Kyandi: Hehehe!
Rette: That's giddy talk for hello. She's really happy right now.
Kyandi: How can I not be? Good reviews make me a very, very happy person.
Rette: In other words, she's very glad that you all like her story.
Kyandi: Glad? I'm down right grateful!
Rette: Yeah, that too.
Kyandi: So, to keep the ball rolling, here's another chapter and this one is all from Thyme's point of view.
Rette: Knew at least one chapter like that would show up.
Kyandi: Yep. So, everyone enjoy and review.
Rette: Kyandi-sama does not own Fairy Tail.
Chapter 26 Never Doubted
Happy came awake slowly, opening one eye to peer up at the canopy of the bed he was laying on. Pushing himself up, he looked around the fancy, cat sized room. Carla laid next to him, on his right, and Thyme laid on his left. Happy turned to the both, waking them up. Carla was slow to wake too, and sat up rubbing her eyes. Thyme jolted awake and started looking around in search of Rette, the bells in her earrings ringing as her head whipped from side to side. Not finding her, Thyme's ears went back on her head and her tail dropped.
"What happened?" Carla asked.
"We were put to sleep...and...I wonder where this place is?" Happy said, looking around.
When neither of the female cats replied, Happy looked between them. Both looked depressed, though it was for different reasons.
"That my 'information' would be a trap..." Carla said lowly.
"That's not true! We were just really unlucky! It's not your fault!" Happy told her.
"I swore...even though I swore to protect Wendy..."
Thyme looked over at Carla too. It was easy to tell that Carla was truly torn up about the whole thing. Thyme felt bad too. She felt her chest ache as she wondered what had happened to Rette. The door to the room opening, had the three cats looking up.
"Are you the ones who have completed your mission on Earthland? Mmm...a lovely perfume."
Thyme's eyes went open wide when she was confronted with a cat version of Ichiya, the human mage from Blue Pegasus that had creeped Rette out. Thyme's paws flew up, unable to believe that the human that had creeped Rette out so much, was now standing before her as a cat.
Rette would be weirded out.
"Ichiya!? More importantly, he's a cat?" Happy asked.
"What is there to be surprised about? Are we not one and the same, the exceed?" the Ichiya cat look alike asked.
Another cat came in behind him, this one taller with a paw that never stopped moving. Thyme eyes followed the paw's movement, up and down, up and down. Didn't his arm ever cramp up!?
"Nichiya. You do realize this is the first time they have been in Edolas. It is definitely their first time seeing exceed, no?" the other cat said.
"Oh! So that's how it is." Nichiya said.
The two cats introduced themselves as Nichiya, the captain of Extalia's imperial guard and Nadi, the minister of state.
"Good job on your mission." Nadi said.
"Mission?" Happy asked.
"I am afraid time is of the essence. The queen awaits. Please follow me." Nichiya said.
Thyme looked at her two guild mates, one ear going up in questioning. Happy shrugged before turning to look at Carla too.
"Carla, Thyme...leave this to me. For now we gotta look at the situation. I'll definitely protect you." Happy told them.
Though Thyme was sure he was speaking more to Carla. Thyme shook her head, the bells in her earrings ringing before she went ahead of Carla and Happy, jumping down from the bed. Happy and Carla followed her. The three stuck close to each other as they were lead from the building they had awoken in and through the streets beyond. Everywhere they looked there were more cats like them, walking around, talking, and interacting with each other. Many took notice of them, commenting on how they were heroes. Thyme didn't feel like any kind of hero.
"It's a country of cats." Happy said.
"We're not cats, we're exceed. Standing above the humans; guiding them; we are the exceed!" Nadi told him. "And this is our kingdom, Extalia."
Nadi and Nichiya lead them into a castle, Nadi explaining things to them as they walked. With each word, Thyme felt worse and worse, her ears dropping.
"You see, humans are an incredibly foolish, inferior people. We have to manage them carefully." Nadi said.
Thyme could never think of Rette as foolish. Yes, Rette was more oblivious than the average human, but she was a good person, definitely smart. She was one of the most clever people Thyme had ever met.
"On top of that, they smell terrible." Nichiya added.
"The queen governs the humans from here. It's troublesome when they start to increase in number at their own discretion. Thus the queen has determined that any additional humans...are to be killed." Nadi explained.
"W-why would you do that?" Happy asked.
"In order to normalize the magic that we are steadily losing. That is what her majesty has said. The queen not only governs the humans of this world, but those of Earthland as well." Nadi answered.
"Does she decide the 'death' of a human being?" Happy asked.
