Author's Note: Wow...I owe this audience a major apology.
Truly, I feel so crappy about the way I put this story on pause. I was trying to balance three stories at once, while also trying to finish up my school. Anyway I apologize for any issues with the delay.
This story is NOT OVER! Don't worry. Yes, it might be a little hard for me to release the remaining chapters, but stay tuned no matter what! I never abandon stories that i release, so don't count this one out!
In other words, this chapter was very fun to write! I actually reached out to the 4th Pirates of the Caribbean move for inspiration on the main centerpiece. Not anything big, but it gave me the clever idea to add a new character...
In all seriousness, I was offended with the first half of the story regardless. For some odd reason I felt like I was delivering bad chapters and rushing things, but then I re-read the first 10 and realized I was actually satisfied with it! Anyway you all seem to enjoy it regardless, and I humbly thank you for that! No let's get back into it!
Also, I do not own Fairy Tail.
Chapter Eleven - Isle of Heaven
Gajeel took in all the air that he could as he lifted himself off the sands with his elbows. Lucy backed up to give him some room, and as she continued to cry, her tears were slowly fading, and a smile took her face.
"S-Sorry, but they poisoned you…and you were about to…" The blonde thought she was ready to speak, but a few of her words were still being caught in her choked up throat.
Gajeel looked up to her, then turned to the barren ocean out beyond the shore. "Where…where are we? And where's the ship?"
Lucy started thinking straight again and looked out with him. "They left us on the island, then sailed that way." She pointed to the upper left. "I think its east, the suns setting the opposite way, so I can only imagine they're heading for those nasty islands."
"Oaktown…" Gajeel wiped sea water from his brow and finally sat up to gain full control of his body. He then looked down and noticed Lucy's wrists were still bound together in the front.
"Did you swim all the way over with those shackles, Blondie?" He said with serious sarcasm.
Lucy let out a laugh and sat down on the back of her legs. She then shrugged. "Yea? It wasn't easy if you could imagine…"
Gajeel almost laughed, but instead he reached up and noticed he now had a new necklace. It appeared to be a black steel key, and it looked to match Lucy's bindings.
"Those creeps have a bad sense of humor…" Gajeel said as he reached over and un-shackled Lucy's hands.
He then stood up, and as she rubbed her hands with comfort she took in another breath. "So what now?" She said as she too started cleaning herself from the sea water.
Gajeel shook his head and sighed. "Agh…girlie I have no idea what to do, alright? And if you were looking to me to help us off this damn thing you gotta…" Gajeel tried laying into his lone partner, but stopped as she lowered her head with sorrow.
"Grr…look we need to find a cave or something. Also a river or lake. This sea water won't do us any good." He then turned to the island jungle behind them and started marching inward.
"Hold on!" Lucy yelled as she grabbed a gun that was lying beside his original spot. She then stood and followed after him. "There might be animals in there! Animals that can kill us?!"
Gajeel stopped and took a deep breath. "Yea okay…is that supposed to stop us from finding shelter?"
"Well no, I just…" Lucy paused for a moment before awkwardly handing him the pistol. "We might need this to defend ourselves."
Gajeel looked down and froze as his eyes widened with the sight of the brown gun. He then paused for a moment and looked up at Lucy's eyes before taking it.
"Blondie, this gun ain't for…you know what I'll just hang on to it." Before finishing his confusing explanation Gajeel grabbed the gun and stuffed it in his belt. He then carried on through the jungle, with Lucy right on his tail.
After several hours, the sun had finally lowered, and Gajeel and Lucy could now walk through the cool but murky jungle without getting too hot.
Meanwhile, Lucy continued to swat and swipe at every flying insects that crossed her path. "Bleh! Are you getting eaten alive too or is it just me?"
"Mgh…I wish I was getting eatin alive. It'd end this torture I can tell ya that…" Gajeel said with a roll of his eyes. Lucy heard him and kicked him in the back of the leg.
"Not funny you ass!" She harshly replied with anger before crossing her arms and continuing to follow him. "Anyway…do you have any idea where you're going yet?"
Gajeel turned and hissed "Okay Heartfilia we need to get this clear right now. I have no idea where we are, and I have no idea what's on this island. Hell I imagine you have a better chance of knowing where we are, you probably read a boat load of books every night before going to bed!"
Lucy almost took offense to that, but instead she sighed. "Yea…sorry, I just figured you'd have a better idea of recognizing an island like this."
Gajeel stopped and realized Lucy got quiet, and as a result forced him to shake his head. "Agh…look just keep following me. Like I said, if we find a cave or shelter we'll be good, especially if it has…"
Before he finished, he and Lucy both stopped breathing to hear a faint trickling sound right up ahead. That prompted them to both stop talking and run faster through the thicket of jungle plants in order to find the source of the sound.
When they arrived, both sailors were blown away. It appeared to be a little grotto of some sorts, with a beautiful inland lake and tiny cliff that had a running waterfall emptying mountain runoff into the crystal blue pool down below.
