Jade Force
Chapter Fourteen: Dreams and Visions
Do you think that, maybe, we could get a review for this one? Pretty please? I've been pretty sick the last couple of weeks, and I'd really love some feedback
Even after five days on the island, Aubrey had been unable to master her stomach.
"Aubrey-chan, we can stay a bit longer until you feel –" Shanks started to offer, only for his new mage to jump stubbornly up onto the bulwark railings … and then promptly fall flat on her face on the deck with the first dip of the ship, face green.
By now the crew were used to this – they'd seen her collapse at least twice every day since she started trying to befriend the ship, and even the doctor was barely fazed at how green the girl had turned. Either through her magic or her stomach, one way or another, Aubrey turned green very easily.
"How the hell have you managed to get around with such severe motion sickness?" The blonde doctor asked.
Aubrey glared at him weakly from the deck. "Didn't know I had it till about three years ago," She mumbled. "Only ever walked or flew with Quartzerine. Then he disappeared, so I moved from the mountain, and then there were all these new things to learn! Like four-wheelers and trains and – and boats *hurk*~" she struggled for a second, one hand over her mouth, before continuing. "Besides, it was never for very long, and Ara-chan and Ris-chan used to knock me out, anyways. It helped a little bit."
In retrospect, she probably shouldn't have said that, because after a look to that thrice-cursed first mate, the doctor clocked her firmly in the temple with his sword sheath, and she went out like a light.
_ * . * . * _
In the land of dreams, it was almost easy for Aubrey to forget that her body was still aboard a floating deathtrap. This was probably a good thing, since it would be a week or so until they landed on the next island... or at least that's what Shanks had said at dinner the night before. So instead of clutching to the ship's railing and doing her best not to lose her lunch, Aubrey now found herself talking to a fairy – or something.
For her people, the woman must have been tall, just looking at her legs – not that Aubrey made a habit of looking at other people's legs, only that the woman's backless gold and orange dress was very short, struggling to even reach midthigh. Of course, that hadn't been the first thing to catch Aubrey's attention about the woman – it had been her beautiful blue hair, which cascaded down her back in tumbles and twists and half-curls. Her eyes were shaped and coloured like sharp almonds, and flecked through with bright green.
You're probably wondering what made Aubrey think she was a fairy; to be blunt, it was the wings. Dragonfly-like things, there were two sets, one attached at the shoulders, and the other towards the base of the spine, just above the back of the dress. Aubrey was also pretty convinced that that was a barbed tail that hung behind the woman, as well.
"Who are you…?" The fairy woman asked in a soft, melancholy voice.
Aubrey blinked a few times, before replying with, "I'm Aubrey Nephrite, the Jade Dragon Slayer, of Mermaid Heel. Who are you?"
The woman seemed surprised at that question. "I am Ardelle, the last Titania of Tenroujima."
"Tenrou – are you associated with Fairy Tail?" Aubrey asked eagerly. "Do you know my clutchmate, Natsu Dragneel?"
Ardelle was already shaking her head sadly. "The Fae have never had much of anything to do with humans, even when they lived upon our island. That being said, there was a young girl some hundred years ago that we decided to watch over – poor thing, she was the only one to survive the massacre carried out on her village – and who's grave we were caring for, for a time. But now, there are no more Fae on Tenroujima…"
"I'm so sorry," Aubrey replied softly. "What happened?"
"We were cursed and chased by a witchhunter. Our wings and tails can be sold for quite the price on the black market… To the mages of Fairy Tail, my island was their holy land, and it isn't uncommon for them to host their S Class Exams there. For the most part, my people left them be, and tried to contain the damage to the surrounding areas. This year, they were just in time to rescue my daughter, the last of the Tenrou Fairies. I gave her into Makarov's care, after locking away her wings, tail, most of her magic, and a portion of her memories… I can only pray that I have done the right thing."
Dragon's are capable of changing the memories of men… Quartzerine had once told her, after a particularly close call with a slaver shortly after her tenth birthday. Some of us, however, see this as a misuse of our magic, and frown on the action.
Then why did you just use it, Dad?
