This chapter is perfect to play George Bizet's Carmen Habanera instrumental (a.k.a. the old Magic Council soundtrack.) Fairy Tail shenanigans ensue! I apologize for any errors in advance, please lmk if you see any. I've been bombarding my Wattpad readers with too many lately, poor poor readers. Also, thank you very much for the reviews. They make me a happy girl. :3

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Chapter 10: Changelings

"Natsu, this is all your fault! If you hadn't run off leaving the request with me, we wouldn't be dealing with this punishment!" whined Lucy. They returned earlier than expected, and it was still early in the morning. Lucy was begging for sleep after getting almost none the night before. She never thought everyone else were such early risers, despite the hard partying late at night.

Natsu was being dragged into the guildhall by Erza after speaking up against her. She padded towards Mirajane, who was managing the buffet with Laki. Fridays were the best, in Erza's opinion, because she got to stuff herself at the guildhall along with everyone.

She dumped Natsu in front of the barmaid, staring at him in irritation. "We've brought the troublemakers back."

"Welcome home, Natsu," greeted Mirajane in a sickeningly sweet voice, scaring the Dragon Slayer to his wits.

"T-thanks, Mira. Can I go home now?" he squeaked, shrinking away from the two women only to bump into Jellal from behind.

"Afraid not," answered Jellal, gesturing for him to take a seat beside Lucy and Gray. He slowly made his way towards the table, while the three S-Class wizards observed his unsteady movements.

Mirajane pried her eyes away from him and to Jellal. "So, how'd it go?"

Erza's smile only grew. "The usual, we completed the quest. Now all that's left is to punish them."

"And it seems to be her favourite part about all this," added Jellal.

Mirajane nodded, knowing full well of Erza's extent of sadism. Jellal somewhat pitied the boy, but found his actions nothing less than deserving of punishment.

"Where's Master?"

"He's not around at the moment, you'll have to wait for him to get back in order for the punishment to ensue."

Jellal noticed shouting from behind him and paced towards the three mages, fighting over a piece of paper. Erza and Mirajane followed suit, surrounding Natsu—who managed to get ahold of the paper.

Erza recognized the paper's format and narrowed her eyes at him. "I said no taking jobs!"

Natsu slid the paper away from Erza, shoving his face in the paper to read the writing.

"Hey, what's going on?" a voice too close to Erza asked. She elbowed the person from behind, glaring at them from above.

"If you're going to ask a question, keep some distance." Erza said dreadfully. Loke rubbed his skull from the impact, gulping at her terrifying stance.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Natsu beamed when his eyes rested on the reward. "Hey, it just says we need to figure out what this means and we'll get the five hundred thousand jewel!"

"Sounds fishy," commented Happy.

Lucy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I'm pretty sure there was a pun intended."

"No comment."

Natsu scratched his hair. "Hey, I know this language! I'll read it and get the- HMPH!"

Erza covered his mouth with her armoured hand and shoved him away from the paper. "No, you will not do that until you face punishment!"

He snatched the paper as he bent over his seat and read it while upside down.

Jellal raised a brow in confusion, recognizing the ancient writing. "No, Natsu!"

He assisted Erza in restraining the mage, but it was too late. By the time Erza gagged Natsu with her hand and Jellal snatched the paper, he had already recited the ancient language.

The white light engulfed them all, blinding everyone's vision. When they woke up, they felt...sore.

And Jellal was devastatingly horrified to look at himself. "NATSU!"

"Why are you talking to yourself, idiot?" provoked Lucy, teeth clattering. "Plus, it's s-so cold!"

"Gray, I'd never think you'd have the audacity to call me an idiot."

"Oh, well, it seems like you've also lost your mind now. I don't look anything remotely close to Gray!"

"Look again," Jellal grabbed a face mirror from the bar and brought it to Lucy's face.

"AHHHH, WHY AM I GRAY?"

"Huh?" Jellal raised an eyebrow. "...Lucy?"

"...Jellal? Oh. No. I didn't mean to call you an idiot. Please forgive me!"

Gray groped the flesh at his chest, scrunching his nose. "Why does my voice sound like a girl? And why does my chest feel heavy?"

They both made eye contact with each other and screamed. Jellal pulled at the scarf around his neck, surprised at the change of his appearance.

"Aw man, why am I in such fancy clothing?" Natsu pulled at the buckles and belts around his waist, securing Jellal's coat and pants. It seemed more fashionable than useful, in Natsu's opinion.

"Oh, no you don't!" Jellal closed his hands around Natsu's wrists, restraining his movements.

"Hey, who's in my body?" Natsu punched Jellal, to which the Wizard Saint kicked upwards to block the attack. "Holy. I feel way stronger, and I look like Jellal."

Jellal stole the mirror from Lucy and held it to Natsu. "That's because you are me."

"Jellal, is that you?"

"Yes Natsu!"

"So that means I just punched a Wizard Saint! No, that means I am a Wizard Saint."

Erza tried flapping her wings, feeling incredibly short compared to Natsu. Jellal was tall enough already. Being shrunk down into Happy made her feel intimidated by the height difference. "Of all people, why Happy's body?"

Erza stepped into Jellal's hand as he held it out, staring into his onyx eyes intensely. "Jellal, what's going on?"

"Well," he gestured to the abnormalities of his body. "We've all switched bodies with one another. The only people we haven't witnessed react are Loke and Mirajane."

