Shirotsume Town
That night, the town square of Shirotsume was festive with cheer and song, and the arrival of Halloween's Circus Troupe was a smashing success. The construction workers performed marvelously in setting up the red, orange, and yellow tent, the main entrance being a round Jack O'Lantern gate with its teeth serving as the gate. Balloons in all forms of size soared and hung into the air, the neon lights sparked and brightened the atmosphere, and streamers and confetti danced into the streets. Fancy clowns bore stocks of souvenirs and snacks in various stands, selling to customers. At certain meet-and-greet stands, some of the circus stars signed autographs and offered warm receptions. But the main event of the festivities was the line of people assembled in front of the Jack O'Lantern, eagerly selling tickets to participate in the most astounding circus in all of Fiore. They wouldn't miss it for the world, especially Wendy Marvell and her friends, who had recently won the skirmish with the dark guild wizards.
In the backstage area of the tent, two eyes observed the proceedings. They belonged to a face dyed in white makeup, with his left eye accented by a red diamond-shaped shadow. His bright red mouth was forced wide to reach his cheeks, and his curly hair was scented as the cinnamon representing his color. His appearance was obese, and his attire consisted of a blue tuxedo with a rose at the front right side, white cufflinks, white gloves, and white pants. His name was Halloween, the ringmaster of the circus troupe named after himself, and his excitement bolstered for the upcoming performance. To him and his collection of performers, this night would be unforgettable not just for the people of Shirotsume, but the whole of Fiore as well.
"Ho-ho-ho!" Halloween chortled, waving the cane in his hand and signaling four of his clown employees at attention. "Well, is everybody ready? Let's have a stupendous show tonight! For the hundreds in attendance from every corner of Fiore and beyond, we'll make this a night they'll never forget!" He spun around and made a pose with his cane, "It's going to be..." Another pose, and the clowns joined in by raising their arms, "...a night..." A final pose, and the clowns crossed the knives in their hands, with the ringmaster holding up his cane, "...of WONDER!" Halloween turned to his lackeys with a cheery grin and a loud voice, "Alright, all of you! Let's get to work!"
The four clowns scattered to begin their own tasks at hand. All the while, the circus tour stretched out below and around the town, the definition of an idyllic and anticipated performance, with the moon gently beaming down.
The members of the Magic Council, the ruling authority in Fiore's magical community, were gathered around a massive table. They were comprised of most of the prodigious Wizard Saints, three of them from the Four Emperors of Ishgar, having established a new Council a year after Tartarus of the Balam Alliance slaughtered the original. Rather than discuss the affairs of guilds both legal and illegal, they now faced a serious problem outside the community. One by one, the council members had concluded their presentations, and it was up to them to find a solution.
"An unusual amount of magic power has been detected somewhere in the ocean far from Fiore," Wolfheim reported his findings in a piece of paper. "An investigation is underway to determine the source, but preliminary reports indicate this sudden surge of energy was strong enough to obliterate small nations within a large radius."
"What's more, we have reason to believe this was only a small fraction of its full power," stated Jura Neekis. "Our biggest concern is that its true form is darkness, a power so great it even rivals that of the Black Wizard Zeref."
A collection of murmurs and speculation emanated from an area separate from the Council's table; the legal guild masters, the most concerned being Fairy Tail's Makarov Dreyar. "Darkness..." he thought out loud. "A troubling thought, to say the least."
"That kind of power could spell the world's destruction," Jura concluded.
"At any rate, we cannot overlook it," declared Draculos Hyberion, the chairman of the Council who stood up from his chair. "Which is precisely why I've summoned the Guild Masters here. We need our best minds working together."
One hour later...
Makarov sat behind a wall in the building's exterior, smoking his pipe. He breathed a sigh mixing disappointment and disgust at the result of the meeting which concluded an hour ago. He muttered, "A collection of our best minds and biggest blowhards, I'd say. If what he suspected proves true, then our world is at stake. Not just ours, but all others as well." He turned his head over a corner, "You think you can handle this one?"
The ear of a black cat and the smirk of an iron face answered him.
Shirotsume Town
The instruments of the parade trumpeted as Wendy, Carla, and Romeo weaved their way through the crowds on their way to the tent fixated on the town square, while letting in the festive façade. "...and that's why my most favorite in the circus is Francis the Gift Dragon." Wendy finished her story, for the three had struck up a conversation along the way. "What about you, Romeo? What's your favorite part?"
Romeo began, "Well, there's Linda the Living Armor, who's also the mascot of Halloween's Circus Troupe. She's a ghost who possesses armor parts belonging to a knight— the arms, the legs, and the torso— and she mixes them up to form her body. Those armor parts are super-huge, heavy as heck." He raised his hands for emphasis, attempting to lighten the mood, "Linda has the mind of a genius, the strength of a hundred men, and a big heart, just like Natsu." He started laughing as his drew together his memory, "I remember one time, seven years ago, the last time my dad and I saw the circus, there's this bully who keeps shoving me around in between acts. A real big tough guy, y'know? Well, Linda got back at him by disassembling her body parts. In other words, her armor."
