Hey guys, I'm back with another update for this story! I'm glad you all seemed to enjoy the last chapter and Cana becoming one of Natsu's lovers! This chapter will pick up where the previous left off and will finally get the Edolas arc into full swing! So, I hope you're all looking forward to that! I apologize for this chapters taking a bit longer to get out, I've been on vacation with my family for the past week.
P.S. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ! I was laid off from my job back in January, while I'm not broke or anything, a source of income would be nice. So, I've considered starting a Pa tre on page. I've posted a poll on my profile page and I would greatly appreciate it if you all could vote in it. If I do decide to create a Pa tre on, the tiers wouldn't be expensive, with the priciest one being only $6. If only one-tenth of the people who follow this story supported my Pa tre on, it'd be such a massive help. I haven't fully figured out the incentives for each tier yet, but I do have some in place that I think work pretty well. And I want you all to know that I will NEVER hold stories hostage until I make a certain amount of money, and I will NEVER lock exclusive stories/content behind my Pa tre on, it just wouldn't feel right to me. Every chapter and story I create will be posted to this site for everyone to read for free. The Pa tre on would just be there to help support me and my writing. So, I ask you all to please go to my profile and vote in the poll! Also, feel free to give me your feedback! I'm open to any and all ideas, especially regarding higher tiers and incentives. I'll keep the poll open for a while to give as many of you as possible a chance to vote.
Well, that's all I wanted to say, so let's get to the fic!
"Speech"
"Thoughts"
Magic
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.
"I am Mystogan, a Fairy Tail mage." Mystogan introduced himself, crouching down so that he was now at eye level with Wendy. "Seven years ago, I didn't know much about this world. So I used the name Jellal with you and Natsu."
"This world..." Carla thought as she stared at Mystogan in stunned silence. "What is he talking about?"
"W-What a second..." Wendy said, feeling tears sting her eyes as she tightly balled her fists. Despite the cold rain, Wendy could still feel the hot tears streaming down her cheeks. "Y-You're saying...you're...you're the Jellal...I knew seven years ago?" Seeing a soft smile spread across Mystogan's face, Wendy choked back a sob. "I've wanted...I've wanted to see you again all this time!"
"I'm so sorry I never went back for you..." Mystogan said as he gently patted Wendy's head. The blue-haired dragon slayer sniffled several times, trying to wipe away her tears. "But...unfortunately we don't have time to enjoy our reunion." Standing back up, Jellal stared up at the darkening sky overhead. "You have to get out of this town right now!"
"What are you-" Wendy was cut off when Mystogan suddenly collapsed onto his knees. Instantly worried, Wendy rushed over to his side. "Jellal!"
"I've failed in my duty..." Mystogan said through grit teeth, watching as the clouds in the sky began to swirl ominously. "The Anima has become too big...I can no longer suppress it myself! And soon it will wipe Magnolia off the map!"
"What are you talking about!?" Wendy exclaimed as she began to panic, frantically shaking Mystogan's shoulders. "I don't understand what you're saying! Why is the city going to be destroyed!? What's an Anima!?"
"It's all over...destruction is guaranteed..." Mystogan replied, hanging his head and staring at his reflection within a small puddle. "But...I at least wanted to save you..."
"Screw that! What about Fairy Tail?!" Wendy screamed as tears began to stream down her cheeks once again. "What going to happen to the guild!? What...What will happen to all my friends!? What...will happen to Natsu!?"
"I'm sorry Wendy..." Mystogan answered in a sullen tone, tightly balling his fists as he felt a single tear fall from his eyes. "They're all going to die."
"NO! I refuse to believe that!" Wendy yelled as she violently shook her head, running back toward the guildhall. "I have to let everyone know!"
"You can't go!" Mystogan exclaimed, struggling to get back his feet and stop the blue-haired dragon slayer. "You should get out of town! Even if you're the only one to escape!"
"Just me!? NEVER!" Wendy screamed as she kept running, not bothering to look back, despite Carla and Mystogan's pleas. "I'm a member of Fairy Tail damn it! I won't abandon everyone!"
(Same Time: Back at the Fairy Tail Guild Hall)
"Hmmm, nothing's better on a rainy day than staying in and spending time with your boyfriend..." Cana said, hugging a barrel of wine as she sat on the edge of the bar. Noticing that Mirajane was staring at her, Cana smirked and twirled the streak of pink around her finger. "Don't you agree, Mira?"
"I do enjoy a nice, relaxing day in." Mirajane said with a sweet smile, slipping on her coat and making sure the brunette card mage got a good view of her complete mate mark. "Looks like you enjoyed yourself last night, Cana."
"It was this morning actually." Cana said with a smirk as she hugged her barrel of booze a little tighter, a ruddy blush spreading across her cheeks. "And yes, I did enjoy myself. It was amazing actually."
"Well, I'm glad you had fun, just make sure to not overindulge yourself. There are other people who like your 'boyfriend' too and you'll have to share him..." Mirajane said with a wink, reaching down and grabbing her umbrella from behind the bar. "You'll have to give me the info later, I'm sure Lucy would love to hear as well."
