Two days had passed since Angel had showed up at Fairy Tail and told them to come to Oshibana. And so, they did. Not everyone in the guild agreed with it, but it was ultimately the master's decision. Makarov selected several of Fairy Tail's mages to accompany him, and they set off on a train for the destination.
They arrived in town after two days as agreed, and followed the directions to the church. It was a rather large church, and hard to miss. In some ways it was more impressive than Kardia Cathedral. It was grand, and ornately designed, with stained glass windows. However, it was also obvious as the Fairy Tail group approached that it was a rather old building, and hadn't been kept up in recent years. Parts of it appeared chipped and worn down, dirty and unkept. It was like looking at someone who had once been beautiful, but was now seeing the visible effects of age.
Another thing that Makarov and his group quickly noticed was the crowd of people gathered outside of the church. There were a few dozen of them altogether. They appeared to be locals, and were making something of a commotion.
Fairy Tail walked closer to the church. For this occasion, Makarov had brought Mirajane, Elfman, Cana, Evergreen, Bickslow, and Wendy with him. He could have brought more, but he decided it would be a good idea to leave some people back at the guildhall, in case the guild is attacked. He even considered that the town of Magnolia itself could be a target. He had agreed to meet with the enemy, but he didn't trust them.
As the Fairy Tail group neared the entrance to the towering church, a few of the gathered crowd approached them.
"Hey, it's probably not a good idea for you to be here." One man said.
"Are you from out of town?" another asked. "Those cult crazies came into town weeks ago and set up shop in the abandoned church. We can't get them out. And some other people in town have joined up with them."
Before Makarov could respond to them, a woman in the crowd added her own thoughts. "Hey, aren't you Fairy Tail? You got rid of the dark guild Eisenwald. Are you here to get rid of these scum too? Thank you!"
"Do you think we should tell them why we're really here?" Cana said in a quiet voice.
"That could get ugly." Mirajane said. Makarov just sighed. He continued on towards the front door without answering questions. Before he could reach it, the door swung open. Several figures emerged. Tall, ominous figures in dark robes, the keepers. Four of them in total. They stepped onto the front entranceway, parting the crowd simply by imposing their will. Two of them stood to each side, allowing a passage. And then someone else stepped out of the door. It was Seraiisa, dressed in her robes, symbols glowing this time.
"Hey, you came!" she said. "That's good. I was worried you wouldn't." She sounded genuinely happy to see them. Although, her glowing symbols and the presence of the keepers set Fairy Tail on edge. They appeared in turns uneasy and on guard. Seraiisa quickly noticed this.
"Oh what, you're bothered by all this?" she said, spreading her arms. "This isn't for you, sillies. It's for the crowd. Come on in." The crowd in question watched all of this with confusion, and then a growing realization of what was transpiring.
"Are you with them?" a man said to Makarov and the others. Several people started approaching threateningly. However, they were pushed back by Seraiisa's mental ability. While her power was more effective against mages, it could still work on some level with normal people.
"See, crowd control." Seraiisa said. She waved them in, and the group reluctantly started filing into the church, much to the mounting displeasure of the people around them. They all went inside, and the keepers followed behind them, shutting the door.
The inside of the church was less weathered than the outside. It was built with white marble, and large columns supporting the ceiling. Unusually, there were two sets of stairs on either side leading to a second floor, with additional private rooms. The main hall was spacious, although there were partitions at various points, creating makeshift rooms.
Seraiisa led them to the end of the room, where a raised platform was situated. It too was partitioned, although there were stairs on the side leading up. The group walked up the stairs to the raised level. They found an ornate chair at the end near the wall. It had been adorned with golden jewels and other like items, some crude and some quite nice. There was someone occupying the chair: Boudica. As before, two keepers were present on either side of her, while the ones who had accompanied Fairy Tail were still down in the main room.
"That woman sure likes her thrones." Cana said to the others.
"Is that her?" Elfman whispered to Mirajane. She nodded in response. Elfman then glanced down at Seraiisa. "That little girl is really her kid?" he asked.
"Yes, she is." Mirajane responded.
"Guess she must take after her father." He said.
"I can hear you, you know." Seraiisa said. "You're pretty rude. Not like Mirajane." She then walked over to Boudica, taking her place by her mother's side.
"Elfman, maybe we should save our comments until after this is over." Mirajane said. Elfman just grunted.
Boudica stood up from her chair. "Welcome, Fairy Tail." She said. "I'm glad you accepted our invitation." Her tone and expression were warm, but somewhat reserved. Mirajane Looked at Boudica standing next to Seraiisa, and she realized that Elfman's observation was spot on. Boudica had statuesque features, with a strong yet feminine build. At six feet tall she stood taller than all of the women in Fairy Tail, and even some of the men. She had long, curly blond hair, and intense blue eyes. Although, the beauty of her eyes was joined by the strange aspect of them being seemingly permanently bloodshot. For this occasion she wore something that appeared to be a cross between a dress and a tunic, white with gold trim. She wore golden jewelry and sandals as well.
By contrast, Seraissa was small for her age, with straight dark hair and grey eyes. Most people would consider her to be cute, although her features were plain compared to her mother. She wore a loose-fitting robe with symbols as usual, although it was off-white this time, looking a little closer to Boudica's attire.
Boudica, having greeted Fairy Tail, awaited a response to her greeting. "Well, you visited our guild, so I figured we'd return the favor." Makarov said with a tone that was hard to discern. Boudica eyed him.
"I know there has been conflict between us in the past, but I'd like this to be a fresh start." She said. "I think we can be allies, maybe even friends." This last statement caused the members of Fairy Tail to exchange glances.
"I promise you that none of my order will attack you while you are guests here." She continued. "This can be, and should be, a peaceful meeting. However, if you attack us, then we'll be forced to defend ourselves. Do you agree to that?"
The group looked to Makarov. He answered quickly. "I do. Of course, the same is also true for us. We didn't come for a fight, but we're prepared for it."
"Of course." Boudica said. A moment passed.
"Well, we're here, so what is it you want to discuss?" Makarov said.
"No time for pleasantries?"
"Maybe if these were more pleasant circumstances." Makarov said.
"Maybe we'll be on better terms when this is over." She said. Two other people approached as the dialogue ended: a man in a moving chair, and a masked man. Sael and Torq, respectively.
"I hope I'm not interrupting." Sael said. "I've been curious to meet the Fairy Tail guild. I've heard so much." He said.
