Yoooo everyone! It's ya girl Mslead! I'm bringing you your Sunday update! I hope you guys like it!

CHAPTER 25

Walk the plank

A punishment which entails someone who walks over the side of the ship off of the plank. Their hands are often tied so that they cannot swim and they drowned.

Natsu abruptly cut off his humming, jolting backwards at the opening slowly appearing before them. He swore in shock, paying no mind to the holy grounds.

Levy smacked his shoulder for the sharpness of his tongue, but she too was staring at Lucy with a guarded expression.

"Lucy, how did you do that?" Natsu asked, his brows pulling together at the center. He took a step towards her, hesitantly as she blinked. She seemed to be shaking off the strange pull that was lingering over her.

"Do what? The door?" She asked, her mouth working without an explanation. She cleared her throat and shook her head, trying and failing to come up with a reason.

"No one has been here in at least a thousand years. That's how old I am," Natsu's eyes were locked on her, "and the dragons before me even longer than that. I've explored these halls up and down since I was little and I never found that."

"I don't know?"Lucy asked, swallowing a bit at the intensity behind his intuitive eyes. She couldn't explain why or how she knew, just that she did.

"Just luck I guess?"

"That's one heck of a lucky streak, huh Lu?" Levy asked, giving her a smile that didn't quite touch her eyes.

Natsu just nodded, not seeming to buy it but having no other explanation besides dumb luck, accepted it.

It didn't explain how Lucy knew the words to a song Natsu made up when he was a hatchling though. More luck?

He cleared his throat and stepped ahead to the door frame. His hand glowed with magic, flames dancing in his palm to illuminate the dark passageway Lucy opened for them.

"Looks like we would have been lost without ya Cap'n," Natsu gave her an easy smirk over his shoulder, "You found something before the Navigator. That's wild!"

"Uh, maybe I had help?" Lucy glanced uneasily at Levy.

"Not from me." Levy replied tightly and Lucy winced a little.

"I'm sorry?" She offered, not really sure what she was apologizing for, "I really don't know what happened there."

Levy paused and sighed deeply, "No, but I suspect I do." She shook her head at Lucy's worried look, "I'm not mad at you Lu. I promise. I just wasn't expecting what just happened is all."

Lucy cocked her head slightly at her friend, "Is this one of those things I'd be better off not knowing about as a mortal?"

Levy's lips twitched, "Yeah probably. At least for now." She patted Lucy's arm, "Let me know if you get any other moments like that though okay? No matter what it is. It's important."

Lucy silently blessed the relatively dark corridor as all the blood rushed to her cheeks, her mind immediately going back that intense aftermath from her dance. And all the nights afterwards.

She'd kept as tight a lid on it as possible, but ever since that night she'd been visited by her shockingly realistic fantasy lover. Every night she'd stifled her screams of pleasure in her pillow as he'd teased and tormented her with an expertise born only of long practice only to be left frustrated afterwards because no matter how much it was, it was never enough.

And because of it, every day she'd had to fight harder and harder to be able to look Natsu in the eye professionally instead of grabbing him and ripping off his clothes to see if he was really that talented in real life.

That was something she absolutely did not want to tell Levy.

She could hear the teasing already.

It was probably unrelated anyway and contributed only to being trapped on a ship that got smaller by the day with an extremely attractive man that was not hers to make a move on.

Sexual frustration was most certainly a bitch.

"Uh Luce are you ok?" Natsu asked, his sharp, very very sharp eyes picked out in the dim light. His head cocked at her, and she almost cursed as she forgot once again the extreme differences between dragons and humans.

"I'm fine! Come on let's just go Alright? We've already been on land for too long, any longer and I start getting nervous," Lucy grumbled.

Their luck had been holding out for longer than it seemed like on land, and she attributed that to the several divine presences on board the ship. Lucy knew in some way that the Tempest had always kept watch over her ship and the people on board. Gray himself said his family's curse could be warded off by the sea. Juvia herself being nearby probably aided in her protections, although Lucy suspected with Acnologia and his demons looking for them that could change quickly.

Natsu just nodded and lead the way, stepping further into the inner sanctum.

At his steps, a line of intricate script magic written in a language too old to describe, flared to life as he crossed over. Natsu jolted, looking around himself in surprise.

"Don't be afraid Natsu, you're okay," Levy raised a hand, "these runes aren't meant to curse you for stepping into the goddesses sanctuary like mine were. We are welcome here..."

Lucy squinted at the runes that floated overhead and began to fade away as if burning away through the air. She got the impression that Levy might have fudged the truth a little, the script reading to her in a way that was familiar.

