"So Miss S-class, do you think you're up to go on a lowly C-class request?"
Emi looked behind her to see that Kira and Ayame were standing there, Kira with a smirk on her face.
"When do we leave?"
"Alright! It's been so long since we all went on a job together!"
Emi laughed before apologizing, saying that she needed to take more S-class jobs lately because the apartment was a little expensive. Ayame waved it off and dragged Emi to the train station. Sting and Lector were sitting on the bench in front of the train taking a nap. Kira rolled her eyes before kicking the bench and startling Sting awake.
"Let's go dragon boy. You can sleep on the train."
Sting grumbled before he noticed Emi standing there. A bright smile made its way on his face as he grabbed her hand and led her onto the train. His excitement immediately disappeared as soon as the train started moving.
He was eventually able to spit out a few words, "I'm really...glad you came."
Emi waved Sting over and he nuzzled his head into her neck. He was calm for a few seconds before the train jolted. HIs whole face turned blue as he slipped down. Kira scoffed before she pointed at his figure laying on the floor.
"Have you found out why dragon slayers get like this? It's super annoying."
Emi pulled Sting off the floor and laid his head in her lap before answering, "It has something to do with dragon senses and human senses interacting. The equilibrium is thrown off when in motion."
"But he's moving when Lector flies him around."
Emi shrugged, "I guess it's more mind over matter. Lector isn't transportation to him. He's family."
"That actually makes a lot of sense," Gajeel stated.
"Makes no sense to me!" Natsu shouted.
"That's because you don't have any sense at all!" Gajeel countered.
"He's an idiot," Kira declared.
Emi giggled, "I'm not denying that."
"Hey!"
Emi laughed at Sting's shocked face and gave a lopsided smile.
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"What's the job about?"
Ayame turned around and raised an eyebrow before asking, "Why do you always come on jobs if you don't even know what they're about?"
Kira laughed and explained, "She just likes coming to hang out with us because she gets bored on her lonely S-class jobs."
"It's true. I do enjoy your company."
"Anyway," Ayame continued, "Desmund Sivolt of Sawyer Town put in a request to recover some heirlooms that a group of bandits stole from him a couple days ago. Apparently they were posing as travelers and asked for a place to stay and then robbed them."
"Perfect reason why I don't help people."
Sting scoffed, "You don't help people because you're mean."
"What was that, asshole?"
"I said--"
"I heard what you said. Care to defend it?"
Ayame and Emi both sighed before walking away from the bickering pair.
"Will they ever learn to get along?"
Emi pointed to the still arguing wizards and declared, "I highly doubt it."
They both laughed before Emi called for them to catch up. Sting wrapped his arm over Emi's shoulders before Kira pulled Emi away from him.
"No way, dragon boy. She's mine today."
Sting growled, "Go away, Water Drain."
"Oh, I know you didn't just--"
"Ice Make: Prison!"
Both Kira and Sting were trapped in their own separate cage made of ice. They looked up in confusion before glaring at Emi.
"Let me out," they both demanded in unison.
"I will only release the spell if you promise not to fight for the rest of the job."
Kira huffed and melted the ice with her water magic. She clapped her hands and caught up to Emi and Ayame.
"Hey, let me out."
Kira turned to Sting and teased, "Oh, but the 'strongest wizard ever' should be able to get out of one cage, don't you think?"
Ayame let out a frustrated click, "Can you two please stop arguing? I want this job to be fun."
"Sting," Emi started, "wouldn't you like to enjoy the town? Look at the flowers."
Sting put his hands up in defeat. Emi gave a small smile and released the spell. Sting jogged to catch up to the group and started to link his fingers with Emi's when she pulled away slightly. The dragon slayer looked shocked before he saw that a couple people were looking at them. He sighed before his usual grin returned.
"Whoops. I forgot."
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"Let's do this, losers."
"We don't even know where they--"
Sting interrupted Ayame, "I smell four people close by."
"Do they give off magic energy?" Emi inquired.
"Not from what I can tell."
"Alright," Kira declared, "let's be careful in case they're just townspeople. Yame?"
Ayame nodded and prepared a gas. They all creeped closer and saw that four people were sitting around a fire. They quickly spotted the bags that contained the various heirlooms. Emi signed for Ayame to release her gas. She stepped by the figures, causing them to stand up.
