Clean Up

The following morning after the guild party, Meliodas entered the guild hall. Meliodas looked around the guild hall. The guild hall was unusually silent and empty, with hardly anyone in sight. All of the tables were wiped clean, with not a single tankard or piece of silverware on them.

The only ones who were there apart from Meliodas were those from the Thunder God Tribe, sitting at their own table at the corner of the hall. Meliodas recognized Freed and Bickslow, but didn't recognize the woman with them. The woman had light brown hair and dark brown eyes under her glasses. She wore a green dress that accentuated her voluptuous figure along with navy blue stockings and white sandals. Just above her right breast was a green guild stamp.

"Ah, Meliodas, you're here." Makarov said as he approached Meliodas. Meliodas returned a friendly wave at Makarov.

"What's going on? How come there are no people here?" Meliodas asked, curious about the guild's current state. It was strange for the guild hall to be so empty after a successful night.

"Because of the damage that was caused from the incident yesterday, the Fairy Tail guild is held responsible. So I've dispersed various guild members throughout town the entire morning. And I'm sure you know, that the Kardia Cathedral is in dire need of cleaning." Makarov stated. "I know it wasn't entirely your fault but it was put on us to clean up after Laxus's mess, by the council, considering that a major landmark was destroyed."

"I understand." Meliodas replied. He briefly recalled his fight with Laxus, where as the fight went on, all of the pillars that were supporting the cathedral had collapsed.

"Well I won't be sending you alone. The Thunder God Tribe offered to help clean up on Laxus's behalf." Makarov continued. He gestured to the three members who Meliodas spotted earlier that were now approaching him.

"Hello again Meliodas." Freed greeted. The other two who were with Freed remained silent.

"Yo, Freed! You changed your hair?" Meliodas asked. Freed's long green hair was now gone, as he had cut his hair short, to the point of nearly being shaved.

"Yes. I did. For the Master, and for Laxus." Freed replied. Meliodas nodded and looked over at Bickslow and Evergreen. Bickslow still had bandages over his nose where Meliodas had punched him previously in his fight.

"How's it going Bickslow?" Meliodas greeted. Bickslow remained silent as he looked at Meliodas through his visor. Meliodas noticed Bickslow staring at him but ignored it and instead greeted the woman standing next to him.

"Don't think we've met. I'm Meliodas." Meliodas greeted.

"I'm Evergreen." Evergreen responded. Makarov watched awkwardly as he could feel some tension in the air between Meliodas and the Thunder God Tribe. Despite Meliodas' friendly nature, Bickslow and Evergreen still seemed uncomfortable with him, but it was understandable considering how Meliodas had beaten both Bickslow and Laxus. Makarov cleared his throat loudly to break the silent tension in the room.

"Ahem...so you've all met. Why don't you all head over to the cathedral...or at least what's left of it." Makarov said.

---

Meliodas and the Thunder God Tribe group remained silent nearly the entire time as they cleaned the remains of the Kardia Cathedral. Meliodas looked around at the lot. Most of the remains of the cathedral have already been cleared out, with only a few large chunks of stone bricks still remaining. Meliodas put one large one on each shoulder, carrying them with ease out of the lot. Bickslow and Evergreen moved smaller chunks out as well, with Bickslow incorporating his wooden dolls to carry larger loads.

The three of them gathered the excess debris into an area surrounded by a rune wall that Freed had created specifically for this job. As Meliodas finished moving the last bit of stone in, Freed stepped up and drew his sword, pointing it at the stones.

"Dark Ecriture: Destruction."

Freed's right eye glowed purple as the rocks he was pointing at broke down further in tiny explosions, with the rune walls keeping the explosions in until nothing was left but small piles of dust. Freed sheathed his sword and turned to Meliodas.

"It seems we're done here. Excellent work." Freed said.

"Same for you guys!" Meliodas said with a friendly grin. Despite his friendliness, the others didn't display the same hospitality.

"Well I guess I'll go head back to the guild." Meliodas said nonchalantly as he turned around and began to walk away. Freed faced the other two and sighed.

"I understand he defeated Laxus but remember what Laxus told us before he left. We should be thankful to Meliodas." Freed said. He glanced at Bickslow whose carefree nature had turned uncharacteristically timid.

"It's not like you to be this silent." Freed inquired.

"I told Evergreen my situation but I haven't told you yet Freed...my fight with him." Bickslow said as he lifted his visor and rubbed his eyes. When Bickslow lifted his visor, Freed could see his eyes were bloodshot red and dry, as if he hadn't been blinking. 'Was he staring at Meliodas the whole time?' Freed thought.

"When I first looked at him, I knew right away he wasn't human. I assumed he was a similar case to Loke, but I was mistaken. He...completely resisted my figure eyes. There is a dark power inside of him. That feeling of dread I felt when I saw it...I haven't been able to shake it off." Bickslow said, with a hint of fear in his voice. Evergreen noticed and put a hand on Bickslow's shoulder reassuringly.

"I know what you mean. When I witnessed Laxus fight Meliodas at the very end, Laxus was going to cast Fairy Law. But Meliodas for a brief instant, unleashed some kind of dark power." Freed mentioned with a slight shudder.

"Was it some kind of takeover magic like Mirajane's?" Evergreen asked.

"Not even close. As you know, I personally fought her and the darkness her magic radiated can't even be compared to the sensation I felt from Meliodas." Freed answered.

"That kind of power sounds dangerous. He might even pose a danger to the guild..." Evergreen commented. Freed shook his head.

"No...I think we're misunderstanding him. He was able to understand Laxus and have him see the error of his ways. I don't think he is truly as sinister as his power lets off. If anything, we were the ones who were a danger to the guild, not Meliodas." Freed replied. Evergreen remained quiet at the truth of Freed's statement. Freed turned his attention to Bickslow who still seemed a bit antsy.

"Well... if you trust him that much and if Laxus trusts him that much, I'll go with it." Bickslow said with higher spirits, doing his signature grin sticking his tongue out.

---

Back at the guild Meliodas sat down at a table with Macao and Wakaba, where he was silently reading the newest issue of Sorcerer Magazine. It was an entertaining magazine to read that also provided Meliodas an ample amount of information about the world. The magazine was full of mage spotlights, showcasing a powerful mage and their magic. Meliodas paid close attention to this, hoping for a spotlight with a mage that had spatial magic. Meanwhile, people were beginning to fill up the guild hall after completing their share of clean up around town.

"Hey Meliodas, what's this I hear about a rumor of you starting up a traveling tavern business?" Wakaba asked.

"Oh that? It's just a rumor. Having a tavern is a good way to get information except I don't have a large pig to mount it on this time to move it around." Meliodas replied.

"A large pig?" Macao questioned. He looked at Meliodas, baffled by his statement and scratched his head. "Oh yeah I think Laki brought something about that up. I thought she was being cryptic but she actually meant it huh?"

"Meliodas." A familiar voice interrupted from behind him. Meliodas turned around and saw the Thunder God Tribe standing in front of him.

"What's up?" Meliodas asked.

"Uh...mind if we join you for a drink?" Bickslow asked. Meliodas enthusiastically grinned and pulled out several different bottles of ale from his requip inventory, much to the Thunder God Tribe's surprise.

"Sure. What kind do you guys want?"