Poll on my profile! Check it out!
Here's the next mini chapter :)
MasterDarkElf - Great to hear, thanks so much. And did you say more Juvia content? Well, your wish is my command!
ikusatsunagi - No problem, I'm glad that you enjoyed it.
djinn - Thanks so much and I did very much.
kira444 - And to you too!
phillyitalian - Actually, little fun fact, I am in every scene in my stories…I just happen to be in the background with no lines and completely invisible. It's true, honest.
Allluuu - Thanks so much!
Guest - I'm so glad to hear it. I've been meaning to write a chapter like this for a while now. In regards to lifting up his mask slightly…well, I was going to write that he did use a shadow to cover the part of his face he was showing so they didn't see it, but I forgot to put it in. This is because, since he met Levy without his mask a few chapters ago, there was a risk that she would recognised him and I don't want that to happen yet. So, officially, he didn't reveal anything, but I'm just being picky. You don't have to listen to me lol.
You made a good point with Erza as well. I want to see her and Night Terror support each other and become stronger together. Thanks so much for reading!
Guest - Wow! Thank you so much. You're honestly too kind. I only wish I have the time to update more so you don't have to keep rereading it, lol. In all honest, your review is now in my top ten favourite ones I have ever received and I truly appreciate it. It's readers such as yourself that really keeps me going. Thanks so much and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter just as much.
wellingtonlucas282 - No problem, thanks so much for reading.
Skull Flame - Let's ask him, shall we?
V: Well, Night Terror. How did your house turn out like that?
N: It has been many a year since light has entered the rooms of my abode. Since I can easily see withing the darkness, I have no need for illumination and, anyway, hardly anybody comes around to visit. It happened naturally.
V: Oh, okay...so how many rooms do you have in your house?
N: ...I have lost count.
Thanks you all for reviewing.
Also, I have a friend who is looking for another writer on this site. They are doing a project with another writer friend and were hoping to for a third person to join them. Their username is ChuckMoeKing217 and they have a lot of great ideas for stories; so, if you are interested, then please send them a DM to their username and they will answer you as soon as they can.
Thanks.
Chapter 33: Supersonic Ultra Cute Cat Maid Café!
Gates Of Fairy Hills
"It is awfully kind of you to do this," Night Terror gratefully said, "Her age and experience means she cannot go on higher ranking jobs, you see?"
"It's no problem at all," Lucy told him with a positive thumbs up, "We're happy to do this."
It was another bright, sunny day in Magnolia and Night Terror took the short trip up to Fairy Hills to see Flare. She had decided to go on a job along with Lucy and Juvia and was eager to gain some magic experience from it…the money from it was also a bonus. He walked up the gates, hoping to see her off and wish her good luck, and had met both Lucy and Juvia already standing there, ready to leave. After greeting each other, they now waited for the last member of the team.
"I'm kind of excited to be honest," Lucy continued, "After everything we've been through, it's nice to do lower stakes jobs once in a while."
"Juvia agrees," she said with a nod of her head as she showed him the rolled scroll that contained the request, "Juvia was the one who picked it out. Juvia hopes that Flare will like it."
"I am sure she will, Miss Juvia. Thank you so much."
The Water mage blushed and looked away, clutching the job request to her chest shyly, "Juvia is happy. It's quite a simple job and it's not too hard for Flare. Even Lucy can do it."
"Isn't a bit early to be picking a fight!?"
Night Terror gave Lucy a sympathetic look before he gazed up at the door to Fairy Hills with a small concerned hum, "Hmm, Miss Flare is a little late. Do you know if she is still getting ready, Miss Juvia?"
The mage frowned slightly, "Juvia doesn't know. Juvia didn't see her during breakfast and assumed she will be meeting us here," she looked back at the building as well, "Perhaps Juvia can go in and find her."
"I'm sure she'll be here in a minute. She's just probably packing her bags," Lucy said before they heard the door to Fairy Hills open from behind them. They looked around and saw a mop of long scarlet red hair stagger out of the door, "Ah, there she is! Flare, where have you bee-"
She stopped mid-sentence as she noticed the state that the young girl was in. Instead of having her hair tied up in braids, it hung loosely all around her with the ends sweeping the ground while some strands of hair stuck up wildly and unbrushed. Her face was a sickly pale, there were dark rings around her eyes, her nose was red and the clothes she wore were dishevelled and messy as if she hadn't paid attention to dressing herself. As she lumbered and stumbled towards them (with some of her hair helping her maintain her balance) she sneezed into a handkerchief and then gave a loud cough. She eventually made it to them; her legs wobbling slightly as if standing still was difficult and straightened the rucksack on her back.
"Hey...hey...guys," she stammered, "R-ready to...go."
"Oh no Flare," Lucy gasped as she came to her side, "You're sick."
"What...no I'm not. What are y-you talking abou- AacccHHHHHOOOOOOO!" she suddenly sneezed, making sure her handkerchief was over her nose at the time. She snorted and wiped her nose, "Okay...I'm a little sick."
"This is so sudden," Juvia said as she stepped forwards, clasping her hands out in front of her in concern, "You looked perfectly fine the last time we spoke yesterday"
"I...I don't know where I got it from," Flare sighed, "I was fine...when I was picking berries with...Mira, Lisanna and Elfman yesterday."
Strauss House
Meanwhile
"AacccHHHHHOOOOO! Damn it! Having a cold is so unmanly!" Elfman yelled as he laid in his bed with the covers up to his chin and a box of tissues in his large hand, "I feel useless! Damn you, virus! If you want a fight; I'll give you a fight!" he roared as he raised his fist in the air.
Only to be stopped by two firm knocks on his bedroom door.
Knock! Knock!
"Elfman," Lisanna called out through the door, "I already told you. You can't punch a virus out of your body. Now get some sleep."
...
...
...
"...Can I get some chicken soup, please?"
"Not until you have your medicine."
"But I don't wanna!"
The Gates of Fairy Hills
"Must have been something you picked up in town," Lucy said as she gently placed a hand on her shoulder, "Now, come on. Let's get you back to bed."
She was about to lead her back to her room when Flare suddenly stepped away from her.
"No, I'm fine," she told her firmly, "I...I want to do the job."
"But you can't, Flare," Lucy softly said, "You're too sick. In fact, you shouldn't really be out of bed at all."
