Starry Heavens: A Different Story
Episode 002: From Hargeon to Magnolia: Enter: The Fairy Tail
Author: AshK1980
Beta Reader: OathkeeperRoxasxNamine09
The train finally arrived at Hargeon Station and while carrying their friend, departed from the train. Taking a deep breath of the close salty air, Lisanna felt excited about their search being started. Her occupant on the other hand…
"I don't like riding trains," she groaned, before taking her free hand to cover her mouth.
"There, there, we're off the train now, you'll feel better in no time!" Lisanna replied cheerfully to her companion. She looked at Lisanna with a drained expression, wishing for her optimism. Just as the two cats hopped on their shoulders, a conductor turned up behind and looked at the four.
He eyed the girl with white hair first. She was a young lady with shoulder-length platinum white hair. She is wearing a pink blouse and skirt combination, her skirt passing mid-way to her knees. Her platinum white hair reached down to her neck, most of it resting passing over her ears with several bangs in front of her forehead. On her feet over a pair of pink shin-high stockings are a pair of pink boots that goes up to her knees. She is also wearing a white muffler around her neck with a design that looks like dragon scales. Not only was she wearing the white muffler but wearing a periwinkle long blue jacket that reached her knees.
"Excuse me miss, is your friend okay?" he asked, eying the girl on Lisanna's shoulders. Despite the pale expression on her face, she looks quite the same age as her friend. She was also a young woman of average height with a petite body. She has light blue hair that reaches the base of her neck with strains of her hair covering her right eyebrow. Her clothes are a mixture of traditional Japanese clothes and casual clothes. On the outside, she wears a light blue and white kimono that reaches her calves decorated with ice crystals on the hem and ends of her short sleeves with a white sash that splits the outfit in the middle. Her footwear consists of brown low-heeled sandals and white socks as well. Underneath the kimono is a light blue top and a matching skirt of the same color as well. She wears ice-shaped earrings in both her ears and one ring on her right index finger. On her right hip is a silver blade katana in a black sheath. All that was covered by a light blue jacket that was trailing to her feet.
"She's okay, she always gets motion sickness," chimed the blue cat who the conductor looked at next. Besides the blue-furred and sky-blue fur on its stomach, the only noticeable thing is the greed sack tied around his neck.
"She'll be fine in a couple of minutes," added the second cat with the blue cat. Her fur was light blue and wearing a sundress with spaghetti straps. Lisanna nodded to the conductor.
My name's Lisanna, I'm seventeen years old. I like animals from cute to extraordinary. When it's not about animals, I usually look after my family.
"Can we please sit down please?" the girl mumbled sickly. Lisanna sighed, guess they should.
This girl with me is Setsuko, but I like to call her Setsu for short. She's only a year younger than me but has this calm and mature nature to her. Most of the time.
"Sure," Lisanna replied to her.
"According to the rumors, someone named Salamander is in town," the male blue cat explained.
This is Happy, and yes, he can talk. I've known Happy for a bit of my childhood and is always by our side.
"Once Setsuko can walk, let's look around, shall we?" the female blue cat asked the three. Lisanna and Happy nodded, Setsuko only looked weak.
This cat is Shiro, she's Setsuko's partner. She is also able to talk as well, and still looks out for Setsuko.
"Sure," Lisanna replied and stared into the sky. The bright summer sun warmed her from the chilly train ride and having the fresh air, it was relaxing. Once Setsuko was able and willing, it was time to search for Salamander. Today seems like it'll be a normal day. But it will be a very impactful day for Lisanna, Setsuko, Happy, and Shiro.
Elsewhere in another part of Hargeon, a young girl with brown eyes and shoulder-length blonde hair that is tied with a blue ribbon into a small ponytail to the right side of her head with the rest of the hair loose. She wore a white top with a blue cross in the middle with a zipper in the center. She wore a blue short skirt and a brown belt that held a set of gold and silver keys and a black whip with a heart-shaped end and wore black, leather high heeled boots. The girl slaps her hands at the store counter, shocked at what the owner had told her.
"What?" she asked with her brown eyes open wide, "You mean to tell me there's only one magic shop in this whole town?"
"Afraid so, " a shopkeeper, a decidedly older-looking man with two sections of gray hair that protrude from either side of his head and black eyes and wears a dark, almost rusty, gold shirt said to the young girl, "People around here are fishing folk than they are magic folk." He added, the girl responding with a sigh, "I reckon most people in town don't even know how to use magic. I built this shop to sell to mages that happen to be passing through."
The girl turned to her side and sighed while frowning, disappointed in her search. Her hands were balled in fists and placed on her hips when she added, "Oh man, I came out all this way for nothing."
"Now, Now, don't say that little lady; I have all the latest goods, let me show you a few." The shop owner said digging his hands from below the counter still speaking to the blond-haired girl while look at him with her head facing him, pulling out something that closely resembles a rectangular box, with its front decorated by the object's name, placed almost in its center, and by a pair of round, mirror-like objects or drawings, superimposed on, from the top to the bottom, a darker-colored rectangle with jagged borders and around, decorated drawing resembling a mirror's frame, which is in turn surrounded by four decorations, reminiscent of arrows pointing outwards. He held out with a smile to the girl, "This ColorS magic is popular. All the young girls like it." He took his left hand to the device, but continued, "It allows you to change the color of your clothes anytime you want."
He swirled his hand on what seemed to work like a dial before a light glowing light appeared from the top of the device along with a light green magic circle emerging from it too. Immediately, the shop owner's clothes changed from gold to purple instantly, he said with a smile on his face, "Purple!" as he turned away from the girl.
"I already have one of those," she replied as she turned around, "what I'm looking for is some powerful Gate Keys."
"Gate keys you say," the owner responded, pulling out something that made the blond-haired girl's eyes widen with excitement, her mouth agape with a smile, seeing in a box of three silver keys. The first showed the symbol of a dog, the second and third resembling birds.
"Oh, wow it's the Little Doggy, the Silver Eagle, and the Mythical Bird!" she exclaimed with hearts in her eyes.
"The little dog is not very powerful, but the Eagle and the Phoenix can be powerful if used right." the shopkeeper replied to the eager young woman.
"I know, but I want all three of them!" she exclaimed. She then picked all three of them up and showed them to the shopkeeper, "I want all three, how much are they?"
"Well normally they go for 20,000 Jewels a piece, but I will cut you a deal and sell you all three of them for 55,000 Jewels!" The shopkeeper offered it to her.
She looked at the shopkeeper with an exasperated look in her eyes and a blush on her face in disbelief, "I'm sorry but how much was that again.?"
"55,000 Jewel!" the shopkeeper repeated to her once again.
The girl stood back before the counter, speechless that it was that much for three Gate Keys. There was only one option left. She sat on the counter, legs crossed and shirt slightly unzipped to show off her cleavage with her right hand behind her head in an attractive pose. She sported a wink of her left eye too, hoping for sure this will work.
"Aww come on, how much is it really worth?" she asked kindly with a smile, "Surely you could cut me a deal?"
As it turns out, her pose didn't knock down the price for the three keys by much, she ended up having to pay 54,000 Jewels. Which turned out to be 18,000 Jewels apiece, which overall wasn't a bad deal, however she wanted more than just 1,000 Jewels knocked off of it. She huffed as she stomped down the street.
"Humph, I can't believe he only knocked off a thousand jewels, that stubborn old geyser must be blind!" she exclaimed furiously before sighing, "That trick usually works, so much for using my feminine wiles."
Not too far from here is another young lady, around her age bringing up the rear. She had shoulder-length dark brown hair in a messy ponytail and auburn eyes. She is close to her height if not shorter with an athletic build and normal figure, lightly tanned skin. She is wearing a short-sleeve gray-blue shirt with an open white button-down on top sleeves rolled to the elbow, slightly faded Capri pants, and gray running shoes.
She comes to a bridge overlooking a street with a bunch of people gathered around one central person. As Lucy was looking over the railing of the bridge, a brown-haired girl joined her.
"Hey what are you looking at?" a voice asked from over to her right.
"Oh, nothing much, just that bunch of people gathered down there," the other girl said as she turned to her right to look at the girl around her age, if not maybe a little bit younger than she is, "Right, it would be rude to not tell you my name. Name's Lucy, and you?" She introduced.
"Aspen. Nice to meet you, Lucy," Aspen introduced back.
Lucy got a good look at the girl, her appearance very casual for a girl before looking over yonder, "So what's going on here, it's my first time in Hargeon."
"Who knows," Aspen shrugged, putting her back to the railing, "This port town I've lived in for much of my life. Sadly, it's been getting lively here."
"You don't say? What do you mean?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"That's what I wonder," she replied and returned to looking over at the crowd. The pair overlooked the edge of the Bridge, two girls ran behind them, one with black hair and a green dress and one with dirty blond hair and a red dress.
"Are you serious?" The girl in the green dress asked with a squeal.
