Wow, we've made it to Phantom Lord arc! Man, I can't tell you how much it means to me to have been able to reach this point. Of course, all you readers had a big part in keeping me going, so thanks.
But enough with the mushy stuff! On to the story!
Chapter 11
- Sucker Punch -
After the late night of partying, Lucy, Cana, Gray, Loke and Erza all climbed aboard Lyon's ship with only two hours of sleep holding them up. When the former enemy and his crew were relieved of their self-imposed duty to repair the damages to the village, they offered to carry along the Fairy Tail members on their sail back to the mainland.
Loke was the first to approach the once-opposing forces on the large galleon, hastily accepting Toby's apology for hurting him (even though no such thing had occurred) to do the same for Sherry. Of course this lead to the proposition of a date, but he was promptly rebuffed by the pink-haired girl. Cana and Lucy snickered at the rejection as the brunette chatted with Yuka, and the blonde and Erza interacted with some of the non-wizard victims of Deliora. Gray and Lyon stood within speaking distance of one another, but never said much.
The oddly friendly ride came to an end as the sun rolled into the afternoon, as the ship arrived at the ports of Hargeon. Lucy and the others stepped off, and waved farewell to Lyon and the others as they continued their voyage to the westernmost coasts of Fiore, to Lamia Scale.
It wasn't until after the train ride back to Magnolia that the reality finally sank in for Lucy. "We just completed an S-Class mission!" she cried excitedly as they made their way to the guild hall. She contained herself from also announcing to the city that she, with her share of the reward, was now 1.4 million Jewel richer. She never would've dreamed that she'd earn so much in her first week as an official wizard, or that she would've also added two more Golden Keys to her collection. Even more impressive than the colossal sum of money she now had loading her bank account, was the fact that she was in possession of almost half of the zodiac set of Celestial Spirits. "We totally rock!"
The rest of her Galuna Island teammates nodded and smiled in agreement, but that was as much of that sentiment as she was going to get for the time being.
"Lucy! How could you just ditch us like that?!" Natsu exclaimed hysterically as soon as they walked into the base. "And to help Gray of all people?!"
"You were supposed to have been the ferocious fourth member of Team Happy..." the blue cat said with droopy eyes. "We were gonna be unstoppable..."
"How did you manage to get taken on an S-Class quest? It's not fair!" the Dragon Slayer continued his tirade, before focusing on the armored redhead. "Erza! You have to let me go on one!" he demanded, pointing at her. The way her bangs slipped over her right eye caused the others around her to give them considerable space, but Natsu seemed unaware of her daunting aura. "Mira refuses to take me, so you're gonna have to do it! If you can take Gray and Lucy with you, you can take me! Besides, you owe me after never finishing our fight, so -"
The next word that was about to slip off his tongue devolved into a howl of agony as Erza nailed him with a brutal right hook. The boy flew through the air, then smashed into the far wall, leaving a Natsu-shaped dent that rooted him against gravity.
The members, who had quieted to watch the exchange, resumed their business, even as Lucy continued to stare at the dazed Natsu on the wall with wide eyes. It wasn't until she noticed Happy sulking off to the Strauss' table that she snapped back to reality after witnessing Erza's full power. "Hey, Happy," she called after him, joining the three white-haired siblings in their usual spot. "I'm sorry that I left without telling you guys. If you'd been around, I would've let you know they wanted me to go along."
"Don't apologize, it's fine," Lisanna smiled at her. "I think it's great that you're getting along so well with everyone in the guild. You shouldn't feel guilty about accepting offers to work with other people, it's bound to happen. I know the boys might seem a little upset right now, but they'll get over it."
"Natsu was the one that had the idea in his head that the four of us were a team," Happy said, living up to his name once more with a cheeky grin. "I told him it was okay to let you test the free agent waters, because you'd come running right back to us anyway - and it looks like I was right."
"Oh, please," Mira rolled her eyes, smirking at the cat. "You missed Lucy more than anyone." Happy scratched his head in indifference to the claim. However, a slight blush colored his blue-furred cheeks. Content with the reaction, the model turned her mesmerizing eyes on the girl. "Anyway, so tell us all about your little island getaway."
"Ooh, is it alright if we hear this, too?" Levy asked brightly, walking up to them with Jet and Droy in tow. "We were totally worried about you when we heard you'd gone on an S-Class mission. We're so glad you made it back okay!"
