The kingdom of Fiore. A world of magic. People who use magic as occupation are called as wizards, and they belong to various guilds and perform jobs on commission. A lot of guilds are formed in the country. But on a certain place in Magnolia lies a certain guild. A guild where legend is born and will continue legendary titles in the future. And its name is.... Fairy Tail.
One ordinary day(that Lucy expects), in front of her apartment...
"What?! Your actors ran away from you again?!" Lucy demanded to Rabian that appeared outside her apartment.
"That's correct, thank you very much." he nodded sadly.
Lucy took pity at the sad-looking fellow. But then, she was reminded suddenly of the time they accepted his request and did that play horribly which turned out a success, overworking them out in the process. She shivered at the memory. NO! No way!
"I won't—"
"We accept!" Erza bounced from out of nowhere with Natsu and Gray hanging on both her arms and Happy on her long hair, failing to hold her down. They were suppose to hide behind Lucy's apartment upon seeing the man that once pinned the 'to do a play' request. Like Lucy, the two remembered that day and both shivered at the chill that ran through their spines.
"I'm sorry, Lucy." Gray grumbled, hiding his shaking body behind a nearby tree.
"We tried to stop her. But when the word play was mentioned she almost threw us." Natsu said also hiding behind the tree where Gray was.
"You accept? Really?" Rabian sounded hopeful. Erza nodded and he almost shone like the sun itself. "THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"
Both Natsu and Gray pushed back from the tree and began walking backwards slowly.
"So... uh... Erza accepted..." Gray remarked as sweat began forming from his forehead.
"Yeah... uh... haha, I guess Erza could handle it alone." Natsu laughed nervously and they both bolted before Erza could catch them but they bumped into someone instead and all three fell to the ground.
"Wendy?!" Natsu exclaimed, quickly jumping up from Wendy's small form.
"I'm sorry, Wendy," Gray helped her up.
"If you two are watching where you're going, you wouldn't have crushed her!" Carla reprimanded as she floated near Wendy.
"It's okay." Wendy smiled. "I was supposed to catch Lucy here to ask her if I could have some seaweeds from Aquarius. I learned it had some magical properties, which I hope, would be medicinal. Anyway, what brings you guys here?"
"Ha? Uh, nothing! Not a thing!" Natsu stuttered as he backed away with Gray following suit.
"Actually, we were just going but—" Gray didn't finish his sentence when they bumped into someone feel to the ground again.
"Ah, Gray-sama! It is such a pleasure to feel you..." Juvia's words faded when she saw that it was Natsu who was pinning her down instead of Gray. She reddened with both anger and embarrassment that she pushed Natsu away, practically throwing him before launching herself to Gray, who was sitting dazed beside her, and hugged him.
"Oy!" Gray protested and tried to pull himself from Juvia's embrace.
Erza grabbed Natsu by the arm and held him up from the ground before inching her face near his. "I want this job and we're going together as a team." she said, her voice laced with evident threat for any objection from him. She also casted a sharp glance at Gray.
Natsu and Gray gulped before they nodded quickly and rapidly. She let him go and began vocalizing.
"Oooh, I'm in too!" Wendy happily said.
"My cast is almost complete, thank you very much! I'll leave the play to Lucy-chan," Rabian jumped with glee.
Juvia's eyes sparkled and her hug tightened around Gray. "Play? Almost complete? Juvia wants in." she declared. Juvia will make sure to have Gray-sama as prince! she thought with an evil smile.
Gray eyed her in horror and struggled free. "No! You can't!"
"Perfect!" he slightly turned around and muttered, "More amateurs..."
"I believe this is the part that you'll thank us." Natsu pointed out.
Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose. "Look, I really am not interested in this again. Find yourself another team to trouble or another play writer. I'm getting the seaweeds."
She turned back and steeped into her apartment then she heard Rabian said sadly, "That's too bad. Where should I find a play worthy of a talent scout's eyes?"
Lucy turned back almost instantly. "I'm in."
"Noooooooooooooooooooooo!" Gray and Natsu cried in agony.
********
The gang was now in a trailer that was parked outside of the now grander theater hall in Onibus. All were outside the trailer since it had not enough space for rehearsing and Rabian made sure that they won't do any damage to the new and improved theater hall.
"The trailer is only secondhand and some of the previous owner's stuff is still in there. Better make do of your time, thank you very much." with that he walked away from the group.
"Awesome. Old stuff!" Natsu shouted with glee and rushed inside the trailer.
"I'm not letting you get the good old stuff first!" Gray quickly followed Natsu inside.
"I wonder what that guy wanted with Wendy, Carla and Happy for." Lucy inquired since they got there, Rabian got hold of the three and left them to explore the theater hall before introducing them to the trailer.
"They'll be fine." Erza assured her and followed the guys inside the trailer leaving Lucy to flounder after her wake.
"Whoah!" Lucy drawled as she stood on the door of the trailer. The trailer was not that big and it looked a lot more crowded because of the stuff that was from the previous owner. It may look crowded and messy but from Lucy's experience it was a much better view.
"This could go through the 40's. All this junk!" Erza's eyes were shining while looking through a heap for possible replacements of her lost junk.
"Interesting." Gray muttered as he fiddled with a watcha-ma-call-it.
"Guys! Guys! Look what I found!" Natsu came barreling towards them waving a thick, dusty book. "For a guy who likes mature stuff, the previous owner sure kept this story book hidden in a vault." He flipped it back and forth.
