章 17: 2/3
Bambietta burst through the doors of Fairy Tail, the Quincy finding herself greeted by an unnatural silence. Those within the building were simply staring in silence, all their eyes trained on Natsu Dragneel and Erza Scarlet.
"All right, you ready?" the Dragon Slayer was saying, standing tall with one foot propped up the table seats before Erza. "Because I've got a fire in belly for sure this time!"
"Yes, I suppose I have kept you waiting long enough," the armored mage simply responded, trying her best to enjoy the food sitting atop the counter before her. "You have my utmost thanks for the assistance you provided in defeating Eisenwald, so I will have the rematch you asked for."
Then did Erza suddenly look towards the master of the guild, Makarov simply sitting beside Mirajane Straus at the main counter.
"However, I do believe we need permission for such a contest of wills." Erza nodded then towards the older man, obtaining his attention. "Master Makarov, if you would allow us this sparring contest."
"I suppose I can," Makarov simply responded, "however, I do request that you and Natsu take it outside for the sake of our guild hall. And do be mindful of the property around you."
"Yes, master. And you have my thanks."
Then did Erza turn back to Natsu, to formally accept the challenge, only to find him being confronted by Bambietta. That drew Erza's attentions and she simply returned to enjoying her meal, all the while watching the two converse.
"Are you crazy, Natsu?" Bambietta all but shouted. "Look, I know you're tough and all, but there's no way you're going to beat her! You're just pissing in the wind here!"
"Wind?" the Dragon Slayer replied, raising an eyebrow as he did so. "But she's Erza, not Erigor."
Bambietta could not help herself, bringing the palm of her right hand to cover her face for a second before pointing its index finger at Natsu. "Listen, I know you want to prove yourself and I get that, but there's no point in getting yourself involved in a sparring contest that you can't hope to win!"
"But you wanted to fight me before, didn't you?"
"Okay, that was mean." Bambietta's eyes twitched for a brief few moments, her mouth nearly falling open in horror. "But I'm going to let that one slide because I bet you didn't think that comment through."
Natsu simply scratched at the top of his head. "Think what through?"
Bambietta sighed. "That's what I figured." Then did she snap and became defensive. "And besides, that was different! I thought I could beat you! And I think I can now that I totally wrecked that Erigor guy!"
"Oh yeah?" Natsu's eyes lit up. "Then win or lose, I so want a rematch after I fight Erza!"
"Yeah, like there's going to be anything left of you to fight after that." Bambietta folded her arms across chest and looked away from Natsu, a grunt of frustration escaping the puffed out cheeks of her face. Then did she glance towards Natsu. "Though I do kind of want a second round sometime."
"It's a deal!" Natsu said with an infectious smile upon his face. "So you going to root for me?"
Bambietta relaxed her guard then and sighed. "I suppose I could root for the underdog."
"That's what I like to hear!" Then did Natsu turn to face Erza. "You read-"
He never got the chance to finish the sentence, Erza having long since completed her meal and moving beside Natsu. With one swift motion had she wrapped an arm across his shoulders and pulled him close, inadvertently slamming Natsu's head against her armored torso.
"The stage of battle is set!" Erza shouted as she pointed towards the door and began to guide Natsu to it.
Bambietta, meanwhile, watched as the rest of Fairy Tail, Makarov excluded, began to follow the duo outside. The Quincy merely stood her ground for a second, Mirajane appearing before her.
"Don't you want to see the big fight?"
"Big fight?" Bambietta could not help herself and laughed. "Look, I don't mean to cruel to Natsu but he doesn't have a ghost of a chance against her."
"Oh come on," Mirajane said, grabbing Bambietta by the hand and running her towards the door, "it'll be fun!"
"Meninas the Second strikes again," Bambietta whispered under her breath. "Oh well, I suppose I should root for the underdog in person."
Makarov, meanwhile, simply sat upon the counter. He began to reach for his beverage of choice and took a sip before sighing. "Kids these days. Then again, was I any different at their age? I probably gave Master Precht a heart attack some days..."
Bambietta quickly found herself standing beside Mirajane, all of Fairy Tail encircled around the chosen street outside of the guild hall. In the center stood Natsu and Erza, the two of them locking eyes.
