School Life- Chp. 25- Found You
I can't believe I'm a fourth of the way to a hundred. Damn. Anyway, this arc is coming to an end soon, especially since I'm making the chapters longer. Also, I won't post the next chapter until I get at least five reviews. Imma see how well that works out. As always, I own nothing.
….
"Fly? Happy can't carry both of us and the packs, not that far anyway," Natsu said, watching his dad remove their packs from the Jeep.
"Aye, sir," Happy chimed.
Igneel chuckled at his son's obliviousness. "No, Natsu, I'll fly us."
"Ohhh," the Dragon Slayer and the Exceed said as one.
Igneel smiled at his son, smoke escaping his mouth. Natsu watched as his father's skin began to smoke, the gray vapor curling off his flesh and clothes.
The teen stepped back a couple feet as the ground began to shake.
…
"You are beginning to transform more and more into a dragon," Loke said as the three of them sat around the fire eating stew, Plue asleep on Lucy's lap.
Lisanna grumbled as she shoveled more stew into her mouth. The last thing she wanted to do was talk about how she was getting closer to being sacrificed. "I can't wait until Natsu finds me and then we can beat the shit out of you."
"Well, he isn't going to find you! This place is cloaked! Hidden! Invisible to anyone else!" Loke snapped.
Lisanna grinned at getting the spirit's temper up, but as she blew the steam off her spoonful of stew, her heart sank a little. She didn't realize this place was cloaked. "So why do I have to be sacrificed instead of a real dragon?" Lisanna ventured. She had asked the question before, but they never gave her a straight answer.
Loke looked to Lucy. Lucy kept her gaze down, but she let out a sigh. "Because, one, capturing a dragon is much harder, and two, it is impossible to turn a real dragon into a bound spirit." The blonde glanced up quickly but long enough to catch the confused look on Lisanna's face. "Dragons, when killed, revert back to their true form. Raw magic. You cannot bind raw magic. So his Majesty is going after the next best thing, someone who can copy the image and power of a dragon," Lucy's voice was soft as she stroked the sleeping Plue. Lisanna almost felt sorry for her. Almost.
"Wouldn't a dragon slayer be the next best thing, they have the power of dragons after all, the senses too?"
"But they can't transform into dragons, just take on slight aspects," Loke said.
"Why does the Spirit King want a dragon spirit anyway?"
"That's enough for tonight," Loke interjected. "Finish your dinner then sleep. Tomorrow your training becomes harder."
…
"What's the next place?" Natsu yelled as the wind roared around him. The farther-son and Happy team came up empty handed in the last jungle and were on their way to the next.
"Not far from here, another two hours max," came Igneel's voice and a giant plume of black smoke that made Natsu choke and his eyes water.
The teen, as promised, had texted Levy about the failed jungle and that they were on their way to the next possible spot.
An hour and a half later, Igneel's rhythmic wing beats bean to slow and Natsu opened his eyes. He had tried to nap, but his anxious mind prevented him from doing so.
"We are here. Prepare for decent," came the deep voice and plume of smoke.
Natsu grabbed the two packs and Happy grabbed him as Igneel's rough, red scales began to shrink and his razor sharp claws and fangs began dulling. The smoke blew up and away as the teen and his now human shaped father began their freefall to the jungle below.
The pink haired teen's arm shot out, his fingers wrapping around the branch in time to stop him from falling all the way to the ground. He dropped the two packs and let them fall to the ground about twenty feet below. With a swing of his legs for momentum, he let go of the tree branch and landed a couple feet in front of the packs, his father landing near him after dropping the entire way. The ground shook under the pressure.
"Shall we?"
The young man nodded vigorously, almost throwing Happy of his head.
The sun was starting to set, but underneath the canopy, darkness had already set it. Igneel's eyes reverted back to their slitted shape, allowing him to see as clear as day. Natsu's and Happy's pupils also grew, but remained circular, as they took in what light they could.
"How far to the waterfalls?" Happy asked, clutching Natsu's hair. The dark jungle was frightening, the secret predators it held, even more so to the small blue cat.
"At this pace, three hours," Igneel answered, his finger nails turning to claws as he swiped at the low hanging tree vines and limbs.
"Why didn't you fly closer?" the boy asked, ducking under a tree limb that his father missed when cutting.
"To maintain our element of surprise, if this is even the right jungle."
