Okay, so this will be the last chapter of this story for a bit. I'm hitting Rising from the Embers next, then probably Bisca's Journey. After that…WHO KNOWS! But for sure am taking a break after Christmas. Holiday work hours can suck a bag of dicks. Sure the money is nice but damn…I'm getting sick of 10-12 hour shifts. And of course, working 7 days next week.
Either way, I still love the writing and appreciate all of you who take the time to read
Anyway, not sure how long this chapter will be. I'm guessing somewhere in th3 5-7k range.
Now enjoy with your eye holes!
Chapter Five: Explosion Bee
Natsu groaned, slowly opening his eyes, the man squinting upward. Feeling his head propped up, he saw Erza looking down at him in concern while Wendy stood nearby.
"Are you alright, Natsu?"
"Yeah. What happened? The last thing I remember was kicking Gray's ass"
"Like that happened" Dismissing the claim, the ice mage was clearly unconcerned.
Sitting up, it turns out Erza had used her lap as a pillow, the woman lightly coughing. "Bisca landed a surprise hit on you after that brief viewing of that last timeline. Both her and Evergreen were quite furious with you"
"Right…the sleepover thing?" standing up, he saw that Wakaba had been unleashed from Evergreen's stone gaze, the earth mage glaring at Natsu.
"I'll have you know, if you try to seduce me in any way, I'll turn you into a pigeon roost" Turning her head away with a feminine 'hmph!' her brunette bangs shifted as the rest of the Thunder Legion avoided the female.
"And we'll both shoot you" Bisca and Alzack uttered in unison, the husband and wife not liking the implications.
Dusting himself off, Natsu just scratched the back of his head with a free hand. "Well, you got me good Bisca. Hahaha" Laughing it off, Natsu simply returned to his table.
"I think you both over-reacted" Erza stated simply, the knight taking a nearby seat.
"Didn't you threaten him too after that first timeline?" Hisui asked the redhead, who coughed awkwardly.
"I may have over-reacted"
"Same with Evergreen and you, Bisca. We have to remember that different relationships can easily happen. For all we know, that Natsu did something amazing to…to get b…both of them" Stammering, Levy turned a little red at the implications.
"Don't think about it! Auuughh! It's just so damn weird!" Bisca retorted with a low yell as she rubbed her temples with mental agony.
"OH SHIT!" Laxus suddenly shouted, the blonde man rising from his seat with newfound horror. "What if…what if one of us was like Master Bob? Like Gajeel interested in…Elfman or something"
"Don't use me as an example for your sick theory!" Pointing, the iron mage was positively disgusted at the thought.
"THAT IS UNMANLY!"
"Pretty sure that would make me vomit" Gray muttered, the man clearly not wanting to witness such a nightmare.
Turkey Face had been bad enough.
"Still, I expect all of you to try and control yourselves. We are dealing with different timelines and clearly, anything could transpire. Now Natsu, are you sure you're alright?" Makarov inquired with fatherly concern.
Grinning, the dragon slayer gulped down a fresh glass of water, courteous of Lisanna. "Hell yeah! Like a single punch could keep me down!" Turning, he gave Bisca a thumbs up. "It was a good one, but in the next guild brawl, I'm taking you both down!"
Alzack twitched, the muscles below his left eye jumping. "Just let me shoot him to make sure"
Bisca gave a slow shake of her head, the woman and mother reserved. "No…Levy is right. For all we know, I never even met you in that last universe. Still doesn't explain why Natsu had two women in his bed, however" Giving a light glare at the man, he simply shrugged.
"Maybe both of them fell in love with Natsu and instead of fighting, they decided to share? Yeah..that's pretty awesome" Stroking his rust colored beard, Gildarts grinned. "Who knows! Maybe Natsu will somehow attract numerous women! HAHAHAha!" Laughing uproariously, the Ace of Fairy Tail thought it was a cool concept.
"Yo, are you trying to get me killed?"
"I mean…it has to be possible, right?" Gulping as her cheeks took on a hint of red, Lucy wondered how Natsu could get two women, let alone one.
After all, he wasn't exactly trying to seduce the women of the guild.
"Well, if it's possible for Natsu, then there's a universe where I have a dozen women as wives" Gajeel stated proudly while planting his thumb against his chest in a cocky motion.
"Pig"
"Trash"
"Disgusting"
"Sickening"
"Your face is revolting"
The mutters came from the female population, deflating Gajeel as he wilted under the verbal barrage.
