A/N: Sup guys. wiErD here. And I got another chapter for you guys.
Hope ya like it!
I forgot about the ages of the people in the time skip. Edo Wendy would be 21, Natsu would be around 21 or so and Wendy would be 17. Just to avoid misunderstandings... Be reminded.
Disclaimer: I don't own FT or any of its elements. Hiro Mashima owns them.
- Taking a Job -
Dawn slowly started to rise from the mountains as the sun slowly comes into light, introducing Earthland to another new day ahead. Darkness retreated back to the other side as light replaces it and began to show the beauty of the forests and other landmarks obscured by the blackness of the night. Animals crawl out from their nests and adore the sunlight, plants, and other flora bloom at the waking dawn and people soon moved out from their houses to start their day.
Edo Wendy flickered her eyes awake as the small rays of sunlight penetrated through the windows and into her eyes as she slowly gazed from her futon and found herself in some sort of a room.
Her memories were still groggy and it didn't take long for her to realize that she's still in Earthland.
Well specifically, in her Earthland counterpart's house to be exact. Her silky blue hair was messed up in all places as some of her strands protruded upwards due to her sleep. Looking at the interior of the room, she scanned every furniture around her and eventually landed her attention to the sleeping figure on the bed together with the Exceed.
She faintly smiled at the duo until she decided to get out of the futon and turned towards the window in a deep thought.
It's been a day since she landed here in Earthland. She wondered how long this will last since she might have the chance to come back to Edolas if their master managed to find a way. Then again, it's very unlikely to find such complicated magic to send someone back to an alternate world that easy.
She got to admit, though, living here with these people doesn't look that bad.
After all, she got all the time to learn about her guildmate counterparts and possibly the entire history of this world itself.
A few minutes passed and Edo Wendy started in fixing her futon to the side and went to a small mirror to fix her hair in the process. She took her time in her personal hygiene and finished in just a couple of minutes.
Since she doesn't have a pair of clothes to change, Lucy lent her some spare clothes in the meantime and used it until she can provide her own needs in the future. She wore a plain light blue colored shirt with small frills on the edges and a pair of tight shorts that reached only to her knees.
Surprisingly, it fitted her somehow, especially to her breasts since it poses a problem for her when lending someone's clothes.
It's not like she was bragging about her body structure, she finds it troublesome during occasions back at Edolas. Hopefully, she would find some clothes for her own soon.
As she finished changing herself, Wendy and Carla were already awake as well and greeted the older bluenette with a smile.
"Good morning."
"Morning, Little me..." Edo Wendy replied with a smile.
"I hope you find the place to be quite okay since we're not really that rich to provide anything luxurious," Carla stated.
"I don't need anything that grand. I'm just grateful to have a place to stay in the meantime. But once I got a hang of this world, I probably would need to provide a shelter of my own. I don't want to be a burden to you guys." Edo Wendy apologized.
"It's nothing. Stay as long as you want―I mean, we're friends, right?" Wendy reassured.
"Friends?"
"Mmm. Everyone in Fairy Tail treats you as one whether you're aware of it or not."
"I see. Thank you for your hospitality."
A couple of smiles were exchanged between two bluenettes until Carla decided to change the topic.
"Well, now that we're settled, we should head the guild and meet with the others." Wendy proposed.
"For what?" Edo Wendy tilted her head in confusion. The two roommates looked at each other for a moment before looking back at her with a light-hearted expression.
"To take a job of course."
...
The townsfolk continue to flood the streets as the morning started in its course with them starting their everyday lives in the process. The two identical bluenettes wandered around outside as they headed their way towards the guild but not long before a few of the onlookers noticed them as some were able to see something wrong with the two. Though not in a bad way of course but rather the looks that made them somehow curious in the process.
"Hey, isn't that Wendy-chan from the guild?"
"You're right... Man, she grows up so fast. Do you think she's still single?"
"Her friend isn't quite bad too. She's looks stunning."
"Although I missing but... they do look strangely the same.
"Huh? What do you mean? They're both gorgeous that's what I think!"
"Haah... I'm so envious of the boys in their guild."
Wendy could only walk with her head hung in embarrassment as more comments went on from the onlooking crowd that made Edo Wendy look back at her with a confused expression.
"Is something wrong?"
"Iya, it's nothing to worry about."
The bluenette gave a dry laugh but Carla gave away the reason just so to tease her in the process.
"Well, a lot of the townspeople were already talking about the two of you. Wendy isn't the type to stand out within the group so this is the kind of expression she would always put up whenever something like this happened." She pointed out.
"Oooh... I almost forgot about it. Back then, she's still a bit shy when she and Natsu stumbled on our guild. But during the battle against the kingdom, she's a bit different and always more confident to her actions." Edo Wendy pondered.
"Well, she did grow up on her timid self although not entirely," Carla spoke.
