Curse Of The Cookie! (Zachary)

Her head was spinning, her stomach churning and her footsteps were like those of a drunk. All she could see was that lovely treat and as she staggered out of her room, desperate to reach the bathroom, the kitsune felt like she was dying. It had all started so innocently when she’d eaten the beautiful looking treat that she’d been gifted with in Oshibana. A gingerbread man that had tasted absolutely delicious but as the day had passed, she’d started to feel worse and worse. First just an upset stomach but then progressing until she was almost lost in a world of disorientation and pain. There were cookies everywhere, cookies of every type, sweet ones, savoury ones and all those in between. What had been in that gingerbread man to have caused her to feel like this? She tried to think back to what the woman had told her but even that made her head throb. Her complexion was deathly pale while her eyes began to roll into the back of her head. Calling her a zombie would’ve been a pretty accurate description and as she struggled onwards.

There was no way that she could reach her destination though and her legs finally gave way, sending her plummeting to the ground, twitching and shivering. Never had she felt like this before and as the brunette haired vixen began to panic, all rational thought left her mind completely. She couldn’t understand what was happening to her and in her desperation for an answer, her hands would become claws as she struck out across the floor, as though she was attacking an invisible enemy. The truth was that she was simply reverting back to her primal fix like nature, a confused wild animal who just lashed out randomly. Her tails swished to and fro in a random dance that had no sense nor purpose behind it, swiping left and right.

What she didn’t realise was that inside her body, changes were being made. A new spark of magic was being born within her, albeit far more painfully due to the kitsune’s unorthodox method of implanting it, clashing with the powers of lightning that she already possessed. Two demon slayer magics were trying to come to terms inside her body and the process was anything but easy. The images inside her confused minds eye began to change over time. The endless imagery of cookies also being occasionally interrupted by wicked flashes of lightning. Yet, her blind animal-like panic was interrupting the process and rather than accept what was happening, she started to fight against it, rejecting this new power and causing further strain. It was an absolute nightmare for her and the twitching and lashing out continued, her actions only became more confused.

“Cookie?” She uttered incoherently, “No! No more cookies! Leave me alone! I don’t want any more!” It was all that came from her before she passed out completely, lifeless on the Fairy Hills floor, drooling slightly as her consciousness left her.

(502 Words)

Cookies! Cookies COOOKIESSS!! Astral cheered as he followed Zachary up to Fairy Hills.

Zachary seriously regretted this. He wanted to treat his little friend to something nice so he gave him his first sugar cookie. The little star fairy was hooked. He now fluttered circles around Zachary as he carried a series of boxes to the dormatories. He was living there briefly till he would find his own place, and wanted to find a new residence along the area of Magnolia. With all the money he was making from jobs, he was saving up quite a bit. Still, now he had another mouth to feed -- and it wasn't like other of his summons at that.

Either way, he now had to be pestered by Astral's begging like a child for a sweet treat as he had an errand to run.

PWEEEEAAAASEEE! Astral cooed in his telepathic talk, Coooooookiews...

"For the love of Venus, Astral, will you calm down," Zachary said as he walked up the stairs of Fairy Hills to get to the second floor. "I promise we can get something when I am done with these errands here. Just be patient. You're not some big-eyed, blue, cookie monster, you know?"

However, in that moment, Astral stopped his shouts as he noticed something. A dire need of help in the air. It was then that he stopped short in front of Zachary-- which unfortunately caused him to bump the boxes into him and Zachary loosing his balance.

"WHOH!!" The boxes went tumbling as he tried to catch them but failed. A sigh escaped him as he went to pick em up. "Astral! What are you-- huh?"

Zachary stopped mid-step as he soon saw a shadow along the hallway, of a person collapsed on the floor. It was dark to see but it didn't look good. Even Astral knew it as his perpetual jubilance faded at the sight of her.

"Oh-no..." Zachary gasped as he dropped t he last box without hesitation and went running. Astral soon flew beside him as they reached her. She would groan and speak incoherent words, enough to make Zachary concerned. "Hey! Are you alright? Talk to me!" he called.

Unsure if she would respond, Zachary looked to Astral up above him. "Astral! Quickly, can you heal her?" he asked, almost pleading in concern.

Astral gave a firm nod and flip in the air with his little body. Aye! Owchies Bwy-bwy! he cooed and flew above her. The dark hall began to light up as Astral fluttered above her. Slowly, his little 'tummy' opened to reveal a small little eye-design on his body-- and from it, a powerful glow of light shined upon her.

While it wasn't clear what kind of ailment was afflicting upon her, the counter-force of Astral's "Healing Wish" was applying his own immortality to her, healing her wounds and magic energy. The healing took a few minutes, all the while as Zachary knelt nearby to observe the healing. He couldn't find any physical wounds, but it was clear she was in some kind of pain.

All the while, Astral was calm and serene as he poured his magic into her, to help her recover...

WC: 534

She was running from a gingerbread man, a giant one that was as large as a house. Relentlessly it hunted her, never pausing for a moment as it sought to devour her. Where did he come from? She didn’t know. All the kitsune knew was that she had to get away from this undoubtedly evil creature. A horrible scowl was upon his face as he destroyed everything in his path without any due care or attention. Her senses were in overdrive, boosting her speed as much as possible in order to outrun this thing and yet, no matter how fast she ran, the distance never changed. It just kept hounding her, for what seemed like forever, as though they were both on a treadmill or in a hamster wheel, The landscape never changed. Nothing made sense and her sense of panic had reached a level where all she could do was run, lest she fall to her pursuer.

All of a sudden the cycle changed and Menka rather clumsily fell, landing flat on her face or she would have it not for her ample chest. A panicked cry left her lips and she rolled over to find the enormous monster standing over her. It looked precisely like the sweet treat that she’d eaten before and as it leaned over and grabbed her, she couldn’t help but notice. Yet, there was something else familiar too and as her mind desperately tried to claw back control, she realised just what it was. The smell. It had the scent of a demon and that was what helped Menka regain control of herself. Why was she afraid of this thing? She’d only just managed to understand her thunder demon magic and now she was petrified of a creature that it was meant to defeat? What was wrong with her? Had she truly lost her mind?

