Rewards and Rewards
Nothing new, really—just an average day in the Fairy Tail guild. Everything was going perfectly. The mages were hanging around in the pub area of the Guildhall, chatting, eating breakfast, and getting on each other's nerves just to start a brawl.
"YOU BRATS DID WHAAAAAAAAT?!"
Every occupant in the guild shook violently. Some spat out their drinks in shock, others threw away their bottles in a panic, and some outright dived under tables for protection as Master Makarov's bellow echoed from his office on the second floor. Birds flew away in terror, and children all over the bustling city of Magnolia burst into tears.
"Relax, you're overreacting," I said calmly, sitting comfortably on the wooden chair in front of his work table.
Meanwhile, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy were huddling in the corners, hugging each other in terror. They watched in disbelief as I sat there with sheer audacity in front of one of the Wizard Saints, the guildmaster of the strongest guild in our kingdom, and by all rights, the guy who signs our paychecks each month.
"Come on, I brought us perfectly legal gold to your doorstep. Most guildmasters would be over the moon by now," I replied, not seeing the problem.
Master Makarov just stared at me—really stared at me—as if I were an alien claiming I was from Mars and that Earth was about to explode because of a thousand-year war.
"I just took a nap," the old man started, looking around his office where five golden statues of Duke Everlue's smirking smug face greeted him. "And woke up to see these abominations. What even is this? Why is it pure gold, and why is it in my office?"
"I thought these would make perfect gifts for my elderly guildmaster. I figured you'd appreciate them more with your aging days, looking at the treasure."
His hand met his face with a thick, meaty slap as he facepalmed, slowly deflating. The giant of an old man turned into a dwarf, his massive magic finally cancelling out. Lucy and Happy sighed in relief.
"You know what, brat?" Master Makarov started with a voice that suggested he had either a killer headache or a very bad hangover—perhaps both.
"I take back what I said the day you joined. You don't have good taste at all. Scaring the crap out of me with those hideous faces on statues." He sighed before his face turned serious, one befitting the man in charge of the strongest guild in the kingdom.
"Now, explain why and how this is here."
And explain we did. We detailed the entire mission, and by the time we finished, he was sighing in exhaustion as if he was the one who had just completed the mission.
Well, the good news is he didn't find our actions too excessive. In fact, it was more of an optional choice we made once it was proven that the Duke was indeed a criminal, so no questions would be raised against us.
And the better news is, after submitting all these statues and other items we confiscated to the Fairy Tail guild's treasury, we are millionaires, with each of us having 1 million Jewels to our names and some minor perks, even though Lucy and I were still novices here.
"But how are we gonna melt this thing?" Lucy asked, looking in disgust at the statues. Even though they were made from pure gold, the grotesque likeness of Duke Everlue was revolting.
"I'm terribly sorry for my stupid brother making you see these first thing in the morning," she said sympathetically, ignoring my kicked puppy eyes.
Master Makarov sighed, wiping the last traces of tiredness from his face as he straightened up in his fancy guildmaster chair behind the table.
"Leave all the work to me. I'll have the blacksmith melt these down and send you your share," he promised before looking at me with a serious face.
"All jokes aside, brat, how do you suggest we should use this wealth you brought with your reckless but brilliant thinking?" he asked. All traces of the tired, sleepy old man vanished as the gaze of a Wizard Saint fell on me, making every hair on my body stand on end.
"You're asking a kid like me about this fuckton of gold?" I asked slowly, not backing down from his gaze even as my face started to sweat from the unknown pressure radiating from the old man.
"You're the kid who brought this fuckton of gold. So I just want to hear your opinion about it."
I sighed, relaxing before answering, my eyes shining with greed and anticipation. "Normally, I would ask for books and tomes to be added to the library and for the gold to be used to increase our wealth, upgrade our guild, buy new furniture, renovate the whole building, and even add new attractions to get more clients."
"Great thinking." He nodded, looking around the room at the golden statues with calculating eyes. "We'll have more than enough wealth to do what you described, but I get the feeling you have something else in your mind," Makarov said gruffly, really staring into my soul. Even though the unknown pressure had subsided, those cunning eyes showed near centuries-old experience and wisdom.
A smile broke across my face. "Why be satisfied with just this? Yes, with this money we could do a lot of good and spend it on things that will really help the guild in the long run. But why stop there? Why not use this wealth to create more wealth before spending it? Why not first create an opportunity to earn more money?"
