I believe this is the last time I shall be updating this story for a while as school is about to start. That bastard. Anyway, I just wanted to sincerely thank all the people who have read this story. It gives me great joy for people to comment on my stories and this one is no exception.

Just to answer a question that has come up, and I did answer it in the last chapter. Will Natsu and Tia/Lucy get together? I don't know. Yes, maybe, or no, it doesn't really matter right now because this isn't a romance story. If you want bleeding romance, go find some fluff, this is a story with a plot line and the whole shazzam. Some love may come into the story later, but I'm not wanting that.

SO TO CLARIFY! NATSU AND TIA ARE JUST FUCKING FRIENDS!

If I repeat this one more time, I'm going to fucking kill someone.

Disclaimer: If I owned FT, would I be sitting at home writing this?

Warning: Language, fighting and…Erza

Lucy P.O.V.

The morning had started out great, but there was a sense of foreboding in my gut that made me rather edgy. I had long since learned to listen to my gut, the years of near fatal hits only made near by its warning made it my most trusted companion.

If that doesn't sound too weird.

"Are you alright Lucy?"

Jerking in my seat at the bar, I faced a happily fish munching Happy with a small smile. "I think so Happy."

"You either know or you don't." Natsu's voice came from behind me as he slid into a seat and propped himself up on my shoulder, peering over the appendage to see Happy. "Just make up your mind Luce."

Opening my mouth in order to reprimand the boy on using that nickname, I slouched and gave up. "Whatever Natsu, I don't really care." I continued to chew on the heel of white bread I had scabbed off Mirajane as I absently stared into air. 'What was the thing I was feeling anxious about? It was right on the tip of my tongue…'

"GUYS!"

Swivelling in my chair and whacking Natsu in the face as I did so, my eyes fell on the eerily familiar scene of a panting Loke leaning on the guilds doorframe.

'Oh sweet Kami…'

"IT'S ERZA!" Loke took another gulp of air before finishing what he was trying to say. "SHE'S IN TOWN!"

A vague thought of 'this town' crossed my mind but I waved it off in order to realise that…I had fucking forgotten about Erigor and Lullaby!

"Oh crap!" Natsu clung to my arm as panic was wrought throughout the guild by screaming guild members. "Not Erza!"

I tilted my head and grinned down at his quivering form. "Titania? She sounds strong. And I hear that she's one of your S-class mages, capable of re-quipping at a speed no one has ever seen." I paused and thought of what I had just said. "That rhymed."

Natsu opened his mouth to reply, but was drowned out by a clanking noise that was easily heard through the sudden silence of the guild.

A beautiful red head dressed in a skirt and accompanying armour walked into the guild with an air of purpose, dropping the large decorative horn when she stood in the middle. Erza seemed to stare around the guild before turning to a nearby Mirajane.

"Is the Master in, Mira?"

The white-haired girl shook her head in reply. "I'm sorry Erza, but he's just left on his trip to the meeting of guild masters. He won't be back for a couple of days."

Erza sighed before nodding her head in thanks. "Thank you Mira, I guess I'll just have to fix this on my own." She fixed her gaze on Nab who stood near the request board as usual. "Why are you still standing by the request board Nab? Just chose one job and stop blocking the board."

The male flinched and inched away discreetly.

"Wakaba." The pipe in Wakaba's lips trembled at Erza's stern gaze. "Yes?"

"No smoking inside the guild, your ashes get everywhere."

"A lady shouldn't drink like that Cana."

Erza continued to rattle off at several guild members and it took all of my strength not to burst out laughing when she said at the end of her tirade, that she was going to go easy on them and not say much.

"Not say much?" Natsu muttered from where he hid behind me. "She bloody said everything."

"Natsu. Gray."

The pink-haired boy squeaked before jumping out from behind me and saluting. "Aye ma'am?" Gray followed closely behind him, saluting her in his current state of half-nakedness.

"Put on some clothes Gray, we don't need such habits in the guild." Erza watched him with a stern eye as he looked around frantically for his shirt. "I-I swear it was here just before!"