A voice reached her then, seeming to come out of where. A male voice, sounding concerned but sweet at the same time. She had no idea who the speaker was but it was enough to help her break through the fear. Her hands would then start to tingle, feeling her demon powers begin to show themselves, her magical power suddenly roaring to life. Her strength was returning, as was her will and as her body began to crackle and spark with electricity, the gingerbread man seemed to panic slightly himself. Their expressions changed. She became more confident while he began to worry and with a laugh, Menka opened her mouth and unleashed a powerful blast into the face of the enormous creature. He screeched in pain, recoiled and then fell to pieces, leaving the kitsune with the same gingerbread that had started it all in her right hand. Now she understood and with a broad smile, she ate the treat, knowing that she’d be fine this time.

With that, her vision faded to black again and when it returned, she was spread out across the floor, looking up to see the faces of a blue haired young man and a sweet little creature who was flying around.

“Cookie?” She asked, unable to sit up just yet, feeling pretty groggy and not quite with it.

(537 Words)
(1573 TWC)

Astral's recovery spell was a complicated method. The creature had a secret. At the cost of its life, a star fairy could grant a person immortality. Because of that, Zachary swore to protect him-- to protect him as a dear friend and companion. However, what made this secret practical, was that it could use that powerful magic to aid people-- and heal even the most grievous of wounds and conditions. Still, it seemed like this affliction was like a poison rather than some kind of wound. Zachary was no magical doctor or any of his own so it was hard to tell if it was working or not. Still her movements calmed and her breath returned to normal.

He could see more of her now to know she wasn't human, or rather she was a kitsune species. Similar to his Celestial Spirit Tama-- perhaps. Either way she slowly was calming down as Astral focused. The little star gave soft pants however, the healing magic exhausting to the star.

"Astral, don't push yourself, okay?" he asked, concerned for his friend too. Still, Astral finished and soon the glow lightly caressed the fox girl. As she slowly woke up, her first word was cookie.

COOKIEEEE! Astral chirped happily, as if that was his golden word that 'all was right with the world'.

"Oh brother..." Zachary sighed as he saw the star's glee. He moved over t o the fox girl and gently rubbed her shoulder. "Hey, are you okay? Do you need food or something?"

If he had pulled out a cookie-- Astral probably would pout to not get one himself. Still, he didn't have any food on him. Some people do collapse when they are low on energy or calories. To go without food was miserable. At least, any kind of pain she was in was gone for now...

Curious, Astral hovered closer to her. His cute-shaped face almost appeared like a large star-shaped cookie himself, but his face remained the same. He got closer to her face, almost right up there. Ellow? I'm Astwal! he chirped telepathically-- as any good telepathic chirp would snap most out of their 'sleep'.

WC: 360

"Hi Astral, I'm Menka," the brunette replied, as if she was on autopilot. Yet, the combined shaking of her shoulder and both of her saviours voices, both verbal and telepathic seemed to bring her back to herself. Slowly, she sat up and briefly shook her head, trying to get the cobwebs out. There was a tingling feeling all around her, the feel of magic, which she reasoned had probably come from one of her rescuers. She certainly appreciated their quick thinking, as she didn’t want to think about what would have happened if they hadn’t helped her. Her nightmare was still at the forefront of her mind and she could remember it so vividly and judging from the aches that she could start to feel throughout her body, it did seem to her like she’d run a marathon. Well, she supposed it served her right for eating something that she shouldn’t have.

Reaching out with a hand, she’d gently pet the cute little creature, if he allowed her to, while she turned her head to the human. “I’m still a little groggy but I think I’ll be alright, thanks to you two. I made the mistake of trying to eat a lacrima, instead of having it implanted properly and that’s what set me off. It was shaped and tasted like a gingerbread man so I thought that it was supposed to be eaten, guess I learned my lesson about that. All I could see were cookies after that and I felt like my insides were on fire. I owe you both for helping me out and I don’t think I’ll ever look at a cookie…?”

She was interrupted rather suddenly as the hand that she’d been petting Astral with suddenly turned to gingerbread, much to the vixen’s bemusement. “Well, that’s something new,” she uttered with a chuckle, unfazed by what had just happened. “Maybe I was supposed to eat the lacrima after all?” She had no idea either way really. Her first slayer magic had been taught first hand by her mother and she’d only heard of lacrima from people she’d met while on the road. It was only during her nightmare that she’d figured out what it was, thanks to her new friends managing to reach her in the midst of it.

Flexing her odd looking hand, she’d briefly look at the boy again and smile. He was cute and as her senses returned to her, her tails began to swish with interest. “So, Mr Hero, what’s your name?” Her voice was already starting to get back some of its usual playfulness.

(434 Words)
(2367 TWC)

She slowly came to her senses and recovered. No doubt Astral's healing magic did a great job repairing any damage this magic caused. However, what made Zachary worry was her talk about 'eating a lacryma'. His eyes were wide with that. Why would she even do something that reckless? That was purely concentrated magical energy in physical form. Of course eating it would be as good as poison to anyone's body unless you were a slayer or something?

Of course, Zachary didn't know she was one or not.

"That was stupid. I mean eating a raw lacryma even one that seems edible is dangerous. But... I'm sorry< i don't mean to be rude. You're lucky we came along and that Astral is a powerful healer." Zachary said bluntly, having been scared if she had gotten worse, she could have died. He was worried for her sake.

Still, he didn't know her well-- and only now did he realize she was a Fairy Tail member too. He was grateful they came around when they did.

