"Lady Emiko, look at this!"
Emi turned her attention to the maroon exceed and saw that he was holding a small pot. Once he walked closer she leaned down to look at the small flower that sat inside.
"That's really pretty, Lector."
"It's for you!"
"Me?" Emi mused, a big smile on her face.
"Sting and I went to get you a flower, yes."
"Well thank you."
"We got a baby flower so we could watch it grow," Lector excitedly explained.
She gave a genuine smile and took the plant from the exceed and placed it on the table where she was sitting. The three of them made casual conversation, Sting coming to sit across from her and Lector sitting on Sting's head.
"Yo Emi!" Natsu shouted. "Can you make something? It's been so long since I had your spicy cooking."
Sting looked at his idol annoyed, aggravated that he had (once again) interrupted his time with his mate. Emi giggled and stood up, nodding to Natsu and waving him on before leaving the inn.
"Master," Erza addressed as she stood beside Makarov, "when do you think we will be leaving to return to Magnolia?"
"Probably within the next couple days."
"Aw," Lucy whined, "I'm really gonna miss Emi. Does she have to go?"
"Well duh," Sting interjected. "She's my mate."
-------
After about two hours, Emi and Natsu returned with a plate of cookies.
"I don't even know why you bothered to bring them back here, brat. Nobody can eat them."
Emi rolled her eyes at Laxus and handed him a cookie.
"Just try it."
"No."
"Come on, try it."
"I said no."
"Please?"
"Not a chance."
"Try it!"
The lightning dragon slayer groaned, but he took the cookie. He sniffed it and raised his eyebrow before taking a bite.
"What did you do to it?" He asked, suspicious of her cooking.
"Nothing. I just didn't put hot sauce in it. See, isn't it good?"
Laxus gave her a side look before eating the rest of the cookie. Emi cheered when she saw him eat it and spun around to face everyone else, announcing that there were desserts. Makarov took a cookie and thanked her, eating it in one bite. He was coughing violently a second later. Everyone sweatdropped.
"Master Grampa, I'm so sorry. You must've gotten one of Natsu's cookies!"
"Way to go, brat. You could've told us that they were mixed."
Emi gave a sheepish smile before handing Makarov a plain cookie.
"Here, Master Grampa. This one is safe."
"I think I'm full, but thank you child."
-------
"Alright! Back to Magnolia we go!" Natsu shouted.
Fairy Tail had gathered all their stuff as they prepared to leave the city of Crocus. Sabertooth had also packed their bags and went over to the Fairy Tail inn to say their goodbyes. Laxus tapped Emi on the shoulder and playfully held out his arms, mirroring Emi's many times of coaxing a hug from the lightning wizard before his jobs. Emi giggled and hugged him tight. She then turned to Sting and held his hands.
"Ready to go?"
Emi nodded, her hand coming up to hold his cheek. She kissed him softly before stepping away.
"I'm gonna miss you."
"I'll miss you t...what?"
The white haired woman smiled brightly at the dragon slayer before pointing over her shoulder.
"I'm gonna miss you. But don't you worry! I'll be visiting when I get the chance."
Everyone blinked a few times before letting out, "WHAT?!"
Emi looked around at everyone, slightly confused.
"What's wrong?"
"You can't seriously be going back with Fairy Tail, are you?" Sting pressed.
"Well yeah. I'm a member, see?" Emi simply replied as she pointed to her guild crest.
"You've gotta be kidding me. You're my mate!"
"Yes, and they're my guild."
"No way!" Sting protested as he latched himself onto her and prevented her from moving.
Natsu stepped forward and picked Emi up and held her away from Sting.
"She's ours."
"No she's not! She's coming to Sabertooth!"
"No way. Emi's staying with us."
"She's my mate!"
"And she's my friend!"
Sting and Natsu stared each other down, Natsu still preventing Emi from moving anywhere.
"You can't be serious. Give her back!"
Natsu let out a childish "you can't make me" while starting to walk away, carrying Emi further away from the Sabertooth master.
"If you even think that I'm gonna let you take her after I spent three fucking years looking for her then you're the biggest idiot I've ever known."
"Then just call me stupid," Natsu said while shrugging.
"She's coming to Sabertooth!"
"She's a Fairy Tail wizard, so--"
"No she's fucking not! Give her back."
"Uh, guys?" Emi questioned, trying to interrupt. "Maybe you should--"
"If you want me to fight you for her then I will gladly do that."
Natsu's eyes lit up and he accepted his challenge.
"Just remember that I beat you last time," Natsu cockily stated.
Emi sighed and wiggled out of Natsu's hold. She stood between the two and pinched her nose.
"Guys, I really don't think--"
"I'm all fired up now!"
"Hey uh," Levy quietly addressed the rest of Fairy Tail, "does this count as 'fighting on behalf of a mate?'"
"Oh shit."
Makarov stomped over to Natsu and started to lecture him, "What do you think you're doing? You're not supposed to provoke him like that."
"Why not?"
"Are you forgetting that he's mated and will fight to the death?"
Laxus sighed and walked up to the two dragon slayers and grabbed Emi by the back of her collar to lift her away from them. Her legs dangled off the ground as she squirmed.
"You cause a lot of trouble, don't you brat?"
Emi nervously laughed and flashed a grin towards him.
"Let her go."
Laxus looked over at Sting and raised his eyebrow.
"You want me to let go?"
"That's what I said."
"I don't really feel like it."
"Laxus!" Makarov scolded. "What on earth do you think you're doing?!"
"I'm breaking up a fight between Natsu and Sting, Gramps. What else?"
"By provoking him to fight you instead? That's just as bad!"
Emi sighed and continued to squirm until she was able to wiggle out of Laxus's hold. She softly landed on the ground and took in a deep breath. Sting was about to lunge at Natsu and Laxus when he was cemented to the floor by Emi's Frostbite spell. Groups of ice encased both his feet, preventing him from moving.
"Cancel the spell."
"Sting, I want to go to Fairy Tail."
"But why?"
"Because I made a promise to Natsu."
"What? When?"
"At the ball. I promised that I would stay with Fairy Tail."
"But that was before you regained your memories. That doesn't even count."
"I'll visit whenever I can."
"Fuck that."
Before Emi could ask him what he meant, she was scooped up by Sting and held firmly bridal style in his arms. She rolled her eyes as she was carried out of the Fairy Tail inn.
"Where are you going with our guild member?" Natsu shouted.
"To Sabertooth. She's our guild member now."
"Lady Emiko will like it very much, yes."