Okay, so, here is this story's next chapter.
I have two main stories right now, That's this one and EnSlaveMate.
Otherwise, the others are if I get bored and need a break. So, don't expect them to get updated as often.
There's a scene in here that might not be liked by everyone but it was needed for the story in my eyes.
So now, onto the show!
"Well... You see..." Lucy started but she really didn't know how to explain it. But she decided to give it her best shot. "Well, I was having trouble getting Grand Chariot down so I had Gemini copy your memories, and with that, during my meditation training, they were helping me through how to do it... In the process, they also learned how to do Sema and maybe a few others..." Lucy explained as she scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
Jellal couldn't help but glare at her. "Do not under any circumstances, use any of those other spells, Lucy..." Jellal ordered. "I mean it..." He added.
Lucy looked at him with a pout. "So, Abyss Break is out of the question then?" Lucy asked with a quivering lip.
Jellal grimaced and looked away with a pleading look to the others. But they all looked away silently telling him he was on his own with this one. Jellal groaned as he hung his head.
Erza wanted to laugh as she watched the scene in amusement. It served him right for hiding it all from her. Plus she knew not many people could say no to Lucy's pout. Even she caved a few times with it. But she would never admit it. She would just play it off as her idea.
Jellal sighed as his shoulders slumped. "Refrain if possible..." Jellal said in a defeated tone.
Laxus turned his head with a cough to cover up his chuckle. He was just thinking it was better Jellal than him. He already found out he can't say no to the girl the hard way not long ago.
Lucy smiled but before she could say anything there was a knock at the door. Everyone looked at each other before looking to the door. After all, everyone was already in the room. Who else could it be?
When Makarov opened the door he revealed Mr. Yajima standing there with a smile. Mr. Yajima walked in nodding in greeting everyone. He looked around before his eyes landed on Lucy.
"I came to congratulate you on your win..." Mr. Yajima said with a slight nod of his head.
"That's not all you came for is it Mr. Yajima?" Lucy asked knowingly with narrowed eyes.
Mr. Yajima chuckled. "Can't hide anything from you now can I?" He asked amused.
Lucy looked at her damaged arm which was now fully healed thanks to Wendy. She flexed her arm and her fist. It seemed it was back to normal.
"Thanks, Wendy!" Lucy said with a smile.
"You're welcome, Lucy!" Wendy said as she wiped her forehead with her arm.
"Tell us Mr. Yajima what can Fairy Tail do for you today?" Lucy asked as she pulled off the burned sleeve.
Mr. Yajima eyed Mystogan for a second before shrugging and turning his attention back to Lucy. He didn't want to announce the truth but they had the right to know after all.
"Well, since you bet Flare for them to withdraw from the games and turn themselves over to the council, it seems Raven Tail minus Flare, has disappeared and escaped..." Mr. Yajima said with a sigh.
"I expected as much..." Lucy said with a sigh.
Makarov looked at Laxus then Jellal. "Both of you make sure you stay with Lucy at all times... One of you if not both of you should be with her no matter what..." Makarov ordered.
Laxus sighed but nodded. He had no arguments. He was already on guard duty so it didn't matter to him. Jellal nodded but didn't say anything knowing that Mystogan normally doesn't speak.
"Master!" Mira called. "What's going on? Why just those two?" Mira asked.
"Well, I expect that you and Gajeel would look after your guildmate too..." Makarov said offhandedly.
Gajeel scoffed. "Why wouldn't we?" Gajeel asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Aw! Does that mean you care about me, Gajy?" Lucy cooed.
Gajeel scowled. "Of course, I don't! I just don't want Shrimp yelling at me!" Gajeel huffed as he looked away to hide his red-tinted cheeks.
Lucy giggled behind her hand silently. Laxus smirked and shook his head. The others in the room shook their heads in amusement.
Mr. Yajima chuckled. "Well, then I must get going so we can figure out how we're going to even up the teams for battles and such..." He sighed before he turned toward the door.
"Mr. Yajima..." Lucy called out causing him to stop and turn to face her. "May I make a suggestion?" Lucy asked.
Mr. Yajima seemed in thought but he nodded. "Sure, anything would help at this point..." Mr. Yajima said with a sigh.
"Take the two teams that have the lowest scores and have them go against each other and eliminate the one that loses... Like a second elimination round..." Lucy suggested.
"Hm?" Mr. Yajima said in thought. He had to admit that it sounded like a good idea. "A game or Battle?" He asked.
Lucy put her finger to her chin tapping it as she looked in thought. "I'd say battle with the entire team... The last one standing wins... The team that loses obviously is removed from the games..." Lucy explained.
Laxus gave her a look that said 'what are you planning?' as he raised his eyebrow. She smiled at him before moving her gaze back to Mr. Yajima.
Mr. Yajima chuckled and nodded. "That sounds like a good idea... I'll bring it up to the game's organizers..." Mr. Yajima said before walking out the door.
Makarov narrowed his eyes at Lucy as he watched her smile fade into a blank expression. He had no idea what she was up to, but he wanted to find out.
"Shall we go watch the rest of the battles?" Lucy asked with her smile back on her face.
"You should get cleaned up first, child..." Makarov said nodding to Laxus and Jellal.
"But I wanted to watch the other battles..." Lucy whined.
Makarov chuckled at her behavior. "Go get cleaned up and changed..." Makarov sighed shaking his head.
Lucy pouted but nodded as she walked toward the door followed by Laxus and Jellal. Once out of the room Lucy's face turns to one of determination. Her only thoughts were of Raven Tail escaping custody. She had to do something to stop them. But on top of all of that, she had to figure out this Eclipse thing.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Laxus asked as he and Jellal followed behind the blonde.
Lucy sighed. "Raven Tail getting away is concerning, to say the least..." Lucy said as they continued down the hall.
Laxus nodded. "I agree... We need to keep an eye out..." Laxus agreed before he let out a sigh. "What do you have planned?" Laxus asked.
"For?" Lucy asked as she looked up at him over her shoulder. Laxus gulped. He didn't know why he suddenly asked or why he felt nervous all of a sudden. Before he could open his mouth his stomach grumbled causing his cheeks to tint. "Hungry?" Lucy asked in amusement.
Laxus scoffed. "Yeah, sure, whatever..." Laxus grumbled.
Jellal snorted softly but covered it up with a cough. He found their interactions entertaining.
