A/N: Apologies for the late, late update. I can only thank you for your patience. From now on, the completion of this story will be my top priority when time permits.
Old Friends
Above was the starry night sky, full of twinkling lights and colourful orbs that glowed bright. There were many other, larger spheres too – called planetoids – guarded by rings of rainbow or wispy clouds, covered in flowing waters with giant sailing ships, or occupied by large buildings, strange houses, and crystal hills. It wasn't just the sky that was full of fascinating things to see; the area they stood upon was made of luminous stone that flickered with different colours with every step and beyond the borders of the large platform was a vast ocean-like world that reflected the universe in the sky above as if a giant, rippling mirror. There were massive trees that sprouted from the dark depths, each as high as the trees in East Forest, their branches bare and as clear as glass. Everywhere they turned, there were pointy mounds of crystals that sparkled under the many tall, skinny lamps that shone like pale blue stars.
This was the Celestial Spirit World and it was a beautiful, wondrous place brimming with magical energy.
Bacon wanted to explore this new amazing land dressed in the new clothes given to him by the strange white light from before. His wet, sandy swimming trunks were replaced with dark blue pants embroidered with red to form an ornate pattern down the outer sides. His bare feet were now covered in knee-high black boots that were belted at the top with oval sapphire ornamental clasps that had open wings of silver on either sides of them. Around his wrists were thick, wide bands of white cloth trimmed with blue depicting shiny purple stars linked within a chain and upon his head was a hat he had yet to see, but he knew it was light and made of something soft and feathery. The final piece was his green shirt that was short-sleeved and long, where the bottoms tapered to points just above his knees, and with fancy yellow jewel-studded buttons and an elegant, celestial design running from top to bottom in light blue. He wasn't the only one wearing different clothes; everyone else around him had changed into new attires as well.
Bacon took one step forward only to freeze in alarm when something huge suddenly materialized above them. It was a giant of a man, just as big as the time the kind old master of Fairy Tail had transformed to enormous proportions to punish those who misbehaved. Hovering in the air, this man was fully dressed in shiny emerald, gold, and silver armour and wearing a long, flowing white mantle that gently flapped behind him. Upon his head was a dark helm topped with long feathers, a golden star on the forehead, and with two, thick pale horns adorning both of its sides. His white moustache was peculiar, the hairs long and stiff and puffy at the ends. He had skin that was blue and red eyes that glinted like gems. And when he spoke, his voice was like thunder, loud and booming that it reverberated within Bacon's chest and nearly deafened his ears, making him and some others gasp.
"Welcome, my old friends. Thank you all for coming here."
"Whoa! He's so huge!" Natsu exclaimed while Happy shrieked about the man's funny moustache.
"It's the King of the Celestial Spirit World," said Lucy as she moved to bravely stand alone before the group. "Loke spoke of some sort of urgent matter. Is something wrong with your world?"
"Indeed. There is a matter most serious that I need all of your help with," the giant replied.
"What is it?" Erza inquired, stepping up to Lucy's side.
The Spirit King grinned, showing his pearly white teeth. "I need you all to help me celebrate your return!" he shouted, his voice booming across the land. At that exact same moment, the world around them exploded with life. Popping out of nowhere was a bunch of people, some of them strange in appearance and not human-like. They ranged in size and shape and all wore friendly, happy, joyful faces. "It's time to party!" they all yelled out as one, matching the king's voice in volume.
Bacon smiled in excitement. 'Party' meant food, fun, games, magic battles, complete destruction of furniture, and more food. He looked at Wendy in anticipation but found her and everyone else, with the exception of Loke, gaping at the odd group in stunned disbelief.
Loke broke out in laughter. "Surprise! It was all just a ruse. My acting was top-notch, wasn't it, Master Lucy?" he asked as he draped an arm around the girl's shoulder.
"Unbelievable…" the spirit mage sighed before giving the man in the black suit a playful shove in the face. She lightly chuckled soon after. "You really had me worried."
Loke smirked and waved for everyone to follow him. "C'mon! Let's go have some fun! You guys are the very first people to be invited to the Celestial Spirit World by our King so let's make this party memorable!"
"For real?" asked Romeo in awe as he clenched his hands before him, both covered in fingerless red gloves decorated with blue crescent moons on the back of the palms. "That's so cool!"
"A party! Alright! Can't wait to eat!" Natsu shouted with glee as he dashed ahead with a smiling Happy flying right behind. Each of the young man's footsteps left a colourful rippling mark on the lighted stone that disappeared after a few seconds.
"You better not eat everything, Natsu!" Romeo warned jokingly, chasing after the older fire mage. The short orange cape he was given to wear flared behind him, its ends frayed like feathers on a wing. His white boots decorated with golden chains noisily clinked with every footfall.
Bacon grabbed Wendy's hand and pulled her along, wanting to follow the running pair.
She giggled behind him and said, "You must be really hungry. You don't have to rush. I'm sure there's plenty to eat. Isn't there?"
"We've prepared quite a feast for you all," came the thunderous voice of the hovering giant. "There's no need to run, my old friends. I shall take you all to the banquet!"