Loke set his eyes on Lucy in Mirajane's body, gulping. He tripped and ran away from the guildhall, faltering in his movements.

"What an undignified way to carry oneself," Mirajane sprouted up from the floor like nothing happened.

"You seem perfectly fine," assumed Jellal, watching as Mirajane made her way to the counter.

"Yeah, I'm not too worried about the customers seeing Loke serve them. It might put an end to his scandalous reputation." She made her way behind the bar and started putting out the dishes.

Lucy gawked at her, before turning to the others with a sigh. "...so, does this mean we're going to be like this forever?"

"Who knows," replied Erza, holding a fish in her paws. "We need Master Makarov to help us."

Speak of the devil, Makarov strolled into the guildhall on his own accord and chuckled. "I didn't know Loke was going to help with this week's buffet. It's certainly a surprise, we're going to have more people come in today."

Mirajane hummed, "Master, it's still me. Just...in the form of a womanizer."

"That is an accurate way to describe him." Lucy nodded, pointing at Mirajane's physique. "Though, it doesn't make it any better that I'm saying this to someone who's in his body."

Erza struggled out of Jellal's grip and ran as fast as she could in her paws, finding the journey tiring when she was in front of Makarov. "Natsu read some ancient text, and- and this happened."

"I'm well aware, there is a reason why that quest is worth a lot. I think this is punishment enough for you kids." He climbed onto a bar stool, facing the barmaid. "A glass of booze for me."

Mirajane slid off the numerous rings on her fingers and served Makarov the glass of alcohol. He swirled it within his hand and watched as the mages tried unraveling the mystery. The buffets also attracted many customers, so Fairy Tail was going to be packed this evening.

"Makarov, there has to be a solution!"

The guild master grinned. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think Natsu would call me by my name. But it seems fitting since it is you, Jellal."

If Makarov was finding this amusing, Jellal found a way to coerce him into helping. "I have a mandatory council meeting today."

The meeting caused Erza to claw at the Dragon Slayer in Jellal's body. "How could you do this, Natsu!? You didn't even consider the gravity of the situation!"

Natsu struggled in his extravagant coat. "How does Jellal wear this all the time? I'm going to die from all these layers of clothing. And- this belt!" he tugged at the accessory keeping the trousers up, moving it from side to side.

Jellal firmly took a hold of his wrist and produced a flame in his palm. Natsu recoiled, rubbing his wrist from the sudden heat. He glared at Natsu. "My meeting is in an hour. We are going whether you like it."

"But the clothes!"

"I don't want to hear you complain, Natsu. You got us in this situation, face the consequences."

Natsu grabbed a hold of Jellal. "No worries, I'll get you to Era in no time. You have that flying magic."

Jellal's lips curved upwards, "And do you know how to use Meteor?"

"...forget I said anything."

"Wait!" hollered Makarov. "If this spell isn't undone within thirty minutes of casting it, you will stay like this. Forever."

Natsu cried out in relief, "Forever!? Sounds awesome, man. Well, Jellal and I are off to the Magic Council, bye!"

Everyone studied the two mages. Natsu grabbed Jellal by the waist and tried floating around with him. It was a very unsuccessful attempt; Natsu flew into the banner of Fairy Tail just above the guildhall's entrance at an incomprehensible speed.

"Are you trying to kill me?" asked Jellal.

Erza spread her wings and grabbed onto Natsu, carrying both of the mages out of the guildhall. "I'll get us to Era faster."

After a few attempts, Erza exited the doors and flapped her wings as the three wizards soared into the air. At the small height of Erza's flying, Jellal could feel his legs bump into someone. That someone fell down along with the masses of books. Levy McGarden toppled over and witnessed the rare spectacle.

"Happy, can't you soar higher? And why are you carrying Jellal?"

Erza didn't answer, taking off in circles until they were as high as the guildhall's peak.

Gray recovered from the initial shock and fingered the hem of the low-cut shirt Lucy wore. "THAT'S IT, I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! I'M STRIPPING!"

Lucy held her shirt and tugged it down when it rose to her breasts, batting away the unwanted attention from Macao and Wakaba.

"Control yourself!" demanded Lucy. Ice cubes fell from her mouth like a flood. Gray pointed at her accusingly.

"Then you stop drooling ice cubes!"

Happy took a deep breath, looking down at the armoured hand. He stretched his fingers, observing the way the metal provided flexibility. "It seems like I must accept my fate now. I shall become the reborn Erza Scarlet!"

Mirajane wiped down the glasses before giving a tray of them to Laki, who was still confused as to why Loke of all people was helping out with the buffet. Mirajane sighed, "Master, how long does this spell last?"

Makarov grinned, "You mean the Changeling Effect? Natsu's under the impression it'll last forever. I may have lied a bit."

"I figured as much. So, when will it wear off?"

"Twenty-four hours or so. We'll just have to wait and see what happens within one day. It can't be that bad, right?"

"That's an understatement. Look."

Happy had started growing accustomed to Erza's requip, trying different armours and outfits she normally wouldn't wear. An idea came to Happy's mind. He requipped into her Purgatory Armour, swinging the sword with a flailing arm.

Lucy's lips moved slightly, but the exceed caught on to every word. "Happy, don't tell me you're going out like that!?"

