➵

Inside the Fairy Tail Guild Hall, more specifically Master Makarov's office, Gray was faced with having to explain his reasoning for leading Natsu into the trap and whatever the hell Daphne was doing to Dealana. He could explain his reasons for Natsu without any trouble but there was no way he could begin to excuse what Dealana was going through.

Daphne had expressed interest in both Natsu and Dealana as Dragon Slayers and Gray had agreed to supply her with Natsu but he talked her into leaving Dealana out of her project until she got even stronger, but by then, Gray figured Natsu would have already defeated Daphne. That wasn't the case and it was all his fault.

He knew there would be no way to forgive himself for what he did.

"I was working a job when I started to hear the rumors," Gray began. "That there was someone trying to build an artificial dragon. So, I decided to look into it."

"And that's when you had your secret rendezvous with this reckless fool?" Makarov asked the ice-mage, who couldn't even look the old man in the eyes as sat in the chair.

"Her plan centered on somehow capturing Natsu and then using him to power this fake dragon," Gray explained. "I don't think she realized it then, but she told me something that I thought was important. Once it starts, the only to stop the dragonoid is for a Dragon Slayer to attack it from the inside."

"Yes, that might be helpful at this point, but you could've prevented it from even starting up in the first place if you'd never handed over Natsu." Makarov pointed out.

"I had to," Gray told him. "You're missing part of the story, Gramps. There's another city counting on us. It was for their sake." He admitted.

"Go on, my boy," Makarov prompted.

"He made a promise to the people in the City without Sound and then forgot about it 'cause he's an idiot." Gray revealed. "Self-control isn't exactly his strong suit, y'know? So, I used to check up after he finished a job to make sure everything was cool."

"Ah, yes, you did that for Dealana on her first solo jobs too," Makarov recalled while Gray flinched at the mention of her name. The horrifying scream still echoed in both of their ears. Gray hated himself for giving information on Dealana to Daphne, but he hadn't been able to think of a way around it if he wanted to earn her trust. He had figured that Dealana wouldn't be involved, but after she showed up looking for Natsu and Wendy, Daphne decided that Dealana was strong enough to perform her tests.

Gray nodded meekly before continuing, "Whenever anyone mentioned Igneel, he'd get distracted and completely forget about the task at hand."

"So, you feel the need to tell him while finding Igneel is important, fulfilling his obligation to the guild is even more important, huh." Makarov realized.

Gray's laced hands tightened further. "I never had the chance to prove myself to Ur, but there's no limit for him." Gray admitted. "Every challenge that's put before him, he overcomes. I know that if ever found him, he would beat Igneel. He always has that, he can always be ready for that day!" Gray was standing at this point. "He needs to get stronger and stronger, he's the only person I need to prove myself to!"

"But I messed up," Gray sighed. "I thought he'd have no problem beating this chick and her fake dragon, and then Dealana...Dealana was never meant to get involved, I swear. Let me clean this up, please." Gray asked Makarov.

Fairy Tail's Master sighed, "Very well then," the old man's rose grew sharp and angry in an instant saying, "But you must promise to do exactly as I tell you."

➵

Meanwhile, the Thunder Legion were having no luck getting to Dealana. They sincerely doubted that she could even hear them from within her storm barrier, but that didn't stop them from calling out to her.

Inside the raging cyclone of elements, Dealana could only feel the excruciating pain that pierced her head before continuously flowing through the rest of her body causing even more signals to her brain. It was a seemingly never-ending cycle of torment on her. She was trying to remove the damned headband but touching it only seemed to increase the pain. Dealana had pressed herself against the base of the mountain, a stormy bubble covering everything else.

The sky-blunette leaned her head forward as another cry of agony left her lips before slamming her head back against the stone mountain in hopes of breaking the headband off that way. It didn't break and she was pretty sure she only succeeded in giving herself a concussion but she heard it amongst all the chaos flying around her.

A small crack.

With a sense of hope, something that just felt foreign within Dealana's mass of torment, she repeated the process until she felt the headband crack further. She could see stars and black spots dancing around her vision, exhaustion filling her limbs with the weight of lead. Dealana lay against the rock mountain, unable to do anything more than scream out in pain.