There was a sharp resounding snap of metal fingers that drew Bacon's attention. Then the world around them began to change. The night sky full of twinkling lights and planetoids flickered and melded with the vast ocean-like land covered in illuminated crystal. Colours and shapes blurred together and before Bacon could even blink, a new area appeared before him. No longer did he and his friends stand upon the glowing stone walkway but on a floor made entirely of pale blue crystal.
The boy gawked in amazement, not quite sure how everything became so different so fast. It was noisier and more populated here with many more strange-looking beings gathered around, welcoming the group who had just instantly arrived. Most had the faces of animals, others were moving, talking objects, and some resembled ordinary humans. There was a pair of giant, grinning eel-like fish swimming in circles in the air above them all, their shiny scales flashing with silvery lights.
The floor wasn't the only thing composed of dazzling crystal, everything on the wide balcony that opened to the night sky was made of it too: the ornate columns, the domed ceiling, the tables, chairs, plates and utensils, and even the potted plants set around as decorations. There was also a giant star-shaped piano and a huge, similar-shaped trumpet that both glimmered like diamonds, and a live band full of animal people, each playing a different instrument. Along with the music and happy cheers, the air was also overflowing with the delicious, savoury smells coming from the many dishes of food sitting on the tables. Some platters were huge, while others were much, much bigger, carrying a humongous portion of herb-roasted brown meat basted in juices, a mountain-sized pile of bread baked golden brown, and a brightly-coloured multilayered cake that was twice as tall as Bacon and ten times as wide.
The King appeared before the largest table on the balcony that was draped with a white cloth and covered in a vast array of delectable dishes. He spread out his silvery-plated arms and motioned for Fairy Tail to step closer. "My friends, please seat around my table. Eat and drink to your heart's content!"
Natsu was first to dive right in, his arms a blur as he filled his plate with everything he could get his hands on. There were dishes of casseroles and pasta drenched in rich sauces, bowls of steaming vegetables, tossed salads, and soups, plates of seafood, grilled meats, and sausages, platters of cheese, crackers, and many types of fruit. There were so many choices and yet the pink-haired mage managed to pile everything onto his plate before he started to devour it all.
Everyone else followed in a more sophisticated manner, taking their respective crystal seat and spooning up what they wanted to try out first in moderation.
The food was delicious, every bite bursting with flavor and every taste savoured. There was nothing Bacon didn't like. His favourite was the cake, slathered in sweet, creamy icing, and the chocolaty insides soft and moist. The drinks were cold, refreshing, tasty, and fizzy like sugary soda.
The place was loud with chattering and laughter that was accompanied by the music and singing from the live band. It was a fun and lively atmosphere, having almost the same feel as the wild parties thrown back at Fairy Tail when everyone was gathered.
After the meal, it was time for exploration and discovery for Bacon while everyone else wandered the floor to meet up with others. Some spirits and a few of the mages of Fairy Tail got together and joined arms to prance around and sing.
With Wendy and Carla joining him, Bacon was introduced to many of the spirits who resided in the world by Loke. From the black and white axe-wielding bull warrior named Taurus to the kind, pink-haired girl with short brown horns named Aries, the boy met all of Lucy's Celestial Spirits and many other nice and friendly beings. However, he was most interested in meeting with the giant man in the armour.
He pointed at the Spirit King still sitting cross-legged by the enormous table, conversing with Gray and Lucy who were both currently being swarmed by the small canine spirits called Nikoras.
"You want to meet the great King of the Celestial Spirit World, little guy?" asked Loke, raising his brow. He smirked when the boy nodded. "No problem. He may look big and mean, but he's a good man at heart. What am I worried about? You're not afraid of anything." He shortly laughed as he led the way, rounding the large table.
"He really is kind to throw Lucy and all of us this party," said Wendy. "It's such an honour!"
"This is indeed a rare occasion, a first in our history. Lucy is truly special to us," said Loke with a fond smile. His smile grew wider as they approached the blonde-haired girl and Gray because the group of Nikoras suddenly began to stampede towards the children and Carla.
Squealing and yapping, the little colourful spirits surrounded Bacon and Wendy and started to climb up their legs and onto their backs. Giggling, the boy happily petted their rounded heads, liking their soft fur and squishy bodies. He picked up a white one like he would an Exceed, glad to find it calm in his arms. The small spirit with the gold, pointy nose and slightly frowning face was very light too, weighing only a pound or more. One had climbed to the top of his head and another perched over his right shoulder. Wendy wasn't spared from the little creatures either, having a few latch onto her arms, back, and legs.
"Oh, there's Plue! Good job in finding him, Bacon," praised Lucy, chuckling.
"These guys can be quite a handful," said Gray, smirking in amusement.
"They're really cute," said Wendy, giggling.
Loke started to pry the Nikoras off the young pair. "Come on, guys. Let them through." Once the path was somewhat clear, Bacon, still carrying the Nikora named Plue, and Wendy stepped towards the King alongside Loke. Two pairs of ruby red eyes watched them approach.
