At the Magnolia Station…
"Why would a monster like Erza need my power?"
"I don't know! But if anybody should be saved from this, it should be me!"
Mina sighed and shook her head. "Idiots…" She muttered under her breath. She watched as both Gray and Natsu were trying to eat each others head as they bickered on who should be saved from being around Erza.
"Then you go with her alone! I don't wanna go!" Natsu shouted, holding up a fist at Gray.
"Then don't! I'll just get Erza to kill you afterward!" Gray replied, glaring and holding at fist at the hot-headed mage.
All the other people around them stopped and stared. They were just too frightened to move, feeling the horrible aura coming off the two. Mina began rubbing her throbbing temples. She just wondered how Mira thought she could be a big help in all this. Natsu and Gray were just too much to handle in one go.
"Would you birdbrains lighten up? Your pointless bickering is causing problem for these other people! So stop!" Mina closed her eyes and held up a fist as a tick mark appeared on her forehead. "I swear! Why must you two always fight?"
She then crossed her arms and opened her eyes, a bit of anger in her purple orbs. She bit the inside of her cheek, trying her best to calm herself down. Mina needed to cool off some steam, not cause it to rise hotter than before.
Natsu and Gray stopped, turning to her.
"Why are you here, anyway?" Natsu asked, clearly forgetting about Mira asking her to come.
Mina's eyebrow twitched and she held up her fist. "You dumb ass! Mira asked me to come, remember!"
Natsu scratched the top of his, giving her a dumbfounded look. Yep, he had definitely forgotten. "Uh…" was all he could say. He looked the other way, trying his best not to make eye contact with the devil herself.
Mina sighed angrily, lowering her fist back to her side. "Yep, you forgot. I had no choice but to come along, and so, I am here with you today."
"You really wanted to come, didn't you?" Happy asked, causing Mina to look down at him strangely. Mina growled and shouted, "No way!"
Happy gave her the look that clearly said, 'Don't lie to me, I know that you secretly wanted to.' Mina sighed and shrugged. "Yeah, I guess you're right, I kinda wanted to come, but also didn't. Besides, you're better at working with those three than I am! Wait a sec-Mira forgot you even existed!"
Happy held up a paw and nodded. "Aye." He smiled.
Mina chuckled. She felt sorry for him, but also found it quite funny. Happy could be easily forgotten since he's not much in anyone's sight unless all up in their face. Either way, Mina didn't really care if she was forced to be here or not.
"You jerk! Why do you carry around that stupid futon all the time anyway?" Gray growled, getting up in Natsu's face. He glared at him.
Natsu's gritted his teeth and glared back. "It's what I sleep on, of course! What are you, an idiot?" Natsu got all in Gray's face as well.
Mina watched them both a with blank look, but then a devious plan entered through her head. And evil glimmer shined through her eyes. She smirked, narrowing her eyes.
She cupped a hand over her mouth and said, "Oh, Erzzaaaa~!" She chirped out.
Gray and Natsu froze, turning towards Mina. They then looped an arm over one another's shoulder and held up their available arms, forming a cheery gesture. They both pulled on a fake, happy-go-lucky, face as they grinned.
"We're such great friends today~!" Gray began in sing tone.
"Oh, aye~!" Natsu chirped out after Gray.
Mina held a hand over her mouth, trying her best to muffle the laughter that rumbled through her chest. This sight was just too…priceless…Her face began to redden after holding it in for so long.
She just couldn't take it. Mina began bursting out into fits of laughter, falling over on the ground. "Ha ha hahahahahaha!" She held onto her sides as she was laughing her arse off. "T-This is haha s-so mu-much hahaha f-fun!" She laughed out, trying to wipe away the tears that dripped from the corner of her eye. She laughed so hard that she even began crying.
"You tricked us, you little…" Both Natsu and Gray said in unison, their eyes popping out of their head as they looked at her with disbelief.
Mina wiped what was left of the tears and sat up, laughing a bit more before pulling a sly smirk on her lips. "Well, what can I say? I'mma a sly gal at tricking. And look, you both seem to really be friends after all." She said slyly with a shrug.
She tried to pull off an innocent look while looking at them both. Gray turned away from her and lowered his head in a sulking manner. "Don't even joke about that! Why do I have to go off feeling like this? My shoulders are already stiff from the stress."
"Would you like a fish?" Happy asked.
"What good is that!" Gray shouted back, waving his hands up in the air.
"Mina, why are you here?" Natsu asked, staring at her as he ignored Gray and Happy. A tick mark appeared on her forehead as she glared at Natsu.
"Did you not hear what I said before?"
"Sorry. Did I keep you waiting?" A new voice cuts in, causing Mina to jerk her head in that direction. Her eyes almost bulged out of her head as her jaw dropped.
Erza was walking up with a load of luggage. And I mean, a load of luggage. Stacked from head to toe.
