Vivi groaned as light penetrated her eyelids. Her eyes fluttered open with the world being a bit blurry before it all cleared up. She looked up seeing palm trees and a clear blue sky above her. She's alive. She then blinked when realizing that Gray was sitting beside her.
"You're awake." He said looking down at her. "Good. You nearly gave me a heart attack back there."
He frowned remembering when he finally managed to get free from those ropes. He had grabbed Vivi and fought to get them both to the surface. After that another wave hit sending all of them to shore. When they had first arrived, he had been panicked. He had to hurry and preform CPR on Vivi who had gotten water into her lungs. He had managed to get her to expel that water out, but she hadn't woken up. He remained at her side for the rest of the night. But he's just glad she's awake now.
"What happened again?" Vivi asked as she sat up slowly.
"Vivi!" Natsu exclaimed while jumping in front of her. "We made it! Come on, let's go exploring."
With her fatigue suddenly gone, Vivi hopped to her feet to looked at Natsu excitedly.
"Let's do it!" She agreed as she grinned widely.
"Did you two really forget why we're really here already?!" Lucy demanded.
Lucy sighed shaking her head. She's starting to wonder if the reward is going to be worth it.
"Right, sorry, Lulu." Vivi said as she scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
Lucy accepted her apology while bringing out the job request to look back over the details again.
"Apparently, there's only one village on this entire island." Lucy said. "The village chief is the one who originally put in the request. So, I guess we need to try and find him."
That sounded like a plan to Vivi. The sooner they find the guy in charge, the sooner they can get started on the mission.
"Not so fast," Gray said as he finally stood up.
"Give it up, Gray." Natsu said. "You can't take us back to the guild now that our boat's been destroyed."
Yep, someone from the guild would have to come get them now. And there's no telling when they'll finally be able to get someone to do that. Master will probably wait until Erza returns, which might take more than a minute.
"You're right." Gray said. "I'm coming with you."
As the three wizards and one fluffy feline looked at Gray in shock, Gray grinned.
"There's no way I'm going to let the three of you clowns make S-Class before I do." Gray said. "And if you were kicked out, the guild would be pretty boring."
Vivi let out a laugh as he said that while putting her arm around Natsu' shoulders.
"You hear that, Natsu." Vivi said. "Frosty is basically saying he'd miss us!"
Natsu laughed realizing the same thing, and their teasing had Gray blushing in embarrassment.
"Shut-up and let me finish!" He snapped.
Both Natsu and Vivi tried to muffle their laughter, but it was obviously hard for them to do as their shoulders shook. Gray frowned though then gave a sigh.
"Anyway, Gramps will be upset, but if we pull this off, he won't stay mad at us for long." Gray finished.
Natsu and Vivi exchanged a glance with both of them grinning simultaneously as Happy jumped behind them in excitement. Even Lucy smiled while glad her friends were all on the same page now.
"Let's go." Gray said.
"Yeah/Aye!" Natsu and Happy agreed in unison.
𖦹𖦹𖦹
Vivi and the others stood outside a large wooden wall. She had to tilt her head way back just to look at the top.
"Well, we found the village." Gray said. "Now what?"
Well, Vivi didn't see a doorbell or a doorknocker anywhere on this thing. Just the sign that read 'keep out'.
"Check out this gate." Natsu said. "When they say keep out they meant it."
"Anyone home?!" Lucy called out. "We came here to help you!"
No one replied to Lucy's calls, and Vivi didn't see any movement at all. Didn't they have guards patrolling or anything? They couldn't all be sleeping, right? Vivi tilted her head to the side then exchanged a look with Natsu. A silent conversation seemed to pass through the two that led to the two grinning deviously.
"Let's bust in." They said in unison as they faced the gate with their fists raised.
"No way!" Lucy denied.
Vivi and Natsu both sighed as they crossed their arms over their chests. Gees, Lucy just takes the fun out of everything.
"Who goes there?!" Someone from above called down.
