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Chapter 9: Final Plans
"Are we close yet?" Lucy asked as she laid her head in Natsu's lap. She was exhausted from having to worry so much about Natsu and all she wanted was one of Mira's cooked meals.
"Quit your complaining human," Skiadrum grumbled as he flew. Natsu absent mindedly ran his fingers through her hair.
"Think we will make it in time?" Wendy asked a little worriedly. It had been a whole month since the four of them had been at Fairy Tail, what if Levy already started the rebellion?
"I wouldn't worry too much. Levy would want to have a strict battle plan AND make sure everyone was prepared and ready for battle," Gray reminded her. Lucy nodded sleepily in agreement. Natsu stroking her hair was making her want to just curl up and pass out even more. "Now now Lucy, you can't be falling asleep now. We need to be awake when we address the guild," Gray reminded Lucy. Lucy groaned, sleep sounded better than addressing the guild. "Natsu, that means you will probably have to stop stroking her hair," Gray pointed out. Natsu's face turned the color of his hair when he realized what he had been doing.
"R-right," Natsu stuttered as he stopped. Lucy let out a small groan of announce and shot a glare to Gray, she was enjoying that dang it! Gray just smirked and chuckled at Lucy's annoyed expression. With a huff Lucy decided it was best to just sit up anyway.
"Lucy-san, I think I see the guild!" Wendy told Lucy pointing down to their guild building. Everyone looked over the dragon to where she was pointing, seeing that Wendy was indeed right.
"Finally! I can't wait to have one of Mira's meals!" Lucy said grinning.
"Skiadrum, how are you going to avoid being seen? If the council got word that you were here it would spell trouble for everyone," Natsu asked the dragon.
Skiadrum smirked before saying, "Oh, don't you worry my new prince. There is a reason why Igneel sent me to take you back rather than him himself. You see, since I am a shadow dragon, so I can become invisible to the people from below. Then, when we land, I will just become a shadow."
"I wish we could reunite you with Rouge, but I am afraid that will have to wait till after the war," Natsu told him sorrowfully.
"Do not worry, I am sure once your young friend becomes the leader of the council then I will have more than enough time with him. The two of us have a lot of catching up to do I think," Skiadrum said fondly. It was the first time any of them had heard Skiadrum actually speak fondly about something. It made Lucy smile, he must really care for Rouge. "Brace yourselves, we're landing," Skiadrum told them. All of them held onto the dragon tightly as they landed in the back of Fairy
Tail.
"Finally! We're home!" Lucy said as Natsu helped her off the dragon. Gray helped Wendy down and they all smiled as they looked at their guildhall.
"Come out and tell me when the human girl wants to talk to me," Skiadrum told Natsu as he became a shadow on the ground. Natsu nodded as he entered Fairy Tail with his friends behind him.
"I'm back!" Natsu yelled out into the guildhall. Everyone looked toward Natsu surprised to see him return. Levy came running up to the group, hugging them all.
"We were all so worried about you! We weren't sure what happened!" Levy told them happy to see them return.
"Sorry to worry you all, it took a lot longer than we thought it would," Lucy told her with a smile. Juvia came running up, tackling Gray down to the ground as she cried.
"Juvia thought Gray-sama had died or something!" Juvia told him as she held onto him closely. Gray chuckled slightly as he tried to pry the girl off him, he wouldn't admit it, but he had missed Juvia very much.
"I'm fine, really Juvia," Gray told her once she had finally let him back onto his feet.
"I made this for Gray-sama," Juvia said holding up another pillow of herself.
"I don't want it!" Gray said as he began to run away from the girl. The two ran around the guild as the others laughed. Wendy then found Carla and decided she had a lot to tell her cat, so she excused herself to go catch up with Carla.
"We actually need to talk to you Levy," Lucy told her.
"I figured you would, you two follow me. I will have Erza and the Master meet us in the conference room," Levy told the two as she lead them into the conference room. Erza and the Master were already in there waiting for them. Erza smiled at the two as they entered.
