As Gina strolls through the front doors of the guild hall, she is surprised at the scene in front of her. There are wizards of differing varieties scattered at the tables in the main room; drinking, laughing, arguing, and carrying on. This group is a much rowdier bunch than she'd encountered in other guild halls across the land, even though it's guild hall was tiny in comparison. It is a glorified one-story pub that resembles a windmill more than a respectable guild hall. Fairy Tail had once been one of the strongest guilds in all of Fiore, but after the disappearance of nearly all of its elite members a little more than 7 years ago, the guild suffered terrible losses in both assets and reputation. Now, local rumor indicates that those missing members have spontaneously returned under mysterious circumstances.
As Gina scans the guild members, they all seemed to bear the mark of their guild somewhere on their body - as is the tradition with most guilds. One woman drinking a large keg all by herself sports the mark on her lower belly; which is only visible because she is dressed in pants and a bikini top. A young blonde woman beside her has a pink version of the mark stamped onto the back of her hand. The color of a guild mark varies, according to its wearer's personal preference, while the pattern remains identical. The Fairy Tail guild stamp resembles a small body with arrow-like, forward-pointing feet, three backward-trailing swoops for wings, and a long, pointed tail.
As she wanders through the center of the room, she is approached by a handsome young man sporting a blue version of the mark on his pec. He is tall, lean and muscular with dark bluish-black, short-cropped hair, curious and slanted eyes, and thin lips. His mark is visible to her because for some odd reason he is strolling around in only pants. His feet are even bare…
"Hello miss…?" he says in a deep, smooth tone with a charming smirk.
Oddly, something about the boy bothers her, but she can't place the source. Awww man, I hope he isn't the Salamander… she thinks to herself. The Salamander is one of the elite members who had gone missing, and who she hoped to learn more about. He is a fire-based dragon slayer; a true rarity among mages.
"Oh, hello," she replies with a smile that would charm even a dragon, "Could you help me?"
"Uh…," he says after looking stunned for just a moment; exactly as she had hoped for, "Sure. You uh… look lost?"
"Yes," she says with a tinkling laugh, "Someone outside told me this was the Fairy Tail wizard guild. I was looking for someone named Makarov Dreyer. Do you happen to know who he is?"
The young man lets out a genuine laugh. "Oh sure, everyone here knows who he is. He's our guild master. Does he know you're coming?"
"Not exactly…" she says with an intentional blush and a smile. "I was hoping to surprise him."
"Well…," he says, rubbing the back of his neck and looking uncertain, "I guess I can show you to his office." Turning to the side he mutters under his breath, "It's not like she's a threat or anything…"
He holds out his hand and she grasps it thankfully while joking with him, "Is it a bit hot in here for your taste?"
But as soon as she touches his hand, she yanks in back with a gasp. He is as cold as ice! No wonder he is freezing while being half dressed like that!
"Uh… You okay?" he asks with a worried look. "What do you mean?"
"Oh," she laughs uncertainly, "Wow… your hands are cold. I was just wondering why you were walking around half dressed. Seems like it's making you pretty co…"
"Aww man!" he shouts, looking down at his appearance as if in surprise.
Then it clicks like a giant gear declaring her own stupidity. "Oh! You…! You're an ICE wizard aren't you?"
"Yeah," he laughs nervously. "That obvious huh? My name is Gray Fullbuster. And you are?"
"My name is Aegina Asterope," she replies with a smile. "Gina for short."
"Nice to meet you. Come on, I'll show you the way."
She lets him lead her forward; careful not to take his hand again.
A firm knock upon the door alerts Makarov that Gray has finally arrived. He has been able to sense him approaching for a while now. However, he can't quite identify the person approaching with him. Their magic is not only foreign, but being masked by something.
"Come in, before one of us dies of old age, boy," he quips without looking up from his tome, "and announce your friend, will you?"
