Sorry for the wait my peeps! We were unfortunately exposed to Covid but thankfully no symptoms after a 14 day self inflicted quarantine. Thank you for your patience and your continued support. Things are slowly but surely getting back to normal for me and my little family, so hopefully that'll mean more writing time.

Chapter 34

Natsu in a brief moment of clarity looked at Fairy Hills and gave a pained whine, "Luce I'm so sorry."

He almost completely lost it at Gajeel's hand on his shoulder, "easy Salamander its only going to get worse from here you know that. Remember why you chose Bunny girl she can do this. If you don't believe how the hell are we?"

Natsu nods taking calming breaths, iron breath was right she could do this. I just have to fight to stay me until it does. I smirk feeling the thrum of anticipation run through my veins and I turn ole' metal head, "we have someone trying to go against my orders."

"Gihi, now who be trying a dumb thing like that." They shared a pedatory grin before taking off towards the far side of the guild hall.

They slowed hearing a whispered argument and Gajeel nodded and disappeared to go around the other side penning their target in. Natsu knew Gajeel would follow his lead on this one especially since she was the only one who could trump his own orders.

"Come on Wendy, I heard that roar and they sound really mad." Happy whisper shouted.

"What's wrong child why did you stop? We've come this far they will do fine but now we must go if the plan is to work!" Carla hissed.

"I-I can't move it's like my body is frozen and everything is screaming inside that I need to go back or something bad is going to happen." The Sky Dragon cried.

Natsu slowly walked out of the shadows and Gajeel followed suit growling, "that's what happens when you try to disobey your King's orders."

Wendy squeaked and the exceeds jumped with Lily recovering the fastest, "What do you mean she disobeyed? She didn't have any orders...Wendy?"

Lily looked at the little bluenette and paused when he saw the guilty look on her face.

"I ordered her to take care of our mates to the best of her ability and it's awfully hard for her to do that when she ain't even with 'em." Natsu ignored everyone and rose an eyebrow at the dragoness in question. "So you knew this was part of their plan and you know what they'll be doing next."

Wendy's eyes widened in horror knowing exactly what he wanted, "I can't! If you catch them too soon they'll die and you guys will go insane and I'll be all by myself!"

"So that's how she did it, twisted your words it seems." Rogue stepped out of Carla's shadow right next to their little group.

"Leave it to a girl to change the meaning of your words and use it against ya," Sting scoffed from the top of a nearby tree.

Cobra laughs, "its checkmate you idiot. Our oh so fearless leader knew to give her just enough rope to hang herself. Now we can know just what they are planning and claim them."

"Let's get this show on the road already. You had your fun Salamander," Gajeel growls walking towards Wendy.

Lily transformed and pushed Wendy behind him. Then he looked around noticing they had circled them but where was...

There was a crack of thunder cause Lily to cover his ears but still snapped his heard towards the sound only to find Wendy already gone.

"Here," Laxus handed Wendy to Natsu.

"Nice job no fuss no muss," Natsu snickered. Then shot his little buddy a look.

Happy shivered Natsu's eyes didn't look right.

Lily snarled and grabbed the little blue exceed and tossed him in the air, "Happy go! You have to warn them!"

"Tch need a better challenge then fetching a fuzz ball," Sting growls folding his wings in and launching himself out of the tree. He almost had Happy's tail when the little white cat ... what's her name popped in font of him getting between him and his target.

Carla scowled then smirked transforming herself into her human form and give Sting a swift kick to the face. Landing gracefully she turned to see a stunned Happy, "Go Tom Cat you're our only hope!"

Happy shook off the admiration he was feeling and shot into the sky at max speed. Fairy Hills was in his sights when he rammed into a familiar chest, "Sorry little buddy I just can't let you do that."

Happy wished he could feel the usual comfort from landing in his best friends arms but today all he felt was despair and pain as he fell into unconsciousness.

As Natsu landed cradling his exceed in his arms he looked to Wendy, "now what's the plan exactly."

Wendy stared at Happy in the Pinkette's arms and could almost believe he was asleep. But she'd seen what happened and reached for the little blue exceed ready to treat him just like she'd already treat Lily and Carla. She couldn't believe how fast everything had happened. First Lily tossed Happy and Gajeel knocked him over the head. And when Carla stepped in Sting's way he stunned her with his sigil. Natsu handed Happy to her and looked her in the eye. "Don't make me use the voice Wendy I can't let you disobey me and make me look weak. My inner dragon won't let you."

It was the sadness there that made her do it. He looked so horribly sad and when she looked around the rest didn't look any better. They were there right now, they were themselves and they didn't want to do this but didn't have any choice. She straightened they could count on us to get them through this. "Well there's two waves to distract you."

...

Lucy's POV

I looked around at everyone here and knew we were ready. It was time to get this party started and she smiled knowing exactly what Natsu would say, "I'm all fired up!"

And everyone cheered, "Aye Sir!"

Narrator POV

The dragons positioned themselves all around Fairy Hills and wait now very patient knowing their prey would soon leave the safety of their bunker. All of a sudden a huge cloud of smoke cam billowing out of every door and window. Causing all of them to straighten from their spots. The show was about to begin and they were going to win it all here and now.

A whole flock of exceeds carrying random guild members dressed in the girls clothing with wigs came flying out. The dragons growled as their scents filled the air, why they thought they'd fall for this a second time was beyond them. But they now knew it was only meant to distract and draw them from their current location. So the dragons followed as they were suppose to so their mates would continue with the plan. They followed for a few moments but turned back as the second wave come out.

Natsu almost laughed at the second group came soaring out. They were being carried out by a whole flock of exceeds. Not only that but there were multiples of each mate and each were carrying buckets of something. Natsu focused on the buckets, they weren't mentioned in the plan Wendy mentioned. He narrowed his eyes and sniffed trying to suss it out. Then a deafening boom was heard and a rolling purple smoke covered the forest and the town. The dragon slayers snarled as it clouded their view and clogged their senses.

Meanwhile up above them the exceeds and the copies started throwing bucket after bucket of what Master called Fairy Dust. Fairy Dust altered the senses causing realistic hallucinations and they were covering everything in it. So no matter where the Dragon slayers moved they would continuously be coated in it. Natsu let out a Fire Dragon Roar attempting to burn away the smoke and dust. The other slayers taking his queue started doing everything they could to blow away the dust and smoke.

Inside Fairy Hills Lucy was sweating holding her illusions for as long as possible. While the rest of the groups snuck out in the chaos.

Master watched the madness unfold and whispered, "be safe my children."

On the outskirts of town Wendy stared in shock at Freed and the others, "so me telling them was part of the plan?"

Cana smirks and winks, "of course little lady gotta keep all them dragons on their toes." She pats her head, "let's get this show on the road."

The small group cheered, "Aye Sir!"