"Of course." Boudica said. "Fairy Tail, this is King Sael. King Sael, Fairy Tail. And this other young man is my son, Torqaro."
"We call him Torq." Seraiisa said.
"Nice to meet you." Makarov said. "Not to be rude, but I'd really like to get this over with. We came here for a reason. Can we talk now?"
Boudica sat down again. "Yes, but first… I'd like to speak with one of your mages, privately."
"Oh?" Makarov said.
"Mirajane." Boudica said, looking at the girl in question. "I want to speak with you."
"Why?" Makarov asked, even though Boudica was speaking to Mirajane.
"Mirajane wanted to come here to see Lisanna, yes?" Boudica said.
"And where is she?" Makarov said.
"You'll see her." She said. "But first, I want to speak with Mirajane. No harm in that."
"I don't agree." Makarov said. "Whatever you want to say to her, you can say to all of us."
Boudica's expression became less warm. Not angry, but not happy. "I assured you that none of you would be attacked here. You're safe. If this is going to work at all, then there needs to be at least a little trust. If you feel you can't trust us at all, then this is just a waste of time." Makarov glowered, displeased with Boudica's ultimatum.
"Master, its okay." Mirajane spoke up. "I'd actually like to talk to her. The others can stay close by, right?"
"Of course." Boudica said. "They can stay on the main floor, within earshot if that will make you comfortable."
Sael moved a little closer. "Master Makarov, if you'd like, we can speak in private."
"That's a good idea." Boudica said. "Sael has as much authority as I do. I'm sure he can answer some of your questions."
Makarov looked between them, and looked up at Mirajane. She gave him a reassuring look.
"…Alright." He said. "I'll speak with King Sael. But I won't go too far. Mirajane…" He looked at her, but didn't finish the thought. She again smiled at him.
"There's a room off to the side here." Sael said. "I've been using it as a workshop of sorts, when I come here." He led off to a door at the side of the building, and Makarov followed. Seraiisa then stepped forward.
"Since Mirajane is going to be talking with mom…" she said. She then turned to Wendy. "Maybe you and I can talk, Wendy?"
Wendy looked a little surprised. "Oh, you want to talk to me?"
"Well, we're the only kids here." Seraiisa said. "Except for a few new converts. It can be boring waiting around while the adults talk, right?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Wendy said, a little uncertainly. Seraiisa observed Wendy.
"I thought it would be cool to show you the view on the top floor. But if you don't want to…"
"No, its not that." Wendy said. She looked at Mirajane.
"I give you my word she'll be safe here." Boudica said.
"Its fine." Mirajane said. "Have fun, just be back soon. I'm trusting you, Seraiisa."
Seraiisa looked up at her. "She'll be safe." She said earnestly.
"Well, okay." Wendy said. Seraiisa led her off in another direction.
"Now, if the rest of you could give us some privacy?" Boudica said. Elfman, Cana, and the others reluctantly agreed and went down to the main floor.
"I'll be close by if you need me." Elfman called back. Torq wandered off to the other side of the partition, leaving Mirajane and Boudica alone together.
"Now then." Boudica said. "Let's talk, Mirajane."
While Makarov, Mirajane, and the others were in Oshibana, the Fairy Tail guildhall was not left unoccupied. There were still several mages left back at the hall, just in case something happened. Laki and Reedus were there, as were Bisca and Alzack. But there were three particular mages in the main hall at that moment: Gajeel, Juvia, and Flare. Master Makarov had decided the three of them should stay behind at the guild. Regardless of whether or not they understood the master's decision in this matter, they obeyed. Gajeel was sitting back in a chair and chewing on a piece of metal. Juvia was leaning back against a pillar. And Flare was sitting on the edge of the stage, looking out over the mostly empty guild hall.
Gajeel spit out a loose piece of metal, and it landed a foot away from Juvia. "Hey!" Juvia said. "That's disgusting, and you could have hit me!" Gajeel just shrugged in response. Juvia scowled, and Flare snickered.
"Its not funny!" Juvia said. She stayed at the same spot despite her objection.
"You know, I always thought Fairy Tail was supposed to have loads of members." Flare said, still observing the empty seats and tables. "What the hell happened?"
"They did have more members." Gajeel answered. "But then a lot of them left, or got killed, or kicked out. It was definitely more packed when I first got here."
"What do you mean 'they'?" Juvia said. "You're a member of Fairy Tail too, so shouldn't it be 'we'?" Gajeel shrugged again.
"Yeah, I guess. Maybe I still haven't found my place here."
"Hell, I'm not even a member here, but I still get watch duty." Flare said.
Gajeel picked up another big piece of metal and took a bite, and chomped it down. "It is kind of funny, when you think about it." He said.
"What is?" Juvia asked.
"This. Us, here, alone in the guild. I mean, you and me used to be part of Phantom Lord, and we both attacked this guild. Hell, I wrecked it. And Flare over there was a member of Raven Tail, sworn enemies of Fairy Tail."
"For sworn enemies, I thought they turned out to be pretty underwhelming." Juvia said. Flare turned to Juvia and flashed her signature big smile.
"Maybe we would have done better if we had had financial backing from a sugar daddy like your guild did, Blueberry." Flare said.
"Ah… That's all in the past now, why are we talking about this?" Juvia said. "And don't call me Blueberry, you weird little ginger."
Flare side-eyed Juvia while still maintaining the smile. "Weird? Shouldn't throw stones from that glass house of yours."
"Anyway…" Gajeel interjected. "The point I was trying to make, is that we're all former enemies of Fairy Tail. And not even that long ago, either. So, it seems kind of funny that the three of us are all here together in the Fairy tail guild hall, while most of the guild is off doing important stuff elsewhere."
"What are you trying to say?" Juvia said. Gajeel shrugged.
"I don't know. Maybe they don't trust us. Maybe they still see us as outsiders."
"They trust us enough to watch over the guild hall while they're gone." Juvia said.
"Maybe." Gajeel said. "But they're going on this dangerous mission where there's going to be powerful enemies, and they don't bring us. All the heavy hitters in the guild are away, except us. You and me were S Class mages, Juvia. And I'm a dragon slayer."
"Wendy's a dragon slayer too." Juvia suggested. "Maybe they only needed one."
"Wendy's twelve, and barely knows how to fight." Gajeel said. "It would have made more sense to bring me."
"Well, I trust the master." Juvia said. "I'm sure he had a good reason for doing things this way. Maybe he felt he could rely on us to protect the guild. I think you're just being paranoid."