Lucy giggled. "Okay, how about you guys go get food and I'll go get a shower and get changed?" Lucy suggested.
Laxus narrowed his eyes at her. "We're not supposed to leave your side..." Laxus reminded her.
Lucy smirked mischievously. "So, does that mean both of you are going to join me in the shower?" Lucy asked in mock curiosity. "I mean you did say that you couldn't leave my side, so it makes sense..." Lucy continued as she looked in thought.
Jellal and Laxus however were both stunned into silence and frozen in place as they stared at her with wide eyes. Jellal started to sweat as his face heated under his mask. All he could think about was Erza killing him slowly if he even thought about doing that. Laxus on the other hand had to fight the urge to readjust himself with just the thought of it. His grandfather, not to mention the rest of the guild, would most likely have his head if he even thought about it.
Both men shook their heads to clear their minds of the thought. "Food it is!" Both Jellal and Laxus said at the same time.
Lucy looked at both of them and blinked her eyes innocently. "Oh? Are you sure?" Lucy asked with a tilt of her head.
"Positive!" Both men answered at the same time.
Lucy shrugged. "All right..." Lucy said as she turned and continued walking.
Laxus and Jellal let out a sigh of relief as Laxus discreetly readjusted his pants before following Lucy to their hotel room. Jellal saw Laxus' movement and fought the urge to snort. Jellal wondered how long Laxus was going to deny his attraction to the other blonde.
Once they reached the hotel room, Jellal and Laxus did a sweep of the room to make sure it was clear. Laxus sighed as he locked the balcony doors. He didn't want to take any chances.
"Do not, under any circumstances, leave this room... Understand?" Laxus asked with narrowed eyes.
Lucy nodded. "I won't, I don't plan on going anywhere anyway... I just want a nap..." Lucy said as she stretched her arms above her head. She walked to the bathroom. "Don't worry, I'll be here when you get back!" Lucy called over her shoulder as she placed her belt with her keys on the end table by the couch.
Laxus sighed and nodded. "All right... We'll be back then..." Laxus said as he and Jellal headed toward the door. They both watched the bathroom door close. "Let's make this quick, I don't like leaving her alone too long..." Laxus said before shutting the door behind him.
"Master Makarov will have our heads if he finds out we left her side..." Jellal reminded him as they practically jogged down the hallway.
"Don't I know it... He's more protective of her the most... Though, he would deny it till he dies..." Laxus said shaking his head.
"From what I've seen, the entire guild is like that..." Jellal commented as they walked out of the hotel and into the street.
Laxus sighed. "You're not wrong... The guild would sacrifice themselves without a second thought for her..." Laxus informed.
"Would you?" Jellal asked.
Laxus snorted. "Of course, I would... She's a guildmate... She's family..." Laxus said as they reached the takeout place down the road.
Jellal raised an eyebrow. "Mhm... Keep telling yourself that..." Jellal teased with a chuckle.
Laxus grumbled a growl. "Shut up... I like my head and balls where they are thank you..." Laxus commented as a shiver went up his spine from the thought before walking inside to place their order.
Jellal waited outside looking up and down the street not noticing the figures on top of a building across the street. By the time Jellal looked up to scan the roofs the figures were gone so he didn't see them.
By the time Laxus stepped out of the take-out restaurant He was confronted by his angry looked grandfather and a scared-stiff Jellal.
"What the hell do you think you're doing out here!?" Makarov shouted.
"Getting food... Lucy was hungry and she was getting a shower... We weren't gone that long... But the longer you keep us here the more of a chance she'll be in trouble... So, if you want to scold us then follow us, we need to get back..." Laxus said before walking back toward the hotel with his grandfather and Jellal on his heels.
"What made you think it was okay to leave her alone anyway?!" Makarov continued his questioning as he walked with them.
"Well..." Laxus started but gulped. "It was either go for food or join her in the shower... Or well, that's what she said anyway..." Laxus said refusing to make eye contact as he looked straight ahead.
Makarov halted as he replayed the words in his head. Then he started to laugh as he fell onto his back. This caused the other two men to stop and look at him in confusion.
"She tricked you!" Makarov said while he was laughing. "I can't believe that a girl pulled one over on you..." Makarov continued to laugh.
"I'm going to strangle her..." Laxus grumbled when he realized that she did indeed trick them.
Jellal sighed. "Neither one of us wanted to lose our heads..." Jellal grumbled as he shrunk into his mask.
That just made Makarov laugh even more. He found that both of them were terrified of getting beheaded by those closest to Lucy. Though if he thought about it, he could see it happening. Especially with Erza involved.
"Can we go now..." Laxus growled in annoyance.
Makarov coughed a few times as he got himself under control. "Yes, yes let's go..." Makarov said as they continued to walk.
They hadn't taken more than two steps before a scream echoed in the empty streets.
"Shit... Lucy..." Laxus said before the three of them ran toward the hotel.
Fifteen minutes after the boys left Lucy came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. She was hoping and praying that they weren't back yet. She had forgotten to grab her clothes from her suitcase before going into the bathroom. She looked around and saw that the room was empty. She sighed in relief before she ran to her suitcase to pull out her clothes.
As she put her hand in her suitcase sand wrapped around her wrist pulling her away from the suitcase a scream escaped her throat and onto the bed across the room. Sand continued to wrap around her other wrist and her ankles holding her down. She knew this magic. She knew who was behind this.
In an instant, a hand wrapped around her throat. She looked up and was met with beady black eyes and the sinister smirk of the Raven Tail guild master. Ivan Dreyar. Who was also the son of Makarov and the father of Laxus. She had no idea how any of them could be related. Their attitudes and morals were all different.
"Let go of me!" Lucy said praying her towel wouldn't fall off.
That would really be embarrassing!
Ivan chuckled darkly as his eyes raked over her towel-clad form. The look in his eyes terrified her. She's seen that look many times before but she was never in this type of situation before to where she couldn't get away. And she would always have someone there that would keep the creeps away. She now regretted having Laxus and Jellal leave her alone to go get food.
"You're going to tell me what you know about the Lumen Histoire and where it is... Or..." Ivan started but trailed off leaving the floating threat lingering in the air.
Lucy gritted her teeth. "Or what!?" Lucy snapped.
Her fight or flight response kicked in and unfortunately for her, it was definitely to fight. She blamed Fairy Tail for that. Normally she would have tried to run and hide but since she joined the guild that wasn't really an option.
