(3 weeks later - Haregeon Town)

"I warned us that this would happen, but did any of you listen to me." A tall man with long black hair with two bangs framing his face sighed out. Wearing worn and dischelved black clothing with a chain wrapped around his upper body. One end with a hook hanging off his left shoulder.

"That you did." His compatriot said, a muscle bound man with a mohawk and ripped purple tank top said. "Yet why are we buying three crates for the party tonight?"

The two of them were sitting on the dock where their crew's yacht was.

Originally they would have been on the water by now...but they had drank every last bottle of wine on the voyage to Haregeon. Specifically the one with the mohawk.

So while their boss was in town they had placed an order through the local pub, hearing they had a few extra crates they were willing to sell in short order. For an extra price, which they reluctantly paid for.

Needed it for the party tonight.

"We only need one crate and it's for the party tonight. We just bought medium shelf Fiore brands, we won't even need half of the crate. The rest is for ourselves, but for  the other crates the boss listened to my idea. Cheaper here in Fiore, but they don't have the best trade relations with Bosco through naval means at the moment." The man with the chain said, getting his compatriot to grin.

"And sell them there for a higher price, brilliant Jones." The mohawked man said with a grin, before being smacked on the head by his compatriot. "Ow what the hell man."

"I keep telling you to stop calling me that. It's Johanes, how hard is that to say." Johanes sighed out, but grinned. "Honestly with the extra two crates we would be more than making up for the cost of all three with a tiny bit extra for the crew. And enough to make sure you lot don't drink it all up again."

"Fine, you don't need to rub salt in that would." The mohawked man said, rubbing his head before noticing something. "Looks like it's here already."

Johanes turned to see two man carrying two crates. One with no difficulties and the other one struggling to carry the other one. With black bands covering the create before they realized a shadowy tendril was extending from the ground below it.

"What the..." He said before the first man placed down the crate in front of them. "Neither of you were working at the pub earlier."

"The owner called in a favor of our captain, the rest of the crates were sold off to some merchant ship from Minstrel. We were on our way to the docks anyway." James said as he looked at his companion. "You alright Finnean?"

"I'm fine, just need a minute." Finnean breathed out as he set his crate down, the shadows banding around it sinking back into the ground or back up his arms. Brushing the bang out of his right eye.

Since being fished out of the sea Finnean was looking much better over the course of the past three weeks.

His skin wasn't as pale, gained a little muscle tone, and his hair no longer as wild as before, having been cut down to around the middle of the back and no longer obstructing his face except for a bang around his right eye. His cloak draped around his shoulders and hung around his back

Wearing black shoes, long black pants, a red undershirt, and a gray button up shirt underneath as the clothes he had before were nothing more than seawater soaked rags that had been tossed out.

"You'll get one." James said as Johanes eyed Finnean wearily before inspecting the crates.

"I thought that we ordered three crates." He said, to which James just smirked.

"Finnean, do the thing." James said, getting the mage to nod.

Raising a hand, Johanes stepped back as Finnean's shadow extended fourth. A pair of shadowy arms shot out of the ground, reached into the shadow, and plopped out the crate before returning back to normal.

"Never get tired of that." James said with a grin at seeing the other two reactions.

"We could have fitted probably another one or all three in there." Finnean said, before nearly doubling over as James patted him on the back.

"We both needed the exercise lad." James said, getting Finnean to just shrug as he rightened himself up.

Johanes just shook his head at that before with a flex his chain extended. The hook propped open one of the crates, before sinking in and pulling the end of the bottle before placing it back.

Everything was all there.

"Give the pub out thanks." He sighed out, before noticing the white haired mage disappeared.

Where did he-

"So is your chain magic, your magic manipulating it, or both?" Finnean asked from behind, startling him

"Uh both." Johanes said, getting Finnean to nod.

How does he deal with this?

"Finnean you know about what the captain said?" James said as Finnean melted into a shadow and speed back over to him. "Sorry about that, he get's like that other mages passing through town."

"No I get it, was the same way when I was younger." Johanes said as Finnean popped back up.

"If you don't mind me asking why so much wine, I heard that there was a party tonight yet isn't it a bit much?" Finnean asked, getting the mohawked man to sigh.

"The boss ran out of booze and is on tour. Best to stock up here before buying more at a bigger port for much larger parties, which will probably be at least a week away. You know how it is." He said, getting James to huff and roll his eyes.

"Celebrities, can't imagine what is that like." James said, getting Johanes to nod.

"Yeah, but the pay is good. Especially for bartending." He said, getting James to look ever him questioning.

"You look more like muscle." James said, getting Johanes to chuckle.

"I be both, still working on finalizing my license but it pays extra to be the only one on deck to tell the difference between the good stuff and hogs wash." Johanes said, getting James to let out a hearty laugh.

"Too true, all too true." James said before turning to Finnean. "Come on now lad, we've been keeping the captain waiting long enough."

"Okay." Finnean said with a nod before facing the two men. "I hope that you all have a good party tonight."

With that the two of them back to walk back down the dock as Johanes just nodded.

"Nice kid, seems a little odd." He said as the mohawked man looked worried about the retreating Finnean.

"Should we go tell Salamander about this, just incase." He asked nervously.

They hadn't anticipated a mage like that actually living in this town.

"No, tell him when he gets back to the dock. We might not have worry about anything, just keep an eye on the shadows and the yacht brightly lit. I've dealt with a mage or two with shadow magic like that." Johanes said, getting his compatriot to sigh in relief. 

Before gulping at the mage's glare.

"Now start loading them up, you drank the rest and the boss told me to make sure you lug it all aboard!" Johanes yelled, getting his compatriot to hurriedly grab the opened crate. Struggling to  carry it back to the yacht under the mage's glare and the subtle rattling of the chain.

(Captain's Fishing Boat - An Hour Later)

"Almost got it." Finnean said, concentrating on the task at hand. Ignoring the rope tied around his waist.

It had been over three weeks since he was fished out of the sea. Since than he had been living at the captains house, crashing on the couch and doing chores or favors for him as payment for rent while earning some Jewels as payment from the favors.. In town or on the boat.

He didn't especially like the last one...hadn't quite gotten used to being out at sea like his first night. Getting better, just not by much...

At least it was better than in Haregeon all the time.

Aside from that he was regaining slowly memories, not much. Nothing aside from stuff related to aspects of his magic.

Except for one place, a memory of a sunset over a barren landscape as far as the eye could see. And the feeling of dread and fear it brought upon it which Finnean still couldn't figure out why.

Still caused him to shudder just thinking about...

Finnean's foot touched the water before he hurriedly grabbed and clamored onto the rope. Before taking a deep breath, the feeling of weightlessness washing over his body before letting go.

Hovering just a little bit over the water's surface and letting out a sigh of relief.

That was too close.

"You alright down there pup!" The captain hollered over the edge of the boat.

"Nearly lost my concentration, just a few more." Finnean said, getting the captain to nod.

"Just tug it twice if it happens again or when you got them all. Don't want you to fall into the drink again." The captain said, getting Finnean to nod as he went back to scraping barnacles off of hull.

Apparently one of his magics was a form of levitation. Granted he had to concentrate and only a few centimeters off a surface. Better than nothing.

Would have really helped to have remembered it weeks ago...

Aside from that he just remembered a few different magic and spells. Yet the main one was his dream magic as the captain described it as, Bad Dreams.

Half of Haregeon had been plagued by horrific nightmares for a week before he learned how to focus it. Oh there were still nightmares, it much more manageable now without the aid of using Dream Eater on someone.

Too bad he couldn't remember or even figure out how to turn it off.

At least it couldn't run amok now...

Finnean frowned as the last small patch of barnacles wouldn't come off.

His visible eye glowed blue and similarly appeared on the shadow of the cluster. With one more push they all came off easy enough.

Finnean nodded with a smile as the glow faded and tugged on the rope twice.

"Alright, pulling you up pup." The captain said as he began to pull on the rope.

While he did that Finnean swung towards the hull before stopping before hitting the hull. His shadow stretching along it before grabbing the railing of the boat. Helping to pull him up even faster before he canceled his magic and landed on the boat.

"Well done pup." The captain said, getting Finnean to smile as he sunk into his shadow. Slipping out of the rope before emerging with his cloak back on. "James, Rick better be almost done on the port side!"

"Tell the captain to give me another minute! I swear the kid's magic is cheating!" Rick shouted from the side.

"It's been helping us get rid of the barnacles faster, take at least solace in that Rick. We would have been here for hours more otherwise." Jame said.

"Correct so don't complain or your swabbing the deck on your own for the next two day!" The captain threatened, getting Rick to grumble before her turned to face Finnean. "Mind getting us some waters from below deck?"

"No problem." Finnean said as he began to walk down below the deck.

When he returned  Rick had been hefted onto the deck by the two. Finnean handing James one while two shadow tendrils slithered out of his cloak and handed them to the others.

"Thanks kid." Rick said, getting Finnean to nod as he opened his own and took a sip.

"It's no problem." He said with a nod as James faced the captain.

"So with how early you predicted a good haul than captain?" James said, getting the man to nod.

"Aye, far east from the harbor. Some of the other sailors were talking about it. The bounty we could get will set us up nearly double as much when Finnean appeared. Smooth sailing too. If nothing changes we should raise anchor soon and be back by tomorrow with a full haul." The captain said, getting excited looks from James and Rick.

It would be one hell of a pay day.

"So when do we set sail captain." Rick said eagerly, getting the captain to sigh.

"Very soon, but first is the matter of the pup." He said, Finnean tilting his head at that. "You thinking on leaving this week?"

Finnean thought about it for a few moments, having been asked the same question a week ago.

He had to learn the basics of everything in Fiore and what to expect outside of Haregeon. On how to set up camp and not get lost in Fiore alongside a map of this section of the nations coast from the captain. He had been sure to grill everything into Finnean everyday over the past two weeks and he had a decent grasp over his dream magic before giving him the chance to leave.

Wasn't all that confident back than, so stayed another week and had gotten the same treatment for the past week.

Now he got the same offer as before. And while Finnean thought that he was better prepared to give an answer, the words died in his throat.

The crew stared for a moment as he struggled for find words before sighing.

"I have been thinking about it lately." Finnean said looking confused. "I really want to see what else lies out there more than anything, but..."

"Haregeon and we are all you know, isn't it." The captain said, getting Finnean to pause for a moment before nodding slowly. Getting him to sigh as he pulled out his flask. "Can imagine what it must be like for ya pup, but be truefull with us. Are you happy here?"

"Somewhat." He answered honestly, trying to look away.

Only to be smacked in the back by James and nearly knocked to the deck.

"No need to be ashamed about that. As you said, you want to see what's out of here." James said as Finnean straightened himself out.

"Heck I was like that when I was your age, I think anyway?" Rick said before shaking his head. "You just need to take the first step."

"Have to agree with Rick on this one pup, I was very much the same way before I first set sail when I was a wee lad. This will be the first step on the path you decide to take, we can give you a nudge or a push along it. Yet ultimately it will be your choice on whether to take it or not." The captain sighed out before he reached into his coat and pulled out something. "It's not an easy choice pup, so here."

He tossed the object and a shadow tendril shot from the ground, depositing it into Finnean's hands.

A simple brass key.

"What the hell captain, I thought that you wouldn't trust us with that key!" Rick shouted, before flinching from the captain's glare.

"Because unlike you he didn't try to pawn my spare house key for rum money! And I don't care if your were as drunk as fish! I warned you, you're swabbing the deck starting when we leave the harbor!" He barked out, getting Rick to flinch.