"I-It's not like that... It's thanks to Natsu-san, I'm able to do things on my own." Wendy butted in with a light tone of her voice which also indicates her embarrassment towards the subject. Carla sighed as she looked at the bluenette in suspicion.
"Haaaa... Natsu this, Natsu that. Lately, you've been mentioning him almost every time now, Wendy." She had nonchalant look plastered on her face with her paws placed beside her waist.
Edo Wendy quirked her brow in curiosity as well while her Earthland counterpart could only blow up a huge steam over her head as her face immediately turned into a shade of red that would match the glossy red color. The bluenette was left blushing at the mention of the topic but the two already noticed what's been really going on.
"I-It's not what you think! I just had a lot of things going on in my head right now."
"Like what for example." Edo Wendy seemed curious while also saving Wendy from getting tangled into Carla's schemes that somehow left her a displeased look on her face, directed at the older bluenette.
"L-Like what should we call you from now on."
"Eh?"
"Oh, now that you think about it. It would be pretty hard for everyone to call one of you because you two shared the same name."
The Exceed finally got preoccupied with the new subject as well, letting go of the question that she asked about her partner earlier which gave the dragonslayer a little bit of sigh of relief at the end. Although it's not quite sure that she's entirely safe from her. Carla had a bit of a mischief on her own towards Wendy in certain topics that she finds hard to answer and oftentimes left her embarrassed as a result.
It's one of the things she didn't like to discuss in front of everyone, especially to the mentioned person that got her worked up just now after realizing her mistake on mentioning his name very often.
Not only Wendy had to be careful on everyone but also to her Exceed as well who somewhat developed that same attitude as that of the blue Exceed but much more dangerous and well, more cunning than the last one.
"Hnnn... I never really thought it like that. Probably because I usually call her, Little me, for example." Edo Wendy stated.
"True but what about everyone? It would be really awkward if someone calls you two at the same time by your names." Carla pondered in thought.
"So what'll it be then? I'm not really good at putting up new names." Wendy suggested.
The trio turned to their thoughts at the moment, letting themselves delve deep into their minds to try and find something that would solve the problem.
Their pondering took about almost more than a minute which gave them a set of complicated expressions towards each other. A buzzing sound of their voices hung in the air for a moment until Edo Wendy finally gave up and spoke afterward.
"Let's just leave it like that for now..."
"Y-Yeah. I never really though thinking a new name is that hard."
"Well, I hope the others could help out as well. Oh, and maybe we should hurry. I think we stayed long enough. The others might've gotten a job for themselves, you know." Carla reminded.
"Oh, I almost forgot! We don't want to be late for the job!" Wendy voiced out in a form of panic as she hastily tried to sprint off into the distance.
"Hey, I might be a little late but what's this job you've been talking about?" Edo Wendy asked in confusion.
"Well, we just got a request from another client that specified certain mages so it's our job to answer them and get it done. Most of the requested ones were often the members of our group since we've been standing out quite lately in the last Grand Magic Games." Carla explained.
"Grand Magic Games?"
"Oh, we never mentioned it before, right? It's some sort of an event that happens yearly to determine the strongest guild in Fiore. So far we've been holding the title for five years now." Wendy stated.
"I see..."
As expected of a world bathed in the endless flow of magic, events and other special occasions are often derived from the nature of magic. She saw a lot of things back in her own world where magic is scarce and the hunt for people who use magic carelessly are usually the normal sightings. Her thoughts looked back to the history where every bit of magic is precious to them, regardless of being part of the kingdom or not.
Seeing how this parallel world of endless magic come to her mind, she could only think how every one of them uses magic without any restraint or hesitation. People work on their lives depending on magic and use them as they want.
Her world never had this kind of freedom in magic so hearing things like the Grand Magic Games gave her a new outlook on how this world works differently from them.
Even as a normal person like her who didn't possess any kind of natural born magic can become a magic user through craftsmanship and magic embedment.
"H-How amazing... I would honestly like to see that kind of event someday."
"Ehehe~" For some reason, Wendy felt embarrassed in which the older twin noticed as soon as she turned her head towards her in curiosity.
"Did I say something weird?"
"Not at all... Apparently, our little Wendy here had some pretty good moments in this year's games so she just being modest every time someone talks or praises her in that regard." Carla explained.
"All the more reason to look forward to. I would like to see how you would go out there, Little Me." Edo Wendy smiled earnestly.
"T-Thanks I guess, Older Me."
"Older Me seemed a bit far-fetched... You could just call me, onee-chan." At that moment, Carla and Wendy both stopped along with their feet as Edo Wendy walked a few steps ahead before stopping as well while glancing back with a confused look on her face. The surprised duo had blank looks which looked like they heard something unbelievable that left them this dumbfounded.
"What's wrong?"
"Umm... Did you just say, onee-chan?" Carla spoke.
"Yeah... It feels weird for me to be getting called older me. A big sister would be more a likable term for that matter, right?" She spoke, as a matter of fact, unaware of the true reason why they stopped in the first place.
