Back like I never left, heh heh.
When I was a little girl, I was a humongous freak. I would read something, and unintentionally recant it word for word at any random time. My parents were both scholars. They both have their PHD's so obviously they took their education seriously. Hell, they met in grad school.
As a result, our house was practically a live-in library. Wall to wall in any room in the house were books of different shapes and sizes. Most of the books were about the sciences and mathematics. My mom was a neurosurgeon and my dad, a rocket engineer after all.
Before I even started elementary school, I had read or at least skimmed through all 627 of the books in our house. I was… a fast reader.
As Gajeel's hands grappled my neck, I was suddenly transported to the past, and I was looking at a memory of me inside my home with my parents.
Is this supposed to be my life flashing before my eyes? And God its boring!
Five-year-old Levy laughed in her overalls and red and white striped tee. Her short blue hair was in high pigtails held by white bubbles and her two front teeth were missing. She happily played with her shape-matching blocks on the carpet of her father's study.
"Hey mommy," she says, "where are the rest of the geometrical shapes?"
Her mother, a woman in her early thirties, sporting glasses, and an auburn bob lifted her face from the newspaper it was buried in. She was sitting in the seat of Levy's father's study.
"Well what do you mean Levy?"
"Well I mean that, they have the four basic shapes for me to fit these blocks into, right? Those being the cube, the cylinder, the triangular prism and the cuboid, all to represent the square, the circle, the triangle and the rectangle."
Levy's mother was shocked. She put her newspaper down to cast her daughter a curious smile. Secretly though, she was beaming with pride.
Now, in another vision cloud, I'm a little older, 10, and I'm at the kitchen table with my somber looking parents who were sitting at opposite ends of the table.
"Levy, your mother and I want you to know that we love you very much."
"Nothing is going to change between our relationship with you…"
Younger Levy raised an accusatory eyebrow. "Yes… but…?"
"Your mother and I have decided to file for divorce."
Levy's mother shot her father a glare from across the table. "You didn't have to say it like that Richard!"
"Samantha, what in the hell do you want me to say?! Do you want me to lie to her?"
Samantha turned around in the opposite direction and folded her arms. "You know what? I'm not even going through this with you again Richard."
Richard looked hurt staring at the back of his soon-to-be ex-wife's head. Then, he slammed his palms on the table getting up.
"Hear that Levy? You're mother's right and I'm wrong. I'm always wrong! Just like how I was wrong to quit the Force and go back to school for aerospace engineering, right honey?!"
"Richard," the ginger-haired woman was appalled. "Not in front of our daughter!"
Despite what she said she stood up to meet him eye-to-eye. "And besides that, weren't you the one complaining that I'm never home anymore?! Weren't you the one bitching about how my hard-earned career, was keeping me away from this family? You know, the one that's putting food on this table and keeping the roof over our heads while you're pursuing your degree?!"
"Oh see, you always bring that up! Just because I'm not working right now…"
"What do mean I always bring that up?! If anything, I always try not to bring it up because I respect your process! But since you want to call me a bad mother…"
Both of their arguments trailed off into a gumbo of undecipherable noise. Meanwhile, ten-year-old Levy watched it all unfold in horror. The pang in her chest when she first heard her father say the word 'divorce' grew into a painful tumor, and it was leeching onto her heart. Tears were silently raining down her face.
Tch. Looking back on that now is annoying. They were both acting more like children than me. The vision cloud before me changed to a little bit after that previous memory. Mom had just finished moving out the house and dad was practically killing himself with his online courses in order to keep himself distracted. They were both especially neglectful at that time.
"I'm sending you to therapy Levy. I got a call from your teacher and she said that you haven't talked to anybody for the entire week. You aren't paying attention in class anymore and your grades are slipping."
11-year-old Levy, hair in a short ponytail, glasses and braces said nothing, holding protectively a teddy-bear from childhood to her chest. What she didn't tell her dad or the teacher, was that the kids at school started bullying for her blue hair. Then, they started teasing her about everything from her looks down to her book smarts. Little Levy just didn't have the heart to mix her at-school problems with her currently mounting at-home problems. The next vision cloud was Levy at the therapist' office six months later. Still, she refused to talk.
