"CIRCUS ANIMALS?! HOW CAN YOU BE CIRCUS ANIMALS?!"
The moment Happy escorted the Fairy Tail Troupe out of the castle and into the wheat fields; he exclaimed those words with complete shock and confusion. All this time, the warriors he hired to protect Extalia from the Grimoires turned out to be a bunch of circus animals.
Natsu answered, "Okay, it's not easy as it sounds, but it's the truth. We're circus performers representing the Fairy Tail Troupe, the most popular circus troupe of all time." He rubbed his head awkwardly, "Well, we used to be performers, until the ringmaster kicked us out."
"So, if you're ex-circus performers, then how come you use magic? I saw you beat up those thugs in Magnolia," Happy stated.
Wendy explained, "Everyone in the Fairy Tail Troupe is gifted with special kinds of magic. We use it to make the acts more amazing and defend ourselves from danger."
Happy beamed hopefully, "Does that mean you'll still help us?"
Gray frowned, "Hey, hey, hey. You said nothing about killing Grimoires, pal. You lied to us!"
Lucy agreed, "That's right! We have magic and we can fight, but the Grimoires are way out of our league! We don't stand a chance against them!"
Happy cried incredulously, "What?! I saw you in the bar, facing those bad guys and acting like genuine mercenaries!"
"That's right. Acting," Romeo corrected. "We did it to distract those lunatics. We don't want to cause any collateral damage. We planned to have Natsu fight them outside, but that plan backfired, and… you saw what happened."
Happy protested, "So you're in no way REAL WARRIORS?! Do you have any idea what this means? This is false advertising! And false advertising's against the rules!"
"Are you accusing us of something we're incapable of doing?" Jellal scowled, stepping forward. "You, Mr. Happy, are the charlatan in this scenario, touting your wares as a talent scout, preying upon the hungry souls of hapless artistes!"
Levy added, "It took us that mural and that little stage play to realize where we were. You all thought we were heroes. We thought you were asking for a show. It was all just a big misunderstanding."
Happy argued, "Come on! You look plenty strong in my book! You can take out that Grimoire Heart Gang, I know you can!"
"We've heard about the Grimoire Heart Gang. We know who they are," Jellal responded bitterly. "They are a legion of marauding demons from the north with a track record of pillaging the most cities in Ishgal. In case you are aware, a hundred wizards stood up against them and fell in battle. There is not a single person who lived to tell the tale about the Grimoires and their sinister leader, Bluenote Stinger."
Happy exclaimed, "You knew the Grimoires? Blutenote, too? They took down a hundred wizards? How much trouble could they be?"
"Oh, you have no idea!" Lucy responded. "We've been through a few pubs and heard stories about them. One example was that chaotic Tenrou Island offensive." She cleared her throat, "Before that battle, job requests had been through the roof; guild wizards took the same job request to take down the Grimoire Heart Gang in their secret hideout of Tenrou Island. It was judged to be a relatively easy operation; over the course of a week, the wizards would take the hamlet and route the Grimoire forces. What they did not account for were the different kinds of black magic they possess, not to mention their fortress was heavily guarded with booby traps."
Happy's eyes glowed with curiosity, "Seriously?"
Lucy continued, "A week dragged into four months. A hundred wizards were lost. Less than fifteen survived. This humiliating loss had been a slap in the face for the magic community. Don't you see?" She looked at Happy seriously, "You don't know more about the Grimoires than we do. Do you know what'll happen if we cross them? They'll catch us, and they'll have our heads."
"You know what? Lucy's right," Natsu sighed. "Blindly rushing against the Grimoires would be suicide, we know that. But…" He then chuckled, "…we'll have to put that to the test!"
Happy asked, "What are you saying?"
Gajeel smirked, "Who cares how tough they are? We won't know what they're capable of unless they bring the fight to us. So we'll stay and keep up the warrior act, furball. We'll fight them Grimoires for ya."
Gray, Lucy, Levy, and Jellal exclaimed in unison, "WHAT?!"
Romeo agreed, "Yeah. We'll show them what happens when you mess with the Fairy Tail Troupe. We're more than a troupe; we're a team, a family, and we stick together, no matter what."
Wendy smiled, "No one in our troupe ever leaves a friend behind."
Erza grinned, "It is our honor to fight the enemy on your behalf. We may not be real warriors, but we are capable of holding our own."
Jellal muttered despairingly, "Even my lover decided to stay here? Is she willing to throw her life away?"
"Bring 'em on!" Natsu shouted proudly. "We're not afraid! When those jerks get here, they won't know what hit 'em!"
"AYE!" Happy cheered excitedly. "You're really gonna help us! I knew you wouldn't say no!" As he, Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Gajeel, and Erza chattered in agreement, only Gray, Lucy, Levy, and Jellal stared with shocked faces.