"Maybe." It was Flare that answered instead of Gajeel. She laid down on her side on the stage, while looking at the other two. "But honestly, I wouldn't blame them if they didn't trust us. Hell, sometimes I don't even trust me." Gajeel chuckled at this comment.
"Don't lump me in with you." Juvia said to Flare. "And why are you laughing? Do you think she's funny?" She asked Gajeel.
"Sometimes." He said. He then got up from the table and stretched his arms. "I'm going to get some fresh air." He started to walk away. Flare suddenly hopped off the stage and landed on her feet, which wasn't easy in heels.
"Hey Gajeel, wait a minute." She said. She sounded serious. He turned.
"Yeah, what is it?" he said. She looked at him for a moment, appearing to hesitate.
"You know…" she started.
"I know?" Gajeel said, smirking a little. Flare blinked, and then smiled slightly.
"Look, I talked with Makarov… the master. He said I can work jobs to earn some cash. But only if I team up with an actual Fairy Tail member. So…"
"So?" he said.
"So, I'm asking you."
"You're asking me?" he repeated her words at her.
"Well, if you're going to be a dick about it…" she replied. Gajeel laughed.
"Relax, I'm just messing with you." He said. "So, what were you saying, hothead?"
"I hate to admit it, but she's right." Juvia said. "You are kind of a jerk."
Flare craned her neck to face Juvia. "I said dick."
Juvia looked at the floor. "I know what you said." Gajeel was again amused, and laughed.
Flare turned back to the dragon slayer. "So, what do you say?"
Gajeel folded his arms. "Why do you want to team up with me?"
"Hmm, let's see." She said. "You're available right now. A lot of people aren't. And you're a dragon slayer. You're probably pretty good."
"Gee, thanks." He said. "Better question: why would I want to team with you?" Flare shrugged.
"It seems like you've got nothing better to do right now. Besides, it could be fun. I'll let you pick the job. What do you say?" Her tone was casual, but she looked at him uncertainly.
"I don't know." He said. "You and me going on a job together? That might be kind of weird. Especially with our history."
"Water under the bridge." She said. "If it would make you feel better, we could bring Juvia along." She turned and gestured to Juvia. After a moment, Juvia looked up, realizing they were talking about her.
"What? Bring me along? As in, go on a job with both of you?" she blinked several times.
"Sure, why not?" Flare said. Juvia thought for a moment.
"Well, I suppose I could use the money. And the distraction." She said.
Flare once again looked to Gajeel. "So, are you in or out?" Initially Gajeel had laughed it off. But Juvia seemed to be actually considering it. And he wouldn't mind having a specific goal, even if only temporarily. However, he also wondered if teaming up with Flare and Juvia specifically would be a good idea. He knew Juvia was competent, but also had that obsession with Gray, which he tried to avoid listening to. She could also be pretty emotional at times. And he thought Flare was just weird, and he didn't know her very well. He did at least know Juvia from his time in Phantom Lord, even if they were never exactly friends. He knew what to expect from her. Flare on the other hand…
The truth is, Gajeel had never actually had a conversation with Flare before now, aside from the few words they exchanged when she first showed up. He had met her before she came to Fairy Tail. When she was in Raven Tail, and he was working as a double agent to infiltrate that guild. He had never really spoken to her during that time though, other than a quick greeting here and there. They were practically strangers. At the time, he decided he didn't really want to know her (or anyone else there), and he figured the feeling was mutual. So, the fact that she was asking to team up with him now surprised him.
Gajeel sighed. "Ah what the hell. I'll do it, but only if Juvia comes too." He didn't think they would necessarily need Juvia, but he didn't feel comfortable having to be alone with Flare for an extended period. Flare just turned and looked expectantly at Juvia. She looked back at them.
"Fine. I'll do it. Just this once." Juvia said. Flare smiled.
"But…" Gejeel said. "We can't really do anything until the others come back from whatever it is they're doing. And depending on how that goes down, we might have bigger things to worry about. So, for now let's just wait and see what happens with that, and then we can make plans." Juvia nodded slowly.
"Yeah." Flare said. "They'll probably be fine." She sounded sincere when she said that. Gajeel wasn't as sure though.
In Bosco, a very different scene was playing out. Gray, Lucy, Happy, and Carla had all arrived at the edge of Fiore, where shortly after they met up with Mystogan. They then proceeded to trek into Bosco. With everything going on, they made sure to avoid border guards. Since Mystogan was the only one among them that had been here before, he was leading the way.
The area that Mystogan was leading them to was on the outskirts of Bosco, and fairly close to the border. And yet, it still took them a while to reach it by foot. It took about half a day for them to travel there after passing the border. It was well into the afternoon when they entered Bosco. It was late at night by the time Mystogan declared they had arrived in the area he believed the base to be. Of course, even this was only the general area Mystogan knew to search for their enemies' headquarters. To find the place itself, they would need light, and it was quite dark by then. So, they all agreed to sleep for a while, with each of them taking turns staying awake to keep watch.
By morning light, they once again got up and started searching. They were now in a wooded area, not too far from where the Catena battle had taken place. This was as close as Mystogan had gotten on his own. From watching their activities, he was fairly sure they were close by. The group spent the next twenty minutes searching for anything unusual that might help them, since the base was likely hidden. Eventually, they came to a large lake. It was a pretty scene, with the sun reflecting off the water. There were no signs of a base there, but it seemed like a good place to catch their bearings. They decided to rest there briefly.
"My feet hurt." Lucy said.
"Really?" Gray said. "I feel fine, and you didn't even walk as much as we did." Gray was referring to the fact that, when they first entered Bosco, Lucy decided to summon Horologium the clock spirit to carry her around. Gray had rolled his eyes at this, and Happy made snide comments. As they got further into Bosco, it was decided that a walking, talking clock might draw too much attention, so she traveled the rest of the way on foot with the others.
"That was just so I could be rested in case we got into a fight." She said defensively.
"Right." Gray said. "At any rate, I think we're all rested enough now. We've probably still got a lot of ground to cover before we find this place."
"It must be nearby." Mystogan said. "I've seen them in this area numerous times."
Gray looked around. "I don't know. If their base were around here, I think we'd be able to see it. Just because they've been in this area doesn't necessarily mean this is where they live. Remember, they do have that airship we saw earlier. They can use that to get around."
"If they used that here, I would have noticed it." Mystogan said. He moved around, trying to find a higher vantage point to check the surroundings. He had never stayed here long before, but now that he had some backup, he was being a little less cautious. He did notice a large cliff in the distance. He suggested they check it out.