After greeting the Shadow Gear trio, Lucy began to tell her tale, thankful that this time, no one would hear of any extravagant modifications from Happy. When she got to the beginning of the battles, she managed to pull in Gray, Cana and Loke so the audience would have a first-hand description of their fights (Erza was unavailable, as she was recounting the adventure to Master Makarov in his office). Once they finished, they earned a round of applause for their conquest, even from a begrudging Natsu, who had at some point joined them after freeing himself from the wall.
"Now that's real men at work," Elfman commended with a booming slow clap. "You've done the guild proud."
"It won't be long before everyone gets to hear about how you guys broke the curse on Galuna Island," Levy said with a big smile. Throughout the presentation, she had been furiously scribbling all the details in a notebook, filling up nearly six pages with exquisite penmanship. "If we get this to Sorcerer Weekly, you would get a cover-page blurb for sure!"
"Just a sec, Levy," Happy whispered to the petite girl. "I can tell Lucy's just being modest, but don't worry, I'll get the full story out of her. I'll report back to you tomorrow morning, and then we can tell everyone how much butt she really kicked."
"Man, that should've been me out there!" Natsu bemoaned. "If I'd been there, I would've -"
"Ended up destroying the village by accident?" Gray cut him off pointedly.
"Demolished the temple because you figured it'd stop the Moon Drip?" Cana teased.
"Tried to fight Deliora yourself?" Loke added with his shades gleaming.
Natsu growled as he answered their questions in order. "No, if I had to, and of course!"
"Anyway," Lucy intervened before things spiraled out of control, although she didn't quite know how to follow up now that she everyone had turned to her. Fortunately for her, the hall entrance swung open with what could only be described as supreme authority. The guild went into a similar state of awe as when Lucy had first seen Erza, but instead of the venerable type of fear the redhead had instilled in them, the four figures that stood at the doorway brought with them a heavier, oppressive air.
The tall, lanky man whose dress was a mix between a knight and a joker caught her attention first, as his long, stamped tongue hung out of his mouth wildly for all to see. The shorter woman with glittering wings beside him could've been considered highly beautiful, but the look in her bespectacled eyes was filled an unfavorable amount of arrogance. The third individual with them, a handsome, regal man with striking green hair and a rapier on his belt, seemed the least imposing, but his apathetic gaze could not be misconstrued as inviting in any way.
However, it was the blond leader of the pack that had Fairy Tail holding its breath. He was taller than anyone Lucy had seen at the guild so far, with an incredibly muscular physique as well. His fur coat hung off his shoulders, symbolizing an affront to rules and convention. His teeth were displayed in a grin, but not in a warm introduction to his guildmates; he smirked at them with resolute superiority, as if he owned all before him.
"We're back," he stated coolly as the four strode inside. The group's destination clear, the wizards at the opposite corner table in the back scattered from their spots. However, the four didn't even make it halfway before a snarling voice pierced through the quiet.
"Laxus!" Natsu challenged, jumping out into the aisle with a fanged grin. "Fight me!"
"That's Laxus?" Lucy asked, but no one likely heard her whisper.
The blonde man scoffed, inciting Natsu into a fiery charge down the walkway. He lifted a single finger, then unleashed a thin lightning bolt at the Dragon Slayer. For the second time that day, the scarfed boy was blown back by tremendous force, left sparking in a new crater in the far wall beside his first indentation. "He never learns, does he?" Laxus smirked rhetorically.
Lucy gasped at the scene. She'd heard of the strength the Guild Master's grandson, but she never would've thought such an innocuous attack would cause similar devastation as Erza's megaton punch. It was terrifying to imagine what he was capable of if he'd actually given effort.
Unlike the casual attitude everyone had the first time Natsu got smacked around, no one was able to return to their easy conversations. Lisanna and Happy hurried to check on the boy as he fell to the ground, trying to bring him back to consciousness. Lucy looked around her table, where she was surprised to see that even Mira watched the group with a frown.
"That's Laxus and the Thunder Legion," she said disdainfully as the man in charge barked their orders to the bar. "They're the strongest team in Fairy Tail."
Lucy's eyebrows raised in astonishment. If Mira, the woman who always refuted Erza's reputation with unwavering confidence, conceded the foursome's power, then it had to be true. "The Thunder Legion," she repeated. Just the name invoked command. "Who are they?"