"Lucy is right, Flare. Your health is much more important than any job. Let's take you back to your room," Juvia agreed.
"But I-" Flare uttered before her legs gave way and she collapsed.
However, before she could fall any further, Night Terror used one of his shadow tendrils to grab her gently around her waist and hold her up so she doesn't injure herself. Flare groggily looked up at Night Terror and gave him a pleading look.
"Night, please tell them I can go," she asked desperately.
"I am sorry, Miss Flare, but I cannot do that," he told her softly, much to her disappointment, "What you need right now is rest and for you to recover."
Flare sighed sadly and lowered her head in defeat. Seeing how disheartened she was, Juvia turned to Night Terror with a concerned look.
"Could you use your Fear Magic to...scare away the virus. Would that work?"
"It would, but that will raise more problems than solve them," he told her, "If I made it a habit of using my Fear Magic than Miss Flare's immune system would suffer in the long run. If it does not learn how to produce the necessary antibodies for the particular virus than it would not learn how to produce antibodies for more serious illnesses. It is better to let Miss Flare get better in the traditional way. I will deliver as many chicken soups, honey and ginger tea, and other remedies as you want. Would you like that?"
"Yeah...that sounds nice" Flare muttered, "But I've been looking forward to doing this job."
"Don't worry about it. You can do another one when you're better. Maybe they'll be one that would have a larger reward money next time. Wouldn't that be great."
"It's not...that," Flare murmured, "It's that...everybody in Fairy Tail works hard with each other and does their best no matter what and I want to do the same...if I can't overcome this stupid virus...I feel like I'm letting you two down," she admitted, a little shyly.
Lucy and Juvia blinked in surprise before they cooed happily at her.
"Aww, Flare," Juvia uttered, "That's very sweet of you. Juvia is happy."
"That's so kind," Lucy told her, "I would hug you...but you're kind of gross right now."
"I understand," Flare said with a cough.
Night Terror hummed slightly, "Well, if you do not mind, Miss Flare, I can take your place for today."
Flare looked up at him in tired surprise, "Y-you would? But aren't you busy with...something?"
"For my student and my friend, I will help no matter what. I will never be too busy for you, Miss Flare," Night Terror told her, making her give a small, weak smile, "Of course, you can keep the reward money after our return."
"Well..." Flare hesitated slightly before she gave a small nod, "Okay, if you don't mind. Thanks so much, Night...but won't this job be too...low ranking for you."
"Not at all. A job is a job, no matter what," he told her before he turned to Juvia, "Miss Juvia, what is the nature of this particular job."
Juvia unrolled the parchment in her hand and looked down at it, "A café is looking for waiters for the day. All we have to do is serve patrons, clean and make sure everything is running smoothly."
"Oh..." Flare uttered before a smirk appeared on her face, "So, even Lucy can do this job. Doesn't seem so hard."
"That's exactly what Juvia said."
"I swear if you won't sick right now, I'll-" Lucy yelled at her before Night placed a gentle claw on her shoulder.
"Now, now, that is enough teasing, you two," Night Terror said, calming Lucy down, "Let us enjoy this day, shall we?"
Somewhere In Central Fiore
…
…
…
"…what the hell?" Lucy uttered.
After a long train journey, the mages had followed the directions printed on the job request through the winding country roads and the narrowed dirt lanes towards the place where they will be working. They eventually found themselves in front of a large two story wooden building and the end of the dirt path in what was, more or less, the middle of nowhere. As soon as they caught sight of the building, they had to stop and and stare at it in utter bewilderment. This is because, if there was one way to describe this building, it would be…
…cat-like.
Every single feature of the building had some sort of feline motif. It was pained with pink and green tiger stripes; the thatched roof rose up in two sections to look like cat ears; the windows, the doors and the letter box was shaped like a cat's head; two large white paws stuck out of the sides of the building and were raised as if it was swiping the air; the trees around the property looked like large scratching posts and there was a large papier-mâché cat's head stick out of the wall just over the door. Even the lawn around the front of the building was cat grass and there was a set of cat head-shaped stepping stones that led across it to the door. Finally, above the door and underneath the papier-mâché cat head, was a wooden sign that was painted pink; inscribed on the sign, in cutesy letters were the name of the establishment which read:
'Supersonic Ultra Cute Cat Maid Café!'
It was very strange to see.
"Did Millianna design this place?" Lucy uttered.
"I do not believe this her work...but I have no reason to doubt that this would be something she would do," Night hummed before she glanced over at Juvia, "Is this the place, Miss Juvia?"
"It is," she confirmed before looking down at the job request in her hand, "This is the 'Supersonic Ultra Cute Cat Maid Café!'"
"What sort of a name is that!? And why would you build a café in the middle of nowhere!" Lucy yelled, "We're at least three miles away from the nearest town."
"Perhaps Juvia should have read the job request more carefully. Juvia saw that it was looking for waiting staff and didn't look more into it," Juvia uttered sheepishly, "Juvia is sorry."
"You have no need to apologise, Miss Juvia. Sure the décor is...unusual, but it is café nonetheless. Shall we talk to the proprietor?"
"I guess," Lucy sighed as they all made their way to the door.
Night Terror knocked on the door before he pushed it open; allowing the women to enter first before he came in. The interior was as much as an eyesore as the outside. The walls were also painted with hideous green and pink tiger-striped, the tables that were dotted around the room were shaped like cat heads with chair that also resembled cats of different colours. On the right side of the room was a set of stairs that led up to top floor where they assumed the kitchen and staff rooms were while, on the left side, was a large cat tree that reached all the way up to the ceiling. Speaking of the ceiling, it consisted of large tiles with cute cats, of different types, painted on every single one.
"Umm hello?" Lucy called out, "Is anybody here? Hellloooo?"
There was no reply. Just an eerie silence.
"Weird. Is nobody here?" Lucy questioned.
"Perhaps, they are upstairs. Or maybe they have gone out."
"Perhaps," Night Terror hummed before he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "It makes you wonder what sort of person would run this place, does it not?"
Lucy giggled, "I suspect that they look like Millianna," she said, picturing a pretty young woman wearing cute cat-like clothing pawing the air whilst meowing, "Although, we can safely assume that they must be pretty cat obsessed, right?"
"You got that right, nya!"
