Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.
Chapter 25: Intrusion (X784)
It was yet another busy night at one of many bars that dotted the Royal City of Edolas, with men and women alike enjoying the end of a long work day. The relatively small establishment was filled with chatter and laughter, the sounds of glass mugs clinking and the occasional holler for service. Overworked waitresses scurried around the pub, fulfilling orders and avoiding grabby patrons with practised ease. One of the said waitresses spotted two customers entering the bar, greeting them with a harried smile and pointed them to a small table.
"Thanks," one of them grinned cheerfully. "Can we get two beers please?"
Their order arrived before them swiftly, and the men took large swigs of their alcoholic beverages with relish. Smacking his lips, the one who had greeted the waitress elbowed his friend. "Hey, you think I got a chance with her?"
"In your dreams maybe," his friend scoffed, grinning around his mug.
"Feh. At least I have taste," the former ribbed.
"At least I'm in a relationship," his buddy countered. "And not pining after any attractive girl that enters his field of vision."
"I'm not whipped either," the man mocked.
"Yea, yea," his friend rolled his eyes. "Anyway, did you hear? Apparently Prince Jellal was spotted near the north wall yesterday."
"Probably just some old lady seeing things in her advanced years. Now and then people claim they saw him or know where he is, but he's never turned up for real," the man dismissed his friend's words. "How long has he been missing now? Eight years?"
"Yea, but it's not just one person this time. Lots of people saw him, and apparently some people even talked to him to confirm his identity."
The man shrugged, gulping down mouthfuls of beer. "So what? If he's back, why doesn't he just declare it?"
"Maybe there's some sort of conspiracy that's holding him back? Why else will he just disappear for years then turn up again?" his friend suggested unsurely. "I heard some theory that says it could be linked with Anima. He disappeared around the time the king began the Anima project, didn't he?"
"So what? That's just…coincidence…" the man trailed off, looking a little stunned.
Raising an eyebrow at his companion's slack-jaw expression, he turned around to see what had distracted his friend, before gawking at the woman who stepped into the establishment, her hips swaying sultrily. Her body, clad in a skin-tight, one-shoulder pencil dress, showcased her perfectly sculpted body, with generous curves that teetered on the edge of vulgarity. The crimson dress tantalised and teased, taunting men's imaginations with what may lay beneath.
Her long, luxurious black hair cascaded down her back in glamorous waves, a thick side fringe shadowing her luminous emerald orbs. Her lips, shaded a nude pink, were full and pouty. Her alabaster skin was smooth and unmarked, visibly flawless even in the terrible lighting of the seedy bar. Perching herself atop a barstool with understated elegance, she stared at the speechless bartender with her wide, expressive eyes. Her dimpled smile, so innocent and radiant, revealed perfectly straight, pearly white teeth.
"Ne, oniisan, may I have a tequila sunrise please?" she asked, her voice breathy and alluring, just as the rest of her was.
The bartender swallowed deeply as she leaned forwards guilelessly, the swell of her breasts emphasised by her folded arms leaning against the bar top. Wordlessly, he turned his back on the unnaturally gorgeous woman, methodically picking the relevant spirits off his shelf. She waited patiently for her drink, which arrived with little fanfare. Thanking the tense man with another beguiling smile, she sipped her drink slowly, ignorant of the lustful gazes trailing up and down her body.
Eventually, a tipsy patron sidled up beside her, a bottle of beer hanging loosely from his hand. He leaned an elbow on the bar, running a calloused hand through his slick hair. Cracking what he believed was a charming smile, he greeted the lady confidently. "Hey there, beautiful. What are you doing here all by your lonesome self?"
"Oh, it's just…my husband and I were about to celebrate our anniversary," the woman sighed, her pout almost bewitching. "But there was a work emergency and he couldn't make it."
"What a pity. How can a man in his right mind leave such a…beautiful woman alone?" the man whispered, edging closer to the woman.
The woman sighed forlornly once more. "Oh, he's an army officer. I'm sure it's something really important. I wish I knew more about his job, you know? I feel so useless sometimes…"
"What a coincidence! I work for the army too," the man chuckled deeply. "I can tell you anything, as long as it's not classified of course."
"Really?! You would?" she squealed in joy, offering the man a dazzling smile.
"Sure. Anything for you, sweetheart," the man grinned suavely, patting her hand.
She was heedless of the man's proximity, allowing him to brush his thumb up and down her delicate, soft hands as she began to ramble. "That's so nice of you! My hubby's always so tight-lipped about the stuff he does. What do army officers usually do? Is it really dangerous?"
"Nah, Edolas is a pretty peaceful place, even with those dark mages running amok," the man replied, drawn into her eager eyes. "Nasty business, those mages. But usually, officers just order men around to patrol and keep the peace. It's a pretty sweet job."
"What about emergencies like today? Is it bad?" she queried curiously.
"Today's a bit of a special case to be honest," the man admitted, before lowering his voice. "But I can't really tell you though. It's a secret."
The woman bit her luscious lips, before grasping his hands in hers pleadingly. "Oh, please tell me! I swear I won't tell another soul. I…I just want to be able to support my husband in…any way I can…"
The soft scent of her perfume wafted up his nose, making the man slightly dizzy. Her slightly parted lips were entrancing, constantly fighting for his attention with her captivating eyes. His hand was ensconced in the warmth of her slim hands, just a hair's breadth away from her generous bust. He could almost imagine tearing the dress off her perfect body, running his hands along those sensuous curves…
Clearing his throat, he flashed a conspiratorial grin at her. "Well, I suppose it won't hurt…"
"Oh, thank you!" she whispered, her eyes widening in unbridled joy as she leaned forwards, her face inches from his. "I'm in your debt."
Blinking rapidly, the man tried to regain his hazy focus. "Well, some murderer and his gang attacked…and killed some soldiers. The higher-ups are…pissed and want him alive. Dunno for…what though, sons of bitches like them should just…be killed."
