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Prompt: Gilbert sat at his laptop, struggling to comprehend the paragraph he’d written out. He had hit a wall and any solution he tried to think up wasn’t helping. He looked at his clock, shocked to find that an hour had flown by. His lower back aching from his slouching, and his vision fading in and out as the bright screen burned his eyes. Around him were various text books and writing guides that were to help, but he still felt lost in what vision he would take. He glanced outside his window, the pristine day beckoning him to take a walk, like he used to before the accident. It usually would help him find inspiration. But the sight of the road made him remember the vehicle burrowing into him, then the solid crack of the asphalt. Feeling sick, he turned down the blinds, taking a couple of deep breaths. Brrrr. Brrrrr. Suddenly, his phone vibrated. He clicked his tongue, surprised it was still on. For all he knew it was some telemarketer, but he checked it anyway, only to find a familiar number was calling him. He answered “Hey Chelsea.” “Hey!” Chelsea chimed. “I thought you were working.” “Yeah, I forgot to silence my phone.” He sheepishly replied, scratching the thick layer of unkempt stubble he’d forgotten to shave. “What do you want?” “You still available for Friday?” “I should be.” He stared at his clock. “What did you bring for movie night?” “Something I got through the email. Think I can entice you with anime again?” Gilbert clicked his tongue. He wasn’t the most avid anime follower, having instead relied on role-playing games and fantasy novels to fuel his geekdom. To him anime usually involved characters hitting each other with laser attacks, spending time in high school, or both. His girlfriend however was more in the know and would try to integrate him into anything she’d seen, claiming it might help his creative juices. Though in recent months, it had become one of the few times he socialized. “It’s not something with 900 episodes like that pirate show, is it?” He muttered, knowing the irony that he had enough patience to go through a novel series with thousands of pages within the space of a month, but couldn’t sit through something with 20 episodes, let alone over a thousand. “No…” Chelsea hummed. “It’s more 300.” “Chelsea!” “But, I swear you don’t need to watch the series to experience this!” “So I’m not going to like it?” “Don’t knock it til you try it!” Chelsea insisted. “I figured it might take your mind off your anxieties.” “I still need to work…” “Work, schmork. All work and no play makes Mike a dull boy!” “A-alright!” He sighed, knowing his girlfriend was right. He’d been holed up in his apartment for weeks and hadn’t gotten as far as he’d like. “Same time as usual, then?” “Trust me, you’ll be in for a surprise!” Chelsea giggled, though Gilbert wasn’t convinced. * Knock Knock Knock. “Gilly? You there?” “Coming.” Gilbert got out of his chair and reached the front door of his apartment. He was tall and on the broad side. His steps were unusually light for a man his size, though he was still adjusting to not needing crutches anymore. Opening the door, he was greeted by a smaller woman with dark brown wavy hair. She wore glasses that shielded her brown eyes, and wore a stylish denim jacket that hid the anime T-shirt underneath. She had a small leather case bundled under her arm. “Hey, sorry I’m late.” She asked. “Traffic from work was busy.” “Isn’t it only a few blocks from here?” “Foot traffic.” She corrected herself, giving a small affectionate hug. “You holding up ok?” “As well as I can.” Gilbert sheepishly smiled, not wanting to give her the wrong idea. “What’s with the leather book?” “It’s a DVD case!” She insisted, waving it around. “Pretty cool huh? The studio must’ve gone all out to promote this disc. Cost me a ton, but it was worth it.” Gilbert studied the case, seeing a distinct logo which he thought looked like a bird or flower, imprinted on the leathery cover that resembled a grimoire. The bold red text on it appeared to be in Japanese. “This is?” “Oh, it’s called Fairy Tail. A series about wizards hanging out at this guild, doing missions, causing havoc. That sort of thing.” “Is this subtitled?” “Yeah, it’s a Japanese-only release, but it’s the only place that sells this edition. I’m sure it will be compatible with your Blu-ray player.” “Is it that special?” He asked, only to catch the eager gleam in Chelsea’s eye that she had whenever she knew something he didn’t. “Trust me, it’s like nothing you’ve experienced before.” She hardly contained her grin, causing Gilbert’s stomach to clench in dread. “Let me show you.” Gilbert followed her to his living room, which was mostly neat apart from the odd pillow being bent out of place. A small flat-screen television was perched on the wall with a Blu-ray player mounted underneath. When he saw the barren coffee table, he kicked himself. “Damn it, I forgot the snacks. I’ll go whip up some popcorn-” “No, it’s alright. We’ll won’t be needing that yet.” “Huh? But don’t we always have snacks?” He inquired. “Unless you’re on a diet-OW!” A sharp pinch to his side was enough to flinch as Chelsea maintained her bubbly attitude. “So considerate, but trust me, this baby isn’t like most anime.” “W-what do you mean?” Gilbert rubbed his side as she turned on the player. “You know of those interactive episodes that have been all the rage in Japan?” “Y-yes?” Gilbert could feel his skin gain goosebumps. “Sort of like a video game, right?” “You could say that.” She insisted, placing the disc in the player. “But it’s sort of like virtual reality. You get to interact with the world around you.” “R-really?” Gilbert gasped, not expecting her to get such an item. He had heard reports of such technology, and how you could interact with the characters of your favourite shows but didn’t read too deep into it. “All the big franchises are doing it! My Hero Acca, Naruto, One Piece, Attack On Titan, Chainsaw Man. The poor souls who try those last two.” She shuddered. “Anyway, it was inevitable Fairy Tail would give it a go.” Gilbert nodded, only having a vague idea on half of those series, but he nodded anyway so he didn’t look like a fool. Even then, the concept did make him a bit anxious as he wondered if that meant he’d have to talk to other people playing this ‘game’. “Wait, interact? Like an MMORPG?” “Not exactly. Everyone else is an NPC.” She picked up the remote, switching on the television as she patted a spot on the couch next to him. “I figured if the outside world is still a lot for you, then a simulated one would help.” Gilbert winced, the memory of the hood of an oncoming car, and the beeping of monitors still strong. Even though his leg had healed from the accident months ago, he still hadn’t gone far outside his home. “Chels, you sure I should do this?” “Come on Gilly!” She pouted. “It’s just a game. You don’t want to spend time with me?” Gilbert couldn’t stand it whenever Chelsea guilt-tripped him like that. They hadn’t gone out anywhere since the accident, and these anime nights were the closest thing to a date they’d have with his reluctance to leave the house. As hard as it was for him, he knew she was just as worried for his sake. “S-sure.” Gilbert sighed, sitting down in time for the music to blare out of his speakers, a folksy-rock hybrid that promised an epic adventure to come. Within a fiery WOOSH, the Fairy Tail logo emerged onto the screen, along with a list of options that were in Japanese. However that didn’t stop Chelsea from navigating the main screen with the remote. “They have a few options here. Beach. Cave. Dungeon. Castle rescue. Village rescue…” “V-village rescue I guess sounds fine?” Gilbert suggested, thinking it sounded safe. “Village rescue it is!” Chelsea pressed a button, as a sparkly whoosh sound effect was made. Suddenly, the screen cut to a large chalkboard, where a small blue cat with big eyes, and a green handkerchief around his neck stood on a desk. “Welcome Adventurers!” He enthusiastically proclaimed, his shrill speech translated by subtitles. “I’m Happy, and welcome to the Fairy Tail Interactive! Are you ready for another adventure?” “AYE!” Chelsea punched the air with the same vigour. Not wanting to feel left out, Gilbert half-assed a punch in the air too. “Here’s the set up.” On the chalkboard appeared