Taking pity on the boy, I stood up from my stool and wandered over to the increasingly frantic male. "Here's your shirt Gray."

The boy slumped in relief and took his shirt from my hands, tugging it on quickly as to not incur Erza's wrath on him. "Thanks Lucy, you always-"

"Seem to be able to find your clothes." I finished for him with a laugh. "I've either stolen the clothing for a dare, or I'm just keeping tabs on it. Kami knows no one else does in here." I crossed my arms across my lizard hide vest before turning to face Erza. "My name's Lucy, Titania. I'm a new member of this guild and I am offering my skills as a Celestial mage to its service." I bowed my head to her respectively. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Brown eyes looked me up and down before Erza nodded approvingly. "You may call me Erza, Lucy. And I'm quite happy for our guild to have your abilities." The girl tugged my right hand from under my armpit before she pumped it with a crushing grip. "I look forward to working with you in the future."

Retracting my slightly sore hand, I tucked it back under the other before replying. "If I may, I would like to join you in the mission you have set yourself."

Erza raised a thin eyebrow at me. "And what do you know of my 'mission?'"

"Enough for me to come in handy," I replied. "I have informants and I was told about the death flute, much like you have heard. Am I correct?"

Erza glared at me with suspicion before relaxing and nodding. "I would be glad of your assistance in this matter."

"Thank you." I bowed my head once more before stepping back to stand beside a baffled Gray.

"What…" He looked at me incredulously. "The fuck was up with that speech? I never want to hear such polite words come from your usually filthy mouth."

I grinned up at him (both he and Natsu were taller damn it!) before punching him playfully on the arm. "That's because she demands my respect. You on the other hand, are beneath me by far." I flicked my ponytail haughtily just to seal the deal.

"Oh you little bitch…"

"Gray." Erza glared at Gray as he snapped to attention. "I am requesting both you and Natsu something of great importance." Her eyes landed on me and I quirked my mouth up in a smile. "And it seems we will be accompanied by Lucy."

I could feel Natsu's rising temperature from where I was, but it was greatly buffered by Gray's opposite of dropping temperature.

"What is it Erza?" Natsu asked arrogantly. "'Cause I'm more than enough for whatever it is you need. Gray is too weak for this anyway."

Gray went to reply but I quickly cut him off."You don't even know what's happening here you idiot, so don't assume anything." I put my hands on my hips and leaned around Gray to glare at Natsu angrily. "And you better not be implying that I'm weak, 'cause I kicked your ass yesterday, didn't I?"

"Fluke!" Howled Natsu and clenched his fists at me. "Rematch!"

"Enough!"

Natsu flinched at Erza's commanding voice. "A-aye!"

Deciding to rib him for that later, I plucked a floating Happy out of the air and settled him down on my head before listening to Erza.

"I want you two." Erza pointed at Natsu and Gray before crooking the finger at herself. "To join together with me to join a team."

There was a moment of pure silence. And then – in true Fairy Tail fashion – all hell broke loose.

A duel yell of 'WHAT?!' Exploded from Natsu and Gray, while everyone else in the guild broke into a flurry of not-so-quiet whispers and exclamations of 'what is Erza thinking?!'

This activity was going to continue for a while, so I casually began to fiddle with Happy's hanging tail, stroking the fur in a way I knew he liked it.

"Working with this Ash-for-brains?!"

"I'm not working with a stripping popsicle!"

Natsu and Gray dissolved into bickering as Happy purred on my head. My nose was going tingly from the rattling his purring was causing. What a strange sensation.

"Quiet you two!" Erza raised her voice, causing everybody else in the large building to fall silent once more. "You shall work with me, and together. That is final."

Her glare left no room for disagreement and Natsu and Gray slung arms around each other, sweating profoundly. "A-aye!"

A short gasp from Mirajane who stood to my left drew my attention to the girl who had a hand covering her mouth. "This might just be the strongest team in Fairy Tail!"

