Chapter 45

Extalia

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback / Dreams

Location / Date / Time Skip

Royal City Dungeon

The three Slayers were tossed into an old cell and landed with a groan. Natsu stood back up in an instant and charged the guards, only for the gate to close on him. "Let us out of here!"

"Not going to happen." Hughes teased. "Still, I do wish we had something to do now that you're captured. Even an execution would be fun."

"That's sick!" Laki shouted back.

"Hye, we need something to pass the time." He said back.

"What about Carla, Happy, and Rose!?" Wendy asked.

"Who... oh, you mean the Exceeds." Hughes realized.

"His name is Happy!" Natsu shouted, trying to break the bars in front of him.

"The Exceeds did their job, so we brought them back to their home." The captain explained. "Ten bucks says they've claimed their reward and are stuffing their faces right now."

"What are you talking about?" Wendy asked before remembering what Carla told them before they even went to Edolas. "That's a lie. Carla said she abandoned it when she decided to bring us here!"

"Is that what they told you?" Hughes asked laughing. "Man, you Earthland wizards are dumber than I thought."

"What did you make her do?" Wendy asked, on the verge of tears.

"You still haven't figured it out yet?" He asked mockingly.

Street Level

The guards surrounded the lacrima as the elite of Edolas went about their daily lives, blissfully unaware of the truth of the crystal and where it came from. One turned at the sound of writing to find E. Gajeel writing something. "You, what are you up to?" The guard asked as he and his fellow cronies surrounded him.

"Just a little documentation." The reporter answered.

"What are you doing?" The guard repeated.

"Just writing a piece about the lacrima." E. Gajeel answer. "I'd love to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind that is."

"You think I want it known that I was talking to a reporter instead of doing my job?" The guard asked, starting to get angry. "Get lost!"

"Not even a little one?" He asked. "Like how many guards are here?"

"You got rocks in your head or something? I said get lost!" The guard shouted.

"Well, can't win them all." E. Gajeel chuckled as he walked away. "Good luck." He glanced up to the top of the tower as his Earthland clone watched the scene.

"Too many people around... can't just rush in like Salamander." Gajeel mumbled. "Looks like we need to restratigize." He looked down to find E. Gajeel in the crowd and the two shared a look.

Suite Room

In a large bed that's made for five people, the three cats laid sprawled out on top. Happy was the first to open his eyes and look around, followed by Rose. "Hey, Rose. You okay?" He asked.

"I think so..." She nodded. "So where are we now?"

"Carla, wake up." Happy said, shaking her arm. That gentle push woke the white cat up.

"Tomcat, Rose. Where are we?" She asked as they looked around to find themselves in an oversized room. "What happened?"

"We got knocked the hell out, and the people who did it must have taken us here." Rose answered. "Now the only question is, where is here?"

Carla looked down at her feet in shame. "Are you okay?" Happy asked.

"That information I received, it was a trap." She mumbled.

"Or... maybe since it was an escape route into the castle, people have tried to break in before." Rose said, still not believing in the 'mission'. "So now they keep a detachment of guards there."

"Rose is right, it wasn't your fault." Happy added.

Their words did nothing as Carla gripped the bed in shame. "I betrayed Wendy... I said I would protect her..."

The door creaked open, catching their attention and in the open hole stood a horrifying sight. "Meow! Are you the triumphant heroes who've returned from Earthland?" The yellow cat in a toy soldier uniform asked.

"Ichiya!? Happy screamed in shock.

"My eyes!" Rose shouted in horror.

"Wait, why are you a cat?" Happy asked.

"I'm not a cat! I'm an Exceed." The hairy lookalike said back.

"Calm down, Nichiya." Another cat, this one black with a really long neck and doing constant arm pumps, said as he walked through the door. "This is the first time these three have been to Edolas. I don't think they even know what they really are."

"Oh, well in that case I apologize for my rudeness." The Ichiya furry said. "I'm Niciya, captain of the royal guard."

"And I'm Nadi, the minister of state." The black cat said. "Congratulations on your successful mission."

"Wait, there actually was a mission?" Rose asked. "I thought it was just a bunch of bad tea Carla drank."