"Her majesty has the power to do that. Because she is a god." Nichiya replied.
Thyme remembered once that Rette had told her that people calling themselves a god, usually were a lot weaker than they wanted to admit to anyone else, let alone themselves. It made her wonder, now, if that was the case with the queen of Extalia.
"What was our mission?"
All of them turned to look at Carla as she spoke up. Thyme wanted to know too, but she wasn't sure she would like the answer. In fact, she was sure she would hate it.
"It's been ground into me since the time I was born. That I was chosen in accordance with the queen's human management plans to obliterate the Dragon Slayer Wendy." Carla said.
Thyme and Happy turned to her, their eyes wide in horror. Wait, if Carla's mission was to kill Wendy then did that mean...had Thyme's been to kill Rette!? Thyme felt like she couldn't breath, like she was going to pass out at any moment. Happy didn't take it any easier.
"W-what are you talking about!? Carla!" Happy snapped.
"Be quiet." Carla told him, but Happy didn't listen.
"What do you mean, obliterate Wendy!? Then...my mission...it can't be." Happy said, gripping his head.
Thyme gripped her chest, shaking from the horror of realization. Rette...the person who had found Thyme, had cared for her, had fed her and had always been there...it couldn't be. Thyme could still remember the first time she had opened her eyes and looked up at Rette, up at those two toned eyes and felt the soft and comforting touch of her hands. Rette had always been there for as long as Thyme could remember. Whenever Thyme had turned around, Rette had been right there, waiting for her to fly back.
Her purpose couldn't have been to kill Rette.
It couldn't have.
"To...Natsu...To obliterate Natsu...that was my mission!?" Happy demanded, freaking out.
"Calm yourself, male cat. You too, Thyme. We have not completed our missions, and we have never intended to do so! Despite all this, why have we been told that we have!?" Carla demanded.
Their reactions and lack of knowledge, had Nichiya and Nadi staring at them in surprise. The two looked at each other.
"Memory loss?" Nichiya asked.
"We didn't have any other option. "Superimposition" causes various side effects." Nadi replied.
"Answer me!" Carla demanded.
"In accordance with her majesty's human management plans, one hundred exceed were sent to Earthland six years ago. They were provided 'information' in order to find and destroy the Dragon Slayers after they hatched. However this situation changed. The man-made "Anima" created other possibilities. It was something created not to kill humans...but to make use of their magical energy. But it appeared that the Dragon Slayers were also absorbed and turned into special magical energy. Thus your missions were modified at the last minute. Modified to 'Capture the Dragon Slayers', that is." Nadi explained.
Carla slid to the ground, Thyme backing away as she gripped her chest. Rette was going to be used as magical energy!?
"As I thought, it looks like commands don't get transmitted well through long-distance "superimposition"." Nadi said.
"But it was alright in the end, since you led the Dragon Slayers here." Nichiya told Thyme, Happy, and Carla in an attempt to be comforting.
Thyme was far from being comforted. In fact, she felt sick.
"We leave the magicalization to the humans. They are better at that sort of thing." Nichiya added.
"T-that's not right...I came to Edolas of my own accord." Carla said.
"Nope...you were just carrying out the order." Nadi replied.
"I brought them to the tunnel...to help everyone." Carla insisted.
"Didn't you notice? We were guiding you there." Nadi replied.
"I...wanting to protect Wendy...because I care for her..."
"That was simply a kind of illusion. Your mission was changed from "obliteration" to "capture"...in other words, it was modified to "do not kill the target"." Nadi said when Carla insisted.
Thyme felt like her heart was going to give out. She had cared about Rette all these years, had watched her back and helped protect her, everything...all because of a mission given to her before she had hatched!? Had she really meant Rette harm from the very beginning and not known it? But if it was true...then why did her heart feel like breaking at the mere thought of betraying Rette? Tears flooded down Thyme's cheeks as Rette's face, so straight and indifferent, flashed before her eyes. Rette who only ever showed Thyme her true smile.
"All your actions were subject to our commands." Nichiya insisted.
"We aren't your puppets!"
Thyme raised her head, sniffling when Happy stepped between her and Carla and Nichiya and Nadi. Anger made him grit his teeth as he faced the two older cats, refusing to believe for a moment that they had been Extalia's puppets.
"We are...mages of Fairy Tail!" Happy insisted.
Thyme's eyes went wide when Happy turned grabbing her paw in one paw and Carla's in another. He tugged them down the hall, his rage fueling him.
"We're going to save them by ourselves!" Happy announced, determined. "We'll definitely save them!"
