Welcome back! I hope that you all enjoy the newest installment into this story! Things are starting to get serious, so hold onto your hats people and enjoy the fun. I also suggest checking out my new story, The Wrong Number as well!
Warning: Eventual lemony goodness!
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail is not mine, because there is just too much angst in this damn Manga! -cries-
Chapter Four- Dreams and Disasters
"Get the civilians out of here! This is no drill!" Makarov's booming voice was heard through the crowd, setting the police in motion. While a crowd of non-magic wielders poured toward the doors, the police of Magnolia rushed forwards to meet the lackies of the dark guild. Juvia didn't give her actions a second thought, running forward to easily take out a weaker member of the enemy. Her heel met his solar plexus as she jumped forward into another fighter, thrusting a slice of water into his face. When he was blinded by her attack, Lucy came from the side with a kick that sent the man flying into one of the ballroom walls. The two women sent each other a smile before Natsu barged through them, both coat and dress shirt gone to save it from his burning attack.
"Fire Dragon's Wing Slash!" His voice roared as two ropes of fire dispersed from his arms, blowing several footmen off the ground. His eyes showed no mercy as he ran into the frenzy, his fire spiraling around his fists as he moved.
"Wait, Natsu!" Lucy called loudly, the fire wielder too immersed in the crowd to hear her. Though she could no longer see him, his bursts of brilliant flames were like a beacon for fighters to come challenge.
"Well if this doesn't blow our cover, I don't know what will," Gray muttered, showing off his own attacks with an iced sword. "Ice Make: Sword!"
"There's so many of them. I don't know how we're going to get out of here," Lucy called out, pointing her key toward a group of men rushing her. "Open gate of the Golden Bull; Taurus! Take em out!"
"No problem." The men halted in their charge as Taurus rose to full form, his axe swinging down at the group. "Time to show off my mooooves!"
"Just once, I'd like a normal spirit," Lucy grumbled, her eye twitching. She continued to fight alongside her spirit, wishing she had brought her whip with her. Instead she focused on assisting Juvia and Gray the best she could, the men of the dark guild never ceasing in their attacks. Lucy's attention was brought away from the battle as she scanned the chaos, realizing that some of the civilians were running back towards them. She held her arms out to try and stop them, hoping to keep safe. "Don't come back this way, it's dangerous."
"We're trapped!" A woman cried out, Lucy looking over her head to see what she meant. There, in front of the doors, were two women who had resided next to the man calling himself Hades. The older women looked to be Lucy's age, with long purple-tinted hair and a sinister smile. The other, much younger girl, matched Natsu's pink hair. But her eyes lacked any of the fiery spirit, her lips drawn into a stoic expression despite the cries of the people in front of her. "They're blocking the door. They're threatening to fight anyone who tries to escape!"
Lucy's eyes narrowed at the callous move, understanding their motives. If there were civilians in the room, the police would have to be more careful with the magic use. The dark guild, however, would do as they pleased with little care of the casualties. It was a low blow, but Lucy didn't expect this to be a clean fight. Except she really didn't expect to find such evil people in the world, either. And a child, at that! What drove these young women into this life? Would Lucy have ever let herself fall that deep? Shaking her head, Lucy looked down at the trembling woman in front of her as her mind tried to think of a new plan of escape. Her eyes lowered to the marble ground beneath them, an idea quickly popping into her intelligent mind.
"Then we'll get you out another way. Juvia, Gray!" Lucy directed her call behind her, the water mage releasing the water lock she held around several men as she dropped them to the ground. Gray made easy work of the man he was fighting, directing his attention back to the celestial wizard. Juvia was quick to appear beside Lucy, eyes focused on the blonde's instructions. "They've got the doors guarded, so we've gotta make a new escape plan. I've got an idea, but I need to give the people time to escape."
"Juvia will assist in any way she can," Juvia replied, Gray already running toward the dark guild members.
"We'll put a wall between them to buy you time," Gray said, Lucy nodding as she activated another key.
"Open, gate of the Maiden; Virgo! Make a tunnel outside of the hall for the guests to get out of."
"As you wish, princess." The maid was quick to dig through the hard floor, Lucy lowering the woman from before down into the tunnel.
"You'll be safe now. Just follow the tunnel, okay?" Lucy tried to give the woman a reassuring smile before she turned her attention back to the group of civilians who hadn't managed to get out. Juvia rushed through the crowd while thrusting both hands out, water from the fountains outside crashing through the broken windows to create a barrier between the guards and civilians.
"Ice Make: Shield!" The water became solid ice, too thick for the two women to break through. Gray sent Juvia a smug look, making the police officer blush before she directed the civilians toward Lucy, who helped Virgo lower them into the tunnel.
