Size didn't matter

Chapter 2: Teamwork

Romeo collapsed tiredly onto the sandy beach of Mammoth Island. His arms were cramping up and he couldn't feel his fingers. Even so he quickly scrambled up and made his way inward the island. He couldn't fathom the idea of his temporary team mate getting hurt. The thought of Natsu-nii hating him was simply unbearable.

Or so he told himself that was the reason.

Romeo dug into his trouser pockets and pulled out a small book. On its cover block letters stretched across the hardcover 'Pocket Guide to Fiore's Sunshine islands'. Romeo quickly scanned the contents page and opened up to the chapter titled Mammoth Island. The young mage flipped through a few more pages before yelling in triumph, finding a page with a picture of the large bird that had kidnapped his partner.

"Mammoth bird." He murmured.

He stared deadpanned at the page. The person who discovered this island had serious issues. "Scientific name: Mammothial birdis."

"..."

Romeo decided he wasn't going to read out the information aloud anymore, it was plain sad that anyone would have such appalling naming sense. He's sharp eyes skimmed the information before closing the book and then shoving it in his pockets.

"Stupid book not even worth 500 jewels."

Alright so he just had to look for a spotted pear tree with a nest. Romeo narrowed his eyes. The trees on this Island were incredible large, even for trees.

"Oiii, WHERE ARE YOUU!" He shouted through the trees. "IF YOU'RE HEAR GIVE ME A YELL!"

He frowned when he was answered with silence.

Romeo sighed and then closed his eyes and summoned his rainbow fire magic.

"Rainbow Magic, brown flame!"

Brown fire material in front of him, similar to small platforms and he scattered them around him, increasing in gradient. Romeo climbed them like stairs and gained some height, until he was as tall as the average tree. Romeo looked around the premise trying to spot a large bird and a black haired girl.

"Oi." Romeo grumbled and then an idea popped up into his head. So stupid and lame that it might work. "MARCO!"

He put up a hand to his ears and listened. He finally detected her voice, shouting back a faint 'polo' in return.

What a simple girl.

He let out a smirk and then let his solid brown fire magic disappear after stepping back down again. He ran south, following the sound of her voice.

Wendy was absolutely petrified. The claws which had picked her up bounded her up like a cage. The bird had to be at least the size of the Fairy Tail guild. What on earth could she do against a beast as large as this.

Wendy could her Romeo shout out her name. Wendy had tried to answer his call with yells of her own. She wasn't used to yelling and knew that her voice didn't reach him with him calling her name once again. Her throat burned and she coughed to try and clear it.

Wendy sighed depressed and chided herself for always causing trouble. She was trying to make a new nakama but she was doing a very horrid job of it. She thought to herself that by the time they finish the mission Romeo would be sick of her and she would be hated again.

The wind carried his latest call. Her head perked up immediately and her eyes wide.

"Marrcooooo!"

She heard it crystal clear and Wendy found a rush of energy surg within her. He had disapproved the name before, but now he was using it for her sake. She knew he would make fun of her for taking such a petty thing to heart, but she was more than happy to let him at this point.

Wendy furrowed her eyebrows determinedly and took a deep in and with all her might she yelled out an answer. It was the loudest she'd ever yell out before.

She knew the bird was carrying her further and further away from her partner.

Wendy wished she were stronger and that she could do something about her current predicament. Her captor was soon surrounded by other birds and she noticed that they were travelling straight anymore. The larger bird was flapping violently, hovering in one spot as it was surrounded by other birds. The smaller birds all swooping the larger bird and Wendy hung onto one of the talons to stop herself from tumbling around too much.

"OIIIII!" A distant voice called out.

Her eyes widened to see a large bird heading towards them. She spied a black haired figure on top of it, its feathers in his grip. Her heart nearly stopped in relief. He actually cared enough to come to her rescue despite all the trouble she put him in.

Her lips were set in a straight line, her eyes now burning with determination. She was feeling more secure now that Romeo was there and she took a deep breath in.

"Sky dragon roar!" Wendy yelled out and the wind magic managed to damage the bird enough to make it let go of her. She was finally free from its talons but realised all too late that it had let her go in the middle of the sky and she was now faced with a horrible plunge towards land.

Wendy let out a loud shriek, her hair blowing around her face wildly, wind rushing up falling head first rocketing towards the trees. She squeezed her eyes shut but her body fell into a pair of strong arms and then enveloped in a soft bed of feathers.

Her eyes snapped open to see Romeo sprawled out with her in his arms on top of a mass of beautiful red feathers, reminding her of a sea of fire.

"O-o-oh. Romeo-kun!" She gasped, a smile of relief fresh on her face.

"Jeez, you just had to get yourself snatched by a giant bird!"

"Sorry." She sighed dejectedly feeling like she was bringing the team down.

Romeo obviously sensed this and then shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Don't worry about it, we were going to go this direction anyway..." He grumbled.

