The Ring Master | Jellal Fernandes [1] ON HOLD

13 | Problems In The Royal City

"I don't know why. I'm sorry. Please don't hurt me." Edolas Natsu begged as tears filled up with large eyes. His body began to shake in fear the minute he was set down on the ground, something that none of them were expecting even Halay who had practically called the guy's bluff.

Natsu blinked at him in confusion. "What the?"

"I'm so confused." Rose admitted as she stared at the pink haired crybaby on the floor. If she was being honest, she actually remembered a time when Natsu was like that, crying at the littlest of things. Sure she was like it too but their parental figures had just abandoned them.

"Are you the same other me from just a minute ago?" The dragon slayer questioned the doppelgänger in bewilderment.

Edolas Natsu nodded his head and stuttered out, "Of course I'm the exact same guy."

Halay rolled her eyes but the minute she did, she noticed something she hadn't seen before. Her eyes widened in awe as she stared out onto it, it was nothing like she had ever seen. "Guys, how about we cut the scared Natsu some slack." She told the group, her voice sounding distant as she was entranced by the new sight.

"What do you mean?" Rose asked her, already pre-annoyed that she had started talking for no reason.

"Look." Halay pointed in front of her. Following her finger, each person slowly fell into line as they upon the Royal City. It looked ominous from far away, no wonder people were afraid of it yet somehow the bright colours emitting from what looked like streets made it seem almost like a paradise.

"Is that the place?" Lucy questioned as she stood next to the brunette, her eyes sparkling with just as much wonder as Halay's. 

"I think it's the royal city." Happy guessed, this place didn't look like any other they had been too, it was large and bulky and almost fortified.

"It's so big." Wendy identified simply.

"You should have told us we were here sooner." Natsu shouted in glee as he wrapped his arm around his Edolas counterpart. "This is awesome! We'll be busting out our friends in no time."

"They're down there trapped inside some giant lacrima." Lucy said as her gaze fell onto the entrance at the bottom of the mountain. Determination filled their bones as they suddenly felt like they could do anything, their spirits were high and their hopes had sky rocketed. They were ready for anything this world would throw at them.

"We mustn't waste time." Carla told them group before they all set off down the hill.

It didn't take long for them to arrive in the Royal City and it was the opposite of what Halay expected. Colourful bunting was hung from house to house creative a festive feel to the streets, each colour carefully complimenting the next like it had been planned for ages. People were laughing and chatting happily which caused Halay to frown, in a world full of repression and danger, why was this place the happiest of all? It didn't sit right with her, this wasn't a democracy. It was a dictatorship and the king was feeding his people lies. This made her mad.

"They're so happy." Lucy muttered as the group walked through the city, keeping an eye out for a giant lacrima or anything that could pose a threat. So far, there was nothing.

"It's not what I was expecting." Wendy admitted softly as she watched kids play with each other without a care in the world. "I thought this placed would be dark and scary."

"Not my idea of a dictatorship, that's for sure." Lucy added as she watched some adults run across the street right in front of her.

Natsu looked around him, seeing most of the streets only filled with normal people and no one was attacking them. "We got into the city without having to fight a single guard." He stated almost happily, he was in no condition to fight and even then he didn't like relying on Halay and Lucy. He'd much rather do it himself.