I ran around the deck as we casted off. The client seemed a little worried letting a bunch of kids take the ship with out an adult but I reassured him it'd be okay. Juliet was busy casting a Troyus spell as Simon and Storm handled the lines. I started up to the wheel and looked out over the clear sky and open waters as we left Port Hargeon.
"Hey! Maybe we can make a stop at Tenrou Island on the way back!" I heard Juliet call out.
"Tenrou? Sure! I love going there!"
Everyone on board stopped and looked at me, "say what now?" Jazz lifted her head.
"Um, Nashi, only people in Fairy Tail or know it's location can find Tenrou Island so how do you..." Simon paused, "of course. The only way you'd know is your mother taking you on vacation since you get sick on land."
I shrugged, "I go about once a year. The old man there is nice."
"Old man?" Juliet looked puzzled.
I nodded, "yeah, Mister Makarov."
"MAKAROV DREYAR LIVES ON TENROU!? Oh jeez, Mom has been wondering where he lived this whole time," Simon put a hand on his face.
"Wait, he's related to Laxus and Yuri? How? He's so short!"
"I don't know, but can you please get us on a correct heading?"
It was relatively smooth sailing. We only had to blast two pirate ships out of the water, fix the ship five times, course correct nine and clean up, I mean swab, Jazz's puke once.
Oh, and fighting the giant sea monster was fun.
We were ragged as we pulled into the harbor six days later. The recipient looked us over, "you all look like shit."
We were collapsed on the deck, "we ran out of food yesterday."
"Dont worry, I'm paying you now so if the ship gets wrecked, you can pay for it back in Fiore," the man said, "in the meantime, welcome to Alabaster City."
The spires sparkled in the after noon sun. Merchants ran around the city, looking for anyone to buy their items when I saw something peculiar.
A flyer for a public execution. Another for a slave trade. And another for anything pertaining to the arrest of local practicing wizards.
I stood up, "what the First?"
The man heaved a breath, "I reckon you youngins never been out of the country before. I know Bosco ended its slave trade here before you were probably born, but then again, Alvarez conquered it and then had a joint occupation with Fiore. But the slave trade does still run the economy but it's slowly getting worked out as Midi modernizes. Another thing, don't be flashing magic around. It's awfully superstitious folk around here. Not to mention if the wrong person gets a hold of us, you may be thrown in a lot and sold."
"Thats sick!" Jazz scoffed.
"Agreed," Simon muttered.
The man looked around the ship, "I do see ya made some repairs, good on ya. We'll have the rest made and have ya sailing back tomorrow."
He gave us a voucher, "this is what we here call a check. Take it to the bank on Sparrow street and give it to the banker, he'll get you yer money. Than go to the Dread Pirate's Inn. Talk to Roberts, he'll give you get room keys."
I nodded as I took the check. My stomach rolled as I took it as the five of us went to cash it. We stuck close together and no one seemed to come near us as I took point. Apparently the hat was a good thing to have.
I thanked the banker and made our way to the inn. Minutes later we were greeted with two not so cozy rooms. The food was stale but edible at least.
Eventually, we drifted off to sleep before a noise woke me up. A slight knock on the door.
I opened it up to see Simon. He held a bottle in his hands. Cinnamon Whiskey.
"Layla told you, huh?" I gave a sly smile as I left the room, quietly closing the door.
"Figured we'd have a toast for our first successful mission."
"Amen to that!" I said as I playfully took the bottle from him.
I walked down the cricket stairs and down to the near empty tavern below. The bard on the stage was obviously drunk.
I was about to take the first swig when I heard the sound of a hand across someone's face.
"Pathetic girl, you almost burned me that time. I didn't pay good money to have a lachrama in you for nothing!"
I spun to see a frightened and cowering brown eyed girl with pigtails by the fireplace. He forcibly grabbed her and pulled her close, "I ought to kill ya or sell ya. You can't even do your purpose right. Killin ya might be better off. No one would buy a magic usin' freak like you."
I looked back at Simon who looked at me, "don't fight him."
"HEY!" I yelled as I pushed the bottle back into his hands.
The man looked at me, "an what can I do fer you little lady? Need a job?"
I looked at the girl, then at the man, "it'd be a waste to kill her. How much?"
"NASHI!" Simon blurted out in shock.
He laughed, "you? Buying a slave?"