Suddenly, out of nowhere, somebody somersaulted over Lucy's head from outside and landed right in front of them and got into a pose, flexing his muscles and grinding his teeth intimidatingly. Once again, they were utterly stunned into silence. It wasn't a pretty young woman wearing cute cat-like clothing...it was an old, muscular bald man who was no taller than Lucy's knees. He had slightly tanned skin, a sharp, rigid face and eyes so sunken that it was hard to see if he had any. He had a single gold tooth that glittered in the light, a bright white handlebar moustache and had a lit cigarette poking out of the corner of his mouth. His clothing (if you could call it that) consisted of a black and white corset that covered his chest and showed of his abs, a frilly black and white skirt that had small paw prints patterns on them and a long tail attached at the back, gloves that resembled cat paws, a headband with fluffy cat ears on them and a collar with a small golden bell which jingled ever time he moved. He grunted and flexed his arms once again before he raised his hands up and kicked one leg out behind him in what, they assumed, was a cute pose.
"Welcome, kittens," he grunted as he struck a pose, "to the Supersonic Ultra Cute Cat Maid Café! Nya!"
...
...
...
...
'...Something weird appeared,' they collective thought in bewilderment.
"Sit anywhere you want, kittens, and take a load off. Familiarise yourself with the menu while I set up the kitchen. Nya," he said, waving a paw around the dining room, "You kittens want some water while you wait? Nya."
'Nya?' they all thought.
After a few seconds of confused silence, Night Terror cleared his throat and bowed his head to the short man.
"Greetings sir. We are from the Fairy Tail. We are here because of a job request," he greeted politely.
"Huh?" the man grunted with a raised eyebrow, "Is that a fact? Nya."
"Indeed, it is-"
"Then you bozos are an hour late!" the man shouted as he pointed his thumb to himself, "The name's Snowbell and I'm the owner here. Now get up stairs and get your uniforms on and start helping me prepare for today's service. Nya."
"Uniforms?" Juvia asked.
"Well, obviously you need uniforms! How can you be supersonic ultra cute cat maids like me when you don't have your uniforms on! What sort of business do you think I'm running here!? Nya!"
"You tell us," Lucy snidely commented.
"Hey, wait a minute," Snowbell growled as he looked from Juvia to Lucy to Night Terror, "You two are fine. But who the hell are you?" he said, pointing his paw at the Phobos accusingly, "You ain't no girl! Nya!"
"I can say the same thing about you, Mister Snowbell."
"I specifically asked for girls not for some lanky creepy man in strange clothes. You think you can pull the wool over my eyes, huh? Nya."
Juvia looked down at the job request and read over it again, "Oh...it does say that. Juvia should have read this more thoroughly."
Night Terror, not at all deterred by the Snowbell's comments, leaned down slightly, "Forgive me, but my student had fallen ill and so I am standing in as her substitute."
Snowbell grunted in annoyance before he turned away and pointed to the staircase, "Forget it. Just get changed into your maid uniforms and be snappy about it. We'll open in an hour. Nya," he grumbled as he waddled away.
"...what an unusual man," Night Terror muttered with a sweat drop.
"That's one way of putting it, yeah," Lucy said.
Twenty minutes later, Lucy and Juvia had returned from the changing rooms and stood miserably in the middle of the café. Like Snowbell, they both wore a cat maid uniform which resembled the old man's (with cat ears and tail included) except for the fact that Lucy's uniform was bright pink while Juvia's was blue and black; not only that, but it was much more revealing then they were expecting which made it much worse.
Lucy sighed in frustration as she held down her skirt to stop herself from flashing and glared at Snowbell, "Are you seriously expecting us to where these things? These are not designed for working here...or anywhere in fact."
"Juvia feels exposed," the blue haired woman uttered as she hugged her large chest as a single tear drop roll down from her eye.
Snowbell grunted, "Huh, you got a problem with it? I'm wearing the same thing and you don't hear me complaining. Nya."
"That's because you're not tall enough for it to be a problem!"
"Where's that other one? He should be down here by now. Nya," Snowbell grumbled, ignoring Lucy's anger.
"I am here, Mister Snowbell," Night Terror sighed as he emerged from the down the stairs.
Unlike his fellow mages, he wasn't wearing the cat maid uniform (and I am sure some of you readers were disappointed by that). The green and black stiped uniform still hung from the hanger he was holding in his claw.
"Ha!? What's the matter!?" Snowbell spat, "Don't tell me you were afraid of damaging you're fragile male ego by wearing that! Nya!"
"Not exactly," he said as he flipped the hanger around to reveal that backs of the uniform was ripped open, "There...there was an attempt, but I am afraid I am too big."
"Good for you for trying, Night," Lucy told him happily.
"Thank you..." he said as he looked towards them... before he turned his head away, "...but please forgive me. I do not think I can face you in your current apparel."
Both Lucy and Juvia blushed and covered themselves with their arms.
Snowbell snarled up at the Phobos and clicked his neck to the side, "So, what, you're not going to wear it? Nya."
"I do not know what you expect me to do, Mister Snowbell," he said before he frowned when he noticed something, "Wait...were you intending for Miss Flare to wear this as well. Perhaps it was a good idea for me to take her place and save her from the...perverseness."
"Perverseness!?" Snowbell roared, surprising the three of them, "How dare you! There's nothing perverted with cat maids!" he cried as he clenched his fist and held it out in front of him, "You don't understand! The very purpose of a cat maid is significant; providing tea and cake, a friendly dining experience, being adorable; they are the building blocks of not only society, but our very world! Tell me one person who was not heartened by the sound of meowing or purring or one person who was not inspired by the scene of pretty cat girls (and men)! Our very nature provides the human race the means to venture into the wide world, to perform daring feats, to reach enlightenment and achieve inner peace! We may not be the answer to all of life's problems, but we are the spirit the drives humanity to reach greater heights to the stars beyond! And that makes me proud, damn it!" he pointed determinedly at all three of them, "Do not be ashamed, be proud to be cat maids! You three shall bring forth a new age in history! So swish your tails, swipe your paws and be the cutest of the cutest, kittens! NYA!"
...
...
...
"...he is awfully passionate."
"I think you mean 'delusional', Juvia."