What they noticed is that she inhibits a tactless attitude which is completely different from her Earthland version. While Wendy is still a bit of a clumsy and shy person, Edo Wendy is straightforward and doesn't hesitate in her actions, including her words as well that got the two shocked in the process.
Talk about opposite sides of the same coin.
Well, it's not like the two of them are not getting along right now. In fact, they seem to at least tolerate each other's presence and maintain a friendly conversation.
Going back to their stuttered faces, Wendy blinked her eyes to snap herself out of her daze and began to speak in return.
"I-Is that so?"
"Hnn... Isn't it weird for you?"
"No, it's just that I'm just surprised that you are a bit straightforward at things."
"Oh..."
"I hate to break it to you two but we gotta hurry..." Carla reminded them once again as the other two lit their eyes in realization, prompting them to sprint off in the distance with Carla flying beside them as they made their way towards the distant building lying in front of their vision.
Near the Fairy Tail building...
The trio eventually arrived by at the main gate as they looked at the very tall structure located right in front of them. Wendy and Carla could slowly feel the sense of warmth coming from their hearts as they stared longingly at the insignia placed on the banner that defined their guild's name and pride. This place was very important to them. Not only because they met so many people inside it but it also gave them a new hope for comfort in their time of abandonment from their last guild.
They wouldn't forget about Cait Shelter of course but Fairy Tail is now their new home and that this place housed most of their memories with their friends. They grew up and nurtured themselves in the last five years in which they changed in so many ways than before.
Edo Wendy noticed their subtle expressions as she saw them gazing at the building itself. She realized just how much they value this place.
Of course, everyone back on Edolas shares the same feeling of appreciation to their guild, her included but to compare it to the two beside her, they seem to hold a much deeper love for their guild than them. Not that she finds it problematic or sorts.
She could only put up a faint smile towards them as she walked a few steps ahead before urging them to follow.
"Come on, let's go meet everyone."
"Okay!"
The other two nodded in response and decided walk inside as they head on to the guild doors and opened it. Edo Wendy followed the duo as the doors slowly reveal the nostalgic sight of the guild's interior.
Maybe... Just maybe, it wouldn't sound too bad to hang out with these people after all.
No matter how different they were from her, they're still her guildmates.
Edo Wendy smiled at that thought as she went inside as well to finally meet the others once again.
...
*Crash*
The sound of furniture breaking first entered their ears and the sight of a flying body was first seen in their eyes as the interior of the guild was finally revealed to the trio. They immediately stopped in shock as the people inside brawl continuously, throwing punches and throwing anything possible just to knock out the other.
Basically, it was just a normal day in Fairy Tail although the fight never escalated this high than before. Even Wendy and Carla noticed it as well.
Their faces were full of sweats together with Edo Wendy who somehow began to see it as an everyday sight inside the guild, not that she was happy about it.
The only thing worth looking into is what caused these people to brawl in the first place. It looks like they're having different sides in which they argued that led them to this result. Either way, they needed to find someone still alive in order to get information.
The trio silently sneaked through the carnage without getting any attention until they finally made their way to the bar counter where it's the only place that hasn't been turned into a battlefield.
The ever smiling barmaid could be seen tending to the counter, cleaning up the mugs with a piece of rug in her hand while looking happily at the war-torn place. Her smile doesn't seem to fit in with the situation and Wendy and Carla knew she tolerates battles often unlike Erza who's always been the only one quelling the whole fight if it gets on her nerves.
They had to wonder, though... Where did the redhead go by the way?
It's such a weird sight to not see the scarlet knight beating up the perpetrators behind this brawl though it doesn't really matter to them that much.
"Ara... Good morning, you two." Mirajane began with a smile.
"Morning, Mira-san." Edo Wendy greeted in return.
"I was just finishing all my chores around the counter. I didn't expect you two to get here so early. The others are still in the middle of their discussion so you'll have to wait until then." The silver-haired maid pointed over to the people fighting each other as another table was thrown in the air, barely missing the barmaid in mere inches to her face, making the others to pop out their eyes in utter surprise.
The two blue-haired girls almost had a heart attack by the way. It's not an everyday routine to see the ever calm Mirajane get almost hit by a table.
Not that it's a good thing, considering what she would feel once she really got to the tipping point.
"A-Anyways, how's everyone doing? I mean, aside from the fight." Edo Wendy decided to ask away in which the barmaid pondered for a moment as she reached her finger over to her chin and gazed into open space momentarily.
"Hmmm... Well, Erza and Lucy got requested by another client so they had to leave early to finish the job. It was an S-Class job so I think they'll be back for a few days, considering that Erza can finish it early. I'm still confused about the specification but knowing them, they would be fine." Mirajane explained.
"I see... So that explains why no one tried to step in to stop the fight." Carla added.
