Wishfull-star: Thanks!
WinterRose61: It goes all the way to the end of the last season! Doesn't touch the 100 year quest, which I haven't read anyways. Not everything is the same, of course. I change quite a few things, but it still is taking place in the FT timeline. And it is long! 135,000 words and 31 chapters, all finished and ready to be posted. I hope you stick around for the long haul.
More shenanigans in this chapter. Ace loses his patience with a certain other fire wizard. Enjoy~
Ace looked at the poster on the wall. It was asking for a tall, fit man to do some work for them. Posted by a family of women. Seemed fine. Must be something heavy lifting, since it mentioned no magic or anything. He could do that, and not set something on fire. He still had no backpack or anything to bring, as it was only the day after the failed trip the find Igneel based on flimsy testimony.
But he was going on this job himself, planning to leave before Natsu came over. He didn't want anyone to come on the job with him. Not for his very first one. He didn't know how long he'd be staying at Fairy Tail, but knew he had no reason to leave anytime soon. So he alerted Mira that he was going on a job. When she looked at the poster, she smiled and said she thought Ace would do well on it. He smiled back, and left, having a small bag with some maps in it. And an encyclopedia if he needed to know anything.
The job was actually in town, so it kind of felt like it wasn't really a job, as he wasn't leaving the city. Though money was money and a job was a job. This just made it easier to go to and less likely to get lost. When he entered the building, he saw it was like a professional type of building. Was it really a family of women who put the flyer on the board?
"Hello?" he called hesitantly. A young woman with black, short hair came out form another room, and asked if she could help him with something. She eyed him up from down. "Yeah, I'm from Fairy Tail and came for a job. This poster was posted," he said, holding up the paper. "Is there any heavy lifting I can do?"
"Actually, we're a modeling agency! We're looking for wizard models. Similar to the ones Sorcerer's Weekly does, but for men." Ace raised his brows, and asked why she didn't put that on the board. She could have gotten someone completely unattractive that way. "Well, it worked out fine, didn't it? Come inside, come inside."
Ace was unsure of whether he should do this before he looked around the place and saw it was kind of rundown. Like they didn't have a lot of business. He felt bad for them. There were photos of photoshoots they'd done on the walls, but they were all women, and based on the place, it didn't seem they caught on, even if the women were pretty.
Maybe that's why they were asking for men, now. Ace sighed and agreed to help them out. He had flashy magic that could be used to look enchanting. As long as he didn't go out of control. But he wouldn't. He knew he wouldn't, no matter what. He didn't want to be a member of Fairy Tail that broke more than he fixed. Leaving messes… ugh, no way.
When he followed the young women into the other room, he saw there were already places for photoshoots to be taken. He wondered why Mira didn't just take a photo of him for the lost and found signs. Though they didn't end up getting posted. They seemed to have just forgotten. Ace didn't feel he came from here. It was a gut feeling, so he wasn't feeling he lost anything too bad.
"I don't have permission from my guild Master to advertise my guild mark. Is it okay if I hide it?" Ace asked. They were more than fine with him hiding it.
"It'll also give you some privacy in the matter," the oldest said. He could believe this was run by a family, now. "Now, take off your shirt." Ace was wearing shorts, and had woke up here shirtless. Maybe that's how he always was. Ace took his his shirt and was glad he was not instructed to take the rest off.
He was asked what his magic was. "My body is made of fire, it seems." They looked curious about the "it seems" part, but didn't ask. She asked if he could show it. Ace sprouted flames on his shoulders. "I can't really use it for attacking yet, but it works just fine like this." He changed his hand into fire and then back into his hand.
Looking up, he saw the women were crying. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked in worry.
"Please be our model! You're perfect!" Ace flushed at that, and asked what they meant. "You look wonderful and your magic is aesthetic!" Ace felt bad for how desperate they were, and agreed to model this time. They had other attractive men at their guild. Though he couldn't see Natsu being a model. Maybe Gray would agree.
They thanked him profusely, and Ace was glad he could help. He got a fabric wristband to put over his mark, and got to modeling. The poses weren't completely inappropriate. He wasn't made to look very sexual, but he did have to make certain faces. It was all shirtless, and he had part of him on fire through nearly all of it.
