New Bartender
Chapter 9
"Whose… stupid… idea… was it to walk?" I pant.
The last time you saw me the others came back from training. Now we're in Crocas, Fiore's capital city. We made it! But it was a long… long… long… walk. Dear God we better not be hiking back. I'm getting a freaking carriage next time, because I'm not walking 10,000 miles again! Mary and I were partially carried the way here… Speaking of which how can they walk this far without going near unconscious… Check that, Natsu and Happy look like they're going to die, lying on the ground with me. We went with Team Natsu on the way here.
"H… Hey… I still don't feel so great about this… We still don't know if that spell worked…" said Gray.
Lucy pouted while she was speaking. "Yeah, but I do feel like my magic power has increased. All my joints are still totally sore though."
"Oh shut it. At least you have an excuse… I'm just not in shape." I complain weakly on the street. Mary was beginning to sit up.
Suck it up Chris. You are in shape you just don't have massive magical power.
"Geez, don't you guys feel embarrassed for yourselves?" asked Erza. She looked perfectly fine in her armor and doesn't seem to have broken a sweat. Her luggage… Son of a bitch, how much crap does one woman need!? I can barely afford rent on my salary! Then again, Laki has been helping Mary choose jobs the last month, so we're good on rent. But seriously, and entire wagon!?
"Why are you completely fine, Erza?" asked Lucy. She and Gray were sweat-dropping at Erza's physical fitness.
"She probably had second origin from the start."
"That makes sense."
We started walking through the city to find the rest of the guild. You can tell that the city is thriving. People were talking, walking, and my guess is that most of them were here for the tournament. It may be the kingdom's capital city, but the city probably gets a lot of revenue from tourists. Crocas is none the less amazing though. We were amazed at it sine we've never been to a place like this before.
A couple minutes later we found the rest of Fairy Tail, and were greeted by Makarov. "So you guys final made it." He was wearing his Wizard Saint outfit. Asuka was riding his shoulders while her parents were standing behind waiting for us. Team Shadow Gear was also there.
"Master." Replied Erza, respectfully bowing.
"Let's get on with the event already! Kahahaha! We'll show 'em the power of Fairy Tail!
Then people started to talk.
"Did you here that? Fairy Tail!
"Where? Them?"
"The weak little guild forever claiming last place." This was capturing Natsu's attention.
"Who laughed just now?!" yelled Natsu while Erza was warning him. "Knock it off."
"You guys ganna come get last place this year too?" said a guy with hood and Elvis-style hair.
"Everyone Knows Sabertooth is gonna dominate!" said his friend in with the took.
"Nnngh…" Natsu was restraining himself, but it was obvious it was pissing him off. Mary was being silent during the entire exchange. I gave her a reassuring hand squeeze. She smiled.
"Whoever wants to laugh, let 'em go ahead and laugh."
"What's last place?" asked innocently. While Natsu was still staring daggers at the two pedestrians.
"M'kay… So I don't have to hold it any longer…" Spoke Happy and looked at Jet and Droy. "Pfkuku…"
"DON'T LOOK AT US AND LAUGH!"
"You ready 30 million… *cough*"
Called it.
"Give every last bit of your strength, we're aiming for the number one guild in Fiore, so we can face Mavis, who saved our lives!" Master raised his finger to the sky. This gave everyone encouragement.
So, we went over the previous tournaments that Fairy Tail has been in. Apparently we haven't had much luck since everyone seemed to be in the wrong year at the wrong time. Bisca missed sharpshooting while Jet missed a race. Natsu wasn't fazed, he just wanted to fight.
Then we went over the rules. It's was basically no masters, no outsiders, equals not being disqualified. Also events are secret until they're explained before they start. We were also warned that participants were to be in there lodgings before midnight. Course this made everyone exited seeing as we had some free time before the tournament. Natsu, Lucy, and happy ran off.
"Hey! Do you even know where the lodgings are?!" called Erza.
"Honeybone, right?! We'll be there by 12, for sure!"
"Ai!" And they were gone.
Mary started bent done to Wendy. "Hey Wendy. How about you, me, Chris and Carla spend the day together?"
"Ok!"
"Great idea!" Erza was about to protest but I interrupted her. "We'll have Wendy back by midnight Erza, don't worry!" Then we started to walk off into down town Crocas.
We got a map at a tourist center so we can navigate the city. It show a bunch of land marks and all the inns if they ever wanted to find a room. I think the king turned the city into a theme park.
"How about we go see the castle first?" said Wendy
"Alright." Replied Carla. Mary and I followed them.
Shops were lined up and bustling with activity. Magic shops, jewelry stores, food stands, and most of all… Shopping.
"Chris I'm gonna check out these stores. Can you help me?" Most guys would say 'no', most guys can't afford to say 'no.' So, I went shopping with my girlfriend. Of course, being girls, Wendy and Carla joined in. We went from store, to store, to store. Winter Wear, In Season, Sport Stores, Women's Lingerie. That store was especially embarrassing seeing as I had to sample Mary's under wear… Then again, I got to see her in a bikini. Carla was keeping an eye on me making sure I didn't spy on Wendy. And that's not even half of it!
"Mary-san. Why isn't Ni-chan getting clothes?" Asked Wendy at a cosplay store.
…Help me…!
