Here's my first Fairy Tail related story. And I believe this is my first crossover in a while/ever. This is an idea of mine that I've wanted to do for a while, but laziness kinda held me back a majority of the time. As a big fan of Halo, I've always wanted to do something like this.
I COULD have made this shorter.
I COULD have used someone else besides Noble Six.
And I COULD have rushed this out so I could do more chapters.
But no, this is the result. Hope that anyone who reads this gets a kick out of it. Inspiration for this comes from a few other Fairy Tail crossovers too, ex. "Unexpected After Effects" by UraharaX, "A Soul Reaper's Fairy" by alpine992 (which is currently being rewritten & has a new title), just to name a few. And hey, there are some anime that could make good crossovers with Halo, hence why I'm trying this.
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima, & Halo is property of Bungie, 343 Industries, & Microsoft. I own none of the series or characters involved, unless I add an OC of my own.
My Noble Six's Armor:
-HELMET: RECON with UA/HUL[3] attachment
-SHOULDERS: JUMP JET (right) & ODST (left)
-CHEST: UA/BASE SECURITY [W]
-WRIST: ASSAULT/BREACHER
-UTILITY: UA/NXRA
-KNEE GUARDS: GRENADIER
COLORS:
-VISOR: SILVER
-PRIMARY: BRICK
-SECONDARY: ICE
A Spartan's Tail
Prologue
Noble Six watched as the Pillar of Autumn took off. She knew the only way to get off this planet is by ship - which is a problem with Covenant practically destroying everything - and everyone - in their path. And it would be insane to try to hijack a Phantom or Seraph.
After collecting Emile's dog tag, adding it with Jorge and Kat's, Six searched for whatever ammo was lying around before moving on. The only weapons she had were a DMR, and a M6G Pistol. Six then moved down from the shipyard, with no destination planned, but with one goal in mind: survive.
Later on, she stood alone on a raised platform, looking overhead as many Covenant ships were mobilizing in various directions. Two Banshees flew over, not noticing her, but several Spirits and Phantoms were dropping soldiers in the distance. Noble Six proceeds to meet the enemy head-on, but not before seeing bodies of not only UNSC Troopers, but also some other Spartan-IIIs laid out all across the place.
The sound of a volley of Wraith mortars shakes her from her thoughts, as she immediately sprinted into one warehouse for cover. Six sees an Armor Lock on the ground, next to a Spartan Laser.
Better make use of them, she thought.
Six lined up the Spartan Laser, zooming the sight to look for any of the Wraiths. After spotting one, she opened fire and set the large alien tank ablaze. After taking out the heavy blue vehicle, plasma fire was directed in her vicinity. Six switched the Laser out for her DMR and opened fire on the oncoming aliens. Three headshots killed three Grunts, and took out the shields of an Elite Minor. A quick round from her Pistol put the split-lip alien down.
Two large blips pop up on Six's radar. She looked behind her and saw a Hunter pair making their way towards her.
Six lined up her Spartan Laser again, but had to dodge to the side to avoid two incoming fuel rod blasts. Trying again, she was able to take down one Hunter. But its enraged partner wasn't gonna take it. The large armored alien seemingly ran at the Spartan-III, and tried to hit her with its shield. Six ducked the first few times, but one swing sent her rolling a few yards away. Getting up, Six noticed the shield bar was missing from her HUD. With the Laser out of reach, she had to improvise to kill the remaining Hunter another way. Six made her way toward the Hunter, and ducked another one of its shield swings. When she was behind it, Six jumped on its back, primed a plasma grenade onto its neck, and immediately jumped off to cover. The result was a fountain of orange blood and worms of a now smoking, headless Mgalekgolo.
With the two big threats taken down, Six had to be sure not to take any more major hits, at risk of more equipment failure. Things aren't gonna get any easier for her, though. A plasma grenade landed near her, but the super-soldier activated Armor Lock fast enough to be protected from the blast. After getting up, she saw multiple Elites and Grunts made their way towards her; but Six wasn't going down without a fight.
Unholstering her DMR, Six promptly dispatched almost all the Grunts. An Elite Minor closed in on her, but a quick melee took its shields out, and a DMR round to its head took it out. A Grunt Major panicked at the loss of its leader, and tried running away. Six quickly chucked a plasma grenade at its back, and just as the Major passed its buddies, they too were vaporized.
A cloaked SpecOps Elite sneaks around the Spartan-III, and swipes at her with its energy sword. The strike startled Six, as well as removed the ammo count from her HUD. The now visible Elite went for the kill, but missed, as Six drew her pistol & shot the sword out of its hand. And as she unsheathed her combat knife, Six then tackled the large alien to the ground before immediately silencing it with her knife. She put her two weapons away & picked up her fallen opponent's Energy Sword, ready to kill the next enemy.
An Elite Ultra, also carrying an Energy Sword, comes at Six from the side, but she sees it coming. The Spartan-III was able to parry the strikes the Ultra tried to make; after one forward swing, Six got behind the Elite, jumped onto its back, and assassinated it.
More plasma fire was directed at Six from the distance. She let her sword go, and now noticed the cracks in her visor. Six sees an Assault Rifle on the ground; before picking it up, she pulls off her damaged helmet & tosses it aside. Her short, brown hair was a mess, her green eyes glaring at enemy forces inbound on the her position. Helmet broken, and with what little ammo that's left, this is going to be Noble Six's final stand against the Covenant.
A Sangheili Ultra holding a plasma rifle charges her, but Six kills it with the assault rifle. A Sangheili General attacks from behind with an energy sword. Noble Six knocks it to the ground and kills it with a pistol. She then gets hit by a barrage of plasma fire. Despite being wounded, and bleeding, the Spartan manages to stay standing. Holding the assault rifle at the hip in the right hand and the pistol in the left, Six continues firing, killing a Minor and Zealot before another Ultra knocks Six to the ground.
A Zealot appears with an energy sword, preparing to put down the Spartan-III. Six kicks the Ultra away and knocks the Energy Sword out of the Zealot's hand. Yet again, the Ultra pins her down, but Six manages to elbow it in the jaw. One SpecOps Elite stands by holding an energy sword, watching as the Zealot draws his energy dagger, making a stab motion downward.
And in the background, Noble Six's shattered helmet laid on the ground, left in the dust.
Chapter 1: Fight On, Live On
Natalie-B312 awaited her fate. Her time with Noble Team was short-lived, but she was glad to have went down like a Spartan would - defying the enemy to the end. She expected the searing heat of the plasma weapon piercing her. But the pain never came. When she opened her eyes, she saw that her surroundings were... different.
When she sat up, Nat noticed all around her was a blank white space - and she wasn't alone.
The Spartan looked around and saw a blond girl with her. After getting a better look, Natalie also noticed she had large, green eyes and a slight, child-like build. She wore a frilly, pink layered robe where a red ribbon tied in a bow is attached and appears to have wing-like adornments around her ears. Not to mention, this little girl was barefooted.
For a moment, there was silence. Nat wasn't sure what to say, until she spoke the first question that came to mind. "Am I actually dead? And if so, are you an angel?"
The little girl giggled. "No, none of the sort. But I am magical being."
Nat blinked. "Wait, what? So where are we? And why are you here?" she asked.
"Silly me, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Mavis Vermillon. I'm actually a spirit. I was once a Master mage from where I come from," answered the blonde. "And no, this isn't the afterlife."
Nat nodded at her answer. "If that's the case, what am I doing here?"
"I pulled you out to safety before anything else bad happened."
The taller girl blinked. "...excuse me?"
Mavis brought her hands behind her & pulled out Natalie's Recon helmet. And it didn't have a scratch on it.
"I left a broken copy back on that world, so those bad guys think you're dead."
The Spartan-III took a step back, unsure of where this was going. "How... long have you been watching?"
Mavis looked down at her feet sadly. "Long enough. Humanity may have its flaws, but we don't deserve extinction for no reason. These 'Covenant' are horrible to want to purge us."
"How did you know about all this? What did you mean when you said you were a mage?"
