Well this took forever to get up... But! Now I know more about where I want to go with this and I have a lot of this prepared(Not written yet but I have outlines) Hope you like this chapter! Feedback/comments are always appreciated! Have fun reading! Sorry about any errors, it wasn't beta read.
Lizards?
"Lucy, time to wake up. We have to get off the train," Evergreen's voice wakes me up.
"Hmm?" opening my eyes I see Evergreen sitting next to me now with the two boys standing in the isle," I slept the whole ride?"
"Yupp! You even started cuddling Bickslow," she said with a laugh.
"It was quite entertaining to watch Bickslow get flustered when it happened," Freed spoke with a small smile on his face.
"Bickslow and I ended up switching places once that happened. You didn't even wake up during that," Evergreen stood up.
I followed her out of the seat and grabbed my backpack from the shelves above our seats. The four of us were the last to get off the train. It was sunny when we exited the train car, as it was only noon.
"We have to meet up with the mayor to discuss the detail of the job," Freed said as our apparent organizer.
"Sounds good, we can check into the hotel after that." I spoke up, "So, anyone have a map to get to the mayor?"
"Yeah, there's a map over there by the ticket stand," Evergreen pointed to the map.
"Okay, so it says if we walk straight down that road," Evergreen pointed to the left of us," then take a right turn once we get to a fountain. It should be the building at the end of the lane. Everyone got that?"
We all nodded as she turn to face us. The walk to the mayor's building was short. There were small shops along the road like in Magnolia. The few people who were outside cleared a way for us, recognizing us a mages by our different clothing and what showed of our guild marks. Also Bickslow's flying totems gave it away. The fountain Evergreen mentioned was obviously the highlight of the town. Well, at least it would be of there were more people. The only people on the streets were vendors for the shops and some dedicated shoppers. Few families roam the streets, scared of the monsters.
The mayor's building was not large, looking almost like a two story house. Freed and I stood in front of the other two. Since our first mission together the four of us decided that Freed and I would to most of the talking. As he was the leader of the Thunder God Tribe and I was a lone mage tagging along, not actually apart of the team. We rang the bell on the wall next to the door. It took only a minute for someone to open the door. It was as women around Evergreen's age, twenty years old.
"You must be the Fairy Tail mages that accepted the job. Please some in. I'm Kat, the Mayor's secretary." she open the door more for us to come in," His office is just down this hall, follow me."
"Ah Mages of Fairy Tail. Welcome, come, sit. I am Sam Stroud." The mayor spoke as the four mages entered the room," I'm glad you came! This town has just been an absolute mess"
"We are glad to help, sir," Lucy spoke first with a polite bow.
"Such manners from a guild member, I'm truly surprised," Sam spoke.
Ignoring the comment Freed spoke,"Sir, the paper said that there were monsters, what are the details of the job?"
"Well, as of this last month there have been big, lizard like monsters running around the outer end of town. They even attack some of the farm animals!"
"Do you know how many there are? And any special attribute they seem to posses?" Lucy asked.
"There seemed to be maybe half a dozen, I think. Some of the townspeople who saw them say they have spikes on their tails."
"Is there a certain time that they seem to come out at?" Freed asked, as if him and Lucy were taking turns.
"Oh! Yes, the monsters have been, from what I'm told, coming out during the evening, and only a day a week."
"Thank you for the information, sir. Now we must get going to find a hotel to stay in while we are here," Lucy stood up from the chair.
"Oh, please, go to the hotel just down the street and say I sent your and that you are the mages here to help the town," Sam leaned back in his chair.
"Will do. It was an honor talking to you," Lucy tilted her head and turned to leave, the rest of the group following after her. Kat waved to the four people as they passed by and exited the building. The hotel turned out to be just a few buildings down. When Freed mentioned that the mayor sent them and that they were the mages who came to help the man at the desk gave them a discount. Freed ended up getting them two joined rooms, each with two beds. The four, after putting their things in the rooms, sat in the girls room. Evergreen and Lucy sat on the bed furthest from the window and the boys on the other bed.
"It seems like the mayor didn't have much information on what's going on." Lucy started," At least we have a little bit of info. I'd say it would be best to go out this evening in pairs and scout the edge of town and come back with any information found."
