Chapter 50 - 50

Okay,before you start this chapter I just need to say a few things. I realize that there are author notes for the end of the chapter but I can only write so much there so hear me out. First of all I would like to apologize for disappearing for a month. I had exams so you could imagine how swampted I was. After my exams I was hellbent on writing some more but my creativity was and kinda still is at an all time low so I just need some rest. School is stress inducing when it does not have to be,I swear. Anyways. I realize where I left off on the last chapter and I could've continued that,but I just saw no need for an explicit scene. Not yet anyway. As for Archer and Erza having done such a thing well,it's up to you guys really. I mean they're like 19 so they could've, I don't know and really don't care either way. I will most likely give you guys an explicit,but not yet,okay?

Also I wanna say that I am not very confident in my writing in this chapter. It took me three days to write this because I was struggling. It's not that I don't have the motivation it's just that I couldn't form the words. I don't know how to better explain it.

I hope you enjoy this chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gran Doma, chairman of the council that oversees the world of magic, the people that inhabit it and the holder of many magical artefacts that could endanger the world and people they are supposed to protect. There was just a single question and concern on his mind, or perhaps it is two. How in the world had a dark guild acquired the flute that can kill hundreds, the very flute that was under close watch, the very same flute that was supposed to be locked away securely. How had a dark guild obtained it? There was just a single explanation that seemed plausible to him so now he had to find the mole amongst them on top of worrying about the very much immortal being that had miraculously agreed to work with him, not for, but with. She would not let him believe he could use her, her power or her knowledge. He was sure she knew of what had happened and would not be very happy considering she had requested the flute and many other hazardous artefacts to be handed to her for better protection. Looking back on it he was very much a fool for not granting this request seeing as it obviously would have been that much safer in her hands. She would come for him soon, he knew. It was impending and he just waited out his fate. Over the past three years, he has had a good amount of experience with her, her attitude and the way it shifts just slightly. A slight change is enough to send shudders up and down his spine, a single smile brings foreboding so he could not even begin to imagine what she would subject him to when she arrived.

He should not be afraid of a single person, he would tell himself, but this single person, being, is not one to be played with. If she deemed him worthless he could meet his end as easily as he draws breath.

She was dangerous and it is best he remains on her good side even if it made him seem like a coward.

"Old man Doma" in comes the very person he was thinking about. She tugged her mask off as she appeared in his chambers, a smile already in place and hair braided, which is odd. "Let us converse"

"I ȧssume you've heard of the flute"

"Of course I have" she was still smiling as she pulled out a chair from nearby and seated herself. Doma was very much confused for this smile is not the fiendish one that spelt danger for his entire existence, but one of cheeriness. She was happy about something and he wondered if he should be relieved or even more terrified. "A group of outcasted wizards somehow got a hold of it, which speaks volumes of this little organization you're in charge of"

"I do believe you said that the flute was under the best of care and that no one could get their hands on it, no? So how did Eisenwald get their hands on it? This speaks of a turncoat, no? Or perhaps it was not as protected as you professed it to be" she listed down idly while looking the old man right in the eyes. There was no threat in any of her words nor was there the usual aura of danger when she is not very happy. Doma was very much confused as to what was happening at the moment for Archer did not seem mad in the slightest.

"Someone has betrayed us" he admitted after a long silence and the discomfort of meeting Archer's ever-observant eyes.

"I'm aware" she stands from her seat and returns the chair to where she had found it. "And don't worry about the flute, I'll get it back. I'm not returning it to you, but I'll get it back. You should really think about re-evaluating the people that work under you because a lot happens that you are not aware of"

She's leaving with those parting words, waving goodbye as she pushes the massive doors open before her.