"It's great to have you two back," Erza told them with a smile. The Master nodded in agreement with the S-Class mage. "Looks like it is time to make final battle plans," she stated.
"It is, we need to be attacking soon. Our window of opportunity is closing rapidly," Levy told the small group.
"I believe I can help our odds greatly. You see, I was taken by dragons, but for a specific purpose. The dragons have crowned me as their human dragon prince. This means that I can command a small number of dragons to aid in the battle," Natsu told Levy. Levy beamed at Natsu's suggestion, but then her expression turned troubled.
"How soon can the dragons be available for battle?" Levy asked worriedly. She knew they couldn't wait too much longer, Queen had been getting on her for waiting so long as it is. Levy just couldn't bring herself to launch the attack with Natsu and the others though, it just wouldn't feel right.
"A few days, Skiadrum is outside waiting for your orders as we speak," Natsu told them. The three looked at Natsu in amazement.
"There is a dragon outside?!" Erza asked floored. Erza's reaction made Natsu smirk, it took a lot to get Erza shocked.
"If the council sees it, we will have trouble," Levy said becoming even more troubled.
"Skiadrum is a shadow dragon, so right now he is just a normal shadow on the ground. The council will not find out he is here. The only question that remains is, do you want the dragons help?" Natsu asked Levy. Levy thought about it for a moment, did she really want their help? Everyone had put so much effort into training, some for years, and if they had the dragons everything would just be so much easier.
"Yes, I do, but only as a last resort. Can they be on standby?" Levy asked Natsu.
"Yes they can, they are willing to do whatever to help. If you want them just as a last resort method, they can do that. Now, when are we going to start the battle?" Natsu asked her.
"3 days time should be good. Queen will finally be off my butt about it at least, plus that should give the dragons enough time to prepare. Erza can put the rest of the guild members through intense training as well. There is only one last thing to figure out, who is going ot be a part of the elite team that takes down the big shots of the council? You can leave the leader to me and Gajeel, but the others," Levy asked Erza and the master.
"I think me, Mira, Gildarts, Laxus, Natsu, and Gray should be the elite team. I don't believe you should be a part of the battle master. If something were to happen to you, where would the guild be?" Erza stated.
"I have to agree with Erza on her choice of people and you not being a part of it master," Levy said backing Erza up.
"I guess you all are right, I am getting up there in age. I will stay back here and help tend to the wounded. I am sure Porlyusica would help me as well," Makarov stated, a little disappointed to not be part of the action.
"Wait, there is one problem, I don't want to be part of the elite team," Natsu said flatly.
"What? Why not?" Erza said truly surprised. Normally Natsu wanted to be right where the action was, well, where the most action would be. Plus, they could truly use him in the elite team.
"Simple, I have a score to settle with a certain Ella Phantomhive," Natsu said putting on his signature grin.
"Fine with me, just don't get yourself taken over again. I think Lu-chan would kill me if I let that happen," Levy told him. "Well, with that settled, I will let Lahar, Queen, and Skiadrum know of our plans. Erza, you should put together a program to make sure everyone is ready for the battle in three days. Natsu, you should go mingle and enjoy coming home," Levy told them before leaving.
"Good to have you back my boy," Makarov told Natsu smiling before he left as well. Erza and Natsu followed him out to the guildhall where everyone was celebrating their return.
"Ey, Natsu, come over here," called Gajeel, who was currently at the bar. Natsu walked over to the black haired dragon slayer.
"Yeah?" Natsu said, curious as to why Gajeel called him over.
"Have you told the bunny girl how you feel yet?" Gajeel asked him, raising an eyebrow. Natsu's face lit up with a slight blush at the mention of his feelings for Lucy. He could only shake his head, not wanting to become a stuttering mess in front of Gajeel. "You should tell her after the fight," Gajeel told Natsu.