"Oh, Juvia and Gray also got a request to put out a fire monster in a volcano. They said they'll be back by sunset."
"And Natsu?" Edo Wendy asked.
"Just one of the people who are in the fight. Apparently, he and Gajeel had another disagreement and you know the rest. Happy was cheering him on." She pointed over to the blue Exceed floating on the sidelines, cheering for his dragonslayer.
"Now that you mention it, we gotta do our jobs too."
"Here's the requested paper. I'll have it sign up for a few minutes so you two should wait for a moment while I'll get this done upstairs."
The two gave short reply of 'Thanks' to the barmaid as she went out from the counter and onto the stairs before disappearing in sight. The group went over to one of the tables left untouched by the carnage and watched the whole scene unfold. With Mirajane being the source of all gossip around the guild, it's pretty easy for everyone to know about the current situation in just a few minutes.
As she said, some of the members of Team Natsu were already out on a job which only leaves the fire dragonslayer to be the only one who settled long in the guild without any requested job offers at the moment.
But knowing his reputation, it's gonna pop up soon.
"Hnn... So this is your everyday routine, huh?" Edo Wendy started.
"I think so..." Wendy replied.
"With all these damages, it's quite surprising for me to see that you were able to compensate everything."
"Well, our Master has ties with the Magic Council and often pays for all the damages. It's probably the reason why he gets stuck in his office very often due to the complaint papers piling up in his tables every now and then."
"T-That's quite hard for him..." Edo Wendy sweated in response.
"Well, it's not like it's a big deal to him, though. The only reason why he's mad about it is because of the fines he compensated to every destruction our guild members made in their jobs." Carla finished.
"I-Is that so?" She stuttered at her reply after wondering about how their guild managed to go through all it until now.
Talk about collateral damage.
"Even so, everyone's began to lower their destruction since there has been a rise of the dark guilds in the past few days."
"I heard about that from Mira. She said something about dark guilds being a threat or some sort."
"Yes... Apparently, the Magic Council has taken notice about the recent movements of the dark guilds over the past few days and they seem to do a lot of activity than before. They sent up a notice to every legal guild to take caution on every encounter against them." Wendy frowned.
"Why's that?"
"These dark guilds are more aggressive than before. They openly attacked unprotected villages, cities, and even guilds. From what I heard, Sabertooth and Mermaid Heel have been attacked two days ago." Carla answered with a grim look.
Without even noticing it, the atmosphere also turned heavy all of a sudden. Despite all the liveliness Edo Wendy felt around this place, she never really expected for a grim situation to be this serious.
She had no knowledge of the current world's situation so it's expected for her to be shocked at the sudden turn of events.
"I hope the people in those guilds are alright," Wendy answered hopefully.
"They'll be fine. They got those Twin Dragons and that strong swordswoman in Mermaid Heel, right?" Carla reassured.
"Y-Yeah... I think so."
"But even then, we need to be cautious as well. I don't know when will the dark guilds will start to attack us but I'd like us to be prepared for that before it happens."
"That's right."
Somehow, they managed to regain spirit in the midst of the serious discussion as Wendy and Carla smiled in determination while Edo Wendy sat in silence with a deep thought towards the situation.
It might be a hunch but if this sudden rise of dark guilds happened in the midst of her mysterious appearance here in Earthland, it might be a coincidence that someone brought her here unintentionally or rather, someone's trying to reopen Anima once again to connect the two worlds though not under the pretext of the Kingdom.
From what she heard, King Jellal already sealed all the Anima that bridges both worlds and that he transferred all the remnants of their magic into this realm. It was a profound secret that he laid out on their guild in order to keep it concealed from the others.
Everyone back at Edolas had a mixed feeling about the truth behind the depletion of magic in their world but they seem to agree as well due to the fact that they were prepared to face the world without magic altogether. She is quite unsure of what to say for that matter but she nodded nonetheless to bury that secret forever and bring peace to their world once and for all.
Her thoughts soon snapped her back to reality as she shook her head and tried to set aside her worries for the two. As much as she wanted to think about the possibilities, she wouldn't want to ruin her day in learning the culture of this world.
...
After a few more minutes of conversing with one another, Mirajane came back with the paper in hand as she walked back downstairs with a smile on her face.
"Here's your paper. Thank you for waiting."
"Thanks, Mira... Hmm, this job should be a piece of cake." Wendy scanned the paper as her eyes quickly sifted through the contents in just a moment before finishing.
"Well, that's settled. I'll see you girls later." With that, Mira went back to the bar counter to continue her duty while Wendy and Carla prepared all the things they needed for the trip.
"Yosh, let's go, everyone." Wendy grabbed her small backpack while pointing her attention towards the other two.
"E-Eh? Me too?" Edo Wendy stuttered in confusion.
"Of course, it would be a fun experience if you come along, right Carla?" She looked at the white Exceed with bright eyes in which she simply nodded in agreement.