"The queen will explain everything. She's personally requested you three meet her." Nichiya said, turning around. "Follow along."

"The queen?" Happy and Rose asked at the same time.

They turned to Carla who didn't seem quite as enthusiastic. "Carla, let us take care of this." Happy said. "First we need to find out where we are. I'll protect you, I promise."

"Yeah, that's what friends do." Rose nodded in agreement.

They jumped off the bed and went through the door, guarded by two giant cats. "Good work, men." The captain,said, earning a nod from both.

"Okay, giant cats... that's not creepy." Rose mumbled.

"I bet you're excited." Nadi said in a singsong voice as his fist pumped faster.

"We would be if we knew what was happening." Happy said back. They two larger cats lead the three guild members through a bright door way. "Whoa..."

All around them were cats of all colors, walking and talking just like they were. One pair was a fish monger and a woman shopping, there was one that was trying to pick up a girl with milk, but the one that stuck out was an old cat next to a chalkboard. "And so, whether the king know it or not, he's as much under the Exceeds' control as any other human."

"There are so many cats..." Happy mumbled as the people started greeting the two leading them.

"Look, it the heroes." One cat from the side said. "The ones who came back from Earthland."

"Is everyone here a cat?" Rose asked.

"One correction, we're not cats. We're Exceeds." Nadi said. "We're above the humans, so we guide them."

"That's the first time we've heard of this." Rose said.

"And that magnificent sight before you is the kingdom of Extalia." He added, looking towards the large castle.

Edolas Royal City

The crowd gathered around the crystal in excitement and nationalism as the extraction was about to begin. E. Gajeel walked through the crowd and stopped next to a guard. "Looks like things are starting."

"Yes... the king will be very happy with this." The guard nodded back.

"We're on the south side, right?" The reporter asked. "One has to wonder if security here is matched on the other sides."

"It's not, but that's only because of the size of the lacrima." The guard answered.

"You don't say?" E. Gajeel asked, scaring the guard.

"Please don't put that in, I'd lose my job." The guard begged.

"Heaven forbid I cost a man his livelyhood." E. Gajeel said back. "I'm totally aware of what I should and shouldn't write. I'm always an impartial man."

"Whatever you say..." The guard said, sweat dropping as the reporter walked away.

E. Gajeel stopped in the middle of the crowd and looked at the lacrima. 'Troops are stationed along the north and south, but there's more on the north side. Sources say the ritual will be held south of the lacrima.' He looked up and tipped his hat before randomly pointing to the side.

Gajeel followed the finger and saw the circle of guards cut short at the south before his counterpart walked over. "I get it... time to start the party." He discreetly jumped down and landed in the crowd before locking eyes with his counterpart. The crowd was cheering madly as the extractors were about to start the process.

The lacrima glowed as E. Gajeel reached into his pocket and pulled out a flare. "What's that, a firework?" One onlooker asked.

"...Yes, that's it." He nodded back. "See." He held it high and pressed the button, sending it into the sky. The guards saw this and realizing something was wrong as more were shot up, spelling 'north' in glitter. "And the rest is on you."

"Soldiers!" Gajeel said, doing his best to sound like a grunt. "That's a warning. Someone is planning it attack from the north side. Protect the lacrima."

"That's the rear side!" One soldier said. "We don't have a lot of men there."

"Keep as many men here as possible." Another soldier said. "I'll lead some north. Push the crowd back for safety."

"Right." As the other guards ran to the north, the few that remained pushed the crowd back.

Only Gajeel stayed in place. "Time to get this show on the road."

"What part of move don't you understand!?" The guard asked as Gajeel spun around, flung his cloak off and charged.

"That Mystogan might be weirdo, but I've got now choice but to trust him." He said he pulled his fist back. "Iron Dragon Club!" He launched it forward and the beam wiped out some guards.

"Just as planned." E. Gajeel said, looking out from behind a pillar.

"Iron Dragon Sword!" Gajeel jumped into the air, turned his arm into its sword form and struck the lacrima. "Not done yet!" He hit it again and the crystal glowed before exploding into a bright light. The crowd stared in shock as he landed, looking right into the light. "What the?"