The blond thought for a moment before answering. "From where I come from, magic is what runs my world. From everyday uses, to combat, and many other things. While it doesn't exist in your universe, aliens and higher technology do instead."
"So it's a trade-off. Wait, does that mean you can see into other dimensions? Or... wait a minute. Can you send me back? The UNSC needs all the personnel they have to-"
"I cannot take you back." As she said that, Mavis hands Natalie her 'new' helmet. Looking into the visor, she touches the scar on her left cheek. It was a reminder to her to not stop fighting until the very end. She shakes herself from her thoughts and sternly looked at the blonde mage.
"Is there a reason why?" the Spartan asked.
"Mostly because to my knowledge, dimensional travel is a one-way trip. Though, I can bring some things from your world for you to use elsewhere."
"Why me, though. My people are losing. At some point, I think even Earth will get hit by the war. Too many lives have been lost already because of those monsters."
"I believe someone like you deserves a second chance at life. You've lost so much in your childhood, and have become a deadly soldier. All of it, to fend off rebels amongst yourselves, and now, a threat that will come to harm all in their wake. I know this may seem unfair, but I have seen that there is someone who can end all this."
Nat looks at Mavis curiously. "Who?"
"Another Spartan, but he seems... different. I'm not sure how, but that's the vibe I got when I glimpsed at the ship he was on. The Pillar of Autumn, I believe it was called. Even so, I have faith that he, and those that fight with him, can change the outcome of the war."
Nat looks at her helmet again, but not sure of what to think. Her sacrifice wasn't in vain, but the Covenant will continue to its march to exterminating humanity. God knows how many Spartans, be it IIIs like her, or IIs in Jorge's class, are left to fight. She then asks, "What... can I do now?"
Mavis looked at her with a smile. "The least I could do is give you refuge in my world."
"You can do that?"
Mavis nodded. "Certainly. I'd be glad to help you out. After being dead for some time, wandering the island your grave is on can be boring. I peeked into other worlds to see what they're like. Yours was among the first I saw. As much as I wanna see how it all ends, I cannot bear to see more violence."
"I understand." Nat said. She pondered for a moment before asking, "What is your world like?"
"As I said before, my world has magic, a contrast to your technology. It's actually not so bad. Last I remember, we have cars, at least."
"Sounds better than nothing. But is everything really run by magic?"
"Almost everything. Not all people are born as mages, though. Only a small number of citizens are able to use magic. Even so, I'm sure someone of your caliber can find a place amongst them."
"It's pretty clear here that I'm a Spartan. We're trained to fight and adapt. But a world filled with magic? How can I do that stuff off that bat?"
"I'm not gonna deprive you of what you are. Though some of your methods are questionable, you do fight for what's right. The least I could do..." as Mavis says this, she reaches into her sleeve and pulls out a peculiar looking silver bracelet. "...is give you this."
"And... that would be?" Nat asks, raising an eyebrow.
"It's a Dimensional Storage Unit, or DSU for short." Mavis said, smiling.
It peaked Nat's curiosity as she reached out for it. "Wait, how does that thing even work?"
"Basically, it's an item that makes use of sub-space for various purposes. There are similar items like it, but this 1 looks like it would best serve you. It's function is to hold pretty much anything, and allow you to call upon an item you think of at will. It has to be in storage for it to work, though."
Nat eyed the item in her hand. "Interesting. So, does it come with any other features?"
"Attach it to one of your wrists, and you'll find out." Mavis pointed out.
Nat nodded, and attached it to her left wrist. A little holographic screen popped up, showing some of the weapons already stored in it, as well as the quantity of them. She thought of bring forth a DMR, and a second later, it materializes out of light blue energy into her hands.
"Wow. This is... really amazing." she said.
The little blond smiled. "Glad you like it. I grabbed what I thought would be most useful to you. And not just weapons, mind you."
Nat then tried something else. She was able to call forth even some Covenant weapons. Her eyes went wide went an ammo crate also dropped. At least she won't run out anytime soon. Though, no vehicles are currently available. When she asked Mavis about the lack of them, the little mage said it'd be best if it were only things to bring on foot.
"I appreciate the thought," the Spartan chuckled. As she put her newly materialized weapon onto her back, Nat noticed the DSU turned red instead of silver as Mavis presented it.
"Did... it just become a part of my armor?"
"It'd be best if no one actually saw what it was. And besides, I'm sure you wouldn't let them unless they're trusted."
Nat nodded, now bringing forth a pistol & holstering it to her left thigh, and an energy sword to her right. She also took out a combat knife and sheathed it onto her left shoulder.
"So, anything else I should know before I get out into the world again?"
"I recommend you seek out the guild Fairy Tail." As she said that, Mavis put her hand out and showed the guild emblem. Nat noticed it looked like an arrow pointing downward with a wing.
The Spartan then asked, "I assume you were the master of this 'Fairy Tail'?"
"Indeed; I was its very first Master, to be precise. It's actually a nice guild where all our members are treated as family."
Nat nodded. "Sounds pleasant. But what if someone gets curious about who I am, or questions if I'm a mage or not?"
Mavis brought her hand to her chin for a moment before giving a response. "Don't worry, there are people who use firearms in my world. You could just say you use Ex-quip magic, which is using & switching different items through sub-space."
"Huh, sounds convincing. Wait, what kind of government does Earthland have? I take it there's no united organization or something?" asked Nat.
"Well, things are run by the Magic Council, which is an organization that manages all mage guilds. Not as big as your UNSC, but they have plenty of resources and powerful forces at their disposal."
"Meaning I should avoid them for the most part. Got it." Nat noted.
"You could say that."
Nat pondered what else she needed to know. But then she wondered, "Wait, how will I be able to keep maintenance of my armor? I can't just go up to a blacksmith and expect them to figure out what to do with broken 26th century tech."
"Oh dear, you're right. I'll find a way to help you with that problem in the near-future. It would be best if you simply tried not to get your armor banged up too bad."
"I'm really grateful for your help, Mavis. I don't know what to say." said Natalie.
"No problem. I'm glad to help, as well as make new friends."
Nat smiled at that statement. The Hyper Lethal Vector wasn't really close to many individuals (and somewhat still has that Lone Wolf attitude), but it doesn't hurt to meet new people. And the more people that have your back, the better. Another question then came to mind.
"You said your world is filled with magic, correct? Any peculiar... beings I should keep an eye out for? Like, say, dragons?"
Mavis didn't say anything at first, but nodded. From time to time, there have been sightings of actual dragons. Some even help humans learn their magic, which is called 'Dragon Slayer' magic, I believe."
Why would a mythical creature like that teach a person such things, the Spartan wondered.
"There's also lots of other extraordinary creatures in my world. I don't remember them all, but not every one is evil."
"Glad to know. Hopefully I won't have to pull the trigger every time I meet something (or someone) hostile."
Mavis then stretched her right hand out to her side, a glowing magic circle on her palm creating another on the ground.
"This portal will take you to Earthland. I wish you luck on your journey, Spartan. Hm?"
Mavis was surprised to see Nat extend her hand out to her. "I'm really thankful for this second chance. As much as I want to be back in the fight, I'll continue my duty as a Spartan in this world. And by the way, my name is Natalie."
The little blond mage smiled and shook the Spartan's hand. "We will meet again, Nat. May I call you that?"
Said Spartan nodded. "Sure, whatever makes it easier for you to remember. Just no crazy nicknames, alright?"
Mavis giggled. "I can't promise you that, but I'm glad we got properly acquainted."
"You sure you don't want to come with me?"
"As much as I want to, I can't do so... yet. But I assure you, we will meet again."
Hopefully it won't be in a life-or-death situation, Nat thought. "Well then, once more unto the breach."
The Spartan-III placed her helmet on & proceeded through the portal Mavis made, and jumped in, disappearing into a column of light. Now that the small Fairy Tail Master is alone, she moves her hands and disperses the white space around. In its place is Tenrou Island, where she has been wandering for many years now.
"Now that that's out of the way," Mavis mused. "What am I to do with you?" she wondered, eying a Grunt Minor (whom she at some point also brought over) sleeping beside a tree, oblivious to its new surroundings.