"This way, help each other down. You're doing great." Lucy's calm instructions kept the people calm, and she was met with little resistance from the group. They helped each other as they moved, many of the men staying at the bottom of the tunnel to ease the woman and younger children down. Seeing them work together made Lucy's heart fill with hope that they could get out of this without anyone being killed. She had just finished lowering the last woman into the tunnel when the cracking of the ice caught her attention. In seconds the ice disappeared into thin air, the two women casually walking away from the doorway. Juvia and Gray ran to stand in front of Lucy, hands up in preparation for a fight. Lucy nodded toward Virgo, who instantly dropped into the tunnel again.
"These women are a lot stronger than they look." Gray grimaced as she glanced back to Lucy. "Did they get away?"
"Yeah, I'm having Virgo block the tunnel now. They should be safe." What she didn't want to say was having Taurus and Virgo out at the same time was starting to zap her energy. She tried to keep her breathing even as she looked over to Taurus, who was keeping close despite her lack of command. Her spirits were more than just weapons; they were her friends. And the bond they had created was strong enough for Taurus to understand what Lucy needed without constant watch. Her fingers trembled as she glanced down at another key, wondering if she would be able to open a third gate. She had never tried it before, but as she glanced at the men marching toward them, she worried she would be forced to.
"Lucy, please rest." Juvia's soft command made Lucy's eyes widen, the water wizard keeping her eyes on the opponents in front of them. "Juvia and Gray-sama will take care of these two, go find Natsu and please escape."
"I can't just leave you guys here; you're my friends!" Despite Lucy's cry of protest, Gray simply smirked and cracked his knuckles.
"Give us some credit here; we're not going to lose." Gray nodded once to show his confidence, Lucy hesitating before she turned away from the two to search for the dragon slayer. Once the blonde was a distance away, Gray turned his attention back on the women who stood in front of him. Neither seemed like much of a threat at first glance, but he knew how thick that ice wall had been. The fact that one of them could deteriorate it in seconds meant that they were not a pair to treat lightly.
"Well what do we have here?" The purple haired woman's smile gave no sense of warmth as she stared Gray down, her dark brown eyes smug. "Were you the one who made that barrier? That ice formation seemed quite familiar."
"Ur would have never shown her magic to a dark mage like you."
"Ur?" Eyes flashing with a dark emotion that Gray struggled to identify, the woman's body tensed at the name. "So you're one of that….woman's disciples?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Gray scowled at the evil glare he received, the woman glancing to her pink-haired partner.
"Meredy, take the woman. I want to try this ice mage out for myself."
"As you wish, Ultear." The younger girl stepped toward Juvia robotically, the cop instantly holding her gun out at the woman.
"Juvia will not allow this to go on any further." Despite the serious tone Juvia used, Meredy did not flinch. Instead she lifted her hand, several swords of light shooting out toward the cop. Juvia barely dodged as she ran toward Meredy. "Juvia's body will not be wounded by-ah!"
"Juvia?" Gray's call came when Juvia dropped to a knee, her eyes wide with shock. He tried to move toward her, but an attack from the second woman made him jump back in defense.
"Keep your eyes on your opponent, or you may get killed." Ultear's voice boarded on amusement as she shot a few balls of energy toward Gray, who evaded then to the best of his abilities. Gray attempted to throw a shield of ice to protect himself, but Ultear quickly threw her hand in front of her. "Flash Forward!"
"Gah!" Gray cried out when his ice evaporated, leaving him open to the barrage of Ultear's orbs. The woman laughed as Gray got assaulted, the ice mage wincing from the several blows of pain.
"Why don't you just stay down so we can stop this pathetic game? There's no way you could beat me with your magic; I can control its flow quite easily." It took him a little longer to get up this time around, but Gray refused to back down. Ultear seemed more excited about his decision to fight, her eyes lowered with sadistic enjoyment. From the distance he heard another loud cry from Juvia, who had been knocked back by Meredy's attack. Her breathing heavy, Juvia nursed her side and attempted to make sense of the situation.
"How is this possible? Juvia's water body is not affected by weapons." Meredy produced another set of swords as she smirked, seeming to anticipate Juvia's confusion.
"My weapons are created to attack the sensations of pain, not the body. Surprised, detective?" Juvia forced herself to her feet slowly, eyes narrowing slowly at the question.
"You know who Juvia is?"
"Juvia Lockser is on my list, but no where near the top."
"What list?" Juvia questioned, Meredy's eye flashing with anger.
"My list tells me who is most detrimental to my guild. The people I must kill in order to protect Ultear, and Lord Zeref." Juvia felt her pulse race at the information, her body shaking. Meredy didn't seem to notice the change in Juvia's mood, the young woman continuing. "The top of my list, the two men that must be killed, are the Fire and Ice robbers. I will murder them with my own hands. I will kill them for Ultear's safety, so nobody can harm her again!"
Juvia felt her heart stop. Blue eyes darted toward Gray's form, the ice mage continuing to fight against Ultear's time magic fearlessly. He had lost his shirt already, exposing the bruises and bleeding cuts from the tedious battle. A flash of his still body formed in Juvia's mind, derailing her sanity. Gray...dead? Her interactions between the quiet man ran through her mind like a movie, all too quick for her liking. She wanted to have more conversations with the ice mage. She wanted to see just why it was her heart beat so fast when he sent her a look. And this woman wanted to kill him? Over some made up God that had nothing to do with her robber? That was why Meredy wanted to end his life?
