grinned at him again. “Great! I’m loooooking forward to it. But now,” he put one of his large arms in the air, waving it about wildly, “I did promise a pint-sized Dragon that I’d let her know when you're awake.”

As soon as he’d said it, Gajeel heard his name being called, along with quick sets of footprints coming at him.

“Gajeel!” Wendy came to a quick stop in front of his mattress. Pantherlily was not as graceful, fully ramming into the oldest Dragon.

“Hey!” Gajeel winced, looking Wendy up and down. “How are you, little one?”

“I’m fine! I’m fine!” Wendy reassured him, kneeling down and carefully running her hands along his sides. “How are you? Does this hurt?”

Gajeel had to suppress multiple curses at the fire suddenly burning within his ribs.

“A little.”

A snarky huff sounded from beside Taurus. Gajeel focused his very tired eyes on an older woman with pink hair towering over him with crossed arms, running her eyes over his battered form with a sneer.

“Of course it hurts him. This moron has more bruised ribs than healthy ones.”

Taurus took that as his cue. “I will leave you to it.” He said, jumping up and wandering over to the man in a horse onesie.

Gajeel looked back at Wendy. “Who’s this old hag?”

“Gajeel!” Wendy scolded, reminding him far too much of his aunt. “This is Doctor Porlyusica.”

“Former doctor.” The woman corrected.

“Shocker.” Gajeel muttered, loud enough for Porlyusica to hear.

“I am learning from her.” Wendy smiled.

“I hope you don’t pick up her bedside manners.”

Porlyusica’s glare intensified and Gajeel glared right back. “You check on this buffoon.” She said to Wendy and gestured to Gajeel. “I will put her arm back in its socket.” She stalked over to Natsu’s partner, Carla following her, both with their heads held high.

“Oh, she’s charmin’.” Gajeel drawled, hiding another wince as Wendy grazed over burns still tender from his fight with Laxus.

“Would it hurt you to be nice?” Wendy sighed.

“It might.”

She rolled her eyes, checking that his old bandages were still tight.

“Who was that, by the way?” Wendy asked after a moment. “The really big Celestial? He looked very worried when you passed out.”

“Someone who was close to pa.” Gajeel answered, still amazed how quickly his life had filled up with people who cared for him once more.

“Really?”

“Yea. Wants to meet up and talk.”

“Will you?”

“Yea. I’d be nice to talk to someone who knew pa a little better than just the newspaper headlines.”

Wendy’s smile made all the pain disappear.

“I’m really glad, Gajeel.”

“I think I am too, little one.”

 

-----

 

Gemini plopped down at the end of Master Makarov’s improvised hospital bed with a groan.

“What a hike.”

“You walked across one room.” Aquarius said.

“A very long room!”

His guild leader rolled her eyes.

“I am glad you could join us.” Makarov said with a tired smile. The giant blonde man by his side said nothing as he and Virgo seized each other up. “Us guild elders have to stick together.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Gemini stretched out his leg. “And since my esteemed presence has been requested,” another eyeroll from Aquarius, “I assume something important is being cooked up.”

“Very.” Aquarius looked serious.

“Well, don’t keep us in suspense.”

Their leader sighed. “You know something has to change. Ever since you and Virgo were attacked in the streets, and since we found the knights’ blueprints for our destruction in the castle, and especially after Cancer was nearly killed by their threat, we all know this cannot continue.

“Agreed.” Gemini stated.

“I’ve spoken to council member Fernandez.”

“Willingly?” Gemini asked in surprise.

“Yes. He has expressed his support if the Celestials should choose to make some structural changes.”

“Structural changes.” The old man repeated.

“Correct. One of his ideas, one which I had considered myself before that point, was for the S-Class members of our guild to become Spirits.”

Gemini heard Virgo suck in a breath. He was less shocked, having thought about the same possibility.

When a guild of assassins was under too much fire from a threat, that being the Rune Knights more often than not, they could choose to scatter. Partners or individual members would spread out across the city, country, or even continent, turning one big target into smaller, mobile ones – like ghosts or spirits to haunt the knights.

This tactic was fully supported by the Assassin's Council, who would much rather have their coworkers be spread about than dead. They had only a few regulations around Spirits: someone had to be working out of the guild’s registered headquarters in case the council needed to get in touch with them, and the rank of Spirit could only be taken on by S-Class assassins. While it was safer for a guild to have its members constantly moving about in various locations, the same could not be said for the individuals. Doing the same work in unfamiliar territories and with less backup was dangerous, even for people who lived and breathed danger. Therefore, when the concept was established, the council had banned any junior members of guilds to partake.

“What about Lucy and Natsu?” Virgo asked, knowing the rules around Spirits as well as anyone.

“That is why I wished to meet with Makarov.” Aquarius nodded to the old man. “Lucy and Natsu will become honorary members of Fairy Tail while we become Spirits.”

Gemini nodded slowly. He had known something would have to be done differently, they had grown too big for the Rune Knights. He just hadn’t expected it to happen so fast.

“This makes sense.” He sighed, feeling Virgo’s eyes on him. “It will be safer for everyone that way.”

“I am glad you agree. Despite first impressions,” Aquarius looked over to where Lucy was being woken up by the guild’s medic, “I have been assured that Fairy Tail is relatively safe.”

“I promise, this is not a daily occurrence.” Makarov chuckled. “Just a jealous rival with too many resources trying to take us down a peg. On the plus side, Rune Knights cannot touch us.”