"I guess that's as good an idea as any." Gray said.
"Before we do, do you think we can try catching some fish?" Happy asked. "I'm hungry."
"I don't think there are any fish in this lake." Carla said. "The water is perfectly still."
"We don't have time for this." Gray said. "I'm going to go check out that cliff. Come if you want." He then started quickly walking off in the direction of the cliff. Everyone else followed along. A few minutes later they made it to the cliff. It was steep, brown, and mostly featureless.
"I'd say this stands out." Gray said.
"Do you think they're at the top?" Lucy asked.
"It can't be that easy." Gray said.
"There's an easy way to find out." Mystogan said. He looked to the two cats. "Could you two fly up there and see?" Happy looked uncertain.
"I don't know." Happy said. "I mean, it would be great if we find something, but what if something up there finds us?"
"You can keep a safe distance." Mystogan said. "I'm just asking you to quickly scout, and see if there's anything up there at all. If you find something, then return here and tell us."
"We might as well." Carla said. "This is what we came all this way for, right?" She the sprouted her wings, and took flight.
"Hey, wait for me." Happy said. He followed suit. They both ascended to the top of the cliff, while the others waited down below. Gray, Lucy, and Mystogan waited for several minutes. There wasn't much else for them to do but wait, and keep a lookout for any enemies.
"I thought they'd be back by now." Lucy said. She stretched while looking up at the cliff, wondering what was going on up there.
"Maybe something happened." Gray said.
"I think we should wait a little longer. It's only been a few minutes." Mystogan said. They agreed to wait. After another minute, Happy and Carla returned.
"Did anything happen up there?" Lucy asked.
"Nothing at all." Carla said.
"Yeah, there's nothing up there." Happy confirmed. "And I mean nothing. There's no trees or animals or anything. Just lots of rocks. I was hoping we'd find something."
Everyone just stood there for a moment. "So, what do we do now?" Lucy asked.
"I guess we keep moving." Gray said.
"Wait." Said Mystogan. "No plant or animal life at all?" Happy nodded. "Strange." Mystogan said. He walked up to the cliff face and ran his hand along it. He looked it up and down.
"What's up?" Gray said.
"I want to try something. I'm not sure if this will work." Mystogan said. He took a few steps back. He pulled out his staves. The others watched with curiosity. Mystogan used the four staves he had, and created a circle. He then cast a spell, and aimed it at the cliff wall. There was some flashing, and a circular shape appeared on the cliff. For a moment it just hung there. Then, there was another flash, and the section of the wall that he had aimed at just disappeared. There was a hole in the wall. But the rock hadn't been destroyed. It was as though it simply vanished. There was a shimmer where it was. They could all see straight through. They moved in closer to look. Within, was sky. But when they looked further down, they could see something else. Trees, vegetation, and even some structures. It was a valley. In the distance they could make out a large grey building. They saw all of this within a matter of seconds. And then, the spell started to fade, the "hole" was resealed, and the wall returned to as it was before, as if nothing had happened. It was now a cliff again.
"Well…" was all Carla said.
"Looks like we found it." Lucy said.
"Yeah." Gray said. "This cliff is just an illusion of some kind." He wrapped it with his knuckles. "Still feels pretty damn solid though. So, how do we get in?"
"Do you think we could just break through it?" Lucy said.
"That depends on how strong the magic is." Mystogan said. "The strange thing is, even a strong mage would have a hard time constantly maintaining an illusion like this over such a large distance."
"This sort of reminds me of that technology that they used around Nirvana." Said Lucy. "Except, that was just a force field and not an illusion."
"Look, I don't care how it was created." Gray said. "The only thing that matters, is how we get in there."
"Do you think we could destroy this illusion-barrier thing with our magic?" Lucy said. She touched her keys in anticipation.
"Even if we could…" Mystogan said. "Doing such a thing would likely be risky. Remember, we're trying to be covert. We should try to remain undetected if at all possible. I'm sure they would notice if we destroyed this thing, considering how large it is."
Gray scratched his head, and looked around the fake cliff. "Well, there's got to be an entrance around somewhere. They have to go in and out, right? Maybe up top?"
"Maybe." Mystogan said. "Although, it could take some time to find it, and the longer we stay out here the greater the chance we'll be found."
"Do you have a better idea?" Gray said.
"Perhaps we should return here when its dark out." Mystogan said.
Gray frowned. "That's a while off, and that meeting in Oshibana will probably be over by then. The sooner we can do this, the better."
"I might have an idea." Lucy said. "This barrier is up here, and it's meant to hide the valley down there. So, maybe if we can go underneath the barrier…"
"Underneath?" Gray said.
"Yeah." She said. "We could try digging."
"We'd need some big shovels." Gray said.
"Are you being stupid again Lucy?" Happy said.
Lucy scowled. "Shut up, both of you. I'm talking about Virgo. She can tunnel underground. Maybe she can help us."
"Oh yeah, she can do that." Gray said. "I don't know though, even if she could tunnel down, would it really be safe for us to follow her down?"
"Happy and Carla can fly us down." She said.
"Sure, make us do all the hard work." Happy said.
"We should make a decision one way or another." Mystogan said. "Someone could come along soon."
"Right." Lucy said. She pulled out a key, and summoned Virgo the maiden.
"Hello, princess." Virgo said.
"Hey, Virgo." Lucy said. "We could use your help." Lucy quickly explained the situation.
"On it." Virgo said. After the other backed up several steps, Virgo used her power to begin tunneling into the ground. Several seconds passed as she went down further into the ground. After a moment, they all heard a loud noise, something metallic.
"Virgo, are you okay?" Lucy shouted. Several seconds passed. Behind them something erupted from the ground. It was Virgo again.
"Sorry. I hit something." She said.
"What is it?" Gray said.
"I think… a tunnel. A manmade one." Virgo said.
"It appears we found an entrance." Mystogan said.
"Yeah, and it was my idea." Lucy said proudly.
"Good job Lucy." Gray said drily.
"Anyway, we should be careful how we proceed." Mystogan said, He walked over to the hole and looked down. "There's no telling what might be down there."
"Fine, we'll be careful, but we've still got to down there." Gray said. "Who's going first?" he said.
Virgo stepped forward. "I can take Lucy down, and the rest of you can follow. It will be faster that way."
"Wait, what?" Lucy said. Lucy then found herself being picked up by Virgo and carried over to the hole.
