Coco: Hey, my lovely readers, I noticed many of you have questions over Rizzo's magic. Like the changes I made in it, so I'm going to try and explain it.
Basically, I turned into Reequip magic. I thought that way she wouldn't have to lug that case around in the beginning because I obviously got rid of it later on. It had seemed like a good idea when I was designing her character, but after a while I just saw it as something in the way, which helped me come up with the changes in her magic later on in the story. So she just pulls the instruments out of another dimension like Erza does with her weapons. So it is now a caster type magic.
As for her brothers introductions, since the Pied Piper isn't showing up until much later and is being completely scrapped and written, they will all have different introductions and won't all be at once. To add more original arcs to my story (even if small) I will introduce her brothers in these "mini-arcs", and even if I don't add all them in their own mini arcs, they will get their own personal arcs, so not just those singular chapters that I had here and there in the story.
I had also mentioned changing Sven and Breccan's magic. Sven's magic didn't change that much, and it just known as storybook magic. The some concepts as before apply-most of them anyway. It won't have him in the form of a child, and he won't be as restricted as before though not overpowered (hopefully). His personality will also very slightly since he won't have to act like a child to go along with his previous appearance.
As for Breccan, he got a complete makeover. Besides his name and his appearance, he changed a lot, so he isn't such a bland character. I did love Breccan, but I feel as if he was the more forgettable out of all this brothers and Rizzo. So I changed his magic to Fire Devil Slayer, and he has a completely different background than before that has little to nothing to do with Shadow Undertaker. And I hope now he is unique and stands out a bit more.
I hope that answered some questions, and if you have anymore questions, please, feel free to leave a review or PM me. I'll try to get back to your questions as soon as possible.
Now, after that horribly long Author's Note, let's get on with the chapter!
P.S. Sorry for the typos, I didn't have anytime to proof read very well, and I'm still resting from getting my wisdom teeth taken out. Almost everything is healed up, but from where one had been decaying before they took it out, they had to make a larger hole to make sure they cleaned everything out. It's totally gross, which I'm sure you didn't want to know. XD Sorry.
Rizzo hummed to herself as she adjusted her messenger bag over her shoulder, so the strap went across her chest. She was getting ready to take on that job to take down the wizard running around stealing from some towns not far from Magnolia. She had to get an early start since she didn't want that wizard getting too far ahead. Though before she went on the job, she'd have to go to Makarov to let him know she's officially taking it.
"Alright," She said to herself. "Time to go."
Rizzo then proceeded to leave her room in Fairy Hills, so to hurry to the guild hall. She was excited to start the job. As she shut the door behind her, she saw Cana and Levy in the hallway.
"Morning, Cana, Levy." Rizzo said as she started down the hall.
"Rizzo, good-morning." Levy said smiling.
Cana grinned at her in return before taking a swig out of her wine bottle. Rizzo sweat-dropped while wondering where Cana got wine at this hour. Though to be honest, Rizzo didn't want to ask.
"Heading out for a job?" Cana asked.
"Yeah, I'm going to stop that town robbing wizard." Rizzo said. "The reward is pretty high since all the towns he's hit are putting the reward together."
And all that jewel would make her wallet nice and fat. She, of course, has money left over from other jobs, but likes to keep the amount of jewel she has saved back high since her rent is so much. It's like a safety net to fall into if she hits rough times.
"That reminds me that Team Shadow Gear needs to get a job soon too." Levy said sighing. "Rent is coming up after all, and I wanted to do some book shopping with any extra money I make."
"Well, I saw some book stealing gig on the board yesterday." Cana said. "There was a pretty big reward for it. Like 200,000 I'm think."
Levy perked up at the sound of "book" and "big reward", which had Rizzo chuckling in amusement.
"That sounds right up your alley, Lev." Rizzo said. "I'm about to head to the guildhall if you wanna join me."
"Sure!" Levy said. "I needed to meet Jet and Droy anyway. Do you want to come, Cana?"
Levy looked to the older girl, and Cana seemed to think about it for a second before taking a drink from her wine bottle.
"Nah," Cana said. "I might take a job tomorrow or something. Today I'll just kick back and get drunk!"
