Edolas: Thieves Guild Sabertooth

24

It was raining as Yukino trudged back to the safe house. It was a long day at work, but she was getting along well with her new colleagues. She stopped by a bakery to pick up some raisin cookies to share with Wisp.Tucking the cookies into her coat, she sprinted the last few hundred meters to the safe house.

"Wispy, I'm home!" Yukino called out, taking the cookies out of the coat and tossing it onto the coat rack. Suddenly, she noticed Orga in the next room, being watched vigilantly by Wisp.

"Oh, hey, Orga. 'Bout time you dropped by. How's Rogue?" Yukino asked. The smuggler didn't get up from his chair, only turning to look at her.

"He's fine, as far as we can tell. He got switched up with a parallel version of himself, so the heist is on pause for now. As far as I can tell, the plan is to wait until the Earthland peeps switch him back." Orga seemed to think he was explaining something, anything even.

Once he had explained properly, Yukino opened the bag of cookies and offered one to Wisp, who pecked it apart on the table. She offered some to Orga, but he refused upon discovering they were raisin. Oh well. More for her.

Her part of the plan was unchanged, since she was supposedly taking a two year sabbatical from the Calla Police Department, so she would be working at the bank for a while anyway. What worried her was Rogue, apparently stranded alone in another world. She hoped he was safe at least, and had managed to communicate the fact that he needed to return to the people of Earthland. For all she knew, the mission could be on indefinite hiatus because Rogue had decided to practice his heisting skills in Earthland and had gotten himself arrested. No, her friend was a bit more reliable than that. He was probably as desperate to get back to Sting as Sting was to have him back, which wouldn't hurt.

-

Earthland was fun and all, but that entertainment did less and less to combat Rogue's loneliness. The exceeds were nice enough, but they couldn't replace Wisp. He wondered how the raven was doing. Had she gotten to stretch her wings enough lately?

Somehow even more pressingly, he missed Sting so much it hurt. Sting had been the first person to look out for him, and he hadn't stopped since. Sting was so driven by his ambitions that he stayed up for hours working on guild things. The look of concentration on his face was adorable. Despite the bantering, Sting was incapable of hiding the look of joy on his face when Rogue came home, or the soft smile that crossed his face when he noticed Rogue finally wake up.

He missed the guild, where he knew everyone's names and how to push their buttons. He wanted to spend another afternoon with Minerva brainstorming on how to build something new for the guild. He wanted to hear all about the weird customers Rufus had seen that day. He wanted to exchange combat techniques with Yukino, or visit whatever new bakery or restaurant sprang up in Calla. He wanted to compare stories with Orga, or see whoever could convince Dobengal of the most outrageous things. His low opinion of them let them get away with some truly ridiculous things. He wanted to go watch the stars with Sting on the roof of the bar and stay up until the sun rose.

No one had anything for him to do in terms of helping them bring him home, and he didn't want to distract them, so he had nothing better to do than sit around missing his guild. It had been a week since Gajeel had visited, and he, his girlfriend and her friend had taken up temporary residence in the guild for the use of their library. Apparently, they were just about ready to try to reverse the spell, and Rogue desperately hoped it was true.

-

"How long do you think it will take them to be done?" Sting asked Earth-Rogue as he doodled on a piece of paper. Earth-Rogue, who was lounging on the couch, almost like a cat, took a moment to think.

"Could be any minute, could be ages. I don't know what to tell you." He sighed. Sting sighed too, waiting for something to happen. Earth-Rogue got up to find them something to eat, and Sting went with him this time.

"You two again? It's nearly midnight!" Rufus complained for the thousandth time. Earth-Rogue mumbled an apology and started to leave. Rufus' face softened. "It's fine. I have some soup left over. It should still be warm. Have some bread with it."

The bartender left the room to go upstairs. Sting and Earth-Rogue ate quietly at the empty bar, neither willing to break the silence.

-

Shortly after midnight, Earth-Sting roused Rogue, who had been half asleep on the staircase, listening in on the progress being made with the counter spell.

"It's ready. Do you want to go home tonight or do you want to wait until morning?" Earth-Sting offered.

"Tonight!" Rogue answered immediately. "Can I say goodbye to Frosh and Lector first?"

"Of course. They're downstairs. We're casting the spell there." Earth-Sting took Rogue's hand and led him down the stairs. Frosh and Lector were waiting for him in front of a magic circle. Frosh flew into his arms.

"Goodbye other Rogue! Fro hopes you get home safe." She chirped. Lector echoed the sentiment.

Rogue handed the excited exceed over to Earth-Sting and stepped into the circle, closing his eyes as the spell was cast. When he opened them, he would be home, or at least in his world. He would drive back to Calla to see Sting, even if it meant putting the mission on hold.

His senses weakened abruptly, but he could taste Rufus' carrot soup and smell the wooden scent of the bar. He opened his eyes to find himself seated beside Sting.

"Sting!" Rogue exclaimed as he tackled Sting into a hug, knocking him of his bar stool.

"Rogue? Rogue, you're back!" Sting was smiling from ear to ear. "I missed you so much, are you okay?"

"Yeah, love. I'm home." Rogue said, curling up in Sting's arms.

"Maybe we should go to bed?" Sting suggested.