BlackLynx17: So I found out my word document no longer corrects my misspelled words for some reason... and that it hasn't been checking for the past... who knows how many chapters that I've been writing... so this completely and utterly sucks.


Title: Love At First Sight

Secret Title: Pirate Love

Summary: Wendy is a princess forced to be married at the age of 18. It wouldn't be a problem for her if she had fallen in love with her fiance, but alas fate is not too kind. Determined to runaway to chose her own love, she runs into a nice man who rescues her from her guards. Thinking this man is her one true love, she decides to escape with him. She had no idea that her true love was a no good pirate.


Chapter Ten

Mermaids


Mest lied to her.

He promised he'd keep her away from the alcohol, but somehow she found them last night during their party and now she has her head smushed against the railing, the cool sea breeze doing wonders for her hangover. Jellal is standing beside her, looking out into the ocean as he keeps her company. He's the one who carried her back to the ship last night when she passed out on the sands of the beach. She doesn't remember where Mest was; she doesn't remember anything at all actually about last night.

"The more you drink the more used to hangovers you'll be." Jellal tells her.

"I've heard that before. Ugh, why do you guys do it so much? The fun I have doesn't outweigh how terrible it makes me feel." She groans.

He chuckles and shrugs, "pirates."

She groans again and welcomes the soothing touches as he rubs her back. The Fairy Tail Pirates are heading towards their new adventure, a small town well-known for dealing with pirates to sell all the treasure they found yesterday. The one around her neck she gets to keep though and Wendy loves how cool the jewel is against her skin. Jellal talks to her while she tries to get a grip on her splitting headache. She's watching the sea splash against the ship, really hoping she doesn't accidentally fall in. Wendy couldn't deal with drowning on top of a hangover.

"Erza is trying to get Mirajane to bake her favorite shortcake, but with the fruits we gathered from the island instead of strawberries. Apparently they were sweet like strawberries, so she's hoping it'll have the same taste since we ran... out... of them weeks... what the?"

Wendy looks up at Jellal, "huh?"

He's leaning over the railing, eyes narrowing as he stares over the horizon. One second he's as still as a statue and the next he's jumping back, whistling out loudly making Wendy flinch from the sudden sharp noise.

"Bickslow! Six o'clock!" Jellal waves towards the crow's nest.

Bickslow gets off his butt and looks through his spyglass, his breath hitching when he sees a jolly roger. He starts ringing the bell next to him, alarming his friends of what's to come.

"OYE! GET OFF YOUR ASSES! WE HAVE COMPANY CHASING OUR TAILS! INFORM THE CAPTAIN! THEY'RE PIRATES!" Bickslow yells down below.

The deck comes alive and Wendy holds onto her head. What's going on? Why was Jellal whistling so loudly? And why are there bells ringing now? It's too much for her to process, she's hurting! She can't understand! Everything is hurting right now, not just her head anymore. Maybe if she lays down for a second everything will feel better?

"Damn pirates! Why can't they steal their own treasure for once?! I bet they were lying in wait for us!" Natsu growls out.

"Yeah, like piracy is an honest job," Laxus laughs smacking his back.

"Where are they Bickslow?!" Mest yells out to the crow's nest.

Bickslow climbs down the ladder and jumps off the last few feet, stomping loudly when he lands on the deck.

"A most comfortable distance away Captain. If we follow the winds we'll easily be able to outrun them; it'll mean a small detour though, so if you don't want that I guess that means we're about to have a bit of fun," Bickslow sticks out his tongue.

"I'd like to avoid a battle if we can help it. Someone inform Erza about our detour! We'll outrun them and leave them stranded before circling back around! It's impossible for them to know our destination, so we shouldn't run into any problems."

"Aye, aye, Captain!"

Mest nods at his crew as they disperse before looking around for Wendy. Although they aren't going into battle today he would rather not risk it and keep her by his side just in case.

"Wendy? Has anyone seen my wife? Natsu, where's Wendy?" Mest asks, grabbing his arm as he walks by.

"Last time I checked she was sitting near the stern with Jellal." Natsu shrugs at him.

Mest heads for the back of the ship and finds her lying down, her hair sprawled out on the floor with her legs hanging off the ship.