Happy placed a hand to his mouth. "Wait until Erza finds out that she's been destroying the town. I can't wait for the Magic Council to punish her."

"Don't you dare bring shame to Erza's name!" Gray chased after him, with Lucy following behind. She couldn't afford to leave Gray alone, especially since he had to audacity to try to strip in front of her.

"Hey Lu," Levy slowly greeted as she entered the guildhall, delirious from the previous injury. She seemed confused at Erza's sudden declaration about her power. Levy always thought of her as someone who was humble.

At least, that's how it appeared to her.

"SILENCE!" Happy held an arm out. Gray and Lucy halted to a stop, a far distance from him. "I AM THE GREAT ERZA! BOW DOWN BEFORE ME!"

With a swing of the Purgatory sword, Lucy and Gray were sent flying to the guildhall. They landed roughly on top of each other, and Lucy could understand firsthand why her breasts posed a problem for many people.

Gray crawled on top of her before standing up, not caring to brush off the dust accumulated on the low-cut top and skirt. "I think this outfit will do. It doesn't have much left to strip, does it?"

Lucy slapped his face—well, it was technically her own. "WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN, YOU PERVERT?"

He held his arms out in front of her. "Hey, I'm telling the truth! This skirt barely covers your thighs and don't get me started on this shirt."

Wrong answer. Gray felt himself being pulled by the leg, hiking the skirt up to her panties. "Shut your big mouth, Gray! I don't care about how I look right now. We have to chase down Erz- erm, Happy, and prevent him from destroying an entire town!"

Mirajane peeked through the guildhall doors as Lucy and Gray ran after the exceed. She turned to Makarov with an apologetic smile. "Well, I guess they've all compromised their circumstances."

Makarov nodded. "We just have to hope those kids don't stir any trouble."

What startled Levy when she entered the guildhall was the appearance of Loke, who was apparently washing dishes and helping with the buffet. Levy grabbed a plate from Laki as she handed a ticket to the petite girl. "Laki, why is Loke working tonight? Did Master punish him?"

"I'm just as confused as you are. I saw Mirajane burst out for some reason. Maybe it was a family emergency."

"Perhaps," Levy said, knowing Mirajane's overprotective attitude towards Elfman. Losing a sister caused her to change her attitude towards Elfman dramatically. "But that means business will run slow without her around. Do you need an extra hand?"

Laki glanced at the mage, who was soundlessly doing the chores. "Sure, it'll make things less awkward."

Mirajane smirked. Maybe she could play the role of Loke for a little longer.

"Erza, we should've used the train station, I'm sure it'd be better than aimlessly flying." Suggested Jellal, dangling off of Natsu.

The trio had been floating for a great deal of time, with a great degree of difficulty.

"I-I'll manage," she heaved out. "Carrying two people is hard, I now understand Happy's struggle."

Annoyed, Natsu crossed his arms after dropping something. He wasn't sure what it was, but he didn't feel a weight on him anymore. Erza relaxed, being able to fly much smoother than the past half hour. "It can't be that difficult."

"YOU DROPPED JELLAL!" cried Erza, releasing Natsu and flying down to the Wizard Saint, who reached out to her. On instinct, she seized him by Natsu's scarf, choking him as the Dragon Slayer fell beside them while midair. She was confused on whether to save Jellal's body or his mind. In fact, she still didn't make complete sense of the effects of the spell.

Natsu fell on his rump, feeling his head pound from the impact of the collapse. Erza didn't feel sorry one bit. He was responsible for almost killing Jellal.

The Dragon Slayer groaned at the lack of freedom. He was used to being exposed to the breeze with his unbuttoned waistcoat. "Man. I mean—I wear belts as well, but not nearly as many to secure the trousers and coat. This is ridiculous!"

Jellal crossed his arms, slightly on edge by Natsu's complaining. "That should be the least of your concerns, especially since we have a council meeting to attend."

Erza placed her paw to her face. "I'm afraid to imagine what will happen when we reach Era."

"Actually," Jellal pointed out, "we've arrived thanks to your navigation skills. You must have a knack for it."

"Pure luck," she murmured, following him into the city surrounding the Magic Council. "Come to think of it, this is my first time in Era. It's very...centred around the council."

"Since Era has the Magic Council as the centre of attention, you'll also see Rune Knights roaming around the town. Every year, there's a festival held here to appreciate the work the Magic Council does to keep the citizens safe."

"I've heard about it. It's so crowded during the winter time because of the festivities. I've heard it's more grand than the Harvest Festival. Someday...I want to see it."

"I can bring you to the Magic Council for the celebrations," he offered with a small smile. "Though, I can't take you seriously when you're in Happy's body."

Natsu wasn't faring well from behind. He was getting stares from multiple people until they recognized him as a Wizard Saint. Erza and Jellal were pushed away from him as fans started crowding around them.

"Jellal! What do I do?"

The councillor shrugged his shoulders. "Run away."

He could've definitely suggested something more convenient and less vague, but Jellal wasn't going to bother. He had to admit, being in someone else's body felt nice for a change. People weren't pining after him like they usually did when he made public appearances.

But Jellal was wrong. Natsu's infamous reputation caused heads to turn towards him, which he perceived as an imminent threat.

Erza gulped, "Let's get out of here!"

She grabbed Jellal and flew away without Natsu, who was being swallowed whole by his surroundings. They zoomed past the townspeople before reaching a winding path which elevated towards the pinnacle of the mountain.

