Souls Betwixt (Dark Souls / Fairy Tail) (Complete)

[Naron]

Quick note up ahead: there are some spoilers to Dark Souls in this, major spoilers for Fairy Tail, and AU elements to the latter. Though that is mainly me improving or changing the... lacking parts of its plot and filling some holes.​

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The flame burned bright, an end and a beginning.
​

Then from the dark they came, and found the souls of Lords within the flame.

With the strength of Lords, they challenged the dragons for dominion of an unformed world. From this first spark sprang forth the age of fire. Yet without the betrayal of Seath the Scaleless, it may have never been. An Everlasting Dragon working with the gods to tear his kin from the heavens, forever brandished as traitor and lauded by their slayers.

Alas, that was history, however ancient it may be; one could not quite tell the passage of time in this frozen realm. Snowfall covered distant valleys in a white blanket, though it lay empty near the unseen walls. Derelict suspension bridges harbored the only entrance, leading up to a fortress cresting the central mountain peak. Dozens of feet had disturbed the snow here, bare or armorclad; wingbeats announced predators sailing by, thin humanoids bearing black wings and razor sharp beaks.

Through this serenity strolled grace, beauty crafted into eternal marble. Covered in ivory fur thick enough to be mistaken for cloth, her bare feat left tracks several times the size of any other resident. A thick tail emerged from the fur, idly swaying with her gait; amber eyes gazed at the world, their pupils slitted.

She came to a halt when the muted sound of scrabbling feet reached her ears; a barely clothed body approached, empty eye-sockets pointed straight at the larger woman. Her frame was emaciated, nearly empty of blood and devoid of skin, a living mummy more than a person. The human woman waved a chipped steel sword, mindlessly shambling ahead as instinct drove her to attack. The woman in white sighed imperceptibly before raising an ebony scythe; her assailant did not react to the fearsome display. A surge of draconic might ran through the weapon as it swung, the sound of displaced air followed by a thud.

"Another taken by the Darksign," Priscilla murmured, standing vigil as the Hollow bled her final drops of blood from where she was bisected. "May thou rest peacefully, now." The undead did not reform to rise again, for the dark hole previously marking her chest had flickered out. Others watched the proceedings from a distance, humans and monsters both; no one objected when Priscilla gathered the human's halves in one hand and her meagre possessions in the other.

Taking a detour to the outer wall, she gently deposited the corpse in a dedicated pit; several crow people floated down to inspect their next meal, the closest of which received gentle pats. A few appreciative croaks sounded while another took the remaining clothes and weapon off her hands. Priscilla did not much care what happened to them from then on. A blast of arctic cold froze the blood and grime on her hands, which she then brushed off before continuing her stroll.

The many actual crows cawed at her as she passed. Soon enough, she was weighed down by tiny bodies as they landed on her shoulders. Smiling indulgently, Priscilla settled down and let them pick crumbs of dirt from her fur. They shuffled around until they were satisfied with her, allowing careful pets by fingers larger than their heads. Other undead stumbled by, awkwardly greeting her with bows or a few words; she inclined her head at each one with a faint smile, content that only one had hollowed entirely. They were banished just like her, or sought shelter in the world the painter god Ariamis made. They were welcome to stay.

After several hours, Priscilla once again traversed the stone bridge leading to her tower; it guarded the only exit, with her being the gatekeeper. Though she understood how to leave the painted world an age ago, she had since stayed. There was nothing beyond its walls for her. Rather, Priscilla saw off those who wished to leave with a smile and a bid of good luck. Few ever went, for proper death was too enticing a prospect. No one but her could administer it to the undead, so many braved the isolation they abhorred.

Settling down with her legs arranged sideways, Priscilla wound her tail around herself and began to watch the unchanging snowfall for a time. Her mind was calm and at peace, Priscilla likely the happiest of all beings in this forsaken land.

A year passed like this; the unchanging sky and weather accomodated her serenity, the only sign of activity an occasional breeze playing with Priscilla's fur. She sat motionless, eyes staring ahead unblinking. Her mind moved beyond the realm of words, slumber, and waking alike. A moment of eternity passed as she immersed herself in her birthright.

Then, all of a sudden, her tranquil world shattered. The dark skies became bright red and shudders ran through the air. Pure power erupted in front of Priscilla, the dragon flinching back and making to stand; a sudden vortex aborted the motion, lifting her off the ground before she could get her bearings. She barely managed to snatch her scythe and frantically hooked it around a dilapidated windowframe. Its blade cut through the stone without so much as slowing. Whirling through the air, Priscilla screamed as the sky swallowed her; everything became dark and her senses were assaulted by alien powers. She fell, up and down at the same time.

It was but a moment of utter disorientation, followed by surprise when something eerily familiar blurred past in the other direction. It carried the scent of fire that made her blood boil in instinctual rage; that moment, too, passed as fear and worry wormed their way back to the forefront. Priscilla whimpered through her endless fall, only for it to end as suddenly as it began. There was light.

She landed hard on loose earth, momentum driving a tear into the ground as her fur was stained brown. Impact drove the air from her lungs, leaving her a heaving mess.

Once her recovered, Priscilla lay silently, face buried in soil. Her scythe clattered on the ground as she slowly rolled over and stared at the canopy above; undisturbed, as if half a ton of dragon did not just arrive violently. The air was oddly rich and dirt clung between the scales on her forehead.

Moments later, a soft caw distracted her from the irritating sensation; Priscilla stood slowly and took in her surroundings, but found herself alone with exception of a single crow. It watched from a nearby tree, meeting her gaze at eye level. She reached out hesitantly. The bird snuggled against her finger without hesitation, which calmed her somewhat. It then hopped onto the offered digit with another caw. Priscilla pet it absently. The motion calmed her racing heart and anxiety. She left the painting; or rather, someone or something tore her from it. It made no sense.

Bidding the crow to take distance, she carefully cleaned her fur again by freezing the dirt solid and picking clumps out of it; her feathered companion immediately moved to assist on her back. During the mindless work, Priscilla took stock of her situation; the light was different here, brighter than at home. It felt like actual sunlight where it broke through the foliage. Trees surrounded her, their leaves vibrant as they formed a thick canopy. A forest, the very first she ever beheld. Some anxiety returned with that observation; Priscilla had no idea where she ended up. The scents were unlike anything she ever smelled before, the trees were unfamiliar, and there was an actual sky. A world without boundaries or limits, it made her want to dig a hole and hide in it. Although draconic pride would not let her follow such impulses, it could merely dull the worry, not disperse it.

Once done with her fur, she quickly picked up her scythe; the familiar feeling grounded Priscilla and she reflexively moved her tail. The dagger she always carried was still there too, instinctively squeezed between her tail's base and back. It made her relax further, knowing she had something familiar in these unfamiliar circumstances.

After a time spent studying her surroundings, bereft of life for all native critters fled her presence, Priscilla began to walk. The crow rode on her shoulder, its presence silently appreciated.

Her quest for a way back met with failure; in fact, she found nothing and no one in the sprawling woodland. Before she knew it, the bright light dimmed and faded entirely. Priscilla could still see as her eyes cared naught for a lack of illumination, yet a part of her feared the night regardless. The irony of an Everlasting Dragon being afraid was not lost on her, but the steady undercurrent of anxiety carried any amusement away. Priscilla fell still, hoping that dawn would come in time; her crow friend made a nest in her fur to roost, cawing once more as if to reassure her. Her lips twitched into a faint smile before she turned invisible, decision made to wait for daybreak.

Meanwhile, Priscilla's mind raced as she tried to figure out a way home; she wanted to go back to her serene isolation, undisturbed by any worldly matters. In her developing trance, she even missed the first light of dawn.

Despite her experience thus far, the forest was not deserted; quite the contrary, in fact. Life settled back in at the perceived absence of a potential predator. Only to stir once again when another, equally as terrifying being stalked the area in search of herbs. Clad in a crimson coat whose high collar ran out in tooth-like protrusions, an old human woman marched with practiced ease. Wrinkles born from decades of frowns and sneers had dug deep into her expression, underlining her piercing red eyes. Dull, dark pink hair crowned her head, bound into a tight bun with but two strands freed to frame her face.

The elder's gait was purposeful and strong; that was, until she noticed a giant footprint she knew had not been there the previous day. Large enough to fit either of her boots at least four times. Another sneer worked its way onto her features.

"Gods damn you, Makarov;" she quietly cursed at no one, "you have been doing this for thirty years and it hasn't been funny just as long. How immature can you be? Can we not go two months without ominous footprints?" Her reflexive anger faded somewhat when, just before she dismissed the matter, it occurred to old Polyushka that these were not imprints of boots, but of naked feet. Moreover, they stopped just before where she stood. As if whoever made them took flight right there; a glance to the untouched canopy told her to discard that option.

Then a single caw drew the elder's attention upward, where a crow peered down at her; it sat in mid-air, which told Polyushka all she needed to know. Once she clearly noticed the bird, it took wing and left her with whatever visitor there may be. Polyushka sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "That better not be you, Makarov. If you learned invisibility just for another stupid prank, I will personally mix laxatives into every drink you have for the rest of your life."

Yet no matter how much she cussed, Polyushka knew it was not him; Makarov did not know any such magic and was rarely inclined to learn something new at over eighty years old. Before her stood an invisible giant who had yet to react to her presence. Carefully reaching out toward the footprint's position, her hand quickly sunk into some kind of unkempt yet silky material. Whatever it was, Polyushka grabbed it tightly and pulled with all the force in her aging body. A feminine gasp sounded from above and she let go.

This was followed by a quiet rush of displaced air before a new footprint appeared two metres distant. The occurence repeated when Polyushka thoughtlessly made to follow; she managed to hear a faint rustling this time, though. Straining her ears further, she barely noticed soft breathing that the forest's ambient noise hid thus far.

However, as her patience with the phenomenon waned and she remembered this was, in fact, a person, she transitioned into a glare. "Stop playing games and reveal yourself already!" she snapped at the intruder. "Who are you, what are you doing in my forest?"

Nothing happened at first; the silence remained long enough that she already made to rant further, but a soft, meek voice began to roll through the twilight before she could: "Apologies, fair dame, I was unaware this be thy demesne. Wouldst thou find it in thy heart to forgive mine transgression? 'twas a blunder most involuntary, I assure thee."

Her scowl faded in favour of abject confusion. Polyushka stared into the air, trying to parse that sentence; she barely managed by the time the unknown woman continued: "I find myself abroad and bereft of familiar landmarks. Wereth thou willing to provide directions, I shall avaunt at once."

She slowly put down her basket, freeing both hands to rub her temples; it was too early for that kind of nonsense. Halfway between annoyed and resigned, the elder could not muster much heat for her response: "Show yourself."

The stranger complied this time, appearing from one moment to the next; despite being prepared, Polyushka was bewildered nonetheless. Her surprise then persisted due to the sight itself; a woman clad in thick, silvery furs of an animal she could not name. The giant scythe she held casually gave Polyushka pause, but there was not even a hint of aggression in her posture; in fact, she seemed to shy away even though the human woman had to crane her neck for eye contact. A pushover then, or someone delicate; neither of which she was ready or willing to deal with.

Seeing that the stranger wilted visibly under her prolonged stare, a stray branch poking the back of her head and tangling itself in her snow white hair, Polyushka rallied the tiny bit of compassion in her old heart and forced her expression to soften. Results were mixed at best. "I am not angry, I just don't like people. You did nothing wrong." The giantess relaxed notably, meaning she was doing well enough. "So, to clarify: You don't know how to get out of the forest?"

"Y-Yes."

"Then how did you get here?" Her question came out a bit sharper than intended, but there was no adverse reaction this time. The girl, and Polyushka could not think of someone this meek as a woman, hesitated.

"I doth not know. Matters of the arcane befell mine home, tearing myself away and into thy demesne."

"I see. Magic, then." By herself, she figured this one must be far from home. The way she spoke was difficult to follow at best, though she could infer enough from the parts she did know. After pondering the issue for a minute, she heaved another sigh. "Follow."

Polyushka began to walk, her social battery exhausted to the point she did not even check if she was followed. Not that she really had to, considering how the girl's feet audibly sunk into the ground with every step. The branch that tangled in her hair earlier broke off, then was idly pulled out of its prison and discarded. They walked the forest without issue, it being familiar to the elder after living in it for decades. And if nothing else, Polyushka could at least appreciate that her mystery visitor did not speak needlessly; she followed as softly as possible, barely audible despite her size.

Half an our passed in silence before they reached the forest's edge; once the canopy broke up and only singular trees covered the path ahead, one could see a city not far distant. Sturdy stone structures grasped several stories high, making for an imposing sight even at a distance. Polyushka pointed at it, idly noting how the girl squinted against the direct sunlight. "This is Magnolia. Go there, the wizard guild Fairy Tail can probably help you find the way home. Just ask for directions if you can't find it, it's the most gaudy building in town."

The stranger stared as if she never saw a city before, lips moving silently. Moments passed like this, then she bowed her head. "Thou art most kind, fair dame. Thou have mine gratitude."

Polyushka waved her off and brusquely turned around. "Yes, yes. Now get going."

And she shuffled away. Polyushka snuck a glance after a few steps, but found no trace of her; only a trail of footprints slowly meandering toward Magnolia. She huffed, shook her head, and continued to walk. This was not her problem anymore.

Meanwhile, Priscilla had halted her approach to once again squint at the massive city. The sun shone brightly, which she took to meaning that Lord Gwyn was still in good health. Once her eyes adjusted, she studied her destination, noting it to be easily twenty times her homely fort's size. The buzz of countless voices reached even the place she stood, yet unseen. Priscilla did not quite want to reveal herself again; while the lady of the woods did not have much of a reaction, she could hardly fathom an abomination such as herself being welcome among the residents.

Only now did she realise that the human never gave her name, and neither did she. Then again, did it matter? Priscilla chased the question away and wondered whether she could just move toward the countryside. If she sought Anor Londo of her own devices, she ought to find it eventually; then again, the gods would not tolerate her presence outside the painting. Which led her attention back to Magnolia. A part of her demanded she march in and challenge the people with her presence, slaughter them if they objected. Priscilla ignored that part with practiced ease, rather listening to the one that was truly her and not racial instinct; by herself, she did not expect a warm welcome. She hoped for acceptance, though; it had been a long time since her banishment, perhaps things changed.

Ever so slowly, her feet began to move again. Invisibility faded away as she approached the town, finding a well maintained stone road to wander on; going by its size, she assumed that to be the main road while passing between the first buildings. Priscilla took careful steps, intimately aware of the many stares her appearance gathered; being over six metres tall where even the largest human barely passed two did its part in that. Thankfully, there were no terrified screams or attacks; some tiny humans pointed at her with bright eyes, but normal-sized ones dragged them away.

Once it became clear the inhabitants were more curious than afraid, Priscilla's tension faded somewhat. She allowed herself to be distracted by the surrounding splendor. Magnolia was like a new world entirely, filled with more people than she ever saw in one place. Well-crafted stone and wood buildings lined every street, ranging from properly built shops to living quarters; many a road followed channels of clear water on which boats carried loads across town. They fed back into the bay Magnolia was built at. Tiny humans congregated around more exotically garbed individuals in the streets, shrieking and laughing about tricks they performed. She never heard anyone or anything shriek in delight before.

Priscilla wandered the streets aimlessly, uncertain where to go and uncomfortable at the thought of interrupting any humans; they all appeared so busy, always moving and in need of being places. She did listen to their conversations however, soaking up whatever the locals were interested in; some terms were quite strange to her ears, yet now that her nerves settled, Priscilla realised that the forest-dwelling human had been confused by her way of speaking also. So for her first hour or two, she adopted the local idioms as best as she could. It would be put to the test sooner than she expected.

"Do you need help?"

The question tore her from wandering and observing. Priscilla glanced around the ground, but found no one nearby.

"Up here!"

Raising her eyes, she spotted a human woman sitting on a rooftop, kicking her bare feet. A light pink dress ran down her entire body, fastened to her neck by a red ribbon. Luscious, pale blonde locks ran down her back like a river, their tips pooling on the roof around her. She appeared somewhere in-between regular size and the tiny ones, with a bright smile and brighter, green eyes.

Surprised, Priscilla needed a moment to gather her bearings. "Indeed, I...." She trailed off in an uncomfortable pause, sorting through the new vocabulary. "Um, I seek a place called 'Fairy Tail'? Doth thou, ah, do you know the way?"

If the stranger was bothered by her anxiety, she did not show it. If anything, her smile grew a size. "Of course!" she responded cheerfully and made to point. "You follow the main road thataway, then turn left at the crossroads over there. You can see it from here, actually. Up there, the large building. That's the guild hall."

And it was true, Priscilla could see an imposing as well as gaudy building from where she stood. The large cathedral sitting toward Magnolia's center had been her only other candidate, though she doubted it before already. She knew cathedrals. "Oh, I see. Thank you kindly. May I ask thy-" She turned back, but the human was gone. "-name....?"

After a confused glance at her surroundings that yielded no trace of her mysterious helper, Priscilla put the matter aside and followed the instructions given. She grew a smidgen more confident as she walked the streets; people gave her enough space to walk and even minded the tail, some even waved at her. In those cases, she waved back shily.

The guild hall soon arrived before her, larger than most buildings in town bar the cathedral she noticed earlier. Priscilla studied it for a minute, noting the large sign she could not read, and a guild mark heralding its affiliation; this one reminded her of a bird riding an arrow downward, if more abstract. It was held in a bright crimson. The doors stood wide open, allowing laughter and conversation to carry outside.

This was when another issue presented itself: the gate only reached Priscilla's belly. She crouched to peer inside, but even that yielded precious little, making her wonder how to enter.

For the second time in an hour however, someone took notice of her predicament and spoke up: "Need some help?" The question drew her gaze to a male human with spiky, orange hair. He was clad in dark pants and an orange shirt, over which a leaf green jacket sat. His glasses glinted in the sunlight while he waited for Priscilla's response, wearing an easy smile that she returned tentatively.

"Indeed I do, kind sir. Yonder building, is this Fairy Tail?"

In her relief, she completely missed the confused blink about her phrasing. The man nodded slowly. "Sure is. Why don't you come in?"

"Um, I would. However...."

She motioned for herself, which visibly confused him. "Can't you just shrink back down?"

"Pardon?"

"Uh... I mean, you're using body alteration magic, right? For the tail and everything?"

Now it was her getting confused; the suggestion appeared to make sense to him, but she never heard of such among the soul arts. "Tis not magic I ever witnessed, much less learned."

The human stared up at her for a long moment. His gaze wandered down her body, befuddled. "Wow. Okay, uh, that could be a problem." He paused to consider and took a few quick steps to peer inside, nodding to himself. "The ceiling is a lot higher, so you can probably stand inside. Just, you just need to get through the door."

Priscilla glanced between him and the door, then back. Heaving a troubled sigh and mumbling about the indignity of it, she bent down to finally receive her first real sight of the guild hall. No one obstructed the entrance once the man moved aside, at least. Small mercies. Clutching her scythe in one hand, Priscilla crawled into the building, well aware of the momentary silence; all conversations halted as people watched her entrance, though they quickly returned to their own matters. She rose as soon as she was through the door, thankful for a high ceiling. There were at least another two metres of space, allowing her some comfort.

The immediate issue settled, she took in the room; it was warmer inside as dozens of people ate, drank, spoke and laughed, or played cards on one particular table. They were dressed in a variety of colours and cheerfully displayed various kinds of magic to each other. Even though she towered over the room, no one seemed to think much of it.

As the atmosphere washed over her, Priscilla's attention was drawn by the people with the cards; they sat closest to the entrance, surrounded by a small crowd that watched a clearly female human turn them around one after another. The images meant nothing to her, though they certainly held some kind of gravity to the buxom brunette slapping the table. "See!" she slurred, paused to down her entire tankard, then slapped the table again. "It's been like this all day! Death reversed, Emperor reversed, Wheel of Fortune reversed! This just can't be right, drawing only major arcana and only in reverse. It's like the world's going to end!"

"Maybe your magic just fails?" a blunette commented from the small crowd, one finger on her lip as she studied the cards. "Fortunetelling was never all that precise, right?"

Her comment earned a stink eye and a soft bat to her shoulder, which transitioned into a wave. "Levy, sweetie, magic doesn't just fail for no reason. I've drawn about every bad constellation of major arcana and that's got to mean something." A certain tension rose with the brunette's insistence, though Levy did not appear convinced.

"Well," a white-haired woman interjected as she passed by, carrying three plates at once on her arms, "no one can see the future in detail. Maybe Natsu did something silly and changed fate forever, and now it has a headache."

She chuckled and twirled away, askance stares following her. Cana mutely shook her head, just as Priscilla decided this line of conversation made little sense to her. A weak pressure against her leg brought someone else back to mind; he leaned against her while looking like he had a religious experience. His unintelligible mutterings faded when Priscilla addressed him: "Art thou alright?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." A whispered "so marvelous" was lost to her and he shook his head, then waved over the barmaid. "Hey, Mira. Is the master around?"

Now that she treaded nearby, Priscilla took notice of her charming, wine red dress and kind disposition. The woman smiled just as easily as everyone else seemed to, shaking her head in response. "Afraid not. Friend of yours, Loke?"

"Nah, we just met. She wanted to come here for some reason and had some trouble getting in." He trailed off at that point, gaze growing distant again until Mira snapped a finger in front of his face. "Oh, sorry. Anyway, I don't know what you need, but Mirajane here can probably help you. If not her, then Master Makarov."

Priscilla inclined her head in greeting, somewhat surprised that the woman before her did not seem the least bit intimidated by their size disparity. Rather, she beamed up at her. "I can't say if we can help just yet, but I can certainly try! What do you need?"

Others became attentive as she spoke, following their conversation while Priscilla pondered how to relay her issue best. "I seeketh, er, seek guidance more than anything. I find myself far from home. Doth thou, ah, do you know which way Lordran lies? Or Anor Londo, perchance?"

Mira's eyebrow scrunched as she pondered the question. Unfortunately, she ultimately shook her head. "I am sorry, but I don't think I ever heard either of these names before. Did anyone else?" A quick round of no's followed from the people around them, which made Priscilla deflate. Mira comfortingly patted her knee. "Again, sorry. But if you're that far out, did you find the guildhall by chance?"

"Not quite," she returned hesitantly. "A kind lady told me to come here."

"Oh? Anyone I know?"

"I doth not know. Her claim lies on the nearby greenwoods." She motioned in the direction she believed the area to be and Mira mulled it over.

Before she could respond however, another woman snorted and bent over in laughter. "Ahaha, P-Polyushka?! You met the old crone and say she's kind!?" She kept laughing throughout, drawing chuckles out others. "This is the best joke I heard all year!"

"Shush, Laki," Mira admonished the purplette. "Granny is nice enough if you don't bother her too much. And our visitor is a polite one. Actually, what's your name? I'm Mirajane."

"I am Priscilla, and I am grateful for your kindness."

They exchanged smiles, one bright, one still somewhat hesitant. Mirajane studied her for another moment, humming to herself. "Say, Priscilla. Do you have a place to stay, or something to do until you find a way home?"

"Not as such, though I shan't be without clues for long."

"Hm. One more question then: are there people missing you, wherever your home is? Anyone waiting for you?"

This one brought her to think. Priscilla lived all her life in an ethereal prison, populated by crows and the forsaken who hoped for salvation from eternal torment. They would miss her, if not for her own sake. Hesitantly, she shook her head. "...I do not think so. But it was always so tranquil."

Mirajane nodded in response. "How about you join Fairy Tail instead?" she proposed gently, much to Priscilla's shock. "A life lived alone is not worth living, in my opinion. And even if you rather leave later, we can help you along the way."

An unknown kind of warmth surged through her entire being, constricting her throat with never felt joy. Such kindness from virtual strangers, offering her a place to belong where no one ever wanted her before. Priscilla nodded mutely and Mira's smile grew two sizes. Neither woman paid attention to Cana's exclamation in that eternal moment, for the Death in front of her flipped itself upside down. Upon checking the card, a flummoxed Cana found The World instead.

 

[Naron]

"The basis of all magic in Earthland is Ethernano, a particle the planet produces. It flows through leylines beneath the earth like blood flows through a creature's veins, filling the atmosphere anywhere and everywhere. The first step to becoming a wizard is to open one's body to external Ethernano."

-excerpt from "The Heart of Magic"

---

An half hour had passed since she was asked to join a wizard guild. Priscilla still felt a little fuzzy, having sat down in a corner near the bar while Mirajane worked. The prospect of being welcome was as alien as being free, yet no one objected to her presence; if anything, as news spread people raised their mugs her way or waved cheerfully.

Once the other white-haired woman had a moment of respite between bringing out food and drink, she gathered some sort of parchment and began to fill out a pre-written form. After glancing at some sort of list however, she quietly muttered to herself. "I really should have remembered it by now." A glance flew to Priscilla, who suddenly felt a little worried they had to send her away after all. "You would not happen to have citizenship in Fiore?" She mutely shook her head, never having heard of any realm by that name before. Mirajane sighed. "Well, this complicates things a little. You need to be a citizen to join a guild. But it's nothing we can't-"

She interrupted herself when a tiny human entered, what little hair he had white like theirs. His bald forehead was wrinkly, expression relaxed.

"Oh, welcome back, Master!" Mirajane's greeting was echoed a few times and Makarov's demeanor became warmer. He immediately took notice of the new arrival, studying her just as she studied him. The barmaid motioned needlessly. "This is Priscilla, she wants to join our guild. Magic should be fine, what with her body alteration."

"Tis not body alteration." The other woman faltered and glanced Priscilla's way, who shook her head. "There is a misunderstanding. This is I, without any alterations made."

The elderly human hummed in thought as he pondered the situation. Then he grew in size without preamble, momentarily stunning Priscilla; by the time she gathered her wits once more and scrambled to her feet, he stood at her height and offered a massive hand, smiling. "No matter, we can take care of the problems. If you want to join, you're welcome." She could not help but smile, though the hand confused her; he seemed to pick up on that. "Don't be shy, take it."

Her first handshake went well enough after that, though some people snickered in the background. Mirajane smiled at the sight of them. "You have to know," she explained, "body alteration is a complicated but quite potent branch of magic. The master is one of the few people who mastered it."

"Indeed." She quietly thought back to the many humans she killed, and how swiftly they were dispatched without ever getting near enough to strike her. Then again, most of them were simple hollows, incapable of higher thought or strategy. Shaking off these thoughts in favour of more relevant ones, she turned to Mirajane while Makarov shrunk back down. "Now, how would I obtain citizenship?"

"Oh, that's easy. You can apply for it in the capital. Unless you're a wanted criminal, they'll definitely let you take the integration test. That's basically answering questions about Fiore," Mira elaborated without prompting, for which she received a grateful nod. Priscilla seated herself again so as to be closer to the people she spoke with.

"Er, quick question," Loke joined in from a nearby table, "but how is she going to write her answers?" Priscilla reflexively raised one hand to study her fingers, each of which were large enough to cover over one half of such a page in height. The quill Mirajane used was positively tiny to her, which appeared to give everyone else pause as well.

Laki nodded from where she sat opposite to Loke. "He's got a point. Of course you can do it with passion, but-" "Yeah!"

Another joined their group; a large, muscular man with spiky hair as white as Mira's and a scar running down his left eye. He thumped his fist on the table, startling Laki. "If there's a will, there's a way!"

"That's not what I was saying, Elfman!"

"Of course you were, you just said it! A real man doesn't take back their words!"

"I'm a woman!"

"So what?"

Priscilla watched first with mild curiousity, then worry as Laki stood to square off with the larger human. It magnified when the purplette decked him in the face, only to be sent flying on the turnaround. Elfman pursued and the matter deteriorated into a brawl from there. Mirajane and Makarov watched on with faint smiles, which disturbed her. "Ah, should you not, well, call them to order?"

Mira just shook her head. "No, no. I'm not Erza, they can have their fun."

"...does this pass for entertainment here?"

"Only within Fairy Tail."

Makarov nodded sagely at the barmaid's words. "Ah, what is a little brawl in the family?" he asked the room with a chuckle, then turned to Priscilla. "But Loke had a point. Filling out applications will be an issue for you, my dear. Nothing that can not be worked around, though. You would not happen to know telekinesis?" An empty mug began to rise into the air for emphasis.

Priscilla shook her head, idly taking note of the floating, glowing runic circle behind Makarov's hand. "The arcane appears far less developed in mine homeland."

"Well, we'll have to teach you some magic while we're at it. But as long as you can learn the things they'll ask, you will be fine."

His confidence reassured Priscilla, but another sideway glance at the parchment on the bar quashed it somewhat. "Um, there is a slight issue with that." She hesitated, embarassed. "I, ah, find myself unable to read the local script."

Makarov and Mirajane shared a look over this revelation while she fidgeted, but they were interrupted when an airborne Laki slapped into Priscilla's chest. She caught the purplette instinctively, peering at her with worry. "Art thou alright?"

Laki waved her off as well as she could while held by two giant hands. "Yeah, yeah, fine." She tapped Priscilla's fingers and was let go, shouting before she even hit the ground: "Elfman, you ass! Don't throw me at the new girl! That's a spanking for you!" A dark brown runic circle popped into existence next to her, right before a large wooden club grew from the ground for her to pluck. Laki grinned maniacally as she began to chase the larger man around the room, running over other people in his haste to get away. Others soon added their own magic to the mix.

The group of three watched this for a time; Loke left at some point, though he did not join the escalating brawl. Priscilla took great interest in the various forms of magic on display, but was soon distracted by a flicker of scarlet in her peripheral vision. A woman had entered through the gate, wearing the most severe expression so far. Her crimson locks fell down in an orderly fashion, covering a proper knight's breastplate that ran out into a short, blue skirt. She had questions about the viability of something that left her thighs undefended and whether the black boots reaching just below her knees were any help. Those questions were answered in a span of five seconds, when the new arrival beheld the chaos.

Scowling, she entered the fray and layed down a naked man with a single blow to the face. Laki and one other followed before people took notice and the brawl broke apart. Mirajane sighed theatralically while the newcomer began a loud lecture on decorum. "Looks like the no-fun knightess is here. Anyway," she continued, turning back to Priscilla, who had trouble taking her eyes off the woman. "-I'm sure one of us can teach you to read. And here comes Erza."

Her lecture concluded, the redhead approached them with a nod to Mirajane before addressing Makarov. "Mission complete, Master." The elder simply nodded, after which Erza took a moment to study Priscilla. "And you must be new, though I do not see a guild mark on you."

She nodded, slightly intimidated by Erza's clear prowess while beating down the urge to crush the upstart at the same time. "I have yet to become a member. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, dame Erza."

The woman herself was taken aback and Mirajane broke into haltless giggles, apparently unconcerned by the scowl sent her way. Brave or foolish, Priscilla reasoned. Mira then relayed the situation to Erza, whose expression turned from contemplative to resolute in moments. "I can do that," she immediately volunteered, much to the dragon's surprise. "I taught Natsu how to read and write, I can teach you too. The bigger problem might be reading on pages so small, or turning them. But levitation magic can help with that. Don't worry, I can teach you that, too." A faint smile graced the redhead's lips when she saw how much her future student brightened. Some others who heard the proclamation winced, but refrained from commenting. "But that is for later. I am curious about where you are from. What is this 'Lordran' like?"

Priscilla mulled it over while more people settled around them; she did not have much to tell them from her secluded life. All she had were sparse second-hand accounts of the few undead brave enough to seek conversation. "I am afraid I spent mine life in seclusion. Thus all I can give you are tales I was told myself." Erza nodded with a soft frown, but did not interrupt so she continued: "Lordran is known as the land of ancient lords, where most battles during the First War were fought. Surrounding it lie the realms of Carim, Vinheim, Astora, Catarina, Thorolund, and Oolacile." Recalling the conversations in question, Priscilla figured those were the relevant ones. She only ever met humans from Vinheim and Oolacile within the painting, though.

"That is interesting," Erza interrupted curtly, "but what is there exactly about Lordran to know? Places to be, the people?" Her frown deepened when Priscilla remained silent. "You said you met some, no?"

As the silence grew longer and more awkward, Makarov took pity on her. "I know that no kingdom by either of these names can be found on Ishgar," he swiftly changed the subject, causing Priscilla to deflate some more. "Perhaps somewhere beyond Alvarez on the northern continent?"

"So what's the magic like where you live?" the naked man chimed in. Unruly, black hair set a stark contrast to his surprisingly pale skin; he started when someone else tapped his shoulder and pointed down. "What the- when?" he muttered to himself while putting on clothes people handed him. Priscilla watched the procedure with abject confusion, which was not lost on many; indulgent smiles were passed around.

"Gray's teacher insisted that to learn Ice Make magic, he had to attune himself to the element first," Mirajane elucidated kindly. "Which mostly means being naked in the snow. It turned into a bit of a developed habit for him after a while, to the point he doesn't even notice when he does it. Don't mind him."

"I doth not. Tis of no concern. Now, as in regard to your question," Priscilla continued with a glance to the fully clothed Gray, "I do possess cold-related powers of my own, among others."

"Oh, really? Let's see them then! I'll go first!" Without waiting for input, Gray took a stance, legs spread and one fist placed on his open palm. Everyone else took a few steps back while yet another gleaming circle appeared, this time in blue. Gray focussed on a point in front of Priscilla. "Ice Make Gemstone!" he called. The room grew colder with his words as a solid ice sculpture formed between them, perfectly carved into a giant diamond's shape.

"My word!" Amazed by the feat, Priscilla leaned forward to study his creation. "How marvelous, such fine make. I fear mine dost not compare." When Gray waved her forward to display, she inhaled deeply before spewing a wave of frigid air. It rushed past Gray with little effect, though everyone else was shuddering. Clothes were frozen stiff and hoarfrost settled on the ground. "This be the extent of mine, for I never quite desired to delve further." Feeling rather disappointed in her lack of ability, she ignored the attempts to reassure her while in thought. Then she perked up. "Although I can display another technique."

And then Priscilla turned invisible; her vanishing from one moment to the next created quite a bit of excitement. Throughout it all, she missed the calculating looks from Makarov, Erza, and Mira. The guild master studied her thoughtfully once she reappeared; there were exclamations how no one could even sense her there and thought she teleported away.

"That was awesome," Laki cheered. "Come on, what else do you have?"

"Ah, well, nothing, I am afraid." Her denial was accepted well enough, though she took notice that neither the master nor the two women flanking him appeared convinced.

Elfman took over from the crowd then: "So how's about your own experiences? You've got to have met a few people at least, or done a few things. What's this Lordran place like?"

"Oh, I doth not know much of Lordran, let alone its neighbours. Word of mouth is all I have, mainly from...." She hesitated here, realising that telling them of her banishment would yield more questions she did not quite want to answer. At the same time, stopping now would be just as suspicious. Sighing inwardly, Priscilla finished the sentence: "From the humans banished to the world Ariamis made."

Thankfully, there was more intrigue about someone having made a world than the rest of that statement; she explained with some relief when Erza asked for details: "The painter god Ariamis drew a world into a painting, unto which the gods would foist heretics and other undesirables. A truer piece of art hath never been crafted, paint so vibrant it became reality." She continued to speak of the mountain fort housing those who stepped into the painting, growing more animated as she did. Over the memories of her peaceful life, Priscilla missed how the intrigue slowly turned to understanding and pity.

Someone else changed the subject soon enough and she was introduced to more people. She quite enjoyed everyone being so happy to have her, mostly listening to the various wizards chat and banter. As it grew late and most of them filed out to go home or start a job however, Makarov joined her once again. With but Mirajane and Erza left, he rested his small body on top of the bar.

"There was something else about your magic, was there not?"

Priscilla sat frozen for a moment, hoping the problem might just wither away with time; it took long seconds before she realised her approach would not work. Hanging her head, the dragon nodded. "Mine banishment to the world Ariamis made was not undeserved. I am loathe to but speak of it, lest thou become disgusted with my presence."

While the elder mulled over her reasoning, Mirajane required little consideration. She adopted a more gentle smile and climbed onto Priscilla's lap, immediately drawing the taller woman's attention. "Fairy Tail does not care who you were or what powers you call upon," she began softly. "I devour demons and steal their powers, Evergreen can turn whoever she looks at to stone, Bixlow can steal their souls from eye contact. All that matters to us is to hold together." A fist pressed into Priscilla's fur, right against her chest. "Only this matters."

"Oh."

Despite her getting the point however, she remained hesitant. Makarov noticed too, for he followed up moments later: "You do not use Ethernano in the magic you showed us so far. That's not an insignificant change in technique, but it makes your invisibility especially potent. What usually invalidates it is the opponent's ability to sense your Ethernano. But that aside, Mira is right. Whatever power you possess, we will welcome you regardless." He paused momentarily while Erza and Mira both nodded their agreement. "Were you banished into this painting for actual deeds committed, or merely for possessing this power?"

Though their reassurances relaxed her, the subject of her imprisonment brought back old shame and hesitation. Yet these people were nothing but kind to her, so she felt she at least owed them full disclosure. That decision did not make actually speaking any easier, though. "I recall that, upon my birth, I was filled with conceit. Being born Everlasting is blessing as much as curse. My creator is a kinslayer and my conception unsanctioned by the gods he allied with during the First War. I am but a crossbreed, and in my hands rests death. Any and all beings, I can consign to oblivion with but a touch. The newborn me thought it a gift, and swiftly slew a god. That was all it took for Anor Londo to realise, and seal me away forever. Such power dost not belong."

Silence answered her. The women were taken aback by the unexpected tale of godslaying; Erza searched Priscilla's expression for falsehood while Mirajane warred between being impressed and worried. Meanwhile, Makarov rubbed his chin in thought. "Death magic, then?" he mused, not expecting a response. "Perhaps Godslayer magic, if such a thing can still exist. And it sounds like a potent kind, too. You will need to have that sanctioned when you go through the application for citizenship. That is, they will put your name in a registry to check against if crimes are committed that fit your kind of magic. It's a lot easier than risking incarceration for unsanctioned dark magic."

Priscilla slowly perked up again, well aware that not a single word was spent on the less savoury implications or concerns. All three must have understood that if she wished it, they would lie dead in an instant.

Her mind drifted back to the subject at hand, only to stumble on another one entirely. "I heard word of 'Jewels' a few times. Wouldst that be quantum?" Seeing Makarov's confusion, she rephrased: "Er, currency? I hold nothing to my name, I am afraid."

He gave a dismissive wave in response, expression melting into a reassuring one. "It's fine, the guild can cover a few small fees for you."

"Except," Mirajane chimed in thoughtfully, "there are costs of living to consider. I don't think we have that in the budget, what with the many fines recently." She threw a telling look at Erza, who huffed and ignored her. Priscilla herself grew more depressed in the meantime; she understood the concept of currency and pride made her refuse leaning on others to cover her expenses. But what else could she do?

When the impromptu standoff between Erza and Mirajane ended, the redhead's gaze trailed sideways. "If you're willing to part with your scythe," she began kindly, "I would buy it. It is a little larger than most of my arsenal, but I can certainly find a use for it. It is of fine quality, from what I can see."

Priscilla's hands instinctively held tighter onto the weapon, an almost blank stare directed at Erza. She could not even comprehend letting go of her scythe. What came out of her mouth was not a blanket refusal, however: "Pardon, but how wouldst thou wield arms of such size?"

Instead of explaining with words, the human woman made a crimson circle appear; a dozen longswords materialised moments later. They floated around her in a lazy circle, following commands she but thought. The display impressed Priscilla again and reminded her of the telekinesis they mentioned before. At the same time, her mind still warred between the desire to keep her beloved scythe and the refusal to depend on others. It was hers and no one elses.

In the end, she deflated. "This... no. Prithee do not ever request my scythe. It grew from the last gasping archtree's branch, channeling my Lifehunt so often it became as fine steel." Erza nodded slowly, not quite understanding. Priscilla did not notice, mind captivated by another idea. "Yet, if thou collect armaments," she began, then hesitated, once more debating if anyone could be trusted with even a fragment of her power. Another glance at Erza reminded her where she was and how much trust they afforded her. That made the decision easier. "I could offer my dagger."

Rising up, Priscilla slowly reached beneath her tail and stopped clenching it; the unblemished steel blade was freed, far too short to be more than a tiny knife for her purposes, but just the right size to a human. Erza gawked when it came to light from underneath Priscilla. Mirajane giggled while the redhead's face grew closer to her hair in colour. "W-Where did you just pull that from?!"

Priscilla, nonplussed by the scandalised inquiry, waved her now free tail a little more to work out a cramp. "I carried it pressed between mine back and the base of mine tail. First for safety, now out of habit."

Mira's giggles grew louder even though she covered her mouth while Erza tried to preserve her dignity. "...I see," she commented drily. "Does this have any special properties?"

"Indeed. Tis a fine blade, though never truly tested. I carried it most of my life and as time passed, proximity imbued within it death of a different kind. No wound this dagger strikes shall heal. It will bleed until no blood is left to be shed."

The laughter was gone instantly, followed by Makarov's wry smile; a far more wary Erza accepted the presented weapon moments later. She took some distance from them and made several swings to test it. A sharp noise followed each strike as she cut the air, musing to herself: "Hm, more of a shortsword than a dagger. Well-balanced." The weapon gleamed in what lamplight still illuminated the empty guildhall, about as innocent as sharp steel could appear.

This was when Makarov entered the conversation again, tone sharp: "Don't even think about gouging her, girl. A weapon like this is worth at least ten million Jewels in the right circles." His warning given, he turned to Priscilla who could glean nothing from the number. "But would you truly leave something this dangerous with people you just met today?"

She softly lifted her shoulders like she saw the humans do. "Tis all I have to barter, not to mention thou place much trust unto me as well."

"...well, you're not wrong," the elderly man agreed with a soft chuckle.

A sort of contemplative silence fell afterward, all four following their own trains of thought. Priscilla questioned her own decisions while Erza pondered the weapon offered, whispering with Mirajane. After some time, she turned back to the giantess and made an offer. "How about this: you leave this blade with me and I cover everything for the next year in exchange. Food, drink, shelter, supplies, whatever you may need."

Priscilla blinked at her a few times, dumbfounded by the generous offer. "That sounds quite alright," she agreed with a bright smile. Going by Makarov's grimace, there could have been a more favourable deal, but the dagger had no actual value to her in the first place. It was more like a childhood toy she could pass on to another, who would put it to better use.

Erza returned her smile and the weapon vanished, then she stepped up to shake Priscilla's hand. "It's a deal then." She ended up unable to grasp more than two fingers, but they made do. "This will do well for hunting magical beasts."

"Now," Mirajane interjected once they were done, "I wanted to ask, you're half dragon?" She became sheepish when Priscilla's tail thumped the floor in lieu of an answer. "Well, I figured, but I'd like to hear it."

The dragon herself sighed softly. "I am," she confirmed, "though not half. There is no being half dragon. One either is, or is not. I am Everlasting." Instinct declared she should crush them for implying she was less than a true dragon, but was once again ignored.

"So it wasn't that your father was a dragon and your mother, uh, something else?"

"Not as such," Priscilla denied. "The closest to a father is my creator. I doth not know whose soul mine descends from." She could guess, knowing whose great soul the kinslayer had free access to, but that was not confirmation.

For some reason, Mirajane was more confused by the answer she got; Erza snapped her fingers moments later, preventing further inquiries. "You were created, then?"

"Indeed."

They left it at that for the night and made ready to lock up. It took some explanation to make Priscilla understand why she could not just wait here for their return; at this point, Mira hardly even wondered how she did not understand the need for rest. "At least Natsu will be interested in this," she told Erza idly, who nodded. Her former rival helped put out the last few lanterns, the master already gone.

Priscilla waited for them at the gate, too polite to just run off; it was endearing in a way, Mira found. Then her thoughts derailed when the dragon lady crawled out ahead of them. Erza clicked her tongue. "We need to see about undergarments, too," she commented as they walked outside.

"Pardon?"

"You aren't wearing any."

"I do not see the issue?"

The women exchanged glances, then Mira motioned for Priscilla's getup. She glanced down while still not comprehending the issue. "Is there something about mine fur?" And suddenly, Mira realised they barely skirted by a small catastrophe; it was not that their prospective member wore no panties, she wore nothing at all. Who would have guessed Mirajane might ever be glad about excessive body hair?

Erza huffed at that, about as exasperated as Mira felt. "We definitely need to see about clothes," she noted drily, which still confused Priscilla. At least she did not question why clothes were needed, though Mira would have to have that conversation with her sooner rather than later. She herself did not much care, but it was just so much easier to comply with what the general populace found acceptable in this one instance.

After saying good night to Priscilla, the two women began to walk home; them living near each other meant they could keep chatting a little longer. Mira absolutely wanted to hear her old rival's thoughts now: "So, do you actually believe what she said about that dagger?"

"She will be one of us," Erza retorted evenly, "so I rather extend too much trust than too little, and she doesn't strike me as a liar either way. I wouldn't want to test her claim anyway."

"Mhm, if it is real and you hurt a person, there is no saving them."

Both fell silent momentarily, trying to imagine an artifact this potent. Erza nudged Mira thoughtfully "We will see how it turns out. I would have helped pay for setting her up regardless. Put aside a beast hunting mission from the board for me tomorrow morning."

"Can do," Mira agreed with a giggle. "S-Class?"

"If there are any."

"Alright. You always like testing your new toys. Oh, and speaking of-"

She was immediately interrupted, the redhead easily guessing Mirajane's oncoming tangent: "No, we are not having that discussion again. And stop gifting me those things."

"You should try them sometime, that would make you less stiff, too."

She giggled again when Erza did not respond, well aware how stuck up the other woman could be on the subject. They soon vanished into the night, no more words spoken beyond a soft wave to bid the other good night.

 

[Naron]

"Slayer magic is by nature purely combat oriented and exclusive. The user's magic deals tremendous harm upon its target (to be referred to as 'focus') while also adopting prominent traits of said focus. Gaining such a focus and thus developing Slayer magic requires one to live close to the targeted creature as one's magic develops; it is notoriously difficult to train for most species, mainly because any worthwhile creatures to focus on would not accept humans nearby. Tales exist of seasoned wizards developing Slayer magic after butchering large numbers of a given species, and in some cases devouring their hearts. They have never been confirmed, however. In addition, it is impossible to develop a focus for one's own species, so the horror that is Humanslayer magic shall be forever withheld from the world.

As additional properties, Slayer wizards have difficulty learning any other discipline of magic, the reason of which is still unclear. Offsetting this downside however, Slayers are able to assimilate additional powers into themselves through frequent and painful consumption; this is most often seen with elemental powers. Slayers attuned to an element become immune to it, and may consume it to refresh their internal magic reserves.

The most well known type of Slayer magic is Dragonslayer for its pivotal role in wresting Earthland from dragon rule. Without any dragons left bar Acnologia however, it has not been seen in centuries. There are myths of Godslayer magic having existed in ancient past, but none of them were ever confirmed."

-excerpt from "The Soul of Magic"

---

A cave wall was an odd change in scenery, Priscilla found. Where the endless, starless sky of Ariamis' painting gave her a feeling of freedom, these slabs of rock had something claustrophobic that she appreciated much the same. Small cracks ran through the stone, forming patterns she idly followed with her gaze. Eons of natural processes created this place exactly as it were, yet another instance of eternity asserting itself.

She was situated near the forest, having roamed around after saying goodbye to Erza and Mirajane. Ever since finding and claiming this cave, Priscilla mostly just pondered the past day. She was delighted by how eventful it had been after an age of sitting on her hands, more or less; not to mention, for the first time in her life she met people who welcomed her without any reservations. Perhaps it was a trick to lower her guard, she mused, for it absolutely worked. But if it was, she would deal with the matter once they revealed their true colours; fretting over it now would only sour her mood.

Her thoughts began to stray as time passed and despite Priscilla's excitement to see Mirajane and everyone again, she only resurfaced at noon. Blinking into bright sunlight that fell through the cave's mouth, the dragon lady tried to figure out how long she was lost in thought. It could have been hours, days, years. Hopefully not years, that would be bad for her budding relations.

Priscilla considered dropping that particular habit on her way into town; she could not afford to lose so much time when dealing with such short-lived species. At least it had to stop until she got used to her new situation.

Thankfully, Magnolia appeared no different than before. Mirajane greeted Priscilla with a smile the moment she crawled inside, having chatted with a group of three seated around one of the tables; all of them were unfamiliar, not to mention clearly curious.

The man wore an elegant red suit with four golden buttons and equally coloured clasp on the leather belt, a sabre strapped to his waist. Light green hair ran down his back in waves, rivalling Mira's mane. The woman was garbed in leaf green, a short dress barely reaching the middle of her thighs and cutting off around her bust; Priscilla wondered how it actually stayed in place, but decided the question was not worth pondering. A brown leather jacket with fur trims covered otherwise bare shoulders, contrasting somewhat with the hazel colour of her hair. Last was someone she could not quite place, seeing how their face's upper half was hidden by a knight's helmet. They were dressed in black with vertical, white stripes. Two thick pauldrons covered their shoulders, carrying skull imagery and purple linings that ran over the broad chest as well.

She approached them carefully, trying not to bowl anyone over. Mira waved cheerfully. "That's her," she told the three, making introductions for Priscilla as well. "This here are Freed, Evergreen, and Bixlow. They form the Thunder Legion."

"A pleasure," she greeted them with her best smile; Freed just nodded back, as did Evergreen, though her response appeared somewhat less friendly. Haughty, perhaps? Bixlow, then, gave her a big grin and a thumbs up.

"Nice to meetcha, big girl! Make sure to pay Freed company while he's stuck here, yeah?" He motioned for the other man, who scowled at him. Bixlow only laughed, though. "That's what you get for getting hit like that, don't come whining now!"

Leaning forward ever so slightly, Priscilla could not spy any particular injuries. Considering that Evergreen also began to laugh at their companion's discomfort, she accepted the matter without further questions. "I see. I wish you a speedy recovery, then."

"Thank you, and do not worry. I will be out and about soon enough, if only so Laxus has at least one competent person along." His baritone was pleasant to hear, not to mention so dry it immediately hammered the laughter from the other two. Bixlow raised a middle finger while Evergreen huffed, crossing her arms. Freed ignored them in favour of giving Priscilla another nod. "Now, while it may be rude, perhaps we could speak later? The three of us have not eaten yet."

"Certainly. Until later, then." She then paused half a step away, remembering what she learned the previous evening. "Oh, ah, and Bixlow?" The masked man glanced up from his plate. "If it were possible, I would rather keep mine soul."

He snorted for some reason. Evergreen choked on her drink, heavy coughs transitioning into roaring laughter. Even Freed showed a smile, though Priscilla herself did not quite get what was so funny. She tilted her head somewhat, but received another thumbs up. Bixlow cackled quietly. "Aye, can do. Not like I wanna go to jail, anyway."

Still confused, she left the merry group alone; actually speaking with Evergreen and asking who this Laxus person was could wait until they had their meal. Now however, she found herself without anything to do; Erza was absent, having already headed out on a mission to test her new acquisition and letting someone appraise it. Mirajane was busy bringing out various orders, so she did not want to impose. As Priscilla glanced around in search of a way to pass the time however, her gaze fell on the second floor.

Meanwhile, Laxus himself enjoyed a hearty ale on that same floor. Looking out onto the taproom from his table, he could feel himself standing above the rabble. Somewhat, at least; he did not need the extra height for that, considering the only two people taller than him were Elfman and the master. Then again, his grandfather cheated with body alteration. Meanwhile, Elfman was a freak of nature just like his sister, if in a different way.

Nodding to himself, Laxus took another sip and relaxed after a job well done. He cut an imposing figure even at rest, feet propped onto the table only he occupied, his purple shirt barely able to contain bulging muscles. A long, black coat hung over the chair's back, lined with white fur.

It was not so bad in the guildhall, he mused. Always loud and bright.

Then an unfamiliar voice interrupted his quiet musings. "Excuse me?" the woman asked softly, drawing his gaze to the railing. Someone peeked over the edge, their inhumanly large, amber eyes with slitted pupils focussed on him. They almost gleamed in the light, sitting in an equally large forehead. "May I inquire as to the purpose of this second floor?"

Laxus was still floored by the sight, missing even his usual bravado when he answered her: "It's for the S-rank wizards and no one else."

A slow blink was the only visible response, then the eyes flicked to the job board behind him; it appeared little different from the one down below, except that it was not plastered with job requests. "Ah, then there are different ranks within a guild?"

"No," Laxus denied, still befuddled but also curious where this would go. "There's S-rank and everyone else. They call it differently for each guild."

She nodded, almost scraping the railing with her large forehead. Were those scales he spied behind the snow white hair? "I see. My thanks, I shall leave thee to thy beverage."

Just like that, the eyes vanished from view. Laxus considered his empty mug momentarily, then placed it down and stood to check what was going on. He must have had more than he thought, seeing how he missed the six metres tall woman walking in. Mira waited on a table right now, so it could not be her pulling another prank with transformation magic. No, some kind of giantess had just tiptoed to look in on the second floor.

He sat back down with a confused sound, wondering where that girl came from; there was no Ethernano around her, like it swirled around his grandfather whenever he changed size. The conundrum bothered him enough that he clasped Mira's arm when she sashayed past. "New girl?"

Unbothered by his touch, the barmaid came to a halt and nodded cheerfully. "Oh yes. She came by just yesterday." They both watched the new girl kneeling to speak with six-year-old Romeo; the little boy beamed and eagerly shook one of her fingers with both hands. Mira sighed. "How can someone that big be so cute?"

"Beats me, 's long as she's good." He shrugged and propped his feet up again. "Bring me another."

The demand was delivered with a slap to her shapely rear, which earned him a coy giggle. "Coming right up~!" Mira called back as she sashayed away, though her gaze soon traced someone else. "Ah, Levy!" And there she went, hurrying down the stairs for one reason or another.

Laxus studied their prospective member a little longer. He noticed her draconic traits because only a blind man would not. Just imagining certain other peoples' reactions had him grinning.

From there, time passed rather quickly; Priscilla herself was amazed by how soon four days were gone while she busied herself. First she learned to read and write under Levy, though Erza returned on the third day and took over. She also reported that her usual appraiser popped a blood vessel trying to analyse her new dagger's composition, and offered a million Jewels just for the chance to examine it in-depth. Erza declined the offer for now and tested the weapon on a dangerous magical beast, stabbing it a few times before leading it on a merry chase. It bled out in minutes, which massively reduced collateral damage from her usual approach.

Though happy to hear the knightess was pleased with her acquisition, Priscilla cared more about her own pursuits. She already knew the local alphabet and numbers by the time Erza took over; within the third and fourth day, she grasped addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. She could even handle human-sized books with some care, though flipping singular pages took some practice. Unfortunately, writing on forms so small turned out to be impossible.

The first real issue appeared once they transitioned to magic, however; Priscilla simply could not get it to work. Erza tried her best, ran the dragon lady through every beginner's breathing exercise to imbibe Ethernano from the air; it should work, but it did not. Priscilla figured that this Ethernano was what made the air feel so rich on every breath, from which it should follow that she had it in her body. Yet there was no internal flow that she could detect.

Erza, Mira, Levy, and Freed surrounded her, trying to figure out the problem. Neither could help, for they all sensed Ethernano with ease born of instinct. "Odd," Freed commented idly while going through a tome detailing the process again. "We covered most exercises outlined by the book, and I don't know any different ones. Not that it matters too much, I hear you possess some quite potent techniques already." The praise did little to reassure Priscilla, which he realised as well. So with a glance to the women, he broached another subject of interest to distract her: "I was meaning to ask, if your magic does not work through Ethernano, how else does it come into being?" Levy nodded along, the blunette just as curious; they were fellow intellectuals after all.

For her part, Priscilla hesitated visibly. She knew it was alright to be open here, but she still shied away from revealing too much of the differences between them. It took her a moment to gather her wits and begin: "The arcane I ever witnessed is borne of the soul, of the faith, or of the mind, not of Ethernano. It mote be but a different kind of energy. Mine own is... different still. I would prefer not to speak of it."

The Everlasting did not engineer natural forces into the effects they desired, or cried upon a greater being for aid; rather, they forced their will onto reality itself and bend the laws as they wished. Priscilla willed the world to grow cold for frost, and willed herself invisible to other beings if she so desired. Yet how would she explain such to these small beings before her? She was no scholar, never having felt like figuring out more than a basic understanding. It sufficed for her, not to mention that enforcing even just transient change upon reality was tiring after a time. Invisibility came the easiest, as the human mind cheerfully accepted an excuse to ignore the impossibility of her size and traits; anything lesser than a human required even less effort.

"Well," Levy mused, thankfully distracted by what Priscilla did divulge, "I like me a challenge. Don't you agree?" Freed nodded, though Erza's scowl made it clear the redhead thought otherwise; she stared at the open book as if it insulted her lineage.

Suddenly, a loud bang distracted everyone; the gate slammed open, revealing a single man in the entrance, illuminated brightly by the afternoon sun. "I'm back!" he shouted into the room, to great cheer and greetings from the people present. Priscilla made to study him as he strolled inside, clad in white pants with a dark waistcoat falling over them. The vest he wore barely covered half of his upper body, leaving muscled arms and a toned stomach clearly visible. A bright grin displayed prominent canines. Spiky, pink hair crowned his head.

"Welcome back," Mira greeted the man as he approached; she and Erza both stood a head taller than him, though no one appeared to care. Then again, the knightess' greeting had the newcomer's grin freeze up.

Priscilla, meanwhile, was held by a strange surge of nostalgia mixed with all-consuming rage. The mere sight of him incited such strong feelings, making her wonder who he was. They were suppressed regardless, with ease born of great practice.

She was thankfully distracted by a tiny, blue feline fluttering inside on pure white wings. "I'm back too!" he cheered with a bright grin. "We did it! And Natsu burned down a forest!"

"Hey, it wasn't a forest! Just a few trees!" Despite his desperate defense, Erza already had Natsu by the ear and made to lecture him while the cackling cat dashed away. Upon spotting Priscilla however, he somehow wound out of her grasp. "Ohhh, new member! Hey there!" Erza still stared incomprehendingly at her empty hand, giving him a chance to approach. "I'm Natsu, nice to meet you!"

"Likewise. I am Priscilla." She smiled down at Natsu, whose grin remained in full force. "I understand thou employ fire magic?"

"Kinda? I'm a fire Dragonslayer!"

"Natsu!"

Mira's shout barely registered; Pris had recoiled on the last word, eyes narrowing in fright that washed away all curiousity. Her hand instinctively began to feel for the scythe she leaned against a nearby wall, the motion missed by all except Erza. The perceived threat remained unaware as well, having turned to Mirajane with an almost petulant retort: "What? It's what I am, no sense not saying it!"

"Priscilla is part dragon, what is she supposed to think hearing that?"

This brought him up short for some reason. "Oh... wait, what?!" And when his gaze landed on her again, there was no malice but an awed smile. "You're half dragon? Really?"

Her searching hand paused, just as it made to close around the scythe's shaft. There was such exuberance in his behaviour that she hesitated from escalating; pushing back the fear and another surge of inexplicable wrath, Priscilla responded cautiously: "Part dragon, if thou must. I am never less than one. However, I wonder why a self-proclaimed dragonslayer would react so jubilantly to the matter."

"It means Natsu's magic is especially good for fighting dragons," Erza provided with a contrite look. "He never actually fought one. We probably should have mentioned this earlier, my apologies."

She accepted the new information with a thoughtful hum, inclining her head in acceptance of the apology. Natsu's excited demeanor drew Priscilla's attention back soon enough, though. "Why didst thou learn such magic, if not to use it?"

"Never met one before," Natsu responded with a shrug, "I mean, besides Igneel, and he taught me everything. I just kinda became a Dragonslayer along the way. Oh, Igneel's my dad, a fire dragon. Do you know him? Have you seen him?" The words came quicker toward the end, becoming oddly insistent as he searched her gaze.

Priscilla took a moment to think; there were several questions she needed to ponder. "A moment, please," she requested before delving into her mind. Rage still simmered beneath the surface, spiking with every glance she took at Natsu. Something about him felt familiar, likely his intricate connection to fire, like all lesser life at home. Not to mention that he practiced magic directly dangerous to her kind.

Having found a suitable response to her own issue, she considered the name Natsu offered. Priscilla knew the names of all ten thousand Everlasting Dragons; Igneel did not sound too different, what with Seath, Ankhseram, and Kalameet among them. A moment of going through them all told her he was not kin, however. Another kind of dragon appeared to live in these lands, perhaps wyverns or other lesser variants. Priscilla decided not to actually voice that thought, unwilling to insult Natsu at this juncture. "My apologies," she ultimately settled on, "but I never met a dragon by that name."

"Oh... well, no matter. I'll find him eventually." As her eyes focussed on the room around her again, she found Natsu wearing another grin and holding up a fist. "Nice to meet you, Pris."

"...Pris?"

"Yeah. You don't like it?"

She had not expected a pet name of sorts; lesser races were quite fond of them, though. Before Priscilla could say so, she spied Mirajane tapping her fists together behind Natsu's back. Looking at him again, she realised what the barmaid meant and carefully tapped her knuckles against his still raised fist. Then she answered the question. "I am not opposed, merely surprised."

"Great!"

They were interrupted by a happy squeal, accompanied by light sensations from down her body. Priscilla glanced behind herself and found the cat nuzzling her tail. "It's so soft and fluffy!" he cheered before burying his fuzzy face in it again.

"Happy!" Erza chided almost instantly, marching forward. "You can not just...." She interrupted herself when Priscilla waved her off, a placid smile on her face.

"It is quite alright, I doth not mind. In fact, mine tail appears quite popular." Especially the tiny humans seemed delighted by it, excepting Makarov. She shifted in place and gently swung her tail forward, taking care not to dislodge Happy. "Help yourselves, if you wish."

The invitation was cheerfully accepted; Natsu petted her fur with childlike joy, soon joined by a giggling Mirajane. Levy gushed about its softness once she got her hands into a patch, drawing comparisons to her favourite pillow. Erza appeared more hesitant, but ultimately took off one bracer to run her bare hand through the fur. Her expression shifted back and forth in a way Priscilla could not quite understand. "It is... very soft," she murmured while putting the armour on again. Her gaze wandered to the joyful gaggle surrounding her. "But why is everyone so enthralled by that?"

"Now you make it sound like you don't like fluffy things," Mira teased the redhead while Natsu rubbed his cheek against Priscilla's tail. It was endearing in a way. Once he let go however, he cheerfully marched to the nearest table and sat himself down.

"Anyway, Mira! I want five steaks and a mug of apple cider!"

"And fish for me!" Happy added while joining him.

As the barmaid strolled away to deliver his order, everything returned to being calm. Things became less eventful and even attained a rhythm of sorts; Priscilla continued learning at breakneck speed, finishing with the local script but a day later. Levy and Erza were quite proud with this accomplishment; their praises made her happy in a weird sort of way. She felt validated, for the first time in living memory.

Being able to read, she requested several large candles from Erza and borrowed books from Levy; two nights were then spent reading by candlelight in her cave. The people putting up decorations of some sort in Magnolia did not concern her much, and neither did their excited chatter. Fiore's history interested her a lot more, especially once she realised what was missing from it; even when going so far as to study the continent of Ishgar in its entirety, Priscilla failed to find so much as a mention of the First War, Anor Londo, or even the Lord of Sunlight himself.

Even if this place were located on the other side of Earthland, they should not have forgotten everything. Especially when, and she reassured herself of the fact the sun kept reappearing on the horizon, Gwyn ought to still be alive.

From this realisation and some inquiries with Levy's team Shadow Gear, she slowly formed an alternative theory. With magic being so different and much more versatile, with no gods being known, it became ever more solid. Just like the world, which was far more solidified than she ever heard her own being. Earthland's core was solid earth and molten rock, where Lordran rested on the top of archtrees and the primordial sea beneath.

Perhaps, she reckoned, Earthland was not her own world at all.

 

[Naron]

"An important matter to consider is that magic is not merely a product of the concious mind. No, it is intricately tied to the heart. Emotions can add and detract from the magic we cast, increasing its potency or altering its properties. Not even I can fathom how such a matter can be transcribed to the sciences, but it remains a consistent phenomenon: magic itself is alive, and it responds to powerful feelings."

-excerpt from "The Love of Magic"

---

Morning dawned on Magnolia. It had been exactly one week since Priscilla met Fairy Tail; eight days since her arrival in Earthland. She stood outside, awaiting the sun's arrival onto a nearly golden horizon; a murder of crows joined her silent vigil, their occasional cawing almost like conversation. They made their nest near her abode, claiming the entire copse as theirs.

She now understood just why she felt weird ever since her arrival. An underlying sense of dysphoria had accompanied every waking moment, yet the novelty of her situation and various other emotions drowned it out. The memories of her first three days were just as vivid today as they were on the day right after, however many centuries may have passed since then. Priscilla perfectly recalled the violent surge of disgust and anger when first she stepped into the light of Gwyn's sun. The overwhelming desire to call challenge upon the gods and the Lords, to rend them asunder.

The moment her eyes first opened, she had scorned her creator, kinslayer that he was. Belittled him cowering before the Lords like a subjugated beast. Thinking back, she wondered just why he took her scorn so evenly; only in retrospect did she suspect there to be more to his indifference. So long ago, she suspected it was pride in his deeds, though he never said; not even over whatever insult she deigned to levy at him. And yet, thinking back to the times their gazes met, hers full of unbridled arrogance and his... solemn, perhaps?

Now though, as the first ray tinged her ivory form in gold, she stood under a sun that invoked no revulsion at all. Merely a sense of wonder held her mind while the shine warmed her body.

"Was this your design?" She asked the world, but received no answer. Even though she expected as much, it made old anger stir deep within Priscilla. What had he known that she did not? Why did he turn against their kin, becoming no more than a living trophy? She did not know, and likely would never know. A growl loosened itself from Priscilla, making the entire area shudder. There was no cause great enough to justify his betrayal, and there would be no clemency. Yet with that same thought, she realised that he must have known that, too.

Putting the thought aside and disregarding her anger for something more productive, she transitioned into Erza's breathing exercises. The air carried an undercurrent the likes of which she never knew before, which Priscilla presumed to be Ethernano; yet even though she could barely taste it on her tongue, she had no idea where it went once inside her body. All she received from the entire ordeal was an, admittedly pleasant, sunbath.

Makarov's words came to mind by the time she sighed and made to head for Magnolia: her own powers did not use Ethernano while every magic in Earthland was built on it. Another point in favour of this being another world entirely. At least the meditation helped dispel residual anger; humans were ever so fragile and would likely not survive it. Especially the tiny ones, who she noticed were mostly around in groups or with supervision from a regular-sized human.

Entering Magnolia proved no issue as before, though there was a clear buzz of excitement in the air; people set up stalls and chatted with each other despite the glaring sunlight. It intrigued her, but she decided against asking the townsfolk upon realising how busy they were. Once inside the guildhall however, she settled next to a blue-haired man in a white suit and his regular drinking buddy with the pompadour. Both raised their tankards in greeting.

"Good morning, Macao, Wakaba."

"Aye, nice to see you about bright and early!"

She left Wakaba's greeting uncommented, aware that neither of them normally appeared at the guildhall before noon. "I was meaning to ask, is there a particular reason for the town being in high spirits?"

"Oh right, you don't know!" Macao chuckled, slamming his tankard down with unnecessary force. He ran a hand through his short, blue hair, then waved for the city surrounding them. "The harvest festival is the day after tomorrow!" That made sense to her, as the name was quite clear. Except Macao was not done: "Which means that the Fantasia parade is coming up, too. Fairy Tail's own celebration, y'know? It's always the festival's finale!"

Wakaba nodded along with his friend, drawing from a wooden pipe as he spoke. He followed up with a puff of smoke. "Look forward to it, Pris. You've never seen anything like it before!"

Now however, they had her slightly concerned. Priscilla hesitated. "I, ah, I am not all that good with celebrations. Or crowds. Perhaps I should better keep my distance."

"Nonsense," Macao denied her immediately. His jovial smile had not changed at all. "Everyone can take a few hours to celebrate. It's not like you have to join the parade, yeah?" When Priscilla continued to fidget, he heaved a sigh, which then transitioned into a cheshire grin. "Oi, Mira! Pris here doesn't wanna watch the parade! Come here and talk some sense into her!" His traitorous shout alerted just about everyone present and she was soon swamped in people; they all talked over each other, attempting to convince her to join.

Though she was overwhelmed by the attention, by herself Priscilla wondered again. If this, all this, was truly his design, perhaps she might call the kinslayer by name again. At least in the sanctity of her own mind. A small concession, given for a great gift.

Some time later, Romeo wandered in and chattered at Macao to take a job from the board. Priscilla idly listened in, only to learn his classmates made fun of him because Macao only hung around drinking; a quick review of her memories confirmed the matter, at least for this last week. Macao just ruffled his hair and told him alright, that he would head out the day after Fantasia. Wakaba laughed at him throughout, though.

The mention of classmates intrigued Priscilla, however. A few inquiries taught her valuable lessons: first of all, where she only heard about personal tutors before, Fiore apparently institutionalised learning about 40 years prior. Makarov spearheaded that particular change around the time he became guild master and it saw great success. With the vastly increased turnout of scholars Fiore received from the following generation, other countries quickly followed suit if they had not done it already.

Moreover, from conjecture she finally understood what was different about tiny humans. Children. They were yet maturing, their minds more malleable and less grounded. The tiniest ones could not even walk or speak, which now neatly slotted into her understanding of humans. Priscilla already realised that the smaller ones appeared, almost as a rule, dumber than the rest. Makarov made a clear exception, but any deeper conversation she tried with a child ended with them not understanding or giving weird answers. And it finally made sense; they were not born fully formed like dragons were. Not just their bodies needed to grow, but so needed their minds.

The mere idea made her shudder; requiring precious amounts of time to become self-sufficient was unthinkable. Priscilla grew to thrice her initial height as well, but her mental faculties were fully developed at birth. Then again, she, too, needed them to be tempered by experience. At least that finally explained why so many others found it funny when she tried to engage a child in deeper conversations. Yet another experience to temper herself, at least.

Sighing at the thought, a somewhat embarassed Priscilla dove into her next tome. This time she would learn about Fiore in detail, not just the kingdom's history. Her first shock followed soon after; there were millions of humans living in Fiore alone, despite it being only one kingdom among dozens on Ishgar. Despite her general awareness of the numerical difference between Everlasting Dragons and lesser beings, she never considered the overall numbers. There were ten thousand dragons, not counting herself who was not born at the beginning of all. Magnolia alone had almost as many humans.

She knew intelectually that a race as vulnerable as humans required numbers so as to not face extinction. Likewise, the part of her that was dragon knew that the overall value of the human race did not compare even with this numerical disparity. She disregarded that particular musing, instinct overridden by opinion. Priscilla understood that nurturing them was far more rewarding than scorning or crushing them. With how kind everyone had been to her, that belief had grown stronger than ever before.

Just as she thought that, Wakaba threw his mug at Cana and another brawl started. Priscilla quickly scooted back against the wall so as to evade ballistic furniture and guildmembers.

She was just about to turn the page however, when Gray smacked into her collarbone with considerable force. Priscilla's back hit the wall, leaving a light indentation to no real pain for her. A fleeting "Sorry!" from Mira was all the apology she got, Gray caught somewhat clumsily before he could fall. The barmaid snatched a chuckling Wakaba's hand from her rear and threw him a stern look; the pipe in his mouth moved down as he smiled innocently, only to receive a flick to his forehead.

"Are you alright?" she asked Gray then, her book forgotten for the moment. He muttered something about crazy strong women while she set him into her lap, but did no more than rub his abs where Mira punched him. Seeing that she had him here however, Priscilla glanced at the book she began. "If you have a moment, could you explain something to me?"

"Uh, sure." He squirmed a little where the ends of her fur tickled his skin, but remained in place. "I think I'm done brawling for today." He took the tome from her hand and checked its title. "History? Yeah, sure. I know a bit. What do you need?"

Delighted, the dragon lady asked her questions and received answers; Levy was absent, and Gray quite pleasant to be around also. Unfortunately, his knowledge soon ran dry beyond a few anecdotes here and there.

After some time, he tapped her hand for attention. "Say, I was thinking. How about we have a spar sometime? I'm curious how you fight."

While unexpected, she already knew how to answer this particular request: "I would rather not. Inflicting harm on another is not something I want."

"Don't worry about that," he reassured her immediately, slapping a fist to his chest with a big grin. "I'm pretty tough and I've got my magic to protect me, I'll be fine." When her glance immediately flicked to Mirajane, who was busy righting tables and benches after the recent fight, he shrugged. "Mira just hits like a train. But really, don't worry. If I get beaten up, that's on me for challenging the giantess."

He appeared so convinced that Priscilla wondered if, perhaps, she could find some enjoyment out of such a practice. She never considered to playfight, for lack of a better term. "Well, I guess I could try? If just to see why everyone here takes such enjoyment out of battle."

"That's the spirit!"

"Tomorrow, though. Thou art injured." She stared Gray down when he made to protest, depositing him on his feet to drive the point home. He stopped arguing soon enough and said goodbye, leaving Priscilla to her studies.

However, word spread like wildfire; when she met Gray for their spar the following day, almost the entire guild crowded around them. They picked a remote spot outside of town, distant enough not to affect Magnolia with their fight. Nonetheless, even some townsfolk were present to watch and cheer, several of which Priscilla identified as young women; their attention rested squarely on Gray for some reason she could not quite discern. Either way, Priscilla was proud she started to figure out signs of age on humans by now.

"This sucks!" Natsu complained at the side, more to the area in general than anyone in particular. "I mean, I know I can't get a crack at her next, but I wanna!"

Reassured that the Dragonslayer would not do anything reckless, she focussed on her opponent. Gray idly played with the hem of his shirt before shaking his head and not disrobing. Mirajane drew lines on the ground to mark their impromptu arena on the even grassland, having volunteered to referee; that was another concept foreign to Priscilla, but she took it in stride.

Once Mira was done, the white-haired woman stepped back and studied her handiwork before nodding. "Alright, everything's ready. Outside of the circle, everyone!"

The people complied at once, leaving only her and Gray to size each other up. It felt weird, staring down at a man who barely came up to her knee. If he was intimidated, it did not show on his expression. Her scythe remained outside the circle, carefully guarded by Erza; likewise, Priscilla already decided not to use her invisibility. Both because it felt unfair under these circumstances and because her pride dictated to triumph without it. Next however, she fretted that there were formalities she missed, but then decided to do what felt appropriate. A soft incline of her head was answered with a nod and a grin, reassuring Priscilla. Mira smiled, raising both arms between them.

"Begin!"

She was out of the circle in a flash, mere heartbeats before a spell circle popped up in front of Gray. He wasted no time casting, shouting his first creation her way: "Ice Make Hammer!" An oversized weapon formed swiftly, barreling at the giantess who refused to back down from his challenge. She lumbered forward and took the hammer to her chest, where it splintered into tiny pieces. Its momentum slowed her momentarily and Gray was running sideways, following up with javelins.

Pivoting in response, Priscilla cut off his path and threw a clumsy punch that Gray barely ducked under. He kicked her wrist to no effect. The overextended dragon righted herself with some difficulty, giving him time to get distance. "Alright," he shouted, "let's see if I can get you down! Ice Make Arena!"

The name confused Priscilla momentarily, giving him enough time to freeze the ground solid. She carefully tested her weight and found that the thick ice held, giving her little purchase; Gray already slid into her leg with force, making the dragon stumble with a grin. It turned into shock and was accompanied by a yell when her tail slapped him in the face reflexively. Gray went flying and came to land hard on his back.

Priscilla frowned, unhappy with both her own lack of capability and the slippery ground. Cold was her domain and she refused to let a human use that against her. Raising her foot, she stomped down and broke the ice, then spewed a cloud of frost at him; Gray took it without issue, naked as he was after disrobing. Then his smirk returned, just as he readied another creation, hitting the ground to unleash it. "Ice Make Geyser!"

A wave of ice spilled forth, sharp edges everywhere daring her to take it. A surge of pride made her do just that, dashing forward to wade through the cold without issue; it did not even reach her neck, ice splintering against the superior force. The sight seemed to surprise Gray, who was still getting up. He leapt immediately when Priscilla lunged forward, barely evading half a ton of dragon lady barreling over where he just stood. The ground was torn up, stripping all ice away and allowing her to flow back into a standing position.

Once she realigned herself, Priscilla immediately lunged again, forcing Gray to dodge once more. An errant swipe caught him mid-air, sending the man flying; this time he rolled to the circle's edge and past it, coming to lie with a groan.

"That's it!" Mira called into the momentary silence. "Priscilla wins!"

Through the following cheers and congratulations, the dragon wondered why it did not feel at all like victory. Gray had not been a challenge, at least when they both held back. At the same time, he certainly was more skilled than her. Studying the torn meadow, covered in glinting shards of ice and tufts of silvery fur, she had to admit it to herself: the deciding factor was neither skill nor power. Her body simply stood superior.

Sighing softly, Priscilla began to investigate a weird sting on her arm, only to find it marred by crimson; one of Gray's attacks must have done more than nick the skin. A small trickle of blood ran down from the wound, since dried by the cold.

"That sure was something," Gray commented when he reached her, rubbing the back of his head with a grin. "You hit hard, you know?"

After biting down the urge to stomp him into the ground for challenging her in the first place, Priscilla inclined her head. "Quite. Though you were by far the more skilled combatant today. My display was shameful, at best."

"That is fine," Erza chimed in with her usual serious expression. Her gaze flicked to Gray and she punched him in the chest. "And you put your clothes back on!" That done, the redhead's attention went back to Prisclla while Gray scampered off. "You never really fought before, have you? It comes with time and a good teacher. Your footwork is sloppy and you waste far too much motion. I can help you work on that while I am around."

"Thank you kindly."

It was all she could really say; Erza would not take no for an answer, Priscilla understood that by now. Yet at the same time, things she needed to learn kept piling up without any end in sight. At least they were all curious things that ignited new passion within her, a love to learn all there was. Perhaps she could become a scholar after all.

As for her own disappointment, Priscilla soon received a reprieve from it. Laki, Loke, and Natsu decided to make sure she joined them for the harvest festival, walking around with her as they explored the various attractions. Most of them appeared to be food however; Natsu stuffed his face half the time, exasperating Laki who had no idea where he put all of it. Priscilla could merely shrug when the purplette sought her wisdom on the matter. She did not even understand the appeal of food to begin with, only that lesser races needed to draw nourishment from it.

They passed games of various kinds and Loke played a few, winning several plush toys that he handed over to various swooning women. He threw a wink to Priscilla at some point, but its meaning was lost on her. Laki just threatened him with a mace when asked about it. It was outright bizarre.

Priscilla's personal highlight were the children, though. They flocked to her from throughout the crowd, exclaiming over her size and squealing in delight when she allowed to ride on her shoulders. Some climbed onto her tail and played there, making the sight of her rather quite comical for the townsfolk. Priscilla did not mind, sometimes carefully stroking their heads as she was used to doing with the crows.

Not that her companions were without tiny admirers; especially Natsu appeared to be well-liked, playing tag and play-fighting with some of the younger children. He playfully called for help when a half dozen toppled him over, laughing all the way.

Through the merriment, Priscilla did spy a familiar face. The blonde girl she met on her first entry to Magnolia, who told her how to reach Fairy Tail. She appeared in various places, soaking in the atmosphere or spooking people before running off with a bright giggle. Once Priscilla even saw her speaking with Makarov, both of them smiling. She decided not to interfere despite her burning curiousity about the mystery girl.

Nonetheless, a soft warmth pulsed throughout her body with every smile and every laugh. It nearly overflowed during the Fantasia parade itself; even though Priscilla merely stood along the street to watch, it was mesmerising. Various carts moved through Magnolia, artfully decorated in dozens of styles. On them stood the Fairy Tail wizards, alone or in groups as they displayed their magic in the most creative ways. Natsu spewed embers skyward, adding thousands of tiny stars to the night sky. Gray scattered icy flowers across the onlookers, glinting in the colourful lights his fellow wizards produced. The Thunder Legion surrounded Laxus on their own cart, supporting the crackling arcs of lightning he emitted.

It was when they passed by that Laxus' head turned minutely, sizing Priscilla up. She held several awed children in her arms, allowing them to see past the crowd beneath. Laxus offered a faint nod before looking ahead again, his magic throwing sparks of a different kind.

She knew that this night would forever take a special place in her memories. Humans were indeed precious, Priscilla thought. And tonight, even her dragon instincts were silent on the matter.

 

[Naron]

"Battle magics are optimised for destruction or subjugation, which greatly enhances their damage potential. They lack other applications due to this optimisation, whereas non-combat magics offer greater versatility. The latter is often unable to harm humans by itself, having been optimised to function on objects and materials, or the caster's own body. Many of them were adapted to battle regardless due to human nature; we naturally seek ways to hurt our enemies with the tools at hand. As a rule of thumb however, the less innate combat potential a magic has, the greater the wizard required to excel with it in battle."

