Hey guys, I'm back with a new chapter for this story! I know the wait was long for this update, but I've been pretty busy over the past few months, and I had to update all my other stories as well. Plus, over the past few weeks, I've had pretty low motivation to do any sort of writing and I didn't want to try to force it. A ton of my free time recently has also been completely consumed by Pokemon Legends Arceus and Dying Light 2. But I've finally gotten around to updating my Pokemon story, so now I can focus on this one for a bit. This chapter will be picking up where the previous chapter left off. Natsu and the others still need to figure out what happened to them and learn more about thIS strange new world they're in.
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Well, that's all I wanted to say, so let's get to the fic!
"Speech"
"Thoughts"
Magic
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.
"You're acting nothing like the Luce I know! Your hair is missing its pink streaks! You're missing your mate mark!" Natsu proclaimed, pointing at the bizarre Lucy, feeling his heart starting to pound in his chest. Inhaling deeply, Natsu's eyes narrowed slightly, confirming his own suspicions. "And your scent is completely different!" Doing a quick spin, Natsu pointed at all of his supposed guildmates. "In fact, all of your scents are completely different!"
"W-What!? Don't go smelling me you freak!" Lucy shrieked as her face flushed bright red in embarrassment. Performing a rapid two to wind up, Lucy attempted to hit Natsu with a powerful roundhouse kick. However, the entire guild was stunned when Natsu reached up and stopped her kick with his bare hand, none of them more shocked than Lucy herself. "T-There's no way...Natsu has never stopped one of my attacks before."
"Alright! Alright! That's enough everyone! Lucy! You know better than to start fights with Natsu!" The pink-haired dragon slayer's entire body stiffened when heard a voice that he thought he would never hear again. Natsu's heart was already racing, but now he could feel it really thundering in his chest, he was sure that people nearby could hear it. Releasing his grip on Lucy's leg, Natsu felt a lump form in his throat. Tightly balling his fists, Natsu finally mustered up enough courage and turned around. What he saw shocked him to his core. Standing less than ten feet away was someone that he believed was dead, Lisanna Strauss. "Also, Jet and Droy! Please stop picking on my brother!"
"This can't be real...I have to be seeing things..." Natsu thought, feeling his breath hitch as he examined Lisanna from head to toe. Lisanna was wearing a light blue tank top with crossed straps around her neck. She had on a long, flowing skirt, with a sash tied around her waist and sandals. Her hair was a bit shorter than Natsu remembered and her white Fairy Tail guild mark was visible on her thigh. Knowing that something was up with members of the guild, Natsu sniffed the air several times. He paused after a few moments, tears stinging his eyes when a very familiar scent hit his nose. "This scent...there's no mistaking it..."
"And another thing-" Lisanna paused when she noticed that Natsu was slowly walking toward her, tears forming in his eyes. "U-Uh, Natsu...is everything okay?"
"There's no mistaking it..." Natsu said, before lunging forward and embracing Lisanna in a powerful hug. Lisanna yelped in surprise as Natsu pulled her closer, cupping the back of her head and wrapping his other arm around her shoulders. Before Lisanna could protest at all, she was stopped when she felt something fall onto her shoulder. Looking up, Lisanna was shocked to see tears streaming down Natsu's cheeks. Sniffling several times in a vain attempt to fight back his tears, Natsu couldn't hold back his overflowing emotions. "There's no mistaking it...you're my Lisanna."
"Natsu...what's wrong with you?" Lisanna thought as she stared at the pink-haired dragon slayer in a mixture of shock and confusion. Seeing that Natsu's shoulders were trembling, Lisanna couldn't resist the urge to return the pink-haired dragon slayer's embrace, wanting to do anything she could to ease his pain. A small smile spread across Lisanna's face as rubbed she Natsu's back. However, as Lisanna continued to console Natsu, something he had said stuck out to her. "Wait...he said that I was 'his' Lisanna...does that mean..."
Suddenly, Lisanna was overcome by a familiar sense of tingling warmth, a sensation she hadn't experienced in almost two years. A realization struck Lisanna as she began to panic, her eyes widening in shock. Without warning, Lisanna pushed Natsu away, surprising the pink-haired dragon slayer. Lisanna closely studied Natsu as he stared at her with a mixture of disappointment and hurt on his face. With her eyes darting around, Lisanna analyzed every aspect of Natsu's appearance and demeanor, picking up on several minor details she had initially missed. The differences in appearance, what Natsu had said, and that comforting warmth, all lead Lisanna to one conclusion. Stepping away from the pink-haired dragon slayer, Lisanna cupped both hands over her mouth, feeling tears sting her eyes.
"There's no mistaking it...you're my Natsu..." Lisanna said barely above a whisper, watching as the pink-haired dragon slayer reached out to her. Out of the corner of her eye, Lisanna spotted Elfman and Mirajane watching the whole situation unfold with confused expressions. Feeling a wave of guilt wash over her, Lisanna slowly shook her head and took another step back before Natsu could touch her. Just as Natsu was about to say something, Lisanna spun around and sprinted toward the guild's backroom. As Lisanna burst through the door, she dashed around a corner, and hid behind a box full of supplies, feeling tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Natsu! Please forgive me! But I have to get away from you, I can't put Mira-nee and Elf-niichan through the pain they experienced ever again!"
"LISANNA!" Natsu called out as he watched the door to the backroom slam closed. The pink-haired dragon slayer wanted desperately to chase after Lisanna and figure out what the hell was going on, but a nagging feeling in the back of his mind stopped him. Lisanna had definitely recognized him, but something had pushed her away from him. The pained look on Lisanna's face made Natsu's heartache, but he knew this wasn't something he wouldn't be able to pry out of her. If he chased after Lisanna and pressed her on the matter, he'd only drive her further away. She'd have to tell him when she felt ready. So, Natsu reluctantly resisted the urge to sprint out of the guild after Lisanna, he had other pressing matters to address. "...Lisanna."
"Great job, you idiot!" Lucy exclaimed, a growl rumbling in her throat as she smacked Natsu upside the head. However, Lucy was surprised when the pink-haired dragon slayer seemed to be completely unfazed by her strike. "Okay...this is getting seriously freaky now, what the hell is going on here?"
"I don't understand...that was Mira-san's little sister, right?." Wendy said as she scanned around the guildhall once again, now truly starting to notice how different her guildmates were. "I thought she was dead."
"That pink-haired buffoon...I think he was right about something..." Carla muttered, pointing to a particular person on the other side of the guild. "And that person over there proves it."
