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CHAPTER 7
Quarter
Derived from the idea of "shelter", quarter is given when mercy is offered by pirates. Quarter is often the prize given to an honorable loser in a pirate fight.
Lucy remained quietly skeptical about Juvia's conviction up until they got back to the ship. It was evening by now, but the sun hadn't quite set yet, so there was still enough light to work with.
"Alright you two!" She told them, "You have the entire deck to work with, but if you make more work for Gajeel than I already told him about then I'll fillet both of you and won't stop him from doing the same. We clear on that?"
"Aye Cap'n!" Gray smirked as he squared off with an eager looking Natsu, "I doubt this'll take long."
"We'll see about that Frostbite!" Natsu grinned back, a thrill of excitement coursing through him. Lucy was watching, along with the rest of her crew still aboard, which was exciting enough, but there was something familiar about this as well. He wasn't sure why, but it felt right for him to be here like this. As right as it had felt to wrap his scarf around himself once more. Maybe he'd done this with someone in the past?
He wasn't sure, but he didn't have time to contemplate it as Gray scowled at him, "What did you call me?"
Natsu smirked as he ignited his fists, "You heard me."
Gray's scowl deepened and he slapped his hands together, "Ice make lance!"
Natsu smirked at the attack, and shifted automatically to deal with it, but inadvertently overcompensated and stumbled. It wasn't much, but it was more than enough to derail his attention and throw him to the deck.
He growled as a couple of the lances grazed him, absently noting that Gray was holding back as the lances hadn't had the razor sharp edge they should've, and surged back to his feet, "Alright, I'm all fired up now!"
He re-ignited his fists and charged towards Gray this time, but he was barely used to walking, never mind running, and Gray smirked as he stepped casually out of the way and let him breeze past.
"Really?" He ice mage taunted, "Looks more like you're just blowing hot air to me."
Natsu yelped, losing his balance when Gray slapped his palms against the deck and covered it with a sheen of ice. He pinwheeled his arms but was unable to stop himself from sailing into the railing and flopping over it.
He barely managed to hold onto the side of the ship before he went back into the water, earning himself an out of bounds and no chance on Lucy's ship.
Gritting his teeth in frustration over the lack of coordination that came to him so naturally in the sea, he managed to pull himself back up onto the deck.
Gray cocked his head at Natsu in surprise, "You aren't giving up yet? Haven't you made enough of a fool of yourself yet?"
"What did you say to me Snowball?" Natsu growled back. Juvia was counting on him to win their spots on the ship. His eyes slanted to Lucy and he glared back at Gray. He had to win. He had to. This was the ship he belonged on. This was the crew. This was where he needed to stay. And he wasn't about to give up until he had a spot on Lucy's ship.
He could see Lucy's brow crease, the uncertainty on her face over his abilities. Natsu had to admit his legs were a bit of a disadvantage for him at this point, and fighting on a wobbly surface wasn't getting him anywhere either.
"I'm a bit tired of you mouthin' off to me," Gray snapped back at Natsu, not knowing why they were entertaining this possibility now. The man could barely walk on land much less the ever tilting deck. He would be a liability and get more of their crew killed. As much as he hated to be ruthless, he had to be decisive with his next move to show his captain that Natsu wouldn't be suitable.
He slammed his hands together, forming a cutlass with his ice and extending it in front of him, "Give up merman, you're a fish out of water."
Lucy frowned and stepped forward getting ready to stop the fight. She had no intention of scrubbing blood off her deck, and it was clear Natsu wasn't exactly prepared for a sword fight. By the way he had shifted backwards into the rigging, Lucy knew it was over, "He's backed himself into a corner. He's done."
Juvia stopped her by setting a delicate hand over Lucy's wrist, "Just wait. The fight is only just starting now." She smiled, "Natsu fights best from in a corner."
Lucy glanced at Juvia uncertain, but nodded. She would give Natsu one last chance, but she would stop the fight before it went too far if she had to. Natsu was sweet and enthusiastic and wasn't about to let him get himself killed by her first mate while trying to prove a point.
However, Juvia proved correct as Natsu grinned and abruptly scrambled up the rigging like a monkey. Her jaw wasn't the only one that dropped at the sudden dexterity. She hadn't even expected Natsu to think of climbing up, much less actually do so.