"He's really here? Salamander?" The girl in the red dress also squeals.
"Salamander?" Aspen asked as she smiled a big smile and a blush on her face as she claps her hands together on the left side of her face with wide eyes, "as in the fire wizard that uses fire magic you can't even buy in stores? He's in this dead-end town?"
"Salamander?" Lucy asked curiously at Aspen, speaking out as the two girls are joined by a couple of other girls and run toward the center of town, "something doesn't sit right. I've heard of a Salamander, but something seems off. I don't know what it is."
"What are you saying, Lucy?" Aspen asked curiously, "haven't you heard of Salamander?"
"I have, but the person with Salamander in his name that I've heard of died two years ago on some sort of mission," and Aspen's face went pale, he died? Color returned to her face when Lucy looked back to where the crowd was, "We should go investigate." Lucy suggested to Aspen.
"Sure," Aspen nodded. Before a second thought, Aspen went on ahead, only for Lucy to call back.
"H-Hey, wait up!"
Down below, Lisanna and Happy are walking toward a loud group of people. Setsuko and Shiro were already up ahead to get her strength back from the long train ride. Happy stood on the blanket of Lisanna's bag while she put her hands behind her back.
"That motion sickness must be hard for people like Setsuko and Natsu to handle," Lisanna commented as she turned to her companion, "Right Happy?" she asked the blue feline.
"Aye Lisanna. Poor Setsuko suffered the same fate that Natsu always suffered, riding the train twice." Happy chimed in.
"Hey Happy, do you think this Salamander we got word about is either Natsu or Igneel? It seems quite odd that either Natsu or Igneel would appear in this dead-end town." Lisanna suggested. They heard from a source that Salamander was sighted in Hargeon. "Still, how could he be here?"
"Aye, it has to be one of them," Happy said to his companion, "the only two Salamanders I've heard about are Natsu and Igneel. And Igneel is the only Fire Dragon I know."
Up ahead several girls were squealing, "Salamander! You're so dreamy and so hot!"
"Salamander?!" Lisanna and Happy exclaimed together, "speak of the devil we're in luck today Happy!"
"Aye, Although I'm not sure how Natsu is so popular with the girls!" Happy asked.
"It's Natsu, the only two girls in his life were Erza and me. Setsu didn't meet Natsu yet because she just joined around a year ago, which was a little less than a year after we lost him. He has zero shot at being surrounded! But if he's here, then let's go!" Lisanna exclaimed and ran towards the center of the town.
Elsewhere in the city and close to where Lisanna and Happy were, Setsuko and Shiro are catching up to their friends. When She suggested Happy and Lisanna go on ahead, she wished she requested a meeting place.
"Oh man," Setsuko sighed slouching while walking, "I really don't want to ride back home in a train,"
"You've got to get over your motion sickness," Shiro offered to her partner.
"Oh man, I'm so hungry I could eat my hand," Setsuko groaned, before eyeing Shiro, "Hey Shiro, this Salamander that the four of us are looking for, it has to be either Natsu or Igneel right? If we find Natsu and Igneel, we should be able to find Masshiro right?"
"I guess so," Shiro said, then continued, "though I'm not so sure that we've found who Lisanna is looking for. Though anything is possible," Not too far from Lucy and Aspen, Setsuko and Shiro are right behind them. Though the blonde seems to be hanging back, while another girl, Aspen, ran on ahead.
"It looks like that blonde is hanging back, we should go up to her," Setsuko stated to her partner.
"Right," Shiro nodded.
The light blue-haired girl and light blue/white cat go up to the blonde as the light-blue-haired girl taps said blond on the shoulder, "Excuse me miss, could we get some help?" Setsuko asked
Lucy turned around, understanding something clearly, at last the blue-haired girl and her cat, "how can I help you?" Lucy asked back.
"Excuse me miss. Can you come with me to that commotion we heard?" Setsuko asked.
"You mean with Salamander?" she asked her.
"Sure. Oh, I should introduce myself. My name's Setsuko, this is my partner Shiro," Setsuko introduced, finally feeling her energy back from the train ride.
"Nice to meet you both, sure, I'll go along. I want to meet that Salamander Aspen mentioned," Lucy replied, 'Talk about coincidence, everyone seems eager to see this Salamander guy. Although I should have caught with that Aspen girl,' she thought.
"Is she your friend?" Setsuko asked as the three walked on.
"I only just met her today. I just met that brown-haired girl today and she seems a little bit shy and confused. Oh, there she is!" Lucy pointed out seeing the girl's brown hair in the back of the crowd.
In the center of the ground, stood a tall and slim man with mildly short, spiky hair jutting outwards, with a long fringe left hanging over the upper left part of his face. His hair was a dark blue shade. He possesses a mildly rectangular face with sharp features, dark eyes, and thin, dark eyebrows. His most distinctive facial feature is the dark tattoo covering the right part of his forehead, just above his right eyebrow, this being highly reminiscent of a thin, stylized pair of tongs placed horizontally, with the "handles" pointing towards his right. Living up to his impostor role, he wears ornate clothing, with the most visible piece being a dark, high-collared cape almost reaching down to his knees, possessing a lighter inner part and light edges adorned by a pattern consisting of many rhombs, or possibly many "X"s, lined up one after the other. Such cape is closed some centimeters below his neck by a small fastener adorned by a stylized flame, with a light ribbon hanging from it, and has large motifs adorning its sides, starting from the shoulders, and going down several inches; each motif is shaped like a large, light and hollow circle from whose outer side many arrows jut outwards in every direction, and which has several wavy lines protruding towards its hollow center. Below such cape, Salamander wore a simple, light short-sleeved shirt with outlined edges, paired with light pinstripe pants with visible hems, held up by a simple belt covered in elongated spots and hidden by his shirt, and polished dark shoes, with lighter soles and a light upper part going down from the ankle's front. He also sported three large metal bracelets around his right wrist and forearm.
Lucy, Setsuko, and Shiro joined the crowd and stood with Aspen, looking at the man who stood in the center. The Salamander ran his hand across his forehead and stuck his first two fingers together in a salute. The girls around him had hearts in their eyes as they fan girl all over the place. In the center of the group stands Aspen as well as Lucy, with a blank look in their eyes and mouths wide open as she can hear their heart thump thumping loud and clear. The two that were confused by the actions of the girls were Setsuko and Shiro.
'This guy's Salamander, he looks nothing like Natsu,' Setsuko thought before whispering to Shiro, "Shiro, something isn't right…"
"Yeah, and then, that girl we met…?" Shiro mumbled and looked at the brown-haired girl who looked in a trance.
"Crap!" both swore, and looked at the brown-haired girl, she always was in a trance too.
'Why is my heart beating so fast? What's gotten into me suddenly?' Lucy thought to herself as hearts start to form in her eyes.
"You ladies are all so sweet," Salamander said as he looked straight at Aspen and Lucy.
"Huh! He looked at me!" Lucy exclaimed in her thoughts, while mouth wide, Is it because he's a famous wizard? Is that why my heart's throbbing out of control?" As Lucy and Aspen continued to think to themselves, the small hearts swirled around the Irises of their eyes and become two giant hearts. Aspen started hopping on one foot as she continued her inner monologue, 'Could it be, am I in love? Is he the one?' Lucy thought as she hopped closer to Salamander. At the same time, a faint voice was calling out a name.
"Natsu! Natsu, it's me!" a girl's voice broke through the crowd and was in the front of some of the girls in the crowd, looking quite excited with a blue cat standing beside her. Lucy and Aspen's eyes turned back to normal while Setsuko sighed in relief, her hand not reaching her blade.
"Who the heck are you?" Lisanna asked irritably.
"Who am I?" Salamander asked in shock as he reeled back in surprise with a stunned look on his face, "I am Salamander, surely you've heard of me before?" he asked, returning to his calm salute once again, before realizing what was happening next, "Hey wait a minute!" As the white-haired girl and cat turn their back, the Salamander has a disappointed look on his face as he tries to stop Lisanna and Happy in their tracks.
Several girls charge toward Lisanna and Happy with angry looks on their faces as Lisanna and Happy turned around and walk off in the opposite direction. Setsuko and Shiro panicked as they watched on in concern.
"You're so rude! Salamander is a great wizard!" The girls said as they continued to beat Lisanna down, "you better fall back down or we're going to rip you to shreds!"
"Oh, jeez, what's up with you girls?" Lisanna asked, her voice straining and collapsed on the ground. Lisanna didn't know what just happened, first, this guy calling himself Salamander, the next, attacked by girls.
"Now that's enough my lovelies let her go," Salamander said then continued as the girls sighed in ecstasy, "I'm sure the poor girl didn't mean anything malicious by it."