"Hey, wait!" Lucy said. Virgo jumped down the hole carrying Lucy.
"Well then." Gray said. He looked down the freshly made hole. "Happy, you can just fly me down."
"Well, I wasn't gong to jump down." Happy said.
After that, the rest of the group went down the opening that Virgo had created, joining Lucy at the bottom. They found themselves in a tunnel, much further down from where they were above. It was dim, but there were some lanterns on the walls providing just enough light to see. The passage was narrow, but still big enough for several people to fit. It was similar to a sewer, except instead of water there was just dirt.
"Okay, we all made it." Gray said. "Lucy, are you ok?"
"I'm fine." Lucy said quietly with her arms folded. "But Virgo, next time ask before doing that."
Mystogan was already examining the area as they were talking. "There are multiple passages here. I think this area is still under construction." On either side there were two passages that went off a short distance, and then suddenly stopped. Not exactly dead ends, but appearing as though they hadn't been excavated yet. The only area that was open was the path forward.
"Well, that makes it easier to figure out where to go." Gray said. They all started walking off down the path. They walked for a few minutes before coming to multiple paths again. One went off to the right. Another went diagonally, and appeared to have a staircase further down. The last passage went straight forward, but was blocked by a locked door. The door was made of metal bars, similar to a jail cell.
"Now what?" Happy said.
"I guess we have to pick a direction, and hope for the best." Lucy said.
"Or we could split up, and each take a different path." Gray suggested.
"Is that really wise?" Mystogan said.
"We could cover more ground that way." Gray said.
"Yeah, but what if we run into trouble?" Lucy said. "We wouldn't be able to help each other."
"I can take care of myself." Gray said.
"As can I." Mystogan said. "But Miss Heartfilia…" Lucy looked at the two men looking at her dubiously.
"Hey, I-I can take care of myself too." She said. "I mean, I was just saying that there's strength in numbers. But if you think we should split up, then I'm okay with that. I guess."
"You sure, Lucy?" Gray said.
"Yeah. I am." She said a little awkwardly.
"I can go with you Lucy." Carla said.
"Oh, okay. That's cool." Lucy said. "And I have Virgo and my other spirits too." Lucy looked at Virgo, still by Lucy's side.
"I'm here to protect you." Virgo said.
"Okay, so what path are we all taking?" Gray said. He walked around, looking down each path. There were no signs, so there was no way of telling where any of them led. "We each need to pick one. Happy, I guess you're with me."
"You don't have to sound so excited." Happy said sarcastically.
The group looked around, considering their options. "I'll go forward." Mystogan said. "The fact that there's a locked door mean there's probably something important back there."
"Or something dangerous." Gray said. Mystogan nodded, seemingly undeterred. "I'll take the stairs then." Gray added.
"Well Carla, looks like we get the scary dark corridor." Lucy said.
"Saving the best for us. How considerate." Carla said.
"Hey, if you want to switch…" Gray said.
"No, its fine." Lucy said. "But, how are we going to meet up again later?"
"We could always come back here." He said. "But if that's not possible, well… we'll find each other."
"Yeah." Lucy said. Mystogan nodded.
"Before we split up, do you think you can help with this door, Gray?" Mystogan said.
"No problem." He said. He walked up to the locked metal door. He put his hands to the lock, and froze it solid. It was encased in a block of ice. Gray took a step back, and forcefully kicked the iced lock. It shattered to pieces. "Its all yours." He said.
"Thank you." Said Mystogan. He opened the door.
"Wait." Gray said. "Before we go off, there's something I want to say." Everyone turned to him. Gray had been keeping something from them. Natsu. And Erza. He knew there was a chance they were here. In Natsu's case, maybe a very good chance. Although, the thought still seemed unreal to him. Maybe it would to the others as well. But he still felt they should know.
"Look…" he started. He then remembered master Makarov's words. How this knowledge could distract them, and make them lose focus. And it might not even be true. He didn't know what to think.
"Gray?" Lucy said. She looked at him questioningly.
"I just want to say… good luck. To all of you." He couldn't say it. He hoped he was making the right choice. Lucy, not knowing his thoughts, smiled at him.
"Good luck." She repeated.
"See you soon." Happy said. Mystogan had already started walking off. Gray turned and headed for the stairs, with Happy following behind. Lucy watched them go for a moment, and then she and Carla, along with Virgo, walked down their selected path.
Lucy, Virgo, and Carla walked down the long, dim corridor. There was no way of telling where it would lead. For all they knew, it might be another dead end, in which case they would meet up with Gray or Mystogan again sooner than they planned. But for the moment, they kept walking.
"How are you doing Carla?" Lucy said. She noticed the cat seemed distracted.
"I'm just thinking about Wendy." Carla said. "I wonder if she's okay. I'm not used to being separated from her like this."
"I'm sure she's fine." Lucy said. "You'll see her again soon."
"Yeah…" Carla said. The conversation quickly died out. They continued walking in silence. After several minutes, they could see a light ahead. The tunnel was gradually growing brighter.
"I guess this is a good sign." Lucy said. They walked further, and could now see the end of the tunnel. For a second It seemed like it was another dead end, and frustration began to set it. But as they got closer, they could see that there was actually a hatch in the ceiling. There was also a platform at the bottom, attached to a track.
"What is this?" Carla said.
"Well, we definitely found something." Lucy said. "How do we get up there though?"
"I could lift you." Virgo said.
"Or I could just fly you up." Carla said.
"Its no trouble." Virgo said. She grabbed Lucy and lifted her so she could reach the hatch.
"Hey!" Lucy said. "Virgo, what did I tell you about that?"
"You said not to jump off of high places with you." Virgo said.
"Whatever." Lucy said. "We'll talk about it later." Lucy reached for the hatch and tried to push it open. It wouldn't budge. She looked for some kind of latch or handle to open it, but couldn't find one.
"Sorry, it won't open." Lucy said. "I think we might have to go back after all." Virgo let Lucy down.
"I can try, Princess." Virgo said. "I am stronger than an ordinary human."
"Okay, go ahead." Lucy said.
"Lift me?" Virgo said.
"Uhh…" Lucy said.
"Oh, for heaven's sake, I'll do it." Carla said. She grew her wings, flew over and lifted Virgo, bringing her up to the hatch. Virgo reached for it and began to push. It didn't move. She tried harder, putting extra force behind it. Creaking sounds could be heard. It was still sealed. Virgo paused. "I can do this." She said. She then tried once more, putting all of her strength behind it. The hatch came loose. Surprisingly, it wasn't a loud sound, but more of a dull one.