The Thunder Legion from outside couldn't do anything. It wasn't until Freed suggested that they return to Fairy Tail for backup, leaving the enchantment around the area that they leave. Dealana knew that she had to regain control of her magic or it would tear her apart from the inside. She could already feel her magic power burning in her veins.

"Oh crap, Dealana!" She heard someone call. Dealana's eyes widened and her panic spiked, was she near people, had she been near people this entire time, was she hurting them? She didn't want to be hurting anyone because of her loss of control. She wouldn't forgive herself if she hurt one of her friends. Slowly and shakily, Dealana picked herself off the ground. She trudged a step forward, nearly collapsing when the headband shot another wave of pain through her body.

She wouldn't hurt her friends. She had to move away from them. She had to go far enough away where they wouldn't have to deal with the mess she was causing.

"Dealana listen––let me–" Dealana grimaced. She was still around people, she had to get away. She found her storm barrier blocked by something. Dealana couldn't see past her own cyclone of storms to figure out what was preventing her from moving forward. Another wave of massive pain tore across her body, Dealana screamed out. The storms picked up and whatever blocked her before shattered and she was able to move.

She attempted to pick herself off the ground where she stumbled but only managed to make it to her knees. Dealana was beginning to think she wouldn't be able to hold out much further.

"Little runt!"

Dealana froze, for a split second she didn't feel pain or anything.

She knew that nickname.

"Arashi...?" She wondered, but knew that Arashi couldn't be here, he left her alone. He certainly wouldn't call out for her in this state, Dealana was certain that Arashi would smash through her storm and smack her unconscious before she could even blink.

"Little runt, you've got to let me in!"

"No, no, no! NO!" Dealana shouted. "I'm not going to hurt you! I don't want to hurt anyone!" The storms around her increased in intensity before the sound of a small explosion echoed behind her. She went to glance over her shoulder but fell into another fit of pain. She curled around herself with a cry. Through her blurry eyes she could see yellow spiky hair and it sent her into another panic spiral.

"No! Don't–Don't come closer!" Dealana screamed, trying to get away from the outstretched hands. Her heterochromatic eyes were wild, her breathing increasingly fast and shallow, her body shaking as she feared she would kill whoever tried to get closer.

"You aren't going to hurt me, you need to listen to my voice," Dealana knew the voice was familiar, she was just too overwhelmed by everything to recognize it. They wrapped their arms around Dealana firmly after tearing away the wretched headband. "Listen to me, you aren't going to hurt anyone. Trust me, you'll be alright."

Dealana could hear the pain in their voice, her magic's natural defensive response of sending out painful jolts of storm magic had to be affecting whoever was stupid enough the give her a hug at a time like this. "N-No! I will! I am hurting you! You have to leave!"

"I'm not leaving you, not this time," the voice said. "Runt, you've got to listen to my voice. You're not going to hurt anyone, trust me!"

Dealana's panic began to subside barely, but it seemed like that was enough. "Cress! Now!"

All at once, the her chaotic mind seemed to calm. The panic, betrayal, anger, sadness, rage, it all seemed to leave her body with the lingering sensation of peace. Dealana's eyes fluttered close as she stopped resisting whomever was holding her firmly but at the same time gently.

"I don't even want to know what kind of trouble you got yourself into, runt," As Dealana's limbs felt like lead once again, her lips managed to twitch into a small smile as she finally recognized the voice.

"...Laxus..." Dealana opened her tear filled eyes and slowly wrapped her arms around the lightning mage's arm holding her so she was latched like koala. "You're here..."

"Someone's got to keep you from hurting yourself," Laxus told her with soft smile.

"Did I––" She began to question.

"You didn't hurt anyone, Dealana." Laxus told her as she was slowly drifting into unconsciousness, her body over exhausted after what happened.

"I'm sorry," Dealana apologized in a mumbly voice.

"There's nothing to be sorry for...get some rest, you little runt."

➵

Fairy Tail was a wreck. Natsu had finally defeated Daphne and the dragonoid, which was great and all, but when the back-up arrived at where the Thunder Legion barricaded Dealana's storm, all they found was the aftermath, and it wasn't pretty.