"You got a problem with that?" I challenged.
"How much ya got?"
I shook my head, "that's not how this works. You think just because I'm a foreigner, I can easily be taken advantage of? Think again. Offer and counter offer."
"Five Million Crestins."
"500,000 Fioran Jewel. If you're selling, do me the courtesy of equivalent exchange."
"Fine. Three Million Jewel."
"900,000."
"Two Million."
"One Million and 125 Thousand," I countered.
"One and a half, no lower. Take it or leave it," he cackled.
"Deal."
I offered my hand. He shook it, "I hope you have the money little girl."
I nodded, "I want a contract and bill of sale."
"As you wish Miss..."
"Dragneel. Nashi Dragneel."
"I will write it up now."
He stalked away as the girl began to cry. Simon grabbed my arm, "are you insane, slavery is outlawed in Fiore!"
I rolled my eyes, "you're an idiot."
I knelt down to the girl, "don't worry, you'll be okay."
"Thank you," the girl whispered. I patted her shoulder lightly.
She knew I had just bought her freedom. Which I think Simon realised too at that moment. I looked back at him, "go get my bag."
He gave a court nod and ran upstairs.
I pulled the girl close, she was around my age, "what's your name?"
"My name...my name...my name is...Zera."
"Well Zera, my name is Nashi. It's good to meet you, we're gonna get you cleaned up, alright."
Her clothes were torn up and ragged as I saw a peculiar image on her arm. A red lizard with a blue skull covering it like a brand.
Like a guild mark that was poorly covered.
"You must have quite the story," I muttered softly.
"YOU DID WHAT?" Jazz shouted at me as we were outside the bath house.
"Nashi, do you realise the repercussions this could have on the guild? Buying a slave?" Juliet whispered harshly.
I shook my head, "she's not going to be a slave once we cross into Fioran waters. I had to do something."
"So spending almost all your reward money in the process was the right call?" Jazz lifted an eyebrow, "you should have just punched him."
I shook my head, "and that would send a worse message than buying a slave with the intention of setting them free."
They both looked at each other, "good point but what is she supposed to do once we get to Hargeon? Just go off on her own with no money?"
"We'll figure that out later, but for now, we need to get ready to set sail once Zera is ready."
"I'm almost done Mistress!" I heard her call, "I'm sorry I'm taking so long, please don't hurt me!"
I swore under my breath, "Zera, don't call me that, please?"
"Understood ma'am."
I placed a hand on my face, "or that. Just call me Nashi, okay?"
"But," she began.
"Zera. Please, just listen to me."
"...okay Miss Nashi."
"DAMMIT, QUIT BEING SO FORMAL!"
"Understood," I heard her vocally wince.
I waited a second, "and I'm not going to hurt you. I wouldn't do that."
Jazz huffed, "I'm going to go see if the boys need help."
Juliet agreed, "yeah, meet you at the docks."
I waved to them as I stood patiently for Zera to finish.
Minutes passed by before a drunk man stumbled nearby, "hey baby? How much?"
"Exscuse me?"
"I wanna buy you, how much is your master charging?"
I slapped his hand away as he tried to reach for my boob, "I'm a free woman."
The man looked around, "I CLAIM THIS WOMAN AS MINE!"
"This woman is a Wizard from guild in Fiore, nice try but unless you feel like getting your ass kicked, you better back off."
The passerby's looked frightened. The man took offense to my comment, "do you know who I am woman?"
"Someone who's had way to much to drink."
He got up in my face. He reeked of booze and seawater, "I'm Captain Cordelle, you best understand me when I say I'm taking ownership of you. It's a privilege really."
He reached out again but a hand caught him, but this time, it wasn't mine.
"Do not lay a hand on my Mistress, if she does not want to be touched, than please re...re...refrain from touching her!" Zera said as she nervously shouted the last few words.
I looked over her. Orange was she'd color as she wore an old leather jacket of mine, an orange shirt along with black pants. Orange boots completed her outfit alongside orange ribbons in her hair. Not bad for 8,000 jewel.
Cordelle didn't look happy, "two for the price of one? Not a bad bargain. Now let me go or I'll give you the belt."
I placed a hand in front of Zera, "touch either of us again and you'll regret it. C'mon Zera, let's go."
Zera released the man as we both walked away toward the docks. The pirate laughed, "see ya soon darling!"