What surprised him next was her hand turning into a cookie?! Astral jumped at it, and looked at it in awe-- and a hungry glare as the little star fairy was hungry. Cooookkiiieee... he hummed, the small rumble of his little tummy audible to them all.

"No-- bad Astral!" Zachary urged him away, taking a hold of him to get a little distance from the fox woman's cookie hand.

As he struggled to hold Astral back, more due to his curiousity than his hunger, he soon heared the request for his name. "Oh, hey... I'm Zachary. I'm in Fairy Tail too." he introduced himself, "And this is Astral, as you know..."

Aye! New Fwiend! Astral chirped in greeting to the foxy lady with a cherubic smile.

WC: 301

“A pleasure to meet you both,” she replied, the answer rolling off of her tongue as always. Now that she was fully alert again, it was hard for the kitsune not to look Zachary over. He was rather sweet and certainly attractive on the eye. “I’ll make sure that I avoid eating another lacrima in future,” she then said, laughing at her own stupidity a little.

He was right, of course, about her rather silly decision to eat the lacrima but Menka did her best not to dwell on that too much. In the end, everything had turned out alright and judging from her bizarre looking hand, she’d seemed to have gained the magic of the odd magical item. No doubt it was going to take some practice in order to use it properly and she had no idea about whether it would clash with her lightning slayer or not. She’d never heard of a lightning infused snack before, unless it had been a lover describing her, which caused her to think for a moment or two. Just how far did this magic go?

Noticing the rather obvious signs of Astral’s hunger, Menka would briefly tap into her new found magic and try to conjure something up for him. If her hands could turn into gingerbread, then surely she could make a treat? It was worth a go anyway and the little star shaped sweetheart had saved her life, after all. Luckily, it seemed that all of those images of cookies that had been flooding her mind turned out to be beneficial, as after a few moments or so, a large chocolate chip cookie appeared in her right hand.

“Ah ha! Success!” She laughed, pleased with her efforts and holding it out towards the hungry creature. “Here you go, Astral, a reward for saving me.”

As she held the treat out, she’d curiously look towards Zach and ask, “Is he a summon of yours?”

(325 Words)
(2993 TWC)

While the action was indeed reckless-- all that mattered was she was okay, and she was. Astral was happy too. Though it seemed the Lacryma had the odd side effect to turn her body into a cookie? If anything Astral might want to eat her-- but it was clear Astral was confused by his desire to hug a new friend-- and another to eat one. Astral was no more than a child, and easily naive as one.

Luckily as the fox woman, Menka if Zachary recalled correctly,  was now far better and soon was up and about. To focus her magic she used it to actually produce a chocolate cookie and offered it to Astral.

COOOOOOOKIIIIIIEEE!! Astral chirped with joy and happily swept up the cookie in his tiny little arms. He began to take bites of it, holding it with both his tiny arms and legs as he floated in the air and stuffed his face.

"Great... he is gonna be on a sugar rush for the rest of the day..." Zachary groaned as he rubbed his head. It was then now that Zachary could really look over the woman. She was indeed a Kitsune. It was the first time Zachary really knew another magical creature outside of Astral or his own Celestial Spirits. She was a totally different kind of fox from Tama, but just as beautiful. "Um, Miss Menka, was it? "

It was with that she asked the question about Astral. He couldn't reveal EVERYTHING about him, but he could share just the bare things. The reason why he was so special also made him a target. The less he told people openly about the star fairy's true nature, the better. "Um, no-- I am a Summoner but Astral is just a pet and friend. He's a Star Fairy. I found him in the remains of a fallen meteorite that fell in the Eastern Woods. He's actually a creature from far off in outer space. By sheer luck, he came here. "

As he rose up, and at least they were able to have a conversation. Realizing the hallway was kind of dark and dismal, Zachary wasn't sure why they were still there. "Hey, do you think we can talk somewhere a bit brighter and comfortable?"

All the while, Astral nibbled on his cookie happily, almost as big as he was. Where the food went when he ate it in that tiny body was beyond his knowledge. Still, that didn't stop the Star Fairy from enjoying his snack.

WC: 425

The vixen couldn’t help but chuckle as she watched Astral tuck in to his treat, pleased that her creation had actually tasted nice. Using her newly formed magic seemed to help calm the inner storm that there had been inside her that the clash of slayer magics had caused and they had seemed to reach an agreement as it were. She spent a few moments wracking her brains to try and remember what she’d heard regarding lacrima over the years and after a moment or two, the brunette was able to at least recall her new title. Hybrid Slayer. Yeah, that was the name. Two demon magics of completely different types. Not something she’d ever thought of happening before today but she’d make the most of the opportunity given to her.

His answer to her question about Astral’s nature caused her to twitch her ears a little. A fairy from space? That was a new one for her although as she briefly looked at the sweet creature for a moment or two, she could start to see it. He had a certain vibe to him and even his scent was a little otherworldly, something that her slayer enhanced senses could just about discover. There was a part of her that wanted to ask more about the little guy but perhaps that was something to ask when she and Zachary got to know each other a bit better. Prying was in her nature but she managed to hold that trait off for the time being. “Well, I’m certainly glad that he decided to stick around. He must have some really strong healing powers to have pulled me out of that nightmare that I was in.”

Fondly, she’d reach out to pet him again but paused as she realised that her arm was still made of gingerbread. Raising an eyebrow, she’d then focus on her limb for a moment or two, resulting in it finally returning to normal. It was a bizarre ability that she’d found herself with but perhaps it would be useful if she got into a tough spot? She’d always wanted a more supportive magic and maybe her wish had finally been granted? It was something that she’d have to play around with.

His question actually caused her to blink, turning her head around to discover that she was perched on the floor. She couldn’t really remember anything of the moments before falling unconscious besides a lot of blurry images. Honestly, she was surprised that she’d got this far. “Sure, there’s a sitting area on the ground floor, right?” The more direct part of her mind was telling her to invite him to her room instead but for once, she dismissed it. She might have been healed but her energy levels were still a little low as the episode had wiped her out quite a bit energy wise.