Behind them Nichiya called for guards to stop them, while Nadi yelled that they had been poisoned by the impurity of Earthland and had become rebels. Guards chased them down the hall, trying to stop them. Happy, Carla, and Thyme had to dodge attacks, continuing forward as fast as they could. They burst out of the castle and hurried down the crowded street, Happy yelling for other exceed to move out of their way. The guards continued to follow them.
Turning a corner, Happy spotted a hay covered wagon. Pulling his two guild mates behind him, he lead them to the wagon to hide. Thyme climbed in, helping Carla in after her, Happy jumping in after that. They dug under the hay, hiding until they heard the guards run past. Happy peaked out to make sure the coast was clear and noticed that in their rush to hide, they had knocked the block stopping the wheels of the cart from moving, loose. Slow at first, the cart started to move. Thyme and Carla popped their heads up out of the cart just as it tipped over the crest of a hill and went rocketing down it.
Thyme suddenly got an idea on how Rette felt on moving vehicles.
Thyme grabbed onto the side of the cart, holding on tightly, Happy copying her. Carla, though, didn't grab it in time and would have went flying off the cart if Happy hadn't grabbed her paw. Thyme took the other paw and together they pulled Carla back into the cart, Happy telling Carla to hold on tight. When they hit the bottom of the hill, the cart crashed, spilling them and the hay across the ground. Thyme groaned inwardly, wishing more than ever that she had Rette to pick her up and hold her until she felt better.
"Happy! Thyme! Look at that!"
Thyme and Happy looked up when Carla called them. Carla was pointing across the sky to a floating island that housed the biggest crystal formation Thyme had ever seen. And she had seen Rette create some large formations with her magic before.
"The lacrima is floating!" Happy exclaimed.
"This one is larger than the one we saw at the capital." Carla said.
"That's everyone from Fairy Tail! They were kept at a place like this!? So...this was a floating island?" Happy said.
The three peered over the edge of the cliff they stood on, looking down. Far below them was the royal capital of Edolas. Extalia was on a floating island, just like the lacrima was, floating far over the humans who lived below.
"The kingdom is so far below us." Carla remarked. "How should we drop down to the capital? Since we cannot use the "Aera" right now."
Thyme wasn't sure. Without her wings, how would she be able to make it down to where Rette was? The three of them continued to stare down at the ground below, each trying to think of something, anything to get them down safely.
"You guys, whatcha doing on my field?"
Happy, Carla, and Thyme whipped around when another voice sounded behind them. Behind them stood another exceed, a male with a bread and a hoe in hand. Thyme stared in surprise. She didn't know that cats could grow breads. It was an interesting concept.
"Aha...the "rebels" that the soldiers are looking for, must be you guys." he said, looking between the three.
Thyme latched onto Carla's arm while Happy took a fighting pose, ready to fight. Though, a lot it did. Happy was easily scared when the older exceed started swinging his hoe, yelling at them to get out. They turned and started running from his swinging hoe, but stopped when they saw soldiers up ahead. The farmer whose field they ended up in, yelled from behind them, making Thyme cover her ears.
"Get out of my field!" he yelled.
"Aye! I'll get out right now!" Happy assured him.
"And get in my house!"
Wait...what?
Thyme, Happy, and Carla stared at him as he demanded they come back home with him. Thyme wasn't sure, but it was better than facing the guards and getting captured. The three of them went home with the farmer, Lucky, where they were introduced to his wife, Marl, and they were able to explain everything that had happened to them.
"Oh my, that sounds troublesome." Marl said as she served them fish to eat.
"Mister, ma'am, thank you for hiding us-"
"Kahh! Eat up, eat!" Lucky yelled, banging a fist on the table.
Happy jumped, quickly agreeing with whatever Lucky told him. Carla thanked them, Thyme nodding in agreement.
"Our household doesn't conform to those of the kingdom. We were exiled a long time ago and lived out here, along with an old friend of our's, Bane." Marl told them.
"Kahh! Don't tell them what they don't need to know!" Lucky told his wife.
"Okay, okay." Marl agreed easily.
"I see...so that's why you took us in." Happy said.
"It's got nothing to do with that!" Lucky insisted. "After you eat, go take a bath!"
Thyme took it that Lucky had a very loud and naturally angry appearing personality. Everything he said to them was an order and usually spoken in a yell. And he didn't take no for an answer either. When they were all cleaned up and changed into new clothes, they went and sat out on the deck of the house, Thyme running her paws over the dress she was wearing. She missed the hand-made dresses Rette would always make her.