"I'll be sure to give you both all the juicy details..." Cana said as she watched the white-haired barmaid button up her coat, quirking an eyebrow. "You going somewhere, Mira? It's raining like crazy out there."
"Yes, I'm going to the cathedral..." Mirajane replied with a sad smile as she ran her hand along the bar's counter. "I'm sure you know why."
"Yeah, I got you." Cana said, releasing a light sigh as she lowered her gaze, her eyes full of remorse. "Say a prayer for me."
"Of course." Mirajane said as she patted Cana's shoulder, before turning her attention toward her brother. Elfman was across the guild, seemingly lecturing Jet and Droy about how they weren't 'manly' enough to protect Levy. Chuckling to herself, Mirajane waved to get her brother's attention. "Elfman, we need to get going!"
"Mira, you tell these guys too! They just came back from a job they completely botched!" Elfman exclaimed, growling in frustration as he slammed his fist onto the table in front of Jet and Droy, causing both men to yelp in surprise. "They apparently got taken out right away and had to leave it up to Levy to clean up their mess all by herself!"
"I wish he'd give this whole macho man routine a rest for just a little while..." Mirajane thought as he smiled sweetly at Jet and Droy, doing her best to hide her frustration. "I think Jet and Droy were doing their best..." Instantly, both Jet and Droy perked up, Mirajane's praise boosting their shattered morale. "Well, best for them anyway." Mirajane's back-handed compliment caused Jet and Droy to deflate, slamming their heads onto the table in despair. Releasing a light sigh, Mirajane quickly walked over and grabbed Elfman's arm, ushering him toward the door. "Now, come on Elfman! We need to leave!"
"I'm assuming they're going to the cathedral because of Lisanna?" Lucy asked, watching Mirajane and Elfman open the guild's front door and step out into the pouring rain. When Lucy glanced over at Natsu, she saw a saddened look in his eyes as he stared out a nearby window. Scooting a bit closer, Lucy wrapped her arms around Natsu and rested her head on his shoulder. "How are you doing, Natsu?"
"I'm...managing..." Natsu replied after a brief hesitation as he continued to gaze out the window. He may not have looked back at Lucy, but Natsu did reach up and gently grasp one of her hands. Lucy's comforting presence did help ease the pang in Natsu's heart. "The anniversary of Lisanna's death is coming up soon...Erza and I were going to visit her grave tomorrow...you can come if you want, Luce."
"I'd love to go with you guys." Lucy said with a small smile, doing her best to soothe Natsu as she rubbed his back. "You can tell me all about Lisanna. I'm sure you and Erza have plenty of stories to tell."
"Hmmm, those two are as close as ever..." Cana thought as she rested her head on top of her barrel of wine, watching Lucy continue to cuddle up next to Natsu. Reaching up, Cana rubbed her incomplete mate mark, feeling a faint warmth radiating from it. "All that stuff Natsu told me about a dragon's mates is definitely true. It probably isn't as strong as Lucy or Erza's, but I can feel a connection between Natsu and me now. It's a weird feeling but I don't hate it." Releasing a wistful sigh, Cana twirled her streak of pink hair around her finger. "Maybe one day I'll take that next step with Natsu, but right now I'm not looking for a long-term relationship."
"Damn, would those two get a room already, it's like they're dating or something..." Alzack thought, gritting his teeth in frustration as he watched Natsu and Lucy act all lovey-dovey. Stealing a sideways glance, Alzack's face flushed when noticed that Bisca was staring at him. Quickly whipping his head away, Alzack felt his heart pounding in his chest. "GAH! I can't keep this up forever! Someday I'll tell Bisca how I really feel!"
"Would he just man up and say something already!" Bisca thought as she released a light sigh when Alzack avoided her gaze, before turning her attention back toward Natsu and Lucy. "I wish Alzack and I could be like that, so honest about their feelings."
"I see you're both as close as always." Erza said with a smile, suddenly appearing behind Alzack and Bisca which caused both of them to start sputtering in embarrassment. "The present is a precious gift...don't hesitate forever or else you'll start to have regrets." Both Alzack and Bisca's faces flush red as they glanced at each other. With a light chuckle, Erza patted both of them on the shoulder. "I think you both know what I'm talking about."
"Oi, Erza!" Makarov called out as he waved the scarlet-haired knight over to his table. "Can you come here for a moment!?"
"Of course, master." Erza said, walking up to Makarov and clasping her hands behind her back. "What can I do for you, master?"
"Take a seat..." Makarov said as he patted the chair next to him, his tone suddenly becoming serious. "We need to continue our discussion about that 100 Year Quest. I've been thinking about it quite extensively and I believe that someone else should take the quest. What do you think?"
"I believe that's a valid decision." Erza replied, slowly nodding her head. "Did you have any candidates in mind?"
