บท 6: Fairies & Their Issues
"This. Is. So. Freaking. Cool!" Cana screamed in delight as the two rode Baby Dragon. She was sitting on the front and leaning against Gerald, who was behind her. Her bag was over his shoulders, and his weapons were strapped on his back. He had wrapped them with a cloth to make sure he doesn't kill himself on the ride to Fairy Tail.
"This is the best day ever!" Cana yelled. Not only did she spend nearly an entire day with Gerald, but they had even killed a Wyvern! Hell, the blond summon had even one-shotted it. Granted, it was only an adolescent, but the Guild members didn't know that. And now, she was returning back to Magnolia while riding on a freaking Dragon of all things. She couldn't even remember the last time she had this much fun.
"Wohoooo!" Yeah, today was definitely the best day Cana had in years.
Gerald was also enjoying the flight. Flying had always been a man's dream, but flying on a Dragon of all things? That was pure fantasy. Yet, here he was, flying on top of a Dragon. Well, a Baby Dragon to be correct, but a Dragon nonetheless.
"Roar!" Baby Dragon roared in delight, feeling its Master's happiness.
It took them a bit over half an hour to reach Magnolia, and they caused quite the commotion when they landed in front of the Guild. People stopped what they were doing and stared in awe. They've read about Dragons, they've seen pictures of them in books, but they've never seen a live one. A live Dragon hadn't been seen in hundreds of years! They pointed fingers at the orange-scaled creature and murmured to each other if what they are seeing is real or not. That led to a certain pink-head bursting out of the Guild with gusto.
Natsu had just returned from a C-rank monster extermination job. As always, the first thing that he did was to give the stack of Jewels he got to the bartender of Fairy Tail. Why bother paying for a meal every time you wanted to eat when you can pay upfront and not bother thinking about it? The bartender was a nice person, so he will tell him when Natsu ran out of money, and he will then go on another mission. He wasn't a thinker, that wasn't his style. He was a doer.
Natsu was munching on his favorite Fire Pasta and drinking his Fire Water when he heard the commotion outside the Guild. He let out a pained moan as his legs shuffled in place. He wanted to go and see, but... his favorite food was in front of him. Natsu started eating faster, but when his enhanced hearing picked up one specific word, he froze in place. Rigidly, he turned around and bolted towards the door without any hesitation.
When Gerald saw Natsu rushing out of the Guild, he thought that maybe this will give him a chance to get close to the resident Dragon Slayer. He had already met a few of the main cast, but Natsu was supposed to be THE main character since the story revolved around him. He wanted to know what made the pink-haired mage special, what made him tick, and what made him different from the rest.
Gerald watched as Natsu's eyes lit up with fire. Figuratively and literally speaking. His hands were tightly clenched, and his body was visibly shaking with excitement. His black eyes stared at him and...
"Fight me!"
Natsu betrayed his expectation yet again. Gerald let out a groan and dispelled Baby Dragon. The only reason he kept it out was to try and get a conversation going with Natsu, but it seemed that it was only wishful thinking on his part. With a disheartened face, he walked past him. 'To think this is the person the world is supposed to revolve around.'
"Fight me!"
"Fight me!"
"Fight me!"
Natsu kept pestering him as Gerald moved towards the Guild entrance. Without even bothering to respond, he pushed the doors open. Knowing Fairy Tail, he probably should have expected what happened next.
""PARTY!!!!""
The Guild erupted in cheers once Cana and Gerald entered. They sure loved doing that in Fairy Tail. Someone joined the Guild? Party! Someone completed their first job? Party! Someone completed their second job? Party! Someone completed their first solo job? Party! Someone missed a party? You guessed it right. Party! And every time the Guild turned into a battlefield since a brawl was part of the course. That's when Gerald stepped out of the Guild Hall and went to the archive. He might have Magic Power coursing through his body, making him tougher than a regular human, but getting into one of those brawls would only leave him bedridden.
Gerald wasn't the only one with that idea. Levy was already in the archive, relaxing on the couch, and with her nose stuck in a book. She didn't even realize that he had entered until he sat right next to her. She mumbled something that sounded like "Hello" without looking away from her book. It's not like other members of Fairy Tail actually visited the archive. This had pretty much become their own personal place, and it seemed like there will be a new member joining their club.
Cana had entered a few minutes after Gerald. Her steps were unsteady, and her cheeks rosy. With a giggle, she plopped herself on the couch next to them.
"You've been drinking?" Gerald asked with narrowed eyes. He knew that in the future, she would become a heavy drinker, but she was a 13-year-old kid right now! Macao and Wakaba had offered him a drink on more than a few occasions, saying that he will be legal to drink in a year, so it would be best to get some practice early on. Gerald thought it was nothing but a joke, but this...
