A/N: Episode 223, Opening 18.

Enjoy!

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE: HERE COMES KEMOKEMO

Fairy Tail...

The Fairy Tail members were going about their day when the guild doors opened, revealing a Council worker.

"A frog?"

"A dinosaur?"

The guild soon gathered. "Master Makarov, I have come from the Council with a message." The messenger said.

"Hey! Did somebody cause trouble again?" Makarov asked.

"No, that's not it. Among the seven guild teams that put up a good fight in the Grand Magic Games, we've created an exchange student system, wherein participants can broaden their knowledge of other guilds." The messenger explained.

"Exchange students..." Makarov repeated.

"Five members can participate." The messenger holds up five fingers.

"Gramps, I'll go!" Natsu pointed to himself. "Me, me! It's perfect! I can ask around about Kemokemo!"

"Natsu, you don't know what an exchange student is, do you?" Lucy asked.

"I'm goin' for sure! You too, right, Happy?" Natsu questioned.

"Aye!"

Lucy raised her hand. "Then maybe I'll go, too. I'd worry if Natsu went off alone."

Gray tried to sneak away but Erza grabbed him. "Where are you going?" She asked.

"Um, I thought I'd go out on a job or something..." Gray answered.

"We're exchange students now. Follow me." Erza said.

"Why?! It's gonna be a pain in the ass!" Gray complained.

Erza was looking at Kemokemo. "At any rate, he sure is cute."

"That ain't an answer!" Gray shouted.

"All right! Let's go, Happy and Kemokemo!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Aye, sir!"

Natsu, Happy, and Kemokemo soon took off.

Black Sun...

After visiting Quatro Cerberus, the Fairy Tail members had entered Bridgehollow, but didn't see the Black Sun guild hall anywhere in town.

"Hey, Fairy Tail! I've been searching for you guys!"

Team Natsu glanced over to see Percy walking towards them. "You're... Percy, right?" Lucy asked.

The brown-haired teenager nodded. "I figured you guys wouldn't know where the guild hall is, so I've come to take you there." He replied.

The Fairy Tail Mages followed Percy towards the end of town. They all gasped upon seeing the Black Sun guild hall surrounded by water with a long bridge leading to it.

"Isn't this a little..." Gray started to say.

"Excessive? Over-the-top? Yeah, no. I agree." Percy sighed out, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Just follow the bridge and it'll lead you right to the guild."

"Thank you." Erza thanked him as Percy turned around and went back towards town.

Team Natsu walked on the bridge before finally opening the doors to the Black Sun guild, getting their members attention.

"Hey, Fairy Tail! Welcome to our guild!" Kida greeted them, waving from the bar counter.

"I'm glad you guys are here."

The Fairy Tail Mages looked over to see Cyana walking towards them. "Zane and I could really use your help." She informed.

They followed her to where Zane was sleeping on a pile of books. "Zane." Cyana called out as Zane ignored her.

Kross came by and slammed some books on the table, making Zane jolt up. "Huh? What?"

"I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but you look like crap." Gray commented.

"I feel like it, too..." Zane groaned.

"A few days ago, a client came to Zane and I with a concerning request. The client wants us to locate some god that's been wandering around." Cyana explained.

"A god? Aren't they extinct?" Lucy questioned.

"Apparently not. Sebastian, Orion, and Raden headed over to Sabertooth to see if Orga could help, but they have yet to return. I've gotten some sleep but Zane has been pulling all-nighters since we got this request. So it's a relief that you guys are here to lend us a hand." Cyana responded.

Lucy grabbed one of the books, sitting down next to Zane as she began to read while Gray headed over to the bar to chat with Kida.

Natsu looked around, spotting an unfamiliar teenage girl with jade-colored hair that was medium length and slightly slitted red eyes. She wore a white collar long sleeve dress shirt with a red tie, a black suit vest over on top of it, a black miniskirt with black leggings and mid length black heeled boots.

"Did you guys get a new member?" Natsu asked.

"Hm?" Cyana looked over towards the direction where Natsu was looking. "Oh, yeah. That's Jade. She joined Black Sun a few weeks after the Grand Magic Games. She's a Gemstone Dragon Slayer. Sebastian was pretty excited about her joining, considering her dragon disappeared on the same day his did."

Natsu nods in understanding before sitting down across from Zane, holding onto Kemokemo. Zane looks over, his eyes locking with Kemokemo's.

"Natsu, what the hell is that thing?" Zane questioned, getting Cyana's attention.

"It's Kemokemo! Know anything about him?" Natsu asked.

"...No." Zane replied.

"But he is the cutest little thing!" Cyana squealed.

"Right?" Erza agreed.

"May I?" Cyana questioned.

Natsu nods and holds Kemokemo up to the blue-haired woman, who puts her hand on Kemokemo's head. As soon as she did, Kemokemo spits out fire from his mouth in retaliation, causing an explosion and getting the other guild member's attention.

However, Zane managed to suck up the fire before it caused any real damage.

"Fairy Tail, you numbskulls!" They heard Souta's voice shout in anger from the second floor. "Move on to the next one!"

Erza and Lucy sighed in unison.

Sabertooth...

Sting rushed out of the Sabertooth guild hall. "Natsu-san!" He shouted.

"Hi, Sting! How have you been?" Natsu questioned before Sting grabbed ahold of his arm.

"Hurry up! The exchange program is canceled!" Sting informed, shocking Natsu.

The Fairy Tail wizards soon joined Sting, Rogue, Sebastian, Orion and their Exceeds on top of a watchtower.

"That's..." Sting pointed to an island.

"...an island, right?" Natsu asked.

"What about the island?" Gray questioned.

"It suddenly appeared from the sea several days ago." Sting replied.

"An island suddenly appears from the ocean? Is that even possible?" Lucy asked.

Rogue turned around. "It's true. We think the island appeared because of the recent occurrence where the ground shook." He explained.

"It's not a volcano, and it's got a real forest. It's some weird island." Lector added.

"Fro thinks so, too."

"I wonder if it's got a connection to what Zane and Cyana were working on." Sebastian commented.

Orion hummed. "Possibly." He stated.

"It's got structures, doesn't it?" Natsu asked.

"You've got good eyes." Lucy said.

"So the Council contacted us." Sting explained.

"We want you to explore the island."

Everyone turned, seeing Lahar with two Rune Knights at his side as Wendy and Carla were with him.

"Sabertooth, Black Sun, and Fairy Tail, working together." Lahar continued.

"What are you guys doing here?" Natsu asked Wendy and Carla.

"Um, how can I put it?" Wendy questioned.

"Master asked us to come. You've been causing trouble all over the kingdom, so he told us to keep an eye on you." Carla explained.

"Lahar-san happened to be at the guild just then, so he took us with him." Wendy added.

"If you want us to investigate the place, it would help if you told us everything you know about it." Erza said.

"This is the ruling of the Council: 'That island is dangerous.'" Lahar stated.

"Dangerous?" Natsu quoted as him and Lucy looked back at the island. "Hey, Kemokemo?"

Kemokemo was staring at the island.

"That very important thing... When I try to recall it, a fog rolls through my brain. I have the feeling I'm supposed to be doing something, but I don't know what it is."

A/N: First update of the new year! Happy 2024, everyone!

A new OC has been introduced in this chapter! I decided to introduce her here rather than make a whole chapter for her, since it was only one character.

Thanks for reading!

~ Kaleb.