"Call me when in need old Doma"

~~~~~~~~~

"How did we leave Asher on the train?" Lucy wondered as she watched their train take off with one of their companions. At her side, Archer had a hand on her mouth in a failed attempt to impede her laughter while Erza shot her a somewhat scolding look. Erza was sure that Archer had not forgotten her sister but just did not care enough to help her off the train seeing as she had succumbed to motion sickness. That could have been averted had Archer simply shared her medicine but she and her sister had decided to act like children on this crucial day and mission.

As to how everyone forgot about her....well, she had been passed out in her own booth on the train. Out of sight out of mind after all.

Archer really couldn't help but laugh at the situation she had found herself in. She was not surprised things went somewhat as they did originally with Asher taking Natsu's place on the train. It was just too funny and she knew she was in for a handful when they got her back. Nero was on the same both as she openly laughed at her friend's idiotic dilemma despite her having gone through almost the same thing just minutes ago.

"Archer"

"You say they love each other?" Lucy whispers to Nero who's laughing at the question. It's been just a day and she could not imagine any affection between the sisters seeing as they've been hostile towards each other for most of the day already. The only sign of affection was their smiles when Archer had returned. After that, there came nothing more. Archer refused to share the pills that would prevent Asher's motion sickness and now she was not concerned in the slightest about her sister's situation.

"They do, in their own odd way"

"Hey, she had it coming" Archer said with a shrug as she wandered off in search of an onibus to catch up to her sister who hopefully had acquired the flute they are after. She had to admit that she did think of getting her sister even if it was for the briefest of moments, but she decided against it, obviously. She'll be perfectly fine. Motion sickness never stopped her from beating anyone's ȧss.

Besides, she could at least suffer for her stunt yesterday

~~~~~~~~

Asher did not know if she should feel betrayed, sorrowful or indignant at being left behind by the others. In fact, she had remained motionless as she watched them walk off the train and patiently waited for one of them to realize that she was not with them, but none did. Isn't that a shame? She was sure her sister and the dragon decided to leave her on purpose so there's that to take care of when she returns to them. For the moment she allowed herself to be engaged by the human man that decided on keeping her company. She did not mind him and found it to be very opportunistic for she could sense the curse magic coming from him. He had the flute on his person, that was easy enough to decipher. Now she had to wonder how she'll get it off him. It's an easy enough task but at the moment she's distracted by the jumping of her stomach that was very much uncomfortable. Damn her sister for refusing to share her medicine and damn herself for pretending not to need it. A big ego never did anyone any good.

Her companion went on to talk about how all the regular guilds tend to have some very beautiful girls and while she agreed with that statement she was no fan of the way he was looking at her. She smiled sweetly at him, her hands folded over her ċhėst and eyes on his own. The flute was well hidden within his jacket, but easy enough to get hold of with the right manoeuvring. She'd have to get a hold of it quickly and get off the train in time to meet her sister who was quickly approaching.

Best she be straightforward with it.

"Kageyama"

"Nice to meet you, Kageyama, I go by Asher Phoenix" she smiled even more upon saying her name and watched his eyes widen with recognition that soon turned to realization.

"You're not related to Archer Phoenix, are you?" She could feel the nerves rolling right off him with the question and had to admit it was quite amusing.

"Why yes I am"

Within less than a second, dark shadows were wrapped tightly around Asher's body, tightening every time she made the smallest of movements. She had to concede that she was quite impressed with his reaction speed and his magic overall.

"Well, isn't this quite the predicament?"

Her amused chuckle did nothing to calm him as he quickly retreated from her. Something told him that just because he had her bound does not mean that he was indeed the victor. He clasped the flute tightly as if to make sure it is still within his possession before deciding it best to flee and report back to his boss. He was warned not to attract the attention of Phoenix no matter what he did and he had failed miserably. Erigor was going to kill him when he relayed the news. He was dead, dead, dead. Damn it all. Why didn't he abandon his broken guild when he had the chance? Had he done that he would not be in his current situation, fearing for his life.

Asher remained dormant as she watched his figure retreat to the back of the train carefully. That would not do at all. With the release of a breath, flames had engulfed her body for no more than a second, scarring the shadows holding her in place and successfully freeing her. She did a quick stretch to relieve her limbs before quickly following after her now troubled friend.

"I have just one request of you, dear Kageyama"

"Wh-"

"Don't mind that" she waved off the unasked question as she tugged off his jacket and retrieved the weapon he had been recklessly carrying around. "I'll be taking this"

She released him and he fell to the floor in a weak pile of limbs. His strength had slowly abandoned him, leaving him struggling to hold himself up on his hands and knees as he watched Asher retreat with the weapon he had risked everything to obtain. And for what? All of that just to please Erigor, a man who would dispose of him as easily as some sorry animal? He should get up and go after her, get the flute back. But he could not move and honestly he didn't know if he wanted to get it back. And what of his magic? There was still an emptiness that felt absolutely terrible to him. The absence was almost painful as he crumpled further to the ground pathetically.