"Huh?" Erza looked up and saw a portrait of an old man, looking more like hair than human. "Eclectic tastes..."
"That's weird-er. We better not mess things around here." Lucy nervously stated watching with horror as she imagined the portrait's eyes move.
"Lucy's right." Gray agreed seriously but he padded towards Natsu's side.
"Yeah..." Natsu said with equal seriousness then grinned like a fool along with Gray. "So let's open it and read the baby stuff!"
Lucy blew an exasperated breath even as she saw that Erza also went to Natsu and Gray and peering over the book. They are never gonna listen to me, aren't they? She grudgingly thought and slumped towards their direction.
Natsu opened the book just as Lucy was near them and a bright light illuminated the whole trailer, consuming them all and when the light disappeared, the trailer was empty and was back to its undisturbed state, except for the book that the gang had found and was now in the middle of the floor.
The trailer door opened and murmurs were heard.
"You must know where to clean after, thank you very—" Rabian gasped as he surveyed the empty trailer. He suddenly turned to Wendy, who was carrying a load of stuff, making her jump in surprise. "Little girl, where are my stars?!"
Wendy opened her mouth to answer but he dashed inside the trailer and frantically searched it, from behind the curtains to under the cabinets and he found nothing. Panicking, he quickly ran out of the trailer and tripped on the book falling face first on the wooden floor. He nimbly stood and ran out the trailer toward the horizon.
"Little girl, I'll search your friends, keep an eye of the trailer and tidy up, thank you so much!" he called out as he zoomed out of sight.
"What an ungrateful egg." Carla muttered, flying towards Wendy while carrying a small load of clothing.
"Where is Natsu?" Happy asked, he was carrying a small wooden chair.
"I don't know." Wendy replied and went inside the trailer. It was quiet and messy, but before Rabian got to mess it up, it was clean, Wendy observed. She caught sight of the book in the middle of the floor. She dropped her load in a corner and picked the book up.
"It's a fairytale." she beamed at Carla and Happy behind her and opened it.
"Honestly, Wendy, Natsu and the others are missing and you're fussing over a fairytale book?" Carla sighed.
"I'm sorry." Wendy replied, embarrassed. She was about to put the book down when the book glowed. She gasped and dropped it.
"Ouch." a voice yipped.
Wendy, Carla and Happy looked around for any sign of living being to make the noise. And they saw nothing.
"W-who was it?" Happy trembled behind Carla.
"Stop being a baby, Happy." Carla admonishes but was also shaking a little.
"You should not drop books like that, young lady, especially a fairytale book." the book said.
"T-the book is talking!" Happy gasped.
"That is correct. I'll be honest with you, little girl, since you wanted to read me instead of looking for your friends first. I am honored to please you immensely." the book jumped toward Wendy and launched itself at her, making her lose her balance and fall on the small wooden chair that Happy brought in.
"Huh?" Wendy mumbled in confusion as she looked at the book in her lap.
"Be careful with that Wendy, I don't trust that book." Carla hisses as she perched on Wendy's shoulder and Happy on the other.
"Please, I really meant no harm." the book implored. "All I wanted is to be read and this was my last resort."
"What does that mean?" Happy asked.
"I made a harmless trick on your friends, that's why they've disappeared. I was just mad at them because they were taunting me. I was never taunted. My last master, the former owner of this trailer, loved me dearly even though he aged and my stories were not in his league anymore, but he kept me anyway. I was stuck in this place when he passed away and he has no one to leave me to."
"Oh, how sad." Wendy lamented and looked at Carla with pleading eyes.
Carla sighs and huffed, "Oh, okay, okay, let's read it. But I'm watching you, book." she threatened.
"I promise to take your friends back unharmed. Just read me, please!" it begged.
"Aye, let's start!" Happy announced.
Wendy smiled and opened the book. Her eyes widened when she saw the images of Natsu and the rest in the front page.
"So, you were not joking when you took Natsu!" Happy accused.
"Of course, it wasn't and we were fools to believe that book meant no harm. Burn it, Wendy!" Carla said in a panicking voice.
"Wait." Wendy looked at the images and read the introduction, ignoring Carla and Happy.
"In the kingdom of Marigold, there lived an evil Princess who wishes to rule the whole world and rid of it the feeling of happiness and love. With her loyal and powerful dragon and royal guard vampire at her side, she believed that nothing could stop them and they started their plan, ridding love and happiness of the villages they encounter. They rid love and happiness in a small yet peaceful village of Yon before they were satisfied with the progress they've made and left for the castle. They were not aware that there were threats to their plot when they chose that village and made a shortcut at the Valley of Hunters..."
********
A few hours after the Princess and her followers left the village of Yon, a shadow of a man appeared on the walkway to Yon.
The man valiantly strode towards the village of Yon, it was a long time since he last stepped in the rich and loving grounds of it. How he yearned to live in this village yet fate has other plans for him. He picked a couple of wild flowers along the way and he patted an imaginary speck at his cape and clothes, checked the shine of his shoes, and ran anxious fingers through his blue hair, he made sure it won't hide his mark on his eye when—
Wendy gasped. "Carla, Happy, its Jellal!"
Carla gaped for a few seconds before flopping down on Wendy's lap and poked the book. "Spill it, book, why is Jellal there? I thought Natsu and the others who were here are the only ones trapped in there!"
"Carla, Wendy, I think we should just finish the story." Happy said.
