Chapter 10: Bunnies and Grottos
"I hafta say Blue, you sure do come up with some interesting designs for weapons."
"I've got a vivid imagination."
I smiled at Solil, who snorted and rolled her eyes. She was a young girl two years older than me with bronze skin and messy-cropped brown hair. She was a friend I guess you could say. Erza introduced me to her since they were well acquainted. It was nice seeing Erza make friends outside of Fairy Tail, honestly. Solil was a blacksmith, next in line to take up ownership over Vorpal Soul. It was a popular smithing shop in Crocus, considered one of the best and a competitive rival to Hearts Kruez Corporation in the weapons smithing business. It was astonishing considering how low-key the shop was.
Her dad, Vysache, owned the shop. He was planning on retiring in a few years, so he was prepping her to take over in his stead once she came of age. She helped me and Erza out when crafting our weapons and armor alongside Vysache.
"A gun and a sword combined. I've never made a gun before," Solil muttered as she set the blueprints down against her desk. She squinted at me. "Do you even know how to use a gun?"
I whistled. "May or may not have been taking some lessons from Bisca and Alzack..."
I wanted to create a pair of weapons based on Emiya Alter's gun blades. Functioning as long-range while also being suitable for close-range. I thought they were cooler than the original Kanshou and Bakuya, which is why I brought them over to Solil.
Humming, Solil cupped her chin. "Well, I never back down from a challenge! Might have 'to ask Pops for some pointers, but I should be able to get this done in a couple 'of weeks. We've got some commissions backed up..."
"But you'll make room for your favorite customer, right~?" I bat my eyes at the girl with a grin.
Solil rolled her eyes, letting out an unladylike snort and shoving my face away. "Yer gonna hate get in line, 'cuz Erza takes that spot."
I groaned, slumping against the counter. "So mean~"
"Hush up!" Solil bonked me upside the head. "Don't have a job request to get to?"
I perked up, blinking. Oh, right. I didn't just come to Crocus because I wanted to visit Solil and run some blueprints by her. This was more of a detour. I came rather early, so I had some time to spare. Where I needed to go was south outside the borders of Crocus, another village named Beanstalk. Weird name, but it was an urgent request issued by a doctor, so who was I to refuse?
"Yeah, you're right." I sighed, standing up and scratching the back of my head. "I should get going."
Solil leaned her elbows against the countertop and nodded, cocking her head to the side. "That you should... but tell me, where are you headin', anyway?"
I blinked, tapping my chin. "... Beanstalk Village. A pharmacist needs my help with something. Super urgent."
Solil's eyes widened and she stood up straight. "Beanstalk Village?" her eyes sparkled and she leaned forward with an excited grin. "Yer headin' 'ta Beanstalk Village?!"
I stared at her dully. "Yeah, you deaf? Do I gotta repeat myself?"
*BONK!
"OW!"
"Ass..." Solil huffed, crossing her arms. "Beanstalk Village is famous for a place on the outskirts of its forest called the Prismatic Grotto... word has it it's home to plenty of powerful magic beasts and rare materials for crafting! Plus, they're home to the Vorpal Bunnies!"
Oh, yeah. Vorpal Bunnies... Vysache named Vorpal Smithing after them. Vorpal Bunnies were a unique breed of magic beast that looked like, of course, a bunny. But they were a lot bigger than your average rabbit. There was an entire holiday inspired by them called the Spring Equinox. Stories said that Vorpal Bunnies would leave behind magical eggs for people with a dream or strong desire, and those eggs would bring them good luck.
During Spring Equinox, families and even wizard guilds will host a festival in various towns, hosting tons of different games, with the major event being a massive egg hunt.
Yeah. Spring Equinox was Easter. Shocking.
Solil sighed, pouting. "I heard the place is really beautiful, too. Wish I could go... I'd be able to harvest some rare materials, too."
I stared at Solil quietly before grinning and snapping my fingers. "How about I go? Since I'll be heading to Beanstalk anyway, I can go ahead to the Prismatic Grotto and get whatever you need from that place. Just tell me what you need?"
Solil blinked and beamed, ruffling my hair and ignoring my indignant squawk. "Heh! I like the way 'ya think, Blue! If you're sure... there's this ore called Moonstone. When melted down, it can be lighter than enchanted steel but durable enough to withstand tons 'of damage without taking a single scratch! I hear the folks down at Beanstalk harvest Moonstone a lot to fortify their village and weapons since the magic beasts from the Prismatic Grotto get rowdy on occasion and rampage through the forest."
"If you can get me that, I can make you those gun swords you want so bad," Solil smirked, folding her arms.
Side-quest acquired!
I nodded slowly. "... If I collect enough of this stuff, can I add another weapon to my order?"
Solil blinked. "... Yeah, whatcha need?"
"Eh, I'll let you know when I'm back."
Solil rolled up the blueprints and gave me a nod. "Well alright, then! I'll see you later. Be safe out there, Blue."
I smirked. "Safe? Solil, I'm like, the DEFINITION of safe."
Her expression turned dry. "You shouldn't lie to yourself 'ta boost yer self-esteem."
...
"Dick."
"Get outta here, 'ya goof."
X-X-X-X-X-X
Adjusting the longsword strapped to my waist, I walked down the dirt road and saw a large village surrounded by glittering black stone walls and long bamboo stalks. Beanstalk Village was a town west of Crocus, sitting under the base of vast mountainscapes and surrounded by a lush green forest full of bamboo stalks. It was a modest and normal village, with the only notable thing about it being the Prismatic Grotto that resides deep within the forest, and the Moonstone ores, which they sell to various blacksmiths and even the Rune Knight military.
I passed through the gates without much trouble. Despite being heavily fortified for potential monster attacks, it was a rather friendly place. I was greeted with waves and polite smiles. Got a couple of stares from other children younger than me who pointed at me in awe. From the corner of my eye, I saw a pair of kids, brother and sister, staring at me with wide eyes. I shot them a grin and thumbs up, warning surprised gasps and delighted smiles.
