Chapter Text
After their meeting with Lyon, who introduced them to the Blue Pegasus team in charge of Christina, things got... not quite easier, but something like it. Rogue still missed his siblings so much it hurt, but knowing that there was hope, that it may have been magic, not death, which severed their tome’mir [psychic bond]... easier was the most convenient word for it. They couldn’t go on any of the trips, since they were still underage, but they got letters from Lyon after every excursion, detailing what they’d missed.
The letters were the thing Rogue looked forward to most, because even though they were densely written they said one very important thing. Blue Pegasus was looking for a spot in the ocean where magic was strong enough to reasonably suspect Fairy Tail’s missing members were somehow being hidden. They hadn’t found it yet, but the ocean was big, and Christina could only cover so much of it before having to come back and refuel, and the crew do other wizard work. But they knew what they were looking for, and that made all the difference.
His and Sting’s guildmates, of course, didn’t much like that they were getting regular letters from their rival guild. Rogue could live with that, though. He’d not been very social, even before their tra’viin [flight] vanished, and ever since then Frosch and Lector and Sting were about as much company as he could stand, most of the time. It was harder on Sting, he knew, but there wasn’t really much he could do but be there for his brother. It would be easier if they left the guild, but... where would they go? They were underage still, and most guilds wouldn’t accept an underage wizard without a guardian to sign for them.
Fairy Tail would take them, he was sure, but... Fairy Tail was crumbling. Their showing in the first Grand Magic Games had been proof enough of that, and they wouldn’t be getting the types of jobs he and Sting needed anymore, now that they’d lost everyone who was or was nearly S-Rank. Not just high-paying jobs, but difficult jobs. Jobs that tested their limits, that forced them to become stronger. Gaji-nii would be so disappointed if he came back and they were still weak little brats, so they had to get stronger, and the best way to do that was by working difficult jobs.
They were building a reputation, too. One which left out Frosch and Lector, thankfully. The Twin Dragons, people were calling them now. Shadow magic and White magic looked pretty spectacular working in concert, and ever since they took down their first dark guild- small-timers, barely worthy of the bounties on their heads- Rogue had started hearing other words thrown around over their heads. Ruthless, vicious, feral, merciless. Monsters. He made sure to smile, when he heard those. His kal’edee [fangs] were prominent, his pupils slitted against the light more often than not, and Sting’s laughter when he spooked bystanders pushed the howling void of the kara’cika [nebula] back, just for a little bit.
A bare week after the date they’d picked as their fifteenth birthday- shared, of course, because twins shared birthdays- they returned from their first official A-Rank monster hunting job to find a girl leaning against the side of the guild hall. Her dark hair was pulled up in two buns, and she spun something small and shining in her fingers. A dagger, Sting thought, and Rogue agreed, shifting to put himself between Frosch and the stranger. She wore plain clothes, a long dark skirt and tightly fitted shirt, sleeveless and cut just short enough to show a guild mark in the same place as Cana’s.
“You’re not from around here.” Sting said, stopping a safe distance away and crossing his arms.
“No, I’m not.” the girl caught her knife and, with a flick of her hand, it disappeared in a flare of magic. A requip wizard, then? “I’m here on behalf of the Sabertooth guild.” she pushed off the wall and came closer. She was trying for a saunter, Sting thought, but she didn’t quite have the hips to pull it off. Yet, Rogue countered, but his brother was right that she looked a little silly right now, her face still soft under the makeup and limbs a bit too long for her body. Silly, but still dangerous, because she was moving with the confident grace of someone used to being the strongest person in the room. It was how Gajeel moved, and something Sting had been copying lately.
“The Master’s inside.” Sting jerked his chin at the door. “Your guild business is none of ours.”
“My... proposition isn’t for Orochi Fin.” the girl murmured, stopping way too close to Sting. “It’s for the two of you.” she looked over at Rogue, and he felt himself blush as she looked him up and down. Sure, she looked kinda silly trying to pretend she was an adult, but under the makeup she was pretty. And her shirt was... very tight. Sting smacked him on the back of the head, and the girl giggled, shoulders jumping as she lifted a hand to cover her smile. That was a shame, she had a pretty smile when she wasn’t being all weird. Sting swatted him again, and Rogue turned to slug him in the shoulder.
“Sabertooth’s guild master has heard of you two.” the pretty girl said, distracting him and Sting both from what would’ve shortly become a full on brawl on the sidewalk. “We’re not a very big guild, yet, but we’re recruiting the best wizards around.”
“Pass.” Sting scoffed. “A small-time guild won’t get the types of jobs worth our time.”
“We will after this year’s Games.” the pretty girl said, and Rogue caught Sting by the scruff before he could walk off around her. They’d been meaning to leave Orochi Fin anyways, hadn’t they? Maybe it would be worth hearing her out.
“Not convinced.” Sting said, shifting his weight and holding out an arm for Lector to fly up and perch on. “We’ve got a pretty good thing going here already. Another year or two, we’ll make S-Rank.”
“I said we’re recruiting the best, didn’t I?” the girl smiled again, a flash of teeth which would’ve been just as at home on a dragon. “Either you pass our Master’s test and get admitted as an S-rank, or you fail and enter as one of the rank-fillers.”
Rogue cocked his head, folding his arms for Frosch to jump up into. A test?
“What sort of test?” Sting asked, voicing his question so he didn’t have to.
“Confidential, I’m afraid.” the girl laughed. It wasn’t as nice as her earlier one. “But if S-Rank is what you want, it’s not more than a few days round trip to come and try your luck.”
Sting looked at him, and Rogue nodded. It was a better deal than they’d get anywhere else, and if Sabertooth didn’t live up to its reputation they could always quit and move on to someone who ranked in the Games. Blue Pegasus had given a good showing last year, and they had Christina, but Rogue refused to play into their host club schtick unless they were the absolute best option.
“Alright.” Sting nodded, holding out his free hand. “Where are you headquartered?”
“Gazania.” the girl shook his hand, her grip impressively strong for a human. “I’ve other invitations to deliver, so when you arrive, say Minerva sent you.” she cocked her head slightly, and the smile that spread across her face was brighter than the others, more genuine. “I hope you pass Father’s test! It’ll be nice not to be the youngest S-Rank in the guild anymore.”
“How old are you, Minerva?” Sting frowned, voicing Rogue’s thought before he even realised he was thinking it. Sting was good at that.
“Sixteen, last month.” she preened. “Bye bye, boys! See you when I get back to the guild hall!” she waved, and headed off with a light step which wasn’t quite a skip. More of a strut. It made her skirt swish with every step, and Sting snorted in exasperation as he grabbed Rogue by the scruff to drag him inside. They had a job to get paid for, and then... then they’d buy train tickets for a few days from now.