"speaking"
"thinking"
On with the story
The girls were at the first floor of Natsu's mansion as they were trying to capture the male Barbo Creature that crawls around so fast on the floor and up on the wall
"how fast is that thing!?" Erza exclaimed as their eyes couldn't keep up with its speed "it's like I'm seeing doubles!"
"may it be fast" Ikaruga said as she summoned the Black red Katana from her hair comb and grips it handle hard. The pink swordswoman's eyes followed the Barbo's movement before they landed to the wall near to Irene "Irene-dono! Duck!"
Irene ducks down before Ikaruga draws her sword fast and unleashed a powerful air slash that cuts the wall, nearly hitting the Barbo that instantly scrams away
"so close!" Mira exclaimed as the Barbo keeps on running and crawling at high speed
"Minerva, can't you catch it with your Territory!?" Kagura exclaimed
"I need to see it in order to catch it!" Minerva said as the Barbo's speed was too fast for her eyes
The Barbo hissed at the girls before it suddenly disappears
"where did it go!?" Cana exclaimed
"be careful! It has the power to create Illusions! It just went invisible!" Irene exclaimed as they could hear loud crawling and running sound along the wall but couldn't see the Barbo "it's still here!"
Everyone looks around before Lucy suddenly screams as something got a hold of her hair and was pulling it hard
"owowowowow! Not my hair!" Lucy screamed before she screamed even louder when Kagura, Erza, and Ikaruga came at her with their swords drawn "wait!"
Lucy ducks down before the three swordswomen slashed their swords and cuts her blonde hair but didn't even hit anything
"tch! It dodged our attacks!" Erza exclaimed
"my hair! Look at what you did to my hair!" Lucy cried out in tears as her long hair was cut to her shoulder length
"I'll restore it later!" Ultear exclaimed as the Barbo was still running around but they still couldn't see it
"I got a plan!" Kamika stated as she takes out several white colored papers from her pocket "Ultear, can you create a small snow blizzard?"
"I can, but what will that do?" Ultear replied
"wait! That might work!" Irene stated "do it!"
Kamika and Ultear nodded to each other before both had magic circles appearing in front of them
"Blizzard!" "Kami Fubuki! Shiro no Mai!" the two chanted out their magic as a blizzard came out of nowhere in the mansion from their magic combined
"so cold!" Lucy exclaimed, her body shivering from the cold
"why do this!?" Cana exclaimed, holding her shivering body
"look!" Minerva exclaimed as she pointed to the wall near them and on that wall was a bunch of ice forming around something "the ice froze its legs!"
The Barbo soon appeared out its invisibility as it was now compromised
"now!" Mira exclaimed as she charged up a black ball of energy in her grasp before firing it at the Barbo, instantly causing an explosion and the wall to crumble down
Smoke flew out everywhere as everyone covered their mouth
"Mira!" Erza exclaimed before coughing a bit "you could've hurt someone with that powerful magic blast!"
"details later, right now we got that Barbo creature," Mira said as she approached the destroyed and rubble wall to find the Barbo creature knocked out but it wasn't even there "eh? Where is it?"
Mira looks around before the Barbo appeared out of nowhere and lunged at her face
"waaahh! Get it off! Get it off!" Mira shouted out as she tried pulling the Barbo off her face but it was gripping her hair and head hard
"don't move!" Cana exclaimed as she takes out some magic cards and throws them
The cards instantly unleashed a blast of water as the Barbo saw it and jumped away, leaving Mira to get the full blast of the water attack
Now drenched in water, Mira's hair was wet and the She-demon squirted out some water
"thanks a lot, Cana" Mira said looking a bit annoyed from getting wet by Cana's attack
"where is the Barbo now?" Éclair asked as they hear nothing now
"is it hiding?" Lucy said as they look around but the Barbo wasn't anywhere to be found or heard
Soon, a metallic scratching sound was heard as it was coming from the air ventilation system
"it's in the Ventilation system?!" Erza exclaimed
"there's a route there that leads outside!" Kagura exclaimed
"I'll go and close it up!" Kamika stated as she ran outside of the house
"this creature is so fast and elusive that we can't even catch it by any normal means" Ikaruga stated as they hear the metal scratching noise coming from everywhere "how are we going to catch and seal it back in the hand mirror?"
"mother, were there other ways to catch this creature?" Erza asked as Irene rubs her chin before nodding with a smile
10 minutes later
Lucy walks around the house as she carried a jar of honey and it was open for the sweet scent to come out
"here, Barbo. I got honey for you" Lucy called out as she looks a bit nervous while carrying the jar of honey
Lucy walks near an air vent as she waves the jar of honey around, to gets it sweet scent to the Barbo's attention.
While she was doing so, Irene and the others were all hiding at different spots around the house, all near an air vent system
"is this plan really going to work?" Cana whispered to Irene as the two with Erza were hiding behind the couch
"if there is one thing that Barbo likes in this world, it's honey" Irene whispered back "they will go crazy for honey as it's their favorite delicacy"
"I get that, but couldn't we just place it around and set a trap for it?" Erza whispered while looking at Lucy who just stands in front of the air vent system "why have Lucy carry it around?"
