Re:Edoras
...
Chapter One: The Slightly Different Beginning
Well, I'm back again. While writing Beneath the Surface over the course of roughly a year, Mashima was doing... rather poorly... the Edoras Arc. There are numerous complaints of unused potential (Edo-Tail, the use of External Magic Weapons), plot devices (X-Balls, Prince Gérard in general), uninteresting characters (...everyone who is not Edo-Tail), and just a generally poorly done arc. Mashima is generally not a bad writer, as Fighting Festival and Phantom Lord have shown us, but... Edoras has been rather poor.
So, Ocil and I wanted to fix it. Mostly because it means we get to be mean to the characters. This first chapter will be... somewhat unchanged in comparison to the original, but how close it is to the original will change as time goes on.
If you haven't read Beneath the Surface, there will be a few events referenced that you may not catch, but it won't ruin your enjoyment. The only things you'll need to know is that Beneath the Surface was a crackfic which resulted in Erza and Lucy getting together and a succubus named Paizuri joining. Also, Gildartz arrived at the end of the story, during a large fight. The rest you'll catch within the story.
Final thing. Jellal is canon, but... Gérard is cooler. So there.
Natsu walked into the small house Gildartz was allowed by Magnolia, constructed loosely, as the grandest, safest construction could be easily destroyed should he not be careful. The strongest mage in Fairy Tail had especially asked Natsu to come by his house after their celebrations at the beach had ended. Gildartz had talked with Master Makarov about something, in private, before telling the others he wanted to rest in his usual spot for a bit, and the beach wasn't really for him. Despite the great protest, he insisted, and they eventually left him alone (though he did accidentally knock a few of them silly, Natsu twice over).
When Natsu had gotten back from the beach celebrations, Makarov told him Gildartz had wanted to talk to him. A bit confused, the pink-haired Dragon Slayer since obliged. He shut the door behind and grinned, looking over at his idol. Gildartz grinned back at him, sitting in the chair with his feet propped up.
"How's your relationship with Lisanna goin', Natsu? Don't be shy!" Gildartz said, laughing.
Natsu's insides went cold, and his entire body tensed up. Gildartz noticed it and a chill went through his body. What happened?
"Lisanna is dead... Two years ago...," Natsu murmured.
The cold chill became arctic temperatures, and Gildartz's mind tumbled. His hands shook for a moment, and grief hit him like a brick.
"S-seriously! Damn... That's why Mira... I'm sorry, Natsu," he said, stumbling over his words.
"If it was just about that, I'll be leaving," Natsu said, beginning to turn around.
Gildartz shook himself. Natsu had to hear this. The grief over one of his comrades could come later.
"Natsu... I met a dragon," Gildartz said, noting Natsu completely freeze at the news, "I don't think it was the red one you were talking about. It was black."
"Wh... where...," Natsu asked, as he and Happy stared at the Crash Mage.
"At the sacred mountain Zonia. That's how I failed the mission, dammit," Gildartz groaned, looking up at the ceiling.
Natsu whirled about and started to run, when Gildartz called after him, "What're you gonna do by going there?"
"What do you think? I ask about Igneel's whereabouts!" Natsu replied, bursting with energy and purpose.
"The black dragon won't be there. He's flying around the continent... perhaps the whole world," Gildartz said, getting up.
"Even so, there may be some clue!"
"Natsu... look at this..."
Gildartz opened up his cloak, to reveal his body covered in severe bandages. His left leg was replaced with some odd, prosthetic one, as was his left arm. Natsu stared at the intense damage to Gildartz, of all people. The Crash Mage stared at Natsu with determination in his eyes.
"Everything happened in a moment. It got my left leg and arm... tore out a bit of my insides, too. I don't know about Igneel, but that black one is surely an enemy of humanity. And... A human can't beat him."
"That's what Dragon Slayers are there for!" Natsu shouted, looking worried, nonetheless, "With my magic... A black dragon is..."
"I won't stop you if you resist."
"DAMN IT!" Natsu shouted, running out.
"NATSU!" Happy called after him, too slow to catch up.
"Happy. You support Natsu, alright? Humans can't go against that thing, but perhaps a dragon can make it," Gildartz said, chuckling, "And Natsu... has the power of a dragon... Something even I don't got."
-FAIRY TAIL-
Makarov sat on the bar, gently sipping his brew. Mirajane busily chatted with a few of the customers. The Master chuckled to himself, thinking on what had happened recently. The pitter-patter of rain sounded around them, as it began to storm a bit.
"There're three Dragon Slayers in this guild... Porylusica, this is exactly what you said... Fate has started to make its move...," Makarov muttered.
He looked up, setting down his cup. There was a charge in the air. Well, this should prove interesting. Was it fate? Perhaps.
-FAIRY TAIL-
Natsu ran through Magnolia, off towards the mountains, the Black Dragon. He could find Igneel, his father, the person he cared for so much, who had protected him in turn.
"SHIT! DAMN IT!" he shouted, as the rain came down, drenching him.
