A/N: For those still following, sorry this took so long. But as you will see, this one will be pretty long. Here we go, first part of the one of major arcs!
I do not own Fairy Tail or YYH
Chapter 7 The Phantom Lord Part 1: First Blood
In the blink of an eye, 3 weeks had passed by since Yusuke first arrived in Earthland. He'd managed to win the favor of most of his fellow guild members so far. Romeo clung to him like gum on his shoe whenever he visited, always asking him about his powers and his stories as a Spirit Detective back on Earth. He'd also found a drinking buddy in Cana, who always asked if he'd pick up the tab for her, which he always flatout refused, of course. Whenever he wasn't humoring his number one fan or loading up on beer, he was working. The council would send him new leads on the next Dark Guild to smash, but those weren't as occurring. Luckily, the request board held other jobs that suited him.
He soon became known for always taking heavy jobs; chasing down criminals with high bounties, slaying monsters, that sort of thing. Mira would often suggest he take something easier and less fighting oriented, but Yusuke would always shake his head and laugh. Truth was, he felt more in his element whenever he took one of the more dangerous jobs. But then, what would you expect from someone who's fought against the likes of Toguro and Sensui? Sometimes, the rest of his team, who'd become known as "Fairy Tail's Strongest Team", would offer to come along, but Yusuke would always say something like "maybe some other time". As much as they admired his desire for independence, most of them, especially Erza, could sense that he was deliberately distancing himself from them.
It wasn't that he had anything against them personally. In all actuality, his indifference to everyone was equally distributed. The fact of the matter was that, even though he knew that they weren't ones to shy away from a fight, when it came down to it, Yusuke was a lone wolf. It was easier that way, for him at least. However, there would come a point during his time in Earthland where he'd come face to face with a battle that was more than even he could handle. A time that came sooner than he'd ever expect.
Magnolia
It had been almost a month since Yusuke had joined Fairy Tail. The Spirit Detective was currently off on another solo mission, tracking down another one of the hideouts belonging to the Furnace Rats guild. After this, there would only be the Guild Hall left to find. Meanwhile, Fairy Tail's Strongest Team, consisting of Natsu, Gray, Erza, Lucy, and Happy, had returned from another successful mission. Needless to say, they were quite pleased with themselves.
"Was that an awesome job or what"? Natsu chortled in a satisfied tone.
"Well the client sure seemed to think so", Happy noted.
"Face it, you guys are just lucky I decided to come along", Gray said haughtily.
"We're lucky that you begged to come with us? How do ya figure"? Natsu asked in disbelief.
"Because you were about as helpful as one as Erza's suitcases", Gray replied
"You better watch it, or I'll pack you like a suitcase, pal"! Natsu growled getting in Gray's face.
"That doesn't even make any sense", Gray said as his and Natsu's foreheads pressed against each other.
"That's enough, boys"! Erza said sternly, separating them in the usual way as their necks made the familiar, and sickening crack, "Now please get dressed, Gray".
"Why the heck does this keep happening to me"?! Gray exclaimed in comic shock as he looked down to see that, once again, he was down to only his boxers.
"Word of advice, never get in a fight in your underwear, Gray", Happy piped up.
"Uhhh, sorry to interrupt your conversation guys, but..", Lucy said, addressing the group.
"What's up"? Natsu asked.
The blonde Celestial Wizard held up the request flyer from the job which depicted a five hundred jewel reward.
"Well, it's just that, when I took this job, I was hoping it'd be a solo mission. Why did you all come along"? She asked hesitantly.
"Isn't it obvious"? Natsu asked.
"No, I don't think so", Lucy said, confused.
"We're Fairy Tail's Strongest Team, so we gotta stick together"! Natsu said proudly, flashing a toothy grin.
"Aye, sir"! Happy said in agreement.
"And don't you forget it", Gray said with a smirk.
Erza simply smiled. Lucy was taken offguard for a moment before breaking out a smile of her own.
"Yeah we are"! Lucy affirmed.
"No job is too tough", Natsu said confidently, "Not for me, Happy, Erza, and ol' Droopy Drawers".
"Don't call me that", Gray deadpanned.
"We are quite a capable bunch", Erza agreed.
"True that"! Happy said.
"You forgot about me"! Lucy exclaimed.
"Aw lighten up, I'm just messin' with a Loopy", Natsu chuckled, as they continued their walk down the cobblestone street.
"Well I don't appreciate it, and my name's Lucy", Lucy said with a pout.
"Please forgive me", Erza said in a dramatically stern voice, "I truly didn't mean to upset you. I let myself get carried away, it will not happen again. If you wish, you may strike me now".
"That's okay, I don't really think it's in my best interest", Lucy said nervously.
"Smart move", Natsu and Gray said in unison.
"Y'know, it's too bad Yusuke didn't come with us", Happy said with a frown.
"Aww what're ya worrying about him for? He can take care of himself", Natsu said indifferently, "Besides it's not like he would've wanted to join us".
"For once, I agree with you", Gray said.
"Maybe so, but he's still part of the team, right"? Happy pointed out.
"Actually, Happy, based on our last mission together, I don't think he even knows what being part of a team is", Lucy said nervously.
"Be that as it may, Happy is right", Erza said firmly, "Yusuke is one of us. He has a right to his privacy, as well as his freedom to accept help or not. We don't need to figure it out, we just have to respect it. After all, we can't forget that he went out of his way to help Romeo".
Hearing this, the rest of the group paused for thought. What Erza said was true; if not for Yusuke, Romeo would never have been able to gather the courage he needed to stand up to those bullies. Even though the Spirit Detective had humbly resigned from any praise, his actions towards the young boy spoke volumes about his "true nature". Despite his reckless and impassive attitude, when it came down to it, Yusuke seemed to be the kind of guy who knew what was right, at least in the end.
"Don't you worry, Erza", Happy piped up, "I believe in Yusuke, too. He may be rough around the edges, but who isn't"?
Erza smiled warmly at Happy's sanguine disposition. The others also couldn't help but also smile. Their conversation was halted, however, as the noticeable sound of approaching footsteps grew closer and closer to their particular area. They all turned to see a familiar figure approach them. There, standing behind them, was Yusuke himself, grinning as if he didn't have a care in the world. What took the rest of them by surprise was the state he was in; his white t-shirt and jeans were caked with dirt and dried blood stains. Cuts and bruises covered his arms and face. His hair was messy, lacking the signature slicked back appearance it normally had, which seemed to compliment his currently disheveled state.
"Long time, no see, huh"? Yusuke said.
"Y-Yusuke"! Erza said in surprise.
"Dude, where've you been? You're a mess", Gray noted, slightly concerned.
"Heh, that's sure one hell of a way to greet somebody", Yusuke said sardonically, "I'd hate hear how you say goodbye, Brain Freeze".
"Hey, watch it"! Gray said irately.
"He does have a point, Yusuke", Lucy said, cutting in, "What happened to you? How'd you end up like this"?
"Well, let's just say those Furnace Rat douche bags won't be using that hideout anymore", Yusuke said, "That is, if you can call it a hideout now. Does a pile of singed bricks and burnt lumber count as a hideout"?
"You burned down the hideout"?! Erza exclaimed inquisitively.
"How could you do that without me"?! Natsu whined indignantly.
"Tell ya what, next time I use a criminal's lair for a weenie roast, feel free to join me, matchstick", Yusuke said with a smirk.
"Sounds like fun! Right, little buddy"? Natsu said, beaming with excitement.
"Aye sir"! Happy said.
"THIS ISN'T THE TIME FOR THAT, YOU GUYS"! Lucy chided.
"Look, it was no big deal", Yusuke said, shrugging his shoulders.
"You call burning down vital evidence and going against the rules placed by the council "no big deal" "?! Erza shouted in disbelief.
"I gathered up plenty of evidence beforehand, okay? Now calm down, will ya!? People are staring", Yusuke said coolly.
Erza's eyes widened as she looked around to see passerby's looking their way. Realizing her faux pas, the Fairy Queen cleared her throat.
"Yes, well", she said, regaining her composure, "You could have led with that, you know".
"Yeah, alright, that one's on me", Yusuke said, scratching the back of his head.
"Moreover, you should've taken us with you", Erza scolded softly, "I know you're used to working alone, but we're a team. You should be able to trust us".
"Gimme a break! So, I want to take some solo jobs every now and then, that doesn't mean I don't want to work with you guys", Yusuke said defensively.
"But you haven't actually worked with us since the job in Onibus", Erza pointed out.
"Aww come on, Red! It's not like I went alone, Puu was with me too", Yusuke said lackadaisically.
"Hey, where is Puu"? Happy asked, looking around.
"Yeah, you'd think something as big as him wouldn't be so hard to-Gyaahah"!
Everyone turned their attention to Natsu, who failed to finish his thought as he was suddenly hoisted into the air by the beak of none other than the large Spirit Beast in question. Everyone laughed as they watched their pink haired friend struggle in Puu's grip.
"Come on, Puu! Knock it off! This hurts"! Natsu protested, flailing his legs as he vainly tried to pry Puu's beak off his head.
