Howdy everyone, and welcome back to War Beyond Worlds. I will confess: I didn't think this story would get any more attention than it already did, especially since we just finished a major arc. I would like to take a moment to thank all of you for following this story. You guys are one of the reasons I get up in the morning and I just wanted to acknowledge your contribution.
But let's not dwell on that. TO THE REVIEWS!
Omni warrior: Glad you like Green Arrow in the story. As for Asta... You have a good point.
Fairydragon2099: Hey, there's still hope for best boi Asta, so don't worry. I never said you were an ass.
TheEmeraldMage: I have to add diversity to the story. And he won't be the only superhero to appear in this story;)
Stephanieeiche10: Thanks for the compliment. And yeah, COVID has really made people go insane.
CRUDEN: Oh, there are a few we'll see. Trust me;)
BanRedfox: Glad you like the DC shows too. I also like Young Justice, Teen Titans and Harley Quinn.
Fpinheiro96: Thank you!
Zatil Hidayah Spensa: Don't worry. I'll have other characters introduced that you might like.
Messiah of authors: Thank you! Seriously, it's like Oliver is everyone's punching bag and he doesn't deserve it(unlike Mineta from MHA). But he will get love in this story.
ZMusok: Still glad you decided to read this story. It's a unique experience for me, so having people read it is great. Those are definitely a lot of good ideas for Champions.
Tonytheinfernape19: Hehehehe, glad to see another Arrow fan here. I have a LOT that you will love in regards to Oliver and Adrian.
TonyMon318: I haven't seen Kamen Riders and I'm not sure about adding a Power Rangers character. As for Digimon and Pokemon… maybe?
So the last chapter was more of an introduction to the third Champion: Oliver Queen/the Green Arrow. I know a lot of you were shocked since the last two Champions were anime characters, but I do want to add characters from different media as well. Oliver won't be the last comic character we'll see. But I can't say anymore than that.
But now it's time to see how Team Natsu and Makarov are after the eighth chapter. So here… We… Go.
"Y… Yus… Yusei… Yusei…"
Hearing his name being called, Yusei Fudo felt his eyes twitch before he slowly opened them, only to find himself in a familiar white void. Moving his hands, he felt something soft under him, most likely a mattress. "What is this?"
"I'm glad to see you're awake." A familiar voice called out softly as Yusei turned his head, only to see Talion sitting next to him with a smile.
"Talion…" A small groan escaped the Head Signer's mouth as he pushed himself up, looking down at his body to his condition. His clothes were still torn from the battle against Lullaby and he felt more than exhausted, given how he summoned his ace monster.
"Please, don't push yourself. You've spent a considerable amount of magic in your last battle." Talion said with a slight hint of concern.
"How long have I been out?" Yusei asked while propping himself on his elbows.
"Five months." Talion replied with a saddened tone, causing Yusei to widen his eyes.
"Five months?!" Yusei exclaimed loudly. Surely he couldn't have been resting for THAT long, right? Even if he used all his magic, he should be able to wake up, albeit with a sore body like he was when he fell on his runner during the duel with Kalin. However, he was surprised when Talion actually began to chuckle.
"I was kidding. It's only been two days in Earthland." Talion admitted with an amused smile. "That was just something to calm your nerves. I do apologize for that." Yusei relaxed a bit, hearing Talion's little joke. Still, there was the question of what happened to Natsu and the others since the last time he saw them, they were badly injured. "From your expression, you wish to know what happened to the Fairy Tail wizards. Rest assured, they are receiving treatment from a neighboring town. It seems when Stardust defeated Lullaby, he used his power to blanket the area in light and take you and your friends away."
"But will they be alright?" Yusei asked with concern, getting a nod from Talion.
"It seems Stardust's energy was able to heal some of their pain, though not all." Talion then grew serious as he put his hands together. "But there's another matter we must discuss."
"That sounds like a cue if I've ever heard one." Yusei turned his head and much to his surprise, Maki and Ariel were seated around a small table. Ariel smiled as she took in Yusei's appearance. "Hmmm, for a human, you're pretty handsome. Not my type, but I wouldn't mind experimenting a little."
"Ummm, thank you?" Yusei said with a slightly unsure time before he looked at Maki, who smiled a bit while Talion shook his head in the background.
"This is Ariel. She's the Overseer who brought me to Earthland." Maki explained. "I'm glad you're alright, Yusei."
"Now that introductions are out of the way, let's discuss your battle with the demon of Zeref." Talion said in a professional tone before he snapped his fingers. The next moment, he and Yusei were seated at the table as well, with hot tea in front of the four. "Maki has already described your battle with Lullaby. How everyone fought as hard as they could, only for Lullaby to overwhelm them."
"I've never seen something as dark and cold as Lullaby." Yusei admitted with a frown as he looked at his own reflection in his tea. That wasn't exactly true, seeing how he fought the Earthbound Immortals and Mechlord Emperors, as well as Z-One and his Timelords. However, Lullaby still made an impact on him for how savage it was. "Are all of Zeref's demons this strong?"