"What are you-" Wendy stopped mid-sentence when she saw exactly who the white-furred cat was pointing at. The blue-haired dragon slayer felt her entire face flush bright red when she spotted what could only be described as a version of herself, but a version that was at least six years older. This alternate Wendy was a tall, young woman with ample breasts and long blue hair. Her attire consisted of a very revealing cerulean-colored top with a thin white trim, which tapered off at her waist and at her bust into multiple spiked points. Decorating the front of this top was a sky blue bow tied in the very center of her chest, and she wrapped up her overall appearance with a pair of white capri shorts. "IS THAT ME!?" Seeing her alternate version's bountiful breasts, Wendy couldn't help but feel a wave of inferiority as hugged her own budding bust. Wendy's entire body felt hot with embarrassment as she glanced nervously at Natsu, before staring down at her chest. "I know Natsu likes them big...will he still like mine?"
"At first, I thought everyone's personalities had been reversed, but I was wrong..." Carla continued her explanation which snapped Wendy out of her thoughts. "These people aren't the guildmates we've been looking for. They're all completely different people! They've lived in Edolas this entire time!"
"Wait...I've heard about this before...it was in one of the books Levy was telling Luce about." Natsu chimed in, stroking his chin as he tried to remember exactly what Levy had said. "Since Edolas is a parallel world, with its own culture and history, it's entirely possible that they'd have their own Fairy Tail...and parallel versions of our nakama to go along with it." Releasing a heavy sigh, Natsu pressed a hand to his head. "Man, this is fucking crazy...my head is seriously starting to hurt."
"So, this Fairy Tail existed in Edolas the entire time..." Wendy said as she felt a chill run down her spine, worry evident on her face. "Then where are all of 'our' nakama?! We need to keep looking for them!"
"Oi! I'm getting really sick of you guys talking amongst yourselves and actin' like we're not all here!" Lucy growled in a frustrated tone, crossing her arms underneath her chest and glaring at Natsu and his group. "Now start talking! What is going on here!?
"It'll be trouble if we stay here!" Carla said as she rushed over and grabbed Happy's paw, leading the blue cat toward the guild's front doors. "We need to go!"
"HEY! Don't fuckin' ignore me!" Lucy roared, a vein bulging on her forehead as she stomped her foot. "I'm two seconds away from whooping all of your asses!"
"Carla!" Wendy exclaimed as she watched the white cat drag Happy toward the guild's exit. "Where are we going!?"
"We need to go to the royal capital!" Carla replied without looking back, stopping briefly at the double doors. "There must be clues about our guild there! We-" Carla was cut off mid-sentence when the guild's doors suddenly burst open and in sprinted a panting Fairy Tail member. "What on earthland is happening!?"
"It's the Fairy Hunters!" The panicked guild member screamed as he slammed the doors shut behind him. "We need to leave! NOW!"
"Damn it, answers will have to wait!" Lucy growled, angrily pointing at Happy and Carla. "Oi, you damn cats! Get away from the door! You're not going anywhere right now!"
"How could they have found us already!?"
"Why can't they just leave us alone, damn it!?"
"Those royal servant bastards...they just don't know when to give up!"
"Hey, Carla..." Happy muttered as he began to tremble, watching the members of Fairy Tail scramble around the guild. "You mentioned something about a royal capital..."
"Yes." Caral replied, releasing a heavy sigh as she crossed her arms over her chest. "That's where we'd likely find the people who sent us to Earthland."
"Then...are we..." Happy struggled to say as he tightly balled his fists, feeling a knot forming in his stomach. "Are we Fairy Tail's enemy?"
"God damn, Levy!" Lucy yelled, storming over toward the petite bluenette. Levy was barely paying attention to the chaos and panic around her, sitting in an elaborate-looking contraption and fiddling with several different levers. "Is the fuckin' transportation magic ready yet?!"
"Shut the hell up! You want to do this, ya bitch!" Levy snapped as she shot the busty blonde a fierce glare, before returning her attention to the machine she was operating. "I'm doing it right now, so just give me a damn second!"
"Natsu..." Wendy breathed out, feeling the air around them start to vibrate. "The atmosphere...it's starting to shake."
"They're here!"
"It's time to go!"
"Come on, Levy!"
"What the hell is-" Natsu stopped when he heard a thunderous crash just outside the guild, causing the entire building to shake. "Can someone tell me what's happening?!"
"The kingdom is hunting Fairy Tail..." Wendy said as she clutched a hand over her heart, feeling a chill run down her spine. "Why would they do that?!"
"Isn't it obvious?" A voice suddenly spoke from behind Wendy, causing her to squeak in surprise. Whipping around, the blue-haired dragon slayer was surprised to see that it was her alternate self who had spoken up. "All mage guilds have been abolished by order from the king. We're the only guild still operating in the entire world. That means we're a dark guild."
"ALRIGHT! EVERYONE HOLD ONTO YOUR ASSES!" Levy yelled as she slammed a large lever forward, the sounds of rotating gears and working machinery filling the guild. Most people in the guild tumbled over as the entire building began to quake. "HERE WE GO! I'M ACTIVATING THE TRANSPORTATION MAGIC!"
Outside the Fairy Tail guild, a massive dual-horned monster was barreling toward the building, the ground trembling underneath its immense size. But just as the beast lashed out at the building with its claws, it disappeared into the ground with a flash of blinding white light. Howling in surprise, the gigantic reared back and shielded its eyes from the intense light. When the blinding rays finally died down, the monster roared in anger destroying the ground where the guild had been seconds earlier.
"Hmmm...this is starting to get quite annoying..." A male voice said as an armored figure approached from behind the displeased monster. The man was quite tall with blue eyes and blond hair in a pompadour style. He had long sideburns extending to the ends of his face and some light stubble. His face was very defined and had a noticeable cleft chin. He wore light red, shiny armor with gold chain mail and a bronze belt, and what appeared to be black briefs. He also wore a white cape with the Edolas insignia on it. "These Fairies are seriously quick runners."
"Sugarboy...I didn't know you came as well." A gruff feminine voice said from atop the, now calm, monster.
"It was so close, Fairy Hunter..." Sugarboy said with a light sigh, gazing at the smoking ground where Fairy Tail had been earlier. "But they no longer have the means for transporting like that. It's only a matter of time now before you hunt them down. But more importantly, it appears that the gigantic Anima project was a massive success. And...they're requesting all the captains of the magical force unit to return to the kingdom"
"What happened to the Fairy Tail members from Earthland!?" The feminine voice barked as another armored figure suddenly appeared, standing on top of the dual-horned monster. "Have they been completely destroyed!?"
"I wouldn't say they were destroyed...devoured is more like it..." Sugarboy replied with a chuckle, gazing up at his female comrade. "Our king truly has set high goals to achieve."
"I see...what happened to the Earthland mages that were devoured?" The armored figure asked as she walked to the edge of the monster's mount, looking as if she were about to hop down.
