Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 62 - The Clock Strikes

Lucy found herself holding on tight to her fork, but her mind was drawing a blank. Weeks ago, she would've had escape routes planned out, she would've been aware of the time to make an excuse to go do something else.

Among the humdrum of dulled political talk, while the waiters moved about, and as life moved on, Lucy felt hers come to a complete, total stop.

"Now," Axel said, his voice still calm. He examined his drink. "I want you to understand that I did have...quite a violent reaction. There may be a few people dead. Don't worry about it. And, when I first heard what you'd been up to, I didn't think I could live with myself. It took me a lot of time to come to terms with all of this but, then again, I should've known this could happen. You were a Fairy Tail wizard, after all."

People...dead? Because he learned Lucy was a traitor?

"I figured that you wouldn't actually ever use Lullaby. You're too weak, you wouldn't kill yourself if it meant taking down just one other person. You're not the one to jump out when everyone else is down, Lucy. You had to operate in the shadows. A spy, right? Now, here's the tricky part: I haven't figured out your contact, or contacts, yet. I mean, when I found it, it was made to all sound so obvious. You're bad at it, Lucy, real bad.

"To be honest, the only thing you've ever been good at is your looks. I mean you look great tonight. I'd bang the brains right out of you." Axel shrugged. "Maybe I will. Gotta let Brandish have her way with you, first, unless she just hands over your keys. Don't try to run out of the city, either. We all are watching you. Make a wrong move and, well, I guess it's up to August to dole out your punishment, but I'm hoping he saves enough of you for me. Just the good bits."

Axel sighed. He took a drink as if giving Lucy a chance to talk. Warm tears slid down her face. There wasn't anything she could do.

"How did you find out?" Lucy asked, her voice so small she barely heard it.

"A good friend of yours told on you," Axel said. "I wish I found out directly, but, they thought wiser. I could've killed you on the spot—well, I had to wait to line up someone after you, if things went south. And look, Lucy, there's still time to save yourself. Go to Brandish, pledge your undying fealty, and then come home, and we'll make sweet love. You'll get pregnant, we'll have wonderful babies, and the Empire will flourish. It's that easy!"

It took more willpower than Lucy thought she had in herself to not vomit all over the place. She stared at the fork, the knife. She wouldn't be quick enough to use them, not against a trained Dragon Slayer.

Between seeing Brandish and the end of that meeting, she would either be dead or finding a way more peaceful route to death than...Axel.

"I don't mean to hold you up," Axel said. He stood, signaling the waiters to come collect their things. "Hurry along, Lucy. We'll be together again soon, I promise."

Lucy swallowed the lump in her throat. Everyone around her was watching them. Everyone around them, it seemed, knew. She wasn't Lucy the rising member of the Twilight Empire, she was Lucy the failed spy from Fairy Tail.

Slowly, Lucy got to her feet and began the walk to her doom.

***

The new Edolas Fairy Tail place was humongous. Natsu imagined their guild hall getting a nice redo once the whole business with the Twilight Empire was finally wrapped up. Something with...four stories! A whole training ground! And no S-Class exclusivity!

The Earth Landers were welcomed warmly by their Edolas counterparts. Natsu quickly reacquainted himself with all of everyone's unique traits. Edo Gray was being dragged across the guild hall by a stern Edo Juvia. The tall, slender Edo Wendy approached them and greeted the group warmly. Edo Cana did the same, as did Edo Mira while the shy Edo Elfman slunk up behind her.