The Dragon's Mark

The Rent Is Due Next Week

Over at the board, Lucy was joined by Erza, who had just entered the Hall. "Anything look promising?" she asked Lucy.

"Not really," Lucy sighed, "and the rent is due next week."

"Oh? Well, maybe you should ask Natsu to help you pay rent. I hear you can't keep him out of your bed," Erza smirked as Lucy gave a wide-eyed screech. "Oh, don't worry, Lucy. You know there are no secrets in Fairy Tail," Erza finished, giving Lucy a pat on her back.

"Oh, there you are, Lucy!" Mira called out, waving a flyer in the air. "This just came in and I think it's right up Team Natsu's alley!"

"A Herculean Task," read Lucy aloud as she took the paper from Mira. She looked up at the mage who also served as bartender and Fairy Tail's second in command, after Makarov, of course!

Erza read aloud over Lucy's shoulder. "In need of help in controlling a Cretan bull-like creature. One million jewel reward to be split amongst the successors."

Natsu and Grey had wandered over to the board, their curiosity piqued by the two team member's study of the paper.

"We have to fight a bull?" asked Natsu, confused, scratching his head. "That doesn't seem too hard. Not worth one million jewel, though, unless it's a really big one!" he finished, his eyes lighting up. He and Happy high fived, who was hovering right above Natsu's head.

Lucy sighed and rolled her eyes. Holding out her hand to stop Grey's comment from surfacing, she quickly explained.

"A Herculean task. As in the Greek myth of Hercules, or Heracles. He was a..." she paused, thinking of a way to simplify it for Natsu. "He was a warrior who had 12 tasks to complete. The Cretan bull was the one that either ate human flesh or caused havoc." She looked to Levy, who she noticed was listening in, for help.

Levy nodded. "The Cretan bull was the one who was causing havoc, and King Minos had Hercules capture him and either killed him or it was later sacrificed. I'd have to look it up to be sure," she finished.

Erza nodded. "Good job, Lucy and Levy." She sounded impressed,

"Book nerds," muttered Gajeel, trying to get a rise out of Levy. She chose to ignore him.

"Whatever," Natsu replied, shrugging his shoulders. He grinned and clapped his hands together, rubbing them gleefully. "As long as I get to fight something, I'm ready!"

Erza looked thoughtfully at the paper and then her team. "It doesn't give us much detail. I'd like to find out more before we fully accept the job. I say we visit our client and get more information before we accept."

"One million jewel, even split 5 ways is a lot of months of rent," Lucy muttered.

"Actually, 4 ways," corrected Grey. "Wendy and Carla are out on a job with the Thunder Legion."

"The Thunder Legion!" Lucy exclaimed. "How did I miss that?"

"We'll meet in an hour at the train station," announced Erza. "Be sure to pack hard labor clothes, if Levy and Lucy are correct in their assumption."

Grey grinned as Natsu finally processed the news. "What? No Wendy? That means no troia spell!"

"Here you go, buddy, have an extra barf bag," said Happy helpfully, handing Natsu a paper bag.

"Thanks a lot," Natsu muttered, slinking out of the Hall with the bag crumpled in his fist. He could hear Grey's laughter follow him out the door.