Chapter 12 Eisenwald
Lucy looked at the request board in Fairy Tail, Natsu and Wendy walked up to her.
"So, are you gonna take a job, Lucy?" Wendy asked.
"Yeah, I need to since I don't have any money for paying rent!" Lucy complained. "I wish I'd taken that two million jewel!"
"Well, just pick one and we can all go!" Natsu said.
Lucy looked at him. "But I thought you teamed up with me last time just because I was a blonde?"
Natsu shrugged. "Yeah, but I kind of liked working with you on that job. How would you like to join Team Hot Air officially?"
"Really?" Lucy asked. "You want me on your team permanently?"
"Yeah, you seem like a nice person," Natsu said.
Lucy blushed. Whoa, did I really just get a compliment from this guy?
"You're just so weird!" he added.
That caused her mouth to fall. She then frowned, The Fire Eater with the talking cats thinks I'm weird?
"I like you too!" Wendy said with a smile.
"Me too!" Happy agreed.
They looked at Carla. The white cat looked at Lucy.
"Well, you're an intelligent girl I'll say. It would be nice to have someone else who's smart in our little band of troublemakers! Also, thank you for saving me from being cooked alive!" Carla said, managing a small smile.
"You sure you want to stick around with him Lucy?" Gray asked as he approached. "That loser will probably end up burning you sometime!"
"Hey, this loser is S-class and you're not!" Natsu said.
They stared each other down, surrounded by mean auras.
"Big brother please!" Wendy tried to get between them
"Stay back Wendy!" Gray said.
"Are you threatening my sister ya jerk?" Natsu asked angrily.
"No dragonboy I just told her to stay back cause I don't want her to get hurt!" Gray said. "That way I can have a chance at beating you!"
They continued arguing until…
Suddenly, Loke, one of the guild members ran into the guild. "Everyone bad news! Its Erza, she's on her way here!"
Everyone froze. Soon heavy footfalls approached, Lucy shivered, the reactions making her think Erza was some kind of demon or something. A shadow approached and its owner entered the room. Lucy was surprised to see a young woman in armor with long scarlet hair, she carried an enormous horn with one arm. She was pretty, Lucy thought with a blush.
"I have returned!" Erza declared. "Where is Master Makarov?"
"Welcome back Erza!" Mirajane said. They had once been rivals, but those days were long gone. "The master is at a conference right now."
"I see," Erza said. "Now are Natsu and Gray here?"
"Oh, hey Erza!" Gray said with his arm around Natsu and shaking. "We're just hanging out like good friends tend to do!"
"Aye!" Natsu said.
"Why is Natsu talking like Happy?" Lucy asked.
"Oh, he doesn't want to get beaten up by Erza," Wendy said. "He is just as strong as her give or take, but when she gets mad she's really scary."
"He tries to deny it but deep down he is scared of her even though he is an S-class as well," Carla said.
"Good to see you two getting along," Erza said looking behind them and smiling. "Hello Wendy! How's my cute little dragon warrior doing?"
"Hi Erza!" Wendy said with a smile. "I'm doing good, though I wish I had been of more use on a mission I went on with big brother. I was knocked out."
"Natsu couldn't protect you?" Erza asked.
"I would have but she got out in front!" Natsu said.
"Well I don't know what happened there. But I've heard a lot of rumors lately, saying that Fairy Tail is causing nothing but trouble as of late!" Erza said.
She then began going after members of the Guild for their shortcomings. Macao for letting a Vulcan get the better of him on Mt. Hakobe, Nab for not picking a job, Vigeter for dancing, and Wakaba for smoking.
"But that aside, I have something important to deal with. Among the rumors, I also heard something serious. Normally I would consult with the master but that's not an option right now. I have to ask Natsu, Gray and Wendy for help."
This startled the three wizards. All of them? Working together? Natsu and Wendy were one thing, but him and Gray? The fire and ice wizards looked at each with eyes that said Me work with him?
…
They soon left and headed to the train station. Natsu and Gray glared at each other as Wendy and Lucy (who had tagged along on Mirajane's instruction) sat on a bench. Soon Erza arrived.
"Good you're all here," she said.
"Um… are you sure you want me to come along?" Wendy asked.
"You are my trainee!" Erza said. "And we'll need your healing magic if anyone is seriously injured. Besides you want to get a chance to shine, don't you?"
"Yes," Wendy said.
"Well lets go," Erza said.