The stony path, drenched now with the rain, became more slippery. Natsu kept going, getting more desperate as the idea of finding Igneel consumed his mind. He became careless, uncoordinated, before finally slipping and falling, face first, in a puddle of water. He managed to roll over, looking up at the rain clouds, noticing a whirl in them.
"I just... want to know... how my dad's doing," he lamented, images of Igneel filling his mind.
-FAIRY TAIL-
Wendy, Charle, and Paizuri lounged in Wendy's room. Paizuri had gone for the attempt to look human as often as possible, and was practicing with a light skin tone and pitch-black hair. She was still as tall as the average adult female, with smaller cleavage than normal. Succubae could shift their body's proportions, and Paizuri tried to tone down the sex appeal around Wendy. Really, she did.
"Charle," Wendy said, calmly with a hint of nervousness, "Natsu says you gave Happy a fish."
Charle waited for a few moments, looking at Wendy with a quirked brow, before nodding.
"Well... I just wanted to say that I'm glad you did that."
Charle sighed, "It was an attempt to be nice, at your insistence. There's something unsettling about Happy, honestly."
"Eh, he seems pretty normal for a talking cat that can spontaneously grow wings," Paizuri offhandedly remarked, a touch of sarcasm in her voice.
Charle glared at the succubus, who busily examined her own fingernails for a moment, before sending an infuriating wink the cat's way. Wendy giggled a bit, before looking over at Charle.
"Why do you find Happy unsettling? He's nice and brave and stuff!" Wendy said.
"The ideal guy for you, actually, given that he's fun-loving and you hate the stuff," Paizuri muttered, before grinning at the cat, who glared back.
"Be nice, you two."
"Yes, Wendy."
"I find him unsettling because... well... there are things he should remember."
"Oh, you don't like him because he has bad memory?" Wendy asked.
Charle looked down for a moment, then back up at Wendy, and shrugged.
"Silly Charle, Lucy and Zuri told me all men have bad memory!"
"It's true. Do you know how many wives told me about how their husbands forgot their anniversaries?" Paizuri asked, giving a thoughtful look to Charle.
"...And how many of them told you this over drinks?" Charle asked, a tone of disgust in her voice.
"Be nice!" Wendy said, pouting.
"Eh, only a few of 'em. Most were already in bed. Hey, she asked," Paizuri said, defensively, in response to the annoyed look Wendy had on her face.
"Well, his memory problem is a little more than just forgetting something. This is something... important," Charle said.
"Maybe you could jog his memory?" Wendy asked.
"There's an idea," Paizuri said, "Bring up some part of the memory, or just tell him, and say it hurt that he forgot."
"...That's actually pretty good relationship advice," Wendy said.
"And just think: I've never actually been in a dating relationship."
"I think you should talk with him," Wendy said, insistently.
Charle stood up after a moment, sighing, "I will think about it, on my own. I think I'll go flying..."
"In this weather?" Wendy asked.
"I will be fine."
"I'll come after you if you're not back before too long," Wendy said.
Charle nodded, impatiently, and then walked out the door. Zuri looked at Wendy, with a light smile on her face.
"Poor dear doesn't even know she's head over heels. Is she always this slow?" Zuri asked, chuckling.
"Well... I'm pretty sure everyone's a little blind about that sort of thing," Wendy said.
Zuri shrugged, and the two continued to quietly lie about. Wendy continued reading while Zuri continued perfecting her nails. After finishing both hands, Zuri looked over to Wendy.
"You know, I could do something with your nails, too," Zuri said.
"I'm good. I don't really like make-up that much," Wendy said.
"What do you like?" Zuri asked, curiously.
Wendy looked up, thoughtfully, "Mystery books... lying out on the grass, peacefully... sandcastles... drawing things."
"I really need to expand my horizons, because I don't think I've ever done that. Except for the sandcastle, and that was only that one time. That was a fun day."
Wendy giggled for a moment, "You really haven't done a lot, have you?"
Paizuri sat up straight, looking at Wendy with a mock indignant expression, "Oh, really, now?"
"...that doesn't count, cuz it's icky."
"When you're fourteen, that'll all change. I just gave myself the creeps, god, what am I saying?" Zuri babbled, shuddering.
Wendy stared at the succubus for a moment, in a little bit of shock.
"Why is it you're so creeped out when it concerns me?" Wendy asked.
"Because I can't think of you in that light without involuntarily shuddering? Probably got something to do with me seeing you as pure, which is a big reason why you're so attractive to me."
Wendy blushed for a moment, embarrassed by the compliment, before sitting up straight upon hearing a knocking at the door. A moment after the knock, it opened, revealing Erza, whose brows were knitted together, her eyes narrowed. She looked first at Wendy, who shrunk back, reflexively, and then at Paizuri, who looked back up at her, an eyebrow raised.
"We need to talk," Erza said.
"Later, Wendy, Erza'll have me mopping floors for the next hour probably," Zuri said.
"Awwww... go nice on Zuri, please? Charle's out and could get hurt and I want Zuri with me if I have to go find her," Wendy pleaded.
"I will send her back to you, shortly," Erza said.
Wendy smiled as they left. Zuri and Erza, however, were not smiling, the moment they were out the door.