"You walked into that one." James said, with Rick only groaning in response.

"You want me to house sit captain?" Finnean inquired, getting him to shrug.

"Not quite. Take the next two days off until we get back, explore, stay out of trouble. If you do decide to leave make sure to lock up and leave a note. There is a bag in the hall closet for ya if you do. If no, I'll give ya until the end of the month to decided to stay or leave. You understand pup?" The captain said with a grin, getting Finnean to smile.

"Loud and clear captain." He said, getting him to chuckle.

"Glad to hear it lad, but I do have one more job for ya." The captain said as he walked over to Finnean and deposited a large wad of jewels into his hands. "After we depart, run by Proper Grocer. Tell Charles to place an order under my name for a new lacrima spyglass."

"To replace the one that seagull took two days ago." Finnean said as he pocketed the jewels, t9 which the captain sighed.

"Aye, blasted sea rat with wings. It will take a few weeks to get here, but better to take care of it now and I'm not looking for anything fancy. Should be enough and if Charles tries to up charge you, tell him that he still owes me that tab. If there is a little extra, spend it how you like." The captain said.

"Understood." Was all Finnean said before the captain nodded  and faced his crew.

"Rick, James make sure everything is ship shape! We're setting sail!" The captain barked out as the two men hurriedly went to comply with his orders. Before turning to Finnean. "Even if you leave or not I wish you well pup."

"And I wish you a good haul captain." Finnean said with a smile, getting the captain to laugh.

"Now I better be hoping that you're right about that pup." The captain said as hung his arm over Finnean's shoulder and began to lead him off the boat.

With Finnean getting one last wave from James and a Rick as they were at work while he waved back.

(Five minutes later)

"Take care of yourself Finnean!" James called out as the boat sailed away from the dock, Finnean waving back at them.

"If you do leave, don't be afraid to stop by kid! Looking forward to swabbing stories with you!" Rick hollered out before turning to the captain as Finnean grew farther and farther away. "Not going to say anything captain."

"I've already said my peace." He said, getting Rick to smirk. "Take the helm Rick and if you say anything-"

"Won't think of implying of what isn't already there captain!" Rick said before he hurried to the helm.

"Smart ass." The captain grumbled as he pulled out his flask. "James didn't I have him penned for next week off."

"You did, want me to push it back?" James asked, getting the captain to sigh.

"No, just the last three days of it until after the month ends. Let the scallywag have sometime with his family. That and could use some quite." The captain said with a small smile.

"You believe that Finnean really is going to leave." James stated.

The captain was just silent until his lacrima orb levitated to his hands.

"Aye, a soft maybe on that. The pup will have a bright star and a good summer breeze to his sails, but ultimately it will be up to him to chart his course. At least that is what I have seen." The captain said with such certainty that surprised James.

He was well known to the fisherman in Haregeon that any storms or hauls he picked up through his divination magic the odds of coming true were 7/10. Yet in matters other than fishing or weather out at sea, the odds were 0/10.

So for the captain to feel that confident about seeing such a thing.

"I suppose there is a first time for everything if you are that confident captain." James barked out with a laugh

"That I am, thinking of challenging Ahab and the lads to poker at the pub when we get back ashore." The captain said with a grin.

"Wouldn't push your luck captain." James said, getting the captain to shake his head.

"Probably right James , considering what else I saw." The captain said while pinching his nose, James looking at him in concern. "Remember last year with the Marley brothers?"

"Those greedy old geezers that had their house burned down before being arrested for smuggling." James said before realization dawned on his face. "Don't tell me that pyromaniac is back in town."

If the fire had not been contained to the Marley's manor, that wizard would have set fire to an entire block.

"Aye, the pup is going to have one hell of an interesting first step if he takes it. But I'd rather leave before the marina goes up in flames and I feel the urge to keelhaul a cat again." The captain said, taking a sip of his grog.

James was hoping that the captain wasn't right about his prediction of the marina...and that leaving or not Finnean will be okay.

(Back At the Dock)

Finnean waved goodbye to them as the boat left the harbor, until it had sailed away from the fringes of his vision.

Letting out a sigh, but smiled he turned on his heels to walk a few steps back on the dock before sinking into a shadow as he zipped through the streets for Haregeon.

Unaware that someone had observed him, their lips quirking upwards.

"Didn't expect to see a mage like that right off the boat, Fiore is probably going to be more interesting that I had originally thought." The figure said with a smirk, before walking down the same street Finnean had zipped down from.

(Proper Grocer - 10 minutes later)

Finnean slipped under the door before gliding among the floor before emerging in front of the book and magazine stand.

Been here with the captain a few times, but mainly just checked out the magazines while the captain and Charles swabbed stories or lacrima. Finnean heeded the captain's advice to stay away from gossip magazines.

Usually satiated himself with looking at landscapes in Ishgar Geographic or reading gardening magazines. Finnean especially liked the later.

Should probably look more into it later.

He briefly looked over the stand, finding nothing new among the selection before deciding to head to the counter.

"What! You mean to tell me there is only one magic shop in this entire town!" Finnean heard someone shout, turning to see someone place their hands on the counter with Charles behind it.

The speaker was a young woman who looked to be around the same height as Finnean with shoulder lenght blond hair with some of it in a side ponytail and brown eyes. She wore a white and blue sleeveless shirt that did little to hide her figure along with a blue miniskirt and black heeled long boots. 

Yet what Finnean was mostly curious about where the ring of gold and silver keys that laid aside a whip alongside her belt.

He had heard about them from the captain, they were Celestial Spirit Keys. Items capable of summoning a spirit from another world for each key.

Finnean was curious what such a world might be like or what those spirits were like. But he could settle for that another time.

"Yes." Charles said without missing a beat as Finnean began to approach the counter. With the woman looking exasperated. "The town lives off of fishing instead of magic, very few mages live in the town. This shop is more specialized for traveling mages or special orders."

"So I guess this was a total bust." She sighed out while turning to the side as the cloaked mage stepped behind her.

"Maybe, be from what I hear is that Charles usually has the odd item or two tucked away." Finnean said, startling her. "Sorry about that."

"I-It's alright." The woman said, taking a step back, wondering where did he come from!

There was a enchanted bell at the door!

"Finnean, so he's not here today." Charles asked, getting Finnean to nod.

"Yes, but he asked for me to put in an order for a new lacrima spyglass under his name. And he also say you still owe him that tab." Finnean said, getting Charles to sigh.

"Never going to let that go until he pays for it, I believe I have the catalog around here somewhere. And as for you miss I do have plenty of new merchandise including this." Charles said with a smile, pulling out a pink tablet like object with two mirror like lenses on the surface along with the word 'ColorS' embroidered in the middle. "Girls are aways buying out the ColorS."

With that he began to demonstrate it by trailing one of his fingers along the lens, changing the colors of clothes happily.

Yet neither the woman or Finnean looked all that impressed.

"I already have one." She said.

"I think I can see the use in that, but..." Finnean trailed off before his clothes turned a deep shade of purple, the red spikes among his cloak magenta.

"So you have one too?" The woman asked curiously before his form flickered and his clothes were back to normal. 

"An illusion." Finnean said, getting her to nod before turning to face Charles.

"What I'm looking for is gate keys, do you have any?" She asked, getting Charles to stop messing with the colors and placed it down.

"Those are rare, but I do have one or two." Charles said, getting the woman to look excited as he bent down. "Well what do you know."

He pulled up two small boxes behind the counter and opened one of them, getting the woman's eyes to sparkle.

"This is the only gate key I have." He said, showing her a silver key with a blue imprint on the end.

"It's the white puppy, Nikora!" She said excitedly as Charles opened the second box to reveal a brass colored spyglass. It was a little dusty but Charles picked up a cloth and wiped it off.

"And apparently I still have one in stock, an older one but the old codger wouldn't mind either way." Charles said with a chuckle.

"No he wouldn't." Finnean said, reaching into his pocket and placing the Jewels the captain had given him. "So should this be enough?"

"More than enough and that there will be some left over." Charles said, putting the spyglass back into the box and closing it before taking the jewels leaving a small amount.

To which Finnean handed the woman half to her surprise before a shadow tendril emerged from the ground and took the box into his shadow.

"You might need it and the captain gives his regards." Finnean said before sinking into his shadow and slinking out of the store.

The captain did say he could use any extra money from the spyglass, there was more than enough for him to get something to snack on in town after dropping off the spyglass at the house. Besides the woman seemed to have her heart set on the gate key.

She seemed nice enough, and he would probably up charge her anyway.

"What do you mean by that?" She called out to Finnean, but he was already long gone.

(Middle of Haregeon - A While Later)

"He knocked off only 1,000 Jewels! My looks are worth more then 1,000 Jewels! No wonder he left me those extra Jewels, still it was worth little!" Lucy fumed to herself as she stormed down the streets of Haregeon, having no real idea of where to go.

Mainly just wondering around until cooler heads prevail.

While she was more than happy to finally get a Nikora key after looking for a long time, she was more than fuming about that shopkeeper upcharging her!

She had to pay 17,500 Jewels for the key.

More than worth it although she had heard that Nikora keys were usually worth quite a bit less than that. Honestly she was more annoyed about her sex appeal was only worth about 1,000 Jewels to him!

Her looks were worth more than, that damn it!

Lucy just let out an irritated sigh as leaned against a bridge and looked at the key with a small smile. Adding it to her key ring and making a mental note to summon the spirit later.

"I suppose I should thank him for saving me some Jewels, if I can find him." Lucy sighed out with a shrug.

The white haired mage, Finnean was the name she had grilled from shopkeeper. Besides a name all she had gotten from the shopkeeper that he had been living in town under a fishing captain after being fished out of the ocean three weeks ago.

Other than that, he knew almost nothing about Finnean except he liked to wonder about the town when not working.

If she bumped into him again she would at least thank him for helping her out a bit.

But if not before she left Haregeon, than she supposed it would have been no real issue.

At that Lucy just shook her head to clear her thoughts before briefly admiring the view from the bridge.

Before noticing a large crowd gathering at a plaza down below breaking into cheers.

"What's going on?" Lucy asked before she heard a shriek and saw two woman running down the bridge.

"You said a famous wizard is here?" One asked the other.

"Yes, it's Salamander!" The second one shouted before they ran down a side street.

"Salamander?" Lucy wondered, before the realization hit her and brought her hands together. "The wizard with the fire magic that no one else supposedly has! He's in this town!"

She'd heard all she knew from the magazines, but what she did know was that he was a famous wizard from Fairy Tail!

This could be her chance!

Lucy hurriedly ran down the bridge and joined with several other women also running to join the crowd in the plaza.

(Side street - A few minutes later)

"Well that was good, as usual." Finnean said as he threw away what remained of his fish and chips.

A local specialty given all the fishing done daily, but he's had it more than enough times that it all tasted the same to him at this point. The captain especially liked it to, though Finnean had it so much at this point.

But outside of the restaurant or the few pubs in town there wasn't much out in the way of food. At least in terms to snack on anything.

He had bought it with some of the remaining Jewels after depositing the spyglass safely. Buying before making his way to the plaza at the center of Haregeon.

For the past few minutes something had been causing Bad Dreams to start behaving...oddly.

Finnean could feel it effecting something, but compared to how it usually was whatever was affecting the plaza felt especially weak. So he was especially curious on what it could be and started to make his way there.

What he wasn't expecting where the multiple screaming and shrieking from less than a block away.

It didn't sound fearful, already heard that from Rick fearing his wife's wrath. 

