Found & Forgotten

Chapter 32

There was a sense of unease in the air.

Sure, at first glance,  everything seemed normal. The guild members were sat around tables, chatting to each other, laughing over drinks. But at second glance, the atmosphere was subdued, conversations were held in undertones, laughter was strained.

Makarov sighed as he surveyed the unusually quiet building from his position sat cross-legged on the bar. The threat of yet another imminent attack loomed over his guild, and there was absolutely nothing he could do to reassure the brats in front of him. They, along with him, just had to trust that their nakama would win this fight.

"Warren, how are the brats doing?" Makarov asked.

The man in question jolted to attention, dropping his conversation with Max, and closing the few feet between him and the Master. He held out a radar, showing three glowing markers in the areas surrounding Magnolia.

"All the teams have arrived at their respective positions. I'm currently keeping a connection open so they can contact us if need be." Warren informed him.

"Very good," nodded Makarov. "For now, leave it at that, but be prepared to do more later on."

Warren nodded in response, unintentionally repeating Makarov's movements, and shifted his position back over so he could continue his conversation with Max. Makarov sighed again. Fairy Tail had indeed perfected the art of pretending nothing was wrong.

Laxus rubbed absently at the scar on his cheek as he and his team approached the area Levy and Lucy had been held in whilst kidnapped by Shin Uchu. Evergreen, noticing the small gesture, moved closer.

"Laxus," she spoke quietly, received a noncommittal grunt in response, and continued cautiously. "Are you...alright? You're touching your scar again..."

"I'm fine, Ever." 

Laxus shoved the offending hand deep into his pocket, making a mental note to keep an eye on that habit, especially when Ever was around, and whistled as they rounded a corner and caught sight of the entrance to the underground chamber, still shattered from Natsu's punch. The far edge had disintegrated entirely, various areas of the ground seemed singed, and the grass was history.

"Man, they really did a number on that!" commented a grinning Bickslow.

"Such a mess. How undignified," Evergreen sniffed, turning her nose up at the wreckage before her.

Laxus schooled his face out of something between an exasperated eye roll and an amused quirk of the lip, and back to something neutral. Turning to Freed, he saw his green head bent, already working over a rune circle. Having never quite got the hang of them himself, Laxus stayed where he was, crossing his arms and watching Freed work.

"Stability...containment...scanning..." Evergreen murmured, walking over to where Freed was still working.

Again, Evergreen received only a noncommittal grunt in response.

"Men." She rolled her eyes, and leaned closer to inspect Freed's work.

Freed threw her a wary glance, and moved further round the circle, muttering incantations and drawing more runes as he went. Evergreen followed, reading the runes to herself and deciphering the spells Freed was weaving. Soon enough she found herself reaching for her light pen, almost subconsciously, wanted to correct a slightly misplaced stroke.

"Ever," Freed's voice was sharp, "what are you doing?"

"Editing," she replied softly, pointing to the deformed rune.