Nat was still trying to wrap her head around recent events. A mysterious stranger saved her from death by the Covenant, and said stranger transported her to a whole new universe. Looking at her armor again, it was seemingly undamaged - as was her 'new' Recon helmet. Nat took it off and placed it under her left arm as she walked out of the alley she landed in.
"Well, this is certainly new," the Spartan thought out loud as she took in her surroundings. The architectures reminded Nat of old buildings that used to be on Earth. The street was buzzing with people going about her business. She then heard some screams, and noticed several girls crowded in one area.
Either it's a street performance, or there's some celebrity in town, Nat mused.
"Oh wow! That is really cool looking armor!"
Nat looked around to see who said that. Her eyes landed on a blond girl staring curiously at her.
"Oh, um... thanks," the Spartan replied.
"I take it you're passing by this town? I am too." the girl said.
"Mind if I ask where this is? The architecture is... different from where I'm from," Nat said, picking her words carefully.
"To answer your question, this is the harbor town of Hargeon. It's known for its fishing industry, evidently, as I've just left the only magic shop in town." the girl said with a sweatdrop.
She must be a mage, Nat thought.
"So, what brings you all the way out here?" the blond asked.
"Just passing through town," Nat replied. Then her attention went back to the commotion going on earlier. "By the way, you wouldn't happen to know what's going on, would you?" she asked, her thumb pointing back to the crowd of fangirls.
The blond teen shrugged. "I'm not sure myself. I was on my way to figure out what-"
Suddenly, a few more girls passed the by the two. "A famous wizard is in town." "Oh my gosh it's Salamander!" and such statements could be heard.
"Salamander!" the blond girl beamed. "You mean the wizard who controls the magic of fire, that can't be bought in stores?" Excitement was evident in the girl's voice. Nat took notice, and one her eyebrows twitched. Oh joy. I know where this is headed, she thought.
"How about we check it out?" Nat suggested. Her blonde companion nodded happily and they proceeded to where all the crazy fangirls are gathered.
As the two girls came closer to the mass, Nat saw who it was at the center of attention. It was some caped dark-haired man waving to his 'adoring' fans. At first glance, the fangirls have hearts in their eyes. But from the Spartan's perspective, it was more like dazing stares. Like empty ones, she thought. She knew something was up, but couldn't quite figure out what. The blond girl she met made her way through the crowd, walking toward this caped idol.
"Igneel!" Nat heard someone shout from the crowd. What she saw was a pink-haired boy in Arabic-like clothes and a scarf push her aside and knock the blond girl down. Luckily, it snapped the latter out of her trance.
"Huh? Who are you?" the boy asked. The man in question, Salamander, was bewildered by the boy's actions.
"If I said I was Salamander, would that ring a bell?" the man asked. But he saw the pink-haired boy walk away in disappointment. Next thing he knew, the boy was ganged up on by some of the fangirls.
"Hey you! That was rude!"
"Right! Salamander is a great wizard!"
"You better be sorry!"
And other such statements were yelled. But Salamander was a little more forgiving. "Now, now! That's enough, ladies. I'm sure he didn't meant to insult me." His fans then went back to swooning over him, as if nothing happened. Nat and the blond teen with her were not amused as they watched on.
"Here. Have an autograph. Now you can brag to your friends about it!" Salamander said, giving the boy an autograph.
"I'll pass." was the reply. It then prompted the fangirls to attack him again. Having seen enough, Natalie donned her Recon helmet and sprung into action. She sprinted and grabbed the boy by the back of his shirt, pulling him to safety.
"Alright, that's enough!" she said. "Sure, the kid here may have been a little rude, but it doesn't mean you should curb stomp him on the spot!"
The girls were caught off guard by the Spartan's appearance and outburst, all the while the blond teen and Salamander looked on in awe. The pink-haired teen registered what just happened and righted himself up. He then gave Nat a thumbs up and said something along the lines of thanks for the hand.
In an instant, Salamander stepped in front of the crowd and said, "Ladies, my appreciation for your enthusiasm knows no bounds." And like that, the crowd swooned over him yet again. "I apologize, but I have business to deal with at the harbor." He then snapped his fingers, and a cloud of flames formed underneath him and raised him into the air. "There will be a party on my yacht tonight. You're all welcome to attend." With that, the fire mage was off.
"I really hope not all mages are not like him," muttered Nat.
"Wonder what's that guy's damage," the pink haired boy wondered.
"He's really a creep, isn't he?" the blond teen said, walking up to the duo. She then faced the boy saying, "Thanks for earlier." Said boy, and his blue cat, gave her puzzled looks. Nat didn't say anything, only looking on at the scene.
Later, the Spartan-III found herself sitting in a restaurant with her two new friends. Nat sat by the window, her DMR and helmet sitting on her left side, and the blond girl to her right. Across them, the pink haired boy was inhaling plates of food, while his cat munched on a fish.
"Fanks for da foo!" the boy said, with all the food in his mouth. "Yup, yup," said the cat, its cheeks filled with fish.
Nat was a little surprised to see the blue cat talk, but with the reminder from Mavis that this is a world of magic, the Spartan accepted it easier. She dodged as bits and pieces of food rained on her and the blond teen, whom introduced herself as Lucy. Nat also introduced herself to the group, telling them she can be referred to either as Nat or Natalie.
"So your names are Natsu and Happy? Well, nice to meet you two. And you as well, Natalie. Um, could you guys at least not make a mess?" Lucy said, sweatdropping.
Nat decided action was louder than words, and so, holding her DMR by its barrel, she whacked Natsu on the head with the butt of her gun. (A/N if anyone saw Haloid, it's like that scene where Nicole twirled a Battle Rifle in the air before holding it by its barrel and smacking an Elite off a Ghost with it) "Hey, at least show some manners, Natsu." Nat said.
Natsu rubbed his head where he was smacked, and Happy was wide-eyed by the action. "Sowwy," the pink haired boy grumbled, before continuing eating in a somewhat less messy manner.
"I can't believe that Salamander guy was using a magic called Charm!" Nat was going to ask Lucy what it was, but the blond continued, "It's a spell that sways people's hearts in the magician's favor. Apparently, magic like that was banned years ago."
Nat listened intently, all the while Natsu and Happy ate continuously. "It's disgusting that he'd use magic to attract girls." Lucy ranted. Nat narrowed her eyes at the statement, silently agreeing with what Lucy said. It's sick-minded for a guy to stoop so low to get a girl's attention.
"Though, thanks to you bumping into me, the Charm wore off." said Lucy. Natsu replied, "Ah I see." as he kept on eating.
"I may not look it, but I'm a mage myself." the blond said. Well that confirms it, Nat thought in her head.
"Ngeally?" Natsu asked, still stuffing food in his mouth. "Yup! Though, I'm not a member of any guild yet." Lucy said.
Natsu looked liked he wasn't paying any attention, but Natalie was. So the Spartan went ahead and asked, "What exactly is a guild?" Glad that someone is listening, Lucy replied. "Ah! A guild is an association for mages, which mediates jobs and information to wizards in them." Nat nodded at the response. With some excitement, Lucy continued, "But there are so many guilds around the world to join, and the really popular ones are hardest to join."
Nat looked on in amusement as Lucy went on, "There's this one place where many great mages gather; that's the guild I want to get into!" The blond teen gradually calmed down. "Oh, what should I do? The one I want to join might be pretty strict."
"You'll never know until you try." Nat said in encouragement. Lucy smiled at the compliment. She then turned to Natsu and said, "Ah sorry, you wouldn't understand a story from the world of mages, would you?" Well, she wasn't wrong. Lucy was just directing the statement at the wrong person. Nat still had a long way to go in this world, but her training as a Spartan has prepared her to expect the unexpected and take on any challenges normal humans can't.
"Even so, I know I'll be able to join that guild! I bet I can get lots of jobs there." Lucy said as she looked out the window.
"Huh... that so..." says Natsu. It was obvious he wasn't really paying attention to what Lucy said, considering he was only focused on the food laid out in front of him.
"Wow. You sure talk a lot," Happy noted.