"Heh. And just what're you trying to prove lobster tail?" Gray smirked, unwilling to admit he was somewhat impressed with the move, "You're not the only one who can climb rigging you know."
"Yeah? Then try and catch me!" Natsu taunted as he climbed higher.
"What is he doing?" Lucy breathed, "And how did he learn that?!"
Juvia smirked at her side, "Natsu doesn't call the fire dragon king father for nothing." She shot Lucy a sideways glance, "He was a dragon before the goddess was forced to turn him into a merman to save his life. In his early youth he spent much of his time walking among mortals as a man."
Lucy's eyes widened, and she turned her attention back to Natsu, "But Natsu said he doesn't remember anything."
"We never truly forget anything." Juvia replied cryptically, "Just because we don't always remember it doesn't mean it's forgotten. It just takes time for the memories to come back to us."
Lucy couldn't really argue the point, and Natsu was proving it as he dodged Gray's attacks with a dexterity that was growing more confident the longer it went on.
"Argh! Are you just going to dodge me all day?" Gray demanded irately as he climbed onto the rigging himself. If Natsu was determined to fight up there then he would damn well take the fight to him.
"Nah, I was just waiting for you to do that!" Natsu crowed as he swung around on a rope feet first, "Fire dragon claw!"
Lucy's eyes widened as Natsu's feet were engulfed in flame and connected solidly with Gray's chest. Enough to send her first mate flying back to the deck.
Gray groaned and stood up, his chest smoking from the strike. He hadn't expected Natsu to show such decisiveness on the ropes, but the brat was starting to get cocky and Gray wasn't about to let him get away with showing him up on his own ship.
Natsu cackled as he blew Gray a raspberry from overhead, enraging the ice mage. He swore and headed up after Natsu one more time, but this time when Natsu came swinging for him, he used his sword to cut Natsu's rope.
The firemage yelped as he went sailing through the air and landed on one of the supporting masts, his arms scrambling for hold as he clung on.
Gray smirked and jumped over. He was well balanced despite the height and slim foothold. He got rid of his cutlass opting instead to create something smaller in the tight space.
"I'm impressed," Gray nodded to Natsu as he managed to get on the mast with trembling legs, using the support rope for balance, "You saved yourself pretty well, but you're not going to be able to get out of this one Natsu."
He held the short blade out to Natsu, who took slipping steps backwards to avoid the pointed edge.
"Time to give up," Gray announced.
"Lose to you? I don't think so," Natsu grinned. He stepped right off the edge, startling Gray and making him drop his blade.
"No you idiot if you fall from this height you'll die!" Gray shouted, lunging for Natsu but missing by a hair.
Lucy gasped at the bold move, her keys flashing at her side as she summoned up Aries. "Aries please! Wool bom—" She was stopped once more from Juvia, whose hand was resting over Lucy's key.
"Wait," Juvia smiled.
Natsu didn't quite know how the idea came to his head, but he knew he had a good one when it popped into his head.
He used one of the loose ends of the scarf around his waist, fisting the fabric in his palm and looping it around the rope he had been using for balance.
He used it to zipline down to the deck, bending at the knees and rolling across his back to where Gray's discarded dagger had landed. He smirked at Gray, off balance on his beam. With a quick grab he plucked the blade from the deck and sliced one rope out of many.
Lucy watched as the sail unfurled, dropping down with Gray still on the the beam. Her first mate swore violently as he held on for dear life, Natsu smirking once the beam was low enough for him.
"Time for a swim I think!" Natsu let out a shout as he jumped onto the railing, a burst of fire jetting him up enough for him to kick the beam before it could fill with wind.
It was done with enough force that it swung over the edge and Gray was thrown in the water, stunned.
Natsu landed, rubbing his nose and grinning as he looked over the railing where Gray was caught in a watery bubble. "Nice catch Juvia."
"Of course," Juvia smiled back and lifted her hand, depositing Gray gently back to the deck.
"Well!" Lucy said in mingled surprise and satisfaction, "That was certainly an unexpected outcome!" She nodded her thanks to Aries, who smiled and vanished in a shower of gold sparkles.