Aspen saw this and turned away with arms crossed over her chest and an angry look in her eyes. Lucy as well, it was like he just let her get hurt, she also looked angry, crossing her arms as well. As Aspen was taken aback, the Salamander wrote Salamander in cursive on a piece of white cardboard. The Capital S at the beginning of the word was made up of two tails with Arrowhead-Shaped ends on them while the cursive lower-case r had another tail on it also with an Arrowhead-Shaped end and handed it to Lisanna.
"Here's my Autograph kid, now you can brag to all of your friends." Salamander said to the white-haired girl and cat.
"No thanks," Lisanna replied in an unpleasant mood, which in turn caused her to be beaten up once again.
"I guess it wasn't Natsu or Igneel after all," Happy chirped up to his mother.
"Neither of them," she replied as she wriggled on the ground.
'Poor Lisanna, but that wasn't normal fans of a celebrity, it was like they were controlled to act violent,' Setsuko thought, crossing her arms.
"Well, I'm afraid I must be going ladies, I have a certain business to attend to," Salamander spoke up as he held his right hand out with his left hand hidden completely underneath his cape with only his left fist sticking out.
All the girls turn around and face the Salamander and call out to him in shock, "you're leaving already?!"
"Time for the red carpet! Ha!" he spoke up with his suave nature and snapped his fingers at the same time he snapped his right hand's fingers, a small blaze appeared from the ground, not far from him. The blaze grows larger and larger as it moves in a wide spiral around him. He then proceeds to stand on its tip. Once Salamander is standing on the tip of his spell, he speaks up toward the girls again, "I'm having a Suarez on my yacht tonight, and you're all invited!" With that, he took off into the air and flew off toward said yacht.
Lisanna sat back up, her expression both grumpy and disappointed, not just the trail being cold, but being attacked out of the blue.
"Just who the heck was that guy?" she asked, Setsuko walking up to her, Shiro in tow.
"I don't know, but he was a real creep," and the source of the voice caught her attention, looking to two girls before them, a blonde girl and a brown-haired girl. The blonde waved to the white-haired, smiling at her, "Thank you for your help!"
"Umm, sure…"
"I don't know what happened, but glad that's over," Setsuko sighed in relief.
"I agree, you are feeling okay Lisanna?" Shiro asked curiously. Lisanna meekly patted Shiro's head, the cat giving a slight purr.
"I'm fine," she sighed.
"Well, come on, let's get a chance to talk, kind of want to pick your brain on what happened," Aspen chimed in.
"Yeah, plus, you kind of didn't ask to be beaten up like that," Lucy reminded her, only for Lisanna to groan and her stomach growl.
Guided by the two girls, Lisanna, Setsuko, Happy, and Shiro were guided to a Restaurant in Hargeon where the two girls finally introduced themselves. After that run-in with Salamander, the girls, the invitation to a party on his yacht, there's got to be something going on.
"My name's Lucy, it's nice to meet you," Lucy greeted.
"Aspen, a pleasure," Aspen greeted as well.
"Aye!" Happy exclaimed.
"Nice to meet you too!" Shiro exclaimed.
Aspen and Lucy were sitting across the booth from Lisanna and Setsuko, with Happy and Shiro on the table. While Happy is scarfing down fish, the other two girls are elegantly eating Spaghetti, though Setsuko seems to be eating a lot faster than Lisanna was, but not to the extent of throwing stuff all over the place like Happy is.
"Umm, Lisanna, Setsuko, Happy, and Shiro?" Lucy asked, nervous at the two eaters, especially Lisanna. How can someone who looks thin have such a big appetite?
"Aye." Happy said to blond and brown-haired girls. The two put their money together to buy meals for everyone including themselves.
"You're both so nice!" Lisanna said with a smile, "this is very delicious." and returning to her food.
"It sure is," Setsuko said as she continued to talk between bites of her food, "you didn't have to go to all this trouble. Thanks guys!" with her mouth stuffed with food.
"Jeez Happy, where are your manners? I'm sure Lisanna didn't teach you to eat like that. Come on, show some self-control!" Shiro scolded and looked at Happy and sighed.
"I can't, I'm so hungry," Happy said with his mouth full as he continued to throw food all over the place.
"Come on, we aren't in a hurry or anything." Lucy said nervously waving her hands in front of the group across from her and Aspen, specifically toward Happy, "and you are sort of throwing food all over the place, Happy." but thought with an annoyed look on her face, 'There goes the money I saved at that old geezer's shop. I still can't believe I only saved 1,000 Jewel on the purchase of the three Silver Keys I just bought.'
"What was going on back there anyway?" Lisanna asked through her stuffed mouth.
"Eventually, that Salamander was using some sort of magic, a charm spell to hypnotize the ladies in the town into thinking they were in love with him," Lucy explained to the eating girls.
"I can't believe I got tricked by a parlor spell like that," Aspen groaned, crossing her arms with a huff.
"Charm Spells have the power to attract people to you against their will. However, something doesn't seem right because well," Lucy continued.
"That was a charm spell, then Lucy, it doesn't make sense," Aspen replied, looking towards her, "they've been banned for years, nobody even sells them anymore. He must've gone through a lot of big trouble to get them."
"What a creep!" Lucy fumed, feeling she wanted to rant, "I fell victim to his spell, but thanks to Lisanna and Happy barging in when they did I broke free of it. I really can't thank you two enough!"
"No problem!" Lisanna said in between bites as she set her fork down after swallowing.
"I may not look like it," Lucy said to the group as she scratched her right cheek with her right index finger, "but I'm a wizard too,"
"Same as me," Aspen nodded, "But I am still a novice in my magic," before fidgeting her hands.
"Is that so?" Setsuko said, also between bites of her food as she set her fork down.
"I haven't joined a guild yet or anything," Lucy said before realizing who her occupants were, and added," I feel we should explain, huh?"
"Right," Aspen nodded, "you see guilds are these organizations where Wizards come together to share information and look for jobs and stuff."
"Unfortunately, you aren't considered a full-fledged wizard until you become a member of a guild. But there are tons of them all over the world." Lucy continued before her demeanor changed from calm to also fan girling, "I heard it's tough to get into the more popular ones. The guild I want to join is the most popular one of all. Oh yes, they're the greatest and they're always featured in Sorcerer Weekly. Oh, if I could ask them to let me in, I think I would just about die!" As Lucy was finishing off her fan girl moment, smoke erupted out of her nostrils.
"Oh yeah?" Lisanna and Setsuko asked in unison
"Oh, I'm sorry, I think all of this wizardry talk must sound like Gibberish to you," Lucy said as she waved her hand in an apologetic gesture, then continued as she rested her chin on the back of her hands, "but I'm definitely going to join that wizard guild someday and make tons of money."
"I want to join a wizard guild too. The one you're talking about sounds familiar and fun. Okay, I hang with you while you're here?" Aspen asked, her tone going from her shy to calmer.
"Sure, it'll be nice to have a friend," Lucy replied before Aspen faintly flushed.
"A friend," Aspen chuckled, "I have a friend,"
"You don't say," Lisanna and Setsuko asked as they responded to Lucy.
"You talk a lot," Happy and Shiro chimed together.
"That's right, you four came here to find somebody didn't you?" Aspen asked.
"Igneel as well as someone by the name of Natsu," Shiro said speaking up once more.
"We heard a rumor that a Salamander was coming to this town so we thought we would come here to see him," Setsuko explained.
"Turns out it was somebody else." Lisanna continued with her eyes closed and a disappointed look on her face
"Yeah, that guy didn't look like a Salamander at all." Happy explained to Lucy and Aspen.
"No kidding," Setsuko said but continued with her arms crossed, "I bet that poser can't even breathe fire like a real dragon."
"Um, I don't get it your friend Igneel looks like a dragon and the four of you are looking for another person as well?" Lucy asked perplexed. Were they looking for a real Dragon?
"No, you've got it all wrong, he doesn't look like a dragon, he is one." Shiro chimed, correcting Setsuko's statement, and Lucy and Aspen had strange looks on their faces as they imagined a Dragon in their minds.
"Aye," Happy said, "Igneel is a real live Fire Dragon."
"And Natsu is a lost friend of ours. We've been searching all over the place for him," Lisanna chimed in, nodded at the Igneel statement.
"Huh?!" Aspen exclaimed in shock.
"And this Natsu person," Lucy said to the four across the table from her and Aspen, "he's a long-lost friend of yours?" It was Aspen who asked the four across the table a question that she wanted to be cleared up.
"WHY WOULD A FIRE DRAGON SHOW UP IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN?!" Aspen shouted at the four. Lisanna, Setsuko, Happy, and Shiro jump out of their seats with wide eyes devoid of pupils as they each point upward with their index fingers. They didn't think this through when it was Lucy who also snapped.
"THAT'S RIDICULOUS!"
"S-sorry! I guess the Igneel bit was strange, but we are looking for my friend Natsu," Lisanna spoke apologetically.
"Sorry, we didn't mean to shout," Aspen apologized.