(Back Outside: In the Streets of Magnolia)
"I have to get back! I have to warn everyone!" Wendy thought as she panted heavily, sprinting back toward the guildhall at full speed. Nearly slipping as she rounded a corner, Wendy's vision began to blur from the tears stinging her eyes. "Please! Let me save-" Wendy was violently yanked from her thoughts as she tripped over an uneven piece of stone in the road. With a thud, Wendy slammed onto the ground, sliding a few feet on the slick street. Wendy hissed in pain as she tried to pick herself back up. But she paused when she caught a glimpse of something terrifying in the reflection of a puddle. "N-No way! What is going on!?"
In the puddle's reflection, Wendy could see the clouds menacingly swirling overhead. Wendy felt her breath hitch as she looked up, watching as the clouds darkened and became almost pitch black in color. Then, the clouds began to swirl faster and faster, opening up a large hole in the sky. Wendy's fear skyrocketed when an ominous light radiated from the hole in the clouds, circling all of Magnolia. Tightly balling her fists, Wendy scrambled onto her feet and began running back toward the once again.
"HEY! EVERYONE!" Wendy screamed, seeing the guild's entryway come into sight. "We've got a problem! The sky is-" Wendy stopped mid-sentence when the guildhall's front gates began to warp and twist. Then, thick white smoke filled the entire area, causing Wendy to lose sight of the entire Fairy Tail guild. Wendy gasped as she watched all the buildings and street stalls around her appear to dissipate and disappear into the smoke. "W-What the hell is going on!? Everyone! Can anyone hear me!?"
A sudden flash of light caught Wendy's attention, moments before she was sent flying back by a powerful gust of wind. The blue-haired dragon slayer watched in dismay as a massive twister descended from the hole in the sky, sucking up all the buildings, and apparently people, within Magnolia. Shutting her eyes, Wendy did her best to shield herself from the flying debris. But the blistering winds were gone as quickly as they had arrived, and soon Wendy heard nothing, an eerie silence falling over the area. When Wendy slowly re-opened her eyes, she couldn't believe what she was seeing, a lump forming in her throat.
Surrounding Wendy appeared to be an empty wasteland where Magnolia used to be, the once lively town appeared to completely vanish into thin air. All around Wendy, what appeared to be clumps of glowing dust fell from the sky, forming dozens of small mounds of the material. Wendy's entire body felt numb as she slowly stood back on trembling legs. The blue-haired dragon slayer's mind was a hazy mess as she frantically scanned around for any other people, her heart racing as she began to panic. Tugging on a handful of her hair, Wendy sniffled several times to fight back her tears.
"The guild...is gone...the whole town...everything...everyone..." Wendy muttered almost in a daze as she aimlessly walked around the barren remains of Magnolia. "You have to be joking...this can't be happening." Cupping her hands next to her mouth, Wendy inhaled deeply, praying that anyone would hear her. "IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE!? PLEASE! SOMEONE ANSWER ME! NATSU! LUCY! CARLA! ANYBODY!" After several minutes of yelling and receiving no reply, Wendy began to lose all hope and collapsed onto her knees. Staring down at her hands, Wendy saw that they were trembling uncontrollably. "Why...why am I still here? The whole town and guild vanished...so why am I the only one left!? Is this some sick joke?!"
Before Wendy could start balling her eyes out and mourning her missing nakama, she was startled when a large mound of dust next to her began to move. Yelping in surprise. Wendy quickly backed away as the pile of glowing dust began to rise up. Steeling herself for a possible enemy attack, Wendy raised her right arm, her sky dragon slayer magic swirling around it. After a few more moments, the dust began to shake and crack, pieces starting to chip away. Then, Wendy saw a head of spiky pink hair pop out of the ground. An unimaginable wave of relief washed over Wendy when she finally saw a familiar face, she really wasn't all alone.
"What the fuck happened?" Natsu asked in a confused tone, rubbing his head as he scanned his surroundings. "There was a flash of light...then everything went-"
"NATSU!" Wendy yelled as she lunged toward the pink-haired dragon slayer and embraced him in a tight hug. Tears streamed from Wendy's eyes as she buried her head into the crook of Natsu's neck, unable to hold back her sobs. "I...I thought everyone was gone! I thought I was all alone!"
"Wendy?" Natsu said in a surprised tone, wrapping his arms around the blue-haired dragon slayer and holding her close. Hoping to soother Wendy a bit, Natsu began to gently stroke the back of her head. "It's okay Wendy. Everything is going to be fine. We just need to figure out what the hell happened." As Natsu continued to comfort Wendy, he began to scan around for anyone else, even sniffing the air to try and pick up a scent. A frown spread across Natsu's face when he didn't pick up anything. "Luce...Erza...Mira...Cana...Juvia...everyone...I hope you're all okay." Natsu's grip on Wendy tightened slightly as he pulled her closer. "I can't freak out now, that would just worry Wendy more."
"Okay...I think I'm okay now, Natsu..." Wendy said as she sniffled a few times, reaching up and wiping her tear-stained cheeks. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Wendy allowed Natsu to continue hugging her. "There...there was a hole in the sky...and guild...and the whole town got sucked into it." Leaning her head back, Wendy pouted when she saw the pink-haired dragon slayer giving her a skeptical look. "It's true! We're the only ones who were left behind! Maybe...maybe it has something to do with us being dragon slayer?"
