Nothing strange happened the rest of the school day and when the girls went home they were greeted by Anna who gave them lemonade and questions about how their day went. They all told her that today had gone well and they didn't mention Lucy's little mishap with Sorano. Anna then set to work on cooking dinner while the girls sat outside in the garden, doing their homework and talking. Lucy told them about Natsu and his invite to attend the gathering for the Blood Moon tomorrow night.
"I think we should go." Lucy said. "It's been a long while since we've been to a party Erza and it would make Juvia's first trip to the Other Realm very special."
"But I don't think your father would like that Lucy." Laxus said as he munched on carrots from the garden. "You know how he feels about monsters, especially vampires."
"Well he's not going to find out. Besides, it's not up to him to decide what I'm going to do and not do anymore. It's up to Nanny."
"I don't think she'll like it either." Makarov said, perching himself on the tea table.
"What do you mean? Nanny went to plenty of festivals and parties like that when she was our age."
"Exactly." The owl said. "Not every party she went to ended very well for her and she's not sure if she wants you all getting into any trouble like she got herself into."
"Nanny had a wild streak?" Erza asked.
"One the most wild streaks that a witch ever had."
"You can't be serious." Gajeel said, jumping up into Juvia's lap, letting her pet and scratch him. "Not studious Anna."
"Oh yes." Makarov insisted. "During the day she was the perfect student but at night, she was something else entirely. She went to parties in the both mortal realm and the other realm, she flirted up a storm with all the men, she would dance and fly around on her broomstick until dawn. She was incredible, but got into a lot of trouble."
"What kind of trouble?" Juvia asked.
"She made promise never to give anyone exact details but let's just say, she'll never attend another Blood Moon celebration again and she won't let you all do it either."
"But that's not fair." Lucy said. "Why is it okay for her to go to parties like that, but not us?"
"Who said it was okay for her to go to those parties? Her parents never let her go. She had to sneak out every time."
"Really?" Erza said skeptically. "I can't imagine Nanny Anna doing any of that."
"Well she did. Believe me."
"How do you know all this anyway?"
"Anna and I were next-door neighbors growing up. I used to have a huge crush on her, but unfortunately I was ten and she was sixteen, and by the time I was the proper age, she had already met your great grandfather and I had met Renee. Still we remained good friends. I remember when I was a boy, she'd have me be her look out whenever she had a boy over."
"Well now we know where you get it from Lucy." Laxus said.
Lucy gave him a quick stare.
"I still think we should go. If you think about it, it's actually a very rare, exciting, and educational opportunity." Lucy said.
"How so?" Erza asked.
"Well monsters and magic users haven't associated with each other in years. And both species are constantly at each other's throats, wouldn't it be nice to see if the two could actually get along if they really tried?"
"You have a point there." Erza said. "As a matter of fact, I've been writing a paper about how the council should try to seek peace between both races but I need proof that such an idea is possible. Maybe witnessing this event could provide some reliable evidence."
"Anna still won't let you go." Makarov said. "And honestly I don't think it's such a good idea. Why don't you three find something else fun to do tomorrow night? Perhaps here in the Mortal Realm? The Blood Moon celebration just doesn't seem very safe for girls your age."
"Alright, if that's how you feel and if that's how Nanny Anna would feel then we won't go." Lucy said. "We'll go try out a mortal restaurant or mall or something tomorrow night."
"Good idea." Makarov said.
Lucy then wrote something down in her notebook, seemingly notes for today's worksheet.
"Hey Erza, did I get this question right?" Lucy asked.
Erza look over Lucy's notes and found a little message written to where only she could see it.
Discreetly, create a flock of moths. I'll explain after.
Erza was confused, but she brought her text book up to her face, whispered a few chant words and wiggled her nose. Instantly a flock moths came from out of nowhere and Makarov's owl instincts refused to let him resist.
"Oh boy! An all you can eat buffet!"
With a screech, that hungry old owl flew after that flock and once he was out of sight, Lucy explained her plan.
"Alright, he's gone so here's what we're going to do." She said. "We just won't tell Nanny Anna that we're going to the Blood Moon celebration."
"I don't think that's a good idea." Erza said. "Anna knows all three of us like the back of her hand, she'll know we're up to something before we even act on it."
"Not if you let me do all the talking."
"I'm not sure if I even want to go to this thing." Juvia said. "Makarov said it could be dangerous."
