Chapter 17

Austin-

1) Yes, they will be.

2) You'll see.

3) No plans to do any sort of crossovers at the moment. Got my hands full already and I don't really have any ideas, well good ones anyway, to make stories. Plus, I don't do AUs like the Goblin Slayer one you mentioned. Not a big fan of those types.

Hargeon town

"So what are we doing here sister?" Asked Arahan as they departed the train station and to the beautiful port town of Hargeon. The white-haired maiden was glad to be finally off that horrid contraption called a train. Oh, how she loved to sit upon Ceithin-Har and Gwindalor and travel with them again. These horrid contraptions of Men were awful and not nearly as graceful as either their dragon or eagle compatriots. Unfortunately, neither were optional and have been for years because of them being unique creatures in this world.

To the surprise of neither sister, there wasn't a single species in this world that matched the appearance of Gwindalor. And though there used to be dragons in ancient times and Natsu claimed a dragon raised him, many saw dragons as a myth. So taking either would be putting them, the sisters, and Diederick in danger.

Although they had the protection of Fairy Tail, which is regarded in Fiore as one of the strongest guilds in the country, the danger of having people know of Gwindalor and Ceithin-Har. One for just being a dragon and the other for being a species no one has ever seen before. So they weren't taking any chances.

"We're here to investigate the recent disappearance of several individuals in this town." Explained Naestra. "People have been disappearing as of late in this town and we've been tasked to put a stop to it."

"Are we certain that it's not some fools that have gotten lost because they drank too much ale?" Asked Arahan. Naestra, however, shook her head.

"No." Said Naestra. "At first that was the assumption, but the disappearances have continued for weeks, ultimately reaching its highest peak two weeks ago, where over two dozen young men and women were taken. The town's mayor, having enough, has sent a job request to both put an end to these disappearances and bring those that have disappeared back to their loved ones." Arahan just stayed silent as they walked through the streets of Hargeon.

"Do you think Natsu is here?" Asked Arahan as they walked around the streets, heading towards the town hall so they can speak with the mayor about their job.

"He is here no doubt." Said Naestra. "I recall one time that he heard a rumor about Igneel was located in the East Forest and so he stayed in the forest for a whole week before we convinced him that his dragon wasn't anywhere in sight."

Truth be told, that rumor started when someone had apparently heard a loud roar coming from the East Forest and thought it was a dragon roar. And, unfortunately, that roar came from Ceithin-Har, who longed to be able to soar across the skies again. Something that was agreed upon by Gwindalor. If the two agreed on something beyond the sisters', then it was indeed serious. Fortunately, no one found the location he called home, but the sisters knew that they had to find a way to allow Ceithin-Har and Gwindalor to spread their wings or else their desire to fly again will overcome their sense of reason. Perhaps if they talk to the master, he may find a way. Preferably even finding a way without drawing the attention of Natsu. Naestra really didn't want the boy to die to their dragon simply because he annoyed Ceithin-Har questions about Igneel. The dragon would not tolerate much questioning from the young teen. If he continued, Naestra feared the dragon will swallow the boy whole if he kept asking the same questions over and over again. So, it was probably best he never knew of Ceithin-Har. For his own safety.

As they walked to the town hall, they heard the squeals of a young woman. Curious, they two looked to see a young, blond woman walking through the streets with the most adorable, or annoying in Arahan's view, face. She was murmuring about how she was going to be a member of Fairy Tail and that Salamander was going to let her become one. Upon hearing that nickname, Naestra stopped. Salamander was a nickname given to Natsu for his Dragon slaying magic and how he spat out fire every now and then. Though Natsu saw took it with pride, as it may cause Igneel to go and find him, it also brought one problem. Some people tried to use his reputation to their own advantage, something that brought its fair share of problems. Although most people weren't dumb enough to do so, as Natsu didn't exactly like it when people used his own reputation for selfish ends, there were a few people that were clever enough, or dumb enough, to still attempt to do it. Both Arahan and Naestra can attest to that.

