Team Natsu was at it again, with their usual antics.
"Well… They could've mentioned they were dark wizards planning on sacrificing that poor cat
for a spell…" Happy grumbled while looking at the mess they'd gotten themselves into.
"Yeah, no kidding. I didn't expect a fight like that to come out of a 100,000 jewel reward." Natsu complained, rubbing the back of his head. Erza came running up over the hill with a worried expression on her face.
"Natsu! Happy! Come quick! We can't find Lucy!" Happy flew over to Erza and landed by her feet.
"Erza, where's Gray?" He asked, while Natsu ran over as well.
"He's looking for her, but the last time I saw her, she pushed me away from a falling building. She disappeared after it fell… I used my armor to push some of the rubble out of the way but I couldn't find anything. And I couldn't sense her magic at all! Something is wrong." She stated worriedly. Natsu looked at the path she had come from and started down it.
"LUCY! HEY! WHERE ARE YOU! MAKE A SOUND IF YOU CAN HEAR ME!" Natsu yelled into the air.
I'll be able to smell her if she's in under the building. And all of us are strong enough to get her out… Where is she?!
"Natsu! Hey! I found Lucy's keys! They're over here!" Gray shouted from across the street. Erza and Happy had quickly caught up with the Dragon Slayer, coming forward to help them in their search for their blonde team mate. Natsu picked up the leather pouch in his hand and saw that all her keys were there. Her scent was fading on the article, she must've dropped it in the fight…
"The scent is faint, she dropped it a while ago," He said regretfully. "Where did you last see her, Erza?" Natsu asked, looking in the red head's direction.
"This way, follow me." She said, leading them down the path and further into the now destroyed town. They came across the local inn, now in pieces.
"Lucy!" Happy shouted, hoping to gain some form of a response.
"She was over there the last time I saw her." Erza said, pointing towards a pile of concrete and boards.
"Come on, I'll see if her scent is over that way." Natsu encouraged, leading his other team mates over to the demolished building.
Approaching the pile, Natsu smelt something. It smelt familiar, yet different. Like he'd smelt it a million times, but now it was mixed with another familiar scent… The smell of blood.
"I smell her! Lucy!" He shouted, pulling back rocks as fast as he could.
"Hang in there Lucy! We'll get you out!" Erza shouted, requipping into new armor to aid in the rescue.
"I'll get the first aid kit, Happy come with me!" Gray shouted, running back towards their packs and luggage to find bandages.
Natsu and Erza pulled at the lumber and steel until, finally, a wisp of blonde hair was visible.
"Lucy! Lucy can you hear us!?" Erza shouted, pulling the final piece of lumber away from the blonde mage's body. Natsu wasted no time and pulled her into his arms. Remarkably Lucy wasn't a mess of broken bones and horrible gashes like Natsu had been imagining. But she still didn't look good. Where was Wendy when they needed her?!
"Lucy! Hey, open your eyes. Come on!" Natsu pleaded, looking at her bruised face.
"I was wearing armor, I could've handled being buried. Why did she push me?" Erza questioned.
"Because, armor or not, it would've hurt. And Lucy never wants to see her friends in pain." Gray said while carrying their first aid kit in his arms.
"Is she breathing?" Happy asked, looking at her beaten body nervously.
"Yes…" Natsu said, taking his eyes away from his battered friend and up to the flying exceed who had tears in his eyes.
"We need to hurry and get back to Magnolia. The sooner we can get her to Wendy, the better off she'll be." Erza urged, gathering her things.
"I'll bandage the really bad injuries now and hopefully that'll be enough to get her through the journey back home." Gray said, starting to wrap some of the cuts on her pale skin.
"Lucy…" Natsu said, looking at her in his arms, appearing frail and delicate.
Gray finished his work on his damaged friend quickly, putting away the med kit and gathering up all of Lucy's things.
"Come on, grab her and let's get going. Sooner the better." Gray said. Natsu nodded and lifted Lucy carefully and began walking behind the Ice Wizard.
"Alright, let's get going. Happy, go on ahead of us and try to make it back to Magnolia tonight. Tell everyone at the guild what's happened and to be prepared to receive us. Let them know of Lucy's state as well. Hopefully it will give Wendy time to come up with the proper healing spell."
"Aye sir! Hang in there Lucy! I'll make sure everything is ready for when you guys get to the guild!" With that, the exceed flew into the air and disappearing from the young wizard's sights.
"She's still with us, Natsu?" Erza asked, walking over to the pink haired mage with concern etched across her face.
"Yeah, still unconscious. Let's get going." The Dragon Slayer encouraged, beginning to walk with his best friend, severely injured, in his strong arms.
"I'm sorry, Lucy…" Erza whispered as she watched the pink haired man walk in front of them. "I'm sorry you took the fall for me. I won't let you end here. Don't worry. I'll be better." Erza promised, heading after her friends, letting one tear escape her eye.