"speaking"
"thinking"
On with the story
The next morning came as the town was nearly scorched in flames from last night
The police made a 50 miles radius as they surrounded the nearly burned part of the town
Macao and Wakaba cleared the area as they were in the middle of a crime scene
"this is just bad" Wakaba said as he looks around "most of the houses here are nearly burned down"
"we got to find this bastard, who did this" Macao said "my house was nearly destroyed"
"sir!" a police officer called out to Macao and Wakaba, near the rubble of a destroyed house "we found him!"
"the psycho!?" Wakaba exclaimed as he and Macao runs to the scene "you guys got him!?"
"n-no.." the police officer replied as Macao and Wakaba looks to the rubble, and their eyes widen when they see Natsu's hand poking out from under the pile of rubble
"what are you doing just standing around!? Get him out of there!" Macao shouted out
"r-roger!" the officers nearby exclaimed as they started to pull away the rubble to save the young man
Macao and Wakaba helped in as they pulled away the rubbles and grabs a hold of Natsu's hand, pulling him out of the rubble, the young man was out cold as he was not responding to Macao and Wakaba's voices
A few hours later, Mira and Kagura were running in the street before heading to the hospital
They ran inside as they went to the receptionist
"where can we find the room that Natsu Dragneel is in!?" the two exclaimed in unison, and surprised the receptionist
"s-second floor, room n-number 235" the receptionist replied surprised before Kagura and Mira ran to the stairs in a bolt
Éclair, Erza, Ultear, Kamika, Ikaruga, Cana, and Lucy were waiting by room 235 as they just sat there, waiting
Kagura and Mira came running in as they ran pass patients, doctors, and nurses
"how is he!?" Mira and Kagura exclaimed as they hit the brakes in front of the room
"be quiet, this is a hospital" Erza told them as the passerby looks at them before walking away
"that doesn't matter now!" Kagura said "how is his condition!?"
"we still don't know" Lucy replied "right now, Irene-san is in the room talking with the doctor and nurses"
"and we are not allowed in till they are done" Ikaruga said
"we have to wait till then" Ultear added in as Kagura and Mira let out a long sigh, the two had been running when they heard of what had happened to Natsu
After waiting ten minutes, the door to the room opened and a doctor came out
"doctor!" Éclair exclaimed as the doctor looks to them "how is Natsu's condition?"
"ah, you all must be his acquaintances" the doctor replied "he will be fine, just a bit shook up but he'll be fine"
"that's a relief" Lucy said in relief
"can we go in?" Ultear asked as the doctor nodded. The girls soon went in
Going inside, the girls finds Natsu on a hospital bed while covered in some bandages
Near him was Irene who was sitting by his bed while a nurse was checking on the man's vital on a magic vital checker before heading out after finishing the check
The girls soon surround Natsu as the man just sleeps on his bed
"he's going to be alright, right?" Cana said, seeing for the first time, Natsu in such condition
"he will be, right?" Lucy said "I mean, he's Natsu after all"
"how is his full condition, mother?" Erza asked Irene who shook her head
"burn wounds," Irene replied before looking to Natsu "inhuman burn wounds"
"burn wounds? Are you being serious here?" Mira said "this is Natsu! He literally is immune to flames!"