It felt good, to make others smile like that. Reminds me of me and my sister...
... Huh.
I paused in my steps, blinking. My sister...
... I haven't put much thought into it. From both my memories I had a family of four. A Mom, a Dad, and a sister.
Taruko - or, well... I left my village out of frustration. To grow stronger, surpass my parents, and hopefully find out what happened to them. I left her behind and didn't even make it far because I ended up getting hassled by the Steel Sabres and got killed. And then I came back...
With all the stuff that's happened, I haven't thought about my sister in a long time. I think I only mentioned her to Erza once, right? But wait - no, that was my sister from Earth. My other sister from Earthland...
...
I palmed my face and shook my head. Ugh, no. I'll worry about this later. Maybe write a letter to Orange Village when I have the spare time. For right now, I've got a job to do.
I looked around, searching for someone to give me directions. I didn't know where I was going... may as well ask around. I've wasted enough time as is.
I caught an old lady at a fruit stall. She appeared to be the vendor. I walked over with a smile, waving. "Hey, miss."
"Mm?" She turned in my direction, my expression turning to gobsmacked. She had her eyes closed! How- "Ah, hello there young man. What can I do for you?"
I shook my head, conjuring my job request from my Requip space and flashing it to her. She leaned forward with a curious hum, cracking her eyes open a bit. "I'm a Wizard from Fairy Tail. I'm here on a personal job request. Looking for a Roy...?"
She perked up. "Ah...! I see. You're looking for young Roy, hm? His house is just down the road to your left. Poor boy has been holed up in his home for the past couple of days after what happened to poor Clover..."
I rolled up the paper and dismissed it. With a nod and a brief thank you, I ran across the street and jogged to the corner of the town. A sharp turn to the left and I was met with a modest-sized cottage surrounded by various herbs and medicinals. I looked around and caught a garden in the back, humming. Yeah... from the job description, this guy was a pharmacist. So he was efficient in making medicine and stuff like that, right? Interesting.
Whatever he needs my help on, it's probably got something to do with this Clover person.
I walked up to the front door and knocked my knuckles against it. "Hello?"
"S-Sorry, I'm busy right now... can you come back later?"
"I'm from Fairy Tail, my guy. Here for your job request." I smirked. "But~ if you want me to leave, I can..."
I heard a yelp and a violent crash from inside. Several curses and scrambling later and the door swung open. A young man in his early 20s looked down at me. He had curly lime-green hair, orange eyes, and tan skin. Wearing a white wrinkled lab coat and dark shirt underneath. Roy stared at me in surprise. "A child?"
I rolled up my sleeve and flashed my guild mark. I was used to these kinds of reactions at this point. Wizards my age were still shocking to some places around Fiore. Some considered it immoral, to send children to dangerous jobs. But if these kids can destroy entire towns, then I say to hell with it. "Yeah, yeah. You gonna let me in or not?"
"U-Uh, yes! Please, come in!" he squeaked, stepping to the side and allowing me entrance. I walked in and looked around. The inside was cluttered, with various books, papers, and herbs strewn about. "Sorry for the mess. Uh - f-follow me..."
I glanced at Roy, noting the deep bags under his eyes as he maneuvered through the mess. I followed silently as we walked to the left side of the house, walking into a room that appeared to be a workshop. There was a desk with various tools, books, and medicines. It looked like a crafting table in a fantasy book. Where someone made potions and stuff.
I paused halfway through the doorway, my eyes widening in surprise to see a young girl a couple of years younger than Roy with a similar shade of green hair resting in a bed next to his desk. She had a wet rag resting against her forehead, sweat dripping down her cheek as she took in several ragged breaths. She looked pale, sickly, even.
"... What happened to her?" I frowned, walking up to her bedside. This must be Clover, then.
"This is why I sent out a request to a guild," Roy muttered, appearing remorseful. "I'm a pharmacist, as you can see. I create various medicines to sell... my sister, Clover, helps gather ingredients for me. The best ingredients are in the Prismatic Grotto, but it's filled with several magic beasts. Usually, they're rather docile, but there are times when they stake their claim on territory and grow hostile. Some of them roam outside the Grotto and in a rage rampage through the forest and into town."
"Which is why you guys made those walls made out of Moonstone, right?"
"That's right." he nodded. "They've been getting more aggressive over the past couple of days. We assume they're going through another territorial shift again. I had a massive order but I didn't have enough materials to meet the deadline. Clover, the stubborn girl, snuck out to the Prismatic Grotto... and paid the price."
He clenched his eyes shut, trembling and clasping his hand around Clover's. "There's a powerful magic beast within the Grotto known as a Clown Spider with a toxic venom stronger than a Venomous Python's. It slowly weakens the victim and renders them into a comatose state before killing them slowly. There hasn't been a known cure for the toxin, but still... I have to try..."
I stared as the man began to break down, sobbing and gripping Clover's hand like a lifeline. "I've tried everything, but none of the medicine I made worked! I'd given up hope, but... I had an epiphany...! If I could get the venom of the Clown Spider straight from the source, I could use it to figure out how to conduct an antidote. But..." his face scrunched up in shame. "I'm weak. I'm not a fighter. I wouldn't last long in the Grotto. Especially with how aggressive the beasts have been... t-that's why..."
"That's why I'm here." I frowned. "You want me to go in, find the Clown Spider, and extract its venom so you can make an antidote."
"Y-Yes..." Roy sniffed, slowly standing up and wiping away his eyes. He walked over to his desk pulled out a vial and placed it in my hand. "A Clown Spider's venom is secreted from their fangs. You'll have to get up close if you want to get a solid amount. So I'm begging you..." he bowed deeply, shivering. "Please... please help me save my sister!"
