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[FT: O King of the Fairies] Chapter 34
🕑 Added 2025-03-26 06:58:05 +0000 UTCThe morning sun cast a warm glow over Magnolia as I strolled through town, hands in my coat pockets. Laxus walked beside me, looking as grumpy as ever, while Alma trailed slightly ahead, and a much smaller figure clung to her side—Cana.
It had been a few days since she arrived at Fairy Tail, and while she was still shy, she was getting more comfortable. She mostly stuck to Alma, though. Not that I blamed her—Alma had a way of making people feel safe.
"So, what’s the plan?" Laxus asked, rubbing the back of his head.
I shrugged. "No clue. Just hanging out."
He groaned. "We could be training."
"Relax, battle junkie," I smirked. "Not everything has to be about getting stronger."
Laxus scoffed. "Easy for you to say."
Alma glanced back at us. "Well, I do need to pick up some supplies. If you two are that bored, you can carry my stuff."
Laxus and I exchanged looks.
Laxus frowned. "That sounds like a chore."
I sighed. "It is a chore."
Cana tugged on Alma’s sleeve. "Are we getting food, too?"
Alma smiled down at her. "Of course. We’ll grab something while we’re out."
That got my attention. "Food? Say no more."
Laxus rolled his eyes. "Now he’s motivated."
We made our way through town, stopping at a few stores while Alma picked up whatever supplies she needed for the guild. Laxus and I, true to her word, ended up being her personal carriers.
At one point, I turned to him, a bag of supplies hanging from each arm. "Is this what we’ve been reduced to? Human pack mules?"
Laxus grunted. "Tch. If we drop anything, she’ll probably kill us."
Alma shot a sweet smile over her shoulder. "You bet I will."
Cana giggled, and I sighed. "This is what happens when we’re too strong. People just use us for heavy lifting."
"Maybe if you didn’t destroy things all the time, you wouldn’t have to make it up by doing chores," Alma pointed out.
Laxus snickered. "She’s got a point."
I groaned. "Et tu, Laxus?"
By the time we were done, the four of us ended up at a small café. Cana sat between Alma and me, still clinging to her side, while Laxus leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.
As we waited for our food, Cana hesitantly glanced up at me. "...You’re really strong, right?"
I raised an eyebrow. "I like to think so."
She seemed to think about that before asking, "Are you stronger than my dad?"
Alma and Laxus both turned to me with interest.
I smirked. "Now that is a loaded question."
Laxus grinned. "C’mon, you afraid to answer?"
"Afraid? Please. I live for messing with Gildarts." I leaned forward, lowering my voice like it was a big secret. "Let’s just say… if your dad ever brags too much, I could put him in his place."
Cana’s eyes widened.
Alma sighed. "Stop corrupting the child."
Laxus laughed. "Too late."
Cana seemed to process that before nodding, a small smile forming. "Okay."
Okay? I wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but hey, at least she wasn’t upset.
As our food arrived, I sat back, watching the three of them—Laxus stuffing his face like he hadn’t eaten in weeks, Alma scolding him for eating like a wild animal, and Cana quietly nibbling at her meal while sneaking glances at us, like she was still getting used to being here.
Fairy Tail had changed a lot in two years. People came and went, battles were fought, victories and losses stacked up. But despite all of that, some things stayed the same. The guild was still as rowdy as ever. The bonds between us hadn’t weakened. And no matter how much time passed, moments like these—just sitting down, eating, and laughing with people who mattered—never lost their value.
Cana poked at her food before glancing up at me again. "...Is Fairy Tail always like this?"
I smirked. "Like what?"
She hesitated. "Loud. Messy. Kinda crazy."
I let out a chuckle. "Yeah. And you know what? That’s what makes it home."
Cana stared at me for a second before nodding slowly. Alma smiled, reaching over to smooth out the little girl’s messy hair.
Laxus, with his mouth still half-full, muttered, "You’ll get used to it."
I pointed my fork at him. "You, on the other hand, will not get used to eating like a civilized human, will you?"
Laxus shrugged. "Why should I?"
