Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.
Fairy Tail—A Diary's Secret 2: A Fateful Journey
Chapter 4
It felt as if they had become weightless, but they could still feel a strange yet intense wind pushing against them from every direction as they rushed along through midair. Dark colors swirled around rapidly. Thin beams of what appeared to be pure white light rocketed past on all sides. At the far end of what could only be described as a tunnel, amidst all of the darkness, was a small speck of light which had to be the exit. The inside of an Anima; an experience that none of the Dragneels had had before. Nothing came remotely close.
Natsu snickered excitedly and his grin was wide. "This is awesome!"
"This is so much fun!" Serafine cried, echoing her father's excitement. Her arms were in front of her like she was a superhero flying through the air. "I wanna do this every day!"
"Such children," Happy sighed. Unlike the other two, flying like this was nothing new. He could do it whenever he wanted.
"It certainly is incredible," Mira said with a smile as she looked around. She couldn't believe that they were actually on their way to a parallel world; a world where Lisanna—her Lisanna—could possibly be. Her heart was beating roughly in her chest, but she was trying desperately to not get her hopes up. This was a stretch, after all. "Say Natsu, I just had a thought."
"Eh? What is it, Mira?"
"While I'm glad we found a way to get to Edolas, how are we supposed to get back when we're done?"
Her question was met with silence.
"Natsu?"
"Mmmmm…no idea."
"Wh…What!?" she exclaimed.
"What?" he replied, confused by her reaction.
Mira shook her head as if she had heard him wrong. "You don't know how to get back home?" she cried.
"What? We'll worry about it later. I'm sure we can figure something out."
Mira slapped her forehead. "Honestly, Natsu. How can you be so carefree? What if we're stuck in Edolas for good now?"
"We'll get home, alright? No worries!"
"Yeah, Mama! No worries!" Serafine giggled.
Mira groaned. "Not you too, Serafine. Am I really the only one thinking about making it back home when all is said and done?"
"Oh stop fretting and enjoy the ride!" Natsu said happily as he thrust his arms and legs out emphatically.
"How long do you think this Anima is?" Happy asked, changing the topic.
"Well that light ahead is probably the exit, but it doesn't seem to be getting any larger," Mira observed. "I'd say a long time."
Happy's body sagged. "Aw man. I'm so bored. I just want to get there and fly under my own power again."
"Speaking of flying under your own power, we should take those X-Balls that Mystogan gave us while we have the chance," Mira suggested.
Natsu nodded as he reached into his pocket. "Good thinking." He pulled out the small vial and gently popped off the clear top. He rolled out four pills, placed one in his mouth and swallowed. Once he had, he passed one out to the other three. They, too, popped the pills into their mouths and swallowed.
"They don't taste like anything," Serafine said in disappointment.
"They aren't candy, so it makes sense," Happy said. "Still it would have been nice if they were fish-flavored."
Suddenly, the light at the end of the tunnel expanded rapidly and enveloped them in a blinding light. They shielded their eyes reactively with their arms and squinted through the whiteness. And as suddenly as the light had appeared, it disappeared and revealed a truly breathtaking sight.
The sky was pale green in color with white strips of cloud sporadically floating about. There were several objects levitating high up in the sky that appeared to be moons or planets of some kind. All around them were large islands of rocky terrain, purple grass, and thick trees with purple leaves—and the islands were suspended in the sky above the world's surface. Rivers wound through the sky with clear, rushing water, lifting up and diving down like a rollercoaster.
It was a world straight out of a fairy tale.
This was Edolas.
"This…I…I have no words," Mira breathed.
"It's beautiful," Serafine whispered as she looked around with wide eyes.
"It sure is," Natsu marveled.
"It is guys," Happy began, "but don't let the coolness of this new place disguise the fact that we're currently free falling towards the ground."
The three Dragneels blinked out of the trance they were in and looked down. Sure enough, they were barreling down towards one of the floating islands.
"Holy crap, we are falling!" Natsu shouted.
"What do we do, Mama?" Serafine cried as she reached for her mother.
Mira held her daughter close. "It's alright," she said calmly. Her entire body began to glow with a soft white light and in no time at all she was in her Satan Soul form. Using her bat-like wings, she was able to halt her and Serafine's fall.
Happy quickly grabbed hold of Natsu's shirt and used his own wings to carry him. "Gotcha, Natsu!"