"Alright, boy, fun's over, put the idiot down before you catch his stupid", Yusuke quipped.
"Hey! Who you callin' a-Oomph"!
Natsu once again found himself unable to finish his statement as he was promptly dropped by Puu and landed on his butt with a loud thud.
"Stupid bird thing, I'll get 'em back one of these days", Natsu grumbled as he rubbed the sore spots on his head.
Puu let out a loud chirp as he leaned over and nuzzled Erza's cheek affectionately, showing that he was happy to see her again. The lady sword mage chuckled as his soft feathers tickled her cheek.
"It's good to see you too, Puu", she said warmly, stroking Puu beneath the chin.
"Huh, he's really taken a shine to you", Yusuke said in astonishment, "I mean I know we've been here for almost a month, but still".
"Maybe it's because we've all been so nice to him", Lucy said, walking over and petting Puu, "Animals do respond to kindness".
"Then why the heck does he always seem to do that to me"?! Natsu complained.
"Maybe he thinks you're some kind of toy and he's trying to make you squeak", Gray teased.
"How's about I try and make you squeak, ya pervy ice cube"?! Natsu threatened, getting in the ice make wizard's face.
"Go ahead and try it, ya burntout meathead"! Gray dared.
"Children! Can we please save this for after we get back to the guild hall"?! Yusuke said irately, "I had a long trip back and I'm not in the mood for your BS right now".
"That makes two of us", Erza said sternly, gaining the boys attention.
"Right! Sorry"! Gray and Natsu both said in unison.
As they continued on their way to the guild hall, Yusuke began to notice something odd. Several of the Magnolia citizens were giving them weird looks. Happy was quick to notice it too and was also a bit concerned with the way they were whispering to one another in a hushed and rather concerned tone.
"What is this"? Yusuke said to himself.
"Why's everyone staring at us"? Gray asked.
"It's not the good kind of staring", Happy noted.
"It feels like they're pitying us", Erza observed.
"Whatever it is, I don't like it", Yusuke added.
The red-haired mage nodded in agreement before stopping dead in her tracks as she looked ahead. The others looked to see what she was looking at and were all left aghast.
"What? Why does the guild look so bizarre"? Erza inquired.
"Whatever the reason is, it can't be good. Come on, let's check it out", Yusuke said, rushing forward.
Fairy Tail's Strongest Team continued down the path that led to the guild hall at a quicker pace, with Yusuke leading the way. As they finally arrived, all 6 members of the group saw a visage that left them shocked. Several giant iron pillars were protruding out of the once proud guild hall. There was even one sticking out of the Fairy Tail sign above the front doors.
"No way", Gray said in disbelief.
"What's happened to it"? Erza asked.
"No, I don't understand", Lucy said softly holding a hand over her mouth.
"I'm guessing this is somebody's idea of a joke", Yusuke said in a low and unamused tone, "Well, whatever their reasoning is, I sure as hell ain't laughing".
Yusuke's eyes widened as he looked up at the top level, where most of the pillars were sticking out.
"Hey! That's where my room is"! Yusuke said in concern, "My stuff's in there"!
"Are you freakin' kidding me"?! Gray exclaimed, "Our guild hall is in ruins and you're more worried about your stuff"?!
"Everything I own is in that building"! Yusuke said defensively, "It may be just a bunch of useless crap to you, but it's all I have"!
"That's enough"! Erza barked, "This is not the time to be arguing. Yusuke, I'm sorry about your belongings. I'm sure there's still some things we can salvage from the wreckage".
"Fuckin' better be", Yusuke said, crossing his arms.
"Our guild...someone did this to our guild", Natsu growled.
"But who would do such a thing"? Erza asked in a soft tone.
"It was Phantom".
Everyone turned around to see that it was Mirajane who had spoken. The usually bright and cheerful barkeep had a look of sadness and distress streaked across.
"Mira"? Yusuke said in surprise.
"Are you serious"? Gray asked in disbelief.
"You mean Phantom did this"?! Natsu asked angrily.
"Who the hell is Phantom"? Yusuke inquired.
"Phantom Lord, they're a rival Guild", Erza explained.
"We've never been on good terms with them before, but this..."? Gray added casting a glance back at the guild hall.
"We couldn't do anything to stop them", Mirajane said sadly, "They got us good...".
Fairy Tail Guild Hall (Basement)
While the basement of the Guild Hall was normally used for storage, it was now currently a place where the rest of the Guild members were now nursing their bruised spirits. Said members were sitting on crates or barrels either eating, drinking, or sulking, all the while mulling over the devastation of their once proud home away from home. In comparison to the earlier days of the month, where everyone was so lively and cheerful, it was enough to make even Yusuke disheartened. As he leaned against one of the wooden support beams, he just stood there, quietly brooding and assessing things.
"We were never on the best terms with those Phantom jerks, but come on"! Jet complained.
"I say we teach them a lesson", Droy said bitterly.
"Come on guys, don't you think we're in enough trouble already"? Levy chided softly.
The rest of Fairy Tail's strongest team couldn't help but feel the sense of loss and humiliation that lingered in the air. Others, however, seemed to be taking it in stride. Such as Master Makarov, who sat on a crate holding a mug of beer. His face slightly pink, indicating that he was currently inebriated.
"Yo! What's up, kids"? Makarov slurred as he held a mug of beer.
"Uhhh, hi"? Lucy said hesitantly.
"Sorry we weren't here sooner", Erza said solemnly.
"Why the hell are you all just sitting around down here"?! Natsu exclaimed.
"How'd it go, Lucy? You finish the job like a good girl"? Makarov said, slurring once more as the alcohol worked its' way through his system.
"Yeah, I guess so", Lucy said half-heartedly.
"Tch"! Yusuke scoffed, bemused by the master's drunken antics.
"Yusuke"?
The Spirit Detective turned to Mira, who stood in front of a small pile of boxes.
"We managed to gather what we could from your room", Mira said, motioning towards the boxes, "Given the state of things, it was risky going in there, but Macao insisted that we try and find what we could".
"Macao did this"? Yusuke said, going over to the boxes.
"I suppose this way his way of paying you back for helping Romeo", Mira said with a smile, "Oh and don't worry. I personally made sure that this was safe".
Mira held out a familiar picture frame to Yusuke, who looked down at it with surprise. The frame was covered in bits of dust and the glass was cracked, but from what he could tell the picture still remained intact. He slowly took the frame from Mira and gently pulled the picture out of it. Mira noted how he held a forlorn look on his face as he grazed his index finger across the brown-haired girl in the picture. He stopped as he noticed Mira staring at him. Clearing his throat, he slid the picture into his back pocket.
"Thanks Mira", he said with a nod.
Mira smiled and nodded her head back in reply. Yusuke then went back over to the wooden beam and leaned on it as he took out his pack of cigarettes. As he took a drag from his freshly lit cig, he listened in on the conversation his teammates were having with Makarov.
"Master, don't you understand the gravity of this situation"? Erza asked in a firm tone.
"The guild hall's been completely destroyed"! Natsu added.
"There's no need to get yourselves all worked up", Makarov said, waving them off before taking a sip from his mug, "It's not the end of the world or anything".
"What"? Gray said in disbelief.
"Just goes to show you how cowardly dunderheads in the Phantom Lord guild really are. They struck when no one was here. Is that really anything worth bragging about".
"He does have a point there", Yusuke said, letting loose a long stream of smoke.
"See?! Yusuke agrees with me! Kids got a good head on his shoulders after all, just like I said", Makarov said with a gleefully drunk smile on his face.
"Wait, no one was here"? Erza asked.
"It was after everyone had already left for the night", Mira explained in a soft tone.
"I suppose we can be thankful that no one in our guild was hurt in the attack", Erza noted.
"We shouldn't trouble ourselves worrying about people who don't even have the guts to face us head on! Forget about those fools"! Makarov said in a drunk, yet assertive, tone.
Natsu suddenly slammed his fist against one of the crates, putting a large dent in it.
"Not happening, Gramps"! Natsu said defiantly, "We can't just let them trash our place and get away with it"!
"I'm not talking about this any longer", Makarov said, unphased by Natsu's outburst, "We'll handle job requests down here 'til the upstairs is repaired".
"And what about our office space"? Yusuke piped up, "I'm guessing that's in pieces now, too"?
"Oh yeah, right, sorry about that", Makarov said, taking another sip of beer, "You can set up something right down here. I'm sure you'll find something to your liking".
"Great", Yusuke said sarcastically as he took another drag from his cigarette.
"We shouldn't be worrying about that stuff ri-"!
"NATSU"! Makarov yelled, "That's enough out of you"!
Slap!
Unexpectedly, the old guild master had reached out and slapped, not Natsu, but Lucy's butt.
"And you spanked me because"? Lucy asked nervously.
"Hands to yourself, Master"! Mira scolded.
"Tch! Dirty old man", Yusuke muttered.
Makarov pulled back his hand and laughed impishly as he jumped off the crate and ran across the room.
"Hey, where you going now"?! Natsu shouted.
"Aww keep your dress on! I gotta take a leak"! Makarov replied.