Extalia

"Here, human are a truly inferior species." Nadi said as he and Nichiya lead the three into the castle. "So it is our sacred duty to guide them."

"Besides, they stink really badly." The captain added.

"Our queen watches the humans and governs them from here." The black cat added.

"Her smell is divine." Nichiya said.

"It'd be a bother if humans suddenly outnumbered us, so our queen decides who lives and dies and kills the ones she deems unneeded." Nadi explained.

"Why would she wanna do that?" Happy asked.

"To preserve the magic power we still have left." He explained. "That's what she says anyway."

"Wait, you mean you can't just order the king NOT to waste it on self-aggrandizing festivals?" Rose asked.

"Over the last number of years, the king of Edolas has become unstable." Nadi explained. "She's tried reaching into his mind, but it's become toompainful for our Queen, as she has other responsibilities. Not only does she govern the humans of this world, but also the humans of Earthland."

"She does?" Happy asked.

"It is her right, for she is a goddess." Nichiya said.

"Right..." Rose said, rolling her eyes.

Carla came to a stop, catching everyone's attention. "The mission the queen sent us on... I remember. I've had this imprinted in me since birth." The two Edolas cats shared a glance before turning back to Carla. "I was chosen... to kill Wendy."

Rose and Happy stared at her in complete shock. "That's crazy!" Both shouted at the same time.

"What do you mean 'kill Wendy'!?" Rose asked louder and solo.

"Please, don't ask." Carla begged as Happy went wide eyed in shock. "I'd thought it be better if you didn't know. I'm sorry."

"Then... my mission... was to kill Natsu!?" Happy asked in horror.

"Would you grow two brain cells, Happy?" Rose asked back. "Need I remind you that all we can do is fly with our magic. You couldn't kill Natsu even if you wanted to! So even if this mission crap is true, we'll never be able to pull it off, even with a hundred of us."

"That reminds me, why is everyone treating us like we've done something?" Carla asked the two.

"Amnesia, perhaps?" Nichiya asked.

"That makes sense." Nadi nodded. "The side effects of overwriting are still undocumented."

"Start talking, now!" Rose shouted.

"Please, allow me to explain." Nadi said. "Six years ago, the queen sent one hundred exceeds to Earthland to better control the population there. Once they hatched, the information imprinted in them would guide to eliminate the dragon slayers. Then everything changed. The Anima humans created started showing potential."

Carla and Happy stared in shock of what he was explaining. "Instead of killing people for magic, we could merely convert them into magic power. And dragon slayers have an exceptionally high amount of magic power in them. That's why we changed your mission for elimination into delivery."

Dungeon

Natsu, Laki and Wendy went wide eyed as Hughes told them the mission. "That's a lie..." Natsu mumbled back in shock as Laki sank to the ground in disbelief.

"That can't be true..." Wendy said, almost crying.

"Sorry, but it is." Hughes said back. "We finally got three dragon slayers, and now your power belongs us. Enjoy your new life as batteries."

Extalia

Carla,dropped to her knees in shock as Rose covered her eyes. "Hm... seems that overriding your orders remotely wasn't the best idea." Nadi said.

"But everything worked out. You still brought the dragon slayers to us, so no harm." Nichiya said. "The humans are in charge of the conversion process since that's the one thing they do better than us."

"That's a lie..." Carla said, crying in her knees. "I came to Edolas of my own choice."

"Nope." Nadi said back. "Our queen was controlling you the whole time."

"I lead them to the tunnel to save everyone." She sobbed out.

"That may be how it looked, but we were the ones who lead you there." He said back.

"I only wanted to keep Wendy safe... that's all I've ever wanted." She said back.

"Nothing more than a self-delusion." Nadi said. "Once the orders changed, your duty became protecting Wendy, as did Rose's became protecting Laki, and Happy's Natsu."

"That's a lie!" Carla shouted.

"Whether you believe it or not, all your actions have be predetermined by our queen." Nichiya said.

Happy gritted his teeth before every memory of his time with Natsu flooded his head. "We're not your puppets, you hear me!?" He shouted. "We're Fairy Tail wizards!"