Well whatever it was Finnean quickly found it bothersome.

"Salamander!"

"You're so wonderful!"

"Burn me!"

Finnean shuddered at the last sentence. 

Why would someone wish to be burnt purposely?

"Just  the heck is going on there?" Finnean wondered as he drew nearer to the plaza.

"A horde of fan girls, something that I wouldn't mess with if I was you." Someone said, getting Finnean to turn to see the speaker.

A young woman who looked to be slightly taller than him with brown eyes and waist long olive hair that was test in a ponytail with a pin with a butterfly shaped bow on it. She was wearing a white dress in a style Finnean had not seen before that exposed her legs, shoulders, and a diamond cut out that showed her figure with black sleeves and green underside. Alongside black heeled shoes and pearl eatings.

She held fish and chips in one hand while pointing towards the plaza with the other.

"If they are anything back home you better stay clear, rile them up or and they could turn rabid." She said coolly, to which Finnean nodded.

Before feeling one of those affected by whatever was going on wavering.

"Thank you for the advice, but I need to see what is going on." Finnean said, getting the woman to shrug.

"I tried to warn you." She said as Finnean nodded and began to walk off.

She watched him walk towards the plaza while taking another bite of her fish and chips before shrugging again.

"Oh what the hell, be interesting to see at least. Hopefully he doesn't get mauled." The woman said taking a step.

Before pausing as two figures ran down the same side street, with Finnean having to give the, a wide berth to avoid being run over.

"See? Talk about someone long enough and they'll show up!" One of them shouted. A young man was quite a bit taller with spiky pink hair, an open black waistcoat and red jacket, knee length  trousers, sandals, and what looked to be a scaled scarf.

"Aye!" The other one shouted...a bipedal blue cat with a green backpack.

Finnean blinked a bit to see if that really was a cat.

Yup, still seeing a talking blue cat.

"Okay that is new." Finnean said, staring at them curiously before sinking into his shadow and followed after them.  Quickly catching up to the pair as they burst through the crowd.

"Igneel!" The pink haired man shouted, silencing the crowd as Finnean slipping past through the crowd before finding the young woman with the gate keys from earlier.

And feeling whatever was affecting had broken and emerged right next to her.

"You okay?" He asked, getting Lucy to jump before looking at Finnean and sighing before glaring at a tall blue haired man in the center of the crowd with ornate clothing and purple cape.

"I am right now." She said with a glare.

"Who the heck are you?" The pink haired man, getting who Finnean thought was perhaps the Salamander that the crowd was screaming out earlier to look aghast.

"S-Seriously! If I said Salamander, would that ring a bell?" Salamander said, striking a pose as he regained his composure. Only for him and the crowd minus Finnean and Lucy to look in shocked as the pink haired man and the cat began to walk off. "He already left!"

What happened next was about six woman descended onto him with a ferocity Finnean had only seen from stray cats. Attacking, throwing insults, and demanding that he apologize while the talking cat only watch.

Finnean winced at the sight. 

Seems that woman's warning was spot on.

"What is wrong with you people!" He shouted as the entire crowd looked like they wanted to rip him apart.

"Now, now...leave him be." Salamander said, and as if a switch was flipped the crowd returned to praising him.

With Finnean sensing a brief fluctuations of the crowd before frowning.

"He's doing something to them, isn't he?" He asked Lucy as the pink haired man was brought in front of Salamander as he began to write on a board.

"Yes, he's using Charm Magic." Lucy all but quietly growled as Finnean nodded and let slip his control on Bad Dreams for a brief moment.

Seeing the crowd looked confused for a moment before returning to fangirling for Salamander as he gave away an autograph.

So it seemed like that didn't work.

"Here's my autograph, feel free to show it to your friends!" Salamander said.

"No thanks." The pink haired man said blandly, before the crowd went feral again.

Both Finnean and Lucy winced as as a group the pounced at him and left him beaten in a trash pile. With the former making a mental note to stay away from crowds of fangirls if possible.

"Now then, if you excuse me I have to prepare for some business in the next port." Salamander said, ignoring the various protests as purple flames gathered around his feet. "Red Carpet!" He casted, creating a large flexible column of purple flames that he was on top off. "I am having a party in my yacht this evening! Please attend everyone!"

With that he took off and the crowd dispersed with Bad Dreams returning to normal. Well as much as he considered normal anyways.

And he more than likely owned the yacht he delivered wine too with James.

Finnean shook his head to clear those thoughts as he saw Lucy walking to the pair from earlier, trailing behind her. 

Might as well follow her lead on this one.

"Okay what was that guy's deal?" The pink haired man said as he sat back up.

"He was a scumbag." Lucy said from behind, getting the pair to turn and see her and Finnean standing behind them.

"Would have gone with piece of work." Finnean said before he stretched out his hand, helping the pink haired man up.

"Thanks." He said, getting Finnean to nod.

"It's no problem." He said.

"Honestly thanks a lot you three." Lucy said white a smile, getting the three of them to look at her in confusion.

(On the other side of the plaza)

The olive haired woman frowned as she saw the crowd dispersed, looking at Finnean and the pair from earlier before she turned and walked down a side street.

Charm magic, it had to be charm magic.

She was thinking that her first day in Fiore would be interesting, but not like this.

Better ask around about this Salamander before doing anything rash.

(Haregeon Restirant - A While Later)

Finnean looked in awe as he eyed the man who'd introduced himself as Natsu ate more food and drink than he thought was possible in one sitting as the plates kept stacking up. While Happy gorged himself on fish.

When Lucy had offered the three of the food, he had declined. And seeing all of the food being devoured perhaps that was for the best for her wallet...

Lucy was giving them a polite smile, but internally bemoaned them going through the 1,000 Jewels that she had saved earlier.

"Thanks for the food!" Natsu said in between shoving food.

"Aye!" Happy said happily eating his fish.

"It's no problem...but please take your time..." Lucy said.

"You're getting it all over us." Finnean sighed out, plucking some crumbs out of his hair. "Anyway Lucy you were saying that Salamander used charm magic earlier, correct?"

"That's right." She said with a nod, before frowning. "It's a hypnotic magic that allows the user to sway the hearts of others, it was made illegal to sell years ago. Anyone who uses it to make themselves popular with girls like that is a creep."

"And that would explain somethings." Finnean said, getting the others to look at him. "I have a type of dream magic I can't turn off. Felt something strange, if they were in a trance it would explain it."

"Like a daydream." Lucy said, getting Finnean to nod.

"Exactly, wasn't able to fully break it on everyone else. Perhaps a little more training..." Finnean wondered.

He was still reigning in Bad Dreams and given it's reaction could he possibly wake them up from a trance or affect them in a daydream? 

Questions he'll try to explore later.

"Maybe, but Natsu bumping into me and you appearing like that broke the charm on me." Lucy said.

"That makes sense." Natsu said as he continued to chow down.

"I may not look like it, but I'm a mage myself. Of course I'm not a member of a guild though." Lucy said before turning to Finnean. "I take it you're not from one too?"

"Nope." He said honestly. "You wish to join one."

At this Lucy beamed at him.

"Exactly! There are so many different guilds around the world, but the most popular guilds are the most difficult to get into!" She said excitedly. "The one I want to get into has a ton of amazing wizards! Oh, what I am I going to do? I'm sure that it is going to be tough to get into..."

"You just need to take the first step, at least that's I'e been told." Finnean said, getting her attention. "Trying to follow that bit of advice, yet ultimately it has to be you to make it."

"And that is what I intend to do, I intend to get into this guild no matter what!" Lucy declared with a smile. "Besides I could get a bunch of big jobs with them."

"You think so?" Natsu said as he nearly finished eating.

"You sure talk a lot." Happy stated.

"And weren't you too looking for someone, an Igneel?" Finnean asked.

"Aye." Happy said, which Lucy took to mean a 'yes'.

"Heard that there was a Salamander in this town, I thought that it would be a good idea to check it out. But it turns out that it was just someone else." Natsu sighed out.

"We would have been able to tell if he was a salamander just by looking." Happy added in.

"I was sure it would be Igneel." Natsu said.

"Yet he was a man, why would you be looking for a salamander here?" Lucy questioned.

"He's not a human, Igneel's a dragon." Natsu said, matter of factly. Shocking Lucy and surprising Finnean.

"Aye, Igneel's a real dragon." Happy said, getting Finnean to lean back in the booth while Lucy was still processing it.

"A dragon, so they're aren't extinct..." Finnean said, having heard of the stories from the captain.

A race of large magic wielding creatures that roamed the land centuries ago but were rarely heard of in ancient times. So much so they were considered extinct as the last confirmed sighting was over a century ago.

Yet Natsu and Happy sounded so sure that there was one...

Finnean began to wonder what it would be like to meet one before wincing and clutching his head. Feeling a wave of fear and the sound of a roar piercing his ears for a few moments before fading.

"You alright?" Natsu asked, breaking Finnean out of his musings.

"Yeah, just trying to remember something. But I've been here long enough that I think I would have seen a dragon." Finnean said honestly, wondering briefly if he did encounter a dragon.

That would explain the reaction, but once again just another piece of information that he couldn't figure out or care all that much on.

"He's right, something like that wouldn't just be in the middle of town!" Lucy shouted, getting both Natsu and Happy to stiffen in shock. "Don't tell me you realized this now!"

Their silence was telling.

Finnean looked a little amused as Lucy sighed and laid out enough Jewels to pay for the meal.

"Anyway I have to go, take your time." She said, grabbing her bag and walking away from the table with a wave.

"I better go too, it was nice to met you both." Finnean said with a nod as he got up from the booth.

Considering that this Salamander was using charm magic and had bought three crates of wine from the pub while inviting them to a party at the yacht...might as well ask the captain's friends at the pub for his friend within the Rune Knights.

Better safer than sorry.

"Thank you, come again." A hostess said as Lucy approached the door, before gaining a shocked look.

Lucy and Finnean turned around to see Natsu and Happy on their hands and knees.

"We appreciate your kindness!" Natsu said, getting Lucy's face to flush in embarrassment.

"Kindness!" Happy repeated.

"Stop it, you're both already embarrassing me enough!" Lucy shouted before composing herself. "You saved me back there, so we're even. Okay?"

"We weren't trying to save you or anything..." Natsu said, getting Lucy to facepalm and Finnean to tilt his head.

"Aye, no payment needed." Happy said, getting Natsu to nod. Before smacking his hand against his palm.

That's it!

"Here, you can have this!" Natsu said, handing Salamander's autograph to Lucy. Figuring that it was a good idea.

"Who'd want that!" Lucy snapped at him.

"I think you'd better take it, not sure he will give up otherwise." Finnean whispered to her, getting Lucy to look between him and Natsu who was still holding the autograph with a smile.

She sighed while taking it from Natsu's hands.

"Fine." Lucy said, taking it before walking out of the door.

Natsu and Happy waved at her and Finnean waved back before exciting the door to see her throw the autograph into the trash. Honestly he had expected as much.

"Well I better be going now, better take care with Salamander still around Lucy." Finnean said with a wave as they began to go their separate ways.

"Planning on it, and thank you for earlier." Lucy said with a smile.

"No problem." Finnean said as he turned corner and began to think back on the spell he saw Salamander use in the plaza.

Could it be possible...

Concentrating Finnean's shadow began to swell up and lift him off the ground anout half a meter before going forward slowly. He sighed before sinking into the shadow and the ground before speeding off.

He could work on that later.

Right now he needed to start looking at the captain's favorite pub.

