Sovereign: I would like to thank Resha Tsubaki, zeprincelini, HeartGold12, Blueberryxn, Assault Godzilla, Chrome, black star, gytech, Emcronia, ShingStellar and sNoWaNgL for reviewing. Thanks guys! :D
Reviews to anonymous reviews:
Chrome - Haha! Yeah! Go Gray! :D
black star - Yeah, sorry about that. I shouldn't have put his tattoo on his left upper arm, otherwise people will mistook him as Gajeel. But don't worry! Gajeel will be in this chapter. ^^
Chapter 14: Fall of the Phantoms
Gray turned around and smiled at Natsu. "Hey buddy, I thought you could use some help." He said.
"Gray, you know Gareth?" Natsu asked.
Gray walks over to Natsu and the others and nods his head. "Yes. See this tattoo here?" He gestures to his tattoo on his left upper arm. "This tattoo indicates that I'm the co-founder of the gang."
Everyone except Levy gasped.
"Yup, Gray told me everything and I've decided to come along and help him rescue you, Lucy." Levy said to Lucy.
"So you're associated with the Phantoms all along?" Lucy asked.
"Not anymore." Gray shook his head. "You see, years ago, Gareth and I co-founded the Phantoms together. But my purpose of forming this gang is to secretly help people do community services and all that. But whenever we have a gang fight, we must always remember that real gang power comes from respect, not fear. That's why we never kill or injure our enemies. However, Gareth on the other hand, doesn't agree my views. So eventually, he made a gang coup. 60 percent of my gang became loyal to him and not me and eventually, I gave up on the gang and quit. Those who are still loyal to me also joined me and quit."
"So, those people who are wearing ski masks…" Wendy said as she turns to the thugs who are still fighting each other.
"Yes, they are my loyalists who quit the Phantoms with me." Gray answered. "When I quit, I told Gareth that I will not associate with him anymore but if he ever harms anybody who I cared, he should watch his back. And now, when I heard he bothered Natsu and Lucy, I came back and gave him a good beating."
"So you never abandoned us?" Lucy asked Gray.
Gray smirked at her. "Of course I would never abandon my friends." Both Natsu and Lucy smiled at him.
"Thanks." Lucy said. But then, she widens her eyes and gasped in horror when she sees Gareth running over to Gray from behind with a wooden plank. "GRAY! WATCH OUT!" Gray turns around and Gareth slams the wooden plank onto his head and it snapped into half. But Gray stood where he is.
Gareth laughed in triumph as he tosses the plank away. "See Gray, that's what happens when you…" But within a second, he stops laughing and his smile faded when he sees Gray's face darkened and his fists tightened. And his head wasn't bleeding at all. Gray looks up at Gareth with a menacing glare, making Gareth shiver in fear.
"You are really PISSING ME OFF!" Gray then spins around and kicks Gareth in the chest, sending him flying across the warehouse and he landed into a garbage chute.
Everybody dropped their jaws.
"That was a Chuck Norris style roundhouse kick, wasn't it?" LIsanna gasped.
"Wow…just wow…" Erza managed to say in awe.
"Amazing…" Wendy said.
Gareth comes out of the garbage chute as Barry and two other thugs run over to him. "Sir! We tried to fight back, but they are too strong even though we outnumber them!" Barry cried to him.
"Then let's get the hell out of here!" Gareth yelled as he climbs out of the chute. He, Barry and the two thugs quickly run out of the warehouse through the back door.
"They're getting away!" Mirajane cried.
"Come on! Let's get them! I want to make Gareth pay for raping my best friend!" Levy yelled angrily as she got up. But Gray stops her by placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry." Gray assured her with a smile. "I already called someone else to catch him."
Meanwhile, outside the warehouse, Gareth and the others got into a black car. Gareth stomps onto the gas pedal and they quickly drove off.
"Sir, our gang is finished, isn't it?" One of the thugs asked from behind.
"It doesn't matter! We can always reform and make a comeback! I'll make Gray pay for this!" Gareth said while controlling the steering wheel.
Suddenly, they heard a police siren. Everyone widen their eyes in horror.
"Who's that?" Barry asked as they all look out their car windows. To their horror, Lahar was driving beside them with his police motorcycle.
"So, you are the leader of the Phantoms. I've finally found you!" Lahar yelled. He took out a baton and starts slamming the car doors with him.
Gareth and the others screamed in terror as Lahar is literally damaging their car.
"Take him down boss! He's just one man!" Barry said to Gareth.
"Eat this!" Gareth yelled as he turns his steering wheel to the side and attempts to slam into Lahar, but Lahar quickly slows down and now he's behind them. Lahar now takes out his handgun and shot one of the car's tires, causing it to skid across the road. Gareth and the others screamed as they lost control of the car.
Eventually, the car crashed into a signboard. Gareth and the others managed to survive the crash but when they got out of the car Lahar stops his motorcycle in front of them and several police cars arrived at the scene and surround them.
Gareth bursts into tears as he places his hands on the back of his head. His gang is now finished.
