Steaming Snow

Not that far south from Magnolia, are the Mountains of Shade. So called because they are placed in such a fashion hat it causes an eerie shade to fall over the people to pass through them. That said, passing through the mountains is no easy task. There are only a few roads that pass through the winding peaks, and its rocky terrain makes it rather unpleasant to climb. All in all, a great place for a bad guy to make his evil lair.

Under Klodoa's instruction, a group was heading to Frieze's lair. Many volunteered for the group with the hopes of saving Lucy and turning Erza back to normal. The group, in all, consisted of Natsu (of course), Happy, Gray, Juvia, Wendy, Carla, Levy, Elfman, and Cana. The still transformed Erza was being carried by Happy. The group was wandering through the mountains, following the cues Klodoa had given them.

"Maybe we should've brought that skull with us," Wendy said, "He could've guided as."

"He also would've been screaming non-stop," Gray said, "He would've been more of a burden than anything else." Cana looked at a card.

"Got anything from your cards?" Levy asked.

"Nothing new."

"Well, according to the stick, we got to keep going through the mountain trails, until we reach a cave with steaming snow around its entrance," Wendy said.

"'Steaming snow'?" Elfman asked, "How does that make any sense?"

"Well Frieze is known as the 'Burning Chill'," Juvia said, "Maybe he's got some level of control of hot and cold."

"Well, it still won't be easy to find," Gray said, "Its like looking in a haystack for a needle that shouldn't really exist."

"I'll smell Lucy out!" Everyone looked up. Natsu was standing up on a rock, looking around. They could almost see the heat radiating off him.

"I don't care how long it takes, I'll rescue her, and my baby!" Natsu said firmly, before jumping off, and continuing to run.

"Wow, its as if he forgot all about Erza," Happy said. Erza's eyes flashed briefly.

"He's a real man!" Elfman said.

"I'm sure he means nothing by it," Wendy said, "I mean, Lucy was kidnapped, while she was pregnant. Natsu has two members of his family who are in direct risk." Erza's eyes flashed again.

"If only you could talk."

"Well, nothing to do but keep an eye out for a cave with snow outside it," Gray said, "We should split up, that way we can cover more ground."

"My beloved is so smart!" Juvia said.

"Why is she even hear?" Carla asked.

"I think she's hear just because of Gray," Happy said. Erza's eyes flashed in agreement.

"Natsu'll take the North," Gray said, "Juvia and I will take the East, Elfman and Cana will take the West, Levy and Wendy and the cats will take the South." Everyone one agreed, and they all went out looking.

The group walked four a couple hours, but with no success. Natsu and Wendy were also unable to get any trace on Lucy's scent. Happy and Carla even tried to flying up to get a good look at the area around them.

"Do you see anything?" Happy asked.

"Can't say I do."

"What about you, Erza?" Happy asked, looking down.

"She's a staff, I don't think she'll be of much aide," Carla said. Erza's eyes flashed twice for "no", before glaring at Carla. Meanwhile, Levy and Wendy were down on the ground.

"I really hope Lucy's safe," Wendy said, "This Frieze guy sounds pretty bad."

"I'm worried about her baby too," Levy said, "Its probably not a coincidence that Lucy is kidnapped after word really gets out that she's pregnant." As the girls talked, something they failed to take notice of was the bird peached on a nearby rock. It looked ordinary enough, but if you liked closer, you'd notice its third, glowing red eye. It was a Deite Pouli, artificial creatures used to spy on people.

(in Frieze's lair)

"So, the girl's comrades came to find her?" Frieze muttered, as he watched from a visual lacrima. A couple people were behind him.

"They are simply average mages," the woman with green hair said, "What should we fear from them?" Frieze laughed.

"Come now Netja, you mean to say you've already forgotten that they are the ones who defeated the Oracion Seis?" he asked, "If we underestimate them, we will be dooming ourselves."

"Then what should we do?" the man with purple hair asked.

"Be patient Trak. There is no guarantee that they will find us, but assuming they do, we will be ready. That boy's magic will be completely ineffective against mine, and you and the others do not need to defeat them, you need only stall them. Agora said the ritual will be complete in another couple hours."

"That is still a couple hours my lord," Trak said.

