Fairies' Den
"I can't believe you guys didn't clue me in that you're both from Fairy Tail," Lucy grumbled at Natsu and Happy, hauling her suitcase with a glare aimed directly at me.
"It just never came up. No need to throw a fit now," I retorted, trailing behind with my own luggage. "You're heading to Fairy Tail now anyway, aren't you? And let's face it, it's not my fault you couldn't spot the real Salamander." I couldn't resist a smug grin before Lucy swatted me with a pout. Seriously, don't blame me for your lack of observation skills.
Lucy simply huffed and strode off, finally engaging in conversation with Natsu. He'd been unusually quiet since yesterday when we boarded the train. Who would've thought that a combination of hangover and motion sickness could wreak such havoc on a person's insides?
Thankfully, he bounced back as soon as we disembarked, practically kissing the ground in relief. His disdain for trains was practically legendary, and his near-tears reaction was quite the commotion, much to our embarrassment.
"This is such a weird feeling," Natsu mumbled, finally breaking his silence as we stepped off the train at Magnolia station, his first words since we boarded the train last night. He'd been out cold the whole journey.
"Aye, it's strange. We caused chaos at the port, yet they thanked us, paid us, and sent us on our merry way," Happy chimed in, a fresh fish dangling from his mouth courtesy of my peace offering. He'd been a tad peeved at me for getting Natsu drunk and causing a scene, though he had no issue with causing chaos himself. But having his best friend sloshed was a definite no-no.
Fortunately, he forgave me the moment I dangled some fish in front of him. Thank the stars he doesn't hold grudges like regular cats.
"Usually, when we pull stunts like that, people are up in arms, complaining to the Magic Council about Fairy Tail," Natsu added, while Lucy stretching her limbs, fighting off sleepy yawn as my gaze flicked to her bandaged hand. It was the only injury our group sustained yesterday, thanks to a misplaced punch. Damn it sister, try not to let anger control your fist.
"Because Lucas had a plan for it," she said, looking at me with a smile that screamed 'Well Done'
"Yup, before we launched the attack, I made sure to inform the City Guards about Dark Wizard Bora masquerading as Salamander and kidnapping civilians," I explained. "I warned them that a major magical battle was about to unfold to rescue those people, so they swiftly evacuated everyone from the port."
They were itching to charge in immediately, but they lacked the manpower and a wizard with enough firepower to take on such a large group. Mentioning that my sister was a Celestial Wizard with multiple Gold keys and the real Salamander was on our team helped to reassure them.
Golden Celestial Spirits are a big deal in our world. It's like pulling an SSR servant in FGO, only rarer because once Celestial Spirits are bound to a wizard, they can't form contracts with another unless their current wizard dies or the contract is severed.
So the guards were more than happy to let us handle the situation instead of risking their outnumbered men.
Even luckier, Fraudmander, aka Bora, already had a bounty on his head for being the Only-Alive type. Hence the rewards offered before we set off.
Sure, they weren't thrilled about their port being wrecked, but when we saved their wives and daughters, forgiveness came pretty easily.
So that's how I altered the first event from canon, and seeing as the universe is not destroyed, no time manipulating Organization has kidnapped me and not to mention god of time or fate has not smite me yet, I think it's safe to alter history and I don't have to chase after canon event. It will come and go, but I will face it at my own pace.
"So this is your city, huh? It certainly looks beautiful," Lucy remarked as we reached the main plaza, where people bustled about their day under the sunny late morning sky.
The city truly was a sight to behold. At its heart stood a majestic cathedral, its spires reaching for the heavens. Around it, people of all walks of life mingled among various vendors and quaint shops lining the cobblestone paths. The streets were remarkably clean and devoid of any unpleasant odors.
I nodded in agreement, taking in the scene before us. "Yeah, Magnolia has its charms, that's for sure." Despite the chaos that often ensued within its bounds, there was an undeniable allure to this city that made it feel like home.
Most people assume that Fairy Tail exists within a medieval setting, but they couldn't be more mistaken. This civilization was far more advanced than one might imagine because it thrived on magic. Instead of science, people here evolved through the intricate mastery of magical arts. Even those without magical abilities relied heavily on mages and enchanted items that had become essential facets of daily life.