-excerpt from "The Soul of Magic"

---

After another three days of study, just as August turned to September, her tutors decided Priscilla was ready to take the exam. Before that however, Mirajane had other ideas.

So it was that on the dawn of her third week in Earthland, she stood alone in the empty guildhall. Rain pattered on the road outside and roof above, hiding the noise of whatever few dared brave the streets. Priscilla's gaze sat firmly on a group of women determined, brandishing an assortment of sharp knives. "Is this truly necessary?" she asked sadly.

Mirajane nodded, wearing a soft smile while running fingers over the blade in her hand. "Yes, my dear. It is high time, really."

Arrayed around her, Levy, Laki, Cana, Erza, and Bisca voiced their agreement. The last one's presence befuddled Priscilla the most, for she barely interacted with the sniper before. Her usual short, black dress had been exchanged for comfortable shirt and pants, the hat crowning her green hair nowhere to be seen. She displayed clear determination, much like the rest.

Priscilla fidgeted, but ultimately heaved a sigh and sunk to the ground in defeat. "Very well. I submit." She was tired of pushing back, as Mira did not take no for an answer over the last minutes. "It is just difficult to come to terms with." Steel glinted as the others closed in on her. "Ever since my birth, my fur remained unshed."

"Don't worry too much," Cana comforted her while climbing the giantess. "You will feel much better once that stuff is off you. I always do after shaving."

"Still amazing that it grew so long," Levy mused on the other side, a silvery strand sliding through her fingers. "How old are you?"

Priscilla shrugged, which almost threw Cana off. "I'm sorry," she apologised quickly before answering Levy: "And I do not know. Time has little meaning to one who forever lives. It may have been decades, centuries, or even millennia."

The blunette was taken aback by her nonchalance, but Laki waltzed past it with a whirring knife. "Let's hope it was a thousand years or two, this looks like a lot of work and I don't want to repeat it anytime soon." She examined the day's first chopped strand, cut off just above the skin. Holding it up for comparison, they could all see it was as long as her forearm.

After that, the women began to shave away at her overabundance of fur in earnest. Priscilla held still at first, seeing that at least two were on her shoulders and working down her arms. With nothing else to do, she listened to the rain and studied the empty taproom. "Is it truly alright to monopolise the guildhall like this?"

"It's fine," Cana reassured her, then frowned and swung her knife with greater force. "But damn, that fur of yours is sturdy." She muttered something unintelligible while attacking another patch, hacking at it. "They really build them different where you're from."

Priscilla did not comment, still uncertain how to break the news of being from another world entirely. She doubted they would believe her. For now however, with Erza swiftly slicing free her right arm, she could move again. "May I assist? Could you spare a blade, that is?"

The redhead considered for a moment before quietly producing a butcher's knife out of nowhere; unfortunately, the handle was so short Priscilla could hold it with only three fingers. Erza immediately noticed the uncomfortable grip and snatched it away, only for Mira to dart by and whisper in her ear. Whatever she said, it left her friend displeased; Erza complied nonetheless, next producing what was a greatsword to her. One of the largest in her possession, which even the knightess herself could not lift without using magic.

To Priscilla, it was little more than a well-sized dagger. She grasped it firmly with one hand, a faint smile on her face. After thanking her guildmate-to-be, she stretched out one leg and began to work. Soon enough, they found that the roots did not sit all over her body, but rather along arms, legs, back, and collarbone. Unfortunately, while some clumsiness with their knives did not matter much for the humans, her own strength meant that she soon sported red scabs on her pale skin, like blood shed on pure snow.

"It is quite alright," she reassured the others once Laki noticed. No one was convinced, but they let her continue trimming fur regardless. This ordeal already took long enough, even with her aid.

"This really is a lot of fur," Bisca mused about halfway through. She held another arm-length strand, carding her hands through it. "Sturdy and soft. I almost want to wear it." She paused, pulling the strand up to her eyes for study. "And dirty. I didn't notice earlier, but there's clumps there. Are you living in a cave or something?" she teased with a quiet chuckle.

"Well, yes? Is that a problem?"

All work ceased momentarily; Bisca stared between Priscilla and the others. They stared back just as surprised. Mirajane gently pressed a palm to her forehead. "Of course," she murmured, voice still audible in the empty room. "There isn't really a house fit for her size. I didn't even stop to think about that."

"Why didn't you say anything?!" Laki interjected, clearly upset for a reason Priscilla could not fathom. She fidgeted again.

"It was of no concern?" she tried hesitantly. As evidenced by the outrage all around, that was the wrong answer. Priscilla sighed to herself, the differences between herself and humans highlighted once again. "I am not being modest. It does not matter much to me, being just about immune to the seasons."

None of the others appeared swayed, though the protests fell away as everyone went back to work. Bisca frowned, glancing back up at Priscilla while trying to hack off another patch. "Did anyone ever tell you how arrogant you can sound?" she asked. The dragon startled at that, accidentally throwing off Laki and cutting herself. "...sorry, I should have waited for a better moment." Bisca then became aware of Mira's and Erza's stares; the gunslinger threw back her hair defiantly. "Don't give me those looks, you know I'm right."

"She doesn't mean it," Mirajane warned, to which Bisca shrugged. Before their standoff could truly begin however, a giant hand grasped her around the waist. Bisca rose into the air, coming face to eye with a blank-faced Priscilla.

Both sized each other up quietly for a long moment, everyone else still in wonder. Priscilla felt a thousand different emotions, from shame about having failed to indignation of having her attempts disregarded. She could succinctly explain all the reasons to her superiority, but as she began to learn, humans did not much care for facts like these. It was not much different to how the Lords once defied the natural order, if more pitiful.

"I try," she ultimately said, voice soft. "what more can I do?"

Bisca had no response to that, and was soon set back onto the ground. Priscilla slumped, gingerly placing down the greatsword as she pondered once more. Mira rubbed her now bare shoulder comfortingly. "You're doing well enough," she soothed the ancient being, "it just takes time to learn how to behave around people. No matter how fast you learn, you can't change that."

"I suppose so."

"That said," she added with a glance to where Cana was heatedly debating with Bisca about what to say to the sweet dragon lady and what to leave out, "how about we take a break? It's been a while and I'm hungry."

Priscilla shrugged once again before glancing down at herself. She still had a thin coat of fluff where the roots sat and recalled mention of shaving it off afterward. But aside from that, only half a leg and her back still needed trimming; her tail as well, though the fur there would stay by some kind of consensus she was not privy to.

Regardless, the air felt different on her bare skin. Priscilla slowly examined herself while the other women settled at nearby tables; Levy wiped her sweaty forehead, clearly unused to this kind of prolonged exertion. Cana stretched languidly. "This really is backbreaking work," she mused, but paused with her arms in the air, eyes on Priscilla. "Hey Pris, mind if I climb up for a moment?"

Confused as to her intentions, the giantess agreed nonetheless. Cana stalked over with a thoughtful, somewhat curious expression and began her ascent. Her sweaty hands slid off the smooth skin however, sending her back down several times. In the end, she grumbled and climbed onto Priscilla's leg instead, carefully balancing in the taller woman's lap. From there, she stared intently while those around them became exasperated.

"Seriously? Do you have to do that?"

"Have some decorum, Cana. This is rude."

Bisca just grunted assent with Laki and Erza, though the brunette ignored them. Priscilla tilted her head, but had to actually voice the question because Cana failed to notice. "Is there something peculiar about mine bosom?"

In lieu of an explanation, Cana barely tore her gaze away to meet Priscilla's. "Can I touch them?" She said no more, though the chorus of groans implied what everyone else thought of it. Priscilla failed to see the issue and nodded, which summoned a beaming smile onto Cana's face. "Yes!" she cheered and hugged one of the dragon's breasts. From her perch, she peered down at the other women and stuck out her tongue. "And don't give me that! These are the size of my waist and she makes them look good!"

She kept cuddling Priscilla's soft flesh, irregardless of the muttered complaints below. The dragon herself still failed to see what the entire excitement was about. Going by how Cana herself pronounced her bust with but a few scraps of concealing cloth, the chest must be a part of human customs somehow. And apparently, touching another's chest without permission was a big no. Maybe letting strangers touch it also belonged among those taboos? Humans did quite a few things she did not understand the reason of.

"I heard a commotion," Mira announced her return at that point, before spotting where Cana went. She seemed nonplussed, her tone even. "But yeah, I noticed that too. Pris is so tall these proportions still work. They might even look smaller than yours do in that glorified bra."

"That's enough," Erza declared and rose to drag Cana away. Priscilla pre-empted her by plucking the brunette off of her body and setting her down; though clearly disappointed for a moment, Cana soon shrugged it off. The redhead remained standing however, her gaze running over the giantess. "Though I admit that you are quite beautiful, Priscilla. There are no blemishes to your skin, beside those scales."

This, now, flummoxed her again. She was aware of the scales running along her forehead in a tight band, but never paid them much mind. They ran to her cranium and flowed down her spine from there, ending right above the base of her tail. The make of her skin never appeared as relevant.

Leaning down to study Erza in detail, she tried to spy what kind of blemishes the knightess meant. Her breasts slapped onto the wooden floor with the slightest twinge of pain, clearly a bit more sensitive than the rest of her. Priscilla disregarded the discovery in favour of a squirming Erza. After a few seconds of silent study, she did spy some tiny patches of reddened skin on her face, as well as some kind of pustule on her forehead, partly hidden by her crimson bangs. A sideway glance to Cana's bared midriff revealed the brunette's belly button, which she also lacked. All of it interested Priscilla, though. "I fail to see the connection between beauty and a lack of blemishes," she admitted, once again turning to Erza. "A clear and uninterrupted pattern is indeed beautiful, yet would it not be more curious to not be entirely pristine?"

She slowly righted herself afterward, allowing the distraught redhead to disengage. Mirajane chuckled on the side and elaborated on the subject: "Maybe it isn't like that for you, but us merely human girls want to look pretty to attract a partner. Isn't that right, Bisca?" She suddenly leaned her hands on the surprised sniper's shoulders, smirking down at her. "How is it going with Alzack?"

"I-I don't know what," she began to stutter, but broke off with a heavy sigh. "Oh, who am I kidding. Nothing's going on. It's like he doesn't notice any of the hints I throw at him."

"At least you have your eyes on someone," Levy commented with grumbly cheer. "None of the guys here interest me all that much. Well, maybe Natsu or Gray. Or Elfman," she added with a mirthful grin toward Mira. "Any chance I can take your baby brother for a ride?"

"Go right ahead," the older woman retorted at once, a saccharine smile on her face. "But you know how sensitive he is. If you hurt him, we have a problem."

Levy shuddered for some reason, but no one commented on it. Cana just laughed and downed a tankard she organised herself in one pull; then she refilled it from the barrel next to her table. Even Bisca smiled again. Priscilla was quickly lost on the subject, but stayed her tongue.

"Anyway," Erza interrupted any further banter, a light scowl back in place. It softened immediately however, the knightess' gaze on ground level. "I was meaning to ask, could I have some of your excess fur? I believe it is long and sturdy enough to craft something from."

"Of course," Priscilla agreed immediately, ignoring yet another chorus of groans. "You may use as much of it as you wish. It is the least I can give in return for all the selfless aid you offer me."

Erza made to argue the point, but relented when Cana playfully covered her mouth. "Let her have this," she muttered to the redhead, who stared at her momentarily. "She's big on returning the favour, in case you didn't notice."

"I did notice," Erza snapped after pushing the offending handing away. "No matter." She then produced a large sack and a broom; Priscilla helped fit bundles of fur into it until there were only token amounts left on the ground, which Erza levitated without any visible strain.

Just as the last silvery strand was packed away, Mirajane returned once more with a large tray on each arm; a roasted pig rested on each one, surrounded by various side dishes. Crunchy salads, tomatoes, carrots, berries, it was a small feast for just them. The clarion call of "Food's ready!" immediately drew all humans around the table Mira picked as her destination; Levy and Bisca quickly took plates and cutlery off of her. Priscilla watched curiously, only to be surprised by one of the trays being set down for her. Mira smiled brightly. "You must be hungry, too."

Befuddled, the dragon stared down at the pleasantly smelling, golden brown meat. "Not exactly?" she ventured with clear hesitation, well aware of the gazes on her. "I do not quite need sustenance the same way humans do. Although I can eat for pleasure," she added with a wince when Levy's eyes bugged out. "I just have not bothered for a long time... if ever?"

Priscilla had to spend a moment thinking back, only to realise that no, she never ate anything throughout her life. There was one odd human who requested she be devoured whole, but was declined out of revulsion for a lesser being. Perhaps she should have acquiesced after all?

"Well," Mira broke into her train of thought with a wobbly smile, "there's a first time for everything. So you enjoy it and I'll make more if you're still hungry afterward. Or if you want more, I guess." She motioned for the pig, then her gaze fell on Priscilla's empty hands. "Though I guess you can't really hold a tiny knife or a fork... hm."

The way she studied the taller woman's fingers had something almost predatory; much to Priscilla's relief, the impish smile that followed went another way. Erza appeared to catch on immediately and scowled. "No," she denied the unspoken request, only for Mira to start pouting. "I said no." The pout grew stronger; somehow, Mirajane even managed to make her eyes glisten with unshed tears, making Erza waver visibly. "I can't just... argh, fine! Just stop doing that!"

"Yay!"

Mira cheered. Meanwhile, everyone else stared dumbfounded at Erza of all people having relented. She muttered something under her breath while a crimson spell circle popped into existence, followed by a shortsword and a trident of some sort. Both weapons floated over to Priscilla in a silent offer. Once their purpose registered, Cana and Levy broke into haltless giggles. A cheshire grin took over Bisca expression and Laki snorted quietly.

The dragon was unaffected, having understood the idea as well. She cautiously grasped the offered tools and thanked Erza, whose eyebrow twitched despite the genuine gratitude. She may never have used cutlery before, but observing the goings-on around the guildhall gave her a decent understanding. Yet another human custom, though she understood the value of keeping her hands clean and not getting dirt on the food.

Once everyone was seated and the human women each had a piece of meat and vegetables however, Priscilla made to skewer her full pig. It was placed on the table next to everyone else and in easy reach, except that she held a sharp sword and was quite strong. Leaning downward, the giantess studied the wood a moment longer before putting both weapons down with a quiet clatter. "While I am grateful," she apologised to Erza, "I am not comfortable risking the table's destruction. May I eat with my hands instead?"

She received a thoughtful frown, followed by a nod. Erza was usually quite intent on proper tablemanners, so Priscilla felt glad the redhead accepted her reasoning.

She grabbed the warm meat with both hands and raised it to her face, studying her first meal. It appeared so odd from up close, so unlike how it had been in life. Now it was but fodder, nourishment she hardly needed. A waste, perhaps? Regardless, it was already dead and if not she ate it, then someone else would have. Priscilla opened her mouth to take a bite.

Next to her, Levy and Cana were wolfing down their food with delighted hums; Erza ate with methodical precision while Mira did so almost gracefully. Like Laki, Bisca went somewhere in-between the two duos, but paused to take a sip from her tankard. She absently glanced to Priscilla and, in a moment of clarity, realised what was about to happen. "Wait!" she called to avert disaster, "you don't-"

Crunch

"...eat the bones."

The nauseating sounds repeated, cracks and pops following each other every time Priscilla chewed. She had taken the entire head off her pig in a single bite. Everyone except Mira shuddered under the noise, far more violent than eating should ever sound like. They watched as the fascinated giantess finished her bite and swallowed. She licked some fat her lips and smiled, only to become aware of the stares. "Pardon, did you say something?"

Bisca stared, once again made aware just how different they were. Mira thankfully saved her from having to explain, knowing she would ramble: "Humans normally don't eat the bones. They're too sturdy for us to chew and we have trouble digesting them, too."

"Ah, I see. How fortunate that I am not human."

The declaration was followed by another crunch. What may be the worst about this experience however, was that Priscilla looked so incredibly happy; she devoured her very first meal with such reverence that none of them could bear to tell her otherwise. Not even Erza, stoic as she was, would disturb such innocent joy. At least it was over soon, the entire pig gone. The crunching of lettuce that followed, they were at least used to.

Bisca sighed, finally returning to her own plate. She muttered a quiet "Thanks, Zeref,", to snickers from Cana and a sigh from Levy.

"This doesn't even have to do with magic," the blunette chided. "And stop bringing up Zeref everytime something goes wrong. I keep telling you, he isn't even responsible for half of what people say he did. And half of the things he did do actually resulted in groundbreaking improvements at the time."

"You keep telling us that, but the point stands," Cana retorted, another filled tankard already in hand. "Besides, it's funny. Bottoms up!"

While the brunette chugged her ale under Levy's glare, their discussion had drawn Priscilla's attention. "Who exactly is Zeref?" the dragon inquired, which distracted her bookish friend (?) somewhat. Levy made a sweeping motion for the world around them.

"Zeref is... basically the dark wizard. No one even knows when exactly he lived in the last few hundred years, but we know he created like ten flavours of death magic. Just about every demon alive was made by him, the like. I'd have to grab a list of all the stuff we know he's responsible for, and there are at least five different cults in his name in Fiore and the surrounding realms alone." She hesitated and threw a caustic look at Cana, whose mouth was too full with meat to argue. "And because it feels like he was just about everywhere, magically, if something bad happens, people keep saying it must have been him even though there's no proof. I'm trying to put together a book on him and I get the feeling about half of the neat stuff we have these days is based on his work. Somehow."

Her rambly explanation complete, Levy stuffed her mouth with food and began chewing angrily. Mirajane rubbed her shoulder, though Cana just shrugged and Erza gave no indication of her feelings. Priscilla, meanwhile, pondered the existence of such a being; she was more than a little interested in this dark wizard and what kind of person he might be with the power he held. "For shame that humans live such short lives," she mused, "I would have loved to hear his wisdom."

Levy nodded her agreement, but everyone else appeared more hesitant about the prospect. Priscilla flung the last bit of spicy bread down her gullet and sighed; a filled stomach felt odd, but not unpleasant. She was a little warmer and the taste had been incredible; it held so many flavours she never knew. "I believe I like eating," the dragon declared, which immediately dissolved the tension; all her new friends snickered among themselves.

Once the meal was done and Mira spirited their empty plates away to clean up, they went back to work. This time a variety of razors came out, meant to trim the fluff that remained of her fur. This time Priscilla had to lie on the floor so the humans could get at her back; they just could not stay on her without the fur to grab onto. It did not help that Erza, Levy, and Bisca were all skittish about putting pressure on her skin, or grabbing anything beside her arms for support. Which was why Cana dutifully cleaned her collarbone once it was her front's turn, then Mira took care of the rest.

With another thin layer of fluff on the ground, the group doused her in copious amounts of water to wash off any residue; she was completely shaven by that point and glad for it. For the first time in an age, water did not soak into her fur but rather slid off her skin. It felt nice, all things considered.

The rain stopped by now, revealing a gentle afternoon sun outside; they had begun in the morning and her friends were clearly somewhat tired. At the same time however, they all glowed with pride at a job well done. "Thank you, again," Priscilla told them while still examining herself.

"Don't mention it," Mira responded for everyone before clapping her hands. "Now for the next part!" She immediately had Priscilla's attention, though none of the others appeared surprised. "She should be here any moment now."

Just when the giantess realised Laki's absence, the other woman strode inside with another in tow. Her face held some wrinkles reminiscent of Makarov and half of her viridian hair had turned grey. She was dressed in a conservative, dark dress, eyes twinkling as she strode after Laki with her head held high. Priscilla immediately was the focus of her attention, though Mira distracted the newcomer with a hug that she returned. Only then did the barmaid make introductions: "Priscilla, this is my favourite tailor, Holinda Greene. I call her auntie, though."

She received a rough pat on the head. "Always so disrespectful to your elders," the tailor chided, though she wore a faint smile on her thin lips. Then she stepped forward, sizing up the confused Priscilla with a click of her tongue. "At first I thought you were joking, but she really is that big. Ah well, no matter. I always like a proper challenge. Your name is Priscilla, dear?"

"Yes. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, madam."

The sudden bark of laughter surprised her. "Oh my, and finally a polite lady for this wretched guild! I waited for this day for fourty years!" That said, Holinda produced several tape measures and a piece of parchment. "Now then, stay still and let me get to work."

The others milled around while Priscilla did as told, feeling decidedly odd as the instruments measured just about every one of her proportions. Height, waist size, bust size, hip size, then the neck and thighs, calves, feet. Even the circumference of her head was jotted down for some reason. At some point, she could not help but remark on the preparations, fully aware what a tailor would need these measurements for: "Is this truly such an important matter?"

"Of course it is!" Madame Greene responded without hesitation. "Clothes maketh man! They're relevant from first impressions to continued good relations, no matter where you go in the world."

"You remember what I told you before?" Mira added gently, reminding Priscilla of the fact public nudity was, in fact, illegal in Fiore. Gray suffered quite a bit from that one. Some cities had apparently implemented areas where it was allowed with some stipulations and Magnolia could not care less, but generally it was not appreciated. Priscilla nodded gently, to which the other woman giggled. "Not that I don't get it. I'd like to go streaking once in a while, too."

"Yeah, no," Levy interrupted the teasing before it could cause confusion, "I doubt she gets a kick out of it like you do."

Priscilla idly wondered if people would kick her if she went outside in the nude, then put the matter aside and let them bicker in the background. Madame Greene shook her head as well; the tailor flashed a smile when the tape measures began to roll themselves back up and flew into her robe's pockets. "All done, dear. Now tell me, what do you want to have? We need to make you a full wardrobe eventually, but that will take time."

She pondered momentarily, having not the slightest idea of propriety in regard to clothes. Then she glanced at Mira again, whose favourite red dress hugged her body and fell down to her ankles. "Perhaps something in the vein of Mirajane's attire?" she ventured. Madame Greene nodded her understanding and made another set of notes, then ended in a sizable number; seeing the intended prize, Priscilla worried about remuneration for a moment. Then she recalled her previous arrangement with Erza. The redhead had seen as well, going by the scowl on her face.

Once the tailor's business was done, she had to traverse Magnolia while invisible; though reassured that the people here would not mind, Mira recommended she go fully clothed first. A reputation like that did not go away easily. Priscilla saw the wisdom in that, but felt any reputation could be washed away in a hundred years. Except perhaps this Zeref, so she may be wrong.

Regardless, an exhausted Madame Greene presented her with clothes the very next day; she proudly explained how she worked through the night and threw all her magic into the job while producing five garments in total; first was a pair of oversized socks that fit her feet snugly but which she took off for a lack of shoes. Then followed plain white undergarments, one of which Priscilla could not make heads or tails of; Mirajane had to help her put it on and explain how to close the clasps behind her back. Those, too, fit her snugly.

Lastly, the tailor presented a flowing, dark blue gown. It had some faint silvery accents and embroidery stitched onto every trim, reminiscent of dragons. Priscilla carefully tugged it over her head, making absolutely certain not to tear it in her inexperience. It fell lightly over her waist, running all the way down to her calves; the dark colour contrasted with her ivory skin, but overall she received a pleased nod from the tailor. "Wonderful, dearie," she praised while Priscilla examined herself in a supersized mirror. "Does it fit everywhere? Not too tight?"

"Not at all," she denied at once. The cloth hugged her body just about perfectly, accomodating even her tail without much trouble. "I can see why Mirajane puts such faith in you. This is splendid work and beautiful craftsmanship." She twirled around once, making the hem flutter around and sending loose papers airborne. Both humans chuckled.

"Bah," Madame Greene spat good-naturedly. "Enough flattery. I know I'm that good." She appeared happy to hear it regardless and saw them off after discussing which articles to create next.

Their reception around Magnolia did not change much, however. Priscilla had already been greeted with warm smiles and cheerful waves wherever she went, what with her clearly being a Fairy Tail wizard in the populace's eye. Mira giggled every time someone just stopped dead in their tracks at Priscilla's sight, though; why exactly, the dragon did not quite figure out.

Her examination was set for the following day, which meant that Priscilla met Master Makarov just after dawn; the elderly human greeted her somewhat grouchily, which she attributed to the early hour. He quickly intercepted the giantess before the guildhall, ushering her away and toward the railway station; halfway there however, he paused with a glance back at Priscilla. "Hm. You're too big for the train. Carriage won't work, either." He muttered under his breath a little longer, but shrugged in the end. "Eh, whatever. Hold still."

"Very well?" She could not help but question what he was planning. At the same time, Priscilla was secretly disappointed that she would not be able to travel by train after hearing about them from Levy. Great contraptions of steel and wood that ran by powerful engines, some via magic and some by burning coal, quickly traversing the country over a network of rails. The minutiae of it intrigued her.

Further thoughts were interrupted when Makarov grew in size, easily matching and then exceeding her until she stood facing his broad chest; he all but glared down at her, although his disposition immediately turned sunny. The physical display had her feel a little faint regardless. "Now it should work," he declared... and picked her up. One hand carefully lifted her by the knees, the other arm slung around her shoulders so Priscilla's head rested on it. "Hold on tight."

Some people stopped to watch the display, but she only had eyes for the powerful being carrying her. Doing as he told without question, Priscilla wrapped her arms around his neck; her heart fluttered again when he smiled down at her. Then they lifted off the ground through his magic, dispersing all the attraction in favour of pure awe. Within minutes they were far above the ground, leaving Magnolia behind with a curious gaggle of crows following them.

Priscilla had often dreamt of wings, of embracing the sky as was her birthright. Only after she long gave up on it however, it finally came true. The wind tussled her hair and ruffled the hem of her dress, held steady within Makarov's arms. Even as the birds returned home after seeing them off, they soared across the sky; for but a moment, she could imagine herself ruling it like her kin did for eons. Her gaze flitted this way and that, spying mountains and canyons, rivers and woodlands that bordered empty plains. Cities she saw, large and small. And eventually, one that was greater than any she beheld before, excepting but Anor Londo itself.

It rose from the plains, protected by stone walls at least twenty metres high and five metres thick. Countless houses grew inside in an orderly fashion, clearly organised into districts. The occasional spot of green was visible as well from up above, as were several large hills sprouting like mushrooms in-between. One such hill held a magnificent castle, though the others were devoid of buildings.

Priscilla wanted to ask a thousand question, but they were all drowned out by the joy of flight. She could not bring herself to speak, to miss even a moment of this experience. By the time they landed a short distance from Crocus, she reached a state of bliss.

Makarov carefully set her down then, though her knees almost buckled. They felt like jelly after such a wonderful experience. Priscilla embraced him the moment she stood on her own feet, drawing a wheeze out of the human. "Thank you," she murmured. "This meant more to me than you will ever know."

He just chuckled, a calloused hand rubbing her back. "As long as you're happy, that's all that matters."

Once she let go, he shrunk back down to child size and settled on her shoulder, dirty shoes vanishing in a puff of magic. He motioned for the city gate. "Off we go. Be sure to walk slowly and get a good look, we have some time."

Priscilla nodded her assent and approached the gate, carefully smoothing out her dress and hair like she saw Mirajane do on occasion. Oddly enough, the flight here had turned her white mane into less of a mess than what the barmaid sometimes sported. She might have to inquire about it later.

The guards at the gate were clearly disturbed by her arrival, though Makarov's presence quickly resolved any issues and they were let in. Just as well however, Priscilla noticed the many gazes coming her way in minutes; there were even more people here than in Magnolia, and they appeared warier of her than the humans there had been. "Don't think about it too much," Makarov reassured her along the way, "they just aren't used to someone your size."

She accepted his wisdom and focussed on the city itself, marveling at its rugged beauty and spread. Magnolia was already a shock with how lively it got, but Crocus reached an entirely different level. Not at all like her tiny fort with a few dozen inhabitants and hundreds of crows, though the local birds were just as numerous. One brave specimen actually sailed over and landed on her free shoulder, cawing as if in question. She gave it a soft pet, received another caw, and moved on; the bird soon took off again, though the master had noticed. "Birds certainly like you," he commented from the side.

"Crows were always dear to me," Priscilla returned without looking at him, her eyes glued to the various structures she passed. "And I was always dear to them."

He made an understanding noise and left her to gawking at the capital, sometimes giving her directions so they reached their destination. What few children they saw at this time of day were just as interested in her however, free from wariness unlike the adult humans. Some of the older ones, teenagers she thought they were called, appeared to observe her as well. Priscilla noticed one whose white hair was oh so similar to hers and Mirajane's, though she wore it short and dressed in short pants and a thin, dark top. The girl quickly averted her eyes when she met Priscilla's and the dragon moved on. Makarov muttered something about delinquents, but she figured he was talking to himself and left him be.

They reached the office soon enough and took care of everything; after devouring several dozen books and notes, not to mention spending every hour of every day learning about the world around her, Priscilla passed the test with flying colours. She received several parchments officially declaring her a citizen of Fiore, copies of which were kept for the government to reference. Thanks to ahead warning, she even managed to think of a decent last name; her papers read Priscilla Primordio, though she felt she would not use that much.

Makarov then directed her to a nearby building, where he once again filled out paperwork for her. This time however, he had most everything already prepared. Within the hour, she was officially a member of Fairy Tail. But that was not the end of it, for he immediately directed her onward to the Magic Council's branch office in Crocus; the council itself was situated elsewhere, in Castle Era to the east, yet there was a constant flow of applicants. Humanoid frog people made the majority of staff here, all of them scribes and minor officials. They received information about tasks to be completed, put job offers together before sending them off for sanctioning, and handled legal matters.

Her being present to have death magic sanctioned did cause a bit of a stir, but Makarov's presence as one of the Ten Wizard Saints thankfully smoothed things over. Priscilla presented herself as docile as possible just in case, though; it irked her a little to be incessantly prodded and questioned 'about her intentions', but such was the burden of associating with fools.

After reviewing that thought, she firmly decided not to say it out loud. At least they did not demand she demonstrate. Someone might die of fright.

Once they were done and Makarov shook hands with yet another old friend of his, she could not help but remark on it: "You seem to know a great many people, Master."

"Oh, you know how it is," he laughed. "You just meet people over the years."

"Indeed you do, little man."

The new voice immediately made Makarov's laughter dry up; Priscilla's head turned to find a truly odd being. She was not even sure this one was human, for his gnarled skin resembled bark more than anything; crowning his head was not hair, but a growth akin to some green vegetable she never asked the name of. He grinned wrily, sauntering up to them with measured steps and the steady tap-tap of a stave covered in blooming flowers. "Unfortunately, you never quite managed to grow up despite your age."

"Master Sequen," Makarov greeted the newcomer with a shallow bow and a faint smile, though it fell away entirely when ancient fingers patted his head. He was not deterred, though. "I did not expect to see you today."

"Please, Makarov. It's 'Uncle Warrod' for you, how about you call me that again? It's been, what, seventy years since the last time?" When the younger man only muttered something unintelligible, Warrod Sequen chuckled heartily. He then offered a sweeping bow toward Priscilla, who felt decidedly out of place at this point. "And who would this lovely lady be? Another of yours?"

"Aye," Makarov agreed, clearly glad to no longer be the focus of this man's attention. "Priscilla, meet Warrod Sequen, a fellow Wizard Saint and one of our guild's founding members. Master Sequen," he continued, putting so much emphasis on the title that even the wooden man rolled his eyes, "meet Priscilla, our newest member as of about an hour ago."

"A pleasure," she murmured, reluctantly offering her hand. To her surprise, several thick vines grew from his stave and made for a proper shake. Warrod smiled.

"Much the same, my dear. Now, I would love to chat, but I do have more business to attend to. Although," he mused cheerfully, completely ignoring the small crowd of onlookers his presence alone had drawn, "I think I have at least a moment more." He waved his stave again and one of the crimson flowers grew in size, then floated up to tread itself into her hair. Warrod smiled. "There we go. A splash of colour for the lady. Welcome to Fairy Tail."

Then he strolled away without even waiting for a response. Makarov sighed good-naturedly and led her outside. "My godfather," he explained on the way. "He had this odd sense of humour for as long as I've known him. Ah, to the right now."

Priscilla just hummed in agreement, longing for a mirror of any sort to see how she looked now. Thick petals rested on her crown and just out of sight. Before she could indulge in a tiny bit of vanity however, Makarov stopped her in front of a different building. Tempting scents clung to it and the old human bid her to wait, which she did with some awkwardness; peoples' gazes were drawn to her once again, not a few of them fearful. It made her uncomfortable to be viewed with such wariness; she wanted to be back in Magnolia. She also wanted to stomp on the vermin.

When Makarov returned, Priscilla had retreated to a more desolate corner, expression carefully blank. He swiftly joined her and held up a black, round shape of a sort. When Priscilla crouched to study it better, a soft and sweet scent entered her nostrils. The Master began to grin at her surprise. "It's nothing big, but I felt you could need a little snack. There will be more later." He offered the pastry again and placed it on Priscilla's palm. Then, after a moment of consideration, he quickly cut it in half. "There, that should work. Come on, try it. Just don't try to grab the cake, it comes apart pretty easily."

She followed his advice and carefully brought her hand back up, pushing half of the cake into her mouth. Sweet, bitter flavours immediately assaulted her in the most pleasant way. Priscilla fell still to enjoy them longer, radiating bliss to the point Makarov chuckled. "Figured you'd be a chocolate kind of girl," he congratulated himself. Priscilla did not care, greedily chewing and swallowing, only to follow up with the cake's other half.

Once she was done, she stared down at the empty platter and barely stopped herself from licking it clean. The sweetness still lingered on her tongue, she needed more. Throwing a pleading look to Makarov, Priscilla made her request: "Can I have another? Please?"

He gently shook his head and took the plate. "Later. You can buy as many cakes as you want, too. Just don't bankrupt Erza, please." The reminder challenged her restraint once again; right now, Priscilla wanted to buy everything this bakery had in store and eat it all. She never felt such strong impetus to gorge herself. How did she miss out on the joys of food for centuries? Why did she never try?

But, later. Makarov was right. Not that it prevented the dejection from being audible in her quiet "Okay". Over her mood however, she missed that just about everyone present for the scene lost their fear.

Makarov gently patted her head and motioned for the distant walls. "Let's get you home now," he declared. Priscilla followed obediently.

The flight back was relaxing once again, washing away whatever wariness remained after their stroll through Crocus. She noticed that Makarov appeared less energetic once they landed outside of Magnolia; he wordlessly settled on her shoulder again, his forehead glistening with sweat. Upon reaching the familiar brick road, Priscilla paused and wreathed the soles of her bare feet in frost. A few taps removed the frozen dirt so she dragged less of it around town. Makarov made an understanding noise as she moved on.

The day's next surprise awaited her at the guildhall. Priscilla stared dumbly at the giant gate dominating its facade, easily large enough for her to pass through upright. The guild sign had been pushed upward to accomodate this contraption. "He did well for what little time he had," Makarov commented on her shoulder, motioning to open up when Priscilla glanced at him. "Go ahead."

A closer inspection revealed that the larger gate was actually an addition; the original one still existed and could be opened by itself, but pulling on the upper portion would open the whole thing. So Priscilla reached out and let herself in, only to be met by violent cheering the moment light fell inside. She could not help but stare at the crowd spread around decorated tables, all smiles and joy. Greeting her as one of theirs.

She shuffled inside and was immediately the center of attention. The Master slid down her shoulder at this point, shaking hands with a redheaded man clad in rugged clothes from pants to cloak. Cana surged forward as well, throwing her arm over the man's shoulder and waving up at Priscilla. "Heya, Pris! Meet my old man, Fairy Tail's best builder! He made the door for you! He's our most dangerous battlemage, too!"

He chuckled and threw her a sloppy wave while Priscilla crouched to meet him. "Ignore Cana, I'm a nice fellow. Name's Gildarts, welcome to Fairy Tail."

"Thank you kindly. I am Priscilla." He shook two of her fingers without hesitation, though she could not help but ask: "How would one become known as the most dangerous person around?"

"Hm? Ah, I focus on Crush magic entirely. Got so good at it I can use it on people. Kinda nasty when they explode to pieces just from a touch, you know?" He chuckled at first, but it turned into a belly-laugh when Priscilla's finger twitched in his grasp. "Don't worry, I don't do that much! Crush magic is made for safely tearing down old buildings and stuff, or to separate different materials. I love that stuff a lot more than fighting. If you need anything built, I'm your guy."

He pointed at himself with his thumb, sporting a self-assured grin that finally wiped away Priscilla's anxiety. In a way, he was a little like her.

"Now for the main event," Mira chirped as she carried a large stamp toward them, a skip in her step. "Where do you want your guild mark, Pris?"

She had put some thought to it; the guild mark was used for identification as much as a symbol of unity. It could go anywhere. After just a moment of hesitation, she presented her right foot; low enough to be easily visible for humans, and on a part she doubted would be covered. Being barefoot felt better for her than wearing shoes and seemed to yield no repercussions. Some snickers followed the decision, though Mirajane dutifully pressed the stamp on top of her foot. It left behind a crimson imprint on her skin, once more close to a stylised bird taking flight.

From there on, she was enveloped in a party. Various people stepped forward to talk to her, Cana rolled up a barrel of ale that Priscilla accepted this time; she chugged it all to cheers, delighting in the fruity taste and even the slight burn it left in her belly. Her newfound love for food soon had Priscilla sampling just about everything available on the lavish banquet the guild prepared.

"Oi Natsu," she heard in-between conversations and a silly dance with Levy, "I heard rumours about someone called Salamander being around Hargeon. You hear about that yet?"

Natsu, meanwhile, threw away his empty plate with a big grin. "That must be Igneel!" he cheered and already collected Happy from his fish-induced food coma. "I've gotta go check right now! Be back later!" He rushed out of the hall to various people wishing him good luck, though Priscilla heard him complaining on the way out: "I was in Hargeon the other week, how did I miss him like that?!"

Regardless, she enjoyed herself immensely. By sunset, she lay on the ground surrounded by her exhausted guildmates. Some were nestled against her side and Cana snored on her belly, perfectly content with the spot.

Priscilla stared at the wooden ceiling, soaking up the moment's tranquility for as long as it would last. She was happy.

 

[Naron]

"Celestial Spirit Magic is special among the many disciplines. Although by far the easiest type of summoning magic due to the Spirit World's adjacency to Earthland, it remains a difficult skill to learn unassisted. Many prospective wizards dream of it for the prospect of calling contracted companions to battle nonetheless. The advent of Gate Keys, objects containing the complicated formula for a given spirit's gate into our realm, made learning Celestial Spirit Magic far more accessible. It no longer requires years of study and practice to open one's first gate. However, darker minds always dream of easy glory on the backs of another's power. Celestial Spirits are not tools and not slaves; though their contracts bind them, mistreating one will eventually earn ire, be it from the spirit in question or their loved ones. Even the many tales of a heartless summoner's demise rarely avert such tragedy from unfolding."

-excerpt from "The Soul of Magic"

---

Decisions, decisions.

Priscilla knelt before the job board, mind frozen in indecision. Her even breaths made Nab's hair flutter this way and that as he pondered the many pinned offers like she did. She had been here an hour without progress; Loke already joked that she would turn into another Nab if she took any longer. From what she gathered, the man in front of her was seeking the perfect job and had done so for the last year, always studying the board. In a way, Priscilla understood his predicament. There were so many different offers to pick from, a myriad of tasks that needed doing. From hunting a large ape called Vulcan, to assisting an understaffed orphanage until replacements for a late caretaker could be found. How did anyone decide which task they wanted to work on?

"You're still here," a familiar voice chirped, "that's no good." Looking down, Priscilla found Cana holding up a sheet of parchment. "Here you go," she declared. "Your first job."

Priscilla blinked down at the brunette in confusion before taking it off her to read. A job over 2,000 Jewel, about enough to buy food and drink for a human. The description was short and concise: 'pick up two barrels of ale from the brewery in southern Magnolia, deliver to Cana Alberona'. She read it twice just to make sure, then stared at the woman herself again. Cana grinned. "This isn't a prank or something, I mean it. Our newcomers can take some easy jobs like this to get into the flow. I'm pretty sure half the guild made one by now, they're all around the tables." She motioned for the room as a whole and indeed, Priscilla noticed quite a number of expectant looks and people pointing to parchments placed before them. A chuckle reminded her of Cana's presence, the brunette waving her own again. "They're inofficial and don't pay much, but it's a nice start. Bit of a tradition, too. Especially our younger members can earn some pocket money without running off into danger."

She certainly saw the wisdom in this idea, though it felt a little demeaning all the same. Then again, if it was tradition, Priscilla might as well. She carefully plucked the job from Cana's hands and nodded. "Very well, I accept. If you would excuse me?"

"Sure, sure. Don't dally, I'm running dry here!"

Priscilla was already rising and strode away; it was a quick trip through town, though she had to stop twice to ask for directions. The people at the brewery already had barrels prepared for Cana, who apparently paid them in advance to always have some ready; Priscilla pressed them to her chest as she wandered back, greeting people as she went. By the time she placed the goods down before a cheerful Cana, she realised her first job went by in a flash. It was that easy.

A number of paper notes were placed on Priscilla's palm, tiny to her and thus difficult to interact with. She studied them for a moment, her 'client' already halfway through the first barrel. After carefully depositing the money in her pocket, she approached Levy. "May I ask you a question?" Priscilla asked politely, only to receive a nod from the eating blunette. "Why is the local currency called Jewel?"

Levy frowned in thought and made a motion to wait, then finished chewing and followed up with a mouthful of cider. "Ah, that one," she began before digging through her everpresent bookbag. "I definitely read about that before... ah, there." Pulling one out, she quickly read through a few pages; Priscilla waited patiently until her friend looked up again. "Okay, so. We used to have real jewels, gemstones, and gold to trade, but that stuff is heavy. Carrying large amounts of money became a big problem. So the kingdom collected all that stuff and replaced it with paper money, which is easy to carry and to use. Basically, a thousand Jewel represent a tenth of an actual jewel down in the royal vaults."

"I see. But what if someone stole these precious gems? Such endeavour appears quite lucrative, no?"

"Sure," Levy agreed with a snort, "but only if you're suicidal. We have, I think three? Four? Four wizard guilds around the country that only train battlemages to protect these vaults. They have squadrons of elite soldiers and royal wizards standing guard, too. Not to mention how there will be bounties on your capture across the country in days. You see why that's a bad idea?"

Priscilla nodded. She had forgotten that where there was treasure, there were guards. Now that her curiousity was sated however, she wondered on the subject they just broached. "How many battlemages are there, actually? I did not spy too many jobs related to fighting."

Levy already opened her mouth, but Mira gave her a gentle push from behind; she snuck up on the two of them, apparently without work at the moment. "Eat your food before it gets cold," the barmaid chided. "I'll take this one."

So while the blunette dug in dutifully, Mirajane explained to Priscilla: "You already noticed that people need help with just about anything, and there is an incredible amount of different magic disciplines." She idly produced multi-coloured sparks and then turned herself into a tiny mirror version of Priscilla for emphasis, continuing in her own voice: "Some are focussed on fighting, like my Take Over or Natsu's Dragonslayer, but most aren't. Although that doesn't mean only battlemages can fight," she quickly added while turning back to normal. "The world is dangerous after all, so just about everyone knows how do some harm."

"I see," Priscilla finished, "so while there are some guilds who train mainly battlemages, most prefer greater variety?"

"Exactly. Now, what kind of jobs do you feel like doing?"

And there they were, back at her original conundrum. "I do not know," she admitted, deflating somewhat. "The selection is just so great, and I still have trouble with learning any magic beyond what I already know. How do I know I can actually complete the task at hand?"

Mira gently patted her hand where Priscilla settled on the ground, though it was Levy who answered her: "It's not just the magic, you know? The important part is you." She pointed at the giantess, who nodded hesitantly. "And if you're too nervous to go alone, I can tag along to help. It's really not that hard."

"Al and I can help out too," Bisca volunteered from nearby, motioning between herself and the gunslinger, who offered an encouraging smile. "Though you probably don't want us outside of a hunt. It's what we do best."

"You can take Elfman, too!"

"Don't just volunteer me without asking, sis!"

His shout from half the room away did finally crack Priscilla's mood. She chuckled softly and thanked them all for their kind offers. "But for now, I prefer to fulfill a few more tasks around Magnolia. Dost thou have anything for me, Mirajane?"

"Certainly! Here you go."

So she went, still uncomfortable about battle and with difficulty entering buildings, but content about her situation all the same.

Meanwhile, a young blonde brimming with nerves entered Magnolia for the first time in her life. Lucy marvelled at the sight, so unlike Crocus or her own quiet estate. This city brimmed with life and an undercurrent of joy even an outsider could get washed away by. Ahead of her walked Natsu, a big grin stuck on his face. They met by chance in the port town of Hargeon and he saved her from some con artists, then even offered to introduce her to Fairy Tail. It was like a dream come true and now she was here!

Within two minutes of entering the guildhall however, Natsu started a fight over being given false information. Lucy took cover in a panic as more and more people began to join into the brawl, admittedly somewhat scared by the sudden violence. By her side stood the Mirajane with a lenient smile, the two women watching on.

A soft voice called from behind them, but was lost in the mayhem; Lucy only realised someone new entered when Mira half-turned and waved cheerfully. "Ah, Priscilla! Come over here!" she called, then deflected a ballistic man coming their way, throwing him back into the brawl without a word.

When the blonde finally managed to tear her gaze away from the brawl, she only saw the hem of a dress. Then she looked up, and up, and further up still; before her stood a bonafide giantess, easily over thrice her size. White-haired like Mira and clad in a similarly conservative dress, but of much fairer skin. Not to mention her garment was of a deep blue where Mirajane wore wine red. Lucy cowered, feeling more than a little intimidated.

Then the giant lady crouched down, still larger than Lucy but with a gentle smile on display. She reached out with one finger that the newcomer first thought meant to poke her, but was merely offered. "I believe we have not met before. My name is Priscilla, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"O-Oh." She quickly grabbed the offered finger, wrapping her entire hand around it. "Thank you. I am Lucy."

"She is our new blood," Mira added from the side, having taken as much from what few words they exchanged so far. "So treat her kindly." Then, toward Lucy, she motioned for the giantess. "She joined not that long ago herself, so I hope you two will get along."

"Officially, I joined yesterday."

"Psh, who cares about officially?"

While this exchange took place, Lucy's brain slowly sorted through the overload and began to work again. She pressed a palm to her forehead with a sigh, muttering: "So that's why she looks so familiar." Only when the banter stopped did she realise they heard and quickly raised a magazine from her pack. "There was something in the Weekly Sorcerer yesterday."

Quickly flipping through the pages, Lucy got to the picture of Priscilla's face and a few lines of speculation who Fairy Tail's newest member was. The giantess took it off her hand curiously. Mirajane chuckled. "Jason will probably show up sometime soon, then. He always comes by to interview the new members."

"What exactly is the purpose of such prose?" Priscilla inquired next, which deeply confused Lucy. When it became clear the far taller woman was serious, she gave her a quick rundown of entertainment. Whenever people had nothing to do, they sought something to pass the time; magazines like the Weekly Sorcerer were sold around the kingdom, both to pass on information and to entertain people. Priscilla nodded along absently, thumbing through the magazine. Then she paused and held it down to Lucy, whose mostly memorised lecture petered out. "What about this?"

"Errrrr...."

Mira's laughter echoed in Lucy's ears while her cheeks grew hot; the page Priscilla presented held a pin-up poster, specifically one of Mirajane posing in a red string bikini. Lucy knew for a fact there were at least a dozen more on the following pages. But how should she explain that particular market?

Another voice joined Mira's laughter before Lucy could stop sputtering. Glancing sideways, she became aware of a busty brunette sauntering their way; Cana Alberona only wore a black bra to preserve her modesty, as she was known for beside her prodigious liver. Right now however, Lucy was distracted by a lithe yet strong arm wrapping around her shoulder; the same happened to Mirajane as Cana brought them both together. "Now isn't that a thought?" she teased with a nod to the pin-up. "How about you let her try to model? There's absolutely a market for giant beauties."

Mira's laughter had subsided into a few final giggles. She absently gave Cana's head a pat and disentangled herself, making the brunette hang onto Lucy. "Maybe later, once Pris got more comfortable with life around here." She snatched the Weekly Sorcerer from the larger woman's hands then. "And I'll explain this one to you later. After all...."

She left a pregnant pause as a loud crash interrupted them. Lucy flinched and whirled around, to find Natsu on the ground as a giant stomped on him. Master Makarov quickly came to shout at the guild, ending their little brawl... and then telling them it was just fine, as was the general amount of collateral damage they produced. Lucy could only stare as people cheered all around her, in awe of the sheer charisma her new guild master brought to bear.

In fact, this awe held long after she got the guild mark stamped to the back of her hand. She quickly got into the process of settling into Magnolia and found a cheap place to rent within the day, partly thanks to Mira's help.

Now in the privacy of her new home, Lucy continued to cheer and squeal; she wanted to join Fairy Tail for years and finally her dream came true. In fact, she decided to treat herself and drew a bubble bath in celebration of her first evening in Magnolia.

After stripping down however, once Lucy turned around, she found someone else already in the tub. A fellow blonde stretched languidly under her dumbfounded stare; her hair fell in waves far longer than Lucy's own, even though that reached to the small of her back. Big, green eyes met her brown ones and the stranger beamed at her. "This tub is great, Lucy! Welcome to Fairy Tail!"

Her only response was a squeak, followed by a mad scramble for a towel. By the time Lucy covered herself and made to lay into the intruder however, she was gone. Not even a strand of hair remained, as if she had never been there. Lucy's head swivelled around, but she found no trace of her. When the stranger failed to reappear after a minute, she hesitantly sunk into the bath after all to calm her thundering heart. It was not even being seen naked that she minded so much, but rather that someone invaded her new home.

When she shared that story the next day, the majority of her guildmates seemed to recognise the girl she described. Priscilla was present also, settled on her haunches in a free space left on the floor. She hummed in thought once Lucy finished. "That does sound familiar. Reedus, would you make a drawing for us?"

"Oui," the rotund painter responded, already preparing his everpresent easel. Lucy gathered he painted pictures to life normally, using his own skin as canvas, but for this he went the conventional route. Then, much to Lucy's astonishment, Priscilla closed her eyes and gave him exacting specifications for the person they were talking about; within a quarter hour, the entire guild beheld a lifelike portrait of the mystery girl.

Even without half the details, Lucy would have recognised her easily. "That's her," she confirmed, and others quickly added that they saw her around town, too.

"Then don't let it bother you," an aged voice interrupted their gathering. The crowd parted for Makarov, who strolled up to them and received the painting from Reedus; a thoughtful gaze ran over it momentarily, then he huffed. "That little minx just has too much fun spooking people, especially our guild. She helps out just as much, though," he finished with a nod toward Priscilla, who inclined her head.

"I mean, I guess?" Lucy hesitated, feeling sheepish at talking to the master directly, "but it still scared me."

His arm elongated and wound up around her then, gently stroking her head in a clearly practiced manner. "Don't worry, my dear. The next time I see her, I will remind her not to get carried away. It won't happen again." Despite being seventeen by now, Lucy still leaned into the comforting touch and let herself be soothed. Her cheeks grew warm with embarassment upon realising that she did so in front of everyone, but no one so much as acknowledged it. Makarov then took the portrait off of them and wandered away, letting the day proceed.

Priscilla addressed her soon after, curiously leaning closer. "I was meaning to ask," she began, "what kind of magic dost thou employ, Lucy?"

The question brought a grin to her face; any chance to show off was welcome. "Oh, I'm a Celestial Spirit wizard." The puzzled look that earned her only spurred Lucy on; she giddily presented her keyring and went through what she had. "Just a moment. Let's see. Not Aquarius," who'd spank her for a willy-nilly call, "not Taurus," as reliable as the horny bull was, now was not the time, "maybe Cancer?" A glance to Priscilla's orderly mane of white hair told her there were no haircuts needed. "Nah. Hm." Her three golden keys disregarded, she paused at the first of four silver ones. "Now here's a thought," Lucy muttered, then stepped over to the bar. "Er, Mira? Is it alright if I bring a songstress for a bit?"

"Absolutely," the older woman responded with a bright smile.

Permission thus assumed, Lucy backed off a bit while several people began to pay attention, unhooking the key as she did. "Watch me, then." Channeling Ethernano through her arm and into the key, she felt it resonate with the world. "Open, gate of the harp! Lyra!"

Reality tore with the ring of a bell where she drew the key, admitting a mousy human girl with voluminous, chestnut hair covered by an old-fashioned cap and tiny white wings. Her blue dress flared out around the waist, reaching all the way to her ancles; it was a few shades lighter than what Priscilla wore, but also adorned with dark yellow heart motifs. With her came a person-sized harp that floated along. She greeted the room with a beaming smile. "You called? Who shall hear my siren song today?"

Lyra took a moment to recognise her surroundings, though her expression remained unchanged as she turned to Lucy in full. "I see you finally joined a guild. Congratulations!" Then Lucy found herself in a tight embrace that she returned with a huff.

"Fascinating," Priscilla murmured above them; her gaze flitted up and down Lyra's form, the spirit either unaware or undisturbed by the giantess. "So thou art a summoner?"

"Yup! I form contracts with celestial spirits and call on them for help."

"Speaking of, you should call for me more often. I do love to sing for you."

Lucy finally let go of Lyra and held her at arm's length; the harp spirit's impish grin immediately gave her tease away. "I can only summon you twice a month and you know that," she deadpanned.

"We can always renegotiate! You were so boring when we met!"

Now there were snickers around them and Lucy heaved a sigh. Then she waved for a free space next to the bar. "Whatever, just... just do your thing, okay? I'm sure everyone wants to hear you sing. Pick whatever you want, except elegies or other sad stuff."

"Can do!" She did not take offence, well aware how Lucy reacted to reminders of who she used to be. Or rather, how she tried to be, for her father's sake. Well, no more. Lyra set up her harp under curious gazes that turned mesmerised as soon as she struck the first note. Her first song was fast and joyful, perfectly encapsulating Fairy Tail; after that, she just kept going while Lucy settled at a table.

"I sustain them with my own Ethernano," she explained to the nearby Priscilla, then thanked Mira for a mug of juice she did not order. After a few sips, Lucy continued: "Lyra can stay for as long as I have power to give her."

The giantess nodded thoughtfully, herself munching on some sort of steak. "That sounds problematic in combat," she mused out loud after swallowing. Lyra's second song washed over them, so they kept their voices low to not interrupt.

"Kinda yes, kinda no? Lyra is not much for fighting, I have Taurus and Aquarius for that. It is good practice, though. The more I have my spirits along, the easier it gets to keep them sustained. Efficiency takes time, and my body can keep more Ethernano over time."

"I see."

Priscilla left it at that with a faint frown for some reason. She appeared more interested in listening to Lyra's ethereal performance, who remained for about an hour to entertain the guild. Lucy could understand that, at least; no one left the room bar a single person, a bespectacled man dressed in baggy clothes. Curiously, the moment he entered was when Lyra's eyes homed in on him, making him freeze. She winked, and he fled back out the open gate. Must be shy, Lucy reasoned. Lyra did all of that without interrupting her song, too.

For the last song however, Mira tapped Lyra's shoulder and whispered with her for a moment. The harp spirit's everpresent smile grew into a cheshire grin, which worried Lucy. Thankfully, they had nothing embarassing planned; rather, Lyra began to thrum a folk song and the two turned it into a duet. Now even Lucy was entranced, though the performance ended far too soon for her liking.

Once the harp fell quiet, she joined the thunderous applause. Lyra bowed at the waist as she became translucent, Lucy's power all but used up. A moment later, she and her harp were gone. The noise slowly petered out and everyone started chatting about the performance. More pertinent to Lucy however, Mira pushed a small stack of bills into her hand. "You definitely found a generous audience around here," the model remarked with a coy smile. "Do bring Lyra around again, I would love another duet."

Lucy quickly pocketed her earnings with some excitement; she had not even thought about getting paid. "I'm sure she will be happy to hear it," she chirped back. "She loves if people love her songs." Though that meant shopping for Lyra was a chore, as she did not want anything particularly much. Aquarius could be lured with some nice oil for her scaly lower half, most of the pin-ups from Lucy's magazines went to Taurus, and so on.

"Such ingenious spellcraft," Priscilla murmured, mostly to herself. Lucy glanced up at the giantess whose gaze still rested on the spot Lyra stood. Then it snapped to her. "Tis summoning indeed. Where art such spirits called from?"

"Uh, they live in the Celestial Spirit world?"

Priscilla huffed in response. "Such an ingenious name," she retorted drily, to which Mira giggled. Lucy had to smile as well, at least until the far taller woman continued: "So the existence of other worlds is known?"

Now she was in unfamiliar territory. Lucy shrugged lightly, uncertain how to explain. "Kind of? We know summoning is possible, but the only place we figured out how to summon from is the Celestial Spirit world. So either there are no others, or getting at them is a lot more complicated." She raised her keyring again for emphasis. "If someone hadn't figured out how to make these keys, it would take a year to learn just one gate."

"You mean years," Mira interjected politely. When Lucy's incomprehending look hit her, the model was taken aback. "Really? A gate in just one year? From what I hear, it is more like three or four years. Up to five for a zodiac gate."

"Weird, I never heard that." Lucy glanced down in thought, going back to her past training. "I know I needed fourteen months or so for Aquarius' gate, and she's a zodiac. But I was seven... and after that I just got lazy because keys are so much easier. Oh, there's Natsu."

She missed the widening of Mira's eyes; by the time Lucy's attention flickered back to her, the model caught herself and shooed her away to talk to her first friend. Within an hour or two, Lucy and Natsu were both roped into a rescue mission for little Romeo's father, who went on a mission almost a week ago and had not returned. She did not mind it much.

While those two headed out to look for Macao, Priscilla remained in the guildhall to pick her first 'real' job. After a lot of thinking, she signalled Mira and tapped a specific sheet; it detailed a job about assisting with a construction project. The barmaid took it off to read over. "Not the most lucrative, but it suits you," she commented. "You can definitely move heavy loads. And this one is outside."

Then Mira clapped her hands with delight, waving the parchment. "Oh, your first real job. I will send word along and make you a big lunchbox. You go and prepare, yes?"

"Of course. Until later."

She said goodbye to a few other people and left the building, now headed in the exact opposite direction of her previous accomodations. It turned out that Gildarts was not called in just for the new gate; no, Makarov also requested he build her a home into the cliffside. Perfectly sized for her, sporting smooth stone walls and an admittedly spartan furnishing. Then again, Erza having to field the admittedly discounted price made Priscilla feel a bit of pity for the redhead's wallet. At least she earned well enough not to become destitute despite the many expenses.

Striding through spacious if bare corridors, Priscilla approached her supersized wardrobe; Madame Greene filled it slowly, though there was a bit of a selection already. After some consideration, the crossbreed stripped out of her first gown in favour of dark blue shorts and a thick, brown vest. Arms and legs remained mostly bare, the same as her feet, in expectation of travel and construction.

Next she picked a loaf of bread from her sparse pantry, rubbing it to crumbs between two fingers to feed the crows. They followed her from the forest, now settled in small nooks and crannies along the cliffside. "I will be gone for at least a few days," she explained to the birds as they pecked up her offering; they seemed to listen as well, cawing in response and flapping their wings. Priscilla smiled. "Not to worry, I will be fine. Take care of yourselves as well." More caws answered, almost enthusiastic.

Picking up her scythe at last, she locked the door and headed out. Its weight felt comforting in her hand, a safeguard against whatever dangers there may lurk. She faintly considered leaving it here, but venturing beyond Magnolia was different than wandering streets that became familiar by now.

Mira greeted her with a large bag containing a wooden crate, which Priscilla hefted up easily. "Acalypha it is, yes?" she reaffirmed, to which the dragon nodded. "Good, that's not so far." The two of them began to walk next to each other; Priscilla aimed for the westward road out of town, though it took her friend a few minutes to realise. "Um, how are you planning to get there, anyway?"

The giantess made certain her pack was secured, completely missing the question's intention. "On foot," she declared, then fell into a slow jog. "Acalypha isn't that far! See you!" Priscilla turned around to wave, then sped up into a run. The earth shook under her steps, some vibrations running up Mirajane's body as she stood there, watching the rapidly vanishing crossbreed with a mixture of amusement and incredulity.

 

[Naron]

"Magic is actualised by shaping a miniscule amount of Ethernano into a spell circle, then funnelling more through that same circle to get a 'reaction', or the effect. Effects vary by circle, though each discipline has the same base form; that is why people often focus on spells of the same discipline when branching out. Each discipline is aligned to a basic concept the magic revolves around, such as script magic, wind magic, or body alteration.

Casting magic is like exercising a muscle; it gets easier with practice as the body becomes accustomed to the way Ethernano is channelled. In difference to physical muscles however, a wizard will never forget a magic circle once ingrained."

-excerpt from "The Heart of Magic"

---

The cool morning air brushed past Priscilla, whose pace had slowed to a tranquil walk. She already spied Acalypha from the mountain path earlier and now that dawn broke, she knew she would arrive soon. Two crow chicks rode on her shoulders as she approached the village, resting their wings after their first flight. The mother settled on Priscilla's head, head swivelling between her young. Once both had recovered somewhat, they all took wing. Priscilla watched them leave from the corner of her eyes, but focussed on the awakening village ahead. She knew the moment she was spotted, seeing how the farmers froze up momentarily; it still pained her, but acceptance had settled in by this point. She would have to earn recognition as a friend first.

So thinking, Priscilla offered the astonished villagers a friendly wave as she passed by, scythe clearly resting at ease; she never stopped gripping it, though. No one stopped her from walking into town, from where finding the construction site was easy enough. There was only one spot covered in building materials, with two dozen men and women already setting up. They, too, paused at the sight of her. Once it became clear Priscilla was headed their way however, one burly man stepped forward to meet her. "You need something, miss?"

"I believe so," she responded kindly, stretching her foot so he could clearly see the guild mark on its back. "You are with the Hammer Brothers construction guild, yes?"

His demeanor flipped from wary to cheerful in an instant. "Ayup, that we are! Didn't expect a gal from Fairy Tail of all guilds, but you'll do nicely. I'm the foreman 'round here." He then waved her forward. "Come along, I'll show you what we'll need you for."

Priscilla followed, listening intently to everything he told her; some of the workers' gazes kept trailing after her for some reason, but the foreman quickly shooed them back to work when he noticed. Not that it stopped the whispers, though she did not get to hear what they said; the spurts of laughter and general good mood were promising nonetheless.

Soon enough, she was carrying materials around as the foreman asked her to. Stone, wood, tools, whatever needed moving quickly reached its new destination. Priscilla even enjoyed the physical labour, unused to it as she was; she never experienced something like this before, not to mention that she could watch the building take shape along the way. The Hammer Brothers had already partly completed the ground floor before she arrived, but with her help it was done by lunchtime. It felt invigorating, to know this creation was something she contributed to. Two of the craftsmen were wizards as well, their talents making the process even faster.

During lunch, Priscilla settled alongside the construction workers. She fielded questions as to her size and rejected joking attempts to poach her for their guild. All while devouring the oversized sandwich Mirajane made, a revelation which immediately brought her a dozen trade offers; even the foreman was willing to offer a bit of his meal to get a chance of sampling something made by Mira. She certainly was popular.

"What exactly is this building meant for," she asked after the hail of bartering, various morsels arrayed around her for when she was done with the sandwich. "The job offer did not say."

"Mercenary guild," one of the women supplied from her right. She sported muscles just like the rest of her team, but also a friendly smile. "Don't know the name, but they're new and wanted to put their base here."

"Makes sense too," another chimed in, "there's no other mercenaries near these parts, so they can get all the local jobs." Nods followed the statement while Priscilla filed the information away.

From there, they continued with the construction in good time; though a skeleton of wooden beams was quickly erected however, the second floor needed less direct aid from her. The foreman quickly put Priscilla to work putting plates into place for the floors and ceilings, with others climbing around her to secure them. Then came the roof, which she supported from the outside.

After a total of but four days, they were done. The work went off swimmingly through teamwork and the aid of her size; Priscilla spent the nights roaming around Acalypha out of curiousity, exploring in order to understand the area better. She did carry a map, but seeing a place felt different than just knowing about it.

On the fourth day's evening, the Hammer Brothers held a small celebration and feast for a job well done. Some of the townsfolk joined them and so did Priscilla, who politely accepted their invitation; she was careful not to eat too much of their food, though. This was why she only took her leave after sunset, leaving behind a band of cheering workers and craftsmen. Her heart soared with joy about having helped to create something, a home for others.

The darkness consumed Priscilla soon enough, though there was enough light for her to find her way regardless. She kept replaying the various small events from past days in her head for a long while.

About an hour into her walk home however, she passed by a crackling campfire. It cast the shadow of a lonely traveler eating his dinner, who noticed her at the same time she saw him. He raised his hand in greeting. "Well met, miss! Please, the night is cold. Come and join me at the fire!"

Priscilla considered to decline and move on home, but decided she had some time to spare. So she inclined her head and strolled up to the man; firelight cast long shadows over his face, but well illuminated his pitch black robe. Golden trims along the high collar and a white cape fastened around the chest were the only other colours beside his lightly tanned skin. Dark eyes studied her as she approached and settled down next to him, his gaze conveying an almost palpable sense of curiousity. "I see you employ body alteration magic. You are a wizard, then?"

His voice remained soft and friendly. Priscilla herself quickly shook her head, since used to the question: "I am a wizard, but this body is my normal form. There is no magic involved in it."

"Oh. Intriguing." He studied her momentarily, then glanced down at his own meal. "But where are my manners, may I offer you some dinner? Though I am afraid I do not carry enough to feed a lady of your size."

She chuckled and accepted a cooked potato to be polite, but left it at that. "It is quite alright. I ate plenty before leaving the nearby village." He nodded and they ate in silence for a moment, but his previous observations struck her curiousity. "Art thou a wizard, then? To be so intrigued by magic?"

"I am," he confirmed after another bite. "Though I am mostly a scholar, always pursuing secrets I have not yet unearthed." Glancing up and seeing Priscilla's suddenly pensive expression, he turned to her fully. "Is there something that bothers you?"

"Yes, well," she began hesitantly, uncertain whether she should bring up her troubles with a stranger. Then again, what could he do with that information if he wished to harm her? "Perhaps you would have some insight into an issue of mine, good sir. You see, I find myself unable to sense Ethernano, which makes actually learning magic a bit of an issue."

The stranger listened intently, but did not respond at first. A thoughtful silence draped over them while he stared into the crackling flames. When he glanced up at her again, it was with a somewhat firm disposition. "I will go out on a limb here," he began slowly, "and assume you are not from this world?" Seeing Priscilla's clear bewilderment, he elaborated: "Not being able to sense Ethernano is the norm in residents of worlds where there is none. Every being born on Earthland has that sense, though most need to hone it first."

She was stunned still; here was a man who deduced her origins correctly on just a single piece of information. "Is it that obvious?" she could not help but ask. "Beside my body, that is."

"Not at all," he denied with a dismissive wave, his smile reemerging. "As I said, I am a scholar. Oh, but do not worry: you can not sense Ethernano, but it is an inclusive particle. Anyone can use it, regardless of whether they have the senses for it. Now, where exactly lies your problem? Do you have trouble forming the spell circle?"

So distracted from the previous subject, Priscilla hesitated momentarily; it remained embarassing to make no progress whatsoever. She forced herself to explain, though: "I never went past the attempt to imbibe Ethernano. Without being able to sense it within me, I assumed I did something wrong and failed to complete that first step."

To her astonishment, he scoffed in response. "That is not even a step. It takes no effort to complete and everyone does it. I can see where the issue stems from, though; whoever told you this assumed that it helps you get a grasp of the Ethernano. Breathing exercises and the like are meant to help train dormant senses, so they are useless to you. The actual first step is to activate your internal Ethernano." Priscilla hung on his lips even as he fell quiet to think. Only when he asked her a question did she snap out of it: "Is there anything you feel about existing in Earthland that is different to your world?"

"Oh, well." She thought back over her experiences thus far, but figured the kinder people and different sun were not what he had in mind. The sun had her think of that morning after her realisation however, and she reflexively took a deep breath. "The air feels richer. It has something almost spicy, or a tone of sweetness. I thought such mote be Ethernano."

"Hm." If he was bothered by Priscilla's slip into her dialect, he did not show it. "Did anything change with your body from breathing the air?" She immediately denied that, which drew another thoughtful noise from the scholar. "So either it is inert or you do not notice for lacking the required senses. Well, it should not matter. What you need to understand is that Ethernano reacts to intent. Will, if you want. Merely willing it to take form is enough. The difficult part lies in learning how to focus one's...."

He trailed off when Priscilla began to gleam in rainbow colours. "Huh."

The dragon, meanwhile, felt her lips curl upward into a beaming smile. She impulsively reached out and grabbed the surprised man, hugging him to her chest. "Oh, thank you! This is incredible! Progress, and so simple at that!" She barely remembered not to use her full strength in time; even then, he had to slap her chest several times before Priscilla released him. "Pardon, I got too excited," she apologised after gently setting him back down on his previous spot, dishevelled as he now was. "And thank you, truly. This means a great deal to me."

At first he only took a deep breath and ran a hand through his black hair. Curiously, he did not seem angry. "It's alright, I understand. Though I did not do much for you beyond clearing up a misconception. But I am curious now: how did you pull it off so quickly?"

Priscilla made to respond, but was pre-empted by a loud caw. She glanced up and so did her new friend; the sight of hundreds of birds surrounding them clearly unnerved him while she merely smiled at the lot. "Be not afraid," Priscilla soothed the human, "they mean no harm. Crows and ravens are the eyes, ears, and messengers of Velka, the goddess of sin. She designs for the punishment of all sinners, although her birds were always fond of me. I believe they are here for me."

"Fascinating." He studied the murder just as they studied him, expression inscrutable now. "Do you believe this 'Velka's' influence reaches into this world?"

"I doth not know, yet it is reassuring that the birds continue to look after me."

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but apparently thought better of it and turned his attention back to Priscilla. "Anyway, about my other question?"

"Well," the crossbreed began with a nod, "when you explained that all I need to do is will Ethernano, everything became simple. The dragons in mine realm could always will reality itself to comply with their desires. Being part dragon, so can I. The idea is the same, although Ethernano seems almost enthusiastic to do as I want it to."

"Wow. The idea that one could affect reality itself by force of will." He paused to shake his head with a soft chuckle. "That is a novel one. I would love to learn more about this, but... later. Do be careful though; the dragons of Earthland are long gone bar a single one, but a few Dragonslayers are still alive in this age. They might take exception to your presence."

"It is quite alright," Priscilla reassured him. "I am grateful for your warning, but I already met one such Dragonslayer recently. He is a pleasant young man and we get along well."

"That is good to hear. Now, magic. What kind were you thinking to learn first?"

Now it was for her to hesitate. She had quite a few options, courtesy of her guildmates. "Well, the Master suggested illusions or telekinesis. Erza offered to teach me Requip so I can store my scythe and carry other materials around. The plant magic Droy showed me was intriguing as well, and what little I heard of Living Magic sounds interesting, too. There is just so much to pick from," she lamented.

After giving a sage nod to agree with the final comment, he made a thoughtful noise. "Let us ignore Living Magic for now, that particular discipline starts at difficult and becomes incredibly complicated before long. How about body alteration? That would allow to actually enter buildings without issue."

"While that does intrigue me, I do not want to change my body in any way, for any reason."

Her response came so swift that it took him aback momentarily. Then he chuckled. "Ah, my bad. Even in another world, draconic pride is still the same. Forget I said anything. Although, all things considered, I believe the best course of action is in learning magic based on utility first. I can think of a few that could help with your current predicaments, and do request this Erza for Requip; it is one of the most useful magics in existence. For now however... how about Diver?" Seeing that he had her attention, the scholar elaborated: "Diver is magic meant for traversal; it allows the caster to phase through just about any material except living beings, though non-magical plants still work. It solves the clear issue with entering buildings you face, is easy to learn as it is but one spell, and quite potent for anyone with a creative mind."

"That does sound tempting," Priscilla agreed. "Perhaps it is best to begin with something simple and work my way up."

"That is always a good approach." So said, he put some more wood onto the fire before raising a hand; it took but a moment for a dark purple magic circle to form, standing still in place. "This is the circle for Diver. Try to imitate it with your own Ethernano, but make it visible first. Yes, like this." He watched for a moment as fluid light left Priscilla's hand, slowly contorting as it began to imitate his own circle. "You have a decent speed forming Ethernano even as an initiate, that is good. Native wizards can form circles without revealing them beforehand, which gives potential opponents less time to react to their spells. If you end up in a fight, forming your circle quickly is the best option to not receive nasty counters."

She nodded absently, grateful for how freely he offered information. Her focus lay on the spell circle however. Now that she wished for more than light, her Ethernano revealed itself to be a snowy white.

Within ten minutes, she had roughly imitated her impromptu teacher's creation. The moment she actually willed Ethernano into it however, she sank into the ground. "Bravo," he praised while the circle over his hand faded. "You learn fast. Now, the trick to moving with Diver is the same as it is with magic in general. Simply will yourself in the direction you wish to traverse."

Priscilla followed his instructions with an ever-growing joy, willing herself down into the earth to her neck; it changed her perspective in an odd manner, having to look up at a human for once. Her gleaming spell circle remained in place however, mainly because she wanted it there. He studied her handiwork up close for a moment, then pointed at specific parts. "Now for some theory: the outer ring and this constellation of open and closed spaces are Diver's base, they allow the phasing. This inner matrix to the center is what lets you see through the elements you traverse. I believe it goes without saying that having one without the other is problematic."

She nodded along and willed herself out of the ground, leaving behind a small crater about two metres deep. No dirt marred her body, but he still clicked his tongue in obvious distaste, which worried Priscilla. "You need to practice," he explained with a motion toward the freshly made hole. "The art of Diver is to leave the medium untouched. Only a brute tears it apart."

"I see." Even as she said it, her pride roared to perfect this first magic as soon as possible. The implied challenge only added to it. Priscilla immediately recalled the circle she had been shown and began to refine her own. Now that it was only detailwork however, her mind kept wandering and she decided to keep up the conversation: "Now that I think about it, Diver was among the disciplines everyone brought up for me. But they disregarded it for being weak. I take it you disagree?"

Her question earned an odd mix between huff and snort. "Few magics are more powerful than others," he declared at once. "Some are just more useful for the situation at hand, and some just require a greater wizard to cast. There is potential in all magic and any who disregard it are fools. If we take Diver for example, it has always been a beloved art for inflitrators and assassins. They can circumvent every wall of even the greatest stronghold. Archeologists adore this magic, for it allows to traverse any structure, even if submerged or collapsed. A skilled battlemage can use it to strike from all directions and use the terrain as a shield from retaliation. The applications are manifold, if indirect. Diver is perfectly valid in itself and even more impressive when supporting another discipline."

Once he finished his small rant and Priscilla agreed with the points he made, she went on to another subject that interested her: "Perhaps the issue is that I am surrounded by career wizards who know a plethora of helpful magics. Some bias is to be expected, but I will take your words to heart. Though I admit, I do not see Diver compare to something such as Mirajane's Take Over in any way, shape, or form."

She immediately had his attention then. "Mirajane Strauss? Nicknamed the She-Devil?" Priscilla never heard that before but nodded, which drew out a thoughtful sound. He stared down at the ground while she worked, speaking slowly: "From what I heard, Mirajane became infamous through her Take Over, which I will note for discussion's sake is a dedicated battle magic. I give you that the discipline is quite versatile as well, but also highly dangerous. When claiming another being's soul, the caster has to subjugate them in a battle of wills. Failure means to be possessed in turn. But to get back to Mirajane, the subject of her has intrigued me for a while now. Is it truly keyed to demons?"

"I believe so, at least she said that it is. Elfman, ah, her brother, he once mentioned that she awakened her magic when a demon attacked their village." He got sparse about details afterward, but she figured that was the main part of his bragging about his big sister at the time.

"Hm." He sat quiet for a long minute, giving Priscilla time to smooth out another edge. When he did speak, it was with hesitation: "What bothers me there is that demons in general are not aggressive or destructive. The only ones engineered for battle are Etherious, an artificial subset of demonkind. From what I read and heard about Mirajane, her destructive potential is in line with Etherious. So her Take Over may somehow be keyed to them instead of regular demons."

This entire explanation gave her pause; the way he phrased it all made Priscilla wonder. "Did, perchance, Zeref create these Etherious demons?"

The lack of a response was answer enough. Priscilla made an understanding noise and went back to her work, figuring this was not a subject he wanted to talk about. By the time he did speak again, there was no mention of her question: "And if freshly awakened magic immediately allowed to use Take Over, that means it is ingrained into her soul. Or inherited from her parents, if you want. I generally do not want to make too many assumptions on this matter." Seeing that the dragon paused her work to peer at him curiously however, he sighed and kept going: "The only native user of Take Over is the Vulcan, a large, er, you-sized ape whose survival strategy is to Take Over other races and procreate that way. They are known to steal human identities, too. So the implication is that your Mirajane has a Vulcan somewhere in her ancestry, likely among the last two generations. And, well, about half of all children directly sired by a Vulcan regress into Vulcans at some point in their lives. I do not know enough about the process to say what triggers it, though."

Now she understood why he did not want to go into it. The implications were unfortunate, especially when considering Elfman as well. She tried not to dwell on it and changed the subject. They went back to the more general study of magic and Ethernano, which made for far better conversation.

After an hour of work, her Diver circle resembled what she had been shown exactly. Priscilla quickly tested it and sunk into the ground fully, being able to peer outside from her new hiding spot; she floated around and reappeared a dozen metres from where she started, not a single speck of dirt out of place. This earned her actual applause and further praise from her kind teacher; afterward, they continued to talk until morning. Priscilla soaked up everything he told her like a sponge, learning more about magic in a few hours than she had over the past weeks. He seemed delighted to have such a captive audience, too; they mostly covered various basic theories, a lot of which would further help with Diver, too.

Moreover, he demonstrated several disciplines for her amusement; body alteration to shape his body into her size, Diver just a mite more refinement than Priscilla's, gravity alteration to mimic flight, and plant magic that grew out a new tree from the hole she tore earlier.

The fire had long since died when dawn broke, though neither of them cared for it. With sunlight peeking through the canopy however, Priscilla realised it was time to move on. "I believe I must leave now," she admitted with no small amount of displeasure. "They are going to miss me back at the guild if I stay for much longer. Would you be interested in accompanying me to Magnolia?"

His eyes widened on the last word; tired as he had been before, now he was wide awake and shook his head. "I'm afraid not," he declined at once, wincing when Priscilla's shoulders slumped. "It has nothing to do with you. It is, I just can not go to Magnolia. My wife lies buried there. I can not take being near, is all."

"I see. I am sorry to bring up bad memories." She had not expected that, but it made sense. Now it was for him to be distraught, except that Priscilla lacked any way to soothe him. How did one deal with the grief? She did not know.

Ultimately, she leaned forward to shake his hand as best as she could. "I am happy to have met you. Please be safe on your journey."

He tried for a smile, though it was clearly fake. "You as well," he wished her, waving when she returned to the road and moved along. Soon excitement took over and Priscilla's gaze turned forward as she began to run, thus missing how dozens of trees behind her withered to death in seconds. Left behind was but a man, standing amidst the sudden devastation.

 

[Naron]

"Much thought has yet to go into the connection between magic and the soul. While we know its building blocks, we can not even guess its origin or true form at the point of this writing. Countless mysteries still surround the most integral part of any living being on Earthland."

-excerpt from "The Love of Magic"

---

Priscilla returned by midday, having run most of the way in her excitement. Her mind had revolved around showing off her sudden progress and once Magnolia came in sight, she dove downward. Magic made her phase through the earth just as before, allowing the dragon to swim underground. She giddily made her way around town with complete disregard for streets or buildings, amazed by how simple it became. Now the difficulty lay in recognising the right building from her new perspective.

It took a few minutes to distinguish the guild hall from below; afterward, Priscilla was almost distracted by some kind of basement chamber she could not peer into. She stared at it for a while, wondering what may be inside to be warded so well. By the time she decided it was not her business at the moment, just about everyone above was watching the ground.

Remembering that yes, wizards could sense the Ethernano she now used, Priscilla willed herself upward and sheepishly rose out of the ground in front of Mirajane. "I have returned," she announced to the oddly silent hall, aware of the wariness surrounding her. It melted in seconds, to be replaced by a dozen conversations and quite a few voices welcoming her back. Mira beamed up at her.

"You figured out your magic?"

"Indeed I have. A kind traveler helped me understand the issue in detail."

"Wonderful! I am so happy for you!" The human woman crouched to leap upward, coming to rest around Priscilla's neck in a fierce hug. She held her gently with one hand, then placed her back down. Mira cheerfully twirled around with flying skirts and marched back to the kitchen. "That sounds like we should celebrate!"

