The following day I sat with Levy at the bar, discussing our potential next job, when Nozomi suddenly sat up and her eyes widened. "Oh, right!" She exclaimed from across the room. "Our fight was interrupted yesterday but let's pick it back up Erza!" She roared as she charged straight at her.
Erza responded by grabbing a table leg and swinging it at Nozomi, sending her spiralling through the air and crashing into a set of tables. Her eyes were comical swirls as she was knocked out from the blow.
"If that's what you want, then come at me," Erza told her.
"She's already out cold!" Cana laughed merrily as she drank eagerly. "Pah, a shame nobody bet on that! I'd be rolling in money!"
I just snorted in amusement as I took a sip of water... But while I did, I kept my senses sharp for any signs of magical fluctuation. Was there an Edolas? Would Mystogan show up? I was curious, I couldn't deny-!
MAGNOLIA IS ENTERING GILDARTS SHIFT!
My eyes widened as the ground began to tremble, slamming my drink down as I looked around, while others yelped and began to fall over from the unexpected shaking of the ground.
Gildarts was back!? What!? This was way too soon!
"Hm..." Mavis tapped her chin. "This isn't right... Gildarts wouldn't be back yet, the mission he took when he left was far too long..."
"Then... It's someone with magic power on par with Gildarts..." Levy murmured and then sighed. "It's her, isn't it?"
"Of course, it's her," Mavis nodded in agreement.
"Sorry, who is this 'her' you are talking about?" I asked them both, incredulous. What was going on?
Mavis hummed. "Among the S-Class wizards in Fairy Tail, only one has enough Magic Power to be put on par with Gildarts- the Ace. Unlike Gildarts, she can control her power... However, she likes to flaunt it whenever she comes home. Make a declaration that she's back to everyone."
I turned my head to the doors as they slowly pushed open, a figure momentarily silhouetted against the light shining behind her.
"Fairy Queen Mab - Brandish Mu."
I audibly gulped as Brandish made her way into the guild. Her green hair done in a bob haircut, two little cross-shaped hair pins attached to either side of her head. She wore a yellow spotted brown bikini with flip-flops on her feet, and an oversized brown coat with fur lining. The Fairy Tail Emblem was boldly present on her thigh in purple.
"Welcome back, Brandish," Makarov greeted her. "Did you have a nice time travelling?"
"It was alright," Brandish nodded as she made her way towards the bar.
"Brandy?" Lucy's voice called out, sounding excited.
Brandish turned to her, green eyes lighting up. "Lulu!"
Lucy ran up to Brandish, giving her a tight hug while Brandish laughed and held her tightly in her arms, giving her a little spin with a fond sisterly smile.
Many in the guild stared in surprise- I was one of them... But for reasons different than the rest.
What was going on? I knew Brandish was at Fairy Tail instead of the Alvarez Empire... But she and Lucy were friends? No, they seemed closer- like they were sisters.
Was it possible, in this world, Grammy never moved to Alvarez and instead decided to continue attending Layla- having Brandish in the Heartfilia Manor which resulted in Lucy and Brandish being raised together like sisters?
But if that was the case...
I hadn't paid much attention to normal newspapers and had focused entirely on Sorcerer Weekly, but was it possible that Layla Heartfilia was still alive? Had the very base of the grudge Brandish held towards Lucy- her mother's death- never happened due to Grammy being able to hand over Aquarius's Key thus meaning she could open the Eclipse Gate without getting Magic Deficiency Disease?
If that was the case... Then that changed quite a lot in the story...
God damn it, BB...
"So, that's Brandish Mu," I murmured, acting like I didn't know her. "Where does she rank in terms of strength in Fairy Tail?" I asked Mavis.
"Right below our Ace, but above ordinary S-Class Mages," Mavis said confidently.
"Woah now, Mavis, I'm feeling insulted," a female voice spoke from above.
I looked up and saw her.
Spiked blonde hair that covered one of her orange eyes, an arrogant smirk on her lips. Her body was muscled and toned, wearing a tight black shirt that showed off her abs, a white furred coat draped over her shoulders as her purple pants clung to her toned thighs.
That was...
"So, you were here, Levina," someone spoke up in surprise, "how unusual!"
"That's Levina," Levy murmured. "She's a contender for the title of strongest mage in Fairy Tail."
Nozomi, who had recovered from Erza's attack, got up quickly. "Levina, fight me!"
"Didn't you just get knocked out by Erza?" Gray asked flatly.
"He's right," Levina smirked in amusement. "If you can't even win against Erza, you don't stand a chance against me."
"Are you implying something, Levina?" Erza asked dangerously.
She just chuckled and spread her arms. "I'm outright saying it- I'm stronger than you."
Nozomi snarled. "Come on down here, you bitch!"
She snorted. "How about you come up instead?"
With a roar, Nozomi's fist ignited in flames as she leapt towards her, throwing a punch-!
SLAM!
- Only Makarov's hand appeared in front of her, slamming her back down to the ground without hesitation.
"You know the rules, Nozomi," Makarov said sternly. "You cannot go to the second floor... Yet."
Levina chuckled. "Aww, looks like the little dragon got scolded~"
"Don't provoke her, Levina," Makarov glanced up at his granddaughter. "That's enough."
She just snorted in amusement. "I have no intention of handing over the position of Fairy Tail's strongest to anyone... Especially that old geezer, Gildarts."
