//------------------------------// // Welcome to Fairy Tail! // Story: Fairy Tail: Magic's Fire // by MLPgirlwriter //------------------------------// Lucy: Previously, on "Magic's Fire"........... Happy: After meeting the ponies and capturing Fumio, things were starting to be looking up for us! Rainbow Dash: Yeah, before that feather-brain of a dark wizard cursed that guard captain and made him go all insane, blood-thirsty psychopath on us! Twilight STILL has some cuts from fighting him! But I knew she'd beat 'em! When it comes down to it, Twilight's egg-head magic is a real force not to mess with! Lucy: EKK!!! I really don't want to think about what she could do with all that magic power! Apple Bloom: On the bright side, we saved Mr.Flash Sentry and we were all okay in the end! Lucy: Yeah! Now it's off to Fairy Tail! Happy: Aye, sir! Rainbow Dash and Apple Bloom: What's Fairy Tail? **************************************************************************** The group of mages and ponies sat in one of the booths of the train as they made their way back to Magnolia. As usual, Natsu was slouched over in his spot as the movement of the train made his usually tan face a sickly green, trying not to barf up all the contents in his stomach. Twilight might have found it humorous to see the once reckless and head-strong dragon slayer reduced to a pitiful state if it weren't for the weird looks she, Rainbow, Apple Bloom, and Flash were receiving by the other passengers around them. Twilight never felt comfortable when ponies were looking at her to begin with, so to have beings of whom were thought to just be make-believe creatures starring at you as if you were the make-believe creature was more than uncomfortable, to say the least. Said passengers were sneaking glances at the equines with shock, confusion, and wonder clear upon their faces, young and old. Twilight could hear a little girl not too far away from their booth whisper to her mother, "Mommy, look! I told you unicorns and Pegasus exist! Can I have one?" Twilight sweat-dropped at the comment, and judging by the uncomfortable shifting and glances she saw from her fellow ponies, the young unicorn knew that they too felt unsure and out of place just as much as she did. Even Flash Sentry, who was standing in his stiff-like guard position was looking around with uneasiness swimming in his eyes. During his time in training, the stallion had been instructed how to react to a certain situation, but this was definitely not one of those situations. Breaking the heavy silence in the air, Lucy spoke up, "So.......now that we're able to talk without crazy guards and wizards coming after us, would it be okay if I asked how you guys got caught up back in that little....incident back there?" she asked. This question caught all the ponies attention, making them all squirm a little in their spots, especially Apple Bloom. The little filly still felt guilty for ever going near that gem back in Canterlot; if she hadn't been so drawn to the object, then none of this would have happened. Then again, she was also glad that she had found the trinket, because now she had three new and special friends. Still, Apple Bloom couldn't help but wander how her family was going to react once they realized she was missing. No doubt they'd be worried sick about her, especially Apple Jack. The Cutie Mark Crusader also wandered how Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo would take the news of her absence. "Aw, man! Apple Bloom went on an adventure with Rainbow Dash without me? Lucky!" Apple Bloom heard the young Pegasus say in her head, making her giggle. Twilight one the other hoof, was unsure where to start. I mean, how do you tell somebody that you come from a different dimension and was brought the their world by a magical gem? Then again, she WAS a creature who, judging by people's reactions whenever they saw the four ponies, was considered to be straight out of a storybook, she supposed that being from a different dimension wasn't so farfetched. Just as she was about to open her mouth, a gold hoof shoe covered it for her, stopping her from speaking. Flash's voice responded instead, "Excuse us for a moment, miss...?" the stallion trailed off, forgetting what he should call the stellar mage. "Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia," Lucy finished for him, making him nod. "Miss Heartfilia. We won't be long," he concluded before taking his hoof away from Twilight's mouth and walking down the aisle, the Element of Magic following close behind him. Once the two ponies were out of sight, Rainbow Dash crossed her front hooves and starred blankly at Lucy and Happy, "......'Sup....." was all she said. Walking close behind the Canterlot Guard and ignoring the looks she got from the bystanders who looked at the two in awe, both stallion and mare made it to the next train cart that was, thankfully, empty. Now they could talk in peace without the constant stares they've been getting all day. Turning to face the unicorn, Flash Sentry gave her an intense, stern, and somewhat critical glare; the same one she and her friends received when they first met him, "Why were you about to tell that human about where we come from? Have you forgotten that they are strange creatures who we've just met today? We don't know them, so we can't trust them!" Flash proclaimed sternly. Twilight took a step back. She understood where the orange Pegasus was coming from, and as much as she hated to admit it, he did have a bit of a point. After all, she did just meet Natsu, Lucy, and Happy today, so it wasn't like she knew much of their backgrounds. However, she felt she could trust them; they DID help her, Rainbow, and Apple Bloom out when Fumio showed up and did protect them when they arrived back to Hargeon from everyone who tried to catch them, especially that possessed guard captain. Not to mention that they helped tremendously in rescuing Flash Sentry. Twilight also sensed the trio's magic power, and didn't pick up on any dark or black magic. As crazy as it sounded, Twilight felt that she and her fellow ponies were destined to meet the three wizards. With that thought in mind, Twilight snapped out of her reverie with newfound courage and confidence to speak up for her human friends behalves. Upon seeing her determined expression, Flash was taken aback by her intense and