"Ms. McGarden, if you won't talk to me or anyone else, can you at least write down what you're feeling?" The small man passed her a small leather covered book with an empathetic smile.
At first, Levy didn't budge. But then the compassion and empathy in his eyes, moved something inside her.
Levy looked at him coldly as she yanked it from him.
The very next day I remember, I started writing in it. My weird dreams, my new tech ideas, hypotheses… I'd even vent in it a little whenever I'd get into it with my dad.
"Levy, I'm sending you to Clover Academy."
Her father's words made her stop cold in her tracks from the book she was reading.
"What?!" 12-year-old Levy shouted. "That prissy all-girls school, dad, are you serious?"
"Think of it as a fresh start!" he said taking off his lab coat by the door. Since the last vision and now, he had achieved his dream and started working at NFSA as an aerospace engineer; a rocket scientist.
"I've been hearing from your teachers that you've been having problems… connecting with your peers at school. I thought that this would help."
No dad. That wouldn't help. That wouldn't help at all. Little did he know that sending me to Clover Academy only made my attitude worse. Much, much worse. But of course, he never listened to anyone but himself.
When I went to Clover Academy, I officially realized how meaningless it all was. To go to school, to get a job working for the man, have kids only to subject them to the same thing and die. What the hell was this all for? Everything I'd ever do in school wouldn't matter in the real world anyway, and once you got to the real world, life was pragmatically unbearable. So, when do we really get to have fun? To be alive? To truly… exist?
I could've skipped high school if I really wanted to and gone straight to college, but people always say high school was the best time of their lives, so I wanted to see what all the hype was about. So far, it's been an utter disappointment. So much so, that I decided to get a part-time job. Hopefully one that would satisfy my needs, and one that wasn't too close to home.
Shortly after, I met Natsu. I took up the job at Marcus' being on the border of Magnolia, to get away from the inanities of Clover Town. When Natsu and his gang walked into the building, my antenna flew up. I didn't know any of them from a can of paint, but something inside of me was just yelling at me to approach their group, Natsu specifically. That voice in my head was loud… hypnotic almost. Ha! I'm probably just going insane. And that almost sounds like fun.
And, as the saying goes, the rest is history.
Suddenly, I could breathe again, and my body slumped unceremoniously against the ground. I immediately started gasping and panting wildly for air. Sweat droplets started rolling down my face, and I scrambled as far away from my assailant as I could possibly muster at that point.
That… was the scariest thing that's ever happened to me.
Gajeel, staring at my computer screen not sparing me a glance, groaned softly. "Looks like there's some use for you after all. You'd better thank your lucky stars."
Trembling, I massaged my neck. "Wha- what?"
"You're going to escort me to that uncharted island. Take me to where the Master is."
For a second there, I was confused, probably because of the lack of circulation to my head, but once I got a grip it was obvious. Of course he still needed me. He destroyed my computer screen which was his only lead to where his precious master is. I'm the only one who can take him.
He turned to cast me a nasty look as I still sat on the ground. I glared right back at him.
This man… came into my home, destroyed my precious hard drive and nearly choked me until I passed out... I'm getting angrier and angrier just thinking about it.
As we sat in those few seconds of silence, my mind was already plotting a scheme against him for revenge. He's soon going to wish he finished me off when had the chance.
The Lady Marina, which was the name spray-painted in blue on the side of a speeding yacht, sailed across glittering blue waters. On board were only five people which included the captain, a man named Aaron, Gray, Lisanna, Natsu and Lucy. The gang, who were all in their Fairy Tail uniforms still, were gathered on deck, with the exception of Gray who was in the captain's quarters.
"Bleh!" Natsu upchucked more of whatever he ate for breakfast into the ocean. He was leaning against the railing on deck with a queasy stomach with Lucy next to him, rubbing his back to comfort him.