a clip of a small idealistic town, featuring rows of cottages and shops, with the odd church steeple thrown in. “The town of Roselea is in trouble! A mysterious threat is terrorizing the people and need our help!” A vision of a shadowy silhouette emerged, likely keeping the player in surprise. “If it was a giant fishy, then no problem for me.” Happy licked his lips. “But since that’s unlikely, I think the people want more reliable back-up. Fortunately, that’s where you guys come in!” A visual of several characters arrived, starting with a boy with pink hair who spewed out fire and punched bad guys left and right. Then there was a blonde girl with a slender but curvy body who summoned a variety of spirits with her keys. There was also a red-haired swordswoman in armour, a shirtless ice user, a piercings-sporting muscular steel user with a messy mullet, a gloomy water user who stalked the ice-user, a pigtailed girl with wind magic and her pet cat. All of the footage featured them getting into fights, with scenes of carnage and explosions sprinkled in. “You are members of my guild, the famous Fairy Tail! We may be a tad destructive, but we always get the job done! I don’t know which members will come help, but whoever’s causing trouble is about to get their butt kicked. AYE!” He cutely yelled, sprouting wings and flying out of shot. The screen then cut to an option screen asking for number of adventurers. After Chelsea chose ‘2 adventurers’, a list of names with distinctly coloured Fairy Tail logos beside each one emerged. Curiously, there was no images of the characters. “Dibs!” Chelsea called, choosing the first name she chose. “H-hey!” “You’re lucky I can read Japanese.” Chelsea stuck out her tongue. “So now you have to choose at random.” “A-alright.” Gilbert wasn’t sure what to expect, but ultimately picked a name on a row below Chelsea’s choice, hoping the option wasn’t too embarrassing. “Interesting.” Chelsea mused. “Hmmm?” Gilbert turned to Chelsea, who maintained a poker face. “You’ll see.” She impishly smiled, as the menu gave way to another cut-scene. However, it was only then that he realised something was off. “If this is virtual reality, won’t we need headsets?” Chelsea gave a knowing smile. “We won’t need them.” “Huh? But I thought you said-” “AYE ADVENTURERS!” Happy roared loudly, his body all but dominating the screen. “Glad you guys decided to come, because that means I get to be in the story too!” He snidely winked. “I mean, who can resist a cute critter like me?” “Any second now...” Chelsea smirked as the tapping of glass echoed throughout the room. “Hey, you guys!” Happy‘s paw knocked against the tv screen in an impressive effect. “What are you guys doing? We gotta hurry!” Gilbert was confused at this fourth wall break. It was a cute detail, but it seemed superfluous. Happy in the meantime had hovered his way back, before making a shoulder charge at the screen. Gilbert expected him to splat against the screen but- WOOOSH! “AYE! I’M OUT!” Happy cheerfully exclaimed in strangely perfect English, having popped out of the television to hover over the two, his body suddenly well rendered in blue fur. “AHHH!” Gilbert jumped in shock, not expecting such an effect. “W-what is it?” Happy looked around. “I-is a monster behind me?” “Don’t mind him. He’s new.” Chelsea casually spoke. “Welcome back.” “Hey Natsu! You in that Chelsea costume again?” Happy excitedly circled Chelsea. “Sure, let’s go with that!” Chelsea shrugged, giving the cat a high five to the cat. Gilbert remained slack-jawed, staring at the floating cartoon cat that had appeared from in their room. “H-how is that possible? A hologram?” He reached out to the cat, only for the light bristling of fur to surprise him. Suddenly Happy turned around. “Hey stop that, it tickles!” “Y-you’re real?” Gilbert stumbled backwards. “B-but…” “OF COURSE I’M REAL! At least…I think I am?” Happy mused, turning to Chelsea. “Am I?” “Yeah, you are. Give us a second, please?” Chelsea gave a thumbs up, pulling Gilbert aside. “You got to humour him.” “Humour him?” Gilbert hissed. “A-a talking flying cat just appeared in my room!” “I know. Cool, right?” She smirked. “Cool? But…how?” Gilbert looked back at happy, who was hovering back and forth impatiently. “I was a bit shocked too, but I had heard of the positive reviews I figured to go with the flow.” “Ok, but I thought you said this was Japanese? Why is he speaking English?” “I was confused too.” Chelsea shrugged. “But I figured it as some sort magic translator since Fiore isn’t supposed to be in Japan.” “Magic?” Gilbert was confused. “What do you mean?” “I know we need a strategy but can we do that later?” Happy demanded. “The village needs our help!” “V-village?” Gilbert stammered. “I-I’m still confused what’s going on!” Happy raised an eyebrow, as he curiously hovered toward Gilbert, studying him intently. “Man, is that you Lucy? I knew transformation magic was easy to hide, but I don’t recognise you!” “Lucy?” Gilbert self-consciously hugged himself. “Why are you calling me that?” Suddenly, Happy tilted his head. “Huh, where’s your mark?” “What mark?” Gilbert checked. “Well, no matter, I can fix that right now!” Happy chimed, flying up to Gilbert’s hand and slapping the back of it with gusto. “H-hey!” Gilbert held his hand where it was raw. However, as he glanced down he saw a pinkish bruise form where he’d been slapped, soon shifting into the familiar pink pattern of the show’s logo. “W-what is this?” Chelsea in the meantime was letting Happy slap her right shoulder. “It’s the Fairy Tail mark. All guild members wear it.” She took off her jacket, revealing a red version of Gilbert’s mark high on her upper arm. “But where…huh…?” Gilbert’s train of thought was cut off as his mark gradually glowed brighter, all but blinding him with a flash. “Ah!” He hissed, feeling his body become warmer as an energy sizzled against his skin. “W-what’s happening?” “C-calm down!” Chelsea assured him. “It’s alright. This part’s always a bit weird.” “Weird?” Gilbert’s eyes adjusted as he peeked at his friend, noticing a red glow emanating off of her. “W-what’s happening?” Chelsea didn’t seem too perturbed as her skin took on a light tan. “Just relax okay.” “R-relax, you’re glow-huh?” A stray long strand of hair was peeking into his vision, Gilbert tried to swat it away, but it persisted, tickling his nose. It was only when he felt a tickling along his cheeks he realised something was wrong. He picked at it, the strands unusually smooth, flowing down past his collarbone bleaching from a dull brown to tan, to a daisy yellow in seconds. “M-my hair-YOW!” A sudden yank alerted Gilbert to find Happy was hovering behind them. “Huh, your hair seems normal. I thought you were hiding it because you got an embarrassing haircut!” The feline quipped. “M-my hair isn’t that long!” Gilbert corrected himself. “I mean, not usually. Right Chels-?” However, Chelsea’s own locks were evaporating before his eyes, its brown colour blushing to a bright magenta then a salmon pink as she ran their hair through it. “Dunno.” She shrugged. “I think it suits you well.” “Chelsea? What…” “Best it was short anyway, it was going to burn off anyway.” Chelsea shrugged, her face starting to ripple. Her brown eyes turning black, losing their doe-like roundness and gaining a mischievous edge as her face rippled. He wanted to keep looking, but he could feel his own cheeks tingle and writhe as if alive. “M-my face, w-what’s happening?” “Here, this might help!” Happy offered a small mirror from his handkerchief. For the first time, Gilbert noticed his skin had taken on a pale but healthy glow, but his face looked ill-fitting with the long blonde locks stuck to his scalp. However, it was also pulsing before his eyes, his stubble disintegrating. As if made from clay, his face shifted. His angular jaw cinched into a heart-shape, his nose inwardly popped to a cute upturned button. His eyes doubled in size, his eyes turning a chestnut brown. “My face…” His male voice uttered, as felt the smoother contours, their pouting lips, sharing a cute, girl-next-door sort of vibe that stunned him. “Is that a pimple above your right eye?” Happy suddenly called out. “W-where?” Gilbert frantically searched for the pimple, but found nothing. “Made you look!” Happy giggled to himself. “S-shut up!’ Gilbert snapped. “C-change me back!” “Change? You’re the one coming out of your disguise, right?” Happy tilted his head, again confused by Gilbert’s words. “Don’t mind him. He likes to have his bit of fun.” Chelsea’s voice suddenly cracked into a rougher, boyish tone, turning to find his friend now wore the chiseled looks of a young man, wearing a sheepish grin. “W-why a-are you a boy?” Gilbert winced at his own voice hiccupping to a cuter soprano. “No, my voice too?” “Chill out.” Chelsea slapped a hand on his shoulder. “We’re becoming our avatars. I’m Natsu and you’re Lucy.” “Avatar?” Gilbert pointed at himself. “B-but I don’t want to be a girl! Why didn’t you tell me?” “I thought it would be more fun to see you as a girl.” Chelsea cheekily smiled with a big toothy grin, exposing their fangs. “W-what?” “Geez, get a room you two!” Happy chimed in, making mocking kissy faces. “Can it, cat!” Gilbert tried to swat Happy away, but Happy was too fast. Not that it mattered for Gilbert’s body tensed in place. “N-now what?” “Hey Natsu, you’re growing!” Gilbert could only watch helplessly as their friend stated to shoot upwards. However, it wasn’t long before Gilbert realised it was more than that. Around him, the scenery seemed to be growing around him, his body feeling like it was forced downwards by gravity as his clothes sunk off of his frame. Worst of all, his loosening sweats gradually threatening to fall from the mass lost. “I-I’m shrinking?” Gilbert noticed his jacket sleeves encroaching on his hands, as Chelsea matched and then surpassed his height. With a jolt, Gilbert’s shrink-spurt ended, his eyes now meeting with Chelsea’s chin. “Heh, so weird seeing you from up here.” Chelsea quipped, scratching her head awkwardly. Gilbert could only struggle to keep his pants up, “C-can’t I change back?” “And miss a cool adventure?” Chelsea exclaimed. “But I don’t want to-” THROB! A sudden jolt struck Gilbert’s body. Judging from Chelsea, she’d felt something too. “Crap, what now?” “Oh yeah, now I’m feeling it!” Chelsea flexed an arm, its pathetic bicep doubling in bulk. Instead of being disgusted, she took it in her stride, rolling her shoulders as her torso broadened, her shirt starting to look tight against her toned frame. “Yes, these are going to be handy!” She massaged her arms. “AYE SIR!” Happy agreed. Meanwhile, Gilbert felt his body cinch in, as if encased in a tight mold. It pinched into his shoulders and ribs, and especially his waist as it imploded under an intense pressure. He glanced at one of his hands, finding the blocky edges whittling away to daintier digits. Even his unevenly bitten fingernails were filed away by an invisible force, forming into pronounced neat ovals. He stared at them, horrified at his melting masculinity, but also fighting the urge to call his sudden manicure ‘cute’. “Now there’s a fire in my belly!” Chelsea’s laugh of delight distracted him as he found his buffer friend running a hand along her chiseled stomach which gave off a brighter red glow than normal. “You always say that!” Happy snidely remarked. “I don’t care its fun for me to say it.” Chelsea laughed, pulling up her shirt. Before Gilbert could protest, the masculine girl had already taken her shirt off, revealing nothing but a stretched sports-bra underneath. Gilbert was shocked at how bold his friend was. Chelsea always was the outgoing sort, but he’d never recalled a time she was willing to show off so much skin, let alone around him. If it weren’t for his boyish features and voice, he’d pass for a tomboy with the small rise of his chest. “A-are you okay?” “Huh?” Chelsea tilted his head. “Of course I’m okay! Just want to show off the new bod! Want to give it a go?” “I-I don’t want to!” Gilbert consciously hugged himself. “Why?” Happy floated to him. “Is someone embarrassed about gaining some weight?” “N-no!” Gilbert snapped, but Happy’s eyes were gleaming sinisterly, as he got out a feather. “Wait, what are you-?” “Time to tickle!” “H-hey stop it!” But it was too late, as the feather’s light caress wormed through his defences, triggering an onslaught of stifled giggles. “You won’t hold on for long!” Happy playfully remarked. “S-stop!” Gilbert struggled to get a word out between laughs, his hands desperately trying to grab onto the cat before- “TA-DAH!” Happy proclaimed, managing to lift Gilbert’s shirt to reveal the slimmer waist and soft stomach. The feline however was disappointed. “Aww, it’s the same as it was before!” “N-no it’s not!” Gilbert exclaimed, pulling the hem down before anyone else looked at it, yet chilled by how small and delicate his body felt. “Hey, catch!” “Huh!” Something black hit Gilbert in the face. He gathered it in time to find Chelsea standing there topless. “WOAH!” Gilbert looked away the moment he glanced at his friend’s small but perky breasts. “W-what are you doing?” “Not like I’m gonna need it.” Chelsea shrugged. “Besides, thought you’d like a peek at what to expect.” “W-what?” Gilbert glanced at his transforming friend, only to find Chelsea’s breasts were sinking into her chest, firming into pectorals as the nipples all but vanished amongst her tan skin. But then Gilbert realised what that meant for him…and that the black material in his hand was Chelsea’s bra. BA-BUM! A sudden jolt at his nipples filled Gilbert with dread, as his nipples stirred to life. Before he could react, his flabby pecs squirmed and pushed out. His shirt started to tent out as his breasts grew. “GET BACK IN!” His hands tried to push the mass back in, but his strength was futile as the plush flesh dug into his fingers, ripening to the size of grapefruits. In disbelief his mind short-circuited uncertain how to take in the supple, bouncy pair of breasts at his touch. Was he shocked? Angry? Fascinated? “OOOH, LUCY’S A PERVERT!” Happy teased. “A-AM NOT!” Gilbert shrieked, letting them go out of shame. “I-I didn’t want these a-anyway! Ahhhh-” A sudden squeeze however turned his veins to ice, as Chelsea examined them. “Woah, lucky you! You must be a D-cup at least!” “C-CHELSEA!” Gilbert blushed, prying Chelsea’s hands away. “D-do you need to do that?” “I don’t think she likes it when anyone does that!” Happy chirped. “Relax Happy.” Chelsea assured the cat. “Something tells me she’ll be cool with it this time, right?” “C-can I be changed back?” Gilbert hugged himself. “Only when you play the game I’m afraid.” Chelsea shrugged. “N-now you tell me!?” “Don’t blame me for making the transformation un-skippable.” Chelsea shrugged. “Must be some perverts making these thing-SSSSSSSS.” She hissed the last word, any semblance of rounder hips melting away as she reached around his rear. “Woah, there’s that tight ass of his again!” “Ass? OOOH!” A sudden pop at the base of Gilbert’s spine alerted the blonde to a trembling against his sweats. With another pop, his hips slid into a wider stance, forcing his trembling thighs to clap inwards before his flat rear wobbled and inflated like a balloon. “Heh, there’s your big butt!” Happy laughed gleefully as Gilbert clumsily hid it with his hands, his face growing redder at the implications. “C-crap, I-I think I feel it moving!” Gilbert groaned. “I think you look cute.” Chelsea insisted, though coming from a man’s mouth didn’t make Gilbert any more comfortable. “I-is it at least over?” Gilbert looked up at his friend with pleading eyes. However, the salmon-haired youth’s nervous smile didn’t inspire a lot of confidence. “A-actually…the changes are very thorough.” “W-what do you-?” Schhhhhhh- “OH FUCK!” As if he’d sat in an ice bath, Gilbert could feel his sex revert into his body. With scrambling hands he tried to stop the inevitable, but he could hardly get a grip, feeling it melt inside of her effortlessly. She stood there, her hands against a flattened area that used to be their groin. The shift of their gender happening so suddenly it was hard to believe she was anatomically male seconds ago. “H-hey, what’s the matter? D-did you sit on something?” Happy asked. “SHUT UP!” Gilbert gave a vicious death glare, causing Happy to turn pale and hide behind Chelsea. “Natsu, she’s scaring me again!” “Don’t worry, she’s still getting over the-Ahhh-shock.” Chelsea grunted their own hands adjusting their crotch, a noticeable bulge now visible as both youths stopped glowing, the buzzing ceasing. “That was a fiery experience!” Chelsea chuckled, Happy latching onto