The train jolts forward as Lucy, Happy, Erza, Gray, Juvia, Levy and..."G-Gajeel!? Are you okay!?" Levy calls out as Gajeel has one hand folded over his chest and one up to his mouth as he starts sweating profusely. "Y-Yeah, i'll survive." He responds bleekly while internally scolding himself. "Damnit! This is Salamander's problem! Why is it getting worse!?" Levy pulls one of the thinner books from her bag and starts fanning some air in his face while rubbing on his back a bit. She wasn't sure if it was helping at all until Gajeel spoke up, "L-Levy...Thanks." Managing a smile while sweating from the motion sickness. Her heart warmed knowing he wasn't the type to show too many emotions, let alone gratitude. So hearing something so sincere went straight to her heart. It became official, anytime they would take a motive of transportation she knew exactly what she'd be doing for the man she loved. She smiled back immediately at him as if to convey the very message her heart was in the act of writing. Gajeel thought to himself, "There ain't no cure, but..this is nice..gihihi"
In the next row of seats Lucy, Erza and Happy idly chat. Something's been on Lucy's mind since Erza decided to join, so figuring now would be a good time she went ahead and asked, "Say Erza.." Erza hummed a response. "..What made you change your mind about coming with me? I mean..Natsu could be anywhere." Erza smiled at Lucy, reading her like an open book but deciding not to tease her. "I have my own reasons of course, but we're a family, Lucy. We look out for each other." She reaches a hand out grabbing Happy's head almost affectionately as he utters out an, "Ay-UMPH!" As Erza smashes his head into her chest plate while continuing as if this is normal while Lucy sweat drops and Happy squeezes out a, "So..hard.." Erza continues while raising her other fist in the air shaking it as if cursing herself, "I tried to keep Natsu and Gray in line while also giving them the freedom to do what they want. If only I had been stricter with them this wouldn't have happened." Lucy reassured her waving her hands in front of her frantically, "E-Erza it's ok! I think you did a great job. Gray is a good friend and I couldn't imagine Natsu, other than the way he is. He may be a little reckless but I think he's perfect." She says with a soft expression, unconsciously rubbing the ends of Natsu's scarf. Erza thinks to herself, "Lucy and Natsu, huh?" She smiles at the thought.
Behind their booth Gray and Juvia are sitting next to each other. "Gray-sama?" Juvia asks. Gray hums in response, "Hm?" Juvia looks him very sternly with a serious expression causing Gray to fluster a bit under her gaze. "W-what is it?" Juvia softens a bit, "J..Juvia wanted to say thank you." Gray relaxes a little but his curious mind wanders, "Why would she be thanking me?" Juvia presses on, "It means a lot to Juvia that you would help Lucy find Natsu-san." She finishes as she smiles placing a hand to her heart, recalling the look on Lucy's face the day and the overwhelming sympathy she felt for her. Turning back to Gray, she smiled brightly at him, "Juvia is happy is you're here for them." She finishes by grabbing his arm with both hands in a couple-like embrace, in the way a gentlemen would escort his date. To both her surprise and elation Gray didn't pull away, but rather blushed slightly before looking away thinking to himself, "D-d-damn, that was pretty cute..." He finally forces a sentence out, "It's not like I hate the guy, it's just boring around the guild without him around. Fairy Tail isn't Fairy Tail without Natsu." Juvia, who's been working on keeping her emotional spectrum around Gray a little calmer with some success finally short circuited as she passes out with hearts. Gray looks back over to see why he just felt something hit his shoulder. "O-oi! Juvia! What's wrong?" He gives her a light shake with his free hand before giving up. "Oh well.." He thought before they sat in comfortable silence.
An hour passed as the train was coming to a hault in Clover Town. Everyone was preparing to leave the train. Levy was helping Gajeel get up to the best of her abilities. Lucy, Erza, and Happy got up only to find Gray and Juvia had fallen asleep while resting their heads together. Lucy smiled warmly thinking back to the mission they helped her with, and how they both grabbed her hand to lead her back to the guild. She couldn't help but think how great they looked together, and the position they were in now confirmed it. Erza smiled at them, thinking back to how Gray was growing up, always fighting with Natsu and never thinking about girls in a romantic sense. This gave her some hope for her friend. Just then from the back of the train, a large explosion rocked the car, waking up Gray and Juvia. Erza took point, "Looks like we may have company, Let's go!" Everyone jumped up and ran outside to see what was going on, and if they were going to need to head into battle or not. Erza requipped a sword, Juvia and Gray took stances, Lucy summoned Virgo, Levy was ready to cast a spell, and Gajeel was on the ground recovering from motion sickness. Suddenly, almost as if it was a blur of light a figure attacked someone, landing a blow hard enough to incapacitate it's foe, but not knock it out. The figure stood up, almost as if realizing something, it turned around and everyone's eyes widened.