"Thanks, little buddy," Natsu said, "but you could've said something earlier. What was that about?"
Happy shrugged. "I don't know. Suspense?"
Happy and Mira slowly dropped to the ground. Mira allowed Serafine to land on her feet before leaving her Satan Soul. Happy did the same with Natsu, but continued to hover on his wings.
"I can't get over this place," Natsu said while looking up at the enormous hovering mountain islands overhead. "It's so weird."
"It sure is a parallel world," Happy said.
"So what do we do now, Natsu?" Mira asked. "We have no idea where we are, which way to go, nothing."
Natsu tugged on his scarf and sniffed the air. "We'll just have to wing it, I guess. Although I think I smell the faint scent of other people."
"Which way?" Happy asked.
Natsu pointed in the direction of the smell. "I think that way."
"I agree!" Serafine said. "I believe in Papa's nose!"
Natsu snickered as he ruffled her hair. "That's my girl! Always believe in Papa!"
"We should get moving then," Mira suggested and the group began their blind trip through the unknown world of Edolas.
"I'm so tiiiiiiirrrrrrrrred," Happy groaned as he bobbed along in the air.
"We've seen nothing but trees and grass for, like, ever," Serafine chimed in. "Isn't there anything else here?"
Mira looked at Natsu's back as he strode along. His pace had not slowed and his shoulders had yet to slump. He still seemed to be walking with a purpose, as if he knew that he wasn't wrong in his choice of direction. But still, with no signs of other life to be seen so far, she couldn't shake her doubts. "Natsu, you're sure this is the way?"
Natsu looked over his shoulder at her and grinned wide. "Oh yeah, I'm sure. Don't you believe in me?"
She smiled softly at him and just like that her doubts were washed away. "You know I do. Mora than anything I believe in you, Natsu."
He returned the soft smile. "Glad to hear it. You always keep me going, Mira."
"Natsu…"
"Papa, I know I said that I believed in your nose, but I think it fooled you this time," Serafine said.
"Hey, don't go losing faith in me!" Natsu begged. "I swear this is the right way!"
"Prove it!" Serafine countered.
"I can smell something fresh baked in this direction!"
"Yay! Good job, Papa! I knew you could do it!" Serafine clapped.
Natsu nearly facefaulted. "That's really all it took to win you back over, huh?"
"Well I know that no food can get past Papa's nose!"
Mira giggled. "Too true."
"Alright, alright. Well at least you believe me again," Natsu huffed.
"I can't take this anymore," Happy rasped as he floated down into Serafine's arms. "How much farther until the food, Natsu?"
Natsu sniffed the air. "Should be just past these trees here."
The Dragneels pushed through a thick patch of bushes on the side of the path they were walking and stepped in between two tree trunks. A sudden breeze whipped about as they stood looking at the view. They were in fact on top of a slight hill. Looking down they saw a small village made of simple wood tucked away in a small clearing. Puffs of clear white smoke from firewood blanketed the sky directly above. A thin dirt path wove through the village and out either side.
Natsu whiffed the air again and hummed with delight. "Smell that? That's the cooked meat and baked bread that I smelled."
"Civilization!" Happy cheered as he rose from Serafine's arms and flew in circles. "We're saved!"
"At least we're not in the wilderness anymore. Well done, Natsu," Mira complimented.
Natsu snickered and scratched the back of his head. "Oh stop. It was nothing."
"Yay for Papa!" Serafine exclaimed as she hugged her father.
Mira smiled warmly at Natsu's grinning face as he laughed with Serafine. 'I suppose I should just relax. Natsu is so reliable that there's nothing to fear. He'll handle things with a smile on his face and a fire in his heart. He'll look out for us. I believe in him. I trust him with my whole being. Everything will work out fine because of him. I know it.'
"Well let's not keep our stomachs waiting!" Happy said as he began flying towards the village. "Lunch, ho!"
"Wait up for me, Happy!" Natsu called out as he chased after him.
"Off we go!" Serafine cried as she followed behind her father.
Mira sighed and chased them with a smile. "Honestly, you three! Here we are in a phenomenal parallel world, yet you can still only think about food!"
"Don't worry, we remember why we're here," Natsu promised, "but no one said we shouldn't recharge first from all that wandering!"
