As the car window rolled down, a strikingly familiar face appeared before them, causing a moment of stunned silence to descend upon the group.
The scene was momentarily frozen in time.
"It's me!!!" Natsu exclaimed, pointing at himself, his voice ringing with unrestrained joy.
"It's really Natsu!" Happy cried out, his face covered by his hands in a display of unrestrained excitement.
"That's Edolas Natsu," Lucy corrected Happy, her voice laced with a gentle tone.
"Miss Lucy already told me about you. Hop in!" Edolas Natsu grinned, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Compared to that dilapidated ship, my ride is way faster," he added proudly, his voice brimming with self-assurance.
He tilted his head, gesturing towards the car, urging them to board without further delay.
Noticing that Earthland Natsu seemed hesitant and indecisive, Finn swiftly seized Natsu by the scruff of his neck and unceremoniously tossed him into the vehicle.
"Natsu, just try to bear with it. If it gets too bad, I'll help you later," Finn reassured him, his tone laced with a hint of playful mischief.
Having witnessed Finn's rather unorthodox methods of assisting Natsu in overcoming his aversion to modes of transportation, Lucy let out a bead of cold sweat, her forehead glistening with nervous perspiration.
Once everyone was settled inside the vehicle, Edolas Natsu pushed the gear stick into drive. "Hold on tight, everyone! I'm going to floor it, so don't fall out!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement.
Without giving anyone a chance to react, Edolas Natsu slammed his foot down on the accelerator.
The magical four-wheeled vehicle erupted into a thunderous roar, the tires spinning so rapidly that they appeared to be engulfed in flames.
"GO FIRE!!" Edolas Natsu roared, his voice filled with unrestrained passion.
The magical four-wheeled vehicle shot forward with astonishing speed.
A powerful surge of acceleration pressed Finn and his companions firmly against their seats.
In the blink of an eye, they had vanished from their original location.
…
The magical four-wheeled vehicle sped across a vast expanse of desolate wilderness.
"You're heading to the royal capital, right?" Edolas Natsu asked from the driver's seat.
"Yes, thank you for taking us," Wendy replied softly, her voice laced with gratitude.
"Don't mention it. Lucy asked me to," he said, glancing at Earthland Lucy. "Of course, not your Lucy. The Lucy I know."
The scenery flashed by in his sunglasses.
"But Lucy's right, you two really are identical," he said, looking at Earthland Natsu in the back.
Earthland Natsu was slumped in his seat, eyes rolling back, looking like he was about to pass out.
"Is that me? He looks so useless,"
Finn and the others smiled wryly.
"Earthland Natsu's always afraid of vehicles," Wendy explained.
Edolas Natsu shook his head. "Is that even me?"
He looked ahead. "Here, I'm called 'Fireball,' Fairy Tail's fastest!"
"Ugh…"
Natsu seemed about to throw up, his mouth puckering, tears welling in his eyes.
Wendy felt bad. "Sorry, Natsu. I can't use magic; otherwise, I could use Motion Sickness."
"Seriously…" Finn sighed, helping Natsu up.
"Let me help you. It'll be quick!" Finn said softly.
Lucy's eyes widened. "Is it coming? Finn's special treatment?"
Wendy was surprised. "I didn't know Finn could cure motion sickness!"
Finn nodded. "I'll cure the root cause. He won't feel sick anymore."
"He can heal?" Carla asked, confused.
Natsu's hand trembled as he weakly tried to wave him off. He mumbled, "No… no need…"
But Finn ignored him, made a fist, and punched Natsu hard in the abdomen.
The intense pain instantly knocked Natsu unconscious. He leaned back peacefully, motionless.
"See? All better," Finn said, clapping his hands.
"You 'cured' him by knocking him out?" Nancy quipped.
"Aye, that's Finn!"
Edolas Natsu unconsciously touched his own stomach, watching his counterpart get punched. It felt strangely unsettling.
…
In a dimly lit tavern, Edolas Gajeel, impeccably dressed in a sharp suit, entered the establishment.
After scanning the room, his gaze settled upon two figures shrouded in shadow within a secluded corner of the tavern.
"Heh!" A characteristically sinister grin spread across Edolas Gajeel's face as he approached the two figures.
"Yo, other me!" Earthland Gajeel greeted him casually.
"So, how did it go? Were you able to obtain any information regarding the whereabouts of the remaining magic crystals?" Laxus inquired, his voice laced with anticipation as he slid a glass of liquor across the table towards Edolas Gajeel.
Edolas Gajeel shook his head, his expression apologetic. "I'm sorry, but I haven't been able to uncover any information concerning the remaining magic crystals."
