Starry Heavens: Bonds of Friendship, Magic & Love
Beta Reader: OathkeeperRoxasXNamine09
Episode 005: Daybreak of Destruction! Part II
This chapter will cover the following episode:
Episode 004: Dear Kaby
Recap (Previously on Starry Heavens: Bonds of Friendship, Magic & Love)...
Lucy, Lisanna, and Happy of Team Lucy took a mission along with their friend Levy McGarden. The mission was for 200,000 Jewels originally. However when they got to the client's house, they discovered that the prize money had gone up to 2,000,000 Jewels because their client wants the book destroyed instead of recovered. Determined to succeed with the mission, Team Lucy along with Levy was off to the Everlue Mansion. It turned out that Everlue didn't think beautiful maids were beautiful he thought they were ugly. He then summoned his own maids to show what type of maids he preferred. Eventually several battles ensued and the first part of the battles ended up almost reducing the mansion to rubble. With Lisanna's defeat of Vanish brothers and her two childhood friends in danger, what will transpire on Team Lucy's first mission?
At the battle ground in what's left of the first floor,the older shorter brother speaks up with his pupil-less eyes while blowing smoke out of his mouth. He couldn't believe what just happened. It was supposed to be easy, a single girl who used fire magic but they were wrong, and were overwhelmed in the process, bodies all burned like charcoal and clothes a complete mess, defeated by just this one girl. Was this really the power of a mage, the one that they believed they know their weakness? "W-were we beaten by a fire wizard, especially one that didn't specialize in just fire, but Take Over magic as well? Didn't she say we were partly right as we thought she was a fire wizard?"
The younger taller raven haired brother then asked his older shorter brother a question as he too blows smoke out of his mouth. He also has pupil-less eyes. He couldn't believe, she surprised him and his brother by surviving not only their attacks, but having her flames be shot back, only for her to eat them like it was food. "Hey bro, will you tell me when the room stops spinning?"
Lisanna surveyed her work after reverting back to her original form in a rush of gold light, thumbing with the low back ponytail and Natsu's muffler once again around her neck. She sighed then looked toward the mercenaries with her hands on her hips. "That will teach you to make an enemy of Fairy Tail." She said to herself and turned around with her hands still on her hips. With them out of the way, she could focus on getting to her friends and guild mates. She hoped they were alright, knowing Everlue would catch up to them by now, setting her gaze at the bump in the problem for her with a smile like Natsu's, starting to get his confidence (and cockiness) as time went on. She knew what they were called, but she decided to make fun of the two brothers she just defeated, who got in her way, allowing Everlue to catch up to them. "Well I better go find Lu-chan and Levy-chan. These Merchant Fairies are toast now, so I don't have worry about them."
"We're mercenaries!" Both brothers said as they brought attention to the mistake that the Take Over/Elemental Empowerment Wizard made.
As Lisanna goes in search of Lucy and Levy, the beaten up Virgo's eyes glow showing that she was now awake. The angry glare was still present on her face, the once defeated maid was back up and ready for more.
Down in the sewers with their hands being held back by Everlue, Lucy and Levy continued to struggle with the short blonde male that had them in his grasp, grinning evilly after Lucy's remark about him. Despite what she said, it didn't break Everlue down, only made him seem cockier in his words. "Me, an enemy of literature?" he asked in surprise, "My massive collection of books and art proves that I am culture's greatest friend."
"But that ugly maid collection of yours just proves that you don't know squat about beauty!" Lucy retorted to the mistake that Everlue made regarding her and Lisanna's maid appearance earlier.
"I have to agree with Lu on that one." Levy retorted with a distasteful look on her face through her clenched teeth. "I don't know how you can think of your ugly maids as beautiful and think of Lucy and Lisanna as ugly." Levy's words didn't make Lucy feel like she was being stabbed in the back because she wasn't calling her ugly at all. Everlue was furious, hearing the blonde Celestial Spirit/Star Make mage and Solid Script mage insult his maids like that and gripped their arms tightly, making them cry out in pain more.
"How dare you mock them! They are the very definition of beauty!" Everlue shouted furiously at their insult as he proceeded to twist the arms of both Levy and Lucy.
"Ahh!" Lucy and Levy cry out in pain. Everlue looked from the backs of the pain inflicted girls and to Daybreak in Lucy's hand, eyeing the book with evil intent. The book's contents were more important than the pain he was giving them, not caring the slightest the physical harm he could put on the two.
"What secret does it hold?" Everlue asked of the Celestial/Star Make Wizard his eyes to the book while still keeping a tight grip on the girls in question. "Let me guess he buried a fortune, and there's a treasure map hidden inside!"
Lucy and Levy continued to struggle not saying a word. Everlue realized this and taunted Lucy and Levy more, knowing full well these girls wouldn't hold out forever, giving their lack of muscular appearance. "Tell me! Or I'll snap your arms like the toothpicks they are!"
Lucy and Levy struggled even more as they both thought the same thing. They wouldn't give up, not to someone like Everlue. This book belonged to Kemu Zaleon; this book needs to get back to Kaby Melon for him to see. No matter if he breaks their arms, they weren't going to allow him to take the book from them. Lisanna wouldn't allow them to give up, As Fairy Tail wizards, no as their pride within; it wasn't something for them to just let someone like Everlue win. He was a man they weren't going to let overcome them, it was them who overcome the obstacle before them. They turned to him, but straining in pin, but had just enough strength to look at him the eyes. With one eye closed and another eye open, they give Everlue a raspberry, showing the man they wouldn't give it to him if he tired.
"Boyo!" Everlue chortled as he twisted Lucy's arm, followed immediately by twisting Levy's arm driving both of them into the ground. "Now is not the time to get Sassy. You see I myself am the one that commissioned this book's creation, therefore any secret it holds is rightfully my property!"
As more pain was inflicted on Lucy and Levy, she could feel her grip on the book began to slip, the pain Everlue had on her now unbearable. She couldn't take it anymore, but she wanted to keep holding on to the bitter end, get away from Everlue and return the book to Kaby. She could tell, no it felt like she could feel, Levy had the same feelings as she did. The blue haired bookworm who she's befriended for seven years wasn't going to give up, and she wasn't going to give up either. There was so much she wanted to do, so much she wanted to accomplish, and being caught by Everlue wasn't in the master dream she had in mind, The memories of her mother, her father's neglect of her, Natsu's untimely death, those thoughts were proof she wanted to keep strong for Lisanna, for her new friend Aspen, for everyone in Fairy Tail.
Just then, as her eyes were still closed along with Levy's, she couldn't feel Everlue's tight grip on her arms anymore as she looked to the corner of her eye and gasped in shock and surprise. There coming to the rescue, was the blue cat Happy, kicking Everlue in the face with serious and clenched teeth. Levy looked too once realizing the grip Everlue had on her was gone, happy to see the fellow Wizard coming to their rescue, getting him to let go of them and fly off them.
"Happy sweetie, Thanks for helping me! That is always so cool!" Lucy said excitedly as she smiled and winked at the blue cat. Happy smiled heroically at the blonde Celestial/Star Make Wizard, flying back towards the two Wizards and deactivating his wings, now smiling more happily for saving the day.
"You are so awesome Happy! Thank you for rescuing us!" Levy said delightedly as she hugged the blue flying feline, nuzzling her cheek into his.
"What's this, A Flying Cat?" Everlue asked curiously.
"The name's Happy." Happy said as Levy put him down as he stared crossly at the Duke for harm not only his 'mother' but also his friend. Levy and Happy stood alongside Lucy as the Celestial Spirit/Star Make Wizard was ready to get back at Everlue. With her hands no longer bound by the Duke, she pulled out one of her gold keys as she spoke up facing Everlue, while pointing her key at the Duke brandishing it like a sword. "It looks like the tables have turned, but if you let me keep the book, I'll think about going easy on you, although, I'm tempted to give you a good smack."
Levy nodded, taking a battle pose getting ready to use some of her Solid Script Magic, Happy standing firmly with the pair, ready to help them if he can. Everlue looks at The Celestial/Star Make Wizard and snickered, he also snickered toward the Script Wizard and blue feline (ignoring the fact it was him who caught him off guard), despite the odds against him.
"Oh a Celestial Wizard and Solid Script Wizard, but for a couple of readers you seem to be a little deficient in your terms of phrase. The tables have turned implies that the weaker party has rallied to claim victory, but there is no way that you and that cat are a match for my Diver Magic! Boyoyoyoyo!" the pervert said as a golden brown magic circle appeared on the back of his Suit as he dove under the sidewalk leaving a hole.
"Dang it, He got away!" Levy groaned as she pouted with her arms crossed over her chest.
"So he does that using magic?" Happy asked as he looked down the hole, then added. "I had no idea that Everlue was a wizard too."
"Guess all that unnatural digging should have tipped us off; I guess being a full-fledged Wizard for seven years doesn't mean you know everything." She said looking to Happy and Levy, keeping her key in her hands. She frowned, her eyebrows crossed, "Still, what's he up to?"
Everlue popped up from under the ground several times and knocked the Celestial/Star Make Wizard around in several different directions, catching Levy and Happy off guard.
"Boyo! Yo! boy yo! Boyo!" Everlue chortled more and more as he continued to pop in and out of the ground, which weakened the structure of what was left of the building above them even more. As Lucy tried her best to keep up with him or even keep her feet on the ground.
"Look I know the whole story now! It's a horrible little adventure novel about a trashy character named Duke Everlue!" Lucy shouted angrily as she held up the book for Everlue to see.
Levy nodded in agreement with Lucy as she tried to decide what spell of hers to use. She seems to be at a loss for what spell would work on the Diver Wizard with Happy with them, he couldn't fly far if they could, and they were surrounded by sewer. Then it hit her, she knew what to do and crossed her arms in front of her chest, smiling to herself.
"I've got it, time to surround the exits with a barrier!" Levy shouted out loud and kept her arms crossed before uncrossing them with a cry. "Solid Script: Surrounding Guard!" And upon her command, a gray magic circle appears in front of her and sent a grayish blue barrier encasing all the possible exits for Everlue to escape through and smiled, showing just the confidence she had as leader of the Shadow Gear. "Hey Duke Everlue, you are trapped in the sewers just like all of us are. So are you going to give in and surrender?" she said taunting the short blonde man looking at the smiling faces of Lucy and Happy, happy she kept him here with them so they could deal with him without him getting away.
"Duke Everlue never surrenders." Duke Everlue chimed in as he continued to attack, taking in the words that the Celestial/Star Make Wizard, as well as the Solid Script Wizard was saying to him. Happy gasped in disbelief. He really didn't believe that a character like Everlue existed in a book by Kemu Zaleon, and he wasn't an avid book reader like Levy and Lucy were. He may have grown up with them, but he didn't know as much about books as they did.
"Are you serious?" Happy asked questioningly.
"I don't know that I would call the protagonist trashy, but yes!" Everlue replied with a grin as he dove underneath the sidewalk again. "The entire story is crap, and to think it was written by the great Kemu Zaleon!" Everlue continued to go under, over, under, over, up, down, up, and down. Destroying the structural integrity of what's left of the building above them even more as he spoke up once again. "Inexcusable!" coming out of the ceiling spinning like a rapid top and heading straight for Lucy and Levy once again. Lucy easily dodges by flipping away and landing gracefully, but Levy isn't as lucky as she doesn't have time to create a barrier to defend herself from Everlue or the fast reflexes her friend had. Levy was then sent into the wall head first as she was knocked unconscious by the blow, her eyes completely shut. Lucy gasped in disbelief and complete horror. This Duke Everlue person really was evil, she can't believe it. She frowned angrily at Everlue and spoke up once again, gripping her key even tighter. If Levy was severely hurt or dead, Everlue will pay. "I can't believe your arrogance! You forced him to write it!" she yelled angrily then continued speaking, her tone more forcefully. "And to top it all off, you sent my Levy who is one of my best friends in the whole guild into the wall violently. You just made an enemy of Fairy Tail by hurting my Nakama, Time to take you down Duke Everlue!"