Her mind couldn't catch up all the way as the ancient text disappeared, but she was able to make out the solitary word Champion burning there before it burned out of existence.

"What's a Champion?" She mused aloud, and Levy's attention instantly diverted to her.

"What?" The goddess asked sharply, and for the first time Lucy felt a flutter of nerves.

She scolded herself for being ridiculous. Hadn't she and Levy literally just talked about this? Irritated with herself for her nerves she straightened up.

"I asked what a Champion was." She replied, and waved vaguely at the air where the words had been, "I recognized that word, but I've never heard of it."

Levy pressed her lips together, "A Champion is exactly that." She replied as she made her way to the altar where a carved three dimensional globe floated, "They're the mortal personifications of their god's ideals and beliefs. Often they act as the god's right hand and carry out their works on the mortal plane."

"How come I've never heard of them?" Lucy asked even as something tugged at her mind that this was very familiar.

"Because they're incredibly rare." Natsu replied, "In order to become one you have to be part of that god's clergy and pass a series of extremely difficult tests."

Lucy raised an eyebrow at him and he flushed a bit, "What? It's an old story for dragons. Gajeel's ma is Metallicana's Champion. Story goes Metallicana fell in love with her after she proved she had what it took to represent him. That's how Metalhead came to be."

"Interesting." Lucy mused, "All gods have them?"

"All gods have the potential to have one." Levy corrected with a smile, "So far, none of my clerics have passed all my tests. Though Freed has come the closest. Of all of us a true Champion has only happened three times in history. To different deities."

She nodded at the floating orb, "However, that's not important compared to this."

"That's what we're after huh?" Lucy asked, "How do we get to it? Surely it can't be as simple as taking it?"

"Not for anyone not authorized to be here." Levy confirmed, "I was friends with the goddess here. She was a good woman, gentle and caring, but she wasn't a pushover, and her temper was legendary."

"Sounds like fun," Natsu looked back at Levy, "I always knew her as the unnamed Goddess, who was she and what happened to her?"

Levy looked sadly at the orb floating innocently over its pedestal, "We don't call her by her name any longer. Out of respect for what was done to her and her family. The Destroyer has taken a lot from the gods for a long time."

"Another goddess too, huh?" Natsu clenched his jaw, anger sparking in his chest. He set his hand on Levy's shoulder, Sorry she had lost a friend to Acnologia's endless madness.

"Someone's gotta do something about that bastard," he growled and looked up at the beautifully painted ceiling.

"I always wondered who she was and why she was forgotten," Natsu mumbled, "I'm sorry Levy."

"Don't be, she was never the type to let a little thing like death get her down," Levy laughed out around wet tears. She looked on ahead, "but she was a clever woman, and knew there were many dangers to the piece her temple was entrusted with. It could only be retrieved by those she trusted the most, but never by divine hand."

"Her most trusted spirit could retrieve it for her," Levy glanced at Lucy, who was giving her a look full of apology over the still sore memories.

"Oh! That would be the leader of the zodiac then!" Lucy said with enthusiasm. She fumbled for her keys and Levy watched with amusement.

Natsu grinned, standing still with a patience he was not known for.

In truth there was another dear enough to the goddess that could handle her precious items. However the goddesses Champion was not a viable option at the time being.

And though things were progressing faster than she'd ever dreamed they would, it would be some time before her friend's Champion was ready.

"Open! Gate of the Lion!" Lucy called, oblivious to Levy's thoughts, and smiled at Leo appeared.

"You called princess?" The spirit purred happily as he materialized only to gasp as he realized his location, "What?!"

"I take it you're familiar with this place?" Lucy asked, and Leo frowned.

"Yes. Far more than I like to think about." He growled softly, and eyed Lucy, "I suppose you're wanting me to retrieve the staff piece?"

Lucy nodded with a small frown of her own, a little troubled by her spirit's reaction, "Yes. Levy said it had to be done by the goddess's most trusted spirit. You know why we have to do this right?"

Leo scowled at the piece, "I know." He replied, "The king has kept us informed."

He reached out and picked it up, weighing it in his hand for a moment before turning and presenting it to Lucy, "Please be careful princess?" He asked softly, "I know better than you what this thing represents. I fought in that original war."

"At the side of your goddess no doubt." Lucy sighed, her heart aching at the realization Leo must've lost his goddess too, "Leo I'm sorry..."

