Starting next chapter, I will put small remarks or character bios of any new or changed characters, kind of like how it was in the manga, just to hopefully add something to the story, as well as get a chance to explain something that might be different.
A glass orb fell onto the ground and cracked as it rolled around the hard surface. Within seconds, it reformed into a solid, spherical structure, swiftly moving from a young woman's hand to around her body, seemingly on its own. She stood behind one of nine chairs (one of which was noticeably empty), while the other men and women of the Magic Council sat in the rest, all gathered around a large, circular table.
"Ultear! This is an important meeting! Stop acting like a child!" an elderly man with cat ear-like hair scolded.
"But there's nothing else to do!" The young woman pouted as the ball rested on her head. "Isn't that right, Siegrain?"
"Yes. Very little to do, indeed," the young man sitting in the chair in front of her agreed. His shoes carelessly stained the round table. "I do hope somebody will stir up some trouble."
"Sh-Shut your mouth—both of you!" Another elderly man slammed his hands on the table. His injured eye glared at Ultear. "How did these young cretins get onto the Council anyway?!"
Siegrain's fingers combed through his blue hair. With a smug grin, he answered, "Because we've got killer magic, old man."
"Will you both be silent?!" A resounding clap filled the air. At the end of the table, a large man clutched his wooden staff. "The Magic World is full of problems! Those idiots at Fairy Tail are giving me enough pain as is! And you all know how much I prefer to enjoy the Exams stress-free!"
"Y-Yes, Mr. Chairman," another man whimpered. "We'll be sure to provide you with the Council-exclusive lacrima vision display of every part of the Cedar Exam!"
"Very good. We've arranged for plenty of fun this time..."
Natsu's legs shook as he walked through the aisle of the train car. Even though it wasn't moving anymore, the nausea remained in his stomach. His heart raced. Even faster than when Erza would catch him bickering with Gray. The seats supported his body to the exist, but they didn't help to calm him. His black sleeve wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Happy, remind me why the hell we came all the way here," he said.
A small, blue cat walked on two feet beside the young man. The feline's large eyes and head looked up at him, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Because, Natsu, if what we heard is true, then there is a Salamander in this town!"
"Right, but—" Natsu took a deep breath. "Why the hell did we take a damn train?!"
Happy giggled as the two stepped off the train. "Natsu, if we didn't take the train, then we'd have to walk for who knows how long! Hargeon is way too far from Magnolia!"
"Really? I thought it was—you know what?! Forget it! We're here, so let's find this Salamander!" Natsu stretched his arms to the sky, bathing himself in the sunlight. His eyes looked from side to side, observing the mildly empty train station. Finally, they could begin their mission.
"Aye!"
Lucy Heartfilia would be lying if she said she did not find Hargeon to be a neat little town. Even while hidden inside the hood of her dark green, tattered cloak, she couldn't help but look at the different shops and restaurants lined up across each other on the cobblestone street. The sun shined brightly today, and the view of the water looked pretty. But, even with all of these distractions, she knew she had to stay focused. She was on a mission. And she heard that she may be able to get one step closer to completing it in Hargeon.
Lucy's first destination would be a small, brick building, with a sign reading Magic Shop standing outside. A list of special items for sale accompanied it: Giant Illusion Magic – 2300J, Light Pen (Limited Edition Mermaid Heel v1.1) – 2000J, Mermaid Heel Shirt (Signed by Cynthia Reyes) – Enter raffle to win, Siegrain Figurine – 5000J, Ultear Figurine (Bikini Model) – 70,000J.
70,000J? That's like a month's rent… Lucy thought. I guess some people pay anything for stuff these days…but it doesn't seem like they have anything of use. Guess I'll have to ask.
The bells on the door rang as she entered the dimly lit. All things magic packed managed to pack into this place. Magazines, action figures, small toys, and other harmless trinkets lined the walls and shelves. There were some Magic Items – nothing worth noting, though. Lucy had to weave her way around the pop-up shelves in the store to get to the clerk.
"Welcome! How are you today, miss?" an old man asked as he peered up from his book. He sat up straight from behind the glass counter at the back of the shop.
