Author's Notes: As pointed out by a faithful reviewer (Fuyuriku), my answers for reviews are getting too damn long (and are illegal too...I should have read the rules more carefully :P). So this is going to be the last chapter where I answer your reviews here, then I'm going to stop answering them in the story. That'll stop exaggerating my word count too, although I think it doesn't contribute THAT much. I'm not sure what medium you guys wish for me to answer your reviews by, so you can always indicate a preference in your review (like PMs or whatnot), or use the forum I just created for this very purpose. The link is in my profile, so feel free to drop by and ask/discuss whatever you wish about La Tormenta.
zackyzack: Haha, of all the things you could have noticed/criticised...anyway, chapter 7 set in X781-X782. Chapter 8 is set in X784. For a weekly magazine, I think it's pretty impressive he only dropped four places in 2-3 years.
Fuyuriku:Yep, they're over. Of course, my writing style involves a lot of miniature timeskips between each segment, so be prepared for jumps here and there. Nothing more than a few days, maybe a fortnight tops. I thought of including the dates for every segment, but didn't see the need to. If requested, I will gladly go back and do up the dates for every section.
Alter Avans: No problem! I don't base my updates on reviews anyway. I merely promised to upload every completed chapter I have, one a day until I'm all out of chapters. I'm not going to force the story just because you guys are so supportive, though it does give me a warm, fuzzy feeling when you review :) As for the number of chapters I have, I did up to chapter 12 before I uploaded the prologue, and since then I've written up to chapter 15. I'm halfway through chapter 16 now, and it should be done before too long. Past that, well, no promises!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.
Chapter 9: Phantom Lord I (X784)
It was not a pretty sight that the team of Fairy Tail mages came back to. Erza, Lucy, Natsu, Gray and Happy stared up at the Fairy Tail building, pierced by giant iron beams that seemed to be holding up the guild headquarters as much as it was responsible for wrecking it. All the excitement and satisfaction at completing the S-rank mission to Galuna Island was immediately wiped out by the terrible state of the guild building. Rage and confusion were the two dominating emotions as they tried to make heads or tails of the apparent attack on them.
"Our guild is…" Natsu clenched his fists, staring at his feet in barely suppressed fury.
"What happened here…?" Erza mumbled to herself, already making conclusions based on the use of the iron pillars.
"Phantom."
The group whirled around, spotting a somber Mirajane standing behind them. She bit her lip anxiously, clearly unhappy with the situation. "It's mortifying…but we were done in…"
Mirajane shook her head to dispel the morbid thoughts, before leading the group into the guild. Taking the stairs down a level to a place Lucy hadn't seen before, they were met with every guild member healthy and well, hiding out in the Fairy Tail building basement. A chorus of greetings poured forth at the sight of the group returning, but soon, everyone was complaining about the attack by Phantom Lord, their competitor for the title of the greatest guild in Fiore.
Plenty were angry about the situation, and plenty more wanted retaliation. Only two people seemed completely at ease with the situation, and both were drinking themselves silly. Makarov sat cross-legged on a table, while Ráfaga sat beside the old man on a chair, but still appearing taller than the diminutive master of Fairy Tail.
"Yo," Makarov greeted with a cheery wave. "Welcome back."
"We're back," Erza announced, a tad unnecessarily.
"Mira-chan," Ráfaga saluted lazily. "Nothing happened up top, I hope?"
The ivory-haired girl responded in the negative as Natsu growled at the guild master lifting a beer to his lips, Ráfaga mimicking his actions in every way. Lucy wondered briefly if they were really father and illegitimate child, masquerading as an unknown orphan; Laxus was blond too, which meant Makarov probably had blond hair when he was young too. She was quickly brought out of her reverie as Natsu shouted fiercely at the extremely calm Makarov. "Old man! This isn't happy hour, is it?!"
"Oooh, right you are," Makarov nodded solemnly, before adopting a mock angry face. He pointed an accusing finger at the dragon slayer, flashing his gritted teeth. "Guys! How dare you go on an S-rank mission without permission! Punishment! I'll give you your punishment myself! Prepare yourself!"
Natsu screeched at his guild master, fire brimming in his throat. "It's not the time for that now!"
Ráfaga only chuckled in mirth as he drank through his mask, something Lucy only noticed now. Meanwhile, Makarov ignored his subordinate's shout, magically stretching his arm out to chop Natsu on the head a couple of times, repeating the motion with an annoyed but somewhat chastened Gray and Happy. Lucy was punished in another way however, as Makarov's cheeks flushed red and a cheeky grin appeared on his face. His hand stretched around Lucy's back, and spanked her bum a couple of times. Mirajane wasn't amused by her master's actions though. "Master! Behave yourself!"
"Master! Do you understand our situation?" Erza all but yelled, frustrated that the Titan Magic wielder seemed so nonchalant about the destroyed building.
Natsu joined in, his short temper making itself known. "They wrecked our guild, can't you see?!"
"Calm down, fools," Makarov scoffed, cradling a cheek with his hand as he leaned his elbow on his knee. "It's not something to make a fuss about."
Sounds of exclamation rang out with the Galuna Island team. Makarov chugged his beer without a care. "Phantom Lord, right? This is as far as those cowardly idiots will go. I don't see why they even bothered to attack an empty guild building."
"Empty guild?" Erza echoed.
"It seems they did this in the middle of the night," Mirajane explained.
Erza nodded in comprehension. "So I see no one was hurt…we were lucky."
"Nah, not lucky. They were just too scared to face us on our own turf," Ráfaga chuckled, guzzling down his alcohol in a relaxed manner. "I doubt their Ace was confident enough to assault Fairy Tail in the day, when the old man is around. He'll be crushed like a bug."
"Precisely. There's no need to get cross with someone that resorts to surprise attacks," Makarov waved his hands about, dismissing the issue. "Leave them be."
Nastsu slammed his palm on the table beside Makarov, leaning in to glare at the collected guild master. "I can't accept it! I won't feel right until I smash them down!"
"This discussion is over," Makarov intoned seriously. "We'll take on jobs requests here until the first floor is fixed."
"We don't have time for jobs!" Natsu howled.
Makarov adopted an angry face as he spanked Lucy multiple times. "Natsu! Cut it out!"
"Why is he hitting my butt for something Natsu is doing…?" Lucy bemoaned her rough treatment.
Mirajane stared disappointedly at her perverted guild master, planting her fists on her hips in a disapproving pose. "Master…don't push me."
"Ah, hold on…I gotta go take a leak…" the old man declared with mild trepidation at Mirajane's threat, as he hopped off the table and trundled towards the basement washroom.
Natsu stared at the tiny back of their master in disbelief at his blasé attitude towards the attack by Phantom Lord. "How can you be so calm about it…old man?"