They had him sit on a stool, bent over a bit and looking at his flaming fingers in front of his face with a distant expression. They kept saying he was doing great at it. By the end, he was given a watermelon drink, and was given a large tip. He would usually receive the money for a completed job from the guild, just so the clients couldn't have them do a job and then restrict their pay.
But he appreciated the tip. He wondered if the photos would be that popular. When he got back to the guild, he got the smallish pay, and looked at his money with bright eyes. He had his shirt back on. "How'd it go?" Mira asked with a giggle. Ace accused her of knowing what the job entailed. "I did. I didn't want to spoil it. I modeled for them before being switched to Sorcerer's Weekly. They're nice people, but can't pay much." Sorcerer's Weekly was a magazine showcasing wizards, male and female.
Ace wondered why they wanted to switch to men. At least one man, since he was their first male model. "Maybe they know they can't beat Sorcerer's Weekly." Ace informed her that he hid his guild mark since he wasn't sure if it was allowed to be advertised yet. She raised her brows at his thoughtful preparation. He just didn't want to get in trouble. Nobody but Natsu, Lucy and Happy knew he said he probably used to be a thief, at least a kleptomaniac.
"Now, I'm going to go and try to find a place to live," he announced. She told him that newspapers had information about housing available for rent. He got the newspaper, and began to house hunt. Something in the low price range. He found a few places with others already living there. He'd be fine with a good roommate, but living alone would also be nice.
The first place he looked at, with two bedrooms and only one other roommate, he knocked on the door, and it was opened by a man with a fancy haircut, a pompadour. "Hi, I'm here to ask about being a roommate," Ace said. "I'm Ace," he added. The man looked a bit skeptical before he saw Ace's guild mark. "I do have money, I'll go on jobs. I got tricked into being a male model kind of so hopefully that was worth it in the end. Well, anyways, I do have a source of income."
He understood a grown man might not want a teenager as a roommate, but he was let inside. It was much smaller on the inside than he thought. But there were two bathrooms and each would have a bedroom. That was enough. The kitchen and living room was shared, of course. But it was nice and it was cheap. He just wanted the guy to be a nice man.
"My name is Thatch," he said, and brought over some cookies whose smell made Ace drool. He put them on the able, and Ace took one instantly. It was crunchy but the chocolate was soft.
"Oh my god," Ace moaned. "They're perfect," he said, and ate another one. "Are you a professional?"
"Indeed! I'm a chef at one of the most popular restaurants in Magnolia. Of course I could afford this place by myself, but I don't want to be lonely. You'll go on jobs over night, though, right?" Ace nodded. But he'd always return back here. "We can eat dinner together." The teen smiled, and said he'd do that as often as possible. Especially if he was cooking. "Of course! So, what kind of guy are you? What should I know? If you are my roommate."
Ace decided to be honest, and told him he didn't remember anything past a few days ago. "Whoa, that's weird." Ace agreed. "And you were found wet with sea water? In the middle of the town?" Ace nodded, and ate some more cookies. They were fantastic. The guild had some desert items he'd tried, but these cookies were better than all of them.
"Do you know anything about your family?" Thatch asked, sounding sad about this. Ace said all he knew was that he had a brother or more that died, yet he couldn't remember their names or faces.
"I guess that qualifies me as being a bad brother, huh?" Ace mused, though his voice had a tinge of sadness in it. Thatch's face fell drastically, and he apologized for him. He admitted he'd had 14 other brothers. But all of them had died but three others. Ace gasped, and felt so sorry for him.
Thatch said, "It happened a very long time ago. Now all that's left are me, Marco, Izo and Haruta. Everyone else and our dad is gone." Ace apologized for his terrible loss. "At least I have three still living. I'm the oldest. I sort of helped raise Marco and Haruta with Izo. None of them live in this city, but Marco is a wizard, too!"
"Cool! Does he work at a guild?" Thatch nodded, and said that Marco worked at Blue Pegasus. "I heard of that guild before!" Ace asid, glad to know something like that. The older man said Marco had problems with the guild, but they were his second family in the end. "What's wrong there?"
"He said there are some really annoying guys in it and doesn't like the way he was treated," Thatch said.
"Well, there are annoying people in Fairy Tail, too. But they seem good natured, that's all that matters. I'm a patient guy. I think - so far I have been," Ace explained. "So, can I stay here?" Thatch grinned and welcomed him. "Yes!" Ace cheered, glad to find a nice place to live. And even the first one he came to! He was lead to the room that would be his, and found it was already furnished. There was a bed and dresser, which was good, since he had nothing.