"Yeah, I'm sorry too, umm well," Lucy looked at Lisanna's face, she looked sincere, it wasn't like she was joking. She took the 1,000 jewels and placed them on the table, best to leave before it gets awkward, "Well Aspen and I should get going."
"Y-Yeah," Aspen nodded, taking some money too, "This should cover the rest, Umm," and scratched her cheek nervously and the four of them, "Good luck on Dragon hunt, I think," And the pair started to walk to the door, only for Lucy to turn back to see Lisanna coming to up to her.
"Oh Lisanna, something you need?" and Lucy was startled when Lisanna took hold of her hands, making her blush, "Y-Yes?"
"Thank you for the meal, Ms. Lucy!" she exclaimed with a cheerful smile.
"S-S-Sure…" Lucy stammered, a little taken aback. Who is this girl, why is her attitude so different now? Lisanna watched the two girls leave the restaurant with a wave of her left hand and return to the booth her friends sat. Setsuko grinned at her mischievously.
"Honestly, if you are going to hit on someone, at least invite them," she joked to her friend, only for Lisanna to blush furiously.
"It's not like that!" Lisanna exclaimed flustered.
"Well guess we need to look for more clues on Igneel and Natsu," Happy reminded the girls.
Lisanna took her spot, finishing the rest of the food on the table, "Yeah, and one more thing," she looked at the autograph given to her by Salamander, "Guess I'll keep it. I just hated that attitude of his,"
"Also, but… why was he using Natsu's title?" Shiro asked. Happy and the girls didn't respond, it was still a confusing piece of the puzzle.
After their interaction with the two girls and two cats, Aspen and Lucy were in Hargeon park, sitting on a bench, with Lucy looking through Sorcerer Weekly Magazine. Aspen looking from Lucy's shoulder as two people reading the same magazine would look weird as what she was doing with a new friend. Lucy looked like she was enjoying reading about what guild she was interested in, seeing what they were up to. Lucy opened up her copy as she spoke up.
"Oh my. Looks like the Fairy Tail Guild is out there causing trouble again." Lucy said looking at the article, "Demon Bandit Clan wiped out, but seven homes destroyed? Haha! Talk about going overboard!" And startled laughing.
"Of all the guilds, they got into a lot of trouble. But has also risen in popularity in the past years." Aspen nodded.
"Yeah, at least a decade or so," Lucy explain and flipped a page to a centerfold in Sorcerer Weekly of a young lady with white hair with a small ponytail on top of her head posing in two different bikinis, "Oh the Centerfold is Mirajane, she's so pretty. I have to say though, Lisanna looks a lot like Mira. She's kind of pretty too. I wonder if they're related in some way. I don't know, I guess I will find out eventually."
"Does Mira have a family?" Aspen asked. Even though she follows the magazine, but of interviews, it doesn't speak of family members.
"I heard she has siblings, but their names were never in interviews. She started at most a year and a half ago," Lucy explained, "Still she's a member of Fairy Tail, I'd love to meet her!"
"I wish we knew how to get to be members as well Lucy," Aspen said as she watched Lucy turn the page to another page with Mira on it as well, then continued, "do we have to apply or maybe interview with them, I don't know."
"I don't know either, I've been traveling on my own for a year, so I don't know how you get in," Lucy replied. Aspen sighed disappointingly. Aspen watched Lucy take her magazine down and blushed after sitting up.
"I know, we should totally join Fairy Tail, they're the coolest Guild ever!" Lucy exclaimed as she smiled and closed her eyes.
"I agree," Aspen said then pondered, "I do hope we can get in though."
"What was that?" A voice from behind them said, "you two want to join Fairy Tail? I've been looking all over the place for you."
Aspen and Lucy turn to see a familiar face with his right hand on his chin as he addresses Aspen specifically, not even noticing Lucy was there. Aspen stood with Lucy seeing the man before them, shocking them.
"Salamander!" the two exclaimed as they put their hands up in a defensive pose as Salamander addressed the pair.
"I wanted to personally invite the two of you to attend a party on my yacht tonight." Salamander offered calmly at the pair.
"Your Charm Spell won't work on us at all," Aspen said to the Salamander as she continued while pointing at him as she stood up, her left hand doing the pointing, and her right hand on her hip, "that magic's weakness is awareness! It won't work on people if they know you're using it!"
"Just as I thought," Salamander said as he turned away from Aspen with his eyes closed and his left arm out away from his hip with the palm of his hand exposed while it was bent at the wrist, "I should've known you were a wizard the moment I laid eyes on you! No matter, the invitation still stands."
"Well, you can forget it," Lucy said as she crossed her arms underneath her chest with her eyes closed and her back turned, "I wouldn't be caught dead at a party being thrown by a creep like you!" Like words hurt, Salamander felt as if he was being stabbed with a knife to his ego.
"A creep? why would you call me that?"
"Your spell, using it to make yourself popular," Aspen noted, finding it creepy that a famous wizard needs to charm girls to get attention.
"Don't be mad my dears, it's all in wholesome fun," Salamander said as he continued as he winked and eventually closed his eyes with his right thumb and index finger pointed to the sky, "I just wanted to feel like a celebrity at my party. Can you blame me?"
Aspen turned her back to Salamander as she sighed with her eyes closed and a frowning expression on her face. Her arms out to the side in a shrugging posture,
"This just proves that even famous wizards can be big idiots!" Lucy sighed, turned her back from Salamander, Aspen nodding in agreement, her eyes narrowed at the man.
"You wish to join the Fairy Tail Guild don't you?" Salamander asked then continued, as well as your blond friend as well right?"
"Ohhhhh!" Aspen and Lucy sighed as they shook in realization, "
"You two have heard of Salamander, haven't you?" Salamander asked then continued, "one of Fairy Tail's Wizards?" he asked them.
"Well yes, both of us have! You're telling us that you're him? You're that Salamander?" Lucy asked, sure the rumored Salmander disappeared or died, guess it was only hearsay. Lucy gasped as she pointed toward him at the same time. Aspen's reaction went from shock to curiosity.
"That's correct," Salamander said with his right hand to his face and his left hand on his hip underneath his cape, "and if you two want to join, I could probably put in a good word for the both of you!"
Lucy gasped and hearts formed in her eyes and hopped closer to Salamander on the sides of him, "we would love to go to your party tonight."
"Wow. That was even easier than I thought it would be." Salamander said dryly at Lucy's reaction. Lucy giggled as she spoke up at the same time with a blush on her face and stars sparkling in her eyes.
"So, you can get the both of us into Fairy Tail? No Kidding?"
"I don't see why not," Salamander said shrugging, "but neither of you can say anything about the charm spell."
"We won't say a word!" Lucy exclaimed as Salamander snapped his fingers once again as plumes of sparkling purple smoke surrounded his feet. Aspen crossed her arms, Lucy was being naive, but even with that charm spell that caught her, it was too suspicious.
"Good, then I will see you at the party tonight!" Salamander said as he took off.
The two girls Saluted with hearts in their eyes and moaned. Only to lose the hearts in their eyes after he took off.
"He got me again!" Lucy exclaimed in shock and irritated with herself.
"You shouldn't be tricked so easily again, " Aspen reminded her only for Lucy to eye her crazily.
"Hey, you were charmed too, so we're both in the same boat, well we're invited to a yacht actually," Lucy remembered.
"Still, I'm not sure if we'll go to Fairy Tail, he's suspicious and so is that party," Aspen replied and looked to where Salamander's magic trail was.
"You think so?" Lucy asked. Aspen nodded.
"Yeah. we'll go and check it out, if it's true and we go to Fary Tail, then my suspicion was unsure. We'll be walking into a trap. Lucy," Aspen looked to her, "Can you locate those girls who were looking for a dragon?"
"The weird girls?" she asked again.
"Yes, if this goes as bad, I feel, better backup. I know we're bringing non-wizards into this, but I don't feel right going alone," Aspen explained and looked back to the sky again, "the air felt uneasy once he was not putting us under a charm spell."
"Huh?" Lucy cocked her head at her wording, the air.
"Well, as you are my new friend, I don't want to send you on your own. If those girls are still in town, they should know to check out the party with us,"
"Aspen, you sure?" Lucy asked, "You said it yourself, we are bringing people to get involved,"
"Yes, but help is important. So, I'll meet you tonight. We're either going to Fairy Tail, be nice to that creep, or, a storm is coming," Aspen added, and Lucy wondered what she meant.
"Well, you are serious Aspen, so I'll go track them down. I'm going to find Lisanna, Setsuko, Happy, and Shiro and catch up with you later. There is something suspicious about his motives. So, meet you tonight!" Lucy waved and ran the other way, leaving Aspen in the park.
"My magic isn't strong, but the air feels off. I hope my feeling isn't just a hunch," she said walked from the park well to prepare for the party at Salamander's yacht. The sun was ready to set, and tonight was going to be a night to remember.
