Chapter 7: Keep Your Enemies Closer
Nephrite stood before his queen.
"Now tell me do you have plan to gather energy and deal with that meddlesome guild." Said Queen Beryl.
"I do, I know of a way to increase a mage's energy incredibly." Said Nephrite, "Not only that but I plan to deal with them from the inside…"
"Really you think that will work?" asked a voice.
That was when a rather feminine blonde man appeared in flurry of cherry blossoms.
"You will get exposed and you'll be in the middle of the enemy strong hold." Said the man.
"I will have contingencies." Said Nephrite, "Don't worry about me…"
"You're going to fail." Said the man.
"Zoisite please don't start a fight in my prescience." Said Queen Beryl.
"Yes my queen." Said the man named Zoisite.
The next day at the guildhall, Erza was explaining their reconnaissance.
"They are called the Dark Kingdom and their goal is steal as much energy as possible." Said Erza.
"How do you know all this?" asked one of the many members of the guild.
"I have sources who knows this." Said Luna.
"How can a cat have sources." Said the same member.
"I'm a talking cat…" said Luna, "You would think I'd be able to get knowable sources on these things."
The truth was they were so used to Happy who was a member of the guild his whole life that having an older Moon Cat was still getting used to it.
"Even if the one they sent after us is gone, I'm sure they're send someone new." Said Makarov.
The rest of the Guild nodded.
After the meeting they started doing the usual stuff.
"So how are you feeling Natsu?" asked Lisanna.
"Still sore." Said Natsu.
"You know if you didn't attack that guy you wouldn't have gotten injured or fell asleep in the bathroom." Said Happy.
Natsu glared at his Moon Cat partner.
"I'm glad you and Elfman are alright." Sighed Lisanna.
"Elfman's no longer on a rampage though." Said Happy.
Lisanna looked at her brother arguing with her sister. Apparently he was still upset about the night before.
That was when a man with long brown hair wearing a nice yellow collared shirt with rolled up sleeves and white pants walked in.
"This is the Fairy Tail guild, right?" asked the man.
"Yes." Said Erza taking the roll of greeter, "And you are."
"My name is Maxfield Stanton, and I want to join the guild." said the man.
"Is that so." Said Makarov who was that bar.
"That's right." Said Maxfield.
"Okay then…" said Makarov.
Maxfield stared at Makarov.
"What?" he asked.
He wasn't expecting that response.
What he was expecting was an interview and maybe a background check.
"You seem surprised." Said Makarov.
"I was just expecting more…" sighed Maxfield.
"A lot of people do." Said Makarov.
Maxfield shrugged and got his guild mark, which was gold on his forearm.
He looked around at his new fellow guild mates.
"None of them are aware of the danger." He mused to himself.
Of course what didn't go, was that he was Nephrite, a member of the Dark Kingdom… (But since his alias is Maxfield he will be still be referred to as such).
"Hey… have we met before?" asked Loke walking over to him.
"You've probably seen me around." Said Maxfield.
Loke stared at him…
"Wait… did I steal your girlfriend?" asked Loke.
"No…" said Maxfield with a sweat drop.
"Okay…" said Loke with a shrug.
He looked around, he began to think of the people he should go after which meant Makarov, as well as the four S Ranked Mages of the guild.
"If I remember correctly, Mirajane Strauss has a brother and a sister…" he thought, "Those two are out of the running… I should also avoid any of their team mates."
That was when Grey took a seat next to him.
He turned slowly to Grey.
"Why are you in your underwear?" he asked.
Grey realized it, "Oh man not again!" he yelled.
"You need help?" asked Maxfield.
"Oh sure thanks new guy." Said Grey.
Maxfield sweat dropped. Hopefully it wouldn't taker too much time for them to remember his name.
Maxfield managed to find Grey's pants. He looked around as no one was paying attention to him, he placed a strange mark on Grey's pants which then vanished.
"Found them!" called out Maxfield.
"Hey! Thanks!" called out Grey.
He put them on, that was when he got a weird feeling but shook it off.
Meanwhile Erza and Luna were at the request board.
"Missing persons." Said Erza.
"Are you sure?" asked Luna, " I don't know…"
"I'm sure it's the case…" said Erza, "It will be fine!"