"I'm all right," Lucy mumbled, quietly studying an action figure of Siegrain in one of the stalls. Seems the Ultear models had sold out. "Is this the only Magic Shop in town?"
"That's right!" the man said. "Hargeon's one and only! Being a port town, we tend to have more fishermen than wizards coming through. In fact, less than 10% of residents actually use any sort of Magic Items. We mainly sell to traveling wizards who are passing through."
"No magic at all?" Lucy sighed. She stopped in front of the counter, peering into the glass to see the items inside. "I guess this was a waste of time."
The man placed his book on the counter and stood up. "Now, now! Just look around! Surely there is something here that will catch your eye! We have many of the latest sought-after items!" His arms frantically swayed through the air, before grabbing something from behind. "Like this Colors Magic Wand! No matter what you're feeling that day..." The wand swirled around his body and seemed to turn his clothes red. "Your clothes will change color to match your mood!"
"Not interested." Lucy didn't pay the man a moment's attention. A canister labeled Fire Party caught her eye, though. "What's this?"
"Oh! That would be the most exciting piece of the new Magic Party Kit! You can really dazzle a crowd with a glamorous magic show! Would you like to see?"
"Not really." She placed the canister back on the counter, then pursed her lips and her shoulders slumped. "Seems you don't have what I'm looking for."
"What exactly would that be? Perhaps I have something in the back?"
"Well, I'm a Celestial Wizard." Lucy held up a key chain. Two gold keys slid to the bottom. "I was hoping to find a powerful Gatekey. I don't expect you to have any gold ones, but I figured I'd ask."
"I see. Those are quite rare, but you seem like a nice girl, so I'll check in the back!"
"Why wouldn't you just keep any potential Gatekeys you have at the front?"
"You know, it's polite to say thank you when people do you a favor! Besides, keeping such a rare item in the front is begging for robbery! That's like keeping a Magic Seed out in the open! Whenever shady people come around here, they always ask for one! I was a bit worried you were going to, if I'm being honest." The man disappeared into the back of the store.
Lucy stared down at her keys before pressing the cold metal against her forehead. Magic Seed? Have I heard that before? And was he saying I look shady? Crazy old man. Anyway, I wonder if he could really have a Zodiac. There's no way...right?
"Do you have a headache?"
Nearly dropping the keys in surprise, Lucy was able to catch the jingling metal by her waist. She clipped them onto her belt and asked, "Did you find anything?"
"Indeed." The man held a small, velvet box and placed it on the glass counter. Intricate silver designs decorated the outside of the opened box. "It isn't exactly strong, though."
Lucy looked at the silver key, which rested on top of a black cloth that lay inside the container. "It's the white dog. I've...wanted one for a long time."
"You have?! It's got to be the weakest Celestial Spirit around! You act so cold, and yet, you want this soft, little Spirit?!" He looked at her, bewildered.
Lucy glared forward. The piercing gaze forced a gulp from the old man. "How much is it?"
"20,000 jewel."
"Is that a joke?"
"Sorry. Like I said, I don't get a lot of business."
Lucy's gaze hardened as she let out a breath, her fists balling together as she looked straight at the shop owner with a clenched jaw. "How about I ask one more time? How. Much. Is it?"
Loud footsteps echoed off the tiled pavement as Lucy stalked away from the shop. Her clenched fists swayed by her side and her boots grinded against the surface. "I can't believe that guy only came down 1,000 jewel! Am I really not that intimidating?" Her foot slammed against an innocent sign, catching the ire of another shop owner.
"Over there!"
"It's him?!"
"Eeek!"
A crowd of girls flocking toward the center of town turned Lucy around. What's going on? she thought. Another stampede of women followed, eagerly rushing toward something worth noting.
"I can't believe that famous wizard has come to our town!"
"Salamander!"
"The Fire Dragon!"
Famous wizard? Salamander? There's...no way... Lucy slowly followed behind, fascinated at the proposition.
Natsu trudged lifelessly alongside Happy down an alleyway. His feet dragged against the stone, skipping along the divots between each tile. A bird flew over top, and Natsu nearly confused it for cooked chicken. "We've been walking for so long…" he said, stomach growling. "Can we eat?"