-FAIRY TAIL-
Erza pulled Zuri into her room, where Lucy was busy working on her novel. The Knight pushed Zuri, forcefully, into the chair, and then stood back, glaring at her.
"You did what to Juvia in her sleep?"
"Actually, I don't know that myself. She'd have to tell you. I was asleep, too," Zuri said, crossing her arms.
"You did the same thing to Levi, Cana, and Mirajane. Lucy had suspicious dream last night, while I was out on patrol, so I wonder if you visited her last night, too."
"Might've, I dunno. Like I said, unconscious for the whole process. Sleep sexing!"
"...Why should I believe that?" Erza asked.
Zuri immediately got to her feet, then dove under Erza's bed for a moment. She reached around for a moment, then pulled out a small book, which she tossed to Lucy, who squealed in fright.
"You've got those reading glasses, right?" Zuri asked.
"Yeah, why?"
"Flip through that, while I exposit this to Erza myself. You can confirm it all."
"Okay," Lucy mumbled as she dug around for her magical glasses.
"Explain," Erza commanded.
"Do you know how sexy that is? Damn. Anyways, here's how it goes. Every couple hundred years, succubae undergo a naming ritual. It's kind of a demonstration of skill, really, because you get your name based on what you display particular excellence at doing. I've been known as Paizuri for all my life."
"So, why does that include you going around molesting everyone in their sleep?"
"Because I'm so used to just having a ton of sex right before the ritual. If I don't, ya' know, practice enough, my body just sort of takes over. Kinda mechanical, so I'm sure Juvia was not at all satisfied with that."
"...Well, I won't go into the details on that," Erza muttered.
"Hey, she didn't wake me up screaming, so I obviously didn't do that good of a job. It's insulting, really."
"...Any possibility of a conversation about your biology that doesn't involve sex?"
"Well, there's the soul-eating thing, but I don't really like talking about that. Eating souls is not fun. Sex is all kinds of good."
"Lucy? Can you confirm it?" Erza asked.
Lucy nodded, closing the book, "That and far more things than I ever really wanted to know. Did you really not used to wear clothes?"
"Oh, please, we still don't wear clothes when we can help it. I mean, we do it freely for human society, to blend in and mingle, but that's about it. Did you see the chapter about how many different techniques we invented, all for the sole purpose of making our beasts of burden work harder?"
"Don't remind me, I'm trying to forget it."
Zuri chuckled, mischievously, "You liked it, you know it."
"No, that's creepy as hell!"
Zuri shrugged, "To each their own. Anyways, about the ritual... See, I need to get there, and I'd really appreciate if I had some company. Not many people actually get to visit the succubus village."
Erza crossed her arms and glared down at Zuri, "That sounds... like several bad ideas all rolled into one."
"Well, it also sounds interesting. Think of how many other things about succubae culture we could learn. I'm certain a lot has changed, and they may even know where I can find a new Zodiac Key. They are a whole different culture off in a largely unexplored part of the world."
"You make a valid point, but Zuri?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you asking us to come with you? As opposed to, say, Wendy?"
"Bring WENDY? Are you insane? Succubae villages are terrible for children. Jeez, Erza," Paizuri retorted.
"Question. Would you go if we refused?" Erza asked.
"Errrr... well... probably not..."
"And why is that?" Erza growled, glaring.
"Because of that whole soul-eating thing, there is a teeny-tiny chance that I might be horribly beaten on sight. You guys are the perfect bodyguards. Lucy's only interested in Erza, so she won't be tempted by succubae AND can keep Erza from being tempted. Erza's strong enough to beat anyone who might attack me! It's win-win! ...For me!"
"If they hate you so much, why do you even want to go back?" Lucy asked, "Especially since we all call you Zuri, anyways."
"If any succubus will have the answers about what really happens to my soul after committing the Great Taboo, it would be the Elder, and my paizuri is pretty much going to be the only interrogation method I can think of. Plus, they might let me in if I can convince them I'm only there to contend for my name."
"But you're not."
"And they don't need to know that! Now, when do we leave?"
"We'll leave tomorrow, you can go back to Wendy, now."
"Yay!"
-FAIRY TAIRU-
By the time Paizuri opened the door, Wendy was putting on her rain boots, a worried look on her face. Paizuri sighed and grabbed up the umbrella in the corner, then kneeled in front of Wendy and pulled the straps on the undone rain boot tight. She stood up, and lightly grabbed Wendy's hand.
"Looking for Charle?"
Wendy nodded, "She hasn't come back, yet, and it's been about twenty minutes... The storm's getting worse, too."
Paizuri nodded, without a word of protest or even a vague 'don't be silly'. The Sky Dragon Slayer and the succubus were out the door, down the hall, and out on the town in moments.
-FAIRY TAIL-
Charle had finally stopped flying and simply walked through the town amidst the rain after about fifteen minutes. She hadn't found Happy, but that wasn't too important just yet. Honestly, she mostly just wanted to clear her head. The rain helped, just a bit, to set her thoughts a bit straighter. The dull tone as every raindrop pattered against the ground soothed her mind, let her think clearly. Something was up with Happy. He wasn't normal, for what he was.