She turned to the rest of the guild.
"Hey! Levy! Lisanna! I found a job for us!" called out Erza.
Lisanna got up knowing it was a job that meant it might involves those targeted by the dark kingdom.
"Hey you really have to go now?" asked Natsu.
"Don't worry I'll be back soon." Said Lisanna.
Maxfield took note of them leaving.
"Is that Erza's permanent team?" he asked Grey as the two looked for his shirt.
"Sort of… it's a new team, but from what's going around it's only temporary." Said Grey.
"I should go after that girl and cat then…" he mentally added.
Grey found his shirt, then pointed at Natsu.
"Hey! Natsu let's fight!" he yelled.
Everyone stared at Grey.
"Seriously?" asked Wakaba.
"Five seconds after Erza left… has to be a new record." Said Macao.
Maxfield chuckled, it was beginning.
A few days later Erza's team returned.
"How does a missing person's report get tied to that?" asked Levy.
"It's best not to think about it…" said Luna, "Especially the thing about the band…"
"Great thinking against the Wyvern." Said Erza to Lisanna.
"Thanks." Said Lisanna.
That was when they heard crying from above, turned out Happy was flying towards them.
"Erza you're back! I'm so happy!" yelled Happy.
"Why what's wrong?" asked Erza.
"Grey's gone crazy!" yelled Happy.
"What?" asked Erza.
They all ran to the guildhall as Happy explained what was going on.
"Grey devolved a bad attitude shortly after you left, then he went on a mission to fight bandits and came back with an even worse attitude." Explained Happy as he flew next to Erza, "No one else seemed to notice but me and Natsu…"
"What's Grey doing now?" asked Levy.
"He's challenging Mira!" said Happy.
"What seriously." Said Lisanna.
"Everyone's just treating it like a normal duel! But it's not… I can tell!" said Happy.
They got to outside the guildhall where Grey was fighting Mirajane (in her demon form). Of course many guild members were cheering Mirajane on.
"Hey you guys want in?" called out Cana who was running the betting.
"No thanks…" said Lisanna with a sweat drop.
"No one thinks Grey could win…" said Luna with a sweat drop.
They joined in watching in the fight.
"Ice Make Cannon!" called out Grey as he made a cannon out of ice.
He shot it at Mirajane. Mirajane tried to deflect but it didn't work it hit her head on. The icy cannon ball created a large explosion, which everyone ducked and covered for.
Mirajane struggled to get up.
"Looks like I win." Said Grey with a twisted smile.
Almost everyone was quiet at this turn of events.
Grey turned to Erza.
"So you're finally back…" he said, "You want to fight too? Get beaten like you're so called rival."
"Grey…" said Makarov, "That's enough for one day."
Grey glared at Makarov.
"Whatever…" muttered Grey.
Grey walked away, leaving everyone stunned.
Maxfield watched Grey leave.
"It's close." He thought.
"Hey!" said Cana.
"Yes…" said Maxfield turning around.
"You're one of the few people that bet on Grey." Said Cana with a wad of cash, "Here's your winnings."
"Thanks." Maxfield.
Sometime later in the infirmary, Mirajane was all bandaged up, Makarov, Elfman, Natsu, Happy as well as the Team were there.
"I can't believe I lost." Muttered Mirajane.
"You'll beat him next time sis." Said Elfman.
"It's not that… there's something wrong with his magic." Said Mirajane gritting her teeth, "It's an almost demonic presence, but not quite."
"Wow I'm surprised…" said Erza, "You're actually concerned about someone who's not related to you. "
"What was that!" yelled Mirajane.
"Do you think something's controlling him?" asked Happy.
"That would explain his attitude lately." Muttered Natsu.
"We have to find Grey…" said Luna, "I think there's more going on…"
They nodded in agreement.
They all split up to find Grey.
Luna was the one to find him loitering on the roof of a building, she flew over to Lisanna to pick her up band bring her there.
"Hey! Grey how are you doing?" asked Lisanna calmly.
"What do you want?" asked Grey.
"Just to see how you are doing…" said Lisanna.
"Why you want a fight?" asked Grey.
"What no!" yelled Lisanna, "Why would I want to fight you?"
