Team Natsu had just arrived back to Magnolia and were walking back to Fairy Tail after getting off the ship Erza had taken hold of.
Natsu was smiling ear to ear, "Man am I glad to be off that death trap and heading home!"
Lucy, while also happy for finally getting off the ship, was hanging off Erza who surprisingly had yet to toss her off, "I don't understand. I took a motion sickness pill so why am I still feeling sick" Lucy groaned.
"Told you not to take your motion sickness pills every time you when on a moving mechanism, but do you listen" Loke chastised.
"Now they no longer work brat, this is an after effect of that" Aquarius cackled.
"I hate you all" Lucy thought.
"Man, I still can't believe we did all that work and all we got was some lousy gate key" Gray grumbled.
"Yeah and that S-Class reward was big time money." Happy agreed.
"Listen here ice boy, I don't exactly appreciate you calling my keys lousy, so do it again and I'll burn your butt, got it." Lucy threatened.
"Uh, ye-yeah. My bad" Gray said scared out of mind.
Erza chuckled at the blonde's mood change, "Well I'm sorry, but it wasn't an official job. Just be glad you got something out of this."
"Scarlet's right, besides leaving this gate key behind where no one would be able to summon it would have been a shame" Lucy frowned.
"Hey, I got an idea how bout we sell it, Lucy?" Happy said innocently.
"We will do no such thing" Lucy said, " It's rare finding one of the twelve zodiac gate keys, so to have find another is just luck being on my side. "They're incredibly hard to come by" Lucy said.
Natsu looked at her, "Yeah, too bad they're all crazy."
"Natsu, seeing as you're a fellow slayer I'll let you off with a warning but call my spirits crazy again and I won't hesitate to let them come out and give you a good beating." Lucy deadpanned.
Natsu couldn't help but shiver at the thought of that Mermaid lady coming out to fight him alongside her boyfriend. Part of him was itching for the challenge, but the other half screamed warning, warning spirits be crazy!
"Well still, can't be that hard if you have ten gold keys" Gray said.
"Don't be fooled by the number of Zodiacs I have Fullbuster" Lucy said, "getting all these keys took me years. I had to battle a member of the Oracion Seis just for Gemini, Scorpio and Aries"
"Holy hell, you didn't!" Gray, Erza and Natsu yelled in unison.
"I did. She was abusing them not even trying to work together when fighting against other wizards. It was disgusting" Lucy growled, "As a celestial mage it was my duty to take them away from that hostile environment".
"Wow, to go head to head against a member of the Oracion Seis and survive. You really are strong Lucy" Happy exclaimed.
Coughing Gray nods his head "Got it, getting gold keys are hard, so which one of the zodiac keys did you end up getting?" Gray asked.
"Sagittarius the Centaur." She smiled.
"It's a horseman?!" Gray said with excitement.
"Yes and no." She said.
Natsu and Happy were both thinking about what it would look like with a goofy look on their face.
"You're all so carefree," Erza interjected, "It's almost as if you've forgotten you're to face punishment when we get back to the guild."
Natsu and Gray got scared while Lucy looked confused.
"But why?" Natsu whined.
"Everything worked out in the end can't we just forget the whole punishment thing?" Gray suggested."
"I don't get why I'm in trouble I'm more than qualified to do this-" Lucy stopping mid-sentence when a sword touches her face.
"You don't have the title, nor did you get the quest approved by master" Erza said before putting away the sword she had brought out. "Stealing an S-Class request is a serious offense." Erza stated.
"We said we're sorry." Happy said sadly.
Erza sighed, "If you promise that you'll never do it again, then I don't think you need to be penalized by the guild. Unfortunately, I don't have a say in the matter, your fate is in Master Makarov's hands. So, I'm sure you'll be facing punishment."
Happy got a frightened look on his face, "Now I'm scared! You think he's gonna make us do that?"
Gray freaked out clutching his head, "Just kill me now! I don't think I can live through that again!"
