ⓡⓔⓥⓔⓡⓢⓔ ⓜⓔⓡⓜⓐⓘⓓⓢ?
"Bella, Happy, don't get lost okay?"
"Alright, Haruka-chan!"
They now had reached their destination, Elmina which Rae believed a place where they could find the Water God Dragon, she's unsure since she was unconscious for the whole journey. It seemed like after the incident with that jellyfish thing, she had fallen asleep for such a long time and fortunately, there's Gray. He had helped to carry her all the way here, though Natsu and Loke did offer to do the honor but Lucy wasn't going to give them chance to touch her sister knowing their perverted side.
The team went ahead to find a hotel for a quick rest however, Rae was baffled to see a fish on the reception counter. "Is this normal here? I mean, we have a bat and cats talking—" She tugged Gray's fingers to quietly asked him. However, she didn't realize how close they were actually, her lips almost touched his ear when he leaned his head down a little and it actually tickled him a bit. He was given shivers. His eyes stared at those plump lips, wondering how would they feel but later snapped out of it when Natsu picked the fish up and it transformed into a man.
"Welcome, friends to Hotel Journey."
Rae let out a small scream and almost jumped into Gray's arms. That man told them that he was taking a nap earlier and had accidentally turned into a fish as if that was normal. It was mind-blowing. Rae never knew, a fish guy existed, but it did sound possible especially when there was Carla, she can turn into a human too. He admitted he was a fish originally, later in the middle of their conversation, he ran off, yelling he had a date and told them to use any room as they pleased.
But before he could leave, he had left a reminder to them. If they planned on staying in that city, they must not forget to drink the complimentary beverage left in their rooms. Otherwise, as humans, they will not be able to live there. Rae dusted the smoke he made when he accelerated, her eyes roamed around. the building was surprisingly well-built despite not having humans tended them but she was worried if it was safe to stay there. But finding another place would be exhausting since they were quite worn-out now.
Each of them went to their room respectively. Haruka and Wendy shared a room together and if it wasn't because of Erza, Lucy would have shared a room with Rae. The redhead had pulled Lucy's hand to help her carry her cart inside. "Nee-san, help me!" The poor girl stretched her hand out towards her older sister but Rae only waved her hand sneakily and giggled for her. Erza had forbade her to carry any heavy things, hence it was why, Gray was asked to send Rae's things to her room.
"Thank you, Gray."
The Ice Mage only smiled. Though he was making weird faces because of the drink they had earlier. It tasted really weird and Rae creased her forehead. "Does it really? I mean, it doesn't really taste anything, it's just like a plain water." The guy shuddered, she never failed to amaze him. That poison like drink tasted so horrible and that girl just drank it like a glass of champagne earlier. He remembered how she absolutely loved the drinks made by Warrod before. Talking about him, Gray wonder if that old guy would be happy to know that his old friend, Blaire Heartfilia was alive.
Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice how Rae had called him for a few times now to give him some cut mangoes. "Have these, these might make your throat feel better." Rae had always prepared cut fruits in her bag, knowing Bella and Haruka would love to have them during their journey. She didn't know how in the world would she know that, perhaps, she was slowly regaining her memories. But nothing major. Rae handed him some. "Also, sorry for troubling you before. I must have been a burden for you to carry me, not to mention, you also have to take my belongings with you—"
"It's alright, Rae. I told you before, use me all you want, I don't mind."
Rae looked at him sadly. "I know I have asked you this many times but, why are you so nice to me? Rae hurt, no, I have hurt you before. It's just not right for me to accept your kindness when I have done nothing for you. Bringing me here with you is a mistake, I could have slowed you down. I'm worried if I'll be making things hard for you later. You understand what I'm saying right, Gray?" Her eyes searched for her answers on his face yet, he remained silent.
Gray sighed. "Rae, we have to work on your confidence." His hands touched her shoulders.
The girl immediately looked down. "I'm sorry."
