In Secret (Sequel to Behind the Scenes)

"Papa's Roof!"

Gajeel's P.O.V.

"Lu-chan!" I glanced down to the main floor of the guildhall, hearing Shrimp squeal. I'd gotten to the hall before Flame Brain's team, somehow, and come immediately upstairs. If I'd stayed down on the main level, I'd have wanted to be with Levy. I didn't think she was ready for that yet. Fuck, I didn't think I was ready for that yet. 'Sides her shadows were following her around and I knew she wanted to spend some time with them too.

"Kya!" Blondie laughed as she was tackled by the tiny bluenette, the girls hugging as if they hadn't seen each other in months rather than weeks. I chuckled to myself, remembering my own homecoming with the Script mage. Tech. Stop that thought right there, idiot. The guild was in an uproar about the little girl following everyone. I was too far away to get a scent on her, but I'd heard her name as Wendy. She was tiny, probably the only person I'd seen shorter than the shrimp.

"And then a serpent flew through the sky!" Salamander was running his mouth about the mission, almost making it so I couldn't hear anything else over his roaring. I was pretty sure he was exaggerating, too. Juvia was drowning the Popsicle, uncontrollable tears pouring out of her. "...sky Dragon Slayer." My ears picked up her tiny voice through everything else, and I snapped my gaze to her, studying her again in a new light. There was almost silence in the hall as the idiots all stared at her. I watched as her face fell, a blush creeping across her face. Aye, girlie. I remember that feelin'. Give it a sec- The sudden outburst of noise might have startled me if I hadn't been expecting it. "With Gajeel, that gives us three Dragon Slayers now!"

The smile that broke out on her face almost made me smile myself, it was so sweet and happy. She reminded me of the little bird, so easily happy, even if there was a sadness behind their eyes. A little flash of white by her feet caught my eye and pulled me from my wandering thoughts. A cat? Just like... looking around, I found that blue tomcat that was always following Flame Brain around. The little white cat looked irritated, in comparison to the air headed tom, but otherwise they were clearly the same. Where's my cat then? Why don't I have one?! A sudden loneliness settled in my chest, but I shook it off and scowled down at the madness that took over the hall as the demon woman broke out the ale. I caught the Rain Woman's eye and jerked my head in a signal to come talk to me, knowing she would when she found a chance, and thumped down in my chair, content to just watch the fools below.

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"Miss Levy wouldn't really have our clue end up there... would she?" James looked over at his redheaded teammate, the latter bouncing up and down on her toes. "Oh! I've always wanted to go up there!" She squealed and closed her eyes, James sighing as he grabbed her arm. "Touch the sky where lightning met fire." The rules were that the whole team had to participate in every clue, so James had been piggy-backing Sam's teleportation, and Steven was travelling with Ryos. Those two disappeared into a shadow at the base of the huge cathedral, and the little Script mage saw it shoot up the side of the building before his stomach lurched and he was standing on the roof.

"You would think I'd be more used to that by now..." He took several deep breaths to soothe his nausea as Sam squealed, looking around at the evening sky. There was a brilliant sunset on the horizon, and James found himself joined by the rest of his team, staring at the colors. "Papa's roof! Papa's!" The kids whirled, hearing small voices behind them as a man stepped out of the shadow of the bell tower. His eyes glowed green behind the strange visor he wore over the top of his face. Ryos bristled, drawing himself up as tall as he could, his shadows starting to spread out on the roof below his teammates. Steven stepped back, sliding behind his friend as James slipped his hand into his pocket for his light pen. Several shapes were floating around the man, he voices seemed to come from them. "Have fun, Papa? Papa's roof! Go away!"