She looked at Juvia, "And that was an exceptional catch. If you can fight as easily as you can catch falling sailors then I would be a fool not to accept you both."
Natsu let out a whoop of joy and Lucy smirked at him, "Don't get too excited yet sailor." She replied, as she descended the stairs to join him on deck, "Juvia told me you'd spent time as a man before your change and amnesia. Based on that performance it's pretty clear you were a sailor beforehand, but until you get that memory of yours working again you'll have to start over."
"You're seriously going to hire them both on?" Gray exclaimed.
"Aye." Lucy replied, not taking her eyes off Natsu, "They show as much promise as the twins, and for that I'm willing to give them a chance to prove their worth to our family."
"Thank you Lucy!" Natsu beamed happily at her, "Uh, I mean Captain!"
He honestly didn't care what capacity he served on her crew. As long as he was a part of her crew that was all that mattered. The ship practically sang to him, and the wild wanderlust he'd felt the last few months settled now that he was assured a place on it. It felt like he had come home at last, and that was a feeling he would grasp with both his hands.
Lucy grinned back at him and glanced over her shoulder, "See that they're settled and given bunks." She ordered, "Cana, we've got two other recruits joining the ship tomorrow. I want you, Mira, and Macao to start evaluating them and getting them trained up. I trust you three will split your leave evenly."
"You got it cap'n!" Cana called and gave Natsu a slightly predatory grin that had Natsu gulping a little nervously.
He was distracted from it by a hand landing on his shoulder, "Welcome to the Fairy Tail." Lucy grinned, "Go get settled now. We'll talk more tomorrow."
—::—
Natsu grumbled as Juvia dragged him along through Magnolias streets. He had wanted to investigate more of the ship now that he had legs and could run around it freely, but Juvia insisted there was plenty of time for him to do that.
He couldn't help but feel a happy sort of longing every time he looked at that beautiful ship though. There was something about it that made him think of home.
It was like a memory was tickling at him, just on the cusp of being freed.
"You won against Gray by pure stubborn luck," Juvia commented as she shoved Natsu's shoulders towards the center of the town. He was certainly as sturdy as a dragon by how much resistance he was showing her.
"Your memories should begin to return now that you have legs, however you will need something else to aid you before we can continue on our journey. And my friend Gajeel has it," Juvia shoved Natsu into a metal door and he groaned at the feeling.
"Besides I will need something as well for safety," Juvia hummed.
Natsu glanced at her over his shoulder, wondering what she could possibly have needed.
"You're a goddess, can't ya just drop the whole damn ocean on 'em?" Natsu asked.
"Not if you want to keep your legs," Juvia sighed, "I'm in a mortal body now, which means I feel the limitations of one. All gods must take a form like this in the human realm save for special summonings or occasions."
"If I were to shift back to my true form you would as well. And there would also be dire consequences to the human world if I did that without cause," Juvia sighed, "Which is why it will be important that I stay out of the water as much as possible. Otherwise you might find yourself suddenly in need of a bath."
"Right, so don't go overboard," Natsu sweat, "Got it."
He looked up at the large, imposing forge they were standing before. Hesitating only a moment, he took a breath and pushed the door open. There was a large man sitting in front of a burning fire, beside him was a member of Lucy's crew. Her nose was buried in a thick book and Natsu struggled to remember her name.
However he kept getting distracted by the man hammering away at a piece of metal that was clamped to his work table. Natsu's eyes went wide at the sight of him, a vague memory pulling tight across his mind.
"I call it Crimson Lotus, a sword worthy of a pyro like you, eh Captain?"
"Aye, she's beautiful!"
The words echoed through Natsu's mind and he suddenly knew, without a doubt, this man had been the one to speak them. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he was certain of it. Somehow he knew this man.
"Gajeel?" He murmured uncertainly, not sure what he was really asking, but needing to say the word again.
Immediately the hammering stopped as that broad back stiffened and the man looked up at him sharply, his expression incredulous, "Cap'n?"
The word was barely more than a whisper filling the air between them, but it sent a shiver of delight down Natsu's spine. He took an involuntary step forward, and immediately frowned as he paused and looked at Juvia, "What's going on?"