Standing up slightly gingerly, Menka would return to her feet, her nine tails helping her to balance if she felt a little uneasy. She was tall, almost six feet in height and as she led down the stairs, she turned to Zachary, “That’s right, Menka’s my name, I’m the newest member of the guild and still getting my bearings around here. I’ve never been in a guild before and I admit that it’s taken a bit of getting used to as I’ve just been a wandering mage up until now.” She wasn’t ashamed of that or anything and had enjoyed her time on the road. She’d never even considered becoming a member of a group until she’d met Mura and his dirty minded spirit, who she’d become very close to, much to the guildmasters chagrin.

(615 Words)
(4033 TWC)

They soon reached the main floor of Fairy Hills. The area was meant to facilitate all the social needs of those who lived in these dorms. While Zachary had aspirations to own his own place, he knew the area and why he came there to do the deliveries in the first place. There was a large living room and parlor located near the main entrance. It was pleasantly lit and decorated, accompanied by a few tables, couches, a fireplace, and bookshelves to read different books. There were even some places with lacryma screens to look up videos or search a lacryma database outside of Fairy Tail.

Zachary sat himself down on a nearby couch as he relaxed, relieved the emergency was over. Astral continued to float nearby, nibbling on the remains of his cookie. Zachary perked up as he heard indeed Menka was indeed a new member of Fairy Tail. Though Zachary still felt like a new member himself, he in fact has reached S rank faster than he expected. Perhaps it just was the amount of time, or effort he put into things, but he was thrilled to find new members to Fairy Tail. She had been a wanderer up till now and Zachary could understand that fact too. He spent a couple of months wandering before he joined Fairy Tail-- especially to find a Zodiac Key.

"Well, welcome to Fairy Tail," Zachary greeted with a broad smile, happy to meet her.

AYE!! Astral added mid-bite of his cookie, almost not skipping a beat.

Zachary chuckled at Astral's contribution as he continued. "Yeah, being new can be a bit unnerving but you'll get used to it. I been in Fairy Tail... wow, actually it's almost been a year (IC time) . A lot has happened since then but I been doing well for myself. I originally joined in the desire to learn stronger magic and grow as a wizard, but even as a kid, I heard the old stories about Fairy Tail. Even though it's not the same now, I still want to be a part of that legacy... you know?" Zachary said.

He was curious about her own magic. She was a Kitsune, possibly even from Seven as many magical creatures were known to dwell. Still, he didn't want to presume anything as well. "SO what brought you to join Fairy Tail? Oh-- and what kind of magic do you use?" he asked curiously.

WC: 408

It was definitely a spacious living room and the brunette kitsune wasted no time in perching on the couch, her tails wrapped around her form. She’d never stayed in one place long enough to really consider anywhere to be home but the vixen was slowly getting used to Fairy Tail being hers. A playful trickster by trade, she’d spent centuries exploring the various lands of the world, bewitching and toying with those she met. It had been a lifestyle that she’d never thought that she would give up until recently but now? Having a place to call her own didn’t sound quite so bad. She could still come and go as she pleased, after all, she just had to be a little more careful about who she fooled around with.

“It was actually a run in Mura that convinced me to join,” she replied, answering his questions with a chuckle, “He helped me when I was in trouble and I felt like I owed him a favour, I suppose. I’d never thought about joining a guild before then but he spoke so highly of Fairy Tail that I couldn’t help but be curious about what it was all about. I’ve got to say that it was well worth coming as I’ve learned more about myself in the last couple of weeks than in years. If I’m honest, it was one of his spirits that really connected with me and we’ve become quite close since then. I’m sure that you probably have a dirty minded spirit or two as well, right?” Her tone was light and playful, her gaze drifting over to him.

“As for my magics, well, I think that you and Astral have just helped me gain one of them,” she continued, smiling sweetly. “If I’m right, I’ve just become a Cookie Demon Slayer, as unusual as that might sound. It has the same feel as my first slayer, so I’m going to assume that it’s the same type. My first magic is Thunder Demon Slayer, a magic that I didn’t really like until recently because of the fact that it’s all about injuring people. There’s like nothing else to it than that. I’ve never been the type who likes hurting people and having a magic dedicated to that was frustrating for me. Mura helped me to see past that though and now I see that it’s not so bad. With my lightning and my cookie magics, I guess I’m a Hybrid Slayer now thanks to you two helping me out. I really do appreciate it.”

Thinking back on what Zachary had said about his own reasons for joining, she’d smirk, “Judging from your magical aura, I’m going to take a guess and say that your dreams of becoming a strong wizard have been fulfilled. You said that you were a summoner, yeah? What kind of spirits do you use?” After her experiences with Mura and his duo of spiritual friends, Menka had become incredibly fond of spirits in general and in truth, they were her kin. Kitsune were a form of spirit too, just in a different form.

(521 Words)
(4962 TWC)

Zachary had interacted with Mura a couple of times and he was indeed a good guy to get along with. Hearing how Menka got to learn more about herself as she was part of Fairy Tail made Zachary smile as Astral soon finished his cookie and cleaned up the crumbs on his face. With it, the little star fluttered softly lower-- landing in Zachary's lap.

The mention of a 'dirty spirit' however surprised Zachary, causing his eyes to widen and his face to go a little bit red. Thank GOD Sirius was not listening in on this conversation cause if he did, he wouldn't hesitate to hit on her in his pervy wolf-ness. All Zachary could do was give a nervous laugh but didn't justify her question with an answer.

"Wait a minute? You're a Slayer?" Zachary said in genuine surprise. While the cookie magic made a bit of sense now, but he was unsure what the other part was. However, as she continued, her way of thinking was surprisingly similar to his own. How magic wasn't just about destruction or harming others. Still, he admired the power that slayers possessed especially if they were trained or raised by dragons, gods or whatever it was. "That's incredible." Zachary said in amazement, Astral just looking up blankly at Menka, clueless.