Lucy crossed her arms, "What's that? I'm not facing my punishment unless you tell me, mate" Lucy said with defiance in her tone.
Erza rolled her eyes.
Natsu grinned, "I'm not worried. I'll talk the old man out of punishing us that guy loves me."
"Oh yeah, I knew I could count on you Natsu" Lucy said as she threw an arm around Natsu.
"Natsu," Erza smirked, "You can't talk your way out of this one. Lucy, stop being an idiot. " She then laughed and proceeded to drag both slayers by their collars to the guild.
Team Natsu walked inside the guild in a straight line with Erza at the front. Natsu, Gray, and Happy were freaking out while Lucy was busy polishing her keys to notice the gloomy atmosphere between her teammates.
Erza had stopped walking and had them lined up next to each other, "Is Master Makarov here?"
Mira smiled, "You're finally back from your island getaway. So how was it? Did you have fun?"
"It was pretty lame, turned out the island wasn't even cursed and instead I ended having to do more wo-ack" Lucy stopped her rant midway when she felt a fist retract from her stomach.
"It was work not a vacation, and Lucy stop gossiping with Mira when you are still being punished" Erza said sternly, "Now, where is Makarov?"
"He went out of town for some last-minute council meeting or something like that. He's been gone since yesterday." Macao explained, looking to the blonde who was now having a drinking contest with Cana after not even five seconds ago having gotten a fist to the stomach.
"Whew." Natsu, Gray, and Happy sighed out with relief.
Natsu grinned, "Well that was a close one."
"Yes! We won't have to deal with that till gramps gets back." Gray agreed.
"Oh, thank goodness! I was afraid I was gonna have to stare into the face of death! I've still got eight more lives!" Happy wailed happily.
Lucy gasped, "Ha take that Cana bo-Bana-fana fefifo-fana-mana! I drank two whole barrels!"
"Yeah well drink em' and weep" Cana slurred with 5 barrels by her side.
Erza glared at them, "All of you shut up!"
Natsu and Gray held each other, while Happy got behind Lucy who was hugging a barrel.
She looked back at Mira, "Do you know when the master is planning to return."
"No, but I imagine he'll be back anytime now." Mira said.
Erza looked at the four, "Now listen up you fools! You're not getting off the hook! You broke guild rules by taking on that S-Class quest…prepared to be punished."
The three morons held onto each other while Lucy ordered a rematch against Cana.
"Well, it was nice knowing ya." Wakaba smiled, "It's a crying shame. Those two boys are one thing, but I can't believe Lucy's getting punished too. Oh, your poor girl."
"Howsh da ya has such a strong tolerance" Lucy slurred, to Cana.
"Just do" she shrugged
"What's the deal man?! How come you don't feel sorry for us, huh?!" Natsu asked.
"Why are you lumping me in with this loser?!" Gray asked himself.
The two morons then started fighting each other which caused Lucy to join in for the hell of it.
"It's not fair I'm the cutest one here so how come nobody feels sorry for me?!" Happy wailed.
Natsu was at the request board looking at a weird job request, "That's one creepy looking job request."
"Yeah it is." Gray commented.
"What the heck? I can't even read it." Natsu replied,
Lucy approached them slowly still trying to get over her drunkardness, "What're you doing?"
"No way! You will not be taking requests!" Erza said, slapping the two slayers head.
"Uh, do they have to be so loud" Cana complains.
Romeo grinned, "Who cares? They are like the coolest, especially Lucy! Her demon slayer magic is awesome!"
Cana looked at him, "You're kidding me, right?"
Natsu looked at the request, "Decipher this text and see that you'll increase your wealth by 500,000 jewels?" he grinned at Happy, "This one sounds like a winner to me don't you think?"
Happy smiled, "Sure does!"
"So, it's a translation job? That's a weird request for a guild." Gray stated, "Wait that's ancient crazy stuff. No one's gonna be able to read that."
"Hold on it's written in modern letters too!" Happy observed.
Erza crossed her arms, "I thought I told you no jobs!"
