Fairy Tail: Pirates and Merpeople – Ch. 4

Welcome to the Club

"Wendy Marvell, huh?" Natsu asked slowly. Wendy nodded at him.

"Of the Cait Shelter Pirates." A voice suddenly said. Everyone was standing in a semicircle around Wendy's bed when they all turned in masse to see their elderly captain standing there. He was staring intently at Wendy, which made her clutch Carla a little tighter.

"I see no one bothered to inform the captain that our young guest had awoken?" Makarov stated.

"Captain?" Erza piped up, moving through the crowd until she got close to him. "How did you know-,"

"That's a matter best explained later." Makarov interjected, walking with his hands behind his back through the crowd, which had cleared a path for him. He stopped at the end of Wendy's bed, extending a small elderly hand, blue veins weaving underneath his skin. Wendy returned his grasp.

"I'm Captain Makarov and we-," he said, beckoning toward the crew, "-are the Fairy Tail Pirates. It's very nice to meet you, Miss Marvell."

"Fairy Tail…," Wendy whispered quietly, mostly mouthing it.

"That's right. How are you feeling?" Makarov inquired.

"Oh. A lot better. Thank you…for rescuing me I mean…," Wendy replied, giving a warm, grateful smile.

"Of course."

"We've given her some food and she's slept some, but I really think Wendy needs more rest, Captain." Mira said, stepping forward with a look of concern on her face.

"You're probably right, Mira, but…," he started, turning toward Wendy, "I wanted to ask Wendy a few things, if she's ok with that?"

"Oh…um," she muttered timidly, nodding in agreement.

"Thank you." He smiled, "I'll be as brief as I can. In the meantime…" Makarov began, turning towards his crew who stood at full attention under their captain's gaze.

"…The rest of you go back to the dining hall while I talk to Miss Marvell. Except Erza and Mira. You two stay here as well." The rest of the crew began grumbling and complaining.

"You heard the captain, back to the dining hall, fellas! " Gray shouted over the crowd. The men began filing out of the room, pushing and shoving each other, waving and yelling goodbyes to Wendy as they tried to fit through the small wooden door. Wendy found the sight amusing, the way they picked on one another, laughing and fighting…sort of like a family. A warm smile played on her lips. Makarov smirked when he saw her expression.

"They're all a bunch of whiny children…but they are my children." He said, a look of pride in his eyes.

Once all of them had gone, Makarov turned toward Wendy.

"Now, Miss Marvell. I'm sorry to have to take up your time, but there are some things that need to be asked."

"Mhm." She nodded. "It's fine."

"Well-,"

"Uhm, Captain?" Erza interjected. "I apologize but I'm still a little confused about something. You said something about Cait Shelter. The Cait Shelter Pirates and Wendy being one of them. How exactly did you know that?"

"Ah. Well, I had recognized that flag before. The one with the cat on it, but I couldn't recall the name associated with it. However, when hearing this young lady's name, I instantly knew…"

"But how?" Erza repeated.

"Wendy Marvell of the Cait Shelter pirates. This young woman has an extraordinary 6th sense. A remarkable connection with the sky and with weather; to be able to tell what it's doing. They call her the Sky Maiden."

The girls turned their attention toward Wendy who suddenly seemed very preoccupied with the tips of her hair, avoiding everyone's eyes.

"That's so cool!" a voice suddenly said. Erza, Mira, Makarov, and Wendy's heads snapped to the other side of the room, toward Mira's bed. There was a large lump under the blankets, pink hair poking out at the top. Erza marched over to Mira's bed and latched onto the peachy locks, pulling them with great force, revealing a hiding Natsu.

"Gahh! Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, STOOOPPPPPP!" he screeched. "Geez! You're gonna rip my hair right out of my skull!" he said, a tear running down his face. Erza dropped him face first on the wooden floor with a big THUD.

"Owww.."Natsu groaned.

"You little brat! I SHOULD have ripped your spine right out of your-,"

"Oi Wendy!" Natsu began, jumping up, an excited look on his face. "So you have like superpowers or something?"

"Hey! I was talking to you!" Erza yelled, a vein branching down her forehead.

"Yeah, yeah," Natsu replied, waving a dismissive hand at Erza, his attention focused on Wendy.

"Well…It's not a superpower." She replied shyly, her nose turning pink.

"Then-,"

"Natsu." Makarov interrupted, a grave, blank look on his face. "I thought I told you to return to the dining hall."

"But Gramps! I wanted to stay and talk to Wendy some more, ya know?"

"Natsu, you'll be able to talk with her some other time, but not now. I need to ask her some things and then she needs her rest."

"Then how come Mira and Erza get to stay, huh?"

"Natsu." Erza sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Can't you just follow the Captain's orders for once in your life?"

"I don't mind." Wendy chimed in softly. Makarov looked toward her, then from her to Natsu, debating the issue in his mind. He sighed.