"Barbo is somehow attracted to the color of yellow as it reminds them of honey. It was one of the things that Igneel learned about them" Irene explained before they heard a high pitched screech coming from the nearby air vent system
"so Lucy is acting as the second bait." Cana whispered "huh? It somehow fits her"
The screeching sound didn't stop coming from the nearby air vent system as it echoed out before the Barbo came out of the nearby air vent screeching out loudly at Lucy who stood in her place with shaking legs
The Barbo sniffs the air as it licks its lips to smell the honey
"Get ready" Irene whispered as she takes out the Dragon Baton from inside her shirt
Cana and Erza nodded, readying their magic weapon upon signal
"here you go, it's h-honey" Lucy said with a nervous smile while placing down the jar of honey on the floor
The Barbo growls at Lucy before looking at the jar of honey, and went near it
It sniffs the jar of honey before it looks at Lucy and growls at her
"w-what's wrong? It's honey..you love it, right?" Lucy asked nervously as the Barbo looks at her with a sneering gaze
"what's going on?" Cana asked whispering "I thought you said that it likes honey and blonde girls?"
"it's supposed to" Irene replied before having a surprised face "unless…"
"unless what?" Erza asked
Lucy started to back away from the Barbo but it stayed in its place while sneering and growl at her before the jar of honey disappeared and so did the Barbo
"eh? It..disappeared?" Lucy said looking confused before a loud explosion came from the kitchen
"it wasn't here all along! It was in the kitchen!" Irene exclaimed, standing up from behind the couch
They soon ran to the kitchen where Éclair, Ikaruga, and Mira came running out while covered in flour, egg, milk, and butter
"that thing is really getting on my nerves!" Mira exclaimed as they got behind the walls around the kitchen as the Barbo was inside making a huge mess of things inside
"it came out of inside the cabinet out of nowhere," Éclair said as they watched the Barbo making a mess of the kitchen while throwing out metal cookware out "how can it do that?"
"it fooled us with its speed and agility," Irene said while gritting her teeth "I can't believe that it made a fool out of us, especially me"
"blame later, now we need to get that thing" Cana said before ducking down from a flying pan that nearly hits her
"question is that how are we to do that?" Ikaruga asked
"I think I know, but the timing has to be perfect" Irene said as the others nodded
The Barbo crawls around the walls of the kitchen room as it hissed around and screeches before seeing Irene and the others coming in
It screeches at them before it disappeared from its high-speed crawling and running in the room
"ready?" Irene asked as everyone nodded
The Barbo soon appeared in front of Lucy as it lunges at her
"now!" Erza exclaimed as Cana throws a magic card at Lucy and it lets out a very powerful flash of light, instantly causing the Barbo to screech
"raah!" Mira exclaimed as she summoned on the Dragon Shield and rams it against the Barbo, sending it flying to the cupboard, breaking it in an instant
"Ikaruga!" Erza exclaimed as she wielded her sword that ignites in flames
Ikaruga nodded as she wielded her katana that had its blaze ignite in a blaze
The two swings their sword around as their flames creates a crisscross net
The Barbo Creature saw it as it soon runs away but there were no other ways to escape
the flaming net blazes a trap around the Barbo as it prevents it from escaping
"Lucy! You're up!" Cana exclaimed as Lucy stepped forward with a whip made from light
"alrighty!" Lucy exclaimed as she swings her whip and it coils around the Barbo
"Éclair!" Irene exclaimed as Éclair nodded while holding a small mirror in hand
The Barbo lets out screeches as it tried to get out of the light whip but it couldn't
"ora!" Lucy exclaimed as she swings her whip and the Barbo into the mirror, instantly forcing it inside
Irene soon throws in flour to the mirror, before wrapping a towel around it, permanently sealing the Barbo in
"we did it!" Lucy exclaimed as they finally caught the Barbo in the mirror for good
"finally," Erza said before sighing as they were done in capturing the Barbo
"good riddance" Ikaruga added in while sheathing away her katana and it soon disappears back into her hair comb
"still think that it can get out?" Mira asked,
"she said that It can't get out if the mirror is covered, right?" Cana replied
"it can't" Irene said taking hold of the mirror, the Barbo is in "now, let's place the two mirrors away somewhere no one can ever accidentally find it"
"before that" Éclair said as she pointed to the mansion's corridor as everything was wrecked "let's clean the place up before Natsu comes back"
"right" the others replied before they heard knocking at the front door and it brought fear in their hearts "oh no.."
