Previously;
"-So my question now is; do you want to be a civilian mage of the floating country of Galico?"
"Yes."
"WHA-T!?" Creak-creak-creak-BOOM-Thud-du-duh-duh. I look at the door that has all of Amphias' friends toppled on top of each other. I look past the pile at the doorway and see Cobra and Midnight hanging in the back of the crowd with amused looks on their faces at their toppled comrades.
"Not to dissuade you, but why?" One of Amphias' comrades asked.
"I don't really have that much ambitions as a mage in Fairy Tail, I mean sure they're like family but I don't really want to become an S-Class mage when the S-Class trials come around." I answered.
"Why would you want to become an S-Class mage?" I think it is Ravenna who's speaking this time. "I don't think that your candidate material when it comes to S-Class promotions, wouldn't you have to use Real Nightmare?"
"Even without the Real Nightmare and the Infinity Clock, I have my whips which were gifted to me by the Old Bearded Guy and I have my Celestial Spirit Keys. You guys were just lucky that the Old Bearded Guy chose to have a Zodiac meeting for this last month." I explained as I managed to sit myself up and dangle my legs over the bedside.
A man, whose name I have yet to catch snorts before saying, "Yeah, right. 'Lucky'."
"No she's right," Amphias starts, "Phoenix Riders and Celestial Zodiac Spirits tend to clash a tiny bit when we're on the battle field. If they come out, our powers would have clashed and the battle zone would have looked like a cratered warzone."
Seeing the confused expressions on most of their faces I explain further. "Basically there's a phoenix in the Celestial Spirit Realm who used to be in Earth Land so any time that the Phoenix Riders and Celestial Zodiac Spirits meet in battle, their magic and blood tends to boil towards each other and even though they have an agreement and treaty, they still fight like it's the old war days."
"Minus the blood shed and waterworks." Amphias added and I confirm with a nod of my head.
"Hmm, well then. Welcome to the team Lucy Heartfilia, Ladyship of the Lighthouse, Infinity Clock, and Real Nightmare." Said the man who snorted a while ago. "My name's Boa, I'm a Glass-Make mage which means I am extremely good at Earth and Fire magic to the point where the two are in sync and create glass. You may not see much of me, but I'm often in Fiore and travel around much doing my job."
"Nice to meet you Boa." I said politely as I shook his hand.
"I'll introduce you to the others," Boa said as he helped 'Ravenna' up. "This is Ravenna, you probably saw her before when you were at the doorway that Amphias left open." Boa cleared his throat in an aggressive way towards Amphias, who sheepishly shrugs in general.
"Actually I couldn't really see you all." I said before Boa could continue.
"Whut?" I swear Amphias' people do everything in sync.
"Explain." Cobra said with a little smirk on his face as he has most definitely heard my comment.
"Well, when I performed the 'Devenir Un' and -gates open- spells, there a consequences for me being the gate and master of those powers. I'm still learning what most of the consequences are on the -gates open- spell since my book that was given to me by the Old Bearded Guy is back at my apartment and in a magic dimension pocket that is only accessible by me when I'm in the apartment. But for the 'Devenir Un' spell, the consequence for using it is that I fall in a comatose sleep for a few days. So far the longest has been 8 days." I explained.
"And your fainting?" Ravenna asked.
"Consequence of the Devenir Un spell." I answered.
"Hmm... well, little miss prissy pants over here is Kiki." Ravenna starts.
"You're prissy!" Kiki retorted, interrupting Ravenna and thusly earning a growl from the magenta colored haired woman.
Ravenna walks over to two other man before continuing, "These two are Allen and Dorian. They along with Kiki have teleportation magic which is shared with them due to them touching a magic artifact in Galico's forbidden halls." Ravenna clears her throat aggressively and give them a quick glare. Allen audibly gulps as Dorian scratches his head with some small almost inaudible chuckles. Kiki does a light scoff at Ravenna who narrows her eyes at the other woman. "They've also learned various different magic's which makes them lethal to certain types of people and opponents." Kiki grumbles something that I didn't quite catch as Ravenna walks over to a sandy-blonde haired woman as she possibly ignores Kiki's grumbling with just an eye roll in general reaction to them. "This woman is Amara and she's a Sand mage. My magic is Void magic."
"Nice to meet you. Question." I said.
"Shoot." Amara said.
"What are your guy's job?" I asked.
"We are traveling Ambassadors of different countries." Dorian answered.