"You did it!" Lucy said.
"Yes." Virgo said. She then finished moving the hatch out of the way, revealing an opening to a space above. Carla lowered her to the ground. Virgo turned to Lucy.
"I think I should go now, to conserve your power." Virgo said.
"Oh, okay. Well, thanks for helping."
"I am always at your service." Virgo said. She then took a step closer to Lucy. "It could be dangerous up there. Be careful Princess. Call me again if you need me."
"Thanks. I will." Lucy said. Lucy was nervous about going in blindly, but knowing she had her spirits comforted her. Virgo nodded and departed, leaving Lucy and Carla alone.
"Well, let's go." Lucy said. Carla flew Lucy up through the opening, bringing them both into a medium sized room. It appeared as though it was unfinished. There was dirt and debris everywhere, and the walls were apparently still being constructed. There were some tools lying around. It seemed the room had very recently been used.
"Let's try to be quiet now." Lucy said. There was only one door leading out of the room. Lucy walked over and slowly opened it, and peeked outside. She didn't see anyone. She opened the door further and stepped out. They now found themselves in a larger room. When they looked up, they realized how large it actually was. There was a spiral staircase, and it went up several floors. The entire area was circular and tower-like. At ground level, there were various mechanical instruments and tools around. There was also a door, although they weren't sure if it led to another room, or even outside somewhere. The two of them looked around the room. They found various plans for machines that they didn't really understand. The whole room had a mechanical and industrial quality to it.
"What now?" Carla asked.
"We should find out what this place is." Lucy said. "I think we should go up."
"Okay." Carla said in a quiet voice. "Be sure to keep those keys handy. Should I fly you?"
Lucy looked up. "Let's take the stairs. Maybe save the flying for an emergency." They began ascending the stairs, while cautiously keeping an eye out for anyone else around. They reached the second level, and saw some rooms that appeared to be just storage rooms. Large boxes and crates stacked together. They decided to keep going since they wanted to see what was at the top. They continued climbing and reached another floor. This floor had a few more rooms, which appeared to be workshops of some kind. They only saw some machine parts lying on tables, and other equipment around. They considered going in to take a closer look, until they saw someone walking past in one of the rooms. Lucy and Carla stayed silent. Someone else appeared, and now two people appeared to be having a conversation. They were dressed in strange yet orderly clothes. Brown and red colored with big buttons. It didn't seem like they noticed the two intruders yet. Lucy and Carla exchanged a glance. They silently agreed to continue up the stairs.
They climbed further, managing to not be noticed. They passed another floor where they saw more people, and had to crouch down and try to stay out of sight. After waiting a few minutes for the workers to move elsewhere, they continued up, and finally made it to the top. The stairs ended at the floor of a wide, open room.
"What are we hoping to find?" Carla said.
"Information, I guess." Lucy said. They exited the stairs, and walked onto the top floor slowly. It was a bigger, and more open space than lower floors. There were large windows lighting the room with natural light. The area appeared to be clean and well maintained. However, there were also several interesting things that quickly stuck out to Lucy and Carla. The first, was the semi-human looking machines lining the walls. On one side were largely featureless mechanical men, large and imposing. On another side, were a different sort of machine. They had many human features, but also some animal features. Wings, talons. And as Lucy looked closer at them, she noticed that the features looked familiar somehow, like she had seen them before.
"What is all this?" she said. Carla didn't answer, perhaps because she didn't have one. They both cautiously started to walk around the room, reluctant to get too close to the machines, lest they suddenly come to life. Lucy walked over to a large window at the end of the room, and looked out. Below she saw fields, and trees, and other wild plant life. But also, some signs of human construction as well. Off in the distance, she could faintly make out the grey building. This was indeed the valley that they had gazed down on from above earlier.
"Wow, its so pretty." Lucy said.
"That's all well and good, but maybe we should be more focused on our immediate surroundings." Carla said.
"Right, sorry." Lucy said. She turned back, and looked at the unnerving yet well-constructed machine monsters around her. She looked at the human-animal hybrid ones, and cautiously approached.
"Be careful." Carla said.
"They don't look like they're turned on." Lucy said. Nonetheless, she kept one hand on her set of celestial keys, just in case. She moved close to one of them, looking into its soulless face. The eyes, the hair… Lucy realized where she saw it before. "Its… Lisanna." Lucy had never met Lisanna before, but she had seen pictures. She couldn't immediately place the resemblance. She probably wouldn't have even realized it if it weren't for Mystogan recently saying he had seen Lisanna, alive and well. Lucy was tempted to touch the machine's face, but resisted the urge.
"So, I guess that confirms it." Carla said. "They have Lisanna."
"Or at least something that looks like her." Lucy responded.
"Hmm." Carla said.
Lucy was becoming increasingly unnerved looking at it, so she backed away a little. She decided to look somewhere else. She and Carla walked around the room. The only sound being made was Lucy's footsteps (Carla was light enough that she didn't make noise). She tried to tread lightly lest someone else hear. She noticed something in the corner of the room. It was something sitting on a display. Lucy walked over to get a better look. She realized it was some kind of staff. In fact, she had seen it before. It was Mystogan's stave.
"Hey, I think this belongs to Mystogan." She said.
Carla turned to look. "Are you sure?"
"Pretty sure." The stave was laying on the display, held in place by a hook. There were notes piled around it, and a few inactive lacrimas as well. "I think he would appreciate it if we returned this to him."
"At least we're getting something tangible out of this." Carla said. "Not that information is a bad thing."
Lucy reached for the stave, and gently lifted it off the hook. She gripped it with both hands. It was a little heavier than she was expecting. "I can't believe he carries five of these things." She said. "Should we look around here some more, or try to get out of this building and see what's outside?"
"Well…" Carla said. But something interrupted her. There was a noise to her side. Carla and Lucy both turned. They didn't see anything at first. But then, one of the large machines moved its head, and pivoted it towards them. It took a step forward. Carla and Lucy took a step back. On the other side, two of the Lisanna-like machines came to life. They both turned towards the intruders. They blinked and moved their heads in uncannily human like ways. They also took a step forward.
"Oh." Was all Lucy could say.
"I think going outside would definitely be the better idea." Carla said with what sounded like restrained panic. The two of them slowly backed up. One of the harpy machines suddenly jumped and swooped towards them, its wings carrying it. Lucy ducked. It landed behind them. They were surrounded. Footsteps were heard coming up the stairs. This time, it was a human. A young woman walked into the room from the stairway, standing several feet behind the creations. "You shouldn't be here." She said in a cold voice.