However, the lion shook his head and tugged lightly at a lock of her hair, "Don't be." He purred gently, "My Lady is not gone. She merely lacks her memories. One day I'll see her again. Just promise me you'll be careful. I would not lose you as I did my Lady."

Lucy's heart melted at the honest concern in her normally flirty spirit's eyes, and she smiled, "I'll do my very best." She promised.

Leo nodded and shifted his attention to Natsu, "I expect you to help her keep that promise." He growled as his form began to dissolve, "We will not be happy if you don't."

"Eh, me? I still don't know how we know one another!" Natsu called after the sparkles even as they faded into nothing, "and he's gone."

He sighed and turned his attention to Lucy, a smile curving over his lips, "Well anyway, that cat ain't wrong. I'm going to make sure nothing happens to my Captain."

Natsu closed the distance between them, hand settling into Lucy's crown. His smile softened, "you didn't ask for any of this. And that Acnologia destroys everything he touches. He's not getting you."

His eyes hardened and a flash of seriousness settled his jaw. Natsu leaned into Lucy's personal space, and though she was surprised by his sudden encroachment, she didn't flinch away.

"This I promise you, we will win. He'll never hurt you."

There was a weighty silence between them, as if there were unspoken words filling the space in between. Lucy couldn't help but lean into his touch, not knowing exactly when his calloused touch drifted through the locks of her hair to cradle her cheek.

His warm touch against her skin reminded her of the quiet nights they spent together while the sun was just beginning to dawn over the ocean. How he was about to get off his night shift to get a couple of hours of sleep before morning call.

How they spoke into the silence, forging a quiet but strong friendship in those moments where it was just them. Just Natsu and Lucy, not the feared Pirate King of myth and fantasy, or even the Pirate Queen who was ruthless and a slayer of men.

They were just themselves, laughing at silly jokes and at nothing. Sometimes saying nothing at all as Lucy edged in close to him during those silent mornings where the fog was still rising up over the sea. Just him, a shared blanket, and the warmth between them.

She smiled up at him, leaning into his touch, "I believe you." She replied quietly, "Though don't start thinking I'm going to let him screw you over again either!"

Natsu flashed her a fangy grin, "Yes ma'am!"

Lucy grinned back and reluctantly pulled from his grasp, "C'mon. We should let the others know we've got it and get out of here before something happens."

Natsu nodded, dropping his hand with equal reluctance. Unfortunately, his captain was right. They were still racing against the clock, and the sooner they got away from his nest the better. The last thing he wanted was to attract unwanted attention to it.

Lucy curled the spear piece into her satchel and nodded to Levy as they made their way back to the main part of the temple.

"Did you find it?" Igneel asked as they reappeared, pulling his sharp gaze from her slightly jumpy looking crew. It seemed they were somewhat unnerved at having dragons watching them so closely.

"We did." She replied, "And I can't thank you enough for helping us."

Igneel inclined his head, "It was no trouble. Will you be staying tonight?"

Lucy shook her head, "No. Now that we have this the race is truly on. We can't afford to linger anywhere lest the enemy finds us."

Igneel nodded, "You are undoubtedly right about that." He growled, "In that case, may the wind under Metallicana's wings speed you on your way and carry you safely through the storm."

Lucy smiled at him, "Thank you Igneel. We'll take all the help we can get." She turned her attention to Gray, "Pack it up!" She bellowed, "We have what we came for! I want us back on the ship in ten minutes!"

"You heard the cap'n!" Gray shouted, "Move it you dogs!"

Natsu took the opportunity to sidle over to his dad and pull him into a goodbye hug, "Do me a favor dad." He growled lowly, "Contact Metallicana's Champion."

Igneel raised an eyebrow at that, "You think there's going to be trouble?"

Natsu shrugged uneasily, "Dunno. Maybe not. But if that bastard ever works out we were here it could spell trouble for the nest. More trouble than the nest can handle alone."

Igneel frowned a little and nodded, "Your instincts have always been sharp." He agreed, "I'll send the message."

"Good," Natsu murmured and hugged his father tight once more before turning to his mom and embracing her hard. She swept him into a circle, his legs catching air as he suffocated in her embrace.

She set the dizzy man down and Natsu stumbled back with the rest of his cross-eyed siblings to join the rest of the crew.

Gajeel's eyes were locked on a member of Lucy's crew who was lingering the last, obviously fascinated by the nest. His eyes narrowed on him, his shoulder rolling as he followed the crew member out with the rest of the crew back onto the beach.

His nose twitched as they began to file back onto the gangplank, Gajeel waiting last as the anxious looking crew member seemed to bounce up and down as if he couldn't wait to board again.