Loke gave a slight bow and said politely, "Your Highness, I have a little friend who wants to say hello."
The King gazed upon the boy staring up in bewilderment, his red eyes glinting. "Ah, at last we meet. I've been waiting for this moment to arrive, Young One," he said, his thunderous words easily overheard over the many noises around them.
The King's reverberating voice always left a strange feeling in Bacon's chest. Nevertheless, he was very curious about the man. Holding Plue with his right arm, he stuck out his left hand which brought a mighty, roaring laugh from the ruler of the spirit realm. Bacon cringed away because it felt like the whole world was shaking from such a loud sound. When the laughter died down, the King held out his enormous hand, prompting the boy to raise his left arm again. A giant finger armoured in silver lightly tapped his open palm soon after, making his hand tingle from the touch.
Bacon gasped from the odd sensation that ran down his arm. He could sense the king's magic power from that brief contact and it was incredible – far beyond anything he had ever felt before. No mage in Fairy Tail could match the level of magic this giant blue-skinned man possessed. The boy was in awe.
"How do you know Bacon?" Wendy suddenly asked the King.
"I think I briefly mentioned him," Loke chose to answer with a shrug. "Though it hasn't really been that long, Your Highness. Been like a day."
"It feels much longer than that," the great King replied, drawing odd looks from those around him.
Carla flew closer to Bacon, each beat of her wings softly stirring his blond hair. "Is there something you know about him?" she questioned.
"Not at all. This is the first time I've seen him."
"You make it sound like you were expecting him," Bacon heard Lucy quietly mused behind him.
The King leaned over to peer more closely at Bacon, the bushy ends of his long moustache nearly within the boy's reach. He bared his pearly teeth in a small grin. In a surprisingly quieter tone, equal in volume to a normal person, he stated, "Fate has brought you here, Young One, and it shall be fate that will decide how your future unfolds. It will be your friends who will guide you to your lost path so do not lose hope when things look dark."
Bacon tilted his head and blinked, not quite comprehending all that was said. He felt a hand on his shoulder that belonged to Wendy. She gave him an assuring smile while Plue softly murmured in his arms.
The great King straightened and gestured at the table still full of food. "Now, why don't you all have some more to eat? There's still plenty to go around!" he bellowed.
"Um, no thank you. We're very full," Wendy kindly refused with a timid bow of her head and a wave of her hand.
"Then some more song and dance! Lyra, if you could be so kind. Sing us a lovely tune."
A young woman wearing a pink bonnet and a blue dress appeared before the King atop the table where no dishes sat. She had long blonde hair that curled at the ends, small white wings sprouting from her back, and a large blue string instrument set beside her. Her rosy face was alight with a giddy smile as she wriggled in excitement. "As you wish, Your Highness!" she squealed in happiness. She pulled a crystal stool seemingly out of nowhere and sat upon it.
When she ran her fingers over the strings, Bacon was immediately enthralled by the thrilling sound they made. He had heard the same sound before, strummed by a man with blond hair, red eyes, and bandaged fingers, but on an instrument that was made of gold and smaller. Who was that man? And where had Bacon seen him before? There was nothing he could remember; only the melodies strum on the golden instrument that he could play on his blue ocarina.
He was confused, but the thought soon left him as the girl continued to pluck her strings. Her melody was different to the ones he somehow knew. It was a soothing, flowing serenade that calmed the rowdy atmosphere of the banquet hall. And then she parted her smiling lips and sang, her strong, lovely voice captivating everyone's attention;
"Old friend, I can see you. You're right there."
Bacon slowly approached the table with Plue still placid within his arms. He was mesmerized by Lyra's singing, drawn to the harmony in both her voice and music.
"It's beautiful, isn't it? How she plays the harp?" Wendy quietly asked him as she stood by his side.
The boy nodded while Carla responded with; "The sound really takes your mind off of things."
"Old friend, I swear the bond between us will never be broken.
"I'm the star that's meant for you, so I shine bright.
"This song is meant for you so show me your smile."
Her words ended there but her strumming didn't stop, her fingers elegantly weaving a fine melody. The song filled him with happiness because it reminded him of all the heart-warming kindness and support he had received from everyone in Fairy Tail whenever he felt troubled or lost. Most of all, it reminded him of Wendy, his dear friend. She had cared for him many times and healed him whenever he was hurt. He reached out and lightly grasped the older girl's hand and closed his eyes to listen to the rest, the smile on his face never fading even when Lyra hummed the last note.
It was another hour or two, before it was time for the party to end. Bacon was disappointed that they had to leave, however Aries was kind enough to pack a few slices of cake for him to take.
The group was taken back to the luminous stone platform when everyone was ready to go, again at the sound of the great Spirit King's snapping fingers. Lucy's spirits had gathered around once more, bidding her and her friends good-bye as well as words of encouragement and gratitude. Loke was the only spirit to stand amongst Fairy Tail for he was the one to send them all back.