"Maybe you should say that when you can beat me in a fight," Brandish said dismissively. "Why don't you go and play with your Thunder God Tribe, Levina? Let them stroke your metaphorical cock instead of trying to get into a dick measuring contest with us."
Levina just snorted, clearly brushing off Brandish's words. "Keep talking trash, Brandish... Just remember that I am the strongest."
With that, she turned into a bolt of lightning and left the guild through a window on the second floor.
"Humble that girl is not," I told Mavis.
She sighed. "She used to be a very kind and sweet girl," Mavis said sadly. "Please don't think too poorly of her, she has her own issues that made her the way she is."
I only nodded- I knew Levina's background myself after all.
I looked back as Brandish walked over to me, Lucy smiling as she walked together with her. I glanced between the two of them... They looked like sisters, not lovers.
Thank goodness, because I really liked Brandish. Though, I wouldn't force it.
"So, you're the one I've heard people calling the Fairy King?" Brandish asked, eyeing me up and down- her eyes focusing on my halo. "You look awfully cute for someone taking the title of King."
I just sighed heavily. "Never asked for it- blame Erza," I told her. "It's nice to meet you, Brandish Mu. I'm Ash Crestfall."
"Nice to meet you, Ash," she nodded. "So... I see the other rumours are true too- you aren't human... Some kind of angel?"
I just blushed and buried my face into my hands, while Levy and Mavis both laughed in amusement.
"Everyone mistakes him for an angel," Levy giggled.
"It's an easy mistake to make, especially when his wings are out," Mavis smiled widely.
Brandish smiled in amusement before she took a seat, Lucy quickly taking the seat beside her with a smile.
"You two know each other?" I asked, trying to shift the topic away from myself.
"Yep!" Lucy smiled happily. "Brandish's mom works for my mom, so the two of us grew up together! We're practically sisters!"
"Oh, I see," Mavis smiled. "Though I'll admit, I've never heard Brandish mention you before."
"Nobody asked," she shrugged. "I was supposed to pick her up and bring her to Fairy Tail, but then I learned from her mother that she got too excited and went on her own little magic adventure while I was away..." She gave Lucy a look.
The blonde looked away sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "Sorry, Brandy."
She sighed. "Well, you ran into Nozomi and things weren't too bad for you. So, I'll let it slide. I ended up taking an extra long vacation anyway, so all's well."
"By the way," Lucy looked over to Mavis. "What was that Master said about the Second Floor? Why wasn't Nozomi allowed up there?"
Mavis chuckled and nodded. "The Second Floor is where we keep our S-Class Jobs."
Lucy's eyes widened. "S-Class?"
Mavis gave a nod. "Yep. They are extremely dangerous jobs, where the smallest mistake could lead to your death. Of course, in exchange for that, the pay is extraordinarily good. Brandish here almost exclusively takes S-Class Jobs."
Lucy whirled around to Brandish in surprise, who merely shrugged. "They're not that hard for me, thanks to my Magic and absurd amount of Magic Power. You wanna talk about the truly dangerous jobs, you'll wanna talk about ten year quests."
"Ten year quests?"
"S-Class jobs aren't easy," Brandish told her. "They're extremely hard, in fact... To the point that some of them, even after having been up for ten years, haven't been finished. We call this category of missions 'Ten Year Quests.' And beyond that, there is the apex among the apex- a quest not finished for a hundred years: the Hundred Year Quest."
Lucy swallowed slowly. "Hundred year quest..."
"That's the mission our ace went on," Levy told Lucy, sipping her drink and tapping the table a bit anxiously. Clearly, even the mention of the quest had her a bit nervous. "Nobody who has gone on the quest has ever returned alive. So, all of us don't even know if Gildarts is alive right now."
I took a sip of my own drink... Really, Crash Magic was unbelievably powerful and broken. What I wouldn't give to have it for myself...
Brandish gave Lucy a look. "Don't even think about S-Class Quests- it is way too soon for you. You're only a C-Class Mage anyway."
Lucy quickly nodded. "Give me some credit Brandy- I like money, but it doesn't mean I'm suicidal."
I snorted softly into my drink, though only Mavis noticed. It was hilarious hearing that from Lucy when she, indeed, took the quest because it gave a Golden Celestial Spirit Key.
It was a key I had no interest in- Sagittarius's key. It was better off in Lucy's hands rather than mine.
"Oh," I looked at Lucy. "Did you learn Re-Quip Magic yet?" I asked her.
"Oh, uh, not yet," she shook her head. "I was planning to ask Erza to teach me, but-"
"Nonsense," Brandish frowned, her rivalry with Erza acting up. "I'll teach you instead."
Her eyes lit up. "Thanks, Brandy!"
I just hid a smirk... It seemed Brandish had a rivalry with Erza and Mirajane, even though she was stronger than the both of them.
Brandish stood up and led Lucy away in order to start teaching her, the blonde spirit mage happily following behind with an eagerness to learn.
"Shall I add her to the list?" Levy teased.
"What list?" I looked at her slowly.
"The 'girls to join Ash's Harem' list," she said callously.
I set down my glass, doing my best to restrain the redness coming to my face. "And pray tell, who else is on this list?"
"Mavis, Nozomi, Erza, Mirajane..."
"Are you trying to break my dick?" I asked incredulously while Mavis squeaked in embarrassment. "Also, not Virgo?"
"Not Virgo," she confirmed. "She's pretty much in your harem anyway since you're her Master, so I removed her from the list."
"... You didn't answer on if you were trying to break my dick or not."
She just smiled very slowly.
'This girl…'