42 The New Rides

Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Magnolia.

September, x776.

*Honk!* *Honk!*

"What the hell is that?" Macao, who was sitting at the bar with Wakaba asked after the unfamiliar sound was heard from outside the guild hall.

"I don't know." Wakaba replied. "I've never heard a sound like that before."

"Should we go outside and check it out?" Macao asked, curiosity glinting in his eyes.

"Yeah, I don't' feel like we're in danger, so why not." Wakaba replied with a shrug.

Before either of them could get up from their seats, however, they saw Elicia with an excited smile sprinting toward the front doors of the guild hall. Behind her was a group of curious kids, also running toward the doors.

"What are those kids doing?" Wakaba asked, standing from his seat.

"I don't know, but we better make sure nothing happens to them." Macao said, following Wakaba and standing from his seat.

"Why are you brats talking so much?" Makarov shouted as he slapped Macao and Wakaba upside the head. "Hurry up and follow them."

With that, Makarov hopped off his usual spot on the bar and ran toward the front door, just behind Ur, who was also thinking of protecting the children. Meanwhile, Macao and Wakaba glanced at each other for a moment before following Makarov.

*Bang!*

A moment later, Elicia reached the doors and flung them open. When she did, she opened her eyes wide in surprise. Then, as the other kids and Ur arrived, she smiled brightly.

In front of Elicia and the others were three magical vehicles that looked just like cars from her past life. On the left, was an almost exact copy of her car from her past life, a silver-blue BMW Z3, on the right was a cherry-red Cadillac Escalade, and in the center was a silver Aston Martin Vanquish. Leaning against the driver's side door of the Vanquish was Alfonzo, smiling brightly at the stunned expressions on his friends' faces.

"Fonzie! This is amazing!" Elicia shouted as she dashed toward Alfonzo.

Taking a step away from the car, Alfonzo opened his arms and caught Elicia who jumped toward him with everything she had. Then, as soon as he caught her, she wrapped her arms and legs around him and kissed him on the cheek.

Meanwhile, Elicia's shout pulled the others out of their stupor. Then, they began walking toward the three vehicles, though Cana was pouting, hard, at Elicia's display of affection.

A moment later, the rest of the guild, with Makarov, Macao, and Wakaba in front, arrived at the door. And just Like Ur and the kids, they stood in stunned silence after seeing the three magical vehicles.

"Is this what he's been working on with Nell for the last three years?" Makarov asked absent-mindedly.

"Hey, Kid." Ur said as she approached Alfonzo and Elicia. "I have a few questions. First, Just what are these?"

"These are the magical vehicles I created." Alfonzo said with a proud smile on his face. "Master Goldstein helped me iron out any issues with their construction. But I designed and built them myself."

Alfonzo then went on to explain the same things he talked about with Elicia and Nell. Explaining that he thought the older magical vehicles were stupid because they used a wizard's magic power and how that was bad in an emergency. Then, he explained about he rechargeable lacrima fuel source. However, he stopped his explanation with a frown when he realized that no one was really listening to him.

"The big one is awesome." Droy said excitedly while gawking at the Escalade.

"Yeah, but I like this silver one." Ultear said as she circled around the Vanquish.

"The blue one reminds me of ice." Gray said, really liking the color of the Z3.

"That's so impressive, Alfonzo." Levy said, the only person who was interested in the theory behind the cars' creation. "Do you have any ideas of how to improve them in the future?"

"Well, at least someone cares about all the hard work that went into making these." Alfonzo muttered, causing Elicia, who was still in his arms, to giggle.

"Yeah, yeah, really interesting and all that." Ur said, dismissively waving off Alfonzo's explanation. "Now, on to my second question. Can I have one of these?"

"Nope." Alfonzo replied immediately.

"Why not?" Ur asked with a frown. "It's not like you can drive all three of them."

"And I don't intend to." Alfonzo said with a smug smile. Then, he pointed at himself with his thumb before pointing at Elicia with his index finger as he continued. "The silver one, the Vanquish, is mine. And the silver-blue one, the Z3, is for Lici."

"Then, what about the red one?" Ur asked, clearly getting irritated. "There are three of these… cars… and only two of you."

"Oh, that one is for the both of us." Alfonzo said, his smile widening. "Just in case we need to take some more people on a quest with us."

Hearing that sound reasoning, Ur could not help but huff while stomping her artificial leg that Alfonzo officially dubbed Automail. Then, when she calmed down, she glared at Alfonzo.

"Then, can you make me one?" Ur asked, and according to her gaze, she would not be taking no for an answer. Then, she pointed at the Z3 and continued. "I want one like that… Z2… I think that's what you called it. I want one of those in violet."

"It's Z3. And sure." Alfonzo replied with a smile. "That shouldn't be a problem."

Hearing that, Ur finally began smiling. However, as soon as she heard Alfonzo's next words, her frown returned.

"But it will cost you." Alfonzo said, raising his right hand while rubbing his thumb and index finger together.

"How much?" Ur asked warily.

"2,639,000 Jewels." Alfonzo said, causing everyone present to inhale a deep breath of air.

'With eighty percent of that being the cost for materials and Master Goldstein's cut for using her connections, I still make about 520,000 Jewels with every Z3 sold.' Alfonzo thought to himself with a smile. 'Lici and I will be able to build the house we want on that piece of land we bought by the lake in no time.'

"Are you kidding me?" Ur asked, flaring her magic power. "That's highway robbery."

"Not really." Alfonzo replied with a shake of his head. "Considering the materials and labor costs, Master Goldstein and I agreed that was the best price."