As the Master left, Natsu's rage began to lessen.
"I don't understand why he's being like this", Natsu said as he looked down at the floor.
"Listen, this is just as hard on him as it is on you", Mira explained in a comforting tone, "He's mad but conflict between the guilds is strictly forbidden by the council".
"But it's not fair! Those Phantom creeps started it"! Natsu exclaimed.
"I know, but that doesn't matter", Mira replied sadly.
"If the master's decision is to not retaliate, then we must respect it", Erza said in a stern, yet reluctant, tone.
Each of the members of Fairy Tail's strongest team either looked upset, distraught, or disappointed. As much as it pained them, their hands were tied. For now, it seemed as though they could do nothing. But Yusuke? Yusuke felt differently.
"Fuck that".
The others looked over to Yusuke, who had dropped his cigarette and stomped on it as it landed on the floor.
"What did you say"? Lucy asked in disbelief.
"You guys do what you want", Yusuke said indifferently as he pulled out a comb from his pocket and ran it through his hair until his regained its' usual slicked back appearance, "But don't think for one second that you can make me just sit on my ass and do nothing"!
"Yusuke, we've been ordered to stand down", Erza said crossly, "You can't just disobey a direct order from the master".
"Oh yeah"? Yusuke said raising a brow, "Watch me"!
As he went over to his box of belongings, Erza went straight towards him and grabbed him by the forearm.
"You're staying here"! Erza said firmly.
Casting a glance down at the gauntlet clad hand that gripped his arm, he glared back up at the red-haired Fairy Queen.
"Let go of my arm, Red", he muttered in a low and angry tone.
"Not until you come to your senses", Erza replied firmly.
"So what? You gonna stop me if I say no"?! Yusuke asked in an annoyed tone.
"I will if I must"! Erza said insistently.
"Go ahead, then! Make a move"! Yusuke said daringly, pulling back his free arm which now bore a clenched fist.
"Guys, come on"! Lucy protested.
"Please, don't fight! This isn't the time for it now", Mira added, stepping in.
Yusuke grunted as he finally yanked his arm from Titania's vice grip. Though he kept his glare centered at Erza as he rubbed his forearm and wrist.
"I don't know what everybody's losing their shit for", Yusuke said, dusting off his arm, "She's the one trying to start something".
"You may be the leader of the group, but I'm not about to let you deliberately start trouble just because of your reservations towards the masters' orders"! Erza fumed.
"And whoever said anything about starting trouble"?! Yusuke replied, "Look, all I'm talking about is going out and seeing if anybody else knows what happened, alright? Maybe try and see if someone saw who did it and where they were heading".
"You mean, you just want to gather information"? Lucy asked.
"Duh"! Yusuke retorted as he pulled out a brown leather jacket from one of the boxes.
"Why didn't you just say so"? Erza queried in a calmer tone.
"So what? I gotta tell you everything that I'm thinking now? Is that it"? Yusuke asked as he slid his arms through the jackets' sleeves, "Look, just hold down the fort here for me while I go see if I can find anything".
"You really think you'll be able to find anything by now"? Gray asked skeptically.
"Yeah, what if their trail's gone cold"? Happy added.
"We can't be sure about that", Yusuke said, straightening his jacket, "Don't worry, I plan on leaving no stone unturned. I won't be back until I've found something. If I'm lucky, I may find out whether or not the punks who did this are still in the area".
"I'm going with ya"! Natsu declared, "I owe those Phantom jerks a little payback"!
"No Natsu, we're under orders not to attack", Erza reiterated, "That said, I think Yusuke may be on to something. If he can gather some intel from his search, we may be able to turn this around".
"Fine, I won't beat 'em up", Natsu sighed.
"Like that's gonna happen", Gray teased.
"Hey shut up"! Natsu snapped.
"Forget it, matchstick, you're staying here", Yusuke said.
"Wait, what? Why"?! Natsu said in disbelief.
"Look, I wouldn't wanna risk spreading us out too thin if things suddenly took a turn for the worst, and I work better solo", The seasoned Spirit Detective explained, "It's better if the rest of the team stays here".
"Oh, so we're a team now"? Lucy inquired sarcastically.
"What's that supposed to mean"? Yusuke asked curiously.
"Look, just don't say it just because it's convenient for you", Lucy chided.
"Ugh, you really want to do this now"?! Yusuke asked irately, "Every second you waste trying to lecture me on how I do things, the trail gets colder! You can read me the riot act when I get back if you want but, for the love of God woman, PUT A LID ON IT"!
Lucy scoffed indignantly at Yusuke's terse remark. Before she could reply, however, Erza spoke up.
"As much as I want to agree with you Lucy, Yusuke has a point, this isn't the time to discuss this", Erza said in a calm and collected tone, "As we are now, Yusuke's the only one of us that can handle this case".
Lucy sighed as she hesitantly relented from saying anything else.
"Make sure to limit your search around the town", Erza instructed, turning towards Yusuke, "I doubt anyone would be desperate enough to hide away in the East Forest".
"I'll keep that in mind", Yusuke said, turning towards the exit.
"One more thing", Erza said stopping him, "If the perpetrators from Phantom are still lurking nearby, then I must remind you that we're under obligation to not engage in a fight".
"So what? You just want me to just stand there and let them beat the shit out of me"? Yusuke asked irately.
"No, I trust you'll do what you'll have to do", Erza replied simply, "Just try not to draw too much attention".
Yusuke raised a brow at the red-haired mage's rather ambiguous response. Upon taking it as permission to defend himself, he nodded.
"And Yusuke"? Erza said as the Spirit Detective turned to leave.
"Oh, what is it now"? Yusuke sighed.
Yusuke's feeling of annoyance disappeared as he looked over and saw Erza's pensive expression lessen to that of a more concerned one.
"We don't know who could have done this, as of now, but judging from the fact that they were able to reduce the guild hall to it's present state, then it's plain to see that they're not ones to be toyed with", Erza said in a soft tone, "So when you're out there...be careful".
The Spirit Detective's eyes widened as he felt a sense of disbelief towards the red-haired Fairy Queen's request. Never before in the time since he'd been here had Erza show him any kind of concern or care. Which was fair given the fact that they argued every other time they were in the same area. To hear her say anything that remotely showed any kind of worry or unease to him was quite the surprise. Either way, Yusuke couldn't help but give her his trademark smile.
"Don't worry", he assured, "I'll be just fine. It's those Phantom Pukes you should be worried about".
And with that, Yusuke headed towards the exit that led back up to the town above.
"Are you sure we shouldn't have stopped him"? Lucy asked pensively.
"Even if we wanted to, I don't really see how we could have", Gray said.
"I have no doubt that Yusuke will be able to handle himself", Erza assured, "After all, I believe that, given the circumstances, he's the best one to send out for now".
"Hey, yeah! Who better to find the ones who did this than a detective"? Happy said in realization, "I bet Yusuke will find 'em no problem"!
"Let's just hope he doesn't run into something that's more than he can handle", Lucy said in a worried tone.
Magnolia – Later that night
After night had fallen, Lucy walked down a street that ran across a canal that ran through the city. She pulled her suitcase behind her with her spirit companion, Plue, leading the way. As the two made their way back to the young celestial wizards' apartment, Lucy couldn't help but think over the recent events of the day.
"Well, this is a pretty big mess we're in right now, isn't it Plue"? She said, addressing her companion.
"Huh", the little spirit replied.
"I had no idea that Fairy Tail and the Phantom Lord guild had such a rivalry between them", Lucy said in disbelief.
"Uh huh", Plue said, smiling as he started to dance around her.
"Honestly, I had thought about joining them before I met Natsu and Happy", Lucy continued with a smile of her own, "They've got a reputation of being almost as crazy as Fairy Tail. But I love our guild, I don't regret my decision at all".
At last, they finally arrived at Lucy's apartment.
"Fairy Tail's become like my family", Lucy said as she opened the front door.
As soon as they entered, Lucy was surprised to see 4 familiar faces already inside. Sitting at her dinner table, with a spread of cooked fish laid out, were Erza and Gray, the former having changed out of her armor and into a white sleeveless blouse which showed off her blue Fairy Tail mark on her left arm, and a blue tie with a skirt to match, and a pair of black boots. Natsu and Happy both sat on the floor, the former sulking next to the table while the latter happily munched on a fish.
"Evening Ma'am"! Gray casually greeted with a salute.
"Welcome home"! Happy said, the fish still in his mouth.
"Very nice place you have here", Erza complimented.
"They like to show up without asking first"! Lucy said finishing her thought.
She then threw her suitcase at Natsu.
"WHY ARE YOU HERE"?!
"Since the guild was attacked, we can assume that the members of Phantom Lord are still in town", Erza explained, bringing a wooden teacup up to her lips.
"They probably already found out where everyone in Fairy Tail lives by now", Gray added.
"Where we live"?! Lucy repeated in horror.
"Mira said that until Yusuke flushes them out, it would be safer if we held up together. Y'know, strength in numbers", Gray finished.
"I guess she's right", Lucy said in agreement.