Ivan slid his finger around the top hem of her towel. "Or I'll make it so my son never touches you again... After all, what son would want their father's sloppy seconds..." Ivan chuckled darkly. Lucy's eyes widened in fear. Ivan enjoyed the look in her eyes. "Well? What will it be?" Ivan asked as he licked his lips letting his eyes roam up and down.
Lucy attempted to struggle against the sand restraints. All she needed to do was get to her keys. But it was no use they were holding her down tightly. It was now she wish that she pressed Master Makarov for details on the Lumen Histoire. She had to take her chances and hope the guys would get back soon.
"Go to hell!" Lucy spat as she continued to struggle against the sand.
Ivan chuckled. "You asked for it..." He said. He loved when they fought back. "I'm going to make you wish you just told me what I wanted to know..." Ivan taunted before he ripped the towel away from her causing her to scream again.
Lucy tried to cover herself but it was in vain. She couldn't move her arms. This wasn't something she thought would happen. She didn't think he would be this sick. She closed her eyes tightly as she clenched her jaw. She heard the sound of a belt buckle being undone. Her body trembled in fear as she heard the rustling of clothing. This was the last thing she wanted.
Lucy felt Ivan's hand press against her stomach before it slid down to her thigh pushing her legs apart. She whimpered as Ivan pressed his fingers into the skin of her thigh. She did not doubt that there would be bruises in their wake.
But in the next second, she heard the door burst open followed by a growl. She felt the hair on the back of her neck and arms stand up on end. Her eyes flew open as she looked over only to see Laxus' eyes glowing as he flew across the room punching Ivan in his face and sending him through the balcony doors.
Ivan grabbed the railing before he flew too far. He brought his feet to the balcony floor and glared at Laxus who had freed the blonde and wrapped his coat around her.
Lucy clutched the coat keeping it closed as she glared at Ivan in the doorway of the balcony. She was never so grateful to see Laxus in her life.
"Are you all right?" Laxus asked glaring and growling at Ivan.
"Yeah... Thanks to you..." Lucy whispered holding onto the coat as if her life depended on it.
Laxus stepped in front of Lucy blocking Ivan's view of her. Jellal came up to his left side as Makarov came to his right. All three men guarded the blonde who was trembling as tears filled her eyes.
"What the hell do you think you're doing Ivan!?" Makarov shouted as he trembled in anger.
"I want the Lumen Histoire... But I'll get my hands on it one way or another..." Ivan growled before he disappeared in a spiral of sand.
Makarov huffed but turned to face the trembling blonde on the bed. "Are you all right, child?" Makarov asked softly.
Lucy nodded as she curled into herself. She had never been so afraid in her life. Nothing she ever went through before could compare to what just happened now.
Laxus growled with a sigh before he knelled in front of Lucy. "Lucy..." Laxus started but stiffened when Lucy flung her arms around his neck as she cried into his shoulder. He gulped and slowly wrapped his arms around her smaller frame patting her back awkwardly. "There, there..." Laxus said unsure of how to handle this situation.
The other situations where she was terrified were different. Those were dreams and he could reassure her that that's all it was. That it wasn't real. But this time it was real and it really happened. Laxus sighed before he stood up picking Lucy up with him. He sat on the bed setting her in his lap. Lucy clutched his shirt like he was going to disappear on her. She was scared.
"I'll go search the area... I'll take Mira and Gajeel with me..." Jellal said before heading to the door.
Makarov nodded. He knew that they would search all day and all night trying to find them but he didn't want them to be too tired. He had the other slayers he could rely on too.
"Only spend an hour no more... You all need rest for tomorrow... I'll have Wendy and Natsu help you..." Makarov said following him to the door. Makarov looked over his shoulder. "Take care of her, boy..." Makarov said.
Laxus scoffed. "Of course..." Laxus grumbled watching the other two leave. Laxus sighed as he rubbed Lucy's back. "How about you get dressed? I'm right here I'm not going anywhere..." Laxus said pulling her away slightly only to see her red and puffy eyes.
Laxus had to fight the urge to groan. He didn't like seeing women cry. It annoyed him. But something about Lucy crying made his chest hurt.
Lucy nodded before getting off his lap and holding his coat close. She made her way to her suitcase taking out an outfit before heading back into the bathroom. She needed to remember to take her clothes with her from now on. She didn't want that to possibly happen again.
Once she was dressed she walked out of the bathroom putting her hair back into pigtails. She wore black shorts, a white and yellow striped tank top with a black sleeveless cropped vest.
"Are you auditioning for a spot on the Thunder Legion?" Laxus asked in amusement with a raised eyebrow.
Lucy narrowed her eyes at him. "No..." Lucy huffed. "This is the last time I let Virgo pack my suitcase..." Lucy grumbled walking to the bed.
"So, you're blaming your spirit?" Laxus asked with a chuckle.
"It's the truth! She's the one who packed for me!" Lucy whined falling backward on the bed.
"Mhm... Sure, blame the spirit..." Laxus chuckled laying back with his hands folded behind his head. "We joining the others at the bar?" Laxus after a few moments.
Lucy snorted. "Sure, why not? Not like they would let us miss it anyway... We won today..." Lucy said staring up at the ceiling.
"Good point..." Laxus muttered. "You sure you're up for it?" Laxus asked in concern.
Lucy nodded with a sigh. "Yeah... Everyone would get suspicious if we didn't..." Lucy commented as she stretched her arms up. "Not to mention Mira would make everyone think something else and I rather avoid that..." Lucy said sitting up.
Laxus nodded. "True..." Laxus said following suit. "I wouldn't put it past her at all... And I rather keep certain body parts attached..." Laxus said grumbling at the end.
Lucy giggled as she put her brown mid-calf boots on. "I'd avoid Erza if I were you..." Lucy said before standing up.
"Trust me I plan to avoid your team... They're far from happy about the situation, to begin with..." Laxus said getting to his feet. They both walked to the door. Laxus opened the door and looked back and forth in the hallway. Laxus sighed. "Good, the coast is clear... Come on..." Laxus said moving to the side letting Lucy walk by.
Jellal and Makarov walked down the street after leaving the hotel. They felt a bit uneasy about what had just happened. Makarov couldn't believe that his son would even do something like that. Jellal merely thought that Ivan was sick.