I opened my mouth to ask for more specifics but Amara speaks before I could get a breath out, "We're a special type of traveling Ambassadors, we can't stay in one place on our assigned countries because our enemies try to find and kill us. Of course we're too tough to beat anyways and we don't go down without a fight but its better safe than sorry and dead or captured. We travel around and help out the traveling caravans of our country. Macbeth and Erik here are Ambassadors in training and so will be their other ex-guild mates as soon as Boa gets negotiating with the Kingdom and the Council about their release." She lifts up her sleeve to show a tattoo inked on her forearm. "These are the signs and flags that the traveling caravans and citizens of Galico will have on themselves as they're traveling around and trading."
"Ah." I said as a memory reoccurs in my mind.
"So, you've encountered a Galico caravan before?" Cobra asked.
I look at him in surprise before I quickly remember what his power is and reply, "Yeah, I've encountered one caravan before with Team Natsu."
Flashback of the Rescue;
It was Erza, Gray, Natsu, Happy and I traveling on the road, we had just gotten done with getting the full reward for cleaning out a mine when Natsu, who was walking on the wall, started talking about hearing someone fighting. Gray just snorted and said that it was the echoes of the previous battle in the mines still rattling around in his mind which got me laughing and almost tripping on a boulder.
"Shut up, Ice Princess!" Natsu yelled as he scowled at Gray.
"Ooo. So glad I'm royalty, now where are the guards to take this," Gray points to Natsu, "infernal thing down to the dungeons?"
I laugh along with Erza after she gives Natsu a glare before stopping in my tracks as I look down a hill to see a caravan under attack by Wizards and fighters. Gray bumps into me as the other 3 stop and see the battle going on. Erza and Natsu jump down into the fray but I stopped as I saw a head of chestnut brown hair in the ditch before Gray and I. I halt Gray before he goes down to join the fight and walk over to the head to see that it is a small boy in the beginning of his tween years crying his eyes out as he as a sprained ankle and badly scraped and gouged knees.
"Gray, I'm not joining this fight." I said as I brought out my first aid kit to stop his bleeding gashes.
"Are you nuts?" Gray starts but shuts up when I look up at him with dutiful and determined eyes.
"Natsu and Erza are enough to protect a caravan of people. This boy needs medical attention as well as the other people when they are safe and the attackers are driven away or apprehended. I'm taking him to the town over there." I said as I pointed to a town that is just half-a-mile from our current location.
"Alright but I'm coming with you." I was about to protest more when Gray continues, "You'll need me to carry him and Flame Brain and Erza can take care of themselves and a company of people."
"Okay." I said before looking down at the boy again. "My name is Lucy, and that's Gray. What's your name?"
"G-G-Giles." The boy, Giles, stammered.
"Come on Giles. Get on my back and we'll take you to safety in the town over there." Gray said as he got in front of Giles to utilize the hill descent so the boy doesn't agitate his foot further.
I knocked on the 17th door since we've entered this town. Everything was boarded up, locked, and sealed making the town a ghost town. On several occasions have the three of us seen someone peeking out of their curtained or blinded window only to have that person quickly shut it or step away. I pounded on it again after feeling a slight rumble followed by an explosion echoing throughout the town, I had a haunch that something was 'haunting' this town and I was getting bored of the cold shoulder by these indoor citizens. I bang even harder on the door and probably scared the kid with my expression since he whimpered on Gray's back.
The door opens and a woman's timid voice comes from behind the door, "What do you want?"
"Can you instruct us towards the town's hospital? We have a boy here in his early teens injured and in need of healing." I asked.
"The hospital isn't open at this time. The cult has been visiting town lately and they threatened the mayor to the point where we all have to go in lockdown until that cult is pleased once again." The woman spat the word 'cult' like it was a poison.
"Well can you take in this boy and take him to the hospital as soon as it opens again? We need to get back to our comrades to see if they need any assistance with the caravan people that are being attacked by Wizards and mercenaries not a mile East from the entrance of this town. I'll pay you so you don't have to pay the hospital bill for him. Please!" I begged.
"A caravan being attacked you say?" The woman asked as she peaked her head below her deadbolt chain. "Who are your comrades?"
"Erza Scarlet and Natsu Dragneel." I answered.
"Titania and Salamander of Fairy Tail!? Prove it." She demanded. I showed her my guild mark since Gray has Giles on his back and can't reveal his guild mark on his chest. "Let me see the boy." Gray turned the boy towards the woman so she can get a look at him. She gasps when she sees a design stitched on his sleeve. "A Galico's civilian." She breathed. "70,000 jewels."
"Excuse me?" I asked as I blinked in shock.
"If it is really Salamander and Titania fighting against that cult they'll be able to apprehend them but just in case that the cult is more powerful than they lead on-"
"I understand," I said as I cut the woman shot, "here's the 70,000." I gave the 70,000 that I got from the previous mission to the woman.
