Chapter 51: FTRJ: Chapter 51

The normal white moon was now visible.

“That’s the moon,” Natsu said, his eyes wide as he gazed upwards.

The shattered sky continued to expand, its fragments scattering across the land like a shower of stars.

Lucy reached out a hand, gently touching one of the celestial fragments. A look of utter shock and disbelief was etched upon her face.

“It wasn’t the moon that shattered,” she whispered, her voice laced with awe and wonder. “It was…the sky?”

“Wow~~” Happy exclaimed involuntarily, his voice filled with amazement.

“What the heck is going on here?” Natsu asked, his voice laced with confusion as he looked around at the transformed landscape.

Finn approached the group, his expression calm and measured. “This island,” he explained, “has long been enveloped by a membrane of evil energy.”

“A membrane?” Natsu tilted his head, completely bewildered by Finn’s explanation.

“It’s a byproduct of the Moon Drip ritual,” Finn continued, his voice even and explanatory. “The waste gases generated by the ritual accumulated in the atmosphere and crystallized, forming a purple membrane. That’s why everyone saw a purple moon.”

Erza, clad in her Giant Armor, strode towards the group. “Once we break through this membrane,” she declared, her voice filled with confidence, “the island will be restored to its former glory.”

A golden light emanated from each of the villagers.

But after the light subsided, they remained in their demonic forms.

“But the villagers haven’t changed back,” Gray observed, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“They have,” Erza stated, reverting to her normal armor. “This membrane of evil energy didn’t affect their physical forms; it altered their memories.”

“Memories?” Lucy and Natsu echoed in unison, their voices laced with curiosity.

Finn addressed the group, his gaze fixed on the demonic villagers. “The memory of transforming into demons every night is false,” he explained.

“False memories? Could it be…?” Lucy’s voice trailed off, a sense of foreboding washing over her.

“That’s right,” Finn said, a wide smile spreading across his face. “Because, you see, they were always demons.”

“Noooo~~” Lucy and Happy cried out in unison, clutching their heads in horror. Their bodies slumped to the ground, their faces pale with disbelief.

Gray and one of the villagers stared at each other, their eyes wide with shock and disbelief. “Really?” Gray whispered, his voice laced with a hint of panic.

The villager, after a moment of thoughtful consideration, replied, “Now that you mention it…it does seem to make sense. My mind does feel rather…confused.”

Erza, having reverted to her usual attire, approached the group, her expression serious. “The truth is,” she explained, “they all possess the ability to transform into human forms. The Moon Drip ritual caused memory interference, effectively reversing their memories.”

“That’s why they believed they were originally human,” Erza concluded.

“Clever,” a familiar voice remarked from behind the group.

“A ghost!!” Lucy cried out, spinning around to see the figure, instantly seeking refuge in Happy’s embrace.

Gray stared at one of the demons, speechless. It was the ferryman who had brought them to the island, the same man the village chief had identified as his son—a man who was supposedly dead.

The village chief’s voice trembled as he uttered the name, “Bo…Bobo?”

Bobo let out a hearty laugh. “I’m a demon, you know,” he said, his voice booming with amusement. “Not so easy to kill, hahaha!”

Gray, still struggling to process the information, voiced his confusion. “But…didn’t you disappear from the boat?”

Upon hearing Gray’s question, Bobo instantly vanished from his spot, reappearing in the air with a pair of wings spread wide.

Overwhelmed with emotion, the village chief, upon seeing that his son was not only alive but also well, let out a torrent of tears. He spread his wings and soared into the air, embracing Bobo tightly.

One by one, the villagers spread their wings and took to the sky.

Erza smiled, her voice laced with amusement. “This is Demon Island, after all.”

“But looking at everyone’s smiles,” Finn said, his gaze lingering on the villagers as they soared through the air, “they look more like angels.”

“Let’s have a feast tonight! A demon feast!!” the demons shouted joyfully as they soared through the air.

“A demon feast? Sounds kind of scary,” Lucy whispered, her voice laced with apprehension.

“Aye,” Happy mumbled, offering a weak smile.

“Then…let’s party!!” Natsu exclaimed excitedly, raising his fist in the air.

The next day, Finn and the others arrived at the beach, the villagers gathered behind them to bid them farewell.

“Let me take you to Harujion,” Bobo offered enthusiastically.

Erza shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. “That’s very kind of you, but there’s no need,” she said. “We’ve already arranged for transportation.” Erza gestured towards the horizon.

A massive pirate ship was slowly approaching the shore.

The ship soon arrived, its immense size causing a stir amongst the villagers.

“A pirate ship?” Gray exclaimed, his voice laced with surprise.

“It’s probably stolen,” Lucy whispered, shrinking back slightly.

“Lucy’s right, it is,” Finn confirmed, a playful grin spreading across his face.

Onboard the pirate ship, the crew, despite their pirate status, were surprisingly engaged in a lively celebration, beating drums and gongs. “Boss! And Big Sis!! You’ve done it!!” the captain of the ship bellowed.

Lucy, completely bewildered, voiced her confusion. “What exactly did you do to these guys? Why are they all so…friendly?”

Finn stroked his chin thoughtfully, his mind recalling the chaotic scene that had unfolded on the ship the previous night.

The fierce battle had left not a single pirate able to stand, and afterward, they had all willingly transformed into their current, surprisingly docile state.

“I guess we get along rather well,” Erza stated, her tone devoid of any hint of guilt or remorse.

Finn and Erza boarded the ship first. The pirate captain then addressed the remaining members of the Fairy Tail guild, who were still on the shore.