Gray whispered to the others, "It's really starting to get in their heads. Pretend to be warriors? Fight the Grimoires? Somebody's gotta knock some sense into them!"
Lucy agreed, "The Grimoires killed a lot of wizards. I can't risk losing my boyfriend!"
Levy added, "Gajeel, too! Without him, who else is going to play the Iron Beast? We need to get outta here. But how?"
Jellal suggested, "I have a plan. When Happy is distracted, we freeze Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Gajeel, and Erza into ice blocks. Then we head for the Fireball Dragion, and we're home free!"
Levy approved, "Brilliant!"
Lucy nodded, "Great idea!"
Gray rubbed his hands glowing with Ice-Make Magic, "Leave it to me."
"Happy!" a voice was heard far off. Gasping, the blue Exceed knew who that voice belonged to. He flew back to the wheat field clearing where he and the others entered, tracing the voice. "I really do think I should be part of this meeting! Happy!"
Happy pulled aside a few wheat stalks and saw Carla sporting a sly look. He responded nervously, "Oh, Princess Carla. What a nice surprise…"
Carla asked suspiciously, "Just what exactly is going on? I'd like to have a word with these so-called warriors."
Happy shook his head, "You can't. They're in the middle of a top-secret meeting right now, and they really shouldn't be disturbed." He turned behind him, "Right, guys?"
He was shocked to see the Fairy Tail Troupe marching away; Gray succeeded on turning the ones willing to fight the Grimoires into ice sculptures, and they were whisked away by the ones against that idea. Their plan had worked!
Happy turned back to Carla, trying to hold his nervous breakdown, "Could you excuse me, please?" He then dashed away, the wheat stalks blocking Carla's view. All that remained was Happy's screaming voice, "WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! PLEASE, DON'T GO!"
"I'm not going anywhere! What is going on?" Carla demanded. She pushed the stalks away and peered into the clearing. "Happy?" She was surprised to see that Happy and the circus performers had disappeared. "Happy?!" Finally, she groaned in agitation, "I knew it!"
By the time Happy caught up, he spotted Jellal and Levy operating the Fireball Dragion, with Gray and Lucy keeping the frozen statues of Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Gajeel, and Erza in place. The flying machine was already activated, and it was taking off from the same location Happy left Extalia with. From the top of the dandelion tree, Lector and Frosch observed the scene with worried looks.
"WAAAAAAIIIIITTT! WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! PLEASE, DON'T GO!" Happy screamed frantically. Without them, who would protect the Exceeds? And how would he win the trust of the kingdom, mostly Princess Carla's?
Lucy took notice of Happy's plight. She alerted, "Quick! He's losin' it!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Spreading his wings, Happy flew up and clutched onto the Dragion's rear bumper. "NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! YOU CAN'T GO! I'M DESPERATE!"
"Really?" Gray said sarcastically, looking down at Happy. "I couldn't tell."
Lucy frowned, "You should've asked for better help instead of us! Go find some real warriors and leave us alone!"
Happy refused, "NO! YOU'RE MY BEST BET! YOU CAN'T GO!"
Lector and Frosch frowned at this expense. The dark red Exceed commented, "This is not good. For some reason, the new guys were offended and they're gonna leave. And Happy's trying to let them stay!"
Frosch insisted, "We have to help somehow!" He flapped his wings, attempting to fly after the group, his brother trying to do the same. "Come on, wings…"
That effort proved fruitless when the two fell and crashed onto a dandelion stalk, flinging them away from the tree and into the endless sea of clouds. "HELP!" they screamed.
In the castle, while Chagot and the royal council were discussing the Fairy Tail Troupe's arrival, Carla appeared in front of them. She said sternly, "Mother, Happy is up to something."
The Dragion flew across the gap and lowered their altitude towards a nearby mountain cliff. Happy kept on screaming, begging, and holding on; he would not relinquish his last hope. Gray and Lucy hopped out of the vehicle and grabbed the blue Exceed's legs, attempting to pull him off. Gray shouted, "Okay, Happy, time to get you off the car now. Get off the car! You're cutting off the circulation to the rear bumper!"
Levy demanded, "Let go of the car! Happy, we mean it, now!"
Jellal snapped, "Get your paws off the car!"
Suddenly, Happy's eyes diverted separately. His new surroundings consisted of a large stream of silver scales scattered throughout the rocky terrace, followed by a large nest with a clutch of eggs bosomed in its comfort. The Exceed's eyes widened with extreme horror; he had seen this before, and that sight wasn't a good one. With a high-pitched scream, Happy let go of the Dragion and flew the other way as fast as he could, not daring to look back. "RUN! MAX SPEED!"
When the blue Exceed disappeared into the clouds, the Fairy Tail Troupe (those not frozen by Gray's magic) was left confused. Lucy commented, "Boy, he sure is fast for a fleabag."