One time, they were sent by Makarov to help out a Fairy Tail mage that was allegedly in trouble with a town's local law enforcement for attempting to rob a local bank. Turns out it was a bunch of idiot kids that were using Natsu's nickname to get them some money for sweets. That was a trip that was completely annoying to do, especially for Arahan. So, Naestra was rather wary of whenever one used the nickname Salamander. So, just in case, she stopped the girl and spoke to her.

"Excuse me, miss." Said Naestra, catching the girl's attention. "But who is this Salamander you speak of?" Upon hearing that, the girl stopped and looked at Naestra.

"The one from Fairy Tail, miss." Said the girl respectfully as she looked at the woman in armor. Upon getting a good look on her, however, Lucy gasped out loud and squealed, much to Arahan's growing annoyance. "Oh my god! Your Naestra and Arahan! The only two non-magic users in Fairy Tail!" She heard so much about them. How they're the only non-magic users in Fairy Tail and how they're one of, if not the only, non-destructive members of Fairy Tail, making them instantly famous once word of them got out. But that wasn't the only two reasons they were famous. No, they were also famous for being the most mysterious members of Fairy Tail. Next to someone by the name of Mystogan, the public had very little information about them. All they knew was that they were sisters, had a son named Diederick, and that they always wore hoods, regardless of weather conditions or if it's appropriate or not. This led to rumors about them, but the girl didn't care. She was seeing two of Fairy Tail's most famous members and she was ecstatic.

"Yes, that is correct." Said Naestra with her usual politeness and smile. "While it is a pleasure to meet you, may you please answer the question I asked. What does the Salamander you speak of look like?"

"Um." Said Lucy, unsure of why they would ask such a thing before speaking up. "Well, he had blue hair, was rather handsome, and he used a charm spell to make the women in this town fall in love with him. It would have gotten me too if it weren't for this pink-haired guy and his blue cat." Upon hearing all that, Arahan scoffed while Naestra sighed before she spoke to tell the girl.

"My dear, I'm afraid to say the Salamander that you speak of isn't a member of Fairy Tail." Said Naestra, causing the girl's eyes to widen in shock. "The one that is a member of our guild is the one that is the pink-haired one."

"What!" Yelled the girl. "But he was going to get me into Fairy Tail!"

"You believed him after you told us that he attempted to use illegal magic to make people fall in love with him?" Asked Arahan sarcastically, making the girl chuckle.

"I really want to join Fairy Tail." Said the girl lamely. Before her sister could make a harmful retort, Naestra stepped in.

"While I understand the drive to join the guild, that is not a valid excuse for trusting in individuals that have proven to be untrustworthy." Said Naestra, making the girl sigh.

"I guess you're right." Said the girl before speaking up again. "I just really wanted to get into Fairy Tail. You see, I'm a mage and I really want to get into Fairy Tail. I really think I would be a really good member."

"With that attitude and naivety, you would." Said Arahan, making the girl frown. Before the girl could retort at that, Naestra spoke up.

"Ignoring what my sister said, you would be an excellent member of Fairy Tail." Said Naestra with a smile. Upon hearing that, the girl's expression immediately brightened up. It brightened, even more, when Naestra spoke up again. "If you wish, after our job here, we can take you to the guild and help you register as a member of Fairy Tail." The girl squealed in joy at that, happy beyond belief.

"I can't believe it!" Yelled the girl as she clasped her face with both of her hands. "I'm going to be a member of Fairy Tail!" As she cheered herself, Naestra smiled at her enthusiasm while Arahan scowled in annoyance. Once the girl calmed down enough, Naestra spoke up.

"Now, before you could continue on further, would you like to accompany us on our job?" Offered Naestra, widening both the eyes of Arahan and the girl.

"Really!?" Squealed the girl, excited at working alongside Naestra and Arahan. Arahan, however, was against it.