"Oh yea! We're gonna survive after all!" Lucy held her fists up in the air as she ran forward and sat down by the lake, instantly dipping her hands down in the water to cup a little sample in her hands.
After taking a sip, she looked at Gajeel. "Wow, for being right out of a pond this stuff is pretty good!" But instead of smiling Lucy paused to notice Gajeel was more shocked than happy.
"Um…Gajeel?" She asked with hesitation as his beady red eyes were locked on the lake in front of them, but Lucy was still turned facing his way. This prompted her to slowly turn with anxiety building inside her as the mysterious sight unfolded before her eyes.
Floating along the edge of the water was a woman. She was very beautiful, with light blue hair that was long enough to reach below the water, and pure blue eyes that seem to have no pupils.
The woman was looking at both the guests with an unimpressed expression as she leaned over the lake's edge with one cheek supported by her hand. "What the hell do you humans think you're doing?"
"Um…?" Lucy froze with fear as she looked towards the woman. "Humans? B-But you look just like…"
The blue haired woman reached out and grabbed Lucy by her white shirt's collar. She then got right in her face and squinted her eyes. "I'm sorry, were you just about to call me a filthy human like you? Because it almost sounded like that was about to happen?"
Lucy had no idea how to respond and slowly held her hands up. "O-Okay you can be whatever you wanna be lady!"
The woman wasn't looking any happier, and then she noticed Gajeel was staring under the water. "And what's up with the gawking pal?! You tryin to get a better look!?"
"Ahh…" Gajeel's eye was starting to twitch with confusion as his brain slowly began to boil.
If he wasn't going crazy, it almost looked like the woman's lower half was a fish tail.
Finally, he cracked. "Are you a…are you a mermaid?"
"Hmph!" The lady from the lake took slight offense to that and let go of Lucy as she crossed her arms, which were now covering her very ample chest only being clothed by a revealing dark blue bikini top with white trim. She also had a golden armlet and bracelet on each arm which made her look rather royal, along with the thin gold tiara like band encircling her forehead, and the mysterious blue tattoo covering her collarbone.
Finally she began speaking again. "If you have to be an ass about it…yes, I am a mermaid." She then opened her eyes, but kept her menacing composure. "I am Aquarius, and I am the steward of the Isla del Ciela."
Lucy paused for a moment and collected the name. "Isla del…The Island of the Heavens?"
Aquarius rolled her eyes. "Well, Blondie has some brains. Yes, this island hold an ancient power from the days before you humans came here. Now I sit on the island alone protecting its secrets."
Lucy sat back on her legs and frowned. "Awe, that sounds so lonely. Do you have any friends?"
Aquarius's eye started twitching. "What? Like some fish or something? Are you suggesting that I talk with these other nasty creatures in here?"
"NO NOT AT ALL!" Lucy stood up and ran behind Gajeel.
Meanwhile Gajeel shook his head. "Hold on, you're saying this island has some sort of treasure on it?"
Aquarius shrugged and turned he back. "Well, no not exactly, but it can help open one…or at least I can."
Lucy poked her head out from behind Gajeel's broad shoulder. "You can? Hey Gajeel doesn't Jose want a treasure? Maybe this can help us!"
Aquarius turned back around with eyes filled with fire. "AND WHAT, ARE YOU GONNA SELL HIM MY ISLAND BLONDIE!?"
"NO I WON'T I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT PLEASE GAJEEL DON'T LET HER HURT ME!" Lucy started rambling like a pathetic child as Gajeel held up his hands.
He then looked to Aquarius. "Hold on, are you related to a specific treasure or…?"
Aquarius started raising an eyebrow. "Well no…actually it's quite the opposite. I have the power to unlock any treasure I wish in these ocean waters. All with a turn of my key."
"No way!" Lucy lit up with a smile. "That's amazing!"
"Yea it is…" Gajeel looked impressed as well. He then walked up to the edge and crotched down in front of Aquarius. "Okay mermaid, tell me how to unlock this power you're talking about?"
Aquarius laughed and rolled her eyes. "Well, aren't you a funny human. It is true that my power comes in the form of an object, but it isn't so easy to access for the average treasure hunter."
Gajeel and Lucy both looked confused as Aquarius waved her hand over the water in front of her arms, which then let a small, grey urn rise out of the water.
Aquarius lifted it from the water and held it out for Gajeel. "Here. Stick your hand in and tell me if you find anything."
"Okay." Gajeel shrugged and went to do it, but Lucy grabbed his hand.
"WAIT!" She cried out with certain fear. "You're just gonna do it?"
"Hmm…" Gajeel thought about it for a moment before switching to his left hand. "Yea, good thinkin Blondie. I don't wanna risk losing my sword hand."
"Ugh…!" Lucy face-palmed as Gajeel carried out his task, and as he did there appeared to be nothing but loose pond water swishing and splashing around inside the jar.
Aquarius took it back and laughed. "Hah, see? Not everyone can receive my gifts."
