I know its been a long time - and I apologise, but life has overcrowded me and i'm unable to update any stories besides this one due to the point I want to as the depth is something i'm delving deeper and deeper into. The only other story i'm going to be updating is Missing Aura of Homra. I apologise. In the future I might be able to return properly, but Uni starts in a few weeks and more important things are demanding my attention.
However, while this chapter is more of a filler - explaining some more details that many have answers for, I need to give a warning for upcoming chapters that may have some dark moments that may trigger a reader or two. This is a clear warning - and will be posted on the next few chapters as well. Leaving details like that out can really alter a story and change the view.
This chapter is safe of the triggers - but next chapters won't be so light. So, after a long wait, The Senseless Dragon Slayer continues!!
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In the distance, the laughter rings out. Two male exceeds chasing each other around in the long, tall grass which easily dwarves them. The rising sun the reason for their joy. The reason for their happiness.
Well... its a part of their happiness anyways.
"Stop! Miki! Fuckkkk that tickles!" A male exceed laughs, pushing the other male away who grins as he hits the floor. Michiko standing on the side lines, a smile on her face, an egg in her paws. Her gaze often flickering to the cliffside where two silhouettes are.
Their distance kept, their conversation silent.
"Ey Ey Ey!" Michiko laughs, narrowly dodging her brother who was tripped up by a tail which shot out from the left. Her attention solely on the egg she's holding and guarding. The markings flashing consistently with every heartbeat.
A simple spell to show the life building and growing inside it.
"She's right, we should be heading to Ezeit and Valvia. Let's go." Cin grins, pulling aside the tall grass and taking the egg from Michiko and pecking her cheek. "Shall we?"
"We shall." Michiko replies, Miki nodding in agreement.
Meanwhile, upon the cliffside, "Why are you not wanting to join Thundering Fenrir? They're... so nice to us..." Valvia murmurs softly from Ezeit's back, her head tilting side wards, blind eyes closed. "You'd not have to wonder everywhere then without a bed."
"I don't trust them." Eziet replies effortlessly, bumping her up a bit further on his back as he walks along the hillside. "I smell lies from him. If the dragon of truth was still with us today, he'd say the same. He taught us rarely, but remember, he taught you to see a liar."
"I... cannot see a liar. He... never taught me to sense a lie with my nose... or hear it in the tone of a voice." Valvia murmurs softly, nose twitching as a butterfly lands upon it. "Pretty little... thing... it has wings... like Father."
"It will die Valvia, just like a bubble." Ezeit grumbles. The butterfly's wings slowly crumble into dust which is caught on the wind before the body bursts into flames. "Butterflies pop like bubbles."
Valvia frowns, eyebrows furrowing and mouth quivering. "Did it... fly away?"
"Yes Valvia. It did."
"But... I want to see it... I want to see it." Valvia's tongue pops from her mouth as she bites onto his shirt and tugs it upwards - as if playing tug of war with it before releasing the fabric. Her eyes opening, only to peer in loss towards the horizon before closing them again. "I can't seem to imagine the guild mark here..."
"Chiko... there is something wrong about him. Him and his wife. Them and that stupid guild that you've made yourself apart of. You need to leave it. They are your downfall, Valvia."
"He homes us... gives us food and jewels. He even provided us with a field day based on braille. It wa-..."
"I've told you not to mention your blindness Valvia. Now you've gone and done it... THREE TIMES!" Ezeit growls, snapping his canines while narrowing his eyes ahead. Ezeit's grip on Valvia's thighs tightening making her wince.
Blood slowly dripping from the claw marks which are getting deeper with every second due to his increasing rage.
Shaking her head, she buries her face into his shoulder, blind eyes leaking - shedding tears which seems to happen often. "S-sorry. I... forgot your... you..r... rules."
"They are your downfall, Valvia. I am the only person you need. Even your exceeds should come after me."