"That's right, Dragon Slayer," Bambietta mused. "Drag it out with a stare down. The more that goes on, the longer you'll be conscious."
"They're really going through with this crazy idea?"
Bambietta and Mirajane both turned then to find Lucy having forced her way through the crowd.
"Hey there, Lucy!" Mirajane said cheerfully.
"Well they have to go through with it anyway," Elfman said, her voice booming from behind the ladies. "If they don't, their manhood will come into question."
"Little brother?" Mirajane said softly. "Erza's not a man."
"And let's get one thing straight," Bambietta began to add, "I'm not manly either, you big lug! So don't you dare even make with that 'humor' today, you hear?"
"Shouldn't we be worried?" Lucy asked gently. "This could tear Fairy Tail's strongest team apart!"
"The strongest team?" Gray was completely confused as he approached.
"You, Erza and Natsu!" Lucy shouted back, growing irritated.
Bambietta was quick to becoming upset as well. "Hey now. Lucy?"
"Oh, and Bambi!"
The Quincy smiled and nodded in response. "That's more like it."
"We're the strongest team?" Gray couldn't help but smirk a little beat. "Yeah, right. What moron fed you that load of bull?"
Mirajane suddenly began to cry then, covering her face with both hands. Bambietta simply dropped her face into the palm of one hand due to aggravation. "Smooth move, Gray."
The ice mage grew flustered then, gently patting Mirajane on the back in penance for his mistake. "You're not a moron, Mira! I mean it! Damn, I'm the only moron here."
"Listen up," Elfman began to say, "I won't argue that Natsu and Gray are tough little fellows, but neither one of them is the strongest this guild has to offer. Some are probably as strong as the two of them combined!"
"And Erza's one of them if you ask me!" Levy suddenly said, standing beside Shadow Gear. "Or anyone else here for that matter..."
"Hey, Levy!" Bambietta moved quick, positioning herself between the petite mage and her two teammates. "So you and me are in agreement that Natsu is so totally going to get roasted in this fight, right?"
"And what makes you so sure?" Jet asked, growing annoyed with the newcomer's flagrant attempts to take Levy from the group. "Since when are you the expert, huh?"
"Yeah, you only got your butt kicked by Natsu," Droy added in, leaning over Bambietta's shoulder. "You didn't' get wrecked by Erza yet, so how could you possibly tell?"
"Because, numb nuts," Bambietta said, growing angered by the lack of respect granted to her personal space, "I can sense energy."
"Wait, what?" Jet could not remember a time hearing of such a magic before Oh, sure he had heard of some being able to get a sense of scope from another's power if it was issued forth and held back with no restraint, but to simply sense it even in a dormant state? That was simple madness.
Droy was equally confused. "How the hell can you do that?"
Bambietta shrugged, unwilling to give the two men the truth behind her status as a Quincy. "I don't know. But what I do know is how your power ranks compared to mine."
Then did Bambietta begin to laugh a little bit.
"Oh, she said, quite suddenly, "you two are totally serious about that level of power. I think I need to laugh even harder."
She did so then, the Quincy holding her belly as she fell into the moment. She only stopped when she heard Levy speak to her.
"Bambi, please," the young woman pleaded, "can't we all get along? You, Jet and Droy are all my friends, so please... for my sake."
Bambietta sighed. "Okay, fine. Quincy's honor."
"Do they really have to fight?" Lucy whimpered. "I don't want to see either of them lose..."
"Come on now, roomie," Bambietta said as she moved up to Lucy and slid an arm over her shoulders, "relax and enjoy the show. If Master Makarov is fine with it... and not threatening death for infighting... then shouldn't we be okay with it too?"
"I guess so," the Celestial wizard answered with some depression still evident. "I suppose I shouldn't be so surprised you're interested in watching this brawl."
"Oh, I'm a fan of violence, whether as a spectator or as a partici-" Bambietta suddenly cut off, leaving Lucy to glance towards her friend and take notice of a rather dower expression on her face.
"Bambi?"
"It's nothing," the Quincy said, lightly shaking her head. "Nothing at all."