I stared at Roy silently and glanced at the bedridden Clover with a frown. I couldn't imagine what that felt like. Watching as your sibling's life held on by a thread. Not knowing if they'll live to see another day or not. But still... if my sisters were in a similar position, I'd do whatever I could to bring them back.
Makes me wonder... how she feels. Does she think I'm dead? Does she hold out hope that I'll come back home someday? Or did she give up?
I sighed. 'Man... I'm the worst, aren't I?'
I turned to Roy and mustered up a smile. "You don't gotta bow your head. I'll get that venom for your sister, don't you worry."
Roy raised his head, his eyes filled to the brim with tears. A shaky, joyful smile spread across his face as he clasped his hands around mine. "Thank you..."
I nodded, growing more determined by the second.
Time to squash a spider.
X-X-X-X-X-X
"Alright..."
I rolled my shoulders as I stepped into the forest. The Prismatic Grotto was at the edge of it, a dark cavern leading directly into it. Clashing my fist against my palm, I smirked.
"Time to kick some spider ass."
I broke out into a sprint. There wasn't any time to waste. I didn't know how much time Clover had left, so I was going to do this in one fell swoop. The cavern was dark and dry; so I used Reinforcement on my eyes to adjust to the darkness quicker. The deeper I went, the more I began to spot glittering crystals and luminescent moss littering the walls. Means I was getting closer. And I was right on the money. Up ahead I could see a light at the end of the tunnel. I took one final step, and...!
Uh-
I blinked twice. My feet didn't find any ground. I looked down in surprise to see a ten-foot drop below. I glanced over my shoulder and looked to my right to see a staircase that led down to the Grotto.
. . .
"SHIT!"
I screamed as gravity finally decided to kick me to the curb. I plummeted towards the ground. I wasn't particularly worried about the drop itself. I thrust my arms out and unleashed a strong stream of wind to slow my descent. I exhaled softly and let my feet touch the ground.
I glanced back at the cavern past the treeline, sweat-dropping. "Ezra would have scolded me for being far too reckless and gung-ho if she was here right now."
Good thing she wasn't... I didn't need a lecture, anyway.
I looked around, inspecting the entire Grotto in all of its esteemed glory as I began to walk around. It was a massive labyrinth with large trees, colorful grass and plantation, oversized mushrooms, and vibrant glowing crystals jutting out of the ground. It was... breathtaking. There was no other way to explain it. It was one of the most beautiful places I'd ever seen in my life. There was something mystical about it - not in the ordinary sense. But almost as though it were a place that... shouldn't even exist.
Closing my eyes and inhaling sharply, I focused on the Ethernano in the air and was surprised by how rich the energy was. It was almost suffocating to a degree, so I shut off my Magic Sense and continued my journey through the Grotto. "I can sight-see later. I've gotta find the Clown Spider... thing is..."
I ran a hand through my hair and frowned. "Where the hell do I look? Roy said Clown Spiders are massive, so I doubt that they're just gonna be sitting around here."
*Bzz - Bzzt!
Hm?
I perked up, eyeing a weird insect that looked like a mix between a butterfly and a mosquito with a massive bulbous sack that appeared to be storing some sort of nectar. I looked around to see several more landing on flowers and sucking the nectors from them. Their sacks started small but slowly began to expand with the more sectors they gathered.
I tilted my head, summoning a dagger into my hand and tossing it into the back of the insect near me. As it dropped dead, I could it by the sack and used the dagger to cut it off at the stem. "... Maybe I can use this stuff for a new recipe at home." I smiled. I'd been dabbling in cooking ever since I moved into my apartment. I couldn't rely on Eliana to make me food forever, and I wasn't gonna waste money on restaurants all the time. Kind of crazy how I had to become so self-sufficient at 13 years old. But hey, what could you do?
I stored the sack of nectors in my Requip space and continued my walk through the Grotto. Along the way, I spotted various magic beasts. Some Dire Wolves, Ursa Minors, Land Serpents, and some I haven't even seen before! I saw a massive beetle with a dark blue hardened shell and a large jagged horn chewing away at a tree trunk with sap leaking from the base. There seemed to be a giant nest nearby home to life-sized bees, which was...
Nightmare fuel. I'm not going near that with a ten-foot pole.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!"
I stiffened, perking up at the startled scream echoing through the forest. Someone was here?!
"SOMEBODY HEEEEEEEELP MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!"
"Hold on, I'm coming!" I ran towards the terrified scream, ducking and weaving past thick branches and deep bushes. Incessant buzzing filled my ears I broke through the underbrush and looked around. Those giant bees were the first thing I saw. Their stingers were raised threateningly at... something. "Where are you?!"
"H-Help! Over here!"
I narrowed my eyes, staring at the center of the swarm. I channeled Lightning Magic into my sword, shrouding it in a sheathe of electricity and rushing forward. With a swift strike, I cleaved through the swarm in one swing, electrocuting them with violent shocks. Their charred corpses fell to the ground and I stood up straight, sheathing my blade and looking down at the creature in front of me.
I blinked. It blinked back. Staring at me was a small bunny that stood on its hind legs with white fur and long floppy ears; with a surprised expression and ruby-red eyes. This was...
"... A Vorpal Bunny?" I muttered in confusion.
"You're a human..." the small rabbit gaped at me. From it's voice, it sounded like a girl. She sniffled, tears budding at the corner of her eyes before she suddenly lunged at my face. "YOU SAVED ME!"
"YOU CAN TALK?!" I shrieked, stumbling back as a ball of fluff slammed into my face. She clung on tight, crying hard and loud, and I found myself somehow struggling to shake her off! How strong was this thing?! "Get! Off!"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!"
"I GET IT, ALRIGHT. GET OFF ALREADY?" I squirmed, eventually managing to peel the rabbit off my face. My brow twitched as I stared at her in exasperation and frustration. "Geez... you've got a strong grip for something so small."