Both men heard hurried footsteps approaching them. They looked up to see Gajeel and Mira running toward them. Both looked slightly panicked.
"Mira? Gajeel?" Makarov asked with a raised eyebrow. Both of them stopped in front of them seemingly out of breath. "What are you doing here?" Makarov asked.
"I heard Lucy scream... Where is she?" Gajeel growled looking around.
"You heard Lucy scream from the other side of town?" Makarov asked in confusion.
"Dragon Slayer hearing... Not to mention, I know her screams better than anyone..." Gajeel said through gritted teeth as he remember back when he was with Phantom.
"Even Natsu and Wendy heard her... But we talked them into staying with everyone else saying that she was on our team and that she's our responsibility..." Mira added.
Makarov nodded then sighed. "She was attacked..." Makarov said not willing to go into detail. He figured that Laxus and Jellal would fill them in later. He rather not even think about it. "Thankfully she wasn't hurt..." Makarov added.
"Mira, Gajeel? Both of you come with me so we can search the city for Raven Tail..." Jellal said turning around and walking back toward the hotel. He figured if they split up they could cover more ground. "I'll go this way! We'll split up and meet back at the Bar Sun after an hour..." Jellal continued.
"Is that who attacked Lucy?" Mira asked with narrowed eyes.
Makarov nodded. "Yes... Laxus is with her now, they'll most likely meet us at the bar after Lucy gets changed..." Makarov said before he continued onto the Bar Sun. He would leave the rest to his children.
Gajeel and Mira watched Makarov and Jellal walk in different directions. They didn't know what went on but they would do as they were asked for now. Gajeel and Mira nodded to each other before going in different directions.
Laxus and Lucy walked the short distance from the hotel to the Bar Sun. The walk was mostly in silence. Both were stuck in their thoughts and the events of the day. Neither of them wanted to speak of it. Neither one of them wanted to break the silence.
Lucy stopped walking, frozen in place. Her eyes looked dazed. Her head felt like it was floating. She knew this feeling.
Laxus stopped once he realized Lucy did. When he turned to face her he saw her eyes roll into the back of her head as she started to collapse to the ground. Laxus wasted no time when he saw her knees start to bend. He rushed to her catching her before she hit the ground.
He had the urge to growl. He knew what was going on. All he thought was why now? Why here? They were in the middle of the street why would this happen now?
The fog encircled her coming up to her knees. She looked around seeing nothing but darkness and fog. She sighed as she walked a few steps before stopping when a figure appeared in front of her.
"You really pick the worse times to summon me here..." Lucy said as she rubbed her temples.
The figure stood there as she looked over her shoulder into the darkness behind her. She sighed before stepping up to Lucy.
"I'm sorry... But the matter is urgent... We can't involve anyone except Fairy Tail..." Her dream self said.
Lucy crossed her arms over her chest. "What are you talking about?" Lucy asked.
"You need to get your hands on the final two Zodiac keys..." Dream Lucy said.
"And how do I do that?" Lucy asked.
"Sabertooth has a wizard name Yukino, she's a Celestial wizard... She has the final two keys as well as the thirteenth key..." Dream Lucy said.
"The Thirteenth key? I thought that was just a myth..." Lucy said with wide eyes.
Dream Lucy shook her head. "It's not... She has it... You need to get your hands on those three keys no matter what it takes, you have to..." Dream Lucy said urgently.
"Why?" Lucy asked not liking having to take keys from someone else unless they were evil and using them wrongly.
"If you have all the Zodiac keys you have the power over Eclipse... It won't work without them... As long as you stay in the games the kingdom won't risk kidnapping you like they did me and Yukino... They take the keys to open it... You can't let that happen..." Dream Lucy explained.
Lucy nodded with a sigh. "Is this Yukino in the games?" Lucy asked.
"Yes... She battles Kagura tomorrow... And she loses... She'll come to you to give you her keys but..." Dream Lucy trailed off.
"But? But what?" Lucy asked.
"We turn her away... Because she loves her spirits as we love ours..." Dream Lucy said.
Lucy nodded. "I won't turn her away..." Lucy said.
Dream Lucy shook her head. "She only gives you Pisces and Libra... You need the thirteenth as well..." Dream Lucy explained.
"Why? I don't see how making her defenseless is beneficial..." Lucy stated.
"She needs to be useless to the kingdom... As long as she doesn't have those three keys they won't approach her for her help... They will come to you and only you... You need to turn them down..." Dream Lucy stressed.
Lucy sighed again. "All right... I'll see what I can do..." Lucy said.
"Oh yes, one more thing... Raven Tail will attack again... You need to be careful..." Dream Lucy warned.
"You mean what just happened in the hotel room?" Lucy asked in a bored tone.
"No... They will attack again... It was pretty stupid to make yourself a target for them... They were gunning for Laxus to have him help them but you gave them an easier one... For future reference, never go anywhere alone..." Dream Lucy said.
"I know that now... It was just they were overbearing and I need space to breathe..." Lucy explained.
"They are like that because it's their job... And it's for your own safety... If you're not careful, they'll both die for you..." Dream Lucy warned tears gathering in her eyes.
"How?" Lucy asked.
"They take an attack meant for you when the dragons appear through the Eclipse gate... If you fail to keep that gate closed, you would have doomed this world... Find someone other than the Gajeel to do the Game tomorrow... He has the Dragon Slayer curse of Motion sickness as well..." Dream Lucy said before she started to fade.
Lucy sighed. "Yeah, great... Easier said than done..." Lucy muttered as the space around her started to fade. "Time to wake up I'm guessing..." She said as she looked around her.
Laxus held Lucy looking around anxiously.
Why did this have to happen now of all times?
Was his only thought. He wanted to take her back to the hotel, only because he never knew how long she would pass out. It could vary.
He was looking around making sure no one was around because teleporting himself and her back to the hotel room when Lucy jolted up. She sat upright as she breathed heavily. She had no idea how much time had passed. She looked around frantically only to see she was still in the middle of the road with Laxus holding her.
"Are you okay?" Laxus asked his eyes frantically looking over her.
Lucy swallowed and nodded. "Yeah..." Lucy muttered as Laxus helped her to her feet.
"What happened?" Laxus asked while he made sure she was steady on her feet.
"She was just updating me on the events... I have more to do tomorrow..." Lucy said with a sigh of defeat.