'Summon me, Master. I will freeze their balls!' Fay's voice was filled with venom, promising pain to the older duo.
"Maybe~" Cana giggled.
"I'm disappointed in you." Those words sobered her up. Gerald was someone she got along best compared to the other her age in the Guild. She felt a sharp pang of guilt.
"W-what?"
"I expected more from you." Her heart ached with pain. Coming from him, that hurt a lot. "Nothing good comes from drinking alcohol. It harms both the body and the mind."
"But...but it makes me feel good," Cana weakly argued.
"There are other ways you can have a good time. Or are you saying you didn't have fun while flying on Baby Dragon? Or when we play card games?" Cana winced, raised her legs on the couch, and hugged her knees. Her eyes reddened, and tears started forming.
Gerald placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it lightly. "Look, Cana. I'm telling you this because I care about you. I'm worried you will go down a path that leads to nowhere good."
"You are a bright girl with a lot of potential. Don't ruin that by drinking alcohol. You have so much to lose and nothing to gain from that."
Gerald pulled Cana for a one-handed hug when he felt her start trembling. "Promise me that you won't drink until you come of age. And then you will drink only on special occasions, not just for the sake of it. Can you do that for me? If you do, I promise that we will go on a lot of jobs and fly on Baby Dragon together."
"I..." She sniffed. "Promise. Just don't leave me alone, please!" She begged. Her father left her before she was born. Her mother left her when she was 6 years old. She got along with the rest of the Guild, but Gerald was the only one that treated her like family, even though they knew each other for such a short time. If he left her as well, she didn't know what she would do.
"Don't worry. I don't think I'm going anywhere anytime soon." Cana snuggled closer to him. "As long... as long as you don't leave me, I promise I won't drink anymore. I... don't want you to be disappointed in me."
"Just keep being yourself, don't drink, and there is no way I will be disappointed with you." Gerald rubbed her shoulder while thinking of how to deal with Macao and Wakaba. The biggest question was whether to wait until he can do it himself or sent Fay on them? Or... doing both options? Multiple times? Yeah, that sounded like a good idea.
Macao and Wakaba were happily drinking when they suddenly shivered as if death was standing right behind them. They looked around, but there was nothing there. Still, the feeling of dread didn't leave them. Suddenly they sensed Magic Power building up beneath them. They looked down only to see a blue magic circle on the ground. They were about to jump away from there, but it was too late. "Ice Magic: World Of Pain!"
"GAHHHHHHHHH!" Their pained screams filled the Guild Hall.
"Gray, why did you do THAT to them?" A boy with sandy-colored hair asked.
"That wasn't me, Max. I would rather punch them in the face than do THAT! I'm not that cruel!" Gray defended himself.
Makarov stared at the entrance to the archive with a pale face. He protectively brought a hand to his nether region and swore that he will never, ever, look at Fay funnily. Who would've taught that a cute girl like her could be so cruel?
Later, when Gerald came back to the Guild Hall, Macao and Wakaba were nowhere in sight. And for the most part, it looked peaceful. It was filled with the sounds of laugher, clinking glasses, and the insults that were being thrown between Natsu and Gray. Yep, as peaceful as Fairy Tail could get.
After ordering something to eat, and paying it with his own money, he sat down on a table with Cana, who had sobered up. The two were chatting about when Cana's eyes widened as she stared at someone behind him. Turning around, he saw Mira with her hands crossed.
Makarov might not have been willing to talk about Gerald's past, but he did tell her a few things. Mainly, that he didn't know how to use Magic before joining the Guild, that he didn't have anything of worth besides the clothes on his back and a deck of cards, and that he didn't have a place to return. In a way, he was similar to her. Did that mean that she would feel sorry about nearly punching his head off and apologize? Hell no! She was Mirajane, the Demon. Not Mirajane, the Angel. But, she was at least willing to give him a chance. A chance to apologize. He did say that she looked like a prostitute, and she wasn't willing to overlook that. Even if he did compliment her looks.
So here she was, standing behind him. She did note that he had changed his wardrobe. A simple dark blue T-shirt and black pants. nothing special, but it was better than what he previously wore.
When Gerald turned around, that same frown formed on his face. God, how much she hated that. She had seen something similar by the villagers that had chased her and her family out of their home. Though, theirs were filled with disgust. While his, with disapproval, but that didn't matter that much right now. She had come to talk to him and thought for a moment how to start the conversation.
"You've changed out of your rags." The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop herself. Mira was definitely not a good conversationalist. At least she got to see his reaction. To see how he will take being told about his bad clothing choice. Even though he didn't have a choice, considering he had no money to buy clothes.
Mira was disappointed when there was no change in his expression. No anger, no nothing. Just that same disapproving frown. God, she was having a hard time holding herself back.
