Nashi seemed pretty skeptical the night before. It wasn't assassinating the king, or even the pirate she was worried about. Something just felt off. Like Gale had complied a bit too easily. She wasn't going to complain, of course, but she'd thought it'd be best if she kept a close eye on her brother during the quest.

•••

"Nashi, get up," Nashi woke up to see her brother hovering over her, bugging her to get up. "We have to leave now, mom and dad are asleep. But they won't be for long."

She nodded and got out of bed. It was probably the fastest she would ever jump out of bed. Much less the earliest. She immediately grabbed her hand made satchel and stuffed a couple things in it, that she hadn't bothered to pack the night before. Like her knitted hat, which keeps her hair hidden in case something happens to the dye. She got her mortar and pestal, something she needs to crush the flower petals and anything else that needs grinding.

Gale, being sneaky, grabbed a bag that had been hidden in his parents bedroom. He knew that if he came back and they found out he'd taken it, then he would be buried in their backyard. However, he knew what he was doing, and he wasn't planning on coming back anytime soon.

He met Nashi at the front of the house. When she saw the satchel he was holding, she asked, "what's in that?"

"Resources," he answered softly with no hesitancy. "C'mon, we have to get going."

Nashi held her hand up before saying, "hold on, I have to get some dye."

Gale nodded, "hurry." He waited for her, fumbling with his fingers while leaned against the outside wall. Pondering if this was a good idea at the last minute.

She nodded back and exited through the front door. Once she did, she went around the small house and to the flower garden. There she got the dye that lasted the longest, silver/white and black. Perhaps because they were such contrasts to eachother was why they lasted longer than any of the other flowers. The flowers also were least likely to die within a month. She quickly picked the flowers, not caring about the roots, and shoved them in her satchel. There was a high chance she could get the flowers in the wilderness as well.

Gale knew why Nashi needed the dye. And what Levy told her that it was abnormal, and that she has to dye it.

Truth be told, she was right. But not for what Nashi would think.

She came back to the front, where she saw Gale waiting for her, "I'm ready." She told him and bounced her head up and down.

He stood straight from the wall he was leaned against, "okay. From what I've heard, Fairy Tail is planning to sail back in the ocean at mid day today. We'll be able to make it there no problem."

"Mhm," Nashi hummed in understanding.

Gale walked a step ahead of her and waved his arm in signal for her to follow, "let's go. The sun is already rising."

So then, they were off. Gale walked a bit fast as first, but Nashi caught up by jogging.

"How is Fairy Tail still here without their ship being burned down?" Nashi asked her brother out of the blue.

He looked down at her and smirked, "pirates aren't stupid, ya know. They know their way around."

Nashi raised an eyebrow at that, "I thought that was the reason pirates are pirates. Because they couldn't go to school, couldn't get a job..." her sentence died out from what her brother was doing.

He cut her off by laughing, very loudly. "you're kidding me, are you?" He wiped a tear away from one of his eyes. She just blinked at him without saying a word. "Most pirates aren't pirates because they're idiots," Gale said, still laughing. "They're pirates because they hate how the world works, or, more like how our monarchy is. And you say it as if everyone can get work and get jewel." His laughing didn't stop, but it did die down just a little bit.

"But, everyone can-"

"-t." Gale finished, "not everyone can get work," he stopped laughing and furrowed his eyebrows instead at her. He was looking at her inridiculously, still walking, "you... you really think everyone can get paid by working?"

She nodded, "yes. People just like to steal because, like you said, they don't like our system." She said with such a cheery voice, like she didn't know any different.

"Nashi," he looked ahead of him and sighed, "I said most pirates." He was trying to find the right words to say to her, "you... do you... really not know..."

She kept her cheery voice, but it died down a little bit, "know what?"

He looked down for a second but turned to her, they were walking down the street with the closed shops barely opening again, "the world... God, what did they teach you?"

She just looked at him with a confused expression.

"Mom and dad..." He muttered then thought to himself, you really haven't taught her... anything? She really thinks that the world is perfect... Damn it...

He stopped where he was, Nashi took a couple steps ahead but stopped and turned around to look at him in the eye, "what?"

Gale closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He stopped walking as he explained, "Nashi, the world isn't what you think it is. It isn't just the king that is a cruel person. There's more than that, the reason the Queen before, Lucy, was a thief wasn't because of the system. It was because of the people in the system, do you understand?" When she shook her head, he continued, "it wasn't King Natsu's fault that the Kingdom... well, was broken. There's nobles and owners of shops that are mean, they would only take in certain people. The nobles would think that people were below them, not as equals. It's just..." he took a deep breathe, "people are unfair for some mysterious reasons. They don't have their own morals, they're just... cruel."

"And how do you know if they don't have any morals?" Nashi asked happily, "you can't judge people based on how they act."

Gale mentally facepalmed, "Nashi... that's literally half of how you judge someone."

"Wrong," she chirped, she put both her hands behind her head, turned on her heel, and kept walking forward, "you can only judge people from what they've been through, going through, and how they react to it. For example, if you're a noble and aren't grateful for anything in your life, then you're stuck up, simple as that. However, if you're a noble, but have been through a hard time and still act that way... then who knows, it just might be your way of getting over the hard time, and deep inside, you're actually very soft."