Electricity was non-existent, but Lacrimas, versatile magical crystals, filled the void seamlessly. These crystals illuminated homes, facilitated video chats, and even allowed for movie screenings. There seemed to be a lacrima for every conceivable purpose, providing an enchanting alternative to the technologies of my former world. This meant modern amenities like sophisticated bathrooms, Movies and Videos, firearms like guns and rifle, efficient transportation like train and flying ship, and every other necessity of the contemporary world were either already available or in the developmental stages. It was no wonder that nothing in this city could detract from my enjoyment as we leisurely strolled through its streets.
From our vantage point, myriad pathways stretched out in different directions, leading to various districts. The bustling Bazaar district lay just a few blocks away, while the apartment district bordered a small river in another direction.
However, our immediate destination stood atop the tallest structure in sight, or at least it appeared so due to its elevated position within the city. In the distance, a Japanese-style building loomed proudly, reminiscent of shrines and temples, albeit with a unique twist.
"We can give you the grand tour of the city later, but first, I want to show you guys Fairy Tail guild!" Natsu announced excitedly, breaking into a jog.
"Aye!" Happy chimed in eagerly, his paw raised in a salute as he perched atop Natsu's pink hair.
"Oh my god! we're really going to meet Fairy Tail?!" Lucy exclaimed with pure joy, her earlier anger and grumpiness melting away as she bounced around like a kid on a sugar high. Her energetic display drew the attention of some passersby, particularly males who couldn't help but steal glances at her assets as she jumped.
"Come on, let's go, Lucas!" she called out before dashing off with Natsu and Happy.
Inwardly, I let out a frustrated sigh, mentally scolding my sister for attracting unnecessary attention.
As the men and boys who had been staring at Lucy shifted their gaze towards me, I instinctively drew my sword.
"Scram, you maggots!" I barked, my voice laced with irritation and protectiveness.
Rolling...
You Rolled: Hands of Gods [Warhammer Fantasy: Lizerdmen]
Cost: 400CP
Roll failed
100CP Banked
Total: 200CP
"So, this is the kingdom's top guild?" I questioned aloud, surveying the chaotic scene unfolding before me. To my surprise, absolutely no one seemed inclined to intervene as Natsu dove headfirst into the fray like a reasonable adult, fists flying.
Instead brawl looked like a common cold as it spread around instantly, now everyone was fighting each other.
Beside me, Lucy's expression flickered between surprise and confusion as she deftly batted away chairs, utensils, glasses, and even a stray table that came our way without missing a beat.
"Hmm, seems like our training wasn't for nothing after all," I mused silently. It wasn't just me who focused on physical conditioning.
Ever since she ran off from home with me, she trained like a power-hungry maniac, Lucy had been pestering her Celestial Spirits, who boasted millennia of wisdom, for every piece of advice imaginable. They had imparted to her the basics of various martial arts and effective exercise routines that truly honed her physical prowess. And to be honest they were probably best teachers than any human masters on this planet. So they trained her in near Impossible difficulty.
And train like a maniac she did.
'Of course, all to protect her baby brother,' I thought wryly, the sarcasm dripping from my mental voice. Her overprotectiveness could be suffocating at times. But over the years, I had easily caught up to her and even surpassed her in terms of physical combat prowess.
Her capabilities could be likened to video game classes; initially, she was a blend of Summoner and Assassin. While her close-range combat skills were precise enough to incapacitate normal people or wizards with low durability, her strikes lacked the raw power to deal significant damage. Against opponents with substantial defenses, she struggled to make a dent.
In contrast, I adopted a Warrior Class approach, focusing on speed and endurance. Simply put, growing up as a healthy male granted me a natural advantage in combat against her.
The first time I managed to defeat her, a girl two years my senior, without weapons, armor, or magic, she was visibly stunned. From that moment on, as long as she refrained from using magic, I maintained an unbeaten record in our sparring sessions.
What surprised me even more was her reaction. Instead of jealousy, Lucy took pride in my victories. It was moments like these that highlighted her ability to seamlessly transition between a mature young woman and a naive young girl.
"So lively around here today, isn't it?" A sweet, melodic voice broke through my thoughts, drawing my attention to the most stunning girl I had ever laid eyes upon. Apologies, Lucy but I think you are beautiful, but this white-haired angel was truly captivating on other level.
And no, Aquarius didn't count; being a spirit, she had millennia of experience in maintaining her beauty.
Her white hair shimmered like an angel's halo, framing a pair of deep blue eyes reminiscent of the ocean's depths. Her figure exuded both youthfulness and maturity, the curves of her blossoming womanhood accentuated by the form-fitting barmaid outfit she wore.