"Wait, there's someone you should meet," Carla said gesturing to Lucy.
"Oh, hello. I believe I saw you at the guild earlier," Erza said approaching the newest member of her guild.
"Hi, I'm Lucy. I'm a Celestial Wizard," Lucy said. "Mirajane asked me to come along so I could gain some experience and help out with those two."
She gestured to Natsu and Gray who turned from glaring at each other to buddy-buddy as soon as Erza looked at them.
"The more the merrier!" Erza said. "I'll take whatever help I can get. Now, move out!"
"Hey Erza," Natsu said. "I'll come with you but only on one condition. I want a rematch when we get back to Fairy Tail!"
This shocked, Wendy, Gray, and the cats.
"What's wrong with you? You got some kind of death wish?"
"But big brother you're S-class too! And you beat her in a draw!" Wendy said.
"That was only cause he got some encouragement from you sky girl!" Gray said.
"I was just a little kid back then! This time will be way different. I'm not gonna take help from Wendy's daggers, or any way! I wanna beat you without help from her!" Natsu said.
"Very well, I accept your challenge!" Erza said. "We'll see which of us two S class Wizards are stronger!"
"Wait!" Wendy said.
"Hmm?" Erza looked at her protegee.
"I want to fight you first!" Wendy said.
"Huh?" Natsu, Gray, and Lucy all looked at the young bluenette in bewilderment.
"You've trained me since we hatched Carla together!" Wendy said, gesturing to the daggers on her belt. "I want to see just how strong I've gotten! I know I'm probably not nearly strong enough to beat you, but I still want to try!"
Looking at the resolve in the young girl's eyes, Erza smiled. "Alright, Wendy. You shall fight me first."
"What?" Natsu cried.
"Careful Erza, you know what happens when Wendy gets hurt! Natsu goes into Berserk Brother mode!" Happy said, then foolishly added. "Then you won't stand a chance!"
"Tomcat!" Carla exclaimed, her eyes wide in fear.
And Erza kicked Happy against a pillar. The Fairy Tail wizards got on the train. Natsu's motion sickness quickly kicked in as they sped off. Wendy offered to cast her troia spell on Natsu once it started moving, but Erza forbade it.
"Save your magic Wendy! We'll need every bit of it in case one of us gets seriously injured!" she said.
To ease Natsu's motion sickness, she knocked him out. Then Gray wanted to know about their mission.
"So what's going on? Why did you need all of us? This must be a big mission?"
"Yes, it's the Dark Guild Eisenwald. I heard they were planning something big and it has to do with something called Lullaby."
Lullaby. This caused Gray, Wendy, and Lucy to remember their encounter with the wizards that tried to eat Happy and Carla.
"I stopped by a pub for local wizards on my way to Fairy Tail," Erza continued. "I heard the name Erigor, one of their most powerful members. Erigor the Reaper, who only accepts assassination jobs."
That scared Lucy and Wendy.
"He kills for money?" Lucy exclaimed.
…
They arrived in Onibas. Then Lucy noticed someone was missing. They had left Natsu back on the train! Erza immediately pulled the emergency brake at the station to stop the train, then grabbed a magic mobile and went after the train.
"Natsu!" Lucy called out the window of the magic powered car.
"Big brother!" Wendy called.
Natsu leapt out of the train and hit Gray who was clutching the top of the mobile. They both fell to the ground, Erza stopped the mobile and they ran back.
"That hurt you idiot!" Gray shouted.
"Why'd you guys leave me on the train?" Natsu asked.
"I'm just glad you're alright, I apologize," Erza said hugging his face hard into her armor.
Natsu informed them what happened while he'd been on the train. A member of Eisenwald had attacked him and he'd seen a flute with a three eyed skull. Lucy quickly realized it was death magic, a cursed song that would kill any who heard it.
"We have to stop them!" Erza said. "Get in!
They sped off in the Magic Mobile, Gray on the top of it, with Natsu, Wendy, Lucy and the cats in the car. Natsu's motion sickness kicked in as well. This time Erza commanded Wendy to cast Trioa.
"We can't take the chance of him falling behind again, do it!" the knight ordered.
"Troia!" Wendy said
Natsu let out a breath of relief. But he was still uncomfortable with the speed. Erza was going so fast!
"Slow down!" Gray yelled. "At this rate you'll use up too much magic power!"
"I can't! We have to stop them!" Erza said.