"So you're called Happy, Carla, and Thyme? What beautiful names."
Thyme looked up as Marl walked up to them, a smile on her naturally chubby looking face. Behind her came another male exceed, his fur a dark silver with one ear black, and his eyes a deep blue. He looked between the three, his eyes seeming to linger on Thyme for a moment longer than Happy and Carla. Marl looked between the three, before introducing the other exceed as Bane.
"You were born in Earthland, right? Who gave that name?" Marl asked.
"Natsu...my friend." Happy replied.
"Me too...yeah...a friend..." Carla said in a depressed tone.
Thyme looked down at the tiny gold cuff around one paw. It was just a bracelet made for a toddler that Rette had given her after happening to stumble across it in a market. It had Thyme's name carefully etched into the gold. When Marl and Bane looked at her, waiting for Thyme to tell them who had given her name, Thyme closed a paw over the gold band.
"Rette." Thyme said lowly, sadness in her tone.
She remembered what Rette had told her once when she had asked why she had called her Thyme. Rette had told her it was because when she had found Thyme, she had been out in the woods where she found her, looking for an herb called thyme, for her food. Instead, she had found the egg from which Thyme had hatched. Since the herb had been the reason that had drove Rette into the woods and therefore had been the reason she had found Thyme, Rette had given that name to her. Now, whenever Rette smelled or saw the herb, she would share a look with Thyme that would put a smile on the cat's face.
"Those friends are being held at the capital, so we have to go and rescue them." Happy said just then, snapping Thyme out of her thoughts.
"You're going to rescue humans?" Marl asked.
"I know that in Extalia, such actions are unheard of..." Carla said.
"That's not true. I think its a great thing to do." Marl told her. "It doesn't matter if your friends are a human or an exceed. Because, even though we look different, our feelings towards each other are the same."
"Feelings?" Carla asked.
"Yup...our feelings of friendship are all the same." Marl insisted.
Carla stared down at her lap, thinking that over. Thyme looked out at the field before them, questioning her feelings. How did she feel about Rette?
"My feelings...feel as though they are being manipulated by someone other than myself. Right now...I can't even be sure that I'm the one who's speaking these words." Carla said.
"Of course it's your words! Of course it's your feelings! Our feelings of wanting to rescue our friends, is definitely our own!" Happy insisted.
"You seem to be lost right now, but I'm sure you'll be okay. Besides, you have such a wonderful knight here beside you." Marl told Carla. "You will be able to find your own heart. No, you probably already have it. All that's left, is to recognize it and to trust that feeling of friendship."
Carla let that sink in, before smiling.
"What about you, little one? What do your feelings tell you?" Bane asked suddenly, looking at Thyme.
All eyes turned to Thyme as she looked up at Bane, surprised. Her eyes dropped back down to the band around her paw as she thought about that. What did her feelings tell her about Rette?
"Thyme doesn't talk mu-"
"Rette..."
Happy cut off when Thyme spoke, her voice low, but determined.
"Rette was the first thing I ever saw. She's always been there every time I looked up, just silently waiting, never taking, just...just being there. She has such problems trusting others, but...she never had a problem trusting me to have her back. Rette is my family, my best friend. She's nursed me when I was sick or hurt, she's held me when I was upset, she's just always been there. One constant in my life that's never changed. She's...a lot of hard work, and she doesn't show a lot of emotion, but I know she cares about me. She makes it clear in the time she spends making sure my life is as great as if can be. Rette...Rette is my family and I would do anything to protect her." Thyme said lowly.
She knew there was no denying her feelings for Rette. It wasn't something someone else had programmed into her as if she was a puppet. Thyme loved Rette like family and she was sure it was the same for Rette. Even if the girl didn't realize it. Thyme looked up in surprise when Bane laid a paw on her head, patting it.
"You're a good child. This Rette is a very lucky girl to have a friend like you." he told her.
Carla and Happy smiled when a grateful smile curled across Thyme's face.
"You're different, lady. Both of you are." Carla told Marl and Bane.
"Is that so?" Marl asked.
"Because...the exceed look at themselves as "angels" or something. They say the humans are lower class." Carla told her.
"In the past, I used to think like that too. So did Bane, here. But our children were taken by the queen." Marl said.
Happy, Carla, and Thyme stared at the two older cats with surprised looks. Bane nodded in a grim way, silently confirming Marl's claim.