A full moon rose over the nighttime Hargeon sky while Lisanna overlooked the town. A bored expression was on her face, although feeling famished after the meal from Lucy and Aspen. Still, them asking her and Setsuko to investigate wasn't what she had in mind. With no leads on Natsu or Igneel or Masshiro, no reason to stick around. But the idea she has left a reason to stay around made her worried.
"That girl… does she know what's she's doing," thinking back to Lucy not so long ago.
"Wait, you're going to that guy's party?" she asked bewildered, as it wasn't long, they left the restaurant Lucy bumped into them again.
"Aspen wanted to check it out after we got invited, but she was talking of feeling the air. Not sure what she meant, but can you keep an eye out if anything is wrong?" Lucy asked, clapping her hands together with a smile.
"Sure. but you said he's using charm spell; you'll be okay right?" Lisanna asked, and both Happy, Shiro, and Setsuko look towards her. Lucy was smiling at the group.
"If anything happens, I'll just use my magic, well if you find a way to sneak in, be on the lookout!" Lucy exclaimed before walking away waving. Lisanna stared blankly, Happy now sitting on her shoulder once again.
"You'll be okay, right? Lucy!" Lisanna exclaimed but Lucy was out of earshot. Lisanna sighed, only for Setsuko to pat her other shoulder.
"We'll take her off her offer and keep an eye out where the ship is, as much as I don't want to," Setsuko said, only for her face to go pale at the thought of traveling on a vehicle.
"Okay," Lisanna sighed once more and decided to walk as the sun was setting behind them.
Lisanna sighed with her back turned from the town, wondering if Lucy and Aspen will be okay. She took a hand to her stomach, the meal they ate felt energy-giving, happy they ate with the two. Elsewhere in Hargeon, Lisanna and Setsuko were leaning against the railing, while Happy and Shiro were standing on it.
"That was quite a meal," Lisanna said with a smile as she looked at the rest of the group, "Right guys?"
"Aye," Happy said, then continued as he looked out to sea. He saw a boat out in the Harbor. Shiro saw it too and spoke up toward Setsuko and Lisanna, "hey look do you think that's the boat where that Salamander is having that party?"
Setsuko looked at the boat and covered her mouth as her cheeks puffed out and she had a sick look on her face, "I think I'm going to hurl!"
"Relax Setsu, we aren't going to go on the ship yet!" Happy said, reassuring the girl. The girls and Happy look towards several girls who were distant from them.
"Oh my gosh! That's Salamander's yacht, isn't it?" One girl said to two other girls.
"Oh, I wish I could've gotten an invite to the party!" Another girl exclaimed.
"Whose Salamander?" the third girl asked.
"You've never heard of him?" One of the three girls said, "he's a super famous wizard who's in town right now."
"Oh yeah and he's a member of Fairy Tail." Another one of the three girls said just as Setsuko and Shiro were getting up to Lisanna and Happy. She overheard the part with the girl saying he's a member of Fairy Tail.
"Fairy Tail?" Setsuko repeated, her eyes looking sharply. Her gaze returned to Salamander's yacht and put a hand to her mouth, "Oh god!"
"It makes sense now, only one person is Salamander, but what's the angle?" Shiro asked, looking at Happy and Lisanna and seeing the look on Lisanna's face.
"Wait, then that means…?" Lisanna realized and it finally hit her that Lucy and Aspen were walking right into it. Her eyes narrowed and she gripped the railing tightly, screaming out into the night sky, getting Setsuko and the cats' attention, "You idiot!"
Salamander's Yacht was a large, highly decorative, blue-colored yacht with at least four floors visible from the outside. It is composed in part of the wood and has dozens of windows that are located on all sides of the massive ship. The deck of the ship is composed of wood. On the deck of the yacht are several girls of all shapes and sizes drinking drinks from wine glasses. In quarters of Salamander, were Lucy and Aspen who sat facing the wizard.
"It's Lucy and Aspen right?" he asked the blond-haired and brown-haired girl. "Those are lovely names."
Lucy and Aspen were sitting on a pink chair facing Salamander who sat across from them sitting with his legs crossed. On a small table with a white cloth was a bottle of wine and two glasses. Aspen was wearing a gray dress and gray shoes that matched her normal clothes. Lucy wore a maroon dress with a maroon choker. In her hair was a matching maroon bow that held her hair in the standard right-side ponytail.
"Yeah, thanks," she replied, trying to keep her smile and calmness. Aspen kept her eyes on Salamander, what will he do, best be nice and not rude.
"I would like to toast your beauty," he said to the two girls before snapping his ring hand. The contents of the glasses started to bubble, while the two girls sat with their hands on their lap. Bubbles started to float up from the glasses, but Lucy kept calm, keeping her eye on them.
"Now… Open up wide Lucy, Aspen, savor the taste of each flavorful drop as they enter your mouth." He said to the girls again.
'Creepy!' Lucy exclaimed, teeth clenched in her thoughts getting the chills from the guy. Aspen felt like she was being nervous, also knowing he was older than them. She opened her mouth, the droplets getting close to her mouth, her eyes shut, 'I'm strong, and I can get through this.' she told herself. But she finally opened her eyes, getting up from her chair and slapping the droplets away. Her eyes were narrowed with seriousness, confronting the Salamander about this. Aspen stood beside her, eyeing the man.
"They say an old dog can't learn new tricks; you do the same old tactic?" Aspen asked, only for still having Lucy's arm shield her
"What do you think you're doing?" she asked sternly to the blue-haired man. He gasped his mouth agape as she added, "I know what you're up to, you're trying to use sleep magic."
"Very impressive my dear ladies," Salamander frowned at Lucy and Aspen, but his composure was stern but firm.
"Look," Lucy addressed Salamander as she put her left hand on her hip and let her right hand lay relaxed at her side, "we don't want to give you the wrong idea, yes Aspen and I really want to join Fairy Tail..."
"But we're not going to date you to make that happen," Aspen finished in agreement.
"You two are quite the handful, aren't you?" Salamander sighed, side facing away from Lucy and Aspen.
Once Salamander said that the curtains in the room opened revealing all of Salamander's thugs each holding one or two girls a piece.
"What's going on here?" Lucy asked curiously as Aspen looked around as well taking in the situation.
"Welcome aboard my ship," the Salamander introduced to Lucy and Aspen, "You two would be wise to behave yourselves until we make it to Bosco," he smiled but added looking at her, "Don't make me angry!" and his expression changed to more sinister. It wasn't the charming man they saw; it was his true persona.
"Hold on, what about Fairy Tail?!" Lucy yelled back at 'Salamander'.
"Forget about it. You're our merchandise now." 'Salamander' replied to her.
"What?!" Lucy replied. "Then these girls are also…?" taking her gaze at the many girls in the arms of the threatening thugs.
"What?!" Aspen gasped, before looking around at the situation, "Can't believe this was a trap! I was right, I didn't think we would be captured to be merchandise," before feeling nervous with her, "I'm sorry Lucy!"
"Don't be, we'll be fine," Lucy mumbled to the brown-haired girl.
"Way to go, Salamander!" spoke one of the thugs.
"Got us a big haul!" spoke another thug.
Lucy grunted and looked back at 'Salamander'. "Why you?!" The blond-haired girl took from her dress a ring of keys. But 'Salamander' reacted to this and with a snap of his fingers, purple flames emerged from the red magic circle and surrounded Lucy, Aspen stepping back, causing her to scream and her keys flying into 'Salamander's' outstretched hand. 'Salamander' eyed the keys as Lucy looked terrified and helpless without them.
"He just grabbed them, just like that!" Aspen gasped in bewilderment.
"Gate keys… a Celestial Wizard, huh? Only contract holders can use this magic. Meaning they are useless to me." he said.
Lucy gasped as she watched in horror as her keys were tossed out of the boat and into the ocean. Lucy's brown eyes began to shake, teeth clenched, tears soon to be coming from her eyes. From above, Lisanna was furious, who was this guy?
"Lucy…" Aspen softly spoke before seeing her hand glow, even, catching all eyes on her.
'Who is this guy?' Lucy thought angrily. "I can't believe a wizard in Fairy Tail would do something like this…!" She looked at 'Salamander', the sleeping girls, and the thugs, anger boiling inside her. "Using magic for evil to fool people… You're the worst kind of wizard there is!" Lucy cried out, tears going down her face. Something was materializing in her hand, just before something crashed from the roof and two figures stood in the wreckage behind 'Salamander' and the thugs. Kneeling was Lisanna and Setsuko, whose eyes stared sharply at the lot.
"Lisanna, Setsuko!" Lucy and Aspen exclaimed in delight as their saviors came to the rescue. At the same time, the boat started to sway, and Setsuko was starting to feel pale, starting to gag.
"Why did I feel this was an innovative idea!" Setsuko said, covering her mouth, shocking everyone at the motion sickness girl, including Lisanna who just felt their daring rescue of two fools was ruined in a matter of seconds.
"You are so lame!" Lucy exclaimed angrily.