"Wendy, what did I tell you about being so close to the edge? If you fall in-... Wendy?" Mest calls getting closer.

He thought she was simply resting, but she isn't responding. She doesn't seem to be moving at all and Mest runs towards her, shouting her name.

"Wendy! Wendy!"

Her chest is heaving up and down heavily, face stained red, sweat running down her forehead, and no matter how much he shakes her she doesn't respond one bit.

"Wendy?! Wendy answer me! Wendy! Help! Someone get Jellal! Ask him what happened! I need help immediately!" Mest barks out.

His friends all come running, Elfman and Mirajane breaking through the crowd to get to his side. They pull her from Mest's grasps and lay her flat on the floor, hands wandering all over her.

"What happened?!" Mest glares up as Jellal appears.

"I don't know, she was fine when I left to warn Bickslow," Jellal shrugs, panic on his face.

"Well she's burning up now! Come on Jellal, think! She wasn't showing any symptoms earlier? Pains? Sickness? Anything?" Mirajane asks him.

"She said she felt hot and came up here to cool down when I joined her. She also complained about a headache, but she blamed that on her hangover. I just thought it was that."

"Hangover? Wendy didn't drink last night, I made sure of that," Mest narrows his eyes at him.

"I found her passed out on the beach last night during the party and brought her back to your room. Are you saying that wasn't because she drank?" Jellal questions.

"Did your eyes leave her last night Mest? Are you sure she didn't drink?"

Mest stares down at his little princess, "I don't- I'm sure, I'm pretty sure. I didn't know she passed out- I found her in our room. I thought she walked herself there- I wasn't watching her enough-"

Elfman hisses sharply, "Sis! Look at this!"

Mirajane's attention leaves their captain as she stares over towards her brother. His hands are pulling up Wendy's sleeves, revealing all sorts of red marks on her arm. That wasn't what he was trying to show her though. Among the bug bites was this small, pulsing, black spot on her forearm. Mirajane gasps softly and gently traces her finger over it. Wendy twitches and screams out in pain the second she makes contact.

"What the hell is that?!"

"I don't know Captain, I don't know... what this could be. Maybe poison? She might have caught something on the island, but no one else did... it looks like a bug bit her. She has other bug bites, but why is this the only one that looks this bad? I don't know what this could be; I need to look at our medical books. Elfman, take her to the infirmary quickly."

"Got it," Elfman nods picking up their little doctor.

"A bug bite? What type of bug does that Mira?!" Mest growls out.

"I don't know Mest! I've never seen anything like it before! I don't know what type of bug it was, if it was poisonous or not, what type of poison the bug used, if this is just some sort of allergic reaction to a certain bug, nothing! I've never even heard of a fever and headaches from such a small bite! We're working blind here and I don't even know if we have anything on this ship to cure it!"

"Cure it? Are you shitting me right now?! Is this fatal?! Is she going to die?!"

"Mest! Let me do the best I can, okay?! We might need to go to shore and find a town doctor! Somewhere close to the island where she got bit, who knows about this type of thing!" Mirajane screams out before chasing after her brother.

"We can't dock anywhere near here, we're being chased remember? If we dock they'll catch up to us and a fight is sure to ensure. We wouldn't want to be fighting for our lives as we drag Wendy to the town's doctor." Freed informs them.

"What about Wendy?! She might die from this! We need to find her a cure! It's worth the risk, she's fucking worth it! I'll fight them all off if I have to!" Natsu yells at him.

"Enough! Erza find us a port quickly, please. We'll split up into groups. A small group will bring Wendy ashore so she can see a doctor while the rest of us remain on the Vermillion to draw their attention away. We can lead them on a chase away from the island and circle back tomorrow to pick them up."

He doesn't know what type of pirates are sailing after them. He doesn't know how many they have on their ship, how big or small the town they arrive at will be, how secure or lawless it'll be; they're going into this completely blind. He can't risk anything happening to her as she recovers though. They'll have to split up. Enough people left behind to protect her while the rest draws the enemy's attention away, and maybe even, fight them.

"Bickslow, were you able to see the flag they waved?" Mest asks.

"I couldn't tell for sure, but it looked like a mermaid Captain."