"No." His fingers lifted her chin. "That's not the way. The Dark Enchantress doesn't apologize for the things she isn't at fault and I really don't mind, Rae if you rely on me. This is what I've been wising for. You relying on me, because you have been our place to be relied on ever since you became a part of our family. And now, let me be your shoulder. You can tell me anything, do anything you want, use me, take advantages of me but there's only one thing I don't want to see. I don't want to see you cry. I will hunt people who make you cry. I will hurt them, Rae."
"Thank you. Thank you, Gray." Rae finally smiled.
They chatted for a while and Gray filled her in her backgrounds, but he made sure not to give more as he should be cautious with her health. He didn't know when will she get the episode again and Rae herself didn't know how did she suddenly have the creatures in her head. Rae obviously was surprised to know that she gained her Dark Magic by learning with demons though Gray didn't know if the demons they were talking about were the ones in her had now. He doubted it. Since she was the Queen of the Underworld for God's sake and they couldn't be hurting her.
Tomorrow morning, Rae was woken up by feeling weird all over her body and once she opened up, she didn't expect to see her room was filled with water. The correct term was she's in the ocean. The whole town was in the middle of the ocean. Rae immediately swam outside and was relieved to see Gray safe and sound. They both went to search the others and Rae could hear Haruka and Wendy giggling together. They were playing with fishes. Gray and Rae looked at each other, bewildered. The rest sure hadn't let that dampened their spirits.
The fish from earlier, Kashima spilled about the drink they had yesterday. That medicine was designed to help people to adapt to water like them. Apparently, he was the manager of the hotel and Rae was slightly worried about Erza having a race with a shark behind her. Would that be safe? Anyway, the town was originally a town of fishes as it sank at high tide and that medicine had another effect. The humans could swim faster than normal.
"I see, that's why I could swim effortlessly." Rae was sure she couldn't swim before since she had no memories of swimming. Things were great until Gray talked to Kashima about their purpose coming to the town. It's to find clues to the whereabouts of the Water God Dragon and it seemed to trigger everyone—everyfish. Rae quickly swam to her daughter and sister to pull them back as the fishes began to attack them. Although knowing she had no power to protect them, her instincts pushed her forward.
"Nee-san, my swimsuit!"
Rae gritted her teeth and dodged her head when there's a shark coming after her. She had heard Kashima yelling at fishes to not let them escape as they were just like humans from the other day that tried to hurt the Water God. "Lucy, Haruka, I'm sorry." Before they could question her why, Rae had thrown her to Natsu and Gray just in time before the shark could grab them with its teeth. Rae bounced her feet on its skin and gracefully avoided its bashing tail. Her hands grabbed the fin to twirl her body around it. She had to buy time for the rest to escape.
"Rae!"
"Coming!" The girl shouted and for a moment, the shark could feel itself being stunned and paralyzed once that girl laid her red eyes on her. Were her eyes red before? Samemi, the shark knew they weren't.
Rae swam to others and they hid in a tunnel underground. It seemed like there was a hall ahead. She did notice that the moment Gray brought up the Water God, their attitude changed. "Here, Lucy." She gave her the jacket she's wearing and Natsu asked her if she's not feeling hot because she had been wearing full clothes for a while now. Bella rolled her eyes at the way he thought. "I'm alright, Natsu." Rae gave him a smile. She then spoke about there could be humans visiting them before.
Haruka furrowed her eyebrows. "Huh? But where'd they go?"
"What if the fishes ate them?" Happy shivered and Bella smirked, saying the fishes could be having their revenges.
Carla knocked the bat's head. "Don't say scary stuff like that!"
Lucy tapped her fingers on her chin. "We can't hurt them since they are probably just following what their religion tells them. They didn't really seem particularly evil or anything." They were told that people of Elmina worshipped the Water God Dragon once and they could be worship now as well. However, Lucy was persistent to find the one that took her top, saying she wanted to write 'pervert' on its forehead. Although the fishes didn't seem evil, they were there to defeat the dragon.
Rae shook her head. "As far as I know, seal can be many things."