"Lucy, you just earned that." Gray said as he grabbed my arm.
"Gray, its fine I can go on another job." I reasoned.
"Fine but I'm coming with you." Gray said.
"Oo, then I have the perfect job in mind for you, Juvia and me to go on together." I said.
"Wha-?" Gray asked as he starts to blush. Giles cries out in alarm as Gray tries to drop him to unconsciously stip.
"Don't drop Giles, Gray. Besides if I remember correctly it's your 2-month anniversary of being an official couple, and I think you forgot to give her a smooch this morning!" I teased with a devious smile.
"You're a bi-"
"Don't cuss in front of a tween." The woman and I said in unison, effectively shutting Gray up.
"Give the boy here, I'll take him to the hospital and make sure he's cared for until he can travel again." The woman said as she sets the bag down on the table. Gray moves to the door as the woman unlocks it all the way and opens it up for her husband, a burly man, to take the boy and retreat back inside. "I hope the battle will be over soon."
As if like a set timer, Giles, Gray, the woman, her husband and I could hear Natsu's distant roar, "I WIN~~~!" Followed by a metallic 'THUNK' and a sissy's squeal.
"Told you they were fine." I said.
"I never had doubt in them so don't tell me that you told me that they'll be fine." Gray said defensively like a woman on her period, even going as far as to move his head back and forth like a woman would when she's either sassing or telling someone off.
"You must be really nervous about the planned job date with Juvia, huh?" I teasingly asked as Gray starts to unconsciously unbutton his top shirt.
"Yes." Gray growled.
"Then button back up your shirt lover boy." I said as he looks down, gasps, and them grumbles some more as he re-buttons his shirt and glowers at me.
"You are a shit!" Gray cussed.
A broom end comes whacking down on both of our heads. "OW!" We both yell as we look at the woman who has a broom in her hands and is challenging us to do something about it with just her eyes.
"Don't cuss in front of a tween." She reminded.
"Why'd you hit me? He's the one who cussed." I whined.
"You were antagonizing him." The woman answered. "Anyways if your friends are done with their fight, can you get proof that they really took down a cult troop and that its really a Galico caravan that they rescued?" The woman asked.
"Lu." Gray said as he turned his head towards me.
I take out Virgo's key and chant, "Open, Gate of the Maiden. Virgo!" Virgo shines into existence in front of us and I can hear the woman, her husband and Giles gasp in surprise at Virgo's entrance and Virgo herself.
"Punishment Princess?" Virgo asked as she bowed.
"No. Can you go see Erza and Natsu and collect a cloth that has the sign of this cult that has been terrorizing this town and collect a cloth that has the caravan's symbol on it?" I asked.
Virgo bows and blips away for a minute before blipping in again with the two clothes, one yellow and the other red that has black stitching designs on them. She hands them to the woman and as the woman sees the red one she smiles a smile of relief before looking up at us with eyes of gratitude.
"Erza-Sama and Natsu-Sama were not harmed during the fight. The caravan people though are in need of medical attention and help with their damaged wagons." Virgo reported. "Will that be all, Princess?"
"Yes Virgo, thank you." I said. she leans into me and I whisper into her ear, "Stay here for a minute though, I may want you to relay a message back to the other spirits." Virgo nods her head in acknowledgement and steps behind me.
"Can I ask you Fairy Tail mages one more favor?" The woman asked. We nod our heads. "The town's folk and I will take care of the caravan folk and help them assess their damaged wagons but in exchange can you go to an old fortress around 15 miles from here to defeat and apprehend the cult members and leader so you can help rid this town of their villainy? We don't have much money since the cult troops would steal money from us but we have other things to make up for that in repayment."
"Of course we will." I said. I turn to Virgo and say, "Virgo tell the others to get ready for a fight against a cult. We're helping this town."
"As you wish, Princess." Virgo said as she gave one last blow before going back to the Celestial Spirit world to inform my other contracted spirits.
The woman and her husband nod their heads in appreciation towards to two of us before closing and locking their door. Gray and I start to walk back the way we came. "Hopefully they give us something that has some good value to it so we can sell it for jewels."
"Gray! Quit being so cold hearted! Is this about the job request that I was talking about earlier?" Gray stiffens at my accusing question. "AHA! You're not backing out on this one!" I declared.
"Shut up!"
"Didn't that woman tell you not to cuss in front of a tween?"
"In case you haven't noticed, the tween isn't here!" This razing from me continued until we met up with Erza and Natsu who escorted the caravan people towards a hospital that a woman, who has similar features to the woman that Gray and I just finished talking to, was leading them to.
End of Flashback.