"Our hero?" Aspen questioned blankly; this motion sickness girl is their savior? That feeling in the air was this awkward feeling.
"What are you doing, Lucy, Aspen's with you safe as well," another voice asked.
The two girls looked up, seeing Lisanna's and Setsuko's cats, Happy and Shiro, from the broken ceiling.
"Oh, Happy and Shiro. This jerk tricked us. Hold up, since when do you have wings?" Lucy asked, seeing both Happy and Shiro had white angelic wings on their backs, both floating over them. 'Salamander' and the thugs were dumbfounded. These cats were flying, really flying.
"I'll explain later." Happy said as he wrapped his tail around Lucy's waist.
"Lisanna, Setsuko, deal with him, we'll take them to safety!" Shiro exclaimed, wrapping her tail around Aspen's waist and carrying her away. Aspen and Lucy screamed as they were taken out of the hole in the roof. Then it dawns on 'Salamander', they were trying to escape on him.
"Urgh! After them! We can't let them report us to the council!" 'Salamander ordered.
In the air, Lucy and Aspen were swaying back and forth under Happy and Shiro, their dresses billowing in the air as the blue-furred cat flew from the ship still carrying Lucy.
"Wait, what about Setsuko and Lisanna?!" Lucy asked Happy, concerned they were left on their own.
"I can't carry two people! Lisanna and Setsuko will be fine for now!" Happy yelled back through the wind.
"We need to get you far from here, just hang on!" Shiro exclaimed from below her.
"You're not getting away! Prominence Whip!" 'Salamander' grunted in anger, readying an attack on the bow of the ship. 'Salamander' conjured another red magic circle as many purple beams were fired from the magic circle and heading straight for Happy and Lucy as well Aspen and Shiro. The blonde-haired girl was panicking as the blue-furred cats maneuvered and evade the beams doing their best to protect Lucy and Aspen. The cats carried Lucy and Aspen higher into the air as they screamed, the beams following them. The cats flew in between the beams; the beams collided in the air in an explosive purple light like fireworks.
"Wow, pretty!" one of the thugs said in awe.
"Damn those nimble cats!" 'Salamander' spat in anger, seeing Happy and Shiro evade his attack.
"Hey guys?" a girl's voice called, getting the men's attention once they turned around. Setsuko was kneeling to the ground, being supported by Lisanna. Lisanna panted in anger, her canine teeth clenched in anger, same as Setsuko who was angry as well. Despite her heavy breathing, she was unbelievably mad. They weren't going to let this guy and his men get away from them, motion sickness or not. Still in the air, Happy flew as Lucy spoke to him again.
"We have to save Setsuko and Lisanna!" Lucy reminded them as they flew.
"We got a problem, you guys," Happy said to the blonde-haired Wizard.
"What?"
The sound of pop was heard on Happy and Aspen's back, shocking the pair while the cats (more so Happy) were calm
"Our transformation's over."
Happy's And Shiro's wings vanished as his tail uncurled around Lucy as she and the blue-furred cat was still midair. The two then went plummeting into the sea as with Lucy not at all happy with the feline as they were falling.
"You dumb cats!" Lucy screamed.
"Aye!" Happy screamed as they both fell into the water with a splash.
Aspen turned over, looking at herself plummet into the water, her hand stretched out as the water formed a typhoon a few inches off as she landed, the impact of hitting a bed, Shiro bouncing off her back.
"What is this magic?" Shiro asked in bewilderment.
"It's mine, but we got a bigger issue!" Aspen exclaimed, looking from Shiro to where Lucy and Happy fell," Lucy! Happy!" she screamed.
In the ocean, Lucy started to swim after she landed in the water but Happy crashed his head on a rock, making a pained look. The blond Celestial Mage searched the waters for what she was looking for and there it was, her Gate keys, hanging off a rock.
'My Gate Keys, all right!' she thought as she swam to pick them up.
"Lucy! Happy!" a voice echoing in the water. Lucy looked around as she picked her keys up, hearing a familiar voice calling her.
'Aspen? I hear her, but why isn't she in the water?' Lucy thought before seeing the swirling in the water, but it wasn't whirlpool that was pulling things in, but focused in one spot, 'Is that her magic. No time to think, time to act! Lisanna and Setsuko need your help!'
Back on the boat, the thugs were stomping on Setsuko and Lisanna while Lisanna was keeping the girl safe but Setsuko still having motion sickness, 'Salamander' deciding there was nobody to get in the way now, with the cats, Lucy, and Aspen out of range of sight and magic.
"Nothing we can do. Let's hurry to Bosco for now."
Setsuko and Lisanna couldn't take the beating anymore and held the foot of one of the thugs with her elbow and Lisanna with her elbow. They pushed the men off them and spoke up to 'Salamander' with anger in their voices.
"Fairy Tail Guild…" they grunted in pain, getting Salamander to look back to them. While still kneeling on the ground, they said again, teeth clenched, "You're a member?!"
"Lucy! Happy!" Aspen called out until finally Lucy emerged from the water, Happy floating up as well. The girls sighed with relief.
"Thank goddess, you guys are okay," Shiro sighed with relief.
"Yeah, and I found my keys. Aspen," she turned her attention to the girl who was floating on a miniature typhoon, "Are you floating on water?"
"I never told you my magic, but there's no time to explain, we need to get that ship to shore!" Aspen reminded her.
"Right! Here we go!" Lucy turned from Aspen and Shiro and back facing where the boat was. She took one key, a gold key with a picture of blue waves at the base, before twirling it in her left hand, "Open, Gate of the Water Bearer, Aquarius!" she called before plunging the key into the water as a blue magic circle and a ring of waves started to pick up. The water picked by from here the blue magic circle was summoned, revealing something appearing from it. It was a royal blue mermaid. She had a long blue fishtail, large breasts, and donned a revealing bikini top. She has two gold armlets and wears a jeweled circlet. In her hands was an Urn, a vase-like container that features curled handles that are symmetrically attached to opposite sides of the vase. It is embellished by dark blue rings studded with blue dots occupying the narrowed neck and the bottom rim of the container, with the widened center of the urn encompassed by a decorative helix-like pattern of blue stripes that are alternatively shaded. Happy was ecstatic seeing the newcomer, drool forming the side of his mouth.
"A Fish?!" he asked, but Lucy slapped his forehead.
"Not for you!" she remarked to the hungry, blue-furred feline.
"That was amazing!" Happy said seeing the spirit and calmed down.
"So, this is your magic, I didn't know you could do that," Aspen added in amazement.
"That's the power of a Celestial Wizard." Lucy said proudly her eyes closed while smiling, "Whenever I use my gate keys, I can summon spirits from another world to help me," Lucy pointed her finger to the boat, addressing Aquarius with command while Happy stared at the spirit, still wanting to eat her, "Listen up Aquarius, I want you to use your power to push that ship back into the shore." But Aquarius didn't respond with a simple 'Yes ma'am, but with a scoff. Her face was formed into a scowl, not pleased to be here.
Lucy reacted annoyed at the spirit's response, Happy just watching, "You're supposed to come from the spirit world to help, not to give me attitude!" she yelled at the blue-haired spirit.
"Why does the water feel angry, oh no, it's from her!" Aspen mumbled seeing Aquarius scowl.
"Uh Lucy, I don't think you should make her angry." the cat warned in fear. But the blue-haired spirit was already pissed, speaking to Lucy and the cat with waves forming behind her.
"Y-Yeah. Um, miss, we just want to help our friends, there's no reason to be mad, heh," Aspen said nervously, trying to quell the raging tides of the water she felt.
"Let's just get something straight, if you even so much as think about dropping my key again…" she added, the terror in her eyes that made even the blue-furred cat scared too, "You're dead." With the cries of a whimper, they both took her threat at the heart,
"It won't happen, we promise," they replied in unison, the four-feeling anger from her words.
Aquarius began to absorb water into her urn, But before a glint of her urn was made too, she hurled it with tremendous force, creating a big wave of water in the middle of the ocean. A big wave of water was carrying the yacht to the port, the passenger all shocked while Aspen was still slightly wide-eyed.
"Why're the seas so angry?!" Salamander asked in shock by the change in the current while his men were shocked as well.
But the yacht wasn't the only thing being carried by the waters as Lucy, Aspen, Shiro, and Happy were carried too.
"Hey, don't wash us away with it" Lucy screamed at the water spirit as she was swirling in the whirlpool too. Finally, the big water wave crashed into the port, and the yacht Salamander, the thugs, Lisanna and Setsuko were topside on the beach.
"What's the big deal?!" Lucy asked Aquarius after finally getting out of the water to face the spirit and Happy, Aspen, and Shiro got out too. Anger boiled in the Wizard's core, why would she do such a thing? "You think you could have not swept me up with the ship too?!"
"Oh, that was an accident; I didn't mean to get the ship." She remarked coolly, smiling at her.
