Fire and Spirit

Chapter 1:

Not a Celestial Spirit Mage

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

Celestial Spirit Magic is, in many ways, the purest and most orderly form of Magic. Celestial Spirits are Magical beings from an alternate dimension, but a Celestial Mage is capable of breaking the boundaries between worlds using Magical totems known generally as Gate Keys. A Mage enters into a mutually beneficial contract with a Celestial Spirit, allowing the Celestial Spirit to cross the dimensions to give aid in return for the Mage's Magical energy, which acts to sustain and strengthen the Spirit. As the connection between Spirit and Mage grows, the contract becomes more flexible; but the rules are nevertheless clearly defined and enforced strictly by the Celestial Spirit King. This makes Celestial Spirit Mages, on the whole, law-abiding and compassionate individuals.

Lucy Heartfilia was not a Celestial Spirit Mage.

"What a lovely town," Lucy muttered to herself, staring out over the port town of Hargeon. Seagulls chirped overhead, and the smell of fish wafted everywhere. Lucy rested her head in her hands as she leant on the park railing, watching the marina thoughtfully. "But it would get boring after a while," she decided finally.

"Hmph…" Aquarius scoffed moodily, folding her arms across her dark blue bikini top. "I've seen better."

Lucy smirked at that, turning to look at the Celestial Spirit. The royal blue mermaid was sitting at the edge of a large fountain, her long tail resting in two feet of water, moodily splashing water with casual swipes of her tail fin. A small crowd had gathered before to gawp at the mermaid, but that hadn't lasted long before Aquarius chased the townspeople away with gushes of water.

"Stop being miserable," Lucy teased gently. "I swear; you're never going to get a boyfriend if you keep on acting moody."

The vein on Aquarius forehead bulged so hard it threatened to explode. That little joke of Lucy's never failed to hit a nerve.

"I told you I've got a boyfriend!" The mermaid screeched loudly.

"Oh sure," Lucy grinned, holding her hands to form quotation marks. "Your boyfriend. Tell me, is he here now?"

"He is not imaginary!" Aquarius snarled, clutching the side of the fountain so tightly the marble cracked. "His name is Scorpio! He's a great boyfriend! He's handsome, and brings me flowers and crafts sand sculptures for me!"

Lucy was too busy laughing to pay any attention. Aquarius stared daggers at the Mage, before slumping her shoulders and crossing her arms irritably.

"Why am I even here?" Aquarius sighed, staring at the idle town.

Lucy shrugged. "I was bored, and needed some company," she replied simply. "That train journey really took it out of me. Plus, you're such fun to wind up."

Aquarius grunted. "I am suffocating just being here."

Lucy rolled her eyes. Celestial Spirits were creatures of Magic, and needed the Magic of their own dimension to survive. In this world, a Spirit would eventually suffocate, much like a fish out of water. Still, it took a long time for Spirits to run out of energy, particularly if the summoner provided their own Magic to sustain the Spirit. Aquarius was in no danger at all.

"Don't be such a flat tire," Lucy scolded, still staring at the view over the town. "Relax and enjoy the sun."

Lucy sighed softly, looking at the town critically. "He's here somewhere, I'm sure of it," she mused, sniffing the air gently. "The Fire Dragon Slayer… Salamander…"

Aquarius didn't respond straight away. The Spirit looked down at Lucy with a frown. "If you don't need me, I should go," the mermaid muttered. "The Celestial Spirit King has been making things difficult for your Spirits recently."

Lucy shrugged. "That old geezer?" She muttered, with a shiver. "He hates my guts. Still, it doesn't matter. He has to follow the rules, and I don't. There's absolutely nothing he can do to hurt me."

Aquarius looked like she was going to say something, but held her tongue. Lucy cast one last glance over the horizon, and made up her mind. "Ok, then. You can go," Lucy said, clicking her fingers. "And try to do something with your hair – you'll attract boys better if you make yourself look nice!"

A glowing light enveloped Aquarius, just as she started screeching out insults at Lucy. Lucy stuck out her tongue cheekily, waving her hand as the Spirit vanished from sight. Lucy chuckled, straightening her sleeveless jacket before walking into the town.

Hargeon was just as quaint and boring as it first appeared. It was old and beautiful, yet covered in the smell of fish. There was a distinct lack of anything Magical; it even used oil-fuelled streetlights rather than Lacrima light crystals. The most excited store was buried in the centre of town, under a sign proclaiming 'Proper Grocer'. Lucy gave the Magic shop a dubious look, before walking inside.