"So she says..." She answered while shrugging her shoulders.
"But I'm not a mage. I don't have anything to fight or some sort like that."
"Oh, now that you mentioned it..."
Wendy pondered as if the thought just recently struck her. Edo Wendy could only look at her counterpart with a sweated expression. As much as she sees her as a responsible girl, she looks like a bit of a klutz.
Carla, on the other hand, had her paws crossed at the predicament.
"Well, we could just, you know, give her a weapon from a blacksmith downtown. From what I remember, you were good with weapons, aren't you?" Her eyes landed on the bluenette in anticipation.
"W-Well I am but it was a long time and I don't use any weapons anymore."
"Well then, it's time to bring back those skills and polish them, don't you think?" Carla smiled before heading straight to the guild door as if the matter was already settled by her decision. Edo Wendy could not help but give a whisper beside her Earthland version.
"Is she always like this?"
"Ehehe~ Well, sort of like that." Wendy couldn't help but put a dry laugh, knowing just how right she was on her Exceed's somewhat authoritative and forceful behavior.
"Are your jobs often involve a lot of fighting? Aren't there any errand jobs or delivery jobs in your Request Board?"
"I-I think so... I haven't really thought about any of the job categories since I've grown used to it." Wendy answered.
Well, she couldn't deny anything about that.
Over the past years, Wendy had grown to fight without hesitation when the situation calls for it. There's still some left from her childish attitude but most of it were changed due to her growing years as a young woman. Although she still always rejects some challenges from her guildmates that wanted to test her strength, she couldn't bring herself to hurt her friends even though it's just an invitation of a challenge.
Her magic prowess didn't stay behind as well. The sky dragonslayer even managed to get herself known in terms of fighting prowess from the guild ranks. Aside from her title as the Sky Maiden, she also developed her powers that made her a promising opponent.
Even some are saying that her powers were close to that of an S-Class.
"Let's go then... It's not like it's going to be that bad. Plus, I think it would be really fun once you get used to it." She reassured.
Edo Wendy couldn't hope of possibly denying their offer since they really insisted her to come. The threat of the rising dark guilds seemed like a memory for the two of them, judging from the lighthearted expressions present on their faces.
With a sigh, she smiled in relief as she walked beside her and patted her head.
"Alright, alright... You lead the way, Little Me."
"I'm not a child, though." She frowned, seeing how she treats her as one despite being a grown-up.
"I'm still older and taller than you... You have a long way to go." She teased.
Now the very sight of the two bluenettes looked like two sisters lightly teasing each other. It's pretty a weird feeling since both of them are just one person on different worlds but they easily got used their new established relationship since none of them seemed to mind about it.
"You two looked like you're getting along with each other."
A familiar voice soon cut through their atmosphere from behind as both heads turned to see Natsu standing right behind them with a usual toothy grin plastered on his face.
"Natsu!?" The two girls stammered in surprise after seeing his presence.
"Yo! Wendy... and Wendy? It's pretty confusing now that we have two Wendys in our guild." Natsu laughed sheepishly.
"Aye!" Came the next reply which comes from the blue Exceed who suddenly flew right beside the fire mage with a smile.
"I'm not part of the guild, though." Edo Wendy blankly replied. Her reply doesn't seem to reach through the pinkette's head and decided to let it slide.
"So... whatcha doing?"
"We're heading out on a job. Wendy–I mean, o-onee-san will be tagging along with us."
"E-Eh? O-Onee-san?"
Happy and Natsu blinked their eyes for a moment after hearing her statement just now. Edo Wendy, on the other hand, looked towards the two with an expression of confusion after noticing their bewildered faces.
"What's wrong, you two? You look like you got struck by something."
"I-It's not like that... It's just the way Wendy calls you her sister is a bit..." They paused until Edo Wendy answers them.
"New? Well, we've been also thinking about it earlier so I figured that it would be fine if she addresses me as her big sister since we're one of the same, don't you think?"
"Haaa..." The two drawled, somehow nodding to her explanation while keeping their weird expressions towards the two girls who share the same name.
"So we'll be calling you Onee-san too, huh?" Happy asked after snapping out from his shocked state.
"Wendy's fine."
"Wouldn't that be misleading the others if someone calls one of you by name?"
"Well, that's for you to decide to whom you're referring to~." She winked.
"That's a bit hard..." Happy scratched his head in confusion.
"Hey, you guys are coming or what?" Cutting through their conversation was Carla who is patiently waiting by the guild doors. The trailing group got preoccupied that they initially forgot about the white Exceed who was leading them to the exit.
"Where are you going?" This time, Natsu started to ask.
"We're heading over to a blacksmith to give Nee-san something to use in the job."
"Oh, like a weapon or something?" His eyes lit up in realization.
"Well, yeah... Sort of like that. Why do you ask?"
"We're coming too."
"Eh? Wait, you're coming with us?" This time, Wendy blinked her eyes in surprise.