"We were actually just about to leave." Lucy said. She made an effort to sound calm, although she was acutely aware of the danger of the situation.
"It's too late for that." The woman said. "You never should have come here in the first place. You're not leaving."
In that moment, Lucy sincerely wished the group hadn't split up.
Mystogan walked down his own corridor. Once past the locked door, he was able to continue on freely. However, in contrast to the path Lucy chose, this one seemed to get darker rather than brighter. The lights became fewer and farther between, and they even seemed to get dimmer as well. His eyes adjusted to the dark, but that wouldn't help if he found himself in pitch blackness. He made sure to keep a hand on the wall to stay oriented. Before it could reach that point though, he found another door. This one made of wood. He tested it to see if it was locked. It was, but it didn't appear difficult.
He pulled out some small tools, and maneuvered them into a key hole. After a minute, he managed to get it open. Two locked doors. This must be important. He thought. He gently opened the door, trying not to make any noise. He slowly stepped inside, scouting out the area. He found himself in a dark room. Or rather, an entrance area. It opened up into a larger room. He moved further in.
The floor was made of concrete, and the walls were made of some dark material that wasn't readily apparent. There were some furnishings around, like tables, chairs, a desk, and several bookcases. Everything in the room seemed to be made of materials that would stand up to moisture and dampness. As Mystogan moved through the room, he was careful to make sure there wasn't anyone hiding in there. It seemed he was alone.
He scanned the bookshelves for anything that might be helpful. There were books on Bosco history, and magical techniques. There were books on medicine, and on caring for dead bodies. Some of these seemed bizarre, but none of them stood out to him as being particularly helpful in that moment. He walked over to the opposite end of the room, where there was another door, and a desk with a book and pen on it. He walked over to the desk, and looked at the book. It seemed old, but still usable. The cover was worn, and the pages looked like they had gotten a fair amount of use. He opened it, and began thumbing the pages. It appeared to be a personal log or journal, rather than a published book. He didn't intend to sit down and read the entire thing then and there, but he did quickly skim through it for anything relevant. He found one passage that stuck out to him:
The revivals are progressing more smoothly now. There's a higher rate of success, at least in the ones that don't have souls attached. Trying to reunite the souls with the bodies is still a hit or miss process though, more art than science. Sometimes their minds are not what they once were. And we don't get a second chance.
Still, it does give us a surplus of new troops. And it has the added benefit of showing people that bringing back the dead is possible. Which helps to bring her more followers, more believers. Unfortunately, she still needs considerably more believers before ascension can occur. Only then can things be taken to the next level.
Mystogan paused, processing this information. This is definitely useful, I should take this. He thought to himself. Just then, he heard a noise from the next room. It sounded somewhere between a growl and a scream. He decided the book can wait, and moved a little closer to the door. He listened in, but the sound didn't repeat. He thought he could hear a low rumbling noise though. He decided to enter the room. First, he pocketed the book for later. Then he tried the door handle. Surprisingly, it was unlocked, unlike the previous doors. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad sign.
He carefully opened the door and looked inside. It was dark within. He couldn't see much right away. There was only a single hanging lantern in the middle of the room emitting light, and even that wasn't much. Entering this room seemed risky, but he decided there wasn't much point in being there in Bosco if they weren't going to take some risks. So, he entered, albeit still keeping his guard up the whole time. He stepped into the room, sticking to the shadows. He looked around while his vision adjusted. There appeared to be cages around the room. Many of them had something, or someone, inside of them. Prisoners? Or something else?
He walked a little further into the room, still not able to clearly see. Mystogan felt something touch his shoulder. He turned around quickly and reached for a stave. "Help me." He heard a voice say. He could see someone through the bars. It was a woman. She moved a little closer inside the cage, and he backed up instinctually. "Help me." She repeated. He looked closer, and realized he recognized her. She looked different, but he had seen her before. He was fairly sure her name was Pagan. She stared at him, looking wild eyed and emaciated. He debated whether or not to help her. He then felt something else grab him. This time, it wasn't a hand.
He felt something wrap around his arm. It was tentacle-like. Something inside the cage he had backed into made a low gurgling sound. He tried to pull away, but its grip was tight. Suddenly, several lights in the room turned on. He could see the room more clearly now. There were people and animals in cages throughout the room. Some of them reanimated, some still conventionally alive. The floor was tiled, with several drains on the floor. There were blood stains and dirt on the floor as well. Although, he suspected the dirt might actually be fecal matter. Now that Mystogan could see clearly, he also became aware of how awful the room smelled. Which wasn't surprising given its occupants. Finally, he noted a table with various sharp instruments on it. Scalpels, saws, etc. Mystogan decided he had seen enough, and wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"You know, its quite rude to come into someone's home uninvited." A voice said. At the other end of the room, there was a doorway and a short flight of stairs. Someone walked down the stairs, slowly approaching. It was a man, dressed in loose fitting, drab clothes. "You look like someone special, but I don't believe we've met." The man said.
Mystogan recognized the man. He was Nikodias, Seraiisa's father, and Boudica's husband. "Who are you?" Nikodias asked. Mystogan said nothing. The other man approached. "You're in a bad situation, it would be wise of you to cooperate." Mystogan used his stave to emit a flash of light. It wasn't much, but it gave him a chance. The creature made a sound and let him go. Mystogan rolled, and readied himself into a stance. Nikodias backed up, and quickly pressed something on a wall. The entrance Mystogan had come through sealed shut with a hidden metal door. Several of the cages opened. Monsters and semi-living people climbed out. A loud chorus of bestial noises filled the room.
"Whoever you are, you've seen too much." Nikodias said. "Time to die."
Gray and Happy reached the stairs on their chosen path. The stairs went straight upwards. They looked up. There was a landing which led to another path, and a short ladder with a trap door. They both walked up to the landing.
"Where to now?" said Happy. Gray considered both options.
"Screw it, let's go up. I don't want to be stuck down here." He said.
"Aye, sir." Happy said. Gray climbed the ladder and pushed open the door. Not completely, just ajar.
"What do you see?" Happy said.
"Not much." Gray said. The door led into a room, which was fairly well lit. It was small, and had various plants around. He didn't see anyone. "Guess we're going in." he said. He pushed the door open further, and pulled himself into the room. Happy followed him up. They looked around.
"What is this place?" Happy said.