"After what I did to Mirajane." Said Grey, "Then again after her you would be nothing… you're pathetic compared to your sister. You wouldn't even stand a chance."
That was when hos pants began to glow.
Suddenly Grey began to scream as a monster came out of his pants…
And it not a euphemism for anything, a monster quite literally came out of his pants.
Grey collapsed and the monster, which was made of Ice laughed evilly.
"No…" whispered Lisanna.
"Transform now." Said Luna.
"Right!" said Lisanna.
"Moon Prism Power! Makeup!" called out Lisanna.
With that she transformed into Sailor Moon.
"Luna, get Grey out of here!" said Sailor Moon.
"Don't need to tell me twice!" said Luna grabbing Grey and getting off the roof.
"I am the pretty sailor-suited guardian of love and justice Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon I will punish you!" called out Sailor Moon.
"Seriously?" asked the monster.
"I know…" sighed Sailor Moon, "It's embarrassing…"
"Ice-Make Battle Axe!" called out the monster.
Sailor Moon had to dodge the attack.
"That magic…" said Sailor Moon.
"Not only do I take his energy, but his magic as well." Said the monster.
"No…" whispered.
Sailor Moon knew she had to finish it off quickly.
"Ice-Make Floor!" called out the monster.
Sailor Moon proceeded to slip on the newly made Ice-Floor.
"Ice Make Hammer!" called out the monster.
Sailor Moon struggled to get up. However a fireball destroyed the hammer and suddenly Dragon showed up and picked her up.
"What!" tell the monster.
Dragon Knight brought Sailor Moon a roof across the street.
"Thank you." Said Sailor Moon reluctantly.
"I have a plan…" said Dragon Knight, "I'll distract it and you finish it off."
Sailor Moon sighed, knowing that might best to help him this time.
"Okay…" she said.
Dragon knight jump to the other roof, sending fireballs at the monster.
"Ice Make Shield!" called out the monster.
However this left his back open.
"Moon Tiara Action!" called out Sailor Moon hitting the monster from behind.
"No!" yelled the monster as it turned into dust.
All of the ice disappeared, just as Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury arrived.
"Looks like we missed this fight." Sighed Sailor Mars.
"Yeah." Said Sailor Mercury.
Dragon Knight began to leave.
"Wait!" yelled Sailor Mars, "Who are?"
"I told you, I'm called Dragon Knight." Said Dragon Knight.
"Why are you helping us?" asked Sailor Moon.
"I have my reasons...and you don't need to know them." Said Dragon Knight who then jumped off the roof.
Sailor Mars looked to the ground below and saw that he wasn't there anymore.
"We should go find Grey." Sighed Erza.
Meanwhile Luna was keeping watch over Grey who was still unconscious.
"Luna!" called out Mirajane.
"What happened to him?" asked Elfman.
"I think it was the Dark Kingdom." Said Luna.
That was when Grey regained consciousness.
"What happened?" asked Grey.
He looked around.
"Luna, I thought you just left on a job." Said Grey, then he noticed Mirajane and her injuries, "Hey, what happened to you?"
"You don't remember?" asked Mirajane.
"Remember what?" asked grey.
That was when Mirajane lunged at Grey but Elfman grabbed her.
"You better be playing dumb Fullbuster!" shouted Mirajane.
"What's the last thing you remember?" asked Luna.
"I remember fighting Natsu, then I can't remember everything after that…" said Grey.
Mirajane stopped and realized he was being serious.
"When I found you a monster appeared out of your pants." Said Luna.
{Grey began to blush.
"What?" asked Grey.
"Get your mind out of the gutter!" yelled Luna.
"You mean a monster… as in the Dark Kingdom ones?" asked Mirajane.
Luna nodded.
In the Guildhall, Maxfield muttered under his breath.
"Someone destroyed the monster." He thought.
He finished his drink.
Even if his first attempt foaled he would have to make sure next time it would work for sure.
As long as no one suspect him it would be fine. He could just figure out someone else and try again.
As long as this worked there was no problem… well expect for the possibility of constant failure.
Next Time: Makarov, Mirajane and Erza deiced to wait and if another member of the Guild becomes possessed by a Monster. However when one of members gains a bad attitude and starts lashing out at her partner. Which member is it? Find out next time!