She then winked at Levy and Rizzo before heading back to her room. Levy and Rizzo exchanged glance while sure Cana does that every day. Levy then shrugged her shoulders grinning as Rizzo sighed.
"I really don't understand what is so great about drinking." Rizzo said as she and Levy started heading out.
"Eh, I guess I don't either, but sometimes it's nice to do on special occasions at least." Levy said.
Rizzo didn't even drink then. She supposes she gets her none drinking habits from her mother's side of the family. Her mother, her mother's father, her mother's father's father all came from monk-like people who had very strict rules that forbad anyone of their people to partake in drinking alcohol. Now, they weren't the type of monks who swore off marriage and things like that, but they did live a certain lifestyle that was supposed to help them reach a certain level of enlightenment.
It was a practice that was developed in a small island nation known as Okami, and was practiced mostly by the wizards of that nation, which there were only few compared to how many there are in Fiore. Rizzo's great-grandfather Avish practiced this lifestyle and used it to make himself a strong and disciplined wizard. And he came to Fiore hoping to pass on the lifestyle of his people to help better other wizards. He actually has a temple high in the mountains near the east where he teaches young wizards the art of Okami magic. He was an old man now pushing over a hundred, but he still had a lot of life in him.
Rizzo doesn't follow the practice that her great-grandfather Avish teaches, but it is a part of her heritage. And she supposes some of the things her mother did—or rather didn't do like drinking stuck with Rizzo even now that her mother is gone.
"I wonder what kind of book the boys and I will be asked to steal." Levy said breaking Rizzo from her thoughts. "It has to be important if a client wants to pay 200,000 jewel to get it."
"Most likely." Rizzo said. "Maybe you'll get a chance to read it to find out what's so great about it."
"Maybe." Levy said. "How about you? Are you excited for your job?"
Rizzo grinned because she was very excited to track down this wizard and take him down. She loves a good fight. She just hopes this guy can give her one.
"I'm ready for it." Rizzo said holding up her fist. "This guy might be strong, he might be dangerous, but he won't know what hit him once I get my hands on him. And that reward of 700,000 jewel is looking pretty fine, and I won't have to worry about sharing it with anyone!"
Rizzo's grin widened while knowing with that reward alone she can pay of her large rent bill, and still have jewel to play with. And she won't have to worry about sharing any of it, so if she breaks a few things it'll only really be a small portion of the reward she'll be missing. Man, she can't wait to take on this solo job!
"What do you mean I have to take the streaker with me, Master?!" Rizzo shouted in shock as she stared at Makarov.
She also pointed to said streaker, which was Gray who rolled his eyes at her reaction. It wasn't like he was happy about this either. The rest of the guild sweat-dropped at her reaction as Makarov took a puff from his pipe. He then blew out some smoke as Rizzo waited for a reply.
"My dear, I know you are a capable young wizard." Makarov began. "But something about the strange reports we received this morning about this job has me worried."
Rizzo tilted her head to the side with her shock momentarily forgotten as she blinked.
"Strange reports?" Rizzo asked.
Makarov nodded his head then took another huff form his pipe before blowing the smoke through his nose.
"We're getting mixed reports on how this thieving wizard operates." Makarov said. "The first few reports say he works alone. These new ones say there might be more wizards involved than they think. If he is working with a group, it would be best to take someone with you since we have no idea how many friends this man possess."
Rizzo frowned since she didn't want to work with Gray, but she didn't want to tell Makarov no. And she didn't want him to worry. Besides, she couldn't ask Natsu and Happy since they went on a gig earlier today with Lucy—which turned out to be the book gig Levy had wanted. Not that she and Natsu allowed on jobs anymore together unsupervised to begin with. Then none of her brothers have returned either, so she guesses she'll just have to take Gray.
"Alright, Master." Rizzo said sighing then turned to Gray to point at him. "Let's get one thing straight, Frosty! You even think of going nude even once on this job, I'll kick your ass all the way back to Magnolia."
Gray scoffed not looking too worried, which had Rizzo growling in annoyance at him.
"Whatever." Gray said as he stuck his hands in his pockets. "Let's just get going already."
He started walking out the door only to be pegged in the back of the head with a mug. He hit the floor hard as Rizzo stood there with her hands on her hips after throwing the mug.