"Bleck! Ugh…" Natsu moaned. "I don't know why I'm so nauseous right now… I mean, I've always felt dizzy in cars or buses… but this?!" His lament was interrupted as he felt more bile rise up in his throat. He let out a little more barf and then moaned while Lucy continued to rub his back, despite the fact that she too, was thoroughly disgusted.
"Ewww Natsu, don't get any throw-up on Gray's family yacht!" Lisanna shouted.
Despite his torment, he still apologized. "Sorry Lisanna…" He moaned.
Lucy perked up and turned around. "That's right!" the blonde exclaimed. "I still can't believe Gray's family has a private yacht! And docked right at Hargeon Harbor no less."
"Didn't I tell you this already?" Natsu rasped, looking up at her. "Gray's adopted mother is loaded. She and everybody else in that house live like kings. Especially Gray."
Lucy ended up breaking eye contact with her sick charge as her chocolate eyes wandered over to the boy in question inside the captain's quarters.
"I wonder what they're talking about so much in there…" she trailed off.
There was a moment's silence on the dock as the three didn't say anything. Natsu was still dangling over the railing like a wrung-out cloth, while Lisanna had her eyes closed, basking in the beauty of the day. The warm, golden sun rays, the texture of the blue ocean ripples, the sound of the yacht engine purring in the air, Lisanna enjoyed it all. Lucy on the other hand, stared off into the distance, reminiscing about something with a sad look on her face.
"I can't believe Loke decided not to come with us…"
Upon hearing Lucy's words, Natsu and Lisanna's faces immediately became somber, leaving everybody on the boat recalling what had happened.
Flashback
When the call ended, silence filled the room.
Natsu was staring at his phone with a live GPS to exactly where Levy believed Juvia was.
This was a lot to think about.
"Hey!" Lisanna shouted, tired of all the silence. She stood up and slapped her hands on the table. "What are we all waiting on? An invitation?"
Nobody said anything, but Natsu, and Gray especially, watched her in surprise. "What? …are you saying we go tonight?" Gray started.
"No, I'm saying right now!"
Natsu inhaled sharply and his eyes widened as he watched the woman him before say what he hadn't realized he couldn't.
Lisanna's eyebrows scrounged up together and she balled her fists. A hopeless look washed over her features for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was raw, sadness threatening to spill from her eyes. "I mean, we all sat in that office and watched that woman literally fight back tears. None of us said it to each other, but it was then that we all vowed to ourselves that we were going to do something. At the time, we didn't know what. I mean, look at us. With the exception of Natsu and Lucy, what could we do?"
She grabbed her left wrist with her right hand and clenched and unclenched her fists. With a wistful smile, she turned to Natsu. "That is until Natsu made it abundantly clear to all of us. 'Bring her back.' That's what we're supposed to do... That's what we're meant to do. Isn't that right… Natsu?"
Natsu didn't say anything as he stared wide eyed at the girl smiling at him.
"And now… we have our chance. This is our chance… and I think we should take it." With that, she walked over and took his hand in her own as a sign of solidarity. Natsu, who was confused as all hell, stared at her hand in his own, then looked back up at her smiling face as she gave him a terse nod. That seemed to ground him back to reality as he steeled his nerves and turned back to the others.
Gray felt a pang of jealously hit him in his chest when he watched his girlfriend take Natsu's hand. Similarly, Lucy, who was seated at one of the desks in front of them, withered a little at the sight before her. She didn't know why, but she didn't feel very happy watching her charge hold the hand of the girl he liked. It was strange to her because, as the Angel of Joy and his guardian angel to boot, that should've been a sight that made her happy, but surprisingly… it didn't.
"Lisanna's right." Natsu stated. "It's now or never."
"We're with you Natsu," Lisanna reaffirmed.
"Yep. None of us are going to sit back and leave her for dead." Gray stated folding his arms with his eyes closed. "Right, you guys?" He looked back at Lucy and then Loke who was right beside her. Lucy opened up her mouth to respond but was cut off by Loke.
