Here we go, Natsu vs Bambietta! Hope you all enjoy! Please let us know what you think in a review!
I do Not own Bleach or Fairy Tail. Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo and SHounen jump. Fairy tail is owned by Hiro Mashima and Weekly shounen magizine.
This was a day that Lucy Heartfilia had been longing for ever since she had left home. To stand in awe of greatness, to be on the threshold of joining one of the most renowned magical guilds in all of Fiore. She was here now, standing outside the open doors of the guild hall, ready at last to take that final tentative step into the rest of her life.
Yet now she was unable to do anything but take a slight pause as she saw chaos envelope what she had hoped to be her new home. Natsu Dragneel, the young man she had met during her journey and who had invited her to join the guild, had launched himself into the building with a vigor she knew all too well. He had displayed it time and time again since they had met in Hargeon Town. It had led him to victory over the wizard turned slave trader known as Bora, as well into conflict with the local militia for the property damage that had been wrought during the battle. Yet Lucy could only see it as an endearing, if sometimes overbearing, trait.
Now was one of those times. The Fire Dragon Slayer had been quick to act, launching a tirade at one of his fellow Fairy Tail wizards over misinformation about the location of a dragon that went by the title of Salamander. That incident had been the spark for what followed, the guild hall descending into a rapidly expanding brawl. It was madness perhaps, but Lucy could not help but smile.
This was the Fairy Tail she had heard so much about after all.
Lucy took a deep breath then and entered the chaos, carrying her luggage behind her. "I'm really in Fairy Tail, aren't I?"
The Celestial wizard looked at those among the crowd, seeing that only two were not involved in the fight. Yet she could see the two women were eyeing the spectacle just as she was.
"Now, Bambi," Levy began to say, realizing just what her new friend was no doubt planning, "I know what you're thinking. 'Should I step into this brawl and throw down with Natsu?' The answer might surprise you-"
"Oh, so close," Bambietta replied with a smile curling back her lips. "You're good at reading my thoughts, but I think you need to flip around 'should' and 'I' if you really want to know what I'm got on my mind."
"Well, that answer doesn't surprise me." Levy sighed, her shoulders dropping. She was beginning to realize that there was no getting around this. If Bambietta wanted to fight Natsu so badly, she was going to do just that. However, the Solid Script mage knew that if her past experiences watching a massive fight break out in the guild were anything to go by, then Master Makarov was soon going to intervene and put a stop to things before they got any more out of hand. "Fine, have fun. I'm just going to hide over in the corner, okay?"
"Yeah, you do that," Bambietta said as she turned and watched Levy step away. The Quincy gave her a wink then, trying to dispel any concern her new friend had. "Be safe, okay?"
Then Bambietta began to roll up her sleeves and walk forward. This madness, this carnage, was not something she was quite used to in her old life. On the field of battle it was to be expected, but in one's own home? Yhwach would never have allowed such discord to play out among his Stern Ritter. Infighting was strictly forbidden and punishable by death. The Quincy had lived under His Majesty's rules to her utmost ability, yet there had been a few occasions where she would have loved to test her mettle against some of her own allies, if only to either see who was stronger or to finally put them in their place. Bazz-B had been a rare occurrence of a potential fight being born from both desires. Yet still she had stayed her hand time and time again, having possessed no intention of inciting Yhwach's wrath.
"Time to make up for lost chances," Bambietta whispered under her breath as she inched closer to the fighting. "One pink haired pretty boy is just as good as another..."
If Fairy Tail encouraged and endorsed battles among its own, then who was Bambietta Basterbine to argue? Yet, as the Quincy was about to find out, someone else did disagree.
"This ends now!"
The floorboards beneath Bambietta began to shake and the young lady's eyes went wide as her spiritual senses began to tingle. She could feel it, a shiver running down her spine as an overbearing power began to push down against her body. The Quincy began to turn to face this power, fear seizing her heart. It was then that she saw an overbearing mountain of a man towering over herself and her new guild mates. His features were obscured in darkness, eyes blazing with magical energy, the only thing that broke through the enveloping shadow. Bambietta's eyes widened further as she looked up at the awe inspiring monster that stood before her, his power leaving her almost shaking.
"You dolts!" the beast roared. "You will cease your foolishness right this instant!"
It was then that the Quincy could hear one other behind her scream in fear, something she almost found comforting. To not be alone in her fright was calming despite the circumstances. Yet when she turned she could only see a rather attractive blonde haired young lady, one she did not recognize, quivering in shared fear. The rest of Fairy Tail was simply staring in awe, nothing more. Were they simply used to this occurrence or could they simply not sense this monster's power?
"Am I supposed to be scared of that?" A laugh began to echo across the guild hall then and Bambietta could only stare wide eyed in shock when she noticed who was responsible. Natsu was simply grinning like a fool as he approached this beast. "That's nothing! I claim victory in this battl-"
The monster simply stepped forward then, pinning the foolhardy Dragon Slayer to the floor without any resistance. Despite what she was facing, Bambietta could not help but giggle just a little bit. That had clearly answered whether or not the young man could sense the power in which he was up against.
"Oh, what's this?" the monster suddenly said, turning its gaze away from Natsu and towards the teeming masses of Fairy Tail wizards. "Do we have a new face here?"
Once more did Bambietta's blood run cold. Was the monster speaking of her as they had not been formerly introduced? The Quincy forced herself to take a deep breath then, trying to stand her ground. "Yes, I don't think we've met. I'm-" The beast's gaze passed right over Bambietta then, leaving her speechless as it focused instead on another. The Quincy turned to follow its gaze and found her eyes locked on the terrified blonde girl. "Oh, her. Well, don't I just feel like yesterday's chopped liver now."
It was at that moment then that Bambietta could feel the dreadful power beginning to recede. Caught up in her own curiosity, she looked back at the monster and watched in awe as it began to lose mass. The shadows that swirled around it began to dissipate then, leaving behind nothing more than the diminutive stature of Master Makarov. The old man smiled widely at Lucy. "Nice to meet you!"
Bambietta could not help but blink a few times then, trying to get over her own disbelief. Was this the power she had felt lying dormant in the man? The Quincy could only imagine so, yet she had to wonder if there was even more to it. All she knew for certain was that if she was going to fight this Natsu Dragneel, she would have to do it away from Master Makarov's prying eyes.
Her breathing beginning to relax, the pressure of Master Makarov's power no longer pressing down upon her body, Bambietta began to move back then, to find a place to sit and compose herself. She did so, her back leaning against a counter as she propped her elbows on it.
"You okay?" Levy asked as she moved in close, placing a hand on Bambietta's shoulder. "You're looking pale."
"I'm... fine." Bambietta managed to say those words, yet she was not entirely sure she meant them. She had found herself very nearly swallowed up in the depths of Makarov's power, the strength he possessed feeling as if it was an endless ocean. "I just..."
Bambietta felt the need to explain to Levy what her Quincy blood allowed her to do, to sense the ebb and flow of energy around her. For so long she had been attuned to simply spiritual energy, but despite its differences, this magical energy was similar in nature if not execution. It was alien to her and yet similar enough that she had been able to glimpse the fathoms of power that her new master possessed.
Bambietta watched as Makarov moved to greater heights, the old man's agility surprising her. He stood upon banister of the guild hall's overlooking second floor, holding before him several documents. Bambietta glanced upwards, a few small beads of sweat slipping. She had already spoken at length with the man, leaving her trust to feel well founded, yet his power left her reeling nonetheless.
"You dolts, all of you!" Makarov shouted, a disappointed expression etched upon his face. "Look at all these letters I've received from the Magic Council!"
Then did Master Makarov begin to run down those under his care. He spoke of Gray running naked through a town during a mission, of how Elfman had knocked out the very same man he was meant to protect after he had made a joke in poor taste, of how Cana had sent the bill for several kegs worth of beer to the Council itself and of how Loke had seduced the daughter of one of the Council's own.
