CHAPTER 23!!! FINALLY!!! *cries anime tears* I've finally managed to break down the wall that kept me from doing what I like to do best. So, I wanna dedicate this chapter to shadowfire14. She/he was nice enough to understand that I might not update this book due to a writers block, but literally 40 minutes after reading her/his comment, i got inspired to write again. So thank you. And thank you readers for still reading this book. So, here you go. Chapter 21.
~~ Annala's POV ~~
I ran down the guilds stairs onto the main floor, and twirled, earning a chuckle from Laxus who was walking behind me.
"Looks like someone's ready for a job." He patted my head and walked off to our normal table. I saw Luna out of the corner of my eye, and saw that she was practically sparkling. 'Ooh! Something good happened to her. I wonder what it is.' I walked over to her.
"Someone is glowing." I said, startling her.
"What?! No!" She avoided my eyes.
"You ain't fooling me. Now spill it." I sat down next to her, trapping her in the booth bench.
"Ugh! Fine. But don't tell anyone, or I'll tell Laxus your secret." She crossed her arms, waiting for me to agree to the condition.
"........... fine." I stuck out my hand for her to slap. We have this thing, that if we make a deal, we have to slap each other's hands, thinking that the pain would remind you of the deal. She slapped it, and let me tell you, it hurt like a bitch.
"Zeref kissed me yesterday!" She whispered and got all sparkly again.
"He did?! I'm so happy for you two!" I said.
"So, how far have you and Laxus gotten?" She smirked, and I slapped a hand over her mouth.
"How far have we gotten what?" A deep voice said behind us.
"Um... uh.. nothing. Nothing at all. Now let's go do a job!" I nervously got up and avoided Laxus' questioning look.
"Stop looking at me like that! Now, what job are we taking?" I crossed my arms.
"We are helping Mr. Yajima-san at his restaurant." Freed replied.
"I have always wanted to meet Mr. Yajima-san."
"You guys should get a move on, or you'll miss the train." Luna smirked, and Laxus and I groaned.
"I hate trains." I grumbled.
"That goes for the two of us." Laxus grumbled as well, while everyone laughed.
"IT'S NOT FUNNY!!!" I yelled.
~~*~~ Time skip ~~*~~
Laxus and I went out to pick up some things that Mr. Yajima-san needed. On our way back, Laxus was leading the way, but he was lost. Then we heard what sounded to be a building being torn appart and saw a tunnel of wind where Mr. Yajima-san's restaurant was. Laxus and I exchanged glances before heading to the scene of it all. A clocked man had a hand wrapped around Yajima-san's neck. Or at least he did, until Laxus hit him with his lightning.
"I may have gone astray on my way back here, but when it comes to wiping the floor with you... THE PATH IS AS CLEAR AS DAY!" Laxus took a stance and covered his fist in lightning, as I surrounded the two of us in water blades. The cloacked man riped off his cloack, and revealed that he wasnt human. I shot off the blades when the man came at us in a wind funnel, but they didn't do squat. Laxus and I dodged him.
"Water dragon's: ROAR!!" I shouted and hit him with my breath attack, and this time it hit, giving Laxus enough time to get behind him and attack him as well. The beast was now on the ground.
"Looks like you drew..." I started.
"The short end of the straw." Laxus finished.
"Water dragon's: RAGING RAPIDS"
"Lightning dragon's: JAW!!" Both of our attacks hit, and the beast was knocked out. Ever was saying something about tieing him up, when he started talking.
"Fairy... Tail... was it? We didn't factor in humans being capable of this type of destructive force... so this type of damage output wasn't a variable in our equation. Looks like I'll have to sacrifice one of my lives..."
"One of your... Lives?" Laxus asked.
"What the hell are you babbling on about." I added.
"You're the ones who drew the short straw... remember that... humans..." He finished, then exploded, leaving behind black mist that only seemed to get darker and thicker. The beast's voice said that it was some sort of anti-etherion particles, which is deadly for mages.
"DON'T BREATH IT IN!" Freed shouted, but Laxus ignored him. Instead, he started inhaling it, as if he were trying to eat it.
"LAXUS!! STOP IT!!" I shouted, and tears started to roll down my cheaks. I knew what I had to do, and he knew what had to be done. But I wasn't gonna let him do it. I surrounded everyone, but myself, in a purifying water bubble, so the air they were now breathing was clean.
"ANNALA!! DON'T DO IT!!" Laxus pounded against his bubble, but couldn't break through. I walked into his bubble.
"Please, let me out of here so I can save the town." He begged. I shook my head, and placed my hands on both sides of his face, stood on my tipy-toes, and pulled him to me until our lips were touching. He was surprised, but soon kissed back. I pulled away.
"I want you to know, that I love you, and I want to say good bye. So... good bye, Laxus." I quickly turned around and ran out of the bubble before he could grab my wrist. I took a firm stance, and began eating the anti-etherion particles. By the time I couldn't inhale anymore of the particles, there only was a bit left. I was now to weak to maintain the bubbles, so they burst while I fell to the ground. My vision was dark and spoty, but I could still see Laxus' face. He looked like he was having a tough time fighting what anti-etherion particles he did inhale.
"W-why did you do it?" He asked and I felt him hold me. I felt something wet land on my cheak, but I knew it was because Laxus was crying.
"I... couldn't live.... if you died." I smiled sadly at him.
"But what makes you think I'll be able to live without the one I love, knowing she loves me back?" He asked, making a pained face, and hugged me to him. I buried my face in the crook of his neck as I lost to the blackness that wants to consume me. The last thing I heard was my name being called, and then what sounded like Laxus screaming.