"If it's alright with Miss Marvell, then I suppose it's-,"

"Yess!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Just try and keep quiet, Natsu." Makarov admonished. He took a seat on the edge of her cot. "When we first found you, you unconsciously mentioned a storm or wind."

"I did?"
"Yes. Do you…perhaps remember what that meant?"

"Oh…" Wendy thought, her brow furrowing pensively. "It was…the change in the wind and the clouds, just…the smell of the air…that day."

Mira and Erza looked at one another with concern. Wendy was stroking Carla thoughtlessly in her lap, her eyes distant.

"I could…just tell that a storm was coming. I told my captain and we started to prepare for it. Doing everything that needed to be done but it wasn't even 5 minutes before it came in. I've never seen one close in so fast…It was too late by then. The ship…" suddenly she gasped. Looking up at Makarov, her dark brown eyes, large, her face flushed white. "My…crew." She said quietly, a tear forming in her eye. Mira walked quickly over to Wendy, putting her arm around her. Makarov's glance shifted to Natsu whose eyes were filled with a mix of sadness and anger.

"Natsu," Makarov started. Natsu turned toward his captain. "I think maybe you should leave." Natsu simply replied with a slow nod, then stood up and started walking towards the door. He stopped before walking past Erza, her face contoured by a look of pain that seemed to reach her heart. Natsu squeezed her shoulder gently. She replied with a steady look that said "thank you" as Natsu removed his hand then left the room.

Natsu was walking slowly and thoughtfully back to the dining hall, his hands in his pockets. As he neared it, the smell of Mira's cooking and the sound of all his friends laughing seeped into the hallway. Seeing that the girl they saved form the wreck was finally awake and that she was ok had definitely lightened their spirits. Natsu began to feel better too, but seeing Wendy's expression, the horror on her face as she remembered what happened to her crew, her friends, made him sad, and for some reason, ignited a feeling of rage. He had reached the doors to the dining hall, his fingers just beginning to wrap around the handles when he stopped.

"Aww, man." He said slapping his forehead, his hand on his hip. "I forgot Happy! Stupid!"

Natsu jogged his way back down the hallway to Erza and Mira's room. Once he got close enough to hear their voice he slowed down to a walk. He heard them talking to Wendy who sounded calmer than when he left.

'That's good.' Natsu thought.

"-from Cait Shelter?" he heard Makarov asked.

"No…" Wendy responded. "My mother…she…disappeared years ago along with some of her friends." At the mention of Wendy's words, Natsu stopped dead in his tracks.

'Disappeared?' he thought. 'She couldn't be…'

"Some Cait Shelter pirates found me in the woods. I was really sick, apparently." Wendy looked down at her hands, a sad smile on her face. "They…took really good care of me."

Natsu moved closer to the door, the tip of his boots caught in the line of light coming out of the room.

"Do…do you know possibly what might've happened to…your mother?" Makarov continued. Wendy shook her head.

"Nuh uh. She left on her ship that morning, but…she didn't come back."

"Wait, wait. Wendy," Erza said holding a hand up. "Your mother. Was she…a pirate?"

"No…" Natsu whispered, holding his breath.

"Yes," Wendy replied, "Her name was Grandine,"

"No way…" Natsu breathed, mouth parted.

"She was a member of the Dragon's Claw Pirates."

Natsu backed away from the door, eyes wide. Then, without listening to anymore of the conversation, he turned around and ran down the hallway.

Natsu stood outside the dining hall doors leaning on the wall as his crewmates filed out, making their way to the sleeping quarters or their duties on deck. Some waved at him or talked trash or tried to strike up a conversation, but his focus was elsewhere. He stood there waiting until he saw Gajeel walk out, scratching his head and yawning, walking to the stairs the go up on deck. Natsu jogged after him until he was a few feet away.

Gajeel was strolling leisurely, mouth wide, mid-yawn, hands in his pockets when all of a sudden…

"Gahh! Hey, hey, hey!" Gajeel yelled as Natsu pulled him backwards by his long hair.

"You're coming with me." Natsu said, continuing back down the hallway. Gajeel twisted around, grabbing a hold of Natsu's wrist and pushing him off.

"WHAT is your PROBLEM?!" Gajeel roared, pinning Natsu to the wall. Natsu held up his hands in defense.

"Stop freaking out, I just need you to-,"

"FREAKING OUT!? You just come up behind me and pull me BY MY HAIR down the hallway?! You-,"

"Gajeel." Natsu interjected, his eyes dark, serious. Gajeel let go of him and backed away, pacing with his hands on his hops, breathing through flared nostrils, all the while glaring at Natsu. Natsu watched him pacing. He quirked his eyebrows at Gajeel, as if to say 'Done?' Gajeel stopped mid-pace and stared at Natsu while tapping his foot. He breathed in a deep breathe through his nose and then out, along with his anger.

