The Stars' Guardian
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.
Due to injury, Team Natsu temporarily replaces Lucy with Lisanna. However, like always, Lucy is desperate for rent money and takes on a simple solo mission. Easy enough, right?... But why isn't she returning home?
NALU (mainly)
Rated M for: Violence, swearing, and possible sexual content.
Time Period: After anime episode 218 (end of the celestial realm filler arc). Two weeks later.
Chapter One: Nakama
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu yelled, firmly planting his feet into the ground and aiming towards a man with light blue hair. The man with light blue hair smirked and quickly leapt away, letting the fire burn the surrounding forest.
"Can we try not to cause a forest fire?" Lucy scolded her teammate, snapping her whip back to her after a missed shot at the man. The pink haired Dragon Slayer just grinned at his partner before going after the blue haired man again. Lucy sighed, running after Natsu.
Team Natsu's current target: Hino Arrington, a member of dark guild Estrella Oscura. The mission to capture and secure Hino Arrington was posted by the mayor of Cait Town, a town near the remnants of Cait Shelter. Mayor Rinkuta Katoki accused Hino of stealing a rare artifact from the town museum.
Light blue hair gleamed in the sunlight as Hino ran further into the forest in which Nirvana use to reside. Erza Scarlet glowed with Re-quip magic, changing her armor to Heaven's Wheel. With a swipe of her right hand, ten swords flew towards Hino, craftily being manipulated by the red haired mage. Shifting his eyes, Hino dodged most of the weapons, a few nicking him in various places on his body. He kept running until he found himself in a clearing. The grass was so green it looked untouched.
"Ice Make: Lance!" Gray's voice was overheard in the clearing, but his body was hidden in the trees. Hino smirked as he allowed the ice to pierce through his body.
"A water body?" Lucy gasped, stumbling into the clearing behind Natsu.
"Heh, another Juvia." Natsu said joyously. "I never did get to fight her." Salamander punched his flaming right fist into his left palm. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
"Open, Gate of the Maiden, Virgo!" Lucy chanted, holding the key to Virgo's gate in her outstretched hand.
"Did you call, Princess?" Virgo asked with a straight face, holding her right hand to her chest.
"He's a water mage, so he can transform his body into water." The Celestial mage warned as she snapped her whip. "Be careful," Virgo nodded as she tunneled into the ground.
"You think fire can beat me so easily?" Hino taunted, making another tidal wave crash into the Fire Dragon Slayer. Natsu grunted as he was pushed back by the force but stayed on his feet.
"You think water can put out my fire?" Natsu goaded back, heating up his body enough to turn the water around him into steam. Hino scoffed, jumping high into the air as a hammer made of ice crashed into the ground where he once was. "Watch where you're aiming that, ice princess!" Natsu yelled in annoyance.
"Do a better job at fighting, then we can talk!" Gray complained back from a few feet away from the Dragon Slayer.
"Can we focus, please?" Lucy grunted as she sent her whip to encase around Hino's ankle. The water mage let the whip fall through his foot before realizing he was getting surrounded by rocks.
"Spica lock." Virgo said in an even tone as her eyes outlined with red. Rocks formed a sphere around Hino, trapping him inside.
"Great, Virgo!" Lucy cheered happily. Suddenly, the sphere burst with a great force of water, soaking everyone in the vicinity. The Celestial Spirit looked to her owner, receiving a nod in return. Virgo quickly went back underground to hatch the next plan of attack. "Where are Happy and Erza?" Lucy whispered to Natsu who now stood next to her.
"Happy ran into this guy's friend." Natsu explained, cracking his knuckles. "Erza is taking care of it." Lucy nodded. Gray appeared in front of them, making a hasty shield to block scalding hot water.
"Can we stop flirting and catch this guy?" The Ice Make mage hissed as he poured more power into the melting ice shield. Lucy's face went red as she and Natsu stepped into action.
"We're not flirting!" Lucy denied, looking cautiously for her Spirit friend.
"Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!" Natsu yelled, jumping over Gray's melting shield and sending his attack from above. With the impact of the flames, the ground crumbled and the Water mage tumbled under the falling debris. Abruptly, a hole appeared next to Lucy, revealing Virgo.
"Is it time for punishment, princess?" Virgo asked.
"Ah, no." Lucy answered, use to her Spirit's question.
"Man, that was easy." Gray huffed, going over to check the Water mage and to tie him up for the authorities. Natsu landed near the crumbled ground and inspected it as well.
"Looks like you're finished."
The group looked behind Lucy to see Erza come out of the forest with Happy flying near her while carrying a tied up mage. The Re-quip mage stood in front of Lucy with a sword in hand, not quite ready to let her guard down.
"Yeah, he was like a weaker Juvia." Gray said, cautiously checking where Hino ended up. "Watch out!" The Ice mage yelled as he saw water spurt out of the ground, heading towards the girls. Erza stepped forward; ready to intercept what looked like a water whip from hurting her younger nakama. The S-Class mage didn't expect the whip to wrap around her and throw her into Lucy. With the force of the throw, the two were sent flying into a nearby tree. The Celestial mage yelled in pain as she was slammed into the tree and then had Erza's weight and force crash into her.
"Lucy! Erza!" Natsu yelled in alarm, turning to growl at the rising water mage. Hino chuckled.
"I can't be beat that easily. Did you fairies really win the Grand Magic Games? This is pathetic." Hino criticized. Gray and Natsu turned their full attention to the Water mage, attacking mostly with non-physical attacks.
"Lucy, are you okay?" Erza said in concern as they were let out of the water whip.
"Yeah," Lucy said shakily, suddenly feeling weak on one side of her body. Erza got up and was about to offer a hand to help the Celestial mage when she saw the blood on her sword.
"Crap," Erza cursed softly, quickly kneeling back down and inspecting Lucy's now bloodied waist.
"Lucy!" Happy yelled in concern as he flew over, still carrying the other Estrella Oscura wizard. "You're bleeding!"
"D-don't worry about it." Lucy said her voice trembling as blood steadily flowed out of her body. The Celestial Spirit mage gave a brave smile and held onto the tree as she lifted herself up. Erza carefully inspected the wound closer.
"It's deep." Erza hissed.
"It's alright, I can still help." Lucy pushed, trying to lean away from the tree but wobbled.
"Princess," Virgo said, concern showing in her eyes though her face remained emotionless.
"Stay here." Erza commanded. "I will not let my mistake hinder you more. Happy, stay with her and keep a close eye on that one." She then pointed towards the tied up mage.
"I can help." Lucy insisted, trying to step forward but instantly fell to her knees as the wound throbbed.
"Virgo can help." Erza compromised. "Don't strain your body. If your magic is running low, close the gate. We can handle this." Lucy once again tried to protest but then decided against it. In her condition, it would be hard to move around. The Celestial mage instead just nodded. Erza quickly re-quipped into Lighting Empress Armor while running towards the flashes of fire, ice, and water.
"I'll call Loke out to help, too." Lucy said, grabbing Leo's key with bloodied fingers.
"Princess," Virgo lightly said, scolding her owner softly. Lucy strained to smile up at her spirit.
"It's okay, I have enough magic." Lucy answered. "Open, Gate of the Lion, Loke!"
"What do you think you're doing?" Loke asked the instant his body was out of the magic circle. He knelt by his friend, checking over her injured body.
"I want to be helpful." Lucy replied. "I'll be fine, just go help them." Virgo and Loke shared a look.
"Virgo, you stay with her." Loke commanded as he stood back up and lit his hand up with light. He then marched over to the continuing fight.
"You need medical attention, Princess." Virgo said, taking Leo's place by her side. "I can get supplies from the Spirit World."
"Lucy," Happy said worriedly as he eyed the growing puddle of red by Lucy's feet.
"I'm fi-" Lucy started to say, but disappeared from sight.
