These are my rough designs for the dresses that the Mythics wear to the banquet. The descriptions later on do them a little more justice than I drawing skills, but thought I would add this anyway.
||~x~||
Almost a week had passed. The first two days had been uncharacteristically quiet as Natsu had remained stoically in the armchair beside his sister's bed throughout the day, Happy napping in the covers with her. The two would only leave when Verani and Amber would kick them out every night when they returned to their hotel room to sleep.
And those two had been just as anxious as the Fire Dragon Slayer. Juvia had been trying to get Amber to sit still with Gray's help, but it had been a struggle. Amber was always wanting to check in on Kia and to see if she could help with her magic at all. Unlike most, the Blood mage had some experience with treating time sickness, even if it was only for smaller cases. Some of the others were having a similar problem with Wendy.
On the third day, Kia had finally woken up. Everyone knew the minute her eyes opened, because her little brother let out a happy yell that roused anyone who had been trying to sleep in. And things hadn't really slowed down since then. The King announced that he would be holding a grand banquet for all those wizards who helped defend Crocus and Fiore as a whole. It only seemed fitting after they had all fought off a handful of dragons. And now said banquet was only one day away.
A sigh escaped Verani from where she leaned against the railing to their hotel room's balcony. The afternoon air held a slight stickiness as the scent of rain hung in the air. The gentle feeling of static on the air brought the blonde both a sense of comfort and anxiety.
"Stupid weather..." she grumbled, shoving her hands into the pockets of her coat. As much as she didn't want to be outside with the weather, she was getting tired of sitting in one spot. She honestly just wanted to go home and be done with this city.
"You gonna stand out here all day?"
V turned her head to the neighboring balcony, her eyes easily finding her big brother leaning back against the wall beside the closed French doors. Her shoulders sagged, "Well, I can't figure out what else to do right now."
Laxus silently sighed, lazily watching her and taking in how stiff she seemed. "Then why don't you go get your dress for tomorrow?"
"Already got drug out for that yesterday..."
His brow quirked, "By who? I thought Kia and Amber were going today with Wendy and Juvia."
"Evergreen," she grumbled. Verani had nothing against the female member of the Thunder Legion, in fact she was grateful that her brother had such loyal friends, but shopping with her was an entirely different matter. She felt as if she had been spun and twirled by the older woman in nearly every dress shop in Crocus.
"You never wear dresses, therefore we have to find the perfect one!" Evergreen's voice still rang in her ears.
"She had far too much fun torturing me."
A fault chuckle formed in Laxus' chest. There was no doubt in his mind that each woman's definition of fun was vastly different. Though he probably would have found enjoyment in watching the brunette throwing his little sister into an endless array of ball gowns, he wasn't going to say that outloud. Instead the Lightning Dragon Slayer shook his head, "What else is bothering you, V?"
'I hate how well he can read me.' She grumbled in her head, knowing that even if she muttered it as low as she could, his heightened hearing would pick it up.
Verani stood there, feeling that familiar tingle across her skin. That feeling of discomfort itching in the back of her mind. Tilting her head back, she watched the clouds gently shifting together in the afternoon breeze, their hues growing darker and darker as the air grew heavier.
"Something's coming." Her words came out firm, but softly. She had finally said it outloud.
Laxus stared at her, his brow raising again, "What do you mean?"
Her fingers curled around the balcony railing, "The air is shifting again."
"I felt it too."
The two Dreyars turned to see the familiar pinkette who had joined them. Kia closed the door behind her, before stopping beside her friend.
"And I don't like it."
V faced her fully. The blonde scanned over the look on the Phoenix Slayer's face as she looked out at the approaching storm. There was a recognition in her eyes, one that did not seem pleasant. "Do you have an idea what it is?"
"I hope not," Kia clenched her jaw a little as well as her fists.
Laxus remained still, his eyes now trying to decipher the movements, reactions, and words that the two girls were sharing. "Then what do you think is coming?"
||~x~||
No matter how much the Dreyars had asked, Kia wouldn't clarify. As immature as it was, she didn't want to think about it right now. They could get through this banquet without worrying about something else, but that familiar sense of dread was eating away at her as she helped Amber lace up the back of her dress. The other girls were chatting away with each other, some helping to convince Yukino that she looked fine in the soft green dress that matched Lucy's pink one.