"Hey, gramps," Gray replies, "This is… ah…"
"Aegina Asterope," she says with a smile to the old man. He is SO much shorter than she expected that she stifles a giggle. This old man is that powerful? she wonders.
"Pleased to meet you," he says, still scanning his book. "Thank you, Gray. You can leave us now."
"Sure…" Gray says with a sigh, strolling casually from the room and closing the door behind him.
"Now, young lady," Makarov says, looking up with a squint and a grin. "What can I help you with?"
"I believe I sent you a letter a few months ago," she says, sitting down at the big chair in front of his temporary desk in the guilds now-meager library. "I was asking about joining your guild. I understand that you normally don't accept members my age unless they have proven themselves as considerable wizards, but I was hoping you could make an exception. I come with very positive recommendations…"
"Ah, yes," he says, sitting back against his chair and tenting his fingers with a thoughtful expression. "I do remember your letter. I have to say, you are much different than I imagined you would be. Now let me see here…" he pulls out a desk drawer and begins shuffling through a large stack of papers. Finally, he pulls one from the very bottom and squints at it thoughtfully. "Here we are… in your letter Miss… Aegina…"
"Gina, please," she says with honey dripping from her voice.
The old man pauses with a simple stare. "Of course. Gina." He sits back against his chair again. "You are older than even your letter lead me to believe. What are you now… 17?"
"Nineteen," she says with a blush, "I know it is too old for admittance sir, as I have very little magical skill, but I would love to be accepted into your guild, if you would only make an exception. Perhaps you would admit me for a short period? Would you give me six months to prove myself?"
"First, why don't you show me what you can do," he replies. "We admitted another wizard of holding recently, Miss Lucy Heartfilia; so, I would like to see what I'm working with."
"Very well." She rises from her chair and walks around behind it. Then she pulls out a set of magical tokens from her pocket.
"Serpent's strike!" she shouts, flipping the token, and slapping it to the back of her hand. A single serpent shoots forth from her closed fist and snaps its jaws shut inches from his face. Then with a flick of her wrist, it retracts and disappears. She draws a second token from her pocket, and is about to flip it when his voice breaks through.
"Stop…" he says with a sigh. "I'm sorry, but we cannot admit you to Fairy Tail at this time. Even for training."
"What…?" she says as her arm begins to droop. "But I… I haven't even… I can do better! I can…"
"It is not a matter of your strength or skill young lady," he says, sitting back with a glare. "I will not admit anyone to this guild who is lying to me. I am no fool."
"I don't know what you mean…" she says backing towards the door very slightly.
"DON'T YOU?!" he shouts, suddenly doubling in size. His voice drops into a roar, and he shouts, "What kind of fool do you take me for?!"
"Ahhhh!" she screeches in surprise, turning to flee.
His hand juts out and blocks her path to the door. Despite her attempts to counter it, her natural magic pulses forth slightly to defend her, but she stifles it down.
"Sir, I don't know what you're talking about. I…"
"DON'T LIE TO ME!" his voice continues to boom. He grips her throat, and her resolve snaps in true panic as the fire flares from her blood.
As he strolls through the front door of the guild, Natsu Dragneel takes a look around for the familiar faces of his guild members – his family.
"Hey Lucy!" he shouts, waving to his blonde friend. "What's everyone up to?"
"Oh, you know… the usual," she says with a smile. "I heard that Gray…"
Suddenly, Makarov's voice booms from the library area he's using as his temporary office, but isn't clear enough to understand.
"What the hell?!" Natsu shouts, taking off at a run for Gramp's door at full speed.
He passes Gray, frozen in surprise in the middle of the main room. Natsu slams his shoulder into the closed door with Happy – his blue, magical, flying cat friend – hot on his heels.
"What's going on?!" he shouts, as the door splinters in front of him.
"Aye!" Happy shouts.