Alma groaned. "Because I’d rather not spend every meal watching you inhale your food like some kind of wild beast."
Cana giggled.
I grinned, nudging her. "See? Even the kid agrees."
Laxus shot me a look but didn’t argue. Instead, he shoved another bite into his mouth, just to be difficult.
I shook my head, leaning back in my chair. Yeah. Things had changed a lot. But at the end of the day, moments like these reminded me why I stuck around.
After finishing our meal, we stepped out onto the busy streets of Magnolia. The town was alive with chatter, the smell of fresh bread wafting from bakeries, and merchants calling out their wares. The usual hustle and bustle.
Cana stuck close to Alma, her small hand gripping the older girl’s sleeve as she took in everything with wide eyes.
"Alright, first stop—shopping," Alma declared.
Laxus groaned. "Why do we have to be part of this?"
I threw an arm around his shoulder. "Because, my dear Laxus, we are good, responsible people who support our friends."
He gave me a deadpan look. "You just don’t want to carry everything yourself."
"Exactly," I grinned.
Alma rolled her eyes. "Let’s just go."
Alma led us to a clothing store first, something about Cana needing more than just the clothes on her back. Inside, colorful fabrics lined the walls, mannequins dressed in stylish outfits stood proudly, and the shopkeeper gave us a welcoming smile.
Cana hesitated, looking a little overwhelmed.
Alma knelt beside her. "Why don’t we find something you like?"
Cana shuffled her feet. "...I don’t know what to pick."
Alma smiled. "That’s fine. We’ll just try a few things."
What followed was an hour of dress-up, with Cana trying on outfit after outfit while Alma made suggestions. Laxus and I? We sat on a bench outside the changing room, waiting like bodyguards assigned to protect shopping bags.
At some point, Laxus leaned over. "How long is this gonna take?"
I shrugged. "No clue. But we’re already in too deep. If we try to escape, Alma will drag us back."
Cana eventually stepped out in a cute blue dress, looking uncertain. "...Does this look okay?"
Alma beamed. "It looks perfect."
Laxus gave a thumbs-up. "Yeah, looks good."
I smirked. "Oh, definitely. You’ll be the most fashionable guild member in no time."
Cana blushed a little but smiled.
While I could have just summoned dozens of clothes from the inventory there is something noble about shopping like this, using my powers takes away all the fun you see.
After that, we wandered through the marketplace. Stalls lined the streets, selling everything from weapons to fruit. Cana’s eyes sparkled as she looked around, taking in all the sights.
"Pick whatever you want," I told her.
Her head snapped toward me. "...Really?"
"Yep. Consider it a 'Welcome to Fairy Tail' gift."
She hesitated, then slowly walked up to a candy stall. She picked out a small bag of sweets, holding it carefully like it was something precious.
Alma chuckled. "That’s all you want?"
Cana nodded.
I patted her head. "Good choice."
Laxus raised an eyebrow. "You’re way too soft, man."
I shrugged. "Gotta balance out your grumpiness somehow."
He rolled his eyes, but I saw the small smirk he was trying to hide.
By the time we were done, the sun was beginning to set, and the smell of street food filled the air. Naturally, we had to stop for snacks.
Cana held a stick of dango, chewing happily as we sat on a bench by the river.
"You having fun?" Alma asked her.
Cana nodded, swinging her legs. "...Yeah."
Laxus stretched. "Well, that was exhausting."
"Oh, please," I scoffed. "You barely did anything."
"Yeah, because all you did was throw money around and tell me to carry bags!"
I grinned. "And you did a great job."
Alma sighed. "You two are impossible."
Cana giggled again, looking up at the sky. For the first time since she arrived, she looked… happy.
As we sat by the river, enjoying the peaceful evening, I glanced at Cana, I noticed she had been unusually quiet. She clung to Alma’s side as usual, but her little hands were balled into fists, and she kept stealing glances at me like she wanted to say something.
I raised an eyebrow. "Alright, kid, what’s up? You’ve been staring at me like I stole your snack."
Cana flinched. "I-I wasn’t—"
Laxus smirked. "Yeah, you were."