"That's why everyone in Fairy Tail is having a sleepover tonight"! Happy elucidated.
"You are an attractive teenage girl, after all", Erza explained further, "I wasn't entirely comfortable with you being here alone with Natsu and Gray. I felt I could only relax if I stayed here as well".
"It's not the time to relax"! Natsu huffed.
"So, it was already decided that these two would stay with me"? Lucy asked, "Why'd they have to come to MY place"?
"Whoa! You sure got a lot of dirty clothes, Lucy"! Happy stated as he started shifting through Lucy's laundry basket.
While Happy did that, Plue picked up a pink lollipop he had found and began sucking on it.
"What are you doing?! Stay out of my stuff"! Lucy shouted, "You both better stop right now or your both dead meat"!
Seeing Plue enjoying his snack peeked Natsu's interest.
"Hey Plue! Did ya find something to eat? Don't go hogging it all"! Natsu said eagerly
"Uh huh"! Plue replied as he and Natsu began helping themselves to Lucy's snacks.
"Look Erza! I found some frilly panties you might like", Happy said, getting the red haired sword mage's attention.
"I can't believe you'd actually wear something like this, Lucy", Erza said in surprise as she perused the aforementioned undergarments.
"I'm gonna get some shut eye, so can you all try and keep it down"? Gray said as he sat on Lucy's bed now clad in his boxers.
"You guys are taking this make yourself at home thing too far", Lucy moaned.
"We have a serious problem here", Erza said, getting everyone's attention, "You boys' hygiene".
She cast her gaze at Natsu and Gray in particular.
"I refuse to sleep in a room that reeks of boy sweat", Erza stated firmly.
"I don't wanna take a bath right now", Natsu whined.
"But I already just got in bed", Gray protested.
"Come on boys", Erza said, bringing the two young men in by the shoulder, "Do we have to take a bath together like we did when we were kids"?
Both of them looked quite disturbed.
"What kind of relationship do you guys have"?! Lucy yelled in disbelief.
"They're the strongest team"! Happy said jovially.
"More like the strangest team"! Lucy replied.
...
Much later, Lucy had finished her bath, which preceeded Erza's. She walked out of the bathroom with her blonde hair tied back in a pony tail and wore a white short sleeve shirt and pinke knee length shorts.
"Okay Natsu, you're up. I'm done with my bath", she said to the pink haired fire wizard snoozing away at the kitchen table.
"Wanna take his spot, Gray"? Lucy offered, turning to the Ice Make wizard sitting at her desk.
Gray simply grunted in reply as he looked over a stack of papers in hand.
"You should, it was so relaxing", Erza said blissfully as she sat on Lucy's bed, clad in nothing but a pink towel with another secured over her hair.
"Geez, glad you all feel so comfortable", Lucy deadpanned.
"I suppose I should get dressed", Erza said, noting Lucy's statement.
In a flash of light, Erza used her magic to requip into a set of lavender pajamas with purple Heart Kruz symbols.
"Is that really how you change your clothes"?! Lucy said in surprise.
Before Erza could answer, there came a loud knock at the door. Everyone turned towards the front door with a serious or anxious expression. Even Natsu had woken up from the sound. Being the owner of the house (or at least the closest thing to it since she was renting), Lucy slowly made her way to the door. Instinctively, she took out a frying pan lying on one of the shelves. As she grasped the handle, she looked over at her friends who stood behind her. Each of them gave her a nod, indicating that they had her back.
Replying with a nod of her own, the blonde haired mage took a deep breath and quickly opened the door and swung the frying pan she held outward with a loud cry of conviction.
"KYAAAAAA"!
CLANG!
The metal pan made a loud sound as it collided with the one behind the door. Having shut her eyes out of instinct, Lucy opened them to see she that her hit had been blocked by that of a familiar figure, who was less than pleased by the greeting.
"Well, it's nice to know I can always count on you for a warm welcome, blondie", Yusuke muttered as he held back the frying pan with the palm of his hand.
"Y-Yusuke"? Lucy said in surprise.
Realizing her mistake, Lucy quickly retracted the frying pan and stepped out of the way so the Spirit Detective could enter.
"How did you find out where I live"? Lucy asked in disbelief.
"I checked back with Mira before everyone went home", Yusuke explained as he closed the door, "She wanted me to check in with you guys when I had the chance, so she told me where your apartment was. Though in hindsight, if I'd known you were gonna try to clobber me with a frying pan when I came to visit, I would've said no".
"Uhhh, sorry about that", Lucy said sheepishly, "I guess we're all a little on edge".
"No surprise there", Yusuke replied as he took off his jacket and set it on the coat rack by the door.
"Did you find anything"? Erza asked.
"Are those Phantom Lord punks still out there"? Gray inquired.
"Yeah man, tell us"! Natsu insisted.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! One at a time"! Yusuke said, holding a hand up, "I just walked through the front door for crying out loud"!
The Spirit Detective sighed as he collected his thoughts.
"Blondie, would ya mind putting on a pot of coffee? It's been a long night and I got a feeling it's not over yet", Yusuke asked.
"Huh? Oh, sure", Lucy said, heading towards the kitchen.
Later, after sitting down at the table next to Natsu, who had promptly went back to sleep, Yusuke let out a long sigh as he began to address his teammates.
"Well so far, I haven't managed to find anything", Yusuke began, "I spoke to everyone in town. Those friggin' Phantom punks covered their tracks but good. They made sure to strike when everyone in town was asleep. That way there'd be no witnesses".
"Makes sense", Lucy said, approaching the table with a mug and a fresh pot of coffee, "So, what did you mean when you said that it wasn't over yet? What isn't over yet, exactly"?
She set the mug in front of Yusuke and poured some of the steaming dark liquid into it.
"Thanks", Yusuke said, taking the mug and blowing off some of the steam emanating from it, "Anyway, to answer your question, if they're still around, then I got a hunch that those "renovations" that they did to the guild hall was just a warmup".
As Yusuke took a sip from his mug, Lucy sat down at the table in front of him, rather distressed at Yusuke's theory.
"Do you have any idea why Phantom attacked us out of the blue like that"? Lucy asked, turning to Erza.
"I'm afraid not", Erza replied, "We've had our fair share of scuffles with them in the past, but nothing of this magnitude before".
"If Gramps wasn't so scared of 'em, we could wipe out those punks once and for all", Natsu muttered, having woken up from his sleep.
"Since when are you awake"? Lucy asked as a sweat drop formed on her head.
"Come on, Natsu, you know Master isn't afraid of them", Gray said in defense, "You seem to be forgetting he's one of the Ten Wizard Saints".
"Wizard Saints"? Yusuke repeated curiously.
"I never gave you permission to read that"! Lucy shouted in surprise, swiping the stack of papers out of Gray's clutches.
"You can't just snatch it outta my hands without at least telling me what happens next"! Gray complained.
"Yes, I can", Lucy said, holding the manuscript close, "I promised Levy she'd be the first to read it, so you're just going to have wait".
Out of the blue, Erza held out her hand towards Lucy, as if expecting her to hand over the manuscript.
"You're not getting it either"! Lucy responded.
"Okay, whoa, back up", Yusuke said, "What are these Ten Wizard Saints? How does a wizard become a saint to begin with"?
"They're not actually saints, per se", Erza explained, turning to Yusuke, "It's an honor bestowed by the Magic Council. An extremely coveted title shared by the 10 most powerful wizards on the continent".
"Really"? Lucy said in disbelief.
"And the old man's one of them"? Yusuke asked, just as surprised, "Wow, and for someone as old as he is to still maintain a title like that, he's must be more badass than I originally thought".
"That's putting it mildly", Happy said, "And not only that, Phantom Lord's Master Jose is one of them too".
"That's true, and so is he", Erza thought, her mind drifting back to a certain blue haired individual.
"I get it now", Yusuke said, taking a sip from his mug, "If two of the most powerful wizards recognized by the council were to duke it out, it'd cause a lot of damage. Both to the wizard's cities, and their guilds' reps. No wonder the old man was drowning his sorrows. If he didn't, he'd up and lose his temper".
SLAM!
Everyone turned their attention to Natsu, who had gotten up and slammed his hand against the table.
"He is afraid"! Natsu insisted, "He's scared that Phantom has too many members for us to handle"!
"Could you please use your inside voice"? Lucy squeaked nervously.
"That's not true and you know it", Gray said, leaning forward in his chair, "It's just like Yusuke said, the consequences of us going to war with Phantom are nowhere near worth the fight. The order of the magical world is at stake here"!
"Which is why it's be best to wait until Yusuke can gather some evidence that will convict Phantom of their treachery", Erza added.
"But I still don't understand why", Lucy said, stepping in, "Are they really that strong"?
"They ain't got nothing on us", Natsu scoffed, smirking as he glanced at Lucy, "We can take those clowns".
"No", Erza interjected, "If we were to engage them in battle, neither guild would survive. They're strength equals ours".
Everyone listened closely as Erza explained her reasoning further.
"Phantom's Master Jose is also one of the Ten Wizard Saints, which means his power rivals that of Makarov's", she continued, "They also have an elite group of wizards similar to our S-Class known as the Element 4".
