I don't own Fairy Tail

Lucy wore the same dress as last time. There was something a little bittersweet and ironic about it, really. It made her feel a lot of things; this was the dress she'd last been in as Lucy Heartfilia.

Because she was Lucy of Fairy Tail, now.

She tied her hair back into a bun instead of leaving her hair open, so it wouldn't get in the way as much. She admired her appearance in the mirror and gave it a faint smile.

She heard light footsteps outside, rolling her eyes. It was likely Natsu; he'd always recognised her scent extremely well.

She opened the door and leaned against the doorframe, raising her eyebrow at the salmon-haired boy and his cat, who froze in a weird position, as if they were trying to look sneaky.

"Well, well." She hung her keys to her keychain, walking past them. "You can't come with me."

"But I wanna beat him up!' Natsu growled behind her.

Lucy sighed, exasperated and fond at the same time. "Do what you want."

Natsu pumped his fist victoriously in the air behind her, quickly following her before she changed her mind.

"So, what are you gonna do anyway?' Happy asked.

Natsu nodded eagerly, "What's your magic? Let's fight!'

"Hm. It's celestial magic," Lucy watched the clouds move by her as she walked. Though she wasn't focused on the path ahead of her, she could see if anything was in her way out of her peripheral vision.

"What?' Natsu scratched his head. "...Celestial Magic?'

His voice wavered a little as if straining against something. She turned around to him, but his expression just looked confused.

She could swear she'd heard a change, but nothing seemed off.

"I'll show you tonight," she said, her lips twisting into a smile at the mere thought of teaching Bora a lesson.

"Then let's fight!'

...

"Ah, I really didn't want to be alone here, tonight." Bora said, smiling suavely. His gaze drifted to behind her, to make sure no one was there. His eyes crinkled in disappointment at Natsu and Happy. The condescending look made Lucy clench her fists, focusing on breathing and relaxing before she punched that idiot.

"I thought I told you two you weren't invited!' Bora said, frustrated.

Natsu shrugged, "If you're gonna invite our guildmate, you may as well invite us,"

"Guildmate?' Bora's questioning gaze turned to her. "I thought you wanted to join Fairy Tail."

"She is in Fairy Tail." Natsu grinned. "You would know if you were in it, too."

Bora seemed to pale at the statement, "W-w-what?'

"You're looking at the real salamander," Lucy smirked.

Lucy didn't know he could pale any further, but he just did. He looked like a ghost at that point.

"N-no way! You're lying," he stammered, staggering back. "GUARDS! TAKE THESE THREE AWAY!'

Big men of tall stature came rushing out at his command. Lucy sighed. She should've expected a fight from them, she supposed.

"Natsu." She said, her voice taking on a serious tone. He perked up at her calling him. "You and Happy take care of these guards. I'll be back."

Before they could reply, she rushed off.

"Get her," Bora snarled at the guards. "I can defeat this fake myself."

"You're the fake," Happy retorted.

"I'm all fired up," A devilish grin formed on Natsu's face.

...

Lucy pulled out her whip, wrapping it around the ankle of one of the men near the front, pulling then releasing him, the pressure pushing into the throng of bodyguards.

Some got caught up in it and landed under him, others managed to avoid it.

Lucy scoffed. What did I expect from men?

She saw the door that led to the room in the deck, where she'd had that drink with Bora. If you went further, you'd find the cell where the women were trapped and unconscious.

Lucy turned around and took a breath. She pulled out Taurus' key,

"Open gate of the bull, Taurus!'

In a golden flash-which she used as cover to slip into the next room and close the door behind her-appeared the huge bull.

"Mooooo, where's Lu-" Before he could ask, one of the guards who was frozen there for a second, attacked.

"DIE!'

Taurus was hit with an invisible force. It pushed against him, but he was easily able to push back. Unnatural strength enveloped his body and when he slammed his axe against the wooden ground, it smashed the wood, pushing everyone around him back.

With a speed he wasn't sure he was capable of, he used the dust from the blow to attack as many of the guards as he could while they couldn't properly see where he was.

By the time the dust cleared, Taurus was shocked to see he'd actually defeated every guard.

He stared down at his arms. Where had that strength and speed come from?

He looked back at the door he was certain Lucy had gone through and he had a hunch he needed to have a talk with her.