Ch. 4- Lament

Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima

Story and OCs © Me

The following day, the Fairy Tail Guild had returned to Magnolia... but right now, morale was at an all-time low. Makarov was staying at the home of Porylusica, the guild's healer, until his recovery. Needless to say, things had gone from bad to worse... and Lucy could see it, plain as day.

She sighed as she sat in a corner of the basement with Natsu, Haru, and Happy, feeling even guiltier than she did the other day, despite Natsu and Haru reassuring her that she was not to blame.

"What's up with you, Lucy?" asked Gray. "You still feelin' antsy?"

"...It's... it's not that," Lucy answered, her body trembling slightly. "It's just... I'm so sorry."

"Don't start that, again!" Haru shouted. "How many times do we have to tell you? None of this is your fault!"

"But it feels like it is!" Lucy argued.

"Hey, every rich girl gets targeted every now and then," Elfman spoke up. "It's a man's duty to protect her!"

"You're makin' it worse, man!" Gray scolded.

"Still, we were really surprised," Happy said. "Lucy, how come you never told us?"

"Maybe because it's not really our business to know!" Haru countered. "Seriously, do you guys ever think about that?! Not everyone is comfortable with telling everybody their backgrounds, you know!"

"I... I didn't mean to keep it a secret," Lucy said. "A year ago, I ran away from home... and my Dad didn't do anything about it. Then, all of a sudden, he decides he wants me back. I mean... I just never thought that he'd go to such lengths to bring me home! How could he do something like this?!"

"Lucy..." Haru said, sadly, while the Celestial Spirit Wizard sighed.

"But then," she began, "I guess in the end, it's still my fault. I just ran away from home... and I didn't say anything to anyone. I didn't even so much as leave a note!"

"No way!" Elfman retorted. "It's your dad who's the bad guy here- OOF!" He grunted as Gray elbowed him in the side.

"Dude, will ya shut up?!" the Ice-Make Wizard questioned. "For real!"

"Err... I mean, it's Phantom Lord who-" Elfman started, but Lucy still interjected.

"I acted on my own selfish whims... and everyone else suffered because of it. I really am sorry, you guys. Maybe I should just go back home so you won't have to worry anymore-"

"Don't be stupid," Natsu spoke up, causing Lucy to gasp silently as she looked up at him. "I don't think that 'rich girl' thing suits you, anyway." He gave her that usual confident grin of his. "You fit in a lot better here at some crappy bar and going out on jobs with us. That's the Lucy Heartfilia that I know!"

"...Natsu...!" Lucy whispered.

"I told you that you weren't goin' anywhere," Natsu continued. "If you go back to a home that you don't even wanna live in... well, it's not really home, is it? You're Lucy of Fairy Tail, now... and this is your home, now!"

"Aye!" Happy agreed... and soon, Lucy started sniffling again as her eyes welled up, again.

"Ah, come on," Gray groaned. "Will you quit your cryin', already?"

"Yeah!" Elfman agreed. "A man can't stand seeing a woman cry!"

"Guys, come on, leave her alone," Haru assured as she put her hand on Lucy's shoulder. "She's just grateful, that's all."

"Yeah, I am," Lucy whispered before she looked up at the others. "Thank you... Natsu... everybody...!"

Blue Fang happily panted as he stood up and licked Lucy's face, causing her to laugh at the ticklish feeling of his tongue on her cheek as she stroked his silvery-blue fur. However, not too far away stood Loke... who stared at Lucy with a distant expression.

Meanwhile, Cana was sitting nearby, flipping some cards around on a small table... but then she groaned in frustration before she threw the cards aside.

"Any luck, Cana?" Mirajane asked.

"Nope," Cana replied. "I have no idea where Mystogan could be. If Phantom Lord is after all, then no doubt they're gonna try and capture her again. We've got a lot of injured, so if they engage us again, we're in a crapload of trouble."

Mirajane's face soured visibly before she turned to the Lacrima Orb in front of her.

"So you see?" she asked. "The Master is in critical condition... Elektra's arm and leg are broken... and Mystogan's nowhere to be found. Plus, Gildarts is still off on his quest, so he can't help us. You're the only one we can turn to... Laxus."

