"You know…It's such a shame that you had to be on the opposite side of the board. A mobster with your kind of skills could've killed it as part of my family, oh well…"
This scene was always there…
"I hope you understand that there really was nothing personal in regards to this…But this little proactive moment will help to stop what you and your friends have done to my plans…Or in this case; Will do."
I don't know where it comes from or why it keeps cycling in my head but those words, that face…His laughter that rang out like it did once before.
"But be assured, Yoshida…This will be the timeline that I have won for good; Your friends are dead and dying, your teachers in that squad of rejects are all vanquished and all those who even spoke the name Vongola…All gone with no one to remember them."
The voice that stayed trapped in my throat burned to escape but the high pitched whirr of machines and the unending heat from the flames drowned it out as everything went white…And then there was nothing at allleft.
With a sudden jerk upwards and a sharp intake of breath, a man returned to the waking world. "That dream again…" He thought as sunlight shimmered through the thin line of his curtains.
This man was known as Takeda Yoshida, Wielder of a bizarre Flame Magic and a member of an Underground Guild known as Hellhound Claw, though it was much less of a Mage's Guild and more of a Mafia with Magic; Backdoor deals, illegal trading in magical items and dealing with debt collections were their game...And this time he had been caught.
"Yoshida! It's time to get your ass up!" A guard yelled as they slammed on the doors of his cell and made a racket with the iron bars. "You've got your hearing today with the jurors to decide your fate."
"I heard you…" Takeda grumbled to himself as he sat up; This particular teen was apprehended a few weeks ago for an incident that shook Fiore to it's core and taken to the council by the Guild Master of Fairy Tail for his judgement. "So they're calling on me now which means one of two things; I'm being interrogated or they're forgoing everything else." He thought to himself as he watched the doors open up, unlike most of the other prisoners who were locked up by the Magic Council; He was forced into a grimy prison jumpsuit that looked more like a potato sack then clothing since they wouldn't with his regular garments, they had taken the liberty to confiscate all of his accessories and slapped a Magic Dampening cuff on his wrist.
Takeda was taken into a candle lit room where a group of people representing the Magic Council were waiting for him; They had planned on discussing alternatives and determining whether he was still a threat or not so they held him off with an inquisitor pair. Currently there was Klaus; A middle aged man clad in a deep black robe and wearing glasses over his mismatched eyes alongside Elana; a hooded woman dressed in white with a set of scales in her hand. These were the Council's Inquisitors and were predominantly in charge of handling the questioning before the trials that inmates faced.
"So…Takeda Yoshida." The man quizzed him while not taking his eyes off of him. "17 years old up until seven hours ago and the Number Two of the underground Mage's group Hellhound Claw, quite impressive for a little kid like you." He said with a rather condescending tone as he then looked to the boy in front of him. "Though you turning yourself in without a fight must make you feel pretty stupid..."
Takeda clicked his tongue and glanced away at the man's condescending tone, refusing to say anything helpful towards what he perceived as a jerk. "Not as stupid as being a glorified secretary, clearly." He spat back at Klaus with a narrowed glare.
Peeved by this lacking respect towards a member of the Council and self proclaimed one of the most respected wielders of Nullification Magic, Klaus decided to be the better man and follow on since he WAS with the Council and they were always in the right. "Yet here you are, unable to use your Magic while here and no one else to stick up for you while you take the fall." He gloated and then straightened the scroll; "So, you can still make this easier on yourself by answering this…Who else was in on this plan of your "Criminal Group" and where are they? If you tell us then we might be able to negotiate with the Council."
"I might be a "Criminal" but I'm not a snitch." Takeda grimaced as he decided to follow one ironclad rule that stuck with him; Never rat out your comrades no matter what's offered. "Besides, you're wasting your time looking for my friends…They aren't involved in this: It was just me and the boss."
"Truth." Elana said plainly as the white side of the scale glowed and tipped before she continued to write in her own scroll.
"That's only half of the question…If no one was involved then where are they? It seems like a rather bad plan and some bad brothers in arms if you're being left to dry." Klaus gloated as he peered up at him; "What kind of "Friends" just up and leave one of their own behind? Especially someone who is a Vice Guild Master."