"Hey, Charle!" Happy shouted.
Charle whirled around to see her blue, male counterpart rushing towards her, with a large, beautiful, white flower.
"Since you told me you don't like fish the last time I gave you one, I figured you might like this!" Happy said, grinning, leaving out the part about Lucy being the one to tell him to pick a flower.
Charle stared at the flower, and accepted it, appreciatively. She then turned her gaze on Happy, who smiled at her, graciously.
"Do you like it?"
"...Why don't you remember?" Charle asked, curiously, with a bit of cold steel to her voice.
"Did I do something bad? Did you tell me you were allergic and I forgot?" Happy asked, panic creeping into his voice.
Charle slowly shook her head, "Why don't you remember why you're here? Where you're from?"
"Natsu just told me I came from an egg that he found in the forest... I've never heard about why I was here. One time, though, Makarov said that the meaning of life is, well, to give life meaning," Happy said, his hears flattened.
"To... give life meaning...?" Charle wondered aloud, before shaking herself and taking a threatening step towards Happy, her paws balled up into fists, "Then why have I known that my purpose should lead me to kill Wendy! WHY WAS I BORN KNOWING I WOULD BE THE DEATH OF THE GIRL WHO BEFRIENDED ME!"
Happy shrunk back, his eyes wide in shock, "Wh-what? What does that mean?"
Charle rushed forward and shoved Happy, knocking him on his back, "Why do you have some empty solace? Why do you not know, living in total ignorance of your true calling? WHY!"
Happy lay on the cold, wet stone, looking up at Charle with fright in his eyes. Charle's body shook as she stared down at him, her eyes welling up with tears. They stayed like that for a minute, and Happy quickly began to cry, letting out choked gasps. He screwed up his eyes in pain, as Charle's low, quiet sobs pierced his mind more vividly than any painful thing he'd ever experienced.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Charle... I'm sorry... I'll do anything to help you! I promise!"
"YOU CAN'T HELP ME! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU COULD POSSIBLY DO TO HELP ME!" Charle screamed.
"...he's trying, Charle, but you're not letting him," Wendy said, quietly.
Charle whirled around to see Wendy and Zuri standing a few feet away. The succubus was fairly soaked, but Wendy was almost completely dry. Zuri held an umbrella over the younger girl, with no seeming concern for her own self. Charle heard Happy getting to his feet and activating Aera. She looked back to see him flying away, desperately. Charle clenched her fists in anger; at him for not knowing, at herself for being such an idiot.
"How much did you hear?" Charle asked, her throat unclenching, her voice steeled.
"Just you shouting that Happy couldn't help you, right after he promised to do anything he could to," Wendy said.
Charle looked up at the succubus, and read a look of deep concern and a bit of anger. Charle's insides twisted. Zuri was a succubus, perhaps she heard more? Her hearing was probably better than Wendy's...
"Come on over here, under the umbrella," Wendy said.
Charle gulped and nodded, obeying mechanically. She heard the faint whisper of "you better explain later" from Zuri, and her insides filled with lead. Happy wouldn't have questioned what she said, probably would've chalked it up to her ranting. Paizuri acted a bit loopy, sure, but she was far older than anyone Charle knew. Great. Just what she needed. As if the day couldn't get any worse...
Wendy looked up from Charle, at a tap from Paizuri, and saw a figure in the rain. His face was mostly covered with what looked a bandana. He had various magical-looking instruments strapped to his back, and his whole body was cloaked in mysterious-looking clothing.
"Mystogan...?" Paizuri asked, finally, after he stopped walking, about four feet in front of them.
"A storm's coming... Gildartz noticed it, too. It's going to be big," Mystogan said, looking up for a moment, then back down to Wendy, "I need to get you away from here."
"What? Take her away?" Paizuri asked, her free hand absentmindedly clenching Wendy's shoulder.
"I have to stay here. I have to help my comrades!" Wendy shouted.
Wendy and Mystogan stared at one another, the girl's expression fierce.
"...I regret not finding you sooner," Mystogan said, "You're determined, I can see it."
He pulled away at what covered his face, and the familiar marking on his face, the blue, spiky hair, sent a pang of recognition through Charle and Wendy.
"Gérard?" Charle demanded.
Memories of walking with an older boy with that mark filled Wendy's mind. Memories of that man protecting her, guiding her, until he said something about Anima being too dangerous for to be around. The memory of him leaving her with Cait Shelter struck her again, and the tears flowed freely from Wendy, as she stared up at him. He looked back down at her, care in his eyes.
"I have wanted to see you... for so long..."
"Will you come with me? Leave this place, before the whole town is engorged?"
Wendy shook her head, "I... I can't..."
Mystogan nodded, reached in his pocket, and handed her a strange piece of armour. It was a sort of... white gauntlet. Wendy hesitantly slipped it on. He looked up at the sky and a shiver coursed through his body, before he looked back down at Wendy, panic evident in his face. Zuri and Charle tensed up, getting closer to Wendy.
