00 - Prologue

I haven't written long fanfictions for a long time, forgive me if this is-well, really bad.

An Alternate Universe idea I thought up in about twenty minutes' time. I figure if Edolas can exist, why can't other parallel worlds and, by extension, other Celestial Worlds? Inspired by Hiro Mashima's new designs on the Celestial Zodiac Spirits. This begins the Intro chapter, in which Fairy Tail and a certain Snake Wizard find contact. Enjoy.

"What do mean, 'it's at my place'?!"

Lucy was speaking to Scorpio, the Scorpion spirit of the Zodiac. The place in question was a desert oasis rumored to be the meeting point of several worlds, and only just now had Scorpio mentioned that it was a sort of second home to him.

"Yep! The oasis is where I come to visit sometimes. Used ta' be a desert dweller with my key a few hundred years ago-this is Earthland time, a'course-and there mighta been a few years of worship of me as a result."

Lucy had the distinct feeling that a certain Water Bearer wouldn't have been hearing this information.

"So, this desert oasis, this place of worship-it's got links to other worlds?"

"S'definitely got the closest thing. I 'gn cross over in that area a' the desert usin' pretty much zero power. Partly 'cuz a' the high spiritual energy around, an' partly 'cuz of the connection to the stars. Ain't no clouds or tall buildings there, 'ya know."

Lucy thought before she responded, thinking of her goal, which was to communicate with Edolas, and what she knew of it. "I don't know much about the links between worlds. I was able to summon you in Edolas, so I'm not sure whether parallel Earthlands, or other places, are exactly closer or farther to the Celestial world." If only, she thought, Earthland had the capacity to breach the void as Edolas had with their Anima. There could possibly be other Anima, but looking for and using those was about as reliable a quest as the one she was going on now. There was the possibility of having a spirit try to take someone to Edolas side-along, but she had no guarantee of the ramifications of something like that. And in the end, she didn't want to go there again, just talk to someone there.

"Remind me again, how this oasis functions as 'your place'?"

Scorpio suddenly looked uncomfortable, an unprecedented sight when dealing with the shirtless red-and-white-haired spirit.

"It, ah...well, it used to be a place I, uh...went a lot. With a friend, 'ya know."

Lucy sensed mention of Aquarius in her absence again.

"Alright, I'm gonna get some friends. Give me an idea of where to go and you can meet me there, got it?"

Two hours later, a magic automobile was heading out into the desert, a brutal but unfelt sun beating down on its roof, driven and powered by Makarov Dreyar and guided by the Compass, Pxyis, along with directions from Scorpio. Though Lucy had assured everyone that this was more than likely a guess and nothing more, and that the odds were that there was absolutely no way contact with another world was going to be established, and that she really didn't appreciate the better half of Fairy Tail riding along with her to check it out, a band of followers had come anyway. These included Natsu, Gajeel, Erza, Wendy, and Gray, but also Levy, Juvia, and the Strauss siblings, who (Lisanna aside) had been turned into the lacrima the last time they'd been in Edolas. Laxus and Makarov had also deigned to come, Laxus because he'd been traveling and missed the entire Edolas fiasco in the first plact, and Makarov because of the danger of another hostile alternate world scenario. Happy, Carla, and PantherLily were here too, Pantherlily having brought the stash of ex-pills that restored usage of magic power that Mystogan had created-though this was known to nobody but himself. Strangely, Cana and the Thunder Legion hadn't wanted to come, the latter of which struck Lucy as odd-everyone knew they went where Laxus went. There was a whole crowd of people when really Lucy'd have been happy with one.

Lucy herself was upfront, between Makarov, who was conversational, and Laxus, who was entirely silent and looked thoroughly bored. Behind her were Erza, Gray, and Natsu. Natsu was busy trying not to puke. Gray and Lucy were discussing the parameters of inter-world contact, and wondering if Mystogan might have had some way to form one.

"I quite look forward to seeing this oasis, Lucy, I'm surprised you're not more excited yourself."

Lucy looked down at her tiny guildmaster, jovial as ever and eyes still on the road, which was now nearly nonexistant and quickly becoming sand as they headed into the desert. "That's because what everyone here wants is too good to be true. I'm all for visiting exotic places, but everyone here is hoping we'll get to see Mystogan and other people from Edolas again. You know it's true, even if they lie-and some of them do." She mentioned dully, jerking her head towards Laxus, who acted as though he hadn't heard. Or perhaps he really hadn't heard, given his ever-present headphones.