"Fair enough."
They entered the village, but immediately froze once they saw the people. They were dressed in rag-like, filthy, colorless clothing. Their shoes had holes in them as they trudged through the streets. But the most noticeable feature of these people was their expressions. Each and every man, woman, and child had the exact same look—a look of sadness and defeat.
"What the hell?" Natsu muttered.
"Everyone looks so sad," Serafine noted as she scanned the area. "They look like they've given up on life."
"What could have happened here?" Mira asked.
Natsu clenched his fists. "I've got a gut feeling that this is that Faust freak's doing."
"The King of Edolas?" Happy asked. "Why do you think that? Couldn't it just be that these people are impoverished?"
"It could be. But it's just what Mystogan said about him. I don't know. It just feels like more than poor fortune."
"We could ask," Serafine suggested. "You know, instead of just making assumptions."
"Worth a shot."
The Dragneels slowly walked through the village. Everyone who looked their way immediately turned away and shuffled off as if making eye contact or even interacting would turn them to stone.
"They seem afraid," Mira whispered softly. "Maybe you're right, Natsu; maybe it's more than just being poor."
"They don't even want to acknowledge us," Happy said.
"Definitely weird," Natsu said, his senses on full alert. Something didn't sit right about this village, yet he didn't sense any danger.
As they walked, they passed the place where the smell of bread was wafting from. Standing at the counter of the small, one room shop was an old woman. Her hair was messy as it sat in a bun atop her head. Her clothes were old, worn, and torn, but were clearly a bright and vibrant pink at one time. Her skin was dirty and wrinkly. Her arms were folded behind her back as she stood completely still.
"It wouldn't hurt to ask one of the locals for information," Mira whispered in Natsu's ear.
Natsu nodded and made his way towards her. "Um…hello."
The old woman smiled slightly. "Hello good sir. What can I do for you?" Her voice was weak and raspy. "Can I interest you in some bread?"
Natsu dug into his pocket and pulled out a few Jewels. "Yeah, we'd like some. And some information if you wouldn't mind."
The old woman slowly lifted her hand to catch the Jewels. She sifted through it as if to count it. She took a quick breath and pocketed the money. "Of course, of course! Anything for such gracious customers." She bent over and pulled out four loaves of bread. She placed them on the counter and motioned for them to take the bread.
"Thank you very much," Mira said as they all took their bread. "Now about the information…"
"Yes, what would you like to know?" she asked.
"For starters, did something happen here?" Mira asked.
The old woman tilted her head in confusion. "I'm sorry, dear? Whatever do you mean?"
"Why does this place look like this?" Mira clarified.
The old woman frowned. "You mean broken down? Disheveled? Unkempt? Filthy?"
"No, I didn't mean…"
"Outsiders should watch their tongues," the old woman grumbled. "This place has been like this for years, ever since King Faust's greed blossomed. How rude of you to act so oblivious."
"Hey, she wasn't trying to insult you," Natsu growled as he slammed his palm on the counter, nearly snapping it in two. "Look, we're not from here, alright? We know nothing about any of these places. We're just trying to understand."
The old woman huffed. "Why would you care about learning anything about this village? When have the wealthy ever cared for us? They just turn a blind eye."
Natsu's eye twitched. "Look here…"
The old woman met his gaze with a hard expression of her own. "Hoh? Have I said something to offend you? My apologies, sir." Her tone was thick with sarcasm.
Natsu's hands became engulfed in flames. "Would you cut out your shitty attitude? We just wanna ask some questions and learn what we can, but you're making it damn hard, you old hag!"
"Natsu!" Mira scolded. "I'm not insulted, so take it easy!"
The old woman gasped as she stumbled back. She pointed a crooked, boney finger at Natsu. "Your…your hands, they…"
He lifted an eyebrow. "What? It's just my magic."
The old woman froze. "You…you can use magic? But…how can you do that without a magic tool?"
"Magic tool?" Natsu repeated.
"It's how magic is used for practical use here. How can you not know that?"
Natsu took a deep breath. "Assume we don't know anything. Now can you tell us some things without the attitude?"
The old woman nodded and motioned everyone inside. "Very well. Quickly now, before anyone sees."
They did as they were told. "Why shouldn't we be seen?" Happy asked.