strong gaze. "I understand where you are coming from, Flash Sentry, and you have every right to be skeptical of Natsu, Lucy, and Happy," pausing in her words, Twilight took a breath like Cadence showed her, then continued, "However, they have gained our trust by saving and helping us throughout the entire day. If they wanted to harm us, or do something to us, they would have, but they didn't. I felt their magic energy, Flash Sentry, and it was not in anyway dark. They even helped to rescue you. In my book, we can trust them enough to tell them where we come from," Twilight finished. She watched as Flash thought over words, contemplating what she had said. The guard heaved a sigh. "I suppose you are right Twilight Sparkle. I suppose we can share with them our origins, BUT they have to tell us about this 'Fairy Tail' place they speak of first, and I believe that we should wait for that Natsu fellow to get over his....condition before we tell them. He has a right to know," Flash reasoned, to which Twilight nodded in agreement. Turning around to trot out of the train cart, Twilight was about to turn the handle when a sudden, "Wait!" from Flash Sentry made her turn back in his direction in confusion. "What is it?" Twilight asked, cocking her head to the side. The sudden outburst left her stunned, especially since it came out of the usually calm, stern, emotionless Pegasus. It shocked her even more when she saw the very stallion look to the ground sheepishly while rubbing the back of his neck with his hoof. Looking back up at the unicorn, he sighed. "I um...just wanted to say Thank You for helping me get out of that jail, Twilight Sparkle. You could have just left me there, but you didn't, so I just wanted to let you know that I'm grateful. Thank You, Twilight Sparkle," he explained as steadily and formally as he could. Twilight's face softened and she walked over to the slightly taller pony and hugged him, causing his expression to turn into one of shock and freeze in his spot. It was his second hug that day and he'll be honest, it caught him off guard. He would never admit it, but there was a small part of him that actually liked the kind gesture. Before he could react, Twilight pulled away and smiled softly up at him. "First off, you don't have to always have to be formal and call me by my full name. Just Twilight or Twi will do just fine. Secondly, there's no need to thank us for saving you. Your our friend, and we'd do anything for our friends," Twilight responded Flash's eyes widened slightly at the word 'friend'. It had been a while since he had one, and he couldn't help but asked stiffly, "F-friend?" Twilight nodded and smiled, "Of course!" she said cheerily. "It's been a while since I've had one....." the guard said solemnly, forgetting to keep his stern and calm composure in check for once. A comforting hoof made it's way on his shoulder and he turned to see Twilight smiling at him encouraging. "Well, you do now, and whether you like it or not, we're not going to leave you in a prison cell," Twilight concluded, before trotting out of the train cart, leaving Flash to stare at where she exited. He couldn't help the small smile the graced his muzzle, before he shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. He couldn't allow himself to open up to anyone, at least not yet. He couldn't become vulnerable. The last time he did, he got burned, badly. Even so, at that moment, Flash Sentry vowed to protect Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Apple Bloom from the dangers of this new world. And maybe, just maybe, he could learn how to trust again. ************************************************************************************* When the Twilight made it back to their booth, she simply ignored the nonstop stares she received as she passed. Once she was seated, Twilight looked over to Happy, who was trying to suppress his chuckles by covering his mouth with his small paws. Looking over at Rainbow Dash, she could also tell the sky blue Pegasus was trying to keep the suggestive smirk off her lips. Raising an eyebrow, Twilight looked to Lucy and asked, "What's so funny?" Lucy simply rolled her eyes and smiled softly, lightly playing with Natsu's pink locks as he laid his head on her lap, trying to go to sleep for the rest of the torturous ride back to Magnolia. "Happy was just commenting on what you and Flash Sentry were doing that required privacy. Nothing much, just him being his stupid, cat self. I guess Rainbow found it interesting, too, seeing as I literally had to hold her back by the tail from going over and barging in on you two," the blond teen explained, sending a dark glare over to the previously mentioned pony, who sweat-dropped nervously. Trying to ignore the scary blond, Rainbow Dash slid over in the booth so that she was sitting next to the Element of Magic, a sly smile making it's way upon her lips, "So, what DID go on while you were alone with Flash?" she asked. "Oh, things are getting steamy!!!" Happy chinned in, hearts bulging out of his eyes as drool made it's way down his chin. Twilight, after a moment of thinking over her companion's words, was struck with shock as she realized what the blue Pegasus and exceed meant. Feeling her face heating up from embarrassment, Twilight soon covered Apple Bloom's ears with her hooves, not wanting the little filly's young mind be tainted by the meaning of her friends words, "Rainbow! Happy! Keep it down. We have a filly here, and before you continue, you should know that that's NOT what we were talking about!" the unicorn mare clarified, her blush still adorning her cheeks. "Talking about what?" a gruff voice spoke up, causing everyone, save Natsu, who felt like he was going to die at any moment, to jump slightly in surprise and turn their heads to see the very stallion they were just discussing, walking back over to the booth and stare at them sternly, yet questioningly. Twilight gulped slightly, before answering, "A-about what w-we were t-talking about in t-the other ca-cart.....