Hargeon Town
Everywhere Natsu Dragneel and his team could see, Hargeon was devoid of life. The port town south of Fiore had long since deserted, and every citizen had been evacuated for good reason. Natsu and his team of Lucy Heartfilia, Happy, Gray Fullbuster, and Erza Scarlet responded to a recent job request from the town mayor. The residents grew frantic that the Fairy Tail wizards would again cause collateral damage, the way Natsu did in his battle with Bora the Prominence, and so departing Hargeon Town until the situation was dealt with was the popular option. Five wizards stood together at the town plaza, the cries of gulls sounding in an orchestra of quiet peace, fully aware that something would strike out of the shadows.
Lucy was the most eager of the team, confident of the outcome once the job request was finished. "If we want to find these creeps, we gotta go up to those buildings at the top of the hill," she stated, pointing a finger to the aforementioned infrastructure above.
Gray smirked, "You're pretty excited about this one, huh?"
Lucy replied enthusiastically, "You bet! We've been on a major hot streak lately, so this is gonna be a piece of cake."
"Yeah!" Natsu cheered with a pound of his fist into his open palm. This was going to be another proud day, another victory for Team Natsu. "Are you ready to take out some bad guys, Happy?"
"Aye, sir!" Happy flew up and winked his eye, a paw raised in approval. The five began their trek upwards across the cobbled streets for the objective. Eight footsteps dug with the path, and the slight sounds added to the breaking silence.
"So these clowns call themselves what again?" Gray spoke first as they ran.
"The gang's called Sleepy Hollow, but the real target is their masked leader, Kaze Viriniam," Lucy explained, and before long her face widened with anticipation. "The job was posted by the mayor of Hargeon Town himself, so the reward's gonna be huge!"
"Wow, Lucy," Happy remarked. "You get the craziest look on your face when you start talking about money."
"Shut it, fleabag," Lucy muttered.
"Let's keep our focus on the task at hand," Erza suggested. "Sleepy Hollow has recently come to the attention of the higher-ups. Local reports confirmed that the bandits appeared randomly as they pleased, pillaging villages and stealing valuables. The most recent robbery was the Magical History Museum in Onibus, three days ago. At the cover of night, Sleepy Hollow snuck into the local exhibits and disappeared with several priceless historical artifacts in tow."
"Anything else?" Happy asked.
"Sources confirmed that Sleepy Hollow made their new base of operations, here in Hargeon," Erza clarified. "Before the bandits could attack, the mayor ordered a town-wide evacuation, and he himself took refuge in Onibus."
Gray confirmed, "That explains why the town's empty and quiet. This is our chance to take them down."
Natsu interrupted, "Wait a sec. If the bandits made their new home in Hargeon, why is it still so quiet? Aren't they gonna make a surprise attack—"
The Fire Dragon Slayer got his answer when the streets were flooded by men, some breaking out from the doors, some emerging from the windows, and the rest popping out from the sewers. Each were different in shapes and sizes, except for the hoods covering the backs of their faces, and the identical purple cloaks they wore as a symbol of their brotherhood. Those men, representatives of the Sleepy Hollow gang, all surrounded Natsu and his friends, their weapons brandished and at the ready. "Well, it was quiet," Gray said nonchalantly.
One of the Sleepy Hollow gangsters boasted, "Sorry punks, but you came to the wrong part of town!"
Another bandit pointed a finger, "And you got here just when we were lookin' for somethin' to feed the sharks."
A third bandit added, "I don't know how you got here, but you're gonna make a nice present for the boss!"
Ignoring the insult, Natsu raised a left hand pulsating with fire. He smirked, "These jerks know how to get me fired up."
Erza reminded, "Don't forget, we're here for their boss. He's the target, the only one in the group wearing a mask. We have to capture him if we want the reward. Is everybody clear?"
Natsu nodded, "Guy wearing a mask, huh? Got it!"
Lucy jumped up and down, singing with glee, "We're gonna get some money, we're gonna get some cash! We're gonna get some money, we're gonna get some cash!"
Happy flew over with concern, "Yep, she's lost her mind."
"LET'S GET 'EM!"
Yells of vigor and anger came over the bandits as they all pushed forward into the fray.
"Spread out!" Erza yelled, and she and her comrades split in separate directions to fight the Sleepy Hollow numbers individually, Gray leaving behind his white waistcoat.
Natsu hopped into the air and zoomed from rooftop to rooftop, dodging the bolts of fire from the bandits, before landing into a balcony, facing the pursuing swarm head-on. "The sharks are getting hungry, are they? Well, then I'm gonna grill somethin' up real good for 'em! Fire Dragon's Roar!" Breathing a large amount into his lungs, he exhaled a massive stream of fire that scorched the bandits. Within seconds, the rooftops were sprawled by a collection of crisped, beaten thugs.
"Alright!" Happy cheered. "You got 'em!"
"That what I always like about fish," Natsu smiled. "Roast 'em up nice and hot!"
"I dunno," Happy shrugged. "I always liked my fish raw and cold."
"Less talking, more fighting!" Natsu suggested. "Save the fish for later!"
"Aye!" Happy nodded, and he lifted his partner into the air for aerial combat.
In a separate part of town, Erza raised her sword against the second division of Sleepy Hollow bandits. She demanded, "If you know what's good for you, you'll hand over Kaze Viriniam this instant."
"You're crazy if you think we're gonna rat on our boss, lady!" one of the bandits snorted.
"Quiet admirable," Erza remarked. "Seems you have some honor after all. In that case, prepare yourselves for battle! Requip: Heaven's Wheel Armor!" In a flash of holy light, her Heart Kreuz Armor shifted into that of Heaven's Wheel, a circle of swords floating alongside her radiant silver-winged garments.