Night Terror cleared his throat and stepped forwards, "Mister Snowbell, I understand your commitment to the art of...cat maids...sort of. But I am unable to wear the maid uniform. However, may I suggest..." he was briefly covered in shadows from head to toe until he finally emerged wearing a black and white tuxedo, the same one he wore at the casino not too long ago, but now with added cat ears and tail, "...a cat butler, perhaps."
'Cat butler Night Terror!' Lucy and Juvia shouted in their heads in both shock and happiness.
Until now, they had no idea that they needed this in their lives.
Snowbell looked over him with a critical eye and snorted reluctantly, "Fine. But you better be cute! Nya!"
Night Terror gave a small bow, "I will not let you down, Mister Snowbell."
"Make sure you don't, kitten. Now if you will excuse me, I've got things to do," Snowbell grumbled as he waddled away and up the stairs.
Night Terror watched him leave and waited for a few seconds before he turned to his fellow mages, "Err…so how does one become cute?" he asked in concern.
Lucy giggled at his question, "No offence, but that is not something I would expect you to ever ask."
"You have not offended me in the slightest," Night Terror sighed, "There are some things that I have never achieved…and being cute is not one of them…obviously. But I am doing this for Miss Flare and so I shall put aside my pride and embrace feline cuteness. I shall not fail my student."
"Well, you asked the right person," Lucy said proudly as she puffed up her chest, "I'm the expert in how to be cute, beautiful and sexy."
"Night asked Juvia as well, you know," Juvia said in slight annoyance.
"And I do not believe I asked for how to be beautiful…or how to be sexy."
"Okay! First lesson!" Lucy said, ignoring their comments, "If you want to be ok cute then you have to look the part with poses. Lift one leg up behind you, tilt your head slightly the side and raise your hands up in front of you and make a heart shape with your fingers," she instructed, getting into the pose, "Then you say, 'Welcome customer, please take a seat anywhere you like, meow'," she said followed by a wink. As soon as she finished the pose, she turned to Night Terror with a grin, "Okay, you try."
"O-of course," he uttered as he tried his best to mimic her.
However, he didn't pull it off as gracefully as she did. His stance was awkward and stiff, he loomed over them intimidatingly and it didn't help that this metal claws made the heart-shape pose look a little creepy.
"I welcome you, dear customer. Please take a seat anywhere you wish," he said in his deep, threatening voice before he gave a hidden wink, "Meow."
Lucy sweat dropped, "Yeah...we'll work on that."
However, to her surprise, Juvia began to clap her hands together as her eyes sparkled in delight, "That was amazing, Night! You're a professional!"
"Huh?"
Night Terror chuckled and gave a small bow, "I thank you, Miss Juvia."
"Oh boy," Lucy sighed.
It wasn't until an hour later that the café doors opened and two men walked in. Both of them were in their late twenties and they both burdened with heavy rucksacks and clothes that had not been clean after a few weeks of travelling by road. They were exhausted and hungry and so decided to stop by a strange looking café they had found. Although, after looking around at the décor, they couldn't help but cringe in discomfort.
"Are you sure you want to stop here, Drew," one of the men asked his friend, "This place is giving me the creeps."
"It's the only thing for miles, Barry," his friend sighed, "This will do."
"But-"
Before Barry could complain any further, Lucy skipped up to them from somewhere and stood before them.
"Welcome customers," she greeted happily as she struck a cute pose, "Please take a seat anywhere you want. Meow!" she told them before thinking miserably, 'This is so humiliating.'
'This is a good choice,' both Barry and Drew thought with small blushes.
They randomly choose a table and sat down at their chairs whilst leaning their rucksacks against the legs. Lucy passed the two menus, which they eagerly accepted, before they read them over. However, there was a problem.
"What the hell? What are these things?" Barry muttered, "…Kitty cat licky-wickies…Itty-bitty whisker bites…cuddly-wuddly furry times? Are these things supposed to be food?"
"I know," Drew whispered, "You know what, I changed my mind. Maybe we should get out off here-"
"Pardon me."
They were once again interupted by somebody placing two glasses of water in front of them. They looked up and blushed once again as Juvia stepped away from their table, having placed their complimentary drinks on their table. She gave a small bow and shyly looked away by their looks.
"Here are your drinks. Once you decided what you would like, my colleague will serve you...meow," she said as she walked away.
The men stared in awe for a few seconds before they turned to each other.
"You know what...I kind of like this place," Drew said happily.
"Me too. Shall we order?"
"Yes. Absolutely," he said as he placed his finger on a random menu item, "I don't know what it is, but as long as a beautiful woman is serving me then I don't care."
"I know. Do you think we'll get the blond or the one with big eyes."
"Doesn't matter to me," Drew said gleefully.
"Good day, dear sirs."
The joy they were feeling left suddenly as they heard a dark, cold voice. A chill ran down their spine and sweat began to build on their brow. Slowly and nervously, they looked up to see the grinning skull mask of their server towering over them and their hearts sank to their stomachs.
"Welcome to the Supersonic Ultra Cute Cat Maid Café. Meow," he said as he held up a notebook and pen in his claws, "Have you decided on what to order."
"Err..."
"Perhaps I can recommend our special for today: the purr-fectly cutie-patootie."
The travellers shared a terrified look.
"Sounds great," they gulped nervously.
"Of course," Night Terror said, "Please enjoy."
The men looked down and gaped when they saw that there were two plates of freshly cooked omurice with garnish in front of them on the table. The omurice even had an image of a cat drawn on by ketchup.
'So fast!' they thought in bewilderment, 'Wait! That weird name meant omurice of all things!"
Night Terror cleared his throat and raised his claws above them, "And now, I shall recite a spell that shall enhance this meal's deliciousness, MOE! MOE! KYUN!" he proclaimed as he formed a heart shape with his fingers.
'Is he chanting a curse!?' the travellers yelled in their heads.
Night Terror pulled his clawed hands away and gave them both a bow, "The enchantment is complete. Enjoy your meal, gentlemen...meow," he said as he silently walked, leaving behind a confused and terrified customers to their food.
From the far corner of the café, Lucy and Juvia proudly watched Night Terror walk by. They gave him a thumbs up to tell him he did a good job to which he replied with his own using his claws.
Back at the table, Drew and Barry felt like they had no choice and decided to dig into the meal. However, after a few bites, Barry looked up and caught his friend's attention.