Her call was taken up by various people and within minutes, Priscilla was the center of another party. In retrospect, she fully agreed that Diver was the perfect start to magic for her; she could dive into the ground to look people in the eye, enter buildings of appropriate size without needing giant gates, it was wonderful!

As parties in Fairy Tail were wont to do however, at some point it transitioned into a brawl. Priscilla enjoyed her time regardless, sitting at the sidelines with a few others who stayed out of the fight. She was just licking the last bits of a cake off her gums and teeth when the Master approached, dodging a threeway grapple with ease born of experience along the way. "Welcome back," he greeted her with a faint smile and a pat on the head, arm extending like rope. "It may be a little early to lay this on you, but I found something that might help figure out where you're from." He immediately had Priscilla's attention, alongside Levy, Alzack, and Loke. The giantess worried however, still uncertain if she should even reveal being from another world.

Unaware of her thoughts, Makarov settled next to them and brought out a parchment filled with notes. "Now let's see," he muttered, then spoke up to be heard over the ruckus around them. "I did some digging about places that giants like yourself might live, figured they might know more. Nothing about this Lordran place you mentioned, I am afraid." She nodded wordlessly, unsurprised but intrigued. "Now what I found is that there's a place called Sun Village, where only giants live. It was built around some kind of temple with a sacred flame, but there were few details available. The place lies quite far away, but you might learn something there."

While she knew there would be nothing about Lordran there, the prospect of seeing such a place intrigued Priscilla; the idea of a sacred flame was a loathsome one, but she ignored that instinctual feeling. Not to mention that she appreciated Makarov going through the trouble of finding this knowledge for her. "It may be worth investigating," she noted thoughtfully. "How far away is it exactly?"

"About two thousand kilometres. There are several countries between Fiore and Sun Village."

While the number left Priscilla nonplussed, it certainly agitated the people around her. Especially Alzack immediately argued with the Master that such a large distance would take an age to traverse, what with no trains going that far while the giantess did not fit in any carriages or magic mobiles. Priscilla herself recalled how far Acalypha lay from Magnolia and did some mental math, only to find a very simple solution. It would not take that long.

"I would not mind going on foot," she interrupted the argument. "I can move much faster at my size, terrain is not much of a problem now that I learned Diver, and a little journey would be quite nice." That shut them all up, not that Makarov was entirely happy.

"It is a long journey," he cautioned, "not something to be undertaken lightly."

"You could just learn more magic," another voice drawled. When their heads turned, they found a man strolling through the ongoing brawl, taller than just about everyone else in the room. Even fully clothed, Priscilla could see the well-defined muscles lining his entire body; his blond hair stood in spikes and crackled with electricity. Though she had seen Laxus before, he still struck an imposing figure. He grinned on his way past them. "If you're too slow, then-"

That was as far as he got before Cana slammed into his face, rear-first. Laxus was thrown to the ground heavily, coming to lie with the brunette sitting on him. An unrepentant Mira stood a few paces distant, having thrown her friend to begin with; a sardonic smile graced her usually friendly expression, morphing it into something more sinister.

"Why hello there, handsome," Cana purred with barely concealed laughter. "Come here often?" Others had been snickering already, now some broke into full-blown laughter. Laxus, for his part, simply turned to yellow lightning and zapped out of the room without another word. Only a faint scent of ozone remained.

While the humour in that situation remained odd to Priscilla, his departure gave her an idea. Within the hour she began to practice with Diver, mainly to grow more proficient and efficient at its use. Just as she hoped, with not her body but her will in charge of moving forward, she could be even faster. The run back to Magnolia winded her somewhat, so an alternate means of travel was appreciated.

She spent two days training until she felt ready to head out. Just as she made to do so however, Priscilla spied Lucy and Natsu coming into town, with Happy toddling along. She willed herself upward and greeted them while phasing out of the ground. "Welcome back, you three!"

Lucy jumped back with a squeak and Happy fell over, but Natsu just waved happily. "Hey, Pris! Good to be back!"

"That scared me!" Lucy complained; the blonde took a deep breath before looking between Priscilla and the ground. "Was that Diver?"

"Just so." The dragon was still proud of her achievement. "I believe I have become proficient by now."

"You're definitely better at it than the Duke was," she muttered. From some further inquiries, Priscilla soon learned that Lucy posed as a maid for a nobleman to complete a job about stealing a book. Said man apparently deployed a crude version of Diver. They did manage to complete the task however, so she congratulated them before saying goodbye; Lucy and Natsu made their way toward the guild hall.

For Priscilla, a new journey began. She quickly stretched her developing powers and soared across the land, transitioning between running and diving whenever either her mind or her body began to flag. Sometimes she slowed to a tranquil walk among nature, spending some minutes soaking in the serenity of untamed woods, vast plains, and glittering lakes.

By nightfall, Priscilla already left Fiore. Not that she knew where the border lay. Though she did not need rest like lesser species, she took an hour in the mornings and evenings to wind down. Every day around noon, Priscilla consulted her map and oriented herself, ensuring she still moved in the right direction. She swam through lakes that lay untouched by human hands, crossed underneath daunting canyons, and raced with dinosaurs across the tundra. What few beasts dared bother her fled the moment Priscilla channelled her Lifehunt; even apex predators could recognise the looming specter of death.

Her grasp of Diver grew more proficient by the day; she could feel it becoming ingrained to her soul, more and more so with each use. On the third day, Priscilla took a longer rest at noon to study the changes. She pressed a hand to her bosom and pulled, exhaling as her soul followed. As all she ever beheld, hers too was flame. Unlike all the rest however, hers was devoid of colour, a pure white that remained perfectly still. Not a single flicker, no motion, eternally bound in a single moment unless she desired it move.

She held the flame in hand, studying it once again; it cast light that illuminated the half-dark as rain poured down around her. Thankfully, her map was in a water-resistant pouch she borrowed; her clothes would need some time to dry however. Unlike other souls, Priscilla's did not emit any warmth. She pondered willing the rain to stop and her clothes to dry, but the exertion did not appeal. Her soul shifted idly, forming into Diver's spell circle without any issue; just as she felt earlier, it was not a scar etched into her very being, but a simple imprint of the flowing Ethernano.

Still, she wondered; Ethernano followed her command without question, far more easily than reality itself. What if she channelled it through her soul like the gods were fond of doing? Perhaps that would offer an easier means of casting the soul arts in this world.

So Priscilla breathed, willed glowing Ethernano into her soul until it began to flicker. The rain sputtered momentarily. Pathways built of the magic particle began to guide her alien might into the world around her, until the rain stopped coming entirely.

She stared at the world around her in wonder, carefully holding the thread of power active. Earthlanders liked to name their spells, likely to help them draw an instinctive connection to the spell upon calling its name. What she just achieved was unprecedented, so Priscilla felt she ought to name it, once a good title presented itself. The world held its breath until, moments later, she released her grasp and rain continued to pour down on her.

Sighing, the crossbreed let her soul flow back into her body and made to move on; Diver protected her from the rain henceforward. Once she reached a point where no more water fell from the sky, she cautiously stripped down and took another break, her clothes wrung out and slowly drying in the fleeting sunlight. She used the time to keep practicing her newfound skill.

Once the cloth was barely damp anymore, Priscilla kept going and travelled through the night. Sometimes she saw humans, but kept her distance and moved past without bothering them. No one here knew her and so there would just be more fear she did not desire. When the fifth day of her journey dawned, she realised that the surroundings began to grow larger. Trees became notably bigger, various kinds of plants had turned from tiny to small, and it all kept increasing in size as she moved.

Just before noon, she felt something call her eastward; a siren song the likes of which she knew not, yet recognised in an instant. A great soul suffused the area, basking it in warmth and strength. The temperature rose considerably as she approached, turning Autumn to Summer in the span of a few kilometres. What leftover dampness clung to her pants and shirt evaporated, a pleasant heat caressing her skin alongside the thin tendrils of whatever spirit resided nearby.

And there were walls, rising a hundred metres high. Massive constructs of stone that almost rivalled the splendor of Anor Londo's skyline. Hulking figures stood guard atop. Priscilla felt her step falter momentarily, but forced herself to move forward. She lowered her scythe and strode along the dirt path, well aware of the gazes her figure soon drew. Booming voices shouted and a guard met her at the gate.

Now it was for Priscilla to crane her neck, for the armoured man stood about six times her size; she did not even reach his knee. He quickly crouched and she wondered if this was how everyone else felt around her. It was humiliating in a way, but she lacked the usual anger; size meant nothing in the end.

"Why hello there, little lady! What brings you this way?"

His voice shook the ground ever so slightly and he smiled, revealing teeth the size of Priscilla's hands. She ignored all those signs of physical prowess and inclined her head. "Well met, good sir. Do I stand before Sun Village?"

"Aye, you do. We don't get many travelers, though. Most get kinda scared by how big we all are, so it's only a few traders and caravans."

"I am familiar with that predicament," she admitted with a faint smile, immediately taken by his kind demeanor. "While not of your prodigious size, I still stand above any human." Not counting Makarov and others like him. "Regardless, I was intrigued by the tales I heard of a village of giants and of your sacred flame, so I made the journey from Fiore. May I enter?"

"Ah, of course! Come in, come in!" A giant hand reached around her, gently pushing Priscilla forward and inside. She stumbled into a super-sized village, actually a city by anyone else's standards. It felt barely different from the others she had seen, except for the fact everything was so big. The marketplace stood out at once, being located right behind the gate. The guard followed after her, his lumbering steps sending tremors through the earth. "Welcome to Sun Village!" he bellowed cheerfully.

Priscilla inclined her head again and made her way inside. At first she could move around well enough, but people quickly noticed her; she was a little surprised that they watched their step so carefully, having prepared to dodge their feet.

The reason for their care became apparent soon enough, though. A delighted shout of "You're small!" drew Priscilla's attention to a side alley, where she found a beaming human woman; light red hair cascaded down her back and a cream-coloured dress fluttered around her thighs as she rushed forward to meet Priscilla. "I barely meet anyone my size, or at least close! Hello! What brings you to Sun Village?"

"Idle curiousity," she deflected the question somewhat, crouching to offer the human a finger to shake. She did it with great enthusiasm. "What of yourself, miss? Are you a resident?"

"I am!" She hesitated somewhat after that, letting go of Priscilla's finger. "But I guess it's obvious I'm adopted, right?"

"It is."

The atmosphere became odd then, neither of them quite certain how to proceed. As her initial elation faded, the human began to realise she just approached a random stranger. Priscilla herself lacked knowledge of the correct protocols to follow in these lands. After several awkward seconds, she decided to do as Fairy Tail taught her: waltz over any inconvenience without acknowledgement. "Would you care to show me around, then? Oh, and I am Priscilla."

"O-Oh, of course!" It seemed that course of action was correct, seeing how her expression brightened immediately. "I'm Flare. Come on, this way!"

Introductions out of the way, Flare quickly introduced Priscilla to life in Sun Village. Just as she initially observed, it did not much differ from most villages except for the larger size. She beheld oversized buildings and farms, was introduced to several kind giants who tittered at the sight of Flare's renewed enthusiasm. The human woman seemed to be treated like a beloved daughter by just about everyone, though some patted her head more like she saw people do with a pet. Perhaps that was just the size difference at work, though.

"I lived here for as long as I can remember," Flare provided along the way, "they found me toddling around in the woods. Everyone is really kind here, so they took me in and raised me. I help out where I can too, just like the others."

She kept chattering, laying out just about every facet of life in Sun Village over the course of an hour or two. Priscilla listened with rapt attention, but soon found herself disinterested with many a thing she heard or saw in other villages before. The points where Flare went into her own tasks were more to her liking, as the human's diminutive size allowed to climb into various contraptions to fix them, or to hunt super-sized vermin with her own fire magic.

"So you are a wizard, then?"

"I am," she confirmed, a crimson spell circle flickering to life over her hand for emphasis. It produced a merrily crackling flame. "The Great Flame blessed me. I used to have darker hair you see, but a few years ago I was praying and my chest burned a little. After that, my hair turned red and I suddenly knew how to do this. So I kinda took up teaching myself. We don't have any wizards here."

"Intriguing," Priscilla commented. She studied the woman in front of her thoughtfully, tried to discern what this flame may have done. It was certainly what emitted such pressure on the area, beckoning the dragon to approach and witness its splendor. From her observations, people here were exceptionally healthy; that was likely the flame, too. Not to mention that it felt oddly familiar, yet also completely different. "Would I be allowed to step before the Great Flame?"

Flare immediately turned around with a bright smile. "Of course! Anyone can see the Great Flame, just, uh, not today. The custodians only allow entry during the day, we burned too much time." She glanced up at the sky, which made Priscilla realise that it had grown dark around the village. No stars were visible, their light drowned by the fire crackling at the shrine above them; its rays illuminated all of Sun Village, almost like it were still bright.

As if on cue, Flare yawned loudly and rubbed her eyes. "It is getting late," she muttered more to herself, then glanced up at Priscilla. "I got so caught up I didn't notice how much time passed." She still smiled though, making the dragon quash an impulse to coddle her. Meanwhile, Flare looked this way and that, suddenly sheepish. "Uh, I guess you don't have a place to stay right now. You could come to my place, I have the space? And we could talk some more, maybe? I'd like to hear about where you're from?"

"Of course." Not only had Priscilla no reason to refuse, she did want to speak more with Flare. She was a pleasant young woman. The fact she appeared genuinely happy to have met her only added to that opinion. She did shoo her to bed after a late dinner and some more conversation, though; despite her protests and wanting to hear more of Fiore, Flare was soon out like a light.

Priscilla considered the oversized bed Flare offered, as well as the comparably small house that still dwarfed her own home in Magnolia's cliffs. She climbed under the covers mainly for the novelty. Then she waited for dawn while lost in thought, trying to prod the great soul nearby into revealing itself to her; she had to give up around the time Flare woke, figuring that she needed to be closer to the Great Flame. At least the bed was soft.

After a nice breakfast of giant fruit that she quickly annihilated, Flare led her up to the one place they had not been before; the shrine this village was centered around, elevated beyond even the walls so that blessed light could cover the fields and forests beyond. An ornate gate stood open, guarded by two still figures decked out in armour; the sight of them reminded Priscilla of foreign memories, giants clad in steel that wielded bows the likes of which could pierce a dragon's wing. Hawkeye Gough taught her kin to respect his archers, forced them to crawl in the mud for fear of their prowess.

She shook off these feelings and the memories that sparked them; the people here were not the same.

Moments later, all of it was washed away when she beheld the flame itself. It roared a dozen metres high, formless, without any visible fuel. Its gentle warmth soaked into her body, all the way to her soul; Priscilla stopped dead in her tracks, eyes glued to its magnificent form, flickering without any sound whatsoever. Without ever having seen the First Flame, she still felt even that could have hardly been brighter.

Faintly aware of Flare pulling at her hand and some other villagers kneeling before the flame, Priscilla was rooted in place. She stared unblinkingly as her entire being roiled; the anger of dragons roared at such mighty flame, a goddess acknowledged its splendor, and a girl stood in awe.

Then she moved as if in trance, ignoring Flare beyond making sure not to kick her. The redhead followed until Priscilla stopped before the flame; just as she figured, the great soul she sensed was here. Streamers of it flowed along the area, strongest within this shrine. She reached out with her mind to touch the Other, felt how it was entwined with the flame. She felt its desire to nourish, to grow.

Instinct had her grasp for the Other, willing all these streamers to coalesce within the fire. She barely even realised what she did until Flare's gasp broke into her reverie; the Great Flame flickered and twitched. Giants scrambled to their feet and Flare pulled on Priscilla's free hand. "What's happening? Are you doing this?!" She shouted frantically, almost making the dragon cease her channeling. But curiousity and the desire to meet another greater being won out in the end.

Moments later, the flame settled in a new form, the shape of a great beast. A crimson skull's outline formed amidst the orange fire, sharp and angular as its eyes met hers. Four massive legs took shape to support a thick body, ending in a long whip of fire reminiscent of a tail. Lastly, two great wings folded on its back.

Priscilla stared at the dragon, and the dragon stared at her. The world stopped.

Then both inclined their heads; this being was not kin to her, but it was nonetheless a powerful one and deserved respect. "Hail, oh guardian of Sun Village," she greeted them. "I am Priscilla."

"Be welcome, traveler," the other dragon answered in a rumbling baritone. "I am Atlas Flame, last of the fire dragons."

His words caused a stir amongst the crowd already drawn; just about anyone took a knee, prostrating themselves before their deity. Priscilla stood, however; respect she would offer, but not reverence. If Atlas Flame took offense, he did not say. Rather, his head turned this way and that to study the faithful without comment. Having had a moment to mull over his greeting, Priscilla decided on her next words: "Art thou the last dragon, then? A friend revealed to me there is but one left alive." Before Atlas Flame had any chance to respond however, another memory resurfaced and Priscilla had to frown. "Although I heard one Igneel is-" "My king yet lives?!"

Though near impervious to heat, even Priscilla began to sweat when the apparition entered her personal space. A spirit of pure fire hung in front of her face, glaring at the crossbreed as if he could force the knowledge from her by willing it so. Her foot rose on base instinct, but she firmly planted it back down without so much as giving an inch. Priscilla's expression firmed up somewhat. "So I was told," she answered at last, well aware of the bewildered gazes her demeanor now drew. "His adopted son, Natsu, last saw him but a scant few years back. Are there more dragons that still exist somewhere, then?"

The flame dimmed, almost extinguishing itself as Atlas Flame seemed to realise something. His ethereal body slumped ever so slightly, and he retreated to lounge on the pedestal. "So he is not. The prince must be mistaken. Igneel died as we all did, and only Acnologia remains." He growled at nothing, then flared back to life and focussed on Priscilla again. "I am but a lingering spirit, devoid of the might I once held. My body spends warmth and life to those around it, in accordance with my king's desire. Igneel was not wrong to nurture humans."

He rambled along, as if in thought. Priscilla could not help but smile; her posture shifted to something less confrontational already. Now she inclined her head. "They are oh so inspiring in their own way. I concur."

"Are you not human?"

The question was asked in curiousity, but it made indignation pulse through Priscilla's entire being. She narrowed her eyes momentarily and willed Atlas Flame's form into a humanoid one. The dragon let out an undignified squawk and fell forward, before his form bulged back out as she lessened her grasp. "I am less human than you are, Atlas Flame," Priscilla declared curtly. "It would behoove you to remember that."

She paused then, well aware her pride got away with her. The presence of dozens of wary giants and several heavily armoured custodians suddenly weighed on her mind, made a shiver run down her spine; she just assaulted and rebuked their deity.

Likely before they even realised what happene, Atlas Flame's roaring laughter rang out along the entire village. His gaze remained on her at all times and once he was done, he inclined his head. "I see. My apologies, it was the form that gave me a wrong impression. You are indeed more than that. Not a Dragonslayer, though. There are but three. You are not Acnologia, either. I would recognise that."

"You mentioned that name before," Priscilla distracted him, unwilling to get into this in front of a crowd. "Acnologia. Who are they?"

"The dragon king," Atlas Flame scoffed, a puff of sparks showering the crossbreed. "The last living dragon, and the one who slaughtered us all. How long has it been since he killed me?"

Suddenly, secrecy no longer mattered. Nothing but the words she had just heard did. Priscilla's blood boiled and the air grew heavy. Flare scrambled away from her side as the banshee wails of fallen dragons howled through the entire shrine, then abruptly cut off. "A kinslayer?" she asked into the grave silence, her voice deceptively soft. No answer was needed. "That is what brought your proud race low? A kinslayer? Where do I find him?"

Even Atlas Flame shuddered under the sheer loathing her gaze carried, fighting down the urge to flee. "I do not know," he answered, "and I ask you not to throw your life away. Many thought they could best Acnologia, and all were struck down. If you seek his fall," he advised the seething dragon, "find the Dragonslayers. You already met my prince, so see to it that he is ready. Upon him and his rests this task, to rid the world of the last dragon."

Priscilla forced herself to calm, but it was difficult. Every cell of her body screamed, demanded she find the kinslayer and tear him limb from limb. The dragons of Earthland were not kin, but oh so close. And here, too, they had gone nearly extinct because the one to live committed the greatest sin.

"I shall do so," she ultimately ground out, "but for now, I would rather speak of kinder matters. My own experience with kinslayers make this not a fruitful subject." The lesser dragon leaned forward again, studying her with clear interest; Priscilla considered to be difficult, but he was open with her so far. Sun Village lay far distant from Fiore, so why not reciprocate? "Thou bared thy soul to me, allow me to do the same."

A soft tug produced the static flame from her bosom, though flickers of rainbow colours ran through it as her feelings kept fluctuating. Atlas Flame was dead, and so what she interacted with was his very soul given form. Now Priscilla presented hers to the fallen dragon, who studied it intently. He breathed in, making it flicker just once. "How nostalgic," he rumbled. "This flame, it reminds me of King Igneel's scent, in a sense."

"I-Is that really your soul?"

The timid voice gave both of them pause; once more Priscilla remembered the presence of people around them. Flare crept closer again, peering upward in awe that hid a storm of different feelings. The dragon nodded, befuddled. "Tis my soul." Then, thinking back and failing to recall even a mention of souls, she wondered. "Can the people of these lands not express theirs?"

Flare wordlessly shook her head and Priscilla felt like clutching her soul, lest someone snatch it. Atlas Flame spent these moments studying Flare, leaning closer until the human woman began to sweat from his heat. She slowly turned, coming face to face with him. The dragon breathed in once more.

"I remember you," he said. "You blaze with desire, ever since your soul sang when I gave it but a spark. What is your name?"

"F-Flare, oh great Atlas Flame."

Sidelined for the time being, Priscilla watched her newest acquaintances speak with each other. With no rebuke given to the redhead's earlier interruption and Atlas Flame's clear interest, others began to speak up as minutes passed. Their reverence seemed to amuse the dead dragon, who made to answer their questions without hesitation. Some were more curious about Priscilla however, who realised they looked at her with a certain appreciation and awe; having channelled the dragon's spirit into a form they could interact with, she could follow the sentiment.

At the same time, she felt she might have to stay at least a little while. Depriving them of a chance to speak with their god felt simply wrong, but Priscilla had her own reasons as well; she did like Flare and her curiousity about the native dragons was awoken, too. Fairy Tail would be alright without her for at least a few more days.

 

[Naron]

"Of the many worlds that may exist out there, I know of five, of which I visited three. The spells necessary to traverse realms are complicated, powerful, and dangerous; even more so than the mere summoning from other realms. Therefore, I will withhold knowledge of them beyond the confirmation that it is indeed possible. While my experiences in these worlds could fill another book, the important takeaway is that each one was different from Earthland in some fundamental way. Edolas appeared closest, though Ethernano was finite there. Unfortunately, it ran out at this point in time. Travel to Edolas is impossible and they will never wield magic again."

-excerpt from "The Love of Magic"

---

"The soul arts," Priscilla intoned, "require no outward power to draw on. All one needs is a suitable catalyst to channel the strength of their soul. The practice was born in Vinheim, but ultimately is but a lesser version of what the clerics call miracles. They pray upon the gods to bless them with but a smidgen of their might, who in turn channel the force of their greater souls. Assuming they so desire, of course."

Around her improvised pedestal settled a weird crowd; Flare listened with rapt attention, almost at Priscilla's feet. All around were intrigued giants, not even wizards but interested nonetheless. And amidst blazing heat, Atlas Flame sat on his haunches. They all followed her lecture, soaked up what little knowledge she had of Lordran and its arcane mysteries. Priscilla originally wanted to relay just what she learned of magic in Earthland, for Flare's sake, but her captive audience slowly made the crossbreed reconsider.

"I can not yet say whether the soul arts are attainable in this world," she closed gently. "The ability to express one's soul is innate in mine, it needs not be taught or learned. While our souls define us, they are ultimately malleable, they can grow and be split apart to share with another. Humans, I hear, offer but a single spark of their souls to their unborn children, from which another flame will eventually grow. Yet its ultimate size and strength always depend on the person."

"It is a cycle," Atlas Flame rumbled thoughtfully. "But one that needs a beginning, like our blazing sun above. The first souls, where did they come from?"

"The First Flame." Even she spoke the name with reverence, regardless of all hatred. "No one knows what caused it to blaze and end the age of ancients, during which dragons ruled forever. The souls of Lords were found within the flame, the three gods among gods. With them came other, lesser souls and from all of these descend the rest. For as long as there is fuel, fire will grow strong after all." The fiery dragon huffed, intimately familiar with this truth.

Priscilla smiled as well, though it grew more somber as others came forward with questions. Flare was the most interested in the feeling of expressing one's soul and how she might train herself to do so. The giants inquired more about Lordran and the surrounding countries. Once they were all satisfied however, she decided to make her announcement: "Now. I know it has only been four days since my arrival, but I am beginning to miss Fiore. Therefore, I decided that tomorrow morning is the time for me to start heading home."

It felt odd but oh so right, calling Fairy Tail home. Priscilla barely spent a month on Earthland, but she would not miss it for anything. She was well aware of the disappointment surrounding her, but none of the giants took offense; Flare hung her head though, the young woman's despondence weighing a little heavier on Priscilla. Without any other humans around to connect to, she quickly bonded with her. It was tempting to invite her along, but at that point Priscilla had already turned down an offered escort and doing so was awkward, in a sense.

Nonetheless, the giants insisted on holding a small feast in her honour that evening; Priscilla granted them a chance to speak with their deity and taught them a great many things, after all. During the feast however, Flare approached her sadly. "You really can't stay a bit longer?" she asked, deflating a little more when the crossbreed denied her. "Yeah, I figured. There just isn't much here, is there? Just the Great Flame."

"Do not speak like that," she chided gently. A sizable hand closed around Flare's waist, drawing her into a gentle embrace. It felt a bit like holding her old doll again. "Many kind and wonderful people live here, but it is just not where I want to be. You can find kindness everywhere, Flare. It blossoms even in a cruel and dangerous world, clawing its way to the surface no matter what. That is something I always admired about humans, too; so small, so fragile, yet they never falter. You won't give in either, will you?" Flare's face was hidden from view, but she squeezed a little tighter. Priscilla smiled. "Learn and grow, and if you ever feel like seeing what I saw, venture out to see it all. And yet you will find that your heart remains here, for as long as this is home to you."

She left behind a thoughtful redhead, wandering up to where Atlas Flame oversaw the feast. People fed the resting dragon choice cuts of various meats, all of it charred black and consumed within moments. His gaze met hers the moment she neared, though. Priscilla inclined her head. "Thou may not be kin, not quite, but I respect thee nonetheless. It was a pleasure and an honour to meet you, Atlas Flame."

He nodded in turn, though his burning head tilted ever so slightly. "Are we not both dragons? You were quite insistent on that."

"Tis a conundrum, truly. The Everlasting Dragons are my kin, and we art nature itself. Thy kin of this realm art more powerful in body and worldly might, yet not Everlasting. Thou dost not grasp the threads of existence as I would." She chuckled softly, reaching out a hand to wave through an errant flare. It came out with reddened skin. "Such is mine great vice, pride. My kind always stood at the pinnacle of existence, so offering true respect to another, lesser being means to accept them as one would kin."

"Ah, yes." Atlas Flame nodded again, glancing toward the merry villagers. No one paid attention to their conversation. "I understand now. We were all like that, once upon a time. I do not care which of us is truly greater. Adoring the mortal races is not quite the same as respecting them."

"I appreciate them and how much they did for me, truly. Yet-"

"Enough," the burning dragon interrupted her instinctive defense. "I understand. This is a nuance only something tiny like a human would be upset by." Atlas Flame chuckled, a gentle warmth flowing with the noise. "They live such short lives, yet so many of them burn so bright in what little time they have. Break so easily, yet seek challenge wherever they can. I am glad I saw the worth in them, like my king did before me." He paused and studied her one last time, then bowed his head fully. "Fare thee well, Everlasting Priscilla."

"To you as well, Atlas Flame. May you burn ever brightly."

The party soon wound down and Priscilla spent most of the night talking to Flare; her newest friend could not quite fall asleep anyway and milked the crossbreed for every bit of knowledge she would divulge. Copious amounts of notes were taken until dawn broke, at which point Priscilla made ready. She said goodbye and waved until the village left her sight, then transitioned into a run.

Her thoughts kept racing along, too. She met one of the native dragons and was approved of; having never once met kin beside Seath, whose opinion did not matter, she doubted they would accept her as easily as Atlas Flame did. Nonetheless, even a lesser dragon's acknowledgement gave her hope; perhaps one day, Priscilla could live up to her legacy.

As she sorted through the many things she learned the past few days however, a curious thing stood out: Atlas Flame said that Igneel was dead, spoke of it with certainty. Yet Natsu was just as certain the fire dragon king lived. She assumed Igneel appeared as a spirit like Atlas Flame did, but decided not to mention it to Natsu until she knew for certain; humans rarely took the death of a parent well.

The return trip took another five days, mainly because Priscilla continued her methodical approach to the journey. She would not allow complacency to make her lose her way. Not to mention that she continued to practice her magic. Yet without a need for sleep or longer rest, she walked through the guild hall's gate exactly two weeks after her departure. "I have returned!" Priscilla announced herself, to cheerful greetings.

"Man, that was fast!" Jet called back while tipping his large, brown top hat; he dressed in the usual fur-lined jacket, also brown, over a dark pink shirt and dark pants. "Did you turn around on the way or something?"

"No, why would I have done such a thing?"

The surrounding chatter stuttered momentarily. Priscilla figured it must be that crossing several countries in a few days was not something humans could do. Well, their loss. She clapped her hands and strode inside properly. "Mirajane, my usual please." The barmaid darted away for a roasted pig she somehow removed the bones from, for some reason. Priscilla settled in her usual spot. "I have seen so many interesting places along the way, it was wonderful!"

"Heh, I can imagine." Levy leapt into her lap the moment she was seated, grinning up at the crossbreed. "Stuff happened here, too. Fairy Tail's strongest team to date formed, you know? Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Erza. Isn't that something?"

"Oh, absolutely." She had not seen Lucy fight yet, but the other three were known quantities. The blonde in particular groaned at her table down the hall, however. "Though Lucy does not seem happy."

Levy giggled. "It's because the other three attached themselves to her now," she revealed. "So wherever she goes to do some small work, they show up and break stuff." Others joined her laughter while Lucy herself glared daggers at them. Priscilla idly ran a finger over Levy's head, making the blunette quiet down.

"Why did this team form to begin with?" she asked next; Levy indulged her readily, explaining that a dark wizard guild by the name of Eisenwald tried to unleash death magic on the border town of Clover; the same town where the guild master league held its annual meetings, and where Makarov had been at the time. It was a relief to hear everything was resolved and the cursed flute destroyed; Natsu went into great detail about how it turned out to be one of Zeref's demons and they fought it down outside of Clover.

This was the first Priscilla heard of dark guilds too; they were apparently declared such for accepting requests for assassination and other unacceptable practices, such as kidnapping or disturbing the peace of a realm. The Magic Council decided if a wizard guild had turned dark and members of dark guilds were hunted via bounty.

"I am glad you warded off calamity," she congratulated the four; Natsu and Gray smirked, Lucy smiled, and Erza... pouted. In fact, she had done that this entire time, sullenly holding a tankard and keeping her silence. Priscilla tilted her head. "Erza? Are you alright?"

No response came, her attention somewhere else. Lucy winced in sympathy and waved Priscilla off. "Leave her be, something weird happened earlier." The blonde threw a glance in the same direction Erza was looking and Priscilla followed her gaze, where she saw someone new. Clad in a dark coat, pants, and cloak, every inch of otherwise visible skin was covered in gauze. The only part visible was his pale face and shock of blue hair. The man nursed a drink at the table furthest away from Erza, five staves leaning against it. Lucy sighed. "Yeah, uh, him. That's Mystogan, one of our S-rank wizards. And he kinda looks just like someone Erza knows."

"First time anyone's seen his face," Laki added from where she leaned against a support beam. "He usually hides it with a bandana and everything. With the tantrum Erza threw earlier, I can see why." The redhead's eye twitched and Laki immediately hid behind Priscilla, who was busy wondering how someone could hide their appearance so totally for years. It must be exhausting.

When Mystogan's gaze flickered to their corner however, it stopped on the crossbreed. He blinked several times, rubbed his eyes, then glanced down at his mug. After looking at her again, he placed it down and stood. People watched him approach and Erza tensed, but he ignored her in favour of Priscilla; they stared at each other for a long, uncomfortable moment. Then he nodded to the door. "Walk with me."

"Very well?"

She was not quite sure as to his intentions, but a fellow member of Fairy Tail would not have nefarious plans. Some muttering went around as they left the room, Mystogan striding ahead and toward the nearby forest. He held his silence until they left town, having since ignited her own curiousity for where this was going. When he did speak, it was a simple if nonsensical question: "Are you from Edolas?"

She stopped, then he stopped and turned to meet her gaze. Priscilla shook her head, still confused. "I never heard this name before in my life," she told him. Mystogan sized her up in response, but nodded. Tension faded from his body, so she decided to inquire further: "Where exactly does this realm lie?"

He frowned at her, momentarily pondering what to say. "Edolas is the world I come from," he began in the end. Priscilla's eyes widened and she motioned for him to continue. "Ethernano is limited and a lot of people have strong resemblance to people here on Earthland. The humans there hatched plans to steal Ethernano from this world, but I heard nothing from them the last few years. I was working to stop them, so the silence bothers me."

"Most intriguing," Priscilla murmured in response. She was not quite sure how to feel about the theft of a nearly infinite resource, but figured it depended on the method to it. "Would it be possible to visit this world?"

This earned her a shrug. "I don't know for sure," Mystogan admitted. "I tried to open a gateway there last week, but it didn't work. As far as I know, contact is broken and I am stuck here."

And there was another piece to the puzzle. Priscilla nodded. "I begin to understand. You wished to vanish back to Edolas once your mission was complete, thus concealed your face to not create misunderstandings. I assume you, too, resemble someone who exists in this world?"

"Correct. But now I'm stuck for who knows how long and the masquerade grows tiring. It would have failed sooner or later, anyway." Mystogan sighed at that, running a hand over his face. "At least I'm not exactly like him. He has a crimson mark along his face."

"I see." Recognising that this line of inquiry would not go anywhere at the moment, she decided to change the subject. "Would you tell me more about Edolas? How does it differ from Earthland?"

"Very well." They continued to walk as he mulled it over, giving Priscilla time to appreciate that here was another who came from a different world; she idly wondered how many there were when Mystogan began: "Beside the dwindling Ethernano, I think the most curious thing are the Exceed. You have seen Happy before? He is one. Humanoid felines that hatch from eggs, an inherently magical species native to Edolas. I don't know why they appeared on Earthland, but I know they only arrived a year or two before me."

"Curious," she agreed. "Though I have never heard anyone refer to Happy as Exceed before?"

"They wouldn't know." Mystogan ruffled his blue hair as he explained. "For some reason, only Exceed eggs appeared here. I didn't say anything about them yet because people would ask questions." She nodded along, the conundrum he faced quite clear. "Anyway, some of them bonded with humans like Happy and Natsu did, others went and formed small communities all around Fiore and the surrounding nations."

"You should tell someone."

When her proposal was heard, Mystogan's turned his head her way; he almost ran into a tree in his path. Priscilla trampled a bush underfoot without notice, explaining her reasoning: "They are but children still, no? They have nothing left of whatever culture they came from and live in a new world. The least they deserve to have is a name to call themselves by, instead of 'cat'." She grimaced, then thought back to her own youth. "Although it surprises me that they would not know, come to think of it. Are there no racial memories for them to carry?"

Mystogan mutely shook his head, giving her pause. "Oh well," Priscilla murmured, averting her gaze sheepishly. "That is just me then." Instead of dwelling on it however, she quickly followed up on the subject: "You mentioned the Exceed are inherently magical. I heard something similar about the local Vulcans and that they naturally use Take Over. Do Exceed have innate magic, too?"

"They do," he confirmed with visible surprise. Perhaps he had not expected her to draw that conclusion. "Aera is innate to Exceed. It grants them wings to fly with and lets them lift great weights. Aera is actually one of the few true flight magics. Master Makarov uses gravity manipulation to get something similar, but it's not the same. Easier, though. I guess." He paused and ruffled his hair again, thinking.

Priscilla used the time to interject: "Do you think Happy would be willing to teach me? Can it be taught?"

"Aera is hard to learn for non-Exceed," he cautioned immediately. "I heard some humans here learned it, but only one really made it her specialty. Aera is not some small magic you learn for convenience, so unless you have a good reason you shouldn't."

"I see." Priscilla considered reminding him of her being a dragon. She always desired the sky and wished to fly. If nothing else, she could see about learning the spell circle and work on it when there was time. Then again, there were more pressing disciplines to learn. Despite her decision however, she was curious: "Do you know any of the wizards who learned Aera?"

Mystogan frowned, but shook his head. He carefully maneuvered them onto a dirt path, leading back to Magnolia. "Only one, and only by reputation. Oracion Seis' Angel is infamous for dominating the sky. She is the best air superiority wizard on the continent and known to rain destruction on her enemies from above."

"Pardon, I have not heard of Oracion Seis before?"

"One of the major dark wizard guilds," he explained. "They lead the Baram Alliance of dark guilds with Grimoire Heart and Tartaros, but we don't know much about them. They are nomads, which is why none of us could root them out yet; it doesn't help that every single one of them is a match for most of Fairy Tail's wizards."

"Even the S-rank wizards?"

"Don't put too much stock in the rank. It doesn't make us stronger than the rest, it just means we passed the test. I'm pretty sure Natsu could beat most S-rankers by now. No, I don't know how, it's just a feeling." Her question pre-empted, Priscilla just nodded. "But yes, they are infamous for a reason. I'd say we would need all our S-rankers to beat them head-on. Me, Erza, Laxus, Gildarts, and Mirajane. Which we can't do," he finished with a sigh.

"Because Mira can't use her Satan Soul?" she guessed. However one's mind could block use of certain magics, Priscilla still did not quite understand that. Another human thing.

"No, because the Council would come down on us." Mystogan sighed, explaining without any prompt: "For some stupid reason, the ban on wizard guilds fighting each other includes dark guilds. Erza skirted the rules with Eisenwald because the group was small enough and she the only S-rank, but if we put together an elite force strong enough to take Oracion Seis...." He trailed off there and shrugged, conveying the idea well enough.

However, Priscilla was confused now. "And they would not change the legal code to cover such an oversight?" Much to her dismay, Mystogan snorted.

"Not this Council, no. They see that Fiore is stable and figure everything works as intended, so they aren't changing anything. Meanwhile, the big dark guilds are just about immune to us and break the laws however they want."

She committed every piece of his little rant to memory, nodding along while wondering if perhaps she should read up on local law and join this Council. Mystogan shook his head one last time however, then glanced her way again. "Enough of that," he declared. "Where are you from? You suffer the same problem with Ethernano I do, and I have never seen anything like you before on my travels."

She could deflect the question again, but felt no real reason to. So Priscilla inclined her head at him. "A world without a name to itself. Always in flux, blossoming beneath Lord Gwyn's sun. Souls are more free there, without any Ethernano to be found. It is quite a different world from this one, or Edolas."

"I see. Is there magic then, without Ethernano?"

Priscilla indulged his request and spoke of the soul arts again, as well as divine miracles; her knowledge barely scratched the surface, but it was enough for Mystogan. They soon left the woods and returned to the guild hall. She noticed that Cana and Bisca joined Erza for a drink while the redhead moodily ate strawberry shortcake; Priscilla recalled that it was Erza's favourite, but today it seemed unable to lift her spirits. Makarov was present also, offering a faint nod to Mystogan as they separated.

While the taciturn wizard returned to his quiet corner, Priscilla approached Erza. Now may not be the best time, but she felt that perhaps a distraction would do the redhead good. She waited until her friend was done with the cake before speaking up, though: "Erza? Would you be willing to teach me Requip?"

Her ploy worked and the knightess let herself be distracted; so Priscilla spent a few hours learning the basic item box. Combat-speed requip like Erza herself used was a level of mastery she would not approach anytime soon, but her scythe could be stored away into the afternoon. "Just be careful about how much you store," Erza cautioned her once they were past the first stage. An ivory magic circle gleamed between them. "Your item box is tied into mental space, so you can always sort through it. But the more you put into it, the more space it takes up in your head."

Priscilla decided not to mention that she felt no strain at all. Pointing out differences between herself and a human would just lead to unnecessary tension.

Once she was proficient with the item box and earned praise from her tutor for how fast she learned, Priscilla moved over to where Natsu was once again stuffing his face; apparently, it was time for dinner. Lucy sat two seats away to avoid any spray and flying bones, while Gray opposite to him kept grousing about his table manners.

"I was meaning to speak with you," she began after settling by Natsu's side; he glanced her way curiously, but only stopped eating when the next part registered: "Upon my journey, I met a dragon." Natsu immediately perked up, trying to swallow everything in his mouth and coughing heavily. Lucy gave his back some rough slaps while Priscilla waited for him to be receptive for more information. Most of the guild was listening in already. Once he calmed down and made to ask, she shook her head. "Not Igneel though, I am afraid."

"Oh." He deflated somewhat, only to shake it off and lean forward eagerly. "Who did you meet then? And where? I never heard of any dragons around before!"

Priscilla bit her tongue thoughtfully, unwilling to disclose what she heard of the plan to kill this kinslayer. Whoever conceived it must have put measures in place she was not aware of. "I travelled to Sun Village, far away from Fiore," she ultimately began. "The master figured the giants there may know more of my origins, which they sadly did not." She nodded to the elder, who sat on the bar counter. He frowned, but did not interrupt. "However, the sacred flame they rever turned out to be the remains of Atlas Flame, a fire dragon. His soul still lingered and we had a pleasant conversation. Unfortunately, he did not know of Igneel's whereabouts either."

"Ah, that's alright. I'll just need to keep looking." Having shaken off his funk entirely, Natsu bounced on his seat with a cheerful grin. "What was he like? What did he say? Hey Lucy, can we go there and see him?"

"The journey would take ages," his partner immediately refused with a grimace. "We don't have the money, anyway."

"Aww."

When he turned back to Priscilla for his other question, the crossbreed pondered it momentarily. "We spoke of many things, of magic, of the village, of humans." She went through her eidetic memory and paused at one particular notion. "Curiously though, he called you Prince. Igneel is apparently king of the fire dragons."

It took a moment for the news to register, but soon there were people snickering all around them. Gray outright laughed while pointing at the dumbfounded Natsu, as did Happy. Lucy just pinched the bridge of her nose.

Then Mirajane sashayed along, placing another helping of steak and potatoes in front of Natsu. Only it was arranged like a crown. The barmaid curtsied and hustled away under cheers and laughter. Natsu laughed, too; he held his belly by the end of it, wiping a tear of joy from his eyes. "You mean it? Me, a prince?" Priscilla shrugged in response, at which point the Dragonslayer jumped up. "Alright then, I need a court! Happy is my vizier!" The Exceed cheered from beneath the table. "Erza is the guard captain!" He even ignored the little glare she threw his way for making a scene. "The master is my royal adviser!"

Makarov just huffed while the room broke into cheers with every announcement.

"And Lucy?" Priscilla could not help but ask, curious.

"The queen!"

His immediate response startled the blonde, who began to stammer something unintelligible. Natsu only realised what he just said when the room responded with whistles and applause, blushing as pink as his hair. Priscilla needed a moment longer than that to get the implication.

The teasing continued from there, slowly petering out as people began to head home. Priscilla almost did the same, but decided to pick her next job first. She crouched before the job board as the taproom emptied, pondering what to choose.

That was when a hand tapped her thigh, belonging to Levy. The blunette waved once Priscilla noticed her. "Heya, did you find your next job yet?" When she shook her head, Levy nodded. "Okay, so, thing is, Shadow Gear is teaming up with Elfman for a mission, and it's a juicy one. Some remote village near the border went dark, no word from anyone for a while. People are worried. I'd like to have an extra set of eyes around, if you're interested? And, well, only Elfman is really a fighter, so in case something happens, too."

Priscilla's gaze wandered to Natsu, which Levy noticed even while she rambled at her. The blunette immediately shook her head and waved her hands. "Nope, absolutely not! Natsu would destroy half the village and any clues with it. Same for Gray, or Erza, or Lucy, or about half of the others." She stopped herself there and chuckled. "Well, we kinda also want you because you don't break everything you touch."

The taller woman could not help but agree. Collateral damage was a staple of many Fairy Tail wizards, even Priscilla heard of that. She pondered the matter a moment longer before nodding. "Very well, I will join you."

 

[Naron]

"The Unison Raid is a curious phenomenon. Commonly seen in two wizards combining their magical power into a vastly superior spell, this technique is not exactly one which can be learned. Rather, Unison Raids are a property of magic's inherent will and how it aligns with the caster; if two or more people cast magic side by side while holding the same state of mind, their magics will synchronise and combine. This is most common in battle brothers/sisters familiar with each other, though even absolute strangers may trigger the technique. Neither does it require positive emotions like desire to protect a loved one; any shared emotional state with the same target suffices."

-excerpt from "The Love of Magic"

---

A soft rain fell as they headed out, staccatos of thin droplets quickly soaking Priscilla's dress. She sighed softly and considered using Diver to escape it.

"Aww, having trouble?" Levy teased. A circled 'Cover' floating over her head repelled the rain. Jet and Droy carried normal umbrealls while Elfman bore it stoically. The blunette was far too cheerful about Priscilla's annoyance, though. "I thought you don't care about the cold?"

"It is not the cold, nor the water. These clothes clinging to my skin is irritating, though."

"Ah."

"And I believe shedding them to walk without is inappropriate?"

"Yeah. Though I guess most people wouldn't complain if it's you."

"How so?"

Levy just laughed in response, leaving Priscilla to wonder what she meant. None of the men chimed in either. Once it became clear she would get nothing about the subject, she huffed before moving on: "Where are we headed? You said close to a border?"

"A small village called Starlet," Jet noted. "You heard about it?"

"As a matter of fact, I have." Having studied her maps for a decent amount of time, she could recall them without issue. "About 300 kilometres from here, near the border Fiore shares with Ka Elm. I assume you will take the train?"

"Well duh, that's why we're going to the train station." Levy giggled, but the sound quickly petered out as she peered up at the giantess walking with them. "You can take the train, right?"

"No, I shall go on foot." Priscilla shrugged off the surprise, wondering why word did not spread yet. "It is how I traversed the country thus far, and that is more than enough for me. I like to see the various areas, anyway." She stopped herself there, unwilling to justify herself further.

For their part, the humans accepted her reasoning without complaint. Levy did wink at her, though. "Alright then, we're riding the train to Akane and walk the rest of the way. You better be there before we solved it all," she teased. Priscilla arched an eyebrow at her, another gesture she learned from those around. The blunette just laughed.

"I'd race you if it wasn't that far," Jet joked with an easy grin, fixing his hat in place. "I can't really keep up my speed magic for that long. Whatever, you got most of the day to get there; trains don't go from here to Akane directly, so we need to switch a few times. Think you can do it?"

"Obviously." Priscilla already did the math, though her confidence would not even need it. The others grinned in response, then waved when she split off outside of the station. "In fact, I shall take my leave now. Until later."

"See you!"

The various calls that followed Levy's were quickly drowned out by the rain; Priscilla took up speed and dashed away, avoiding deeper puddles so as to not splash water everywhere. She dove underground to move faster, but resurfaced outside of Magnolia; under cover of trees, she quickly disrobed and pushed everything into her item box. What little rain made it through the canopy felt much nicer on her skin, not to mention that the practice with spatial magic was helpful. She carried provisions, her scythe, and several sets of clothes with her now. Other supplies would certainly follow.

Activating Diver again, Priscilla began her day trip in earnest; she paid special attention to avoiding the occasional village or town however, mainly so her nude form would not draw anyone's ire. She had soon outrun the rain that plagued Magnolia.

That same rain still fell outside the train Levy just entered. She watched it pelt the station's stone floor from inside the cabin. A towel covered her head, courtesy of Droy. The plant wizard carried extra clothes while Jet had food and Levy brought any books they might need. She sighed softly, hoping that Priscilla would be okay like she said. Then the idle thoughts were put aside, seeing that it was time for business. "So, what do we actually expect? Sickness, some kind of plague? Army movements from Ka Elm? Some dark guild or a cult? Maybe just a misunderstanding?"

"Hard to say," Droy answered first as he set up a small drying spell for what parts of their clothes got damp by rain, and Elfman in general. "There are too many different things that could have happened. I'd like the misunderstanding, though. Some people just ran late or they had an emergency in the village or something. Would be nice."

"We can't discount it," Jet added from his seat next to the plant wizard. He leaned back staring at the ceiling, arms crossed. "But none of us really thinks it was just that, right?" Everyone shook their heads in response, to which he nodded. "Figured. I guess the crown posted that commission because it's so close to the border?"

Levy pointed at him with a nod. "Yeah, sending soldiers would make Ka Elm nervous." She chuckled then, throwing a coy smile to the hulking man sat next to her. "But if it is something dangerous, well, we have Elfman and Priscilla. Should be fine."

"Don't jinx it, Levy!"

"Come on," she groused back at Jet in immediate annoyance, "that's superstition. The facts don't change just because I say something."

"Sure," he agreed, pointing back at her, "but we don't know the facts right now, do we?"

"Your point?" She stared at him expectantly for a moment, but rolled her eyes right after. If he wanted to play that game, fine. "Alright, listen here: Let's get married when we're back. There is no way I'm going to die along the way, and neither are you. I'm sure it's nothing. I have no regrets. I'll retire after this one. Priscilla is on her own but I'm sure she'll be fine. There's something I need to tell you after this. Did I forget one?"

Levy paused to think back over the list she just rattled off, but Jet's heavy sigh made her grin regardless. Elfman nudged the laughing Droy with his foot. "What's she doing?"

"Reciting every death flag from novels she can think of."

"Whazzat?"

"People call them death flags because the character who says one of these ends up dying soon after," the plant wizard explained. "It's a stylistic thing authors like, dunno why."

Elfman nodded at that. "Makes sense," he muttered, leaned back as he was. "Really should pick up more books sometime. I haven't read many the last few years."

"Well," Levy teased, "it takes time getting this buff." She jokingly patted his muscular bicep; much to her delight, Elfman blushed brightly. Teasing him was just too much fun.

Playing over his embarassment, the large man made to stare outside, watching the countryside flowing by; the train got going at some point during their conversation. Elfman frowned after a moment, though. "I don't like the rain," he murmured.

"Oh come on, not you, too!"

Despite Jet's complaints, they soon settled back into a comfortable silence interspersed with banter. The four had to switch trains twice. By the time they arrived at the final station, a sunny though somewhat cold afternoon greeted them. Looking around the city of Akane, Levy recited some things she read over the nearby beach resort to fill the time; there was no Pris in sight. Everyone took a few minutes to stretch, then Levy got back to the matter at hand: "Starlet is thirty-five kilometres out from here. We probably won't make it before nightfall."

"Yeah." Elfman nodded, arms crossed as they often were. He clearly stood out amidst the crowd, standing taller than just about anyone. "You read anything about local inns?"

"There's a respectable place down the main road, but it's probably very busy," Levy ventured, only for a head to emerge from the ground. The blunette leapt back in surprise, pressing a hand to her chest. "Geez, Pris, don't scare me like that!"

"Apologies." She began to rise, absolutely drawing attention to them now. A fully clothed and dry Priscilla soon stood with them, hands clasped behind her back. As they repeated their previous musings however, the issue of time visibly confused her. "There are still several hours of sunlight. Why would the path to... ah." Her gaze went as low as their legs. "That makes sense. I suppose I could carry the four of you?"

Levy had to think about that one for a bit; riding on a giantess' shoulders was enticing, but at the same time she could tell at least Elfman did not like the prospect. At the same time, it meant being there a day earlier. That took priority. "Sure," she agreed with a renewed grin and raised her arms like she had not in over a decade. "C'mon, pick me up!"

"Do we have to?" Elfman whined, then growled when Levy winked down at him from Priscilla's shoulder.

"Yup. Speed is key this time. If we don't make it, we can camp out."

Despite her decision as the de-facto leader of their group, the men decided to walk at first. After making sure that no carriage went to Starlet, they began their march; everyone was a little antsy, but Levy calmed herself by hugging a silky soft wave of hair to her face. After a few minutes however, it became clear that Priscilla easily outpaced anyone else with her larger strides. "Long legs sure are convenient," Levy joked, but got no response from the giantess.

At the same time however, said giantess leaned down and picked up Elfman as well as Droy. Both squirmed and complained, but she simply hugged them to her chest for stability. "You two are too slow," Priscilla commented, then nodded down at Jet. "But I believe you have speed magic?"

"Aye. Set the pace, I'll be with you."

And she did. Were Levy a tad slower, she would have fallen off the moment her huge friend leaned forward to speed up. She barely managed to sink her hands into Pris' hair, holding on tight; nonetheless, Levy went trailing after the larger woman momentarily. Her feet left clear imprints in the dirt road, sending tremors through the ground with every step. Levy's surprised squeak quickly turned into a whoop as she pulled herself back; wind began to sweep through her deep blue hair, breathing elation into the young woman. A blur shot past them as Jet used his magic, racing ahead before slowing down to let Priscilla catch up.

Levy giggled about his posing, well aware that full speed would not last him the whole distance; Jet's pace soon evened out and he ran by Priscilla's side. Levy slowly made herself comfortable, one hand holding on the collar of her friend's deep green dress and the other grasping her ivory hair. Yet as the elation began to fade, she could not help but worry about what may lie ahead. Despite covering many possible cases on the train, there was just too much yet unknown.

Unaware of Levy's trepidation, Priscilla enjoyed the run with Jet. They made good time and reached Starlet as the sun began to set. That was where her own good mood began to waver, however; the village lay empty.

They slowed to a stop right after the first houses, but found no one to greet them. There was no trace of the villagers; open doors and windows stared at the five like empty eyes. The humans were more uncomfortable with the silence than Priscilla, but even she felt a certain wariness around this area.

It quickly became clear there was no immediate threat. Without any traces of battle to be found, the group split up to cover more ground before dusk. Levy rooted around inside the buildings, only to find almost every internal surface covered in a fine coat of dust. Elfman adopted the nose of a hound and attempted to track by scent what may have happened; he mostly found a foreign yet familiar smell lying over everything. Jet darted across the area in search of clues, being the first to come across the hole dug in the marketplace. It led nowhere.

While Droy gently interrogated the surrounding plants with mixed success, Priscilla strode along the main road. She tried to figure out what may have happened from context clues. Villagers did not just leave their home like that, especially not without a trace and no word to anyone. Into her musings, she heard a faint crunch that gave her pause; it sounded different than the packed dirt giving way.

Raising her foot, Priscilla studied a small pile of black crumbs. Just a few paces away lay something of a similar colour, little bigger than her nails. The shape was vaguely humanoid, if more in line with a burned cookie. Now that she knew what those were after Mira baked a few weeks back, the comparison felt apt. Thoughts of the giant biscuit she had been given were pushed aside in favour of the odd little thing she found; Priscilla lifted it gingerly and, once she noticed more nearby, ate the tar-like substance with a grimace. It tasted even worse than it looked.

"Found anything?" Jet inquired as he passed by her; Priscilla handed him one of the black thingies but had nothing else to report. He huffed. "Yeah, same with me. I-"

They were interrupted when Elfman came by from the opposite direction, his canine nose twitching. He was clearly pale, peeking into a nearby shed before recoiling. Priscilla rushed to his side immediately, but the smell answered any questions she might have had. Sickly sweet rot, with excrements mixed in. Flies inhabited the shed, their quiet buzzing now audible.

"What's in there?"

She quickly stopped Jet from looking and pulled Elfman away, then reached inside to bat the insects away. Going by the size... "Child. I reckon it has been dead for days. I don't see any injuries either, so poison or thirst?"

"Shit," Jet cursed, just as pale as Elfman now; he quickly dragged him away and Priscilla followed. No one needed to say it, but they all knew something horrible must have happened. This belief only affirmed itself when, soon after, Elfman caught another trace. Bodies were left in several corners, having died while hiding from whatever evil came upon Starlet.

Just as the last ray of sunlight vanished beyond the horizon, a scream echoed over the dead village. Jet whirled around with a gasped "Levy", then darted away. Priscilla recognised her voice as well and got running, Elfman hot on her heels. They rushed back to the torn-up marketplace, where their friend was found. Priscilla ground to a halt just behind Jet, frozen by the sight.

Levy lay on the ground, shuddering as blood began to soak her waist and back. Above her stood a woman of sorts; she wore a mask that only revealed eyes and mouth, black before the face but white steel above and below. A large, purple gem sat front and center atop the helmet, which opened on both sides for tufts of green hair, or perhaps ears. More importantly however, the hands sprouting from her purple sleeves were leathery, sporting vicious, bony claws; the same went for her legs, making the stranger reminiscent of a bird.

"How disappointing," she mused in a dark but melodious voice. "No more than a few meaningless wizards." Her clawed foot tore up the ground idly as the woman studied them. A cold gaze ran over each of them, then flicked to Droy who arrived from elsewhere. "No matter, I got what I needed and even get to play a bit. How unfortunate for the lot of you. Maybe I keep one... but not her." A nasty grin followed the last bit, then the woman placed her foot on Levy's back and pressed down, making her victim gurgle in pain.

"Let her go! Supercharge!"

Jet charged as fast as he could project his spell, leaving everyone else behind. The bird-woman only managed two steps before he reached, but she braced and caught his dropkick on her arm. The force pushed her several metres back, but her hand already closed around Jet's ankle by the time she stopped. Everyone moved forward to assist, but none reached before their friend was slammed into the ground. The woman pulled and hammered him down with contemptuous ease, leaving deep gouges in the packed dirt. Then she braced and whirled him around by the leg, right at Priscilla.

She had to stop herself and catch her bruised friend, letting Elfman and Droy charge ahead of her. Carefully placing the beaten wizard next to Levy's unconcious form, she watched vines break from the ground to bind their assailant; the moment they touched the woman, they twisted and grew into fanged maws, viciously snapping at Elfman who roared and punched them away. The stranger smirked at the sight of his fur-covered, clawed hand. "Take Over?" she taunted haughtily, then caught his fist. "How curious. But only that one arm, huh? How about-"

Priscilla was moving again, but they were too far away. Droy grew more vines and bundled them up as desperate steps carried her forward, wide eyes focussed on how Elfman was pushed back; he stumbled from the overwhelming force. Her claws grew to the size of blades and lashed forward.

The dragon pushed herself further and kicked, catching the monster in her chest and sending her flying; a spray of blood followed her path however, accompanied by Elfman's scream. His severed arm landed with a hollow thud, soaking the earth in crimson. Priscilla could not help but stare at her maimed friend, not for the gore but for his pain; Droy was taken aback as well. "We've got to go!" he shouted while new vines grew to grab Elfman and his arm, constricting the wound to stem his bleeding.

"And who said you are allowed to, hmm?"

Kyoka relished how their eyes snapped back to her, unharmed as she was. Smoothing out a few creases in her leotard, she idly strolled back up to them. For Kyoka was Etherious, an archdevil even, and thus a gaggle of humans required neither finesse nor subtlety. Her lips drew back to reveal sharpened teeth. "There is no escape," she admonished them with faux gentleness, though her gaze rested mostly on the giantess. "Then again," Kyoka mused, "maybe I will keep you. Another soldier would never be remiss."

The larger woman's eyes narrowed. She snarled, her slitted pupils following Kyoka's every motion. The tail intrigued her to an extent, but she would figure it out soon enough. Then a magic circle gleamed and the other woman vanished underground; Kyoka clicked her tongue and counted to two, then darted forward to evade the larger body's reemergence. Diver was always so bothersome to fight. Then again, not so much now. Not when the one in question had 'friends' along.

She allowed herself a satisfied grin when her hand closed around the plant wizard's face, dragging him away and tearing through his pitiful creations like paper. She made several metres before the giantess even began to move, slamming her captive's head into the nearest wall. Then again, and again, and again; Kyoka's grin grew with each impact, seeing how it visibly scared and enraged her final opponent. Yes, some mutations and alterations, that one would make a fine soldier.

The wall breaking distracted her momentarily. Kyoka peered down at the unfortunate wizard and arched an eyebrow in surprise. "My, the stone gave before your head did. How impressive," she drawled before letting go. Even through a protective shell of Ethernano, humans hardly stayed concious through such small impacts. Then Kyoka ducked under the lunging giantess, who crashed into the building and tore it down entirely; a cloud of dust covered them, but Kyoka simply sauntered out of it, toward her first victim.

"What is the matter?" she taunted the general area, presenting her back and swinging ponytail. A third eye grew at the back of her head to observe secretly, finding no trace of her final opponent. She could sense the Ethernano underneath just fine, though. The moment it darted upward, Kyoka took a single step and delivered a devastating kick to the emerging woman's abdomen. She folded over the demon's foot and went flying, five bloody gouges marring her rump; impact broke yet another little house. The fact she drew blood on the first hit intrigued Kyoka once more. "Oh?" she taunted the rising giant again, "what is this? Magic, but not even basic protections? What kind of failure are you?"

A devastating growl filled the empty plaza, but Kyoka paid it no mind. The posturing of weaklings mattered naught. She simply turned around and approached the blue-haired woman, since unconcious. The bellowed "Leave them alone!" went ignored also. An annoyed huff preceded her foot grabbing onto the downed woman's shoulder, claws tearing into her flesh for hold so she could turn her around, see her face.

Kyoka turned back to her approaching enemy, smirking as she beheld the tears in her dress. They were surrounded by four beaten wizards, though none of them would die quite yet. She just needed to push the Diver-user a little further so she lost her composure fully. "There was never any doubt how this would end, you know?" A trace of glee followed Kyoka's announcement, riding in her voice even though she tried to sound gentle. "I will kill them and take you away to fight for us, for Tartaros. You should feel honoured, very few get that chance." She chuckled and raised her foot. "But first of all, let me remove the trash."

And suddenly, something deep within her screamed. She never felt it before, a sudden shudder the moment the final word was spoken. Kyoka hesitated, her gut revolting as fear never felt coursed through her entire being; a pit opened in her stomach, every hair on her body stood on end. The snarl had fallen off her opponent's face, to be replaced with disgust.

Before she could expel the foreign sensation, the world ground to a stop. Her foot remained in the air, hands at ease, the smirk still half in place. Only Kyoka's eyes widened as she felt her entire body lock up. No wind blew anymore, no distant sounds reached their ears. It took a moment for her to realise that even the beating of her heart was absent. Another sense screamed then, making Kyoka focus on the being before her; she blazed with Ethernano, a veritable sun of magical power. It coiled around her in an utterly alien way, carrying along something foreign and indescribable; it hooked into reality itself before subduing the very fabric of existence, keeping Kyoka and everything around her frozen.

She stared, unable to do anything else. She could not even shudder under that disgusted glare, the very same she herself wore when disposing of human trash. This was no human though, Kyoka now knew. This was an apex predator the likes of which she never witnessed before.

"Legacy of Reign Eternal," the woman proclaimed her spell's name, more an afterthought to the frightful display. Her voice rolled like thunder in the absolute silence of a world unchanging; then she stepped forward, looming further over the frozen demon. An ebony scythe appeared in her hand, the sight of which made Kyoka flinch despite the bindings. Every fibre of her being was ablaze with horror and the desire to flee, but she was trapped in her own body and could only watch the end approach.

Once half the distance between them was breached, Kyoka's unconcious terror magnified further. Then she saw them, from one moment to the next. They filled her vision to the distant horizon: dragons, one and all. They arrayed behind the giant in many forms, scales of stone shedding dust, wings fluttering in the nonexistent breeze. Only one was different, taking center stage behind her yet towering above even Priscilla. Pearly white skin gleamed in the approaching night, no scale in sight; it hunched on the ground, no legs to be seen as gossamer wings folded on its back. There were no eyes, yet she knew the creature attentively followed her every motion.

Some glared at Kyoka, some outright refused to behold a pitiful nothing like her. Yet they all screamed, shouting defiance against gods the likes of which she could not imagine. Their roars filled Kyoka, echoing through her very being as they battered at her soul. She understood now, and so she broke. Were her heart able to stop beating instead of being frozen, she would have died of fright that very moment.

The monster before her was a Unison Raid. An entire race once genocided, ten thousand godlike beings poured their fury into her. She wielded their wrath as her weapon, and now it all pointed at Kyoka. To hunt all life they held in contempt, to snuff it out like a candle's flame.

It was not fair for such a being to exist. Yet in that same moment, Kyoka understood that life was not about fairness. What was she but a speck of dust in the eyes of nature itself?

Priscilla's scythe descended desceptively slow, its blade almost embracing Kyoka's neck. A single tear brimmed in the demon's eye as she met the goddess' gaze, silently begging mercy. Priscilla but sneered and Kyoka knew there would be none. Just as the scythe was pulled back, she saw the truth.

Kyoka believed herself the apex of Earthland, member of its greatest race. Now however, a moment before her death, she understood that she was nothing.

 

[Naron]

"Living Magic brings with it many a problem. Being constructs made of Ethernano at base, the early stages consist of creating automatons that follow set routines but can not think for themselves; the pinnacle is to create true life, to induce a soul. However, with a soul comes free will, and one never knows the personality a new life will take."

-excerpt from "The Soul of Magic"

---

When Levy came to, night had fallen. She lay still and felt the throbbing of her wounds; something hit her from behind before she could focus on any defenses. It hurt, but she was alive.

She vaguely remembered talking before everything went black, now an eerie silence hung over her; the moonlight cast long shadows as she slowly turned her head. A gentle breeze kissed Levy's clammy skin; she shivered, then realised that her dress was gone. The only cloth she wore were her panties and some kind of bandages that sat loose around her wounds. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up to another odd sight.

Priscilla sat in front of her, with everyone else placed on lumps she vaguely identified as oversized clothes. The giantess shuffled around with wood and various distressed noises, only to pause every half minute to check the area for threats. The next time she did so and beheld Levy's sitting form, the tired blunette waved lamely. "Hi," she rasped, her throat dry.

"Levy. Thank goodness you are...." Priscilla trailed off, almost having dragged her into a crushing embrace. She barely refrained, turning back to the innocious wood and glaring at it. Just as Levy wanted to offer help, a wave of heat followed the fire igniting. It immediately cast light on the dragon lady's own state, her dress lacking half its skirt and sporting a splotch of crimson around the stomach. She did not seem to care, rather fussing over Levy with quivering eyes. "I am so glad that you woke up. What do I do with Elfman?"

The blunette followed her motion to her guildmate's unconcious form; what she saw chased the weakness away somewhat, drawing a horrified gasp. His arm was gone, separated just below the shoulder that Priscilla wrapped in bloody cloth; the limb itself was placed next to him.

Levy immediately marshalled herself and drew on the yet untouched Ethernano within. "Solid Script," she intoned as the spell circle came, drawing a word in the air with her finger. "Constrict." The letters quickly arrayed in a circle as she willed them, coming to rest along Elfman's shoulder and pressing tighter to ensure it would not bleed. "We need to freeze the arm," she continued. "Maybe a doctor can put it back on." An icy breath followed at once, freezing the detached limb solid. Levy had little hope, but she never read much about the field.

Jet and Droy seemed fine at first glance, both of them resting on the same bundled shirt. In fact, Droy began to stir as she studied him. Levy looked down at herself with a sigh, not quite willing to flash the poor man. He was already crushing on her, she ought to not make it worse. "Where is my-" she began, only to spot her dress nearby. Moreover, she finally got to see her assailant, dead on the ground in a scarlet pool, almost black. The head was cleanly removed, a single bloody tear frozen on her slack face.

A shudder ran down her back at the grisly sight, but Levy forced herself to ignore it and grabbed her dress, carefully sliding the thick, dark yellow cloth over her shoulders. It was definitely not thick enough for an Autumn night, but better than nothing. She even managed to get dressed before Droy actually came to, her friend snapping to attention with a shout that roused Jet. "What the- owwwww." Though it quickly transitioned into a pained moan; Droy cradled his face, wincing. "I feel like someone slammed my head into a wall."

"She did," Priscilla confirmed tonelessly; her helpless gaze was now on the men. "I do not know how to treat internal wounds. I'm sorry."

It took some time to calm their distraught friend; while Levy did that, Jet as the least injured of them quickly began to cook something. They all drank from their waterskins, too; even just plain water felt divine to her parched throat, made her feel a little less weak.

Then Elfman woke up with a start, first wiggling a little in his spot before Droy helped him up. The horror on his face when he realised his arm was gone, Levy knew it it would follow into her dreams for a while. Elfman stared at the bloody bandages, his breathing growing ever more laboured. Droy talked to him quietly, too quiet to be heard over Levy's own work comforting Pris. Then Elfman shuddered and began to cry, wailing in despair that ran all the way down her spine. He accepted a hug from Droy, who kept whispering at him; at this point Levy considered joining them, what with Priscilla being more focussed on Elfman as well, but her aching wounds demanded she stay still. Jet checked over their bandages and applied new ones in-between tending to the food, being the only one with some nurse training.

Minutes passed eternally slow but eventually, the stew was ready; it's rich scent woke Levy up a little more. Pris refrained, insisting the others eat as much as they could; Levy offered her a weak smile and dug in, unwilling to argue right now. Even Elfman ate after they talked him into it, visibly forcing down every spoonful; Levy understood that, she was not hungry either.

"Well," she broke the heavy silence after a time, uncomfortable with how everyone stared into the fire. "The good news is we figured out what happened here." No one was happy about it, not even Levy herself. "The bad news is we don't know what this woman wanted. Or who she is."

"Or what she was," Droy added with a glance at the corpse no one bothered to remove. He shivered and looked away, much like the rest of them. Elfman did not, though; he stared at the dead woman with an inscrutable expression.

When he answered the question tonelessly, the pit in Levy's stomach grew deeper: "A demon. Sis bleeds that colour when she's in Satan Soul."

Her own curiousity and the need to ask a hundred questions were buried by apathy and the understanding that now was not the time. She winced when her own wounds acted up, but was distracted when Jet nodded his head. "Makes sense, nothing else could be that horrifying. Thanks, Zeref." For once, she did not argue the point.

"I heard that Zeref's demons are called 'Etherious'," Priscilla provided softly, her expression oddly blank; she had their undivided attention at once. "They are supposedly built for combat. If it is any consolation, she was crying before the end." This, finally, reminded Levy who must have dealt with the monster after she fainted. The others seemed to pick up on it, too.

Droy was the one to ask the question for all of them: "Okay, so, how did you kill her?"

They had to wait for a while; Priscilla's face remained expressionless as she gazed into the flame. She must be aware of the four stares almost boring a hole into her skull. When she did respond, it was barely audible: "Lifehunt. My death magic."

A crow cawed somewhere in the darkness while Levy stared at her friend, uncertain how to respond. She had no idea Pris held that kind of power and momentarily felt fear. It was quickly replaced with worry, though. Before she could even decide how to react, a growl rolled over their campfire.

"And you couldn't use it earlier?" Elfman ground out, snarling at Pris. "Take her down before, before-" "No."

And Priscilla snarled back, her glare so furious that it made a chill run down Levy's spine. "No," she repeated with forced calm. "I could not."

"Well, why not?!" Elfman shouted, uncaring for their friend's behaviour. He glared at her, dared her to respond, and was stopped short when she did.

"Because I hate it!"

When Priscilla shouted back at him, her words echoed across the countryside. Distant birds took flight and the wildlife fled. She leaned forward until her face was right in front of Elfman, teeth bared. Levy was taken aback by the aggression, but it did not escalate like she feared; Pris grimaced and slowly settled back down, both hands pressed to her temples. "I hate it," she reiterated for her silent companions. "I am a dragon, no matter my attempts to pretend otherwise. You art human, so small in comparison. If I deigned to crush you underfoot, who were to bring me to justice? Who but myself can stop me, especially here, where there art no gods?" Her clear disgust petered out with each word, the small rant ending in a sigh. "Had I known, I would have done it earlier. But I could not know it would be like this. I must not indulge in my power lest it consumes me again. I do not want to hurt you, ever. And I will hurt you, should I ever forget what it means to cherish life."

Levy had no idea what to make of this; in fact, she began to realise that she did not understand how her friend's mind worked at all. "I believe you", she began with the one thing she knew, for she had never seen Pris that distraught before. "But I don't understand."

The admission earned her a faint smile, though it lacked warmth. "Of course you don't," Pris agreed. "You never had to fight your own nature or risk calamity befalling those around you."

"...but I did. I get it now."

All eyes snapped back to Elfman, pale as he was in the firelight. Tears trailed from his eyes, words but a whisper: "I get it."

It took Levy a moment longer to make the connection and old pain flared in her chest for a moment. Time took the sting from it, but she doubted it would ever truly fade. Jet and Droy grimaced as well, though Pris was obviously unaware. The giantess schooled her features, gently leaning forward. "Would you tell me?"

Elfman stared into the fire for a long time, not even acknowledging when Shadow Gear clumsily rubbed his back from one side or the other. The tears stopped from time to time, only to start up again. In the end, he hugged himself with the one arm he still had. "I killed my sister. My little Lisanna," was how far Elfman got before breaking into sobs again. Jet took over comforting him while Levy explained to Priscilla.

"Mira took them to hunt an S-class beast a few years back. No one really knows what it is, but it's called 'King of Beasts'. Long story short, Elfman tried to use Take Over, and, well, lost when trying to subdue the monster. It ran berserk. He managed to suppress it in the end, but only after, you know." She helplessly twitched toward the vulnerable man, uncomfortable with the subject. "He and Mira both blame themselves for her death."

Priscilla nodded sadly, then reached out and grasped Elfman in her arms. Cradling him to her chest, she joined their efforts to comfort him until the weeping stopped. "You should sleep," the giantess ultimately murmured. "I will stand guard for the night. You all need rest."

They accepted her words without complaint. Elfman was spent and Levy, too, was tired. Her wounds ached and her dress stank now. She slipped out of it again, all previous considerations ignored, and wrapped into a blanket on her bedroll. Then she snuggled against Elfman for warmth, the others soon following. By the end, Jet's head rested on her thigh and Droy leaneed against Elfman's back. A silent giant towered over them, the quiet crackling of fire and their own exhaustion taking them to sleep in minutes.

The next morning, Jet and Droy helped break camp while the two truly wounded sat aside. Elfman kept staring at the nearby corpse, however; after a time and a nudge from Levy, he offered his opinion: "Should take it along. Sis might want it."

Priscilla wordlessly swept up the body and flash-froze it, then produced a bag to store it in. No one complained when she picked them all up afterward, to be carried back; it was not a pleasant journey, even though the giantess tried her best not to aggravate their wounds. No one spoke, all caught in their own grim thoughts.

Their reception back in Akane was shocked; people immediately directed them to the local clinic and the doctors took a look at Levy and Elfman in minutes. Burning alchemical substances were applied, compresses pressed onto the open wounds; Levy received stitches, though she was already resigned to visible scars at this point. Unfortunately, Elfman's arm was a loss; the nerves were too badly damaged to be reattached.

"Is there no magic to heal him?" Pris inquired quietly from her spot outside of the window, hopeful eyes on Levy. The doctors were busy fussing over her friends now, giving the blunette time to dash her hopes.

"Healing magic was lost long ago. No one really knows how it works and the scholars haven't figured out any more than the very basics." She winced over how visibly the other woman's face fell. "I don't know why it's lost, people debate about that a lot. But nobody has any real idea. Sorry."

Several hours after their arrival, the doctors were done with them. Jet and Droy miraculously came out of it with no more than nasty bruises; Priscilla's injury, now hidden by a fresh dress, had already healed. The clinic did not quite want them to leave, but Levy talked them into it. "We have to get back to Magnolia," she ended reassuringly. "Once we're there, we will go right to the local hospital."

"Magnolia," the middle-aged woman mused with another glance at her, then she huffed. "Ah, right. Fairy Tail. I did not even think about the guild marks. That makes sense. Be sure to see the doctors there, you in particular need rest."

"Don't worry, ma'am," Jet chimed in with a faint grin, one hand landing on Levy's head. "We're going to make sure she goes there. Elfman, too." She swatted the hand away indignantly, but did no more than pout at him. The doctor chuckled, nodding along. Then Jet went to another uncomfortable subject: "How much for the treatment?"

He was waved off immediately. "There is no need. We will send the bills to your guild for processing, as usual."

And so they left Akane, successful but subdued. Jet and Droy helped Levy and Elfman onto the train, making sure both of them were comfortable. Before that however, Levy thankfully remembered something that still had to be done. "Pris," she called to her quiet friend, "you need to go report to our client. Someone's got to and we, uh, can't." The giantess nodded at once and Levy felt relief that this would be taken care of. "It's her highness, Princess Hisui. She had the mission posted. You'll have to go to Crocus."

Pris hesitated upon hearing the name, making Levy realise she never told her who the job came from before. An oversight, but she could apologise later. Her friend nodded and shooed the blunette onto the train, then turned and dashed away with a final wave.

She certainly had not expected to be meeting a princess anytime soon, but it was just as well for Priscilla. Someone with such power was to be treated carefully so as to not make them an enemy, but she felt confident in her ability to keep the peace by now. Alas, her own mental state was worrying.

Emotions whirled through the dragon's mind, the tantalising scent of power great. She wanted to use it again, make her mark upon Earthland, teach the paltry lesser beings their place. Fighting back against base instinct like this left her agitated ever since the moment her Lifehunt came to the fore; the wrath of a species coursed through her veins. Yet Priscilla kept pushing it back and moved on, channeling her wild feelings into urgency. She was not forced to bend to lesser beings' laws and customs, rather she decided to indulge them for her own convenience. And so she rushed along toward the capital.

Crocus was just like during her previous visit, though this time she had no Makarov to guide her. The dragon barely stopped at the gate, having displayed her mark-bearing foot for identification; the intimidated guards shied away when she inquired about where to find the princess, more brusquely than she usually would. They pointed the way to the royal castle however, confirming what she already suspected. Priscilla moved on without hesitation, walking with such purpose that the populace picked up on it; crowds parted for her at once, likely intimidated by her grave expression. She did not care, too busy wresting her nature back into place.

Approaching the palace itself, once again the guards shied away and almost earned her disdain. Only a single guardsman mustered the courage to bar her way. "H-Halt!" he called, clearly relieved when Priscilla did stop. "What do you seek here?"

She studied his shuddering form momentarily, commending his bravery but annoyed by the interruption in the same breath. Priscilla exhaled quietly, then forced her expression to soften while presenting her guild mark again. "Her highness, Princess Hisui had a commission posted that I completed. I wish to report my findings, and it is quite urgent."

The man nodded along and stood at attention. "Understood, ma'am," he began with a note of respect that pleased her inordinately, though there could always be more of it. "I will pass on your message, please wait here." Then he turned and fled inside, leaving Priscilla to shuffle closer to a wall so as to not block the path.

She waited patiently, pretending not to notice how antsy all the guards still were. The journey and this conversation helped calm her roaring feelings some more, allowing them to settle; she would prefer to meditate for a year or two, as she often did, but figured now was not the time. Two years were a long time to humans.

After about twenty minutes, the clack-clack of armoured boots on the gray cobblestone drew her attention to a new arrival. Out of the castle stepped a hard-faced man, his features sharp and eyes calm; unlike the familiar guardsman leading him, he was not the slightest bit intimidated. Clean-shaven and with an unorderly mop of black hair, clad in better and fancier armour than those around him. He approached at once and offered a shallow bow.

"Apologies for the delay, madame. Her highness' presence is required for a meeting with foreign dignitaries, so I will receive your report in her stead. My name is Arcadios, personal knight attendant of Princess Hisui. Please follow me."

Priscilla inclined her head in turn and moved after the knight, who led her into a sizable courtyard; no prying eyes or ears in sight, surrounded by a well-tended garden. She studied it for a few seconds, mainly just curious what kind of plants royalty preferred. They were rather quite ordinary, much like the species she observed around Fiore. Some unusual, likely foreign specimens were placed in-between. Everything was arranged in a wholesome, peaceful manner, quite unlike the report she had to give. It almost felt like she tainted the place with her words.

Arcadios listened calmly, though he became tense the further Priscilla got in her recounting. Curiously, he barely batted an eye at the mention of death magic, beyond asking whether she was sanctioned. Soon after, she gently opened the bag she still carried to let him see the frozen corpse inside, which was proof enough of her claims.

"Thank you for your rapid response," he answered once she was done, though his voice wavered ever so slightly. "Despite the grim outcome, it is better we know what happened in Starlet. I will see to it that your companions' hospital bills are covered as well, as her highness would wish. Now, I believe we should cover your payment."