"That's the issue." Ariel said with a serious glare. Waving her hand, Ariel used his powers to form what looked like a see through model of Lullaby. However, unlike the one Yusei and Maki fought, this one seemed slightly less intimidating. "What you see is SUPPOSED to be what Lullaby looks like in its true form." Waving her hand once again, Ariel created another model of Lullaby, only it was the version the two Champions fought. "And this is what you fought."
"It seems that someone actually forced a transformation of Lullaby, which would explain the negative energy it emitted." Talion added while blowing his tea and drinking it.
"Wait, forced a transformation? How is that possible?" Maki asked in utter confusion. There was no one something like this could have happened in the short time Eisenwald possessed the flute.
"Could Eisenwald be the ones that did it?" Yusei questioned, only for the Overseers to shake their heads.
"Even if they were able to dispel the seal on the flute, no human would be able to change a demon of Zeref, especially when the transformation is this drastic." Talion answered, much to the concern of Yusei and Maki. "This negative energy could only come from a pure magic source… like Ankhseram." Hearing the name of the god caused the Champions to narrow their eyes. "I'm not sure how he was able to transfer a portion of his power, but it's something we cannot ignore."
"We spoke with the other Overseers and have unanimously agreed to send a sort of watcher with the two of you." Ariel explained, much to their confusion.
"A watcher? Who?" Yusei questioned out of curiosity. Talion never mentioned anything about this, yet if all the Overseers voted on this, it might be for the best.
"You'll find them when you wake up… Which is about now." Talion said as a bright aura began to surround Yusei and Maki. "But before you go, there is something else we must tell you. The third Champion has arrived in Earthland. Search for the archer of green."
With that, a bright light engulfed both Champions, transporting them back to Earthland.
'The next day'
"Think Yusei's sick?"
"No way. He's probably still tired from Lullaby."
"Still, it's concerning to see him like this."
"Maybe if Lucy kisses him, he'll wake up~"
"Shut it, stupid cat! That would never work!"
Yusei felt his eyes twitch as he slowly began to open his eyes, the light of the sun blinding his view momentarily before they adjusted. Releasing a small sigh, Yusei pushed himself up, something that caught the attention of the other patrons in the room.
"Yusei!" Lucy was the first to call out as she quickly sat on the chair next to the Head Signer's bed, a look of relief on her face.
"Lucy?" Yusei asked while rubbing his face, shaking off the fatigue. Once he did, Yusei soon found himself in what looked like a simple doctor's room, with the rest of the Fairy Tail wizards surrounding him. He also noticed that everyone had some bandages around their bodies, minus Happy and Lucy: Natsu had a few on his body, Erza had some around her head, Gray had a small patch on his left cheek and Makarov had some around his elbows. "Where are we?"
"In a small town a few miles from Clover." Makarov answered while letting out a slight sigh of relief. It was good to see Yusei was still alright after the events at Clover. "How are you feeling, son?"
"Better. Thank you." Yusei said as he turned his body, sitting on the bed so that he could speak with everyone. The information Talion and Ariel told him and Maki still loomed over him and he had to make sure not to go overboard. Speaking of Maki, Yusei looked around and noticed she wasn't anywhere to be found. "Where's Maki?"
"She volunteered to go to the market for supplies." Erza informed Yusei while crossing her arms, brown eyes staring at him suspiciously. "There's something we need to talk about in regards to your powers."
"Like how you summoned a FREAKING DRAGON!" Natsu got in front of Yusei, stars glowing his eyes like a child with a new toy. "Why didn't you tell me you could do that?! You HAVE to bring it out again!"
"Will you cool it, flame brain?" Gray said with mild irritation in his voice. This wasn't the time to ask for something stupid, especially since there needed to be answers.
"Why don't you put on some pants, ice jerk?!" Natsu shot back while pressing his forehead against his rival, who was indeed half naked.
"Get out of my face or I'll freeze your ass!"
"Try it! I'll roast you like a fish!"
"Mouth breather!"
"Stupid stripper!" And as usual, the two rivals entered another argument, throwing illogical insults and making everyone in the room sweatdrop. Though Yusei did have a small smile on his face, seeing the 'normal' sight in front of him.
"Ummm, should I come back later?" Standing in the doorway was none other than Maki Oze, who was carrying two bags full of food, staring at the argument with a raised brow. Instead of her Fire Soldier attire, Maki wore a simple white shirt with blue jeans, courtesy of Erza and her Requip magic(it was a relief that she had something in Maki's size).
"Enough!" Erza got between Natsu and Gray, slamming their heads with enough strength to knock them out. She then looked at Maki before giving her a small smile. "Thank you, Maki. Please, come in." Not wanting to argue with the Titania, Maki entered the room, putting down the bags. Nodding a bit, Erza turned back to Yusei, her stoic glare aimed at him. "Yusei, please explain who you really are."
