Chapter 6: Chapter 6: 7 years later and... a Celestial Wizard?
The bustling port town of Hargeon glittered under the midday sun, the salty breeze carrying the cries of seagulls and merchants hawking their wares. Among the crowd, five distinct figures made their way through the marketplace—four with the unmistakable confidence of experienced wizards, and one small blue Exceed flying above them.
"Are you sure the information is correct, Natsu?" Kizuna asked, his now-mature voice carrying a hint of skepticism. At nineteen, the eldest of the Saiyan siblings had grown into a formidable young man, his dark hair tied back in a short ponytail and the Fairy Tail guild mark proudly displayed on his right shoulder.
"Happy said he heard it from a reliable source," Natsu insisted, his trademark scarf fluttering behind him as he walked. "Igneel could be here!"
"You say that every time," Uruk sighed, adjusting the lightweight battle armor he wore—a gift from his mother on his eighteenth birthday. "But I suppose there's no harm in checking."
Gine, now seventeen and having blossomed into a confident young woman, nudged her younger brother Cumber. "What do you think? Is the 'Salamander' really here in Hargeon?"
Cumber, fourteen and recently inducted as an official member of Fairy Tail, grinned excitedly. His red hair—inherited from his father Gildarts—was wilder than ever, and his tail swished behind him with anticipation.
"I don't know, but I hope so! This is my first real mission outside of Magnolia!" Cumber's eyes sparkled with excitement. Despite being Gildarts' son, he had inherited his mother Teilanne's smaller stature and agility rather than his father's imposing build.
"It's not exactly a mission," Happy corrected, floating down to rest on Cumber's shoulder. "More like following a rumor."
"Still counts!" Cumber insisted.
The group continued through the town until they noticed a commotion ahead—a crowd of young women gathered in a circle, squealing and swooning.
"What's going on there?" Gine wondered aloud.
"Let's check it out," Natsu suggested, already pushing his way through the crowd with the Saiyan siblings in tow.
At the center of the attention stood a tall, suave-looking man with dark blue hair and an ornate cape. He was flashing a dazzling smile as he introduced himself as "Salamander" to his adoring fans.
"Salamander!" the women cried in unison, hearts practically visible in their eyes.
Natsu froze, staring at the man in confusion. "Salamander? But that's not—"
Before he could finish, both he and the Saiyan siblings felt a strange pull—a magical attraction drawing them toward the charismatic figure. Kizuna's eyes narrowed immediately, recognizing the telltale signs of charm magic.
"This isn't right," he muttered, his Saiyan heritage allowing him to resist the spell more easily than ordinary humans.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the crowd, a blonde young woman was also watching the scene unfold. Unlike the others, her initial attraction quickly faded when she noticed the ring on the self-proclaimed Salamander's finger.
"Charm magic," she whispered to herself. "How low can you get?"
Just then, Natsu burst through to the front of the crowd, with Uruk and Cumber right behind him.
"Igneel!" Natsu called out, before stopping short and staring at the man in confusion. "Who are you?"
The spell broken by the interruption, several women in the crowd blinked in confusion, including the blonde who had already seen through the deception.
"Who am I?" the blue-haired man repeated incredulously. "I am the famous Salamander! Surely you've heard of me?"
Natsu's face fell in disappointment. "Oh. You're not Igneel."
"I told you it was unlikely," Kizuna said, placing a hand on Natsu's shoulder.
The fake Salamander's fans, enraged by what they perceived as disrespect, immediately turned on Natsu and the others.
"How dare you!" "Apologize to Salamander-sama!" "Such rudeness!"
The blonde woman watched in amusement as Natsu and the young red-haired boy were pummeled by the fan club while their companions—particularly the tall, serious-looking one and the athletic young woman—stood back with knowing smirks.
After the crowd dispersed, with the fake Salamander inviting everyone to his yacht party that evening, the blonde approached the group.
"Thank you for that," she said with a smile. "I'm Lucy."
Natsu, still nursing a few bumps on his head, looked up in confusion. "For what?"
"Breaking the charm spell," Lucy explained. "That guy was using forbidden magic to make all those girls fall for him. I got caught in it too, but I realized what was happening when you guys showed up."
Gine stepped forward, extending her hand. "I'm Gine Clive. These are my brothers—Kizuna, Uruk, and Cumber." She pointed to each in turn. "And that's Natsu and Happy from our guild."