"Careful there, brother," Lucy said softly, her focused eyes meeting mine. "Your greed is showing. Why not be satisfied with this much? This is plenty enough for the time being." She spoke a little forcefully, her fist clenching painfully. She knew what she was saying might sound dumb from a certain perspective, but she had good reason to oppose her baby brother right now.
Right now, Lucas' eyes reminded her too much of Jude Heartfilia, a cunning and ruthless businessman who lost himself in profits and numbers. She wouldn't be able to bear it if her brother turned into a cold and heartless bastard like him.
"Now now, let the boy speak," Master Makarov said, waving his hand. "Despite sounding morally ambiguous, I don't think Lucas would suggest something harmful or malicious, right?" The old man asked with a full-toothed grin, his eyes promising punishment if he didn't like the answer.
Suddenly, I felt a tugging sensation in my soul as the Grimoire opened.
Rolling...
You rolled: Soar [Touhou Project: Parasol Paradise]
In Gensokyo, the ability to levitate and fly is very common and is crucial to Danmaku battles. With some practice, you can learn to travel just as fast around sharp bends and even backwards as you can dead ahead.
Cost: 100CP
Rolled successfully
Purchase the roll?
Hmm, I allow it. Who can say with a straight face that they haven't dreamed of flying in the open sky without any contraption? Flying like a bird is one of humanity's oldest dreams, and hell if I'm the exception.
Gimme that.
Suddenly, metaphorical wings sprouted and spread open from my soul. Just like breathing, the knowledge of flying was already swimming inside my head, instinctive knowledge and power itching to be used.
However, I held back. I had more pressing matters to deal with right now.
Total: 500CP
"Of course not," I scoffed, pinching Lucy on the thigh and earning an adorable squeak as she backed away. "It might sound bad without context, but listen, I'm not brewing some plot to earn money we don't deserve. I'm just suggesting an opportunity to earn money, not robbery."
"Let's hear it then," Master Makarov said, his interest piqued.
"It's simple, really. Entertainment."
"Like movies and plays?" Natsu asked, amused.
"Not really. Do you guys think regular civilians care about actors and stories when wizards nearby are throwing around fireballs and ice? We humans are naturally attracted to the unknown, whether we fear it or desire to understand it. To regular civilians, as much as dark wizards are demons, we light wizards are more than protectors—we're also their tools for entertainment and amusement. You guys may not like it, but as someone who didn't have a drop of magic until a few weeks ago, I can assure you that non-mages are naturally attracted to anything related to magic like moths to a flame."
And another reason is, just like any weapon or power, humanity is naturally drawn to the chance of gaining that power, or at least following the person with power. That's just how we humans are, looking for someone more powerful than ourselves for guidance. That's how religions are created, to follow the guidance of powerful and higher beings instead of walking our own paths.
"I can agree with that. Magic is indeed wonderful and it naturally draws those who are not blessed with it, but what are you suggesting by entertainment?"
My smile grew, a little bloodthirsty. "Have you heard of the term gladiator? We'll put two mages in an arena and make them brawl just like they do in the Guildhall, but with magic." As I started to explain my plan, Natsu's smile began to widen—he was just as much of a battle junkie as I was, if not more.
"Of course, the fights won't be life-threatening as we'll have rules and regulations. But one thing people love more than mages is mages beating the crap out of each other. So that's my plan. We build an arena, let our mages blow off steam there instead of in the Guildhall, and make money from tickets, merchandise like toys, plushies, or even clothes featuring their favorite and popular mages."
"That's brilliant," Master Makarov said, tears streaming down his face, making quite a comedic scene. "With this, these brats won't need to fight inside the Guildhall, destroying property, and the people of Magnolia will praise us like celebrities instead of menaces," he said enthusiastically.
"Yeah! We get to fight all we want, nobody will complain, and they'll pay us to fight! Count me in!" Natsu shouted, his fists colliding and igniting sparks of his flames of determination—or Dragon Slayer magic, or both.
"Hey! Let me go! I don't swing that way!" I flailed around in his arms like a fish flopping on the ground while Natsu made confused Natsu sounds.
Thankfully, our morning ended on a happier note. Master Makarov noted my ideas and praised me before sending us on our way. It's not like he was going to ask a bunch of kids to organize such events. Master Makarov may be many things, but lazy and irresponsible he was not. He said he would handle all the hard processes, and I believed him.