"Farewell, my old friends. May the stars watch over you," said the King of the Celestial Spirits, his gaze shifting across the happy group. Just as the circle beneath everyone's feet began to glow bright, his eyes found Bacon's. "We are destined to meet again. I will be waiting until that time comes," he quietly added, his grin disappearing in the blinding white light.
The burning hot sun, the cool sea breeze, and the sound of crashing waves welcomed them all back.
Compared to the darkness of the Celestial Spirit World, Earthland on a bright sunny day was very blinding. Wendy had to blink several times to get her eyes adjusted to the new light.
She took a deep breath of the fresh salty air, feeling a little sad about leaving the beautiful spirit realm. However, the time for fun and relaxation was over and back to training. She looked around the beach only to realize it was noon. They had left in the evening, so did that mean they had partied throughout the night and half-way through the day? For sure it felt like they had spent a full day in the spirit realm. She didn't feel tired; all the food she ate kept her energized and awake.
"We're back," she heard Natsu say before he started to stretch. "Man, that was a blast. I'd love to do that again sometime."
"Maybe when we win the Grand Magic Games we could ask for another celebration," suggested Lucy, smiling.
There was shouting coming from the side accompanied by running footsteps in the sand. Two familiar men wearing only their swimming trunks were dashing towards them with tears streaking down their eyes and wide, relieved smiles on their darkly tanned faces.
"Oh! There's Jet and Droy! I was wondering what happened to them!" exclaimed Levy as she squeezed between Erza and Juvia with a large, leather-bound book in her arms the spirits had allowed her to have.
"Oops. Must've missed them," said Loke with an apologetic smile.
The two men of Shadow Gear reunited with their third member, each one wrapping their arms around the small girl, nearly crushing her to death. "Levy! You're back! Thank goodness!" Droy sobbed.
"We thought something terrible happened! I'm so happy to see you back and still in one piece! We've missed you for three months!" Jet added.
There was a sudden pause in everyone who had gone to the Celestial Spirit World.
"W-Wait a minute, Jet. What did you say?" Levy managed to wheeze out as she tried to pry away from their strong hold.
Wendy and everyone else had fallen into a stunned and confused silence, all eyes on the two men. Bacon, however, only tilted his head slightly as he quietly observed everyone's reactions while Loke started to look rather nervous.
Jet stepped back and raised a perplexed eyebrow at his fellow teammate. "I'm happy to see you alive and still in one piece?" he repeated.
"No, after that."
"We've missed you for three months?"
"Th-Three... Three... months?" the blue-haired girl echoed, barely able to pronounce the words. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth agape in utter disbelief. "Y-You're kidding, right?"
It was Jet's and Droy's turn to look confused. "It's really been three months, Levy," the thinner man stressed out.
"Whadya mean 'three months'?!" Natsu suddenly demanded, snapping out of his shock. "How the hell did we lose that much time?! We were only gone for a day!"
"What? Really?!" Jet and Droy exclaimed as one.
Droy looked at each member and frowned. "So you guys didn't train or anything at all? We waited and waited, thinking you guys were saving the Celestial Spirit World or something. And yeah... It's been three months since you all left. The Grand Magic Games start in five days!"
Wendy just stared, too shocked to even blink. Three months. Gone. Just. Like. That.
Everyone affected by the horrifying news began to slowly turn their attention towards the only Celestial Spirit within the vicinity.
"Loke..." Erza snarled through clenched teeth, her tone low and threatening.
The lion flinched and took a few wary steps back, raising one hand protectively before him while he nervously scratched the back of his head with the other. He let out a tentative laugh, breaking out in a cold sweat. "Uh... D-Did I... forget to mention that there's a… little time difference between our worlds?" he uttered meekly.
"A 'little'? Three months is not a 'little' to us," Gray growled, soundly cracking his knuckles of one hand in the palm of the other.
He, Natsu, and Erza began to slowly advance on the lion, knuckles cracking, fists tightly clenched, eyes gleaming with malicious intentions, and emitting a violent aura that rivaled the fiercest demons Wendy had ever seen.
"You shoulda mentioned the time difference earlier, dumbass!" the Fire Dragon Slayer roared. Before Loke could get away, the three of them pounced on the spirit and began to inflict the poor lion's punishment.
"Gah! Lucy! Please save me!" Loke cried, curled into a defensive ball. But little did he know his master had joined the trio in beating him up.
Once they had vented their anger, everyone slumped to the sandy ground, feeling nothing but utter dismay. By that time, their new outfits disappeared and were replaced with what they had worn before they left. Even though Wendy was just as downtrodden as her guild members, she couldn't stand seeing Loke lying hurt in a pool of his own blood and had to promptly heal him up. His swollen, bloody face and bruises were gone in seconds under the power of her Sky Dragon Slayer magic.
Loke grasped her hands and wept in appreciation when she was done. "Oh, Little Miss Wendy… Bless your kind heart," the lion exclaimed before turning to Bacon who was kneeling by the girl. "You're lucky to have her, little guy."
The boy smiled brightly while Wendy began to stutter, "W-W-What do you mean by that?"