Making a decision, Gajeel grabbed the man by the back of the neck and threw him off the plank, harshly landing him several feet away from the sand.

Natsu looked up at the sudden display from Gajeel, the god watching the human scramble to stand up in the slippery sand. Lucy jolted to her feet, her eyes wide and furious at the sight of Gajeel manhandling one of her crew.

"Redfox! What're you doing? Leave Mash alone, we don't have time for you to be pickin' fights with the crew!" Lucy snapped.

Natsu grasped Lucy's wrist and frowned, his head shaking, "Wait, Gajeel will never just attack for no reason. He has a cause."

"Mash, was it?" Gajeel grunted, nodding his thanks to Natsu for whispering in Lucy's ear. Her hand was resting on her whip but she hadn't drawn it which meant she was open to reason.

"Empty your bag," The god thundered, his red eyes glowing with the heat of a divine forge.

"What? No!" Mash clutched his bag to his side, burning away precious moments by stubbornly clinging to his satchel, "What reason do you have for throwing me off the ship and asking to root through my stuff?"

"Yes," Lucy asked, her eyes hard on Gajeel and then on Natsu, "What reason is that?"

She wouldn't have Gajeel bully her crew as he saw fit. And Mash was well liked on her ship thanks to his fun stories and gentle smiles. He was a good guy, a tad greedy at times, but he was a pirate and she could hardly blame that.

"Smells like sulfur," Gajeel growled as explanation.

She felt Natsu practically go to stone next to her, and his face darken in such a dramatic way it seemed to crush all the joy from his face. His pupils seemed to disappear in the emptiness of his eyes, and his fangs bared into his lip.

"He what?"

"Natsu, What does that mean?" Lucy asked, setting a hand on Natsu's arm to stop him from marching over to Mash and outright pounding his face in. She was fast enough, because no sooner had she grabbed his wrist did he lunge forward.

"The rookery has open vents to an underground volcano to keep the eggs warm as they get ready to hatch," Sting snarled from behind Natsu. He looked just as furious, if not more so than Natsu for some reason.

"The gases from volcanoes smell like sulfur," Rogue hissed.

Lucy paled at the implication, and turned to Mash, "Open your bag sailor!"

"Cap'n I didn't do nothin'!" Mash protested, "Ain't my fault I picked up a little stink while I was looking for your relic!"

"Liar." Sting growled, "The nest isn't built that way."

Lucy motioned him to calm and stepped up to Mash, "There's a very simple way to prove your innocence." She said tightly, "Open. Your. Bag. That's an order."

Mash shook his head frantically, backing away from his irate captain, "Cap'n please! This is my stuff! I swear it! You know me! You've known me for years!"

"Be that as it may, I'm not interested in spoiling our good relationship with the dragons over something easily proved. Your bag sailor! Now!"

Mash dithered and hesitated, looking at the rest of the crew in supplication before Lucy lost her patience and pulled the bag from him.

Immediately her heart sank as she felt the intense warmth coming from it and flipped it open to reveal two carefully packed eggs. Perfectly smooth and round, the two bronze eggs were about the size of a newborn baby, and maybe it was her imagination, but she swore she could feel the tiny occupants staring at her.

Unnerved by the sensation, she carefully closed the flap and handed the parcel over to Natsu, "I am truly sorry." She managed around her fury and disgust, "I..." She shook her head, "There aren't words. I'm sorry."

She took a calming breath, "I will, of course, turn him over to you. And I hope this doesn't sour our friendship any." She met Natsu's eyes firmly, "I did NOT endorse or encourage this at all. I swear it."

"You're gonna hand me over to them?" Mash asked in horror, "Cap'n you can't! That ain't part of the code!"

"You know what else isn't part of the code?" Lucy roared, her temper finally snapping, "Kidnapping children! Or how about endangering innocent lives? Even more pertinent, how about fucking up one of the most valuable alliances we've ever had? How about that sailor?"

She pulled him to his feet, heedless of the water, or the audience, "You heard Igneel when he laid down the rules of conduct he expected!" She shouted, "You were there! I know you heard him! We were not to go near their unborn children! And what did you do? You did exactly that!"

"They're just a couple eggs!" Mash protested, "There was a whole room full of 'em! It's not like they woulda missed them!"

"You bastard!" Sting roared furiously as he lunged for Mash only to be beaten to it as Lucy's fist connected with Mash's jaw with an audible crack.