"Yeah! It's been awhile since we did a group journey together so I thought about waiting for you and coming along afterward. Plus, Wendy's also here so it'll be fun to see her fight with weapons too." He grinned.
"I-I see... I don't know what Carla would say about this..." She hesitated.
"Don't worry, it's not like we're causing trouble. I'll promise not to break anything in your job."
"Awawawawawa... W-What about you, Nee-san?" She turned to the older bluenette with a stuttering voice.
"Hmm? Why not? The more the merrier, right?"
"Hora, let's get going or we'll be late in the job."
And in just like that, the two tagged along without the consent of the white Exceed.
Wendy could only sigh inwardly at the sudden change of events. It's not that she was in denial of the offer, it's just that she was a bit unprepared herself to act around the pinkette naturally. Specifically, she was getting cautious whenever she's near with the fire dragonslayer.
Puberty and sensitivity of women aside, she was beginning to see the pinkette in a different light. Her sense of admiration and her willingness to be like him sparked a rather different feeling that she had trouble of expressing towards him.
So far, only Carla was aware of her feelings and had been keeping it to everyone all this time. As such that she believes that it would be her to say those words to him and not the other person. Her concern for him was a hint of how much she begins to pay attention to him more than often back then.
She didn't know when she'll be able to say it to him but for now, she wanted to set it aside and decided to enjoy his company along with her friends in addition to her Edolas counterpart.
Placing that reassuring thought inside her mind, Wendy sprinted off to catch up to the two.
Edo Wendy also soon followed as they make their way outside and into the town.
...
The group walked through the busy streets as the town's activity went on to noon. Edo Wendy awed in pure amazement at the huge number of people walking around the town as they continue their busy lives throughout the day. A lot of vendors, shop keepers, and sellers occupy the sidewalks, selling their wares or goods to the townsfolk.
To be honest, the town seemed more bustle than it usually does. The group could've almost assumed that there is an ongoing festival though it's highly unlikely since the Rainbow Sakura is just about a few weeks away from now.
They couldn't be pushing the festival to this day now, is it?
Even so, they never expected to see a lot of people at this time of the day.
"Waaa... There's a lot of people in here. I wonder what's up." Natsu began, placing his hand over to his forehead, gazing through the sea of people in wonder.
"We might not be able to get in time for our job if we stick around here for too long... Let's get to the blacksmith and have Wendy some weapon for the trip." Carla made a quick huff as she sprouted her wings to float around.
"You know, I could just hide in the back and just watch you two do the work... It's not like I'm taking part of the reward for this job." Edo Wendy reminded, seeing how the rest seemed to think about letting her fight instead of just making her watch through the sidelines.
Fighting would be the least thing she would do since their world came into peace and the conflict between them and the kingdom long ended. Everyone is focusing on the restoration of their kingdom and also for the new ways in running it without the help of magic.
She doesn't necessarily have to tag along and fight with them but... judging on how things currently go on their end, it would seem like she's losing the possibility of denying their offer.
Edo Wendy released another sigh...
"That won't do, alright... Plus, it would be more fun to experience when you're doing it instead of watching it."
"You make it sound like beating up people is a normal thing here." She deadpanned.
"Well, you don't have to worry about that. Come on, we gotta get you a weapon for your own choice!"
Overwhelmed by his fiery attitude, the blue-haired woman could only force herself to go along with their offer as Natsu took hold of her hand and began to drag her towards their destination. For a moment, she was surprised at the sudden action but knowing how Natsu usually talks around his guildmates, this is probably normal for them.
"W-Wait up, guys!" Trailing behind was Wendy and Carla who also tried to follow their pace as they saw the two walked off ahead along with the blue Exceed.
"Oyaa... I see a sweet atmosphere coming from those two." Carla muttered teasingly, her eyes directed on the other bluenette in a discreet manner.
"Carla...!" Wendy voiced out grumpily which only earned the Exceed to shrug her shoulders and let the teasing stop for now.
"Alright, alright... But you know Wendy, you can't keep it a secret for too long. Sooner or later, you gotta have the courage to say it to him or else..." Her expression turned serious and her statement was simply cut off by the mumbling bluenette who knew what she meant to her.
"I know about that... J-Just give me a little more time... I can do it by myself..." She paused in between sentences as her tone decreased out of embarrassment, seeing the blushing cheeks present on her face. Her expression, however, looked conflicted at the hearing of those words but she decided to set it all aside as she sprinted off to the catch up with the two.
Carla sighed in depression.
"Haaaa...~ Women are so hard to understand these days..."
Implying a certain person inside her thought, she simply went on and followed from behind, thinking about the current lives of her friends. With the appearance of Edo Wendy, it's more than enough to notice that things have started to change quite a bit from how they were several few days ago.
She couldn't explain it by words but her intuition tells her that her sudden appearance here in their world would surely take a lot of changes on everyone, especially to Wendy. Although the outcome of such occurrence is still unsure.