Her jaw dropped; she didn't expect the Magic Council would be so unreachable. "Your commute to Era must be awhile."

"Meteor's helpful in such situations. The train tickets to Era are useless; the ride's time-consuming."

"It must be. Being Happy is worse, it's hard to carry someone so heavy while trying to fly upwards. Speaking of which, my grip on you is loosening."

"We're almost there," he reassured as they circled around the mountain two more times before they were standing before the gate of the Magic Council. Erza huffed and dropped Jellal onto the paved path.

"We're here...but Natsu isn't."

Jellal sighed, "He'll come, eventually. My trip isn't nearly as long as the other members in the Magic Council."

She blinked, "The council members come from all around Ishgar?"

His response was a nod which confirmed her suspicions. "What kind of Magic Council of Ishgar would we be if we only had members from Fiore? We need people around the continent for better information on Ishgar mages as a whole. Wizard Saints are also scattered across the continent."

"Seems hard to believe the Wizard Saints are the strongest mages in Ishgar. I'd expect Gildarts or Laxus to be one of them, if that were the case."

"The system is flawed, I'll admit. As for Gildarts, he isn't a Wizard Saint because he's unable to fulfill to duties required of one. His dislike for the Magic Council is no secret, which is why they never offered him the title. As for Laxus, well...that's self-explanatory. A Wizard Saint serves their people. His temper and attitude towards others makes him unfit to have such responsibilities."

"I never knew there were such requirements to become a Wizard Saint. But I suppose it's reassuring that the council takes such precautions to determine mages worthy of such titles."

He smiled, "Erza, it's only a formality. No title is worth risking your life for."

She wanted to ask him why he joined the Magic Council, but tried to forget the question entirely. It wasn't like he'd answer her question honestly.

They heard approaching footsteps and found Natsu running as fast as his legs could carry him until he stumbled on the ground.

Erza bit the inside of her cheek. "I really don't like that you're in Jellal's body."

"I regret taking on that job request. I don't want the power of a Wizard Saint."

Jellal grabbed him off the ground and shook his body with an arm on Natsu's shoulder. "No klutz is a Wizard Saint, Natsu. Get up, face your enemies with a straight face. You're about to confront the Magic Council. In that room, nobody is your friend, Natsu Dragneel."

Natsu wiped his face, "What a sappy speech."

Erza rolled her eyes before staring into Natsu's soul, metaphorically. Despite that, he could feel the threat. It was dangerous. "You'd better not screw this up or else I'll kill you."

Despite Erza being in a body ten times smaller than his, Natsu gulped. "Yes ma'am!"

They tiptoed into the gates of Era, which were guarded by Rune Knights. They all greeted Natsu with respect, bowing their heads as the mages proceeded. Natsu responded in kind with a giddy laugh, reminiscent to a girlish giggle.

The Rune Knights gulped. One of them set their eyes to the knight beside them. "Did...the Wizard Saint just giggle?"

The other one chewed on their lip, surprised at the revelation. "I heard it too. Thought I'd never hear him make such a sound."

Natsu, having heard the mages speak among themselves, was about to call him out and humiliate them in front of the others until Jellal placed a hand on his head and forced his head down. He half-whispered, "What do you think you're doing!?"

"I was going to show those punks a lesson!" he replied in just as aggressive of a tone.

"Maybe if you didn't giggle like a little schoolgirl, Natsu, they wouldn't have said anything. I can't imagine what you're going to do once you're in the meeting room."

Natsu grunted and continued onward in an orderly fashion. He couldn't imagine being so elegant while walking, since he was a teenage boy. What more was he supposed to do, if not indulge in the pleasures of life?

Nobody spoke a word against him as he led an exceed and Dragon Slayer into the Magic Council building. He stopped after noticing the numerous corridors. Some led to control rooms, where the amphibians were headed, while others housed the underground dungeon protected by Rune Knights.

Some familiar looking geezers followed a grand staircase covered in red carpet. If only Natsu remembered who those people were...

"Up," Jellal commanded. Natsu marched up the stairs as Erza and Jellal followed. Erza surveyed the wonderful structure of Era. It was unlike anything she'd ever seen. Everything was so open and so controlled by the Magic Council. Natsu wanted to race out the balconies and see the gardens, but refrained from disobeying any of Jellal's instructions.

By the time they reached the end of the hall, Jellal made a right and led the other two mages towards the council room, despite the odd spectacle. If anything, Jellal could come up with the excuse of sniffing the council members if he was ever questioned about his ability to navigate around the building.

The doors to the meeting room were closed, meaning that the session already begun. Natsu paled, "What now?"

"You enter the room, explain why you were late, apologize for it, then proceed to take the remaining spot." If nobody else is late.

"Easy enough! Wish me luck," Natsu whistled before opening the door, finding it difficult to open it. The door didn't have any handles. As he pushed at them, the doors budged against each other, unrelenting.

Jellal sucked in a sharp breath before using a button on the side of the doors to open up the meeting room. The Dragon Slayer took three steps in before the doors shut, causing him to panic. He couldn't communicate with Jellal if he needed help. Telepathy was no good if he didn't know how to use it.

"Enter Councilman Jellal," recited Michello. Natsu bowed unprofessionally before taking Yajima's spot, who had yet to arrive.

After observing his awkward behaviour, Belno called him out. "Stop!"