Takeda kept quiet for a moment as he shifted in his seat; "That's not my business, as long as they can bring in money for us, the group does what they want and we have a lot of work to keep our place afloat…Besides wouldn't the Knights of Fiore be able to find and track down petty mobsters?" He said to snark back at Klaus.
"The Knights of Fiore are trained adequately well, you on the other hand like to spring out from the shadows and work underhandedly." Klaus jabbed with a rather touched nerve as he pointed his quill at Takeda; "It's always your motive: You strike when a stronger Guild is away from the main city and when the timing is right, you claim dominion…Only for Fairy Tail to strike your group down and then you are the one to vanish, rinse and repeat."
"If it was any other Guild in the city than we'd have no problem…But Fairy Tail is one group that I was told not to mess with, so I don't…That's why we back down." Takeda explained; Fairy Tail was an incredibly strong guild and an even more stubborn group of people than Hellhound Claw, though he wasn't going to admit it but the lower level Mages in the group felt like they could take them on and do it for good, which is when Takeda knocks them out and forcibly retreats them. "If there is one thing I learned in life, choose your battles wisely or get burned."
"I see, so you're more scared of Fairy Tail than any other Guild that happens to be more competent than you, that says a lot about who you are and your pathetic Guild…A group of cowards too arrogant to stay in your lane but too scared to fight fairly." Klaus sneered as he kept his eye on Takeda.
"If there are so many groups that are supposedly more competent than Fairy Tail, does that mean that you don't know how to get them in line?" Takeda pointed out as he decided to play Klaus at his own game.
"The Fairy Tail Guild are too scared to stand up to us…They live in fear of the Council and making too grand a decision…They may be strong but the Council's might is even stronger."
Takeda took a subtle glance at the robed woman as she wrote but the Black side of the Scale seemed to indicate that Klaus's claim wasn't as accurate as he thought. "If that's the case and you can stop me from using my magic then surely you alone could handle the Fairy Tail Guild all on your own if you were called on to do it."
Klaus felt a bead of sweat roll down the back of his neck as he felt Takeda call his bluff; "O-Of course I can! Nullification Magic is exceedingly rare and for a mangy group of Wizards who depend on their magic to work would be child's play for someone like me." He bragged.
"Lie." Elana said with her usual neutral tone and the black side of the Scales tipped even more as she wrote, the room kept a cold silence as Klaus grew more incensed at this poke to his ego.
"I will not have my credibility questioned by a bottom feeding criminal who isn't even part of a legitimate Guild!" Klaus snapped as he got up from his chair and got his face in close to Takeda. "Maybe this will loosen that slimy mouth of your's….Didn't you ever stop to wonder WHY no one has come to bail you out, free you or otherwise cause a disturbance?"
Takeda kept quiet as he knew that this was intentionally meant to give Klaus an excuse to dish out harsher judgement, "Because they were given a choice to take part which they chose not to…So the boss let them go to continue their normal businesses."
"Are you sure that is your alibi? Because most of our guardsmen found your guildmates…Or what remained of them." Klaus said with a smirk on his face that only grew when he saw a crack in Takeda's mask. "Now, when we found them, the recorded Guildmates of Hellhound Claw have been taken to the outskirts and reduced to bleached bones…Since you have Fire Magic as a specialty, I was wondering what you were thinking when you did it."
"I didn't do it." Takeda growled as he gripped his chair; "We may not agree on the best for our Group but I wouldn't attack them." He said honestly but the look on Klaus's face said that he was unconvinced.
"Really, so who else in your group can use Fire magic like you?" Klaus continued to poke at him; "Because if you can point at someone else who can then that might be able to lessen your punishment...Or you can tell us where that Lacrima went."
"I'm not saying anything to a puffed up, sycophantic ass like you!" Kai snapped as he glowered at Klaus, if he had any ability to perform magic right now, he'd have burned clean through the table.
"Such a shame…Because the way I see it; You're going to be locked up for life at best…Or the Council might just execute you for everything." Klaus said with a mocking smirk as he then checked his watch; "It's almost time…Elana, get him ready and I'll let the Council know what I've gotten." He stated before already getting out of the door before she could even respond.