"Beats me." Gray said. He examined the room, but couldn't discern the purpose of it. There was no furniture except a bench attached to a wall. It was just plants and vines otherwise. Gray shrugged. He walked to a door at the end of the room. He started to open it, but something blocked the way. Gray paused. The door then opened from the other side. There was a man standing there. He was wearing a grey robe, and appeared to be an older man with a beard. He blinked.
"Who are you?" he said.
"Uhh." Gray said. The older man noticed Happy.
"Wait, I don't know you. Are you from the outside?" The man's facial expression changed to one of suspicion and slight hostility. Gray could see other robed figures walking around in the distance behind the man. Gray gabbed him and pulled him into the room, and shut the door behind.
"Hey!" the man said. "What are you…" Before he could finish the sentence, Gray punched him in the face The man fell to his knees. He clutched his nose.
"Help!" he started to say. Gray punched him twice more, and the man fell to the ground, unconscious.
"Looks like we're off to a good start." Happy said sarcastically.
"At least I managed to shut him up in time. I think." Gray said.
"Okay, but there's a lot more of those guys out there, right?" Happy said. "I hope you've got a better plan than just punching everyone that sees you."
"Yeah…" Gray said uncertainly. He looked around the room. The only exits were the trap door and the door the man came through. He then looked down at the man wearing the robe. "It'll have to do." Gray muttered. He began disrobing the man.
"What are you doing?" Happy said.
"What do you think?" Gray said. He took the man's robe off, leaving him in undergarments. He then put the robe on himself. It was a little big, but otherwise fit. He pulled the hood up, covering his features.
"You really think that will work?" Happy said.
"It probably will. And if it doesn't, then I'll just start punching everyone." Gray adjusted the robe, and made sure it was secure.
"Well, what am I supposed to do?" Happy said. "I'm pretty sure they don't have those robes in my size."
Gray looked down at Happy. "You're just going to have to get inside."
"Get inside?" Happy said.
"Yeah." Gray opened the robe a little, presenting an opening.
"Seriously?" Happy said.
"You got a better idea?"
"…No." Happy reluctantly went along with Gray's idea. A moment later, Gray exited the room with Happy hiding in the robe. Gray found himself in a much larger room. The walls were mostly grey stone, with some plants and symbols on the walls here and there. He saw other robed people passing by, but they didn't look at him twice.
Gray, with Happy hidden, walked around the first floor of the building for a little while. He tried not to engage in conversation with anyone, or even make eye contact. Most of what he saw seemed rather mundane. Just people doing uninteresting things; sitting, talking, working. The only thing that stood out to him was one moment where he saw a couple of strange people dressed all in white and wearing weird masks walk by.
After spending some time exploring, he thought about going up to the second floor, but decided he wanted to step outside the building. Partly to get some fresh air, and partly to see if there was anything outside worth exploring. He found an exit and stepped out into the daylight. He felt a little better being outside again, although he wished he could take the robe off. He walked around, seeing a few other people going about their day, and some strange plant life in the area. He was a little surprised at how peaceful and almost mundane things seemed to be here. He then heard Happy saying something to him from inside the robe he was wearing.
"Gray, its so hot in here, and its dark. Can I get out for a little while?" Happy said.
"Not here." Gray whispered. "I'll try to find a safer place." He looked around, and saw a cluster of trees nearby. He casually walked over and moved behind them, out of sight. He opened his robe, and let Happy out.
"Man, it feels good to be out of there." Happy said. "No offense Gray, but you need a bath." Gray just rolled his eyes at Happy's comment, and otherwise ignored it.
"So far, this place doesn't seem all that scary." Gray said. "The place is a little weird, sure. They're obviously a cult. But I guess I was expecting… something else."
"Yeah, I know." Happy said. "Do you think Carla, Lucy, and Mystogan are doing okay too?"
"Probably. If the rest of this place is like this, they should be fine."
"I hope you're right." Happy said. "I can't help worrying about Carla though. What if she needs me? Gray, are you listening?" Gray was not listening. He was focused on something else in that moment.
"Gray?" Happy said. Gray was staring at something. Happy turned to follow his gaze. When Happy saw it, he could only stare too.
Gray knelt there and watched. He saw several people walking down a path several yards away. It was a bunch of the followers. There was another man with them, wearing a white jacket. Gray recognized him. He was one of the Oracion Seis. But that wasn't what Gray was fixated on. There was one more person with them. He was wearing a vest and scarf, and had spiky pink hair. It was Natsu Dragneel.
"Natsu." Gray said under his breath.
"Natsu…" Happy repeated.
This was the first time either of them had seen Natsu in several months. They weren't even sure if he was still alive. And now, here he was, in the flesh. In the heart of the enemy's base.
"He must be a prisoner here." Happy said. "We have to save him." Gray didn't respond. He just watched. All of the things master Makarov had told him came rushing back now. As all these thoughts swirled in his head, he continued to stare.
"Nobody told me Lisanna was going away." Natsu said. He sounded rather irritated.
"You didn't need to know." Cobra said. They both stopped.
"I have to be with her. The life bond..." Natsu said.
"She won't be gone long enough for that to be a problem." Cobra said. "They're supposed to be back tonight. Boudica said she wants to talk to you when she gets back. Maybe she'll ask you to go on a mission with her this time." He chuckled. Natsu said nothing.
"He's working with them." Gray said. He was vaguely aware of his fists and teeth clenching.
"No…" Happy said softly. In the back of his mind, Gray recalled what master Makarov had said before they left. About the possibility of finding Natsu, and being prepared to deal with that. Gray listened to him. But the truth is, he wasn't really prepared for it. The idea of it had seemed so vague and far fetched to him, that he didn't feel he really needed to consider what he would do if it were true. However, reality now stared him in the face, and his bubbling emotions overtook his reason.
All this time, Gray thought. All this time, he was here, with them. All this time. People have died. People in Fairy Tail died. For months. He was here. All this time.
"Gray?" Happy said. But Gray didn't hear him. All he could hear was the sound of blood rushing in his ears. He saw Natsu. Natsu was getting closer. No, Gray was getting closer to Natsu. He realized that he had gotten up, and was now running toward Natsu, fists clenched. He wasn't thinking, just acting. Everyone stopped and looked at him as he shouted Natsu's name.
Endnotes: This chapter ended up being really long, possibly the longest so far. And yet, I still ended up having to end it on a cliffhanger(s). If I didn't, then the chapter would have ended up being ridiculously long.