Wendy's face contracted in a curious manner, "How did that work?"
His face constantly twisting into an involuntary smile, Romeo continued, "Like I said, Linda's a ghost. Her body can separate into body parts and move individually."
Wendy asked eagerly, "How did Linda get back at that bully?"
Romeo replied, "She spun her hands around like a tornado, grabbed the bully's body, and then..." He let laughter interrupt his story, "...and THEN, she carried him to a container of nasty smelling goop pilfered from the sewers, and WHAM!" He smacked his palm for effect, "Face full of the nastiest slime I've seen in my life! And his expression, oh, it was the best sight ever!"
Wendy joined in Romeo's laughter. After calming down, she asked, "So, did the guy quit picking on you?"
Romeo took a bit longer to regain his composure, and answered, "Yeah, he finally learned his lesson. The bully was so embarrassed that he ran away from the tent. Linda's action is a sign that I wasn't alone, that a friend's always by my side."
Wendy beamed, "What else do you like about Linda?"
Romeo smirked, "Wait till you see her! She's not only the powerhouse of Halloween's Circus Troupe; she's also the best juggler ever! She can juggle fifty people at once and lift objects a hundred times her size. The color of her armor is purple, just like my dad's Purple Flare. You'll definitely love her!"
Wendy nodded, "I know I will. Every act is always the best."
Carla confirmed, "You two must be eagerly determined to attend the circus. Though I'm not fond of clowns, I can't deny that the troupe's performances are exemplary." She abruptly turned to Romeo, "Where is your father?"
Romeo explained, "He's buying some souvenirs. He said he'll come pick us up when the circus is over. It's a bummer he can't come, but there's always next time."
Wendy suggested, "Maybe we can invite Natsu and the others for the next show."
Romeo approved, "Sounds like a good idea. My bro's gonna be so hyped!"
Carla agreed, "The rest of our friends will gladly attend. As long as we spend our money wisely..." She added with a shrug at the thought of Happy, "...and no wrapped salmon is involved. I prefer tea and biscuits."
Wendy pointed at the Jack O'Lantern tent straight ahead, "We're almost there, guys." She grew excited, "Halloween's Circus Troupe is the best circus in the world, and we're going to see it all! I wouldn't miss it for—"
However, she was interrupted when she bumped into a hooded figure, the collision tripping her off balance and letting her fall to the floor with a yelp. The attire was colored brown, and the ropes at the front were emblazoned with an X. "Oooww!" Wendy rubbed her back from the slight bump. "It hurts!"
"Wendy!" Romeo exclaimed.
"Watch where you're going!" Carla shouted.
"Oh, dear!" the hooded figure exclaimed in an old female voice, the tone hinting concern for the young Sky Maiden. "I'm so sorry, young lady. I didn't know where I was going."
"I'm fine," Wendy recovered slowly, and she swiftly stood up. "I'm okay. I should be careful, too."
"No, no, no, I really must apologize," the hooded figure insisted. "You must excuse me for startling you."
"Thank you for your concern, ma'am," Wendy bowed in respect. "But there's no need."
"What's an old lady doing here in the middle of a circus tour?" Romeo wondered.
"I'm just a traveler in search of knowledge and experience," the hooded figure answered. "I came here to see a door. The door..." She paused to let this sink in, "...to this world."
"Huh?" Wendy and her friends didn't know what the figure meant by that.
"I can smell the fresh air..." the cloaked figure breathed. "The air of many worlds connected to this one."
"Many worlds?" Romeo raised an eyebrow. "What the heck are you talking about?"
The figure continued her eerie speech, "Worlds woven by a thread, a thread binding them together to the darkness, soon to completely eclipse all and return the light to shadow."
"Whoever you are, stop hiding your insults with these riddles!" Carla demanded. "Who are you? Where did you come from?"
"Naughty kitty, didn't you hear me?" the cloaked figure chuckled lightly. "I'm simply a stranger in search of the door. I know what lies beyond it, and you don't."
"Why, you..." Carla growled.
"Hold on, Carla," Wendy held her back. "We don't want to cause a scene."
"Yeah," Romeo gestured to the crowds surrounding the tent. "Think of the people around us."
"You should listen to your friends, dear kitty," the hooded figure giggled. "Why are you so mad at me? Must you hurt an old nanny so?"
Carla relented with a deep sigh, but kept a suspicious eye. "I don't trust you."
Wendy raised a hand, "Excuse me, ma'am? What is this door you're looking for? And what's beyond it?"
