Fairy Tail Rewind (Completed)

Chapter 4 Part II -- The Evil Maid

Natsu and Happy hid in the thorny bush in front of Duke Everlue's four-story mansion, chanting a train of encouragement. Standing behind a tall ebony gate, Lucy rang the bell. A confident smirk crept into her lips. This is gonna be easier than drinking water.

"Is anybody home? I heard that you're recruiting a maid!" she spoke through the intercom.

There was an ear-piercing BEEP from the machine, followed by a deep rumble from underneath her. In seconds, the marble-tiled floor lurched and broke apart, forming a huge crevice. Before Lucy could blink, a maid rose steadily from it. Blimey, the maid didn't even have a scratch on her skin! She looked similar to an overgrown hippopotamus standing on her hind legs. Lucy shivered as Hippo Maid stared at her with her pupil-less eyes.

"A maid applicant, huh?" Her voice sounded robotic and masculine. She wore the same maid costume like Lucy, with chunks of meat bursting through the buttons. Her strawberry-coloured hair was tied to both sides of her head, which didn't quite fit her physical attribute.

"Yes-- Yes, ma'am." Standing in Hippo Maid's shadow, Lucy squeaked like a mouse.

The maid stared into the hole which she'd created earlier and shouted, "Master, there's someone here who saw the advertisement and came to apply."

A man, half the size smaller than Lucy, ascended. He wore a fitted tuxedo. His greasy hair lay flat on his scalp, as if it was combed by oil. He twirled his twisted moustache as he studied Lucy from head to toe. Then, he chastised in a flat tone, "No thanks, go home. You're too ugly."

"You heard what Master say. Go home, Ugly. Only a beautiful girl like me fit a great man like Master." The Hippo Maid's voice, like spears, pierced through Lucy's heart.

Once Duke Everlue and his maid disappeared into the hole, Lucy walked towards the bush with her head hung low. Her sunny expression vanished. The word ugly kept resonating in her mind.

"You're useless," Natsu and Happy taunted, adding salt to her wounds.

"I'm not the problem. That Everlue guy's sense of beauty is just too far-fetched."

"Excuses," Happy reprimanded her, like a teacher would to a student who had cheated in a test.

"It's so humiliating! I'll never forgive that Old Fart for degrading my beauty!"

"We have no choice but to go for Plan D then," Natsu said with fire in his eyes.

Lucy's eyes torched up as well. "What's Plan D?"

"The D stands for Destroy Them Thoroughly," replied Happy with high spirit.

"Which part of it is a plan? You two always have dangerous idea. If we do something imprudent, the government will take action on us and also Fairy Tail," Lucy cautioned. 

"Then, what will you do, Ugly?" Natsu leant towards Lucy and leered at her.

Lucy playfully punched his cheek. "Stop calling me Ugly!"

A raunchy mix of shock and desire coloured Natsu's features. Is he a masochist? What's that funny look he wore on his face after being hit? Lucy's heart hammered at the sudden thought. She coughed to cover up her demureness before relaying her plan to them. 

The next second, the Trio found themselves landing on Duke Everlue's balcony. After Natsu had burned the lock of the balcony's sliding door with his fire, the Trio slipped in. The first room that they'd sneaked into was a janitor, tossed with a mountain of gigantic boxes. 

Happy opened one and brought out a rubber mask that looked like an alien's head. Discreetly, he slipped it on and winked at Natsu. Then, he hopped in front of Lucy and spoke in a low goosebumps-raising voice, "Suuurrender youuur Spirit Keys, Huuuman."