"Yes. Also if anyone is to encounter a monster do not try to fight it. Just watch what it does, we'll take care of them as a group. With a plan," Freed looks at Bickslow.
"Hey! You don't have to look at me, I can follow instructions most of the time."
"Well, it's only noon, so how about we go get lunch!" Lucy spoke.
"Lucy. Do you think it would be better if we were partners for tonight, or you and Bickslow?" Freed asked once everyone was situated back into the room. The four of them would be leaving to go scouting in thirty minutes.
"Well, I know you and I think alike in ways of planning. How are Bickslow and Evergreen at working together?"
"Ever and I aren't the best at agreeing on things,"Bickslow spoke up.
"Then I say Bickslow and I will partner up."
"Sounds good to me." Evergreen stood up and took off her heels, "I should probably put on different clothes, it looks like it's going to be cold."
"Boys! Out! It's time for the girls to change clothes." Lucy shooed the boys out of the room through the door that connects the two rooms. Evergreen took out a loose fitting green shirt and a pair of black, stretchy pants and walked into the bathroom. Sorting through her bag, Lucy pulled out a long sleeve, dark blue shirt to switch out her current shirt with. While she was fixing her armbands over her new shirt Evergreen walked back in and put on a pair of brown boots.
"How's the trying to merge with your keys going?"
"It's harder than I thought it would be. Then again my spirits did say it hasn't been done in centuries. The only reason they told me about it was because of my recent training and being able to hold open two gold gates at once."
"I hope you get it down, Hun. You've been working so hard lately. Oh! I'm so proud of you," Evergreen squealed out the last sentence.
"Since I heard Ever's annoying squeal does that mean you all are done?" Bickslow's voice was heard through the door.
"Yes. We are you snooper"
"Hey! I wasn't snooping, your squeal is just extremely loud. I bet people down the street could hear."
"Whatever. You guys ready to head out?" Lucy interrupted before the small fight could get worse.
The other three nodded,"Good. Bicks and I will head south of town and you guys can go the other way. Meet back at the hotel in two hours."
"Bicks! Seriously?" Lucy yelled out as Bickslow poked her stomach repeatedly, like always some sort of clothing was ripped. This time it happened to be her shirt. Bickslow and Lucy had partnered up again the next day. There were four lizard monsters so the four of them decided that they should split it up even. Lucy found out that the lizards would become weaker in the light when she called out Loke to light up a small cave. One of the lizards were in there and it ran away from the light. The fight had gone by smoothly on both groups sides.
"Time to get the reward," Evergreen squealed out, excited for money to go shopping with.
"Thank Mavis. I need to go grocery shopping," Lucy spoke up after coming out from behind a tree with a new blue shirt on.
The walk to the mayor's office was quiet there was only the sound of the bustling streets around them. Entering the building Kat waved to them and said the mayor was free to talk to them. Freed knocked on the door and the group of four walked in.
"Mayor," Lucy bowed her head slightly, "we have completed the mission."
"Thank you Mages! You reward is right there on the desk. Oh! Miss Lucy, I noticed last time that you have celestial keys. Yesterday I came into possession of a key. I am willing to include it in the reward if you wish."
"That would be wonderful if you could!" Lucy leaned forward in her seat in excitement.
The mayor placed a shiny key into the bag with jewels, "Here you go. Thank you for helping my town."
"You're welcome, sir," Freed said.
"So Lucy, what key did you get?" Evergreen asked once she saw Lucy pull the key out of the bag.
"Tiger," it came out as a whisper.
"I've not heard of that key before Lucy," Freed spoke.
"Is it special?" Bickslow stood behind her to look at the key.
"It's a bronze key. They are almost as rare as the gold keys with there being only two keys per constellation." Lucy rubbed some dust off of the key.
"Why don't we head back home and you can call the key there?" Freed suggested.
"You going to go buy the tickets again?"
Freed nodded in reply and the other three handed him the money for the tickets once again. It didn't take long for the train to appear and the ride back to Magnolia seemed to pass by quickly. Lucy hurried off the train on it got to the town. Evergreen waved to Lucy and laughed.
"Who do you think she's going to ask to accompany her this time to call the spirit?" Bickslow asked.