She had no idea when this was going to end. She didn't like feeling like someone puppet. And that's exactly how she felt right now. Even though it was her future self, she still felt like she was being used. But if this stopped the upcoming danger she would go through with whatever she was told.
"Like?" Laxus asked.
Lucy looked up at him. "I have to get the last two Zodiac keys..." Lucy said her eyes drained and exhausted.
"Where are they?" Laxus asked as they started walking toward the Bar Sun.
Lucy sighed. "Sabertooth's one wizard has them... She's in one of the battles tomorrow..." Lucy explained.
"Against you?" Laxus asked his eyes wide.
Lucy shook her head. "No... Against Kagura of Mermaid Heel..." Lucy said.
Laxus nodded. "So, how are you going to get them from her? Ask for them?" Laxus asked.
"It's a bit more complicated than that... But I will need your help tomorrow..." Lucy said. Laxus sighed and nodded without asking why. He had one job and that was never to leave her side. So if she said she needs his help he really didn't have much choice. "Thanks..." Lucy said as they approached the Bar.
Natsu was on edge. He and Wendy heard a scream that sounded awful like Lucy. But they were told to stay put and to let her team handle it. He didn't like sitting by while his friend could be in trouble. He sat on the table his hands gripping the edge of the table as his feet bounced on the seat.
"Natsu, calm down..." Erza scolded.
"Something's not right... Lucy's in trouble... I just know it..." Natsu said as he stared at the door.
Erza sighed. "She has Laxus and Jellal... She'll be fine..." Erza said as she shook her head.
Makarov had just arrived not long ago and assured them that everything was fine. That Lucy was with both of them. But she noticed that Mira and Gajeel were missing as well. She was about to ask where they went when both walked through the door with defeated looks on their faces.
"Any luck?" Makarov asked. Gajeel and Mira both shook their heads as they approached the bar. "Don't stress over it..." Makarov said before he lifted his mug to his mouth.
"What's wrong with Salamander?" Gajeel asked as he eyed the fire dragon slayer.
"He's worried that something's wrong with Lucy... He thinks he heard her scream..." Cana said as she hiccuped.
"I heard it too!" Wendy said with a huff.
Carla sat there with narrowed eyes on the door. She had a vision not long ago but then it changed. And it keeps changing. She had no idea what was going on. But she was going to ask the master about it once he was alone. There was only one thing in common in all her visions. It was Lucy. And she wanted to know why.
It was twenty minutes after Gajeel and Mira arrive when Lucy walked in followed by Laxus. Natsu's expression lifted as he was ready to run over to her, well, that was before he saw Laxus behind her. He absentmindedly let out a low growl gaining Gajeel, Wendy, and Laxus' attention.
Laxus looked at him and smirked. It seemed to him that Natsu was getting a bit territorial. Laxus chuckled as he followed Lucy over to a table where the Freed was sitting. Lucy sat down and crossed her arms over the table before laying her chin on them.
Freed bristled. He didn't understand why Lucy of all people sat down in the seat he was saving for Laxus. And why she was dressed the way she was. But not long after Lucy sat down so did Laxus. This alone confused Freed. He was looking back and forth between the two trying to figure it out.
Laxus looked at him and smirked. "Let it alone, Freed... After all, I'm not allowed to leave her side..." Laxus said as he leaned back crossing his arms over his chest.
Freed pouted. "Okay..." He said as he slumped in his chair dejectedly he before eyeing Lucy's outfit with an expression of displeasure.
Laxus chuckled. "Virgo apparently packed her clothes..." Laxus said rolling his eyes. Lucy elbowed him in his side. "Ow..." Laxus chuckled as he rubbed his side.
"She did pack my suitcase! Stop picking on me!" Lucy whined burying her face in her arms.
"But it's so easy..." Laxus chuckled as he ruffled her hair.
Lucy swatted at his hand. "Stop that!" Lucy whined.
Natsu felt annoyed and decided to go look for a fight. He was itching for a good fight. It didn't take long for a brawl to break out. First Elfman was put face-first on the floor. Jet followed not soon after. The final one was Max.
"Who's up next?! Give me your best shot!" Natsu shouted from the top of a table.
"Awesome Natsu!" Macao cheered.
"You're weak, Max!" Wakaba cheered along.
"How did he become this strong in only three months?!" Warren asked worriedly.
"Where do we stand now?" Vejeeter asked.
Gajeel chuckled. He was getting excited watching Natsu take on everyone. He wanted to join in too.
"Interesting... I'll be your opponent..." Gajeel chuckled.
Laxus sighed. "Leave it be... If it's you and Natsu, it won't be for fun anymore..." Laxus said shaking his head.
Lucy watched from his side. She smiled warmly.
Gajeel turned to Laxus. "Oh? You've become such a peace-loving guy, Laxus..." Gajeel said patting him on his head.
Laxus raised an eyebrow unfazed. Freed on the other hand was fuming.
"Bastard!" Freed shouted as she stood up slamming his hands on the table. "What are you doing to Laxus?! Our pride is being trampled on! We, Laxus' bodyguards The Thunder Legion, ASSEMBLE!" Freed shouted.
Lucy just found all this amusing.
"No way..." Evergreen slurred from the table across from them where she and Bickslow were slumped on the floor.
"Pathetic..." Cana snickered from the other side of the table Evergreen and Bickslow were at. "Such lightweights..." Cana continued.
Lucy shook her head. "That's what you get for drinking with Cana..." Lucy muttered in amusement.
Laxus looked over and shook his head. He found it amusing not that he let it show.
Lucy caught sight of someone else approaching Cana's table. Her eyes narrowed. She stood up catching Laxus' attention. He followed her line of sight and saw someone who wasn't in their guild approach Cana's table. Laxus raised an eyebrow as he watched Lucy walk over and sit on the edge of the table.
"Huh?" Cana asked looking over and seeing Lucy sitting in front of her.
"Move girly, I wanna challenge your friend there..." The male said with a hiccup.
Cana's ears twitched hearing the words. "Oh? I don't know who you are but... To challenge me to drink?" Cana said her tone questioning.
"Oi! I don't know who you are but... Stop it!" Macao panicked.
"Despite how she looks... This woman's a monster!" Wakaba continued.
"No one will be challenging anyone here..." Lucy said leaning back on her hands as she crossed her leg over the other.
"Oh?" The male raised an eyebrow in question. "And who are you to say?" He continued.
