Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, or any of its associated characters and lore. That right belongs to Hiro Mashima.
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The Pair of Raven Tales
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Hargeon Town, Fiore, Ishgar, Earth Land, July 2, X784
Being a Dark Mage was as uneasy as some would consider it to be. Natsu Dragneel and his partners, Happy and Flare Corona, knew that better than most. While their guild, Raven Tail, held enough advantages to be independent from the Balam Alliance, the ties of comradery were noticeably absent compared to most Legal Guilds, considering that their earlier years of being members involved Master Ivan Dreyar threatening them to get in shape, follow his orders to the letter, and reap huge benefits for the guild, and largely for himself, in preparation for a future Guild War on Fairy Tail. It was an unhappy arrangement, but one could argue Natsu's fate was already sealed when he was first found by Ivan, and when he later found Happy's egg and a wandering Flare, he didn't have the heart to let them be all alone. Not to mention that even if they successfully escaped from Raven Tail, their association with it had already left them as criminals to be hunted down and trialed.
"So, how is Master Ivan planning for us to go legit again?" Happy asked in an awkward whisper as the three walked through Hargeon to find Bora and his gang. While the three were non-fond of the poor excuse of a thieving playboy the most out of all the others that Raven Tail extorted in the past, Ivan was quite clear that they were only to beat up the pea-brained waste of space in the event he was unable to pay up in total.
Natsu thought hard to remember, but then gave up, shrugged, and kept it simple. "Something about taking advantage of the Magic Council's weaknesses and making a good enough show to present ourselves as Legal Mages. I think Phantom Lord did something similar when it was founded by a Dark Mage almost a hundred years ago."
"Well, however it will be done, it's best not to keep Master Ivan waiting." Flare inputted with emphasis. "We'll find Bora at his ship, get what he owes us, and get out."
Seeing how tightly wounded Flare was being, Natsu smiled, brought her into his embrace, and kissed her which she gladly returned. Returning back on track, the three Raven Tail Mages soon found Bora's ship just before he was about to have a party of sorts and, rather he liked it or not, he had no choice but to welcome them.
"So, where's the Jewels?" Natsu asked without any hint of compromise.
Seeing his serious expression to match with his tone of voice, a scared, yet no less opportunistic, Bora was quick to reply. "I don't have it all on me, yet, but once I get the merchandise to Bosco, I will, so please be patient, Natsu, for old time's sake."
The three Raven Tail Mages narrowed their eyes at the mention of the slave trading country which Flare decided to speak about. "And what kind of merchandise were you intending to sell there?"
Not hearing the hostility in the question, Bora answered. "As much lovely women in this town that my boat can safely sail to there."
Unfortunately for Bora, he answered poorly as the flames forming on Natsu's hands indicated.
"And it never occurred to you that if you were caught, your stupidity would've led to the Rune Knights on Raven Tail's own hide?" Natsu asked through gritted teeth with Happy and Flare no less angry at Bora as well.
Bora looked surprised. "What?" He then traded his surprise for annoyance. "And how do I know you're actually mad because you have an issue against Human trafficking?" He then took out a Communications Lacrima Crystal. "Maybe I should tell Master Ivan about your lack of diplomacy and obedience?"
Before Bora could use the Lacrima, however, it was quickly snatched from his hands and shattered to the ground by a quickly moving Happy.
"You and what Lacrima, stupid?" The flying cat creature cheekily asked while Flare and Natsu's Magics began to be unleashed.
For all his prior confidence, Bora only had one word to say about his situation. "Crap."
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Outside the ship that was said to belong to the elusive Mage known as the Prominent Boar, Lucy Heartfilia found that she was the first of the invitees from earlier to arrive at the upcoming party. Feeling excited, she slowly walked to the boat before she then heard what sounded like grunts and screams from it and then in a blaze of fire, it exploded with two people of both sexes around her age as well as a blue colored cat with wings landing on their feet next to her gob smacked self. While she was internally freaked out by what happened in front of her, Lucy's mind was then flooded by new senses that informed that the so called Prominent Boar used illegal Charm Magic to get her going which filled her with disgust in more ways than one. She then turned to the three mysterious people who looked at her uncertainly. "Uh, can I help you?" She asked unsurely herself.
The pink haired young man soon gazed back at the shipwreck before turning to Lucy with a small smile. "Well, I suppose you can tell the Rune Knights that you didn't see us for one thing." He then turned to his friends. "All right, Flare, Happy, let's go."
Lucy however stopped them. "Wait, what was he going to do to me and the other girls he hoodwinked?"
The redhead young woman answered. "He planned to sell you all to some pigs in Bosco which actually disgusted even us."
Lucy almost felt the need to thank them for stopping that scenario from happening before she then thought and decided to ask. "Aren't you yourselves criminals?"
The flying cat then replied firmly. "Maybe, but we aren't monsters."
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Sorry it took so long to get back to writing. As soon as I saw that Samurai Jack was expiring on Hulu for whatever reason, I felt the need to recap on it all before it was lost and then saw the new Star Wars Story the next day, but I got this done and I hope you like it.