A few hours earlier
Jellal and Meredy settled in keeping up their disguise as tourists. Meredy excitedly pointing out random things from the window of the train with Jellal nodding in response every once in a while. An hour passed and they heard their targets conversing. Meredy prods Jellal in a whisper, "Let's get closer, we could get a lead without fighting." Jellal nods and they stand up walking down the aisle a booth or two before sitting back down. Just then they heard the tail end of a conversation between the transporter and some of his hired security, "-and to think news would travel down the pipeline that fast. Who knew he'd be such a wimp." The men chuckled a bit. "Seriously, who thought we'd actually bring down the salamander of fairy tail." The sentence echo'd in Jellal's mind as Meredy gasped putting her hands up to her mouth. "Natsu!?" Jellal thought. He looked at Meredy nodding as if he were projecting his thoughts. She understood what he intended immediately and nodded back with a serious look. The train carried on, eventually slowing down to approach it's stop. It was time to jump into action.
Just as the train came to a stop they made their move. Meredy stepped up, "Sensory Link!" Linking the two closest guards, just then Jellal with amazing speed ran up punching one of them in the stomach causing him and his linked associate to double over and hit the ground. Seeing this display, the transporter signals one of his guards. The guard put's an explosive device in a nearby room in the train causing it to blow out the side. The guard ushers the transporter out, "Get out of here! We'll ha-" The guard get's cut off by the sounds of screams as Jellal blasts through a few of them, leaving Meredy with the cleanup. Jellal avoids a hit with ease using the guard's momentum against him and tossing him into the opposing room on the car. Seeing his primary target fleeing he decides that he can't risk letting him get away, so it was now or never. "Meteor!" He shines brilliantly brimming with power before dashing at the man in a blur, stopping just before within the blink of an eye and powering off just before kicking him in the back of the leg causing his target to buckle. Just as quickly, and before the target can fully fall on the ground he strikes a blow to his back causing him to wince in pain on the way down. Just then Jellal detected the presence of familiar magic. Turning around he was met with wide eyes and gasps.
"Jellal!?" They all said in unison. Jellal turned around and grabbed the transporter before he could scurry away. Most of the train station has cleard out by the point in a panic from the resulting explosions earlier. Meredy, done cleaning up after Jellal in the train hopped out and noticed everyone, but was excited to see a familiar face, "Juvia!" Juvia looked around blankly before noticing the girl approaching, "Meredy-san!" Juvia exclaimed. "I hope you've been well?" Meredy answered, "Yes! But we'll have to catch up later, this is important." Everyone's attention lands on Jellal, and the man he's captured. Erza, finally clearing the lump in her throat since realizing Jellal was right here in front of her, asks the question. "Jellal, who is this man?" The man squirms under Jellal, "Don't talk down like i ain't here, lady! All you mages will pay for this, every single one of you!" Jellal ignores him and replies, "I've been tracking a dark guild associated with doing things with pieces of the eclipse gate." Lucy sucks in a breath, remembering those events. She bunches the scarf in her hands and hugs it for comfort and strength. Jellal continues, "Meredy and I heard him talking, I wish I could say this another way but, they're holding Natsu captive." As he finishes his sentence everyone gasps uttering What's?! and How's!?
Lucy was speechless, it was like an arrow pierced her heart, that was attached to a boulder causing it to sink hard and fast. Before she could caught up in thinking too much she walked over to the man as her head was spinning looking for questions and answers before finally asking, "Where is he? What have you done with Natsu?" The man asks in return, "Who?" Lucy replies quickly, "I'm asking you where the salamander of fairy tail is, and his name is Natsu." The man asks back in a snarky way, "What's it to you little girl?" Happy and Virgo jump in at the same time with a double team attack, "SHE LLLLLLIKKEEEEESSSS HIMMMMM!" Angry tick marks start rapidly multiplying over Lucy's forehead. "I'm asking you for the last time, and if you don't answer me." Her voice get's lower and her facial expression would rival Erza's in sheer terror, "Nothing will save you. Now.." She inches closer cracking her knuckles. "Where is he? What have you done with my Natsu!" Moment's later the man was tied to a nearby light post with large lumps all over his face and huge knots coming out off the top of his head, and the group was headed to their next destination, ready to fight.
A/N
Reviews! Thank you so much Snowflake and Dragneel562! I really appreciate your feedback and i'm glad you guys are enjoying the story. I've had so much fun writing it. I would like to apologize for not having this chapter up yesterday but i was simply exhausted by the time i got home. I was in the middle of editing when I was falling asleep in my chair so I had to call it quits, but here it is. When I started writing this I never imagined i'd have this many follows and favorites, let alone reviews. So thank you all for the continued support, it really drives me to keep writing more I just can't thank you all enough. The climax is next chapter, and afterwards I may do a prologue i had some ideas for. The overall narrative ends next chapter though, so with that, thank you and i'll say more next chapter!