"Arrogant mois?" Everlue asked as he continued to use his Diver Magic causing chunks of the ceiling to fall even faster. "The word doesn't even begin to apply. To tell my story is an honor, no matter what the circumstances! Also, how can that blue-haired weakling even be a Fairy Tail Wizard? She doesn't have any worthwhile magic! Also Kemu Zaleon owed me. I kept him from being kicked out of the country."
"Then why did you have to Blackmail him into writing it?" Lucy asked as Everlue continued to dig with his Diver Magic.
"Blackmail?" Happy asked curiously.
"What's the big deal?" Everlue asked as he twirled his mustache. "He just needed some extra encouragement to take the job."
Lucy gasped at Everlue's remark and just glared at her even angrily. "Oh really?"
Everlue began to swim from out of a hole in the wall through the cement like it was actual water. "Any fool would've just jumped at the chance to have me as his muse, but he had the audacity to say no!"
Everlue then began to dive downward, and only popped his right hand out with his thumb and index finger extended. He then waves his hand back and forth. "So I gave him the inspiration in the form of an ultimatum; write the novel or his family would be stripped of their citizenship."
"Oh?" Happy asked concerned, "But then none of them would be able to join any of the guilds and make a living; do you really have the power to do that?"
Everlue's hand then retracted under the ground as he continued to dig even more.
"I have the power to do anything!" Everlue explained as the ground shook again and he popped out of it. "I got him to write it, correct?"
Lucy then glares at the Duke with her eyes wide in an angry glare and her fists clenched.
"But I didn't like his attitude so I thought it would be best if he wrote it from a prison cell. Boyoyo!" he laughed as Lucy and Happy imagined an older man with hair in a ponytail in a room made of nothing but cement walls was sitting at a little desk looking over what he was told to do. It was a horrible sight, something that made Lucy pale in shock, how can someone be forced to live in such conditions? How can anyone be forced to write a book in cage without possibly any real food? "He went on and on saying he is a great novelist that wouldn't give in to threats, but in the end I got what I wanted!" he explained with a more sinister tone in his voice as he spun around once again as magical energy coalesced around him. Several rocks spun around heading straight for Lucy and Happy as some stray rocks almost hit the unconscious Levy. They would have too if Lucy hadn't activated her Star Make magic, conjuring a golden yellow katana with a star shaped hand grip she dubbed Starlight Katana and gripping it tightly in her right hand along with her Celestial key. Using her conjured weapon quickly, she ran up to the unconscious Levy as the rocks came falling at them and slashed and swung her blade at the rocks, breaking them and protecting her comrade and friend. After the rocks were gone and Levy was safe, she sheathed her katana on her left hip with her whip while still holding the book in her left hand. Her brown eyes were furious, she couldn't believe how careless and arrogant Everlue was.
"Leave Levy alone!" she shouted angrily as she looked toward her vulnerable friend. "She doesn't deserve to be attacked now that she's unconscious you snobby pervert! I can't believe you would go that far just to boost your stupid Ego!" she added at Everlue's remark. "He was in solitary confinement for three years; don't you know how hard that must've been?"
Lucy continued to walk back to Happy talking but Happy asked, interjecting a question to the blonde Celestial/Star Make Wizard. "Three whole years?"
Everlue then popped out of the ground again blocking Lucy and Happy's progress knocking Lucy backwards. "Perhaps it took him that long to appreciate me! Boyoyo!" and chortled once more again to them.
Lucy landed on the ground in a squatting position with her right hand on the ground. She spoke up while still holding the book in her left hand. "You're wrong! More like he couldn't bear to spread your lies, but he had to satisfy your vanity. He knew that if he didn't write you as a heroic champion of justice, his family would suffer!"
Lucy stood up as she faced the Duke, not ready to back down with what she knew from the book, keeping her calm despite how strong Everlue might be. The Duke asked in complete shock and anger, wondering how the blonde girl knew what was going on. "Tell me, how exactly do you know all this?"
Lucy held up the book with a smile on her face as she showed it to Everlue. "It's all right here in black and white."
"What?" Duke Everlue asked in surprise and disbelief. "I've read that book from cover to cover and Kemu Zaleon isn't in it."
"Well yeah;" Lucy replied in an annoyed tone. "If you read it normally there is no mention of him, but I know something you don't know. Long before he was an author, he was a wizard!"
"He was?" Happy asked curiously, the same elderly man who was stuck in Solitary Confinement was sitting at his table as he chanted a spell which coded all the contents of the book into something completely unreadable. Unreadable to the normal human, but a wizard could figure it out if he or she had the right equipment. This angered Everlue, wondering what was hidden that he couldn't see and this girl, this blonde girl, could find it.
"What did he do?" Everlue asked of the Celestial/Star Make Wizard anger boiling in his body.
"After he finished the book, he gathered all of his remaining strength and cast a spell on it." Lucy said factually.
"Grrr! What a dirty trick!" Everlue growled angrily. "He took a story about a great man like me and turned it into a hatchet Job, the nerve of that fool!"
Everlue dived under the ground once again and comes up to attack Lucy and Happy, but Lucy and Happy manage to get out of the way as he continues using his diver magic to dig and surface he kept on saying, "Boyoyoyo, Boyoyoyo!" over and over, making Lucy mad how he took the news without getting the full details.
"Oh, get over yourself! It's true that he wrote about all the pain and torture that you put him through, " Lucy said as she landed directly across from Everlue as he landed hunched over with his right arm down giving him support, "but the chapters that focus on what you did to him are only a small part of the book."
Everlue then looked over his shoulder at the Celestial/Star Make Wizard as she continued her rant.
"In fact, its secret has nothing to do with you!" Lucy continued while still holding onto the book.
"Oh tell us Lucy-Mama!" Happy exclaimed happily.
"What the devil do you mean?" Everlue asked perplexed.
"I'm not going to give this book back to you Duke Everlue!" Lucy exclaimed as she holds up one of her Zodiac Keys as she hid the book behind her back, her Starlight Katana still sheathed. "Because it was never really yours to begin with!" and with a flick of her wrist, she tossed the key into the air, the golden key spinning in mid-air before catching it, reciting her incantation, "Open, Gate of the Giant Crab!" and pointed her key to the ground as the key glowed, a light blue magic circle appearing in front of her as she announced, "Cancer!" and from the magic circle, two sharp objects appeared from the golden light made by the circle as someone appeared as well to catch them. It was a man that dressed in a way reminiscent of a hairdresser, his hair was black and braided in red cornrows that ended in a shape that resembled crab's pincers, appeared out of the blue magic circle that materialized from Lucy's key. He had thick lips and wore a blue striped shirt and dark trousers with two aquamarine stripes on each side, he also wore boots on his feet. On his pants was a ring chain in the right pocket and a hairdresser tools' bag in the left side of his belt. He wore a golden necklace around his neck and in his hands were his two main weapons: Scissors. The color of his eyes was hard to see as he wore sunglasses with green lens. He also has six crab legs that appear from his back. He stood with both arms crossed as Happy's mouth was drooling, despite remembering this was one of Lucy's allies.
"Oh yes! Nothing says I'm going to beat you up like a tough guy with razor sharp claws and a pair of tough guy sunglasses." Happy said excitedly while he drooled.
"Happy, calm down, you know very well that I need to concentrate." Lucy said calmly to her son while also looking back toward Levy to see if she was okay. "And you can't eat my spirit; I'll feed you when we get out of this mess." (A/N 1)
"Hey Lucy, how would you like your hair done today… baby?" Cancer asked his wizard as she looked a little embarrassed, seeing as this wasn't the time or the place.
"Cancer, you know very well at a time like this, I need you to fight and not style my hair." She said with a blush. Happy wondered to himself, 'Lucy-mama has odd spirits, strange she has one do her hair for her. Already I remember they haven't changed much in the past years… I wondered what poison wool would look like right now.' (A/N 2)
"Finish off Baldy over there!" Lucy instructed the spirit as she rushed over to the still form of Levy lying on the ground as Cancer followed orders.
"Right away, baby!" Cancer replied as he took a fighting stance holding both scissors in his hands.
Lucy kneeled down to her and lightly shook her shoulders, hoping she was alright. She wasn't going to lose another life, not like this. "Levy, please be alright. I don't think either Jet or Droy would appreciate me coming back with you severely injured."
Feeling Lucy's caring hand on her shoulder, Levy stirred slowly awake and fluttered her eyes open. "Lu, what happened? Did we win the fight?" she asked in a light daze. Lucy helped her up, still speaking to her, not trying to show her worry for her.
"You were knocked out by Duke Everlue when he used his magic to send you head first against the wall, are you going to be okay to help me fight? Do you have a concussion?" she asked, taking her other hand to feel her head for a bump hidden in her blue hair.
"No, I'm fine Lu," she replied assuringly to her, shaking her head, "I just have a bit of a headache, but I'll manage I have been through a lot worse as leader of Team Shadow Gear." Levy added as she struggled to her feet, leaning on Lucy for support and watched Cancer get to work on taking down Everlue.
Duke Everlue was shaking and sweating as he begins to think to himself about his current situation. 'What could the secret possibly be? The hack must have written an entire expose on all of my illegal business deals. I can't have that. If the Magic Council got wind of how I actually made my fortune, my goose would be cooked.'
Everlue then pulled out a Gate Key Similar to Lucy's only this one had a stylized "M" as the symbol on the key. It was time for Everlue to fight Celestial Spirit with Celestial Spirit. Duke Everlue then takes a stance with his left hand out in front of him with his two middle fingers down and his outer fingers pointing up with his thumb stretched across touching the finger nail to his middle finger. The golden key spins in mid-air much like Lucy's key did as Duke Everlue grabs it in his right hand. "Open Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!" Once again a doorbell chime sounds as a purple magic circle appears in front of the key while Everlue is slashing it. Once the purple circle vanished there stood the gorilla maid next to her master. Lucy immediately remembered why Virgo looked familiar when she saw her earlier today. Though in a different form, this was the same Zodiac Spirit that her mother had released nine years ago. Virgo has been hiding with Everlue all this time?
The gorilla maid landed with a heavy boom and glared at Lucy and Happy. "Did I hear my master summon me?!" Virgo asked with a booming voice.
Everlue pointed towards Lucy and Happy, his hand pointed at the three and his patience wearing thin. With secrets he didn't want out, he wanted that book back now. "Virgo, Fetch me that book!" he ordered to the gorilla maid and everyone minus Lucy gasped as they see an additional passenger on Virgo's shoulder.
"So you're a Celestial Wizard as well huh?" Lucy asked as she noticed her fellow team mate and friend on the Celestial Spirit's shoulder. "Lisanna?"
"What are you doing here?" Happy asked as his other mother appeared. Levy noticed this too and spoke up; remembering Lisanna should be back in the mansion fighting the Vanish Brothers.