"Sorry..." she mumbled, going limp in my grasp. "I-I'm just... so happy! I thought I was a goner!"
I gently set her down on the ground, resting a hand on my hip and frowning. "I'll say... what the hell did you even do to piss those things off?"
"Oh, well..." she giggled sheepishly, tapping her paws together. "I was trying to get one of those fruits up there!" she pointed up to the trees above. I followed her paw and took note of several colorful fruits hanging from the branches. "And I kinda sorta tripped and fell into their hive nest... and they got really angry there."
My brow twitched and I stared at her in shock. 'So reckless...!'
Shaking my head, I raised a hand and fired off a bolt of lightning, blowing an oversized fruit that looked similar to a strawberry off of a branch and catching it before kneeling and offering it to the small rabbit. "Here. You need to be more careful, you know?"
I paused and internally cringed. '... Shit, I sound like Erza.'
The rabbit's eyes sparkled in delight as she gratefully took the berry and started munching away at it with a happy squeal. "Mm - I know! I can be pretty clumsy sometimes, but I was really hungry... so I wasn't on my a-game today! Yup-yup!"
Cute. I smiled, standing up and dusting my pants off. "... Well, make sure to stay focused on your objective from now on. You won't make as many mistakes if you're mind is solely honed in on the goal in front of you." I waved at her and turned around. "I'll be seeing you-"
The rabbit blinked and was quick to hop after me with a startled expression. Was she following me, now? "W-Wait! I didn't get to ask what you were doing here! A human hasn't shown up to the Grotto in a while..."
I glanced at the rabbit and sighed, looking back at the road ahead. "I'm a Wizard and I'm on a job request. I need to extract the Clown Spider's venom so my client can make an antidote."
The rabbit's face paled in horror. How can one little thing be so expressive? "T-T-The Clown Spider! You're LOOKING for that?!"
"Yep."
"B-B-But that's... super duper dangerous! It's been causing a ruckus around the Grotto for the past couple of weeks... everyone's been real rowdy and aggressive since, but nobody is strong enough to stand up to it?"
I perked up at that information, pausing in my steps and looking down at the rabbit. "... You seem to know a lot about this thing."
Startled, she began to stammer. "U-Uhm, well, yeah..."
I started to grin. "And you know a lot about this forest?"
"Y-Yes...?"
I flashed my canines. "So you know where it's hiding!"
The rabbit shivered, her eyes quivering as she nearly dropped her berry out of fear. I paused. That look... it was pure, primal fear. This Clown Spider must have scared her badly to get that kind of reaction out of her. If all the magic beasts in the Grotto couldn't stand up to it, then I'm not surprised why she would be so terrified. "U-Uhm, yeah, I-I do but I don't think..."
I crouched in front of her and smiled gently. "Alright, I'm not gonna force you to tell me, but it would make my search easier if you did. This mission is urgent, and I need to get this antidote. I'd appreciate it if you could help me out."
She stared at me in surprise and looked down at her feet. There was a small lapse in silence before she looked back up at me with determination. "O-Okay. I'll show you the way."
"Awesome!" I beamed, holding my hand out to her. She blinked for a moment and hopped onto my palm. I lifted her and placed her on my shoulder with a small grin. "Thanks! You're saving me a lot of time, uh...? What's your name, anyway?"
"Hmm?" the rabbit blinked again and tilted her head. "Oh! I don't have a name, hehe..."
I paused. "Well, I'm not just gonna keep referring to you as a rabbit. Everyone's gotta have a name..." I cupped my chin in thought, and from the corner of my eye, I caught her mimicking my gesture. Heh! Cute.
What to name her...? I've got a lot of ideas. But one stands out to me. "How about I call you... Pip!"
"Pip?" she blinked.
I smirked, gently ruffling her head with my palm. "It's short for pipsqueak, since you're small, y'know!"
"Pip..." the rabbit blinked and beamed brightly. "I like that name! Yup yup!"
I chuckled, scratching the underside of her chin. She hummed in delight. "So what's with this 'yup yup' thing? And how can you talk?"
Pip snapped out of her delighted trance and looked at me in confusion. "Mmm? Oh! It's just something I say when I'm happy, I guess..." she trailed off, resting her chin on my shoulder with a soft frown. "I've always been able to talk. Is that weird?"
I think I just hit a sore topic. "Nah." I shook my head, stuffing my hands in my pockets. "I mean, this is my first time interacting with a talking magic beast, but it's not the weirdest thing I've dealt with."
She perked up. "R-Really?"
"Mhm." I hummed, eyeing her curiously. "Why? Sounds like you think talking sounds bad."
"Oh, well... I've always been able to talk since I was real small! Dunno why. But it made me different from the other Vorpal Bunnies around here. I never really fit in with my pack, I guess..." she mumbled.
I frowned. "Your pack can't talk like you do?"
"Nnnope! Not that I know of."
Holy shit, she's like Meowth from Pokémon. Weird, she isn't an Exceed, and so far the only magic creatures I know of capable of human speech in Fairy Tail are the Exceed, Vulcan, Celestial Spirits, and Dragons. I don't recall any others... and if there were, they alluded to me right now.
Not like it matters. We'll be having a talking cat as our central mascot soon enough anyway. Three when Carla and Pantherlily show up later on down the pipeline. What's one little rabbit?
"Well, you can stick with me for a bit," I spoke up. "At least until I deal with the Clown Spider... after that? We'll see. My guild wouldn't mind having you around."
"Guild?" Pip tilted her head to the side in confusion.
I glanced up in thought. "A guild... you can think of it as one big family. A place where a bunch of Wizards come together to have tons of adventures!"
Pip's eyes sparkled. "A family..." she bounced on my shoulder with excitement. "I wanna be in a guild too!"