A sigh drew Kia's attention to her left, seeing her blonde best friend fidgeting with the long white gloves that covered her arms. She couldn't help but smirk, "Is it really that bad?"
"I feel like a clown." Verani puffed her cheeks out as she looked at herself in the mirror.
"You know, you could have told Evergreen no when she pulled the makeup out."
V glared at the Blood mage through her reflection, "You try telling her no in that situation." She closed her eyes as she sighed, "And I thought the shopping and getting shoved in a dress were bad enough."
The blonde opened her eyes and stared over her appearance in the mirror. Evergreen had insisted on putting the slightest bit of highlight and lipstick on the Lightning mage after twirling her usually chaotic blonde hair into an elegant low bun. Long white gloves covered her arms as she stood there in what the brunette had argued was the perfect dress for her: a royal blue gown with an asymmetrical neckline that flowed down to a wider skirt, though nowhere as wide as anyone else's. In comparison, Verani knew that the older woman could have gone so much further over the top, but it seemed like she had been trying to take the blonde's wants and aesthetics into consideration.
"You can survive in heels for a few hours," Kia chuckled, tapping Amber on the shoulder to let her know that she was done.
A smirk crossed Verani's lips to the two's surprise, "Who said anything about heels?"
Sighs escaped both the pink-haired and the black-haired girls. They should have known she would pull something like this, which was only confirmed when the blonde pulled up her skirt just enough to show her normal sneakers.
"That's not fair." Amber mumbled, stepping over to check herself in the same mirror. Her short black hair was down as normal, the fringe stopped at her eyebrows. She absentmindedly smoothed out the large light violet skirt that rested below the black bodice Kia had just finished lacing up. It went from her waist to just above her bust, the bell sleeves resting off her shoulders and ending just before her wrists.
"Well it was the only way anyone was getting me in a dress."
Kia shook her head at the two, her pink ringlets swaying from where they lay over her right shoulder. Pinned in place and revealing her bare back due to the high neck halter design of her own dress. The deep crimson color went from her neck to the waist, before the black skirt fanned out slightly, split down the middle to display different ruffled layers of fabric that alternated between the black and a warm silver.
"You act like dresses were the worst thing ever invented." Kia finally stepped over, taking in all their appearances in the mirror.
"They are," V nodded as she looked at Amber's reflection, "I still don't understand how you fight in skirts all the time."
"I have shorts on underneath. It's not like I want to flash the whole world."
"Are you three ready to go?" They turned to the ever-cheery voice of Mirajane as she stepped over to them, smiling in her pinstripe red gown.
Kia offered her a smile in return, "As ready as we're gonna be." Her eyes drifted to the blonde beside her, giving the eldest Strauss a knowing look.
Mira couldn't help but chuckle, "I would suppose so."
||~x~||
Juvia was practically ready to bounce off the walls and Amber wasn't sure if she was prepared to keep the Water mage contained without resorting to her magic.
"Do you think my love will like my new look?" Juvia was trying to keep from nervously playing with the ends of her pale blue hair.
The dark-haired girl gave her a reassuring smile, "He would be an idiot not to."
The bluenette's eyes sparkled before she turned and went straight for the Ice wizard where he stood at one of the many tables filled with food. A sigh escaped Amber, she didn't want to get her old friend's hopes up for a positive response, but it was hard not to encourage her. She had been in the guild nearly as long as Gray had and Amber had a pretty good idea what was going through his mind. Gray had never really been someone who showed his softer emotions when confronted directly. He would get defensive or awkward. Amber knew that was why he put on that stoic, cool guy act: he didn't have a clue when it came to the opposite sex.
"Gray, my darling! I've decided to make an upgrade. Call it Juvia 2.0."
Amber stepped off to the side. She already had a feeling that she knew how this was going to play out and as much as she loved her old friend, she wasn't up for watching her make a fool of herself again. She paused when a glass of wine appeared in the corner of her eye.
"I thought you might like this."
The dark-haired girl blinked a few times, trying to make sure that she wasn't seeing things. She gingerly took the glass, "Thank you."
Lyon gave her a small smile, his eyes trailing back to the two he had just stepped away from. "Is he ever going to say yes?"
