Chapter Twenty-Nine
"Come on. You are kidding." Droy shook his head as Lucy giggled behind her napkin as Levy tried to explain, for the fourth time; that broccoli was not a native plant but had been the result of humans genetically testing and mutilating the cabbage plant.
"How is it possible for your kind to do this? But you could not do it with your own bodies."
"Well, we did…to an extent." Erza pipped in and the bark-like skin on Droy's face changed to an ashen color.
"What now?" Jet asked for his friend who was staring between Erza and Levy like he was trying to figure out if he was being pranked.
"Humans had gotten to the point that we were testing embryos before they started to grow and could edit certain genetic traits. And we could test for others as well."
"Your messing with us." Jet shook his head.
"No." Lucy said and tilted her head. "I think Levy had a few books on it brought up."
"I did." Levy said as she set her mug of blue juice down. She liked it a lot; it reminded her of horchata. It looked questionable but tasted great. "I thought it might be helpful if we had any injured people; so the healers could understand more about our anatomy than just what the AI figured out."
"I'm starting to get more and more concerned about people from this planet we're trying to save." Jet murmured and everyone at the table laughed. Beside her Natsu was turned, his back to her side as he shouted at Gray at the table behind them. She turned to look over her shoulder and saw that Gray was creating an ice sculpture as Natsu gave him details. She realized it instantly.
"Oh wow. That's an amazing gorilla. Have you all seen them on Earth."
"This is not a gorilla. It's a Snow Ape. From Hoboke." Gray explained and she scrunched up her nose.
"AI, can you show a comparison of a Snow Ape and an Earth Gorilla side by side?" She asked and the wall over the windows flickered. Everyone looked over and murmured as the images appeared. Other than the coloring being off, and the size; they were fairly similar. Gray's mouth dropped and he looked at her.
"How'd you get the Guild Station to do that?"
"Just asked the AI. It's very polite and always helpful." She stated and he looked over his shoulder at Gramps.
"Gramps…did you know the Guild Station could do that?"
"No, but I'm not surprised. This thing was created by the best minds from the Blue Pegasus Planet. They probably installed more technology than they even knew what it did." He chuckled as the members around him all laughed.
They looked at the image before it faded away. Lucy looked back at Gray's ice sculpture. It was insanely detailed. She looked at him and smiled and he smiled back at her. She felt Natsu warm up and she rested her chin on his shoulder and the heat stalled.
"Relax. Gray and I are only friends. I can smile at him and he at me, without you getting all fired up about it."
"I can't help it." He sulked and she chuckled and hit her head against his before looking at Gray who was eying them carefully.
"That snow art is impressive. Are you going to do ice sculptures for the Rainbow Sakura Festival tomorrow?"
His dark brows pulled together and shook his head. "We don't actually celebrate that anymore. We just wait for the trees to shine and release their magic. Then have a special dinner."
"That's sad." Lucy leaned back and Natsu turned to her. "What?"
"I thought you were asleep."
"I still heard some of it." She said and shrugged. He looked at her and saw the slightly disappointed look on all of the girls at the table. Mirajean and Lisanna had explained the importance of the meal tomorrow and now their excitement had waned.
"Tell you what Lucy." He grinned at her. "I'll do some fire magic tomorrow. My dad and older brother had a great routine. I was going to join them and make it a three part performance; before…but I still practice it. I'd be glad to do it before the trees glow."
"You'd do that for us?"
"Sure. It also would be nice to have something that feels familiar." He said and she smiled at him, her face brightening and her scent got stronger. He looked around the table and the girls were all perking up.
"I can also make some Air Candy." Wendy piped up from the other side of Erza. "My family had a stall in our village and we always sold out every year."
"Air candy sounds interesting. Is it safe for us?" Cana asked and Wendy nodded and the brunette smiled as she ruffled the young bluenette's hair.