A bandit exclaimed, "What the hell'd she do?!"
Another bandit growled, "Who cares?! Just take her down!" The pack charged for the wizard in armor before she could make a hit. Unfortunately, they were instantly decimated by a flock of dancing swords.
"Now then, where can I find Kaze Viriniam?" Erza looked back, and she took a minute to witness a bit of the damage she caused, albeit unintentionally. All of the bandits she took out were already left unconscious. "My mistake. It seems I overdid it."
Meanwhile, the chase in the rooftops continued. Natsu came across a roofless kitchen with a fireplace heating a chimney, and saw it as the perfect spot to replenish his strength. "There we go! Snack time!" He jumped into the room, took a stick of burning wood, and absorbed the fire into his stomach, increasing his magic. Another swarm of bandits jumped in, and the Fire Dragon Slayer anticipated their next move. "Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" With a large explosion, the enemies were blown away.
Away from the blast's view, Gray stripped himself of his blue shirt, and encountered the division of Sleepy Hollow bandits with a smirk. "Which one of you losers goes by the name Kaze Viriniam? Better yet, which one of you wears a mask? I heard he's the only one in your posse wearing a mask."
Their only answer was firing guns and throwing rocks.
"Ice-Make: Lance!" Gray crossed his hands together and fired a multitude of sharp lances carved of ice, blowing the bandits away. "These guys don't know when to quit, do they? Ice-Make: Floor!" Within seconds, the streets turned into a slippery substance, and the remaining thugs lost their balance and slid down the hill. "Now, where's Kaze? Who's talking?" He then realized too late that all of the bandits were whisked away by the white.
BOOM! From the remains of a empty building, a squealing bandit emerged from the fire and fell towards the Ice-Make Wizard. Gray responded by freezing the gangster into a living icy projectile, blowing him back to the building. The frozen statue was then grasped by Natsu, who eyed his rival with a frown.
"You wanna play, huh?" the Fire Dragon Slayer's hand erupted with fire, and sent the bandit flying back to Gray.
"Sure, I'll play with ya!" Gray frowned back, and he froze the bandit again, sending him flying back to Natsu. The process kept repeating and repeating, until only one of them grew exhausted. This was another demonstration of how fire and ice don't mix, a living reminder of Natsu and Gray's epic rivalry.
"That's enough! Both of you!" Erza's loud voice boomed, and the two immediately froze with fear. Of course, the crimson-haired woman didn't approve of their constant fighting, and she deigned to discipline them for their recklessness. Erza scolded, "This isn't the time for games! And are you fighting each other again, which I told you not to?"
At that instant, Natsu lost his balance from the rooftop and fell into the icy streets, slipping along with the bandits, out of fear of hearing Erza's scary voice. "Natsu, wait up!" Happy cried, and he flew after him.
Elsewhere in the harbor, Lucy brandished her Fleuve d'étoiles whip and confronted the last batch of Sleepy Hollow bandits. "Now, do you wanna tell me where Kaze Viriniam is hiding..." She took one of her Celestial Golden Gate Keys, one representing the Golden Bull, Taurus. "...or do you wanna tell it to the raging bull?"
With the sound of the bell, the Celestial Spirit Taurus mooed his way into the fray, his giant ax at the ready. "I know the lady's got a totally rockin' body..." With a single swing, ten bandits were blown up into the air. "...but you gotta give her some roooooooom!"
"I appreciate the help, Taurus, but how the heck am I supposed to question them now?" Lucy said dryly. "Gotta put you out to pasture."
"Oh, boo-hoooooooooo!" Taurus pouted, and he was sent back into his realm with the swipe of Lucy's key.
"How about this one?" Lucy raised another Golden Key, this time of the Lion. "Open, Gate of the Lion! Loke!"
And with that, the Celestial Spirit Leo, properly pegged as Loke of Fairy Tail, appeared from a portal of light. "I got this! Don't worry your pretty little head! Regulus Gatling Impact!" The bachelor of Lucy's team of spirits eradicated the remaining bandits with a series of golden fists.
Lucy was clearly disappointed that she was unable to get information of Kaze Viriniam's whereabouts, due to her Spirits' reckless optimism. "Not what I wanted..."
From the smoke, Loke turned to his Celestial Spirit Wizard and raised his glasses. "C'mon, beautiful..." An injured thug was caught in his arm, "It only takes two people to have a meaningful conversation, y'know?"
Meanwhile, Happy flew over and spotted many of the bandits beaten and knocked out, their bodies floating on the boats. Among them, he saw Natsu sustaining the worse damage, his motion sickness once again kicking in. "Happy... help me..."
Happy flew down to the salmon-haired young man's level, "There's a ton of bad guys all over the place, but your tummy is always your worst enemy."
By the time Erza and Gray appeared on one rooftop, they noticed a door breaking down from one of the houses. It was a member of the Sleepy Hollow, but much different than the others. The mysterious person sported dark pink short hair, and the attire consisted of a red top with white long sleeves, a purple skirt, grey long boots, black long stockings, a pink bracelet around the right wrist, and a cyan choker. The most notable features were the two unfamiliar blades in the hands, and the black and white mask concealing the face. Could it be?
Gray's eyes widened, "Is that him? Kaze Viriniam? The guy in the mask?"
Erza observed the masked individual's appearance and clothing, "I think 'he' is a 'she.' I never imagined a woman could lead a bunch of thieves... But it's definitely the one! Kaze Viriniam, leader of the Sleepy Hollow!"
Lucy emerged from that same door, and she called to her teammates, "I got this one!"
Erza called back, "Lucy!"
Gray put down an unconscious bandit in his arm, "Yeah, I told you she was excited."