Natsu yelped before freezing in his spot, afraid of the impending punishment. Did Magic Council members get punished for such trivial things? He'd like to think not.

"Wrong spot, Jellal. Your seat is the next one. Or have you forgotten?"

"Of course not!" Natsu squeaked, scurrying to the designated spot. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to shake off the painful silence resounding the room.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"You must've been hit one too many times in the head to forget protocol. If you're late, at least acknowledge it."

Jellal etched those words into his memory before making him enter the room. He cleared his throat before saying, "I'm sorry for being late. I read an ancient spell and now I'm in Jellal's body."

The council members looked shot him quizzical looks. Org coughed, "You are Jellal, young one. Honestly, I should've known Fairy Tail would rub off you the wrong way. Such as the silliness of that foolish guild."

Natsu grit his teeth at their choice of words for the guild. "Big words for a small Magic Council, old man. You wanna go up against us wizards? We're going to kick your butts!"

Belno clicked her tongue at his vocabulary. "You insufferable brat, this isn't your little guildhall! You're at work, Jellal. At least have some common decency."

"Do I look like Jellal to you!?" Natsu retorted. It hadn't even been five minutes into the meeting and he was already riled up.

Erza twiddled her thumbs while waiting outside the council room anxiously. "Do you think Natsu's going to be fine?"

"No," Jellal immediately replied, buttoning up Natsu's waistcoat. Erza puffed her cheeks in response.

"At least have a little faith in him, Jellal. Who knows what good might come out of Natsu's experience."

"It's not my reputation I fear. Rather, I feel sorry for all the others in there."

And just as he finished saying that, they could hear protesting from outside the room. Natsu was yelling, "FIRE DRAGON: WING ATTACK!"

Jellal hinted at the door, proving his point to Erza. He expected the meeting to run anything but smoothly. Erza hopped on her paws and made her way towards the door, trying to reach for the button. Luckily, Jellal joined her and did it himself before slamming Natsu to the ground with an overwhelming magic attack.

Nobody had been injured because Natsu couldn't use Dragon Slaying Magic. The councillors were wondering why on earth he was trying to attack them with a magic he didn't practice. Jellal was already known as the most versatile magic user in Fiore.

He earned himself a remark from Natsu after the latter witnessed his manipulation of fire. "You've already mastered my magic?"

"I can use fire too, lest you forget." Jellal replied. Erza dreadfully grabbed Natsu by the coat and flew out, while Jellal remained to explain the situation.

"As you can see, Jellal has been possessed by a demon during a recent mission he took on. He still attended the meeting despite that. I hope you're willing to overlook these unfortunate circumstances."

He stood there, waiting for anyone to speak up. He noticed Ultear's disappearance from the Magic Council. Yajima wasn't in the meeting either. It was surprising, but Ultear quitting confirmed his suspicions. She didn't have any motives in the Magic Council.

Her appearance was most likely a diversion for Grimoire Heart to buy enough time.

"I see..." Org said, stunned. "You're dismissed."

He sighed in relief before taking his leave, pacing to catch up with Erza as the dumbfounded councillors watched him go.

"Natsu Dragneel just apologized?" mouthed Belno.

"And Jellal was trying to fight the Magic Council for our comments on Fairy Tail?" continued Org.

Michello gripped his staff. "Never in my dreams did I think this day would come."

A messenger ran and tripped in their robes as they approached the meeting room, holding a paper report. They fixed their hat before speaking. "I'm sorry to bother you, Master Org, but there's a certain matter that requires your attention."

"Please, go on." Org urged.

"A member of Fairy Tail—Erza Scarlet—has been reported to be destroying a town near Magnolia according the numerous eyewitnesses."

Belno snorted, "Surely she must've taken a mission and destroyed a pillar or two. The girl is Fairy Tail's ace, for goodness' sake."

"Miss Belno, actually...she's been destroying the town purposefully and forcing people to revere in her power."

The council members all concluded as they chimed simultaneously, "The world must be coming to an end."

Mirajane studied her surroundings. She came to three realizations.

One. The two ladies sitting on the right were trying to play hard to get with Loke. In other words, they expected her to initiate a move. Judging by their constant stares, they were surprised at Loke's reserved behaviour.

Two. The girls on the left-hand side were enemies with the duo opposite to them. Today was a battle for Loke, which none of them would win. By the looks of it, all the ladies were regular clients of his. Tactically, he would spend time with each group until he picked his favourite lady for the night.

Finally, behind her in the bar, Levy and Laki were spying on her, trying to interrogate others around to ask why Loke volunteered for tonight's buffet.

Everything is going smoothly, she thought. Now she just needed to ruin Loke's reputation as a womanizer to exact her revenge for all the failed endeavours to date Mirajane Strauss.

"He's usually bananas over the ladies whenever they come!" Levy exclaimed to Laki as she held a pair of binoculars in her left hand.

"Why is today any different?" Laki asked, taking a small peek at Mirajane.

Levy scanned the room a second time before drawing another conclusion. "Don't you notice something else is odd today? Natsu never misses supper at the guildhall, especially when it's a Friday! Happy's not anywhere to be seen, either."

"Do you think...something happened to them?" Laki suggested with a dreadful expression. "It may be possible they went on a mission and they've changed."

"Possession Magic?" Levy supplied. "I've heard that it alters the memories of a person, causing them to act according to the memories they have. That's got to be it!"