Alfonzo then proceeded to list off the materials that were used. From the interior to the exterior, Alfonzo used the best materials Nell could get her hands on. In fact, if he did not take so many quests over the last three-plus years, he would still be in debt with Nell. Luckily, he and Elicia have been able to take on B-Class quests for the last four months, getting about 500,000 Jewels per quest.

"*Sigh* It's not like I can't afford it." Ur said in an exasperated tone. "How long would it take to build one?"

"Half a month, and I need half the money up front." Alfonzo said with a smile. "Gotta buy the materials and what not."

Nodding in understanding, Ur walked over to the Z3 and began looking it over like the other kids were. Then, Makarov made his way over to Alfonzo and Elicia.

"How much would it cost to buy one of those big ones?" Makarov asked while rubbing his palms together, hoping Alfonzo would give him a discount as the guild master.

"You mean the Escalade?" Alfonzo asked. Then, he looked at Makarov apologetically. "That wone's a bit… Well, a lot more expensive. That one will run you, 7,100,000 Jewels."

Hearing that price, Makarov gripped his chest as if he were having a heart attack. However, when he looked at the cherry-red Escalade, he gritted his teeth and glared at Alfonzo with determination in his eyes.

"Fine, how long will it take?" Makarov asked.

"Half a month, but only after Aunt Ur's…" Alfonzo said.

"Don't call me 'aunt' you brat!" Ur interrupted from the other side of the Z3.

"… is done." Alfonzo continued, not minding the interruption in the slightest.

"Fine, I'll have half the money for you when you deliver Ur's." Makarov said, bloody tears threatening to flow out of his eyes.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Alfonzo said with a smile.

With that, Makarov walked away with unsteady steps and returned to the guild hall.

"Hey, Fonzie." Elicia said, now standing next to Alfonzo and holding his hand.

"What's up?" Alfonzo asked in response.

"Will Gramps even be able to reach the pedals?" Elicia asked with a curious smile on her face.

"Probably." Alfonzo replied with a shrug. "He's got that [Giant Magic], after all. I'm sure he'll just make his legs longer, or something."

Although Alfonzo and Elicia were only eleven years old, from what Alfonzo read, there were no laws that dictated when someone could drive. So, they never worried about being able to drive their new cars. On top of that, they were both pretty tall for their ages. Elicia was already 5'1" (approx.. 1.55 m) tall. And although he was a little shorter, having not hit his growth spurt yet, Alfonzo was 5' (1.52 m) tall. Meaning, neither of them would have an issue reaching the pedals, as long as they adjusted the seats.

Nodding in understanding, Elicia then took a step away from Alfonzo. A moment later, she held out her free hand, palm up, with an expectant gaze in her eyes.

"Hahaha! I was wondering how long you would be able to wait." Alfonzo chuckled as he reached into his pocket. When he pulled his hand out, he was holding a key with a keychain that was shaped into a Z3. "Here you go."

As soon as Alfonzo put the key in Elicia's hand, she immediately let go of Alfonzo's. Then, she sprinted toward her Z3 and opened the driver's side door and jumped into the driver's seat. Naturally, this caught everyone's attention.

After a few minutes spent adjusting the seat and checking the levers in the interior, Elicia slid her key into the keyhole.

*Vroom!*

As soon as Elicia turned the key, the Z3's engine roared to life. Through the windshield, a happily smiling Elicia could be seen. Then, they saw her press something on the ceiling. And when she did, the car's roof began to peel backward before it was deposited in the back of the car.

"Who wants to go for a joyride?" Elicia asked with a smile.

Before anyone else could react, Ur, using her magic power to increase her speed, opened the passenger side door and sat in the seat before closing the door.

"You should have seen that coming, Lici." Alfonzo laughed at the spectacle.

"I gotta see what my upcoming purchase can do, don't I?" Ur asked with a smile.

Shrugging her shoulders, Elicia put on her seat belt, told Ur to do the same, put the car into reverse, made sure there was no one behind her, then backed away form the guild hall before turning the car around and driving into the town.

As soon as Elicia pulled off, the other kids stared at Alfonzo, hoping that he intended to go for a joyride as well. Seeing those gazes, Alfonzo also shrugged his shoulders. Then, he pulled out the key for the Escalade and hopped into the driver's seat.

"I can take four more." Alfonzo said after rolling down the windows.

Hearing that, Cana, Laki, and Erza were standing in front of three of the doors before Alzack, Levy, Jet, and Droy could react. Then, while they were all looking at each other to see who the last passenger would be, Makarov shot out of the guild hall and jumped into the passenger's seat, through the open window.

"You girls can ride together in the back. Hahahaha!" Makarov shouted with an excited laugh.

While Cana, who was about to open the passenger's side door so she could sit next to Alfonzo, pouted. Laki and Erza shrugged their shoulders before opening the rear passenger's side and driver's side doors, respectively. Then, they climbed into the backseat, Cana following Laki a moment later.

Then, like Elicia did before, Alfonzo put on his seatbelt while instructing the others to do the same. Then, he backed away from the guild hall while turning around.

"Okay, everybody." Alfonzo said with a smile. "Let's go. I haven't' put this beauty through its paces yet. So, we're gonna see exactly what it can do."

"Yeah!" Makarov, Cana, Laki, and Erza cheered as Alfonzo started driving toward the town.

It did not need to be mentioned that Elicia and Alfonzo's cars drew quite a bit of attention from the townsfolk as they drove through the town.

Eventually, when Alfonzo exited the town through the south gate, Alfonzo let himself go, pressing the accelerator and watching the scenery pass in a blur.

Meanwhile, back at the guild, the rest of the Fairy Tail wizards gawked at the Vanquish for a while before they decided to go back inside. Although having one of the new magic vehicles would be nice, none of them were willing to spend that kind of money.