"Why—"
Happy faced Carla. "I think that this book is not any ordinary book. I think this is the Book of Tales. It is the book that sucks up people, using them for the stories it makes up but it really does no harm since it's just using them as casts. It uses the information it gets from its casts and weaves a tale that would both inform and entertain the reader." He looked up at the portrait of the hairy man. "That must be the reason why the previous owner was a rich and talented play writer."
"Very well said, cat." the book purred. "If you don't mind in continuing to read me, young lady?" it added.
"Oh," Wendy glanced at Carla who disapprovingly glared at Happy while the latter was nodding at her. "Okay."
—he made sure it won't hide his mark on his eye when he visited Ultear. He smiled and took a deep breath of the fresh air of the province and was puzzled when he didn't hear the happy tunes of the birds singing. He normally hears it whenever he approaches the village.
Jellal quickened his pace towards the village when he heard the racket. Shouts, screams, breaking objects were heard and he ran, only to stop short a few feet from the welcoming arch of the village. The arch was far from welcoming now, it was torn down and traces of fire still eat the mahogany carvings of the word 'Welcome'.
The people of the village are at war, throwing stones at houses, bickering, setting trees on fire and there he saw Ultear at the house of her bestfriend, Melody. The two are arguing.
Jellal dropped the flowers and stared at the commotion in shock. This was the most peaceful village that he encountered in his entire journey and now it became like this. Before he could calculate a logical explanation for this, a hand emerged from the bushes and pulled him in. The unknown person promptly covered his mouth and whispered a Sssshh in his ear. He looked at his captor, readying himself in a fight when he saw it was a girl.
She has blonde hair, brown eyes and an irritating air that surrounds her...
"Hey, it's Lucy!" Happy pointed out, grinning.
Jellal frowned at his captor and swatted her hand away. He opened his mouth but she motioned him to be quiet and they heard voices outside the hedge.
"I swear I saw him standing here!"
His eyes widened at the sound of Ultear's voice. He was about to get out of the bush but his captor gripped at his arm and shook her head. He was about to protest when Melody's voice rang out.
"I don't care, Ultear. You're such a loser. When I see him, I'll deliver him directly to our Princess and collect that 'new spawn' reward!" she laughed and they heard a slapping sound then silence.
"How dare..." Melody's voice faded and a series of footsteps were heard running away from their hiding place.
Jellal gaped at the bush.
"I..." He whispered and shook his head. "I don't understand."
"I do." the girl held out her hand, "Lucy Heartfilia, at your service."
"Jellal Fernandez." Jellal accepted it. "What happened here?"
Lucy leaned her back before a tree that grew beside the bush and grabbed a satchel that was lying down the ground. Jellal assumed it was hers.
"Yes, I know the feeling. Why the sudden change? The village of Yon is a peaceful, happy and a village that's full of love. Those qualities a traveler won't ever forget, but those are the reasons why it is what it is now. The Princess despises love, happiness, and all good stuff. Her reason? I don't know." Lucy shrugged and opened the satchel and continued. "She, her dragon and guard passed through this village and she weakened at the sight. She dealt with it by filling the village with hate, a quality she's dying to give Earth." She rolled her eyes.
Jellal's expression hardened. "I need to stop her. But I am not from here and I don't know where she lives." He sighs.
Lucy's eyes twinkled. "You're in luck, wanderer. I'm just the girl you needed for the quest. Judging by the predictable routine of fairy tales, such as this, you wanted to—" She blinked. "Avenge the villagers..." her voice faded and she shook her head.
It was Jellal's turn to blink. "How'd you know?"
"I... I don't know what I just said." she flipped the satchel and two of its contents rolled off it. A set of keys and a roll of paper. "Anyway, here's a map of Marigold, this village is next to the last village in the boundary of the Princess' kingdom." Lucy picked up the keys and jiggled them. "And these are the keys to the castle."
"How did you get those?" Jellal asked.
"I used my seductive beauty, of course." Lucy beamed and imaginary roses bloomed behind her.
Jellal frowned. "I doubt that, for all I know, you stole that from a drunken guard, not with your beauty. Do you even have one to begin with?" Instantly, Lucy's imaginary roses withered and pricked her, leaving her bleeding in the background.
"Can't you even just pretend that I have one?" Lucy muttered wearily.
Jellal ignored her and studied the map. "Anyway, we are here and... Uh-huh... Hmm... Interesting..." he rubbed his chin and looked up at his companion. "If my purpose in going to the Princess' castle is revenge, what's yours?"
Lucy smiled and rolled the map, putting it in the satchel before standing up, seeming to know that the coast is clear. "Let's start the journey with Lucy Heartfilia, dragon hunter." She took a path that was on the left side of the village and turned to Jellal, who was slowly following her trail. "My purpose you ask? I want her dragon."
********
"Gray..." Princess Erza softly called out and she immediately felt the cold presence of her royal guard. She smiled with satisfaction at the punctuality of Gray Fullbuster, her vampire guard.
"Yes, Princess." Gray emerged from the shadows surrounding her dark bed chambers. He bowed low before and straightened up gracefully, not letting even a centimeter of his cape on the floor.
Princess Erza reached for her gold goblet that sat on her black bedside table that was lined with red trimmings. "I feel their presence..." she held out her hand and a dagger took form out of thin air, landing on her hand. She gently slipped the tip in her goblet, a signal to Gray that consequences will be made should he fail.
