Chapter 11: S-Class Voyage

"S"

This was the letter to a job posting along with "10,000,000" underlined on the bottom. "S?" read May. To Lucy, this was the wrong time to give Ash a job like this and kicked Natsu in the head.

"YOU IDIOT!" she screamed. "HE'S NOT READY FOR AN S-CLASS JOB!"

"OW!" cried Natsu. "I thought he would be!" May picked up the jpb poster and studied it.

"A wanted criminal case?" she read. "Seems a bit much to call for ten million." Gray took the poster from May while wearing nothing but his boxers.

"I would incline that Ash is plenty ready for some major action," he insisted. May became mortified at Gray's near naked body. "He's got plenty of powerful abilities to bare." One look from Ash saw something else.

"Speaking of 'bare', there's children around, Gray," he pointed out. Gray looked down, realizing he found himself in skivvies and freaked. Delia and Juvia giggled to seeing Gray run off with nothing much on.

"I'd say he likes to show his figure," Delia guessed.

"As long as it's not to you, I'll be fine," Juvia smiled.

"Oh? You're his girlfriend?" Delia's second guess made Juvia shutter nervously.

"We- Well…" A few seconds later, Juvia curled herself in a corner. She sweated in panic and Delia itched her head before going to the table. Gray had his clothes back on.

"Consider this a warning, Gray. Next time, I'll make it my job to wrap your clothes onto you that you can't take it off!" Gray groaned to Delia's warning.

"Jeez, it's a habit I have," he mumbled. "Give me a break." Delia flexed her fingers, crackling her knuckles. Sweat began to flood Gray's face.

"You were saying?" she warned. This made Erza think about some of her armor.

"Note to self: don't use Clear Heart or Seduction Armor around this mother," she muttered. Delia took the job poster.

"So, what I'm getting is that this is an extremely dangerous job in another spot of Fiore, outside Magnolia City?" she studied.

"Yeah, and Natsu wants Ash on this job," Lucy concluded.

"And why shouldn't he go with us?" questioned Natsu. "His magic's incredible on its own so just imagine combining it with-" Delia silenced Natsu with a left hook to the jaw. Natsu fell in a heap, unconscious. Ash, May and Pikachu gulped to the punch.

"Mama said knock you out," Ash quoted.

"I guess boxing runs in the family," May shuttered.

("Talk about 'Like mom, like son',") Pikachu squeaked. Wendy and Romeo also believed Delia taught Ash how to fight.

"Remind me not to get on Ash's mom's bad side," Romeo murmured. Delia handed the poster to Lucy.

"So, not only are you willing to put my son in this risky job, but you want him fighting a criminal that could kill him!?" she scowled. Natsu tried to get up, still woozy from the hook. Erza came over with Mirajane following.

"Delia, if it's okay, let me talk to you in private," she suggested.

"You… sure?" wondered Delia. Erza nodded as May helped Natsu sit down.

"Man, she throws a nasty hook," he groaned. "Are you sure your mom is just a cook?"

"Aye, it looked like she got the same boxing talent as you do," Happy mewed. Erza and Delia gathered around a corner.

"Listen, I understand about your son's safety," Erza started. "However, I looked at where the job will take us. There are a few friends we came across the last time."

"Okay, what's your point?" argued Delia. "You know how protective I want to be for my son. He's the world to me. I lose him…" Erza placed a hand on Delia's shoulder.

"I know… I may not be a parent, but I know what you're going through. Besides, I know what it's like to worry about the people you care about." Delia nodded. "Also, when I saw where the job's at, I remember a good friend of mine who could help Ash with his magic now that he's a wizard." That made Delia look up and figure on Erza's idea.

"Oh, so it's a side job?"

"That's right. While we deal with the criminal, my friend will offer new methods to his magic like healing and environmental advantages to make sure you and May won't be hurt." This clued Delia in about bringing Ash along.

"Okay, my son sees this friend to help with his magic while you deal with this criminal?"

"That's right." Hearing Erza's plan, Delia sighed in relief.

"Okay, I'm sorry for blowing up like that."