He looked back at Gajeel, who was staring at him like he thought he was dreaming, "I don't understand. I know you. But I can't quite... remember." He stepped forward, desperate to know more about his past, "Why did you call me captain? Was I one before? How is it possible I know you? That was four hundred years ago!"
Gajeel stared at him in shock for a moment before scowling at Juvia, "His memory?"
"Fragmented." Juvia sighed, "It's unfortunately starting to return, but it'll take time."
Natsu looked between them, his fingers curling through his bangs, torn between the strange wild joy he felt over seeing Gajeel and complete confusion over not knowing who he was.
"Hello? Anyone want to give me some answers?" Natsu growled in frustration, waving a hand around wildly for their attention.
"Was I a captain before? You were part of my crew over four hundred years ago?" Natsu stalked forward, this time uncaring of stopping, "Tell me something, please!"
Gajeel blinked at Natsu, his expression torn as he glanced over to Juvia whose expression looked clouded over with remorse.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you much. The sacrificial spell to save your life has certain restrictions on it. If you want your memory back you'll have to get it yourself," Gajeel looked regretful. He stood up, standing a head over Natsu.
Still by the way Natsu glared at him, it was almost as if they were eye to eye.
"I didn't see it at first, but you've got the sea song in you. You're a merman," Gajeel observed, "You're still the same as you were that day 400 years ago. Same can't be said for everyone..."
"Everyone? You mean there's more?" Natsu blurted, catching onto the thread that slipped through Gajeel's carefully guarded words.
More of his crew? From 400 years ago just waiting for him to find them?
Gajeel looked like he wanted to kick himself.
"Maybe, But I really can't say more than that," Gajeel shook his head, "All I know was that The Tempest had to save ya, I was plucked from the sea by my old man. I was a Demi-god back then, but because of certain perameters I was able to ascend to godhood."
Natsu stared at Gajeel in shock, "You're a god now?" His gazed tracked automatically to Lucy's crewmate, "Are you one too?!"
Levy, who had been quietly watching the whole scene play out, sighed as she set her book aside and got up to join Gajeel, "You should've seen that one coming my love." She chuckled at him, and faced Natsu, "I am. Though I would truly appreciate it if you didn't mention that to Lucy."
Natsu blinked at the ready response, "Why not?" He asked, "And why tell me in the first place?"
Levy shrugged, "It's not in a god's nature to lie." She replied calmly, "I couldn't very well say no when asked a direct question like that. However, I like Lucy thinking of me only as Levy." She smiled, "I ran across her as a child and she's been a dear friend to me ever since. She reminds me of a dear friend I once knew very well."
"But surely she would accept you as a goddess too?" Natsu fumbled, confused by all the sudden twists, and why it was necessary to keep secrets like that in the first place.
Levy smiled as she walked over to him, "I have no doubt that she would." She replied, "But I'm trying to avoid drawing too much attention to myself right now. There are things at play you don't know about yet Natsu, and telling you, or Lucy, or anyone too much too early could disrupt a number of very delicate plans."
She laid a hand on his arm, "Please trust us on this? I promise our goal is benevolent where you, Lucy, and the Fairy Tail are concerned."
A sudden thought sprang to his head as he looked at the small woman who navigated Lucy's ship with the accuracy of her nature.
"You're The Navigator," Natsu stared at her and the slight brush of her fingers on his arm. She was the one who guided Lucy's ship and told Gray where to steer. She was the one who heard his desperate prayer for help the day he was captured by the pirates who meant to harvest him.
"You're the one who answered my prayer. You're the one who helped Lucy find me," He blinked, remembering how the only reason why Lucy's ship had been in the area was because of a surprise detour to Crocus. For Levy.
Levy gave him a gentle smile and dropped her hand. She nodded, taking a step backwards, "It was hard to ignore. I couldn't look away either."
Her eyes glanced over to Gajeel, who was red faced and looking embarrassed at Levy's sly smiles.
"Did you know me back then too?" Natsu asked Levy, who shook her head.
"In one of your past lives, but I heard a lot about you from this one," Levy giggled, ignoring Gajeel's growling, "Most of it wasn't complimentary."