He hears a shrill, feminine shriek and then freezes in shock. Makarov is sitting in his chair… and the most beautiful woman Natsu has ever seen is sitting in his lap, and staring at Natsu in apparent horror. She's a tiny little thing, no doubt unable to even reach his shoulder when standing. She's thin but very curvy, with legs that are shockingly long in comparison to her short stature. She also appears to be around his age. Gramp's voice snaps him out of his surprise.
"Why hello, Natsu," Makarov chuckles, "I didn't realize you were here yet today."
"What the hell are you doing old man?!" he says with disgust, yanking the young woman to her feet and against his body. "You pervert! What were you doing to her?"
Natsu freezes.
When the woman's back thumps against his chest after his dramatic rescue, he feels a jolt hit the center of his spine and run all the way up and down it. He feels his very magic shudder. It felt… good. And the smell of her… Holy flying cats! He takes a not so subtle sniff of her hair. She smells like the sweetest… food… he's ever tasted; like rich chocolate or… a smoldering fire. That is so weird… he thinks. He pulls away from her slightly to look into her face.
Her eyes are lavender; like the flowers that bloom in the center of town. Her skin is alabaster pale, and her hair is as black as coal. Her fiery red lipstick stands out boldly, and he feels the sudden desire to drool. The feeling is overridden as he remembers the Master's roaring voice, and finding her in the man's lap.
Natsu…? Gina's mind feels stuck.
She takes in the appearance of the young man she has dreaded meeting. There is no doubt he is the Salamander she has heard so much about in her travels. She would have been able to sense the fire magic within him just from standing in the same room, but when he drew her against his body it was all she could do to keep her own fire magic from responding in an obvious way. Her unique magic would call out to someone like him, but could lead to her own destruction if she was not careful.
She has come here to learn more about him, and tries to glean what she can from his appearance now. He has rounded dark black eyes, and spiky salmon-pink hair that falls nearly in front of his eyes on his left side. His body is lean, and she can see the tension coiled in his muscles. She caught a glimpse of his red guild mark earlier, high upon his right arm; shown off by his overcoat which leaves his right arm completely exposed. The overcoat is fastened around the waist with a belt and, partnered with a loose pair of white pants that end in black ties just below the knee. He also has a white, scale-patterned scarf around his neck, and a black sweatband on his right wrist.
He is nearly as tall as Gray, making his lean body somewhat dwarf her own, and his face is equally handsome. Even though his features seem slightly more boyish, they are twisted into an expression of outrage and disgust. As she quickly takes in the details, he turns back to face the old man with a raised fist wreathed in flames.
"Now now…" Makarov's scolding tone cuts into her thoughts as he sits back against his chair. "Don't you jump to conclusions, Natsu. How could you accuse your old Master of such a thing? She jumped into my lap in fright because someone burst through my door and scared the life out of her!"
That much was true… She had already been scared out of her mind, trying to avoid Makarov's grasp when the door behind her shattered with Natsu's entrance. She's not even sure how she ended up on the other side of the desk, but had been desperate to dodge the new apparent threat. These people are crazy! But… why is Makarov acting like nothing is wrong…?
"Is that true?!" Natsu turns to shout at her, obviously not believing it for a minute.
"Y….. yes…" she mumbles with a tremble to her lips. Her eyes dart briefly to Makarov, holding the tinge of confusion within them, and then back to Natsu's handsome face. What do I do?… she thinks in panic. "I'm sorry. It really… wasn't his fault at all… I…" She releases just an ounce of charm magic to compensate for her own confusion.
Her large eyes bore into his own with such force Natsu feels almost compelled to believe her, but he's not sure whether he should or not. Her tone of voice was completely unconvincing.
"But I heard you yell at her!" he turns to shout at the old man again, shaking off the feeling.
"Foolish boy…" the old man begins to laugh, and Natsu feels his blood boil.
"What the heck, Natsu?!" Gray shouts while coming up behind him. "What the hell are you doing, you big idiot…"
"You're one to talk, you frosty streaker!" he retorts, feeling slightly deflated.