"Natsu…I'm sure Master is just as shocked as us," Mirajane tried to dissolve the tension. "But warfare between the guilds is prohibited by the Council."
"They were the ones who attacked us first!" Natsu hollered, glaring at Mirajane.
Ráfaga coughed into his fist, attracting the group's attention. "That's beside the issue. Fairy Tail is not the building, but the members that belong within our guild. As long as none of us are hurt, the old man won't lift a finger against Phantom Lord. They are too cowardly to try anything besides attacking an empty guild building anyway. They don't deserve to occupy our time, physically or mentally. Really, it's nothing to write home about. We do more damage to our own guild building on a daily basis as it is."
"If this is how Master feels about it…" Erza muttered, eyes downcast as she clenched her fists. "We have to accept that…"
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"This has gotten really serious," Lucy thought aloud, as she walked nimbly along the edge of the canal. The boatmen on the waterway called out for the blond mage to be careful, as her Plue spirit trotted ahead of her. Dragging her luggage along behind her, the plastic wheels clacking against the uneven cobblestone road, Lucy stopped before the apartment building where she rented a place. "I'm glad we got away from our punishment though. Phantom Lord is known for being not on good terms with Fairy Tail, right?"
"To tell you the truth, I wasn't really sure which guild to join," Lucy confided in Plue, as she hefted the luggage up the stairs towards her apartment. "'Cause they're both just as outrageous as each other. But now…I'm glad that I joined this guild, 'cause Fairy Tail is…"
"…the beeest?!" Lucy screeched in shock, as she opened her door to walk into Erza, Gray, Natsu and Happy seated around her table. They all smiled and welcomed the blond Celestial Spirit mage back to her home, scaring the wits out of the easily frightened girl. She hurled her luggage at Natsu, knocking the pink-haired dragon slayer off his…her chair. "Don't gang up on me!"
"Seeing how Phantom came to Magnolia Town, it's possible that they got our addresses," Erza explained the situation. Lucy recoiled in horror, worried that her windows would suddenly be battered down by evil Phantom mages out for her blood.
Gray continued Erza's explanation. "I don't think it'll happen, but they might attack us when we're alone. That's why Mira and Ráfaga said we should stay in a group for a while, until this thing blows over somehow."
"R-Really?" Lucy mumbled, her fluttering heart calming down at those words. Happy smiled in his usual manner. "Everyone's having a sleepover today!"
"You're of marriageable age…I wouldn't feel right if only Natsu and Gray spent the night here," Erza nodded to herself. "Both Master and Ráfaga offered to stay with you as well, but Master's intentions are obviously impure and Ráfaga was stolen away by Mira to stay at Elfman's place with her. That's why I decided to join you here."
"So Natsu and Gray staying over was a given?" Lucy deadpanned.
"Just as a pastime!" Natsu reaffirmed his position, before spotting Plue stuffing its face with something. "Woah! Plue! What is that you're eating? Gimme some!"
"I'm going to hit the sack, so pipe down," Gray muttered, annoyed at Natsu as was his norm. Happy pulled out one of Lucy's dresser drawers with some difficulty, staring innocently at her underwear before giggling in a way that a flying, talking cat never should. "Erza, looook…I found some kinky underwear."
Erza looked partially embarrassed and partially interested in the collection of skimpy undergarments as she peered into the drawer with unadulterated intrigue. "A-Amazing…you wear things like this…?"
"You guys are really making yourselves at home, aren't you?" Lucy sweat-dropped at the way the Galuna Island team acted in her home.
Erza managed to tug her eyes away from Lucy's underwear collection, staring seriously at Gray and Natsu. "Either way…guys, you smell sweaty. Since we'll be sleeping in the same room, I suggest you take a shower."
"No way," Natsu denied the order, as did Gray. "I'm too sleepy."
"I guess there's no other way…" Erza sighed in irritation, wrapping her powerful arms around the necks of Gray and Natsu as she dragged them towards the bathroom with intent. "We can shower together, like in the old days…"
"What kind of relationship do you guys have?!" Lucy shouted, startled at Erza's boldness, and Gray and Natsu's reluctant acceptance of Erza's order…
A nice warm shower later, Lucy was towelling her hair dry as she decided to find out more about the situation. "Hey…do you have any idea why Phantom Lord would attack us like that all of a sudden?"
"I don't know…we've had some brushes before, but this is the first time they have attacked us so directly," Erza mused out loud, having changed into her pyjamas using her Requip Magic.
Natsu scowled in discontent, leaning his chin on the table. "The old man should quit being scared and just blow them off."
"I don't think the old man is scared, he is one of the Ten Wizard Saints after all," Gray replied, looking up from the newspaper in his hands, before his eyes widened and he exclaimed in mild horror. "I can't believe this cliffhanger! What's going to happen to Iris?"
"Ten Wizard Saints?" Lucy asked, still in the dark about many things regarding the magic world.
Erza kindly answered her question. "It's a title given to the ten strongest mages in each continent, decided by the chairman of the Magic Council."
"Oh, wow!" Lucy remarked, unable to believe the tiny, perverted old man was anywhere near that strong.
Happy chipped in to the conversation. "Master Jose Porla of the Phantom Lord guild is also one of the Ten Wizard Saints."
And so is he… Erza thought to herself, as Natsu stood up, slamming his hands on the table, fuming. "He's just scared! 'Cause, Phantom has a lot of members!"
"I'm telling you, that's not it," Gray interrupted, cutting off Natsu's rant. "All the older members know exactly what would happen if two guilds of our strength fight, so they're trying to avoid going to such an extreme. It's all in order to protect the magic world from chaos. That's why the Magic Council bans inter-guild fighting after all."
"Are they really that great?" Lucy queried, gulping nervously.
Natsu simmered in his rage. "They're not great at all."
"No…in reality, if they would get into a fight with us, both guilds will be brought down. Our battle potential is in the balance at the moment," Erza analysed sombrely. "Master Jose, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, has been said to hold an equal amount of magic power as Master Makarov. The Element Four comprises four S-class mages, Phantom's equivalent to our S-class mages here. And finally, they say that their most formidable member is Iron Dragon Gajeel. Presumably, he's the culprit behind the guild attack this time. The Iron Dragon Slayer."
"Dragon slayer?!" Lucy cried out, stunned at the revelation. "T-There are others besides Natsu…? Then…does he eat…iron and stuff?"
"Probably," Erza murmured. "Now, let's rest. We'll need our energy for tomorrow."