"The dude in the visor, that's Bickslow," Jet explained of the gangly man with the wagging tongue. "I know Levy's always told us not to judge a book by its cover, but honestly, you're not getting the wrong idea if all you're doing is looking at the guy. He's got a few screws loose, no question."
"He's... quite the character," Levy smiled weakly in an effort to put a positive spin on things.
"Evergreen's the girl," Droy said as the amber-haired mage began to snidely fan herself. "She's a babe, but her major malfunction's that she thinks she's a real fairy. She figures that gives her the right to look down on us like we're nothing but dirt, so no guy here's tripping over themselves for her attention."
"It's pretty unfortunate," Loke affirmed. "So much to like, and yet, so little at the same time."
"And the last one," Cana began, sounding almost sad, "that's Freed. He mostly keeps to himself and he's really smart and strong, but for whatever reason, he's completely devoted to Laxus. The reason he didn't earn S-Class rank this year, even after getting through everyone else, was because Gramps knew it wasn't something he wanted for himself; he was only in it because he felt it was what Laxus wanted from him."
"The others also have S-Class potential, but none of them are manly in the slightest," Elfman said, crossing his arms. "Everyone here's like a family, but the Thunder Legion act like they're their own little sect and hardly interact with any of the other members. None of them look at Fairy Tail as a home."
Lucy absorbed the information, but refused to let it significantly influence her opinion on the team. So maybe they weren't the friendliest bunch of personalities. Maybe they were acutely aware of their standing in the guild, and maybe they threw their weight around a little. Still, they were Fairy Tail wizards, so how bad could they really be? Master Makarov seemed like the kind of man that wouldn't cultivate any bad seeds, so she trusted in his decision to imbue them with his flag's insignia.
"I thought I heard you down there," the short elder called amiably from the second floor, hopping up to the railing with a stern Erza right behind him. "How did your mission go, my boy?"
"You know better than to ask that, old man," Laxus sneered up at him after a drink. "You honestly think those bastards stood a chance against us? Please."
Now Lucy could see why everyone soured at his presence. How could he use that disrespectful tone of voice with the Guild Master, his own grandfather?
Erza was on the cusp of replying angrily, but Makarov held up a hand to keep her at bay. "I'm glad to hear that," he answered, still putting on a smile.
Laxus smirked, shaking his head. "I bet you are. It's not like any of these other pathetic wizards here know how to actually get a job done," he said, suddenly growing serious as he cast a scowl over the hall. "If they're not downright incompetent, they're causing more destruction than the reward money can cover. Oh, sure, everyone loves this little trainwreck of yours right now, but the people out there that need things done right are eventually gonna catch on to reality. If these punk kids of yours don't get their acts together, no one's gonna look to Fairy Tail for help anymore."
The outburst at the claim was loud, but none was more vocal than the revived Natsu. "We're the best guild in the world!" he proclaimed over everyone else.
Laxus turned over to where the group was sitting. "And how much longer do you think people are gonna tolerate it when you screw up, Natsu? We're half of those media idiots' business right now. Whether it's another story on how 'Salamander' torched a whole block, or that demon you're sitting next to stripping for the centerfold, we're a cash cow for them."
Elfman bolted upright from his seat with clenched fists. "Watch your mouth," he warned dangerously.
The blond man met his gaze for a second, then smirked as if he'd wasted his time. "But what do you think would happen if they decided to change the narrative and turn the tables on you?" Laxus continued, ignoring Elfman to look back up at Makarov. "No one would wanna hire from this guild anymore, and it'd be all your fault for not pulling tight enough on the leash."
"That's enough!" Erza said, jumping over the guardrail. She landed before Lucy and the others' table, ready to put an end to his badmouthing by whatever means. "I will not allow you to speak to Master Makarov like that!"
"It's quite alright, Erza," the Wizard Saint said gruffly. "Let the boy finish his piece."
Laxus continued to grin. "You know, there's still a way for this place to be salvaged: appoint me as Guild Master." All of the members were shocked at his demand, while Bickslow and Evergreen appeared pleased at the thought; Freed remained as impassive as ever. "Face it, old man. You're running this place into the ground, and I know all those complaints from the Magic Council aren't doing your health any favors. So why don't you do the sensible thing for yourself and retire while you can still enjoy some dignity? I'd never let Fairy Tail be known as a bunch of losers, so step down while you're still on top, and name me as your rightful successor."