his shoulder. “You alright Gil-I mean, Lucy?” “No!” Gilbert pouted, her hands still exploring her foreign body, every soft spot firing a million questions she wasn’t prepared for. “Yeah, it’s a bit weird for me too, but you get used to it.” “C-can I still opt out?” “Opt out?” Happy exclaimed. “I thought you wanted to take this! Since your rent is due soon!” “Rent? But I don’t…” “Long story.” Chelsea shrugged, motioning to the screen. “Anyway, it’s too late now.” “What?” Gilbert then noticed a timer ticking down from thirty seconds. A bright light illuminated the screen. Again her skin felt a buzz, but this time it was only where her clothes touched. Looking down, she was shocked to find her clothes were glowing. “C-chelsea, w-what’s happening?” “Cosplay of course!” Chelsea’s own body was glowing, a long black sleeveless waistcoat with gold trim emerging on his naked torso, remaining open to show off the rigid muscles underneath. A white checkered scarf adorned his neck. His jeans replaced by white harem pants, as a leather belt kept together a large black cloth that wrapped around his legs like a pseudo skirt. Sandals adorned his feet, and a black armband coiled around his wrist. “Looking good!” Happy whistled, as Chelsea twisted their body for a better look, at peace with their new form. Gilbert however could feel the warmth shifting around, as if her clothes had become a warm air flowing around her nubile body. His arms and legs felt especially exposed, as the warmth tightened around her torso, and newfound curves. Even her hair wasn’t safe, as a sharp tug pulled it to the right side of her head. With a flash the warmth disappeared, prompting her to glance at the damage done. “…!” The first thing she saw was a blue cross running over her breasts and torso. It took her a second to realise that the cross was attached to a white sleeveless shirt. The sight of blue frills underneath sent her stomach stirring, as she found a sky-blue pleated skirt that barely covered her thighs. A leather belt wrapped around it, with several keys and a whip attached at the hip. Even with the feeling of black leather boots encasing her calves, Gilbert still felt undressed. “D-don’t look!” She cried, flailing to pull down the skirt. “Really? I think you look cute.” Chelsea insisted. “But I’m not supposed to be-” “Never mind that! We’re have to go!” Happy, pointed at the screen, which was counting down to the last ten seconds. The pink-haired boy darted to Gilbert. “Hang on to me!” “What?” But Gilbert didn’t have any say in the matter as Chelsea grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the television, as the clock counted down to five seconds. “Where are we going?” “Adventure!” Chelsea called as the screen grew brighter, the clock reaching zero before a bright light engulfed the three of them. * Gilbert felt weightless, as if floating in a void. The only thing she could feel was Chelsea’s hand firmly wrapped around hers. She didn’t dare let go, as if it was her lifeline to sanity. She was too scared to pry open her eyes, uncertain what the light was. However, flashes of people and phrases phased through her mind: a blonde woman in an elegant robe. An intimidating man in a moustache. The silhouette of several creatures, along with keys. A stack of papers of a manuscript. A small apartment near a canal. She had no idea what these meant, but in the back of her mind they felt comforting. In the distance she thought she could hear the clopping of hooves. The noise however grew louder and louder, until- “THUD!” Gilbert realised quickly they were sitting on a padded seat as she pried an eye open. Around her was the ornate wooden interior of a carriage with cushioned upholstery. However, its appearance looked off. It looked less like reality and more like a cel frame from an animation with how boldly painted it was. She glanced outside the window, finding the luscious greens of hills and the vibrant blue sky above, resembling watercolours. Outside she could hear the clip-clop of horses and wheels churning beneath her feet. “Lucy?” A familiar groaning reminded her of the hand she was still holding, so she turned to Chelsea to see if she was alright. Before her was a drawing of a young man with salmon-pink hair, wearing the same vest as Chelsea’s, rubbing his large eyes which now took-up half of his face. The fine outlines of his features, and his nose was nothing more than a simple black dot and a dark shadowy smudge. His lips were reduced to a couple of fine lines. “C-Chelsea? Is that you?” “Yeah it’s me.” He groaned, looking oddly lethargic. “Gilly?” “Yes.” Gilbert glanced at her own hand, only to find it was a simplistic peach tone, the outline completely traced around her limb. She moved her hand, fascinated by the way the outline shifted and moved before her. All the while the pink tattoo was like a neon sign, sitting proudly. “I-I’m a cartoon?” She glanced down at herself, shocked to find out much her bosom stood out below her chin. She was certain it didn’t look that big or perky before. She gingerly touched them, their plushness still an alien sensation that conflicted her. Curiously, rather than paint she noticed how her clothes felt like fabric, and her skin (whilst smoother) otherwise felt the same as always. She searched the carriage, then herself for some clue on her form, finally finding a compact hidden in a leather pouch. She opened it, finding her reflection. To her surprise, the woman staring back was a drawing too. Her round brown eyes were just as big as Chelsea’s, but had larger, soulful pupils, and her features were also reduced to a few lines. The one detail she didn’t expect was how her blonde hair was tied into a side ponytail held up by a blue ribbon. ‘Huh, cute.’ She mused, giving a wink. “Uhhhhhhhh!” Chelsea groaned, clutching his stomach. “W-wait, what’s the matter?” “I’m fine I, mmph, forgot this game starts here…MMMMPH!” His cheeks bulged, his body limply lurching over the carriage window to spill out his stomachs’ contents. “Chelsea, you alright?” Gilbert was alarmed, wondering if she’d seen a brightly coloured rainbow emerge from Chelsea’s mouth. “You’re still shocked he does this?” A cutesy voice chimed from behind Gilbert. She turned around to find Happy was floating near her shoulder. “H-happy?” She yelped. “Y-you’re here too?” “Hey that’s rude!” Happy sniped back. “I’m BFF’s with Natsu!” “W-what’s going on with Chelsea?” “Chelsea? Is that a new funny nickname?” Happy raised an eyebrow curiously. “Nickname?” Gilbert sighed. “Is she-I mean, he going to be okay?” “It’s just motion sickness!” Happy flew to the boy’s sickly form, rubbing a spot near the nape of his neck. “Don’t worry buddy, we‘re almost there!” True to his word, the cart suddenly halted. “Sorry, but this is as far as I can take you.” A gruff voice called out from the drivers’ seat outside. Gilbert turned, finding a bearded man in an elegant waistcoat. “I hear it’s dangerous beyond this point.” Gilbert peered outside, finding the village lay a few hundred metres down the road. “O-okay.” She didn’t know what to do but figured getting out of this carriage was a start. “L-let’s go.” Chelsea however wasn’t much help. “S-sorry, I-I can’t move!” “What?” “Too sick…MMMPH!” Again Chelsea vomited another blinding rainbow. “I know, talk about a big baby!” Happy chimed, rolling his large saucer eyes. Gilbert struggled to drag their friend out of the carriage, not helped by how heavy he felt compared to Gilbert’s slighter form. Fortunately, they were soon out and the carriage moved away. It was only as the carriage receded from sight that Gilbert became aware of the crisp air around her. Taking a better sight of her surroundings, she was surprised to find how enveloping this animated world was. Even if it was a painting, she could see the clouds inching across the sky, and the trees in the distance swaying in the wind. If she didn’t know any better, she was certain she could see the wisps of chimney smoke at the village down the road. “I-I’m outside?” She breathed in the air, tasting much fresher to her apartment. Whether she liked it or not, she wasn’t in her home anymore. She took some deep breaths, telling herself it was just a game. “Man, I forgot how brutal the motion sickness was.” Chelsea groaned, getting back to his feet. “Chelsea, you okay?” “Yeah.” Chelsea stretched. “Though