"Ice Make: Lance!" Gray yelled, extending his arms forward, palms facing the enemy.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu yelled nearly at the same time, shooting flames from his mouth.
"Lightning!" Erza commanded while pointing her Lightning Empress Spear towards Hino, standing behind him while her other two nakama stood in front of him. Erza saw the Water mage smirk before disappearing, getting replaced by a blonde. The Re-quip mage's eyes widened in alarm at the sight.
"AH!" Lucy screamed. The fire burned her. The ice pierced into her skin. And electricity shocked her body.
"Lucy!" Loke screamed as the attacks died down and the body of his owner fell into a crumpled heap on the red stained ground. The Lion Spirit sprinted towards her, gently cradling Lucy's head in his hands. "Lucy! Say something!" Loke started to panic.
"Lucy!" Natsu and Gray yelled together, running towards the Celestial mage as well. Erza turned angry eyes at the laughing Water mage.
"Territory." Hino said in between laughter. "What great magic it is!" Before he could blink, Erza ran forward and stabbed him in the stomach. "Did you forget, Titania? My body is made of wa-" Before he could finish, Erza sent wave after wave of electricity through her spear, effectively cutting Hino off.
"Minerva used it better." Erza hissed, kicking the almost unconscious Hino in the head. Without the concentration to make his body into water, Titania landed a kick that sent him into unconsciousness. "She also wouldn't be distracted." Erza turned back, not caring about the fallen dark mage and hurried to her own nakama. She found everyone crowding around Lucy. Loke and Virgo noticeably missing. "Where are Loke and Virgo?" Erza asked checking Lucy's pulse as the Celestial mage rested against Natsu's arm.
"Th-they were forced back!" Happy cried, having dropped his charge near a tree in order to fly faster to his friends.
"Forced back?" Erza absently asked, but quickly stood up. "We have to get to the closest hospital. Her pulse isn't good. Gray, stay and take care of these wizards."
Natsu gently cradled his teammate in his arms, trying to jostle her as little as possible and ran the way Erza was leading them. Happy flew besides Natsu, tears running down his matted fur face. Carrying Lucy in the air was too risky. In order for Happy to carry her, he would have to hang onto her tattered shirt, which would not only irritate and stretch the wounds on her body, but it could snap at any second. That thought made the Exceed cry harder, feeling hopelessly useless as his favorite blonde lay bleeding in Natsu's arms.
Gray punched a fist into the tree next to the crumpled body of the mage Erza had tied up. He gnashed his teeth together in agony, leaning his forehead into the rough bark. Lucy. His nakama. His friend was hurt, and he had to stay behind to round up the idiots who had done this to her. His fist made another impact into the tree.
It was our magic,Gray thought bitterly, slamming another punch into the tree.
"Fuck!" He yelled into the silent forest. Quickly pivoting on his heels, he went towards the unconscious Water mage and tied him with magic nullifying rope tighter than was necessary. Dragging Hino towards his buddy, Gray grabbed one shirt in each of his hands and headed towards Cait Town as well. The Ice Make mage didn't care if their bodies scraped against the ground harshly on during his fast walk into town.
"Lucy!" Natsu yelled as he saw her on a hospital bed, getting wheeled away to an emergency operating room. Erza put a hand on his shoulder, lightly squeezing.
"She's strong." Erza said softly, not sure whether she was trying to convince Natsu, or herself that the Celestial mage would be okay. "I'll find a lacrima to call Master and Wendy." Happy sat on the hospital floor and started to wail.
Numerous times, Fairy Tail mages have ended up in the emergency room or had gotten emergency treatment from other guild members. Though it happened, it never made it easier to see their nakama hurt and in such poor condition. Natsu clenched his fists and teeth; bangs shadowing his eyes.
I said I would protect your future,Natsu thought, body shaking in restrained emotion as images of Lucy dying from Rogue's attack flashed through his mind. Lucy. Natsu tightly closed his eyes, lifting his head up to the ceiling and growled deeply. "Lucy…"