“Yes, but I wonder where Porla got all those resources from.” Scorpio said from behind Aquarius.

“It is one way the knights try to work around the king’s pardon.” Makarov rubbed his forehead. “Luckily, there aren’t too many fools like Jose out there who would risk taking us on.”

“Let’s hope so.” Aquarius looked back at her oldest nakama. “Gemini, you have the most experience with the knights. Do you believe there is any chance they will seize their attacks?”

Gemini knew what his leader was asking. Aquarius liked the idea of splitting up, especially of leaving Lucy in a new city, as little as he did, possibly even less. She was asking for one last-ditch solution to their problem. But Gemini did know the knights well. They had hunted him and Mini until one twin had died and the other had killed the team responsible. Yet to this day, he was still wanted by them for actions decades ago.

He shook his head. “They will not.”

Aquarius nodded solemnly. “Do you see any issues with becoming a Spirit?”

“I would say that it is the best option currently.” Gemini was forced to admit.

“I see an issue!” Virgo said bluntly out of turn. “We will be apart.”

“I know, Virgo.” Aquarius said calmly. “But it is the safest option. Especially for Lucy.”

“We can keep princess safe!” Virgo insisted.

“We couldn’t keep Natsu or Cancer safe.” Aquarius argued. “I will not wait for out luck to run out and someone gets hurt so badly they won’t recover.”

Virgo clenched her jaw, unable to counter her points. Emotional arguing had never been her strongest area.

“So, it is decided?” Aquarius looked around the small group, waiting until each of the present Celestials had given her a nod of confirmation, however reluctant.

“We become Celestial Spirits.”

Notes:

Okay, so if you remember, in Chapter 15, I hinted that Taurus had lost someone long ago. At the time, I had no idea who I wanted that someone to be. I was playing around with the idea of it being Libra of Pisces to explain the incomplete Celestial names and since they don't appear too much in the anime. But then me at 2am wanted Taurus/Metalicana and who am I to argue against her? No clue if that's an established ship and I don't care either. Also, in case it wasn't clear after Chapter 35, I headcanon Capricorn as aroace and that's why Porlyusica was confused about Cancer.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed and are looking forward to the end of this fic.

Chapter 47: The Final Dances

Lucy waited outside the closed guild doors, looking up at the building which stood tall and proud over Magnolia once again.

It had been a little over a month since Phantom Lord had attacked the guild, since Lucy had run into the hall and had unknowingly met the next chapter in her life. Despite the copious amounts of injuries shared by most Fairies, the guild had been rebuilt in record time, all signs of the damages erased completely.

Lucy smoothed the skirt of her navy-blue dress, watching the pink ink of the new emblem on her right hand shimmer in the sunlight. She looked to her left, seeing Aquarius fidget with the bouquet of flowers in her hands.

“Nervous?” The teen asked.

Her aunt took a deep breath. “For some reason, yes!”

Lucy chuckled. “Well, don’t be. You look gorgeous, everything is going to plan, and Scorpio is waiting for you right behind these doors.” She moved behind her aunt to make sure the embroidered veil was flowing smoothly down the back of Aquarius’ wedding dress.

Over the past weeks, the Celestials had gone back to their headquarters in Crocus a few times to collect more of Lucy’s and Natsu’s belongings as well as to bring Aquarius’ wedding outfit after it had been decided to hold the festivities at Fairy Tail while everyone was still together.

“I know, I know.” Aquarius tugged at a strand of her hair.

Lucy quickly grabbed her wrist. “If one hair is out of place, you know Cancer will murder us both.”

Her guardian sighed, dropping the blue strand back into the half-up, half-down style, throughout which their ex-hairdresser nakama had intricately placed little pearls.

“Are we sure my trident would not be an appropriate accessory?” Aquarius muttered, staring at the closed double door like she expected a group of hostiles to lurk behind them, not her family and friends and soon to be husband. Wendy, the chosen flower girl, and Plue, who would not be left out, had gone through the doors just a few moments previously, leaving the two Celestials to wait for their musical cue.

“Very sure.” Lucy nodded. “It would clash with the dress.”

“That’s what Loke said too.”

“Don’t worry, aunty.” Lucy patted her arm. “I’ve got three daggers on me, if a fight breaks out, you get first pick.”

Aquarius squeezed Lucy’s hand. “There will be so many eyes on me.”

“And rightfully so.”

“What if I trip and fall down the aisle?”

“I will catch you.”

“What if people think this event is ridiculous? We’re no young, twenty-somethings anymore.”

“No one thinks this is ridiculous.”

“What if the knights or a dark guild got wind of this and are planning an attack right during the ceremony-”

“Aunty!” Lucy forced her rambling aunt to look at her. “Do you really think, if anyone laughs at, mocks, or tries to ruin your wedding, that Virgo and Erza would let them live?”

Those two were a match made in heaven. They had found each other while the reconstruction of Fairy Tail had been underway, both with several plans, blueprints, and ideas to motivate other assassins to work efficiently.

When Aquarius and Scorpio had announced that they would hold their wedding in the guild, under the strong encouragement of Master Makarov, Virgo and Erza had thrown themselves into the wedding planning.

“You’re right, you’re right.” Aquarius muttered, going back to staring at the doors.

“Just remember, you look straight ahead at the one pair of eyes that matter and if anyone tries anything...three daggers.”

“You’re going to be okay, right brat?”