Upon hearing this news, Laxus's shoulders slumped slightly, his voice laced with a hint of disappointment. "Tomorrow is the day of the magical energy extraction ritual. We're running out of time."
"If that's the case, then we'll have no choice but to create a considerable disturbance," Earthland Gajeel declared resolutely.
"Gentlemen," Edolas Gajeel interjected, his voice calm and measured, "while I haven't been able to locate any information concerning the remaining magic crystals, I believe I have uncovered some information that you might find to be of considerable interest."
"Hmm?" Both Laxus and Earthland Gajeel turned their attention towards Edolas Gajeel, their curiosity piqued.
Without further ado, Edolas Gajeel produced several photographs from his pocket. "These are images depicting the events that transpired in Sycca Town yesterday," he explained.
"According to reports, a group of individuals identifying themselves as members of the Fairy Tail guild launched a surprise attack upon a contingent of Royal Army soldiers, resulting in a significant number of casualties. Eyewitnesses claim that one of the assailants was completely engulfed in flames, a phenomenon that doesn't appear to be consistent with the magical practices of Edolas," Edolas Gajeel explained, his voice laced with a hint of intrigue.
Edolas Gajeel's gaze shifted towards Laxus and Earthland Gajeel. "This particular style of magic is far more reminiscent of the magical techniques employed in Earthland. And, from the information I've gathered, it seems that they're currently en route to the royal capital."
Laxus picked up one of the photographs from the table. The image depicted a scene of utter devastation: countless bodies lay scattered upon the ground, the surrounding area marred by extensive burn marks.
Earthland Gajeel and Laxus exchanged a meaningful glance before speaking in unison. "It's Finn!"
"If that guy's here, things are going to be a lot easier," Gajeel remarked, his voice laced with a hint of relief.
Laxus nodded in agreement, a subtle smile playing upon his lips. "That's true. That guy never misses a thing!" he commented.
"Once they arrive at the royal capital, I suspect that they'll create quite a stir in a very short period of time. And when that happens…" Earthland Gajeel paused, his gaze drifting towards Edolas Gajeel.
Edolas Gajeel responded with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I'll be sure to notify you the moment I receive any further information."
..... ....
"We appreciate your assistance. We'll act according to the information you provide," Earthland Gajeel stated gratefully.
Edolas Gajeel drained the contents of his glass in a single gulp.
Rising to his feet, he announced, "Well then, I shall take my leave. Be careful out there!"
"You as well," Earthland Gajeel replied.
…
The speeding magical four-wheeled vehicle came to an abrupt halt.
"I'm very sorry, but due to limitations on my magical energy reserves, I'm only able to transport you this far," Edolas Natsu announced, his voice laced with a hint of apology. "The royal capital lies just a short distance from here. If I were to proceed any further, I would be unable to return to the guild."
"Therefore, please disembark," he added politely.
Understanding his predicament, the group readily complied, exiting the vehicle.
The moment Earthland Natsu stepped out of the vehicle, he seemed to undergo a complete transformation, his energy levels surging dramatically.
"I'm back to normal!" he exclaimed excitedly, his voice brimming with renewed vitality.
"Does this guy have some kind of multiple personality disorder?" Nancy questioned, her voice laced with amusement as she observed Earthland Natsu's dramatic shift in demeanor.
"Just ignore him," Finn responded dismissively, waving his hand.
"Hey!" Earthland Natsu approached the car door, his gaze fixed upon Edolas Natsu, who remained seated within the vehicle.
"Get out. I have some questions for you," Earthland Natsu declared, his voice firm as he promptly pulled Edolas Natsu from the car without a word of warning.
"Idiot, what do you think you're doing?!" Edolas Natsu protested, attempting to resist.
However, Earthland Natsu, possessing the formidable physical capabilities of a Dragon Slayer, effortlessly subdued his counterpart.
Finn and the others exchanged surprised glances.
"I'm asking you," Natsu stated, his voice serious as he fixed his gaze upon Edolas Natsu, who lay sprawled upon the ground.
"Why aren't you afraid of vehicles at all?"
"You're being this serious just to ask that?" Nancy exclaimed, her voice laced with a mixture of amusement and disbelief at Natsu's seemingly trivial question.
However, Edolas Natsu did not immediately respond to Natsu's query. Instead, he raised his hands to cover his head, his body trembling slightly as occasional whimpers escaped his lips.
"I… I'm sorry, I don't know," Edolas Natsu whispered, his voice barely audible as he slowly raised his head, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.
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