Before the rest of the populace could cry in admonishment, Makarov hummed pensively with his eyes closed. "The day I will have to, for one reason or another, anoint a new Guild Master is on its way. However, you in particular," he said, propping one callous eye open, "shouldn't be making any plans to kick your feet up on my desk anytime soon."
Laxus frowned vitriolically as the guild erupted at the shot. The Thunder Legion were also summarily bothered, but left the response to their leader. When the cheering died down, Laxus simply grinned again, and vanished as a thunderbolt suddenly struck him. A light flashed up on the second story, where he reappeared against the railing a moment later, a job request in hand. With immeasurable power, he threw the sheet perfectly to Makarov, who caught it as another bolt teleported his grandson back to his table. "I'll let you rethink that," he said, smirking coldly as he beckoned Freed, Evergreen and Bickslow to rise from their seats. "You want what's best for this guild, don't you? Sleep on it. The right decision will hit you eventually."
With that, the strongest team marched out of the guild hall, without a single look back.
Makarov sighed, the poster in his hand crinkling as he relaxed his grip. "I know your heart's in the right place," he whispered as he began to retreat to his office, "but when did you start walking the wrong path?"
Minutes after their departure, Laxus and the Thunder Legion remained the hot topic. "I can't believe someone like that is Master Makarov's grandson," Lucy said, still upset at what had just transpired. "What a jerk."
"Definitely a buzzkill," Cana said flatly, peering into her near-empty mug that she hadn't been able to savor.
"I don't care who he is, he has no right to speak to Mira the way he did," Elfman harshly decreed. Lisanna, who acted as support for the weary Natsu, nodded fervently, lead a chorus of nodding among the circle in encouragement of what would happen otherwise. Mira only smiled in amusement, but couldn't help but feel slightly touched as they came to her defense.
"Let me play devil's advocate for a sec here, though," Gray spoke up. "I know it's weird to think of this place without him in charge, but Gramps basically just admitted he's not gonna be running things for much longer."
"He might only have a year or two left for the job," Loke said, looking surprisingly attached. "I know we should've been prepared for that, but still..."
"Erza," Natsu said, wincing as he leaned off Lisanna to sit up on his own. Despite his ragged appearance, his voice was oddly soft. "When Laxus mentioned Gramps's health... he's okay, isn't he? It's just his age, nothing else, right?"
The attention centered on Erza, who crossed her arms over her plated chest. "These past few years have been weighing heavily on Master Makarov," she said after a moment of contemplation. "It's been stressful for him to constantly have to deal with the Magic Council's berating. This was something for only those closest to him to know, but Laxus revealing it to the whole guild is a new low for him."
"Now everyone's gonna be on edge about it," Mira said, also having been one of the few privy to the information. "It'll take the fun out of going on jobs if you're just gonna worry about how screwing up could affect the Master."
"Well that's not the Fairy Tail way," Natsu frowned with renewed fire, shaking off the rest of his slump. "Gramps has always told us that the point of being here is to have fun, to adventure with our friends and learn together and stuff. He wouldn't want us to all of a sudden stop doing our best to help people if it means being miserable."
"You're right," Lisanna agreed with a smile. "No matter what, we're always gonna give our all. We're Fairy Tail."
"We're Fairy Tail," the pink-haired boy nodded, putting out a fist over the table as he shared a smirk with them all. Lisanna was the first to catch on, placing her fist alongside his. One by one, the other members of the table - Mira, Elfman, Gray, Cana, Loke, Levy, Droy, Jet, and Erza from her feet - reached out as well. Lucy, smiling eagerly, placed her marked hand on top of the cumulative gesture of pledging to Makarov's teachings.
"Aye!" Happy cried happily, floating above them all to lay down his paw last.
- 0 -
"My dear sir, I cannot express how much joy I feel to carry out your request," a tall man in a dark cloak grinned from across his antique desk, stroking his thin horseshoe mustache. "For years I've dreamed of such an incentive."
"You will keep my daughter safe, won't you?" the sharply-dressed client asked, brows furrowing in apprehension. After hearing some of the extent of his craving to fight, perhaps it would've been wiser to have met with other magical contractors.
"Of course," the man with abnormally pointed features responded, practically dripping honey from his painted lips. "How can we expect Fiore to once again recognize us as the best guild in the land if we couldn't even manage that much for you?"