Then did the old man's eyes look down at one other, his voice growing more serious than it had already been. "And then there's Natsu. You defeated the Devon Bandit Clan, but you destroyed several private homes in the process! You even took out the historic clock of Tuly Village! The church of Freesia was left in ruins! Then you did the same to a significant portion of the Lupinus Castle! Your errant destruction has left the Nazuna Ravine observation station closed until further notice. And now you've gone and totaled more than half of Hargeon town's harbor!"
Bambietta raised an eyebrow at the extensive list, glancing slightly at Natsu, the young man still sprawled out on the floor thanks to Master Makarov's stepping on him. The Quincy smirked, amused at just how much destruction he had wrought. Clearly this was a man after her own heart, so long as she was ever allowed to cut loose.
Yet the Quincy's thoughts were cut short, Makarov continuing his lecture. "You kids have all made the Magic Council quite cross with me as of late. However..." A spark of flame suddenly appeared in Makarov's hands, igniting the documents he had spoken at length of. "I say the heck with the Magic Council!"
Makarov's threw the flaming documents to the floor then, leaving Bambietta in shock at his blatant disregard to authority. However her shock only grew then, Natsu jumping up towards the flaming documents and biting down on them.
"The hell?" Bambietta whispered as she watched the pink haired young man consume the papers as well as the flames. The Quincy blinked a few times, trying to wrap her mind around what she had just witnessed. "Did he just- He- Huh?"
Makarov began to make a speech then, speaking of the grandeur of Fairy Tail, but Bambietta was unable to listen to it, the Quincy far too confused by the sight of Natsu eating fire unexpectedly. Slowly did her attention begin to divert away from the strange sight and refocus back on Makarov.
"If you spend time worrying about what those in power think of you," the old man said as he wore a wide smile, "then your magic will be unable to grow! Follow the path you truly believe in! That is what it means to be a Fairy Tail wizard!"
Bambietta heard it then, cheers amongst her new comrades. Everyone raised their right hands and extended their index fingers towards the heavens, Master Makarov was no exception, doing the same, but it simply left the Quincy confused. Fairy Tail and its customs were still new to her after all but she did what she could. Sighing, Bambietta raised her right arm then, pointing her index finger upwards.
Still, she was not able to cheer, not in the least. While others had stood from their seats to participate in the celebration, the Quincy simply kept herself firmly planted on her bench, forever leaning against the table behind her. She was lost in thought once more, Master Makarov's words having left her wondering one very simple thing. She who had been betrayed by those she trusted, she who had lost her home and she was looking for a means to an end and nothing more...
"What path could I even believe in?"
Bambietta had meant to say it quietly, and she had, but Levy heard it still. The young mage glanced towards Bambietta then, noticing the dull look in her eyes. Levy did what she could, lowering her arm slightly and nudging Bambietta's shoulder. The Quincy turned to face her new friend and was left to see Levy with her eyes closes, a broad smile on her face.
It was a brief moment, but Bambietta felt it, a faint trace of light blossoming within her and chasing away the darkness. She returned the smile then and stood beside Levy, joining her in cheering both Master Makarov and Fairy Tail. Bambietta knew this path would simply have to do.
Yet then did the Quincy see a strange sight. Flying throughout the guild hall was a winged, blue cat. Bambietta shook her head a little bit, as if thinking she was seeing things. If she simply paid more attention, she would have heard the creature say two words. "And then..."
Time passed and Bambietta was leaning forward on the counter and tapping an index finger against. Levy was by her side, engrossed in a magical tome. The two had come to the guild hall to seek out a job request that the Quincy could use to fund her daily needs but now the newcomer was more interested in something else. She had only one goal at the present, to fight Natsu, but that was not going well at all. The Quincy knew she had to take the fight outside, away from Makarov, if she wanted to have some real fun, yet every time she approached the Dragon Slayer he got involved in some other conversation. First it had been with Gray, then Elfman and at last Loke.
"Can't a girl have some fun?" Bambietta whined slightly, dropping her face into her crossed arms. "I just want to have a little fight, you know?"
Levy was not particularly interested in the conversation and moved to change it. "I wonder how the new girl is doing in there."
It was a valid question but not entirely one Bambietta was interested in. The blonde girl, the one who had introduced herself as Lucy Heartfilia, had been brought into Makarov's office for an interview. The Quincy had wondered for a moment if it had been fate that this young lady would join the very next day after she had, but at the same time did the Quincy feel a little jealous. She could not help it; she liked attention. To lose the focus of being the new girl so soon was a little disappointing.
"I'm sure she's fine," Bambietta replied. "The master's a nice guy. A little scary, but nice."
"Well, I'll catch you later, Natsu."
Bambietta's attention was drawn then, the Quincy sitting up and turning around to see Loke leaving with his arms draped across the shoulders of two women, Natsu standing alone. Normally would Bambietta have wondered just where Loke had picked up two new women so quickly but now she was simply focused on Natsu. "Now's my chance..."
Levy sighed as she straightened her reading glasses and continued to look over her book. She knew at this point there was no point arguing with Bambietta. If she was willing to pick a fight despite the master's show of strength then there was no helping it. "Good luck."
Bambietta watched as Natsu began to make his way towards the job request board. The Quincy continued to move closer and closer, watching as the Dragon Slayer began to look over the posted missions. Bambietta was all but ready to reach out and tap him on the shoulder. Her gloved hand began to raise then, fingers extending, but then they suddenly stopped.
"Huh?" Bambietta could feel something tugging on one of her boots. Confused, Bambietta glanced down then and could see the small blue cat from earlier by her feet, one of its paws against the top of her left boot as it looked up at her. The creature's wings were gone now, leaving it to stand upright upon its hind legs. It was a strange sight, but the Quincy had seen her fair share of oddities in her lifetime. This hardly compared to facing off with a Soul Reaper captain that, by her estimates, was more dog than man. Still, Bambietta could not help herself. "What the heck are you?"
Much to the Quincy's surprise, the blue cat responded not with a meow or a simple purr but with actual words. "I'm Happy!"
It should have thrown Bambietta off, to hear a creature like this actually speak, but she was a stranger in a strange land and knew to expect the unexpected. Also there was the matter of the cat's looking up her legs towards her, coupled with what it had just said. Bambietta's eyes narrowed with anger and she quickly leapt away from the cat, tugging her own skirt down more than it normally would allow. "Of course you'd be happy looking up at my underwear, you perverted little kitty cat!"
"Actually, his name is Happy," Mirajane interjected as she approached with a sweet smile across her face. "And he probably doesn't even know what the world perverted means anyway, so don't worry."
"Aye sir!" Happy exclaimed, raising one of his paws. "So are you trying to be one of Natsu's friends?"
"Oh, well..." Bambietta replied sheepishly. "I guess you could say that. And are you his pet?"
Happy seemed to get a little grumpy at that point, as if he had been insulted. "I'm his friend!"
"Of course you are," Bambietta replied as she knelt down slightly, reaching out with one hand and petting the blue cat between his ears. "Yes you are! Yes you are!"
Happy seemed unable to sense any of the thinly veiled sarcasm that laced Bambietta's words or the patronizing way in which she was acting. He simply smiled sweetly instead. The Quincy meanwhile could not help herself, finding him as cute as could be. At the same time Bambietta could not help but envy the cat. She had seen it earlier, the creature flying around the guild hall with wings protruding from his back. She had possessed a similar ability as well once, but with her powers degraded as bad as they had were that was simply a past memory, nothing more. Yet still did Bambietta vow to regain her strength. First she needed to truly gauge her remaining power, and if she put herself on the upper echelon of the Fairy Tail pecking order while she was at it, all the better.
"So how strong is your friend here, little buddy?" Bambietta asked as she continued to run her fingers through the hair atop Happy's head.
"Oh, he's one of Fairy Tail's very best!" Happy exclaimed. "Natsu's the toughest if you ask me!"