I laughed. "Alright, alright! Let's take care of our arachnid problem first!"
X-X-X-X-X-X
"So this is the place?"
"Y-Yup yup..."
We stood in front of the entrance to a dark cavern. I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes. Bracing myself for what I was about to do. While I didn't have arachnophobia, I still didn't like spiders. The fact that I was about to face a giant one didn't make things any better. But it was time to face the music... for Roy and Clover's sake.
I stepped inside, feeling Pip hug herself against my shoulder. I looked around, raising my hand to generate a spark of electricity and illuminate the cavern. Glittering black stone and glowing blue crystal. It was quiet. Disturbingly quiet. The only noise I could hear was my breathing and the sound of my shoes crunching against the stone floor.
Our walk came to a stop when reached an open area with three separate tunnels. I grimaced and crossed my arms. "Great, I have to pick a path now..."
Pip's nose twitched as she sniffed the air, flapping her ears gently. She scrunched her face up and gestured to the left tunnel with her grimace. "... that one."
"You got it." I nodded and went to the left. I was completely in the dark and didn't know the right way. Pip must have sniffed out where the Clown Spider's lair was, so I'll trust her judgment. She got me this far, after all.
A light appeared at the end of the tunnel. I slowed my pace down and took cautious steps forward. I wasn't going to fall into some endless pit or some shit like the last time when I came here. We stepped into a massive open cave, the walls surrounded by moonstones and jagged crystals with varying colors. Moss littered the walls, sprouting fauna and shrooms. The floor was covered in grass and beautiful flowers... it was a mesmerizing place. Hard to believe this is where the Clown Spider resided.
"Oh... wow..." Pip whispered in awe. "I've heard stories about the Crystal Cavern... but to see it all in person..."
"Mm. This must be one of the places where the villagers mine Moonstone and their other minerals." I narrowed my eyes. "But where's the spider...?"
Pip looked around before her gaze drifted up. She squeaked, her eyes shrinking in terror. She patted my head and pointed her paw upwards. "U-Uh..."
"What?" I blinked and looked up. Then my eyes widened.
There was a giant gaping hole in the ceiling. Massive webs were scattered across the walls. High above I could make something out... a bunch of boulders hung off the walls, held together by strong webs. That wasn't the main concern. A glowing red face stared back at us, and I felt my hair stand on end. That thing was dangerous... but it didn't seem to be awake. At least I don't think.
"Pip... I want you to hide behind one of those crystals." I whispered to the rabbit.
She looked at me in concern. "A-Are you sure you still want to go through with this?"
I rested my hand on her head and smiled. "I told you. I've got a job to finish... and besides, I'm a Fairy Tail Wizard! Losing isn't in my vocabulary."
Pip stared at me in surprise before nodding, hopping off my shoulder, and running off to a corner of the cave. "O-Okay! Be careful!"
I looked up and watched as the Clown Spider dropped down from its web. The massive arachnid's body crashed into the ground. A violent screech panged against my ears like nails against a chalkboard. Undeterred, I smirked and summoned a dagger into my hand. It had a black blade with a golden hilt and guard in the shape of a snake's head.
Kasaka's Venom Fang. Made from the fang I took from the serpent I fought back on that job request with Laxus a while back. The blade itself naturally secretes a special kind of toxin that slowly saps the victim of their energy when cut. Dangerous against anyone, but it'll do fine against this guy.
"Okay, big guy... LET'S DANCE!" charging Wind Magic around my legs, I bent my body forward and pushed myself off the ground. "Vorpal Dance!"
*FWOOOSH!!
My body blasted through the air like a bullet. Flipping my dagger into a reverse grip I slashed at one of the Clown Spider's legs and dragged the blade upwards as I shot into the air and over its back. Sparks flew as the blade bounced harmfully off the sturdy limb. I narrowed my eyes.
'Tough armor. Not gonna be able to cut through it easily... I'll have to break through it some other way.' I dropped to the floor and tensed as the Clown Spider lunged at me.
I maneuvered past its legs as they stabbed into the ground, kicking up dirt and debris. I bounced around at high speeds, slashing at different joints in its legs, looking for a weak point. Something soft enough to pierce through. But I got nothing for my efforts, mounting my frustration. The legs weren't going to cut it for an option... had to try something else.
!
*WHAM!!
I raised Venom Fang in defense as the massive arachnid swung one of its legs at me. I grit my teeth as a metal ground against the armor. My feet dug grooves into the dirt before I was launched off my feet. "GAUGH!!!" I bit back a scream of pain as my body crashed into the wall of crystal. They shattered under the force, bits and pieces stabbing into my back. This freaking bites...!
*SCREEEEEEEEEE!
A shadow loomed overhead. My eyes snapped open to see the Clown Spider dive-bombing at me. I scrambled to my feet and rolled out of the way as it slammed into the spot I originally crashed into, kicking up even more crystal shards and Moonstone. Sweat rolled down my cheek and I grinned sheepishly. "Okay... faster than it looks. BUT I'M NOT DONE!"
Reinforcing my legs and using Vorpal Dance again, I caved the floor in with my launch and roared, thrusting Venom's Fang forward and aiming for its face. My arm shook as the tip of the digger bounced against its hardened face. I snarled in frustration, pushing my feet against its head and leaping into a backflip as it snapped its jaws at me.
*THWIP!
I grunted, my gaze snapping down to see a strong strand of web coil around my ankle. Before I could hope to cut it, the Clown Spider began to twirl its body around and swing me around like some stupid toy. I screamed as my body was slammed against the ground and walls, bouncing me around like a ragdoll. Through nausea and pain, I swung Venom's Fang down and cut the web, flinging myself off into the distance from the off-shot momentum.
Twisting my body and perching myself against the flat surface of Moonstone, I used it as a springboard to ricochet around the cave, slashing at the Clown Spider's body from different directions and angles. Sparks flew. My attacks didn't break through its armor. The glowing red marks on its back were like a laughing face. Taunting me.