To protect my beloved hatchling, of course! What is a parent without their child?
"I… I think so," Aubrey murmured. "If my father, the Jade Dragon King, had done such a thing to me, as a form of protection… it would hurt at first, once I'd realised what had happened, but I think I would forgive him. After all," she offered Ardelle a warm smile. "As horrible as it is to be without your parents, there is no harsher feeling than a parent without their child!"
Ardelle paused, looking Aubrey over carefully. "Fairy Tail took my daughter in, and you have close relations with them, do you not?"
Aubrey blinked, confused by this train of thought. "I suppose you could say that – Natsu is somewhere between a cousin and a little brother to me, so I like to visit when I can."
Ardelle's form seemed to fade into the mist that was the Dreamland. "My daughter's name is Levy McGarden – please look out for her!"
"Wha – I'm not even in Earthland anymore! How do I get back?!"
Ardelle's words were so faint, Aubrey wondered if she didn't imagine them:
Make a wish on a falling star!
_ * . * . * _
Quartzerine had always taught his daughter to be polite, and to never give in to the desire to swear – it was unbecoming of a Jade Dragon.
However, she had kept the company of two former (highly wanted) pirates for the better part of seven months, and was now a pirate herself. Therefore, she felt that in times of extreme duress, she could be excused from the anti-swear rule.
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! …. *urgh*~!"
Aubrey dragged herself over to the railing, and felt Beckman's hands under her armpits, easily lifting her over the railing and into the ocean (at the last minute, she remembered to coat her precious satchel in dense jade crystals.)
"What was all of that about?" Beckman called down from the railing once she resurfaced, lazily smoking his pipe.
"I just had a dream where I met the Fairy Queen!" Aubrey called back up to the ship, scales racing across her face. "And do you want to know how she suggests getting home?"
Beckman made a carry on gesture with one hand.
"She said to make a wish on a falling star! How ridiculous can you get?!"
"Says the girl who met a fairy queen in a dream," Beckman deadpanned.
Shanks suddenly burst from the belowdecks door, crying, "Aubrey-chan?! What's wrong, tell Uncle Shan – oof!" Stepping back a pace so that the jade pillar would remove itself from his face, Shanks glared down at his magician. "If I get a broken nose every time I start to worry about you, we're going to have to have some strong words, Aubrey-chan!" He declared heatedly, holding his freshly-rebroken nose, even as his magician snorted.
Beckman sighed, rubbing at his temples absently. "Didn't we agree to give her space? Jeez."
Shanks continued to pout and try to set his nose.
There was a cry from the water. "Tomorrow at dawn, marines will fire at us from the port side!" Aubrey's voice had lost all traces of her previous humour. "They'll be led by a large man in a suit, with a dog mask!"
The crew really surprised her when half of them burst out laughing, and the others started to cry comically.
"That'll be Garp!" Shanks called cheerfully, apparently forgetting that he was cranky with his magician. "This will be a good chance to see how you handle up in a fight against multiple opponents, Aubrey-chan!"
"I beg your pardon?!"
"Ah, Garp's from the old days!" Shanks called down to her. "He's an alright sort, even if he is a marine." Shanks fingered the brim of his strawhat, smiling nostalgically.
Aubrey's sharp ears picked up the mumbled, "And crazy!" from Yassop, which didn't do a great deal for her confidence in her captain's own sanity.
"How do you know that?" Beckman called out to her.
Aubrey went pink. "I was searching the future for the Queen's daughter, and since my senses were open, I could see the marines coming for us."
"Queen?" Shanks asked, brows furrowed.
"She says she met a Fairy Queen in her dreams," Beckman snorted. "Who told her to make a wish on a falling star to get home."
There was a moment of quiet.
"…. DAHAHAHAHAA!" Shanks roared. "Aubrey-chan is so cute! Dahahaha, I didn't know you were still of an age where you believed in fairies! Dahahahahaha!"
"Ano… Boss, maybe you shouldn't…." Yassop began, sweatdropping.
There was a tick mark forming on Aubrey's forehead.
"… Hisuiryū no Hokou!"