The hooded figure answered, "I mentioned before, didn't I? It's the door to this world. I doubt you could understand what I meant. You're too young to know anyway. The universe is full of mysteries and wisdom. Knowledge is food, and I hunger for it." She chuckled ominously, "I'm sure you crave for it too, in spite of your age."
Romeo raised an eyebrow, "You're weird."
The hooded figure turned away, "I'd best be on my way, then. Oh..." She added as an afterthought, "Can I please have some of your money? I don't have any, and I need it to buy food. I'm so hungry."
Wendy complied, "Sure. I can give you 300 Jewels." She reached for her pocket and gave the estimated currency to the old lady, who slowly reached with her wrinkled hand. "I hope it's enough."
"Oh, it's more than enough, my dear," the cloaked figure took the money. "I'll see you around, if fate deems it." With another chuckle, she trod her way to the crowds and disappeared from sight. The three simply stared on with concern and suspicion.
Romeo scratched his head, "Who was that crazy old lady?"
Carla frowned, "Whoever she is or what she wants is none of our concern." She turned to Wendy, "Which is why you have to avoid talking to strangers, Wendy."
Wendy shrugged, "That old lady doesn't look strange to me. She's just a little bit lost and confused."
Carla crossed her paws, "And the fact that she mentioned something about 'a door to this world' is beyond me. What does that have to do with anything?"
Romeo suggested cheerily, "Save the questions for later. The circus is about to start!"
In an instant, Wendy realized where she was. She beamed, "Oh, yeah! Let's go!"
"WOO-HOO!" The two young wizards whooped excitedly and headed for the tent without delay.
"Wait! Don't be in a rush!" Carla cried, and she spread her wings to follow the energetic humans.
Magnolia
The moon sent its rays into the town of Magnolia, where the Fairy Tail guild resided. Lucy had already left for her apartment, leaving Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Erza to approach the entrance to their guildhall. The Fire Dragon Slayer burst open the doors, shouting out a prideful proclamation.
"WE'RE HOME!"
As usual, the hall was noisy and filled with dozens of guildmates drowning their worries in food and drink and merry, and traversing the request board for jobs. At the same time, they gave four of Fairy Tail's strongest wizards a warm welcome from such an arduous mission.
"Hey, Natsu!" Wakaba Mine called out, a cigar in his mouth and a mug in his hand. "Didja get the Sleepy Hollow or what?"
"Yep, but their boss got away again," Natsu answered. "Just like our reward."
"My beloved Gray!" Juvia Lockser, the Rain Woman who had fallen madly in love with Gray ever since she became a member of the guild, approached the Ice-Make Wizard with hearts flashing in her eyes. "I'm so glad you've returned!"
"Yeah," Gray smiled. "Good to see ya."
"Oh, Gray!" Juvia blushed. "Every time that you're away, the guild seems as empty as an ocean without water!" Her eyes then shifted mischievously, "And it seems he's returned without that blonde bimbo in tow."
Gray pointed out as he left, "You gotta watch talkin' to yourself. Everyone says the mind's the first thing to go when you start getting old."
That statement left Juvia in a state of shock. "But... I'm not old..."
Erza went over to Cana Alberona, the guild's resident alcoholic, sitting on top of a table with a barrel of beer around her chest. "Is Master Makarov here?" she asked.
Cana answered drunkenly, "He got called into some kind of council meeting, so it's probably gonna be a while."
Erza confirmed, "I see."
Taking another sip of beer, Wakaba chuckled, "Too bad Macao ain't here. He's missing out all the fun, since he's got his hands full with that fancy circus in Shirotsume."
Shirotsume Town
At the same time Wendy, Carla, and Romeo entered the circus, Macao Conbolt sat in a bench reading the local newspaper, while eating a sandwich in his hand. "Too bad I'm not in the circus with Romeo. But I'm sure he's got his hands full with Wendy and Carla." He then sighed, "I sure wish Wakaba's here with me. That way, we could share a meal." His eyes darted to page 8 of the newspaper, "Whoa, Sleepy Hollow got away again, and Hargeon blew up! I bet Natsu's doing his best to catch those crooks."
Before he could flip the next page, an invisible blade tore the newspaper in half, scattering the shreds into the wind. Macao stood up, annoyed at the persistence of the one holding the blade, a figure with dark pink short hair walking for the station.
"Hey!" Macao yelled. "You better watch where you're pointing these things, pal!"
The figure suddenly turned around, revealing the black and white mask. The blade instantly shifted into a revolver, the barrel charging up magical power. Macao barely had time to dodge as the bullet struck his chest, knocking him out. And that figure was a girl.
"Gotcha!" Kaze Viriniam stared at the downed Fairy Tail wizard. "I caught myself a fairy!" She jerked her head up at the night sky, her eye penetrating through her mask, "The storm rages when it may. Doesn't matter how long at this point... if Halloween does what I paid him to do."
"Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages! Put your hands together for the world's greatest magical circus!"
An announcer preached the presentation to a crowd of over five hundred people, most of them residents of Shirotsume. Every spectator marveled at how each magical act blossomed, from clowns in flying trapezes to taming wild Wyverns to dancing acrobats. At the end of each act, the performers and trained animals paused to hear the overwhelming positive response. The searchlights hugged the center of the tent, which was decorated in the image of the Halloween season.
Wendy, Carla, and Romeo looked over the stage, their seats preserved in one of the tent's highest spots, giving them a perfect view. Wendy and Romeo cheered and whooped almost non-stop, while Carla simply observed with clear eyes. It was a fine way to kick off a relaxing night for three friends. They thought about what kind of unexpected performance from the most talented in Halloween's Circus Troupe. So many new things to experience that most would only dream of. For them, it would be a dream come true. The troupe was exceptionally talented in doing the impossible, things that Fairy Tail wizards were good at. But the main ingredient was keeping each other's backs, no matter what.
"And now, for our next act! The Amazing Linda and Her Living Armor!"
Wendy and Romeo cheered with excitement, prompting Carla to cover her ears. Right on cue, something fell down from the top of the tent, and it came in the form of purple-colored pieces of armor. A giant torso, two hands, and two feet hit the ground, bounced up, and spun around until the hands and feet somewhat attached to the body and stood on the ground. The most notable feature was the red and black emblem shaped like a heart on her chest. A helmet came down and put the icing on the cake, completing what came to be known as Linda the Living Armor.
"IT'S LINDA!" Romeo yelled.
"SHE'S AMAZING!" Wendy screamed.
"Not so loud!" Carla winced.
Linda extended her metal claws and reached over thirty objects within range— clowns, balls, flaming sticks, boxes, heavy weights— just about anything she could lift, and juggled them high in the air. The number reached forty, and then fifty, the audience always responding enthusiastically every time the Living Armor added more to her resume. She even deigned to use her feet as extra hands, in case the number grew too many. At the end, Linda threw all the juggled objects at once. With a fiery eruption of pyrotechnics from the stage, the thrown projectiles popped into fireworks and streams of confetti, ending the performance with a bang. The ecstasy and cheers refused to die down.
Wendy, Romeo, and Carla were filled with hope and delight. No one could ruin this moment. No one.
Then again...
"Well, Your Majesty... You're certainly looking well," a suave voice echoed nearby. The three jumped at the unexpected interruption, and turned towards the empty compartment letting out that voice.
"Huh?" Wendy wondered. "Where did that voice come from?"
"It must be coming from over there," Carla pointed a paw. "The secret compartment leading to the backstage area."
"My word! If it isn't my favorite: Flower ramen, one of the rarest of all of Fiore's delicacies! You thought of everything."
"Wait a minute..." Romeo held out a hand to interrupt his friends. "I know that voice..."
"Oh, yum, yum... This is good. Indeed, Fiore's flower ramen is the best."
Romeo confirmed, "It's the ringmaster, Halloween! We haven't seen him appear on stage. We expected him to start off the show, like he always does."
Wendy suggested, "Maybe he's caught up with something. Let's go check it out."
Romeo agreed, "Yeah."
Carla gasped, "That's foolish! It's rude to sneak into unsuspecting places. They'll throw you out."
Wendy begged, "Please, Carla! We just want to take a quick look."
Romeo stated, "It wouldn't be Halloween's Circus Troupe without Halloween. We want to make sure if he's coming out on stage or not."
Carla rubbed her chin, "Now that you mention it, the ringmaster's refusal to appear in public is quite a mystery." She then nodded, "Very well, you can count me in."
Wendy smiled, "Let's go."
The three snuck their way into the compartment, and their path led them to a secret staircase to the backstage area. From the view of a wooden banister, they looked down to see the ringmaster Halloween sitting on a table, gorging his mouth with a slice of ramen while conversing with a certain someone.
To Wendy and her friends' surprise, that someone was really quite special.
It was King Toma E. Fiore, the ruler of the kingdom and mascot of the annual Grand Magic Games under the identity of Mato, who sat in the chair opposite of Halloween.
"Is that King Toma?" Wendy whispered.
"What is he doing here?" Carla questioned.
"I can't believe it. The King is here?" Romeo tensed.
Having finished the last bits of food on the table, Halloween darted from his seat and wiped the crumbs off his face with a napkin. He walked over, a thin smile crossing his face, "So, Your Majesty... Have you found it?"
Toma's breath stole away, "Well, not yet. You see..."
Halloween's smile exaggerated to nearly comical proportions. He lifted the king's chin with his cane, "Now, Toma, are you really trying hard enough?" He raised it and bonked Toma on the head, "You know what happens if you don't find the Keyhole, don't you?"
