Good morning/afternoon/evening! I'll just dive right in...
CheesyDelphox, thank you so much for your review! I'm so glad to know you like Meredy and reading about her! And of course, you guessed right. Wait and see ;)
Mitzy123, thank you for your review and such a lovely praise! I'm always keen on Crime Sorcière times and love to explore their dynamics a little. Glad you liked it! Also thank you for so many mentions within the chapter, I'm so happy to hear! Hehe, yeah the ribbon thing would be a nice idea, wouldn't it? Apart from that, I'm still struggling to come up with gifts.
Mikasa-Chan, thanks so much for your review! I'm giddy with smiles at how many things you pointed out! Can't ask for more (and get more anyway. You guys are too kind!)!
Somnolent Sushi Roll, such a looong review again, thaank you! Hahaha, 'who wouldn't', true words, true words indeed. Ah, it's so wonderful to just delve into your lengthy review. I'm really so grateful for so much effort you put into it, making so many paragraphs and mentioning so many things. Thank you so much! And thank you also for letting me know about the perspective being to your liking there; that helps me out a lot, too!
foxydame, I had to switch from Email to FanFiction to fully read your review and I couldn't be more happy about that fact alone. Thank you so much! Thank you so much for pointing out so many things; the chapter was so full of dialogue, I'm really relieved and happy you liked it, especially the Crime Sorcière part. It's most likely chilling at their home, yeah... xD I love how you tell me about the details I write; make me feel very appreciated.
You all said it, I think, and I have to thank you all for your patience and kind words to me. I'll keep on trying my best because I really want to continue this until the end and I look forward to what you all think of it! Author-San over and out.
"Take this!" Natsu yelled, slapping down is hand. Everyone gave a groan.
"Great…" Lucy complained, topping his move with a low-value card. Grinning from one ear to the other in triumph, the Fire Dragon Slayer claimed his winnings.
"Idiot," Gray muttered, immediately having his forehead smashed with his guildmate's.
"What was that, Ice Princess?"
"You deaf and dumb now, Flame Brain?"
"Droopy Eyes,"
"Freak."
"Pervert!"
"Guys, can we focus here?" Lucy poked Natsu's side, who growled at Gray for it. She retreated when they started punching each other.
"What do you mean we focus? Happy's doing all the work," Natsu said between gritted teeth, hands in his rival's hair as he could not pull clothing like Gray did to him. One hand let go to point up the surrounding trees.
"And Charle…" Wendy muttered.
"Any closer now?" Natsu called and the blue Exceed came soaring down.
"Not much closer than when you asked two minutes ago," Charle was the first to answer, flying back up, followed by her fellow lookout.
"Are you winning yet Natsu?" Happy's voice came alongside a snicker.
"I'm always winning!" He gave back.
With another few tugs from the girls, both Natsu and Gray somewhat calmed down. Juvia and Lucy exchanged a glance, then shoved themselves between the squabblers.
Jellal sighed when it was his turn again. Picking the card he had held longest by now, he added it to the new heap that was forming, not wining another round. Not that he minded. Those ships were sure taking a long time to arrive, meaning there was no proper threat at the lack of technology or magic involved. And even if they had turned out to be coming with multiple ships, not a single team member was too concerned. They knew their strength.
"I can't believe Erza's missing all of this – I'm gonna be the new champion!" Natsu prematurely celebrated himself with a complacent laughter.
"You haven't even won a single game,"
"I won this round and the last two!"
"That doesn't help if you screw all of the other up," Gray rolled his eyes. Lucy became a little uneasy with her decision of changing places now but the two of them fell quiet the second their feared comrade gave a small moan in her sleep. With their lips puckered and breaths held, they stared down at where she was resting her head on her beloved's lap. Her brows twitched, the relaxed again and she kept on breathing regularly.
"How does she just sleep in the middle of the day?" Juvia tilted her head.
"Ask Natsu; he can sleep at any minute of the day," Lucy muttered to the side. "Though in this heat and after such a big lunch…" she let her head drop back, closing her eyes for a moment in a well-meaning jealous longing. Then she had to punch her seating neighbour's arm for having peered into her cards.