"No." The dirty blonde stated firmly, standing up from his crouched position on the floor. Gray was genuinely taken aback.
"W-what?!"
"I said no. Absolutely not."
"Awwww, come on Loke," Lucy pleaded, tugging on the bottom of his shirt.
"Yeah dude," Lisanna said with a half-smile. She partly hoped this was him joking around. "Don't be like that."
Loke's face contorted in disbelief as he pulled his shirt away from Lucy's delicate grip and glared at Lisanna.
"Lisanna… Lucy… you guys… " he started. "You talk so light-heartedly as if we aren't going into a literal battlefield with opponents who already have blood on their hands!"
Lisanna shrunk back at the tone of his voice and the coldness in his eyes. His voice was so sharp, it basically cut her like a knife. Even Natsu was surprised.
"I was all for it, when I thought it was just a simple rescue mission, but now…? You see, unlike you all, I actually take serious threats… seriously. And I'd be damned if I willingly play follow the leader with Natsu of all people and throw my life away! The police exist for a reason. Special forces exist for a reason. And what do you all have…? Nothing. Which is exactly why I'm out."
The girls watched slack jawed as Loke walked behind Natsu to get his school bag. On his way past Natsu again, he intentionally brushed against the pinkette's shoulder causing him to growl.
"Coward." He spat.
Loke stopped, not turning around. "Call me whatever you want, but at least I know I'm going to live for another day."
Lucy felt like her heart was breaking watching the two boys at odds again. Loke stopped again, in the middle of the doorway.
"Lucy, if you were smart, you'd walk away with me." The blonde said softly.
Natsu's onyx eyes glared two fiery holes in the back of Loke's head. His grip on Lisanna's hand tightened until it became painful for her. Natsu didn't seem to notice at all in that moment. His canines were baring in animosity towards Loke.
Lucy's glossy mahogany eyes looked up at Loke's brown ones. Her blonde bangs framing her face made her look like an angel without a halo to him.
"I'm sorry Loke…" she started. The dirty blonde tucked his lips in his mouth in frustration.
Of course she chose him. She always did.
He didn't even give her a chance to explain herself as the classroom door slammed behind him, leaving a tense atmosphere.
"You know you could've gone with him if you wanted," Natsu spouted bitterly. He didn't even know why he was so bitter… at least not towards her. "You seemed pretty scared earlier too. I'm surprised you didn't go chasing after him with your tail between your legs."
Lucy closed her eyes and took a deep breath ignoring the hurt she felt from his words. "Listen… I'm sorry for how I reacted earlier. As a member of the angel race, I've seen firsthand some of the goriest battles between angels and demons… so, don't think I'm unfamiliar with the concept of bloodshed. It's just… I don't like the idea of it… at all." She finished by sheepishly playing with her fingers.
She jumped out of her seat, shaking her hands.
"But listen, that doesn't change at all how I feel about Juvia! That doesn't change the fact that she's the same girl that I… that we've all grown so attached to!"
With that she put her hand forward, a determined glint in her eyes. Lisanna, let go of Natsu's hand and piled it on top of the blonde's. Gray stepped forward and piled his hand on top of theirs. All that was left was Natsu.
"Alright," he stated, piling his hand on top. "Then let's do this!"
The trio on deck all silently let the moment replay in their heads while Gray and the captain of the Lady Marina continued to talk. Inside the captain's quarters, Gray had given Natsu's phone to the man as he used that, and the sonar built in the ship's dashboard to guide him.
"Son, are you sure about this?" The man asked Gray again. He stared at the 16-year-old in his school uniform, with the first three buttons of his shirt undone, and his tie gone with the wind. "Also, Gray, your tie."
"What? Ack!" Gray sputtered as he started frantically searching for it. That was the last spare tie he had in his home. He couldn't afford to untie and discard another one or else his guardian would have a fit. Speaking of which…
"I'm sure Mr. Aaron," he started. "And thanks for trusting me and not telling Mari. I'll deal with her later."
"Look, I'm only doing this because you kids said you had a project to do… right?"