Juvia would not allow it.
"Juvia refuses this." Juvia's low tone matched the dark aura that pooled from around her, the police officer lowering her head to cover her eyes with her bangs. Meredy finally noticed the difference in the woman she faced, her eyebrow raised in slight confusion.
"What's wrong with you?" The sound of rain outside of the ballroom caught Meredy's attention, the girl glancing out the broken window and gasping. The soft rain turned into torrential downpour in seconds, Meredy's spine crawling when a murderous voice wafted through the air.
"Juvia will not let you lay a single finger on Gray-sama. Juvia will destroy you for even thinking of harming Gray-sama!" The softness in Juvia's voice contradicted the power surge in her body, leaving Meredy confused and frightened. She screamed when Juvia lunged toward her, a typhoon of water thrusting the younger woman straight into the air. "Water Nebula!"
"How is this possible?!" Meredy's stunned exclamation did nothing to quell Juvia's rage, the water controller hitting Meredy with several blasts. The attack was unrelenting, Juvia pouring every ounce of energy into punishing Meredy for her harsh words. The dark mage tried to form another set of sensory swords, but Juvia's wave of water blasted them into pieces. Panic was obvious in Meredy's face as she was knocked onto the ground by the police officer, Juvia pinning her arms down harshly to the hard floor.
"Juvia will put an end to all of this, right now."Juvia yanked the gun from under her dress again, pointing it toward the magic user she had subdued. "This won't kill you; but it'll nullify your ability to use your magic for the next twenty four hours."
"N-No! If I don't have my magic, Ultear will hate me! I can't let her hate me; she's the closest thing to a mother I have now." Tears filled the younger woman's eyes as she stared up at Juvia, whose heart squeezed in pain at the scared expression under her.
"Why would she hate you?"
"You don't understand...nobody understands me except Ultear! Ultear, please save me!" For a second, Juvia forgot the danger Meredy had put them in. Looking at her now, Juvia saw the truth; Meredy wasn't evil. She just wanted her adopted mother to love her. Juvia could understand the feeling of desperation to not be alone. She had been abandoned as a little girl, as well. Her hand shook on the gun, but she steeled herself when remembering Meredy's plan to kill Gray.
"Juvia is sorry," she whispered, re-aiming the gun at Meredy's shoulder. Fearing the unknown, Meredy tossed her last defense into the mix.
"Who are you trying to protect?!" Without thought Juvia's mind went to Gray, missing the pink glow of Meredy's hand. "Who is the man that has stolen your heart?"
Gray-sama...
"Sensory link!"
Lucy's heels clicked along the broken ground as she glanced around the ballroom, which was still ravaged with chaos. Police were fighting the dark guild with vigor, her eyes momentarily finding a familiar red head. Erza Scarlet was a sight to see when she fought, pairing off against a man who seemed to use a magic Lucy had never seen before. The wooden beams that held the ceiling up erupted with branches and limbs, as if alive again. Still, despite the new magic, Erza was just as magnificent as ever, easily slicing through the attacking limbs with her sword. Lucy was quick to rush past them, sending a silent prayer for Erza's safety.
She had just passed the middle of the ballroom when her path was obstructed by an odd looking man. She struggled to stop in her heels, gazing up at the dark guild's member. With a cape as his only cover for his shirtless outfit, Lucy fought back her squeak of shock when realizing the grown man was wearing black spandex instead of pants. Just who the heck let him leave the house like that?! She felt herself hesitate as the man stared down at her, Lucy taking a slow step back when his lips split into a grin that seemed slightly off.
"My name is Kain of the Seven Kin of Purgatory, and you...you're the pretty reporter that Hades wants us to kidnap! Right?"
"Who, me?" Lucy fumbled through a laugh as she hide her keys behind her back, quickly shaking her head. "I'm not a reporter."
"Are you sure? Cause Hades showed us a picture and you look just like her." Pretending to think over the man's question, Lucy snapped her fingers and pointed behind him.
"I think you mean my twin sister!" Kain's eyes went wide with the new information, Lucy mentally smirking at his gullible nature.
"Oh, a twin?"
"Yup, and she's even more beautiful than me." Kain's excitement was palpable as he clapped his hands, eager to find the new woman Lucy was talking about.
"Where is she?"
"Right over there," Lucy instructed, pointing behind Kain.
"Oh, thank you." The man's head snapped behind him, Lucy silently taking a few steps back from the man. "Wait, where?"
"Keep looking, she uh...she likes to play hide and seek!"
"Really?! I love games."
"Then don't stop until you find her. She's really good at hiding." Kain nodded and continued to search the deserted area while Lucy turned to run.
"Hey!" The blonde cried out when her hair was snatched from behind her, Lucy's legs kicking when the man lifted her off of the ground. "There was no twin over there."