"Probably Nastu, they haven't spent a lot of time together lately." Freed thought out loud.
Lucy only stopped at her apartment long enough to through her bag onto the arm chair by the door. She ran all the way to the guild. Stopping at the door Lucy tried to calm down and slowly pushed the big doors open. It was already past noon so the guild brawls were in full swing.
Lucy walked up to the bar, "Hey Mira! Can I get a strawberry milkshake?"
"Lucy! You're back!" Mira smiled and walked to the back room to make the milkshake. Walking back out only a few minutes later Mire set the drink down in front of Lucy.
"How was the mission?"
"Good. As always I have to get a new shirt but I got a key," Lucy held up the bronze key.
"Natsu in the brawl?"
"Yeah. Want me to get him?" Mira smiled again and stood straighter.
"I got it!" Lucy grabbed her drink and stood up from the stool at the counter. Scanning the guild Lucy saw a flash of pink hair right in the middle of the room. Smiling, Lucy walked towards her crazy friend.
"Oi! Natsu!" Lucy shouted.
"Luce! What's up," Natsu walked away from the fight with Gray to greet his best friend.
The blonde held up a shining bronze key and dangled it in front of her, "I got a new key!"
Natsu's face lit up in excitement and he grabbed Lucy's wrist and dragged her out of the guild's back door. He stopped running once the two wizards got to the open field for training. Bouncing on his feet Natsu glanced at Lucy motioning for her to summon the new spirit.
Throwing her head back with laugh, Lucy stepped in front of Natsu and called on the tiger, "I am the person who connects the road to the Stellar Spirit World. Thou shall respond to the calling and pass through the gate. Open a door to the Chinese Zodiac, Tiger!"
With a roar and a flash of golden light a tall woman with bright orange hair appeared in front of the two mages. Golden armor hung on her frame with wisps of sheer black fabric hanging from the metal's ties. Claws extended from her gauntlets over her finger and in one hand, standing just over a foot taller than the woman, was an eight foot, golden spear. With a flourish of her black cape the woman kneeled before the blonde mage.
"Master, I am Tigress," her strong voice boomed through the clearing.
"Please, stand. There is no need to kneel, and please don't call me master. My name is Lucy Heartfilia. This is my best friend Natsu standing behind me."
Tigress stood up and looked at Lucy, "If it pleases you. May I call you Empress? It would be improper of me to call you by your first name as you control my key."
"If you want to. I welcome you to my spirit family, I hope to be friends!" Lucy smiled.
"Luce! Luce, look how tall Tiger Lady is! She's Elfman's height," Natsu jumped onto the blonde's back, pointing at Tigress.
"Don't point that's rude. Sorry about him Tigress. Would you like to make a contract with me?"
"You are asking me?" Tigress looked surprised, "I would like to know how many other keys you have before agreeing then,"
"Okay! Well, right now I have nine Golden keys and five silver," Lucy unhooked her key ring and held it up for the spirit to see.
"That is a lot of keys. Would you even summon me?" Tigress leaned upon her spear.
"Of course! I wouldn't dare make a contact with a spirit I wouldn't use. If you do not wish to make a contract with me I can hold onto your key and give it to a store I can trust."
"That won't be necessary, I agree to make a contract with you. No other celestial mage has my key besides you at the moment. I am available at all time except the sixth, seventh, and eighth day of the month; and strongest on the first, third, and fourth day of the month. I prefer to not be called out at night, but if it is a dire situation then it is okay. I work best with Dragon, horse or Pig. And please do not pair me up with Ox, Snake or Monkey. I am an offencive fighter with my spear and specialize in stamina with swift movements. I also have a large tiger form; although I do not like to use it often."
Nodding at Tigress's words, Lucy wrote it down in a notepad with all her other spirits information, "Thank you for forming a contract with me Tigress."
"It is my pleasure," with a bow the spirit disappeared.
"Luce," Natsu whined, "she seems so cool. I wanna fight her, or with her. I don't know yet!"
"Maybe we can go on a mission in a week or two that I can call Tigress out for. How's that sound?"
A loud yell was the only response Lucy got. Shaking her head Lucy followed her best friend as he ran into the guild, yelling about fighting a tiger.