He then handed her a stack of bills, seventy-five thousand Jewel in total, as well as two rare tomes and an enchanted dagger from the royal armoury. Priscilla stowed it all away carefully, to share with her friends later. The cold bag caught her eye again and she motioned for it. "I hope there are no issues with my keeping the body? I will offer it to someone who can use it better than any of us."

"Mirajane, I presume?"

"Yes."

"Of course. I have seen all I needed and will inform her highness at the earliest convenience. I believe that concludes our business?" She nodded and was quickly led back to the main gate, where Arcadios offered her another bow. "Well met, madame Priscilla. Thank you for your service, and I wish your guildmates a swift recovery."

"Thank you, sir Arcadios," she responded with a curtsy of her own. "And fare thee well." With this, she immediately activated Diver and sunk into the ground, rushing away toward Magnolia; now that the task was done, Priscilla's mind was only on her friends.

Arcadios, meanwhile, huffed at the flabbergasted expressions on the younger guards' faces. They acted like they never saw a wizard before, which was just immature. Then again, even he had never seen a wizard of that size and beauty make such a rapid exit; it felt almost rude, were he not aware of her companions' state. So instead of wasting time with being annoyed, Arcadios headed back inside to inform the princess and his majesty of these developments.

 

[Naron]

"A healthy mind births healthy magic, or so the saying goes at the time of writing. While not a general occurence, severe enough trauma is capable of blocking one's magic to an extent. The current consensus is that the flow of Ethernano becomes unstable in resemblance of the emotional state, consequently shattering any but the most basic spell circles as they lose coherence. This matter is understandably difficult to research and requires further study."

-excerpt from "The Love of Magic"

---

Priscilla raced with the fading sunlight, pushing Diver to its very limit. She left several deep gouges across the land, but cared naught for them. In the end, she arrived at sunset. A heaving, sweat-soaked dragon rose out of the guildhall's floor.

"Pris?" Mirajane immediately bustled over, worried. "What happened? Is everything alright?"

She could not meet the kind woman's eyes. Conversation had halted with her arrival, all eyes on her. Makarov studied her calmly from the bar, even Laxus peered down from the second floor. Priscilla took several deep breaths to calm her thundering heart. "The village we inspected was eradicated," she began hesitantly, unwilling to explain it all. Mira would be hurt. But she had to say it. "A demon attacked and-" "What?!"

Interrupted by the shrill cry, Priscilla had no time to react when two firm hands grabbed her cheeks and painfully forced her head around. Large amber eyes met tear-filled blue orbs, the human woman shaking. "What happened to the others?" she demanded, then her voice broke: "Where are they?!"

Quiet buzzing preceded a muscled arm winding around Mira's waist, pulling her away from the giantess. The agitated woman's elbow hit Laxus' gut with a meaty thwack, but he ignored it without so much as a flinch. "Calm down already," he grunted, then placed Mira on the ground and glanced up at Priscilla.

Taking the unspoken order, she now answered Mira's question: "They took the train and should be here shortly."

"All of them?" he asked. "Alive?"

"Yes."

Mirajane finally relaxed with the reassurance, prompting Laxus to let go of her shoulder. He made way for Makarov when the old master approached, a thoughtful frown on his face. He knew, Priscilla could tell even before the question was asked: "They did not make it unscathed, did they?" He sighed when the dragon shook her head mutely. "Then let's see what we have."

New tension gripped the hall as they left; no one followed, though their somber silence held at least until the gate closed. Mira dashed away with fluttering skirts, Laxus turned to lightning and flashed in another direction, but Priscilla and Makarov walked side by side. "The next train won't come before we're there," he explained sagely. He was right, too: by the time they caught up with Mira at the station, there was no train in sight. The distraught woman stared down the railway, waiting anxiously. She gnawed on her lips, almost drawing blood when it finally arrived.

Not many people disembarked at this time of day, so Priscilla's prodigious height was unnecessary to spot the group of four. They slowly left the middle carriage, Jet and Droy helping Levy and Elfman respectively. The moment Mira saw her little brother, she broke into tears and rushed forward to hug him. Elfman twitched once, then gathered her in his arm and returned the embrace. He was crying moments later, too. The others gave them space and came together a few metres distant.

Levy chuckled mirthlessly, more tired than anything else. "How are you so fast?" she asked of Priscilla, who shrugged.

"Nevermind that. Are you alright?"

"About as well as you'd expect," the blunette returned with a sigh.

She was about to comment further when lightning struck between them, making Levy flinch back. The static made everyone's hair stand on end, revealing Laxus. Moreover, he carried a very, very displeased Polyushka currently yanking his ear. "-get it in your thick head that...." her tirade trailed off the moment she saw Elfman's lack of arm. She even let go of Laxus' ear, though her leer merely lessened by a fraction. "I'll let it slide this time, boy."

Laxus snorted. He stepped aside after putting the elderly woman down. Priscilla wanted to say hello and thank her again, but felt now was not the time; Polyushka acknowledged none of them, rather ushering Shadow Gear and Elfman along toward the local clinic with clear impatience. Jet and Droy kept supporting their friends. Mira helped steady her brother.

Once they were out of sight, Priscilla turned to Laxus with a grateful nod. "Thank you for acting so fast and bringing her." He just grunted and walked away, leaving the crossbreed puzzled. Makarov sighed quietly. Nonetheless, he smiled and made to follow his grandson.

They returned to the guildhall, where silence still reigned; everyone watched their entrance anxiously. Laxus ambled away to where the Thunder Legion sat and loomed over them momentarily. "Kick back for now," he instructed all three, "we're taking a break." Bixlow and Evergreen shared confused looks, but Freed merely nodded. Laxus did not even wait for confirmation and rather waved for Mira's junior barmaid, Alicia. "The usual."

"Ah, c-coming right up!"

Off the young woman went, right past Makarov who settled back on the bar counter. Priscilla wondered if she should say anything, but he did it first: "You can stop worrying. Everything will be fine." The tension dissipated immediately, which once again reminded her in how high esteem the guild held its master.

"What about Natsu?" Loke questioned moments later; indeed, there was no trace of the Dragonslayer.

When Makarov did not respond beyond a shrug, Priscilla chimed in: "Did he go somewhere dangerous?"

"Right, you weren't there." Loke rubbed his orange hair almost bashfully, then motioned for something in the distance. "He stole an S-rank job off the board and ran. Lucy, er, went with him." He hesitated after the blonde wizard's name, but no one commented on him being uncomfortable; Priscilla did recall some notion of him being bad with Celestial Spirit wizards. "Then Gray followed to bring them back, and then Erza came back, heard about it, and marched off to fetch them all." He shuddered there. "Brr, I really don't want to be them when she catches up."

Even Priscilla felt somewhat comforted to not be on the wrong end of Erza's legendary temper. Although usually mellow, the knightess could be mighty intimidating once agitated.

"They're probably fine," Wakaba waved off the concern, "but I get what ya mean; some of our youngsters got attacked by a demon on a normal mission. Damn weird times we live in."

"Aye," Macao agreed next to his friend, both of them enjoying some kind of drink again. "You hear anything about where that demon came from? Or why it was there?"

Priscilla had to shake her head. She only recalled one useful tidbit. "Nothing concrete, I am afraid. She did not say much beyond belittling our collective weakness. Though she did say she is, well, was with Tartaros."

The men both exchanged meaningful looks while Makarov groaned. "Tartaros? Oh great, more problems. They usually stay away from here." He immediately emptied his mug and slammed it down, then glanced back to Priscilla. "Did she say anything else?"

"No, only annoying commentary about our lack of power." Less annoying now, considering which of them was still alive. So there. Priscilla nodded to herself and switched the subject, recalling what else she learned some time ago. "Although I think she was not just a demon, but an Etherious specifically. An artificial demon built by Zeref," she added when seeing the lost looks around. Everyone got her meaning right after. "They are made with combat in mind, I believe."

"Who told you that?" Makarov inquired from his seat; he and most of the others appeared intrigued by the news. Priscilla made to respond, only to realise she made a blunder.

"A wandering scholar I met on the way back from my job in Acalypha," she ultimately said, sheepishly dragging her foot. "It never occurred to me to ask his name. He helped me learn magic, and we got to Etherious from Mirajane's Take Over. He thought it was odd that someone managed to key it to an artificial subgroup of a race." The suspicions as to Mira's lineage, she kept to herself. Going by Makarov's grimace, he might even have similar thoughts.

As if on cue, they were interrupted when a pale Mira wandered back inside, followed by Droy. She slumped at the nearest table while he settled at the bar and turned around to face the room: "Levy will heal, but she's going to keep some mean scars. Elfman's arm can't be put back on." Quite a few people winced at that and Wakaba placed a comforting arm around Mira's shoulders. Droy grimaced, too. "They need to stay at the hospital for a few days for treatment and observation."

"Where's Jet?" someone called, which received a dismissive motion.

"Went to take care of stuff. Stow away our packs, feed Levy's cat, those things."

"You should all find some rest," Priscilla remarked right afterward, a contemplative glance going toward Mira. Now that the immediate issues were resolved, she once again remembered the bag she unconciously carried along. While Cana sat down on the distraught woman's other side, she carefully rose to approach as well. "Mirajane?" Her question prompted a listless look, though she turned attentive when Priscilla took the bag off her shoulders. "Elfman said to bring this, I believe you can make use of it?"

She turned the sturdy cloth around and shook it a little, dislodging the frozen corpse within. It flopped onto the ground with a crack, but the severed head bounced off and rolled away. "Pardon," Priscilla apologised quickly, "I forgot I beheaded her." She reached for the errant part and picked it up, only to become aware of a sort of shocked silence surrounding her; everyone was staring, either at the dragon or at her victim.

"Damn it, Pris," Macao cursed, his hands over a squirming Romeo's eyes, "there's children around!"

"I... am not sure I understand?"

The shock clearly made way for disbelief, telling Priscilla that yet another of her assumptions was wrong. She did not get to figure out which one however, as hysteric laughter shattered the silence. Mira rose abruptly, walking around the table to kneel next to Priscilla's offering. "This thing hurt them?" she asked rhetorically, then giggled again. Her smile was somewhere between saccharine and deranged as she took hold of the head and stared into the demon's slack expression, her body beginning to glow on its own. "Well, I guess I should make use of this. Let's see."

The gleam intensified, quickly wandering over the demon's still form as well. Mirajane breathed in. "Take Over," she whispered. Her skin rippled as the demon's form was absorbed, bulging and buckling. For a moment, Mira grew a plume so reminiscent of a bird, her fingers turning to vicious claws. Then they reverted to normal, the woman nodding with her eyes closed. "Makes sense this goes easily," she mused in the silence. "The dead can't fight back. Her name was Kyoka."

A dark purple, almost black magic circle snapped into being above her as she stood; the air shuddered under a titanic amounts of flowing Ethernano. "Satan-" she began, only for the circle to shatter violently. Mira hiccupped and lost her balance, falling back onto her rear. There, she just sat in heavy silence before heaving a sigh. "I guess I still haven't got it back," she murmured before smiling up at the intrigued Priscilla. "Thank you, regardless. How much do I owe you?"

The question confused her, more so than that using Satan Soul apparently failed; she already figured that must be the block she heard about. "How do you mean?"

"I can't just take something this valuable from you. I only had Sitri so far, so this is a big boost if I can ever get my Satan Soul back. I've got to give you something for it. And don't say it's fine," Mira immediately cut off the expected response, making Priscilla's mouth click shut. "I insist. Money, books, rare items, contacts, whatever you want. I have some of each lying around."

"...very well." Despite having accepted defeat in this instance, the crossbreed had no idea what to ask for. "Give me some time to consider the matter."

"Of course."

"Mira."

Their attention turned to Makarov now, who studied Fairy Tail's poster girl with a mixture between worry and curiousity. "A question. Your Satan Soul used to have two forms. The normal form and Sitri, correct?" Mira nodded. "And taking over this... Kyoka, it gave you a third form?"

"I think it did, yes. Why do you ask?"

In lieu of answering, Makarov followed up with another question that gave Priscilla pause: "And you never took over any other demons?"

"No?"

Priscilla caught his thought process; two demons devoured, but three forms in total. Take Over had no automatic base form, even she knew that. Of course it could be something induced by keying it to an artificial race, but she was not quite certain about that. She would have to ask how else one could have a demonic form like that, beside being a demon. Not that throwing more questions as to her ancestry at Mira felt like a good idea, especially not right now.

"Just idle curiousity," Makarov responded to the implied question, then hopped off the counter. "Now, Priscilla? Come with me for a moment, we need to have a talk."

She did so obediently, figuring it was about the previous observations. Unfortunately, she rather received a lecture about not depositing corpses in the guildhall, regardless of species. The master explained in detail why this was an issue, much to her embarassment. She severely underestimated the fragility of human children, both in body and mind.

Afterward, the somber mood following their return persisted for several days; Priscilla spent that time skulking around Magnolia in search of something, anything to distract herself with. She visited Levy and Elfman twice a day, but also began to inquire about furniture and other amenities for her humble abode. It was not great, but at least she had something to do.

On the third day, the atmosphere began to grow lighter again; Mira's anxiety and distress slowly ebbed away, which seemingly affected everyone else as well. Levy strode inside on the fourth day, prompting a small party in her honour. The blunette cheerfully showed off the scar along her waist where Kyoka struck her. Then the door slammed open and Erza marched in, dragging Natsu inside by the ear.

All conversation ceased as the knightess strode up to where Makarov sat in his usual spot on the bar; Natsu's complaints were the only real noise in the taproom. Erza's severe expression gave nothing away as she deposited the troublemaker on the floor. Gray, Happy, and Lucy all scurried inside after the other two without a peep. Erza chopped Natsu's head to shut him up, then spoke: "I am back, Master. Things got a bit complicated."

Priscilla watched the unfolding scene from the sidelines, intrigued but also worried. Makarov kept his silence in favour of a disappointed look levelled at Natsu, who hung his head. "I see," the elderly man finally said. "What exactly happened?"

"Gray did not bring the other three back and rather decided to join the madness," Erza began in a clipped tone, shooting a dark look at the ice wizard when he made to object. He immediately cowered, with which she turned back to Makarov. "By the time I caught up with them, they were already on Galuna island and locked in battle with hostile wizards. They also managed to start on the actual mission, too." Here she sighed, running a hand through her scarlet mane. "I have to admit that Gray managed to convince me to let them finish it. He had personal business with the enemy leader and the demon hidden within the island."

The entire room grew tense at the mention of a demon, Priscilla included. Erza waved Gray forward, who cautiously stayed out of her reach. Natsu remained on the ground before Makarov, hesitantly joined by his remaining teammates. Only Lucy seemed to pick up on the shifting mood, though.

The master nodded at Gray, who was just about done shedding his shirt. He caught the garment before it hit the floor and put it back on, but began to speak in the meantime: "You probably don't remember, but I told you about Deliora back when I joined. My teacher encased him in eternal ice to stop his rampage. Iced Shell uses the caster's life force and forms their body into the prison, so breaking that ice is basically impossible." He paused there and took a deep breath before continuing. "Well, Lyon, that's her other pupil, found a way to get Deliora out. He wanted to defeat him as a way to surpass our teacher. I don't get how it works, but it's some kind of extract made from moonlight. That's what caused the Galuna job, too; the people living there are all demons, but the ritual setup made them forget and think they're humans who take demon forms."

Erza nodded a few times while Gray presented his stumbling report. Makarov listened intently, only to offer a quiet nod when he fell silent. "What happened to Deliora, then? Did your friend succeed?"

"He did," Gray confirmed with a grimace. "But after ten years in Iced Shell, Deliora was already dead. Lyon didn't get the fight he wanted."

"It was one of Zeref's demons," Natsu supplied from the ground, no longer petulant but rather thoughtful. Makarov's, Erza's, and Gray's attention instantly snapped to him, but Priscilla noticed how Mira became attentive also. The Dragonslayer shrugged. "I think the old guy who smelled like women's parfume said something like that, at least."

"Regardless," Erza chimed in, "the Galuna job can be taken off the board. I refused payment because this lot was not authorised to work on it to begin with." Only then did she become aware of the anxiety surrounding them. "Did something happen?"

This prompted a quick recounting of events in Starlet from Levy, as well as the news about Etherious demons. Priscilla understood their shock quite well, especially the horror when Elfman's arm was mentioned. She mainly kept an eye on Mirajane at first, but for once she was not depressed; rather, her undivided attention lay on Natsu during the entire story. He appeared neither angry like Erza and Gray, nor cheerful as he usually was. Rather, his expression was oddly thoughtful. She had no idea what to make of this, or why Mira seemed to think it relevant.

"Demons on the move are certainly an issue," Makarov concluded the storytelling gravely. "Fiore and the surrounding countries are on high alert, but nothing else was observed so far. As we understand, the perpetrator was one of Zeref's creations and not a common demon, children. Be sure not to blame them for crimes they did not commit. There are far too few natural demons left thanks to prejudice and overzealous wizards, anyway."

The guild accepted his wisdom somberly, though he himself shattered the mood with an echoing clap. "That said, time for punishment. Natsu, Gray, you're getting that." The young men grew chalk white and everyone else winced in sympathy, even Erza; except for Lucy who was just as confused as Priscilla. Unfortunately, no one explained. Makarov then turned to the blonde and Exceed. "Lucy, Happy, you two did not instigate this madness or went with orders to retrieve Natsu, but you both went along with it regardless. So for the next month, you will stay after sunset and help clean the guildhall. Without any magic, just to be clear."

Two dejected "Aye" were their only response and Makarov laughed. "But for now, we celebrate your safe return! Mira!"

"On it!"

Off she went to get more drinks and the atmosphere changed entirely once more. The whiplash Priscilla felt left her settled on the ground for long minutes, uncertain how to treat this new situation. Then she pushed her worries aside and joined the party.

The next two days remained a little weird. Normalcy eventually returned around the time Elfman was released from the hospital. With a full week up since Starlet, Priscilla decided it was time she got back to proper work. For her next job, she picked a mission about supplying smaller villages; the item box Erza taught her and Priscilla's own speed through Diver were a perfect fit.

So she picked up everything at once and began to make her way across Fiore again; it was not a large mission, though she still made better time than expected. By noon the following day, she had delivered to all seven villages and shook the last elder's hand; just as she was about to leave however, a familiar face appeared by her side. Dark eyes studied her curiously, a friendly smile on his features; he looked different by day, though his black robe and equally black hair made him quite distinct.

"What a surprise to meet you out here," he greeted with a gentle wave. "I see you got used to Diver."

"I did indeed," Priscilla responded while inclining her head in turn. "It is a pleasure to meet you again." She truly had hoped to meet him again in her travels across the country. "How have you been?"

"Quite well, all in all. Sometimes I do meet bothersome people, but most are pleasant to talk to." So saying, he smiled at Priscilla when the giantess crouched by his side. They stood a ways off from the nearest house, unobstructing but still in sight of the village. "I mostly kept wandering the countryside to ponder. How about yourself?"

"Well, where do I start?"

And it was indeed a curious thought; so much happened the past weeks since their last encounter. Not to mention she felt news about Atlas Flame and the Dragonslayers ought to not be spread too far. In the end, Priscilla decided to tell him about the events in Starlet and to be careful; his smile froze over and fell away entirely once Kyoka came into the story. She felt her own mood grow bleak as well, but also recalled a question Levy could not answer. "And that is why I was hoping to learn healing magic," Priscilla concluded. "But all I got from others is that it was lost despite its utility. Do you know why?"

Her friend wiped his eyes at first, removing wetness that accumulated over the tale of carnage. "I do," he admitted, then absently flicked an avalanche of glowing orbs toward a duo of children sneaking up on them to listen in. Their delighted cries and attempts to catch them created an uncanny backdrop to his words: "While healing is powerful and potent, the problem with it is that utilising this branch of magic requires knowing the body's makeup; to prompt the correct parts into growing back, or knitting bones together correctly. An incompetent healing wizard is just a particularly gruesome killer. And on top of that, a competent healer can quickly and easily manipulate a body's growth. Horrible mutations lie that way, people turned into mindless beasts or shambling monsters. So any prospective healing wizard would require intelligence, knowledge, and impeccable morals; needing all of these together made it too tedious to guard the discipline from others, so rather it was left to be forgotten."

"I see," Priscilla murmured; she had never considered the implications of a magic that influenced the body directly. It was so obvious in hindsight, though. "I shall refrain from it, then. I could not be trusted with such a power."

He did not comment on her musings, but rather moved on: "Speaking of learning a new discipline, I take it you brought Diver to enough proficiency and wish to branch out?" Priscilla gave a simple nod and he clapped his hands in delight. "Wonderful! Is there anything in particular you were considering?"

"Well, Aera did intrigue me, but I heard it was difficult to learn."

"The Exceed magic? Curious."

"You know of Exceed?" She studied her friend curiously, taking note how he froze momentarily. "How so? They are not native to Earthland."

At first he chuckled and rubbed the back of his head, but it quickly transitioned into a sigh. "You are right. I visited Edolas a few years ago and met the Exceed there. They were working on something big to save their race from extinction back then, so I lent a hand."

"Pardon, extinction?"

"Ethernano deprivation. It is fatal for Exceed and detrimental for humans here on Earthland, both inherently magical and linked to it since birth." He shook his head softly, disrupting Priscilla's quiet worry. "With Exceed appearing here, I figured they succeeded in their efforts. Anyway, Aera is not something I would recommend for you yet; it belongs in the particularly difficult disciplines, well, at least for humans. We do not have any inherent sense of flight like a bird or Exceed has, and so need to painstakingly learn it even when we manage the intricacies of growing wings."

Priscilla felt she might have a certain advantage, what with her entire race being born to claim the skies. Nonetheless, she figured she should rather defer to his wisdom once more; he had not led her wrong thus far, though the prospect of flight remained tempting. "Very well. What would you recommend, then?"

"We have quite a few options," he reassured, absently turning the orbs from earlier into a rainbow carpet that carried the children to their waiting mothers. "Heavenly Body magic might be interesting to you; it offers a versatile set of spells and favours speed as well as dexterity. Quite complementary of Diver, too. Greater versatility than that would lie in runic magic, which allows to inflict any kind of rule on an area. Or perhaps Telepathy? Silent communication is a force multiplier in larger engagements, not to mention useful to any creative mind. Maybe plant magic, or lightning-" "No."

Her sudden refusal brought his musing up short. Priscilla quickly shook her head. "No lightning," she elaborated. "My kind is averse to it." Then she pondered what else he suggested so far. "Runic magic sounds like a lesser version of my innate powers, so I would not give it much of a priority at this time. I have to admit, Heavenly Body magic does intrigue me."

"Heavenly Body magic it is." He nodded to himself and drew a stack of parchments from nowhere. "What you have to understand is that it aligns with Celestial Spirit magic, in that both connect to the stars that dot the night sky. Technically, the spirits use a special kind of Heavenly Body magic among their own powers. They can instinctively access power from whatever constellation they are aligned with. That is actually where the discipline was adapted from. Now, the basic spell circle is this."

His impromptu lecture concluded, he produced another pattern for Priscilla to copy. She studied it carefully, slowly shaping her Ethernano. Meanwhile, her friend created a second circle and closed his eyes to focus. "But I can definitely recommend script magic to you, for later," he remarked. "Thought Copy."

And just like that, with a vial of ink thrown into the gleaming circle, letters began to inscribe themselves on the parchment. Dozens of pages were filled with sharp writing and diagrams within seconds, then offered to the stunned crossbreed. "Here is everything you will need to learn the discipline. There is too much to it to grasp in a single tutoring session."

"Astonishing," she murmured while receiving the parchments and storing them in her own item box. "To be able to turn your thoughts into writing directly, you must be truly wise."

The response she received was short and wistful: "I always loved magic."

After that, she returned to shaping her spell circle. Humbled though she was, Priscilla's mind began to wander and soon dragged back a memory from earlier in the week. "I just remembered," she began sheepishly, "I never asked your name." She kept working, but took notice of the lack of response; he did not meet her curious gaze, which hurt a little bit. She slowly moved past the feeling and smiled anyway. "But if you prefer not to tell me, I shall refer to you as 'friend' until such a time."

He smiled back now, clearly relieved and delighted by her declaration. They quickly switched back into a long conversation about magic that lasted long into the night.

The next morning, a tired but content wizard saw Priscilla off before making his way out of the village. He made certain to take another path than her, but the children waylaid him with demands of pretty colours and magic; he just could not resist and entertained them another hour before saying goodbye. They waved cheerfully and shouted after him to come back soon, but he knew it would be a while; getting attached never ended well, after all. For now , the curse began to act up; he willed it back down for the time being and sought solitude.

The moment he began to wander down a slope however, he saw her and his mood took a downturn. Black hair cascaded down her back and a navy blue dress ran down her voluptuous figure. Aside from the generous cleavage, it was slitted all the way to her waist. Perhaps she wished to entice him. He figured it was mostly just the chosen, or expected wardrobe a councillor of the Magic Council would wear. Not that she was here in her official function.

Resigned to yet another long conversation, he merely walked past her, ignoring the kneeling woman. "Ultear Malkovich," he greeted, which made her head snap up.

"You know my name?"

He did not respond and rather kept walking; she quickly scrambled to her feet and followed, delightely chattering at him: "It is such an honour to meet you in the flesh!" And so it went, a hundred meaningless platitudes interspersed with requests for lost knowledge. He barely managed not to groan in annoyance.

"So I beg of you, Lord Zeref," she finally ended, "please grant my Master of Grimoire Heart an audience."

He stopped for the first time since they met, having made certain there was no one in sight in either direction. Ultear stared at him hopefully, smiling oh so brightly. Her expression faltered slightly upon seeing the lack of emotion on his.

"No," Zeref said, and promptly erased her memories of the entire conversation. Centuries of knowledge and practice wrangling a divine curse through force of will were brought to bear on the young woman's mind; strong as she was, she could not resist for long. He utterly erased everything Ultear said to him, the conversation itself, and then him. Then he replaced the memory with a fake notion of mistaking someone else for him.

He left behind a dazed Ultear, staring into nothing for another ten minutes before his grasp would fade. Zeref sighed to himself, having had this conversation at least seven times now; she stopped giving him any new information after the fourth. For now, he wanted a deserted place to let his curse run wild for a time. A quick teleportation brought him far away from Ultear, who was only one step above any of these silly cultists he kept hearing about. Zeref really wished people would stop looking for him.

 

[Naron]

"A basic application many prospective wizards neglect is multitasking. Through focus, one can project a layer of hardened Ethernano along one's skin to serve as protection against powerful blows and magics. Any seasoned battlemage will have mastered this skill and every career wizard is best served knowing to maintain it while casting other spells."

-excerpt from "The Heart of Magic"

---

After the disaster at Starlet, time thankfully passed in peace. Priscilla did the occasional mission if something caught her fancy, though she found no pressing need to complete many of them for a while; her bargain with Erza still covered more than ten months, not to mention the substantial amount of money Mirajane insisted to pay her for the demon corpse. As it were, Priscilla would be good on currency for a while.

Otherwise, most of her time was spent combing through the detailed and concise notes on Heavenly Body magic. Especially the Meteor movement spell intrigued Priscilla; she saw parallels to Jet's speed magic, but also a curious synergy with Diver. In addition, she received tutoring: Makarov helped her become proficient in leveraging superior size, especially for non-lethal takedowns. He also organised for a venerable member of the Bloodhunter hunting guild to teach her the intricacies of the scythe.

As it had taken weeks to truly reign in her desire to hunt humanity to extinction just because she could, Priscilla greatly appreciated all the lessons. She took to them with determination and enthusiasm, pleasing both Makarov and the old hunter Gehrman. Her nights were spent practicing whatever she learned during the day, creating a cycle of incredible progress; before long, Priscilla could hold her own in battle without any need for Lifehunt.

She always hated to hurt others and thus never learned the art of combat. Now that she did, Priscilla realised it felt good to excel in it, more so than she ever imagined. She held more control of life and death than ever before, being the sole arbiter of when her strikes were meant to kill. Now she could promise herself that no one else would get hurt under her watch.

Around the middle of October, the year's first snow fell; it began an hour before dawn, the first flakes cold against Priscilla's skin. She interrupted her practice to watch for a while, observed Magnolia being covered in a white blanket. The crows that watched her as usual hid away in their nests along the cliffside; not a single one had left for warmer pastures, even though she read the species was at least in part migratory. Priscilla reminded herself to learn enchantments and create a permanent warming spell around their nests. Then she went inside to prepare a small breakfast for herself and the birds, who flocked to her.

Several crows and a raven rode on her shoulders by the time she wandered back into Magnolia, a thick coat of snow crunching under her feet; it felt nostalgic, almost reminiscent of the world Ariamis made for her. Yet at the same time, the painting had never been this vibrant; early risers greeted Priscilla with great joy, men and women shoveling snow off their roads and into large heaps that children of all ages climbed. Snowball fights began about as soon as enough little ones were awake; even Gray and Natsu had joined in. She spied them each leading their 'troops' against the other. Gray acted as a living shield for the children, completely unaffected by the cold despite having shed his clothes along the way; Natsu did the opposite and emitted waves of heat that melted the projectiles before impact. He cackled maniacally until half melted Ice Make orbs slammed into his face.

Priscilla left them to their fun and moved along, pondering whether to shed her garments as well. She ultimately decided against it; clothes began to grow on her by now. Today she wore a teal blouse with orange accents and ruffles that ran out in tight, black pants. She also bound her white hair into a long ponytail, kept together by an equally orange ribbon.

"So cool!"

Then a shout interrupted her musings and Priscilla found herself accosted by an enthusiastic man; clad in a simple pink shirt and blue jeans, his blond hair short beside the one upward spike it formed atop an angular face, he admired her with a starry-eyed gaze. A large, white bag and a camera swung along his body as he stepped closer. "You're one of Fairy Tail's newest members, right?" Taken aback, Priscilla responded only with a nod; his grin grew wider in an instant. "Perfect! I'm Jason, from Weekly Sorceror! Do you mind giving an interview, introduce yourself to the people?"

She shook his hand, both bemused and amused about the curious demeanor. Lucy had explained how entertainment worked before, though the prospect of taking part in it directly was still quite different from being a consumer. Then again. "Do you believe doing so would make people less likely to be afraid of me?"

"Oh, absolutely!" He kept excitedly shaking her finger and began to pull Priscilla toward the guildhall. "I can see it already, everyone will love you!" Mostly amused now, the giantess followed his prompting; Fairy Tail was not far.

Curiously, just about every one of her guildmates they met along the way greeted Jason by name, either with a wave or a high five. The only exception there was Mira, who giggled when the two of them entered. "So you met him already. It was supposed to be a surprise, but I guess this is fine. Lucy won't come in before nine. I think you wanted to interview her, too?"

"Yup!" Jason finally let go to rub his hands eagerly. He emitted about as much childlike glee as Natsu had in the middle of his snowy campaign against Gray earlier. "I got a free pass for an article about your new members in the first November edition! Oh, and my team will be here around noon. I was thinking everyone could have lunch together and then we do the shoot?"

It took Priscilla a moment to remember the other part of entertainment, the one Mira explained to her some time ago. She was still not quite sure what to make of that, but if humans had such need to satisfy their libido, she would not criticise them. Especially because Mira was paid handsomely for her work and took joy in it.

Right now however, the model's expression fell into a familiar frown. "I knew I forgot something," she muttered before sighing; then she shook her head at Jason. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can do it today. Something nasty happened a few weeks ago and I still don't feel all that well. I don't think I can live up to my usual standards."

"Oh." For the first time since meeting him, Jason did not shout. He left a long pause before shrugging. "Well, if you can't, you can't. Guess that's what I get for trying to hit two birds with one stone, but I need that lot for the other pictures, anyway."

"Thank you," Mira responded, already brightening up again. Priscilla shuffled awkwardly at being reminded of Elfman's fate, but her friend gave no indicator that she having noticed. Rather, she hummed in thought. "Actually, how about someone else did the shoot instead? I know at least one person who was interested. Maybe I can get you a few substitute models?"

"Oh? Absolutely!" And Jason, too, was back to rubbing his hands for some reason.

While sidelined for the moment, Priscilla wondered; she heard about the practice before and from everything Mirajane told her, she enjoyed the work. "Pardon," she found herself asking, "but is modeling fun?"

"Hm?" Mira glanced up at the curious crossbreed, her lips twitching. "Fun? Yes, absolutely. But it's hard work, too."

"But oh so rewarding if the shoot turns out just like you wanted, or not at all but even better," Jason added. He easily caught the contemplative look on Priscilla's face and beamed up at her. "Do you want to try?"

"Yes, I think so." She had never done much of anything, so trying out something new ought to be interesting. Jason whooped and the few wizards already present whistled at her for some reason. Mira giggled, too.

"Alright," she began while pushing Jason to another room and motioning Priscilla to follow. "I'll see if I can find some more people for you, now you go have that interview."

"Yes, ma'am!"

The giantess went along, though she had to phase through the wall with Diver; none of the doors could accomodate her still. At least the guild's sprawling library was spacious enough for Priscilla to stand in. She quickly picked up a desk and chair to place centerwise and settled on the other side, facing the reporter with anticipation and curiousity. Jason was already scribbling in some kind of notebook, his expression almost vacant. He stumbled into the chair and sat down mostly on reflex, muttering the occasional "Cool". Whatever temperature had to do with the situation. Perhaps the term had a different meaning in certain contexts, but Priscilla did not pick up on that yet.

"So," he finally addressed her after more furious scribbling, "let's start with the simple things. What's your name?"

That was indeed quite simple. She answered him easily enough, remarking not to put much mind to her last name; questions to her likes and dislikes were easily answered, seeing that she adored people and food while abhorring violence. Or rather, needless violence. Then Jason asked about her origins, which gave Priscilla pause.

"I do not think you will find it on any map," she ultimately settled on. "It is that far away. I still do not know how I ended up arriving here, nor how to return from whence I came." Though her scholarly friend might know; he did say he went to Edolas, she remembered. Then again, why would she want to return to Lordran and her bleak painting?

"Hm. Mysterious home country, I dig it." And Jason was muttering again. He carried on quickly, all but bouncing in his seat: "Now, your magic. What do you have?"

"Well, you saw my Diver earlier. Erza taught me a basic item box for convenience as well, and right now I am practicing Heavenly Body magic." She indulged the clearly curious man by going a little into detail with what her friend explained before; soon enough, the reporter was back to taking notes. Once she was done, he grinned again.

"How about a demonstration?"

"Very well," Priscilla agreed, a spell circle snapping into place. "Meteor."

Jason almost fell out of his chair when a teal blur left his field of vision, vanishing past a bookshelf. He did jump when, half a second later, a giant finger gently tapped his shoulder. Whirling around, the reporter stared up at Priscilla; not a hair was out of place. His mouth opened and closed rapidly before he shed the shock like a wet dog would water. "That was sooo coooool!" he declared while punching the air. "Do you have anything else?"

Going by his eager expression, he hoped for a positive response. Priscilla's face fell, however. She did not want to lie, but letting everyone know about her Lifehunt just could not be right.

As the silence grew longer, he made an understanding noise. "Ah, I see. Something that needs sanctioning?" She just nodded and he scrawled a few quick words. "Cool, cool. I'll just not mention that, we all got our little secrets, don't we? Now tell me about that tail."

The interview went on a while longer, though she carefully skirted around divisive subjects such as her heritage. By the time it concluded, Lucy had arrived and was ushered inside in Priscilla's stead; the young blonde seemed quite happy by the time she reemerged, displaying her Celestial Spirit magic by once again calling on Lyra to sing for the guild. Quite a few children were drawn in by the harp spirit's beautiful song, most of them climbing onto or cuddling with Priscilla; Jason cheerfully took pictures.

There was a bit of a break then as they waited for his team to arrive; Jason himself spent that time talking to various people in mini-interviews, including Makarov. Just about everyone indulged him. His good cheer was clearly infectious.

His team, it turned out, consisted of a dozen motivated men and women, all dressed casually and carrying various kinds of equipment. They took lunch together while discussing suitable locations; their considerations seemed to surround lighting conditions and scenery, among other things. Priscilla wisely stayed out of it, well aware of her own ignorance. While chewing on her pasta and enjoying the spicy sauce however, she suddenly realised a glaring issue.

"Erm, Jason?"

"Yeah?"

Though immediately attentive, he likely picked up on her trepidation. Priscilla hesitated. "What exactly would I have to wear for a photoshoot?"

Several members of his team began an animated discussion amongst themselves while Jason raised his hand, one finger extended. "Well, usually we do bikini shoots." Another finger went up. "Sometimes we do fancy dresses or casual wear." And a third, though more hesitant. "Or nude shoots. Why do you ask?"

"Because," Mira chirped while pushing a large package onto Priscilla's lap, "until just now, she had no swimsuit. Madame Greene is doing god's work with how fast her wardrobe fills, but she is no miracle worker. We figured swimwear is the last thing Pris needs."

"Which is correct," the giantess added as she began to unwrap the package. "I usually swim in the nude." Mira gently slapped her finger, stopping her from revealing the swimsuit; meanwhile, Priscilla's comment certainly drew attention from the partly filled hall. She rolled her eyes, a gesture since learned from her friends. "You really need to stop getting so worked up over nudity. All beings are born naked."

"Soooo," Jason interjected curiously, "you wouldn't mind a nude shoot?"

"I would not mind, no. However," she unknowingly dashed the hopes of several dozen people in an instant, "I just received a new swimsuit for this occasion. It would be rude not to wear it, as I am certain it will be gorgeous."

"I'll let Auntie know you put so much faith in her," Mira quipped with a light chuckle. Then she gave Jason a comforting clap on the shoulder. "Who knows, maybe she likes the work and wants to do another? That aside, I found you two more."

"Oh, really? Cool!"

And so it was that, along the snow-covered beach stood Jason, his team, and three Fairy Tail wizards. Priscilla felt mostly curious while people rearranged her into different poses. Cana seemed to enjoy herself even more than the crossbreed. The brunette sported a daring, black bikini that glittered ever so slightly thanks to the afternoon sun. Priscilla herself wore a dark blue two-piece that stood out sharply against her pale skin. No amount of sunlight would ever change her complexion.

Meanwhile, Laxus appeared a little more grim about the whole thing. It may just be Cana's occasional whistling in his direction, though. "The ladies will love the eye candy," she cooed, drawing cheers from Jason's entire team. "Oh shut up," Cana playfully shouted at them, "you're just happy about the bonus you'll get from the sales!"

"Ain't no one who doesn't like money," a middle-aged woman retorted before motioning Cana along. "Now come over here and sit on our darling's lap. I never thought we'd get to do something like this again. Finding photogenic models that also know body alteration is just impossible, you know?"

"Wouldn't body alteration make people more photogenic?" Laxus asked from his spot at the side, muscular arms crossed over his broad chest. His dark yellow swimming trunks stood out starkly against the white countryside. The question prompted a few shrugs.

"Kinda, but not really," one of the men explained with a sigh. "It's like, the lot of them think just 'cause they can adjust their sizes and height and stuff, they don't need to put in work. Don't wanna pose right, pretend they're the most wanted on the market, try to tell us our job, that kinda stuff. 's not like we have that many to begin with, body alteration is hard."

Priscilla listened curiously, hands folded over Cana's legs to hold her steady; the brunette sat firm against her belly, face cast in half-shadow. Anyone but the giantess could see her sly grin as she pointed upward, making big eyes and mouthing 'whoa' to the flashing camera. The giantess herself paid little mind to the occasional snickers. Once they were done with this particular shot, she idly addressed Laxus as it was now his turn to be put into poses. "You do not seem quite happy about this arrangement?"

He scowled momentarily, but ended up shrugging. "I can think of better things to do than standing around in the snow like this. But Mira owes me one for pitching in."

"Oho," Cana purred, sidling up to him while the team simply turned their interactions into another scene. "And what, pray tell, does she owe you? Have a thing for the cute ones, eh?" He did not grace the brunette with an answer, regardless of how much she tried to pry gossip out of him. Priscilla observed the futile effort for a time until it was her turn again.

Three weeks later, in early November, the results of their work were displayed for all to see. A general notion of awe accompanied what Jason's team made with the three models, though Levy pouted about being told off by Mira. As it turned out, while both Levy and Lucy were interested and of age at 17, the older woman decided that three were enough to stand in for her.

Not that Levy's mood held for long. She soon giggled about the headlines and pointed a teasing finger at her blonde friend. "Lovely Lucy, eh? Isn't that a little too cute for you?" She ducked under the unamused swipe before grabbing Lucy's hand and cheerfully throwing her over her shoulder. "But don't worry, I love you anyway," she teased.

While those two were busy scuffling, Priscilla studied her own article. Jason had done good work for both of them, spinning a pleasant tale while also shining an air of mystique on the newcomers. She noticed that Lucy, too, forewent her last name. "I am not quite certain what to make of the title he chose for me," she mused to Mira, who was one of the few people still nearby; most others were already embroiled in the all-out brawl Lucy inadvertently started.

"It is quite fitting, isn't it? 'The gentle giant', that is just like you." Mira beamed up at the dragon lady, who felt divided on the subject. Happy indeed, that the moniker reflected her desire to be kind; a little indignant about such a harmless title, but also worried about living up to it in the future. The events in Starlet still weighed on her mind from time to time, reminding her that slipping once was all it took. And thinking of, she spied Elfman staring at the table he occupied; even before Erza beat down the brawlers for disrupting her cake break, everyone gave him space.

She could not help but ask. "How is he doing?"

Though surprised by the non-sequitur, Mira quickly caught her meaning and leaned against Priscilla's side. "It's tough on him," she explained sadly. "Shadow Gear is back in action, but he can't get himself to take another job. He's afraid of other demons and I can't go with him right now." She hesitated there, but Priscilla understood; it was pride.

"I see. Regardless, he should not sit alone like this." So saying, she rose to approach Elfman and settle by his side; he glanced at her over the rustling of cloth, offering a faint smile that Priscilla returned. "What are you thinking about?"

A shrug was his first response, followed by a long silence. "I'm thinking about stopping," he ultimately said, drawing attention from the people around them. "Being a battlemage, I mean. Guess I'm not made for it." He mirthlessly twitched his stump, though Priscilla kept her mouth shut and let him speak, regardless of her desire to comfort him. "I just don't know what else to do. I worked for this for years."

"Were there any other interests you had when you were younger?"

Her question prompted a pause as he tried to remember, then Elfman laughed. "Yeah, wanted to be a veterinarian. Animal doctor," he added upon seeing her confusion at the unfamiliar term. "But I doubt that'd work with one arm."

This time Priscilla did arch an eyebrow, though her tone remained light. "Well," she began, "I see a challenge more than a hindrance." When she knew she had his attention, the crossbreed made a motion for the world around them. "You can mitigate the lack of an arm with a mastery of telekinesis, and likely at least one or two other disciplines."

She proceeded to steal one of the pancakes Mira stacked on her brother's plate while he was distracted, flipping the whole thing into her mouth and chewing it happily. "Regardless," Priscilla finished after swallowing, "I will practice some more. Until later."

Once she was gone, Elfman laughed humourlessly. "Damn, that girl outpaces me like it's nothing."

"She outpaces all of us," Mira responded from where she was hovering nearby; others agreed from all around them.

Natsu hummed in thought, offering his own thoughts: "Well, Igneel kinda was like that, too. Perfection in all things. I think it's a pride thing for dragons?"

Elfman laughed again in response, though it was more of a sigh. Taking a deep breath, the large man stood, his one clenched fist held to his chest. Be it the reminder of Priscilla's hard work or her challenge, new fire burned in his eyes. He marched through the taproom, coming to stand in front of Erza. Her attention was solely on her strawberry shortcake; she did not even react when he slammed that same fist onto her table, making both woman and platter jump. "Teach me telekinesis!" Elfman demanded.

Erza, unperturbed for but a faint smile, nodded. Then she took another slice of cake as if nothing happened.

"Oh my," was Mira's only comment.

Time began to fly afterward; Elfman went through Erza's brutal training regimen without complaint, much like Priscilla grew proficient with her scythe and Heavenly Body magic. She was proud of her friend as well as herself, having all but mastered the basics and intermediate steps. Two months passed in such a manner and she enjoyed the budding winter, feeling truly alive amidst cold winds and snowfall. It was not quite the same for her guildmates, but most of them remained cheerful also.

Soon, she once again found people decorating; the year was about to end and Magnolia would celebrate. This time there was no parade like Fantasia, but rather a homely celebration within the guildhall. Fairy Tail mostly remained to itself this time, not that she minded. Neither did the townsfolk care, though; various people from around town dropped by the guild to chat. Beside food and drink aplenty, Priscilla spent a great amount of time in conversation, playing games, and belting songs with everyone.

Some hours after nightfall, Makarov ushered them all outside for a fireworks display; anyone with suitable magic at hand participated, from Alzack and Bisca over Natsu to Laxus and his Thunder Legion. Every element imaginable shot into the sky to explode in myriads of colours, yet another display she knew she would not forget anytime soon. Moreover, Priscilla ultimately joined them with a bright smile. Stars shone above and below as she focussed, adding showers of golden sparks to the display with her newest spell, Grand Chariot.

While humans around the city cheered for their fireworks and various pets sought shelter from noise and light, Priscilla felt content. Her draconic side was once more in tune with her, leaving the dragon free of malevolent urges. It was for the best indeed, seeing that soon she would be tested again.

 

[Naron]

"The practice of inscribing spell circles into crystals to conduct Ethernano is commonly referred to as Lacrima. It is the first and easiest step of crafting magical artifacts, removing the difficulty of forming and holding the circle active during battle. Lacrima have no theoretical limit in size, though a greater bulk is naturally more difficult to move. Magical warmachines often function on various synchronised Lacrimas. Special preparation of Lacrima crystals can also allow them to serve as Ethernano storage."

-excerpt from "The Heart of Magic"

---

The night after New Year's day, Priscilla found herself in bed for once. Lying on her belly under the oversized blanket, tail curled up in-between her legs. She breathed evenly, reminiscing the merriment; celebrations lasted till morning and few people slept last night. The first ray of sunlight announced this next year and despite general exhaustion, everyone remained in high spirits. She had to admit, the intricacies and exceptions of the human sleep cycle were intriguing.

Unfortunately, her good mood did not survive even two days. Just after getting out of bed at the crack of dawn and tending to her regular chores, Priscilla wandered into Magnolia to find the guildhall demolished. Great pillars of dark steel impaled the building from all angles, though its sturdy construction kept it standing.

Priscilla was not the only one staring at the gruesome sight with trepidation; even the townsfolk passing by stopped to gaze at it, though there were not many at this time. Only when Makarov strolled up to stand by her side did the dragon snap out of looping anger and worry. "What happened?" she asked him at once.

"On a guess?" He scratched his arm, unconcerned. "Phantom Lord decided to escalate."

She had no idea who this referred to, but felt her hackles rise nonetheless. "And we just let them destroy our home?"

"Ha! Good one!" Makarov laughed cheerfully and waved her inside; he quickly made his way down into the untouched basement with a confused Priscilla in tow. "It's a bit of a shame, of course, but in the end this is just a building. We can rebuild it. They even struck in the midst of night when no one was inside, so we lose nothing that can't be replaced."

"I see," she murmured, calming herself. The master was quite right, even if seeing her favourite place in the world attacked remained agitating. "So all they really hit was the guild's budget." Makarov winced, reminding her of Fairy Tail's loving relationship with Council fines for collateral damage. "Although I believe we can cover most of the work with our own members," she quickly added to console him. "We have varied skillsets at hand, after all."

The elderly man laughed in relief, apparently agreeing with her assessment. "Right, right," he began with a renewed smile. "Now help me set up the basement and bring down the job board. We need some place to gather, after all."

"Of course. Would you tell me about Phantom Lord in the meantime?"

"Certainly."

And so Priscilla learned of the rivalry between Fiore's two biggest guilds. It never really quite went through her head that competition was so fierce, at least on the other end; from how Makarov told it, Fairy Tail did not care much for that. Nonetheless, she missed it entirely with how much she focussed on her own matters, a trend Priscilla felt would continue. She remodeled the storage area into a pub of sorts by the time Mira arrived and others began to trickle in.

Unfortunately, she was wrong. Right the next night, Shadow Gear was attacked. The moment she heard rumours on her way into town, Priscilla raced to the hospital and found three bandaged forms; the doctors did not even bat an eye at her arrival and directed the worried dragon inside. Levy waved from her bed, wincing. "Why do I keep coming here?" she complained weakly. "This is a shitty start to the new year."

She stewed in her own thoughts for a time, expression cycling between wariness and anger. It only stopped when the blunette noticed Priscilla's quickly darkening demeanor. "Don't look like that, I had worse." She winced again while pushing herself up. "I'll be out in a few days. What the demon did to us was way worse."

Priscilla took exception to her flippant attitude, but said nothing. She carried her growing agitation back to the imminent war council in the basement, only hearing half of it. By then she was seething.

A merry shout of "Let's hit them where it hurts" brought her back into the present. Natsu seemed as enthusiastic about it as everyone else, though she missed the details. Yet despite her desire to join them and rend Phantom Lord asunder, Priscilla raised a hand out of the ground with forced calm; the basement was too small for her to occupy fully.

"Will we kill them?"

Her question carried a chill with it that made those closest shiver from actual cold. Makarov immediately shook his head. "No," he denied. "We're giving them the beating of their lifetimes, but I don't want any deaths at this point. Right now the Magic Council will accept justified retaliation, but not escalation."

Unfortunate, but understandable. Priscilla nodded. "In that case, I will have to refrain from joining you." Her meaning was abundantly clear to the master, who likely noticed her bubbling anger; combine that with Lifehunt at her disposal and even she knew she would be tempted to use it. Her uncertainty about whether she could hold back was accepted, at least. Makarov smiled at her.

"Well, we need some people to stay behind anyway. Protect the place and the other members who won't join." He motioned for Lucy and Elfman among others, but Priscilla knew the gesture included Levy and her team as well.

"I will sit out as well," Mystogan added from the room's back. He almost wilted from the many gazes now focussed on him, but remained leaning at the wall. "With Laxus away for his mission and Gildarts out of touch, I rather have an S-ranker back here to make sure." There were murmurs of agreement among the crowd while Erza scowled, though he made certain not to meet her gaze. "I have some ideas of my own, too."

His proposal was accepted without issue and the main force soon headed out. Only a sparse few wizards remained, with Lucy stepping outside to visit Shadow Gear. Priscilla remained in the basement, now alone with Mystogan. He sat down on a crate and ruffled his hair, sighing. "I worry that this will escalate," he confided in the crossbreed after some time. "From what I heard and saw, Master Jose has grown more bitter over the last few years. Phantom Lord went from a guild full of life to a cold place where people only go for work."

He hesitated, though Priscilla nodded her understanding and coaxed him into continuing. "If he does escalate, I'd like to have your help with something. Do you think you can control yourself if it's just us and not everyone riling you up?"

"I do not know, but I believe so."

"Good enough", he decided, producing a map of Fiore with various marks that was smoothed out on another crate. "I could do it alone, but help never hurts."

Through the haze of slowly receding anger, something about the situation sparked curiousity within Priscilla. "Why would you ask me of all people?" she inquired, to which Mystogan shrugged awkwardly.

"You're our most likely contender for S-rank come the next trial, and, well. I have been here for a few years without ever showing my face. And I put people to sleep whenever I came in to pick a job. So connecting with any of them now is, er, awkward. You and I don't have that standing between us."

She could not quite follow why he felt that way, but understood his meaning well enough. The part left unsaid had her smiling. "I will gladly be your friend," she agreed, prompting another embarassed ruffling of Mystogan's blue hair. They then proceeded to shift awkwardly, neither quite certain how to act around a new friend; Priscilla had the convenience of knowing headstrong people who happily dragged her into their interests. Mystogan likely never took initiative before, either. Then again, she reminded herself they were Fairy Tail wizards. The Fairy Tail way was a simple one. "What do you do in your free time?"

"Traveling, mostly." He shrugged lamely. "I go from place to place and complete my missions. Sometimes I read a book, if I have any."

Priscilla could work with that. She leaned in curiously. "So you like to travel?" A hesitant nod kept her going: "What about it would you say you like? Myself, I adore the many beautiful landscapes I see along the way."

"That's...." Mystogan trailed off, clearly lost in thought. "I never really thought about it," he finally admitted. "Going from place to place with my own two feet just feels nice. I like the quiet and the feel of untouched nature, to walk where no humans were in years." He stopped there and glanced at Priscilla, who nodded encouragingly, but her new friend merely shrugged again. "It's not really the places, just the feeling. I don't know how else to describe it."

"I think I understand." And she did, though Priscilla hummed in thought afterward. "Hmm, I do appreciate some introspective peace and quiet as well."

"Could have fooled me." His murmured retort may not have been meant to be said, but she heard it anyway.

"Pardon?"

"It's just, every time I see you, you are right in the crowd." Mystogan motioned for the taproom above. "It's just weird to imagine you not being right there."

"A fair point," she admitted with a faint smile. "Truth be told, I mostly relegate my own introspections to when I am alone. After centuries spent locked away in a painting, I much appreciate the chance to interact with people who were not also thrown in there or came to me because they desire death."

"...wait, what?"

"Hm? Oh, I am a bit older than humans generally become. My mind tends to wander is all. So I can not quite say how many centuries it has been since my birth. Perhaps my first millennium is already complete? Maybe more, even."

Priscilla's kind recounting left Mystogan staring at her. After a few seconds, he slowly shook his head. "Nevermind that, not what I meant. Why were you locked up, and in a painting, and why do people come to you to die?"

In retrospect, she should have expected that to be what bothered him. Priscilla offered a miniscule shrug. "Fear, both of myself and mine creator. They feared me because my touch was death, even to the gods. Yet Lord Gwyn ordered my banished instead of killed, for my creator held great favour in his court. And so the painter god Ariamis created a prison for me, to be hidden until world's end."

"Your creator being?"

"A kinslayer."

"Were you a weapon, then? Did he make you to fight his enemies?"

"I... do not know."

It stung to admit this, but she never asked. Priscilla winced, thinking back to the few days she had spent near Seath. "He never offered that knowledge, though perhaps I am to blame. Conceit was always my greatest vice, as it were for most of our kind. It took me centuries of meditation to rein in my pride. What little time I spent with my creator, I spurned him at every opportunity while believing him beneath me."

"But you did not kill him?"

"And make myself a kinslayer?"

"Fair."

He actually winced while saying that, which amused Priscilla. She liked the conversation, even if this subject matter was not one of her favourites. Speaking of her origins felt nostalgic, if nothing else. "But to answer your other question: a curse developed among the humans of my world. The Darksign would appear on their bodies, making them Undead that kept reviving after death. No matter how badly maimed or destroyed the body ended up, it always came back; the human mind would erode over lifetimes or deaths, sometimes both, leaving them mere husks that they call hollows."

Mystogan followed her explanation with a grimace. "Your world sounds awful," he finally commented, then winced. "Uh, no offense." She shrugged, not quite disagreeing with that assessment. "But you could kill them?"

"Yes. My Lifehunt is potent enough to kill anything which has a soul. Gods and Undead alike, they are all equal before death." So said, Priscilla sheepishly bit her lip. "Would you, ah, keep these details to yourself? I have not explained the specifics to anyone else, and I feel knowing would needlessly disturb them."

His nod was all the answer she needed to smile again; they quickly transitioned into other, less uneasy subjects from there. Priscilla slowly coaxed other hobbies out of her new friend, such as an appreciation for woodcarving; he actually carved his five staves himself before having them enchanted. From there, she also learned that he focussed on holder-type magic, the art of using magical objects, because he lacked the innate ability to sense Ethernano just like her. Each stave had its own set of inbuilt spells that he used at will and could combine with the rest; this was supported by a decently sized capacity for magical power.

Unfortunately, the slowly easing atmosphere quickly regained its tension when their main force returned, sans Natsu but with an unconcious Makarov. Alzack and Bisca rushed the master to Polyushka, but Priscilla's thoughts short-circuited at the pitiful sight of such a powerful man brought low. His skin was discoloured in a sickly green; she vaguely recalled that lack of Ethernano could be detrimental, but to a human far past his prime? It may well be lethal. No one saw how it happened.

Then Natsu wandered in, bringing a disheveled Lucy and a more personal failing; neither her nor Mystogan even realised their guildmate was kidnapped. She apologised immediately, but Lucy waved her off. "It's fine. I mean, they would have come after me anyway. This is all my fault."

She began to brood at the table Natsu put her at, refusing any notion to the contrary with stoic silence. "Master Jose told me himself," she finally answered the guild as a whole, unable to meet their eyes for how much trouble she made. Of course the past would catch up. Sighing heavily, she resigned herself to at least tell them the truth. "My father is Jude Heartfilia. You probably heard of him." The collective gasp was answer enough; everyone would have heard of Fiore's third richest man, the only one who worked himself into wealth instead of inheriting it or being the king. "And he wasn't happy that I ran away. So he hired Phantom Lord to bring me back."

"That is...." Priscilla began, but was drowned out by a cacophony of shouts from all around; Cana dragged Lucy into a tight hug, followed by Mira and Wakaba. She was then passed around without any care for her share of the blame, receiving hugs and reassurances along the way; Lucy's eyes stung, but she somehow managed to force down the tears. By the time Macao gave her a push toward Mystogan and Priscilla, she was smiling again. The S-ranker gave her an awkward pat on the head before the giantess hugged her tightly. While doing so however, she finished her sentence: "That is illegal. The Magic Council strictly forbids assassination, kidnapping, transport of volatile materials and drugs."

She chuckled weakly against the far taller woman's chest. "The Magic Council needs to figure it out first. They obviously didn't plan for me to escape and tell anyone. Besides, when you're rich the law is more of a guideline, you just pay the fine or the judge and go on your merry way." Something she admittedly had done once or twice in the past, not that anyone needed to know.

"I see." When the half-dragon lady put her down, her expression was strangely empty. At first Lucy thought she offended her somehow, but then she noticed Mystogan walking away; five staves were strapped to his shoulder and he stopped at the stairs, glancing back at Priscilla. She rose without a word and phased through the ground to follow.

"Where are you going?" Mira demanded, to no response from the giantess. Mystogan met her gaze head-on.

"Working on something. You have Erza here just in case." The moment he said her name, the redhead flinched; Lucy reminded herself to drag the whole story out of her friend (?) sometime soon. Erza walked on eggshells around Mystogan everytime they met, either annoyed or depressed.

With those two gone however, some idle chatter popped up to discuss what they might be up to. Lucy let herself be pushed back onto her seat and was presented with a full meal, which she appreciated after the excitement. While eating, she idly listened to Mirajane's Lacrima-based conversation with Laxus.

"Are you serious?" he inquired with some mixture between confusion and annoyance. "Fairy Tail has the best wizards in the country. They had the old man and Erza leading the charge. How could those weaklings still lose?"

"Someone ambushed the master, most likely one of their Element Four. He's with Polyushka right now, but we don't know if he will even survive Ethernano deprivation at his age."

"...I'm on my way." The sudden shift from arrogant to serious had Lucy lift her gaze, finding not a trace of conceit on Laxus in that moment. He leered through the crystal ball, the force of his mood almost palpably affecting a room he was not even in. "But you," he added while pointing at Mira, "owe me a favour."

The model rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure," she agreed with a dismissive wave. "Just hurry." The connection cut off and Mira slumped into a nearby chair, muttering about idiots and posturing. Lucy reached over to pat her shoulder, which earned her a tired smile.

That eventful day soon came to a close, thankfully without any further issues. Unfortunately for Fairy Tail, Phantom Lord did not give them more than a single night to rest; just the next day, their rival guild's headquarters came marching into the harbor on giant legs, having turned into a golem of some sort. Natsu rushed inside first while Mirajane had to put Lucy to sleep, keeping the enemy's objective from following her friends into battle.

It got worse when Jose himself unleashed dozens of reforming phantom automatons on the guild, unable to be slain. They could not ignore them lest they attack anyone in sight. And then, to make it even worse for Fairy Tail, the golem expressed a military magic cannon, Jupiter.

Unfortunately for Jose, no amount of firepower could pass by the iron will of Erza Scarlet. Armour inlaid with protective enchantments and her most powerful shield weathered the blast, but were destroyed. The force of impact threw her back, making the knightess roll on the ground for a few metres. Coming to lie on her back with nary any reserves left, she blinked faintly while half hearing the enemy Master's taunts. Her lips twitched upward, however.

"Fool," Erza told no one in a soft whisper, interrupted by a violent cough. "I'm just buying time."

While she fainted and others ran to drag her to safety, Mirajane passed them transformed into a perfect copy of Lucy. Elfman and Gray charged up into the walking base while the cannon reloaded. And far above them, the dark clouds raining atop Phantom Lord's base shuddered as distant currents neared.

 

[Naron]

"Take Over is a powerful and surprisingly versatile combat magic discipline. Originally adapted from other species, the wizard absorbs a specific type of creature and subdues their soul in a battle of wills. The type of creature depends on what the Take Over is keyed to, but can be just about anything, excluding their own species. Great caution is advised here; if the battle for dominance is lost, the wizard will find themselves subdued and become a host for their mark. Should they stand victorious, they can now adapt traits from the subdued enemy and use them in battle at will."

-excerpt from "The Soul of Magic"

---

By himself, Jellal of Edolas, or Mystogan as he was known, decided that he chose correctly; removing Priscilla from the main battle may have been his most brilliant idea to date. Between his Speed magic and her own Meteor, they raced between villages and towns. He barely even had to do any work, what with her working through some pent-up aggression as they went. This same aggression was the other reason he felt reassured; leaving her near a far more volatile situation without proper supervision could have spelled disaster.

Wandering through yet another devastated building, he noted various bodies crumpled on the floor or against the walls. Some were moaning faintly and two unharmed ones were busy fussing over their downed guildmates; a quick Sleep spell took them down. Then he proceeded to administer first aid where needed, wincing ever so slightly at the almost casual beatdown his new friend delivered. That was still weird, he mused while tending to one woman in a small crater on the ground, solid stone split apart by brute force. He did not have a friend in years, even before his odyssey to Earthland.

"Please, help...." a weak voice called from nearby, but he ignored the woman. She would be fine. Priscilla did not go overboard too often, though the desperate shouting up ahead spoke of more work for him. Shame.

Mystogan strolled along, making certain they got every wizard in this Phantom Lord outpost; it was times like these he wished for the ability to sense Ethernano. There may be a dozen ambushes or hideouts he simply missed for its lack.

The silent complaints stopped when he entered the manor's main hall, where a group of five were still under fire. Showers of golden light rained from the walls, swallowing up the lot before exploding violently; Mystogan closed his eyes in time to not be blinded. Thanks to that, he got to watch Priscilla erupt from the floor, grasping two of her unfortunate victims and smashing them together. She twirled around an errant fireball and transitioned into a hard kick against the third; Mystogan heard bones break from where he stood, wincing when the body slammed into a wall left of him. That was too far.

"Priscilla!"

His shout may be a little less steadfast than he wanted it to, but being a little intimidated by her prowess was justifiable to himself. By her own admission, she had driven fear into physical gods as an infant. Thankfully, Priscilla did come to a halt just before her fist smashed the last wizard standing into the ground. The woman crouched, trembling arms raised to protect her face.

"Calm down," he added, still thankful that his friend was a reasonable person. She held the position a moment longer before pulling back, taking a deep breath. The battered woman she was in the process of brutalising stared up fearfully, a slowly emerging spark of hope extinguished when her eyes fell shut and she slumped forward. Mystogan attached the stave to his back again afterward.

"Apologies," Priscilla murmured after a minute of studying her handiwork. "I was losing myself. Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

He quickly saw to stabilising the last few wizards in need of medical attention. In the meantime, his friend stepped forward to gather up Phantom Lord's banner from the room's head. Where Fairy Tail remained centralised, their rival guild held small dwellings and outposts throughout the country; they sported a lot more members as well, but their quality suffered from that approach. Some of the people here did not even know how to protect themselves with a shroud of Ethernano, a practice even Mystogan figured out without the senses to know when it covered his skin.

He received the banner and put it into his bag, noting that it was already bulging with similar pieces. "Just a few more," he commented, then checked the map to make certain. "Up north now."

"Lead the way."

And so they left yet another confused town. Neither wizard was willing to elaborate, or even stop to hear anyone's questions. They were gone as fast as they appeared, mere whispers on the wind.

Meanwhile in Magnolia, the rain atop Phantom Lord's main base intensified. None of the Element Four worried about the handful of intruders, though two were soon locked in combat. Down below in the golem's belly, Natsu faced Totomaru of Flames, the fire ruler. Happy watched in despair how his friend and foster father's flames were taken control of; by all accounts, Totomaru was the worst kind of opponent for Natsu.

"Have you really not learned it yet, buddy?" the other wizard taunted just after making Natsu punch himself with a fire-wreathed fist. "It doesn't matter how much power you put into it or how hot the flame becomes. The moment it ignites, it's mine!"

Happy fretted at the sidelines, hoping against all hope that help would arrive in time. Natsu could break through walls with his hard head, he could definitely figure something out sooner or later, too. Happy believed, but at the same time he hurt every time his Natsu got injured.

With the next misguided punch, he had enough. "Leave Natsu alone!" Happy shouted and dashed forward on white-feathered wings. From deep within he drew power, his other magic that he never dared use. But if not now, then when? "Nephilim Fist!"

"What are you going to-" was all Totomaru managed before a tiny, blue paw hit his shin. The moment Happy's magic connected, it violently tore through the human's protective Ethernano like a hot knife goes through butter. His leg broke and he dropped with a scream.

But Happy was not done. "Nephilim Fist!" he shouted again as the magic came once more, bopping Totomaru in the face and knocking him out despite the lack of force. He had only a little skill in hand-to-hand combat, but the surprise assured a swift victory. A red paw print remained on the downed wizard's forehead, spider cracks of broken skin radiating from the point of contact.

Once his shallow breathing evened out however, Happy realised the fight was over. And that Natsu saw it. He was tempted to take wing and flee from what he knew was coming, the disgust. But when he forced himself to look, all Natsu had for him were a fond if tired smile, and a thumbs up. "Good job," he praised. "I didn't even know you could do that. What's it called? 'Nephilim Fist'? What kind of magic is that?"

So it was because Natsu did not know. Happy averted his gaze, unwilling to say but even less willing to stay silent. "Humanslayer," he muttered, hoping against all hope Natsu did not hear. Unfortunately, a Dragonslayer had great senses; the way his bestest friend's expression grew first shocked and then somber, he definitely heard.

Elsewhere, Monsier de Sol of Earth had just finished taunting Elfman and displaying a helpless Mirajane, captured by the golem base's hand. To the earth wizard's shock, his opponent proceeded to go past his limits and unleash the King of Beasts he could never quite control before.

Up above, the rain began to let up as Gray's battle with Phantom Lord's Juvia came to a close; she could still fight, mind, but her heart raced too much for her to want that. There were some miscommunications and maybe she overreacted a tiny bit, but her opponent revealed himself as a not just attractive but also kind man. They both lay on the ground, staring upward as the afternoon sun broke through the clouds; Juvia had not seen it in years.

Before her rainclouds vanished entirely however, lightning zig-zagged through the blackness and struck the base's headpiece. Juvia blinked in surprise and breathed the smell of ozone that followed. "Weird," she murmured. "I never have lightning in my rain."

For some reason, he chuckled at that; when Juvia glanced his way, he threw her grin. "That's because this wasn't normal lightning."

"Oh." It took her a moment to remember who of Fairy Tail controlled that particular element. Once she did, Juvia turned a little more pale. "Oh."

Meanwhile, Master Jose laughed boisterously and ignored his three underlings twitching on the ground. "What do we have here?" he jeered, gaze focussed on the imposing figure standing in his control room. "Makarov can not come to join us, so he sends his cherished grandson instead? Ah well, perhaps you are an actual challenge."

Laxus merely snorted, arms crossed and an almost disinterested look on his face. "Don't lump me in with the losers," he drawled at the older man. "None of them are on my level. But I've gotta say, you are such a brave man. Having your weaklings fight instead of coming to us yourself. Last time I checked, cowardice wasn't one of Phantom Lord's tenets. Afraid of facing the old man yourself, weren't you?" He snorted again over Jose's furious grimace. "But looking at you in person, I can see why."

Despite his boiling anger, Jose did not snap. Rather, he channelled it into condescension. "Hah. Makarov will die and your guild is destroyed. In a few minutes Jupiter-" was as far as he got when a blaring siren cut him off; a nearby set of lights went dark, indicating that the magical cannon's power source was destroyed.

Laxus offered a dark chuckle in response, clapping his hands ever so slowly. "How impressive, you needed an ambush to defeat an ancient man who could have dropped dead any day. As for my guild...." he trailed off with a nod downward, where Ethernano spiked beneath them.

On their way up the animated base, Happy rode on Natsu's shoulder; even if his friend took the news well enough, the little feline, or Exceed as Mystogan told him he was, could not bear to speak. After some time, Natsu picked him off with a kind smile. "Don't be down like this, it's not like you." Any backtalk was prevented by a soft flick to his forehead. "It's okay."

"B-But, but this is, I am...."

"Shh, it's okay." Natsu hugged the child he helped hatch against his warm chest, nose twitching. "We're both monsters, so it's okay."

"So saddening!" another voice shouted from up ahead. Happy's head snapped around despite his confusion. Before them stood a massive man garbed in a long, green coat with some orange visible around the collar; even his top hat was green. A gauze blindfold hid his gaze, though the fabric was damp from continuously streaming tears. "So heartwarming!" he continued, "A man and his friend, speaking from the heart! So unfortunate, that your path is cut off now."

"You're the one that did gramps in," Natsu stated calmly. "He smelled of you." The fur on Happy's entire body stood on end in response and a feral snarl loosed from his throat. Someone who hurt the master had to be hurt back. However, his fury broke away when Natsu only gave him a soft pat on the head and placed him down. "Remember what I just said?" he reminded the Exceed with a gentle smile. "Watch."

At the same time, Elfman's handicap of possessing but one arm saw him defeated. Before Mirajane's helpless eyes, Sol beat her little brother down one last time; he did not get up, buried under half a ton of rubble from the surrounding corridor. Their rampage left this entire area in ruins, not that Sol seemed to care; he was bruised, the ochre suit torn and his monocle lost, but chuckled anyway. "Non non non," he taunted cheerfully. "Never would a second rate cripple surpass a man such as myself. Now it is time for you to accept your early grave."

Horror scenarios had run through Mira's head for a while now, worry warring with fear and hope in equal measure. Now that hope was dashed and the other two became overbearing, she struggled against her bindings again with a strangled scream. Despair entered the mix, riding on the memory of holding Lisanna's cold body in her arms that day. Mirajane shuddered, hyperfocussing on her brother as the rubble began to press in on him. To crush him.

Then something within her broke, and magic flowed. The lump in her throat vanished, a cascade of Ethernano pouring forth from every pore of her body. A black circle snapped into place, its presence drawing Sol's shocked attention. Mira howled so loud that even Fairy Tail underneath could hear; then a pillar of darkness followed, enveloping her and breaking the mechanised hand. "Satan Soul!" she roared.

When the black light fell away, Mira was already halfway toward Sol. Her feral snarl sat on a face oh so similar yet different, framed by a soft plume belying the razor sharp claws growing from every single finger. Avian feet tore gouges into the ground as she ran.

Meanwhile, Natsu's skin began to discolour, growing black scales while his pupils turned into slits. "Demon King's Flaming Wreath," he intoned, and was encased by dark fire so hot it made the ground beneath his feet liquify. A pair of horns grew from his head, curling backward in reminiscence of a crown. Aria stood before him with clear uncertainty, having taken a single step back when Natsu inhaled, a spell circle forming before him. "Demonic Dragon's Breath!" he shouted, and exhaled a noxious black flame. It drew in the wreath and exploded forward. Aria of the Wind would have survived it even, had the elusive wizard not tried to evade by turning into air. Air that the flame consumed in its entirety.

At the same time, Mirajane's claws tore open Monsier de Sol's chest and splattered blood all over the corridor. Her banshee's scream reverberated, then changed in pitch when she grabbed his head and threw him forward, where he was engulfed by a beam of demonic fire. The enraged demoness blinked at that momentarily, then stared into the metres-wide hole; it reached over fifty metres through the colossus, revealing a softly panting Natsu. The moment their eyes met, he waved before grabbing Happy with his clawed hands and running off. Compelled to follow him, Mirajane roared challenge upon the intruders that dared lay hand on her family. She raced through the molten tunnel, uncaring for the heat. Rubble shifted behind her, a battered but alive Elfman slowly digging himself out.

"Do you hear that?" Laxus smugly told the flabbergasted Jose. It was impossible not to hear the roars and sounds of rampaging demons below. The entire structure shook, tilting precariously. "That's the sound of your guild going down the drain."

"Enough," Jose glowered, wrapping himself in thin blankets of shadow. "You will pay for this, and then I will deal with the rest of your mangy guild."

"Hmph. Bring it."

With a crackling burst, lightning struck the screen of shadows covering Jose. Laxus bounced off and reformed behind his opponent, backhanding a phantom that tried to gnaw on him. Jose responded with more shades while shrouding the shaking room in unnatural darkness; it did not last because great currents speared the air and disrupted his spell. The pieces disintegrated around them, revealing a dozen phantoms circling Laxus. Jose chuckled. "So much for being Makarov's grandson. You-"

A fist met his face, having punched clean through the protections. Jose went flying into the wall; only the coat of living shadows prevented him from taking a bath far below. The two combatant stared at each other momentarily, one in shock and the other with a grim expression. "You still don't get it," the younger man drawled, cracking his knuckles. "This isn't about the old man. This is about the guild." His voice grew in volume until he dashed forward. "I'm Fairy Tail's LAXUS!!" he screamed, a supercharged fist breaking through the wall Jose just occupied. The force of impact broke every fibre of reinforced stone over several metres.

"And you picked a fight with the wrong guild," Laxus finished while turning to where Jose reappeared.

That was the last they said and their fight began in earnest. Jose snaked through the darkness he exuded, continuously sending his ever reforming shadow soldiers at Laxus; where any lesser wizard would be caught off-guard and overwhelmed however, he kept up his offense. Every time Jose made headway in outmaneuvering him, the lightning wizard turned to his favoured element and repositioned instantly. Often with a devastating blow against his enemy's defenses. But where a single strike of his would have felled lesser wizards, Jose had earned the title of Wizard Saint and kept fighting.

The momentary explosions of darkness and flashes of lightning, the racing hearts, their focus on each other, made neither of them notice Natsu passing by nearby in search of Lucy. He had since reverted to normal and parted ways with Mirajane, who kept rampaging below. Though tired from the previous exertion and a little shaken from accidentally killing a man, Natsu was ready to face Black Steel Gajeel, the Iron Dragonslayer. The fact he obviously beat up Lucy after capturing her again made Natsu's brow furrow, but he focussed on the oddly familiar man.

"I thought about it before," he mused idly, "but now I'm sure. Where've you been all these years? Phantom, seriously?"

"None of your business," Gajeel groused back, his wild mane of black hair fluttering in the wind coming in from broken windows. "Not like you ever showed your face." He slammed a fist into his palm, producing sounds more akin to steel hitting steel. "What're you gonna do about it, huh? Think you can take me?"

Lucy and Happy stayed at the sidelines, more confused than anything else. "Do they know each other?" the blonde asked her Exceed friend, who shrugged. Natsu had heard, though.

"Yeah, I know that guy," he called loudly, eyes never leaving Gajeel. "Bit of an asshole, him. Anyway." Natsu sniffed once, twice, and frowned. "Did you find her?"

"Her? Oh, right. No."

Neither of them elaborated for their small audience, though the response left Natsu decidedly unhappy. Even if the little one ran away, that neither of them found her was a problem. He sighed. "Alright. She's probably fine anyway, if your ugly face made it this far." He cackled about the anger filling Gajeel's expression, the line of piercings over his eyebrows almost popping out. His tattered, dark robe fluttered over thick leather pants. He looked healthy, at least. Natsu let his fire ignite around one fist and grinned. "Now it's time for your beating. I'm all fired up!"

Gajeel's skin discoloured in response, taking the properties of actual iron. He scowled. "We'll see which of us is better, Salamander."

They proceeded into a battle in Gajeel's favour; even the general advantage of iron against fire aside, Natsu already fought earlier. Happy and Lucy watched them go at each other, neither willing to interfere for fear of distracting their friend; moreover, Lucy had no Gate Keys on her, having lost them in the earlier chase.

Minutes later, both fighters were panting heavily, bruised and scorched but still standing. Just as they made to charge each other again however, a bright light shone down on the ravaged room. The Dragonslayers glared up, Lucy and Happy raised their gazes. Jose did the same not far from them, singed and bruised. A giant spell circle floated above the invading golem.

Phantom Lord's master stared in incomprehension, having received a second haymaker to the jaw that made him see stars. His eyes flickered to the stationary Laxus, his clothes torn and body sporting various tiny cuts where the phantoms struck; between the hands raised before him floated an orb of gentle, golden light. "We're done," the Fairy Tail wizard declared with finality, eyes dilating as he crushed the orb between his palms. "Fairy Law! Activate!"

And then there was light. It flooded the colossus from above, filling every nook and cranny. Jose's phantoms were washed away like stains of dirt, his protections faded. Down below, Fairy Tail's struggle ceased as their remaining enemies evaporated; the shine made them all feel at ease. Natsu and Gajeel stopped their battle, fully aware that such light did not belong to Phantom Lord; Lucy basked in it, felt it soothe her many bruises.

Deep in the golem's belly, Mirajane raised her head and stood still to behold the beautiful light. She slowly exhaled and let go of her wrath, the transformation washing away.

On the path home, Mystogan and Priscilla saw it as well; they stopped in their tracks to watch from afar, mesmerised by Fairy Law's glory. Not far from them, a faintly breathing Makarov opened his eyes a crack to glance out of the window; he soon fell asleep again, a soft smile playing around his lips.

A diminutive, blonde girl watched the display from the rooftops. She kicked her legs and bare feet idly, smiling. "I told you you can do it," she told no one. "That is why I taught it to you." A moment later, she was gone.

And even further away but also on the path to Magnolia, Zeref stopped in his tracks. He could not even see, but his senses told him all he needed to know. "So I am not needed after all," he murmured, relieved but also despondent. Even though he felt it in the air earlier, the scent of flame and darkness entwined, he could not bear to draw close now that he knew they were alright. "At least I now know where you were all this time. Natsu."

 

[Naron]

"Magic is inheritable, to an extent; this shall be referred to as Affinity. Any spell circles a wizard internalised properly by the time they sire or bear a child, will be inherited by that same child. They lie dormant until the offspring begins to actively use Ethernano themselves, though moments of strong emotion may unlock them instinctively. These imprints upon the soul are often lost between generations if a child does not actively practice magic. Sometimes one's grandchildren may retain the ingrained spell circles, a process which is not quite clear at this point. My personal suspicion is that the more complex a circle is, the less likely it is to be passed through dormancy intact."

-excerpt from "The Heart of Magic"

---

A crowd of exhausted wizards gathered before the rubble that used to be their guildhall. Most sunk to the ground for precious rest, but all still offered smiles to their returning vanguard; Natsu and Lucy were first, both beaten up but happy. Then Gray limped along, followed by Laxus steadying the battered Elfman. Finally, Mira arrived in a dress mostly shredded and wearing a smile ever so somber.

"So it is over," Mystogan broke the exhausted silence, himself and Priscilla joining the group soon after. He carried a large bag containing their spoils while the crossbreed remained alert, searching for enemies but finding none.

With her instinct satisifed, she focussed on the group curiously. "Whatever was that light we saw? It reached us even from such distance."

"I was wondering about that too," Lucy admitted from her place on the ground next to Cana. The brunette offered a wineskin, of which she took a measured swig before continuing. "Is it one of the Fairy Magics?"

Priscilla tilted her head in wonder, though everyone else nodded. Mirajane leaned forward to pat Laxus' broad bicep as she explained: "Keeping them a secret is basically impossible, so we don't. Only a handful of wizards get to learn one of the three Great Fairy Magics, and even less are able to cast them. They are Fairy Sphere, the perfect protection spell, Fairy Glitter, the absolute point destruction, and what you saw today, Fairy Law, the absolute area denial. It's famous for destroying only the caster's enemies and nothing else. I had no idea you even knew it," she added with a faint, impish grin.

Laxus just grunted in response, standing more relaxed than Priscilla ever saw him. Maybe it was the exhaustion. "Little brat told me where to find the book. No idea how she knew." His gaze hardened somewhat when he focussed on the two returning members. "Where were you anyway?" In response, Mystogan opened the bag and upended it; dozens of Phantom Lord banners in various dark colours spilled out, pooling on the cobblestone for all to see. A momentary silence followed as everyone digested that. Laxus simply nodded. "Alright."