"Lisanna, how did you get here?" Levy asked curiously at the white-haired Take Over/Elemental Empowerment Wizard.
"What is the meaning of this?" Everlue asked. "Who are you?"
"The name is Lisanna Strauss!" Lisanna yelled as she seemed to be out of breath before catching her breath and explaining to confusion in the sewers. "Well, I noticed that Virgo here woke up so I jumped on her shoulder without her noticing. The next thing I know, I am here."
"You mean to tell me, that you passed through the spirit world with her?" Lucy asked surprised and worried at the same time, her face going from pale and color returning in only seconds. "You're lucky you survived passing through the spirit world. Normally, humans can't be in the spirit world because of the lack of air. There is also the little fact that unless properly equipped, it's taboo for a human to pass through the Celestial Spirit World."
Lisanna jumped off of the confused Virgo's shoulder and landed beside her two friends with Happy then using his wings to float above all three of them looking to Lucy, then to Virgo, then back to Lucy. "So Virgo is a Celestial Spirit, and this pervy old man is a Celestial Wizard like you are Lucy? Also what would you like me to do now?"
Lucy nodded as she looked towards Duke Everlue still in surprise. Everlue caught her glance, seeing the slight change in the girl who seemed willing to beat him.
"What's wrong girly, did you think that you were the only Celestial Wizard in this world?" Duke Everlue asked after seeing the surprised look on Lucy's face. Lucy merely shook her head.
"Of course not Duke Everlue, but I didn't expect to meet another one so soon." Lucy replied to the Duke, and then came up with an idea, smiling more cunningly. "Why don't we make this interesting? If I win, then you have to release Virgo from her contract."
"That sounds fair, but what do I get if I win." Duke Everlue asked, smiling at the bet placed upon him.
"If you win, you get to pick any one of my spirits whether it is Silver or Gold that I release from his or her contract." Lucy said confidently. Happy gasped; did she really make that kind of bet?
"Don't do that Lucy! Most of those keys were given to you by your mother!" Happy reminded her with a shout of his voice, "What if you lose?"
"Happy, you know better than to underestimate Lucy, don't you?" Lisanna asked as she put her arm around her friend. "You have to have confidence in her."
"Come on Happy, you've known her for six years and you still don't have confidence in her?" Levy asked curiously. Lucy smiled to the blue furred cat, showing that confidence she has gained as a Fairy Tail Wizard.
"Don't you worry Happy sweetie, I am definitely going to win." Lucy said reassuringly to the feline as she looked toward Lisanna. "Hey Lisanna, Levy-chan, let's work together on this one."
"Right, we'll help you Lucy!" Lisanna and Levy nodded as a golden magic circle materialized underneath Lisanna's feet. Her white hair blew about through the golden light as she called out, "Takeover Animal Soul! Tigress!" and transformed once more into her Tigress form, the golden light surrounding her before vanishing. She activated a second magic circle; this one was Reddish-Orange, the circle emitting flames under her feet as the tip of her staff glowed red as well. "Tigress Elemental Empowerment: Fire!" and her body was surrounded by the red-orange flames, the flames dying down to reveal her wearing a one piece swimsuit decorated with reddish-orange and black stripes with flames along the stripes and gained reddish orange streaks in her hair. Around her Fairy Tail Guild Mark, a reddish-orange outlined the shape of the stamp, the youngest Strauss sibling now in her Fire Tigress form.
"Fire?" Levy asked curiously seeing Lisanna in her fire form of her standard Takeover before getting an idea what to do next. "I know exactly what to do now! Solid Script Fire: Heat Spell!" Levy extended her arms out beside her, and then crossed them over her chest. She spun around then extended her arms out to her side diagonally prompting the word Fire to appear above her head in blue block letters. Once the letters were generated she sent the blue flames toward Everlue and Virgo.
"Lisanna, it's time to finish what you started." Lucy said as she grabbed hold of her whip.
Lisanna nodded as her eyes glow a reddish-orange color while a magic circle of the same color materialized in front of Lisanna's claws as they light up with flames. "Here I go again! Fire Tigress..." Lisanna started as she jumped up into the air and put her Tigress-like pads up against each other with her claws pointing up. She put her legs together as a flaming aura engulfed her from head to toe and she began to spin rapidly like a drill while at the same time finishing up the spell with a cry of. "Say good-bye, Flaming Drill Run of Destruction!" as Levy's Solid Script Fire Heat Spell combines with Lisanna's spinning making her attack even more powerful than it initially is, turning Lisanna's flames from red to blue like Levy's heat spell.
As she approached Virgo, the Maiden Spirit tries to dodge the attack, but Lisanna kept on following her as she used her earth magic to drill into the already fragile ceiling of the sewer. Lisanna followed going up and down, up and down much like Everlue had done earlier, thanks to the help from Levy she is even more powerful. Finally, Virgo couldn't dodge Lisanna's attack anymore and she was struck down by Lisanna's drill run, hitting Virgo squarely in the large chest before the gorilla maid toppled heavily to the ground. Lisanna returned to Lucy and Levy's sides and smiled to them, now back into her normal form with the muffler back securely around her neck; she handed over the finishing right to Lucy. Everlue was shocked and was sweating bullets, one girl was able to beat Virgo so easily with just one attack and an extra boost?
"Hey you dirty little Mole Man!" Lucy shouted dramatically as Everlue was caught off guard and is wrapped by Lucy's whip, her katana in her right hand and the whip in her left. "You can't dig yourself out of this! You make me sick!"
Lucy then flung Duke Everlue through the air and still was off her feet while she was airborne. With a snap of her right wrist, she tossed her Katana at Duke Everlue as the blade split into three equal blades before coming back like a boomerang striking him back, "You'll never be a main character. All you'll ever be..."
Cancer saw the opportunity to take the dirty old man down as Lucy's blade returned to her along with the whip returned to her. He can't do anything about it but shout his loud chortle, "Boyoyoyoyoyoyoyo!" As both weapons were now held in her hands. (A/N 2)
Cancer then took his scissors and cut wildly at Everlue before he and Lucy landed on opposite ends of the duke, Lucy adding with smile on her face, "Is just a mere side character." As the Crab spirit look to Lucy's turned back and Duke Everlue on the ground, his mad cutting skills chopping off all of his hair and mustache, leaving him completely bald with a clear face and head. He remembered that Everlue and Lucy had a bet so he defeated Everlue without knocking him out. Everlue now laid there completely bald and mustache-less with his magic exhausted as Lucy landed gracefully on her feet with her back turned to the dirty old Mole Man as he struggled to come to his feet. He managed to get to his feet and just stood next to Virgo in shame. He was defeated, fairly despite three Wizards overpowering him and his Celestial Spirit.
"Thank you for summoning me baby!" Cancer said stoically, and then added. "Now I'm done. Doesn't he look fabulous?"
Lisanna, Levy and Lucy winked at Cancer as Lucy swiped Cancer's key with her right hand through the air sending him back to the spirit world. "Fabulous is only selling yourself real short, my friend." Lucy said as her and Lisanna unknowingly linked their hands and walked up to Virgo and Everlue. Levy just smiled at the display and looked at Happy with a calculating look on her face.
"Happy, what do we say to that?" Levy asked of the flying blue feline.
"I think we say they love each other!" Happy chimed in with an even bigger smile than usual on his face while rolling his tongue.
"You got that right you blue fuzz ball you!" Levy said giggling as she embraced the blue flying cat in a loving embrace. "This is the most fun I have had in a long time."
"Now Everlue, I believe you and Lucy had a bet." Lisanna stated as she drew attention to what Everlue promised at the beginning of the battle. "So it's time to make good on your bet. You are a gentleman are you not?"
Everlue sweat dropped and turned to the head maid. "Virgo, I Duke Everlue hereby release you from any and all specifications and requirements I implored upon you with your contract. You are now free to do as you wish."
"As you wish Master..." Virgo said in her deep voice as she held her hand out for her key. She knows where she actually belongs now. Truth be told, she knew it for nine years. It's just a shame that Everlue found her key before Lucy did.
Sighing in defeat, Duke Everlue handed Virgo's key over to the maiden's outstretched hand. Virgo took it and changed forms into what she used to look like before she was found by Duke Everlue. She then walked over to Lucy and immediately went down to formal kneeling. She then bowed to the Celestial Spirit/Star Make Wizard as a sign of apology and repentance. The form that she turned into didn't really look much different from her other form, from Happy and Levy's view point, she looked completely different. She resembled a petite short pink-haired young lady that resembled a teenager. She was very beautiful as her beautiful blue eyes shined and she bowed to her new wizard. "Mistress, how do you plan to punish me for my crimes?"
"Virgo, come on, I don't plan on punishing you at all. You have been punished enough working under the pressure of Duke Everlue." Lucy said feeling a little taken aback from the sudden change of the spirit, trying to hold her calmness about the whole thing, "Would you like me to make a contract with you now, or do you want to wait for later?" she asked still looking at the bowing spirit.
Virgo and Lucy both entered a trance-like state as Lisanna noticed this and so did Happy. Both of them tried to wake the spirit and the wizard up, but knew that it was the best to let this memory that might be happening pass.
"What's with Lu-chan?" Levy asked to the white-haired Take Over/Elemental Empowerment Wizard and the blue winged cat.
"She is having another one of her memories from the past." Lisanna sighed with worry. "I hope this one doesn't lead her to tears like the other one did."
"I know how you feel Lisanna," Levy said having remembered what happened to Lucy when they first came to Everlue's Mansion and the empty look she currently sees in not only Lucy's eyes, but Virgo's eyes as well.
Year X775
Two years before Layla Heartfilia passed away and two years before the Dragons all disappeared...
Heartfilia Estate, (Lucy: Age 8)
A young blond haired girl was running around the house playing hide and go seek. Her hiding place was so good that not even Layla and the household help could find her. A young man with orange hair in a fancy full suit with a red tie and white shirt was looking all over the place for the little girl, but couldn't find her. This young man was someone that resembled Loke almost dead on, this was Leo the Lion. He couldn't find the little blond girl anywhere so he called forth one of the other spirits and returned to the spirit world, but not before telling a spirit that resembled a maid what needed to be done.
"Virgo, I need you to find Lucy, everyone in the estate has looked everywhere and can't find her." Leo said worriedly. "Can you do that for me, imouto-chan?" Virgo nodded, looking to Leo with a stoic look on her face and bowed.
"Of course I can Leo-nii. I know all the favorite hiding spots of Miss Lucy." Virgo said as she went off to find the young blond.
"This is a really good hiding place!" Little Lucy said to herself. "No one will ever find me here! Not Leo, not Cancer, Not Taurus, not Aries, no one! I really threw them off my track now!"
All of a sudden the ground shook underneath Lucy as Virgo popped up in front of her, surprising Lucy that her hiding place failed. "I found you princess! Now, it's time for dinner. Everyone is waiting for you. Forgive me for the intrusion, feel free to punish me anyway you please."
"Why would I punish you Virgo-nee? I love you too much! I can't punish you at all. Leo-nii and the others alright? I just know that I am worrying them to no end." Lucy said to the maid spirit as she berated herself.
"All of them are worried for you. I was sent to find you because I know all of your hiding places. Will you come with me Princess?" Virgo asked the young blond in the pink and white dress.
"Of course I will Virgo-nee! Let's go!" Lucy commanded excitedly as she hugs the spirit tight. Virgo then picks her up and puts the young debutante on her back for a piggy back ride, opens the door and heads to the kitchen as the memory faded and Lucy's thoughts returned to the present.
