A/N: After a year of hiatus for this story, I have finally decided to deliver the chapter that took me ages to work on, surprise, surprise. I know you all have been sick of all the gaps between chapter releases, but it's hard for me to stay focused on more than one thing, especially since I've been working on a new story, The Atlantic Titan, to keep my creative juices flowing.
Since this part of the story is gonna be a bit lengthy, this particular chapter is going to be divided into one or two parts; depending on what I decide to do at this point, it'll still take me awhile to keep the story going. As of now, just keep on reading and leave a review if you like it so far.
Chapter 9: Black Ice - Part 1
Mercurius Royal Palace (Crocus, Fiore)
In the Mercurius Royal Garden, two young adults strolled past the snow-covered hedges and empty flower beds with a cheerful disposition. The young girl with emerald green hair and green eyes, wearing a casual white gown smiled as she walked alongside the young man that accompanied her; he had ginger hair and wore elegant clothing, similar to what a prince would wear. The two chatted as they went under a gazebo.
"Today has been really nice, Hans. It's great to get out of the palace every once in a while." The young girl named Hisui smiled.
"I thought you'd earned it since you've done so much for this kingdom." The young man named Hans replied.
"Normally, I wouldn't go out without Arcadios as my escort. I'm surprised you were able to convince him not to come with us on our day trip." said Hisui.
"It must be tough being queen all day and every day; having bodyguards follow you everywhere, people bowing to you out of respect and admiration, acting all proper and sophisticated. Basically, being born into royalty is a bit of a pain." Hans said reasonably.
"It's not that terrible, but yes, it is a highly stressful position," Hisui sighs deeply and exhaustively. "However, it is also my responsibility as Fiore's political leader and I am very proud of serving my country."
Prince Hans nodded with complete understanding and relatability; being one of the many Princes of the Southern Isles can be stressful, but in the case of Hisui E. Fiore, the current Queen of the Kingdom of Fiore, the Prince's role in his royal bloodline is a cakewalk. Especially since his eldest brother is the King of his country.
"I totally get it, Sui, all of those politics and trade agreements are a headache. But if it's all for your country's benefit, then I understand." The ginger-haired prince said agreeably as he glanced from the corner of his eye, a purple peacock watching him from afar with a plastered scowl. He quickly turns his attention back to the young queen as she spoke.
"Thank you, Hans; but speaking of trade agreements, I have a meeting coming up in an hour and I need to get ready. Also, Arcadios is expecting me so I must see to it that he isn't too worried." Hisui said urgently as she walked away from the gazebo.
"Yeah, I have to go talk to my advisor as well." The prince said sheepishly.
"It was nice talking to you, Hans." She smiled before heading into the palace.
"Uhh... wait!" Hans called out to the young woman.
"What is it?" Hisui asked the prince.
"Um... do you... want to have dinner later this evening?" Hans offered.
"Hmm... I suppose so, I'll have to see if I'm available first. But I will let you know if I do. Goodbye." With that said, she bid the prince farewell and walked away.
Hans smiled and waved back as Hisui left. His charming smirk almost immediately changed into a dubious demeanor. The prince frowned with a calculating gaze as the purple peacock that casually blended in with the garden suddenly transformed into a woman; a woman who is living proof that dinosaurs once roamed the Earth and was scary beyond all reason. Yzma, the former advisor of Emperor Kuzco, who was dressed in a purple formal attire and round frame glasses which hid her true identity.
"So, it seems your plan to overthrow the Queen of Fiore is going rather smoothly," Yzma sneered. "And by smoothly, I mean painfully slow and boring."
"For your information, Yzma, Queen Hisui isn't as naïve as you'd think she is." Hans replied coldly.
"HA! Most women--unlike me, of course--are just as easily swooned by a suave and handsome young prince that will sweep them off of their feet and live happily ever after in an enchanted castle far, far away. All it takes is a song and dance number to make instant marriage. It's simple chemistry." Yzma elaborated.
"The last time I tried to seduce a princess the exact same way, it almost worked because she was an oblivious twit," explained the prince. "Hisui, on the other hand, is a queen and I can already tell she's not the least bit gullible."
"Well, then, allow me to propose an alternative plan: We'll force her to marry you by means of blackmail. If she doesn't comply, we'll expose her worst secret and the whole kingdom will no longer support her in her favor." The woman in purple suggested.
"Blackmail her with what secret, exactly?" Hans said with a cocked eyebrow.
"Why a secret so scandalous that she and her future children's children and their children's children and so on would be put to shame!" Yzma cackled.
"I don't think she knows--let alone trusts--me well enough to confide a vital secret to someone she barely has any familiarity with," Hans said. "Besides, getting more information from her and the royal staff requires more time; time that we have already wasted these past few months with me dating her."
"Technically, you're not dating her because you two are not officially a couple so--" Yzma said specifically before being interjected by Hans.
"I know what I'm talking about!" snapped Hans as he gave an exasperated sigh. "You make potions, right?"
Yzma grinned with psychotic delight and she snickered evilly. "Say no more. I have a plan that will guarantee an instant usurp of Fiore's empire: First, I'll turn her into a flea, a harmless little flea; then, I'll put that flea in a box, and then I'll put that box into another box and I'll mail that box to myself and when it arrives... AHAHAHA!! I'll smash it with a hammer! IT'S BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT I TELL YOU! GENIUS I SAY!"
Hans awkwardly stared at the woman as she became manic. "That's... not what I had in mind. I mean, could you somehow make a potion that would make her fall in love with me?"