If this Salamander was going to try and pull something tonight in Haregeon he could pull off, thinking about leaving town came secondary. If he was wrong about this, than he was wrong.

Finnean would rather be wrong than right if something did happen.

(Haregeon Park - Afternoon)

"Seriously nothing but fan girls." The olive haired woman sighed out as she sat down on a bench, ignoring the stares.

Normally she wouldn't have minded the intention. But the possibility of running into a Bosco crew in her first day in Fiore had soured her mood.

Already had enough problems with them in Minstrel, it depended on where they were contracted from that mattered.

She had spent quite a bit of time trying to find anything about this 'Salamander' except for he was a wizard who specialized in fire magic from a wizard guild named Fairy Tail. Most likely a cover they were using.

If they where using charm magic for what she was hoping not to, they were especially foolish to do so in Fiore.

Trying to find information on this Salamander had turned up very little. Either it was a fan girl, a jilted significant other for the attention the man was getting, vice versa for the attention she was getting, or some mention of an incident in town last year.

So far nothing, wouldn't stop her from looking.

"They say the Salamander is back in town, that punk doesn't look like the one from a year ago!" She heard from nearby, seeing a pair of older men on a park bench.

"Are you sure, my daughter won't stop gushing over him otherwise." The other man said irritably.

"Unless that punk had a scale pattern scarf I would say otherwise, I saw that punk running from the Rune Knights after he set the Marley's manor on fire. So glad those misers were arrested." The first one said, the woman getting up from her bench.

A scale pattern scarf, she had seen one on the poor man that had nearly been mauled by those fan girls earlier. He was last with who she heard to be Finnean was it?

Either way, this is what she had been looking for.

"Excuse me sir." She said, getting their attention and smirk as she leaned forward. Getting them both to struggle not to look. "Can you tell me more about this Salamander?"

(Railing overlooking the port - Nightfall)

Finnean sighed as he looked out into the harbor, seeing the yacht at the same dock where he was earlier.

He had managed to get to the pub and eventually managed to reach the captain's friend and explained everything. Finnean didn't know why he suddenly looked like he developed a migraine at the mention of  Natsu and Happy as a witness for charm magic.

Promised to do what he could with the situation, but said that it could be a while.

And from what Finnean could see they would probably leave port in a matter of minutes. It had been all afternoon and no action from the Rune Knights at all or any real change in the yacht otherwise.

Finnean mused for a moment before sighing and beginning to walk away from the railing.

Better check things on the yacht for himself.

Foolish thing to do by himself, oh definitely.

But if Salamander was really plotting something while in Haregeon it was worth whatever risk it could bring.

"So you are planning to do something ." Finnean heard, looking to see the olive haired woman from earlier leaning against a wall. "Saw everything at the plaza earlier and I've been asking around town,  your name is Finnean correct?"

"It is, never caught your own name?" Finnean said, getting the woman to smile as she got up from the wall.

"Keneally, it's Keneally." She said with a smile as the two of them began to walk down the street. "And I found something that you would find interesting. The man with the scaled scarf you were with early is the real Salamander."

At this Finnean nearly tripped before regaining his footing.

Natsu was the Salamander?

Whoever was calling himself Salamander was using an alias of Natsu for his own ends. But why?

"You sure about this?" Finnean asked, getting Keneally to nod.

"I asked around Haregeon, apparently burned down a manor a year ago that belonging to smugglers. Apparently he has a reputation for burning stuff down." Keneally said with an amused smirk before frowning. "Do you know exactly what else is going on the yacht besides a party."

"Not good, helped deliver three crates of wine there. Considering the charm magic..." Finnean said with a shudder. 

"Just as I thought." Keneally said as she pinched her nose. "Sounds like a crew from Bosco, they constantly came to port towns in my region of Minstrel. They usually range from aggressive talent scouts to slavers. Either way they'll be leaving with people tonight."

"They'll probably leave port any minute now, well it looked like it anyway." Finnean said before his shadow began to growth underneath him. "Could possibly get on directly if I hurry now."

"You better-" Before Keneally could speak Finnean's entire body shifted and she stopped in her tracks.

"Judging by your reaction, this will work?" Finnean said, his voice sounding much softer than before. Craning his head up to see her grin.

"Oh yeah that will do it, not sure they could resist you like this." Keneally said with a grin.

"Thanks...I think?" Finnean said as he began to sink into his shadow.

"I'll catch up just go." She said as Finnean nodded before fully sinking into the ground and speeding off.

Even if the boat was still halfway in the harbor Keneally was sure that she could make it there...probably. But would probably be without magic, not that such a thing had stopped her before.

At least she hoped Finnean would by her sometime if she did run out.

One way or another, that boat was not going to be leaving the harbor tonight.

(Salamander's Yacht -Two Minutes Later)

"Mike bring up the ramp, we're raising anchor!" The mohawked man called out to a brown haired crew member on the dock.

"Right." He said, getting to work on that.

At least this haul would bring them plenty of money before they would have to set sail once again. The bosses Magic should be kicking in sooner or later...

"Excuse me am I too late?" A soft soothing voice said, getting Mike to grumble under his breath.

There was always someone late to these events!

"Why ye-" Mike's words died in his throat at what he saw.

The one in question was on the short side with wavy ash gray hair that partly obstructed her face, her right eye covered while the other was an emerald green. She wore a dark purple dress that billowed out towards her leg and exposed her shoulder, doing little to emphasize her assets which were decent looked larger on her frame. Wrapped around her neck was a magenta scarf.

"I apologize for being late, I just needed to get everything ready." The woman said, before beginning to turn away. "If I'm late I'll just go home."

"Wait! There is still time!" Mike said, stooping his preparations.

"Really?" The woman asked with a head tilt. "I thought that you were raising anchor?"

"There is still another minute, so if you want to join the party now is the time!" Mike said, getting the woman to bring a hand to her chin.

For a few moments Mike wasn't sure that she was going to stay or not before she smiled and nodded.

"Alright, thank you." She said with a nod before walking up the ramp. 

Mike quickly got all the preparations done and pulled up the ramp as the yacht began to sail away.

Letting out a sigh of relief before gulping at seeing Johanes giving him a glare.

"I heard you let someone else on just before we left, what he the hell are you thinking." Johanes said, getting Mike to point at the new girl already mingling with the others while trying his best to not shudder in fear. The larger man looked at the petite woman than back at Mike. "Okay I see why, next time holler before letting someone on board. Did you see any shadows moving?"

"No I didn't." Mike said, getting Johanes to nod.

"Keep your eyes open until the harbor is out of view. Between our haul, the blonde with the boss, and the short stack the agency is going to give us one hell of a pay day." Johanes said quietly, getting Mike to nod.

Meanwhile Finnean shuddered as he felt them looking in his direction before walking off. Trailing around an empty glass.

Well to him at least, everyone else thought it was filled with wine. Besides disguising his appearance and voice at best he could only make simple and small illusions, like making a glass appeared full as he pretended to sip from it.

Honestly Finnean could do without the staring, but he needed to try and find out more or wait for Keneally or something else to happen.

Only he hoped that it was soon, the looks the crew were giving him were starting to creep him out...

(Haregeon Port - A few minutes later)

"Finally." Keneally huffed as she reached the end of the port where the yacht had left. It was about a quarter of the way out of the harbor so she still could catch up, but it would take a minute.

She took a deep breath and began to concentrate, a few moments later whips of bluish green energy began to trail off her back.

Taking a step back, but stopped when she saw a speck of pink hair and was that a flying cat!

"Fiore seems to be getting more interesting by the hour, I'll give him another minute or two." Keneally said as the wisps disappeared off her back.

At least Finnean will have back up one way or another.

(Salamander's yacht - Same Time)

Finnean felt something wash over him and noticed all of the female party goers getting drowsy, feeling Bad Dreams starting to spike.

Seeing a few of them starting to fall to the ground, Finnean copied their actions before sinking into the ground and canceling the illusion.

"Round them all up and bring them to the boss. If that blonde is still awake or not bring them to the hull afterwards. Let them rest and bolt the door until we reach Bosco." One of the men hollered as Finnean slowly moved from shadow to shadow to where it looked like the crew where starting to gather.

Johanes overlooked the crew working and gathering the sleeping woman while keeping an eye out for any trouble.

They were still in the harbor and probably wouldn't be safe until it was well behind him.

Let some of the crew call him paranoid, all he cared about was making sure the merchandise would be okay and that they didn't get caught while making their payday. 

At least Fiore they would be more lenient than Minstrel if caught. They weren't slavers, yet he would not want to be caught be them.

"Okay where did that short girl go, she was right here? " He heard one of the crew shout, getting his attention.

Someone was still awake and had disappeared, if she didn't fall overboard...

"A few of you lot look around and find her! If she fell overboard or she is hiding anywhere we will have some serious trouble!" Johanes said as the crew scrambled to pick up the rest of the unconscious partygoers. "The rest with me!" 

As they hurriedly followed the ordered Finnean slipped into the shadow of the first crew members into the interior of the yacht. Soon it was pulled in by other members soon filling a large room when curtains drawing back.

To reveal a smug looking Salamander and to Finnean's surprise Lucy in a maroon dress.

"Welcome to my ship, please be good until we reach Bosco." He said with a grin as Finnean began to slip from shadow and shadow to get closer to them.

"Bosco?! What about Fairy Tail!" Lucy demanded as she began to reach for her keys.

"Give it up, your our merchandise now." Salamander said, getting Lucy to look between her and the sleeping girls his crew began to place them in a corner of the room.

"That's our Salamander!" One called out.

"We got quite the haul this time!" Another said as Lucy grabbed her key ring.

"Why you-" Lucy shouted, drawing her key ring. But yelped as Salamander created a whip of purple flames that got close to her.

Letting go of her keys as the flames dissipated, with Salamander snatching them from mid air. Holding them away from her with a smirk.

Before dropping them and letting out a muffled yell as a shadowy tendril shot out of his own shadow and clutching his face, shocking the crew.

"What the, Finnean?" Lucy said, figuring it could have been in as a shadow shot forth from one of the crew members.

Only for a flaming chain to burn through the tendril grabbing Salamander's face, extinguishing itself before Johanes swung the end into the floor.

The hook catching the hood surprised Finnean before dragging him out of the shadow and slammed him into the ground. Before he could even move the chain wrapped around him and bound his arms.

"Make one wrong move and you'll regret it kid. I have no idea how you get on, just make it easier for everyone if you don't move." Johanes said as Salamander picked up the key ring and threw them out of the window.

Creating a purple fireball and levitated it near Finnean as he began to struggle against the chain which was getting tighter and tighter. It was getting difficult to breathe...

"You were right about being wearily of him Johanes, anything else he did?" Salamander asked with a frown.

"We're missing a girl, he probably managed to get her off ship or have her hidden away. I already have some of the crew looking for her." He said, getting Finnean to smirk a little despite the pain. Seems like they still hadn't figured it out yet.

Also it only seemed to irritate the false Salamander more.

"This is quite the mess." Salamander said before pinching his nose. "Keep him bound and knocked out before dumping him on the closest shore once the sun starts to rise with a lifeboat. We should be long gone by than. If they can't find her the girl's a lost cause."

Lucy continued to glare at him as his crew began to move towards her, tears welling up into her eyes.

Looking at the unconscious women being piled up in the room, Finnean growing lax in the constricting chain, and the smirks on the face of Salamander and his crew.

Was this what it truly meant to be a Fairy Tail wizard?

"You use magic to charm others just to ship them off, you truly among the lowest of wizards." Lucy said tears streaming down her eyes as the crew moved towards her.