Lucy and Virgo came out of their trance-like states and embraced. It all came back now, she remembered Virgo, the maid spirit she used to play with along with the other spirits in her mother's ownership when she was young. It was like a dream come true, seeing someone after so long.
"Virgo-nee!" Lucy said delightedly, sounding like a little kid again, surprising everyone even Everlue who stood there. "I am so glad to have you back. I remember making a contract with you when I was younger should Mama ever give you to me! Will you please allow me to be your little sister, friend and wizard once again?" Lucy asked excitedly.
"I don't know Princess, after all I have done to you?" Virgo asked with a frown, turning away with her, hands cupped to the front of her maid uniform, Lisanna and even Levy feeling bad for her. "Calling you ugly and whatnot, Are you sure you want me to be your spirit?" she asked hopefully as she remained in formal kneeling and continued to bow with her head close to the ground, her nose in the middle of the triangle that her hands formed.
"It wasn't you're fault Virgo-nee!" Lucy said reassuringly to the maid spirit. "You were just doing what your former master was ordering you to do. I would be happy to have you back! What do you say Virgo-neechan?" Lucy asked hopefully with her big puppy dog brown eyes.
"As you wish, my Princess…" Virgo replied as she asked another question. "May I please stand up now?"
"Of course you can Virgo-nee. Please stand up." Lucy said to her newest spirit. "I will still follow the same terms as the agreement we made seven years ago. Unless you want to make a new one. All I know for sure is that all of you spirits were ordered to protect me for all eternity should you ever encounter me again."
Virgo stood up after Lucy released her hug. "Thanks for taking me back Princess."
"Thanks for coming back to me Virgo. Now you can return to the Spirit World." Lucy said as she swiped her newest key through the air and put it onto her key ring that was attached to her belt.
All of a sudden the structural integrity finally gave way as the whole area that the three heroines were standing in gave way and started to collapse. Lucy quickly summoned Aquila as she watched the crumbling sewer around her, not too worried about the crumbling. Aquila began to fly as Lisanna and Lucy grabbed a hold of Aquila's talons while Happy wrapped his tail around Levy's middle while the blue-haired wizard gasped and used his Max Speed to get the young Solid Script Wizard out of the collapsing sewers. Aquila quickly pumped up her speed and flew as fast as she could to catch up with Happy as Lucy and Lisanna managed to climb from her talons up to her back. Their white and blonde hair whipped with the rushing winds their clothes were flapping in the wind too. They tied Everlue to one of many nearby fence posts that surrounded the now vacant lot that was once the Everlue Mansion. Lucy took one last look at the mess she made, proud of it herself, but a little embarrassed.
"Hey Li, I think we overdid it again." Lucy stated with a giggle as she sent Aquila back to the spirit world.
"Saying we overdid is the biggest understatement of the entire year." Levy said with a chuckle as her and Happy landed followed shortly by Aquila.
"You're right Lu, but that's what our guild is famous for. Especially you and me. The damage would have been much worse if Natsu was here. But still that's nothing compared to what we can do with Aspen. Can you imagine how strong our team will be once we start to go on missions with Erza and Gray again? You and I are already one of the strongest teams in Fairy Tail, but adding Aspen, Gray, and Erza will make us even stronger!"
"Aye!" Happy said as he chimed in his two cents.
The group of Levy, Lisanna, and Lucy then headed back toward Kaby's place as they left Everlue, the Vanish Brothers, and the ugly maids where they were.
Returning to Kaby Melon's home, the girls and Happy all entered the same room they stood with Kaby and his wife, showing the book they were asked to once retrieve not burn. Lucy went on explaining to Kaby (and to full extent, Lisanna) about the mission with the book, letting him know what she and Levy learned. Lisanna stood with her arms crossed sitting on the couch, Lucy and Levy up in front of Kaby.
"When I first read Daybreak, I couldn't believe it was written by Kemu Zaleon. There's no way he would've done something that bad." Lucy said to Lisanna, Levy, and Happy when they entered through the gates and then the door before meeting the Melons.
"Yeah so? What are you getting at Lucy?" Lisanna asked her best friend who was standing in front of the sofa across from Kaby. Levy was sitting on the sofa.
"I will tell you Lisanna," Lucy stated to her fellow Fairy Tail Wizard, "that's exactly how I knew that there must've been a spell cast upon it."
Lucy handed the book across the table to the relatively tall and aged man. The older man took it and is surprised that it was returned. "But I requested this book be destroyed. Why on Earth are you giving it back to me completely unscathed?" The old man named Kaby asked of the Celestial/Star Make Wizard and her friends.
"If you really wanna burn it, then I'd rather have you do it yourself." The blond leader of Team Lucy stated with her blue-haired best friend sitting on the sofa near the armrest, and her white-haired best friend and blue flying cat standing behind the sofa giving her support.
"I certainly will burn this trash! I never wanted to see it again!" Kaby growled in anger as his hands shook, which in turn caused the book to shake as well.
"I completely understand why you feel the way you do about this book Kaby." Lucy said apologetically. "You want to protect your father's legacy because you are actually Zaleon's son aren't you?"
"What?" Levy asked in surprise and confusion. "You mean to tell me that Kaby Melon is actually the great Kemu Zaleon's son? How is that even possible?"
Lisanna and Happy, who is perching on the white-haired wizard's shoulder gasp in confusion. "Huh?"
"Yes that's true." Kaby said to the blond-haired teen.
"Have you read it yourself?" Lucy asked of the older man.
"No I, I could never bring myself to do it." Kaby said as he continued to hold the book. "Father told me it was garbage."
"You were just going to burn it?" Lisanna asked in shock at this revelation.
"I was." Kaby continued as Lisanna kept her blue eyes on him.
Lisanna wanted to go up and grab their client by the collar, but being much calmer than Natsu used to be she just sighed with annoyance still crossing her arms. "Without even bothering to see what was inside?" Lisanna inquired with a hint of annoyance. "It's the last book your father ever wrote right? I understand what you are thinking, even though some of us would kill for that kind of memory."
"Lisanna stay calm. We don't want to cause any undue trouble. We both would kill for a nice memory of our fathers. Me especially." Lucy said as tears started to form in her eyes. Lisanna got up and put her arm around her friend and wiped her tears away with her right hand to her eyes.
"Lucy is right Lisanna, I never got to know my father very well either. He died when I was really young and so did my mother. Why don't we listen to what Kaby has to say first?" Levy said looking sadden for bring up her parents.
"Levy brings up a valid point." Lucy remarked, then continued. "We need to hear Kaby out and not panic."
"Please, that book caused my family great heartache and shame." Kaby said sadly. "It was thirty-one years ago."
Year X753, a much more youthful Kaby Melon turned around to see his father, who walked into the house like it was no big deal. It was only three years since he last saw him, his father who left for a very important job, was gone for those three years, never to write or even keep up with him or his future wife.
"Dad!" Kaby said in a gasp, shocked to see his father after three years.
"Sorry for being gone for so long." He said at once standing by the doorway. Before Kaby could ask, he walked inside without another word.
He didn't talk much once inside and came to a chest, Kaby feeling angry at him for being gone, continued to berate him for his absence.
"Where in the hell were you?!" Kaby demanded to the writer. "You didn't contact me for three years!"
Kemu Zaleon took a rope out and tied it between the forearm and shoulder. "I'm through. I'm giving up writing." Kemu said, making up his mind without even considering his actions.
"What…" was all Kaby could say when his father did the unthinkable.
Holding the cleaver in his other hand, he yelled, "I'll never write again!" and took the cleaver to his writing arm and cut it, clean off…
Lucy, Levy, and Lisanna embraced each other closely and shivered as Happy popped up in between the three and shivered in fright just like the three girls are doing. This was the most frightening thing they heard in their lives, as Kaby saw their expressions and frowned.
"Forgive me, I didn't think anyone would react to that…" he said apologetically as he continued his tale…
After Kemu cut off his arm, he was now in a hospital bed after the event. Kaby looked at his father and said with much hatred in his voice, "You're a fool. I told you three years ago you'd regret writing that crummy book!"
"The money was good." Kemu replied weakly to his son.
"You're pathetic!" Kaby retorted.
"Yes... I made it the most pathetic garbage possible…" Kemu smiled weakly.
"What are you smiling for?!" Kaby yelled back seeing the look on his face that made him sick in anger in his stomach. How can he smile after all this, after almost killing himself and getting put into this hospital bed? "You abandoned your family for three years because of that garbage?!" Kaby grunted in anger as Kemu spoke again.
"Kaby… You were always in my thoughts." Kemu said his smile still on his face.
"Then you could have just written whatever came to your mind and returned sooner!" Kaby requested, anger boiling inside. "You abandoned your family along with your pride as a writer! You were right about giving up writing; it's too much for people without pride." He walked from Kemu's hospital bed and added hotly, "Including you, dad."
Kemu Zaleon was now alone and a sad expression was on his face. He thought to himself, 'If only you knew the truth my son, maybe you'll understand…'
Time pass and Kaby stood in front of his father's grave; he had passed away some time after their last conversation where Kaby declared his father an outright fool.
"My Father died soon after." Kaby continued, "Even afterwards, I continued to hate him."
Lucy and Levy continued to listen as Lisanna had her back turned, but was still listening to Kaby, Happy standing on the floor next to Lisanna. Kaby's wife held onto Kaby's shoulder in kind of a side hug as Kaby continued his tale. "But as the years passed by me, that anger slowly turned into remorse. And now, it's too late for me to ask for his forgiveness."
As Kaby continued his tale, Lisanna with Happy on her shoulder was looking through the window outside. "So I decided to make amends by destroying the final work that had caused him so much pain and suffering." Kaby continued as he held the Daybreak book in his hand. "This is the only way. This is the only way I can preserve his legacy."
Without a second to think about what he was going to do, Kaby lit a match and continued to speak as he is about to burn the book. Lisanna or Happy didn't stop him, but Levy and Lucy didn't either. "I'm sure this is what he would want."
"You're wrong." Lucy spoke up after she heard the story. The flames of the match were gone as Lucy announced, "It's begun."
"What's this?!" Kaby gasped as the book glowed as a purple magic circle appeared. The circle disappeared but the book was still glowing, the word 'Daybreak' was floating off the book cover.
"Kemu Zaleon…. No, his real name is Zekua Melon. He placed a magic spell on this book." Lucy explained calmly making Kaby look agape at her.
"A spell?" Kaby repeated.
The letters rearranged to form two new words: Dear Kaby, and place themselves back on the cover. Kaby read the name out loud. The book rose higher in the air and glow with a mixture of purple and gold light.
"Yes, he left you a message." Lucy continued on, "He used a spell that rearranged letters. The entire book is rearranged."
Suddenly, letters and sentences began to fly from the book like golden ribbons and formed a sphere ribbon around the book. After seven years of magic, this was the most beautiful thing they ever saw, and they've seen their fair share of beautiful magic.
"Whoa!" Lisanna said in amazement.
"Pretty!" Happy and Levy said amazed too.
"Incredible, so this is what was hidden in the book?" Levy said with amazement looking to Lucy, impressed by her, even for knowing her for seven years, could solve such a puzzle on her own. She was quite a remarkable friend and guild mate.
"The reason he gave up writing might have been because he not only wrote his worst book ever, but because he wrote his greatest book ever!" Lucy added again smiling lightly at Kaby, "A great book that was actually a letter to you!"