"You…" the mystery woman mumbles, almost in a daze, "You're the salamander…"
"Huh?" he wonders aloud, and then realizes there are flames surrounding his raised fist. How did that happen without me noticing? He wonders. "Uhhh…" he chuckles nervously, and then points proudly at his chest with his thumb, "That's right! I'm Natsu Dragneel! Fairy Tail's very own dragon slayer!"
"You are a pest!" The old man shouts. "This is Aegina Asterope… Gina is my grandniece… on my sister's side. And you've interrupted our conversation. I was not shouting at her. I was yelling in excitement."
"You have a sister…?" Gray mumbles in surprise.
"That was really scary for an excited voice…" Happy sighs.
"Your grandniece?!" Natsu shouts in surprise, taking a close look at her again. No way… this is the hottest chick I've ever seen! There's no way she's related to the old man!
"Oh, that must be why she said she wanted to surprise you," Gray comments blandly.
"I'm sorry Gina," Natsu chuckles with embarrassment, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess I overreacted. I honestly didn't even know you were here. I just heard the old man shout and I…"
"Yes, yes, Natsu. We know," the old man continues to scold. "You just react without thinking. Now please, everyone leave us so I can catch up with my grandniece properly."
"Fine…" Natsu mumbles with disappointment, and follows everyone out the door and back downstairs.
"Ummmm…" Gina says, snapping out of her daze to look back towards the old man. "Your grandniece..?"
"As if you could have come up with a better excuse…" he mutters, glaring at her and walking over to place some form of magic seal over where the door should be. "Weak young wizard my wrinkled behind…"
"But sir, I…"
"I know what you are now," he says with a smirk, and a devilish twinkle in his eye. "There's no use in hiding it. I have to admit though… I never believed I would meet one of your kind in my lifetime. Nymphs are nearly as rare as dragons I hear… and a fire nymph at that. Many wager your kind don't exist at all. The documented appearances are all water and tree nymphs."
"Damn it…" Gina says with a frustrated sigh, flopping back down in her own chair. "How the hell do you know that?"
"It was quite easy my dear," he says with a broad smile, "When I frightened you, I could sense your fire magic break through; although, Natsu conveniently provided me all the confirmation I needed. His own fire magic responded to your proximity immediately, trying to draw from you. It's a good thing that young upstart doesn't know what that means. Now… why are you truly here?"
"I honestly want to spend time in your guild sir," she says, giving up on her false story.
"Why would Fairy Tail be of interest to a Nymph? I've been told your species prefer discretion and secrecy. We have a reputation for being rather… public."
"I want to observe your wizards in action," she says, pulling a paper from her pocket and passing it to him. "My people are willing to pay you, through an official but completely secret contract, if that is what it takes. I have visited several other guilds as you can see listed there."
He glances down at the paper, and then looks back up in her face in surprise. "This is quite a lot of money young lady… and this says…"
"Yes," she cuts him off, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "There is one wizard in particular who interests me. I would like to be assigned to his team if possible."
"We don't generally have assigned teams," he says with a suddenly devilish grin, "but if you're willing to pay this much jewel through a formal contract… I might be able to arrange something. Are you sure you want to keep your true form a secret?"
"If not, we do not have a deal and I disappear," she says, putting true authority in her voice for the first time.
"How do you plan to keep it a secret from everyone here? They are not as foolish as you seem to believe…" he says with a raised eyebrow.
"They're not fools, but they're not as perceptive as you are either. I have yet to meet someone else who is, in fact. I am honestly probably not the first nymph you have met. We all mask our own magic with a false form. We attempt to use it sparingly because it can be harmful, but it is the only way to survive as a species. To reveal our true nature is to invite death."
"Tell me then… why are your people so interested in this arrangement?" he asks. "It's an awful lot of money to pay for a simple dating service."
