Chapter 3: Laying low
Elmina(Underground tunnel):
"Where the heck are we?" Natsu questions as the team are hiding from the chasing fishes from earlier.
"Beats me, we were running like mad for a while." Gray leans against the wall with his arms crossed.
"I can't believe fish ended up chasing me... I'm supposed to be chasing them." Happy lays down.
"It's probably payback for all the fish you've eaten up till now," Carla says to him while down as well.
"The moment we brought up the water god, their attitude changed." Erza noticed.
"I guess they really do worship him." Wendy replied.
"But weren't we told that they once worshipped him?" Lucy wonders, "Does this mean that the religion of the water god continues even now?"
"..." Natsu just looks at her.
"What?" Lucy is confused at him.
"Gimme my scarf back," Natsu demands.
"They took my top, okay! I can't help it!" Lucy covers her chest.
"Just change into one of your spirit outfits." Natsu suggested before trying to pull the scarf off her.
"Oh yeah! wait, why are you pulling this off?!" Lucy questions dramatically and tries to pull it back.
"Felt like it." Natsu replied, not even caring.
"There's something else bothering me, too." Gray said as he thinks back to what kashima said about other people going after the water dragon god, "It seems there were other human visitors here, too."
"Other human visitors..." Wendy trailed.
"..." Erza recalls something and shared, "This also leads back to what that guy said, Sueong, was it?"
"Uh... what about him?" Natsu asks, not getting it.
"Before arriving here, He mentioned going on a beast hunting mission when we asked him..." Erza thinks.
Lucy takes moment to put the pieces together, "Then... that means."
"That's right, looks like Sueong is also targeting the Water god dragon." Erza finishes.
"!" That shocks the rest.
"So no wonder he was playing around the bush about it." Gray scoffs.
"But why though." Wendy wonders.
"Who knows, but handing the water god dragon is our job." Natsu states, serious look, "Sueong can't just interfere and take over. Not happening."
"Then that also means he and his cat partner are somewhere in this town looking already." Lucy figures.
"I'm guessing the fishes must of refused to give them the whereabouts and now refuse to give them to us as well." Carla said.
"Guess he didn't use force to get the information." Happy added, "Odd..."
"And also... Those fishes are probably just following what their religion tells them. They didn't seem particularly evil or anything like that." Lucy thinks and understands.
"Even the one that took your top?" Natsu asked with a stare.
"No! That one's definitely evil! When I get my hands on that thing, I'll write "pervert" on his head!" Lucy declares dramatically.
"I admit that they don't seem evil." Gray agrees, "I mean, they wouldn't have given us that potion for underwater breathing if that were the case."
"But we're here to defeat the water god dragon and only us." Natsu declared, "Whether these guys like it or not, that's our job."
"Also, do you guys remember what elefseria said?" Lucy brings him up, "He said: Seal the 6 dragons."
"So we defeat them, right?" Natsu questions her.
"No. Seal." Lucy corrects him, "Which can mean many things: Exterminating them, neutralizing them, sealing them with some sorta seal, and imprisoning them could all be considered "Sealing"." She continues and explains with a finger up.
"What do you mean?" Gray questions.
"Basically, we weren't told what he meant by "sealing"." Lucy continues, "For example, let's say the water god dragon is on an angry rampage. If we convince to cool his temper and calm down, that'd technically be "sealing" him, no?"
"So there might be a easy and peaceful way to resolve all this!" Wendy gets it.
"It could be possible." Lucy replied.
Natsu is kind of down at the sound of that and turns his head, pouting. Erza pats him on the head, gently, "Stop looking so obviously put out." She smiles, "You of all people should know that not all dragons are evil. We fight not to defeat them, but to survive them."
"Fine, I get it!" Natsu eventually gives in, "Once we figure out what exactly each of these dragons are, I won't hurt them." He then smashes his fist on the ground, angrily, "But if they so much as put a finger on any of my friends, I swear I'll slay them all!"
Everyone smiles in determination at his answer, "Now that it's decided, let's go get some questions answered."
"Is the water god dragon friend or foe? What is this city?" Gray's saying questions.
"And we have to get to the water dragon before Sueong possibly does. If he's really here." Happy adds, which Natsu definitely agrees with.
"Yeah." Carla agrees, "As well as his partner... hiouis, I believe was his name."
"Okay first, let's go back to the city and clear things up with the fishes." Gray suggests.
"That is if they wanna listen to us..." Lucy says.
"I don't wanna..." Happy declines, not wanting to be chased again.
Lucy then thought of something, "Wait! I've got an idea!"
Meanwhile:
"Ahhh, that hit the spot!" Hiouis pats his stomach once they're out of the restaurant.