"Hm, that's actually a lot more simple than my plan. She would be more useful alive than dead so I suppose that could still suffice. Also--to save on postage--I'll just taint her with THIS!" Yzma proclaimed as she held a bottle of pink liquid in her hands.
"So you just put a few drops in her drink and she would marry me instantly?" Hans asked.
"Precisely! However, instead of pouring it into her drink, I can turn this potion into an edible wine. That way we wouldn't raise suspicion or mix up the potion with another like the last time I attempted this." Yzma said as she regrettably thought about the times when Kronk constantly screwed up her plans to assassinate Kuzco.
"And it just so happens that I have a dinner date with the Queen. I think this plan might be foolproof." Hans smirked.
"Ooh, I believe so as well. If--no, WHEN--this plan works as it should, we'll have the entire country in the palm of my hands." The older woman grinned with a despicable passion.
"You mean, my hands? I am going to be king after all." corrected the prince.
Yzma scowled as he said this. "Yes, of course, so you will."
Hans smiled with sophistication as he turned on his heel and walked away from the gazebo while the skinny woman, for now at least, went her separate ways. A cold, premeditated--and possibly deadly--plot begins to unravel.
Magnolia Town (A Few Days Earlier)
December came to Magnolia as soon as the early snow began to fall. The normal temperatures of autumn almost immediately dropped below freezing while the water in the local ponds and rivers solidified into ice. People started wearing winter attire to combat the chilling weather. Fireplaces were set ablaze so the residents of every home would have warmth in their living areas.
Many would also be served with a warm beverage and would rather stay indoors in the company of loved ones. In the case of Gray Fullbuster and Juvia Lockser, they had a special company that only a select few would have: a talking snowman who loves hot chocolate and warm hugs.
"Ahh... I love winter! Just as much as I love summer!" Olaf said jovially as he accompanied Gray and Juvia at a café as the two were having donuts and hot coffee at a small table.
"Then how come you're not outside frolicking in the snow? You are a snowman after all." Gray asked before taking a sip of his coffee.
"Oh, silly Gray-sama, there'd be no sense in all of us getting cold." Olaf chuckled as his body began to melt into a puddle. "By the way, can somebody get me a bucket?"
"Olaf-kun! You're melting!" gasped Juvia.
"Don't worry, I got it," assured Gray as he used his Ice Make magic to put Olaf back together while giving the poor snowman a flurry cloud to keep him from melting.
Olaf sighed in relief. "Thanks, Gray-sama. For a second there, I thought I was gonna be a puddle."
"Just hang on to that little flurry while we're indoors, kay?" said Gray as Juvia gave a warm smile to her comrade; the Ice wizard noticed her expression as he turned to her. "What are you smiling for?"
"Hm? Oh, nothing Gray-sama, Juvia was just admiring how gentle you are to, Olaf-kun. That's all." Juvia said shyly as she gathered up the courage to ask her beloved Gray-sama something that has been on her mind for awhile. "Gray-sama?"
"Yeah, what's up?" He replied.
"Juvia... wants to know... something important." She informed the Ice mage nervously.
"Okay, what do you want to know?"
"Um... well..." Juvia twiddled her thumbs as she processed thoughts. She looked down at Olaf who was listening in on the conversation; the water mage then realized that Olaf shouldn't be hearing what she had to say, otherwise if she and Gray were to have a big fight, her so-called 'snow baby' would be caught in the crossfire.
"Actually, Juvia was wondering if Olaf-kun would like to go out and play in the snow?" The water mage asked the snowman.
"That's a GREAT idea! We can make snow angels, throw snowballs, go sledding... we can even make more snow friends just like me!" Olaf chirped with child-like wonder as he chugged the rest of his hot chocolate, which melted a part of his small torso. "Come on! Let's go!"
"You go on ahead, Olaf. We'll catch up." said Gray.
"Yes, Juvia and Gray-sama will be right behind you, Olaf-kun." She said warmly as the snowman left the café in a hurry.
"Why did you send Olaf away?" Gray asked Juvia as she gave him look of concern.
"Gray... Juvia has to know... do you know of any other Ice wizards besides Lyon-sama of Lamia Scale?" The blue-haired girl asked.
"No, none that I could think of. Except maybe for my teacher, Ur." Gray answered as he reminisced the memories of his former Ice Make master. "Why? Have you heard of another?"
She nodded. "Yes, Olaf-kun told me that another Ice wizard named Elsa created him."
"Sorry, Juvia, I don't think I've heard of her either." Gray pondered.
"So Gray-sama doesn't know Elsa! If that's the case, then Olaf-kun may not be Gray's love baby," Juvia thought internally as she questioned the legitimacy of Olaf being connected to her Gray-sama's alleged affair with this Elsa woman.
"Then again, maybe he does know her and he's not being truthful. But... Juvia still trusts Gray-sama, and Juvia knows that Gray-sama trusts Juvia. If Juvia's new love rival is in the picture, however, Juvia must eliminate her!"
The intensity of Juvia's emotions were channeled into the mug full of coffee in her right hand, which shattered as she squeezed it. Hot coffee spilled all over the table and some of it was splashed onto the girl's clothes. She snapped out of her tumultuous trance as the heat of the coffee became too extreme. The girl yelped as the coffee burned her hand.
"Ah, crap, Juvia!" Gray raised his voice as he helped the water mage.