"Then you better not lose," Frieze said as he rose to his feet, "I fortunately had the foresight to call for some mercenaries to assist us in our battle. They are known as the Tri-Blades."

"I've heard of them," Netja said, "I heard they are quite capable."

"I suppose we'll find out soon enough, will we not?" Frieze inquired, "Our foes will probably be upon us soon enough."

(with the group)

"We're not making any progress," Cana said, "We need to stop and think about what to do."

"But what else is there to do?" Levy said, "All we know is what the cave looks like, and we can't find it anywhere."

"Real man don't think!" Elfman said, "We should go look up each mountain if we have to!"

"At the rate we're going Natsu's going to go crazy," Happy said.

Natsu was becoming so desperate, he was tempted to use Dragon's Eye, and burn the entire mountain range to the ground. He climbed onto a ledge, and looked over the area. However, no sign of anything. Natsu began to shake, before looking to the sky.

"LUCY!" he roared, as he let out a burst of fire.

(in the lair)

"What's with that?" one ritualist asked.

"Nothing, that's what," another answered, "Keep going."

Lucy continued to float in the air, as the ritual was performed. Her stomach was now visibly swelling. As she lay in her trance, she let out a slight breath.

Nat…su…

(with Natsu)

Natsu froze, as he looked to the south.

"I can hear her," he muttered, before jumping off the cliff to the ground, and running down the path "Lucy!" Everyone saw Natsu running.

"Should we follow him?" Juvia asked.

"Natsu's instincts are rarely wrong," Gray answered, "And I guess he would know better than anyone how to find his girlfriend."

"Would you be able to find me?" Juvia asked. Gray kept that he probably would be able to find her to himself.

"Well, if anyone can track Lucy, its him," Cana said. Erza's eyes glowed again, voicing her "yes".

"Aye! Let's go!" Happy said, as he swooped after Natsu.

The group followed Natsu, until he eventually lead them to a cave with snow littered around it. But when they looked again, they realized that the a very fine steam was rising out of the snow.

"Steaming snow?" Cana said, "Well, here I thought that being in Fairy Tail would completely desensitize me to any form of surprise."

"Lucy!" Natsu roared, as he charged into the cave.

"Natsu, wait!" Happy called, as he flew after him.

"Happy!" Wendy cried.

"That stupid tomcat!" Carla said.

(in the lair)

Natsu ran through the hall, as he came into what looked like some kind of large communal area, kind of the one in Fairy Tail, but it was a lot more unpleasant, and it was empty. Save for one man.

"Welcome, Mr. Dragneel," Frieze said, as he looked at Natsu, his feet propped on the rock, "My congratulations on your future child." Natsu didn't answer, he just sprung at Frieze, his chest glowing.

"You will burn!" he roared. He then breathed out a massive cloud of fire. Frieze held up his hand, as the fire abruptly seemed to vanish.

"Damn, you'd think someone kidnapped your pregnant girlfriend," the lord sneered.

"Where's Lucy!" Natsu said, as he punched at Frieze again, only for his fist to be caught, when the fire was extinguished again.

"You really think I'm going to tell you that?" Frieze inquired. The fist that he had caught then began to ice over slightly. Natsu let out a cry, as he jumped back, as he looked his ice covered hand.

"Damn you!" Natsu roared, as he inhaled, his chest glowing, as he breathed out a massive torrent of fire. Frieze held up the same hand, as the fires were promptly extinguished again.

"You don't learn you," Frieze said. Natsu didn't let up, as he continued breathing fire. The dark lord smiled darkly.

"This is going to be enjoyable, I already know it," Frieze said. As he held up his free hand, and blue orb appeared on it. He then thrust it at Natsu, who was blasted back.

"That was cold!" Natsu said. He really felt genuinely cold, and yet it felt like someone had just poured freezing water all over him (though he confessed he didn't really know what it felt like).

"You can't beat me, boy," Frieze said as he rose to his feet, as he held up his finger, and spun it slightly. A swirl of blue energy appeared around his finger, before he flicked it in Natsu's direction.

"Fire Dragon's Wing Clap!" Natsu said, as he clapped his hands together. A wave of fire came from the clap, but when it collided with Frieze's disk, the fire vanished. Natsu jumped out of the disk's way, as it collided with the wall. The wall promptly froze.