The chase was on! The mysterious Kaze changed direction and fled into a nearby alleyway, with Lucy in hot pursuit. This was it; once the bandit leader was caught, the reward would be hers, and she would be able to pay this month's rent.
"You're not getting away!" Lucy shouted, and at the end of the chase, Kaze was backed against the wall. She was trapped, with no chance of escaping the relentless Celestial Spirit Wizard. Lucy brimmed with confidence, "Sweet, right into a dead end! Reward money, here I come!"
"Well, I gotta hand it to ya," Kaze remarked, a chill of impression vibrating from under her mask. "You and your fairy-tale fantasy club are a bigger pain in the neck than I would've ever thought possible."
Lucy's eyes widened upon observing the bandit leader's full appearance, as well as hearing the voice. And that voice wasn't male. "You're a... girl?"
"Well, duh!" Kaze chuckled. "Of course I'm a girl! Everybody in town thinks I'm a man, but appearances can be deceiving."
Lucy demanded, "What are you up to? Why did you steal all those goods from several towns, including the museum?"
Kaze answered, "I'm doing this as an extra favor for my boss. Not like a bunch of bozos working their butts off would care."
Lucy countered, "To be honest with you, I'd rather butt into your business than do nothing. Nobody in my guild would ever leave a crisis unsolved." She gripped her whip, "You ready to fight? Come and get it!"
Kaze crossed her hips, "I'd love to stay and dance, but my boss has a tight schedule. Besides, if the town's rigged to blow up and take you and your pals along with it, I'd hate to be around when the fireworks start."
Lucy frowned, "You're insane, you know that? You're never gonna get away with it!"
Kaze chuckled again, "We'll see about that. Oh, and one more thing..." She added as an afterthought, "...the goods in the museum we stole aren't the only things we're after..." She pointed a finger at Lucy, "We're also after you!"
Lucy questioned, "Huh? What are you referring to?"
Kaze gave a mock salute, "See ya later, bimbo! It's been fun playing tag with ya!" With one final laugh, she exploded into a puff of dark smoke, leaving no trace of her silhouette behind.
"No fair!" Lucy complained at her target's disappearance. "I need my rent money!" She then paused, "Wait, did she just say, 'the town's rigged to blow up?' Does that mean..."
Before she could make an assumption, multiple lights pierced the streets of Hargeon. A howl of energy, a flash of magic, Natsu and his friends taking notice.
And then it struck them.
"IT'S A TRAP!"
The whole town of Hargeon detonated, blown up by one single explosion. Buildings were reduced to rubble and ash, the streets lay blackened, and the greens were reduced to black. Fortunately for Natsu and company, the Fire Dragon Slayer was able to absorb most of the flames, and all five emerged from the inferno unscathed. But it didn't change the fact that they had failed.
In a hill separate from what was once called a port town, Kaze observed the destruction she caused, proud of her well-laid plan. "Placing a magic-powered bomb underneath the sewers was a stroke of genius," she said to herself. "It won't be long now... The Keyhole will be ours, and this whole world with it!" She added with a laugh, "I doubt anyone can stop us. What do we expect, a magical key or somethin'?"
Onibus Town
The sun peered up over the town of Onibus, and sent its rays into the Magical History Museum, one of Fiore's trademark attraction spots and a library of the kingdom's history and beyond.
"So you're telling me... YOU LET MY BEAUTIFUL TOWN BLOW TO SMITHEREENS, AND THAT KAZE VIRINIAM LUNATIC IS STILL ON THE LOOSE?!"
At a certain museum exhibit, the mayor of Hargeon Town roared with outrage at the troublesome news, casting accusations to the hapless Team Natsu for failing to capture the leader of the Sleeping Hollow. Lucy took it the hardest, "Yes, sir. I take responsibility."
Erza stated, "She may still be at large."
Holding his cigarette, the mayor raised an eyebrow, "She?"
Gray shrugged, "The leader of the Sleeping Hollow turned out to be a girl. At least we routed up her gang, or what's left of it, since most of them blew up."
"Oh, yeah. Sure," the mayor said sarcastically, before he turned angry again. "I only wanted the boss! And you call yourselves a guild?! You're more like a circus act, a bunch of clowns worse than the ones in Halloween's Circus Troupe!" He turned his back, never to speak to those incompetent wizards again. "No reward for you!"
With the five Fairy Tail wizards left to themselves, they sighed depressingly. Lucy muttered sadly, "I'm sorry, you guys. This was my fault. Because of me, the town was destroyed, and many people are homeless."
Natsu put an assuring hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry. We're all in this together."
Happy agreed, "Yeah. We win or lose as a team. Right, pal?"
Gray grumbled, "And when we arrive back home, Gramps is gonna punish us big time as a team..."
Natsu grinned, "It's a good thing we didn't involve Wendy and Carla in all this. For all we know, they're around here somewhere in this museum."
"Special delivery!"
Two voices, a man and a woman, resonated within the exhibit. Team Natsu recognized the voices, and they turned their heads to see Alzack and Bisca Connell, the married gunslinger wizard duo. They had responded to a job request of their own to deliver a special package to the museum curator, dignified with Alzack holding a steel tube in his hand.
Erza smiled, "Ah, Alzack and Bisca. Fancy meeting the two of you here."
Natsu greeted cheerily, "Howdy, partners!"
Bisca winked back, "Howdy to you too, Natsu!"
Alzack stated, "We're here to give this package to the curator. It's signed, sealed, and delivered, courtesy of..."
"FAIRY TAIL!"