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Peering into Elfman's room, she watched the snoring man until she was satisfied her younger brother was sound asleep. Mirajane shut the door softly, before trotting back to the living room of Elfman's apartment, where Naruto was lazing on the couch. In a corner, Cana was snoring loudly in the futon she brought over, with Kurama the crimson fox lying beside the Card Magic user on his back, his legs paddling the air as he probably dreamed of chasing rabbits or something similar. Mirajane joined an unmasked Naruto on the couch; she sat a bit too close to the blond-haired man for anyone to consider their relationship purely platonic. Sighing, she pursed her lips as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Are you going to reveal the truth about yourself?" Mirajane asked quietly, both of them gazing out of the second storey apartment window, studying the winking stars that dotted the lovely night skies. "We could really use your strength, especially since I can't do anything now…"
"You're just as important to the guild even without your skills, Mira-chan," Naruto retorted mildly. "You are Fairy Tail's heart."
"I can only use Transformation Magic now, so don't bother with your flattery," Mirajane snapped, pinching Naruto's thigh painfully. "And don't try to change the topic."
Naruto winced as he rubbed his thigh. "The old man has another task for me. I won't be around to fight Phantom Lord if we did come to blows. In fact, I have to leave tonight."
"What's the rush? What exactly is this task?" Mirajane narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Master won't send out his mages when there's an imminent threat like this."
Naruto grimaced, biting his lip as he contemplated his options. Finally, he sighed in resignation, knowing Mirajane would use all sorts of means to find out exactly what he was doing. A bit of information may get her off his back. "Fine. It's something to do with Phantom Lord, but I cannot say anything more. I gave the old man some options, but he wanted to maintain status quo and let things flow. So I won't be fighting against Phantom Lord, which is something that I expect will definitely occur quite soon."
"You knew all this was going to happen from the beginning," Mirajane accused, poking Naruto in the chest.
The man fidgeted in his seat uncomfortably. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't. But, please trust me when I say I will never willingly bring harm to Fairy Tail, no matter what my actions or inactions may bring. This has been in the making for years now, Mira-chan. It's too late to nip this in the bud peaceably. The only thing now is to minimise damage, and hope everyone comes out of this relatively unscathed."
"Can't you delegate this task to someone else?" Mirajane asked, hints of desperation tinging her tone. "Must you personally do it?"
"Unfortunately," Naruto replied forlornly. He cupped Mirajane's face tenderly, staring deep into her warm eyes brimming with concern for him. He couldn't suppress a bittersweet smile. "Thank you, Mira-chan, for being so considerate. But I don't think you'll see me in the same light after this fiasco."
He pecked her on the forehead gently, before standing up, his mask tugged up to his nose once more. "Take care, Mira-chan."
Naruto vanished into thin air, leaving Mirajane alone to her thoughts.
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A large group of Magnolia Town's citizens were gathered at the south entrance of the park, whispering amongst themselves as they cast their eyes upon the gruesome sight that greeted them on that morning. Erza shoved her way through the crowd roughly, followed closely by Gray, Lucy and Natsu. As they came close enough to the large tree that everyone was staring at, they couldn't help but feel extremely shocked at the sight before them.
Team Shadow Gear, consisting of Jet, Droy and Levy, were pinned high up on the trunk of the tree by metal shackles, the three injured and unconscious. Their clothes were ripped to bits, and Levy was missing her shirt. The guild emblem of Phantom Lord was inked on her abdomen, a silent taunt at Fairy Tail that didn't go unnoticed by anyone.
Natsu's rage was through the roof as he regarded the Fairy Tail guild members stuck on the tree. A fiery aura sprung up around the riled up dragon slayer as his gaze promised death for the perpetrator. Then, a large, frightening magical aura made everyone shuffle aside, as Makarov walked slowly to the scene of the crime, leaning heavily on his wooden staff. Dressed resplendently in his full mage outfit, he couldn't even find the calmness to greet a distraught Erza as he angled his eyes upwards. His entire body shuddered with repressed emotions as he covered his face with his hand. His voice, so often cheerful or perverted, was filled with a volcanic wrath that was aching to burst forth.
"Wrecking our shoddy bar I could bear with…but no parent can remain silent after seeing their children's blood…" the Wizard Saint intoned, his fist clenching so hard he crushed the staff in his hand to bits. "This means war."
"Get them off the tree," Erza ordered, her voice trembling.
Natsu wasted no time clambering up the tree, ripping their bindings off one by one. Carrying them as gently as he could manage, he brought them off the tree. Mirajane, who just arrived with Cana and Elfman, gasped at the scene, her tears spilling at the terrible sight. Elfman and Cana quickly rushed forward to help Natsu and Gray carry the three mages, and as a troupe, they moved towards Magnolia Hospital.
They were quickly admitted when the attendants saw the states the trio were in, and ushered to the emergency room, the rest of the guild members present were forced to wait outside while Team Shadow Gear were treated. Mirajane wrung her hands nervously, as she switched her stare between the closed doors where the attacked trio were behind, and the fuming Makarov, who was emitting magic wildly.
Did Ráfaga know this would happen? Did he report this to Master? Master is genuinely angry…but surely Ráfaga will bring this point up to Master if he knew beforehand… Mirajane thought furiously, trying her very best to reaffirm her trust in Naruto. He did say that Master wanted him to continue whatever he was doing, and not interfere…that means he knew the attack would happen, and he could prevent it. Then why would Master allow such a horrible thing to happen? What is going on behind the scenes that they don't want anyone to know?
The ivory-haired girl watched as the master mumbled under his breath about getting some fresh air, and stalked away to another corner of the hospital. Seeing the opportunity, Mirajane ran after Makarov, to curious glances from the rest of the guild members present. She didn't care however; there were more pressing matters at hand. Catching up to the short Wizard Saint was easy. As Mirajane prepared to speak, she realised that Makarov had anticipated their conversation; they were in an empty area of the hospital that was out of earshot of anyone.
"Ráfaga told me some things yesterday night," she began, only to be interrupted by Makarov's raised palm.
"Mira, let me explain, okay?"
She nodded quickly. The guild master of Fairy Tail sucked in a deep breath. "Stupid brat shouldn't even have told you anything, but I guess it's too late now. I gave Naruto a task a few years ago that has something to do with all this. I've asked him to continue the task now, even though I knew of the risks that he highlighted to me when we last spoke. Don't blame him for following orders. He's not happy about the situation either. But for his sake, and for our guild's sake, I had to allow for these unfortunate circumstances to occur. It pains me to say this, but the attack on Team Shadow Gear was necessary. I don't condone it, and Phantom has gone too far on this, but it was necessary."
"How can this be for our sakes, for his sake?" Mirajane cried. "How can three of our guild members landing in hospital be anything good?!"
"He's doing a very dangerous job right now, one that with a wrong step on our part, will end up with his death," Makarov replied darkly. Mirajane gasped, her eyes widening at Makarov's words. The guild master chuckled bitterly. "You know, he offered to attack Jose alone on our behalf."
"What…?" Mirajane mumbled, astonished. "That's suicide!"