He'd go clothes shopping now that he had somewhere to put them. He paid Thatch the rent money up front, and had enough for some clothes. "By the way, I'll be doing the cooking." Ace said he'd do the cleaning, he was a neat freak. "Great! That's way better than the opposite." The teen nodded and grinned. He was happy, things were looking up! He really was lucky.
-x-
When Ace walked into the guild the next day, he made a beeline to the job board. Natsu was there, and pointed at Ace and started to laugh. "What?" Ace asked in annoyance and confusion. Happy was laughing too and brought over a magazine. He opened it and saw it read "Wizard's Monthly".
Seemed like a complete rip off of the title of the magazine Mira had worked with. Ace opened it and saw the majority of the pages were just photos of him. Embarrassing photos, but he knew what he was doing when he accepted it. And he was paid for it. But he took the magazine and lit it on fire until it turned to ash.
"Puhuhuhu!" Happy giggled.
"At least I got a job done where I didn't destroy something," Ace replied smoothly. Macao laughed at the truth in his words, and Natsu scowled.
"I don't break everything when I'm on jobs! And I always complete them!" Ace smirked. "What?"
"I got a good idea. If we go on jobs together, then the one of us who does the most work is the one that gets more of the money. And we'll ask the employer for their opinion on it. That way, if you don't destroy something, we'll get paid even. I'm not doing all the work only to not get the fair amount of money.
"AND! If you get us without any money, you need to give me the amount you lost me," Ace set the terms. Natsu looked determined, but Happy seemed hesitant over it. But at least the rent at his new place was cheap and he didn't need to pay for the food since Thatch insisted on buying the best, most expensive ingredients.
He had honestly said he would adopt Ace as his little brother. Ace hadn't been upset about it, since Thatch was nice. He probably wouldn't see the guy as a brother, but a friend, despite the age gap. He was thirty years old, while Ace was seventeen. But he was responsible and wouldn't be a bad roommate, he was sure of that. Wouldn't make messes or be a loud bother.
Happy said, "Then we'd lose all our money!"
"Happy! I do a great job on jobs! Even Gramps says so!"
"He's only lenient and doesn't care when you break shit. It doesn't mean you did a good job!"
"Macao, shut up! We're not talking to you! Fine, Ace, I accept your terms! I'll earn more money than you do, just you wait. If you lose, then you fight me!" Ace grinned, and told him to bring it on. Happy said he shouldn't ruin his pretty face for his new fetish. Ace flushed and lit his hand on fire threateningly, even if he'd never actually attack him with it.
Ace looked at the flyer for their new job, and saw it had to have a woman with them. Neither could pass as women even if they tried. He was about to ask when Happy came back with an excited Lucy. "Lucy! We have a job that will be perfect for you to come with!" Natsu said brightly.
"Really?! Where I can finally shine!" Ace felt sorry for her. Natsu nodded, but held up the poster. She read it, her face turning sour. "This just because I'm a blonde woman!" Natsu grinned and nodded.
"Don't worry, Ace's first job had to do with his looks, too!" Happy pointed out. "And he found a place to live with that! You're still looking, right?" Lucy sighed, and reluctantly agreed. Ace tried to not get bothered by the endless teasing he'd be getting for being a model for a magazine. He'd never say it, but he thought he looked pretty good in them. They had him do flattering poses.
He kept in a laugh to himself about it as they made their way in the opposite side of the train station. They would be renting a horse drawn carriage. Ace had never been in one, and wished he could lead the horses, but there was a professional doing that. So he sat in the carriage by the window. He mostly looked out of it before he fell asleep the whole way there. That looked like it was going to be a pattern. First on the train and now this, too. Maybe while it made Natsu sick, it made Ace sleepy.
When he woke up, they were there, and Happy told him Lucy said she was taking 70% of the reward. "Oh, hell no. I need rent money too, you know," Ace said firmly. She countered that she'd be doing most of the work. "I'll be your handler or something." Lucy didn't like the wording, but Ace didn't get it. Happy just laughed at them.
"I want money, too! I'm the one that chose the job, aren't I?!" Natsu said. They got in a stalemate, stopping walking.