Elana finished writing her notes before looking at the visually contemplative Takeda and decided to do a little questioning herself. "Since he's not here…Answer this question for me; Did you really not know that your associates were dead when he questioned you?"
Takeda turned to her with a stone faced look that most of the Magic Law Enforcers saw when they questioned him. "If they were killed in Fiore then that just means that whatever killed them simply outdid them…It's not my concern if they live or not, just so long as they can be of use...Outside of that, I don't care if they steal a wallet or pass out in a ditch." He stated with a colder tone of voice as he got up and headed for the door to prepare for his sentencing.
Unbeknownst to them however, Elana had decided to monitor his reaction and as the man left, she could see his face for herself what he really meant with or without her Magic. "Lie…"
Klaus was stood at the end of the table with the Magic Council members watching him for what he was about to present; "I have finished with interrogating Yoshida about the horrific incident that almost came to pass a few days ago."
"You better have some answers, Hellhound Claw came dangerously close to causing a kingdom-wide panic if no one interfered." One such Councillor snapped with a rather testy look on his face.
"Yes, if it hadn't been for their sudden change and an outside interference from Fairy Tail, there's no telling what would've come to pass."
Klaus nodded as he took a seat with the scroll in hand; "Yes, Yoshida did indeed turn on his own group before they took action…And that he himself is responsible for the deaths of Hellhound Claw members since they were found burned." He detailed seriously, although the Council seemed to hang on his words bar a small few who watched Klaus curiously or skeptically.
"And he told you this on his own?" A particularly stern looking man wearing a monk's robe asked Klaus with an unbreaking stare. "Because for someone who is supposedly part of an underground Magic Mob, he appears to be surprisingly honourable considering what Fairy Tail's Guild Master testified."
One additional Council member by the name of Ultear decided to chime in as well with her input; "In all honesty, from what I've been able to tell from offhanded reports; Hellhound Claw's actions while acting under Yoshida don't really extend to anything beyond loan sharking, protection rackets and keeping lesser underground groups in line…True, they are a literal Mafia but save for a few aggressive actions; Yoshida as a Vice-Guild Master keeps his group from going too far in terms of actual malice."
"He inferred his disreputable deeds with his lack of comments and lack of respect towards our venerable counsel…Regardless of what he appears to be, "Honour among thieves" is a myth and an Underground Mage group like their's would sooner abandon weak members like drowning rats on a boat." Klaus further pushed as he saw the gears turning. "Besides…Intervention or not, Takeda Yoshida is a dangerous criminal who would sooner literally burn his bridges with anyone rather than do the right thing."
"Then how about I make an offer to help your problem?" Makarov remarked from across the room; The elderly Guild Master of Fairy Tail finally opted to make himself known to the Council. "Seeing as Fairy Tail was the one to help stop what could've been a vastly more dangerous situation, I think I should get a say in how this boy is handled." He explained before starting to explain what his idea was.
"Absolutely out of the question!" Klaus snapped as he pointed to the documents he took once Makarov elaborated; "Not only is this reprobate an unrepentant and unapologetic criminal wretch but he also was accomplice to what would've been a kingdomwide terrorist assault with a Lacrima." The official ranted as he showed off a picture of a gold looking orb which currently had "MISSING!" emblazoned on it. "The only power that has a say in the matter is the Law!"
A blue haired man named Siegrain chuckled as he then threw his hand into the argument; "Well, if we think about this with all the facts; Takeda Yoshida is indeed a formidable Mage in or out of a Guild, having him simply executed for stopping the plot himself would be counterintuitive."
"He was part of the-"
"You've had your chance to speak, Klaus…Now it's time for us to have our say." The Monk pointed out.
Siegrain nodded in thanks before continuing; "Anyway, with the suggestion that Makarov has put forward…I think it might be something that works out for everyone."
The other council members looked uncertain as they considered it but one thought remained in their head; "Does it really?"