He really should've left the guild when he got the chance.

~~~~~~~~

Lucy knew that Asher was very capable of handling herself and that she would not get injured or get herself killed easily, but even so, she found it very stupid and worrying when the four-hundred-year-old phoenix decided it was an amazing idea to jump off the roof of a moving train unto a moving automobile. In what world or realm is that in any way, shape or form, a good idea? She made the landing of course and fell right into Nero's arms sending them flying off the roof of the vehicle just like that and all Lucy could do was watch them tumble to the dirt with a desolate expression. Now that was just beyond stupid for creatures such as themselves who have lived for as long as them. When they pulled over and returned to them they were a pair of laughing messes just laughing at themselves.

"What is wrong with you two?" Lucy had to seriously wonder.

Archer was slowly falling into a fit of laughter the longer her sister and Nero struggled to form words in their laughing fit. Every time they seemed close to recovery one of them would burst into hysterical laughter and drag the other right back down the rabbit hole.

"Sometimes it's hard to believe that you two are over four centuries-old," Carla said with a look of distaste. "You act like children"

"I did, you're just heavy"

"I am not"

"That was stupid" Lucy had the urge to hit them both, but clasped her hands at her side and instead took a deep breath. The two were frustrating normally but this is just dumb

"It was, wasn't it?" Asher grinned brightly. "It was thrilling, you should try it"

"No" Wendy was looking at the retreating train and their vehicle with clear apprehension. She did not even need to think about it for her answer will always be no. That did not seem fun in the slightest and the fall seemed painful on top of that. Overall it was just very idiotic and something her brothers would most likely do.

"It would've been far more. humorous had you missed us entirely" the comment came from Archer who met her sister's eyes with a hidden smirk. "Maybe you should try again"

"You're lucky I don't toss you back to your mother, you little gremlin"

Erza silently watched as that led to another childish bicker between the sisters. Sometimes she wondered how they had not gotten into destructive fights yet or perhaps how one had not accidentally murdered each other. She wouldn't put it past either of them with how much they antagonize each other for absolutely no other reason than spite and having nothing better to do.

"They always fight" Lucy was at Erza's side as she too decided it was best to let those two have at it for the moment.

"Childish creatures" a scowl was very prominent on Carla's face as she said that.

"You left me on purpose" Asher slapped her sister upside the head with the accusation before glaring at a smiling Nero. "Both of you"

"I don't know what you mean, love" her tone would suggest that was truly clueless but the smile on her face said otherwise. "I would never do such a thing"

Asher said nothing to the words and instead pulled the retrieved flute out of literal air to present to them

"Whether it was on purpose or not, which it most definitely was, I managed to obtain the weapon we are in search of" she said quite proudly.

Oh

Well, that was far easier than they had expected and Erza almost did not believe it even as she held the artefact in her hands. Huh. Well, she shouldn't be surprised, should she? Things never go as anticipated when around either of the phoenixes and this was no exception. At least they got what they wanted.

"Great" Lucy was quite happy with the way things turned out. It was alleviating to know that a weapon of mass murder was no longer in the wrong hands and that the people were safe. They still did not know what was planned to be done with the flute but it was surely nothing good. "We return it to the council now, right?"

"Absolutely not" Archer spins the flute between her fingers and it's gone in the blink of an eye with no trace. Not even its magic could be sensed. " I had told the old fool that it was best things such as this flute be in my possession for I can keep it safe, but he refused. Now look what happened right under his crooked nose"

"Are you allowed to keep it?"

"There's nothing Doma can do about it" It was Silver who had spoken after being silent for almost the entire day. She was still present on Wendy's head and did not plan on going anywhere else. There was no way she was returning to her slumber either so she might as well remain awake and help when she could. "He isn't brave enough to go against Archer"

"Exactly" Archer grinned.

Did Silver just insinuate that the head of the council was afraid of Archer?

It didn't surprise Lucy that much actually, in fact, it made a lot of sense when she thought about it.

Huh

She really ended up part of a very deadly yet very chaotic team