"That's what I told him too," Makarov said, a hint of pride in his voice. "He didn't say it, but I was sure if I gave him the order, he would do so gladly, without a second thought. He would probably even renounce his connections to Fairy Tail just to prevent us from getting dragged into conflict with Phantom, or get into trouble with the Council for starting a war."
"That's insane!" Mirajane whispered harshly, afraid to raise her voice lest others hear.
Makarov nodded in agreement. "That's why I told him we will let Phantom do something so drastic that we have the justification to…no, that we have the obligation to fight back. We will follow their plans to their specifications, then as they try and try but fail to wipe us out, we'll spit on those plans and turn the tables on them."
"Master, will Ráfaga be safe then?" Mirajane asked, worry seeping into her tone.
Makarov shot the beautiful young woman an unreadable glance as he began walking back to the hospital.
"I think that's going to be the least of his concerns by the end of this war."
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Oak Town was the home of Phantom Lord. Inside their lavish guild, various members of the guild were cheering and celebrating the successful attack on Fairy Tail. They held no love for their rival guild, and were more than pleased at having exacted a measure of vengeance for the guild that always seemed to show them up despite Phantom Lord's greater history and pedigree. Laughing and joking at the cruel expense of fellow magic practitioners, one of their brethren walked towards the doors of the guild, ready to leave on a mission. As he reached the wooden doors, he was blown backwards by a powerful force that smashed the doors to splinters, sending wood flying everywhere.
Phantom Lord members quickly rose from their seats, angered by what seemed to be an assault on their guild. As the cloud of dust cloaking the entrance of the headquarters blew away, it revealed a group of furious mages, all emblazoned with the guild emblem of Fairy Tail. Before the stunned Phantom mages could react to the intrusion, Natsu Dragneel gathered an intense flame in his fist, before he blew past a half dozen mages, calling out a challenge to them.
Themselves enraged by the sudden attack, the Phantom Lord members retaliated. Charging towards Natsu, they then realised exactly how badly outmatched they were, as the Fairy Tail mages, empowered by their righteous feelings, dominated the Phantom members with embarrassing ease. A couple of them, possessing a modicum of strategic thinking, charged at Makarov Dreyar. Cutting off the head of the snake would ensure victory, they thought. They forgot that this particular head was one of the Ten Wizard Saints, as Makarov transformed into a giant, crushing the offenders under his palm.
"You bastards brought the fight to the children of this monster," Makarov rumbled, his anger visceral. "Don't even for a second think you'll be protected by human laws."
Phantom Lord members panicked as they found themselves being pushed back entirely too quickly for their tastes. It wasn't even the master of Fairy Tail doing most of the beating; the regular members were just as imperious and seemingly untouchable. Makarov hollered for his counterpart's presence, while in the midst of battle, Erza Scarlet wondered worriedly where the more powerful members of Phantom Lord were hiding. Up in the rafters, Gajeel Redfox observed the fight, a smug smirk plastered on his face.
"That's Erza the Titania. Laxus and Mystogan aren't joining the attack force…" Gajeel mused aloud, his smirk widening to a full-blown grin. "But…I didn't expect Master Jose's plan to work this well…go ahead, be your reckless selves…scum…"
Below, Makarov shrunk back to his regular size, as he shouted across the room. "Erza! I'm leaving you in charge here! Jose is probably at the top floor. I'm going to tear him a new one."
"Take care," Erza called out through the din.
Makarov walked up the stairs of the Phantom Lord guild, leaving his children to carry on the fight against the regular members of Phantom Lord. This was Gajeel's signal, as the man cackled, jumping off his perch in the rafters to smash an iron club against the head of foes and allies alike. The Fairy Tail mages, so used to camaraderie of the highest order, couldn't believe their eyes as the Phantom Lord Ace took out his own men with no remorse. Gajeel laughed maniacally, taunting the members of Fairy Tail to take him on.
Elfman accepted the challenge, cocking his Beast Arm back as he prepared to punch Gajeel into oblivion. The dragon slayer was equal to the attack, blocking with an iron club that sprouted from his hand. Gajeel chuckled as he shot his right fist forwards, another iron club extending from his hand. Elfman ducked under the blow, but before he could retaliate, he was forced to shift his head quickly as Gajeel threw another punch. His reflexes far from dull, Elfman then caught the iron rod that extended from Gajeel's right foot in his Beast Arm. Slightly impressed, Gajeel complimented the imposing man on his skills, before firing off multiple iron clubs from his feet. Elfman let go of Gajeel's foot, and strafed to the side, but the dragon slayer's guild members were not so lucky.
Clucking his tongue at his useless comrades, he fired off a powerful club at Elfman's midsection, faster than he did before. Taken by surprise, the big man flew backwards. As he careened across the guild, Natsu stepped on his big frame, using it as a launch pad to blast himself at Gajeel, his fists coated in his flames. Gajeel was hit smack on the jaw by Natsu and sent flying. Elfman reprimanded Natsu for interfering with the fight that Elfman had not backed out of, but they abruptly stopped their argument when Gajeel recovered quickly, a wide smirk plastered on his features. He threw his fist forwards, a huge iron rod erupting from his fist to pound Natsu in the torso. The dragon slayer gritted his teeth as he hung on, clinging to the rod with all his life.
Then, with an almighty roar, he tossed Gajeel upwards, sending the man spinning head over heels. Gajeel halted his ascent by grabbing onto the rafters, but before he could respond, Natsu was in his face, anger burning fiercely in his eyes. Flaming fists smashed into Gajeel's chin, sending the man flying once more, as Natsu landed on the ground safely. Gajeel, unharmed despite the powerful attack, extended small daggers from his feet as he anchored himself upside down on a wooden beam, taunting Natsu. The two dragon slayers traded barbs, but before they could continue their engagement, they were sidetracked by the furious shaking of the Phantom Lord guild building.
Everyone of Phantom Lord wondered exactly what was causing the earthquake, but Fairy Tail members only laughed at their ignorance. Erza couldn't help but smirk at the unknowing Phantom mages, her confidence in victory sky high. "This is Master Makarov's fury. A giant's fury…no one can stop."
"That's the man, our Master Makarov," Elfman added, an assured grin on his face. "Prepare yourself! As long as we have him, we won't lose!"
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Lucy sighed as she watched over the bedridden members of Team Shadow Gear. Wrapped in bandages and still unconscious, they weren't a pretty sight. Lucy could feel even her mild temper flaring as she recalled the friendliness of the trio, when they approached her about her writing. Undoubtedly, Natsu had spread the rumours of her aspirations after their first mission together, but even if she felt embarrassed by the attention from Levy, Jet and Droy, she found herself appreciating their wholehearted support.
