Chapter 21
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Fairy Tail whatsoever. That being said, welcome to the newest chapter of this story. Enjoy!
P.S: Thank you for the favorites, follows, and reviews. I appreciate it! It's nice to see that there's an interest in this story. It really does make me happy, because I enjoy working on this.
"Let me help you Lucy."
Why?
Lucy heard a voice in her head.
"Let me help you."
Lucy felt herself standing up and she pulled out her whip.
"Regulus snatch," She shouted. Light encompassed her hand and the whip. Then she waved and it caught the enemy. With the whip, she knocked him to the ground, light completely surrounded him and that caused him to let go of Natsu.
"Dammit," He yelled. The light surrounding him had blinded him and Lucy threw him threw the wall of the guild hall. That's when the pain Lucy was feeling in her head vanished and she realized that she had not felt completely in control of herself until that very moment.
What just happened? She thought.
"When did you learn that?" Loke asked as he ran over to her.
"When did I learn what?"
"Lucy you literally just did it," Happy said. "Are you okay?"
"Let me help you."
The first master was looking at her with a shocked expression on her face.
"How can you do that at your age?" She asked. Lucy felt like demanding that someone explain what's going on,but her attention was soon directed back to the enemy as he was approaching them again.
"Come on Lucy," Natsu said.
"Right."
"Regulus Lucy kick!"
"Fire Dragon claw!" Their combined attack managed to push him back and certainly aggravate him.
"You dirty brats," He sneered. "You'll get it now!" He did a roundhouse kick on Natsu, who barely blocked it. Lucy ran in and he spun around and kicked her in the gut as well.
"Looks like that little moment there was just a fluke," He stated. Natsu tried to go at him again and he punched him.
"He excels in hand to hand combat too," Lucy exclaimed. These Alvarez people were no joke.
"Alright, your 113 guildmates that I captured, starting now I'm going to start killing them one by one." He held what looked like a floating lacrima in his hand.
That has to be part of his magic. Lucy thought.
"I dare you," Natsu replied.
"Wait," Lucy yelled and the enemy turned his attention to her.
"What is it?"
"Your allies are in there," She stated. "Brandish and Marin!" That threw him off.
"Brandish and…..what? Oh hell! Either I let them out or never hear the end of it from Dimaria." He closed his hand over the ball and his two allies appeared. They looked shocked to see him.
That's when Lucy had an idea. She stood slowly and while they were distracted she pulled out her Gemini key.
"Gemini," She whispered. The twin celestial spirits appeared and nodded at Lucy-knowing exactly what her plan was. They took the form of Marin Hollow, while Lucy changed into her Gemini star dress form. Which was a two toned dress with a high collar, tassels, and a plated belt. She had on two toned thigh high boots and a traditional Russian headdress.
"There's another me?"
"You pass," Gemini exclaimed.
"Whoa this is too creepy," Marin commented. "Definitely a failing grade."
"Lucy, why didn't you just change into Brandish?" Happy asked. "She's stronger."
"While that may be true Happy, that wasn't my objective," Lucy replied. "Do it now Gemini!"
"Space commandment activate pikkiiri!"
Then everything regarded as special magic disappeared, including Lucy's star dress. Thankfully, her normal clothes appeared within a second and….
"Oh no! My transport is-"
"This will render all spatial magic ineffective," Lucy stated, with a grin on her face because before they knew it all of their guildmates were back.
Everybody was relieved and cheering for the most part. Master Makarov looked understandably pissed though.
"Marvelous Lucy," Mavis exclaimed. "You did it!"
"Wow," Natsu said. "I'm impressed."
"Thank you Natsu," Lucy said.
"Dammit! How dare you inflict pain on the first master!" Makarov was approaching them with an angry look on his face and everyone who knew him instinctively moved out of the way. Suddenly, the 8th master of Fairy Tail grew to a giant and punched the enemy.
"Show some respect for the aged punk!"
"Master stop wrecking the guild! We just built it," Natsu shouted. Master then picked up Natsu.
"Now isn't this a case of the pot calling the kettle black?" He threw Natsu right the direction of the enemy. Natsu smiled, this was perfect.
"Blaze Dragon King Demolition Fist!" Lucy watched as a fireball knocked the enemy out cold….and burned off his clothing.
After everything calmed down, Lucy went over to Natsu at a table in the guild hall. Most people were banding together to rebuild the hole in the guild hall.
"Oh hey Lucy, what's up?"
"Lucy kick!" He fell off the chair.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"That was for going to fight Zeref alone and making us worry!"
"I'm sorry!" Lucy sighed and extended her hand to the fire dragon slayer.
"You're not going to kick me are you?" He asked cautiously.
"No Natsu I'm not….I promise." He took her hand and she helped him up. Lucy couldn't help but bring focus to that his hand was warm. He was alive and standing in front of her. A complete 180 from how it was only an hour ago.
Natsu didn't take his hand out of hers as soon as he stood up. Instead he just looked in her big brown eyes. He never got tired of looking at her face and all the different expressions that she could make.
Should he tell her now? They were together and relatively alone.
Although, what if she doesn't feel the same way. He himself really didn't have a lot time to think about how he felt about her. He just knew for sure that when he was around her, he felt happy and always wanted to see her smile.
When in the hell did he even start having feeling these….feelings for Lucy?
Of course, this comes in his head right when-
"What are you two doing?" A grinning exceed surprised the both of them and they broke apart.