"But you look like you're about to cr-"
"No," Bambietta interrupted. "She's not worth it. Not again. Never again."
The air grew heavy around Lucy then, the wizard trying not to pry any further than she may have inadvertently done so just now.
"Put me down for Erza!"
Bambietta and Lucy both turned then, catching sight of Cana accepting jewel from Happy, a scoreboard behind her. It was clear as day that it was tallying some form of betting in favor of the battle that was about to come but neither Fairy Tail woman could believe what the blue cat had just done.
"Happy," Lucy said in shock, "you're betting against your friend?"
Bambietta grit her teeth slightly, glancing at the board behind Cana and taking notice that all were voting in Erza's favor. "You... cat," Bambietta said, trying to compose herself. "He's your friend and this is what you do?"
Lucy began to grow nervous then. "Hey now, it's just a silly little bet, Bambi. It's not worth getting this bent out of shape over."
The Quincy took notice of a scared expression upon Happy's face and she slowly did she begin to grow ashamed of what she had just done. Bambietta gingerly touched the side of her head, shaking it lightly as she did so. "I'm sorry, I just..."
Bambietta crouched down then and carefully reached out to pet Happy between his ears.
"I didn't mean to scare you, little guy," she said softly. "This is all for fun, right?"
"Aye, sir!"
Bambietta stood then and looked at Cana. "Put me down for the Dragon Slayer."
"Wait," the dark haired woman began to say, "did you finally try some alcohol or something?"
"No, I'm perfectly sober," the Quincy answered. "I just know if I was fighting a losing battle I'd want at least somebody in my corner."
"Okay, fine," Cana said as she took the jewel from Bambietta. "I guess at least one person has to vote for the underdog."
"Make that two." Cana looked up again and saw Lucy reaching out with a paper domination of jewel. "Put me down for Natsu."
"Okay," Cana sighed.
"Well look at us," Bambietta said with no hidden amount of satisfaction. "Just the two of us throwing our money away. Aren't we just special."
"You've got Natsu's back," Lucy said, "and I know I've got yours."
Bambietta felt it then, a desire to smile. The Quincy fought against it however, not wanting to appear out of her element. Still did she feel her lips beginning to tug upwards, as if they had a life of her own, yet she managed to stave off any outward appearance of happiness.
"Let's just watch our money go down the drain, all right?"
"Make that three for Natsu!"
Bambietta was left in surprise then, catching sight of Levy handing over some money to Cana. "The madness," the Quincy began to say, "is spreading. What have I done?"
Then did Happy begin to scamper back over to Cana. "I need to change my vote, Cana."
Bambietta raised an eyebrow at that one. "Oh?"
"Even if he's going to lose, it's mean of me to vote against my bestest friend," the cat explained. "That and you kind of scared me."
"I'm... sorry, all right? "Bambietta felt her heart drop within her chest a little bit at that statement. She tried to smile then, hoping to not intimidate the cat any further. "But I'm glad you're sticking by your friend there. So we all ready to watch our money go down the drain?"
The Quincy turned back towards the center of attention, the showdown between Natsu and Erza. The two wizards were looking across the street at each other, the both of them polar opposites. Whereas Natsu was clearly excited at the prospect of battle, Erza was simply standing before him calm and composed.
Bambietta was far from surprised, having already experienced a glimmer of the power this woman possessed. Erza was a veritable monster in all respects, yet she had only visible witnessed a shard of that strength during the Eisenwald encounter. Now however was she curious to see Erza's full potential, yet she knew in her gut that Natsu would not be the one to draw it out, even if he boasted of his prowess. Still, Bambietta hoped she got a good show nonetheless.
"This time it's going to be different," the Dragon Slayer said, slamming a fist into an open palm. "You may have beaten me when we were kids but I'm all fired up now, Erza!"
"Yes, I do believe you've grown stronger, Natsu," the armored mage simply said, a content smile on her face. "I'm happy to see that being the case. Perhaps I will have to use this then."
Bambietta watched as Erza's power began to spread outwards from her body, just as it had back at Oshibana Station. The magical energy arced around her form, coalescing and taking shape. Gone was the standard garb she wore, leaving the warrior to stand before Natsu clad in red and gold armor.