"If you two are doing somethin', so am I." Gajeel said and propped his hip on the edge of the table and looked down at Levy. She rolled her eyes and he sneered down at her. "I could probably do a battle demonstration with Lily."
"I'd love to see a girl kick your ass." One of the girls on the other side of Natsu said and Levy giggled into her mug. Gajeel's eyes narrowed on her and she cleared her throat.
"I'm sure as a demonstration, there isn't a winner or a loser."
"Nice save Levy." Lucy joked as Gajeel stalked away from the table. The bluenette shrugged but then got up and went after the dark Dragis. Lucy and Erza shared a look and a sly smile as Cana turned around to talk with a male with fluffy orange hair who was from a race of pacifists. He used his skills to replicate art from each planet, to try and keep part of the cultures alive.
"Think you could do a characature booth or something?"
"What's that?"
"It's when an artist draws a person who sits in front of him and exaggerates their features. Its not insulting. Its something fun."
"I could do that."
"Or he could do face painting." Lisanna said and he looked at her. "It's when people applied paint to their face in fun designs or to make it look like their eyes were part of an animal. I think it would be cool to have some scales on my face that looked like the Dragis'."
"What do you mean?" Yukino asked and looked at Lisanna who smiled.
"Come on, their scales are so cool. I wish I had some around my eyes or something. You'd look cute with some too."
"Oh no, I don't think so." She shook her head and blushed. "But face painting could be fun. I could help. I used to do face painting every fall and winter carnival back home. My parents had an orchard so I would set up outside their booths."
"Ooo, what I wouldn't give for a hot apple cider." Erza sighed.
"Spiked with rum." Cana added and Erza shook her head as the rest of the girls just giggled. Natsu smiled. All of the girls were getting excited, as were the members of the Guild Station. Most hadn't been able to be a part of the festival since before their worlds fell. So this would be their first official one.
At the far table Makarov smiled sadly as he listened to the excitement grow. The festivals on Edolas had been week long parties that often took the better part of a year to plan. They had less than twelve skrowls before the Festival would start. He remembered being parts of the parades through the village; always able to dance and bring smiles and laughter to those who watched. Even the brat Laxus had enjoyed the parades. Even if he had thought he was too cool when the last parade had occurred before the Draconic invasion.
"What is all the excitement about?" A new voice broke across the room and everyone fell silent. Lucy stood up and looked over at the main doors and saw three people walk in. Two males and a female. The female was actually flying, glossier wings in a pale green color keeping her feet from touching the floor. She was all in green, but she had pale yellow hair that might pass for blonde on earth. She wore a tight green outfit, similar to a mini dress and glasses. Beside her was a tall male with long green hair and he wore a reddish outfit lined with black that reminded her of a Victorian royal's outfit. Beside them was the other male. He wore a helmet that covered his face. His tongue was long though; it unfurled as he spoke; hanging well past his jaw. It was hard to see his skin or anything as he wore long black clothing.
The silence was unnerving. She saw that the Dragis looked annoyed, while Laxus appeared amused. She turned and looked back and saw the three were covered in what looked like dirt and debris. She rolled her eyes.
"The excitement is for the Rainbow Sakura festival tomorrow. We're all planning things to do to make it feel like a traditional festival. Why don't you join us at the tables to eat and discuss plans? Maybe you could help us organize something."
"And who are you little girl?" The flying female asked snidely and Lucy felt Natsu bristle beside her. She put her hand on his forearm and smiled brightly at the trio.
"Name's Lucy. I'm from Earth. Its nice to meet you all."
"So one of the fleshies finally got brave enough to come up huh?" The long tongued one sneered and Lucy watched as Erza's eyes narrowed. She really hated that nickname for humans.
"We prefer human." Lisanna chided gently and she pushed away from the table and waved at the long tongued male. "But it's hard to break thinking habits. I'm still surprised with every new race I'm introduced to. I'm Lisanna. What's your name?"
