-Not a new chapter, just a rewrite 25.02.2018-
Hi everyone :) So it's been 2 years-ish since I initially posted Change Mage, and I've been stuck at how to fill a chapter to bring it to it's conclusion (which I've already written)... So I have decided to re-read and make some minor adjustments to (hopefully) create some stronger characters and re-familiarise myself with just where I wanted to go with this in the very beginning!
Still don't own anything to do with Fairy Tail (just my OC's) and am pretty devastated that the manga has come to an end :(
Chapter 1.
The day had dawned bright and blue, much to the pleasure of a certain blonde celestial mage. She skipped along the edge of the canal humming happily to herself, waving at the boat men who called out their usual greetings and ignoring their warnings of falling.
Team Natsu had returned late last night from a week long mission that had, surprisingly, cost very little in incidentals due to damage caused by the ever careless Natsu.
All in all, life was currently pretty damn good for the curvy blonde.
Lucy paused out the front of the Fairy Tail Guild hall doors, still smiling to herself, before pushed through them. She didn't pause as she weaved and dodged through the regular chaos of fights and flying furniture, and perched herself up on a bar stool.
"Good morning, Mira!"
"Lucy! How are you?" Mirajane greeted her, mirroring the girl's infectious smile. The take-over mage carefully placed the beer mug she'd been polishing on its shelf with the others before turning back to the blonde. "I take it the mission went well?"
Lucy nodded in affirmation. "Better than well - my share is actually covering my rent for once without me having to do a solo mission on the side!"
"That is good!" Mirajane agreed with a giggle as she slid a strawberry milkshake across the counter for the blonde without her even having to ask for it.
Team Natsu wasn't well known for their delicate handling of missions, so minimal damage was always a good outcome for everyone involved.
The blonde celestial mage sighed happily as she took a sip of the sweet drink.
Maybe I'll take a solo anyway, she mused. No such thing as too many clothes... Especially when so many get destroyed on missions!
"Shut up, ice queen! You wanna fight?!" Natsu's voice carried over the din, interrupting her daydreams of a never ending supply of cute mini skirts and tanks tops.
Lucy didn't need to look to know the Fire Dragon Slayer was butting heads with Gray. As usual, his insults mostly revolved around Gray's choice of magic so it was easy to know who he was taunting.
"Buy a clue, flame brain!" came the emphatic response from the dark haired mage.
She didn't have to turn around to guess the Ice Make wizard's probable state of undress. From all the time the team had spent together, Lucy knew the irritation in his voice meant he'd at least have lost his shirt by now.
Lucy met Mirajane's eternally serene gaze and rolled her eyes at the boys' antics. Some things never changed.
The take-over mage just shook her head with a laugh and turned back to continue polishing the already pristine glasses.
There were a few muted thumps as the Dagon Slayer and Ice Mage exchanged blows.
They'e never going to grow up, Lucy thought with an affectionate smile, turning her concentrating back to her milkshake.
The doors of the guild burst open again, with such force that it made the Celestial mage turn to see who was entering. No-one ever slammed the doors open that hard unless it was an emergency!
A large black horse with no rider charged through the opening, sliding to a stop just inside the archway and reared up with a screaming neigh.
Natsu and Gray stood a few feet away from it and turned, frozen in place from shock mid punch.
Lucy hadn't really had much contact with the animals since leaving the konzern, but she knew that the white foamy sweat covering its neck was due to over-strenuous work. It wasn't wearing any saddle or bridle and she wondered briefly if it had escaped. Without thinking, she slid from the bar stool and took a few steps forwards.
The guild had turned deadly silent as everyone's attention fixed onto the intruder as they waited to see if this was another attack or one of their own returning.
Magical smoke swirled up and around the horse, enveloping it completely until it disappeared from view. It dissipated to reveal a battered girl with a halo of copper coloured hair. She was clad in a ripped purple ball gown, a wound clearly visible on her side and crusted with dried blood and dirt. They weren't her only injuries - her exposed shoulders and neck were marred with scrapes, bruises and blood. A long katana hung sheathed over one of her shoulders, a quiver and bow over the other.
It's unusual, but not uncommon, for mages and wizards to carry weapons, Lucy reasoned with herself at the shock of seeing such items on the girl. Erza always hid her weapons until she needed them, and Alzack and Bisca didn't openly carry their guns.
As the spell released the girl from its hold, she swayed forward on unsteady legs.
Lucy wasn't familiar with the spell that had been used but it felt like it required a huge amount of magic to cast. She guessed that's why the black horse had looked so over worked - the girl had nearly run her containers dry.
"Erza," the newcomer panted. "Is she here?"
Gray finally detached himself from the pink haired slayer and moved forward just in time to catch her as her legs gave out, hooking an arm behind her knees and lifting her up to his bare chest.
"You smell like Christmas," she whispered, looked up at him with half closed emerald green eyes. Her head rolled back as she lost consciousness and the Ice Make mage looked up at Lucy, his eyes begging for her help.
Before the blonde could move any further, Mirajane had hurried over to him and gently smoothed sweat matted hair from the girl's face. She examined her with confusion, followed closely by shock. "Amalie?!"
Everyone stayed silent as Mirajane took control. "Natsu, get master. Elfman, I need fresh bandages and hot water. Gray, bring her to the infirmary. The rest of you... Just behave until I get back! Don't break anything!"
The guild burst into a flurry of questions and noise as everyone recovered from the shock arrival of an apparently absent member of their guild.
Lucy stared at Mirajane and Gray's backs as they walked away.
Amalie… I've heard that name before, but where?
.:*:..:*:..:*:..:*:..:*:.
"Master..." Natsu burst into the office, faltering as he saw Laxus sitting across from Makarov. The younger slayer hoped that the master was enough of a deterrent for the older slayer to not shock him for failing to knock. When none came immediately, he pushed on, "Some girl just turned up. Mira said to get you."
The diminutive man looked up from his paperwork and opened his mouth to reply, but was beaten to it by his grandson.
Laxus glared at the pink haired intruder and stood up ready to throw him back out. Natsu response to the threat was to sink into an aggressive stance, hoping to coax the reclusive blonde into a fight."Who gives a fu..."
"A girl?" Makarov pondered out loud, interrupting the blonde Slayer from finishing his expletive. "You'll have to be more specific, Natsu."
"Ugh... I dunno... Orange but a bit red-ish hair, about my age, kinda my height maybe…" The pinkette faltered. He'd never been very good at descriptions, especially when it came to those of the human variety. He preferred cats, especially exceeds. He could explain those a lot more accurately. "Smelled kinda like chilli and vanilla."
The older dragon slayer had looked bored, his eyes glazing over as he sat back down, until Natsu had mentioned her scent.
"Chilli, vanilla and summer rain?" Laxus demanded, standing up again quickly.
His interest piqued the pinkette's curiosity, and he made a mental note to use it for later when he was spoiling for a fight.
"I don't know about the weird scent thing," Makarov began as he smiled broadly up at Laxus. "But it sounds like our Amalie has finally returned."
A rare, hopeful look briefly crossed Laxus' face before his usual mask of indifference replaced it, and he grunted indifferently as he shoved past Natsu to get out of the office.
"Infirmary," the younger slayer called helpfully after him, before turning his attention back to the guild master. "Who's Miley?"
.:*:..:*:..:*:..:*:..:*:.