"Well yeah I can totally read that!" Natsu said looking at the request, "Let's see."
Lucy eyed the paper carefully as Natsu tried to read it aloud she knew she had seen this text somewhere during her travels. That's when it hit her "Natsu, don't read this aloud- "
Before she could warn Natsu of the dangers of reading this aloud, her fellow slayers had started reading the words anyway causing a bright light to surround them as he finished reading off the words. Once the light died down, they all just stood there with their mouths opened.
Natsu got up scratching his head, "Why's my mouth taste like fish and fire meat?"
"Uh, probably because you ate that like twenty minutes ago." Elfman said.
Natsu looked around for something, "No I didn't. I haven't eaten anything today" Natsu said confused.
Everyone blinked at what he just said. How could Natsu forget the big meal he had not even a half hour ago, and why does he look more confused than normal?
Gray then woke up "What the heck, my back is killing me", leaning forward trying to stretch he goes, "And why do I feel like I'm wearing ten tons of clothing on?"
"Uh maybe cause you're wearing armor?" Elfman offered.
"What I don't wear armor?" Erza growled at him, "Where's Natsu, can't face me dragon breath?!" it was then the scarlet noticed something wasn't right, "Why do I sound like a girl?"
Macao looked over to her, "I'm no doctor, but I'd say it's probably because you are a girl."
Lucy's eyes suddenly got big, "What the? What's going on? Why do I feel like I'm on fire! Mira get me some cold-water stat!" she took the offered pitcher of water and tossed it on her body watching the steam roll off, "Mavis that felt good."
Macao looked at her, "Hey are you feeling alright Lucy? You're acting a little weird, more so than usual I mean"
"What in the world are you talking about?" Erza than looked over and saw her face. She facepalmed at the person who had done this, "Idiot."
"Whoa, why's everyone looks so big?" Happy asked in awe.
They looked over and saw the cat with starry eyes, pulling on Lucy's cloak who currently now was Erza.
"Oh, wow Natsu! Check it out!" Gray yelled in excitement then looked over his shoulder, "Where'd did he go?"
Happy looked at him, "I'm standing right here buddy, look I'm you! he yelled.
Gray looked at the Happy "I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure I was a cat a few minutes ago".
"I don't understand what's happened to me. I've never felt so hungry, hot and sleepy. How is that even possible." Lucy mumbled to herself.
Everyone was trying to process what was happening right now.
Lucy looked at them, "How can you be such an idiot! Don't you realize what has happened to us?! We've all switched bodies!"
"WHAT?!" they all yelled, confused on how this all happened.
Happy flew up to Lucy's face pulling on her cloak, "Stop fooling around Lucy!"
"I'm Erza you dimwit!" Erza/Lucy yelled.
A tick mark formed on Erza/Lucy's head, "Silence! Now listen up! All of us have switched bodies! That means Natsu is in Happy's body, Lucy in Natsu's, Happy in Gray's, Gray in Mine, and worst of all I in Lucy's.
"Why's switching with me the worst of all?!" Lucy/Natsu yelled, "You should be honored, you're now a Wizard Saint Mate" Lucy chuckled.
"Shut up!" Erza/Lucy yelled.
"I see, the ancient spell has been cast. You kids aren't feeling like yourselves today huh?" Makarov said having just arrived.
Lucy/Natsu approached the old man grinning, "Yo Makarov, how was your meeting?"
"It was alright thank you," Makarov smiled back, " Lucy is in Natsu's body, I heard"
"Got it in one" Lucy/Natsu said with a peace sign.
Erza/Lucy also approached, "Master your back!"
"Gramps!" Natsu/Happy said having flew to the old man as well.
"I had noticed that request on the board. By reading what was written on that page out loud you've cast a powerful spell of personality transference. And that spell is called the "Changeling." Makarov explained.
Lucy/Natsu nodded her head, "Yeah now that I think about it, I remember running across a spell like this".