"Ummm, m-maybe he shouldn't." Lucy spoke up while raising a hand. She knew how important it was to hide Yusei and Maki's true identities, so she would do everything she could to keep it that way, even from Erza.
"She's right, Erza." Makarov said with a sagely tone, getting Erza's attention. "If Yusei does not wish to share his past, then we must respect it. You of all people should understand." Seeing the barely noticeable flinch in Erza's face, Makarov turned back to Yusei. "Yusei my boy, while I would like to know how you were able to summon something as powerful as that dragon, I won't force you to say anything. It's the least we can do after you saved our lives."
"He's right. We owe you a lot." Natsu said with a friendly smile on his face, recovering from Erza's head slam.
"I guess Gramps has a good point." Gray said as he stood up, rubbing the back of his neck. He respected Yusei, so he could at least back off.
"Aye. Yusei's our hero!" Happy cheered as he flew over to Yusei, pulling out a fish from his little pack. "Here. I'll share some of my tasty fish."
"The Master is correct." Erza said in a disappointed tone, though it was clear she was disappointed in herself more than anything. She bowed her head to Yusei. "Please strike me for my insensitivity. You may strike me if you wish." Lucy and Maki seemed to visibly relax at the display. It was a close call for sure, but thanks to Makarov, it seemed the secret was safe.
But Yusei didn't seem to share their relief.
"Actually… There's something I haven't told you." Yusei confessed in a serious tone, catching everyone's attention. He hated lying to everyone and because of their battle with Lullaby, it was only a matter of time before the truth would be revealed, even if they were okay with him not saying anything. Briefly glancing at Maki, he gave her a solemn nod. Though her eyes widened in response, she frowned and nodded back, indicating that she was alright with whatever decision he was about to make. "Me and Maki aren't from around here. We aren't even from Earthland."
"Wait, what?" Gray suddenly questioned with a raised brow. "What do you mean by that?"
"He means we're…" Maki stopped herself, trying to find the best words to use in this scenario. It was honestly one of the strangest things she had to do… unamong other things. "W-We're from other worlds."
"... Eh?" Gray, Makarov and even Erza asked in unison, their eyes turning into small white dots as their heads tilted a bit. Surely she was joking, right?
"It's true." Yusei explained as he stood up, walking up to the table that had his clothes, shoes and deck box. "You saw my Duel Runner, right? It isn't something that was created in Earthland. It was made in my world, in New Domino City."
"Please explain." Makarov said with his arms and legs crossed, a look of concentration on his face.
It took some time, what with some of the questions asked, but eventually, Yusei and Maki were able to finally tell the trio the whole truth, including their reason for coming to Earthland. Natsu, Happy and Lucy stayed silent throughout all of this, worry etched on their faces as they stared at the other Fairy Tail members. It was already odd when Yusei told them back in Hargeon, so it must be even weird for Gray, Erza and Makarov.
"And that was how I was able to summon Stardust to help fight against Lullaby. To help protect all of you." Yusei finished while taking a breath. The long explanation took a lot of wind out of his lungs, but it needed to be done.
"So you were brought here from your homes…" Gray started.
"To help our world…" Erza added slowly.
"From our own God?" Makarov finished as he lowered his head a bit. It was honestly a lot to take in, but at least they appreciated their honesty. Still, it was just so insane, one might think the two were drunk. However, if there was one thing they learned about Yusei, it was that he was no liar. "I'm grateful you told us. I really am."
"Does that mean we're out of the Guild?" Maki suddenly asked in concern. She was glad Makarov understood what they were saying, but that didn't necessarily mean they were safe. The old Guildmaster hummed to himself in thought, taking in all the information. Gray and Erza did the same, occasionally looking at Yusei and Maki in thought.
'Let them stay. Let them stay. Let them stay.' Natsu, Lucy and Happy thought in unison, hoping that everything would resolve itself in time.
"Bring them in here." The group was caught off guard when a female doctor entered the room, gesturing for two people to carry a man inside. Everyone was surprised to see the man in question had several bruises and cuts, as well as an arrow lodged in his right leg. Noticing the looks, the doctor quickly bowed their head. "I'm sorry, but this room is the only one with two beds." The doctor apologized as her assistants helped but the man on the bed, causing him to groan in pain.
"What happened to him?" Lucy asked the doctor with some concern.
"He was attacked while on his way here." One of the assistants said as the doctor began to examine the wound.
"... The… Village… Need to… go back…" The wounded man muttered through gritted teeth, something the wizards caught.
"Village? What village?" Erza calmly demanded while walking up to the man, ignoring the protests of the doctor.
"Close by… There's a village… It's under attack…" The man muttered while opening an eye towards Erza.
"He must mean Okaiba Village. It's a few miles from here and the only way to enter it is through carriage or by walking." The doctor told them while gently pulling the arrow, causing the man to gasp in pain. "I need a roll of bandages and alcohol." One of the assistants nodded while running over to the cabinet. The doctor then noticed Yusei was up, making her sigh in relief. "I'm glad to see you're awake, mister Fudo. If you feel like leaving, you may." The Fairy Tail wizard didn't respond to her words as they began to think of what the wounded man said. If there was indeed someone who was attacking innocent people, then it was their duty to stop them.