~" Twilight inwardly cursed herself for stuttering. "Uh, Twilight? You can let go of my ears now," Apple Bloom interrupted awkwardly, as the mare's hooves were still plugging her ears without even realizing it. Still feeling embarrassed, Twilight frantically removed her hooves away from the bow-wearing filly and scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Oh sorry about that Apple Bloom.....I forgot," the horned-equine laughed shyly. "Sooo......can I ask what you guys are doing here and where you came from? Sorry if that sounds rude! It's just that....well...." Lucy trailed off, unsure how to tell the ponies that they were thought to be fairy tales in her world. Twilight seemed to understand, and looked over to Flash as he nodded in encouragement. It was now or never. "Well, that's actually sort of what Flash Sentry and I were discussing in the other train cart, and don't worry about it; we already know that we are not common inhabitance of your world, just as you aren't common where we come from," at Twilight's words, Lucy and Happy starred at the unicorn, dumbfounded. Lucy couldn't help but find it interesting on how that worked. So, did that mean that humans were thought to be myths just as the ponies kind were thought to be in her world? Interesting...... After their brief pause, Twilight continued, "However, Flash and I have also agreed that if we are to be staying in this world for a while with you, then we want to know what you three were talking about in terms of this 'Fairy Tail' that you were referring to earlier. Once you give us information like that, we will tell you guys what you want to know. Sound fair?" Twilight negotiated in a business-like tone. Apple Bloom perked up at the term 'Fairy Tail', for she remembered Lucy mentioning it before they headed off to find Flash, "Oh yeah! Lucy, ya'll said you would tell me about Fairy Tail when we got the chance, remember? Ya'll said it was a guild of some kind!" the crusader reminded the celestial mage, causing the other ponies to perk up their ears in interest and look to Lucy expectantly. "Guild......?" Rainbow questioned. Thinking for a moment, Lucy decided that it was only fair to answer their questions, "Well, Fairy Tail is the wizard guild that me, Natsu, and Happy belong to....." with that, the girl began to tell the ponies everything she knew about Fairy Tail, from it's purpose to it's popularity, but most importantly on how it was like one big family. She told them about her guild mates like Mirajane, Erza, Gray, Wendy, Charla, Levy, Cana, Gajeel, and so forth. She described on how the Master was like the father of the place, referring to the members as his 'children', but Lucy even told the equines, who were listening intently, about how she met Natsu and how he brought her to the guild and that he was a dragon slayer. Lucy didn't fail to mention some of the adventures she and her friends had gone on. By the time she was done explaining everything, the ponies, except Flash who was trying and failing to seem uninterested in the girl's passionate discussion of her beloved guild, practically had their jaws dropped to the floor and their eyes bulging out of their heads. Silence hovered around the group of Fairies and ponies for a few moments, before Rainbow Dash decided to break it. "That. Is. So. AWESOME!!!!!!!" she cheered, becoming the starting point of Lucy being bombarded by questions and comments from the ponies, except Flash, who only starred in awe at the information he had just gotten. "So, you all go on jobs!?" Twilight asked eagerly, her excited expression invading Lucy's own space. "Everyone is a wizard there!?" Rainbow Dash asked enthusiastically. "Does that cutie mark thing on your hand symbolize that your a wizard from Fairy Tail!?" Apple Bloom asked as her red eyes shown with wonder and awe. "So you guys get to beat up monsters all the time and even get into fights and parties at the guild!? That's AWESOME!!!!" Dash continued. "Do fairies even have tails? Hm, I wonder......" Twilight thought out loud, curious as to why the place is called 'Fairy Tail'. Lucy, Happy, and the still ill Natsu felt cornered by the small space they were now trapped because of the two mare's and filly; Lucy and Happy because they didn't know how to answer all of their questions at once, and Natsu because of the claustrophobic feeling was setting into his body, which did not help at all with his motion sickness. As if knowing how they were feeling, Flash Sentry snapped out of his daze and went over to the rest of his companions and pushed the three female ponies away from the trio of wizards, "Okay, you three. I understand that this news is.....interesting, to say the least, but let's give these mages some space, especially that pink-haired fellow," the stallion reasoned, which made Lucy and Happy send him a silent "Thank you", which he simply nodded in acknowledgement. "It's.......not....pink....y-you j-jerk...it's.....s-salmon......" Natsu managed to say between gags as his stomach churned along with the movement of the locomotive, causing Lucy to stroke his pointed locks comfortingly, which helped him relax a bit. The said jerk simply ignored the weak insult before finding his place back beside the booth the rest of the ponies sat at. "So, you said Natsu was a dragon slayer? So he slays dragons?" Twilight asked curiously. Lucy nodded, not stopping in playing with Natsu's hair, "He's a Fire Dragon Slayer, so that's why you saw him fight with his flames without them hurting him," she answered. "His dad taught him how to use it. His name's Igneel, and he taught Natsu everything he knows!" Happy contributed enthusiastically. "I want to meet this 'Igneel' guy. What's he like?" Rainbow Dash asked, already imagining meeting him and learning how to shoot fire out of her bare hooves. The very thought got her pumped to meet him. "Well, according to Natsu, Igneel is a full-fledged dragon," Lucy said nonchalantly, as if it was common knowledge. "A DRAGON!!!!????" Twilight, Apple Bloom, Rainbow Dash, and even Flash Sentry shouted, making all eyes from the other passengers land once again upon them, startled by their outburst. "Yeah, don't you guys have dragons from where you come from?" Happy asked, raising a brow. Rainbow Dash grinned widely, "'course we do! As a matter of fact, our friend is a dragon! Twilight hatched him when he was an egg and has been raising him ever since!" she explained, catching Lucy and Happy's, and even Natsu's attention, his motion sickness forgotten for the moment. "DASH!!!!!" Twilight shouted. "What? I'm just telling them about Spike," Rainbow Dash countered. "Y-you....raised a.....dragon......?" Natsu asked, still slightly green. Twilight