"hey, Mira!" Kagura exclaimed to Mira who realized that she was being rude to her school principal
"s-sorry" Mira said while looking down
"it's fine, I feel the same" Irene replied "this is the first time, I've heard that a fire mage is damaged by flames"
"what caused all of this?" Éclair asked as Irene just shook her head
"all we know is that the one who attacked the town last night and made Natsu in such condition is a man called Zancrow. Anything other than that we do not know" Irene replied
"Zancrow? As in the Madman Zancrow?" Kamika said as the girls looks at her
"you know of this individual?" Ikaruga said while raising an eyebrow
"who doesn't? he's a psycho madman of a black organization called Grimoire Heart." Kamika replied "But I heard that the organization was demolished, and all of their members were in prison"
"I guess not this one" Cana said
"anything else?" Irene asked as Kamika just shook her head making her sigh
"excuse me.." a knock and a voice by the door was heard as the girls looks to the door and sees Grandeeney with Wendy who was holding a bouquet of flowers "I hope we're not interrupting"
"you are" Erza said as she remembered Grandeeney
"Grandeeney-san and Wendy. Remember? I told you guys about the little girl, Natsu saved during our first year" Lucy said as she kneels and patted Wendy's head
"oh yeah" Mira said "right when we kicked Eisenwald out of the market"
"what brings you both here?" Éclair asked politely
"well, we were visiting but I can see that there are already some people and we thought that we should get out at the moment" Grandeeney explained to them "we'll just wait outside"
"no, it's alright" Lucy said "we were just talking for a moment"
"can I give the flowers now, Mama?" Wendy asked while holding the bouquet close
"sure, dear" Grandeeney said as she looks to Lucy and the others who nodded with smiles
Wendy went near Natsu's bed as she tried jumping up to place the bouquet to the table but she was too short to reach
"let me help" Mira said as she carried Wendy up and helped her place the bouquet into a vase
"we're truly sorry for what had happened to him" Grandeeney said before carrying Wendy who rant to her "Wendy was nearly attacked, and he came saving her yet again…we are truly sorry"
"no, it's fine" Lucy said "I'm sure that Natsu would have done it again in a heartbeat"
"again, we're truly sorry" Grandeeney said with a bow as she heads out with Wendy
After they were out, the girls went back discussing
"so this attacker came to attack a little girl? That is just damn sick" Mira said while crossing her arms
"at least we know who to find and get some payback for Natsu" Kagura said, her eyes glinting in seriousness
"I don't think that's a good idea" Macao and Wakaba came in knocking next as the two police officers greeted them
"officer Macao and Wakaba. Why are you two here?" Lucy asked them
"well, we were here to check on the kid and tell him of some news but seeing him right now" Wakaba said
"you guys know of the attacks, don't you?" Ultear asked as Macao nodded
"but it's classified, and we can't give it to you-" Macao told them before Erza, Kagura, and Ikaruga holds their blades near the officer's neck "ladies -gulp-"
"we had enough stress for one day" Erza stated, her blade glinting of its sharpness
"either their blades" Mira said as she cracks her knuckles, Kamika and Ultear holding up their right and left hand, the gauntlets appearing on them "or us?"
"you better give us what we want" Cana said; she, Lucy, Éclair, and Irene staying out of the action "there's no telling if you guys will live or not"
"I think we should tell them, Macao" Wakaba told his partner "I don't want to get killed by girls"
"y-yeah, I understand" Macao said as the girls pulled their weapons away. The officer caresses his nearly chopped neck before coughing and then explain the whole situation to them
After 30 minutes of explanation, everyone gets the gist of what is happening
"this is the list" Wakaba said as he gave Erza the list of victims "and the numbers just increased. A little girl with blue hair was killed last night with a gaping burning hole in her chest, following by a man with yellow hair."
"that's just sick" Mira said as they look at the list and could not believe that Zancrow would kill even children "this psycho has to be stopped"
"who might be the next target?" Ultear stated
"you friend said that the next attack is in a pattern. It's always a pattern in his attack" Macao explained "first is blue, then yellow before red. He does it in a random of men, women, and children. Right now the next target is a woman"
"a woman with red hair" the girls said before they look at Erza and then Irene. The two having red scarlet hair
"not them, the attacks are only target to civilians with no magic" Wakaba stated as this made the girls think "and there's a possibility that this guy might go back after your friend. To finish him off"
"let's split up" Kagura said "one group after this Zancrow, the other stays here"
"agreed" Erza said nodding "I, Kagura, Mira, Ikaruga, and Ultear will go after Zancrow. mother, you should stay here with Lucy, Éclair, Cana and Kamika. In case he comes for Natsu"
"understood" Irene said nodding before they heard a loud explosion coming from the town
"a-an explosion!?" Lucy said in surprise as everyone looks to the town and sees the fire that was burning
Macao got a call as he picked it up and his eyes widen
"an attack!?" Macao exclaimed in surprise as Erza and the others looks to him "at Liqar street?!"
"that's near my house!" Mira exclaimed
"let's go!" Erza exclaimed as she and her group heads out
"wait for us!" Wakaba exclaimed as he and Macao chased behind them "we're the grown-ups here!"
As the teams were divided, Éclair and the others stayed behind to watch over Natsu
"that's a big explosion" Cana said looking at the smoke that was flying into the sky
"devastating power" Kamika said "this Zancrow must be as strong as Natsu"
"or even more" Irene added in before seeing Éclair standing by Natsu's bed and holds his hand "he'll be fine, he has an amazing recovery rate after all"
"I know, but just worried" Éclair replied as she grasp Natsu's hand tight
They watched over Natsu, while not knowing that they themselves were being watched from afar
That's a wrap!
Bye bye