Lucy looked at me, her expression softening. "Just promise me you won't lose sight of what's important. This isn't just about money."
I smiled at her. "I promise, Lucy. This is about making sure Fairy Tail stays the best guild in Fiore—for all of us."
Master Makarov grinned. "Well then, it seems we have a plan. Let's get to work, and who knows? Maybe we'll all be flying high soon enough."
So, Lucy and I walked out of the guild as millionaires, leaving Natsu and Happy behind to chat with their friends. We were grinning so hard, our happiness practically radiating off us. Seeing Lucy's smile made me feel like I was flying.
"Since when can you fly?!" Lucy shouted in surprise, holding my hand tightly as the rest of my body tried to float away like I was in zero gravity.
"I dunno, I just suddenly can. It's probably because of my Grimoire. It did belong to Merlin, after all." I grinned, my legs lifting off the ground while I held onto my sister's arm, caressing her face with my own like a cat seeking attention.
Oh man, I'm having a happiness attack, making me do all these silly things and giggle. It was like being wrapped in a blanket on a winter night and suddenly feeling so amazing that it burst the laughter out of you.
Yeah, that's how I'm feeling right now.
"Fuck this Merlin," she muttered, trying to pull me back down. "Please don't fly away." Her eyes teared up as she held on like her life depended on it.
Why is she being so dramatic? It's not like I'm a caged bird that's finally out for the first time and running away at the first opportunity.
People around the plaza began to notice, looking at me in awe as I floated, displaying a rare sight of magical phenomena. As cool as throwing fireballs is, flying remains one of humanity's oldest dreams for a reason, as I said earlier.
"Why are you so worried?" I asked, giggling as I grabbed her in a crushing hug before floating upside down, taking Lucy along with me. She squirmed in fear, tightening her grip as we rose above the tallest building in the area while people pointed with amazement and cheered.
"Did you really think I would just fly away because I can?" I asked with a deadpan tone. "I'm hurt, sis, right here." I said with faux hurt, pointing at my chest.
Lucy didn't say anything at first, her face slightly turning red for some reason. She mumbled into my shoulder, her muffled voice incomprehensible.
"It's nothing, okay? Forget about it," she said, not looking at my face as we began to fly slowly towards our apartment, cutting through the air, enjoying the breeze as our hair ruffled in the wind.
"No, it's not nothing." I said, turning 360 degrees, causing Lucy to lose her grip and scream as she fell. I quickly grabbed her in a bridal style, resuming our flight as she sighed in relief.
"That was mean," she pouted, wiping away the remnants of her tears from her eyes.
I laughed softly, holding her tighter. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. But really, you know I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be here, right by your side."
"That wasn't meaner than assuming that I would ever leave you. That came out of nowhere, and it stung," I said bluntly, not hiding anything behind a smile or pretending everything was okay.
This is something Lucy taught me when I was small: just speak my heart with her, no need to hide my feelings behind pretty words and smiles. When I was little, that didn't make sense. After all, why would I need to hide things from Lucy? She is my sister, the one who looks after me, the one who never lets me feel lonely, the one who feeds me, the one who tells me stories, the one who protects me, so why should I ever hide anything from her? But as I grew older, I realized I suddenly had many things to hide from her, and as she proved right now, so does she.
"It's just some silly fear of mine, that one day you'll just up and disappear, leave me alone, fly somewhere far away, and I can't stop you." Her voice was unusually vulnerable and weak instead of the strong and confident young woman I'm used to.
At least she's talking and not being hypocritical. If I have to speak my heart out, so does she, and she's proving this, despite how hard it is for her to admit.
"Lucy," I said, raising our altitude as my magic made us fly higher. Magnolia city became smaller and smaller beneath our feet. I needed some privacy, and this view was perfect for this kind of talk.
"No matter what situation, no matter what timeline, no matter what scenario, and no matter which universe, I will never leave you." I said to the young woman in my arms with a genuine smile as it felt like time froze—the clouds around us, the nature and jungle, Magnolia's bustling atmosphere, even the flying birds beside us paused as my blue eyes met her warm brown eyes.
"I love you, big sis, forever and ever," I said, like I've been saying since I was five. It was real each time. Loving her is all I've known in this life, so why would this change now? Even if my past life self was really creeped out right now, who cares about him?