However, Yusei and Maki were thinking of something else as they looked at the arrow. It was green, which matched the description of the next Champion Talion told them of, which was cause for concern. Why exactly was a Champion attacking innocent people when they were sent here to protect them? It felt very off to them.
"Master?" Erza questioned the short man, who nodded with a serious expression as he jumped off his chair, fixing his shirt a bit while adopting a serious expression.
"Let's investigate." Makarov practically ordered his children, who all nodded in response. He then glanced at Yusei and Maki. "You two can come along if you want. We could use your help."
"Right/Of course." The two Champions responded with a nod.
They needed to know what was going on, and having some backup wouldn't hurt.
But as they left, they failed to notice something watching them from a nearby tree. "The Champions are on the move. Proceeding to follow and observe." The watcher said before they took flight, a single white feather falling to the ground.
'Okaiba Village, some time later'
If there was a word to describe Okaiba Town, it would quaint. Each of the houses looked handmade and a large fountain sprinkled water on the land. Even the citizens living there seemed old fashion, yet nonetheless happy with their quiet lives.
These were the thoughts of the Fairy Tail group as they arrived via a rented magicmobile. "Wow, it looks so peaceful here." Lucy admitted with an awed expression as she was the first to step out of the magicmobile. Her brown eyes looked at everything Okaiba Village offered. If there was one place she would want to visit on vacation, it would be this small village.
"Yeah. It's not a bad place." Gray added as he walked next to Lucy, hands in his coat pockets.
"Aye. Maybe they have tasty fish on sale." Happy added while licking his lips.
"Uuuuuuuhhhh…" Of course, not everyone was alright with the ride to the village as Natsu groaned, Maki and Yusei carrying him out of the magicmobile. "I… hate… those… things…"
"Don't worry. We're here." Maki said softly as Yusei released Natsu, allowing him to stand on his own two feet, though it was clear he was still out of it. The second generation Fire Soldier then noticed the village and lightly gasped. "Wow."
"It doesn't look like anyone's being held against their will." Lucy commented, noticing how peaceful everyone seemed to be. It was like nothing bad was going on at all, yet the others didn't see it that way.
"It may look like everything's fine, but don't judge something by its look." Makarov said in a serious tone. "Perhaps this is all a facade to fool anyone entering."
"We should start to look around for clues as to the whereabouts of this archer." Erza said stoically, but not before looking over to Yusei and Maki, with the former in deep thought.
'Stardust, how are you feeling?' Yusei telepathically asked his ace monster, who appeared behind him a moment later.
"Better. Thank you for asking." Stardust said in a grateful tone. He had to admit, using Yusei's magic to materialize into the real world and fight a monster like Lullaby was tiring. Though the wounds weren't as severe as one might believe, the amount of power he used was more than enough to force some rest on the Synchro dragon's part. "I'm sorry for making you worry."
'I take it you heard what we were talking about?'Yusei questioned mentally, getting a nod from his dragon. 'It still doesn't make sense why a Champion would attack someone without a good reason.'
"Everyone is different in their own way. You of all people should know this." Stardust lightly joked before he gave a supportie smile. "But whatever path you choose, I will do my best to assist you."
"Yusei." Erza's hardened tone snapped the Head Signer out of his telepathic conversation, making him turn to face her glare.
"Sorry, were you saying something?" Yusei asked in an apologetic tone.
"You seemed to be in thought. Is there anything else you aren't sharing with everyone?" Erza asked, her brown eyes narrowed even more. It was clear that she was still suspicious of Yusei and to that extent, Maki. Not like anyone could really blame her, but still.
"Not really." Yusei said simply before he looked back to the town. "We should start asking around and see if there's something we can look for."
'But that's what Erza already said.' Everyone minus Makarov and Erza thought with sweatdrops on their heads. It seemed even someone as serious as Yusei couldn't listen to everything around him. Regardless, the group decided to take their first step into Okaiba. A nearby merchant noticed them and smiled.
"Welcome to Okaiba Village!" The merchant said with a friendly tone as he gestured to his merchandise, which were mostly necklaces and such. "Would you like to buy something today? I'll give you a visitor's discount if you do."
"No thank you. But we do have a question." Makarov said wisely as he walked up to the table… despite the fact he barely reached it. "We're from Fairy Tail and we would like to talk to someone in regards to an attack. Is there a mayor or someone in a high position we can speak to?" The merchant lost his smile for a split second, something everyone noticed before he replied.
"Yes. You can talk to Mayor Alden. He lives in that house over there." The merchant said as he pointed to a three story house on a nearby hill. "As for attacks, there hasn't even been a bar fight in a long time. I don't know where you heard that, but it ain't true, sir." No one believed what he was saying, but they decided to not press on.