"Sister, what is the meaning of this!?" Demanded Arahan as she glared at her sister. Though what her sister offered wasn't illegal by any means, so long as the non-guild members agreed to help out on their own terms, that wasn't why Arahan was against bringing this girl into the mix. "Why are you asking this one to join us on our job? She is likely untrained, inexperienced, and will get in the way. Why are you taking such a foolish risk?"

"Because I trust that this one will be a valuable member of the guild in the future." Said Naestra. "Besides, think of this as a way to gauge if she is truly worthy of Fairy Tail." Arahan just scoffed at that before saying that Naestra better know what she was doing. With that, she left to go ahead of her sister, leaving Naestra alone with the girl. Once they were, she turned to the girl and spoke. "Forgive my sister." Said Naestra with an apologetic tone. "It may seem that my sister has no love for people, but she will protect those that she is allied with." The girl just frowned at that.

"Yeah, but still she's a real jerk." Said the girl with a big frown. "I heard she was quite mean, but I didn't think it was that far."

"I know." Said Naestra, knowing that Arahan's behavior. "But believe me, she is more kind-hearted than she appears. As her sister, I know that there is a warm heart underneath her rough exterior." The girl hummed at that before nodding.

"Okay, I believe you." Said the girl. "Now, before we head off, you should probably know my name. The name's Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lucy." Said Naestra with a smile. "And do not worry about doing well enough to impress my sister or me. You do not need our approval in order to get into the guild. The master is rather nonchalant on who is allowed into the guild. And I'm not referring to one being able to cast magic. It doesn't matter if you excel in what magic you have, so long as your heart is in the right place, he will let you in." Lucy gasped out that, surprised at how easy it was to get into the guild, despite its popularity.

"Wow!" Yelled Lucy. "Now I want to get into Fairy Tail more now. Don't worry, ma'am, I won't let this opportunity go to waste. I'll be the best help that you ever had." Naestra couldn't help but laugh a bit at that.

"There is no need to claim such things, Miss Heartfilia." Said Naestra. "So long as you are not a burden or become a liability, we will welcome you with open arms." Lucy smiled a great big smile at that.

"Thanks!" Yelled Lucy. "Now, let's go out and do your job!" With that, Naestra took escorted Lucy to the town hall, where Arahan was no doubt was located. As they were walking, Naestra asked Lucy a question.

"If you do not mind me asking, do you know where the pink-haired gentleman you encountered is?" Asked Naestra. "His name is Natsu Dragneel and he's the true Salamander of Fairy Tail. Do you know where he is or where he's heading because not only are my sister and I here to conduct a job, but also to keep an eye out for Natsu. He can be quite foolish when it comes to his search for his father."

"The dragon!" Yelled Lucy with bulging eyes. "You mean he actually was raised by a dragon!? I thought he was joking!"

"He wasn't." Said Naestra. "Though difficult to believe, he would not lie on such a thing. Natsu is many things, but a liar isn't one of them. He's far too honest to attempt a lie. In addition, it would explain his tendency to cause destruction wherever he goes."

"Wow." Said Lucy. "Well, I guess if you believe it, then I should too."

"You should not do such a thing." Scolded Naestra in the tone of a mother scolding her child. "Believe in something, not because someone told you so or just because you trust that person, but because you trust your own judgment. Understood?" Lucy just nodded.

"Okay, that makes sense." Said Lucy. "You really are like a mother, aren't you? I guess all those Sorcerer Magazines were right about you being the mother of Fairy Tail, huh?"

