The wind gently slipped through the leaves around her as Verani sat amongst the branches of the large tree in the center of South Gate park. The city around her was filled with the citizens of Magnolia as they were all evacuating before the fighting began. There was no telling how long they had until Zeref made his opening move.
The young Dreyar knew that she should be down there helping the other members in the guild, but Amber had been right. She needed to get away and clear her mind first. Verani was a little surprised with how poorly she had reacted in front of the entire guild earlier. She felt like she was ten again, still trying to figure out how her magic worked without accidently frying everyone around her. And that had been when she had begun toying with her magic, she had to go everywhere with Laxus so he could intercept the lightning if it was needed.
But she couldn't help it. How could Kia be so casual about all of that? It made the blonde's blood boil everytime she thought about what the Phoenix Slayer had been through in her life. Her grandfather had been right, Kia had shared far more with the Mythics than what she told the guild. Honestly, most of them probably wouldn't be able to handle all of it.
She stretched her back as she felt her bones beginning to get stiff from how long it had been since she had moved. She was almost positive that when she finally stood, her hind end was going to be numb for at least five minutes.
Grumbling under her breath, Verani sparked just enough to zip to the ground without just dropping.
"I was wondering when you were going to come down."
She dusted her legs off, shaking them out as she didn't even bother turning around, "If you didn't feel like waiting, you could have just had your little friends bring you up."
Bixlow shrugged from where he leaned against the tree trunk, his arms crossed, "Thought I'd let you have your alone time."
Now she peered over her shoulder, "Then why are you waiting down here?"
"Just because you need some alone time, doesn't mean you should be completely alone."
She grumbled, "Stop that."
"Stop what?" He pushed off the tree, "Being right or caring?"
"Talking." Verani whirled around to face him, "Just stop. Not right now, Bixlow. I don't have the brain power to do this right now."
He raised a brow in his helmet as his arms slid down by his sides, "Do what, Verani? I didn't come out here to mess with you. I know you've been through enough this past year, especially today."
She gaped at him. Since they had gone to Blue Pegasus, it hadn't become uncommon for the Seith mage to actually use her name, but his tone was another thing. That understanding was something she had expected to hear from her brother or maybe Freed, but not Bixlow. He was the one who made everyone laugh or annoyed you until you forgot what was on your mind.
Shaking her head to come back to Earthland, she replied, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Stop being so damn stubborn." He tried not to growl, "You're upset, angry, worried, but also relieved. Let something out."
Verani clenched her hands at her side. There were about three seconds of silence before her right fist went for Bixlow's jaw. Four of his Tikis circled around her wrist as the last pushed back against her chest, stopping the blow a few inches from its target.
"Let something out?!" Her body was shaking though she wasn't quite sure what emotion was causing it. "I'm tired of not being able to do a damn thing!"
Bixlow pushed his tongue against the back of his teeth as he kept himself from saying anything now that she had started.
"No one really knows what Kia's been through and when it came down to it, I let her run right back into that hell. I even helped her. And now she can just casually say that if anyone isn't happy with what she is they can kill her after the war! How can she just say that like it's nothing?!"
Her arm relaxed as her physical rage diminished. Her voice dropped too, "How can she say that after everything?"
His Tikis moved, dancing in a circle before settling in the air behind him as her arm fell limbly at her side. He took a step closer, "It's not like we're going to let that happen. Master would flatten anyone who tried." He playfully pushed her shoulder, "It will be okay."
Verani batted his hand away, "How would you have felt if my brother had said that after coming back on Tenrou Island? How would you have reacted?"
That question hit him hard. He remembered how surprised he was when he first saw the Lightning Dragon Slayer and heard about what had happened inside Grimoire Heart's airship. Laxus had come back a changed man, a better person than he thought the man would be for a long time. But he couldn't imagine what it would have been like if he hadn't really come back, let alone if he offered to die because he didn't live up to someone else's standards. Bixlow knew that Laxus was strong enough to take care of himself, but so was Kia.
He took another step, closing the distance as he just followed his instincts, pulling the girl in front of him into a hug. "I wouldn't have gotten a chance to react if he said something like that. I would have had to deal with Freed and Evergreen's reactions first."