…
Lisanna rolled on her side, her eyes scanning the blackness of the night. She couldn't see anything and her heart sank even more. Loke said it would take about another three days before she could fully transform and maintain the transformation for any length of time.
Three days until she and Lucy, with her spirits, took a trip to the Spirit World. A one way trip in her case.
"Hurry Natsu," came her whisper before she drifted into a restless sleep.
The silver haired girl woke with a kick to the side. Her eyes flew open and her hand shot out to grab the foot that kicked her.
"Your reflexes are coming along nice. But maybe you should grab my foot before I kick you. Get up, breakfast is ready," the Lion Spirit said curtly.
The Take Over mage was really starting to hate that arrogant lion, but even so, she got up, if only to keep her stomach from sounding like a dying whale.
…
"We can't keep this up much longer," Natsu yelled. "She could have been executed by now!"
"Have faith, son," Igneel answered calmly as he started out of the train window.
"How can I be calm when my girlfriend might be dead? It's been like two weeks now," the pink haired teen argued. When his father didn't show any sign of answering, the enraged teen fell back into his seat with a huff, Happy giving him a sad smile.
It had been three days since the last jungle and the only thing they showed for it was a broken wing on Igneel's half and a good sized gash on Natsu's chest. Apparently another dragon had been living in the jungle and didn't take kindly to Igneel invading his territory.
Igneel was able to get Natsu to a hospital before his wound worsened, but now they were stuck taking trains to get to the next jungle.
"You are not the only one who has lost someone they love, Natsu. I wasn't able to find your mother before, which is why I am positive we will find Lisanna. For her sake, and for me to be able to find your mother. Now, rest. You cannot put up much of a fight with such an injury," Igneel said, still not adverting his gaze from the window.
"We'll make it," Happy said, giving Natsu a pat on the leg.
Natsu didn't answer, his eyes staring angrily at the floorboards, but his mind was elsewhere.
…
"That is it. You've met all the requirements his Majesty put forth," Loke hummed as Lucy got ready to open a gate to the Spirit World.
Lisanna noticed Lucy was close to tears. "You can still stop this. You can still say no," the silver haired girl said, her voice calm and soft.
"I'm sorry Lisanna. I never wanted any of this to happen," the blonde managed to get out without crying. "Let's go. Gate: Open!"
Lucy's magic activated and the key began to glow bright. Lisanna closed her eyes, the light too much for her. When she opened them again, the jungle was gone. In its place stood a giant lake, an island in the middle of it that held a giant castle that reminded Lisanna of the one in Cinderella. There was a giant bridge allowing passage to the castle and a small town that they now stood in. They were surrounded by spirits of ever shape, size, species, and color. The suffocating crowd all hushed when they spotted Lisanna, her head held high despite the chains binding her.
"Walk," Loke commanded.
The trio walked down the cobblestone path, toward the bridge, toward the castle, the spirits clearing a path. They came to a stop in front of the king, his giant frame and shiny, jewel incrusted crown giving him away as he sat in a giant throne.
"So you are Lisanna, my soon to be Dragon Spirit," the king said, his voice carrying all the way back to the town.
Lisanna said nothing, her words evident in the hard glare she was giving him.
"Stubborn, just like a real dragon I see," the king laughed.
"Why? Why are you making Lucy do this? Why do you need a dragon spirit? Don't you have enough spirits already?"
"Why?" the king asked, raising from his chair. "Because I can. Because I have every spirit but a dragon and I want to have a complete collection."
"Bastard," Lisanna spat.
The spirits froze, their eyes trained on their king, their bodies ready to flee if he turned violent.
"So what if I am? I'm still an all-powerful, immortal king. And you will soon obey me," the king said as he back down.
The crowd let out their pent up breath, happy that they would not have to rebuild the castle again. Their king's temper was normally much deadlier than that.
"I will never obey you," Lisanna said, her voice determined.
"You will, you won't have a choice."
…
The cloaking must have worn off when they left," Igneel said, running back through the jungle, following the path of cut foliage.
"Left? To the Spirit World?" Natsu called as he ran behind his father, Happy flying above their heads.
"Yes, and the only way to the Spirit World is if you're a spirit."
"So now what?" Natsu asked, nervous about what his father might answer with.
"The town had a guild. We pray there is a Stellar Spirit Mage who can summon a spirit to take us back to the spirit world," the redhead explained as he double timed it through the jungle and back to the town, their packs left abandoned at the old campsite.