"Oh? A-Are you sure?" Lucy asked, trying her best to look innocent.
"I think you're a liar."
"Let me go!" Lucy cried out, slamming her heel hard into the groin of her attacker. Instantly he let go of her in pain, but Luck only managed to scramble a few feet before her ankle was snagged by his plump fingers. She glanced back at the man on the ground, the sudden change in his face showing a serious tone that sent shivers down her spine.
"It's time to go see Hades now." The way he spoke now lacked the airy tone from before, Lucy desperately trying to shake his hold on her ankle. He yanked her up harshly, Lucy barely having time to catch the front of her dress before it showed off her underwear. Her cheeks flushed as she glared up at the man, who seemed amused at his own thoughts as he shook Lucy's leg. Back was the weird guy from before, who chuckled with a cockiness he didn't deserve to have. "You don't have to be so shy; I know you're probably nervous around such a hot stud like me."
"E-Excuse me?!" Lucy shouted, Kain waving her exclamation away bashfully.
"I don't really prefer blondes, so try not to fall in love with me, okay?" Gritting her teeth, Lucy closed her eyes tightly and shouted.
"Taurus!" In seconds the bull came running, sounding like a stampede of bulls. Lucy managed to wiggle herself from the now loose grip as Taurus slammed his axe down towards Kain, the main catching the blade between his hands. The force of the axe moved the big man a few feet back, but he was able to withstand the attack before nearly throwing Taurus off his feet. Lucy stumbled to get off the ground, pointing toward Kain with a determined expression. "Alright, Taurus, now show him what you're really made of."
"Nobody touches my beautiful master's body but me!" The bull continued to slice at Kain, but the man was stealthy fast despite his large size. Lucy could not believe it, watching the chubby man dance circles around her muscular spirit. Taurus did his best to keep up, but speed was never his forte. Instead, the bull let out a howl of pain when Kain struck him in the back, picking him up and throwing him straight down to the ground.
"Taurus, you've gotta get up!" Lucy begged, her tone shaking on desperate when Taurus started to disappear.
"Sorry, Lucy, but I'm going back to the ranch." And just like that, Lucy was alone again. Lucy immediately felt the fatigue of Taurus hit her as she dropped to one knee, her hand covering her forehead to try and stop the room from spinning. She barely noticed that Kain had moved until something hard struck her in the back, knocking her completely onto the floor. Her painful cry was loud when he stomped on the back of her corset, seeming to enjoy the pain he was inflicting.
"Now be a good girl and come with me. Master Hades is waiting for you."
"Ne-Never!" Through sheer will she was able to roll from his foot when it tried to stomp on her a second time, but Lucy could feel how damaged her ribs were. It hurt to breathe, never mind try to stand up. Her eyes barely opened when she felt a shadow cast over her, Kain's hand reaching to grab her hair again. But before he could make contact, a flaming fist knocked the man clear across the ballroom.
"Don't you dare touch Lucy again, or I'll burn you to ashes." The growl sounded animalistic as the dragon slayer stood in front of her, his body shaking with rage. Lucy felt her smile return as his slanted gaze dropped down to her, Natsu quickly dropping to his knees beside her. "Lucy?!"
"Na-Natsu," she whispered, her breathing wavering as she started to fall unconscious. Warm hands grasped her face, and in the distance she could hear her name being called. She wanted to answer, but the darkness was too comforting, and before Lucy could fight it she was out.
The move was called out just before Juvia shot the gun, allowing Meredy's final spell to be cast. Juvia's world was rocked into pain when something burned her wrist, Juvia's strangled scream being joined by a deep hiss across the battlefield. Gray glanced down at his wrist, eyes wide when seeing a mark being burned into the skin there. In seconds, Gray's senses were changed with an unnatural feeling.
"So she used a sensory link? It seems your little police officer is more than even Meredy can handle." Though Ultear meant to sound cocky, Gray noticed the fleeting look of concern as she gazed past his shoulder toward her partner.
"What does that mean?" Gray asked, Ultear's attention drawn back to the fight at hand. Her lip quirked in a smirk as she flung an orb straight at Gray, slamming into his shoulder. Gray was knocked back a few feet as he grimaced in pain, but it was a more feminine voice that cried out. Shocked, Gray looked back to see Juvia's crumpled form over Meredy, clutching the same shoulder that Gray had just been damaged in. Despite the pain Juvia continued to hold Meredy down, refusing to let the pain blur her objective. Gray looked back to Ultear, who seemed to predict the outcome already. "What did she do to Juvia?"
"Meredy? Oh, simple really. Meredy's lost magic is 'Maguilty Sense', and her sensory link has bound you and the blue haired woman together. Meaning, every shred of pain I inflict on you, she'll feel, and vice versa. Isn't that romantic?"