could you call me Natsu?” “Huh? Why?” “With Happy around, it’s best we roleplay as our characters.” He whispered. “Also, you’re Lucy.” “Do I have to be?” Gilbert pouted, tugging at her skirt again. “I look like a walking wet dream!” “Better a cutie than the half-naked guy.” Chelsea shrugged. “Who?” Chelsea raised an eyebrow. “Huh…you don’t know who Gray is?” “No?” “Erza?” “No?” “Who’s the master of our Guild?” “Guild? I-I don’t know!” Chelsea scratched his chin. “Weird…thought the memories would be kicking in.” “W-what memories?” “Yeah, when I first played this, I got all of Natsu’s memories. Sort of like a handy tutorial without the timewasting. You telling me you didn’t get Lucy’s as we got transported?” “I-I don’t think so?” Gilbert thought back. “Well…I did see some images…a woman and a man…” She told him what she’d seen, insistent she didn’t know their connection. “W-what does that mean?” “Hmmm.” Chelsea, or rather ‘Natsu’, shrugged. “Those are definitely images from Lucy’s mind…maybe it’s a settings error or a glitch? Anyway, guess I’ll fill you in on the basics on the way. Coming Happy?” “AYE!” Happy demanded, flying after the vest-sporting youth. “Wait we’re going ahead?” Gilbert, or ‘Lucy’, asked. “H-how do we get out?” “By beating the bad guys of course!” Natsu gave a thumbs up. “Seriously? What if we don’t?” “Don’t?” Happy exclaimed. “Did you hit your head this morning? Natsu never loses!” “Really?” Lucy stared at her friend. As Chelsea they were always outgoing, but they weren’t the most athletic. “But how?” “Watch.” Natsu took a deep breath, his cheeks puffed up as his mouth started to glow an ominous orange. Tilting his head to the sky, he roared “FIRE DRAGON ROAR!” From his mouth a geyser of flame erupted, briefly turning their surroundings into a fireworks show before it was turned off like a faucet. Happy gave an affectionate applause. “That’s my man!” “Heh, still got it.” Natsu wiped his mouth, not at all affected from spewing out the torrent of flame. Lucy was taken aback. “H-how did you…” “It’s my magic.” Natsu winked. “I especially get stronger if I eat fire.” “You’ve eaten fire?” “Of course!” Natsu laughed. “It’s surprisingly tame to taste, but that could be this tongue being built different.” He stuck it out to prove his point. “Can I do anything?” Lucy stared at herself. Other than her new anatomy she didn’t seem to harbour any particular qualities. “You’re a celestial wizard. You can summon any spirit with those keys.” He pointed to her hip. Lucy then noticed the keys hanging from her belt, noticing the different symbols for each one. Some were gold and other silver. “What’s with the colours?” “You’re forgetful today, huh?” Happy flew to her hip. “The silver ones are your regular spirits, and the gold are your zodiac ones.” “Oh yeah, definitely go with the zodiac. They’re quite powerful.” Natsu insisted. “Really?” She picked one off and wave it around like a wand, but nothing happened. “You’re not trolling me?” “No, you’re supposed to command them with your voice.” Natsu assured her. “I think she says ‘Open gate of the…whatever…just say a zodiacs name and you’ll be fine. But it’s best to conserve your energy until we get there.” “Then what was that little pyro show before?” Lucy asked. “Relax.” Natsu flippantly dismissed her. “Natsu, I mean, I’m one of the strongest in Fairy Tail. I have more than enough magic-” “SORCERERS!” A voice shouted in the distance, attracting both their attention. A mustachioed man in a vest staggered toward them, bearing scuff marks all over his body. “That pillar of fire was your doing, right?” “Yup!” Natsu pointed at his tattoo. “We heard there was trouble here?” “Thank goodness you’ve arrived!” The man all but collapsed at their feet, his body shaking. “The situation has turned bad!” Lucy was afraid to ask, but pried anyway. “In what way?” The man was given a flask of water by Happy to calm his nerves, before he spoke. “Orklin has returned, and is running amok!” CRASH! A sudden explosion cracked in the distance, a cloud of smoke billowing from the village ahead. “W-who’s Orklin?” Lucy asked. “He’s bad news.” Happy elaborated. “According to the rumours he came from another country and has been terrifying villages with his magic.” “What sort?” Happy continued. “We’re not sure. But from reports I’ve heard, he’s said to be half-beast and leaves a trail of destruction behind.” “So? He’s nothing but a filler character!” Chelsea growled. “Let’s go Lucy!” “Wait, now?” But Lucy’s cries were ignored as Natsu ran on ahead. As she glanced at the smoke ahead, the thought of getting herself in danger had her contemplating running away. Suddenly, something pulled at her collar. ‘What you doing standing round Lucy?” Happy insisted. “Let’s go!” “A-alright.” Lucy gulped, knowing that whatever lay ahead, she was sure not to like it. * The lactic acid was eating at Lucy’s legs by the time she arrived at the town and its cobblestone road. However, she could already tell something was amiss. The streets were deserted, and up ahead she could see a dark black smoke rising from the distance. Ahead of her, Natsu had stopped on the road, his nose to the sky. “What are you doing?” “Sniffing out the enemy.” Natsu elaborated, giving a couple more sniffs. “You can smell them?” “Of course. Natsu’s nose never lies!” He tapped it coyly. After another sniff, he pointed to somewhere down the village. “They’re over there.” “Are we going to attack without a strategy?” Lucy called out. “It’s usually trial and error-” Suddenly Natsu tensed, looking up at the sky before turning to Lucy, his eyes bulging out of his head. “Natsu?” Lucy asked. “Watch out!” Natsu roared, diving onto Lucy as the two went hurtling to the ground. CRASH! From their right, a building exploded as the earth shook around them, the wind whipping around their head. Lucy was too busy shielding herself to acknowledge that her transformed friend was literally pressed against her. “Hey, you ok?” Natsu asked. “Y-yeah, I think so.” Lucy saw Natsu was on top of her and scooted a few feet away. “I mean, yeah!” “OINK OINK!” A man snorted. Like Natsu he also wore a simple vest and skirt of matted fur. His hair was wild, but he bore tusk-like teeth. He was tall and muscular and in his hand was a club. “So, you guys dare get in the way of my fun?” However, just as intimidating as the man himself was the beast he was sitting on the head of. It was a large boar, the size of a house. Steam shot out from its snout in a huff as it drooled for its next meal. “I-is that a giant pig?” Lucy pointed at the monstrosity. “Good, I was in the mood for roast pork!” Natsu licked his lips. “You must be Orklin.” “Who squealed?” Orklin smirked at his own lame pun as he patted the boar’s head. “I was having a good time feeding my brother here!” He patted the boar’s head. “Is that’s your brother, then I’m afraid to see what your parents look like.” Happy nervously asked. Lucy noticed the house that had been destroyed, debris and spare clothes fluttered everywhere. “H-he didn’t eat the people inside, did he?” “Nah, no one was home. Fortunately.” Orklin shrugged. “But at least you enjoyed the treasures inside, right Ino?” “SKROIIIIK!” The boar gruffly oinked back, his eyes filled with menace. But Lucy couldn’t help but tremble at the mighty opponent ahead, horrified by the chaos it caused. Thoughts of the accident in her past as Gilbert came to mind, the thud of the bonnet colliding with their hip still raw in her mind. She again thought about running away. “HOW DARE YOU!” Natsu’s sudden bark caught her attention. She was shocked to find an intense snarl on her friend’s face, his eyes fiery with anger. “That was someone’s livelihood! You think you can boss people around to your own whims?” “So? No one’s been able to stop me!” Orklin shrugged. “What ya’ gonna do about it?” “How about a taste of your own medicine!” Natsu roared, leaping high towards the man, his fists covered in flames. With a punch, Orklin was sent flying off, but as he blocked it, was able to do a backflip and land on the road. “Heh, nice punch, boy.” He laughed, his skin turning red. “But you haven’t even tasted my orc magic yet!” Before their eyes, he doubled in size, small stubby horns protruding from his forehead as his tusks grew bigger. He gave a roar, bashing his club to the ground, causing it to tremble. Lucy barely