But the worst was yet to come. A massive stomping noise boomed, the vibration shattering Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Gajeel, and Erza's frozen forms with great force. The recovery took a few seconds of shivering and shrugging off the cold.
Natsu groaned, "Geez, is it cold outside, or is it just Gray? What the heck's going on?"
Lucy began, "Well, there's this big noise—" She was interrupted by an inhuman growl, which made all the circus animals freeze, followed by a large shadow looming over them.
Wendy muttered nervously, "Tell me that was your stomach, Natsu."
Natsu stated, "That sounded too hungry to sound like my stomach."
Romeo nodded, "Okay, then it must've been an earthquake."
Lucy answered uneasily, "That sounded too loud for an earthquake, either."
The answer came in the form of an inhuman roar. A roar that any animal would recognize and strike fear into their hearts.
Levy shivered, "Tell me that's not what I think it is…" She and the others turned around…
…and gasped upon seeing an extremely large mastodonic creature whose body was covered in thick swirled-patterned silver scales, razor sharp teeth, round blank eyes, and large wings. But it wasn't just any creature!
"DRAAAAAGGGGOOOOOONNNNNN!" They all shrieked in absolute terror.
The creature's name was Motherglare, otherwise known as the Adamantine Dragon for his impenetrable scales. He resided in the mountains north of Extalia, fiercely protecting its nest from any intruders. Those who ventured into Motherglare's nesting ground suffered a terrible fate, and no one lived to tell the tale. And of all the creatures from the outside world ever feared by the people of Extalia, the Adamantine Dragon was the obvious choice.
The Fairy Tail Troupe screamed in fear and began to run away, fearing for their lives, unintentionally leaving behind the Flying Dragion in the process, before the machine was smashed into pieces under Motherglare's foot. Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel were Dragon Slayers, sure, but they've never faced a real dragon before, and despite the fact their magic was designed to destroy dragons, the three were chicken to face a real one!
Meanwhile, Carla led Chagot and the royal council to the cliffs of Extalia, in hopes of exposing the 'warriors' for the frauds they were. "This way," she gestured. "There they are." Upon arrival, everyone gasped upon seeing the Fairy Tail Troupe running after Happy, away from the chasing jaws of Motherglare. Carla recognized, "Motherglare!"
Chagot added, "The Adamantine Dragon!"
What shocked them the most was Lector and Frosch clinging onto the floating dandelion stalk, screaming for help. "HAPPY!"
"Look!" Carla pointed a paw.
"Lector! Frosch!" Chagot cried worriedly.
"HAPPY!" Lector and Frosch kept on screaming.
Motherglare's eyes suddenly averted to the dandelion stalk. Licking his tongue hungrily, he decided to devour the pre-meal before the main course. Changing direction, the dragon flew at breakneck speed towards the dandelion, destroying it with his wings, but unable to catch Lector and Frosch in his jaws, instead letting them fall into the clouds as they screamed.
"LECTOR! FROSCH!" Carla yelled in horror.
"My babies!" Chagot closed her eyes, not bearing to watch her younger sons die.
During the chaos, Gray took notice of Lector and Frosch's fall. At least saving the kids was better than being eaten by a dragon. He shouted, "I gotcha! I gotcha! I gotcha, I gotcha, I—" He caught Lector and Frosch in his arms, but ended up falling into a large crack. Motherglare landed on top, the vibration causing a batch of rocks to tumble and fall. One rock squashed Gray's right leg, making him yell in extreme pain, the other one hitting him in the head, knocking him unconscious.
On the cliff…
Chagot and the royal council attempted a better look, but Motherglare's wings blocked their view. They chattered anxiously, "I can't see! Somebody do something! Are they all right? Did anyone see? What is happening?"
At that moment, Carla noticed a blade of grass complete with a bead of dew. Perhaps she could use Happy's inventive genius to her advantage…
At the canyon…
Looking behind a rock, Happy and the Fairy Tail Troupe saw Motherglare trying to fit his jaws through the pit Gray, Lector, and Frosch were stuck in, and heard the two Exceeds' screams. "Lector? Frosch?" Happy recognized.
Jellal exclaimed, "Good heavens, they're in trouble!"
"Gray, Gray, Gray, Gray, Gray, Gray, Gray…" Wendy and Romeo stammered nervously.
Just then, Happy beamed with a plan. "Guys, I've got an idea!"
Levy hoped, "Whatever crazy idea you've got in your head, I hope it works!"
Natsu stated, "As much as I hate to admit it, Gray's a part of our Fairy Tail Troupe family."
Lucy said adamantly, "We can't leave him behind!"
On the cliff…
After a few seconds, Carla ran back with the grass-dew telescope she managed to create. "Here, I've got it!" Her eye fixed through the device, she saw Motherglare trying to reach his jaws inside the pit.