"We each get a third. Unless one of us destroys the place, then they get one fourth," Ace suggested. Lucy said that sounded fair, and they both gave Natsu a look, and he didn't like this, but agreed and insisted he wasn't going to destroy anything. "We'll see soon enough."
Natsu pouted. "You think so badly of me already!"
"You tricked me into a 'job' that had no reward, ditched me twice and then got us chased by the army. My experience with you out in public hasn't been the best so far," Ace replied bluntly. Happy giggled and Natsu said nothing, having nothing to say it seemed. Happy commented on Ace's backpack, and he grinned.
"I have my own belongings. Clothes and a blanket and bottle of water and everything," he bragged. Lucy smiled at it, seeming amused. "The bag was cheap, and Thatch gave me the nice water bottle." Lucy asked how his roommate actually was. "He's really nice. He's a professional chef, so he'll be doing all the cooking. He's older, and said he would adopt me as his brother. Seems really nice."
Natsu said he sounded creepy, and Lucy had to agree. "Thatch is not creepy! He's just easily excited and good hearted. If you meet him, you'll see just fine." They stopped at a hotel, despite Ace having prepared himself with a blanket. "Can you even afford a hotel?" Ace asked bluntly. Lucy turned to him with a look on her face suggesting she expected them to pay. Ace didn't want to stay outside or anything, but he also didn't want to pay for a hotel.
They all just stared at each other before decided who paid the most with rock paper scissors. Lucy lost, and had to pay for the room with her barely there money. They all seemed to not be very understanding when it came to money, but it looked as if they were all stingy. But Ace needed to live responsibly and not offering money to others when he didn't want to was normal.
They went to the hotel, and Lucy made a fuss over all having to share a bed. She had to share with one of them because they didn't want to sleep on the floor, either. "Didn't both you bring blankets?" she asked.
"Doesn't mean I'd sleep on the floor when there's a bed right in front of me," Ace replied honestly. "I want to sleep on a bed. They're awesome. You gotta share with one of us," Ace said, putting his things down. She said she could share with Happy and Natsu and Ace could share a bed. "No, I bet this guy farts in his sleep a lot," Ace replied. "You share with one of us."
Natsu whispered to Happy how Ace knew that. Ace laughed loudly at it. Lucy finally said she'd share with Ace. "But he was a male model. Mostly for women, you know," Happy commented unhelpfully. "And he flirts with everyone he meets." Ace said he didn't flirt. He talked and got along well with the girls because he was nice. "Flirting~"
Ace was worried, and turned to ask Lucy if she thought he flirted with everyone. "Ignore them. Getting along with women is separate from flirting. That's a narrow view, you two," she chastised. Natsu huffed and said he wasn't sharing with Lucy, she already chose Ace, no take backs. They would get the bigger bed then.
"I'll use my blanket, you can use the hotel's," he offered. "Sleeping under the covers together would be weird," Ace added. She nodded, fine with this. Lucy said she wanted to go look around town, so the boys went and got some food. Ace was polite in most things, but eating was not one of them. He stuffed his face at a rapid pace like Natsu, only he did it more neatly. Not making a mess.
Natsu was just obnoxious and got food everywhere. "Dude! Stop throwing food everywhere!" Ace said in annoyance. Natsu talked with his mouth full and sprayed food all over Ace, who was very annoyed. Significantly. He ate his food and dumped his glass of water on Natsu. And he left. He heard the raging wet dragon slayer, but got away before he fond the blow out. But he'd left enough money for his own share. He found a fountain and washed his face full of spit and bits of food in the water. He also had stains on his shirt. He sighed, and took it off and try and scrub the stain out in the water, but it was ketchup, so it didn't come off.
His shirt in the bag was a sleep shirt, and was across town. Looking in his wallet, he decided he could spare a few bills and went and got an open vest like Natsu's, only it was orange and had short sleeves. So less a vest and more like an open shirt. It was meant to be worn open since there were no buttons.
He walked out, his old shirt in the trash, and saw Lucy walking round in a maid's costume. "Uh, what are you wearing?" Ace asked from behind. She turned around and "acted cute" and posed.
"What do you think?" she asked with a wink.
"Looks… itchy," Ace replied. "I'm pretty sure they were joking about the maid thing, too. Hope you didn't spend too much on that." She gasped, and got angry, but had apparently already taken her clothes back to the hotel. "Well, we can go now, I think. Natsu's probably calmed down by now. I dumped water on him because he spit all over me," he explained when she looked confused.