"I have," Gerald replied with a neutral tone and a nod. "But you are still-"
"DON'T YOU DARE FUCKING SAY THAT!" She wouldn't be able to hold herself back if he continued that.
"Dressed like a prostitute." But he did.
Gerald knew what was going to happen. The last time he wasn't prepared when she punched him, but not this time. That didn't matter, however. He had even preemptively raised his hand to try and block the punch, push it aside, or just do something. Mira was far faster, however.
A resounding crunch filled the Guild as the Gerald was thrown on the ground from her punch. Out of nowhere, Happy appeared with a K.O sign in his hands like last time. But now, Mira and his face were on the sign as well. He had a 0 next to his face while she had number 2. 'Damn, gloating cat. Where does he get his signs? Does he have Sign Magic? Or does he prepare them in advance and keep them somewhere hidden?'
Not that he had time to think about that since Mira was breathing hard atop him.
"Why do you wear them?" Gerald asked before she could punch him again, but he didn't give Mira the chance to answer.
"Is it to show off your figure? To show off that you are proud of your body?" Mira winced, and he was sure he hit the nail on the head.
"If so, you don't need them. I would go so far as to say that you don't even look good in them. Put on anything else, and you would look twice as better." Her sapphire orbs blinked in confusion. Would she really look at least twice as better wearing something else?
"If you are fixated with showing off your figure, put on skin-tight clothes that would make others drool and imagine what's underneath them. Put on a dress that shows just the right amount of skin, so others would salivate and fantasize about you."
Mira was at a loss for words, not knowing how to respond. Could she pull it off? Could she dress in a way that makes others dream about her? She wasn't sure but in the end. "I'm Mirajane, the Demon! I'm not supposed to look good, but that doesn't mean I'm not proud of my body!"
"And who's to say that a Demon can't be beautiful?" That question made her brain freeze. Demons were known as ugly creatures, right? They aren't supposed to be beautiful, right?
"Give it a few years, and you would become one of the most beautiful women in all of Fiore when you grow up. Dress the part, and men would fight just to get a look at you."
When she was a young girl, the villagers used to tell her that she would grow up to become a beautiful young lady. That had lasted until the dreadful day she helped them with the Demon in the church. Since then, they hated her, scorned her for her new appearance. Now, there was someone that was saying the same thing. That she would grow up to become beautiful. She wasn't sure if she should be angry or happy. But was there even a reason to be angry? Ah, yes, he had said she was dressed like a prostitute.
"And why the fuck do you care?" Mira grabbed his shirt and pulled him up.
Gerald pointed at her sister, who was sitting on a table with Natsu and looking at them with wide eyes.
"Would you let her wear the same clothes you are wearing?"
"No!" She answered without a second thought.
"So, why are you wearing them?"
Mira opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out of it. Not after their conversation that had happened in the middle of the Guild. It dawned on her that they had made quite the scene, but it didn't matter to her that much. Mira grit her teeth in frustration.
"Fine!" She yelled out. "You want me to change my clothes? Then you will come help pick up new ones since you know so much!"
For the first time, Mira saw his expression change as his eyes widened in fear.
"No!" Gerald answered in a panic while having flashbacks on going shopping with women. The waiting time. The checking over 50 different clothes, and in the end, picking one of the first choices. Without even realizing it, he repeated once more. "No."
A sadistic grin formed on her face. "No? So, you don't want me to change my wardrobe?"
"I want to, but-"
"Then you are coming with me then!" The way he looked around in panic made her body shudder in delight. She was more than annoyed by his frown and neutral expression. She wanted to punch it off his face, even though he did compliment her. More than anyone else had done in the past year. Now that was frown was no longer there, and her grin widened. She finally had the upper hand.
"What is it? You don't want to help a girl that would become one of the most beautiful women in Fiore in a few years? Weren't those your words? You don't want to help her select her new wardrobe?"
The grin on her face intensified as she watched him panic. So, he wasn't scared of her, but he was scared of shopping? Good to know.
Mira grabbed his shirt and started pulling him towards the Guild doors. "I'll take your silence as a, "Yes, I want to help," so we are going shopping right now!"
She giggled in delight as, even without glancing back, she knew he was looking around and pleading for help. No one would help him, though. Most, if not all members, were scared of her. He was the only one stupid enough to talk back to her. Expect Erza, but she didn't count. The ugly tomato head was just jealous of her.
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procrastination04
procrastination04 I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm a bit overwhelmed by how well received this story has been, and I'm starting to get stage fright. I'm not intelligent. I'm pretty dumb, I don't know what I'm doing, and I will make stupid shit, so you are going have to call me out on them. In return, I will try to write as much as possible, even though I'm a lazzy ass. I don't promise a chapter a day, but I will give it a shot.
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