"That idiot," Laxus interrupted as the male opened his mouth. He instantly snapped it shut. "Is Bixlow. Beside him is Freed and hovering to his side is Evergreen. Bixlow is a Soulextrian; he can use black magic to manipulate the souls of the dead. Freed is a Valorian; he uses word magic. Evergreen is a Fairiest. Her kind have different magics, but hers allow her to fly and turn people to stone by looking in her eyes."
"Madusea!" Several of the girls whispered in awe and Laxus raised a brow and Lisanna and Mirajean giggled. Lisanna giggled and tilted her head.
"There was a myth on our world from centuries ago; of a priestess named Madusea who was raped in the temple of Hera—the Queen of the gods. To protect her from men in the future, Hera transformed her; gave her snakes for hair and eyes that turned all who gazed into them to stone. She was henceforth known as a Gorgon."
"Your world has royal gods?" Freed asked and Lisanna shook her head.
"People thought we did." Levy spoke up from the table where Gajeel had sat down to eat and ignore her, and they looked over at her. She smiled brightly. "Its one of many religions people did believe in. But over time those religions fell out of belief and others took over."
"Most interesting." Freed looked at Evergreen who had her arms crossed. "I'm grateful your kind don't have snakes for hair. I hold no enjoyment looking for those slithering creatures on the world below."
"Watch it." Evergreen snarled. She turned her attention back to the tables and saw the girls intermingled with the other members of the Guild Station. "So what…did you all get tired of living below?"
"No. We've never stayed on the lower deck." Cana shook her head. "When we came up with the Dragis we stayed up here. Lucy promised she'd help them; so we agreed to help too."
"And you all listen to Lucy why? She looks skinny and weak."
"Don't try her Ever." Laxus shook his head and Evergreen's eyes narrowed on Lucy. "She's taken on multiple Draconics on her own and won, and she's saved Natsu more than once too. She also managed a Unison Raid with Wendy—even though she was malnourished and exhausted when it happened."
"A human partook in a Unison Raid?"
"I still don't know how I did it…if it makes you feel any better." Lucy shrugged and Evergreen snarled at her. Freed had straightened when Laxus had said that; and Bixlow stood with his hands on hips.
"Is that Boss man's scalut?" Freed ask as he looked at her harder. Natsu bristled and stood up and Lucy stood too and put her arms around his neck and smiled at the trio.
"Wrong Dragis. Natsu here gave it to me when I first woke up after a Draconic attack."
"It's Natsu's?" The trio shared a look and then looked back at her and the pinkette in question.
"Did he threaten you to keep it on?" Bixlow asked and Levy, Cana and Erza broke down laughing as Natsu snarled.
"You have options." Freed offered and smoke started to expel out of Natsu's nostrils. Lucy's lips were quirking.
"Honestly…there are better looking Dragis on board, or do you find the pink hair a cute color?" Evergreen asked; and Natsu tried to leap over the tables as the rest of the girls lost their cool and started to laugh. Lucy however, just wrapped herself around him; hooking her legs around his torso and her arms around his neck.
"He isn't so bad once you get past the hot headedness and ashy attitude." She said and he looked at her over his shoulder. She smiled at him and reached up and booped his nose. She looked back at the trio. "He and I are still working out the whole scalut and growlkin thing, but he honestly hasn't been that bad."
"Working it out?" Freed asked and Lisanna looked from his confused face to Lucy and Natsu and back.
"They're taking it slow before…making it official. Natsu didn't tell her what the suit meant so…"
"Of course the idiot didn't." Bixlow shook his head. He looked at Lisanna. "And what was your name again? Lisa?"
"Lisanna." The girl smiled. "Lucy and the others helped save my big brother Elfman and big sis Mirajean from the poison of some Draconics. They brought us with them to the Guild Station after. Well, technically the three of us came up with Laxus while Natsu and Lucy were on a mission with Gajeel to save Levy….but as a whole the Dragis have been super kind to us."