"Is everything okay, over here?" asked a concerned waitress, who was slightly frantic that a customer may have been harmed.
"It's alright. Juvia just didn't know her own strength." Juvia said sheepishly.
"It's fine, ma'am. That mug was probably cracked or something." Gray said as he helped Juvia wipe up the coffee with more napkins.
"I am very sorry. We can get you another coffee if you'd like." The waitress said apologetically while another waitress brought a mop and bucket to clean up the coffee.
"Nah, we'll just pay up front and take our donuts to go. Thanks, anyway," Gray said as he tenderly held Juvia's burnt right hand. "Come on, Juvia. Let's go get that hand looked at."
"It's not that bad, Gray-sama. It wasn't that hot." Juvia assured her comrade.
"Your hand is as red as a beet. We really should go to the guild hall and make sure that it's not a third-degree burn." Gray said with a large concern for his partner's safety.
Juvia nodded in reply as the Ice mage paid the waitress, took the leftover donuts and the two left the café in a hurry. As Gray and Juvia left, they noticed Olaf making snow angels on the snow-covered ground.
The snowman noticed the two walking by. "Hey, guys! Check it out! I'm making an angelic me!"
"That's so adorable, Olaf-kun." Juvia said with a happy grin.
"You guys wanna join me?" Olaf asked.
"Sorry, Olaf, but Juvia accidentally spilled coffee on herself and she burned her hand off," Gray replied. "We'll be with you later."
"Oh, okay! I'm gonna go find Natsu and Lucy. You take care of that hand, Juvia. Don't go spilling too much hot stuff on you. Trust me, I learned that the hard way." Olaf giggled as he went to go look for his other friends.
Juvia sighed. "Do you think Olaf-kun feels lonely since his creator Elsa isn't around?"
"I wouldn't be too worried. He's pretty social for a sentient snowman. After all, it's a good thing he found us." Gray replied with a reassuring grin as the two went straight to the guild hall.
Southgate Garden
Natsu Dragneel, Lucy Heartfilia and Happy the Exceed as well as Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto were at Magnolia's local park as they were spending the day playing in the snow. Lucy, Minnie and Happy were building snowmen while Natsu, Mickey, Donald and Goofy were throwing snowballs at each other. One of Lucy's Celestial Spirits, Plue, was also playing with Pluto so that Happy wouldn't be chased by the canine.
"You'll never take us alive!" proclaimed Donald.
"H'yuck! What he said!" said Goofy.
"Prepare to be obliterated, Rebel scum!" Natsu laughed maniacally as he threw snowballs at the anthro duck and anthro dog like a war machine.
"Uh, Natsu, buddy? Don'cha think you're taking this snowball fight a little too seriously?" The mouse asked concernly.
"Less talking, more throwing, Mouse Trooper!" ordered Natsu.
"Yes, sir, Natsu, sir!" saluted Mickey.
"That's Darth Dragneel to you!" The Dragon Slayer said menacingly as he puts on a black space helmet and a long black cape while he sang The Imperial March. "Happy! I need some backup!"
"Aye, sir!" affirmed Happy as he ran over to the battlefield.
"Go easy on them, Natsu. Donald and Goofy aren't use to your immense strength," Lucy warned the Dragon wizard.
"Don't worry, Lucy, it won't end up like last time," assured Natsu as Happy picked him up into the air as he attacked Donald and Goofy with an air attack.
"What does he mean by that?" Minnie asked.
"He's just kidding, he's not gonna hurt them. Although, last winter he did send Elfman to the hospital after he dropped a giant snowball on him." Lucy said as she reminisced that particular memory.
"That doesn't sound too good..." Minnie said nervously.
"Hi guys!" said an optimistic voice as Olaf the snowman waddled up to Lucy and Minnie.
"Hey, Olaf, what's up?" greeted Lucy.
"Are you guys building snowmen?" The snowman inquired.
"We sure are! You wanna help?" Minnie asked.
"Does it have to be a snowman?" Olaf asked eagerly.
"Well, Happy built a snowcat, so I guess you can build whatever," The Celestial wizard replied.
"YAY!" exclaimed the energetic snowman.
Meanwhile, during the snowball fight, Natsu and Happy divebombed towards the opposing team as he rapidly threw snowballs like a fighter plane. Donald and Goofy took cover behind their snow fort as multiple snow projectiles rained down on them. Natsu cackled while he attacked the opposing team.
"Perfect Cast don't fail me now!" said Goofy as he picked up a handful of snow, rolled it into a ball, aimed at the target, winded his arm back and pitched the snowball.
The small ball of snow hurled towards Natsu, smacking him in the face. "OW!! Hey, that hurt!"
"Whoops! Sorry, Nat!" Goofy said apologetically.
"The snow is strong with this one!" exclaimed Happy.
"Oh, Natsu~" Donald said in a sing-songy tone as he aimed a catapult full of snow at the flying Dragon Slayer.
"Uh, Donald, where did you get that catapult?" Minnie asked the duck.
"Catapult store," Donald replied, pointing his thumb at the nearby Catapult Store. He snickered as he pulled out an axe and chopped the rope, launching the snow from the catapult towards Natsu and Happy in the air.
"Oh, crap!" Natsu and Happy exclaimed simultaneously as the giant mold of snow hits them in mid-air.
"BULLSEYE! AHAHAHA!!!" Donald laughed triumphantly while the Exceed and Dragon wizard fell from the sky. Lucy, Mickey and the others just looked at the duck as he descended into complete madness.