THe mention of his own goals was clear that Zachary grew, but from his perspective, he still had much to learn. "Well, I am still learning magic to get better. But I am a Celestial Wizard," he said modestly, soon showing the collection of keys he had-- including the one he had around his neck-- Leo's key. "I summon Celestial Spirits."

WC: 281

A smile crossed Menka’s face once more as he blushed, seeming to imply that her comment about dirty spirits was right on the money. She didn’t tease him any further about it but made a mental note to keep an eye out if his spirits made an appearance. If any of them were like Kyuken then she’d have to keep her eyes open, not that she minded the attention of course. Her question had also given her a little window into Zachary himself and she had to admit that she was surprised that he seemed kind of shy around the subject. She’d long forgotten what it was like to be that way, if she ever had been at all. Her mother had always said that her first word had been something crude.

“Born and bred,” she replied with a chuckle as he commented on her Slayer capabilities. “My mother was adamant that I learn how to use her magic and so I had little option in truth. It’s saved my butt more than once though so I can’t complain too much. I guess it just proves that there’s at least some demon in a kitsune’s blood although I like to think that it doesn’t control us.” She’d actually asked her mother that question about what exactly they were and the answer that she’d gotten was typical, to figure it out for herself. As far as Menka was concerned, she’d come to the conclusion that it wasn’t a person’s blood that defined them, it was the choices that they made. Noticing Astral’s blank look, she simplified things for him, “I can make cookies any time I want, little guy.”

Her eyes lit up as he showed his keys to her, instantly curious about the large variety that he had. She’d always found summoners fascinating although her opinion had been dulled a bit by a maniac who’d thought that she was one. Luckily, she’d been able to get away from him and Mura had taken him later but still, the encounter had left a slight mark upon her. Still, she knew that not all summoners were like that and given how much love and care that Zachary showed to Astral, Menka had no doubts that he treated his spirits in exactly the same way. “That’s quite a collection you have, Zachary,” she complimented, whistling at his collection, before nodding towards the one around his neck, “I take it that one is a little different from the others?”

(416 Words)
(5659 TWC)

Zachary smiled at her general outlook on magic. Zachary felt he truly understand what Menka had brought up about magic being beyond destruction or offense. It was a power meant to do miracles. Returning to that part, he spoke up something important. "My mom was the one to first teach me how to summon Celestial Spirits. She is one too. But one thing she taught me, was that magic was not meant for destruction. It was meant to bring people together. That's what I believe, and why Celestial Spirits was perfect magic for me. The stronger the bond, the stronger they become too." he explained with a pleased smile.

Feeling the warmth of Zachary's words, Astral gave a soft coo of happiness as he fluttered up from his lap and expressed a cheerful spin. The mention of cookies again of course spurred him on, but Zachary soon reached up to hold him again. "You had enough for now."

Awwww... Astral cooed, disappointed.

The mention of the keys indeed was something Zachary was proud of. He had shown her the regular keys he collected-- Amythest, Aquila, Cetus, Ursa, and Pegasus. The ones around his neck were one of a kind. Special. "Well the silver ones on my keyring here are from the magic shops, technically. Point being they are easier to get. These here," he explained emphasizing the 2 keys around his neck, "Are one of a kind. One is a forign key from another world entirely and this-- well is one of the 12 Zodiac. I'm currently contracted to the Zodiac King of the Lion's Gate, Leo." Zachary explained in detail.

WC: 272

“I wish my mum had taught me the same lesson,” Menka replied, her smile fading somewhat, “Her training was always about building me up to be some kind of monster or something, always trying to bring out my more aggressive tendencies in order to become strong. Honestly, I never believed that and after a while, I think it drove us apart. We no longer speak at all and it’s been years since I last saw her, horrible old bitch. I much prefer your mum’s approach and I hope that with this new cookie magic, I can hopefully start to help rather than harm.” This new magic felt like it was built for support and judging from the fact that Astral hadn’t felt any side effects from eating her creations, she was confident that was the case. Of course, it would take time to discover its secrets but she’d figure them out in the end.

The kitsune’s spirits were soon picked up though by the interaction between Zachary and Astral, with the vixen having to fight off the temptation to try and create another cookie on the spot for the little star. She hated seeing him frown but she promised herself that she’d come up with an extra special treat for him, the next time they met. It was rather odd that she was suddenly so eager to explore her magics, given how long she’d try to pretend they didn’t exist for so long. Her short time in Fairy Tail had tweaked her views about a lot of things and this was just another example. Still, these changes didn’t feel bad or anything like that, they’d just surprised her. “I’ll make you another one later if you’re good, little guy,” she promised the star with a chuckle.

She tilted her head as she listened to his explanation about his spirits, her curiosity piqued even further by what she was hearing. “The Zodiac are like the top of the tree, right?” The vixen asked, “You must have a heart of gold in order to have gotten him to make a contract I bet.” She’d been around long enough to recognise a kind soul when she saw one and as her mind naturally linked the lion to courage, the brunette was willing to bet that Zachary was formidable too when he had to be. She was glad that at least one of the Zodiac was with a noble soul, as the thought of them being contracted with the last summoner she’d met caused her to cringe. The talk of summons did briefly bring up the idea of whether it was a type of magic that she could tap into herself although given her bad habits, perhaps it wasn’t a good idea.

(459 Words)
(6390 TWC)

Zachary couldn't help but blush over that compliment. True, he was kinder than most and often was too much for his own good at times. Leo would often patronize him for it, saying how he had to temper that kindness or it would get him into trouble. It was a big adventure to find his key, let alone earn his trust to prove he was worthy to be his friend as well as his owner.

As they talked, Astral got more comfortable with Menka. Perhaps it was the cookie that won him over, but he always had a drawn quality to those who were kind and good. Enough to know he was safe around them. Floating in the air, the little star plopped down from the air and right between Menka's fluffy ears, letting out a soft coo of happiness as he relaxed there.