Gray/Erza grabbed Natsu/Happy out of the air, "So you're really Natsu right?"
Natsu/Happy gulped, "Yeah..."
Gray/Erza grabbed his collar, "You idiot! What did you do to us?!"
Natsu/Happy got in his face, "Me? All I did was try to read the stupid job request! And Mira will you please get me a fish I'm hungry?!
"That's enough Erza, oh sorry I mean Gray," Makarov said scratching his cheek, "For wizards this spell switches more than just your bodies. It switches magic as well."
"SAY WHAT?!"
Lucy/Natsu frowned, "If that's true than I no longer have my celestial spirits, or my demon slayer powers".
"There's something else you should know," Makarov continued, "If the changeling spell is not undone within thirty minutes from the time it was initially cast…you will never return to the way you were before, or so says the legend at least."
"EH?!"
Erza/Lucy approached Mira, "Do you know how many minutes we've been mixed up for?!"
"16," Mira said, "So you have 14 minutes left."
She looked over at Makarov, "Master isn't there a way to lift the spell and change us back?!"
Makarov thought about it, "Hmmm, since this is such an ancient magic. It would only stem to reason that I…don't know. Thought I must say I'm disappointed I was looking forward to punishing you." he said walking away.
They were dumbfounded by the information, how could someone with such knowledge have no idea how to change them back.
"Alright that does it I can't take this anymore!" Gray/Erza yelled getting ready to take his armor off much to Macao, Wakaba, and Elfman's liking.
Lucy/Natsu had other plans and lit up his fists, much to the surprise of everyone. Swiftly heading to the spot her mate was Lucy/Natsu wrapped both arms around Gray effectively stopping him from removing the armor he was wearing.
Lucy/Natsu looked at him, "Sorry, but only I get to see Erza naked, got it Ice boy. Try to take her armor off again an I'll burn your body's butt".
Gray/Erza quickly put his arms back to his sides nodding, scared.
Natsu turned to walk away only to feel a punch to his stomach by Lucy. "Idiot, stop making people think I let you see my body naked!" Erza shouted.
"Sorry mate, but I had to protect your virtue" Lucy groaned.
"Hey, look Lucy used Natsu's magic, maybe that means we all can. How'd you do it Lucy?" Happy/Gray observed.
Erza/Lucy looked at her, "Indeed, how exactly did you do that?"
"I don't know I just felt like lighting up my fists so I could punch Gray" Lucy said.
"Hey that's how I feel when I wanna fight Gray" Natsu said flying around the guild.
"That's the most simplistic explanation I've ever heard and also the most useless" Erza/Lucy sighed.
"How can I be in such a strong body yet do nothing. I only feel hungry and like a nap would feel really good right now" Erza/Lucy said depressed.
"Man, I really wanna use Gray's magic" Happy/Gray complained.
"Man, this sucks I'll never be S-class like this!" Natsu/Happy complained.
Gray/Erza scowled, "I don't have any idea how to use Erza's magic at all." He then proceeded to lift up Erza's armor.
A tick mark appeared on Lucy's head but as she went to punch the mage, she was beaten by a blur who instead grabbed the boy again and whispered something in his ear making him go pale and sit on his hands.
"What did you say?" Erza/Lucy asked.
"I said if anyone sees my mates' body before me, I'll burn something precious of his off his body" Lucy said eating a piece of fire meat.
Makarov raised a brow at that, "Ouch".
Later Levy came in and said she'd try her best to decipher the text so that they could all get back into their normal bodies much to their relief.
Erza/Lucy, "Listen up everyone. We need to let Levy work in peace." She looked to see she had a piece of fire meat in her hand, "When did I even order this?"
"Yeah, Levy, levy she's the man, if she can't do it, then we're doomed" Lucy/Natsu chanted, before Gray/Erza and Natsu/Happy started pounding on her.
"Ahh, mate help!" Lucy called, for Erza only for her to be ignored. "I don't understand why I'm so hungry Mira, but no matter how much food you bring out, it's just not enough" Erza/Lucy cried, "Now I understand why she eats so much".