nodded bashfully. "Y-yeah. I hatched him when I was a filly, becoming my number 1 assistant whenever I need help.....He's also like my little brother......" Twilight smiled fondly as an image flashed into her mind of her little, baby dragon. She hoped he was okay; knowing him though, he was probably trying not to have a panic attack from worry, but she knew he was probably staying with one of her other friends in Ponyville, most likely Rarity. Natsu meanwhile, was barely able to manage the small smile that crossed his lips, though it came out as more of a grimace. He made a mental note to talk to Twilight more about the subject of dragons. Maybe she knew something on Igneel's whereabouts and he could finally be reunited with his father! Laying his head back down on his partner's lap, he immediately felt somewhat better. Natsu didn't know why, but Lucy always seemed to calm his motion sickness down right when he laid down upon her lap. It was never like that whenever Erza punched him in the gut to make him lye down on her lap; Lucy was a different story. The way she ran her fingers through his hair made him feel as light as a feather, and he would always get a weird fluttering in his chest whenever he looked up at her face. He blamed it on his stomach aches, but it actually felt rather pleasing, like he didn't want the sensation to subside. the pyromaniac just figured it was because Lucy was weird, so it made him feel weird. Apple Bloom, being the ever most observant filly she is, took notice of the fire mage's comfort when he laid back down on the blond's lap. It seemed their relationship was more intimate for them to be just friends. She had to admit, they did look cute together, "So, how long have you and Natsu been going out, Lucy?" the words slipped out of her mouth before she could even stop herself. Needless to say, this caught Lucy's and everyone else's attention, save Natsu, who was able to close his eyes and sleep, hopefully for the rest of the journey back. "H-huh....!?" Lucy gasped, looking at the filly as if she had grown a second head, while a light blush coated her cheeks. "Well...isn't Natsu your stallion-I mean, boyfriend or somethin'?" Apple Bloom asked innocently. Happy was silently chuckling along with Rainbow Dash as the two tried to keep the inevitable tears from leaking out of their eyes. Twilight looked rather shocked that Apple Bloom would ask such a personal question, while Flash looked indifferent, cocking an eyebrow in Lucy's direction, as if awaiting her reply. Speaking of Lucy, the stellar mage felt her face rising in temperature a hundred degrees as her steam was coming out of her ears. Where in Earth-Land did that come from? As Twilight tried to explain to Apple Bloom that it was considered rude to ask personal questions like that, Lucy tried her best to look anywhere but at Natsu, pushing him off of her lap, much to his dismay as his face began to return to it's ugly green color, and looked out the window at the passing scenery. As you can probably guess, the celestial wizard was silent for the rest of the train ride. ******************************************************************************************* When the group finally arrived to Magnolia, Natsu immediately rushed out of the train cart and kissed the cobblestone streets of the town, his motion sickness completely forgotten, "I am NEVER getting on one of those death traps again!" the dragon slayer proclaimed stubbornly once he was done kissing the ground. Lucy rolled her brown eyes at this. "Natsu, you ALWAYS say that....." the blond wizard scoffed. "Yeah, but I mean it this time!" Natsu countered. "Does he always get motion sickness?" Rainbow Dash asked Happy, flying side by side with the blue exceed. "Aye, he's always had. We think it's a dragon slayer thing. Natsu can't go on any form of transportation unless it's a living thing," Happy responded. Rainbow Dash smiled evilly, "Well, now I know his weakness. He, he, he......." she mumbled, rubbing her hooves together as if she were devising a plan. Happy and Natsu, having heard her comment, sweat-dropped and Natsu quickly felt nervous. He had barely know the spirited Pegasus for a day and he already felt like he would need to be on guard 24/7 around her. Not to surprising, Magnolia's residents were thrown off guard by the ponies appearance, along with the fact they were talking. People starred when they strolled through the streets of Magnolia with the Fairy Tail mages. Apple Bloom, feeling self-conscious, moved closer to Natsu as she walked beside him, unsure of what to do, "N-Natsu? P-people are starring at us~" she said in a shaky tone. Natsu glanced at the little filly and looked around the marketplace of the town to see indeed that there were bystanders stealing looks and glances at the equines. Smirking slightly, the fire mage scooped up the crusader and placed on his right shoulder, smiling up at her. "Better?" he asked her. Apple bloom smiled in gratitude, "Yeah, thanks," Lucy and Twilight smiled at the cute display between Natsu and Apple Bloom. The way he made the little pony feel more comfortable was adorable. Lucy rarely ever saw this side of her partner, and Twilight admired how her new friend could be so fierce and determined, yet still maintained a caring and child-like demeanor when it came to his friends. "Where exactly is this Fairy Tail guild? Surely we are getting close," Flash inquired, looking around to spot their destination. Natsu pointed directly ahead of him, Apple Bloom still secure on his shoulder, "There," was his only answer. The ponies followed his finger and, for the second time that day, starred in awe as their mouths dropped at the huge building in front of them; it was a tall structure that resembled a castle that was about four stories if you didn't count the outdoor tower where the bell was displayed, lots of extravagantly decorative windows that still gave off a simple and quaint vibe, torches lining the outside of the fourth floor, with a couple more on each side of the third floor, cobblestone red roofs, and a banter hanging from bellow the bell tower with the Fairy Tail insignia being proudly displayed upon it, showing that the structure was in fact the guild hall of Fairy Tail. A large and beautifully crafted entrance gate stood firmly in front of the massive structure, a fence coming out from