It pissed me off.
"RAAAAAAAARGH!!!" my screams echoed through the chamber, lightning crackling across my body. I accelerated, the world around me blurring together as I combined Lightning and Wind as one. The Clown Spider whirled around to face me but I ignored it, jabbing my weapon forward in a reckless charge. My blade found its place in one of its eyes. A pained screech grated my ears and I gripped onto the hilt, rooting myself on its face with a venomous snarl. "EL THOR!!!"
Its shrieks were drowned out by the sound of booming thunder. It bucked and thrashed as its body was encased in crackling lightning. I growled as it tried to shake me off through the pain. I felt my grip on my dagger slip and I was thrown through the air. I called off my Lightning Magic and dismissed Venom's Fang back into my Requip space, narrowing my eyes and watching as the Clown spiders grew a bit more sluggish.
Venom's Fang's toxins were taking effect... perfect. But that wouldn't be enough. It was time to put a dent in that armor!
"Requip..." I held my hand out, drawing a weapon from my arsenal. A longsword with a blue blade that faded into green and a silver hilt with a feather-shaped guard appeared in my hands. "Vacuum Sword: Mel Force!"
Another one of blades inspired by the Ten Commandments. I'd thank Haru himself for the idea, but he isn't around for that... so I'll be the Rave Master in his stead! The blade's primary ability is unleashing powerful gusts of wind. And when used in conjunction with my Wind Magic...
I rocketed off the ground, gripping Mel Force with both of my hands and sliding under one of the Clown Spider's legs. The jagged limb threatened to take my head off as it flew over my head. Thanks to Venom's Fang, though, it was a lot more sluggish with those toxins in its system. Which gave me an advantage with my speed!
Drawing upon my Wind Magic, I focused it into Mel Force, encompassing it into a bright emerald light as I twisted my body and swung the sword upwards, generating a powerful tornado that slammed into the underbelly of the arachnid and sent it flying into the air! "Sword Saint Style: Spiraling Wave!"
Dismissing Mel Force into my Requip space, I exchanged it for another. "Requip! Sonic Sword: Silfarion!" my body became as light as a feather as I grasped the hilt of a sword with a sky-blue blade and silver edge. Using Vorpal Dance on top of the natural speed boost Silfarion granted me allowed me to practically teleport above the flying Clown Spider. I sent Silfarion away and called upon another sword. "Requip! Gravity Sword: GRAVITY CORE!"
An overwhelming weight threatened to tear my arms off as I grasped onto a massive buster sword with a dark-purple-colored blade and jagged engravings. I used Reinforcement on my arms to handle the intense weight. Gravity Core was a weapon capable of manipulating the forces of gravity but was normally too heavy for me to use normally... I usually had to bring out for some extra raw power and I burned through a lot of magic keeping Reinforcement up just to properly carry it. But at this angle? I can take full advantage of it's weight!
"Sword Saint Style: Gravity... COMET!!" triggering the lacrima within the buster sword with my magical energy, an intense gravitational force enveloped my body in a malevolent dark aura. I came crashing down, and my speed and momentum increased by the gravity bending to my will as I swung the massive blade in a downward arc, driving it into the armored back of the Clown Spider. "GRAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
*BOOOOOM!!!
Cracks spread across the surface of its armored shell as it screeched, sparks of gravity energy bleeding off of my body as I brought my arms down and completed the swing. The gargantuan arachnid's body was launched back toward the ground with a thunderous explosion, kicking up a giant mushroom cloud of dirt and debris. I dropped to the ground, cracking the floor underneath my enhanced weight. I exhaled harshly, letting Gravity Core dissolve into light as I released it back into my Requip space.
"How... do 'ya like that, you overgrown bug...!" I laughed, wiping the sweat off my chin with a smirk.
Admittedly not my toughest opponent... but I worked around it!
... Wait.
I squinted past the cloud of smoke, spotting movement. To my shock, the Clown Spider was still alive! Gravely injured from the attacks I dealt to it. Some of it's legs were broken, but it was still kicking. Hissing loudly and shrieking at me in pain and anger. I balked at the beast, shaking my head. "How?!"
"Taruko!"
I blinked, looking off to the side to see Pip peeking from behind one of the crystals that went unharmed during my fight with the spider. She was pointing upwards. "Cut those before it can try and get up!"
I followed her gaze and blinked, eyeing the hole in the ceiling where several boulders and giant logs were webbed up. My eyes widened as I caught on to what she was throwing down... how convenient. "Nice eye, Pip!"
Unsheathing the sword strapped to my hip, I slashed upwards and fired off several blades of air, cutting through the webs like they were wet tissue paper. The massive objects began to fall down the hole and into the cavern, and that was my cue to get out of there. I jumped out of the way as several boulders and giant logs tumbled down. Some crashed into the ground. Others fell right onto the Clown Spider. Its shrieks were abruptly cut off as it was soon crushed and pulverized under its own making.
The dust cleared and I blinked, letting out a breath as I felt Pip leap onto my shoulder. We eyed the Clown Spider's corpse as it twitched and thrashed weakly before the life ultimately left its eyes. I sighed in relief, chuckling. "And just like that... I win."
Pip looked surprised. "You won...!"
"Duh! Was there any doubt?" I quipped with a sly grin walking up to the deceased magic beast. I pulled out the vial Roy gave me and crouched in front of it. Inspecting its ugly mug before eyeing its massive fangs and watching a vicious green liquid ooze down it. I cringed, holding the vial under it and watching it fill up with its venom.
"Well, yeah!" my brow twitched at her innocent admittance. "That was a really strong magic beast! Everyone in the forest was really scared of it! Not even the bigger guys around wanted to challenge it... and you took it down like it was nothing?"
I pouted with a huff. "I told you before, I'm a Fairy Tail Wizard, y'know?"