For once, Verani didn't mind that someone was hugging her besides her big brother. She returned the embrace, her voice low after nodding, "At least with Laxus, it would have been because of his own choices. Kia didn't ask for any of this."
"I know." He sighed, giving her a slight squeeze. "And that's why nothing is going to happen. She is our Kia, not his. And the minute anyone who thinks otherwise gets over the shock of everything, they'll remember that."
She nodded again, a slight chuckle echoing off his chest, "When did you get so good at this?"
"Do you see your brother dealing with Freed and Ever's meltdowns?"
A laughter escaped as she took a step back, "I guess not."
"Yeah, he'll probably only ever do that for you."
"Because I'm special." Verani grinned, but it soon faded when that smug expression crossed Bixlow's face.
"Well I knew that."
She whacked him on the arm, "Not like that, jackass!"
||~x~||
It was nearing dusk when Kia finally snuck out the backdoor of the guild hall. After remaining in her bed in the infirmary like a good girl for a few hours, Porlyusica had decided that she wouldn't have to check up on her nearly every thirty minutes.
Now she stood on the cliffside behind the guild that looked out over Lake Scilliora, her arms casually crossed in a way where it looked like she was hugging herself. She had never been one to feel the chill from the waning summer, but that's what it looked like. But even though she didn't feel cold, her mind felt numb. She had never thought she would have to explain her story to anyone else again, at least not like that. She also had still been holding onto that little glimmer of hope that the rest of the guild wouldn't ever learn her truth.
"It's odd seeing you on the ground."
Kia didn't bother turning to look as he stepped up a few steps to her left. "Not really an option when my magic is still kaput. Besides," she half shrugged, "can't really hide from any of it anymore, can I?"
Laxus looked over at her, "Did you have to hide in the first place?"
She couldn't help the light chuckle, "How can you say that with a straight face after everything that happened inside?"
"None of that changes who you are." He crossed his arms, "As far as I see it, you're still the same Kia who the geezer brought to the guild with her loudass brother eight years ago."
She wanted to argue with him, but she couldn't find any words. After the meeting had ended and the guild split up to evacuate the town, a few people had made a point to stop by and see her. Wendy had stopped by to check on her and also excitedly share some of the memories that she had started remembering. A certain Iron Dragon Slayer had popped in for a little while after, asking some questions to try and help fill-in some of the holes in his memory from when he was little (mainly who was stronger: him or Natsu).
The last person to stop in had been Erza. She had wanted to see how Kia was doing for herself, but she had also wanted to tell the Phoenix Slayer that she was glad to see that she had come home safely.
Kia shook her head, "Fifteen years. You skipped Tenrou."
Laxus sighed, "Nah. Don't feel like being thirty."
"Someone in denial, old man?"
"Watch it. You're right behind me."
"Let's not play the age game." She sighed, almost depressively, "It isn't fair to anyone else if I play."
Their conversation faded into the air around them. The two were lost in just listening to the sound of the water gently leaping up toward them.
"I know this is probably pointless, but I've got ears."
Kia couldn't help but chuckle, "I would hope so. Or those headphones were kind of pointless all these years."
"Kia..."
"I know. I know what you mean." She sighed, "But if I offered the same to you, would you be honest with me?"
Laxus raised a brow, "Honest with what?"
She finally turned to look at him, "Your health."
He sighed as he gazed back out over the water, "What about it?"
"Have you told anyone?"
"If by anyone you mean my sister, then no."
"I know Master doesn't know because he wasn't here, but what about the Thunder Legion?"
"Freed knows."
"Good." Kia turned back to the view as well. "Someone should know besides Porlyusica."
It was his turn to peer over at her, "Is that why you told Verani and Amber?"
She exhaled, "Something like that."
Laxus studied her expression. There was more to how she had answered, but he couldn't quite gauge if that was something he could or should push in that moment. So he decided to go with the other question on his mind, "So how did you know?"
"I could faintly smell Tempster when you were around. It wasn't hard to piece together with how sick you were before Tartaros arrived."
He sighed, "You have always been too smart for your own good."
Kia laughed, "You trying to sound like your grandfather?"
A smirk crossed his features, "I believe someone once told me that was a compliment."
"She does sound pretty smart," she smiled.