"Yes sir. And I know it's the middle of the school day and all but we technically don't have anymore classes today and figured we'd get started on our group project together so…"
The captain eyed him suspiciously. Gray chuckled nervously. He was incriminating himself more and more as this conversation went on.
"Gray! Mr. Aaron! Look!"
The two of them quickly swiveled their heads out the glass window at the fairly large tropical island before them. Gray's jaw dropped.
"Well slap me with a wig and call me Sally!" Aaron said in disbelief, taking off his prized captain's hat. "You kids were right… There's actually an island…"
The girls both rushed to the very peak of the boat, the wind blowing through their manes as they laughed, the feeling of glee overtaking them.
Even Natsu, still overcome by motion sickness managed to look forward and give a small smile. "You did it Levy… you really did…" he trailed softly.
Lucy chuckled a little as a bit of ocean water splashed her face. "I can't believe it! We're actually here!"
As a child, Juvia only ever knew of Jose as family. She spent her first few years growing up in his vacant mansion, wandering the halls as a lonely child. The two of them usually never spoke, and that was because Jose spent his days training students at his Parisian dojo. Sol, as it were, turned out to be her saving grace. Or so she thought.
A flash of lighting cracked the night sky as one of the maids knocked on her door. "Master Jose would like an audience with you."
When she walked into his home office, lightning flashed furiously again, casting shadows on half of the boy's green hair, and orange and black outfit.
"Hey," Jose greeted. There was a smug look on his face as his hand rested on the boy's shoulders. "Juvia, this is Sol."
Lightning flashed again as Sol cast her an eerie smile, while his gaze hardened towards her, and Juvia flinched at both the lightning and the cruel looks of the men.
Standing in the hallway years later, of an old Phantom Lord hideout, Juvia was reminded of those first ghostly moments upon meeting Sol. The green haired man glared at her through his left spectacle taking in her outfit. Juvia's pale fingers clutched for the sword out of precaution, more than wary of the skills of the man in front of her.
"Master Jose was right…" he stated in his heavy French accent with disgust. "You truly have no shame."
"Big brother…" Juvia trailed breathlessly, suddenly overcome with a rush of nostalgia.
Sol smirked, leaning his body so far sideways he almost toppled over. "It's so interesting zat you call me zat. So you do remember your place?"
Juvia closed her eyelids and steeled herself for battle. She unsheathed her sword. No more talking. She had nothing else to say to him anyway.
"You know mademoiselle, I never try to hit a lady… so I'll give you a fair chance." He opened up his arms wide. "Hit me with your best shot."
The situation looked grim for her. She'd never been able to beat him any time they sparred together before. Not once. She charged right at him, letting out a loud battle cry.
Regardless of the circumstances, she wasn't going to let it stop her from trying.
Her sword cut right into him, like a knife into butter. Juvia looked up, surprised. Her sword certainly did slice right through him, from his shoulder straight right down into his chest, however instead of blood, there was instead a jagged gap in him, like play dough.
"What?!"
Sol's skin swallowed her sword whole, forcing the weapon out of her grip. Juvia felt dread flood into her stomach like someone filling up a cup using a waterfall. Sol smiled at her, licking his lips at her delicious expression. Without warning, the ground below her softened to the point of mush causing her to sink like she was in quicksand, and the rest of the concrete ground began to engulf her body all the way up to her neck. She struggled against it, as it squeezed the air out of her body in the process.
"What is this?!" she asked desperately. Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.
Sol didn't answer, but instead as his satisfaction grew, so did the malleable concrete's grip on Juvia's body. She figured that this unnatural power was Jose's doing, but then on second thought, Akira came to her mind. Juvia was becoming desperate now. She knew if she couldn't put a stop to this soon, she would've ended up grinded into dust. Sol grit his teeth and raised her out of the ground and commanded the Earth to bring her to him. In her concrete cage, Sol grabbed her by the chin and looked her dead in the eye. His small brown pupils seemed lifeless compared to her own blue ones.
