Recommendation: Between the Lines by riverofmemories
Hello! 1. Sorry it's taking so long to update. Please be patient. 2. I will NOT be giving this one up before it's finished, so don't worry. 3. Sorry for any grammar and spelling mistakes. I have a beta reader now, and he's going to catch things that I don't see, but we're both human. Also, you should be very thankful he's my editor. He's made this new chapter so much better!
~ Lucy's P.O.V. ~
I stared in horror as a cannon came out of the Phantom Lord guild hall. It was bad enough that it can walk! Now it has a cannon! The inside of the barrel started to glow, and my fear escalated. Why couldn't it have been a regular cannon instead of a magic one? I stepped closer to Natsu and lightly grabbed his cloak.
"This is bad!" Erza yelled. She turned toward us with an expression of mixed horror and desperation. "Everyone, get down!" Everyone ignored her. Really? You ignore Erza, of all people, the one time you actually need to listen to her!
"A guild walked up here!" I thought people would have moved onto the fact that there is a giant cannon about to fire at us!
"It's a magic focusing cannon!" There we go. Someone finally caught up, and they even gave me a name for the cannon.
"Everyone, get down!" Erza yelled again. People finally noticed that she's yelling at them, but no one listens to her orders. A ball of magic starts to form and grow in the cannon's barrel. I take a step back and get ready to run. Why am I going to run? I can't outrun a magic cannon. Erza sees the magic as well and runs toward Phantom. I watch her run in shock. What is she doing?
"Erza, what are you doing?" A man shouted.
Erza completely ignored him and kept running. She requipped into thick armor and stopped between the guild members and Phantom's guild. "You will not harm our guild!"
"Her adamantine armor!" A man yelled. Isn't his name Max? I really need to meet more people if we live through this and they let me stay in the guild.
"She doesn't think she can stop that thing, does she?"
"I don't care how high-level that armor's defense is supposed to be, but against something like that…" someone trailed off. Isn't his name Nab? Wait, why am I thinking about what their names are at a time like this? I have more important things to worry about!
"Don't do it, Erza! It'll kill you!"
"Get down!" Erza screamed. Natsu grabbed my wrist and yanked my hand off his cloak. He swiftly pulled me behind him. I held onto his cloak with both of my hands and closed my eyes in fear. I heard a boom and Erza's screams of pain. My eyes welled up with unshed tears. No! I've cried enough. I have to be strong. I have to be strong for everyone and Erza, who were all hurt because of me.
Gray called out Erza's name, and I heard someone run to where Erza was standing. I opened my eyes and stepped out from behind Natsu. Erza's armor was completely shattered, with only a few cracked pieces left. I watched as her legs gave out, and she started to fall. Everyone was silent as we listened to Erza's labored breathing. She did it. She stopped a blast from a magic focusing cannon with her body and lived. How did she become so strong?
"I can't believe it," someone said. "She really stopped it."
"She saved us all!" someone else exclaimed. "Well, that's Erza for you," he mumbled.
"Erza," Gray called again as he ran even faster to get to her.
"Makarov and Erza are out of action" Jose said. My eyes widened in shock. "You have no final ace to play," he sneered. "I want Lucy Heartfilia handed over, and I want her now!"
"Don't give us that crap!" Alzack yelled.
"What guild would ever hand over their own to an enemy?" Bisca yelled. One of their own? Tears filled my eyes again. After everything, after Master being sent into critical condition, after people getting hurt, after getting shot at by a magic cannon, they still want me here? They still think of me as part of the guild?
"Lucy is our friend!" Macao yelled. A tear slid down my cheek.
"That's right!" Most of you don't even know me.
"Now scram!" Yet I'm still your friend? I trembled as I held in my sobs.
"We're never handing Lucy to you!" Even if it costs people their lives? I can't let everyone be hurt or killed because of me. They've already done enough. I'd rather be beaten or killed than have to watch others suffer because of me.
"Hand her over!" Jose demanded.
I wiped away my tears and stepped away from Natsu. "I'll-" I was interrupted by Erza.
"If it's a choice between handing over a friend or death, then I'd rather die," Erza yelled. My eyes widened in shock. The entire guild roared in agreement.