"It is not a dating service!" she hisses with disgust. "If you must know… I am very rare, even among my own people. There is only one of us born every few centuries with the ability to continue the species. My people consider it an honor. In reality it is a ridiculous responsibility thrown on me against my will. I explained to my people that I will not simply submit to this responsibility with the first eligible wizard that comes along, and I will NOT be forced into a relationship that is not worthy of me. I will travel the world, and I will learn all I can of magic and of other species. I will keep my mind open to the possibility of their request, only if it truly interests me. Meanwhile, they are willing to fund my search out of the hopes that it will result in getting what they want, which works out very conveniently for both of us."
"How much do you already know about my Natsu, young lady?" he asks, leaning forward with that devilish grin again.
"Almost nothing," she admits, "other than the rumors across other guilds of his abilities, and that he recently reappeared after being believed dead. I understand that he is not a typical fire wielder, but uses dragon slaying magic instead. Do you… do you think he would present a danger to me?"
"Natsu?!" he laughs. "Don't be ridiculous! As long as you show yourself to be worthy of his friendship, that boy would no more hurt you than his other companions. And he would never allow someone else to do so with his knowledge. He has a bit of a temper, I'll admit, but you'll get used to it soon enough."
"That's not what I mean…" she says with a slight tinge of true fear creeping into her voice. "My magic could present a temptation to him that even the most conservative wizard could find... If he ever…"
"I'm going to stop you right there," Makarov cuts in with complete seriousness, but his eyes hold compassion and pity. "I know what you are saying, and I understand the true danger in your situation. You are a creature of temptation by nature, and I expect quite a few of my children to grow curious about you. Adding in the complication of your magic form… someone with Natsu's abilities could very well cause you great harm if they chose to. But you asked me if Natsu himself would present a danger to you, and my answer remains no. He is a hot-headed fool, but an honorable one."
"I… believe you," Gina says with a sigh, "Or I would not even attempt to learn more about him."
"You do know that Natsu is going to present quite a problem for you in other ways, correct?" Makarov challenges.
"I have something for that as well. I just didn't expect to run into him so quickly." Gina reaches into her waist bag and pulls out a small egg with purple coil-like patterns on its surface. Stroking the egg gently, the shell begins to fade away revealing a small ferret-like creature. "This is Ming. He has very powerful scent glands that produce a pungent smell. He also has the innate ability to mask the scent of his master, confusing the nose of even the best dragon slayer. He will know my scent is odd, but is not likely to focus in on it."
"Well…" he stifles a laugh, "This should be amusing if nothing else. I do so enjoy the opportunity to annoy my children. Therefore, I agree to your terms. However, if I have any suspicion that you are putting them in mortal danger at any point, I will terminate our agreement… personally."
"Agreed."
Author's Note 8/21/2017:
Hi everyone! It's been a long time since I have updated FanFiction with any new content. I hope you have enjoyed the first chapter of this new story! I intend to publish a chapter every month, so it will be a much slower release timeline than my earlier pieces, but hopefully that will allow me to stay ahead for you. I already have quite a bit written, as I have been writing this piece to specifically share with my spouse until now.
For those of you who have read my earlier works - Love Me When I'm Gone from the Naruto universe, and Do You Know Me? from the Kenichi universe - you should be aware that I haven't posted any new content in the last couple of years. I know that I worried some of you, and I am sorry for that. Long story short... in 2015 my spouse became a victim of wrongful conviction, and therefore so did I. The last couple of years have been soul-crushing and exhausting, but I will stand by him to the bitter end.
Having my life turned upside down the way it has been has changed a lot of things in my life. One of the only good changes is that I have decided to pursue becoming a published author. I have several books I plan to write in fiction (sci-fi), nonfiction, religious, and children's books. I currently have a children's picture book I am planning to self-publish later this year called Why Can't Uncle Come Home? It is a story designed for young children struggling with the wrongful conviction of a loved one. If you are interested in getting more information on my other writing, visit my Facebook author page ChristianeJoyAllison.
I appreciate all your words of encouragement over the years more than you can know.
- KittenCobra