"Oh no! They killed people?" she gasped in horror.
"Y-Yea. Rumours have it even…Knightwalker was…beaten…" he slurred, glancing at his half-full beer bottle in befuddlement.
"Is…is the murderer in the Royal City?" she shuddered, clearly terrified.
The man shook his head drunkenly. "N-No. They think he's w-working with…F-Fairy Tail. T-Those rogues are u-usually f-f-far away f-from h-here."
"Oh! That's good news," the woman heaved a sigh of relief.
He watched with hooded eyes as she threw back her drink in a coarse manner, completely out of sorts from her previously feminine mannerisms. Looking around the bar, he realised with a sudden jolt that everyone was asleep, collapsed flaccidly in the seats or in some cases, on the ground. Turning towards the woman far slower than he would have wanted, he belatedly realised her eyes were not green. They were blue.
His world turned dark.
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She could be loud and cantankerous far more often than she might like to admit, but Cana knew how to be patient too. Thankfully she didn't need much of that, because whatever happened between Naruto and Mirajane evidently took its toll on the slender woman, the mage letting out cute snores almost as soon as they retired for the night. Waiting for a few minutes for the Take Over mage's breathing to even out, Cana slipped out of her sleeping bag quietly and headed out of their shared tent.
Natural light from the night skies illuminated her path, as she took measured steps across the crunchy leaf litter towards her destination. Peering up at the canopy, she could just about see her adoptive brother's back, the man perched on a high branch as a lookout. He had graciously volunteered to take the entire night watch, and while Mystogan and her were ambivalent about not sharing the duties, Mirajane seemed a little too insincere about offering to help. Cana guessed she was still a little miffed with Naruto. No surprises there.
Her resolve strengthened, Cana walked under the tree that Naruto was located on, and began to climb. The rough bark of the tree gave her good purchase with which to climb, but the near vertical trunk wasn't the easiest to scale. Cursing sulfurously as she nearly slipped off again, she wondered if Naruto cheated using some obscure technique. But eventually, she hauled herself onto the thick bough the blond shinobi was seated on, letting out a soft, victorious exclamation. Naruto acknowledged her presence with a fleeting smile, before staring blankly into the distance once more. His new, dressed-down appearance made him look more pregnable, and Cana decided she liked it more. She needed a hero to admire as a child, but now it was her turn to support him as family.
"So, anything interesting?" Cana asked casually, leaning gingerly against the trunk of the tree.
Naruto snorted in amusement. "You're terrible at small talk."
"And who exactly raised me for the last ten years, again?" Cana fired back playfully.
The blond chuckled. "I should have just left you alone. That would have saved me so much money on those alcohol bills you keep racking up."
"Too late for that," Cana grinned.
A comfortable silence quickly fell upon the duo, nature filling the void with a cacophony. Briefly, Cana wondered why life couldn't always be as serene as it was at that very moment. She wondered why people couldn't just drink, make merry and live in harmony. She wondered why there was so much wrongdoing in the world for her busybody brother to stick his nose into. She wondered why he, and so many people she knew, had to be so stubborn about things. But she knew it was all wishful thinking.
This stuff is way too philosophical for me anyway, she mused wryly, as she stretched the knots out of her back. She knew Naruto wasn't going to initiate the conversation; he had long ago made being secretive a habit. And she was the one to approach him anyway.
"How's things with Mira?" she finally asked.
"…Better."
"Are you gonna tell me what happened?" she pressed on.
"No. It's private," he replied firmly.
Cana huffed. "Fine. But you're not going to do something stupid like break up with her, right?"
"She holds that right," the blond answered affirmatively.
"Mmm. So I guess you don't need my help. To think I came prepared to give you some good sisterly advice," Cana grinned, eliciting a mirthful smile from Naruto. "I would have given you an ass-kicking of a lifetime if you did something as stupid as that again."
"I figured," the ninja deadpanned.
Cana sighed, turning her head to gaze across the wide expanse of nature. "It's been tough for me too, you know? I gotta support Mira and you in the guild, but I can't just turn my back on the rest of Fairy Tail. How shitty is that, being torn between two parts of the same family?"
"Sorry," Naruto apologised contritely. "But you really don't have to defend me or my reputation, you know?"
"Don't say it doesn't mean much to you, because it obviously does," Cana threatened. "You care too much about Fairy Tail for it not to hurt. No man is an island, even you."
"It hurts me more to see the guild divided by me," the man murmured, shutting his eyes.
"Maybe so, but you're my brother," the brunette grumbled. "I can't just let it go."
"Not by blood," the blond reminded.
Cana growled irately. "Don't you dare say that again. I was practically alone until you took me in and raised me. You of all people should know by now that blood means nothing, especially in Fairy Tail. You are more family to me than my dad is and ever will be, and don't you forget that."
Naruto cast his glance over at the fuming Cana, offering her a weak smile. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it," the young woman grunted, her anger dissipating momentarily. "Y'know, sometimes I wonder what would've happened if you never sorta adopted me that day you arrived."
"And?"
"I think I might have crushed on you instead of Macao," the Card Magic mage confessed, earning a raised eyebrow. "Hey, lots of girls in the guild crushed on you, okay?! It's not that weird. You even got the old Mira all hot and bothered. And she was a total bitch who looked down on all men weaker than her back then."
"You just called me your brother. I really didn't need to know that," Naruto scrunched his face up.
"I thought we were opening up to each other and stuff, geez. So much for being honest," Cana groused. "Seriously though, don't you find your relationship with Mira a bit weird? I mean, c'mon, she's my age! You're like a gazillion years older than us."
"Hey, leave the age thing alone. It's sensitive," Naruto joked. "And age is just a number."
"Whatever, perv," Cana grinned. "Oh well, at least you're not a womaniser like Gildarts. Or just straight up perverted like Master."