"Hey, it's alright. Besides, you and May have time to set yourselves while we find a way to send you back." They reentered the guild and regrouped with the table's occupants.

"You okay, Mom?" asked Ash.

"Yeah, I got a bit riled up about the job," Delia excused. "I learned from Erza the ordeal and now I'm a lot more confident Natsu and his friends will keep all of you safe." Ash scoffed, knowing that Delia had nothing to worry about.

"Mom, I have trust with these guys," he calmly said. "Anyway, what about you?"

"Actually, since you learned magic, I'm gonna try learning some as well around here." That made Ash gasp.

"Wait, you? Do you have an idea?"A smile painted Delia's face. "This… should be good."

("For who?") asked Pikachu. Hearing her wish, May felt the need to speak.

"Well, I think I'll stay here as well!" she shrugged. "Besides, I want to know more about Romeo." Everyone billowed a sigh as Lucy and Erza whispered among each other.

"I know I could get on Delia's good side with that story," Erza replayed.

"So you lied to her?" guessed Lucy.

"Well, if we're lucky, it's the same place where we met a few friends with their own Plue."

"Please, the chances of that are insanely slim." They returned to the crowd.

"Anyway, the train leaves in two hours," Gray reminded. "Ash, this will be the first time you're with us. Natsu, Lucy, Erza, Wendy and I'm joining since we're the ones familiar with this city we're going to." Ash and Pikachu nodded to the information. Macao came to the table as Natsu seemed ready to move out.

"You want to learn magic?" he repeated. Delia turned to Macao about the offer.

"I do," she replied.

"I'm sure I can offer you some training while your son's with Natsu," Macao assured. Delia nodded, thinking she could easily join to help out Ash and Fairy Tail. At the train station, Delia hugged Ash as May watched with Romeo.

"Now you be good while you're with Natsu, dear!" wished Delia.

"I will, Mom," Ash assured. Lucy came to Ash and palmed his shoulder.

"I promise that your son won't get hurt," she offered. Delia nodded as an announcement came over.

"Last call!" the conductor shouted. Delia and May waived to Ash and Pikachu as they and Lucy boarded the train before it left the station. "All aboard!" The train left. As they proceeded onward to their next destination, Ash and Pikachu saw Natsu and Wendy on the ground, contorted faces and bodies somewhat curled. They appeared ready to vomit.

"Natsu?" he called out. "Wendy?"

("Are you two okay?") asked Pikachu.

"That's the risk of taking at least one wizard with Dragonslayer Magic, let alone two," Lucy shrugged. This made Ash and Pikachu curious. "See, those who possess Dragonslayer Magic seem to have this calamity in which on something that moves, they get motion sickness."

"That is one major blow…" gulped Ash.

"Don't start!" cried Natsu.

"It hurts…" belched Wendy. Ash thought something had been amiss.

"So, why didn't she act that way when she was with me to Stormfront Island and back?"he brought up. No one was sure how to respond. Lucy chose to alter the topic.

"Say, do you usually ride trains or boats back in your world?" she asked.

"Sometimes," Ash replied. "Although, that's going from island to island or region to region. When me, Pikachu and our friends travel through a region, we go from city or town to another on foot."

"Oh, really?" awed Erza.

"It's gotta take a long time to go from one place to another, doesn't it?" believed Gray.

"More like a couple of days to a few weeks," Ash responded. "It depends how far it is." This concerned Lucy.

"Does that mean that you and your crew have to camp out often?" she guessed.

"Yeah," Ash confirmed. "That's another thing to know about Pokémon journeys: you need to rough it in the outdoors." Gray seemed rather intrigued.

"Man, that has to be harsh, huh?" he assumed.

"Not really, "Ash denied. "Heck, I actually enjoy it. As a matter of fact, I prefer going on foot and camping out."

"And why's that?" snapped Erza.

"Because I get to see and maybe meet and encounter lots of wild Pokémon this way," Ash informed. "Think about it: if I took a train or a bus to go to where I need to, we wouldn't be able to see any wild Pokémon… and where's the fun in that? Right, Pikachu?"