"You betrayed Master Jose beloved little sister," he started. "The only punishment that you deserve is worse than death!"
Despite her crippling pain, Juvia bared her teeth at him and snarled. "Have you ever thought of anything other than serving him?!" she shouted.
"Why you ungrateful little… Jose did everything for you! He raised you, he trained you… and this is how you choose repay him?!"
With that, his hold on her chin turned into a death grip as his fingers dug into her face in anger. Simultaneously, the sand holding Juvia tightened some more causing the sound of bones cracking to fill the air. She screamed out in pain.
Rigidly, she turned her head back to him, fighting through the painful sensation. The determination in her eyes never wavered no matter how much torment he was putting her through, and it was driving him crazy.
"As a kid, you wouldn't have dared to even look at me ze wrong way," he started. "But now, even in a situation like this, you refuse to back down. I'm curious… just what iz making you so bold?"
"I'm not… can't afford to die here," she choked out, a drizzle of blood streamed out of her mouth. "I have to die killing Jose. I have to…" Sol loosened his grip on her ever so slightly, intrigued by her words.
"Years… I've been living as an assassin for years, and all because of him. He's beaten me, tortured me… made me feel like I was worthless…" Her voice cracked at the end of her rant.
Sol raised an eyebrow. He was far from interested in hearing her sob story.
"That is until… someone gave me the courage to live a better life. Thanks to her, I finally understood. It wasn't just me who was suffering. It was countless others! Big brother you have to listen to me, Jose only sees you and everyone else as a means to an end. If it weren't for Brenda, I would never have known that I could be more than a weapon! Now, I'm somebody's daughter! Somebody's classmate, somebody's… friend." Her eyes travelled the ground as she thought about the people who she left behind. "Or at least I was…"
Sol continued to look unimpressed.
"Look, the only thing I know for sure, is that someone needs to put a stop to him. I refuse to let him ruin anymore lives! These kids deserve to know more than just crime and bloodshed!"
When she was finally done, he burst into laughter which made her worry. That wasn't good.
"I don't know what ze outside world haz done to you Jezebel, but you've certainly returned with some serious self-righteousness. You talk az if you weren't the main one cutting down lives. Out of everyone here, your kill list is undoubtedly the most impressive." He leaned closer to her with a smug smile on his face. Juvia felt her face getting paler again as her heartrate quickened. She was trying to fight back the panic and terror at the truthfulness of his words.
"Don't put words in my mouth!" she snapped. "I never once considered myself to be innocent in all of this! I know I'm no better than he is… I've got blood on my hands too. I know that no matter what I do, that fact is going to haunt me forever. I know that I took my freedom and never once looked back. I didn't think twice for any of the other kids that I left behind. And because I was such a coward, I caused them to suffer even more than before…" She fought back her tears, as she began to choke up. "That's the truth… no matter how much I'd like to change it. That's why… That's why I'm going to do what should've been done a long time ago and put an end to this once and for all! I'll take pride in driving my blade through his heart, even if it costs me my life!"
"OVER MY DEAD BODY!" Sol screeched. "I live and I die by Master Jose! His enemies are my enemies! And sister, I think you know better than anybody what it is we do to our enemies." He put out his hand and Juvia was pushed away from him back to the middle of the room. He then squeezed his open palm into a tight fist, crushing her underneath a bed of earth. Juvia bit down on her tongue to deny Sol the satisfaction of hearing her scream again.
"I… I pity you…" she uttered through clenched teeth. "You're… an empty shell without that man. You call yourself a man, but really, you're a mindless sheep." As she continued talking, she could see the anger and irritation slipping through the cracks of his benevolent façade. She could tell she was finally getting to him. "Let me ask you Sol, what will you do when karma finally come to bite Jose in the ass for good? When you're without a master to serve? You've been doing his dirty work for years in order to help him achieve his dream… but, what about yours?"
The question seemed to have left Sol stunned speechless. His eyes widened as he felt like the weight from Juvia's gaze bare into his soul. He felt… exposed. The look in her eyes was absolute. Her resolve was absolute. But before he could muster up a response, they were interrupted by a fiery explosion from outside.