"You are correct, Wendy." A familiar voice spoke up from behind both dragon slayers. Wiping around, Wendy and Natsu were surprised to see Carla floating several feet away. "Dragon slayers are truly special."
"Carla! Thank goodness!" Wendy exclaimed, her eyes lighting up when she spotted her white-furred companion. "I'm so glad that you're okay!"
"Okay...that's one way to put it..." Carla muttered as she crossed her arms over her chest and released a light sigh. "You dragon slayers are really fortunate to have such special magical power. I'm glad that at least you two are alright..." Turning to face Natsu, a frown spread across Carla's face. "Although, I wish you wouldn't hold Wendy so close, you punk."
"Wait a minute..." Natsu said, gently pushing Wendy away as he got back onto his feet. The pink-haired dragon slayer's eyes narrowed slightly as he approached Carla. "Do you know what's going on here, Carla? You're acting way too calm right now."
"Yes, I do. And Wendy is correct, your friends and this whole town have vanished..." Carla replied which caused Wendy's eyes to widen in surprise. "Or to be more exact, they were sucked into the Anima."
"Anima..." Wendy repeated, stroking her chin as her mind went back to a few minutes earlier. "Jellal mentioned something about that."
"The hole Wendy saw in the sky..." Carla explained, her gaze lowering as she stared at the ground. "It's a gate to another world called Edolas."
"Carla...how do you know all this?" Wendy asked as she clasped her hands together, staring up at the levitating cat. "And why weren't you sucked up as well?"
"NATSU! WHAT IS GOING ON!?" A familiar voice suddenly screamed out behind the pink-haired dragon slayer. Turning around, Natsu was surprised to see Happy flying toward them in a panic. Happy flew in between Natsu and Wendy, frantically looking back and forth at both dragon slayers. "The whole town...it just disappeared!"
"I'm not from this world...Edolas is where we come from." Carla said, raising her arm and pointing directly at Happy. "The male cat and I both." Happy gasped when he heard this sudden revelation, his eyes widening in shock. "The reason the town disappeared...the male cat and I...it's our fault."
"Wait...wait...slow down Carla..." Wendy said as held up her hand to stop the white-furred cat, seeing the distressed look in Happy's eyes. "What are you talking about? You're dropping a lot of information on us at once."
"Edolas is another world parallel to ours..." Carla clarified, staring up at the gray sky overhead. She released a light sigh when she saw the remnants of the hole that had swallowed Magnolia. "It's a world that has started to lose its magic. Unlike our world, magic is quite limited in Edolas. If they don't find a solution soon, they'll run completely dry."
"Let me take a guess..." Natsu said with a frown as he pointed up to the sky. "Their 'solution' has something to do with what happened to Magnolia and our guild?"
"Correct. The king of Edolas is trying to reverse their world's magic loss." Carla replied, crossing her arms over her chest and floating closer to both dragon slayers. "He's connected Edolas to our world...and plans to suck the magic out of it. Its official name is Ultra Subspace Magic: Anima, that was the hole that opened up in the sky."
"Something tells me things didn't exactly go to plan." Natsu said with a click of his tongue as he stared out at the empty void where Magnolia used to be. "Sucking up entire towns isn't exactly subtle. And if this was happening across Earthland it would be huge news."
"Yes, it all started six years ago. The plan was to open Anima in numerous locations across the world." Carla explained, glancing up at the remnants of the Anima overhead. "But it wasn't achieving the results they wanted. Apparently, someone was traveling around and closing the Anima." Her eyes narrowing slightly, Carla recounted her earlier meeting with Mystogan. "When Wendy told me stories about Jellal...or rather Mystogan...I thought it couldn't be...but now I'm sure it was him." Releasing another sigh, Carla locked eyes with Natsu and Wendy. "This time, the Anima was too large to close. It sucked up the guild and all of Magnolia, and no one could do anything to stop it."
"But why would they target Fairy Tail?" Natsu asked as his brow furrowed, a frustrated exhale leaving his nostrils. "Is it because we have a lot of powerful mages?"
"Exactly." Carla answered in a solemn tone, sparing a few glances over at Happy. "They're needed to provide magic power for Edolas."
"Bastards..." Natsu growled as he crossed his arms and bared his fangs. "I'll make them pay for stealing everyone, especially my mates."
"So...Carla..." Happy said in a meek tone, getting the white-furred cat's attention. "You said that this whole situation...is our fault?"
"Indirectly, yes." Carla said as she landed back on the ground and approached Happy, the blue-furred cat looking beyond bewildered. "We were given different orders and sent to this world from the kingdom of Edolas."
"But that doesn't make any sense!" Wendy exclaimed, trying to make sense of the overwhelming situation. "I saw you were born from an egg...in this world...not Edolas!"
"The same goes for Happy." Natsu said as he crouched down and patted his best friend's head, hoping to ease his mind a little. "I found his egg."