"Levy-chan…Jet…Droy…" Lucy murmured their names, her eyes downcast. "This is too cruel…Phantom…I cannot forgive them…"
Wiping the tears that gathered at the edges of her large eyes, Lucy bade her unconscious friends farewell as she made her way out of the hospital to Fairy Tail's headquarters. Upon arrival, she found the place bereft of members. Everyone was gone, likely on a rampage towards Phantom Lord to exact some vengeance for their despicable actions against Team Shadow Gear. Disappointed at being left behind, Lucy wandered aimlessly around the empty streets of Magnolia Town, lamenting her uselessness. Then, in spite of the bright sun, rain suddenly poured from the sky. Startled, Lucy gazed up at the downpour, before her attention was caught by a figure walking towards her slowly.
The blue-haired woman was holding up a pink umbrella as she walked in Lucy's direction, stopping when she met the blond girl. "Steady and silently…yes, Juvia brings rain, steady and silently…"
"Huh?" Lucy mumbled, confused by the girl's actions as she tried desperately to shield herself from the rain with her hands.
The umbrella-totting woman blinked, before asking Lucy a strange question. "What do you bring?"
"Erm, who are you?" Lucy questioned, utterly bewildered.
The girl spun on her heels, walking away from Lucy. "I had fun, farewell…steady and silently…"
"What was that all about?" Lucy groused, puzzled by the girl's strange behaviour.
Then, out of nowhere, a man's voice rang out, cutting through the pitter-patter of the rain. "Non, non, non. Non, non, non. Non, non, non, non, non, non, non. Bonjour, with non in a three-three-seven rhythm~~"
"Another weirdo?" Lucy recoiled, not sure what to do in the situation.
The man then ignored Lucy, turning to address the umbrella-carrying girl. "Juvia-sama, you can't just walk away from your mission."
"Monsieur Sol," Juvia greeted monotonously.
The one named Sol tilted his head until horizontal with the ground, his French accent hard to understand for Lucy through the sound of the sudden rain. "My monocle is whispering to me that madamoiselle over there is none other than our precious sible."
"Oh my, she's the one?" Juvia swivelled her head to observe Lucy.
Lucy took a step back as the two people turned fully to face her. "Huh?"
"Pardon my manners. I am Sol. You may address me as Monsieur Sol," the man introduced himself to Lucy. "We've come from the great Phantom Lord to welcome you."
"Juvia is a member of the Element Four, who brings rain," Juvia added.
"Phantom? Y-You're the ones that attacked Levy-chan!" Lucy denounced, her hands going for the keys that hung from her belt. Before she could summon any of her spirits to aid her in battle, however, a sphere of water suddenly engulfed her, trapping her within its confines.
The strange man twirled his moustache. "Non, non, non. I'd like to clear up your misunderstanding with three nons. Wrecking the guild, attacking Levy-sama; all these acts were performed by Gajeel-sama. Though, it is true that this was done through a consensus in our guild."
Attempting to stick her head out of the ball of water for a breath of air was an act of futility. Even more water joined the sphere to enlarge it, thus forcing Lucy to rely on whatever oxygen she had left in her lungs. Juvia had her empty hand raised at the sphere, looking completely lifeless. "Juvia's Water Lock cannot be broken."
"Mmmm! Tres bien!" Sol exclaimed, as Lucy slowly lost consciousness from the lack of air.
Juvia stared coolly at the barely awake blonde in the water. "Do not worry…Juvia will not kill you, for it is Juvia's duty to bring you back…Lucy Heartfilia-sama."
"Mmm! Victoire!" Sol declared in triumph, as Juvia allowed herself a small smile.
"Capture complete."
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Crackling with energy that destroyed inanimate objects just by walking past them, Makarov Dreyar was extremely imposing despite his small frame. He trudged his way towards the throne like seat where Jose Porla was, his fury unmatched. "Jose…what the hell do you think you're doing? Huh?"
"Why, hello there. Long time no see, Makarov-san," Jose Porla, master of Phantom Lord, greeted rather jovially. "It must've been since the regular meeting six years ago…boy, was I so stumped that time…I must have overdid it with the sake…"
Makarov crushed a giant fist into Jose from above, causing the whole building to shudder and creak. "I'm not here to reminisce with you, Jose..."
"Hohoho…" the Phantom master chuckled, as his form flickered, unharmed. "My, oh my…"
"You…are already gone from this building?!" Makarov shouted, startled by his counterpart's cowardly use of a Thought Projection to face him.
The image of Jose smirked at his opponent knowingly. "A battle among two of the Ten Wizard Saints can cause extraordinary natural occurrences. I prefer a rational and simple victory."
"Where are you?!" Makarov yelled, his anger through the roof. "Come and fight me fair and square!"
Another Thought Projection flickered to life, but instead of someone from Phantom Lord, it displayed Lucy Heartfilia, unconscious and her hands tightly bound by rope. "Lucy? Why…"
As Jose raised a knife in his hand, a diabolical grin plastered on his face, Makarov's protective instincts flared up. He yelled as he stepped forwards, but even he knew that it was the wrong move to make. He knew in his mind it was all an image; that Lucy was not in front of him, but elsewhere in Phantom Lord's grasp. No matter how hard he tried, he would never be able to stop Jose from killing Lucy if he wished to. But his heart told him to reach out to the blonde girl, and it was a mistake he was punished for harshly. A man materialised behind Makarov, stunning the elderly mage with his presence. Makarov cursed his foolish self, having not detected the man's presence at all.
The man, head covered in a top hat, had a piece of black cloth covering his eyes. Bigger than even Elfman, he was draped in a large, high-collar coat that was a plain forest green. Underneath the coat were white priestly robes, and a scarf was hung loosely from his neck, decorated with archaic glyphs. The man laughed maniacally, clapping his palms together as he covered them with a soft white glow. Then, he hit Makarov in the chest as the Wizard Saint turned to face his foe, sending the man flying towards the images of Jose and Lucy. Makarov gaped as he tried his best, but was unable to find his magic. What is this?! I can't use my powers?!
"Hohoho…there's no way we'll kill Lucy-sama, right? At least, not yet…" the image of Jose chuckled. "Please don't tell me you don't know who Lucy Heartfilia-sama is while she belongs to your guild. Well, I guess it's none of your business any more…"
"What arrogance!" the man proclaimed, his insane laughter filling the room. "Such arrogance to march into our guild and demand Lucy-sama from us! Pride shall be your downfall!"
To the shock of all the Fairy Tail members fighting on the first storey below, the top floor exploded in a shower of debris. Makarov fell from the skies, hitting the ground with a loud thump. All his guild members stared at the scene with great horror, as Makarov struggled to get up. "M-My…m-my magic p-power…is g-gone…"
"Master! Master, hang in there!" Erza shouted worriedly, rushing over to cradle the old man.
Members of Fairy Tail were just as bemused as Phantom Lord's. Only Gajeel seemed to know anything, as he smirked triumphantly. "Tch. Fun's over already? Aria's too damn efficient."