"Wow? That's a shit load of things ya got there!" Mina shouted, pointing a finger at the top. Her jaw a slack as Erza walked up to them all.
Erza turned her attention fully on Mina, raising a brow at her. "Hm? Didn't I see you yesterday at Fairy Tail?" Erza asked curiously.
Mina nodded, setting her jaw back to normal, and grinned cheekily. "Mmhmm…The names Mina. I was asked to go along under Mira's request. It's nice to meet you." She said, ending it with a bow to Erza.
"My name is Erza. Nice to meet you. I see. So you're the girl that everybody at the guild was talking about." Erza smiled kindly and laid a hand on her hip. "You took down some bodyguard gorillas, right? We can use you."
Mina waved a hand and shook her head, a grin still plastered on her face. "Nah, that was Natsu. I think they got the story mixed up when they heard." She sighed out.
"We may run into a bit of danger in this job, but with your energy, I'm sure you'll be okay."
Mina nodded. "Of course."
"Hmph!" Both Mina and Erza turned to Natsu who looked at Erza. "I don't know what we're supposed to face, but I'll go along…under one condition!"
Erza raised a brow, her smile dropped. "A condition?"
Gray's jaw dropped as he stared at Natsu like he had grown a second head. "Y-You idiot!" Gray then shrugged his shoulders as his eyebrow twitched and a fake smile on his face. "I-I don't need to set conditions! I'll work for you, Erza, anytime!"
Erza stared Natsu down as he stared back at her. "Let's hear it."
He gave her a determined look. "Once we're back, I want to take you on! I'm not like I was before!" Natsu said with determination.
Mina looked a bit taken aback by this condition. She looked at Natsu strangely. Even she herself, The Red Rose Devil, would dare not to take on someone as strong as Erza. She knew by just looking at Erza, that she was someone you would not want to mess with.
Gray's jaw dropped to the floor. His eyes wide with shock. "H-Hey! Don't do it! You want to die!"
Erza closed her eyes and brushed some her hair back with her hand. A small smile appeared on her lips. "I admit, you have grown. I'm not certain that I'd win, but…fine. I accept your challenge."
"What do you mean you're not certain you'd win? I don't want you pulling any punches." Natsu shouted, clenching up his fist as an angered look appeared on his face. Mina knew what Erza meant, though she didn't expect Natsu to know.
Mina crossed her arms and continued to watch as did Gray and Happy, who stayed quiet during this whole conversation.
The red-head in armor chuckled at the fire mage. "I know. But you've gotten rather strong. That's all I meant." She then turned her gaze on Gray who flinched a bit. "Gray, do you want to challenge me, too?"
A frightened look was etched on his face as he shook his head. Erza turned to Mina. "What about you, Mina? Would you like to test your might with mine?"
Mina stepped back a bit, holding up her hands. A somewhat gleam of fear flickered in her eyes as she stared at Erza like she was crazy. "Umm…no thanks Erza. I already know that you've surpassed me in strength."
Erza nodded in understanding.
"Hyaahh! I'm on fire now! Let's get this thing moving!" Natsu shouted out, pumping his fist in the air with his head on fire with excitement.
On the train…
Natsu did not look so excited as he did before. His head rolled back along with eyes as he looked very sick. Mina smirked and shook her head. She knew he wouldn't last, and she was right.
"Natsu, what a disgrace!" Gray said as he turned to him with detest. "You're an eyesore. Sit somewhere else. Or better yet, get off the train and run alongside!"
Natsu replied with an, "Urk." Mina 'tsked' and crossed her arms as she watched Natsu roll his head. He sat forward a bit, wheezing and panting.
"Heh. Looks like he maid his own hell yet again." Natsu strained his head up, glancing at Mina. He wanted to say something, but his motion sickness stopped him from doing so. Mina continued to smirk at him as she chuckled a bit.
"For pity's sake…I guess there's no help for it." Erza began, patting down on a spot next to her which was between her and Mina. "Come sit by me."
Natsu sighed. "Aye." He stumbled on over, but some how made it, and sat next to Erza as Mina moved to sit next to Gray and Happy. She didn't want Natsu to be laying up next to her while he was sick.
Erza smiled, and then…punched him in the stomach. Natsu's eyes bulged out of his head, and then his head fell down. He had been knocked unconscious. Mina shrugged. It couldn't be helped, like Erza said before.
"That should settle you down a bit."
Gray looked at Erza with shock, shivering a bit as he began imagining what would happen if he were in Natsu's place. Now that, would not be a pretty sight to lay eyes on.
Mina glanced at everyone, and then parted her lips, saying, "When I think about it, I haven't seen anyone other than Natsu do magic at Fairy Tail. Well, I've only see a bit of other people, but still…"
Mina turned her gaze on Erza, raising a brow. "Hey, Erza, what kind of magic do you use?" She asked with curiosity.
"Erza's magic is very pretty." Happy said out of nowhere. Mina jumped a bit, shocked, and looked down at him with wide eyes. "Her opponent's blood…goes spurting everywhere!" He exclaimed, holding his hands up to show how much he thought of that.