…
They followed the dark guild to the city of Oshibana which had smoking coming out of its train station. Happy had a feeling that there was something to tell Lucy but couldn't remember it. They continued inside and found that Eisenwald was there. Its whole guild in fact. Erigor the Reaper was there as well. A silver haired man with tattoos on his body and face, he carried a scythe.
"Welcome, Fairy Tail flies!" he said.
"Erigor," Erza greeted menacingly. "What are you dark guild wizards up to!"
"Well, if you must know little fly, we're going to use this flute!" he held up the Lullaby. "To kill everyone in this town! I shall broadcast it over the speakers!"
"No, we'll stop you!" Erza declared.
"Deal with them!" Erigor ordered his men before flying up and disappearing.
"He's getting away!" Erza shouted. "Natsu, Gray, after him! Lucy you back me up! Wendy, stay back!"
"But… I want to help!" Wendy protested.
"We'll need you to heal any injuries we take! We can't risk you!" Erza said. "Only fight if you have to! Lucy stay close to her!"
Natsu and Gray (after Erza yelled at them) immediately began running through the train station to pursue Erigor. Two members of Eisenwald left in pursuit. That left Erza, Lucy, and Wendy to deal with the rest of the dark guild. Erza summoned a sword then began taking down the dark mages like they were nothing, requiping into a spear, then twin swords.
"Alright, my turn!" Lucy said. "Open, gate of the giant crab! Cancer!"
A crab man with giant scissors in each hand appeared.
"Hello baby! You need me to bite these guys?"
"Yeah, take em out with style!" Lucy said.
"You got it baby!" he said.
He moved fast, too fast for the eye to see, using his scissors to cut the Eisenwald members weapons as well as their hair, leaving them near bald. But there were still many left.
"Requip! Heavens Wheel!"
Erza's body was covered in a new set of armor, one with metal wings and multiple hovering swords. They flew at the Eisenwald members, leaving only two left standing.
"Alright you're mine!"
"No don't do it Byard!" the fat green haired one said. "That's Titania Erza, the Queen of the Fairies!"
"My turn!" Wendy leapt into the fray with her daggers, intercepting Byard's attack of glowing fists.
"Wendy, I told you to stay put!" Erza shouted.
"Oh, for heaven's sake! She deserves a least a little of the action!" Carla said.
Erza frowned but held back and let her protegee fight the second to last enemy.
"Don't think I'm gonna take it easy on you just cause you're a little girl! You should have stayed home with your mommy!" Byard mocked.
She blocked his attack then leapt back, propelled by her wind. "Don't insult my mother! Sky dragon roar!"
She sent him flying.
"Good job Wendy!" Erza said. "That's my trainee!"
Wendy smiled. She'd actually managed to defeat a wizard. No doubt Erza would have had him in one shot, but she considered this a good accomplishment for herself. That left only the fat green haired one standing, he immediately ran. Lucy and Happy followed him on Erza's orders while Wendy and Carla stayed with Erza, who collapsed.
"Hey! Are you okay?" Wendy asked.
"Goodness! Gray told you not to overdo it on the magic mobile!"
"Sorry," Erza sighed. "Guess its up to Natsu and Gray now."
…
But trouble awaited them as they walked toward the station exit. It was surrounded by a wind barrier! Evil laughter filled the area. Erigor looked down on them from the other side.
"Now you're trapped in my wind barrier seal! You flies can't get in my way now!" he taunted before flying off.
"Come back here!" Erza said as she ran at the wind barrier, only to be thrown back.
"Erza!" Wendy shouted in concern.
"I'm okay," Erza said before looking at the wind barrier. "How are we supposed to get through this?"
Wendy looked up. This was a wind barrier, but Erigor hadn't counted on there being a wizard that could eat wind here. She got to her feet.
"Maybe I can eat us a way out of this wind," she said.
"Be careful child!" Carla cautioned. "That wind is strong."
The sky dragon slayer took a breath, sucking the air along with part of the wind barrier. But she gagged and coughed it out as it swirled violently around in her mouth. Wendy was used to eating calm air not violent ones.
"Sorry, Erza! I can't eat raging wind like this!" she said.
"Its alright," Erza said. "We'll find another way."
They reunited with Gray who took down the member of Eisenwald that pursued him. Erza then formed a plan to deal with the wind barrier, they would find the member known as Kageyama who was a dispeller, he could take down the wind barrier. They went after Natsu who had happened to defeat that member.