The Celestial Spirit gave her a little wink. "I'm saying you're a caring young lady. Something every guy needs. Now, if you'll excuse me." He pocketed his broken shades, got to his feet, dusted the sand off his rumpled, blood-stained suit, and dropped to his hands and knees before Lucy. "Forgive me, Master! I'm so sorry for not telling you about the time difference!" He bowed his head, burying his face in the hot, white sand.
Lucy sighed and waved him away. "Just go home, Loke. We'll… figure something out… maybe…" However, there was hardly any energy or willpower left in her to make any effort to resolve their new problem. None of the mages did. Everyone was in deep despair.
With one last "Sorry!" the lion disappeared into his gate.
Dragging her feet in the sand, Wendy sullenly joined the rest of her teammates in the shade of the palm trees where a sense of hopelessness hung thick in the air around them. Like a heavy sack of potatoes, the Sky Dragon Slayer dropped against the trunk of a palm beside Romeo, Carla, and Happy with Bacon joining right after. He looked around at each member's face and frowned in concern.
"So… what do you guys plan to do?" Droy dared to ask. He took a bite of his slice of cake that Bacon had shared with him and Jet. "Whoa, this cake! It's… It's like a piece of heaven in my mouth! A God among all cakes! It's so good!" he murmured through joyous tears.
"I'm so jealous you guys got to eat all that food," Jet added between bites of his own dessert.
"I was really hoping to get a chance to train with Natsu while I was here," said Romeo sadly. He folded his arms over his raised knees and rested his chin on top, his eyes downcast. "With only five days left, there's no way you guys can get strong enough for the Games."
Erza suddenly sprang to her feet, giving a few people quite a start. Her eyes were burning with determination as she held a trembling, white-knuckled fist before her. "Yes, we can," she began, meeting everyone's gazes, "We can still train within that short amount of time! We'll have to play the Hell version of Magical Battle Beach Volleyball for five days straight!"
"There's a Hell version?!" Lucy exclaimed in horror.
"There is now!" the warrioress answered, a wicked sneer on her face. "There will be no sleep. There will no breaks. And there will be no escape! Everyone! Get up! You're wasting the precious little time we have!"
Lucy clung to the tree she was leaning against for dear life and tearfully wailed, "No! Anything but that! I don't want to die!"
Wendy wanted to cry just like Lucy. Dread twisted the younger girl's insides at the thought of having to endure such horrible torture in the form of an extremely violent volleyball game. And for five days non-stop no less. There was no way she was going to survive until the end!
Bacon was first to jump to his feet at the scarlet-haired woman's command, eager to play the sport he knew absolutely nothing about. Wendy quickly grabbed his wrist and held him back. "No, Bacon! You don't want to play that!" she warned.
The boy blinked at her in confusion. He perked up and turned his attention towards the sky to point at a twittering bird swooping towards them. It was a white pigeon and it descended not on a branch of a palm leaf but on top of Erza's head.
There was an awkward silence as everyone stared for a brief moment, making the scarlet-haired mage blink in confusion while still poised in her determined stance.
Natsu was first to point and exclaim, "Erza! Don't move! There's a bird on your head!"
"Eh?" The warrioress froze, mouth agape in surprise. Her wide brown eyes looked upwards to try and spot the feathered creature perched atop her head.
"There's something tied to its leg," noted Gray as he carefully reached out to retrieve the piece of paper wrapped around its skinny orange limb. The instant he unraveled the string, the bird took flight with a chirp and disappeared over the jungle.
"To Fairy Tail," Gray began to read the note, "Come to the suspension bridge deep in the western jungle."
"The hell is this?" Natsu muttered as he snatched the paper to read it himself.
"Someone knows we're here," Erza informed warily as she smoothed out her hair the bird had partially messed up. She hardened her gaze at the wilderness. "Could this be some sort of trap?"
"Who could it be?" the ice mage wondered, crossing his arms over his bare chest.
Lucy looked unsettled. "I don't think we should go…"
"I'm catching a familiar scent on this paper. Not sure what it is exactly. Can't put my finger on it…" said Natsu as he sniffed the note. He followed Erza's gaze, a sneer on his face. "We should check this out."
"What? Are you sure?" the spirit mage questioned.
The male Dragon Slayer sidled next to her and asked, "Would you rather stay and play volleyball?"
Lucy raised a hand in the air and said joyfully, "Let's check out this bridge!"
The group changed out of their swim wear and into clothes fit for the hot, humid weather. They left their gear behind on the beach and ventured into the dense wildlife. Up front with machetes and an ice blade were Jet, Droy, and Gray, hacking at the overgrowth barring their way.
It was sweltering the first time they travelled through and it was just as bad the second time. Wendy was grateful to have Romeo's cold blue fire burning close by to keep the temperature down. She constantly kept an eye on Bacon, making sure he didn't wander off on his own. She had told him earlier not to leave her side because there was no knowing who had written that letter.
Whoever had sent them the note could be lurking around the wilderness, watching them undetected for some unknown reason, waiting for an opportunity to strike or something worse. The unnerving thought frightened Wendy. She kept her keen senses fully alert in hope of not getting ambushed by a surprise attack and noticed Natsu doing the same.