Gray stiffened and he ground out. "I will not let you go to such measures, Majesty. I can handle the threats that you feel... by myself." He bowed and with a wave of her hand he blended into the shadows.
Princess Erza leaned back in the sofa and smiled icily. Nobody will go between her and her plans, no one. The world will be hers and she will rule this rotten stink hole known as Earth. She gently clinked the dagger in the goblet and a fiery form emerged from behind her.
"If he fails, my pet, you shall eliminate what's bothering your beloved master."
From the darkness the form nodded. And Princess Erza laughed wickedly.
"Erza is very scary when she's in touch with her evil side." Carla worries.
"But aren't we lucky that she's on our side?" Happy reminds her.
"Enough!" the book squalled. Carla puffed out her annoyance, Happy and Wendy wore slightly embarrassed expressions. "Now, on with the story..."
Lucy and Jellal are marching their way towards the village of Merlia, a village that is surrounded by the river of Merlia, where the village got its name. They trod past the silent village.
"Do you think that the Princess has something to do with the suspicious silence in this village?" Jellal asked Lucy.
She shrugged. "I don't know. But the map maybe wrong, there's no such thing as a well that is found in the middle of Merlia." Lucy frowned and pored over the map before looking up and around and still found no well.
"Maybe that is the problem." a voice drawled.
Lucy and Jellal jumped and was at each other's back, ready to fight. Their eyes wandered the silent place and saw nothing but the sparkling waters of Merlia and the ever silent village.
"The well was removed by the horrible Princess Erza." the waters splashed and before them a mermaid with blue hair came ashore. "I am Juvia, the water maiden and keeper of Merlia. Ever since the well was removed the people of Merlia locked themselves in the houses and refused to do anything but to grieve the loss of the well." she sadly said.
"Why can't they build another one?" Jellal asked with a hint of irritation.
Juvia looked at him, surprised. "Dear stranger, let me remind you that this is Merlia we're talking about. The well is not an ordinary well and it is magical, that's the source Juvia's powers and the source of the people's feelings of happiness and love."
"So the Princess attacked this place also." Lucy muttered.
"I must put a stop towards her evil plans and return the peace that was lost in Marigold." Jellal declared passionately, his eyes blazing with the foresight of victory. Jellal turned to Lucy, "We must draft a plan here and here..."
Juvia's eyes sparkled at his words. Juvia will get the well back for the people of Merlia...
"Juvia will volunteer to accompany you, travelers." she piped up. The two stopped abruptly and looks at her oddly. Juvia was about to take back what she said, she knew that it was ridiculous for a mermaid like her to be in a journey but she will endure... For him.
"Are you sure, Juvia?" Lucy asked. "You know you're not suited to... uh... travel... in land , that is."
"Juvia insists she comes!" Juvia has to. "Juvia knows a shortcut in going to the Princess' castle. That map doesn't have the shortcut that Juvia only knows." she smiles and swishes her tail in the clear blue waters.
"Hmm..." Jellal frowned and scratched his chin. "How should we know that you are not lying to us?"
"Juvia knows The Path of The Dark. Familiar?"
Lucy gasped. "You're kidding! Then that is the shortcut everybody is talking about." she faced Jellal's questioning gaze. "Unlucky travelers that strove to avoid the Princess' castle tend to stumble upon The Path of The Dark, which directly lead towards the basement of the Princess' castle." Lucy rolled up her map.
She snapped her head up and faced the two. "The mermaid's right. I think I know where she's heading with this. Let's go." Lucy marched toward the path to The Path of The Dark and Jellal followed.
"Hey, what about Juvia?!" Juvia almost screeched as she tried edging to shore. The two both stopped in their tracks and looked at each other. "You two are unfortunately insufficient with information. Do you think some crummy and old map of The Hunters could help you go into The Path of The Dark when no one ever set foot inside and lived to tell the tale outside of it?"
Lucy frowned. "I need not ask you, mermaid, how you knew the map of The Hunters." she tapped her rolled map on her chin and pointed it towards Jellal. "You carry her, bold stranger-who-turns-out-to-be-a—" Lucy pinched her temples and shook her head. What am I saying? Why did I say that?
"Why is Lucy so confused here?" Happy asked the book, anxiously.
"This woman knows something about her true identity and she seems powerful enough to be conscious of my spell. What is her origin?" the book asked, amazed.
"Lucy is a writer." Wendy informed.
"Ah, so that explains it. Being a writer, Lucy-chan is conscious of different plots and stories. That's why she'd been able to predict the most well used plot in fairy tales. Well, we'll make something about that." the book murmured and it glowed bright then abruptly dimmed.
"What did you just do, book?" Carla asked suspiciously.
"You're always the antagonist, White Cat." Carla's mouth opened to protest but the book beat her to it. "On with the tale!"
Our three heroes have now set foot on the entrance of The Path of The Dark. Lucy was leading their group with map in hand and looking at it, ignoring the wiles and the babbling of their mermaid companion.
"Will you shut up already?" Jellal grumbled after a huge huff. "You're not light, you know. Why do I get to carry this burden?"
"Juvia is not a burden. Can't you see Juvia trying to help you, strangers?" Juvia fumed while swishing her tail from side to side.
"Are you suggesting that I, a woman, will carry that heavy thing?" Lucy quipped, not looking up from the map.
"Juvia is not a thing! Juvia—" Juvia stopped short on her sentence when their entire surroundings turned to pitch black. She wondered what was up since she knew that they were just coming up the darkest path of The Path of The Dark. Could it be? her heart hammered in her chest.