each side of it to surround the guild, and the words 'Fairy Tail' engraved into a golden surface above the open, medieval styled gate. Twilight was awestruck by the place; she couldn't help but think that the designs would surely make Rarity drool from the beauty of the structure. The entire building could rival Canterlot Castle in a heartbeat! "How did I miss that.....?" Flash almost whispered, starring in awe at the building before him. "Aren't you suppose to be the Canterlot Guard here? If anyone of us is suppose to notice it, it's you," Rainbow Dash deadpanned. Before Flash Sentry could retort back, Apple Bloom jumped down from Natsu's shoulder and ran ahead of them cheerily. "Come on, ya'll! Ah want to go and see what it looks like inside!" the red-maned filly exclaimed excitedly. Rainbow Dash flew after her, "You heard the filly! Let's go!" she cheered. However, before the two ponies went through the threshold of the gate, Twilight used her magic to grab ahold of them both, halting them abruptly in their tracks. "Hold on there, you two. Maybe we should let Natsu, Lucy, and Happy go inside first," Twilight rationalized. Apple Bloom pouted, "Awww, but why?" the Cutie Mark Crusader asked childishly. "Think about it; we've been getting a lot of stares the whole day, so how do you think everyone in there will react when they see four strange ponies that they thought were mere fairy tales come walking into the place with no explanation, hm?" Twilight explained. Rainbow Dash pouted and slouched to the ground as she crossed her hooves. "...Kill-joy......" mumbled the Pegasus mare. "I believe that is the best option. Don't worry, though; we'll have our chance at freaking them out soon enough," Flash assured Rainbow Dash, in a slightly mischievous tone, accompanied with a smirk. Rainbow returned the smirk. It was the first time the stallion had allowed a little joke escape his lips, she noticed. Natsu stomped ahead of them with his toothy grin. "Don't sweat it! Once they see you guys, it's gonna be a real party!" the 'Salamander' assured, before stomping off to the entrance of the guild. "We'll only take a few minutes, then we'll call you guys in and introduce you, kay?" Lucy said, following close behind Natsu and stopping to make eye contact with the ponies before continuing on. As the three mages walked and flew away, the ponies sat with their backs against the fence as the waited for their friends to call them in. Rainbow Dash slouched and pouted childishly as she waited impatiently. "I'm booorrrred!" she whined, causing a vain to pop out of Twilight's head. "You can wait five minutes, Rainbow! It's not like it's the end of the world!" the gifted unicorn said in an annoyed tone. The daredevil mare didn't seem to get the message. "But Twilight!" Dash continued. "No, you can wait!" Twilight persisted. In turn, Rainbow Dash glared at her friend. "Sure thing, Mom!" Rainbow Dash sneered. Twilight glared dangerously, "I am NOT your mother, Dash. Stop being so dramatic!" "Well, stop acting like you are my mom, Mom!" Rainbow Dash spat. As the two Elements of Harmony continued to bicker back and forth, Flash Sentry and Apple Bloom sat and watched the scene on the sidelines, sweat-dropping when the two mares continued to throw lame insults at one another. It was kind of shocking to see Twilight, the usually calm and collected unicorn mare, lose her cool so easily. I suppose being around Natsu had somehow rubbed off on her, but one thing was certain: these next few minutes were going to be very long........... ********************************************************************************************** As Natsu, Lucy, and Happy made their way to the entry doors, They couldn't help but think about how much their lives have changed in such a short amount of time, "What a day....." Lucy breathed tiredly. Natsu turned to look at her and just smiled his goofy grin at her. He knew Lucy was still shocked from everything that happened today, but that didn't necessarily mean it was bad. "I know. Isn't it awesome, Luce?" He asked cheerily. "Aye!" Happy replied. Lucy gave a soft smile. No matter what happened, those two would never change, "Yeah, it is pretty awesome. It's just so much to take in, is all," Lucy explain. Natsu smiled and slung his arm over her shoulders, oblivious to her blush. "Don't sweat it, Luce! We've got some new friends to pick fights with and go on missions with! And didn't you hear Twilight? She said that she literally raised a dragon, and still is! I bet she knows where Igneel is!" the dragon slayer added happily, hugging the celestial Mage closer to his side, which did nothing to help the blush that was quickly spreading on her face. Without even realizing it, the trio of wizards made it to the double doors of Fairy Tail. Lucy sighed. "You ready to tell them?" She asked. "HELL YEAH!!!!" Natsu replied, kicking the two doors open with a loud bang, catching everybody in the guild's attention, "WE'RE BAAACK!!!!!!!!!" Natsu shouted at the top of his lungs, which was no surprise. Lucy and Happy sweat-dropped at his action. "Why does he always feel the need to make an entrance?" The blond girl sighed. "That's Natsu for ya," Happy shrugged. "Oy, Ash-for-Brains! What took ya so long!? Job too difficult for your ant-sized brain?" Gray taunted, coming up to Natsu, not so surprisingly with only his boxers on. Natsu glared at the ice wizard angrily, "WHAT WAS THAT, STRIPPER!!!!???" he retorted, charging forward and starting to throw punches and kicks at his rival, who began doing the same. Erza went to stop the fight, but ended up getting involved in the fighting as well. Within seconds, most of the guild was fighting as well, brawling like no tomarrow, making a huge dust cloud surround them all. No surprises right there. "WHAT IN CELESTIA'S NAME IS GOING ON HERE!!!!???" shouted a voice from the doorway. Everyone, startled by the shout, turned to the owner of the voice, only to be left speechless; standing in the doorway, were the ponies, all of which with surprised and slightly concerned faces. Even Flash Sentry was at a loss for words as he observed the inhabitance of the guild. Speaking of the guild, everyone, save for Natsu, Lucy, and Happy, were in the same boat as the ponies. They were frozen, still in the positions they were in while they were fighting, starring stupidly at the four equines