Lucy's eyes widened. "Guild? Are you... wizards?"
"We're from Fairy Tail!" Cumber announced proudly, pointing to the guild mark on his forearm.
Lucy gasped, her hands flying to her cheeks. "Fairy Tail? Really? That's the guild I've always wanted to join!"
"You're a wizard too?" Natsu asked, finally picking himself up off the ground.
"I'm a Celestial Spirit Wizard," Lucy confirmed, gesturing to the keys at her hip. "Not the strongest, but I'm working on it."
"That's impressive," Kizuna noted. "Celestial Spirit magic is quite rare."
Lucy beamed at the recognition. "Listen, let me treat you all to lunch as thanks for breaking that charm spell. What do you say?"
"Food!" Happy and Natsu exclaimed simultaneously.
At a local restaurant, Lucy watched in amazement as Natsu, Cumber, and surprisingly Gine devoured plate after plate of food. Kizuna and Uruk ate substantial portions as well, but with far more dignity.
"So, you're all from Fairy Tail," Lucy said dreamily. "I've read about your guild in Sorcerer Weekly. Is it really as amazing as they say?"
"It's home," Uruk answered simply.
"Though sometimes a chaotic one," Kizuna added with a wry smile.
"Our parents are S-Class wizards!" Cumber announced proudly between bites.
Lucy's eyes widened. "S-Class? Who are your parents?"
"Teilanne and Gildarts Clive," Gine answered. "Though Mom is technically our stepmother, and Gildarts is Cumber's biological father."
"Gildarts Clive?" Lucy gasped. "The Crash Magic user? He's a legend!"
Cumber puffed up with pride. "That's my dad!"
As Lucy continued to gush about Fairy Tail, describing all the famous wizards she'd read about—including Mirajane, whose photospreads she admired—Kizuna quietly observed her enthusiasm. There was something genuine about this celestial wizard.
"So, what brought you all to Hargeon?" Lucy eventually asked.
"We heard a rumor about Salamander," Happy explained, nibbling on a fish. "Natsu thought it might be Igneel."
"Igneel?"
"My dad," Natsu clarified. "He's a dragon."
Lucy stared at him blankly. "A... dragon."
"He was raised by one," Uruk explained. "We've heard the stories for years."
Lucy laughed nervously. "Right... a dragon. In a town."
"We told him it was unlikely," Kizuna said with a shrug. "But Natsu never gives up hope."
After finishing their meal, the group thanked Lucy and prepared to head back to Magnolia, their lead having proven false.
"It was nice meeting you, Lucy," Gine said sincerely. "If you ever make it to Magnolia, come visit Fairy Tail. I'm sure they'd love to meet you."
Lucy's face lit up. "I will! Thank you!"
As they parted ways, Cumber tugged on Kizuna's sleeve. "Hey, big brother? That Lucy seemed nice. And she really wants to join Fairy Tail."
Kizuna nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, she does."
"Maybe we should have invited her to come with us?" Gine suggested.
"She'll find her way to Fairy Tail if that's where she's meant to be," Uruk said confidently. "Our paths will cross again if it's fated."
Little did they know how soon fate would bring them together once more.
As evening fell, the Fairy Tail wizards were preparing to leave town when Cumber suddenly stopped.
"Hey, isn't that the yacht that fake Salamander guy was talking about?" he pointed toward the harbor, where a large ship was illuminated against the darkening sky.
"Yeah, so what?" Natsu grumbled, still disappointed about the false lead.
"I just... I have a bad feeling," Cumber insisted, his tail twitching anxiously—a trait he'd inherited from his Saiyan heritage that often signaled his intuition at work.
Kizuna had learned long ago to trust his youngest brother's instincts. "What kind of bad feeling?"
Before Cumber could answer, they overheard two women talking nearby.
"That's Salamander-sama's yacht!"
"I heard he's a member of Fairy Tail!"
The five Fairy Tail wizards froze, exchanging alarmed glances.
"Did she just say...?" Uruk began.
"Fairy Tail?" Gine finished, her expression darkening.
"That imposter is claiming to be from our guild?" Natsu growled, flames already flickering around his fists.
Kizuna's eyes narrowed. "That's not just charm magic anymore. That's defamation."