"Natsu! Don't harm him, we need him alive!" Erza ordered before leaping at Kageyama with her sword. "You will dispel the wind barrier and you will do it without complaint!"
"Okay, okay!" Kageyama cowered.
Only for the fat green haired man that had escaped earlier to materialize from the wall behind him and stab him in the back with a magic hand. He gasped and fell while the green head whimpered in the wall.
"No Kage!" Erza shouted. "Wendy heal him quickly!"
The sky dragon slayer nodded and put her hands on the dark wizards wound. Green magic flowed into the wound which closed.
"Thank goodness we have you Wendy," Erza said. "I'm not so sure we would have managed without you."
The green head gasped at the sight of his mission failing. Natsu immediately attacked him for what he did. They carried Kageyama to the Wind Barrier, but even though Wendy had healed him he was still unconscious. He wouldn't be of any use till he woke up, and every second they had to wait Erigor got closer to the Guild Masters.
"I've got to try to break through!" Natsu shouted.
He tried to bust through the barrier but it kept pushing him back.
"Big brother, stop!" Wendy shouted.
"Stop it!" Lucy joined in as well.
They both grabbed Natsu who finally realized his efforts were in vain. He then looked at Lucy who blushed.
"What?" she asked.
"We could use your spirits! When I was at Everlues I was able to be pulled from one place to another by grabbing Virgo!"
"Huh?" Wendy asked. "What are you talking about?"
"What does that ugly gorilla maid have to do with Lucy's spirits?" Carla
"Oh, you didn't see it cause you were away!" Happy said. "Turns out Virgo was actually a celestial spirit. Hey, that reminds me! I just remembered what I have to tell you Lucy!"
He reached into his backpack and pulled out a golden key. Virgo's key. Happy went on to explain that Virgo wanted to make a new contract with Lucy since the one she had with Everlue was broken. Lucy wasn't too thrilled but said she would deal with it later as they were in a situation. When Happy tried to say something else she got angry.
"Shut up! Why can't you just meow like other cat!" she pulled his face.
This made Happy sad. "I'm sorry, I just thought since Virgo can drill holes, she could dig through the ground and get us to the other side of the barrier."
This surprised everyone. Lucy, realizing Happy was right, apologized to him and took the key.
"Open gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"
A flash of light appeared and a woman with pink hair and a maid outfit appeared. But she was much different then the maid that had attacked them.
"Who are you?" Lucy asked. Virgo explained that she took on a form to please her master.
Wendy hid behind Natsu as she recalled getting flattened by the large maid. She came out as she saw the less ugly and threatening looking maid in front of her.
"I'm Virgo, sorry for any trouble I caused you before," she said.
"Just don't hurt my sister again!" Natsu growled in a menacing voice nearly as scary as Erza before changing his tone. "You lose some weight? You look good!"
Virgo explained that she had the ability to change her appearance to one she felt her owner would find appealing. She then proceeded to dig a tunnel at high speed.
"Wow look at her go!" Gray said, impressed.
"Nicely done Lucy!" Erza said hugging Lucy's face into her armor.
"Well, I'm glad she's on our side now," Wendy said as she came out from behind Natsu.
"Indeed," Carla said before looking at Happy with a slight blush. "That was good thinking for once Tomcat."
Happy grinned and jumped. "Carla complimented me!"
Natsu looked at Kageyama. "How is he?"
"Thanks to Wendy's healing, he'll be fine," Erza assured him.
"Guess we don't need to bring him along then," Natsu said.
They ran through the tunnel and were soon on the other side of the wind barrier. Then Natsu and Wendy took off on Happy and Carla to pursue Erigor. The two cats flew at Max Speed, which used a lot of magic. By the time they caught up to the wind wizard they were both exhausted.
"You just leave this to us little buddies!" Natsu told them. "Wendy, stay back I'll handle this!"
"But-"
"No buts Wendy! This guy is the leader so he's got to be the strongest!" Natsu said.
He walked up to where the bare-chested wind wizard stood. Their battle was about to begin.
Authors Notes: Well that's the first part of the Lullaby arc done. I'll finish it next time and maybe begin Galuna Island arc soon. That will be the first part of this fic done then we'll skip to Tenrou Island. If anyone wants to make a filler fic for what happened in the in-between arcs PM me and I can put in the authors notes of one of the next chapters!