"There, there Erza" Mira soothed.
"That's it, I've got it!" Levy yelled.
They all looked at her and approached.
"Really? You've figured out how to break the spell?" Natsu/Happy asked.
Levy smiled, "This is what it says. May this external exchange provide you with eternal happiness. Kind of cute isn't it?"
"Yeah and?" Natsu/Happy questioned.
"In other words, anybody who's been switched by the spell will live happily ever after. You're so lucky!" Levy smiled.
Lucy/Natsu raised a brow, "Really? Cause I don't feel happy. I mean sleeping with Erza is gonna be one awkward affair ya know".
Those in the guild unable to hold back their laughter until they see Erza/Lucy glaring at them.
Gray/Erza sighed, "We wanted you to lift the spell not read it, remember?"
"Oh, that's right! Sorry." Levy apologized.
Lucy/Natsu pulled Gray/Erza's cheek hard, "Ignore him lil' Levy. You can do this just take your time and you'll be able to figure it out."
Levy rolled her eyes at the name and smiled, "Right." And with that she went right back to work to try and reverse the spell with encouragement from Jet and Droy.
"You've guys got 30 seconds left." Macao announced with Plue holding the sign right next to him.
Lucy/Natsu looked at the little guy, "And just who exactly summoned you little guy?"
"Puuun Puuun!" Plue said.
"Hold on you guys I've got it!" Levy announced.
Macao held up the sign, "Now 12…11…" he started counting down.
"Seriously?" Natsu/Happy questioned.
"Alright, I'll try to explain it to you guys really quick." Levy said.
"10…9…" Macao said still counting down.
Lucy/Natsu whacked him upside the head sending him into one of the tables, "No time just change us back, lil' Levy!"
Levy nodded, "Yeah right, okay here it goes." A white light started shining all around them and letters appeared off the page. Levy was repeating the same words repeatedly. When the light died down everyone found they were back inside their original bodies.
Lucy was the first to notice, "Cool, looks like I'm back to normal."
"Hey me too!" Gray said, "Man that was close."
Lucy grinned, "Gray, your drooling."
He noticed it and covered his mouth making Wakaba sweat-drop himself.
"Were you doing that on purpose?" he asked.
"Nice job Levy-sensei! You're awesome!" Lucy complimented.
She gave her a thumbs up, "Oh yeah!"
"So how did you figure it out?" Gray asked.
"Well when I found that the words had no meaning, I decided to read them backwards. It's an old trick, ancient languages like this usually don't have that many letters, so sometimes they had to be a little bit more creative with how they use their words. That's why when I reversed the words, I reversed the spell too." Levy explained.
Lucy smiled, "Well it worked. I think everyone's back to normal now."
Gray nodded, "We owe you big time Levy."
She giggled, "Don't worry about it."
Happy and Erza sighed then yelled, "Nothing's okay because we just switched bodies!"
"What!" they all yelled.
Natsu/Erza began shaking, "Noooo, I'm Erza!"
"Whoa, now I'm you Natsu!" Happy/Natsu smiled.
"And I am a stupid cat" Erza said falling to her paws.
Macao held up the zero sign, "Well that does it for time. You did get one pair switched back, so I guess that's something to be proud of."
Levy picked up the paper nervously, "Sorry, maybe I didn't pronounce it right."
"WHAT?!"
"So that's it?! We're stuck like this forever?!" Natsu and Erza yelled.
"I'm okay with this" Happy/Natsu yelled.
"Why are you crying, Lu-chan?" Levy asked when she heard Lucy crying dramatically, "You're back to normal".
She paused her crying for a moment and pointed, "My mate is a cat...that's weird even for me!"
The guild couldn't help but sweat-drop at the girls' words, "Of course that's what she'd be worried about!"
Just to tide you over until phantom lord sorry it's taking so long hope you enjoy this. Thank you to those who leave comments I truly enjoy when you give me feedback.