"Hold on, I remember this", Yusuke interrupted, "S-class wizards are especially powerful and talented wizards, and you're one of them, right"?
"Yes", Erza confirmed, nodding her head.
"And Phantom's got 4 guys that are just as powerful as one"? Yusuke said in disbelief.
"Yes, I'm afraid so", Erza said with a nod, "However, their strongest asset may be Black Steel Gajeel. I believe he's most likely the one behind the Guild Hall's destruction".
"Hmm, Black Steel, huh"? Yusuke said thoughtfully, cupping his chin, "Well that explains all those metal pillars. If that ain't a calling card, I don't know what is".
"What's more, he's known as the Iron Dragon Slayer", Erza said, adding to her explanation.
Yusuke nearly choked on his coffee as the information was relayed.
"Say WHAT"?! He cried out in disbelief.
"He's a Dragon Slayer too"?! Lucy said, just as surprised, "I thought Natsu was the only one"!
Natsu simply scoffed ruefully in reply.
"So, if he's the Iron Dragon Slayer does that mean he eats iron"? Lucy inquired.
"A bit out there, but it's not the craziest theory", Yusuke said, downing the last of the coffee in his mug.
All of the sudden, Yusuke suddenly felt a tingling sensation emanating from the back of his head. He could only guess that it was his Spirit Awareness acting up. He couldn't tell what it was trying to tell him, but he knew one thing was for sure; something was happening. Something bad. Deciding to play it cool, he slowly stood up from his seat and headed for the front door.
"I'd better get back out there", Yusuke said, grabbing his jacket, "I want to make one last sweep of the town before the trail's completely cold".
"Are you sure you don't want any help"? Lucy asked, walking up to him.
"Don't worry, I'll send Puu in case things get too hairy", Yusuke replied as he put his jacket back on, "Nice place ya got, blondie, and thanks for the coffee".
"Anytime", Lucy said with a smile.
"Yusuke", Erza said, getting the Spirit Detective's attention, "Be on your guard".
"Always", Yusuke replied with a smirk as he opened the door.
And with that, Yusuke exited the house, and headed back down the street. Once he was a good ways away from the apartment, he started picking up the pace. As his brisk walk turned into a run, he kept his focus on where his Spirit Awareness was leading him. Using the feeling as a kind of radar, he kept on the path as it led him further into town. The next thing he knew, he landed face first on the ground.
"Agh"! Yusuke groaned as he rubbed the sore part of his face, "What the hell was that"?!
He looked around to see a small discarded pocket-sized book on the ground where he tripped.
"What kind of careless schmuck would leave a book lying around in the middle of the..."?
Before Yusuke could finish his thought, he suddenly noticed that the book lay in a pile of scattered shreds of cloth. There were also some dried blood stains among them. This particular sight made Yusuke's entire stomach do a somersault. Picking up the book, he flipped through the pages until he came to the table of contents, where the words "Property of Levy McGarden"were written in cursive.
"Levy", Yusuke said as his eyes widened in surprise, "I got a bad feeling about this".
"Puu"!
Yusuke's train of thought was diverted to a familiar cry. Hearing the sound of beating wings, he turned around to see Puu setting down behind him.
"You find something, boy"? Yusuke asked expectantly.
Magnolia South Gate Park
As the moon ascended higher in the icy dark blue sky, the once proud Team Shadowgear lay beneath the large Sola Tree, beaten and unconscious. Standing over them, revealing a wicked sharp toothed grin, was a young muscular man with long, black hair that was spiked up. He wore a black, sleeveless tunic with silver studded edges, a pair of white pants, and studded black boots. His face was also covered in studs; three of them above each of his eyes, two on both sides of his nose, and two on his chin. He also had a set of five earrings each ear. On his right shoulder was a black wing-like ornament that jutted upwards. This was Gajeel Redfox, the Iron Dragon Slayer. Better known by his wizard's name as "Black Steel".
Gajeel's bestial smile widened as he finished painting a strange mark on Levy's stomach.
"Alright, time to add some decorations to this old tree", he said in a low sinister tone.
Just as he reached down to pick Levy up, he was suddenly taken off guard by a large gale of wind that nearly made him lose his balance. Turning around, he could see a large birdlike beast glaring at him as it flapped its' wings, sending a strong breeze his way.
"What the"? Gajeel muttered in surprise, "The hell are you supposed to be"?!
"A distraction, dumbass".
POW!
Before Gajeel knew it, he suddenly felt a fist collide with the left side of his face. Growling as he shook off the blow, he turned to see a certain individual with slicked back hair, standing defensively in front of the fallen Fairy Tail members. Fortune had smiled upon Team Shadowgear that night. Because the Spirit Detective was on the scene, just in time.
"Finally found you, ya shifty bastard", Yusuke said in a stern tone.
"You must be one of the newest losers to join Fairy Tail", Gajeel said, grinning impishly.
"And I take it you're the Phantom jerkoff who redecorated our guild hall", Yusuke assumed, "Black Steel Gajeel".
"That's right, and if you think that was bad", Gajeel replied getting into a fighting stance, "Just wait 'til I'm finished with YOU"!
Upon making that last statement, Gajeel charged at Yusuke, his fist reaching back, ready to strike. The taller and more imposing member of Phantom swung at him with a left hook which Yusuke quickly dodged and blocked a proceeding punch.
"How'd you know where to find me"?! Gajeel growled as he leapt away from Yusuke.
"Let's just say I have a knack for sniffing out slime"! Yusuke grunted as he went on the offensive and ran towards Gajeel.
Yusuke then proceeded to throw punch after punch at Gajeel, who in turn blocked or dodged. The Iron Dragon Slayer then came in with a punch of his own, but Yusuke was quick to dodge. As Yusuke sidestepped the punch that followed, he crouched low and knocked Gajeel off his feet with a leg sweep. Wasting no time, Yusuke forced Gajeel onto his knees, using one arm to put the enemy wizard in a one arm choke hold and the other to put pin Gajeel's arm behind his back, all the while using his legs to push his weight onto his opponent. As of now, it seemed as if the Spirit Detective had the member of Phantom on the ropes.
"Urk! Oh yeah, I forgot, Master Jose said they added some hotshot detective to their ranks", Gajeel growled as he fought against the rather intense hold Yusuke had on his arm, "Honestly didn't think you'd catch up to me this quick".
"Where the hell do you get off ganging up on people when their guards' down"? Yusuke asked bitterly, as he felt Gajeel slowly rise to get to his feet, all the while struggling to keep his hold on the larger man's neck and arm, "Is that how you get your rocks off, ya sick fuck"?!
"Nah, that was pure business", Gajeel replied snidely as he stood up, which consequently lifted Yusuke off the ground by a couple inches, "This is what I do to get my rocks off"!
Yanking his arm free out of Yusuke's grip, Gajeel then proceeded to reach back and grab the arm Yusuke still had around his neck with both hands. Using a fair amount of strength, he then flipped Yusuke over, releasing the grip he had on the Iron Dragon Slayer, sending him flying over his shoulder. Landing on his back with a loud thud, Yusuke barely had time to register the pain as he saw Gajeel standing over him and watched in surprise as his arm suddenly become covered in a coat of metal, his fingers turning into sharp claws.
"Say goodnight, loser"! Gajeel exclaimed, reaching back and aiming his metal claws straight at Yusuke.
Thinking fast, Yusuke quickly rolled out of the way just as Gajeel's clawed hand made contact with the ground. Getting up on one knee, Yusuke looked on with a semi shocked expression as he saw the enemy wizards' sharpened fingers pull back, taking a large chunk of the earth with them.
"So it's true, your magic does allow you to turn your body into metal", Yusuke observed as he got to his feet.
"That's right, Detective", Gajeel said as the large chunk of the ground broke off into pieces and fell from his hand, "I'm an Iron Dragon Slayer, which means I'm basically a walking arsenal. Which is also another way of saying you're SCREWED"!
Gajeel chuckled maliciously as he ran towards Yusuke, his metal clawed hand eager to cut the Spirit Detective to ribbons. But Yusuke was not undaunted, and the moment he saw the enemy mage run toward him, he slowly stuck out his right index finger and thumb. Extending his right arm, he grabbed his wrist as he took aim at Gajeel. As a familiar humming sound filled the air, Gajeel watched in surprise as a small blue light emanated from the tip of Yusuke's finger.
BANG!
In the blink of an eye, Yusuke fired off a large blast of Spirit Energy the size of a basketball that flew straight towards Gajeel. Before Gajeel could even duck, the blast quickly found its' target, hitting the Iron Dragon Slayer dead in the center of his forehead. The man known as Black Steel cried out in pain as he felt the impact and fell backwards onto the ground. Feeling the warm sensation of blood run down his face, Gajeel clutched his forehead in pain.
"Piece of advice, dipshit", Yusuke said as he held up his steaming finger, "Never bring a knife to a gun fight".