"I think Donald might've taken that a bit too far," Mickey said worriedly.
"You think?" Lucy replied with a straight face.
Meanwhile, a ginger-haired girl with braided pigtails dressed in winter clothing, who seemed to be lost, was wandering the park by herself, when she noticed something hurdling towards her. Before she could react, however, the girl yelped as the object slammed into her like a meteor; it was Natsu and Happy covered in snow, completely dazed from the impact of Donald's snow attack.
"Man, that duck really packs a punch," Natsu said dizzily.
"Aye..." moaned Happy.
"Natsu! Happy! Are you okay?" Lucy yelled after the duo as she and the others came running over to them.
"Yeah, we're fine," Natsu replied, rubbing his sore head.
"H'yuck! Looks like we win the snowball fight!" Goofy chuckled.
"Yeah, but you may have gone a little overboard with the catapult, Donald," Mickey said to his duck friend.
"Ah, phooey! All's fair in love and war!" Donald said dismissively.
"Except there's no love in 'love and war', is there?" Olaf asked.
Pluto barked and sniffed at the pile of snow while Plue dug at it. Lucy looked over at her spirit, "What is it, Plue? Did you and Pluto find something?"
Just then, the girl that was crushed by the snow came popping out, taking in a deep breath as she shivered. "Well, that almost killed me! Not to mention it was so freezing!"
"Hi, Anna! How are you doing?" greeted Olaf naïvely.
"Olaf?" The ginger-haired girl named Anna said with shock as she looked at the tiny snowman and smiled. "Olaf! I knew I would find you here!" She then embraced her snowman friend in a hug.
"I'm confused. Who is she?" Natsu inquired.
"I think that's Olaf's friend," surmised Lucy.
"It's been so long, Olaf. Where have you been all this time?" Anna asked.
"I've been hanging out with my new friends! Speaking of which, I wanted you and Elsa to meet them," Olaf said enthusiastically as he introduced the others to Anna. "This is Natsu, he's a dragon; that's Lucy, she's a key keeper; Happy, the cute little kitty cat; and there's also Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pluto and Plue the dogs, Donald Duck and Goofy the... actually, I don't know what he is, so we just call him Goofy."
"Pleased to meet ya, Miss Anna!" greeted Goofy as he extended a hand to Anna, who shook his hand in return.
"It's good to see you all," Anna replied cheerfully, although she couldn't help but feel confused by the animal characters.
"Hey, sorry for crushing you," Natsu said sheepishly. "We were having a snowball fight until DONALD HERE SHOT US DOWN FROM THE SKY!!!"
"You were using aerial attacks, you psycho! It was completely unfair!" Donald barked back at the Dragon wizard.
"We were so close to winning when you used that stupid catapult, ya crazy duck!" Happy shouted, which made Donald fume with rage.
"You guys!" Lucy yelled, which silenced the three-way argument. "So you know Olaf, right?"
"Yeah, my sister created Olaf," Anna said as she blushed awkardly since she knew that what she had said about her sister's power would normally turn heads. "You see... she has ice powers and she can... pretty much create snow and ice out of thin air. I know it seems crazy, but--"
"Of course not, magic is pretty common around here," Lucy replied. "In fact, one of the wizards in our guild uses Ice magic as well."
"R-Really?" Anna said hesitantly.
"Yeah, Gray may be a pushover, but I guess he is kinda... strong," Natsu said, not fully willing to admit his rival's strengths.
"Stronger than you?" Happy said teasingly.
"HELL, NO! I CAN STILL BEAT THAT STUPID ICICLE WITH ONE HAND TIED BEHIND MY BACK!" shouted Natsu.
"Where's Elsa, Kristoff, and Sven? Are they okay?" Olaf asked, to which Anna replied with a saddened look.
"I dunno about Kristoff or Sven, but I know Elsa is okay. In fact, that's the reason why I came here," said Anna. "Do you guys know where the Queen of Fiore is?"
"What do you know about the queen?" Lucy asked.
"Well, you see, I am a princess and my sister is the queen of my kingdom, Arendelle," Anna explained.
"Ooh, you're a princess, too?" Minnie asked happily. "What a coincidence! There are other princesses living with us, too!"
"Really? I mean, I've heard of other kingdoms, but I've never met another princess like me." said Anna.
"You know how to sing, right?" Natsu asked.
Anna scoffed. "Of course I can sing! Anyone can sing."
"Good, then don't," The Dragon Slayer said with an annoyed scowl.
"Excuse me?" The ginger-haired girl asked in confusion.
"Natsu's just miffed because every time one of the princesses sing, birds just show up out of nowhere and they perch on him." Happy explained.
"Dumb birds, thinking I'm some kind of bird bath," Natsu said begrudgingly.
"Anyways..." Anna said awkwardly. "After Arendelle was destroyed by that freak twister, me and Elsa have been wandering around for awhile until we found an Inn at the next town over. We then found out that we were in the middle of Fiore, the country that you all live in."
"So Elsa, being a queen herself, wanted to go talk to Queen Hisui about your situation, right?" surmised Lucy.
"Yeah, she said that she was going to 'Crocus', the Fiore capital, to talk to the queen by herself," Anna elaborated. "But I haven't heard from her in awhile, and I got worried."
"And now you're looking for Elsa, but then you found me, and therefore... you found me! Hooray!!" Olaf chimed.
"You said your sister was in Crocus, and you came to Magnolia instead?" Lucy asked.