The group looked up spotting that two men had finally appeared at the top of the gate.
"We're mages from Fairy Tail responding to your request!" Lucy called.
"Why weren't we notified when you accepted the job?!" The man called down.
"Must be an error in the paperwork." Vivi said smoothly when Lucy didn't look sure what to say.
Gray nodded in agreement because he had been thinking the exact same thing to say.
"Then let me see your emblems, right now!" The man ordered.
Vivi raised her fist up to show her Fairy Tail emblem that was located on her inner wrist. Gray had to lift his shirt to show his, and Lucy held her hand high in the air. Natsu turned to show off the mark on his shoulder, and Happy had to move his pack off his back to show his mark.
"They're here!" the guards said in unison. "They're really here!"
Moments later the doors started to open up for the Fairy Tail wizards.
"It's like we're walking into a giant monsters mouth!" Happy said.
"Are you trying to freak me out?!" Lucy demanded.
Vivi chuckled with a grin on her face as Lucy was frowning at Happy for his comment. As they were walking in they saw the villagers, who were all cloaked, there to greet them.
"I'm Moka the Village chief." Said one of the smaller figures. "On behalf of everyone here, I welcome you. Pleasantries aside, there's something you need to see. Now, my people!"
All the villagers shed their cloaks, and Vivi's eyes narrowed when seeing they all had disfigured limbs or other body parts.
"It's just like what happened to the boat guy." Gray said.
"Oh wow, your sideburns!" Natsu gasped in shock.
Gray and Lucy frowned at Natsu because he was completely ignoring the demonic-like arm over… sideburns, really? Vivi just chuckled at her friend.
"Natsu, I think he's trying to show us what happened to his arm." Vivi said as she placed her hand on Natsu's shoulder.
The chief nodded as Lucy was glad that at least Vivi was taking all of this seriously.
"Though I admit, those are pretty impressive sideburns." Vivi said.
Lucy nearly fell over in shock as Natsu laughed while nodding in agreement. Gray just sighed wondering why he was surrounded by idiots.
"Will you two just focus?!" Lucy snapped.
Natsu and Vivi practically pouted at Lucy as they wished she'd just lighten up.
"Everyone on the island has suffered horrible disfigurement because of this curse." Moka said. "Not even the animals have been spared!"
Vivi's eyes lit up as she wondered what kind of monster animals were running around the island. She wondered if she could fight with some of them! Though probably not with Lucy and Gray keeping her and Natsu on a tight leash.
"Excuse me for asking, but what makes you think it's a curse, sir?" Gray asked. "It could just be some kind of infectious disease."
"We've consulted with several doctors, young man." Moka said. "But they all agree that no such disease exist. You see, our symptoms began around the same time the moon fell under an evil spell."
The moon? Vivi frowned as she looked up at the moon wondering who would have to power to cast an evil spell on the moon. It seemed impossible. Power could be drawn from the moon, but Vivi had never heard of anyone casting a spell on it.
"What kind of spell?" Lucy asked.
"Since ancient times this island has absorbed the light of the moon." Moka said. "Causing it glow as beautifully as the moon itself. However, several years ago, the moons color started to change, and an eerie purple glow was cast upon the island."
"So the moon turned purple?" Natsu asked.
Vivi then noticed that a purple light started to peek down from above, so she and the others looked up to see said purple moon coming out from the clouds.
"It's coming out from under the clouds." Happy said.
"It really is purple." Lucy said once the clouds moved off of it completely.
The island then started to glow the same purple, which cast and eerie glow around them. Lucy whimpered a bit while moving closer to Vivi.
"Man that's creepy looking." Gray said.
"Thank-you, Captain Obvious." Vivi muttered sarcastically.
Gray frowned at Vivi as she stuck her tongue out at him.
"It's the curse." Moka said. "Stand back. The change is about to begin."
Change? Vivi didn't like the sound of that one bit, and neither did her guildmates. All the villagers started crying out as their bodies transformed even more. Lucy latched onto Vivi's arm looking completely freaked.
