Frozen Heart

Chapter 5

After so many years, Jack knew better than anyone else how dark the world could be.

Demons, dark magic, illegal guilds…

She had seen it all and more.

Because of this, Jack often kept her ear out for rumors of such things, just in case.

Humans are foolish creatures, always digging up ancient spells to eradicate their enemies without thinking of the consequences…

They’re just lucky she was always around to clean up the mess.

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Lounging on a shadowy beam overhead, Jack traced the patterns of frost her touch left on the wood as Fairy Tail’s normal commotion drowned out her thoughts, like white noise.

It was nice, just relaxing without worrying over

Jack frowned at the reminder, fingers clenching into a fist as the frost grew into jagged ice.

Would anyone really use it, knowing it’s power?

The main door slamming open caught her attention then, along with everyone else’s, and Loke panted for breath, like he had just seen the Devil himself.

“This is bad! It’s Erza…She’s back!”

The entire guild went into Silent Panic Mode at the news, and Jack rolled onto her stomach, chin propped up with both hands and staff safely nestled in the crook of one elbow.

“Back already?” She noted, mostly to herself. “Her mission must not have been too hard, then…”

Everything went still below as footsteps approached, and even Jack stared as the famous Erza Scarlet entered the guild hall, slamming a massive, decorated horn of some kind onto the floor like someone might a staff.

Well, that’s new

“I’ve returned. Is the master here?”

“Welcome back!” Mirajane greeted, not at all intimidated by the stoic knight-like wizard. “The master’s at a conference.”

“I see.”

“Hey, Erza.” Jack spoke up, floating down on a cool breeze to circle the new trophy with an appraising eye. “Nice…horn.”

“It’s from a monster I subdued. The locals decorated it and gave it to me as a souvenir.”

“They did a good job.” The winter-girl conceded, reaching out with a single finger to touch the very tip.

A lacework of frost patterned the ivory, all the way to the jeweled base, and Erza took in the artwork with an appraising silence before nodding in thanks.

She then turned to the rest of Fairy Tail, and began her usual tirade.

“Listen up! On the road, I heard that Fairy Tail has been causing yet more trouble. The master may not care, but I do!”

The first one Erza turned on was unsuspecting Cana, who was too busy drinking from her barrel of ale to notice fast enough.

“Cana! How dare you drink dressed like that?”

Jack tried her best to hold back a laugh as the brunette choked, startled.

“Vijeeter!”

“Yes?”

“Dance outside! Wakaba. I see cigarette butts on the floor.”

“Eep…”

“Nab.”

“Eek!”

“I see you’re dawdling in front of the request board as usual. Do some work! Macao!”

The poor man trembled as his turn came, growing more nervous the longer it took Erza to continue.

When she just sighed, he about broke down into a frazzled mess, and Jack poked him with her staff to see if Macao was still with them in reality.

“Honestly, you cause so much trouble. But I’ll be kind and say nothing for today.”

Watching the blue-haired man twitch, Jack figured she had said more than enough.

“Jacqueline.”

Sighing at the use of her proper name, the smaller girl straightened, floating to be more eye-level with the other.

“Yup?”

“I require your assistance.”

Blue eyes widened at the unexpected statement, much like the rest of Fairy Tail.

“Um…Sure. Whatever I can do.”

“I need you to get the Snow Queen.”

A stunned silence filled the guild, and Jack blinked once, twice, to be sure she was really awake.

“The Snow Queen?” She parroted, growing nervous. “I don’t know…Hiroyuki, she’s not exactly the social type. She’ll need a really good reason.”

“Lullaby.”

Jack went very still, a blankness taking over her features.

“…That’s a good reason.”

Erza nodded, serious as ever.

“We’ll meet her in Onibas.”

With only a short nod back, the winter girl shot out the open door, the resulting breeze so strong it nearly knocked Reedus off his feet.

Eisenwald was messing with Lullaby, and there was no time to waste.