A mermaid? Mest has never heard of a crew that sails with a mermaid as their jolly roger. He narrows his eyes and nods his head, patting Bickslow's shoulder before heading towards the infirmary. His crew knows what to do and it doesn't matter if she's conscious or not. She's sure to be having bad dreams right now and she needs him by her side.


"I should be the one going," Mest spits out.

"Think about this logically Captain. It's already going to be slightly suspicious with four girls showing up in the dead of night. Think about how suspicious it will be if you show up along with us? Look at how small this town is. News of our arrival is going to spread like that," Erza explains snapping her finger, "and there's nothing to be suspicious about women. If you come with us we'll have to think up of a more believable story and we don't have time for that right now," she tries to reason.

"If the town is too small then what the hell are we even doing here?! She needs a great doctor, not some hick one!"

"Captain, trust us. Mirajane, Evergreen, and I can handle this. You need to handle the crew and make sure no one screws up. You can come ashore tomorrow after you lead those bastards away."

"Erza I don't think-"

"Do you trust me?" She glares at him.

Of course he does, with his life, but Wendy is lying in the dinghy there suffering and he's supposed to be helping her. He's supposed to be saving her, protecting her. That's what he signed up for when he took her and she's asking him to just sit back and do absolutely nothing? That's his wife, he needs to be with her.

"Captain, you look crazy right now. You won't be in your right mind, you'll attack anyone who tries to help her. You need to stay calm and believe in us. Take that anger out someplace else, but the longer we argue the worse your wife gets."

Mest reaches out his hands and slams them on Erza's shoulders, squeezing tightly.

"Protect her with your life. Please, save her."

It wasn't an order, but a plea. Erza gulps feeling her shoulders weigh down with the responsibility. Her captain is entrusting his entire world to her right now... and she's not going to disappoint him.

Her eyes dance with fire as she nods her head, "yes Captain!"

She joins the rest of the girls on the dinghy and Mest watches as they lower it down to sea. He watches as Erza paddles to the island, Wendy with her... she's going to be alright. She's going to be fine. He has to believe that. He can't have any doubt. By tomorrow he'll be here again picking them up and she'll be cured and recovering and safe in his arms once more.

"Captain-"

"Raise anchor and lets get moving. We've stayed here long enough," Mest says coldly.

Natsu walks over and pats his back, "she's going to be alright Mest. Erza has this handled, you know how demonic Mira can get, and Evergreen, forget about it. I would be more scared for the town than for our girls."

"Thanks Natsu."

It doesn't help, but he appreciates it. Nothing is going to help until Wendy is back by his side again.


"What did you say you girls were again?"

"Farmers Doctor, daughters of farmers. We're helping our fathers look for new exotic things to grow and sell. During our exploration though it seems that little Lotty here got bit by something nasty. Please tell us, is she going to be alright?" Mirajane feigns weeping.

"Ah yes, Lotty is going to be just fine. She got bit by a bug that's very common around here. They carry this poison in them to paralyze their prey so it makes it easier for them to feast. All you had to do was let the poison bleed out within the first few hours and she would have been fine. It's amazing how such tiny little creatures can be so deadly. If you would have brought her in a day or so later the poison would have completely spread and killed her."

"So she's going to be alright?" Erza asks.

"Yes, I've drained the poison from the bite and wrapped it up. If she continues to drink this elixir for the next two days to get rid of the remaining bits of toxin still in her body she'll only have a fever which should fade in a couple of days."

Mirajane is writing everything the doctor says inside of her journal. She speaks with him more, looking over the elixir and writing down the name so the next time this happens she'll be more prepared. She doesn't think she can handle another heartattack like this or have Mest freak out on her so much again. Evergreen pulls Erza away to a window and the two of them stare outside of it, scounting the area.

"Good, so she's fine. Should I find a place for us to rest?"

"No, we can't stay in town. I'm sure those pirates, if they do decide to send some of their men ashore, will be asking around for new guests. Anyone will be able to tell them where we're at and if we're seperated it'll only be easier for them to ambush us. One of us will have to stay here with Wendy in her room, another in town, and the last out on the outskirts. It's going to be a rough night, but Mest is counting on us."