Lucy looked up at her aunt, surprised at the sudden change in topic because she knew Aquarius was not referring to the imminent walk through the guild.

“Of course I’ll be okay.”

Aquarius sighed. “I just never thought leaving you in someone else’s care would be the best way I could protect you.”

“I know. It feels strange to know that you all won’t be just down the stairs or right around the corner.”

It had not been an easy conversation. Lucy had expected there to be another motive behind their guild travelling to Fairy Tail besides making formal acquaintances. But she hadn’t expected her aunt to tell her, the day after the battle of the guildhall, that every Celestial would become a Spirit. Every Celestial except her and Natsu.

There had been tears and arguments and pleads to reconsider. Not just from Lucy. But Aquarius and Gemini had stayed calm, explaining the situation at hand. They could not risk another surprise attack. They had gotten lucky so far, but what if Natsu’s prison break or Cancer’s quick thinking with the package had gone much worse. The teen nor the hairdresser liked being used as such an example, but neither could argue much against it. Because neither Cancer’s experience nor Natsu’s skills had been able to protect them from the knights. And dumb luck was not a valid tactic, according to Aquarius.

“We’ll be one phone call away, always.” Aquarius promised.

“I know.” Lucy repeated. “And it’s not like this is permanent. You won’t have to be Spirits for the rest of your lives, will you?”

“Mavis, I hope not. Travelling is fun but at one point, I’d like to have a steady routine again. We just have to wait for the knights to get off our backs.”

“You’ll be careful, right?”

“Always. And you show these Fairies what it means to be a Celestial.”

The two women grinned at each other as Lucy lifted both her hands, showing off her three emblems, the same three that Natsu had on his arms.

Both assassins jumped as the music suddenly began inside the hall.

“Oh Mavis!” Aquarius breathed, holding the bouquet in an iron grip in front of her.

“Everything will be alright.” Lucy said, hooking her arm with Aquarius’ as the double doors slowly opened.

At the sight of the two of them standing in the doorway, everyone sitting on the long benches to either side of the aisle rose to their feet.

With an imperceptible tug, Lucy led Aquarius into the hallway, slowly stepping down the carpet laid out for the occasion.

Aquarius had severed familiar ties long before Lucy had been born and it had always been a pact between her and Layla that they would walk each other down the aisle on their special day. Lucy had not hesitated when Aquarius had asked her to fill in for her mother.

The music continued as the slowly walked and Lucy could feel Aquarius relaxing when they spotted Scorpio waiting at the end of the hall in his tuxedo, grinning madly at the bluenette.

Lucy spotted the orchestra sitting on the side; one of Laxus’ teammates, Freed, gently keying the piano whilst Gajeel strummed an acoustic guitar and former Phantom Lord member Juvia played the violin in the classic bridal tune.

They walked past rows of many Fairies, all smiling at the bride, some snapping photos or giving them a quick thumbs up as they passed.

Lucy spotted Grandpa Crux standing in one of the first rows, Natsu’s former landlady Ms. Patrona, right beside him, holding hands.

The first rows were taken up by Celestials and Wendy, all in suits and dresses, all with eyes ranging from moist to full-on waterworks.

Loke and Cancer stood behind Scorpio up at the front in matching suits. The groom approached the bride, and Lucy squeezed them both into a tight hug, suddenly finding herself blinking a lot more than usual, before handing Aquarius over to Scorpio.

The teen took the bouquet of flowers and moved to her place behind Aquarius, leaving one space open on the bride’s side which would always be reserved for her mother.

Natsu and Wendy were standing in the first row right in front of her, Happy, Carla, and Plue sitting by their feet, both Dragons giving her encouraging smiles.

The music stopped and Master Makarov approached the little podium, clearing his throat and setting down his pages of notes on wedding vows, freshly printed from the internet. He hadn’t officiated a wedding in quite some time, but the old man was sure it was like riding a bicycle.

He had been insistent that Aquarius and Scorpio should hold their wedding in the newly refurnished guild. His children needed something to look forward to after all the fighting and painful recoveries. His guild had also grown by a few members, and he wanted everyone under the guild’s roof at the same time to give a sense of unity. And what better way to bring everyone together than a wedding?

“Please be seated.” Makarov said loudly into the room, waiting until everyone had sat back down while the bride and groom stood before him, holding hands and smiling like young fools in love.

“Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today...”

 

-----

 

The newlyweds swayed slowly to the gentle music playing from the speakers, every nakama and guest circled around the cleared dancefloor, watching the two and humming along to the melody.

Aquarius rested her head against Scorpio’s shoulder, all the anxiety and stress from before the reception dissipated completely as she felt his steady heartbeat.

“We did it, babe.” Scorpio whispered into her hair.

“Hmm. Took us long enough.” She answered, feeling his chuckle reverberate through her.

“Good things to those who wait.”

“How very proverbial of you.”

“I am a husband now,” Scorpio said proudly, “I have to start saying smart and mature things.”

“That’ll be the day.”

“Hey, I can be mature.”

“You requested rainbow sprinkle cookies from Mirajane for the buffet.” Aquarius looked up at him.

“Because I have a mature pallet.”

She snorted, leaning back into him.

“Speaking of,” Scorpio began, “where should two mature, married people have their honeymoon?”

“Somewhere coastal.” Aquarius answered quickly.

“Obviously. Any specific ideas?”

“I hear Hargeon Beach is lovely this time of year.”