Why would I care about that guy (me) when I had Lucy with me? Besides, that guy (I am) is dead, and the opinions of the dead don't matter. Mine does. So it's my decision if I want to keep loving and believing in my big sister.
"Really?" she asked with a happier smile, all sadness and tears evaporating as her familiar smug, smart, and beautiful smile reappeared.
"Like I always say, forever and ever and ever," I said, enjoying that smile on her face as I leaned in for a kiss before planting it on her face, earning a surprised but pleasant squawk from her.
For some reason, she looked happy but somehow disappointed as she touched the spot on her forehead where I kissed her.
Why is she pouting? Of course I'm kissing you on the forehead, you're my sister after all.
"Let's go back down. We have to cook for now; I'm getting hungry," she said, her pouty face melting into a smile as she enjoyed the scenery. It was indeed a magnificent sight, watching those tall buildings from high above, the forest and lake beyond the city wall, and our Guild standing tall and proud even from here.
"It's been so long since we had pancakes," she sighed in bliss. Pancakes are the only dish I surpassed her in cooking. They're so much better than hers, it's not even funny. Not to brag, but I had the best teacher for teaching me the ways of pancakes.
"And you have to make a contract with that gorilla," I reminded her, enjoying her shiver as she remembered the pink-haired maid who called her ugly.
"Can't believe she is the Golden Key Spirit, Virgo," she groaned while I smiled, remembering what I did to her yesterday. I wonder if she's still recovering. Probably not, as the Celestial Spirit Realm has a different time passage than here due to time dilation.
Rolling…..
You rolled: Ring of the Gray [The Elder Scrolls]
A gold diamond ring once owned by the thief Daravyn the Gray, it certainly helped him during his tenure as a thief. It improves your acrobatics, lockpicking, marksmanship, stealth, and let's you detect any living creature within fifty feet of yourself.
Cost 400CP
Rolled successfully
Purchase the roll?
Waste 400CP for something I can already do? Hell nah, this is not Naruto. It's Fairy Tail and for sneaking around in emergency situation I already have Mirror dimension in my finger tips, not to mention Knock for stealing if it's necessary. So no, I don't need this.
100CP banked
Total: 600CP
I slowly descended, not showing anything on my face about what just went on in my soul as the Grimoire closed.
Lucy latched onto me tightly as we began to fly toward our apartment, albeit at a lower altitude. People began to cheer and wave at us, and Lucy waved back with a smile, proudly displaying our Guild mark.
"We were playing in the sand~" Lucy began to sing, her voice soothingly calm. Even though Lyra, the literal spirit of music, calls Lucy the tone-deaf singer, her voice is always beautiful to me.
"Then we saw a little man~" She continued, but something was off.
"That's not how it goes…" I trailed off as my sister continued her song, ignoring my complaints with a long hum.
"He said hello how are you~and I said how do you do~"
"It's all downhill from here." I commented, seeing my sister absolutely butchering the lyrics of the popular song we often listened to as children.
"He decided to relax~Then we ate our little snacks~"
Instead of complaining, I joined in, singing alongside her as we slowly flew around.
As a wise man once said, if you can't beat them, join them.
"He said that I could have all the sunshine and all the blue~" She sang, a carefree and happy smile on her face, making me blush a little as she just stared at me while singing.
How embarrassing. I'm not sure if I was embarrassed for her or myself.
"He told me that I was lovely and I said I love you too~"
"Close enough." I said, shrugging as I hummed along with her while she sang. Ever since I awakened, this moment is probably my most precious memory. I couldn't help but smile, any dark thoughts not daring to come near my mind.
Flying over Magnolia with Lucy singing and laughing beside me, it felt like the world was at peace. The worries of missions, the chaos of the Guild, and even the future all seemed so distant. In that moment, it was just us, floating above the city, sharing a simple joy that only siblings can truly understand.
"Do you remember when we used to sing that song in the garden?" Lucy asked, her eyes reflecting the sunlight as we gently descended.
"Yeah, I remember. Mom used to join us, didn't she?" I replied, the memory of our mother's soft, encouraging voice blending perfectly with ours.
"She did," Lucy said, a hint of nostalgia in her tone. "Those were good times."
"They still are, sis. We've got each other, and that's what matters."
"Yeah," she agreed, hugging me tighter. "Forever and ever."