Jellal absently played out cards as they went on, all gazes flashing to Erza whenever unfocused. He, too, watched her, almost constantly, wanting to just let go of his deck already and run his fingers through her hair. Not with everyone sitting right there, however, their stares always reminding him not to be in private.
Erza's gave a grumble when the boys picked their argument back up, instantly shutting them up. With a deep inhale, she turned around to face Jellal's stomach. Her hands came up, grabbing his shirt in his back to nuzzle in closer to him.
"Mmh, Jellal?" She hummed not yet wanting to open her eyes. His own softened, shortly forgetting himself in a moment of fondness as he regarded her content smile of waking up with him right there.
"Hm?"
"Can we make sponge cake for dessert? I want some sponge cake," she ordered into his abdominals. He frowned with amusement just as much as regret.
"I'm afraid we neither have the ingredients, nor the equipment here," he said. Not denying her wish in the slightest, only explaining how it was not a possibility. She pulled a face, forehead wrinkling in a disgruntled manner. "I brought you chocolate, though," he tried to lift her mood again.
"I don't want chocolate…" she mumbled, hardly understandable now.
"It's very good chocolate," he animated her again but she only gave a dramatic sigh. Turning around, she probably thought to be concealing her sour pout from him, even if it was now only the other side of her head he got to see. Giving a light puff of amusement, Jellal stroked down her hair once, then proceeded to pluck at his next card, noticing to be stalling the game.
Not that anyone had uttered a complaint – they were all watching, more or less clandestinely.
"Don't use that one," Erza nagged. Having peeked one eye open, she lazily waved one hand. Complying, he lowered his deck and she tapped the one he was supposed to put down next. Something highly too risky, bound to fail, but he did it regardless. It won him the trick.
"How did you know?" He asked, keen on her tactical skills rather than his own achievement. She tapped his next card to lead.
"You just don't put enough spirit into this," she shook her head where it still laid on the pillow she had stuffed between his crossed legs. "You don't use how predictable they are," she scolded, her own spirit starting to fire up.
"I'm not predictable!" Natsu shot her a glare and she returned it without so much as batting an eye. She pointed straight at him.
"You always play out your high ones at the beginning," her finger wandered to Gray. "You always leave them for the end. You do whatever benefits him," she addressed Juvia, then shifted her attention to Lucy. "You never take a single risk and you just vary between high and low," she lastly commented on Wendy.
"Oh, oh, what about me, read me!" Meredy grinned brightly, eyes shining. She was as impressed as Jellal, only she was by far more enthusiastic about playing games and telling stories and interacting with the team. She was such a natural at fitting in – all of the effort she put into it was not even necessary but it paid off anyway. Hardly a single member at the guild was not eager to sit at her table from what he had heard so far.
"You're most predictable next to Jellal," Erza gave his shin a strict pat, "you play like a beginner; you copy others."
"I am a beginner," Meredy defended herself, though she was still grinning through the bottom lip that pushed out.
"I thought you were asleep," Jellal gently said, feeling her to be exhaling sharply in order to calm down at his tone.
"I was awake when you started the first round," she illuminated. She really was a master strategist. He had to smile, a short sigh of amusement and admiration venting out his nose. She pried upwards to meet his eyes, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. She was waiting for the anticipated compliment, but he would not utter it. Not in front of everyone. She knew, which made her smile stretch further now – it was her compliment and hers alone. And as much as she loved to brag and show off with him and their relationship, she liked how those kind words were only meant for her to hear.
"Get a room…" Lucy said under her breath at their doting gazes. Not quietly enough, she noticed too late. She winced when Titania's eyes pierced hers, a tiny shriek escaping her lips as she hid behind Natsu, who had oddly enough just grabbed a pillow to prop onto his lap.
The tension was lifted and converted into a different one when Happy and Charle descended.
"They're close now; they might be anchoring any minute," the white Exceed announced. Jellal felt Erza's back expand against his stomach, preparing for an overly annoyed groan but she restrained herself. Pushing herself up and off of him, she stood, delegating commands.