"Those are children!" Lucy snarled darkly, "And you took them!" Her chest heaved as she glared at the stunned Mash, "You had better hope and pray to whatever gods you worship that you didn't kill them in the process! Because if you did, and the dragons leave you alive, there won't be a place you can go I won't find you! You hear me? If either of those children are harmed in any way I will ensure you pay for that with your life!"

Natsu watched Lucy carefully, his arms curled around the eggs, keeping them warm in his hold. His eyes snapped towards Mash who was clutching at his face from where Lucy had struck him.

"Eggs," Natsu whispered, "Are the lifeblood of a nest. One hatchling in a clutch belongs to everyone in the nest. We are raised together as brothers and sisters, no matter who sired them. They're our next generation, the pride and wealth of any nest. Our children take decades, sometimes centuries to hatch."

"But that doesn't mean anything to you, does it?" Gajeel hissed at Mash, "Because our children don't cry or move, they aren't alive right? They are merely decorative things to look at, with pretty shells for you to hollow out and use as lanterns to light the paths of your glass cities."

Gajeel grabbed Mash and hoisted him into the air by his neck, "I lost an entire clutch of eggs to a man like you. Someone I trusted, and lead directly to my home. If it weren't for Salamander I would have lost my mind and died from guilt alone centuries ago." His grip squeezed threateningly, "Nest is what ties a dragon to their sanity. You endanger that, and you lose any right to breathe."

He dropped Mash back into the sand, "Wasn't your fault Captain Lucy. We know it wasn't under your orders. It's the look in his eyes that tells it all."

Gray stepped forward at Lucy's nauseous nod. Without being told, he and Cana grasped Mash and shoved him to his feet. Cana used a card to summon ropes, tying Mash's wrists together.

Mash struggled in fear, but Grays grip on his arm frosted over to stop his movements.

"Don't make it worse for yourself than it already is," Gray snapped.

"Get him out of my sight. Take Rogue as an escort to the lair entrance with Natsu. Do not enter though, their trust in us was betrayed. We will have to earn back the chance to win their trust back if it's even possible," Lucy said with stiff lips.

Natsu looked back at Lucy, who was pale faced with anger and fear. Not fear for what kind of retribution would fall to her crew, but on his opinion. Natsu's eyes widened, especially as he saw the weight of Mash's crushing betrayal in the line of her shoulders.

"Lucy, this doesn't affect us in any way," Natsu said softly, "Thank you for standing up for us, you would make a damn fine Queen."

Lucy blinked at his words, but Natsu was already turning away, hurrying the eggs back to the rookery to make a quick count on them and to make sure the rest of the eggs were undisturbed.

Levy settled under Gajeel's arm, her hands pressing into his side.

Lucy could hear her mutter sweet things to calm his troubled mind. It seemed her bad luck had struck once more, and Lucy was beginning to wonder if perhaps she had made a poor judgement with some on her crew.

She was just glad Gajeel had caught Mash before they sailed away. She wasn't sure how long dragon eggs could last on their own, but the rapidly cooling eggs in Mash's hold were already worrisome on their own.

You guys knocked it out of the park with your reviews! Man guys I am impressed! So I decided to pick out a VERY special sneak peek for you guys! And for the people who are a little confused over the timeline and want the flashbacks put in chronological order - sorry guys! We wanted to make it a little like Lost where you have to piece together what happens when. I hope it's not too confusing! Anyway, we'll see you guys Wednesday! Thanks again for your reviews!

Natsu smiled once the heat fell off and the dragons separated back to their lairs. He approached Lucy, his head and tilted to her, "Thank you Luce. It really does mean more than we can say."

"It's not often we have guests come here either, so thanks for keeping the crew honest," Natsu gave her a crooked grin. Really the last thing they needed was an angry nest of dragons bearing down on their ship from above to rip it apart.

That was unlikely to see them off any time soon.

Lucy gave Natsu a relieved smile, happy that despite the earlier rage on his face, he had never once been furious with her. The guilt over Mash was subsiding as he settled a hand on her back.

Warmth leeched into her, comforting Lucy with his touch alone.

"Come on Captain, there's no need for a tribunal. Let's head on out before Igneel makes you stick around for dinner," Natsu's hand drifted higher to wrap around Lucy's shoulders. He drew her into his side as they walked, "Although I wouldn't mind."

"Easy sailor, are you getting fresh with your captain?" Lucy grinned back at him.

Natsu paused and turned to look at her, "And what if I am?" He asked softly, "Would that be such a bad thing?"

Lucy's eyes widened in surprise at the serious look in his, "You're... serious?"