Chapter 16: On the Road to Magnolia
The dirt road stretched ahead beneath the morning sun, fields swaying on either side. A carriage rattled past them, but Menma, Natsu, Happy, and Lucy chose to walk, the air buzzing with fresh energy.
Lucy twirled her silver keyring nervously, glancing at her new companions. "So… since we're traveling together now, maybe we should, um… get to know each other better?"
Natsu grinned. "Sounds good! I'll start. I'm Natsu Dragneel, Dragon Slayer wizard! Raised by the fire dragon Igneel himself!"
Lucy blinked. "Wait—raised by a dragon? As in, an actual dragon?"
Happy puffed up proudly. "Aye, sir! He's the Fire Dragon Slayer! He can breathe fire, punch fire, eat fire—"
"—and get motion sickness," Menma added flatly, not even looking up from the chain he was adjusting on his wrist.
Lucy covered her mouth to hide a laugh. "That's… an impressive resume."
Natsu scowled. "Oi! Don't make fun of me!"
Happy teased, "It's true, though. You throw up even on wagons."
Lucy giggled. "So, Dragon Slayer magic, huh? That's pretty amazing…" Her voice trailed, then brightened. "Okay! My turn!" She held out her keyring with a flourish.
"Ta-dah! These are my Celestial Spirit keys. I've collected a few rare ones already." She separated three golden keys, holding them proudly. "The gold ones are Gatekeys of the Zodiac! I've got Aquarius, Taurus, and Cancer."
Natsu tilted his head. "So, what do they do?"
"They summon Celestial Spirits!" Lucy explained, her voice bubbling with pride. "Each one has its own power, personality, and strength. For example, Aquarius uses water magic, and Taurus has insane physical power. I… well, I don't always get along with them perfectly, but they're my partners."
She flipped to her silver keys. "And these are more common, but still useful. They summon spirits like Crux or Horologium. Not as flashy as the gold ones, but reliable."
Happy tilted his head. "So… you basically rent magical roommates?"
Lucy sweat-dropped. "That's not… totally wrong, but—"
Natsu burst out laughing. "That's awesome! You've got backup fighters in your pocket!"
Lucy pouted, cheeks puffing. "They're not tools, they're friends!"
Menma finally looked up, his crimson eyes catching the sunlight. "…Not bad. Keys that bind spirits… that's unique."
Lucy blinked. "You think so?"
Menma gave a small nod. "…Though you'll need strength of your own too. Not every fight allows time to summon."
Lucy's shoulders slumped slightly. "…I know. That's why I want Fairy Tail. To get stronger."
Menma's Arsenal
Natsu leaned over suddenly, eyes gleaming. "Alright, Menma, your turn! Tell her about your crazy magic!"
Lucy perked up. "You have more than one type, don't you?"
Happy answered before Menma could. "He's got, like, tons! He's got Chain Magic—super scary, can tie up anything—and Wood-Make magic, where he grows trees out of nowhere! Oh, and Devil Slayer magic too!"
Lucy's eyes widened. "Devil Slayer… magic?!"
Menma's expression stayed calm. "…Space Devil Slayer. Magic meant to slay devils that dwell between dimensions. It gives me resistance to their power… and the strength to destroy them."
Lucy shivered. "That sounds… terrifying."
Natsu punched the air, grinning. "But it's awesome! You should see him—he took out a bunch of slavers without breaking a sweat!"
Happy added cheerfully, "And don't forget his creepy eye magic! He can make attacks vanish into nothing!"
Menma glanced at the Exceed. "…It's not creepy. It's efficient."
Lucy tilted her head. "Eye magic…? What kind?"
Menma's eyes glowed faintly, tomoe swirling. "…Sharingan. I see through movement and illusions. And my Eternal Mangekyō lets me distort space with Kamui." He blinked, and his eyes dimmed back to normal. "But using them carelessly is… unwise."
Lucy swallowed hard. "…You're definitely not ordinary."
Natsu laughed. "That's Menma for ya! Super serious all the time."
Menma didn't deny it.
Happy's Bragging
Lucy turned to Happy, smiling. "What about you?"
Happy puffed up proudly, flapping his little wings. "I have Aera magic! I can fly and carry people! Though…" His ears drooped. "…Natsu gets sick when I carry him too long."
Lucy giggled. "That's still amazing. You're really useful, Happy."
Happy smirked. "I know. I'm the brains of this team."
"Oi!" Natsu barked. "Don't sell me short!"
Lucy burst out laughing again, holding her stomach. She hadn't laughed like this in weeks—maybe months.
Bonds on the Road
As the day stretched on, the group walked and joked together. Lucy felt warmth bloom in her chest, watching the three of them banter.
So this is what it's like… walking with real mages, real friends. Maybe Fairy Tail really is where I belong.
Menma walked at the rear, quiet as ever, but Lucy noticed the faintest curve of his lips—a small, rare smile.
And with the road to Magnolia ahead, Lucy Heartfilia's new journey had only just begun.