"*Chuckles* Yes, they are." Said Naestra, recalling that series of reading material that details everything about guilds in Fiore, including Fairy Tail. Her sister and herself have been subjects of great interest with that particular organization, especially that weird one called Jason. Honestly, it seemed like he had no concept of personal space or if someone wanted to be interviewed or not. If it wasn't for her or the consequences of committing such a deed, Arahan would have probably killed him in the most painful way possible by now for all the times he's violated her personal space and unintentionally worsening Fairy Tail's reputation from time to time. Fortunately, beyond that, those humans haven't done much that earned Arahan's ire. They seemed to not be foolish enough to spread false information about them or other guilds. Makarov had explained that one of their rivals attempted it with another guild and it ended up very poorly for them. Very poorly. "I do not mind the title as it's quite true. Many seek me for guidance and to help them out when they're feeling troubled overwork or have personal problems. It's hard work at times, but it's work that I'm willing to partake if it means everyone can work as optimally as possible." Lucy smiled at that. Naestra really reminded her so much of her own mother. The surge of pain hit her as she remembered her mother, but it was soon gone when she saw Naestra smile. She truly was a nice person and it made Lucy want to earn her approval. It was then that she remembered the initial question and told Naestra about Natsu.

"I honestly don't know where they are." Said Lucy honestly. "I left them at the restaurant I took them to. When I did, they seemed pretty content with the food there."

"And there wasn't anything trying to hurt them or anything?" Asked Naestra, concerned for Natsu and Happy, the latter more than the former as he was more or less useless in a fight.

"No, not really." Said Lucy. "Your Natsu got beat up pretty badly by some girls under the control of that creep I told you about, but aside from that, he's fine." Naestra sighed in relief at that.

"Good." Said Naestra. "Hopefully it'll stay that way until we find him." Lucy was about to comment why she was so concerned for Natsu when she heard some yelling from a certain blue cat.

"Ahh! Help us! This crazy lady knocked out my friend!" Yelled Happy as he looked at Natsu's unconscious form as Arahan looked down at Natsu. Upon seeing this scene, Naestra sighed as Lucy blinked at the sight.

"*Sighs* Sister." Said Naestra as she went over to Natsu and tried to get him to wake up.

Sometime later

Town Hall

"Are you feeling well enough, Natsu?" Asked Naestra as she looked at Natsu rubbing his head. The reason for Natsu being unconscious was due to him eating way too much food from the restaurant that Lucy left him in. More food than what money Lucy left behind for him. And with him not having money because he didn't think to bring some with him during his trip, a commotion started between him and the restaurant owners about the remaining money he owed them. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on who you ask, Arahan stumbled upon the commotion just as Natsu made the mistake of saying he'll pay for it in another way. Knowing he'll just cause more trouble if he had to be the only one to pay for the food, Arahan paid for the food. Unfortunately, the food that Natsu ate was a lot more than what she initially thought. So much so that, when she paid for it all and they were away from the restaurant, Arahan knocked out Natsu in anger. So, they had to both carry the teen to the town hall and also treat him for the hit that Arahan gave him. And where they were in the town hall, waiting for the mayor to come.

"Yeah." Said Natsu as he recovered enough to speak clearly. "Man, did Arahan really hit me hard." He then grew angry and began spouting out flames. "Next time I see that lady, she's going to get it!"

"I really doubt that." Said Lucy as she saw Arahan inspect a dagger she brought with her. The dagger's design was unlike everything she had ever seen. So intricate and beautifully designed that Lucy wondered if they would fetch a high price on the market and if they would break in the middle of a fight. Just as she was going to ask a question, the mayor of Hargeon town came into the room they were in.

He was a nice man in a black suit and tie with his brown hair done nicely. Taking a seat that gave him a nice view of all the members of Fairy Tail and Lucy, the man spoke up.

"Thank you all for coming so soon." Said the man with a smile on his face. "No doubt you all would like to get to the bottom of my town's plight, so I'll keep this brief. Our town, as of late, has been suffering disappearances. The disappearances range from those around their thirties to as young as eighteen years old. At first, we thought it was just a bunch of teens playing a prank on their parents, but then we lost that group of people two weeks ago, then we realize people are being kidnapped. We notified both private investigators and the military about our situation, but they haven't found anything. So, we decided to seek help from the guilds, see if they fare better in both stopping these kidnappings and to bring back our people." Upon hearing all that, Arahan spoke up.