"I want to clear up any misunderstandings, I've never been to Edolas myself. Just as Wendy said, I was born in this world." Carla clarified, tightly balling her paws as she grit her teeth in frustration. "But I also have knowledge of Edolas and my orders burned into my mind. We're supposed to know all of it from the moments we were born!" Whipping around, Carla pointed angrily at Happy, surprising the blue-furred cat. "So, why don't you know anything!?"
"I...I..." Happy muttered as he nervously pressed his paws together, awkwardly staring down at the ground to avoid Carla's piercing gaze. "I don't know."
"Anyway, that's how it is." Carla said, turning her back to Happy and huffing in frustration. "As long as we're citizens of Edolas...this entire mess is our fault."
"Hold on a second, Carla..." Wendy said as she approached the white-furred cat, kneeling down next to her. "Just a second ago, you mentioned that you have 'different order.' What does that mean?"
"I can't tell you that!" Carla yelled, causing Wendy to yelp and fall back in surprise at the sudden outburst. "I can't...tell you..."
"Please, tell me, Carla..." Happy said in a pleading tone as he hung his head. "I want to know what I really am."
"Didn't I just say that I can't tell you!?" Carla snapped, stomping her foot in anger as she whipped around to glare at Happy. "Just figure things out on your own!"
"Alright, alright! That's enough! We shouldn't be snapping at each other like this!" Natsu spoke up as he stepped in between Happy and Carla. Crouching down, the pink-haired dragon slayer smiled and patted both cats on the head, causing an embarrassed blush to spread across Carla's face. "Look, I know we're all a bit tense right now, especially after everything we've just learned. And Carla, I'm sure you're blaming yourself for everything that's happened today."
"I...that's...I wasn't..." Carla sputtered, staring up at Natsu, his bright smile never fading. Sighing in annoyance, Carla turned her back to Natsu but still allowed him to pat her head. "Keep your theories to yourself, you pink-haired ape."
"Okay...now that everyone's calmed down a bit...and we understand our situation a bit better..." Natsu said with a chuckle as he pointed toward the remnants of the Anima overhead before cracking his knuckles. "Why don't we go check this Edolas place out?"
"You don't 'understand the situation'! You understand nothing at all!" Carla exclaimed, angrily pumping her fists into the air. "You probably didn't understand half the things I said!"
"Natsu..." Happy whined as he tugged on the pink-haired dragon slayer's pant leg, his stomach growling a bit. "I got so worried that I made myself really hungry again."
"Well, that's just a sign that you're feeling better." Natsu said with a grin before turning his gaze toward the semi-dark sky overhead. "All our nakama are up there in Edolas, right? So, we can't just stand around here and feel sorry for ourselves. We need to go help them!"
"What do you think, Carla?" Wendy asked as she sat back upright, staring at her white-furred partner with hopeful eyes. "Is it possible?"
"It's definitely possible..." Carla replied, releasing a light sigh and crossing her arms over her chest. "I think everyone is there, but I don't know if they can be saved. In the first place, I don't know if it's even possible for us to come back from Edolas."
"Well...if I don't have my mates and nakama, I don't have much else tying me to this world." Natsu said with a grin as he punched his fist into his palm, causing a burst of blue flames. "So, I say let's get going!"
"I'm with Natsu on this." Wendy said, eagerly nodding her head. "We have to at least try to save everyone."
"It's alright, Carla..." Happy said with a weak smile as he tried to reassure the white-furred cat. "We'll fix everything."
"Damn it...you all just don't know when to quit..." Carla muttered underneath her breath, her body trembling a bit as she clenched her teeth. Pausing for a moment, Carla inhaled deeply to calm herself. "Because of Wendy, I ended up stumbling into being a Fairy Tail member. You all may get on my nerves, but I do consider you friends. So, I do feel a sense of responsibility to help, especially since my homeworld did this. I can take you to Edolas, but I'll need a few promises from you all..."
"Of course, Carla!" Wendy exclaimed with a bright smile as she crouched down next to her long-time partner. "What do you want us to promise?"
"Since I'll be returning to Edolas, that means I'll be abandoning my orders. That means we cannot be discovered by the Kingdom of Edolas, under any circumstances. So, we must all travel in disguises." Carla explained, causing both Natsu and Wendy to look at each other. After a few moments, both dragon slayers shrugged their shoulders and nodded. Turning around, Carla pointed at Happy once again. "Next, the male cat must not attempt to find out his orders."
"But..." Happy tried to protest but stopped when he saw the dead-serious look in Carla's eyes. Releasing a light sigh, Happy hung his head. "Aye."
"Third, aside from a few details, I know nothing of Edolas. So, I can't be any use as a guide." Carla continued, before taking a deep breath to prepare herself for what she was about to say. "Finally...if either the male cat or I show any signs that we betray you...I want you to kill us without hesitation!" Both Natsu and Wendy gasped when they heard this, neither of them comfortable with the thought of having to kill their best friend. However, before either dragon slayer could protest, Carla grabbed ahold of Wendy and took off into the sky. "If you're in agreement, let's go! Male cat, grab Natsu and follow me!"