The bell rang in the room to signal that it was time to start the trial, the doddering council members along with Makarov and the monk left to go take a seat but it left Siegrain and Ultear time to talk alone. "You really think that this will be agreed on by the Council? Or if Yoshida will take the offer?" She asked with a curious tap of her finger against her cheek.
"Well…Yoshida does show enough moral sense to know the difference between critical thinking and blindly following, even if it's a Guild Master's order in question…At best, it'll be an interesting bit of entertainment to tack on to Fairy Tail or a challenge to keep them busy at worst while the search for this Lacrima is underway." Siegrain remarked cryptically as he got up from his chair; "Besides, I've seen you watching him; You're interested in this supposedly mysterious Flame Magic, aren't you?"
"Or maybe in him…He may have a permanently dour expression but he is rather handsome in that suit he wears~" Ultear fired back with a slightly playful smirk as she got up as well; "Though it could be any wild guess…I suppose we shouldn't keep them waiting."
"Takeda Yoshida." The Chief Judge boomed from his podium as the Council sat on either side to oversee his judgement. "You have been accused and found guilty of being a part of an attack that would've devastated the Kingdom of Fiore with an illegal Lacrima, an act that threatened the lives of Mage and civilian alike, while you have intervened and stopped your Guild Master in enacting his plan…You are still an accomplice and the only remaining member of Hellhound Claw when you killed your Guild Master."
Takeda was stood up on the podium and clad in magic dampening chains as he stood under the watchful eyes of the Council, his expression not changing from his granite hard glare up at the council.
"Your original sentence would be slightly lessened if you confessed to any other cohorts in your plan or the location of the Lacrima you intended to use…but the fact that you obstinately refuse to confess anything, the revelation regarding the demise of your other Guild members and of your Guild as a whole is a poor look on you." The Judge explained with a low tone.
"Before your sentencing; Your fate would have been a life in prison…Or execution." Another Council member stated with a firm glare to him. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Takeda had expected to be given life and he had all but accepted that they would put him down regardless of what he did. "I don't expect to be labelled a Hero or a good person for stopping what could have happened but I have no regrets for what I did." He confessed with a focused glare at the Council.
"In all honesty? It would have been your end but the Guild Master of Fairy Tail has an alternative to offer…Makarov?" Siegrain mentioned as he offered the floor to the Guild Master of Fairy Tail.
"Our Guild has had it's differences; We stop you from grabbing control of Fiore and you ensure that the lesser criminals that run around are kept in line while we handle the bigger problems…With your Guild gone and nowhere else to go but Prison or worse…I made a request to the Council that you come join me and my Guild to work off your sentence." Makarov elaborated, it was clear that no one was happy about his decision as the Council were stiff as a board at the concept of someone like Takeda affiliated with a Guild as destructively accident prone as Fairy Tail.
"Work for…You?" Takeda asked as he himself was shocked that he was being offered an olive branch from the Guild that his group opposed constantly. "Either you're planning a joke or you're crazy…"
Makarov nodded but then laughed; "Maybe…But I see it like this; Someone like you could have done far, far worse if you had wanted to…You could've even taken the mantle of Guild Master and cover your tracks by using whatever magic you have to escape…Yet you allowed yourself to be taken in."
"If you accept his terms, you will operate under Fairy Tail's banner until Makarov sees it fit that you have completed your time served…But you will have rules in place." The Judge explained as one of the more senior Councillors raised from his seat.
"Rule Number 1. You are not to be allowed anywhere without an escort or without Makarov's knowledge."
A stern looking woman leaned forward to follow on; "Rule Number 2. The Council has agreed to these terms but you WILL be monitored otherwise…You will ensure to behave yourself around Guards or the Council."
"Finally, Rule 3…" Siegrain finished as he glanced to Takeda with the final rule. "While you are being given the option for a second chance…You will be practically walking on eggshells, any malicious infraction or crime committed will have you rescinded and brought back to Prison with no second chances or delay…"
"Well, either I stay here locked up until the people here come up with a reason to put me up on the chopping block…Or I side with the Guild who have spent a good while being on the opposing side of…Not really a win-win…" Takeda thought to himself before glancing to Makarov to gauge him; Being a cautious person made him wary of anyone who gave him what looked like the deal of a lifetime, especially one that had his life in the balance.
