Chapter 9 Reputation

(TIMESKIP...FOUR WEEKS)

*Fairy Tail*

An entire month has now passed by and the Fairy Tail guild has still not been able to find another dimensional key. Everyone has slowly began to adjust back to their regular daily lives, but they are all still on the lookout for any dimensional keys. At the moment, Team Natsu, Natsu, Gray, Erza, Happy, Wendy, and Charla, were all sitting in the guild. They've tried to regain a small amount of their normalcy, but going on missions officially don't feel the same to any of them.

"I can't believe Lucy's been gone for over a month..." Wendy mumbled.

"I'm sure she's fine. Even if we didn't realize it, Lucy's strong. And she wouldn't want us to be depressed, I'm sure" Erza said, trying to comfort the girl by patting Wendy's head.

"Still, just sitting here isn't helping us or her." Gray mutters as his chin rests in his hand.

"I guess. Ok, I'm gonna go pick us out a job." Natsu said as he got up.

Walking through the semi-rowdy guild-hall over to the request board, Natsu silently scanned over the many jobs, until something caught his eye. A paper that was hidden under many others had what looked like an S-class stamp on it and only the part with the stamp was showing.

"Hey, Mira! You put a S-class job on the request board." shouted Natsu.

"Oh, my bad. Can you put it up with others for me?" called out Mira as she served the other guild members, mainly Cana, more beer and wine.

"Sure, no problem." said Natsu. He moved the other jobs aside and took the S-class job off of the board, but after he did, his eyes widen and his grip on the paper tightened.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Natsu yelled. All of the guild's attention was now on him. The rest of his team rushed to his side to see what he was yelling about.

"What is it now Flame Brain?" Gray asked, somehow losing his clothes as walked from the table to the request board.

Gray and anyone else who was going to speak up were immediately left speechless after seeing the paper that Natsu was holding himself, holding it high enough for anyone close enough to see and read it. All of their eyes were wide now and none of them dared to speak a word, until all the people in the guild just shouted at once.

"WHAT?!"

WANTED: BLOOD-BENDER LUCY

DEAD OR ALIVE

REWARD: 85,000,000 BERRIES

(A/N: And just to be clear; YES, YES! I am referencing Avatar-the Last Airbender! Not trying to steal here, just seemed like a good title! If y'all got any ideas for her title, let me hear them!))

(REWIND...TWO WEEKS AGO)

*With Strawhats*

Hours after leaving the island and being far out to sea, Lucy, with her new devil fruit powers, and the Strawhat pirates continued to sail across the grand line with luckily little problems. Right now, Lucy was currently practicing her new powers, as well creating new moves.

"Let's see, maybe this move could be called...Oh! Plasma Gun!" Lucy mumbled, snapping her fingers at the idea.

Simply using her teeth, Lucy bits into her pointer finger before holding her hand up like a gun and was aiming at an empty barrel. After taking a few moments just for aiming, several quick and small shots of blood out of her finger, hitting the barrel in three perfect places that now make the outline of a triangle.

"Oh! That was so cool!" Luffy shouted, watching from a distance alongside Chopper and a sleeping Zoro.

Lucy let out a small giggle from hearing Luffy's praise. He was considerately helping out in her practice, even he occasionally just chose to watch. But, that peace didn't last to long, because the sound of cannon fire rang throughout the air and an explosion happened right near the ship, creating a tall pillar of water and waves that jerked the ship to one side.

"What the hell!?" Franky shouted, steering the ship away from where that shot hit. Lucy and the others rushed to the front of the ship and, just on the horizon, at least three Marine ships were all lined up and coming in their direction.

"Wah! Marine ships!" Chopper exclaimed, hysterically panicking.

"They caught up to us! We're done for!" Usopp cried.

"Damn. And we haven't refilled our fuel completely to do the Coup De Burst." cursed Franky.

"No problem. When they get close enough, we'll just beat them up." said Luffy, swinging his arm in a circle. Zorro, Sanji, and even Robin seemed particularly prepared for a fight. However, the crew's newest member hesitantly chose to speak up an idea of her own.

"...H-hey, hold on a sec, Luffy." said Lucy, gently grabbing his shoulder.

"Huh? What's up?" Luffy asked.

"Well, I was just thinking. Why don't I have a crack at them?" Lucy suggested with a nervous smile.

"You? What could you do against a Marine fleet, Princess?" Zorro snickered. That resulted in Lucy classically kicking the side of his head and making him fall unconscious with a large bump on the side of his head.

"I really want to help, besides, you guys are well known and could be recognized a mile away. But, I wouldn't. I could at least distract them long enough for you guys to refill the fuel we need." Lucy explained. Luffy scrunched his face in thought, obviously from the fact that he wouldn't be able to do any fighting.

"Hm. That could actually work. And it would be easier to make an escape while the soldiers are confused" said Robin.

"Not to mention, we can see what you're made of. Especially with your new devil fruit." said Nami.

"I say we let her try it! I mean, no point in all of us fighting." Usopp said with some obvious panic, even as he repeats his usual attempt of trying to keep a brave face.

"Whatever happens, I swear if they hurt you, I'll kick there asses." Sanji spoke seriously. After everyone else, Luffy finally spoke up with his classic reassuring grin.

"That's obvious, but I'm positive she'll do great." Luffy said with a reassuring smile. Lucy smiled at how her new friends and crewmates trusted and cared her, regardless how nervous she may be.