For the last few years, she hasn't received any ominous premonitions inside her head. The land is too peaceful to spark a large conflict that would trigger her powers to predict the future. However, recent activities of the dark guilds come into play inside her mind.
She had a feeling that she may begin to experience her premonition again soon.
"Oiiii~! Carla!"
The voice of her partner soon guided her back to reality as she looked at everyone, waving their arms in the distance. Her pondering took longer than she usually thought it would and left her floating behind without moving an inch.
"A-Ah, I'm coming!"
And with that, the group continued on their way towards their blacksmith.
...
The group arrived at the blacksmith as they met the owner who instantly gave them a free tour of his collection. Apparently, he was a close acquaintance to Erza since she often comes to his place to take a look at the weapons that she wants to add to her collection.
Natsu and the others have been visiting the place every now and then and it's not surprising that the owner recognizes their faces as soon as they arrived in his store.
They went on to a room where multiple weapons are seen hanging on the walls, each supported by a pair of metal rails to keep from falling. Every craft is embedded with a special type of magic and some even housed a rare type of magic that enhances their capabilities in a fight.
Edo Wendy could look in awe once again as she saw their magnificent craft. She'd seen a lot of weapons back at the kingdom but the variety of such weapons are so many that even some are unrecognizable to her. Ranging from close combat to long range based weapons, the uses vary from each other.
"Well... Don't hold back. Just pick the weapon you think best suits you." Natsu replied from behind together with Wendy and the two Exceeds as they waited for the blue-haired girl to decide on her weapon.
Edo Wendy slowly wandered back and forth from her position, carefully examining the weapons one by one.
"Hmm... What about this one?" She pointed over a sword which seemed to hold intricate markings all over its blade, indicating where the enchantment was placed.
"Ah, that one... It's a wind-based enchantment sword. It gives the weapon a much lighter weight and faster swings but it compensates for the lack of blows needed no matter how much you can pour your strength into it." The owner explained as he activated the sword's power, letting out a small gale of wind surrounding its blade.
"I see..."
"Hmm... It's too simple for a weapon, Wendy. Why don't you try some other weapons? I'm curious why you chose the wind type element, though..." Natsu asked.
"Well... I did somehow take Wendy's nature of magic so I thought I'd go for the same as well... Anyways, I don't like to pick that much of an expensive weapon. I can't possibly pay that much. I'm just starting here, you know..." Edo Wendy reminded.
"That's what you're worried about? Don't worry, Wendy and I will pay for the expenses..." Natsu grinned.
"Hey, I don't want to be in debt to anyone. You don't have to go that far just for me."
"What are you saying? We're happy to lend a hand. Don't take it like you owe us, we just want to help. Ask Wendy here... I'm sure she would say the same."
Edo Wendy stopped for a moment to look at them in wonder. Their smiles occupied her thoughts as her memories back in Edolas resurfaced once more. Honestly, they seem a little too hard to talk things through than her friends. Probably because she's yet to experience the company of these people that are the exact opposite of them in terms of their personalities and outlook on life.
But the care of each other is still the same no matter how different they are from each other.
Nodding in response, she went back to the collection until a certain weapon finally caught her eye in attention.
"This is..." She walked over to the rack and took off the weapon with her two hands.
"Ah, that... It's another wind-based weapon. A rapier to be exact. Honestly, it's one of a kind. I just happen to buy that from another shop which is displayed on the walls since they said that it's pretty useless for a battle, especially to monsters. I took the liberty of putting it back in shape and embedded a special ore that would strengthen its durability against strong opponents..."
"Woah... You're pretty good at making old things new, huh?" Natsu complimented.
"Unfortunately, the weapon is not widely recognized because of its appearance. The only thing that makes it special is through its stabbing power. With the aid of magic, it could even amplify to pierce even the strongest form of defensive magic."
"Woooh!" Natsu and the others could only voice their astonishment at his reply.
"Amazing... It's quite a surprise that Erza hasn't gotten this thing yet."
"Ahaha~ Well, Erza-dono selects her weapons and armors in terms to their wide use of strategic advantages. This rapier deals with a powerful offense but that's all there is to it. At least, that's what I was told in its use. In any case, what's it going to be, missy?" The owner asked as she looked at the silent blue-haired girl holding the rapier at hand.
Edo Wendy looked back to the weapon once again as she took a careful observation of its craftsmanship. The hilt of the weapon was light gold, adorned with a wavy-designed loop guard made of silver along with its blade. Intricate markings etched deep within both the edges of the blade in dark blue color that slowly began to glow in an azure light which surprised the bluenette.
"Hoh! It seems like the weapon responded to its wielder."
"Responded? What do you mean by that?" Carla looked at the owner in curiosity which also caught the attention of the others.