"And wasn't Lucy heading to that party?" Cumber added worriedly. "What if she's in trouble?"
Without another word, the group made their decision. With determined expressions, they headed toward the harbor, unaware that they were about to encounter not just an imposter, but a dark plot involving human trafficking, a celestial wizard in distress, and the beginning of a friendship that would change the course of their lives at Fairy Tail forever.
As they approached the yacht, Natsu's face immediately turned green at the prospect of boarding a moving vehicle. Gine sighed.
"Great. His motion sickness is going to be a problem."
"We'll manage," Kizuna assured her. "We always do."
Happy flew ahead, his sensitive ears picking up sounds of distress. "Guys! I think someone's in trouble on that boat!"
Cumber's tail bristled. "I knew it! We have to help!"
"For Fairy Tail's honor," Uruk declared solemnly.
"And for anyone who might be in danger," Gine added.
Together, the Saiyan siblings and their Fairy Tail guildmate prepared to confront the false Salamander, unaware that this mission would lead them to welcome a new member into their Fairy Tail family—a celestial wizard named Lucy Heartfilia, whose own extraordinary journey was just beginning.
Chapter 6: Seven Years Later and a Celestial Wizard? (Continued)
The night sea gleamed under the light of the stars as the yacht drifted further from Hargeon's harbor. On board, the self-proclaimed "Salamander" — whose real name was Bora — had revealed his true intentions to Lucy. What had appeared to be an exclusive party for the town's young women was actually a human trafficking operation. Lucy, realizing the danger, had attempted to fight back with her celestial keys, only to have them seized and tossed into the ocean by Bora.
"You won't get away with this," Lucy declared defiantly, even as Bora's henchmen closed in around her. "Real Fairy Tail wizards would never stoop to something so vile!"
Bora merely laughed. "And who's going to stop me? We're already at sea, and no one even knows what's happening."
Suddenly, a massive crash shook the entire vessel as something—or rather, someone—landed on the deck. The wooden planks splintered under the impact, creating a small crater from which rose four figures, with a fifth flying companion hovering above.
"Actually," Kizuna said coolly, dusting off his shoulders as he stood to his full height, "we do know what's happening."
"And we're very displeased," Uruk added, crossing his arms as he flanked his older brother.
Gine cracked her knuckles, a dangerous smile playing on her lips. "Especially about the part where you're pretending to be from our guild."
"Our family," Cumber corrected, his young face set in determination.
Lucy's eyes widened in surprise and relief. "You came! But how did you—"
"Happy carried us over," Natsu explained, before his face immediately turned green again as the boat rocked with the waves. He collapsed to his knees, fighting the nausea. "Urgh... transportation..."
"Pathetic," Happy sighed, shaking his head at his partner's debilitating motion sickness.
Bora's momentary shock gave way to amusement. "So the real Fairy Tail has come to play, has it? Well, it makes no difference. My men outnumber you, and one of your fighters is already down."
He gestured to his dozen henchmen, all brandishing weapons and magic tools. "Take care of these pests while I steer us to our destination."
"Lucy, catch!" Happy called, diving down to drop something into her hands—her celestial keys, which the Exceed had managed to retrieve from the ocean.
"My keys! Thank you!" Lucy clutched them gratefully, her confidence returning.
The henchmen charged forward, but the Saiyan siblings stood their ground, unconcerned.
"I believe this is a perfect opportunity for Cumber to show what he's learned," Kizuna suggested calmly, as if they were merely at a training session back at the guild.
Uruk nodded. "He has been eager to demonstrate his progress."
"Go ahead, little brother," Gine encouraged with a wink. "Show them what happens when someone messes with Fairy Tail."
Cumber stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement. At fourteen, he had grown into his powers in ways that surprised even his family. The unique blend of his Saiyan heritage and the magic inherited from his father had created something entirely new.
"This is gonna be fun," Cumber grinned, his tail swishing eagerly behind him as he raised his hands.
The charging henchmen faltered slightly at the young boy's confidence, but continued their advance. Cumber closed his eyes briefly, concentrating. A golden aura began to shimmer around his body—the telltale sign of Saiyan ki—but within it pulsed crimson fracture lines reminiscent of Gildarts' crash magic.
"Destructive Impact!" Cumber called out, slamming his fist into the deck.