Amber followed his gaze and sighed, "The day he finally figures out how to read and handle his own emotions."
The Ice wizard chuckled, "I hope she's patient."
She couldn't help but join in the light laughter. A calm peacefulness came between the two as they turned back to one another. Amber lifted her glass slightly, "So what's with the sudden generosity?"
"Can I not be generous?"
She shrugged, taking a sip of the red liquid, "I just wasn't expecting it."
"Well I can be." Lyon let out a half-hearted sigh, "I also thought I would see how you were doing since the battle."
"I've been fine. But have you?"
He raised a brow at the question, "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Lyon," she sighed, "we both saw it happen."
The Ice wizard went a little stiff. He knew she was serious from the moment she had actually used his name and realized just how serious when she had finished her sentence. The images flashed through his mind again as they had been throughout that week.
"I know the two of you are closer than you would let anyone else believe." Amber had seen the momentary shift in his dark eyes. "It upset me, so I can imagine it affected you as well."
Lyon closed his eyes for a second, before slowly letting out his breath. He opened them again, looking directly into Amber's warm chocolate iris. He gently smiled, "He's alive. That's what matters."
The Blood mage returned the smile, "I'm glad to hear that." She lifted her glass in his direction, "To second chances?"
"To second chances."
||~x~||
As much as she didn't want to be there, Verani had to admit that the food was delicious. She had nestled herself in a corner away from almost everyone else, a stack of cookies balanced in her hand.
"You know, the chocolate will stain your gloves."
The Dreyar didn't bother to turn her head, popping the rest of her current cookie in her mouth, "No, they'll stain Evergreen's gloves."
Bixlow couldn't help but laugh, "I'm not touching that one." Without missing a beat, he reached over and took a cookie from her stack.
"But you think you can touch my cookies?"
"Yep," he tossed the sweet in his mouth. "Besides, that much sugar isn't good for you."
Verani rolled her eyes, "I'm not a kid anymore, Bixlow."
"Still younger than me."
"That's beside the point, old man."
He looked over the girl as she bit into another cookie. It seemed as if the younger Dreyar had healed from all of her injuries during the battle, but there was still an uneasiness in the back of his mind. Bixlow couldn't help but remember the feeling of her slipping away in his arms. He had known her since he and Laxus had become friends. She used to even go on missions with her brother and the Thunder Legion when she was just getting started with her magic. The idea of her dying, let alone in his arms, was something that had never crossed his mind.
The Seith mage chuckled under his breath, "You better not let your brother hear you say that."
Loud voices caught their attention, stopping their conversation as they turned to see who was causing the commotion. There was a crowd forming around Yukino as different members of all the guilds stepped forward and argued for why the Celestial wizard should join their guild. Within seconds, the match had turned physical.
"Grandpa," the blonde grumbled, "Don't encourage them."
Bixlow chuckled beside her, finding amusement in the oddly homey feeling that the brawl was giving the palace.
CLINK!
"Everyone stop! This instant!" All eyes turned to see Colonel Arcadios standing on the upper entry balcony. "In honor of your performances during the games and for your bravery facing the greatest danger this kingdom has ever known, his majesty would like to personally deliver this message to you. Pay heed!"
The door behind him slowly swung open. All the wizards in attendance stood upright, straightening their attire in anticipation of the king's entrance. However, they could only stare.
"Loyal subjects! Shut up and listen!"
The blonde put her head in her empty hand, "You have got to be kidding me."
"Leave it to Natsu." Bixlow didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. Their entire guild should have suspected something like this when the Fire Dragon Slayer had yet to make his appearance where there was so much free food.
An enormous grin covered Natsu's face, "For the rest of today, I am your king! Now do what I say!"
A movement near the stairs caught V's attention. A head of curled pink hair mounted the steps one at a time, each step taken with precision.
"He is so dead," V couldn't contain the smirk.
The pink-haired boy was too concerned with his antics to notice the approaching figure. A yelp escaped his lips that was even audible from where Verani stood at the edge of the room. Kia had grabbed Natsu by the ear, yanking him hard enough that that crown flew off his head toward the king's outstretched arms. His shock quickly turned to fear when Natsu realized who was dragging him down the stairs. Stuttered words escaped him as several members of Fairy Tail chuckled, there was no way he was getting himself out of this one.