"They're in the kingdom..." Sugarboy replied, stroking his chin as a devious smile spread across his face. "They were turned into a massive lacrima."
"That's great news..." The armored woman said as she dropped down next to Sugarboy. The woman was well-endowed and wore a very provocative outfit comprising of a revealing, halter-type armor breastplate top, that left much of her cleavage and stomach exposed, with light-armored gauntlets and greaves on her forearms and forelegs, respectively, as well as her thighs. She also wore a dark bikini bottom with a piece of cloth obscuring her hips. She also wore a dark scarf around her neck. But the woman's most distinctive feature was her long, flowing, wavy scarlet hair that was tied into an elegant, loose knot at the back. "That should Edolas enough magic power for quite a while."
(One Minute Later: Edolas Fairy Tail Guild)
"Hey, guys!" Levy called out, the entire guild shaking as it emerged from the ground in an entirely new location, far away from the Fairy Hunters. "We've finished moving!"
"The entire guild moved?" Natsu asked no one in particular as he got up off the ground and dusted himself off. Crouching down, Natsu helped Natsu and both cats back onto their feet. "That's awesome."
"Is everyone alright?!"
"Yeah!"
"Is anything broken!?"
"We need to do an inspection and make sure everything is still in working order!"
"What the hell, Levy!?" Lucy snarled as she glared fiercely at the smaller mage, getting right in her face. "That was such a close call because you're so damn slow!"
"Next time, be my guest and do it instead, ya big-titted cow!" Levy growled, standing up on her toes and pressing her forehead against Lucy's, returning the blonde's intense glare. "I didn't see you doing anything to save all our asses!"
"I am not getting involved in that..." Natsu thought as he slowly shook his head, exhaling in exasperation. Turning around, Natsu saw that Mirajane was at her usual spot behind the bar and decided to get some answers from her. "Hey, Mira, who the hell was that guy earlier?"
"Mira? My, aren't you being bold today, Natsu. When did we get close enough for nicknames?" Mirajane said with a giggle, her face flushing slightly as she waved dismissively. "And what's going on with you, Natsu? You've been acting strange this whole time. Did something happen while you were gone?" Seeing utter confusion evident on Natsu's face, Mira giggled to herself again. "That was one of the captains from the royal army's magical force unit. Her name is Erza Knightwalker, aka the Fairy Hunter."
"W-What...what did you just say..." Natsu breathed out as his eyes widened in complete shock, his heart thundering in his chest. Quickly backing away from the bar, Natsu would have tripped over a fallen barstool if Wendy hadn't stopped him. Regaining his foot, Natsu clutched a hand over his heart, feeling it start to ache. "There's no way...Erza...is our enemy?"
"I know this must be troubling, Natsu...but we need to remain calm and figure out what to do." Wendy said gently, guiding the pink-haired dragon slayer over to a nearby table. Once Natsu had taken a seat, Wendy pulled out her own chair and sat down next to him. Reaching over, Wendy placed a comforting hand on the pink-haired dragon slayer's shoulder. "So, what's our next move, Natsu?"
"Your next move is to explain who the hell you guys are!" Lucy exclaimed angrily as she slammed a chair down next to Natsu and spun it around. With the chair now facing backward, Lucy roughly sat in it and leaned over the back. "You may look like Natsu, but you sure as shit ain't acting like him." Without even looking, Lucy suddenly jabbed her finger toward Wendy. "And this girl looks like just Wendy...if she was younger. Now, start talking, before I get violent!"
"Listen..." Natsu said, releasing a heavy sigh as he turned to look at Lucy. However, when Natsu saw the blonde's fierce glare, he became aware that the rest of the guild was starting to look at him and Wendy warily. Not wanting to start any trouble, Natsu rubbed the back of his head. "Okay, I'll tell you anything you want to know. But I'm only going to say this stuff once, so pay attention."
After this, Natsu spent nearly an hour fielding questions from the members of Edolas Fairy Tail, answering everything as best he could. Wendy, Happy, and Carla would also chime in from time to time to help him out. Eventually, it looked like tensions had died down, with the entire guild now gathered around Natsu's table. Lucy had lost her glare partway through his explanation, now attentively listening to everything he said.
"So...if I understand things right...you guys came from another world called Earthland..." Lucy said as she gestured toward Natsu, Wendy, Happy, and Carla which caused all four of them to nod their heads. "And now you're here in Edolas on a mission to save your friends?" Once again, Natsu nodded his head to confirm what Lucy had said. Letting out a low whistle, Lucy leaned back in her chair. "Man, I can't believe there's a Fairy Tail in your world too...and in that world, Erza isn't an evil cunt...now, that's the part I find hardest to believe."
"Sounds like you have a bone to pick with her..." Carla commented, crossing her arms over her chest and staring up at Edo Lucy. "Do you two have bad blood or something?"
"Yeah, something like that..." Lucy grumbled as she scratched the back of her head, looking off to the side. "But I don't want to get into that right now."
"We can small talk later." Natsu said, glancing at all the Edo Fairy Tail members gathered around him. "Is there any way you guys could tell us the best way to get to the royal capital?" Seeing the Edo Fairy Tail members give him worried looks and mutter amongst themselves, Natsu quirked an eyebrow. "What? Did I say something weird?"
"Please, we need your help. Our friends have been absorbed into this world by your king." Wendy pleaded as she clasped her hands together. "We have to go save them, or they'll be turned into 'pure' magic...reduce to nothing...we can't let that happen."
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, chibi me, but you're better off giving up on that idea." Edo Wendy said, releasing a heavy sigh as she gave the blue-haired dragon slayer a sympathetic look. "Nobody has ever stood up against the king of Edolas and lived to tell the tale. You cannot underestimate the power this kingdom holds."
"You see, magic is a limited resource." Edo Elfman explained in a somewhat nervous tone as he wrung his hands. "It won't last forever..."
"The king fears that inevitability above all else and has been hoarding all the kingdom's magic for himself." Edo Gray added before whipping around to face Edo Juvia, a goofy smile plastered on his face. "Isn't that right, Juvia-chan?!"
"Correct...and stop staring at me like that!" Edo Juvia snapped as she glared at Edo Gray. Seeing that Edo Gray had no intention of leaving her alone, Edo Juvia sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Because of the king's selfish hoarding of our kingdom's magic...he sent out a royal decree ordering all mage guilds to disband. We tried to resist at first, but the royal army's magical forces crushed the other guilds one by one...until we were the only ones left."
"It's not like we escaped unharmed either!"
"We lost over half of our members!"
"Those bastards even killed our master! Such a kind old man killed in cold blood to set an example!"