"Hah! You suck! But I bet there's a universe where I have…uh I dunno, Lucy, Cosmos and Flare as wives" Gray said in a random statement with a light chuckle before retaking his seat, the man uncaring of his words.
"Do you want me to kill you?" Cosmos asked with a dead stare, her plant magic flaring with crawling vines as she slowly drew her blade.
"I'll destroy all rivals. Especially Lucy" Juvia declared, the stunning water mage taking a fighting stance as she stared at Lucy, the woman frantically waving her hands.
"Why would you say that, Gray!?"
"It was just an example? I seriously doubt that actually happened in some timeline"
"Actually…" Cana started to say, the brunette adjusting her top before taking a fresh gulp of beer. "If we're dealing with the infinite multiverse, then wouldn't that be possible?"
"We'll give ourselves headaches or end up destroying the guild if we keep trying to guess what's possible. After all, we still don't know who gave us this device" Levy pointed out, the slender script mage still unable to figure out the strange cube resting right before her.
"I will admit that I have learned some things. One is that the standard weapons of the country's military would not stand up to the firepower of the NYPD. They may have faltered against that monster, but it was a summoned demon. Against the average person or mage, I fear those guns would be very lethal. Kamika? We will add weapons research to the country's goal along with new engineering concepts and construction"
"Of course, my queen"
Folding her hands upon her lap, the beautiful ruler of Fiore knew that such weapons may not be able to stop dragons or monsters, but maybe they would have an edge against dark mages or a rival nation such as Bosco. "Definitely something to develop"
"Anyway. Should I bring up the next universe?" Mira asked, the beauty leaning forward slightly as her cleavage showed with enticement in the summer heat.
"Sure. Why not?" Max said with simplicity as the sand mage got comfortable. Getting agreements from several others, the guild consented to another timeline.
"Let's hope it's nothing terrible. That level of violence was grotesque" Carla added with a firm tone, not liking the idea that Wendy was exposed to such horrors.
"I believe we can all agree on that" Pantherlily supported, the exceed crossing his arms in a rather gruff manner despite his diminutive size.
Pushing the green button with a firm hand, the familiar lines of ebbing blue light glowed as the cube powered up. Streams of light poured from the lenses, falling upon the far wall as the next universe came into focus.
Magnolia sprawled outward for miles, the city of a quarter million bustling with commerce, industry and traffic while several large bands of concrete flowed with numerous vehicles. Disappearing to the South and East, the hi-ways were a vital link between the surrounding towns and minor urban centers in the region.
Numerous taller buildings stood, some shimmering with glass and steel while others were made of brick. A few reached heights of fifty stories while some were far shorter, standing at ten stories. Most were clustered around the river that cut through the city's center, the flow of citizens enjoying the lively river lined restaurants, stores and high end shops.
To the North West, the familiar cathedral stood, its spires of older construction a pleasant sight under the warm sun. Passed by a flying machine, the transport hummed with etherion engines, the magical fuel keeping it aloft.
"Woah! Look at all the tall buildings! Magnolia looks so cool!" Natsu grinned, the man enjoying the appearance of his home town.
Makarov stroked his chin, the elder grunting. "It is impressive. Almost like New York City in style, just smaller. It appears that this other Magnolia is further along in technical development"
"Juvia doesn't see the Fairy Tail guild. It's just some smaller buildings in its place?" Wondering what could have happened to the guild, many others finally noticed the lack of their guild hall.
"Let's keep watching and find out. I'm rather curious as to where our guild has gone" Erza commented simply as the red head returned her gaze to the sprawling version of Magnolia as the lenses started to shift the view.
Tall, wire mesh fencing had been erected around a fifteen story structure, the building clearly old and past its usefulness judging by the deplorable state of the crumbling facades. Most of the windows were broken or simply missing while profane graffiti and explicit slogans decorated the lower exteriors. The main doors were gone, either broken or stolen in the past.
Warning signs decorated the fence, displayed in bright yellows of possible injury due to unsafe conditions. Inside the lot, the pavement for parking was cracked and overgrown with weeds, indicating untold time of abandonment.
Beyond the fence, hundreds of people were gathered, some sitting in folding chairs, others idly fondling protective glasses while even more enjoyed refreshments from a few parked vans dispensing food and drink to hungry spectators.