Another voice echoed, one unfamiliar to the Fairy Tail wizards. As they turned to the source, it happened to belong to the museum curator, a short man with a white moustache, and wearing a fashioned red Chinese robe and hat. And he wasn't alone; he was accompanied by an entourage of visitors, among them four young wizards from Fairy Tail— Wendy, Carla, Romeo Conbolt, son of the guild's fourth master, and Asuka, Alzack and Bisca's daughter. The curator continued his cheery proclamation, "The strongest guild in Fiore, and two-time winner of the Grand Magic Games!"
Alzack said dryly, "Um, you're supposed to let us say our guild's name, Mr. Zao."
Zao said sheepishly, "Oh, my sincerest apologizes, Mr. Connell. I'm just so excited to meet such a guild of your stature. Not to mention, how you and your wife responded to my request and made it in time! I don't know how much longer I could've held out." He then eyed Natsu and his friends, and his cheeriness increased, "And you four, the strongest team in the guild! Among them, Natsu Dragneel the Salamander, Titania Erza Scarlet, and Ice Boy Gray Fullbuster!"
"HEY!" Gray shouted at that offense. "Do you have any idea who you're talkin' to?!"
Natsu laughed, "Relax, Snowman. We have lots of fans. They love us!" His attention shifted to Wendy and Romeo, and he waved his hand, "Hey, Wendy! Hey, Romeo!"
Wendy cried happily, "Hi, Natsu!"
Romeo waved back, "Hey, bro! Caught any bad guys today?"
Natsu rolled his eyes, "Oh, just had to fry some bandits and roast some sharks."
Happy sighed, "But the bad news is, we let the town blow to smithereens. And the mayor snapped at us."
Romeo shook his head, "Bummer." He then grinned, "But you guys managed to get away with it in style."
Happy nodded, "Aye. We win or lose as a team."
Natsu asked, "Say, Romeo, how's your dad? Did he buy you those tickets to that famous circus you mentioned?"
Romeo nodded, "Yep! It took him some time, but we got 'em. Check this out!" Reaching his pocket, he took out three tickets and presented them to Natsu and Happy, the front printed with a picture of a clown wearing a hat. "Ta-da! Three tickets for Halloween's Circus Troupe, the coolest circus ever! It's gonna take place at Shirotsume Town!"
Natsu remarked, "Cool! What are the tickets for?"
Wendy answered, "One for me, one for Romeo, and one for Carla. Mr. Macao was coming with us, but he's pretty busy with the job request he got from Oak Town. He gave up his ticket, and asked us to give it to a friend." She motioned to the white Exceed, "So I gave it to Carla."
Carla nodded, "I'll gladly participate in Macao's stead. I can't simply allow Wendy to attend alone. I'm confident she'll be safe with me, even more so with Romeo."
Wendy pouted, "Carla, you worry too much."
Carla countered, "All the more reason I had to be by your side at all times."
Wendy stated, "I have so many fond memories of Halloween's Circus Troupe. It was our time at the Cait Shelter guild. Carla and I would often watch the circus in several occasions. The first time I watched, I fell in love with it." She sighed affectionately, "It became a part of my most cherished memories."
Carla smiled, "If Wendy is happy, then I'm happy as well."
Happy said slyly, "And if you're happy, I'm happy, too. And that's my name." He raised a wrapped salmon fish in his paws, "Care to share a fish with me?"
Carla refused, "No, thank you. I already had my fill."
Romeo added to the conversation, "My dad used to take me to the circus, too. It was years ago before I became a member of Fairy Tail. I can still remember the amazing acts, the cool performers, and the big stunts. It's the best thing ever, next to the Fantasia Parade." He grew with excitement, "Isn't this great? Every day, the ringmaster Halloween comes up with new ideas to make the circus super-exciting. And I'm not coming home until I've seen each and every part of the circus! I wanna see it all!"
Wendy shared Romeo's enthusiasm, "So what are we waiting for? We've got the tickets, so let's go!"
Carla interrupted, "Hold on! Let's not be hasty! We'll go see the circus after the field trip." She eyed Wendy sternly, "And I want to make sure you've learned everything so far. You can't grow without knowledge and focus."
Wendy giggled, "Oh, right. Sorry, Carla. We just got too excited. We still have to explore the museum. Mr. Zao is our tour guide."
Romeo agreed, "I guess we're stuck in this tour for the rest of the afternoon, Wendy."
Wendy turned to Natsu and Happy, "Are you coming with us to the circus?"
Natsu shook his head, "Nah, we've got our hands full. We'll go back to the guild and help Lucy find a job that can help her pay rent, as usual. We'll see you around. Oh!" He added as an afterthought, "Wendy, you still got those Troia spells? We're taking the train again."
Wendy raised her hands, "Sure!"
Meanwhile, the conversation between the Connells and Mr. Zao continued. The curator cleared his throat, "Now then, let's get down to business. Where is the package?" Alzack obliged by handing the steel tube box, and Zao opened it to reveal... an ice cream cone. Mr. Zao gorged his mouth into the sweet flavor, licking a portion with his tongue. "Delicious!"
"Ice cream?" Bisca blinked in disbelief. "The package we're requested to deliver was a blueberry ICE CREAM CONE?"
Zao shrugged, "Master Makarov said I could. He knows I have a passion for ice cream. Blueberry's my favorite!"
Alzack said in confusion, "You're weird."
Zao continued between lickings of ice cream, "As promised, I'll give you the reward money in my office after I finish the tour with those lovely guests."
Bisca grinned, "I figured you'd say that, because we're coming with. We're chaperones of our little Asuka. We wouldn't leave her alone on her first trip to the museum, would we?"
Alzack added, "And besides, what we heard about those bandits raiding Hargeon and all these towns, including this museum, they might come again to steal more stuff, even worse. That's why we have to come and keep our little girl safe."