"I'm back" Natsu hollered out as he comes back home, carrying some boxes and some plastic bags with him "sorry that it took a while. Maya-baa and the others gave me a lot of stuff for doing some sales for their little problem"
Natsu stands in front as he knocks on the door with his foot three times to get someone to answer because he has his hands full at the moment
He soon hears rambling noise inside as this got him to raise an eyebrow
"quite a racket inside" Atlas said standing behind his nephew before they hear someone running to the front door
"ah, Natsu" Éclair answered the door but she didn't open it fully "sorry, but can you go and pick up some groceries? Cana tried to make dinner but it all went toasted and she used up all the ingredients in the kitchen"
"okay, but after I get these inside," Natsu said trying to get in but Éclair stopped him
"sorry! But we really need you to get it now!" Éclair stated while looking a bit nervous
"huh? Why?" Natsu asked before he sniffs the air a few times "and why do I smell flour, honey, and something burning?"
"a-ah…that was what Cana tried to make! A cake!" Éclair stated while laughing a bit nervously
"a cake?...that kinda makes sense" Natsu said sniffing the air a few more times "but why the honey scent is so strong?"
"a honey cake! She was trying to make a honey cake!" Éclair replied
"ok then, but I still need to get these inside," Natsu said as he hoisted up the box one time to secure his hold on it "I got some Corona Ice Cream from Maya-baa and the others"
Natsu tried to go in again, but Éclair pushed the door hard and stopped him from trying to get in
"let me take them for you!" Éclair stated "we really need some groceries right now! Please go and get them!"
Natsu got a bit curious as he place down the box and plastic bags before looking at Éclair
"alright, what happened?" Natsu said while crossing his arms in front of his chest
"n-nothing! Nothing happened!" Éclair replied before they heard a loud scream and a glass breaking from inside that made her wince a bit
"really?" Natsu asked with a raised eyebrow "I can hear the others inside running around as quiet as they can, while trying to fix something"
Éclair tried to make something up but Natsu grabs a hold of the door and causes some cracks in it
The door was soon pried off the hinges as Natsu pulls it out and throws it away. Éclair nervously looks at Natsu whose eyes were glowing red and turned reptilian.
Natsu looks inside as he saw the other girls frozen at their place while in the middle of cleaning but stopped when Natsu came in
A few tick marks appeared on Natsu's forehead as it was clear that he was mad
20 minutes later
Everyone was gathered in the living room as all the mess in the mansion was all fixed up
"This is why lacrima phones were created" Natsu said standing in the living room while behind a seat that had Meredy who was eating a cat-shaped jam filled bread. The young man sighs as he looks at the girls who all sat around by the couches "a Barbo attacking you all? And hearing a thump too, huh?"
Natsu looks at the two covered mirrors as they were lying on the living room table
"having a Barbo attacking my house of all places" Natsu said sighing as he picks up the male Barbo mirror that was still covered in the towel and in flour too before he started unwrapping it
"hey! what are you doing!?" Mira exclaimed
"if you do that, the Barbo can come out!" Cana added in
Natsu wipes off the flour as the mirror shines and the Male Barbo came jumping out and landed on the floor
"it came out again!" Lucy screamed as the rest prepared to attack it again
"just stop it" Atlas stated as the Barbo let out screeches at the girls before it climbed on Natsu's shoulder and started letting out growling screeches to him "he's not going to harm anyone"
"eh?" they said as they watch the Barbo make some screeching noise to Natsu who sighs and nodded
"the two redheads came to my quarters and then suddenly attack me when I was doing my daily checks around the house. Then these other humans started to attack me for no reason" Natsu said before looking to Irene and the others "then they trapped me into a mirror. What did I do wrong? I served under this house for 20 years"
"what do you mean?" Éclair asked
"its what this little guy is talking" Natsu said as the Barbo screeches at them "you guys might not know about it, but this Barbo is under my care"
"eh?" the girls said
"what do you mean that Barbo is under your care?" Irene said in bewilderment
"it happened after the Magia War, Irene-dono" Atlas stated as he started explaining how Igneel tamed the Barbo and made it the invisible guardian of the mansion and then become the servant to Natsu
"so…are you saying that we're at fault?" Erza asked as Natsu looks at the Barbo who nodded then back to her
"I guess so" Natsu replied "you guys judge someone by appearance and history. Then think that they're the bad ones."
"but what about the other one!?" Mira stated "it tried to grab Lucy!"
"ah, about that one. That female one is rotten to the core. So its in the mirror for a reason" Natsu replied
"but why is this one not helping it out? I thought Barbo always care for each other?" Irene asked with a confused look
The Barbo screeches to Natsu a few times as the man nodded before looking back to the others
"he said that he has a quarrel with his wife a few years back and the two aren't seeing each other anymore," Natsu said as the girls sweatdropped
"quarrel with his wife?" they thought in unison
The Barbo soon jumped off Natsu's shoulder before crawling up into an air vent and disappeared into it
"where is it going?" Kamika asked
"to wherever it wants" Natsu replied as he started walking out of the room "this place is his home as it is mine"
The girls look at each other before they sigh and sat down back on the couch
"next time we have a holiday, let's just go to a water park" Cana said as the others nodded
"my my" Atlas said with a smile while patting Meredy's head
That's a wrap!
Bye bye