Along the perimeter, a truck was parked, its light blue paint mixing with flames decals of red with the initials D.D.C. Unattended, it was right next to the fenced property line.
Toward the main entrance, another white paneled van sat, its side painted with large, red letters proclaiming 'Channel Five News'
Standing near the van was a familiar blonde woman, her short ponytail falling to the left of her neck as she smiled brightly. Wearing a comfortable blue skirt, she was dressed in a white summer blouse that showed off the tiniest hint of cleavage. Sipping from a bottle of water, Lucy looked over at her camerawoman as the crowd still milled about in anticipation.
"You almost set up, Evergreen?"
Wearing a backwards cap with a picture of a tree on it, the brunette simply shrugged as she checked over her mobile camera and other equipment. "Everything's fine. I double checked. Now we just have to wait. After all, you don't go on for another half hour. Just relax for a bit"
"I was hoping to get some interviews from the crowd"
Throwing up her hands in defeat, Evergreen picked up the large camera with a small bit of annoyance. "If that's what you want. After all, you're the star reporter of Channel Five"
"Oh, don't be all huffy. You get paid for this"
"Not enough to put in extra work early"
"You act like I'm having you explore old caves or something! Fine…I'll throw in a case of beer"
Grinning in victory, Evergreen hefted the camera on her shoulder, the brunette following Lucy as she approached the crowd.
"Well, I exist there and I'm a reporter? Like Jason and Sorcery Weekly?" Unsure, she was simply happy to see herself in a viable career.
"Why am I lugging around that strange camera? And where's the rest of the Thunder Legion?" Evergreen asked, expecting some sort of explanation.
"Maybe without the guild in Magnolia, we never met. From all appearances, this other version of yourself and Lucy seem to be working for a reporting company of some kind" Freed explained, the man slightly frowning.
He valued his friendship and team. To think they never formed was troubling for the man.
Gajeel stroked his chin. "I wonder why all those people are around that old building? Or why it's news worthy for Lucy and Evergreen"
"Maybe…MAYBE A GIANT FISH IS INSIDE!" Happy shouted, the cat salivating at the thought.
"Come on Happy, that building isn't under water. How would a fish be inside?" Natsu explained.
"Oh yeah, that makes sense"
Lucy stared at the two, her gaze unblinking at the stupidity of the statements as the view started to narrow, going inside the structure.
A lobby of graffiti coated walls splayed far more offensive language and images, most of them sexual in nature while broken bottles, glass and peeling plaster further enhanced the desolation. Old lounge couches sat between several supporting columns, the stuffing bursting from damaged seams.
Mounted on all ten of the lobby columns were red bundles of sticks with wires sticking out, the slender wires leading toward the front door, and due to a connecting bundle, further into the building as several voices rose.
The room was spacious, presumably a dance hall at one point, but the polish and grandeur of the walls, furnishing and floors were long gone.
A dozen more pillars rose to the arched ceiling, the artwork ruined by mildew and rot, not that it mattered to the three inside the room.
"Make sure to check the wiring, Cana. We don't want a failure" Natsu reminded as he attached one of those red sticks to a column on the left, the adhesive rapidly solidifying. Having already checked his own wiring, the man nodded in approval.
Wearing a pair of blue jeans, a red shirt, and a hard hat, the man grinned as Cana cursed from the other side of the ballroom.
For her, she wore some blue jeans as well, but these hugged her hips far more nicely. As for a shirt, it was brown and could barely be considered a shirt as it showed off her toned and tanned midriff. Wearing a yellow hard hat as well, the coloration matched some heavy work boots that were covered in dust and blemishes from heavy use.
"I know how to do my job" Huffing, the brunette continued to work as Happy flew upward toward the middle of the main support column, the feline holding a length of wire and several sticks.
"You got it, buddy?"
"You bet! And once this job is done…FISH! DELICIOUS FISH!"
Cana scoffed. "You damn cat and your fish addiction. Why not try eating something else?"
"At least I don't smell like booze"
"Hey! You know damn well I don't drink on the job!" Yelling at the flying, blue cat, Cana glared, then went back to work. Wiping her brow, she halted for a moment and took a sip of water from a bottle, slaking her thirst.
Walking over, Natsu started to assist, the man giving a small smile despite the decrepit surroundings.
"I can do it myself, you know?"
"Ah, but what type of husband would I be if I didn't help my wife and business partner?"