"W-Wait, please!" Toma stammered. "My soldiers are trying their best to find it! Please, we need more time!"
"Ah, well. What can you do?" Halloween shrugged. "But remember..." His smile disappeared, "...this chance is your last."
"Are you sure?" Toma questioned. "Are you certain that this 'Keyhole' is hidden somewhere in my kingdom?"
"Oh, yes," Halloween chuckled darkly, and his nostrils began absorbing the air around them. "Oh, I can smell it. I can smell it. The Keyhole is in this kingdom. Absolutely."
"But the Royal Army has turned the ancient excavation sites inside out looking for it," Toma justified his actions. "We couldn't find a trace. Even the Magic Council lacks the resources to find it."
Halloween was not buying that excuse. He raised his cane and smacked Toma hard across the face, the man yelling in pain and forced into a kneeling position. The cruel ringmaster crept up behind Toma and restrained the cane around his neck, squeezing the life out of his throat. Halloween's fake smile returned, "Oh, sweet Toma, we've been through this. I've told you before..." His voice then rose to a nearly incomprehensible roar, "I DON'T TOLERATE EXCUSES!" His teeth gritted, his eyes flaming with rage, Halloween released his grip and swatted Toma away with the cane. The old king tried to ease himself up, only to have his back stomped down by a foot.
"Ah, but the people of this sweet kingdom really are living the sweet life, eh?" Halloween's lips crept a third time, and he tightened his weight on the hapless Toma's back. "Not knowing anything of worlds beyond this one, they're lost in their carefree lives. With such a pack of ninnies, no wonder they can't find a single keyhole. No wonder the only option we had is to entrust all the dirty work to dark guilds all over Fiore! Even the Sleepy Hollow mercenaries off the coast of Bosco proved plenty helpful. For example..." He raised a hand for emphasis, "...they robbed the museum in Onibus, and what do we find? Some rusty old relics of an ancient past that connects everything! Like the legend of the Keyblade and the discovery of gummi blocks. When all is said and done, you and your people only know a small fraction of how the universe works, and you rarely opened your eyes to what's really in front of you." He then broke into a humorous laugh, "No matter. You can have all the blissful, ignorant lives you desire once we find the Keyhole. Too bad you won't be around to witness our hour of glory. Just imagine, Toma! A combined alliance of dark guilds and warlords from other worlds, forming the most powerful empire in the universe! We'll be unstoppable. All worlds will be eclipsed by a beautiful darkness, and our goddess will remake them in her liking!"
"No!" Toma grew fearful. "You can't tell anyone that there are other worlds! It would cause panic, an uproar! That way, no one would be able to find your Keyhole."
"Oh, I know, Toma-poo." Halloween cooed. "But don't worry. We'll keep it our little secret." And then, another laugh.
From the banister, Wendy, Carla, and Romeo could process and sink in every detail. The ringmaster of Halloween's Circus Troupe revealed his true colors, and was gloating over how he, the dark guilds, and Kaze Viriniam were tied together. They didn't know how much of it was only scare tactics, but they had no intention on betting any money on Halloween's clemency.
Wendy gasped in disbelief, "Halloween was working for the bad guys all along?!"
Carla glared, "It's fairly obvious that he, the dark guilds, and Sleepy Hollow are plotting together. They're all connected to one larger conspiracy. Now it all makes sense!"
Romeo shook with rage, "Our childhood circus troupe is a bunch of psychotic criminals?! They got our hopes up, and the next minute, they're playing us like a fiddle!"
Carla added, "What's more, the villains know something about the Keyblade and the gummi blocks."
Wendy pointed out, "Now that you mention it, we saw those things at the museum."
Carla pondered, "Why on earth could they steal relics from a museum? It must have something to do with this 'Keyhole' they intend to find. What could they possibly want with it?"
Wendy paused, and went back to the previous encounter with the hooded figure. She theorized, "That old lady said the same thing. About the door to this world, how there are many worlds out there, and—"
FLASH!
A silent spark filled her brain once more, and Wendy began to feel hot inside. She collapsed to her knees, groaning at the weight of her pain, her stomach churning. The sounds, Carla and Romeo's voices, the whole room drowned out around her, and her ears felt silent. She barely felt her face contort in pain, or heard her voice groan out. Everything flooded her head; the whispers, the brightness, a nameless entity...
"Don't be afraid."
With a valiant cry, Wendy yanked herself up on her knees, unwittingly letting out a massive pulse of Sky Dragon Slayer Magic that stretched into the backstage area like a gust of wind. The fire inside was gone, and the warmth returned. Yet the image burned in her mind, the image that had led her to the tides of destiny... and yet she was not afraid.