Zao chortled, "Well, the more the merrier! Please, congregate yourselves with the entourage, and we'll resume the trip!"
Back with the tour...
Team Natsu had already departed for the train station right after Wendy supplied Natsu with Troia, sufficiently to balance his motion sickness, and Alzack and Bisca joined the entourage to safeguard their seven-year old daughter, Asuka. Having finished the last of his ice cream, Zao escorted the tourists to another exhibit, this one glittering with artifacts and props dazzling as the sun, and the background as silver as light.
"Welcome, boys and girls, to the most popular attraction in my museum, the Kingdom Exhibit!"
Wendy, Romeo, Asuka, and the rest of the tourists marveled at the mere sight of such items stacked together in glass and paintings and statues, remnants of a past where men created astronomical achievements on behalf of society.
"Step lively, people! Lots to see!" Zao motioned with his arm, "Here, we have some of history's earliest creations. So primitive, in fact, that it doesn't involve using lacrima or cities with six spider legs."
"Excuse me, Mr. Zao, sir?" Wendy raised her hand, trying to catch the curator's attention. She was referring to the elastic, rubber-like block behind a glass stand. "What is this?"
"That, my dear Miss Marvell, is a gummi block," Zao explained. "An extremely rare mineral extracted from artificial meteors."
"Meteors?" Romeo's eyes widened in surprise. "Like the ones in outer space? For real?!"
"Precisely!" Zao nodded. "Gummi blocks, otherwise known as gummis, possess incredible magical power outside the borders of our world. It can be used as energy sources to power up machines, even better, used as building blocks to construct inventions and vehicles."
Wendy gasped in disbelief, "Wow! Things from another world? How could such a thing exist?"
Bisca smirked, "It's like we're makin' a discovery."
Romeo questioned, "Are there any blocks like this one?"
Zao narrated, "If you knew your early history of Fiore, you'd be aware that this gummi block was once a fragment of a vehicle used by the wizards of old. During the time when Earth-land had entered an era of expansion, our ancestors discovered gummi blocks from the artificial meteors that fell from the sky. With these blocks, they had the means to create advanced technology to wipe out all disease and hunger. Eventually, gummis can be assembled as ships to explore other worlds!"
All of the tourists went 'Ooooooh' at this important historical fact. Wendy asked, "Do we still use gummi blocks, even today?"
Zao shrugged, "I can't say. No one in Earth-land has ever deigned to use gummi blocks in a long time. For now, we'll let history run its course. Let get a move on, shall we? I'm saving the best for last! It's right this way, past the food court and gallery of marble slabs."
The entourage moved straight ahead along a red carpet towards a section obscured by a red curtain, the nozzle serving as the controls. The slabs forged in the image of legendary wizards were assembled in two straight lines between the carpet, their eyes endlessly peering at the group.
But unbeknownst to all, the eyes of one particular stone statue began to move.
"Here we are!" Zao beamed, holding the nozzle. "Behold, the pride of my collection! The Keyblade!"
With a pull, the sheets pulled away, revealing a stained glass container casing an oddly-shaped blade. It was depicted as a classic skeleton key approximately 3.5 inches long, the hilt shaped like a bow, the blade forged silver, and the tip cased with teeth forming the outline of an unknown symbol. Its place in the museum was explained by the cuts and rusts it had endured in ancient times. Once again, the entourage was left in awe.
Romeo was the first to question, "Keyblade? So it's a sword shaped like a key? What's so special about it?"
Zao laughed proudly, "This is no ordinary blade, my dear boy! Long ago, in the age of fairy tales, a magnificent shining heart-shaped moon soared across the universe and filled our worlds with light. When it landed at the center, our ancestors were so captivated by its light and beauty that they forged Keyblades in its honor. Forged from the pure elements, its power had no equal, as a weapon to destroy or a tool to build. The power to bring light and vanquish darkness, or the exact opposite. A fit companion for a true warrior!" He paused for effect, "And yes, the Keyblade is also a key, and it can lock and unlock all manner of doors and keyholes. Ironic, isn't it?"
Romeo smirked, "Sweet! A super-cool blade with the power to lock and unlock anything! Just imagine, if our guildhall is locked and we lost the key, we use that blade to unlock it! What do you think, Wendy?" He turned to his dark blue-haired friend, whose eyes were completely focused on the rusty blade within the glass. "Wendy?"
No response. Wendy's mind was frozen, and the world spun to a standstill. Her gaze had been glued, and her will drawn as the key-shaped weapon confronted her. Curiosity equaling silence surrounded a narrow pupil, so light that no shadow could hope to chase it away. It was attracting her, beckoning her, knowing that she could see the beauty within.
"Key..." she whispered breathlessly. "...blade..."
In that moment, something snapped in Wendy's brain, causing her to scream in slight pain. With more effort that she'd ever exerted, she closed her eyelids. The heat tore at her chest, and her arms wrapped around it. A faint light flickered in her head, before it flew off elsewhere. Carla and Romeo took notice of her slight condition.
Carla asked with concern, "Wendy, what's wrong?"
Romeo wondered, "Are you okay? Do you need something?"
Within seconds, the heat in her heart subsided, and she gradually recovered. Wendy responded, "I'm fine, thank you. It's just... whenever I see that key-shaped blade, I feel painful inside. At the same time..." A small hand touched her heart, "I feel warm. What is this warmth inside me? It feels like something is giving me comfort, giving me strength." She tensed a little, "I've got a bad feeling about this..."
Romeo joked, "It's probably the air-conditioning. Or is it because you're hungry?"
Wendy sighed, "I hope so. I still don't know..."