"You'll need this, where we'll be going. Find Natsu and Gajeel, quickly. They'll be the most useful you could find."
Wendy stared at the white gauntlet, which seemed to shrink and enlarge and generally shift to better fit her arm. She looked over at Mystogan, bewilderment in her eyes.
"You'll need everything I can give you, for I have failed in my task... This Anima has become too big... My power is not enough to control it anymore. Magnolia will vanish in no time. It's been determined..."
Wendy started to step forward, both hands curling slowly into fists. Zuri, however, held her back.
"What about Fairy Tail! What about my friends!" Wendy demanded, after a moment.
Mystogan looked at them for a moment, "They will most likely die. But... you and your demon friend... could save them... Wendy, hold onto her."
Paizuri, while still holding the umbrella, ducked down, grabbed Wendy, and hefted her up, holding the girl tight against her body.
"Zuri, what are you..."
"Look, kiddo, I'm not usually the most trusting person, but I've heard of Mystogan and he's displayed knowledge of what's going on with concern for your well-being. I'm not letting go of you until this is over. Charle, get over here."
"You misunderstand me, Zuri. Wendy must protect you."
Zuri shrugs, "Whatever works. Wendy, let's go warn the others."
Mystogan shakes his head, half-collapsing, "That won't be possible... It's already upon us..."
"Mystogan!" Wendy shouted.
Everything, after that moment, became hell. A torrent of power plunged into the city of Magnolia, whirling about magnificently. No one was able to react in time. The magic swept them away, and their entire world was black.
-FAIRY TAIL-
What could've been hours or minutes or years or seconds, Wendy realized the darkness in front of her eyes was warm. A moment later, she pulled herself up to see she was sitting on top of Zuri. Wendy's eyes widened and she leaped back with a shriek... into a rough surface, though Wendy felt surrounded by a cloud of dust. Zuri sat up, scratching the back of her head.
"Well, at least that wasn't weird. Oi, Wendy, you alright?" she asked.
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Wendy said, "...did anyone else make it?"
Charle flew up a moment later, her Aera magic activated, her eyes screwed up in pain. Zuri watched her carefully, keeping a hand steady, ready to blow the cat away if she tried to hurt Wendy.
"What happened?" Wendy asked.
"The King finally captured magic," Charle said, "Or, well, a large chunk of it... That thing in the sky? That was Anima... a magic-stealing technique employed by the King of Edoras. He used it to steal this whole town, which is now Lachryma in Edoras."
"King of Edoras...?" Wendy asked.
Two seconds later, Happy burst up from the dust cloud, looking confused and thoroughly freaked out, "GUYS GUYS WHAT JUST HAPPENED?"
"Edoras is... an alternate world. It's where Happy and I come from," Charle said, giving a glance to Happy.
"...I came from... an alternate world...? Then how come I don't remember?"
"That's what I wanted to know!" Charle shouted, failing to keep her temper in check, "Why you forgot your mission to find a Dragon Slayer and kill it, in the name of our Queen!"
Charle heard the sound of a raging fire coming to life. She whirled around to see Zuri, both of her hands on fire. Wendy stood, stone-still, staring at Charle, yet her attention clearly also on Zuri. In the back of her mind, Wendy wondered how Zuri was able to conjure so much fire, when she usually couldn't.
"I fucking knew it, you bitch," Zuri hissed.
Charle flinched, before snapping, "I have had no intentions on following that order for a long time, now! I have wanted nothing more than to save Wendy! There is no way I could live with myself if I allowed her to die!"
Zuri let out a primal snarl, so feral and threatening that Wendy's knees nearly buckled right then. Charle fell back, under the dust cloud, before righting herself. Happy flew over in front of her, holding out his arms in defiance.
"Don't you dare hurt Charle!"
"Zuri... please," Wendy whispered.
The fire around Zuri's hands dispersed, and she let them fall by her side. She glared at Charle for a moment, before looking down at Wendy. The girl was shaking, probably crying. Zuri took a step back, feeling disgust rise in her for a moment, before everyone was distracted by a gout of flame erupting from the dust.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!" Natsu bellowed.
He got to his feet and rushed over towards the group, after a delighted cry from Happy alerted him to his friend's presence. He looked over at the shaking Wendy, the incredibly still Zuri, and the moping Charle. Only Happy looked... happy, and that was clearly just from seeing him. Natsu put the blue cat on his shoulder, before looking over at the others.
"What's up?" he asked.
"...nothing," Wendy said.
"Where are we? The last thing I remember was some weird cloud. Did we get sucked into the sky?" Natsu asked, looking around at all the dust clouds.
"No," Charle said, lowly, "What you're looking at is the ruins of Magnolia."
She quickly explained the situation and Natsu turned up towards the Anima.
"The hell you want my friends for, ya scary black hole bastard! I'll punch you until you give 'em back!" he shouted, shaking his fist at the sky.
"How can we get to that other world?" Wendy asked.
Charle looked at the others for a moment, then sighed, "Happy and I can fly you through the Anima. There's enough left... that we can make it."
