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Chapter Eight : Lucid Nightmares

Lucy's P.O.V. -

The next day we all got onto the train around four in the morning. Erza ran up behind Natsu and punched him, explaining how that should end his suffering. It was a five hour ride. Erza told me to take care of Natsu while she went to check on the others. Gray and Juvia were in the same cart as me.

"Nnnggngngeoinew" Natsu moaned in his sleep, still feeling the rocking of the train.

Juvia cuddled next to Gray, rubbing her head on him like a cat. Gray protested at first, but seemed to like it a bit. After an hour or so, they fell asleep in that position. I held back the urge to take a picture of them.

"Lucy~" Natsu opened his eyes a little.

I smiled at him, "Mhm?"

He grinned at me and then went back to sleep, his hand grabbed onto mine, "I feel sick."

"Sleep till we get there," I blushed as he squeezed my hand.

Gray woke up to find himself leaning against Juvia. He looked at me and turned beat red.

"This never happened," he whispered.

"Sure," I winked at him.

Happy purred, "He likes~ her!"

He saw Juvia's hair covering her face and gently pushed it aside, tucking it behind her ears. Then he went back to sleep. Juvia slowly opened her eyes and chuckled quietly.

"Did love rival see that?" she giggled. "Gray-sama love Juvia. Not you."

"I was never your love rival!" I opened my mouth in protest.

Happy laughed, "Yeah! Lucy's all for Natsu~"
"HEY!" I shouted, smacking his big blue head.

Levy's P.O.V. -

Gajeel and I cuddled together as Erza explained the game plan. The only other person in our cart was Mira who had come in with Erza. They had closed the door after coming in.

"Alright, before we arrive there are a few things I need to clarify with you," Erza said. "One, under any circumstance that you feel you can get hurt, you are to leave."

"Okay but in any scenario we could get hurt. This train could crash and we could get hurt. You're gonna need to be more specific," Gajeel laughed.

Erza glared at him, making him shift uncomfortably, "In any case where you feel as though your life or overall physical health could possibly be in danger."

"Erza-san, we can take care of ourselves," I moaned. "Don't worry."

"But Levy-san," Mira touched my arm. "You need to think of Mavis."

"Yes," Erza agreed. "Since we have such a big group, we are splitting off into smaller groups to divide and conquer. Group A is Lucy, Natsu, Happy, Wendy, Carla, and Kagayaku. Group B is Gray, Juvia, Tabiki, and Hikari. Group C is Mira, Levy, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Tanoshi, Nakina, and me."

"Umm why do we have so many people?" Gajeel asked.

"Well if something bad happens then Mira will take you two and escape while the rest of us will fight," Erza explained. "Worst comes to worse we'll send another one to escort you."

"Come on! Treat us normally!" Gajeel complained.

I nodded, "I think a mission done separately will help us improve more!"

"Then how would you like to split the groups?" Mira questioned.

"Move Gajeel and Panther Lily to Group B so that Group B and C are equal in number," Levy proposed. "After all, Group C has Erza and Mira as well as the two supposedly strongest members of the new group."

"Very well," Erza nodded. "Group A is supposed to head East into the city while Group B is supposed to head West. Group C will head straight North. After a few hours we are to report back outside of the town and share information. Then we will figure out what to do from there."

"Sounds good," Gajeel agreed. "But what if a group doesn't come back?"

"Then it becomes a rescue mission. Both remaining groups will head in the direction of the missing one," Erza sighed. "But if this happens, you two will be sent back right away."
"And if one of us is in the missing group?" I barely whispered.

Mira shook her head, "That won't happen. But if it does then our first priority is to get you out no matter the cost. We'll figure it out from there."

"We should have a meeting point if something bad happens to every group," Gajeel proposed. "We are to travel there every three hours you can to regroup."

"I'm not sure what's in the city, but I have an idea," I thought. "On the very right corner of the first floor of whatever building, engrave your initials and the time of arrival at that spot."

"I see!" Erza said. "But since this place is supposedly full of lunatics, we should leave before the moon is up. The train only takes us to the city outside of the forest around 9. We need to walk through the forest and arrive around 12. We'll have until 7 pm to meet back. At 8, if you are not there, you will be labeled missing."

"Alright. You should go tell the others about the plan," I smiled.

GROUP A : Natsu D., Happy, Lucy H., Wendy M., Clara, and Kagayaku

GROUP B : Gray F., Juvia L., Tabiki, Gajeel R., and Panther Lily

GROUP C : Mira S., Levy M., Nakina, Hikari, and Erza S.

