Just Add Water

Chapter 34

"Now class." Miss Stellar said in school the next day during a lesson. "As you know the annual Summer festival known as the First Splash is coming up and as I suspect a lot of you are very excited about it."

Her students all cheered to show that her deduction was correct. 

"But do you all know the purpose of the festival?" The teacher asked.

"To eat deep fried food?" Natsu guessed jokingly. 

"No not that." 

"To celebrate the beginning of Summer in Magnolia?" Erza suggested.

"Not quite."

"It's to mark the anniversary of when Magnolia was established." Lucy said.

"Yes Lucy. Thank you." She said. "But I doubt you all know how our small town by the shore came to be. It was because the land Magnolia was before it had a proper name and town established, was known as the best shipping and fishing business there was. During a difficult time where pollution had infected the ocean thus making fish too toxic to be eaten and where storms had become so common that ships could barely sail without being sunk, Magnolia was the only one who did not have these troubles."

"Why is that?" Juvia asked.

"No one knows for certain but there's a legend that explains why. It is said that centuries ago, there was a lunar spirit called Liviana who was as regal, elegant, and immortal as the moon itself. She controlled the moon's power over the night and over the sea, a benevolent being at first who used her powers to make many seas calm and fruitful with fresh fish. But then she became jealous toward the mortals. Jealous that they worshiped a God instead of her, feeling she deserved their praises more for supplying them what they needed for sailing and shipping. In rage, she poisoned the seas so all the fish would die and created storms and floods to punish the mortals. But her wrath was not long, as punishment for her envy and arrogance Heaven struck her down and plunged her into the sea where she dissolved into foam."

"So she was destroyed?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, Liviana was destroyed but not gone completely. The sea carried the foam that once was her body to a pool on an island and from the foam in that pool three maidens were born. They were called Augustine, Amaltheia, and Astrid or the daughters of Liviana. All three were so extraordinarily beautiful that the mortals could not resist welcoming them into their society and letting them live among them. Augustine the first to rise was a very intelligent and practical woman who was fascinated with mortal education and diplomacy.  Amaltheia the second was more gentle and kind with interests in the mortal's way of love, marriage, and family. Astrid the third was the most high spirited and fierce of the three, her callings were with hunting, nature, and anything that would allow her to be free. But despite their different personalities and interests, they loved each other as sisters and were always loyal to each other."

"That doesn't explain the why Magnolia got so popular." Jellal said.

"I'm getting to that. Like their creator/mother, the girls had inherited power over the sea but unlike Liviana they were fond of the mortals and felt that should atone for the lunar spirit's acts of cruelty. Having been born with mortal bodies they weren't as powerful as Liviana but their abilities were strong enough to calm the waters around Magnolia's land and cleanse it of the poison. People say that this is what lead to their shipping and fishing business becoming so much stronger than all others in the world at the time."

"But what happened to the girls?" Lucy asked.

"Life went on for them. They lived among the mortals, made friends, took lovers, birthed children, and through it all the bond they shared never broke. They were born together at the same time, the aged together at the same time, and in the end they died together at the same time."