The Magic shop was every bit what Lucy had expected it to be. The owner was an old, chinless man that nevertheless tried to push cheap novelty Magical items onto her. In an obviously non-Magical town like Hargeon, any small Magical item was a small wonder.

"I'm looking for Celestial Spirit Gate Keys," Lucy asked, turning her back on the owner as he tried to sell her a device for changing the colour of the user's clothes. "Any interesting ones."

"Celestial Keys? That's pretty uncommon." The man frowned. "But we do have one…"

He pointed to a small display. A simple, sliver key with a blue figure glinted in the cabinet. For the first time, Lucy was actually surprised. "Ah!" She said excitedly. "The Gate of the Canis Minor Key!"

The shop owner scratched his head. "That's not really strong at all."

"That's alright, I've been looking for it," Lucy said with a large grin. "How much is it?"

"20,000 jewels," he replied simply.

Lucy blinked. She could practically hear her wallet screaming in pain. "I wonder how much it is," she repeated hopefully.

"I said 20,000 jewels."

Lucy was not above unzipping her jacket a bit to expose her large cleavage, and bending over slightly with a sultry look on her face, in order to negotiate a discount. In the end, the price dropped down to 19,000 jewels, much to Lucy's annoyance. Her wallet was crying as she handed him the money, walking away with the silver key in her hand.

"A 1,000 jewel discount?" Lucy growled afterwards, walking down the street while staring at the Key of Canis Minor, the key of the gate of the Celestial Spirit Nikora. She pushed her long blond hair backwards out of her face. "My sex appeal is worth more than 1,000 jewels!"

Lucy was seventeen, yet she had matured quickly. Her body was curvaceous and smooth, and she wore a short blue skirt and black, leather high heeled boots. She had long blond hair that draped over her shoulders, despite a blue ponytail to the right side of her head. Her sleeveless jacket was white and blue and was high cut, but tight enough that it amplified her generous bust. She was used to get stuff for free.

Still, the Key of Canis Minor was tightly in her hand, so she couldn't really be angry. It was a small key, weaker than most, but an interesting little Spirit. The silver key glinted in the sun.

"It is a nice key…" She muttered to herself, just before placing the key in her mouth and biting down hard. The silver crunched roughly under her teeth, but then the key snapped and the Magic spilled out filling her mouth with golden light before she swallowed with a large gulp.

She sighed as the Magic flowed through her. "A bit plain," Lucy decided, tasting the Celestial Magic still dancing on her lips. It was a popular key, with almost a mass-produced taste. "But sweet enough."

There wasn't much power in the key, but it was enough for a good energy boost. Lucy felt her muscles become refreshed. With a grin, she extended her hand and clicked her fingers.

A short, stout white creature with bland eyes and a golden horn-like nose popped into existence. The Magic drain was on her was so small she could barely feel it. The Nikola Spirit stood on the ground, trembling while staring around with confusion.

"Pun?" He exclaimed, looking up to Lucy with wide eyes.

"So cute!" She exclaimed, picking up the Spirit in a tight hug. "I'm going to name you Plue! Doesn't that sound cute?"

The Spirit blinked several times. "Puun?" He squeaked in a high pitched voice.

Lucy shook her head. "Nope," she said firmly. "No contracts needed with me. Let's just be friends, alright?"

Plue looked confused, but he was so adorable that Lucy couldn't help but chuckle. She held him tightly as she walked down the street, window shopping idly. Eventually, she passed a group of giggling girls, talking in an excited voice. Lucy stiffened as she paused nonchalantly to listen.

Apparently, Salamander of Fairy Tail had thrown a big party on his boat in the marina.

Lucy grinned, dismissing Plue with a click of her fingers. "That sounds like fun. I wonder if I'm too late…?"

Natsu groaned as he slumped up against a wall in a back alley covered in dirt. Happy stared upwards at him with a bright smile. Natsu clutched his stomach in pain.

"So hungry…" He gasped. They'd been stuck in for Hargeon for a whole day, without any money for food or a hotel. The guards had chased him away when he tried to eat the fire from the streetlights.

"Aye!" Happy said cheerfully. The small cat had been stealing fish from the stalls all day.