"Indeed he is." Finnean's voice rang out, getting the crew to look at the chain.

Only he was gone, the cloak fluttering down from the chains.

Johanes lit the chain aflame to burn it, before a shadowy fist erupted from the floor and slammed into his jaw. The cloak landed on the floor before sinking into the ground, Finnean speeding past a torrent of purple flames that scorched the floor.

"What are waiting for, get him!" Salamander ordered, spurring the crew as Finnean emerged. Taking in a deep breath in.

But promptly let go as something crashed through ceiling, shocking everyone. But Lucy and Finnean felt relief as they saw it was Natsu.

Who promptly groaned and covered his mouth as he looked seasick.

"I knew that it was no use..." He groaned out.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Lucy snapped while Finnean looked at him in sympathy.

"Lucy, Finnean why are you two here?" They heard Happy said from above, getting Finnean to-

Since when could a cat sprout wings and fly? Some kind of magic probably.

"Happy, I was tricked." Lucy said, breaking Finnean out of his thoughts. "He said that he could get me into Fairy Tail. And wait, since when could you fly?"

"You might want to save it for later Lucy." Finnean said as the Salamander and his crew started to regain the sense.

"Aye." Happy said as he flew down and wrapped his tail around Lucy. "Run away!"

"Wait!" Lucy yelled out as she was carried further away.

"After her, if the council hears about this it'll be trouble!" Salamander shouted as Finnean took in a deep breath.

"They already know, Haze!" He casted, releasing a thick plume of black smoke from his mouth and quickly filling the room. Grabbing Natsu and sinking back into the floor.

"I can't see!"

"Why does it feel so cold!"

"Boss!" Johanes called out.

"I'm already on-" Salamander tried to say, but a pair shadowy tendrils wrapped around his legs and pulled the mage down as he was preparing a spell. Releasing a purple fireball that crashed into one of his men.

"The Rune Knights already know about your charm magic, and the fact that you are a fake probably. Even if they do not arrive yet there are other's here to worry about." Finnean said as the smoke began to dissipate.

Salamander frowned as he began to look around for him or Natsu.

"Find them now!" Johanes ordered as the crew began to leave the room with Salamander.

The last one to leave yanked down by a pair of shadowy tendrils and slammed head first into the floor. The crew turned around to see Finnean emerge from the floor, with Natsu leaning against the door frame.

"I prefer the floating death trap then go back in there..." Natsu groaned out, getting Finnean to sigh.

"Enough Johanes deal with that mage along with the rest of you, I'll shoot down that cat!" Salamander said as Johanes swung the chain.

"Double Team!" Finnean casted, glowing red before the crew found themselves surrounded by multiple faded copies of him.

The chain passing through where Johanes thought he just was.

"He can use illusions too!" He shouted as the illusions rushed forward as one. The chain being covered with flames as he swung through several copies while the crew braced themselves or retaliated.

When all the copies were dealt with there was no sign of Finnean.

"Step aside and keep your eyes open to the ground!" Johanes said as he began to lash the chain among the dock.

"I swear..." Salamander muttered while gathering flames. "Prominence Whip!" He casted.

Salamander released a multitude of purple streams of flames that streaked in the air after Happy and Lucy while Johanes continued to lash the deck with the chain in an attempt to draw out Finnean. The crew getting more and more nervous each time it struck the deck.

"Aren't you sure this is getting out of hand!" One crew member yelled out as he and another dodged the chain.

"Better than going back to prison!" The other one said.

"Fair enough!" He shouted as the as they backed up to the railing. Before being bound in multiple shadow tendrils rising up and binding them together. "What the-"

He was silenced as Finnean emerged behind them and slammed his hands together, the shadows doing the same. The two collided with each other and than fell to the floor.

"There you are." Johanes said as he extended the chain and Finnean barely had enough time to dodge the hook as it slammed into the railing. Crouching down as sparks of white energy flickered off him

A straight shot towards him. Perfect.

"Quick Attack!" Finnean casted as he charged forward in a straight line, a trial of white light appearing behind him.

Johanes's eyes widened as Finnean blitzed passed the chain and struck the man in the gut, getting him to double over as the white haired man continued running passed him and came to a stop after tripping up another crew member.

"Just how many types of magic do you know?" Johanes said as he straightened himself up.

"I don't know honestly." Finnean admitted, getting Johanes to grunt in acknowledgment.

Before swinging the chain into Finnean's back, getting him to yell in pain before sinking into the ground as the chain was brought down onto the deck.

"That damn cat's quick." Salamander said bitterly as his spell collided into a firework as turned back to the crew as a pair of clawed hands emerged from the shadows. Only for him to blast them away with a purple fireball. "Deal with the other two and head straight for Bosco!"

Better to take care of this haul and steer clear of Fiore for a few months.

"You..." Natsu groaned out as he lumbered onto the deck before going to his knees.

Some of the crew began to approach him with the intent to kick Natsu.

"Dark Hole!" Finnean's voice rang out, getting them to look in confusion on where it came from.

Before Natsu's shadow billowed out and swallowed three of the crew members!

"Help!" One cried out before all three were sucked in before Finnean emerged with a flask in hand.

"Getting a little cramped in there." He panted out before seeing the chain rushing towards him.

His shadow spitting the three back out while he sunk into one of their own. The hook of the chain slamming into one of them. Sending the man flying into the railing.

"Sorry about that." Johanes called out as he reeled the chain back as Finnean popped up near Natsu. Igniting the chain and sending  it towards him.

Finnean sunk underneath it, only for the chain to bend and rushed towards his head.

Only for Natsu's hand to reach forward and grasp it. Grunting as he tossed it and the chain hit another crew member before kneeling with a groan.

"Thank you." Finnean said as he emerged while Natsu nodded. "Quick Attack!"

Before Johanes could reel the chain back, Finnean slammed into him. Knocking the man back before coming to a stop and barely dodged a purple fire whip. Sinking into the ground as Salamander tried again.

Until Finnean appear next to him, stretching out his hands before they were covered in shadows and pair of shadowy hands reached out. Salamander grunted as they struck him, the man being pushed back a little before they retracted.

"Why you!" Salamander growled out.

"Fairy...Tail..." Natsu growned out as he drew closer to Salamander and glared at him. "You?!"

Salamander growled as he stood back up with purple flames generating from his hand and purple energy began to gathering around Finnean's arms. Staring each other down while they prepared their spells.

That was until they turned to see a tidal wave rushing towards the yacht!

"Not again." Finnean said worriedly as he sunk into the boat, multiple tendrils shooting out onto the railing as the tidal wave picked up yacht and sent it mid air.

(Haregeon Port - Same Time)

"Well that is certainly one way to get them to shore." Keneally said as she saw the tidal wave pick  up the boat about halfway into the harbor and carry it back to shore.

She began to run off into the direction of where the yacht would crash at.

(Salamander's Yacht - Same Time)

"Why is the sea so angry!" Salamander yelled out as he fell into the tidal wave along with most of his crew. Some where hanging onto parts of the yacht, clinging for dear life. Johanes extended the chain and dug the hook into the hull and wrapped it around himself.

Natsu yelled as he fell into the wave too.

Finnean slipped into the interior of the yacht  and sprouted multiple shadow tendrils to keep the unconscious woman in place so they wouldn't get caught up in the wave. Looking like he wanted to through up in his shadow.

The tidal wave slammed into the shore and quickly returned back to sea.

Finnean sighed as he emerged from the shadow, pulling out the flask and took a sip. Having taken a habit of carrying a flask of bitter ginger ale to help settle his stomach when there were some pretty rough waves.

Taking a sip his eye glowed blue as he let go of any restraint of Bad Dreams briefly, a similar glow  appearing on shadows of the women. Some woke up with a snap while others were groggy as he  took ahold of his magic once again.

"You all might want to get out of here." Finnean  said before sinking into the ground and emerging out of the yacht to see Lucy and Happy across the beach across from what he could describe as a mermaid from what he heard from the captain. But didn't think they appeared in the waters around Fiore.

But seeing her dissolve into water, figured maybe it was a Celestial Spirit perhaps?

Only one way to find out, alongside making sure Lucy and Happy were okay.

He sunk into his shadow and speed off towards the two of them as the mermaid vanished.

"You don't need to rub it in!" Lucy said before he remerged right behind them.

"Maybe I shouldn't have apologized back then?" Happy said, getting Lucy to facepalm.

"I take it that was a Celestial Spirit?" Finnean asked while tilting his head, getting their attention. "Also are you two alright?"

"Aye." Happy said with a nod.

"I'm too and you are correct, although a troublesome one." Lucy said, pinching her nose before looking at the crowd of people approaching the breached yacht as the women inside began to make a break for it. Some of them helping the others out. "At least we helped them get out."

"That and I already told someone in the Rune Knights about Salamander and his charm magic. Plus with the tidal wave and the yacht if they haven't mobilized now, they should soon." Finnean said.

"There is no way they are missing that, but we have make sure none of them slip away. Otherwise they'll run to Bosco and join some other crew." Keneally said getting the three of them to turn and see her walking up with a grin. "Besides I can't let you have all the fun."

"Honestly you can have it." Finnean said as Lucy looked between the two of them.

"Who are you?" Lucy asked getting Keneally to smile.

"Keneally, let's just say this isn't my first time dealing with something like this. Although with more help than just him." Keneally said, pointing a finger towards Finnean.

"She's the one who just confirmed what was going on with the yacht for me, I take it you saw what Natsu did." He said, getting her to grin.

"Not how I would have entered, but it works just as well as your illusion did." Keneally said, surprising Lucy.

"Wait, that missing girl was you?" Lucy asked, getting Finnean to nod.

"It was." He said, before he and Keneally snapped to attention as Johanes jumped down onto the beach and retracting the chain.

"Seriously? Damn it Mike!" He growled out before turning to the crew as some of them were picking themselves up first. "If he isn't awake we leave his sorry ass here!"

"After you lot find a working lifeboat!" Salamander called out, seeing part of the crew unconscious while the rest were picking themselves up. "Damn it all..."

Finnean noticed something climbing up the boat as Happy climbed onto Lucy's shoulder as they approached the crew. Keneally noticed too and sighed.

"Natsu, he's alright." Lucy said as he threw off his jacket

"That he is, and should make short work on the rest of them." Keneally said while shaking her head.

"What do you mean by that?" Lucy asked.

"She found this out earlier, but he's a wizard Lucy." Finnean said, surprising her.

"We never told you this earlier." Happy added in.

"What!" Lucy shouted.

"You!" Natsu growled out, getting everyone's attention on him. "You're a Fairy Tail wizard?!"

"Yeah what's it to you?" Salamander said before turning to his crew. "Deal with him, Johanes keep the other mages busy or knock them out."

"Got it boss." He said, brandishing his chain and getting Lucy to step back as he began to approach them. While another two members of the crew rushed towards Natsu.

"Take a good look at this face." Natsu said, before swinging his arm and knocking both men out. Displaying a red emblem on his shoulder. "Because I am Natsu of Fairy Tail! And I've never seen your damn face before!"

Shocking Salamander and his crew, while Johanes looked at Natsu and groaned.

"No use hiding it anymore Bora, the jig is up. I recognize the scarf, he's the real deal." He called out, getting the now named Bora to look worried and surprising Lucy further.

"You knew that Natsu was Salamander?" Lucy asked in shock as she faced Finnean.

"Didn't know it when we met, Keneally found out afterwards and that he was a fraud. Apparently he burned down a manor here a year ago." Finnean said, getting Lucynto swat drop as that would fit in with what she heard about the guild's wizards going overboard. "Never heard of Bora before."