"I still don't know what that means..." Pip snickered, patting my head. "But okay!"
"Hmph." I huffed, placing a cap on the vial and pocketing it. "Well, my job here is finished... so it's time to head back."
Crossing my arms, I glanced at Pip. "Won't take long for the beasts here to find out the Clown Spider's dead. You won't have to go with me, y'know? You can always stay."
"Mm?" Pip blinked. "Oh... but I don't wanna! I told you I don't fit in here... and you've been nice! Although I've never been outside the Grotto before..."
I smiled. "Ah, don't worry. Just stick with me and you'll be alright."
Pip beamed. "Yup yup!"
I snorted, looking around. I paused, eyeing the shattered crystal and Moonstone shards scattered across the floor. Must have happened from the fight...
I grinned. "Side quest complete~"
Pip blinked in confusion. "Eh?"
X-X-X-X-X-X
"Oh~! This is what a human village looks like?"
I smiled at Pip's wide-eyed enthusiasm, chuckling under my breath as we stepped out of the forest. Initially nervous, any anxiety the young Vorpal Rabbit felt was thrown out of the window the moment she laid her eyes upon Beanstalk Village. Perching herself on top of my head, she was given a full-blown view of the village in its entirety.
"Yep. Just wait until we get into the big cities. You haven't seen anything yet." I smirked.
"Woaaaah..."
We earned several surprised looks from many of the villagers. Vorpal Bunnies may have been docile creatures, but they were still magic beasts. And Pop wasn't hiding the fact she was capable of human speech, so it wasn't that much of a surprise to me that we were getting looks sent our way.
I blinked as she lightly bonked me on the head. I was quickly getting to know that this was her way of getting my attention. "Hey, Taruko..."
"Hm?"
She sunk into my head, mumbling. "They're all staring at me..."
I smiled in amusement as we reached Roy's house. "Well, it's not every day you get to see a talking rabbit, y'know." I knocked on the door. "Yo, Roy! I'm back!"
I heard a yelp and a loud crash. My eye twitched and I laughed nervously at Pip's confused expression. Was this gonna become a reaccuring gag or what...?
The door swung open, revealing a frazzled Roy. "Y-You're back! Does this mean...?"
"Yup." I popped, pulling out the vial and offering it to him with a grin. "A vial of Clown Spider venom! As promised."
Roy shakily reached out and carefully took the vial from my hand, staring at it with wide eyes. Sucking in a trembling breath, he began to shudder. "Y-You actually did it... with this... w-with this I can..."
He looked on the verge of breaking down. I reached up and pat his arm with a small smile. "Yeah. I bet Clover'll be waking up in no time."
Roy took in another breath, wiping away at the forming tears and composing himself. He smiled at me gratefully, bowing his head. "Thank you... you have no idea how much this means to me..." he raised his head and stepped back, blinking. "Ah - is that... a Vorpal Rabbit?"
Pip perked up, beaming brightly and raising a paw in greeting. "Hi!"
Roy choked on his own spit, his eyes bulging out of his skull. "I-It can talk-?!" The man stumbled back in surprised and slipped on a stray book, tumbling to the floor and dropping the vial in the process. My eyes widened and I sharply snapped my hand out, encasing it in a protective bubble of wind before it could hit the ground.
We stood there for a moment in silence before letting out a collective sigh of relief. I stepped forward and release the vial from the bubble, catching it. "Yeah, she can talk. Her name's Pip. She helped me out, actually. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have found the Clown Spider as fast as I did."
Roy's eyes widened in surprise, his gaze shifting over to the rabbit. He smiled sheepishly, standing up to his feet and dusting off his coat. "I guess I should be thanking you too, then." he bowed. "You have my utmost gratitude, Pip."
She blinked in surprise, her jaw going slack. "U-Uh... you're... you're welcome?"
Standing up straighter, Roy nodded. His smile a bit more brighter. It was like a significant weight had been relieved from him. Which was good... that meant I did something right, which made me feel nice. "Right then... so I should go about giving you your payment..."
"Nah." I refused immediately.
Roy blinked owlishly. "Eh?"
"I don't want your money," I said bluntly, crossing my arms over my chest and looking up at the man with a soft grin. "... I have a sister too, y'know? If I was in your shoes I'd do anything I could to bring her back to health." I closed my eyes and sighed. "You care about Clover a lot. And it shows. I just wish I wasn't so selfish and showed that kind of care to mine..."
Parking my hands on my hips, I opened my eyes and looked back up at Roy. "So I don't need any monetary compensation. Me knowing that Clover'll gets better is enough of a reward for me."
Roy's eyes widened further as I placed the vial back in his hand. "Y-You mean that...?"
"Yup!" I grinned, then I blinked, rubbing the bottom of my chin in thought. "... although, if you still wanna give me SOMETHING, maybe you can give me some recipes on how you make those potions and elixirs?"
Roy's smile brightened up like the sun itself.
X-X-X-X-X-X
"... you're a really nice person, Taruko."
I blinked in confusion as I closed the door behind me, tossing my sheathed sword and bag of Moonstone and crystals onto the couch. After completing my job, me and Pip made our way back home to Magnolia, initially I was gonna head back to Crocus to drop off the shards I collected to Solil, but she was already busy with a commission and it was getting late anyways, so I decided to head over to Vorpal Smithing another day instead.
After arriving in Magnolia, I gave Pip a quick tour of the place. I had to stock up on groceries, and I wanted to buy some letters as well, anyways. So it worked out well enough. Of course, she was in complete awe of the town, and looked like a fish out of water. Which wasn't an inaccurate term, considering she was cooped up in the Grotto for pretty much her whole life.
To be perfectly honest, her reactions reminded me of Erza from around a year ago, when we first arrived in Magnolia.