I rolled my eyes before beginning to wander out of the guild, Happy still perched on my head. "Well, I'm a going to grab some stuff and I'll meet you at the train station." I waved at the still stunned guild members before exiting the guild entirely. "They are such a melodramatic bunch in there."

"Aye!"

3rd Person P.O.V.

A bored blonde lolled on a wooden bench in a busy train station. She sprawled to cover the whole thing, one arm flung behind the back rest and the other absently stroking a strangely blue cat that nestled in her lap.

"They're taking so loooong," moaned Lucy. "Why are they taking so long?!"

She got no reply to Happy who was currently nestled in her lap, he had fallen asleep around the ten minute mark of waiting. Lucy had easily swung by her place to pick up her sword that she had decided to leave home for that day. After finding her new pair of boots – Lucy still missed that one boot that she had left at the mansion of Duke Everlue – the girl had instantly made her way to the train station to meet up with her companions. Unfortunately, she found herself waiting for over half an hour for them to arrive.

"I don't want to go on a train."

Lucy perked up at hearing the familiar whining voice. Tucking Happy in one arm, she stood up and whirled to point accusingly at Natsu. "You bastard! How long does it take for you to grab some stuff and get to a bleeding station?! What were you doing? Your make up?"

Natsu held his arms up in surrender at the angry blondes advance on him. "Erza held us up at the guild to reprimand me and Gray for fighting, it's not my fault!"

Lucy relaxed and lowered her arm. "I guess I'll have to let you off." She suddenly quirked an eyebrow at him, her browns eyes alight with mischief. "But I didn't know you knew a word as advanced as 'reprimand' Natsu. I'm proud of you."

"Aw, shut up." Natsu said good-naturedly as he pushed her shoulder.

"Hey loser and Lucy." Gray smirked at the two as he came onto the scene. "Are you guys prepared to be amazed by my awesome-"

"Stripping skills?"

Gray glared at an innocent looking Lucy. "You keep your mouth shut blondey, if you know what's good for you."

Lucy shrugged before taking a seat on her bench, patting a still sleeping Happy. "I know vegetables are good for me, but what aim are you going for, Gray?"

Gray rolled his eyes at her annoying way of comebacks before he slung himself over the back of the bench and lay out on the rest of the bench that was available. But he made sure that his head jutted annoyingly into Lucy's side, he wanted a reaction from her, she hadn't had a fit of rage since two weeks ago and he was bored of her irritating calmness.

Lucy hid a grin at Gray's attempt at being irritating – didn't he know she had a younger sister! – and just to annoy him, she simply raised the hand that wasn't stroking Happy in order to ruffle his hair softly. "That's cute, but I'm way more irritating than you."

A frown crossed Gray's face, but he ignored it in order to enjoy Lucy's slender fingers untangling his hair.

"Aw, Lucy!" Natsu whined at girl from his new position of standing behind her. "Why don't you ever do that for me?!"

"You never ask you dolt."

"But if I asked, would you do it?"

"Sure, why not."

Natsu gave a small cheer. "Then you'll do it on the train!"

"I said ask, not demand." Lucy smirked at the Dragon Slayer's pout before taking the hand off Gray's head in order to wave at an entering Erza. "Hello Erza. We're all here and ready to go!"

"Excellent." Erza tugged the rope in her hand so that her massive trundle of baggage may slide to a stop next to her. "We shall board the train right away."

"Ugh." Natsu's face turned green and he covered his mouth with both hands. "Why can't we walk?..." He dry heaved at the mere thought of boarding a moving object, and Lucy hurriedly shoved him away before he could even think of throwing up on her. "You will not be sick on me Dragneel! So be a good boy and hurry up and get on the fucking train!"

"Language," warned Erza. To which, Lucy shrugged to. "Eh, language is just language, no matter how flowery or crude." She pushed Gray's head off her and picked up Happy, not minding to the thud and curse that came from Gray hitting the wooden slates of the bench. "Let's go already, I don't want to miss the train."