Mina sweat dropped at him, turning her away from him a bit. "And you think that's pretty?" She muttered under her breath.
Erza waved a hand bashfully and closed her eyes with a smile. "My magic isn't anything much. If you want pretty, Gray is much prettier than mine."
Gray raised a brow. "You think so?" He then formed a fist over his other outstretched hand. "Hah!" Mina watched in awe and amazement as a cloud of frost began twisting around his closed up fist.
He then unclenched his hand, holding out an ice sculpture of Fairy Tail's mark. It gleamed and sparkled.
"Wow. It's really pretty." Mina breathed, reaching out to touch it. Gray turned to her, holding out the ice for her to take. Mina gladly took the gift, holding it to her chest with a grin on her face.
"I do ice magic." He said as if it was not a big deal. Well, Mina liked his magic. She wished to have something as pretty as his magic.
"Cool. Could you make an ice heart?" She asked eagerly. Gray held up his hands, but nodded none the less. He then used his magic again and formed a heart. He handed it to Mina who snatched it from him, putting the heart in her skirt pocket. She grinned cheekily, and Gray turned his head the other way with a small blush. He wasn't used to this much attention from one girl being amazed and eager to see and touch his ice magic. This was not your everyday thing for him.
"Wait a sec…" Mina thought, thinking about Gray and Natsu. Her eyes began widening in realization. She snapped her fingers, causing everyone to turn to her with raised eyebrows and confused looks.
"Ice! Fire! Total opposites! Is that the reason for you both not getting along? I thinks it's kinda funny and cute when you think about it…" Mina trailed off, chuckling and blushing. A funny thought, but also cute.
"Is that true?" Erza asked, looking at Gray for answers.
"…Who cares, anyways?" He muttered, turning his head away and crossing his arms. He shrugged it off as if it was not a big deal. Mina chuckled some more.
"Anyways…I'd like to cut the chase. Erza, what is this all about? You know, why are we here?" Mina said in a serious tone. She stared at the red-head in armor who sighed and nodded.
"Yes…Let's discuss it. On my way back from my last job…I stopped by a bar where wizards gather in Onibas . And there were a few people who drew my attention." She then told them how she listened in on group of guys talking about this 'lullaby' and it's magic. They were trying to keep something hidden from the world. And one of the guys was talking about how he found a way to breaks its seal.
After she finished, Mina had a look of suspicion on her face as she thought back to what Erza had said. "Lullaby?" Gray asked as he sat forward in his seat.
Mina rubbed her chin. "Could this be a type of sleep magic…Or something far worse than that?"
Erza lowered her head in a sad motion. "I don't know. But when I heard that is was sealed…I figured it must be some strong magic."
"I don't see the problem…Sure, some guys are trying to break the seal to some magic we don't know about…But that doesn't make for a mission. It isn't anything, really." Gray's brows furrowed as he sat back and crossed his arms.
"True. At first, I didn't give it much thought, either. That is, until I heard the name Erigor…He's the ace of the Eisenwald wizard guild-The Death God, Erigor!"
Mina flinched at his name. She knew him from somewhere, but where has she met him? His name brought shivers down her spine. Happy turned and gave Mina a worried look. "Mina?" he asked quietly.
Mina turned to Happy, and fake smiled. "I'm okay, Happy." He gave her a wary look, but shrugged. This was Mina, so, it is somewhat normal for her to act like this.
"Death God…" Mina breathed out.
Erza nodded. "That's a nickname for a wizard who accepts only assassination requests. The Council has since banned all assassination requests, but Eisenwald has chosen to chase after the money." Erza finished, looking from all the shocked and surprised faces. She then decided to tell more, seeing as they'll need to know.
-x-
They soon began getting off the train, having Erza pulling out her huge load while Mina and Gray got their small bags that they carried with them.
"As a result, they were expelled from the League six years ago. Now they're been categorized as a dark guild."
Mina nodded, now beginning to understand it all. They soon marched forth after they all decided to go to Eisenwald and see what's really going on. It wasn't going to be pretty, but they knew that an adventure always forms some kind of battle and/or danger.
Mina, who walked behind the duo in front of her, stopped. Causing everyone else to stop and turn to her. Her eyes widen, now remembering something very important that they left behind. "We forgot Natsu!" She shouted with disbelief. Gray and Erza looked very ill as they remembered as well. Everyone's eyes widen as they began to sprint back in search of getting their friend.
They each cursed for being so careless.
Yachiru: Ah! I'm so sorry for not updating after so long! Please, forgive me!
Mina: I forgive you.
Yachiru: Really?
Mina: Ye-No.
Yachiru: Figures.
Mina: -shrugs- Don't sweat it, I'm just racking your chain. Ha ha! Anyways, please Read and Review. I think Yachiru needs some cheering up. -pats author on the back-