*
Michiko passes a harsh glare, lunging towards Allisc, but is yanked back to her original position by chains that weren't visible to begin with to the guilds' eyes. "Can't you let me die!? Let me live on with my family! MY FAMILY!" She struggles harshly against the chains that bite and grind against her fur and skin, eyes glazed over with tears of grief. "They're waiting for me!! They are!"
"Miki wants you to live on, Michiko." Allisc soothes gently, stepping up closer to the enraged and grieving exceed whose slowly dragged along the ground till she's closer to the stage - back in her original spot. "He wants you to be happy again."
"I will be happy, when I'm with my family again!" She hiccups, ears flattening against her head and all movement ceasing from her body as he face buries into the floor. "They want me with them... My precious little kittens... will see me soon."
"Michiko! NO!" Allisc shrieks, instantly leaving the group the sprint through the rows of seats, a sizzling rip rings in the air as she lunges for the exceed, yanking her body from the ground and shoving the ripped piece of her attire into Michiko's mouth. "Don't you dare bite your tongue." Standing up, Michiko just weakly laughs, but the cloth makes it into a mumble.
"You're not allowed to bite your tongue. Thank heavens Miki warned us about that." Allisc murmurs. "From now on we're going to have to keep an eye on you permanently."
Standing up. Michiko just lowers her gaze to the floor - all fight gone and with no more motive to attack, the chains stop their hold on her, allowing her to freely move, and leap upon the stage towards the caskets.
Allisc turns towards the group with sorrow in her eyes. "Keep an eye on her please... I need to go tell Chiko the magic stopping her from biting her tongue has worn off. " Without another word, she rushed through the seats and out the door to the stairwell - not before running her fingers over the switches attached to a box hung on the wall.
No-one speaks. No-one moves. The grief hung in the air is suffocating - almost like invisible hands wrapping around their throats and strangling them till the last inch of their life.
"Some people long for a life, that is simple and planned... Tied with a ribbon." Michiko's voice breaks the silence over the speakers. "Some people won't sail the sea, 'cause they're safer on land."
Miki appearing on the stage from above in front of the group - smiling and waving. Valvia stepping out from the curtain, long gown flowing to her ankles in neat tussles.
Yet... there is a familiar trait... Transparent...
"High in the sky we can see the whole world down below..." Michiko's transparent form suddenly appears on the far side of the stage. "Walking a tightrope..."
Despite only a projection of a past performance, the beauty is still there. The happiness that radiates is strong and releases an ambient glow around the room. Yet Michiko refuses to acknowledge it and before long, the transparent three vanish as does the house lights that had turned on.
The silence spreads out again, anger sizzling and memories of that performance fading with each bland second.
"Lue never took her first breath you'know." Michiko murmurs softly, having spat the ripped cloth out of her mouth. Frosche taking this moment to walk up to the stage and with great effort climb upon it before cuddling to her side. The female exceed's emotionless gaze slowly pulling itself to the group behind her.
"She was our first attempt at a small kitten... But... Valvia never heard a heartbeat. Her heightened hearing never heard it pulse once." With a soft breath, her gaze returns to the caskets. "Her egg hatched a few months before we tried again, she was there. A small... little, kitten, barely bigger than my paw, yet so beautiful."
"Did you bury her?" Rogue mutters ever so quietly, only to receive a nod in response. No-one other than Frosche steps foot on the stage - feeling almost unwelcome.
"She's buried with Valvia's Father. She's buried with her papa and younger brother." Michiko smiles emotionlessly. "She will be buried with Valvia and Miki too. I don't care what Chiko says. I will have them buried together."
"Rogue!" Sting hisses, reaching out but missing his attempt to grab his comrades' attire, Rogues' tense form is already on the stage, marching with purpose towards the female exceed and Frosche. "I miss them everyday you know. I'd not sleep because I feared Ezeit would return and slaughter Miki and Valvia while we slept."
Michiko's eyes turn just as the shadow dragon slayer reaches her and before words can leave her lips, he's crouched and ripped the chains off her paws. "Chiko chained me for a reason." Her facial expression confused for his actions.