"Um... two cats, three people," Zuri said, "And fuck you if you think I'm sitting this out."
Happy grabbed Natsu, while Charle grabbed Wendy. The Dragon Slayer's each offered a hand to Paizuri.
"...I'm going to hate every minute of this ride, aren't I?" Zuri asked, quietly.
"Most likely," Natsu said.
The cats activated their Aera magic, full-blast, and rocketed upwards and upwards.
"We can make it through the remnants...!" Charle shouted, "We just have to push ourselves... FASTER!"
Happy screwed up his eyes in pain as he pressed for every bit of speed his Aera could produce. Faster than ever before, faster even than during the Eligor incident, where he had felt he was going to die, perhaps, with the horrifying strain. His mind felt like it was going to rip apart. Vaguely, somewhere in the distance, Charle was screaming like a dying woman. Happy couldn't break himself away from the task, yet, not when they were...
...THERE!
He felt the vague vestiges of the Anima, that strange pulse of magic that washed over him, and suddenly Charle slowed down to a crawl. Happy turned down his Aera magic to mere hover, and he opened his eyes. His whole body felt sore and half-mangled, but the sights around him immediately cheered him up. Strange, beautiful trees that looked as if they grew bubbles, odd birds of strange dimensions. So many wonderful colors, all of them blending together in a wholly natural and perfect way. Happy stared, mouth wide open in a grin, all fears forgotten. Charle felt the sweet relief of finding something she never knew she had. Wendy, Natsu, and Paizuri simply looked on, observing the breath-taking sights.
...A strange sound cut short the bizarre ringing of the Aera magic, and the group was almost entirely silent for a moment.
"...I hate every minute of this ride," Paizuri said.
They began to scream as gravity took over. It would be a full minute of exercise for their poor lungs before they finally crashed through the roof of some small house. Miraculously, none of them were seriously injured, probably because the Dragon Slayers, primarily Natsu, took most of the fall.
"...If you ever decide you want to repeat that, I'll murder you myself. Fuck the taboos," Paizuri groaned as she sat up.
Charle looked around for a moment, before noticing that they were in a strange, small room with nothing but clothing inside it. She arched a brow.
"We'll need different outfits, to fit in with this world better," Charle said.
"I'll help Wendy get clothes!" Zuri declared, waving her hand, excitedly.
"...Fine, but you don't get to peek when I'm changing," Wendy said.
"Eh, fair enough."
A few minutes later, the lot were in different outfits. Charle wore a veil and a strange dress that mostly clung to her legs. Happy had on a helmet that obscured his entire face, with little else. Wendy wore robes that were rather right, revealing the zero aspects she had, being a twelve year-old, though the tassels on the sleeves and strange designs on the whole thing made Wendy chuckle to look at. She pulled the hood over her head and it dropped down, almost all the way over her eyes. Zuri, at first, decided that Edoras was probably so different that nudists were common. Natsu fell back after her decision and didn't recover until Wendy forced the succubus into wearing a sparkling, gown dress that she made fit her curves perfectly. The succubus resisted at first, until Wendy told her it made her look pretty.
Natsu sat up and looked around. He spotted Paizuri and nearly had a nosebleed from the memory of the event, before the sparkle of the dress distracted him. He blinked for a moment.
"Hah, you look like you're going to a wedding."
"Don't make me incapacitate you with pointy objects in your crotch, boy," Zuri hissed.
"Be nice, Natsu, she looks beautiful in it!"
Paizuri looked ready to faint with happiness and pride. Charle looked ready to barf.
"Well... we need to go out," Charle said, "Explore this world. So we can find your friends..."
Natsu clenched his fist, nodding, "Right."
They opened the door and found a sight that utterly weirded them out. A man, who looked too much like Gray to be anyone other than him, stood beside a woman just like Juvia. Gray wore too many clothes, though, layers and layers of it! What perversion was this? A perversion of a perversion!
"Juvia is going on a mission."
"Take me with you, Juvia!" Gray declared, hearts in his eyes.
"How many layers of clothing are you wearing, Gray?" Juvia asked, a smirk in her eyes, as she began to walk away.
"I... I have a weak blood condition!" Gray shouted, crumpling.
"Come find me when you wear a normal amount of clothing," Juvia called out over her shoulder.
"I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
Natsu's eyes darted over to the side, utterly horrified by this sick place's version of Gray, to see... Elfman? Yes, he had the same face, the same scars, but he seemed weedier and smaller. A lot like he did when he was a teenager. Meekly, he stood next to Jet and Droy, who looked down on him, angrily.
"You need to get stronger, Elfman, yeesh!" Jet shouted.
"Yeah, you're much too weak, as you are now!" Droy added.
"Oh, look, Fairy Tail's strongest are berating Elfman again."
"Don't overdo it, guys..."
Elfman nodded, meekly, ashamed and broken-looking. All the words left Natsu, and he could do nothing but stare at the atrocity.
"What happened to him?" Paizuri asked, under her breath.
Natsu looked over and saw Reedus, though he didn't recognize him at first. The man was much too skinny, and was furthermore, angrily chewing out someone.