"Magnolia?" Anna asked. "Isn't this Crocus?"
"I'm sorry, Miss Anna, but you're in the wrong neighborhood," Mickey said sheepishly as he chuckled awkwardly.
Anna then looked around the area in confusion as the realization of her mistake was more apparent. "If this isn't Crocus... oh, no, I must've taken the wrong train!"
"How did you even get on the wrong train?" Natsu asked.
"I've never been on a train before! I was just so amazed by the ride over that I didn't even think of where I was going!" Anna exclaimed.
"It's okay, Anna, I don't know what a train is either," Olaf said sympathetically.
"Thank you, Olaf, but that just makes me feel worse," Anna frowned.
"You know, since we're more familiar with Fiore, why don't we help you find your sister?" Lucy suggested.
"You would do that?" Anna asked.
"Of course they would! They're from Fairy Tail, the greatest group of friends in the entire world! They'll never let you down!" Olaf said joyfully.
"That's right! Olaf is our best buddy, and any best buddy of Olaf's is our best buddy as well!" Goofy proclaimed.
"We'll help you find Elsa, no matter what!" exclaimed Donald.
"You can count on us, Miss Anna!" beamed Mickey.
"The same goes for me!" Minnie added while Pluto barked with determination as Plue replied with an excited 'Pun'.
"Aye!" Happy exclaimed.
"I think I know who we can bring in to help out," Natsu suggested. "Someone who knows more about Ice magic than anyone else."
"Like...?" Lucy and Happy said in unison as they gave a sly grin to the Dragon Slayer.
"Erza! She definitely knows a thing or two about Ice magic!" Natsu surmised while Lucy and Happy groaned and facepalmed themselves in annoyance.
"Who are we talking about?" Anna asked.
"Eh, just roll with it," Mickey, Olaf and the others replied in unison.
Dark Wizard Prison (Era)
Sitting in the jail cell of the Magic Council's prison for incarcerated dark mages, the eccentric witch, Madam Mim, played Solitaire on the stone floor as she avoided the sunshine that leaked into the barred window; she was currently serving her extended sentence for the attempted assassination of Makarov Dreyar, the master of the wizard guild, Fairy Tail, an order which was given by the criminal mastermind, Pete.
The cell itself had anti-magic insulation that prevented Mim from using her magic to escape. Two frog guards were also posted to keep watch and to ensure that no one can go in or out of the cell.
Meanwhile, the warden of the prison and two other guards, walked down the prison block up to the witch's cell as he faced the guard at the door. "Unlock the cell." ordered the warden.
"Yes, sir." nodded the guard as he pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the cell.
Mim glanced towards the open door as the warden stepped into the room. "Ah, Warden! How are you today?" She greeted the man politely.
"Stand up, Mim. You have a visitor waiting for you," informed the warden as he pulled out a pair of Anti-magic cuffs and cuffed the witch's wrists. "Take her to the Interrogation Room."
"Interrogation?! Haven't you fools had your way with me already?" Madam Mim said glaringly.
"Just shut up and move, lady," One of the guards said rudely as he tased Mim's behind with a zap staff.
"OW! Ooh-oh-oh-oh... I swear, if I wasn't chained up, I'd turn you talking toads back into regular toads and eat your legs!" threatened Mim as she winced from the pain in her bottom.
The guards, the warden and the prisoner made their way through the facility until they approached a room with an iron door. One frog guard opened the door and they stepped inside; behind the door was a small room with a table and two chairs.
A dim light fixture hung over the table as the florescent bulb revealed a young man with blue hair and an obscure tattoo on the right side of his face sitting opposite of the empty chair.
Mim plopped down in the empty chair across from the younger man who looked at her with a composed expression. Confused, the old sorceress scratched her head as she looked at the young, blue-haired man, "Hmm, do I know you?"
"Not necessarily, but I do know who you are, Madam Mim," The young man replied with his professional and intimidating gaze.
"Well, it looks like word about my crimes in Magnolia got around, didn't it?" Mim said with intrigue as she gave the young man a flirty gesture. "So, are you a fan of my magical work? Or are you one of those fancy photographers that take pictures of pretty girls, like the Sorcerer Weekly picture magazines?"
"No. Far from it," said the blue-haired man. "My name is Jellal Fernandez. I'm an investigator from the independent wizard guild, Crime Sorciére."
Madam Mim scoffed as she made air quotes with her fingers, "'Investigator.' Haven't you people already 'investigated' me enough already? I already confessed to what I did and I'm serving my time for it!"
"We're not here to judge you for your past crimes, Mim. We just want information," said a pink-haired young woman, who Mim now noticed was standing in the corner of the room.
"Information? About what?" The witch inquired.
"Underworld, the dark wizard guild that you worked for," Jellal said.
"Underworld?" Mim said as she gave a light cackle. "No, no, no, I'm afraid you're quite mistaken. I didn't work for them, I worked for Pete, who just so happened to work with Underworld. I know nothing more than that. Now, if you excuse me, I must get back to my card game..."
"We're not done here!" The young woman yelled as she slammed her hands on the table while she glowered at Madam Mim, as she sunk into her chair. "We don't care who you worked for in Underworld, you still served under their umbrella, and we demand that you tell us everything you know about them!"
"Meredy," Jellal said in a calming tone as he addressed the young girl. "Let me handle this."
The girl named Meredy was hesitant but nodded in reply as she backed off and stood behind her superior with her hands pressed against her hips while the interrogation continued.