"Speaking of Master…how did you two manage to get permission to come find me anyway?" Naruto queried.
"Eh, Mira wanted to run off into the night alone, but I figured she was gonna do it, so I set up a couple of detection cards to warn me when she did. I convinced her that I could help, and I left a note on Master's desk before we left," Cana replied cheerfully.
"The guild must be hopping mad then," Naruto inferred wryly.
"Nah, Master probably won't tell the rest. But I guess us vanishing into the air must have caused quite the stir, especially after that Council interrogation," Cana theorised, wincing involuntarily as she recalled the questioning.
"Sorry," Naruto apologised again.
"Stop saying that. We all know that they probably made up all those charges anyway," Cana chided.
Naruto shook his head. "They sensationalised it, but there's no smoke without fire. I killed Oración Seis. I incited a guild war. I hired Trinity Raven and let them run loose. I…fought the mages in the Alliance I made."
"So?" Cana cocked an eyebrow.
"So…I'm an actual criminal, not just a victim of politics?"
The brunette sighed exasperatedly. "Maybe you are. But you're not a bad person. I should know, I lived with you for years. You do lots of stupid things, but you don't do it for evil. So I trust that it's all for some 'greater good' thing you wanna do, and I'm just gonna ignore it."
"Shouldn't you be staging an intervention instead?" the blond asked.
"Maybe if you suddenly stopped giving me booze money," Cana shrugged.
The ninja choked back his laughter, before a genuine smile stretched across his face. "Thanks Cana. I needed that."
"Hey, we're family," Cana grinned in return. "Well, it's nice catching up, but I need the Zs unlike a certain someone. G'night."
"Good night, Cana."
The young woman slid off the bough deftly, bending her knees to absorb the force as she landed on the ground with a soft thump. Giving her brother overhead a languid wave, she crawled back into the tent she shared with Mira, shuffling into her sleeping bag as quietly as she could. As she slowly drifted off into sleep, Cana couldn't help but wonder if Naruto would teach her how to make that purple magic he was playing with before their conversation.
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"B-Big news, e-everyone!"
Heads turned to the entrance of the guild hall, as a pink-haired man stumbled through the simple doors waving a sheet of paper frantically. He was immediately greeted with a headlock and a fist screwing into his temple painfully. Tears streamed down his cheeks as the blonde woman behind her delighted in torturing her weak-willed guild mate, but no one dared to question the preternatural speed with which she launched herself at the man who had been gone just a bit too long for comfort.
"IDIOT! What took you so long?!" she bellowed into his ear, deafening him for a moment.
Even as he asphyxiated, a tall and curvaceous blue-haired beauty stepped forward, plucking the paper from his flailing limbs. She cocked her head to the side, as other guild members crowded around her to peer at the sheet. "It's only a wanted poster, Natsu. This is what delayed you?"
The blonde woman smacked Natsu on the head as she let him out of her chokehold, waving her fist at the pink-haired man. "How is that big news?!"
"P-Please r-read the d-description f-first!" the goggles-wearing man snivelled, cowering on the floor with his arms raised above his head.
Everyone leaned in closer, squinting at the tiny words printed beneath the rough sketch of a man. "Fairy Tail? We have a blond man in Fairy Tail?"
The leotard-clad blonde tapped her foot impatiently. "What else does it say, Wendy?"
"He's got blue eyes, some sort of striped scars on his cheeks…wanted for killing Royal Army soldiers? Destroying a floating island? Is this for real?" Wendy demanded, as everyone stared at Natsu, ignoring a muffled gasp.
The man nodded fervently. "Y-Yea! Even the E-Exceed are l-looking f-for him!"
"It says here he has a Fairy Tail emblem on him…but we don't use any identifying marks on members," Wendy furrowed her brow. "Lucy, you're one of our oldest members. Do you know anything about this?"
Lucy tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Before guilds were banned, we all used to have stamps of the guild mark on us. But once the kingdom started to crack down on us, we stopped using them because we'll be caught in a snap. But if this guy has a mark like that, either he's left the guild a long time ago, before even I arrived, or he's trying to get us in even more trouble than we usually get into."
"Why would anyone do that?"
"Who knows? Maybe it's bait from the Edolas Army, to try and lure us into rescuing some guy they're pretending is from Fairy Tail?" a relatively flat-chested girl shrugged.
"What a stupid idea," Lucy scoffed. "Only you can think of that, Levy."
Levy sneered. "Shut up, Lucy! Like you can think of anything better! At least I keep us alive!"
"Always by a hair! We're always this close to dying!"
"I'll like to see you try then, hag!"
"Yea, maybe I will, bitch!"
As the two butted heads, everyone simply returned to their normal routines, far too used to the two hotheads getting into each others' faces over the smallest of things. The wanted poster eventually found itself in the hands of an ivory-haired young woman. She left the guild hall by the back quietly, leaning against the rough bark of the outer walls as she stared at the ratty paper before her. Her hands clutched the poster with a vice grip, crinkling the poster as her eyes roved across the details over and over again.
There's only one person I know with blond hair, blue eyes and his Fairy Tail emblem on his right palm…but how did Ráfa-nii get here? Better yet, why is he here? He…can't be here to bring me home…right? Even if he is, won't Master send someone stronger? But it says here that his companion is a demon-like white-haired woman…Mira-nee? The brown-haired girl must then be Cana…
"Lisanna, what's wrong?" a sweet voice rang out from beside her, startling the girl.
"Mira-nee! You scared me!" Lisanna scolded her sister.
"Ufufufu, does someone have a crush already? You're holding on the poster so tightly," Mira giggled, as Lisanna spluttered. "I must say though, falling in love through a wanted poster is quite unusual, even for us."
"Mira-nee, I'm just curious!"
The older sibling smiled. "If you say so."