"You…WOMAN SEDUCING BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU TAKE MY LITTLE CANA!" Instantly turning, Gildarts was ready to murder Natsu who simply gulped and waved, knowing he was already doomed.
"Calm down, you idiot!" Throwing a full barrel, the guild lush had a tracing of red along her cheeks.
"But…this leech seduced you, my precious daughter!" Turning, the barrel had no effect as Gildarts tried to explain.
"Yeah! In that universe! And while I'm not sure what they're doing yet or why, they're married and have a business so that indicates a happy life!" Huffing as she sat back down with a slight bounce of her bikini clad breasts, Cana gave a sidelong look to Natsu who hadn't moved, the man still terrified of an angry father.
"Let's keep watching. Hopefully without moronic outbursts this time"
"All done, Natsu!" Happy said excitedly, the blue cat flying down from his task. Pointing, more of the red sticks were mounted near the joining of the ceiling and support pillar, the holding plaster already hardened as wires trailed down to the floor.
"Same. Looks like we're ready to rock!" Giving a thumbs up, Cana planted a small kiss on Natsu's cheek before starting to pack up errant tools.
"Hell, yeah we are!" Grinning himself, Natsu helped his wife, using a red tool box to carry what they had used. Quickly leaving the ball room, the trio followed the lines of wires through the deplorable and abandoned structure. Emerging in the lobby, Natsu did one last check of the red mounted sticks. Picking up a spool of wire near the entrance, he let it unfurl as the trio left and marched across the abandoned lot to the cheer of nearby civilians. Bypassing the security fence, the three headed toward the paneled truck with D.D.C. stenciled on the side.
Opening the back doors, Cana leaned in, her tanned midriff and rear end enticing as she reached for a strange box with several switches.
"This is the best part. I still can't believe this is my job" Grinning widely, Natsu started to connect the wirse with the box, the man working diligently and efficiently while Lucy and Evergreen approached.
"Mister Dragneel. What can we expect in just a few minutes?" Lucy asked, the woman leaning forward far too much. Showing off too much cleavage, Cana stepped in, her arms defensive.
"You did cover us working the Hannover Hall site earlier this year. Everything will go to plan and that's what will happen"
"But this was the Starlight Hotel, built over a century ago. Don't you have any last words or…anything? It was crucial for tourism in the last century"
"Sure, but the family went bankrupt and had to close. I heard they tried to turn it into low income housing, but the age of the building just wasn't fit for human habitation" Slowly turning to the old hotel, Cana shrugged. "It had it's time. If it makes you feel better, they will be building some condos and a park on the lot"
"Still, it feels like destroying history" Lucy pressed, the reporter trying to get the most out of the interview.
Cana simply shrugged, then turned to her husband who was grinning like a kid. "Ready?"
"OH YEAH! I'M ALL FIRED UP!"
Laughing warmly, Cana shook her head as Natsu set up the strange box with Happy watching with wide eyes. "This is gonna be great!"
"You got it, buddy!" Giving a thumbs up to his small friend, Natsu started to flip several switches, leaving the last two with red covers alone.
Flipping the red covers, another switch lay beneath, the fingers of Cana and Natsu hovering as they looked at each other with loving gazes.
"Ready in three…Two…ONE!" Flipping both in unison, there was a half second delay before the right side of the hotel exploded inward, the support beams severed as the upper floors started to tilt and pancake. Two seconds later, the left side of the building exploded, the walls falling toward the middle as the final supports were blown, the noise a thunderclap of destruction as the charges did their jobs.
Falling with a groan of failing walls and floors, the old Starlight Hotel collapsed in a roiling ball of dust and noise, expanding across the enclosure as the crowd cheered and hooted.
"YEAH NATSU! BLOWING UP BUILDINGS IN STYLE!"
"DID SOMEBODY SAY…EXPLOSION!"
"I'M SO GLAD I'M DRUNK FOR THIS! WOOO!"
Lucy extended her hand behind her, showing off the demolition as she gave a warm, inviting smile to her audience. "As you can see back at Channel Five, the Starlight Hotel is no more thanks to the Dragneel Demolition Company" Walking over as the dust roiled beyond the fence, Lucy pointed her microphone to the man. "So tell me, how do you celebrate after a job well done?"