Gajeel chuckled as he got back to his feet, wiping away the blood as he stood up. The older man was quick to catch on to Yusuke's actions. That blast was certainly strong, but not so strong as to put him out of commission, let alone kill him. The kid wasn't trying to kill, but get his attention.
"Pulling your punches in the middle of a fight"? Gajeel said with a smirk, "The hell makes you think you got the luxury of pulling a stunt like that"?!
"So you did notice", Yusuke said in realization, "Fine then, you're right. I deliberately lowballed the power on that shot. Just wanted to show you that I could end this fight right now and reduce you to a steaming pile of rust. That is, if you didn't give in to my demands".
"Which are"? Gajeel said, suddenly intrigued.
"You either crawl back to your hole, or I lay you on your back and send you there in a body cast by express mail myself", Yusuke threatened, priming his Spirit Gun for another blast.
As the Spirit Detective took aim once again, he could tell that Gajeel was giving it some thought. After what seemed like an eternity, the Iron Dragon Slayer let out a halfhearted scoff.
"You're a pushy little bastard, ain't ya"? Gajeel said, putting his hands on his hips, "But after that little exchange, I can tell you're no slouch. I only came here to send a message anyway, not get into a big punch 'em up with a lowly Fairy like you".
Yusuke's glare towards Gajeel intensified, but he remained silent as he continued.
"I'm gonna let you go for now, but only for now", Gajeel said with a frown, "The next time we clash, you can bet your ass I'm gonna settle the score".
"Anytime you're ready, tin man", Yusuke replied morosely.
"Heh, you and the rest of your little Fairy friends better watch yourselves", Gajeel warned as he reached into his pocket, "Your days are numbered, detective".
Without warning, Gajeel then pulled out a black orb and threw it on the ground, which exploded on impact and released a huge smokescreen that engulfed the area. Yusuke covered his face as the smoke filled the air and he found himself coughing up a storm. As the smoke began to settle, he looked around to see that Gajeel had disappeared. The Spirit Detective sighed as he felt the weight began to lift off his shoulders.
Turning his attention back to his downed associates, he checked Jet and Droy and found that they were both still breathing. Going over to Levy next, he knelt down and slowly tried to bring her out of her unconscious state, if only just for a second.
"Levy"? He said, lightly shaking her shoulders, "Levy! Hey, Bookworm! Rise and shine"!
Levy simply let out a soft but audible groan in reply.
"Well at least you're not dead, so that's a plus", Yusuke said.
He looked over to see Puu land in front of him. The large Spirit Beast edged over to his master and looked down at the downed members of Fairy Tail with worry.
"Puu"? He said with a sad frown.
"Don't worry, buddy, they're gonna be okay", Yusuke reassured, "But we gotta get 'em outta here first".
He then hoisted up Levy and carried her like a bride.
"Alright sleeping beauty, let's get you and your friends to the hospital", Yusuke said as he gently placed the blue haired wizard on Puu's back.
Magnolia Hospital – The Next Day
Yusuke had stayed with them at the hospital throughout the night, in case anyone else from Phantom had decided to pay them visit. Hour after hour, he kept a constant vigil on his downed guildmates. It was right before dawn when he had subsequently dozed off, having finally given in to the exhaustion he felt from his previous search through the city last night, as well the fight he had with Gajeel. Seeing his Master was unable to alert the others by peering through the hospital room's window, Puu took off to find the rest of his master's team.
Later, at Lucy's apartment, Fairy Tail's strongest team all awoke to the loud sound of something tapping at the window. While the rest groaned and tried to ignore it, Lucy reluctantly opened her eyes as she became aware to the noise.
"Huh"? She groaned.
Feeling something beside her, she comically shrieked as she found Natsu curled up next to her.
"Kyaah! Get out of my bed"! She cried as she pushed Natsu off.
Though still asleep, the pink haired mage groaned as he hit the floor. Lucy huffed as she suddenly looked around to find a large set of eyes staring at her.
"Gyaaahaaa"! She shrieked, "What the-Puu"?!
As her eyes adjusted to the sight, she got a clearer picture of Puu. Lucy frowned as she quickly saw the distress in his eyes.
"Hey! Guys, wake up"! She exclaimed.
Everyone groaned as they stirred from their slumber
"Ugh, morning already"? Gray moaned.
"Five more minutes", Natsu groaned.
"There's no time, Natsu"! Lucy said, slipping on some shoes and heading towards the door, "Puu's outside! He's looking for us"!
"What"? Erza said, now fully awakened upon hearing Lucy's revelation.
After requipping into her Heart Kruz armor, Erza shook the others awake while Lucy went outside to see Puu.
"Puu, what are you doing here"? Lucy asked, "What's wrong"?
"Puu! Puu, Puu"! Puu exclaimed in a worried tone.
"Is there some kind of trouble? Did something happen"? Lucy asked, still not sure of the large avian's intention.
Erza and the others soon followed and saw Lucy with Puu.
"What's going on"? Natsu yawned as he rubbed his eyes.
"Puu seems really upset, but I don't know why", Lucy explained, "Guys, I think something must've happened while we were all asleep".
The others stared at Lucy with surprised expressions as they heard her theory. Erza, regaining her stoic composure, walked up to Puu. The large birdlike spirit beast leaned his head down and looked her in the eyes with a pleading expression on his face. The red-haired mage nodded as she patted the side of his head.
"I think Puu wants to take us somewhere", Erza said, "Happy, find Makarov while the rest of us go with Puu".
"Aye, sir"! Happy said as he formed his wings and took off.
"Alright, everyone get on", Erza ordered as she got on Puu's back with Lucy following suite.
"Aww man, I was hoping we could get breakfast first", Natsu whined.
"Come on, Natsu! We can eat later! This is important"! Gray said as he too climbed onto Puu.
Natsu grumbled as he reluctantly got on the large Spirit Beast. With one part of the job done, Puu flapped his wings and, once he had ascended into the air, he flew them straight back in the direction of the hospital.
Magnolia Hospital – Later
Upon reaching the hospital, the 4 wizards headed inside. They were led into the room were Yusuke, who had just woken up, sat in a chair as he stared out the window. But what truly got their attention was the sight of Team Shadowgear, badly injured, laying in 3 separate hospital beds. Lucy, Gray, and Erza all gasped in surprised, while Natsu growled in outrage at the sight of his three injured friends.
"Levy"! Lucy cried.
"Jet! Droy"! Gray said in disbelief.
Natsu clenched his teeth tightly as his blood continued to boil.
"Phantom Lord did this", Natsu seethed.
The Pink haired mage looked over at Yusuke, who stood there silently as he looked back over at the bed ridden members of Fairy Tail.
"Didn't they"? Natsu growled, questioning Yusuke.
The Spirit Detective simply nodded in reply, frowning as he did so. The room grew silent as the sound of footsteps approaching could be heard. Approaching the beds was none other than Makarov, with Happy following suite.
"Master", Erza said sullenly, without turning around.
Yusuke noted that Makarov had now abandoned his usual attire. He now wore a pair of black pants and a white fur lined coat with the symbol of the Ten Wizard Saints emblazoned on the back. He also carried a walking stick. With the Master now here, Yusuke had felt obliged to speak.
"It was Black Steel", Yusuke said, "He ambushed them and was going to make a spectacle of them by hanging them on the Sola Tree like they were freakin' ornaments. I got there in time to stop him, but he got away. I know you said not to fight, but...".
"No", Makarov said in a low but reassuring voice, "You did the right thing, Yusuke. I will not fault one of my children for standing up for friends in need".
While Yusuke did not particularly feel warm to the familial terms, he nodded his head in acknowledgement.
"I can take our headquarters being reduced to rubble, but I will NOT let harm come to my children without taking revenge"! Makarov growled as he crushed the cane in his grip.
Yusuke's eyes widened as a golden light began to shine from the old guild master. He could instantly feel the power radiating from him.
"This power", he thought, "He just may be stronger than Genkai was at that age".
With an angry scowl spread across his face, Makarov's next statement was clear and concise.
"We have no choice but to go to war"!
...
The news soon spread from one guild member to the next, until finally the entire guild was aware of the oncoming war with Phantom Lord. It was decided everyone would participate in the assault on Phantom Lord's guild hall. Everyone, that is, except Lucy. Feeling the need stay behind and look after her fallen friends, she opted out of going with them. Later in the day, she returned to Magnolia Hospital, now dressed in a white sleeveless sweater over a short sleeved pink collared shirt, a blue skirt, and black boots. She had her hair tied back into a side ponytail which was secured by a blue ribbon. As she kept her vigil, she couldn't help but feel saddened by the sight of her fallen friends.
"Droy...Jet...and poor Levy", Lucy said sadly, "Phantom Lord is heartless, how could they do this"?
The blonde wizard thought back to her initial encounter with Team Shadowgear. They were so energetic and full of life as anyone from Fairy Tail would be. She remembered how encouraging and supportive they were of her ambition to be a writer. It was because of that that she ended up promising Levy she'd be the first to read the novel she was working on. She then thought back to the Changeling incident, and how hard the bluenette mage worked to get her and her friends back to normal.