"I doubt either of you cared to listen," Nat deadpanned. Happy looked away in shame after she said that. "By the way, Natsu; you said you were looking for someone?" Nat asked the pinkette.
"Yeah, that's right! We heard Salamander was in town, but he wasn't the one we're looking for." he replied.
"He didn't look like a Salamander at all," added Happy.
"I was sure it was the real deal, too." Natsu said unhappily, as he ate a loaf of bread.
"Um, how could... a human look like a salamander?" questioned Lucy.
"Ah. Igneel isn't a human being. He's a dragon." Natsu answered calmly. When the words registered in Nat and Lucy's heads, they were quite shocked. Well, the latter was more so than the former.
So dragons do exist here, the Spartan thought. Makes me wonder where they live, though.
"It's outrageous to think something like that would be in town!" exclaimed Lucy.
"If that were the case, the place would be a smoking ghost town instead." added Nat.
Natsu and Happy realized what the girls said, knowing it'd be too obvious if a dragon did pass by.
"Don't look so surprised! I can't believe you didn't even think of that," Lucy said to the duo. "Well, I need to get going. Take your time eating." she said, leaving some money on the table to pay for the two's meal.
After a moment, Natsu and Happy had tears in their eyes. Nat figured they were grateful for the blond's kindness.
Natsu and Happy then got on their knees and called out their thanks. "Thank you for the meal!" thanked Natsu while on his knees in the middle of the path way. Happy did the same.
"Don't, you're embarrassing me," Lucy yelped, surprised by the duo's actions. The restaurant filled with murmurs about what was transpiring. "I-it's fine, really. Besides, you helped me, too, so we're even now, right?" she then nervously thanked the two.
"But we didn't help anyone." "We're in your debt." the pinkette and his blue cat said, still on their knees.
Nat figured she could travel with someone in this world. Maybe someone like Lucy knows a thing or two about Fairy Tail and where to find said guild. And perhaps the brunette could help Lucy get into the guild she wants to join.
"Well, I'm off as well. See you around, Natsu, Happy." the Spartan said, as she holstered her DMR and carried her helmet under her arm. "Good luck on your search, kid."
"Be seeing ya, Natalie!" Natsu said, as he and Happy waved goodbye to her. "Aye!"
After Nat left the restaurant, she went looking for Lucy. Luckily, the brunette spotted her not too far off.
"Hey, Lucy!" Said blond turned around and was surprised to see the Spartan.
"Oh, hi there, Nat," Lucy said. When the armored soldier caught up to her, the blond teen asked, "Do you need something?"
"You said you're a mage, right?" asked Nat. Lucy nodded. The latter then wondered, "Why? Are you looking to learn magic or something?"
Nat blinked, then gave an answer. "Um, no, that's not it. You said you're looking for a particular guild as well, right? So am I. Maybe we can help each other get to where we need to go."
Lucy was silent for a moment, before replying happily, "Sure! That would be nice." The blonde was happy someone was eager to help her get into the guild of her dreams.
"Though, I'm... curious how magic works. I never really got a proper explanation on it since I also kinda use it. Can you tell me what you know?" Nat asked.
"I don't mind. Now, what do you want to know?" Lucy said.
The girls walked for a while as they talked. Nat was quite intrigued by the concept of magic. And it seemed Lucy was happy to have some company. Along the way, the younger girl stopped by a newsstand and bought a magazine. Lucy then found a bench to rest at. While the blond mage read what she bought, Nat reviewed what they talked about. As Lucy sat on the bench, Nat was behind her, leaning on it. When she turned around, a headline caught the brunette's eye.
"Huh? Fairy Tail is causing trouble again?" Nat read out loud.
"Apparently, they destroyed the Devon Thief family, but destroyed seven other houses that belonged to the townspeople." Lucy answered without looking away. She then laughed fell over laughing. "That's way over the top," she said, still in laughter.
Something then came to mind. "Oh right, remember earlier when I said there's a guild I wanted to join? It's Fairy Tail!" Lucy said in excitement.
Nat's eyes brightened at hearing that. "What a coincidence. I was looking for Fairy Tail, too."
"Really? This is great! We're both going to the same guild!" Lucy said.
Nat nodded, before her eyes went back to the magazine. "Though, does Fairy Tail cause a ruckus whenever they have jobs?" she wondered.
"It seems Fairy Tail has a tendency to make a mess wherever they go," Lucy said. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask: what's your specialty, Nat?"
The taller girl didn't answer at first, but she narrowed her eyes and looked away. "It's... not something I want to talk about. And I doubt anyone would really believe me if I told them."
"Oh," Lucy said, a bit taken back by the brunette's words. "But, I figured that with armor like that, I thought you some kind of Monster Hunter or something."
"Well, I'm a soldier. That much I'll admit," Nat replied.
"Are you on some kind of mission or something?" asked Lucy.
Nat shook her head. "To be honest, I'm kinda cut off from my chain of command." The armored soldier tried to choose her words carefully, lest Lucy, or anyone else, finds out she really is an outsider not of this world. Nat figured she'd tell a bit of the truth. "On my last assignment, I was able to complete my objective. But after that, some... enemies tried to do me in. Good thing I'm no pushover, though. But even though I gave it my all, I was eventually overwhelmed. I was ready accept my fate - but only after taking down some of them with me."
Lucy didn't say anything, but nodded and motioned for Nat to continue.
"After that, I... I barely remember anything. I do remember that some retired mage found me on the side of the road and nursed me back to help. They told me I was quite a mess when they saw me. I was thankful they didn't ask for any details of how I ended up that way. And with some guidance, the mage told me to head to Fiore and search for the guild called Fairy Tail. I was told they would be able to help with any problems I have, and that they treat their members like family. After saying thanks to the mage, I went on my way. And, well, here I am."
Both girls were silent for a moment. Then Lucy decided to break it as she said, "That is... quite a story, Nat. B-but, I do believe you, though!"
"At least someone does. Thanks for listening, Lucy," Nat said with a little smile.
"Of course! But, are you sure you're not in a rush to get back to your military or anything?"
"There are others like me that will continue the fight. But it doesn't mean I won't stop my duties as a Spartan," she said.
"Ah! So that's what you are," Lucy said in amazement. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, what's a Spartan?"
Nat thought about it before giving an answer. "Well, we Spartans are super-soldiers. We are the best branch of military force where we come from. We... usually deal with rebels and revolutionaries that disturb the peace, or harm innocents. And a majority of the time, we Spartans are a last line of defense should things in a firefight not go in our favor that other soldiers can't handle. Our enemies call us 'Demons' for our ability to take out battalions and battle groups with ease."
Lucy was in awe that soldiers like Nat exist. And the fact that there are more like her sounds both exciting and scary. Where there really threats that mages can't handle but Spartans can? This, and other questions, ran through the blond girl's head as she took in all this info. about the armored soldier with her. Lucy then asked some more questions.
"What was your rank? How come I haven't heard of you guys before? Who made your armor? And, um, what are you best at?"
"Alright, alright, one question at a time. First off, I believe I still retain my rank as Lieutenant. I excel at long range and close quarters combat, as well as in between. Not sure who made my armor, but I've had it customized over time. As for why you've never heard of us? I guess you could say we're a well-kept secret."
"How come? If there were more of you throughout the lands, then it wouldn't be a bad thing, right?"
Nat gave Lucy a deadpan look before continuing. "Lucy, how do you think things would be if there were numerous Spartans running about in other lands? Think about it. Sure, we'd be doing lots of good, but it's not like everyone will accept us on the spot. And take into account that evil organizations would take the opportunity to replicate our armor or even create their own super-soldiers. Things would go south before you know it."
Lucy was appalled to hear all that, but knows that Nat has a point. Not all individuals would take kindly to strange soldiers like Spartans, even though they'd gladly do good for others. And the fact that some dark guilds would try to get their hands on such sophisticated tech and personnel would be a very bad thing. Although, the thought of an army of super-soldiers causing mayhem made Lucy overactive imagination kick in and think of something else entirely. Whatever was going on her head made her overreact and panic a little.