“Alright, juniors,” he bellowed, his voice booming across the water, “time to board the ship!”

“Juniors?” Gray echoed, his voice filled with utter bewilderment.

Lucy, her voice laced with apprehension, voiced her concern. “Are we really supposed to be taking a pirate ship?”

Natsu instantly turned, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “If you want to swim back, I’m happy to keep you company!” he exclaimed.

“No way!!” Lucy retorted, her voice filled with horror at the prospect.

The group soon found themselves onboard the ship, waving goodbye to the villagers as they sailed away from the island.

All except Natsu, who was currently engaged in a rather vigorous bout of seasickness over the side of the ship.

“Thank you all for your help!” Bobo shouted from the shore, his voice filled with gratitude.

“Take care everyone!” Lucy called back, waving her hand enthusiastically.

“Fairy Tail is the best!!”

“Come visit again!” Amidst the chorus of farewells, the Fairy Tail members set sail for home.

The pirate captain, his voice dripping with sycophancy, approached Finn and Erza. “Boss, Big Sis,” he fawned, “are you satisfied with our arrangements?”

Finn turned to look at the ship, his eyes widening in surprise at the sight of the numerous amenities that had been thoughtfully provided.

Parasols, deck chairs, an abundance of food and drink—everything had been meticulously arranged for their comfort, even going so far as to provide Natsu with a bucket for his ongoing bout of seasickness.

“One more thing,” Finn said, his voice calm and measured. “I’d like another glass of milk, and if you happen to have any strawberry cake, that would be fantastic.”

The pirate captain’s face fell slightly. He could probably manage to procure some milk, but strawberry cake was simply out of the question. “Um…we only have strawberries, sir,” he replied cautiously.

Erza gently nudged Finn’s arm, her expression conveying a silent message. “That’s quite alright,” she said politely to the captain. “Thank you very much for your efforts.”

The pirate captain nodded eagerly, his eyes shining with eagerness to please. “Is there anything else you require, Boss? Big Sis?” he asked, his voice brimming with eagerness.

Finn smiled, his gaze fixed on the captain. “To be honest,” he said, his voice laced with amusement, “I rather preferred your earlier, more rebellious demeanor. Perhaps you could revert to your usual self?”

The pirate captain, instantly understanding Finn’s subtle suggestion, immediately shed his earlier obsequious demeanor, his posture straightening as he spoke with newfound confidence and authority.

“Please excuse me, Boss, Big Sis,” he said, his voice firm and respectful. “I shall attend to your request immediately.” With that, he strode purposefully towards the galley.

“Such an interesting fellow,” Finn commented, a smile playing on his lips.

Magnolia

Finn and the others walked down the street, heading back to the guild.

“We’re back!” Natsu shouted excitedly, pumping his fist in the air.

Gray grumbled, his voice laced with displeasure. “Seriously? All that hard work, and our reward is just a single key?”

“And it was an S-class job, too,” Happy added, his voice echoing Gray’s sentiment.

Erza, trailing behind them, pulling a luggage cart, offered an explanation. “It wasn’t an officially sanctioned job,” she said, her tone calm and measured. “Therefore, the compensation is perfectly reasonable.”

Lucy, however, seemed quite pleased with the outcome. “That’s right,” she said, her voice brimming with enthusiasm. “There’s nothing to complain about!”

“Only Lucy benefits,” Happy muttered under his breath, his voice filled with resentment.

Suddenly, Happy zipped in front of Lucy. “Sell the key,” he urged.

Lucy’s eyes widened in alarm. “Are you crazy, you mangy cat?!” she exclaimed. “This is a Zodiac key! There are only twelve of them in the entire world; they’re incredibly valuable!”

Natsu, turning his head to look back at Lucy and Happy, asked with a puzzled expression, “Are you talking about those cows and crabs?”

Lucy, her voice laced with indignation, retorted, “If I work hard and train diligently, my Celestial Spirits will undoubtedly surpass yours in power!”

Finn sighed, his voice calm but firm. “Seriously, you guys are so relaxed. Have you forgotten about the punishment that awaits you upon our return to the guild?”

The three, who had been celebrating moments before, came to an abrupt halt, a wave of dread washing over them.

“Punishment?” Natsu echoed, his voice laced with a mixture of disbelief and apprehension.

“Wait a minute!” Lucy exclaimed, her voice rising in panic. “Didn’t they say we wouldn’t be punished anymore?”

Erza’s expression remained impassive. “You’re both mistaken,” she said calmly. “Our agreement to overlook your transgression was merely a temporary judgment made by Finn and myself. You will still be subjected to the appropriate punishment.”

“That’s right,” Finn said, a subtle smile playing on his lips. “I suggest you all prepare yourselves for the consequences of your actions.” His voice held a hint of anticipation.

Happy, his eyes wide with terror, zipped in front of Finn. “It’s not going to be ’that’ again, is it?” he squeaked, his voice filled with dread.

Upon hearing Happy’s words, Gray’s face drained of color, and he collapsed to the ground, frantically scratching his head. “That…above all else, I absolutely do not want to experience ’that’ again…” he groaned.

Lucy, witnessing Gray’s palpable fear, felt a sense of unease wash over her. “What exactly is ’that’ that you two are referring to?” she asked, her voice laced with apprehension.

Natsu, ever the optimist, remained unfazed. “Don’t worry,” he said cheerfully. “I’m sure the Master will praise us for a job well done!”

Lucy couldn’t help but let out a sarcastic remark. “You’re incredibly optimistic, aren’t you?”

Finn smiled, delivering the final blow. “No, it’s almost certainly going to be ’that’,” he confirmed.

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