Makarov looked calm and was genuine in his desire to take Takeda in but he ultimately knew that it was his choice in the end, which surprised him when he saw that the young man nodded to accept the deal. "You sure about this? I'm not gonna make it easy on you because you're a special case…I'm gonna make sure you work hard to uphold your new position as a Fairy Tail Mage, even if it's in name only."
Takeda turned to face the Mage who could stand taller than a Giant. "I would much rather have the chance to wander outside without regrets than to sit inside and regret my choices."
A small smile grew on Siegrain's face as the other council members decided to relent; "Very well, Takeda Yoshida is ordered to serve his sentence under Fairy Tail's supervision." The Judge concluded as the sentence was passed.
Once the documents for his release and the collection of his possessions were finished; Takeda sat in silence as the two traveled back to the Guild. "Why?"
"Hm?"
"You could've easily left me to rot in prison until I'm an old man or see me getting executed and Hellhound Claw would've been officially over for you to deal with…Why help me?" Takeda asked as he gazed out of the window of the train.
Now that he had his things back, Takeda felt a little more at ease with his usual attire and his hair now tied in a low ponytail; He wore a black suit with a red shirt along with black dress shoes and a pair of what looked like kendo gloves tied to his belt alongside a row of small engraved cubes.
Makarov decided to be honest and open about this since Takeda was technically a new member of the Guild; "Potential." He confessed before finding the right words; "You posses quite a level of skills to be a Vice-Guild Master at a young age, not to mention the fact that every time you came across my Guild; You opted for taking the less violent roads when it could've been easier for you to fight…As well as keeping others from going too far."
"I may want us to be the best but I'm not gonna do it by having us act like brutes." Takeda mentioned with a casual shrug. "But I also respect your Guild that much to understand that if I did take that road…You and the others would stop at nothing to pay us back in kind."
Makarov hmm'd in agreement as they finally got off the train and made their way to the Guild building, the giant emblem of Fairy Tail made it easy to distinguish where to go. "So now that I've answered a question of your's, perhaps you can indulge me in listening to a little word of advice?" He asked as he glanced up at Takeda before looking to the door. "You may have been civil and careful in the past when it came to my Guild but I would temper expectations when it comes to being around them as a colleague."
"Me and my group weren't really on great terms with your-well...I suppose MY Guild, so I wouldn't exactly say I'm expecting to be anyone's best friend the moment I walk through the threshold" Takeda admitted as he saw Makarov open up the door into a wall of boisterous ambience that came with a bar more than a Guild.
Then again there was also a fight going on between a pink haired boy with a scaly looking scarf and a half dressed boy; Thankfully they were sticking to fisticuffs but what they were arguing about was hard to hear over the noise.
"Well, welcome to Fairy Tail." Makarov sheepishly laughed before heading inside to break up the fight, he took a deep breath and grew to an enormous size where his head grazed the ceiling; "ALRIGHT YOU LITTLE BOOGERS, BREAK IT UP!" He roared and nearly earned everyone's silence barring the Card Mage Cana's heavy drinking.
"Master, how did it go at the Council Meeting?" Mirajane, the barmaid and caretaker of the guild cheerfully asked as everyone's attention was on Makarovgiant form before he shrank back down to his normal size.
"Fairly to the point, actually…I managed to catch up with Jura since he was there as well, outside of that it seemed not that eventfu—"
"WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING HERE?!" The pink haired teen yelled as he pointed at Takeda; "It's that mobster guy from Dog Paw!"
"It's Hellhound Claw, Natsu…And I think it's obvious why." The black haired boy clad in nothing but his boots and boxers remarked from a nearby table. "If he's here after giving up, then he's escaped prison and come to get revenge."
"Uh…Gray? Your clothes…" A nearby mage pointed out as Gray quickly realised his half naked state and started to pull his clothes back on.
"So if he's here…Then I got all the reason to kick his ass!" Natsu said with a wide smirk as he let fire burn in his fist; "Gotta say, all the times he escaped and avoided a fight's annoyed me so now I'm all fired up to slug him!"