"Thanks Luffy. But, well, I was hoping you wouldn't mind giving me a hand?" Lucy sheepishly asks as she rubs her arm, from the facts that she was still hesitant to go alone, her plan or not. And, regardless of how little time they spent together, Lucy knows Luffy must be itching for a fight.

"Alright! This is gonna be fun!" Luffy said happily with a laugh.

With the plan set, Lucy is instructed to climb onto Luffy's back before wrapping her arms over his shoulders, getting herself ready as Luffy grabs the railing of the ship and stretch back a great deal in order to launch themselves at one of the enemy ships.

"Guys, when we're ready, keep an out for one of Usopp's explosions!" Nami exclaims the last piece of information.

"Got it. Hang on tight Lucy, ok?" Luffy said, looking back at Lucy when his arms were completely stretched across the deck.

"U-um, ok." Lucy said, tightening her arms around Luffy's shoulders as her cheeks become rosy pink.

"GUM-GUM: ROCKET!" Luffy calls out his trick as he and Lucy are launched into the sky.

The air quickly moves past the two pirates as they proceed to fly in a matter of seconds. Slowly deciding to open her eyes, Lucy can easily see the endless ocean move underneath her and Luffy. Normally, Lucy would be screaming and panicking after being dragged into this type of situation. But, somehow, just by holding onto Luffy kept her calm and sure of herself. Before she realized it, the two of them were now landing on the closest ship. Luffy wraps one of his arms around a marine ship's mast, letting Lucy and him to land safely on the deck.

"It's him! Straw-Hat Luffy! Hurry and circle him!" dozens of the grunt marines panic and circle the two present Pirates.

Many marines can be heard muttering over Lucy as she was unfamiliar, but their obvious murderous-intent remained unaffected by this unknown fator. Moving themselves to be back-to-back, as Lucy takes her blade to begin, Luffy leads the charge by making his move first.

"GUM-GUM: WHIP!" Luffy's voice carries as he simultaneously does as he says, stretching out his leg in order to take out several soldiers at once. Behind him, Lucy made her own attack with newly made cuts.

"BLOODWING!" Lucy exclaims her newest attack, the blood from both of her forearms shooting out and downwards, taking the shape of an 'X' before wrecking the deck below a group of the marine, that very group falling below deck.

"She's a devil fruit user! Attack her, hurry!" another commander shouts across the deck.

Two large groups of armed soldiers charge at Lucy from both sides. Quickly looking both ways, Lucy instantly believes she was about to get badly beaten. But, just as quick as that thought entered her mind, it was pushed out of her mind as a familiar rubbery arm wrapped itself around Lucy's waist before she is pulled up to the very of the main mast of the ship. Before she realizes, Lucy is now held closely by Luffy as they stand on the Crow's Nest (top of the mast)

"Eh!? L-Luffy, what the, why, I mean-!" Lucy scrambled for words as she found herself tightly held against Luffy's chest, her face changing to a deep red. She was easily able to calm down as she sees Luffy focusing on the hordes of Marines below them, obviously preparing to use any firearm they had.

"I don't think Franky's done yet. You ready for another round?" Luffy asks Lucy with a confident smile. Lucy was almost sent into a daze as she looks up at him. Looking down to simply hide her blush from Luffy, Lucy is somehow given an idea as soon as she looks down at the ocean far below.

"Actually, I think I have an idea." Lucy mutters loud enough for Luffy to hear.

Keeping one arm around Luffy's waist, even if he also held her close, Lucy bites into her left thumb to draw blood. As she bleeds, Lucy concentrates until it forms three floating spheres that vary in size. With a simple swipe of her arm, the spheres flew down below, suddenly breaking into and out of the hull of every inch of the ship. The panicking soldiers could only scramble as their ships begins to gradually sink.

"Whoa! That's so awesome! You're sinking an entire ship!" Luffy laughs, unknowingly holding Lucy tighter. As Lucy responds with a bashful laugh, the see a bright explosion occur just above the Sunny.

"Good timing. Time to get going!" Luffy announces, looking at Lucy she nods in agreement.

Keeping Lucy against him, Luffy throws his arm forward until it grabs a portion of the ship. At great speed, the two fly over the sea until they are caught by a net of arms that Robin produced. Not sparing a moment after their return, Franky pulls the lever needed to send their ship flying once again, leaving behind the navy ship as the remaining two fish out any marines that went overboard. The majority of the crew gather around Luffy and Lucy as the land on their feet back on the deck.

"That was brilliant Lucy! That should keep them busy even long after we're gone." Nami said with a laugh.

"Well, I just thought going after the ship made more sense." Lucy said in order to be humble.

"I gotta admit, you didn't do too bad." Zorro admits with a small smile. Momentarily shocked, Lucy soon smiles back at Zorro before she walks over to the ship's side in order to look out over sea and sky until they land.

"Hehe, this really never gets old." Lucy blissfully laughed as she watched them fly over the water. Nami and Luffy soon came over to where Lucy was standing to join her.

"You know Lucy, now that you messed with the Marines, a bounty will most likely be put on your head." said Nami.

"A bounty, huh? Then, I hope it'll be a high one." said Lucy with a small cheeky grin.

"Haha! Now you'll be a real pirate! I wonder what people will start calling you." said Luffy as he drapes an arm of her shoulders

"Well...It'll be surprise." replied Lucy, happily letting herself lean against Luffy. It wasn't too long after that moment before a wanted poster with Lucy's face, name, and bounty on it came in. It was a close up of her being held by Luffy, his face just out of frame, her smile showing beautifly as her blood made perfect streaks that framed her face in the picture.