Chapter Cover: Eve holding a revolver within her hand as she was dressed as a cowboy.
I returned to the guild hall after speaking with Mui. What he had revealed to me was troubling news. While I don't care much for the Dark Guilds that existed across Fiore, for them to be suddenly dropping off the radar one after the other like that was the cause of some concern and what was most troubling was that they were part of the Sub-branches of Tartaros.
Hellfire, one of the guild that I crossed paths with in the past is one of such guilds thought it had completely disbanded after my last cross with them. While it wasn't uncommon for dark guilds to fight among themselves for standing and power, this felt too methodical to be a simple struggle for power among them.
Then if it wasn't a struggle for power...then what was it? Could Tartaros really be responsible for the strange disappearances that were going on?
The Gates of the Netherworld...
"Now that's a mighty serious face you have there ,"
I blinked out of my thoughts turning my attention toward the voice that had spoken. Standing across me was none other than Sakura herself. The girl had a small smile upon her face as she stood there looking toward my general direction. She had on some cut-off jeans upon her body and a white shirt that didn't even cover her midriff. Her hair was into a ponytail as she approached me.
"Sakura," I smiled, "It's been a while."
The girl took me into a hug, "I know. It's been a long time since we sister caught up but at least this isn't the time. I'm going on a Job soon with Laxus and the Thunder Legion."
I was surprised.
"You're working with Laxus now?" I said raising my eyebrows, "When did that happen?"
Sakura smiled.
"Ever and I became quick friends," she said, "It seems that she wanted to have another girl tag-along and we always found some sort of common ground."
"Well then," I said shrugging my shoulders, "I'll be looking forward to your return so we can go by Miyu's place and have a nice dinner together."
Sakura smirked.
"That' be great," she said, "These past seven years they have been some good lacrima films that you have to watch."
I made a face.
"Can you let it be not romance genres," I said.
Sakura raised an eyebrow.
"And here I was thinking of inviting you and your girlfriend over too," she said.
I stared at her shocked at how casually she said that last part.
"How do you know about that?"
"Miyu told me," Sakura said, "When were you going to tell me anyway?"
"I was going to...honest," I stressed when I saw her skepticism, "It's just...we haven't really talked about that yet...you know, about telling people that we are in a relationship...thought there are already people in the guild that knew long before I could tell them."
Sakura shook her head.
"But at least," I continued looking at her, "Now you know."
"Yeah," Sakura said, "Now I know...anyway, you are going to invite her to the dinner alright. I need to get to know her better..."
I gave her a confused look.
"Miyu didn't tell you who it is?"
Sakura shook her head.
"Nah, she just said that you had a girlfriend," she said, "But when I started to grill her about it, she simply changed the subject and avoided saying anything else about it, "It's Eve business, if you want to know ask her."
She looked at me.
"Wait...does this mean that I know the person you're dating?" she said, surprised.
"Don't you have a Job to get ready for?"
"Right," Sakura said slamming her fist into her palm, "I almost forgot about it. We'll talk when I get back alright..."
She gave me a quick hug before making her way toward where Fairy Hills was...shaking my head lightly, I turned to walk the direction of where the guildhall was...
"Eve,"
I turned again, facing Sakura and she had this look upon her face.
"Love you sis," she called out.
I stared at her surprised for a few moments and then smiling lightly.
"Love you too Cherry Blossoms," I called back.
"Hey you promised you'll never call me that,"
I stuck my tongue out to her and she did her own in return before laughing and waving at me. I waved back at her before making my way back to the guild.
Fairy Tail was packed yet again with people going on and out about their business. There were many other wizards just laughing and hanging about. I noticed a few of the guys around as I made my way toward where Erza was. She looked up as I approached.
"Hey," I smirked taking a seat beside her.
"Did you take care of what you wanted to," she asked.
I nodded.
"Yep and Mui stopped by for a visit."
She seems surprised, "Mui?"
"He is aware of what I am," I told her, "Since I kind of saved him against the Future version of Sakura back during the Eclipse thing. He told me something strange as well. Dark guilds have been disappearing lately."
Erza frowned lightly.
"Disappearing?" she repeated.
I nodded.
"The strange thing was...all of the guilds that were affected were the ones under Tartaros," I continued, "With what we learned during our last Job."
Erza seems to be thinking a little about it.