Once we were out of eye sight I looked at Zera, "run."
She nodded as we took off toward the harbor. She was surprisingly able to catch up with me as we got to the dock, the wood clanking beneath our feet. Jazz and Juliet were just getting on board when Zera and I raced for the gang plank.
"CAST OFF, NOW!" I yelled as I summoned my sword and cut the line.
Storm looked confused, "wait, we're taking her with us?"
Juliet seemed alarmed, "what happened?"
"Lets just say we pissed off a pirate captain for refusing to be his slaves."
Simon came up from below deck, "and everything was going so well!"
I cut the rest of the mooring lines as Zera tried to haul up the anchor as a group of pirates shouted and pointed at our ship, "there! Those are the two the captain wants!"
I kicked the plank into the water as we pulled away. We wouldn't have much of a head start like this.
I turned to Juliet, "I need you to roar, we need to get out of here as fast as we can, got it?"
She nodded as I turned to Storm, "anyway, you can make us more streamlined or slow them down?"
He thought for a moment, "I can try making a few icebergs but I can't guarantee it will work well."
"I don't care, do it," I ordered. Jazz was still reeling from pre-Troyus and Simon was racing around the deck. I looked at Zera, "I need you in the crows nest. Tell down if you see any ship approaching."
The ship lurched forward as we started to be propelled by the Sky Dragon Roar. Storm was trying his best to freeze large chunks of water before I realized it wasn't working.
"Storm!" I called, "shorter chunks, father distance, otherwise it's a trail!"
Zera made a slight squeal as she almost lost her footing as she continued to climb. Two days went like that and everyone but Jazz was tired.
But it was the fourth day that everything changed.
"SHIP ON THE SOUTH HORIZON!"
"We really need to learn our Nautical terms," Jazz joked.
I waved her off, "flag?"
Zera glanced back down, "CORDELLE."
"Holy First, he followed us this far?" Juliet breathed.
I took a moment before she confirmed the next worse part, "TWO MORE, SAME FLAG!"
A fleet. He sent a small fleet after us.
I walked across the deck, "Juliet, can you..."
"I can't, not right now, I've been doing roars for three days. I can try again but we may have to fight them, but with a ship our size..."
"Crap. GET THE CANNONS READY!"
Storm looked bored, "uh, cargo ship, no cannons. Remember out last encounter?"
"Right. You made the cannons, GET TO IT."
The afternoon was a blur as we watched the three ship get closer until we could hear and see them. Cordelle stood at the front as the confrontation began, "oh ladies, did you miss your daddy?" he yelled causing his crew to laugh evilly.
We were too slow as a ship pulled up on either side of ours, "now be good little girls and we may let your friends live a while longer."
I stepped up to the wheel, "I DONT THINK SO! NOW!"
Jazz popped up by the rail and threw an iron rod at starboard mast of their ship, disabling it as Simon dropped the anchor. Storm responded with a salvo of ice cannons. While Juliet roared us slightly downward as we rammed the ship on our port side.
Zera and Simon began to pull the anchor up as the pirates started to recover from the unsuspected attack. I held the wheel as Jazz came up to take it.
I drew my sword as a fireball grew in my off hand, I lobbed it at the Port side ship as we backed off of it. The mast quickly became engulfed in flames as Cordelle finally figured out his advantage, "OPEN FIRE!"
Shit.
Cannon fire tore through our hull as we straightened out and started to limp away. Gray skies started to form as rain came down while the flag ship chased us.
The sea began to swell as Cordelle's forward cannons slashed our stern. Storm began to try and fire back but it was too late as a large wave formed in front of us, "EVERYONE HOLD ON TO SOMETHING!" I called as it crashed down.
The impact forced me to black out.
And that wraps up Chapter 9 of Fairy Tail NX and I have to say this story has been my favorite to write so far but after a few chapters I will take a slight pause to focus on other fanfics such as my other Fairy Tail fanfic The Dragon Maiden which I haven't worked on in forever and a day. So that, a new chapter of The Accidental Heroine of Time and a possible rewrite of my Pokemon fic Hiding in Plain Sight. But in the mean time, if you'd like, go ahead and check out my YouTube channel or follow me on Twitter (both usernames are WildJayAppears). So until next time, thank you so much for reading and I do hope you enjoyed it! I've had this part written for a while.
-Jay