"That's a cheap trick," Gray replied, his stomach churning at the new information. Through all of his life, Gray had always trained his body to take pain. Because of it, his tolerance was much higher than most. If he got bruised, he shrugged it off, and blood wasn't an uncommon sight for him. But now...he fought the urge to glance at Juvia, who was now connected to him. He wasn't dismissing Juvia's magic abilities; he had felt first hand how strong she was. Adding to the fact that she was a cop and a trained fighter made him feel a little better. She didn't get her position by being weak or unable to take a punch or two.
Still, this was not how he planned to test her endurance level.
"It's not Meredy's fault; if you two didn't have a strong emotional connection, the sensory link wouldn't have stuck. Really, the only person you can blame is yourself." Ultear's snide remark made Gray grit his teeth. Leave it to him to put someone in danger again. Unwillingly his mind flashed to Ur, but he shoved it into the back of his mind. Instead, he narrowed his eyes on Ultear and smirked.
"Your partner just made a big mistake; Fairy Tail fights even stronger when their friends are on the line. I really hate fighting women, but now, I can't wait to defeat you." And faster than Ultear could move, Gray had launched forward and slammed his fist into her face. Ultear's body skidded across the floor from the force, the time mage shoving up onto her elbows to glare at Gray. Blood tricked down the side of her pale chin, dripping between her clenched fists.
"Just for that, I'll let you two die together!" Ultear's anger paired with a stance that Gray knew all too well, his eyes widening at the surprise.
"You know maker magic?"
"It shouldn't surprise you; Ur was my mother." Gray wasn't expecting that, and got caught off guard with Ultear's attack. "Ice Make: Rosen Krone!"
"Gray-sama!" Juvia's loud cry came too late, Gray's body getting sliced up by the attack. She instantly winced as her own body felt the cutting sensations, her arms trembling to keep herself up from the pain wracking her body. She glanced down at Meredy, who was nursing the shoulder that Juvia had shot at. It was clear that her nullification dart had hit the mark, yet the magic had yet to disappear from Juvia's wrist.
"It won't release until I tell it to. Even without my magical energy, it will stay." Meredy seemed depleted of energy on the ground, her head rolled to the side to watch Ultear and Gray fight. Juvia's eyes widened at the information, unaware that such a powerful magic existed. Was this why it was considered lost magic? A sharp pain smashed into Juvia's side, the police officer closing one eye as she peered back up at Gray. He was wrestling with Ultear on the ground, a trail of blood pooling down his side. Still he fought, despite the pain that he knew Gray was going through. And it wasn't just the physical pain she was feeling; her eyes blinked back the onset of tears she felt growing at the despair grasping his heart. She wasn't sure what set off the emotions, but they continued to pierce her heart while she watched Gray block an attack with a block of ice.
"Why did you turn out this way? Ur loved you!" Gray's question made Ultear's calm composure crack, the woman lashing out at him with an ice whip.
"My mother abandoned me. She was scared I would turn out to be a stronger wizard than she was. But Hades saw the potential I had and took me in as one of his own. Ur is nothing to me; I hate her!"
"How could you say that?" The emotional anguish Juvia felt made her clutch her heart, Gray showing none of his pain as he stared at the daughter of his deceased mentor. "Ur never cared about power; all she wanted was to have you back. She used to cry for you, every night. She loved you more than she ever loved anything else."
"Shut up, you know nothing!" Gray took the opportunity of Ultear's breakdown to launch forward, slamming both of his hands in front of him before she could react.
"Ice Make: Gungnir!" The woman screamed as she was thrusted into the air, completely surrounded by the ice formation Gray had summoned. Ultear struggled to get out, but the mixture of physical fatigue and emotional instability made her unable to release the ice. Gray glanced to Juvia, his hand pointing to Ultear. "Juvia, the gun!"
"Right!" Juvia's aim was spot on with Ultear's arm, Gray releasing his ice once sure the woman couldn't retaliate. Juvia unstrapped the handcuffs to toss to Gray, who quickly fastened Ultear's wrists around a sturdy beam. Ultear did little to fight him, though she refused to meet his gaze when he crouched down in front of her. Their conversation was too quiet for Juvia to hear, but she could feel Gray's curiosity and sympathy coursing through their connection. Juvia turned away from them when Meredy moved under her, Juvia watching the young woman struggle with her own emotion confusion.
"Ul-Ultear…" The softness that Meredy used showed her concern for her guardian, Juvia helping the younger girl sit up before pulling her into a soft hug. "Wh-What are you doing? Let me go!"
"It's alright; everything's alright. You can cry; Juvia won't judge you." Meredy's attempts to pull away slowly stopped, the girl's trembling apparent as she grasped Juvia's back and started to cry.
"She's not a bad person; she always made sure I was safe. She never let Hades or any of the other Grimoire Heart members hurt me. I love her very much!" Juvia nodded as she stroked Meredy's head, letting the girl soak her dress with her tears. Closing her eyes, an image of her younger self flashed through her mind. She had defended her parents the same way, refusing to listen to those who called them terrible names after they left her. No matter what others saw, Juvia knew how much her parents loved her. Their pasts changed nothing. To Juvia, her parents were good.
