The Dragon Parents

Chapter 12 - Traps and Schemes

"Kids 4, Adults nothing," Macao sighed, massaging his head.

All of the kids were gone, save Yui, Mui, Rui, and Kurui and Kuro who were too young to even contemplate escape.

"I know," Levy nodded. Ten books were open around her as she sat at the table and even more lay stacked at her feet. She was skimming through the lines of the closest book, her brown eyes darting back and forth as she scoured the pages for any information that was even slightly helpful.

Kurui and Kuro sat on the floor a bit aways from their mother, flipping through books of their own full of elaborate art and pictures depicting heroic acts and epic battles. Once or twice, they'd look at one another as if they were in a conversation but they wouldn't say a word.

"You seem to be taking it well," Macao recognized. Everyone else in the guild was gone, it was like a ghost town, even Wakaba had gone out to try and talk to a few connections to help find the kids. Macao wasn't about to leave his son and daughter-in-law in town, especially with Wendy's pregnancy due to end at any day. When that baby came, rest assured he was going to be there. So, Macao had gone to the library where he had found Levy and Lucy rushing around, pulling all sorts of dusty books from the shelves.

Levy turned a page in her book but said nothing to Macao. Her hair was a mess and she had large bags under her eyes. Macao looked at a nearby book and tried to make out what language it was even in.

Suddenly, Levy slammed the book before her shut.

"There's nothing here!" Levy cried before collapsing, hitting the table with her head and sitting there, defeated as the days of restless nights caught up to her.

"Hey now, you shouldn't give up so quickly, there's gonna be something in these things," Macao assured the younger woman.

"How many hours?" Levy asked, looking up, tears in her eyes. "How many hours have I spent reading just to end up with nothing? I'm no closer to finding out where this enchantment sent Gajeel, my babies are out there playing hero, someone's scheming something somewhere, and I am no closer to finding anything!"

Kurui and Kuro both looked up at their mother's outburst, concern in both of their eyes. Their large brown eyes looked to one another and sparkled as if they were having some conversation.

Macao reached over Levy's shoulder and picked up a piece of parchment from the table. Strange runes were scribbled all over the paper, next to them were a bunch of possible translations with thousands of question marks hidden in the page, evidence of Levy's desperation and confusion.

"Well... I'm afraid I'm not much good with books, but if there's anything I can do, let me know," Macao assured Levy.

The tired blue haired woman looked up thankfully at the old man, "Actually... could you go take this paper to master Makarov?"

She handed the old man a scroll of paper from her feet. "Maybe he knows something more," she prayed."

"Master Makarov?" Macao asked timidly, thinking to the ancient man. "Levy... I don't know - "

"I don't know who else to turn to," Levy muttered.

"Well then absolutely!" Macao nodded, striding for the door. "I'll be back in a jiffy!"

"Thanks!" Levy smiled as the man ran out the door. She looked back to her book and bit her lip in hopelessness. With nothing else to do, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a communication lacrima.

"Hey, Jet?" she murmured, putting it to her ears.

"Hey Levy!" her friend greeted her back.

"A-any luck finding Emma?" Levy asked, knowing the answer.