"It would be a logical way of looking at it," she said, "With how little we know about Tartaros in the first place. This situation is going to become quite problematic soon. Let's hope the Council will be up to the task of actually stopping this before it becomes even more dangerous."
"Yeah," I mumbled, "Let's hope."
Erza looked at me for a few moments probably wondering what was going on with me. I decided to breach the subject that Sakura and I were speaking just a few minutes ago.
"Say, can I talk to you about something?"
She nodded, "We are talking right now you know."
"Yeah but not here," I told her, "C'mon, let's go on a walk."
Erza followed after me and soon enough, the two of us were walking together through the streets of Magnolia. The redhead was curious about what I wanted to say.
"What is it Eve?" she asked, "Did something happened with Mui?"
"No...no, it's not that," I told her shaking my head, "its about...well, it's about our relationship."
Erza leaned her head to the side.
"What about it?"
"If people ask me about it," I told her, "What do you want me to say?"
The redhead frowned, "What do you mean?"
"I was just wondering if you wanted to keep it between us," I told her, with a light shrug, "Or if you want to be public with it. I don't mind either way...trust me, I was just gauging for your opinion on this."
Erza let out a soft hum, "I see..."
She approached toward me and smiled, "I don't mind if you wanted to tell anyone...thought I am wondering what suddenly brought this on."
I chuckled, "Oh...figured me out already?"
The redhead chuckled, "You're not as subtle as you would like to believe."
"Okay fine," I told her, "Well, Sakura wanted to have a family night and told me to invite my girlfriend over...Miyu told her by the way, that I had a girlfriend but didn't say who it was."
"Sure," Erza smiled, "I love hanging out with them."
"Great," I told her, "Then I'll have to speak to Sakura about this when she comes back from her Job...say, you want to spent the day together?"
"Why not," The redhead smiled, "It's been a while since it's been just the two of us....not since that wonderful date we had by the Oasis."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," I answered her.
"C'mon then," Erza said pulling me by the hand, "We have to whole day ahead of us. I'm sure we can find some productive ways to spend it."
I didn't know if she was being sexy intentionally or not, but the way she said that last part was strangely seductive and for one wild second, all I wanted was to pull her into a dark alley and ravage her lips. I felt strangely warm around my cheeks and something within me throbbed with want as I let myself get pulled forward.
Damn it Erza, I thought within my head.
"There is a little cake shop that I wanted to try," she said as we walked forward, "It just opened here from what I can gather."
"We get to spend the day together and you want to go and get some cake?" I repeated, "You do remember."
"You don't have to eat anything," Erza told me, "Besides, we won't be staying for long. I just want to try out their flavors."
"Meaning we'll be here a while," I added.
"Hey, I'm not that bad."
"Mm," I only said.
We reached the place. It was quite nice looking from the outside meaning that it was a brand new shop compared to the ones that were already here in Magnolia. They were many people walking about entering and leaving the shop, some of them with a giant box probably having a large cake inside of it. As we stepped inside, they were even larger group of people seating and enjoying their meals of sweets and cake.
"Huh...a full house," I observed, "This place is pretty popular."
Erza turned toward me, "Why don't you go find us a table? I'll come with our food."
I nodded at her before going off to work. It didn't take me long to find a suitable spot that was by the window, glancing outward toward it. I stayed seated there for a few minutes before the redhead was back, this time carrying two cups in her hands. She extended one to me before taking her own seat. I stared at the cup in front of me.
"Is this ice cream?" I said.
Erza nodded, "I've gotten vanilla, if that's alright with you."
"Its fine," I told her, "So you wanted us to take in some ice cream?"
"this is an ice cream cake shop," the redhead told me, with a shrug, "Having an ice cream with you it's nice."
I smiled at her, "Sure thing."
The ice cream was quite delicious. It had been a while since I have had ice cream. I had a small smile upon my face as I continued to enjoy the sweet vanilla taste. I glanced up toward the redhead across me and she was also enjoying her own ice cream and she had been licking off something from her spoon, savoring the taste but then she froze noticing that I was staring at her.
"What?"
"You're adorable," I told her.
She blushed, looking away fro a moment.
"And I really want to kiss you right now," I continued at her with a straight face.
She chuckled.
"I understand that feeling," Erza answered, "It's how I usually feel whenever you smile that sweet little smile of yours."
I raised my eyebrows and leaned backward.