As we finally touched down on the ground near our apartment, I felt a sense of calm and contentment wash over me. No matter what challenges lay ahead, as long as we had moments like these, everything would be alright.
"Alright, let's get cooking," Lucy said, her cheerful tone breaking the tranquil silence. "I'm starving!"
"Pancakes it is," I replied with a grin, leading the way into our apartment. "And don't forget, you've got to make that contract with Virgo."
"Ugh, don't remind me," she groaned, rolling her eyes. "I still can't believe she called me ugly."
I laughed, shaking my head. "You'll manage. Besides, I think she's just misunderstood, and probably behave herself this time." I said, recalling yesterday's event with smile on my face as my hand subtly released electrical charges.
"Maybe," Lucy conceded, a small smile playing on her lips. "But for now, let's focus on those pancakes. You promised."
One Hour Later...
I glared at the familiar pink-haired maid, now a beautiful young woman instead of the gorilla form she used to take. She still wore her maid outfit, the chains wrapped around her wrists clinking as she grabbed the pan, starting a tug of war between us.
"I'm sorry, young master, but my pride as a maid won't allow you to use your pretty little fingers to cook while I am here," she said strongly, her meek personality vanishing the moment I entered the kitchen. She had quickly abandoned Lucy in the living room, chasing after me into the kitchen part of our apartment.
"But I'm your master," Lucy complained, following the pink-haired maid to the kitchen with a huff.
Virgo's head mechanically turned to Lucy, her equally mechanical eyes glaring down at her with an annoyed expression.
"No one asked you," she said before turning toward me with puppy dog eyes, her gaze instantly turning warm and a little obsessed.
"No means no," I said, trying to pry the pan from her hands with little success. Despite looking like a young lady now, she still had the strength of a gorilla.
"Besides, even if you tried, you can't make better pancakes than me, you gorilla!" I glared at her, only managing to make her smile as she shivered when I called her a gorilla.
Why do I keep forgetting this weirdo is a masochist?
"Now I absolutely can't let go," she said, her face still flushed but her eyes shining with challenge and determination. "My maid pride won't allow me to back off now. Let me show my capabilities, young master," she said, focusing on the 'young master' part with a weird tone.
I think I need an adult.
"I would listen to him if I were you." Lucy sauntered ahead, not a bit afraid or annoyed by Virgo's behavior. If anything, she looked amused, seeing my discomfort with her.
"My Lulu has been cooking pancakes before he lost his first tooth. It's Aquarius' favorite food, so she taught him her special recipe she's been improving for centuries."
"That's impressive." Virgo admitted, listening to Lucy's words with determination before looking at me with the same fire in her eyes. "But I shall still not give up."
My temper flared again. I'm getting hungry, and this bitch is not letting me cook. And worst of all, my sister is getting hungry too.
"Then there is only one way to solve this." Lucy said sagely, earning Virgo's and my attention as we snapped our heads toward her like puppies looking for meat.
"You both will cook, and then I will judge whether Aquarius' teaching and experience of Lulu wins or the pride of the maid surpasses it all."
Virgo and I locked our gazes. That stupid smile and shivering legs were still present in her body language. But those blue eyes, they shone so brightly with confidence, pissing me off even more.
"If you lose." I neared, my nose almost touching hers as both of our blue eyes met each other very closely. "You have to grovel beneath me like a dog, licking my feet—"
"I forfeit." Virgo interrupted my unreasonable stipulations, in a way I didn't expect because I forgot about her personality.
Again. Hunger and anger really make you blind, huh? Especially when they are combined.
"Huh, of course…wait, what?" I quickly backed away, abandoning the pan as Virgo threw it toward Lucy, who easily caught it, looking at us with amusement as if this kind of drama was what she had been waiting for all her life.
"I said, I forfeit." Virgo repeated with a smile, beginning to pant like a bitch in heat.
"What?!" I again repeated like a dumbass as Virgo really went to her knees, walking toward me on all fours as if she really was a dog, slightly drooling even.
"Shall I get to licking?" she asked, advancing toward me as I backed away, only to be stopped by the wall as I was cornered by this pink-haired maid.
"What is wrong with you?!" I quickly moved my feet away, literally a second before her tongue touched my feet.
She just looked up with a drooling smile, her crazed eyes locking with mine."Step on me!"
Then something snapped inside me...I didn't care anything anymore...
I remember this meme for some reason while writing this.