"I don't think I gave you permission to tell me want to do." She said. "Now, hurry it up. I don't have time to wait on you to get back up."
She then stepped over his body to head out the door, and he glared after her before getting to his feet. As he followed her grumbling, some worried the two would kill each other before the job was over with.
"Are you sure sending them on a job together was a good idea, Master?" Jet asked.
"Yeah, those two hate each other like cats and dogs hate each other." Droy added.
"I am a bit worried." Levy admitted.
Sending those two on a job together was like sending Natsu and Gray on a job together. It just wasn't a good idea.
"I'm sure those two will be fine." Makarov said as he watched Rizzo and Gray bicker as they walked down the street away from the guildhall, which had its doors wide open. "When push comes to shove, both of them know how important it is to back up family."
He then chuckled as he watched the two buttheads while yelling at each other. Though he was sure they'd come back with bumps and bruises caused by each other than the wizards they're going to fight.
On the train ride towards their destination, Rizzo sat silently across from Gray as she was looking down at a opened door that music ledgers and notes across it. She had a quill in her right hand while tapping the left side of the book with her left index finger. She read over some lines she had wrote the other night into the book with her brows furrowed since she wasn't sure if the notes flowed well enough together. Rizzo started humming the notes subconsciously as she continued to tap her finger, which fell into the tempo she wanted for the passage.
Gray, who had been watching the scenery pass outside, looked away from the window to look at her curious. He wasn't sure what she was humming, but he's never heard it before. The tempo was at a slow-ish speed with what she was humming sounding a bit dramatic—and almost mystical? He wasn't sure if that was the word he should use, but that's what the melody she was humming brought to mind. Rizzo abruptly stopped humming with her brows furrowing even more as her lips set in a firm, unhappy line.
"What is it?" He asked. "Something wrong?"
Rizzo sighed while running her fingers through her short pink locks before she turned her eyes onto Gray.
"I am just a little stumped at the moment." Rizzo said. "It's a bit difficult to put these notes in the right flow that I want them."
Gray's brow quirked since he wasn't sure exactly what she meant. He then leaned over to look down at the page, but Rizzo quickly shut the book. He looked up at her in surprise at how fast she was to hide what was on the page from him as she clutched the book to her chest. She had a small blush on her face as if in embarrassment as she hid part of her face behind the book.
"It's not ready yet." She said. "It's so far from being ready."
"Ready for what?" Gray asked. "It's not like I can actually read music, stupid."
Rizzo narrowed her eyes at him about to tell him to shut up before she shoved her boot up his ass. However, she was interrupted when an announcement came up the loud speaker.
"Excuse me, passengers, but we are about to reach our next destination." The voice said over the speaker. "If you are departing in Verbena, please be sure to grab all your belongings and prepare for departure."
Once hearing that Rizzo closed up her scorebook to place back in her messenger bag.
"Alright, this is our stop." Rizzo said. "If I followed the pattern this thief—or these thieves have left correctly, this town should be the one they hit next. And it'll be their biggest haul yet, so I'm sure they'll have brought their A Game."
Gray hummed in agreement while sure whether it was one wizard or more that they will have made sure to come prepared. That means they have to tread carefully as they look for them. After grabbing their bags, the pair of wizards stood up while making their way towards the exit door as the train came to a complete stop. The pair stepped off the train onto the platform with Rizzo stuffing her hands into her jean pockets.
She actually skipped the leather pants today to wear a pair of ripped up skinny jeans that she had slightly rolled up, so her neon green high tops were in view. They had the Fairy Tail mark on their outer sides in black and had pink laces lacing them up. She then had on a cropped pink tank top, which stopped above her bellybutton, and it was under a black leather jacket that stopped at her breasts. This allowed her guild mark to be seen on her lower back.
"Okay," Rizzo began as she turned to Gray. "I say we get moving."
"Oh yeah?" Gray retorted. "In which direction? We're not even sure if you guessed the right town. They could be heading in a completely different direction for all we know."
Rizzo glared at Gray while wondering just who he thought he was to doubt her intelligence. She butt heads with him while having to stand on her tippy-toes to do so, and he growled in annoyance as he pressed his forehead back against hers, which forced her to stand back flat on her feet.
