Phoenix

Flower Gardens

Emi woke up and looked around.

"Laxus?"

She peeked beside the bed to see that he was laying on the floor with a scowl.

"What're you doing down there?" Emi laughed.

"You kicked me off. Twice."

She giggled and apologized before hopping out of bed and standing beside him. She helped him up and grabbed her clothes to change. Once she got dressed, she came back into the room and stood in the middle of the room.

"So what's the plan for today?"

"We can go to the gardens if you want, but I'm only staying for an hour."

"I was actually gonna go with Sting tonight, but if you wanna go we--"

"Good. That means I don't have to. We can do something else instead.'

Emi rolled her eyes and asked him what he wanted to do. He shrugged his shoulders and suggested that they walk around the city and see what there was to do. She nodded and skipped down the stairs.

"Hey Emi, can you make some spicy cookies? It's been so long."

"Natsu, it's been like a week," Lucy shouted.

Emi smiled at Natsu and told him that she would make sure to make them soon.

"We're going out! Oh, Master Grampa? Do you think I could talk to you later?"

Makarov nodded suspiciously but agreed nonetheless. Laxus and Emi left the inn and wandered around the city. They eventually came across a flower cart, and Emi bought a flower necklace made of buttercups.

"Laxus, do you want--"

"No way in hell."

She tsked and paid for the necklace before dragging him through the streets. Laxus studied her face and saw that her eyes looked slightly different from before she regained her memories. To him, they looked...empty.

"Hey, uh Em?"

"What's up?"

They stopped in the middle of the street. Emi smiled brightly at him, but she didn't have the small twinkles in her eyes like she did before.

"Are you okay?"

"Why would you ask?"

"Because you just seem different."

"Different? From yesterday?"

"No, but since you've--"

"Regained my memories? It's only expected. I've remembered everything that brought me to this point, including the many deaths and tragedies that I've witnessed or caused. I'm trying my best to return to normal, but I guess anxiety and dread are standing in the way."

Laxus patted her head and gave her a small smile.

"We're all here. And I don't know if you already know this," Laxus joked, "but I don't think Sting's gonna let anything happen to you."

She laughed and nodded.

He continued, "I'm not either, just so you know."

They made eye contact with each other and shared a knowing look.

"Well," Emi said as she clapped, "I say we have another picnic!"

-------

"Miss De--I mean Emi!"

Laxus and Emi turned around to see Princess Hisui running towards them.

"Princess, what's wrong?"