Takeda blinked as he looked to the two but more specifically to Natsu; "That's because I didn't want to fight you guys…" He pointed out as he saw the Mage marching up to him. "Then again, I don't think it's fair to start a fight on the first day o-."
"The fi-What're you talking about?" Natsu asked as he sized up Takeda who was remaining undeterred by his aggression. "Look, just forget fair…Outside now! I wanna fight you."
"Natsu! Stop being an idiot and listen to what people say when they talk to you!" A blue haired girl called up from her book as she could hear the commotion.
Takeda felt his eyebrow twitch, even back when the two Guilds acted back and forth; Natsu was always gunning for a fight with Takeda but the mobster had managed to give him the slip each time. "Alright, fine…Can't say that I hadn't imagined the day I'd actually fight the Salamander but it could be interesting." He accepted as he walked outside to the front of the Guild.
Mirajane looked to Makarov with concern as she realised that Natsu wasn't one for subtlety or restraint when it came to people he wanted to fight. "Master, are you really sure that this is a good idea? And why exactly is the Number 2 for Hellhound Claw here in the first place?"
"He's gonna be our new recruit to work off his punishment as time served." Makarov mentioned casually like a brawl in the Guild was a normal thing. "Besides, as Guild Master; It is only fair that I gauge what the young man here is capable of."
"And you plan on having him fight Natsu to see that? I hate to admit it but this seems rather dangerous if he ends up being on the same level as Gray or Natsu…or worse yet if he's at Erza's level of strength…Couldn't we just test him normally?" Mirajane asked as she could understand wanting to know what they're dealing with but not knowing his potential AND fighting Natsu at the same time was not a good combination.
"Come now, Mirajane…If you know Natsu like we do then this was bound to happen eventually." Makarov remarked as he decided to go watch from the rooftop.
Takeda stepped outside and started to undo the buttons on his suit jacket to let his upper body move freely, he then grabbed at the black kendo gloves that were hanging from his belt and pulled them on. He then took the ring that he wore and placed it on his left middle finger to make it glimmer in the sun, "Okay then…I'm gonna show you how a Yakuza fights." He remarked and then cracked his knuckles before getting into a kickboxer's stance.
"You talk big but you're the one who keeps running when we run into each other." Natsu retorted as he got into a stance; "Because now I've got you cornered and you've got a bill for Fire Magic to the face!" He yelled out and started to rush at him swinging.
"Fire Magic, huh? Guess this'll be simple enough to watch for, just need to play it safe." Takeda thought to himself as he then decided to make this count; With a deep exhale, a plume of orange flame erupted on his forehead like a candle and danced softly in the wind. "Alright, Natsu…" He smirked and the gloves on his hands had changed into armoured gauntlets that covered up to the elbow. "Let's dance."
"He has Fire Magic too? Does this Magic type just fall out of the sky for these people?!" The common thought was among the spectators as they saw Natsu and Takeda swinging and striking each other with both ferocity and caution for what tricks that the other has.
Natsu was wild in his lunges and strikes as he used claw like moves and kicks to match the ferociousness that a Dragon would wield in a fight, he wasn't intending to use his Slayer Magic yet but he was getting sorely tempted.
Takeda on the other hand was using not just his gauntlets to attack but also his legs too as he made sure to compensate his gap in strength with speed and precision: Whether it was a well placed elbow strike or a quick kick upward to make Natsu hop backward. "He's certainly making good on his promise…But I plan on it too."
With the two separated and everyone starting to get into it, people were admittedly curious about the kind of magic that Takeda could use.
Takeda then followed on to deliver a swift volley of jabs to Natsu dodging them but a swift hook upward knocked him in the face and caused the pinkette to start bleeding from his nose. "Heh, looks like I get the first blood."
"Alright, now I'm fired up!" Natsu grinned as he rushed forward with his fist drawn back and it suddenly ignited into flame, putting his Fire Dragon Slayer Magic on full display; "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
Takeda's eyes widened as he saw the flames coming towards him and decided that this would be kicked up a notch; With his own will to put up a fight burning brightly, Takeda's gauntlets lit up into orange flames and used them to block the punch. Natsu however still threw his whole weight into it as it knocked the mobster mage backwards into the wall of the Guild with a hefty sound of smashing rock.