Lucy smirked. "Her friend... And as a friend, I won't let anyone harm them... No matter what..." Lucy's tone was cold and calm.
Cana looked up at her confused. "Lucy?" Cana asked with a tilt of her head like she was just noticing her now.
"Outta the way girly..." The man hiccuped eyeing Cana.
Lucy giggled. "Not a chance... This isn't your guild, you have no rights here..." Lucy said in amusement.
"What? You think your guild is too good to mingle with the rest of us?" The man asked.
"You're annoying me..." Lucy sighed. "Don't say I didn't warn you..." Lucy said pulling out a gold key. "Open! Gate Of The Golden Bull! Taurus!" Lucy chanted holding the key outward.
"Moooo! At your service Miss. Luuuucy!" Taurus said as he appeared out of a golden magic circle.
The Man's eyes opened wide as he took in the sight of the giant bull-like man that appeared in front of him. He didn't know if he was hallucinating or not. Maybe he drank too much?
"Lucy?" Laxus asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Batters up Taurus!" Lucy said pointing at the man with a grin.
The man looked at the chuckling Bull-like man. His eyes widened even more as he watched the bull pull back his giant ax like he was holding a baseball bat.
"Oh, shit..." The man muttered as he watched the bull swing the ax forward.
The man didn't have time to react before the ax hit him head-on. It sent him flying across the bar and through the now-open door that Makarov was holding open. Makarov watched the man fly through the door and disappear into the night.
"And he's outta here!" Lucy cheered as she high-fived Taurus before he disappeared.
"Uh... Lucy, do you know who that was?" Erza asked as she stepped up to her.
Lucy shrugged. "Yeah, and?" Lucy asked.
Erza's jaw dropped. "And you just sent him flying! How could you be so reckless?" Erza said in a panic as she pointed toward the door.
"Don't worry so much Erza, he'll be fine, the fact that he was even here means Quatro Cerberus won the elimination round..." Lucy said waving her hand dismissively.
"How do you..." Erza started but trailed off.
Lucy smirked. "Despite what you think Erza, Bacchus isn't on par with you... In fact, I'm pretty sure Elfman could beat him..." Lucy said as she walked toward Laxus.
Erza's jaw dropped again as her eyes widened. She couldn't believe that she thought Elfman could beat Bacchus of all people. What Erza didn't know was that Lucy saw it with her own eyes. She knew better than anyone there. Not that she would tell anyone that.
Laxus watched as she walked up to him. He raised an eyebrow with a smirk as she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She rested her chin against him as she looked up at him.
"Laxus, I'm tired, take back to the hotel..." Lucy whined.
Everyone's jaw dropped that was around them. None of them would have ever even dreamed of going up to Laxus and doing that. They'd get fried to a crisp.
Laxus sighed. "Fine... Let's go..." Laxus said.
"Carry me?" Lucy pouted.
Laxus rolled his eyes with a smirk. "Fine..." Laxus said before he scooped her bridal style and headed toward the door. "You're worse than a child..." Laxus grumbled.
Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled into the fur on his coat. She didn't miss how everyone was staring at them. Which was the only reason she had him carry her.
"Did we miss something?" Gray asked as he watched the two blondes walk out the door.
"What do you mean?" Lisanna asked with a tilt of her head.
"Since when are those two that close? Not to mention since when does Lucy act like that?" Gray asked shaking his head in confusion.
"My darling Gray has a point..." Juvia said as she hugged his arm.
Gray groaned as he tried to push her off his arm. It wasn't long before he gave up.
"I don't know... But something seems off..." Mira said with narrowed eyes.
She knew Laxus better than anyone. He never acted like this. He hated when women whined. He hated when they were clingy. And Lucy was being both of those and Laxus wasn't doing anything but going along with it.
Makarov sighed he wanted to tell them but he said he'd let Lucy do that on her own.
Natsu growled glaring at the door. He wanted to go after them. He wanted to talk to Lucy. It was like she tossed them to the side in favor of Laxus. Was it because he was stronger and more powerful? Is that what mattered to Lucy? Strength and Power? He just didn't get it.
"Natsu?" Lisanna called over to him as she watched him frown and glare at the door. "What's wrong?" Lisanna asked walking to his side.
"Nothing..." Natsu grumbled.
Lisanna smiled sadly. "You like her?" Lisanna asked even though it sounded more like a statement. Natsu looked down and refused to answer. He didn't know how to answer that question. He liked her, but he didn't like-like her. Or at least he didn't think he did. He just missed his friend. Lisanna smiled and nodded before sitting next to him. "It's okay if you like her..." Lisanna said.
"What if she doesn't like me?" Natsu asked still looking down.
Lisanna giggled. "Of course she likes you... How could she not?" Lisanna asked. Natsu shrugged. "Natsu? Is it because you like her more than just a friend?" Lisanna asked.
Natsu shook his head. "No, it's nothing like that... It's just I'm used to being with her every day all day... And now, she's only ever with Laxus..." Natsu grumbled.
Lisanna smiled. "Do you think they're dating?" Lisanna asked as she looked in thought.
"I'LL KILL HIM!" Erza shouted as she heard the question.
Everyone looked at Erza who raised her sword in the air with fire in her eyes. They blinked at her reaction. They were confused as to why she would shout like that.
"Poor Laxus..." Mira giggled.
"Laxus doesn't date..." Evergreen stated as she pulled herself up on the bench.
"Nope... Dating ain't his style..." Bickslow said shaking his head from the floor.
Freed nodded along with his teammates agreeing with what they were saying.
Makarov closed his eyes to take a deep breath. He already wanted to strangle his grandson for how he's been with Lucy. He was losing his trust for him with Lucy more and more by the second. A chuckle from his side caught his attention. He looked over to see Mystogan standing next to him.
"And what do you think so funny?" Makarov asked with a sigh.
Jellal shook his head. "Nothing Master... But I wouldn't worry about Laxus' intentions..." Jellal said.
"When did you even get here?" Makarov asked looking around wondering how he missed him.
Jellal shrugged. "After someone went flying out of the guild... Who was that anyway?" Jellal asked.
Makarov shook his head. "No one important..." Makarov said waving his hand dismissively.
Jellal shrugged. "If you say so, Master..." Jellal said. After a moment of looking around Jellal sighed. "Who's in tomorrow's game?" Jellal asked.
