"Try again!" Levy called encouragingly. Avery nodded, holding her hand palm down and focusing on her magic. Since Gajeel had left, she had been trying hard, wanting to make him proud when he returned. She and Levy were in the guilds training ground, trying something new. In the palm of her hand, iron began to form, making a ball of iron and it grew roughly to the size of her hand, a good starting weight. Slowly it lowered, chain links extending out of her palm. It was difficult, and required a lot of focus to form each link and not misshape any. Once she was satisfied with the length, she gave it a few test swings, making sure the links wouldn't break.
Again.
Avery winced slightly as she glanced at Droy, who had just come around from the accidental knock out. "Keep your focus!" Juvia called from the other side of the training ground. They had been training with Levys script targets, but Juvia had decided it was time to start with moving targets. Avery had been nervous, but Juvia was a master at her water body, and got through without a scratch. Once she was happy with the strength of the chain, she began twirling it faster, lifting it above her head. Levy retreated to a safe distance so she could watch and coach. Juvia and Avery began to circle each other, their feet kicking up dirt as they stepped. The group watching from the safety of the guild was silent, practically holding their breath as the pair stopped their circling.
Avery lunged forward with a cry, throwing her wrecking ball towards Juvia and allowing the chain to extend as it needed. Juvia spun out of the way, letting loose a water slicer, which hit nothing but iron scales. Avery pulled hard on the chain to bring the ball back to her, only to kick it as hard as she could at Juvia. The force sent it flying through her shoulder, though her water body kept her safe. The water enclosed the links, and no matter how Avery pulled, she couldn't free the ball and chain.
She quickly dropped it, pulling her bow from her back and an arrow fell from the palm of her hand. It was easy now, nearly second nature to form the thin iron. "Iron Dragons Brilliant Shot!" Avery shouted as she let the arrow fly, green magic swirling around it until the arrow multiplied. Juvia grinned proudly as the arrows pierced harmlessly through her before solidifying. "Good job Avery, how about a break for lunch?" The water mage asked as she walked towards her. Avery nodded, wiping sweat from her forehead before following both bluenettes to the guild. They had been training all morning, Levy had joined her for her daily run around Magnolia, before she and Juvia had begun practicing hand to hand in the training yard.
Mirajane was waiting with a tray of lemonade, a small smile on her face. "Avery, you have a visitor." She said sweetly. Avery frowned slightly, lowering her drink from where she had been downing it. "Visitor?" Mira nodded, pointing to just inside the guild. She hadn't seen him, he had been practically blending into the shadows by the doors as he watched her. A large grin split her face and she nearly dropped the glass before running to him.
"Raios!!" She shouted, leaping at the shadow dragon slayer. Rouge laughed as he caught her, she was surprised by how tall he had gotten. "It's been a long time Avery," he said quietly as he hugged her tightly. Avery nodded as she clung to him, afraid her voice would break. The last she had seen him, her father was helping him escape from Phantom Lord, so the boy wouldn't have to face the horrors of that wretched guild. She was afraid she would never see her friend again, especially after she had been captured.
They finally stepped away from each other, matching grins stretching across their faces. "What are you doing here?" Avery asked excitedly as the pair sat on one of the outdoor tables. "Well Gajeel contacted me once he found you, and I've been meaning to stop by. Then Juvia contacted me about your birthday, and I knew I had to come see you." Rouges face was slightly pink as he rummaged around in his bag and pulled out a gift in pink paper. "Fro helped!" Avery jumped slightly, only now noticing the small green exceed wearing a pink frog suit. "Aren't you just the cutest!" Avery gushed, lifting the exceed to her lap. "My name is Frosch! I'm Rouges partner!" Avery looked at Rouge with a raised eyebrow. "Rouge?"
He shrugged with a small grin before handing her her gift. Avery smiled and took it from him, "I have an exceed too, her name is Carmin. Want to go play with her?" Frosch nodded excitedly before going to find the baby exceed. Avery finally unwrapped her gift, a small gasp escaping her as she stared at it. It was a small doll, easily able to fit in her hand. It wasn't new by any means, but it had been cleaned, any tears were fixed and the dress had been replaced. Rouge was blushing as she stared at it, "I know I threw it away when we were kids, but... I had to fix it you know? I meant to give it back to you before I left, but I didn't have time." Avery looked up at him, blinking away tears.
"You've had it... All this time?" She asked quietly, to which he only nodded. Avery grinned before hugging him tightly, catching him off guard before he smiled and hugged her back. The pair sat there for along time, and even after Avery had finished sniffling, they didn't move apart, Avery resting her head on his shoulder as they caught up on lost time. Mira had kindly brought them lunch, and Avery watched Asuka play in the yard as she listened to Rouges story of how he and Sting rebuilt Sabertooth.
Avery frowned as she watched, the young gun mage wandered closer and closer to the woods, chasing a white butterfly. She heard Bisca call from inside for her to not go far, but a strange feeling settled in the dragons gut. She could tell Rouge felt it to, for he had stopped talking, and his posture straightened. Avery sat up and scanned the woods, constantly flicking back to Asuka. The third time looking at the girl she gasped, finally noticing what she was chasing. It wasn't a butterfly, but a strange paper doll in the shape of a person, and it was leading her to the woods. Avery was on her feet before she was even conscious of what she was doing, and Rouge was close behind her.
As they got closer to the girl, Avery could feel the magic that was coming from the doll. For such a small object, it was powerful, and there seemed to be a mass of it coming from the tree line. It was nearly tangible as they reached her, and the others from the guild could now feel it, and they were rushing outside. Bisca and Alzack shouted for their daughter just as the tree line exploded in a burst of magic. Avery had latched on to Asuka, pulling her back and turning away as she threw up her iron scales. The blast sent all three of them tumbling, but Avery had shielded the small girl from any damage that the blast may have caused.
As she looked up she gasped, there were now hundreds of the paper doll, swirling around each other as they sparked with dark energy. They formed a giant stream that dove for Avery, and she had to act fast. She scooped up Asuka quickly, and as hard as she could, she tossed the girl to where Rouge was running for them. He caught the girl as the dolls surrounded Avery and she screamed in pain as a blast of energy encased her, and she was surrounded by darkness. The guild screamed for her, two bluenettes the loudest of them all. "Water slicer!" Juvia shouted, attacking the cocoon of dolls that encased her niece. The attack did nothing as the sphere began to glow brightly, before vanishing without a trace.
{I said this in much earlier chapters but, I ship Rouge and Avery .___. Sorry if the end is a little confusing, I didn't mean for it to be}