"We should go and inform Master of their sloppish behaviour."

"English, Laki." Mused Macao as he and Wakaba came for a second round of food.

She pouted before trotting away from them and towards Makarov, who was enjoying his food at the bar. Mirajane was sure to disrupt everyone's fun tonight, including those who were invested in Loke.

Finally, those women got up at the same time with half-empty plates, filling the remainder of it with small portions of every dish. Mirajane flashed a friendly smile in their direction. "I hope you're enjoying the food, ladies."

"...definitely," they all replied. The one in a navy blue dress grabbed the tie on Mirajane's tuxedo and pulled at it.

"You're acting different tonight, Loke."

"To be frank, I've changed my ways." Mirajane replied with as much seriousness. The woman released his tie as realization dawned upon her. She snapped her head closer to the She-Devil.

"Changed your ways?" another challenged with an eyebrow raised. "Hardly possible. You're the Loke of Sorcerer Weekly, one of the most wanted boyfriends in Fiore. How is this," she gestured to the masculine physique, "changing your ways?"

Mirajane smirked, she had always wondered why Loke and Lucy barely interacted after he found out she was a Celestial Wizard. She decided to make things a little more interesting. "My heart belongs to Lucy Heartfilia. She's a wizard who does wonders to me."

Everyone stopped in their tracks, for many, many, reasons. The first one being Loke's extremely high-pitched voice. Another reason was because this confession was very all of a sudden. Wasn't he running away from Lucy all this time?

They dismissed their unanswered questions. Nobody would ever think Loke would be set on dating one person. He certainly wasn't sincere when it came to his relationships and flings. Nonetheless, the girls left their plates on the bar counter and ran away, consoling each other as they took turns sobbing over Mirajane's abrupt declaration.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Levy and Laki hyperventilating at the recent news. All their observations turned into a mesh of incoherent thoughts.

"STOP!" Lucy pleaded for the eleventh time, on her knees and in torn clothing as she attempted to protect the town with Gray's Ice-Make Magic. Unfortunately for her, luck was not on her side and Happy grasped the attention of the Rune Knights. She and Natsu left Everlue Mansion in partial ruins when they first came here on a mission. Now, there was no trace of existence of the oversized building.

Happy cackled to himself, relishing in his ultimate achievements before he would be sent to jail. Now he knew what satisfaction Natsu gained whenever he knocked a tower or two over by saving the citizens.

"He's gone insane," confirmed Gray. He didn't bother scolding Happy for his actions. "And we didn't stand a chance against Erza's magic. Geez Lucy, your spirits are weak."

"And since when did you ever surpass Erza's magic power? I'm sure if she wanted you dead, it would happen in a moment."

"At least I can hold my ground against her. You'd probably beg for mercy before even going up against her."

"HEY!" Lucy shouted, blushing in embarrassment. He wasn't wrong, but Lucy didn't want to admit something so low for his standards. "What about Jellal? I'm sure you wouldn't stand a chance against him."

"We didn't even go up against Jellal's power, Lucy. Though, I'm sure you'd be crying before he even fought you."

Lucy huffed in annoyance, reaching out to wring Gray's wrist. He winced slightly before shaking her hand off. "Okay, I get it! Point is, none of us would hold a candle to them."

Gray couldn't help a smug look. "Wait, hold up Lucy. You don't even come close to my power. I was able to summon your spirits without much trouble. Meanwhile for you, it took you hours just to stop dripping ice cubes."

"Just shut up, Gray!" she whined, dramatically splaying herself across the cemented remains of the road.

The incoming Rune Knights blinked at the destruction, before turning to Happy, who had gone mad. "This is the power of the Great Erza!"

"I swear, one more time he says that and I'll make sure he never sees her face again," Lucy promised.

"Agreed." Gray mumbled, before stepping away from the exceed. The armour vanished from Happy's body and he was in Erza's infamous frilly blouse and deep blue skirt. The Fairy Tail wizards found that none of them could escape the barrier.

An amphibian appeared, the same one from the trial Erza participated in was found in the front lines, clapping her hands together to capture their attention. "Erza Scarlet."

"That's me," Happy raised an arm up, causing Lucy and Gray to facepalm themselves.

His audacity. Happy didn't have the decency to look ashamed of the destruction he caused. Nobody was injured, but many historical sights and buildings were in shambles as a result of Happy's indecision of wielding each blade and armour.

"I assume you know why the Magic Council has demanded for your presence?"

"Because I destroyed an entire town?" Happy asked hopefully.

The messenger pointed at the accused defendant. "Rune Knights, take her away. She'll be staying in a cell for at one night."

"No!" yelled Lucy and Gray. They stood in front of Erza.

Gray shook his head, "You've got it all wrong. This isn't Erza. Happy's switched bodies with her, so technically, he should be arrested!"

"Not being in the right state of mind does not pardon one from their crimes. Of course, this is an entirely different matter to be discussed. Miss Scarlet, please follow us."

Happy giggled before following them obediently. Lucy and Gray attacked the group of Rune Knights, fighting them with their fists and legs.

"Guards! Arrest all the Fairy Tail mages!" the messenger's new order resounded as they restrained both Gray and Lucy. Gray lasted longer against them until they seized him by the arms, kicking.