"In the Dragon Slayer assassination plan, one hundred children...eggs were collected. And, without seeing our children's faces, they were sent to Earthland." Marl said sadly. "Because we opposed the plan, we were exiled. It was about that time...that I figured it out...we aren't gods or angels or anything, just parents. After that, humans and exceeds and all those things didn't matter anymore. My husband may have a bad mouth, but he has the same ideals as me and so does Bane. Even if he doesn't talk much."
Bane shrugged, as if that didn't matter much. From behind him came yelling as Lucky joined them, yelling that Marl shouldn't talk about stupid things and demanding to know when Happy, Carla, and Thyme were going to leave.
"Making such depressing faces, be happy that you are alive at least. Kahh! Stop being so pampered!" Lucky yelled at Happy. "Hurry up and get out!"
Thyme silently laughed as she got to her feet. She didn't take it personally. In fact, she knew that she needed to get going. Rette was waiting.
"We don't have to throw them out so suddenly." Marl protested.
"No...he's right. We have to go quickly and save everyone." Happy said.
Thyme and Carla nodded in agreement.
"If you're shaking in fear, you can't do anything! Young ones these days, they don't even know that!" Lucky said.
Happy, Carla, and Thyme shared a look, knowing what they had to do now. They said their farewells to the three older exceed. Thyme turned to Bane, raising a silent paw in farewell to him, a smile lighting up her face. Bane blinked in surprise, but raised a silent paw in reply. Turning their backs Happy, Carla, and Thyme hurried about their way.
"Carla, Thyme! Did you two understand what that guy was saying?" Happy asked.
"Yeah...I understand." Carla said, Thyme nodding in agreement.
"Ever since I arrived at Edolas, I was...filled with so much anxiety." Happy admitted.
"Yeah, me too. And Thyme, right?" Carla said.
Thyme nodded as they charged towards the cliff, gaining speed as they went.
"But no more! We have to go forward! We have to fly!" Carla said.
The three dived off the cliff. They were part of the only race in Edolas that naturally had magic in them, but because their hearts were unstable, they had been unable to reach it. Now that their feelings and minds were clear, Thyme felt her magic well up, reacting to her bidding and her wings sprouted from her back. Happy and Carla's wings sprouted as well and with a smile between the three, they headed out. Thyme paused for a moment, turning back to look back towards Lucky, Marl, and Bane. She raised her paw in one final wave before she darted after Happy and Carla.
On the ground below, Lucky, Marl, and Bane watched the three zip away.
"Kah! So he can fly properly!" Lucky said, watching Happy's form vanish.
"He looks exactly the same as you when you're flying." Marl added. "And Thyme looks so much like you and Krill, Bane."
"Don't be so stupid! It's not the way he flies! One look and I'd notice it!" Lucky insisted, Bane nodded.
"You're right. I wonder if one of them is his girlfriend?" Marl added, tears running down hers and Lucky's faces.
Bane shook a paw, silently telling her not to be ridiculous, though tears were streaming down his own face as he watched Thyme's form flip before diving down to vanish along side her friends'.
"It's one hundred years too early for him to bring home a girl!" Lucky insisted.
"Not my daughter." Bane said simply.
"Looks like he grew up to be a gentle boy who treasures his friends." Marl said.
"So much like Krill." Bane said, meaning Thyme.
The three looked at each other and smiled. Despite losing their children six years ago, they had managed to find their way back and from the looks of it...they had grown up wonderfully.
Thyme fell into line with Carla and Happy, the three diving down to the capital below. Finding the castle from the sky was easy and quick and Thyme was happy they had figured out how to summon their wings when they had. Just as they reached the castle, EdoErza threw their Lucy off one of the upper floors to watch her drop to the ground below.
"Lucy!" Happy called.
"Happy! Carla, Thyme!" Lucy called in relief.
"Everything's going to be okay! We're here-"
Thyme winced, Carla catching Lucy when Happy flew into a wall. Thyme shook her head as Lucy shakily thanked Carla for saving her.
"Hey! You guys have wings." Lucy said, looking between Carla and Thyme.
"Apparently it was a problem with our hearts." Carla replied.
"Wha...what on earth...the queen's orders were to eliminate the girl!" EdoEzra called from where she stood.
Thyme turned to look at EdoEzra as Carla handed Lucy off to Happy. Since Rette spent a lot of time with Erza, especially after starting to learn to use a sword, Thyme had spent a good amount of time around the red haired woman. But this woman...despite looking like Erza, she was nothing like her. Thyme could see it by looking in her eyes.
"The order is retracted." Carla replied.
"B-but even if this is a direct order from an exceed, you shouldn't have the power to override the queen's command." EdoErza protested. "Please hand the girl over to me."