"Your not going to do it."
"I will join them. I will." Their eyes lock, yet Michiko's flicker - showing the break in her mindset. Rogue's baron red orbs shine as his face blurs to her, revealing Valvia with her bright red orbs that used to be so eye catching. But those eyes... hold disappointment.
"One day I will..."
"And that day is not today, or tomorrow, or next week, or next month, is it?" Bowing her head, she slowly, ever so slowly shakes it, receiving a rare smile from the dragon slayer who picks both exceeds into his arms. "May I?" His gaze flickers to his comrades who have at some point climbed the stage.
Nodding once again, Rogue slowly shuffles to Miki's casket. His fur washed of blood and gut to its original glory. Ears half perked, eyes closed and body not tense. Attire a clean white shirt tucked into trousers. Tail curled around his front and chest unmoving.
Fur beneath his ears still stained golden. A trait that isn't removable.
"Miki may not have told you... But we lost another three exceeds which we saw as younger siblings to Ezeit as well... But we never found out until years after the incident that he slaughtered the triplets." The shock freezes everyone - the tragedy of the trio who everyone saw as bitchy, cold and evil is getting deeper and deeper. "They didn't live close, nor did we see them often, but they worked in a town close to the border with their dragon slayer partner. We never found the bodies of either, but Ezeit made the note clear."
"Another dragon slayer?" Natsu exclaims only for Michiko to shrug weakly, burrowing further into Rogues' chest with Frosche cuddled tightly.
"There is-... was more than you think. But Ezeit didn't like the excessive amount that there used to be so he'd slaughter them one by one. I guess I was so blinded by love that I never actually witnessed the horror Ezeit was doing behind the scenes. Slaughtering people - making Valvia witness the screams and cries before coaxing her back into his cocoon to mess with her mind. It worked most of the time. Most of the dragon slayers he slaughtered were ones which Valvia knew. Exceeds we knew."
"What about u-..." Gajeel grumbles but Michiko levels him with a weakened gaze.
"You had guilds, he didn't. He couldn't go after the stronger one who had backup. Besides, lone dragon slayers tend to be more dangerous as they're unknown. Their magic unknown." Michiko's body tenses and shudders as a memory recoils in her mind. "We were shit partners... We were there for Valvia to begin, but as Ezeit got worse... we were too blinded to see it and Valvia took the brunt for years."
"What kind of dragon slayer?"
"A foresight dragon slayer - calm and collected, able to foresee the future for those he touches unless they change their course. Quite the character though."
Rogue bows his head - staying oddly quiet during the conversation before slowly moving past the two closed caskets to Valvia's. Hair curled into its natural waves that spiral around her pale skin. Eyes closed, lips glossy and body adorned in a flowy white dress from the waist down with lace shoulders and long sleeves. The pulsing mate mark unseen - yet scales peek out around her neck.
"You also had the fire dragon slayer of Rosmary town. Very quiet. If it wasn't for the scales around his eyes - you wouldn't even guess a dragon slayer." Michiko murmurs, not wiping away the tears that started flowing after getting one look at Miki.
"The stories we held... You guys would adore Callshue..."
"We never got to ask... What is that exactly?" Sting questions, adjusting Lector's position.
"Callshue?" Michiko murmurs. "I would've thought you would've found out by now. Its similar to what you've dealt with when you were kids." At their confused expressions, hers matched. "You's were never brought up in a sanctuary?" They shook their heads. "I'm afraid I'd show you... but only a dragon slayer who lived in one can grant you access. That's how it stays safe. However - its basically a home for dragons and their children. Valvia lived in Callshue. Ezeit didn't - but no matter how much he messed with her mind... She never granted him access. Most dragon slayers Ezeit slaughtered lived in Callshue."
"Hrgh!" Lector gasps suddenly, falling back only for Sting to catch him. Everyone's gaze locked on him as he points towards Valvia's body. "H-... Her-... She breathed!" Eyes snapped towards Valvia only to see her chest unmoving. Michiko's mood deflating once again. "Sorry... I must've... imagined it..."