"Oh, that's just fair," Macao Conbolt said as he simply looked on in awe. "Come on, Bambi, give Natsu a little chance, will you?"
"You misunderstand," Erza said sharply, looking the older man's way. "Natsu is stronger than you think. I am simply honoring his power the only way I know how."
"Okay, anybody willing to get the newbie up to speed?" Bambietta asked.
"Yeah, make that two of us," Lucy added, the mage simply keeping her eyes locked upon Erza's new uniform.
"That's the Flame Empress Armor," Levy began to explain. "It gives Erza mastery over flame, particularly with the blade that accompanies it, but it also makes her highly resistant to the element as well."
"Okay then," Bambietta said, glancing back towards the amount of jewel that Cana had collected from her and everyone else. "Easy come, easy go."
"Don't be like that," Natsu said as he looked over his shoulder at Bambietta and the others. "I can win this! Believe it!"
Bambietta only shrugged. "Yeah, okay. Go get her, Natsu. But she's totally going to kick your butt."
"No way! I can totally take anything she can throw at me!"
"I told you so."
Bambietta simply sat at the counter within the guild hall, staring at Natsu. The Dragon Slayer was resting atop the table, clearly worse for wear after the fight with Erza. Now he was simply trying to forget the pain, an icepack resting atop his head. Yet just like the ones from before, its contents were quickly melting under his own body's Fire Dragon Slayer temperatures.
"You don't have to tell me twice," Natsu replied weakly.
"Oh but I do!" Bambietta said with a big smile. "I've never seen such a one sided fight last so long! Every time I thought you couldn't come back up for more, you did! And then she wrecked you again! It was hilarious!"
Then did Bambietta grow calm, her tone much more serious.
"But really," she said then, "you've got heart, Natsu. It's kind of hot, really."
The Dragon Slayer, glanced at Bambietta then, clearly confused. "Huh?"
"Speaking of hot," Bambietta said, grinning slyly as she stood up and moved around the Dragon Slayer. "I think you need another icepack. Maybe we should have Gray just stand by you."
Natsu shook his head. "Another ice pack will do!"
"Okay then." Bambietta made her way towards the main counter, looking towards Mirajane. "Yeah, I think the hothead's due for another."
The silver haired woman simply smiled as she turned to the "Coming right up!"
"Perhaps I was too rough on Natsu."
Bambietta turned then, taking note of Erza approaching. The Quincy did not know what to say, Bambietta still intimidated by this woman's demeanor and strength. She tried to think up something to say, taking note of Erza glancing her way now, the woman clearly having communicated with her directly.
"Oh, don't worry about it," Bambietta said sheepishly. "He and I fought one time, so I know he's tough. I kind of lost that fight actually." Then did the Quincy's expression shift slightly, growing dower. "I used to be so much greater."
"Is that right?" Erza turned completely to face Bambietta then, her voice unassuming yet still possessing an edge comparable to one of her blades. "Perhaps you would like to speak of this greatness you once possessed."
Bambietta all but felt her heart skip a beat in response, the Quincy unsure of how to best respond to Erza's request. The woman was intimidating on her own to say the least, especially with Bambietta having to deal with the fact that Erza's apparent interest in her was shrouded in mystery. She had clearly lied about Makarov's orders, leaving the Quincy uneased. Yet there was much more to it than that. To speak of her sordid past in any great detail would spell no end of trouble.
Then did Bambietta give pause for a moment. Yes, she knew her involvement with the Vandenreich would be a black mark to those she called her friends now, but why would she care? Was there even a small part of her ashamed of her old life?
The Quincy shook off those thoughts in the blink of an eye then. That was simply an absurd notion, nothing more. She wanted to simply return to His Majesty's side if at all possible, to be the Stern Ritter he had taken under his wing. How could she even dare question the choices she had made so long ago?
Yet still was there a part of her that tugged at her innermost thoughts. "No, I wasn't great, not at-"
"Members of Fairy Tail, may I please have your attention?"