"To be fair kid, being trapped in the body of an animal has made him more fearful than he used to be." Gajeel said. "He once told me that raccoons were beasts of the devil."
"Raccoons?" Juvia replied skeptically. "Why raccoons?"
"Because raccoons eat owls. And don't even get me started on everything rabbit boy here is afraid of." He said gesturing toward Laxus.
"Hey do you have any idea how animals eat rabbits?" Laxus asked. "I'm pretty much on every predator's menu. Foxes, weasels, hawks, snakes, wolves."
"Don't forget cats." Gajeel grinned at him deviously, making Laxus hop straight into Lucy's arms in fear.
"Gajeel!" Juvia scolded, picking him up to face her. "You wouldn't!"
"Oh come on, I was only kidding. Besides I don't eat rabbits. They have too many little bones, I almost choked on one once."
"You've eaten rabbit?!" Laxus squeaked.
"This was long before I ever met you, long before I was changed into a cat."
"Forgive me if I still don't trust you."
"If you can trust your grandpa then you can trust me."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Newsflash, owls eat rabbits too. If the old man has enough self-control not to have you for lunch then I certainly can." Gajeel chuckled snidely. "This is one of the rare times where being a cat comes handy. Nothing eats us."
"Oh no? Need I bring up your biggest phobia?"
"What are you talking about? I'm not afraid anything."
"I got two words for you whiskers, woof-woof."
"I am not afraid of dogs."
"Then why do you always hide under my bed when Mr. Carter walks his German Shepherd by the house?" Juvia asked.
"And why did you try to petition that werewolves wear muzzles?" Laxus added. "Or why don't ever go out on the night of a full moon?"
"I am not afraid!" Gajeel insisted. "I just wisely avoid canines because they don't have any self-control. They see a cat, and they instantly chase after it. Truthfully, I'll never understand why anyone would want a dog as a pet. What good are they?"
"Well let's see." Erza said. "Dogs are obedient, loyal, true, useful."
"Hey I may not be obedient but I'm loyal and true and useful."
"Useful?" Lucy said. "In what way is a cat useful? All you do is lay around on a sofa."
"For your information I do have a job. I keep this house free of vermin."
"It's true." Juvia said petting him on the head. "No one's better at catching mice, rats, even bats than Gajeel."
"You see Lucy, there's a reason why cats were chosen to be familiars to good witches." Erza explained. "Through the centuries the very existence of mortals has been continuously threatened by a treacherous and deadly enemy. The rat. Bad witches would have these destructive and vicious rodents swarm the mortal cities, devouring all their food supply, and spreading what is known as the Black Death also known as the Bubonic Plague. This epidemic almost wiped out Europe. Good witches were completely stumped on how to deal with them. Then one day they noticed that Felis Domesticus also known as the house cat, was not only a companion to mortals like dogs but naturally equipped for hunting in the dark underworld of the rat. Gajeel would you mind helping me demonstrate?"
Gajeel jumped from Juvia's lap and approached Erza who began to point to various parts of his body.
"Observe the velvet paws that allow him to move in silence, the sensitive whiskers that act as antenna to feel his way in darkness, the pupils of his eyes that can expand so that he can take in every particle of light, and the advanced relaxes that give him ability to strike quickly. Why if the many millions of rats destroyed by cats had been left to multiply, they could have wiped out the entire race of mortals. So the cat was chosen to be the familiar of good witches. Unfortunately mortals have tendency to categorize anything to do with witches as bad. That included good familiars. Many cats were burned and hanged as if they were bad witches themselves."
"Poor things." Juvia said, moving to hold Gajeel almost protectively. "If anyone ever did anything like that to Gajeel, I would be heartbroken."
Gajeel blushed in embarrassment, Laxus laughed at him.
"Aww, does the kitty-witty love his little girl?" He mocked.
"I know what you mean Juvia." Lucy smirked before picking up Laxus and hugging him. "I don't know what I would do without my funny bunny."
Now it was Gajeel's turn to laugh.
"Funny bunny?"
"When I was a little girl, I used to call Laxus my funny bunny because whenever I was said he always did a funny dance to cheer me up."
"Lucy!" Laxus cried out humiliated. "You promised never to speak of that!"
The three witches just laughed and laughed at him, then continued with their homework and secret planning.