Then Kaby remembered his father's last words to him, his mind flashing back to their last conversation: You were always in my thoughts. Was this what he meant? Was this book that believed to the worst book ever be actually a letter to him? A tear came from his eyes as the light faded and the book now read: Dear Kaby by Zekua Melon. It softly landed back in Kaby's out stretch hands as Lucy continued happily, "That's the book Kemu Zaleon actually wanted to leave behind!"
Kaby knelt down to the ground and hugged the book tightly in his arms, feeling those feelings just wash away after one revelation. "Dad... Thank you. I can't burn this book now."
"Well, I guess we won't be collecting that reward." Lisanna said as she put her hand behind her head. Lucy was a bit peeved at first hearing it, but then realizes that her best friend was right. Plus Lisanna would drag her silly if she complained about, she was becoming Mira in every way… The good and the bad.
"Really, but I was really hoping to get a ton of new books or something like that." Levy said sadly in disbelief. "We are just going to let 500,000 Jewel a piece get away?"
"Lisanna is right Levy-chan. We really didn't actually finish the job." Lucy said smiling kindly at the Wizard leader of Shadow Gear. "Even though it was a tough task just to retrieve the book."
"What do you mean we aren't accepting the reward?" Happy asked surprised. "We worked our tails off getting that book back and he decided not to burn it?"
"Um, Happy, you didn't really do anything at all." Lucy, Lisanna, and Levy chimed together as they stared at Happy matter-of-factly. "We did all the work."
"Besides that Happy, I never expected you to be the one to say that you wanted the reward." Lisanna said to her son as she stared at him. "What will you do with all that, you live with me at mine and Lucy's Apartment, she has money, just saves it for important things."
"Lisanna is right, what are you, Natsu 2.0?" Lucy asked in agreement with Lisanna as Happy looked at his mother like she was serious, or crazy. He'll have to go with crazy for now.
"I guess it can't be helped can it?" Levy asked in sadness, kicking her feet before getting up. "Our mission was to destroy the book, not return it. I guess I am going to have to get money for more books elsewhere."
Kaby spoke up as he watched Lucy, Levy, and Lisanna leave with Happy, calling them back before they left the room. "Even though the book wasn't destroyed, at least let me do something."
"If Aspen was here she would want to take the reward money even though you aren't as rich as you implied on the job posting." Lisanna said matter-of-factly. "She definitely needs some rent money considering the price it is per month where she is living. We should all go home now that means you too Mr. Melon."
"Lisanna is right Kaby, we all need to go home." Levy suggested as she glanced at the older man, a smile was on her face. "We know that this isn't your house, otherwise servants would've been coming up to us asking us if we wanted something to drink. Someone who truly owns a mansion would not hesitate to call on servants to help us in any way possible."
"Well you're right, I just rented this house to make myself look good." Kaby said smiling at the cleverness Lucy and her friends showed, "I am nothing more than a middle class business man trying to make an honest living." And walked up to them and explain the situation, leading them to where he and Mrs. Melon really lived. It turned out, Kaby and his wife were extremely poor and since no one would take the request by a poor family, they rented the mansion just to impress any mage that would come. But even if another group of mages did the job, would they get a reward? Maybe some would feel cheated off after risking their lives. In the end, that's what made Lucy's group good? Sure the idea of the two million was grand, they helped recover Kemu Zaleon's horrible now best work ever, and a son now knows the truth about those words his father told him on his deathbed. They arrived in front of a small cabin where the three Wizards and Happy were surprised they live in such a small place. "This is where I really live. My wife and I just rented that house to make us look like we were rich. If we didn't do that, we were afraid no one would take the job.
"That's not Fairy Tail's style," Lucy explained to the couple standing outside their real house, "We would've taken the job anyway. We at Fairy Tail pride ourselves on taking jobs and completing them to help all of our various clients out."
"Lu is right," Levy said to the older man, "We love doing the right thing for our clients, even if it isn't what we originally planned on doing. Thank you for your hospitality Kaby. We appreciate it."
"Aye!" Happy said as he chimed in his two cents as always.
"Kaby, it was nice to meet you. We look forward to seeing you again sometime." Lisanna said with a smile.
Lucy also had a smile as well, as she added to her friends remark, "We will see both of you around sometime."
And with one final wave, the Team and Levy made their way home, their thoughts on their semi-completed first mission in a while.
On the path back to Fairy Tail, Lucy giggled as she spoke to her friends, the beautiful night sky hovered over their heads. Many stars lit up the night sky along with the glowing quarter moon. "You know Lisanna and Levy; it's a good thing that Aspen didn't come with us." Lucy said as she turned to Happy. "Right Happy?"
"Aye Sir!" Happy chimed in happily as they continued down the path underneath the quarter moon. "She would've wanted the money because of where she is living now. It costs 100,000 Jewel a month to live in Fairy Hills."
"That's right it does, sometimes I even have trouble making the rent payments on time." Levy said to the group she came along with for the mission.
"That is a very good point." Lisanna spoke up at Happy's two remarks. "Lu do you know of anyone else that would go for the money no matter what the situation was?"
"My cousin Luna would." Lucy replied. "Since her parents have disappeared, she has been looking all over the place for work. However, since she has yet to join a guild she can't get any work. That's what she said in a recent letter to me. She is searching for Laxus and me as well as her Grandfather. Who I am not sure who it is."
Lisanna shrugged, but decided to bring up a point that she forgot to bring up back at Everlue's place. "Hey Lucy that memory you told me about right after we defeated Everlue and Virgo, from what you told me about Leo the Lion, he seems an awful lot like Loke. Didn't Loke join the guild three years ago after he said something terrible happened to him?" causing Lucy to ponder, crossing her arms in thought.
"That's a good point Lisanna," Lucy said to her friend, her arms still crossed below her chest, "Leo reminds me a lot of Loke, and Loke reminds me a lot of Leo. Do you think there is a connection?"
"There could be," Lisanna replied nonchalantly as she continued to walk next to Lucy. Happy hovered in between them with his angelic white wings extended before the wings disappearing causing Happy to fall. But being a cat, he gracefully landed on his feet. He smiled up at the three girls, his black eyes sharply staring at them.
"Hey Lu-chan, Levy-chan, Happy, let's stop here at this swamp, we can fish for dinner here." Lisanna suggested to the group.
Lucy, Levy and Happy nodded as they sit down and pull out fishing poles. Soon enough, within five minutes of sitting down and casting their Fishing Lines into the water, they each caught a bunch of fish. Lisanna activated her BO-Staff, still collapsed but taken off of her back and built a campfire using the wood that all of them collected. Soon enough the group of three girls and one cat are eating their dinner happily.
After feeling well fed, the group eventually fell asleep underneath the stars.
The next morning, Team Lucy and Levy were on their way home as they come to yet another swamp. Lucy thought about using Horologium but decided against it. She wanted to fly across a swamp so she pulled out one of her Silver Keys, the silver key with the eagle symbol on it. She spun it in mid-air as she grabbed it without fail. She really loves her eagle, especially because she can carry all three (four including Happy) of them with ease. With the key in hand, she called out, "Open Gate of the Silver Eagle! Aquila!" as a silver circle appeared in front of the key. Lucy turned the key to her right as a silver glow expanded in the air. Once the silver glow vanished, Aquila stood with her wings extended. She look to see Lucy again, with Lisanna, Levy, and Happy along with her.
"What can I do for you today Lucy dear?" Aquila asked as she looked at the swamp and knew what she needed to do. "I'm surprised you didn't decide to use Horologium."
"Sorry, but Horologium can only hold one person at a time, at least I think that's the case with him. I never really thought to ask him about that. Happy can fit in there too because he is a lot smaller than I am. However, Lisanna and Levy can't fit in there with me, at least I don't think they can." Lucy spoke up with a shrug to Aquila as she gave her an order, well more like she asked her a question kindly. "Aquila, can you please fly us over the swamp?"
Aquila nodded and lowered herself down, allowing Team Lucy and Levy to board her. She then expands her majestic wings and took into the sky. The group is in awe as they have never seen a swamp from the sky before. Team Lucy and Levy never realized just how beautiful a body of water was when viewed from the sky. No matter all the times they walked, seeing the world from a bird's eye view was such an enriching experience, one they'll add to their memories, especially telling Natsu when they find him again.
Once the group was finished flying over the swamp, Aquila landed to the ground and let Team Lucy and Levy disembark. One by one they did so, Happy landing in Lisanna's outstretched arms as the blue fur ball looked like he was enjoying not relying on his magic power for once.
"Thank you so much Aquila!" Lucy said happily looking towards her as she held the Silver Eagle's key in hand. "You can take a nice rest."
"Thank you so much Lucy dear. Your Mother would be so proud of you!" Aquila said as she smiled the best she could, Aquila being an eagle, it's kind of hard to tell if she is smiling or not. Lucy wished she had a human form; it would be easy (A/N 3)
"Thank you so much Aquila." Lucy replied as she held up Aquila's key and swung it gently through the air, sending the Silver Eagle back to the Spirit World. "You deserve a nice rest." and vanished into silver wisps, Lucy looking to the three, her hands to her hips.
"Okay, we better get going on foot, if we make it in time, we just might reach home before sundown, and I want to tell Mira and master how we did." She said before rubbing her head nonchalantly. "I mean, we did a good job, despite destroying stuff, and I got a new key out the bargain, so everything went okay."
"Actually scratch that statement, she did all the work, she uncovered the truth, she beat Everlue, she got a key, and told Kaby everything." Lisanna noted looking to the two. "She's just as much a main character as us right now for doing more than me kicking three butts yesterday." The three paused before hearing something coming from the side of them. They looked towards a bush and heard something rustling in the leaves. Lisanna put Happy down quickly, pulling her BO staff from her back as it glowed red from the tip. "Who's there, show yourself!" as the leaves still rustled. "Not talking, if this is that situation, then you surely mistaken!" and leaped towards the bushes to attack the intruder from the bushes. The sounds of fighting could be heard and seen from the bushes, the other two and Happy hoping Lisanna can handle the intruder alone. Finally Lisanna and the intruder leaped from the bushes, only to realize who it was Lisanna attacked. With his dark black hair and shirtless body, it wasn't a clue who it was with a bit of a shock of which she attacked as they landed distance from one another, him holding his hands out ready to charge an attack and Lisanna still glared at him, her teeth clenched at him. (A/N 3)
"It's Gray!" Happy shouted in shock as the Ice Make Wizard came out of the bushes in nothing but boxers. "What are you doing here?"
"I was looking for a bathroom." Gray stated as he glared at Lisanna who attacked him. "Didn't think I'd run into you three and Happy out here."
Lisanna glared at the Ice Make Wizard, not calming her temper seeing him give them such a false fright as she activated her Fire Tigress Form quickly with a quick bathe in the golden light as she step forward to one step at a time, getting up into Gray's face. She was close to his height despite being only one year younger, standing almost eye level to him now than when they were kids.. "Why would there be a bathroom in the middle of the forest?" Lisanna asked darkly, her blue eyes facing his black ones.
"I was looking for some privacy." Gray said not fearing Lisanna, even if she was Mira's little sister and Natsu's childhood friend.
"You don't strip before you find it!" Lucy scolded him with a wagging finger, "Get some clothes on now! Lisanna, calm down, this is no time to fight with Gray."