"That's just what I wanted to here." Bambietta grinned then and stood, her sight settling back on Natsu's back. The young man was still looking over the available job requests, but the Quincy knew she would have to interrupt him for her own needs. "Oh, Na-"
"Guess who's the newest member of Fairy Tail?"
"Hey, that's my line..." Bambietta turned and could see Lucy exiting Master Makarov's office, a brilliant smile on her face. The Celestial wizard was very nearly jumping for joy at that point, running over to Mirajane at the counter. The Quincy was curious to see what the girl who had stolen her thunder was like and began to approach as well. "So, Lucy was it?"
"Yeah, that's me!" the young lady replied as she held out her right hand and placed it on the counter. Bambietta watched then as Mirajane pressed down on the back of Lucy's hand, leaving behind a pink and magically infused Fairy Tail emblem.
"There you are," Mirajane exclaimed. "Now you're officially a Fairy Tail wizard!"
Lucy raised her hand and stared wide eyed at the proof of her success, her journey having reached the conclusion that she had been praying for. Bambietta meanwhile was simply confused.
"Hey now," she began to say, "Master Makarov personally gave me an emblem with his own power, not some silly stamp." A sly smile began to cross Bambietta's face then. "Oh, am I that awesome that he felt I deserved special treatment?"
"That's weird," Happy said as he moved towards the group. "Natsu told me once that he got his emblem from Makarov, the same as you."
"Oh, there's a good reason for that," Mirajane replied with her smile never wavering. "Whenever the master feels that someone may be a bit too destructive even by Fairy Tail standards he makes sure to apply to them a mark of his own making. That way he can keep tabs on them at all times with his magic."
"What?" Bambietta very nearly felt as if her jaw was about to drop to the floor. She pulled the glove off her left hand then, staring at the FairyTail symbol. "I sense a lack of trust."
"Oh!" Lucy suddenly came close, putting her right hand directly next to Bambietta's left. "We've got a matching pair of emblems!"
Bambietta could see it well enough that the one who had replaced her as the Fairy Tail newcomer had a point, but she was unsure if she should be all that thrilled with a simple coincidence. "Yeah, that's just so awesome. Cowabunga."
Lucy all but spun around then, still ecstatic by being an official Fairy Tail wizard. She looked at Bambietta, a glean in her eyes. "So what's your name?"
"Bambietta, Bambietta Basterbine." The Quincy paused for a moment, thinking over if she should provide more information. Mentally shrugging, she decided to be as open as possible once more. "But you can call me Bambi if you want. All my friends do. Well... all two of them."
"Then let's make it all three of them!" Lucy said with a smile. "So Makarov said you're new here too?"
"Yeah, I just joined yesterday actually," Bambietta answered. "So I guess we're kind of two peas in a pod-"
"How come my daddy hasn't come back yet?"
Both Bambietta and Lucy lost focus at the sound of the unknown voice. The two ladies turned their heads in its direction and could see a young boy speaking with Makarov, the guild master sitting atop the counter.
"You're the son of a wizard, Romeo," Makarov replied, putting down the glass from which he had been drinking. "You simply need to have both patience for and faith in your father."
"But sir," Romeo Conbolt pleaded, his voice cracking, "my dad said the job would only take three days at most and he's been gone for a week!"
"I believe it was the job on Mount Hakobe that Macao took-"
"It's not that far from here," Romeo began to shout, tears filling the edges of the boy's eyes, "so why won't anyone here bother to go look for him?"
"You're old man's a wizard, Romeo!" Makarov said sternly. "And like any Fairy Tail wizard he can take care of himself just fine! Now go home, have some milk and some cookies and wait patiently!"
Bambietta could see it then, uncomfortable expression forming on the faces of those around her, Mirajane especially. The Quincy herself was unsure of how to feel exactly. She could understand from Makarov's perspective that the wizard in question no doubt could handle himself in a pinch, otherwise he would not have become a part of this guild, but she could understand where Romeo was coming from as well. He simply wanted the part of his family that he had lost back.
"You jerk!"
Bambietta looked up then, catching sight of Romeo punching Makarov suddenly, leaving the master visibly stunned. Much as the others did, Bambietta covered her mouth, trying to hide the surprised gasp that was escaping from it. Romeo ran past her then, tears staining his face as he left the guild hall.
"I hate all of you!"
Bambietta felt her fingers begin to flex on instinct, slowly curling into the palms of her hands. Makarov had a point, she understood that much at least, but was this what Fairy Tail was all about? Was it all too good to be true? Had she been fed honeyed words to coerce her into joining and nothing more? "Is this," Bambietta hissed, "what this 'family' is all about?"
"That poor kid," Lucy said under her breath. "It's got to be rough."
A moment of silence hung over the air then, Bambietta lost in thought. She had been abandoned once by her own comrades and now she was seeing it from her new home as well. The Quincy could only wonder then how she could have found herself here if it was similar to her previous allies in one of the worst ways?
"I know the master came off sounding harsh," Mirajane suddenly said, catching both Bambietta and Lucy off guard, "but I know he's really worried. He just knows that-"
Bambietta and the others all but jumped then, hearing the sound of cracking wood, as if a sudden force had struck a wall. The Quincy looked over then and could see Natsu walking away from the job request board, a dent lodged in its frame. Bambietta glanced closer at the Dragon Slayer, taking note of his right hand, it having closed into a shaking fist. Without another word both he and Happy walked out of the guild hall, Makarov breathing a low sigh as he watched as well.
"When's that kid ever going to cool off?" one of the mages asked.
Another joined in the conversation. "Just going after Macao is going to do nothing but wound his pride."
Bambietta flinched slightly then, her hands balling into fists. The Quincy had finally had enough now, her temper flaring. She knew better than to let it spill out among those she was trying to trust and earn the trust of but she was unable to control it under such circumstances. "To hell with a man's pride!"
The wizards of Fairy Tail all turned towards her, taking note of the Quincy's outburst.
"I've got more than enough pride for this world and the next," Bambietta continued, unable to stop herself, "and last time I checked it got me nothing in return! Do you have any idea how much of my own pride I would have thrown away if it meant my friends would have come to help me when I needed it the most? Do you have any damn idea? So to hell with a wizard's pride if means one of his own guild mates will save his life!"
Bambietta began to breath deep then, trying to get herself under control. Her fists were shaking, her teeth all but rattling inside her clenched mouth as she felt her anger begin to dissipate slightly.
Lucy had a question she needed to ask then. Bambietta had clearly explained her own irritation, yet one other had not. "Why did Natsu get so mad?"
"I guess he sees a lot of himself in Romeo," Mirajane explained. "Even if someone becomes a member of Fairy Tail, it doesn't just mean any personal issues they possess simply go away after all. We've all had our fair share of loss and suffering."
Bambietta looked towards Mirajane then, those words tugging at her own feelings, ones that she was unwilling to speak fully of. She had touched on them briefly with Levy but to explain in great detail would prove too painful. Yet even mired in carefully chosen words she could not deny how she felt deep inside. Yet, despite her own internal agony, the Quincy could feel it, sense it, in Mirajane's own words. The pain born out of the death of her younger sister. "Mira..."
"I'm going with Natsu," Lucy suddenly said. "He was so kind to bring me here, to save me when I was in trouble, so helping him now is the least I can do."
Bambietta watched then as Lucy walked out of the guild without another word. The Quincy considered following her, to help both the newcomer, the man she wanted to fight, and the missing boy's father. Yet first she had something else to take care of. Bracing herself, Bambietta began to approach the man in charge of Fairy Tail.
"Master Makarov, I wish to speak with you."
The old man put down his drink once more, glancing at Bambietta with one open eye. "Does something trouble you, Bambietta?"
"Yes." The Quincy was brutally honest. "I understand that that you have faith in your Fairy Tail family but I take issue with you leaving someone out there when it seems obvious they need help."
Bambietta sighed then, realizing that she may very well be standing on thin ice now. Still did the Quincy continue to step harder on it then, realizing she was already putting herself in a bad position potentially.
"I'll be honest, master, but it really ticks me off!"