"What do you thi--"
"Gas Summon: Truth!"
A teal gas engulfed the bandits. Kira revealed herself next and crossed her arms.
"Why did you steal the heirlooms?"
"They looked expensive."
Ayame rolled her eyes and pressed, "What made you want to trick them?"
"They looked like they were rich."
Sting told them that they should give them back the heirlooms and they started to laugh maniacally.
"Let's just get them settled," Emi seriously remarked.
"Wait!"
They all turned to the bandits and asked them what they wanted. Who everyone assumed to be the leader stepped forward and looked at them.
"You mustn't let that cloaked guy fight. We are too afraid of him."
Everyone looked to Ayame and she explained that they were forced to tell the truth because of her gas. They all started laughing before Emi stepped forward.
"Emi wait!"
Emi turned around before her eyes dulled.
"Uh oh," Ayame gasped, "I think she breathed in some of the gas."
"So does that mean that she's forced to tell the truth?" Kira asked slyly.
"Um, yes."
"Hey Em, do you have any preference as to what you want us to do with them?"
Emi turned to the group of wizards and stated simply, "I would like to use my Black Dragon spell to annihilate the group in one go, but I'm certain that that would make too big of a commotion. My next plan would've been to trap them underground, but I wouldn't want to destroy the forest. Perhaps I could burn them alive?"
The group of bandits all paled and fell to their knees, pleading for their lives. The wizards sweatdropped before asking Emi to simply tie them up and turn them into the authorities. Emi looked at them in confusion before continuing her speech.
"Are you sure? I would much rather drown them. Kira, you can help me with that, yes? I think it would be more efficient than restraining them."
"Um, Emi," Ayame started, "I don't really think that it would be necessary to do that. Why don't you stand back while we take care of them."
"Very well."
Emi stepped aside and let the others tie the bandits up. They all looked at Emi curiously before she told them that their stares were making her uncomfortable. Sting joined her by the base of a tree and sat down.
"So you have to tell the truth, huh?"
"I believe so. It would make sense that the gas affects me as well."
"Hey Emi, since you have to tell the truth, which one of us do you like the most?"
Emi stayed quiet for a minute before she questioned, "For which purpose?"
They all looked at her and asked her to elaborate.
"Well there are a variety of purposes. As a friend, as a lover, as a family member, as a stranger, as an enemy. There are lots more."
"Who do you love most overall?"
"But I feel different types of love for each of you."
Sting chimed in, "Who are you most fond of?"
"Oh. You should've put it like that from the beginning. I am most fond of--"
"You gotta let us go! We promise we'll never steal anything ever again. Just please let us get away from him."
Emi glanced at the bandits before stating, "We all know you are only lying in order to escape. Just so you know, I am trained in tracker magic and will always be able to find you. Don't ever forget that."
They all started screaming before they were knocked unconscious from Emi's punch. She turned to the group and asked why they didn't help her. They revealed that she definitely didn't need any help with them.
"Back to the question! Who are you most fond of?"
"I would say that I'm most fond of Lector."
"WHAT?"
"Lady Emiko, are you for real? You love me more than you love Sting?"
Emi looked towards the exceed and smiled before patting him gently.
Kira, Ayame and Sting all spoke up, disappointment evident in their voices, "That's so cruel."
"Lady Emiko likes me best!"
Sting looked over to Emi to see she had a glint in her eyes. He rolled his eyes before whispering something to her. The girl couldn't help but giggle and agree with what he was saying.
"Hey!" Kira shouted. "Tell us what you're talking about."
"I do not wish to," Emi stated.
"You have to. Now tell the truth," Ayame added.
"He asked me if I wanted to sleep with--"
"Em!"
"Okay, okay," Emi laughed. "He figured out that the gas didn't actually work on me."
They all gave her blank stares before Sting helped Emi stand up. She meandered over to the group of bandits and crouched down to their level. They all immediately started to shake and beg for their lives.
"Just so you know, I don't just go around killing people. I only kill who I have to, and lowly bandits that can't even use magic are not my priority. I just wanted to scare you so you would cooperate."
"Let's go turn them in before you give them any more heart attacks," Ayame suggested.