The 'Salamander' that they had heard about turned out to be the wrong person, and then after that the day had just gone downhill. After being assaulted by a gang of angry fangirls, Natsu had spent the rest of the day searching for something to eat. The night was rough, and the morning didn't look any better.

He paused to look at the card with the signature of 'Salamander' that weird guy had given him. It turned out that it was completely worthless. Natsu threw the card into the bin dismissively.

Natsu stretched out on the uncomfortable ground. "Come on…" He muttered eventually. "We've got to get going back to Fairy Tail."

"Ok!" Happy grinned. "I like this town."

"This is a horrible, horrible town," Natsu groaned, walking down the street. He was tired, sore and miserable. "There's absolutely no one nice here."

"Well, at least we've got the train journey next!" Happy said cheerfully.

Natsu stifled a small sob. The very thought of the train was making him sick. "Can't we just fly back to Magnolia?" He asked weakly.

"Would take too long," Happy replied.

The pair walked through a long cobbled street, to the train station at the edge of the town. Natsu sighed. "I've got to beat up Krov for giving me this false lead."

"Aye."

Natsu was uncharacteristically subdued for a while, casting a glance over the town while they approached the train station. "We're going to find Igneel eventually, right Happy?" He asked finally.

"Of course!" Happy replied optimistically. "How many places can a dragon hide, anyways?"

"Yeah…" Natsu muttered, holding his scale-patterned scarf tightly. It had been seven years, but he had never forgotten the sound of Igneel's firm voice, or the way the earth trembled when the dragon laughed. Seven years and absolutely no trace of his adoptive father.

Every unsuccessful dragon hunt always made Natsu miserable.

Happy walked side by side with Natsu, staring at everything with wide, innocent eyes. When Natsu heard the whistle of the train, his face almost turned green with the thought. He sighed in resignation, collapsing on a bench while the train stormed into the station. With a screech, the train came to a halt, and the station filled with people.

"Did you hear about that party last night?" A girl said excitedly to her friend nearby, just loud enough for Natsu to overhear. "Salamander hosted this big party on his ship. I really wanted to go, but maybe we can still catch him today."

"Salamander?" Her friend asked with confusion.

"You don't know about him? He's that great mage staying in town," She answered enthusiastically. "He's from the famous guild, Fairy Tail."

Natsu's body stiffened. "Fairy Tail?" He muttered in confusion, thinking back to the obnoxious man he met the other day. He had been too disappointed to give him much thought afterwards. Perhaps he should have.

The station cleared as everyone departed on the train. Natsu never moved. "Fairy Tail…" He muttered with a frown.

"Hi there!" Lucy said brightly to the guards standing in front of the large yacht. "Is this Salamander's boat? I heard he's in town."

The two men shared a glance and a sly smirk. They were both big men, with bulging muscles. One of them had a scar over his nose and a slimy grin. The other was mostly bald with a hooked nose, licking his lips nastily.

"The party's over, darling," The scarred man sneered, blocking the gangway with his foot. "Scram…"

Lucy pouted. "Aww… Really? I really want to talk to Salamander. I think he'd want to talk to me, too."

The two men looked at each other, and then back and Lucy. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle. Like most large breasted girls, she was used to men staring. It still bothered her when they gawped at her chest, but she had learned to live with it. Still, the way these two ran their eyes over her made Lucy feel like she needed a shower.

"Well, Salamander did say he never wanted to be disturbed…" The bald one muttered doubtfully.

"Still, I think that for her he could make an exception," The scarred man replied with a meaningful glance. Lucy's eyes narrowed. "Come on board, darling…"

He moved his leg out the way. Lucy hesitated before stepping onto the ship, but boat was anchored and lashed to the harbour. She would be fine so long as it wasn't moving. Slowly, Lucy walked up the gangway.

One of the men left his post and escorted her, his large, sweaty hand dropping onto her shoulders. Lucy stopped. "I can find my own way," she said, darkly.

"Oh, what sort of gentlemen wouldn't escort a girl like you?" The man sneered. "I insist."

"No, I insist," she replied coldly. "Get your hand off me."

His grip tightened uncomfortable. The harbour was silent and empty. Lucy felt the distinctive feel of a metal blade against her back. "Get on the ship, darling," he whispered coldly, pressing the knife against her skin a bit harder.

Lucy didn't move. She turned around and smirked. "It's wrong to hurt someone so much weaker than you are, you know?" She muttered, ponderingly.