Man... I can't wait to introduce Pip to Erza and the rest of the guild. Their reactions are gonna be priceless~
"What makes you say that?" I asked, setting my bag of groceries down on the counter. Pip hopped onto the counter herself, happily munching away at a carrot I bought for her.
"Well, you saved me... and you were super nice after that! And then you beat the Clown Spider and got the venom for that Roy guy and his sister!" she mumbled, staring at me with those big 'ol eyes. "You can't be a bad guy and do stuff like that!"
I smiled at her in amusement. "Thanks... Pip. But I'm not some saint, y'know? I do some bad stuff, too."
Pip tilted her head to the side curiously. "Like what?"
I blinked again and paused, my lips thinning into a frown. I... huh. Not where I thought this was going.
"... I'm starting to think I really am a selfish jerk." I sighed, scratching the back of my head. "I said I had a sister, remember? Truth is... before I came here and became a wizard I was... angry? Confused. I got caught up in my own ambitions, and I began to neglect the only family I have left. And then I left her and my village behind in pursuit of my own goals."
I pulled out a blank letter I'd bought along with a pencil, frowning harder. "That was over a year ago. And I hadn't even thought of getting into contact with her or... well, anyone, until I met Roy. His situation with Clover, well I guess it struck a chord at me. You really don't know how much you miss something until it's gone... and then you end up taking it for granted."
I placed the letter down, smiling bitterly. "I was hoping to send a letter to my old village. See how everyone is doing...? I don't know. Just... I want know if she's alright. She probably doesn't want to talk to me, but still..."
Pip hummed. "... that doesn't mean you're a bad guy!"
I paused, looking down at the rabbit. "Huh?"
"Well, I don't really understand a lot of this stuff, and I don't really know what you went through, but you did a bad thing and now you're going out of your way to fix it?" she smiled. "That's a really nice thing to do. And you're both family at the end of the day... so I'm sure she won't hold it against you!"
I stared at Pip in silence before huffing out a chuckle and patting her on the head. "... Yeah. You've got a point, Pip. Thanks."
"Yup yup!" Pip grinned, hopping onto my shoulder and eyeing the letter curiously. "So what are you gonna write?"
I bit the eraser of my pencil in thought, staring at the blank slip of paper with furrowed brows. What was I going to write? Not something too long, but nothing something short... I quick summafy of what I've been up to and how I've been up to should do the trick, right?
... Well, to start things off...
"Dear Sachi..."
X-X-X-X-X-X
*BOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Thunder boomed amongst the roaring storm. Black clouds covered the skies, unleashing a raging downpour. The pitch black sky was illuminated by the bright lightning crackling in the clouds. In the center of a forest, the sounds of fighting echoed through the woods. Slashes and crackling electricity filled the air, followed by the grunts of children and painful impacts.
*WHAM!
"GAH!!"
A tan-skinned girl cried out in pain as a scaley fist slammed into her fist with a violent crunch causing her to drop her sword and topple into the mud. She coughed and wheezed, several cuts and bruises littering her body. Blood dripped from her nose and she sniffled, trying to catch her breath. Her short black hair streaked with blue was frazzled and uneven. Her golden eyes weakly looking up into the eyes of a dark-skinned boy with spikey maroon-colored hair. He clashed his clawed fist into his palm with a fanged smirk, a dark miasma bleeding off his arms.
"C'mon, is that all you got?" the boy goaded with a toothy grin. "I thought you were supposed to be the daughter of some famous mage or something. Don't tell me that was all a lie!"
The girl glared at the boy and she looked around. Spotting other children around her close to her age or slightly older. They all watched on in either amusement or disinterest. Her gaze fell upon a dark-skinned man with silver hair and an impassive scowl.
"Get up." he commanded, his eyes narrowing. "You came to me for strength... and I was generous enough to give you that opportunity. I hope my faith has not been displaced,"
His eyes glowed are dark malevolent red, his expression becoming far more vicious. The look in his eyes made the girl tremble in fear. "You have a wish. You seek power. So claim it. Get. Up."
Fear gripped her heart. Her breaths became ragged as her gaze shifted over to the confident boy who goaded her into coming at him. She breathed in heavily, reaching for her sword. "Yes... Sir." she gritted out, gripping onto the hilt of her weapon and slowly rising to her feet.
She desired strength... to seek Him out. To make Him pay. Bring Him back.
Her expression darkened, unstable, dark electricity racing along her body as intricate black markings crawled up her left arm and covered the right side of her face. She flashed her canines and growled, digging her feet into the mud. The boy in front of her grinned broadly and raised his fists in preparation for her attack.
With a roar, the sound of thunder boomed once more as she rocketed forward with the speed of lightning.
This was the only way... to make things whole again.
A/N.
BOO-YAH! Double upload, baby! Surprised?
I actually had Chapter 10 finished before Chapter 9. Which was weird. Dunno, guess I just REALLY liked how this Chapter played out? I've been wanting to write this one for a while.
We've got a new companion in the story with Pip. If it weren't obvious enough, she, along with Solil, Vysache, and Vorpal Smithing are all a reference to Shangri-la Frontier. I really enjoyed the anime and Emul was cute as a button, so I decided to go 'hey, why not?'
No. Pip is not an Exceed. I'm pointing that out there to stop anyone from thinking otherwise.
With this we've got some setup for the future, insight on Taruko himself, got to see more weapons with Kasaka's Venom Fang, Mel Force, Silfarion, and Gravity Core, as well as overall good vibes! Not to mention references to two anime.
The structure of the chapter's plot was inspired by Shangri-la again, with the Prismatic Grotto and Clown Spider, but the fight itself was actually inspired by Solo Leveling! Surprise~
Hope y'all enjoyed these two chapters, and sorry for the wait. I probably won't be doing another double upload, this burnt me out a bit, but I alrrady had both of these written up and they just needed some polish, so I decided to treat you guys.
Have a blessed day!