Scorpio tilted his head down to look at his wife. “Really?”

Aquarius shrugged. “Why not? Coastal, memories, clean water...”

“We made sure of that.”

“We did. So, what do you say?”

“Hargeon Beach sounds like a very mature honeymoon destination.” Scorpio nodded sagely. “Do you want to go straight from here?”

Aquarius thought for a moment. They had agreed that one to two pairs of partners would always be at their home in Crocus; to keep an eye on things and to make sure the locals knew the Celestials were still there to protect them. They would rotate on a monthly basis, the others doing their work in different parts of Fiore or even abroad.

“Virgo has claimed first stay at the house.” Aquarius said.

They both knew the small pinkette could not leave their home in Royal Garden Street the way it was; walls gone and living room destroyed. It would nag at her until the mess was fixed.

“Taurus and Sag have offered to join them to do some of the heavy lifting.” Scorpio added.

“Then it looks like we’ll set off right from here.” Aquarius smiled.

“Yes. Suppose becoming Spirits and honeymooning at the same time is pretty convenient.” Scorpio agreed.

“Once we’re moving around...” Aquarius bit her lip.

“Yes?” Her husband prompted.

“How about we stay in Fiore a while?”

He raised an eyebrow at her, a knowing smile on his lips. “Just in case, I presume?”

“Just in case Lucy needs us. At least at the start.”

Scorpio chuckled softly. “It does feel weird not having her close at all times, doesn’t it?”

Aquarius sighed. “I know she’s almost an adult and that she might have moved to a different location at some point anyway...I just thought we’d have more time.”

“We have all the time in the world, babe.” Scorpio reassured her. “It’s just like we’re travelling for missions. We can stop by here whenever we’re close by. Or even if it’s a complete detour.”

“Don’t you think she’ll catch on?”

“I don’t think she’d mind. Lucy will miss you just as much as you’ll miss her.”

“But I will worry much more.”

“Perhaps. But you won’t be the only one. How often do you think Loke and Aries will happen to be in the neighbourhood? And I doubt the others will be much better.”

Aquarius hummed. “Makarov said any Celestial is always welcome at Fairy Tail at any time.”

“And we will take full advantage of that.” Scorpio promised.

Aquarius took a deep breath. “This is for the best.”

The music drew to a close and Scorpio spun her one last time, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“It is.”

 

-----

 

Gemini and Virgo were one of the first couples to take advantage after the dancefloor was opened for everyone. The two danced the basic steps of the waltz, sometimes travelling around the outside of the floor, sometimes just happily doing the box in the centre.

Ever since the guild’s remodelling had been completed, and Virgo no longer had a distraction, Gemini had noticed that she’d grown quieter. Quieter than usual. He hadn’t said anything, waiting for the right moment to broach the subject that was weighing on everyone’s mind.

“It finally happened.” He said conversationally, slowly spinning himself and Virgo around. “Aquarius and Scorpio finally got married. And Natsu reconnected with his family. And Lucy is finding new friends at Fairy Tail. A lot of change is happening.”

“It is.” She confirmed, steely mask in place.

“I know these are all objectively good things.” Gemini continued. “But I can’t help but feel a bit scared.”

“Scared?” Virgo asked.

Gemini shrugged. “Change is inevitable. That doesn’t mean we can’t be a little scared of it.”

Virgo was quiet for a while and Gemini let the music fill the silence between them.

“I am a little scared too.” Virgo finally admitted, looking down and to the side. “So much is changing...I don’t like change very much.”

Gemini was more than aware of this fact. He knew Virgo had immediately volunteered to fix up their guild to cling onto some familiarity before they would set off on their own.

“That’s okay.” Gemini said, moving them a little closer to an emptier spot on the floor. “I’m not a big fan of change either.”

“Really?”

“Oh yes. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”

“Exactly!” Virgo agreed.

“But,” her partner continued, “sometimes it can lead to good things. Like when you switched from whole milk to almond milk for porridge.”

“That was pretty good.”

“Or when Plue and Natsu joined our guild.”

“I do like them both very much.”

“Or when you and I became partners. Very big change there.”

“And a great one.”

“I couldn’t agree more, Virgo dear.”

“I know what you’re doing.” Virgo sighed. “You are trying to remind me of good change to make this one seem less scary.”

“Is it working?” Gemini smiled up at her.

“A little. I just worry that it will not be the same as it was. I like the way it was.”

“As did I. But it was no longer sustainable. Just because we are no longer as physically close as we were, doesn’t mean we are not still a close family. That can never change.”

“I suppose.”

Gemini and Virgo travelled to the next corner.

“We will still visit everyone, right?”

“Of course, Virgo dear. We will keep tabs on everyone and if any of our nakama seem to be in trouble, we’ll race there as fast as you and the nearest stolen car can get us there.”

Virgo nodded. “That seems acceptable.”

“Tell you what, after we fix up the guild, why don’t we travel a bit? Didn’t you always want to see the Earthland catacombs up close?”

“Is Earthland not in the midst of political upheaval?”

“I believe they are.” Gemini pondered. “But last I heard, one of Council Member Fernandez’s brothers was mixing things up over there. Could be fun to see how it’s going.”

“I have never participated in a civil unrest.” Virgo debated. “It could be an educational experience.”

“Then it is settled!” Gemini proclaimed proudly, just as the last notes of the song rang through the hall. “Fixing up the living room and then off to Earthland.”

