Phoenix Storm || Fairy Tail [2]

➝ 𝐢. 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙜: 𝙧𝙪𝙣 𝙧𝙪𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙗𝙚𝙡 𝙗𝙮 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙛𝙩. 𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖
❛ 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵, 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸? ❜

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The harbour town was flooded with soft, golden sunlight. White buildings lay nestled between two viridian ridges, bordered on one side by the ocean and rolling sand dunes, and on the other by a hulking stone fortress. It was crouched far off in the distance where the two ridges converged into one.

Down by the shoreline, on the wooden docks, was an odd group of people. Their gazes roved over the picturesque landscape, broken only when one spoke. The blonde stepped forward and pointed at the stone giant in the distance with a cheery smile.

"The job flier says that they hang out in that old fortress at the top," Lucy explained. Judging by the look on her face, she was impatient.

"You're excited about this," Gray stated the obvious plainly. He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets as she wheeled around to face the rest of the team, a certain look in her eyes.

"I sure am!" Lucy beamed, her aura exuding positive vibes, "I've been brimming with confidence lately!"

"All right!" Natsu yelled as slammed his right fist into his open palm, pink hair rustling in the breeze. "We got a job to do! Let's go, Happy!"

"Aye, sir!"

Before they could bolt off and stir up trouble, a shadow fell over them. Perched on top of one of the buildings was a woman clad in dark clothing. The only splash of colour in her ensemble was the crimson scarf wound around her neck.

"You guys took forever," Rose complained. "I actually fell asleep up here waiting for you."

"Maybe you're just getting old—" Natsu began with a vicious grin; he was interrupted by a swift kick. "—ow!"

Rose stood up properly after her landing, adjusting her trademark scarf nonchalantly.

"Oh, I didn't see you there," Natsu pouted as she paid no heed to him. Instead, the phoenix slayer was dusting off an invisible speck of dust from her muffler.

"You're mean..."

"I get that a lot."

"That isn't a compliment," Gray interrupted the two. "We should go instead of wasting time."

"Wow, I didn't realise you'd suddenly become mature," Natsu taunted, a shit-eating grin on his face. Rose's sense of humour had rubbed off on him. Whether that was good or not was still up for debate.

"Yeah, Gray – are you sure you're old enough to be here?" Rose crossed her arms with a familiar smirk on her lips. "I thought you had to be an adult to go on requests..."

"Easy for you to say, being old enough to be my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother and all," Gray retorted. Before Rose could barbeque him thoroughly, (who knew age was a picky topic for the immortal?), Erza shoved them apart.

"We don't have time to waste on petty quarrels," she scolded, "or would you rather I settled things with my sword?"

"Okay, okay," Rose held her hands up innocently, backing away from the imposing woman. Natsu and Gray were already making a break for it. "No need to bring weapons into this..."

Rose turned tail and ran off before Erza could assault her, unwilling to face the woman's wrath. With a sigh, the armoured woman turned to face Lucy, Wendy and the two exceeds.