"You've got a hell of a lot of nerve talking to a guild master like that, rookie!"
Bambietta heard it clear as day, though the words belonged not to Master Makarov but another. They had come from a deep commanding voice, one accompanied by the sound of heavy footwear walking down a staircase. Bambietta shifted her attentions towards it and could see a rather tall man walking down from the second floor of the guild hall. From his shoulder hung a long black coat, one adorned with white fur as a trim. His hair was cropped upwards into a spiked style but it was the rather arrogant way he carried himself that truly got Bambietta's notice.
"And who the hell are you supposed to be?" Bambietta was far from polite with this individual, even if she could sense a familiar form of power within him. It was most similar to Makarov's own, yet distinctly its own at the same time. While one was simply restrained for the most part, this one almost seemed to project itself outwards, as if it wanted to be noticed at all times. Yet still it seemed to be hiding something within itself. Bambietta could not tell what it was but she knew that this man could very well outclass her. Still she did not care to play nice with her words.
"Oh, aren't you just a bundle of love," the man responded as he stood not a few feet away from Bambietta, folding his arms across his chest as he did so. The Quincy could see then that several other wizards were giving this individual a wide berth, leaving her to wonder just what she had gotten herself into. "The Fairy Tail guild is really falling apart if a disrespectful piece of trash like you is allowed to join."
Bambietta stepped forward then, glancing up as she began to truly take notice of this individual's height advantage over her. Still she refused to let it phase her and flashed the man before her a cocky smile all her own. "And here I thought I was upping Fairy Tail's cuteness factor."
"Cute, huh? You'll be blushing a pretty shade of pink when I kick your-"
"Laxus, that's enough!"
The blond haired man glared suddenly at Makarov, his teeth grit together. "You've grown soft, old man. It's going to be the death of this guild."
Laxus turned away then, marching back up the stairs from whence he had come. Bambietta glared at his back until he left her view. "Well, he's certainly not going to win any awards for being the nicest guy I've met since getting here."
"I wish to apologize for my grandson's attitude," Makarov said softly.
Bambietta nearly choked, despite not having eaten or drank anything. "Grandson? Him? Oh, I'm so sorry."
"He has a good heart," Makarov simply said. "Though it is hard to find it buried underneath all that he is outwardly. Though I suppose that applies to you as well."
"I did speak out of turn, didn't I?"
"You misunderstand," Makarov replied. "Did I not say earlier that if you spend all your time worrying about what those in power thing of that your magic will be unable to grow? That applies to yourself as a person as well. Though we may have a difference of opinion I am glad that the likes of Natsu and yourself are willing to do what you feel you must in trying times. And yes, the same applies to my grandson. No family is perfect, no family agrees on every issue, but they do what they must for each other nonetheless."
Bambietta listened well, yet she had one last question. "Would you do what was right if your guild, your family, was in trouble?"
"Yes."
Bambietta heard Makarov's answer well, yet still was there a slight shred of doubt within her soul. She spoke again, though not giving voice to that concern. "I'm going to help save this Macao guy. The last... the last thing I'm interested in is seeing that kid of his upset anymore."
Bambietta turned then, her cloak fluttering behind her as she did so. She stepped out into the daylight, leaving behind those in the Fairy Tail guild. It was quiet for a moment. Then did a prolonged series of loud screams suddenly cry out from the Magnolia streets.
"Oh for crying out loud! Why does there always have to be a problem?"
Then there was silence once more, one that lasted a few minutes. Then, quite suddenly, did the doors to the Fairy Tail guild hall open again, Bambietta walking into the main room with an aggravated purpose.
"Okay," she began to say, as if she had not just lost her temper outside, "so apparently while I was busy speaking with the master and his charming grandson... Natsu, Lucy and that cute little flying plush took a carriage to Mount Hakobe. At least that's what everyone outside was saying. So... Levy?"
The blue haired mage timidly stepped forward, having gotten an earful of what Bambietta had said outside. "Yes?"
"If there's one thing I've learned way too well the last time I went into enemy territory, it's a good idea to have some more people with you. Preferably ones who won't disappear at the drop of a hat. Are you willing to tag along with me?"
"If you want me by your side."
"There's no one here I'd trust more." Bambietta smiled then as Levy began to walk towards her. "Okay then. So who's the strongest guy here? Besides the jerk with the fluffy coat?"
"Well I hate to brag," Loke said as he began to step forward from the others, "but I like to think I'm pretty strong."
"Wait a minute," Bambietta said, furrowing her brow in confusion. "Didn't you practically just leave with two ladies? And now you're already back and trying to flirt with me again? Next!"
Loke shied away then, another Fairy Tail wizard moving forward. "This sounds like a real man's work!"
"Oh. You." Bambietta scowled. "Yeah, no, I am not going to be called manly over and over again on this trip. You know what? Let me do this myself."
The Quincy wished she could simply ask Mirajane, knowing of her reputation thanks to Levy, but she knew better after hearing of why she had stepped away from the life of job requests. Bambietta reached out with her senses, trying to catch a glimpse of someone's hidden power. She slowly shifted her focus from wizard to wizard, stopping on one in particular. She opened her eyes then and found herself staring at the one she felt the most potential in.
"You'll do, Gray." Bambietta sighed. "I can't deal with having my allies disappear on me but I guess I can put up with your clothes doing that sort of thing."
"I don't know," Gray said as he approached, "I'd rather not take another punch from you if you change your tune about that last part."
Bambietta sighed as Gray stood beside herself and Levy, the trio stepping outside. "I promise I won't punch you."
"That's rather specific," Levy interjected. "Hey, Gray?"
Bambietta glanced to her side and was greeted by the sight of a shirtless Gray. "Well that was quick."
"What was?" Gray glanced down and took notice of his bared chest. The mage backed away slowly then, retrieving his shirt from the ground and slipping it back on. "No punching, right?"
Bambietta's right hand tightened into a fist but she forced herself to relax and release. "Yeah, no punching. So then, transportation..."
Bambietta waved her arm then, trying to get the attention of a carriage driver. It did not take much and soon enough one pulled up to her and the rest of the group.
"And where would you three be off to?" the driver asked as they boarded.
"Mount Hakobe and on the double!" Bambietta all but shouted as she got in the carriage and shut the door behind her. She sat next to Levy then, staring at Gray. The Quincy could only hope that as long as she did not take his eyes off him, the wizard would remain fully clothed.
"So is this only about saving Macao?" Levy asked quite suddenly.
"What are you saying?" Bambietta asked, turning slightly with a rather off-putting expression on her face. "I can be nice... sometimes. Maybe, depending on if my mood is right. But I just... I hate seeing kids that upset. It just doesn't sit well with me, all right?"
"Oh, so you do have a heart of gold underneath that rough exterior!" Levy giggled. "And here I was worried you just wanted to get away from the master so you could pick a fight with Natsu without getting Makarov upset."
Bambietta said nothing for a several seconds. She simply blinked multiple times until Levy's statement soaked in and she got over her own disbelief. "Well now, I hadn't considered that. Two birds, one stone. Thanks, Levy!"
The Solid Script mage very nearly dropped her face into the awaiting palms of her hands. "Oh, don't mention it."
"Wait, you want to fight Natsu?" Bambietta heard Gray ask. "Oh, this I have to see."
"Well, if I can knock your block off, then I bet I can-" Bambietta suddenly shrieked as she turned her attention back to Gray. "Pants! Now!"
To the untrained eye, Mount Hakobe was nothing more than an uninhabited wasteland, unfit for life. They would, however, be quite wrong. Prowling the frozen peaks and numerous caverns were many types of indigenous creatures, the Blizzardverns and the Vulcan being the most likely to be encountered. The latter however were the more dangerous. The Vulcan were known far and wide to be deadly creatures, ones that lived long and prospered by using their variety of Take Over Magic on any humans that crossed their paths. As fate would have it, that had been exactly the circumstance that had befallen the Fairy Tail wizard known as Macao Conbolt.