Nat wasn't sure what to make of the other girl's antics and could only sweatdrop, hoping it wasn't something too serious. I'm not even going to ask, she thought.
"Are... you alright, Lucy?" she asked.
"Yeah, yeah! I'm fine, really. Sorry about that," responded Lucy, who finally regained her composure.
"Um, since you asked me about magic, do you Spartans not know about it?" she asked.
The Spartan thought about what she said for a moment before answering, "We Spartans excel at combat, that's no lie. But we choose what skills suit us best. Like I said earlier, I'm good with close and long range combat. Spartans that use magic are uncommon, but are not looked down on. Those that do are quite good at it. I'm among the lucky few who can, and I'm an Ex-quip user. Though, I prefer sticking with guns and knives. Spartans that do use magic mostly go with elemental types." Nat knew lying like this was bad, but knows it would be best if little to no others knew about her true background. Not all the stuff she's telling Lucy were lies, at least.
"Huh. That sounds very intriguing. It's interesting to meet someone like you. At least you're a nice person who doesn't brag about what they do or who they are." Lucy said.
"Right. Lots of people think we're nothing but simple killing machines that follow orders. Even so, we're still human underneath our armor. Oh, and if I may ask, what kind of mage are you? I figure it might have something to do with either the whip or keys you're currently carrying."
The question caught Lucy's attention. "Ah, that's right! It's only fair I tell you what I am since I asked about you. Well, I'm a Celestial Mage. We use Keys to summon various creatures and helpers. They're all unique and have different abilities and contracts, as well as unique personalities! I'm aiming to get strong Keys such as the Zodiac Keys. I've got about three at the moment."
Nat nodded as the blond told her this information. "I'd like to see one of these helpers at some point. By the way, who's on the cover?" she asked, noticing a woman with white hair and in a swimsuit.
Lucy looked at the part of the magazine Nat was pointing at. "Ah, this is Mirajane their guild's main attraction. Hm, I wonder if someone like her is also reckless."
"You know what they say, don't judge a book by its cover," the Spartan said.
The pun made the blonde mage laugh a bit. "Haha, very true. Though, I wonder how will we join Fairy Tail? No doubt you're strong, so you might get in. Maybe we just have to be very good or something."
"They don't do interviews?" Nat wondered.
Lucy shrugged. "Beats me. But really, Fairy Tail is awesome."
Nat didn't say anything, but silently agreed. Just then, her Spartan senses kick in. Drawing her M6G pistol, she points it at the bushes behind them and gets in front of Lucy.
"Alright, whoever's there, come out now with your hands up!" she demanded.
Lucy was surprised to see the older girl act like such, but she too was now weary of whom or what is watching them. Both girls were surprised to see a familiar face from earlier come out.
"Salamander?" Lucy asked, her head tilted to the side.
"Wait, wait! Don't shoot, please! I wasn't gonna do anything bad!" the man exclaimed.
Nat was silent for a moment, not really buying it. "...how long were you there?" she questioned.
"I just got here. You know how hard it is to track ladies like you? And if I hear this right, you both want in at Fairy Tail, correct?"
Nat narrowed her eyes. She wasn't going to take chances; if he also overheard about her background, there's a chance this information might reach the wrong ears.
"You can actually do that? Get us into Fairy Tail?" asked Lucy.
"But of course. I also want to invite beautiful girls like you to attend the party on my yacht," said Salamander.
The Spartan-III stood her ground in front of the blond teen, her instincts telling her this man is only interested in women, not doing favors.
"Well let me tell you something. Your charm won't work on me anymore, so long as I'm aware. If the person you're casting it on knows what you're doing, it's game over. And besides, my friend here can snap me out of it should it happen again." Lucy said as she pointed at Salamander.
Nat was surprised to hear someone call her a friend. She knows better than to be too attached to others, but she's glad there's someone she can count on, even in a new reality.
"I knew it! I figured you'd be a wizard when our eyes first met. Very well, no more charms so long as you come to my party."
"And why would we want to attend a party held by a freak like you?" Nat asked.
"A freak? Me?" Salamander asked, his ego apparently broken.
"Are you that desperate for attention that you'd stoop to using charms? That's just ridiculous!" Lucy interjected.
"Please, girls. Those were only for show. I just wanted to look a like a celebrity for my own party," Salamander said.
"Yeah right, as if a sleazebag like you would be a famous wizard." Nat holstered her pistol and picked up her helmet. "Let's go, Lucy." Said girl nodded and followed her new friend along.
"Hold on! Didn't you two want to get into Fairy Tail?" shouted Salamander. The words made Lucy stop, which prompted Nat to do the same.
"Have either of you heard of Salamander of Fairy Tail?" the man asked.
"Yes, I have!" Lucy said. "Wait, does that mean you're that Fairy Tail wizard?"
"Yeah, I'm not buying it," Nat added.
"No really, I am! And I would gladly ask the Master to let you two join," Salamander said.
"I'm sure it'll be a wonderful party, won't it?" Lucy said, leaning on the older man to persuade him to let them join. The sight made Nat want to facepalm so bad.
"Huh, your personality is easy to understand," said Salamander, who sweatdropped and wanted a little more personal space.
"So we can really join Fairy Tail?" asked Lucy. This got her excited as she and Natalie are going to join the guild both girls were looking for. Nat had her hands on her sides, both itching to draw a weapon on her holsters. She didn't trust this guy one bit, but stayed silent for now.
"Why yes, just don't tell anyone about the charm," the flame mage asked. That alerted Nat, her instincts telling her to take action ASAP. She decides to hold off until the sickening man does something first.
"Sure, sure!" exclaimed Lucy, raising her hand.
"And what about you, miss?" Salamander asked Nat. She didn't say anything for a moment, but responded, "You'll see. I might have a surprise or two to show at your party."
"Excellent! Now then, I'll see you both there," said Salamander as he walked away and waving goodbye. Nat looked over at Lucy and lightly tapped her on the head. "He's gone now, Luce."
Lucy snapped out of her trance, "Ah! I can't believe I fell for a pseudo-charm!"
The Spartan chuckled, "Hey, I at least brought you back to reality. So, you're going to that party of his?"
"So long as we can get into Fairy Tail, I'll try to put up with him a little longer," Lucy replied. Then something dawned on her... "Hey Nat, do you have any formal clothes?"
Said gal had a blank expression on her face, but then responded, "Actually, I'm not going."
"Huh? Why? Is it because you don't have anything to wear?" Lucy exasperated.
"Well, there's that, and we Spartans we never much for parties. Unless you count award ceremonies, but that's beside the point. You oughta enjoy yourself. I'll just... be waiting for you."
Lucy gave her friend a reluctant look. "Are you sure?"
Nat nodded. "Affirmative."
The blond mage sighed. "Alright. Guess there's not point in trying to convince you. Just don't go too far. Hopefully this won't take long."
"Can do. But before you go, I'd like to give you this." The Spartan gave her a small round device with a speaker in it.
"What is this?" Lucy asked.
"It's a little device military personnel out in the field use for communication. It's so you and I can keep in touch," Nat replied.
Lucy fiddled with the device in her hand. "So, how does it work."
"Put it in one of your ears and press it if you want to talk. There's also a switch you can adjust to constantly talk to the other person," Nat instructed.
"And I can hear what the other person is saying?"
"So long as the device on the other end is functional, and that you're on the correct frequency. Since I gave you one, you'll only hear from me and what you say will be heard through my helmet," the Spartan said, tapping the side of her helmet with the UA/HUL[3] attachment.
Lucy was intrigued by such the small device. She put it in her right ear and let her blond hair cover it. If she did need help, her enemies don't need to know how she'd call upon the Spartan's help.
"Guess I'm off," the blond mage said.
Nat patted her on the head and went her way as well. "You take care, kiddo. And watch yourself. I'll be on standby if ya need me." And with that, both girls went their own ways.
Later that night...
Lucy came to the party in a maroon shoulder-less dress and her hair in a ponytail on one side. And of course, the little device Natalie gave her was hidden from sight in her right ear. The blond mage is currently in a private room on the boat with Salamander.