"W-What's going on? I don't sense any magic from the Master!"
"Does that mean he's just a plain old geezer now?"
"Impossible, how can Master Makarov be beaten?"
"Excellent, now their battle prowess has been reduced by half!"
"What on earth…happened upstairs?"
"Old man!"
"Now, crush them!"
Erza pondered her options quickly, taking only a moment to swipe away the tears that were gathering at the corner of her left eye. No…it's not only our battle strength that's been reduced. Our battle morale has dropped through the ground… "Retreat! Back to the guild!"
Various voices of protest rang out in the guild hall of Phantom Lord, the Fairy Tail members citing their ability to continue battling. Erza, however, knew better. "We cannot defeat Jose without our master! He left me in charge here, and this is an order! Retreat!"
"My, my, going home already?" Gajeel laughed creepily.
Another man materialised out of nowhere, standing atop the beam where Gajeel was attached beneath. "So disgraceful…"
"Aria…you're crazy as always," Gajeel commented casually. "I'm surprised that you defeated that geezer."
"All part of Master Jose's plan," Aria of the Element Four responded, before bursting into laughter. "Wonderful!"
"Don't laugh at everything, you nutter," Gajeel muttered, as he flipped up to sit on the beam that Aria was standing upon. "So? Did we capture that Lucy girl?"
Natsu's ears twitched as he heard the familiar name. Aria nodded, before dissolving into peals of crazed laughter. "Of course! We've confined her at our guild headquarters!"
"What!" Natsu exclaimed. "Gajeel!"
"Let's settle this some other time, Salamander," Gajeel smirked down at the fire-breathing mage. With a swing of his arm, Aria and Gajeel vanished the way Aria arrived, leaving no trace of their presence.
As the rest of his guild members ran and Phantom mages chased after them, Natsu grabbed a Phantom member, and started dragging him away from the rest. As he struggled, Happy flew after his best friend. "Natsu! What are you trying to do! Erza said to retreat!"
"What do you think? I'm going to save Lucy!" Natsu declared, even as his guild mates stumbled away from Phantom Lord and Oak Town, Erza even having to drag Gray away from battle.
Elsewhere, Jose Porla deactivated his Thought Projection, smirking over the body of Lucy. "Aria-san's Sealing Script Magic allows him to take away an opponent's power, and his Air Magic ensures he won't be found when he doesn't want people to discover his presence. This victory…is ours."
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Lucy moaned as she woke up, her face and body cold. She shivered as her eyes flitted open, observing her surroundings. It was rather unfamiliar to the girl, having never been thrown into jail before. The cold stone floor, walls and ceiling were a dreary grey, while the steel door told her she wasn't about to escape any time soon. As she wracked her fuzzy mind to find out exactly what had transpired to have her end up in jail, a man outside the door called out her name.
"Who is that?" Lucy shouted, as the door creaked open, revealing a tall, middle-aged man.
He was dressed in a short, elaborate cape, a wizard's hat emblazoned with the Phantom Lord insignia, and had two bat-like wings sprouting from his back. His striped pants and calf-high jester shoes gave him a strange outwardly appearance, but even so, Lucy could tell he possessed a huge amount of power. The man folded his arms as he introduced himself to Lucy. "I am Phantom Lord's guild master, Jose Porla."
"Phantom!" Lucy exclaimed, as her mind filled in the blanks. That's right…I was captured by two of the Element Four!
"I apologise for tying you up and putting you in this filthy jail, but you're still a captive. Please try to understand," the man gestured at the cell in mild distaste.
Lucy, enraged, struggled against her bonds. "Untie me! Who's a captive! How dare you do all that to Levy-chan and all the others?!"
"Depending on your attitude, we might treat you as a VIP instead of a captive," Jose continued, unfazed by Lucy's outburst. The blonde girl was about to shout some more, until a centipede crawled up her naked thigh, making the girl squawk in terror, knocking the critter off her leg and shuffling backwards quickly. Jose smirked at her reaction. "See? You don't really want to stay in jail. If you behave, we'll move you to a suite room, something far more accommodating for a young, beautiful girl like yourself."
"W-Why did you attack us?" Lucy questioned, trying to puzzle out the entire situation.
"Us? Ah, you mean Fairy Tail," Jose grinned odiously. "That was an extra. Just an extra. Our true objective was to get hold of a certain individual. That certain individual happened to belong to Fairy Tail, so we thought, why not kill two birds with one stone?"
"A certain individual?" Lucy echoed, utterly lost.
Jose shook his head in dismay as he stepped forwards. "You're so slow that I almost can't believe you are a daughter of the Heartfilia family. Who else could we be after? Daughter of the Heartfilia conglomerate, Lucy Heartfilia-sama."
"H-How did you know about that?" Lucy muttered, her secret out in the open.
Jose chuckled, crossing his arms once more. "I heard you were hiding your social standing in the guild. I don't know why the daughter of one of the richest men in the country chooses to undertake cheap and dangerous jobs as a mage but…"
"So, then…you kidnapped me for ransom?" Lucy inferred.
Jose laughed, shaking his head. "Oh, no, don't be absurd. It was none other than your father, who requested to get you."
"No…lies…why would he…why did he…" Lucy trembled, disbelief filling her veins.
"Isn't it normal that when a pretty daughter runs away from home, people will search for her?" Jose replied flippantly.
Lucy growled, somehow offended by the guild master's words. "He wouldn't! He would never bother with that! I won't go back! I'll never go back to such a home!"
"My, my, what a troublesome lady you are," Jose clucked his tongue in mild disapproval.
"Release me at once," Lucy demanded fiercely.
"I can't do that," Jose riposted without a beat.
"But I need to use the restroom," Lucy argued. That incited a bout of laughter from Jose. "Such a classic excuse, isn't it?"
"No, I mean, I can't hold it anymore…" Lucy grimaced, squeezing her thighs together.
Jose pointed at a rusty metal bucket beside the girl, to her consternation. "Go ahead…hohoho, it's such a classic excuse that you won't catch us off guard with it."
"A bucket, huh…" Lucy grumbled, standing up to reach her panties underneath her skirt easier.
Jose's eyes bulged out in shock as he watched the girl slowly remove her underwear. Resisting the urge to watch, the guild master's face contorted in various uncomfortable ways, before he spun around, huffing. "W-What a shameless lady! And I'm such a gentleman…"
Lucy's eyes held a malicious glint within them as she swung her leg up as hard as she could, right between Jose's legs. The man was lifted a few inches off the ground as he yowled in excruciating pain, before collapsing on the cold cell floor, half comatose. Lucy grinned victoriously as she saw the sorry state of the powerful man, crumpled on the ground after one good hit. "A classic strategy isn't so bad after all. I'll use it in my novel next time. Well, be good~~"
She stumbled towards her cell door, walking awkwardly thanks to her bonds. Then, a gust of wind ruffled her long blonde hair as she stared out at the bright sky. Looking down, she only saw herself standing at a great height from the ground, completely different from her expectations. Her shock was punctuated by Jose's mocking laughter as the man struggled to stand up. "Pity…isn't it? This…is our sky prison…"
He inched towards Lucy, who turned her back to the open skies as she stared in horror at the approaching Jose. The man had a disturbing smirk on his face as he came closer. "How dare…how dare you do that to me…now, come to me. It's punishment time…I have to teach you the atrociousness of the Phantom."