Honored to talk about his magic, Zachary was well versed and was more knowledgable about Celestial Wizards than most other wizards of his kind. He could talk about it for hours if he let himself go too far. "Indeed. Leo the Lion is among the 12 dominant spirits of the Zodaic, so his golden key is one of a kind. However, what people don't know there are lesser spirits of the same constellations. Kind of like heirs or retired spirits of the same type. While they don't measure up t o the same level of a full-fledge Zodiac spirit, they are still part of it all the same. That and many other Celestial Spirits undiscovered due to lost or forgotten constellations in the sky." he explained proudly as he held his keys. "Not only that-- but I am the only celestial wizard around who knows how to perform 'Stellar Evolution' which temporarally grants them a tremendous boost in power t hat could even surpass other Zodiac spirits. It's like I said, my bond with them makes them stronger." he explained.

Stellaw Ewolutiown! Astral cheered incorrectly in his telepathic talk, as he remembered the term and result quite well. He loved the excitement it caused when Zachary used that spell on a Celestial Spirit.

He reined in his excitement with a clearing of his throat and put away his spirit keys. "Anyway, I am also currently studying a branch of Lost Magic similar to Celestial Wizardry. A magic called the "Arc of Cosmos", and its not an easy thing to learn. Its very complex magic and so far I only been able to use a small handfull of the spells, but they borrow power from the same magic that governs the Celestial Spirits too. " he explained.

WC: 441

The vixen couldn’t help but blink in surprise as the little star decided to plonk himself down between them but it was more out of amusement than anything else. She had no issue with him sitting there and with a smile, she’d try and tickle the chirpy sprite with her luxurious ears. It hadn’t taken long at all for her to become fond of Astral and honestly, that was how it tended to be with most people. Hatred was just a waste of energy in her opinion and life was much more fun if you just kept an open mind and tried to get on with those around you. Sure, it didn’t always work but Menka tried regardless. She could probably count the people she absolutely despised on one hand.

Menka was glad that she was at least in the right ballpark about just how strong the Zodiacs spirits were. However, Zachary’s depth of knowledge obviously dwarfed her own and the kitsune was soon trying to get her head around what he was saying. It made sense although the brunette would be the first to admit that she wasn’t an expert on the subject. Well, it looked like she knew someone now that she could ask about the topic if she ever had any questions on it. She couldn’t help but admire his dedication to the subject though and tilted her head with curiosity as he spoke about his experimentation into an entirely new stage of summoning magic. “So this boost that the spirits get is like what I get when I use Demon Force?” She asked. Her question was sincere but she had to hide a smile as she recalled the last time she’d used her strongest form. The effect that it had on her had been more than she’d bargained for. It had caused her to...well, become more dirty minded than usual, as the Guildmaster had found out.

She was a little confused by his second magic though and decided to ask about the subject a little more, “I don’t quite get this Arc Of Cosmos magic of yours. Do you, like, use the power of spirits to boost you rather than the other way around or use the power of the stars themselves? I got to admit that this might be a little beyond me, as I’ve never been a bookworm.” A self deprecating joke but it couldn’t have been more true. The thought of studying caused her to cringe for the most part.

(418 Words)
(7249 TWC)

"Um, not sure if it is similar to a Slayer's force boost, but it is formidable. They undergo a powerful physical transformation or a major boost to their innate abilities or gain new abilities, depending on the nature of the spirit itself." he explained as best as he could. He forgot not everyone was as well versed in the terms or topics he would go into. As Menka could surmise, he was a bookish type. He would spend hours researching and studying the spirits and magic. It only proved how much he loved magic.

He chuckled embarrassed as she mentioned the Arc of Cosmos was a bit over her head and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that. It does a bit of both because the Celestial Spirits get their magic from the stars, to begin with so both. Anyway, with any lost magic, it is difficult to master, so I am doing what I can to research it thourally before I try any big spells. " he explained.

Zachary smiled as he saw Menka though. "Though I bet being a Slayer has some cool benefits too. I hope to meet a dragon someday so I do really love hearing about Dragon Slayers." he explained.

They had gotten close in a rather short time, and he could easily tell she was someone nice in the guild, not like some of the rougher or rugged members who would tease him for overworking himself. Plus, she was nice, and Astral had already started to get comfortable with her. She sort of reminded him of Master Samira-- the Wizard Saint and th e person currently his teacher. While in separate guilds, they had formed a mutual friendship and respect for one another, and Zachary was thrilled to be under her guidance.

"But I'm glad you are really getting comfortable with Fairy Tail. If you need my help for anything, or even Astral for healing, we be more than happy to help. " he explained enthusiastically, "Maybe we can do a job sometime. We probably can help one another out in the guild. Plus I may have a spirit or two who can use lightning if thatt helps you. "

WC: 372

His explanation helped quite a bit and Menka felt that she had at least some kind of grasp of how his magic’s worked. Comparing it to Slayer Force made it much easier for her to understand and they sounded like a fun pair of magics to use. She hoped that she’d get the chance to see them in action herself one day, as her curiosity was well and truly piqued. The vixen couldn’t help but ponder if maybe he had his own kitsune spirit that he could summon. It wouldn’t have surprised her and given that she’d been mistaken for a celestial spirit in the past, the idea didn’t sound too far fetched. “I hope that I get to see the results of all of your hard work one day,” she replied sweetly, finding the passion and commitment that he put into studying his magic cute.

Smiling, she’d briefly raise her hands with the aim being to hopefully move the adorable little star into her lap if he allowed it. The kitsune had no idea what his reaction would be but given how affectionate he was being towards her, she thought it’d be OK. There was clearly a lot of mystery surrounding Zach’s friend and although the brunette knew better than to pry too much into the subject, she was interested nonetheless. One thing was for sure though, he and Zach made one adorable pairing and the vixen had no doubt that they were meant to be together. Pure souls tended to seek out one another, in her experience anyway.