"Hey, Cana, want to get some booze with us?"
Natsu's eyes darted over to the source of the noise and immediately spotted Cana, wearing a proper dress. She smiled, daintily shaking her head.
"You know I really don't like alcohol," Cana said, smiling gracefully.
Natsu's heart could hardly take the shock by this point. Black was white! Up was down! The dimensions were shifting out of place! Natsu held his head in struggling to take in this utterly bizarre Fairy Tail, where Bisca and Alzack held each other rather than awkwardly making conversation, where Nab rushed around looking for work rather than lazing about, where Tono seemed normal and not at all weird.
"What did the King do to Fairy Tail?" Natsu asked.
"...this is a different Fairy Tail. An alternate one, with a totally different history... Don't you get it? These aren't the people we're looking for," Charle said.
"Hey!" a voice shouted, "What the hell are you doing here?"
The Earthland Fairy Tailers looked up to see Lucy in a strange, gothic outfit, revealing much of her body. She had a bit of her pinned up like Mirajane's. She looked angry and violent as she stared down at them, Jet and Droy right behind her.
"Wow, you're even sexier like this," Paizuri said, "I have got to tell our Lucy about you. I bet Erza'll get a kick out of it, too. Hey, where's she at? Don't tell me she's dead and I just made this situation awkward..."
Edo-Lucy stared down at Paizuri, an eyebrow twitching, "Erza, you say? How's that she-devil of a witch?"
"Heck if I know, I'm not from around here," Paizuri said.
"Lucy...?" Natsu said, meekly.
Edo-Lucy's eyes darted towards Natsu and she grinned from ear to ear for a moment, before she seized Natsu in a tight hug.
"About time you got back from the mission, ya little twit!" she cried out.
Natsu didn't offer any resistance, just went with the flow, though he wished he hadn't, when Edo-Lucy smacked on the back of the head.
"What are you doing going around with her, huh?" Edo-Lucy snapped.
"Ummm..."
"DEATH PENALTY!"
Edo-Lucy seized Natsu in a vicious noogie that left bruises on the Dragon Slayer's head. She cackled as she spun him away, letting him stumble around for a moment, while others laughed and regaled in the sudden infliction of the "legendary" move from the girl. Natsu came to a stop, his eyes rolling for a moment, and they locked onto a familiar sight, which he never expected to come across.
"L-Lisanna...?" Natsu asked, quietly.
"Lucy, be nice to Natsu! Jet and Droy, you two stop picking on Elfman!"
"Yes, Lisanna," all of them grumbled.
Natsu and Happy both lunged for Lisanna, shouting her name, and latched onto her, nearly crying as they declared how happy they were that she was alive, safe and sound, when the Dragon Slayer received a vicious kick to his head. He stumbled back and looked over at Edo-Lucy, rubbing his head.
"When did you behave like such a beast, huh?" Edo-Lucy snapped.
"Umm..."
Meanwhile, Paizuri sat at the bar, where Edo-Mirajane was serving drinks in nothing but a string bikini. The succubus chuckled to herself, recalling the talks she'd had with Earthland's Mirajane.
"So, I take it you came to terms with your exhibitionism?" Paizuri asked.
"...Huh? Umm... well, yeah, I did, a long time ago. Why? Do I know you?" Edo-Mirajane asked, eyeing the succubus suspiciously.
"Eh? Me? Nah, probably not. I hope not. Edo-Me is probably a crazy, hyper-religious, virginal something or other. Or a cold-blooded, soul-sucking bitch. Neither option sounds nice, though the second sounds a little better. At least Edo-Me would've been quickly put down before carrying on a sex-void life for too long."
Edo-Mirajane slowly stepped away, nodding, giving a phony smile. Paizuri grinned for a moment, then turned to the side and gasped.
"...Wendy?" she asked.
Edo-Wendy turned towards her, arching a brow. As opposed to the Earthland Wendy, she was older, with a more mature air about her. The childish gleam in her was gone, the lovable curiosity replaced with wisdom. She wore a somewhat revealing black dress and seemed to smirk at everything around her.
"You are?" Edo-Wendy asked.
"I'm Paizuri."
"...I thought I killed you."
"Aw, shit, now everything's going to get awkward and I'm going to get beaten up. I specifically requested Erza and Lucy as bodyguards for the sole purpose of avoiding that fate..."
"...what on Edoras are you talking about?" Edo-Wendy demanded.
"Please don't hurt me!" Paizuri shouted, covering up her head with her hands.
Wendy rushed over, her fists up, glaring at Edo-Wendy.
"Don't you dare hurt Zuri! She's my friend!"
"...Did you know your friend here was employed by the Fairy Hunters, and was, in fact, the one who killed our master?" Edo-Wendy demanded, seething.
"Wait, I can explain!" Natsu shouted, "I'm not from this world!"
Everyone stared at him. Edo-Lucy punched him, immediately.
"Don't go off saying stupid crap like that!" she snapped.
"It's true!" Natsu replied, getting to his feet and staring Edo-Lucy down, fiercely, to her complete and utter shock.