"Hey...is this like...the best omurice you've ever had?" he asked on bafflement.
"Definitely," he replied, equally as confused.
A little while later, Night Terror was carrying some plates back to the kitchen when he found Lucy in the corner of the room; pouring over one of the menus intensely with a frown on her face. Curious, he approached her.
"Miss Lucy, is everything well?"
"Oh, hey Night," Lucy greeted as she tore herself away from the menu, "I'm just trying to make sense of what these items are. It's like it's written in code. I mean, what on earth is 'Fuzzy Paws'?"
"Those are doughnuts with sugar," he explained, much to her surprise, "I took the liberty of learning every single item."
"Really? That's impressive. They're like a hundred items on here."
"Eighty five to be exact."
"Okay, so what are 'Purring Cat On A Cat Beds'?"
"Those are Croque Monsieurs."
"And 'Mother Cat With Cutie Kittens'?"
"Hamburger with fries."
"And...'Used Litter Tray'?"
"That is apple crumble with custard."
"Gross! Now I can't eat apple crumble anymore!"
A few more hours into the day and Night Terror was taking a little break in the kitchen area. He raised his mask up a little a sipped the glass of water he had before lowing the mask again before humming in content at the coolness and taste of the water. It tasted fresh and it was just at the right temperature; he hadn't tasted anything like it before.
He saw Juvia step into the kitchen whilst carrying a tray of glasses filled with water and she gave him a small smile.
"Juvia wants you to know that, once you return from your break, then it is Juvia's turn. But please don't feel like you have to rush," she happily told him.
"Thank you. I will not be long," he reassured her...before he frowned when he noticed something, "Miss Juvia...those glasses are full."
"Yes."
He glanced over at the sink on the far side of the kitchen, "But I did not see you fill them up. In fact, you have been serving them all day and I do not think I have seen you near the sink."
Juvia giggled, "Oh no, Juvia hasn't," she said as raised her free hand and turned into it water, "Juvia has been filling them up with her own body. It seemed more efficient that way," she told him, much to Night Terror's shock. Her hand turned back to normal as she pressed it against her face and began to wiggle her body in delight, "By the way, Juvia is thrilled to see you enjoying your drink. All of the water served is from Juvia's hand, but the one your drinking comes from..." she blushed and gave a small squeal, "Oh, it's too embarrassing to say which part," she said as she skipped out of the kitchen.
Night Terror turned slightly pale as he watched her leave before he looked down at the half-drunk glass in his claws.
The possibilities of where it came from made him feel a little lightheaded.
"Hey girl, why don't you sit down with us, huh?"
"Yeah, you're looking cute. You want me to come pet you?"
Lucy sighed in irritation as she kept as far away from the table she was serving. Four disgusting, muscular men (who clearly didn't think with their brain, but with another part of their anatomy) wondered in and instantly began to harass her in any way they could; she tried to be patient, but she was on the verge of using one of her Celestial Spirits.
"I just need your orders," she said, trying not to growl at them, "Just pick something already."
"Hey, don't be like that," one of the men chuckled as he reached out his hand to grab her thigh, "Come on we just want to-"
A claw grabbed his arm and pulled it away from Lucy before he could even had the chance. The man was shocked and yelped as he was lifted up from his seat and dangled in the air. When he came face to face with Night Terror's face, he gave a small fearful whimper.
"You seem to have lost your manners," he snarled, "Perhaps you can find them again outside," he threatened as he loomed over, making them man whimper once again.
"Thanks Night," Lucy chirped happily as Juvia stood by her side and gave them men a glare, "I was attempted to do the same thing."
One of the other men, whose black hair was in a mohawk and had a ring pierced next to his eye, stood up and slammed his fists on the table, "Hey! You can't treat us like this! We're paying customers!"
"Yeah, you better back off, bastard," one of the other men, who had green hair and a pointed nose, growled. He lifted the sleeve of his jacket up and showed off a guild mark in the shape of a snarling wolf, "We're all mages from Howling Lupis. Ever heard of us?"
"No," the Fairy Tail mages replied, making the mages growl in anger.
Night Terror dropped the man he was holding and pointed a claw to the door, "Leave now."
"You think you can scare us, you creep!" one of the men shouted at him as they got onto their feet, "Well, you don't. None of us are."
Actually, all of them were, but they would be damned if they ever would admit it.
A fight looked like it was going to break out at any moment and the Fairy Tail mages calmly prepared for it. However, before anybody could make a move, they heard a grunt coming from behind them.
"What's going on?" Snowbell grumbled with his arms crossed over his chest, "What's all this fuss? Nya."
The men gave Snowbell an odd look.
"Hey, are you the owner of this shit hole!?" the one that Night Terror was holding up snapped, "Your crappy employee just assaulted me! Fire this freak immediately!"
A vein pulsated angrily on Snowbell's head, "What was that, boy? Nya," he growled.
"I said-"
SLAM!
But that was all the mage said.
As quick as lightning, Snowbell jumped at him and slammed the palm of his hand into his stomach, making him fold over himself as the wind was knocked out of him. the force of the strike rocketed him back and smashed him into the far wall with enough force to dent it. The mage cried out in shock before he collapsed to the ground, completely knocked out with a few broken bones. His friends (and to some extent the Fairy Tail mages) gaped in horror as they saw their colleague knocked out so easily.
"Reginald! No!" one of them cried out.
"Reginald?" Lucy thought with a sweat drop, "Strange name for a delinquent."
Snowbell grumbled and snarled at the remaining mages, "You dare come into my café and disturb its cuteness with your hooliganism!" he roared at them, "Mess with my kittens again and I'll rip your guts out, you hear!? Nya!"
The mages gulped in fear and slowly nodded.
"Ha!," Snowbell grumbled as he waddled off, "Kittens, throw them out of here. Nya. They're not cute enough to eat here. Nya."
The mages frowned in confusion before they felt a chill run down their spines. They turned around and saw the mages of Fairy Tail glaring down at them and releasing an aura of malice intent. The shadows around Night Terror flickered and curled around him, Juvia's hands hand turned into water and Lucy produced a golden key from somewhere and held it up threateningly.
"Gladly. Meow," they said at the same time.
A few hours after kicking the mages out, the café had grown very quiet.