"How arrogant of you, human." Carla said, making her guild mates look at her in surprise. "Who do you think I am? I am Carla, the daughter of Queen Shagotte, princess of Extalia."
Shock sounded from all of them, Thyme staring at Carla with wide eyes. It was a ploy...right? It obviously had to be a bluff. Especially since Carla wouldn't talk to a human that way. EdoErza dropped to one knee, begging Carla to overlook her discourteousness.
"Where are the Dragon Slayers?" Carla demanded.
"Th-they're in the basement of the west tower." EdoEzra replied.
"Release them immediately." Carla commanded.
"I am afraid I haven't the authority to do that." EdoErza told her.
"Just do it!" Carla demanded.
A yell of Erza's name, made them all turn. Coming Erza's way was a large, humanoid exceed with a scar over his left eye and pitch black fur as far as they could see, except around his mouth. Thyme blinked, surprised to find an exceed that was humanoid in appearance. Every exceed she had seen thus far had been roughly her size. He was large and, as far as exceeds went, wasn't bad looking in Thyme's opinion. It made her wonder if she could some day grow to be that big.
The mere thought of being as big, if not bigger, than Rette, amused her.
"Panther Lily!" Erza called, surprised to see the large exceed as well.
"What is that guy!? Do you know him?" Lucy asked.
"I've never seen such an incredible exceed." Happy replied.
Thyme's paws went up in a gesture that was meant to say, "Huge!". Her guild mates nodded in agreement with that.
"Those three are "fallen"! They're on the run from Extalia!" Lily yelled to Erza, meaning Happy, Carla, and Thyme.
The jig was up. Happy and Thyme shared a look as Carla clicked her tongue in annoyance.
"We're getting out of here!" Carla told her guild mates.
Carla shoot off, Happy, who was carrying Lucy now, following behind her. Thyme looked back down at EdoErza, Lily, and the guards with Lily. She raised a silent paw before darting off after her guild mates, making Lily stare at her with a mix of surprise and confusion.
"Wait! So you aren't a princess!?" Lucy asked Carla.
"It looks like being called the fallen means we were disgraced as traitors." Happy remarked.
Thyme glanced over her shoulder when yells were called out that they had escaped with Lucy in tow. The guards would all be on alert now and it would be even harder for them to get to Natsu, Rette, and Wendy.
"Thanks, both of you." Lucy told them as they flew over the city.
"Aren't you angry?" Carla asked.
"Huh? At what?" Lucy wondered.
"We were the reason you got caught in the first place." Carla replied.
"But you came to save me. Right? Happy? Thyme?" Lucy asked.
"I'm sorry, Lucy." Happy told her, Thyme nodding to show she was sorry too.
"I said, I'm not angry at all! It's more like I'm surprised to know that you were the queen's daughter." Lucy said, looking at Carla.
"I didn't know that either." Happy said.
Thyme shook her head. Obviously, the two didn't get what had happened.
"That was obviously a bluff." Carla replied, Thyme pressing a paw to her mouth to hold back a laugh.
Happy smiled as Thyme continued silently laughing. Carla looked over at Happy, her face as straight as Rette's usually was.
"What are you grinning about, Happy?" Carla demanded.
"Nothing...I was just thinking it's just like you to do that." Happy told her.
"Sh-shut up! More importantly, we're going to rescue Natsu, Wendy, and Rette!" Carla said.
"Aye! She said the basement of the west tower, didn't she?" Happy asked.
Thyme nodded. Determination shined from all three of their faces when Lucy looked at them. Lucy was sure something had happened to bring the three closer in the time since she had last seen them. And it was strange for Lucy to see Thyme without Rette. Surprisingly, she was rather calm. The three continued their flight when a strange sound reached their ears.
"What...this sound..." Lucy said, looking around.
They looked up and had Thyme been carrying Lucy, she would have dropped her in shock and horror. Flying their way was a large number of exceed, lead by Nichiya. Carla suggested they head for the ground, but human guards waited for them below. They were trapped between a rock and a hard place with no where to go. What were they going to do?
"Lucy, what about your celestial magic?" Carla asked.
"It looks like these handcuffs seal magic. Anyway...even if I used magic, against this many people..."
Lucy didn't have to finish that sentence for them to know it would be a lost cause. There were simply too many enemies for Lucy's spirits to quell. They're best bet was to take cover. Carla lead them, the three flying for the building, to take cover inside. A horn sounded just then. Guards started yelling something about invoking Code ETD. Something along the lines of spotlights were shined into the sky. Three of them were shined from different locations, all three locked onto the exceed guards in the sky. Thyme and her guild mates stared in horror as a magical bubble formed around the exceed, trapping them.
