Chapter 9

Wendy POV

I rubbed my eyes as something scratched my arm. Looking down, I saw Carla unconsciously scratching my am, soundly asleep. I poked Carla in the cheek and shook her slightly. She stayed asleep. Whew. I slowly moved my arm away from Carla and replaced it with my pillow. I then tiptoed to my dresser and grabbed my dress, but also a pair of black leggings. I snuck into the bathroom, and put on my clothes, and brushed my teeth. I then quietly opened the door of our rented room, and walked out.

It had been two weeks since joining Fairy Tail, and about finding the truth about Caitshelter, and it had been a week since I accepted Makoto's offer to train with him. He had approached me after the whole robot dragon incident. Everyone had been yelling at Natsu, while I had tried to calm everyone down. I tried to recall the conversation.

"Hey Wendy," he had said.

"Yes?" I said.

"Would you…like to train with me?" he asked nervously.

"What?" I responded. "Why me? You're much stronger than me."

"Well, I'm kind of in a limbo state when it comes to power. Everyone else is, either way, stronger, or too busy."

"Sure!" I answered. "I want to prove that I can help the guild!"

"Really?!" he said surprised. He tried to recompose himself. "Uh, let's meet at 7 tomorrow at the Cathedral then."

I stumbled over a rock and almost fell face-first into the canal tunning through the city. Not again… I think as I am about to fall in. Somebody grabbed the back of my dress and pulled me up. I turn to this person and are about to thank him when I realize it's Makoto.

"You really need to invest into paying attention to your surroundings," he smiled.

"Thanks," I say while moving his hand off the dress. "So, um, are we moving again?"

"No, I think the last spot was hidden enough," he said. "I think I learned my lesson." He began jogging down a narrow alleyway.

"H-hey!" I yelled after him. I began running after him, panicking that I would lose him. I really didn't want to explain the situation to Carla. We made a right, a left, another right, and finally made it into the forest. After walking for a few minutes, I came upon a clearing of an old clearing with burn marks on the trees and small puddles on the ground.

I stopped near a short oak tree and panted for a few moments, tired from the sudden sprint. I looked up to spot Makoto leaning against a tree, head laid back.

"Okay," he panted. "Just tell me when you're ready. We stood there for a few minutes, trying to catch our breaths.

"Okay," I managed to say. "I think I'm good." I walked over to the center of the clearing and took a deep breath. It felt rejuvenating, as it helped me recover from the tiring run. Makoto stood up and walked toward me, but stopped a few feet away.

"So, which do you want to start with?" he asked. I put a finger to my chin in thought.

"Um, how about no magic," I decided as I took a step back and readied my fists. The peaking sunlight illuminated my face, temporarily blinding me. That's when I heard Makoto make the first move. My heightened senses helped me dodge the attack. I jumped to the left just as a fist passed through the air that I had just been. I then tried for a quick jab, that was blocked by a forearm. A kick came from the right, so I ducked and found myself suddenly on the receiving end of a punch to my stomach.

I fell to the ground, and tried to catch my breath. Makoto reached his hand out to me. I gratefully took it, and tried to catch my breath. As I was doing that, something wiggled in the back of my brain, as if reminding me about something.

"You want to go again?" asked Makoto shaking me out of my thoughts.

"Um, I feel like we're forgetting something," I said uncertainly. "I think supposed to do something today? Something about a job I think?"

"Uh….." he mumbled. He suddenly facepalmed. "I remember now, we have a job to find the bingo prize!"

"Wait!" I spoke. "Aren't we supposed to leave at 7?"

"Yeah!" He looked at his watch. "We have ten minutes, so we might be able to get there."

Erza POV

"Where is that girl?" huffed Carla. It was five minutes until 7, and they needed to get going soon if they were to return in time for the festival.

"You think something happened" Lucy asked. Natsu sniffed the air.

"Can you smell them?" asked Erza.

"Yeah," responded Natsu. "They're getting close. Which is good, because I want to bash some heads." A few seconds later, two small figures slid out of an alley sprinted over to them. Makoto and Wendy stopped short of running into Erza.

"See," Makoto said between breaths. "I told you we would make it."

"Wendy Marvell!" Carla walked up to the blue-haired girl leaned over, trying to catch her breath. The moment Wendy heard Carla, she stood straight up and said, "Yes?"

"Why were you late?!" demanded Carla.

"I forgot," Wendy squeaked. Before Carla could say anything, Makoto interrupted her.

"It wasn't her," he said. "It…was my fault. She was the one who actually remembered." Erza looked at the sun. They needed to get going if they were going to finish this job by the deadline.

"Stop!" stopped Erza. Everyone looked at her. She cleared her throat and continued. "We have to get going if we are going to come back in time for the Blossom Viewing Festival." She stared directly at Natsu, knowing his weakness to transportation. "And no complaining."

[Four-hour time skip]

Natsu slumped over in his seat "Urgh…." Erza sighed. This was going to be a long ride. I'll just knock him out. Decided Erza. She scooted over to him and prepared to cover his mouth.

"Wait!" said Wendy. Erza stopped. "I could use troia."

"But didn't we find out that a person becomes more and more immune to the spell as you use it more often?" asked Lucy.