"Michiko, are you going to fight me?" Chiko's voice filters in performance room. His body walking down the centre with Allisc on his side, and a vial in his hand. "I also don't appreciate unchaining her when she's a danger to herself."
"She won't be trying anymore." Rogue insists, nodding in his direction. "Nor will she need that anymore."
Chiko's gaze zones into Michiko. "Is this true, Michiko?" The female exceed only nods very faintly. "Then my gratitude is in order once again, dragon slayers, and exceeds." His smile genuine. "Come then, i'll show you your rooms and then we can have some food, yes?" With energetic nods, they slowly leave the caskets.
Missing the eyes watching them keenly.
"I'll show them... Chiko." Michiko murmurs slightly, and he nods lightly, smiling towards her. "Top... floors... right?"
"That's right."
"Lucky... you guys are on my floor... These rooms get the best views."
*
Michiko walks ahead of them along the carpeted corridor. Lanterns strung upon the walls to keep the long walkway alight as no sunlight breeches due to lack of windows. Halting abruptly, she turns and despite the broken gaze and fake smile, she motions for the seven doors in this corridor.
"Any of these rooms are vacant, other ones on this floor are unfinished so would not be appropriate to be chosen for your habitation... There is about two beds per room. See you... later... I'm tired." As she spins and vanished from view, the group look at each other.
"One of us should watch her as a precaution." Yukino murmurs softly, and all eyes dart to Rogue whose holding Frosche.
"How about us exceeds watch her?" Pantherlily asks, motioning to himself and fellow exceeds. Frosche squeals with his arms in the air while the other exceeds nod their approval. A minute later, the exceeds are standing in front of a door, easily notable as the room in which Michiko retreated to.
The honey oak door has lines along the wall on either side which seems to rise up the wall - height measurements. Small hand and pawprints littering the wall in splashes of paint. Lanterns hung on the walls almost like chandeliers with feathers handing down from them. The childish toys that litter the floor are also cluttered with childrens' books and braille boards and pop ups.
Knocking once, then twice, Pantherlily slowly pushes open the door to reveal one would describe as a grand room. The mountains' original rocky floor is covered with a lush grey carpet and walls smoothed and covered in paint to look like a forest with thick trees and shrubbery. Bathroom door open, showing a marble interior and bathtub. The door to the balcony, glass, and the stone balcony wrapped and flourishing in plants and vines.
The dresser, wardrobe and bedframe all honey oak to match the door, and bedsheets raven with pillows galore. Upon the bed, mixed amongst the pillow mountain, a fluffed tail sways back and forth. Moving a pillow, a sleeping Michiko is revealed, clutching a smaller pillow tightly to her chest.
"Let's not wake her." Panterlily mutters only to wince as her eyes pop open and look as lost as a new-born abandoned. "Sorry..."
"Don't apologise... Valvia's magic is still fading from my system... my hearing is still amplified but is slowly fading with each day." She pulls herself up, propped upon pillows, tail curling around to her front which she clutches instead of the smaller pillows.
Frosche's large eyes and wide smile makes the female gaze turn to the night sky painted ceiling. "Our partners are going to convince Chiko to let Valvia and Miki be buried where you wish." Lector speaks up. "Sting-kun won't back down on that!"
"You think it will work? He'll... allow it?"
"Chiko is more understanding than you think... You've pushed him and your guild away for years, but they've only wanted what is best for you." Pantherlily replies, leaning over and patting her leg softly. "You'll be surprised, they just want to help you."
"So did the other dragon slayers." Michiko murmurs, running a claw along her tail. "But Ezeit targeted them for the slaughter." Her gaze snaps to Lily, and narrows. "Despite his demise... His laughter still crawls on my skin. Valvia's screams still burn my ears. Miki's paralysis still etched into my gaze."