"Is there anything that you have that can assist us in finding your missing people?" Asked Arahan, withholding an insult as the man so far didn't do anything to deserve such a thing. The man paused a bit, something that sisters noticed, before responding.

"Nothing, I'm afraid." Said the man. "Even the locations where the kidnappings occur are random and out of place. One day they were seemingly occurring from people going to a bar and the next they're being taken from one of the orphanages in town. It seems that whoever is doing this, seems to do it in random locations to deter people from pinpointing who they are."

"A reasonable assumption." Said Naestra. "It also speaks about the cause." When her last sentence attracted the attention of everyone baring Arahan, Naestra explained. "If I may presume, the people that have been kidnaped so far are not known to each other, correct? The batches of people had no deep connections with each other?" The mayor hummed at that before speaking.

"I could check." Offered the Mayor. "But I believe that you are correct in your assumption."

"If I am, then I fear that whoever kidnapped your people may be slavers." Said Naestra with a sympathetic look on her face. When everyone, baring Arahan, heard that, they widened their eyes in shock. "It makes the most sense. The people taken seem to have no connections with each other. The ages are within ranges that permit those kidnap to work as slaves and do so with reasonable results. And, perhaps most vile of all, they are done to people that, by the time the authorities have learned what terrible fate has befallen on their citizens, they've been delegated to a fate worse than death." Upon hearing all that, the mayor could see why Naestra would think it was slavers. By the gods, he hoped that she was wrong, but it was entirely possible she is correct in her guess.

"By the gods, I hope that isn't true." Said the mayor. "If it is, however, please bring back my people. I cannot bear to think that my people are in chains and working in servitude to cruel masters."

"We understand." Said Naestra. "We will do whatever we can to bring them back to you. But are you absolutely sure that there is nothing that can be offered to help us?" The mayor opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself. Looking at the two teens with them, he said that they needed to leave. Both Natsu and Lucy protested the idea, but Arahan and Naestra told them to leave. If this is what was required for the man to speak, then so be it.

After some prodding from Naestra along with an apology, the two teens left with Happy in tow. Once they were all gone, the mayor spoke.

"Forgive me for that, but I don't think it would be correct for them to hear what actually happened." Said the mayor. "The details are…too gruesome for people their age to hear." Upon hearing that, Naestra and Arahan narrowed their eyes.

"What do you mean?" Asked Naestra, not liking what she just heard. The mayor sighed before explaining.

"The military did find something relating to the kidnaped people." Said the mayor. "They found a lead that led them to a port warehouse. They thought that was where the missing people were. They sent an entire platoon to raid the place and rescue the kidnapped people if they were there."

"But things didn't go as planned." Said Naestra, causing the mayor to sigh and bury his face with his hands.

"No." Said the mayor after he released his face and looked at the Twilight Sisters again. "The raid ended in disaster. All but one of the entire platoon was killed. And the man that survived died shortly after we got him on transit to the hospital. When we saw what happened there, we saw what happened to the men there." He took a deep breath before telling them what happened. "They all died in long and excruciating deaths. Some had their stomachs cut open with their intestines all over the place. Others had their eyes gouged out along with their tongues and teeth cut out. And the remaining few were beaten so unrecognizable that we needed a mage specialized in identification magic just to identify whose body we have." Both Naestra and Arahan stayed silent as they heard all this.

All this sounded like something a Chaos cult would do or something their cousins, the Druchii, would do as well. But it couldn't be either of them. No one but their queen knew where they were. So how could they be here to conduct such acts? The two were about to dismiss the thoughts of either being the responsible party when the mayor showed them something that they both were shocked to see.

"We found this insignia at the scene of the crime." Said the mayor before showing them a painting of this insignia. Upon seeing it, both sisters recoiled in shock.

What the painting showed was the symbol of a Druchii house that was long dead, destroyed by a rival house.