…
"Now then, let's begin," the king said with a wave of his hand. Three spirits came to Lisanna and led her into the palace. Before the doors shut, she heard the king call out to prepare the celebration festival.
The three spirits, who looked more like slaves, led the silver haired girl to a bathroom, wordlessly. One went off to get clothes for Lisanna while the other two began cleaning the weeks worth of blood, sweat, and dirt from Lisanna's skin. And as much as her mind reeled on how to escape, she couldn't help but relax. Being able to truly bathe was a glorious feeling.
…
"Is there a Spirit Mage here?" Natsu roared as he kicked in the guild doors.
The startled guild members just sat there, confused and a little angry about the doors being busted.
"Answer me!" the teen roared as Happy and Igneel came up behind him, Happy landing on Natsu's head as he tried to pull off a mean face.
"I am," said a tall orange-haired man as he stood up, a couple keys jangling at his waist.
"Can I help you people with something?" came a voice as an old man walked forward. "I am the guild master here after all."
"No time!" Natsu yelled as he pushed past the elderly man and ran to the ginger. "Summon a spirit! Now! It's life or death!"
"O-okay," the man stuttered as he grabbed at his keys.
"What's going on?" the guild master demanded. "What is life or death?"
"We are trying to save a young girl's life," Igneel answered, his eyes not leaving the spirit mage.
"Open: Gate of the Fox!" the man called as the key began to glow.
Natsu watched as a puff of smoke appeared and when it cleared, a young woman with fox ears, whiskers, and a bushy tail was in its place, sitting on the table top.
"I thought I told you not to summon me today? There is an important festival going on right now," the fox spirit said, staring angrily at her key holder.
"I'm sorry, these two said it was an emergency," the guy said nervously.
The fox sung her head and hissed when she saw Igneel. "A dragon?"
"Yes I am, not take us to the Spirit World!" Igneel demanded, stepping forward.
"Why?" the fox asked, the tip of her tail twitching nervously.
"What is going on?" the guild master demanded again, his magic aura beginning to grow.
"I won't let you turn my girlfriend into a spirit, now take us to the Spirit World!" Natsu yelled, grabbing hold of the fox' shirt.
She hissed once more as she dug her claws into Natsu's arms, but he didn't release her, his grip just tightened in determination.
"Or what?"
"I'll eat you," Igneel growled, smoke coming from his mouth as his teeth started to sharpen.
"No!" the fox yelled as she kicked Natsu in the chest, hitting his wound, as she tried to get him to release her as she vanished back to the Spirit World.
The teen's face contorted in pain, but his grip held strong and Igneel watched as his son and Happy disappear in a puff of smoke along with the spirit.
…
Lisanna looked out at the crowd, she could almost hear the excitement it was so thick an aura, despite the crowd being ominously quiet.
They had dressed her in a type of kimono, altered for combat. She was told it would be what she wore for the rest of her life as a Spirit.
The soon to be spirit stood out on the balcony of the palace, the king, Loke, and Lucy there as well. At least they had taken the chains off her.
"Are you all ready to witness the birth of a new spirit?" the king called out, showing the crowd the ornate dagger in his hand.
The crowd answered with a roar of excitement. "Well, let's mix things up for a change then".
The crowd's excitement died down as they looked toward their King, confusion on their faces.
"Why don't we let Lucy kill her? Lucy was the one who found her and trained her. So let's give her the honor of giving us a new a spirit."
Lucy and Lisanna gasped unanimously as they looked to each other, then to Loke who also had a shocked look, then to the king.
"No, I-I couldn't. It's not my place," Lucy said, backing up.
"No. You will be the one to kill her," the king said, leaving no room for an argument as he shoved the dagger into the blonde's hands.
Tears started coming to Lucy's eyes and in seconds they were streaming down her cheeks, slight sobs coming from her chest. "I can't, I can't do this," she choked out.
"Yes you can and you will. I can still revoke your spirits and your magic."
At this Lucy started sobbing harder, her hand tightening around the jeweled dagger.
"I'm sorry Lisanna, I really am," the blonde said as she moved toward the silver haired girl.
"I know Lucy," Lisanna said compassionately. "Which is why I am sorry too." The silver haired girl said as she threw her hands up.
"Aye sir!" Happy yelled as he flew down from the roof and grabbed Lisanna carrying her toward the town.
"Lisanna! I found you!" came Natsu's voice and a giant pillar of fire from the town.