"We don't have any money, and besides, we need to find the Salamander!" Happy reminded him. Natsu had no idea how his friend managed to stay focused and not daydream about food.
"Say, Happy," Natsu said. He wanted to see if he could take his mind off of the food, but he seriously doubted he could. "You think this Salamander is Igneel?"
"Of course! I mean, if he's a real Salamander, he's gotta be!"
"So, we finally found him?!"
"Aye!"
"All right! I'm feelin' way better now!" Natsu looked up to see a crowd of women gathering. Their screams for Salamander brought a grin from ear to ear. "Speak of the devil! He's right there!"
"Let's go!"
A crowd of at least 20 women gathered in the center of town, and Lucy was right there with them, fawning over the man known as Salamander. She gawked at his handsome face, fondled over his slick, dark blue hair, admired his sharp jawline, and just melted over his graceful smile. The concoction of beauty stirred her heart.
W-W-Why am I...feeling this way...? I don't understand...What's...come over me?
Salamander turned to see Lucy's struggling expression. A devilish wink launched her way, nearly forcing her heart right out of her chest.
Lucy's hands rested on her chest, which moved up and down as she panted for breath. Is it because he is a famous wizard? I know I've always wanted to meet someone from Fairy Tail...but...I didn't think I'd react like this ...
"Hey! Hey! Igneel!" a voice shouted through the cheers.
I think I'm... Lucy thought, too entranced to do anything more but listen to the voice. I think I'm falling—
"Igneel!"
Lucy's eyes widened as a pink-haired boy stumbled into the center of the crowd. The drumbeat of her heart ceased in a sudden burst as she laid eyes on the boy and his blue cat. The warm feeling in her body vanished. What kind of partnership was that?
"What the—Who are you?!" the boy asked.
Salamander caressed his chin, deviously smiling. "If I said Salamander, would that ring any bell—"
"Sorry, wrong guy." Before Salamander was even finished speaking, the boy began to walk away with his cat.
The girls from the crowd boiled with rage at the disrespect for their beloved Salamander. Chasing after the young boy, they grabbed his scarf and practically trampled him. He struggled to break free from their vicious blows, eventually succumbing to their overpowering numbers.
"Hey! That was rude!"
"Right! Salamander is a top wizard!"
"You'd better apologize!"
"Now, now! I think that's enough, ladies!" Salamander smirked. "It isn't as if he meant to insult me."
"What a nice guy!"
"Aww. He's so considerate!"
"Ahh! He's just the best!"
Lucy angrily walked away, shaking her head as she distanced herself from the crowd. Now she understood exactly what the so-called Salamander was doing.
"Ladies, my appreciation for your enthusiasm knows no bounds, but I must see to business at the harbor." Salamander snapped his fingers, conjuring flames beneath his feet. The flames rose the Fire Wizard into the air, carrying him away from the crowd like a Magic Carpet of fire. "There will be a party on my yacht. Of course, you all must attend!"
The crowd buzzed at the invitation, shaking with uncontrollable excitement.
"Of course!"
"I'll be there!"
"You can count on it, Salamander!"
The pink-haired sat on the ground, rubbing his head with one hand and clenching his fist with the other. "What's that guy's deal?"
"He's an asshole, isn't he?" Lucy said, standing over him. She met eyes with the boy, as well as his peculiar cat, and said, "I guess I should thank you, though."
"Fanks for da foo!"
"Aye! Aye!"
Lucy was unamused as Natsu and Happy stuffed their faces in front of her. They'd told her their names on the way to the restaurant, and she figured she would thank them this way, considering how loudly Natsu's stomach introduced itself. Food flew everywhere as they carelessly chowed down, ignoring the bits of food and crumbs that soared far enough to fall onto Lucy's cloak, or the maroon booth seat.
"Do you guys mind?" She glared.
"Showwy!"
Natsu and Happy ignored her request, continuing to eat heartily. Meat, noodles, rice, soup, and every other food imaginable (at least, on the menu) seemed to remove any form on self-control from the two.
"Whatever," Lucy said. "So, you guys are Natsu and Happy."
"That's right!" Happy said.