"WOAH!" Wendy exclaimed as they climbed higher into the air, feeling the wind whip her face. "We can just fly to Edolas!?"
"The reason we have our wings..." Carla explained, bursting through a series of clouds. "Is so that we can use them to fly back home!"
"Alright, let's go, Happy!" Natsu said with a toothy grin as he gave the distressed blue-furred cat a thumbs-up. "We'll save everyone and get to see your homeworld!"
"Natsu..." Happy breathed out, seeing the pink-haired dragon slayer's beaming smile raised his spirits a bit. With his wings sprouting from his back, Happy grabbed ahold of Natsu's vest and sped after Wendy and Carla. "Aye, sir!"
"MALE CAT! RELEASE ALL YOUR MAGIC!" Carla yelled over the rushing winds, wincing as air stung and whipped her face. With a resonating boom, both Carla and Happy rocketed forward, their immense speed sending out a shockwave. "WE'LL ENTER EDOLAS THROUGH THE REMNANTS OF THE ANIMA! WE MUST BREAK THROUGH WITH OUR AERA!"
With another burst of speed, Carla and Happy raced toward the wispy remains of the Anima left lingering above them. Both cats and dragon slayers closed their eyes as they reached the center of the Anima. Then, without any hesitation, they flew straight through it. There was a deafening bang, followed by a massive burst of energy as the Anima closed completely behind the Fairy Tail members. Opening their eyes, the remaining members of Fairy Tail marveled as they passed through a swirling passage of pink and blue magic. Their colorful trip was short-lived as a bright light suddenly appeared ahead of them. A few moments later, the four Fairy Tail members exited into the skies above a strange and unknown land.
Everyone gasped in awe at their new surroundings, scanning everything around them in wide-eyed shock. The sky was lime green, instead of blue, and filled with dozens of small cloud formations. Off in the distance, celestial objects such as moons and planets could be seen, their rings and other details clearly visible. Beneath the Fairy Tail mages were floating island terrains levitating off the mainland, as well as streams of flouting rivers that flow through them, all of which were naturally suspended in the air by the world's dwindling magic.
"So...this is Edolas..." Carla muttered as she watched a pair of strange-looking winged reptiles fly awkwardly underneath her. "This is where the male cat and I come from. It really is a different world."
However, before any more sight-seeing could be had, both Happy and Carla noticed that they were no longer moving forward. Looking back, both cats were shocked to see that their wings had suddenly disappeared. Happy and Carla had one brief moment to look at each other before they began to plummet toward the ground. The four Fairy Tail members screamed in terror as they rapidly approached the ground, crashing through numerous tree branches on their descent. A split second later, all four of them smashed through the roof of a shed-like building.
"What...the hell happened..." Natsu groaned, sitting upright and rubbing the back of his head. Rolling his neck, Natsu heard a few cracks as he worked his kinks out. "Why did Happy and Carla's wings disappear?"
"I knew you weren't paying attention." Carla replied with an annoyed huff as she crossed her arms over her chest. "In this world, you can't use magic at will."
"It's true..." Wendy said, staring down at her hands as they trembled slightly. A strange tingling sensation was spreading throughout her entire body. "I'm getting this really odd feeling."
"This place..." Happy muttered as he scanned their surroundings, pressing a paw to his chin. "It looks like some type of warehouse."
"Well, this actually worked out in our favor..." Carla said, walking over to a partially opened cardboard box. After a few moments of digging around, Carla eventually pulled out a bundle of clothes and fabrics. "We cant use whatever's in here for disguises."
"Oh man, this stuff is really old school..." Natsu said as he searched through several piles of clothes, eventually putting on a tunic and a hood to hide his face. After, brushing off the wrinkles in his clothes, a small grin spread across Natsu's face. "But ya know, this stuff ain't half bad! It's pretty interesting!" Grabbing another bunch of clothes, Natsu whipped around, wanting to help Wendy pick out an outfit. "Hey, Wendy! How about..."
Natsu stopped dead in his tracks when he looked at Wendy, a fierce blush instantly spreading across his face. The blue-haired dragon slayer was completely naked from the waist up, using her arms to cover her budding breasts, a new shirt in one of her hands. Wendy stared at Natsu in wide-eyed shock for a few moments before she fully realized what was happening. As soon as the situation finally sank in, Wendy's entire face and upper chest turned near neon red in embarrassment. Yelping in surprise, Wendy turned her back to Natsu and crouched down to hide more of herself from his stupefied gaze.
"KYA! Why'd you turn around, Natsu!? There is a girl in here with you!" Wendy yelled, refusing to turn back around and look at the pink-haired dragon slayer. "I don't really mind you looking, but it's still so embarrassing! If you want to see me so bad, just wait until my birthday!"
"Shit! I'm so sorry, Wendy!" Natsu exclaimed as he quickly covered his eyes and turned his back to the blue-haired dragon slayer, his heart thundering in his chest. "I just got excited to show you a few disguises! I totally wasn't thinking!"
"You perverted pig! So, you've finally shown your true colors!" Carla roared in a fit of rage, rushing over and furiously clawing at Natsu's legs. "How dare you lay your eyes on Wendy's naked body!"