"I won't hurt you if you get on the boat," he promised with a snigger.

"I was talking to myself," Lucy retorted. "But I suppose I'll make an exception for you buffoons."

The first one didn't even have time to blink. Suddenly, Lucy twisted out of his grasp, and brought her leg upwards, her foot slamming into his crotch with such force his body lifted off the ground. He squealed with a high-pitched shriek that no grown man should ever be able to make.

His knife clattered onto the walkway. The second man reacted quickly, jumping towards Lucy angrily. His huge body crashed down on her, trying to force her to the ground. Lucy's hands were suddenly clutching his, effortlessly holding back huge men.

The shock was clear on his face. His huge muscles were screaming; trying to fight against the iron grip of girl so skinny he should have been able to use her as a toothpick.

"You know, it's rude to manhandle a lady," Lucy growled angrily, slamming her knee upwards while dragging the man towards her like a ragdoll. Her knee slammed into his stomach so hard that his eyes bulged, just as Lucy easily heaved his body up and threw him into the ocean.

She was scowling as she walked onto the deck of the ship. This wasn't right. She heard rumours about Natsu Dragneel, the Salamander, of Fairy Tail. This wasn't him.

On the ship it was quiet. It was a large, decorative, blue yacht with at least four floors. There were still tables and drinks littering the deck from the party, but no one around. Carefully, Lucy headed below deck, walking through the narrow corridors, searching for answers.

After a while, she reached a door, looking through the porthole at a large room with wood floors and light blue walls. There was one man sitting on chair behind a curtain, and another standing in front of a fireplace. They were talking quietly, and Lucy inched closer to listen.

"So…" The man standing by the fireplace muttered. He was tall and slim with short, spikey blue hair, and a mildly rectangular face. His clothes were fancy and expensive, and he had a tattoo over his right eyebrow. "Care for a drink, Horace?"

"I think not," the other man muttered. He was short and stubby, with a black overcoat and a dark frown. "Is it safe to be here, Bora?"

A flicker of annoyance crossed Bora's face. "Don't call me Bora," he warned. "As far as anyone is concerned, I am Salamander, Fire Mage of Fairy Tail. And yes, it is perfectly safe. It will take this dumb town days to realise what happened, and even longer to suspect that it was actually 'Salamander'."

Horace grunted sceptically. Bora frowned and continued. "I called you here to offer you a job," he muttered darkly. "My men are all loyal, but this… enterprise needs to expand. I need Magical muscle, strong Mages that know how to follow orders. Are you interested in a job?"

"What's in it for me?" Horace said cautiously. Lucy had to press her body against the door to listen.

Bora grinned. "Right now, there are three dozen young girls sleeping peacefully in my hold," he said smugly. "All young, all beautiful, and all very… malleable. Can you imagine the profit we'll make when we reach Bosco? Join me now and a cut of it is yours."

Slavers, Lucy realised suddenly. Everything clicked into place. She could feel the outrage start to burn up inside of her.

"Alright," Horace agreed after a moment's hesitation. "I'm in. But I expect a large cut. I'm a first-class Celestial Spirit Mage with five units. My skills don't come cheap."

Bora frowned. "You're a Celestial Mage?" He muttered. "I thought only registered and legal Mages could form contracts."

Horace snorted. "That shows how much you know," he said derisively, spinning a large key ring around his fingers. "There are criminal Celestial Spirits willing to make contracts with criminals. It all depends on the user."

Lucy's eyes widened as she glimpsed the keys on Horace's fingers. She glimpsed silver, and bronze. Her mouth started to water. It's time to end this now, Lucy thought firmly, I'm going to beat these guys up and rescue the slaves.

And then I'm going to take those keys, she thought with a smirk, because I deserve a reward too.

Suddenly, there was a clatter from the room. "Boss!" A man shouted, pulling back the curtain and charging in from the other entrance.

"I told you I was busy!" Bora snapped angrily.

The man gulped. "Sorry, but it's urgent. Two of our guys were beaten out front. We've got an intruder on the ship!"

Bora's expression changed as he stormed upwards. Lucy slunk down behind the door. "What? Who would dare to break into–?"

The door Lucy was leaning against suddenly pulled open. Lucy was caught off-guard, and ended up tumbling into the room. Bora's voice vanished as the young girl fell at his feet. The room turned deathly quiet with shock and awkwardness.