Bambietta lost her moment of introspection then, turning towards the doorway as all the other members of the guild, even Erza, were doing.
"What the hell is that?"
Bambietta could only stare wide eyed at the individual who stood within the hall's entrance now. It was human in shape, clad in black and white robes, and yet the head appeared quite amphibian.
"This cannot be good," Makarov simply said with a dejected sigh.
"I have come on behalf of the Magic Council," the creature said. "Please listen to what I have to say with the utmost courtesy."
A hush fell upon the Fairy Tail wizards then, leaving Bambietta to wonder just what was going on now. Yet she had one particular question, one that she leaned over the counter towards Mirajane to ask.
"That's a frog person, right?"
"Bambietta Basterbine!"
The Quincy never got her answer from Mirajane, the Quincy turning to face the Magic Council representative. Bambietta then simply pointed towards her own face, clearly in shock. "Me?"
"You are hereby required to report to the Magic Council for questioning!"
"Well this certainly sucks."
Bambietta was alone now, something she did not particularly enjoy. She had been led away from the Fairy Tail guild by the frog ambassador, all the while listening to Natsu's wild protests dying down in the background, and taken to the Magic Council's Fiore branch building. Now she was simply left to sit at a table in the veritable darkness, a sole light shining down upon her and her alone. Thus had that continued for several minutes on end, leaving the Quincy to grow antsy.
Bambietta began to fidget in her seat a little bit, both mind and body simply refusing to stay perfectly still. She truly hated the waiting game, patience never being her strong suit. Her mind was on edge especially, the mystery of what this Magic Council wanted of her exactly weighing heavily on her mind. It was bad enough she was concerned about Erza, now she had this to contend with as well.
Then, as if sensing that the Quincy's mind was at the breaking point, did the entire room come alive with light, leaving Bambietta to find herself facing a group of several older individuals. Some of them, she had to admit, actually fit the depiction of a wizard that she had actually come to expect, the man with the wizened gray beard especially. If not for the potentially dire circumstances she was in, the Quincywould perhaps have grinned a little bit at the sight of them.
Yet then did she take note of two individuals seated to the left, neither of them matching their comrades. They appeared quite young, perhaps similar in age to those Bambietta had befriended in Fairy Tail. Neither possessed the grace, wisdom or civility that the others appeared to have in spades, instead displaying a countenance of arrogant youths and nothing more. It was hardly what Bambietta had expected to find on the council that Mirajane had spoken so highly of.
"Bambietta Basterbine of Fairy Tail," the wizened older man sitting in the middle began to say, "the Magic Council has many a question for you."
"Aye, sir." The Quincy's face contorted the slightest bit, Bambietta shaking her head a little as she did so. She had not meant to say that, no, but it was clear that Happy was becoming a bit of a bad influence on her.
The older man either did not notice or care. He simply continued. "You may refer to me as Org. Now then, you are a most curious individual, Bambietta. The mission reports we received in regards to the Eisenwald crisis state that you destroyed Lullaby."
"Oh that little old thing?" The Quincy tried quite hard to act as casual as possible. "That's nothing curious, no sir. It was easy to destroy. Nothing to worry about."
"Easy you say?" Org glared down at Bambietta directly then, his eyes narrowing. "Yes, that is precisely why you are most curious."
Bambietta bit down on her lower lip in response, cursing through her inner thoughts. "Come on, it can't be that big of a deal, right?"
"Lullaby was a powerful curse made by the great and terrible wizard Zeref," Org began to say, "and while it has been subdued in its demon form by wizards of impressive strength, not even a Wizard Saint would be capable of destroying it. That was precisely why our predecessors had it sealed away hundreds of years ago. And yet you destroyed it ever so easily."
Bambietta simply did not know what to say. She had destroyed the cursed flute, yes, but she had not done so to cause any such problems like this. It simply seemed like the right thing to do at the time. She had simply assumed that it was the end goal that Erza Scarlet sought, a task that she no doubt could have performed with ease. Perhaps even Natsu could have incinerated it with his flames. It had never even dawned on the Quincy that she had performed an act out of the ordinary.
Org suddenly sighed then, his shoulder slumping slightly. "I suppose the real question we have for you is simple, Bambietta Basterbine. Who are you exactly?"