"Wh-what's going on!? Aren't the exceed supposed to be angels or gods to the humans?" Lucy asked.
"I wonder what they intend to do?" Happy asked.
"I don't really know, but for now the best thing to do is to take advantage of the chaos and go save Wendy, Rette, and Natsu." Carla suggested.
Thyme and Happy nodded in agreement and they took off. They would free their friends and then they would worry about everything else. Once inside the castle, they landed, letting Lucy run while they, themselves ran.
"Something big's going down. To think the humans would go to war with the exceed." Lucy remarked as they ran.
"It's got nothing to do with us. It's not as though we're on either side...let them do as they please." Carla replied.
Thyme gasped a warning when something came flying their way, caught her eye. It crashed into the floor just in front of Lucy and Happy, sending the two tumbling off their feet. Sticking up out of the floor was the spear like weapon that EdoEzra carried.
"I won't let you pass this point."
The four turned to find EdoErza blocking their way, her guards standing behind her. If she was going to insist on blocking their way, then they would never reach Natsu, Rette, and Wendy. The mere thought made Thyme curled her paws into the front of her dress.
"What the heck! Haven't you lost interest in us!?" Lucy asked.
All four of them turned their eyes to EdoEzra's weapon when it started to glow before an orb of power burst from it, sending all four of them flying. Thyme hit the ground hard, as did the others, but they were still alive.
Aching, but still alive.
"Huh...still alive after taking a hit from my magic, eh?" EdoErza asked as she grabbed her weapon.
Thyme and her friends tried to force themselves up, hurt, but alive enough to move. Thyme froze when she heard a scream she knew, echo up from further down the path. It was Wendy's voice.
"Wendy's voice...it's close..." Carla said.
"You...what're you doing to Wendy!?" Lucy asked.
"We're taking the magic we need for Code ETD." EdoEzra replied.
More of Wendy's screams echoed down the hall, drawing tears from Carla. Carla begged them to stop hurting Wendy. EdoErza leveled the tip of her weapon at Carla.
"Don't worry about it. You're going to die here, anyway." she told Carla.
"Give Wendy back!" Carla demanded.
Happy stepped between EdoErza and Carla, spreading his arms and refusing to let EdoErza near Carla. EdoErza was more than happy to kill him first, pulling her spear back. Thyme's eyes widened, fear for her guild mates welling up in her. Thankfully, a crash from behind EdoErza's guards stopped her from killing Happy. Many guards went flying.
"Hey...you guys...are they going to kill them, knowing they're from our guild?"
Thyme knew that voice, her eyes only growing wider when a second voice she knew well chimed in, the clicks of armor reaching Thyme's ears.
"We never forgive those who'd raise a hand against members of our guild."
Tears came to Lucy's eyes, Thyme's paws going to her mouth in shock. Out of the smoke came Gray and Erza. Earthland's Gray and Erza! And apparently they still had their magic completely at their disposal. Thyme lit up, happy to see them back to their original form and well. Her paws went up in joy. Maybe now, they stood a chance of saving Natsu, Rette, and Wendy. EdoErza stared in shock at her Earthland counter part.
"Where are our comrades?" Gray demanded. "Where the hell are our friends who were turned into that lacrima!?"
Gray didn't give the guards much time to answer before he blew them all away with an attack. EdoErza escaped the blow and attacked Gray, only to get stopped by Erza. Thyme knew Rette would pay good money to watch Erza clash with herself. Especially with the sheer amount of power that flowed off the two. Rette had always gotten a kick out of anything odd. Ironic since she didn't seem fond of her Edolas counter part. Another yell from Wendy, spurred Gray into movement. He approached Thyme, Lucy, Happy, and Carla.
"Are they in the basement?" Gray asked.
"Probably just ahead!" Carla told him.
"Natsu and Rette should be there too." Happy added.
"Gray! Go on ahead!" Erza called.
"Yeah!" Gray called back, going to Lucy to help her up. "Can you stand, Lucy?"
"Yeah. How...how did you get here?" Lucy asked as he used his ice to shatter the cuffs around her wrists.
"The details can wait! Let's go!" Gray said.
Thyme, more than happy to get to Rette, followed as Gray lead the way further down to the basement. As they ran, Gray explained that the lacrima that they had seen in the plaza in the capital was where he had come from and that it had just been made up of him and Erza.
"But how'd you return to normal?" Happy asked.
"Gajeel came." Gray replied.