Virgo smiled as he led them off the floor, back to the little round table where his cane and Erza were waiting.

“You two have excellent form.” The warrior greeted them.

Gemini bowed his head in thanks. “We do try our best, don’t we, Virgo dear?”

“Always.”

Erza took a bite of the cake. “Have you given any thought to the rebuilding of your guild’s living room?”

“A few.” Virgo answered. “Aquarius has given me full creative license, but I do like how it used to be.”

The redhead nodded. “Understandable. If you would like some assistance in your endeavour, I would be honoured to accompany you back to Crocus.”

“Really?” Virgo asked.

“What a splendid idea!” Gemini encouraged.

Erza nodded. “I have only passed through our capital on missions and would like to see more of it. Plus, helping you in the construction is the least I could do after all the time you invested in rebuilding Fairy Tail.”

Both Virgo and Gemini made polite dismissal noises at the compliment.

“I would enjoy having your input.” Virgo stated.

“Excellent. I know you mentioned an open concept. Have you given any thought to archways?”

“They do look very elegant.” Virgo mused. A pen appeared in her hand, and she sketched an arch on one of the napkins. “Perhaps something like this?”

Erza studied the design. “Perhaps more rounded up top so that the taller Celestials won’t hit their heads?”

Virgo nodded. “I do forget the height of others at times.”

Gemini spotted Grandpa Crux and his date close by and walked over, leaving the two ladies in their bubble of architecture and interior design. He smiled to himself. Little or big changes; they would be alright either way.

 

-----

 

“You must be proud.”

“Hm?” Loke opened his eyes. He’d been comfortably leaning against Aries as they moved slowly to the music, one hand holding hers while the other rested on her lower back.

“Of the wedding.” Aries explained, looking up at him. “You worked harder than anyone else to get to this point...except maybe for Scorpio.”

Loke laughed softly. “You’d think going ring shopping and wedding dress browsing with them would have gotten us here faster. They took their time.”

Aries straightened his tie. “I don’t think we can talk much about taking time.”

Her partner pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Good things to those who wait, love.”

Aries hummed. “It feels a little strange to be back here, doesn’t it?”

“A little. I feel a decade younger, like I should be preparing to sneak off to see you.”

The ram laughed. “You already got me.”

The smile on Loke’s face could only be described as dopey. “I do.”

They swayed in silence for a moment, watching the other pairs around them, watching Aquarius and Scorpio deep in their own conversation.

“The first time we left,” Aries said quietly after a short while, “it was to protect Fairy Tail. Now, we’re doing the same again to protect the Celestials.”

She felt Loke take a deep breath.

“This won’t be easy for you, will it?” She asked.

“No. When I told Lucy the story of how we met, how we became Celestials, I promised her that we would never leave her like we did Fairy Tail. And now...” He trailed off.

“That was before we knew of the dangers the knights pose.” Aries countered.

“I know.” He sighed again. “It still feels like breaking a promise. Like we’re leaving her behind.”

“I know.” Aries admitted quietly. “But just like last time, we’re doing it to keep the people we love safe.”

“Do you think Layla would agree with this?”

Aries looked up, surprised at the mention of Lucy’s mother.

“It’s what Aquarius has been asking herself.” Loke continued. “She never told me, but I know it’s on her mind.”

“She thinks Layla would have some brilliant solution to keeping us all together and the knights off our backs?”

“If anyone could find a way, it would be Layla.”

“That’s true.” Aries leaned her head back against his chest. “But I don’t think that even she could find a way out of this. We all brainstormed. Three guilds could come up with nothing better.”

“At least with this option, Lucy is safe.” Loke mumbled. “The knights can’t touch her or Natsu in Fairy Tail.”

“Exactly. They are safe here, surrounded by our old family while we scatter and frustrate the knights into giving up.”

“How long do you think that’ll be?”

Aries smiled. “Frustrating people is what we’re good at. It’s your speciality, darling. Their resolve will crumble in no time.” She was really not sure of the words she spoke. From Gemini’s story, every Celestial knew how stubborn the knights could be when properly provoked. And provoked they certainly were. Still, Aries had a vision of them all together, Celestials, Dragons, and Fairies. And she would not give up on that anytime soon.

“I suppose I have some experience with that department, all my sparring with Capricorn.” Loke spun her slowly. “Finally, my talents will be put to good use.”

The ram giggled and the two continued to spin as the music started to quicken its beat, their steps just a little lighter than before.

“Since we waited so long for this wedding,” Aries said as they held up their arms for the under to pass through, “when are we getting married?”

Loke tripped over air.

 

-----

 

Once the music had picked up, Cancer and Capricorn had deemed it safer to sit down at one of the hall’s booths and enjoy the wedding cake whilst watching the more energetic assassins take over the dancefloor.

“You know,” Cancer began between a mouthful of the chocolate cake, “now that we are free-spirited travellers, looking for adventure and stories of legends...”

Capricorn made a gesture for him to continue.

“...Why don’t we take on a big mission, baby?”

“A big mission?”

“A big big mission. Those with unspecified durations on the mission posters.”

Capricorn hummed. He had always liked the idea of tackling a bigger challenge than the local mission within Crocus.

“Did you have one in mind?” The former professor asked his partner.

“Well, to take both our minds off the whole becoming Spirits thing, I thought we’d need a very big big mission.”

“Agreed.”