The client nodded. "Very well then," he concluded, reminding himself of why he had chosen to prioritize them as his first visit - and why he'd hoped they would be his only one. The two men sealed their partnership with a handshake, the figure in the suit trying to ignore the other's cold grasp with thoughts of success. If there was any faction that could oppose the savages that had brainwashed his daughter, this was going to be it.
After the gentleman left the room, two others made their presence known. A flurry of wind swept about without disturbing the leader behind his desk, becoming a burly man in a flowing green coat and matching hat, his eyes hidden by a blindfold. The second pounced down from the rafters with a guttural chuckle, creating a slight metallic clink as he landed.
"Aria, when can we expect Totomaru and Juvia to return?" the head of the organization asked, supporting his chin with his fist.
"Tomorrow or the day after, Master Jose," the man in green replied, as tears began to soak through the fabric around his eyes. "How sad, that we have to keep a loving father from reuniting with his daughter as we await our full forces."
"Indeed," Jose said, losing some of his smirk at the news. "I suppose for now, we'll have to content ourselves with just a warning shot. Gajeel?"
The other man bore his wicked teeth in a malicious grin, the sunshine coming in through the window glinting off the studs on his face. "That's fine by me."
- 0 -
The next morning, Lucy stumbled around her apartment as she got ready for the day. Her body and mind had yet to fully refresh from the celebration on Galuna Island, as she wasn't accustomed to the fervent partying her guild encouraged. Not even a warm shower had been able to completely reel her back from dreamland, where she had been paid a visit by her estranged father.
She hadn't thought much of him after she'd left her home. Not that her escapades since joining Fairy Tail had given her time to do so, but even then, she'd always finished her day by chronicling its significant events in a letter to her mom. Even then, she'd take a moment as she would lie in bed, staring up at her ceiling inviting sleep, to wonder about how her kind former servants were doing. But her father rarely crossed her mind.
After her mother's passing, the two had lived under the same great mansion, but they might as well have been on different worlds. Her father had scornfully closed himself off to her, delving so deep into his work that sometimes, she wouldn't see him over the course of weeks. As best as she tried to keep their relationship from falling out into an abyss, that was what resulted. Lucy practically grew up without a father; instead, she'd lived with a jaded man that couldn't be asked to even look her way.
She was slipping her belt through the loops of her jeans when an impatient rapping on her window caused her to let out a shriek. Turning around, she saw Natsu pulling up the sill, and attempting to climb through the opening. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" she screamed as she booted him in the face, dropping him back to the outside. Happy, however, managed to swoop in elegantly, landing softly on her mattress.
"Good morning, Lucy!" he greeted cheerfully, as if he technically hadn't just broken into her apartment.
"What is it with that boy and doors?" she scowled. The only times she'd ever seen Natsu use an entrance properly was at restaurants, and that was likely only because he understood he wouldn't get service otherwise.
"That's Natsu for ya," Happy stated simply as his feathery wings disappeared. "So, you ready to start your special training?"
"I'd say she's ready," Natsu said as he once again appeared at her window, looking rather gleeful for someone wearing a dark shoeprint across his face. Lucy sighed in resignation as he crawled inside, plopping down on her bed next to his cat. "That's a pretty nice kick you got there. We'll definitely build on that."
After Laxus and the Thunder Legion had left yesterday, Lucy had inquired to her friends about helping her become a more capable wizard. Despite having been practicing her Celestial Magic since inheriting her Golden Keys years ago, she knew she didn't have the same power, experience and application in the real world as her guildmates of similar age, and it was something she wanted to improve on. Not only that, but she understood her physical abilities needed strengthening, as well. After her battle with Sherry, she realized she needed to toughen herself up if her spirits were for some reason rendered unavailable. She was a fairly athletic girl with a basic understanding of hand-to-hand combat, but she was in the big leagues now, and she'd have to have more than that in her arsenal.
Initially she approached Cana, a fellow Holder-Type mage who was also a certifiable ass-kicker, but when Natsu overheard, he immediately volunteered to coach her. Lucy's first reaction was to decline when she saw his eyes flash mischievously, but after Lisanna vouched for how training with him had helped her substantially, and that she was also willing to help, the blonde hesitantly agreed. She hoped she hadn't gotten herself into anything too crazy, but Happy's snickering hadn't been the most encouraging sign.