"Do what you want, but our answer will stay the same!" Gray yelled. "We're going to pound you into the dirt!" I couldn't hold back my tears anymore. They streamed down my cheeks like rivers.
"If that's your choice, then you're going to get a second dose of the Jupiter canon!" Jose yelled. Dread shot through me. No. "And this time, there is no Titania to help you. Fifteen minutes… that's all the time you get to wallow in despair!"
"What?" everyone yelled in shock.
"They can fire it again?" Max asked.
Gray knelt down beside Erza. He was about to help her up when she slumped back to the ground. "Erza!" he yelled again. He carefully picked her up. I should help take care of Erza. It's because of me that all this is happening. No, I should give myself up. It will keep others from getting hurt.
"What?" someone yelled in shock. "They've got soldiers coming out?" I turned to see people in cloaks jumping down from the Phantom guild. My heart sank even more.
"That can't be right! They're going to shoot Jupiter, aren't they?"
"They're merciless."
Jose's voice caught our attention. "Look and see your hell, Fairy Tail. You only have two choices left to you." If he's like the stereotypical villain, he'll give us choices that we won't like at all. "Be killed by my troopers, or be killed by Jupiter."…and there you go.
"I don't get it! They're going to kill their own people with Jupiter?"
"It's just a threat," someone said. "They won't actually shoot."
"No, they'll shoot," Cana said. I turned my attention to her. How is she so calm? "Those are Jose's magical Shade Troopers. They aren't human. They're ghost soldiers that Jose created," she explained. That means he can shoot Jupiter without casualties on his side. "We have to stop Jupiter somehow."
I looked back at Phantom Lord's guild hall. How can we destroy that? We would need everyone, but that would still probably take more than fifteen minutes. No, that wouldn't work anyways. There are also the shade troopers to worry about, so people would be distracted by them. We need someone who can destroy things quickly and easily. My eyes widened, and hope filled me.Why wasn't he the first person I thought of? I turned to look at Natsu. He was still glaring at Phantom. I hate to say it, but that's even better! It'll be easier to get him to destroy Phantom if he's angry at them. "Aki," I said shyly.
Natsu turned his head to look at me. He raised an eyebrow at me. I bit my lip and looked at the ground. Should I even ask him? I'd be asking him to go into the enemies' layer, and he could get hurt. There's also the chance that he would be annoyed with me, and I don't want that.
I shook my head and looked back up at Natsu. No, it has to be done. Natsu has the best chance, and he's the strongest person here. If anyone can destroy Phantom, it's Natsu. "Will you destroy the Phantom guild hall please?" I asked.
Natsu glared at me a little. I looked at the ground. He did get mad. "Why did you ask me?" Natsu asked.
My eyes widened in surprise, and I looked Natsu in the eyes. I was silent for a few seconds before I smiled a little at him. My cheeks felt a little warm. "I thought you were the strongest here, so you would be the best choice to try and destroy Phantom," I explained. "Plus, you look like they're annoying you."
Natsu's eyes widened in surprise. Well, that doesn't happen often. He stared at me for a few seconds before sighing and making his expression neutral. He turned away from us and started to walk towards Phantom. I smiled even wider. I'll take that as a 'yes' to destroying Phantom. Natsu stopped and turned to give me a halfhearted glare. "Keep up," he said. He turned around and kept walking.
I was about to start following him when a blue blur flew into my chest. I stumbled back a few steps and looked down to see Happy. I smiled guiltily at him. I can't believe I didn't even think about where Happy was through all of this. When did he even get separated? He was with me when we were in the guild. "Hey, Happy," I said. "We're going to go destroy Phantom with Aki, ok? Will you fly me to the guild since Aki already left?"
"Sure, Lucy," Happy said. He agrees with things so easily. I guess he's used to dangerous situations because he was always with Natsu.
I start to run after Natsu when Mira grabs my wrist. "Come with me!" Mira says. I'm forced to stop, and Mira starts to drag me away from Phantom. What is she doing? "We have a safe-house. We're going to have to stay there until the battle is over."
My eyes widened in shock. I tugged my hand out of her grip. "But I should be fighting along with everyone else!" I exclaimed. "It's my fault that all of this happened!"