"OW! OW! Damn it, Carla! That really hurts!" Natsu exclaimed as he leaped away, trying to put as much distance between him and the pissed-off cat as possible. "I'll step outside and let you guys change!" However, before Natsu could step out the door, he was stopped when someone grabbed his sleeve. "Huh?"
"You don't have to leave, I'm already changed." Wendy said in a shy tone, still hiding her flushed face from Natsu. The blue-haired dragon slayer now had her hair up in pigtails held together by two animal ear-like attachments. Two strands of her hair hung down on each side of her face. She wore a red and black long-sleeved top with two buttons in the center and an ascot around her neck. The top was adorned with a small pattern around the shoulders and a small trim around the upturned cuffs. She also wore a frilled skirt with a small trim and thigh-high socks. "S-So...how do I look?"
"You...look really cute..." Natsu said with a small smile as he scratched his cheek, his cheeks burning light pink. "Way better than anything I picked out."
"T-Thank you..." Wendy said, holding back a beaming smile as she tugged at the trim of her skirt. "Natsu said I'm cute! I feel so happy right now!"
"I'm watching you." Carla growled as she floated up next to Natsu, extending her claws next to his face. "You keep your grubby man hands off Wendy!"
"Message received..." Natsu said with a nervous chuckle, taking a few steps away from Carla. The pink-haired dragon slayer grunted when his back suddenly hit a wall. Glancing to the right, Natsu's eyes widened in complete shock when he spotted a familiar-looking insignia outside a nearby window. Less than 50 yards away appeared to be a building constructed within the base of a massive tree. But the standout feature was the large banner hung above the door, with the Fairy Tail logo boldly on display. "What the hell!? Guys, it's Fairy Tail! We found everyone!"
"What!?" Wendy exclaimed as she dashed over to the window, standing on her tip-toes to peer through it. Her eyes widened in surprise when she spotted Fairy Tail's logo. "No way! That was way too fast!"
"A bunch of our nakama must have gathered together and put up that banner so that our other guild members could find them!" Natsu yelled with a massive grin, bolting out the door and sprinting toward the building without a second thought. In the excitement, Wendy and Happy raced after Natsu, with Carla being the only one to show any type of hesitation. "I can't believe we found everyone so easily! I hope they're all okay!"
Panting slightly, Natsu burst through the makeshift guildhall's front doors with a massive smile on his face. However, Natsu's smile quickly faded when everything within the guild seemed slightly off. Everyone's appearance was different, ranging from only slight changes to radically different outfits. The first person to catch Natsu's eyes was Juvia, or at least someone who he thought was Juvia. The blue-haired water mage was usually quite reserved with her outfits, but now she wore a miniature top hat that was ultramarine colored Her shirt was a white sailor suit-like top that had golden trim at its borders, with a wine-red tie that laid across her large bust. Her shirt was tied just below her chest in order to show as much of her mid-section as possible. With this, she paired an ultramarine mini-skirt that had a single golden broach at its center, along with tan tights and high heels; she also sported short white gloves that only covered her hands.
"Juvia is going out on a job now." Juvia announced as she grabbed a flyer off the request board, waving it in air. "Don't wait up for, Juvia."
"H-Hold up! W-Wait for me, Juvia-chan!" Natsu's jaw literally fell open in pure shock as he watched Gray, or someone who was impersonating him, run up to Juvia. The normally bare-naked ice mage was now dressed in at least four coats, in addition to a scarf and gloves. "I wanna go with you...is that alright?"
"You must be boiling alive in there! How many jackets are you wearing anyway?" Juvia laughed, waving dismissively as she ignored Gray's request and began to walk toward the front door. "Talk to me again after you lose a few layers."
"Y-You know that I can't stand the cold!" Gray exclaimed as he awkwardly waddled after Juvia, struggling just to walk with all his extra clothing. "I-In fact, I think I need to grab another jacket, I'm feeling a breeze!"
"W-What the fuck is happening?" Natsu breathed out, watching the entire scene unfold in utter disbelief. "It's like they're completely different people."
"N-Natsu..." Wendy said as she tugged on Natsu's sleeve, frantically pointing toward other strange scenes happening across the guild. Jet and Droy were apparently the strongest mages in the guild and were currently bullying a crying Elfman. Nab appeared to actually be busy going out on jobs, instead of being utterly indecisive and never choosing one. Cana was wearing a non-revealing, long-sleeved white blouse tied at the neck with a small, dark pink ribbon, with frills decorating the sleeves, collar, and waist. To complete her elegant, ladylike appearance, Cana wore a long, light pink skirt underneath all of this opening with a bergère hat, decorated with a simple pink rose. She even refused to drink alcohol, which caused Natsu to do a double-take. "Everyone is acting really weird."
"O-Oh god...I'm in hell..." Natsu groaned, wobbling a bit before collapsing onto the ground, staring up the ceiling overhead. "What is going on here?!"