Neither professor nor hairdresser had been thrilled about the idea of leaving their comfortable nest with all their tools / books for an extended period of time, even if both understood and supported the reasoning behind it, given that it had been Cancer who’d received the knight’s threat personally.

“So, I’ve been talking to Master Makarov and after a lot of evading and a couple of beers-”

“Cancer!”

“Hear me out! Apparently, there is a dark guild out there which no one has been able to pin down.”

“How come?”

“Well,” Cancer leaned in over his plate, “apparently they have no solid headquarters, they are always on the move be it through air, land, or on high waters.”

“Intriguing.” Capricorn stroked his goatee. “An elusive guild.”

“Very much. And it gets better. After Master Makarov’s third beer,” Cancer expertly ignored his partner’s scolding look, “he told me that the current master of that dark guild, used to be the master of Fairy Tail before him.”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“By Mavis, the plot thickens.”

“Exactly, baby! A fast-travelling guild, an old grudge against Fairy Tail, powerful and evil members...this has all the makings of one great mission, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I definitely do!” Capricorn’s eyes sparkled. He didn’t like the idea of his nakama being spread so far around the continent, he needed something to focus all his energy on instead of constantly wondering how everyone was doing.

“Think of all the stories we’ll have to tell when everyone meets up again!”

“We certainly will not be slacking off.”

“No way, baby! What do you say,” Cancer raised his glass, “to one big, awesome mission?”

Capricorn clinked his champagne flute with Cancer’s.

“To one big, awesome mission.”

 

-----

 

Taurus and Sagittarius, to no surprise to the Celestials and plenty of surprise to the Fairies, were tearing up the dancefloor within seconds of the music speeding up.

The two spun around happily, manoeuvring around assassins with less dance skills than them, which happened to be almost everyone.

Another thing that surprised none of their nakama; the partners had made no plans beyond helping Virgo fix the guild back up.

“We’ll see where the roooooad takes us.” Taurus had shrugged when asked.

“Jump on the next train, go to the nearest townhall, and pick the mission that sounds best, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius had answered calmly to Capricorn’s increasingly worried questions regarding their safety precautions and backup plans.

Sagittarius had been travelling for most of his life and Taurus made it a point not to plan too far into the future, so they took on their new roles as Spirits in strides, perhaps the best out of all the Celestials, even if the other partners would never admit it.

“I’m going to miss having everyone arooooound.” Taurus said as he dipped his partner during a pause in the music.

“As will I, moshi moshi. Making dinners with Virgo...”

“Wooooorking out with Scorpio.”

“The movie nights.”

“Oh Mavis, the mooooovie nights!”

“Everyone arguing about the rules of boardgames, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius laughed as they began moving across the floor again.

“Yooooou think we’ll still gather for the big occasions? Like Christmas?” Taurus asked as the song was coming to a close.

“Definitely, moshi moshi. No one is letting go of Secret Santa. You can try prying that from Capricorn’s and Loke’s fingers.”

Taurus chuckled, letting Sagittarius lead him off the floor. They spotted the four Dragons gathered around a table. Natsu was whispering something into Lucy’s ear. Their youngest looked surprised but took Natsu’s offered hand and walked to the allocated dance space with him. Someone carrying a piece of the wedding cake caught Wendy’s eyes and she darted off to get one for herself, leaving Gajeel smiling after her.

“Go talk to him, moshi moshi. I’ll go get us some drinks.” With that, Sagittarius walked off towards the bar, gracefully moving around and between the crowds of celebrating assassins.

Taurus watched him go and walked over to the tall table Gajeel was standing at, Pantherlily sitting beside him, tail swishing to the music.

“Hey kid. That was sooooome nice guitar playing.” Taurus joined them.

He and Gajeel had talked over the past weeks, many times. Taurus had learned quickly that Gajeel was more on the reserved side when it came to emotions, but the Celestial had never even tried downplaying his own when it came to Metalicana. Taurus was an open book, anyone who met him could attest to that, and perhaps Gajeel enjoyed that after all the trickery and masquerades he’d had to deal with in Phantom Lord, even if it had taken the oldest Dragon a little while to stop thinking that every one of the bull’s fond smiles were a trick and every laugh at an old memory an attempted deception.

“Thanks, Taur.” Gajeel gestured to the dancefloor. “I had no idea you and Sag are such good dancers.”

“We toooook classes.” Taurus said by way of explanation.

“Y’ don’t say.”

“Actually, your pa,” Taurus started, resting his elbows on the table, “was alsooooo a very good dancer.”

“Yer kidding.”

Taurus shook his head. “At first, he never wanted to dance with me when there was muuuuusic. Said he had two left feet.”

“He did.”

The Celestial grinned. “Your pa was a stubborn piece of wooooork. But no one is more stubborn than a bull. I got him onto a dancefloor more times than nooooot.”

Gajeel chuckled until suddenly a memory flashed before his eyes. Of him walking into the kitchen to see his dad staring at his phone, a video of a brightly dressed woman saying words like lock step and reverse turn on the screen, while Metalicana had stepped back and forth on the kitchen tiles. When a much younger Gajeel had asked his father what he was doing, the Iron Dragon had quickly turned off the phone, muttered something about evasive footwork in close combat, scolded Gajeel for eavesdropping, and asked what he wanted for breakfast.

“Holy Mavis, I think pa practised dancin’ at home.” Gajeel blurted out.

Taurus tilted his head back and laughed. “I bet he did. Never ooooone to back down from a challenge.”