"Lucy, huh? Such a lovely name," he complimented.
Said girl thanked him for being nice, and looked at her surroundings. "What about the other guests?"
"Don't worry about them," Salamander said. "I'd like to have a toast with you." The male wizard pour some wine into a glass, and with some magic, made the red liquid float into several droplets.
"Now then, why don't you open those sweet lips of yours and let these wonderful jewels of stimulate your taste buds."
Okay, that's just REALLY creepy! Lucy exclaimed in her head, as well as turning her head around in shock. But, I've got to put up with this a little longer. Just a little...
Suddenly sensing something wrong, Lucy immediately swatted away the red droplets of wine.
"What's the meaning of this?" Lucy questioned with an unamused look on her face. She knew this man was up to no good. "Those were sedatives, weren't they?"
"Oh? And how did you find out?" Salamander asked, who did so a little too calmly. This confirmed Lucy's suspicions that this guy has something bad up his sleeves.
"Don't think otherwise. I certainly want to get into Fairy Tail, but I'm not going to be your girlfriend." Lucy sternly stated.
"What do I do about a girl like you? If only you just let yourself get drugged, then you wouldn't have to get hurt." Salamander darkly said.
"Huh?" The blond girl was confused, but suddenly two strong arms grab a hold of hers. She looks back and sees several goons come into the room, all of them with creepy looks on their faces.
"Well well, lookie here."
"Guess we got quite catch this time."
"That's such a pretty face."
And similar other statements came from the various men, most with perverted and sickening looks in their eyes as they looked at Lucy. She was sweating, worried of what may come next. But then, Salamander got in her face.
"Welcome aboard my slave ship, miss. It'd be best if you behave yourself while we make our way to Bosco."
"Wait, Bosco? What's the meaning of this!" Lucy demanded.
"Just give it up girl. You're our merchandise now," said one guy.
"You good for nothing..." the blond girl started to say angrily.
"Hm?" Salamander then reached into Lucy's side and held out her keys. "Gate Keys, huh? So that means you're a Celestial Mage."
"Celestial? What does that mean, boss?" asked one guy.
"It does not matter. Unless you're a contract holder, this kind of magic can't be used. In other words, they're useless to me." As Salamander said that, he tossed out Lucy's Keys out a nearby window.
Said girl was on the brink of tears, anger in her eyes at what he just did. Is this what Fairy Tail wizards do?
"Well then," Salamander now held a branding iron, "as a slave, the first thing to do is brand you."
"A mage like you really disgusts me," Lucy muttered.
Before Salamander even got close to her, some noise was heard from another part of the boat. Silence fell, only the sounds of waves could be heard. All of a sudden, a blue explosion engulfed a small part of the ceiling, creating a large hole. As quickly as that happened, a tall, red and blue armored figure jumped into through hole and landed in between the man and Lucy. All those present were shocked at what just happened.
Lucy herself gasped in surprise. "Nat?"
Said Spartan pointed her MA37 Assault Rifle at the goons holding her blond friend. Behind her silver visor, Nat glared at the men in front of her. "Let. Lucy. Go."
A few minutes earlier...
As the night fell upon Hargeon, Nat took in the scenery of this new world as she sat on 1 of the rooftops. A 99 Anti-Matériel Sniper Rifle leaned on the wall next to her as she watched the moon show itself. Nat also paid attention to the comms chatter in her helmet.
From what she's seen of Earthland so far, it wasn't so bad. Even though the technology level isn't like hers back in the 26th century, it was nice change of scenery. Nat brought out her Sniper Rifle to keep watch for anything suspicious on the boat Lucy was going on. The Spartan-III watched as the yacht left the harbor.
When it did, Nat holstered her weapon and ran across the rooftops. She went closer and closer so long as it's in her view. And she played the waiting game again. Tapping a button on the side of her helmet, Nat connected to the communicator on Lucy and listened in on the latter's current conversation.
"Lucy, huh? Such a lovely name." Nat recognized the voice coming from Salamander. Typical; a guy tries to sweet talk a girl, then brings in the alcohol within minutes.
The brunette held her scoped weapon and zoomed in on the boat. Some the ladies visible on deck were chatting amongst themselves while the guys stood guard on the sides. "So far, so good." she thought out loud.
"What about the other guests?"
Good point, Nat thought. Why did he single out Lucy? There's lots of other girls on the boat too.
"Don't worry about them. I'd like to have a toast with you."
"Something's not right." Nat kept her zoom at 5x, right now eying a green-haired girl who's walking away from the group. Nat then noticed three guys chatting in their little group before going after the girl. Suddenly, a fourth guy popped out of nowhere and knocked out the girl before laying her on the side.
"What's the meaning of this? Those were sedatives, weren't they?"
When the words registered in Nat's head, she zoomed in on the other guests. She saw some more men come out from the other side of the boat and round up the rest of the girls on deck.
"Oh? And how did you find out?"
"Okay, time for me to get to work."
"Don't think otherwise. I certainly want to get into Fairy Tail, but I'm not going to be your girlfriend."
Bringing out a silencer for her Sniper Rifle, Nat attaches it to the barrel and lines her weapon up. Picking her target, she takes the first shot.
A guy with a mohawk gets a bullet through the abdomen and is sent backwards into a wall. The other goons looked around in confusion, wondering where the shot came from. Meanwhile, the girls panicked and tried to keep their heads down. Another shot is fired, and another guy is on the deck bleeding. Now the rest of the guys were in panic, having no idea who or what is attacking them. One more round takes down two more guys at once.
"I better move fast."
Storing away her current weapon into sub-space and switching it out for a M392 Designated Marksman Rifle, Nat activated her Jet Pack and flew towards the boat. All those present and not injured were surprised to see the armored soldier land on the deck, which caused some dust to form up. Nat wasted no time in incapacitating the goons.
She swept the leg of one man and hit him in the face, knocking him out cold. Two more guys tried to get her with knives, but Nat was able to shoot them out of their hands. She then proceeded in banging their heads together, knocking them unconscious. One guy was about to use a random girl as a hostage, but Nat was able to tackle the fiend and toss him off the side of the boat. The last man stood, holding his sword in fear as he just watched his pals get taken down no problem. The Spartan disarmed him then held him against the wall by the neck.
"I'm only going to ask you once. Where is your boss?" She questioned in a threatening tone.
The dark-haired male was quite scared, but he answered accordingly. "H-he... Salamander's in one of the upper decks! He personally wanted to deal with a girl who wanted to get into Fairy Tail or something. That's all I know, I swear!"
Nat took in the information, then responded, "Thank you for your cooperation." And with her free elbow, she hit him upside the head, and after he went unconscious, tossed him into his pile of friends who are in a similar condition. Nat then turned to the other girls.
"Are you all alright? Anyone hurt?"
"We... we're fine now, thanks to you," said one girl.
"Until this mess is sorted out, I suggest you all hide somewhere safe. Once this is over, I'm steering this boat back to shore. Am I clear?"
The girls complied and gathered everyone they could find. One girl asked where Nat was going, the latter replying she needed to save a friend.
Tapping the small device on the right side of her helmet, Nat saw a waypoint leading to another part of the boat. She walked around, looking for any stairs that lead up, but opted to use her Jet Pack to get on top of the yacht. When she finally got above of the nav point, Nat formulated a little plan in her head.
She took a few steps back and threw a plasma grenade where she just was. The resulting blue explosion created a large hole in the floor. Nat switched her DMR out for an Assault Rifle, and turned on her night vision filter to identify who's down there. After spotting Lucy, Nat then jumped into the fray.
The impact startled all those in the room, making Salamander stumble back and drop his branding iron. Nat then pointed her weapon the gang of men holding her blond friend.
"Let. Lucy. Go." the Spartan demanded.
"Nat?" Lucy gasped in surprise.
Present...
The blond wizard was somewhat surprised, but certainly glad, to see her new friend come to her rescue.
Of course, the Spartan's appearance freaked out Salamander. "You! You're that other girl from earlier. I shouldn't have underestimated you."
"Boss, what do we do with this girl?" asked one goon.