Cradling his chin in contemplation, Natsu gave a firm nod. "Guess I'll have sex with my wife? Blowing up buildings gets her all riled up. In fa—"
"DON'T SAY THAT ON THE NEWS!" Punching her husband in the side of the head, the man fell as Cana brushed her hands. Glaring at Lucy, the brunette was entirely menacing while Evergreen gulped from behind the lens.
"What he meant to say was he's going to take me on a day long shopping trip and take care of all the paper work. Nothing…Else…"
"Right! Of course. Not terrifying at all…" Laughing awkwardly, Lucy hurried her steps away from the angry wife to interview a large, bare chested man still talking about explosions.
"Sir, what did you think about the destruction of the Starlight Hotel?"
Crossing his large arms after adjusting his sunglasses, the bare chested man rippled his pecs. "First of all, it's Mister Torgue! And second…EXPLOSIONS! YEAHHHHH! I RATE THAT EXPLOSION AS…FUCKING AWESOME! THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE IT BETTER WAS TO WATCH ME BENCH PRESS A SHARK!"
"You're a moron! Next interview!" Trying to escape, the large muscular man grabbed Lucy's microphone. "GUITAR SOLO! WOOOOOO!"
"Heh. That guy is pretty manly" Agreeing wholeheartedly, Elfman flexed his own muscles in respect, completely ignoring the other conversation erupting across the guild."Hey Evergreen? I bet I could bench press a shark"
"You should ignore that loud idiot" Turning away from Elfman, Evergreen concentrated on the unfolding argument across the guild hall.
"Serves you right for saying that in public!" Cana lectured as Natsu stared at the unfolding destruction. Eyes wavering in horror, the salmon haired fire mage was silent for a full minute.
Mira looked at her friend, concern crossing her beautiful features. "Natsu…are you alright? I mean, you saw yourself with Erza, Bisca, Evergreen, Bisca and now Cana. The impli—"
"AAAUUUGHHH! NO WAY!" Clutching his head in pain, the fire mage roared in agony.
"What is it, boy!? The threat of shopping!?" Makarov asked in concern.
"I bet he's overcome with shock that I'm his awesome wife" Smiling smugly, Cana's ego doubled in size.
Natsu waved his arm in a swipe, his agony palpable. "Who cares about being married to Cana! I wanna know how that other me has a job blowing up buildings! I do it for free and I get yelled at!"
"That's because you're not supposed to, you idiot! We lost half our reward last time because you burned down that warehouse!" Lucy barked, the blonde kicking herself for being worried.
Obviously, Cana didn't like how Natsu dismissed her as a potential wife. Practically teleporting behind Natsu with an empty barrel, the busty brunette roared in feminine anger. "SO, I DON'T MATTER AS A WIFE, HUH!?" Bringing it down with all her strength, she trapped Natsu inside, the man suddenly engulfed by the formerly filled wine cask.
Dusting her hands, the card mage turned on her heel with a huff. "Thinks blowing up buildings is more important than a stunning wife as myself" Taking a few steps, she halted as her eyes bugged out before clutching her head in sudden shock. "WHAT THE HELL AM I SAYING!? MARRIED TO NATSU!? DID I DRINK TOO MUCH WATER!?"
Rushing to the bar, Cana quickly found a fresh bottle of beer and chugged it down.
Gildarts stroked his rust colored beard, the father contemplating as his daughter drank. "Now that I think about it, Natsu would be a good husband for you. He's reliable in a fight, protects his friends, and he's not some womanizing pervert. I'll name your future son Gildarts Junior!"
"GAH!" Drinking some more, Cana ignored her father, the horror too much.
"As much as I enjoy seeing Natsu beaten up by the women of the guild, can we continue watching?" Kamika asked, her smile indicating that she would start using force.
"AND THAT'S WHY YOU SHOULD APOLOGIZE!"
"I'm not apologizing for sentence structure and established grammar! Now…gimme that microphone!" Ripping it away from the muscle bound behemoth, he continued to rant about explosions and bench pressing sharks as Lucy returned to Natsu and Cana, the husband rubbing his head.
"Can you tell me about any upcoming jobs? After all, you've completed demolition contracts for the government, and the city itself"
"Well, we'll start on the old Iron Press Building in Hargeon, but that's not for a few weeks. They're still clearing out the tenants so until then, we'll just have to resupply our explosives. Still, IT WAS A GREAT EXPLOSION! And despite my wife sucker punching me, I still love her and my job! YEAH!"