The two chuckled and watched the dancing together and for a heartbeat, Taurus could imagine Metalicana’s form amongst the dancers.

“You know I’ll keep an eye on yer little blonde.” Gajeel said after a few moments. He gestured to where Lucy and Natsu were swaying amongst the merriment, the teens more focused on their conversation than the actual dancing.

Taurus patted Gajeel’s shoulder. “Thanks kid. That means a looooot. And you know we’re just one call away.”

Gajeel made some don’t-mention-it noises. “I don’t think I can protect her from Natsu’s dancin’ though.” They watched as Natsu bumped into Lucy whilst attempting to manoeuvre them around other dancing couples.

Taurus got a scheming look in his eyes. “Speaking of dancing Dragooooons,” he started, “why don’t you ask the pretty pixie girl tooooo dance?”

Gajeel’s smile immediately dropped and he glared up at Taurus. “Why should I?”

Their heads turned to look at a table on the other side of the hall where the petite bluenette was standing with her friends Jet and Droy. Gajeel wasn’t entirely sure which one was which, they were always Jet-and-Droy.

“Because you liiiiike her.” The drawn-out vowel had nothing to do with Taurus’ speech pattern and Gajeel knew it.

“Quit it, old man!” He grumbled.

“But you dooooo.”

“She’s smart and a good fighter, that’s it!”

“Uuuuuh, smart and a good fighter, moshi moshi.” Sagittarius walked up to them, handing Taurus a glass of sparkling cider and stroked Pantherlily’s head. “Who are we talking about?”

“Zeref, why?”

“The little blue-haired girl that fended ooooof Phantoms with a bar stool.” Taurus gestured across the hall.

“Would you two stop being so obvious!” Gajeel hissed, just as Levy sensed their eyes on her and caught their stares. She smiled over at them.

“Ah, I remember her, moshi moshi. Why don’t you ask her to dance, Gajeel?”

“Oh my Mavis.”

“That’s what I saaaaaid!”

“She is just standing there. It would be the gentlemanly thing to do.”

“Then why don’t you ask her?” Gajeel said through gritted teeth.

“Whilst holding drinks, moshi moshi? How would that look?”

It was moments like these that made Taurus so happy to have Sagittarius, someone who was always on the same wavelength as him, as his partner.

“Maybe we shooooould wave her over to join us.” Taurus continued undeterred. “Then we can ask if she wanted yooooou to ask her-”

“By Zeref, fine!” Gajeel pushed off the table, glaring at both Celestials as he started walking around the dancefloor. “Don’t think I don’t know what yer doing!”

Taurus held a hand to his heart, but a grin spread over his face as Gajeel reached Levy’s table, greeted by her smile and the annoyed looks of Jet and Droy.

“Good job, moshi moshi.”

“No one is more stubborn than a bull.” Taurus clinked his glass against Sagittarius’.

 

-----

 

“Hey Luce...” Natsu leaned in close. “Do you want to go dance?”

Lucy looked up at him in surprise. “I thought you said dancing is lame.” She teased.

Natsu scratched the back of his neck. “Not with you.”

She smiled. “Well, in that case.” Taking his hand, she waved a quick see-you-soon to Gajeel and Wendy at their table and followed Natsu to the centre of the guildhall.

Lucy placed her hand on his shoulder while Natsu’s hand went around her back.

“So, what’s with the sudden interest in the fine art of classical dancing?” Lucy asked as she intertwined their fingers of their raised hands.

“You know, I thought it would be good to talk. And I don’t think any dancing I’ll ever do can be called fine art.”

Lucy laughed, tugging Natsu closer to avoid him clashing shoulders with a Fairy. “Don’t worry, they will move to disco music soon.”

“Oh yeah, cause that’s where I shine at. Freestyle dancing.” Natsu deadpanned.

“Hey, for a clumsy Dragon, you’re doing very well.”

Natsu smiled down at her. “As long as you think so, Luce.”

She grinned back, resting her chin on his chest, simply enjoying their closeness as they moved from side to side.

“What did you want to talk about?” Lucy asked after a moment.

“Just wanted to make sure that you’re alright. Like, really alright, with the whole staying at Fairy Tail situation.”

Lucy went quiet for a moment. “Honestly, I kind of think about it like a summer camp.”

“A summer camp?”

“Yeah, like in those foreign movies. I stay somewhere else, I meet new people my age, learn new skills...there’s just no specific timeline.”

Natsu hummed. “That’s a pretty good way of looking at it. I will miss everyone like crazy though.” He’d worked so hard to be seen as worthy of the Celestial name, of being Lucy’s partner. Natsu thought of the room they had made just for him, of the presents and the keys that practically ordered him to stay at the Celestial guild forever. He’d imagined showing Gajeel and Wendy the guild, how excited Virgo would have been to design two new rooms. But now he was moving again.

“You have no idea.” Lucy sighed. “But we’ll make it work. Your cousins seem very happy here.”

They saw Gajeel standing at their table with Taurus and Wendy was on her third slice of cake, chatting with Romeo while Carla hissed at Happy who was trying to get some cake for himself.

“I think they are.” Natsu agreed.

“And we’ll be too.”

“Yeah?”

“As long as I have you with me, I can be happy in any corner of the world.”

Natsu’s gaze turned soft, and he rested his forehead against Lucy’s. “As long as you think so, Luce.” He mumbled.