"I understand the situation...and know it will be dangerous...but please! You have to tell us the way!" Natsu exclaimed, slamming his fist onto the table which caused it to splinter. Several of the Edo Fairy Tail members backed away, seeing the unwavering look in the pink-haired dragon slayer's eyes. "I'm gonna save my friends and my mates! I don't care if I have to fight the king's entire army by myself!"
"This guy..." Edo Lucy thought as she stared at Natsu in shock before a smirk spread across her face. "That look in his eyes...if he's anything like my Natsu...then maybe he will be able to make a difference."
(Same Time: Royal Capital's Palace)
"Oh, wow! That's amazing!" Another captain of Edolas' magical militia, Hughes, exclaimed, leaning over a balcony and gawking at the massive lacrima on the other side of the city. Hughes was a young man with strange arrow-like eyebrows and had messy dark purple hair with one thick lock of white hair near the front right side. He also had rather long bangs that obscured his forehead. He wore a white uniform consisting of a long coat with gold trim and metal shoulder guards over matching pants and a dark green shirt, decorated with an olive green crisscrossing line pattern. "Have you seen this huge lacrima, Erza?!"
"I saw it when I arrived, Hughes." Edo Erza said with a smirk as she gazed at impressive lacrima. "It truly is a sight to behold."
"It really is!" Hughes chuckled, stepping away from the balcony's railing. "I still can't believe there are tens of thousands of people from Earthland in there. We're absorbing so much magical power from them!"
"Mmmm, that's not quite right, Hughes." Sugarboy said as he joined them out on the balcony, tapping his chin. "To be more accurate, it's the magical power from approximately one hundred mages...and the lives of a magnitude of people besides them."
"Bah, do we really need to nitpick the details?" Hughes whined, waving dismissively at Sugarboy. "I'm just trying to say that this thing is amazing, that's all! And I'm not just talking about normal amazing! I'm talking super amazing!
"Mmmm...yes, yes, super amazing indeed..." Sugarboy said as he gestured back into the palace. "We should get going, the king is expecting us."
"Yes, let's head there now." Edo Erza said, sparing one last glance at the lacrima before she re-entered the palace, with Sugarboy and Hughes trailing behind her. "What do you think-"
"Oh, Erza-shan!" Knightwalker stopped in her tracks when she heard a familiar voice call out her name, annoyance visible on her face. "Have you shtill not eliminated that peshky Fairy Tail guild?"
"Hello, Byro..." Edo Erza said as she released a heavy sigh, turning to face the man who was attempting to taunt her. Byro was a very short, elderly man, sporting a strangely shaped nose and large eyes. Aside from his horn-shaped eyebrows and the tufts of hair on either side of his face, he was completely bald. He also had several dark liver spots on his forehead and on the side of his head. Due to his small frame, most of Byro's figure was covered by his decorated cape, which featured a wide, adorned collar and two large medal-like ornaments on the front. Underneath it, he donned a simple dark robe with lighter edges. "Unfortunately, Fairy Tail was able to escape. But they can run away no longer. The next time we catch them, they shall be destroyed."
"Tshk, tshk, and to think you're called the Fairy Hunter...what a farce!" Byro mocked with a smirk, clasping his hands behind his back. "Fairy Tail ish the only mage guild left...shertainly they are quite shkilled at running away...but I feel like his majesty would like to shee results from you shooner, rather than later."
"..." Knightwalker said nothing in response, simply narrowing her eyes at the elderly Chief of Staff. She knew that he was trying to goad a reaction out of her, and she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "Just you wait old man, once Fairy Tail has been eliminated, you're next on my list."
"Don't fret, Byro..." Sugarboy said as he patted Knightwalker on the back. "The day when our Fairy Hunter rids us of those pests is soon at hand."
"That's totally right!" Hughes exclaimed excitedly, pumping his fists into the air as he wildly gestured toward Edo Erza's sword. "Erza's sword skills are amazing! Like super amazing!"
"Can you all please quiet down, I can't stand excessive noise." A deep and authoritative voice said from behind Byro. Looking past the short, elderly man, it was hard to miss the large, imposing black-furred cat clad in a full suit of armor. "That goes for all of you."
"Panter Lily..." Knightwalker said as she rested her hands on her hips, gazing at the massive cat. Panther Lily's head was that of a black panther's, but he had a tall, muscular build similar to that of a human's. He had a white muzzle, small red eyes, and a scar running down across his left eye. Like his fellow commanders, except for Hughes, he wore a personal set of battle armor with a long cape draped around his body, as well as a helmet. "I apologize, I didn't know we were causing a disturbance."
"Don't apologize Erza, this guy is just being a downer!" Hughes scoffed, his eyes narrowing as he jabbed his finger toward Panther Lily. "Who do you think you are?! Do you think you're some big hotshot around here!?"
"I've got an idea, why don't you try shutting your mouth for a change?" Lily fired back which caused Hughes to recoil back, gritting his teeth in frustration. "Enough dawdling, the king wishes to see us."
"Mmmmm, he seems to be in quite a foul mood..." Sugarboy mused as he watched Panther Lilly turn around and begin walking toward the thrown room. "Do you think someone stepped on his tail?"
"I believe he's frustrated with the arms race our country has gotten into." Knightwalker suggested, shaking her head and crossing her arms underneath her chest. Sugarboy appeared to ponder what Knightwalker said, before shrugging his shoulders. "Our country has united most of the world, it is odd that we'd still need to further develop arms. It must be making Panther Lily uneasy."
"Mmmm, I suppose so, there are still a few rebellious factions out there..." Sugarboy added as he began to follow after Lily. "But we should be more than capable of handling them ourselves."
"WHOA! Wait up for me guys!" Hughes exclaimed, racing after Knightwalker and Sugarboy after he noticed they had started to leave without him. "And what's with this amazing complex topic you're discussing! I have no clue what you're talking about!"
(Palace Throne Room)
"YOUR MAJESTY! YOUR MAJESTY" An energetic and enthusiastic female voice called out as the doors of the throne room burst open. With amazing speed, a young girl sprinted toward the king's throne, kicking up a large amount of dirt and dust behind her. Skidding to a stop, the girl saluted the king. "We have confirmation that extraction of energy from the giant lacrima can begin according to plan in exactly four days' time! I offer you my sincerest congratulations!"
This girl was Coco, assistant chief of staff for the royal army. Coco was a lean and short girl whose face bore a distinct resemblance to a puppy, with a small nose and a green headgear possessing large, floppy "ears". She had brown eyes and long brown hair that was kept with a blue, spherical ponytail that descended down her right shoulder. Coco wore a yellow dress over a dark blue, skin-tight bodysuit that ran from the middle of her forearms down to her shoulders. She also wore white gloves on both hands and was completely barefoot.
"Inadequate..." The King of Edolas, Faust, muttered underneath his breath as he stroked his long white beard.