"That's right...Gajeel's a Dragon Slayer too, so the Anima wouldn't have worked on him, just like it didn't on Natsu, Rette, and Wendy." Happy said.
"So he was left in Earthland rather than being sucked in here?" Lucy asked.
"And then Mystogen sent him here." Gray added.
"Why didn't he come here himself?" Lucy asked.
"Seem that Dragon Slayer magic serves various purposes in this world. One of which is turning those who've been turned into lacrima back to normal." Gray explained.
"Really!?" Carla asked.
"We...we know the location of the lacrima that everyone's trapped in." Happy added.
"For real!?" Gray asked. "Gajeel's tearing up the city looking for that giant larcima right now. Can you take him to the lacrima?"
"Gajeel should be able to turn the lacrima back, right?" Happy asked.
"Actually, it should be possible for Natsu, Rette, and Wendy as well...But, I don't think they know how it's done." Gray told him.
"Got it! I'll take Gajeel there!" Happy said, sprouting his wings to fly off.
"Wait! Will you be okay, Happy!?" Lucy asked, but he was gone.
"He'll be fine." Carla said confidently.
"As for us, we've got to hurry up and find Natsu, Rette, and Wendy." Gray said.
They continued on their way, running down stairs after stairs. Then, up ahead, a pair of doors appeared. Gray kicked open the doors. Beyond them, they found Natsu, Rette, and Wendy, passed out and slumped on the ground. Thyme rushed to Rette's side, laying a paw on Rette's face. Rette didn't move. Lucy tried to wake Natsu, Gray trying to wake Wendy, but none of the three budged.
"They're all unconscious." Gray said.
Carla draped herself over Wendy, crying as she apologized to her over and over. Thyme buried her face in Rette's chest, silently willing Rette to wake up.
"Let's try having them take exballs. Hey! Open your mouth, Natsu!" Gray said, slipping an arm around Natsu's shoulder to try to get him to take something.
"What's that?" Lucy asked.
"We got them from Gajeel. Did you not get them from Mystogen?" Gray asked. "It's medicine to allow us to use magic in this world."
"Come to think of it, I think he did have me swallow something." Lucy said.
Gray forced one of the pills down Natsu's throat. Natsu coughed, rolling on to his side and Gray moved on to Wendy to give her one.
"Are you alright, Natsu?" Lucy asked as he rolled over again.
Natsu drove a fist into the ground, angry beyond belief. The medicine had to have worked, for flames curled around Natsu's fist.
"If we don't stop them..." Natsu said lowly.
"Stop?" Lucy asked, just before he spouted flames and ran off, obviously way beyond furious. "Natsu!"
Thyme ignored Natsu's running off on his own as Gray finished feeding Wendy the medicine and turned to Rette. She watched Rette's face intently as Gray worked the medicine down her throat. Rette's brows furrowed before she gagged for a moment and started coughing. Thyme leaned in, lightly patting Rette's shoulder until her coughs faded. Then Rette opened her eyes to look right at her.
"Thyme." she croaked, trying to push herself up.
Thyme, tears in her eyes at seeing Rette alright, threw herself at Rette. Rette caught her with one arm, holding her tightly. Gray helped Rette sit up, an arm around her shoulders.
"Sorry..." Thyme said lowly.
"Oh, Thyme...I knew you could never betray me. Consider it forgotten." Rette told her.
Thyme looked up at Rette, her tear filled eyes wide. Despite the usual indifferent look on her face, Thyme could see the smile in her eyes. Rette hadn't, for a single moment, doubted Thyme in the least. Relief and joy filled Thyme and she buried her face in Rette's chest. Rette pat her head before looking up at Gray. There was questioning in her eyes, but she pushed it aside for something more important.
"Everyone else...we have to hurry." Rette said.
"Why? What is it?" Gray asked.
"In order to destroy Extalia, the royal army...is going to crash the giant lacrima into it." Wendy said, making her friends look at her in shock.
Rette laid a hand on Wendy's shaking shoulder and took over, her expression dark and cold.
"They're going to use our guild as a bomb."
END
Kyandi: Someone's about to get hurt big time.
Rette: I don't like it when people mess with what's mine.
Kyandi: That makes two of us. But truthfully...you're scarier than I am.
Rette: Is that suppose to be a compliment?
Kyandi: Maybe. Maybe not.
Rette: I choose to take it as a compliment.
Kyandi: Well then there you go. Everyone, please enjoy and review.
Rette: We shall return soon, even though she should work on other stories too.
Kyandi: My muse is with this one!
Rette: Uh-huh...
Kyandi: Whatever. Bye, everyone!