"Recently, there have been multiple attacks on nearby kingdoms in Ishgar and that a group of dark wizards from a guild called Underworld may be responsible," Jellal explained to the sorceress. "We also have reason to believe that their base of operations is somewhere in Fiore."
"So you want me to tell you where they are?" inquired Mim. "Oh, I'm sorry, I don't know what to tell you, sweetie. I've never even set foot in their secret lair before."
"Secret lair?" Meredy asked with a suspicious stare.
"Well, that's what Pete and the others called it, but I've never been there so I don't know where it could be." Madam Mim replied.
"Besides Pete, do you know of any other names that are in league with this new dark guild?" The blue-haired man asked.
Mim pondered for a few minutes before she gave a cheeky grin, "As a matter of fact, I do know a few names, but..."
"There's a catch, isn't there?" Jellal sighed while Madam Mim responded with an eager nod.
Jellal knew the routine well; he was used to interrogating dark mages that would only share information or tip-offs in exchange for something trivial such as money, alcohol, or some other material item. In some cases, those demands wouldn't be met and the information would have to be acquired by force. In Mim's case, if she refuses to share information, it would mean that she would have to face Jellal's wrath one way or another.
"All right, let's get it over with then," The mage said under his breath. "What is it that you want?"
"Curtains." Mim said nonchalantly.
Meredy's eyes widened in confusion, "Curtains? Are you sure you don't want money, booze, or an enitre country, maybe?"
"Nope, just curtains," Mim reiterated.
"May we ask why you need curtains?" Jellal inquired.
"What else do I need curtains for? To keep all that blasted sunshine out of my cell, because I... hate... SUNSHINE! I HATE IT! I HATE IT! I HATE IT!!!" She yelled as the small sorceress flew into a full-blown tangent, banging on the table with her two clenched fists. "It mocks me everytime it comes through my window! Every... single... MORNIN'!! Granted, I hate it more than Fairy Tail, but not as much as that stuck-up Merlin! UGH, even he gets on my last nerve whenever he pops into my head like a bad memory!"
"So curtains, then?" Meredy said with a dumbfounded look.
Mim took a deep breath and calmed herself, "Why, yes, dear. I will tell you every single name that I know of IF, and only IF, you give me a set of curtains on the spot."
Jellal thought to himself for a second and then replied, "Fine, you have yourself a deal, Madam Mim. Meredy, call Sawyer and tell him to bring the curtains."
Meredy nodded as she pressed the earring communication lacrima in her left ear and went out the interrogation room. Once the female wizard left, Jellal turned towards Mim, "While we're fulfilling your end of the bargain, you may as well tell me everything that you know about Underworld."
"Alrighty, then! But just in case anybody asks, you didn't hear it from me," Mim giggled. "Now, here's what I've heard..."
Outside the interrogation room, Meredy was wrapping up sending the demands to her fellow wizard as she conversed with him via lacrima, "Yes, I know, Madam Mim is a strange one; but she can be persuaded under the right conditions."
"So you want me to bring a pair of curtains for a criminal?" Sawyer asked as he spoke through the ear piece. "You're crazy!"
"You're good with speed, so I trust that you can bring them over as soon as Jellal is through with the intereogation?" Meredy inquired.
"Right, I'll be over there in less than a minute," Sawyer replied as he disconnected the line.
Meredy sighed as she was about head back into the interrogation room when a man's voice called to her, "Excuse me, young lady."
She turned to see an elderly man in a dark purple robe and hat approach her, "Yes? May I help you?"
"Are you an agent from Crime Sorciére?" The man asked the young woman, as he spoke with a deep, cryptic voice.
"Who wants to know?" Meredy asked.
"Oh, yes, where are my manners?" The man replied as he absconded his own social blunder. "Forgive me, dear child. I am Judge Claude Frollo, and I am a minister. I was looking for a Mister Jellal Fernandez. Do you know him by any chance?"
"Yes, he's busy at the moment. You have to wait until he is through with his interrogation." Meredy said as a loud smooching sound came from the other room.
"Guards, we're done here!" Jellal called out as the guards reentered the interrogation room and apprehended Madam Mim.
"Come back to see me during visiting hours, Jellal. I hope to give a strong man like you a magnificent and marvelous time..." Mim cackled and waved to Jellal as she was escorted back to her cell.
Jellal, who was wiping his mouth with his sleeve, responded with disgust, "Yeah, I wouldn't count on that."
"What happened in there?" Meredy inquired. "Did Mim give us what we needed?"
"Yes, she did. And before the interrogation was over, she grabbed me and kissed me without consent." Jellal said, to which Meredy gave an awkward expression.
"I am sorry you had to suffer through that horrendous act of Lust from that witchy harlot, Mr. Fernandez. I will pray for you." Frollo said reassuringly.
"And who might you be?" Jellal inquired.
"This is Minister Frollo. He's asking for a moment of your time." Meredy explained.
"If you're too occupied to take a job, I completely understand, Mr. Fernandez." replied Frollo.
Jellal glanced at the old man with precise attention before replying, "It's no trouble at all, Minister. I can have another one of my guildmates take the job. I am tied up with an investigation into some important affairs."
"You're currently hunting for heretics, correct?" Frollo surmised as he chuckled to himself. "You don't need to explain yourselves, I am aware of the case you are working on. I believe I can be of help to you."
The young man further looked at the old man with scrutiny, "Heretics? You mean, dark wizards?"