"What they've done is unforgivable", Lucy sobbed as tears streamed down her face, "They're gonna pay...".
"Damn right they will".
Lucy gasped as she looked up to see Yusuke standing in the doorway. In place of the brown leather jacket that he had on earlier in the day, the Spirit Detective was now wearing a red jacket with yellow tinted cuffs and collar over a white shirt, along with pale blue jeans and white sneakers.
"Y-Yusuke", she said in surprise, "What are you doing here"?
"We're all about to make our way to the Phantom Lord guild", Yusuke explained, "Just wanted to stop by before we headed out".
As he casted a glance at each of the Team Shadowgear's beds, Lucy could notice the pity and conviction in Yusuke's eyes.
"You didn't need to do that, y'know", Lucy said hesitantly.
"I know", Yusuke said.
As he shut his eyes, he turned towards the door to leave. But before he did, he turned his head slightly to look back at the celestial wizard.
"Lucy...", he began.
The blonde in question looked up at him in surprise. For the first time since his arrival, he actually used her name.
"Don't worry", he continued, "We're gonna win. I'll make sure of it".
Lucy said nothing as she took in Yusuke's words. Swallowing the lump formed in her throat, she nodded.
"I know you will", she replied with assured confidence, "Good luck".
Yusuke nodded in reply and, without saying another word, exited the room, leaving Lucy to look after her fallen guildmates once more.
"He actually said...", Lucy began.
The young wizard suddenly found herself smiling, suddenly remembering Erza's words. Though the situation remained grim, it was the Spirit Detective's small gesture that brought a sense of comfort to her.
"Maybe he's not so bad after all", she said to herself.
Oak Town – Later that day
Oak Town, located in the northeast corner of Fiore, was home to many historic buildings, but the one that stood out from all of them was the Phantom Lord guild. The guild hall, which was itself a large stone castle like building, dwarfed the rest of the buildings in town by a good length. Inside said guild hall, the members of Phantom Lord were all celebrating. The occasion was Gajeel's victory over the three Fairy Tail members, along with the demolishment of their guild hall.
"We can't let 'em have all the fun", said one member.
"Yeah, we oughta go pick off a couple of Fairy wings ourselves", another said in agreement as he chuckled sinisterly.
As they approached the exit, the front doors were suddenly blown off the hinges in an explosion of fire, sending the three wizards flying back. The members of Phantom all turned their attention to the front door. As the smoke cleared, they were met with the sight of one very pissed off Natsu Dragneel.
Behind him were Erza, Yusuke, Gray, and the rest of the Fairy Tail guild.
"Knock knock, bitches", Yusuke quipped bitterly.
"FAIRY TAIL HAS COME CALLING"! Shouted Makarov.
A group of Phantom Lord members immediately charged at Natsu, all of them letting loose their own battle cry, but the pink haired mage was not frightened. As soon as they were close, Natsu let loose a stream of flames that blasted them back.
"Alright! Who wants to play with fire"?! Natsu exclaimed.
Several other Phantom members roared in response. Next up to make a move was the Spirit Detective himself.
"Time to thin the herd", Yusuke muttered, grasping his right arm.
As another wave of Phantoms charged, Yusuke slowly pulled back his arm, preparing his attack.
"Haven't had much time to work on this one, but hey, no time like the present", Yusuke thought, "May not have worked on Yomi, but it should do the trick against these low-level jackasses. As for names, I guess I'll go with...".
Just as the Phantom Lord members were only a foot away, Yusuke unleashed his attack.
"Gatling"!
With a loud grunt, Yusuke forced his fist out, letting loose a focused continuous volley of Spirit Gun bullets straight forward at the oncoming members of Phantom.
"Whoa! Was that a new take on his Shotgun move"? Alzack said looking away from his own fight.
"No way, that blast was way too focused to be the Shotgun", Bisca noted, using her magic to call forth a sniper rifle, "The firing rate was steady and repetitive, too. Like a Machine Gun".
"Hence the "Gatling" designation", Alzack said in realization, "You sure got range, kid! Nice one"!
"Thanks! You can praise me more after we win"! Yusuke said as another Phantom Lord member came at him.
Yusuke was quick to respond and knocked him to the ground with a Spirit Punch.
"That all ya got, punk"?! Yusuke raged.
Meanwhile, Macoa and Wakaba had gotten into the fight as well.
"Purple Net"!
Summoning forth a purple magic seal, Macao used his magic to cast a set of purple fire that ensnared several Phantom members.
"Now Wakaba"! He said turning to the wizard in question.
"On it"! Replied the fellow older member of Fairy Tail, "Here comes, Smoke Crush"!
Using his magic, the pompadour haired wizard's pipe let out several streams of pink smoke which took the form of fists, which all promptly slammed into several other Phantom Lord wizards. After knocking another Phantom Lord wizard out, Yusuke looked to see a swarm of them heading straight towards Alzack.
"Watch out"! Yusuke cried.
"Don't fret, rookie", Alzack said spinning his gun on one finger, "Watch and learn how a seasoned gunslinger gets the job done. Guns Magic"!
Alzack then fired bullet after bullet at the charging Phantom Lord wizards, a blue magic seal appearing on all of them as each of his projectiles hit their mark. Each of them fell to the ground as a wave of electricity surged through them.
"That one's my Spark Shot", Alzack said, triumphantly holding up his gun as he stood over them.
"Heh, not bad, Lone Ranger", Yusuke quipped, "Oh shit! Behind you"!
Hearing his warning, Alzack looked around to see a Phantom Lord member with dark sunglasses coming up behind him.
"Eat this"! He said as he came up to the Guns Magic wizard with a glowing fist.
Yusuke gathered a great deal of Spirit Energy in his finger and was about to fire off his Spirit Gun at Alzack's would be attacker. But, just as he took aim..
BANG!
The Phantom Wizard was suddenly knocked away by a green magic bullet. Both Yusuke and Alzack looked up to see Bisca perched up on a higher platform, holding her sniper rifle.
"Heh, guess it pays to have a sniper in your corner", Yusuke said with a grin.
"Nice shooting, Bisca", Alzack said gratefully.
"Gettin' a little rusty there, Al", Bisca teased playfully, "Hey Yusuke, you're gonna love this next one".
The green haired sharpshooter then took aim with her rifle.
"Locked on target", she said, staring into the scope which had a green magic seal appear on one end.
All the enemies within the scope were all marked with a similar magic seal.
"Homing Shot"!
Bisca then fired a bullet which promptly took out all the marked targets in a blast of green magic energy.
"Whoa"! Yusuke said in amazement, "I think I know what I wanna learn for my next lesson"!
"I'll be sure to do that once this is over", Bisca replied with a smile.
Meanwhile, another swarm of Phantom Wizards surrounded Makarov. But much like his "children", the old guild master wasn't even close to being afraid. He stood there calmly with his eyes closed and his arms crossed as they charged forward. Suddenly, Makarov opened his eyes, allowing everyone to see a bright golden light shining out of them. Then, before anyone could even blink, the ground began to shake as Makarov suddenly grew sixty feet tall. The giant guld master of Fairy Tail then slammed his palm down onto the floor, pinning a few Phantom mages underneath, all of them staring up at him with fear in their eyes.
"Holy SHIT"! Yusuke said in disbelief as he saw the old man's transformation.
"He's...a monster"! One of the mage's pinned beneath his hand said fearfully.
"AND YOU WOULD DARE TO LAY YOUR HANDS ON THIS MONSTER'S CHILDREN"! Makarov roared, his voice having become distorted and echoing as his eyes glowed with anger, "ARE YOU FOOLISH ENOUGH TO THINK HUMAN LAWS WILL PROTECT YOU FROM MY RAGE"?!
All the Phantom Wizards who were watching couldn't believe what they saw. All of them were either scared beyond rational thought or in complete shock. Some were a little bit of both.
"He's so powerful"!
"All the members are strong too"!
"Yeah and they're totally nuts"!
After shaking off his surprise at the old man's display of power, Yusuke suddenly remembered something he had planned from earlier. With the master now getting into the fight, he figured now was as good a time as any. He turned to Erza and Gray as he saw them bring down more enemy Phantom wizards.
"Alright guys, there's something I gotta do", Yusuke said, "I hate to duck out on the action but this is where we split up".
"What?! You're really gonna ditch us in the middle of all this"?! Gray asked in angry disbelief.
"This isn't the time for you to be going solo, Yusuke"! Erza added, "The whole guild needs to be here if we're going to win this battle"!
"Hey, if I stay here, then we've all had it", Yusuke said seriously, "If my plan doesn't get off the ground, there won't be any guild for us to go back to"!
"What are you talking about"? Gray said confused.
"I'll tell you later. Right now, I need you guys to give me some covering fire while I go look for where they keep their records", Yusuke explained, "Look, I know I haven't given you guys much reason to trust me since I've been here, but bigger things are happening right now. So just, for now, trust in me when I say that I'm going to do right by all of you. Alright"?