There was no sign of Dealana anywhere, and with the mass collection of storms that took place in the area, tracking her was out of the question. The storm had continued in a path, it was like Dealana had just disappeared.

"You don't think she...?" Lucy's words trailed off as tears began to prick her eyes at the mere thought.

"She's not dead," Erza stated. Most looked to see her with a stern expression, guarded like she was fighting to conceal something. "Dealana is not dead."

"Where'd she go?" Happy asked quietly. Natsu put a comforting hand on his partner's head trying to smell the area. Gajeel was doing the same, but there was nothing.

Gray was tearing himself up on the inside and anyone could see it. They heard his side of the story and understood why he wanted Natsu to fulfill his promise from so long ago, but with Dealana's involvement, it was difficult. Daphne had said during the almost destruction of Magnolia that when the final version of the dragonoid was complete it would be the Tempest to power it. The crazy chick even revealed how she was testing Dealana's power with the headband that Natsu currently held tightly in his hand, rather what was left of it.

Erza had noticed the dents and scratches in it along with the small cracks in the mountain side and guess Dealana tried to break it off that way when she couldn't with her hands.

It wasn't until later, after they solemnly returned to the guild that someone entered the guild hall. She had short yet wavy magenta hair and bore strange markings on various parts of her skin, including four ringlets on her upper arm and a wyvern on the back of her leg. Three dots lined her cheekbones underneath her maroon eyes on either side. She wore a flowy shirt and shorts along with a beaded necklace.

Quite a few of the guild recognized this woman from when they stayed at her inn while on longer jobs. "Cress!" Evergreen greeted with the other two of the Thunder Legion not far behind. "What are you doing here?" She questioned.

"Is Master Makarov in? I have news...about Dealana," She revealed and in seconds everything fell silent and all eyes were on her before Natsu marched forward with a flame-engulfed fist.

"What did you do to Dealana!?" He launched himself at Cress who only caught his fiery punch with her hand. Natsu's eyes widened before crystal slowly overtook his flames and they died out. Cress sighed.

"Look, I've had a long week, please just...just don't, okay?" She released Natsu's hand as Makarov made himself known.

"What is this about Dealana?" he inquired causing Cress to take a deep breath.

"For starters, she's safe and recovering with Porlyusica tending to her," Cress revealed. A collective wave of a relief washed over the guild. "We felt a shift in the air and I came as quickly as I could to help Dealana. I used a spell to calm her soul, but she may not wake for another day or so." She explained.

"Calmed her...soul?" Erza raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't know magic like that existed," Lucy remarked.

"It's a lost practice," Makarov hummed. "One that hasn't been used in four-hundred years."

"Yeah," Cress nodded. "Like I mentioned, it's been a long week." She walked closer to Makarov and handed him an envelope sealed by a wax stamp depicting a bird with a lightning bolt shaped tail. "A letter from my Chief, she figured it might help explain some things."

Makarov nodded before Evergreen spoke up again to Cress. "What did you mean by 'feeling a shift in the air?' You mean to say you felt Dealana all the way from Malva?"

Cress smiled. "Somewhere near Malva. I was with my family when we felt it." she explained.

"How'd you do that crystal thing?" Natsu questioned, getting in Cress' face. "Who are you anyway?"

"This is Cress Roselyn," Freed introduced.

"She runs the Bittercress Rose Inn and Tavern in Malva," Evergreen elaborated. "She's also a member of the elusive Storm Talon Tribe."

"Storm Talon Tribe?"Wendy echoed.

"I think I've read about them," Lucy remarked. They're a nomadic group of people who harbor secrets of their ancestors."

"We go where the wind takes us and have a strong dislike for the Magic Council," Cress finished with a wink, making Lucy blush slightly not having expected to be heard. The magenta-haired woman turned back to the guild. "I'd really love to stay and chat, but I need to yell at a certain someone for something." She told them before the Thunder Legion escorted her out.

➵

I hope you can forgive me for what I put Dealana through. Either way, any questions? Comments? What did you think of this chapter?

The next couple or few chapter will cover the filler episodes before the Edolas Arc, and I'm excited for what's to come!