Lucy made a decision, and she pressed her eyelids tightly as she leaned backwards, falling off the edge of the sky prison. Jose gaped at the girl's insane actions, while Lucy bit her lip as she prayed for salvation. I heard his voice…I'm sure…I'm sure he's here… "NATSU!"
As she dived headfirst to the ground, an impossibly strong person suddenly tackled her in the midsection. The comforting smell of ash was enough to make Lucy feel absolutely safe, even as she and the other person tumbled around like crazy, before smashing into a wall. Happy gasped at the scene in awe. "Lucy fell from the sky! Is she an angel?"
"This is absurd!" Natsu shouted, his voice muffled by Lucy's prodigious bust that was pressing on his face.
Lucy laughed in pure relief as she grinned happily at her first friend in Fairy Tail. "I knew it! I knew you'd be there to catch me!"
"Your breasts…" Natsu mumbled in mild embarrassment, as Lucy shuffled off the pink-haired dragon slayer. He sat up and began untying the blonde girl. "Are you okay?"
"Yea…sorta…" Lucy smiled weakly, rubbing her bruised wrists.
Happy cheered. "Great! Let's head back to the guild now!"
"Huh? We're at their headquarters here, right? So…" Natsu trailed off, the remainder of his sentence obvious given his constant desire to fight.
Happy frowned at his usual partner in crime. "Erza asked us to retreat though!"
Natsu scoffed. "She's just scared! I'm not scared of these guys at all!"
"Master is seriously injured too," Happy pointed out, and Natsu took that as motivation, slamming his fist into his palm. "We'll avenge the old man too!"
As the blue cat and pink-haired fire wielder argued about whether to return to Fairy Tail, Lucy couldn't help but recall all the horrible scenes that had led to this point. Tears leaked from her eyes as she crouched down, trying desperately to hide them from Natsu. The guild, destroyed…Levy-chan, Jet and Droy in the hospital…Master Makarov, seriously injured… "Sorry…I'm sorry…"
"But I…still want to stay in the guild…I love Fairy Tail…" Lucy sniffled, to Natsu and Happy's confusion.
"Hey, hey, what's the matter? You can stay! Wait, what's wrong with you…?"
"Natsu…let's head back," Happy suggested, at a loss on how to comfort Lucy.
The dragon slayer came to a similar conclusion, frowning as his grand plan of busting into Phantom Lord's guild headquarters and beating everyone up was foiled. "O-Okay…let's do that…"
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Deep in the East Forest of Magnolia, Porlyusica watched over Makarov Dreyar as the man lay in the bed, sweating profusely. He was unconscious, and seemed to be suffering greatly. Alzack and Bisca had brought him over to the healer and former Fairy Tail guild member, hoping that the elderly woman could do something for their master. Porlyusica glanced at the intricate script that was placed surreptitiously on Makarov's chest, too small for most to notice when they were far more worried about his sudden lack of magical power. Sighing, she turned to the worried pair that accompanied Makarov to her home.
He rushed into things without considering his age, and look at him now…really, such a fool," Porlyusica chided her old teammate, before shooting a glare at the two Fairy Tail members. "How long are you two going to stay here?! Go home already!"
"No…but, we're worried about him…" Alzack exclaimed.
Bisca nodded, agreeing with her comrade's assertions. "Please allow us to look after him!"
"Go home. Those worried faces are like rubbing salt into the patient's wounds," Porlyusica scowled, denying their request bluntly. Alzack and Bisca exchanged uneasy glances as Porlyusica continued. "This is a form of magic not even I have much experience with…I'll need a bit more time to examine him before I can tell you anything about his condition."
"I-Is that so…" Alzack murmured, disappointed at the lack of information.
Bisca was similarly downcast. "We'll tell everyone then…"
"What are you still doing here for?!" Porlyusica yelled, as she grabbed her wooden broom.
The two Fairy Tail mages recoiled at her rude demeanour. "B-But…I thought you wanted us to continue hearing you out!"
"Go home already! You humans stink!" Porlyusica chased them out of her home, waving her broom like a madwoman. Alzack and Bisca beat a hasty retreat, running off back in the direction of Magnolia Town even as they apologised to the volatile healer. When they were far away, enough to be out of earshot, Porlyusica sighed deeply, smacking her broom on the head of someone who walked into view. The blond man cringed, holding his head as she then smacked him on the head a few more times. "You fool! What did you do all of this for?!"
"Do you know how much I wanted to just ignore his orders and do what I want to do?" Uzumaki Naruto groaned, as he recovered instantly from Porlyusica's barrage. "I had to do it to make it believable, otherwise the ruse would have been pointless. The fever and other symptoms are really just the side effects of having his magical power suppressed. Given he has so much, it's bound to be bad for his system when there's no access to the usual pool of magic. Once the counter seal arrives, he'll be fine and dandy in minutes."
"You're risking a lot for something you don't need to do," Porlyusica remarked, as she stared at her bedridden old friend with fond exasperation. "Why do you let this old coot order you around anyway?"
"I dug the pit the moment I stepped into Fairy Tail, Porlyusica-san," Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "And since I'm already waist deep in the crap, why not go the whole hog? The only one with anything to lose is me anyway. I can accept that, if it means everyone in Fairy Tail is alive and well. I left the counter seal with someone. He'll bring it around when the time is right."
"You mean with Mystogan, right?" Porlyusica huffed, knowing about the blond ninja's apprentice.
Naruto chuckled, nodding sheepishly. "Yep. He's doing something really important now, but will be crucial to Fairy Tail's success. Once he's complete with his mission, it'll be just the right time for the old man to recover and tear Jose a new hole as he promised."
"Whatever, just don't drag me into your little human conflicts," Porlyusica scoffed. "Now SHOO!"
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Back in the headquarters of Fairy Tail, everyone was licking their wounds. The injured were getting patched up, while those with a modicum of mobility moved about helping the rest. Some of them were reviewing a map of Fiore, making preparations for a more strategic attack, rather than the haphazard frontal charge they tried before. Others were collecting as much equipment as they could, trying to even the odds with the far more numerous Phantom mages, the Element Four, their Ace Gajeel Redfox and a Wizard Saint in Jose Porla. Lucy looked at the bustling guild, feeling extremely guilty about her role in the mess they found themselves in. Gray and Elfman approached her, a carefree smile on their faces to try and ease her self-reproach.