"Gross." Ace agreed. They walked around and found Natsu and Happy, and said they were ready to go. "Lucy thought you were serious about the maid thing. Oh well, let's go." Happy laughed at Lucy, who looked embarrassed. Ace felt bad for her. After all, he was mocked on his first mission with Natsu. Even if it wasn't a job.
Ace fell back to walk next to her. "Don't feel bad. I think they both think it's funny to make people feel like shit. But I don't think they mean it to come across that way. They're just stupid. Besides, maybe someone we talk to will be into costumes and stuff." Lucy nodded, and thanked him, a small smile on, though it was one of relief.
Looking back to the front, Ace saw both Natsu and Happy had their heads down, slumped, as they walked. "If you feel bad, then do your best to not make fun of others anymore," Ace said simply. They both nodded, but were still droopy. The walk was quiet, and Ace kept touching his head. Or the empty space above his head. When asked what he was doing, Ace said, "I think I used to wear a hat, before I forgot everything. It feels wrong to not have one, but I can't find one that would actually work for me."
"Maybe Erza has some hats for you!" Happy offered. Ace shrugged, not thinking that would work. When they came across the mansion, it was quite large and Ace whistled. He warned Natsu to not fuck it up. He made a shoo motion to Ace and they walked inside, and to the living area on a huge couch in front of a very proper dressed man and his wife.
Ace couldn't hep but look around at the place. It sure was empty from what he could see at the couch. He introduced himself as Kaby Melon. Interesting name. "I never expected a big guild like Fairy Tail to take up the offer!" Natsu grinned, and Ace asked what they had to do. He also gave their names. "I've heard of Natsu the Salamander!"
"I guess we're just nobodies at the moment," Ace said quietly to Lucy, who nodded in agreement. The job was explained, that they had to steal and destroy a book named Daybreak. And the price was no longer 200,000 jewel, but two million! They were shocked, and Ace firmly wanted Natsu to not screw this up.
"Good sir, if we do a great job and he doesn't, may you split the pay to only pay us?" Lucy asked sweetly. He said he'd pay them all the lump sum. "I see…" Lucy moped. Happy told them their attitude made them all look incompetant. And that was true, Ace hadn't thought about it. But they got the location to break in and get rid of the book.
Natsu said they could burn down the mansion and that would make it easier to make sure the book was destroyed. Ace pinched the bridge of his nose like an old man, but Lucy was the one to scold him. The Master didn't do a good job reprimanding his guild members for wrecking things. Ace hadn't heard that much of an issue made by the old man about Natsu wrecking the yacht and port along with it.
"Why do you want to pay so much for this book?" Lucy asked. Kaby explained he wanted it destroyed that much. "I can't allow that book to exist." He seemed closed off and sad now, but they were ready to go, and the four of them headed to a few neighborhoods away to another mansion.
"Go offer yourself as the maid," Natsu said, he and Ace hiding behind trees to watch. Lucy was determined to seduce the man into letting her inside. Then she'd let them inside and they'd search and destroy the book.
"Excuse me! I'm looking to work as a maid!" he called, and Ace wondered how someone would hear her, but she clearly was when a massive woman dressed in a maid outfit that did not fit right came out of the ground with an explosion. Ace stayed silent in interest. The large woman was intimidating to Lucy, and asked if she wanted to be a maid.
Lucy was sweating, but kept smiling, and said she'd love to work for Master Everlue. Then the rich man himself came out of the hole. He looked pompous, and not just the way he was dressed. He gave Lucy a once over and dismissed her as ugly. He didn't want a hideous maid in his "collection". To say Lucy was offended was an understatement, and even more proven that he had no desire for Lucy when a bunch of other questionable looking maids came out.
They could be considered very ugly. Ace didn't really care. They all mocked Lucy, telling her to leave before the group went back into the hole made. What a strange way to travel. Would walking out have been that much harder? He couldn't help but walk up to it and look inside. He sent a flame down, but it really was just a tunnel, nothing special or cool about it.
Walking back to the unimpressed boy and embarrassed girl, he wondered what they would do next. "Now is plan C!"