"Thank you." Makarov said with a bow before he and the others walked away. The merchant watched them leave before letting out a sigh.
'That was close.' He thought while wiping away the sweat. If anyone outside the village found out a Guild was here, things would go from bad to worse.
"You notice how defensive he was?" Gray asked the group with a serious tone.
"They're scared." Maki said with a deep frown. Being ex military, she could tell when someone was hiding something or whether someone was scared or not. "Something is going on here."
"We need to look into this more." Erza said as she stopped, getting everyone's attention. "Master and I will go speak to the Mayor. Everyone else, explore and gather as much information as possible. Anything that suggests a battle has occurred here would be useful." Everyone else nodded before they split up, with Erza and Makarov heading forward. "Master, I would like your opinion on something."
"Does it have to do with our two newest members?" Makarov asked rhetorically as the citizens of Okaiba gave them friendly waves. "I noticed how you looked at them."
"It's just… Unsettling." Erza confessed while letting out a sigh she didn't know she was holding. "Both of them are fierce warriors and had it not been for Yusei and his… Dragon, I doubt we would even be talking. But-"
"You still don't fully trust them?" Makarov questioned as he glanced a single eye at Erza, who solemnly nodded. "While their reason for coming here and the worlds they live in is surprising, they still told the truth and have been a great help to us. For now, I will give them the benefit of doubt. Maybe you should do the same." The Titania understood her Master's words, but even she felt it might be difficult.
Only time would tell her if she could trust Yusei and Maki again.
'With the others'
Gray, Yusei and Natsu stood outside the local bar, waiting for their female companions to finish their round of questions inside. During this time, Gray would occasionally glance at Yusei, always turning away when he felt he was about to be caught. It wasn't necessarily his style, but given the fact that the guy next to him was from another world, Gray couldn't help but be curious.
"How long do we have to wait here? I'm starving." Natsu whined as he crossed his arms, tapping his foot out of impatience.
"We can't do anything that would bring too much attention to us." Yusei calmly said to Natsu before he turned to Gray. "If there's something you wanted to ask Gray, go ahead." The ice wizard was slightly surprised that Yusei noticed his looks, but he regained his composure.
"I'm just trying to get used to it, honestly." Gray confessed while rubbing the back of his neck. "How does it feel, being in this world? It has to be different from yours."
"Very." Yusei admitted while smiling a bit in amusement. He was glad that things weren't as strained with Gray as they were with Erza. "My world is focused more on technology than magic, so coming here is a drastic change. But so far, it hasn't been that bad."
"Besides the Dark Guilds and demon fighting?" Gray lightly joked, earning a small chuckle from Yusei. Putting his hands in his pockets, Gray looked up at the sky. "Honestly, this doesn't really change what I think of you. If Ash for brains over there thinks you're a guy I can trust, then that's good enough for me, even if he's wrong most of the time."
"What was that?!" Natsu shouted with a tick mark as he walked past Yusei, glaring heatedly at his rival. "You saying I make bad ideas?!"
"Yeah, and it's true." Gray shot back as he looked back at Natsu, slammed his forehead against him while glaring back. "Name one good idea you've had in the past month."
"Kicking your ass was a good idea, and it still is!" Natsu growled as he pushed Gray's head even more, prompting the ice wizard to push back. Yusei just watched them argue while shaking his head slightly, though his smile was still plastered on his face. At least this would never change… though some wouldn't think it was a good idea. Before the rivals could engage in a brawl, the doors to the bar opened, revealing a frowning Lucy and Maki(who was carrying Happy in her arms, much to his dislike).
"No good. We asked everyone inside, but nothing." Lucy said with a sigh.
"They didn't say anything?" Gray asked, looking away from Natsu to stare at the girls.
"I know they're hiding something." Maki said with a frustrated expression, her grip on Happy tightening unconsciously, making him wheeze.
"So now what? Beat them up until they tell us something?" Natsu suggested innocently, getting the humans to sweatdrop. How could he actually say that? Then again, this WAS Natsu. But before anyone could say anything else, a small body ran into Natsu, causing them to fall back while the Dragon Slayer stood in place.
"Ouch." The person running into Natsu said while rubbing their head. He was a small boy, not much older than eight, with short black hair that looked a bit dirty and lightly tan skin. His attire consisted of a simply dark green shirt with some stitch patterns on it, brown shorts and sandals. Opening his eyes, revealing his ocean blue eyes, the boy looked up to see the Fairy Tail group looking at him. "Oops, sorry mister."
"Good one, Fire Breath." Gray scolded Natsu.
"Says the guy who's missing a shirt!" Lucy shouted while pointing at Gray's chest, causing him to panic a bit.
"Are you okay?" Maki asked the boy with concern as she offered him a hand. The boy looked at Maki before smiling and grabbing her hand, allowing him to stand up.
"Yup. Nothing I can't handle!" The boy said confidently while putting a thumb on his chest.