Lucy stopped in her tracks and quickly ran towards Jellal's side and began looking side to side.
"What's wrong?" Jellal asked.
"He's here." Lucy whispered as the temperature suddenly dropped and she could almost feel those icy fingers running up her skin, sending goosebumps everywhere.
"Who's here?" Jellal whispered back. He silently swore when he couldn't even grab his weapon. But he did swear loudly when he felt his sword slip from its hilt as if being pulled from an unknown or invisible foe. Jellal glanced at Lucy and saw when her satchel and her map was swiped away from her by the air and flew into the darkness.
"My satchel!" she was about to follow it but Jellal quickly came in her way, huffing at the heavy weight of carrying Juvia.
"Don't be a fool, Lucy-chan." Juvia said seriously but deep inside, she really... "You know who you are up against but still you wanted to choose a rash decision."
"As much as I hated admitting it, the mermaid's right," a voice, cool and icy drawled throughout the darkness. Juvia stopped herself from fainting.
From out of the darkness Gray emerged in his white tuxedo, black silk hat and cape. On his breast pocket was a blood red rose. He smiled at the three, showing his fangs and winked, particularly at the girls.
Lucy rolled her eyes. "You can do that every day if you want, Gray, but as you can see, we are all immune to your vampiric charms."
He floated an inch closer while he fiddled with the rose in his breast pocket. "Are you all?" He closed his red eyes and inhaled. "Ahh... the intoxicating scent of a human hunter. It's been years since I have had my fill of your kind." he opened his eyes and his gaze darted at Lucy.
"Why you—" Lucy failed to advance on Gray when Juvia quickly held her arm tight. Jellal nodded gratefully at Juvia.
"What do you want, vampire?" Jellal asked.
"A little bird told me, some meddling meddlers are planning to meddle with my Princess' plans. And I am here to eliminate them." Gray grabbed the rose and threw it at them. The rose turned into ice and as it neared the group it exploded and scattered towards their direction.
"Down!" Jellal shouted and they all dived down the ground.
Gray chuckled and vanished into the darkness. "I assumed that it was you three who are the meddling meddlers. Any last words?"
"Take Juvia, Gray-sama!" Juvia couldn't help but shouting.
Jellal and Lucy stood up and they promptly evaded a falling icicle from above giving them no time to ponder on Juvia's outburst. Jellal grunted and puffed while running as icicle by icicle came shooting his way, thanking to wherever he was that there are no ragged paths, uneven terrain or even tree branches in his way.
"Look out!" Juvia squealed as a huge icicle fell right in front of them blocking their path. Jellal quickly stopped running just in time to avoid getting crushed.
"It's so hard to do this simple task when I'm carrying you, mermaid. Might as well give you to—" Jellal could practically hear the Ding! and illuminate their current location from the idea that he acquired.
Lucy suddenly came barreling from another direction to their spot, another icicle fell where she came from and on either of their sides, effectively trapping them since they heard the soft clicking of Gray's shoes in front of them.
"Let me repeat myself." Gray's voice purred. "Any... last... words?" his voice getting louder as he was getting near them.
"Lucy. Blood. Now." Jellal couldn't take his eyes off the darkness where he'll figure Gray would appear and glanced at the anxious expression of Juvia.
Lucy looked at him, puzzled. But seeing the seriousness written on his face, she shook her head and grabbed a sharp clip hidden behind her scrunchie and made a small slice on her hand. "I hope this is a plan." She held out her hand to Jellal but her blood dripped on Juvia's face.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Lucy was about to wipe it off from the mesmerized mermaid's face but Jellal stepped away. "Hey, what's the big idea?!"
"It's perfect." he mused. Lucy gaped at him and on Juvia. Then it hit her. It was Juvia's outburst not a while ago that gave her true intentions away. Lucy smiled and added drops of blood on Juvia's cheeks.
"What's taking you so long, vampire?" Lucy called out.
"Oh... I seem to misplace my pants... Never mind, I found it. Now where was I—" Jellal and Lucy could hear Gray sniff loudly. "I-is that..."
"The one and only." Jellal drawled.
"BLOOOOOOOOD!" Gray pounced from the darkness and Jellal tossed Juvia towards him.
"Gray-sama, I love you!" Juvia held up her arms and hooked them on Gray's neck when she got the chance. Gray was not expecting that and he missed his footing, he lost his balance as he instinctively wrapped his arms around Juvia. Falling backwards, the two of them rolled away into the darkness.
"Let go of me!" Gray's voice echoed through the darkened path.
"Leave him to Juvia, just go straight from here on." Juvia called out. Lucy and Jellal nodded towards the dark where the two vanished and they ran to the path Juvia instructed.
"My Majesty! No!!"
"Juvia's your Princess now, Gray-sama. Bite me!"
"No! Let me go!"
"You sure you don't want Fish with blood?"
"Noooooooooooo!"
********
Erza instantly felt that her guard lost the battle between him and the intruders. Felt defeat and tasted it on the bitter end of her tongue. She gritted her teeth and sliced the golden goblet clean in the middle in her rage. The goblet fell on the stone floor and clattered.
As the sound reverberated throughout her castle, a form materialized in the darkness beside her.
"My guard lost, my pet." she murmured. "I was a fool to underestimate them. Whatever tricks they've got up their sleeves are no mere tricks." She slowly looked over to her pet. "What do you say, my pet? Do you agree that I never should have sent a guard to do a master's job?"