"Trust me, by the time you've run through my courses, you'll be -" the Dragon Slayer began with a smile as they walked to their headquarters, but he quickly stopped with a distracted look on his face. Even faster, his expression morphed into one of dread.
"Hey, what's up?" Lucy asked with concern.
Natsu took off in a run before he could respond, with Lucy and Happy following suit, shouting at his back to tell them what was wrong. It wasn't long before they could make out the guild hall in the distance, although the building seemed distorted, with strange extensions poking out. Drawing nearer and nearer, the picture finally made sense. The extensions were thick metal clubs that had been blasted all through the walls of their once-proud base, leaving it in a state of sickening wreckage.
"What happened here?" he demanded through his teeth as they came up to the devastated crowd of wizards and citizens assembling before the mess. He had heard their shaken murmuring from afar, leading him down to the commotion.
"Natsu..." Lisanna said softly as he grouped up with the Strauss family, her hand held over her heart. Elfman appeared just as furious as him, while Mira scowled at the ruins with her arms crossed. "It happened overnight... It's so awful..."
"Phantom Lord did this," the older white-haired girl spat venomously. The three who had just arrived looked over everyone's heads, and indeed noticed a swirling black symbol painted on the double doors. Even if Mira hadn't just named the culprits, Lucy would've immediately recognized the mocking graffiti as the emblem of the guild regarded to rival Fairy Tail.
"Those bastards..." Natsu trembled with rage. "They're gonna pay for this!"
"Damn right they are," Gray uttered icily, appearing with an equally-perturbed Loke and Cana. "No way we're taking this lying down."
The crowd started to buzz once more as Master Makarov took a few steps forward, trailed by Erza. They turned to face them with stony gazes, as Makarov invoked his Titan Magic to grow over twelve feet tall, for the sake of those in the back rows. "My children," he said, trying to sound steady, but the pain in his voice was audibly distinguishable. "I know how you must all be feeling. We have just been subjected to this senseless vandalism, and I understand that revenge is hungrily gnawing at your very cores."
The wizards, and even a good portion of regular Magnolians, cried out in support of the statement.
"But," the Master continued pointedly, deflating the cheers, "this is not something that we can respond to. As much as we would all love to take matters into our own hands, this act of cowardly aggression is for the Magic Council to handle. This kingdom has no need for its top two guilds to go to war over something that is, in the long run, insignificant. Yes, it hurts to see our beautiful guild hall ruined as so, but they cannot break the spirit that it housed as long as you remain strong. Phantom Lord will be punished accordingly by the Council, and we will keep our heads high as we rebuild our hall with more glory than ever before!"
This part of his speech elicited a more polarized response. While the citizens were swept by the glowing good nature of Makarov's vision, the members of his guild voiced their dissatisfaction. "You mean we're just supposed to sit around and wait for the Magic Council to make a move?" Mira asked with narrowed eyes.
"If you think we're gonna leave it up to them, then you're dead wrong, Gramps!" Natsu added. "We're the ones that gotta take it to Phantom Lord!"
"The Master has spoken," Erza intoned strictly, focusing her gaze on the two. "The consequences of a war between two guilds as powerful as Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord would be felt throughout the entirety of Fiore. To engage them would not only invite catastrophe to the surroundings, but it would be a dark affair that could result in tolling losses to both sides. Master Makarov has concluded that retaliation is an unwise course of action, and you will adhere to his verdict."
The fire within Lucy that would've driven her on the same path of vengeance as her friends began to flicker out. Erza's unhappy expression as she spoke on Makarov's behalf told her that she also wanted to afflict Phantom Lord with just measures, but her words had reached the blonde's senses. Lucy understood why it would be best to be the bigger guild in all of this, even if the some of her mates had yet to comprehend.
"Fortunately, no one was around when this atrocity took place, so there are no injuries to report," Makarov began again, trying to settle some of the more unruly wizards with a breezy smile. "After an inspection of the damage, Erza and I found the basement to have been untouched. Thus, it will serve as our temporary center of operations while construction on the new hall is ongoing."
With that, he reverted back down to his normal stature, and walked with Erza to the side of the building as the other wizards began to follow. They opened the cellar doors and made their way down the steps to the basement, which Lucy was surprised to see so well-maintained. Dust was no issue, and the old tables that were spread evenly on the floor made it seem that this had been set up ahead of time, in case of such an emergency. A blank request board was also nailed to the wall, with a stack of copied flyers resting on a crate of alcohol next to it ready to be put up.