"Right! I won't forgive him when he said I was ugly! Or those really ugly maids!" Ace said they had to sneak in, then. They headed to the gate, and Ace wanted to try something. He pressed himself to the gate, and tried to force his way in as fire, but it didn't work. Happy asked what he was doing.
"I can turn intangible so I thought maybe I could go through the bars," he explained. Natsu said he'd "make him" and kicked Ace in the back, but just went through him and he slammed into the bars instead, making a pained noise at his terribly stubbed toe. Lucy said they were being way too loud.
"Just go over the wall like normal thieves! I thought you were one before, Ace." Ace turned red, and said he was obviously not a sneaky one. They climbed over the wall, and then headed to the mansion, on the corner with no windows on it. Ace and Natsu got to climbing it easily, both very fit young men. Lucy had to be flown up by Happy.
When they landed on the roof, the peeked in through windows, and Ace pressed his hand to the glass and lit it on fire, melting it to let them in. Only the melted spot wasn't cloes enough to the lock to get them inside. Natsu pushed him aside to do it himself. They got in that way, into a strange room with questionable objects inside, like a human skull he liked to think was fake.
There was nothing worth stealing inside. They left the room, trying to be sneaky, but there was nothing to hide behind in this hallway. They just had to hope nobody came and saw them. They wandered around for a very short amount of time, having no idea where to look, before they were caught.
The maids all had weapons when they popped out of the floor like weirdos, and were planning on killing them until Ace and Natsu beat them up enough to run into a big room and barricade the doors. "It's a library. Do you think it has the book in it?" Ace wondered. If so, they had a lot to search.
"If this is his library, and Everlue read all of it, then that's impressive. We should start looking," Lucy replied. They got to searching, but Natsu found it easily since the binding was a reflective gold. Ace grinned and hurried over. The maids were trying to get in, and Ace was handed to book to look at before the floor was destroyed again, and Everlue popped out. So strange. Was it magic?
"So, you want that stupid book?!" Everlue shouted. Ace was holding it and burst his hand into flames, burning it to nothing. He and Natsu cheered.
"Two million jewels is ours!" Happy cheered with them. Ace was on a high, and Natsu said they could destroy the mansion if they wanted. "No, no messes."
"But they're already tearing apart the floor and making huge holes," Natsu said, sounding like he was dying to destroy the place like he did the tables in the guild. But Everlue was angry with them for wrecking his property, not that he actually cared about the book. Everlue brought out hired bodyguards from behind the wall of books. "Let's ditch!" Ace said. "There's no point in fighting, is there?"
"Hoh? Coward?" Natsu asked with a grin. "Let's see who's stronger!" Ace kept his composure, but was the party pooper one and said he'd rather leave. Didn't they want the two million? He didn't want to risk doing something to mess it up. "But we'd be running away!"
"We'd be the bigger person and just say see ya and go get our money," Ace reasoned.
"Who wants to be the bigger person when you can fight and win!"
"Stop arguing!" Lucy shouted. "Let's leave, I'm with Ace on this." Everlue said they weren't going anywhere, and the two guards attacked. "Look, we could have left right away!" Natsu said these guys were nothing, and Ace had an idea. A way they could stall any following and get away quickly. He sent fire at both of the body guards, and Lucy ran to the window to jump out.
Ace expected his fire to trap them both, but instead, it was sucked into a large frying pan, and then blasted back, destroying half the library and throwing Ace and Natsu over the stairwell. Lucy was alone, and Natsu shouted for Happy to go take care of her. They both bounced and rolled down the staircase, landing with their faces slammed into the wall.
"They're making such a huge mess," Ace complained.
"It was your fire that did that," Natsu said, rubbing his nose. Ace said he wasn't the one to cause the damage. "Even though it was your fire." Ace snapped at him to shut up, and they were soon facing the two body guards, who dropped down, but one of them landed hard and sprained his ankle. "Losers."
"You shut up!" they shouted back. Natsu dodged attacks while Ace waited to see if they landed. They didn't, Ace was always intangible when being attacked. But then Ace himself was not injured by their attacks, but being made of fire caused him to be sucked into the frying pan. He as stuck in it flat against his back, and then slammed into the wall. It didn't hurt him, but he was stuck.
"Natsu break this weapon!" Natsu did so, his own power not being targeted with Ace there. And no matter if he tried to burn the weapon, his fire was absorbed, it didn't damage it. The weapon broke, and Ace threw it out the broken window angrily.