"That sounds very unlike Bossman." Bixlow looked over at Laxus who was scowling at Lisanna. Mirajean stood up and put her arm around her sister. She smiled at Bixlow and Freed.
"We're so grateful for all of the kindness and compassion we've met here on the Guild Station. We are hoping to be able to be useful and help however we can. We are also very excited to help with the various demonstrations and snack stalls."
"And you are?" Evergreen looked her up and down.
"I'm Mirajean, Lisanna's older sister. It's so nice to meet everyone." She smiled brightly and waved to their table. "We have some open seats if you'd like to join us."
"We sit with Laxus." Freed stated calmly. "But thank you for the invitation."
"Of course." Mirajean smiled and gave her sister one last squeeze.
"Where is your brother?" Bixlow asked and Lisanna turned around and then looked to a set of doors to the side; that led to the kitchens.
"I think he's back there with some of the cooks. He's spent a lot of time back there; when he isn't training with the others."
"At least one of the three knows their place." Evergreen sniffed and Lisanna's smile fell and her eyes narrowed.
"What was that four-eyes?" Lisanna's voice was hard and she'd turned, squaring up to Evergreen, her fists clenched hard at her side. Evergreen's eyes narrowed behind her glasses and she fluttered forward.
"I know you did not just disrespect me."
"You talk bad about either of my siblings and I'm not going to be respectful." Lisanna warned and Laxus was making his way towards her. Mirajean was shaking her head and trying to calm her sister down. Lisanna however was not listening to her sister. Lucy shared a look with Levy and the bluenette looked at her friends and they started to throw up hand signals. Natsu and Gajeel threw a few hand signals as well; which did not go unnoticed by anyone. But they didn't try to intervene.
"Listen here little kitty…I am not going to be kind just because you come from a weak world. Apologize to the fairest fairy here, and I'll forgive your mistake."
"Pretty sure that Erza is fairer than you, you big bottomed wasp." Lisanna shot back and Erza's mouth fell open while Lucy lost her control and started to giggle uncontrollably. Evergreen's expression darkened and she flew forward; faster than Laxus could counter. She threw small seeds but before they connected with Lisanna, the white haired girl had leapt upwards; her arms crossed and high over her chest. She brought her arms down and her right foot caught Evergreen's thigh and she used the Fairiest's body to flip backwards off of. She landed on a table, and as Evergreen struggled to regain her upright position; she ran down the table and feinted left before jumping right and lashing out with a left hook. Evergreen's head snapped back and she fell to the floor. Lisanna stopped on her toes and spun around and pounced. She landed on top of Evergreen's torso and started to punch her repeatedly.
"All right you wildcat." He pulled her off as she kept swing punches and kicks. Freed was pulling Evergreen off of the floor as Bixlow pulled a piece of cloth out of a hidden pocket. He used it to wipe the green blood off of Lisanna's knuckles.
"That was a Takoverian combo." Bixlow said looking at Lisanna. "They don't train females."
"That's their problem." Lisanna sniffed and looked up at Laxus. "You can let go now."
"Do you promise not to go after Evergreen again?"
"As long as she doesn't insult Elf-nii or Mira-sis I won't."
"You heard her Ever. Behave." Laxus chuckled and set Lisanna down. Bixlow looked down at her and over at the Takoverians who were pointing as her and gesturing wildly. He put his arm around her shoulders, making her look up at him and he winked.
"Come on girlie. I'll sit with ya and listen to the plans ya have made for the festival tomorrow and see how I can help."
"Okay…" Lisanna rolled her eyes and sat down. Mirajean stood up and stood next to Laxus and looked up at him and then to Evergreen.
"I'm sorry Lisanna was so aggressive but we've been through a lot and we take care of each other the best we can. We always have. That being said;" She stepped forward and got nose to nose with Evergreen. "If you ever try to get revenge on Lisanna; I'll make sure you are never…ever…found. Do we have an understanding?"