with amazement, shock, and confusion. Basically the same reactions as the bystanders from the train and Hargeon. No one moved. No one spoke. A heavy silence filled the air as the ponies and wizards just starred at each other, wondering who would make the next move. "Oh, hey, guys! Thought you were waiting outside!" Natsu finally broke the silence, his trademark grin appearing on his face. His comrades looked at him in confusion; Natsu knew these creatures? It was Twilight who hesitantly spoke up. "We were, but then we heard a commotion coming from inside here, so we decided to see if anything was wrong....." the unicorn answered honestly. "THEY CAN TALK!!!!????" the guild members exclaimed. To say they were all shocked would have been the understatement of the year. "What is with you humans freaking out every time you see or hear us speak!?" Rainbow Dash hoof-palmed herself. "It's not their fault, Rainbow Dash! Remember, their not used to seeing ponies like us!" Apple Bloom reasoned. "She is right, you know. After all, we are from a different world," Flash agreed. "Okay, can we just slow down for a second. Everyone, meet Twilight Sparkle-" Lucy gestured to the unicorn who bowed respectfully, "-Rainbow Dash-" at the mention of her name, Dash placed a pair of shades over her eyes and smiled cockily, offering a "Sup," while she was at it, "-Apple Bloom-" Lucy pointed to the said filly, who smiled widely and offered a cute "Howdy," which made some members go "awww," at. Finally, Lucy pointed to the royal guard, "-and Flash Sentry," who offered a simple nod. Another moment of silence, before: "THEY ARE SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!" all the wizards except for Natsu, Lucy, and Happy, shrieked as they all bolted to the ponies, who cowered away, overwhelmed by the sudden attention they were getting. Rainbow Dash and Flash Sentry were clearly annoyed by the comment of them being 'cute', but they were too flustered by the crown to do anything about it. They were bombarded by questions on where they came from and comments about how cute or adorable they were. It only seemed to intensify by the second. Twilight felt so overwhelmed; she suddenly felt bad for cornering Lucy, Natsu, and Happy while they were on the train, and she could tell that the other ponies were feeling just as uncomfortable as she was. Poor little Apple Bloom was crouched underneath Twilight, trying to hide from all of the attention. "ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!" bellowed a voice from the upstairs balcony. At the sound of the voice, Everyone immediately ceased in their unending commentary and turned to the source of the voice, much to the ponies relief. Twilight looked in the direction of the voice, and saw a small man, probably in his late seventies, standing on the railing of the upstairs balcony with his arms crossed, starring down upon the guild members with beady, gray eyes. Judging by the newcomer's firm and commanding gaze the elder shot everyone, not to mention the guild's reaction to him, Twilight assumed that the small, ancient man on the balcony was none other then Master Makarov; master of the Fairy Tail guild and the one who Lucy spoke very highly of on their journey to Magnolia. The unicorn could feel the Master's eyes gaze upon all of his 'children' observingly, before finally resting his gaze on herself and the three other ponies. What was even more strange and nerve-wracking though, was the fact that his tired eyes seemed to square in on her more than her fellow equines. Twilight gulped. And she thought the sudden attention from the rest of the guild was uncomfortable enough, but to her, it felt like this man's judging stare was more intense and powerful then any of the other looks she had received that day. Finally, after what felt like years, Makarov spoke, a calm authority and aurora surrounding his words, "Everyone, return back to your previous activities. I must have a word with our....guests in private," he spoke. Almost immediately, the people surrounding the ponies dispersed, some grumbling and pouting at their master's order, but did as told anyway. Twilight, along with the other ponies, didn't know wether to feel relieved or even more nervous. Sure, the suffocating attention from the guild members was finally over, but now they were going to meet the man who was in charge of the entire place, and that somehow made the four ponies even more apprehensive then they already were. Makarov motioned with his index finger towards the ponies, signaling them to follow him to his office. Hesitantly, Twilight, Flash, Rainbow Dash, and Apple Bloom obliged and followed the short male up the flight of stairs to the second floor, close behind the man as he made his way to a door, which Twilight assumed was his office. Once the four ponies were piled into the room they sat in the four chairs that faced Makarov's desk, where he sat as he folded his fingers together. The man took another moment to stare curiously at the equines, before he finally broke out into a warm smile, "I see the guild has taken a liking to you four. I wouldn't be surprised; those brats have a knack for getting over excited!" He chuckled softly at his 'children's' antics, but he stopped once he saw the apprehensive looked the ponies were giving him. The Master quickly realized that they were nervous of what he wanted to do with them. Makarov sighed, "No need to feel so troublesome, young ponies from Equestria. I will not do anything that makes you uncomfortable," he assured. A moment of silence..... "YOU KNOW ABOUT EQUESTRIA!!??" Rainbow Dash and Twilight shouted in unison, jumping slightly in their seats as they looked at the old man in astonishment. Right as they yelled that, the door to the office swung open with a large bang, as Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Erza, and Gray pratically toppled into the room, catching the attention of the ponies and master immediately. The group of teens sloppily stumbled up to their feet. Once they were settled, Natsu bellowed, "ALRIGHT, I'VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH!!! I WANNA KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, WHY YOU GUYS ARE HERE, AND WHAT GRAMPS IS TALKING ABOUT, NOW-" Natsu however, was hit hard on the top of the head by Erza, who had an agitated expression with a dark aurora surrounding