"Nothing you stupid cat, I was helping him up. I gave him a pretty stern Lucy kick for all the trouble he caused," Lucy replied.
"She really did," Natsu agreed.
"Sure…."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Lucy asked.
"Why can't you two ever flirt at normal times?"
"We weren't flirting!"
"Sure…."
"Okay, you know what? I'm going to the dungeon," Lucy announced.
"Why are you going there?" Natsu asked.
"Because I wanted to speak with Brandish," Lucy answered. "You know, I think you should come too. She did save you after all."
Natsu nodded, "You're right! Coming Happy?"
"Aye sir!"
The three of them made their way down to the cell where Brandish was being held.
"Hey Brandish," Lucy said as she approached her cell and put her hands on the bar. The green-haired wizard was sitting on the floor in the corner. Brandish didn't respond and Lucy frowned. Their mothers wanted them to be friends and Lucy really wanted to try to build a friendship. She thought that they were getting somewhere when she helped Natsu, but then she came back with the whole "I'm your enemy" thing.
"I heard you saved my ass back there," Natsu said. "Thanks a lot!"
"We really appreciate everything that you've done for us," Happy agreed.
Brandish looked at them with an expressionless face and then turned to the wall.
"I never thought that Jacob would be taken out."
Jacob? Oh, that must have been the guy we fought? Lucy thought.
That was also when she had that weird moment of being out of control, but she filed that information away for later.
"Now I've come to understand the weight of the emperor's words. This will be as far as you go," Brandish stated. "The eighth month approaches."
"Eighth month?" The three of them asked in unison and they got no response.
"Brandish please?" Lucy pressed.
Brandish sighed, "In Arakitashia, the month of August is known as the time of gathering calamities. In order to overcome this month, the citizens pray and live with modesty and integrity. August is a month of fear and this legend has been passed down for generations."
"But I don't get it," Happy said. "It's already September."
"August is a person, that is all I'm going to say," Brandish answered.
"But-"
"No," Lucy interjected. "Natsu when she says that she means it. We have to give her at least that much respect." Natsu frowned, but nodded.
"Goodbye Brandish," Lucy said. "I'll try to come again."
"...You don't need too."
"I will," Lucy assured her. She wasn't going to give up on building this friendship, even if this was a turbulent time.
"Oh what the hell," Natsu exclaimed as he went over, grabbed the keys and opened her cell door.
"Natsu, what are you doing?" Lucy asked.
"I'm letting her out," He replied. Brandish made no move, she didn't even turn around.
"Look Brandish, we know that you're not a bad person," Natsu stated. "You helped me out and if Lucy's likes you then you can't be bad. I'll leave the keys on the ground and you're free to unlock the cuffs." Natsu then turned around and walked away. The other two followed him.
"How do you know she won't escape and leave?" Happy asked.
"She won't," Lucy answered. "...Thank you Natsu."
"No problem!" They left the dungeon and went over to tell everyone about what Brandish told them.
"And I've decided that I'm going to bring a world of pain on this guy coming from the east," Natsu declared.
"Wait, you're going alone?" Warren asked.
"No, I'm going too," Lucy answered.
"Don't forget me," Happy said.
"I can't agree to this," Makarov stated.
"I can't just sit around! You expect me to wait here for the enemy to waltz in and go to town on us," Natsu argued.
"We're talking about the most powerful spriggan 12 member," Makarov shouted. The two of them matched each others anger.
"That's inaccurate. You should be saying that he is the strongest individual. That is much more accurate." Everyone turned their attention to the person who entered the room.
"How the hell did she get out?" Macao shouted.
"I let her out," Natsu stated flatly. "She's not a bad person, so I figured what's the harm."
"What do you mean by strongest individual?" Happy asked.
"There's another person who holds the title. If he is the strongest man, then she is the strongest woman."
"Who's the strongest woman?"
"Eileen Belserion, the one who carries the moniker: the scarlet despair," Brandish replied.
"What!"
"The Scarlet Despair doesn't sound too good." Warren said.
"Who knows? Maybe she's a nice person," Nab commented hopefully.
"Seriously? With the moniker the scarlet despair?" Max asked.
"So, I see that you've finally come around and are willing to share information with us," Makarov said.
"It's a one-time deal," Brandish stated. "I'm a citizen of Alvarez first and foremost. I refuse to betray my homeland, which is why I won't become your ally. That being said, this is a debt to Lucy."
Lucy's eyes widened, "What?"
"Lucy, what exactly did you do?" Happy whispered.
"Which is why I'm willing to negotiate with August for you," Brandish declared. "Excluding Eileen, there is no mage in existence who can stand up to August. Eileen and I have no personal relationship. Although, I've known August since I was a little girl. I may be able to persuade him to pull back."
"That's a great offer, thank you," Makarov said.
"But Master, maybe she should consider the possibility of this being a fabrication," Mest suggested. "She could use this opportunity to escape."
"Believe me or not, it makes no difference," Brandish replied.
"I believe you," Lucy said.
"Then it's settled," Natsu stated. "I'm going to fight-"
"Seriously Natsu, do you want another Lucy kick?"
"I was injured Lucy!"
"Ok so it's Lucy, Natsu, Brandish and Happy," Makarov said. "Remember no violence Natsu. Brandish negotiating with August is our best case right now. I don't any of you to get hurt."
Natsu frowned, "Fine…"