"Happy..." Carla mumbled, still crying.

"Regardless of whatever you believe, you've completed your mission and will now be rewarded." Nadi said.

Rose looked up, a fire in her eyes, and walked forward. "That's a lovely little story you've come up with."

"It's not a story, it's all true." Nadi said.

"There's just one tiny little flaw in it. I landed next to Wendy, not Laki!" She declared, shocking the two while Carla had a look of realization. "I didn't even know she existed until a month ago, and I doubt your queen thinks she need two of us to beat a little girl. So either she has really bad aim, or you're lying to us!"

"Uh..." Nadi was starting to sweat profusely.

"That's what I thought..." Rose said as she grabbed Carla's hand and Happy did the same. "Come on, we gotta save them!"

"Yeah!" Happy shouted in agreement. "We're never gonna abandon our friends! We'll save them all!"

"I think they've lost it..." Nadi said. "Must have been because of all their time in Earthland. Capture them before they cause us any harm."

"They've turned into fallens! Capture them!" Nichiya shouted as the guards chased after the three, leaving Nadi alone.

'How did she know...' The black cat asked himself.

Royal Coty

Natsu, Laki and Wendy sat in their cell in shock of the revelation. "...I don't believe it." Natsu said aloud. "Happy would never turn his back on Fairy Tail."

"Same with Rose." Laki nodded in agreement. "She's been so defiant against this 'mission' from the beginning."

"I've us back our friends!" Natsu shouted as he ran over to the bars and started banging on them before trying his roar.

"Natsu, for the billionth time, that's not going to work." Laki said.

"I hate this place!" He shouted in anger, kicking the bars even harder.

"Carla..." Wendy mumbled.

"Natsu, please save your strength." Laki said, still on the ground. "We'll need it for whatever they're planning to do with us." She hugged herself tight, scared of the unknown.

She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and turned to find Natsu sitting next to her. "Whatever happens, I'll be there with you." He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I promise."

Extalia

The Exceed populas were going about their daily business as Happy, Rose, and Carla ran through the streets. "Move it, oneside!" Rose shouted as the guards chased them. The whole city was confused as one guard tried slicing them but missed.

"Get them!" Nichiya repeated as the guards swung their weapons, and again missed.

"Quick, we need to hide!" Happy shouted as they rounded the corner and jumped into a nearby hay bale on wheels. The guards ran past them and knocked one of the blocks keeping it in place off. Nichiya, being the out of shape cat he was, was last and tripped over the other block.

As he mumbled obvious falsehoods, the wagon started rolling and went right over him, gaining speed as the three bounced around inside the hay. Carla lost her grip and started to fly off the wagon as they reached some woods outside the city. "Carla!" Both Rose and Happy shouted as they reached back and grabbed her.

"Just hold on!" Rose shouted.

"We won't let you go!" Happy added.

"Thank you..." Carla mumbled back.

The wagon flew off a shirt cliff and fell to the ground with a thud as the three cats barely managed to land on the hay that was left over. "Okay, let's never do that again." Rose groaned out.

"Are you two okay?" Happy asked. "And is the world still spinning for you too?"

"I don't think anything is broken..." Carla mumbled as she pushed herself up. She let out a shocked gasp as the other two followed her eyes. There in front of them was a lacrima that made the one in the city look like a pebble.

"Holy crap!" Rose shouted. "That thing is huge!"

"Do you think that's where our friends are?" Happy asked.

"Look down." Carla said, pointing to the city on the ground.

"The kingdom looks so tiny from up here." Happy said.

"That means we're in a floating island..." Rose mumbled. "So unless we've suddenly figured out how to fly here, who's up for a suicide dive?"

"Natsu..." Happy mumbled.

"You no good kids!" An angry voice shouted from behind.

"They found us!" Rose shouted as all three turned around... to find a white Exceed holding a hoe at them.

"No deadbeats. Just a trio of fallens." He said, anger in his eyes. Carla hung her head in shame as Rose and Happy prepared to fight, before the farmer started swinging his tool. "Get out of here!"

"Okay, okay. Just stop shouting!" Rose said, rubbing her head.