Even during the lunch period, nobody entered or walked on by or even tried to look in to see if they were open. It was as if every single traveller had disappeared instantly.
Of course, they can't complain. No customers to serve means no work for them and (since there's a limit to how many times you can clean a table even out of sheer boredom) the Fairy Tail mages were sat at the table the furthest away from the doors and windows and chatted amongst themselves and counted how many tips they received during the day. Lucy had a sizable amount because of her cheery personality while Juvia's was a little less as she could be quite cold to customers (although it seemed some customers were into that and tipped more). Night Terror had a decent amount, but he was sure they did it just because they were scared of him. He tried not to let it get him down and added the tips to the reward they will receive at the end of the day. They were just about to discuss something about what sort of jobs they were about to do next time when Snowbell leapt down the stairs and laned acrobatically in front of him.
"Hey! What are you kittens doing, huh? Get back to work! Nya," he demanded, making them sigh tiredly.
"But Snowbell, there are no customers to serve," Lucy complained.
"Then do some cleaning! Nya!"
"Everything is clean. Everything from the floorboards to the ceiling rafters," Night Terror added.
Snowbell gave the room an inquisitive glare before he grumbled in annoyance, "I guess you're right," he muttered before he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Strange, we usually have some travellers come by at this time. I wonder where they have gone? Nya."
Suddenly, the door slammed open with a mighty boom and somebody leapt inside.
"I bet you do, hairball! Wan-Wan-Wan-Wan!" the intruder cackled manically.
They turned to the door and saw, standing proudly with her hands on her hips, an old woman about the same height as Snowbell with long grey hair that reached her back and a shrewd winkled face and a thin nose. Her small eyes were concealed behind a pair of circular sunglasses that was perched on her nose and she had a big grin on her face that showed off her yellowish teeth. Strangely enough, she wore a short shirt that showed off her stomach and a pair of trousers which were both mud brown with darker brown spots on them. Attached to the back of her belt was a large fluffy tail that wagged ever so often and a pair of brown fluffy ears. She cackled again and pointed a bony finger at Snowbell.
"Surprised you again, didn't I hairball. Wan-Wan. You should see the look on your face. Wan-Wan."
'Another weird thing appeared!' the Fairy Tail mages thought.
"Damn it!" Snowbell growled, "What the hell are you doing here, Granny Inu! Nya!"
...
...
...
...
Granny Inu put her hand around her ear, "Huh? What was that? Wan-Wan."
"For crying out loud, at least put your hearing aid on if you're going to ambush me! Nya."
Lucy gave the old lady a strange look before she kneeled down next to Snowbell, "Um...Granny Inu?"
"She's my arch rival..."
"Yeah, we guess that much."
"...and the owner of the Uber Super Dog Maid Café a few miles away. Nya," he explained, making them sweat drop.
"Uber Super-what?"
"Well, that's one of hers anyway. Through deceit and blackmail, that dog hag has already taken over other maid cafes in the area and added them to her collection. She doesn't care about cuteness or adorableness; she's just in it for the money. Because of her, all the noble and great maid cafes have fallen into her hands: the 'Lovey Dovey Flopsy Rabbit Maid Café', the 'Teeny Tiny Sweetie Hamster Café', the 'Alright-Once-You-Get-Used-To-It Pidgeon Café'. All of them are gone. And only mine is left. Nya."
Granny cackled gleefully, "You're new employees look confused to who I am. I am Granny Inu, the owner of the Uber Super Dog Maid Café, the Lovey Dovey Flopsy Rabbit Maid Café, the Teeny Tiny-"
"I already told them that! Nya!" Snowbell shouted at her.
"What? Wan-Wan" Granny Inu uttered as she put a hand over her ear.
"I SAID, I ALREADY TOLD THEM THAT! NYA!"
"...WHAT!? WAN-WAN!"
"I SAID- Oh, forget it, she won't hear me. Nya."
"WHAT!? WAN-WAN!"
"I'M WASN'T TALKING TO YOU! NYA!"
Lucy giggled in slight amusement and leaned in close to Night Terror and Juvia, "Unlike a real dog, she's as deaf as a post."
Granny Inu glared at her, "Huh!? What did you call me! You want to fight, you floozy! Wan-Wan!"
"What!? She heard that!?" Lucy gawked.
"Enough chitchat," Granny Inu barked, "I'm taking this café right here and right now. Even if I have to do it by force," she said as she tightened her fists and grinned, "This place will be an excellent addition to my maid café empire. Soon, I will rule Fiore and become the richest in all of Fiore! Wan-Wan!"
"...what?" the Fairy Tail mages uttered in confusion.
They had no idea how that would work at all.
"Over my dead body," Snowbell growled as he raised his fists up and got into a fighting stance, "Come on, kittens. Let's battle this dog hag! Nya!"
...
...
...
"...what?" the Fairy Tail mages uttered once again.
"You want us to fight this old lady who is dressed as a dog?" Juvia said unsurely, "Juvia doesn't think she can do that...no matter, how corrupt she may be."
Snowbell gave her a glare, "What are you talking about? Did you not read the job request. In times of war, the employees of the café have to fight as well or they will not get the reward money."
Night Terror and Lucy gave Juvia a deadpanned look while the blue-haired mage began to sweat nervously.
"Juvia really have ought to have read the request more carefully," Juvia mumbled sheepishly.
Night Terror hummed and leaned down slightly, "Mister Snowbell, if I may, but perhaps we should avoid conflict as much as possible. Is there a way that we can solve this peacefully instead of fighting."
"No! You don't get!" Snowbell yelled, "I...I just can't."
For the first time that day, Snowbell looked down at his feet in despair. They were surprised; up until that point, Snowbell had been bold, brash and proud and was never afraid to say what was on his mind. Now he seemed to have been knocked off his perch and stared solemnly at the ground.
"It's...it's not mine to simply give away," he uttered sadly, "My daughter, Angela, built this entire place with her own two hands; combing her two greatest passions: cats and tea. She had a dream; a dream that I wished I had paid more attention to. She wanted this place to be the cutest café in the whole of Fiore; where everybody, no matter who they are or where they are from, can come and dine to their heart's content. I always doubted it. I should have visited more or listened to her when she talked about this place but now...she's gone and I am left with her legacy in my paws. Nya."