could stay on her feet, intimidated at the threat before them. “Happy, take care of Lucy.” Natsu’s voice was in a low growl. “I think I can take him on one-on-one.” “Aye!” “Wait, you sure about this?” Lucy cried, afraid what would become of their friend. “You might-” “You think I picked this avatar because he was hot?” Natsu broke character, some of Chelsea’s fangirl tendencies creeping in. “Trust me. I won’t go down easily with this bod!” “But-“ “Also, I know I’m asking a lot, but could you take care of the pig?” “W-WHY THE PIG?” Lucy gaped. “You want me to die?” “No.” Natsu shook his head. “But the guy is strong enough on his own and I’ll need your help.” “But can I…?” “Happy will help. Besides, trust your spirits. They’ll protect you.” Lucy was skeptical at her friend’s words but as she wasn’t as knowledgeable about the anime as Chelsea/Natsu, she would have to trust him. “O-okay.” She sighed. In the meantime, Natsu’s fists were enveloped in flames, jamming his fist into his other palm with a cocky smirk. “Alright then, the bigger they are the harder they fall!” “Bring it on fireboy!” Orklin laughed. “Ino, go for the girl. I think she’ll make a great mate for us!” “W-wait what?” Lucy cried, but found the pig was ferociously charging toward her. “CRAP!” She yelled, running back the other way. Behind her the ground shook, the giant boar’s hot breath virtually blowing into the back of her neck. She gritted her teeth, urging her tired legs to carry her until- “I’ll help you!” Suddenly, Lucy’s feet could no longer touch the ground, her surroundings falling away beneath her. At first she thought the boar had lifted her away, but the curious weight on her shoulders alerted her otherwise. She turned to find Happy was lifting her, his wings flapping as he strained. “T-thanks!” She called, the boar barely beneath them. “No problem!” Happy huffed. “B-but you’re heavier than I remember!” “H-hey, I-I’m the one who lost weight!” “Sure you’re not carrying rocks?” Happy quipped, Lucy’s feet inches from the boars’ greedy maw. “L-lift me up higher!” Lucy cried, but- “OIIIIINK!” A strong bellow, and the smell of rotten vegetables overwhelmed Lucy’s senses as the two were at the mercy of Ino’s gale-like breath. The two were tossed through the air and towards an open vegetable cart, forcing Lucy to brace for impact- BANG! Lucy’s body collided with the wagon, wood splintering around her as her body ached. “Virtual reality my ass!” She huffed, wondering what kind of sicko allowed a pain modulator into this game. As she clambered from the destroyed vegetables however, her flesh peeking through various cuts on her dress, a heavy roar alerted her to Ino’s charging form. She fumbled for the gold keys, trying to decipher which one she should pick. Fortunately, her knowledge of horoscopes came through as she saw a familiar sign on one key. She didn’t know what this zodiac would do, but figured it was worth a shot. She lifted it above her head, the trembling growing intense. “Gate of the Heavens, come out-“ WOOOSH! Suddenly the ground beneath her feet collapsed, and she fell. She braced herself for impact, thinking the boar had gotten her good. Her whole world was the sound of rumbling and the air rushing around her until- “You alright, Princess?” “H-huh?” Lucy’s fall suddenly stopped, forcing the blonde to pry one eye open. Before her was a young woman with a pink pixie-bob wearing a maid outfit. Lucy looked around, noticing nothing but darkness was around her. “W-what happened?” “I sensed you were in danger and saved you.” The woman elaborated with a deadpan expression. “I dug a hole.” “Uh thanks…uhhhh sorry, your name?” Lucy got to her feet, dusting herself off. She noticed the blue sky peeking out a few feet above. “Virgo, Miss. But why would you ask me when you already know it? Is this a roleplay where we pretend to be strangers and you punish me?” Virgo’s expression remained flat, making it hard to tell if she was joking. “Punish?” Lucy lifted an eyebrow, before a thought came to her. “Wait, Virgo?” She studied her keys. Now that she thought about it, she could feel her body buzzing, radiating off her body. Was this her inner magic? “Did I summon you?” “Again, I came out of my own accord.” Virgo saluted. “Is there anything you wish for me to do, Princess?” Lucy shook. “Y-yeah, t-there’s a giant pig somewhere above. Think you can handle it?” “I’ll try my best. Though if I fail, will you punish me?” Lucy was confused at the maid’s behavior, wondering if the other spirits were like this. “The fuc-” “LUCY, YOU DOWN THERE?” Happy chirped below. “Yeah!” Lucy called. “How’s the pig?” “He stormed down the road, but I’m sure he and his stinky breath will be back soon!” Lucy stared at her keys, wondering what she could do. “How many can I summon at once?” “One at a time, Princess.” Virgo elaborated. “I see.” She flicked through the zodiac, finding a couple that seemed useful. “Virgo, think you can prepare another hole?” * The boar was back in view, knocking down any buildings like they were made of construction paper. Lucy stood before it, her hands trembling as she remembered the plan that had come to mind. “HEY, STINKFACE!” Lucy roared. “YOU WANT ME? I’M OVER HERE!” The boar turned, a sinister gleam in its eye. Immediately it charged up to Lucy, it’s monsterous form growing larger with every few feet it bounded. Lucy remained firm, knowing she needed to be still even as she trembled in fear. Visions of the car that disrupted her life came into view but she tried to shake it off, knowing she needed to trust in Virgo to come through. The creature was within 100 feet, 75, 50, 25… “NOW VIRGO!” “SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAL!” The boar gave a high pitched squeal as a massive hole suddenly arrived beneath him, sending it plummeting. THUD! The ground rumbled, but Lucy maintained her footing as Virgo re-appeared. “Did I do good, Princess?” “Yes, thank you.” Lucy smirked. “You may go. I’ll handle the rest.” “Thank you.” Virgo politely bowed, disappearing. Sure enough the buzzing Lucy felt before disappeared. “SQUEEEAL!” The boar roared, all but deafening Lucy as its odour burned at her nostrils. With the creature downed, Lucy picked out one of the keys, hoping her intuition was right. “Alright, come out, TAURUS!” In a flash of light, a massive muscular bull man arrived. He looked as strong as Lucy expected as he bellowed in delight. “I’m moo-ved you’d pick me!” “Alright, could you beat up the boar down there?” “Of course!” Taurus gave a suspicious leer. “But first, let me look at that udder-ly bodacious bod so I can get into a moo-d!” Lucy shivered, not expecting the bull’s frankly perverted attitude. “O-okay, b-but could you help me?” “Right! I’m ready to rum-bull!” Taurus roared, diving into the pit with his giant axe. Lucy peered over the edge, the sound of heavy blows, mooing and squealing emanating below, until- “MOOOOOOOOOOOO!” THUD! To her surprise, Taurus suddenly emerged from the pit, all scratched and beaten up. “What the Hell? I thought you were strong?” “I-I had him, but his smell was tooooo much for me!” Taurus meekly lamented, before disappearing. “Uh, Lucy?” Happy flew from above. “You might want to do something, I think the piggy’s trying to go wee wee wee all the way out!” “GRRRR!” A sudden roar alerted Lucy to the pissed off boar’s head poking through the hole as his hooves gripped to the edge. “C-crap!” She fumbled for another key. “Alright, h-how about you, Aquarius?” She demanded. “Wait, I don’t think it’s a good idea!” Happy warned, but it was too late as within a flash, a tall mermaid with blue hair emerged. Worryingly, her face wore a pissed off expression. “Uh…c-could you help me?” Lucy tentatively asked. “Uhh, really?” Aquarius spat with a huff. “You had to summon me here?” “Why you angry? Did I do something wrong?” Lucy asked. “I think she’s pissed because there’s no water source nearby.” Happy warned her. “W-wait, what?” Lucy eyed the street, feeling like a fool. ”I didn’t know!” “Seriously, I thought you knew better!” Aquarius huffed her temples throbbing. “That and you totally disrupted this hot date I was on!” “How was I supposed to know!” Lucy begged. “Anyway, could you please help me?” “Give me a reason I should? Unless you have water, my skins going to be dry!” Aquarius hugged herself, her face still sour. “Wait, I think