Priscilla's gaze was inevitably drawn by the devastated guildhall during that pause; it was just too much to miss, the entire building demolished. She already managed to remove most furniture and the library in preparation, but the sorry sight still had her at the verge of tears. It still had her want to march into the giant golem in the bay and slaughter whoever survived.

Her mood seemed contagious, seeing how the general atmosphere shifted when others followed her gaze. However, the uneven steps of a limping Erza distracted them somewhat. Though clad in but a thin gown that revealed various bruises over her body, the knightess still radiated calm and pride. "It is just a building," she reminded the guild as a whole of Makarov's words. "We can rebuild it."

"Hey guys," another faintly familiar voice interrupted whatever speech she planned. "I got- the hell happened here? And what's with the walking fortress in the bay? Wasn't there a fight?" Everyone now stared at Gildarts, who dropped his pack without a care in the world and approached them.

"It... ended half an hour ago, old man," Laxus finally got out, just as dumbfounded as the rest.

"Well, shit. Sorry about that."

Despite everything, the exchange drew some laughter from the defenders. Macao chuckled, then got up with a grunt to clap Gildarts' shoulder. "Well, now that you're here, I guess we've got a job for you." He motioned for the ruins with a wry grin. "Time to rebuild it, better than ever."

Priscilla wholeheartedly agreed with the sentiment, though a sudden wail made her head snap around. Be it the realisation that it was over or simply a breaking point, Lucy began to cry her heart out from relief. Laxus, standing almost next to her, rolled his eyes. "Stop bawling already," he drawled without any heat, patting her head once; the motion earned him several knowing smiles. Even Erza chuckled.

Then Gray gave Natsu a push, making the Dragonslayer stumble forward; he had a crying Lucy clinging to him moments later. Gildarts used the chance to check on Cana, but found his daughter perfectly fine. Others soon began to embrace as well, celebrating the end of their battle; Priscilla found herself almost buried in bodies for a while. Some time passed until they could get to work, though the townsfolk thankfully gave them space.

Before the guild could do more than clear rubble however, the Magic Council's Rune Knights appeared to take them all into custody; Priscilla bristled, but Mira and Erza took over talking to their commander before unfortunate things could be said or done. When the stern-faced woman who asked for Makarov learned that he was still in critical condition and with a healer, she relented on that matter. Her subordinates gathered the Phantom Lord members they could get ahold of and brought them away. Even a pale, shivering Jose was found where Laxus left him. As it turned out, Fairy Law did not kill the man; rather, it burned away his magic reserves. This would probably leave him his powers, but stunted them at the same time. He would never wield the might of a Wizard Saint again.

Once everyone's statements were taken, the Rune Knights left them to their work; just as they hoped, Phantom Lord took all of the blame for the entire conflict. Fairy Tail's non-lethal approach and surprisingly strict focus on minimising collateral damage earned them some goodwill. The latter part also earned Mystogan and Priscilla some looks because they did try to limit destruction to Phantom Lord property.

Then it was time for work and she quickly made herself useful; while Gildarts efficiently carved away torn parts of foundation and turned it into whole metal bars or wooden planks with Crush magic, Priscilla carried the new raw materials away in her arms. For that first afternoon, she was just about the only one still up to hard work.

As it turned out over the next days, Jose had kept a close eye on his guild's movements. He shouldered most of the blame and received a lengthy prison sentence, to be spent recovering from the ordeal in custody. The surviving Element Four each received hefty fines, but everyone else without previous criminal offenses was let off the hook. Most of Phantom Lord's coffers, however, were confiscated and offered to Fairy Tail as reparations. They quickly allocated the funds to the rebuilding effort.

Loke joined them two days after the battle was over; he had gone who knew where afterward, but on his return he handed Lucy's gate keys back to Natsu. The blonde herself was absent. While Priscilla worked however, she soon heard that apparently, Lucy left for home without telling anyone; Natsu, Gray, and Erza rushed after her to bring their friend back, for which she wished them the best of luck.

On the third day's morning, the whole guild was already hard at work when Makarov hobbled up the road. Their old Master's breath puffed in a white cloud like everyone else's. He himself leaned on a tiny cane with every step; his determined expression prevented anyone from trying to help. Although the furious Polyushka hovering over him may have played a part in it. "Why do you have to be so difficult?" she kept berating him with clear exasperation. "You're not working, not today and not anytime soon!"

"I know," the elder rumbled in response before gently reaching out; his arm elongated until he could give Laki a soft pat on the head, her having been the nearest to him. "But I still want to be here and comfort the little ones. I'm not dead yet."

"Unbelievable!" The matron threw up her hands and turned to leave. "Do what you want!"

After heaving a sigh, Makarov found himself accosted by a gently smiling Mira. "Welcome back, Master," she greeted. "But just because she left does not mean we let you work. Come, I will bring you a chair and a few blankets."

"There is no need to treat me like an old geezer," he complained under his breath, but stopped when Mira glanced over her shoulder with a look promising pain on being difficult. "Alright, alright! Feisty children." He allowed himself to be wrapped in two warm blankets and placed in a quiet corner, protected from the cold breeze by a Solid Script wall Levy already built there. The blunette waved with a sardonic grin.

"Heya, Master. Fancy seeing you in the invalid corner."

"Very feisty children," Makarov repeated mostly to himself, though inwardly glad that he could take it easy. Mira pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead before prancing away, leaving the elder with a fond smile and joy in his old heart. "But such is the burden of age." Finishing his introspection, he glanced at the mostly recovered script wizard; chances were she would not remain at the sidelines for much longer, so he ought to make use of her presence. "She seems awfully happy today."

Despite his condition, Makarov knew his children inside and out. Mirajane was never quite this joyous; he had considered it might be his return, but ruled that out. Levy nodded sagely as well, cluing him in that something happened. "You didn't hear yet," she concluded. "Turns out, being out of practice after recovering from loss of limb didn't do Elfman much good. He got beaten by one of the Element Four." Levy frowned while Makarov outright scowled, but she waved him off. "Mira, er, took offense. And her Satan Soul came back."

"Ah."

That would do it. The master nodded his understanding, though Levy grimaced. "The guy is kinda dead, by the way. We had two casualties total, technically both on Natsu. The wind guy did a dumb and tried to dodge a fireblast by becoming air, and that fireblast roasted the guy Mira was about to kill before she got to finish him."

Makarov winced at the recounting, but was ultimately relieved; only two casualties, and none of his at that. Natsu was nowhere to be seen, but he doubted the boy would be too torn up about it; he was a strong one. It felt a little odd, however; glancing to the towering golem still stuck within Magnolia's harbor, he could clearly see the slagged hole in its shoulder. "They fought near each other and Natsu could not come help Elfman?"

"More like fifty paces apart, but Natsu just burned a hole from somewhere around the chest area. He won't say how he did it either, but I've seen the fire come out from halfway across town." Seeing his arched eyebrow, Levy raised her hands defensively. "What? I had nothing to do and my home was under attack, so I stayed at the window to watch and try sniping someone with Solid Script. That didn't work, by the way." She was clearly not happy, but refrained from further complaints when Makarov snorted.

"At least you didn't do something foolish like leaving the hospital to join the fight," he teased one of his more level-headed members. Left unsaid but known to both of them however, was that Levy absolutely would have, had things become more dire.

For her part, the script wizard hummed her agreement. Then she glanced back at him. "Master? I was wondering, the Element Four were equivalent to our S-rank wizards, right?" He nodded, wondering where this was going. "So, were there always four, or did they have to change the name every time someone else joined the club?"

Makarov had to chuckle at that, nodding his head in response. "Ah yes," he reminisced fondly, "one of Jose's greater embarassments. They used to be named Elemental Lords, but he decided that was too unoriginal with Phantom Lord's guild name, so he renamed the group. Some time later, he probably realised that with giving an explicit number, he could not really appoint more wizards. So he didn't. The Element Four were static for the last, oh, six years? Ever since that fire boy took over the spot from when a previous holder retired."

"So that's why Gajeel wasn't one of them?"

"Exactly."

While Levy turned her attention back to the building effort, Makarov frowned at the reminder and wondered where that boy had gone. Gajeel Redfox was young, around Natsu's age at most and also a Dragonslayer. If he fell in with Phantom Lord as early as Natsu had joined Fairy Tail, well. He could not forgive the attack on his children that easily, but he was also old enough to recognise a child not raised right. That particular thought reminded him of Laxus, who just barely managed to keep his own issues in check at times. Yes, Makarov really could not throw stones there. His grandson was just made of sterner stuff and surrounded by people who could keep his worse tendencies in check.

Thinking of them, Mira wandered by with two mugs of hot chocolate; Levy chirped her thanks and Makarov rasped his as well, but after a few sips of the sweet goodness, he cleared his throat. "Get everyone to gather, please. I have an announcement to make."

Half the guild surrounded him before the statement was finished, the rest quickly drawn by the commotion. Once Priscilla and Laxus had shuffled over as well, he sat a bit more straight before settling back down with a sigh; no chance to look dignified while bundled up like this. "After everything that happened," Makarov began with a clear and strong voice, "Fairy Tail's S-class trial for this year is cancelled. The guild is not in any state to hold it. That is all."

He quickly sipped from his mug to soothe the raw throat even just that much exertion gave him; he really needed to recuperate. At least the announcement and following chatter distracted the little ones from his bout of weakness.

Everyone went back to work afterward, having cleared the detritus entirely by the first week's end. The Thunder Legion joined them as well, dumbstruck by the destruction. They were in the neighbouring country, Ka Elm, for a job and missed everything. Nonetheless, cheers and drinks were had while the guild took that afternoon off to rest; Shadow Gear joined the restoration effort by then, having gotten a clean bill of health. Just as the first warm drinks were handed out however, Natsu and Gray marched in carrying a sheepish Lucy between them. Erza followed the lot, with Happy draped over her head. "Found her!" the Dragonslayer cheered, presenting his teammate like a rare catch. Lucy struggled weakly before falling still with a sigh.

Once she gave up trying to free herself, the summoner explained that she never meant to leave the guild. She merely went home to clear the air with her father, which she did. He would not make any more trouble for Fairy Tail, that she was certain about. It felt a little odd to Lucy nonetheless, having turned her back on the place she was born and raised in.

While Makarov called Natsu away for some kind of discussion about the other Dragonslayer they met, she settled at a table and played with her keyring. Levy quickly joined her with a high five, though Lucy's reponse was lackluster. "What's with the long face?" her friend teased, peering up into her troubled expression from below. "That time of the month?"

"No," Lucy denied with a sigh. "I was just thinking, I focussed so hard on my spirit magic that I never learned anything else. Then I didn't even learn the gates properly, so I was basically helpless when I lost my keys. I got abducted twice in as many days for crying out loud." She buried her face in her arms with a groan, relaying her recent realisation: "I better learn some more magic to protect myself, but it all feels so difficult. And there's so many things I could learn, I don't know what to pick." At least Lucy felt a little better after airing her feelings.

"Mhm, I know how you feel." Levy stroked her friend's back soothingly. "I was thinking about picking up something new, too. Script magic is dead useful, but the number of times I go to the hospital tells me I need to step up my game." Lucy groaned at the reminder while Levy chuckled. "Don't give me that," she admonished. "You got beaten up almost as much. I'll have you know I didn't even have any broken bones."

While true, it really highlighted how different Fairy Tail was from the common folk; Lucy noticed it also, having recovered from Gajeel's ministrations in days due to both Polyushka and her own body's recent hardiness. When did the little Heartfilia princess turn into a bar brawler, she wondered.

"Anyway," Levy redirected her thoughts with a clap to her shoulder. "I take it you want combat magics?"

"Maybe? I'm not sure, but I definitely want something that's not Celestial Spirit magic." Lucy shrugged, more than a little uncertain where her priorities lay. "I'm even thinking about Speed magic so I can just run away, but at the same time I feel that anyone who really wants to catch me won't just stop. So I probably want to beat them."

"How about Body Enhancement?" Erza suggested, joining their conversation as she settled opposite of Lucy with a piece of cake. "You already use its very basics like all wizards do, but with some study you can become a good bit sturdier. It is subtle, too; no one will expect you to be overly strong or durable." While the comment stung a little, it did sound tempting to Lucy. Levy snapped her fingers.

"So that's what you use?"

"Yes. As for other suggestions," the redhead continued toward the pondering blonde, "you could get yourself some enchanted items as well. As your primary magic is Holder-type, this might suit you."

Lucy nodded again, fully aware that Erza seemed keen on passing on her own type of combat. She could not stop the lopsided grin from imagining herself as Titania the Second, or the sheer horror of two like Erza running around. Then she went about gently dismantling her friend's proposition: "The whole idea is that I don't need to rely on items I carry around, so I can't do that second one. Unless I put together an entire treasury like you do, someone can just steal or break the items and I'm back at square one." Erza inclined her head in agreement, so Lucy swallowed the other point about having no money to buy expensive magic items. "But the Body Enhancement is worth some thought," she finished instead, if just to appease her friend. "I could fight with... hm."

Suddenly, a thought presented itself. Lucy paused, eyes narrowing at the keys still in her hands. What if she combined Body Enhancement with Celestial Spirit magic? Was it even possible? But if yes, she could hit two birds with one stone and build herself a secret weapon no one would see coming at the same time. Fighting with her spirits, she had meant to say; perhaps she could do it literally in some way? This bore investigating.

"Lucy?"

Levy's hesitant question snapped the blonde out of her musings; she offered her bookish friend a winning grin. "Don't worry, just had an idea. I'm probably going to dabble in Body Enhancement, at least a bit." After that declaration, she went back to musing about her combat capabilities. "But I do not think it is the game changer I would like it to be. How many dedicated wizards can be defeated by being a little stronger?"

"All true," another voice joined them. Mirajane stood behind Erza, resting both hands on the knightess' shoulders to her annoyance. The barmaid smiled down at Lucy. "I hope you forgive my eavesdropping," she began cheerfully, "but I think I know just the thing for you. Nasty surprises are my favourite surprises. Try Mirror magic."

Levy and Erza both became attentive at that, though Lucy was more confused than anything. "I, ah, don't know that magic," she admitted a little shily; though Mira quickly wormed her way into the blonde's heart, she was still larger than life. "What does it do?"

"Oh, that's simple." Finally letting go of Erza, Mira clapped her hands in delight. "It is a tricky discipline to learn, I admit. But once you know how to use it, you send every damage you take straight back at the other person. You can even hurt them more than they hurt you if you are good enough."

Lucy blinked, surprised by the existence of such a discipline. Then the possibilities unfolded in her mind and she began to match Mira's now sinister smile. "And anyone who thinks the summoner in the back is easy pickings," she mused with a soft chuckle. The sentence would be forever left unfinished, but everyone knew where it went. "I like this," Lucy decided. "I like this a lot. Thank you, Mira."

"It was nothing. All for our sweet youngsters."

The model sashayed away afterward, leaving Lucy to ponder how to go about her new plans. She brainstormed some more just in case there was something even better to choose, but the Body Enhancement idea already festered in the back of her mind. Ultimately, this was what Lucy went with.

As for Mirajane, after giving her suggestion, she was reminded of the other Mirror wizard Fairy Tail had. As well as the 'favour' she owed him still. Not that Laxus used it often, but that was the surprising part about it; then again, something that hurt the direct attacker right back would not be useful against a summoner like Lucy or Jose.

Her musings were interrupted when she spied Laxus wandering along the street; a quick few spells to muffle sound and sight were cast on the approach, then she ushered him into an alleyway. From there, Laxus was easily pushed against a rough stone wall; he did not even resist. Two heads taller than her and packed with muscle. Mirajane chuckled and ran a finger over his broad chest."You know you can just stop with this 'favour' deal, no?" He huffed in response and she chuckled. "Ah well, not that I mind. I'm free tomorrow, so do you want to cash it in now?"

"Fine by me."

It was ever so cute how he kept posturing even now. Exasperating, annoying at times, but still cute. "You're lucky, you know? I still haven't found a boyfriend, so I'm game. Then again, you obviously don't have a girlfriend, either." That said, she unceremoniously dragged Laxus away without regard for his embarassment.

The rest of the guild remained unaware of their arrangement beyond the odd rumours, though Makarov had his suspicions why it took his grandson close to two weeks before he headed out on his next mission. Laxus adored the thrill of battle and enjoyed the satisfaction of a job well done. Then again, it was not his business what the youngsters got up to unless it broke the law.

Much like the lightning wizard, various others took up missions of their own as the weeks went by; evil never slept after all, and neither did the landlord. Architects drew up blueprints for a new guildhall, far larger in general as an allowance for Priscilla's size. It would be expensive and time-consuming, but he did not mind; every member of Fairy Tail ought to feel at home.

He also had to send Happy to Crocus for sanctioning; to find their youngest full member wielded something as divisive as Humanslayer magic, that had been a shock when Natsu brought it up. As he thought, the boy was fine despite the death he accidentally caused. Mostly just miffed about it having come that far. Mira remained unrepentant, citing that she would gladly slaughter anyone to protect her family. Makarov hoped by himself that her resolve would not be tested again. But yes, Happy. He was just glad the Council's investigation did not reveal his magic, else they might be in deep trouble.

Admittedly, legal trouble was probably the furthest from Happy's mind. He had been mortified of the idea that anyone else would find out, insisting Makarov promise to keep the secret after Natsu coaxed him into telling it. No one else even suspected anything, however; at most, their feline friend being antsy drew their attention.

The old master heaved a sigh, wondering if he would ever get back into the work instead of sitting at the sidelines as an observer. It was fun the first week or so, but by this point he really missed being able to do much of anything. One of the S-rank wizards always kept an eye on him, as if they just waited for misdemeanor. So he spent his time watching the guild, greasing the wheels to assure everything went smoothly, doing paperwork, and thinking.

The night after Natsu's team headed out to destroy a magic cult in Lupina, he actually resisted his caretakers and stayed out a bit longer; settled on one of the first support beams, Makarov breathed the cool night's air and pondered a recurring subject. He could not keep up with the excitement anymore; being almost ninety and having been guild master for nearly fifty years, it was high time to step down. Maybe tutor a successor to take over instead of dumping it on them, or worse, have it dumped on them through an untimely death.

So Makarov wondered just who may be a suitable successor; of course his first idea were the S-rank wizards. The master's duty went past mere administration, after all; when all else failed, they needed to protect their guild to the last breath. Yet another failure of his.

Unfortunately, none of the current S-rankers were quite what he imagined his successor to be. Mystogan was anti-social and only just began to connect with the guild; it was a work-in-progress, facilitated by his budding friendship with Priscilla. Then there was Laxus, who had the right mindset but needed at least a few more years to learn he could drop the tough front around family. Not that anyone was fooled by it, anyway. Otherwise, Gildarts did not want the job and said so before.

As for the women, Erza was too much of a hardliner in regard to decorum and 'proper' behaviour; handing the reins to her would quickly see the free spirit of Fairy Tail sapped away. He loved the girl to bits, but she was not made for such a position. She mellowed out a little since Lucy joined, but it was not enough of a change to make her a valid choice.

Now Mirajane, that was a conundrum to him. Had he not know her for a decade by now, he might have thought her perfect. Mira brought patience, understanding, wisdom, and the might to destroy their guild's enemies. But at the same time, Makarov saw the darkness that lived in her heart. She was a good girl in spite of her sadistic tendencies, but he worried where making her the master may lead. Power corrupted and she certainly felt its allure already. A single step was all it could take to become a monster.

A soft sigh headed off the thought. Perhaps he was overthinking this. Mira proved herself time and time again, though he could never stop worrying about her. Neither did he want her to lose that kind cheer she only just developed, crushed under the burdens of leadership.

His musings were interrupted by a soft scraping sound; Makarov snapped to attention and found, much to his surprise, a certain dragon lady still at work under the full moon's light. She may not even be aware of his presence, silently carrying materials this way and that; now he finally knew who kept organising everything over night, too.

He was about to call out when a thought gave Makarov pause; Priscilla was not with them for long, but she certainly brought the nurturing nature and the power he sought. She already proved her ability to run herd on others and to address their troubles; right now, she happily worked on rebuilding day and night, about the only constant in his recent interactions. Having gotten to know her, Makarov knew that even without Erza covering her bills, she would still refuse to head out in favour of tending to the guild.

Priscilla left while he was lost in thought, pondering the ups and downs; she, like Mira, could fall to the corrupting influence of power. Then again, the scales felt different here, perhaps even quite literally. The thought that both of his most likely candidates were not human had the old master chuckle softly, though.

"What do you think of her? Would she make a good fourth Master?"

His voice filled the silence, quiet though it was. And the blonde now seated next to him answered gently: "She would be lovely, I'm sure. Even I feel inspired looking at her." Her arrival long since failed to spook Makarov, though a nearby crow took wing in surprise; she listened intently to his worries afterward, but never ceased to smile. "And I believe it is fitting that these two are your choices. Mirajane needs more time to mature, I feel."

"How do you mean, 'it is fitting'?"

Giggling, the timeless girl faced him fully for the first time. "What do you think is more impressive: to be born good, or to overcome your evil nature by force of will?" Her question gave him pause, for even he did not consider the matter like this before. "Priscilla is clearly born a being beyond any human, with power and pride to match. She could destroy anyone in this guild at any moment, rule with an iron fist, perhaps even bring all of Earthland to its knees. Yet she doesn't, not because she lacks the urge, but because she doesn't want to."

"This could just as much be an argument against giving her a leading position."

"But it isn't. Remember, Makarov: do fairies have tails?" He huffed, the reminder of their creed unnecessary. An eternal adventure indeed. "I give her my blessing as the founder and first master. Make her your successor, Makarov. Have faith in her, and in Mirajane as well."

The elderly master chuckled in response, inclining his head toward the older woman. "I accept your wisdom, Master Mavis."

Her smile grew a fraction before she flickered and faded; the young girl's apparition would come and go as she pleased, he was not surprised. Yet at the same time, he now had work to do; as weird as it felt to prepare for his retirement, Makarov began to like the idea as he kept thinking about it. He would believe in his Fairies, just like they believed in him.

 

[Naron]

"Learning a new discipline from scratch is referred to as Merit. Any fledgling wizard can be assured that the process becomes easier as one learns more magic. Possessing Affinities for certain disciplines does not make learning a new one any easier, though."

-excerpt from "The Heart of Magic"

---

A month passed since Happy revealed his Humanslayer magic to Natsu. Just as long since he learned his best friend's big secret in turn. One month, that was how long it took him to gather his courage and actually ask about it. Natsu rarely talked about himself or the past, he just faced the present and future with a smile on his face. Unfortunately, it vanished when Happy spoke up: "Natsu, that fire you used against Phantom, um, what was that? Why did you grow horns?"

They both knew the answer, of course, but Happy needed to hear him say it. Natsu sat down on their old couch with his arms crossed, frowning at the bare wall. Their little house outside of town was not large or impressive, but it was theirs and cozy. Gildarts helped build it years ago.

"I'm a demon," Natsu finally said, meeting Happy's pleading gaze head-on. A flicker of black crawled over his forehead before vanishing. "And I've been for all my life. With what Pris told us a while ago, I figure I'm one of Zeref's."

"But, how?"

"Dunno." He shrugged, then huffed and broke into a faint smile. "I didn't even know until Mira almost Take Over'd me a few years ago. She didn't know either, was an accident," he quickly added upon seeing the momentary horror appearing on Happy's face. "Don't worry, it's fine."

"So... is that why Mira never touches you?"

"Yep. Her Take Over acts up from time to time, so we keep our distance."

His smile dimmed while saying that, telling Happy more than enough; he knew those two were close and that Mira treated Natsu more like a second brother. He winced at the reminder of Lisanna, only understanding how close she and Natsu were in retrospect. But his mind remained on the subject of demons, and of the bond he himself shared with the man in front of him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Err, well." He shrugged again in a bid to buy time, thoughtfully staring at the wall as if to seek inspiration. "Never felt like something to tell people, you know? Before last month, only Mira knew. Heh." A soft chuckle followed and Natsu threw Happy a grin. "I figured it would come out sooner or later, anyway."

The Exceed climbed onto Natsu's lap for a hug with an agreeing noise. "I promise I won't tell," he murmured into his friend's embrace. "You didn't even tell the master?"

"Nope." That said, Happy was lifted up and carried in Natsu's arms. "Now enough heavy talks, let's go find Lucy and do something fun!"

Alas, fun was not in their immediate future; their teammate and Natsu's new crush was brooding over a book from the library when they found her. She waved absently when the duo greeted her, snatching Happy without even looking and hugging him instead; he had to admit that Lucy's hugs were almost as good, but not quite. Not that he said that out loud. Rather, Happy peered up at the blonde. "What are you doing?"

"Learning Mirror magic," Lucy answered with a sigh. "And it's harder than I thought it would be. It's like my mind goes in circles."

"Well, you want a circle in the end, right?"

The quip earned him a soft squeeze as well as a pointed look, though Lucy let him off with that. Natsu grinned, at least. "Look at it this way," the Dragonslayer added cheerfully, "I can barely learn any other magic at all 'cause I got Slayer, so you're still better off than me." Happy nodded along, the gesture unseen by their friend. She just groaned.

"I know. Mira says I'm doing well enough, so do Erza and the master. But then there is her," she noted with audible dejection, throwing a light glare across the room. Following it, Happy saw Priscilla and Elfman levitating building materials around under Erza's tutelage. Where Elfman worked with visible skill after several months of dedicated training, Priscilla only started on it a few days ago and was already catching up. "And I just get frustrated because she makes it look so easy. I'm still banging my head against the basics of Mirror, and my Star, er, my secret project isn't going anywhere yet. No, I'm not telling you," she pre-empted Natsu's since expected response to any mention of her secret work.

While his friend pouted, Happy tapped Lucy's leg for attention with a question of his own: "Isn't Celestial Spirit magic super hard?"

This gave the blonde pause for a few moments; she began her response with a shrug. "Honestly, I keep hearing it is, but not for me. Learning to open a spirit gate is and takes months at best, but I take to everything else like a fish to water. I guess I got it from Mama."

"Oh, what is this I hear?" And so Cana inserted herself into their conversation, sidling up to Lucy and throwing an arm over her shoulder. "You come from a distinguished line of wizards?" Her wording made the younger woman fidget sheepishly and Happy soon found himself once again changing his seat. Since Cana made sure not to drip any of her booze on his head after he clawed her because of that. So he was alright with the new arrangement.

"Kind of?" Lucy tried. "My family has been Celestial Spirit wizards for generations."

"And there is your problem."

"...pardon?"

Cana grinned, Happy could tell even without seeing her face. But before she got to say anything, a loud crash drew their attention back to their friends; Priscilla just ruined a block of stone and chipped the new foundation. She grimaced and apologised while Cana turned to Lucy again. "Inheriting magic makes you good at that one and nothing else, but even if it's something super hard like yours, you never really had to learn anything the normal way. That's why it takes longer, and you even start with a tricky one. I mean it," she added over Lucy's curious expression. "Look."

Cana then proceeded to raise her free hand toward the block Priscilla broke. A lavender spell circle popped into existence and magic flowed from her hand. The spell quickly broke down the stone into two smaller, completely intact blocks. She then did similarly with the ground, leaving a block-shaped hole and a slightly smaller block, with some excess. Everyone watched with interest and the brunette received thumbs ups from various people; one of the new blocks was inserted easily, sealing up the foundation again.

"Was that Crush magic?"

"That it was," Cana confirmed Lucy's question. Then she paused, studying the younger woman for a moment. "You, uh, you do know Gildarts is my father, right?"

"Must have missed that bit, he isn't around much." Lucy tapped her chin in thought while Happy made certain not to show that he forgot about it, too; Cana was nice and loved doting on Natsu and him, but they were still not as close. Gildarts served as a bit of a father figure to many children in the guild, at least when he was around.

Cana, unaware of these thoughts, gave Lucy a pat on the head. "Anyway, that's what I meant. I could use Crush as a toddler to escape my crib, and let me tell you my mom hated it. It comes as easy as breathing, but fortunetelling was a bitch and a half to beat into my head. It will work out if you're diligent, don't worry. Pris is just Pris."

"Thanks," Lucy murmured while Natsu and Happy chuckled at the mental image. But the way the conversation went, the Exceed got curious.

"What's your mother like, Lucy?"

And there went that budding smile. Happy regarded her with innocent curiousity, to which the blonde sighed. "Mama was the best. I don't think there was anyone who didn't like her, she just got along with everyone. She loved to walk into town and entertain the children there with magic."

"Past tense?" Cana asked cautiously, tipping Happy off to what he just stumbled onto. Lucy nodded with a wistful look plastered on her face.

"It's been over seven years now," she added, not even squeaking when Cana wrapped her in a sidehug. Natsu rounded the table to cover her other side. A soft chuckle loosed itself from Lucy, her head now leaning on Natsu's shoulder. "At least I won't ever forget what she looks like. Heartfilias breed true." She received Happy back on her lap without any complaint, hugging him tight; the reminder of bad memories was forgiven.

"How do you mean?" Natsu asked, probably to change the subject; Happy decided to keep his mouth shut and be cute for now.

"I mean that I look just like my mother, and she looked exactly like her mother, and so on. The same goes for the men in our family. It's why we are still Heartfilia, our spouses usually take the name."

"So if you had a daughter, she would look just like you?"

"Exactly," Lucy responded to Happy's eager question, completely missing the sly grin he threw Natsu. His bestest friend fidgeted under the mouthed 'You likeeee her', but pretended he did not see. Happy had trouble keeping his giggles contained. Their teammate remained unaware, merely finishing the sentence: "But I won't have kids anytime soon."

He left that uncommented, but only barely; going by Cana's wry smirk, she caught on to something as well. Instead of teasing however, she let off and downed the remaining half of her ale. "Anyway, I've got to get back to work. Good thing I'm not Pris right now."

As she said that, the master waved their super-sized friend away for help with some paperwork again; he did that for a few days now, saying that the practice ought to be good for her. Priscilla did not mind as she loved to learn, but Happy knew a lot of people were secretly glad it was not them having to do boring busywork.

Priscilla herself was perfectly happy with the arrangement; Makarov taught her a great deal about Fairy Tail's inner workings, from suppliers and contractors over a set of laws to keep in mind and all the way to their national and international contacts. It was humbling to realise just how far their guild's influence reached; many former members had moved into the world to set roots of their own, but they rarely forgot from whence they came. Neither did many of their clients, seeing that while Fairy Tail was known for collateral damage, they also got the job done.

The master indulged her curiousity with something akin to joy. He regaled Priscilla of the other prominent wizard guilds and how several of their current masters were his former guildmates. They spoke of the Magic Council in Castle Era, of the Rune Knights they employed, the kingdom, and the Guild Master League. Months passed like this, February and March flying by as the new guildhall grew around them; they finished construction in a timely manner and began to furbish its inside a few days before April. Old and new furniture were put into place while Reedus directed a batallion of children both of guildmembers and townsfolk to painting the many empty spaces. Priscilla joined them as well, just for the fun of it. Diver allowed her to reach the ceiling, where she let her rotund friend create a mural.

It was around this time that Loke vanished; he simply failed to appear for a time, much to Priscilla's worry. Mira reassured her that it was fine, that sometimes people just vanished because they needed some time to themselves; not to mention that Lucy was already after him.

Before she could do more than start to worry, they already returned. As she and the guild learned afterward, their friend was actually the Celestial Spirit Leo, one of the twelve zodiacs. Neither he nor Lucy explained why he was banished from their realm, but she apparently petitioned the Spirit King to accept him back. The fact this powerful being granted her plea still rattled Lucy a week later, or so she told Priscilla. The dragon herself felt curious about this king's benevolence, but even a dedicated Celestial Spirit wizard knew little about him.

They talked every once in a while from that point onward. Lucy spent quite some time in introspection, having come to realisations about herself that she did not share. Most of their conversations were idle subjects such as the current geopolitical situation and the markets, which Lucy was happy to educate Priscilla about. A few days in however, the human woman began to fidget.

"Pris? You're good at magic, right?"

"I would not presume mastery just yet, but yes. Is there something you need?"

She could already guess at this point, having heard of Lucy's secret project on occasion. Her Mirror magic progressed quite nicely as well over the months. Yet she hesitated a little longer before speaking: "Okay, so I'm working on a new Celestial Spirit technique. Think Body Enhancement, but instead of reinforcing myself the usual way, I draw some of a spirit's power to use. I talked it over with them and they love the idea of sharing their skills with me. But I just can't figure out how to do it without actually opening the gate, and then I can just call them over."

After making sure no one was nearby to overhear, Lucy quickly produced several drawings of prototype spell circles and a sheet of notes; she ran Priscilla through a concept that built on basic Body Enhancement, which impressed the dragon. At not quite eighteen years, Lucy Heartfilia already advanced her preferred discipline of magic by adding a new technique to it.

"So there we are," she finshed after a few minutes. "I read enough magical theory to know how to build a circle, but none I put together actually works. At this point I just can't keep hoping to randomly stumble on the right one and until I have that, I'm stuck. So, well, any advice?"

Priscilla hung her head sadly. It almost hurt that she had none. "I am terribly sorry, but my theoretical knowledge is severely lacking." Lucy awkwardly patted her shin while the dragon considered her options. "I will rectify this posthaste, but even that will take time." Then she paused, remembering just who might be able to help. "But perhaps my friend could assist. It has been a few months since last we met, but if you allow, I can present your conundrum to him the next time?"

Her question prompted a lengthy pause, but Lucy accepted her proposal in the end; aside from a certain confusion when Priscilla could not give her friend's name, she put it all aside soon after. Then Lucy declared that after so much work and excitement, she was up for a vacation. It appeared that Loke left tickets for Akane Resort with her and she even invited Priscilla, who declined politely; her own threshold for work was greater and she actually anticipated her next job eagerly. It did not phase Lucy much, who wished her good luck before luring her own team away with the promise of relaxation at the beach. That was the first day of April.

Two days later, the new guildhall was finally completed and Fairy Tail celebrated once again. Larger and better than ever, they easily housed many of the townsfolk who came by to share their joy; Priscilla cheerfully sampled various bits of Fiore's cuisine, Mirajane and others sang for them, a small orchestra formed from the various people playing instruments. Makarov had recovered from his ordeal as well, still on his cane but ultimately more secure as he walked. The elderly master spent his time amusing the local children and consuming a carefully measured amount of alcohol.

Over it all, even Laxus had to smile from the new second floor; the mood was infectious like that. Of course he hid it behind a mug and soon returned to glowering, but he could not help being in good cheer. Yes, there were no more limitations on who could sit up here, meaning he was surrounded by other wizards, but that was fine. He was still one of five who may pick from the S-class jobs. He absently clacked his mug against Gildarts', then Mystogan's. All in all, life was good. Their guild was back in action and better than ever.

Unfortunately, life decided the attack on his hometown was not this year's biggest curveball; a mere two days later, word of Castle Era's destruction reached Magnolia. Councillor Ultear Malkovich razed the entire area, annihilating any semblance of order for the Magic Council. She turned from one of Fiore's most respected figures to a wanted fugitive in a matter of hours, outright vanishing afterward. The Council was defunct, which Laxus could admittedly not care less about.

He was only slightly annoyed when his grandfather introduced old man Yajima to the guild, a former member, old friend, and acting Councillor. "Though I was about to retire anyway," the short elder told them with a faint smile. "It is about time the old guard steps down. Thank you for having me." As it turned out, he would take shelter with them until the current situation was resolved.

No, what blew Laxus' gasket were the words Yajima spoke upon meeting Priscilla. Shaking her offered finger with a smile, the old wizard inclined his head. "I heard a great many things about you, my dear. Now that I meet you in person, I agree that you will make a fine guild master."

The entire hall fell silent. Laxus stared, unable and unwilling to believe what he just heard. His shock dispersed slowly, but he noticed that even the dragon woman was flummoxed; so was Yajima, after seeing everyone's surprise. "Did he not tell you... oh." Seeing his old friend palming his face, the elder caught on that he let slip a secret. "Oops?"

Laxus' gaze drilled a hole into the back of their current master's head by this point, emotions bubbling up. A surge of anger, a hint of betrayal, but also a strong sense of confusion; he expected for it to be him ever since he obtained his S-rank. And now here the old man went, giving the guild's most important position to one of their newest members. Gildarts or Erza, he could have accepted. But Priscilla? What did she have that spoke in her favour?

Ignoring the fact he barely ever interacted with the giantess before, Laxus ground his teeth and stepped forward; his footfalls rung loud in the continued silence. "What's this then?" he growled down at Makarov, whose expression firmed up in response. "Explain yourself, old man."

"There is nothing to explain," he countered calmly. "I have decided that Priscilla will succeed me."

Laxus almost snapped, but reined himself in; shouting and throwing a tantrum was not the way to go here. Though through clenched teeth, he ground out his own response with a modicum of civility: "And why, exactly, did you pick one of our newest, least experienced and proven members?"

The whole guild followed their exchange, he noted absently. The smell of lightning wafted around him, an ever so faint buzzing filling the silence like static. Makarov was unmoved. "You are correct that she has few testaments to her strength to this day," he conceded, but Laxus already knew the riposte was coming. "And while it is true she has been with us for only a bit over eight months, Priscilla is one of us at heart. She seeks to assist her guildmates whenever they are in need. She sees to their wellbeing without any regard for recognition or gain. Some of them, she personally saved the lives of and slew one of Zeref's demons to protect. A master's duty is to see their guild prosper, Laxus. I believe she will fulfill this duty the best."

Levy and her team shuffled around in the corner of his eye, but somehow the reminder did nothing to quell his anger. Laxus tried to formulate a response, but nothing came to mind. It's not fair, he wanted to say, that after all this time and work, he would not even get a chance for the position. But he knew that argument would be dismissed.

So instead of trying to change that stubborn old man's mind, he stomped off. Irate though he was, Laxus Dreyar already pondered his next move. He would do something about this, and if it was the last thing he ever did.

In his wake, Laxus left a stunned guild hall that soon erupted in noise; Priscilla remained quiet during the confrontation because she herself did not know whether she was a good choice. It pleased the vain, draconic part of her without doubt, not to mention that being Makarov's first choice made her feel warm about his trust. But to actually take up the position?

After a storm of questions, apprehension, and congratulations, she held a long conversation with the guild master. Despite the reassurances and reasoned arguments however, he could not quite convince Priscilla that she was suitable. Then Cana went and began to organise another party; her enthusiasm was not shared by everyone, however. Priscilla clearly noticed how uncertain the guild's less prominent members were about her rise. Mirajane congratulated her without hesitation. Mystogan merely shrugged when she told him that very morning, which was a relief. Laxus remained absent, though Mira told them he was plotting with the Thunder Legion. How she knew that, she did not say.

Soon after, someone new walked in; Priscilla became attentive only when Levy's soft gasp alerted her to the newcomer. A wild mane of black hair sprouted from his head, only a few shades darker than his rugged trenchcoat and the same colour as the Fairy Tail mark on his shoulder. Nubs of iron protruded from his forehead and arms in clean lines; Priscilla's interest remained solely on him as he strode, no, shuffled inside without looking at anyone.

"Who is this, Levy?"

"...Gajeel."

"Ah."

It only took a moment to match the name and understand this was the same man who went after Shadow Gear in January. Now there he sat at a table, all by himself and radiating displeasure, muscular arms crossed as he scowled at whoever looked at him. Priscilla blinked once and wondered; he did have the guild mark, meaning someone must have let him in. A glance to Mira revealed the barmaid just as surprised, meaning it must have been Makarov.

More and more people became aware of Gajeel's presence; conversation ceased for a time as others drew the same conclusion she had. Levy stared at him intently, but the moment their eyes met he moved on instead of trying to stare her down. Which was how Priscilla got her chance to peer into a curious shade of crimson. Remembering how Fairy Tail taught her however, she rose the moment she had his attention. The guild as a whole seemed to hold its breath when their future master approached Gajeel, whose scowl grew more pronounced. He did not budge even though Priscilla loomed over him, which earned him a smidgen of respect from the dragon.

"What?"

Ceasing her study of his hard features, Priscilla ignored the amateur attempt to scare her away. Instead, she offered him a smile. "Welcome to Fairy Tail. I am Priscilla."

By the way his jaw went slack, this was the last he expected to hear. Indeed, it was an exertion to go past her instinctive desire to eviscerate Gajeel on the spot. But Makarov saw something in him, and that alone was worth the attempt. Their newest member slowly returned to scowling, but he offered her a faint nod. "Gajeel," he introduced himself before returning to his brooding silence.

Once it became clear this was all she would get, Priscilla sunk into the ground and returned to her previous spot that way; simply walking back felt plain wrong in that moment. Either way, the tension hanging over the taproom was gone for the most part.

Into this newly relaxed atmosphere however, Natsu's team returned with yet another fantastic tale; not only were they kidnapped from Akane resort, they fought a cult at sea, based in the Tower of Heaven. The Dragonslayer got distracted there when he noticed Gajeel, but Lucy brought him back in line while Gray kept explaining; apparently, this place was where Erza spent her childhood as a slave. "Don't worry," he reassured the agitated room with a dismissive wave. "The original cult was long gone and now the tower's gone, too."

That calmed them somewhat. As the tale went, apparently, Mystogan's local counterpart Jellal was at the core of this kidnapping. His bid to revive the black wizard Zeref failed. Mystogan was also present for this tale and Priscilla could tell he felt awkward about it. Jellal convinced his cultists, Erza's old friends, that she fled on her own and abandoned them. But that misunderstanding was cleared up and the following battles with mercenaries and cultists saw Jellal defeated; unfortunately, only after he maneuvered the Magic Council into firing some kind of powerful magic cannon at his tower, which was mostly a giant lacrima to absorb the energy.

"What happened to it?" Priscilla could not help but ask, only for Gray to chuckle and point at Natsu, who apparently beat up Jellal when Erza could not bear facing him. The man himself even turned around in the end, preventing the unstable lacrima from exploding. He lost his life in the process. The crossbreed nodded, though felt this was not enough to absolve Jellal of his sins. It did explain Erza's absence, the knightess currently at home to grieve alone; both for the loss of Jellal and another friend who sacrificed himself for her sake.

"Now that's one way to get the mood down," Macao murmured while Mirajane provided food and drink for the returning group. "Can't have happy endings recently, can we?"

"Well," Lucy began with a soft chuckle and a nod toward the bar, "Juvia got a pretty happy end. She helped us out in the tower, too." Just as she indicated, there was Juvia Lockser, formerly Juvia of Water. Moreover, Makarov was in the process of pressing a blue guild mark to her outer thigh, just above the knee. Dressed in white and blue with equally blue hair, her pale skin almost rivalled Priscilla's.

Others were once again surprised by her presence; Priscilla thankfully took charge in welcoming Juvia. It still felt a little weird after the other woman abducted her just a few months ago, but Lucy felt they came to an accord. Now Natsu already snuck away to talk to Gajeel about their dragon parents, Happy went off in search for fried fish, and she was left alone with Mira and Cana.

"We need to stop this," Mira commented at that moment, drawing Lucy out of her introspective thoughts.

"Yep," Cana said simply.

"Stop what?" Even while asking, Lucy followed their gazes to where Juvia once again clung to a disturbed Gray with great enthusiasm. "Oh, that. Good luck, I guess?" She did not really like how both older women looked at her then; it was easy to guess their thoughts. Lucy sighed regardless, well aware Gray needed the help. She just hoped to be spared Juvia's less personable side a while longer. "Oh fine, I will fetch her for you, but you two talk to her."

"Deal," Cana pounced immediately. Mira added a gentle thank you that made Lucy feel a little better about entering the lion's den of her own volition. While walking away however, she heard the brunette continuing their conversation: "This definitely takes priority over Gajeel being antisocial. Worst case, we put him next to Mystogan and they can brood together."

"That would be prudent," Mira agreed. "We're running out of corners for the loners to brood in, anyway."

Lucy could not help but grin about the banter. Then she steeled herself and began to approach Juvia.

 

[Naron]

"Not all magic is deliberate. Especially Affinities may sometimes connect to a person's emotional state and activate on their own. The kind of emotional trigger usually depends on the type of magic. Fire is drawn by anger, ice by melancholy, and so on. The full impact of such unintentional magical discharges is not investigated yet; neither is the connection between specific magic types and specific emotions, especially beyond the elemental disciplines. The next two pages contain a table of my own findings and best guesses."

-excerpt from "The Love of Magic"

---

Life was bliss for Juvia; being able to snuggle up to her darling Gray just made all the depressing thoughts fade away, at least for a time. The future could wait, as could the past. Her heart almost burst out of her chest, drunk on joy as she was.

"Juvia? Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Then Lucy came and ruined it. Juvia's eyes snapped open to glare at the blonde, who almost but not quite shied away. She still appeared awkward, but Juvia did not care right now. "Can't that wait?" she inquired testily.

"No. Just, just come with me, please."

The way Lucy's expression firmed up a little told Juvia her friend (?) would not let up. Moreover, remembering that they were in a state that may approach, dare she think it, friendship made her relent, if hesitantly. "Alright." Letting go of Gray, the blunette smoothed out her blue and white dress before following Lucy. She failed to notice the discreet thumbs up exchanged between the two teammates as her awareness expanded to normal again; without Gray's scent and firm body to distract Juvia, the room's overall cheeriness returned. As did the exhaustion. Her smile dipped.

Glancing back halfway through the room, Juvia bristled when she saw Gray talking to another woman. Lucy saw as well, but firmly grabbed her arm to pull her along. "Relax," she all but demanded; even Juvia's renewed glare did not deter her. The water wizard once again wondered if perhaps Lucy was also a rival for Gray's affections; she would not lose to anyone, for any reason. But while she could break out of her tentative friend's grasp like water is wont to do, she let herself be led to the bar instead.

There she was received by Mirajane and Cana, both prominent and popular Fairy Tail women. Their serious looks already told Juvia to expect rejection or ridicule, though for once she was uncertain which would be worse. The room grew bleaker already as the last remnant of cheer vanished; Juvia met their gazes blankly, staring until at least Cana fidgeted and broke the silence. Juvia was good at silence, at least.

"Ahem," the brunette coughed. "So. You and Gray?"

The mere mention of his name from a woman at least twice as attractive as Juvia summoned a deluge of jealousy and worry. Was she after him? Did she already have her hooks in him? Was it too late? Juvia grimaced, barely preventing to hiss at Cana; the edge to her voice remained, transitioning almost into a growl: "What's it to you?"

Though off-balance, Cana caught her bearings and met Juvia's gaze calmly now. "He's one of ours, so I'm watching out for him," she reasoned. "Same for you, because you're clinging too hard."

That second part almost implied that Cana cared about her. They never even spoke a single word to each other before and Juvia knew she was not worth random kindness. Then again, Fairy Tail in general was not known for deceit. Flummoxed, the blunette tilted her head quietly; her blank expression broke also.

"What Cana means," Mirajane interjected gently, "is that you come on too strong. Gray is uncomfortable."

Juvia blinked in response, unable to make sense of it. She was used to people pushing her away for one reason or another, it was just a fact of life. Then again, someone being revulsed by her attempts to relay her feelings should not come as a surprise. And to make matters worse, her ears caught the familiar pitter patter of rain hitting the roof. Just a light drizzle, but yet another reminder of how undesirable she was.

A soft touch made Juvia start; Lucy soothingly rubbed her back in an effort to comfort her. "H-Hey now," she whispered, "no need to be so down. It's alright."

Juvia threw a weak look at her blonde friend before staring back at the counter her gaze deviated to. She appreciated the attempt, but her cheerless musings remained. "What else do I do then?" Juvia asked, sitting down on the nearest stool before her legs gave out. "Being with Gray makes me happy. Am I not supposed to show him that? T-That I want to be with him?" Cana now settled on her other side, bearing a softer expression Juvia failed to see as she fought tears. She would not break down here; not over this, not ever again. Up above the clouds cried for her instead.

"Hey, it's okay," Cana drew her into a warm sidehug that helped disperse some of the melancholy. "What we're trying to say is, ugh, hold on." She proceeded to down the contents of an entire tankard in a single pull, which was enough to draw Juvia's attention. "Ahh, much better. Anyway. Being madly in love is okay, Juvia. It's not wrong at all. What's wrong is if you push it on someone who isn't ready for it."

Juvia did not understand. Why would Gray not be ready? At the same time, she eyed the empty drink in wonder how Cana did it. Moments later, a mug clacked onto the bar, drawing Juvia's attention back to Mirajane, who pushed the drink in front of her. "How old are you?" she asked gently.

"Um, twenty-three." Pondering the mug, she gently pushed it back. "And I do not drink anymore." Thankfully, the model accepted her refusal and quickly passed the mug to Cana, who had no such reservations; then again, she also lacked any reason to just dissolve in the sea. None of them acknowledged Lucy wondering how she was the youngest among them.

"And did you have a boyfriend before?" Mirajane inquired next. "Or a girlfriend, maybe?"

Though the subject made Juvia uncomfortable, it was brought up with unprecedented gentleness. Lucy's and Cana's comforting presences gave her enough confidence to leave that protective shell of apathy, at least this tiny bit more. "A few, I guess. But nothing ever worked out. No one ever saw me for me, only my body and the rain." By now, the drizzle had become a downpour that just about everyone noticed; Cana glanced to a nearby window and winced, though Juvia failed to notice as she was caught in her own mind again. "I just don't want to be alone anymore."

A soft sigh came from Mirajane, who smiled at her still. "Oh, I know that feeling." Juvia doubted that. "Believe me, I do. But now you are one of us, Juvia. You won't be alone." The reassurance felt empty, seeing that Juvia noticed quite clearly how many of the other members gave her suspicious looks. However, she did not get to refute it because Mirajane kept going: "Anyway, this is where the issue starts. Gray is seventeen. He's never had a girlfriend before." Now Juvia was actually surprised; with his firm body and general maturity, she thought he was older than that. "And he is a bit shy, at that," the model finished.

"Despite the stripping?" Lucy interjected from the side, only to receive a shrug from Mirajane. Meanwhile, Cana squeezed Juvia's shoulder.

"So here's the thing," the brunette explained, "Gray likes his space, so you have to give it to him if you want to get anywhere. Make sense?" It did, in a way. Juvia remained uncertain, but Cana just kept going: "So no squealing and sudden hugging, no declaring your undying love or whatever. Just talk to him, strike up a conversation, the like. You can scream in your pillow before bed if you must, or whatever. I guess it's hard for you, but this is important. Got it?"

Juvia nodded along; these women definitely knew more and better than her, so she could at the very least make an attempt. Lucy trusted them as well. Then however, Juvia faltered as another devious thought snuck into her mind. "What if someone else is interested in him, too? What if-" "Shh."

Mirajane shushed her gently. "Don't worry about that now," she soothed. "If it happens, it happens." Juvia's gaze flicked to Lucy, which drew an actual giggle from the model. "And don't worry about Lucy here, she has the hots for Natsu."

While the blonde fidgeted and Juvia worked the words into her mind, Cana threw an empty mug at Mirajane, who caught it deftly. "Your pun is bad and you should feel bad," she declared, not that the other woman seemed to care. Then Cana's attention switched to past Juvia. "But speaking of, Lucy, you ought to talk to him about this. Natsu doesn't really notice these kinds of things, even if he likes you back."

"You make that sound so easy," Lucy complained quietly. And just like that, Juvia felt herself a little more connected to her first ever friend. She was not the only one with love problems after all. Even the rain let up to an extent, not that Juvia noticed. Lucy, meanwhile, glanced between Mirajane and Cana. "Ah, while we're at it, did Natsu have a girlfriend before?"

And just like that, the mood dropped. Mirajane's face stilled entirely while Cana grimaced, both expressions uncharacteristic for them from what Juvia saw so far. The brunette sighed. "Yeah. He did. You alright, Mira?"

"No, but it's fine." Schooling her features into what Juvia could tell was a mask, Mirajane explained to them: "My little sister Lisanna was the boldest thing the guild has seen in decades. She already decided to be Natsu's bride before either of them turned ten. It was only a puppy crush at the start, but she never changed her mind."

The somber note to her words and clear absence of a little sister made Juvia worry. She could not help but ask: "What happened?"

"She passed away a few years ago. Please don't bring it up around him, okay?"

"Of course," she agreed right after Lucy, but then averted her gaze; she really should have known better than to ask that question. "And, my condolences."

Cana gave her another gentle squeeze. "If you want to know more, you better ask one of us. The guild didn't take her loss well at all."

Both of them nodded, Lucy deep in thought. Juvia fidgeted now, wondering if it was alright to offer. Mirajane quickly noticed her furtive glances and after already being caught, she weakly spoke her mind again: "Um, if you want a hug or something...." She trailed off there, muttering half-words as she had no idea how to comfort someone. The next time she looked, Mirajane wore a weak smile.

"Well," the model began wrily, "I won't say no to a nice hug. Gimme." She opened her arms and Juvia turned liquid to simply flow over the counter, embracing Mirajane; the other woman's hands sunk a little into her back before Juvia solidified entirely, but it was comforting nonetheless. Odd how that could be when it was her who wanted to spend comfort for once. This entire conversation had been a riptide of emotions.

Once they separated, Cana clapped Juvia's shoulder and turned her around with a grin. "Now go get him, girl," she demanded with a push, forcing the blunette to make a first step toward Gray.

When she approached him this time, Juvia felt uncharacteristically shy; if she really was so overbearing that it bothered him, she must control herself. Yet every step she took made the room feel a little brighter, made her heart beat a little faster. Flowing through the crowd with ease born of practice, she approached the lone ice wizard. Gray noticed at some point, but he did not smile like she hoped he would; no, now that she had it pointed out to her, Juvia could see the signs of wariness. He expected her to leap at him again. The realisation almost broke her heart, but she refused to back down. Just this once. And if all else failed, the ocean's endless expanse was not far.

Once she stood in front of his table, Juvia fidgeted a little awkwardly. "May I sit here?" she asked, hoping against all hope he would not send her away. Gray was definitely surprised by the question, but then he motioned for the seat opposite to him; not ideal, but better than expected.

"Sure. What did they want with you? You've been talking for a while."

"Oh. Ah...." What did she say here? Would he feel awkward if Juvia told him the truth? He would absolutely feel awkward.

"Ah, girl things. Got it."

And just like that, Gray dropped the subject. Juvia almost got whiplash from how accomodating he was all of a sudden. She had no idea what to say or do for a while, but eventually struck up a meaningless conversation. To Juvia's delight, Gray talked to her without any issues. If anything, he was more animated than usual; the realisation made Juvia bite her tongue in order not to squeal and tacklehug him. The world was brighter again, at least for now.

Back at the bar, Cana and Mirajane shared a high-five while the rain stopped entirely. Lucy received the same a moment later. The two older women repeated this when Gray and Juvia walked in together the next morning, chatting and more at ease than before. Cana threw a smile to her friend. "Looks like she's doing well."

"I'm glad for her," Mira agreed from her spot behind the bar. "Now for the other problem child." She nodded toward Gajeel, who once again sat on his lonesome.

"Weird that he's here again. He could just take a mission, right?"

"Yes. Maybe he's trying but too proud to approach anyone?" Mira's musings were all but confirmed when Juvia left Gray's side for a moment to talk to Gajeel, who for once did not scowl. Rather, he just answered whatever question with a shrug before the water wizard left him be. Mira left her spot with the feeling this would be a chore. "Well, here I go. Don't clear out the bar while I'm not looking."

"No promises."

On the approach, she noticed that Gajeel kept up his scowl for just about everyone. After seeing his reaction to Juvia however, she began to wonder if perhaps they had another Laxus on hand. From there, she pondered whether this was how her fellow S-ranker might have ended up without Fairy Tail reining him in. Well, nothing for it; at least she knew how to handle his type.

Implacable smile in place, she settled opposite to Gajeel; his gaze snapped to her in an instant and, to his credit, only slipped beneath eye level for a second or two. Most men his age had less restraint. "Why the long face?" Mira greeted him cheerfully. "You're not getting people to sit with you if you act like that. Won't get a girlfriend, either."

The trace of suspicion he had before was wiped away in favour of confusion; poor thing really was not used to being treated nicely, or with humour. His almost immediate wariness was a testament to that. "The hell are you on about?"

"Just an observation," Mira responded primly, but changed the subject before he started to feel she was just messing around. Her eyes roamed the iron Dragonslayer's features again, taking note of his shaggy hair and rugged clothes. "That aside, what's with the wild look? I'm curious how you got to it."

"None of your business."

Mira barely suppressed a sigh; there was no real heat to Gajeel's answer, but he still blocked off her attempts to make conversation. She had to start somewhere and the instinct to keep teasing was not helpful; it would work on Laxus, but she had known him for a decade by now. "Fair enough," she agreed. "I do want you to take proper care of yourself, though; no matter what kind of look you go for. So if I find out your hair is like this because of neglect, so help me I'm going to give you a bath and a good brushing."

Gajeel's eyes narrowed as she continued, but he said nothing; Mira assumed he was confused about the mixture of genuine care and threat he just received. Threats he knew how to respond to, the other part not so much. It was almost painful how easily she could read him. To take out the sting a little, she added a tiny jab: "Or we could try stuffing you in a suit, slick back your hair a bit, that might be interesting, too."

"How long is this going to go?"

"I don't know," Mira answered honestly this time. "As long as it takes until you talk to me." She may not have Lisanna's bratty energy, gods bless her soul, but that little minx certainly got her tenacious side from where Mirajane had it as well. "You're one of us now and that means we will not let you just sit here on your own. That's not the kind of place Fairy Tail is. Resistance is futile unless you tear off that mark and walk out the door."

While she had just spoken from the heart, Mira quietly worried that he might actually do it. Thankfully, Gajeel did not even twitch toward the black guild mark on his shoulder; rather, he sized her up. Studied her. Or perhaps he sought to see if she meant it?

Whatever it was, they were interrupted by a ballistic Gray passing between them. A despairing "Nooooooo" followed as Juvia rushed after him. She turned liquid to flow over and around the table. Gajeel twitched out of reflex while Mira allowed herself a sigh; both turned to the beginning of yet another brawl, coming up at perhaps the worst time. The older wizard pinched the bridge of her nose. "Excuse me for a moment," she murmured before rising.

A few quick steps brought her over to the trouble spot. Droy and Alzack were locked in a grapple on the ground with several others around them cheering; although Bisca looked half a moment away from socking Jet... or Levy, she could not quite tell which. Regardless, Mira reached into the grapple, dragged both to their feet, separated them to confused noises from all around, and pacified them with a punch to the solar plexus each. As the men crumpled and wheezed in a frankly alluring manner, at least to her, Mira focussed on the small crowd instead. "How about not right now?" she asked them with her best saccharine smile. Everyone fled, leaving Droy and Alzack to their fate.

Shaking her head, Mira instructed them to raise their arms above their heads and breathe before returning to Gajeel. Seeing his intrigued look, she figured this interruption might have been helpful after all; the Dragonslayer arched an eyebrow at her, which she did not acknowledge. "Where were we?"

She knew full well that the entire room watched her for now; meanwhile, Gajeel kept studying Mira intently. Something in his gaze worried her as the silence dragged on, all but triumphant as it were. Only when conversations started back up around them did Gajeel answer her, if not like she expected: "You say it's different, but you're more like Phantom's wizards than you think." When Mira only tilted her head in wonder, he elaborated: "You beat down the weaker wizards and enjoy it."

"Excuse me?"

This actually shocked her. Gajeel just smirked like he won the lottery. He tapped his nose. "I can smell it. You get off on that stuff."

Ah. Right. Improved Dragonslayer senses were a pain to deal with; so many awkward questions from Natsu when he was younger. Mira could not help but roll her eyes, although she was well aware she just brought herself in a precarious spot. "I never denied I'm a sadist," she began to justify herself. "People just keep forgetting that I am. Besides, I don't do it willy nilly like you imply I do."

Gajeel's snort told her all she needed to know of his opinion. Mira was half tempted to beat him up too, make him cry so she could revel in his tears. But not only would that prove his point, it was also wrong.

Thankfully, Gajeel's gaze snapped away and his demeanor changed entirely. Where he was confrontational and aggressive so far, now he almost ducked his shoulders. The reason he appeared close to fleeing became obvious when Levy sidled up to Mira's side and bumped her shoulder with a lopsided grin. "Wow," she drawled playfully, "are you Erza in disguise today?"

Mira huffed and decided to answer in kind, focussing her Ethernano to transform into an exact copy of Erza. Her wine red dress remained the same, though; she did not feel like putting too much into a joke. Levy laughed off the stern glare levelled at her and Mira turned back. "Not really," she answered at last, "but I'm a little annoyed today."

"Oh, I wonder why." Levy threw her a wink before turning to Gajeel; most of her humour fell away at that point, though it was curiously him fidgeting and not her.

Gajeel, being Gajeel, only moved forward when the silence dragged on: "Not like I asked for you to hang around here." The defensive response made both women groan openly now; it really was like trying to talk to a piece of iron.

Shaking her head, Levy nudged Mira's shoulder again. "You mind if I have him for a moment?"

"Not at all." Now she was curious what would happen. Levy smiled mischievously.

"Good, good. Come on, get up." She rose from the bench and stepped aside for space. Mira only noticed the small spell circle appearing in the hand Levy hid behind her back because she saw it. There was enough ambient magic to hide it. Her index finger slowly began to draw a word. Meanwhile, the undaunted blunette stared up at a man almost two heads taller than her; their standoff quickly drew attention and conversations fell silent across the hall once again.

"So," Gajeel began after a while, clearly awkward. "What do ya want?"

Levy arched an eyebrow at him and cocked her hips. "Well, usually people apologise if they did something bad. How about we start with that?"

Her sass had Gajeel's nostrils flare, but in a display of restraint he did not snap at her. Mira was surprised, especially now that all eyes were on them. Many people would have become defensive at once. Then again, as he showed them once again, Gajeel Redfox was not 'many people'. He took a deep breath, then another, and forced himself to relax. "I'm, er," he started flounder, "Damn. I'm sorry, okay?"

There was faint whispering that a combined glare from Gajeel and Mira cut off; Levy mulled it over and for a moment, the older woman worried she would try to draw it out to embarass him. She thankfully knew better and nodded. "Alright, I'll take it. The next time, you better believe I won't let you off the hook that easily. By the way." So saying, Levy reared back and punched Gajeel in the face. It came so seamlessly that the Dragonslayer was caught completely off-guard and went flying; he bounced off the ground once, then slowed down as he rolled against the wall. Mira winced.

Gajeel stirred a moment later, unharmed except for a slowly darkening bruise around his eye. His befuddled gaze sought Levy, the diminutive wizard wearing a victorious grin. The word 'Indestructible' was wrapped around her fist. "Now we're even," she finished the sentence. "Welcome to Fairy Tail."

As if her absolution was their cue, the hall burst into cheers and toasts, both for her display and Gajeel being one of them. While the Dragonslayer growled and picked himself up, Mira clapped Levy's shoulder with a soft chuckle. The blunette's impish grin remained until the three of them were seated once again. Levy leaned forward to study Gajeel momentarily, him being less uncomfortable under her scrutiny now. "Really, I'm not even mad about the beating, Natsu and Gray gave me bruises almost like that over the years. And I had a lot worse than hanging around the park for a few hours recently. But I mean it, don't do that again."

"Got it."

"Good boy." And with that final tease, Levy got up to saunter away; she sashayed provocatively and even Mirajane followed her retreating back momentarily; she almost but not quite giggled over Gajeel's attention being focussed in the same direction. The blunette certainly made an impression on him.

"Now," she distracted the Dragonslayer before he actually started to ogle, "I feel we got distracted. Brawling is just about normal here, as is me beating someone down. The same for Erza, though it's usually her getting upset when people don't behave." She jerked her head toward Alzack, who was seated at a different table now, bantering with Elfman and Bisca. "Mine come when someone gets too grabby." Not that she minded the attention too much, though the married men and women better kept their fingers to themselves. "Now tell me about yourself, I'm curious. What do you do in your free time?"

It took some more coaxing from that point onward, but Gajeel cautiously opened up to her. He could read music and played strings, something which Mira immediately leapt on; they had a few instruments, but another was never amiss. It only took a little convincing to get him to play for music night, where Cana had planned to hold her premature celebration of Priscilla's becoming the next master.

Sadly, she soon realised that Gajeel lacked for other decent hobbies. He spent most of his remaining time sitting around and thinking, or on missions. Worse, as it turned out, he did not know how to read. No one taught him to this day and he never made an effort to learn; the fact he was clearly embarassed even admitting it told Mira just how that might have happened. She urged him to learn with a little carrot included, mentioning that Natsu did not know either until Erza hammered it into him. Alternately, Priscilla or Levy would probably do it, too; once she had him to the point of agreeing to try, he quickly picked the dragon lady. Probably because he worried about Levy being smug, which she absolutely would be.

Priscilla herself was surprised by the hesitant request, all but strongarmed by Mirajane. She accepted it regardless, odd though the experience of being the teacher was; it felt more intimate than teaching magic or other subjects. With the guildhall completed, she settled back into a normal rhythm in-between tutoring sessions, seeing that Gajeel learned slower than she did. Priscilla spent that time doing odd jobs, moving supplies or helping with buildings. Especially the latter helped hone her newly acquired telekinesis.

As the weeks passed and life kept on going, she slowly accepted the idea of succeeding Makarov. It truly felt like a new chapter in her life was about to begin.

In mid-May however, Priscilla once again met her unnamed friend. This time they approached each other along the road in opposite directions, expressions brightening upon recognising the other. Priscilla knew she had some time to spare and settled down to talk, appraising her friend of recent events she wished to hear his opinion on; about as expected, he frowned when hearing of the Tower of Heaven and the plot to revive Zeref himself. They also spoke about the battle with Phantom Lord, and the need to rebuild the guildhall.

"Ah, of course. How could I forget?" Upon remembering her promise, Priscilla quickly fetched Lucy's notes from her item box. "One of my guildmates was working on a new spell, but found herself stuck on composing a correct spell circle." Handing him the notes to peruse, she quickly explained the theory: "She wants to use a framework akin to Body Enhancement to infuse herself with a Celestial Spirit's power and abilities."

While he had already been scanning the first page, he stopped dead upon hearing the summary. When he looked up, his eyes were bright. "This is incredible!" her friend breathed, gaze now racing across the page. "I never even considered such an application! This is brilliant! Let's see."

Priscilla watched with rapt attention how the scholar studied every note carefully. He then produced a piece of red chalk and proceeded to mark issues on these pages. After that, he added notes of his own in fine, archaic cursive. "The basic idea is just fine," he decided after about half an hour. "There are some clear beginner's mistakes in the theory sections, but nothing problematic. Spell circles are always the issue in crafting something new, anyway. You can determine their composition through several formulas, but some simply do not conform to mere logic. You need to intuit them depending on the discipline, but studying other existing spells often gives us a good idea how the new circle needs to look like. From these prototype circles, I see she already grasped this to an extent."

Several dozen spell circles snapped into place around him, all of a dark purple. Priscilla recognised none of them. "Which discipline is that?"

"All these are Celestial spells," he explained with a motion for three fourths of the array, "the rest is Body Enhancement. This discipline is rather rigid in its structure and most circles are quite alike. Celestial magic is the opposite, unfortunately. The spirits are all individual beings after all, so their circles align with them." His explanation done, he began to muse again: "But needing a different circle for every single spirit would make this too unwieldy. Or maybe, how about...."

The circles vanished and an empty piece of parchment appeared before him. Several circle designs were quickly inked on it with script magic, work that would take an ordinary scholar hours done in seconds. "But perhaps if the user personalises it and combines with the gate they wish to call upon. Here." The parchment was offered to Priscilla, who took it gingerly. Another page of instructions and recommended reading followed, created as swiftly as the first. "Take this to your friend, the rest is up to her. And do tell her it was a delightful conundrum to ponder."

The dragon felt Lucy may be upset that an issue plaguing her for months had been solved in about an hour.

Just as she stored the solution, her friend locked up and grew pale. "You need to leave," he urged the befuddled Priscilla. "And quick. Please!"

Seeing him in distress only caused the opposite reaction. "What is the matter?" Priscilla inquired while leaning forward to appraise her black-clad friend. He grew ever more frantic, grabbing his chest as if to push something down. His eyes glistened, the first tear fell just as a wave of darkness rolled out from within him; Priscilla fell still when the foul magic rushed past her, plants withering and a few crows falling dead from the dying trees.

When the darkness faded, a perfect circle of death surrounded the two of them. Priscilla stared down at her friend in shock, much like he stared up at her while tears ran down his cheeks. "T-Then you, too?" He coughed out with a sob, the question confusing her. "You too, suffer this curse?"

"I believe not," she denied, though this energy had felt familiar in a way. "What is it?"

His demeanor slowly changed, the previous energy leaving him. He slumped for a long moment, muttering under his breath. "You truly are different. Perhaps if you can resist the curse, there is something to be done." More crows had gathered, some to prod their dead and others to watch the duo. Her friend slowly rose and wiped away his tears, meeting Priscilla's gaze head-on. "I believe introductions are in order. I am Zeref Dragneel, whom they call The Black Wizard."

 

[Naron]

"Death magic is often seen as the height of heresy, but in truth is quite inefficient. The amount of time necessary to learn even the easiest types can be better spent learning a combat focussed magic to induce death through battle. This has the added benefit of not being useless the moment one's target does not die to Death magic, which can be defended against. Any trained wizard is capable of fighting back through their Ethernano, not to mention most forms of Death magic can be dodged. I shall withhold explanations on how to learn this discipline and urge anyone interested in the subject matter to learn something more useful instead."

-excerpt from "The Soul of Magic"

---

After burying the dead crows and vacating the no-man's land of Zeref's creation, the two settled around a hastily created fire as dusk approached. The revelation surprised her without doubt, though Priscilla mainly pondered her companion's identity in the heavy silence engulfing them. "What befuddles me," she finally admitted, "is how no one noticed the Black Wizard's presence. It certainly explains your mastery of magic."

"Well, I am versed in memory manipulation. I do not like using it, but it is necessary to avoid all those cults. I cull some of them if they get too dangerous, but usually it is just crazies that the wizard guilds can take care of." He scowled at the crackling flames before shaking his head and changing the subject. "I am honestly surprised that you even allow me a conversation. I had hoped, of course, but my usual experiences after revealing my name are... less pleasant."

Priscilla weakly raised her shoulders in response. "Were I a hypocrite, perhaps. Thou art one I call friend, however. And I believe tis time for a true introduction also." Perhaps he would understand then; the image everyone else had of Zeref was obviously flawed. She knew how that felt like better than anyone. Inclining her head, she spoke: "I am the crossbreed Priscilla, born as part Everlasting dragon, part god. The gods loathed my existence from the day I first took breath, for within me rests not only the pride of dragons, but also the Lifehunt, my own Death magic that can slay any being with a soul. They feared me, for I was born to be their slayer, and cast me into exile in a painting of Ariamis, forgotten to the world with but other heretics and exiled for company."

Much to her own relief, Zeref appeared unaffected by her declarations; the most she could find were widened eyes, though his expression slowly began to brighten. "Then perhaps you can aid me," he began, which was about the last thing she expected to hear right now. "You see, what happened earlier is due to an ancient god's curse, the curse of Ankhseram; no one knows exactly how it came to be, we do not even know if his name is correct. It strikes at any who dare command the laws of nature and dooms them to eternal life. It also frequently kills everything around the victim as you saw earlier, making my life a lonely one even after I got proficient in suppressing it."

While Zeref explained, Priscilla's mind was racing; she knew the name Ankhseram. Moreover, it was an important name to her. She only needed a few seconds to remember why, too: it was an Everlasting Dragon's name. Ankhseram, the first to fall in the First War. But how did all of this fit together?

"I only know of two people suffering from it today, myself included."

Now he had her attention again; Priscilla tilted her head ever so slightly, a gesture learned from humans. "Only two people were affected over millennia?"

Zeref shook his head sadly. "No," he admitted. "Kings and queens of the fire dragon swarm could burn away this curse in the past. Their flames were that strong and their kindness without compare." He left a pause in order to sigh, telling Priscilla exactly where this line of thought was going. "Now there are no more fire dragons. King Igneel passed away long ago as the last of his line, struck down by Acnologia."

"That can not be right," the crossbreed murmured. "Natsu is certain he last saw him a mere eight years ago." The mention of her fiery guildmate had Zeref perk up, but Priscilla was lost in thought. "Then again, Atlas Flame was also certain his king had died. The truths are mutually exclusive here, unless," she finished with a glance to the immortal in front of her, "there is plotting afoot. Could it be you are planning the kinslayer's downfall?"

"Pardon, who?"

"...Acnologia. Speaking a kinslayer's name is not done among my kind; they do not deserve to have one for their sins."

"I see." Zeref hummed in thought, clearly considering her question or perhaps whether to trust her with the information. That he only needed a moment to decide in her favour pleased Priscilla: "I am. We are, really. Many people contributed in various ways. Although I would like to mention that Acnologia... pardon, the kinslayer, was not originally a dragon. He was a Dragonslayer who murdered so many dragons and bathed in their blood that when he turned, his scales grew black and resistent to magic in general."

Priscilla exhaled slowly, running the words through her head. This did not change the situation or her feelings, but it was good to know. One little detail stood out to her, though. "Why did he become a dragon?"

"The greatest downside to Slayer magic in general," Zeref answered, "Adapting power and traits from a being so much your greater makes the body want to follow suit. With too much exposure to the given species, a Slayer will turn into it if the gap between both is too big."

This was bad news indeed. Priscilla could not prevent her eyes from almost bulging out of their sockets at the thought of Natsu or Gajeel turning into proper dragons. Zeref, however, waved her off with a reassuring smile. "Worry not, our plans are solid. When Acnologia... sorry. When he killed the last dragons, some persisted. Their souls were strong, spirits unbroken. The queen of the skies, king of iron, and king of fire. Grandine, Metalicana, and Igneel all remained even beyond their cooling bodies. They sought me out as the only one who even he could not kill, and we strategised. Each of them took a child as their own and raised them to be Dragonslayers. Grandine chose Wendy, the youngest. In her soul rests inherited healing magic. Metalicana picked Gajeel, who you already know. And to Igneel, I left Natsu. My brother's soul reborn by my hand, the act for which I received Ankhseram's curse."

He laid it out in somber silence. Even the crows surrounding them once again were quiet while Priscilla listened. Into the lack of noise after he finished, Zeref sighed. "That was four hundred years ago, a time in which the genocide of dragonkind left the world sparse of Ethernano. Not enough to support Dragonslayers. So I built Eclipse, a time travel device, and created the golden Zodiac Keys to activate it with. The Celestial Spirits lent their aid to make it work, and we sent all three Dragonslayers into this time."

Now he had her full attention as ideas began to race through her mind; going back in time was not inconceivable, what with its flow being convoluted in her home world. The Undead spoke tales of old heroes randomly appearing centuries after their passing. But if it could be harnessed, perhaps to intercept the Lords before they could destroy her species.... "How does it work?"

"Barely," Zeref said after mulling it over. "The fabric of time is difficult to pierce and just as hard to even study. The spirits are the only reason I could figure out a solution. I will spare you the details, but the basic idea is for the gate to open at two different points in time. Then it connects to itself that way. I needed to work around time going only one way and looking back at it, forgot most of the workaround I found back then. It included routing the gate's traffic into a different world where time is less rigid and making the connection there."

He explained a few more minute details while Priscilla discarded her wild dreams as fast as they appeared; of course she could not undo the fate of her species. In a way, that was also a guilty sort of relief; had she been given the choice, she would gladly undo the circumstances of her creation and, likely, herself in the pursuit of her kind's survival. Now that she did not have the choice, she could keep on living.

Zeref finished during her introspection, his momentary smile already fading again as he returned to the previous subject: "The Dragonslayers are our last trump against him. Their parents' spirits put everything they could into them, sacrificing themselves in the end to undo what wrought Acnologia to begin with. I carefully calculated at which point contact with the parent species needs cutting off to prevent turning into a dragon. The energy of their fading souls powered Eclipse. And that is why I am still here." He sighed once again, staring into the fire. "Igneel offered to end me once everything was set in place, but back then I was young. I thought I could endure at least that long to make sure it all works out, but humans are not meant to live for centuries. I lost myself long ago."

"And that is where the dark magic comes in?" she inquired curiously. He nodded.

"Indeed. I plunged myself into research, examining any avenue I could think of to end my existence." The result was obvious to both of them, so he skipped it: "Which is why I think you can help me. If your Lifehunt is truly this potent, would you fulfill my wish?"

"Certainly," she agreed without hesitation. Immortals seeking salvation from their torment was nothing new to her. "The Undead of my world sought me for the same reason. Though it is a shame as well." Priscilla mused idly, realising that she never truly bonded with one of her victims-to-be before. "We are close in age, I believe. Time spent in the painting never quite mattered to me, so I can not tell for certain. If only you were not born mortal, it would be wonderful to have a lasting companion."

Zeref nodded sadly, her point understood. Though solitude and the passage of time mattered little to a being such as her, she found the recent company of her guild to be most wonderful. Regardless, while they were still sitting, she returned to an earlier point made. "But you mentioned another suffering from this curse. Who are they?"

Here he hesitated, hanging his head. "...Mavis," Zeref said. A single word tinged with melancholy and adoration. "My wife, the light of my life. She is why I am still me at this point, or rather why I am me once again. I met her about a hundred years ago, a prodigy if there ever was one. And I foolishly taught her magic. Her excitement for it made me forget where that path lead. The next time I met her, she cast it and did not even realise she was cursed. Yet another life I ruined," he ended his recounting, a singular tear rolling down his cheek, soon joined by another: "More than that, the curse left her comatose soon after we found together. We only had a year and a half before it took even her from me. She is kept somewhere around Magnolia in stasis. I do not know where. Would you free her as well?"

"Of course," Priscilla agreed immediately. Reuniting two lovers through death may be one of the weirder tales, but if that was what it took to give them happiness, she would do it without hesitation. Still, her location was curious. "Why Magnolia, though?"

The inquiry earned a weak smile from Zeref. "Because she is the founder of Fairy Tail. My Mavis. Makarov is the son of one of her original companions. She picked his name, even."

Their fire crackled in what silence followed. Threads flitted through Priscilla's mind, information clicking into place where she had the information needed; a proper conclusion was amiss, but she began to see the hidden truths of Earthland. Just like Lordran hid the existence of an abominable crossbreed within a painting and whatever other plots they wove, the people here had their own secrets.

A sigh from Zeref returned Priscilla's attention to him. The immortal wizard wore a tender smile. "She is the only reason I can not call refusing Igneel the greatest mistake I ever made." Shaking his head, he glanced up at her. "Now, shall we?"

The dragon made to nod, but paused with a glance at her surroundings. "Not yet," she declared a moment later. "And not here. For now, may I make a selfish request? Please tell me more of your travels and your pursuits."

The Black Wizard studied her with a mixture of emotions she could not disentangle, but he ultimately nodded. So they spoke for hours, mainly him regaling her of the many wonderful sights, tales, and magics of his home world. He told her of Edolas, of living under dragon rule, of the great dragon swarms; the belief that the fire dragon king, ever the greatest of the lot, could hold dominion of the sun made Priscilla shiver. It felt too similar to Lord Gwyn for her liking. Then Zeref taught her of the great change; that Ability-type magic, mainly brought forth in conjunction with one's own body, would over time become Holder-type defined by equipment imbued with spell circles. Celestial Spirit magic was one of these, though Guns magic also qualified, among others.

"Holder-type magic is much easier to learn," he explained when she inquired as to its use. "Meaning that more people can access it. Even completely ordinary people can use magical items as long as Ethernano is provided; I devised Lacrima-based batteries some time ago and planted the design across the continent, so once their use spreads, more and more people can benefit from our wonderful magic."

At this point, Priscilla felt she truly began to understand the man before her. Though the assumptions of his personality many made were clearly unfounded, his moniker was certainly deserved. The reminder brought her to ask of the one other thing on her mind: "You created Etherious, then? Were they a means to your end as well?"

"Yes."

His answer hung in the air for a time, though Zeref did not meet her gaze. "I did some awful things in my pursuit of their creation, sins I do not wish you to bear. Natsu is Etherious, the first and most powerful; he was actually the final plan to my death before you came along. With Igneel's flame he inherited and the abyssal fire I instilled in him, he might be able to break my curse. Sadly," he commented with a note of humour, "he was the one Etherious that never got the chance to try. Every other gave their best attempt and fell short; only afterward did I realise how much it hurt them to strike at their creator. They only acted because I ordered them to. So I removed the memory of these days and set them free."

"For what reason exactly?" she asked at once, remembering Kyoka and her blatant disregard for human life. Zeref sighed.

"The folly of living magic," he responded. "My Etherious are sophisticated enough to possess free will and a soul. I created them for selfish reasons they could never fulfill. But even in my bitterness, I could not dare destroy them. So I set them free to find their own path. But with what I heard of Tartaros, well. Perhaps I should have accepted a few more sins upon my shoulders."

"If they have free will, their actions are not your fault."

"I disagree. Let us leave it at that."