"You make it sound so easy," Natsu said with a sigh. How could he tell her? What if she turned him down? That scared him more than anything else.
"I know it isn't easy, it was hard for me to tell Levy how I felt," Gajeel told Natsu.
"She told you first," Natsu pointed out. Gajeel rolled his eyes as he took a swig of his drink.
"Listen, you'll be sorry if you don't tell her soon. Don't wait too long or she may just be gone," Gajeel stated flatly.
"Yeah, I know," Natsu said with a sigh as he watched Lucy laugh at Gray and Juvia's antics as she talked to Wendy. I can't let her be taken by another, Natsu thought to himself. After the fight, he would tell her after the fight.
As Natsu was torturing himself about finally confessing to Lucy, Levy was making everything final. She walked out to the back where the shadow dragon was hiding. "Hello? Skiadrum?" she called out to the seemingly empty backyard.
"You must be Levy," came a booming voice from below. The young solid script mage jumped as she looked around to see where the voice was coming from. "I am a shadow right now, so you won't see me. Just tell me what the plans are so I can head back and tell Igneel," Skiadrum stated impatiently.
"R-right," Levy said taking a deep breath to calm herself. "The plan is to attack in 3 days, but I would like to use the dragons as a last resort. I don't want to just use you because I feel that would be putting everyone else's hard work to waste. I want you all to wait in a field nearby till we give you some sort of signal to come," Levy told the shadow dragon.
"Fine, I will tell Igneel. Tell Prince Natsu that we will see him then," Skiadrum told Levy before disappearing without a trace. At least the council won't catch him, Levy thought to herself. Hopefully Natsu and her could work out an agreement as to what the dragons could do within the new council's laws. Afterward she took out her phone and called Lahar's number.
"Levy?" Lahar said sounded a little surprised. Levy hardly called anyone, normally she left that all to Queen.
"Yes, it is me. We have finally decided when we will be attacking the council and I thought you might want to time to prepare for it," Levy told him.
"Oh really? When is it?" Lahar asked curiously. He beckoned Doranbolt to come over to him.
"3 days time, is that okay with you?" Levy asked. Lahar and Doranbolt exchanged surprised looks. Queen said Levy kept putting off the battle, but now she had made it so soon. One day the two planned to ask her why.
"Yes, that is fine. We will see you then," Lahar said before hanging up. Taking a deep breath Levy decided it was time to finally call Queen. No way she could tell Queen that she was the last one Levy called, but she did need to eventually call Queen.
"Levy? This is a surprise, something happen?" Queen asked Levy when she called.
"Yes, I have decided when the battle is. Have the troops be prepped and prepared in 3 days time, can you do that?" Levy asked Queen.
"Yes, we will be ready," Queen said then abruptly hung up the phone. Levy sighed, as abrupt as ever. She walked into the guild hall to see everyone being told by Erza about the intense final training. Levy couldn't help but giggle as everyone groaned by Erza's plans. Suddenly she felt arms around her and laughter as she squeaked.
"You are too cute," came a voice she knew all too well from behind her.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready Gajeel?" Levy asked leaning back into his arms. He kissed her cheek and held her close.
"Why would I want to when I can have you in my arms?" Gajeel asked playfully before his voice turned serious, "after the war, I will still have you right? You won't find another man, right?" Levy turned to face him and cupped his face with a gentle smile.
"Gajeel, I love you, nothing will change that. Not me becoming head of the council or me loosing this battle. I will always love you," Levy said before gently kissing him on the lips. Gajeel held her closer to him, not wanting to let her go.
"Forever and always," Gajeel said holding her closely and stroking her hair. Don't die on me now shorty, Gajeel thought as he held her close, I can't live without you now, forever and always.
Only 1 more chapter and an epilog to go!
Final plans have finally be put in place, but how will the battle be fought? Can they truly win? Will Natsu finally be able to confess his love to Lucy? Find out all this and more in Chapter 10: The Battle
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