"Deal with her, then tie her up with the others!" their boss exclaimed.
"I'd like to see you try," Nat flatly said. "Lucy, keep your head down!"
The blond girl complied as Nat opened fire on some of the goons. She got one guy in the chest, and another in the leg. Nat then flipped a table and pushed it towards Salamander behind her, knocking him over. Nat then went after the guys that were trying to drag away Lucy. The Spartan-III used the butt of her gun to knock out one goon that tried to charge her. She then elbowed another man in the face when he tried to pick up a weapon. Nat then roundhouse kicked one more goon that was going to grab Lucy.
"Are you alright?" Nat asked as she helped up the blond teen.
"...no." Lucy said sadly.
The brunette glared in Salamander's direction, aiming her assault rifle at him. "What did he do?"
"That monster threw my keys out the window." Lucy said. "If you hadn't shown up, the other girls and I were gonna be slaves."
"I heard. I made sure the others are safe before coming to get you."
That last statement did not go unheard by Salamander, as he got up and dusted himself. "Wait, so that means the other girls aren't tied up?"
"No, they all went skinny dipping," Nat deadpanned. "Of course I got to them before coming to save Lucy and kick your assess!"
Salamander gaped at her. "You can't be serious!"
Lucy huffed. "Serves you right. And just you're gonna get what you deserve soon enough."
"I don't think so, ladies." Salamander said as he held his hand out, prepping a fire spell.
Before he could launch his attack, the ceiling burst yet again and into the fray jumped a familiar face - Natsu. He landed with no trouble, but then he fell to his knees and his cheeks puffed up a little. The pink-haired teen had a look on his face that said he wanted to hurl.
"Oh no, I can't take it," Natsu said dizzily.
"Ehh? What kind of an entrance was that?" Lucy exclaimed.
Nat could only face-palm (well, technically helmet-palm) at his stupidity. "That has got to be... the worst case of motion sickness, ever... of all time." she said in an unamused tone.
Salamander's eyes widened at Natsu's sudden intrusion. "Huh? Where did that kid come from? Why'd he drop from the sky?" he wondered.
"Probably to look badass. But evidently, it didn't work out," the armored girl said flatly.
"Lucy, Nat! What are you two doing here?" questioned Happy as he descended down the hole Natsu made.
"Happy? Wait, nevermind, details later. Can you get Natsu and Lucy out of here?" Nat asked the now flying blue cat. But the little guy shook his head at the Spartan's request. She narrowed her eyes at him. "And why not?"
"I can only carry one person at a time," was Happy's reply.
Sighing, Nat then formulated another plan in mind. "Lucy, can you swim?" she questioned the blond mage. Lucy turned her head and nodded. Nat then pointed at her, "Alright, you go and dive after you keys." She then pointed at Happy. "Happy, when she surfaces, get her to shore. I'll help Natsu deal with these scumbags."
Lucy and Happy complied and got moving. This, however, did not go unnoticed.
"Oh dammit all!" Salamander swore. "Prominince Whip!" He held out his right hand and let loose a flaming whirlwind at the blond and flying feline. The two were able to dodge, but then round bullets were fired in their direction.
"Don't let them get away! If news reaches the Magic Council, I'm done for!" Salamander ordered his remaining goons. One of the men continued to fire, but suddenly had his weapon shot out of his hand. The shot came from Nat, who had holstered her assault rifle and switched out her pistol.
"Now THIS is a handgun," she said, her pistol slightly smoking from its recent shot. Another guy carrying a sword tried to get her from behind, but he wasn't going to land a hit. Nat immediately turned around, grabbed her combat knife from her shoulder with her left hand, and swiped away the man's blade. Holding her knife in a reverse grip and pointing her pistol in Salamander's direction, Nat was ready to use either weapon at the ready.
"I suggest you surrender while you can, Salamander." Nat stated sternly. Said man was sweating bullets, almost running out of options and freaking out that these people keep barging in and ruining his plans.
Nat then heard someone talk to her through the radio. "There! I got 'em, I got my keys!"
Atta girl, she thought, smiling behind her helmet.
"Fairy... Tail..." Natsu tried to say something, but his condition didn't help things for him.
"Huh?" Salamander & his goons wondered what he was trying to say. Nat too was eying the pink-haired boy, wondering if she should help him up or take down the bad guys first.
All of a sudden, the boat rocked violently before turning topsy turvy, sending everyone on board flying in various directions. Nat was able to grab Natsu just as the yacht stopped moving & washed ashore.
"It stopped. The rocking motion finally stopped," Natsu said, finally regaining his composure. He was till a little shaken, but had support from the armored girl. Nat was glad to see the boy come to his senses. She then heard various voices outside the boat, all surprised by the sudden turn of events.
"Did that ship just crash onto the harbor shore?"
"How did that happen?"
"This is unbelievable!"
The girls on the boat were able to get away after it crashed onto shore. Meanwhile, Lucy and Happy made their ways back towards their friends.
Salamander and his men too were caught off guard by what just occurred. "What... what was all that?" the boss questioned.
Just then, the door flew open and in came Lucy and Happy."Natalie, Natsu! Are you guys al-" she started to ask, but saw the dark look on Natsu's face. The same could be said for Nat, who got into a fighting stance and her weapons drawn.
"You know, it's impolite for brats like you to barge in like that." boasted Salamander. The never of that guy to keep talking like that, after what happened to several of his men already? Well, he's certainly gonna get an ass-whooping now. Nat was ready to take them, and with Natsu alongside her now, this should be a breeze. She noticed that the pink-haired teen removed his overcoat.
"Toss them out, now," Salamander ordered his men. The thugs charged at Natsu and the Spartan, neither fighter deterred by their action.
Lucy held one of her keys, ready to use it. "I've got to help them." However, Happy stopped her from doing anything.
"He'll be fine. I forgot to mention this earlier, but Natsu's a mage, too." the little feline said. Lucy was shocked to hear this. She thought Natsu was just another ordinary guy.
"Wait, what?" she exclaimed in surprise. Nat too was a little taken back to hear Natsu is also a mage. Both girls wondered what kind of magic he could do.
"You say you're a Fairy Tail wizard?" Natsu questioned.
"Yeah, what of it?" Salamander asked, smirking as he waited for his goons to deal with the intruders.
"Let me get a good look at your face." Natsu said as he stared at his opponent. And when the bad guys got in front of him, Natsu quickly knocked one guy down while Nat downed the other with a punch to the face.
"I'm Natsu of Fairy Tail! And I've never seen you before in my life!" exclaimed Natsu. This revelation shocked everyone present, even Nat.
"Huh? Natsu is a Fairy Tail wizard?" Lucy shouted in shock from hearing this. Nat then took the opportunity to speak.
"Well, since we're doing introductions, I guess it's my turn. I'm Lieutenant Natalie-312. And I'm a Spartan, the best kind of soldier around." she said proudly. "And my friend Lucy and I are going to get into Fairy Tail!" Nat couldn't help but grin at what she declared.
On the sidelines, Lucy shook her head smiling, knowing what the armored girl meant. Everyone else was surprised to hear what she just said. A Spartan? What kind of a soldier is that, they wondered. Natsu was thinking he should fight Natalie at some point if she says she's tough.
Nat noticed a peculiar tattoo on Natsu's shoulder. Wait, that's definitely the mark of Fairy Tail, she thought. The same one Mavis showed me.
"Woah! That mark," one goon said, pointing at Natsu's tattoo.
"He's the real deal, Bora!"
"Idiot! Don't call me that!"
"Bora. Bora the Prominence. A few years ago, he was expelled from the Titan Nose guild." Happy said.
"Oh yeah, I've hard about that! He got kicked out for using magic for theft." Lucy added.
"Why am I not surprised," Nat muttered.
"Good guy, bad guy, it doesn't matter. I won't let him slander the name of Fairy Tail!" exclaimed Natsu.
Natalie stood back. As much as she wanted in this fight, it was a matter of pride for Natsu. And so, Nat holstered her knife and pistol and once again brought out her assault rifle. The least I can do is be on standby if anything goes wrong, she thought.
