I own nothing, my dudes.
In The Big City
The island of Magnolia was the central hub of the Red Sea. Every day its ports docked new ships and its streets bustled with people and vendor's stands. If one looked hard enough, he (or she) would spot a "retired" pirate enjoying the simplicities of a local bar. The island had started out as a large trading port for all three of the Continents to use. After the Red Sea became its own unofficial continent, Magnolia's population and popularity grew. The inland scenery was beautiful and the entire island was habitable- it was the shining island. The island became the ideal place to settle down. But like any other "shining city" the high demand to make a life for oneself was not met with an equal return. Many people who came from small farming islands ended up jobless and living in the slums of the island. Becoming successful in Magnolia was a tall order, but met with a great award.
Mirajane Strauss viewed herself as one of the select few that "made it" in the city island. She owned a fairly popular bar and could easily sustain herself. She and her two siblings moved to the island when they were all but children and worked odd jobs to get where they were. Mirajane had gotten her hands on an empty building when she was seventeen and used all of her saving to start up a bar. Her warm and motherly personality attracted many people and soon her bar became one of the best in Magnolia.
Mira had been running her bar for seven years now, and she could proudly say that she was finally content with her place in life. Washing dishes and breaking up drunken fights admittedly didn't seem very appealing to the general public, but to Mira, it made her feel complacent.
She had nice customers, fun regulars, and interesting travelers. She loved to listen in on the many adventure stories that different foreigners exchanged over a mug of beer.
Mira always wore a small smile that was purely genuine. Mira and her bar were practically the hidden gems of Magnolia.
Anyway, said practical momma angel was serving a weary man a small warm meal which he thanked her for.
Another tip about Mira- her cooking was that of the heavens.
As the evening came, the crowds of people slowly trickled into her humble cavern.
One customer in particular unceremoniously dumped himself on a bar stool to Mira's put his head on the counter and let his arms dangle.
Mira looked at him, pursed her upper lip, and sighed. She beckoned Kinnana, one of her star employees, and asked if she could cover for her.
The sweet bluenette said yes and Mira promised her a few extra jewels in her pocket.
Mira made her way over to the depressed looking man.
She sat herself down in front of him and put her chin in the palms of her hands.
"I assume that the date didn't turn out the way you hoped."
The man looked up with a sad wounded puppy look in his eyes.
"Oh, Mira!" The man exclaimed, "It went horribly!"
He hurried his face in his hands and groaned, "I thought he was the one you know? He was smart and quirky and really everything I was looking for." The man sniffled a bit, "But he was so, so…."
Mira egged him on.
"...Annoying!" the man found his words, "he nitpicked over everything, criticized the waitress, and had no sense of decorum! He was absolutely atrocious Mira!"
Mira patted the man's back.
"Now, now Freed," she spoke with soothing words, " I'm sure you'll find the person you're looking for."
"I've been looking for years," Freed wailed.
"Well sometimes, you just have to keep trying," the silver-haired woman said.
"Maybe I should just give up," Freed grumbled. His normally pristine hair was slightly tangled and his little "antennae" hairs weren't as perky.
"I don't ever want to hear you say that at in Justine." Her voice went from soothing to a bit more commanding. "You're the man of some other man's dreams somewhere, so go find them and have a happy ending."
Freed whined, "But I've looked so hard and found nothing."
"Then keep looking." Mira promptly stood up and got the sulking green man a glass of ginger ale (alcohol and a moping Freed don't mix). Freed graciously accepted the PG-rated drink and sipped it intermittently.
If you haven't already gotten the message, Freed was gay- and a hopeless romantic.
Mira sat down again and took a sip of water (yes water- when you work 24/7 in a bar, water is the best way to go).
"You never know, Freed," she mused, "Your dream guy could be a dashing pirate come to sweep you off of your feet!"
Freed snorted into his glass.
"I hope he doesn't literally sweep me off my feet though."
Mira laughed herself and said, "Yes you do you romance nut."
"Says the one that enjoys playing matchmaker," the Freed mumbled.
Mira chuckled, "You got me there."
"Anyway, do you have any feelings for anyone?" Freed got tired of talking about his depressing love life.
"I'm not really cut out for that life-" Mira paused," I just want to focus on the bar."
"Whatever works for you." Freed downed his (ginger) ale, "Thanks, Mira, you always know how to make me feel better."
Freed smiled, recomposed himself and waved Mira goodbye.
She waved back and continued drinking her water. What she said was true- she wasn't interested in starting any relationships, any of her own anyway. She wasn't broken. It wasn't as if her heart had been shattered by a past lover- she just wasn't interested.
Mira sat there fiddling with her glass and just thinking- reminiscing about the earlier years.
"Hey Mira," Kinnana said, "The bar is getting a bit crowded…"
Mira snapped out of her daze.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" The white-haired girl apologized, "I'll be right over! Don't forget to remind me about that extra cash."
Mira washed her glass out and then proceeded to take her awaiting customer's orders.
~X~
In every world, there will always be some sort of segregation because if ignorant animosity.
In this world's case, Mermaids were the subject to, er, harsher treatment. A few centuries back, all legal hostility was eradicated and most social tensions were lessened. But, the time hasn't erased all of the bad history.
A rather racial word one used for Mermaids was "Mer". The last thing someone wants to call a Mermaid is a Mer.
One of Jellal's crew members did just that and Jellal was seriously considering jumping off of his boat into the sea.
Someone had just shouted it and when the word left their mouth, the already scowling Mermaid went from angry to a mood that could be described as "fucking angrier than hell".
Jellal waved his hands in a flustered matter, "I am so sorry for that- he didn't mean any harm-"
"I don't care what he meant by it- he has used a forbidden word against me and my girls!"
If looks could kill, the entire world would be dead ten times over. Yeah, Jellal was seriously considering jumping off of this damn boat.
If things couldn't get worse, Gray started rambling about the injustice in the world (kinda ironic considering he's a bloody pirate) to the blue haired girl next to the circlet lady. And the girl seemed to be taking it like sugar.
Jellal cut Gray off (much to the disdain of the Mermaid) and turned to speak to Circlet Lady with a brilliant idea forming in his mind.
"Miss…"
"Lady Aquarius to you pirate," she seethed.
Jellal nodded, "Lady Aquarius, we have a proposal for you."
"Wait we do?" Natsu asked wearily. His sea sickness was starting to fade a little- his body getting used to the chewing waves.
Gray nudged the boy in the robs to tell him to shut up and almost started a fight- until Laxus hit them both on the head.
"Er, we would like to have our wonderful musician Gajeel perform a bit of his not yet released major album!" Jellal was grasping at strings here.
The girl with purple hair finally spoke up, "Wait?! As in THE Gajeel Redfox?! The international sensation?! The Shoobie Doo Dah Dude?!"
And then Jellal did something stupid- he made finger guns, finger guns, "That's the guy!"
"Oh my gosh," purple hair started to hyperventilate.
"I'll even throw in a free autograph as an apology for that accident."
"OH PLEASE LADY AQUARIUS!"
After a lot of begging the lady finally gave in.
"Fine-" Jellal let out a sigh of relief, "but if we catch you again…"
She let the threat linger and one could hear all of the tough pirates gulp.
Jellal nodded and summoned Gajeel, who was sleeping for some reason, and told him to get his guitar.
After a few minutes of waiting, the man arrived in front of the trio of Mermaids and said, "Alright ladies, since this is an unaudited performance, please keep what you hear here a secret."
And then he started to "Shoobie."
Jellal thanked the sea for his musician and his popularity.
Suddenly, the jumping into the sea didn't seem quite as appealing as it did before.
Longer chapter!
~Shad