Faust was a tall and slim elderly man with a very long, wavy grayish-white hair reaching down below his shoulder, with a similar beard going down below his neck to his upper chest, and a matching mustache. He possessed an elongated, rectangular face with prominent cheekbones, with a similarly elongated, prominent flat nose. His round eyes were circled by a series of wrinkles. Faust wore regal attire, which was brown in color. He sported a pinstriped brown coat, with buckled belts covering the lower part of each sleeve and lighter brown cuffs, each complete with an additional, matching buckled belt, over a darker vest, below which was a skirt-like cloth, possessing stripes similar to the ones on Faust's coat. Such a skirt was matched by a pair of light, baggy light pants tucked inside simple boots. Faust also sported a long, bright brown mantle covered in a rhomboid pattern, which came with a short mantle covering his shoulders, this had white fur lining its edges, possessing simple decorations in its lower part and a collar consisting of many small rings lined up one after the other. Instead of a crown, Faust wore a headgear reminiscent of a rounded mitre, which got larger near its upper part and was white on the lower edges and on the semicircular front part, but the same color of Faust's cape on the rest. The semicircular part bore a black symbol reminiscent of a saber crossed with a musical horn, which had its smaller edge ending in a curl.
"Hmmm..." Coco muttered, quirking an eyebrow in confusion before she ran a quick lap around the thrown room, coming to a skidding stop in front of the king once again. "Your majesty...did you say something?"
"I said that it will be inadequate..." Faust repeated himself as he leaned back in his thrown. "Don't make me say it again, girl."
"If I may be so bold as to speak freely, your majesty!" Coco exclaimed as she began to run in circles in front of Faust, appearing to have far too much energy. "That huge lacrima out there contains the magical energy from an entire town in Earthland! It'll supply us with more than enough magical power...for the next ten years!"
"That's exactly the problem...I need more...bring me more magical power..." Faust said in a menacing tone, slowly getting up out of his throne, a dark look in his eyes. "It must be limitless! A supply of magical power that will never run out!"
(Same Time: Somewhere in Edolas )
"Natsu..." Happy whined as he trailed behind the rest of the group, panting heavily and looking completely exhausted. "How much further till we get to the capital?"
"C'mon Happy, we've only been walking for twenty minutes..." Natsu said with a light sigh, crouching down in front of the blue cat. With a small smile, Natsu patted Happy's head. "It's supposed to take a couple of days on foot, so why don't I carry you for a bit, buddy?"
"YAY!" Happy cheered as he jumped into Natsu's arms. "You're the best, Natsu!"
"Things would go so much faster if our Aera worked properly..." Carla huffed, crossing her arms and walking up to Natsu. "Given our situation, walking appears to be our only option."
"Can we really not use magic here?" Wendy asked as she followed Natsu's example and picked Carla up, much to the white cat's surprise. "It's so strange not being able to use magic...it's such a normal part of our lives."
"I cannot say for sure whether we can't use it or not..." Carla replied, clearly enjoying being carried by Wendy as she nuzzled into the blue-haired dragon slayer's arms. "But I do foresee difficult times ahead."
"Hey, I've got an idea. Why don't we find something to eat, all this excitement has-" Natsu was cut off when he slammed face-first into something. Whatever Natsu had walked into was quite soft and fleshlike, bouncing him backward. After nearly stumbling, Natsu managed to regain his footing and got a good look at what he had run into. Higher and higher, Natsu had to raise his gaze, until he was staring into the terrifying eyes of a massive frog-like monster. "Oh, shit..."
"NATSU! It's gonna attack us!" Happy screamed in a panic as he watched the monster raise one of its webbed hands, looking like it was about to squash them. "Do something!"
"Let's see if Carla is right about us not being able to use magic!" Natsu exclaimed, cocking his fist back and trying to channel his magic. "Lightning Dragon's..." The pink-haired dragon slayer broke out in a worried sweat when he didn't feel any magic flowing through his body. "Fuck it!"
Grabbing Wendy's hand, Natsu began to sprint away from the frog monster, just barely managing to avoid its hand slamming into the ground. Wendy barely managed to keep up as Natsu pulled her and Carla up and around boulders, doing everything he could to get them away from the frog beast. As Natsu leaped over a fallen tree, Wendy lost her footing and tripped. Groaning in pain as she tried to stand back up, Wendy yelped in surprise when she saw the frog monster barreling straight toward her. Natsu immediately whipped back around and grabbed ahold of Wendy, throwing her onto his back. Just as Natsu sprinted away, the frog monster pounced on the spot where Wendy had just been standing.
"Gah! Could this bastard give up already!?" Natsu exclaimed as he slid underneath a fallen log, before darting into a narrow passageway. However, as Natsu sprinted down the corridor, he soon realized that it lead to a dead end. Coming to a skidding stop, Natsu spun around and saw that the frog monster had boxed them in. Quickly scanning around, Natsu looked for any way out but cursed when he saw nothing. As the frog beast drew closer, with a hungry look in its eyes, Natsu set Wendy and Happy down, standing in front of them protectively. "I'll keep you guys safe. While I'm holding it off, you three make a break for it."
However, before Wendy could protest, and Natsu could make his noble sacrifice, a figure leaped down into the passageway in front of them. All of the Fairy Tail member's eyes widened in surprise when they recognized that it was Edo Lucy who had come to their rescue. Leaping into the air, Edo Lucy pulled out a device similar to the hilt of a sword. But with a flick of her wrist, a lengthy whip of blue electrical magic emerged. With amazing power and expertise, Edo Lucy unleashed a barrage of strikes with her whip, pummeling the frog monster. In the blink of an eye, the beast was defeated, collapsing into an unconscious heap in front of Lucy.
"Lucy!" Natsu exclaimed, his eyes lighting up as he raced over to the blonde, pulling her in for a tight hug. Edo Lucy fiercely protested Natsu's embrace, her face burning bright red as she repeatedly tried to push him off. "That was so fucking awesome!"
"What are you doing here?" Carla asked in a surprised tone as she stared up at the flustered blonde. "I thought none of you Edolas Fairy Tail members were going to help us."
"Well...ya know...it's dangerous out here...I happened to be..." Lucy said, eventually trailing off and mumbling to herself as she struggled to come up with an excuse. Finally managing to free herself from Natsu's embrace, Edo Lucy glanced over at the pink-haired dragon slayer and her face flushed an even darker shade of red. "And...you may not be my Natsu...but ya look just like him...and act a bit like him too..." Seeing Natsu flash her a bright smile, Edo Lucy inhaled in surprise and turned her back to him. "It's not like I was worried about you guys or anything, alright?!"
"So, I gotta ask..." Natsu said in a sly tone as he stepped in front of Edo Lucy, a teasing smile on his face. "Are my Edolas version and you dating?"