Gray and Erza both exchanged a rather pensive look. It was true; Yusuke's past actions didn't give them much to work with. But as things were now, they couldn't afford to hesitate. Yusuke may have always been rough around the edges, but ever since he helped Romeo, Erza knew that there was a side to Yusuke that, despite his attitude towards the world, still knew right from wrong. After much thought, Erza decided that, just this once, she would put her faith in the Spirit Detective.
"Alright then, don't let us down", Erza said reluctantly.
"But Erza", Gray began.
"The time to argue is over, Gray", Erza said in a firm tone, "We can't afford to mistrust our allies in a time like this".
Erza then turned to Yusuke.
"Wait for my signal, then make for the clearing that we'll provide for you", Erza instructed.
"Got it", Yusuke said with a nod.
"Alright Gray, let's clear a path", Erza said, requipping two twin swords into her hands.
"Don't let us down, Yusuke", Gray said as he got into a stance, placing his fist over his palm.
"Just leave it to me, Popsicle", Yusuke replied with a smirk.
With a loud battle cry, Erza ran straight forward a group of oncoming attackers and swung both her swords, causing them all to scatter.
"Guys! Give Yusuke some cover"! Gray said shouting to some of the other Fairy Tail wizards.
"Oui"! Reedus said, holding up his paint palette.
As the rotund wizard quickly used his brush to sketch a bunch of different colored boars over his stomach, he used his magic to bring them to life.
"Picto Magic! Nature, Run Wild"!
All the boars on his stomach sprung forth and attacked the oncoming wave of Phantom Lord Wizards.
"On it"! Laki said moving forward.
The Lavender haired wizard took a stance similar to Gray's as a light brown seal appeared in front of her.
"Wood Make Magic: Dam of Shy Love"!
Using her magic, multiple weapon-shaped blocks of wood to erupted from the ground, knocking several other enemy Phantom Lord members off balance.
"What the hell kind of a name is THAT"? Yusuke muttered as a drop of sweat ran down his forehead.
"I got your back, Yusuke"! Happy said, flying forward, "Don't forget"!
The little blue cat quickly flew out of the way of several Phantom Wizards, causing them to run into each other. Happy followed that up using two large fish as melee weapons against several others.
"I'm a wizard, too"! Happy said triumphantly, standing over several defeated enemies, "You got a problem with that"?!
"Of course not, sir", said one of the downed wizards.
"Heh, not bad, furball", Yusuke said with a smirk.
Using his ice magic, Gray then froze the floor in front of him, which in turn made a bunch of Phantom wizards to trip. After seeing a considerable number of them had fallen, Erza knew it was time for Yusuke to make his move.
"Yusuke! The path's clear"! Erza shouted to Yusuke.
"Oui! Now's your chance"! Reedus said readying another sketch on his stomach.
"We'll take care of things here"! Laki added as she and Reedus stood back-to-back.
"You better not make fools out of us, Yusuke", Gray said seriously.
"Don't worry, you don't need my help to do that, ice princess", Yusuke joked as he made his way past the downed enemies.
"Yeah, yeah", Gray said waving him off, "Just do what you gotta do then hurry back here as quick as you can"!
As Yusuke made his way through the clearing and down the corridor, the battle back in the main hall raged on.
"JOSE! SHOW YOURSELF"! Makarov bellowed.
As Erza charged forth, she quickly requipped into her Flame Empress Armor. Letting loose a battle cry, she swung her flaming sword at a group of Phantom mages, who were immediately burned by the fire coming off it.
"TELL ME! Where are Gajeel and the Element 4"?! She demanded.
Meanwhile, up in the rafters of the guild hall stood a familiar figure. Gajeel couldn't help but smile at the ongoing battle, gauging the power of all the individual members of Fairy Tail from their fighting. He had to admit, he was somewhat impressed, specifically by Erza and Makarov in particular.
"Ah, the legend herself, Titania Erza", he sneered, "I guess Laxus and Mystogen are too scared to play, or do they not care"?
The Iron Dragon Slayer then turned his head to see Yusuke making his way to the inner corridors of the guild hall just before he ducked out of sight.
"And the Detective's here too", he observed, "Wonder where he's rushing off to? Hmph, doesn't really matter, I'll still settle the score with that little runt. Either way, Master Jose knew exactly how this was gonna go down. Looks like they're pretty good fighters...for a bunch of scumbags".
Back down on the floor, the battle between Fairies and Phantoms continued. As a bunch of spellcasters launched a wave of spells, it caused a great explosion of flames. All of which were consumed by Natsu, which caught them offguard.
"Oh yeah", he said with a wicked grin, "Now I've got a fire in my belly"!
"No way! He just ate fire"! Cried one of the Phantom mages.
"You don't think that he's one of those"!? Exclaimed another.
"I'm gonna blow you away"! Natsu shouted, cupping his hands together over his mouth.
A red orange circle appeared in front of him as he unleashed his attack.
"Fire Dragon's Roar"!
Natsu then let loose a huge torrent of flames from his mouth which engulfed all the Phantom mages in front of them, sending them all flying back and covered with burns.
Gray, who had lost his shirt somewhere during the fight, placed his fist on top of his palm and fired off an attack of his own.
"Ice Make: Lance"!
Using his ice magic, Gray created a series of ice lances that shot out at a bunch of surrounding Phantom Mages, sending them careening back.
Erza had requipped into her Black Wing Armor. Flying through the air, she lashed out at her enemies with her sword, knocking them down as if they were nothing.
"Wood Make Magic: The Distance between the Two is Forever"!
Laki used her wood magic to create a series of giant wooden feet that shot up from the floor, scattering more of the enemy wizards.
"Guns Magic: Mud Shot"!
Alzack fired off a blast of mud from his gun that pinned several Phantom members to the wall. Bisca, who traded her sniper rifle for a shotgun.
"Magic Shotgun: Wideshot"!
The green haired sharpshooter then fired a widespread blast that took out another swarm of Phantom mages. Several other Phantoms found themselves frozen or burned as Natsu and Gray stood back-to-back.
"You're not doing too bad for a snowman", Natsu joked.
"I could say the same about you, ya pyro", Gray replied with a smirk.
"We got 'em right where we want 'em, don't we"? Wakaba said as he, Erza, Cana, Loke, and Macao all stood together.
"You betcha", Macao replied.
"Erza"!
The red-haired wizard looked up to see Makarov atop a staircase leading to one of the upper levels knocking back enemies left and right.
"I'll leave the rabble to you"! He said.
"Yes sir"! Erza said.
Makarov walked towards a large set of doors, his serious face reflecting his conviction.
"Jose must be lurking somewhere on the top floor", Makarov said to himself, "When I find him, there'll be hell to pay"!
The old guild master then used his magic to blast down the doors and promptly made his way through the opening.
"Please be careful", Erza said softly, "You too, Yusuke, wherever you are".
Meanwhile, the mentioned Spirit Detective was still running down the corridors on the ground floor.
"It's gotta be here somewhere", he said looking around.
As he continued forward, he looked up to see a room marked "Records/Archives".
"Finally", he said with a smirking as he made his way in.
Meanwhile, Gajeel smirked as he watched Makarov make his exit.
"Now that they're little boss man's out of the way, it's about time I throw myself into the mix", he chuckled, grinning maliciously.
A/N: And there it is! First Part finished! Like I said, this one ended up being pretty long. By the word count, this chapter was almost 15 thousand words long, and that's nothing to sneeze at. For those of you paying attention, that was indeed the first time Yusuke ever called Lucy by her name. Which, as you could probably tell, is a sign that our friendly neighborhood Spirit Detective is beginning to drop his guard, at least in regards to his teammates. Anyway, poll is closed and it's unanimous; during the final battle between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail, where the giant ass mobile Phantom Lord Base with the Jupiter Cannon comes in, Yusuke will be busting out the old Dark Tournament threads. Also, a heads up, I'm working on a new story. It'll be a crossover of One Piece and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. Featuring one of my personal favorite anime protag's, the one who started it all, Jonathan Joestar, the original JoJo. It'll be my first take on the "Reborn in a New World" kind of story. Here's hoping I can do it justice.
Also, as for the Gatling move, it's not really something that's new. If you look back on the fight with Yomi, Yusuke DID perform a move like that. People will say "Oh that was the Shotgun", but they're wrong. The Shotgun move is a widespread attack. If you look closely, the firing rate was, as stated in the chapter, continuous and focused. It was a lot more like the Pegasus Meteor Punch from Saint Seiya. It didn't have a name, and for a while, I was thinking "Rapid Fire". But then, I kinda got to thinking how other anime/manga in the Jump Universe usually have references, homages, tributes etc. to others in the verse. The name "Gatling" is a tribute to Monkey D. Luffy, another personal favorite character of mine.
Anyway, feel free to review, and enjoy the part that you knew was coming next; TEASER TIME!
Up next: As the war between Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord rages on, Black Steel Gajeel comes onto the scene. Meanwhile, Lucy finds herself abducted by the Element 4. How will this new take on the battle end? What's Yusuke looking for in the Phantom Lord's archives? And will he be able to best the Iron Dragon Slayer in the oncoming rematch? Or will Gajeel send the Spirit Detective into oblivion? Find out, NEXT TIME!