Bambietta was left in stunned silence then, the Quincy not sure how to best answer such a question. She knew the answer, yes, but to speak it could cause an unimaginable amount of problems. She was so many things, past and present, after all. A member of Fairy Tail. A friend. A roommate. A Quincy. A Stern Ritter. Most damning of all, however, was one descriptive term that Bambietta knew fit her full well.
A murderer.
She did not care, that was what she told herself, yet she knew those before her would. They would judge her, condemn her, perhaps imprison her. Yet still did Bambietta know she had to offer some form of explanation. She had learned it well enough during her tenure in the Vandenreich, during her time serving Yhwach. To disrespect authority was a fool's game.
"I'm," Bambietta began to say, knowing that she had to start somewhere, "a Quincy."
There was a brief discussion amidst the council members then, leaving Bambietta to wonder just what was going on. She had expected those of this world to not know of her privileged blood line, yet now she was left to ponder if this realm had its own Quincy.
"It appears that Ultear was correct," Org suddenly said, the private discussion ending. "You do possess a form of magic we are not familiar with. Please then, Miss Basterbine, enlighten us of your abilities."
"I have to explain them?" The Quincy could not help but sigh, knowing that a more demonstration would be so much easier. "Well, okay then. I guess you could say I draw in the magic around me to fuel my own strength."
"Preposterous!" one council member wearing a hood said as he rose from his seat. "No such wizard on the continent is capable of such a feat!"
"Calm yourself, Leiji," the blue haired young man said softly. "Whatever the truth is of her powers, we will ascertain it this day."
"So," Org began to say, his tone sincere yet stern, "you are a magical parasite."
Bambietta could not help but flinch, her thoughts growing dark for a second. This was just as it was back in her world, the Quincy being looked down upon by those in power. To be judged harshly, to be prosecuted for their peculiar form of strength. Perhaps then it did not matter what world she was in, what place she attempted to call home.
Perhaps there was simply no place anywhere for an individual such as herself.
"Yes," Bambietta said softly, "that's an accurate description of what a Quincy is."
"And what does a Quincy do with the power they've subjugated and stolen?" Org asked, his tone becoming increasingly more belligerent and harsh.
"It's a rather long list," Bambietta began to say. "Not that I can do it all yet, but I'm working on getting back up to snuff."
The blue haired youth looking down upon Bambietta interjected then and there. "Is that a fact? How interesting. You're not even as strong as you say you can be, yet you still destroyed one of Zeref's own artifacts with ease."
Bambietta was beginning to lose her temper then, yet still did she do her best to keep it under wraps. "All right, I'm a little confused here. What exactly is the big deal? What makes anything this Zeref guy did even remotely special that me destroying his stuff a big deal?"
"Surely you jest," Org said simply. "There is not a wizard alive who does not at least know of the atrocities that Zeref committed."
"And I'm a Quincy," Bambietta replied, "and I'm not from around here exactly."
Org raised an eyebrow at that statement, yet he held his tongue on that matter for the moment. "Perhaps it is worthwhile for you to know why we are so concerned. Zeref was a practitioner of the dark arts and in turn all he worked with was magic that was fueled by negative emotions."
Bambietta blinked. "Negative emotions?"
"Yes," Org continued. "His Curses were born from the humanity's worst traits. Anger and hate, sorrow and despair. They were the ingredients of his magic, nothing more. Even the purest of emotions could be led astray and fuel Zeref's creations."
Bambietta simply nodded, starting to understand. "Oh, so they're like Hollows!" Then did Bambietta quickly cover her mouth with her hands, wishing she had kept herself quiet on that front.
"A... Hollow?" The blue haired youth seemed quite confused then, yet at the same time intrigued. "Do tell, Miss Basterbine."
"Well, that is to say," the Quincy began to stumble upon her words, unsure of what she could do to get herself out of this predicament, "they're the souls of the dearly departed who can't find any peace in death."
Org simply nodded. "You speak of ghosts."
"What foolishness!" Leiji began to say, once more raising his voice. "Does she dare expect us to believe such fairy tales?"
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