"I guess being made of fire isn't that good all the time, huh?"
"Don't say anything," Ace said in a grumble. Natsu just laughed, and Ace sent fire at him that he ate. It looked like neither of them could ever land a hit at the other with their magic. "Let's find Lucy," Ace said, and they went running up the stairs, but when they got to the room, she wasn't there. Happy was gone, too.
"Ah, she wandered away," Natsu said, rubbing his hair. Ace didn't point out they were the ones to be thrown from the room. Ace wasn't as strong as he thought he was. That sucked. He had a magic weapon get the best of him. Damn it. How embarrassing. At least they burnt the book and would get the money, though. He was thankful he burnt it when he had the chance.
They found Lucy by her screams, and Ace fell through the ground, not noticing there was a hole under the carpet. "Damn it!" he shouted. Natsu cheered that he found a shortcut, and both were dropped into sewage water where Lucy was facing off Everlue and his buff maid. There was another person there that Ace hadn't seen before, and assumed it was a celestial spirit. He hadn't seen Lucy use he celestial magic yet. Magic keys brought spirits from another world to come help her. She had several keys already.
"Natsu, take her out!" Lucy shouted, her whip wrapped around Everlue's neck. Natsu punched the maid down, and Lucy used her whip to slam him down on top of the dangerous maid. "Looks like we all made a mess."
"It wasn't me, it was the enemy! I didn't purposely cause any of this broken shit," he said fiercely. Natsu laughed at him, and they left to go get their reward. Lucy was in a slump because they damaged so many books and didn't even try to see why the book needed to be burnt. "It was a job, though, so we had to. Right?"
"Aye! If we hadn't burnt the book, we wouldn't have gotten the money because then we'd have failed the mission!" Happy explained. Ace grinned. So much money! But he's still want to go on more jobs. It was fun going with Natsu and Happy. And Lucy. And they had more than enough money each from this job that Ace could manage to fail a job and not lose a lot of money. They went back to the first mansion, and Lucy had a little pouch of ash that was supposedly the book.
"We burnt the book! It's all gone," Ace said. "Now we get the 2 million jewel reward, right?" he asked excitedly. The man looked bothered while also very relieved. They got the money in a safe. Ace would be carrying it. Since it was so much money, and the reward was only just now raised, the money was still at their premises, with the original amount at the guild. If nobody had taken up the job in a month, then the money would have been returned. The guild was actually very transactional.
When they left, all bouncing in their step from the money, Natsu asked Lucy if she was writing a book. Ace was new to hear this. "You were all upset about the books, right? And not thinking it was right for others to burn them? And then you had all those papers in your bag you didn't share with us! You're writing a novel, aren't you?!"
Lucy looked embarrassed. "You don't tell anyone else about it!"
"What, why?" Ace wondered. "Shouldn't you be proud to write a book?"
"Maybe it sucks," Happy said. Lucy turned red, and said that she didn't want anyone to read it. It wasn't good yet. "Don't worry, nobody is gonna read it." Lucy drooped.
Ace said, "I'll read it if you want. Even if it sucks, someone will read it." He gave her a nice smile, and Happy accused him of flirting again. He was even wearing an open shirt. "And that's no problem when it's Natsu with an open shirt?" Ace replied.
"No, cause he has a scarf to cover up the boobs." Ace sighed and Natsu just laughed about it. Lucy couldn't help giggle, too. Their first job was an absolute mess, literally, but they got the reward, and it would be split between all three since they all contributed. They took the carriage back, Natsu feeling sick. Unsurprisingly, Ace napped again.
"It looks like he always sleeps on rides," Happy said mischievously. Ace woke up with marking on his face as Happy had connected the dots on his freckles. Ace grabbed him and tossed him into the canal. "You're so mean!"
"You vandalized my face!" Natsu laughed about it, and they headed back to the guild to sort the money. It was such a big amount that others had gathered. Lucy could get her things from the guild and find a place to live. Ace walked away with around 650,000 jewel. That was like, 160 months of rent! He felt rich, and it was a new feeling, again making him feel he had once lived in poverty or at least a struggling household.
Fairy Tail was fun!
Ace is one of the most attractive OP characters, so of course he was a model for a job! Lol. But this changes later... hmmm. See you next week!