The Rune Knights shoved them into a magic vehicle with bars and no source of light. Two of them stepped in and secured handcuffs over their wrists, refraining them from using any type of magic. The doors shut behind them, leaving them in the dark.

"If Jellal finds out, he will avenge Erza." Gray informed Happy.

Happy kicked back in his seat, getting comfortable despite the poorly maintained seats creaking beneath the weight. "Well, it's been a pleasure being Erza Scarlet."

"The feeling's not mutual," he retorted, looking outside at the starry sky.

Natsu was tired of begging Jellal for the location of his house. "Can't we sleep at your place?"

"Absolutely not," Jellal replied, reaching Natsu and Happy's home. Dead trees surrounded the area. Their house was on the outskirts of Magnolia, a tiny place with a small plaza a fair distance away. "I'm glad you've invited us over, Natsu."

"I can't even feed myself, so how am I supposed to help you?" the mage muttered. Jellal dismissed it and allowed him to pace ahead to open the door.

"It's adorable," Erza whispered, looking at the cat-shaped sign which read Natsu & Happy.

"Agreed." The mages stepped into the home, where food and furniture lay all over the hardwood floor.

"Oops," Natsu claimed sheepishly, "I forgot to clean the house before I left."

Erza studied the mess, "You probably haven't cleaned this place in over a week."

Jellal looked pleased that Erza had been met by silence because she was correct. Jellal kicked off the Natsu's sandals and made his way down the narrow hallway. "Well, I'm off to bed."

"My bed?" Natsu confirmed in disbelief.

"Well, I am Natsu Dragneel. It only seems fit that I sleep in my own bed."

Jellal left the Dragon Slayer staring at him as Erza left him to join Jellal on the bed, climbing beside him and tucking her head against his arm. They both closed their eyes soundlessly.

He gawked at them. "You're sleeping in the same bed as Erza?"

Jellal cracked an eyelid open, "Something wrong with that?"

"N-not at all," he said, despite finding it odd that anyone would share a bed with Erza. He wouldn't dare go near her bed, let alone her apartment. Natsu knew better than to make her mad.

Natsu retired to his couch and cleared all the bags of chips from it before plopping down, finding it odd that he was in the same house, sleeping in the same place two strong wizards resided.

Perhaps he could fight them. It was worth a shot. He would have to wake up extra early for that.

Natsu sneaked into his room and grabbed a red alarm clock from his messy nightstand before padding to the living room. The two mages were asleep against each other, not finding it awkward in the least to be sharing a bed. They both looked so at peace.

Natsu's throat constricted at the idea. Had they shared a bed in the past?

Doing grown-up things like Macao, Wakaba, and sometimes Makarov talked about?

He shook his head, they didn't even like each other, nor give hints about it. He hardly thought that was the case.

Happy didn't come home yet, and it was likely he would be in Fairy Hills, resting in a comfortable bed. Natsu bitterly mumbled about how lucky Happy was to come home to a bed. For tonight, he was lying down on his messy couch.

Natsu found it odd that he woke up to a soft mattress beneath him and a fluffy cat beside him. The sun shone on his face as he groggily sat up on his bed. Happy stretched out and gave a long yawn before opening his eyes.

He jumped off the bed and gave the exceed his much needed space. "Natsu..." Happy blinked, before reaching out to hug him.

The Dragon Slayer was at a loss for words. All he could do was scream, "Erza!"

Happy looked offended, "I'm in my body again. It's me, Happy."

"I'm not Jellal anymore?" Natsu raced to the bathroom to see for himself, but found the door locked. After knocking and trying to pick the lock, he destroyed the door and found Jellal with a towel wrapped around his waist. He used a smaller one for his wet blue locks, drying them.

He cried out in relief that the Changeling Effect had been reversed after the twenty-four hour mark.

"Why am I not surprised that you barged in on me taking a shower?" Jellal asked. Natsu hadn't garnered a reaction from the Wizard Saint like he expected.

"Y-you're using my towels?" Natsu dared question. Jellal studied him before giving a smile.

"Actually, no. Your towels are all in the laundry. I took the liberty to put them in the washer before heading out to the nearest store to get a towel and a few more things." He pointed at the now-clean sink and counter, with three packaged toothbrushes and multiple toothpaste tubes. "It appears you were lacking in some areas of hygiene. I hope you take the time out of your day to brush your teeth."

Natsu could see Jellal's toothbrush was discarded in the trash can. The towels would most likely land the same fate after he used them. One morning routine led to Jellal helping Natsu clean his place and buy essentials for him. He didn't seem grossed out by Natsu, nor did he try making the younger mage feel uncomfortable.

"Thanks Jellal!" Natsu exclaimed.

"You're very welcome, Natsu. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to change my clothes."

Natsu slammed the bathroom door shut and heaved a breath, looking at his surroundings. The numerous dumbbells in the living room were now supported against an empty wall, utilizing the space. On a table beside the couch, he found an air freshener bottle. Natsu tested it multiple times and decided that he liked the smell of lavenders around his house. He merrily skipped around his place and sprayed it in every inch until nothing remained in it.

Jellal emerged from the bathroom and coughed at the aromatic smell of lavender all over the house. Natsu was suffocating in it because of his keen nose. Doing the logical thing, Jellal opened the door and windows so the scent would diffuse outside. Happy was flying outside until the scent of lavenders cleared up within the house.