Carla rolled her eyes, "You're just imagining things, child. Once the tour is over, we'll buy you a snack. Surely, this will make you feel better."
Wendy smiled warmly, "I'd love to have one."
Romeo agreed, "Me too."
"Oh, give me a break!" The three turned and saw a red-haired boy in white emerging from the crowd, the first among the entourage to voice an argument. "Keyblades? Heart-shaped moon? They're just a myth! Some fairy tale story that mommies read to their kids at night! My dad said so, and he should know, 'cause he's the guild master of Titan Nose and all. That key-shaped weapon is just another prop in your museum, about as real as that stone statue back there."
He pointed his thumb, but by the time he turned around, however, the stone statue was gone.
And then a laugh of pure evil. A twinge of fear crept over the entourage, and all those present in the Kingdom Exhibit.
"I smell your fear..."
"Mommy..." Asuka grabbed hold of Bisca's hand, trembling in fear. "I'm scared."
"Don't worry, sweetie," Bisca lifted her daughter up and held her tightly. "We'll take care of you."
"No need to be scared," Alzack assured. "It's you, me, Wendy, and Romeo. All four of us against only one of him."
"Guess again, you brats!"
There was a loud roar of evil laughter as wizards from illegal dark guilds removed their disguises as stone statues, paintings, and artifacts. An instant later, the number of villains increased, and the people gasped.
"Dark guilds!" Alzack yelled, flexing his hands and summoning his magical guns. "What the hell are they doing here?!"
"My guess is that they're here addin' to the mess that Sleepy Hollow caused," Bisca gritted her teeth. "Mr. Zao, take care of Asuka!" She handed a frightened Asuka to the museum curator, who obliged by taking the infant in his arms and whisking away with her. "We got this!" Bisca summoned her magical guns as well, and stood alongside her husband.
"Sleepy Hollow? That's the name of the gang of bandits from before!" Romeo assumed, and his hands pulsated with Yellow Fire. "Are they working together?"
"I don't know, but we're gonna find out, one way or another!" Wendy prepared herself for battle. "Natsu and the others are counting on us. We won't let them down!"
"Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Connell!" Romeo called. "You think only four of us can take 'em out?"
"Four is enough for a crowd, kid," Bisca smirked. "Enough for a big party! Let show these clowns what happens when they mess with four Fairy Tail wizards."
"Gladly!" Alzack nodded.
"CHARGE!" the leading dark wizard gave the signal.
With that, the two groups readied their magical techniques and charged with a fierce battle cry. It was a scene that no one had envisioned, and yet here it was. The Kingdom Exhibit had become a warzone.
Miles away, an explosion came from the town of Onibus. Natsu, Happy, Lucy, Gray, and Erza were still on the train, and they observed the tiny red flash from afar. Happy wondered, "Hey, did you see something?"
"Nah, it's just a party or somethin'," Natsu shrugged. "I'm sure they got it under control."
"Look out! Guns Magic: Mud Shot!"
Romeo ducked, barely missing a swing from a nearby dark wizard's ax. Alzack darted around, and with a shot of his revolver, the mud stuck five enemies to the wall. "Thanks!" Romeo smiled.
"Don't thank me yet," Alzack replied.
The crowds scattered as hundreds of spells plunged their way through the walls, leaving rubble and holes in their wake, the battle intense. With Carla as her flight, Wendy took off into the air and zoomed around, dodging the magical attacks fired at her, before diving into a pocket of dark wizards. "Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" Wendy twirled her arms imbued with gusts of wind, and slammed them to the ground, a collection of thugs collapsing to the ground. "Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!" Transforming her left hand into a claw of wind, she deflected blows and projectiles, while dealing a few of her own out. Wendy heard snarls behind her. Turning around, she was just in time to see five wizards pounce atop her. "Sky Dragon's Roar!" She counterattacked with a gust of wind from her mouth, striking them down.
"Nice one, kid!" Bisca cheered, stunning five dark wizards with her magical machine gun. "Your dragon taught you well."
"Aww, I just did my best," Wendy giggled with a blush. "After all, I'm the pillar that holds the team."
Victory was near. The remaining dark guild wizards were exhausted, most of them knocked down. The team of Wendy, Romeo, Alzack, and Bisca burned with vigor, aiming their weapons and magic as they marched to the defeated hordes. "This is it!" Romeo urged. "Wendy, care to finish them off?"
"You got it!" Wendy stood terra firma, and with a valiant cry, gusts of magical wind flowed around her arms, giving her sufficient energy for the final blow. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Shattering Light..."
"RETREAT!"
With the signal blurted out, the dark wizards yelled and disappearing from the Kingdom Exhibit, never bothering to retrieve their injured comrades. The exhibit was left in ruins, the remnants of artifacts crumbling into stone and wood. The four Fairy Tail wizards breathed in relief.
"Yeah, run away, you cowards!" Romeo boasted. "And don't try to face us again!" He hoped to himself, "I hope Natsu sees this."
"Thank you for saving my museum, Fairy Tail wizards," Mr. Zao emerged with a joyous smile, holding Asuka. "I wish I could double the reward for your efforts, but I'm getting my hands full with the damage." He sighed hopelessly, "I guess we won't be having a tour in the Kingdom Exhibit for a while."
Wendy apologized, "I'm sorry about your exhibit, Mr. Zao."
Zao shrugged, "It's alright, Miss Marvell. It happens all the time. We can always fix it." He shook with glee, "Oh, it's a miracle for my museum to be saved by the illustrious Fairy Tail! I have all kinds of Fairy Tail stuff, such as Lucy Heartfilia's clothing-detachable action figure, Gajeel Redfox's Iron Metal guitar... Oh, I even got the Vulcan Party Underwear Macao Conbolt wore when Twilight Ogre tried to blackmail him with a butt photo!"