Juvia stepped forward before Gajeel could say anything else, "I truly hate to interrupt this." She said, "But we're expected to rejoin the Fairy Tail tomorrow at the latest to begin settling in."
"Earned a place aboard did ya?" Levy hummed, and met the sea goddess's eyes sternly, "Go ahead and talk to Gajeel about your weapons, but you and I need to have a long talk in the near future. Your seclusion has not only kept you from your friends but caused you to miss out on quite a bit you should've been paying attention to."
Juvia flushed a bit, "I'm sorry Levy." She apologized, "I didn't..."
Levy waved her off, "We know. We're not happy about it, but we understand, and we're glad you've decided to rejoin the world now. The rest we can go over later alright?"
Juvia nodded and Levy stepped to one side.
Gajeel sighed as he stared at the two of them, "First Blondie an' now you two." He grumbled as he turned and stomped over to a weapons rack, "At least I got one 'o you covered already."
He pulled down a beautifully wrought scimitar and studied it for a long moment before returning and handing it to Natsu.
"The Crimson Lotus." Natsu breathed in awe, his fingers carefully curling around the hilt, "I remember this..."
Gajeel grinned fiercely at that, but Natsu was hardly paying attention as he slid the blade out of its scabbard. It was a thing of beauty, and he was instantly in love. Slimmer than a standard scimitar, its curve was less pronounced than other versions of the weapon he'd seen over the centuries. Nevertheless, it had the distinctive shape, and sang sweetly as he sliced her experimentally through the air.
"She's beautiful!" He murmured in delight, his hand settling comfortably onto the grip as if it was born to be there.
He could feel the extension of it in his arm, it had enough weight he could throw some power behind. His eyes widened in joy as he remembered in the core of his being how he had fought with it before.
"You made this, back when you were on my ship," Natsu acknowledged, not really remembering but feeling the truth in the core of his being. He shifted his weight to experiment with the transfer of power from one leg to the other.
"This is the same one?" Natsu asked Gajeel, incredulous that it had been kept all this time. He hadn't thought it was possible that something else of his could survive from the time before his change.
"It is, one of my best works. Even now it's the finest blade a mortal could hope to have," Gajeel rumbled, arms crossed over his chest, "I couldn't very well let that sink into the depths of Jones' Locker too. Juvia doesn't get to have all the nice things."
"Why keep it, you don't seem like the sentimental type to me," Natsu raised an eyebrow at Gajeel. He wasn't sure how he knew that but he felt like the statement was true enough anyway.
Gajeel shrugged and shook his head.
"Guess I never really believed ya were dead. Yer a tough sailor to keep down," Gajeel snorted, "I should know. Tried a couple of times."
Now that was something Natsu had no problems believing. And perversely it made him feel better. It was somehow nice knowing that not everything had been perfect with the grumpy smith, and they'd still somehow become friends. Friends enough that the metalhead had held onto his sword all this time.
He smirked toothily at the god as he tied the sword to his waist with an expertise he didn't remember but his hands did.
Gajeel smirked back and turned his attention back to a somewhat forlorn looking Juvia, "So what're you wanting?" He asked gruffly, "Didn't reckon the Maelstrom herself would ever need a weapon."
Juvia shook herself a little and smiled at Gajeel, "I'm not certain honestly." She replied, "I need something to supplement my water magic while I'm in this form."
"Her primary attack against a single opponent is a move called water slicer." Levy spoke up as she flipped a page in her book, and grinned at him, "She likes to send out sharp crescents of water. Like throwing knives."
"Handy." Gajeel mused, "But I got a better idea."
He walked over to a different rack where he pulled down a pair of beautifully crafted boomerangs and handed them over to her.
"Made those a while back for fun, but never got around to sellin' them. Ain't much call for 'em around here." He stared at Juvia's confused expression, and plucked one out of her hands to toss it lightly around the room.
"Throwin' knives ain't much good if they can be thrown back." He explained as it returned to him and he lightly captured it, "You learn how to use these with your waterworks an' you'll have a weapon no one can predict."
"These are exquisite" Juvia complimented, weighing the boomerang in her palm and giving it a quick flick through the air. They would give her some distance and light damage, not necessarily something good for taking an enemy down, however she wasn't interested in taking lives or hurting humans unnecessarily anyway.