The emotionless chuckle is followed by a scoff. "He's done a good one on me, hasn't he? I'm not worth the effort due to my blindness." Frosche crawls closer making her shut her mouth.
"Fro don't think so." The small frog costume exceed smiles. "Fro don't think so at all! Fro like you! Fro be family!"
"Think so?" The exceed nods in affirmation.
"We're here for you. Us exceeds gotta stick together. Aye?!" Happy grins, surprisingly holding out a fish which he retrieved from his backpack. Michiko accepts it gratefully, but doesn't take a bite. Her frown turning into a light smile before she offers it back. The blue exceed confused.
"Not hungry. Eat away." With a tired shuffle, she leaps from the bed, pulls a thin, cotton woven blanket from the chair in the corner before wrapping it around her shoulders. "I wish to show you something though... If you'll let me."
Having five nods in her direction, her small body vanishes into a puff of smoke as her battle form appears. However, her battle form compared to before has patches of fur missing, scars, stitches, healing wounds and vicious slices. "Magic prevented the assault from being seen on me. It's worn off." Without warning, she offers her back to the exceeds. "Best if you hop on."
Frosche instantly does, leaping up onto her shoulder, but slips and falls over her shoulder only to be caught and held in her arms. The others following suit reluctantly, Pantherlily a lot slower - preferring that he transformed as well - yet didn't.
Once settled on her blanket covered shoulders - and arm, Michiko wonders towards the balcony doors, pulls the glass handle to open it and allows the breeze to sizzle through their fur. The balcony's flowery exterior matches only a section of the view this high story room provides. Mountain pass with the sun in the far distance. Time spent in the performance hall has allowed the sun to begin its decent to the horizon.
"Hold on... tightly." Michiko murmurs, "I normally use both paws..." Stepping upon the balcony's stone railing, she turns her back to the view before leaping up and latching her spare paw onto the mountain- claws digging in as she slowly begins climbing up. Hind paws and claws giving her more support as she treks up the mountain side.
The floor down below far - if there was anyone walking beneath them - the term 'ants' would be used.
After a few minutes of climbing, the air is thinner as Michiko pulls herself and the exceeds onto a ledge that's carved into the mountain. The view even better than before, the glow over the town is majestic and the perfect painting.
A mix of manmade and natural designs twirled into a delightful background for a wedding.
"Pretty..." Fro murmurs, eyes filled with wonder and amazement.
"This guildhall is... incredible." Lector agrees. Happy happily munching on the fish which Michiko returned to him.
"Hours we'd spend up here. Valvia may have been blind as a child, but she would feel the sunset. She'd feel the beauty that radiated from ahead of her."
The exceeds climb off her shoulders and onto the small ledge as Michiko's body morphs down into its smaller body. "The dragon slayers would've probably found this...more appropriate... But their broader shoulders and bigger builds compared to Valvia so this place is... unapproachable."
The Sabertooth and Fairy Tail exceeds turn instantly as her voice becomes distant and echoed. Michiko's tail swishing back and forth as she walks through a small tunnel carved into the mountain. She's walking normally, but her words make sense - Valvia would have to crawl and she would just be able to.
"Most of this mountain happens to be hollow, hence why it was the best place for a guildhall. This was found by Miki when he went exploring. It took us ages to find him - Valvia's nose tracked him down to this tunnel and for years... Years, when no-one found us but knew we were here, this is where we'd hide."
The tunnel expands to a hollow cave, small streams of light being let in through small gaps in the ceiling - but the retreating sunlight will make it pitch black soon. "That shape-..." Carla stutters, eyes wide at the sight.
The ground of the circular cave is covered in lush green grass and flowers which is alive despite the lack of sunlight in most areas. Vines of green and climbing plants crawling up the walls and small bugs living amongst them.
But... the grass and flowers are shifted in an odd way as is the breeze circulation. Breaths hitch and eyes wide.
The imprint of a dragon.
The imprint is fresh.
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A bit shorter than other chapters, but I hope I answered questions and you enjoyed this chapter!
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