"I do, Bora the Prominence was a wizard who was kicked out of the Titan Nose guild a few years back for using magic for thievery." Happy said, getting Keneally to shake her head.

"So more or less a career criminal, wouldn't have expected anything less." She said as Natsu began to approach Bora and his crew.

"I don't care if you are a good guy or a bad guy, but I will make you pay for thinking that you could pretend to be from Fairy Tail!" Natsu declared.

"Like hell!" Bora shouted as he spread his arms out wide. "Prominence Typhoon!"

A spiraling column of purple flames were launched at Natsu and hit him straight on, creating a large explosion. Both Lucy and Finnean tried to rush towards him, but Happy sprouted his wings and floated in between them while holding his paws out. Any onlookers that remained soon bolted.

"The bigger they talk the harder they fall." Bora said before turning his back to Natsu.

"Gross, are you really a fire mage?" Natsu said, getting everyone to look at him as the flames began to disappear and...

Was he eating the flames?

"Cause these flames taste pretty gross." Natsu said as he sucked the flames into his mouth.

As everyone looked at Natsu in shocked as he was actually eating the fire minus Happy, Finnean just tilted his head before nodding. It seems that whatever his magic was, it could do something similar to Dream Eater only with fire.

"Thanks for the meal, poser." Natsu said with a smirk, letting out a content sigh 

"What the heck is he?" Bora said as he took several steps back.

"Fire doesn't work on Natsu." Happy said.

"I've never seen any magic like that." Lucy said.

"I can actually use a spell like it, but it is just an aspect of Bad Dreams. I did hear from the captain that there were types of lost magic that can do it." Finnean said.

"Slayer magic, that's what it's called anyway." Keneally said. "Didn't think anyone still practiced any form of it."

"Now that I've eaten up, I'm fired up!" Natsu declared as he bumped his fists together, inhaling before bringing his hands to his mouth. "Fire Dragon's Roar!"

Natsu breathed out a small stream of fire between his hand that expanded into a massive torrent of flames that crashed into Bora and his crew, creating a massive explosion that Finnean was sure could have been seen clear across the harbor. Clearing to reveal the yacht now a flaming wreck, Bora's crew unconscious except Johanes who ducked behind a large piece of the hull.

With the mage himself floating on a spiraling column of purple flames, looking nervously at Natsu.

"Happy does his magic have something to do with Igneel, you mentioned that he was looking for a dragon." Finnean said, surprising Keneally.

"Seriously there's still dragons living here in Fiore?" She questioned.

"Igneel taught him Dragon Slayer magic. A dragon's lungs to breath fire, scales to dissolve fire, and claws to gather them. A magic to transforms the caster body parts into a dragons and originally made to fight them." Happy said, getting Finnean and Lucy to look at him at awe.

"To think there would be magic like that." Lucy said as Natsu's hands lit aflame.

"Remember this well, this is the strength of a true Fairy Tail wizard!" Natsu roared out as he charged at Bora.

"Red Shower!" He casted fearfully, sending a volley of small purple fireballs at Natsu. Yet he easily dodged and weaved through the spells.

Bora panicked as Natsu jumped up and punched him about halfway across Haregeon before jumping on rooftops after him.

"He's going to wreck the town, isn't he?" Finnean asked exasperated as another explosion followed in their wake.

"Aye." Happy said, getting Lucy to sigh.

"The rumors about Fairy Tail were true than..." Lucy said as she saw a stream of purple flames cut through the air and town. Roofs starting to catch on fire from the two.

"Yet there is still a straggler to deal with." Keneally said as she and Finnean turned back to the flaming ruins of the yacht, Johanes smashing apart some of the debris with his chain.

Before sighing and turning to face them while brandishing it.

"No more life boats, the job's a bust, and it's just a matter of time until the boss is defeated. I would prefer not getting arrested so close to getting my license." He said before the chain lit aflame. "Get out of the way and let me go, no need to escalate this any more."

"You don't get to say that after what you all tried to pull." Finnean said with a frown as his shadow began to swell up beneath him as Keneally waved her hand.

A translucent orange orb appeared and floated above her hand, on one side was a black swallowtail butterfly and running underneath it was a swirling cloud pattern.

"You would only jump ship  to another crew anyways." Keneally said.

"Besides what we're you going to do with all the woman anyway." Finnean asked.

"Bring them to a glamour model agency in Bosco." Johanes said flatly, getting all three other mages to pause.

Keneally looked exasperated, Lucy shocked, Finnean just tilted his head in confusion.

"You have got to be kidding me, your boss is an illegal talent scout." Keneally said flatly.

"Pay's good, besides I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have agreed even if the boss asked you." Johanes said while pointing at Lucy.

"I would have refused even if he wasn't a creep!" Lucy yelled at him.

"See, the crew gets paid per head and a bonus depending on how attractive the girls are. The agency gets photos for next week's magazines, the crew and the girls get a marine depending on the sales before the girls are shipped back to their home. Not in the same place mind you, but to a friendly port in the cover of night." Johanes said before extending  the chain towards Finnean.

Only for both he and Keneally where more than ready.

"Haze!""Swarm!" The both of them casted at the same time, Finnean exhaling and covered the both of them in black smoke.

The chain passed through the smoke, Lucy backing away hurriedly as it smacked the ground before Johanes retracted it. Noticing something moving through the smoke he swung the chain to it.

The hook passing through what appeared to be a bluish greenish butterfly that faded before more began to surround him and began to flutter towards him.

Johanes grunted as he swung  the chain around, dispersing the butterflies before some of them reached him. Fading on impact before grunting as Keneally's orb slammed into his face and a pair of shadow hands slugged him in the gut.

Doubling over before burning away the shadows, stretching the chain to burn the rest of the butterflies before seeing Finnean glowing white.

"Quick Attack!" He casted, rushing straight for Johanes who barely dodged out of the way and swung the chain when Finnean came to a stop.

Beheading him with the hook.

"Shit!" Johanes said while Lucy looked horrified before Finnean's body began to dissolve into a black liquid. "What the-"

Johanes was cut off as Finnean launched himself and struck the back of his head while Keneally's orb struck before retracting to her as the smoke dissipated.

"Still need some work." Finnean panted out while shaking his head. The spell, Shadow Doll was a mixture of his shadow and illusion magic, honestly a second later and it would have collapsed on it's own.

"You alright." Keneally asked as she chucked the orb, smacking Johanes in the face before it flew back to her hand.

"Just a second." Finnean said, getting her to nod before charging the dark mage.

He swung the chain and Keneally gracefully dodged or sidestepped each strike, furthering irritating Johanes before she held the orb in front of her and grinned. Covering her eyes as the orb let off an orange light.

Johanes grunted as he was blinded before Keneally's orb struck him alongside kicking his side. Landing a quick jab to his side before he regained his barrings. Swinging the chains, yet Keneally gracefully landing a few more strikes in between dodging. A small violet spot appearing with each one.

Before pulling back as Finnean hovered over his own shadow, it acting like Bora's spell and acting like a column as it bent away from the chain's hook. Half of it was burnt when Johanes swung it.

Finnean sinking into the other half which stretched into the ground. And soon emerged, with him at a crouch on top of a shadow pillar.

"Double Team! Quick Attack!" He casted, surrounding Johanes with illusion copies that all rushed at him. The man tried to destroy them all, but the were too fast. Several making past the chain and struck, fading to reveal the real Finnean before he dove back into the ground.

Johanes slammed the chain into the ground before Keneally's orb slammed him in the gut, Finnean popping out of his shadow to slam him in the back with a pair of shadowy arms following suit.

For about a minute both Finnean and Keneally kept switching up attacking Johanes or dodging his change. Finnean in's sticking to the shadows while Keneally moved with a practiced grace, giving the dark mage little time to do anything except try to push them back.

Only for them all to jump back as a stream of purple flames cut through the ground between them.

"Watch where you are aiming Bora!" Johanes growled out, only for Keneally's orb to slam into his face.

And for shadow tendrils to bind his arms before he could swing the chain. He grunted as a ring of green butterfly's flew around him before bursting into powder that made Johanes to see double.

Seeing a smirking Keneally reached for the extinguished chain with Finnean pulling it off of him.

"No!" Johanes shouted as Finnean's shadow expanded and the chain was thrown in. The dark mage grunted as he struggled to move his arms through the shadows. Managing to reach something int his pants pocket.

Pulling out a small metal tube with his fingers that fell to the ground, expanding into a metal club with a red gem at the end that shot a small fireball that blasted the shadows binding one arm. Grabbing the end and freeing the other one.

"Don't think that I'm done yet!" Johanes shouted as he pointed the club at Finnean and launched a fireball.

Only for it to miss the course and scorched the ground, instead pointing it close to Finnean due to his blurred vision.

"I think that you are." Finnean said as Keneally rushed forward while the former drew the chain from his shadow. Black bands spreading across the chain as Keneally smirked as she threw the orb again.

Smacking Johanes in the chest as he tried to swing the club at her. Smirking as the orb returned to her as a violet butterfly formed in her hand.

"Caprice Stinger!" She casted, blowing on the butterfly as it flew to one of the spots she'd marked earlier. Johanes tried to destroy it with a fireball, but missed.

With it landing on one spot and faded away. Before Johanes yelled in pain as several marks appeared on his torso before turning into violet spears sticking out of his body before fading.

Yet it felt like where they were was both numb and had been poked with a 100 hot needles!

"Don't worry the pain should go away in a few minutes, or when you wake up next." Keneally said, covering her mouth as she stepped out of the way.

Johanes's eyes widened as he saw Finnean swing the chain, shadows banding across it as the hook speed towards him. Smacking him in the face and sending him collapsing on his back.

Falling unconscious with a pained expression.

Finnean sighed out in relief to see that he was down as he dropped the chain into his shadow.

"One down, one to go." Keneally said, pointing up at Bora who was flying away from Natsu as best he could while the later was swallowing a massive violet fireball.

"Thanks for the meal, but get back here!" Natsu yelled out as his fists lit aflame and began to chased out of him.

Finnean began to gather purple energy around his arms before his shadow rose like a pillar, him hovering over it as it connected to a nearby roof top. Forming a makeshift path over roof tops as he drew closer to them.

Bora had tried to exploit and ship out the people of Haregeon and Lucy for a profit. One way or another it was going to end here.

Stopping at one roof top, Bora drew to a stop as Finnean pulled back his arms back.

"Ominous Wind!" He casted, swinging both of his arms back and releasing a purple wind struck Bora.

He grunted in pain as he was blown back, his face turning pale as Natsu rushed at him while grinning.

"Thanks for the assist, now he's at the perfect angle to smoke him to a crisp!" Natsu shouted, getting Bora to panic

"I don't want to be smoked!" He cried out.

But it was too late.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" Natsu casted, punching Bora and sending him flying.

He yelled as he bounced around Haregeon before crashing into a bell, causing it to ring before he slumped off of it unconscious.

Finnean sighed in relief as he sunk down into his shadow before speeding off back towards the others.

"Well that was fun." Keneally said, stretching before hearing the sound of clanging metal in the distance.

"Natsu you don't smoke things with flames." Happy said while shaking his head, ignoring the flaming debris.

"Wow, that was incredible but he went overboard!" Lucy shouted out as Finnean emerged from right next to her.

"Half the town is on fire now..." He said incredulously, before hearing footsteps and metal. Turning around to see the Rune Knights finally approaching. "Took them long enough."

"Aye." Happy agreed.

