A/N So sorry for the lateness of this update, but it's here now, we're almost at the good stuff. Thank you for all the follows and favorites, you guys are the absolute best and it makes me very happy to know you like what I'm writing.
"So that's what's going to happen, oh by the way, snacks are over on the right, help yourself." Lucy had gathered all of the people she thought were capable of enacting her intricate plan of taking down the Oracion Seis at her apartment for an emergency meeting.
Natsu was more than willing to cancel his next mission he had lined up to help her. Gajeel and Laxus obviously wouldn't let her do it without them.
Then there was Cobra. He wanted to be the one to finish his old guild off and put them in the ground. Lucy knew that if anybody deserved to do it, it would be him. He deserved closure.
Other people would have liked to have been involved in the mission but were either away on missions or Lucy didn't want them there along with them. The absolute last thing she wanted was for anybody to get hurt when they didn't need to.
So her idea was the smaller the group, the better.
Preventing Midnight from using their weapon, Echion, was their number one priority as if they didn't stop them from awakening it, Crocus would be history. Then the rest of Fiore would be too.
The Oracion Seis would destroy anything and everything they could get their grubby little mits on just because they could. That was how Midnight worked, he liked to bring everyone's worst nightmares to life, he fed off people's fear. There was no hope for him.
As Lucy's eyes scanned her living room, she couldn't help but feel so thankful for being gifted with such an amazing family.
Cobra was stood at the very back of the room, with a look of disdain on his handsome face as he stared at Natsu who was completely oblivious to the unimpressed glare he was on the receiving end of.
The fire dragon slayer just continued to stuff his cheeks full of any and all food he could get his hands on.
'He actually looks like a chipmunk. Is he going to hibernate with all that food?'
"Move along, you've got enough. Go sit your ass down, Lucy's trying to talk but she can't over the sound of you stuffing your face, pig."
Cobra's voice sounded stern as he batted the fire dragon slayer away from the buffet table with a book he had picked up but she could sense an undertone of happiness at doing something so normal.
Cobra's whole life was spent running and surviving. He had never been given the chance to just live, completely carefree. There was always something niggling at the back of his mind, a what if.
Lucy just wanted to set him free from his past demons, taking down the Oracion Seis for good would be a great start.
"Thank you Erik." Lucy aimed a flirtatious wink at him and giggled as his face instantly grew hot and he quickly averted his eye. Teasing him was her favorite pastime.
"Okay, so obviously the main objective is to destroy their newest weapon, which we know is called Echion and that it is super fucking strong."
"Watch your language young lady." Rolling her eyes at Gajeel, she quickly continued. The more time they spent here, talking and having a joke, the closer Midnight got to completing his sick plan.
'I wonder how Angel's doing, she must be alive, they can't awaken the beast without celestial energy.'
"The second objective, rescue the Oracion Seis member called Angel." A couple of groans of disagreement sounded from the room but Lucy was quick to nip them in the bud.
"Yes yes I know we've all had our own disagreements with the witch of the Oracion Seis but this is different. Don't forget, she did try to help me escape." Laxus, who had been previously scowling at the idea of rescuing a member of the enemy team was now staring in shock. Lucy let out a little laugh.
"Granted, we didn't make it too far but she still tried, that's the main point. Now it's my turn to rescue her. So shush."
Cobra cleared his throat and made his way to the front of the room, settling in the spot next to Lucy.
"Plus, she'll be the one that they'll be using to power the machine, so tough shit. We need to rescue her to stop them from using her, simple."
It was like they were playing good cop, bad cop. Cobra would make an extremely sexy bad cop.
'You can cuff me up anytime.'
Lucy had to give it to him, even though he probably heard every word of what she had just thought of but he kept a stoic face until the people cleared out and it was only the two of them left.
"Oh, so you don't mind if I cuff you up?" Cobra ran his fingers through his maroon hair, trying to vent some of his frustration on the poor strands.
"Lucy, I had a huge hard on for the rest of the meeting, you're evil."
Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she pressed a soft kiss against his neck and grinned.
"Yeah, but so are you."
"Where's everyone gone?" Lucy and Cobra froze as a drowsy sounding Natsu stumbled through her living room, past the embracing couple and collapsed on top of Lucy's bed.
His loud snores soon followed.
"Are you fucking kidding me asshole? We need to use that for other activities." Cobra roared as he pulled himself away from Lucy's grasp and leapt onto the sleeping dragon slayer.
'Well, I can't be left out of a fight in my own bed.'
Lucy smirked as she saw an opening in between the two wrestling men and vaulted over the bed.