"We went and defeated the cult with the help of me using the 'Devenir' spell with my Tenebres La Lumiere whip which allowed me to actually absorb all the magic in the fortress that was activating the traps that were separating Erza from the leader." I finished summarizing the flashback and added the ending flare to explain how I 'Became One' with Tenebres La Lumiere to the nine. Cobra was silently chuckling as he was the only one of the 9 to hear the flashback.
"I think Ike was traveling around Fiore with you at that time, right Boa?" Dorian asked as he nudged Boa in the ribcage.
"Yea...I remember, that group came back to here safely except there wasn't any kid named 'Giles' with them. His sprain might have been a broken bone since that was just a few months ago." Boa answered.
I hummed in acknowledgement and contemplate over Giles.
"The child from what we heard is around 12 or something. He should know the drill and way to get to this Lighthouse. He'll arrive here soon enough." Kiki reassured as she yawned, stretched and scratched her shoulders. "That's another job as being Ladyship of the Lighthouse, you're basically host to traveling Galico civilians who are traveling around and need to come here to get back to Galico. So keep a eye out the window for anyone at the boarder." I look at her in question.
"This sliver of land is just 3 square miles of stable, still land under the Galico flag." Allen informed.
"Well now that that's been told, I'm hitting the sack. Anyone care to join?" Kiki asked as she earned a light punch in the gut from Ravenna as she and the other 5 exit and head to their rooms.
Amphias starts to get up and head out to, "Amphias? One more question." I wait until the red head looks at me in mid-yawn. "Why didn't you just ask if I could be Ladyship of the Lighthouse without the whole attack and 'kidnap' scene?"
Amphias opens his mouth to answer but before he could get a sound out of his mouth Allen swings his head into the archway and beats him to it, "We have lots of enemies who monitor Galico Lighthouse lands a lot so we had to dull your guild mark so that the spies and soldiers of enemy organizations and countries of Galico don't sense that Galico has some new defenses or mages." Amphias lets out an exasperated sigh that earns a chuckle from Midnight; who's leaning against the door frame; and a head shake from Cobra; who's leaning against the hall wall.
"That makes sense but wouldn't they be able to tell about the defense if the Lighthouse lights up?"
"Not exactly, the observers (AN: no pun on Fringe) would have to watch the Lighthouse for a few months to tell if there's a consistent source of power or if it's just a temporary source that was safely attained thanks to Amphias' special technique." The question answer slips away from Amphias as Midnight takes the credit for answering that question of mine.
"Makes sense but still, why the kidnapping and attacking? You could have just approached, asked, and explained instead of what you did several hours ago." I told Amphias.
Amphias looks at the three men and asks, "Can I answer this one?" The three men nod their head as Allen yawns, waves a silent goodnight and turns away to walk back to his room. Midnight and Cobra just smirk smugly at Amphias who's now like their personal play toy that's fun to mess with. "Alright-y! The reason for the attacking and 'kidnapping' as others would like to put it is because~!" He does a dramatic pause and pose with his index finger and arm raised above his head. "It was the fun-er alternative!" Amphias turns around and starts to walk out the door but in anger, I snatch the book on my nightstand and throw it at his head. It connects at its target as Midnight catches the book before it starts to fall to the ground and tosses it back to me. I set it down on my lap as Amphias turns towards me as he rubs his head. "Ow, why'd you do that?"
"It's payback for the destruction of the Drillers!" I said and immediately regret it as I start to shiver from the remembrance of the pain that followed upon the Drillers being destroyed by Amphias.
"I swear all you woman are violent, especially when it comes to things and objects. With my mother it was her grass statue collection, with my aunt it was her special edition movie collection, and with you it's your Drillers created by your whip!" Amphias exclaimed as he walks out of the room. Cobra and I make eye contact and he makes a 'one moment' signal before following Amphias down the hallway. I don't know what he did but; "YE-EOW!" Amphias howled. "Don't do that!"
"Then don't destroy Lucy's creations on purpose." Came Cobra's distant words.
"Alright, alright! I won't!" Amphias loudly complained.
Two doors open simultaneously as Ravenna and Kiki shout in unison, "SH~UT UP!"
Amphias squeaks a quiet, "Okay."
Midnight and I look at each other before bursting into chuckles.
"Night Midnight." I said as a wave of dizziness from 'Devenir Un' finally washes over me.
"Goodnight Lucy." Midnight replied as he closed the door.
I turn off the overhead light that conveniently has a switch by the bed, and crawl under the blankets to have a peaceful 6 days of comatose slumber as my mind and conscious is taught complex spells that allow me to embed the gate power into spells, objects, and beings.
I want to thank all who've read, followed, and favored Ladyship and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.