Priscilla scowled, but accepted his desire to speak of it no more. Glancing upward, she began to see the sky brighten as dawn approached. "Very well," the dragon declared as she rose. "It is time. I know where to go."

Though befuddled, Zeref allowed her to pick him up; a single stomp of her bare foot extinguished the fire while what few things they spread around were gathered via telekinesis. Priscilla then began to march at a brisk pace, climbing the nearby hills in the quiet of night; a handful of crows followed her across the land while the man held in her arms spent that time pondering.

He interrupted her silent progress halfway up the steep incline: "Something you should know is that I figured out his, the kinslayer's, weakness. He is immune to magic based on Ethernano, but not to purely physical strikes. The size and strength of a dragon's body hide it, but the best way to deal with him is a magically accelerated boulder. Dragonslayer magic will work as well, but even that is less useful."

"Only magic based on Ethernano?" she inquired without slowing. Zeref shrugged against her arm.

"I never had any other magic to test against his resistances. Your Lifehunt may work, or it may not. I will not make any claims about it." Though the crossbreed bristled at the notion of her absolute death being found wanting, she grudgingly conceded the point; neither of them knew what to make of this interaction right now. "Either way, pass on the word if you wish. Heh, if you so want, you can claim you found an old text from me mentioning that."

Though her lips quirked upward with the joke, she could not quite feel the levity. "This would require presenting said text, I am afraid. Then again, I am a dragon myself; with some more time to build a rapport with the people here, I may just make the claim without anyone doubting me. Few know that I am not of this world, after all."

"That may just work."

"We have arrived," Priscilla added right after, ending their short conversation. Atop this hill they could see dark clouds and a brightening sky. No sign of the sun just yet. Priscilla stared into the distance before nodding to herself and pulling her scythe from storage. It almost gleamed in the darkness, black as the night.

Just as she ran a finger over its ever sharp blade, Zeref reached into his own item box. "Oh, and one other thing," he prefaced before producing several books. A stack of three plus one more, all offered to her with a faint smile. "My magnum opus, the Magicae Universalis. I worked on it over the last few decades, ever since Mavis reminded me of my love for magic. Please take it, and maybe pass it onto others if you wish. This however," he made the separate tome wiggle. "I want you to have just in case. Do not let anyone know. These three do not contain any dark or too exploitable spell circles or theories. They are all in here, various kinds of lost and dark magic. I entrust them to you."

"Your trust honours me," a solemn Priscilla murmured as she accepted the tomes. She began to feel the weight of a parting near; with it surged grief and a hint of desparation. Even if they rarely met, Zeref was one of the first friends she made on Earthland. He taught her magic, offering aid and council without regard for any reward.

The man himself smiled, though. Behind him the sun rose at last, casting light onto lush forests stretching into the distance. Veins of crystal blue ran through the land and the world woke. It put his silhouette in stark contrast, almost hiding his smile. "If this is truly the last we speak, thank you, Priscilla. Thank you truly, even for just trying. And if Mavis wakes, please tell her I will wait on the other side. Wherever it may be, however long it takes."

Nodding mutely, Priscilla let her might flow through the ebony scythe; Zeref turned around to gaze across the wonderful world he loved one last time. If he noticed her quivering eyes, he did not say. A large blade settled against his throat, thrumming with the crossbreed's power; the half-heard screams of dragons reverberated, but for once they did not roar in anger. Rather, they offered grudging respect to a lesser being. The Black Wizard exhaled one last time.

"F-Farewell," Priscilla choked out, then pulled back her scythe.

And half a continent away, Etherious Kyoka woke up screaming.

 

[Naron]

"The most elegant of my creations are the Etherious demons. Living magic given form, life, and soul. They subsist on Ethernano and possess fully functional if improved biology. Originally, each one was imagined as a tool to my destruction in some fashion; in an ironic twist of events, none of them even approaches Natsu despite him being my first work and meant for a different purpose. His being built on an existing soul was a boon unimaginable; I repeated the practice with Mard Geer who stands second in might, but even he does not compare. The origin of that second soul is but another sin onto my shoulders. As is me abandoning them all once I realised they could not fulfill their purpose."

-excerpt from "Lost Knowledge - Brightest Light and Darkest Dark"

---

Kyoka's raw scream cut off as abruptly as it began, the hysteric Etherious falling back onto the bed. Her chest heaved from the exertion while she stared at a faintly illuminated ceiling; her eyes would not quite move, making her uncertain where she was. A fluffy, purple blanket covered her from the waist down, thrown off the top by her earlier rise.

A soft sniff reverberated in the eerie silence, startling Kyoka; her head snapped sideways and cracked loudly, but she cared little for the momentary pain. Faint visions of dragons and a black scythe faded when she recognised Seilah; the two thick, golden horns sprouting from just above her ears were a dead giveaway. She could have passed for a regular if beautiful human woman otherwise. As it were, Kyoka took a second to notice her fellow archdemon's distress; her eyes were wide and glistening.

"Sei-" she began to croak, only to break into a violent cough when her parched throat refused to form words. As if that broke the spell, lithe arms immediately wrapped around the writhing Etherious. She was pulled into an ample bosom, yet the warmth of Seilah's presence did not quite disperse the cold in her chest.

"Oh Kyoka," she murmured with a faint sniff. "You're back. I was hoping you would, but everyone else lost hope already."

Just like that, Seilah began to cry softly; her relief was almost palpable, the words and actions making Kyoka fall slack. She had no idea what was happening anymore. Her body felt oddly weak, throat raspy. She could barely raise a hand to the glass of water on her nightstand; and indeed, the Etherious realised, this was her room. It took a moment to recognise her queen-sized bed, the luxurious pillows and quilts. The nightstand was just so far away.

Seilah thankfully noticed her attempt and let go, albeit reluctantly. The other woman crawled over to grab the glass and handed it to Kyoka; she even helped steady the older Etherious' hand and tilted the glass, making her drink slowly. In this moment, plain water was like ambrosia to Kyoka; she wet her throat and began to breathe more evenly once set down again. Her thoughts were jumbled. For the time, she focussed on this niggling feeling in the back of her mind; something horrible just happened and it jolted her awake, but she could not tell what.

"Do you, urgh, know what just happened?"

Her voice was still laboured, but she could speak. Seilah perked up the slightest bit, a flick of her wrist igniting several candles to spend light. "Um, you woke up?" She faltered when Kyoka stared at her, merely shaking her head. "I had an inkling that you would for some reason, but it does not matter." So saying, she leaned forward to embrace the older woman again. "Oh Kyoka, what happened? First you report a dud and next we know, you are dead!"

The moment Seilah uttered the last word, it all came flooding back. The village, the battle, the monster. The goddess. Screams of countless dragons echoed in the back of her mind just like that merciless glare was burned into it. Kyoka shivered violently and shrieked in fear when Seilah grabbed her hand to hold it.

"Kyoka, please!" the younger Etherious pleaded. "What's going on!?"

"I died."

Seilah's mouth opened, but she forced herself to be silent. Kyoka ignored her, falling slack as realisation settled in. "I'm nothing."

"W-What? Do not say things like that. You are alive, you came back. It is alright." Her palpable ignorance was little comfort, though the tight hug Seilah then administered at least helped. Yet the events kept repeating in Kyoka's mind until she was once again laid to rest. Seilah tucked her in gently before smoothing out the wrinkles in her black kimono. "Come, sleep," she whispered before grasping Kyoka's hand, their roles now reversed from when the younger Etherious suffered nightmares. "I will stay with you and we let everyone know once you are rested."

Unfortunately, this was no nightmare; no horrible dream to wake from in the morning. Kyoka lay silent for an uncomfortably long time, mind unendingly repeating the events of her violent death. When she did fall asleep, a cavalcade of nightmares made her flinch back to conciousness time and time again. By the sixth time, light fell through the window and she was drenched in sweat.

Undeterred if worried by her sorry state, Seilah led her into the luscious bathtub, scrubbed her down without complaint, and helped her put on clothes. Kyoka felt listless throughout it all, barely able to appreciate the help; everything appeared bleaker than before, a spark of something amiss. Were it not for Seilah leading her by the hand, she might have dropped back into bed to hide beneath the covers.

Once out the door, they were greeted by bright sunlight. A strong breeze made Kyoka's green and Seilah's black mane flutter. Her little house remained the same as she remembered; one of several on Plutogrim's surface. Most members of their little family preferred to stay underground in the flying fortress Etherious, but Kyoka had always adored the endless expanse of sky. Unfortunately, it was now filled with scaled beasts whenever memories flashed before her mind's eye.

Anyone they passed stopped to stare at her like a ghost; considering what happened, she could not blame them. While death was not unheard of among the Etherious and she did die before, this was different. Kyoka shivered once more, her neck itching.

Even still, the crisp morning air invigorated her ever so slightly. Rays of sunlight warmed her face, making the archdemon stop to turn toward it for a time; she never noticed before how pleasant something so simple could be. Seilah indulged her for a time, though a gentle tug on Kyoka's hand told her they needed to keep going and followed; in turn, everyone else fell into step with them. A clear sense of curiousity burned within every single Etherious that saw her out and about.

They met another archdemon before long. Wrapped in his long black cloak with the usual checkered overcoat, Keyes appeared soon after the two women entered Plutogrim's innards. The necromancer's pallid face was incapable of displaying emotions, even when not constrained by the golden headdress reminiscent of a curved hammerhead. His expressions were in the dark pits that formed his eyes. The moment he saw them, they doubled in size before wobbling momentarily.

After inclining his head, the necromancer gathered his purple robe's hem and hurried along the same way they were following. Kyoka figured he would inform Mard Geer of their approach, ever diligent while losing few words. Several minutes later, she was proven right.

Seilah and her entered the underground auditorium with a wave of demons following in their wake. Several were already seated around the room, though all boggled at her entrance; Mard Geer and whoever was relevant for the day convened at the central table, where Seilah led Kyoka. Their leader's lips were quirked up in a faint smile, though it felt more sinister than Kyoka liked on his angular face. His lilac hair was done into a haphazard ponytail, almost unkempt.

"Welcome home, sister," Mard Geer greeted her warmly while Seilah pulled back a chair for her. The other Etherious listened intently, filling out the stands now that all of Tartaros had arrived. "I see now that I should have had faith in you like Seilah did."

His greeting had her confused. "For what reason, exactly? Was my revival delayed?"

Mard Geer quirked an eyebrow and glanced to Seilah by her side, who fidgeted awkwardly. "I may have forgotten to mention that over her actually waking up," she defended herself to some unknown question. Their brother inclined his head.

"Understandable. You two were always close." A soft sigh followed as Mard Geer carded through his hair, a quirk of his he never quite managed to break. Afterward however, he met Kyoka's interested gaze head-on. "This may come as a bit of a shock, but it has been a good eight months since you died. There were no complications with your rebirth despite the state of your book, but you never woke up. You were catatonic the entire time."

He rose again while Kyoka paled; she did not quite register his walking to a nearby pedestal, trying to make sense of what she just learned. Eight months passed since her death. How could that happen? No, she knew how, even why, but she still could not believe it.

Meanwhile, Mard Geer carefully tapped the pedestal and murmured to it, giving Kyoka time to digest the news of her delayed revival. A great stone shelf at the room's head slid open in one spot, admitting a single, black book to float out. It quickly traversed the room before coming to rest on the pedestal, from where he gingerly took it. Kyoka only realised it was presented to her when he returned to the table. Accepting the offering, she stared down in momentary incomprehension.

The proud title Creator Kyoka Restoration stared back at her, except it had become pitiful. The script devolved into meaningless dots and lines as if a toddler splattered white paint over its cover. Tears glimmered along its length.

Horrified, she flipped it open to read of herself; her horror only grew. The Etherious paled once again, almost but not quite hearing the divine dragons roar at her. Some pages had their elegant cursive struck through, others were flipped upside down for unknown reasons. Several pages were now blank, wiped away and making her painfully aware of something being amiss. She had no idea what was gone, which scared her more than its absence.

After staring at what became of her essence for a long time, she slowly lowered the book to look at Mard Geer. His concern was palpable when he leaned forward, looking at her with earnestness as much as worry: "Was it The Devourer?" Those merciless, amber eyes flickered into her mind again. Kyoka shook her head mutely and Mard Geer hummed. "Would you tell us about them?"

She shook her head again, feeling the need to justify her refusal: "I'm sorry, I, I can not." Her voice almost broke, but she needed to warn them at the very least. "She is death, plain and simple." Kyoka shivered, almost convulsing in her seat; Seilah grasped her hand and stroked it gently, calming the upset woman while murmurs went around the room. They only ceased when Mard Geer finished rubbing his temples and responded.

"Yet another complication, I see." Seeing that the comment drew Kyoka's attention back to him, he elaborated: "We have E.N.D.'s rough location after his power flared soon after the winter solstice. He is in Fiore."

Kyoka's eyes widened in response; their true leader, the first Etherious and Demon King, right where The Devourer and Death lived. Mard Geer grimaced, well aware of her realisation. "Ever since this happened to you, we retreated from Fiore and investigated only through our subordinate guilds. I will not risk anyone else after what happened to Sitri." He paused, gaze falling onto the book Kyoka clutched to her chest. "And Deliora, at that. His book dissolved fully while you were unavailable."

This time Kyoka felt something beside horror and emptiness. A sense of loss wormed its way into her heart. Deliora was always a brute, but losing him to a creeping death lasted heavy on everyone. He was still alive in ice that continuously sapped his power, to the point of damaging his book beyond repair; revival became impossible long ago.

Seeing the wetness gathering in her eyes, Mard Geer inclined his head. "I will leave you to grieve in a moment. There is one other matter to discuss." When their gazes met again, he was serious. "Grimoire Heart is moving recently. We confirmed that they were involved in Deliora's final moments, as well as whatever you found near Ka Elm. They seek Master Zeref."

Kyoka slumped, trying to make sense of the matter; their creator was nowhere to be found and they had searched for decades, if not centuries. Moreover, something niggled at the back of her mind, saying they would never find him. She could not tell why. And to make matters worse, the demon king lived in direct reach of the one existence who could kill their kind even without access to their books. Then as the cherry on top, Hades and his guild of powerful wizards interfered in their affairs.

Before her encounter with Death, Kyoka would have felt righteous fury and a desire to make all those pitiful wretches bleed. Now she only wanted to crawl into a corner and hide until it all stopped. Unfortunately, she got neither option as Mard Geer dismissed her; when she made to return her book for storage however, their chosen leader shook his head and pushed the tome back against her chest. "Hold onto it for now. Perhaps proximity can help you recover; it is the best we can do without Master Zeref to mend it, I am afraid."

"Alright," she agreed quietly; now attentive and on the subject of books, Kyoka also realised that something was amiss. "What happened to E.N.D.'s book?"

Seilah winced by her side, as did Mard Geer. The male Etherious gingerly pulled back his purple shirt's collar to reveal angry, red flesh beneath. "An unfortunate accident, I am afraid." As he lifted the garment further, the surprised woman beheld nasty scars running over his entire right side. "The day we noticed his power flaring in Fiore, his book erupted."

"I see. And you just walked off third degree burns why?" She was almost indignant he wore not even bandages to prevent chafing on his bare flesh, but Mard Geer merely shrugged. Kyoka huffed as she leaned closer to inspect his wounds. "Thank Zeref for making us immune to common infections, you proud idiot. Hold still." A single finger connected with the burned elbow while he watched impassively, not even flinching from the pain she knew he felt. Shaking her head again, Kyoka let healing magic pulse through his body; the flesh knit itself back together in seconds, followed by new skin growing under her will.

In total, the procedure took less than a minute. When Kyoka retracted her talon, the single spot she did not heal due to its presence began to trail a thin line of blood over Mard Geer's arm. "You will keep that as a reminder," she chastised. He did not complain, merely wiping his arm with a handkerchief as she shuffled away. Kyoka only realised a few minutes later that he ran around with wounds like that because Tartaros' sole healer was her; meaning it was her own failure.

Her mood thus down once again, she made her way back to the surface and wondered what to do next. It would be a frequent musing of hers for the next few weeks; she felt so listless all the time, barely managing to eat a single meal every other day. Every few days Kyoka took walks across Plutogrim's surface with Seilah, otherwise she spent all her time in bed; her futile hope for the nightmares to stop aside, other Etherious visited frequently. Their worry was touching, but it did not quite soothe her.

By herself, she felt she should have died like Sitri and Deliora, annihilated. It would be better than living without any drive like she now did, only waiting to waste away. Everything felt meaningless, a constant reminder of her own insignificance etched onto her body; she only realised a week after her first waking, upon studying herself in the mirror: all around her throat ran a faint, pink line. Exactly where that ebony scythe removed head from body.

She tried to explain her feelings to Seilah once, but her sister did not quite understand despite their close bond. After some time of Kyoka fumbling for words after the admission to her lack of drive or desire to do anything, the younger woman clapped her hands with a bright smile. "If it is a lack of entertainment and motivation, how about we go on a little outing?"

Kyoka did not want to, but Seilah insisted. Which was how she found herself amidst screams and fire as no less than ten Etherious raided a tiny human village. Far away from any civilisation. A second force caught anyone who made it out while the rest of them were... playing.

Seilah had reverted to her aloof persona, using her Macro to control a family of four. She made them beat each other to death for her amusement. The parents were crying, still calling out to their children and apologising, as only their bodies were not under their control. A cacophony of violence surrounded the entire area, subsuming everyone and everything. Kyoka just felt numb.

Before her lay a shivering body, the weathered old man's legs already maimed. She studied him with almost clinical detachment, wondering how hurting them made her happy before. The dissonance between now and the remembered pleasure at a person's squeals and moans as they were turned monstrous until they broke, it merely emphasized the emptiness. That, as well as a quiet wonder about it all. Why were they doing this? What reason was there to strike at humans? What right?

She knew, of course. Etherious were born superior to any and all humans, ignoring the abnormality that was The Devourer. To crush those lesser than oneself was a right as nature itself decreed. Just like she herself was crushed, which may be the answer Kyoka sought.

Stomping down on the pleading elder's skull, she ended his suffering in an instant. Then she turned around and made to leave. A surprised Seilah turned her way, but Kyoka merely made a dismissive motion. "I'm going home."

"B-But-!"

She ignored the spluttering woman, feeling no better than before they left Plutogrim. Seilah followed her moments later, leaving whoever was left alive to their family.

She held her silence until they returned home that night, staring up into a starlit sky, where Kyoka explained her numbness to Seilah: "They are not lesser to me anymore, so I can not enjoy their suffering."

"How do you mean? Humans are worthless, no?"

Kyoka shrugged weakly, holding her silence. How would Seilah react to the implied reason? Humans were worthless, but so was Kyoka. So were all Etherious. Admitting to that would not go over well, she felt. Mayhaps E.N.D. and Master Zeref held some worth, but even with them she was uncertain. To make matters worse, the mere contemplation of her own merit made that scythe flash back before her eyes; Kyoka flinched and pushed the thoughts aside.

From there, she continued her listless existence; she was aware how much her state hurt Seilah and everyone else, which hurt Kyoka in turn, but she just could not muster the energy to even pretend otherwise. Most of her time was spent sitting on a boulder near the edge of Plutogrim's shell, staring into the distance as their living base flew along Ishgar's northern tip; as far away from Fiore as they could be without crossing the ocean. The world moved around her, almost but not quite leaving Kyoka behind. She heard from others that the covert search for their king E.N.D. went just as badly as her recovery. Several of Tartaros' subordinate guilds were at work in Fiore, but the trails of destruction they expected from him only ever led back to Fairy Tail. The same Fairy Tail that The Devourer and Death were a part of, so even the growing agitation among her family could not be vented.

All the while, Kyoka meditated. Her book clutched to her chest, she sought to delve into the deeper parts of her mind to find the root of her issues; unfortunately for her, this was not actually possible no matter how much she tried. Either because she failed to enter a meditative state, such a state did not exist, or there was no cure. She did not quite care which, half tempted to tear her book apart and jump off Plutogrim; the only thing stopping her from attempting a true death was that once destroyed, her book could not be remade. The only one who knew how was Master Zeref.

So instead of doing much of anything, Kyoka wasted away day after day. Sometimes she fed Plutogrim some meat while trying not to think of its origins. Sometimes she talked to Lummy, the chief scientist; their resident nerd made several attempts to remove her scar, but none were successful. In the end, Lummy declared that it was tied to her damaged book, which needed repairs before Kyoka's body could be mended.

One restless night, the despondent Etherious walked along Plutogrim's depths to escape her nightmares. The leviathan's rumbling breaths were the only noise interrupting a hesitant click-clack of avian claws on heavy stone. Kyoka had no real destination, but found herself approaching the chamber with E.N.D.'s book at some point. Mard Geer placed it on a pedestal deep within Plutogrim after getting burned, open to all who wished to pay respect. It lay in plain sight and without protections because dozens of engineered deathbringers were always present. Not to mention their flying base's mobile nature. No one even considered burglary possible.

Hesitating before the chamber, Kyoka needed a minute to step inside. She approached the dormant tome, staring at it as if to find answers for her many questions. A part of her whispered that she was unworthy to so much as prostrate herself before the demon king's book, but she ignored it in favour of the pressing need to ask.

"Where are you?" Kyoka whispered. Even with the surge of his power, they could not find him. "Who are you?" No response. "Why is this world so cruel?"

Her heart ached with the last question. Kyoka felt so many things she could not share, but talking to the sole remnant of her king made the lump in her throat dissolve; she was just about to pour out her sorrows when a gentle heat enveloped her. Kyoka flinched back before leaning into it momentarily; the demon king's tome conveyed a vibrant joy and content that filled her, made her whole for but a moment.

Unfortunately, that moment passed and she realised just how pitiful she truly was. Kyoka turned and fled the chamber, shedding bitter tears all the way back to her roost.

 

[Naron]

"I do not know you, but if you read the name on the cover, then you certainly know me. You heard of my work and my dark legacy. If you came to find inspiration for your own misdeeds, then you can stop here. There is no dark magic in these books beyond why pursuing it is folly. I doubt I can convince you of my character, so I will not bother wasting pages on that, either. This trilogy is my gathered knowledge on the arcane art of magic. How to learn it, which disciplines work best for whom, and the ends of my own research that another may pick up. If you read this to learn and, perhaps, to avoid the mistakes I made, then you will find what you seek."

-excerpt from "The Heart of Magic", foreword

---

Ever since killing Zeref, Priscilla felt weird.

Even though she knew this was what he wanted, his absence made something deep within her ache. This pain was something she never felt before; a primal want to speak with him again, followed by misery upon remembering that she never could. All the power in existence could not bring back the dead, at least not to her knowledge.She did not recall any of her kin ever making the attempt. Not to mention that even if she could, Zeref would not be enthused.

What made it worse were the infrequent thoughts of the future. As an Everlasting dragon, she was impervious to the passage of time; humans were not. Suddenly, she faced the reality that every single person she met and cherished would soon die and turn to dust. The prospect tempted her into fleeing Magnolia, to hide away in hopes of avoiding more of this pain. The fact Priscilla could not avoid it regardless of her choice then led to a visceral anger. She hated being powerless before such a concept as attachment, mainly in the midst of night when there was nothing to distract herself with. All she could do was bear with the many feelings and sort through them. In the end, all but her would go into the night; some quietly, some not, but there were no exceptions. And even if by some twisted design she were to fall, Priscilla doubted she would go wherever her friends went.

Over the first few days after Zeref's death, she read all four books he left with her, front to back. Then she read them again, excepting the last one that was filled to the brim with self-loathing, death, and darkness. A compendium of the horrors hidden in Earthland's shadow, as well as a list and confession of Zeref's crimes. The other three however, the Magicae Universalis, they were bright and wonderful. Perfection, even. Sharp and concise, yet warm and willing to take time on each and every subject; Zeref even included witty remarks in various places, such as the chapter 'On Revival Magic And Its Vanity', detailing how and why that entire discipline was not worth pursuing.

Her draconic side kept its silence as she read these three tomes, no matter whether every word was already engraved in Priscilla's perfect memory. Beholding the original simply felt different than recalling it. The Heart Of Magic, being the first volume, detailed seven different approaches to learning magic and outlined good disciplines for beginners. It explained all of the basics around the entire subject, including a breakdown of magical theory and spell circles. It was a foundation both for wizards and magic researchers.

Next came The Soul Of Magic, which was effectively a compendium of every magic discipline Zeref knew. He detailed even the spell circles needed, then discussed up- and downsides to each discipline. Dark or easily exploitable magic received a mention, but no trace of how to compose the spells; rather, Zeref spent time discussing issues and offering philosophical reasons not to pursue them.

Lastly, The Love Of Magic was dedicated mainly to his fellow scholars; it contained many applications Zeref himself yet saw to explore, the potential in Lacrima, theories on the change of magic over time like he told her on their final meeting, and much more than that. Zeref wrote at length about his own experiences where they related to magic. It was from this book that Priscilla learned more of Edolas and the Exceed.

Each tome was a joy to read in its own way; neither wasted many words, slowly carved to perfection over decades of curation and study. In fact, Priscilla used wind-reading glasses once to see what impression they would gather; they were generally not advised for anything but skim-reading because the human brain could not contain that much information at once. To Priscilla it may just work anyway, but she already read fast enough without them. The main impression these glasses left with her was that magic was beautiful.

The final book, she only read once and then kept hidden in her item box. Zeref named it aptly, 'Lost Knowledge - Brightest Light and Darkest Dark'. Priscilla understood that it only existed in case any of its knowledge was ever needed; to prevent more hearts from being broken, more lives from being lost in its pursuit. The findings of awful experiments were not just outlined but detailed, so another needed not repeat them.

"You've been pouring over these for over a month, what's so special about them?"

That was Gajeel interrupting her thoughts. The iron Dragonslayer lounged on a nearby chair. He was right too, she realised; July dawned the previous day, though she buried Zeref in mid-May. Priscilla allowed herself a soft sigh, closing the book and depositing it back in her item box. "A friend wrote this and left it with me before his passing."

"So what?" His question prompted Lucy to cuff him on the head. Gajeel grunted in surprise. "Hey, what's that for?!"

"You can't just say things like that!" the blonde chided him. "Have a little tact!"

He just harrumphed and stomped away to sock Natsu. Lucy heaved a sigh and ignored the ensuing brawl, rather sitting down leaned against Priscilla's thigh. "The same friend who figured out that spell circle for me?" she guessed. Lucy had been overjoyed to receive a solution and threw herself into the suggested reading.

"The very same," Priscilla said, still caught up in her grief.

"I see. That explains why you've been acting differently the last month." Lucy glanced up at her with sympathy. "My condolences. Do you, ah, want a hug?"

The question gave her pause; Priscilla was not quite certain of her desires of late. "I would not be opposed?" she offered in the end. Lucy immediately climbed into her lap, then onto her shoulder; from there she awkwardly embraced the giantess' head, a sight and sensation which drew a soft chuckle from Priscilla. It reverberated through the human woman.

"There there," she whispered to the crossbreed. "I know it's hard to lose someone close to you, but it gets better. Time heals all wounds, and stuff. It will never really stop hurting, though."

Priscilla wrapped a hand around Lucy's back in turn, nuzzling her cheek against her. "Thank you." In truth, she did feel better than right after it happened; just a tiny bit, but the hollow ache in her chest slowly lost its sting.

"Is this a hug I spy?" Levy chirped from Priscilla's right, just before a second body leapt against her throat. "Here, I'll give you one, too!" Others followed her example and soon, the guildhall featured a small pile of cuddling guild members; several others brawled a scant few metres away from them.

Both occurences intersected when Gajeel went flying and impacted Lucy, tearing her away from Priscilla's face. The blonde growled and grabbed the surprised dragonslayer. "Oh for, go away!" she groused, then bodily threw him back at Natsu, who was cackling condescendingly. Juvia laughed at the blonde's expense as well, at least until Lucy kicked her in the stomach; from there another catfight started, the two of them tumbling down Priscilla's legs.

The dragon merely smiled as her somber mood dissipated bit by bit. This was her guild after all, and she would not exchange it for anything in the world.

In a moment of cosmic irony, the main gate slammed open with a bang just as this thought ran through Priscilla's mind. Half the brawlers paused what they were doing, not to mention all the huggers scrambled to see what was happening; cast in a gleaming silhouette by the afternoon sun was Laxus. A little more pale than the last time most saw him, but with a cocky smirk firmly in place.

"Attention, Fai-" he began to intone, only to be interrupted by a ballistic Cana. In difference to the last time this happened, he deftly caught the whooping brunette around the waist and plucked her out of the air; Mira, ever unrepentant, received a flat stare. "We're not doing that again." So saying, Laxus reared back and returned Cana to sender, where she buried the other woman under herself. Both resolved into haltless giggles while the brawl took up once again.

Seeing that Laxus lost the guild's attention, he rubbed his forehead in annoyance before leaning against the wall to wait it out. Priscilla took notice of Evergreen, Bixlow, and Freed taking some sort of formation around him as usual. They were quietly talking among themselves, throwing speculative glances around; many of them went her way, though only Freed actually met her gaze. They carried some sort of tarpaulin, too.

It took a few minutes until the last fighters lay on the ground, spent; Juvia crawled her way over to where Gray settled behind the bar after Bisca and Alzack teamed up on him, tiredly resting her head on his lap; for some reason he huffed at that, but did not dislodge her. Natsu and Gajeel leaned at a table shoulder to shoulder. Meanwhile, Lucy simply lay on the floor spread-eagle, heaving for breath. Mirajane and Cana rose only somewhat ruffled, bumping fists.

Once only the panting of exhausted people remained, Laxus strode forward again; Priscilla watched him, intrigued by what may happen next. Makarov did much the same, having been drawn by the sound of fighting earlier.

"Now to attention, Fairy Tail!" Laxus bellowed, his voice immediately commanding the room. "As you know, our Master will retire in the near future." He grinned then. "That means it is time we decided who will succeed him!"

"As if, we already know!"

"Yeah, she's right there!"

If the heckling bothered Laxus, he did not show any hint as to his feelings. Several people pointed to the attentive Priscilla, who forewent any comment just yet. Makarov did not, though she heard him heave a faint sigh. "My decision is made," the old master responded, cutting off everyone else. "You can not change it."

Laxus remained unimpressed. "Nonsense. The guild needs a Master capable of protecting it no matter what. So here we are." He snapped his fingers, prompting Freed and Bixlow to raise a banner that read 'Fantasia Tournamen' in colourful letters; Priscilla kindly decided not to point out how they ran out of space toward the end and missed a letter. If anyone else noticed, Laxus distracted them masterfully by continuing his speech: "We will hold a grand tournament leading up to the harvest festival, and whoever stands victorious will be the new Master!"

And just like that, the previous exasperation evaporated in favour of intrigue. While Makarov remained unmoved, everyone else began to chat quietly. Even Priscilla was curious about this tournament of his.

"You worked on this for the last two months?" Mira inquired, though she probably already knew. Laxus nodded.

"Yes. I have everything, from the ruleset to the setup."

Makarov made to interrupt, likely to shoot it all down before people could get enthusiastic about the idea, but a large finger tapping his shoulder pre-empted him. Throwing a glance to Priscilla, he found the dragon studying Laxus. He met her gaze head-on, prompting the larger wizard to speak: "You wish for a contest of strength? And you will accept the result, regardless of what it may be?" He peered into her giant eyes, giving only a firm nod. Priscilla smiled.

"Then it shall be so," she decided. Makarov threw up his hands and hobbled away while the dragon rose to her full height, towering over Laxus and baring her teeth. "I would not wish to receive the position without the entire guild's support."

"We will see," he disregarded her implied declaration, ignoring the whispers surrounding them. "You're going down."

Lightning buzzed along his frame, leaving an all too familiar scent to permeate the area. Priscilla stilled as memories not her own surged to the forefront; stone scales peeled apart by Gwyn's mighty bolts before their owners were struck down by his champions. Ornate, golden armour gleaming in the newborn sun's rays, fully enclosing his second-in-command up to the lion-shaped head. Dragonslayer Ornstein's image raced through her mind's eye in various different moments, delivering death to dozens of her kin. With it came a smidgen of fear, the desire to shy away from the lightning instead of facing it. Then eternal rage drowned it out.

Priscilla exhaled heavily, memories of her slain kin flowing with the air and imposing themselves on her stunned guildmates. "Thou shan't find me wanting, scaramouch," she growled at the frowning Laxus.

Perfect silence reined for but a moment, broken by Gajeel: "So, is anyone gonna explain what just happened?" He made a vague motion for their surroundings, prompting a shrug from Natsu. Lucy's brow was creased however.

"I would like to know that, too," the blonde wizard admitted. "It was like...."

She trailed off there, uncertain how to even describe the images of an apocalyptic war that flashed into their minds. The dragonslayers were clearly uncomfortable and many a gaze sought Priscilla as the origin of their visions. However, the crossbreed did not elaborate; she merely kept looming over a still unimpressed Laxus, her good mood evaporated as she barely reined in the sudden temper. "Explain what kind of competition you imagine," the dragon demanded. "Be concise."

Her tone earned a glare that she ignored in turn, after which Laxus snapped his fingers again and held out one hand; Evergreen placed a decently sized manila folder in his hand, of which he flipped to the first page. "The tournament has two phases. The first is a battle royale around Magnolia from dawn to dusk that every guild member joins. Everyone gets a token they carry visibly, stealing them is forbidden. You beat someone, you take their token. With seven tokens, your own and six others, you advance to the second phase. Gramps and Freed will keep an eye on things; Freed can't join because he will set up runes everywhere to protect the town."

"And it would not be fair to the other participants," Freed interjected in the pause Laxus left. "Seeing that I could include traps or restrictions to aid myself."

He received a nod from Priscilla and Laxus both before the latter returned to his summary: "The second phase is a regular tournament, three days after the first phase to recover from the fighting. Four rounds in a bracket system, we draw lots for the pairings." He flipped to the second page, scanning it for something before nodding once more. "Fairy Tail has a hundred and twenty members, so we get sixteen people in phase two."

His claim had Lucy interrupt, somewhat befuddled: "Wait, doesn't that leave some people over? We'd need 112, so that is eight left?"

"Good," Mystogan agreed from one of the taproom's corner tables, a drink in hand. "Because I'm not participating." Laxus' eyebrow twitched in response, but the Edolasian ignored his agitation in favour of sipping some ale.

Priscilla decided to help her friend by running something akin to a distraction: "With Mystogan and Freed abstaining, that makes six others. I reckon Gildarts will be absent, making five." She continued to muse out loud, cutting off any retorts before they could be made: "It will be a combat tournament, so there should be an opportunity for people to bow out if they have good reason." A pained glance went to Elfman, who absently rubbed his arm's stump and nodded with a sigh. Priscilla nodded back. "Four others."

"Whatever. Whoever doesn't join works as staff and observers."

Laxus' declaration earned several shrugs as no one really minded helping out. Into the contemplative silence however, Lucy spoke up once more; the blonde was tapping her chin in thought. "Say, did you consider making something more out of this?" Seeing the inquisitive stare Laxus levelled at her, she elaborated: "I mean, we are already having a big tournament all over town. Why not make it a big event? Bring in the Weekly Sorceror or some other magazines, sell trinkets and stuff, draw in an audience?"

Her proposal made Priscilla wonder; she rarely considered the matter of public events. The crowd around her appeared curious as well, though some were more lost than anything. "Why would we want that?" Juvia asked after a few seconds; this earned the blunette an impish grin as Lucy struck a pose.

"I am Heartfilia at heart, and I smell money. The guild could use some more funds, right?"

And just like that, she had everyone wrapped around her finger. Even Priscilla quietly agreed with her assessment, having seen the budget reports and how much of it was annually paid in fines or reparations. Laxus, too, nodded along after mulling it over. "We're doing that," he agreed, favouring Lucy with a less cocky and more cheerful grin. "Thanks for volunteering to take care of it. I'll leave it to you."

"Wait, what?"

The younger blonde's shocked retort drew some snickers from around the room; Lucy appeared as if she wanted to argue for a moment, only to heave a sigh and square up her shoulders. Priscilla inclined her head at the Spirit wizard. "I shall assist you in this endeavour," she offered, earning herself a grateful look. Levy, Juvia, Mira, Loke, their wayward commerce student Max, and telepath Warren all attached themselves to Lucy's group shortly afterward; her expression shifted a little more with each person speaking up, finally coming to rest at joyful enthusiasm.

"Alright then," she declared then, a fist pressed to her hip. "Let's do this!" She received cheers and everyone went to work.

Makarov only heard of it hours later, but he applauded their enthusiasm nonetheless; time began to pass quickly as he watched his children prepare. The satisfied smile was attached to his face almost permanently; not only did his own retirement finally have a set date, the little ones even took all the work off of him. In fact, even he began to come around to Laxus' idea; Priscilla went at anything that mattered with all due diligence, making him doubt her defeat. Moreover, his grandson really thought this through. He poured his heart into planning this tournament, which the old master acknowledged quietly. He spoke a few words of praise, knowing Laxus would be pleased even though his outward response was a dismissive snort.

It felt a little sad that he put in such effort when chances to obtain victory were miniscule, but perhaps this was for the best. Pride remained Laxus' greatest vice, which ironically made him quite alike to Priscilla. The difference between them was that the giantess hid her feral nature while Laxus hid his gentle one. By himself, Makarov quietly entertained himself pondering the reactions to someone else winning the tournament. Even if, say, Natsu being the victor would drive the guild as a whole into interesting times, the faces to that realisation were amusing.

Aside from the two main contestants, Freed ran himself ragged establishing runes around the entirety of Magnolia. Though he was well on schedule, he certainly gave his all every day. This earned him free drinks in the evenings, courtesy of his guildmates. Even if they had not noticed, Makarov did and would have found a way to reward his rune master. Freed even arrayed everything so that the enchantments could be easily maintained after the tournament; they would act as additional defenses in case something like the Phantom Lord debacle happened again.

Meanwhile, Lucy and her cheerful team worked out several marketing contracts on top of advertising. Jason was ecstatic the moment he heard of it, drumming up support from the Weekly Sorceror by sheer force of will and enthusiasm. Artisans all around the city agreed to craft trinkets to sell as souvenirs while Magnolia as a whole prepared for what may be the largest event in Fiore. Even her highness, Princess Hisui, expressed an interest in attending. Makarov quietly reserved a ticket for her without telling anyone so as to not invite rumours; Lucy even thought of selling these for the premier watching spots and seats in the guild hall proper, where observation lacrimas were being installed.

In early September, a mere week before the first phase was to begin, Priscilla entered his office for her usual two hours of paperwork and studying the guild's inner workings. Truthfully it was not necessary, seeing how she already soaked up just about everything Makarov could teach her. She attended anyway to assist him, which the elder was quite grateful for.

Due to his recent musings however, he soon broke their usual, comfortable silence: "You are confident you can win?"

"Yes. Victory shall be mine." While the levitated quill continued to write, the giantess glanced his way. "Though I have a question, if I may. Laxus is your grandson, I understand? Why is it that I have never met his parents?"

What a way to sour the conversation. Makarov grimaced at the reminder of having to throw his own flesh and blood out of the guild. "Ivan, my son, is not a good man," he began to explain. "He does not care about the guild as any member should, and endangered several members needlessly. There were no great tragedies or offenses, but at some point it was prudent to remove him." At least the boy was graceful about it when Makarov sat him down. Now for the worse part. "His wife Natasha died in childbirth. The same as my wife and my mother."

"My condolences."

Though the old pain flared through his chest, Makarov made a dismissive motion. He would have avoided the subject if there was not another piece of knowledge to provide: "It is a sad reality that while magic is wonderful, it is also dangerous. Too much Ethernano can hurt those unattuned. Children of powerful wizards often lose their mothers early from the strain, unless they too are wizards and used to it. The children themselves may suffer as well, their infant bodies unable to handle the amount of power they can wield. Laxus was a sickly child until ten years old or so. He toughed it out much like Ivan and I did."

"I see."

Makarov knew that his successor would remember this bit of knowledge, as she always did. That was why he changed the subject now, well aware that she did not know how to address the anecdote he just shared. But as misery loved company, the matter would once again be uncomfortable for one of them. "The day Laxus presented the tournament idea," he ventured cautiously, "we saw visions of silver knights marching against titans on wings of stone. Was that your race?"

Priscilla stiffened, perhaps even reliving these horror visions of lightning bolts tearing away those heavy scales and making her kind vulnerable. He faintly recalled hearing that she was averse to that particular element, too.

They stared at each other for a long and uncomfortable moment, but in the end Priscilla acquiesced. "Thou beheld the First War, when man rose from the darkness in mine world. They challenged the dragons for dominion and, with the strength of Lords, stood victorious. Lightning ever was anathema to the Everlasting, so meeting such aggression from Laxus reminded me of the great dragonslayers."

"Do you think you could defeat him?" Makarov inquired now, suddenly worried that a showdown between these two may end badly. Yet the part-dragon nodded without hesitation; her smile turned toothy, making a shiver run down his spine.

"That was then, and this is now. Laxus is powerful indeed and I shall not underestimate him. Yet, what is a man compared to a Lord? All the might Fairy Tail possesses is naught but a child's tantrum before Lord Gwyn himself." That was certainly a statement, though Priscilla gave Makarov no chance to express a smidgen of doubt or curiousity. Rather, she chuckled. "I may not measure up to Lord Gwyn myself, though I prolly could kill him, had I ever gotten close. But no, while meeting Laxus in battle will push me to my limits, I am confident."

She left it at that and now it was for the master to huff, a mite exasperated but also understanding. "You learned more magic in this one year than most wizards learn in five. Not to mention your inherent powers. Yes, Laxus will definitely have a fight on his hands. I trust your judgement on the matter." Priscilla preened and with that, he decided to conclude the subject. "Now, would you tell me more of those Lords?" While her few mentions made him interested, Makarov also wondered just where these Lords may have lived and whether he could find another hint as to her origins. Then again, after Mystogan approached him about being from another world recently, he had other suspicions on that end.

For her part, Priscilla offered a dismissive shrug. "I know little of them beyond who they were. Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight, the Witch of Izalith, and Nito, First of the Dead. Each one would be a true god to Earthland, wielding might the likes of which you never beheld before. I know not what happened to them."

"Understandable." She had been in a painting after all. Though the way Priscilla worded her explanation made him decide to simply ask: "So you hail from another world?"

"Indeed. Did I, perchance, not mention this before?" Her somewhat sheepish question was followed by a few seconds of introspective silence. Then the giantess slumped ever so slightly. "I did not. My apologies. I did not mean to make it a great secret, but there was no reason to lead conversations with it, either."

"It is quite alright," Makarov reassured her with a faint smile. "I'm just happy to finally know why there was no trace of the countries you told us about." And perhaps a tiny bit miffed about having wasted his time, but he already got her back by making her do all this paperwork. And thinking of that... "Now, let us get back to work."

But even as the two of them returned to their duties, Makarov kept on pondering. They took in Priscilla because she was lost, only to understand her might later. Were she more ambitious, she could easily claim the throne of Fiore at the very least. By force if need be, but just as easily through wisdom and age. By himself, the old master was quite glad she lacked that ambition; he much preferred her lovable kindness.

 

[Naron]

"The wonders of magic are plentiful, but one must never forget that even magic is no substitute for the bonds between people."

-excerpt from "The Heart of Magic"

---

"Looks like we will get a warm day," Lucy mused out loud. "That's promising."

She received agreements from both Erza and Juvia; the three of them were strolling around Magnolia. Warm sunlight bore down on them, making the youngest relax slightly. She certainly felt some nerves, what with the battle royale coming up in a mere few hours, but it could have been worse. The townsfolk were already roaming around as well and served as a nice distraction; stalls of various kinds were erected along the main roads, manned by cheerful people looking to turn a profit. Lines of glistening, purple runes ran between them and along the street; some even over the buildings themselves. Some tourists and spectators took the opportunity to get purchases done before the rush, but the streets remained mostly empty. The Fairy Tail women received waves and wishes of good luck every once in a while.

"I just hope I don't have to fight you or Natsu," Lucy admitted to her red-haired friend. There were other people she did not want to go against today, but these two worried her the most. Erza chuckled in response.

"If you want to get into the second phase, you will face some of the stronger members eventually."

"Sure, I made my peace with that. But I really don't want to fight for my life today, you know?"

While the knightess smiled about Lucy's exasperation and worries, Juvia kept her silence; the blunette shut herself off over the past days, turning apprehensive and talking less. Even Gray got less of a reaction out of her, which Lucy only noticed when he remarked on it. Now once again presented with her newest friend's moodiness, she decided to ask: "What's up, Juvia? Something on your mind?"

Her question earned a contemplative look and no direct response. She exchanged a glance with Erza while Juvia brooded, but the redhead could only offer a minute shrug. Thankfully, their friend spoke up after another street corner. "I do not feel well fighting today," she admitted. "I tried to talk to Laxus about sitting out, but he would not have it."

In hindsight, that made sense; Lucy had some issues fighting her guildmates as well, but Juvia carried a lot more baggage than she did. But before she could say anything, Erza stopped. She gently squeezed Juvia's shoulder, reassuring her: "It is alright. No one is going to think less of you."

"I know," the other woman moaned, "it is just that, well... I don't want to hurt any of you, ever again."

Silence reigned momentarily after her dejected outburst. Juvia dragged her feet while Lucy and Erza exchanged another glance; then both of them pulled the water wizard's cheeks, distending them far beyond what the human body allowed. Juvia squeaked, turning half-liquid in response before pausing over Lucy's encouraging grin. "Don't worry so much. We know what we're getting into. But if you absolutely want to go out quick, you can always find me and I kick your butt back to the guildhall."

She cringed behind her carefully maintained expression, wondering when she got so mean in her pep talks. Then again, while Juvia was flabbergasted, Erza nodded approvingly. Lucy considered being outright manipulative by mentioning Gray, but figured that would be too mean.

Juvia inhaled deeply and pulled back from them; her cheeks turned fully liquid, flowing out of their grasp and returning to normal shape. She then clapped them harshly, producing a noise somewhere between the meaty thwack one would expect and a splash. Juvia exhaled before meeting their gazes again, more steady now. "Alright. Alright. I can do this. I think."

Lucy was just about to offer a hug when a squealing someone leapt onto Erza's back while shouting her name. The redhead startled so bad that she threw the girl off on reflex, though Juvia caught her instead of being buried under her. Everyone stared at the interloper, who giggled cheekily. "Don't be like that!" She cheered. "We came all the way to cheer you on!"

Perky feline ears adorning her head and familiar red marks on her pudgy cheeks, Millianna did not seem to mind her position at all. She wore an orange tube top and black pants; far more casual than when Lucy first met her at the Tower Of Heaven. Erza calmed down upon recognising her friend as well, almost sheepish about her reaction. The emotion quickly transitioned into a bright smile when two men approached them with chuckles; the blocky form of Wally was unmistakable, all sharp angles packed into a navy blue suit with red tie. With him walked Shou, his darker skin making him a clear foreigner.

"I didn't expect you three," Erza murmured. Millianna went for another enthusiastic hug the moment Juvia put her down. The entire scene made Lucy happy; she rarely saw her friend genuinely touched like this.

Shou shrugged at Erza with an impish grin. "Of course we'd come, we want to see you kick ass in person. No dice we wouldn't."

"Just so," Wally agreed before moving to greet Lucy and Juvia with a roguish smirk; it vanished when the younger woman had to admit she forgot their names by now, what with everything else that happened. Erza chuckled at her friend's attempt falling flat while Juvia held herself polite.

Meanwhile, the catty brunette with them continued to bounce in place. "Oh, this is so exciting," she gushed. "Wouldn't it be great if you won and became guild master? I could say I know a guild master, it would be awesome!" Her enthusiasm was contagious, finally driving out the last of Lucy's worries. Erza just shook her head, though.

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but I won't win. No matter how hard I fight." Seeing the shocked silence this prompted among her friends, she elaborated: "Master Makarov already chose his successor, and it is not me. She accepted this tournament anyway, which tells me enough about her confidence."

"Well, in fairness," Lucy chimed in,"she is six metres tall and weighs half a ton. She'd be a tough opponent even without all the magic she learned. I heard she messed up Gray pretty bad last year."

"What is this about Gray?"

The new voice brought the growing group's attention to more new arrivals. In the lead was yet another familiar face, his sharp features relaxed in mild curiousity. Clad in regal blues with golden finery and a long white cape, Lyon struck an imposing figure; his former minions slash friends flanked him, each one sporting guild marks of their own.

Once further introductions were out of the way, Erza nodded to the ice wizard. "Back when Priscilla joined the guild, Gray challenged her to a sparring match. But as Lucy said, with her being four times his size and more than five times his weight, that was not an even fight. I remember that he held himself well and used the terrain to his advantage. But that was as far as he could go even when Priscilla held back on her magic." She winced quietly. "Well, that was the day we figured out that sparring with her is difficult at best."

"Makes sense," Lyon agreed, though there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. Lucy worried for her teammate's near future. Then again, Lyon's gaze also kept straying to Juvia, which she did not comment on; her friend was too dumbstruck to notice at least, probably still hung up on the tale.

The enlarged group carried on like this, breaking into several smaller conversations as Sherry and Millianna began to chat. The men did as well while Lucy spent the time soaking up this more relaxed atmosphere; Erza thawed the past few months, but right now she appeared genuinely happy. Soon enough, she raised her hand in greeting when Happy waved at them from above; Milliana squealed and jumped to hug the Exceed, who dodged her nimbly.

Happy's arrival heralded Natsu and Gray, the two of them talking quietly to each other along the way. Lucy could not help but arch an eyebrow at that unusual camraderie; Juvia did as well, the women giggling when they noticed each other. Their teammates approached with good cheer in the meantime, greeting their wayward friends and acquaintances. Even Lyon received a warm if surprised welcome.

"Where have you been?" Gray asked him after they bumped fists, prompting the other ice wizard to strike a confident pose.

"Why, the lot of us joined Lamia Scale."

"I can see that. What have you been up to since Galuna?"

"Oh, this and that. But nevermind that, what's this I hear about you getting your ass handed to you last year?" Lyon outright laughed at Gray's confusion, who rolled his eyes when Erza reminded him of the bout with Priscilla.

"Oh yes, because losing against her is such a bad thing." Gray ignored the playfully haughty laughter in favour of staring at a suddenly thoughtful Natsu. "And what's with you all of a sudden?"

"Dunno," Natsu lied unconvincingly, "just thinking. What if I have to fight Pris? Dragonslayer versus dragon is kinda something we wanted to avoid, right?"

"Hold on, dragon?"

Millianna's question earned her ruffled hair, courtesy of Shou. "That's what you get for only looking at the cat pictures," he teased the hissing girl as he continued to mess up her hazel curls. "Everyone else knows that Fairy Tail has a dragon girl or something like that. The magazine wasn't really clear what she is, though," he ended with a glance to Erza, who shrugged.

"Part dragon," the redhead obliged his request. "Specifically not half dragon, but part. She insists on that and I never asked further." Lucy nodded along with the last part, as did Juvia and the men; neither of them quite cared about Priscilla's ancestry beyond the fluff of her tail. Millianna was disheartened to learn that Lyon and friends indeed knew about the resident giantess as well.

While they bantered, Lucy meandered over to Natsu's side and clapped his shoulder. "And you do not worry," she reassured him with a grin. "Even if you two get matched up, she will not give you an easy fight. Erza said it earlier, Pris is confident she can win this despite you and Mira and Laxus in the running." His expression soon matched hers and they bumped fists as well. Just then, bells rang across town. "And there is our cue," Lucy continued.

They said goodbye to Erza's friends and Lyon's group before making their way back to the guildhall to prepare. "And good riddance to setting dawn as the starting point," Lucy groaned as she remembered the original plan. "Noon is perfectly fine, thank you very much."

"You still kept the time limit at dusk, though," Erza retorted halfway toward the great building. Lucy shrugged.

"It felt appropriate, and it is not like we have to keep going all day. Just remember that the shops and insides of buildings are non-combat zones. No traps, no riling anyone up, no nothing." The blonde felt a need to emphasize that, especially when looking back at Natsu and Gray. Both raised their hands defensively. "This is important, so please try to be civil, just for today."

Two calls of "Yes, Ma'am" answered her, as well as a cheerful "Aye!" from Happy. Lucy took what she could get and left it at that, especially because they just reached their destination.

Upon entering the hall, she immediately noticed a commotion and an odd sight; a gaggle of her guildmates surrounded someone near the entrance, but toward the back stood a cordon of knights; the latter covered a single table seating a single person whose presence made her eyes widen. How did she not hear about this?

Lucy sputtered, trying to reconcile the presence of fifteen-year-old Hisui E. Fiore, crown princess of the realm, in their humble guildhall. Her fair features were as striking as the last time Lucy saw her, a gentle river of bright green hair running down her back. Shoulders bare, her shapely figure put on subtle display by a white bustier that ran out into various shades of pink around her waist. She still conveyed perfect elegance and poise even in a place where she clearly did not belong.

"Oh, Lu!"

Her study of the princess was cut short by Levy, who waved her over to the closer crowd. "Get over here, we have a visitor!" The others parted somewhat to allow her group entry, only for the breath to hitch in Lucy's throat. A comfortable, yellow robe, skin that resembled gnarled wood more than anything else, and leaf green hair that grew from several branches on his head, making him appear like a broccoli that gained life. Warrod Sequen smiled at her as they were introduced, the legendary Wizard Saint sweeping a faint bow.

"B-But why?" Juvia finally asked the question Lucy could not quite formulate. The elder giggled incessantly before pulling back his sleeve. A gasp went around the guild.

"Well, my dear. As co-founder of this here guild and member since its conception, I ought to be here for this, no? After all, every member participates." Another giggle perfectly summarised the flabbergasted expressions all around, including Lucy's own; her chances for much of anything just went down by a significant margin. Could Priscilla take down a Wizard Saint if she had to? A subtle glance to the avidly reading giantess offered no answer, though her calm may be indicative.

After considering her options momentarily, Lucy decided to flee the insanity on this end of the guild hall. It was a long shot to approach her highness, but she may as well go for broke before someone broke her in half later.

The guards' attention was on her about halfway to the private table; they shifted almost unnoticeably while Lucy approached. She made certain to walk slowly. Her gaze left the princess to focus on the man in charge; his name began with an A if she remembered correctly. His eyes were narrowed, body tense and hand aligned with the blade strapped to his waist. Lucy idly wondered if she could take the knight presence, either by herself or with her Star Dress. And thinking of that, she realised she was underdressed for the occasion; a comfortable vest over a pink shirt and long cotton pants were good for a fight, but not for meeting royalty. Well, nothing to it.

Instead of making right for the princess, Lucy stopped in front of the guard captain and met his gaze evenly. In lieu of skirts to curtsy with, she offered a bow and quietly thanked her father's training for covering how to act in pantsuits. "If you would announce Lucy Heartfilia to her highness?" she requested, loud enough for the princess to hear; her gaze remained on the knight, whose shoulders relaxed. It seemed he remembered her also. Lucy allowed herself a faint smile, which admittedly grew a fraction when Hisui answered herself.

"Please allow her through, Arcadios."

The guards relaxed in an instant and shifted aside as soon as the man himself made a single motion. Lucy favoured him with another measured smile and detached her keyring, which she offered for safekeeping; it did not do to carry weapons of any kind along, after all. This, if nothing else, managed to soften Arcadios' demeanor as well. He nodded back and stepped aside, cradling the artifacts.

Only then did Lucy turn her attention to the princess herself; she was met with a smile about as faint and measured as her own. "Please sit with me," Hisui offered. "It has been a while since last we met. How have you been?"

After bowing once again, this time deeper to convey her respect, Lucy seated herself opposite to her erstwhile acquaintance. Her lips twitched as the last months rewound in her mind. "It has been a turbulent year, just about," she returned. "But I can not complain in the slightest. How of yourself, your highness?"

"Please, just Hisui, just for today." The princess cast a glance around the newly built if comparably roughshod structure around them. "I already left my gilded cage as far behind as I possibly could."

"A cage that does not exist, I am aware," Lucy quipped. "But very well. Just Hisui." That was new, but she would not deny royalty even if it made addressing her awkward. "I am admittedly surprised to meet you here; there was no advance warning, not even for the organisers."

"Yes, well, we decided in accordance with Master Makarov that discretion is preferable in this regard. It made for a delightful surprise as well." Meaning, Hisui was laughing inwardly every time someone boggled at her presence. Lucy huffed at that, but inclined her head.

"You certainly caught me off-guard, your- Hisui."

"A rarity indeed," she retorted playfully. "As I recall how fond you were of mischief whenever we met. Would you whisk me away on yet another adventure of yours?" The knights around them shifted somewhat and Arcadios threw her a glance over his shoulder; now he absolutely remembered her for the trouble she made. Lucy pretended not to see while Hisui giggled behind her hand. "But I do wonder: what brought you here of all places?"

Now there was a loaded question with many possible implications. Lucy ran through various options for a moment before deciding to convey her feelings without saying anything else: "It is where I always wanted to be."

Hisui's brow arched momentarily; she studied the erstwhile heiress with rekindled interest before offering a proper smile. "You certainly seem brighter today. But I do agree, a rambunctious minx like yourself is well at home here in Fairy Tail." Lucy's cheeks grew hot over the teasing, but Hisui thankfully did not keep it up. Rather, the princess leaned forward with a conspiratory gleam in her eyes. "Now tell me, how do you think this tournament will go?"

And again she was confronted with a plethora of possible answers. She could discuss the many powerful people, or Priscilla technically being chosen already, or her own prowess even. But speculating on an event of this scale was never a good idea; Lucy knew some people were taking bets anyway, but she was not a betting girl. At least not like this. "The only thing I can assure you of is that I will not stand in the finale," she decided to say. Hisui chuckled again, but tipped her glass of cider in acknowledgement.

"That is a fair assessment. I recall your being quite capable a wizard, but the giants of this guild are well-known. Not to mention Saint Sequen is present also." She paused to sip from her beverage; at this point Lucy could do the same, seeing that Mira brought her a hearty meal and a wink about the company. Their conversation stalled as both women took a few bites, but Hisui was back to her inquiries soon enough: "Now, what of your magic? You were always adamant about seeking the Zodiac keys that were stolen from your family, if I recall correctly?"

"You do," Lucy agreed. "I gathered several by now, but the rest still eluded me." And she kind of forgot that part of her self-imposed mission over all the excitement since joining Fairy Tail. Not to mention she just kept running into keys as she went. "But perhaps my luck will hold. I am named for it after all."

"Yet fortune also favours the bold," Hisui countered with another faint smile, prompting Lucy to nod. "And thus far, you appear quite confident about the tournament. Could it be you have a special technique of sorts prepared?" Eagerness broke past the carefully maintained facade, tipping Lucy off quite well as to what the princess wanted to hear. This time it was for her to imperially arch an eyebrow, sip the red wine she received earlier, and put a single index finger on her curled up lips. Hisui pouted. "You would not reveal it, even to me?"

"I revealed it to exactly one person thus far," Lucy returned playfully, "and that was because I needed assistance. Not even my own team knows, even though they try convincing me about every other day. If I told you before them, I would get noogies for at least a week. So no."

Her explanation drew a faint cough from one of the guards that may have been an aborted snort. At the same time, Hisui's brows rose curiously. "A 'noogie'?" she inquired. "I never heard of such a thing. What would that be? Could you demonstrate?"

More coughs. Lucy hesitated, uncertain how to explain the practice or what to do with it. "It is uncomfortable," she began, "and I would need a second person for a demonstration."

"Well, I am right here, no?"

Lucy stared. "You heard that it is uncomfortable, yes?" She would rather not get stabbed today, at least not before the tournament began. Hisui merely nodded.

"I have, but on the assumption that this is something the common folk does?" Here she paused long enough for Lucy to nod. "I want to experience it myself. You are free to proceed with impunity, regardless of what happens next."

In retrospect, Lucy realised, Hisui was still so innocent. Or perhaps she trusted an old acquaintance that much to give blanket permission; they were never quite friends or playmates, but they got along just fine. Sighing, the blonde met her gaze one last time. "Are you truly, absolutely certain?"

"Yes."

"Fine."

Her response came with a sigh that Arcadios echoed. Lucy rose from her seat and rounded the table, watched by a clearly curious princess. On second thought however, she realised that here was an opportunity to do what no one in this kingdom had ever done. It filled Lucy with glee that only grew when her arm locked around Hisui's throat. "What-"

This was as far as the princess got before Lucy started viciously rubbing her head with her fist. She squeaked in surprise and started to flail while her captor grinned like a loon, cheerfully messing up her perfectly styled hair. "You asked for this," she chirped and kept up her ministrations, playing deaf when confronted with pleas and orders to cease; Hisui kept struggling while her knights remained in place as she declared they would. No help was coming.

Unbeknownst to Lucy, their small scuffle turned heads all around the guild; most just smiled at the antics, though several people cringed at the thought of potential repercussions. Makarov reasoned that the knights ought to have done something if this was unsanctioned, though.

From his own corner, Mystogan watched the goings-on in the entire guild with a certain detachment. He was just glad everyone enjoyed themselves. He was also watching a group of three female figures, two cloaked and the third wearing a white mask. The latter was garbed in a blue bodysuit with dark wrappings while the former dressed in rough, black cloth with golden chains and a dark crimson respectively. They had been present for over an hour now, slowly perusing the menu.

"It is certainly different from home," the masked woman murmured in a rich voice as she sipped some tea through a detachable mouthpiece; their attention was on Lucy's display as well. "Such uncouth behaviour was rarely encouraged. The festivities strike me as odd in their nature, too. Perhaps Dusk had the correct idea to bow out."

"It takes some getting used to," the crimson figure agreed as she methodically cut a strawberry shortcake, fork held in her left hand. Mystogan noted that the cloak lacked volume below her right shoulder, implying the lack of an attached arm. "But it is home." He also noted that the voice sounded familiar, but could not tell quite where he heard it before.

"We shall see," the third woman cut off their discussion. "I am unused to living in cities to begin with. How long did you say until it is time?"

"I am not quite certain. Perhaps another month or two."

The mask nodded. "You are the native, friend. We shall follow your lead."

Were Mystogan anyone else, he might have approached the three out of curiousity. As it was, he contended himself with trying and failing to figure them out from a distance.

 

[Naron]

"Competition breeds progress. It is a part of our nature to seek success over our rivals. Therefore, those who are ready to measure themselves against others, even at the risk to be found wanting, are more likely to excel in the end."

-excerpt from "The Heart of Magic"

---

After thoroughly ruining royalty's hairstyle, a good meal, and some other necessities, Lucy took position near the city plaza. Her allotted starting spot was right next to the central bathhouse. The exact location had been marked by a circle of glowing runes that barred exit once she entered it. Overall, the young woman felt confident that everything would work out; just like she told Hisui earlier, Lucy Heartfilia had always been lucky. She waved at people nearby with a bright smile, then double-checked her keyring while waiting for the battle royale to begin.

As the clock struck twelve, the runes surrounding her fizzled away. Lucy took a deep breath and strode forward; it only took minutes for the first crashes to sound from elsewhere. She strained her ears to figure out where exactly, but the crowd drowned it out somewhat. Most locals did not let the fighting stop them from making their rounds, but she could probably follow tourists.

Within a minute of that attempt, Lucy found her first opponent and promptly cursed her luck. Leaning against the wall with a mirthless grin, Laxus sized her up like a piece of meat. "Looks like you're my first victim today," he drawled while the younger blonde scrambled backward; the small crowd quickly retreated behind rune screens. As he pushed himself off the wall, Lucy could tell from his tensing figure that he would lunge any moment now.

Closing her eyes to focus, she gathered Ethernano in a golden spell circle beneath her feet. Lucy pumped as much into it as she could, fists clenched. "Mirror, Mirror!" she screamed and felt something settle over her skin, light as air. It was followed by a breeze tickling her nose, but nothing else.

Cracking open one eye, Lucy found a huge fist mere inches from her face. Laxus was barely visible behind it, the huge man staring her down with a mixture of offense and surprise; it made Lucy sweat, even when he began to grin and pulled back his hand. "Clever," he all but praised, making to stroll past her. "Alright, I'll let you live for now."

Lucy's knees shook and she remained in place, trying not to collapse. Shaky hands wiped the sweat off her brow and she breathed out in relief. Good thing she went for little Spirit Wizards before they started, that was far too scary to start with; yet at the same time, she somehow survived Laxus.

Dispelling the mirror magic to conserve power, Lucy carried on to find herself some victims she could actually beat.

Meanwhile, Levy whistled cheerfully as she twirled a second wooden token around her finger. She was in luck to have caught an unlucky soul in a rune trap of her own. The blunette considered her plan with vindictive glee; just because Freed was the best rune master in Fairy Tail did not mean he was the only one. Most people just forgot that over her preference for Solid Script. At the same time, she could only marvel at the great work he did; buildings and stalls were protected just about everywhere, each one filled with people watching the tournament. She waved cheerfully, receiving cheers and waves in return.

The sounds of battle remained mostly distant, but a nearby crash drew her attention soon enough. Levy went on alert and drew her trusted Light Pen before sliding into a connecting alleyway. From there she crept forward. Focussed on the path ahead however, she startled when someone cleared their throat behind her.

Whirling around, she came face to chest with Gajeel. "Wha-, where did you come from?"

He pointed behind himself with his thumb. "That way, I heard it too."

Levy felt decidedly silly, not to mention a tiny bit excited, er, intimidated by a rough man looming over her in a side-alley. Then again, Gajeel made no motion to attack; he merely studied her with an unreadable expression.

Shaking off a bout of confusion, Levy threw herself forward to rush him. A few quick motions drew lines of light around her fist. "Solid Script: Indestructible!" she chanted as the magic took hold under her will. Gajeel did not react beyond watching her approach; by the point she socked him square across the jaw, Levy knew something was fishy. He flew back and landed hard on his back, staying down.

Flabbergasted, Levy watched him lie there with his eyes closed. She was starting to get annoyed with whatever this was. "What are you doing? Fight back already!"she snapped. Receiving no response, Levy strode over while exasperation replaced confusion. "If this is about January, I said-"

"It isn't. I'm just not gonna do it."

He did not even open his eyes, merely kept lying there. "You beat me, so take the token and go." Levy could not help but sigh heavily, but Gajeel was undeterred. "And you better win the whole thing, I ain't losing against a loser."

"...boys."

After a long moment of consideration, she bent down and picked the token off Gajeel's coat. Whatever he was playing at, she would respect it for now. Yet Levy's mind kept racing in an attempt to figure out what his game was; she stared at the token for a while, until a strangled noise returned her attention to Gajeel. His head was turned away, ears growing red; that confused Levy momentarily, at least until she realised she decided on a dress today and still stood over him. Giggling, the blunette cooed down at Gajeel. "Aww, are you embarassed? That's surprisingly cute. But don't worry, I wear spats underneath."

"Really, al-urgh!"

Gajeel peeked up at her, only to quickly avert his gaze again. Levy giggled, sticking out her tongue. "Heh, I lied."

Now that she had her fun, the Script wizard made to step away but hesitated. Staring down at Gajeel and admitting to herself again that he was absolutely her type, Levy decided to go for it. She prodded him with her foot. "Come on, get up. You're out and I'm taking a break."

Once the confused Dragonslayer rose, Levy grabbed him by the arm and marched him off to a nearby restaurant. Praise be to whoever decided that they could take a break whenever by simply stepping off the streets.

Of course, for some other unfortunate souls, these same streets became traps; Priscilla grabbed people from beneath with Diver, slamming them into the ground before taking their tokens. A liquid Juvia slithered through nooks and crannies to spring her own ambushes while Reedus and Levy laid their traps, paintings and runes alike. Laki tried similarly, but her Wood magic mainly served as a shield when Bisca began to snipe at her from atop the guildhall's roof; instead of training up her close combat options, the Gun wizard went all-in on ranged combat. Just as someone else tried to exploit Laki's distraction from behind, a clean headshot knocked them out and a precise use of telekinesis tore their token away from two hundred metres distant. Laki quickly ran after that, forcing Bisca to pick another target.

Meanwhile, Erza stared down a confident Cana; she was vaguely aware of her friends cheering from nearby, but her opponent took priority here. "Standing your ground honours you," the redhead mused out loud, "but we both know you do not hold up in a direct confrontation." If anything, her declaration made Cana's grin widen a fraction. Erza scowled, her senses finding no traps beside Freed's runes. "Unless you have improved that much since last time?"

"It's been a few years," the brunette deflected idly, though her posture firmed up in response. So she remained sour about having failed the S-class trial several times, Erza noted to herself. Cana smirked. "And thanks for the reminder that I owe you some payback. So how about I make you run away from here?"

"Try me."

Erza forewent an equipment change, well aware that light armour and a skirt were preferable against Cana's versatile style. A blade formed in her hand as she made to test her opponent, three tokens clacking in her pocket. Cana did not react to her charge until Erza committed to a stab for her chest, dancing aside and tapping her breastplate; she ducked under the retaliation with a cheshire grin.

Just a moment later, Erza's armour crumbled and left her in a crimson undershirt; the knightess paused to reassess her opponent while the crowd gasped. Her eyes narrowed. "You aren't."

"I am. How do you feel about giving everyone a show, hmm?"

Cana began strolling forward leisurely, forcing Erza to retreat while considering her options. Three cards appeared between the other woman's fingers as she flicked her wrist, gleaming maliciously. "Time's running out Er~za!" she sing-songed, making a pit of worry and embarassment open within the redhead's stomach. Incidental clothing damage on a mission was one thing, but purposefully in front of a crowd?

Without another word, Erza Scarlet beat the hastiest retreat of her life. Cana's mocking laughter followed her for a while.

"My, how cruel."

Only to cut off abruptly when another enemy approached. Cana glanced over her shoulder to see Mirajane strolling her way. Five tokens clacked against the model's hip, her black bodysuit clinging to every curve of her body. White hair rolled down her back in waves, the sight of it all quieting the crowd; Cana took another look at her, realised her trump would not work, and ran for it. Mira giggled.

"Resourceful and smart," she praised, though not directed at anyone in particular. "And too bothersome to be an easy mark. I will see you in the finale."

Meanwhile, Laxus and Priscilla already returned to the guildhall with their required number of tokens. Neither wasted much time with niceties, making quick work of their opponents; they exchanged curt nods as they entered, only to find Warrod already waving at them.

Natsu raced along Magnolia to find victims of his own, occasionally passing stone statues that smelled of Evergreen. He never found the woman herself as she moved erratically, much like Bixlow did; his path crossed Gray's once, but the ice wizard was busy duelling Alzack so Natsu moved on. This was much harder without Happy to scout for him, he admitted to himself.

Whenever he did find someone, they were quickly defeated; the one time he stumbled into Mira, the two exchanged knowing looks and walked the other way. He still needed several hours of searching to pick up five other tokens, needing one more. After a much needed break for lunch, Natsu raced back along the streets before a familiar scent filled his nose; grinning, the Dragonslayer turned right toward the main road, where he came face to face with a pleased Lucy. His teammate carried a full seven tokens pinned to her big rack.

"Wha- Natsu?" The moment she realised he was there, Lucy's elation faded. "Nope! Not now!" And off she went, screeching complaints at no one for the encounter. Natsu pursued.

"Come on, I just need one more! Fight me already!"

"No!"

And so it went, through streets and alleys as Lucy failed to shake him off in his hometown. Natsu steadily caught up as well, though he sometimes stumbled and lost progress when her jiggly backside captured his attention. He tried to shake it out of his head and focus on her upper back, but Lucy was a pretty girl and he could not quite help it.

At some point, the blonde grew tired of the chase; either that or she realised Natsu would not be deterred. So she turned to face him, red-faced and sweaty but ready. He charged without further thought, wrapping flame along his hand. "Fire Dragon's Fist!"

He made to punch, but Lucy caught his wrist and pulled it aside; Natsu tried to get her in the face, but even the burning shroud failed to connect. He tried again with the other fist, but she did the same thing again, almost looming over him while barely keeping her grasp on the struggling Dragonslayer.

Before Natsu could kick or throw her however, Lucy pecked him on the lips.

His fire sputtered out in surprise and she ran for it right after, leaving behind a dumbfounded boy. By the time he stopped trying to comprehend what just happened, Lucy was long gone.

After that encounter, she made it back without any further battles and got to relax for a while; several others greeted her with cheers and wolf-whistles, reminding the Spirit wizard that people were watching what happened. Hisui arched an eyebrow but refrained from commenting; the knowing smile she also wore said it all, anyway.

One by one the winners trundled in. Laxus, Priscilla, Juvia, Warrod, Biska, and Erza were already there before Lucy arrived. Then followed Gray, Mirajane, Evergreen, Bixlow, Levy, Cana, Reedus, Laki, and finally Natsu. Though the arrival times meant little more than who had the most trouble finding their opponents. A grumbling Polyushka dealt with the few severe injuries.

Lucy quickly said goodbye to the giggling princess when she noticed Natsu coming her way. His expression was unreadable, but she still met him halfway and ready to apologise for using that particular trick. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her aside, which Lucy allowed. When Natsu stared at her however, the words were stuck in her throat; he had an odd intensity to his gaze.

"Did you do that just to shake me off?"

There was a bit of accusation in his tone, but mostly curiousity and something else she did not want to speculate about. It definitely helped loose the lump in Lucy's throat. "I," she began, only to pause when the odd wording registered. "Wait, how do you mean?"

Natsu kept staring at her as if to search for something; it made Lucy's heart beat heavily, her cheeks warming. Then, all at once, he leaned forward and kissed her hard, pushing Lucy against the wall. Her eyes shot open in surprise, but she quickly melted into the searing kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. Neither of them paid any attention to the wolf whistling and applause all around.

Among those clapping were two amused Ice wizards. "I honestly thought they were an item already," Lyon said a moment later, to which Gray shrugged.

He did not respond, seeing that he noticed how wistfully Juvia watched their friends' bold display. A shy glance went Gray's way, creating a lump of odd thoughts and feelings within him; then she shook her head and wandered away. Lyon noticed as well and gave his fellow disciple a shove.

"Go after her," he demanded. "How are the two of you not a thing anyway?" He had not even spent a full day in Magnolia, but the affection Juvia held for Gray did not remain hidden. Sherry nodded along in clear delight, but his friend was rather more timid. Cana saved them from an argument, hanging herself on Gray's shoulder to whisper something in his ear before pushing him toward where Juvia vanished. The moment he left their vision, she high-fived Mirajane.

Lyon knew he was not the only outsider staring at the two women; Mirajane smiled impishly at them before dropping a curtsy and answering his earlier question: "They aren't because Gray is shy like that. Maybe that changes tonight."

Going by the fact a giggly Juvia traipsed back in some time later, she had been right. The blunette beamed, hugged Lyon, hugged Cana, then trundled outside while the two of them bumped fists. She obliviously passed by another argument; it involved a furious Millianna who had sturdy ribbons wound around Mystogan. Only Erza talking at her sternly prevented the irate woman from laying into her target.

"For the last time, he isn't Jellal. They just look alike."

"Like with Siegrain?" Shou threw in from the side, earning himself a narrow-eyed glare.

Mystogan sighed with a glance to his abandoned mug; he wondered if hiding his identity might have been the better choice for the tournament. Much to his relief, a large hand reached over to snap the ribbons holding him; while Mystogan rubbed his sore skin, Priscilla joined the argument: "You have the wrong man, and I would prefer if you refrained from assaulting my guildmates in the future."

"But-" Milianna started, only for a blocky hand to land on her shoulder. Wally answered in her stead.

"In her defense, the similarities are eerie. But we will trust your word on this, Erza." He nodded to the redhead, who breathed out in relief. "My apologies, good sir."

Mystogan merely waved him off. "It's understandable. Erza mistook me for him the first time, too. I will have to live with that."

They separated like this, allowing the evening to run its course. Sixteen contestants advanced to the regular tournament, to be held several days later so everyone could recover from the fighting. Fairy Tail celebrated their best and comforted the rest, the spectators chattered about the various battles they saw, short or long, and Priscilla herself was content that all went as expected.

 

[Naron]

"While the soul's existence is proven and its properties known, experiments to manipulate it in a safe manner have yet to be devised. As any such experiment requires risking the essence of a person, even one of one's own making, I will refrain from even speculating. If the avid reader wishes to commit greater sins than I, they may continue down such a path on their own time."

-excerpt from "The Love of Magic"

---

With the battle royale behind him, Natsu felt a little odd. Right at this moment, it could be either the fact he kissed Lucy last evening, or that he was out on a stroll with Gajeel of all people. Hanging with him was a bit like with Gray, though they somehow fought less and argued more.

"So," Natsu started after a while of aimless strolling, hands behind his head. "I heard you let Levy beat you?"

"None of your business, Salamander."

The growled response had some bite to it, but Natsu felt he had Gajeel's measure at this point. The fact he still played it up amused the fire Dragonslayer, though. "Nah, I get it. You'd have lost to the first person you met, right?" The lack of response told him all he needed to know, so he kept talking: "Makes sense that you don't wanna hurt your new family."

"It ain't like that!"

Natsu just laughed, well aware that the retort lacked any real heat. But before he could keep going, a familiar, earthy scent entered his nose. His head snapped to the left; there stood Warrod Sequen, the ancient super wizard. From what he heard, the old man finished off his six opponents with vine cages in a matter of minutes. And on the way back, he added more flowers to Magnolia as he saw fit; some even sprouted from cracks in the streets ahead of them. Right now, Warrod was chatting amicably with a familiar blonde, the diminutive girl telling him some kind of story.

"Hang on, isn't that the brat that gets on everyone's nerves?"

Natsu shrugged in response; he recognised her as well, as would just about everyone in Fairy Tail. "Kinda, but she's not so bad. She just likes to play pranks, like snitching on me when Happy and I play hide and seek."

"The day after I joined, she kept following me around for five hours and didn't leave me alone."

"That's because you didn't talk to anyone. Maybe she thought you're lonely?" Natsu laughed while his fellow Dragonslayer grumbled. He still wondered why this girl had no scent of her own, but figured he just missed it. Either way, he was curious about her. "Hey, you think she's his granddaughter or something?"

"How should I know?"

"Let's go ask!"

So decided, Natsu strolled over with a wave. "Heya! Haven't seen you in a while, shorty!" Both turned their way, the elderly wizard with a smile and the girl with a pout; she ducked under his hand when he tried to ruffle her hair, too.

"I'm not that short, you know? Besides, you aren't particularly tall for a man, either."

"So what?" He knew full well he was short, what with even many of the women in Fairy Tail being his height or taller. "You're shorter than me, so there." Warrod chuckled at that, reminding Natsu of his presence. "Ah, right, I was wondering: are you two related? Just curious," he added upon receiving two owlish looks. "You look like you know each other."

Befuddled gazes were exchanged before the girl shook her head. "We are old friends," she added lamely. "But Warrod has been looking after me for a while."

"Oh, that sounds like fun, too."

"It was! We had so many great adventures!" The way she beamed, Natsu decided it was fine. As long as one of their friends was happy, he did not care about the details. Gajeel harrumphed, but refrained from challenging the statement.

Just as Natsu made to say goodbye, her joy made way for a more thoughtful expression. "Say," she asked hesitantly, "do you have any family you know about? I met a man whose last name was Dragneel some time ago, and I would like to know where he went." Her question drew Warrod's attention as much as Gajeel's and Natsu's.

The fire Dragonslayer frowned in thought, trying to think back that far. He had to give up soon. "The only family I remember before Fairy Tail is Igneel. Everything before he took me in is... not there, or something. Or is there?" He fell silent and scrunched his eyes shut, trying to tease out something from the blurry fragments. Zeref's name came to mind, but that could not be right. "I think I remember something, but no name or anything. Sorry, I can't even tell what it was. But if I ever remember, I'll tell you, 'kay?"

She was clearly dejected by the lack of information, but recovered quickly. "Of course, thank you. Now you better get going, or your girlfriend will worry that you're talking to another girl so much."

She giggled through the final bit, which made Natsu laugh in turn. "Nah," he waved her off, "Lucy is no worrywart like that."

"'Sides, you're a kid."

Gajeel's addition cut off the giggles and earned him a mock offended look. Natsu blinked in surprise when her demeanor shifted, losing the careless and childlike air. Her smile was a little more measured, if still with some humour to it. "I'm an adult, actually. Being petite doesn't change that. You sure your girlfriend will let that one stand if she hears it?"

"My what now?"

This time all three of them laughed at Gajeel, whose confusion did not lift. Warrod inclined his head to the two Dragonslayers. "While you figure that out, I believe I should take my leave. There is still so much to do, like rearranging Greenie's backyard. I will see you later, Natsu, Gajeel."

"Sure, see ya!"

Gajeel just grunted as they went their separate way; the girl already vanished without a trace, not even any scent Natsu could ascribe to her. He was quickly distracted by his guildmate's question: "What was that about?"