In the pit…
Lector and Frosch tried to wake up an unconscious Gray to no avail. They cried frantically, "Please, mister! Wake up! Wake up!" They were cut off when the dragon's sharp teeth scratched the dirt, causing them to reel underneath an edge. "Help! Help!"
"Yoo-hoo!" Natsu's voice echoed. Motherglare turned to see the salmon-haired hedgehog being carried by a strained Lucy. "Yo, Mr. Early Dragon! How 'bout a nice salmon hedgehog on a blonde fox?"
Lucy wheezed, "Too… heavy… Do you… think you could… lose a little weight…?"
Natsu scoffed, "What? And look like the New Generation Natsu? Are you outta your mind? Just stick to the plan!" He called out to Motherglare, "Come and get it! Nice, juicy, spicy meat!" The Adamantine Dragon went for Natsu and Lucy, compelled to eat them for breakfast.
Once they were past the rock the rest of the group hid behind, Happy gave the signal, "Let's go!"
"I'll lend a hand!" Wendy offered. "O swift wind that breaks through the Heavens… Vernier!" Upon chanting that incantation, Romeo, Gajeel, Levy, Jellal, and herself were surrounded with magical aura, granting them powers of flight.
"Solid Script: Net!" Levy flicked her hands, and a net held by the five performers materialized.
"There they are!" Happy pointed to Lector and Frosch, who waved frantically from the pit alongside a knocked out Gray. When the group arrived, Happy gave the troupe members the signal to lower the net down. Wendy and Romeo dragged Gray into the net, while Lector and Frosch hugged Happy tearfully in relief. "Happy!"
Happy assured, "It's gonna be okay, guys."
Meanwhile…
Natsu laughed mischievously as Lucy backed him away from Motherglare near a pit. He taunted, "Bye-bye, scaly!"
"Erza, that's your cue!" Lucy called out. And with that, they jumped into the pit and disappeared from sight.
On the cliff…
Carla observed through the telescope, "The fox lady's using the hedgehog as live bait!"
Samuel admired, "How brave!"
And then…
"Requip! Flame Empress Armor!" Erza emerged from the same pit Natsu and Lucy fell into, having changed into her Flame Empress Armor, sprouting wings of radiant flame. Fluttering the graceful flames surging from her armor, the crimson-haired feline lured Motherglare away from Happy, Wendy, Romeo, Gajeel, Levy, and Jellal, who were carrying Lector, Frosch, and Gray back to Extalia. The plan had proceeded as they had hoped.
That is, until Gray came to and winced in pain, "Gah, my leg! WHOA!" He tipped the net by accident. Gajeel, Levy, and Jellal tried to keep the net in balance. Happy, Wendy, and Romeo held onto Gray's legs, whilst the shape-shifting echidna held both Lector and Frosch tightly in his arms, keeping the young Exceeds from falling to their doom.
Upon hearing a series of desperate cries, Motherglare turned his attention from Erza and instead chased after Happy's group. Carla called out from the cliff, "The dragon! The dragon! Look out for the dragon!"
"Happy!" Lector and Frosch informed the group of the impending chaos. It wasn't long before the gang took notice. Motherglare was coming for them!
They approached the edge of the cliff, and Wendy and Romeo cried out, "CLIFF! UP, UP, UP, UP, UP, UP, UP, UP…" In response, Levy, Gajeel, and Jellal gathered every ounce of strength to lift the net and fly up the cliff, the Adamantine Dragon's jaws inching closer. One snap of the mouth, and they're as good as dead…
WHOOSH! Happy's group had miraculously passed through the thorny plants protecting the leaves of the Extalia Tree. Looking back, they saw Motherglare trying to squeeze through. He put his feet on a thorny vine to try and remove it, but roared out in pain, realizing the thorns were too much for his adamantine scales. Growling, the Adamantine Dragon flew away from the Extalia Tree, returning to his nest.
With Motherglare gone, the rest of the Fairy Tail Troupe gathered, and everyone breathed sighs of relief. The silence was broken when they heard an odd yet familiar voice.
Levy wondered, "What's that?"
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Jellal answered with a smile, "That, my friends, is the sound of applause!"
Looking down from the clearing, the whole gang saw all the Exceeds applauding them! They must've heard of the Fairy Tail Troupe's daring rescue, though only a few had witnessed it. Happy, Lector, Frosch, Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Wendy, Romeo, Erza, Jellal, Gajeel, and Levy landed from the Extalia Tree and waved to the audience of Exceeds as appreciation for their support. And it was for the first time in a long while that those nine ex-circus animals had received cheers and praise from the fans. Gray seemed to have taken it the lightest.
"Applause!" Gray breathed. "I'm in heaven!" But a new question quickly arose; what to do with a bunch of circus animals?