The mage had taken the request to slay the Vulcans that roamed the lands and he had very nearly completed his task, only to fall prey to the very last one. If not for Natsu, Lucy and Happy's intervention he would have spent the rest of his days trapped in the form of a beast.
Now the trio were helping the battered older man down the mountain side, intent on bringing him home to Magnolia.
"I'm sorry, Natsu," Macao said weakly as he continued to force his way forward. "I should have done better to end this mission myself. But I want to thank you."
"Don't sweat it, pops," Natsu replied. "I'm not going to leave behind any member of the guild, you can count on that!"
Lucy continued to do her part to help the bandaged and battered Macao continued to move forward as well. She could not help but smile a bit, Natsu's enduring desire to help those in need warming her heart.
All the while did Happy fly around them, keeping his eyes peeled for the end of the snowy region. Then did the cat suddenly catch sight of something, hovering back by his best friend's side. "Natsu! Somebody's coming! A lot of somebodies!"
Acting on instinct, Natsu's nose began to sniff at the air, his Dragon Slayer senses picking up something familiar. "Oh, I know that scent!" Not thinking for a moment, Natsu let go of his hold on Macao, leaving Lucy to carry that burden herself. "Hey, Natsu!"
"You think you're pretty sneaky, huh, Gray!" the Dragon Slayer cried out. "I bet you think you can totally beat me in an environment that suits you! Well bring it on!"
"Man, you're so obnoxious!" a voice cried back as the one it belonged to drew closer. "Believe it or not but I didn't come here to fight. But if it's a battle you want-"
"Gray! It's freaking cold out here! How the heck are you fine without a shirt? Good grief! I can still kick you, you know!"
"This is what I've had to deal with the entire time coming here..."
Over the snow bank did three figures appear then, two of them quite familiar to Natsu. "I knew it was you, Gray! And... Levy, what are you doing here?" Natsu glanced then at the woman in white, squinting slightly. "And who are you?"
"I'm Bamb-"
Natsu's nose flared up slightly then as he moved closer. "You don't smell familiar. Hold up..."
The Dragon Slayer moved circled around Bambietta then, sniffing at the air around her. The Quincy grit her teeth then, bringing up a shaking fist. "What in the heck are you doing, creep?"
"You don't look or smell familiar," Natsu explained, a wide eyed expression on his face. "Guess you must be new to Fairy Tail!"
Bambietta tried her best to control her anger, glancing back at Gray and Levy. "Is he like this all the time?"
"Only when he doesn't recognize somebody new to the guild," Gray replied. "At least you took it better than Bisca did."
Levy could not help but sigh, past memories returning to her then and there. "It took so long to fix all the bullet holes in the guild, even with Master Makarov's help."
Bambietta turned back to Natsu, only to catch sight of Lucy in the back, struggling to hold up an injured man. "Hey there!" the Celestial wizard shouted. "A little help?"
Bambietta was about to move when Gray shot past her, taking the bandaged man's other side to help her. The Quincy watched then and turned back to Natsu. "So I guess we were a little late to the party if that's Macao."
"Oh, you guys were coming to help?" Natsu asked. "Well, that's nice of you all but Lucy, my little buddy and I had it all under control!"
"If you mean 'Lucy had to summon a hormone controlled bull spirit that lusts for her,' then yes, we had it all under control!"
Bambietta raised both eyebrows at that statement, glancing over Natsu's shoulder towards Lucy. The blonde simply shook her head then, as if it was a subject she had no interest in discussing further. Bambietta turned back to Natsu then, the Quincy happy that even if she missed the adventure, at least Macao was safe. That would no doubt cheer up his child waiting for him back home in Magnolia.
Content, the Quincy turned away then, smiling broadly. She had all but forgotten the idea to challenge Natsu to a fight so far away from both the guild and Makarov himself.
"Wow, that was awfully big of you," Levy whispered. "I thought for sure you were still going to pick a fight with him."
Bambietta stopped dead in her tracks then. She slapped her forehead and flashed a smile. "Oh yeah! Thanks for reminding me, Levy!"
The blue haired mage dropped her head forward in response. "Oh bother."
Bambietta turned then, fully intent on demanding to test her mettle against Natsu here and now. This time she would not hesitate or be distracted. She would fulfill her lust for battle and gain her opportunity to prove she was stronger than one of Fairy Tail's best. It was as simple as that.
Imagine Bambietta's surprise then when she found Natsu already behind her and not a foot away, a serious expression on his face. The Quincy very nearly leapt back in surprise but Bambietta held her ground despite that momentary lapse in confidence. "Natsu?"
"Gray just told me you beat him up pretty good yesterday."
"Oh, it was just a love tap," Bambietta replied, unsure of what Natsu was getting at. Was he upset that she had hit a fellow Fairy Tail member? No, that could not be it. He had done just the same to another when she had first seen him; he had started the brawl that Makarov had broken up after all.
"Only myself and Erza have done that, so you've got to be pretty strong!" Natsu all but shouted, a smile spreading on his face. "Can I see?"
Bambietta blinked. "Huh? You want me to punch Gray again?"
"You specifically promised me no more punching!"
Both Bambietta and Natsu ignored Gray's shouting from the distance, fully concentrating on each other. "Oh no," Natsu said to the Quincy, "I just want to fight you myself and see what Fairy Tail's newest member can do!"
"Hey!" Lucy cried out. "I just joined today! Or did you already forget?"
"That's Natsu for you," Happy exclaimed as he fluttered around Lucy.
Macao grinned a little bit. "The boy always did pick a fight with any new guild member if he heard they were strong. It's his way of saying hello to them. Some things never change."
"Come on, guys," Levy said as she approached Natsu and Bambietta. "This isn't the time. Look at the climate we're in."
Bambietta began to undo her cloak, handing it to Levy. "Wrap that around Macao, okay? That should keep him a little warmer." Bambietta took off her hat then, gently handing it to Levy. "And keep that safe for me, okay? Hold it tight."
Levy sighed as she took from Bambietta the cape and hat. She walked over to Lucy and the others and gently began to wrap the cloak around Macao's shoulders. The group then kept their focus on Natsu and Bambietta.
The Dragon Slayer and the Quincy took a few steps back from each other, both of them grinning with satisfaction at what was about to come. Bambietta was the slightest bit upset that she had been unable to initiate the discussion of their impending scuffle but she could live with Natsu beating her to the punch since she knew that was not going to happen a second time. This fight was hers to win.
Natsu's mind was elsewhere however. He had no interest in losing, no, but mostly he was interested in having a little fun. It had been a while since he had been introduced to a new member of Fairy Tail like this and he could just tell he was going to have a fight on his hand. If this woman could take out Gray with a solid punch they she could very well be a force to be reckoned with.
"You ready?" the Dragon Slayer asked as he walked to the side, his eyes locked on his upcoming foe. "Because I've got a fire in my belly now and I'm just itching to go!"
"Oh, I've got the eye of the tiger, kid," Bambietta retorted with a wink as she walked forward and matched Natsu's pace. "Let's dance!"
Natsu stopped in his tracks, confusion sprawling across his face. "I thought we were going to fight?"
Bambietta shook her head. "It's just a saying. Okay, how about this? Let's get ready to rumble!"
Natsu's bewilderment faded then, replaced with a smile hungry for a battle. "Now you're talking!"
The Dragon Slayer and the Quincy stepped forward then, the fingers of their right hands curling inwards to create fists. They then sent forward simultaneous punches.
Bambietta screamed outwards as she moved forward. "Natsu!"
Natsu was about to return the favor but the Dragon Slayer realized he could not and stopped his attack. "Oh yeah! What's your name?"
Bambietta withheld her punch then, relaxing for a moment. "It's Bambietta Basterbine."
Natsu smirked and began to throw his punch again. "Bambiet-"
The Dragon Slayer's battle cry was cut off then, Bambietta's knuckles dragging across his face and sending Natsu into a spin before he hit the ground.