"Meow!" The four looked up as Nichiya recovered and stood over the cliff. "Keep your eyes open, men!"

"How'd they find us already?" Happy asked.

"Gaahh!" The farmer shouted, scaring Happy. "I told you three to take a hike!"

"Right. Okay, we're going." He said back.

"Now you've gotta come to my home!" The farmer shouted, confusing the three. He lead them to a house that looked WAY to much like him for comfort.

"How do we know you're not just gonna give us over to the soldiers?" Rose asked. Her response came in the form of a shout and him raising his hoe and slamming it down in front of her. "It was just a question!"

"Welcome back. Are the fields done, dear?" A blue female cat asked before noticing the ménage-es-trois. "And I see you brought some guests home with you."

"Yeah..." Happy nodded. "Sorry about this."

"Not a problem." She said back. "Might I have your names?"

"I'm Happy." He answered for himself.

"I'm Rose, and this is Carla." Rose added.

"What lovely names." The older cat said. "Now come inside and wash up. You can join us for lunch." Once inside, they did just that and sat at a table before explaining everything that happened. "That sounds like a rough day." The female, Marl, said as she placed a tray of fish on the table.

"Lucky, Marl, thank you for letting us hid here." Happy said as he reached for a fish.

"Gaahh!" Lucky shouted, scaring him. "Just shut up and eat!"

"Yessir!" Happy said back in a panic.

"You guys don't act like the other Exceeds." Rose said while Carla kept her head hung.

"Well, that's because we aren't like any of the other Exceeds." Marl said. "We've been in exile for a long time now, living in this little farm the whole time."

"Gahh! Why'd you tell them that?" Lucky asked.

"Because I can." She teased back.

"Oh, that's why you took us in." Happy said as he grabbed a fish.

"Whatever makes you sleep at night." Lucky mumbled. "But if you wanna stay here, you're gonna have to work here! Got it!?"

"Aye!" Happy shouted back.

"Then eat up! You're gonna need your strength!" The white male cat shouted back, making Marl chuckle. A good hour later, the three cats from Earthland were redressed and happy was towing the field... sort of. "Put your back into it! Man up!"

"How does this have anything to do with being a man?" Happy asked back.

"Less yapping, more working!" Lucky shouted back, scaring Happy into working.

A little while later, he wiped some sweat off his brow and looked over at Lucky. "Do you really do this everyday? I feel like I'm about to pass out."

"That's how you know you're doing it right." Lucky said back. "So get back to work!"

"Yes sir..." Happy nodded. "This guy might be scarier when he's calm... he'd go crazy if I said anything though, so I'll just keep quite."

"Then don't say stuff out loud!" Lucky shouted, scaring Happy.

Back at the house, Carla was peeling some kind of fruit... or maybe it's a vegetable. Off on the side of the house, Rose was watering some plants and vegetables before refilling the can.

"Watch me! Put your back into it!" Lucky shouted as he tilled the field rapidly. "Like a man!"

"Huh, dejavu..." Rose mumbled as she pictured Elfman shouting the same things.

"See? That's how you do it!" Lucky said, standing proud over his handy work.

"That's awesome." Happy said in amazement.

"Get back to work!" Lucky shouted, scaring Happy.

"He already forgot he asked me to watch him..." Happy mumbled. "He's liable to go crazy if I say anything, so I'll just keep quite."

"You're doing a bad job at that!" Lucky shouted.

"Wow, that's very good." Marl said as she watched Carla work.

"Finished." The white car said.

"Pour them in here." Marl said as she held a bowl up. Carla dumbed the balls into the liquid as Lucky kept screaming at Happy. "They're getting along splendidly." She joked as Carla kept her head down.

"Can't we stop for a minute?" Happy begged.

"If you got time to talk, you got time to work." Lucky said back.

"Why don't you two take a break?" Marl asked. "We've made some cold drinks.

"Thank all the fishes!" Happy shouted in joy as the two walked over.

Desert

The Fireball rolled through the desert as E. Natsu looked out to find his Lucy thumbing for a ride. "Nice work, fireboy. We gotta get back to the guild, so step on it." She said as she climbed inside.