When the form gave a low growl, Erza smiled.
"Well, then, let's go and greet our incoming guests."
********
"That was... brave of her." Lucy suddenly broke the stiff silence between her and Jellal. They are currently walking into the dungeon of the castle.
Jellal nodded. "Her 'bravery' wouldn't be forgotten." he said soberly.
Silence. Then suddenly both of them laughed out loud.
Jellal stretched his arms. "Ahhhh! The feeling of carrying nothing."
"And the feeling of peaceful silence." Lucy snickered.
"And the feeling of incoming doom," a voice said eerily from the roof.
Jellal and Lucy stopped in their tracks, looking both left and right, as Jellal gripped his sword—that he thankfully remembered on picking up before leaving The Path of The Dark, tightly in his hand. Lucy groped for the whip hidden under her belt.
The ground began to quake that Jellal and Lucy had to reach for the dungeon's cemented posts. The roof of the dungeon shook as well as the chains and black skeletal chandeliers that hung.
Jellal and Lucy looked at each other before nodding, understanding that this is the moment they've been waiting for. They knew the Princess would know they are coming for her and they are expecting her appearance. Only not this soon but it's now or never.
The roof of the dungeon gave a small crack and the quaking eased. But as soon as the two regained their balance and released their hold from the posts, the ceiling shattered into a million pieces that sent shards all over the place. Jellal vigilantly charged toward Lucy, letting both of them roll behind the safety of a partially damaged dungeon's wall.
"Thanks." Lucy panted.
Jellal nodded. "Don't mention it." He took a small peek from the wall and withdrew his head from it instantly before a stream of fire barbecued his head. But he saw enough.
"Okay, Lucy, here's the plan..." he whispered and quickly told her the plan.
"I gotta say, you are impressive, intruders." Erza laughed. As her dragon landed on all fours, she hopped out of his back. Leisurely strolling toward the bend where she knew the intruders were hiding, not letting anything distract her from her targets.
She planted a hand on her hip and raised a hand. Her dagger emerged from her hand and floated in midair ready to strike the intruders behind the wall. "But this is where you'll die."
"Don't bet on it!" Lucy shouted from above. Erza gasped and saw Lucy standing on a curved beam on the ceiling just above her dragon. Before anyone could do anything, Lucy pulled a thick, white scarf which served as her belt and jumped down onto the dragon's back.
The dragon roared and swished its massive body roughly from left to right that Lucy had to hold on to its scales tightly, ignoring the scratches she's getting.
"Lose that petty Hunter, my pet!" Erza ordered angrily as she turned and walked towards her dragon. She stopped in her tracks for a moment before quickly twirling around and raising her dagger in time as Jellal slashed his sword her way.
Erza smirked. "Nice moves. For a man."
Jellal smirked back. "Not bad. For a princess."
Erza's eyes flashed with anger as she pushed her dagger against his sword and she made a swipe for his neck which he dodged with excellent agility.
"And this princess will kill and rule the world with hate." she hissed and sent countless of swipes and slashes toward him, hating the fact that the sound of princess coming from his mouth sent tingles all over her and his skill that seem to match hers with every dodge and parry tend to impress her by the minute. And in order to forget that, she would keep on cutting and striking at this hero-wannabe.
She'll never fall for any man's tricks ever again, that she was sure.
Lucy watched the exchange of Jellal and Erza but as much as she was amazed by the deadly yet in synch dancing of blades, she bit the edge of the scarf before holding tight on the scales with both hands and braced herself as the dragon obeyed its master's orders in losing her by taking wing.
She'll have to finish this so that she'll have time to help Jellal with the princess. But this dragon, first and foremost, is her main priority.
Jellal barely glanced at the giant dragon taking off with Lucy, he'll have to deal with this spoiled princess first.
"I'm here to stop you, princess." he parried a slash aiming for his neck and dodged the one aiming for his leg. "I want to avenge the village of Yon and I'll make you return all the love and peace where they truly belong."
Erza hopped away from him, her dagger poised for another attack. "What makes you think I'll give them back?"
His eyes narrowed. "Because they are not yours to take. You don't have the right to take love and happiness from the people around you."
"Oh yeah?" she snapped a finger and a long sword appeared in her other arm. Gripping the dagger tightly she charged towards Jellal with blinding speed of slashes. "You don't have any right to barge into my business too."
Jellal winced at the nicks he was receiving from Erza's random slashes. They were not deep due to her reckless strikes but they hit at places he never expects. All he could do was parry and dodge, hoping against hope that he'll tire her out. But when the woman jumped away from him, he swore when he found not even a pant of breath or a sweat on her.
She smiled evilly. "I know what you're doing, intruder." She snapped yet another figure and another weapon, an axe this time, emerged from her hands. "But this body is trained for endless battles." From another hand, a spear appeared. "Don't wish for me to tire so easily."
Great, Jellal wiped the back of his hand over his mouth. If this keeps on going, I'll have more nicks on my skin and probably bleed to death. Unless... His eyes widened as a lightbulb suddenly popped over his head.
"Why fill the world with hate, princess? Is there really no one here loving you anymore?" With a smile, he lowered his weapon and motioned his fingers for Erza to charge.
She gritted her teeth in anger and charged. Anger, humiliation and that tremulous feeling she's having is making her rash and reckless in this battle. She knew it but she can't stop herself from doing so. Gone were the training and calm out of the window and comes in the old, 10-year-old, clumsy Erza that her old grandfather trained with patience and love.