"You dropped your bag." Yusei pointed out while looking at the bag the boy was holding prior to bumping into Natsu. Being the kind guy he was, Yusei kneeled down and began putting everything that fell out of the bag inside, with the boy doing that same.
"Thanks. And I'm sorry for bumping into your friend." The boy apologized with a grin before he adopted a look of confusion. "By the way, you're new here, aren't you? I mean I know everyone here, but not you guys."
"We're just visiting. A friend told us about how nice this place is." Lucy lied with a smile on her face, getting a nod from the boy. Just as Yusei picked up a book… he found something green underneath.
'What?' Yusei thought with his eyes widening a bit. Reaching down, Yusei picked up the green object, which turns out to be a green arrowhead. This small piece of evidence basically confirmed what that man said about Okaiba. But at the same time, it made him wonder why a little kid was hanging onto something dangerous like an arrowhead. The boy, noticing his look, gasped before he grabbed the arrowhead, shoving it back into his bag while standing up.
"I-I have to get back home. Goodbye!" Before anyone could say anything, the boy ran away, a look of panic on his face.
"You all saw it, right?" Yusei asked with a serious tone.
"Think he knows something about the guy with arrows?" Happy piqued up as he raised a paw. It was more of an observation than anything, given how he ran away before they could question him about the green object.
"Maybe." Yusei muttered under his breath as his eyes were still focused on the boy. He hated the idea of stalking someone more than anything, but this was the only solid evidence they have, so it needed to be done. "Natsu, Gray. Come with me. Maki, take Lucy and Happy back with Erza and Makarov."
"And you're sure about this? Following a kid is kinda weird." Natsu said while scratching the back of his head. It just felt off to do something like this. Though given how this kid had their only lead, it seemed to be their only option.
"We should at least try. Just don't get us caught, Dragon Boy." Gray insulted offhandedly, making Natsu growl at him.
"Just be careful. We don't want to cause any trouble here." Maki said with a concerned tone, getting the others to nod before they separated.
But little did they know, they were being watched.
'With the boy'
Taka Ito tried to run as fast as his legs could, though he was close to tripping a few times. Normally, he wouldn't be in such a rush, especially since he always took it upon himself to say hi to everyone in the village.
The reason he was running: those strangers who looked at the arrowhead.
If it was anyone else, he would've just say he got it from a friend. But the way they reacted to it and the symbol on that pink haired guy's shoulder caused an alarm to ring in Taka's head.
'I know that mark. It's from that official Guild the mayor told us about: Fairy Tail.' Taka thought while wiping sweat that was dripping from his brow. Normally, if he met someone from such a famous(or infamous) Guild, he wouldn't spare a second to ask them for an autograph or even ask them to show off their magic. He was always a nerd for magic. But given the rather harsh situation Okaiba Village found themselves in, having wizards here was the worst possible outcome. 'It's fine, it's fine, it's fine. Just get back to mister Queen. That's it. Nothing bad will happen.'
Once he walked up the hill, Taka smiled as he found his family's born, which was a faded red with a few broken pieces of wood. Just seeing it brought a smile to the young boy. "Home sweet home." Taka said to himself before he ran towards the barn, where his certain guest was living. It took a few minutes, but Taka was able to reach the barn, opening the large door. "Mister Queen? Are you awake?"
He got no response, which he should have expected given how his guest was. Regardless, Taka climbed up the ladder on the far left, reaching the second story of the barn. Once he reached it, another smile grew on his face.
Leaning against the wall with a book in hand was none other than Oliver Queen, who seemed content with what he was focused on. Instead of his usual attire, he wore a simple brown shirt and blue pants. "I brought some more snacks for you, and a new book. Wanna see?" It seemed Oliver heard him as he turned towards Taka, a barely visible smile on his face.
"Sure. That would be fine." Oliver said calmly as Taka quickly ran to him, putting down the contents of his bag. "You don't have to keep doing this, Taka."
"Yes I do." Taka said with a serious tone as he put down a can of food. "After everything you've done for the village, it's the least I can do." The young boy then took out the green arrowhead, staring at it with a longing expression. "Plus… I think you're really cool, shooting arrows at the bad guys. Like in that story mom and dad used to tell me." Oliver picked up on the saddened tone in Taka's voice, which made him frown. He should have known such a subject would be somber for the young boy, and Oliver knew first hand how it felt losing both parents. The archer turned back to the window, trying to think of something to cheer Taka up.
However, he soon found something, or rather someone, that made him narrow his eyes.
"Taka." Oliver muttered with a serious tone, something Taka noticed as his expression changed to one of confusion.
"What's wrong?" He asked before he looked to the window, only to gasp. The people the two were seeing were none other than Yusei Fudo, followed by Natsu Dragneel and Gray Fullbuster. "Oh no."
"Do you know them?" Oliver asked, not taking his eyes off the three.
"T-They were in the village." Taka stuttered with a worried expression. "I bumped into one of them and dropped my stuff. They helped me, but I think they're looking for you."