"Woah, Nat, when'd you get to be so tough out of a vehicle?" Jet asked, quirking a brow.
"I've... what? I hate vehicles!"
"It's true, they make him sick!" Wendy shouted, still glaring at Edo-Wendy.
"You're not making any sense," Mirajane said.
"This WORLD doesn't make any sense! I'm used to going around punching things, blowing fire at stuff, Gray being a pervert, Luvia pining over Gray, Mirajane wearing clothes, Lisanna being-," Natsu ranted for a moment, before he caught himself.
"Something's happened to Natsu's mind," Edo-Lucy said, fright dancing in her eyes.
"I'm personally used to you and Erza doing X-Rated things when you think I can't hear you," Paizuri added.
"Zuri...! That was a dramatic moment," Wendy chided.
"Also, you're disgusting," Charle said.
"Back to normal, already?" Paizuri asked.
Edo-Lucy whirled around, looking at Paizuri, fury boiling, "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO DID THIS, AREN'T YOU! YOU EVEN WEAR HER FACE! WHAT ARE YOU, DEMON! ANOTHER SUCCUBUS, WHO SEDUCED NATSU AND THEN MADE HIM LOSE HIS MIND!"
"...I guess getting beat up will be karma for stealing everyone's bras at the beach."
Wendy stood in front of Paizuri as everyone started advancing on her. Paizuri looked down at Wendy for a moment, then shook her head.
"No, no, no, Wendy, you're not taking this for me," Paizuri said.
"I won't let them hurt you!"
"Who made the taunting comments, all while not really approaching the situation with tact? I think that's me."
Paizuri walked up to Edo-Lucy, slowly and calmly. She stood before the twisted version of her friend, waiting.
"You aren't gonna fight, you piece of trash?" Edo-Lucy hissed.
Paizuri shook her head, "I don't have any qualms with you. My world's Fairy Tail saved my life, took me in, and kept me."
The succubus lowered the top of her dress a bit, and Edo-Lucy caught a glimpse of a familiar mark, right at the top of Zuri's chest, where it wasn't quite indecent. Edo-Lucy stared at her, before her hand flashed out, and Zuri fell to the floor. The seventeen year old stared down at the succubus, tears in her eyes.
"How... dare you!" she shouted, "How did you get that?"
Paizuri chuckled, "I went through hell for this mark. I did a lot of bad things, forced by that damn psycho-bitch Venny. I killed her for what she did to me, but mostly for what she was going to do to Wendy. I fought for her sake, and eventually got to know the others, until I became such good friends with them... that I would give my life if it meant Fairy Tail would have an extra moment of laughter."
Edo-Lucy glared down at her, slowly pulling out something that looked like a hilt. She growled, and Paizuri merely smiled back at her.
"If dying means you will be happy, so be it," Paizuri said, closing her eyes, "Even if I would've liked to know what will happen to me in the afterlife."
Edo-Lucy brought up the hilt for a moment, before her hand fell to her side, "Who are you?"
Paizuri chuckled, shaking her head, when all hell once again broke loose. A member of Fairy Tail rushed in, with a cry that sent an incredible rush of fear through every Edoras citizen's veins.
"FAIRY HUNTER!"
Everyone rushed around so quickly that the Earthland citizens were immediately lost in the shuffle. Edo-Levy sat in some chair with odd things about her, while Edo-Lucy worriedly rushed around, trying to re-attain order. She finally lost patience and turned back towards Edo-Levy.
"DAMMIT, LEVY, HURRY UP WITH THAT TRANSPORTATION!"
"DAMMIT, LUCY, I'M DOING AS BEST AS I CAN!"
"What the hell's going on?" Natsu asked.
"What's Fairy Hunter?" Wendy asked.
"The King of Edoras wants all the magic to himself," Charle said.
"So he banned all mage guilds so that no one could use magic," Edo-Lucy said, "So... we're effectively a dark guild, now..."
Natsu, Wendy, and Happy gasped.
"Fairy Tail...," Natsu muttered.
"A dark guild...?" Happy finished.
"That's not fair!" Wendy shouted.
A moment later, the world around them shifted, changed, and the Fairy Tail guild was gone.
-FAIRY TAIL-
"Damn, we almost had them."
The incredible monster, Legion, scraped its claws on the spot where the guild house had just been, furious. The dark beast crooned in mourning of the lost meal.
"Don't worry, Sugarboy, we'll get them..."
"I expect Faust will be angry if we don't turn these damn Fairy Tailers over to him, soon."
"Faust can wait a little longer. He should be happy, having finally pulled in such a good haul from the Anima."
"Those are treacherous words, Erza Knightwalker."
Sugarboy found the Ten Commandments pointed at his neck, and he grinned.
"No, Sugarboy, it is merely a statement of fact. Do not accuse me of things I have not and will not carry out. I am a harbinger of the law."
Sugarboy chuckled, as Knightwalker put away the Ten Commandments, "Fair enough, fair enough, Fairy Hunter. You'll get them, in time."
"They can't keep running forever... they'll run out of teleport magic," Knightwalker muttered, "And then we'll have them."
End of Chapter One