"…WHAT do you want, Dragneel." Gajeel finally managed to say. Natsu's green eyes lit up as he steeped toward Gajeel.

"Follow me." Natsu said with a wide grin. Before Gajeel could respond, Natsu turned and began walking quickly down the hallway. Gajeel stood there confused for a second .

"…O-Oi, Dragneel!" He yelled, jogging to catch up with him. "Mind tellin' me where were goin' first?" He said as he reached Natsu trying to keep his pace.

"Wendy's room."

"The girl we rescued?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Natsu stopped in his tracks, causing Gajeel to almost run into the back of him.

"Hey!" Gajeel yelled. "Wha-,"

"Wendy's one of us, Gajeel."

"A pirate? Yeah, the old man already-,"

Natsu stared back at Gajeel intensely. Gajeel's face fell blank. 'He doesn't mean…?' He thought.

Natsu nodded, as if reading his mind. He turned around and started walking again. Gajeel followed from behind.

"Yep! Her mom was one of them. A Dragon's Claw Pirate and she disappeared just like the rest of 'em. Just like our dads."

"How do you know that?"

"I heard her say it to Gramps."

"So you were spying?"

"No, I was-,"

"Yeah, spying. Anyway, so what? What are we gonna do? Just barge into the kid's room and start askin' her a bunch of questions about our Metalicana and Igneel? I doubt she knows any more than we do."

"That's exactly what we're gonna do."

Gajeel was stunned silent for a second as they walked. 'Is he serious?'

"Oi, Flamebrain! I don't think this is such a good idea." Gajeel shouted from behind. Natsu smiled, turning his head around.

"What? Don't tell me the great Black Steel is afraid of little girls?"

"Don't get it twisted, fire freak. Besides…it's usually the other way around is the problem…," Gajeel said, looking away from Natsu.

Natsu stopped and Gajeel stopped too. They looked at each other, then Natsu smirked.

"Don't worry. She's just like us remember?" He started walking, slowly this time, with his hands in his pockets. "Besides," he began, turning and continuing down the hallway backwards, facing Gajeel. "This girl's brave, I can tell. Ugly people won't scare her that easily." He laughed.

Gajeel caught up to him, putting a strong arm around his neck, squeezing.

"Gihihi. Then I ain't got nothin' to worry about. She seemed to like you enough." He said with a big grin.

"I'm not ugly!" Natsu choked out. Gajeel pushed him forward.

"Gihi. Yeah, Whatever."

They walked in silence until they got to the corner that led to the hallway to the sleeping quarters. As they kept walking, the way became darker, the torches hanging on the walls blown out as not to disturb those sleeping. Natsu looked around the corner to see if anyone was there.

"All clear." He whispered back to Gajeel who nodded in reply. They rounded the corner, walking quietly. When they got to Wendy's door, Natsu pressed his eye to the open crack. He saw Wendy sitting on her cot, petting Carla and Happy.

"Some best friend…" he whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"She alone?"

"Yeah, well no. Happy and Carla are in there."

Gajeel rolled his eyes. "Yeah, 'cause the cats count."

"They do!" He whispered insistently.

"They do what?" a voice came from behind Gajeel. They both jumped, turning around to see Mira, white hair and blue eyes almost glowing in the dark.

"Mira!" Natsu laughed nervously. She raised one eyebrow.

"Oh. Uh, we were just…" Gajeel began.

"Yeah! I left Hap in Wendy's room so…"Natsu added. Mira smiled.

"That's why you brought Gajeel with you?" she said knowingly. Gajeel and Natsu exchanged a glance.

"Umm." They said simultaneously. Mira sighed, walking past them.

"Come on." She said, opening the door for them. "But, make it quick. Erza's on duty but she'll be back to check up on Wendy. She's going to be mad if she finds you here."

Gajeel and Natsu nodded back, following Mira into the room.

"Wendy, you have some guests, if that's alright." Wendy looked up to see Natsu and Gajeel at the door.

"Oh, um. Hi, Natsu," she said quietly. Natsu walked towards her while Gajeel stayed a little behind.

"Wendy, can we talk?"

"Oh, uh…what about?" She said setting Carla on the floor.

"Your mom." Natsu blurted matter- of -factly. Wendy went stiff. She looked from Natsu to Gajeel, then back again.

"Dragneel." Gajeel hissed. "Could you be any blunter?"

"My…my mom?" Wendy asked, her brows furrowed. Gajeel rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I know it sucks of me to ask you something like his, but your mom…she was a Dragon's Claw Pirate, wasn't she?"

Wendy sat with her mouth parted. "How'd you know that?"

Gajeel sighed. "Guess you were telling the truth, Natsu." He walked forward to stand next to him. Natsu looked away, slightly irritated.

"Duh. I'm not a liar…"

"Well…" Gajeel said putting his hand on Natsu shoulder and turning his gaze to Wendy. "Welcome to the club."