Pained with the memories of her past, Juvia rocked the crying girl in her arms silently, ignoring the tears sliding down her own face.
Nearly an hour later, Juvia glanced around at the destroyed ballroom. By now most of the dark guild was subdued, though it seemed that Hades had escaped when he realized his plans had failed. Laxus and Gildarts were recapping with Makarov while Gajeel ordered a few younger officers on where to bring the low level criminals. Erza seemed to be monitoring the more dangerous wizards, and despite her badly beat up body, stood with authority that even Grimoire Heart wasn't prepared to try and rebel against. It also helped that she had them surrounded with several very sharp swords. They glared at her while they were moved into the back of a car specifically made for subduing of strong wizards, in case their handcuffs weren't enough. The only one who wasn't hostile was Ultear, making Juvia wonder just what Gray had spoken to her about.
"Juvia." Lyon's quiet tone made her look up, his suit in the same condition as Gray's. He looked down at the wizard Juvia was holding, who had cried herself to sleep. Lying so quietly, Juvia realized how young Meredy really was. If she had to guess, the girl was only in her early teens. Her baby cheeks and underdeveloped body showed her youth, despite the power she held. "You know she's got to come to the station to be questioned and sentenced."
"Sentenced?" Juvia repeated, Lyon clearing his throat and giving a sharp nod.
"She's part of a dark guild, and played a part in endangering the citizens of Magnolia." Juvia felt her arms tighten around Meredy at Lyon's response, an unexplainable desire to protect her making her shake her head.
"Meredy's different than the others; she's not evil! Juvia will not allow her to be treated as some evil criminal."
"Juvia, she wanted to kill you." Instantly Juvia shook her head, rising to stand with Meredy. She turned to her displeased partner, committed to standing her ground.
"Juvia is requesting Meredy and Ultear get a plea bargain."
"What? You can't be serious." The tone Lyon took made Juvia bite her lip, but she refused to allow him to change her mind.
"Meredy and Ultear could be very useful in the search for Hades. Juvia will speak with Makarov about making an arrangement that puts the two of them on a road of recovery, instead of imprisonment."
"I heard Jellal Fernandez runs a guild under Erza Scarlet's direction called 'Crime Sorcerie'." Gray's suggestion made Juvia turn around to face him, missing the narrowing of Lyon's eyes. Gray ignored the look, keeping his gaze on the hopeful look on Juvia's face. " It works with reforming mages to work off their crimes through jobs given out by the police. The girls will still be serving time, but just in a different way."
"You!" Juvia gasped when Lyon shoved Gray hard into a wall, his eyes blazing with anger and...betrayal? "All this time, I've been chasing you and your idiotic friend."
"Lyon!" Juvia wanted to step between them, but with Meredy in her arms, she was helpless to stop the two brothers.
"You were a part of the Fire and Ice robberies." Gray pressed his forehead hard into Lyon's, his growl audible.
"So you finally figured it out; did your captain inform you that Natsu and I were hired, and that those were missions?" The pure disgust of the information on Lyon's face showed he did know, but was not happy regardless.
"And because of those missions, you nearly got the entire police force killed. Not to mention you put Juvia's life in danger." The tension in the air was thick, Gray glancing away from Lyon when being unable to deny the claim. "Because you and Natsu stuck your noses into the business of the dark guilds, you've put targets on everyone you associate with. All of this tonight was your fault. The people who were harmed tonight rests on your shoulders. And more dark guilds will come for you now that Natsu blew your cover. Is it worth it, Gray? Because I'm not ready to watch another woman I care for die in front of me."
"Shut up!" Gray's hand shot out to punch Lyon, but the older man easily caught it. The two glared at each other, Lyon scoffing before he released his hold on Gray's fist and stepped back.
"Don't forget I'm a cop. I can have you arrested for assaulting an officer."
"I'd like to see you try." Before Lyon could reply, Juvia stepped between them and thrusted Meredy into Lyon's surprised arms.
"Lyon, please make sure Meredy and Ultear are offered the idea Gray-sama suggested. For now, Juvia needs to speak with Gray-sama. Could you please take Meredy to the station for Juvia? Juvia will need her to reverse her magic tomorrow when her powers return."
"What did she do to you? Are you okay?" Juvia's eyes widened slightly when Lyon stepped closer to her, supporting all of Meredy's weight on one arm to brush his free hand against her cheek. "Should I go get a medic?"
"Th-That's not necessary!" She supplied quickly, Lyon's concerning look making her cheeks darken in embarrassment. "Really, Juvia is fine."
"We've just got some stupid sensory link on us." Juvia felt Gray's irritation more than she heard it, sending the scowling wizard a confused look when he shoved his hands into his pants pockets. "I'm taking her to Fairy Tail to recap with everyone, then she'll be staying at my house until we get this thing taken care of."
"Excuse me?" Juvia wasn't sure who sounded more surprised, Lyon or her. Gray nonchalantly lifted his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling as he explained.