“Oh, being a Slayer has its charms although I have to say that it took me a long time to discover them,” Menka commented, “You’ve got to make a connection between yourself and the element that you wish to control. I suppose in a way it’s like the bond that you make with your spirits. In order to gain control of my Thunder Slayer, I had to understand the personality of lightning, something that took me a long time to do. It can be wild and unpredictable but when I looked deeper, I realised that it’s just like an energetic child who struggles to focus on anything. My job is just to be the anchor point for it, directing the energy and using it for good.” She wasn’t sure if her description made all that much sense but that’s honestly how it had been for her.

In answer to his wish to meet a dragon, Menka chuckled lightly, “When I was young, my mum took me to meet a dragon, hoping that he would pass on his wisdom to me. An enormous creature, covered in scales that looked like metal and his voice was deep enough to make the ground shake. I’d never seen anything like him before and my mum was pretty forceful when telling me about how to speak to him, saying that we had to be respectful to him and all that. I didn’t pay too much attention to that and so when we finally reached him, instead of being respectful, I said instead, “Holy shit. You and your mate must cause an earthquake when you’re in the mood.” Needless to say, he didn’t like that very much and we had to get out of there pretty quick.” Smirking, she’d soon add, “They do have awfully short tempers.”

“A job sounds fun,” she’d go on to say, “I’m still kind of new when it comes to the whole guild deal but I’m always game to get out there and do something. I admit that I’d like the chance to meet some of your spirits too. After hearings so much about your magic, I have to say that I’m curious.”

(623 Words)
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Astral gave a soft, playful squeak as he was picked up and placed in the kitsune's lap, not resisting as he could sense the nature of his new friend. He had nothing to fear to be coddled and played with by this person. However, if she knew the truth, would she treat him the same way? A friend or lovable creature if he carried the secret to eternal life?

Her explanation of Lightning Slayer Magic was fascinating. To understand and be entwine with an element on that level was impressive. He knew elements had living qualities but they were intimate with it that it becomes a part of them. That was what made Slayers so incredible. However, the conversation went to a very odd direction when she brought up the dragon. At first, Zachary was in awe-- then next he went red in the face at the mention of 'in the mood' and 'earthquake'. Even for his age, he got the euphemism. "Er, um... that's good to know, I think. Thanks..." He didn't know what was worse, the anger they had or the fact she mentioned the dirty parts.

Curious, Astral saw Zachary's reaction and gently flew up . Zachawy...? Why is youw face wed? he asked, looming closer to notice the red flush in his face.

Zachary stammered, backing up in his seat. "Er, Astral! I'm not red!" Zachary denied, but clearly he was.

Wed Wed! Hehehehe! Astral giggled telepathically, despite the unknown fact what it was about. Astral clearly was too young to really GET why he was embarrassed.

At the mention of his spirits, Zachary felt it was a good idea then to go out and maybe make their way to the guild hall. On the way, they could stop in the rear part of the hall and he could show her some of his magic in person-- really anything to get off the uncomfortable topic she was hinting on. "Um, why don't we go to the guildhall. While we are there, I can have a bit more room to... well, summon my spirits out. Maybe I can even show you some of my magic if you want a demonstration. " he offered, being a good way to get out there and change the subject. That and he had the urge to go on another big job and adventure. To have her as a companion to rely on wouldn't be a bad thing in the least. Let alone she was a slayer, capable of any kind of feat he would imagine.

WC: 425

The reaction to her story was absolutely priceless and Menka had to chuckle as Astral took it upon himself to question Zach on why his face had turned red. Oh, the vixen knew all too well why as well and knew that she knew then that she was going to have an awful lot of fun with her new friends. The summoner's shyness was so sweet and it had honestly been some time since she’d met someone quite so innocent. Well, someone who was old enough to understand anyway. For some reason, she tended to attract the lewdest of souls towards her, not that she’d ever complain about that but it had left her with a certain way of speaking. Her mind just couldn’t help but drift towards the dirty and she couldn’t help but wonder about just how Zach and herself would get on as job partners. Should she try to tone things down a bit? Maybe but trying and succeeding were two completely different things.

“Oh, I think you are,” Menka added, just to make things worse, her crimson orbs shining with mirth.

She didn’t need to be a genius to be able to see through his attempts at changing the subject but the brunette let the matter go anyway. She’d had her fun and honestly didn’t want to make him squirm too much. If it wasn’t for Zach and Astral after all, who knew what state she’d be in now? The thought of seeing his spirits in action right there and then did interest her though and she was more than willing to change location in order to see them in the flesh or whatever their bodies were made out of. The vixen wasn’t quite sure what she was in for and after her interactions with Kyuken, she’d learned that they could be quite a forward thinking bunch. Well, if that was the case and one of Zach’s spirits was the fun loving type then maybe she could get to know them a little better? The thought of Zach’s reaction to that brought a slight smirk to her face.

“Sounds like a plan to me,” the kitsune went on to say, pushing herself up to her feet and then turning to her new friends. Her energy levels seemed to be back to normal by now and the vixen felt fit and healthy again. Healthy enough to once again give Zach a brief look over before focusing back on the task at hand and starting to lead the way to the guild hall, having remembered the way by now, asking a question along the way, “So, how many spirits can you actually summon at the same time when things get rough?”


(454 Words)
(9123 TWC)

The day was quite beautiful and beat being couped up in "Fairy Hills". It was nice and all but Zachary preferred the brighter outdoors. The air was cool and pleasant and the breeze was perfect as they walked. While they did, Astral happily flew through the air in loop-de-loops and circles around them as they walked. The little guy was a perpetual engine of happiness.