Love...
She tripped a little bit, dropping the axe, spear and sword while charging but immediately caught herself and continued on, ignoring the heating of her face. Her eyes widened and her speed slowed when she saw Jellal drop his weapon and opened his arms wide. What is he doing? Her heart pounded but she chose to ignore it as she squeezed her eyes shut and looked down. Not wanting to see his face if she pierce her dagger into his heart.
Breath wheezed out of her as she stopped abruptly. Inhaling a weird scent, she looked up at his face through gradually hazing vision. Narrowing her eyes, she gazed at her dagger just mere inches away from Jellal's chest before collapsing from an unknown cause. Her strength seeping out of her, she just let Jellal scoop her up.
"Why did you stop from running that blade through my chest?" he asked softly. Too softly for her taste, but it oddly comforted her.
"You poisoned me." she accused in a whisper.
He chuckled. "Hardly. It's a potion I created that instantly weakens the body of anyone close to it fumes except for myself. While you're busy shooting towards me, the fumes gradually make you clumsy and I was just preparing to catch that dagger of yours before it reach my heart anyway."
"Y-you tricked me." but she leaned her head over the expanse of his chest.
"That's the understatement of the history, princess." he murmured while climbing up the staircase.
Erza closed her eyes. "Now that you have me at your mercy, just kill me quickly and be over with it. A princess knows when her defeat is inevitable."
Jellal said nothing and Erza waited to be thrown over the balcony, burned alive or impaled on a stake.
"Well, a gentleman does otherwise." He surprised her by saying that making her open her eyes and stared at him. When he looked down at her and smiled she seemed to really lose her strength... and her sanity. What was wrong with her?!
"I know you didn't do that just for fun, Princess."
Erza lowered her lids and looked away. "I... I was mad at everybody. Grandfather... he's the only family I have. Just after the Spring Haze festival, the villagers told some sick joke to our drunken guards that a bet is placed to whoever kills Grandfather gets me as a prize." Despite the weak condition of her body, she clenched her fist tightly.
"Did they kill your Grandfather?" Jellal asked softly. What kind of subjects does this princess have, anyway? Even to his own ears, the subjects killing their own ruler were barbaric.
Erza shook her head and swallowed her tears. She lost her pride, she was defeated and she'd be damned if she'll let this stranger see her cry. "No, they didn't. But what they did was the same, anyway. Grandfather was standing over my balcony to open my window when an arrow went through his heart. I called for help, but when our guards found him dead, they cheered and grabbed onto me. I went ballistic."
"You killed them?" he asked, shock.
She looked at her hand. "I did worse. I stole their feelings happiness and love. After doing so, they turned to each other and killed each other while I watch. Strangely unsatisfied with that."
"So you went up and stole love and happiness from all of Marigold." Jellal guessed.
And Erza didn't deny the act but nodded. "They need to feel what I felt. How their happiness while someone else grieves truly is an injustice."
Jellal caught her chin and tilted her head up, forcing her to look into her eyes. "Then answer this. Did you even think that because you grieve, you can take happiness and love from people who didn't even know you or your grandfather from the village of Yon? Do you feel happy now that you see them grieve from the inside because they hate what they're doing?"
She blinked rapidly as her eyes began to moisten. "I... I hadn't—realized..."
He smiled and tucked a stray lock of scarlet hair behind her ears. "It's okay. You've just been through a lot and you had no one to turn to. You'll just have to make it up to them and I assure you the people from the village of Yon will forgive you."
"W-why are you so nice to me?" her heartbeat doubled in speed. "I... I nearly killed you."
"But you didn't. You still had enough strength to finish me but you didn't." Jellal held her close. "You are kind, too, princess. You just didn't give yourself a chance at it."
Erza looked away for a moment and stared up at him again. Blushing, she began, "I—"
The whole castle shook and the ceiling of the grand hallway where Jellal stood with Erza in his arms. He tightened his hold on Erza and thought of countless possible ways to keep her safe while he finished her dragon.
But as the ceiling gave way, the dragon, now wearing the scarf that was knotted around its neck, lowered itself on all fours and Lucy hopped out from its back.
"Are you okay, Lucy?" Jellal asked immediately unaware of Erza's face turning stone-cold hard.
Lucy frowned as she rounded her dragon and hugged at its neck, smoothing the rough scales with her hand. "I am. You two look pretty cozy together. I guess you won't be needing my aid, then."
Jellal coughed low while Erza turned red. "Same goes with you to my dragon, you Hunter." She turned to look up at Jellal. "Is she your intended?" it was almost a demand.
Lucy scoffed, cutting whatever Jellal has to say, and rolled her eyes. "Please. If he is my intended, he'll not last a second in front of a dragon." She proudly patted the dragon's neck and kissed it.
Jellal's brows furrowed. "Lucy... Why do you really want to get the princess's dragon?" From what he heard, Hunters like Lucy hunt and kill dragons. Not hunt and kiss.
Lucy reached for a long coat on the back of the dragon. "Hmm? Oh, this is my husband, by the way, Natsu Dragneel. I keep my maiden name when I'm at work, though."
Both Erza and Jellal's jaw fell on the ground as the massive creature sparkled and shine. When it shone the brightest in an inverted silhouette of a human, Lucy draped the coat around him as he fully transformed into a man.
"Hey, Majesty," Natsu grinned at Erza and Jellal.