"We're a suspicious people," the old woman answered as she pushed on the back wall of her shop. A hidden door appeared as it swung open. On the other side was a very tiny room. There was very little light inside, but enough to see a small table and chairs around it. They followed the woman inside and she closed the door behind her. They all sat in a chair and the old woman sighed. "If we ever see an unfamiliar face, we immediately assume it's a spy for the kingdom. Our situation has made us wary and unwelcoming. Seeing me talk to you could prove bad for business."
"It's like what Mystogan said," Natsu said quietly to Mira. She nodded in response.
"That also explains why everyone was looking away from us," Serafine added.
"Now what do you need to know?" the old woman asked.
"We'll get right to the point. We're looking for someone," Natsu said.
"Hoh? And how could I possibly help with that?"
"Well she's a wizard, so she's probably in a guild here. Where could we look?"
The old woman simply stared at Natsu before resting her hands on the table. "I see. So you really know nothing then."
"What do you mean?" Serafine asked.
"Guess I have no choice. I'll have to start at the beginning," the old woman said. "Now listen carefully, whoever you are. For centuries, magic has flowed through this land. People harnessed its wondrous power using magic tools. Day to day activities—chores, work, travel—became far simpler. Fires and lamps were fueled by it. Carts could race across long distances in no time at all. Water was pumped from fountains. Even guilds formed as a form of work. However, magic here is a limited resource. People knew that, but chose to ignore it. There were no signs of it disappearing and it was too beneficial to decrease usage.
"But then King Faust and his infinite greed reared their ugly heads. He wanted all the magic power this world had to offer. He siphoned all of it, every last drop. Magic became incredibly scarce. The magic tools that to some had become peoples' livelihoods saw a hefty increase in price. If you wanted to replenish magic, that cost a pretty penny as well. Soon, small villages like this one struggled to stay afloat. We could no longer survive without magic. People couldn't work, making food became difficult due to a lack of irrigation, and no travelers could easily pass through to buy merchandise.
"At the same time King Faust began sucking up all the magic power, he passed a new law. King Faust put a ban on the creation or existence of magic guilds. They used too much magic power and he couldn't have that. On that day, almost all guilds were immediately disbanded, which gave the economy yet another hit as a lot of people were removed from work. However, there were a handful of guilds that did not heed this law. They became rogue guilds that did everything they could to stay in business. This, as I'm sure you can imagine, did not please the King. Without a moment's hesitation, he deployed his troops. Guilds fought with everything they had, but to no avail. One by one they were forcibly torn apart. Not a single guild was left standing. Every member of those guilds was imprisoned for defying the King."
Natsu stood up. "Every guild? Every member?"
The old woman nodded. "Yes. So you see, your friend that you are looking for is either imprisoned or possibly worse…"
Natsu clenched his fists. "Damn it. So Lisanna is probably in trouble then."
"Where are they being imprisoned?" Mira asked, resisting the overwhelming urge to cry. Had they really traveled all this way just to find out that Lisanna was arrested?
"In the capital," the old woman replied. "I cannot be more detailed than that unfortunately."
Natsu took a deep breath. Serafine looked up at him. "What are we gonna do, Papa?"
He looked at her and smiled. He gently pet her head. "Isn't it obvious? We're gonna go storm the capital!"
Serafine beamed at her father. "Right!"
"Hold on!" the old woman crowed. "You're planning on going to the capital? That's suicide! King Faust will surely arrest you once he finds out what you are!"
Natsu gave her his signature grin. "Allow me to let you in on a little secret. We're not here just to look for our friend." He leaned forward over the table. "We're gonna take down this King Faust bastard and stop him from wreaking havoc. That's a promise!"
The woman stared at the four strange travelers as if they had suddenly sprouted another pair of legs. "You…are going after King Faust? That's worse than suicide! That's insanity! You must be joking!"
Serafine and Mira stood as well and bowed to the old woman. "Thank you so much for your knowledge and your time," Mira said softly. "We truly do appreciate it."
"Aye!" Happy said.
"See ya around, old hag!" Natsu said with a wave as he turned to the wall. He pushed it open and walked out with Serafine, Mira, and Happy following behind.
The old woman kept her eyes fixed on the retreating figures. After they were out of sight, she closed her eyes and chuckled. "Those kids are simply mad. But who knows? Maybe we need a little madness to pull this world out of despair."