It took over an hour before they found what they were looking for atop a high cliff that overlooked a deep canyon with no visible bottom from where Wendy stood. Opposite to the cliff they stood on was another rocky cliff where the jungle continued on, however the area was unreachable on foot because the suspension bridge they were told to find was broken in half. Only the wooden posts and the ends of the bridge that hung down the cliff sides remained intact and they were visibly old, evident by the rotten, weathered wood and badly frayed rope.
Erza was quick to look around, her narrowed eyes scanning for any sign of danger.
"There's no one here," Natsu grumbled, sounding rather disappointed.
"Were you expecting a fight?" Lucy muttered under her breath.
Gray snorted in annoyance. "Is this some kind of prank? It ain't funny."
Bacon was intrigued by the sight before them and dashed to the very edge of the cliff for a better look before Wendy could stop him. Fortunately, he didn't trip over the side as Wendy had mentally feared. He made a sound of awe as he peered down the steep canyon, seeing a dark flowing river at far bottom. A warm wind was blowing up here, making the leaves gently rustle and the canyon quietly howl.
"Careful! You don't want to fall," the navy-haired girl warned as she tugged him away from the edge. "Carla, you should stay with him. Just in case."
The white feline quietly sighed. "Very well," the Exceed complied before hopping to perch over the young boy's shoulder.
Bacon smiled at the cat accompanying him and reached up to give her a little scratch behind her ears. Carla didn't mind too much, now used to having the boy treat her the same way as Wendy had taught him.
"Hey, look!" shouted Gray. All heads turned towards the bridge, shocked to see it move. The broken ends lifted as if an invisible hand had pulled on the ropes and held them in midair. Shattered planks of wood began to float together to reform into whole boards while the frayed ropes started to grow in length, their individual strands twisting around one another to become stronger, thicker ropes that entwined around the ends of each plank and around the top supporting ropes to suspend the bottom. Within seconds the old, broken bridge was restored, looking as new as the day it was made as if time had just been reversed.
Wendy gulped, feeling very uneasy at the power the mysterious people possessed. Bacon was the complete opposite of how she felt for he was gaping at the magically fixed bridge like it was neat trick.
"Looks like they want to meet on the other side," Erza mused, eyeing the bridge warily.
Levy nervously wrung her hands together. "This might really be a trap…" she said. "They could make the bridge collapse while we're crossing it…"
Wendy bit her lower lip at the thought.
Erza crossed her arms, her lips curving into a smug smile. "These people know who we are. They wouldn't resort to something as simple as that to get rid of us," she informed.
Natsu strolled ahead and started to cross the bridge, unafraid of the possible bad scenarios that could happen. "If they want to mess with Fairy Tail, then we'll give them a big surprise. Come on. Let's find them!"
In a single file, everyone followed the Fire Dragon Slayer across the bridge that trembled and swayed with each of their steps. Wendy couldn't help but be protective over Bacon by having him walk in front of her. Heights didn't faze him one bit and that was no surprise. Crossing an unsteady bridge suspended over twenty meters high was more exciting than terrifying for him, evident by the little smile he wore. Whenever he stopped to stare at the river below, Wendy would give him a gentle nudge to keep moving.
Much to Wendy's relief, the bridge stayed intact and everyone was safe on the other side. The group continued on through the thicket. No one spoke. All eyes and ears were tuned to their surroundings in hope of finding the ones luring them deeper into the jungle. The only thing Wendy could hear were the beautiful calls of the tropical birds and the annoying buzz of flying insects.
But then she detected movement coming from ahead of them and paused behind Natsu with everyone following their lead. She tensed and stood protectively before Bacon when three people stepped into view.
They wore dark blue hooded cloaks that were trimmed with silver and their faces were hidden in the shadows of their hoods. "Thank you for coming, Fairy Tail," spoke the tallest one in front, obviously a male.
Wendy furrowed her brow when she recognized the scent of the one who spoke and when the person threw back his hood, her suspicions were confirmed.
"Jellal!" Erza was first to say the man's name out of shock. Her eyes were wide and quivering and she trembled where she stood, her hands furling into white-knuckled fists by her sides.
The man with short blue hair, brown eyes, and a distinct crimson tattoo down his right eye had the same face as the kind boy who had once helped Wendy in the past. But it wasn't this Jellal who had helped her, but the Jellal from Edolas who was now the king of the parallel world's kingdom. The man who stood before Wendy was completely different from the one she trusted having been more involved with the Dark Guilds and dark magic. He had been an enemy to Fairy Tail before… but also an ally.
Jellal wasn't the only one to evoke surprise; the other two beside him removed their hoods as well, revealing the faces of two women Wendy had never seen before.
One had bright pink hair, pinker than Natsu's, that was long and wavy and tied behind her head. She wore a cloth headband with black earmuffs and a short red dress beneath her cloak that was decorated with a large yellow ribbon tied right under her well-developed breasts. A wide smile brightened her face when her green eyes fell on someone she recognized, "Juvia! It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Meredy…" the water mage whispered before returning the woman's joyous smile with one of her own.