"I talked to Levy after giving Ultear to the cops; she doesn't know much about lost magic because they destroyed most of the books pertaining to it. From what little she does know, the only person who can break a spell of lost magic is the one who casted it. Since Meredy's got no magic power until tomorrow night, we're going to have to wait. I'm keeping Juvia at my house until then." Praying that her slight excitement at his proposition couldn't be felt between their link, Juvia tried to fan the embarrassment from her cheeks while Lyon shook his head.
"Absolutely not. Why would I ever let my partner sleep over a criminal's house?"
"I thought we already discussed that I wasn't really a criminal? Besides, it's not up to you." Both pair of eyes turned to Juvia, Gray's voice lowering when speaking to her. "What do you say? You want to spend the night with me?"
Juvia was sure she was going to pass out from sheer embarrassment as her mind instantly went down a path she hadn't meant it to. She swallowed, realizing it did little to cure her dry throat, and tried her best at a casual nod. Gray's smile was smug as he looked back to Lyon, who seemed ready to pop in anger.
"Well then, there you go. Now why don't you bring Meredy back and I'll bring Juvia by the police station tomorrow."
"You better not do anything improper, Gray. I know that Ur taught you how to treat a woman." Lyon's scolding was followed by a glance to Juvia, a look of hesitation apparent. "If he touches you in any way, don't hesitate to call me. I only live a few blocks from his home."
"Juvia will be fine," she assured, trying to keep her smile while Lyon made his slow retreat back with Meredy. She realized almost instantly she was alone with Gray, a set of nerves instantly attacking her. Trying not to show her anxiety of being alone with him, Juvia scanned the remaining people left in the hall. By now medic wizards were on the scene, helping heal any of the people who had been injured in the attack. Her body tensed when seeing Lucy carried in Natsu's arms, wondering what had happened to the reporter after leaving them. Had she made the right choice to send Lucy to find Natsu alone? Should she have stayed with her? If Lucy was badly hurt-
"Hey," Juvia lifted her head at Gray's gruff voice, the ice mage keeping his gaze on Natsu and Lucy. He didn't look at Juvia, but she could tell he was talking to her when he brushed his arm against hers. "Stop that."
"Stop what?"
"Feeling like Lucy getting hurt is your fault." He lifted his wrist to show the sensory link still glowing from his skin, his eyes following the pair Juvia had been watching earlier. "Natsu's gonna feel guilt enough for all three of us."
"Juvia supposes Gray-sama is correct," She whispered, her frown increasing as she thought about the past few hours. "Lyon is right as well; the dark guilds won't stop now that they know Natsu and Gray-sama's identity."
"Yeah, but now that the cat's out of the bag, Fairy Tail can know about us, too. When they find out what these assholes did to Lucy, they're going to want to find every dark guild and rip em to shreds." Juvia placed her hand onto her heart when she felt pride swell in it, though it wasn't hers. Gray truly loved his guild, and felt no shame in their rambunctious ways. She felt herself smile at the warmth. It was a nice feeling, to belong somewhere. To have a place to call home. She embraced them completely, even if they really weren't her own emotions. "We should probably head to Fairy Tail now and update the master on what we know concerning Zeref and the dark guilds. Plus, knowing Natsu, he probably brought Lucy there to get checked on."
Juvia gave the broken hall once final glance before turning to Gray, nodding with conviction.
"Of course, lead the way."
If there was one thing Lucy was thankful for, it was how much Wendy's healing powers had improved over the years. While the two were close at work, what really brought the two together was the guild. Wendy had started in the guild as a shy little girl with tremendous assisting powers. Then again, what else could you expect from a dragon slayer? As the years went on, Wendy learned how to harness her full potential and had become the healer of the Fairy Tail guild. Lucy had never been so thankful as she was now, Wendy's powers returning her ability to breath without pain. She was still a little sore around her ribs, but it was nothing a day of rest wouldn't cure.
As of right now, Lucy was stuck in one of the beds in the back of Fairy Tail's guild, per the "request" of Mirajane. Lucy had only been awake for an hour, Mira explaining that Natsu had brought her here soon after the attack from Grimoire Heart. Several of her guildmates had come to visit her, despite it already being two in the morning. She felt bad that Wendy had been woken up to come heal her, but the blue-haired teenager continued to say how guilty she would have felt if nobody had. Levy came by with Gajeel, both promising to come back in the morning. More of her guildmates poured in and out, yet she felt her heart sink lower with each passing minute. Even now, with Gray and Juvia speaking with her about the attack, Lucy felt herself continue to look toward the door.
"Lucy?" Juvia's worried tone made Lucy look back to the cop, laughing nervously.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to space out."
"It's understandable; Wendy said she's surprised that you're awake," Gray replied, glancing at the clock before putting a hand on Juvia's shoulder. "But we should let Lucy try to sleep; we'll come back tomorrow after this spell is taken care of."