Meanwhile, back at the warehouse, Gray and his thugs successfully defeated Gareth's members. After the fight was over, they quickly got up from the ground and run away in fear.
"That's right you mothers! Run!" Gajeel Redfox, one of Gray's thugs, yelled at them as they all remove their ski masks.
"Good job everyone. We did it." Gray said to his thugs and they all cheered.
"Gray…" Natsu said as he and the others walk up to him. "Thank you so much for everything."
"It's okay Natsu." Gray smiled. "That's what friends do right? We always help each other."
"Are you guys still a gang?" Mirajane asked Gray sternly.
"Of course not, ma'am." Gray replied. "After we quit the gang, we moved on. Like me, I went back to concentrating in my studies and gain good grades and became the school's star basketball player. And Gajeel there continued studying and is now in college."
"That's right." Gajeel said as he and Gray's thugs walk over to them. "But still, whenever anyone of our friends are in danger, we will regroup and help them out."
"That's good." Mirajane nods her head. "But still, gang fighting is bad and I want you all to promise me that you will never do it again to solve your problems."
"You have our word, ma'am." Macao, another one of Gray's thugs, smirked and gave a thumbs-up.
"She's really motherly, isn't she?" Gray asked Natsu.
Natsu chuckled. "She sure is."
Gray turns to his thugs. "Now then, get out of here before the police find us while I take Natsu and his family back home."
"Yes sir!" All of his thugs yelled before leaving.
Natsu smiled as he wraps an arm around Lucy. Lucy blushed and said to him, "Natsu, thank you for saving me and encouraging me to go up against him."
"No problem. But most of all is that you and your baby are safe." Natsu said.
"Come on guys, let's go home." Erza smiled as she walks up to them. Natsu and Lucy turn to her, smiled and nod their heads.
The next day, Natsu, Erza, Wendy and Lucy sat together at the living room, watching TV. They just read the news that Gareth and all of his gang members have been arrested by the police and the Phantoms is officially dissolved. All of them will stand trial in two weeks time but it's obvious that Gareth, being the gang leader, will receive a harsher punishment.
"I'm glad the gang is finally dissolved and we will never see that guy ever again." Erza smiled.
"Yay! Lucy's troubles are finally over, right?" Wendy cheered as she grabs Lucy's arm. Lucy, who is sitting between Wendy and Natsu, nodded.
"What's wrong Lucy?" Natsu asked in concern.
"No, it's just…even though Gareth is gone; I'm still carrying his baby." Lucy said, looking down at her womb. "What should I do? I have thoughts about an abortion but…I can't get rid of an innocent life. It's inhuman."
Natsu looks at Lucy seriously. "You will raise it Lucy." He said.
"Natsu?" Lucy turns to him.
"I know it will be hard but you are right. Getting rid of the baby inside you is inhuman. You will keep this life and you will raise it when it comes out, just like every other human being." Natsu said.
Lucy smiled with tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Natsu." She said. "And I will."
"And besides, a family has to stick together, you know?" Natsu smiled. Lucy chuckled and nodded in agreement.
"Who wants popcorn?" Mirajane smiled as she and Lisanna enter the room. Lisanna was carrying a huge bowl of popcorn in her hands.
"Hooray! I want!" Wendy squealed as she reach out her hands and grab the bowl from Lisanna.
"Did you remember to put butter in it?" Erza asked.
"I sure do." Lisanna nodded.
"That's good." Erza smiled.
"I would like some please." Lucy smiled.
"Me too." Natsu said.
"Don't worry! There's plenty for everyone!" Lisanna said.
Mirajane smiled warmly as she watched everyone. She is always happy to see the entire family like this. She also finally realized that Freed's death is the best thing that ever happened to her. If he hadn't died, his death wouldn't have motivated her to move on. And in the end, she managed to find three homeless children, adopted them and finally has what she wanted her whole life. A family.
Mirajane closes her eyes. 'Thank you…Freed…'
Suddenly, the door bell rang. Everyone turn their heads in confusion.
"Who could that be?" Erza asked.
"I'll get it!" Virgo said as she goes over to the door. She opens the door and widens her eyes.
"Hello Virgo."
Lucy widens her eyes as well. That voice…
"No, it can't be…" She whispered. Virgo enters the living room in concern.
"Young mistress, he's here to see you." She said. Then, a man with neat blonde hair and a moustache and dressed in a brown suit enters the room.
"Hello Lucy." He said sadly.
Lucy narrows her eyes angrily. "Father…"
END OF CHAPTER
Sovereign: And that's the end of the chapter! Gareth and the Phantoms are defeated!
Natsu, Lucy, Wendy and Erza: Hooray!
Lucy: But it looks like now, I'm going to have a chat with my father, huh?
Wendy: I hope things will go well between the two of you…
Natsu: Man, you really love doing these cliffhangers, do you?
Sovereign: Hey, I couldn't help it. *Sweatdrops*
Erza: *Sighs* Stay tune and read and review, everyone!