They marched down the hill with excited chattering. Meredy most of all. Erza glanced back to where the two former Crime Sorcière members formed the tail of the group after receiving the nudge from her guildmate.
"You're right," she agreed to Lucy's observation. He was indeed rather strangely stalking Gray and she understood the feeling of it seeming intentional, rather than being Jellal lost in thoughts. She left the lead to the girls, halting until the boys had passed her, falling into step with her beloved. Meredy interrupted her anecdote about the Fairy Tail swimming pool behind the guild hall.
"Everything okay?" She asked but the Queen of the Fairies gave a reassuring smile before trying to catch the eyes of her target. Trained on the back of the Ice Wizard, Jellal hardly noticed, only flashing her a glance after another moment. She looked from him to Gray expectantly.
"He keeps losing his clothes – I can't believe I missed it every time," Jellal felt the need to explain herself upon her wordless request. She had to suck her lips inwards as not to laugh and Meredy frowned with amusement.
"Alright then," she gave his arm a squeeze, "stay sharp."
"Mh," he vaguely hummed back, not letting himself get distracted. Meredy hardly cared, continuing just as animatedly, almost as loudly as Natsu was boasting next to Gray. The latter was completely oblivious and Erza saw why when she passed him again on her way to the front of her team, easily following his eyes to Juvia's back. Or lower.
She rolled her eyes. Of course, she was obsessed with her beloved, too, but she knew when missions took priority and how to get herself to focus on the matter at hand.
"So?" Lucy tilted her head.
"What's wrong?" Wendy asked.
"Nothing," Erza shrugged nonchalantly, "he just wants to see Gray strip," she disclosed. Eyes widened while Juvia's gained a fearfully murderous spark. "Quiet." Erza suddenly stopped in her tracks. Natsu bumped into her, having reacted too late but she only stared ahead.
They had arrived at the top of the cliffs, overlooking the sea. Large boats anchored off the shore. All of them were old, some patched up dilettantish and neither of them equipped with the same flag. Either all stolen or deluding into thinking they were merchants, fishermen or tourist cruises. There were original logos among the obvious and sometimes clever fakes, multiplying the laws they were already breaking. Erza felt her insides churn with her strong sense of righteousness.
"We need them to arrive on the island. There are traps down at the beach as well – it will be enough proof if they find the hiding spots immediately and give themselves away as their owners. They will leave some men aboard the ships so we must destroy the skiffs to cut them off their crew." She speculated in a hushed voice while more and more people rowed their way into the shallow waters of Tenrou Island. "Juvia, Gray," she turned to receive nods, "I want you to take care of the ships. Don't let them leave or fire ammunition should they have any." She glanced to Wendy. "You should help them; distort the winds should they try to make a cowardly escape," she said.
"Right." Wendy gave a serious nod as well, counting on Charle to carry her as not to be forced to land on the nausea-inflicting 'vehicles'.
"Lucy, Jellal, Meredy," she looked from one to the other, "take care of the hunters if they turn out to be of such cruel nature – this goes for everyone," she gave a stern glare throughout her team, most importantly those itching for a fight. To her slight surprise, Meredy was one of them. She wiggled on the spot, devilishly excited with an avid spark in her eyes.
"Natsu," she addressed him last and he released a small grunt of satisfaction at finally being given an order. He was already gleaming to get started, unable to wait for them to hopefully turn out to be bad guys without his magic leaking from his whitened knuckles. "You will burn down all the skiffs apart from one so that they won't be able to return to their ships on their own.
"I'm all fire-!" Lucy clasped a hand over his mouth, another of Meredy and Erza's armoured fist following shortly behind. It was nearly unbearably hot in her getup, everyone else's by far less smothering in the heat, ranging from short and airy outfits to mere swim clothing. But she would stand it, she just would. This was a battle after all.
Natsu squeaked at his now with a bruise bulging chin.
With only their eyes wandering, they stared sideward. Down on the beach, the first skiffs had arrived, the waves luckily rushing too loudly for anyone to have heard them. They were not expected to be there anyway, giving them a great advantage of the element of surprise. Setting foot on Fairy Tail's holy ground was not to be taken lightly and there was no preparing for Fairy Tail.