"You use the same kind of magic as Gray?" Natsu asked.

"Hardly," Frieze answered, "He would be just as ineffective as you are in this battle, if not more so." He then cleared his throat.

"I'd love to continue to entertain you," he said, "But I've got more important things to do than have a little play fight. I've got power to achieve."

"You bastard!" Natsu roared, as he launched at Frieze again. However, with a flick up the lord's wrist, Natsu was completely frozen. Frieze dusted himself off.

"Damn, more ash on my armor," he muttered, "And I just cleaned it after all." He then looked at Natsu, folding this arms.

"That won't kill you. If it could, then Brain would've killed you without question, and Zero would've definitely killed you as well" Frieze said, "But it will keep you out of the game for a while. Just long enough. I want to kill you with the power of your child." He then heard people coming down the hall.

"Can't expend time with them," he said, before looking up, "Zephyr, if you would be so kind?" Frieze then seemed to collapse into himself, as he vanished into what looked like thin air.

"Natsu!" Happy said, as he flew into the chamber, quickly followed by the others.

"What happened to him?" Levy asked, "There's no way he can be frozen!"

"Whoever did this must have been seriously manly," Elfman said, "To ice over our fire dragon."

"Should I try to heal him?" Wendy asked.

"I don't think you actually need to," Happy said, as he hovered in front of Natsu. He was beginning to steam slightly. The ice was starting to melt again.

"His dragon fire will melt the ice, right Erza?" Happy asked. Erza's eyes flashed once.

"We should go looking for Lucy," Carla said, "Now…."

"People should think about what they are going do before they enter another's home." Everyone looked up, as they saw a man with neatly combed black hair, cleanly shaven, and a black formal suit.

"Who are you!" Elfman demanded.

"Where are my manners?" the man said, "My name is Zephyr. I'm one of the Tri-Blades."

"Ti-Blades?" Cana asked.

"You heard of them?" Levy asked.

"Their mercenaries," Cana answered, "Don't know much more than that, but if they can heard of, then they probably have to be some people of status."

"I'd give you an explanation as my exploits with my comrades, but I don't want to bore you," Zephyr explained, "Besides, what kind of host would I be if I didn't give you a proper tour of my home."

"Give back Lucy, you bastard!" Cana said, as she threw several cards at Zephyr, only for the mercenary to flick his wrist, and for the cards to vanish into thin air.

"Wha…" Cana was silenced when she seemed to vanish as we'll.

"Cana!" Levy cried. She then vanished as well.

"What are you doing?" Gray yelled.

"I'm not stupid, I know when not to pursue a fight I can't win," Zephyr said, "Lord Frieze may be able to defeat you, but I'm not on par with him. So I think it is more prudent to, as they say, 'divide and conquer'."

"Ice Make: Lan…." Gray vanished as well.

"My beloved!" Juvia cried, as she jumped in his direction, only to vanish as well.

"Wendy!" Carla cried, as she flew to Wendy.

"Carla!" Happy, still holding Erza, yelled, as he jumped at Carla. When Zephyr turned to them, all three vanished at once. That only left Elfman.

"You're probably the weakest one here," Zephyr said, "I'll defeat you relatively easily."

"I'm a real man!" Elfman said, as he held up his arm, which turned into iron, "I won't lose to a punk like you!"

"You might not have a chance," Zephyr said, "boy!"

Note: I put so many people with the group, because I wanted more girls to really bond with Lucy on screen. I really like the "godmother arguments", but felt they wouldn't be justified without my development like this.

Something I again have to stress, is that this version of Frieze is not the same as EOTBD. That was one was Gray's enemy, this one is more Natsu's enemy.

Be sure to review.

I recently saw a Youtube channel that actually really offended me. Maybe you've heard of him, the guy's name is "LewiSenpai". I say that, because he said that nobody with intelligence with like Fairy Tail. So basically you're an idiot if you like Fairy Tail? The comments were much better though, with everything from haters to troll (the two aren't the same) is insulting both FT, and its fans. Now I know you'll all say "fuck the haters", but that's not as easy for me to do. If you've looked at my profile, you know I have an inferiority complex, and don't have that much int he way self confidence. I don't know, I guess it sometimes helps to know that haters are probably the minority.