"I did what you wanted." He said as the car resumed driving. "The six of 'em are in the royal city now, and they're serious about saving their friends. Bunch of crazies if you ask me."

"It's braver than running, though." E. Lucy said back. "So, you get anymore fuel for this thing?"

"Negative." Dragion answered. "The army got to there first, so I'm running on fumes at the moment. Hope we can make it to the guild though, or we'll be walking the rest of the way. Thanks again for sending me on that errand of yours. The only good thing that came out of it was a joke."

"A joke?" E. Lucy asked.

"Yeah. Apparently, that worlds me and Laki are dating." Dragion answered. "Never thought I'd see the day I'd end up with that girl. Still, there are other options for me here." He glanced over to his Lucy.

"Was that a freaking come-on!?" She asked as she pulled him out of the car and trapped him in her modified abdominal stretch. "That was pathetic!"

"I'm sorry! Forgive me!" He shouted back, his cowardly persona taking center stage.

Extalia

L&M's Farm

Happy groaned as he stood on top of the house, sweeping the roof. "Thank god the old-timer can't hear me from here. He's working me like a dog."

"It's either this or the soldiers!" Lucky shouted, Happy once again failing to think inside his head. "So sweep."

"Ears like a dog..." Happy mumbled before slipping and almost falling of the roof.

"Keep screwing around and you'll be scrubbing the toilet like your friend." Lucky warned, making Happy pull himself up. "Once the roof is done, you're chopping firewood! Got it!?"

"Ayesir!" Happy nodded back.

Inside the house, Carla was sipping tea as Marl and Rose were making some clothing. "She's not big on smiling, is she?" Marl asked.

"No, she's just... got a lot on her mind." Rose answered.

"Things are never so bad you can't smile." Marl said. "That's what my mother told me."

"I just don't feel like smiling." Carla said.

"Something painful must happened to you three." Marl said, catching Carla's attention. "Things might seem bad at the moment, but you'll smile again."

"I find that unlikely." Carla said, looking up at the ceiling.

"Trust me, it will happen." Marl said before returning to her machine. Carla turned back to her tea in thought and shame.

Outside, Happy split a piece of wood and was happy with himself. "Now this is easy."

"Quit napping, or you're gonna stay behind forever!" Lucky said, making Happy look at the massive pile of split wood next to the white cat.

"That was fast!" He shouted. Not wanting to be outdone, the tow engaged in a log splitting contest. On their last pieces, both missed, sending vibrations that forced them to let go of the axes. The two looked at each other before they started laughing a little.

"Get back to work!" Lucky shouted, killing the mood before turning to the piles. "Eh, that's enough firewood for one day."

"Good, because I'm tired and stinky." Happy said, sitting against the stump.

"Then get in the tub!" Lucky shouted.

"Alright!" Happy said as he raced to the house.

Eventually, the work day was done and the three Earthland cats were sitting on the porch. "I think my bruises have bruises." Happy groaned. "A bath has never felt so good."

Carla still had her head down as she remembered the cavern and capture of her friends. "I betrayed them..."

"Good work, you three." Marl said from behind. "Nothing better after a hard day's work than a bath, is there?"

"Aye." Happy nodded.

"So tell me, are you three from Earthland?" She asked. "Did someone there give you your names?"

"Yep, my friend Natsu." Happy nodded.

"Same with us." Rose said. "Our friend Wendy gave us our names."

"Our friends are being held captive by the kingdom." Happy said. "We have to save them, because it's our fault they're there."

"So you're going to rescue the humans?" Marl asked.

"Yep, and that's enough to call us 'fallen'." Rose said. "Apparently, that idea is alien here."

"Not to me." She said back. "I think it's wonderful. When you have that bound of friendship, it shouldn't matter if your human or Exceed. We might all look different, but all of our hearts are the same."

"I don't understand." Carla said.

"What I'm trying to say is all our feelings are the same." Marl explained.

"I wish I could say the same." Carla mumbled. "My feelings have been manipulated my whole life. No matter how much I feel, it's not mine. Even now, I can't be sure these are even my words."

"They are your words." Rose said back. "You can't let those jerks tell you what to think about yourself!"