Wendy, Carla, Alzack, and Bisca froze in shock, while Romeo's jaw dropped. He cried in disbelief, "He snuck into my dad's room and stole his stuff... WITHOUT PERMISSION?!"
Carla grimaced, "How absurd!"
Alzack confirmed, "He really is a big fan. A fanboy."
Bisca sighed, "If not as crazy as Jason the reporter."
"Mommy! Daddy!" With tears in her eyes, Asuka rushed to her parents.
"Asuka!" Alzack and Bisca opened their arms, and they snuggled their daughter into their embrace. Alzack whispered comfortingly, "It's alright. You're safe now."
"I don't get it," Romeo said confusedly. "Three days ago, Sleepy Hollow robbed the museum. Why would dark wizards want to steal from this place, too?"
Zao clarified, "It wasn't the first time the Kingdom Exhibit was raided. Sleepy Hollow struck without warning, and they yanked away some of the items. They made no effort in stealing items from the other exhibits."
Carla rubbed her chin, "They only stole from the Kingdom Exhibit..." Her eyes widened, "The dark guilds and Sleepy Hollow are connected somehow?"
Bisca shrugged, "It's my guess." Leaving Asuka to Alzack, she examined the beaten bodies of the dark wizards, one by one. "They're wizards from Blitz Bone, Selfish Jumprope, and Tidal Terror, by the looks of their marks." She folded her arms, "Why on Earth-land would dark guilds want to steal things from the same exhibit?"
Wendy suggested, "We'll just have to work harder. We'll find a connection, and we'll catch them."
Carla cut her off, "Hold on! Did you forget that we still have to attend the circus in Shirotsume? You don't want to miss it, do you?"
Wendy countered, "If we can't do something, who will? I have to help somehow."
Alzack smiled, "You just worry about the circus, Wendy. Leave Sleepy Hollow and the dark guilds to us. Go with Carla and Romeo."
Romeo agreed, "Yeah. C'mon, Wendy. Let's go to the circus."
Wendy began, "But—"
Bisca insisted, "No 'buts.' Sometimes, you gotta leave all the heavy lifting to someone else. You deserve a break." Romeo and Carla nodded in agreement.
Romeo grinned, "The tour is delayed, anyway. That gives us a lot of time."
Wendy paused thoughtfully, processing the sincere words she was filled with. Finally, she smiled. "You're right, everyone. We all deserve a second chance. Okay, I've decided!" She added with determination, "I'm going with Carla and Romeo to Halloween's Circus Troupe!"
Romeo pumped a fist in the air, "Alright! Now we're talking! We're gonna have some fun!"
Carla smiled in approval, "A very wise choice."
Romeo informed, "My dad's waiting for us at the station."
Wendy nodded, "Let's go. Tonight's the big night. We should be ready."
Bisca waved, "Have fun, kids! We'll stay here and help clean up."
Alzack affirmed, "Don't forget, you still have friends in Fairy Tail."
Wendy waved happily, "We'll see you later!"
Having said their goodbyes, Wendy, Carla, and Romeo became a separate group from the Connells, and they headed for the exhibit exit. The three would spend the rest of the night at Halloween's Circus Troupe, and then the next day, a new adventure would begin.
"Hey, Wendy!" Alzack shouted.
Wendy turned around to face the gunslinger wizard, "Yes, Mr. Connell?"
"Catch!" Alzack tossed the Sky Dragon Slayer something, which she caught with both hands. It was a strange-looking fruit, colored yellow and shaped like a star. She looked down at it, a bit perplexed. "You wanted one, didn't you?"
"A paopu fruit?" Wendy asked curiously. "That's the rarest fruit in the kingdom."
"Why would Wendy want this for?" Romeo raised an eyebrow.
"We used to tell Asuka stories about the legendary fruit," Alzack explained. "If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives, no matter what happens."
"That's funny, because I'd like to share it with someone, too," Wendy beamed.
"Really?" Bisca smiled. "Then who is that someone?"
"It has to be someone my age or a year older than me," Wendy fantasized. "Someone who's caring, someone who's nice, and someone who's brave."
"Oh, I don't have to guess..." Bisca chuckled, and she gazed at Romeo, who looked back strangely.
"Huh? Why are you looking at me?" Romeo couldn't guess why Alzack gave the fruit to Wendy. Unless...
"C'mon, I know you wanna try it!" Bisca teased.
"What are you talking—" Romeo was interrupted when Alzack and Bisca laughed at him teasingly. Wendy just stared with a hint of blush on her cheeks, and Carla sported an amused smile. "Sorry, I gotta go. Bye!" Romeo cheeks blushed extremely hot than he had ever felt before, compelling him to run for the exit.
Wendy looked back and forth between Romeo and the fruit in her hand, before she decided to put it in her pocket for safekeeping. "Some other time," she said thoughtfully. "It can wait." Her eyes were set on the way out, "Let's—"
The Sky Maiden never finished her sentence.
She was interrupted by a flicker of darkness that came out of nowhere, illuminating the exhibit. Deafened by the resulting intervention, Wendy could barely see anyone. And then, a bright light shone down on her, as if she was the star of a show, assuming the audience was not there.
"Huh?"
Followed by the sudden change of atmosphere, another bright light appeared in front of her, and two ethereal eyes gazed. And out came a voice.
"Wendy Marvell... You have passed the first test. The time has come. Your destiny is at hand."
"What is this?" Wendy stared fearfully at the astral spirit. "Who are you?"
"Don't be afraid. Many great things will come. Now, go. The first door is open for you."
With that, the spirit vanished, and the darkness lifted. The atmosphere returned to the ruined Kingdom Exhibit.