"Now Lucy, do you remember the reason Fairy Tail was given its name?"

She looked over at her tiny master, wondering what bizarre old man's concept could be applied to that kind of trivia. "Because no one knows if fairies have tails? And so it's a never-ending mystery, and therefore a never-ending adventure?" Even if she'd never heard those words from Makarov, she'd definitely never forget hearing them from Hades.

"That's it. So I say, as long as we have mystery, we have adventure. And as long as we have adventure, we have Fairy Tail. That's why I think there can be no good reason we shouldn't come."

Uuuuugh, she thought. Save me the spiels.

"Really, Master? If you applied that logic to any situation, you'd have hardly any guildmembers left, ya know."

"Oh, don't think like that Lucy."

This man was headed to an early grave as far as Lucy was concerned.

Another couple hours later, the magic-mobile was a good ways into a desert, coming across the shadow of a large, familiar man with a metal scorpion's tail, situated next to a pool of water about fifty yards in diameter, although how deep it was couldn't be seen. There was also a small cave and a few palm trees and rocks scattered around. Makarov stopped the car.

"You, uh, brought a wicked huge amount 'a people with you there, Lucy."

Everyone got out (Natsu very gratefully), surveying the area and Scorpio. Laxus and Elfman seemed to be sizing him up, while everyone else merely looked curious; Scorpio was not one of Lucy's more summoned spirits and not all of them had seen him before.

"Sorry...I uh, couldn't really make 'em stay at home, hehe." Lucy laughed nervously. "So, this is the place?" she said, gesturing at the water, which now that she thought about it, would feel incredibly cool to the touch, probably. It was hard to notice in the car, but the heat of the desert was sweltering once you were out of it. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the sand shifting under her sandals felt burning hot even through the material. She didn't see how anyone could live here, though she imagined Scorpio just loved it. Was there a sunscreen spell anywhere? Seemed overbearing to take out Horologium.

"So, what is it about this oasis that'll connect us to other worlds?" she said, eyeing her surroundings with an eyebrow raised.

"Ya wanna go in there. There should be an altar somewhere in there." Scorpio said, jerking his head at the cave. Immediately, Lucy turned a glare on him more fit to burn than the sun she was feeling.

"Relax, relax." the spirit said, holding up his hands in a defensive manner. "Ya got about a dozen or so wizards, dontcha? Plus me." he said, jabbing himself in the chest proudly. "Ain't nothin' dangerous down there. Nothin' goes near here that often, plus you'll need me anyway. Bestcha have a powerful spirit around to ah, activate any various energies."

Oh, how hard he tried to impress. Still giving the death glare, Lucy took out her keyring and summoned Crux, the Southern Cross, and her magic reading glasses. She figured Crux's vast knowledge could be helpful. Noticing the glasses in hand, Levy stepped forward and announced her intentions to help.

From what was visible, the cave, though small at the entrance, extended a few hundred yards back, sinking into the ground the entire way. There were markings around the opening, some characters she didn't recognize, but also various symbols, including the Sun, a constellation, a scorpion, a snake, and other desert creatures.

"Scorpio, lead the way in. Natsu, make a torch. Everyone else, do whatever, just don't wander off."

Though the cave was long and dark, it was not intimidating.

The man who called himself Cobra was at the end of it, observing closely with hands and fingers an altar of red stone, flanked on either side by two torches in large golden stands, which he himself had lit. There were crevices and corners all along the walls, lending the torches much room to make shadows dance across the small room.

It was simple curiosity that had brought him here, lent to him by overhearing the Lucy girl in conversation with a spirit, having passed through Magnolia in attempt to see Kinana. Not that he was one to go on about parallel worlds or contacting them, but the sounds he'd heard in their heads were genuine memories-they existed, so why not take a look for himself? He heard now the footsteps of people approaching, far enough away that he wouldn't be seen on heard, but meaning that he had no way to exit the cave without being discovered, and though he wasn't sure they'd see him as an immediate enemy, he wasn't too fond of the idea of them noticing him either way. It's with ill grace that he extinguishes the torches and hides behind a crevice in the wall, praying to whatever deity might've inhabited this place that he wasn't found. He wasn't done sightseeing yet.

Yeah, I've got no idea what I'm doing so far. Something important to note-my knowledge of Fairy Tail limited to the anime dub and the spoilers I've come across, so I won't be putting much of the real Fairy Tail continuity into it unless I can back it up.

Thanks for reading, I hope I've got attention enough here for another chapter to be looked at.