"Natsu, take it down a notch!" A green haired gunslinger dressed woman yelled at the Dragon Slayer who had a giant grin on his face. "We still need to keep the place in one piece!"
"It's fine…I can take a hit or two." Takeda remarked as he then sprang forward out of the wall by using the flames on his palms like rocket boosters and then swinging a kick into Natsu's face. "Though I have to admit…I don't think Dragon Slayer Magic was on the list of things that I expected Fairy Tail to have…" He thought as he dusted himself off.
"Good, because I ain't done! Fire Dragon's…" Natsu snarked as he reared his head back and drew in a deep breath.
Takeda then saw Natsu's change in tactics and heard the sudden clamour of people behind him and left him with one thought in mind: "That's not good…"
"Natsu, have you chargrilled your brain?! You're gonna burn down the Guild at this rate!" Gray snapped and yelled as he felt like he had to intervene, starting by pressing the bottom of his closed fist into his palm to start his Ice Magic.
"Roar!" Natsu bellowed as he brought both closed hands to his mouth like a funnel and let loose a stream of fire that burned it's way toward his opponent and by proxy: The Guild.
"Cloud Barrier…" Takeda muttered as the Flames on his gauntlets changed from their orange hue into a violet colour and exploded outward to meet Natsu's Dragon Breath in a cloud of smoke and dirt.
What was seen in the aftermath was that there was a giant barrier of flame that surrounded the front of the Guild in a dome shape; the core that surrounded Takeda was a deep purple, and the rest of the Flame barrier lightened as it got further out until it was a very pale tone of violet. "Tha…That was close…" Takeda grimaced and then collapsed to a knee as weeks of being stuck in a cell without Magic and suddenly using a large scale technique took it out of him.
By the time that the barrier dissipated, Makarov saw Takeda gasp for air and collapse to the ground like he had just been choked; "Alright, I think that's enough!" He intervened as he rounded towards Natsu to stop him in case the excitable mage decided to follow up. "Good job, you've been able to set a good gauge on our new friend's abilities…Mira, see if you can help him to his feet and get him recovered."
Mirajane nodded as she helped Takeda to his feet and walked him inside to the bar where he could recuperate with a drink and some food. "Come on…I'll treat you to some food."
"Heh…Probably should've thought that fight through a little more." Takeda jokingly reprimanded himself as he sat on one of the bar stools and watched Mirajane get to work.
"Preaching to the choir…" Cana mentioned as she barely moved aside from her beer barrel. "Fairy Tail's motto is pretty much "Should've thought that through…" But that's part of the fun of things." She quipped and then returned to drinking as Mirajane sighed dejectedly at Cana's cavalier approach.
"So if you don't mind me asking…What was that you used back there? I don't think I've seen a Flame Magic quite like your's before." Mira asked curiously as she placed a glass of water and some food in front of him.
"Well…I guess you could call it Magic…It was actually something taught to me back home; I utilise my own life force to ignite a flame powerful enough to form in the atmosphere…More specifically, my Dying Will." Takeda explained as he stuck his fork in a piece of meat.
"Dying…Will? That sounds pretty morbid." Cana stated bluntly as she was interested in the prospect but still somewhat off-put by the idea that someone had to be ready to die in order to use a basic spell.
"I guess that makes sense if you think about it like that." Takeda admitted with a little chuckle; "But Will drives just about everything if you think about it: To learn, to fight...To do anything really." He detailed as he then put out the flame and returned to eating.
"Well, regardless of what happened between our Guild and your's in the past…" Mirajane then smiled at him; "I hope you can learn to like being here with the time you have." She said politely as Makarov soon walked by and tapped Takeda on the back.
"Come to the Guild Master's Office once you've recovered and we can discuss more about your new place here." Makarov explained as he walked on to leave Takeda to finish.