"Nee-san is right!" Lucy grinned. "Exterminating them, neutralizing them, literally sealing them with a seal and even imprisoning them could all be considered sealing the five dragons. We weren't told the specifics of the 'sealing' we were asked to perfofm." If the Water God Dragon was a rampaging angry God, they could convince him to quiet his anger and calm down and that would technically be sealing him. There might be a peaceful way to resolve all this.
That's true to Rae but she couldn't help thinking there might be something more. The town of Elmina seemed very peaceful, what if they were wrong? Rae rubbed her temple and looked ahead, her eyes saw Natsu sulking at the corner for unable to fight dragons as Erza was persuading him. Not all dragons were evil and they fought not to defeat them but to survive them, that's what she told him. "Fine, I get it. Once we figure out what exactly each of these dragons are, I won't hurt them." Natsu grumbled.
"But if they so much as put a scratch on any on my friends, I swear I'll slay them all!"
Rae chuckled at his simplicity. That's adorable of him but first, they needed to know whether the Water God Dragon was a friend of foe and they had to know more about this town. They had to clear the air with fishes and Lucy asked Gemini to transform them into fish. Joining them on this journey, Rae was beginning to doubt her decision. First, she witnessed a fish became a person, then they got chased by fishes and now she had became a fish herself. Natsu told them to split up to gather intel and Gray however, grew concerned about Rae being alone.
"I'll come with you, Rae."
She was about to refuse but then again, Gray was the only one who knew her secret. She had no choice. "Haruka, Wendy, Bella, Carla, stay close to Erza alright?" Her daughter nodded and Rae went ahead with Gray, she heard him let out a scoff, saying they looked like reverse mermaids as they had their human heads with fish bodies. "But your small pectoral fins look cute." It's true, whenever Gray talked, automatically his fins flapped around and Rae held back the urge to pull them, knowing she can't do that with that body.
"You, over there!"
Rae turned around and there was Kashima glaring at them, asking if they had found the humans yet. Luckily, he didn't recognize them and that fish immediately gave them an order to look for the humans. But before that, Rae did ask him about the humans they found the other day and both Fairy Tail mages were puzzled when he boldly said that the human they caught before will be sacrificed to their Lord Water God. As if things happened right on time, there's a racket happening on the other side and Gray held Rae's fish body tightly as the blow was too strong.
Said, Lord Water God had descended.
"Lucy, Natsu." Rae looked at the ruined place ahead worriedly. Knowing her behavior, Rae would have gone after them immediately and that's what Gray did, he took her fin and swam to their location, leaving Kashima behind. However, when they got there, Rae could catch a figure of a woman attacking her sister and if it wasn't because of Gray, her sister would have been injured. Gray froze the woman and Lucy changed them back into humans. Rae looked at her surroundings, there were freshly cuts of sea serpent. No doubt, it was that woman's act. "Is this the Lord Water God?"
Kashima screamed in frustration. "How terrible! Lord Water God's servant has been slayed! This servant brings sacrifices to the Lord and now he's been killed! How horrible! The Lord will be furious."
"I see. I assume getting mad will prompt him to show himself, no? I suppose cutting up that serpent wasn't useless as I thought." The ice shattered. She went to the closest person.
Rae shot her hand outward, screaming her sister's name. "Lucy!" She pushed her out of the way and closed her eyes once the hand was an inch away from her face. But, things were good as Erza had saved her from that impact. The redhead clashed her sword with her hand, though they were all surprised to see another man interrupted that battle. He blocked the sword with his head and, apparently he was a Dragon Eater as well. Similar to that woman. Unlike her, he was the Armor Dragon. Rae couldn't deny their strengths. They were definitely powerful.
Natsu spilled them what he knew about those guys and he could only guess that they were after the Water God Dragon too. These two guilds were about to have another duel when the water suddenly changed tide and it's being parted. During that chaotic moment, Rae managed to catch a pair of slinted snake eyes on a body of a human. Kashima did claim that was the Lord and Rae could feel the overwhelming power. That man, he had some kind of tattoos on his right eye like Jellal. But there's one thing she knew for sure, he didn't habor any bad intentions on them.
22/5/22