"WHAT?!" Lucy screamed, her face burning hear neon red as she glared at Natsu. The blonde's face was constantly fluctuating between a mixture of anger and embarrassment as Natsu chuckled to himself. "Listen here ya asshole! Natsu...I mean MY Natsu...we're...it's not like...ya see...ugh!" With every word she said, Edo Lucy became more and more flustered, before she finally gave up. "It's complicated okay!"
"Oh, I see there's some tension here...looks like I stumbled upon a touchy subject." Natsu said with a smirk as he stroked his chin, a curious look in his eyes. "Did something happen between you two? Did you have a fight?"
"Natsu, fight with me...he'd never have the guts to do something like that." Lucy scoffed, crossing her arms and shooting another annoyed glare toward the pink-haired dragon slayer. "Why the hell are you so interested anyway?"
"Cause the Earthland version of Lucy and I are dating." Natsu revealed which caused Edo Lucy's eyes to suddenly widen in surprise. The pink-haired dragon slayer decided it was probably best to leave out the whole harem and dragon slayer mates thing for now. "If there's really something between you two, I'd like to help you guys take that next step. Falling in love with Luce is one of the best things to ever happen to me."
"So...there's still a chance..." Lucy muttered underneath her breath, mulling over what Natsu had said in her head. After a few moments, Edo Lucy noticed that Natsu was staring at her expectantly, waiting for some type of response. Releasing a light sigh, the blonde decided to listen to whatever advice the pink-haired dragon slayer had to give. "Okay, I'll tell you..."
"This shoulder be interesting..." Wendy thought as she quirked an eyebrow, watching the entire conversation unfold from the sidelines. "I've never heard Natsu give romantic advice before."
"Natsu and I have been friends ever since we were little kids...we were always together and over the years...I did eventually fall in love with him." Edo Lucy explained, leaning against one of the corridor's walls. "I could tell there was a connection between us and I've wanted to tell him how I feel so many times...but there's always been one thing holding me back. Ya see..." Edo Lucy suddenly turned her attention toward Carla. "Remember how I said there was bad blood between Knightwalker and me?"
"Yes..." Carla said in a slightly confused tone as she cocked her head, not understanding why Edo Lucy was bringing the subject. However, a moment later, Carla's eyes widened as realization struck her. "Oh, I see...your Natsu has feelings for Knightwalker."
"Bingo." Edo Lucy said, releasing another sigh as she looked back at the pink-haired dragon slayer. "I wasn't the only one who grew up with Natsu...Knightwalker was there too. We were actually best friends when we were younger. But once Erza joined the royal army...she changed. Natsu and I couldn't support what the king was doing, we refused to leave Fairy Tail and join the royal army. We tried to convince her to leave the royal army, but she's too damn stubborn and is convinced the king is doing the right thing. So, when we rebelled against the king, she took this as us betraying her and has made it her mission to destroy Fairy Tail."
"Damn, that's pretty heavy..." Natsu said as he let out a low whistle, before walking over and leaning next to Edo Lucy. "I think I understand your situation...I was actually kind of in a similar one myself." The pink-haired dragon slayer chuckled as he remembered the start of his romantic relationship with Erza when she still had feelings for Jellal. "Let me ask you one thing...when this rebellion is over and the king is defeated, and we will defeat him...do you think you could ever forgive Knightwalker?"
"Hell no! That bitch-" Edo Lucy stopped herself when she saw the serious look Natsu was giving her. Pausing for a moment, Edo Lucy eventually calmed down and huffed in defeat. "I don't know...we used to be friends...but she's tried to kill us...and treats Natsu and I like we're villains. I want to hate her...but I just can't. I want things to go back to the way they were before she joined the royal army."
"I'm sure your Natsu feels the same way...it probably kills him to be enemies with Knightwalker." Natsu said in a sympathetic tone as he reached over and placed a comforting hand on Edo Lucy's shoulder. "Look, the best advice I can give you is to just talk with him. I know it'll be embarrassing...and you may end up with your heartbroken. But if you wait too long, you'll regret never telling him your feelings. As long as you're honest, and you properly convey your feelings, I'm sure things will work out between you two."
"Heh, you're right, I guess I have been acting like a serious wimp...I may act tough all the time, but I can't even tell the guy I like how I really feel." Edo Lucy said with a chuckle, scratching her cheek. "Thanks erm...Earthland Natsu, I guess...damn this is confusing." Suddenly feeling quite a bit better, Edo Lucy clapped her hands together and pushed off the wall she was leaning against. "Alright! If you guys want to get to the capital, follow me! You can't journey through these parts without any magic to defend yourselves, that's just crazy. So stick close and I'll get you there in no time!"
"Sounds like a plan!" Natsu said with a grin as he punched his fist into his palm. "I'm getting fired up!"
"Wow, Natsu was pretty mature right there..." Wendy thought with a small smile, following the pink-haired dragon slayer and Edo Lucy out of the corridor. "I guess he does have his moments."
(Several Hours Later: The Village of Luen)
"Magic was actually commonly traded until just a few years ago..." Edo Lucy explained as she lead the Earthland Fairy Tail members through dilapidated town, clasping her hands behind her head. "But then the kingdom started to hunt down the mage guilds. Now, trading magic of any kind is banned, with some serious punishments if you're caught doing it. Hell, it's an offense to even carry a magical item."
"That's insane..." Natsu said, staring into the broken window of a rundown and boarded up magic shop. "Never being able to use magic...I couldn't imagine something like that...it just seems unreal."
"We use magic in nearly every part of our lives, it'd be hard to live without it..." Wendy said as she tightly clutched Carla, noticing some of the townspeople were giving their group strange looks. "I have to ask...Edo Lucy-san...ugh, that just sounds wrong out loud."
"My full name is Lucy Ashley, so feel free to just call me Ashley if that helps..." Lucy Ashley said, shrugging her shoulders as she looked back at Wendy. "And drop all the formalities, makes me feel old."
"Okay...Ashley..." Wendy said in a somewhat uncertain tone as she glanced at the ramshackle buildings all around her. "I wanted to ask...if all types of magic have been banned...what happened to the people who were naturally able to use it?"
"What are you...they could just give up on it, right?" Ashley replied, appearing to be visibly confused by Wendy's questions. "More importantly, what the heck do you mean by people who can 'naturally' use magic?"
"Hmmm, it appears that magic is more a 'thing' in this world..." Carla mused which caused Happy to give her a baffled look. Knowing it was best to explain everything to the blue cat, Carla released a light sigh. "Magical power is quite limited in this world, that means there's likely nobody who has magic within their body like us. Things that have magical power are substances like lacrima. Those lacrima are combined with tools and everyday items to make magical tools. So, I believe those items are given the generic name of 'magic'."