"She is."
The light mood hovered around them, their smiles remaining as they relaxed for that short period.
Laxus took in a deep breath of the early evening air. He needed to get to the real question that he was planning to ask. But for now, "You smelled Tempster?"
Kia's arms crossed casually in front of her stomach again, "He was one of the first created. I know how nasty his Bane Particles could be."
The blonde stared over at the Phoenix Slayer. He could still remember the rampant searing feeling that had run loose throughout his body after he had inhaled the particles that were meant to kill everyone. The unmistakable sensation of his insides beginning to liquify and even the aches and pains that he would still feel when he would have a flare up.
Kia had only been twelve or just thirteen when her and Natsu had joined Fairy Tail. Those two had been together for years before that, so just how young was she when she had been forced to experience those Bane Particles? Did he honestly want to know the answer to that question?
"That's what Verani meant by you'd been through enough."
She sighed, "Unfortunately, she knows most of the unpleasant details." Reflexively, she gripped at her arms. The memories didn't haunt her nearly as bad as they once did. They weren't pleasant things to remember by far, but they didn't force themselves into her dreams anymore.
Her small movement didn't go unnoticed, "That offer still stands."
"Thanks, Laxus." And she considered it as the sun finally touched the horizon, but there was just too much. And it wouldn't be fair with everything that was about to happen. "Maybe once this war is over. You don't need any of that weighing on you when you go into battle."
He gave her a nod when she turned to see his reaction. And that was when he decided to just ask.
"Then will you answer a question?"
"Depends." Kia rolled her shoulders as she turned away again, "What do you want to know?"
"Who knows about E.N.D.'s true identity?"
Her upper half immediately pivoted, eyes snapping to the Lightning Dragon Slayer. "What do you mean?"
Laxus didn't waver as he kept the eye contact, "From one older sibling to another, you've done all of this for him, haven't you?"
Her arms slid up, fully crossing over her chest, "I've always done what I could to keep him safe." Turning her hips back, she looked over the water, "What does that have to do with anything?"
Pausing long enough to listen and smell to make sure that they were still alone, Laxus continued. His words came out softly and clearly as he spoke, "It's an acronym. It's the book of E.N.D.,not the book of the end. And you said that you were the first Etherious, E, and Zeref's sister. He was trying to bring back a family member and you can't deny how much you two look alike."
"Laxus..."
"I'm not going to tell anyone."
Kia shifted her gaze back over to him. There was a peacefulness in the way he had responded that made her relax. The honest in his words genuinely reached out to her. And that was because he meant what he said, the same way he hadn't said a thing after Verani had opened up to him a few months ago.
"It isn't my place."
Kia closed her eyes, her shoulders sagging as she exhaled, "Thank you."
He nodded. "You've dedicated your whole life to him, haven't you?"
"I was nothing but a bundle of hate and vengeance before him and Dad." Her eyes slowly opened, "I only kept myself going to get revenge on Zeref and the other demons. I wanted to see them bleed. But the two of them brought light into my life. They gave me positive things to live for."
She fully turned to face him, "So I don't mind devoting everything to keep my promises to Dad, especially since they are to keep him safe."
"Does he know?"
"No." The word was firm but not forceful. "And he never will. I plan to have the book rewritten before he would ever need to. E.N.D. has never awakened and he never will, if I have my way."
And that was how she had always had it planned out. Igneel hadn't decided whether it would be for the best that Natsu knew the truth or not and now that the responsibility had been passed on to her, she was determined to spare him the knowledge. He didn't need to question who he was like she used to. He was still Natsu Dragneel and that was all he needed to know.
"Does anyone know besides me?" Laxus asked.
She replied, "The girls and Master Mavis. Dad and Zeref obviously. I'm not sure if Zeref ever told anyone in Alakitasia."
She gazed to her right, eyes watching how the evening light reflected off Lake Scilliora just how she remembered it, or maybe it was better than she remembered. She had missed Magnolia nearly as much as she had missed Fairy Tail itself.
"You're a great sister." Laxus watched as she stared out over the lake for a moment before heading back for the guild hall. "You know that."
If it weren't for his enhanced hearing, he wouldn't have heard the three words that she mumbled for only herself.
"I hope so."