"Damn right!" Grinning, Cana slowly started to forgive her husband as the man wrapped an arm around her slender waist. "Best husband and wife business in the city! Way better than Fullbuster Demolitions! That guy exposes himself to strangers"
Screeching tires roared down the street, drawing the attention of Natsu, his wife, the news crew, and the crowd. Pulling to a hard stop with a heavy slam of the brakes, rubber burned as the blue paneled van came to a halt across the cordoned off road.
Hopping out was Gray Fullbuster, the man dressed in black slacks and an icy blue shirt while he wore a cap with a symbol of dynamite. A gold chain could be seen dangling from his neck, the man slowly approaching as a blue haired beauty strode next to him.
With short bobbed hair that fell to her shoulders, the woman had long legs, sizable breasts and a thin waist that could easily be gleaned from the billowing yellow summer dress she wore.
"Hey asshole. Thought I told you we were going to take this job" Approaching Natsu and Cana, the rival duo of Levy and Gray glared with rivalry anger.
"Well, you lost it because you decided to walk around town naked. The mayor's wife was so horrified she cried! And for your information, your face is hideous!" Jabbing a finger in the man's chest, Natsu laughed with derision.
"Don't call my husband hideous you pink haired piece of garbage!" Yelling, Levy glared as Cana came close, the two women almost smashing breasts together.
"Big words from a woman that hands out free blowjobs at the train station"
"Least I don't dress like a dried up old hooker"
"Bitch"
"Skank"
"What the…? Do we hate each other that much!? I would never say something so mean!" Levy asked, the woman mortified by the taunts and insults being exchanged between herself and Cana.
"Right? That's pretty awful to say"
"Not to mention disrespectful" Frowning, Erza fully understood that this other universe was different, but to hear such words made her quite angry.
"Well, hopefully that other Gray will kick Natsu's ass" Positive in his words, the ice mage completely missed the hard, unblinking stare Juvia was directing at Levy.
"Love rival…"
"Well, things seem to be getting pretty heated between the rival demolition companies of Magnolia. As for this reporter, I will not be getting involved. In fact, the po—"
Mister Torgue ran up, snatching the microphone away from Lucy as his pecs flexed automatically. "BORING! WHAT YOU ALL SHOULD BE DOING IS KICKING EACH OTHER'S ASSES…WITH EXPLOSIONS!"
"Hey! Give that back!" Trying to grab her microphone, Lucy was ignored as Torgue rushed between the two.
"ONLY THE BIGGEST BADASS CAN HOPE TO WIN! MY BETS ON NATSU AND THE VOLUPTOUS CANA DRAGNEEL! AND YES, MY FULL NAME IS MISTER TORGUE HIGH-FIVE FLEXINGTON!"
"That insane muscle head is right! I'm kicking your tits in, you tanned whore!" Throwing a punch, Levy's fist connected with Cana's, only for the brunette to retaliate with a knee to Levy's abdominals.
"At least mine are natural! How much did yours cost? Five, ten Jewel!?"
"RARRGHH! BITCH!" Fully enraged, the women went into a full on cat fight, the insults getting far more vile in nature.
"THIS IS BADASS!"
"Tell your fat wife to stop attacking mine you flaming piece of garbage!" Throwing a heavy haymaker, it smashed against Natsu's jaw, but the man rolled with it before countering with his own.
"My Cana is more beautiful than anything! Calling her fat pisses me off you shitty nudist!" Having struck Gray, the two men started to brawl as the crowd gathered with unashamed cheering.
"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"
"IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS AT CHANNEL FIVE! WE HAVE A GREAT FIGHT BETWEEN RIVALS UNFOLDING! NOT ONLY BETWEEN TWO BADASS WOMEN, BUT A STRIPPING PERVERT AND AN EXPLOSION EXPERT! YEAHHH GIMME ME A HIGH FIVE, LUCY!" Holding up his hand as the four continued to brawl near the fallen ruins of the Starlight Hotel, Torgue was left hanging as Lucy retrieved her reporting microphone with obvious anger.
"Somebody, call the police!"
"IRRELEVANT! THIS IS MISTER TORGUE! BRING ME A SANDWHICH!"
Levy smashed down the button, the short and slender woman having a small twitch of her eye. "I don't like that fact the I'm fighting with Cana! Especially since that other me is more…developed" Voice laced with complaints, the script mage gave a light huff while crossing her arms beneath her unimpressive bust.