"I call the first shift on resting with our unconcious doctor then." Evergreen mumbles.

"Of course you do," Erza rolls her eyes.

She leaves Evergreen's side and walks towards the back of the hall. Erza opens the door at the end of it and quietly enters the room, spying her captain's wife resting peacefully. She already looks better, color returning back to her face, her breathing stable finally. Erza sits down on the chair by her bedside and changes the rag on her forehead with a cold one.

"You sure gave our captain a good scare, me as well. Don't worry though Wendy, you're going to be just fine."

Wendy snoozes peacefully and Erza sighs out. It's going to be a long night.


"We've lost them Captain."

"Again? Completely this time?" Mest asks, looking out with his spyglass.

"Yes, sir. They were following us for a while, but I guess we were too quick for them. Haven't seen a single hint of them in hours."

Mest looks around them and sighs out in relief, "let's start circling back then. Let them be lost at sea, take the long route though and stay away from the island until daybreak. We'll hide along the coasts just in case we see a hint of them again. I'll go ashore and bring our crew back."

"Aye, Captain."

He can finally let his heart rest. He's done his part. He's led the ship away and lost them at sea. He believes in Erza and the rest of his crew to do their part. Now he can finally head back to get Wendy. God he's never going to let her go to another island without making sure she's covered up properly. To almost be killed by a bug bite? Unbelievable. She's just too fragile, too vulnerable... he has to work that much harder to protect her.

"Douse the lights, we don't want to be giving them any signs. Anyone who needs rest go ahead and have it; there's no need for us to be on high alert anymore. You all know your shifts." Mest commands.

He walks over towards the helm and starts spinning it around, changing their direction. Even though Mest should be number one on that list to get some sleep, he won't be able to sleep a wink without his princess by his side. Laxus walks up the stairs and over towards him, reaching out.

"You need rest too Mest; I've got it from here."

"I'm fine, you go-"

"You aren't going to be useful to her if you look dead on your feet. She doesn't need to be worrying about you, but resting instead. You know I'm right."

Mest curses and lets go, "stay on-"

"Blah, blah, I know, I know. Let's not forget whose grandfather was the third captain of this ship. I know what I'm doing Mest. Now get."

Cocky son of a bitch. Mest grumbles as he walks down the stairs to his quarters. He slams the door behind him and looks around... everything he sees reminding him of her. Her clothes are scattered on the floor when she was too excited to look for treasure to put them away, her books piled up on the tables, wanting to read as much as she could to become a better doctor for their crew, her presence everywhere around him. Mest drags his feet and lays down in their bed; it even smells like her. Everything reminds him of her.

He doesn't know if he can sleep, but he does close his eyes and just lays there peacefully. He thinks about when they first met. When she first arrived at his ship, how hard it was for her to get accustomed to things, how she still trusted and liked him even after knowing he was a pirate. All the times she's smiled at him. All the times she's laughed with him. All the small touches she's given him, all the quick pecks against his head, every time she reached for his hand whenever she needed him. His mind is soon consumed with her and his heart can't wait to see her again. To hold her in his arms, to tease her about bugs for a week. It's going to be her birthday soon, he remembers her telling him about it being in September. He wants to take her someplace nice as a surprise, someplace beautiful she'll really enjoy. She mentioned her favorite dish being salad with flowers; there was an island that grew the most beautiful flowers he's ever seen. The girls gushed and picked away til their hearts content whenever they visited. They can sail back there and he can beg and bribe Mirajane to try and recreate the dish for her. He can buy her more clothes, more books, more jewels, and present them to her. They can watch the sunset at the beach, her another year older, and stare into each other's eyes before he steals a small kiss. A real kiss from her.

Mest gulps and lets his fantasies run free. He doesn't know if he's awake or conscious anymore, but he's alarmed when someone starts shaking him. He's pulled up out of bed and dragged towards the deck, his mind not straight, but still being able to piece some things together as he stares at the faces of his friends. There's a bright light in the distance where the sun has not risen yet; it's flaring up and sparking the night sea. Mest walks closer to the guard, leaning over as he squints his eyes.

"What is that?"

No one says a thing and then all of a sudden... he recognizes it and his heart drop.

"It's where we left them."