"Well, by all accounts, anyone who practices witchcraft are all heretics in the eyes of God, but if you are the one who keeps order in this world of beguiled sin, you would be working in His favor and you can earn His forgiveness." Frollo said as he spoke with a biblical tongue.
Jellal nodded while still perplexed by the man's lecture. "What do you mean by help, though?"
"You see, Mr. Fernandez, I am a newly appointed representative for the Magic Council, and lately, I've been trying to convince the Council to look further into the problems with these awful heretics that have been wreaking havoc." Frollo explained.
"We know. The Rune Knights have looked into these recent incidents, but they have yet to make any arrests in connection to Underworld, aside from the ones that were apprehended in Magnolia Town." said the pink-haired young woman as she continued to explain.
"That's why we went to Madam Mim for information regarding the connections Underworld has to Zeref or this evil fairy that the guildmaster of Fairy Tail named as a suspect. If this dark guild does exist, then we have to act fast and stop them from attaining whatever twisted goals they're trying to accomplish."
"Fairy Tail, you say?" The old man said as he stroked his chin. "Now, I don't want to be pointing fingers, but perhaps they know more than they are letting on."
"What do you mean?" questioned Jellal.
"You know those refugees that they have been taking in after this supposed 'magical' storm that they have mentioned?" Frollo inquired. "Well, suppose they had something to do with this storm?"
"With all due respect..." Meredy interjected. "But we can't just assume Fairy Tail's true involvement based on heresay. And besides, we know the guild members well enough to know that they cannot be involved in any suspicious activity, unless any real evidence says otherwise."
Frollo was silent for a brief moment as he pondered before apologizing, "Yes, of course. I was only making a mere guess, but you're right. It was blind of me to bear false witness. It's a sin that I shall have to atone for."
Jellal silently stared at the man for a longer period of time. He then gave his question, "Minister Frollo, that job you're offering us, does it involve Fairy Tail in any way?"
"Not necessarily," Frollo replied. "However, since they are very active in sheltering those poor souls who have lost their homes in a terrible tragedy, they may not know that they are harboring a heretic."
"You want us to find a fugitive?" Meredy asked.
"Why, yes," Frollo said as he gave a small smirk. "She may be a spy for this guild that you're looking for."
"Who is she?" Jellal demanded.
"Her name is Esmerelda. She's a gypsy who tends to wander alone. Find her and bring her to me," Frollo requested. "I can... interrogate her, and she'll provide the Magic Council with anything she knows about Underworld's plots. Only then will they understand the true extent of this dark guild."
Jellal glanced at Meredy, who gave him a suspicious look. He turns to the old man once again, "How do we know we can rely on you?"
"Because, Mr. Fernandez, I want to help carry out God's work for this world. If the Magic Council refuses to do anything about these heretics and their sins, then perhaps it should be left to God to deliver His divine justice." proclaimed Frollo as he turned to leave.
"Just a moment, Frollo," Meredy said as she stopped the man from leaving. "You haven't mentioned anything about a reward for Esmerelda's capture."
Frollo then turned to face Meredy with the same grin again, "Your reward will come in due time, my dear child. You shall know it when you see it." The Minister turned away from the two and left the dungeon at a calm pace.
"What a strange man." Meredy commented.
"As pious as he was, he may have given us a possible lead into Underworld," Jellal said.
"Should we look for this Esmerelda woman that he mentioned?" Meredy inquired.
"I can have Cobra look into it. First and foremost, we need to find the People of Interest that Madam Mim provided for us." Jellal stated when Sawyer suddenly teleported in their presence.
"Okay, I got the curtains!" Sawyer announced as he arrived on the scene.
"Hand them over to the guards and tell them to hang them in Madam Mim's cell." ordered Jellal.
"You got it!" Sawyer said as he hurried on over to send the curtains to Mim.
"Jellal, if Fairy Tail is somehow involved in Underworld's activities, do you think Erza would be implicated as well?" questioned Meredy.
The young male pondered as he thought of his childhood friend. His precious memories of Erza alone were enough to confirm his own judgement, "I'm confident in knowing Erza is innocent in these endeavors. Nothing else would change my better judgement."
Meredy nodded as she acceptled her comrade's answer.
Magnolia Train Station
After talking to Gray and Erza prior to leaving the guild hall, the latter agreed to meet with Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Anna and Olaf at the train station. Natsu and Lucy waited at the platform with Anna as their train loaded passengers.
"What's taking them so long?" Natsu said impatiently.
"They shouldn't be far behind. Erza's probably taking her time packing her essentials, I guess," Lucy surmised.
"So this Erza and Gray you mentioned, they're wizards just like you and Natsu?" Anna asked.
"Yup, they're one of the strongest mages in our guild," confirmed Happy.
"What kind of magic do they do?" The ginger-haired princess inquired.
"Erza can use Requip and Sword magic and Gray uses Ice magic, plus he's a Demon Slayer," Lucy explained.
"Demon Slayer?"
"He's sort of like a Dragon Slayer, except his ice magic can take down demons," Natsu added.
"Well, I hope we don't run into any of those along the way," Anna said hopefully.
"Oh, hey! Here they come right now!" Olaf exclaimed as Erza and Gray finally arrived at the platform with Juvia in tow.
"I apologize if we didn't come here sooner, I was packing some of my essentials when I lost track of time," Erza apologized as she pulled a trolley carrying all of her belongings, which towered everyone else.
"Wow, you totally called it, Lucy!" Happy said, who was astounded by Lucy's earlier assumption.