"Wait?!" she realized, shocked that she tried to kill her, "So you were aiming for me?!"
"Hey, what's your deal, were you trying to kill us?!" Aspen exclaimed, realizing they could have died there.
But Aquarius turned her head from the blond-haired steamed mage adding, "Don't call me for a while. I'm going on a week-long vacation with my boyfriend," before deciding to rub it into Lucy's face before vanishing into blue light, "And he's hot."
"You don't have to rub it in!" she retorted to the spirit as she left. Happy hopped out of the sand and stood with the blonde-haired wizard.
"You want me to handle that fishy girl?" Happy asked.
"No," Lucy sighed gloomily, placing a hand to her forehead, knowing that Happy will only make things worse if he tried eating her, "Happy you would only make things worse for me."
"I have never seen weather control like that, but honestly, I don't want to die at an early age with that," Aspen sighed, drying off the hem of her dress.
Looking onward at the wreckage of the ship, many onlookers were surprised by the ship on the beach. Many were wondering about the odd tidal wave and the ship here on the Salamander held his head in pain, commenting on what happened.
"That hurt…" but someone got his attention, "What in the…?"
Appearing in a cloud of dust behind them while on top of a part of the ship, were Lisanna and Setsuko. Setsuko had recovered from her motion sickness as she stood with her friend.
"Lisanna, Setsuko!" Lucy and Aspen called from the beach and ran up to the ship. With Happy on her shoulders and Shiro on Aspen's shoulders, They stopped and looked up at the two. Their expression wasn't like in the restaurant or Setsuko's moment of weakness. No, this was a completely different Setsuko and Lisanna. Lisanna looked serious; her blue eyes narrowed in anger as her scarf lightly blew in the wind. Setsuko didn't have the cheery look on her face or motion sickness that Lucy saw; it was different like this was her in a completely different moment.
"So, I take it you claimed to be from Fairy Tail?" Setsuko asked, her tone much colder.
"So, what's it to you?" Salamander frowned toward the girls, "Go get them, men!" he ordered to his thugs,
"Sir!" The thugs surrounding the Salamander said as they ran after Lisanna and Setsuko.
"Let me get a closer look at your face," Lisanna chimed in coolly, taking her jacket off, followed by Setsuko who removed her jacket from her shoulder, grabbing something from underneath. Salamander's face turned from a calm look into a ferociously mean look complete with clenched teeth.
As the thugs headed toward Lisanna, Lucy and Aspen gasped with Happy (while eating a fish), sitting on Lucy's shoulder and Aspen (with Shiro on her shoulder), standing right next to Lucy on the right side.
"Look out!" Aspen and Lucy cried out warning them, but the two cats weren't worried too much, but looked calm. With their jacket removed, they welcome the thugs to them.
"Don't worry about them" Happy said, "I probably should've told you this earlier, but Lisanna and Setsuko are wizards too," Lucy screamed in shock at this reveal. Those two she met, who came to her rescue on the yacht were Wizards and she didn't realize it sooner? As the thugs were getting closer to the two, they didn't seem worried as Lisanna, and Setsuko swatted them away like flies as they fell away from them. Aspen even saw something flash in Setsuko's hand sending thugs from her too. With serious looks on their faces, they announced to Salamander, both much more serious.
"Our name's Lisanna and Setsuko, we're Fairy Tail wizards, and we have never seen you before!" they announced. Revealed on Lisanna's leg by the hem of her skirt revealing her white Fairy Tail Guild Mark on her left thigh, shaped like a fairy. On Setsuko's right shoulder exposed from her sleeveless kimono, was a regular blue mark, shaped like a fairy as well. Salamander and Lucy gasped as Aspen spoke up in disbelief.
"You've got to be kidding me! So Lisanna and Setsuko are Fairy Tail wizards?!"
"Then that means…?" Lucy thought for a moment, finally putting two and two together of Mirajane in the magazine and Lisanna, seeing their white hair, it hit her, "She's Mira's sister?!"
"Yup, Mira's sister, and she's not in a happy mood," Shiro replied to Lucy.
"That mark on her thigh and the mark on her shoulder! Those girls are authentic, Bora!" The thug with the eye patch on his right eye frowned as he put his right fist to his chin and pointed to Lisanna and Setsuko with his left hand, specifically at their guild marks.
"Don't call me that, you fool!" The now named Bora exclaimed in fear.
"Bora! That name sounds so familiar to me. Where have I heard that name before?" Lucy gasped.
"I know him!" Happy said with a frown on his face and his arms crossed as Aspen looked on in surprise, Happy then continued, "that's Bora the Prominence, Rumor has it he was kicked out of the Titan Nose Wizard Guild a couple of years ago for Bad Behavior."
"Stealing a title from a wizard, how low can you go?" Shiro asked, crossing her paws.
"You see," Lisanna said with an angry look in her eyes as she sauntered toward Bora, "I have no idea what you're trying to do here buddy. And I do not care if you're a good guy, bad guy, or what! I'm not going to let you dirty the Fairy Tail name or the name Salamander!"
"Time to learn what happens when you cross us Fairy Tail wizards," Setsuko said, her katana spinning in her other hand before brandishing it at Bora, "Those who defile our guild's name will pay the price, count on it,"
"It's crazy…" Aspen breathed, seeing the complete 180 of Setsuko, this motion sickness lover of food girl.
"Oh, and what are you going to do about it little girls? Stop me?" Bora asked as he held his two arms out to the side and a purplish red magic circle appeared on his chest, "Prominence Typhoon He shouted Once he said that he sent a spiral of purplish-red fire straight toward Lisanna and Setsuko causing an explosion.
"Lisanna, Setsuko!" Lucy and Aspen exclaimed worriedly about their friend. Lucy and Aspen were about to go and help but were stopped by Happy and Shiro holding their paws up. As the flames billowed from the boat, several girls that were at the party had finally woken up from the sleep spell and ran away screaming.
"That's the way it goes, the bigger the talk the weaker the person!" Bora exclaimed, before turning his back from the flames.
"Oh wow! This is so gross! Are you sure you're really a fire wizard?" Lisanna asked from a silhouette within the flames of a human being with wings on her back, talons on her feet and a fiery crown on her head. It was still pretty much human at this point, but some of her features were obviously bird-like besides the fiery crown on her head and the wings on her back. Her feet could barely be seen, but they were talon-like. She swallowed up the last of Bora's Fire as feathers materialized on her arms. Tail feathers protrude down at the base of her back, instead of the bright blue eyes that Lucy and Aspen were used to seeing, they were beady with what seemed to be little flames coming from the irises of her eyes.
"Those flames felt lukewarm, I didn't need to use a full ice shield," Setsuko said while still beside Lisanna seeing the steam around her, as snowflakes danced around her body.
Lisanna stood in all her glory in an appearance that resembled a bird with human traits. However, this bird didn't look much like a bird at all except for the talons on her feet, the feathers on her arms, the wings on her back, and the crown on her forehead. Bora, his thugs, Lucy and Aspen screamed as Bora spoke up in surprise, "What's going on here? Who the heck are these girls?"
"Thanks for the grub poser!" Lisanna smirked, her tone much cockier.
"Fire magic doesn't work on Lisanna when she is in her Fire bird Soul!" Happy revealed with a strange look on his face.
Lucy gasped at the beauty she saw of Fire Bird Lisanna, before looking at Happy, "Wait, Soul? Happy does that mean what I think it means?" she asked while her cheeks were flushed red.
"Yes Lucy, Lisanna is a Takeover Wizard. Her specific Takeover type is called Animal Soul." Happy said with a smile as he explained things, this specific form is called Fire Bird Soul, even though now she is only able to do a partial takeover. But she does have a lot of Fire Powers."
"Oh wow!" Aspen exclaimed, before her gaze looked at Setsuko, "But how did Setsuko not look burned?"
"Well, she's used to Fire magic, but her ice magic is very special," Shiro explained, a smile crept up on her feline face, "Just watch, you shouldn't miss when she gets serious." The two girls watched as both Lisanna and Setsuko walked a little closer to Bora and his men, Setsuko sheathing her katana back into its sheath.
"Now I've got a fire in my belly that's raging to get out!" Lisanna declared before flames surrounded her. At the same time, an icy blue mist surrounded Setsuko as she prepared herself.
"Time, we blow you away!" they exclaimed. Lisanna crossed her arms over her chest as a reddish-orange magic circle appeared in front of her and behind her in the center of her wings. Icy blue magic appeared before Setsuko, inhaling the icy blue air around her.
"Here goes! Firestorm!"
"Ice Dragon Roar!"
A torrent of ice erupted from Setsuko's mouth and through the magic circle as Lisanna created a spiral of Fire Magic that emanated from her wings, arms, and fiery crown at the same time. The Fire Storm and Dragon Roar sent flames and ice crystals throughout the entire port on the sea, causing a massive explosive flame knocking Bora and his thugs to the ground destroying a bunch of docks all the while. Lucy and Aspen were caught in the dusty blast as they were looking on, their dresses blowing in the impact's aftermath, but Happy and Shiro watched on calmly. Fortunately for Bora, he used his Prominence fire magic to hover above the wreckage.