"Don't aye that!" Lucy snapped before they noticed Natsu hurriedly ripening towards them.

"Crap we need to get out of here!" Natsu said, grabbing both Lucy and Finnean to their surprise and dragged them behind him while he made a break for it. Happy sprouting wings and flying overhead.

"Wait!" "Why are you taking us!" Both Finnean and Lucy called out as Natsu ran away before looking at them with a grin.

"Best to just get away from here." Natsu said before looking at Lucy before smiling. "Besides you wanted to join our guild right? Then come with us!"

Lucy looked surprised for a moment before smiling widely and nodded. Finnean gave her a small smile before seeing where they were.

"Natsu can you turn this corner?" Finnean asked, confusing the dragon slayer briefly before shrugging.

"Sure." He said, doing exactly that.

"And sorry about this." Finnean said, getting both Natsu and Lucy to look at him in confusion.

Before his cloak and shadow billowed out and swallowed all three of them before taking out away from the Rune Knights. Happy followed them as the shadow turned down a side street before all three of the emerged in a side street.

"Sorry about that." Finnean said as the two of them leaned against the wall.

"So dark, I couldn't tell up from down..." Natsu groaned out as he leaned against the wall.

"And cramped too." Lucy said with a shudder before facing Finnean. "I know that it was to get away from the knights, but a little more warning."

"I'll keep that in mind. Anyway before you three leave town, how about I repay your offer from earlier. Unless you wish to run off in just that dress?" Finnean said, getting Lucy to look away.

He had a point, she had left nearly everything behind and probably would have gone back to get the rest of her belongings after losing the Rune Knights. That and would have given the, more time to slip away while things cool down...

Was this what a being a Fairy Tail wizard would be like...Lucy certainly hoped not...

"Go down this street first left, turn and continue until you'll see a house on the left with a copper anchor door knocker with a blue gem. Don't try to pull it out unless you want to get shocked, believe me." Finnean said, Lucy getting him a flat look. "I'll leave the door unlocked and bring Natsu and Happy with me. If you don't mind?"

"Not at all, as long as things with the knights calm down." Natsu said with a grin, getting Lucy to facepalm.

"As long as there is fish." Happy said while he landed, to which Finnean just shrugged.

"Sure, and while I appreciate your help Natsu...we are going to have words about setting half of the town on fire." Finnean said seriously.

He was thankful for Natsu's help, but he could have done without half of Haregeon currently being on fire.

Natsu and Happy stared at Finnean for a moment, the former holding back a shudder as his visible eye seemed to stare into his soul. He sounded exactly like her for a moment...

Breathing out a sigh of relief when Finnean began to look around.

"Anyone see Keneally?" Finnean  asked, noticing that she was gone.

"Who?" Natsu asked.

"I think that she left before the knights arrived, probably heard them two." Lucy said, getting him to sigh.

"I see, would have thanked her." Finnean said before shaking his head. "We'll see you in a bit." He said, before seeing Natsu trying to walk off.

Before a shadow hand sprung up and grabbed the back of his vest.

"Anyway Natsu, about lighting the town on fire..." Finnean said in a tone that once again reminded him of someone else.

"Lucy help me!" Natsu said as he tried to run away but more shadows grabbed him as he was dragged away. The thought of meeting someone else like Erza was a nightmare!

"You'll be fine Natsu." Happy said, flying after them.

"You are one to talk!" Natsu shouted out as Lucy turned away from them, shaking her head before walking off.

She was going to be dealing with him a lot in Fairy Tail a lot, wasn't she.

Lucy didn't mind all that much, he did help her multiple times today. That and he was taking her to Fairy Tail. A dream that she had been building confidence for a year to pursue.

So what was just a little more time until it became true?

(On the other side of Haregeon)

Keneally smirked as she tossed her orb up and down as she saw the Rune Knights pulling Johanes along with the rest of the crew from the ruins of the yacht. With them also getting a latter to get the unconscious Bora down.

"Well one less crew out there." Keneally said before sighing as she notice them still trying to put out the fire. "Could have done without the pyro going overboard."

No way was she risking getting caught on her first day in Fiore.

Still Slayer magic, possibility of dragons still being alive here, flying cats, and interesting mages and magic all on her first day in Fiore. She certainly made the right choice to pick coming to this kingdom.

"Better to steer clear until things calm down, I wonder if they made it." Keneally said, with a wave of her hand dismissing her orb. Before shrugging and walking down the roof.

She wasn't going to set out of town into tomorrow, probably just check around incase they didn't book town already.

(Captain's House - 15 minutes later)

"There's the door knocker." Lucy said, having changed back into the clothes she wore earlier with her rollaboard  trailing behind her. Having found the house Finnean was talking about.

Things were still chaotic down by the marina and she was able to make it past the knights no problem. They figured that she was just another onlooker, but Lucy was not staying around just incase.

She took a breath and tentative used the knocker, hoping that she wouldn't get shocked.

"Come in." She heard Finnean said before opening the door. "Living room to your right, place any luggage there. And Natsu stay out of there."

What followed was the sound of a smack and an 'ow', getting Lucy to hold back a chuckle as she entered the house.

Closing the door she found the living room, next to a couch was a stack of folded clothes, blanket, and the chain coiled up on the table. His cloak hanging off a coatrack.

"So this is where he stays." Lucy said as she left her rollaboard next the catch before picking up the smell from something coming from furthering on the house.

Exiting the living room she walked through the front hall before coming to a dining room, seeing Happy sitting on the table eating a mackerel.

"So do you notice that any dreams have any taste? Do you think my own would taste like fish?" Happy asked as Lucy walked towards them.

Looking to see Finnean stirring a pot of what appeared to be soup, a pair of shadow hands reaching into a cupboard and pulling out bowls. While another one slapped Natsu's hands from reaching into a drawer.

"Honestly I don't know, though what I can remember an after taste of salt. Maybe, I'll have to try later." Finnean said before turning to Natsu. "If I'm not allowed to look in there, neither are you."

"Fine." Natsu said, before grinning at seeing Lucy. "There you are, knew that you would come."

"You did say that you would take me to Fairy Tail, that and after what happened perhaps it would be good to stay in a group." Lucy said with frown.

"It's either that or take the death trap in the morning." Natsu said with a shudder.

"He means the train right?" Lucy asked Happy.

"Aye." He said, getting her to deadpan.

Probably shouldn't have expected anything less from him...

"Soup's done." Finnean said, using the ladle to pour the contents into two bowls before placing spoons in each. "Believe me it helps to have something hot to eat after being caught up in the sea. No matter how dry you think you are."

As he set the table with the bowls and the pot with his shadows Lucy just nodded in agreement. There was no way she was going to refute that.

Natsu hurriedly grabbed the pot, sitting next to happy as he devoured it in one go. No way he was going to pass up on the free food.

Lucy just sighed and shook her head while she and Finnean sat down to eat, while Happy continued to munch on the fish.

"So what is this soup called?" Lucy asked, as she shook a spoonful of it. "Not bad."

"Waterzooi, believe the recipe is from Seven if what the captain said was true. Easy to make from scratch, although this is just some leftovers from last night. Just reheated add added leftover broth." Finnean said with a shrug, before hearing the pot clanging against the table.

"Still good." Natsu said with a content sigh before grinning. "Anyway thanks for help on the boat." He said, looking like the mere thought of it made him seasick.

"It's no problem, you were up those girls too." Finnean said, getting Natsu to grin.

"Would have done so if the faker wasn't pretending to be from Fairy Tail, just made sure to hit him harder just for that." Natsu said before shaking his head.

"And half the town was on fire." Lucy said under her breath.

"That scary fish lady hit it with a tidal wave like you asked too." Happy said before going back to munching on his fish.

"Quite cat." Lucy said, before flinching as Finnean's visiable eye landed on her.

Before he sighed and shook his head.

"At least no one other than the crew got hurt, prefer not to get caught up in it again." He said, getting Natsu to nod.

"I hear you." Natsu said.

Lucy swore for a moment that the both of them looked seasick before shaking her head.

"Sorry about that, I did hear from that shopkeeper that you were fished out from the sea." Lucy said with a wince, to which he shrugged it off. "Other than that all I heard is that you've been in Haregeon since than."

"Honestly that's all there is, can hardly remember anything before than. My earliest memory is trying not to drown in that storm." Finnean said, taking a spoonful of soup while Lucy looked surprised.

"You don't remember anything from before than?" She ask incredulously.

"A snippet of a memory or two, other than that none at all." Finnean said with a shrug.

"So like Yui than." Natsu said, getting both mages to look at him in confusion.

"He and his brother Schoena joined Fairy Tail three years ago, they were both attacked and nearly killed by a monster before joining. Yui has amnesia too, but has every details he could from before the attack." Happy explained.

"Nice guy, he doesn't let it get him down. In fact he could care less about it at all." Natsu said with a grin, to which Finnean smiled.

"Agreed, couldn't really care about what happened." He said.

"Are you certain about that Finnean, I can't even begin to imagine..." Lucy said while trailing off, shuddering a bit.

Just the thought of losing one's memories was bad enough, yet from what she could grasp he had nothing to fall back one. Maybe a few returned, yet it seemed like barely anything to him.

"Better not too, at least that is what I believe. If it all comes back I'll deal with it than. Yet I could careless, as soon as I was fished out and calmed down I wanted to learn more what is out here in the world. To see what is out there." Finnean said, and Lucy swore his visible eye seemed to shine.

Before smiling at figuring she probably had done the same hearing stories about Fairy Tail.

"So you are planning on heading out of Haregeon soon." Lucy said with a smile, getting Finnean to nod. Unaware of Natsu grinning at Happy. "I take it you loved hearing stories about what lies out there."

"He did try to ask me about some of our, but had to stop him from getting into the drawers." Happy said, getting Finnean to shake his head.

"The captain has shared some of his and always loves to swab stories with sailors, even if half of the things they say are true just around Ishgar." Finnean said before looking at Lucy. "Perhaps you have a story or two Lucy?"

"Not really, I don't really have all that much to tell except I've been traveling around Fiore for a year." Lucy said, trying not to sound nervous.

"There is bound to be at least something, even if it's just advice." Finnean said while tilting his head.

"He has a point, besides if you wanted stories you should have asked." Natsu said with a grin.

"I was, until you tried to get into everything." Finnean sighed out.

Lucy just smiled and shook her head as the two of them began to talk as she took another spoonful of soup while Happy was picking off the bones of the fish. She waited a few moments as well before jumping into their blossoming conversation.

(25 minutes later)

"-and than we had to run out of town and Gramps was pretty made at me for setting a river and bridge on fire. I'll admit my bad on that one, but the guy used oil magic what else was going to happen." Natsu said as he finished his story, getting both Lucy and Finnean to look at him flatly.

The later grabbing the former's bowl and spoon with a shadow hand before dumping it into the soapy water of the sink.

"Aye, but at least it was olive oil. The fish were cooked pretty good." Happy said while Lucy sighed.

For a while the three of them just exchanged stories. Finnean on stories that the captain had told him about his time on the seas, Lucy mainly advice on him on places to stay at and some of the sights she had seen during her year of traveling, and Natsu sharing some of the details of a few jobs he had taken recently with Happy adding details.

And all of them ended up with something on fire.

Lucy could guess probably a good number of the stories of Fairy Tail wizards going overboard was from Natsu alone...

Something she was  going to have to get used to, but knowing that he and most of the guild referred to their guild master as 'Gramps' did ease some of worries about joining Fairy Tail.