"They're changing!" Gray exclaimed.
"Yeah, I can see that." Lucy said.
"Why is this happening to them?" Natsu asked.
"I don't know, but we have to find out." Vivi decided.
Gray nodded in agreement as the villagers finally stopped transforming. The villagers that were once human were now demonic.
"I'm sorry if our appearance frightens you." Moka said.
Vivi frowned sympathetically towards the villagers as they looked away seemingly ashamed of their appearance.
"It's okay." Gray said. "I'm just completely confused."
"You poor people." Lucy said.
Vivi nodded in agreement as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Oh man, you guys… look so cool!" Natsu said.
Everyone started at him in shock, but Vivi turned around trying to hold in laughter. Lucy's mouth dropped open feeling stunned that Vivi could be laughing at a time like this.
"It's awesome!" Natsu said. "You guys got horns and stuff. I'm so jealous!"
This had Vivi nearly laughing harder because she always found it funny when Natsu would say something inappropriate at times like these. The villagers murmured together not sure how to take the compliments.
"Natsu, you're being insensitive!" Lucy scolded. "They don't want to look like this."
"Seriously?" Natsu said then chuckled. "My bad. I guess we should help these people."
"That is why we're here." Happy reminded him.
Vivi then cleared her throat as she stood back onto her feet after she could control herself.
"Yeah, Nats, it's time to be serious." She said patting Natsu on the shoulder.
"I don't want to hear it from you!" Lucy said. "You were just laughing two seconds ago."
Vivi grinned sheepishly as she scratched the back of her head like Natsu who looked equally as sheepish. Lucy hung her head in exasperation.
"Gees, get a clue." Gray grumbled.
Vivi made a face at Gray as she stuck out her tongue going 'bleh!', and Gray frowned at her.
"Anyway, as you've witnessed, when the purple moon shows its face in the sky, everyone in the village takes on a horrific demon form." Moka said as some of the villagers started crying. "If it isn't a curse then what else could it possibly be?"
Vivi was really serious by now when she saw how much these people were suffering. She definitely couldn't leave this island now until they helped these people. Though to be honest, Chris probably would have been better for this mission. Demonic things were kind of his thing.
"We'll return to normal once the morning comes and the sun has risen." Moka said. "However, there are some poor souls who can no longer return to their human forms for they have lost their minds."
"That's so sad." Lucy said.
"The fate for them, the unfortunate souls in the grip of madness, we have no choice but to put them to death." Moka said.
Vivi and the others all stiffened and gasped in surprise. They've had to kill some of the villagers? But…
"But they might change back to normal someday." Natsu said finishing Vivi's thoughts.
"If we wait for that to happen, the monsters will surely kill us all. We've tried capturing them, but they always broke free." Moka said, then brought out a photo as tears ran down his face. "It's no use. Once it takes hold, there's no way to save them. I should know. I was forced to kill my very own son."
Vivi wasn't the only person to recognize the guy on the photo in Moka's hands.
"It's that guy from the boat." Lucy said. "But we just saw him yesterday. He—"
Gray shushed Lucy as Vivi reached out to place her hand on Lucy's shoulder. Lucy glanced at them in confusion.
"Now, I understand how he disappeared on us like that." Gray said. "He's dead, but his soul can't rest in peace."
Vivi frowned because it wasn't impossible for people to hang around after their deaths. However, something was bothering her about this.
"Please, lift the curse from the island." Moka said as he hung his head. "If this goes on any longer, we may all fall victim to it. We'll die."
"We're not going to let that happen." Natsu said. "We'll fix this, I promise you."
"There's only one way this ancient curse can be lifted." Moka said. "The moon…the moon must be wiped from the sky."
The Fairy Tail group looked at the chief wondering if he was being serious. Vivi didn't even think Makarov could pull off something like that. Besides, the world needs the moon just as much as the sun.