"What was that all about...?" Wendy shuddered. "When I mentioned the Keyhole, I feel a whirlpool of emotions swirling inside of me. It's the same thing that happened to me when I saw the Keyblade in the museum." Her arms reached to caress her arms, and caressed the smoothing skin above her sleeves, "I feel ever warmer than before. And I'm not scared, either. Is it because of my Dragon Slayer Magic? Or something else guiding me?"
Suddenly, a voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!"
It was Halloween's voice, and the anger chilled Wendy to the marrow. She turned to Carla and Romeo, their faces frantic. Her sudden surge of magic, the gust tearing down the backstage area, and it all made sense. Toma, who looked up to the staircase, was imploring the Fairy Tail wizards. "Miss Marvell! Master Conbolt! Lady Carla! Run! Hurry!"
They didn't need to be told twice, and they fled for their lives. The fuming Halloween glanced at the banister reduced to wood by Wendy's magic, the last glimpse of the Sky Maiden before she disappeared.
"Wake up, fools!"
At the tone of his voice, Halloween's clowns popped out of dozens of cardboard boxes, armed with knives and guns and bombs. They assembled behind their boss, awaiting his orders.
"Did you see it?!" Halloween shouted gleefully. "That sudden surge of magical power! I sense an incredible source of light festering in her heart! This must be her! She must be the chosen one! We found her at last!" He broke into a triumphant laugh, before he paused and glared at his minions still in position. "Well, what are you waiting for?! GET HER!"
The clowns raced up the staircase, and chased after Wendy and her friends without stopping.
Magnolia
Walking along the same street beside the river, Lucy Heartfilia was somber after another failure to earn money. But considering she was a member of Fairy Tail, she was taught not to give up hope. "Well, I'll just do better next time."
Lucy was about to take a break from another rough day. She opened the door to her apartment and closed it, hoping a certain Fire Dragon Slayer wouldn't break in.
The door closed.
And a colossal fireball erupted from the windows.
Lucy felt only a split second of heat, only saw a split second of light. The fires lurched up into the air, consuming the entire structure, before it collapsed on itself. As two Sleepy Hollow bandits arrived, they retrieved an unconscious Lucy from the rubble, delivering one final laugh before they disappeared with her.
Shirotsume Town
"Run for the hills!" Romeo yelled as he, Wendy, and Carla scrambled out of the compartment, the clowns in hot pursuit. They ran around the wooden platforms, jumping over gaps along the way while dodging the knives and bombs, determined not to lose pace. As soon as the trio reached the platform next to another with a trapeze, another pack of clowns beset the path, and two groups circled them.
"Hold on!" Carla spread her wings and grabbed Wendy's back, lifting her up into the air and hoisting her away from the pack. "You'll be safe up here."
"Sorry, Romeo!" Wendy called out. "Carla can't carry two at once!"
"It's okay! I'll keep up! Rainbow Fire: Purple!" Romeo held his burning palm aloft and let loose a purple flame in the shape of an extendable rope. The substance connected with the wood, and he hoisted himself in the air before he landed on top of the trapeze platform.
Positioning themselves, the clowns fired their guns and threw their bombs; some attempted to grab Romeo. Anticipating their next move, Wendy and Carla flew and somersaulted in the air, dodging every blast, while Romeo grabbed the trapeze and swung over to another, and then another. Tiny explosions erupted in the air during the chase, and the audience perceived this as part of the next act. Of course, Halloween's Circus Troupe was made to have the spectators expect the unexpected, after all.
"This is it!" Romeo noticed the large support beam beside him, and it was easily climbable. He wrapped his arms around the pillar and scurried his way up, and two clowns did the same after him. Reaching the end of the support beam, Romeo expertly tightroped the chains leading to a silver crystal chandelier, which happened to be the magical lacrima providing searchlights for the show. Romeo jumped from the chains and landed on the chandelier, the silver glass rocking and spinning due to his weight. Romeo yelped as he held on, daring not to let go. The weight increased when fifteen clowns followed Romeo's trail and grabbed the crystal decoration. The number increased, and the chains were losing strength and beginning to break.
SNAP! The chains broke. The chandelier fell off and smashed into the stage with a colossal bang, the glass spreading. The clowns were crushed underneath, but Romeo was able to land on the ground unharmed. Relief washed over Wendy and Carla as they flew down and regrouped with him.
Carla cried, "That was close!"
Wendy asked, "Are you okay, Romeo?"
Romeo grinned, "I'm fit as a fiddle."
A wild cheer welcomed the arrival of three Fairy Tail wizards on stage. They never even expected representatives from the strongest guild in Fiore making a guest appearance. Wendy and Romeo were simply overwhelmed by the ovation that they waved their hands and smiled. Carla, on the other hand, stood firm.