"Why?" Oliver questioned.
"Because of the way they looked at this." Taka said while showing the arrowhead. "I was looking in the town, picking up the arrows you shot." He then looked down with a sad face. "I wanted to make sure you didn't get in trouble. Sorry." The vigilante couldn't fault Taka for doing such a thing, especially since he was doing it for him.
"Go hide. I'll take care of this." Oliver commanded with a tone that left no room for argument. Turning towards a small box behind him, Oliver opened it, revealing a familiar green outfit, bow included.
"This should be the place." Yusei said as he, Natsu and Gray stopped, looking at the barn.
"And you're sure we can find the guy?" Gray couldn't help but ask. He and Natsu still felt off about doing this, even if Yusei was trustworthy.
"Could be. As long as I get first dibs on the guy, then I'm cool with it." Natsu said confidently while cracking his knuckles. He was itching for a fight, so whoever was in that barn with the kid would get a nasty wakeup call.
"Yusei, be careful. We know nothing of the person inside." Stardust urged his duelist, who nodded slightly as he walked forward.
"Stay close and watch each other's back." Yusei told his friends, though heat might not work, given their intense rivalry. Regardless, the rivals followed the Head Signer towards the barn. However, what they weren't expecting was for the barn doors to open, revealing a nervously smiling Taka.
"Hello, how can I help you?" Taka said with a forced happy tone. He knew he was disobeying mister Queen's orders, but he had to do something.
"We were just looking around town for information." Yusei quickly answered as he kneeled down to Taka's level, a calm look in his eyes. "Would you happen to know anything about a green archer?" This got a not so subtle reaction as Taka's eyes widened a bit out of shock. "I saw that arrowhead."
"O-Oh no! That was… A GIFT!" Taka replied back, though he was a bit louder than he wanted. "Y-Yeah, a friend of mine who shoots arrows made it for me. And I use it for good luck."
"Then why were you scared before?" Gray questioned with slightly narrowed eyes. "You shouldn't be afraid of holding onto a good luck charm."
'Oh crap.' Taka thought with a mental facepalm. "Well… Someone might think it's dumb, ya know? So I like to keep it away."
"I smell someone else inside." Natsu said randomly, looking at the doors while sniffing the air a few times. Yusei and Gray sweatdropped at Natsu's straightforward approach while Taka looked in shock. "Wanna go inside?"
"NO!" Taka quickly ran in front of Natsu, extending his arms to prevent him from going in.
"There could be someone dangerous inside. We just want to talk to them." Yusei told Taka in an effort to calm him down, only for the young boy to shake his head with a glare.
"You just wanna take him away! He helped us, but you don't care!" Taka shouted in anger, tears threatening to fall down his eyes. "I won't lose anyone else!" The three Fairy Tail wizards looked at each other, unsure of what to do. It was clear that this kid was close to the archer, hence why he was trying his best to keep them out. But at the same time, they needed to speak with the man inside. But before they could even have a chance to open the door.
"TAKA!" The four turned their heads, seeing a young girl with pigtails run towards them, a look of terror in her eyes.
"Maya, what's wrong?" Taka asked, lowering his stance a bit
"They're back." The girl known as Maya said with a sad frown.
"They?" Natsu asked in a confused tone as he looked at Yusei and Gray for an answer. Was there more to this village than they originally thought?
"No… NO!" Taka punched the door to the barn door, ignoring the pain that came from it. "They shouldn't be back for another month!"
"What's going on? Who are you talking about?" Yusei asked the children, trying to deduce what they were talking about. However, Taka shoved past Yusei, grabbing Maya by the hand and dragging her back to the village. "Wait!"
"Should we follow or check what's inside?" Gray asked while looking at the barn. Yusei bit his lower lip a bit, looking at his right arm. It was faint, but he could definitely feel it glow, which means the person inside was indeed a Champion. As much as he wanted to talk to the guy, there was something going on in the village that may require their assistance, even if Erza and the others were there.
"Let's go." Yusei finally said, getting nods from his friends before they all ran towards the village.
As they ran, the door to the barn opened, with a certain archer watching with narrowed eyes.
'Back to the village'
*BANG*BANG*BANG*
Three loud gunshots echoed through the village of Okaiba, catching the attention of all those who live there. One by one, they all began to walk outside, many adopting panicked expressions while some tried their best to shield the eyes of their children. In the middle of the village were a small group of six men, each wearing rugged clothes with weapons in their hands and mischievous smirks on their faces. "Why, hello there everyone. I'm glad to see you took time out of your busy schedules to come out and great us." Walking through the group of men was who everyone assumed was the leader. He seemed to be around his 50s, with combed back grey hair and green eyes. He wore a brown vest over a red button up shirt, loose black pants, a small blue scarf, sharp brown boots and a black fedora with a grey circle around it. A casual smile adorned his face as he removed his hate, putting it against his chest. "Allow me to cut this short. We've recently gotten some… issues that need to be fixed. One of my men were shot by someone here and is currently being treated in a town not too far from here."