The roar of a massive beast interrupted the conversation, as the sisters looked up into the skies in dread. A flock of Legions were practically on their doorstep, having somehow managed to stay silent and unseen as they approached. Exchanging horrified glances, they rushed back into the guild. "EVERYONE! LEGIONS!"
"SHIT!" Levy and Lucy swore simultaneously, before the blue-haired girl rushed over to a set of controls.
Sitting down in what resembled a crude captain's chair, she started to push levers and buttons, cursing up a storm as she did. "Bastards are using some sort of interference to jam us! I can't stabilise the transport field!"
"Damn it! Get it fixed!" Lucy growled, pulling out a black rod adorned with a pink crystal at its tip. "I'll hold them off for as long as I can!"
"Are you mad?! You'll be killed!" Wendy exclaimed.
"If I don't, everyone will get killed," the blonde noted grimly, as she rushed out. "Don't wait for me! That's an order!"
The scantily dressed woman burst through the doors of the guild hall, snapping the rod at the two soldiers already at their doorstep. The pink crystal glowed, unleashing a blazing blue light that coalesced into the shape of a whip. The magical weapon smacked the two spearmen in their chests with a deafening crack, sending them careening backwards. Battle cry on her lips, Lucy swung her whip with intent, ripping weapons out of the hands of some, concussing others, and causing mayhem only Fairy Tail knew how.
She was a dervish in the midst of well-trained men, unyielding, untouchable. But the weight of numbers only grew, and the blonde was but one woman with limited powers. Sidestepping a concerted attack by three, she grabbed the lances under her arm and roared, punching the men in their faces. Shoving the spears back into their guts, she bowled the troops over with strength that belied her frame. Another two men stumbled forwards, only to find their necks ensnared by her electric blue whip. With a bestial snarl, she pulled at her weapon, the whip launching the soldiers at their fellow troops while leaving angry red marks as proof of her prowess.
Panting, Lucy kicked out at a lone lancer, spittle flying out of her mouth as she crushed a foot into his abdomen. She threw her whip arm back, gouging the end of the handle into a screaming soldier's eye even as the whip choked another. She spun on her heels, adding centrifugal force as she hammered her knee into the groin of the man she blinded, before ducking beneath the wild swing of another spearman. She kicked at his ankle, disrupting his footing as she danced into close range, before firing an uppercut that bruised her knuckles and laid the man out flat.
Lucy smirked triumphantly as the telltale shaking of the ground finally began, fighting with a renewed ferocity. Clustered loosely by armoured troops, she had no way of getting out of the melee in time to get into the transport field. Grinning ferociously, she flicked her wrist once more, her whip latching onto something. But that object was as immovable as her will, and the blond paled as she realised who had caught her whip by its end.
"Fairy Hunter," Lucy growled.
"To be greeted by my title rather than my name is a proud moment for me," the crimson-haired lancer smiled menacingly. "But today, I have bigger fish to fry. In fact, he's a whale compared to the rest of you bottom-feeders."
"So why are you still hunting us?" the black-clad woman snarled, eyes darting about to evaluate her slim options.
"Because that man is from Fairy Tail, and I'm sure you have plenty of information to volunteer," Erza Knightwalker sneered, strolling towards the surrounded Lucy. "If not, well, you can be the little fish dangling off my Ten Commandments as I lure him in for the kill."
"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about!" the blonde mage shouted.
"Is that so? Well, we'll find out if you're telling the truth, one way or another," the spearwoman remarked dismissively, moving her attention away for a fraction of a second. "Men!"
Lucy grinned as she ceased the flow of magic to her whip, deactivating the weapon instantly. The blonde woman swiftly switched it on once more, screaming in defiance as she tried to retreat, her dangerous whip dancing to her tune. Three more men were taken down momentarily before a spear arrowed towards her face with unerring accuracy. The leotard-wearing woman allowed the spear to pass over her shoulder harmlessly, throwing a counterpunch that was caught effortlessly by a gauntleted palm.
"Nice try," Erza scoffed. "But you're too weak to stop me."
Her forehead met Lucy's nose with a meaty, bloody crunch, and the blonde girl staggered back, dazed. Erza sunk her fist into her exposed stomach, before an elbow smashed into her temple, knocking her onto the soil. Her vision blurred and fading fast, all she could see was crimson before darkness overwhelmed her.
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She burst into consciousness with a loud gasp, her breathing harsh and uneven. Blinking rapidly to moisten her dry eyes, she shivered involuntarily as a smorgasbord of haunting images flitted through her mind. Pressing a tiny paw to her chest to calm her rapidly beating heart, she tried to separate the emotional turmoil wrought by her visions, and dissect her predictions the way she had been taught to.
It was a puzzling prophecy, one where all her kin were taken by the stormy skies. It was Anima, no doubt, but she couldn't fathom why her people were targeted by the humans with Anima. After all, they had declined to use the technology to rid themselves of the Exceed despite their obvious plans to eradicate the race, and continued to build up their troop numbers and arms for an actual assault.
Or did we get fooled by them? Are they preparing for another conflict instead? Shagotte pondered, worry wracking her petite body. I can't tell the time frame from the vision either…have their suspicions been raised by our communique?
Glancing out of her window, the white-furred Exceed noted the position of the planets in the glittering sky above Extalia. Figuring it was too late to disturb the Elders for a meeting, she shut her eyes and exhaled deeply, hoping to fight off the insomnia that came invariably with each vision. But it was useless, as the terrified screams of her people filled her ears the moment she tried to rest. Her heart clenched as her people were taken from their homes against their will, their fright resonating deep in her soul.
A polite cough cut through the repeating visions. Shagotte's eyes snapped open, fear gripping her heart as a massive humanoid loomed over her tiny frame. She shrieked as shrilly as she could, pulling her blankets up to her chest as if it would serve as adequate protection from the giant. She shouted once more, hoping that her guards outside could buy enough time for the human to be chased away by the armed forces on standby in the palace. But nothing happened, and Shagotte squeezed her eyes shut, trembling in her thin nightie as she feared the worst.