"Well, that guy Salamander was using a type of magic called 'charm'. I read about it in a book. It sways people's hearts in a magician's favor. It was outlawed years ago. I've read about a few magics like that, but all of them are banned. Anybody who'd use tricks like that to get girls can't be trusted. I...thought he might have been someone special, but I was wrong." She shook it off. "Either way, when you guys came barging in, you broke the charm on me."
"Dat maigs zense."
"I know I look like just a girl, but I'm more or less a wizard myself."
"Reawy?"
"Yeah," Lucy said, a little disappointed that they seemed to agree that she did not look like a wizard. "I guess you guys must not know much, since you seem pretty out of it. I don't know a lot myself, but I do know a bit from books I used to read. I don't have a License, though. Not yet, at least."
"You don't have a License?" Happy asked.
"Oh, right. You probably don't know what that means. From what I understand, in Ishgar, there are Licensed Wizards. They are considered to be much stronger than an average citizen and are generally held in a much higher regard. I mean, they can obviously use magic, so they're already higher than a normal person, but the License just adds to it. And it gives you the privilege of joining guilds, which are groups of Licensed Wizards. The guild has a Guild Hall, which is where they gather and confer. They act as a mediator when it comes to giving those wizards jobs and information. You can't join one without a License, and it's hard to get one. You have to take the Wizard License Exam. Even if you pass, you also need to impress enough to get an offer from a guild."
Natsu and Happy's mouths were too full to answer, but they were seemingly ignoring Lucy's rambling as she lost herself in the fantasy of joining a guild, anyway.
"There are lots of guilds in Fiore," Lucy continued. "I think there are a lot all over the continent, actually. The most popular ones are the hardest to get into. There's one in particular I have my eye on, a really strong one, where incredible wizards gather. I know they only take the best of the best, so they wouldn't take someone like me."
Natsu tilted his head with a mouthful of food.
"Oh, you probably don't know much about the world of wizardry, do you? Well, you aren't the only one. I...was pretty sheltered as a kid. Like I said, anything I know is from books and maybe some magazines. Anyway...I'm sure I'll get into that guild. One day. There are lots of big paying jobs you can get there. And information that only Licensed Wizards can get. Information I'll need on my journey."
"You fink tho?"
"She talks a lot."
Lucy scoffed at Happy's comment. "You guys were looking for someone, right?"
"Aye. Igneel."
"We heard there was a Salamander in this town, so we came, but it turned out to be somebody else." Natsu shook his head, taking a bite from a chunk of meat.
"We could see he wasn't a real Salamander just by looking." Happy frowned and looked into the table. "I was sure it would be Igneel."
Lucy rested her chin on her palm, propping her elbow up on the table's only clean spot. "See he wasn't a real Salamander? What does that mean? He's just a man."
"Hm? We're not looking for a man. Igneel is a real dragon." Natsu said, casually continuing to enjoy lunch.
Lucy stared at the two in silence. She paused, waiting for Natsu to correct himself. "You mean...you guys didn't ever think what it would mean for a dragon to appear in a human town?"
"W-Well, I mean—"
"Yeah, I gotta go." Coins rattled on the table, joined by the paper bills to pay for lunch. "Thanks again for earlier. Maybe we'll meet again in the future. Good luck to you guys." She scooted out of the booth and headed for the exit.
"Thank you so much for the food!"
"Thank you!"
Lucy turned around to see Natsu and Happy shouting at the top of their lungs, bowing on all fours on the floor. The staring eyes of the other customers surrounded her. "Would you idiots stop?" she hissed. "People are looking. You guys helped me, so we'll call it even."
"Well, we're still thankful!"
Lucy took in Natsu's wide smile. "You're welcome, Natsu. Happy. Goodbye."
After they save her from the charm spell, Lucy bids Happy and Natsu goodbye. Next chapter: Salamander seeks out Lucy.
Note: You have probably already noticed some differences. The most obvious is probably either Lucy's slight change in demeanor, or this talk about the Wizard License Exam. This of course is inspired by Hunter x Hunter. Thanks for joining me! Feel free to review, whether it be critiquing the plot or my writing!