"Hey!" Natsu shouted as he lifted his head up, snow falling away from his hair. "You're supposed to wait until after I shout my battle cry before you hit me! It's common courtesy!"
"Oh I'm sorry," Bambietta replied with a grin. "Your face was just crying out 'punch me' and I couldn't resist." Bambietta let her fingers splay out from the fist they had formed, only to curl back in as she rotated the arm a little bit. "Man, two times in as many days. It's been so long since I fought hand to hand. I feel so out of shape..."
"You're kidding," Lucy whispered. "This is Bambi not even at her peak?"
"I didn't... didn't even see her throw that punch." Levy blinked a few times, rubbing her eyes with her hands. "So fast..."
"Well either way I win," Gray added in. "Either Natsu gets beat up or the girl who nearly knocked out my teeth does. Works for me."
Natsu began to pull himself up from the ground, rubbing the side of his face slightly. "Okay, so this really is going to be fun."
Bambietta stuck out her chin a little bit, tapping it with an index finger. "Come on, give me your best shot!"
Natsu paused, the Dragon Slayer unaccustomed to an opponent giving him a free opening to attack. "Are you serious?"
"What's the matter?" Bambietta asked, her voice carrying a mocking tone. "Is the big bad Dragon Slayer scared of little old me? Come on, go for it, man!"
Natsu began to inch his feet forward, his thoughts playing against him. One voice was screaming that he take the opportunity for what it was worth, the other warning that it could very well be a trap. However, the Dragon Slayer was never one for playing it safe and he sided with the first option.
"You want it? You got it!" The Dragon Slayer lunged forward then and his fist found its mark, crashing into Bambietta's face with such force that the Quincy's feet were dragged away from their purchase in the ground. She went sailing back through the air until at last her body slammed into a snow bank. The Dragon Slayer stood there, blinking a few dozen times as he waited for some form of movement to signal that his opponent was all right. "Hey, are you okay?"
Bambietta, to her credit, was relatively fine as she lay covered in trace amounts of snow. The Quincy had let that punch connect without any resistance, be it born from simply dodging or activating Blut Vene. She had wanted to get a taste of what Natsu could administer first; it was as simple as that. Now she knew.
"Not bad," the Quincy muttered under her breath. She could feel the pain, the familiar stinging sensation enveloping her face. She began to stand up then, a playful smirk beginning to form on her face before suddenly stopping. "Okay, hurts to smile. That stinks."
Bambietta brought her fists out to her side then, forcing herself to grin despite any pain. Her eyes locked with Natsu's own.
"Now that we've each gotten a measure of what the other can do," the Quincy began to say with the utmost confidence, "I don't think I need to play around anymore."
"Funny," Natsu replied with a smile all his own, the Dragon Slayer cracking his knuckles, "I was just thinking the same thing!"
Natsu was ready to go again, yet he was caught off guard by Bambietta completely vanishing from sight. Then, without warning, the Dragon Slayer felt a punch slam into his stomach with such force that it pushed him back. He gasped in pain, catching sight of the Quincy standing directly before him, as if she had appeared out of thin air.
The Dragon Slayer was initially confused, but not so much that he could not properly counterattack. He lashed out with a kick, only for him to be left striking nothing but thin air, Bambietta disappearing in an instant once again.
"What's the matter?" Bambietta asked, suddenly appearing behind Natsu and tapping him on the shoulder. "Is my Hirenkyaku too fast for you to comprehend?"
"That some kind of teleportation magic?" Gray asked, his eyes all but focused on the progressing fight.
"No, I don't think so," Levy replied, her gaze intently following Bambietta. "There's some kind of buildup of energy around her feet each time she's done it. If I didn't know any better I'd almost think it was some form of high speed movement."
"It may as well be teleportation if Natsu can't hope to follow her movements," Macao offered up. "And if that's the case, he's going to lose."
"Okay, so you're fast," Natsu said with some degree of hesitancy, "but I bet you can't dodge this!"
The Dragon Slayer turned around sharply then, lashing out with a punch. It was the same as before and Bambietta was prepared for it. Then did something proved very different this time.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
Bambietta retreated with Hirenkyaku, taking note of the brilliant flames that were now wrapping around Natsu's right hand. The Quincy could not help but smile then, a fleeting memory of a past life and a comrade now lost to her forever coming to mind. "Pink hair, a loud mouth and you can use fire attacks too? I think I might be beginning to like you, Dragon Slayer!"
Bambietta stopped in her tracks then, her eyes going wide with the satisfaction of a true battle, her teeth bared.
"But just because that's the case, don't think I won't kick your butt all over this mountain!"
Bambietta launched herself forward with Hirenkyaku once more, surprising the Dragon Slayer again. She pounced then, striking him across the face with a quick kick. She disappeared from sight once more, appearing behind Natsu and striking him in the small of her back with a closed fist.
Again and again did Bambietta come into view for a split second, striking the Dragon Slayer before vanishing from sight again. It was all Natsu could do to roll with the attacks, minimizing the damage as best he could.
The Quincy continued her assault, all the while surprised by the Dragon Slayer's resiliency. Bambietta began to question her own tactics then. She had already experienced one of Natsu's base attacks and she had no interest in finding out what kind of pain his flame enhanced strength could inflict if it managed to slip past her superior speed. She had no desire in tempting either fate or Natsu's luck. Yet now she was beginning to wonder if that had been so wise. It was clear he could not keep up with her, the Quincy's attacks slipping through unabated. Bambietta had to wonder if she could afford to perhaps switch from Blut Vene to the offensive Arterie variation and end this battle quickly.
"Fire Dragon's Claw!"
Natsu's feet suddenly came alive with flames, the right leg lashing out in a kicking motion. Bambietta saw it coming and began to slip away with Hirenkyaku again but then did she feel the Dragon's Slayers foot slam into her stomach, pushing the Quincy away.
"How the hell did he manage that?" Bambietta gasped as she stumbled away, thankful that she had kept Blut Vene activated after all.
"Go Natsu!" Happy exclaimed, cheering on his friend.
"Did he just manage to hit her?" Lucy was simply stunned by the spectacle of it all.
"Looks like the numbskull figured out he could use that attack to keep up with her technique," Gray explained to the newcomer. "Makes sense. Every time he used that Claw skill when we've fought it did seem to increase his general movement speed."
"That's Natsu for you," Levy offered up, simply caught up in what she was witnessing. "He's always been good under pressure."
Bambietta could not help but laugh, her shoulders rising and falling with each one. "You know, I just wanted to win, that's all, but I think you're right, Natsu."
The Dragon Slayer glanced towards Bambietta then, taking note of the truly devilish expression that was upon her now.
"This," she said, her voice belaying her eerie satisfaction, "is going to be so much fun."
Natsu felt a shiver run down his spine then. "Oh come on! I totally caught you off guard with that kick! The least you could do is say is 'ouch!' Seriously, that had to have stung!"
Bambietta raised her right arm then, allowing Natsu to get a good look at the skin that was uncovered by either her glove or her sleeve. The Dragon Slayer too notice of it then, the blue lines of energy that were running across the flesh, as if light was emanating from below the surface.
"Blut Vene, kid," Bambietta explained.
"Blut what?"
"In other words," the Quincy continued, "you can't hope to hurt me."
It was a lie, Bambietta knew that, as her defensive technique had only lessened the attack from Natsu, not negate it completely, but that did not mean she had to admit as such to him. A little fear in her opponent would go a long way after all.
Yet Natsu did not continue to show any trace amounts of fright. Instead he seemed to get angry. "Oh come on!" the Dragon Slayer protested, all but stomping his feet in the snow. "So you can hurt me but I can't hurt you? How fair is that?"
"Oh, stop whining," Bambietta replied as she motioned towards Natsu with her right hand. "Just bring it already."
"Fire Dragon's Claw!"
Fire burst forth from the soles of Natsu's feet once more, propelling him towards Bambietta with such great speed that even the Quincy had to admit she was impressed. She had not expected the Dragon Slayer to cover that much distance in such a short amount of time.