The other woman was older with a stern face and long dark purple hair adorned with white ribbons. Her outfit consisted of a black and white one-piece suit, brown leggings and thigh-high black leather boots. In her gloved hand was an aqua-coloured crystal orb that was likely a tool she used to convey her magic.
"They're from Grimoire Heart!" Natsu exclaimed.
"Then they're our enemies…" Gray muttered, stepping up front. "Am I right, Ultear?"
The older woman met the ice mage's fervent stare and offered a sad, regretful smile. "If you wish to treat us as enemies, do what you must. But know that Grimoire Heart is no more but a distant memory."
"We've abandoned that name long ago. The three of us, we have formed a guild of our own," stated Meredy with a righteous smile.
Jellal stepped forward, his expression bold and sincere. "We are Crime Sorcière. And we are aiming for a better world."
A/N: No Bacon vs. Erza round 2? You're all probably wondering? That'll be next chapter for sure. The polls are still open! Many thanks to everyone who has voted so far. As of January 12, 2014 Erza is number one, followed by Mavis, third is Mirajane, and fourth is Lucy. They're all women! I want my men up there too.
It's not over yet! I want to thank everyone for helping me achieve 200 reviews. Like I've done last time, I want to give you guys a gift by presenting to you some extra shorts that Quathis and Tenrousha had taken the time to write for me. Thank you both very much! Everyone, please enjoy!
An Afternoon of Music
By Quathis
When Wakaba entered Fairy Tail one morning, he came across the unusual sight of a band in the riotous guild. Music wasn't uncommon in Fairy Tail these days, what with Mira Jane and Gajeel showcasing their talents from time to time, but it was always individuals before, no group effort. Wakaba didn't know his guildmates could stop fighting long enough to put together something like a music group.
Then he saw little Bacon scurrying back and forth between the players, making adjustments and acting like an elderly teacher instead of the child he was. Wakaba made his way over to his friend Macao to find out how this odd sight came to be.
"Well, it started when Wendy and Romeo took Bacon through the old storeroom to find if anything in there could spark a memory. Well, it worked. Old musical instruments left behind for one reason or another and now we have everyone trying to see what and how he knows to play. So far, including his ocarina, he apparently knows guitar, drums, and that big old horn thing that someone left. And some catchy songs."
Wakaba smiled, "Oh, like that peppy number he played after getting lost in the woods?"
Macao shook his head, "No, not quite. That one has a trace of magic in it. These are just nice songs to listen to. Though getting everyone to play the way he wanted was tough on Bacon."
Macao related how Bacon had easily gotten Mira to help on guitar, even dragging Gajeel into a duet guitar session that has gotten more than one guild member dancing. Gajeel would go low and flowing, with Mira joining in a flighty climb up the notes in harmony. Elfman was next after Bacon had critically appraised the large man's hands. Once Elfman realized that he was being selected to play the drums due to his size, he cried manly tears and played them "Like a Man!"
The horn thing was a little more difficult, since Natsu had wanted to be the one to try it, once Gajeel taunted the Fire Dragon Slayer. Of course, the others stopped him once it became apparent that Natsu got worked up and started using more fire than air on the instrument. Bacon got Wendy to take over, once they made sure Natsu hadn't completely destroyed it. She had the lungs for it, and it made Bacon smile, so she just went along with it.
Once everyone was properly instructed on the current song, Master Makarov raised his arms and led them into a spirited and flowing song that reminded Wakaba of the ocean winds. The smoke mage studied their newest Fairy. The boy had his eyes shut and swayed to the music he played.
"Macao old buddy, you get the feeling that we're still missing a lot about that kid?"
Macao just chuckled, "What, you mean besides being almost entirely fearless, fighting skill near Erza's level, and music talent like this? Why no I'm pretty sure we've seen everything already." The light sarcasm made Wakaba chuckle with his old drinking partner. A waitress brought the pair their usual drinks and skipped back to the bar in time with the music.
Others started to move to the music again and were soon dancing and showing off their best moves. Of course, in many cases this lead the dancing to become light brawling, with the music playing right along with it.
Wakaba grinned. It was a good day for Fairy Tail.
Quathis: Thank you for reading, and can you guess which songs they were playing?
Song of the Plains
By Tenrousha
It was quiet in the Conbolt house as Bacon got into bed to sleep. The young blonde took one last look at the rainbow-colored Dreamstone before he put his head on the pillow and closed his eyes to drift off to sleep. Almost immediately he felt the world shift around him, and he knew that he had been placed somewhere else again.
He opened his eyes and immediately closed them against the bright glare of the sun. After a few seconds he was able to blink against the light and looked around to find himself in a large field with no trees anywhere in sight but instead a couple of buildings, one twice the size of the other, and a large fenced-in area.
Bacon blinked in amazement as he took in this new area. He had never seen something like it before. It took him several minutes before he looked down to see if he was normal-sized or taller. After seeing he was normal-sized this time, a bright smile came to his face as he looked around curiously at this new area.