Makarov blinked. "I don't know... I've been letting Lucy be in charge of that... For obvious reasons..." Makarov said.
Jellal nodded. "She said that originally it would Gajeel... I wonder if she'll change it..." Jellal asked.
"I don't know... I've been questioning her actions since the beginning... Granted we've come in first, I just don't know if we should trust this Dream Lucy as she calls her..." Makarov said hiding his mouth behind his mug.
Jellal nodded. "I trust Lucy herself... It seems weird that she's having dreams of a future so horrible..." Jellal commented.
"Tell me something I don't know..." Makarov grumbled.
"Wish I could... But I have no news..." Jellal said. "But I'm going to head back to the hotel... It's safer for both of us to be with Lucy right now..." Jellal said.
Makarov nodded. "Very well..." Makarov said before Jellal walked away and out the door without drawing any attention. "Gajeel... Mira... Why don't you both head back to the hotel? Big day tomorrow..." Makarov said nodding his head toward the door.
Mira and Gajeel nodded before they headed out the door.
Laxus was laying on the bed in his sleep pants with his hands behind his head and his ankles crossed. He had his eyes closed seemingly to be asleep. His ears twitched with the sound of an opening door. He opened one eye watching Lucy coming out of the bathroom in her pajamas with her hair down. Pink shorts and a tank top with medium size gold shiny stars all over.
"Come here..." Laxus said as he moved over closing his eyes again.
Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Considering I already had one dream I think I should be good for tonight..." Lucy said walking toward an empty bed.
"Gramps said not to leave your side... And since Jellal isn't here you're stuck with me... Now get over here..." Laxus ordered calmly.
Lucy groaned. "Laxus, I'm fine..." Lucy whined.
"As long as Raven Tail is still out there you're stuck with me... Now, get your pretty little ass over here and lay down..." Laxus ordered with a growl.
Lucy crossed her arms over her chest with a raised eyebrow. "Really?" Lucy asked as she cocked her hip out.
"Lucy..." Laxus growled. "Now..." Laxus continued.
Lucy sighed in defeat. "Fine..." Lucy grumbled before padding her way over to the empty side of Laxus' bed. "You're really bossy you know that?" Lucy asked as she lay down.
Laxus smirked as he felt her snuggle into his side. "I'm not the leader of the Thunder Legion for nothing you know..." Laxus said smugly.
"You're humble too..." Lucy mused closing her eyes.
Laxus chuckled. "I have the right to be..." Laxus said with a shrug.
Lucy rolled her eyes. "Uh huh sure..." Lucy mumbled.
After a few moments, Laxus sighed. "I never did ask you about what you did earlier..." Laxus said.
"What do you mean?" Lucy asked with a yawn.
"Before your battle with Flare..." Laxus clarified.
"What did I do?" Lucy asked sleepily. Laxus was beginning to get annoyed. She knew damn well what he was talking about but she wanted to play dumb. He let out a growl before quickly turning over grabbing her wrist and pulling so she rolls onto her back. Laxus hovered over her as she stares at him with wide eyes. "L-L-Laxus..." Lucy stuttered as she stared up at him.
"Are you really going to play dumb right now?" Laxus asked with a growl.
"I don't kn-" Lucy started but Laxus didn't let her finish.
Laxus leaned down crashing his lips onto hers. Lucy's eyes widened before she let them fall close. He kissed her like she was his last supper. Nowhere near what Lucy had done earlier in the day. His hand made its way into her hair as he gripped the strands tugging slightly. He slid the tip of his tongue along her bottom lip asking for entry which was granted easily without much thought. Their tongues fought against one another. It didn't like a fair fight, since Laxus was winning.
Lucy's mind was getting hazy. She didn't understand why. Maybe the lack of oxygen? Lucy gasped breaking away from Laxus. He chuckled before nipping at her bottom lip.
"Now... Are you going continue to play dumb?" Laxus said as he was catching his breath.
Lucy gulped. "I-I-I..." Lucy was at loss. It felt like her brain was fried. She blinked a few times before she regained her thoughts again. Lucy cleared her throat. "Why do you think I did that?" Lucy asked looking away from him with tinted cheeks.
Laxus grinned. "To put on a show?" Laxus asked even though he was hoping it wasn't the truth.
Lucy closed her eyes before letting out a breath. "That was part of it... But not all of it..." Lucy muttered knowing he could still hear her.
"Oh? Please, enlighten me then..." Laxus said his tone teasing.
Lucy's face continued to turn red. "B-B-Because I..." Lucy started but was cut off by the hotel room door opening.
Lucy's eyes widened in panic. But Laxus only smirked. He smelled them when they got onto their floor.
The three stood in the doorway looking at the scene that they just walked in on. They were stunned. Luckily for Laxus, they didn't walk in sooner. He knew then that Mira would have his head on a silver platter. It was Mira who broke out of the stupor first.
"What's going on?!" Mira snapped as she put her hands on her hips.
Laxus smirked. "I asked her to move over and she didn't..." Laxus said. Lucy narrowed her eyes at him and stuck her tongue out at him. Laxus raised an eyebrow. "Don't stick that out unless you plan on using it..." Laxus teased.
Lucy quickly pulled her tongue back into her mouth causing Laxus to bark out a laugh. Lucy moved over letting Laxus plop down next to her with a grunt. She turned and hide her face in her hand against his chest.
"So embarrassing..." Lucy's muffled voice said.
Laxus chuckled as he laid an arm over her waist.
Jellal raised an eyebrow before walking over to the bed next to theirs. "Do I want to know?" Jellal asked.
Laxus shook his head. "Nope..." Laxus said with a smirk.
Jellal shook his head with a small chuckle before sitting down on the bed. He always found their interactions entertaining. He looked over the back of Lucy seeing a red tint down the back of her neck and under her tank. Whatever had happened had her completely embarrassed.
Gajeel chuckled as he made his way to his bed. He heard everything that went on. And he wished he didn't. That was the one thing he hated about being a dragon slayer. He could hear and smell everything and everyone. And that wasn't always a blessing.
Mira sighed as she made her way to her bed. She didn't like what was going on but there wasn't much she could about it. She glared at the two blondes from her bed as she sat crossed-armed.
Laxus chuckled. "If you keep glaring Mira you're going to burn a hole through my back..." Laxus said resting his chin on Lucy's head.
"Do you mind telling us your intentions with Lucy?" Mira asked flatly.