It took a few seconds for Lucy to compose herself. Bora was staring at her with wide, bulging eyes. Well, that wasn't the entrance I wanted to make, she thought dumbly. Still she recovered quickly, mostly out of embarrassment.

"You!" Lucy shouted angrily, jumping to her feet and brushing her hair away to hide her humiliation. "I know what you're doing here!"

The men in the room shared an awkward glance. Bora forced himself to smile. "Heh, I have no idea what you're talking about," he said charmingly, looking Lucy up and down. "You must be a fan, right? Well, I'm the great Salamander of Fairy Tail, and–"

Lucy felt a weak Charm Magic wash over her. She swatted the sensation away easily. "Enough! You're a slaver!" She sniffed the air, just to make sure. "And you're not the real Salamander!"

Bora was quiet for half a second, before turning to his henchmen. "Get us out of here," he ordered.

"Already on it, boss."

"I'm going to take you down right now, and you're never going to…" Lucy proclaimed loudly, dropping into fighting stance, but then her ears caught up with her brain. The dread was instant. "…Wait, what did you mean 'Already on it'?"

With a sudden lurch, she felt the anchor rise and the sails drop. Her stomach plummeted in fear. "Oh crap…" Lucy cursed, just as the yacht started to rock. The world started to spin. Her eyes became unfocused. Her body collapsed to the ground helplessly against the motion sickness.

Bora watched quietly. Lucy's pale skin turned green. It took a few seconds, but then the slaver started to chuckle.

"Well, that was weird," he announced loudly.

More of his henchmen were running into the room, lifting Lucy off the ground by both arms. They were laughing, and the yacht was rocking on the waves. Lucy tried to curse, but she was too busy stopping herself from vomiting. Her arms weren't working anymore. "Looks like we have an extra slave, boys!"

Horace was frowning as he stared at Lucy. The short man scratched his head, still fiddling with his keys. "She seems familiar somehow…" He mused, but everyone else ignored him.

Bora's hands clutched Lucy's face, examining her critically. Through the portholes, the yacht was quickly leaving the marina. "You're a pretty one," he said finally. "I don't know what you're doing here, but you'll fetch a good price."

As soon as the boat stops, Lucy promised herself angrily, unable to talk from motion sickness. Her teeth clenched furiously. There were two men holding her upwards tightly, her body struggling uselessly while the motion caused her head to spin. As soon as the boat stops moving, then I'll show you what I'm doing here…

"Get the chains ready," Bora ordered to his men, strolling over towards the fireplace. "But first… a slave needs to be branded." He pulled out a burning iron from the fire, glowing red and steaming. Bora looked at Lucy unsympathetically. "It'll be a little hot," he admitted. "Just bear with it."

Bora paused, and then glanced at Horace. The short man stood with hands in his overcoat, staying quiet. Bora handed Horace the burning iron. "You do it," Bora ordered. "Consider this your initiation."

Horace frowned but didn't complain. He took the iron from Bora quietly, looking at Lucy with bored, disinterested eyes. "Where do you want it?" He asked, holding up the brand.

"For her?" Bora mused. "Make it somewhere painful."

Horace hesitated for a second, and then settled on Lucy's right cheek. His hand was steady as the burning iron moved closer to her face. Lucy's heart was pounding, but the motion sickness left her helpless. "You…" Lucy spat through clenched teeth. "You are the worst Mage ever!"

Just as the iron was inches away from her cheeks, the room exploded. The wooden roof collapsed in a hail of splinters as a figure slammed downwards with furious force. Suddenly, Lucy felt herself drop fall to the ground, but she still managed to catch a scent that she recognised instinctively. The scent of another Dragon Slayer…

"…Natsu…!?" She gasped, struggling to focus on the man that had come crashing down from the sky. A cold killing intent filled the room.

"That brat from yesterday…?" Bora growled, aiming on Natsu as the debris cleared. For half a second, Natsu stood perfectly still, staring daggers at Bora.

And then, time reasserted itself. Natsu cheeks bulged as he had to stop himself from barfing. "Nope, I can't take it," Natsu groaned, collapsing to his knees.

If Lucy had been able to move, she would face-palmed. "Come on! What did you expect to happen there?!" She growled, still clutching her stomach weakly.

"Wha-What's going on?" Bora shouted in confusion, looking up to the hole in his ship. "Why would a brat fall from the sky?!"

