BOOK 4 - Fairy Tail (Pirates) AU: On Magical Tides

CHAPTER II: The Street Chase of a Time

Queen Hisui wanted to make a deal with the pinkette. She actually knew from a very trustful source that the kingdom of Stella was also in search of the fountain of youth. What is more, they even had quite the big advantage given that they had found out the exact location of the fountain. Because of this, Natsu was the only hope Fiore had of reaching the fountain before Stella.

"People say you have a map" Arcadios said. "Do you?"

Natsu was just about to take his chart map out of his robes. But then, he noticed it wasn't actually there anymore. In fact, his precious chart map was nowhere to be found. He had lost it completely. Or to be more specific, it had been stolen without him noticing it... by Happy.

"That knucklehead..." Natsu muttered in annoyance. Then, Arcadios asked once again whether he had a map or not. And this time, Natsu replied saying he had lost it recently.

"But you do know how to get to the fountain, don't you?" Queen Hisui asked.

"In that case, let's have him guide an expedition" Arcadios added.

But Natsu was still not so sure about helping the people in front of him or not. "Hey, let me get this straight..." Natsu said. "You want ME to help YOU reach the fountain of youth? YOU? The queen of Fiore? The same 'noble' kingdom that 5 years ago tried to exterminate all pirates in existence?" Hisui faced downwards at that moment. "Yeah, that's not happening any time soon"

"You don't understand" Hisui replied. "It wasn't me who recruited Lord Fernandes to kill all pirates, it was my dad: the king of Fiore before me. Believe me that there isn't a day in which I don't regret having done nothing. Even if the pirates are mostly criminals and bad people, a mass genocide against them was definitely not the right way to deal with them.

Natsu startled at Hisui's way of thinking. Then, he realized the queen wasn't such a bad person as he originally thought. And he was actually just about to accept her weird proposition. However, there were still a few things he wanted to be absolutely sure about.

"Okay... Just to confirm..." Natsu said. "You really are willing to grant me a crew and a ship, right? Then, make me the captain of such ship. And..."

"Ah? When did we say you would be the captain?" Arcadios asked.

Natsu widened his eyes at his reply. But then, one of the wide doors at one side of the room opened as a tall man suddenly entered the place. He was the very experienced sailor who Queen Hisui herself chose to be the true captain of the ship she was gonna grant Natsu. And he was actually someone the pinkette knew very well: Laxus Dreyar.

"Nice to see you, my queen" Laxus said with a smirk. Natsu couldn't believe it. He was finding it hard to understand how Laxus would end up working as a corsair for the kingdom of Fiore. But more than that, there was a huge question which suddenly took form inside his head.

"Laxus... Wow, it's nice to see a fellow pirate having a good life" Natsu said. "By the way... Would you mind telling me what happened to my beloved Fairy?"

"It's gone, Natsu" Natsu startled in shock. "I lost the Fairy long ago along with this leg!" Laxus then raised his leg over the table and showed the pinkette he was actually lacking 1 of them.

"You lost the Fairy?!"

"Yes... I defended her with bravery and determination, but in the end, she sunk"

Natsu boiled in anger at that moment and tried to jump over Laxus. 2 guards then intervened and restrained the boy before he could make a terrible mistake. But Natsu was still unable to accept it one bit. His beloved Black Fairy was really gone. "You didn't lose her the proper way... or you would've sunk along with her!"