"You know what wendy I think you're right." She smiles. I tried to run, I just wasn't fast enough. They just dragged me and started playing dress-up. And I was their oversized Ken-doll. We went through outfit, after outfit. Cool, Summer, Goth, Casual, etc., etc., etc.!
When we finally got back course to the castle, I was wearing some new clothing. I was in black jeans with a studded belt, combat boots, a green dress shirt, and a collard button-up coat having golden runes along the dark-violet seams enclosing midnight blue cloth. I was also wearing fingerless leather gauntlets with the Fiore national symbol on the back of the hands. The girls also got me a haircut, stylizing it so it parted and the bangs weren't in my face. Wendy also asked to keep one long silver strip so she could braid it at the side. The braid was thin and behind the ear but it was long enough to rest on my shoulder, a blue bead near the tail. Now I looked like some sort of mystical knight apprentice. "See? You look absolutely handsome. Even some of the girls are looking at you." Mary settled for an ornate orange tube top and denim shorts. She wore a straw hat and sandals. Her mocha-like skin and black long hair complemented her outfit with her contrasting blue eyes.
"Alright, alright, I don't look to bad. I'm still against you wearing sandals today, you'll get blisters with all this walking."
"Doesn't matter." Seriously she can be so stuburn sometimes. Oh well… It's not that bad.
"Come on guys! Keep up!" called Carla.
I present my arm. "Shall we?" I smile.
"Let's." She hooks her arm in mine and we follow after Wendy. Who, strangely, didn't buy any new clothes…?
"Look at that Carla!"
We stood looking at the castle before us. It was magnificent, with the tall towers, gothic architecture, and wonderful gardens.
"Amazing!"
Wendy looked in the brochure. "This is called Castle Mercurius."
"I wonder what kind of person the king is." Carla wondered.
"You think he's got a beard?"
"Defiantly."
"Kihihi!"
What the f**k?
I look around the gardens looking for that mysterious laughter. Neither Mary, Wendy, nor Carla seemed to have heard anything.
Must be my imagination…
We were walking back to Honeybone when I heard that laugh again. Except it was closer and everyone heard it. We looked around searching for the sound. I was on guard, while the girls looked around confused. That's when it struck.
A small black fiend with a barbed tail jumped at us, its mouth open wide. It wore a cape and leaves bound with a band on its head. It did not look friendly and was leaping for Wendy.
"Wendy!" I tried to slap the little sucker but it bit my hand. And it hurt, it shouldn't have hurt, I'm wearing leather gauntlets and it freaking hurts. I yell in agony as I feel my strength leave me. The little bastard was eating my magic. I try to shake the little thing off but it's no use.
I'm falling… I hear my name… Then there was black.
I hear a door slam open. "WENDY!"
Talk about you wake-up call. I'm too tired to open my eyes so I can't describe much to you. What I can tell you, is that I'm in a bed, and smells of disinfectant. Probably some sort of medical room.
"Wendy, are you okay, what happened?!" It was Natsu's voice.
"I'm sorry… I can't remember well…" Then I hear a grunt of pain.
"I can tell you…"
Mary. I can feel gazes in my direction.
"We were attacked…"
She's crying
"…A small creature jumped at us… It was going for Wendy but Chris… He tried to repel it... He got bit and the thing drained him of his magic…"
...Please don't cry.
"…It went on to Wendy and Carla… I was able to get it away but… It had already done its job." She started bawling. "Chris… Chris…" I think I heard someone move and her cries got quitter and quieter.
Damn it! I can't do a thing… Still so tired.
"Losing such a huge amount of magical power at once causes the entire body's physical strength to suffer. If they rest for a while, they should recover."
Grandma…?
"Porlyusica-san!?"
"What are you doing here?!"
Lucy… Lisana…
"Am I not allowed to come cheer you on?"
"Of course you are."
"A huge amount of magical power."
"Man…"
Erza… Elfman…
"Everyone… I'm sorry…"
Wendy. Not you too.
"Even after… everything with the training… I can't be part of the team… Elfman-san… Please go in my place."
"Of course! Just leave it to me."
"Alright then, Get out of here! They need rest." She must have thrown them out.
"Ni-chan…"
"Don't sulk."
"But…"
I hear liquid. "The Grand Magic Tournament Festival lasts for seven days. If you recover, you should, be able to make it to the main event. As Fairy Tail's advising pharmacist… I'll get you fixed up without a doubt. As for Chris, don't worry. That idiot son of mine is stronger than he gives himself credit for."
What do you know? She does care…
"Thank you Grandine."
"Don't call me that."
Next I hear snoring, footsteps and dragging of a chair.
"I know you're awake you little idiot. You can't move but you can still hear me. I plan to make you better, then kick your ass for getting into this state." Now she started to sound exhausted. "That human, Mary, she cares deeply you, for whatever reason. Hell, you grew up with me, of all people. Fairy Tail's not the only reason why I'm here. I'm here for you and for Wendy. Seeing you like this… It pains me. You're a damn human and I still care about you… Listen well brat. If you don't get better for me, get better for everyone else, especially your girlfriend." I try to smile. This is the most heartfelt thing I've ever heard her say. "Don't give me that smile. I knew you were awake. Rest. You'll need it. Uh, I hate humans."
Thanks Ma…