On the orb... it is revealed that it was indeed Laxus who she was speaking to, the man giving her a smug, arrogant look.

"You're kidding, right?" he asked.

"Laxus, please!" Mirajane urged. "You have to come back and help Fairy Tail in its darkest hour!"

A pause... before Laxus started to burst into laughter.

"So the old man finally bought it, huh?!" he asked.

"You watch your mouth!" Elektra shouted as she stood up, leaning on a crutch while her right arm and left leg were set in a cast, and she had bandages around her forehead, as well. "How dare you talk about our Grandfather so callously like that?!"

"Well, you're there, sis," Laxus said. "How about you take care of this? Oh, but wait! You can't... because right now, your arm and leg are busted. This B.S. has got nothing to do with me."

"Laxus!" Cana shouted.

"Hey, it's true, isn't it?" asked Laxus. "The old-timer started all this! Why do I have to clean up his little mess?"

"It's because they're after Lucy!" Mirajane countered. "She's one of us, you know-"

"Who is she, again?" Laxus asked. "The newbie with the big jugs, right? Maybe if she agrees to be my girl, I might decide to help her out."

"Laxus...!" Elektra growled in a warning tone.

"And another thing," Laxus continued. "Tell the old man to step down and make me the new Master!"

"You smug son of a...!" Cana hissed.

"I'd watch that tone, Cana," Laxus smirked. "Is this how you ask a guy to do a favor for you? Maybe I might change my mind if you decide to strip off your-"

"SHUT UP!" Elektra shouted before she smashed the Communication Lacrima with her crutch, shattering it into pieces. She seethed angrily before she huffed and sat back down on her table, putting her left hand over her face in frustration. Meanwhile... Mirajane stood there, in tears.

"How could he...?" she asked. "How come someone like that be a member of our family?"

"Mira..." Elektra said, sadly.

"...That's it!" Mirajane declared before she turned to storm out. "I'm going to help fight!"

"Mira, no!" Cana shouted.

"I have to!" Mirajane argued. "I was here, but I didn't even know that Lucy had gotten kidnapped before!"

"Mirajane Strauss, you know you can't!" Elektra exclaimed. "You may have some of your magic and you may be an S-Class Wizard... but you haven't been able to use your true power since what happened, two years ago!"

Mirajane gasped silently before she sighed, her shoulders slumping down in resignation... and nearby, Elfman hung his head, solemnly. Even Natsu and Happy visibly tensed at that utterance, which Lucy noticed, and all Haru could do was reach over and put her hand on her brother's shoulder.

Then, all of a sudden... the whole building began to shake, causing everyone to look up in alarm.

"W-what's that sound?!" Nab asked.

"I dunno!" Wakaba answered.

"Natsu, tell me that's your stomach rumbling!" Haru pleaded as she held onto a support beam.

"I don't think so!" Natsu replied.

"Dammit, I hate when you say that!" Haru cursed.

"Hey, everybody!" Alzack called as he came downstairs. "Come outside, quickly!"

Soon, the entire guild was standing outside... only to see a giant building, walking on six metal legs. It wasn't just any building, either: it was Phantom Lord's base!

"What in the name of Mavis Vermillion?!" asked Elektra.

"What is THAT?!" Haru questioned.

"A guildhall... that walks?!" Wakaba shouted.

"No way!" Macao exclaimed.

"This is unprecedented...!" Erza whispered as she just finished putting on her clothes after getting out of the shower. "I never expected something like this!"

"W-what do we do, now?!" asked one of the Fairy Tail members.

Soon, the Phantom Lord Guildhall set itself down into the ocean, right in front of the Fairy Tail Guildhall.

"Prepare to fire the Magic-Focusing Cannon: Jupiter! Eliminate them all!"

"Did... did he say cannon?!" asked Haru.

"This is bad!" Erza cried. "EVERYONE, TAKE COVER!"

Dun-dun-DUN!

Review, please!

And to DCDGojira, while I appreciate the comments, can you at least say why you like the chapter instead of just saying "awesome chapter"? I'm not being mean, I just wanna know what parts you like. ^^;