The effect was instantaneous and devastating. The wooden planks beneath the henchmen's feet didn't simply break—they disintegrated into cubes that then scattered in all directions, propelled by an invisible wave of ki. Half of Bora's men found themselves falling through the newly created holes, plunging into the ship's lower levels.
Bora stared in shock. "What kind of magic was that?"
"That's my little brother's specialty," Gine said proudly. "A blend of Saiyan power and our father's crash magic. He can break anything into pieces and then control where those pieces go."
The remaining henchmen hesitated, but at Bora's angry command, they attacked again, this time splitting their forces to target each of the siblings.
"I suppose we should join the fun," Uruk said, stepping forward to meet three attackers. Unlike his siblings, Uruk had always been the most controlled, the most strategic in his fighting style. As the men approached, brandishing magical weapons, Uruk simply closed his eyes.
When he reopened them, they gleamed with an intense focus. "Saiyan Analysis."
To Lucy's amazement, Uruk began to move with precision that seemed almost precognitive, dodging each attack with minimal movement while delivering precise strikes to his opponents' vital points. Each blow landed with calculated force—not enough to kill, but sufficient to incapacitate.
"Uruk has the ability to analyze any opponent's fighting style and predict their movements," Kizuna explained to Lucy, who was watching wide-eyed. "Combined with his ki enhancement, he rarely wastes a single motion in battle."
Within seconds, Uruk had neutralized his three opponents without even breaking a sweat. He straightened his clothing casually, as if he'd merely taken a brief walk.
Meanwhile, Gine faced her own group of attackers, her expression one of barely contained excitement. Unlike her more serious brothers, she had always reveled in the thrill of combat—a trait she shared with Natsu, much to her mother's dismay.
"My turn!" she announced cheerfully, as five henchmen surrounded her.
Rather than waiting for them to attack, Gine launched herself skyward with a powerful leap. Her body began to glow with a vibrant blue aura as she hovered momentarily at the peak of her jump.
"Aerial Dominance!" she called out, her body spinning rapidly until she became a whirlwind of blue energy.
She descended upon her opponents like a meteor, the force of her impact sending them flying in all directions. But Gine was far from finished. With lightning-quick movements, she darted between them, delivering powerful blows enhanced by her ki.
"Gine specializes in aerial combat," Kizuna told Lucy. "She can manipulate her ki to achieve limited flight and create devastating aerial attacks. Our mother says she's never seen anyone take to the sky quite like Gine."
"That's amazing!" Lucy gasped, watching as Gine effortlessly dispatched her opponents with a series of graceful, powerful movements.
The final group of henchmen turned their attention to Kizuna, who had yet to move from his position. Among the siblings, he had always been the calmest, the most restrained—a necessary counterbalance to the tremendous power that slumbered within him.
"I would suggest you surrender," Kizuna advised the approaching men, his voice eerily steady. "I don't enjoy unnecessary violence."
The men laughed, brandishing their weapons. "Big talk from someone who's just been standing there!"
Kizuna sighed. "Very well."
Without any flashy movements or battle cries, Kizuna simply allowed his ki to manifest—a subtle, controlled release that materialized as a dark green aura around his body. The temperature around him seemed to drop several degrees, and the wooden planks beneath his feet began to crack from the pressure of his mere presence.
The henchmen faltered, suddenly sensing that they were in the presence of something far more dangerous than they had anticipated.
Kizuna took one step forward, and the pressure increased tenfold. Without touching any of them, he brought all four men to their knees, gasping for breath under the weight of his controlled power.
"Kizuna has... unique abilities, even among Saiyans," Cumber explained to Lucy, his voice containing a mixture of awe and slight apprehension. "Mother says he's different from the rest of us—that his power grows in a way she's never seen before. He keeps it under tight control most of the time."
Lucy shivered slightly, sensing the immense restrained power emanating from the eldest sibling. "What would happen if he didn't control it?"
Cumber's expression grew serious. "We've never found out. And Kizuna works very hard to make sure we don't."
With all the henchmen defeated, Bora finally realized the gravity of his situation. Panicking, he unleashed his most powerful fire magic directly at Lucy, hoping to at least take a hostage.
"Red Shower!" he shouted, sending dozens of flame projectiles hurtling toward the celestial wizard.
"Lucy!" Happy cried out in alarm.
Before anyone else could move, Natsu somehow managed to drag himself up and stagger in front of Lucy, despite his motion sickness. The flames engulfed him completely.
