Chapter 4: Vs. Honedge

"Erza's gonna be back soon... I'm gonna beat her this time... And get her gym badge! Hehehehehe!" Natsu was pacing restlessly while Lucy, Gray, Mira, and Cana watched.

"Like you'll actually win against Erza." Gray sneered.

"Gray, your clothes." Cana said as her Spoink jumped around incessantly.

"Well I didn't ask for your opinion, ice breath!"

"Flame brain!"

"Pervert!"

"Dumbass!"

"Stripper!"

Black lines ran down Lucy's face as she watched. "Are they always like this...? It's hard to watch..."

"Uh huh!" Mira said cheerfully.

"Say, where's Master? I haven't seen him around since we got back." Lucy blinked.

"He's meeting up with some other guildmasters. They do this every once in a while." Mira explained.

"I see..." Lucy nodded. She was about to speak again when the door slammed open. Loud footsteps were heard as a young woman in armor walked into the guildhall. Everyone was instantly silent.

"Is that...?" Lucy whispered.

"Yep, it's Erza! The most powerful woman in Fairy Tail!" Mira said cheerfully.

"She's pretty..." Lucy murmured.

"I've been gone for a while, as you all know... Mira, where is the Master?" Erza asked.

"He's away at a conference." Mira replied cheerfully.

"I see... In that case, I will be fixing all the trouble that you've been causing... All of you!" Erza glared around the guild. "Cana! Stop drinking so much! Wakaba! Fix that disgusting smoking! Macao..." She glared at him before sighing. "What am I going to do with you... Your gym was destroyed AGAIN! How long must people wait to get your gym badge? Get it in order! Natsu, Gray..."

"Oh, hey Erza! We didn't even notice you there, we were too busy being friends! Hehe!" Gray stammered nervously.

"Aye!" Natsu weakly added on.

"What's going on with them?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"It's good to see you two getting along." Erza smiled. "However, I was really going to ask you both to do me a favor..."

"Eh?" The two stood up straight.

"You two are going to help me take on a dark guild!" Erza said. "You two are the strongest people available, so I need your help!" Startled murmurs filled the guild hall.

"Erza, Natsu, and Gray working together... That could be the strongest team Fairy Tail has to offer!" Mira gasped lowly.

"The three of us working on a team... That might work..." Gray said thoughtfully.

...

"Like I could ever work with you!" Gray glared heatedly at Natsu as Eevee sweatdropped atop his head.

"I don't wanna work with you, either!" Natsu yelled back. Natsu, Lucy, and Gray were waiting for Erza at the train station. Lucy sat to the side with Happy and Plue.

"Why on earth did I come here..." Lucy sighed. "I wish Mira hadn't asked me to help... This is gonna be a pain..."

"I'm here!" Erza called as she walked over, wheeling a very large amount of luggage toward them.

"So much luggage!" Lucy exclaimed in shock.

"Oh. I remember seeing you at the guild yesterday. It's nice to meet you." Erza smiled, walking over to Lucy.

"Oh, I'm Lucy! I joined the guild recently, so Mira wanted me to come along and get experience." Lucy explained.

"The more the merrier." Erza nodded. "We should get in the train."

...

"Blegh..." Natsu was motion sick again. Lucy sighed.

"I wish he wasn't like this..."

"Let me handle it." Erza drew her sword, which was actually a disguised Honedge. She rammed it's hilt into Natsu's stomach, knocking him out. She sheathed the pokemon again. Black lines ran down Lucy's face.

"So, let me explain the mission." Erza said seriously. Lucy and Gray nodded. "The other day, I overheard some Eisenwald trainers talking about something called 'Lullaby'. They were going after it. I didn't recognize their guildmarks until later... We have to stop them from achieving their goal, whatever it is."

"Lullaby... We heard about that too!" Lucy proceeded to explain what happened two days before.

"I see... Those were likely former members of Eisenwald. We must stop them soon... If members of their own guild are scared, then this is serious." Erza frowned.

...

"Hm... Let's hope they're still in this town." The team had gotten off at their train stop.

"Um... Where's Natsu?" Lucy asked.

"We left him on the train!" Erza gasped. Happy sighed as he stared at the receding train.

...

"Oh, hey, a legal guild member." Natsu slowly blinked awake as someone spoke. A young man with black hair in a ponytail was sitting across from him. He had a strange coffin-shaped suitcase next to him. "How's your guild going for you? Feeling smug?

"...hn...?" Natsu was still disoriented from all the movement.

"I find dark guilds to be better... That's why I'm in one!" The man kicked Natsu in the face. "Stupid uppity legal guilds... I'll teach you..." Natsu threw him off and shakily stupid.

"Happy... Teach this... Guy... Happy?" Natsu realized that he was alone. Even his Charizard was gone.

"You don't have any pokemon? So do legal guilds just let anyone join now?" The man snickered. "I'll show you the true power of pokemon, kid! Cofagrigus, use shadow sneak!" The coffin opened up slightly, and shadows shot from it. Natsu was struck and thrown backwards.

"Dammit... Happy, where are you..." Natsu muttered as he hit the ground. A great ball rolled from his pocket...

...

"Stop the train!" Erza declared as she pulled the emergency break.

"You're already stopping it..." Lucy muttered with a sweatdrop. "Even Erza is insane... The whole guild is insane..."

"I'm not insane!" Gray declared as his clothes came off.

"No, you're insane AND naked!" Lucy shouted.

...

Natsu stood as the train came to a stop. "Much better..." He noticed the great ball. "Oh yeah... Didn't Macao give me a pokemon once in case I ever got separated from Happy?" Natsu grinned. "Counterattack time!" He grabbed the great ball and threw it down. A Growlithe popped out. "Just a measly little puppy?! Oh well... Let's see what it can do..." Natsu placed his hand on Growlithe's head and closed his eyes. "...alright! Use flame wheel!" Growlithe charged forward as it was wrapped in flames.

"Cofagrigus! Use a move that increases your defense!" The man yelped, but he was too late. Growlithe slammed him and Cofagrigus to the ground, causing a lot damage. A strange flute with a three eyed skull at its top landed on the ground.

"HUH?" Natsu blinked.

"Y- you saw it..." The man muttered as he stood again. He quickly grabbed the flute. The train suddenly started again, and Natsu was thrown over.

"Seems I have an advantage again." The man snickered. "Shadow sneak!" Cofagrigus performed the moves again, slamming Natsu and Growlithe out the window. Luckily for the two, Happy had caught up to the train, and caught them. He landed beside the rest of the Fairy Tail group.

"Natsu! Are you okay?!" Erza asked.

"Yeah... But some guy from Eisenwald attacked me." Natsu grumbled. "He had some weird flute with a three eyed skull on it, too."

"A three eyed skull? That's it! I've heard of lullaby before!" Lucy gasped. "It was originally a normal poke flute, but the evil trainer Zeref imbued it with the power of a legendary he caught! Now it uses that legendary's power to kill anyone who hears the flute's song!"

"Why didn't you stop him, Natsu?!" Erza punched him. "Happy, after that train!"

"Char!"

...

"Sorry for the delay, Erigor." The man that had attacked Natsu handed off the flute to a man with white hair. They were standing outside the ruined train.

"Good job, Kageyama. With this... Those guildmasters won't know what hit them!" Erigor laughed evilly as he clutched the evil flute. "We'll kill them all!"