Hot and Cold

Kemo-Kemo

~*****~

"What are they doing over there?" I ask Marko as we return to the guild after a job.

Marko stares for a moment, humming in thought. "Transformation magic?" Marko suggests. "Wanna give it a go?"

I snort loudly. "Been there, done that. I'm content with my dragon slayer magic."

"Not to mention the Seer magic, too." Ballad chirped.

I roll my eyes. "I'm gonna go grab another job if you want to join in." I mention.

Marko yawned. "I'm good. Gonna take a nap."

"God, you're old," I comment before trailing into the guild hall. When I leave the guild hall, I feel my throat hitch up tightly when I come across two similar faces. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" I bellow as I stare at myself in both cat and human form.

Mira just giggles behind her palm. "I've been teaching Natsu, Happy, and Lucy about Transformation magic! And I suggested using you as an example!" Mira explains cutely.

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THEM TRANSFORMING INTO ME, JUST PUT ON SOME DAMN CLOTHES!" I bellow. Natsu laughs as he and Happy revert back to themselves. I pinch the bridge of my nose with a sigh before my ear twitches at the sound of a commotion in town. I turn my gaze over my shoulder with a hum. "We should head to town."

Lucy hummed curiously. "What for?" At that moment, a monstrous roar shook the silence. We all glanced at one another before running towards the beast. "Now I understand what all the commotion was about."

"It smells familiar." Natsu commented.

"I know that mustache! It's Macao!" Happy exclaimed.

"You're wrong! The Macao you once knew is gone forever!" The monster shouted. "You can call me, Mr. Purple!" Ballad and I began snickering, holding our mouths shut with her palms.

"What the heck is going on?!" Lucy cried.

"Don't know. Was it somethin' he ate?" Natsu asks.

"That's a serious food allergy!" Happy cried.

"I'm bursting with so much youth and vigor!" Macao exclaimed. "I'm ready to blow!" The resulting flood of magic could've been enough to hurt someone. Thankfully, we moved out of the way in time.

"Careful, man! You coulda hurt someone!" Natsu bellowed as he grasped onto my waist to keep me behind him. I grunted irritably.

"He's out of control!" Mira exclaimed.

"What happened to him?" Lucy asked.

"Isn't it obvious? He turned into a big purple jerk," Happy commented.

My nose twitched violently as smoke began filling the streets. "That smoke!" Mira gasped.

"What do we do now?" Lucy asked.

A familiar chuckle rang through the air as Wakaba's figure appeared. "Wait. Wakaba? Is that you?!" Mira exclaimed.

"Nope. Sorry, sweet-cheeks. See, that wrinkled old has-been you once turned down for a date was tossed aside like yesterday's stogie!" Wakaba exclaimed as he stroked at his... smoke hair. "I've been reborn as a hunky punk, but you can call me The Smoker!"

"Right..." Lucy trailed off.

"You can poke someone's eye out with that hairdo!" Ballad cried.

"I'm finally the in-your-face rebel and handsome devil I was always meant to be!" Wakaba chirped.