For a moment, Natsu wondered why Gajeel did not notice; then he remembered that it was only obvious in hindsight. "Levy dragged you on a date yesterday, didn't she?"

"Wait, that's what that was?"

Natsu shrugged, not much caring for his fellow Dragonslayer's growing embarassment. "Yeah, at least Lucy told me that. She's better at these things. You should probably talk to Levy about it too, girls sometimes expect you to just know these things. I don't know if she's like that, but, y'know." Having the wrong idea was embarassing. Gajeel grunted his agreement and they left it at that, both lost in their own thoughts for a while. Between waving at townsfolk and cheering fans, Natsu mainly thought back to holding Lucy and kissing her; it was certainly an experience he'd like to repeat soon.

However, any thought of finding his now-girlfriend left his mind suddenly. Natsu stopped dead in his tracks at the same time Gajeel did, both turning to the other. "You smell that?" Natsu asked. His friend nodded.

"Yeah. That way."

As they upped their pace and moved through the streets, Natsu tried to place what caught their attention; it was another familiar scent, albeit far more nostalgic. For a moment he reckoned it may belong to the blurry figure in his memories; but then Gajeel would not recognise it. No, Natsu realised, this was someone else. She was here in Magnolia and the prospect of seeing her again made him giddy.

"It's her, isn't it?" Gajeel asked quietly, but did not wait for an answer. "What was her name again?"

"Beats me, but yeah. There's no one else both of us can tell by scent."

They followed their noses through another street while Natsu tried to remember anything about her; everything from back then was wobbly at best. A beautiful woman whose looks he could not recall, a brightly shining gate, the same woman again, and in-between the scent of a flame unlike any he ever smelled before. And her, shily taking his and Gajeel's hands before they passed through.

After another two blocks, they found her; a hair shorter than Natsu and sporting subtle curves, clad in black pants and a light blue shirt which accentuated dark blue hair that fell in a long ponytail. Her bangs framed a heart-shaped face, out of which brown eyes roamed the two of them while she curiously sniffed the air. Seeing her in the flesh filled out his missing memories some, confirming that it was indeed her. The three stared at each other for a long moment.

"Heya," Natsu greeted their fellow Dragonslayer with a big grin. "What brings you here? Actually, doesn't matter. Come on, we'll show you around!" Without even waiting for a response, he snatched the surprised girl's arm and tugged her along; Gajeel sighed and levelled glares at people to leave them alone.

"V-Very well?" was about all their lost companion managed to stutter out as they began moving again.

Before they even made it down the street however, a white ball of fluff slammed into Natsu's back and made him stumble. "Such impudence! Unhand Wendy this instant, cad!" it, no, she shrieked while trying to attack him; Natsu paused to pick her off his head. No regard was given to the shining claws she tried to bring to bear. Despite the flurry of motions, seeing what just leapt at him only improved his mood.

"Oh hey, you found one, too! Happy will love it!" For in his hand, held by the scruff of her neck, was another Exceed. This one sported snowy white fur and wore clothes, being dressed in a cute pink dress.

"Do not ignore me!"

He continued to ignore her in favour of beaming at his wayward friend. "So your name's Wendy?"

She had been about to say something to the bundle of righteous fury clawing at Natsu's protective magical shell, but his question distracted her into nodding. "Ah, yes. Pardon, but who art thou?"

"I'm Natsu, and there's Gajeel." He waved the hand holding his now squawking attacker toward the iron Dragonslayer. "You talk weird."

"O-Oh, pardon, er, sorry. I am not used to talking like this." Wendy averted her gaze sheepishly, but Natsu waved her off.

"Nah, it's fine. Pris used to do that a lot, too. Come on, let's introduce you to everyone!" Just as he was about to carry on down the road toward home, he remembered the angry Exceed that still tried to tear him apart. She stopped out of shock when he gently flicked her forehead and put her on Wendy's shoulder. "Now you be nice."

The feline stared up at him for a moment before huffing. "Such impudence," she hissed. "Wendy, we shan't associate with blackguards!"

"Well, they art familiar to mine nose," Wendy defended him, not that Natsu had any idea what he was just called and kept tugging her along. "Though I can not recall clearly from where," she apologised next. Natsu just shrugged.

"I don't remember it all that well, either. We were all kids back then."

Wendy nodded, her brow scrunched as she tried in vain to recall anything about that time; chances were nothing but her dragon parent remained, just like with Igneel and Metalicana for the men. Meanwhile, Natsu kept leading her across Magnolia with Gajeel in tow, grinning like a loon; he got a girlfriend, got to fight strong people for days, and now their missing friend reappeared. This was shaping up to be the best week ever!

"So," Gajeel finally broke the silence between them. "You here for the tournament?"

"Indeed. It piqued mine curiousity." Wendy then glanced between the two of them before focussing on Natsu. "I, ah, beheld thy prowess. Thou art a Dragonslayer such as I, yes?"

"Yup. Gajeel is too, but he got knocked out before fighting anyone."

"Shut it, Salamander!"

"Come on, it's fine to suck sometimes!"

Gajeel ground his teeth while Natsu laughed at him; ironically, Wendy's Exceed friend that she soon introduced as Carla acted quite similar to the iron Dragonslayer. From what he got out of her before reaching the guildhall, she was a freelance wizard who worked various odd jobs. "Oh, I know!" Natsu became giddy again as he thought of the possibilities. "You could join our guild, too! Having all three of us there would be great!" Sadly, Wendy did not seem that enthusiastic about it; she shook her head, wiping the grin off his face. "Why not?"

"While I appreciate the offer, I do not seek a guild for myself at this time." Her polite tone did not quite cover that she was uncomfortable with the subject. "Although I may revisit the prospect in the future. As is, I am content with the freedom being a freelancer grants me. I need to think of Quelaan as well, ah, that is, my caretaker and friend. I doubt she would be comfortable here."

Natsu had stopped in front of the gate leading into his home, digesting the news. Within moments however, his grin was back in full force. "Oh well, I guess there's no helping it. Whatever, come on in!" And just like that, he threw the doors open and waltzed in with an arm around Wendy's shoulder. "Hey, everyone! Look who's visiting!" The blunette wilted under their immediate attention, but Natsu simply dragged her inside for the guild to see. "This is Wendy, she's a Dragonslayer too!"

That broke the spell and others surged forward to meet the girl, who greeted them politely; she could not really hide her surprise about the warm welcome, though. Happy fluttered around in excitement once he spotted Carla, though the Exceed girl was less receptive than her human friend. Natsu kept grinning throughout, even when Lucy attached herself to his side. His girlfriend already said hello at that point. "So, how did you meet her?" she asked next, making Natsu shrug.

"Stumbled over her in town. She smelled familiar."

"...yep, that is never not going to be weird." Her muttering was likely not meant to be heard, so Natsu said nothing.

That was also when Gajeel nudged his shoulder. "What's with the cats, anyway?" he asked, nodding toward where Happy still failed to make friends with Carla. "I figured Happy was just odd, but now there's two of them."

"Right, I guess you weren't there." Natsu completely forgot that most people did not know. "Mystogan told us some time ago. They're Exceed and they're not from this world. He didn't say how they got here, but I found Happy's egg a few years back. There's some more living around Fiore and across the continent, but I've never met any." Wendy turned their way when he began, prompting another grin her way. "Pretty surprising, huh?"

"Somewhat," she agreed, but shed the sentiment with a faint shrug. "But with Quelaan being from another world also, I am quite used to the fact. Carla hatched from an egg as well." Her comment stirred up new interest and before Natsu could so much as ask about that mysterious person, other people already went for it. Levy was particularly gleeful about it.

"So you have friends from different worlds? Did they teach you any alien magic? C'mon, show us something!" Her cheerful demand was echoed and even Natsu joined in, now that he realised there must be a ton of things people from outside of Earthland could do. Then again, with Wendy being a Dragonslayer....

"W-Well, if you insist." The teen herself stuttered a little while taking a step back from Levy and raising her hands to her chest. A moment of expectant silence was followed by dark blue light; she drew an aquamarine matrix from her bosom. Hundreds of tiny blocks gleamed ever so softly, constantly rearranging themselves as people watched. Lucy gasped and Natsu was just as mesmerised. When Levy reached out to touch the thing however, Wendy pulled back and her fellow blunette sheepishly let her be.

A shadow fell over them then, clearly belonging to Pris; the giantess had been reading by her favourite wall so far, but this must have drawn her attention. She crouched over them, staring intently at what Wendy did; the youngest Dragonslayer wilted once again, staring up at Pris in awe.

"Do you recognise this?" Mystogan chimed in from ground level, which prompted their master-to-be to frown.

"I believe so," she agreed. "Tis a soul. Thy soul, Wendy. Prithee return it from whence it came."

Her lightly scolding tone had Wendy avert her gaze while everyone else stared at the matrix in surprise. There was some quiet chatter around the room while it vanished back into her chest. "My apologies, I was overtaken by excitement."

"What's the problem?" Natsu chimed in to cover his old friend, but also because he did not really understand the issue. Pris glanced his way.

"One's soul is precious, and one ought not to present it to strangers."

That made sense. Natsu nodded, which gave Gray a chance to ask his own question: "How do you even take your soul out of your body in the first place?"

This time the half-dragon hesitated, as did Wendy. Pris studied her guildmates before slumping ever so slightly. "I did not know it was possible in these lands," she admitted. Following that, she carefully reached to her chest and presented something else to them; a flame as green as a lush forest, stood completely still. Its ethereal gleam cast long shadows, once again making everyone stop to stare. Even Wendy was stunned, mouthing a silent 'wow'.

"I beheld Quelaan's flame," the blunette breathed, "but it was never remotely like this."

"Wait, so you're not from this...." Levy groaned and slapped her forehead, never finishing the sentence. "Yeah, this is so obvious in hindsight, how didn't I think of it?" Several others agreed with her and Natsu did, too. Pris winced for some reason.

"I imagine it may be related to your being unaware of the existence of other realities," she reasoned while reabsorbing her soul. "Regardless, it seems this can be learned. Tell me, child, didst thou learn the soul arts?"

The question drew a headshake from Wendy. "Afraid not, dame Priscilla. Mine caretaker solely practices the art of pyromancy."

"Pyromancy? I am afraid I find myself unaware of such a subject."

"May I demonstrate?"

Pris nodded and the general excitement across the room grew once again. Wendy was clearly more comfortable now and asked the crowd to give her space; then she began to twirl and dance, aquamarine streamers following her fingertips. The winds around them picked up with her motions, but also carried the sweet scent of cinnamon for some reason. Wendy focussed on her beautiful dance, spreading both hands as the visible wind gathered within them. Miniature storms roared along her palms, being united and growing bigger as the dance went on. On her final twirl she was in the singular storm's eye while it began to draw in stuff from around the room. Even Natsu could feel their pull on him and had to brace himself.

Then she stopped abruptly, making the winds fade. Left was a softly panting Dragonslayer, who curtsied under the guild's applause. "It is the first technique I learned, but rather not one for use indoors. I would prefer not to demonstrate further," she explained while everything settled down again. What items were drawn by the storm never hit the ground because Pris and Erza caught them with telekinesis; they swiftly placed everything back where it belonged.

"That was beautiful," Lucy gushed. "How does it work?"

"Pyromancy requires one's body be in tune with their soul," Wendy explained slowly; Natsu thought she was reciting from memory. "Through dance, a pyromancer can attune one to the other and pour its might into the world."

Levy was already taking notes while Natsu tried to figure out where the difference lay between this pyromancy and Earthland's magic. Nothing came to mind. So he put it aside. "And your friend taught you how to do it? Is she a pyromaniac, too?"

"Pyromancer," Lucy stage-whispered, but he ignored her. Wendy nodded.

"She is a true master," the younger Dragonslayer began with bright eyes. "She can not dance much anymore, but the few times she demonstrated were more beautiful than anything I ever saw. Quelaan weaves her flames into a song of life." The mention of fire immediately had Natsu's attention, but he noticed Priscilla's expression shift from the corner of his eye; the giantess' sudden frown vanished as soon as it appeared. Wendy fell silent as well though, having received a warning look from Carla. She ended up dodging questions about her caretaker, saying simply that they could ask about her origins in person.

They moved on from there; as it turned out, their surprise guest would soon turn fourteen. The moment she mentioned her healing magic, she was also subcontracted to help out Polyushka with the injured. All in all, Natsu figured she was having fun, so he ended up dragging Lucy away for a makeout session instead; his girlfriend certainly did not mind.

 

[Naron]

"Solid Script is the most basic form of runic magic. Actualising a written word in the literal sense, it grants great flexibility. How useful it is depends on the caster's creativity and imagination. An active mind can fuel far more powerful terms and actualise them. Solid Script is easy to learn but hard to master; likewise, it is easy to branch out into other script magic such as runes from there."

-excerpt from "The Soul of Magic"

---

"I wonder what they're talking about."

A few days passed and the tournament's second phase loomed over them; on the final evening before it began, everyone had gathered in the guildhall for the announcements of combat pairs. While they waited, Lucy could not help but notice the congregation of people around Natsu, Gajeel, and Gray. They caught her eye even before Levy asked the question, though Hisui only cast a quick glance that way; the princess joined them earlier, prompting some awkwardness from Wendy and Juvia. Levy held up fine, but her fellow blunettes remained tongue-tied around royalty.

Well, it was not like Lucy could not understand. At least the guards were absent except for Arcadios, making their table somewhat more relaxed. "I am kind of curious too," Lucy finally agreed with her guildmate. After a moment of consideration and admiring Natsu from afar, her gaze flickered to the Dragonslayer at her own table. "Hey, Wendy? Dragonslayers have better senses, right? Can you hear them?"

The younger girl fidgeted somewhat under Hisui's renewed interest, but nodded. "I can make the attempt?" she offered, which prompted a smile. Lucy fell perfectly still in response, evening out her breath as much as possible. The other women followed suit to give their spy a chance in the general thrum of conversation all around. Wendy turned her head slightly, ears twitching once or twice. Her brow was scrunched in concentration. As they watched, she grew increasingly more flustered to the point her cheeks turned faintly pink.

After a few minutes of this, Levy leaned forward; her grin grew proportionally to Wendy's embarassment. "So," she prompted, "what pervy things are they on about?"

The Dragonslayer's attention immediately snapped back and she quickly shook her head, blushing further. "N-Nothing, really!" she eeped, prompting a laugh from the older blunette and chuckles from Lucy; even Hisui hid a faint smile.

"Though it seems to be a delicate subject," the princess speculated. Her reserved tone did not fool Lucy; she was just as curious. The blonde threw her liege a knowing look that went ignored. Wendy inclined her head as well.

"Ah, y-yes, your highness." Wendy kept dragging her feet for a bit. She relaxed once Juvia cautiously took a hold of her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. The gesture was clearly appreciated. She began to explain then: "They are talking about, well, you. I believe the older men impart advice on how to treat you well." Juvia stiffened momentarily while Levy began to giggle; Lucy just glanced to the group again.

"Oh my, how thoughtful of them." While Hisui was right, Lucy rolled her eyes over the teasing note in her voice. The princess continued regardless: "And is their advice appreciated?"

"Ah, well, Natsu believes he will be fine because miss Mirajane offers advice whenever he asks, but Gajeel and mister Fullbuster seem to appreciate it greatly."

"They're trying," Mirajane agreed as if her name called upon her; she placed fresh drinks in front of them with a soft giggle, unconcerned with the scowling knight captain next to her. "Perhaps I should help them out a little?"

Lucy was not quite sure what to think of that. She did not measure up to Mira in attractiveness, not even close; but at the same time, she highly doubted there was any attraction between the model and her boyfriend to worry about. She treated him like a brother. Now Gajeel or Gray however, well, Juvia bristled momentarily before calming herself; Levy just shrugged.

Mira's mirth quickly turned around when Makarov wandered by, lightly slapping her calf with his cane. "You don't know what you want half the time. Leave the younger ones to their own devices."

"I'll have you know I give good advice," she pouted at the master, who huffed.

"I never said you don't, but this lot won't learn anything if you give them all the answers. On both ends, too." He then let off of Mira to glance Levy's way with a hint of seriousness. "But while we are at it: you better be somewhat serious about this. Gajeel may not look or act it, but he is starved for positive attention. Don't lead him on."

Levy nodded back, all serious in turn. "Won't, promise. Hit me over the head if I do, yes?"

Makarov just chuckled, then walked away to disperse the crowd around their respective boyfriends and give them some stern advice of his own. All three nodded along with what he said, leaving the women to their own devices; Mira sashayed away to tend to her duties and left an amused Hisui with them. That amusement quickly turned to scandalised surprise when Levy leaned forward with a grin. "So, that aside, Lu! How long until you're doing Natsu?"

She felt her own composure break immediately, still unused to how direct her friend could be with these questions. Warmth flushed Lucy's entire face, perhaps even producing a blush. "Not so loud!" she hissed at the unrepentant blunette; even Juvia and Wendy shared her embarassment, though Lucy felt compelled to at least answer. "And I don't know. It is... you know?"

She squirmed a little, uncertain how to approach the subject. Levy thankfully caught it: "Ah. Virgin?" If this was not about her right now, Lucy could at least luxuriate in the fact Hisui's composure was utterly gone as well. As it were, the princess listened to them raptly and left Lucy to save what she could.

"Of course. I did not have the kind of time to go out much before I left home, and after that I was here." She slumped forward on the table with a groan. "Oh, you have no idea how nice it is to have my own place. No servants checking on you all the time. I love them all to bits, but there was no privacy at all." Hisui's cheeks grew red over the implications as well while Levy whistled.

"Oh, I get it alright. So that's what you do at home all the time. I just hope you didn't expose poor Wendy to your wild side?"

The younger blunette mutely shook her head while Juvia kept her gaze averted, surprisingly shy about the subject. Lucy rolled her eyes at the script wizard, who chuckled at them. Hisui chimed in now, fanning herself with her hand. "You are certainly... candid, with each other. Is this, well," she motioned vaguely for the taproom around them, but Lucy felt she meant the common folk more than the guild.

"It depends," she allowed. "Fairy Tail is close-knit, and Levy in particular just knows no shame." The woman in question beamed at Hisui, who faintly smiled back; then she clapped Juvia's back, startling the older blunette back into paying attention after she began daydreaming.

"No regrets!" Levy declared, then turned back to Wendy. "Anyway, how do you like staying with Lu? Her place is great, isn't it?"

The Dragonslayer was clearly happy for the change in subject. "It is," she agreed with a faint smile. "Her bath is really nice."

And just like that, she found common ground with everyone. Levy showed her a thumbs up and Juvia became animated as well, gushing about the bathtub she only ever visited twice. Lucy allowed herself a soft sigh. "I really do not get why everyone says that," she murmured, once again placing her head on the table; part of her mind was still with the previous subject, and if they already went there, why not satisfy her own curiousity? "It's... hey, Levy? I keep hearing that the first time hurts, so... you, uh, did you...?"

"A few times. It's fine, don't worry."

While Levy reassured her, Wendy offered a gentle headpat from Lucy's other side. "She is quite right. Tis a matter of proper preparation more than anything. It will be fine."

After parsing that particular comment, Lucy turned to stare at the younger woman. Everyone at their table did, though the blonde noticed Arcadios squirming in the corner of her eyes; he likely wanted to be anywhere but here. Unfortunately for him, nothing could stop Levy McGarden. "I know what I heard," she teased. "I want details."

Wendy stuttered something about meeting an older boy in Crocus earlier in the year, but was saved from having to elaborate when a thunderclap silenced everyone; Lucy quietly accepted Hisui's hand clasping hers under the table, silent reassurance that she was not the only maiden present. Both turned to the stage at the room's back, where Makarov and Freed peered at the crowd.

The master nodded to himself. His voice reverberated across the entire taproom: "Now that only sixteen remain and everyone had some time to rest after the first ordeal, the actual tournament awaits. The first round will be held tomorrow. Therefore, we will draw the pairings today." Freed made sixteen slips of paper flutter in a faint circle before directing them into a black top hat. He demonstratively looked away while shaking it to mix the names. In the meantime, Makarov drew a tournament tree on the portable blackboard. "Notice," he commented without turning back to the crowd, "that one of the first eight names and one of the last eight will meet in the finale."

There was some murmuring and Lucy nodded, though she figured something like this anyway; it was just a standard tournament tree after all. Then she leaned forward, as did just about everyone else; the master stuck his hand into the hat and rummaged around before producing a single slip. "The first contender is... Natsu Dragneel!"

Cheers followed at once while the Dragonslayer pumped his fist; his name appeared in the first slot with a tiny flash while Freed drew the other one, his expression inscrutable. "His opponent," he announced and the room fell silent again. "Is Erza Scarlet."

Lucy winced before chancing a glance at her boyfriend; his grin slipped. Erza just nodded to herself, though her faint smile made the blonde worry. "Ouch", she commiserated. "Erza in the first round." Levy silently raised her mug in agreement.

"The second pairing starts with... Juvia Lockser!" The master's declaration earned more applause, but Lucy saw that her friend was still not enthused about the whole thing. "And her opponent?"

"Laki Olietta," Freed announced a moment later.

While they joined the general cheer, Levy glanced between the water and wood wizard. "I feel bad for both of you," she told Juvia. "Whoever wins has to go against Natsu or Erza next."

"It is just as well," the other blunette shrugged off the prospect. "I don't want to win anyway, and I could have gotten worse." Her gaze flicked to Lucy, who threw her a sympathetic smile.

"This is the second time thou, er, you felt sorry at the prospect of someone encountering miss Scarlet," Wendy chimed in curiously. "Why is that?"

Before either of them could answer, Hisui did with a faint smile: "Oh, Erza Scarlet is regarded as one of Fairy Tail's best. I once heard that some would rather take their chances with an actual dragon."

"Oh."

"For the third pair, we have..." Makarov cared naught for their conversation, grabbing two slips at once this time. "Bixlow, facing Mirajane Strauss!" This prompted another wave of cheers; Laxus clapped his subordinate's shoulder without a hint of pity while Mira smiled beatifically, though Bixlow himself merely shrugged. Not that Lucy could read his expression under that helmet of his.

Just like Makarov had taken two before, now Freed went with the next announcement: "And the last pair in the first half are... Laxus Dreyar, against Cana Alberona!"

The brunette immediately downed another keg of ale, prompting laughter across the room. Laxus wore a confident grin at first, up until Mira tapped his shoulder for attention and ran a finger across her throat. Lucy shivered, wondering how that sweet smile managed to enhance the threatening gesture. "She can be quite intimidating," Wendy murmured, which made everyone at the table toast her. Even Hisui joined in and proceeded to drink with them.

Makarov nodded to himself as he studied the filled-in half of that tree. "These will be interesting matches," he decided. Meanwhile, Lucy's mind rattled through the contestants yet to be drawn; with every S-ranker in the first half she felt confident. She still paid attention, though. "The first contestant in the second half is Levy McGarden!"

"Facing Reedus Jonah!"

Both script and paint wizard received applause, though Lucy's gaze narrowed. Who was left for her to face? She forgot some of the names and before they resurfaced from memory, her own was called. "Lucy Heartfilia!" Blinking, she focussed back on the stage where the master studied another slip of paper intently. His stony expression remained in place as he drew out the silence. "Her opponent is Warrod Sequen!"

Now the room as a whole winced while Lucy felt like slumping down again. Just where did her precious luck go? First she immediately stumbled over Laxus, now she needed to face one of the Four Kings of Ishgar. There was no way she could pull off another miracle!

At least her groan prompted a cheerful laugh from Levy, who pushed her shoulder. "Just stay positive," she chirped. "The man is ancient. You're going to beat him so I can kick your ass in round two!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. Maybe I can tire him out for you or something."

Freed thankfully prevented any further musing on the impossible task before her as he kept on going: "Next up is Priscilla Primordio, facing Gray Fullbuster." Lucy dutifully joined the cheering and sought her guildmates; Gray was grinning, but Priscilla's countenance remained stony for some reason. She nodded once and, after Cana nudged her cheerfully, put on a forced smile.

"My apologies for removing you so early," she taunted primly. "I hope you understand."

"I'm not out yet. You'll have to work for it."

Priscilla snorted in an almost condescending manner, then reached over to pat Gray's head. He grumbled and Lucy joined the general snickering, though she felt that something was on her giant friend's mind; it had been for several days now, ever since they learned she was from another world. Her demeanor was subtly off, more guarded than normal.

"It's only a formality at this point," the master broke into her musings with a fond smile. "But the last pairing will be Evergreen and Bisca Mulan." One last round of applause followed, which everyone joined.

"A fascinating display," Wendy murmured. "A mere few days past you all fought each other, yet everyone cheers for those who stood victorious."

Levy threw a grin back at her fellow blunette. "That's Fairy Tail for you," she chirped by way of explanation, then leaned over to poke Lucy's shoulder. "And now that I'm looking at the pairings, you could go and comfort Natsu now. He's in the same group as literally every S-rank wizard we have in the tournament."

Lucy waved her off immediately. "As if, he's fired up if anything. Look." She motioned for the distant table where her boyfriend returned to laughing boisterously, spewing flames into the air and miming punches. Gajeel nodded sagely about whatever he said.

"Alright, fair. Then let him comfort you?"

Now this, Lucy considered momentarily. Then her brow creased as she decided Levy had enough fun on her expense. "You know what?" she retorted with a deceptively sweet smile, "I think you need to cool down." A few steps brought her next to the surprised woman; she could not measure up to her new strength and was swiftly picked up with one hand. "Juvia?"

Her friend threw back an almost cheerful nod and turned liquid to receive the flying script wizard; Levy's shriek turned into a squeal the moment she was soaked. Dusting off her hands, Lucy left her behind to splutter on the ground, well aware of Hisui's giggles.

Natsu waved cheerfully when he noticed her approach, beaming even while Lucy had no idea how to start. "Man, you're lucky! You get to throw down with a Wizard Saint! I'll be cheering for you, Lucy!"

And from one moment to the next, Lucy had to smile. "Thanks," she murmured, already feeling herself relax. She leaned in to peck his cheek, only for Levy to jump on her back with a shout; the imbalance sent her into Natsu and both of them to the ground. Strong arms closed around Lucy, pressing her against a broad chest and far closer than she expected to be; she squirmed and threw an elbow behind herself to dislodge the soaked blunette, who rolled off and to Gajeel's feet. Just about as soon as he helped her up, fists flew.

Some time later, Lucy lay in her bed with Wendy tending to some of the nastier bruises she received. "Thank you," she repeated herself, but the younger girl merely shook her head.

"There is no need to thank me. I love to help." Neither of them said it, but the guild also paid her pretty well; Lucy set that bit up after all. She ignored the faint stings and let her mind wander to the match; after that little pep talk from Natsu, she was actually looking forward to it. Doomed Lucy Heartfilia may be, but she would not go down without a fight.

Once she was back in shape and both of them saw to cleaning themselves, Wendy crawled into bed next to her; it was an odd sort of arrangement, born of Lucy refusing to let her guest take the couch and said guest refusing to force her host out of her bed. At the same time, she could not say she disliked the change. It almost felt like the sleepovers she always wanted as a child. Neither of them stayed up for long.

The next day came quick, carrying an anticipatory buzz with it; the main plaza was transformed into a small stadium and every seat filled with spectators. Lucy remained on her spot in the first row, like every other competitor beside the first duo.

Down below, Natsu and Erza were sizing each other up; the knightess had her arms crossed while her opponent grinned like a loon. "We will see how much you have grown," Erza declared, though Lucy detected a faint smile. Most of the crowd cheered for her, too. Then again, just about every child shrieked for Natsu to win. He demonstratively threw off his vest, which did prompt another wave of cheers Lucy was less happy with. She swallowed her jealousy, though.

"I hope you're ready to get your ass kicked!"

Erza's only response to that was a snort. Just then, the gong sounded and both charged each other. Erza immediately decked herself in red and orange plate mail so reminiscent of scales; then she drew a longsword to threaten Natsu with. He caught the blade with his bare hand and pulled, wreathing the other in flames.

"Fire Dragon's Fist!"

The redhead took his blow to the stomach, flames sputtering against the resistant material. Natsu frowned, then gurgled when an armoured knee slammed into his own abdomen. Lucy winced when Erza followed up with an overhead strike, sending him to the ground. She actually stepped back afterward to study her handiwork.

As for Natsu, well, the stone began to steam around him. Air whirled under the heat before fire erupted all over the Dragonslayer, who rose once more with an almost maniacal grin. Erza actually mirrored his expression, but brought up her sword in a careful guard. She was swiftly enveloped by a plume of fire. It cut off when a single slash parted the flames to reveal a slightly singed knightess; Natsu grumbled and lunged at her to trade blows again.

Lucy chewed on her lip as she watched the mostly one-sided match. Her boyfriend did not give an inch, but Erza kept playing to her advantages and greater experience. He was slowly chased around the arena, now conserving Ethernano instead of trying to hammer his opponent into submission. The blade she first wielded soon turned to molten slag, replaced by a lance and then a warhammer. Her swings cut the air and reverberated through the arena, the noise sometimes drowning out or silencing the crowd.

She was about to drive Natsu into the ground again to create another crater when he dodged forward, right into Erza's guard. Lucy leaned forward while the hammer fell from her guildmate's grasp. Natsu's right hand was shrouded black and used the full momentum of his roll, slamming into Erza's chest; she was thrown back as black lines ran over her armour and burned it away. Runes all across the enchanted plate mail flickered and sparked before fading. The entire thing began to glow and was replaced by Erza's standard breastplate; she took distance and warily watched her grinning opponent.

"Not so easy now, is it?" Natsu cackled as he threw a normal fireball up and down. Erza sized him up but kept her distance; Lucy tried to figure out what he did as well, but got nothing. Her boyfriend merely turned the flame in hand black and lobbed it. Erza leapt away to escape the explosion of heat where she stood, transitioning into a roll before coming back up running.

All of a sudden, the tables turned; with her direct counter invalidated, Erza could no longer focus on offense. For every strike she dealt, Natsu delivered a counter that left the knightess reeling. She switched to smooth purple cloth that Lucy recalled effective against all kinds of magic damage; the moment Natsu saw his fire mostly neutralised again, he went in with his bare fists. The first punch connected, but after that Erza merely kept going back and forth to catch them on polished steel.

The brutal match went on for several minutes as neither side was willing to give; Lucy started to wince every time either of her teammates got hit, but the crowd ate it up. She definitely heard Milianna's cheers out of the general cacophony, urging Erza to win.

The next time their exchanges ceased, both stood panting; Natsu sported various nasty bruises, as did Erza. His were easier to see on his glistening skin though, seeing that she clad herself in armour after armour. Not that Erza had much time to recover; Natsu went right back at it after catching his breath. This time fire sprouted from his elbow, propelling his fist with such force that Erza's breastplate broke on impact. The surprised knightess flew two dozen metres into the rune wall before the stands, not far from Lucy.

After heavily hitting the ground, she stayed down. The entire audience held its breath, making Natsu's panting the only audible sound. Erza stirred ever so slightly, but remained where she was; the guild stared in shock at what they saw, but the crowd went wild once it became clear the fight was over. Their roaring applause snapped Natsu out of his funk; he raised both arms and shouted his victory to the heavens.

Lucy applauded for both of them, really. At the same time, she pondered whether Erza threw the fight there. Maybe Lucy just underestimated Natsu? Her boyfriend was busy hauling up their teammate, who stumbled from the force before ruffling his hair affectionately. The pride shining in Erza's expression convinced Lucy that there was no throwing involved. Both combatants limped from the arena to where Polyushka and Wendy were waiting for them.

"Gee, way to start us off," Cana muttered. Lucy inclined her head to the woman next to her.

The next three battles were executions. Laki was good with her near infinite supply of wood and extra support from Solid Script, but neither of these worked well against a woman who could turn liquid at will. Juvia effortlessly dodged every dangerous attack. When a wave of sand was thrown into her to slow her down, she turned it into a mud bath for the purplette. After that, Mirajane made short work of Bixlow; his remote-controlled wooden dolls were crushed with devastating kicks, followed by a single punch to the solar plexus that laid him out. And following that, Cana threw her most powerful Card magic combinations at Laxus; he shrugged it all off without so much as a twitch before punching her so hard she followed Erza's path into the rune wall. A lightning bolt followed her trail and left a smoking brunette on the ground.

Lucy winced hard in that last fight; she knew that only knowing the right magic protected her from a similar fate in the first phase. Even then it had been mostly luck that Laxus did not feel like taking a risk.

After a ten minute break, the announcement came that Priscilla would face Gray next. That had Lucy stumped, only for a cheerful chuckle to sound from her right. Warrod made his way over to sit with her now, throwing a grin Lucy's way. "I asked little Makarov to adjust the order a bit. You and I go last."

"I see...."

She had hoped to just get it over with, but that was apparently a pipe dream. Warrod seemed to enjoy her suffering, too. At least his giggling faded once the fight started, the ancient wizard now focussed. Lucy studied them, too: Gray immediately went on the offensive and created various ice formations to throw at Priscilla, who weaved around them without much trouble. Shields sprung up from time to time, but mostly she just caught smaller projectiles on her face or chest. They splintered without any effect.

Once it became clear he would not let up anytime soon, another spell circle snapped into place under the giantess. She swiftly sank into the ground. Gray stayed in place at first, but Lucy felt Priscilla move by her Ethernano. She darted beneath the ice wizard, forcing him to leap away. He managed to dodge twice more before Priscilla suffused the entire area with her magic, making their senses useless. Moments later, her hand emerged first and took a hold of Gray. Priscilla followed before he could create more ice, winding up and throwing him into the runes. Her victim bounced and somehow rolled off into a crouch, unable to dodge the follow-up kick that sent him right back where he came from. This time he stayed down.

"My," Warrod mused under the shocked applause, "that is certainly a prodigious strength. I wonder if she supplements it with Body Reinforcement?"

"I hope not," Lucy quipped back reflexively. "It's already bad enough with just her natural strength."

"True, true." Warrod laughed again, but Lucy could not quite see the humour in this; maybe he was just looking forward to facing Pris?

Regardless, the time of her own execution quickly approached. Evergreen took down Bisca within thirty seconds, simply turning her to stone the moment their eyes met. The sniper managed to land several good shots before she failed to avert her gaze in time, but the result was never in question.

Levy and Reedus took a while longer as they were evenly matched. Solid Script met Paint magic, actualised concepts measuring themselves against magical constructs. Once Reedus had Levy boxed in with several bulky shapes however, she vanished into her own shadow and reemerged behind the surprised painter; Lucy gasped as well while her friend turned the mainly ranged encounter into a brawl. When she stood victorious two minutes later, the blunette sought Lucy's gaze and winked at her. Apparently, she was not the only one who learned new magic.

And then it was time for Lucy herself to enter the arena. Her opponent already awaited her, his cape fluttering in the soft breeze. Warrod Sequen grinned as vines grew from between the stones under his feet. All of a sudden, Lucy was hyper-aware of the many nooks and crannies he could attack her from.

"This is your last chance to surrender," he offered playfully, hands clasped behind his back. "You just need to say it now."

The crowd hung on his words while Lucy scowled. She already drew Leo's key from her ring. Channeling Natsu, she trash-talked back at him: "That sounds like you have not been around these parts in a long time, old man. A Fairy Tail wizard does not just give up when things get tough." A collective gasp from the stands followed her disrespect, but Warrod cackled.

He sized her up once again, the gleaming Gate key already in her palm, the fire in her eyes... and turned around.

"Perfect. I surrender!"

As the tension collapsed on itself, Lucy's jaw fell slack. She stared at the old wizard's retreating back. He made a few steps before glancing over his shoulder with a cheerful smile. "An old man like myself doesn't make a good master, anyway. Let the young have a shot." Laughter followed his statement, a familiar blonde girl holding her belly among the crowd. Warrod inclined his head her way. Lucy's flabbergasted expression may have something to do with more people joining the laughter, but she just could not stop staring. Nothing made sense anymore.

She somehow made it past Warrod Sequen. How was she still in this tournament?! And how much of her ale was Cana willing to share after their respective ordeals?

 

[Naron]

"Several hundred Gate Keys exist at the time of this book's writing. All are based on the twelve unique golden Zodiac Keys, which draw upon the twelve dukes and duchesses of the Celestial Spirit World. The lesser Silver Keys are easier to produce and thus each mapped gate possesses several dozen keys attuned to it. I pondered adding detailed blueprints for the Zodiac Keys, but ultimately decided against it. The avid reader may attempt to create them on their own as an exercise."

-excerpt from "The Soul of Magic"

---

"From studying the tournament tree, we can see that it is composed rather unevenly. A lot of Fairy Tail's powerful wizards are placed in the first half. What are your thoughts on the matter, Master Dreyar?"

The aging guild master offered Jason a shrug. "It was to be expected when drawing lots to determine the pairings. At the same time, I believe I prefer it this way; had I chosen to put the initial pairings together by hand, matching our S-ranking wizards against the regular members from the beginning would be even worse. We could have just as easily foregone the battle royale and first round of the tournament then, putting together a tree of eight with only the S-rank wizards and a few key members who I believe capable of obtaining the rank in the near future."

Jason nodded along as he took notes; Makarov still wondered why he even asked, seeing how he was present when they drew those lots. Either way, he indulged the excitable reporter's request for an interview, much like everyone else he asked did.

"And how do you see the results of this first round?"

"About as expected in some cases," he began while thinking of his little ones, "and quite unexpected in others." Meaning, Natsu. He never expected Erza to be defeated, though she certainly did not go as far as he knew she could; in the end, he pushed her past what a glorified mock battle was worth. "Some of the young members may not have had a chance to show much of their prowess, but I feel their spirits shone through regardless."

"I agree, absolutely." Jason beamed as he noted down a few final points, then turned to the man seated next to Makarov. "Out of curiousity, Saint Sequen, why did you forfeit?"

"Well, I was technically required to participate by tournament rules." Warrod giggled, then coughed and downed half of a decorative flower vase's water before continuing. "But in truth, I had this little prank planned for about as long as I knew it was coming. I am too old to be guild master for long. Not to mention that I successfully managed to dodge that role for as long as little Makarov is alive." The man in question rolled his eyes while his godfather exchanged a conspiratory grin with Jason. Then he turned serious again. "With all that in mind, I set for myself to surrender to the first opponent facing me bravely despite the power disparity. Had it been any of the S-rank wizards, I would have tested them more thoroughly."

He nodded sagely after that and fell silent, prompting new questions from Jason.

Meanwhile, Lucy sat in odd company as she nursed her drink; Juvia by her side was fine as well, but Gray, Natsu, and Erza were all severely beaten up. Wendy still fussed over them even after several hours passed; she prioritised Natsu as the only one who had another fight tomorrow, but it took a lot of time after the beating Erza gave him. No one spoke, the lot of them merely sipping drinks or, in Natsu's case, devouring a huge meal.

Into this scene, Levy sidled onto the bench next to Juvia with a bright grin; a blank-faced Gajeel followed, though Lucy noticed his bright red ears mostly hidden by that black mane. She threw her nerdy friend a look, but only received that same grin in response. Next Happy appeared, whining that Carla did not want to be friends despite his best attempts. Lucy felt a little sorry for him, but could also understand the reserved Exceed keeping her distance. Wendy encouraged the little guy to keep trying, that her friend needed time to open up to others.

Lucy soaked up all these interactions, not quite feeling like joining the banter. She was happy enough to be in one piece and still in the tournament.

"I'm proud of you," Erza was telling Natsu right now. "I held nothing back and was found wanting. Well done." He merely threw her a thumbs up, well aware that talking with food in his mouth would yield at least one lecture. Lucy grinned into her mug at that thought; she taught him well these past few months.

After swallowing however, her boyfriend called over the table. "Hey, Juvia." Not just the water wizard glanced his way then, seeing that there was little else to focus on. "Just asking, are you okay with fire?"

The question gave even Juvia pause; she tilted her head ever so slightly. "How so?"

"I mean, how bad is it if I turn part of your body to steam?"

"Oh." Juvia mulled that over while Lucy winced; she completely forgot those two would be up against each other. Fire and water made for either an interesting fight, or an explosive one. Juvia nodded slowly. "It will be fine," she decided. "I will be careful just in case, though."

"What about you, Lu? How do you feel about the imminent asskicking?"

Levy's quip earned an arched brow. Lucy put down her mug with a quiet clack, matching her friend's grin with a mocking smile. "Oh, I am looking forward to delivering it onto you." Natsu and Gajeel snickered while the script wizard grimaced over the turnaround. Lucy decided to let off her and sighed. "But I still can't believe I made it to the quarter finals."

"Fair enough," Levy conceded. "At least we don't have any more monsters in our lineup. Well, beside Pris." She threw a look to the giantess seated at a nearby wall, peacefully reading a book of some kind; Lucy thought she recognised the cover of one of her mystery friend's works. "And I've never really seen her fight, beside bullying Gray earlier. Don't think that's going to work against me, by the way." The part-dragon merely chuckled without so much as looking up, carefully turning the page. The gesture seemed to have caught Levy's attention, though. "What are you doing, anyway?"

"Learning light magic."

"...what?"

The entire atmosphere changed; a flummoxed Levy stared at Priscilla, whose gaze left her reading material at last. Lucy thought she saw a flicker of mirth in her expression before it smoothed out. "I already have my strategy against Evergreen, so I am learning light magic to counter your shadows, just in case."

"Are you for real?" Gajeel asked into the silence that followed. "No one can learn new magic that fast." He was right too, though Lucy figured that if anyone could break with that rule, they were looking at her. This was worrisome.

"Do you have something against me, too?"

Thankfully, her question yielded a headshake; Priscilla then favoured her with a smile. "Celestial Spirit magic is too versatile to counter quickly or easily. I will have to rely on what I learned thus far, should the two of us meet in battle. Depending on how well your secret project works, I may even have to draw my scythe."

While this was a relief and dreadful at the same time, Lucy could not follow this thread any further; Levy immediately leaned over Juvia's lap to poke the blonde's shoulder. "Speaking of, what is it? C'mon, you've seen my shadows, tell me!"

"Nope~", she denied with a hint of cheer. "You will find out tomorrow."

"Come oooon! Please? Pretty please?" She even tried puppy dog eyes. They were admittedly cute, but Lucy did no more than rein in her twitching expression. The blunette blew out her cheeks in response. "You're no fun," she lamented.

"Come on, show me at least?" Natsu pleaded next, bearing almost the same hopeful stare Levy tried just before. He kept prodding her too, as if he were ten years younger.

Lucy was about to say no again when her tipsy brain reminded her that not only would he see it anyway, he was her boyfriend now. Not to mention some of her Star Dresses were quite daring. So after downing what was left in her mug, she stood and grabbed Natsu's hand to drag him off. Levy whistled after them, but Lucy ignored whatever teasing remark followed. She then proceeded to show off her newest technique, which may or may not have been followed by another makeout session.

It took a while to realise why Wendy kept throwing her sheepish looks after she returned home; the petite Dragonslayer's nose kept twitching every time she did, so Lucy decided to also take a bath.

Waking up with a younger girl cuddled up to her was nice as well; it really made her feel like an older sister of sorts, even though Wendy was already so mature.

They shared breakfast before heading out and soon enough, Lucy once again sat amongst the audience to watch the first fight; Levy did similarly, though neither of them expected anything spectacular. Priscilla and Evergreen already stood down below, the latter puffed up in her usual haughty manner. This time, the giantess asked for her fight to be pushed ahead.

"Now," Evergreen ended her declaration of victory, "shall we see how long you will last? Leprechaun!" At once golden dust poured out of every crease in her green dress, lighting up and making her glasses glint ominously. Before it could even form into a stream of tiny bullets however, Priscilla up and vanished. The entire volley harmlessly slammed into Freed's wall. The crowd gasped and Lucy's brows soon met her hairline; she could not sense anything, no Ethernano at all.

"Right," Levy muttered. "She can do that."

Lucy was about to ask, only for a strangled cry to return her attention back downward; Priscilla reappeared, now holding a struggling Evergreen around the waist. Showers of gold fell from the captured woman and began to converge on her captor, but shuddered to a halt when the giantess slammed Evergreen into the ground. The crash let stone chips fly from now cracked ground, one of them flicking against the rune wall right in front of Lucy.

In the sudden silence that followed, everyone watched the newly made crater; Evergreen lay on her back, glasses askew and heaving for air. Priscilla studied her, foot twitching the moment she so much as moved. When Evergreen was about to rise, the giantess stomped on her and deepened the crater. She did that twice more before her opponent stayed down, then plucked her out of the now sizable hole and carried her over to where Polyushka waited for them. The crowd remained baffled and probably a little annoyed about not getting a big fight, but Lucy felt no one would complain to her directly.

"I guess she wanted to go first so the interesting fights can come later," she mused, which brought her an agreeing noise from Levy.

Juvia fidgeted next to them before offering her own opinion: "She was pretty brutal there."

"Efficient, more like," Laxus growled; he played over it well, but a single glance at his clenched fists assured Lucy he did not take kindly to what just happened. Whether that was for Evergreen's sake or the Thunder Legion's image of strength, she could not say. Then again, he was not that agitated when Mira beat up Bixlow the previous day. Though the model had been more gentle than... this.

Before she could ponder further, Levy clapped her shoulder jovially. "It's us next. Come on."

"Yeah, right." Lucy followed her friend's lead and leapt over the railing, each landing in a crouch while Makarov announced them. The crowd quickly perked up at the prospect of another battle. Lucy waved and admittedly enjoyed how the cheering grew in pitch. Levy's smile was a little forced, but the Script wizard played over it well enough until they reached the center.

As both women took position opposite to each other, Lucy subtly palmed Taurus' key in her left while displaying Leo's and Virgo's in her right. "Ready to lose?" she teased.

"Pft, bring it. Solid Script-"

"Open, gates of Lion and Maiden!"

"-Vacuum!"

"Leo! Virg-oooooooo!!!"

She managed to call on her spirits, but Levy's magic sent her flying toward the blunette before their gates fully formed. Lucy almost dropped their keys as she struggled to align her body with the super-sized 'Vacuum'; the a's internal hole sucked her in. Levy was already drawing more right behind; she wound up when Lucy passed by, but the blonde managed to catch her kick on reinforced forearms. She went flying anyway, but the Vacuum thankfully lost power and faded.

That was when firm arms fished her out of the air and she found herself realigned, held by Loke; he grinned down at her, foregoing any romantic commentary for once. Lucy was placed on her feet right after. "Sorry for the wait."

"It's fine, keep Levy distracted from-"

"Indestructible!"

The shout was followed by a meaty thwack as Virgo went the same way Lucy did, the red outline of letters on her right cheek. Lucy sighed. "-that."

"Can do."

So saying, Loke dashed forward and grabbed Virgo. The pinkette turned herself around the moment she caught his hand, coming to land with fluttering skirts. Her maid dress complimented Loke's suit as they made a beeline for Levy; she smirked while sinking into her own shadow and dashing across the ground, right for Lucy. Except the blonde was ready, waiting for just the right moment. Ten metres, eight, six, now!

"Oh spirit of the bull, lend your might! Star Dress!"

Lucy felt the key in her right hand grow warm as she channelled Ethernano through it. Taurus' gate glittered beneath her. Its glow coalesced just as Levy jumped out of her shadow to throw a punch. The fist connected, but nothing happened.

For a single moment, the blunette stared dumbfounded; Indestructible around her fist fizzled out. Lucy grinned back as her clothes shifted to what could be generously called a black and white bikini. "Surprise," she chirped, then punched her friend back. This time Levy went flying. She barely managed to turn so she hit the rune wall with her back instead of her face; Lucy already followed up, but she ducked under the next punch. Her fist's impact made the magical wall shudder and sent a tremor through the ground. The blunette fled into her shadow to take distance, still gaping when she reemerged. Lucy smiled to herself at the imprint that matched the one Virgo got earlier. Maid and suit flanked her now, but she started to feel the drain on her reserves.

"This is such cheating."

"Deal with it, sweetie~"

The moment Lucy took a step forward, Loke and Virgo dashed ahead to box Levy in again. Only this time there were no more tricks to reveal; Pris reminded her of the fatal flaw Shadow magic had. "Loke, light!"

Before Levy could vanish, every speck of darkness was cast away by the blinding light of Regulus, Leo's prime star. It flowed into Loke's hand and almost burned itself into Lucy's retina before she looked away. "Solid Sc-ahh!" An explosion of light followed before Lucy cracked one eye open, finding her spirits each holding one of the reeling blunette's shoulders. She pushed off the cracking stone to close the distance and punched Levy in the stomach, throwing her several metres back. She rolled along limply, protective shell cracked. Levy kept lying on the ground where she stopped, heaving for breath.

Taking a deep breath of her own, Lucy felt her thundering heartbeat for the first time. She still managed a smile, bumping fists with Loke and high-fiving Virgo. "Good job, you two. Off you go, we can celebrate later."

"Sure thing, Lucy."

"Of course, Princess."

Loke offered a formal bow while Virgo curtsied, her teasing title drawing a momentary frown. The moment they passed back through their gates and closed them, she felt the drain on her Ethernano lessen considerably.

Only then did she realise just how loud the crowd was cheering. Lucy blinked and looked up, only to find everyone roaring for her. "Uh..." Slowly raising her arm to wave again, the noise grew even further in pitch. "Huh." Blinking incomprehendingly one last time, she slowly trundled over to Levy, who finally breathed normally again. "You okay?"

"Fuck you. Ow."

"Figures. Come here."

Much like Priscilla earlier, Lucy picked up her friend and carried her to Polyushka. Where Evergreen was clutched to the giantess' chest however, Levy had been slung over Lucy's back like a sack of potatoes. She could not help but hum a tune, only stopping when the intimidating elder's glare fully turned her way.

Then Wendy was there, clearly embarassed by something. "Um, Lucy?" she began haltingly. "Your clothes, well, I mean-" She kept stuttering while waving roughly in her own direction. The blonde glanced down at herself, noting the swimsuit-esque outfit.

"Yes? What about it?"

"Are they not a bit too, too, ah, revealing?"

Lucy just shrugged; it was not so bad after some mental preparation, though that might explain why the cheers were that loud. "What, Natsu can show off his abs but I can't?" Well, she did not quite have abs, but her stomach was nicely toned by now; Wendy spluttered, quietly steaming while Lucy pet her head with a giggle. "Relax, it's fine." She nudged the Star Dress to release, closing the final gate fully and thus being left in her previous outfit.

By the time Lucy made it back up to the stands, Juvia and Natsu were already at it; he had the clear advantage because her control over steam was shaky at best. Which meant that Juvia's sole and nasty power fell short of the heat of fire. She managed a few mean surprises, her grasp on that same steam improving as the fight went on, but Natsu ultimately tired her out. He sported several burns by the end while Juvia remained mostly pristine, but of course he was grinning; after bumping fists with his tired opponent, he strolled over to Polyushka. Lucy rolled her eyes before tracking Juvia's ascent.

"Good fight," she greeted the water wizard when she arrived. Juvia shrugged.

"I guess? I really should have thought about steam before Natsu brought it up yesterday."

Lucy nodded slowly and decided not to bother her introspective friend anymore; part of that was the fact several suggestive jokes came to mind within seconds of her last comment. She spent too much time around Levy of late.

A thunderclap brought her attention back to the arena, where Laxus and Mirajane were posturing at each other. He shrugged off his thick jacket with a grin, currents arcing over his entire body; she merely stood with her hands folded, though a certain aura of menace hung around her regardless. "How fun," Mira chirped, "finally an opponent I need to work for. Satan Soul!"

And for the first time in the tournament, the She-Devil revealed herself to the gaping audience. She wasted no time in charging at Laxus, who caught her strike and delivered one of his own; their fight went so fast Lucy had trouble following the exchanges. Sometimes one of them was simply pushed back or went flying after a flurry of punches and kicks. Lightning made Mira's hair stand on end with every contact, Laxus was engulfed by waves of darkness, and neither of them gave the other an inch. Two titans matched each other blow for blow, but in the end only one could stand victorious.

With a final shout, Laxus caught Mira square in the chest and sent her to the ground. She detransformed on impact, cautiously watched; even Lucy in the stands could see her satisfied smile and shuddered, considering how badly she beat up her opponent. Laxus looked like he could collapse any moment, sheer force of will keeping him on his feet.

"Very happy I didn't have to fight either of them," she murmured, mostly to herself. Juvia made an agreeing noise while Lucy herself wondered just how Priscilla wanted to get past that. Laxus even snuck in his Mirror magic without Mira really noticing, making the model injure herself on several of her attacks. Then again, how would that fight have gone if Mira had not just regained access to her Take Over a few months ago? Lucy shuddered again while the crowd around her kept applauding; she joined in belatedly, impressed despite her moment of dread.

Her musing and chatting about that fight was cut short when a crowd formed around her the moment she left the arena, calls of "Milady!" and "Lady Lucy!" telling her who it was before she even had time to look at them; surrounding her, Natsu, and Juvia were the staff members employed at the Heartfilia mansion. Every single one beamed at her, from Nancy the head maid to Pierre the chef. "Wha-" she managed before being drowned out by congratulations and praise. Her friends were just as stupefied.

"Oh, you were wonderful out there," Nancy's voice became audible over the general hubbub. She smoothed out her casual clothes, the first time in all those years Lucy saw her out of uniform, and flashed a gentle smile. "Lady Lailah would have been oh so proud." A pang of joy and pain accompanied that statement, but Lucy's expression softened nonetheless.

"I hope so. What are you all doing here?" She was glad to see them, but never expected an audience like this; somehow, however, her question dimmed the mood quite a bit.

Into the silence, Natsu poked her shoulder. "Who are these guys?"

"The staff from our mansion," she told him with merely a glance back, then went through introducing every single person by name. "And yes, everyone's here," Lucy finished a bit later, well aware of how happy they were that she remembered. With how depressed they all appeared before, she was starting to get an idea she really did not like. Softer now, Lucy asked Nancy directly: "Were you let go?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes." Pierre chimed in there, shrugging with faux nonchalance; Lucy could tell he was not happy. "With Heartfilia Railways bankrupt, Master Jude was unable to offer further employment."

What?

"Hold on." Lucy knew such a wide-eyed stare was unbecoming, but she cared little. "What do you mean, bankrupt? The company was flourishing this time last year, how did that happen?" Her father was not an idiot with money, she could not imagine him making a mistake that grave. Pierre winced.

"Well," he began, "I guess the Council sanctions were harsher than he expected."

"For wha- oh."

It began to dawn on her by this point; the business with Phantom Lord kept on casting shadows onto her life. Lucy averted her gaze, well aware that she had a part in this happening; now she felt dirty, having ruined her father's life's work on accident. Even if it was his own fault, that kind of retribution was not what she wanted. "I see. How is he?"

"Well, ah." Several people glanced elsewhere and when Lucy followed their gazes, her heart skipped a beat. There he stood, dressed in a white button-up shirt and dark blue slacks, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. She did not even realise before thanks to the lack of expensive suit. Their gazes met then and she saw how much trouble he had to keep looking at her; almost nothing was left of the stern businessman she remembered looming behind his desk.

After several seconds, Jude Heartfilia's expression firmed up and he began to walk their way. That was familiar at least, his shoulders square and spine straight; even now that he had nothing left, his pride carried him forward. Natsu tried to interpose himself between them when the staff parted for her father, but Lucy gently pushed him aside. "It's okay," she reassured her boyfriend, well aware that he was currently dissected by her father's gaze. Then she stepped forward to draw all attention to herself. All words died in her throat. He was no better, simply staring at her as if studying a particularly interesting budget report.

"I made many mistakes these past few years," he finally began, holding her gaze once more. "And for that, I am sorry." This had Lucy reeling, but he raised a hand. "There is no need to respond, forgiveness is not that easily found. I do not expect it either, but I wanted to at least apologise. And I need to echo Nancy here. Lailah would be proud. Three Gates at seventeen is impressive even by her standards; she never managed before twenty-five."

"It's... technically, two and a half. Star Dress takes a lot less pressure to maintain than a proper Spirit Gate."

Truth be told, Lucy had no idea what to do or say; she just took the topic he offered her while her gut kept roiling. Should she screech at him until he went away? Hug him? Just break down?

"I would not know much about that. Lailah was the expert there." He grimaced at the reminder of his late wife just like Lucy did, then changed the subject. "This tournament is well organised and advertised. Were you involved?"

"...yeah."

"Well done." his praise had Lucy twitch, unused as she was to that. He meant it too, if that faint smile was any indication. "When I heard the staff talking about it, I decided we might as well. Once the harvest festival ran its course, I will move on to Acalypha for work. Love And Lucky still operates from there, just like back when we started."

Lucy was used to decoding hidden meanings in peoples' words; his were rather quite simple: 'I will leave you be. If you ever want to find me, just check with the merchant guild.' She nodded, message received. At the same time, he was talking only about his own plans. "What about everyone else?"

She was starting to fear the worst for them when his response took a moment, but Nancy's chuckle distracted her. "Don't worry, dear. We all have new work lined up already, thanks to Master Jude's glowing recommendations. Why, Pierre here will join the royal kitchens even!" The chef shuffled his feet while the former head maid chuckled. "We decided that for the last time we all are together, we should come cheer for you here."

"A-Anyway," Jude interrupted to play over his own embarassment, rummaging through his duffel bag. "One more thing before I get out of your hair. I was going through some old files when I found something for you. Completely forgot I had it. So, ah, here." And with some awkwardness, he handed her a thick, slightly crumpled envelope, the back reading only 'for Lucy'.

"What's in it?" She studied the letter curiously and was about to open it when he cleared his throat, a clear enough sign to stop.

"Truthfully, I do not know. Lailah penned this." Lucy's eyes widened at this point; if he noticed, he did not say. "When her condition deteriorated, she told me in no uncertain terms not to open it. It is for your eyes only, as her heir. What you do with it is up to you." Now she stared down at the letter, both understanding she should not read it on a crowded street and wanting to tear it open immediately. "Oh, and this," he distracted her again, this time with a glint of gold. Lucy stared in shock as a Zodiac Key was placed in her open palm. "I thought all but Aquarius' key were stolen during that break-in six years ago, but this one fell out of the box I kept them in for you. It was behind one of the bookshelves in my office."

He paused there to give her a moment to examine the gift. Libra's key lay slightly warm in her hand, as pristine as all the rest. Lucy stared at it, then him, trying and failing to figure out why he was doing all of this. He gave no real indicator either, glancing at her keyring where six golden keys were already gleaming. "It seems they are finding their way back to you already, where they belong."

That was all too much; Lucy trembled, vision growing blurry; she barely managed not to start sobbing. A quick swipe of her arm removed the moisture from her eyes, but she made herself smile at the very least. "I did not expect any of this, really. Thank you. And good luck."

Her father was smiling, too; he said no more, merely turned to leave. Lucy let him go, well aware that no more could be said. The staff said their goodbyes as well, but only after assuring her they would all stay for her next match.

Once she was alone with her friends, Natsu reached over to take her hand. "You alright?" he asked, only for Lucy to shrug; she had no idea. "Hug?" Instead of responding, she let herself fall against his side; Natsu took the hint and wrapped her into a tight embrace. A moment later, he pulled Juvia into it as well; the blunette held on a little awkwardly and Lucy herself felt odd too, but she appreciated her presence nonetheless.

They remained like this for a time before trekking back to the guild; the party was already in full swing by that point, which at least helped distract Lucy for a time. She stowed the letter away for later and joined the general merriment. Evergreen was notably pouting at her table while Bixlow laughed about something or other. Both stiffened when Priscilla approached them sometime later, apologising for her rough treatment earlier. Lucy caught little of their conversation, what with fielding questions about her Star Dress from various parties including Hisui.

"Heh." Levy nudged her side at some point. "You can put that on for Natsu and break his pelvis."

She knew it was intended to be a tease. Nonetheless, Lucy could not help the vivid images running through her mind at that and turned into a tomato. She was thankfully not alone, as Hisui also overloaded from Levy's crude commentary. What made it worse was that Lucy actually considered something along those lines, minus breaking anything. At least her friend stopped it once she had her laugh.

"That aside, you're up against Pris next. And you better make her work for it, you hear?" The blunette earned a lot of agreement from around them. Lucy's stomach twisted itself into knots at the prospect, but she nodded anyway.

"I can try, but Priscilla is Priscilla. She had not much trouble so far."

"Well yeah, she's going to win." Natsu shrugged at her, not at all deterred by the idea of an impossible battle. "But that doesn't mean you can't push her."

Lucy heaved a sigh and gazed to the other two contestants still in the running. Laxus sat stoically on his chair while Wendy fussed over him with a faint blush, which she could understand; he was both intimidating and attractive in the same rough way Natsu was. Not that he gave the teen much attention in return, mostly focussed on pretending he was not in pain. Meanwhile, Priscilla had returned to her favourite corner near Mystogan; a slowly morphing spell circle floated atop her palm. She glanced up as if having sensed Lucy's attention and when their eyes met, offered a faint smile. No concern at all.

"Ugh. I can try. If I die, burn my manuscripts."

"Can do," Levy chirped without missing a beat.

As several other people came up to tell her to throw everything she had at Priscilla, Lucy began to realise that either the situation or the giantess' effortless victories created a general atmosphere of opposition. Everyone knew she would triumph, but they all wanted to see her pushed to work for her victory. Lucy had a few ideas for that. With Laxus being the most likely finalist from the other pair, well, who knew what would happen?

Either way, she excused herself early to begin preparations; she needed to talk to her spirits again, form a pact with Libra, and read that letter. That last one, she decided to do first, before Wendy arrived for the night. So Lucy settled at her desk and broke the seal.

 

[Naron]

"My dear Lucy,

I hope this letter finds you well. I wrote it as a precaution, with instructions to pass it onto you on your sixteenth birthday, should I not return from the final part of our mission. Under that assumption, I will likely have died long ago to you. I am sorry, both for leaving you alone and for not telling you in person. But in this one case, the mission comes before family. I trust Jude to raise you well.

Regardless, in case I fail or the time is not right, you must know. The Heartfilia have passed down this task for generations, ever since the age of dragon rule. It began with Anna, whom the Black Wizard Zeref recruited. Now I know what you think, but please withhold judgement until I am done. For you see, Zeref desired to destroy Acnologia, the last dragon. He conspired with three other dragons whose spirits refused to move on, to train Dragonslayers that could eventually destroy Acnologia; unfortunately, there was not enough Ethernano left to sustain powerful magic like theirs, and so Zeref built Eclipse and the Zodiac Keys to activate it. Eclipse draws in Ethernano from its surroundings until ready and can only be opened during a solar or lunar eclipse. Once activated, the device creates a pathway to another time the gate is opened. The Dragonslayers will pass through into our time, where Ethernano is abundant enough to sustain them.

While I write this letter, I know I will head for Crocus tomorrow to activate Eclipse. The activation alone is draining at best and may kill me at worst. I do not yet know how bad it will be; in case the worst comes to pass, I leave with you detailed plans for how to access Eclipse. Furthermore, an assortment of celestial spells you may be interested in. Grow your power, have children, and then bestow upon them the same duty I bestow upon you. Regardless our feelings about Zeref, Acnologia must be stopped before he destroys all of Earthland. The Dragonslayers are our only real chance.

Again, I am sorry that this might be the last you will ever hear of me. I am sorry that I could not do more for you, not spend more time with you. If all goes well, I will see you soon and you will never read this letter. Perhaps our line's duty ends with me. I never told Jude and you should not, either. Secrecy is one of our most important allies, as the mere mention of Zeref can get you into a lot of trouble. Do be safe, Lucy. I can not know yet, but I am certain you will make me proud.

I love you.
Lailah"

---

Lucy stared down at the first page again. Only the faint rustling of bedsheets drowned out her breathing; Wendy was awake, but too comfortable to get out of bed. This once however, even though the blunette rose with the sun, Lucy had been up before her. Reading this letter the night before was a mistake. She hardly managed to sleep with how her thoughts raced. She read it several times since then and skimmed all the other sheets enclosed in the package. The old wounds were torn wide open, making her want to bundle up and cry; at the same time, her mind was abuzz with all the knowledge now bestowed upon her.

A stronger rustle and murmured "Good morning" snapped Lucy out of her brooding. She glanced at Wendy, who rubbed her eyes before nimbly hopping out of bed. A curtain of blue trailed after her into the bathroom, followed by the sound of running water. Lucy spent that time putting away everything enclosed in the envelope. Especially Wendy should not see it, considering that it concerned her. Which brought her back to the other issue: how in the world could Lucy break the news to her friends? She knew all three Dragonslayers, but none of them would react well to learning they were four hundred years from the past.

Heaving a sigh, Lucy stretched to several satisfying pops in her limbs; she sat there until Wendy was done in the bathroom. The Dragonslayer had already fixed a small breakfast from the pantry when she left, but Lucy only snatched an apple. "I need to do some thinking," she excused herself. "Don't worry about being moderate and dig in, okay?"

"Very well. If you, er, want to talk, I would lend an ear?"

"That is sweet of you, but no. For now I need to clear my head." Not to mention Wendy was just about the last person to air these particular worries to. "See you."

"Take care."

It felt odd to have someone see her off from her own home, but this morning the sensation merely added itself to the twister in Lucy's gut. She aimlessly wandered for a time, trying to make sense of the world and failing. A muttered "Thanks, Zeref" was her only actual commentary. At least it was deserved this time. Thinking of him, how should Lucy react to learning that her mother's side of the family was in cahoots with Zeref of all people for centuries? A part of her was instinctually disgusted. Yet another noted that without his involvement, she never would have met Wendy and Gajeel, or Natsu for that matter.

While all these impressions warred with each other, she also wondered if it was even true; but then again, why would her mother lie to her in such detail? Why in a letter? It made so little sense that Lucy disregarded the possibility and accepted it all as fact despite how ludicrous it sounded.

Into all these considerations, a shadow fell over Lucy; quite literally, at that. She snapped out of her funk long enough to look up, and up; Priscilla gazed down at her. The giantess wore her customary gentle smile, though she definitely noticed the bags under Lucy's eyes and her distraught expression. "Good morning," she greeted kindly. "Are you alright?"

Lucy nodded, but could not quite meet her guildmate's eyes. "Yeah, just thinking."

"Walk with me, then? You need not speak, but you are rather quite distracted to be wandering on your own."

"Sure."

She absently fell in line with the far taller woman, for once not quietly amused by their comical height difference. Priscilla kept on going, amicably greeting passersby and having little chats here and there. Lucy wondered all the while whether she should bring up the subject with her; all their interactions to this day were pleasant, not to mention she was slated to be the next guild master.

After weighing the pros and cons without finding a definite answer for several minutes, Lucy decided to just do it; she needed to talk to someone. "Pris? Do you have some time?"

"Certainly. What is on your mind?"

"Well, not something I can talk about in public."

"Oh, I see. Come along then."

And so it was that Lucy got to visit her giant friend's home for the first time; a dirt road led up to the cliffside. It sported a giant, wooden door that looked decidedly out of place. Lucy's next impression was the fluttering of wings, chirping of chicks, and cawing of various crows. That clued her in to the presence of far too many birds; they made their nests everywhere around the entrance, studying Lucy from their perches. It was so eerie that she breathed a sigh of relief the moment the door closed behind them. Then the place itself caught her attention, fully furbished if a little messy; bundles of yarn lay here and there, not to mention several easels placed along the wall.

"I did not know you paint?"

"I do not, generally. This is practice." Priscilla levitated a brush for emphasis and set a few remote strokes, then placed it back down. Lucy made an understanding noise while the giantess cleared whatever lay around and ushered her to sit on the oversized couch. A few knitting needles orbited her head before returning to their resting places, quickly replaced by a mug of hot chocolate. The couch sank when Priscilla settled next to her, far enough to make Lucy slide against her thigh.

"Now, what bothers you?"

Be it the homely atmosphere, the warm drink that reminded her of easier times with her mother, or the need to tell someone. Words blubbered out of Lucy after one last moment of hesitation. She told Priscilla everything, from the encounter with her father to the letter's revelations. Lucy began crying at some point, confusion and a renewed sense of loss gnawing at her. She quickly felt a large hand wrapped around her side, comforting as well as alienating. "I just do not know what to do," she ended, barely managing not to stutter.

There was no response for a while and Lucy slowly calmed down; the hot chocolate helped, spreading warmth where she felt cold. Only when the mug was empty and her tears ran dry did Priscilla speak up: "This is certainly not a small matter. Which part exactly distresses you so?"

"Well, all of it?" Pris was far too calm about it; the dichotomy drew an almost hysteric giggle from Lucy and she began to count off: "Some of my friends, and my boyfriend, are from hundreds of years in the past. Time travel is possible. My family is involved in an ancient plot to kill a dragon. There is a time travel device somewhere around the capital. And to top it all off, Zeref is involved in all of it! He made the original Gate Keys, for crying out loud!"

Lucy almost chucked her keyring away at the reminder; the golden keys felt somehow tainted now. Before she could get worked up any more however, she was lifted up to be cradled against a giant chest. Lucy melted into the disproportionate embrace, thankful for the comfort it spent. "How are you so calm about this?" she muttered, weakly clawing at the thick vest her guildmate wore today.

"For one, I lack the preconceived notions of one who was raised in Earthland." The giantess' voice reverberated through Lucy from so close; she listened intently. "For two, I was already aware of this plot against the kinslayer. This is now a secret we share. Shush," she added when Lucy reared back to ask. "Zeref himself told me. Quite the surprise, no?"

"W-What? How?!" The second word came out as a shout that echoed around the room; Lucy stared up at her friend and watched a serene smile grace her expression.

"He was cursed to eternal life and I encountered him some time ago while traveling for work. Though I did not learn his name immediately."

"...that friend you talked about? The one who helped with my Star Dress?"

"Exactly. He was so happy to work through the puzzle you created. I wish you could have met him." Pris became wistful at this point, her gaze flicking past Lucy into untold distances; the blonde was too shocked to formulate a response. "He was not at all like what people expect. Polite, genuinely kind. He loved life, you know? He just lived too long for a human to bear, and became exceedingly radical in his attempts to break the curse."

She wordlessly leaned back into the embrace and tried to reconcile her feelings with this new reality dumped over her like a bucket of cold water. Conspiracies including the most dangerous wizard known to history, people from other worlds, and she was somehow in the middle of it. Priscilla gave her the time to digest this.

Then however, she realised something curious. "Why can I not meet him now?"

"Because I killed him, by his request."

"How?"

"You do know I am a sanctioned Death wizard, yes?"

"...forget I asked."

Lucy snuggled closer to the warmth and tried to forget it all for a moment, but failed; her mind was racing, trying to fit all the pieces together. She failed at that, too.

"What do I do?"

Priscilla uttered a low hum that once again reverberated through Lucy; huge fingers began to stroke the back of her head as gently as they could. "I am not quite certain myself. Even after months of pondering the issue, I can not decide whether to inform them; not doing so feels like a disservice, but doing it will place an incredible burden upon them. Though I have a question, if I may." Lucy nodded against her chest. "What happened to your mother after she opened Eclipse?"

Lucy shuddered faintly, but at this point she was already opening up; it stung to think back to those days nonetheless. "Mama came back weak. Very weak. Her health took a sudden nosedive and none of the doctors Papa hired could tell why. They suspected some kind of magical side effect, but she never told anyone what could have caused that. Her entire body fell apart and she passed away a month later."

"I see. My condolences."

She forewent an actual response in favour of staring at the wall, finally spent. A weight was taken off Lucy's shoulders, only to be replaced by another, lesser one. Priscilla cradled her silently.

After some time, Lucy sighed. "So what now? We definitely can not tell them before the tournament is over." That would be cruel, destroying everyone's good mood like that. Then however, she realised something curious. "Wait, if they all came through the gate together, why did they not meet each other at all until last year? How did they get separated?"

"Perhaps it would be better to ask them. I do not know."

"Yeah, that is true." And speaking of things that bothered her, now that Lucy's mind finally let off the subject of her bloodline's connection to Zeref, she remembered that Priscilla was acting odd. "By the way, is something on your mind? You have been stiff ever since the day we met Wendy."

As if caught in a lie, the giantess fell still around her. Lucy leaned back to seek her eyes, finding a troubled expression that kept flipping between frown and snarl. Priscilla was the one to look away first. "Indeed there is, and indeed I was. My entire being demands I find little Wendy's caretaker and rend her asunder. Ever since I learned of who she is, I needed to wrest this urge under control."

"Wait, wait." This went too fast for her to follow. "What is the problem with Wendy? Or her caretaker, I guess?"

Priscilla's expression went cold in an instant and Lucy felt a surge of otherworldly anger well up within her. It was followed by an echo of fire the likes of which even Natsu could not produce. The mental image vanished as fast as it appeared, leaving her to shiver. The dragon holding her spoke softly, yet there was no missing the sharp undercurrent in every word: "Quelaan of Izalith, daughter of the Witch, is one of those responsible for my kind's demise. They weaved the storms of flame that burned our roosts to cinders, so that their allies could harry us relentlessly."

"Oh."

"Yes, quite."

Though Priscilla sounded like she would have liked the subject dropped there, Lucy could not help but ask: "Is it really that hard to rein yourself in?" She received no response beyond a faint squeeze and left it at that.

Silence enveloped them again while Lucy made another attempt to reconcile knowledge and reality; everything suddenly felt a few degrees sideways from how it had been yesterday. How could one just accept the existence of such a conspiracy? Not to mention that Zeref himself helped develop her new ace power; it was so ludicrous that despite all evidence, Lucy almost did not believe it. And for him to have made the tools she used for her beloved magic as well, she thought, only to realise something about her friends.

Rustling around, she extended a hand and willed a Gate into existence; it gleamed aquamarine, wave patterns constantly rolling along its circular frame. "Open, Gate of the waterbearer. Come forth, Aquarius."

Somehow, she lacked her usual enthusiasm but also the dread that accompanied a summon of her oldest and most strict companion. The mermaid lazily floated around on a thin coat of water from a nearby vase, scowling already; her expression smoothed out somewhat when she saw Lucy's distraught state, as well as Priscilla studying her curiously. "What is this, then? I told you before not to call me for frivolous nonsense."

"Zeref."

It only took one word to change Aquarius' entire disposition; her scowl slipped into pure surprise, all annoyance lost in a single moment. So it was just like Lucy thought. "You know him. Why did you never say? No, that is a stupid question." She understood that much, too. "Why did you work with him?"

Her friend grew defensive in response while Lucy waited expectantly; Aquarius crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I do not see the issue," she declared.

Priscilla squeezed Lucy again, clearly understanding better. "She, too, lacks the frame of reference humans of Earthland possess. The spirits are alien lifeforms to this world as well, after all." The moment she had spoken up, Aquarius sized her up instead; in difference to Lucy however, Priscilla was not intimidated. "A pleasure to meet you in person, lady of lakes and depths."

"Oh?" Now the mermaid was surprised, floating closer. "One who actually has manners! Will wonders ever cease?" After her meek taunt, she leaned back and returned to the previous subject: "Now, what is this about Zeref? What is your business with him?"

"We were sorting through our respective business with him, as he has passed on recently."

"He what?"

Despite her abrasiveness, Lucy always saw Aquarius as an unshakable pillar. She was now disabused of this notion because the spirit's utter shock broke her cultivated facade. Tears gathered in the corner of her eyes and she raced closer on a thin rail of water, forcefully taking hold of Priscilla's face. "He is gone?" she asked as if unable to believe it.

"Yes."

The giantess, too, failed to hide her pain; even though she was the one responsible, Lucy began to realise it was not easy on her either. She wanted to ask questions, insert herself into the conversation somehow, but a drip hitting her on the cheek told her now was not the time. Aquarius slumped forward, the water she commanded as easily as humans breathed turning to mist; Lucy caught her in a fierce hug, both of them quickly wrapped in a bigger hug by Priscilla.

It was not what she expected out of this, but she hardly cared; Aquarius needed her right now. Therefore, she focussed on comforting the mermaid for as long as she allowed. It was not long before the proud spirit pulled herself back together, slipping out of their arms and facing the two of them. Her mouth flapped open and closed a few times before she inclined her head. "I will return now. Do not call me for the next week. I will not inform the others of this for today, so they can focus on your fight. If you make it further than this, the zodiacs will not be able to help."

That was news to Lucy. "Wait, all the zodiacs?"

"Of course. All of us were contracted to Zeref, he needed to open our Gates to create the keys. Beside you, he is the only one to petition his majesty in the last five hundred years. He is precious to us." Aquarius paused there to wipe her eyes, voice unusually soft. "Leo may not remember, though. The lions have a bad habit of getting themselves killed every hundred years or so. His predecessor formed the pact."

That said, she fell back into the water and vanished with a splash, leaving Lucy to ponder what just happened. She slumped against Priscilla again, all energy drained. "I am an awful person."

"As am I," the other woman agreed mirthlessly and squeezed her again. "Do you want some more hot chocolate?"

"Yes, please."

Lucy did not leave until an hour or so before her match in the afternoon. After washing up and stepping outside, she wandered to the guildhall; her mind kept circling around that letter, previous worries about her imminent destruction long forgotten. There was even another way to distract herself the moment she caught sight of all three Dragonslayers at the same table; her and Pris never did figure out how they got separated, after all.

"Oh, that?" Natsu shrugged once she asked them about it. "It's been a long time ago, I don't remember much about it. We were in a carriage or something, right?" Gajeel nodded slowly, but Wendy could only tilt her head at them.

"Then Wendy jumped out and ran off," the iron Dragonslayer added, scrunching his brow as he tried to remember. "Think she was shouting for Grandine? Anyway, we tried to bring her back and got lost, never found her. Now we're here."

"Yeah, something like that."

"...my apologies for making such trouble. I do not even remember that."

"It's fine," Natsu reassured her with a laugh. "We're all here now, right? And if you hadn't run off, I might've never joined Fairy Tail!"

"I guess that is true. I assume I would not have found Quelaan out in the wilderness, either. Perhaps it was for the best."

Lucy had a hard time keeping her mouth shut about what she now knew and they did not; both of their origins and Priscilla's issues with this Quelaan character. She was almost glad that her match started soon.

Lucy cursed her fickle feelings once she actually found herself being towered over by a politely smiling giantess. "This is going to hurt, is it not?" she quipped faintly, which prompted a chuckle.

"You can always surrender," Priscilla offered, well aware that her opponent would not do so; Lucy merely arched an eyebrow in response. The dragon inclined her head, then folded both hands behind her back. "Very well. I will allow you to summon in peace, but no quarter will be granted afterward. Show me what you are made of, Lucy."

Now her eyes narrowed; the challenge was blatant and her opponent's very real arrogance already had some more of the crowd rooting for Lucy. She huffed and drew three keys. "We will see if you regret that. Open, Gates of the Golden Bull and Heavenly Scales! Come forth, Taurus and Libra! Lend me your strength, oh Maiden! Star Dress, Virgo! Mirror Mirror!"

Circle after circle was filled to bursting with her magic, tearing open the space between worlds to admit her friends. A bipedal bull almost the size of Priscilla stomped forward with a determined "Moooo", his battleaxe clasped tightly. Next to him appeared a tanned woman garbed in a dancer's dress, face obscured by a veil from the nose down. Sharp eyes sized up Priscilla while a fine black dress fluttered into being around Lucy; her golden hair gained a faint pink tinge as Virgo's power took hold. Then Mirror magic cloaked her like a protective blanket. The drain this put on her was ridiculous, but she could use it all for a single, quick fight.

The amber gaze sizing her up was filled with pride, though that quickly faded. Priscilla kept standing in place, her ankle-length skirt fluttering in the breeze. The crowd held its breath as both sides tried to stare the other down.

A second passed. Then two.

Then Lucy slashed her arm through the air. "Go!"

Taurus stomped forward at once. A spell circle popped into being behind Priscilla, but flickered and faded when the very air distorted. Libra held out both hands toward her and liberally put on pressure. The ground cracked as Priscilla's weight doubled, tripled, quadrupled. The surprised giantess was forced to her knees as gravity kept growing around her. She could not even raise her hand to block the axe coming her way; Lucy charged after the bull to follow up on his attack, only to stumble to a halt when a wet noise silenced the crowd.

The axe hit its mark, biting into Priscilla's shoulder. No Ethernano stopped it, no protective shell halting the brutal weapon. The giantess hissed in pain as bright crimson began to soak her vest and shirt, slowly crawling its way down the once snowy white.

Lucy had half a second to be horrified before a low growl sent her stumbling back; the physical force behind it scared her. Then Libra gasped as her magic fizzled away under Priscilla's glare; now that she could move again, one hand grasped the surprised Taurus' throat and raised him up like a toy. He struggled and kicked, moo-ing almost desperately as he dislodged the axe and prompted another spurt of blood. Priscilla threw him into the runes with a dismissive snort.