"He's all yours, Natsu." the Spartan said.
Said teen didn't say anything, but was grinning on the inside.
"I think you've all blabbered on long enough. Time to shut you up!" Borar then threw flames at Natsu and Natalie. Though, neither were hit. Nat was about to activate her Drop Shield, but saw that Natsu was eating the fire attack aimed at them. Lucy cried out in worry, thinking they were hurt. Boy, was she in for a surprise.
"Awful," Natsu said as he consumed all the flames.
"What is this? Are you really a fire wizard? I've never tasted fire so bad." Even as he said that, Natsu continued to eat the fire like it was nothing. "Ah, thanks for the meal." Everyone was astonished at just seeing the pinkette eat fire.
"The hell! What is that kid?" Bora screamed in terror as his attack was consumed by Natsu. Nat only smirked behind her helmet at the freaked out look on their enemy's face.
"Wait, what? He just ate the fire?" exclaimed one of the goons, who is also in shock like his buddies. The others were terrified to see their boss's attack not work on Natsu.
"Fire won't work on Natsu," Happy confidently said.
"I've never seen this kind of magic!" Lucy said in surprise. She neither seen nor heard of the kind of magic Natsu is using right now.
"Now that I've eaten, I'm all charged up!" Natsu then got into a stance and started to inhale what appear to be flames from nowhere. "Here I go!"
"Is it really him?" One thug wondered as he looked on scared at what was about to happen. He then realized who it was they were fighting. "Mr. Bora, I've seen him before!"
"Huh?"
"With that pink hair and scaly looking scarf... no doubt about it! He's the real-"
"Fire Dragon's Roar!"
The man was cut off just as Natsu exhaled and unleashed a torrent of flames among his opponents.
"Natsu is the real Salamander of Fairy Tail," Lucy said in awe. The truth made Nat smile behind her helmet, seeing how the title fit Natsu more than it did for some slaving douchebag. She watched as Natsu wrapped fire around his fist and got ready to pounce on the poser.
"Don't you forget it. This is the power of a Fairy Tail wizard!" Natsu jumped and was about to hit Bora into the ground.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" The flame-powered fist collided with the poser, sending him flying into his goons.
Lucy watched as Bora was sent into a world of hurt. "Consuming fire and punching with it? What kind of magic is that?"
"Lungs to exhale fire. Scales to dissolve fire. Claws enveloped in fire. It's an ancient magic that turns one's body into that like a dragon's." Happy explained. Lucy was stunned to hear what the blue cat said, surprised that this sort of magic existed. Happy continued with his explanation. "But this was magic to be used against dragons. Igneel taught Natsu these moves. It's called Dragon Slayer Magic."
"Wait, why would a dragon do that?" Nat asked. Her question surprised the magic feline.
"Now that I think about it, I got no idea!" He said, wide-eyed.
"Dragon Slayer, huh..." Nat wondered. After seeing it in action, she knew this is one type of magic not be trifled with. Nat then realized what Natsu is doing now. "Oh, crap."
"I'll admit, it's amazing, but... HE'S REALLY OVERDOING IT!" Lucy yelled as she and Nat watched their pink-haired companion cause a serious wreck.
"Now the port is a total mess!"
"Aye." was all Happy had to say.
"Oh don't you start, cat!" Lucy irritably said.
Nat heard someone say "What's all the commotion?" When she turned around, she say mideval looking knights making their way to the beach. Must be the local milita or something, the Spartan thought.
"Oh no, it's the army!" Lucy's exclamation confirmed it. Just then, the blond girl was being pulled by Natsu who started running away.
"Crap! Let's get outta here!" he said.
"Aye!" agreed Happy as he kept pace with his friends.
Nat holstered her weapon and started sprinting as the military ran after them. "Why us?" she heard Lucy say out loud.
"I don't think I've got any authority here, and I'm in the military," Nat muttered.
"You girls said you wanted in to Fairy Tail?" Natsu asked as he ran. "Then let's get going!" he said, smiling.
Lucy also smiled at the statement. "Okay!" she said. Nat grinned behind her helmet. The latter suddenly came up with an idea.
"Hey Natsu, do you get sick when someone carries you?" she asked.
The pinkette thought for a second before turning and shaking his head.
"Wait, why?" questioned Lucy.
"Natsu, stop for a second," the armored girl said. The rose-colored teen complied. "Happy," Nat pointed at said cat, "grab onto him." she said pointing at Natsu. Happy nodded before latching onto Natsu's back.
"Nat, where are you going with this?" Lucy wondered.
The other girl didn't say anything as she grabbed her friends by the waists before activating her Jet Pack and started flying.
"Natsu, just tell me where to go and we'll get there in no time." Nat said.
Natsu smiled, pointing in a certain direction. "You got it!"
Lucy was ecstatic about the sudden flight. She was in awe that one of her new friends could do something like this.
"Onward to Fairy Tail!" Happy said. And so, the new batch of friends were pm their way to the famed guild.
Noble, I'm sure you're all in a better place. I don't know about you Jun, but I'm sure even you'd be glad for me to move on. I won't let you all down, Natalie thought in her head. She wasn't about to let this second chance go to waste. Might as well make the best of things and show everyone here what a Spartan can do.
"Those Fairy Tail fools have done it again!" a councilman said as he slammed a newspaper onto the table.
"Half the port of Hargeon is destroyed! Unbelievable!" another councilman said from his seat.
"Hahaha! I happen to like those idiots!" a blue haired man said.
"You stay silent!" one member yelled.
But I wonder, what was that strange energy spike before all this? the same blue-haired man, Siegrain, wondered. We still don't know who or what caused it. I'll have to look into it.
"Hm, I'm interested with whatever caused that magical spike prior to recent events. Maybe things will turn out quite more entertaining. And really, without fools like Fairy Tail, the world would be quite boring." stated Siegrain.
Well, I FINALLY got this done. For those wondering what pairings there'll be in this story, I've only decided on a few so far. Though, I will clarify on a few things:
1) I will NOT pair my Noble 6 (Natalie) with anyone from the world of Fairy Tail. That said, I don't think I'll give her any powers or magic whatsoever, unless you want to see an already dangerous Spartan be more hyper lethal than they already are. But I do have something else in mind. It'll come into play right around... the Phantom Lord arc. Yup, that's the estimate. And for the record, the DSU Mavis gave Nat is actually a product of science, not magic. So say a bad guy cancels out Fairy Tail's magic somehow. Noble 6 would still be able to fight and call forth any weapon she wants. Just wanted to point that 1 out.
2) Mavis & her little Grunt friend (whose name shall be Papaw, as a friend suggested to me) will appear again later on. And good news, you won't see any more Covenant for the rest of this story (sort of).
3) I won't do any FT pairings unless they actually count as (or are already established in) canon. For one thing, I can't exactly write romance, never mind write anything like this in general. But, I will attempt to add in Gray x Juvia, and even Gajeel x Levy. I'll consider suggestions, but in the end, it's my call.
4) Nat won't really reveal her true background to anyone just yet, except maybe Makarov & a few others.
5) I may give Nat weapons & equipment that were not only featured in Reach, but also other games & media. Like for instance, the Beam Rifle, Brute Shot, Covenant Carbine, Flamethrower, SMG + silencers, Power Drain, regular Bubble Shields, Regeneration (healing) units, Trip Mines, Active Camouflage, Flare, Deployable Cover, etc. Not sure if I should also add in the Battle Rifle, but there have been earlier models before being featured in Halo 2.
6) I'll just go ahead and say that Nat WILL fight Acnologia. Yup, you heard right, you'll see a Spartan take on a dragon at some point.
7) The Master Chief will come into the story (he may/may not be alone) & it'll be a bit after after the time-skip in FT. Yup, I plan to go that far, folks.
So yeah, that's all for now. Please leave a review, the feedback would help. I would like to know how I could improve this story, what you like about it, etc. When you do leave a review, don't just say something like 'update soon' or anything similar. It won't change anything. Flaming is also not appreciated if you're not going to take this seriously. And if you have any other questions or suggestions, send me a PM.
Have a nice day.