Fairy Tail wouldn't take more than fifteen minutes to reach as they ventured further. As they walked, she asked how many spirits he could summon. It was a complicated question for Zachary as he looked up at the sky to ponder a correct answer. "That's a difficult question to answer," he stated plainly, as they walked down the hill to the guild hall. "Normally, a Celestial Wizard's strength is reflected in the number of spirits they can summon at once. IN that regard I could do two or three at most." he shared. He had seen others use stronger summons all at the same time. "But then again, the reason I'm special among them is because of my Stellar Evolution abilities. I didn't see the point in summoning multiple creatures all at the same time, but using magic to naturally enhance one's own potential. Still, I am of the opinion of quality over quanity. You know what I mean? Not in my spirits of course but I mean in my skill to use them." he explained.

They soon arrived at the Fairy Tail Guild hall-- and it was as roudy as ever. People coming in and out, drinking and partying. Zachary, being a bookish and rule-abiding type most of the time, was never as roudy as his fellow members. Still, it was nice to know things were so lively in Fairy Tail. "Ugh... guess some things never change," Zachary commented at the lively group.

Aye! Astral aggreed, plopping down on Zachary's head.

WC: 318

“Oh yeah, quality is always important,” the kitsune replied with a laugh, the look in her eye implying a second meaning behind her words. It was fascinating to hear his opinion about his own skills and style although she didn’t quite agree. Surely having options was better than putting all your eggs in one basket, right? Menka had always believed that anyway and had managed to survive through the centuries by keeping her mind open. How many fights had she avoided due to her wits? Quite a few. She didn’t comment on it further though and simply turned her gaze skyward to admire the view. It was a lovely day and after her rough morning, the chance to get some fresh air did wonders for her.

A smile broke out upon her face once again as the trio entered the hall and the hustle and bustle of the rowdy members filled her eyes and ears. She actually felt quite at home among them and had already got to know a few of the regulars on a personal level. The brunette had spent more than a few evenings drinking at the bar and she had no doubt that there’d be a lot more of them to come. Hmm, maybe she should try her hand at barkeeping one day since she spent so much time there already? It was something to think about, she mused and as a few of the members turned around and waved at her, Menka would wave her tails in return. They were such a friendly bunch and Menka couldn’t be happier to be one of the group. “Nothing wrong with a little rowdiness,” she commented cheerfully, “Better than the place having the atmosphere of a church.”

Still, with so many folks around, it wasn’t the best place for Zach to be able to show his magic off and so the red eyed vixen led then onwards towards the training area. A place that she hadn’t spent much time herself but that would soon change, as eager as she was to play around with her new magic. It didn’t feel right to think about Cookie Slayer seriously and so she didn’t. The personality of cookies was one that was sugary sweet after all and the kitsune had decided to view it in that way. Funnily enough, that was the same way that she thought of Astral too.

Minutes passed and the trio soon arrived at the training ground and that was when Menka would turn to Zach. “OK then,” her voice playful, “Let’s see your magic at work.”

(431 Words)
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While the guild was as busy as ever, they soon reached the training grounds outside of tthe building. While there were some in the upstairs area, Zachary preferred a wide-open space outside-- with plenty of room for his spirits to move around in. Some of them were quite large, especially after Stellar Evolution was used.

With Menka's words to use his magic, to show her what he was made of, he paused. Astral fluttered overhead, looking at Zachary ponder what he would do. Reaching into his pocket, he wondered how to proceed. "Alright... um, which spirit should I use to demonstrate?" he thought aloud. The last time he demonstrated it, it was to the guild master here. Still, outside he had more freedom to show Menka. Flipping through his keys, he soon found one acceptable. "This one should do."

Holding the key forward, he pointed it skyward-- the key with an eagle's head engraved on the base. "Open, gate of the Eagle. AQUILA!!" he called.

From a flash of light and poof of smoke, celestial light took shape and an eagle's cry cut through the air. From it, a brown and white colored eagle emerged from the smoke, flying a circle around them. "Ey! Z-BOY! Good to see you!" The eagle cried and flew towards him.

Zachary extended his left arm and the eagle perched on it without any hesitation. Astral cheered as the eagle appeared. Aquiwa! he cheered.

"Ello to you too-- butterball," Aquila teased, clearly being a wize-cracking, talkative bird before Menka.

WC: 255

Menka had to laugh as the bird made his presence known and started dishing out greetings to his summoner and Astral. Clearly this bird had a ton of personality and the brunette couldn’t help but wonder if that was a running theme when it came to spirits as a whole. Kyuken certainly had it in spades and Aquaila seemed to as well. If she was honest, the idea of perhaps purchasing a key for herself was becoming more and more appealing. To be able to summon a friend at will was certainly tempting and would make her solo missions much more tolerable. If there was one thing that the vixen struggled with, it was isolation. It was something to certainly consider although how on Earthland you went about making a contract with a spirit was beyond her. Was it the same as how regular contracts worked? Something to ask later perhaps.

“Well, aren’t you a charmer,” she said with a chuckle, her red eyed gaze falling upon the large bird that was now perched on Zach’s arm. He was a majestic looking spirit although Menka had to smile at the fact that his appearance and attitude seemed to clash a bit. Aquila looked so regal but judging from his speech, he didn’t have that pompous attitude that a lot of nobility seemed to have which was definitely a plus in the vixen’s opinion. She’d never had a great opinion of the so-called higher classes as they tended to just be a royal pain in the ass.

Stepping forwards to get a closer look at Zach’s new spirit, Menka would then try tapping into her magic and try to make another cookie. She had no idea if eagles could even eat cookies but it was the thought that counted, right? Her right hand would briefly shimmer for a second before an oat cookie would appear in her grasp, a completely different type from the first time she had tried it. How odd. Anyway, she’d hold the treat out towards the bird spirit as a sign of friendship, introducing herself in the process, “I’m Menka. Nice to meet you, Aquila.” She half expected the bird to reply with a smart alec comment but that was OK, she could take it.

(379 Words)
(10506 TWC)