Only when her irate gaze fell on her still horrified opponent did she pause; Pris took a deep breath. "My congratulations," she ground out. "Thus far I fought without the most basic protections, trusting in my body's natural toughness to prevent injury. No matter." Even though the pain clearly affected her, Priscilla willed through it. And then the blood hardened, clotting up into a scab that could be weeks old. "Coagulation," the giantess added, almost like an afterthought.

"Call someone else," Libra broke into the silence that followed her display. "She can negate my gravity control."

"How- whatever, return from whence you came. Thank you."

Libra offered a faint bow while Lucy felt for and disregarded Aquarius' Key; before she got the chance to go for another, she had to use Virgo's Diver to dodge a vicious kick.

Priscilla pivoted and followed into the ground, dashing after Lucy with experience any other would need years to obtain. But Virgo was the one to create Diver in the first place. It was hers in a way no one could match, not even an ancient super lifeform. Lucy's body moved on another's experience and skill, dancing around the larger woman with effortless grace. She quickly resurfaced and leapt onto Taurus' shoulder, Priscilla following behind. The giantess took a vicious blow to the face that failed to draw blood this time, stumbling back. Lucy leapt onward, another key in hand. "Open, Gate of the Lion. Come forth, Leo!"

Her fall was suspended when Loke caught her once again; he then dashed away to support Taurus just as the bull received a nasty right hook.

Lucy caught her breath for a moment as the titans brawled; the ground shook under their weight, but Priscilla was continuously driven back. Every time she began to respond to Taurus' actually dangerous blows, Loke jumped in and dazzled her with bright punches.

That was, until she caught him. A growled "Enough" was all the warning Lucy got before she had to duck under a ballistic spirit. A knee to his loincloth had Taurus go down with a high-pitched moo. Priscilla hopped backward, shaking the ground once more as Ethernano began to form all around her. Spell circles popped into being that formed a row of stars above them. Lucy saw it before, both in the Tower of Heaven and during New Year.

"Grand Cha-" was all she heard before her head vanished underground. Then everything above exploded. A rain of light fell onto the entire arena, viciously battering Taurus while Loke somehow dashed around most of it. He took a few glancing blows and charged Priscilla who stood serenely, only for another circle to activate. Lucy did not hear what she said, but from one moment to the next she became a blur; Loke's lunge went nowhere now, the dragon reappearing next to him with a gleaming fist and a third spell. He was hammered into the ground and stone flew, but Lucy prevented the following stomp by snatching him underground.

The moment of confusion was enough for Taurus to get up on shaky legs. He grabbed his axe with an actual snarl; this was now personal for him.

"Once I surface, we give him an opening," Lucy told her wheezing friend. Loke nodded and mustered his will to keep going, then she accelerated upward.

The furiously charging bull held Priscilla's attention, making her miss both figures reappearing almost under her torn skirt. Lucy and Loke leapt in sync, grabbing onto her shoulders to vault upward again. Just as her head began to turn, Loke kicked her forehead toward Lucy, who delivered the same kick and sent her reeling; just then, Taurus' axe came down from above, smashing into Priscilla's face like a force of nature. She crumpled, but her shell held.

"Solaris!"

And then there was light. Lucy screamed as it flashed into her eyes like the sun itself. She faintly heard another shout by her side and a louder one from Taurus. Something hit her in mid-air and she went flying, her course only interrupted by an unyielding wall. Impact drove all air from Lucy's lungs and her own shell flickered dangerously; then Taurus' gate snapped shut as he left, too hurt to continue. She blinked away tears and bright spots, only spotting a blurry shape darting around the ragged giantess.

Just as her vision began to clear, a lucky punch caught Loke and he, too, retreated into the Spirit world.

Lucy clawed at the ground, trying to get her legs to work; she blinked furiously to see clearly, well aware of the footsteps nearing. A shadow fell upon her and when she kept failing to stand, Lucy tried to escape downward; a large hand followed and snatched her this time, pulling the blonde back out of the ground. She was raised up to Priscilla's face, the other woman clearly battered but not broken. Blue and green bruises stood out starkly against her ivory skin, but they did not seem to bother her.

"Will you surrender now?"

Her question was calm, offering Lucy a way out. She knew she should take it, spare herself the pain that would follow.

Lucy's response was to punch her in the nose.

Priscilla flinched back, but her grip never wavered; if anything, it grew tighter, constricting Lucy. The dragon reared back and threw her against the opposite rune wall; a wave of pain ran through her entire chest and abdomen on impact, followed by her hip when she reached the ground. Once again Priscilla prevented escape and held her up again; this time she winced after taking the same damage. The almost feral snarl levelled at her might have scared Lucy some other time, but right now she was too busy fighting to stay concious.

Instead of throwing her again, Priscilla kept staring at her; large, amber eyes narrowed and something pressed down onto Lucy's mind. She felt her thoughts slip away as darkness closed in, but she fought. Every fiber of her being demanded to stay awake and keep going, but in the end it claimed her regardless.

Into the darkness however, there was light. Carried by a wave of sound, she began float amidst an ocean of stars. She flickered in and out, her golden light traversing eternity in instants before falling silent once more. Some of the stars gleamed in response. Faint lines connected them, forming constellations. The lion answered first, followed right after by the waterbearer. Bull, scales, cancer, maiden, and archer all called to her, but then more followed. The ram almost blinded her nonexistent eyes. The scorpion flickered almost lazily. The paired fish sent forth their response in tandem with the twins, and even the goat glittered.

Other formations followed, the lyre, southern cross, and pendulum clock first amongst them. Tens, hundreds, thousands of stars greeted her as she fluttered by. Lucy rotated around herself, lost within this realm of light until a giant hand appeared from nowhere. She was not scared of it despite the imposing gauntlet and otherworldly shine; this light, she had known since the day of her birth. It settled in her soul before her first concious thought, the first scream of life.

"Welcome, old friend."

The rumbling voice soothed her. Lucy snuggled into the gentle hold and found herself displaced; within moments she stood before a throne made of stars. Eleven spirits were present, all in various states of distress focussed around Aquarius; Lucy recognised her zodiac friends, of course. They were joined by Aries, Scorpio, Pisces, and Gemini. Every head turned her way when she took a tentative step toward them.

There were exclamations she could not quite hear, several people rushing to her side; a cloud of pink fluff caught Lucy, followed by Aries' slamming into her. More words were spoken, tears were shed, and she automatically embraced the slightly shorter woman; Aries was the ram, but appeared entirely human except for a small pair of horns crowning her head. She cried into Lucy's chest for a reason she could not fathom. Her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, thoughts only came slow.

"Am I dead?"

A choked laugh followed as Gemi and Mini fluttered around her head, the tiny, humanoid sprites both shedding tears. "Don't be silly-" "-the dead don't come here-" "-but you shouldn't, either." They chirped in rapid succession.

Virgo appeared by her side next, gently wiping Aries' tears with a handkerchief. "I believe this was my fault," she began by way of explanation. "You passed out while wielding a piece of me, so the gate's closing may have dragged your conciousness along, Princess."

"I see," she murmured, feeling too dull to be agitated; all that occupied her right now was a faint sense of curiousity. Lucy took in the people present again, the empty throne. "Is this the starlit throne?"

"Indeed", the rumbling voice from before answered. Supernovas flared along the throne's edge. It was occupied from one moment to the next; the Celestial Spirit King peered down at her, so bright he was barely a silhouette. Only his red eyes stood out, two stars in their own right. "Be welcome, old friend," he repeated. "Few humans ever walked the Pax Stellaris. You shall return safe and sound in due time."

"Okay. Thank you." It was really all she could say, caught between mild shock and her continued curiousity. "Where is Capricorn?"

Her question cast a blanket of silence over everyone; the first she looked to for answers was Aquarius, who averted her gaze. Loke grimaced and spoke up when no one else did: "Banished, just like me. I don't know why or how, but he killed his summoner."

"Worse," the King grumbled, head propped up on one fist. "He cannibalised their body to stabilise in your realm.

Lucy nodded again and let the matter slide for now. She still had a distraught ram spirit clinging to her. So instead of learning any more or socialising, she comforted Aries. Scorpio held Aquarius, the two of them grieving together. It took her a while to remember that this was a wake. Even Loke who never met Zeref was caught up in the maelstrom of emotions, awkwardly comforting Taurus and Libra as they cried together. Virgo finally joined Lucy and Aries in search of warmth. Above them all, the Spirit King stood guard; he only rose when Lucy's awareness began to fade. A pathway of stars lit up in response and a gentle push sent her home, past eternity in an instant.

When she woke up, the dream remained stuck in her memory. Lucy stared up at the white ceiling, trying to comprehend where she was. She fought, and she lost.

Relaxing into the soft pillow, her head shifted slowly to take in the room; her body stung all over, but she had worse. Priscilla was worse off than her, she saw moments later. The giantess sat motionless where a missing bed ought to have been, her upper half bare as Wendy climbed along her shoulder. Polyushka observed from the side, directing her assistant and handing her various concoctions. Priscilla's skin was covered in bruises. Lucy wondered momentarily when she caught her in the chest before remembering the Mirror magic; then she winced. Her own was already hurting badly, but that had to be even worse. Somehow, the other woman did not even flinch.

Or perhaps, Lucy reasoned, the hole in her shoulder overrode all the rest. It still looked awful even after however long this treatment went on.

"I'm sorry," she could not help but whisper. Wendy fell still in response and Priscilla twitched; the dragon lady had stared ahead with an empty gaze, but now she turned to look at Lucy. There was no accusation there, no anger, if anything, it was respect.

"Do not be. T'was my own folly that saw me injured."

"Why would you go into a fight without a shell anyway, you stupid girl?" Polyushka snapped, but paused when the far larger woman chuckled.

"Conceit, plain and simple. Pride made me disregard Lucy as a threat. It seems I still have not learned this particular lesson." She hissed when the motion aggravated her wound, but her grimace vanished as fast as it appeared. "Regardless, please check up on Lucy for now. I can endure."

The old woman's eyes narrowed, but she responded with a curt nod. Moments later, Lucy received her full attention. Wendy kept tending to Priscilla, whose gaze remained on her erstwhile opponent. "My apologies to you," she added after a time. "I really should not have underestimated you like I did."

"'Is fine," Lucy responded with a faint smile, though a wince wiped it away. "Ow. I am sorry about your shoulder."

"Tis my own fault to begin with."

Lucy was about to disagree, but her senses shuddered from a discharge of Ethernano not too far away; Wendy stiffened and turned the same direction, but neither Priscilla nor Polyushka seemed to have noticed. Nothing else happened for long seconds, then muted cheers and applause filtered into the infirmary. From the noise level, Lucy figured they were close to the arena. She blinked, then blanched as realisation settled in. "Wait, did I miss Natsu's fight?"

Polyushka just huffed while taking notes. Wendy shook herself and returned to healing Priscilla; only the giantess deigned to respond with a faint nod. "Afraid so. The master deliberated waiting, but the crowd was quite enthusiastic after our match."

Lucy groaned at that; she was looking forward to this one! At least it did not take long for company to arrive; Natsu hobbled in a walking bruise, followed by Freed steadying a barely concious Laxus. The men were directed to the free beds opposite to hers, but Natsu took a detour to sit at her bedside; if he noticed the caustic glare levelled by Polyushka, he did not show it.

"Hey there."

"Hey." Lucy could not help but smile, his own good cheer somehow infectious. "You look awful."

"You too," he shot back, hand clasping hers. "But at least I won my fight."

"Wait, really?"

"Yup. Close one, but I made it."

Lucy was about to launch into further questions, but the sight of a clearly annoyed healer made her reconsider. "Congratulations. We can talk about it later, before madame Polyushka finishes what Laxus started."

"Heh, sure." He slid off the bed and hobbled past the muttering elder to lie down. Laxus seemed content staring a hole into his bedsheets. Meanwhile, Wendy was trying her best to preserve Priscilla's modesty with her body. She failed for the most part, not that the giantess seemed to mind.

Now that the partly recovered hole was back in sight and thus on Lucy's mind, she thought back to the match. Trying to remember how everything went down, she found herself curious. "How did you shake off Libra earlier?"

"Hm? Ah." Paying no attention to the increasingly flustered Dragonslayer hanging off her front, Priscilla launched into a short explanation: "Gravity is a natural force, which I am adept at manipulating in my own way. It appears that my own power merely overcame Libra's. Regardless," she continued, "I have to commend you once again. Both your will and ferociousness, at that. Had I not forced you unconcious by non-physical means, I would have to sustain even more damage."

"Speaking of, was that healing magic you used earlier? On your shoulder, I mean."

Both Wendy and Polyushka became attentive at that; Priscilla slowly shook her head. The motion unintentionally dislodged the blunette from her bosom. "Something adjacent, but ultimately less potent. I imagine I could will my body to heal faster, but that would require studying anatomy first. My own, at that. From what I gathered, actual healing magic is an intricate art while my approach is rather straight-forward. I prefer not to risk anything too complicated, so I simply forced my blood to coagulate."

"It is surprising you managed to keep fighting with such a deep wound regardless," Freed chimed in; his gaze carefully rested on Priscilla's face. Lucy had to applaud his restraint, well aware that even Natsu was peeking. And so was she, for that matter.

Priscilla shrugged. "I said I would stand victorious, and so I shall." She left it at that, as if merely deciding not to lose was a thing she could do. Lucy was admittedly a little distracted, at least until Wendy threw a blanket over the giantess' front.

"Okay," she decided on, then switched her attention to the men. "And you two? How did it go?"

She really should not have asked; Natsu recounted the fight at length with accompanying hand motions where his injuries allowed. From what he told her, she missed the fight of the decade; a clash of titans that put even the battle between Laxus and Mirajane to shame. Both sides fought tooth and nail, back and forth, lightning and mirrors against fire. Laxus threw in some caustic comments, cluing Lucy in that only this black flame Natsu sometimes used saw him through.

"Actually, what is that fire, anyway?"

He fell suspiciously quiet when Lucy asked, clearly debating internally what to say. Before Natsu came to a conclusion, Priscilla interrupted them: "I know what it is." This earned her several surprised looks, including from Happy who snuck in at some point. The giantess smiled weakly. "Alas, I can not reveal this without Natsu's consent. I would ask that you refrain from using it tomorrow."

"I mean, I was kinda thinking I just throw the match. I don't wanna be master."

"You shall not." He stiffened under her sudden sternness, only relaxing when Priscilla's expression softened. "But as you know, my personal magic is Death magic. I feel it is only fair that neither of us has access to their trump, no?"

The reminder had Lucy shiver and drew surprise from both healers, but Natsu merely nodded. "Yeah, fine by me. Are you sure it's okay? I'm still a Dragonslayer, you know?"

"I will manage."

The previous mirth was back and Lucy relaxed into her covers; somehow, everything turned out well. She was aching just about everywhere, but still. In time she was released and met with another celebration; there were so many hugs and claps on the back that it all became a blur. Natsu and Laxus joined sometime later, the latter awkwardly comforted by the Thunder Legion.

Laxus himself was too busy thinking; he left the guild hall for an early night, too. His many bruises still stung, but Polyushka always did quick work. The cool evening air helped soothe his roiling mind as well; having lost to Natsu of all people was aggravating, but less so than some other people. His final opponent was walked home by Lucy and the Dragonslayer girl like a ninny, too; the sight had Laxus snort.

Still, his faint amusement did not last; he was out of the tournament and that stung worse than any bruise.

Nothing to be done about it, he decided after stewing on the way home. The door opened and lights flickered on with a tiny burst of magic. Laxus hung his coat on the otherwise empty rack and kicked the door shut. Then he sunk into his old, fluffy couch with a sigh. Natsu did a number on him alright, everything hurt despite the old crone's ministrations.

"Are you truly pouting over this loss?" a familiar voice asked from behind. Laxus paused momentarily, well aware no one else should have been in his place. Then he grunted without so much as turning around.

"What do you want?"

"Checking in on my son, is all. News of this tournament reached me a month ago." A faint shadow fell on him now, traces of Ethernano outlining his father's looming form. Laxus continued to stare ahead, waiting for Ivan to speak. "I hear the original idea was yours. Well done. But it seems you still hold onto the perception of unshakeable strength, you silly boy."

Quiet steps followed the mixture of genuine praise and criticism; Laxus' head turned toward the noise, eyes narrowing on his father. He appeared like the last time they met, tall and almost regal in his fine suit. Dark, well-groomed hair and beard gave an impression akin to a businessman. The older Dreyar studied his bruised self clinically. "No one will deny your prowess after today's match," he declared then. "Dealing and taking blows throughout that could have ended most wizards. Strength is not only found in victory, but also in the might of one's opponents. And that boy is at least your peer. You will find that there is always someone stronger, if only you look far enough."

"Really?" he could not help but taunt, "you've come here to comfort me? Since when do you care?"

"I don't and you know that. We both know I can't care about people. That does not mean I need to be a jerk about it." A huff followed his comment; Ivan smiled in something akin to humour. "And you do need some talking to. My father might tell you the same thing if you keep moping, but he was always the type to wait and see."

"I know."

So saying, Laxus forced himself up and strolled to the pantry for a bottle of fruit juice. After considering it momentarily, he threw it at Ivan and grabbed another. The ballistic drink was caught handily and they uncapped both at the same time. Settling back down, the younger man took a long drag before speaking: "So, what else is new?"

Silence followed, neither of them quite looking at the other as they nursed their drinks. The sweetness felt good running down his parched throat, though Laxus could not quite tell which fruit it was.

"I'm considering to form a guild of my own," Ivan finally offered.

"Oh?"

Their gazes met once again; Laxus' incredulity was expressed by his posture, though Ivan merely shrugged. "There are more freelance wizards recently. It's an odd trend to see with so many wizard guilds around, but I noticed the numbers rising."

"Isn't that good for you?"

"In a sense, yes. I do earn a decent amount of money through the supporting structures I set up for freelancers. At the same time, more freelancers means more rogue agents with unknown or nonexistent allegiances, and more prospective recruits for the dark guilds."

Laxus mulled over the logic and found he could see where his old man was coming from. "Infiltrators, then? Is someone preparing for war?"

"Not yet, but it may be on the horizon. I happen to like Fiore, so I would rather not see it all crash down when I could have prevented it."

"With a guild, when they already joined none of the others?"

The older man huffed in response. "It is a long shot. Another formed just recently, Sabertooth, that draws in people like you who are big on personal power. Quite a few freelancers were drawn to it like moths to a flame." He made some vague motions with his bottle, gaze somewhere in the distance. "I analysed the other prominent guilds and found that not all basic needs are covered. Family like Fairy Tail, business and science like Blue Pegasus, showmanship and opera like Lamia Scale, yes. You will find all of these, but there is nary a place for people like me."

His old man was always good at justifying himself, Laxus knew. He also knew how to read between the lines. "So you're neatly creating a power structure of your own while you're at it?"

"If you want to call it that, yes."

They both fell quiet afterward; the father did not care enough to lie about his ambitions while the son did not care enough to argue. Once Laxus noticed his own beverage was almost empty, he decided to give his response: "Gramps probably wants to know about this. I'm not your messenger, so talk to him yourself."

"I just might," Ivan agreed, "once he actually stepped down. This is a systematic problem." He paused to think, only for a grin to break his normally cool expression. "Now for something else: I believe that as your father, I am required to make things awkward for you; I read something interesting recently. Any chance of becoming grandfather myself in the near future?"

He chuckled while Laxus groaned and emptied his juice. "No," the younger man growled. "Mira and I broke up last month."

"Before the 'rumours' could even be confirmed? How interesting. Is that why you are so grumbly?"

"Not really. We talked it out and decided this is for the best."

"A pity. She made a good showing yesterday."

"True that."

At least they could agree on some things. Laxus took the final pull of his juice, just as a soft clink told him the other bottle now stood on the table. Ivan chuckled again and turned away. "Well, I see you are in good spirits regardless. Enjoy the rest of your evening, son."

He proceeded to walk into a darker corner, merging with the shadows; even Laxus' fine senses for Ethernano could barely catch his exit.

Now alone, he shook his head; the old man did care in his own weird way. He came to check in at least twice a year, always like this. Laxus allowed himself a sigh and leaned back again. He might as well enjoy spectating the finale. For now however, he was hungry and slowly rose to get a snack.

 

[Naron]

"The question of versatility and mastery is an eternal one. Knowing one discipline inside and out allows to cover weaknesses that surface-level knowledge can not hope to, but being adept in several disciplines will often provide a greater coverage regardless. It is ultimately a matter of preference. My personal recommendation is to learn at least two disciplines, with the second as a backup in case the first is infeasible for a given issue."

-excerpt from "The Heart of Magic"

---

Tension hung over Magnolia every morning these last few days, but never more than this one. Lucy felt it before she even left the house. She was wound up herself, too; there was no helping it. Part dragon would meet Dragonslayer in battle.

"Dost thou, ah, pardon. Do you believe Natsu will lose purposefully?"

The hesitant question drew her back to the here and now, seated opposite Wendy in her tiny kitchen. The younger woman appeared genuinely curious, though Lucy wondered where she got that idea; she shook her head. "Not a chance. That is not how we go about it." She took another bite from her sandwich while Wendy mulled over her response.

"Such meaningless drivel," Carla interjected with a huff; the Exceed was busy nibbling on some chicken. "Though Dragonslayer he may be, his opponent shan't submit easily."

"True," Lucy agreed. "Priscilla is strong." She shuddered a little, thinking back to their previous fight. "She has versatility over Natsu, even if his Slayer magic gives him an advantage." However the giantess managed to learn so much magic so quickly.

Lucy rolled that thought through her head a few times while chewing, only to realise. The book of her 'mysterious friend' she kept reading over and over; the assistance she got starting out from the same person. That person being Zeref. "So that is how she did it."

"Did what?"

"Oh, er." Lucy hesitated as she composed a believable excuse: "I was wondering how she's learning so much magic so quick. She only started when I joined the guild last year. And she told me that she had a friend of some kind who helped her learn magic at the start; he figured out some important things for my Star Dress enchantments really quick, so that's probably where she gets it from."

Her quiet hope that Wendy left it at that was fulfilled. Lucy relaxed inadvertently. Keeping secrets from her friends would never be easy, but she still did not know how to break the news.

She put this particular conundrum aside; for now, the tournament and its conclusion mattered. Noon approached rapidly and Lucy soon found herself seeing Natsu off into the arena.

"How do you feel?"

"Bit beaten up, but I can go."

He beamed at her, clearly rearing to have yet another bonebreaking battle. Lucy giggled and leaned in to peck him on the lips. "Alright. Go get her."

"Aye, ma'am!"

She just huffed and snatched Happy out of the air; he settled on top of her head without complaint. "Beat her up, Natsu!" the Exceed cheered also.

"Sure thing. Watch me!"

Lucy wondered if he already forgot that winning meant being guild master. She decided not to remind him and strode off to take her spot in the audience; the other participants already awaited her with waves and greetings. Even Laxus exchanged nods with her, telling Lucy that she must have impressed him the day before. She settled between Levy and Mira to watch.

The crowd had been buzzing with conversation, only for a fanfare to cut through it all. Everyone watched silently as both contestants entered the arena. Natsu's confident gait stuttered from time to time when he aggravated his bruises, but he did not seem to mind. Priscilla appeared almost regal in turn, striding in with her head held high. The giantess dressed in fine silk today; a bluish white tunic ran out into pitch black tights that ended in firm, super-sized leather boots. Behind her fluttered a purple cape with blue trims, proudly displaying Fairy Tail's emblem in light blue.

More importantly, an ebony scythe rested in her right hand; its blade was longer than Natsu stood tall, dull under the overcast sky.

Halfway to the center, Priscilla stopped to study her weapon. Faint whispers followed as everyone tried to guess what she was doing; anticipation only grew when the giantess began to glare at the sky. It all fell away into gobsmacked awe when the clouds dispersed a second later; gleaming sunlight bathed Magnolia. The scythe's blade now shone, prompting a nod from Priscilla.

"Okay," Lucy deadpanned as they watched her walk continue, "that was incredibly petty and just as intimidating." A couple of "Aye"s followed from all around, underlined by the renewed buzz of excited conversation.

"Nice trick!" Natsu shouted over everyone while punching his palm. "But it won't help against me, y'know? I'll fry you good."

"We shall see," Priscilla responded curtly. She grasped her scythe with both hands now and brought it up. "But before we begin, I believe we should come to an understanding."

"Like what?"

"As you know, my most powerful magic is too lethal for this tournament. So while I will naturally refrain from using it, may I ask you to hold back on the black flames as well?"

Lucy blinked, a faint sense of deja vú clasping her mind. Natsu seemed to feel similarly, seeing how he tilted his head. "You already asked me that yesterday."

"So I did," Priscilla agreed; Lucy realised the intention a moment before she spelled it out: "But the audience would wonder why it will not be used today."

"Clever girl," Mira praised with a faint chuckle; Levy kept quiet however, which was unusual enough to earn Lucy's attention. Her friend absently rubbed her waist, gaze a thousand miles away. She decided not to disturb whatever Levy reminisced about, turning back to the spectacle. Both combatants had taken up position.

A moment later, the gong sounded and they began.

It quickly became apparent that Priscilla planned well. Diver, perfect invisibility, illusions, and speed from Meteor gave her complete control of the battle. Every hit Natsu attempted to land, she evaded or redirected; the few times he somehow managed to pin her down properly, he received the butt of her scythe to the face. Lucy winced each time that happened, well aware that no one expected a fight like this.

"She's denying his advantage," Laxus grunted after a while. A quiet discussion about the strategy followed among her guildmates. Lucy had to agree, though; it was a smart move, if not particularly endearing to the audience. Various people shouted for Natsu to 'get her already'. At least the visual spectacle Priscilla's various magics produced kept them entertained.

With an angry shout, Natsu suddenly punched the ground and a flood of flame poured outward. Five separate Priscilla's flickered and faded, illusions consumed. The entire rune cage flickered dangerously as it held back the onslaught; heat rushed outward, silencing the crowd. Even Lucy stopped mid-word, amazed but also worried. For who exactly, she was not quite sure. No Priscilla remained in the fight. Natsu glared this way and that, nose twitching.

He was so focussed on his physical senses that he missed the stream of Ethernano beneath. A giant hand caught him around the legs and sent him flying. Then the fight continued as it had before. Priscilla deftly evaded everything like an exotic dancer.

It took fifteen minutes for Natsu to go to his knees from exhaustion. He panted, soaked in sweat, then stared up at the pristine Priscilla; not a hair of hers was out of place. They stared at each other, expectant but also with a palpable sense of understanding.

Then Natsu pushed himself up and forward, ducking underneath the scythe as it swung by. His hand caught the obsidian handle however; Lucy gaped when it exploded in heat, sweltering so strong she felt it from the arena's other side. Bright golden flames ran over the shaft and toward Priscilla... only to fizzle. From one moment to the next, they were snuffed out. Natsu stared in shock until a kick to his abdomen sent him down again.

As he panted and stared at the cloudless sky, Lucy knew this was it. A moment later, Natsu laughed weakly. "Yeah, you win."

He faintly reached for the sky, but his arm dropped afterward. Priscilla strode over under deafening cheers, offering a finger to help him up. Lucy could not hear what they were saying, but neither seemed dissatisfied with the result. Both left the arena together, chatting amicably. Fairy Tail cheered as well and from the corner of her eye, Lucy spied Laxus nodding his head.

As the applause began to die down, the master entered the arena. Despite his diminutive size and walking cane, something about his gait conveyed strength anyway. A stage grew out of the ruptured ground, presenting him to the crowd. Lucy leaned forward in her seat.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Makarov began once silence had fallen. His voice echoed over all of Magnolia. "With this we conclude the Fantasia Tournament. I wish to congratulate every participant and assure you that a loss when facing adversity honours you more than fleeing the challenge. Not a single one of you backed down, regardless the impossibility of your opposition. I have never been more proud to call myself the master of Fairy Tail."

The genuine praise made Lucy's vision swim. She wiped her face, well aware that others needed to do similarly. Makarov gave them a moment and a gentle smile before he continued: "But that was, after all, the original reason for this tournament. I have been guild master for many years now. It is time to pass on the torch, so that our light will continue to shine ever brighter." Another surge of Ethernano could be felt underneath; every wizard in the stands noticed, but most of the crowd was untrained with this particular sense. Makarov paid it no mind, raising his hand to where the stage kept growing upward. "I therefore present to you today: the fourth master of Fairy Tail! Priscilla!"

Perfectly on cue, the giantess rose from the ground. The moment her feet stood on the pedestal, a soft breeze began to blow and make her cape flutter. Deafening applause followed as she beheld the crowd; every single member of Fairy Tail joined into the jubilation, including Laxus and Mystogan.

Makarov made to hobble away then, but a graceful motion saw him snatched up by the far larger woman. Priscilla carefully placed the old master on her shoulder. Once she waited out most of the applause, both arms rose to bid for silence.

"I thank you kindly for the warm reception," she began with a smile. "I shall strive to lead the guild as well as Master Makarov has done for so long. But for today, we are not quite finished with the celebrations. Magnolia's harvest festival has one more event to offer, after all. The Fantasia parade shall begin at nightfall."

She curtsied under renewed applause as the stone beneath her began to sink. Once back on the ground, Priscilla kept on sinking until both she and Makarov were gone from sight; the wizards could follow their actual exit, but Lucy decided not to comment on it. This was a well-done spectacle for the crowd and she was pleased.

The next few hours were a whirl of preparations; Fairy Tail went all-out for the parade every year. This time Lucy could actually join in. She attached herself to Natsu's team, though; planning gave her precious little time to design and decorate a cart of her own. This meant that Lyra got to sing for the crowd to a backdrop of sparks and fiery constructs as they were driven across town. Gray and Juvia produced beautiful, moving ice sculptures ahead of them; Mirajane and Elfman presented their shapeshifting powers behind them, both encircled by various gleaming crystals.

It was an exhausted Lucy who finally settled at a punch stall; the party went on all around them, unlikely to end for at least a few more hours. She smiled, accepting a free cup from the vendor.

Then the man's joyful grin was replaced by pure shock; Lucy did not even need to turn around to know. A prim request of "May I bother you for a cup?" told her exactly who decided to join. The flabbergasted man quickly caught himself and bowed, all while filling another cup of punch. Arcadios received it for Hisui, taking a single sip and standing still as if to ponder it. Then he nodded and passed it on. The princess settled next to Lucy, once again surrounded by guards. "I hope you do not mind?" she inquired politely, but the older woman shook her head.

"Of course not. Please join me."

It was more of a formality, but both of them shared impish grins behind their cups. Lucy took another sip and let the warmth run down her throat. "I enjoyed doing this, I admit. But I am quite glad it is over. There was so much work to be put into the entire tournament."

"I concur," Hisui murmured between sips. The two of them watched the goings-on around them for a time. "Although I would not miss this for the world," the princess finally continued. "You and everyone else did fantastic work. In fact, would you mind if I received a list of your various preparations?" Her expression gave nothing away when Lucy glanced that way, but such a direct request was still indicative.

"Not at all," she responded regardless. "If I may ask why?"

"Naturally." The younger woman inclined her head with a faint smile. "The entire festive spirit here in Magnolia made me yearn for another such event to anticipate. Alas, holding tournaments every time a guild master retires is not a viable solution." They shared a chuckle over that, though Hisui did not even pretend she could distract Lucy from the subject. "I pondered the matter over the last few days. Tell me, what do you think of an annual tournament held in the capital?"

"A combat tournament?" Lucy mused, thinking to the sheer prowess Fairy Tail offered. "I believe such an endeavour may be viable once or twice, but not annually. The distribution of power between Fiore's wizard guilds is too uneven."

"That is indeed true." Hisui paused to sip her punch, mulling it over. "Although I believe there is more to magic than battle. Far more. How do you feel about general contests in various areas, such as obstacle courses and athletics?"

Lucy hummed in response, slowly inclining her head. "This may work as an annual tournament," she conceded. "It will be an incredible effort, but definitely possible. If you wished, you could open participation further by offering separate tiers for wizards and non-wizards."

"Fiore has more than just wizard guilds, indeed." Hisui's brow furrowed, likely in annoyance about having become too focussed there. "Not to mention the various free agents not associated with any guild."

While the two went into discussing the finer details of Hisui's brainchild, Erza shared a meal with her friends. She mainly listened to their banter, a faint smile on her face. The renewed offer of joining Fairy Tail had been refused again, not that she expected differently. It was the last evening they would stay together.

Much the same went for Lyon and his band of wizards; the people from Lamia Scale had to return home as well to 'report'. The same went for members of every other guild present for the tournament. It was a formality, really; the Weekly Sorcerer would report in-depth the following week.

"I'm a little curious, though," the ice wizard noted with a glance to Priscilla. "What exactly is your scythe made of? I don't think I have ever seen a material like that before."

His question roused attention around most of the guildhall; the newly appointed master considered the question while various people called out their interest. She settled near the bar now, reminiscent of Makarov's favourite spot on top of it. A glimmer of Ethernano preceded the weapon's arrival in her hands, presented to everyone. Wendy leaned forward to study it as well, curious despite her growing drowsiness. The day was long. This promised to be interesting, though.

"Tis the remnant of an archtree," Priscilla explained hesitantly. "One of the few remaining branches, excavated from a lake of ash."

This, however, shook Wendy wide awake. She had suspected before that Quelaan and Priscilla hailed from the same world, but here was more evidence. The nature of souls aside, her caretaker sometimes spoke of archtrees. The demanded elaboration that they were towering behemoths of wood more like stone only confirmed it for her. But how to bring it up? Perhaps she should raise the subject with Quelaan first?

"Okay," Gray cut into the silence that followed; he disrupted Wendy's musings as well. "But that doesn't explain how Natsu's fire just vanished in the end."

"Ah, well." Now Priscilla studied the weapon as well. Its razor sharp blade gleamed in the firelight. "I carried this on my person for so long that it aligned with me. It is not quite wood anymore; most flame will not find purchase at all. More to the point, Natsu was already exhausted at and could not stop me from forcing his magic under my will."

Natsu made an understanding noise where he sat, still bandaged up. "Ah, so typical dragon stuff. Right?"

While most chuckled about his comment, it made Wendy realise an issue. The way Quelaan told it, the Everlasting Dragons were extinct in her world; if Priscilla was actually from the same world and a dragon, she felt she ought not to bring her attention to the matter. Dragons there were nowhere near as friendly as Grandine, at least not in general.

She kept musing but found no answer to her issue; time passed and the festivities distracted her well enough. In the end, Wendy never brought it up.

As for Priscilla, the party felt both more jubilant and somehow less so than usual. Regardless, she received every congratulation with gratitude and a smile . No one expressed displeasure with her appointment. The faint indecision roiling in her gut had to be related to the rather sudden change in responsibilities, she reasoned; it felt hollow even in her own mind.

Hours went by and people slowly left alone or in small groups. The day had been long. Priscilla idly noticed Levy dragging Gajeel along; Cana raised her own mug as if in salute toward the blunette.

Soon enough, she was just about alone, seeing off Mirajane with a smile.

Moments later, the faint clack of wood on wood announced Makarov. The now former master glanced this way and that, studying the remains of party everywhere. "Cleaning this will take a while," he mused before addressing Priscilla. "But it has to wait. There is one other matter we have to discuss. Follow me."

He waited a moment to meet her gaze, conveying the importance of whatever was to follow. She rose without a word, taking slow steps to not overtake him; their journey went into the back, then down to the spacious cellar. "This information is passed down from one master of Fairy Tail to another," Makarov explained along the way. He tapped his cane against an unremarkable wall and formed three glyphs of Ethernano that arrayed in a triangle. The solid illusion began to flicker at once and faded. "No one else is to know."

She had her own thoughts on what she could and could not do with this information, but deferred to his judgement for now. They must have a reason for keeping whatever this was close to the chest.

"Not like that ever worked," a third voice added; then Warrod Sequen attached himself to their march without hesitation. His unrepentant grin remained under Makarov's pointed look, prompting the erstwhile master to sigh. Priscilla chuckled over their antics.

Leading the way, Makarov bid the two of them to enter a large chamber. Bookshelves lined the walls, but the center was taken up by a purplish crystal; it contained something that Priscilla needed a few seconds to realise was a body. The crystal's inside appeared almost liquid, making the nude blonde inside bob up and down ever so slightly. Her petite body remained perfectly still, but her eyes were open; a deep green met Priscilla's amber eyes with clear pride.

She had to bend forward to fit into the room, following the somber men before the crystal. Makarov motioned for it. "This is the first Master of Fairy Tail, and our guild's founder. Mavis Vermillion. She wanted to greet you personally."

And suddenly, everything fit together. Priscilla's expression froze, hopefully unnoticed in the faint lighting. She studied the petite body in front of her, well aware they already met before.

"That I did," her voice followed the announcement. Glancing downward, a second, clothed Mavis beamed up at her much like the real one. "I'm glad that we found such a wonderful person to take over from Makarov. Don't you agree, Warrod?"

"Oh yes, oh yes."

While the two exchanged pleasantries, she began to realise what was going on. An experimental touch confirmed her hypothesis: her fingers passed right through the clothed Mavis, who giggled. "Yep, this me is an illusion. I figured out how to layer it over thought projection and receive feedback. Being in here for so long gave me a lot of free time."

"Why exactly are you in this crystal?" Priscilla could not help but ask. She also wanted to know why Mavis was not comatose, but figured the answer to that question would follow soon enough. Going by how the other woman's expression fell into a blank mask, she figured they were related.

"I am cursed," she began succinctly. "And my curse frequently projects outward to kill everything alive. The crystal stops it and keeps my body in stasis. Precht did great work with it, but, well, I can't leave."

"In fact," Makarov added with a motion for the font of knowledge surrounding them, as well as a desk Priscilla only now noticed. "We pass along the study of Master Mavis' condition. Everything in this room are Master Precht's and my own findings, all for you to peruse. Perhaps an otherworldly mindset will offer a solution."

As if to emphasize his point, the illusion of Mavis winked out and her real self slumped. Waves of black began to surge around the crystal's interior; the yet unknown liquid turned darker and swirled downward, replaced by more clear purple. They watched this for a time and Priscilla noticed the pain lining Warrod's expression. Makarov was not happy either, but the older man clearly suffered the most from this sight.

"I understand," she spoke softly, distracting both. "I shall do all in my power to solve this."

"That is all I can ask." Makarov's smile was brittle, as if he himself did not believe a solution was near.

Once they left her alone with the unconcious master, Priscilla began to poke around. An intent stare remained pinned on Mavis herself; the dragon still wondered why this curse acted so different with her. She could do the deed here and now, reunite her and Zeref. But at the same time, curiousity drove Priscilla to investigate first; she would hold back until she understood why this case was different.

So she opened her mind to the curse. It felt almost like a part of herself, full of anger and spite; it wanted to rampage, to destroy. It was draconic. And it was denied. At first she thought the last part related to the crystal, until it became clear Mavis constantly repelled it from surging inward. The outward projection was the result. But why would it do this? And why would Mavis?

In the darkness, Priscilla pondered the issue until a single reason presented itself. Her eyes widened in response and she grabbed the crystal, pressed her face against it as if to see through Mavis.

"Please, no."

The dragon fell back on her haunches with glistening eyes. She had to make sure and find a way to check. If her hunch was true, and so far everything she knew lined up, then... then she had made a horrible mistake.

 

[Naron]

"Few magics are inherently good or bad; they all exist for a purpose, which they fulfill. A dark wizard is not one who uses 'dark' magic, but one who uses their magic for dark purposes."

-excerpt from "The Heart of Magic"

---

Two weeks passed since she was appointed Guild Master. Priscilla somehow managed to hide her depressed thoughts until the magnitude of work swept them away. She had a desk now, too; technically it used to be Makarov's, but now it was hers. Her predecessor had been mirthful the day she first took a seat behind it; that only lasted two days until he realised she stayed on top of the paperwork.

Then again, the ability to function without sleep may give her an unfair advantage.

Regardless, Priscilla had much to do. Ascertain each guild member was comfortable and seeing to their comfort otherwise. Keeping up to date on reports from other assets —"Spy is such a nasty word", Makarov said— as well as the treasury's contents. She definitely understood why the master supposedly stayed at the guild now; there was just no time to also go on missions. Mirajane used to do the books, but she lacked the time ever since returning to regular guildwork. Mystogan took over in her stead and appeared rather happy with it; Priscilla was grateful for the assistance either way.

She kept pondering on her way to Clover. As September came to a close, Makarov reminded her that the annual Guild Master League conference would be held soon. Now she was on her way there, excited as well as uncertain. She did not dwell on the latter, though; whether the other masters accepted her was irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

Sprouting from the earth at her destination, Priscilla made sure not to spook anyone by emerging early enough. She knew the league's usual spot was unavailable due to damages the town sustained the previous year; she could definitely see the still ongoing repairs to larger buildings. The league booked an open field nearby instead, likely with regard to her size; she took this as a good sign.

Curiously, Priscilla was also not the first to arrive. A decent number of people were already strolling around the area. The sheer variety of clothing choices and personalities on display reminded her of Fairy Tail, though the air was less relaxed than at home. A pair of crows cawed among each other as they observed the gathering from a nearby tree; she produced a tiny cut of meat and floated it to them, which earned a more excited response.

A chuckle distracted her from the happy corvids; Priscilla's faint smile wobbled momentarily, turning uncertain when presented with a beaming man. Rotund he was, bald and dressed in a loose shirt. "My my, you are a big one," he chirped with a friendly wave. "And a gentle one, too. Just like Makarov said. Welcome to the league! I am Bob of Blue Pegasus." She was about to offer two fingers for a shake, but he shook his head. "No, none of that for you, my dear."

And he leapt to somehow hug her around the waist with enough force to make even the dragon wince. His enthusiasm was infectious; Priscilla patted his back until he let go. "Very well. I am Priscilla of Fairy Tail."

"Indeed you are," another voice added, this one belonging to a lady who appeared older than even Polyushka. She walked hunched forward, clad in a more conservative and traditional dress. A particularly tall man shadowed her, wearing a necklace of oversized pearls; his expression was far more confrontational. The elder did not seem to pay him much mind, though. "I always thought it would be Laxus or Mirajane, but here you are." She studied Priscilla for a long moment, then huffed. "This is fine, too. I am Ooba of Lamia Scale. The grump behind me is Jiemma from Sabertooth. It's his first time with us, too."

"A pleasure," Priscilla greeted both with a faint smile. Jiemma inclined his head while Ooba grinned.

"And a well-mannered one, too. Will wonders ever cease? Now come, come, there are many more people interested in meeting you."

The elder waved her forward and Bob joined their little group indulgently; Priscilla spent some time meeting the other masters, some already present and others just arriving. At some point however, the humans around her decided to settle down for food and drink. She joined them eagerly as the buffet was opened. Her plate quickly sported her favourites and entirely new meals in equal measure, easily three times the size of what anyone else took.

Several people chuckled at the sight, but no one reprimanded her; Priscilla enjoyed the various flavours, from bitter vegetables to sweet chocolate muffins. At some point, Bob shuffled some more onto her plate and she ate it all without complaint. Half an hour later, the other masters made it a game to keep refilling her plate until she noticed; Priscilla pretended not to, curious how long it would take for them to give up.

"By the way," Ooba started in the meantime. "I am almost afraid to ask, but is there any news from Ichiya?"

Her question had gone to Bob, who mutely shook his head. Whatever happened, it clearly bothered her fellow guild master; when Priscilla inquired as gently as she could, he sighed. "It is not so much that he is hurt or sick, but rather that he vanished. That was, ah, about four years ago. As if he never existed in the first place, just," he snapped his finger, "gone. No sign of a struggle, no message, not even any traces." Bob slumped forward, receiving consoling claps on the back from the people to his sides.

Something about his tale tugged on her memory, but Priscilla could not quite figure out why. It felt familiar enough to be irksome, but not enough to actually recognise. "My condolences," she offered after swallowing. Bob smiled faintly at that. When someone else redirected the conversation, they all followed along.

Much to her surprise, it was not them who had to surrender the feeding frenzy. It was her. An hour after they began reloading her plate, Priscilla's appetite faded; she felt unpleasantly full, almost bloated. A sausage already floating in front of her was carefully considered... and then set back down where slices of apple already replaced it on the plate. A cheer went up all around while she stared morosely at the morsels now denied to her; she could keep going, but her stomach was already revolting. Only force of reality-bending will kept it from emptying itself.

"Jerks," she muttered; fluttering wingbeats coaxed a faint smile from her however, when the crows from earlier landed on her shoulders. "At least you understand me." They cawed in response, prompting a round of laughter. Priscilla carefully fed the two some more choice bits before pushing back her plate.

"Now that we're all done," Quatro Cerberus' master Goldmine added with a smirk, "we ought to talk business." He was thin and tall, clad in simple darks while wearing a black choker with metal spikes. The same ran around the rim of his pointed hat. He immediately had everyone's attention and motioned into the distance. "Baram, I mean."

Priscilla knew she heard that name before. A moment of digging reminded her of the alliance of Dark guilds. "I heard of them," she added to the conversation. "But why are they relevant now? The Council banned larger altercations, no?"

Goldmine heaved a sigh in response; Ooba nodded along with his reaction. "So they did," she agreed before raising her voice: "To recap for everyone, the Magic Council's blanket ban on larger altercations between wizard guilds covers the dark guilds, too. I always thought they grew too complacent with their power and think dark guilds make good counterweights to the lot of us, so they wouldn't want them eradicated."

Bob huffed. "But Ooba was always a pessimist. They probably just don't want to create precedents."

"Optimist," Ooba snorted in response.

While Priscilla nodded along with what she already knew, she was intrigued by the other masters' theories and suspicions. Meanwhile, Jiemma scowled from the neighbouring table. "The Magic Council is defunct at the moment. What would they do to enforce violations now?"

Goldmine immediately threw him a grin, rubbing his hands. "Nothing, which is exactly the point. We wanted to mop up Baram for a while now. And even better, we can do it legally while they can't veto us issuing the job!"

There were understanding noises around the table while everyone considered the new opportunity. Before she got to voice her own agreement, Priscilla realised there must be something else. She used the momentary lull in conversation to offer her own thoughts: "I can not speak for everyone else, but Fairy Tail can and has acted against Dark Guilds in the past. There has to be another reason they were not put down yet."

"Aye, I was getting to that." Goldmine motioned vaguely into the distance; he gestured a lot, she noticed. "The big problem is that none of the three head guilds have a base in the traditional sense. Oracion Seis are nomads, Grimoire Heart flies around in a giant airship, and we don't even know how Tartaros does it. We can crack down on as many of their subordinate guilds as we want, it won't defeat them." Then he grinned. "And now we have it all. One of my, ahem, assets met up with a turncoat from Sleeping Mummy; they're under Oracion Seis. Turns out basically all of them got marching orders for Worth Woodsea. They're after Nirvana, most likely."

Priscilla thought back to her maps. Worth Woodsea was an aptly named, humongous woodland located between Fiore and some of her neighbour states on the continent. It served as a buffer zone of sorts. As for the other name Goldmine mentioned, however... "Pardon, what is Nirvana?"

"A wellspring of clean Ethernano," Bob supplied. "Romantics call it the Sea Of Serenity. I met a few travelers who went there; from what they said, predators and prey keep any conflict from the area. Being near Nirvana revitalises the body and increases natural healing by several orders of magnitude. Well, they said 'it can cure all wounds', but nobody actually tested that claim."

There were some agreeing nods and some snorts; Priscilla herself was uncertain what to make of it just yet. That would explain why neither side dared claim the area, though. From what others added, it was akin a religious site to pilgrims.

"So we know where they are going to be," Jiemma finally summarised, a faint, feral grin gracing his features. "And the Magic Council can not punish anyone for going after them."

"Exactly."

Goldmine's confirmation injected excitement into the group; even Priscilla felt invested now. Plans circled around her mind, though she kept listening to the conversation.

Ooba spoke up after the noise subsided somewhat: "They're still going to try, you know? And if we manage to take down Oracion Seis, Grimoire Heart and Tartaros might just mobilise against us."

"All good points," Bob agreed. "But we are many and well entrenched. Though I believe it would be best if no one guild goes into this alone, just in case."

He had a point; Priscilla voiced her agreement as well. Looking across the group of new and seasoned masters however, she recalled the disparity in combat strength. "And perhaps none of the newer guilds should participate, if just to ward off the Council." Her suggestion annoyed Jiemma in particular, but he did not speak out. Priscilla made a mental note to be more amenable to him for a while.

Discussion went back and forth for a time, but ultimately they settled on a decent compromise: the three most prominent and oldest guilds would join forces. Legacy and established structures should hopefully ward off Council sanctions; in addition, their size ought to make retaliation from the remaining dark guilds too costly an endeavour. Fairy Tail and Lamia Scale agreed to provide the fighting force while Blue Pegasus brought support and material; Bob happily offered their magical bomber in terms of assistance.

"Just for clarity's sake," he added right after, "we are not going bomb Nirvana, but Worth Woodsea is large. If there is a chance to neutralise them from up high, I say we take it."

Nods went around, though attention soon turned to Priscilla; she did not like to make the suggestion, but it was prudent. "I wish to also contract a freelance wizard. There is one in particular whose talents may be sorely needed." When she saw she had everyone's attention, the dragon elaborated: "Wendy Marvell is both a Dragonslayer and a healer. As much as we may prepare, I believe both shall be required."

Ooba hummed in thought. "I see your point, but a single person could become the target for retaliation."

Priscilla had to snort in response, but softened before her dismissiveness could ruffle any feathers. "She is capable and well cared-for, worry not." If nothing else, a thrice-damned Chaos witch would absolutely be able to destroy whoever came after her. The reminder of her ancient enemy's presence came with a surge of wrath, as it always did. If anyone noticed, they did not say; most were busy mulling over her proposal.

"I will trust your judgement on it," Bob ultimately said. "This is our chance to remove one of Baram's pillars, we need whoever we can get." His endorsement brought the majority along as well.

They continued planning out some of the specifics, but Priscilla's mind remained on her own preparations. She listened idly as the subject eventually shifted elsewhere. Groupings were considered and discarded until she was almost home; only then did she decide she had the best possible combination.

The moment she entered the guildhall and received happy greetings, Priscilla announced a general meeting; everyone not on missions remained in town and anyone returning would not head out again. It took three days until every member sans Warrod was present.

First she laid out the decision made during the league conference; her announcement generated an air of excitement more than anything else. Just as everyone began to discuss who would go, she spoke up again: "I have already decided on a team." That shut them up right quick. In addition, Priscilla knew her decision was unorthodox, so she prefaced with a warning: "I made my decision without regard for the existing teams. None of them will participate wholesale."

Teammates threw each other lightly worried looks, but no one actively objected. Priscilla nodded to herself. "That said," she continued, "I will not force you to participate. Going by the expressions I see however, none will refuse." She gave a short pause for excited nods and studied them all.

"First off, Levy, Lucy." Both women perked up in surprise. "I want you in our group for the versatility in your magic."

Applause followed. Lucy stumbled forward when Natsu clapped her shoulder in delight; Priscilla was quite proud that she could recognise the trace of worry in her expression now. The blonde met her gaze. "I guess that makes sense, but can we really keep up against six elite wizards?"

Levy was about to grandstand, but Priscilla cut her off with an indulgent smile. "Which is why Gajeel will accompany you."

The iron Dragonslayer snorted in response. "Can do, but I'm not playing babysitter."

"Oh, I doubt either of them needs babysitting. They are more fragile than you though, so I want you to protect them where necessary." He nodded, now actually serious. Priscilla turned back to the women then. "And vice versa. As you know, a Dragonslayer's combat strength comes at the downside of having a hard time learning other magic." Both nodded in response.

"Why send Gajeel and not Natsu?" Cana inquired next; by the time Priscilla's gaze landed on her, she already palmed her face in realisation.

"Yes," the dragon deadpanned. "I will not send Natsu of all people into a large woodland."

Laughter followed while Natsu raised his hand as if to object. His brow creased and he lowered the limb, however. "You know, that's fair. Good luck, Lucy!" His immediate switch from thoughtful to beaming smile had his teammate exasperated.

Levy was still grinning over their antics, but she used the lull in conversation to chime in: "So beside Gajeel, who else do you send? We're all decent, but I kinda expected something like Erza, Mystogan, Mira, and Laxus to go." Her argument received agreement from around the room; Erza nodded in her seat, as did Laxus. Mystogan frowned.

"While that was a consideration," Priscilla agreed readily, "sending Erza is just one step above sending Natsu." The redhead choked on her drink. Priscilla ignored her hacking coughs and continued: "And while I considered sending only our S-rank mages, you will notice that none of them are particularly versatile. Mystogan is, but I believe he will be the first to tell you he is not much for teamwork." Her friend offered a relieved nod from the back. "Not to mention I am worried committing too many of our best may paint a target on our backs. Worry not though, Levy. The last one to go with you is Laxus."

The man in question snorted, but offered no backtalk. He merely sipped his own drink. Curiously, no one even asked why she picked him over Mirajane; Priscilla was somewhat relieved about that, seeing that she made that decision based on prowess shown in the Fantasia Tournament.

With her announcement made and preparations now underway, Priscilla ended the meeting. She was confident that Oracion Seis would not know what hit them.

 

[Naron]

"Aera is a magic innate to the feline Exceed, native to the world Edolas, and one of the few disciplines that grant true flight. It consists of three steps: project wings of some sort, emit propulsion from those wings, and fly without kissing the ground after five seconds. Each step is difficult in its own way as humans lack the instincts for flight any Exceed is born with. Aera is one of the most difficult disciplines for a non-Exceed to learn, regardless of how much tutoring they receive. Only hard work and tenacity can see one through."

-excerpt from "The Soul of Magic"

---

"Are we there yet?"

"Shut it, Levy."

"...are we there yet?"

Lucy suppressed a sigh. Whatever possessed her friend to keep annoying Laxus, she wanted no part in it. The bumpy cart ride did not help anyone's mood, either; they left behind Fiore's border some time ago. The dirt road was empty save for the four of them and the coachman.

Ten minutes passed. Lucy slowly returned to her own thoughts; she still went back and forth on the issue of her mother's letter. When and how to tell them, not to mention if she should at all.

"Are we there yet?"

"Gods, shut up already!"

Gajeel's snippy response earned a tinkling laugh, followed by a flirty wink. "But I'm bored," Levy teased. "Maybe I shut up if you distract me?"

Her boyfriend growled in response and ran a hand through his black mane; Lucy did not miss the look going her and Laxus' way, though. She rolled her eyes at the couple, heavy thoughts forgotten. Then Lucy turned to stare ahead; the coachman was more amused by their banter than anything else, she reckoned.

Thankfully, the place came in sight by the time Levy continued to be a pain in the neck.

"Are we there-" "Yes." "-oh."

Lucy huffed over the dejected response; everyone else turned forward as well, eyes roaming the distant building. An almost solid wall of trees reached skyward behind it, some offshoots covering the entire area; their sparse canopy failed to hide the overcast sky. A sleek mountain of some sort rose in the distance, somewhere within Worth Woodsea; like a fallen god's finger coveting the heavens once more. Lucy felt it would at least make a good landmark.

"Good thing Blue Pegasus has this thing," Gajeel grunted while they all disembarked a distance away. Lucy listened to the conversation as she thanked the coachman. "Why'd they have it, anyway?"

Levy explained instantly: "Worth Woodsea is neutral ground and generally peaceful. A lot of nobles and other people with money have some kind of retreat around here 'cause they can just get away from all the stress if they want to. There are some shrines around too, but they're only for pilgrims." A faint grunt was Gajeel's only response; Lucy finished waving after the retreating cart at that point, but could not really interject. Rather, she stretched out with a pleased sigh. Levy did similarly while the men studied their surroundings.

It was Laxus who broke the silence: "I'm taking a look around. Don't die while I'm not looking." He did not wait for agreement or argument; Lucy was about to call out, but thought better of it and let him vanish into the distance.

"Maybe she should've sent Mira after all," Levy quipped. Gajeel snorted, but Lucy could only shrug.

"I am sure he will be fine. I mean, it is Laxus."

"Fair. Let's go then."

The diminished group strolled along without complaint. A few hundred metres of walking helped Lucy's circulation some; sitting on that cart for the last few hours was not pleasant. She was first to the door as well, mainly because Gajeel was more focussed on the area. His nose twitched, gaze flickering around.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, one hand already raised to knock. Gajeel shrugged.

"Not wrong, it just smells different. Need a bit to get used to it."

"Aww, com'ere." And Levy attached herself to his arm, cutely leaning against him. "You can just sniff me until the great outdoors doesn't scare you anymore!"

"I'm not a dog!"

Another laugh from Levy sound, though the comment that followed cut it off: "'sides, I told you before that perfume stinks." Now it was for Lucy to laugh; she already made that particular sacrifice since the tournament. Dating a Dragonslayer really had some unique burdens. Then again, it also saved her money.

The door opened just as she was about to knock, revealing a bright smile on a boyish face. "There you are!" the young man beamed; he stood almost a head shorter than Lucy, little taller than Natsu. "I knew I heard something! Come in, come in! Make yourselves at home!" He opened the door wide to admit the three, then closed it behind them. "I would take your coat, but you did not bring one."

"Neither did you," Lucy countered good-naturedly. "Eve, was it?"

"The one and only," he agreed with a faint bow. When Lucy offered her hand, he leaned forward to press a kiss on her knuckles; the gesture made her face flush. "At your service," Eve finished with genuine joy. "Please, let me show you to the sitting room."

The befuddled blonde was led along, followed by her clearly amused friends. She had a moment to gather her wits, so the arrival of two more pretty boys in sharp suits did not send her reeling again. Eve Tearm cheerfully introduced his taller and older guildmates; Ren Akatsuki greeted her with a roguish smile, his dark brown skin giving him an exotic appeal. Meanwhile, Hibiki Lates appeared more reverent than anything else. "What a pleasure to meet such beauties," he remarked, then tried to do to Levy what Eve had done unto Lucy. Except the blunette flicked his forehead. "Huh?"

"Nuh uh," she scolded lightly. "I'm taken, so save it for the singles. So is Lucy, for that matter," she added, making Ren stop an attempt Lucy was about to interrupt herself. Both men chuckled to play over their embarassment; Hibiki took a careful step back from the scowling Dragonslayer behind Levy, too.

"Ah well, I should have guessed," he joked back. "Of course two so lovely would not be remiss for company."

"Sorry," Eve apologised to Lucy next, just as sheepish as the other two. "I guess I let habit take over. I hope you are not mad, miss?"

"It's fine," she reassured him with a faint smile. "No harm done. I really should have expected it anyway, but I admittedly forgot." How one could forget that Blue Pegasus was a host club, she did not know. They employed most of the magical models around Fiore as well. "You three are good at what you are doing."

"Why thank you," Hibiki returned with a wink, but left it at that. Levy kept giggling as she leaned against Gajeel, her boyfriend's arm protectively slung around her waist. The sight amused Lucy as well, but she kept that to herself for now.

All three Fairy Tail wizards settled down on one of the half dozen plush couches. Hibiki tastefully spread out a few snacks for them and Ren poured drinks; both worked with an ease borne of practice. Lucy spent a few minutes chatting with them afterward as they waited. It helped ease her own nerves a little; this cottage reminded her more of the Heartfilia estate than any other place she went in a whole year.

Soon enough, two knocks rang through the hallway. Some kind of Lacrima must have carried the sound all the way to them, but she had no idea how. The Blue Pegasus wizards immediately glared each other down and threw out a hand each; Hibiki and Eve both had paper, Ren grumbled at his rock and strode off to get the door. He returned with four more people in tow.

Wendy, Lucy already knew. The younger girl's expression brightened the moment she saw her. Lyon and Sherry were also familiar faces; the ice wizard strolled inside with his usual confidence, greeting the room as a whole. Sherry stood by his side as was often the case; her light pink dress stood out between all the darker colours. Then again, so did the wave of fuchsia hair running down her back. They were accompanied by a tall, bald, and muscular man with sharp features. His stern gaze ran over the entire room once before softening. He then introduced himself as Jura Nekis, the leader of Lamia Scale's contingent.

They actually went around the room with introductions afterward. Carla arrived halfway through after having checked out the area; her eyes stopped on Lucy for a long moment, though.

"Shouldn't Fairy Tail have sent four people?" Jura asked once introductions were over. The others counted their number as if realising this for the first time.

Lucy allowed herself a faint smile and reassured them: "He is out and about."

"Is that safe?" Ren inquired next. And he would have been right to worry about literally anyone else.

"Do not worry about that." Lucy's smile grew a fraction. Ren and his fellow suits all caught her drift, as did Jura.

Carla still tried to pry, displaying an unusual curiousity: "Truly? Whom did thy master elect?"

Before Lucy could respond to that, Levy already did. She leaned forward with a coy grin, booping the Exceed's nose. "You'll find out soon," she teased.

"We shall take your word for it," Jura added to close the matter. "Considering we don't know when that person will be back, we should go over the plan now." A smattering of agreement and nods followed, so he motioned for Hibiki.

A surge of Ethernano announced his magic; it formed into several intricate, orange spell circles. "Archive," he chanted while stretching his fingers. The circles arrayed themselves around him to form some kind of surface; one directly under his hands, another between him and the group. "There we go. Now, map...." A map of Worth Woodsea appeared on the larger surface while his fingers ran over various buttons. Lucy's brows rose to her hairline by then.

"I never heard about magic like this before," she admitted.

"Of-" "Obviously," Levy cut off Ren without even noticing. Her eyes almost gleamed as she explained: "Archive is brand new. They only put it together over the last few years and learning it is complicated. And expensive," she added as an afterthought. "I looked into it, right now you need to hire a tutor from the Bureau of Magic Development."

"And even then it takes quite some time to learn," Hibiki added with a nod to Levy. "I can put in a good word for you, if you want to learn it?"

"Oh, thanks!"

Lucy shook her head in amusement. Then Jura corralled everyone back to the matter at hand and they went over the plan. The basic idea remained simple but effective: get the drop on Oracion Seis before they knew they were compromised. Their subordinate guilds were many, but ultimately irrelevant. They would scatter on their own once their leadership was down.

"Christina, our bomber," Ren explained while Hibiki displayed the picture of an airship resembling a bulbous, winged horse, "can supply heavy weapons support in the entire area. We won't bomb Nirvana itself unless it falls into enemy hands. The backlash for destroying a symbol of peace may just ruin our guilds."

"Or start a war," Lucy added her own musings. Ren nodded her way.

"Exactly. But before Christina can deploy, we must take down Angel." As if on cue, the picture Hibiki's Archive displayed changed. Now there stood a well developed woman clad in fluttery white; her conservative dress did nothing to lessen the force of the arrogant grin she wore. Add to it her beautiful, white wings and that she looked down on whoever took the picture, and she certainly appeared intimidating. Everyone studied Angel's likeness while Ren explained: "She is, to this day, the only human to truly master Aera."

"A human endeavoured to con mine kind's power?"

"Yes." Ren scowled at the picture. "Humans have a lot of trouble getting it, though. Either she knows a special trick, or she forced herself through a grueling training regimen. Angel is the most fearsome aerial combatant on the continent, if not in the world. Do not engage her in the air even if you can. In the best case we can ambush her and take her down before she becomes a problem."

"What else do we have on her?" Levy requested; Hibiki switched from Angel's picture to a list of her known powers for everyone to peruse. Lucy's brows furrowed as she reached the last item.

"Celestial Spirit magic?" she asked. "Do we know which spirits she summons? Does she use keys?" Carla sported a feline grin for a moment, but Lucy blinked and it was gone.

Meanwhile, Hibiki shrugged. "We know she owns at least one golden key, but no one who saw her summon a spirit survived to tell the tale."

They went over the other members as well; Cobra led his tamed serpent into battle and specialised in telepathy, to the point he could crawl into other peoples' minds to listen in. Hoteye was a powerful earth wizard. Racer deployed powerful speed magic. There were no accounts of Midnight in battle; the few times he took the field, no one survived. And the leader, Brain, was confirmed to be a former senior member of the Bureau of Magic Development; he knew various types of magic, making him a versatile and smart enemy.

"The greatest issue," Hibiki closed their briefing, "is that Oracion Seis is a well-oiled machine in battle. They have years of experience fighting together and know each other well. We have reports of several members using Unison Raids before, too." This was bad news to Lucy; she pulled off exactly one Unison Raid herself so far and it had turned the tide of battle. Literally even, as it was done with Juvia. Hibiki remained unaware of her musings as he delivered his verdict: "So disrupting their cohesion is imperative."

While the others nodded, Lucy could not help but mutter. "Maybe we should have brought more people after all." Her mind flashed to Mira and Erza; she suddenly felt a lot less secure without Natsu there, too.

"Then they'd have an easier time breaking us into smaller groups and snacking us up," Levy argued, which was also a good point.

Hibiki seemed to agree: "There are ups and downs to a small group, but our greatest advantage is being stealthy with these numbers." His reminder coaxed a sigh out of Lucy; if nothing else, they had the initiative.

The next half hour was spent discussing how to approach the actual assault. Sherry apparently learned fortunetelling in addition to her Doll magic; they could use that to track down Oracion Seis. Gajeel and Lyon were all for going after them immediately, but Jura convinced them to wait until nightfall; Lucy agreed with him, as did Levy. If they could get most of them while they slept, that would be perfect. In addition, once the nomads were found, their Dragonslayers could track them almost indefinitely by scent.

After that, they waited. Lucy spent some time catching up with Wendy and Sherry before leaving both to get to know each other. Lyon was discussing something with Jura and Gajeel while Levy and Hibiki talked about Archive. The other two suits were in the kitchen cooking dinner. Lucy offered to help, but they shooed her away; no sign of Laxus either, so she ended up reading a book for a while.

As she read, she could not shake the creeping feeling that something was wrong. Lucy had no idea what set it off, though. Surreptive glances went around the room and out the windows, but nothing suspicious presented itself. She pondered whether Oracion Seis may know about this safehouse, but cottages like it were everywhere across Worth Woodsea. Them having found exactly this one by chance was incredibly unlikely. However, during her continued musing, Lucy's gaze was drawn back to Carla. The Exceed girl sat in Wendy's lap and received headpats; she kept studying the room as well.

Remembering that Angel had an unknown zodiac, Lucy distracted herself by going over their number. All bets were off if she learned to open a gate without the corresponding key, but that took time. Lucy already owned the keys for Aquarius, Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Sagittarius, Leo, and Libra. Meaning that she missed Capricorn, Pisces, Gemini...

Her breath hitched, gaze flying back to Carla. That gut feeling was strongest when she looked that way. Carla lagged behind on arrival, the only one who was alone. Angel was a Celestial Spirit wizard with a golden key. And the Exceed's behaviour inexplicably kept rubbing Lucy the wrong way. She may be paranoid, but Oracion Seis were infamous. Taking a risk like that could end up spelling disaster.

Lucy's first instinct was to speak up, but she stopped herself in time. Fairy Tail did not always have positive influences after all. Instead, she purposefully immersed herself in fantasies of Natsu until her cheeks held a notable blush; then she fetched Levy and Sherry from their respective conversations. Both were attentive, though a little confused as well.

"What's up, Lu?"

"Girl stuff," she lied, "you mind helping me out? I didn't bring, uh, y'know?" A telling glance went to all the men present; Wendy was already drawn into conversation with Gajeel, somehow. Others had been eyeing them, but averted their gazes. Levy's brows rose, but Sherry immediately nodded her understanding and grabbed her purse.

"Of course," the older woman agreed immediately, then pulled on Hibiki's sleeve. "Which way to the restrooms?" She received concise instructions and they were off.

Levy thankfully held her silence until the three of them were actually there; several doors and a hallway separated them from the others. The blunette leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. "Now what's up? This isn't your time of the month." Sherry paused, clearly confused. Levy threw her a coy grin. "Because it was two weeks ago. I had to listen to her complain."

Of course she remembered that. Lucy shrugged. "The cramps were bad. Anyway, not the point right now. I think we are undermined and I think Carla is our mole." She had their undivided attention now. "There is a zodiac spirit that can perfectly copy other beings, up to their memories and behaviours. If Angel has Gemini, then they're onto us already. I can't prove anything, but I don't want to leave this to chance."

Levy frowned in response. "I never heard about a spirit that can do that before."

"I did," Sherry added thoughtfully. "But I never thought the copy would be indistinguishable from the original."

"Gemini is good. The twins do not have to act exactly like whoever they copy, but they can. My mother could not tell them and me apart when I was little." The other two nodded their understanding while Lucy thought back to simpler times. Then she shook that off and drew Virgo's key, but paused. "They can tell if I use magic now and will get suspicious." This was a conundrum, she could not hide her use of Ethernano here. But maybe she could mask it?

A silver key followed, Canis Minor. "All or nothing, then."

A quick summoning later, she scooped up Plue; the humanoid figure wiggled in her grasp for a moment. His golden horn was the only part of him not purely white, excepting dot eyes and mouth. Hugging the tiny thing to her chest made Lucy feel a little better. The first one she addressed was Virgo, though: "Okay. Please check around the house and be discreet; I want to know if anyone else is here and what they are doing. Plue, you come with me."

Plue responded something unintelligible, but remained in place. Virgo bowed. "Of course, Princess," she murmured and sunk into the earth.

Next, Lucy turned to the amused Levy and impressed Sherry: "Spread the word and try not to tip Carla off. You can get at Lyon and Gajeel, and Lyon can tell Jura."

A moment of silence followed, broken by Sherry: "I had no idea you can be so sly."

Lucy tossed her hair in response, offering a winning grin. "I am a Heartfilia after all. Not that I was ever a good enough socialite to make my old man happy, but it will suffice for the rabble." She held herself playfully haughty, coaxing a laugh from Levy and a smile from Sherry. Lucy dropped the act then and motioned for the door they entered through. "Let's go."

The three returned in close formation; Lucy wordlessly settled back on 'her' couch, Plue hugged to her chest. She tried to convey silent suffering and was left alone. Levy skipped along and back to Gajeel while Sherry attached herself to Lyon's side. Wendy and Carla were busy talking about their life with Jura, so they missed the quiet exchanges; Lucy could tell when the message was conveyed. Both mens' eyes narrowed, gazes flickering to the younger Dragonslayer. They thankfully did not say anything. Hibiki caught onto it as well and strode away to tell his guildmates in the kitchen.

Lucy allowed herself a smile and squeezed the spirit in her arms for comfort. Plue purred softly, not at all upset with his part of the plan. Jura was caught up soon enough, too; Lyon took his place with some inquiries about Exceeds to distract 'Carla'. The hard-faced man's expression barely changed when Sherry relayed the warning, though he sought Lucy's gaze; she met him without a shred of doubt. His response was a faint nod.

A soft tap against her boot alerted Lucy to Virgo's presence; her friend left barely any sense of moving Ethernano, hidden by the ambient energy. Lucy sighed in response and flopped down onto the couch; Virgo's mouth emerged right beneath her ear, whispering: "Quiet movement around the entire building. The earth turns softer, foundations are slowly weakened. I imagine either a strike from below or an attempt to collapse the building."

Expression unchanged, Lucy pulled Plue into her face to pretend cuddling. Behind his white fluff, she whispered back: "Thanks. Go find Laxus and tell him about this. Tell him to lay low until they make their move, then ambush them back. You can head home afterward."

"Of course, Princess." The faint presence vanished. As it faded, Lucy tried to sense for the movement of Ethernano below; it was barely noticeably even when knowing someone worked underneath. She shuddered, wondering what might have happened had she not gotten suspicious.

An hour passed in idle conversation around her; Lucy was left alone, focussed on supplying Virgo and Plue with Ethernano. Her continued practice helped improve the amount she could store within her body, but this hour remained taxing. Then, thankfully, she felt the drain of Virgo's Gate fade; Lucy's lips quirked up. She dismissed Plue as well, who waved goodbye and vanished.

After an actual toilet break, Lucy managed to relay what she learned. The men quietly began to prepare countermeasures while the women took to distracting Wendy and Carla; no one said it, but they all agreed that they could not inform the blunette beforehand.

Oracion Seis definitely took their time. Jura's brows creased around nightfall, another five hours later; he sought Lucy's sleep-addled gaze and nodded to the outside. The blonde nodded back; she felt no more magic at work underneath when sensing for it, none at all. At least they waited for her nap to finish; Wendy and Levy were already up.

Rubbing her eyes and shaking off the remnants of sleep, Lucy stretched. She was well aware of Carla having grown more animated in Wendy's grasp. "Tis quite enough lollygagging," she declared. "I will exercise mine wings for a time." Wendy agreed with a faint smile.

Meanwhile, Lucy adopted a cheshire grin. "Oh, so you're telling Angel what we're up to now?"

The entire room tensed up at once; Lucy felt more than saw her allies preparing their escape. She was focussed on 'Carla', whose attention fixated solely on her in turn. "How do you mean?" she inquired while Wendy tilted her head. Lucy's smile grew a fraction.

"Come now, Gemini. You were babysitting me at least a few times. I am not that dumb."

The false Exceed rubbed her head in wonder, searching Lucy's expression. Movement of Ethernano picked up underneath, she noticed. Meanwhile, Wendy indignantly shot to her feet. "How couldst thou suspect Carla? Who dost thou think thou art?!"

"No, no. She is quite right." The nonchalant admission stunned Wendy, whose gaze turned back to what she thought was her friend. 'Carla' huffed. "And yes, you were a nightmare to look after. Always climbing about and trying to jump from high places. Out of curiousity, what gave us away?"

Lucy wordlessly presented her seven zodiac keys. Gemini nodded. "Ah. Process of elimination? That sucks, but at least I won't get scolded for messing up. I'll probably get scolded for helping you out, but I do owe Lailah some: you want to get out of this house now."

"Way ahead of you."

As if on cue, Jura and Lyon broke the wall with unnecessary force. Everyone leapt into motion and dashed outside; Gajeel snatched the flabbergasted Wendy and carried her along. The earth churned, calamity announced by violent crashing noises; their safehouse cracked everywhere as a whirlpool of dirt began to devour it. Supporting beams collapsed and within a minute, the entire structure was gone. Barren soil marked where it once stood.

Lucy stared at the deathtrap she just escaped. "That was a bit nastier than I expected," she mused quietly before shaking off the momentary horror. Her senses strained as she tried to find where the spellwork had come from; it was easy this time, right toward the heart of Worth Woodsea. "Over there!"

There they stood, all of Oracion Seis arrayed. They were hidden among the nearby woodland, but became apparent once one knew they were there. Racer and Cobra leaned against a tree, one decked in various metals and some sort of goggles, the other clad in a white, high-collared coat that revealed black underneath. A person-sized, purple serpent was draped over the telepath's shoulder, tongue flitting as it stared at them.

Angel kicked her legs on a thick branch above them; the hem of her dress fluttered in the evening breeze, though she kept smiling. Brain and Hoteye both held thoughtful looks, taking the back line while spell circles winked out around them. A clearly sleeping Midnight floated next to the two.

Lucy took all of this in, already moving when Jura's shout reached her ears: "Get them now!"

Angel's sarcastic applause was inaudible at this distance, but they all saw it. "How impressive," her voice carried across to them, "to survive our first strike and then come running." She said something else and glanced down to Brain, who responded more gruffly; whatever he said, it left the lady wizard less gleeful than before. Then she shrugged and raised one hand, presenting a bound bundle of white fur. "But how about this?" she called over, slowing down the coalition's charge. Carla wiggled in her bindings. Horror grasped Lucy as she realised she completely forgot the original over Gemini.

Their advance ground to a halt a mere few dozen metres away; Oracion Seis wore grins, one and all. The inhuman growl from behind Lucy made them fade. It echoed over the entire area and the air grew heavy. Glancing behind herself, she found Wendy hunched forward; the Dragonslayer glared up at Angel, pupils turned to slits. "If thou hast but trimmed a hair," she seethed, unable to even vocalise her anger properly. Half of the noise her throat produced were more growls.

Then stormwinds followed, shaking the trees and blowing Lucy forward; the coalition moved with her while Oracion Seis was blown back. Angel fought for balance, which was all the time Carla needed; a cocoon of white flames surrounded the Exceed. It burned her bindings and singed Angel's dress, pushing the human wizard over entirely. By the time she caught the branch with her legs, Carla already took wing.

Lucy followed Angel's descent; the other woman swung herself backward in Wendy's storm, aligning perfectly straight before landing on Racer's shoulders. Magic swirled around both of them, white and gold that merged into each other.

"Oh Golden Bull, lend me your aid!" Lucy intoned. "Star Dress, Taurus!" She felt the surge of alien strength propel her feet forward. Jura was right by her side, but that was not enough. "Levy, shield!"

"Solid Script: Shield!"

A curled cursive pushed itself before them, braced by Gajeel; he was just in time. Hundreds of beams pealed against the cover, each leaving deep gouges. They quickly ground it to nothing, only to be intercepted by a wall of summoned rock. Jura's shield was battered as well before the rain stopped. Lucy needed until she punched straight through to realise that Unison Raid was Grand Chariot on speed magic. The rain of debris disrupted Cobra's advance, at least; Lucy followed up by throwing a larger piece at Angel's face. The other woman leaned backward to evade, falling off Racer's shoulder in the process. She turned it into a flick and came to stand easily.

A moment later, Racer stood right in front of her. Lucy tried to punch him, but he was already gone; her temple stung, too. Then Cobra arrived with a nasty grin. "Looks like you're tough, girly," he taunted. The serpent on his shoulder hissed as if laughing. Then both lashed out at her, too.

Lucy had no time to talk back; she wanted to grab the snake, but a sting to her wrist announced the grab going off-target. Cobra's punch stung a little harder and pushed Lucy back a step; then his pet sank its teeth into her thigh. Lucy flinched in expectation of pain; when none came, she stopped for a moment. Cobra did as well, both staring.

Razor sharp teeth were stuck in the outermost layer of Lucy's skin. Some kind of warm liquid ran down her thigh, right at the point of impact. It was not blood. It was not hers at all. Lucy stared at the venomous snake, then at Cobra. He stared right back, just as dumbfounded. Then Lucy tore off the hissing serpent and used it as a club; it curled up so the swing missed its master, who growled at her. "Don't think that makes you invincible. I know your every thought. All your plans. Everything!"

A few more stings along her arm freed the snake, who quickly slithered away and hid in a bush. Racer was already past, intercepting Gajeel before he could get at Cobra. The snake tamer chuckled darkly and caught the misplaced swing; then Lucy had to duck under her airborne teammate. "Everything!" he shouted and caught Levy's punch from behind at the wrist.

He proceeded to dance around all of them, sometimes aided by Racer's lightning fast assaults. Lucy stayed close to where the venomous snake hid; it kept hissing and hiding, thankfully. At the same time, she knew this was not going well; Cobra and Racer kept herself, Gajeel, Lyon, Levy, and Sherry occupied. Brain and Hoteye exchanged spellfire with Jura, Wendy, and the hosts.

She threw herself in front of Levy just in time then; Angel's Grand Chariot slammed into her reinforced body, leaving some mean bruises. Their eyes met across the distance Angel took over being ignored.

But over it all, Lucy smelled something. Gajeel's grin ramped up a notch as well. The telltale scent of lightning. Laxus was near.

Just as she thought his name, the nearest scuffle dissolved. A frantic shout of "Retreat!" interrupted the ongoing battles. Cobra disengaged, covered by Racer. "Scatter, now!" he shouted. "Before-"

That was as far as he got; a flash of lightning came down upon him like the fist of an angry god. From one moment to the next, the man who fought all of them without taking a single hit lay motionless in a crater. Above him towered Fairy Tail's ace, currents arcing over musclebound arms and legs. Wendy's storm slowed to a faint breeze, making his heavy coat flutter.

Everyone stared at the impossibility before them, Lucy included. Meanwhile, Laxus sneered at allies and enemies alike. His drawl almost seemed to echo: "Man, you weaklings really need to step up your game. I can't come to drag your asses out of the fire every time."

The snake leapt at him, as furious as a serpent could look; Laxus lazily snatched it out of the air, fangs stopped centimetres from his face. The thing was as thick as his arms, but could only wiggle in distress. Then Laxus glared at it. Within moments, Cobra's pet fell limp and played dead; he dropped the serpent on top of its unconcious master.

"Scatter," Angel echoed her companion's order. "They're after me before you all! Aera!"

Before anyone could react, long wings of white feathers spread from a spell circle attached to her back. Brain and Hoteye disengaged, taking Midnight along. Racer made a run for Laxus, however; Lucy worried for a moment, only to realise her guildmate caught the speedster's arm. He only grunted from the fist driven into his gut, but it did lessen his grip strength. Racer broke away before the lightning blast reached him; then he was dozens of metres distant.

"First fallback point," Brain shouted to his allies. "Don't you dare die on me!"

There were no verbal responses as everyone ran in a different direction. Angel took wing while the rest vanished into the woods. Their pursuers discussed while an irate Wendy provided healing for the wounded, meaning everyone except Lucy and Gajeel; they quickly agreed to split up as well.

If nothing else, their Dragonslayers had the trail. The hunt was on.