Takeda nodded as he began to eat more quickly, realising that the food Mira placed in front of him tasted even better than anything else he had. "Man, this is amazing!" He thought to himself as he scarfed down more and more, unaware of Mira's soft smile and Cana's knowing smirk once he thanked them for the food and left for Makarov's office.
Once the door was shut, the two could finally discuss in full; "So, that was quite a show you put on…I'm guessing that's the mystery Flame Magic that the Council kept bugging me about?" Makarov asked as he hopped up onto his desk to face Takeda.
"They kept asking me about it but I make it a point to not tell people exactly what I can do…" Takeda pointed out as he looked to his ring. "Once they know, they'll use it for anything and all it's worth but then when you have nothing else to show for it, a bullet to the head and suddenly no one knows who you are or where you went."
Makarov felt a pang of concern as he noticed his expression change; "But you must have trusted someone at Hellhound Claw? Your old Master? Friends?"
"The only trust that you hold in a gang like them is that they don't shoot you in the back…Besides only the old Master knew my Magic like you will…It's something that's called Dying Will Flames." Takeda mentioned as he picked up a Light Pen and walked to a nearby wall; Making a bracket of each Flame he could wield, including their colours and what each one could do. "But I intend to keep this to myself…For now at least."
"I won't force you in that case…But if you DO want people here to trust you, let alone make friends, then being open with the Guild is your best bet." Makarov pointed out. "We aren't a gang and we may not work the same way that you did but there is one thing that we DO make sure…And that is to look out for your Guild, even if you don't like each other."
Takeda nodded as he put the pen down; "I can be civil enough…As long as you can ensure that you don't find any little reasons to throw me back to the Council."
Hearing that made Makarov laugh harder than he thought he would; "Oh, dear boy…You can be rest assured that as far as I'm concerned, the Council can eat dirt." The elderly man admitted a little more honestly than he expected to before going to a nearby desk and picking up a stamp. "Now then…Seeing as your circumstances will be different from normal, your Guild Mark will be a special case; For the next few weeks or however long, this special Mark will allow us to track you when you are out on missions with other Guild Members…They will be mentally linked with you and it'll allow us to track your movements when you are out."
Takeda nodded along as he listened; "Is that to make sure I don't run away or plot anything nefarious?"
"Do not misunderstand me, young man…This is hardly intrusive and the only people who will be able to perpetually track you will be myself and a few S-Rank Mages who I can trust." Makarov pointed out as he dipped the mark in ink. "While I am willing to offer you some liberties when working in our Guild, you are still under close monitoring for rehabilitation so this is so we can keep an eye on you within reason."
"I…I guess that makes sense." Takeda conceded as he eyed the mark; "And I can trust that along with this monitoring that my privacy outside of Guild work will be respected?" He asked as he sat down in one of the chairs.
"Of course…My primary concern is making sure that my Guild and you can be safe in working together, now where do you want the Mark to be placed on you?" Makarov asked and kept his eye on Takeda as the young man rolled up his sleeve, showing off what looked like a very scarred left arm from wrist to elbow which made Makarov's eyes widen a little at the sight of. "Good lord…Scratches…Burns…Slash marks…Is this the results of him training his Flame Magic? Or the consequences of it?" He thought to himself as he pressed the stamp to Takeda's forearm.
Takeda watched as the outside of Fairy Tail's symbol was made on his arm. "Wait…This doesn't have any colour in it…" He asked in confusion as it looked like a tattoo outline.
"This is part of how it's supposed to look, once you link up with someone for a mission then you'll take on their colour." Makarov detailed as he placed a hand on Takeda's like he was shaking it; Then a slowly growing patch of black started to grow itself outward until the newcomer's Mark became black in colour too. "So now when you link up with someone in Fairy Tail, your mark will match their's."
"I…See, so that way people in the Guild know who's working with me?" Takeda asked skeptically before shrugging it off. "So when am I allowed to go on Guild missions?"
"Straight to the chase…I like you already!" Makarov said as he appreciated someone wanting to jump straight in. "You can start right now if you want…I think I have the right person to start you with." He offered as he helped Takeda up to his feet. "It's a little sudden but I'm fairly certain that they won't mind."