A pregnant pause later, the Queen of Exceed cracked an eye open. The human was still present beside her bed, but had leaned back a little, wearing an amused smile on his lips. Seeing as he had not made any moves to kill her, and her guards seemed completely deaf to her cries for help, Shagotte decided to engage the strange being instead. She sat up straight, trying to look as regal as she could while dressed in a negligée and covered up in her thick quilt.
"W-Who are y-y-you?" she stuttered, cursing inwardly at her weakness.
"You were the one to call for me, as I recall," the blond creature replied jovially. "Unless I completely misread the message you put out."
"Y-You are the one w-whom the humans are s-seeking?" Shagotte gulped. She could see why the humans thought he was dangerous. No one but her closest attendants and the Elders even knew where her real sleeping chambers were in the vast palatial towers, yet he managed to sneak into her room without anyone the wiser.
"I am."
"Are you their enemy?" she queried.
"Only the upper echelons. I sympathise with their cause, but our goals do not align," the human answered honestly. "So, what does the Queen of the Exceed want with a weak human like me?"
Shagotte bit her lip, wishing the Elders were there to help her negotiate. She had long relied on their counsel, but it seemed unlikely she was going to be offered the chance this time. "We…we wish to offer you a deal."
"Very well. I suppose it would be discourteous of me not to inform you of the ramifications of my plans anyway," the towering man remarked airily. "How do I address you? Shagotte?"
"That will suffice," she nodded, tightening her blankets around her. "And yourself?"
The blond man paused for a moment. "…Maelstrom."
"Very well, Maelstrom. Before we discuss any collaborations between us, might I be allowed to call upon my Elders?" Shagotte requested, mustering as much bravado as she could.
"I am going to have to disappoint you on that one," Maelstrom commented, his sharp teeth gleaming in the darkness. "I'd wager contacting me was their idea, but I don't want to talk to a bunch of decrepit conservatives who would banish one of their own for a single altruistic act."
Shagotte protested. "That's-"
"-Pantherlily. I did my research," the human interjected sternly. "I don't know what terrible fate would have befallen the Exceed when he saved Jellal, but given that Jellal is my apprentice and has been working against the humans for years, I think it's a little ungrateful to exile him. Don't you?"
"I…I didn't agree with the decision," Shagotte averted her eyes in shame. "But they have kept us alive all these years."
"Through lies and deceit. I know how it works," Maelstrom retorted. "That's why I want to negotiate with you and only you. No politics. No haggling on terms, not when your civilisation is on the line. I need your cooperation, and you need my help."
"F-Fine."
"Good. Now, I'll lay down what I know about the situation, and you can correct me when necessary. I'll outline my plan, and we can discuss how to deal with the fallout of it," Maelstrom spoke briskly. "Your people are completely unaware, I presume, but the Exceed are not the powerful creatures they think they are. In fact, they are pretty powerless against any normal human, let alone a well-trained army."
"Yes," Shagotte lowered her head despondently.
"My…research has yielded some interesting information. You are the one who 'kills' the humans to prove your might, but it's not true is it?" Maelstrom continued. "You merely predict their coming deaths and pretend it's your work. But resentment from the humans has grown, as has the ego of your people. The Exceed will lose the inevitable clash, and that's why you sent those eggs to Earthland, didn't you? To preserve your species?"
"How…"
"I've met some Exceed in the other dimension," the human revealed carelessly. "One of them had an interesting idea though. It was quite the flimsy excuse, telling the humans that they were sent to kill the Dragon Slayers. But it worked, so I suppose they weren't too suspicious of your motives."
"That's…you are a frightening individual," Shagotte whispered, a tremor running up her spine. "Only…only five people in this world know of what you've just said so casually."
"Well, if you're afraid of your guards hearing this conversation, they won't," Maelstrom winked. "I put down something to seal off the sound."
"S-So what do you want from me? I clearly can't stop you from doing what you want," Shagotte sighed.
Maelstrom quirked his lips. "Indeed. But this is more than just about me. What I'm planning to do will rip your people from their homes and dump them into a foreign world."
"You…you are the one!" the royal Exceed exclaimed. "You're responsible for what happens!"
"Oh? You had a vision?" the human asked matter-of-factly.
"How did you…yes. Just tonight, I saw…I saw my people getting sucked into the skies…" Shagotte murmured, shuddering lightly.
"And what do you think of that?"
"W-What do you mean?"
Maelstrom leaned back, his hair brushing the low ceiling of her room. "It will be difficult to adapt to a new world, but at least your people will be alive. The humans there are friendly enough, and if all goes well, there should be no fear of retaliation from Edolas either."
The Queen of Extalia stayed silent, a whirlwind of thoughts blowing through her mind. There were too many variables, too much risk. But it was an opportunity that may never come again. And that is if the human was even offering her the option to decline. She peered up into the azure orbs of the human, her latent powers helping her see the depths of his heart. She was almost instantly overwhelmed by the pain the man had endured, pain that carved deep emotional scars in his psyche. But his sincerity shone from deep within the gloom, and despite all the Elders' admonishment, she found herself guided by her feelings once more.
"Will you succeed?" Shagotte demanded.
"If I don't, nothing will happen to your people. That I can assure you," Maelstrom replied warmly. "When your people arrive in Earthland, I will provide you with some money and provisions to tide you through a month or two. I can also point you to some of the Exceed you have sent away, and they might be able to help with settling down."
"Do you require any help from us then?" the Queen questioned.
"No. Just don't interfere and get yourself dragged into my plan. Discuss with your Elders how best to organise your people if you are brought to Earthland," the human shook his head, eyeing her cryptically. "And perhaps you may want to see to some arrangements to reunite some parents with their children. It must have been difficult for them to send their kids into the unknown like that."