"Oh my god, you're Mirajane," Lucy exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with admiration as she disregarded the chaos and commotion surrounding us. "You're the repeatedly award-winning best model in Sorcerer Weekly magazine."
"Oh, my," Mirajane replied, her tone humble as she flashed a sweet smile that sent my heart into overdrive. I mentally reminded myself to maintain control and not succumb to temptation.
"I'm Lucas, and this fangirl over here is Lucy," I interjected, flashing what I hoped was a charming smile, with teeth shining and all. Aquarius had always said it was cute, so perhaps it would work.
Mirajane's smile didn't falter, but she did seem to smile little awkwardly, like she didn't know how to respond. Come on, I had hoped to see a blush on her face as a reaction, not this. Damn it, now I've done it.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail guild, you two-ahh!" Mirajane's welcoming tone abruptly cut off as a large bottle of rum collided with the back of her head, sending her tumbling to the ground with a yelp of surprise.
I couldn't help but marvel at the fact that she was once one of the S-Class mages. Could depression and grief truly have reduced someone so strong to this state? I pondered silently to myself.
"Mirajane!" Lucy cried out dramatically, dropping to her knees to check on the fallen woman. Thankfully, Mirajane seemed to have escaped serious harm, with just a few bumps that would likely fade within the hour.
I gingerly picked up the weapon that had knocked the former S-Class mage down: a damn rum bottle reeking of alcohol. Thankfully, it remained intact and unshattered. Otherwise, it could have inflicted serious harm on this white-haired angel.
"You hit my sister!" A big brute of a man roared, his wild white hair flaring as he pulled back his fist and charged at Natsu, who was already engaged in combat with a black-haired guy wearing nothing but shorts.
Ah, so this brute must be Mirajane's brother, Elfman, and the nudist must be Gray Fullbuster.
"Stand still and take my punch like a MAN!" Elfman bellowed, his war cry of MAN! echoing through the guild hall.
"I said get out of our way!" Natsu and Gray shouted in unison, delivering a powerful combo punch that sent the hulking brute flying through the air before crashing down on top of his already fallen sister with a resounding thud. The woman below just squeaked before passing out.
Thankfully, I reacted quickly, grabbing Lucy by the back of her neck like a stray cat just in time to prevent her being victim of the splash zone.
"Give me back my underwear, you jerk!" the black-haired guy, still in nudes, showing his full glory, demanded from Natsu, who was spinning the black shorts on his finger with a mocking grin.
Ew! Disgusting! I wouldn't touch a guy's underwear like that even if my life depended on it.
"Excuse me, Miss, may I borrow your underwear?" Gray shamelessly asked, turning his attention towards us as Lucy and I froze in disbelief at the audacity of his request.
Lucy had seen me naked plenty of times in her life, so she wasn't exactly embarrassed by a naked male body.
"Argh!" Gray's screams were abruptly cut off as both Lucy and I delivered swift hits, Lucy with a kick and me with a punch, sending the naked boy flying before he crashed onto Natsu.
"Pfffff Hahaha!" Lucy burst into laughter, pointing at Natsu. "Look, Natsu, there's a naked guy on top of you."
"Alright, guys, that's enough," the sexy tanned girl, who had been casually drinking alcohol straight from a barrel instead of a glass like a normal person, finally spoke up as she drew her tarot card, igniting her magic circle. "I suggest you knock it off," she added, her tone casual yet tinged with a palpable threat.
"Oh yeah? Says who?!" Gray, the naked boy, challenged, gathering ice in his hands as he prepared his own magic.
Elfman, abandoning his sister on the ground, stood up with a roar, his hands morphing into stone gauntlets.
The orange-headed guy with glasses flexed his ring, causing his magic item to shimmer with a green light.
What had started as a skirmish was rapidly escalating into a full-blown brawl, with various types of magic and elements coming into play instead of just fists and kicks.
Suddenly, a giant shadow loomed over us as the Titan descended onto the floor, his body cloaked in darkness, his eyes blazing with fury and his horns menacingly spiked.
Lucy and I instinctively drew our swords, but then I recognized him.
"Wait a minute, I know this guy," I muttered, lowering my weapon.
"Will you fools stop bickering like children!" the giant rumbled in righteous fury, causing all the mages beneath his titanic gaze to freeze under the pressure.
"Welcome back, master! I didn't know you were back already," Mirajane exclaimed cheerfully, standing up as she patted her clothes to remove dust, seemingly unfazed despite having just been knocked out moments ago.
Rolling....