"What's up? Still worried?" Gray asked casually.
"No, it's not that…" Lucy mumbled, staring downwards guiltily. "It's just…I'm sorry…"
"Well, daughters from rich families are destined to be targeted, and it's a man's duty to protect them," Elfman contributed his pearls of manly wisdom.
Gray glared at his comrade. "Don't say things like that."
"But I'm surprised too," Happy chirped. "Lucy, why were you hiding it?"
"I wasn't so much as hiding it…but I ran away from home, so I didn't feel like talking about it…" Lucy explained, still upset at her role in the chaos. "He didn't care about the daughter who ran away from home for about a year, and now he suddenly wants me home. Papa did that so that he can get me back…he's horrible. Though, all of this happened because I ran away from home in the first place, right?"
"N-No, that's not right! Papa is the bad one," Elfman quickly reassured the distraught girl, earning an elbow from Gray. "Ah, I mean Phantom!"
"Because of my selfish actions…I can't believe I caused so much trouble for everyone…" Lucy apologised, struggling to keep tears from falling again. "I'm really sorry. Everything will go back to normal once I go back home, right?"
"Is that so?" Natsu retorted. Lucy looked up at the pink-haired mage, who grinned widely. "I mean, the term 'lady' doesn't really suit you, does it? You fit better in this dirty bar, laughing and merrily going out on adventures with the rest of us. You said…you said you wanted to stay here. What good will it be if you go back to a place that you hate?"
"You're Lucy of Fairy Tail, right? This is your home," Natsu declared, as the bittersweet tears Lucy so desperately tried to hold back started to fall. Gray and Elfman panicked at the sight of teardrops, as they quickly tried to comfort her. As the trio of men and one winged cat surrounded the blonde girl, who found herself so very glad to be a part of Fairy Tail, a brown-haired mage watched the group with mild trepidation and regret. Loke left the group to their own devices, knowing Lucy would be fine under their care.
In another part of the damaged guild hall, Cana was trying to read her tarot cards, but with no apparent success. Growling, she tossed her useless cards aside. "It's useless! I can't find Mystogan or Ráfa-nii!"
Mirajane sighed, already knowing that Ráfaga would not be found that easily. "I see…that's too bad."
"If their target is Lucy, then they'll come to attack us again," Cana thought out loud. "Many are injured…we're in a tough spot."
Mirajane bit her bottom lip, wondering if the attacks were really just about Lucy. Both Master and Ráfaga said this has been a long time coming, and they had anticipated this would happen years ago…Lucy wasn't even with us a year ago. What exactly is happening? Shaking her errant thoughts aside, Mirajane decided to address the man connected to the communication lacrima. "Master is seriously wounded. We cannot find Mystogan…you're our only hope now, Laxus. Please come back. It's an emergency."
"Huh?' Laxus snorted, laughing uproariously before he settled into a carefree smirk. "Serves that shitty old geezer right! It doesn't concern me. Go ahead and take care of it yourself."
"Laxus! You!" Cana exclaimed, but before she could continue chastising Laxus, the blond man spoke. "Isn't that how it is? The old geezer started this fight. Why do I have to clean up his mess?"
"Lucy, our guild mate, is being targeted," Mirajane said desperately.
Laxus looked serious as he considered Mirajane's words. "Huh, who's that? Ah…that big-boobed newbie, huh."
"Tell her if she becomes my woman, I'll help out," Laxus grinned lecherously. "And tell that geezer to hurry up and retire so he can give me the master's position."
"How dare you…" Cana seethed at the horrendous attitude of the S-class mage.
Laxus laughed, amused by his comrades' helplessness. "Hey, hey, is this how you talk to someone when you want to ask them for a favour? Why don't you just strip for me? I'm pretty weak for sexy-"
His last words were cut off as the communication lacrima shattered into pieces. Cana stared at the back of Mirajane, worried for the bargirl. Mirajane couldn't halt the hot tears that streamed from her eyes as she clenched her fists, trembling from anger and outrage. "I cannot believe it…is such a person…really a member of Fairy Tail…?"
"Fine, next time, I'll fight too!" Mirajane declared, stalking off.
Cana, stunned, called out. "W-What are you talking about?"
"'Cause I was in town, but Lucy got kidnapped, so-" Mirajane began, but she was interrupted by a heavy hand on her shoulder.
Cana stared at the oldest Strauss seriously. "I don't like to say this, but you'll be a burden to the others in your current situation…even if you are a former S-class mage. Ráfa-nii will kill me if I let you get hurt. Bastard ought to be here protecting you himself though…"
Mirajane was left speechless, before she crumpled into an intact chair, holding her face in her hands as the world seemed to crumble slowly but inevitably around them.
Ráfaga…where are you when we need you? When I need you?
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At first glance, the Fairy Tail guild building was in shambles after Gajeel Redfox's attack. However, the man was no expert at construction, and in fact had done little in terms of extreme structural damage. It was a relief for Erza to find the showers unharmed, as she stepped into the female shower room to wash the grime off her body. She knew it was hardly the time to be taking a shower when the guild was on the verge of destruction, but she found the shower soothing and helpful for her thought processes. They were not very optimistic thoughts, though.
Master's absence…as well as Laxus and Mystogan's…we have too many injured. It's impossible to continue this fight any further… Erza thought, gritting her teeth as she punched the shower stall wall in her frustration and self-loathing. If only…if only I went with him! Pathetic! It's all my fault!
A sudden tremor threw her off her train of thought. Quickly wrapping a towel around her slender body, she rushed out of the bathroom, only to stand beside all her despairing guild members as they stared at the giant, six-legged walking guild that approached them from Lake Sciliora. Erza's observant eyes caught sight of the cannon emerging from the front of the Phantom building, something that had stunned the rest of the guild into inaction and disbelief. Her eyes widening in horror, she turned to face her guild members. "This is bad! Everybody, GET DOWN!
With due haste, she turned back to face the cannon that was gathering a gigantic amount of magic power. Her towel fell off as a bright glow surrounded her body, before an elaborate suit of armour sprung up around her. Everyone cried out for her to stop, but she stood firm in the face of obliteration. Erza repeated her warning as she bravely met the cannon fire, a giant beam of light that boiled the water it blasted past to steam instantaneously. Erza screamed as the beam was stopped before her, coalescing into a large sphere of light that struggled to break apart her Adamantine Armour. But no armour was meant to stop a cannon of that magnitude, and slowly, her armour was chipped away until it shattered.
But her sacrifice had not been in vain, as the beam lost its force. Blowing Erza back, she smashed into Fairy Tail's building with a sickening thud.
"ERZA!"