The Fairy Tail mages felt a wave of sadness wash over them. They had no idea that Snowbell had suffered so much...they honestly thought he was just insane. Snowbell took a deep breath and clenched his fists tightly.
"But...I'll be damned if I let this place fall into the wrong hands. This is my daughter's pride. My daughter's hard work. She poured her heart and soul into creating this and I want to protect it. I don't care that I have to wear this maid uniform or the fact that I have to be cute or learn how to cook...this is for my daughter. I will not let you down Angela. I will be the greatest cute cat maid for you and protect your dream! Because that is what it means to be a family! Nya!" he roared as he glared at Granny Inu with a fiery passion.
...
...
...
"...WHAT!? Wan-Wan!" Granny Inu yelled.
"I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU! NYA!"
The Fairy Tail mages shared a look with one another, silently debating with each other with what to do. Finally, they gave a nod in agreement and focused on the battle that was about to unfurl.
"Miss Juvia, Miss Lucy; I know that we should not do this, but I feel obliged to fight alongside Mister Snowbell."
"I agree," Lucy said with a confident smile as she was about to take a golden key from her belt, "Let's do our best."
"Juvia will fight as well," Juvia said with a nod as her hands turned to water.
Granny Inu grinned as she clicked her neck, "It sounds like all of you are ready. Well, come on furball. Are we going to battle or what? Wan-Wan."
"Bring it on, dog hag," Snowbell growled.
"Very well," Granny Inu sneered as she reached into her the pocket of her trousers and brought out...
...
...
...two pens and a notebook.
"...you want to be zeros or crosses? Wan-Wan."
"Zeros are cuter."
"YOU'RE PLAYING NOUGHTS AND CROSSES!" the Fairy Tail mages yelled at them.
Snowbell sniffed and gave them a look, "Well, usually we would play bridge, but we don't have a deck of cards on us. Nya."
In anger, Juvia fell to her knees and wept while Lucy turned around and screamed and cursed into her hands. Night Terror slumped over and put a claw over his face and whispered something in Timorin.
Fair to say, that it has been a stressful day for all of them.
Granny Inu slammed the notebook onto a free table and leapt onto a chair; she began to draw a three-by-three square table before she gave Snowbell the other pen.
"Crosses always go first. Wan-Wan," she sneered as she drew an 'X' in the middle square.
Snowbell slammed his fist on the table, "Damn it," he muttered, "You always like to play dirty, don't you?" he grumbled before he drew a circle in the corner, "See how you like that? Nya."
Granny Inu grinned as she drew an 'X' in the middle left square, causing Snowbell to sweat nervously. She was only one cross away from getting three in a row unless he blocked her. As quick as a whip, he drew a circle in the middle right square; severing her from gaining her win. Snowbell sighed in relief while Granny Inu cursed under her breath. However, that was when he noticed something. If he just place a circle in the bottom right square then he will have his three in a row and his victory; as long as the old woman didn't place her cross in that same square as well then he will-
Granny Inu placed an 'X' in the bottom right square.
"Damn it!" Snowbell yelled as Granny Inu cackled in glee.
If only he was quick enough, if only she didn't notice, if only it was actually his turn: then the win would be with him.
Not to be deterred, he planned to get a quick victory in by going into the upper middle square and then the upper left square. He was about to put his plan into action, but he stopped when he noticed he was being led into a trap. If he picked that square then his opponent would pick the upper left square getting her three in a row from the upper left to the bottom right. Rage had clouded his judgement, he needed to be more careful. Instead of the upper middle square, he drew a circle in the upper left instead, causing Granny Inu to curse as he trap was foiled.
In a last ditch attempt, she placed a cross in the upper middle square, stopping her opponent from getting the entire upper levels squares to himself. He responded by drawing a circle in the lower middle square. And with that last flick of the pen, the battle had come to an end...
...it was a draw.
"Damn it," Granny Inu spat, "Next game wins. Wan-Wan" she demanded.
Two hours and one hundred and fifty games later, the results were in...
...it was a draw...still.
The two opponents, battle weary and bleary eyed, faced each other across the table and gave a sorrowful sigh. The battle was arduous and long and yet inconclusive. They have both fought well, but they still stood formidable. There was no need to go on because it was clear that they will be no victor today.
...but also because they ran out of notepaper and Granny Inu had to go home and take her meds.
Snowbell and Granny Inu glared each other for a few seconds before they reached out and shook each other's hands, signifying the armstice to their long, long battle.
"Good for you, furball. You live to see another sunrise. Wan-Wan," Granny Inu said with a hint of respect in her tone.
"The same to you, dog hag. Nya" Snowbell said.
...
...
...
"What!? Wan-Wan."
"Just get out of here! Nya!
With one last barking cackle, Granny Inu leapt down from her chair and waddled towards the door. As she opened the door, she turned back and gave one last maniacal grin.
"Next time. Next time this will be all mine! Wan-Wan!" she cackled as she walked out and disappeared from their lives as quickly as she entered.
...
...
...
...
"W-what was the point of that?" Night Terror wondered out loud.
"What has been the point of this entire day?" Lucy replied with a tired sigh.
A tired sigh of relief escaped their lips as they watched Snowbell flip over the cat-shaped open/close sign on the door; signifying the end of a long day. After the mess with Granny Inu, the rest of the day went on without any problems; it was mainly spent serving some last patrons who came and left without a fuss. However, they were all exhausted and were hoping to leave sooner rather than later.
Snowbell grumbled as he waddled to them and placed his hands on his hips, "Well, I guess that's it for today, kittens. Nya," he said as he gave them a thumbs up, "I had my doubts, but I am satisfied. Nya. All of you were cute and adorable to the extreme. Nya. Even when that dog hag came over here; I couldn't have done it without you. Nya."
"Please, Mister Snowbell. It was all your doing. We did not do anything," Night Terror told him.
"Bah! Don't be so modest! Nya!"
"...It is not modesty, Mister Snowbell. We literally did not do a thing."
"Alright, alright, stop having a go at me. Nya," he said as he waved a paw dismissively, "You can get your reward now. Nya. Don't spend it all at once. Nya."
Lucy gasped in joy, "Yes, I've got this month's rent! Finally!"
"It is rather sad that that is worthy of celebrating, Miss Lucy."