PLAN : Disperse at 12:00 pm, return at 7:00 pm, and final deadline at 8:00 pm.

Mira's P.O.V. -

Erza and I went group to group and explained the plan. They all agreed and we arrived right on schedule.

"I'M ALL FIRED UP NOW!" Natsu ran in circles, screaming.

Erza smacked him, "Be quiet. We need to-"

She stopped talking as she looked up at the trees. Suddenly, she walked in front of Wendy and embraced her, covering her face.

"Wendy, don't look," Erza stroked her hair as she frowned.

We all glanced up, jaws dropped. In the trees was a mangled body. It was impossible to tell what was what. There were merely strings of flesh hanging around like banners. Gajeel stood in front of Levy and covered her eyes.

"W-What was that?" Levy whispered in horror.

Erza frowned and walked closer, "It was a person not an animal."

I turned to Levy, who seemed sick, "Maybe you should go back. This seems…"

"Levy, are you okay?" Gajeel kneeled in front of her. "Shrimp?"

"Gajeel, there's a child hanging up there," Levy rubbed her face in Gajeel's chest. "There's a child there."

Lucy began to tear up, "Oh my… why a child…"

"Alright, anyone who shows signs of hostility are now our enemies. Any contact, engage, but be smart about your flight or fight instincts," Erza growled.

"Aye…" Happy agreed.

Natsu clenched his fist, "I'm gonna make them pay for this."

Juvia clutched onto Gray's hand, and this time, he didn't say anything. I looked over at the new members, who seemed unfazed.

"Alright, we should continue," Nakina began to walk under the corpses.

Natsu yelled, "What's wrong with you!"

She turned to look at him, "What?"

"You aren't fazed at all by this! How can you just move on from this like they're nothing!" Lucy tried to calm Natsu down.

"Who are they to you?" she simply asked. "Do you know them?"

"No, we don't," Gray said.

"So who cares? This doesn't change anything. We are here to complete the mission, not stare at some dead bodies," Nakina said in a monotone voice.

Tanoshi chuckled, "Have you not seen a dead body before?"

"Wha'd you say?!" Gajeel stomped towards Tabiki. "I hope you know that knowing someone or not don't justify the way you are treating these people."

"Please," Tanoshi intervene. "Let's move past our moral differences so we can complete this mission."

"Moral differences!" Natsu scoffed. "You're apart of Fairy Tail now. This isn't okay."

"Though we do need to move on," Erza spoke, "I do see a need to show respect to these people."

My eyes landed on Hikari, who had tears in her eyes. Nakina saw this and stopped talking.

Kagayaku finally spoke his opinion, "I…agree with Erza."

We all looked at him, confused. It was quite random and his voice did not match the atmosphere. In fact, his face was turning redder by the second. I decided to change the subject.

"Well anyways," I sighed. "We need to take precautions now."

"Erza-san, you can uncover my eyes," Wendy said. "I won't look up."

"Oh, right," Erza went back to the front of the group. "Okay let-"

She requipped a knife and chucked it at the tops of the trees. A small doll fell down with a light thud. It was hairless, scribbles all over its face and body.

"We need to move fast," Erza began to run and we all followed her lead.

After a few miles, we were at the front of the gates. We split into our groups. None of us had time to bid farewell. It was merely a single nod of goodluck as we ran off in our cardinal directions.

The town was empty, building intact, but damaged. There were random splatters of blood around the roads, though there were no dead bodies. Everything seemed…uncomfortably peaceful.

"Levy-san?" Hikari spoke with ease despite our fast pace. "I'll protect you with everything I am."

"Huh?" Levy smiled sheepishly. "T-Thank you but that's not really necessary."

"Well, if Hikari vows to protect you, then I shall as well," Nakina reassured her.

I looked at Erza and smiled, "I think we'll make a great team."

She nodded, "Me too."

In the middle of the road was a small doll with words all over it.

"Hehehehe," a high pitched voice cackled. "One...three...two...five? FIVE DEAD PEOPLE FOR ME!"

"Who's there?" I shouted.

"Two babies against five humans leaves me with seven babies and seven corpses oh no no no," the voice continued to mumble. "NonOnOnNoononononoo don't DO THAT!"

We all looked at one another.

Before we knew it, a person was behind us, touching Levy's shoulder, "Oh you're the one they're trying to protect?"