Laxus closed his eyes. "I have none..." Laxus said with a shrug. "It's time to sleep, we have a big day tomorrow..." Laxus said.
"The master asked who'll be in the game tomorrow?" Gajeel asked crossing his arms over his chest.
Laxus looked down and tapped Lucy on her shoulder. "Who goes out tomorrow for the game?" Laxus asked.
Lucy took a deep breath before letting it out. She sat up and looked around the room before looking back at her lap. Her mind was going over what she knew. Could she let Gajeel do the game tomorrow? No. She couldn't. Could she?
"Who was originally in it, Lucy?" Jellal asked.
Gajeel and Mira looked at Jellal in confusion. They had no idea what he was talking about.
"Gajeel was..." Lucy replied.
"Does he win?" Jellal asked.
Lucy shook her head. "No... The game is called Chariots... And it's exactly like its name says... It's a race on top of a long chariot... Gajeel honestly wouldn't be a good choice..." Lucy explained.
"Why wouldn't he?" Mira asked.
Lucy looked up. "The dragon slayer curse..." Lucy said. Mira tilted her head still confused. "Motion sickness..." Lucy sighed.
"What?! I don't get motion sick! That's Salamander's gig!" Gajeel argued.
Lucy shook her head. "I can tell you it's not... It hits all dragon slayers at one point in their lives... The strong they get the worst the motion sickness..." Lucy explained.
Gajeel scoffed. "Then why isn't Wendy or Laxus?" Gajeel asked smugly.
"She has healing magic... I think it's self-explanatory... And who knows, she might grow into it later on... No one knows completely..." Lucy shrugged. "Plus..." Lucy started with a mischievous look in her eyes. "Laxus does get motion sick..." Lucy snickered.
Laxus growled wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to her back. He glared down at her. She smiled cheekily at him.
"He does?" Gajeel asked wide-eyed.
"You are so going to pay for that..." Laxus growled with a hint of playfulness.
"Wait?! You're telling me Laxus, the toughest guy in the guild, gets motion sick?" Gajeel exclaimed.
"Say it and you'll regret it..." Laxus growled narrowing his eyes at Lucy.
Lucy giggled silently as she bit her lip. "Yes! He does!" Lucy squeaked before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. Just as Lucy said it Laxus attacked Lucy's slightly exposed stomach with his fingers. "ST-ST-STOP I-I-IT!" Lucy shouted as she laughed.
"Take it back!" Laxus growled.
"I-I-I C-C-CAN'T!" Lucy laughed trying to push him away. The others watched in amusement. "S-STOP! I G-G-GOTTA GO T-T-TO THE B-B-BATHROOM!" Lucy shouted in between laughs.
"Laxus... Let her go..." Gajeel sighed. "Otherwise she's gonna piss all over ya..." Gajeel added. Laxus sighed as he stopped and moved. Lucy jumped to her feet and ran to the bathroom as she squealed. Laxus laid back with his hands behind his head with a triumphant smile. Gajeel chuckled and shook his head. "Is it that big of a deal that you get motion sick too?" Gajeel asked.
Laxus chuckled. "No, not really... But I don't need Natsu to know... He'd never leave me alone about it..." Laxus said with a sigh.
Gajeel shook his head. "So, you think I have that?" Gajeel asked.
Laxus shrugged as he sat up. "I don't know, but Lucy does... And Gramps has put her in charge of all of this... It's her call..." Laxus stated just as the bathroom door opened.
"You're such an ass!" Lucy snapped with a huff.
Laxus chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't know..." Laxus said waving his hand dismissively.
"Jerk..." Lucy muttered as she made her way back to the bed.
"So... Tomorrow's game? Who should do it?" Mira asked slightly annoyed.
Lucy looked in thought. "I'd say Mira, but I rather have her for day three's game... Plus she's battling Jenny tomorrow..." Lucy thought aloud.
Mira's mouth opened in surprise. "How do you know all that?" Mira asked with narrowed eyes.
Lucy though wasn't listening. "Jellal maybe... He could use Meteor and bypass everyone... Hm..." Lucy continued to think aloud.
"Okay, wait..." Gajeel interrupted. "You claim I have motion sickness which is why I shouldn't do it... But how do you know for sure?" Gajeel asked.
Lucy looked at him and blinked. "Where were you on the train on the way here?" Lucy asked with a tilt of her head.
Gajeel's eyes widened. "I uh... Well..." Gajeel stammered.
"Exactly... I bet you had Lily carry you off the train and carry you all the way here just to drop you on the train after we got here..." Lucy said as a smirk grew as she watched Gajeel start to panic.
"That doesn't mean anything!" Gajeel snapped.
Lucy giggled. "I may have a way you could but you're not all the fast... We'd need Jellal for it..." Lucy said.
Jellal's eyes widened. "Me?" Jellal asked. Lucy nodded with a smile. "I wasn't exactly supposed to be in any of the games or battles..." Jellal muttered.
"You joined to find that dark power that appears during the games... I know you told us... But to keep up appearances you don't get much choice... And meteor better be the only spell of yours that you use..." Lucy scolded.
Jellal nodded. "Of course..." Jellal said with a sigh.
Lucy smiled and nodded. "Good... Now, let's all get some sleep..." Lucy said laying down.
Everyone sighed but went to bed. The light went out and in no time everyone else was asleep. Well minus Lucy, Laxus, and Jellal. Lucy lay there for a while before opening her eyes and staring at the ceiling. She only had a few hours to figure out how to get the last two Zodiac keys. She had no idea how. But she had to try.
Lucy had no idea that Laxus and Jellal were even awake until she went to get up and an arm wrapped itself around her waist pulling her back into a hard chest. Lucy looked over her shoulder only to see two stormy eyes looking at her.
"Why are you awake?" Lucy whispered.
"I could ask you the same thing... But I'm pretty sure it's because your mind won't let you sleep..." Laxus whispered with a sigh.
"It's starting to be too much... I don't know how much longer I can keep this up..." Lucy said curling into him.
"Explain..." Laxus said.
Lucy sighed. "I have to somehow get my hands on the last two zodiac keys... But also another key and I'm not sure I can do it..." Lucy said with a sniffle.
"Where are the keys again?" Laxus asked.
"Sabertooth..."
And there you have this chapter.
I hope you all like it! It's just getting started!
More to come!
Eventually xD