Horace was by his side, dropping the iron in the confusion. His Celestial Gate Keys were tightly in hand. "They just keep on coming! What's wrong with this ship?"

Natsu groaned weakly. Through spinning eyes, Lucy managed to glimpse wings and a small shape flying downwards. There was a flying cat hovering over the ship. Either Lucy was hallucinating or fate was just messing with her now. Either way, she was desperate enough to accept it.

"What's happening here?" Happy cried in confusion, looking between Lucy and Bora.

"You!" Lucy ordered, in a sickly voice. "Get me off this ship right now!"

"But what–" Happy squealed.

"NOW!" Lucy screeched, while everyone else was still trying to recover. Happy looked panicked for a second.

"Aye, ma'am!" The cat shrieked, wings blurring as he shot downwards. Suddenly, Lucy felt a tail wrap around her waist and her body lift off the ground. "Who are you?"

"Talk later, run now!" Lucy ordered.

Bora seemed to recover first. "I won't let you get away!" He screamed, raising his hand in the air. Purple flames blazed around his fingertips. "HELL PROMINENCE!"

Suddenly, the fire exploded from his arm in a huge, scorching-hot laser-like beam blasting upwards into the sky. The small cat shot through the air agilely, swinging Lucy so closely to the purple flames she felt the heat scold the back of her heels.

"Don't let that woman get away!" Bora screeched. "It'd be a problem if she reports to the council members!"

"I'm on it!" Horace shouted, selecting out a bronze key. Men were running everywhere in panic, but the Celestial Spirit Mage seemed perfectly calm. "Open! Gate of the Revolver!"

With a flash of smoke, a huge, oversized gun appeared in Horace's hand. The weapon was pitch black, and loaded itself while Horace took aim at the retreating shape of Lucy and Happy. Other men had pulled out ordinary pistols and were shooting at Lucy furiously, the bullets whizzing passed her.

"Drop me into the water!" Lucy shouted, just as Horace pulled the trigger. Happy never needed to be told twice. His transformation effect was almost over, anyways. A huge explosion burst from the Spirit revolver, just as Lucy and Happy tumbled into the ocean.

Back on the ship, Bora stared at the air while smoke covered everything. Horace paused, while his gun reloaded itself.

Natsu struggled to pull himself to his feet, sweat dripping from his brow. He was glaring at Bora furiously. "Fai…ry… Tail…" Natsu snarled in a choked voice. "…You…"

"Did you get her?" Bora demanded to Horace, summoning purple flames in his hand. Horace had his gun aimed at the ocean, waiting for any sign of movement.

There was a moment's quiet as the smoke cleared, followed by a dull chuckle. Lucy slowly pulled herself to her feet, Magic pulsing around her body.

"Oh, that's better," she chuckled, sighing in relief. "I was worried there for a second."

The yacht was still pushing forward, slowly passing Lucy by. She could practically hear their jaws hit the floor as Lucy stood up straight.

"She's… walking on water…?" Bora muttered in shock, watching Lucy casual stroll over the light waves, walking after the ship. The water under her feet was pulsing upwards, forming an almost solid platform for her to stand on. The air around her glittered with Magic.

"She's a Mage," Horace murmured, his dark brow furling. He could feel the type of Magic she was using, but he just couldn't understand it.

With the weak wind, Lucy could easily keep pace with the yacht by walking. Bora's fire flared as he charged for another attack. Horace took aim with his gun. Lucy smirked.

Paddling furiously to stay afloat, Happy gaped at Lucy. "Whoa…" The cat stammered.

"Oh, this is just a bit of Aquarius' Water Magic," Lucy explained with a smug smile. Without the motion of the ship, her strength was already returning.

Horace's ears prickled at the name. "Aquarius?!" He exclaimed, staring at Lucy critically. He couldn't see any keys. "You're a Celestial Mage?"

Lucy slowly extended her hand. "Oh, you have no idea," she murmured, just before she clicked her fingers. The air shimmered.

Bora unleashed his flames in a furious blast. Horace fired his gun. Both explosions were suddenly blocked by torrent of water rushing protectively in front of Lucy. A figure burst of ocean; her long hair flowing freely and shimmering tail scales glittering in the sun. Aquarius glared with annoyance, water still gushing out her urn.

"Aquarius!" Lucy ordered loudly. The ocean started to swirl madly in huge typhoon. "Smash that ship against the coast!"