With the excitement over, the king thanked them all for the valor and bravery against the forces that had besieged the city. His audience clapped politely once he was done and the music started up in the large room again. People began pairing off, dancing with friends, crushes, or significant others.
A hand was extended in front of her face.
"What are you doing, Bixlow?"
"What does it look like?" the Seith mage smirked, "I'm asking you to dance?"
Popping the last cookie in her mouth, Verani dusted her hands off before crossing her arms over her chest. "And why would I do that?"
"Would you rather say yes to me?" He gestured to a small group of guys across the room, "Or deal with the vultures that have been eyeing you all night?"
V narrowed her eyes at the group he had mentioned, "And those vultures can meet my fist."
Bixlow couldn't help the chuckle that rose from his throat. That glare was something he had seen her older brother use all too often. If the blonde hair and lightning magic wasn't enough to know that the two were siblings, that look would be a dead giveaway. "Before or after Laxus gets a turn?"
At the mention of her brother, Verani turned her head and started scanning the room. "Speaking of, where is he? I thought he would have kicked you over a few tables for trying this by now."
"He's probably trying to keep from having his fangirls drag him to the dance floor."
"Then he should stop being such a playboy." The blonde grumbled, "Sometimes I feel like he should run off to Blue Pegasus and be a host."
At that, the man beside her completely lost it. V watched for a moment before she too dissolved into giggles. They were both trying to imagine the hulking Lightning Dragon Slayer training his hair and his attitude to service needy patrons. The thought of him seated on one of those couches in the host guild's lounge, a flirtatious grin on his face as he offered the ladies something to drink or a warm towel, it was both the funniest thing possible and a thing of nightmares.
"Oh my god, I'm so telling him that." Bixlow managed between laughs.
Verani stood up straight, "You better not."
His signature mischievous grin crossed his features as he offered his hand to her once again. "Then why don't we go have that dance?"
The blonde puffed out her cheeks as she slammed her hand down into his, "I hate you, you know that."
"You know you wouldn't know what to do without me."
||~x~||
Kia still couldn't believe Natsu. In what universe did he think that it was okay to try and de-throne a king, even if it was just for the night. Now he was on the other end of the room, stuffing his face, trying to keep a reasonable distance between himself and his older sister. That may be the first smart decision he's made all day. For a full second, she wondered if she should have...
"I offered to take him off your hands."
...that.
The pinkette looked up, seeing that Laxus was now beside her, gazing across the room at Natsu as she had been. Her brow quirked, "How'd you manage to lose the fanclub?"
The blonde rolled his eyes, "They ran when the fight over that Sabertooth girl happened."
Kia couldn't help the chuckle, covering her mouth as she tried to stop herself. "Well that worked in your favor, didn't it?"
Laxus just sighed as he crossed his arms. Most men would kill to have women throwing themselves at them, but he was more than over it. They were all the same: they found him attractive, they heard who his grandfather was, they thought he was strong... just things that annoyed him. He would be lying if he said that his younger self hadn't given in now and then, but it had gotten old.
Kia was aware of these facts without the Lightning Dragon Slayer having to say a thing out loud. She had been best friends with Verani for years and had watched Laxus grow up with them. Even though the Mythics were off on their mission when the Battle for Fairy Tail happened, she could still see how much he had matured before the events on Tenrou Island. Though Laxus had once wanted to be recognized as his own person and not just the Master's grandson, he didn't want to be in the spotlight. That was kind of hard to do when you were as tall and broad as he was.
Her chuckle grew for a few seconds, making him raise a brow, "What's so funny?"
"Nothing," she waved her hand as if pushing the question aside, "Just amused is all."
"What's so amusing then?"
"Are you hiding, using me as a cover, Laxus Dreyar?"
He grumbled under his breath, "I couldn't find Verani."
This just caused Kia to actually laugh this time. It wasn't long enough or loud enough to draw any attention to the two. "Well believe it or not, I think I saw her on the dancefloor a little bit ago."
"With who?"
The blonde shifted his gaze over to where the guild masters were all seated, clearly seeing that his grandfather hadn't moved from his place amongst them. V would agree to dance with him or maybe Laxus if they asked, but he couldn't think of anyone else.