her. Within moments, Natsu's salmon hair had a large bruise visible for all to see. "Shut it, and let them explain," the red-head commanded in a terrifyingly calm tone. Everyone in the room shuddered at the woman's scariness and were glad her anger was not directed to them. "Idiot," Grey snickered. "Alright-" Erza turned to the ponies, a stern look on her face, "Explain yourselves. What are animals such as yourselves doing here in Fiore? Surely this is not your homeland," Erza spoke, her question directed to the equines. Rainbow Dash gawked, "Hey! Who are ya calling animals, Red?" the sky-blue pegasus challenged, unfazed by the shock reactions Natsu, Grey, Lucy, and Happy gave her, while Erza starred blankly at the pony, unaffected by the nickname she gave her. "Uh....Rainbow Dash? You remember when I told you about Erza on our way here?" Lucy nervously questioned. Rainbow nodded, "Yeah. You said she used magic that manipulated weapons and that she was super scary. So?" Happy answered this time, sweating as he pointed to the red-head, "Well, uh....you see....that's....Erza," he said hesitantly. Rainbow Dash raised a brow in confusion, before the realization crossed her face as her eyes grew to the size as plates. She looked back at the re-quip mage, smiled nervously, and took a step back as she rubbed the back of her neck, "He, he, he.....oops...." was her only reply. Erza smiled softly, before regaining her stern gaze once again, "Forgive me for my choice of words. I should have known better, and where you all come from I should have known your kind aren't classified as animals. However, I do believe that we deserve an explanation as to why you four are here," the mighty Titania reasoned in a business tone. "It's a bit of a long story," Flash chinned in, his voice just as stern as Erza's, "It may take a bit of explaining," he continued. "We've got time," Grey said nonchalantly, leaning against the wall. "Yeah, and besides. You owe us big time since we explained everything to you about Fairy Tail, now it's your turn. Come on, spill it," Natsu smirked deviously as he rubbed the palms of his hands together as if he were planning something. Finally, twilight stepped up, but before she could get a word out, Apple Bloom's small voice beat her to it, "It's all my fault...." she mumbled, yet everyone heard her. "Huh?" everyone said, dumbfounded. Twilight made eye contact with the little filly, so she saw the clear guilt in her red eyes, and knew that Apple Bloom wanted to tell the wizards, so she remained silent. "Ya'll are all right. We don't come from Flori...Fiari...this world. We come from a place called Equestria, which is what I'm told is called another...um..." Apple Bloom stumbled with her words. "Dimension?" Twilight offered, rapping her front hoof around Apple Bloom's small frame encouragingly. Apple Bloom nodded, grateful for the unicorn's help. "So anyway, I was helping out Zecora and...." with that, the Cutie Mark Crusader explained everything from Twilight and her going to Canterlot, to seeing Rainbow Dash, meeting Flash Sentry, finding the gem that sent them to Fiore in the first place, running away from the outraged citizens of Hargeon, meeting Natsu and Lucy, and their rescue mission for Flash. The fairies listened intently, considering the filly's words carefully as she went on. Natsu, however, only looked at the filly's face. He could see all of the emotions welling up in her eyes, especially the guilt she still felt when she mentioned the gem and on how she was the one that sent them all here. The dragon slayer felt sympathy for the little pony, but at the same time, he was glad she found that gem and sent herself and the others to Fiore. It was because of that gem that they all met, and therefore the reason why they all became friends. Of course, Natsu would never admit that out loud. By the time Apple Bloom was done, her voice cracked with emotion, ".....I'm sorry...I didn't mean to mess everything up...I just..just....." Twilight hugged and shushed her as Apple Bloom broke down in tears, smoothing out her red mane and whispering comforting words to the filly. Everyone else simply starred down at the mare and filly with saddened expressions, especially the wizards. The Fairy Tail mages could all see the guilt and grief consuming the pony, as well as the sadness in the three other ponies worried eyes. These four equines have been separated from their home, their families, their friends. They were in a strange land where people looked at them as if they were monsters, and have been treated like dirt the moment they stepped foot in the land. Lucy crouched at eye level with the ponies and scooped up Apple Bloom from Twilight's grasp. The filly was still whimpering and buried her face in the celestial mage's shoulder, "I'm going to take Apple Bloom outside and try to calm her down, " Lucy whispered quietly as she walked out of the room, holding the crusader close for comfort. A moment on silence soon followed. Twilight grimly realized there have been too many of those today, "I understand it's all hard to take in-" she started, "-but it's the truth. We come from a world of magic just like you, but with different inhabitance and different values," Twilight concluded. Grey shook his head to clear it of all the questions the were circling around his mind. "Okay, let me get this straight; you guys come from a would called Equestria where there are magical, flying, talking horses, and you were transported here by some kind of gem and have no idea how to get back?" the ice wizard summarized, incredulously. Rainbow shrugged, "Yeah, pretty much," Erza spoke up next, "And you say that there was a dark mage called Fumio who tried to frame you for stealing Hargeon's magic supply and somehow escaped when the guard captain became possessed by a spell?" "That would be how it played out," Flash answered. the Canterlot Guard could hardly believe all of this himself, and he was there. "Well, it seems your dilemma is very serious, and I can assure you that Fairy Tail will do all we can to get you four ponies back to Equestria," the Master assured. Twilight smiled gratefully at the man. "Thank you, Master Makarov. We appreciate the help, but I believe there was a reason why we were brought here," Twilight said. Makarov raised a gray eyebrow curiously. "And what may that be, child?" the old