"Thank you," she bowed deeply, hope rising unbidden.
"Thank me if it works," he smiled sincerely, before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
She coughed lightly as the smoke disturbed her sensitive nose, covering her face with a dainty paw to ward off the worst of the noxious fumes. As it slowly filtered out of her room via a conveniently opened window, she couldn't help the bittersweet smile that accompanied her tears.
…Yes, it was.
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Looking around the small confines of the tent, Naruto nodded to himself as he went through his mental checklist to ensure he didn't miss anything. Once satisfied, he stepped out of the tent he shared with Mystogan quietly, absentmindedly adjusting the kunai holster tied to his right thigh as he met the understanding gaze of Mirajane. "Are your preparations complete?"
"Yea," the blond muttered, sharing a fleeting smile with her.
"Finally!" Cana exclaimed from behind Mirajane, throwing her arms up into the air in exaggeration. "We've been cooped up here at this campsite for nearly a week!"
"It's a little too short for my liking, to be honest," Naruto admitted, amusing himself with the exaggerated look of horror plastered on Cana's face.
"Seriously? Five days wasn't enough? Damn, but you're paranoid, Naruto-nii. Given how you cheat with those clones of yours, I'm surprised you haven't dug out every dirty little secret hidden in the city already," Cana grumbled, as she limbered up.
Naruto cocked an eyebrow in response. "What we're doing will fundamentally change the way an entire country functions, and trying to install Mystogan as king immediately after our mission will only raise questions about his legitimacy. I had to get a feel for people's impressions of him and to bring him into national consciousness before the mission to ensure that when it's all over, people will accept him as the new king with less fuss."
"I'm just teasing you, Naruto-nii. You're way too tense," the card-wielding brunette grinned.
"Lisanna's life is at stake, not to mention the futures of Mystogan and the people of an entire nation," Naruto remarked matter-of-factly. "I think I have every right to be anxious about our plan."
"You sound like a really old man there," Cana teased, before turning to the other female in their motley crew. "Mira, are you sure you want to be with an old pervert like him?"
The ivory-haired woman smiled wanly while Naruto grimaced. "If he continues to behave."
"Hah! You have a long wait ahead of you then," the Card Magic user smirked, as Mira's smile widened. "C'mon, we're wasting daylight here. You're the one that said we needed to do this in open view of everyone."
"Yea, let's go," Naruto nodded decisively.
The trio set off for the walled city that rose high above the forests they were ensconced in, leaving behind the small campsite they had hunkered down in for the past five days. As they approached the edge of the obfuscating barrier that Naruto had set up nights ago, the blond cast a solitary glance back at the camp with a brittle smile perched on his lips, before stepping through the shield.
See you.
Within a tent, a young man laid unconscious, his breathing deep and even.
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Devilish wings flapping gently, Mirajane carried Cana through the clear blue skies above the bustling Royal City. Naruto had gone on ahead, his unique flight method via wind propulsion making it difficult to slow his pace down to match hers. Both women suspected he was merely using it as an excuse to play hero and clear the route ahead for them first, but they kept their peace. It saved them from having to expend precious magic, and it wasn't like either of them was as crazy about fighting as Natsu.
Just following Naruto as he blasted through the skies cloaked in his Tōton Jutsu was challenging enough anyway, with the temporary path he had carved through wispy cirrus clouds serving as their only guide. But between the two Fairy Tail mages, they managed to find their way to the tower they were aiming for. The domed roof of the tower already had a large circular hole cut neatly in it, no doubt by the blond shinobi.
"I'm going to go in at speed," Mirajane warned.
Without waiting for Cana's reply, she started to flap harder, rising higher and higher until they would be a speck from the ground had they not been similarly rendered invisible by Naruto's technique. Then, body twisting and stomach lurching, she entered a nosedive straight for the hole. The high speed winds dried her eyes out, but she forced herself not to blink as she kept her aim true. Cana had shut her eyes by this point, muttering something incomprehensible as their ears were filled only with the sound of moving air.
Then they were passing through the hole, barely a brick knocked out of place. Mirajane swerved to avoid the floating structure smack in the middle of the tower, aiming for the wide platform behind. Muscles straining against whiplash, the former S-class mage righted herself with her wings flapping mightily even as Cana dipped into her feathered bag for cards, prepared to throw them at the nearest enemy.
"And I thought I was flashy," Naruto remarked wryly from below, standing to the side with his invisibility technique already off.
He ducked as a card sailed through the air, aimed at his face. Their forms came into view the next instant, the cloaking spell dissolving. Mira let the huffy brunette down to the ground gently, before landing herself. The Take Over mage stared inscrutably at the massive sceptre-like construct that floated in the middle of the tower, armed with a lacrima and a giant blue orb and held in place by chains to the walls of the tower. "Is that it?"
"Yes. It's what creates the Anima," Naruto nodded tersely. "The chamber is empty because most of the troops are in the countryside looking for us, but that won't last for much longer. Also, the tower's roof is too high up for people to pay attention to, but someone will see the hole sooner or later and report it."
"Then I guess we need to get to work, pronto," Cana grinned, cracking her knuckles.
"Will you need support when activating Reverse Anima?" Mira asked quietly, a touch of concern in her voice.
Naruto shook his head, offering a tentative smile as their blue eyes met. "No, I can just make clones. Distracting the remaining guards in the palace and drawing out any strong opponents is more important. Creating a Reverse Anima big enough to take up all magic from Edolas will take time."
"Save the sex for later, guys. Let's finish up the mission first," Cana quipped playfully, resisting the urge to snicker as they broke the lingering eye contact, uncomfortable expressions on both their faces.
"Remember the kunai I gave to both of you. Use it when you're outmatched," Naruto reminded the two women. "I can't be there instantly because I can't use the Hiraishin, but at least it gives me an idea of where you are."