"Is that thing talking to me?" Wendy was left perplexed. "And that voice... It sounded..." She touched her heart, "...familiar."
"Wendy, come on!"
Carla called out, waving her hand, snapping the girl's attention.
"Oh, I'm coming!"
She left for the exit, the vision she experienced a few inches away.
Meanwhile, somewhere in another world far beyond the boundaries of Earth-land, something important was about to happen that would surely affect the people that lived there. It was the Kingdom of Disney, an incredibly large world populated by anthropomorphic animals, and a place filled with vibrant joy, cheer, and magic. One of the creatures was walking proudly through the colonnade of Disney Castle, home of the ruling authority of the Disney Kingdom, passing a group of animal guards and magical brooms carrying buckets of water. It was an anthropomorphic duck with white plumage, a yellow-orange bill, legs of the same color, light blue eyes, and a short tuft of feathers on his head. He wore a blue and purple long-sleeved outfit, and his hat resembled a stereotypical witch's hat. The duck, known as Donald Duck, the magician of the Disney Kingdom's royal court, was on his way to arrange a personal audience with the King.
He stopped in front of two enormous double doors, cleared his throat, and knocked on the solid concrete three times. A smaller door just his size opened, revealing a hatch, and he walked through. Donald walked down the long red carpet of the audience chamber towards a golden throne.
"Good morning, Your Majesty!" Donald extended his greetings. "It's nice to see you this morn—"
To his shock and dismay, the throne was empty.
"WHAT?!"
Instead of seeing the King at his throne, like he was every morning, he found the King's pet dog, Pluto, holding an envelope in his mouth, the front bearing the seal shaped like a mouse with two round ears. Donald guessed right away that the seal was the King's. He quickly tore open the envelope and pulled out the piece of paper inside. He read what was written, muttering to himself as he did. When he double-checked and completely understood the message, he was completely fearful. Donald's eyes blinked, his jaw dropped. And then...
He quacked hysterically as he sped out of the audience chamber and back into the colonnade. Something had to be done!
A few minutes later in the castle courtyard, Donald was running down the dirt path, passing by the beautiful flower gardens and the life-sized grass statues of a concert band. Behind the grass castle, an anthropomorphic dog with black fur and droopy ears was sleeping in a bed of lilies. He wore a knight's helmet sporting a curved blade on the top, and armor was all over his body, though most of it was on his left side, leaving his right side mostly exposed except for a metal armlet on his upper arm. He also wore a sleeveless orange shirt with a high yellow collar, an oblong blue piece of clothing over his right half held on by a black strap attached by yellow, star-shaped buttons, and orange baggy pants with a noticeable seam down the front of each leg. His name was Goofy, the captain of the King's Royal Knights, and a trusted friend and colleague of Donald.
Donald ran over to the sleeping knight and started waving his arms frantically. He yelled, "Wake up, Goofy! Wake up! This is serious!" Goofy wasn't waking up, and he continued to snore. His temper getting the best of him, Donald pointed his finger into the air, and with a furious quack, a lightning bolt swooped down and struck Goofy in the side.
It proved a useful static, as Goofy jolted up with a yelp. He sat up and shook his head, shaking off the electrocuting daze, and looked up to see Donald standing next to him. "Hey there, Donald. G'morning."
"We've got a problem, Goofy!" Donald said urgently. He looked to the left and right to make sure no one was around. "But don't tell anyone."
"Queen Minnie?" Goofy asked. He looked like he wasn't paying attention to Donald.
"Not even the Queen," Donald said sternly with hands on his hips.
"Daisy?" Goofy still looked like he was distracted, but Donald thought he was still talking to him.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Donald shook his head furiously. "It's top secret!"
Goofy saw someone standing behind Donald and called over his shoulder, "G'morning, ladies."
"What?" Donald finally understood what Goofy was saying. He wasn't talking to him; the two people he just mentioned were standing right behind him. A nervous look crossing his face, Donald slowly turned around and saw Queen Minnie Mouse and his girlfriend, Duchess Daisy Duck. Minnie was an anthropomorphic mouse with black fur, black circular ears, and long eyelashes. She wore a gold tiara with a ruby mouse-shaped symbol set in the middle, a salmon elegant ball gown with short, ball-shaped sleeves, white gloves that covered her whole arms, and a red bow on the back of her dress. Daisy's appearance was almost the same as Donald's, the difference being her lavender eye shadow and long eyelashes. She was dressed in a gold tiara with a sapphire in the front, an ornate sleeveless violet ball gown with a high collar, and long white gloves over her four-fingered hands. Daisy crossed her hips, staring at her sweetheart with a suspicious frown.
Donald laughed sheepishly, "Oh, hello, Your Highness. And you too, Daisy. Nice to meet you." He then gulped, "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough to hear everything, I'm afraid," Minnie said in disappointment. "Donald, if there is something important going on, then we deserve the right to know. What kind of 'problem' is so serious that you can't tell us about?"
Donald was at a loss for words, trying to come up with an answer. "Well, it's like this. Um... how should I explain this?"
Goofy chuckled mischievously, "Looks like there's no backing out of this one, Donald."
Daisy asked curiously, "Gee, what's the matter, Donald? You're not afraid to tell us, are you?"
"Afraid?" Donald laughed off the thought. "Of course not! I just didn't want anyone to worry, that's all."
"Why don't we all get inside and talk about this over some tea and crumpets?" Minnie suggested.
Goofy got up and rubbed his stomach, "Good, I could use a snack. Let's see what's on the menu."
The four exited the courtyard. Whatever this emergency from the King was, it was going to shake the foundation of the Disney Kingdom indeed.