"Juvia has enough money to buy more wool," Juvia chirped, "Juvia has taken an interest in plushie making. Will you be giving all of yours to Flare, Night?"
Night Terror gave a nod, "Of course. She will receive every last Jewel. After all, I did this all for Miss Flare," he told her before he stepped towards Snowbell and bowed slightly, "Mister Snowbell, may I just say that your commitment to your daughter's caféis commendable. Your sacrifice is very noble."
Snowbell sniffed and looked away, "Well, I wouldn't call it a sacrifice. Nya. It's a father's duty to look after their children and encourage their interests. Nya. She poured every single ounce of her energy into creating this and what it stood for. Nya," he said as he gave a wistful smile, "There's nothing I won't do for this place. Nya. My pride, my aspirations, my everything...they mean nothing to how much I love my family. Nya. And there is nothing that will ever convince me otherwise. Nya."
Night Terror smiled beneath his mask, "I understand, Mister Snowbell. We at the Fairy Tail Guild consider ourselves as family as well," he told him, earning a nod from both Lucy and Juvia, "If I may ask...how did Miss Angela die, Mister Snowbell?"
Snowbell frowned in confusion, "Die? Nya."
Suddenly, the door to the café slammed open and a young woman waltzed in. She was slim and about average height with short black hair in a bob cut. She had big round blue eyes and a bright, wide smile on her face. She wore, to their surprise, a uniform that looked exactly like theirs (with cat ears and tails) but it was orange with brown stripes and in her left hand was a large cat-shaped suitcase.
"Hi dad! Nya!" she greeted as she zoomed over and hugged the shorter man, "Thanks for looking after the café for me! Nya."
Snowbell hugged her back, "It was no problem, sweet heart."
'SHE'S STILL ALIVE!' the Fairy Tail mages screamed in their heads.
Night Terror turned to Snowbell in shock, "Mister Snowbell, forgive me, but I thought you said your daughter was gone."
"Well...yes. Nya," Snowbell said, giving Night Terror a strange look, "And now she's back. Nya."
'Good grief,' Night Terror thought with a sweat drop.
Snowbell's daughter, Angela, straightened herself out and gave the mages a big grin, "Hey, were you guys helping out today. Nya. Thanks so much. Nya. Dad often struggles here on his own whenever I'm away, so I'm glad he's brought in support. Nya."
"Yeah...no problem," Lucy uttered.
"It has been our pleasure," Juvia added.
Snowbell gave an irritated hum, "I could do it on my own if I wanted to. Nya. With or without these kittens. Nya," he grumbled, "Well, now that you're back, I can return to my real job. Nya."
"Real job?"
"Yes. Nya. I'm an insurance broker in the capital. Nya. Didn't I tell you? Nya."
"No...no, you didn't."
Angela giggled in delight before her eyes turned to Night Terror; her eyes widened as she gave a gasp.
"Ah! Nya! How inspired! Nya!" she cried as she looked over his uniform, "A cat butler. Nya. That sounds like a good idea. Nya. It means I don't have to just hire women anymore. Nya."
Snowbell snapped his to her, "Wait! Nya! You like the idea of cat butler!?"
"Yep! Nya!"
"Then why am I wearing this maid uniform!? Nya!"
Angela sweat dropped, "Well, I never told you that you had to wear one dad. Nya."
"WHAT!? NYA!?" he yelled in shock as his eyes burst out of their sockets.
"Should we go home?" Night Terror suggested to his fellow mages.
"Yes," they agreed wholeheartedly.
Train
Night Terror watched the sun through the carriage window as it sunk below the mountains in the distance. He gave a small sigh at the sight and relaxed further into his was coming to the end of a long day and he was relieved that he was on his way home back to Magnolia. He needed to make sure to check in on Flare to see how she was doing and, of course, give her the reward money.
He looked down when he heard a quiet snore and saw Lucy and Juvia (with Lucy on the left and Juvia on the right) leaning their heads on his arms as the slept. They had fallen asleep almost as soon as the train departed and had both, unconsciously, decided he was a pillow; he didn't mind at all and allowed them to their slumber. They had both worked hard today. He smiled softly down at them and gently used his shadows to lift their heads slightly and formed them into pillows to make them a little more comfortable before he looked out at the window once again.
He was so distracted that he almost didn't notice the young girl who walked down the aisle and passed their seats. She must have been eleven or twelve years of age with long dark blue hair that reached her waist, soft brown eyes and fair skin. She wore a simple green dress with a wavy line pattern along the edge and she was carrying several boxes and shopping bags; so much so that it towered over her by at least a foot. She was so busy trying to keep it balanced that she didn't register Night Terror at all; although, she did feel a chill roll down her spine as she walked by him.
As she walked down the aisle, towards the door that led onto the next carriage, Night Terror noticed that her train ticket had slipped out of her dress pocket and fluttered to the floor without her realising it. Before she disappeared through the door, the Phobos instantly formed a shadow tendril and caught the ticket before it could land and carried all the way back to her and slipped it back into her pocket.
The young girl stopped as she sensed something and looked down, making sure her shopping doesn't topple over as she did. She saw nothing out of the ordinary; just her train ticket poking out of her pocket. However, for a split second, she thought she saw the shadow underneath the seats move a little, but she decided it was nothing and carried on her way. Although, she did wonder how her ticket got into her left pocket; she swore she had put it in the right one.
Night Terror watched her leave and hummed curiously, 'How peculiar,' he thought, 'I can sense her magic and it is very strong, but I cannot put my finger on what it could be,' he wondered, 'It feels familiar, but different at the same time. Perhaps, if I can talk to her-'
He looked down at the two mages still leaning on him as they slept. Lucy was murmuring something about marshmallows in her sleep while Juvia hugged his arm tightly with a small smile on her face. He sighed and leaned back in his seat.
'Never mind,' he thought, 'Although, knowing how unpredictable fate can be, I do not doubt that we will encounter each other again. Someday. Yes. Someday,' he thought as the train continued its journey all the way back to Magnolia.
That's it for now.
Glad to see you all back after the system went down.
This is a bit of silly chapter and I had fun writing it. Wendy made a brief appearance at the end and her magic has caught Night Terror's attention. Tune in next time for the start of the Oracian Seis arc where new characters are introduced; some of them will be allies, some of them enemies, while some are a few familiar faces.
Thanks for reading :)