"I followed the thieves' pattern perfectly, Ice for Brains!" Rizzo said. "This is definitely their next stop. If you don't believe me, get your ass back on that train, and go home for all I care!"
"You know I can't do that, moron!" Gray shot back. "Master told me to come with you to watch out for you."
"Well, I don't need babysitting to take down a couple of punk wizards who steal for a living." Rizzo said. "Especially by someone whose ass I can kick."
"Oh really?" Gray asked. "Big words. Care to back them up?"
Soon their bickering caught the attention of others as their anger towards each other basically took physical forms as Rizzo glowed bright green and Gray ice blue. Their magic was building with it looking as if the two were about to start fighting each other then and there.
"Gladly." Rizzo said as she held up a fist. "I won't even have to use my magic."
"Funny, I was about to say the same thing." Gray said while cracking his knuckles.
Just as the two were about to start throwing punches, they were interrupted by the sound of an explosion. They turned their heads with them still pressed together to look curiously at the pillar of smoke now rising from what seemed to be the center of town. Some people around them were panicking as they wondered what was going on.
"I guess that wizard really is here." Gray said as he stood straight while crossing his arms over his chest.
There was a smug chuckle from beside him, so he looked down at Rizzo who had a shit-eating grin on her face.
"Wipe that smug grin off your face, idiot!" Gray snapped. "We have to work to do."
Rizzo chuckled while placing her hands on her hips with the grin remaining in place.
"You're right." Rizzo said. "And while I hate working with you, let's be sure to show this punk and any friends he may have what wizards of Fairy Tail are capable of."
Gray, who was suddenly missing his shirt, grinned while reaching out to give Rizzo a high-five.
"Let's do it." He said.
The two then took off running towards where the smoke and screaming was coming from. They made it to the square where the town's large bank sat as it was burning. People were running away from the chaos as the two wizards came to a stop. Rizzo looked up at the entrance of the bank as a few shadowy shapes appeared.
"Looks like there really is more than one of them." Rizzo said grinning. "Good. That makes things more fun."
She punched her hand into her open palm while feeling so ready to get this fight started. As the criminals walked down the steps it was revealed that there were four of them all together. That meant two apiece for her and Gray, but since this was her job, she thinks she'll take all of them.
"So you're the ones going from town to town to robbing the banks clean." Rizzo said as she stood there with her arms crossed over her chest.
The criminals stopped halfway down the steps to look at the two wizards who stood there alone as everyone else had retreated for safety. One, who seemed like the leader, had spikey, crazy ash colored hair and orange eyes and pale skin. He narrowed his eyes at the pair as he set down the bag of money on the steps.
"And who are you two piss ants?" He asked.
One of his flunkies gasped when seeing the mark on Gray's chest, and the ones on Rizzo's shoes.
"Big bro, they're from Fairy Tail!" He shouted. "They're wizards!"
The one he called "Big bro" scoffed not looking too worried—just annoyed. He stepped forward with flame-like sparks collecting around his hand.
"Some kind of fire magic, huh?" Rizzo said. "So I take it he's the cause of that explosion."
As soon as the words left her mouth, the wizard gave a shout while thrusting his hand out sending an explosion right at Rizzo. Rizzo just smirked not seeming worried as she raised her hand about to bring out an instrument. However, just as the explosion was going to reach her, Gray stepped in front of her.
"Ice-Make: Shield!" He shouted.
A shield made of ice appeared in front of them, and while the edge melted slightly from the heat. The ice stood strong. Once the fire caused by the explosion disappeared, the ice shattered away.
"His ice magic was strong enough to stop Big Bro's explosion magic?!" The first flunky exclaimed.
"Impossible!" The other two shouted.
"Don't look so surprised." Gray said. "Do you really think my ice would be so weak? Your mistake."
Gray then grunted in pain when Rizzo elbowed him in the back of the head causing him to double over and clutch his aching head. He turned to glare at Rizzo as the wizards across from them sweat-dropped.
"Who told you to get in my way?!" Rizzo demanded as she pointed a finger at Gray. "I had it covered. Stop trying to hog all the fun, you indecent icicle!"
Gray glared at Rizzo in returned as he continued to rub the sore spot on top his head.
"I just kept you from being turned into extra crispy!" Gray retorted. "Try to show some gratitude."