"Yea, yea, we got it the first time," Cana waved her hand dismissively. "C'mon Mira. Let's go wreak some havoc, Fairy Tail style!"
As Cana jogged off towards the massive double doors that would lead out of the Anima chamber, Mira walked up to Naruto. In her Satan Soul form, she appeared far bigger than her actual petite build, but Naruto still towered over her. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him close into a loose hug, tiptoeing and bringing her lips to his ear.
"Stay safe."
She was gone in the next moment, striding past a cheekily waving Cana as they exited the chamber, leaving Naruto alone in the vast tower. He suppressed a sigh as he watched them leave, before turning around to stare at the Anima generator.
Time to get to work, I guess.
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Lucy winced as the cold metal manacles dug into her raw wrists, her shoulders aching from having her arms restrained high above her head. Her feet barely scrapped the ground, forcing her constantly struggle to stay upright. She had also been stripped of her clothes, but she didn't possess a shred of modesty for quite a while now. Not after magic guilds were getting hunted down and mages ruthlessly slaughtered for daring to use magic. What was a little skin when her life could be at stake?
She looked desperately around her cell, hoping for something, anything that could precipitate an escape. But all she had to work with were cold dungeon walls; there were no windows in the cube-shaped cell, only a set of bars too far away for her to reach. She stared up at the ceiling, wondering if she could possibly use her body weight to rip the chains out of their fixings. Decision made, she wrapped her hands around the chain, and was about to begin swinging when a warm voice interrupted her.
"You don't want to do that."
Her head snapped towards the speaker, her eyes narrowing at the grizzled man. He was a tall and well-built man, with light brown hair neatly trimmed in a military cut. He was dressed in a crimson T-shirt and black pants, and wore form-fitting black cuirass that covered his torso on top of it. A set of charred gauntlets covered his hands, while military boots covered his feet. Two knife holsters were strapped to his waist, brown weathered leather that contained what looked like rather large hunting knives. From his exposed arms, Lucy noted the numerous scars from cuts and burns.
"Done ogling me yet?" the man teased as he unlocked her cell door.
"Are you done ogling me yet?" the blonde hissed acidly.
"You can keep your delusions to yourself," the man snorted contemptuously. "Rape is a weapon only for the unimaginative."
"Your Fairy Hunter, on the other hand, has an overactive imagination," Lucy snarled. "I don't even know who she wants me to rat out."
"She didn't tell me either," the man grinned sinisterly.
Lucy tried to hide her alarm, but evidently failed at such close quarters. Every twitch of her body was easily seen, and the brown-haired man only grinned wider as he ambled forwards, grabbing and lifting her chin. His black eyes bored into her brown orbs, a malicious glint scaring her more than anything she'd ever faced. But the opportunity was there, and she took it.
She swung her knee upwards with as much force as she could muster without any leverage, aiming loosely for his groin. The blonde mage grinned triumphantly as her knee hit cloth-covered flesh, but that was it. Her smile faded as his widened, a superior smirk that infuriated her. "Something that weak won't hurt me."
Lucy spat in his face, a gob of saliva splattering against his eye. The man only laughed, before wiping it away carelessly with a finger. "A lot of fire brimming inside of you. I'll enjoy…dousing it."
She didn't even see the punch coming. The metal-clad fist sunk into her stomach, knocking stars into her vision and spit out of her mouth as her mind went blank for a moment. Pain radiated from her abdomen as her head slumped down, only to be lifted up by a bear-like hand around her throat. Breaths came shorter as the hand tightened minutely, while the brown-haired man unsheathed one of his knives, bringing it near her face.
"You want to know why I like to use knives?" the man whispered silkily, even as Lucy thrashed about.
"F-F-Fuck you!"
"You see, blunt trauma…just isn't very exciting," the man babbled, tracing random patterns on her face with the wickedly curved tip of his knife. "There's so little to see, and bruises just take so long to appear. Cuts, on the other hand…"
Lucy gritted her teeth as the man pressed his knife against her skin, opening a tiny wound. A droplet of blood coalesced, collecting at the tip of the blade. The torturer licked his weapon clean, smiling insidiously. "…Instant gratification."
"You're j-just a c-c-creep," the Fairy Tail mage choked out.
The man tapped his clean shaven chin with his knife thoughtfully. "That's an overgeneralisation, don't you think? I'm far more complex than that. I mean, I don't just like to cut pretty little girls, you know?"
He released his grip on her throat, and as she inhaled deeply, he pointed his right index finger at her. The tip of the armoured finger started to glow red hot, then white hot, to the point where Lucy could feel the heat washing over her face. The brown-haired man giggled madly as he clamped a meaty hand on the side of Lucy's face, forcing her left eyelids open as he brought the finger closer to the ocular organ. The blonde struggled desperately, but her knees just bounced off the large man like flies off a brick wall.
"I also like to burn them," he purred.
His finger pressed forwards, and wretched screams filled the dungeon cell as the man burned her left eye slowly. He laughed crazily as the delicate orb burst, blood splashing all over his gauntlet. Blood caked around Lucy's eye socket, the water content boiling away in the intense heat. The blonde's screams petered out, turning into choked coughs and incoherent pleas as the man pulled his finger out.
The dungeon rocked suddenly, accompanied by a dull boom from above their heads. The man tutted as he let go of Lucy with a light shove, the girl whimpering as she tried to curl in on herself. "Sounds like trouble upstairs. What fortuitous timing, just like in those utterly boring plays people like to watch for some reason. You must be the luckiest little girl today."
He turned to leave, taking care to lock the cell door. He dangled the keys tauntingly at Lucy, a cheerful grin on his face. "But don't worry, sweetie. I won't take too long. Who knows, maybe I'll even bring back a cellmate for you!"