Aquarius snorted, but there was no arguing with Lucy's tone. Lucy's Magic meshed with Aquarius' and suddenly the waves were pounding from her body. The ocean roared as huge avalanches of water crashed into the yacht, tearing through the hull and heaving the boat upwards with a groan of wood.

The ocean spun upwards, spinning the yacht around like a toy before crashing it towards the marina with such force that the ship gouged a hole in the shoreline.

Debris went everywhere. The power nearly snapped the yacht in half. The harbour was devastated. Lucy grinned, floating to shore on a wave.

"Thank you, Aquarius," she muttered coolly, dismissing the spirit with a click of her fingers. "I'll take it from here."

She stepped on to the beach and walked three steps before realising her mistake. "Oops…" She said guilty, looking at the hull of the ship. There were several soaked women crawling out of a gash on the side of debris. "I forgot there were prisoners on-board. My bad."

Coughing as he pulled himself onto shore, Happy glared at Lucy in shock. She hung head in shame. "You monster!" Happy cried.

Bora staggered upwards, glancing around the ruins of his ship disbelief. He was standing on what used to be a wall, while around him the ship continued to collapse. Water soaked everything, ruining his fancy clothing and drenching his cloak.

"What's…" Bora gasped weakly. "…What's going on?!"

His men rallied around him, spilling out onto the beach. Already, the townsfolk were running out to stop and stare at the shipwrecked. Bora felt his breaths become shallow as he glared at his ruined ship, scattered in pieces on the coast.

"No…" He muttered in wide-eyed disbelief. "This is impossible, it can't happen like this…"

With a dull creak, a large piece of debris creaked upwards. "It stopped," Natsu muttered simply, heaving an enormous lump of wood out of the way. "The rocking stopped."

The beach turned silent. The sun was bright in the sky, but even birds went dead as Natsu focused on Bora with a dark glare. The fake Salamander looked panicked. Already his slaves were escaping. It wouldn't be long before the Rune Knights showed up…

"You!" Bora screamed at Natsu, fire flaring around him. "You did this! You and that girl are working together!"

Next to him, Horace scrambled to his feet. The short man was soaked to the bone, yet still managed to keep a hold of his keys. "Bora!" Horace shouted. "This wasn't part of the deal!"

"Shut up!" Bora snapped. "You're part of this too now! Help me fight my way out!" He paused. "And don't call me Bora! I am Salamander of Fairy Tail!"

Natsu's body stiffened. The henchmen were rallying around Bora. "You're a Mage of Fairy Tail?" Natsu demanded.

"That's right!" Bora screeched, just as two of his henchmen launched themselves at Natsu. "I'm a world-famous Mage, so you better run you brat –"

The anger flared from Natsu. The fury was so intense his shoulders were shaking. Two large men tried to jump him, but then Natsu's hand moved so fast it blurred. The swipe was so powerful it took them both to ground.

"I'm Natsu of Fairy Tail!" He bellowed furiously. "And I've never seen you before!"

The shock sent tremors through the group. The killing intent took weaker men to their knees. Involuntarily, Bora stumbled backwards. "I don't care if you're a bastard or a good person…" Natsu growled. "I won't forgive you for using our name!"

"I knew it!" Lucy shouted loudly, rushing to Natsu's side. "You're Natsu Dragneel, the Fire Dragon Slayer, right?"

"Huh?" Natsu frowned, glaring at Lucy with confusion. "Do I know you?"

She shook her head. "No, but I've been searching for you for a while," she said happily.

Natsu looked confused, but Lucy just motioned to Bora and Horace. "Talk later, fight now," she said firmly, with a bright smile. "You take that Fire Mage. The Celestial Mage is all mine."

Horace pulled himself to his feet, glaring at Lucy darkly. "All yours?" He growled. "Don't think you can take me, girl! I'm a first-class Celestial Mage!" He stared at Lucy darkly. "And you have the Gate of the Water Bearer Key on you somewhere, don't you? I'm going to take that key!"

"Fool," Lucy mocked, sticking out her tongue.

He growled, thrusting a silver key forward. "Open! Gate of the Outlaw! Attack!"

With a flash of light, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him. It was a large Spirit dressed as cowboy, with a red tunic and large rattlesnake skin boots. The outlaw's face was hidden under a wide cowboy hat, and a dark balaclava.

"Kill her!" Horace ordered.