"Tch, as if!" Rizzo said. "I could have handled it. Now stay out of my way! I'll finish this without your help."
The two then growled at each other like feral animals as they grinded their foreheads together. They seemed to completely forget about the wizards who were robbing the bank as the group of four wondered what to do. Their leader started shaking in anger at being ignored and underestimated by all things. And by some little fairy wizards? Did they not realize who he was?
"Hey!" He shouted getting their attentions.
The two paused in their fight while turning to look to the one stupid enough to interrupt them.
"What?" They asked in unison sounding annoyed.
"Do you even know who you're dealing?!" He demanded. "I'm the Detonation Expert—Pele!"
The two just blinked at him not seeming very impressed. Couldn't this guy just wait for them to finish their fight to decide who's going to beat him and his flunkies up?
"Yeah, you punks!" The first flunky said. "And we're his right hand men, and you fairy losers shouldn't underestimate us either!"
"Don't worry, Big Bro!" The second flunky said. "We'll teach these guys a lesson!"
"Yeah, there's no reason for you to waste your time on such gutter rates!" The third one finished.
They all charged forward giving shouts of attack, but Rizzo and Gray didn't look worried.
"Ya know, I think these guys are even more annoying than you." Rizzo said as she glanced at Gray.
"I'll ignore that comment." Gray said with his eyebrow twitching in slight annoyance. "Now as for you guys,"
"BUTT OUT!" He and Rizzo shouted while punching them all in the faces.
They went flying as they cried out in pain, and Pele watched with wide eyes as his men were sent crashing into the remains of the bank. They laid there dazed as Pele looked back to Rizzo and Gray who were back to arguing.
"Okay, you had your fun." Rizzo said. "Now stay out of the way as I deal with explosion boy. Once we turn these losers in, I'll then give you 10% of the reward."
"I don't think so." Gray said. "You just stand back and let me deal with this guy, and I might be kind enough to give you 5%."
"What was that, Icy?" Rizzo asked narrowing her eyes. "I knew you were dumb, but you've seem to forgot that this job is mine. Maybe if I throw you around a bit, you'll remember."
Angered tick marks appeared all around Pele's face at the lack of disrespect these wizards were giving him. Not only that, but they hurt his underlings that was even more unforgiveable. Thy obviously needed to be taught a lesson.
"Would you two just shut up?!" He roared while sending an explosion at them.
The two quickly dodged the attack while landing a few feet apart from each other as they frowned up at Pele.
"Gees, you are one annoying piece of work." Rizzo said as a violin appeared in her hand. "Let's see if we can fix that."
She placed the violin under her chin then placed the bow on the strings to start playing.
"You like fire, right?" She asked. "Well, let's see how much you can take. Song of the Jumping Firecrackers!"
She played a tune with an upbeat, hopping tune with fireballs flying forward crackling. They hit their target while popping as if they were large firecrackers at a festival. Pele grunted in pain as his flesh was burned from the spell. He didn't have time to recover as he was then hit by Gray's ice magic.
"Ice-Make: Lance!" Gray shouted.
His attack sent Pele up into the air, and Pele's eyes widened since he didn't have time to even defend himself. Two puny fairies shouldn't be able to even hold a candle to him. How could this be happening?!
"One more move ought to end things." Rizzo said grinning. "Now, Song of the Dancing Wind!"
She switched tunes on her violin to something more fast-paced and intense, which sent blades of twirling wind towards Pele. He cried out as he was swept up in the wind with his clothes being ripped to pieces and cuts appearing on his body. He was sent off into the air as the top half of the bank was destroyed as well.
"How did things end like this?!" He cried out before disappearing off into the distance like his men had.
Rizzo watched him go with her hand over her eyes to block out the sun from her vision.
"And he's outta here!" She said throwing out a piece sign and winking as her violin and bow disappeared back into the separate dimension she kept her instruments. "Take that, Frosty! I beat him, which means I'm getting the largest cut of the pay."
"Who said you could decide that?!" Gray demanded.
Rizzo ignored him as she continued to grin about a job well done. Expect the two seemed to forget the same thing. Their little fight—even if not lengthy or hard—just took off a large chunk of the bank's roof, and the men they were supposed to turn in—well, they weren't in sight anymore.