Lisanna nodded, sighed exasperatedly and did as she was told. Her friend knew better than she did when it came to starting a fight for no reason. The more Lisanna thought about the situation, the more she realized that Natsu wouldn't approve of her acting that way, even though he hated Gray's guts, or so he led everyone to believe.
"Please Gray; jeez your stripping habit is getting even more on my nerves than it was before!" Levy groaned angrily as she looked away while covering her eyes.
"Aye!" Happy agreed as he too glared angrily at the Ice Make Wizard and turned away.
"Why are you here anyway Gray?" Lisanna asked curiously as she glanced at Gray with a confused look on her face, then came up with an idea to taunt Gray, with a mischievous smile, she still held her BO Staff, the tip of the staff pointing downwards and the back pointing upwards, "Gray, I bet you anything I can use Ice Magic a lot better than you can." activating a white magic circle underneath her feet channeling her Ice Empowerment Magic. She was bluffing of course, she was or never was, better than Gray, she just wanted to make fun of him so she could tell Ur about it when she sees her. (A/N 4)
"Lisanna…" Lucy groaned heavily in annoyance at her friend's sudden change of demeanor, no matter what Lucy tried to say, it fell on deaf ears as Lisanna was still channeling her magic. She then looked at Levy while rolling her eyes pouting her usual 'I'm the sane one in the insane world' pout. "I swear sometimes I wonder if anything I say to Lisanna about toning down on starting fights for no good reason is lost on her. I get confused sometimes as to whether she takes after Natsu, Elfman, or Mirajane. My nakama are nuts, complete and utter nuts."
"I know, she has different extremes of moods," Levy said with a giggle, then continued with a smile, "that's for sure."
The two combatants eyed each other and then got into each other's' faces. They jumped back as their hair lightly blew in the wind, Lisanna and Gray's bangs covering their eyes as they stood, Lisanna still channeling her magic then Gray held his hands out, his left knuckle to his right hand as a white whisp and bluish magic energy was formed around him and extended his hands foreword as a light blue magic circle was formed. "Fine by me Lisanna, Ice Make: Lance!" Gray shouted as long, curved ice lances shoot from the magic circle and towards Lisanna, the lances covering Lisanna in a tower of lance, almost like they skewed her. Lucy gasped and covered her mouth with her hands, fear already rushing through. Gray could be overboard sometimes, but could he really kill Lisanna by accident? Happy and Levy were scared too, knowing Gray would take a remark like that and lose it, especially when it came to Natsu. But Natsu, he was gone, and Lisanna was standing there, not the childish Dragon Slayer, why take it out on her? Lucy wanted to run to her, to see if she was okay, if Gray had really killed her, it was her fault. She couldn't protect her, just like with Natsu. She slowly steps forward but gasped again when she saw the ice lances start to form cracks in the ice around them. Happy and Levy noticed them too, and so did Gray, Gray only had a smirk, knowing Lisanna wasn't going down to such a small Ice Make attack. The ice cracked even more as the ice finally shattered around Lisanna, a mist forming where the ice was, when the mist finally faded away, Lisanna stood completely fine, but not looking like herself. She was still in her Animal Soul, but a new element, a new form was replaced by her Fire Tigress. Her fiery one-piece was replaced with an icy blue gown, the dress reaching down to her feet, with her feet now less feline but more human and feminine with icy blue heels with dark blue straps. Her cat ears and cat like facial features still remained. Her white hair now had light blue highlights in them that reach to her bangs. Her arms still had the cat stripes, but her hands resembled more like her own hands, as she gripped her BO Staff in her right hand, the paw pads still there visible. She smiled, Natsu's scarf still noticeable around her neck. "Elemental Take over Animal Soul Tigress: Ice form…"
"Incredible, so that's her ice form?" Levy asked, remembering Lisanna was still trying to master her element forms, one of them ice when they were younger, happy that all that work paid off.
"Beautiful…" Lucy said at once, her cheeks a bright red, Happy wanting to say it but chose to keep watching the fight.
"So this is what you meant, you mastered your Ice Element finally?" Gray asked, folding his arms over his chest.
"That's right, with a few new tricks I picked up…." she replied to the Ice Make Wizard with confidence, Holding her BO Staff to the air and spun it in her hand. A light blue magic circle appeared from the twirling BO staff calling into the air, "Icicle Barrage!" and from the magic shot several icicles from the circle that curved into an arch and fell to the ground, aiming for Gray. The Ice Make Wizard quickly dodged the icicles as one by one they fell, each one shattering into pieces with each one hitting the ground. Gray kept on dodging them, his quick reflexes easily dodging them as he hid into the bush where Lisanna found him. He crouched out of sight of Lisanna, taken by surprise before thinking, 'Incredible, even at that stage of magic, she's able to conjure ice at that stage. Beginner stages, but powerful. She has gotten stronger.' Then noticed his right knee was on something. He looked down to find his discarded clothes, the ones he stripped before using the bathroom. It was a plain white short-sleeve shirt and green pants, complete with his brown shoes. He quickly dressed himself, putting all the clothes he removed before hearing a girl's voice call from above him.
"Never let your guard down!" she shouted, revealing herself to be Lisanna, her left paw hand charged with ice as she shouted again, "Ice Tigress: Freezing Claw Slash!" and came crashing down Gray. Gray quickly attacking on instinct, something he learned from his training with Ur, quickly summoned his Ice Make: Sword. A blade, resembling a standard sword was formed from the light blue magic circle and in Gray's right hand. Gray guard Lisanna's attack just in time, Lisanna's freezing claw colliding with his blade. The two were staring face to face at one another, Lisanna's blue eyes looking into Gray's black ones. They didn't say a word, looking serious at one another as they tried to break the others' guard. Even with no words, even with showing it, it was exhilarating how this battle was going. They leaped from the bushes to back in front of the girls and Happy. They were surprised Lisanna still held on against him. Gray was trained by Ur, an S-Class Wizard, someone passed their rankings. Even Natsu had his struggles, the two boys always butting heads with one another. But the idea Lisanna could keep up, the idea Lisanna could still hold up to Ur's disciple, was either a shock or dumb luck. Gray hook the ice sword to his pants and held out his hands again, knees bent before conjuring another light blue magic circle.
"Ice Make: Saucer!" he called out as a spinning buzz saw disc was conjured from the magic circle and towards Lisanna. Lisanna held out her paw hand in a cup shaped as a white-blue magic circle appeared under her feet. Magic surged from her body quickly as she retaliated with, "Ice Barrier!"
A dome of white ice formed in front of Lisanna's whole body as it covered her, her whole body barely visible through the ice. The buzz saw collided with the barrier as its force was pushing Lisanna from within the barrier as it tried to break her protection. Happy, Levy, and Lucy all watched with anxious worry, seeing that if that hits, Lisanna would lose. Lisanna kept her arms out as she felt the sweat down her brow. Gray's attack was stronger, stronger than her protection spell, if only she could eliminate the Saucer. Then it hit her, she had an idea. While still keeping her arms stretched, a light blue magic circle appeared under her feet as she shouted out loud, "Ice Blade: Claymore!" as a second magic circle of white blue appeared in front of ice dome.
Suddenly, a large claymore with a flat looking blade and a curved face shot from the ice and through the Saucer, the spinning disc slowing losing its momentum as it finally stopped spinning. Happy and the girls were impressed, Lisanna using a strategy to stop it without shattering her barrier. It was smart, not forceful, but showed she was quick on her feet. As the barrier and attacks slowly faded away, Lisanna stood straight up and smiled and Gray did so as well. He had to admit, even though he didn't have a big prideful ego, was astonished by her craftiness. If Ur saw her now, she'd be impressed. He watched as Lisanna's body glow a bluish light, reverting to her main Tigress form before a golden light surrounded her body and revert to normal, placing her BO Staff to her back.
"You really have gotten stronger in the past two years." Gray admitted as he walked up to her, holding out a hand.
"You as well, Ur has been teaching you on her spare time from mission, S-Class duties, and Wizard Saint Duties as well." Lisanna replied, shaking his hand firmly.
"You'll make a fine S-Class wizard if you ask me," He said smiling kindly as Lisanna's cheeks rose up with a red blush.
"Stop, d-d-don't, you're embarrassing me Gray." She said shyly, blushing at his words of praise. "Anyway, I didn't mean to provoke you, I just wanted to test out my magic to you."
"Figured as much, you're not an aggressive person, even by Mirajane standards." he said jokingly as Lucy overheard them and walked up to them, completely horrified what the battle was really about.
Lucy's brown eyes were frozen with shock, "You-you-you weren't trying to fight Gray?" she asked stammering blankly.
Lisanna looked at her blonde haired friend and giggled to her, smiling at her with those cheery blue eyes of hers, "Of course, you honestly think I'm like that?" she asked her. Lucy's face turned a complete red before she stammer lamely to find words to say about that response. Gray saw that look on her face and chose to walk away and stand by Levy and Happy, just before Lucy began to pummel Lisanna on her head, her cheeks still red as she looked furiously at her.
"Don't embarrass me like that in front of our friends, you idiot. Idiot, idiot Lisanna, you idiot!" she shrieked, pummeling her head with each word being absolute.
"I'm sorry!" Lisanna screamed as Gray, Levy, and Happy watched with different feelings of the two.
"What's with them?" he questioned, looking to Levy and Happy.
"It's love!" the two said with a sigh in their voice.
"Oddest way to show love to me," he admitted, sweat dropping at the two companions. Still watching the two girls, Gray could agree they are still close even after Natsu's death. He figured they would be distant to one another since then. He wasn't much for romance, but he figured out both love Natsu, but Natsu was always focused on missions, looking for Igneel, or training. Natsu was the last guy he thought getting into a relationship. It wasn't bad or anything and it didn't make Natsu out to be a bad person. Gray could think of the worst thing to say to Natsu, but that would be wrong of him. Gray only watched the girls of Fairy Tail as Lucy's pummeling was getting slower and slower, her repeating pummeling stopping as Lisanna saw Lucy's face look exhausted, her face drained before collapsing into Lisanna's chest. Lisanna caught as the blonde Celestial Spirit Wizard muttered into her chest, "Idiot, Idiot…"
"Dummy, you're the idiot. You could have told us you were tired, now stop hitting me." She said calmly, feeling Lucy's face to her chest as she placed her hands to her shoulders and pushed her back lightly. She took a hand to her cheek as Lucy still frowned at her.
"You're still just an idiot."
"Yeah, but I am your idiot friend, right?" she replied with a smile before looking back to the others, "Let's find a place to sit, and then you can explain to us why you're out here, Gray."
"Sure." He replied with a shrug, turning from Lucy and Lisanna and walking way, followed by Happy and Levy who blinked for a moment, glad Lucy stop pummeling Lisanna over and over. Lisanna took hold of Lucy's wrist and the two followed after their friends, the blonde haired Heartfilia only looking at the cheery Strauss and chuckling to herself, thinking as they caught up. (A/N 5)
'Well, she's my idiot now, I suppose…' she thought with a light smile before following the others in the group to a cliff near the water so Happy could fish. Gray finally found the rest of his clothes, still wearing his plain white short-sleeve shirt and green pants along with brown shoes. The group plus Gray talk amongst themselves as Happy minds his own business. He had his back turned from the girls as Levy sat with Lucy and Lisanna, Lucy resting her head on Lisanna's lap while looking into the sky. Lucy casually took her right hand to her forehead looking to the sky.