"Glad you like 'em," Gajeel grunted and leaned back, crossing thick arms over his chest. He flopped back down onto his tiny bench, looking at both Natsu and Juvia.
He bent forward, ruby eyes dark on Natsu.
"Be careful out there Salamander," Gajeel spoke, startling Natsu as he realized he was the one being spoken to.
"When your memories return, don't..." He trailed off and frowned at Juvia's sharp glare that cut him off mid sentence. Gajeel scowled and flashed his angry glare away.
"Just don't do anything stupid," He finished.
"Aye," Natsu nodded, unsure what the warning could mean. He constantly operated his life going full throttle at 100% stupidity as his nest mates often liked to claim. However this seemed a bit more pressing than usual. Still, he took his leave while Juvia gestured for him to go on ahead. There were some things that still needed to be discussed without his mortal ears around.
Shooting the three gods a pout over his shoulder, Natsu departed Gajeel's forge.
"Now," Juvia looked at the two remaining, "What have I missed?"
—::—
In the sea of Alvarez, Zeref frowned as he swam over the abyssal trench, his eyes casting into the darkness and seeing things no one else could.
Mavis swam beside him, over the darkness. A line of worry creased between her brows, a gentle hand on his arm.
"The creatures, they're restless," Zeref commented, unsure how to explain the worries that were on his mind.
Ever since the Lady Juvia had left the ocean, it was as if the peace of the sea had disappeared with her. The darkness of the abyss seemed to deepen, and Zeref didn't know what to make of it. Before he could think further on it, a sudden flurry of movement from within the darkness caught the attention only he possessed.
He threw his trident out in front of himself, an arm wrapping around a startled Mavis as suddenly the creatures from the dark boiled out of the abyss and fled out into the light. Zeref let out a shout of surprise, his magic providing a thick, buffering shield as angler fish, eels, and giant squids burst out as if fleeing an unknown evil from deep below.
Zeref and Mavis watched with wide, shocked eyes as massive creatures rarely seen in the light fled towards higher ground.
"Zeref, what's happening?" Mavis called out, shocked by the utter insanity of seeing them willingly fleeing to the light.
"I don't know," Zeref whispered, the turmoil of the abyss ringing in his ears.
His eyes widened as one of the final creature rose from the depths. The one creature never to show fear of anything.
The Leviathan twisted its unholy, coiled body through the trench, bursting out with a scream that left Zeref and Mavis shouting and covering their ears in pain.
The sea boiled around its frantic patterns, by Zeref maintained his spell until the coast was clear. His eyes were wide with shock as he regarded his stunned wife. He grasped her trembling hand in his own.
"I will need to speak with the other Sea Kings."
Hope everyone enjoyed that chapter, muahahahaha. We answered a few questions for you, but we asked a couple too. Lucky for you guys, huh? Anyway, we want to give you guys a special shout out for making your review marker! WOOO! Here's a sneak peek for you guys who dropped us a line! We really appreciate your reviews, it really keeps us motivated to continue writing more stories. Have a great one and see you all on Wednesday!
Lucy's expression softened a little into a faint smile at Cana's concern. As one of the first of her crew with Gray she was one of the few who understood the extent of the animosity between Lucy and her father. The rest of the crew all knew eventually of course, pirates were terrible gossips, but Cana had actually been there with Levy and Gray over the years to help pick up the pieces after Lucy's heart had been broken again and again.
The crew all gave expressions varying levels of appreciation to worry for their captain. Natsu, who had emerged half an hour prior to Lucy's appearance, watched her from the front of the ship.
His mouth went dry at the sight of her so elegantly dressed, the elegant way she practically glided over the deck. Natsu's eyes were intense in her, his head throbbing over the pretty package she was in.
His heart hammered and his palms tingled, breath coming in short.
"Want to come on an adventure with me princess? I'll take you away from this stuffy castle. You'll never be lonely again."
"I can't Natsu. I'm sorry..."
"Jeez, her dad must be a piece of work to get that kind of expression on the captains face," Sting grunted, his eyes narrowed as his voice cut into the fog of Natsu's mind. It cut off the old remembered pain. The agony of the woman's response, the crushing feeling of not being able to help the mystery princess.