Mira looked at me with a serious expression. "No, it isn't, Lucy," she said calmly. She sounded so sure. I almost believed her. "And not one person here thinks that it is. They're doing it for the guild that Phantom destroyed, the members that were hurt, and because they want to protect one more person," she explained, "you." If it wasn't for me, the guild wouldn't be destroyed, no one would have gotten hurt, and they wouldn't need to protect me. I looked at the ground in guilt. "That's the kind of fight it is, and they can fight with that honor." She gave me a small smile. "So, do what we're telling you to do."
"It's so I can be safe, right?" I asked as I looked her in the eyes. She held my gaze and nodded in confirmation. I gave her a small smile. "Then wouldn't the best place to keep me safe be with the strongest man in the guild?"
Mira's eyes widened in shock. She then tapped her chin with a serious face. I could see the conflict in her eyes. "Do you understand the risk you'd be taking, Lucy? If you go with Dragneel, you'd be in your kidnappers' territory. It would make it a lot easier to kidnap you again."
My smile left my face and determination filled me. "I wouldn't be taking any more of a risk than the rest of the guild is taking. Did you forget that I'm part of the guild too? I'm not just a job or just some weak little girl that everyone needs to take care of. I'm part of the guild too. They destroyed the place I now call home. They hurt my friends, and are going to continue to hurt more people. The safest place I can me is by Chaos, the most feared man in the guild, and if I'm by his side, I can at least help the guild in some way."
Mira still looked conflicted, but she also looked guilty. She really did forget I was part of the guild for a minute. That thought stung. Mira then sighed and stepped away from me. "You're right," she said. "Go catch up to Dragneel."
I gave her a small smile and turned back to Phantom. Happy wiggled out of my arms and grabbed my shirt. "I should start flying you now so we can catch up to Natsu faster," Happy said. I gave him a grateful smile and nodded my head. Now, let's hope we don't run into the Element Four or that guy named Gajeel without Natsu around. Happy grabbed me, and we flew to catch up with Natsu.
Suddenly, overwhelming heat was all anyone could feel, and I heard everyone gasp in shock. I wasn't hurt, so I looked over at Natsu and watched in awe as black flames surrounded him as he took a familiar stance. I watched in awe as Natsu roared at the enemy guild, and a massive column of flames blasted from Aki. Turning to look in front of us, everyone saw that the flames make contact with Phantom's guild hall. Screams could be heard from the inside.
"I don't believe it," someone said. My attention was pulled away from Natsu and was
diverted to the people behind us. All of them were looking at Natsu in surprise and disbelief.
"Dragneel is protecting us."
"Dragneel," Gray said in shock. His eyes found mine and realization flashed in his eyes. He gave me a thankful smile and turned back to Phantom. Why would he thank me? I didn't do anything. It was Natsu that saved everyone.
Once Natsu stopped breathing fire, we saw that the cannon along with a good chunk of the guildhall was completely incinerated. My eyes widened in shock. The rest of the guild gasped again.
"That's not possible," Jose yelled. My eyes widened in shock. Even a wizard saint says it's impossible? "Even if you can use magic that strong once, there's no way you could do that again," he sneered. "Now hand Lucy Heartfilia over!" I looked at Natsu. He looked like he wanted to kill Jose, but he didn't look tired at all.
"I can't do something as weak as that again?" Natsu hissed.
"No, you can't do it again, boy!" Jose sneered.
"I am the chaos dragon! Anything and everything I touch turns to dust! I AM CHAOS! All crumbles before me!" Natsu bellowed. "And that roar wasn't anywhere near to my full power," he whispers to himself, but I somehow was able to hear him. He was holding back? How powerful is he?
"No pixy is that strong!" Jose yelled. "Let's see you stand up to my guild's pride!" The building starts to transform into a massive robot. Phantom's guild started to draw something. My eyes widened in shock and cold fear washed over me. "Abyss Break," I whispered. I've only read about it in books before! I didn't think Phantom would use it! We have to destroy Phantom NOW! Natsu growls and sends the most ferocious glare I've ever seen him have to Phantom. And here we go.