"I was on my way back to the guild from a job and found this short cut through the woods. I also came to tell you that Erza is on her way back and we need to be back there to greet her. If we don't she will get really mad. We certainly don't want a mad Erza now do we?" he asked, looking to the girls and Happy
The three girls shake their heads no in sync. Levy had done her fair share to make her mad, an incident she's glad she didn't die of blood loss and Lucy and Lisanna, their names on Erza's 'list' has risen the past two years. Erza would have their heads for Hargeon; despite most of the damage was Lisanna. Lucy rose up, conveniently better and got up from the ground dusting off her clothes, looking nervous about Erza yelling at them.
"It would be a bad thing to make Erza mad." Lisanna said matter-of-factly seeing the panic in Lucy's eyes.
"So we better get going." Lucy stated grabbing her bag and straightening her vest.
"I don't want to be confronted by an angry Erza!" Levy exclaimed in fear thinking of all the things the armored Wizard could do if she was mad.
"Aye Sir! Let's hurry up and get back to Fairy Tail." Happy shouted frantically dropping his makeshift fishing rod
"Aspen wants to show you how she has improved," Gray said to Lucy and Lisanna as he looked toward the pair, "She thinks she can be of a much better help now. She wants to go on your next mission with you."
"That's nice, and Levy-chan, thanks for coming with us on our first team mission." Lucy said kindly looking to Gray and then to Levy.
"Don't mention it Lu-chan.," Levy said matter-of-factly to the blond. "That's what friends are for. Besides, Jet and Droy will be sad if you guys kept me to yourselves. They'll need me as their leader. But if you ever need some help, you know where to find me, right?" Lucy and Lisanna both nodded; glad to have such a loyal friend like Levy to ally with, even if her teammates are still in love with her after shooting them down.
Suddenly just as they were about to leave, an explosion caught the four mages and cat off guard as they were blindsided by it. Their faces were covered from the dust and, unable to see what happened. The dust finally cleared and the mages were now buried in sand, Lisanna the only one whose head was in the sand. Lucy and Lisanna cough out the sand from their mouths as Gray asked, "What now?" Gray asked before realizing someone was missing from the group. As the girls rose up quickly from the sand, they realized too.
"Happy!" Lucy, Levy, and Lisanna shouted as they see their son/friend vanish from their sight, unaware Happy was now no longer to be seen or in their area.
"Aye…" he said weakly, realizing the terrible situation he was placed in.
Happy found he was tied to a stick and was ready to be cook by a couple of mages, a small group of them. The first one was a big humanoid chicken with yellow skin, red hair and beard. He has beady eyes, a triangular mouth and no apparent nose and ears. He wore blue overalls with two lighter colored pockets in the rear and a pair of red shoes for footwear. The second were a pair of two twin males. The twins were completely identical with both of them having slightly long orange hair and black eyes. They wore identical dark red and white collared coats under of which is a black and khaki colored V-neck shirt. The two also wear a pair of dark blue trousers and brown shoes for footwear. The third was a tall slim man with black eyes and black hair that hangs on either side of his head, bordering his face. He wore a white shirt under a collared purple jumpsuit with metal shoulder and thigh guards. He also donned a pair of black boots for footwear. In his hand was a purple Lacrima crystal ball. The last one was a small humanoid troll with dark grayish skin and no hair. He bears the mark of his guild on the left side of his head, in between his pointed ears. He had two slits for a nose and usually wore a confident sneer. He wore a green shirt with a hood and a pair of red gloves. He wore brown trousers under a dark white quilt and a pair of black shoes for footwear. The twin Wizards mouths were watering, seeing Happy on a stick tied up like that. "We're finally going to get some real protein!" One of the twins said happily his mouth still watering.
"No berries for us tonight!" The second twin said in response to the other.
"Meat!" The chicken exclaimed with a squawk of his voice.
"Our future holds a feast." The fortune teller said peering into the crystal ball.
Happy is shaking while on the pole, terrified of the Wizards. They wanted to eat him; the young blue cat was going to be a meal to them.
"Wow look at the shaking." One twin said seeing Happy's trembling body. "Geez."
"Relax." The goblin said with a grin on his face. "You're gonna be in our bellies soon enough. So there's no need to be scared."
"Actually I'm not shaking like this because I'm scared," Happy said as he continued to shake causing the goblin to scoff, "I've gotta use the bathroom really bad."
The fortune teller sighed deeply staring at Happy. "Oh."
"I can't hold it much longer and I bet you it's going to make me taste weird." Happy said through his trembling to the group of thugs.
"Who cares?" The goblin asked rhetorically. "Now cook him."
"Meat!" The chicken said as a reddish orange magic circle appeared at the end of his staff causing it to ignite with red-orange flames like Natsu's and Lisanna's magic. Sweat poured from Happy's body, already wishing he went right now. It would save him the trouble.
"I will take mine Medium please." The Fortune Teller requested.
"Hey I'm serious it's going to make me taste funny! I just know it will!" Happy exclaimed in fear.
All of a sudden a female voice pierces the air. "Hold it right there!" as the starving Wizards look to see Gray, Lucy, Lisanna, and Levy on top of a cliff over them.
"Happy!" Lisanna and Levy shouted out to the cat about to be barbecued.
"Thank goodness, now I'm not going to taste weird." Happy said in relief.
"Pipe Down!" The Goblin said as Lisanna cracked her knuckles.
"What do you think you are doing trying to roast our son you idiots?" Lisanna inquired angrily pointing her finger at them.
"Lisanna Mama, Lucy Mama!" Happy cheered, happy to see them, Gray, and Levy come to save him.
"Lisanna Mama, Lucy Mama?" The thugs asked, looking to one another at what the two female wizards had said.
"You guys Wizards? What guild are you from?" Gray asked in a serious tone wondering what group of Wizards was doing in the forest. The grey skinned goblin smirked at Gray's question, not at all worried about them.
"None of your business, Get them!" sneered the gray skinned Wizard and ordered to his men. The hungry Wizards left the gray skinned mage's sides and went to fight the four Wizards, jumping their way to him. Lisanna pulled back and look to her comrades, her usual smile now a serious frown, balling her two fists together.
"Levy, Gray, Lucy, let's do this." She said looking to the three.
"Right," Lucy nodded, her right hand glowing golden-yellow with her Star make magic, "To save Happy, I'll protect him, even if I pass out!"
"Then don't go messing up." Gray said with slight taunt in his voice. Lucy nodded to the raven haired Ice Make Wizard, smiling at him as he smiled back. The two and Lisanna leaped from the cliff with Levy holding onto Lisanna's back. Gray and Lucy dodged the two twins as Lisanna and Levy dodged the yellow chicken while still airborne with their comrades. From below them on the ground, the gray skinned goblin Wizard then slammed his fist to the ground as a yellow magic circle appeared from underneath his feet. "Take this, Sand Bomb!" he exclaimed.
Sand picked up around the gray skinned Wizard as both Lisanna and Levy couldn't stop themselves in time as they saw the sand. Without a chance to even counter, they were then trap inside a large sand ball floating in the air. Lucy gasped, seeing her two friends caught in the sand her feet finally hitting the ground.
"Lisanna, Levy-chan!" she shouted before as Gray looked at her.
"They'll be fine; you just hurry to free Happy." Gray ordered quickly to her, looking to the Celestial Spirit/Star Make Wizard before looking back. Lucy was hesitant, she wanted to save her two friends, but Gray was right. Happy was more important than worrying about Lisanna and Levy.
"Okay, just be careful!" she replied back before running to Happy's direction, following Gray to where the other Wizards were and where Happy was to save him. The twin Wizards then dived down to attack Gray with small swords in hand, but Gray leaped up from the ground to punch and kick the two mages out of the air as they fell, dropping their weapons. At the same time, Lucy was untying the ropes the bound Happy to the stick. Happy was terrified looking to her, worried he'll have the same fate as what the Wizards would do to him.
"Please Lucy; don't try to eat me too!" Happy screamed as he squirmed in his bounds.
"Happy, I'm not going to eat you." Lucy assured him keeping her calm to him, "Just stop moving so I can get you off this pit." before looking up to see a looming figure over her head. She looked up and gasped to see the yellow overall wearing chicken over her and Happy, holding the flame lit staff in his hands.
"Meat!" he cried as he tried to attack them. Lucy without thinking conjured her Starlight Katana guarding herself and Happy. Sparks flew from the two weapons, Lucy grunting as she pushed the Chicken back. She swung her blade as the chicken dodged each swing, saying with every swing she mustered, "I like chicken as much as the next girl, but I never thought in a million years that I would be fighting one!" as Gray came and kicked the chicken away with a right kick of his leg, sending the large humanoid chicken Wizard flying away. Landing to his feet, Gray looked to Lucy who looked relieved that the Chicken was gone. She turned back to Happy and cut his bonds with her Katana, Happy then jumping happily that he was freed.
"Thank you Lucy mama!" Happy cheered as Lucy stood with Gray, remembering there was one more Wizard left besides the one that trapped Lisanna and Levy in the Sand Bomb. She held the Katana in her right hand and kept to the side of Gray, Gray looking to the direction of the last wizard.
"Next." he said, looking at the last Wizard. Last standing was the Crystal ball holding Wizard, who Gray and Lucy thought was charging up an attack, ready to see what he had to offer, hoping for more of a challenge than the others. But he stopped, his crystal ball stop glowing too as he said speaking directly at Gray and Lucy, puzzling them, "You will see the person you wanted to see. I see trouble with women, fire, and water in your future."
"A Fortuneteller." they asked, both annoyed and confused, but roared in anger dashing forward at him, "You're obnoxious!" and then punched and slashed the fortuneteller out with one mighty punch and swing, sending him flying away. Lucy looked to Gray as they sent the raven haired male flying surprised on how much stronger Gray has gotten since first meeting him seven years ago.
'Even without using his magic… He's gotten stronger these past years…' she thought before realizing something, "What happened to your clothes?!"
"Ahh!" Gray screamed, looking down to see he was stripped to his blue boxers again. Lucy merely sighed, even in a time like this.
The Goblin like Wizard (who took his eyes off the Sand Bomb he placed up, the bomb still whirling in the air) to see his fellow Wizards defeated, defeated easily but a boy in his underwear and a blonde girl with an odd Katana. Who were these kids anyway?
"Who are these guys?" he asked in disbelief.
Behind him, the Sand Bomb exploded and Levy and Lisanna had escaped. They drop back to the ground to face the gray skinned Wizard, both really angry. Lisanna was back in her Ice Tigress Soul as the Wizard exclaimed in shock seeing them. Their clothes were covered in sand and dirt, Lisanna brushing off the sand from her dress. Levy's vest and exposed top was covered in sand, her blue hair covered with small specks of sand.
"Aww, crap!"
"Now you've done it, you're really making me mad." She said, pulling her BO Staff from her back as she channeled magic all over her body, "first you try to eat my son, and then you trap me and Levy in sand." She closed her eyes before dashing towards the goblin. "I'll show you what happens when you mess with us!"