You rolled: Bath Body [Neverland: The RPG]
Cost: 300CP
Roll failed. 100CP banked.
Total: 300CP
Not now!
As the Giant cast his piercing gaze across the building, a palpable tension settled over the guild hall. Every survival instinct screamed at the mages to remain perfectly still, and for the most part, they complied.
However, there was always one idiot who seemed immune to such instincts.
"Hahaha," Natsu laughed, surveying the frozen bodies with amusement. "Hahaha, you all look like a bunch of babies. Looks like I win this- Akgh!"
His boastful laughter was abruptly cut off as the Giant nonchalantly stepped on him, flattening him against the wooden floor with a resounding bang.
The Giant then turned his attention towards us, his gaze lingering on Lucy's sword, which resembled more of a bladed whip, and the Staff of Panthalassa gripped firmly in my hand. Though we were in no immediate danger, I was still surprised and awed from his mere presence.
"And what do we have here, two new recruits for the Guild?" The giant asked, his deep voice resonating through the room.
Lucy swallowed nervously, her breath catching in her throat. "Yes, master sir, if you will have us," she replied, her usually respectful speech turning mushy with nerves.
The titan grunted, eyeing us intently before emitting more grunts, almost as if he were struggling with constipation, until finally, his body released a burst of steam.To our surprise, the giant began to shrink until he transformed into a funny old man wearing an orange shirt and a pointy hat that resembled horns.
"Nice to meet ya," he greeted us, raising his hand in a friendly gesture.
"He's so tiny!"
Lucy gawked at the transformation, realizing that the giant from before now barely reached her stomach. Meanwhile, I rolled my eyes at her obvious observation.
"So, is the giant form your transformation, or is this tiny form your transformation?" Lucy asked, her fears suddenly dispersing as curiosity took its place. She really was a magic nerd through and through. Now she wondered if he was giant man transforming into dwarf of a man, or dwarf of man was transforming into giant form.
"Who knows," Makarov replied with a chuckle as he regarded us. "I am Makarov, young man, young lady. I welcome you two to our guild, Fairy Tail."
He then attempted to jump up onto the bar of the second floor, succeeding only after whacking his head on the wood with a loud smack. Undeterred, he stood up as if nothing had happened.
After taking a deep breath, he produced some papers. "You fools did it again! How clumsy can you be?! The Magic Council won't stop sending me these complaints!" he bellowed, his words met with dismissive and carefree smiles from the guild members, no longer intimidated by his presence.
The scolding continued as Makarov listed all the complaints and screw-ups committed by the guild members. Each wizard hung their head in shame as their mistakes were brought to light.
"And most of all, Natsu!"
"Aye, sir!" Natsu jolted awake from his nap on the floor, his face filled with terror.
"You destroyed the Hargeon port!" Makarov's accusation drew the attention of everyone in the guild, their expressions turning to ones of "Oh, you're in for it now" as they glanced at Natsu.
"However, you captured an infamous criminal who was using Fairy Tail's name and you saved countless civilians from being sold off," Makarov announced, catching all of the mages off guard as they looked at Natsu in a new light.
"But it's not just me, master," Natsu replied, devoid of any humbling tone, simply stating the facts.
"Aye," Happy chimed in, nodding before pointing at me. "Lucas here is the one who made the plan and fought alongside us."
He then glanced at Lucy, giving her a teasing grin. "And Lucy also helped a little, I guess."
"Why, you cat!" Lucy retorted, glaring at Happy before huffing away, clearly offended by the feline's disrespect. She pouted at the cat's antics, her irritation evident. She wanted to impress Fairy Tail guild after all.
"I've already received the report," Master Makarov spoke, his tone serious. "Not only did you recruit one of the famous Celestial Wizards with golden keys and her brother, but you also spread the name of Fairy Tail far and wide. Do you know what this means?"
The seriousness in his expression broke as a grin spread across the old man's face. "Let's party!" he screamed enthusiastically.
"Yeahhh!" echoed the enthusiastic cries of all the mages, while Lucy and I stood around with dumbfounded looks on our faces. The whole tension and nervousness went down the drain as vibe of the room immediately changed.
Where the heck did that inspirational speech about magic go? I lamented silently in my mind. Things were snowballing faster than I expected as I looked around with nervous smile.
SO this is when I said, it will try to follow canon, but some events will be altered due to butterfly effect. Not too drastically at first, but it will get there. Like that one game Life is Strange, even though its ending sucked with only two outcomes.