this barrel’s full of it!” Happy insisted, pointing to a full barrel that was sitting near a tavern. “Eww, that looks gross!” Aquarius huffed. “But it will do.” “Good!” Lucy spied the boar as it had half-climbed out. “Can you be quick?” “Quick? I’ll show you quick!” Aquarius smirked, as a massive typhoon whirled around her. As much as Lucy was thankful for her help however, she couldn’t help but notice how the mermaid’s sights were set on her. “Wait, who are you aiming that at-“ WOOOSH! A torrent of water slammed into Lucy’s body as she lost her footing and went spiralling along with the current. Everything around her was nothing but water as she struggled to find the way up, spinning as if she was inside a washing machine. Somewhere in the background she thought she could hear the high pitched cries of a pig, but it was lost on her. Visions of Gilbert’s past flashed by: being a quiet kid who liked to read, engaging with swords and sorcery tales. But he was always alone. Then he found Chelsea in college, who was willing to show him a bigger world, taking him to the places she liked like the arcade and encouraged him to continue his work. Then came the accident that left him a shut-in his house, growing less enthused with the outdoors with each day of recovery… …but it was interlaced with visions she couldn’t comprehend. Vast islands and elaborate towns, dank, expansive caves and sunny beaches, and menacing beasts. Then there was the castle with the Fairy Tail symbol on it: filled with various characters laughing, drinking or having a good ol’ scuffle. She didn’t quite comprehend what they meant, but she somehow could feel a sense of nostalgia and warmth from them. ‘Are those…Lucy’s memories?’ She mused. Suddenly, a furry paw grabbed her hand and without thinking she took it, finally hauling herself back over the surface. “You alright, Lucy?” Happy asked. “Y-yeah.” Lucy shook her head as the water finally subsided, washing her up near the end of a street. She was dripping wet, yet alive. “I-I thought that mermaid was on our side!” “She is, but she’s always got a fish up her butt.” Happy shrugged. “I bet she woudn’t taste great anyway.” “HOOOOOOORK!” A heavy grunt attracted Lucy’s attention, as a large furry hill rested only a few feet from her. It shook, water flying everywhere as a pungent smell of wet fur permeated the road. Getting to it’s feet, the large boar turned, it’s eyes gleaming for payback. “You better do something, because I think he’s about to blow us away!” Happy screamed. “C-crap!” Lucy fumbled for her keys once more, grabbing the first she could find. “W-will this one do?” “I don’t care, hurry!” “R-right!” Lucy raised the key. “Gate of the Lion, LEO!” FLASH! A golden light all but blinded Lucy as she struggled to see what she’d done. From within the glare, she could hear a sauve voice smirk, “Has a fair maiden summoned me again?” Before her, a dapper man with spiky orange hair and a suit stood before her, two cat-like ears standing proudly on his head. His shades covered his eyes, but there was a calm arrogance about him. He eyed Lucy, giving a flirty wink back at her. “Heard you had a runaway pig. Mind if I help?” “Yeah, sure. Kick its ass!” Lucy commanded. “Sure thing.” Leo cracked his knuckles, a golden light radiating off of his form. “REGULUS, LION BRILLIANCE!” His form shone brighter than the sun, yet Lucy’s eyes were not affected. The pig on the other hand squealed in annoyance, squinting. That was all the opening Leo needed, the lion man launching a massive fist at the pig, before- BAM! With a might punch, the pig was sent flying, tumbling over again and again before it flopped onto it’s side, motionless. Leo coolly adjusted his suit, turning to Lucy. “Is that all, madam?” He offered a chivalous hand before her. “Y-yeah, t-thank you.” Lucy accepted it, before realising Leo was sporting a come hither look. “If I didn’t know any better, it looks like you summoned me so you could see my handsome face.” “Oh well…uh…” Lucy anxiously laughed. “I-I just needed your help.” Leo backed away, but gave a polite bow. “Well, as long as I got to see your beautiful face again, then that’s all I need.” He winked, in a charimsatic way that contrasted with the blatant crassness of Taurus. As much as Lucy felt uncomfortable, even she had to admit that she felt flustered by his compliments. BOOOM! Suddenly, a flash of flame erupted from beyond the street, alerting Lucy that there was another fight going on. “Sorry, I need to see if Chels- I mean, Natsu is alright.” “Understood. I’ll return before I drain up the rest of your magic.” Leo bowed, disappearing in a flash. * By the time Lucy arrived at the town square, she realised that she was starting to feel a bit sluggish. Leo wasn’t lying when he said he’d drained her magic. Happy had explained to her he was the strongest of the Zodiac Spirits. The town square was a wreck, various houses had broken windows, and the pavement was all smashed out. The main fountain in the centre was scuffed and torched from the various fire attacks. Meanwhile, Natsu was jumping around, dodging the thunderous swings of the spiked club his opponent was swinging. “Hey, you took care of the piggy bank?” Natsu asked, landing nearby. “Yeah” Lucy gave thumbs up. “WHAT?” Orklin roared, his voice a deep bass that trembled throughout the square. “Y-you dare hurt my dear brother!?” “Yes, he’s being served with a side of potatoes as we speak!” Happy proclaimed, even though Lucy knew it was an exaggeration that wasn’t going to calm the orc man down. “You owe me now!” Orklin gripped his club with a malicious sneer. “Maybe a night with that body?” “No way!” Lucy struggled to cover herself, even if it was impossible to hide what she now sported. “Sorry Lucy.” Natsu spat. “A lot of the bad guys have the same creep factor as this dude.” “Now you tell me!” Lucy huffed. “I had a talking bull and a lion man flirt at me!” “Sounds about right.” Natsu shrugged it off. “Anyway, best you stay back.” “Not if I get to her first!” Orkin roared, charging at a much faster speed than Lucy intended. By the time she tried to grab her keys, the guy was reaching a clawed hand before her- BAM! However, Natsu was able to hit him square in the jaw, sending Orklin flying. The orc-man slid back a few feet, but he regained his composure and grinned. “Heh, gonna make it a challenge, huh?” “Bring it on!” Natsu grinned, with the arrogant bravado of a typical shonen hero. “Wait, you sure you’re going to be okay?” Lucy asked, but Natsu held a hand out. “I know you’re worried, but I’ll be fine.” The salmon-haired youth insisted, without looking back. “If I beat this guy, we can go home.” Lucy, as Gilbert, wanted to talk them out of it, but they could sense a serious aura over the boy. A strange sense of deja-vu came over her, as if this happened before. “Alright, but don’t die.” “Wasn’t planning to.” Natsu gave a last glance, flashing that same toothy smile. “Happy, you protect her if things get too hairy.” “AYE!” Then, their friend sprinted into battle, their fists aflame. Happy floated after them, as if expecting to be helpful at some point. Before Lucy, she could only watch as the two exchanged blows. Even though Orkin was much bigger, Natsu somehow was hitting back just as hard, the ground shaking with each smack. By her side, Happy was cheering Natsu on, but even he seemed antsy as he hovered in place. Even then, she couldn’t help but be worried for her friends safety. Even if Chelsea was playing the main character, she wasn’t sure if they had enough stamina to last the fight. Each hit their friend took was all the more worrying. “Is Natsu looking a bit weak or is it me?” “Now that you mention it, he looks a little haggard.” Happy gulped. “We should do something!” “But we can’t get between his fight!” Happy cried. “Unless we can find some fire to wake him up…” “Fire?” Lucy’s eyes darted around, remembering something her friend had said earlier. Wasn’t Natsu’s strength fire? She looked at the houses around, their smoking chimneys formulating an idea. “Hang on. I think I got a plan.” “It better be good.” Happy cried. “I’ll go find a fire. You keep watch of Natsu in case he needs you.” “Aye! But hurry!” Lucy rushed to the nearest house, hoping that it wasn’t locked as she approached the door. Fortunately, it was open, the family huddling under the nearby