Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 71 - An Alliance Renewed

Gray had mixed feelings about the high-speed trains of the Twilight Empire. On the one hand, they were an incredible achievement that really connected Fiore in a way that felt impossible before. On the other...it was a product of the Twilight Empire. The trains probably carried dark magic, darker people, and maybe even slaves.

They caught their train at a stray station several miles from the FACE base. Yukino knew where to go; she recognized coming to the region before and claimed to know Onibus quite well. She didn't have the happiest expression to admit that.

She'd stared out the window longingly while they took their ride. Juvia rested her head on Gray's shoulder, occasionally asking him frivolous questions or reminding him that his clothes had suddenly vanished. Gray watched the land blur; within an hour, they were at Onibus.

It hadn't changed much, save for all the typical Imperial trappings. The theater was completely destroyed while the station was as modern as anything Gray caught a glimpse of in Crocus. Elite men and women strolled about with their noses up while groveling peasants or servants roiled around at their feet.

Gray stuffed his hands in his pocket.

"This way," Yukino said before Gray could think to ask. "It's a bit of a walk. We actually went by it on the rails but there's no way you would've seen it without knowing where to look."

"Been here before?" Gray asked. A stupid question but he had to poke.

"Yeah," Yukino muttered. "I led an op here, once, a long time ago. I thought we took the outpost out. There were no—anyway, um, yeah, I'm surprised it's still operational."

She put her hands together and hurried along. Juvia sighed and followed. Gray let out a small breath and did the same.

They were in meager disguises; Yukino was the most dolled up out of all of them, wearing a brunette wig with a sundress, of all things. Juvia and Gray didn't feel the need to mask themselves too much, given that they weren't going to be in high-population density spots that much.

Yukino guided them out a secret side door meant only for Imperial personnel that, really, was just a shortcut out of the station. Gray managed to catch up to Yukino at the same time as Juvia.

"If you need to hang back because this is all a little too intense, that's okay," Gray said. "We're just getting some people out, Juvia and I can handle it."

"I was assigned to help and so I will."

"Yukino," Juvia said, her voice soft. "Please. Don't hurt yourself for our sake. Coming back to this place, to any of them...it can't be easy."

"It's impossible," Yukino muttered.

They made their way out of the station and into the daylight once again. The border of the town wasn't far off. A few small gates permitted their leave of the town.

"I'm walking in the shadow of a memory I don't even remember having," Yukino said. "The raids, the fighting, all of it is such a blur. It all blends together in my mind. I can't remember anyone I fought, anyone I killed. How am I supposed to look at the faces of the people at this outpost?"

"Like someone who just wants to help," Gray said. "Because that's who you are now."

"They won't trust me."

On that, Gray couldn't fault the rebels. Why would they? Hisui probably still had some animosity about Yukino being around, which was fair. She hadn't been around Yukino as much as Gray, Juvia, and the others. It wasn't like Irene, whom nobody trusted. Not even her own daughter, which was something Gray was still wrapping his head around.