"Is sure did." Tyrone agrees.
"I'll admit, That was refreshing. But now it's back to business." Sueong said before hearing some running.
Kashima comes running in the middle the town and exclaims, "Alert! Alert! There are more human intruders after our great water god!"
That causes the people present to panic and go wild.
"Search for them and eliminate them!" Kashima exclaims, mad.
"Human intruders?" Chelliel narrows a brow.
"That suddenly came out of nowhere." Tyrone said and also sweat-drops, "Even though these people are human too so don't get what they mean."
"Welp, There goes our gather for intel. These people won't spill the beans on the water dragon god, especially judging by expressions." Hiouis said, plus shrugs a little.
"And wanting to eliminate them. Wonder who is it." Chelliel adds.
"This isn't some random intruders..." Sueong thought and questions kashima, "What do these 'Human' intruders look like?"
"Huh...?" Kashima's confused at the sudden asking.
"Just say it." Sueong forces him.
"Uh... there are five of them." He answers, "2 gentlemen, 3 ladies, and 2 cats."
"So my hunch was correct." Sueong lets kashima off the hook and rejoins his group, leaving Kashima confused at that sudden walk-off.
"What was that all about?" Tyrone narrows a brow after he came back.
"Beats me," Chelliel said.
"Natsu and his group are here," Sueong reveals.
"Who?" Tyrone
"Natsu? You mean the pink hair guy and his group we ran into before reaching this city?" Hiouis figures and remembers.
"That's right." He confirms.
"Now that I think about it... he did mention going on a beast mission like us, but another city." Hiouis thinks and remembers, "And it's confirmed to be here in elmina, what a surprise."
"You two never mentioned anything about meeting a group earlier?" Chelliel narrows a brow.
"That's because bringing that up was irrelevant to what we're currently about to do." Sueong replies.
"Well it's relevant now, they're after the water dragon god as well." Tyrone reminds, "And they're somewhere around this city."
"Tch, Natsu, and his team are basically interfering with our business." Sueong scoffs a little.
"You don't seem too happy about that." Chelliel notices.
"Of course not. Having others do my job just isn't it." He replies, sighs and not pleased.
"Let's go find the water god before they do, though it's easier said then done." Tyrone suggests.
"My thoughts exactly." The ice slayer agrees before walking on in front.
"Dang, this is a competition now." Hiouis thought, flying next to tyrone.
"Hold on!" Kashima stops them, "I heard you guys... are you after our lord water god too?!"
"And what if we are?" Sueong challenges, turning back at him.
"Then you'll be stopped as well!" Kashima calls the crowd, "After them! They're also after our lord water god just like those other human groups!"
"It just had to be an answer to provoke them." Chelliel sighs, before facing them to defend.
"Great, now they're after out heads. It'd have been better if they had just complied." Tyrone sighs and prepares to retaliate too.
"Hmm." Sueong waves a hand and an ice wall between them and the crowd of angry people, separating them, "They're not worth dealing with so that outta block them off."
"Great, time to skedaddle!" Hiouis points a pathway before they escape.
Back with Team Natsu:
Before coming out of hiding, Team Natsu are in disguise as fish(but wendy as a jellyfish) to fit in with the fish that are after them and use this chance to split up and gather information at any chance they get.
"Intel, huh..." Gray wonders as he is just swimming around aimlessly.
"You over there!" Kashima calls him, which startles gray.
Gray turns around, "The manager?!"
"Have they found the two groups of humans yet?" He asks
"He doesn't suspect a thing!" Gray thought in surprise and relief, "I dunno..."
"Well keep looking then!" Kashima orders.
"You were just one date dude..." Gray thought at his reaction.
"B-By the way... whatever happened to those humans from the other day?" Gray asked.
"That's obvious." Kashima replied, "We captured one, didn't you forget?"
"Captured!" Gray thought in surprise.
"She will be a sacrifice to the lord water god." Kashima confirms.
Meanwhile with Natsu, Lucy, and Happy:
"!" Natsu catches onto something.
"What's the matter, Natsu?!" Lucy asks.
"I smell humans." He replied before taking off, "This way!"
"Huh? Wait!" Lucy and happy follows him.
They see a cell up ahead with someone in it, "A cell?" Lucy questioned what's it doing here.
They get a closer look, "A woman?!" Natsu was surprised.
"Who is she..." Lucy wonders.
"And what guild is she from?" Happy adds.
We know what's coming up now. Not much to say here, except I edited the titles now.
Natsu and Sueong now know they're both after the water dragon god.
Feel free to post your thoughts on what'll happen when they next meet.
Until next time and happy thanksgiving homies.