For Finnean he was happy to learn more about Fiore and added a few more places to check out, and Lucy's recommendation on places to stay when traveling where helpful.

Well with Natsu, it was a good way to pass the time with his future guild memnber.

Happy just munched on another fish during the conversation.

"Should not have depicted anything less." Lucy said before turning to Finnean as he finished washing the dishes.

"Agreed, anyway I think that maybe things have calmed enough by now." He said as he placed the dishes on a drying rack.

"It has been nearly an hour." Lucy said as Natsu got up from the table.

"Than we better get going, we should be at Fairy Tail by morning if we leave now." Natsu said with a grin. "How about you come with us Finnean to Fairy Tail?"

Finnean's froze while Lucy looked surprised.

"You're askinng him to join?" She said as Happy sprouted his wings.

"Aye!" Happy said as he flew around to Natsu.

"He'd fit right in and he would get to travel a lot on jobs." Natsu said with a grin.

"That would be true." Lucy said as she noticed Finnean beginning to think about things.

Depending on the job a wizard could just stay in the guide to going clear across a continent be pending on the difficulty and anything in between. Honestly the offer was quite tempting.

"Perhaps, but maybe I'll have to think about it when I actually leave Haregeon." Finnean said as Lucy got up from the table.

"Gotcha yet if you do...what did Gramps say?" Natsu said before grinning. "I got it, do fairy's have tails?"

Finnean tilted his head at that with Lucy looked at Natsu in confusion. Happy smiled as he knew what Natsu would say next.

"Nobody knows if fairies even exist or not? So it's an eternal mystery, an eternal adventure. That's the meaning behind the name." Natsu said with a grin, figuring he finally understood what Gramps had meant all those years ago.

"Aye, and that is why Fairy Tail was founded according to Gramps. To create a home to come back to from these adventures." Happy chimed in with a smile.

"A place where we rely on each other and eternal adventures with a home to come back to. That is Fairy Tail." Natsu said before turning to Finnean and Lucy looking at him in awe.

Lucy's appreciation for Fairy Tail grew even more, which she didn't think was possible. Finnean was all the more intrigued.

Eternal adventures and a home to come back to? It did sound pretty tempting, and with what little he knew of the guild beforehand was it was not that far from Haregeon. Still if fairy's had tails or not, or if they even existed...

Perhaps some did, and some may not. Wouldn't know unless he found one.

"It certainly is intriguing, but I will have to think about it." Finnean said, getting Natsu to shrug.

"Fair enough, just feel free to stop by Magnolia to visit." Natsu said.

"I'll take you up on that Natsu." Finnean said while nodding. "As soon as I start traveling that is."

"Than you better that your own advice and that the first step." Lucy said, getting Finnean to chuckle.

"I did say I was trying to take my own advice, yet you seem to have found your first step Lucy." Finnean said as they began to approach the door.

"That I did." She said with a smile.

"Aye!" Happy agreed as Natsu open the door.

"Well,  see you around Finnean!" Natsu waved as he walked out of the door, Happy waving as he followed afterwards and flew out the door.

"Take care." Lucy said as she waved while walking through the door.

"Same, that goes for you both as well!" Finnean called out to them with a smile.

He watched as they waved again before walking among the street. Soon turning a corner and vanishing from sight. His smiling slowly faded before turning back to see the fire dying down, letting out a sigh before closing the door.

Heading into the kitchen, drying and putting away the dishes before crashing on the coach. Trying to think about what to do.

It had been one heck of a day.

Meeting Lucy, Natsu, Happy, and Keneally. Saving those girls from Bora and his crew and he was sure they were being taken care of now. He could have done without half the town lit on fire...at least he got the chain out of it.

A chaotic day, yet one he still enjoyed all the same.

Though now that they were gone things were beginning to feel quite, almost still even...

He sighed with a smile thinking about what Natsu and the captain had said earlier, their words kept repeating in his head for a few minutes.

"Eternal adventures huh." Finnean muttered, the quiet of the house helping him to think.

Before he decided that he had enough.

With a nod Finnean got up and walked over to hallway closest, his hand hovering over the door knob. Hesitating for a few moments before taking a deep breath and flung the door open, his shadow acting as a cushion to stop it from slamming into the wall.

Time to take the first step.

Hanging on the inside was a simple black over shoulder travel bag with a envelope on it. A shadow hand grabbed the envelope as Finnean picked up the bag.

Groaning a little as he hefted it up before checking to see a piece of paper on top of the items, picking it up to reveal it was a list of the supplies within it. Before Finnean could read it he noticed a silver glint at the top.

"What the?" Finnean said as a shadow tendril reached from behind to reveal a battered silver spyglass. "Didn't that seagull take it?"

He just shrugged as the shadow hand tore open the envelope and unfolded a letter before placing it in Finnean's hand as he began to read it.

Dear Finnean.

If you are reading this pup than you have taken your first step. If not and you find this in the trash just disregard it.

Charles nearly twisted my arm off to  get some of these supplies, but they are built to last and durable. Part of the reason I've been running ya ragged with favors to help pay for them. That and two weeks worth of dry provisions and 35,000 Jewels to spend, I know you're clever enough on how to make it last.

And I know that you don't need the bag with your shadow, this frees up more room. That I'm sure you can figure something else out pup.

""I think I can." Finnean said with a small small as the middle of his hand blacked.

The spyglass rising from from the black spot before sinking back into the bag before going back to reading the note.

As for the spyglass, Ahab found the nest of that blaster sea rat after having that disgrace of a rookie clean the crew's roofs. Should be good with a new spyglass coming in, keep it. It's been good for me for years, better in your hands pup to help you see where to go.

Figured I would have given you a little push to help give you going too.

Finnean tilted his head at that.

Did he predict at least some of what had happen?

Anyway I wish you well on whatever course you chart, just remember one last piece of advice from this old sea dog. An old quote my old man said to me before I set sail for the first time.

Sometimes it is alright to brave the seas alone, but there are times where it will be to hard too do so. When that happens, be sure to have a crew that you can trust to help brave the seas.

Even if you brave this new course in life pup, I'm sure that you'll find those who you'll consider your own crew. 

Take care pup, just don't be afraid to stop on by Haregeon every now and than.

"I'll be sure too captain." Finnean said with a smile, folding up the note and placing it on the table in the living room. Before raising his hand and his entire shadow rose with it. "And I believe I know where my course will be."e

His shadow spread out like a wave and devoured all of his possessions before he walked to the kitchen. The shadow catching back up as he placed a piece of paper and pen on the dining room table.

A pair of shadow hands popped out and began to write as he summoned a water bottle from the bag and filled it with water. Making sure the lit was secure before it sunk back into his hand. Walking over to the table as the hands sunk back into his shadow as he checked over the note.

"That should be good enough." Finnean said as a shadowy tendril rose up and deposited the new spyglass and the captain's spare key on the table before walking to the door.

Making sure that it was looked before walking out and closing it.

Finnean took a few steps before looking to the house briefly, nodding before sinking into his shadow.

Climbing up the side before emerging on the roof with his cloak on, reaching into the bag and pulled out a lacrima lantern. Channeling magic energy to create light before holding it away from his body.

"Perhaps they had left town far enough already." Finnean said summoning the spyglass before peering in it.

Looking through it among the edge of Haregeon before spotting Happy flying in the distance.

"Perfect." Finnean said with a smile as the spyglass sunk into his hand.

White energy began to generate off of him as he held the lantern up while his shadow shot in front of him before he took off. Speeding from roof top to roof top while using his shadow to bridge the gaps or support to jump to more rooftops.

Before he felt Quick Attack's effects wearing off and nearly stumbled off a roof. Multiple shadow tendrils extended from beneath his cloak to anchor him in.

Finnean let out a breath before seeing a light blue butterfly fly around his head before seeing it slowly fly away.

He looked between where it was flying and seeing that he wasn't that much further from Happy, he turned off the lantern before sinking into his shadow. Following the butterfly into an alleyway before emerging in front of a smirking Keneally.

"I had figured that you would have left Haregeon by now." Finnean said, getting Keneally to develop a hurt expression as the butterfly dissipated.

"Now now, do you think so little of me?" Keneally asked before smiling as she saw his expression didn't change. "Didn't think so, I didn't want to be caught in my first day in the kingdom. Was hoping to catch up to you, it seems like you're heading out of town."

"I am, and I was hoping to find you anyway. Wanted to thank you for helping out earlier." Finnean said, getting Keneally to wave him off.

"You and Salamander did most of the work. I just helped with information and cleaning up the mess. Still I'm glad another crew is dealt with." She said.

"Same." Finnean said with a sigh. "So what will you be doing now?"

"Booked a night at an inn, planning on leaving for the morning. It's been a heck of a day, can't wait to see the rest of the kingdom. What about you?" Keneally asked, getting him to smile.

"Following after Natsu and Lucy to Fairy Tail." Finnean said, getting her to smile.

"Joining a guild a see, never been in one." Keneally said.

"Well at least from what Natsu said had me sold on the adventuring part and a home to come back to. Considering what I heard on the nature of jobs should be good chances to see more of Earth Land." Finnean said, Keneally noticing his visible eye seemed to shine earnestly and held back a laugh.

It seemed to contrast his appearance so much, especially with the cloak...

"That honestly sounds pretty good, might check it out when I have the time. Right now I want to explore Fiore on my own, first real time I've been on my own." Keneally said with a smirk, getting Finnean to nod.

"Than take care out there." Finnean said.

"You too, considering the crazy bunch if there are more like Natsu." Keneally said, getting Finnean to sigh.

"Probably, still I hope to see you again soon." Finnean said, with Keneally nodding before turning away.

"Same here, until next time than" Keneally said, waving him goodbye with a smirk. Finnean waved back until she turned a corner.

He turned and looked to see Happy flying above before sinking into the ground and speed after him. Seeing Happy flying out of the town.

It didn't take him long until he reached the edge of town, seeing Happy touch down in front of Natsu and Lucy. The later leaning against a tree.

"Did you really see Finnean?" Lucy asked him, getting him to nod.

"It looked like he was heading towards us." Happy said, to which Natsu grinned.

"He's already here, you can come out now!" Natsu said as Finnean emerged from Happy's shadow much to both his and Lucy's shock. "So you decided to join."

"Pretty much or still considering it. But I believe it's time I made my first step to seeing Earth Land." Finnean said with a smile, with Lucy doing the same as Natsu got up from the tree.

"Well than come on you two, we still have a bit to go if we want to be at Magnolia at the morning!" Natsu said, getting both Finnean and Lucy to nod as the three of them began to walk off with Happy following after them.

Finnean spared one last look at Haregeon before turning away from the town.

For three weeks it had been all he had known and he would miss being there somewhat, but now it was time for him to begin exploring the world ahead.

https://youtu.be/4APiyhwzWoM

(Chapter 2 end)

Hey guys Mukuro7 here and I hoped that you all enjoyed this chapter, quite the long one too.

Finnean meeting Natsu, Lucy, and Happy and deciding to follow them to join Fairy Tail, his curiosity piqued and the prospects to go on adventures. And there will be plenty of that in the near future.

And a further separation of canon with the inclusion of Keneally. She's actually a Fairy Tail character, with Schoena and Yui who were mentioned are apart of a mobile game. Three of eight characters which will be interesting to see how things play out with them.

Anyway I will keep things short, next chapter will be the start of the Macao arc with the group arriving at Fairy Tail and joining new members. With Finnean noticing something strange in the guild before joining in looking for a missing member. Which I hope you all will enjoy it when it comes out.

So until next time, ciao!