As Lisanna came his way, The Goblin Wizard conjured sand formed around Lisanna, trying to trap her feet, but the sand froze in place from Lisanna's feet, the pieces of sand forming ice crystals before falling to the ground. The Goblin Wizard grasped, this girl froze his sand without even touching it, what was she? Lisanna's BO Staff slowly crystalized into blue ice, forming a clear coat around the weapon. Without a second to retreat, Lisanna launched the goblin into the air with the end of her of staff, the swing forming a frozen arch. The Goblin was spinning around in the air as he was then over the forest clearing. Lisanna leaped on after him, the two now airborne as the Goblin was still spinning. Lisanna swung at the Goblin with the ice coated Bo Staff, striking with each word, "No one makes a meal of my son in front of me!" before finally stopping, the light mist forming over the Goblin's body. His forearms began to freeze up to until the ice was near his torso as he looked into the blue eyes of the cat looking, gown wearing Wizard. She twirled the Bo Staff over head as a light magic circle appeared it. From the ground, Levy crossed for arms as a magic circle appeared from below her feet as she called out, "I'll help you, Solid Script: Fire!" and the word fire appeared in front of Levy in blazing orange letters before flying at Lisanna like a fire ball. The Fire ball then collided with Lisanna's blue magic circle, turning the blue circle into a mixture of orange and blue,
"W-What is she doing?" the Goblin asked in fear.
"Fire and Ice, opposites of night and day, come to me and defeat my enemy!" she chanted, the magic circle vanishing and both ends of the staff was glowing orange and blue as she continued to twirl it. The two elements formed a new magic, this time now a fusion of the two elements again before sparks of flame and ice came flying out the magic circle before arching down to the Goblin, "This is the end, Ice Tigress: Flame Ice Rain Shower!" and the many sparks came raining down on the Goblin, thrusting him down to the ground with a huge explosion, covering the area with thick smoke. When the smoke cleared, all of the hungry Wizards were tied to a tree with Gray and Lisanna standing by next to one another with their backs turned, Gray smiling at the young Takeover/Element Empowerment Wizard.
"Flame Ice Rain Shower, is that your own creation?" he asked, folding his arms.
"Yup, what you think?" Lisanna replied in a much more chipper mood than when the Wizards were trying to eat Happy.
Gray placed a hand to her white/blue hair, ruffling it like a little child, "You'll give Natsu a run for his money."
"I'll take that as a compliment." She giggled crossing her arms and facing the thugs who attacked them, tried to eat Happy, and seem to be from a guild. Lucy and Levy were the nearest, Lisanna speaking up loud enough for them to hear her, despite being all beaten up.
"Now," she scolded the thugs crossing her arms, "mind telling us what that was all about?"
"Come on, inquiring minds would like to know," Lucy said, not trying to show the fatigue she had from the most recent battle, as she too chimed in.
"Why did you try and eat Happy?" Levy asked of the thugs pointing her hand at them. "What guild are you from?"
The Celestial Spirit/Star Make Wizard kneeled down to the goblin when she heard something being muttered from him. It was hard to hear, since his voice was weak, but she still could understand him.
"…Lulla…" he muttered weakly.
"What, 'Lulla'?" Lucy asked confused.
"Lulla… by… is…" he added weakly so Lucy and Levy could hear him. This got Gray and Lisanna's attention, their ears burning red with interest.
"Huh?" Levy asked in confusion.
"Lullaby?" asked Gray and Lisanna.
But before the gray skinned Wizard could continue, a shadow came rushing to the tree the Wizards were tied up on. Happy quickly pushed Gray and Lisanna out of the way where the shadow was going. Like a hand reaching out for someone to grab and take away, the shadow took the Wizards as they screamed for mercy and part of the tree went along with it into the earth. The four Wizards and Happy gasped, seeing what they saw before their very eyes. It was like something out of a Movie Lacrima, nothing they've ever seen before in their years of magic.
"What was that?!" Lucy gasped looking around with Levy.
"Who's there?!" Lisanna yelled out with Gray looking around too.
"I already can't sense them anymore. Whoever it is, they're fast." Gray added, not knowing an unknown Wizard was leaving the scene by jumping through the trees.
Everyone got back on their feet, still confused at what just happened. First they were attacked, then one of them muttered something, and now the Wizards they tied up were gone. This day just got odder and odder for Team Lucy, Gray, and Levy. If Erza coming back wasn't bad enough, they had another problem on their hands now.
"Damn! I don't know what's going on!" Lisanna said crossing her arms with a groan.
"Lullaby?" Lucy repeated, hand to her chin, before kneeling to the ground panting.
"Are you okay, Lu-chan?" Levy asked, helping her up off the ground. Lucy continued to pant, still haven't recovered from her fight with Everlue.
"I'm sorry, Looks like I haven't fully regain my strength yet from yesterday, summoning that one weapon and fighting that chicken wasn't helping me." she said before almost dropping to her knees. Levy caught her before she fell, taking her left and swung over her shoulders.
"Let's get home quickly, I need to rest too." Lisanna said before her body was surrounded by blue and then gold light, exiting both her Takeover forms before kneeling to the ground as well. Gray grabbed her shoulder, and swung it over too.
"You as well, we should hurry back. Erza is due home, we best beat her there." Gray said to the team and Levy.
"Okay!" Levy with Happy chiming in, "Aye!"
With a nod of agreement, Team Lucy, Levy, and Gray made their walk back to magnolia, carrying the tired leaders on their shoulders. While they walked, many questions buzzed through their heads: Who were those Wizards, why out in the forest, who took them, and what was Lullaby. No matter what, it felt like trouble would surely follow Lucy as she raised her head up to look at the dusty road, Levy still carrying her with Happy on Levy's head. While still looking fatigue and her face screwed into thought, one thing was on her mind as she made her way home, awaiting Erza's return and trouble she was going to get when they got back.
Lullaby, what is it? Something tells me, it's no song….
Deep in an unknown city, the citizens of this fair city look on in amazement as a young scarlet haired woman in armor traverses the streets carrying a giant horn above her head. Her expression serious, the scarlet young woman was returning to her destination: Fairy Tail.
A completed first request sends the young fairies home, as a new threat was just around the horizon. Danger awaits Lisanna, Lucy, Happy, and Gray as one mysterious word echoes in their minds: Lullaby?
The end of the Daybreak Arc...
To Be Continued In...
new arcs, with old/new friends joining the ride, fierce battles, and new relationship is born just before your very eyes...the Lullaby Arc.
Next Time:
Erza Scarlet returns to the Fairy Tail guild and is looking for Lucy, Lisanna, and Gray. She wishes to take them on a mission with her. Something about stopping a Dark Guild from casting some sort of death magic on the Guild Master Conference in Clover. Will the Clover Meeting Hall survive the upcoming battle between Fairy Tail and Eisenwald? What is this dangerous threat that connects this to the recent four's attack but several dark Wizards?
Next time on Starry Heavens: Bonds of Friendship, Magic & Love - Episode 006: Erza's Return! New Faces Both Light and Dark!
Coming soon...
The next chapter will cover the following episode:
Episode 005: The Wizard in Armor
Author's Note:
I had to go back and redo this entire chapter, I know there are still flaws in it, but hopefully this version makes a lot more sense than the other one did. I realized that when I first wrote this story, I made Lucy and Lisanna overpowered, they are not prodigies or anything like that. They are normal people, with magic powers albeit, but they are flawed and can't go all out like Natsu tends to somehow be able to do all the time. I hope this version is better than the original version.
To my many reviewers, I thank you for all the support I get from you, but the problem is, all you say is good job and can't wait until the next chapter. That's not going to help me make this story better, it makes me think you don't actually like my story. It shouldn't have taken my Beta Reader to tell me that Lucy and Lisanna were overpowered to let me know they were overpowered. I've re-written this chapter at least twice because I realized that they were overpowered, but there were still some places where they were overpowered. I'm sure you reviewers noticed they were overpowered but decided not to say anything for whatever reason. The only way I can get better is if you tell me what I am doing wrong and what I can do to make it better. Thanks again for all of the support.
I took this chapter down along with the others because I had to make some adjustments to various chapters. I couldn't very well keep this chapter up when all the others before and after it were taken down. People would read it and have no idea what was going on. I was going to add a bit more to this chapter, but I decided against it. I just corrected a few errors. I will catch you on the flip side as Starry Heavens: Bonds of Friendship, Magic & Love continues. Peace!
~AshK1980
Author's Note from the Beta Reader, you know the drill:
#1 The Everlue encounter before Lisanna turns up took a while to do, mostly with adding more detail so it doesn't look like a script and changing a few things around with the characters, mostly with Lucy, Lisanna, and I guess Levy as well's relationship with Happy. I know we are following the story of the anime, but I think like the recent chapters, Happy, Lucy, and Lisanna should have a better relationship with one another than just a copy of what happens in the series. They should be a little respectful to Happy, only have to tell him from right from wrong.
#2 I'm not kidding, people have not only mess with Lucy, but her spirits too. I swear I saw a story where Lucy's spirits are as evil she was, and Aries had poison wool. So basically, if Lucy wasn't bad enough, her spirits are effected too.
#3 Lucy is holding both her whip and katana in her hands, and the move she did is based on Sora's Wind Raid from Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories and the original Chain of Memories as well. Since I had to change the fight to Lucy isn't overpowered with her new magic, but showed that while she does tired out, she can hold her own. I don't think she's stronger than Lisanna, who is the main along with Lucy, and in the case of the story the 'Natsu'. And I think this one of few stories where Lucy has a deeper past with her spirits. Not sure if having Layla have all the keys before Lucy was born will one day come back to haunt us, but I'll ask around about it. I don't think it automatically makes Lucy this powerful Wizard from default, Lucy doesn't get all the keys in this or canon. I think I'm handling the secondary magic better than Ash is doing, but that just because I get balance. Plus dealing with fans and how they feel with a series in general. Lastly, how Lucy gains Virgo is new from Ash, I don't think it's in the other retelling, but if it is, I'll change it back to canon.
#4 Just a quick note that Lucy still did a lot in this arc despite not fighting as much, she's still a main character. Also, changed how the girls and Happy encountered Gray, having Lisanna just jump into the bushes and find Gray, no random Star Make, just a simple brawl before the 'battle'.
#5 Yes, Lisanna isn't completely like Natsu, she can control her anger until she does boil over. Plus, has a more joking side to her, only wanting to humor someone, better than doing nothing. So Lisanna isn't stronger than Gray, I get to it when I get to the next point.
#6 The battle in the original of this chapter was a bit overpowered on Lisanna and Lucy part, Lisanna able to freeze Gray. Yes, the most minor character in the series beats Gray… Yeah, they won't help her cause, despite people (by people I mean the ones who complained she came back or people who turn her worse than the characters they complained about) already hating her. We don't want the wrong idea people like this story, this isn't an 'Oh my god, Lucy and Lisanna are so much badass than in the trollish story by Hiro Troolsima' story, this is to show them having Character Development, having some improvement (Lisanna showing it this arc, Lucy later on), having their character arcs about Natsu, S-Class, and themselves, all of that we want to project in this story. While my friend is doing the best he can; I have to make sure this story isn't treated like the rest. Rant aside, I designed Ice Tigress, all of her Element Tigress forms will have different outfits and appear to make each stand out and feel unique, it isn't a pallet swap like before, it's didn't appearance to match her new element. And this continues to the Wizard fight, like before, Bit overpowered with Lucy and Lisanna doing more than Gray, not supporting him. The battle didn't even start right, it was just "Lucy talking and then used Star Make". Sorry, I already got annoyed with another Fairy Tail fic, three of them that did that, no just no. If anyone wants to do Fairy Tail battles, you have to cue them properly. Set the suspense, the emotion, the gearing up; don't make it feel script like. Also, around four or three elements were used in this, I kept it at two Lisanna learned: Fire and Ice. Lisanna will learn the others as the story progresses.