Fairy Tail - Eyes of Ice

Chapter 18 - Fantasia Pt. 1

Magnolia blossomed at the onset of the Fantasia event. Kai and Milliana stepped in tandem away from the fresh Guild Hall, still a sight for sore eyes despite Kai not having been gone that long. The town had truly come alive in the wake of the event, and Kai couldn't have felt more at home.

Mill definitely helped with that. He saw the same girlish crush—and lust—that she always had for him but restrained herself most of the time. She'd been so inviting and didn't really care about how he left. Sure, it'd hurt her and there was some resentment in her voice when she mentioned their return from the Tower not being the most...warm...but she nonetheless gave him a big hug when he got back in town.

Not to mention that she'd been at his side when Sorcerer's Weekly came around and the guild had flipped upside down to get attention in it. Kai and Mill stayed away from that—Kai because of the recent controversy surrounding him, and Mill because she didn't want anyone to make fun of her for being a cat-girl. It didn't stop Lucy, Gajeel, Natsu, Mira, or several others, though.

Oh, Gajeel.

Kai had almost forgotten about that. He and Mill walked to the base of the steps, where the crowd seemed to stream in a certain direction toward the park for some reason.

The Iron Dragon Slayer had joined Fairy Tail the same as Juvia but given the amount of help she provided with the Tower of Heaven that was a bit of a given.

Kai sighed. Fairy Tail had four Dragon Slayers: a hot-headed maniac, an overemotional mess, a cold-hearted soldier, and a wild animal. Oh, how Kai did not envy Master Makarov for dealing with everyone.

But it wasn't just strange to see Gajeel in the guild; it was strange to see him trying to get forgiveness. Trying to fit in without ever feeling he need to say sorry. When Kai had his sword out for inspection, Gajeel offered to have it tempered for him. Erza had forced Kai to accept the offer.

The crowd congealed at the corner as more voices were raised about something going on in the park, but Kai shoved it aside and continued the nice walk with Mill, despite the two not having spoken a word to one another.

"You're awfully contemplative," Milliana said.

"Thinking about Gajeel," Kai said. "Really, just thinking about the guild in general. So much has changed in the last few months. Ever since Lucy got here, things have really picked up."

"In a bad way?"

"Not at all. You got to join a guild!" Kai exclaimed. Milliana purred her excitement. "I never thought I'd see the day that the Tower of Heaven was destroyed. Heck, I mean, I lost, but I got to fight a Wizard Saint. It's been absolutely insane."

"But?"

Kai pursed his lips. "But I'd be lying if I said something isn't sitting right with me about the guild."

His secret. The secret of Laxus being a Dragon Slayer, if it was a secret at all. Did Makarov know? Did Erza? What about the other S-Class wizards? Surely Natsu didn't know or he wouldn't just wait for Laxus to come around to the guild, he'd seek him out to challenge him.

"Maybe it's...you know..."

Kai shook his head and they turned the corner toward their destination. "I don't think so." He waved it off. "Shopping might clear my head, the store's just up ahead."

"You're sure this is the one Erzie went to?"

"Well, she wouldn't stop talking about it, so, yes."

They approached the boutique, which, fittingly enough, had several fine dresses on display. Mill was more in the neighborhood for something a bit more...forthcoming...than just a dress. The Miss Fairy Tail Pageant was just around the corner and she wanted to make not only a lasting impression on Fairy Tail but anyone else who got to see it.