"Oh yeah, your boobs were bigger. They looked great!" Wakaba mentioned with a fine compliment.
Levy's cheek twitched, the muscles beneath the skin flaring as the usually quiet and calm woman had a secret desire to beat the older man senseless.
"Rival"
"Not now, Juvia" Smiling with a little menace, Levy just tried to follow the reasoning of that last reality while Mira slowly patted her hand in reassurance.
"I'm kinda curious how Gray and Levy got together. Sure, she was taller and…larger, but it's kinda weird" Laki admitted, the wood make mage brushing a few errant strands of purple bangs away from her eyes. Picking up her water, she drank as the summer heat still filled the hall.
Gray gulped deeply, looking over at Cana who seemed to be glaring daggers into his soul. Frantically waving, he had to think in a light panic. "For the record! You're not fat at all! In fact, you look great! Uh…stunning even!"
"NNNOOO! NOW SHE'S A RIVAL TOO!" Hearing the compliments, Juvia was bereft with mental agony as Cana was added to the list of potential rivals.
"I'm not, a love rival"
"Lies!"
Lucy awkwardly laughed, the celestial mage's eyes filled with pity. "Welcome to the club" Sighing as Juvia continued to struggle mentally, Lucy just ignored the insane water mage as her gaze hardened with fresh annoyance.
"I don't like the fact that muscle bound, loud mouth idiot hijacked my news report! JUST WHO WAS HE!?"
"He was awesome, that's what! Right son?"
"Yeah! EXPLOSIONS!" Romeo and Macao uttered in unison, the two copying the strange man's tone as they high fived.
"More like a neanderthal" Carla huffed, not liking Mister Torgue in the slightest. "Wendy, don't ever get involved with a fool like that" Lecturing, the young woman nodded with agreement.
"I should try to track him down. He's definitely manly" Elfman concluded.
"Oh Elfman, you don't need to be influenced by somebody like that" Smiling sweetly, Lisanna took a page from the womanly menacing book, her gaze boring at the muscular man that was her brother.
"But his love of explosions was…MANLY!"
"Nope" Mira butted in, the elder Strauss agreeing with her sister as Elfman started to stutter…but finally wilted under their combined strength.
"We never did discover what happened to that world's Fairy Tail, but since we saw a few of us having jobs and employment, my conclusion is that world simply didn't need mage guilds in their advanced stage of development. It's most likely that most of us simply had separate lives either in Magnolia or someplace else" Erza concluded with several logical points.
Bisca frowned, the stunning mother and mage brushing a few locks of emerald bangs away from her vision. "Then that means it's possible I never met my husband in that other world, or have my precious daughter"
"For all we know you could be a soldier or a baker. We simply have no way of knowing by the little slice of that world we saw"
"I rather not think about not knowing all of you, but if they are leading happy, productive lives, I can accept that" Makarov said with masterly approval before sipping a fresh, frothing mug of beer.
"Should we watch another timeline? Hopefully without that large buffoon?" Carla asked, the white exceed unforgiving of such a disruptive, loud man.
Mira smiled, sliding over for Lisanna. "Want to push it this time?"
"You bet!" Slamming her open palm down excitedly, the younger sister was all smiles as the cube flashed its familiar blue lines of power. Lenses flared with light and pixels, pouring a fresh image over the far wall as the guild went quiet to watch this next universe.
A wide, open field of sunflowers bloomed while birds, bees and animal life created a sense of tranquility. Through the center, a small river gurgled and flowed, the water filled with a healthy population of fish. Along the banks, dozens of low square boxes sat, the area surrounded by buzzing bees that crawled over the surfaces as the insects went about their business.
One hundred yards away from the beehives, a lone, squat building of concrete stood, the outer exterior painted with the symbols of bees.
The lone door swung open, the hinges needing a small amount of oil as they squeaked with rust. A man stepped out, his height above average. Wearing wire frame glasses and with a thick mustache grown above his lips, his facial structure was slender as well.
Dressed in a puffy, yellow and black striped costume, the leg coverings were completely black while his boots were a bright yellow. Attached to the rear of the outfit was a long stinger, the point dulled as the man smiled, the bobbing ends of his fake antenna wavering in a light breeze.
Essentially, he was dressed in a bee costume.
"Yes…Good morning my precious bees! It is I, Doctor Beeman!" Skipping along the long grass and sunflowers, the doctor laughed like an unhinged mental patient as he approached the many hives. Halting near the first hive, he smacked the side with a gloved hand, then started to wiggle his stinger. "OHH! Please don't sting me! HAHAHA!"