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Mirajane punted yet another frightened guard into the wall, knocking some tapestry off and entangling the hapless man in thick decorative cloth. It was not much of a challenge to the former S-class mage, but it wasn't meant to be. Having deemed herself far enough from the Anima chamber, she started to cause a ruckus just as Naruto had instructed, which inevitably drew the modicum of guards left protecting the palace from trespassers.
She kept it to simple body blows, toning them down to keep it non-lethal. Mages, especially ones in Fairy Tail, had unnaturally strong constitutions from constant magic use and getting into fights. The indubitably regular humans that confronted her controlled rampage were far more fragile. Some even quaked in terror, scarpering away at the very sight of her Satan Soul form.
As the ivory-haired woman kicked another poor soldier away, the man was smashed out of his unwanted flight by a heavy spear to his side. Sputum flying from his lips, he crashed and collapsed against a railing that lined the sides of the wide corridors, holding his ribs and moaning in misery. Mirajane tensed as the crimson-haired woman wielding said spear slid into a wide and low stance, her lance quivering in anticipation.
"It seems my luck is turning. First I snag myself that Fairy Tail pest, and now one of that man's cohort just as I return from trying to hunt him down," Erza Knightwalker smirked.
The Earthland native bared her teeth in a hostile smile, as her magic levels skyrocketed. Power bled off her body in a visible aura, her gaze burning holes in the army captain. "You know, I have a lot of unvented frustration with regards to a certain rival right now, and to find someone who looks exactly like her…"
Erza's eyes widened considerably as she lifted the Ten Commandments, shifting into a defensive stance just in time to block a clawed gauntlet from ripping her face off. Mirajane licked her lips, her lengthened canines glinting in the morning sun.
"…It's like a dream come true."
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The brunette cackled as she casually defenestrated a man through a huge window. Thankfully she was on the ground floor of the palace; it would be quite the lethal move had she been high up in one of the numerous towers in the palace. Cana wasn't as crazy about fighting as the rest of the Fairy Tail members she grew up with, but she enjoyed a spot of violence now and then.
It's cartharsis, she once childishly argued with Naruto. Now she kept mostly to alcohol, but in the absence of her favourite beverage, the brunette would have to make do. Laughing crazily to make herself look scarier than her scantily clad form suggested, she tossed some incendiary cards about, small explosions rocking the walls and knocking soldiers senseless. She did set off a huge explosion earlier to draw as much attention as she could, but she wasn't out to kill anyone.
As another weak concussive blast sent screaming men flying, singed but relatively unharmed, a metal-clad hand wrapped itself around the helmet of a discombobulated guard. The gauntlet flared white, and the soldier screamed as the helmet melted, turning into hot liquid slag that filled his orifices and seared his skin. Cana swallowed thickly as the nauseating odour of burnt flesh filled the air, the dead man slumping on the ground. His murderer wore a pleased grin on his features as he flicked off excess liquid steel from his gauntlets casually.
"Well, well, well, looks like I was right. Little missy downstairs is getting a new cellmate!" the man chirped. "You know, I haven't been able to get into a proper fight ever since that old codger hired me to do his dirty work. So indulge me, and give me a good one, will ya?"
Cana trembled lightly in her sandals. The man pouted, before kicking the corpse at his feet petulantly. "Scratch that, looks like you won't be much fun to fight after all. Shaking in your boots like that…what a turnoff."
The Card Magic user inhaled deeply, steeling her nerves and calming her fluttering heart. She offered her new opponent the most confident smile she could muster, putting her hand in her bag to grasp a stack of cards. The cool metal of Naruto's Hiraishin kunai offered a small crumb of comfort, as she met the eyes of the enemy. "Sorry, misplaced my nerves for a moment there. If it's a good fight, I'll be more than happy to give you one…"
"…Gildarts."
Author's Notes: And so that sets up the Mira/Erza and Cana/Gildarts fights, both with emotional context too. If you're looking forward to Edolas Fairy Tail joining the way-too-high-level fights ahead, sorry to disappoint. Lucy Ashley was just a plot device to get Erza to her fight. Trying to make this arc work is frustrating enough; adding even more peripheral elements? No thanks.
I was tempted to make Edolas!Gildarts use the knives line by the Joker from The Dark Knight, but I've plagiarised enough from that film already. And don't bother predicting how the battles will go based on that terrible Moby-Dick reference. It's just there to make me look cultured and well-read :P
For those who follow the manga, I feel a bit vindicated by the Doranbolt thing. Won't say anymore because, you know, spoilers, but Makarov's interactions with him is almost like what I did with Naruto and Makarov for the early parts of La Tormenta. Hurray for happy coincidences!
About the Sasuke 'depth' thing I mentioned previously…well, if Kishimoto-sensei didn't make him do the most ridiculous things, he would really be one of the best developed characters in Naruto. His childhood, the massacre, his rivalry/friendship with Naruto, Madara's manipulation, the resolution of his brother complex…so much time was devoted to Sasuke's development (in a good way). Then it all went to hell with the most stupid of redemptions in that Hokage talk. Which made Naruto's comparative lack of good development absolutely criminal.
As for Naruto being OOC…at least I've laid out the causes for his OOC-ness? I even ensured there was a gap year for his character to change, and then ten years on top of that to reinforce it. Aren't there plenty of stories with OOC characters anyway?
I've tried to preserve what I felt truly defined Naruto: his selflessness. His morals and methods may have changed, but he's always strived to protect his precious people and even beyond. Just because it doesn't work out the way he wanted, doesn't mean his intentions are any less good. Fact is, I'm opposed to the idea that Naruto can bulldoze through anything in life with willpower and charisma. That's canon, not La Tormenta. Rather, La Tormenta is about the opposite; that sometimes, things will go wrong, and there's nothing you can do to stop it.
Also, I hate the idea of unchanged personalities. I'm a different person now than when I was 16, and that's growing up in a normal environment. Naruto has had 11 years and a crap-load of traumatic events. Sorry if my Naruto isn't just another facsimile of Asura.