Wendy still realised that she was in his arms and with a blush she quickly scrambled up. Romeo was more muscular than she had first thought. Romeo hand gotten up and wound his arms around her petite body to grip the bird's feathers. She was in a more strange position now sitting between his legs and incased in his arms.

She saw that he didn't make it out to be anything more than friendly and she let out a sigh.

"We gotta get to the middle of the island if we want to find the flower."

And Romeo let out a loud whistle and they plunged downwards.

After a messy landing, Romeo ordered the bird to leave and Wendy watched him in awe.

"How'd you tame such a giant bird?"

"Well after you were taken and I tried to find you the bird attack me, and well it was hungry and I happened to give it some food."

"But it's so large!"

Romeo smirked. "Well luckily it was a fire bird, too bad you didn't get to see it in action."

Wendy nodded in agreement. That was lucky.

"Alright, it says here the flower we need to fetch smells like honey, white petals and a purple centre and..." Romeo's face began to fall. "And there was only one ever discovered on this island."

The mission was beginning to make more sense as to why there was such a large reward for it. The island was so large, and they had to find a rare flower here? The two mages stared hopelessly at each other until Wendy's head perked up.

"I can smell it."

"You what?"

"A faint honey smell."

Romeo took a deep whiff, but wrinkled his nose. "I can't smell anything."

"Dragon slayer." She pointed a small finger at herself.

"Oh yeah!" He grinned happily. "Good work partner!"

"T-thank you." She blushed a bit.

"Well lead the way!"

The two teens made their way further in the jungle wines and plant life becoming less and less until they reached a small clearing. Romeo was secretly glad she was here otherwise he'd be spending the whole day trying to find the place. Wendy finally stopped in front of a deep pool of water.

She looked confused at the deep abyss of water in front of them.

"Here." She said simply.

"What? In the water? That's... impossible..." He looked incredulously.

"But, i'm sure it's here!"

"Don't worry I believe you, but wow a flower growing under water huh."

Wendy looked relieved at him and then knelled at the edge of the pool.

"Yeah. Even I can smell the honey now."

Her eyes widened when at the very edge, which was at least her arms length down was the flower they were looking for.

She began to shake Romeo's arm excitedly hopping up and down. "Romeo, look! There it is!"

He narrowed his eyes and then broke into a large smile.

" There it is, we've done it!" He grinned triumphantly!

Her eyes widened as he wound an arm around her in a tight squeeze.

"I couldn't have done it without you!"

She stuttered at the sudden close contact and blushed.

He's too close. He smells really good. What should i do?

Her heart began to race.

Romeo suddenly broke off the hug and tied his scarf around his waist.

Wendy stared at him a bit despondent at the lost of warmth.

"Alright, I'll just need to get it now." Romeo bend down and dipped his hands into the water. His hands slowly submerged into the pool, water reaching his elbow and aiming to pick the flower.

Wendy smiled happily until from the corners of her eyes she spied something move at lightning speed in the water.

"Wait... Romeo... what was.."

She didn't have time to finish her sentence when Romeo let out a piercing yell of pain and he quickly tried to lift his hand out of the water. His eyes widened when he felt something literally tear into his skin and pull his arm further into the pool.

He continued to scream in agony and Wendy grabbed his by the waist to help pull him out.

Luckily through sheer determination she managed to help pull Romeo out of the deadly pool of water and they tumbled backwards.

"Uurgh. What was that?" Wendy quickly crawled back to the pool to see dozens of purple scaled fish with needle like teeth retreating back into the crevices of the rocky walls. The pool was clear, even void of blood and Wendy shuddered.

They were quick she had to give them that.

She then remembered Romeo who nearly had his arm mauled off and quickly ran to his aid. She cringed slightly seeing his bloodied arm, some of his flesh hanging off. He gripped it in pain and Wendy immediately went to work.

Romeo watched her warm magic seep into his arms, slowly mending it and he sighed.

"I'm pretty useless huh?" He grinned despite himself and half wincing in pain.

Wendy shook her head.

"I should've warned you earlier when I saw something moving in the water."

"Nah, where would I be without you?"

Wendy offered a smile of reassurance. "I could say the same thing."

They broke into laughter and Romeo punched his hand into his palm once Wendy was done healing him.

"Well like what Natsu-nii usually says, I'm fired up!" Romeo prepared to use his magic to blast the fish out of the water until Wendy yelled at him to stop.

"You can't, you might destroy the flower!"

He stopped immediately and then their situation dawned upon them.

"Wait... then how..."

"I don't know..." Wendy finished slowly.

This mission was suddenly a lot harder than they'd had first thought.

Well guys, I am updating most of my stories, I was going to update them all at once, but I'm going away for a week. Just a tad longer alright everyone.

Sorry for the really slow updates, i finally have time off work and studies xDD

Until next time.

Usa-chan.