"I see..." Natsu muttered, stroking his chin as glanced over at Ashley. "So mages in this world rely on their magical tools. That's why Ashley used that whip earlier."
"Oi, quit whispering to each other, we're here." Ashley announced as she stopped in front of a set of stairs that led down into a dimly lit, suspicious-looking room. "There's a black market hidden in this basement. We'll need to stock up if we're heading to the capital."
"A-A black market..." Wendy said in a nervous tone, feeling a shiver run down her spine, knowing that she was about to do something illegal. "I...I guess it can't be helped."
"We'll be in and out, Wendy." Natsu said with a grin as he patted the blue-haired dragon slayer's head, causing a faint blush to spread across her face. "No need to worry."
After entering the shady basement, the Earthland Fairy Tail members quickly selected their own magical tools from the fairly limited selection. Luckily, both Natsu and Wendy were able to find tools that suited them. Natsu found a staff that spewed fire and a spear that could emit short bursts of electricity. Wendy picked out a sealed capsule filled with magic and a small dagger coated with powerful poison magic. After a rather touch-and-go attempt to purchase the magical tools, in which the man running the black market insisted that they were working with the royal army, Natsu and the rest of the group found themselves stopping at a small cafe. Natsu, Wendy, and Ashley quickly got to swapping stories, with the conversation eventually steering toward the blonde asking about the Earthland counterparts to her friends.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ashley laughed boisterously, slapping her knee as she nearly fell out of her chair. "Wait, you're fucking with me, right!? In your world, I write fucking novels!? AHAHAHAHA! I don't even like reading!" Steadying herself, Ashely began to slap their table, unable to control her laughter. "And AHAHA! And on top of that, I'm the daughter of a high-class family...and use freakin' magical keys?! Oh my god, this is too much!"
"Heh, you're pretty loud like Luce too..." Natsu muttered but not quiet enough to stop Ashley from hearing him, earning him a death glare from the blonde. Not wanting to start an even bigger scene, Natsu quickly shook his head and apologized. "Sorry, it just slipped out."
"Ashley...I have a question." Wendy said as she pulled out the magical capsule she had bought. "How exactly do I use-"
"Oi! Put that away, you idiot!" Ashley hissed, slapping a hand over Wendy's mouth and hiding the magical tool. Quickly scanning around, Ashley breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that no one had seen the magical item. "Listen, you can't just go showing magic in front of other people. You never know who could be working for the royal army. Remember what I said, all magic of any kind is banned."
"I'm sorry..." Wendy said as she lowered her head, hiding the magical capsule in the pocket of her skirt. "It slipped my mind...I'm not used to magic being taboo like this."
"It's alright, I know this must be tough for you guys." Ashley said, resting her head on her fist. "Those bastards who work for the capital stole away a part of our culture...just so that they could monopolize it for themselves."
"Don't worry, Ashley." Natsu said with a grin as he leaned across the table, getting uncomfortably close to the blonde. "I said we'd defeat the king. Once we do, this world may be able to get its magic back."
"W-What the hell kind of nonsense are you spouting?!" Ashley stuttered out, her face flushing slightly. "Just focus on saving your friends and getting the hell out of Edolas. Don't worry about us, it's not your fight."
"It became my fight when these bastards stole my friends and mates." Natsu said in a serious tone as his eyes narrowed slightly. "When I see this king of yours, I'll-"
"THERE THEY ARE! BLOCK THE TOWN'S EXITS! WE'VE FOUND THE FAIRY TAIL MEMBERS!"
"The royal army!" Ashley exclaimed, bolting out of her seat when she saw a large group of armor-clad soldiers marching toward them. "How the fuck did they find us so fast!? That rat running the black market must have sold us out!"
"Shit, we can't run this time. We'll have to fight!" Natsu shouted as he charged toward the soldiers, pulling out his magical staff. "Okay, let's see what this thing can do!"
Aiming the staff at the soldiers, Natsu was pushed back slightly as it bellowed out a massive stream of vibrant orange flames. A smirk spread across the pink-haired dragon slayer's face as he watched the intense flames wash over the soldiers. However, as the flames started to die down, Natsu's elation was dashed when he saw that the soldiers were completely unharmed. The soldiers at the front had used magical shields, completely blocking all of his flames.
"If fire won't work, how about..." Natsu yelled, grabbing the spear off his back and sprinting toward the soldiers. With the spear crackling with electricity, Natsu leaped into the air and slammed it into the ground. "Lightning!" A split second later, the spear unleashed a large shockwave of electricity which slammed into the soldiers. Unlike before, Natsu's attack did have a minor effect, sending some of the soldiers with shields skidding back and even toppling a few of them over. However, the soldiers were far from defeated and quickly reformed their ranks. "Oh, come on man! Those shields are totally cheating!"
"Natsu, let me...help!" Wendy grunted as she struggled to open her magical capsule, tugging on it as hard as she could. After a few strong pulls, Wendy heard a click and her eyes lit up as the capsule opened. "Hey, I got it-"
Wendy was cut off as a deafening whistling sound, like a rushing wind, filled the area. In an instant, a massive amount of wind began to swirl around Wendy's capsule, before it formed a massive cyclone. While causing a lot of extra chaos and damage, Wendy's magical item did have the desired effect, blowing away the soldiers who had surrounded them. Amidst the confusion and disorder, Natsu and the others managed to slip away, taking refuge in an abandoned store.
"We got away for now, but we'll never get out of town like this..." Ashley said, watching a group of soldiers run by through a small hole in the wall. "We've got to come up with another plan."
"Man, the magic in this world sure is inconvenient..." Natsu grumbled as he tossed away his used up staff and spear, with Wendy nodding in agreement. "It's gonna be tough to fight with stuff like this."
"There may be another way out of town." Ashley said, backing away from the wall and humming as she thought. "Give me a second to-"
"HEY! I FOUND ONE OF THEM! IT'S FAIRY TAIL!"
Instantly, the entire group perked up when they heard this, making their way over toward the door and cracking it open slightly. Peeking through the gap, Natsu's eyes widened in shock when he spotted Lucy, his Lucy, being apprehended by the soldiers from earlier. The pink-haired dragon slayer tightly balled his fists as he listened to Lucy try in vain to reason with the soldiers. However, Natsu felt his blood boil when he saw one of the soldiers roughly grab Lucy's arm, causing her to wince in pain. Before Ashley or Wendy could say a word, Natsu had bolted out of the store and was sprinting toward the soldiers, hellbent on protecting his mate. However, as Natsu got closer, he saw Lucy shove one of the soldiers away and pull out one of her celestial gate keys. The pink-haired dragon slayer was prepared to jump in when the key didn't work, but he was surprised to see it suddenly start to shine.
