Frozen Heart
Chapter 88
The city was more heavily damaged than even Jack had expected, but Fairy Tail mages were known for their property damage for a good reason.
Natsu and Mystogan were in the middle of a brutal fist fight by the time she arrived with the Guardians, hanging back to keep the attention where it ought to be.
“So…you’ll be leaving with them soon?” Tooth voiced, tone subdued.
“Yeah…” Jack admitted, quiet. “I’m needed on Earthland, and you guys need to help rebuild here.”
“Ya think ya can handle those bloody galahs by yerself, larrikin?” Bunny wondered, noting the two men’s fighting styles with the watchful eye of someone who was skilled at the art.
“I’ve been doing it that way for years.” She assured, trying to smile. “I’ll be fine.”
A heavy hand landed on her shoulder, nearly knocking her over, and North smiled down at her.
“Are no longer alone, da? Have us now!”
She stared up at him in surprise, those big blue eyes making her seem so very much like a child at that moment, which triggered a paternal response in the friendly Russian.
“I do not know who you are in Earthland…” He admitted, holding her stare firmly. “But in this world, you are Guardian. And Guardians are never alone.”
Heart fluttering in her chest, Jack bit her trembling lip and nodded, not trusting her own voice.
Baby Tooth fluttered to her shoulder, rubbing against her neck in an almost cat-like way, twittering assurances.
Shoulders slowly relaxing, Jack smiled, snow-bright.
“Thank you.”
It was at that moment she felt the Anima tug on her magic again, like hooks latching on at the edges, and Tooth smiled, a bit teary-eyed, as she wrapped the winter-girl up in a hug.
“Be careful.”
“Promise.” Jack muttered softly, pulling back as the Anima tugged harder.
Nodding, Tooth held out her hands, gentle.
“Come on, Baby Tooth. It’s time for her to go.”
The mini-fairy shook her head, and all of their eyes widened as she started to glow, just like all the other Earthlanders.
“Baby…”
“I need to go with her, Mother.” She explained, wings buzzing a quiet note of assurance. “I promise we’ll be alright.”
The Tooth Fairy looked about ready to cry, but North put an arm around her shoulders in comfort.
“Is not last time we will see them.” He rumbled, those blue eyes darting to one of the many pockets in Gajeel’s coat. “Will see again soon.”
Jack only smiled, nodding, as she was lifted off the ground without the wind’s aid.
“Promise.”
The sky opened with golden light, and she gave the fairy one last hug before taking off after the others, twisting between them with ease before reaching her destination.
“Hey, Snowie.” Gajeel voiced, battered but pleased. “Ready to go?”
Sparing one last glance down at the Guardians, at Mystogan, at Edolas, Jack smiled up at him, new staff clenched tight in both hands.
“Ready.”
Natsu and Mystogan were in the middle of a brutal fist fight by the time she arrived with the Guardians, hanging back to keep the attention where it ought to be.
“So…you’ll be leaving with them soon?” Tooth voiced, tone subdued.
“Yeah…” Jack admitted, quiet. “I’m needed on Earthland, and you guys need to help rebuild here.”
“Ya think ya can handle those bloody galahs by yerself, larrikin?” Bunny wondered, noting the two men’s fighting styles with the watchful eye of someone who was skilled at the art.
“I’ve been doing it that way for years.” She assured, trying to smile. “I’ll be fine.”
A heavy hand landed on her shoulder, nearly knocking her over, and North smiled down at her.
“Are no longer alone, da? Have us now!”
She stared up at him in surprise, those big blue eyes making her seem so very much like a child at that moment, which triggered a paternal response in the friendly Russian.
“I do not know who you are in Earthland…” He admitted, holding her stare firmly. “But in this world, you are Guardian. And Guardians are never alone.”
Heart fluttering in her chest, Jack bit her trembling lip and nodded, not trusting her own voice.
Baby Tooth fluttered to her shoulder, rubbing against her neck in an almost cat-like way, twittering assurances.
Shoulders slowly relaxing, Jack smiled, snow-bright.
“Thank you.”
It was at that moment she felt the Anima tug on her magic again, like hooks latching on at the edges, and Tooth smiled, a bit teary-eyed, as she wrapped the winter-girl up in a hug.
“Be careful.”
“Promise.” Jack muttered softly, pulling back as the Anima tugged harder.
Nodding, Tooth held out her hands, gentle.
“Come on, Baby Tooth. It’s time for her to go.”
The mini-fairy shook her head, and all of their eyes widened as she started to glow, just like all the other Earthlanders.
“Baby…”
“I need to go with her, Mother.” She explained, wings buzzing a quiet note of assurance. “I promise we’ll be alright.”
The Tooth Fairy looked about ready to cry, but North put an arm around her shoulders in comfort.
“Is not last time we will see them.” He rumbled, those blue eyes darting to one of the many pockets in Gajeel’s coat. “Will see again soon.”
Jack only smiled, nodding, as she was lifted off the ground without the wind’s aid.
“Promise.”
The sky opened with golden light, and she gave the fairy one last hug before taking off after the others, twisting between them with ease before reaching her destination.
“Hey, Snowie.” Gajeel voiced, battered but pleased. “Ready to go?”
Sparing one last glance down at the Guardians, at Mystogan, at Edolas, Jack smiled up at him, new staff clenched tight in both hands.
“Ready.”