"We all wanna rescue our friends, that much I know!" Happy added.

"Is that even possible?" Carla asked.

"I know you can do it." Marl said. "Things might seem bleak at the moment, but you mustn't give up hope. Especially not with two friends like these around you. I know you can find your heart on your own. No, you found it already. Now you just have to embrace it, and trust your feelings."

Carla looked at her before a smile appeared on her face . "See, I knew you had a lovely smile."

"You really are different from the others, aren't you?" Rose asked. "The other Exceeds think of themselves as high-and-mighty beings, calling their queen a god."

"Ah, well, to be honest, I used to believe the same thing." She spoke up. "Then one day everything changed. The queen took one-hundred children from us, still in their eggs. They gave us no warning and told us to just accept it. I never even saw my child's face before the queen sent them all to Earthland to kill the Dragon Slayers.

"When we voiced our opinion of this idea, we were banished. That's when I learned the truth. We were neither gods, nor angels. We were just parents. Once we learned this, the line between human and Exceed just vanished. It didn't matter anymore. My husband may seem stubborn, but he feels the same."

"Gaahh!" Lucky shouted from behind. "Don't go yapping about that with these kids! How long do they plan to stay here!?"

"Calm down." Marl said.

"I'm sick of that face!" Lucky shouted. "You're lucky to be alive! Now grow up and get out!"

"Dear, this is much too sudden." Marl said.

"No... he's right." Happy said as Carla stood up. "We can't keep stalling any longer."

"Our friends are in trouble and we're going to help them." Rose said as she and Carla shared a nod.

"Finally, you get it." Lucky mumbled. "Scared cats can't do nothing. I swear, kids these days."

The three Fairy Tail Wizards started running towards the edge of the island before Happy turned and waved at them. "Thanks for everything!" Happy shouted.

"Just go!" Lucky shouted.

"Take care of each other." Marl said as the others kept running.

"Is it weird, or do you feel like we were meant to meet those guys?" Rose asked.

"Same here." Carla said while Happy nodded.

"When we first here, I felt lost." Happy said. "But not any more."

"Same here." Carla said. "But not anymore." They reached the edge of the island and the three jumped off the side of the rock.

"We have to move forward!" Happy shouted as they dived bombed for the city.

'The three of us are Exceeds.' Carla thought. 'The only beings in Edolas who can use magic naturally. We couldn't use magic before because we lost our sense of who we are.' Six wings burst out of their backs and the three started opflying again. 'Now we know who we are. We just follow are hearts, and our winds will take us there.'

Rose looked over at Carla and smiled. 'For all my talk of no mission, deep down I just didn't want to admit that I was scared.' She told herself. 'Scared that all this mission stuff was true. That I had some secret plan implanted into my head. Now, I don't care if it's true or not. My place is with Fairy Tail!' "Let's go! We've kept the others waiting for too long!"

The three faded into the sky as Lucky and Marl looked on. "Look at that, Marl, he learned to fly after all." Lucky said, fighting back the tears.

"You looked a lot like him, Lucky." Marl said back.

"Don't lie, he's nothing like me." He retorted.

"Whatever makes you sleep at night." She chuckled out through her tears. "And he's got such a wonderful girlfriend."

"It's a hundred years early before he can bring a girl back home!" Lucky bawled out. "And he brought two!"

"He's learned to care for his friends. I'm so proud of him." Marl weeped out.

"Aye!" Lucky shouted.

I never knew you could have such an emotional section using just talking cats. Seriously, it's really impressive. Either that or I'm just easily impressed.

Poll update: 'Secret' is still in the lead with 32 votes, but 'Joines with the Exceed ' is behind by five. 'Stays behind' is still in third with 15 votes, which shocks me condiering the foreshadowing I did last chapter. 'Max as partner' has 13 votes, 'Nab as parter' has 6, and 'Warren as partner' has five. Please, give me more votes!

NiA is busy, so this chapter was beta read by Christopher Dragkrow.

Side note: Is it weird that 'Nadi' kept getting turned into 'Nadia' every time I tried writing his name, even though I've never written 'Nadia' before on this site?