Evergreen stared at the whiter haired female from Earth before her. But she wasn't fooled by the innocent smile or the soft voice. Not even the sweet scent that only gave off happiness or tranquility. She could feel the waves of death and pain rolling off of her like a storm of chaos. There was an aura around her that was not to be disregarded.
"I understand." Evergreen stated and Mirajean nodded, a small ponytail holding back her bangs flopped side to side.
"Okay. If you want to join us go for it. We have plenty of seats."
"We would appreciate that." Freed said taking in the unease that had come over Evergreen. Laxus himself was snickering quietly into the collar of his duster.
"I think we could have Lisanna do a demonstration of her fighting for the festival. I'd like to see that." Rouge murmured and Sting nodded his head. Yukino giggled and reached over the table and patted her friend's arm.
"Lisanna has been practicing really hard since we came up to improve her fighting techniques."
"I'm no where close to Erza or even your skills."
"Yukino fights?" Cana asked and Yukino wrinkled her nose.
"I practice Tai Chi, I don't like fighting. But a lot of the movements look the same."
"Yeah, don't forget Lucy was the only one who took me up on training the last two years."
"Right, how could I forget that."
"Oh!" Natsu's voice made everyone look over at him. He tilted his head and looked at Lucy who was looking at him in confusion. She had a mug of Golden Fruit and Rainbow Berries.
"What Natsu?"
"You could play Earth music."
"What?" She sat her mug down and looked at him.
"You know…from that furniture thing." He mimicked his fingers moving over a keyboard.
"I don't have a piano here Natsu."
"You don't have to have one. The Guild Station can make one."
"What?" She asked and he nodded and he looked up.
"Hey AI! Can you make one of those things; a piano, like Lucy played on her planet?"
"Of course. One skrit."
Everyone looked around at the AI's voice and then there was a light near the far wall by the windows. Lucy watched as the light changed several hues and then brightened and when she blinked there stood a baby grand piano. Her mouth fell open and then she was up and over to it. It was giving off warmth but the scalut was calm so she knew it was safe. She sat down on the bench and flipped the lid open and looked at the keys. She tapped one and a note filled the air. She smiled, then bit her bottom lip. She shifted and threw her shoulders back.
Her fingers started to move over the keys and she smiled as the music filled the dining hall. Several of the elder humans from the lower decks who had been up for the meal stopped and listened, smiles coming across their face.
"You play like your mother." One said as she tapered off of a song. They looked over at her and and she smiled sadly.
"She taught me." She started to play a few notes and she hummed. "Once upon a time I thought playing piano was my destiny."
"What changed your mind?" Levy asked, she hadn't even realized Lucy knew how to play. And she played beautifully.
"Life." Lucy said and Natsu knew that the tone she used was her, I'm lying to change the subject tone.
"So, do you want to perform tomorrow for the festival Luce?"
"Well considering you asked the Guild Station to make me a piano, I'd be really rude if I didn't." She laughed and smiled at him. She nodded and started to play a quiet and calm song from memory.
"She fights and plays musical instruments?" Evergreen looked at Laxus who nodded as he stared at her. He looked over at Natsu.
"How did you know she played?"
"The AI on my Magi-Hover found recordings of Lucy playing and showed them to me when we were planet side."
"Ah. Where do you think she should play?"
"On the agricultural deck; near the plants in front of the window. Its her favorite place to relax."
"I will make sure the furniture there is removed and the piano is there." The AI stated and Natsu nodded. Levy sighed as the music drifted over them. She closed her eyes and rocked gently side to side.
"You okay there Shorty?" Gajeel asked and she opened one eye and glared at him.
"Debussy is one of my favorites and Lucy is playing his music beautifully. So shut up and quit ruining it."
"Tch." He snuffled and crossed his arms over his chest. Natsu grinned as he looked over at Lucy who was smiling serenely as she played.