"What about you, Erza?" Wendy piped up after they had watched the last figures wade ashore.
"I will defend the one skiff to remain intact," she threw another threatening glare at her teammate who swallowed his eagerness, if only a little. Her primary concern was definitely his destructiveness above the men trying to flee and attack her. She did not want the Exceeds having to do all the work and fly the defeated delinquents back onto their ships which were needed to bring them back to the mainland to hand them over.
"Ready?" She asked and everyone nodded, almost yelling their understanding. She was itching for a fight, too, by now, giving the signal to attack when a few of the disabled traps had already been discovered and inspected. With an outcry, Fairy Tail lunged a merciless assault from above.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu opened the fire quite literally. Darting across the sky with Happy as his wings, he immediately took to the small boats, blowing them to splinters. The panicked shouts turned into frightened gasps when even the sea was ablaze. Then it froze over.
Skating rapidly over the now solid surface, Juvia and Gray dashed towards the ships, disabling any cannons in view. Erza's boots pushed into the sand where she panted herself in front of the last skiff, sword in both hands, ready for the upcoming congestion the now hectically fleeing hunters stormed her with.
She heard Lucy summon Scorpio at the other end of the madly burning skiffs, just when a hint of blue caught her eye.
Jellal's green eyes were piercing, his own fighting spirit awakened where he easily caught up with his targets. Stopping, he leapt, blindingly garish blades of light forming a half circle where his hand lunged backwards.
"Meredy!"
"On it!" She had already slid beneath where he momentarily hovered, bare foot and knee whirling up sand where she came to a halt behind their enemies. More sand squidged from between her fingers where she grabbed it for purchase. A delightedly feisty grin framed her lips.
"Jiu Leixing!" Jellal's magic struck down. The explosion sent their opponents flying but they did not get very far. A row of white sword-like magic came into existence at the call of their name.
"Maguilty Sodom!" The hunters harshly collided with the barrier, another group tossed against it not a second later when Jellal charged the next cluster. It was as if they were playing human volleyball of sorts, Erza thought to herself. Or tennis.
Soon enough, most of the remaining hunters were frightened to an extent where they rather tried to swim through Juvia's raging ocean or stumble across Gray's slippery ice.
Erza did not even have to requip armoury, dual swords being more than enough to fend off whoever managed to somehow pass Crime Sorcière's original members. She frowned when a couple of men did arrive at their last escape – her guarded skiff – beating them quickly, wondering how they had reached her in the first place.
"… too revealing!"
"This is a battle; I think their minds are elsewhere!" That's how. She exhaled sharply to suppress a sigh of exasperation.
"It's too revealing in any case! You can't walk around like that in public!"
"It's a summer dress! You know what summer means? Hot. And when it's this hot outside-"
"I highly doubt you dying of overheating if it had a few centimetres more in length," Jellal cut in. Meredy howled a frustrated groan.
"It's just legs! Who cares?" She outstretched her hands in a helplessly questioning manner.
"That's not a reason they'd understand; just because nothing ever happened doesn't mean it never will," he argued back. Without turning around, he shot a spiral of golden light behind him, knocking over another squad of people who landed right in the magical fangs of Meredy. It did not intercept their dispute in the slightest.
"I can take care of myself, you know! And I happen to like these kinds of dresses,"
"Then wear them at home,"
"What's the point in-"
"Will you two quit it!?" Erza's voice boomed over their bickering. Both shrunk to half their size. She loomed over them, eyes reduced to a lethally glowing fury. Meredy jumped when the glare landed on her. "You know he's right in this regard and he only wants to protect you!" She hollered. Then she grabbed his shirt, pulling him up. "And this is not the time to be discussing this!" She bellowed, letting him go to slice through a sneakily shivering row of enemies.
"Yes, ma'am!" Both Meredy and Jellal squeaked, crawling backwards to offer their assistance elsewhere. She was clearly not in need of help.
As were the others not much later, so it seemed. It had taken one day in total for them to arrive, investigate, disable and scheme in order to meet their targets but with their forces combined, Fairy Tail claimed victory in under twenty minutes.