The celebration was cut short when the white Exceed sensed multiple presences. "Look out!" A horde of clowns appeared on stage, some landing from the air, others emerging from the curtain. All were gathered for the purpose of stopping the group.
"Well, so much for a standing ovation," Romeo muttered.
"Alright, they asked for it! Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" Wendy raised her wind-pulsating arms and threw them down, smashing seven clowns simultaneously. The spell tore up the stage as a result, but even as they sprawled over each other, more came up and added to the swarm. "Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!" Wendy moved just quickly enough to scratch her wind-formed claw across a clown's chest. She looked to the side, and saw Romeo boxing a couple of them with his fists burning with Yellow Rainbow Fire. "Sky Dragon's Claw!" Flipping herself up, Wendy's legs formed a miniature tornado that caught eight clowns and blew them away. More clowns approached, and Wendy waved her arms, the winds smacking them back and forth.
"Come on! I'll take on every one of ya! Rainbow Fire!" Romeo put his hands together and generated a massive fireball of multiple colors. He threw it, and the explosion hit seven clowns on impact. "Yellow Fire!" He swung his fire-pulsating fists, hitting an arm here and a side there. Several more clowns raced with knives and swords; they swung wildly in an attempt to stab the young Rainbow Fire wizard, but he managed to dodge each blow, and counterattacked with precision and tenacity. Romeo even elected to use nearby circus mechanisms to easily outsmart his enemies to his advantage.
The clowns kept driving in numbers, but it was a battle royal Wendy and Romeo could handle. Between Sky Dragon Slayer Magic and Rainbow Fire, they held them off at bay. The audience rejoiced as the act turned into a fight night.
Within two minutes, all the clowns were defeated, their bodies collapsed on stage. The crowd praised the Fairy Tail wizards for their outstanding performance. Wendy and Romeo cheered and hugged each other for a job well done, and Carla simply grinned for the defeat of the enemy.
"Nice job, Wendy," Romeo praised. "Thanks for getting that one clown off my back."
"It doesn't matter how many of them are," Wendy smiled proudly. "They can't beat us!"
"No time to celebrate just yet!" Carla insisted. "Let's get out of here!"
"My dad's at the souvenir stands near the train station!" Romeo informed. "We can reach him there!"
Before they could make a run for the exit, fifty more clowns prowled in front of the stage, their nightmarish makeup harboring murderous intent.
"They just don't know when to quit, do they?" Romeo frowned.
"Leave them to me, I'll clear the way. Dragon Slayer Secret Art..." Wendy raised her arms, and circles of wind generated around them. "Shattering Light..."
The clowns yelled furiously and pounced.
"...Sky Drill!"
KA-BOOOOOOOOOOM!
A massive drill of wind rose from where the tent stood, followed by an explosion that rocked the town square. The tent tore itself into pieces, scattering in separate directions. A mirage of clowns were blasted into the sky, screaming as they flew up and vanished with the night. The audience was relatively unharmed, and cheered even louder at what appeared to be the grand finale of tonight's circus performance. When the smoke cleared, Wendy, Carla, and Romeo emerged unscathed, and assessed the result of the battle.
"That takes care of them," Wendy confirmed.
"Even after we literally tore the house down, the crowd goes wild," Romeo remarked, noting the rising positivity in the air. "It's like we're part of the show."
"More will come," Carla reminded. "It's only a matter of time before we're easily overrun. We must return to the guild and report our findings. That way, we can get to the bottom of this."
"Romeo said his dad's at the train station. Come on!" Wendy cried. She and her friends raced out of the town square, completely unaware that the person they were looking for was kidnapped by a masked figure.
Meanwhile, Halloween popped out from a ripped up fabric of the tent, shaking with outrage at the destruction Wendy and her friends caused. The remnants of his troupe groaned from fatigue and slowly began to stand up. "GET UP, GET UP!" Halloween roared. "AFTER THEM!"
And thus, they began a full-scale search for the Sky Maiden.
In an undisclosed location, Kaze Virniam pointed her revolver straight at the heart of a chair-bound Macao. She asked in a threatening yet calm voice, "Where is the location of your holy ground, Tenrou Island?"
"You didn't say please," Macao responded dryly.
"Don't play games with me, old man!" Kaze growled impatiently, inching the barrel closer. "Tell me!"
"Why do you want to go there so much, anyway?" Macao demanded.
"None of your beeswax," Kaze replied. "I just wanna know where Tenrou Island is."
"Only members of Fairy Tail members know where it is and are allowed to go there," Macao glared. "And even if I know, I'd never tell you. Not in a million years!"
"Hmph! You're smarter than you look, old geezer," Kaze remarked. "I'll guess we'll have to do this the hard way." With the snap of her fingers, two Sleepy Hollow bandits handed her a small case. She opened it to reveal a white glove with a odd magic circle written on it. Wrapping the glove around her left hand, she eyed Macao with mysterious intent. "Don't worry, this'll only hurt for a second!"