("Yeah!") agreed Pikachu. ("Seeing Pokémon on the road is awesome!") Hearing Ash's Pokémon reply made Lucy giggle.

"Well, when you put it that way," she started. "I guess it really does sound like fun!"

"And how else would I get to find any Ice Pokémon?" nodded Gray.

"Agreed," Erza sided. "It really does sound invigorating."

"And I'll bet these two prefer that method of travel," Carla , sitting by Ash and Pikachu, motioned to Natsu and Wendy, still looking pale and queasy.

"I wish we could go to the city on foot instead of a stupid train," Natsu whined.

"Me too…" murmured Wendy. Happy flew to monitor their conditions.

"Just hang in there, you two," he assured. "We'll be there soon." Ash scooped Wendy and rubbed her head to calm her down. The train continued until it arrived at another station.

"This is it," Lucy realized. They disembarked with Ash carrying Wendy on his back and Lucy and Erza carrying Natsu by the shoulders. Pikachu jumped onto Gray's shoulder. He recognized the town.

"Guys, are you getting that déjà vu feeling?" he brought up. To Lucy, Gray's reminder recalled the events of before.

"You don't mean…" she guessed. Erza cringed at the thought.

"Not Ichiya," she gulped. "Anyone but Ichiya…" Ash and Pikachu seemed perplexed.

"Who are you guys talking about? Asked Ash.

"Before, we were sent here to capture a powerful mage who was causing chaos all around," Gray started. "It turned out to be a sentient magic staff named Klodoa who created coin soldiers to terrorize the town. We got help from some wild guys who had a real Plue, not the Celestial Spirit that Lucy has." Ash and Pikachu were highly interested in seeing that.

"So, what are the chances we run into any of them?" wondered Ash. "And are we after this Klodoa like before?"

"We won't know unless we go into town and discuss this with the one hiring us," Erza replied. As the group proceeded into the city, Wendy recovered enough from her motion sickness to realize Ash was carrying her. She blushed greatly to the situation. Carla saw the smile forming on Wendy's face.

"I guess she's enjoying your ride," she teased. Happy saw it as well, grinning at it.

"Aye!" he happily agreed. Eventually, Natsu and Wendy recovered enough to walk on their own.

"Thanks for carrying me after I passed out on the train," she praised. "I'm sorry for not telling you." Ash and Pikachu understood Wendy's struggle.

"I understand," Ash sympathized. "After all, it does look embarrassing." Wendy's face showed embarrassment with the shade of red. Just as they reached the center of the city, someone else came around.

"Is that you, Natsu!?" a young man called out. Everyone turned to a white-haired young man with a giant sword strapped to his back. He wore a black leather jacket with crosses and slacks on. On his shoulder was Plue. He ran to the group.

"Haru!" cheered Natsu as they met and clapped hands together. "Man, I missed you!"

"You're not alone, Natsu!" agreed Haru. "Plue's wanting to see Lucy and so was Elie." To Gray, company came with Haru.

"So, the whole gang's here?" he pondered.

"They are, Gray," Haru confirmed. Out of nowhere, a brunette young woman as voluptuous as Lucy ran up and grabbed Ash and Pikachu. She wore a white tank top with an orange cross, a blue miniskirt and sticks strapped to her waist.

"You're much more adorable than Plue is!" she cooed as she began to crush Pikachu with their cheeks rubbing onto each other and Ash's head viced within her breasts. "I so wanna bring you along to show to my friends!" Annoyed and worried about the loss of air, Pikachu fired Thunderbolt, striking the young woman and Ash. Both fell after the shock and the woman laid on top of Ash, her breasts on his chest and their lips connecting. Everyone saw the aftermath, gawking to the outcome.

("Uh… oh…") he squeaked. Haru palmed his face as a spiky raven-haired young man with piercings looked amused at the scene. He wore a blue jacket and black slacks.

"Don't tell me it's 'love at first sight', Haru," he groaned.

"Well, kinda, Musica," Haru sighed. "But not what it looks like." As the two sides helped the young woman and Ash up, questions remain as who the criminal would be.

TO BE CONTINUED…

(Yes, readers… Rave Master is here. I bet you weren't expecting that.)