"But... but..." Erza stuttered.
Natsu shrugged and wrapped an arm around Lucy's waist tugging her close to him. "I completely lost it when my scarf came off in my dragon form. It's a good thing my wife here is very diligent and patient in returning my prized scarf. But thanks for letting me stay and I got to taste what it feels like to be a monster dragon—Ow!"
"And there'll be none of that, I'll make sure of it. You damaged a lot of properties even if you're not a 'monster dragon'." Lucy huffed and stared unapologetically as Natsu rubbed his nose where she elbowed him.
"I'm sorry. Not happening again." Natsu stuck his hands together bowed before Lucy again and again.
While the couple are arguing, Jellal slowly and gently guided Erza to stand and helped her walk out of the castle. Keeping a hold of her, he asked, "Uhm... So... After this, do you—do you have time to go and have a drink? I know this lake that has fresh air and water."
Erza blushed. "I... I don't know. I... I'm kind of betrothed when I was still a baby."
"So? It's just a quick snack. A picnic sounds nice. And maybe that betrothed of yours probably forgot about that stupid oath, anyway." Jellal whispered the last sentence under his breath making Erza laugh.
"I don't think so. If I'm going to be nice, I'm gonna start now and politely ask my freedom. How about that?" she took small steps along the way, not wanting to break their conversation.
"Sounds good. I can escort you if you want."
She smiled. "Why not? I don't know if this Prince Jellal would approve of you coming along with me, though."
"Nah, it won't—wait, what?"
"I said that this Prince Jellal—" she was silenced when he kissed her. "What was that for?" she whispered when he released her afterwards.
"How about let's get married now, my Princess Erza."
"No way. You're Jellal?!"
"I am."
"I don't believe you. This is too convenient for you."
"And why not?"
"I don't know... Hahaha!"
"Quit teasing, you witch."
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
********
"Princess Erza finally broke free of her anger and bitterness of happiness and love, not expecting that both feelings would free her in the arms of her Prince Jellal. Princess Erza mended her ways with Prince Jellal at her side and the people forgave and forget. They got married in the small, mostly damaged but once again peaceful village of Yon with Hunter Lucy and Juvia the mermaid as bridesmaids and Dragon Natsu and Vampire Gray as bestmen. And all lived happily ever after. The end."
Wendy looked up from the book and laughed when she saw Carla sighing longingly in front of her while Happy laid on his back daze, muttering about Natsu and Lucy married over and over again.
"I've got to say that was impressive book." Carla sighed again.
"It was indeed heartwarming. Thank you, book." Wendy closed the book with care.
"No problem. All I ever wanted was to be read and the stories inside me appreciated. But I couldn't have done it without my cast." the book hopped out of Wendy's hands and onto the floor. "I'm gonna release them now and I'll be on my way. I'm more confident that someone will give me a new home on the road now that you all liked my stories."
"You could come with us, you know." Wendy said.
The book shook itself, as if it's shaking his head. "No, you've done enough for me, little girl. I thank you. You too, white cat, blue cat. Sayonara!"
It did a little jig and disappeared, leaving Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Juvia and Erza on the floor.
"Oh my head." Lucy groaned.
"I had a very weird dream." Natsu said.
"I had a very weird nightmare." Gray added.
"Juvia had the very best dream." Juvia sighed.
"What did you dream, Erza?" Wendy asked a quiet Erza. Her head snapped up and looked at Wendy. A blush creeping on her face.
"Uhm... nothing. I dream of nothing. I mean, I have no dreams. None at all. Now, I'm gonna practice." Stiffly, Erza stood and exited the door before vocalizing in a distracted manner that makes Wendy and Carla smile.
"What happened to Happy?" Natsu leaned in to listen what Happy was talking about.
"Natsu... Lucy... Ma—"
Carla quickly covered his mouth. "Oh nothing, Natsu. He's just muttering about fish again. I'll take care of him, Natsu."
"Ah, my stars are back!" Rabian's voice entered the caravan that Natsu and the rest jumped to attention and went out.
"Thanks, Carla!" Natsu grinned before he left, leaving Carla sighing in relief.
"Oh no, I haven't made a story yet. Is it really this late already?" Lucy worried.
"I... I have a story."
Rabian, Lucy, Natsu, Erza, Gray, and Juvia turned to look at Wendy standing on the opening of the caravan.
"But—" Rabian started but Lucy stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Let's hear it, Wendy." Lucy smiled.
Wendy beamed.
********
It was fun. The play was a success even if we almost set the theater irreparable but the people love us. Not only because we of how we act but also of the story. I managed to put a few tweaks in it and I made Natsu the Prince. Lucy the Princess. Juvia the DragonHunter. Gray the Ice Dragon. Erza the Vampire. And me the Mermaid.
There were times when the prince set the castle on fire instead of the dragon, and both the dragonhunter and the princess lost their clothing because the vampire went berserk and the prince and the dragon went an all out war instead of the hunter-dragon and princess-prince main story. But it was so much fun and the audience didn't mind. I also wondered that even though the play was a success, I get to get dragged out of the caravan and into the next trip back home by Natsu and the rest saying something about overworking them again. But I just shrug it off.
While looking out of this window, the story I read from that magic book will be forever engraved in my heart. Happiness. Love. Forgiveness. Friendship. All are recipes of one happy ever after.
Nodding with satisfaction at what Wendy wrote, she closed her diary and hugged it close to her heart.