"Oi!" Natsu was snapped out of his thoughts when someone suddenly called out and crouched next to him. The pink-haired dragon slayer winced slightly when whoever was standing over smacked his head. "Who the fuck are you creeps? And what the hell do you think you're doing bursting into our guild like that!?"
"Okay, listen here you-" Natsu stopped mid-sentence when looked up and spotted the face of his first mate, Lucy Heartfilia. But despite the woman looking just like Lucy, the pink-haired dragon slayer could tell something was off right away. "Is this really Luce?"
Lucy still had her warm brown eyes and blonde hair that was tied up, but this time with a skull hair band. She was dressed in a very revealing, black leotard with a large erect collar that was exposed at the front and was cut to reveal her stomach and ample cleavage. The suit had no leggings and she wore a pair of long thigh-high boots that appeared to be held up by thin overlapping belts. The leotard also sported a single metal shoulder-guard on the right shoulder and a sheet of white fabric attached to her right hip cascading down to her knee. She also wore a single white sleeve over her forearm and had a decorative black tattoo encircling her upper left arm. Aside from Lucy's odd appearance, Natsu instantly noticed that she was missing two crucial accessories. Her hair was pure blonde once again, missing the several streaks of pink she gained after they became mates. Her mate mark was also completely gone, completely missing from her exposed neck.
"Wait a second..." This strange Lucy muttered as she leaned in closer to get a better look at the pink-haired dragon slayer. Her eyes narrowing as she examined him closely. "Natsu...is that you?" A large smile suddenly spread across the Lucy imposter's face. Natsu was caught completely off guard when she picked him onto his feet and pulled him for a bone-crushing bearhug. "There's no mistaking it! It really is you, Natsu!" Hugging Natsu a little closer, Lucy whispered into his ear. "Where the hell have you been all this time? You made me worried..."
"Hold the hell up!" Natsu exclaimed, suddenly pushing Lucy away, which caused several people in the guild to gasp in surprise. The blonde's eyes widened in shock as she stared at Natsu. "You're not Luce! At least not the one I know!"
"Huh!?" Lucy yelled with a frown as she rested her hands on her hips. "What are you talking about? Did you hit your head or something!?"
"You're acting nothing like the Luce I know! Your hair is missing its pink streaks! You're missing your mate mark!" Natsu procalimed, pointing at the strange Lucy, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. Inhaling deeply, Natsu's eyes narrowed slightly, confirming his suspicions. "And your scent is completely different! All of your scents are completely different!"
"W-What!? Don't go smelling me you freak!" Lucy screamed as her face flushed bright red in embarassment. Winding up, Lucy attempted to hit Natsu with a powerful roundhouse kick. However, the entire guild was stunned when Natsu reached up and stopped her kick with his bare hand, none of them more shocked than Lucy herself. "T-There's no way...Natsu was never stopped one of my attacks before."
"Alright! Alright! That's enough everyone! Lucy! You know better than to start fights with Natsu!" The pink-haired dragon slayer's entire body stiffened when heard a voice he thought he would never hear again. Natsu's heart was already racing, but now he could feel it thundering in his chest, he was sure that people nearby could hear it. Releasing his grip on Lucy's leg, Natsu felt a lump forming in his throat. Finally mustering up enough courage, Natsu turned around and saw the face of someone he believed was dead, Lisanna Strauss. "Also, Jet and Droy! Please stop picking on my brother!"
"T-There's no way...this can't be real..." Natsu thought, feeling his breath hitch as he examined Lisanna from head-to-toe. Lisanna wore a light blue tank top with crossed straps around her neck. She had on a long, flowing skirt, with a sash tied around her waist and sandals. Her hair was a bit shorter than Natsu remembered and her white Fairy Tail guild mark was visible on her thigh. Knowing that something was up with members of the guild, Natsu sniffed the air several times. He paused after a few moments, tears stinging his eyes when a very familiar scent hit his nose. "This scent...there's no mistaking it..."
"And another thing-" Lisanna paused when she noticed that Natsu was slowly walking toward her, tears forming in his eyes. "U-Uh, Natsu...is everything okay?"
"There's no mistaking it..." Natsu said, before lunging forward and embracing Lisanna in a powerful hug. Lisanna squeaked in surprise as Natsu pulled her closer, cupping the back of her head tightly gripping her shoulder. Before Lisanna could protest at all, she was stopped when she felt something fall onto her shoulder. Looking up, Lisanna was shocked to see tears streaming down Natsu's cheeks. Sniffling several times in a vain attempt to fight back his tears, Natsu couldn't hold back his overflowing emotions. "There's no mistaking it...you're my Lisanna."
And done! Well, the Edolas arc has officially gotten into full swing, with Natsu running into the Edo variants of our favorite guild members. I felt like this was a good stopping point for now and the next chapter will pick up right where this one left off. Unfortunately I'll be working on my Batman fic next, so another new chapter won't be out for a while. But just be patient and a new chapter will be eventually. PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE IN THE POLL ON MY PROFILE PAGE, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. Also, remember to follow/favorite if you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW (I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK), check out my profile and other stories if you haven't already, and PM me any ideas you might have for my stories. So, until next time, I'm outta here!