Natsu's screams soon put Cobra out of commission as he had already been taken out of the fight by his yells before that he wasn't willing to risk another perforated eardrum. As he ducked and rolled off the bed to safety, Lucy soon had the pink haired dragon slayer submitting to her.
"I give, I give. Let go of my armpit hair, dammit woman." Cobra let out a wheezing laugh at the sight of his girlfriend having a death grip on another man's armpit hair. He knew first hand that it was one of the most painful experiences on this planet. She'd done it to him several times.
"Okay we're going now, is everyone ready?" Lucy was the only cheery one amongst the whole group for one very good reason, she didn't suffer from motion sickness unlike the rest of her companions. Laxus, Gajeel, Cobra and Natsu were all lying across the coach seats looking pitiful. The cart hadn't even started moving yet.
"Come on guys, get your game face on, big day ahead of us." As the driver got the vehicle moving, the first trots of the horse caused a loud harrumph to come for all of the four men. What else could the celestial mage do but go for a little snooze?
"Stop the vehicle this instant." Lucy jolted up in her seat along with the rest of the group.
"Where do I recognize that voice from." Natsu scratched the top of his head, desperately thinking about where he had heard such a strong, commanding voice.
His eyes widened as they glanced at the door to the carriage.
It had been yanked open, almost to the point that it had been ripped off it's hinges. Lucy squinted through the light that was beaming from the doorway. "Erza? Wendy? What are you doing here? I thought you were on a mission?"
The younger girl scratched the back of her head as she hopped into the carriage and sat in between Natsu and Gajeel's slumped bodies.
"Erza's not happy with you guys." Was all Wendy had to say before the scarlet haired mage took the first step through the doorway.
Her eyes were smoldering with something unreadable as she directed her gaze at all of the mages inside. The tension in the room was almost unbearable, but then it all but dissipated.
Gently closing the half broken door, Erza pushed Cobra with the hilt of her sword so he was leaning against Lucy's body and took the only remaining seat. All of a sudden, the cabin was uncomfortably full, they had been pushing the capacity with the five of them before.
The driver glanced through the little gap below his feet to make sure everyone was now seated and started the long drive to Crocus.
"Lucy." Erza said in a stern voice, turning her head slowly to face her, Lucy pulled her most angelic face. "Yes dearest Erza?"
Her steel plated chest pressed against Lucy's face and all but broke her nose from the impact. Poor Cobra was stuck in between the interlocked girls and could do nothing but groan at the pressure on his already pounding head.
Natsu shifted his head to the side, saw the situation his fellow dragon slayer was in and sent a sympathetic groan his way.
Gajeel and Laxus also sent their grunts his way too, Lucy would have found it hysterical if she wasn't also in the bone breaking embrace.
"We are good friends are we not Lucy?" Erza's voice sounded tight and slightly choked. All the celestial mage could do was nod, her emotions were getting the better of her and she couldn't talk with the fear of turning into a blubbering mess.
"I know you want to protect us all but I want to protect you, you're like a sister to me. Myself and Wendy will be accompanying you on this mission to destroy the Oracion Seis."
As she pulled away slightly, she stared down at Lucy with misty eyes. "Just like old times right?" Lucy let out a short laugh and caressed the top of Cobra's head.
"Except we've got him this time."
"Uh guys." Wendy's sounded extremely distressed as an acidic smell spread around the small cabin. "Help me."
Breaking away from each other, their eyes grew wide as they saw what was causing the small dragon slayer to be freaking out so badly. Natsu had his head resting in her lap and had spewed his guts all over her thighs.
"That's nasty." Cobra choked out, even though he was barely conscious, he still held his nose closed to stop himself inhaling the disgusting smell.
The rest of the cabin grunted in agreement and decided to hang Natsu out of the window for the rest of the journey.
"I hate you." Angel's venomous comments were falling on deaf ears as she fought against her restraints.
"Everyone hates me sweetheart, it's what I love."
Midnight was sat in the corner of the dimly lit room with a bored expression on his face as he flicked through book after book.
"Why are they taking so long, I don't-"
"Midnight." Racer had appeared beside him, not even sparing the battered and bruised Angel a glance as he gave his report. "Mages from Fairy Tail are leaving Magnolia now, Cobra's with them. So's the celestial mage."
This peaked the man's interest and he snapped the book he was reading shut and got to his feet.
"That's fantastic news, I suppose we should go and get dear Echion ready then." His eyes shone with excitement as he whipped out a stream of his darkness to wrap around Angel's neck.
"You'll be coming with us dear, it's time for you to give your life for the greater good."
Fear shot through her body as she was dragged along behind them like a stray dog. This was what being decent got you. Pain and suffering.
'You best come stop this asshole Fairy.'