Kia shook her head, "Don't overthink it."
This didn't help his confusion as he turned to scan over the sea of people twirling around each other. He had to remind himself not to look for that signature wild blonde hair as he finally spotted the elegant bun Evergreen had somehow managed. Kia laughed as she watched him blink a few times to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
"What's going on?"
Kia shrugged, "He went over to her before the blockhead made a fool of himself, but I saw him gesture to a group of guys that were across the room. I think he's doing your job for you since you were busy."
Laxus couldn't quite make out how he felt about the situation. This was Bixlow, nothing was going to happen. But his mind was still whirling as he watched his little sister dancing with someone that wasn't technically a blood relative. She hadn't even danced with any of the other guys in the guild when they would have parties or at the festivals. The woman beside him found it incredibly amusing to watch the usually stoic man's face clearly showing that he was trying to come to terms with the trivial thing before him.
'He'll lose his hair if she ever starts dating.' But Kia also felt bad about this thought. She was part of the reason why Verani and Amber had never really been in a relationship. The two were twenty, or really close to it, but romance didn't seem to be in the forefront of either girl's mind. They had been following her around Fiore for nearly three years, flirting with an angry black dragon and looking for a stupid book.
"Miss Kia."
The Phoenix Slayer turned around to see Colonel Arcadios had come up behind the two. She gave him a polite nod and smile, "Good evening, Colonel."
"I hope you are enjoying the festivities, but his majesty has requested a moment of your time."
She quirked a brow for a second in thought, "Very well then. I'll follow you."
Arcadios began leading the way, Kia pausing to turn back to the blonde male, "Sorry Laxus. You'll have to find a new shield."
He sighed, "It's fine."
Then she moved calmly but quickly to catch up with the armored man.
The pair moved around the edge of the invisible dance floor, the pinkette keeping close to the soldier before he led her through a door that was in the wall near the stairs she had dragged her brother down not ten minutes before. Arcadios stepped to the side, politely bowing his head as Kia stepped past him. In front of her was a simple staircase, it didn't go up very far before she could see a warm light and hear the sounds of music echoing both in front of her and behind.
She gripped the front of her gown, lifting it to climb the steps without tripping. As she reached the top, it was easy to make out the small silhouette of his royal highness. The small man was standing near the doors that he had arrived through earlier, his hands nestled in one another behind his back.
"You wished to see me, your Majesty."
He turned, a gentle but somber look on his features. "Thank you for joining me, but I believe you were the one who wished to speak with me."
Subconsciously, Kia tilted head a little to the left as she thought over his words. It took her a few moments, but it clicked just before he continued.
"You wished for me to answer as to why I failed to destroy the Eclipse Gate in July of x777." The seriousness only grew in the old king's face, "Honestly, I was-"
"It's fine."
King Toma stared at the girl in confusion. "But I thought..."
Kia shook her head, "I was upset that the Gate still existed. I was also concerned with the effects that playing with the past could have on the present. From our small talk before the dragons arrived, it would be safe to assume that you understand I had some involvement in the original project that brought the Eclipse Gate into existence." She turned her gaze back out to the crowded room through the doors. "And even though things were chaotic and not without heartache, I believe they did have a positive outcome."
Her onyx eyes landed on a group of five who were talking, their Exceeds in a group right next to them.
"I never thought I would see them all together again." A warm smile crossed Kia's lips, her gaze soft. The King followed her line of sight to see the five Dragon Slayers. He looked back and forth for a moment, before everything began to click.
"Wait..." he started, "...the six children that were thrown from the Gate..."
The Phoenix Slayer turned her smile to the small man, "We've all finally been brought back together." She went back to watching as poor Wendy was trying to play peacekeeper between Natsu and Sting, even though Sting was only attempting to be nice. Gajeel and Rogue just stood by, making small comments about the two in front of them.
Her chest ached. She could still hear them arguing with each other or running around like idiots when they were able to pull off a new spell. Kia wanted nothing more than to pull the five of them to the side and explain everything to them about the plan to stop Acnologia, but that came with too many loose ends that she couldn't tell them yet. There was just still too much that they couldn't know yet. Too much that she hoped they would never have to know.
"Even if they don't remember any of that time before."