They were so close, all Lucy needed to do was rise a little onto her toes or for Natsu to lean down just a bit more. A flash of pink and orange in their peripheries reminded them that they were not alone. Natsu quickly pulled back, just as Aries and Loke danced past, smiling at the teens as they travelled through the dancers.

“I somehow think there’s something else on your mind.” Lucy said, noticing the faint pink dusting her partner’s cheeks.

“Oh yeah?”

“That?”

“Yeah, that.”

The two had not had a chance to talk about their kisses at the train station. Natsu had wanted to, he really wanted to. But there had been not one quiet minute in the last weeks. Between healing, rebuilding the guild, the news of the S-Class Celestials becoming Spirits, and the wedding, there had always been people around. It had gotten to the point where he would dare enter a dancefloor just for the opportunity to have some time for just the two of them.

Little did he know that Lucy felt the same way. After their one-and-a-half kisses as she referred to that moment in her mind, they had seamlessly gone back to being Natsu and Lucy: partners and best friends. She’d started questioning if she’d hallucinated the whole scene at the train station.

“Well...I liked that.” Natsu started, not quite meeting her eyes.

“Good, so did I.”

“And I want to do that again.”

“Same here.”

He finally met her gaze. “I really wanted to kiss you just now.”

Lucy felt her own cheeks warm. “And I wanted you to.” She cleared her throat. “As I see it, we have two options.”

“Give ‘em to me, Luce.”

“Option one: we take things slow, we see where it goes. And we don’t have to tell anyone right away.”

“Added benefit: there will be several miles between me and the other Celestials when we eventually decide to tell them.”

Lucy giggled. “You don’t think they will be on our doorsteps as fast as inhumanly possible?”

“Oh, I’m counting on it. But I’ll have some time to prepare, build some barricades or something.”

They laughed silently, knowing how famously ineffective any sorts of barriers would be to the force of ten Celestials.

“What’s option two, Luce?”

“Option two,” Lucy did not let herself break eye contact with Natsu, “would be you putting your arms around my waist, I put mine around your shoulders, you lean down, I tilt my head up...”

Natsu’s blush increased in intensity with every one of her words. “You- you want to-” Natsu coughed. “Here?!”

Lucy shrugged. “I feel like we waited around long enough, don’t you?”

“Y-Yeah, but...” Natsu shot a nervous look to the side. “Everyone will see. I don’t know if starting a brawl at a wedding is good conduct.”

She grinned up at him. “But Aquarius said we have to make a good impression on Fairy Tail. No one is allowed to start a brawl.”

“But if Aquarius is the one leading the charge...”

“I know for a fact that she can’t run in those heels.”

Natsu looked at her and considered. Mavis be damned; he really wanted to. Sure, he would probably receive some creative threats from their nakama regarding his and Lucy’s evolving relationship, but he knew none of the Celestials would act on those threats. He was 100% sure he would not get chased out of another guild. Or at least a solid 90%.

“You know what, Luce...” Natsu dropped her hand and moved to circle her waist with his arms, pulling her flush against him.

Her eyes went wide. Lucy took a moment to straighten the collar of his white dress shirt before interlocking her fingers behind Natsu’s neck, pressing against the soft fabric of his scarf.

“You sure?”

Natsu leaned down a little.

Lucy tiled her head up.

Natsu closed the small distance between them and slowly pressed his lips to hers. Lucy hummed, the movement travelling between them.

Neither one could see the incredulous look Aquarius sent them, frozen in her own dancing, or saw Loke’s jaw on the ground. And neither one saw how Scorpio and Aries held onto their partners a little tighter, just as a precaution.

Natsu and Lucy did not hear Capricorn telling Cancer I told you so or Taurus asking Sagittarius since when that had been going on. Virgo and Gemini barely glanced up from their conversations, both having guessed that something had happened between the teenagers based on how they’d been acting.

Gajeel and Wendy, the only people Natsu had told, were not surprised, neither were any Fairies who bothered following the Celestials’ gazes. Most had assumed that the blonde and the pinkette were already dating.

Natsu and Lucy saw or heard none of that, but they knew it was happening in those few seconds when their eyes were closed.

With equal amounts of blushing, smiling, and nerves, Lucy and Natsu pulled away from the kiss, still holding each other in the closest embrace they possibly could out on the dancefloor.

They looked at each other then both broke out into nervous giggles.

“That’s going to be one fun afterparty.” Natsu said, still smiling in a way Lucy would describe as happily dorky. She looked no different.

“No Celestial party will ever be called boring.” She agreed.

Natsu pressed a quick kiss onto Lucy’s forehead. “As long as you’re on my side in a brawl, Luce.”

Lucy sighed contently and rested her head on his chest.

“Always, partner.”

Notes:

Alright everyone, this is it! What started out as a language exercise has turned into a five (!) year project, which is entirely the fault of you lovely readers for your continuous support. You all deserve an award for your patience, so here it is: 🏆.

I did want to specifically end on Natsu and Lucy in Fairy Tail because I am planning on writing a Part 2 which will focus more on canon events and more FT members (the Celestials will still play a key role, how could they not?). And unlike for this project, I have actually made a plan on what I want to write (you many have caught the set up for one arc already 😉); shocking, I know.
Although I have a rough outline, if there is anything you would like to see in Part 2 (character interactions, plot points, returning characters, etc.) please let me know in the comments and I will do my best to include it.

Thank you for giving me the confidence to share my work and I hope my little story has given you a little joy. Until next time 💜