"Oh…right," said Wendy glumly. She sat down, having a look of sadness and disappointment.

"Hey, it's fine," Makoto rubbed her head. He leaned into her ear and whispered. "I'm sure you're going to do something impactful on this job." Wendy seemed to shake out of her depressing stupor by his words. What that about? Wonder Erza. I have to focus on this job request. She didn't much of it afterward.

Normal POV

"It's too c-cold, she says," said Horologium. Lucy had summoned him after they had begun to travel by foot.

"Well, the rest-" Makoto noticed Gray's mostly naked body, "Most of us are wearing this cool new technology call PANTS." Wendy slightly giggled at this joke.

"Gray, put some clothes on," sighed Erza. Gray gasped in surprise.

"Shit, not again!" he complained.

"I-I have to a-agree with L-lucy," mentioned Wendy, "It is r-r-really c-cold." Makoto suddenly slipped off his jacket, leaving only on a light blue T-shirt.

"Put this on," he suggested while handing it to her.

"Thanks," she put it on and zipped up the front. "Wow! I don't feel cold at all. But, won't you get cold Makoto?"

"Eh, my armor can protect me," he replied. He looked over at Happy. "Hey, Happy, what's the plant we're supposed to be looking for again? I kind of forgot in the morning's events."

"It's some kind of magic buffing plant," he flew next to the group. "Hey, Natsu do you really think something like that exists?"

"I mean, the job request said it was here, so should be," replied Natsu in his usual goofy manner.

"I meant the magic buffing part," Happy said. "They say if you ground the herb up and make it into a tea or cake, it can amplify a wizard's power temporarily. That sounds like a bunch of baloney to me."

"Whether or not its effects are real," interrupted Erza. "The job request said to gather some from this mountain. If we can harvest enough, it will make a good prize for the bingo tomorrow."

"Hey herbs, come out if you can hear me!" shouted Natsu.

"That isn't going to work," mentioned Gray.

"What did you say stripper?!" demanded Natsu. Gray and Natsu locked heads.

"I said, you shouldn't just say everything that comes to mind flame brain!" countered Gray.

"Stop this!" ordered Erza.

"Ah!" the two jumped back in fear.

"She seems really harsh," observed Wendy. The redhead pushed the rivals away from each other and began chewing them out.

"When you deal with these two," said Makoto, "Only fear and control those two."

"Wait!" Natsu pointed his nose into the air. "I smell it! That is most definitely the smell of herbs."

"Wait, you've smelled these herbs before?" questioned Carla.

"Nope, but it's definitely real!" claimed Natsu. "Let's go Happy!" he took off like a freight train.

"Aye sir!" said Happy. He rocketed after Natsu.

"Well, Natsu's nose isn't something to sneeze at," said Erza sighing.

"Really? Asked Makoto with a sigh. "A pun? Never mind, let's just get going then."

Makoto POV

Just as everyone began following Natsu's many footprints, I grabbed Wendy's arm. I didn't come on this trip to get the herbs.

"Hey Wendy?" I asked. "I need you to come with me."

"Um, where are we going?" she questioned. I hadn't explained why I had come with them on this mission yet.

"Wendy!" called Carla. "We have to get going!" She began floating back towards us.

Wendy looked slightly uncomfortable with her next line. "Makoto asked me to come with him."

"Where?" Carla narrowed her eyes at me. You really think things through. said Mike. Yeah, I really didn't. I replied.

"Um, a cave," I said. I gestured to the cave opening to the right of us. "I came to Mt. Hakobe because a few of the caves have a certain crystal I need."

"IF you're taking Wendy, I'm coming too." she crossed her tiny arms in defiance.

"Sure," I replied. "The more the merrier." I turned to the cave entrance and tried to walk towards it. My foot slipped into the snow, and wouldn't budge. This might be tougher than imagined.

After ten minutes, I hurriedly walked into the cave and began looking for the iridescent blue of memory lacrimas. They can store and remember specific magic and can be used to recall the powers of the magic. As I was looking, Carla staggered in and sat down on the floor. Wendy followed behind her. To get up the hill, we had decided to fly up, since the snow was too deep to walk through. Carla wouldn't let me carry Wendy, so she had carried her up.

"Hey, Makoto?" asked Wendy. She was pointing to the back of the cave. I turned to where she was pointing.

"Yeah, what is it?" I asked I then only realized that there were eggs hidden among…. bright blue crystals. I walked forward, wanting to know if the rocks were memory lacrimas. As I got closer, I had a sudden realization. The only reptile living on this mountain are Blizzardvern, so that means…. I grabbed a couple of the lacrimas and bolted for the entrance.

"We have to get out of here!" I yelled.

"Why?" asked Wendy with a mixture panic and confusion.

"Well, I'm pretty sure the only animal living on this mountain that can lay eggs, is a Blizzardvern," I quickly explained. "And I would rather not fight a descendant of actual dragons right now." I almost reached the entrance when fwoom! A huge gust of wind filled the cavern, causing bits of rock to fall to the ground. A loud thump preceded the arrival of a large, dragon-shaped silhouette. Too late.

Authors Note: Sorry for not updating in the past week. I was on holiday with my family, so I didn't have a chance to update the story. I'll be back to weekly updates from now on.