Most of Lucy's closer friends seemed to have accepted Makarov's decision, but Natsu was still grumbling about it as they occupied the circular tables. "I can't believe he doesn't want us to fight back," he said with a frown. "Phantom Lord needs to learn just what happens if you mess with Fairy Tail. At the very least Gramps could let me go after the guy who did this. His stench's all over the place upstairs, so it wouldn't be all that hard to track him down."
"Natsu, you know the Master's got a point," Cana said, having procured a whole barrel from the storage corner to take some of the edge off. Normally she would've kept it to herself, but she knew the others could use it just as much if they wanted to partake. "Think of it this way: if Laxus was running the guild, what do you think he'd do?"
"He'd lead the charge personally and destroy them," he replied affirmatively, without seeing what the problem was.
"I don't think you get it," Happy took it upon himself to explain. "She means we should probably be doing the opposite of what Laxus would want."
"Oh," he said as the realization dawned on him. Associating confrontation with the master's antagonistic grandson shifted his perspective, easily accomplished by how the Lightning Wizard had acted the previous day.
"I still don't think we should be waiting for the Council's judgment," Mirajane said, remaining unpleased. "Since no one was hurt, and as far as we know no person was targeted, they can only construe this as property damage. Those Council geezers have never liked Fairy Tail, but they've been pretty lax with us whenever we've destroyed anything. Even though this was done with intent, I don't see Phantom Lord getting punished all that severely because of that precedent."
Before anyone could dispute that, Loke spoke up. "But what if they do have some kind of target?" Everyone turned to him, as he prepared his rationalization. "Honestly, Phantom Lord has nothing to gain from doing this. Everyone knows of the rivalry between us, but lashing out in this manner, without provocation, will just turn the public against them. I'm not saying their plan is to come after someone for sure, but there's gotta be a bigger reason they'd stake their reputation like this, something we're not seeing."
Lucy suddenly got a bad feeling in her stomach at his theory, fearing for the safety of her friends. "But what reason could they have for coming after someone here?"
"This is probably nothing more than a sorry cry for attention," Elfman growled, waving off Loke's thoughts. "They're just bitter over the fact that Fairy Tail's become the manliest guild in Fiore, so they decided to take a cheap shot."
"But what if he's right? What if this isn't just posturing, and Phantom Lord is planning something else?" Gray pondered. "What if this was just a way for them to let us know they're up to something? They're arrogant enough to pull something like that."
"If that's the case," Levy said, having joined with the boys of Shadow Gear during the middle of the conversation, "then we should play it safe and watch each other's backs for the next couple of days. We have no idea what they're after, but if they wanted to escalate things, then we should stick together and keep them from having the opportunity."
"Good idea, Levy," Lisanna commended before turning to the blonde in the group. "Lucy, would you wanna come over to stay with us at Fairy Hills for a few nights?"
"I believe you should," Erza said, walking up to the tables and laying a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "If Phantom Lord was looking to build on what they did to the hall, then a new member to the guild that happens to live by herself would be an ideal target. I doubt any of their wizards outside of their S-Class would stand a chance against someone with your skill, Lucy, but it's an unnecessary risk we shouldn't be taking at a time like this. I will gladly share one of my rooms with you at Fairy Hills."
"Thanks, guys," Lucy said with a smile, her heart warming at the invitation. She hadn't thought of her apartment as vulnerable, but then she remembered the way Natsu had entered through her window as easily as an unlocked door that very morning. The way their camaraderie had extended to her so seamlessly since joining Fairy Tail, it was lovely to feel.
"You know, the boys don't have a collective dorm like you girls do," Jet began with a sly smirk. "We're all fending for ourselves out there."
His partner in crime immediately picked up on his direction. "So, what if we came over, too, to mutually look out for one another?" Droy continued with a matching grin. "We could definitely help fortify your defenses so no Phantom Lord punks even think of going near Fairy Hills. What do you ladies say? Levy?"
"Absolutely not," Erza mandated without another word from anyone else. "If you boys don't feel secure being on your own, you can simply follow our example. I'm certain Natsu and Gray have already decided to bunk together, so perhaps Loke or Elfman could take you in." The fire and ice mages nervously nodded along to placate her thought, and the other two did the same when their names were thrown out. "However, you will certainly not be staying at the girls' dormitories, where boys are not permitted. We're not at a point where we need to break its most important rule."