"Then let's finish this ice cream," I told her with a small smile, "Then we can go back home and...explore. I do know they are places that I can just nip at along with you."
Her brown eyes seems to darken considerably. So that's how Erza look like when she is turned on. Her skin seems to glow a little at the cheek at how red she was there, her mouth lightly opened almost like she was going to speak yet, couldn't find the words.
"You're a tease," she said finally.
A full blown grin grew upon my lips at this.
"Oh...you haven't seen me teasing," I told her.
Then I felt something against my leg. It was a light touch and I instantly fixed upon the redhead across me. She seemed oblivious at all, as she returned her attention back to her ice cream. I could however, feel how the leg slowly rose up my own all the way to my knees. It was such a gentle touch too, I found myself cursing silently for wearing a skirt today. I knew it was Erza from how I was reacting, how my body reacted to her touch and I swore a shiver went through my body at that.
Then she looked up at me. the look on her face was indifferent but there was a light in her eyes that she hadn't had before. The girl knew exactly what she was doing to me and yet, she gave me a concerned look.
"Are you alright Eve?" she asked, "You seems...flushed."
As she said that last word, a gentle caress ran up my leg and into my tight causing me to swallow lightly. It was taking all of my willpower not to simply toss the table out of the way and attack her. Tightening my grip upon the fork in my hand, I turned my attention toward my half finished Ice cream.
"I...I...I'm quite fine,"
Before she could say anything else, a young woman arrived at our desk carrying a box within her. It had the store logo upon it as it set it upon the table.
"Here is your order Miss Scarlet," she said, "I hope you enjoy it."
Erza turned her attention toward the girl, a perfect smile upon her face. I returned to my ice cream, wanting to put my blushing face back under control as the little tease that was playing with my tights was removed. Erza paid for the cake and we made our way out of the building, her humming lightly as I ran a hand through my hair.
"I can't believe you just did that,"
"But you made it so easy," Erza laughed carrying her box within her arms.
I shook my head, "Who are you and what did you do with Erza Scarlet? The girl that would just blush whenever someone mention the word se....?"
"No need to do that," Erza yelled at me, her face completely cherry red.
I laughed, "So you are still there. That's good to know."
Erza refocused upon the box she was carrying, a look crossing her features.
"It's just...since we are a couple and all," she said, "We've kissed a lot of times and even...touched each other in places, I just wanted to try something more with you."
I stared at her shocked at what the girl was revealing.
"With everything that's going to happen to you sooner or later," she said, "I did see the changes happening Eve. your ears while still as pointed as before, they seems to be lightly longer and the shape of your eyes had changed too."
I raised a hand toward my face at that, before chancing a glance at the redhead.
"Are you...worried?"
"I'll be a fool not to worry," she said, "I'm still going to love you with all my heart but you and I both know things are not going to be a smooth transition."
I let out a soft sigh. As much as I wanted to an optimistic about transforming into a demon, I knew that they will be people that will discriminate against what I become. While it was not something that was done in Fiore much, it still happened.
"That may be true," I told her, "But...we still are going to face them. I am not ashamed of what I am any longer. People will always talk, it's the way of the world, but what define us is how we respond to them. We may lash out in anger at them, but that's not going to solve anything. What we can do, however, is face the music with our head held high."
Erza smiled.
"I forgot sometimes just how wise you can be Eve," she said.
"Come with experiences," I answered her, "You can be just as kind and wise. I have seen you do it time and time again."
We reached the guildhall and entered inside but it seems that a somber mood had fallen over the guild. I frowned lightly at the sudden change of atmosphere. Erza was also confused at what had happened as well.
"What's gotten into everyone?" she asked as we approached the nearest table finding Lucy as well as Levy there.
"Are you guys okay?" I asked, glancing around.
Levy looked up toward me, "Did you see today's newspaper Eve?"
I shook my head.
"Did something happen?" Erza asked.
Levy only showed us the paper and I stared down at it and just like that, the warm feeling that I was on the entire day was gone as a chilling cold took it's place. I can feel my eyes widening in shock at the sight of the picture that was emblazed upon the front page and the bold words that were written upon it.
TERROR IN ERA? MAGIC COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS BOMBED BY UNKNOWN PARTY.
The news reach Fairy Tail...
Next Time: Shot Heard around the World part 2
After this i will speedrun my photo work documentary shit that is due tomorrow i judt can't leave you guys hanging for too long :')