"Natsu!" Lucy screamed, fearing for his safety.
But when the flames cleared, Natsu stood unharmed, wiping his mouth as if he had just finished a meal.
"Thanks for the snack," he smirked, his motion sickness temporarily forgotten in the rush of consuming fire magic. "Now I've got a fire in my belly!"
Bora's jaw dropped. "He... he ate the flames? What are you people?"
"We're Fairy Tail wizards," Natsu declared proudly, magic circles appearing as he prepared his counterattack. "And you've been misusing our name!"
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" A massive stream of fire erupted from Natsu's mouth, heading straight for Bora.
The imposter barely managed to dodge, only to find himself surrounded by all four Saiyan siblings.
"You know," Gine said conversationally, "there's one thing we haven't mentioned yet."
"What's that?" Bora asked nervously, backing away.
"Our mother taught us never to use our full power unless absolutely necessary," Uruk explained.
"Because Saiyans can be very destructive when unchecked," Kizuna added calmly.
"And we've been holding back," Cumber finished with a grin.
Together, the four siblings unleashed a combined attack—a perfect blend of their unique Saiyan abilities that sent Bora crashing through the ship's mast. The impact knocked him unconscious instantly, bringing an end to his scheme.
However, their combined power had an unintended consequence. The yacht, already damaged from their earlier attacks, began to splinter and break apart around them.
"Uh-oh," Cumber muttered, looking around at the rapidly sinking vessel.
"We might have overdone it a bit," Gine admitted sheepishly.
"Again," Uruk sighed.
Kizuna turned to Lucy, who was staring in disbelief at the destruction. "I suggest we leave quickly. The port authorities will be here soon, and they tend to ask a lot of questions about property damage."
"But how do we—" Lucy began, only to be interrupted as Happy grabbed Natsu while the Saiyan siblings prepared to use their ki to propel themselves through the air.
"Wait!" Lucy called out. "I can help too!" She pulled out a golden key from her ring. "Open, Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!"
With a flash of light, a mermaid spirit appeared, looking distinctly irritated.
"You dropped my key in the ocean, didn't you?" Aquarius accused, glaring at Lucy.
"That wasn't my fault! Please, just help us get to shore!"
Aquarius sighed dramatically. "Fine. But don't call me for a while. I'm going on a vacation with my boyfriend. You know, because I have one."
With that pointed comment, Aquarius created a massive tidal wave that swept up not just the sinking yacht, but everyone on it, propelling them forcefully back toward Hargeon's harbor.
They landed on the beach in a heap, coughing and sputtering, as the remains of Bora's yacht washed up nearby. In the distance, alarm bells were already ringing as the port authorities mobilized to investigate the commotion.
"We should probably leave," Uruk suggested, helping Lucy to her feet.
"But what about them?" Lucy asked, pointing to Bora and his crew, who were also washed ashore.
"The authorities will find plenty of evidence of their trafficking scheme on the ship," Kizuna assured her. "They'll face justice."
Natsu, fully recovered now that he was on solid ground, grabbed Lucy's hand. "Come with us, Lucy!"
"What?" she asked, surprised.
"To Fairy Tail," Cumber clarified excitedly. "You said you wanted to join, right?"
Lucy's face lit up with hope. "You mean it? I can really join Fairy Tail?"
Gine smiled warmly. "After witnessing how you stood up to that imposter and helped save the day? I'd say you've already proven yourself worthy."
"Our parents will like you," Kizuna added with a small smile. "Especially our mother. She appreciates strong-willed women."
Lucy felt tears of joy welling in her eyes. "Thank you! This is like a dream come true!"
As they hurried away from the harbor, Lucy found herself in the middle of an animated discussion between Natsu and Cumber about whose attacks had been more impressive, while Gine teased them both. Uruk walked quietly, occasionally offering a dry comment that made everyone laugh. And Kizuna led the way, his calm presence somehow making Lucy feel like she'd found a place where she truly belonged.
In that moment, running from the law after destroying a harbor and a yacht, laughing with her new friends, Lucy realized she was finally embarking on the adventure she had always dreamed of. This was just the beginning of her journey with Fairy Tail—a guild that was more than just powerful wizards. It was a family.
And now, she was a part of it.
To be continued in Chapter 7: Welcome to Fairy Tail!