"Yeah, it was pretty spot on, wasn't it?" Lucy wondered.
"So you must be Anna. My name is Erza Scarlet, it's a pleasure to meet you." greeted Erza as she extended a hand to the ginger-haired princess.
"It's nice to meet you, too!" Anna said bubbly as she shook Erza's hand.
"You're Elsa's sister, correct?" inquired Juvia.
"Yeah, I guess Lucy must have told you, huh?" Anna said.
Juvia nodded. "Yes, she and Olaf-kun have told me much about you and how Elsa may be Olaf's baby mother."
"Come again?" Anna asked with a confused expression when she heard Juvia say 'baby mother.'
"Don't mind her, she says stuff like that all the time," Gray said assuringly as he was now shirtless, which made Anna blush maddeningly at the sight of Gray's exposed chest and abs.
"Gray, where is your shirt?" Lucy asked the Ice mage.
Gray shrugged. "I dunno, left it at home, I guess."
"I'm pretty sure you took it off when you got here," surmised Juvia as she blushed at Gray's bare chest.
"All right, enough stalling. Let's get onto the train and head out to Crocus as soon as we can." ordered Erza as she turned to Natsu and Gray with a stern look. "And that means no fighting or sparring at all. Right, boys?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Natsu and Gray anxiously replied as they didn't want to set off Erza in any way.
"Your friends are kind of extraordinary, Lucy." Anna said as she whispered to the Celestial mage as the party boarded the train.
"Of course, they're like that all the time. We all pretty much stand out from one another." Lucy explained.
"I think this day is gonna get even better with more of our bestest of friends!" Olaf said optimistically.
"As long we don't end up destroying anything along the way, I think it'll work out all right." Lucy said hopefully.
"Wait, what?" Anna asked.
"Oh, nothing worth worrying about," Happy replied.
"I'm pretty sure that 'nothing worth worrying about' means that something foreboding is about to happen," Anna said with uncertainty.
"You're not just singin' Dixie, sister." Lucy sighed.
"So, Miss Erza, how long will it take to get to Crocus?" Anna inquired.
"Well, if the train can maintain its scheduled course and if it doesn't lag behind schedule due to any inclement with the weather, I'd say the trip would last about two or three days." Erza surmised.
"Or longer, if a monster or evil wizard attacks us," suggested Happy.
"Don't you dare jinx us, Happy!" exclaimed Lucy.
"Rest assured, if such a situation ever occurs again, I will handle it." affirmed the red-haired woman.
As soon as everyone sat down in their seats, the train's whistle blew and the locomotive began to slowly move from the platform. Natsu immediately felt sick once the passenger cab started to move; the other members of the Fairy Tail party sat together as the train sped up, left the station and went on its way to the capital city.
For the first thirty minutes of the journey, the Fairy Tail mages, Anna and Olaf sat and chatted with each other as they lively shared stories and jokes along the way. They also sipped hot cocoa and ate treats in the comfort of the cozy train car that dragged along the tracks towards their destination. Eventually, after the first couple of hours, the group grew quiet as Gray, Juvia, Erza and Happy napped while Natsu suffered from his motion sickness. Lucy, Anna, and Olaf stood up and watched the snowy landscapes rush by.
The small snowman watched in awe as he looked out the window while dozens of trees and animals darted past the speeding train; the horizon was painted with bright red-orange as the sun was about to set. Anna looked out the window as she absorbed the tranquil atmosphere.
"Wow, Fiore is really pretty. I've never seen anything this grand outside of Arendelle." Anna said while continued to look out the window.
"It sure is," Lucy agreed, who sat across from Anna.
"It reminds me of all the winters me and Elsa spent together when we were little. Although, they were kinda all... jumbled up, to say the least." Anna said with uncertainty.
"What does that mean?" Lucy asked.
The ginger girl laughed sheepishly. "Well, it's a long story, but it involved me getting a magic brain injury, then the Elder of the Trolls had to erase some of my memories, Elsa hid her Ice magic from me and the rest of the kingdom, then she accidently caused a big snow storm and... yeah."
"Uh, you lost me at Trolls," Lucy asked with a hint of confusion.
"To make a long story short, we drifted apart and... it kinda almost destroyed the kingdom. Quite literally." Anna explained as she reminisced the journey that she, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven took to save her sister from her own ice magic; Anna's demeanor then changed to an enthusiastic expression.
Olaf then looked at his friend with a comforting smile, "But you and Elsa care about each other. You two would probably go through an even bigger storm than the last one just to help one another."
"You're right, Olaf," smiled Anna as she patted the small snowman's head. "Elsa would never give up on me, either."
"You must be lucky to have a sister. I grew up as an only child," said Lucy as she glanced and smiled at a sick Natsu and a sleeping Happy, who were sitting right next to her. "But the people who do care about you, even if they're not blood-related, can be as close to you as a real brother or sister."
"Uh, is Natsu okay? He looks like he's gonna barf all over us." Olaf said worriedly as the Dragon Slayer slumped his head against Lucy's shoulder.
"Kill me..." moaned Natsu as he could no longer bear the constant motion of the train.
"Great. Now I have to stay up all night to make sure he doesn't blow chunks everywhere." Lucy grimaced.
Anna chuckled lightly as she turned her focus to the window once more. In the reflection of the glass pane, she noticed a small streak of silver hair strands that highlighted through her ginger hair. A transfixed look of shock appeared on the young princess as she gazed at her reflection.