Gajeel started getting angry. "Okay smart ass, what do I have to do?"
Aquarius raised an eyebrow and scrunched up her face as soon as she scanned Gajeel brawny, masculine body. She then laughed again. "Only those who are more beautiful than a mermaid can gain access to my key, and you…you're not so pretty are you pal?"
"Oy!" He yelled out with anger. "Listen here Fish-tail! I don't wanna hear the lip, and I really don't wanna…!"
He went to get in an all-out battle with the mermaid before Lucy sat up and looking into the jar. "Hold on…I see gold?"
She crawled forward with Gajeel and Aquarius both completely stunned, and without Aquarius moving an inch, Lucy reached in and retrieved a tiny golden key with an end like a mermaid's tail.
Aquarius's eye started twitching, and the water around her started to boil. On the other hand Lucy lit up like a star with a great big smile of joy. "No way! I-I got the key!"
Meanwhile Gajeel started howling as he went to high five Lucy. "Ay! Little Blondie actually managed to do something! That Salamander of yours is gonna be impressed when he hears about this."
Lucy started blushing when she put two and two together, and remembered what the demand was to find the key. She then started thinking about Natsu while playing with her hair. "O-oh, w-well yea I guess you're right Gajeel…hehe. Maybe I can tell Natsu when we…"
She went to stop and think about Natsu and the others in peril, but once again the mermaid violently reached out and grabbed Lucy by the collar.
This time her eyes were black like death. "Okay…you get one shot at this, or else you're dead…if you EVER tell people how you got that key, tell them you found it, tell them I gave it to you, hell you can even tell them you stole it…but if you EVER tell them what the real trick was I will personally swim to whatever crap-pile you call a home and kill you in your cozy little bead."
She then leaned forward and pressed her forehead into Lucy's, leaving an imprint on the blonde's skin from her headband. "Does the blonde bimbo understand?"
Lucy felt all courage leave her body as she withered to almost putty in the hands of the angry mermaid. She then slowly nodded and blinked twice for good measure. "Y-yea…she understands…no one knows…got it."
Then, Aquarius let go and threw Lucy back ashore, but as she did Lucy's ears picked up on a sound from back towards the sea. "Hold on…I hear voices…"
She then picked herself up and ran back towards the way they came, leaving Gajeel to yell and run after her.
"Hey wait!" He cried out with confusion. "Ugh…dumb ass blonde…" Gajeel started running after her, but before he left Aquarius spoke up.
"Hey, what do you need this treasure for anyway? You lose a bet or something?"
Gajeel stopped and lowered his head. He then spoke with heavy words as he clenched his fists.
"I lost something, or someone…someone bigger than any treasure."
Aquarius raised an eyebrow, then widened her eyes as her cheeks started turning red. "O-oh…well I guess that's a good motive to have…I hope she's prettier than that annoying friend you have there."
Gajeel cracked a smile and never gave her another answer, and then walked back through the thicket of green as he chased after Lucy.
As he ran back the way they came, Gajeel found himself with a lot of time to think. "Levy…I don't know where you are or what happened, but I'm not giving up on ya kid…mark my words." He then picked up his pace and charged like hell as he ran through the night's jungle.
After running for quite a ways Gajeel could see ocean waters just beyond his view through the trees, but still no sight of Lucy. "Okay Blondie where'd ya go!? Oh man if I lose her I'll…"
Just then as Gajeel stepped out on to the beach, the last sight he saw standing up were three large royal galleons floating off shore, followed by a wooden oar flying in from the right and smacking him in the face.
Gajeel hit the ground hard and fell on his back. He then rubbed his head and opened his eyes to find Lucy looking over the shoulders of two royal navy shoulders.
"Agh…I told them not to hurt you…sorry."
Then, a deeper voice from down on the shore spoke loud and clear. "Now now Lucy, he deserves it. That's what a kidnapper gets before his trial by jury. Pain and punishment."
Gajeel never even looked up before he rolled his eyes and spat out a tiny fraction of blood, reciting the name of the person who spoke those words.
"Great…glad to see your daddy Jude came and found us."
I had a lot of fun with that chapter! Man I did miss this story! I dunno, maybe I shouldn't have tried writing 3 stories at once? Hehe...sorry I got bored during school.
Anyway my new program and job are going well! Whoo! Hopefully I will have time to deliver the remaining chapters!
In other news I would be lying if I said I took a full break from writing all together during the last month...I've actually been writing the first half to my next fan fic project, and I'm excited to announce that it will be the first story I've every written that does not feature Fairy Tail. It will feature a crossover involving some famous books and another anime series...any guess?
But NOOOO! It will NOT keep me from finishing this story do not worry about that! I like the new story idea, and I've been working really hard on it, but I WILL NOT release it until this pirate story and my baseball story are all done! Anyway keep an eye out for chapter 12! We'll catch up on Levy, Jose, and Natsu!
Until next time! (Also anyone watching Game of Thrones? This season is too legit!)