The sound of a young girl singing filled the air before he could move forward, and the beautiful, calming sound made his smile even brighter. He stood still to enjoy the song for a while before he started running forward to find the source of the song. This didn't seem like it would be what Wendy called a "bad dream".
Bacon lurched to a stop when he suddenly found himself surrounded by large, four-legged creatures of varying colors that either trotted around or grazed on the grass. They all shared the same sleek, powerful-looking legs, a neck that was long, erect and muscular, and a compact body with strong shoulders and smooth, muscular quarters. While normally Bacon would have been watching them with curious eyes, his eyes were riveted on a young girl only ten feet away from him.
The girl had long red hair that reached to her lower back, and at first Bacon was wary because she reminded him of the madwoman who had beaten him within an inch of his life. However, her singing overcame his wariness and before he knew it he was walking closer to her and a smaller version of the strange animals before her. This one was almost completely bright orange, except for some white hair along its neck, tail, and near the bottom of its legs; with a big black nose that nuzzled against the singing girl.
Something about the creature puzzled Bacon, for like the others it was unfamiliar... yet at the same time familiar. As he approached, the world suddenly shifted around him and he felt that he was now taller. Though he wasn't running, he felt himself moving forward at speeds even faster than he could run, and he looked down to see a bigger version of the orange creature under him.
His eyes squinted as he tried to make sense of it and then he realized he was riding the creature. The instant that realization hit him, he found himself back to normal and quickly approaching the redhead and the orange creature, which had also returned to normal.
The creature's pointed ears, (they reminded Bacon of Happy's or Carla's), suddenly twitched at his approach and its blue, wide-set eyes shifted from the redhead to the young blonde. The redhead glanced back curiously, and her blue eyes immediately lit up with delight as she turned the rest of the way to face him. "Well, if it isn't the fairy boy!" she exclaimed with a giggle. Bacon blinked in surprise at her words before the talking glowbug came from behind him to land gently on his shoulder.
The girl opened her mouth to talk again when the orange creature pushed its nose against her shoulder. She quickly looked back in surprise before her bright smile quickly returned. "That's right, how rude of me," she said before she stepped to the side and indicated the creature. "Fairy boy, this is my friend, Epona," the girl said and Bacon looked between her and the creature for a few seconds before he stepped forward with a bright smile.
The creature, Epona, immediately shied away as its ears flicked a couple of times. Though the girl looked at Epona in surprise, Bacon merely blinked in confusion at its actions. He walked towards it again and brought his hand up but this time it shook its head and took off at a run.
"Oh no..." the girl said sadly as she watched Epona come to a stop a good distance away. "It looks like she doesn't like you," she said while Bacon looked at the creature in complete surprise. It was... unsettling to see something that reacted to him with fear. Bacon's ears drooped as he looked at the creature in dismay, at a loss as to why it would run away from him. The girl started humming the same melody again, and Epona's ears immediately twitched at the sound. One leg nervously ran against the ground as the creature issued a weird snorting sound, but she stayed far away from the girl and Bacon.
The young blonde looked between Epona and the girl for a few seconds as he tried to figure out what to do. "Try playing her song on your ocarina," the glowbug abruptly recommended and Bacon looked over at it in surprise before the world around him shifted again. When he could see clearly, he had the not-blue ocarina in his hands, ready to play.
The redheaded girl looked over at him and stopped her singing as she gave a wide smile. "Oh, are you going to play the song?" she asked excitedly. Bacon looked down at the instrument then at her before he nodded his head with his own smile. "Okay, I'll start from the beginning!" she exclaimed cheerfully then paused to compose herself before she closed her eyes and started to sing.
Bacon brought the ocarina to his mouth and closed his eyes as he listened to her song. After a few seconds, his fingers started to move across the different holes as he tried to figure out the proper pattern. Not much longer after that he started to play, although his first few attempts fell short of the calm, soothing melody the redhead was singing. After his fifth attempt, Bacon brought the ocarina down and looked at it in frustration. The pout only lasted a couple of seconds before he brought the ocarina back up, determined to get the song right. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath then started to play.
He was dimly aware that the redheaded girl had stopped singing and the glowbug's wings had stopped flicking. Everything beyond that was lost to him as he played the girl's song. After what seemed like a long time and at the same time a few seconds, something that left Bacon feeling vaguely confused, he felt something wet that was both soft yet firm push against his arm.
Bacon's eyes shot open at the touch and he looked to see Epona now right in front of him, pushing her nose against his arm. A smile came to his face as he brought the ocarina down in his left hand. He slowly brought his right hand up and placed it higher up on the creature's face to stroke it. "It looks like she likes you now, fairy boy," the redheaded girl said with a bright smile as she came up to stroke Epona along her back. Bacon nodded his head with his own smile still in place as the creature pushed past him to nuzzle his face, which got a laugh from both him and the redhead.
Tenrousha: Hope you guys enjoy my little short and that everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Till next time.
A/N: Don't forget to leave your comments to Quathis and Tenrousha as well. Thanks for reading!