Chapter 10: The Queen, the Team, and the Demon Flute
(A/N: I will be honest this arc is a bit lacking as during the whole arc Mew almost doesn't act at all. Mew only act a few times in the arc and he only gets more proactive at end of the arc. When writing this arc I didn't pay much attention and only realized the problem when I had already written the whole arc and proof read it. So if you wanna skip this arc go ahead it doesn't have much of an impact on the later arcs anyway)
The silence in the guildhall was absolute. You could have heard a pin drop, if anyone had been brave enough to move a muscle to drop one. Erza Scarlet's presence had an effect that even Master Makarov's Titan form couldn't fully replicate: it imposed order. The chaos didn't just stop; it was erased, replaced by a tense, respectful quiet.
Natsu and Gray, who had been seconds away from starting another brawl, were now standing side-by-side, arms slung around each other's shoulders, sweating profusely and grinning with the forced camaraderie of two mortal enemies pretending to be best friends in front of their terrifying mother.
"H-Hey, Erza! Welcome back!" Natsu stammered, his voice an octave higher than usual.
"We were just being good friends, see?" Gray added, his arm tightening around Natsu's neck. "Just enjoying some friendly conversation!"
This is incredible, I thought, observing the scene with immense satisfaction. It's like someone hit the pause button on their rivalry. Erza's passive ability, 'Terrify Idiots into Submission,' is clearly maxed out. She's the ultimate party management tool.
Lucy, who was standing near the bar, was completely bewildered. "Who is that?" she whispered to Mirajane. "Why is everyone so scared?"
"That's Erza Scarlet," Mira whispered back, her usual cheerful smile replaced by one of nervous excitement. "She's another one of our S-Class wizards. They call her 'Titania,' the Queen of the Fairies. She's the strongest woman in the guild." Mira leaned in closer, her voice dropping. "And with Master Makarov away at his regular conference with the other guild masters, she's the highest authority here. Whatever she says, goes."
Lucy paled, finally understanding the sheer weight of the armored woman's presence.
Erza's sharp gaze swept across the room, finally landing on Natsu and Gray. She ignored their pathetic attempt at friendship.
"Natsu. Gray," she said, her voice calm but echoing with undeniable authority. "I require your assistance. We are going on a mission."
The two of them immediately straightened up, their fake smiles vanishing. "Right!" they said in perfect, terrified unison.
Erza's eyes then moved past them, landing on me. I was floating calmly in the air, the only creature in the room not visibly intimidated. Her stern expression flickered with a spark of genuine curiosity.
"And what is this?" she asked, her voice softening slightly. She took a step closer, her analytical gaze examining me from every angle. She could feel my power, the same way others had, but her reaction was different. It wasn't shock; it was intrigue, the look of a master swordswoman examining a blade of legendary, unknown quality.
"That's Mew!" Natsu piped up, seeing a chance to deflect her attention. "He's our new teammate! He's super strong!"
I gave Erza a polite, telepathic nod.
Erza's eyes widened slightly, the only outward sign of her surprise. She glanced towards the empty barstool where the Master usually sat, a thoughtful look on her face.
"I see," Erza said, a small, almost imperceptible smile touching her lips. "Another powerful and strange addition to our family. Excellent. You will come as well."
She then turned her attention to Lucy. "You are the newcomer, Lucy, correct? I've heard about you."
Lucy squeaked, standing ramrod straight. "Y-Yes, ma'am!"
"Good," Erza said. "You're coming too."
And just like that, without any room for argument, the strongest team in Fairy Tail was officially formed. Not by choice, but by the absolute decree of the acting commander.
Erza led us to a table, the rest of the guild giving us a wide berth as if we were radioactive. She explained the situation. While on her last mission, she'd overheard whispers about a dark guild called Eisenwald. They had somehow gotten their hands on a forbidden magic item: the Lullaby flute.
"Lullaby?" Lucy asked. "What's that?"
"It's a demon flute," Erza explained, her face grim. "A flute of death. It plays a song that kills the soul of anyone who hears it. It's one of Zeref's creations."
The name Zeref hung in the air, cold and heavy. Even Natsu looked serious at the mention of the legendary Black Wizard.
And so it begins, I thought. The Lullaby Arc. The first real test for this team, and the first time they face a threat created by the series' ultimate antagonist.
"Eisenwald's members have been gathering at the train station in Onibas," Erza continued. "Their master, Erigor, plans to use the flute for some kind of mass assassination. We're going to stop them."
She stood up, her armor clanking. "We leave immediately. To the station!"
The word "station" hit Natsu like a physical blow. His face went from serious to horrified, then to a sickly, pale green.
"T-t-train...?" he whimpered, clutching his stomach.
Erza, however, was not sympathetic. She simply walked over, grabbed the back of Natsu's collar, and started dragging his limp, groaning body towards the door.
"Don't be a child, Natsu," she said sternly. "We have a world to save."
Gray followed, a smug grin on his face at Natsu's misfortune. Lucy, looking like she'd just been drafted into an army, scrambled to follow, with Happy and me right behind her.
We arrived at the train station, Natsu's protests growing weaker with every step. Erza, with the efficiency of a seasoned commander, bought five tickets.
"But... I can fly," Happy pointed out.
"And I can teleport," I added telepathically to Erza.
"We travel as a team," she stated, handing out the tickets. It was not a suggestion; it was a law.
We boarded the train. The moment it lurched into motion, Natsu passed out cold, his head landing in Lucy's lap. Lucy blushed furiously, completely flustered. Gray started laughing at Natsu, and Erza promptly bonked him on the head, telling him to be quiet.
I floated above the seats, observing my new team. A fire-breathing idiot with motion sickness. An ice-stripping exhibitionist. A terrified newcomer who was in way over her head. A flying blue cat. And their terrifyingly powerful, socially awkward commander.
This wasn't just a team. This was a sitcom waiting to happen.
And I was right in the middle of it. The mission to stop Eisenwald had begun, and with this group, I knew one thing for certain: it was not going to be a quiet ride.