Taka and Maya soon arrived at the village, hiding behind a barrel while looking at the strange men. The latter was shaking a bit while the former glared at them harshly.
"I honestly thought we had an understanding: y'all pay your taxes to me and my boys will offer protection against anyone." The leader said while shaking his head in disappointment. "I have to ask: why shoot those who are just doing their jobs? Honestly, it's just rude and uncivilized."
"B-But none of us did it." One of the villagers brave enough to speak said in a nervous tone, getting the leader to look at them.
"You calling the boss a liar?!" One of the thugs shouted while glaring at the man, who gulped in fear.
"I'm sure none of you did." The leader said while patting his subordinate on the shoulder. "Sorry if Danny here scared ya. It's just that his friend was the one who got shot and he's not taking it well." Putting his fedora on his head, the leader tilted it up, a serious gaze in his eyes. "But that's another problem I'd like to talk about." It was at this moment Yusei and his friends arrived behind Taka and Maya.
"What the hell's going on over there?" Gray asked out loud, taking a moment to catch his breath.
"Shhhhh!" Taka suddenly shushed the ice wizard, much to his and the other's confusion.
"Doesn't anyone remember THIS?" Snapping his finger, the leader didn't turn his head as one of his men gave him a familiar green arrow.
'The arrow!' The trio of Fairy Tail wizards thought in unison, their eyes widening. The rest of the villagers also widened their eyes in fear.
"The doctors who were gracious enough to treat my man pulled this out of his leg. And judging by your expressions, you know who owns this, no?" The leader called out while walking forward, raising the arrow up for everyone to see. "I'm a reasonable man. Tell me who it is and where they are and I promise no one else will be harmed. It really is a fair deal, is it not?" The villagers began looking at one another, unsure expressions on their faces. If they did not cooperate, then these men would cause even more chaos than they usually brought. Yet if they did, then the man who actually stood up for them would be punished.
Could they really betray the archer after what he did for them?
"You won't say anything?" The leader asked as he looked around. After seeing the looks on the villagers' faces, he sighed while shaking his head. "Oh, that is a disappointment. Boys?" The rest of the men smirked in delight before they split off to different buildings.
*CRASH*
Natsu, Yusei and Gray gasped as one of the men suddenly slammed their feet into a fruit crate, causing the contents inside to spill on the ground.
Another man slammed a shovel through a nearby window, scaring those inside.
"HEY!" Natsu shouted with a growl as he walked ahead, only for Maya to pull on his pants.
"No. Please don't." Maya whimpered with a fearful tone, confusing the wizards.
"Why not?" Natsu asked the little girl with a raised brow.
"They'll hurt more people if they find out w-wizards are here." Maya said as her hand trembled, loosening her grip. She flinched as more glass shattered, courtesy of the men.
'So this is why no one wanted to talk. They're prisoners.' Yusei thought with a deep glare aimed at the leader. He hated people ruling over the weak by force. It was an all too familiar sight for the Signer, given how things worked in the Satellite prior to Goodwin's defeat. Unconsciously, he began to clench a fist in anger.
"Will you tell us who owns this arrow or not? I'd rather not cause anymore damage, believe it or not." The leader said, looking at the damage his men were causing like it was normal. Not hearing any response from the people, the leader sighed in disappointment before he reached into his back… and took out a revolver. "Well, I'd rather not get my hands dirty, but I suppose desperate times call for desperate measures, as they say. Don't worry, I won't kill any of you." He then aimed it at a young woman, who was hiding a small boy behind her. Seeing this, she closed her eyes tightly making sure her child wasn't looking. "But that doesn't mean I can't make an example." Slowly, he pulled the hammer back, his finger reached to push on the trigger.
"DON'T!" Taka, having enough of what was going on, rushed towards the leader, hand extended. He was done waiting on the sidelines. HE WAS GOING TO BE A HERO!
*DING*
Before the gun could be fired, an arrow suddenly shot out of nowhere, knocking the firearm out of the leader's hand. "That's enough." A deep voice spoke up from above. Everyone lifted their heads up to one of the roofs. Yusei, however, gripped his right arm as his mark began to glow brighter than before.
Standing on the roof was none other than Star City's very own vigilante: The Green Arrow.
And he was not happy.
Cliffhanger after cliffhanger… I am truly the embodiment of evil, aren't I? Well, I never denied it, so I can't really apologize.
I know there wasn't that much action in this chapter(like the last one), but the next chapter will definitely have some action, though not at the scale of chapter 8(which I still feel was my favorite chapter so far). Hope this was a nice setup for what will happen, and I hope you'll like Erza's journey to trust Yusei and Maki again. If someone told me they were from another world, I'd definitely be hesitant about believing them. And before anyone goes and complains about how the Magic Council is not doing anything about Stardust Dragon… That will be shown during the trial and let me just say: it will be stressful.
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Next time: Fight for the people!