Gale blinked before running to catch up to her, "how many psychology books have you been reading?" He asked.

"None, but a lot of authors put a lot of thought into their characters," she said, winking.

He stuffed his hands deep in his pockets and slumped over, becoming slowly depressed, "do you know how much I hate being wrong?"

She smirked, "you hate it as much as I love being right."

They walked down the cobble road, Gale being in a sour mood. But he was only going to get even more so. The girl the were meeting up with was Nova Dreyar, the pirate captain of Fairy Tail. And well, you know how pirates can get.

They reached the sand where the ship's anchor was down, in it was the bustling of the crew. And one person in the middle of it all, ordering everyone around. The one and only, Nova.

"Um, is that the person we're looking for?" Nashi asked with confusion on her face, referring to the bossy blonde pirate.

"Yeah," Gale said, sounding bored, "what's your deal?"

Nashi did a petty cough before answering, "oh, nothing," she stretched out the word, "I just thought that we would get someone... a bit bigger and... well, stronger."

"What did you just say about judging people?" Gale asked.

"That was about how they act, not how they look," Nashi said a matter of factly. She put up a finger to make her point stronger.

Gale chuckled, "tell her that she's weak, I dare you."

Well she doesn't look like she can do much damage... Nashi thought.

"You stay here, I'll go get her..." Gale said, hands still stuffed in his pockets as he walked up the ramp of the pirate ship.

The bustling of the crew stopped and stared at him like he was a ghost. That was before Nova yelled at them like a banshee, "ignore him! Just keep moving!"

She made it through the crowd and up to his face, to which he straightened up to.

"Did you get lost?" She asked sassily, placing her hands on her hips.

His right eye twitched, "the opposite, actually." She lifted an eyebrow to which he sighed and said quietly, then grew louder,"I can't believe I'm saying this... I need your help."

A smile appeared on her face. It grew bigger and bigger and spread on both of her cheeks, then she snorted. She placed both of her hands over her mouth before she burst out laughing. Tears falling out of her eyes.

Gale just stood there, unamused.

He stood there, a bit awkwardly, before she immediately stopped cackling a couple seconds later, "Wait, you're not kidding?"

He blinked, "sadly, no."

Her cheeks flushed at the mistake she made, then she sighed, "what is it then?"

He clicked his tongue, "ah... what if... you just come with me and do whatever I say?"

She crossed her arms and furrowed her brows, "Gale, if it has anything to do with my crew then you know that-"

He waved his hands in front of his face, "I swear, it has nothing to do with your crew! I just need you to come with us for about a month or two."

"Us?" She asked in a wondering tone.

He swallowed, "yes, uh... my... sister is coming."

Her brows unfurrowed and instead replaced her look with a smirk, "Gale Redfox, how long have I known you? I didn't know you had a sister."

"Yeah well, I kind of like to keep my personal life... personal," he said blatantly. Then he quickly changed the subject, "Look, are you coming or not?"

"Depends," she said. "Once you tell me what this is all about, then I'll consider."

He took a breath, "Nashi, my sister, wants to take down King Zeref. I... I'm going to help..."

Nova smiled, "you're not joking?" He nodded his head, "why didn't you say so in the first place?!"

She turned around and faced her crew, she took off her hat, it was just a plain leather pirate hat with a white feather on it. She yelled out, "aye Wendy!"

A taller blue haired maiden stepped forward, "yes Captain?"

"I'll be gone for a month or two, until I come back, I need you to step in for me. Well, you know what to do," she threw the hat towards her, and Wendy caught it. She saluted her Captain.

"Have good travels, Nova!"

Nova waved her hand behind her and walked down the wooden ramp, Gale trailing behind.

"Jeez, that took forever and an eternity," Nashi commented. Her black hair was now in a pony tail because of the heat. She turned towards Nova, "so what's so special about you?"

Nova chuckled, "first words you've said to me and they're spunk," she laughed again, "if you must know, I'm good with a sword, I have good aim, and well... I have a little secret."

"Which is?"

They continued walking off the beach when Nova placed her left arm around Nashi's neck and put her right thumb and index finger close together, but not touching. She smiled while Nashi stared in amazement.

Between her fingers, a small amount of electricity was sparking between her fingers.

Nashi's eyes widened, "woah... you know what, maybe I was wrong about you..."

Nova put her finger up to her lips and winked, "just our little secret, agreed?"

Gale rolled his eyes, "I know about it too Nova."

"Whatever," she said, looking at Gale with a pouty face, "well, who are we going to fetch next?"

Gale rose his eyebrows at her, "how do you know that we're getting more?"

She shrugged, "as strong as I am, I don't think just the three of us can beat the bastard."

After that statement, Gale's eyes travelled from Nashi to Nova, he pointed at Nova and stated at Nashi, "but when I do it-" he referred to the alternative B word.

Nashi smiled cockily, "I actually like her."

Gale sighed and slumped forward, "whatever. Anyways," he straightened himself and his eyes lightened, "the dude is probably the best guy I've ever met."

Nova mentally facepalmed, her face drooped, "oh no."

Nashi just blinked at the two of them, what has she been missing out on?

Gale's eyes travelled towards Nova and gleamed with mischief. He thought about smiling, but forced himself not to.

"Oh yes."