Skipping to the next hive, Doctor Beeman struck the side, agitating more of the bees inside as they buzzed and swarmed.
"Oh my! So many of you are mad at me!" Skipping away with a laugh, Beeman struck another hive, creating an even greater swarm of angry bees as he wiggled his main body. "Please don't fill me with honey…ohhhh!" Getting the first stings across his exposed face as his cheeks flushed in embarrassment, the man guffawed. "Soon I'll be the queen bee! Yes…all of your stings will get me…uh…closer!"
Now covered in hundreds of angry bees constantly stinging, Doctor Beeman skipped and hopped to more of the hives, then started to rub himself along the side. "Don't let me stop pollinating!"
"What kind of lunatic is he!?" Kamika suddenly shouted, the man completely insane.
"A messed up one!" Suddenly pointing, Lisanna gulped with a deadpanned stare. "Is it me, or is he getting bedroom excited from all the bee stings?"
"No, he's a lunatic pervert in a bee costume" Erza groused, the knight really not enjoying the site of some man rubbing himself against bee hives.
"I've got my own honey you sexy bees!"
"Ugh…this guy is worse than Gildarts and Bicslow combined" Lucy groaned out, the busty woman not enjoying this in the slightest.
"I resent that. I don't have a thing for bees. I like women" Gildarts explained before holding up a magazine with a scantily clad female on the cover.
"Yeah! I don't like bees at all!" Agreeing, the helmet clad mage looked at Lucy, his hidden eyes wandering. "In fact, for that insult, you should wear a bikini"
"For you? Ew, no" Waving her hand in disgust, Lucy simply stayed at her table, crushing the Bickslow's dreams.
"I thought I told you to stop bringing smut to the guild" Grabbing the magazine from her father, Cana threw it in the trash, sickened by the mage.
"I'm more worried about all those bee stings. He should be in pain" Wendy stated, only to have her vision blocked by Carla.
"YES! YES! YES! POLLINATE MEEE!" Twirling around while gyrating his hips, Doctor Beeman simply danced among the swarms of bees, their stings only fueling his lust.
"I'm not watching some sexual fiend get stung while wearing a bee costume" Hitting the red button, Levy ended the connection with a small 'hmph'
"Thanks for that. He was deranged" Gajeel stated, the man slightly shivering at the recent images.
"Awe…why did it have to be weird? I wanted a fun, nice universe to watch. Maybe one where I never went to Edolas" Lisanna lightly complained.
"Now that would be interesting" Mira replied with her own smile, the thought of such a timeline pleasant.
"I was hoping to see more fish" Happy complained, the cat downcast.
"Maybe next one will get to see me blow more stuff up with Mister Torgue! That guy was cool!" Boisterously loud, Natsu laughed at the idea.
"He was loud, obnoxious, and very rude. Not to mention he completely hijacked that news report. I doubt we'll see him again" Erza concluded with finality. Turning her gaze to the queen, she was all pleasant while brushing a few scarlet strands away. "Would you like to watch another right away, your highness? Or would you prefer a small break?"
Resting her pointer finger against her lower lip rather cutely, Hisui contemplated. "A small break would suffice. That will give Cana time to figure out her plan for marrying Natsu" Giggling femininely, the queen found amusement as her two guards also giggled.
"WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT!?" Re-clutching the sides of her head, Cana sought out more booze.
"Hey yeah! If we got married, then I could blow up buildings!"
"AHHHHH!" Screaming once more, Cana dove behind the bar, her female mind filled with visions of herself and Natsu enjoying married activities.
"Gildarts Junior will be your son! Isn't that right, future son in law?" Slapping Natsu on the back with approval, the ace's mind was set about who Cana would marry as the fire mage slowly sank, the man receiving a few angry stares from other women for some insane reason.
"SHUT UP, DAD!"
"To be fair, that is pretty horrifying to think about" Gray added with deadpanned finality as the guild fell into a small break of conversation…and the rampant drinking of one guild lush.
So I think this is a good place to end the ch—
"BORING! THIS IS MISTER TORGUE! YOU MAY BE WONDERING, HEY WHAT IS A CHARACTER FROM BORDERLANDS DOING IN MAGNOLIA!? ANSWER. EXPLOSION!"
This is TheHappy