For your convenience, I've left the official map of Ishgar up as the image for this chapter. Hopefully that'll clear up any discrepancies about where everything is. :)
Gajeel's POV:
Every day I make a promise to myself to never get on another moving vehicle again, and yet I just got off of one after voluntarily getting on it to save Salamander's skin.
Pigs must be flying today.
After the shit show of a trip on the train that I'd rather not get into any details about (I puked on Erza), we all got off and started heading in the direction Salamander, Lucy and Happy went in which, as far as we're aware, is straight towards the actual village of Aster.
The blue cat was on edge the entire time, constantly lookin' from side to side and checking behind us in case anyone was there. Whatever happened here must have really spooked him and I wanna know why.
After about 15 minutes of walking, our little group reached the place the three of em went to. Surprise surprise, there was nothing there.
Nothing we could see anyway.
We expected this much, both the council and a search party from the guild had already been to check around here and found absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. Even Lamia Scale came and did a little check for us since they're so close and they found nothing either.
Whatever's here is hidden well.
"Do you sense anything Wendy?" Erza asked, turning to the kid who stood to her left.
She's playin' a major part in our little expedition. If there's some sorta enchantment here, she should be able to sense it and make it obvious to the rest of us. Hopefully at least.
Wendy closed her eyes and muttered something or other, waited, and opened them again with a melancholy look about her.
"...Not a thing. I'm sorry."
We all let out a long, disappointed sigh.
Damn. I really thought there'd be something here.
"Try again Wendy!" Happy urged, "I know it was here! I'm sure of it! The path started here... or was it further along...? My brains so fuzzy... why can't I remember properly?!"
"There aren't any enchantments here Happy... I'm sure of it," she replied, her voice low. "We'll keep looking though, okay? We're not giving up yet."
"Exactly!" Juvia said with a half-hearted but cheerful smile that she flashed to Happy to try and brighten his spirits, "we're not going to give up that easily!"
She turned back around and took a few steps forward, now a fair bit ahead of us.
"Juvia votes that we walk another mile and try again when we get th-"
Before anyone even got the chance to blink however, she disappeared into thin air.
Hang on... she what?
We stood there shocked for a few moments, registering the fact that Juvia zapped out of existence. Did I smoke something I shouldn't have done on the way here? I don't think I did...
"JUVIA!" Gray suddenly shouted, running forward to where she'd been stood. But the moment he crossed the same part she had, he too vanished in mere milliseconds.
Love struck idiot.
"...I'm too drunk for this." Cana panicked, looking down to the alcohol in her hand, "it's not just me who saw that, right?"
"What in the world...? Quick! After them!" Erza ordered, charging forwards, sword unsheathed.
We all ran as fast as we could. I braced myself for a fight as I careered further, a yell forcing it's way through my mouth.
We all breached the spot Gray and Juvia were at and suddenly, there they were, in no apparent danger. Just looking very confused.
"Are you kiddin' me? You're fine?! But you just disappeared!" I moaned, slumping onto the floor in exasperation.
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Fire and Gold (Nalu)
FanfictionIt was just one job. A job that wizards Natsu and Lucy thought was simply too good to be true. A job that wasn't too far away, could have easily paid for Natsu's stomach and Lucy's rent for the next 4 months and that would, or should, have taken th...