Alma shot him a look before crouching beside Cana. "Cana, is there something you want to tell us?"
Cana shuffled her feet, her fingers tightening around the hem of her little cloak. She hesitated before looking up at me. "...You’re really strong, right?"
I blinked. "Uh. Yeah?"
She swallowed. "And… do you know a lot of people?"
That was an odd question. "I’d say so."
She shifted from foot to foot. "Then… do you know Gildarts?"
I stared at her for a moment, then scoffed. "Unfortunately, yes." I crossed my arms. "Why? You a fan or something?"
Cana hesitated. "...No."
I frowned. "Then—"
She took a deep breath, her small hands clenched. Then, in a quiet voice, she finally said it.
"He’s my dad."
The world seemed to pause for a second.
Laxus stopped mid-step. Alma’s eyes widened.
Silence.
Pure, stunned silence.
Laxus was the first to react. He blinked. Then blinked again. Then let out the most eloquent response possible.
“…Hah?”
Alma covered her mouth, eyes wide. “Oh.”
I, on the other hand, just sighed. I already knew this was coming, but seeing Laxus’s brain short-circuit in real time? That was entertainment.
Laxus, meanwhile, was still trying to process the revelation. “Wait, wait, wait. Gildarts—the Gildarts Clive—is your dad?!”
Cana nodded hesitantly.
Laxus immediately threw his hands up. “No! No way! That idiot had a kid?!”
Alma scowled. “Laxus!”
“What?! I mean, come on!” Laxus turned to me, looking for support. “You knew about this?!”
I gave him a lazy shrug. “Yup.”
He looked personally betrayed. “And you didn’t say anything?! Even you Alma?!”
“Not my story to tell.”
“It was obvious, you know. She has his features.”
Laxus groaned, running a hand down his face. “This is unbelievable. That moron can barely take care of himself—how the hell did he manage to—" He stopped, then shuddered. “No. Never mind. I don’t wanna think about it.”
I snorted. “Wise decision.”
Cana shifted slightly, clutching the edges of her cloak. “…I only found out recently. My mom told me before she—” She swallowed, her voice growing tight. “Before she died.”
That killed the energy in an instant.
Alma immediately reached out, gently rubbing Cana’s back. Laxus, despite his earlier outburst, looked awkward, rubbing the back of his head. “…Tch.”
Cana took a slow breath. “…I came here to find him.”
Laxus muttered under his breath. “Gildarts, you absolute bastard.”
Cana blinked up at him. “…What?”
Alma shot Laxus a warning look. “Not in front of the kid.”
“I stand by it,” he grumbled. “Seriously, leaving his kid alone like this? Guy needs a punch to the face.”
I smirked. “Get in line.”
Cana looked between us, then hesitantly asked, “…You guys don’t hate him, right?”
Alma sighed. “Of course not. Gildarts is… well, he’s Gildarts.”
“A legendary mage, an idiot, and a walking disaster,” I added helpfully.
Laxus scoffed. “You forgot ‘irresponsible dumbass.’”
Cana let out a tiny giggle.
I crouched in front of her. “Listen, kid. Gildarts isn’t here right now—he’s been gone for a long job. But when he does come back, we’ll make sure you meet him, alright?”
Cana hesitated, searching my face, then nodded. “…Okay.”
Alma smiled. “Until then, you have us.”
Laxus crossed his arms. “Yeah. And trust me, you won’t get bored with this idiot around.” He jabbed a thumb at me.
I rolled my eyes. “Gee, thanks.”
Cana giggled again, the tension easing.
Laxus huffed. “Still can’t believe that bastard’s a dad.”
I smirked. “Well, get used to it. And don’t worry—I’ll make sure he feels like a dad when he gets back.”
Laxus grinned. “Oh, I have to see that.”
Oh, he would. And Gildarts? He had no idea what was coming.
Comments
GCrimson
They do actually at first, but while writing the chapter, I felt that them not using any tools during shopping is more fitting. It fits the scene in my head perfectly , them shopping with a woman. So yeah.
Joshy Vindicta
Don’t they both have spatial rings?