"Hey, Bora," one of the thugs said, "I swear I've seen those girls before. The white hair, scaly-looking scarf, the blue hair, and cold eyes, there's no doubt about it, they got to be authentic!" All the while, the two were in the smoke, their eyes glowing in the shadows of the smoke.
"Rampant Soul and the Ice Princess!" Aspen and Lucy gasped, the names now familiar, seeing the two Wizards who made headway at most the year and a half.
"I hope you guys are paying attention, 'cause this is what a Fairy Tail Wizard can do! Here we come!" Lisanna and Setsuko exclaimed. Flames and Ice surrounded Lisanna's and Setsuko's arms and as they dash forward to the floating Bora, the blue-haired wizard flying backward in the air.
"Red Shower!" Bora announced, conjuring another magic circle in front of his body, sending out a number of fierce, purple flames that rained down at the two wizards. The two evaded the fires and leapt forward dodging the flames before punching Bora, first a punch from Setsuko, followed by Lisanna who sent the Fire Wizard back with a fiery punch.
"A Takeover that uses real fire magic but Setsuko's ice magic, is it even magic?" Aspen asked, seeing the blue-haired girl fight.
"It's more than just that of her regular ice magic. She has dragon lungs that inhale ice, dragon claws to carve ice, and dragon scales to engrave the ice… That's an ancient spell that transforms your body into that of a dragon. In other words, it's a counter spell." Shiro informed her.
"It was the same for Natsu. Same magic as her," Happy explained.
"What is that?" Lucy asked.
"Originally it was a dragon interception spell." Happy added.
"Oh my…" Lucy gasped as Bora was ready to launch another attack at the three wizards. Anger boiled inside him, not wanting to lose to these children.
"Hell Prominence!" Bora announced, rising back to the air and summoned another red magic circle that builds up purple energy in front of it. Suddenly, a powerful, large, long, and destructive beam-like laser was fired from the magic circle and hit the two as its power destroyed most of the town in its path. But the two Fairy Tail wizards stood their ground from the attack, completely unharmed from the attack.
"Dragon Slayer magic, Masshiro and Igneel taught them that," Shiro explained to Lucy and Aspen
"Damn you!" roared the blue-haired wizard, conjuring a large sphere of fire in his stretched-up hands then hurls it at Lisanna and Setsuko. But there was no time to see its effect as Lisanna grabbed the large fire sphere. The ground started to break below her as she started to eat the whole thing, rendering the attack pointless. With smoke and light of the after flames around her, the white-haired Takeover wizard remarked, "That was a surprisingly delicious meal," before her eyes glinted with a smirk, "Now it's time we turn you into cooked meat!"
"No please, have mercy!" he pleaded to the two, but ice started to form around his hands and feet, shocking him as he was still in the air, "W-What is this!"
"Heh," from below, Setsuko held her katana out in the air, smiling, "Payback for your little groupies attacking Lisanna. Now!" her other hand created several mirrors of ice in the air going towards Bora in a zigzag pattern, "Finish this faker off!"
"Right!" Lisanna exclaimed, her feet igniting with a leap forward, using the first ice mirror to leap to the next, "Flaming Firebird," and kick to the next and next, increasing her speed with each step before the last mirror kick out, she started to twist her body, "Talon Flame Kick!" and begins to kick at Bora with outstretched ignited leg. Once her attack made contact it sent Bora through several buildings and up into the air. Bora's short-fast trip ended with his head hitting the bell of a church in Hargeon. The impact of Bora's head to the bell resulted in a loud Gong resounding through the air over the entire port town of Hargeon. This left nothing but destruction in his wake. Lisanna landed back with Setsuko, a yellow light surrounding her before reverting to her normal self, the pair smiling at their victory as Setsuko sheathed her katana.
"Don't be silly Lisanna," Happy chided, "Everyone knows you smoke food with smoke, not fire."
"But that put a stop to that fake Salamander now, I say a job well done," Shiro said but nodded agreeing with Happy's quip.
"Lisanna and Setsuko were amazing!" Aspen exclaimed; her eyes were looking away from the battle. She got to witness what a real wizard can do, and that feeling to be in a guild was stronger than ever.
"It was amazing," Lucy said as she observed the damage, "but they overdid it!" before seeing what was before her eyes
"Aye!" Happy exclaimed happily.
"Shut it cat!" Lucy retorted.
"This does look bad, but it can't get any worse right?" Aspen asked nervously, scratching her cheek.
"Want to rethink that soon?" Shiro asked.
During the battle with Bora, Lisanna and Setsuko destroyed much of the town trying their best to defeat Bora. Burning buildings and wrecked property were the aftermaths of the fight. Of course, there was damage to Bora's yacht even though it was a slave trade ship. In short, while they won, it was overboard. Suddenly, a large group of yellow and blue-clad knights with traditional shields and spears were marching their way to the group. Setsuko went pale and looked at Lisanna.
"Think it's time we bail before we're caught, would look bad for your family if you stick around," Setsuko informed her.
"Right, let's move!" Lisanna orders before grabbing Lucy's hand and Aspen, she's grabbed by Setsuko's. Happy and Shiro took flight as the two were being almost dragged.
"Where are you taking us?" Lucy asked toward the white-haired girl.
"Just come on!" Lisanna exclaimed, "You two said you wanted to join Fairy Tail right? Aspen and Lucy looked up, time almost slowing down as they looked at the two girls, who smiled at them.
"So, let's go!"
Worrying turned to smiles as Aspen and Lucy ran along with Lisanna and Setsuko, with delight now on Lucy's face.
"Alright!"
Despite running from the army, and the mess left by their fight, this was the start of a lifelong friendship for Lucy, Lisanna, Aspen, Setsuko, and Shiro.
To Be Continued...
Note from the Author:
AshK1980: I made a small change to this version of the chapter. Yes Setsuko is an Ice Dragon Slayer, however, she didn't join Fairy Tail until around the same time that Lucy ran away from home.
Note from Beta Reader:
OathkeeperRoxasxNamine09: Hello, the first time I speak through other means, but I am the beta reader for Starry Heavens. Now, this chapter had a lot of writing that needed to be fixed, but a lot of choices just didn't help the story, as much as this is Ash's story. I'll explain and hopefully, Ash takes all this to heart, hence I hope this remains, that I want to prove he wants improvement.
Firstly, it was Aspen a major hurdle, as much of the time, she felt too much reacting like Lucy, goes from moving a ship to 'I am not cut out to be in a guild' while watching the fight, like what character is she? It was bad enough with the mess of points of view, but it was what Aspen's character is. Not much planning went to this, that needs to be planned out more. It's why she and Lucy remain but it's more both having a similar goal they are friends than how it was before. Also giving Aspen a little personality, like Lucy's personality works as she's the main character seeing the wackiness of the wizarding world, It shouldn't work for Aspen who isn't the duchess, Lucy. Hence the clairvoyance element I added to her weather control as she can feel something is off without being sure what it means.
Setsuko, I know Ash wanted her to be minor until the Lullaby but it felt pointless for her to up and leave, it goes against not only a wizard but a Dragon Slayer. Any Fairy Tail fan would know this. He tried too hard to make her act like Natsu but Natsu at his oddest wouldn't just leave so soon. It feels like lazy writing. Why come along, just to leave because of not wanting to get on a train? Natsu complains of vehicles but he will still be made to ride them.
There are times this forgets this is the first episode: Natsu doesn't bring up being involved in Fairy Tail, same with what guild Lucy wanted to join at the dinner, even descriptions should not make note they're from Fairy Tail besides the prologue. Another issue is how he's handling the romance of Lisanna and Lucy. It feels too forced on Lucy's side with all other moments of blushing and calling her beautiful and not feeling it as a slow step for them. Another reason Star Make wasn't featured but hinted as it shouldn't be Lucy's go-to answer but gradual progress of what she can do. It's why this stayed closer to canon with Lucy's relationship with Aquarius, she's not going to listen to Lucy or consider working with Aspen to move a yacht, that's why that was omitted.
Besides my schoolwork and boring life, the reason was to rework this chapter and I don't want to have these notes in all chapters in hopes of improvement. This could be good what if, but it needs to look better, none of that whole thing at the beginning, also 'T just to be safe' either just say Teen and that's all, also we both know nothing is safe in Fairy Tail. And you don't need the footnotes.
Overall, take some time to understand writing for a few weeks and rethink the chapters I have opened, as it feels what had to be reworked in the prologue wasn't clear to plan this out better, understand writing a little better, watch videos on writing and ask yourself on what to do so No Deus ex Star Make, no lazy writing on Setsuko leaving, and what is Aspen's character?
Plan this out better
That's all from the Beta reader