The Wizard Saint grabbed the bottle from Natsu's grasp and shook it to see how much remained. He sighed, "Natsu, this bottle was supposed to last a month."

Natsu had trouble getting up, using Jellal as a support beam. He coughed multiple times before sitting up. "I shouldn't have used that much."

"You shouldn't have," Jellal concurred. He disposed the bottle into the recycling box outside before making his way into the small kitchen. Happy trailed behind him when he smelt the breakfast waiting on the table for four. Natsu rushed inside the bathroom for a quick minute.

"Scrambled eggs and sausages, yummy!" Happy sniffed. He drooled as Jellal plated the food in front of him.

Natsu shuffled into his seat and grabbed the utensils beside the plate of plentiful food. "I don't recall having sausages in the house. Or eggs."

"Yes, well that too came from a grocery store nearby. You should make more trips to the stores. You're lucky there are farmer markets near you." Jellal explained as he grabbed his fork and knife.

Natsu took a bite and felt the deliciousness melt into his mouth. "This tastes heavenly. You know, you'd make a fantastic housewife."

"...come again?" Jellal's eyes widened, looking somewhat horrified at Natsu's supposed compliment. "A housewife?"

"Yeah," Natsu said through his food. "You can cook and clean, and you're organized in everything you do. There's not even a single dish in the sink. And is that-" Natsu squinted his eyes to get a better look at the item next to the sink, "dish soap?"

Jellal nodded, "Indeed, it is. Though, you should buy a dishwasher when you get the money."

"I won't need one when I've got you around!"

He gave a pointed look at the Dragon Slayer. "Do not presume upon my generosity, Natsu. I did this more-so for myself, since I would prefer to spend my time in a clean space."

Happy giggled, "Natsu's still right, you'd make a dutiful housewife."

Jellal ignored the statement. Just because he was immaculate didn't mean he would automatically become a housewife. He tried to not ponder over the idea. "Where's Erza?"

"I bet you she's in Fairy Hills," Natsu guessed.

Happy held his paws over his mouth before he laughed. "She's in jail."

Jellal seemed taken aback by the three words. "Explain."

"Fiore Branch of the Magic Council. Prisoner eighty-one followed by Lucy and Gray. From what I know, she destroyed an entire town!"

Happy shut his mouth when he noticed Jellal's menacing aura. He grabbed Happy by the tail so he was hanging upside down. His giggling turned into shrills. "You will take me to her right now."

"As you wish, Councilman Jellal!" he screeched.

Along the journey to the Magic Council, Jellal heard many things which circulated around Magnolia.

Erza Scarlet destroyed Shirotsume and was arrested. The Magic Council took Lucy Heartfilia and Gray Fullbuster into custody after fighting the Rune Knights.

Loke claimed he was dating Lucy Heartfilia at yesterday's buffet in the Fairy Tail guildhall. Additionally from next week onward, Loke will be removed from the Perfect Boyfriend List unless he breaks up with Lucy.

Mirajane Strauss was found to be flirting with girls, which was yet to be confirmed by herself. Rumours were circulating about Mirajane taking an interest in women.

Natsu Dragneel was reported by the Magic Council to become an esteemed mage of Fiore by apologizing sincerely to the councillors after a series of unfortunate events.

And the worst of them all: Jellal Fernandes was possessed by demons, and as a result, he tried to fight off his colleagues on the Magic Council with Natsu Dragneel's magic.

In the halls of the Fiore Branch, Belno approached him cautiously as he carried Happy along.

"And here I thought you'd never show up," she said, crossing her arms. "Never mind that, how are you feeling?"

"Not possessed," he confirmed, which earned him a hard stare.

"Right...I still couldn't believe you acted out against us so irrationally. But I shouldn't be surprised; you are a member of Fairy Tail."

"My sincerest apologies about yesterday," Jellal attempted a sheepish grin. He couldn't help thinking everyone found Natsu's actions somewhat compliant with Jellal's personality. "I came to visit my friends. I heard the Rune Knights took them into custody last night."

"You bet they were, especially Erza. She destroyed an entire town! What was that girl thinking?"

Jellal eyed Happy with disapproval. "It's not entirely impossible, especially when our positions are compromised."

Belno's gaze trailed to Happy, who she eyed suspiciously. Happy wasn't sure if she understood Jellals' implications, but she knew he was on to something. "You're going to be more insistent if you want to prove Erza innocent. Chairman Crawford is furious with the events that transpired last night."

"This court trial is going to be the most exhausting." Jellal set Happy on the floor and disappeared into the courtroom with Belno, leaving the exceed alone.

The exceed heard approaching footsteps and found the messengers escorting the prisoners in the cell. Erza stopped in her tracks and glared at Happy.

"So you're the one responsible for the destruction?" she asked in a clipped tone.

Happy nodded shamelessly. "If only you remained in my body, Erza. You would know that Jellal is a great housewife."

"Housewife?" Erza reiterated. Gray and Lucy stared at him with jaws dropped.

"JELLAL? A HOUSEWIFE?"

The mages questioned their sanity—Happy's sanity and wondered what Jellal did to earn himself that title.

Erza would never admit to it, but Happy knew what she was thinking.

She was curious to see how good of a housewife he was.

Jellal is 100% housewife material. This may become a head-canon if I somehow grow too invested in this idea, LOL. Tune in for next time, folks! Reviews are very much appreciated. ;D