"Yes, boss!" As quick as lightning, the Spirit drew two pistols and pulled the trigger. Before she could even blink, two huge chunks of earth launched from each gun and exploded towards Lucy with pinpoint accuracy.

She was smirking even as the rocks smashed against her. Dust covered everything. Horace's face looked triumphant for a while, until Lucy's figure appeared from the dust.

"As if…" Lucy muttered, taking a step forward. Her clothes weren't even dirty.

The outlaw dropped his guns in shock. "It's her…" The Spirit muttered, his voice thick with fear. "I'm sorry, boss, but I can't beat her…"

With a flash, the Spirit disappeared. Horace gulped fearfully. Lucy kept on walking forward, her pace increasing. "What are you?!" He screamed.

Natsu looked at Lucy with shock, faint realisation in his eyes.

"The Celestial Dragon…" Lucy muttered, breaking into a run. "The only creature that cross freely between the worlds; who has dominion over all Celestial Spirits; the dragon whose roar can split dimensions…!"

Horace took a step backwards, fumbling as he picked out another silver key. "Open!" He proclaimed. "The Gate of the Shield!"

The air flashed. Another Spirit appeared, this one so huge it blocked the path. The Spirit looked like a huge teddy bear, but it was immensely fat, with a stomach made out of solid iron. Lucy never even seemed to notice the Spirit; instead she just kept on running. As she hit the wall of iron, her body shimmered. And then she just phased straight through.

Horace's eyes bulged as Lucy rematerialized on the other side of the shield. Lucy took a deep breath.

"Celestial Dragon's…" She screamed. Her body glittered with Celestial Magic. "…Roar!"

Brilliant white light spilled out of her mouth. There wasn't even time to scream. The beach exploded in light, so powerful it gouged a crater into the earth, cutting through the ruins of the ship. In an instant, Horace and a dozen men vanished from sight.

The light was still glittering around Lucy, as if there were stars twinkling on her body. Her blond hair shone as she turned to a stunned Natsu. "Did you think you were the only one?" She asked with a smirk.

He didn't respond for a second. Natsu looked momentarily dumbfounded, but then Bora launched a furious fireball at Lucy and Natsu's battle instincts kicked in. With a blur of speed, he was suddenly blocking the path of fireball. The purple flames were so furious they scorched the earth.

Slowly, Natsu took a deep breath, swallowing the fire with one huge gulp. Bora's bottom jaw dropped open. Natsu's body shivered. Lucy grinned widely.

"Are you really a Fire Mage…?" He muttered with an angry glance to Bora. The fake Salamander looked like he was trying to say something, but his mouth just kept on opening and closing helplessly. "I've never tasted such awful fire…"

Natsu cast a lingering glance at Lucy, before drawing his body back with a huge breath of air. "Fire Dragon's Roar!" He screamed, and burning torrents of flames gushed from his throat.

Lucy burst out laughing. She had finally found another Dragon Slayer, someone else to help her search for missing parent. She felt like dancing. The flames exploded everywhere and Bora's men screamed, but a glance of instant understanding flashed between Natsu and Lucy.

His body was covered in red flames. Hers was still glittering in starlight. They looked at each and grinned madly. In a fluid motion, they both jumped forward, their fists pulled back as they leapt towards Bora.

Bora's skull collided with Natsu's and Lucy's knuckles so hard the man went flying into the distance, crashing through multiple buildings.

A large crowd had already formed around the coast, but keeping their distance. The yacht had been pulverised into pieces and set alight, but the captive slaves had already fled out of the ruined hull. Pieces of debris littered the coast, while the shipwreck had took a large chunk out of the marina.

The port had been absolutely pulverised. Natsu and Lucy glanced at each other, both of them burning with questions, but then they just exploded with laughter. It was the only reaction that seemed appropriate.

In the distance, there was shouting. Lucy glimpsed men in heavy metal armour force their way through the crowd, carrying pikes and shields.

"Crap!" Natsu shouted, grabbing Lucy's arm. Happy was suddenly by Natsu's side. "The military! Let's run!"

She didn't move. "Why? We're not the bad guys!"

He made a motion to the ruins of the harbour around them. "I don't think they know that!"

Lucy grinned. "Good point," she muttered, taking Natsu's hand and dragging him away. "Come with me!"

Author's Notes

First chapter, I'm going to start updating weekly. Feedback is always appreciated!

Special thanks to Natsu is Awesome for helping me with story!