"Don't worry about me; I'm sure I'll have my hands filled with people coming to check in on me." Lucy forced a smile as the two said their goodbyes, Gray shutting the lights off in the room while closing the door. It was the first time Lucy had been alone since she woke up. A tired sigh escaped her lips as she leaned back on the bed, wincing when the new position put slight pressure on her bruised back. Closing her eyes completely, Lucy tried to let the darkness of the room settle her racing mind. Wendy had told her that the best way to fully recover was to sleep. Though she wanted to heed her friend's suggestion, Lucy was unable to find the peace of mind to go to bed. And she knew exactly what the reason for that was.
"Why didn't he come to see me?" Carefully she turned onto her side, glancing out the window with a frown. Natsu took the time to bring her all the way to Fairy Tail, wake up Wendy, and make sure she was healed to the best of the dragon slayer's ability. Yet since she woke up, there had been no sign of the rowdy man. Was he trying to avoid her? She groaned at the thought. After the whole ballroom fiasco, shouldn't Natsu realize avoiding her was not the best plan of action? Then again, Natsu wasn't always know for making the intellectual decisions. This one shouldn't-
Lucy's view of the moon was blocked when a shadow jumped into her window, a familiar pair of slanted eyes making her breath catch. Natsu moved from the window into the room, letting the moonlight outline his lean figure. She wanted to speak, but felt her voice catch when seeing the somber look he was giving her. He moved towards her slowly, Lucy watching him quietly from her bed. Natsu still didn't speak, but left his shoes beside the bed as he crawled onto it. Lucy felt her eyes flutter close when Natsu laid behind her, his arms wrapping around her to pull her back into him. Though the movement was a little painful, Lucy ignored it to appreciate the warmth she had been missing for months. She felt Natsu bury his face into her hair, his words muffled between her blonde strands.
"You sure like to get yourself in trouble, huh?" She felt herself blush as she glared back at him, Natsu sending her a cheeky smile.
"Is that all you have to say to me?" She muttered, feeling herself pout despite how good his fingers felt stroking under her loose tank-top. The bruises were sensitive, but with his warm caress, the pains from before seemed to melt away.
"Well I was going to say you've gained weight, but I figured you'd hit me for that." Natsu snickered as Lucy tried to kick him, Natsu easily wrapping his legs around hers to pin them to the bed.
"If this is all you came here to do-"
"I thought you died." Suddenly, the humor lacing his voice evaporated, his hold on her tightening a bit. Lucy froze in her struggling, eyes staring ahead of her as Natsu's tone dipped in an emotional weakness he rarely used. "You weren't moving, and you're breathing was really soft. I almost didn't even see your chest moving. If I didn't have my enhanced hearing, I would have seriously thought you weren't breathing."
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her eyes closing when trembling lips pressed to her neck. Easily she tilted her head, allowing his fiery breath caress the soft skin of her throat.
"What the hell would I do without you, Luce?" The hint of desperation in his voice made Lucy close her eyes, pressing her hand over his on her stomach.
"I could ask you the same thing, but I already know my answer." Their fingers intertwined as Lucy clutched to him, her voice shaky. "I'd just leave everything I've ever know and hunt you down again."
"You're such a weirdo." He curled into her back, pressing his forehead into her shoulder and breathing in her scent. The two months he had been away from her had felt just as painful as the years he had kept them separated. But again, Natsu found himself unable to pull away despite the danger he was putting her in. The last time he had given in to his desires to be with her, to just talk to her, Lucy had nearly lost her life. If he continued to see her like this, would Lucy really die because of him? He was strong, and would move mountains for her, but this attack had been too close for comfort. And now that people knew who he was, he was bound to run into his real target.
"Hey, Natsu?" Lucy's calming voice made Natsu push away from his troubling thoughts, closing his eyes slowly.
"What? You got to pee or something?"
"No!" She snapped out, Natsu snickering to himself at his own joke. Though he knew she hated his teasing, he couldn't stop himself when hearing the irritated whine she got in her throat each time he did it.
"Are you going after Zeref?"
"Yeah," Natsu admitted, no longer wanting to keep things from Lucy. One secret between them had put her in serious danger, and Natsu wasn't willing to play with her life again.
"I can't say I like the idea of you risking your life on a guy who slaughtered his whole village without a second thought. But…" Lucy felt herself smile as she finally found the sleep she had been looking for. She should have known all she needed was Natsu's safe embrace. As the sands of slumber coaxed her towards her dreamland, Lucy murmured her final words of the night. "But I know you can defeat him. I've always believed in you, Natsu."
"Thank you, Lucy." Despite his need to keep distance between them, Natsu found himself falling asleep nestled up to Lucy's soft form. Zeref, dark guilds, and the rest of the world could wait until morning.
For one night, the two slept like nothing in the world could tear them apart.
And that is the end of this chapter! Lots of action, lots of romance, and the plot is starting to open up. So, what do you guys think will happen when Zeref shows himself? How will Juvia and Gray's night alone go? Will the fire be too much for them to handle? And will Lyon find out about their secret feelings? Find out next time! Come visit my tumblr, Navybluewings0013 , and leave me a review!
Next Chapter: Take it All Away