Still the Quincy was not concerned in the least. She knew now that her opponent could only produce great speed with his legs, so kicking attacks were all she had to worry about working to avoid. She kept her eyes locked on Natsu's sandal covered feet then, prepared for what she knew was coming.
"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!"
That the Quincy had not been prepared for. Twin streams of fire burst forth from Natsu's hands quite suddenly. He swung them forward then as he approached at a breakneck speed, leaving Bambietta little time to evade.
"Damn it!" The Quincy stepped back with her own speed but still did one of the tendrils of flame strike her before she completely vanished from Natsu's sight. When she reappeared several yards away she went flying back from the force of the attack.
The Quincy began to consider then materializing her sword but she thought better of it. This was a friendly sparring match after all, nothing more. She had trained to kill proficiently with the blade and that was all. It would not serve her well in this encounter. Besides, it was not as if her opponent was using any melee weapons of his own.
Bambietta's back collided with the snow covered ground then, the Quincy rolling until she made it into a crouching position. She slammed both hands forward, allowing Blut Arterie to give her the strength to dig her fingers easily into the frozen ground and slow her momentum.
"You think this is getting just a bit out of hand?" Lucy asked as she continued to keep her eyes glued on the madness that was progressing. "I mean, I know I saw the fight that broke out at the guild hall today but this is getting a little intense, don't you all think?"
"But Natsu's having so much fun!" Happy shouted, hovering about to and fro.
"I agree with Lucy," Levy interjected. "I mean, I understand these two want to fight and all but I really don't want to have to explain to Master Makarov that one or two of our wizards are going to be in hospitalized for months, you know?"
"You all worry too much," Gray said suddenly. "Natsu and I have done way worse to each other. And Erza's done much worse to us both."
Levy was exasperated now. "Yeah, and don't think I forgot about how the both of you spent six months out of action when you last tried to fight her!"
"Calm yourself, Levy," Macao said. "This is simply how Natsu communicates, that's all."
Bambietta stood up to her full height. "Question!"
Natsu tilted his head in response, not expecting that in the least. "What? Right now?"
"Do you actually have to yell out the names of your attacks to perform them," Bambietta began to ask, legitimately unsure, "or do you just do it for fun?"
Natsu was dumbfounded in response, something Bambietta had been expecting. "I don't know! Igneel always just told me to yell with all my heart when I was fighting!"
"Okay then." Bambietta had wondered if the abilities of a Dragon Slayer were similar to those of a Soul Reaper, the power increased by the wielder knowing and uttering the names of their abilities, but she could safely rule that out then. "So it's just for fun. Oh well, we all have a flair for the dramatic. Me? I just love a dramatic ending!"
Bambietta vanished from sight once more, bursting into view by Natsu's right as she threw out a punch empowered with Blut Arterie. This, she knew, would end the battle at long last.
"What?" Much to Bambietta's surprise, her fist was caught in the palm of one of Natsu's hands. His arm was shaking to hold back the attack but still had he managed it. The Dragon Slayer glared at her then, a confident look on his face. "How the heck did you manage to block that?"
"Easy," Natsu answered. "Even an idiot could tell you that you always come at my right side when you attack!"
Bambietta could not help but sigh. "Do you even listen to yourself when you talk?"
"Sometimes. And I know I love hearing what's next." Natsu threw out a fiery punch towards Bambietta, all the while keeping a tight grip on her hand. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
Bambietta's eyes widened in shock then, the Quincy quickly shifting her body back to Blut Vene. She reached out with her one free hand, catching Natsu's own. The flames licked at her arm but still did she manage to hold back the attack. Then she and Natsu simply stood there, each of them holding back a punch as they stared at each other.
"Well that just happened," Natsu said simply. "You want to call it a draw?"
"What do you think?" Bambietta pulled her hands away from Natsu then, realizing that close quarters combat was going absolutely nowhere with the Dragon Slayer. She skipped back several yards away with Hirenkyaku. The necessary distance put between them, Bambietta reached out with her right hand, drawing energy towards it. Soon did a luminous bow appear within her palm, the trademark technique of the Quincy. She brought the weapon forward then, an arrow of blue light appearing alongside it. She took aim, knowing that unlike her sword she could attack in a nonfatal way with this weapon if need be. Pulling back on the arrow, Bambietta let it fly forward.
"Pure Blood Quincy's Arrow of Awesomeness!"
Yes, Bambietta had to admit, it was fun to yell out names for attacks. Though that still did not keep her face from turning bright red at the thought of anyone around hearing her actually yell out something so silly. Still, it was all she could think up on the spot.
The arrow flew straight and true, catching Natsu in one of the Dragon Slayer's knees. At the maximum strength it may have torn through flesh and bone but Bambietta was holding back on her strength. A little pain, however, was par for the course. Natsu stumbled forward, a cry of agony slipping away from him as he fought to steady himself. The Dragon Slayer could see Bambietta then, not far away and preparing another arrow.
"Game, set, match," Bambietta whispered, realizing that at a distance she had this fight in the bag. Then did she notice a fiery red aura appearing around Natsu. "Now what's that goofball up to?"
"Fire Dragon's Roar!"
"Oh yeah, roaring. That's a scary power." The Quincy could not help but laugh for a moment but then did she see the massive stream of fire that burst forth from Natsu's mouth. More importantly, however, she could see that it was flying directly at her. "Oh fudge."
Bambietta activated Blut Vene quickly, discarding her bow and allowing it to dissipate into thin air. Dodging was out of the question, the speed of the oncoming attack greater than she imagined, and the Quincy knew she would have to take it head on.
The flames struck her, Bambietta's body withstanding the attack as best it could. The power of Blut Vene held up magnificently, but still did the attack tear away at Bambietta. The concussive force pushed against her, the Quincy's boots slid across the snow as she fell back. Try as she might she was unable to hold her ground. Her body struck the side of the mountain then, Bambietta pinned in place.
"This," she began to shout, all the while trying so very hard to resist the attack, "is nothing!"
Then did the flames stop, leaving Bambietta to stand alone, smoke from the attack moving through the air around her, melted snow by her sides. She gasped slightly, looking towards Natsu with a grin.
"Is that," she began to say, trying to catch her breath, "the best you've got?"
Bambietta began to take one step forward, trying to will herself to continue fighting. However, while her spirit was strong, her body had been pushed to its very limits. The Quincy fell forward then, her face hitting the snow before her.
"I lost?" Bambietta's right hand tightened into a fist and she slammed it against the ground with what little strength she had left. She could not help it, the feeling of being sore at her defeat, but more importantly she hated how weak she felt now. Her powers were no longer at their apex, that much was true, but now she could see how far she had fallen. The Quincy had felt a rush of confidence when she had successfully completed her first mission in this new world; she had felt herself capable of contending with whatever Fairy Tail could throw at her. Now, however, could she tell that she had a long way to go in her quest to be all that she could.
Then, quite suddenly, did Bambietta feel an onrush of cold around her, snow from the mountain sliding down and covering her, no doubt loosened from its perch on a cliff above thanks to Natsu's attack. It was one last moment of indignity that the Quincy was subjected to in defeat, even if it was unintentional.
"Hey, Bambietta!" Natsu shouted, seeing his opponent buried underneath a pile of snow. "Are you all right?"
"Oh yeah," Bambietta shouted back, her voice muffled by the snow around her. "Feels good after that fire attack, don't you know? It's all rainbows and unicorns in here!"
"Oh, there's unicorns on this mountain too?"
Bambietta was quiet for a moment, speaking only when her disbelief was overwhelmed by irritation. "I'm surrounded by complete morons, aren't I?"
"I thought you said you were surrounded by rainbows and unicorns?"
Bambietta's temper at last came out in full then. She screamed in irritation, forcing first one arm to burst forth from the snow's cold embrace, her entire body rising to join it. The Quincy stood there on wobbling legs, looking at Natsu in an enraged daze. She took another step forward then, only to fall forward once more. "My first true fight here and I lose? It's completely unacceptable."