The Lady Marina pulled as close to the shore as it could without the boat getting beached. "Sorry kids, I can't get any closer!"
"It's okay, we can walk from here!"
Natsu was the first one to spring forth as he jumped off the boat and into the water, which was shallow enough for him to run the rest of the way to shore. His entire way there he was cackling like a madman. "Land! Bwahahahahaha! Sweet land!"
"Natsu you idiot!" Gray called at the top of his lungs, running ton deck. "We didn't even come up with a plan!"
Natsu smirked maniacally, the thrill of it all sending adrenaline pumping through his veins. He balled his left fists and lit it on fire, the blaze leaving everybody on the boat except Lucy in awe. Once his feet touched the sand, he started to dry off his clothes.
"Don't need to!" he called back. "I can make fire remember?!"
He ran across the forestry on the beach, looking for someone to fight, eager for someone to fight. After a minute of running he paused when he caught sight of a towering pyramid in the distance. He mustered up all the fire he could in his belly at that moment and let it out into the air, in one extravagant fiery display in the sky. He bellowed out a mighty roar.
"JOSE! COME OUT AND FIGHT ME!"
He was so loud that every living creature on the island; man, or animal shook at his cry. The phantom soldiers outside of their secret hideout began advancing towards him.
Gray sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "We're doomed…"
"Wait a minute Natsu, you forgot me!" Lucy cried, following Natsu's reckless behavior and jumping straight off the deck into the water. Lisanna tried to stop Lucy, but the blonde was too fast. The youngest Strauss turned to the level-headed boy for help.
"Go. We'll just use Natsu as a diversion while we go in and search for Juvia. Follow Lucy and make sure she knows the plan!"
Lisanna nodded and took a graceful leap into the ocean blue, chasing after her friends. Gray turned around and saw a very confused yacht driver and he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose again.
Now how was he going to explain this?
On the Phantom Lord rooftop, Jose watched the young, fiery pinkette, take on his entire army of teenaged soldiers with ease with punching and kicking all while wielding those beautiful orange flames of his. He stroked his purple mustache and hummed. With a bemused smile on his face, he pulled out his cellphone and dialed three numbers, never tearing his eyes away from the lively boy.
After two rings, the call went through. "It's him, Akira," he lulled over the phone. "The one you wanted."
Perched atop of one of the remaining jungle trees, a safe distance away was the pale woman. She had a pair of binoculars glued to her eye sockets as she was already enjoying the show. She zoomed in from the overall battle front, to just Natsu and his pink hair and a pleased smile pulled at her lips.
"Oh, I know." She answered back.
With that, she hung up the phone and continued to observe the boy.
"Natsu Dragneel…" she licked her lips after saying his name. When she put the binoculars down, a blush covered her cheeks and there was a faraway look in her eyes. She eagerly put the binoculars back on.
She decided that regardless of which side won, Josie and his allies or Natsu and his friends, this was going to be a show she didn't want to miss.
"Alright you Phantom punks," Natsu yelled. "I'm done messing around!"
One of the disoriented Phantom soldiers sprawled on the sand, with uniform charred exposing large patches of skin, placed his hands on his spinning head not believing what he was hearing.
"Messing around?! That was just you 'messing around' before?!"
A devilish grin took over Natsu's face. It had a hint of darkness to it.
"Oh? You thought, that was me going all out?" He punched his flaming fist into his open palm with brute force and a sinister smile. "That was just a warm-up!"
The Phantom soldiers on the sand started cowering away in fear of the destructive pinkette.
"As a matter of fact…" he felt his biceps as he flexed them with a smile. "I'm all fired up now!"
I'm so excited for the future of this story! It's about to get really crazy as time goes on.
I just want to take a moment to say thank you to the guest who's been reviewing the last couple chapters consistently. Really appreciate it! Also, thanks to Alfy's-world and the guest reviewer AJ for reviewing the last chapter!