"If it makes you guys feel better, the three of us could all room together," Levy offered brightly to her teammates. "We're Team Shadow Gear, we'll be alright as long as we're there to protect one another!"
"Levy, you're the best!" Jet and Droy cheered in adoration, sandwiching the girl in a tight hug.
"I suppose that's fine, since you're a long-standing team," Erza said, even though she wasn't exactly comfortable with their male-to-female ratio. "Now that we have an outline for the boarding situation, Lucy, I'll accompany you to your apartment so you can gather some of your belongings. The rest of you, carry on as you would."
"Aye!" Natsu and Gray piped when she turned to the pair, Happy chuckling as they threw their arms around each other's shoulders.
- 0 -
Lucy awoke peacefully the next morning - until she brushed against the arm around her waist. Suddenly alert, she slowly looked behind her, and was only slightly relieved that it was Erza's hold she was in. Even with her beautiful red hair strewn over her face, she still appeared quite delighted at having someone to cuddle with. Lucy almost laughed at the situation as her heartbeat resumed its normal rhythm.
She thought back to the night before as she moved Erza's arm away and sat up in bed. It had been a lot of fun touring the facility and gossiping away with the company of Lisanna, Mira, Cana and Erza. She was disappointed Levy hadn't been there to join in on the occasion, but she did take comfort in getting to better familiarize herself with some of the other Fairy Tail girls like Bisca and Laki.
The blonde turned back to Erza, and wondered just how they ended up in the same bed together. She had been shocked to learn of Erza's multiple rented rooms, most of which were filled with her special armors and various outfit combinations. However, she did have two bedrooms, and had allowed for Lucy to sleep in her spare quarters.
She watched as Erza began to stir, cutely patting around the mattress in search for her lost snuggle buddy. She opened her eyes with a small pout, but then her cheeks flushed pink when she noticed Lucy sitting up on the edge of her bed. "Morning, Erza," she smiled.
"Good morning, Lucy," she answered, reclining against the headrest, sounding as if nothing was out of routine despite her slight blush. "I see that perhaps there was some confusion over the sleeping arrangement, but it's no matter. I hope you're well-rested?"
"Yeah, I feel great," Lucy assured her. But before anything else could be said between the bedmates, a loud, desperate pounding was heard behind their door.
"Erza! Lucy!" Lisanna shouted at them. "You guys have to hurry! Please!"
Sensing something horribly awry, Erza jumped out from under the sheets, Requipping out of her lavender pajamas and into her Heart Kreuz armor. Lucy was grateful that she hadn't chosen anything too skimpy to wear to sleep, slipping into her sandals quickly as they took off. They spotted Lisanna continuing down the hallway alerting everyone else, and it wasn't long before all the tenants of Fairy Hills were rushing out of the dorm, following the white-haired girl and Happy.
The flying cat, with watery eyes, lead them down to South Gate Park, where a large crowd not unlike the one from yesterday was growing. Erza authoritatively got the citizens to move aside, joining up with some of the stricken male wizards at the front (who were in an even more considerable state of undress). They all gazed up at what had the boys so mortified, causing some of their numbers to begin crying.
Braced to the park's great tree with metal cuffs around their wrists, hung the bruised and battered trio of Shadow Gear.
"Levy... Jet... Droy..." Lucy whispered, unable to control the tears streaming down her face.
Thankfully, she was able to take her eyes off the sight when the crowd parted once more. This time, a single figure walked through, his short footsteps heavy as they practically stomped on the ground. Makarov looked at the scene, exhaling loudly as he gripped his wooden staff.
"The destruction of my guild hall, I could tolerate," he began steadily, before being enveloped by a quaking glow of transcendent power, "but never, never will I accept my children being harmed!" His staff shattered into splinters from the immense pressure as he lasered in on the mark crudely painted on Levy's stomach. "Phantom Lord! This, is war!"
And so it begins. This chapter was the most difficult one to write so far, but I do believe really believe it's solid stuff. I finally got to introduce Laxus, and I decided to take the chance to do the same for the Thunder Legion. Also, a show of hands for those that would like to see Lucy at Fairy Hills as an installment in Sidestories? I can make it happen, you know.
I do hope you enjoyed the chapter, and it is also a hope of mine that you come back for the next one. Also, I hope you leave a review, as well. Those are fun.