The Quincy forced herself to roll on to her back, looking up into the bright blue sky above. She had seen that sight once before when last she had lost a battle and it was something she never would get used to or appreciate, she knew that much. Then did Bambietta see it, someone walking over to her and coming into her line of sight.
"You okay?"
Bambietta's eyesight was slowly beginning to clear from the daze she had been in, the Quincy slowly making out the sight of someone who was casting their gaze upon her. It was in that moment, however, that past and present, memory and reality, came crashing together. She could see it then, her old friends glaring down at her defeated form, the battle with Captain Sajin Komamura having taken a great deal out of her. Giselle, Candice, Liltotto and Meninas. All of them looking down at Bambietta in her time of need, their expressions as any true friends should have been, but their actions something else entirely.
"No!" Bambietta was unsure then if she were truly speaking or simply screaming alone in her thoughts. "Stay away!"
The vision of memories dissipated then, leaving Bambietta to stare up towards one she knew in this world. Natsu reached down with one hand, concern evident in the look he carried on his face. It was then that Bambietta was sure she had spoken her fears aloud.
"I just want to help you," Natsu said. "And is it really that bad to lose?"
"No, I guess not." The Quincy smiled slightly, realizing that unlike those she had left behind, she had nothing to fear of Natsu even in a moment of weakness. She reached out then and clasped her hand with his. "So happy you won?"
"Well I'm happy I had a good fight!"
Bambietta pulled her hand away from Natsu then as she made it up to her feet, wrapping her arms across her chest as she turned away. "Good! But just so you know, I'm just a newbie! I'm going to get a whole lot stronger and then we'll see who really is Fairy Tail's best!"
"You think I'm Fairy Tail's best?" Natsu could not help but laugh a little bit.
Bambietta turned around then, getting a little irritated. "What's so damn funny?"
"Oh, it's nothing," Natsu said, trying to reign himself in. "It's just... I appreciate you thinking I'm so strong but I'm hardly the best this guild has to offer."
"But that silly cat of yours said you were the toughest one around!"
"And you believed him? Oh, someday Happy is just going to have to get that I'm not the best in the world! There are a couple of wizards in Fairy Tail much stronger than me! Even one stronger than Master Makarov!"
Bambietta very nearly dropped her face into the palms of her hands. "How far down the totem pole have I really dropped in this world? I totally aced that A-Class mission!"
"And so could Natsu," Levy answered as she walked closer. "It's just A-Class isn't the top tier in Fairy Tail. I mean, you kind of almost picked a fight with an S-Class wizard today."
Bambietta's eyes grew wide, realizing just what dire straits she had almost gotten herself into earlier. "You mean the jerk with the silly fur coat?"
Natsu suddenly perked up then, moving close. "Laxus?" The Dragon Slayer suddenly smiled widely as he moved in close to Bambietta and draped an arm over her shoulders. "So let me get this straight. First you beat up Gray-"
"It was one punch!"
"Then you go and try and pick a fight with Laxus?" Natsu continued, once more ignoring the Ice-Make wizard. "Oh, I think you and I are going to get along just fine, Bambi."
"Uh huh." Bambietta did not know what to make of that and simply slipped away from Natsu and turned to Levy. "Hat?"
"Here we go, safe and sound," the Solid Script mage said as she returned it. "No creases, no folds."
"Oh good." Bambietta slipped it atop her head then, making sure it was secure. "Now then, shall we go make that Romeo kid back in Magnolia as happy as can be."
Time moved on and Bambietta stood against the entrance wall of Fairy Tail, her cloak once more draped across her shoulders. She kept her head low but continued to peak out from underneath the visor of her hat. She could see Romeo hugging his father, joy evident in the young boy's face. It warmed the Quincy's heart but she still kept her distance. Despite her best intentions, she accomplished nothing in the rescue mission. All it had done was grant her a chance to fight the Dragon Slayer she had been so desperate to battle. Bambietta felt she deserved no thanks, no gratitude. That was for Natsu. Even if he was not the strongest person here, he was clearly the hero this day.
The Quincy watched then as the young boy thanked the Fire Dragon Slayer, speaking to him at great length. Bambietta became lost in her own thoughts, questioning herself. She had miles to go if she wanted to become the best Fairy Tail had to offer, she could see that now, and the Quincy had to realize that this was just one guild among many. She had lost so much strength, so much stature. Whether it was from being returned to life from her zombified state thanks to Porlyusica or simply from whatever forces had brought her to this world she did not know. Whatever the case was she simply had to become strong again. Strong enough to return home and exact her revenge or, if that was an impossibility, to make the rules in this world as she saw fit.
"Yes, first S-Rank, then the world." Bambietta smiled then, looking at the wizards around her. They were a means to an end, nothing more. At least that was what the thoughts she buried away felt, the ones she would not project to those around her, yet there was another layer deeper than that, one trying to shine through the darkness of her soul, that was crying out for a simple life here. The moment Bambietta saw Levy and Lucy waving to her from across the guild hall did it spark to life once more, the Quincy unable to hold herself back from waving in return.
She sighed then, closing her eyes and wondering just what she was going to do. Her future was in flux, Bambietta could see that clearly, and even she did not know what fate had in store for her. Even now, she could not understand why she had been brought to this world. Was there some grand purpose or was it a simple errant mistake on a universal scale?
"Miss?"
The Quincy slowly opened her eyes then, catching sight of Romeo looking up to her. His was a face clearly displaying innocence, an honest smile adorning it.
"Yes?" Bambietta asked, the Quincy having a feeling where this was going.
"I just wanted to say thank you for helping bring my dad back," the young boy replied. "Natsu said you went all the way there to try and help him."
"I was no help," Bambietta replied. "I was too late. Natsu did all the work."
"But you tried," Romeo retorted. "Isn't that what Fairy Tail is all about?"
"I suppose so." Bambietta smiled warmly then, knowing it just would not do to act coldly to Romeo. "You're welcome."
Then did the child run off back to his father. Bambietta watched, taking notice of Natsu and Happy approaching. Her smile faded then, the Quincy trying to play it cool. "And what do you want?"
"Natsu just wanted to see if you were feeling okay after that fight," Happy exclaimed.
"Oh, isn't that sweet." Bambietta very nearly rolled her eyes, happy that her hat's visor would no doubt hide her action. "Yeah, I'm healing up just fine, thank you very much."
"Well that's good!" Natsu exclaimed, brandishing a grin. "I was kind of worried, since you were hanging out all alone over here. Thought maybe you weren't feeling all that great, Bambietta!"
"I suppose it would be rude of me to keep my distance from everyone, huh?" Bambietta returned the smile then, forcing herself to move away from the wall and walk forward. "And by the way, my Fairy Tail friends call me Bambi."
As they began to walk back towards the center of the guild hall, Natsu looked over to Bambietta then. "Okay, I can do that. But why are you telling me your nickname now all of a sudden?"
Bambietta chuckled slightly, considering speaking up. Yet before she could, Happy floated by, his wings once more in action. The cat was giggling, his paws over his mouth.
"Because Bambi loves you!"
"Shut it, cat!" Bambietta shouted, her eyes narrowing as her face went flush with red. "And who said you were one of my Fairy Tail friends, huh?"
Now, I know some of you may be disappointed with Bambietta losing like she did. Well, keep in mind she's lost her schift ability. That's something she LOVES to use. Fighting without that is going to take some getting used to. Also, her lack of using her sword also contributed.
However, even then, lets not forget, the more angry Natsu gets the stronger he is. This wasn't going to be an easy battle regardless.
Besides, this gives her a rival, a goal to make herself stronger. A main character is boring if they start out super strong from the start and have no need to train...One Punch man aside that is.
Also, as you can see, the betrayl she went through still has left its mark on her. As it should, no one is going to get over that kind f thing ANY time soon.
But its for that very reason, why she's her in the first place.
Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please feel free to leave a review, they make me and Ankoholic strive to do better, be the review positive or negative.