"Wait!" Macao shouted, struggling to break free from the rope. "What are you—"
He got his answer when the white glove sparked with electricity. Kaze swiftly moved her left hand to his forehead, and the jolt struck his brain, causing his body to shake uncontrollably from top to bottom. An unbearable pain coursed inside him, and the torture grew like a blossom. Screams of suffering filled the air. Sleepy Hollow bandits watched with amusement. Then Macao collapsed to the ground, the electricity still licking at his body, his instincts commanding him to do something in a futile attempt to save himself.
"What did you..." Macao shuddered as the jolt inside him increased. "What did you just do to me?"
"Good question, gramps," Kaze laughed darkly. "I just hit you with a paralysis spell that electrocutes you inside and out. It only lasts for three minutes." She bent down on one knee to Macao's level, "Now do you understand the game we're playing? Tell me where Tenrou Island is."
"Like hell..." Macao grumbled weakly.
"I can do this all day!" Kaze's laughter festered. Her white glove was raised, and it sparked again. "There's a lot of time to chat, and if three minutes isn't enough, we'll move on to five or seven!"
Macao's eyes widened. The evil laughter resounded.
Later...
"Alright! We got the map to the Keyhole, boys!" Kaze cheered. She pumped a fist, to which her Sleepy Hollow minions shouted in approval, with the exception of Macao, still bound in a chair and weary from the paralyzing experience. "Team A, regroup with Halloween and the other dark guilds, and meet with us at the rendezvous point. Team B, bring the old man and lock him up in one of our ships. The rest of you, you're with me. We're going to give Fairy Tail a rude awakening."
"Yes, ma'am!" they all affirmed. The Sleepy Hollow scattered from the abandoned warehouse, three of them carrying a dazed Macao, and the rest following their leader. As Kaze walked, she raised her right hand. A dark orb suddenly generated from her fingertips, indicating that she had more tricks up her sleeve.
"Doomsday for Earth-land will now begin."
"See anything?"
Responding to Wendy's question, Romeo rose from behind a large wooden box and stared at Halloween's Circus Troupe through his binoculars. In the hour that followed, the festival advertising the tour came to a close, the citizens departed for their homes, and King Toma had already retreated to his home in Mercurius. Halloween was seen leading his performers through the streets in a frantic search for Wendy. Several citizens passing by claimed they nearly lost their minds at the end of their tour. But for Wendy and company, it was done with malice and intent.
Having finished his reconnaissance, Romeo sat to the ground with Wendy and Carla, the three hiding under the same box to avoid detection. "Nope, they haven't found us. Boy, those clowns are dumb." He sniffed with contempt, "This is crazy! We get to see our favorite circus troupe, and they're trying to kill us! And here we are..." He waved his hand to gesture around him, "...on the run from the clowns."
"I never thought it would come to this," Carla mused. "The circus devolving into a congregation of hooligans, conspirators for the dark guilds and the Sleepy Hollow gang from Hargeon."
"It's so sad," Wendy muttered. "They were a great team of performers, and Linda the Living Armor was the best so far."
"I told you, didn't I?" Romeo smiled.
"Maybe it's my imagination, but to me, it looks like Halloween's Circus Troupe has changed," Wendy changed the subject. "It's like they're obsessed with power and decided to join the dark guilds, like the Balam Alliance."
"We don't know for certain," Carla replied. "But we must be vigilant if we are to expose their evil plans."
"That's right," Romeo agreed. "You, me, my dad, Natsu, and all of us working together. We'll teach Halloween and his bozos a thing or two."
"Of course," Wendy said sincerely. The gentle breeze of the night blew through her hair, and her face embraced its warm touch. She looked up to the moon as she continued, "Before I joined the Fairy Tail guild, I was weak and scared at first. I thought about all the dangerous things that could happen, and I wasn't brave enough to face them. But now I'm ready. No matter where I go or what I see, I'll always stay strong to the end. As long as I have friends by my side." She looked at Carla and Romeo for reassurance, "Right?"
"Of course," Carla nodded. "You are a strong and brave girl, and I'm proud of you."
"You know you'll always have friends to back you up," Romeo grinned. "That's what makes us Fairy Tail."
"That's good to know," Wendy looked at the moon again. She knew that her friends were always kind and trustworthy. They wouldn't lie to her, even in the slightest. "I don't want any of it to change."
Halloween's Circus Troupe disappeared from sight, and the coast was clear. Wendy was free to stand up, and Carla and Romeo followed. The Sky Maiden took one final glance at the moon, its rays gently beaming down.
"I just can't wait. Once we set out, it'll be great."
She dared not interrupt this nice moment, until she and her friends went for the train station.