table. She ignored them, rushing to the nearby fireplace as she saw the dying embers of a fire. With quick thinking she found a stick and stuck it in there until it smoked and set aflame. “What are you-“ The father yelled from the table. “Thank you.” Lucy bowed. “This will help my friend!” She rushed back outside, noticing Natsu was still fighting. However, he was barely dodging Orklin’s club and running ragged. Fortunately, Natsu happened to jump toward her in another dodge. “CHELS!” She yelled, throwing the flaming stick. “Eat this!” Natsu’s eyes widened as he caught the stick, a grin appearing on his face. “Someone did their homework!” He chirped. “Thanks!” He then swallowed the small flame, swallowing it whole. His body tensed but he was hardly distressed as his muscles pulsed as the energy boost. “Now there’s a fire in my belly!” He laughed, winding up his fist again. “Now lets take things up a gear!” His body glowed red with fire, as he charged in. “FIRE DRAGON CLAW!” He roared, giving a fire charged kick to the man’s head. Before Orkin could do anything however, Natsu went back on the attack, giving a secondary strike for good measure that set him down on one knee. Then, taking a deep breath, Natsu let out a torrent of flames from his mouth. “FIRE DRAGONS ROAR!” A massive fireball hit Orkim square in the face, knocking him back and immolating him in an instant. The fireball flew into the nearby fountain, where he crashed heavily, the flames being wiped out as a result. “I figured he needed to cool off!” Natsu chirped, cringing at his one-liner. For Lucy however, she was amazed at the sight and the strength of her friend, who casually grinned and made his way to her. “Is that it?” “Yeah, should be. Usually is.” Natsu huffed proudly. “Again, thanks for the snack.” “You’re welcome. I just remembered something you said.” “Shucks.” Natsu nudged her on the shoulder. “But your quick thinking helped me out. And you took care of the boar! That must have taken some effort!” Lucy blushed, giving a small smirk. “T-thank you.” “Oooh, is someone in love?” Happy teased. “S-shut up!” Lucy bashfully snapped at the exceed, unable to hide her reddening face. “Yes and it’s with me!” Natsu grinned, putting an arm around her shoulder. Surprisingly, happy’s eyes bugged out. “Woah, really? I-is there wedding plans in the future?” “I meant, uh, I love her as a friend!” Natsu covered his tracks. “R-right Lucy? “Y-yeah.” Lucy felt the urge to summon Virgo and have her bury her in a hole to hide. * Lucy, Natsu and Happy were taking the pathway back. Their bags were filled with supplies and a bag of money the townspeople given as a reward. Lucy was surprised the ‘episode’ hadn’t ended. Instead they stuck around as the authorities apprehended Orklin and Ino, and then the townspeople came by to congratulate them. Natsu/Chelsea never said if this was common for these interactives, but she didn’t mind it. Despite the suffering and struggle she went through, it was worth it to see the relieved smiling faces of the townspeople. “So, how was your first mission?” Natsu chimed in a low enough voice that Happy didn’t hear him. “I was scared, and I thought I was going to die.” “Die? Fat chance!” Natsu scoffed. “I’ve done a couple of other missions and when I did ‘die’, I was back in the room like nothing happened!” “You don’t die in this game?” “What? You think the studio would invent something that kills their fans?” Natsu scoffed. “Imagine the lawsuit!” “Yeah, guess you’re right…though I still got hurt!” Lucy motioned to the cuts on her body. “Its only for realism.” Natsu shrugged. “Those wounds will fade. Look.” Natsu pointed to Lucy’s arm, as the scuff marks faded. In the background, Lucy wondered if she could hear some music playing. “Looks like the adventure’s ending!” “Huh.” Lucy could feel a warmth settling on her skin as the sun went down. “That said, still enjoyed yourself?” Lucy reflected on her adventure, still absorbing all the weird events she experienced. Yet even though it was scary, she felt like her body was lighter than before. Maybe it was the adrenaline, but she hadn’t felt this alive since the accident. “Hey guys, what you’re talking about?” Happy flew between them. “Is it what we’re going to have for dinner tonight?” “Ah, yeah Happy!” Natsu nodded. “Got any fish?” “Aye!” Happy grabbed his handkerchief. “Though I’m saving one for Carla when we get back!” “Carla? Is that your girlfriend?” Lucy inquired. “H-hey!” Happy defensively blushed. “S-she may not see the light yet, but I’ll be hers someday!” “Not if you don’t take the initiative.” Lucy chimed, finally getting a chance to tease the cat back. “Says the one who can’t find love!” “HEY!” Lucy cried, but Happy was already flying out of reach toward the sunset as she started to chase him- * -And tripped onto the coffee table. Gilbert’s whole body tipped over, managing to collapse onto the couch clumsily. Instantly, they felt their body was heavier and wearing clothes that covered their body better. He put a hand to his chest, finding a severe lack of flesh than before. “Where’s my shirt!” Chelsea’s desperate cry caught his attention. Rolling back around, Gilbert found themselves back in their living room, Chelsea quickly putting on her discarded shirt in a rush before he could see anything lewd. “D-didn’t see anything?” She nervously asked, a far cry from how nonchalant she was earlier. “You’re not going to be mad if I say yes?” Gilbert’s voice cracked, not used to his usual deeper voice after speaking in a high pitch for the last hour or so. Chelsea raised an eyebrow, but eventually sighed. “Nevermind, you did see me shirtless before so fair enough. Anyway, you alright?” She offered a hand to him, as Gilbert double checked to see if his male form had returned. “Y-yeah.” Gilbert dusted himself off as he stared as happy’s likeness waving at them from the television screen. “Thank you guys for helping us out!” The blue winged cat chirped. “I hope we can have another adventure some day. AYE!” As the credits rolled, Gilbert stared at the screen, and then himself, feeling like he’d woken up form a vivid dream. “I was…a girl…and you were…” “Yep. All happened.” Chelsea assured him. “And we were…inside the tv?” “Think it might inspire your writing?” She teased. Gilbert paced back and forth from the tv to the couch, the adrenaline from his adventure slowly fading away. He was glad to be alive, and yet somehow their heart was still racing. “Maybe…” “Pretty cool, huh? It’s like leaving the house without leaving it.” “You got that right.” Gilbert mused, the last memories of fresh air fading as the stagnant stench of their apartment returned. “Want to go again?” Chelsea asked. “I understand if you don’t.” “No, I-I think one is enough for now.” Gilbert sat back down. “Fair enough.” She sat next to him, cuddling him. “You may be cute as a girl, but I think this works for me too.” He smiled tenderly at his friend, caressing her hair. “Y-you were doing this for me, weren’t you?” Chelsea sheepishly smiled. “Thought you needed a push. I apologise if I freaked you out.” “N-no, I get it.” Gilbert shivered, still reliving his experience in fast-forward. “T-thank you.” “Think you might start to go outside more? If you can fight a large boar in a skirt, I think you can survive a walk to the shops.” “M-maybe…” He gulped. “Might take some time.” “That’s fine.” She picked up the remote. “Want to watch a real episode of Fairy Tail to get you aquainted? In case you decide to go back?” “S-sure.” The two settled down for the night to watch some episodes. They were in Japanese, yet the subtitles helped along. Gilbert soon found himself enjoying the antics of Lucy, Natsu and the others, Chelsea filling in the gaps whenever a new character showed up. All the while, he thought more about the place, wondering what other wonders awaited him beyond his door, and his television. rewite the end of this storyto the point that they get stuck as lucy and natsu in the fairy tail world have them deal with Gender dysphoria and sexually harassment of they new gender we fallow Gilbert as lucy point of view and the next mession is set on a beach they need to wear swimsuit for the one who need help so they have to deal with that and battle monster that comeing out of the sea and drag people under water for some reason at night but it calm during the day.