man asked. "I believe that it is my comrades and I's duty to stay in this world for a while and help with the issue of the disappearance of magic and to stop Fumio at whatever it is he or anyone else is plotting. I understand this is out of the blue, but let me explain. Natsu, Lucy, and Happy saved us quite a bit when we came to this world, and I think that the other ponies and I owe it to them and you for aiding us in this strange world. It's only fair that we repay the favor," Twilight finished, looking over to Rainbow Dash and Flash Sentry, who nodded, showing that they too agreed with her. Natsu smiled goofily while Erza, Happy, and Grey grinned affectionately at the mare's words. If there was one thing they could all agree on, is that the ponies were definitely special and that they make proud additions to the guild. That gave Natsu an idea as he sprang up from his position and slung his arms around all three of the ponies, catching them by surprise, "Hey, Gramps! How 'bout they join the guild?" the fire mage suggested cheerily. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Flash were shocked by the boy's question, yet flattered. It made them, including Flash Sentry, quite pleased that Natsu wanted them to join the guild, but there was one major flaw. "Uh, that would be great Natsu, but...." Rainbow Dash trailed off, feeling very awkward. "We aren't wizards. Perhaps Twilight may be able to join your guild, but Rainbow Dash, Apple Bloom, and I don't have magical abilities. Therefore, we won't be able to join," Flash finished, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice. Natsu rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on! Now that's a load of bull crap! I can sense the magic practically oozing outta ya! You've got magic, you can learn it," Natsu countered, not satisfied with their answer. "But that's impossible!" Flash shot back. "Yeah, we're not unicorns or wizards, so there's no way we can learn magic!" Dash added, trying not to get her hopes up too high. "On the contrary, Natsu may be right. I could sense levels of magic coming off of all of you when you came into the guild. I know this is news to you, but there are many individuals that live their entire lives without realizing that they may have a source of magic within themselves. The same goes for you, Rainbow Dash and Flash Sentry. Even young Apple Bloom has some magic that has resided within her. Yes, you may not be unicorns or wizards, but you come from a world of great magic power, so that alone makes you magical beings," Makarov explained. The two pegasi looked at him in shock. "So, we can learn magic?" Rainbow Dash asked hesitantly. "Any kind we wish?" Flash continued, fascinated by the idea of wielding magic of his own. Makarov nodded, "That is, if you would like to learn it. The decision is completely up to you," Makarov concluded. Rainbow Dash shot up from Natsu's grasp and flew above him, punching her hooves into the air, "HECK YES!!! Of course we want to learn it! That would be 20% cooler then just seeing it! Imagine all the super awesome magics I could do! Wouldn't that be great Twilight?" "That would be useful, and I could learn a few more defense spells. What do you think, Flash?" Twilight turned to the said stallion, as everyone awaited his reply. At last, he sighed in defeat. "I suppose it is a wise idea to learn magic. However, I will only use magic that involves weaponry, otherwise I refuse to participate," the guard answered stubbornly, oblivious to the twinkle in Erza's eyes as she approached him. "I believe I can help you with that, Flash Sentry. I happen to be a re-quip mage, so I specialize in armor and weaponry magic. I think this magic is perfect for you! You can use magic, yet still maintain your weapon skills. What do you say?" Erza said, excitement overwhelming her at the thought of another re-quip wizard to practice with. Flash considered the offer for a moment, thinking it over in his head. When he knew his answer, a sly smirk crossed his lips, surprising Twilight, Natsu, and Dash at the fact that the stern and expressionless stallion actually smirked, "I suppose that could work quite well," he responded. Erza's smile broadened at his reply. As for Natsu, Grey, and Happy, they only grimaced. "Great, another Erza," Happy sighed solemnly. Natsu turned to Twilight with hopeful eyes. "So, does this mean you guys are joining Fairy Tail?" he asked. Twilight looked to her two other pony companions and saw them nod, giving her their answers. "Yes, I guess it wouldn't hurt to join Fairy Tail," Twilight replied simply, smiling happily. "YASH!!! Let's go tell everyone!" Natsu whooped as he threw his arms up in the air and dashed out of the office, Rainbow Dash and Happy flying not far behind. "Race ya!" Rainbow challenged Happy, who smiled joyfully. "Your on!!!" the blue exceed accepted, flying beside the pegasus as they disappeared from view. "Well, better go tell Mira. She'll want to throw a party for you guys," Grey said with a smile, with his shirt gone and his hands in his pockets as he too left the office. "Come, Flash Sentry. Why don't we discuss the different armors for re-quipping," Erza reasoned, to which the stallion nodded and followed her out as well. Now, Twilight and her new master were the only ones left in the room. There was a question nagging at Twilight that she couldn't help but ask, and with it just being her and Makarov as the only ones around, it was the perfect time to bring it up, "Master, How did you know that my friends and I were from Equestria? You know, before Natsu and the others burst in," Twilight asked, having remembered the Master comment on the ponies homeland before Team Natsu came stumbling into the office. Makarov sighed. "I'm afraid it is not the time for that, Twilight Sparkle. Let's just say I have some....history with that area, but I do not believe I am the person to tell you," Makarov answered truthfully. Twilight nodded, disappointed and uncertain, "I understand Master," was her only reply. As Twilight walked to the door, Makarov called back to her. When Twilight turned around, she saw the small wizard give her a warm smile. "Welcome to Fairy Tail, my child," Makarov said, affection and tenderness in his tone. Twilight returned the smile, "Thank you, Master," she replied, before trotting out of the office to greet her new guild mates.