"I forgot to mention it but that weapon is... sentient or rather... responsive towards its owner. There are two types of weapons introduced in the product of enchantment. The one you're seeing now is the rare weapon type while the other is the common weapon used by every mages here in the continent."
"So then, you created this?"
"Ah, no, no... It was like that before I bought it. No one knows about the method in creating these weapons which are why it is so rare. Some say the gods made these weapons while others say that a human soul was used to embed it on them but... those are just rumors. The nature of these weapons is mysterious so it's really hard to tell either way."
"What a complicated history..." Carla crossed her paws in depression.
"But still, for you to have such a thing is really fortunate. I guess this would be expensive." Happy voiced out.
"Well, I could give it a ten percent discount since you guys are from Fairy Tail. Your guild helped me a lot in the past so this is the best offer I could give to you."
"Really?" Natsu and the others couldn't believe of such offer but the smile on the owner's face convinced them that he was true to his words.
"Of course, now all that's left is for her... Will you accept it? I'm sure you can figure something out about finding your own style in this weapon."
Edo Wendy stared intently at the weapon at hand before ushering her feet close together and stood up straight. She lifted her right hand where the rapier was held and slowly stretched it before giving a few swings. A sound of cutting air echoed at every swing, indicating the swiftness of every strike she poured into her stance.
She slowly inhaled her breath to calm herself. Her eyes closed in concentration and after a moment...
"Haaa!"
By the time she took a steady pose, her eyes soon opened once again while also gathering the strength in her arms to stretch her right hand even further. The rapier cut through the air like a quick stab as it broke through the sound barrier, generating a small shockwave that even took the people around her by surprise.
"W-Woah... That was fast!" Happy exclaimed.
"Hahahaha! As expected, it seems you found a perfect weapon for your own fighting style." The owner laughed heartedly.
"I-It's not like that, though... I used to fight with tonfas but I pursued swordsmanship long before when I was a kid." Edo Wendy explained, her stance now drawn back to her original position as she lowered her weapon down in the process.
"Well, I guess that's decided then..." Wendy smiled.
"Yup!" Natsu joined as well with a grin plastered on his face.
"But despite all that, I think we wasted enough time. We should hurry now."
...
After choosing her desired weapon, Edo Wendy and the rest of the group finished their business and went on their way as they made it to the outskirts of town. The two dragonslayers had their baggage strapped onto their back which housed all the supplies they need for the trip.
Edo Wendy walked beside them with her at the center while Natsu and Wendy occupied the left and right respectively.
She's been staring at the rapier lately with a smile on her face. This is probably the first time they saw her smiling like that.
Pulling up the weapon from its sheath, she stared at the blade in which reflected both her eyes and the light.
"Good for you, Wendy..." Natsu spoke again.
"Yes... Thank you for this. I promise to pay you back once I got enough jewels for myself."
"Iyaa... There's no need for any payment. We bought it for you so don't worry about it."
"But still, for a weapon like this to be given to me. It must've been a huge pay. I haven't known about the price." She frowned.
"Ah, that... It was about 450,000 jewels." This time, Earthland Wendy spoke for the group which also made the other blue-haired girl stop in her tracks in shock.
"What's wrong, Wendy?" Natsu glanced back to her with confusion.
"T-This weapon is worth 450,000 jewels?!"
"Hnn... The old man gave us a discount to help us save more jewels, right? So I think it must've cost a lot more. He's such a good person."
No, no, no... We're not talking about his generosity here. More importantly, how come these two are fine with that kind of price to pay for one weapon?
With that much money, it would've been enough to restore a destroyed town in Edolas. She was just utterly shocked just how much they paid for her weapon. Not to mention their carefree expressions as if the cost didn't bother them at all.
"Hmm? Is something wrong, Wendy?" Natsu asked, noticing her suddenly shadowing her face.
"I-I-I will certainly repay all of my debt to you!" She shouted while also performing a bow towards the other two who could only step back away with a sweated look on their faces.
"That's okay... You don't have to worry about it―"
"I WILL CERTAINLY PAY IT ALL BACK!" She spoke in an ominous tone that even made them sweatdrop in the process.
"U-Uh... Okay..." Natsu stuttered, unsure of what to say.
"Let's go, everyone!" Happy's voice cut through their conversation as they all gazed towards him and prepared themselves.
The group could only put up their determined expressions as they went on their journey. Edo Wendy isn't sure about what's to come but seeing how the rest of them seemingly pumped up for the job makes her even motivated to do the same.
"I guess this world isn't really all that bad after all" She thought.
A/N: Chapter ends here, guys. Sorry for the long ass update since I have some work to do from the outside. Hope you guys bear with me for awhile until I solve this case. It's that a big problem that would threaten my usual work towards writing fanfics so rest assured. Let's say it's a bit more like a medium-sized one.
Anyways, hope you like the chapter and leave a review about your thoughts. I'll see you guys in the next chapter. ^^
The wiErDos send their regards...