"Open the gate of the Scorpion!" Lucy exclaimed as she raised her glowing key into the air. "Scorpio!"
"WE ARE!" Scorpio cheered, materializing next to Lucy in a flash of blinding golden light. The Edolas soldiers stared at the celestial spirit in utter shock as he aimed his tail blaster at them. "SAND BLASTER!" All the soldiers around Lucy were instantly blown away by a large spiral of blistering wind and sand. Letting out a cocky laugh, Scorpio rested his hands on his hips, starting to shimmer as his gate was closed. "HAH! What a bunch of pushovers!"
"No way...Luce can still use magic!" Natsu exclaimed with a massive grin as he excitedly started to sprint toward his mate once again. "Luce!"
"What..." Lucy said in a surprised tone, her large brown eyes immediately lighting up when she spotted several of her friends. "Everyone! You're-" Lucy was stopped when Natsu suddenly embraced her, passionately pressing his lips against hers. Ashley's jaw fell open in shock as she watched her counterpart and Natsu lovingly kiss, proving that the pink-haired dragon slayer had been telling the truth about them dating. After a few more moments, Natsu broke their liplock, with Lucy staring at him with a goofy smile and half-lidded eyes. "I missed you too, Natsu."
"I'm so glad you're safe, Luce!" Natsu said in a relieved tone as he hugged Lucy tightly, with her returning his embrace. "I was so worried something may have happened to you."
"THERE THEY ARE! DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY! CAPTURE THEM!"
"You two will have to hump later." Ashley said, quickly separating Lucy and Natsu as another group of soldiers rushed toward them. "We've got more company."
"Why are you worried about them?" Lucy asked as she hugged Natsu's arm, squashing it between her massive breasts. "Natsu can just blast them all away."
"Uh, Luce...I kind of can't use magic right now..." Natsu explained, causing Lucy's head to snap toward him, her eyes full of shock. "Don't look at me like that, I don't know why either."
"It's true, Lucy." Wendy said as she balled her fists in frustration. "You're the only one who can use magic right now. You need to take out those soldiers."
"Heh, well would you look at that, seems like I'm the strongest right now." Lucy said with a smirk, releasing Natsu's arm and cracking her knuckles. The pink-haired dragon slayer merely chuckled and said nothing, letting his mate have her moment to shine. "Don't worry, I'll protect you guys!" Grabbing her keyring, Lucy grabbed one of her newest golden keys. "Open the gate of the Ram! Aries!" In a flash of golden light, Aries appeared in front of Lucy, appearing to be quite skittish. "You've got this, Aries!"
"W-What is going on..." Ashley muttered as she stared at her Earthland counterpart in surprise, unable to comprehend what was happening. "Is this...really magic?"
"A PERSON APPEARED!"
"NO! IT'S A DEMON!"
"WHATEVER IT IS, KILL IT!"
"I-I'll do my b-best!" Aries said nervously, tugging on the edge of her skirt. With a sweeping motion, Aries unleashed a swirling wall of fleece. "Wool Bomb!" Watching the soldiers be swept away, many of them seemingly enjoying the experience, Aries cocked her head in confusion. "H-Huh?"
"Now's our chance!" Lucy exclaimed as she pointed down an empty road. "Let's get away from here!"
"Nice job, Luce!" Natsu said with a grin, before grabbing his mate's hand and leading her away down the street. "You were totally awesome!"
"Yeah, that was so amazing, Lucy!" Wendy complimented as she ran next to the busty blonde. "You handled those soldiers like they were nothing!"
"Heh heh, that was actually pretty cool..." Lucy said, pressing a hand against her flushed face. "Is this how you feel all the time, Natsu?"
"So, this is the magic of Earthland..." Ashley muttered as she spared one last glance at the scattered and defeated soldiers before, following after Natsu and the others. "It's on a completely different level."
(One Hour Later: Forest Somewhere in Edolas)
"And so, at that moment, when the Anima absorbed Magnolia, Horologium saved me..." Lucy finished explaining what had happened to her before she found herself in Edolas. "He told me that he had sensed like the space was being twisted or something like that. He stored me in another space for a while. Then, when he let me out, I found myself completely alone in the middle of nowhere. But out of nowhere, Mystogan found me. He told me about the circumstances and sent me to this world."
"Mystogan..." Natsu muttered as he quirked an eyebrow, his intrigue being peaked. "Why wasn't he sucked into Edolas like the rest of us? Who the hell is he really?"
"We still don't know why only Lucy can use magic in Edolas." Happy pointed out, hopping up onto the log Lucy was sitting on. "It doesn't make any sense."
"That fight earlier was a nice power trip, but..." Lucy admitted with a light sigh as she glanced over at her pink-haired mate. "We're going to be at a serious disadvantage with Natsu and Wendy not being able to use magic."
"Are you guys seriously still going to fight the royal army?" Ashely asked in a skeptical tone, glancing between the Earthland Fairy Tail members. "I know you want to save your friends, but this is seriously suicidal. I mean...you guys can't even use magic properly."
"Excuse me! I can totally still use my magic!" Lucy exclaimed as she glared at her Edolas counterpart, feeling completely insulted by her comment. "Tch, is this chick seriously supposed to be me? How the hell can she go out in public wearing something like that? Is she a slut?"
"This bitch..." Ashley thought, narrowing her eyes and returning Lucy's glare. "She's thinking some disrespectful shit about me, isn't she?"
"Well, that settles it!" Lucy cheered with a cocky smile as she stood up, locking eyes with Ashley the entire time. "Under our current circumstances, let me: Fairy Tail's strongest mage take care of this! I'm getting fired up!"
"She really is on a power trip...I won't cramp her mood...for now." Natsu thought, chuckling to himself as he scratched his cheek. "I'm glad she used my catchphrase though."
"You can do it, Lucy!" Wendy said with a large smile as she clapped her hands together. "I believe in you!"
"Aye sir!" Happy exclaimed, excitedly leaping into the air several times. "Lucy's got this!"
"I suppose we don't have any other choice..." Carla said as she released a light sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "We're relying on you, Lucy."
"These guys...they're so weird..." Ashley thought, watching the Earthland Fairy Tail mages hype Lucy up, the blonde celestial spirit mage basking in their praises. "But ya know...if it's these weirdos...I feel like they really can change the world."
And done! Damn, that was a seriously fun chapter write! I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Well, Natsu has reunited with Lucy and is continuing his mission to save all the other members of Fairy Tail. The next chapter will pick up where this one left off and should be posted relatively soon, so I hope you're looking forward to that. Remember to follow/favorite if you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW (I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK!), please check out my P atreon and consider supporting me and my writing, check out my profile and other stories if you haven't already, and PM me any ideas you may have for my stories. So, until next time, I'm outta here!