Ch. 7- Fairy Law

Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima

Story and OCs © Me

Her whole body hurt. She was pretty sure one of her ankles was broken, right now, and maybe a couple of ribs. Her whole head was throbbing, hanging limp as she let out a groan.

Haru felt absolutely horrible. Here she was, pinned to a tree by Gajeel's iron nails... and what's worse, she suffered the humiliation that Levy had suffered. Gajeel stripped her of her clothing, leaving her in her puppy paw print bra and underwear... and the Phantom Lord emblem crudely painted on her stomach, right over her own guild mark. Blue Fang was also in the same state, his paws also nailed against the bark.

Her wounds pained her... but that wasn't what really hurt. Not even the shame of being crucified against a tree, half-naked hurt. No... what hurt her was the fact that she failed to protect her friend. Gajeel took Lucy away and there was nothing she could do to stop him. All Haru could do was hang here, quietly wallowing in her own regrets.

How could she let this happen?

"Haru!"

Haru's eyes fluttered open... and though her version blurred, she could make out the shape of her brother, as well as Happy and Loke.

"...Natsu..." Haru muttered, weakly.

"Sis, hang on!" Natsu called as he climbed up to her. "I'll get ya down!"

Soon, Haru felt the iron nails being yanked from her wrists, and she suddenly dropped into Natsu's arms. As for Blue Fang, Loke managed to set him free as well, but grunted as he found himself struggling to hold the silver wolf up.

"Dammit, what does Haru feed this wolf?!" Loke asked before he gently put Blue Fang back down on the ground. Then, he went over to Haru before he shed his jacket and draped it around her.

"W... what are you guys doing here?" asked Haru as she clutched Loke's jacket.

"We heard..." Happy said, sadly. "We heard Jose... he said that... that Lucy got captured, again."

"Haru... what happened here?" Loke asked.

Haru's eyes widened... before she found herself tearing up, once more. She sobbed as she covered her eyes, her shame and humiliation coming back to her... and the sacrifice that Lucy made to save her.

"It's all my fault...!" she whimpered. "Gajeel... the other Dragon Slayer... he followed us! I tried to fight him off, but he was too strong! Lucy gave herself up for my sake! I'm so sorry... if only I was stronger, then... then maybe-"

"That's enough," Natsu interjected, his eyes shadowed by his hair. "Haru, it's okay... I understand."

Loke stood quietly, eyes cast to the ground while Happy whimpered, his own eyes welling up with tears. Haru sniffled as she buried herself in the crook of her brother's neck while he gently combed his fingers through her hair.

"Lucy understood the circumstances," Natsu said. "She couldn't let you risk your life for her... that's why she gave herself up. She's a real Fairy Tail Wizard, through and through."

"But now, Phantom Lord has her," Haru said. "Natsu, what are we gonna do?"

A pause... before Natsu stood up, holding Haru in his arms.

"Loke... can you take care of Haru and Blue Fang?" he asked.

"Y-yeah, of course, I can," replied Loke.

"Good," Natsu said as he handed his sister off to the Ring Wizard. "Happy... let's go."

"Huh?" Happy muttered. "Go where?"

"Where do you think?" Natsu asked... the wind slowly rising around him and the air steadily growing warmer. "We're gonna go get Lucy back!"

Haru's eyes went wide as her brother was suddenly wreathed in fire... and for just a moment, she saw something that almost couldn't be believed. As the flames grew bigger, they seemed to take the shape of wings... almost like angel wings...

...No...

Dragon wings.

Without a roar of fury, Natsu took off, soaring towards the sky... and he disappeared.

"Hey, Natsu! Wait up!" Happy called as he flew after him.

"...What the hell was that...?!" Loke asked in awe.

"...Natsu's power," Haru replied before she winced in pain.

"Whoa, hey! Easy there!" Loke said as he held her. "Come on, Haru... let's get you back to the guild."

"...Yeah..." Haru answered, and soon, Loke was carrying her in his arms while also hefting Blue Fang on his back... which was easier said than done.

"Ugh... for real, though, Haru... what do you feed Blue Fang?" he asked.

XXX

When Loke, Haru, and Blue Fang returned... Haru actually wished that she hadn't been brought back. She wished that what she was seeing was just a nightmare... but no matter how many times she closed her eyes, no matter how times she wished for this to be a dream... the harsh, cold reality hit her every time. She almost wished that Gajeel had killed her... because she was not ready for the sight in front of her.

The Fairy Tail Guildhall... the place where she grew up with Natsu, Gray, Erza, and the other members of her generation... the place she called home... it lied in giant hunks of rubble.

Haru sniffled, her tears coming back at full force. She was trying so hard not to cry... but it was just too much on her. All this devastation... the losses... the humiliating defeat she suffered at Gajeel's hands. It was just one thing after another... and it soon became too much to bear. With a heartwrenching sob, the Beast Wizard fell to her knees in despair.

"It's not fair!" she cried. "Why did this have to happen to us?! We weren't even bothering anyone!"

"...It's because Jose couldn't let grudges go..."

"Huh?" Haru muttered as she looked up... and saw Elektra standing over her, looking down at her with soft, sympathetic eyes.

"Jose never liked Fairy Tail, Haru," Elektra replied. "He was always trying to prove that Phantom Lord was the best... and he was willing to prove it by any means necessary."

Haru sniffled as her tears cascaded down her face, which Elektra tenderly stroked.

"Haru... just know that Lucy isn't to blame," she said. "From what I heard, Lucy left because she wanted to be with us. I don't blame her for coming here... none of this is her fault."

"I know," Haru answered. "I know that, Elektra... but... still... she gave herself up for me, and it was all for nothing. Our home is gone... we lost...!"

"...Did we, really?" Elektra asked as she looked back at the ruined guildhall. "The guildhall may be in ruins... but it's just a building, Haru. It may hold memories... it may be a place for people like us to gather... but it can be rebuilt, my child." She then looked down at Haru. "Don't mourn what we've lost... instead, be thankful for what we still have. Look around you... you say we lost... but we didn't lose everything."

Haru looked around... and saw all the members of Fairy Tail standing around her. They may have been injured, and some of them were in tears... but they were all smiling. They were all here.

"Our family is still here and going strong," Elektra assured. "That's what counts."

Haru sniffled as she looked up at Elektra, who smiled at her in that same motherly way that she loved so much... but then, all of a sudden, the sky began to darken and the clouds swirled, causing everyone to look up... and that's when they saw this golden light as the Fairy Tail symbol appeared in the sky.

"We may have lost the battle, Haru," Elektra said with a knowing smile, "but we won this war."

"...Is that... what I think it is?" asked Haru with tears forming in her eyes.

"...Fairy Law," Elektra whispered... as the whole world was enveloped in a bright light... and yet, the Fairy Tail members all smiled as they found themselves engulfed in it. It was almost as if they were being embraced and being told "You did your part... now it's my turn."

'...Thank you, Master... it's so warm...!'

It's over...

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