"Erza!" Natsu seemed recovered enough to yell at the girl and hold his fits up determinedly in front of her. "I'll go on this mission with you guys," his grin flashed his lengthy canines. "If you fight me when we get back."

"Oi, oi." Gray grabbed his shoulder anxiously. "Are you mad?!"

"I accept."

Gray turned to Erza incredulously, mouth open to speak, but quickly looked between the determined two mages. "Aw, screw it, you guys do whatever."

"Very well." Lucy placed Happy on her head and adjusted her sword on her back. "Let's get started."

Lucy hummed absently as she continued to stroke Natsu's hair. She really should've been paying attention to Erza's explanation of Lullaby and of Erigor's guild, Eisenwald, but it wasn't like she had never heard it before.

"Lucy?"

The blonde blinked and nodded to the questioning Erza. "Yes? What is it?"

Erza leant forward over her crossed arms to peer intently at an unfazed Lucy. "I want to know if you have anything more to add. And also, how did you come by this information? Or even knew that I was going to be taking this…'mission' of a sort?"

A fluctuation of panic made Lucy's heart race and her movements stop, but at Natsu's pitiful groan from her lap, she answered the mage's questions hesitantly.

"Well, there is nothing more to be added to your explanation, either than the fact that I know that the master of Eisenwald is a man called Erigor. Or as he likes to be called, Shingami, the Death God."

"A bit up himself isn't he?" Commented Gray from where he was staring out the window next to Erza.

"Mn," agreed Lucy. "He uses wind magic, but that's all I know of him. Lullaby on the other hand…" The blonde bit her lip and fiddled with some of Natsu's pink hair. "It's a death magic that originates from Zeref's own magic. They say, when you play it, anybody who hears the sound instantly dies. I don't know the theory on it, but I'm guessing that there's some sort of enchantment to keep the actual wielder from dying, although I can't be too sure. One thing that I do know," Lucy's gaze hardened as she stared out into the peaceful land going by. "We'll all be fucked if we don't stop it from sounding."

It was obvious how upset Erza was about the whole situation since she didn't scold Lucy for swearing – something that she really didn't like if it wasn't necessary. "Then I hope we can reach them in time to stop them."

Gray nodded his agreement before everyone slowly relaxed.

"Are you not going to ask about anyone's magic Lucy?" Happy asked innocently from his position on said girls' head. "I mean, have you even seen them use it?"

A smile lifted Lucy's lips. "I'm not going to ask because I already know, cat. Natsu is a Fire Dragon Slayer, and is fairly capable of handling himself in a fight."

"F-fair-rly ca-apable?" Choked out Natsu from Lucy's lap.

The blonde just laughed lightly and patted his cheek. "I've heard gossip about your abilities, yet I haven't seen them yet. You never seem to do much of the fighting in our jobs."

Natsu made sounds of protest but quickly found that it only upset his stomach more. "Y-you!"

"Yes me," Lucy said in amused tone. "I'm a Celestial mage with the ability to use hand-to-hand combat and a sword effectively alongside my spirits."

Erza tilted her head in appreciation to the information. "I hope that you are able to wield that sword effectively."

"Oh yes." A grin stretched across Lucy's face, making Gray shiver in fear. "I'm quite good with my sword."

'It's like another Erza!' Gray just wanted to cry.

"Not as good as Erza 'Titania' Scarlet, resident S-class mage of Fairy Tail and known wielder of a formidable re-quip magic." Lucy continued. "And of course, last but definitely least, there's Gray Fullbuster."

The Ice mage glared at her before smirking defiantly. "What do you have on me? My amazing molding magic? My ability to-"

"Ice mage of Fairy Tail with several warrants of arrest for indecent dressing in public." Lucy laughed at Gray's scowl. "But still, well known for his speed in inanimate molding magic. Are you happy?"

"He's not Happy!" Shouted Happy indignantly. "I'm Happy!"

Lucy laughed again and tapped the cat's nose. "You're also cute."

Gray let out a hum of thought over the roar of the magic four-wheeler. "I can't believe we forgot Natsu.

"Eh, I'm sure he's fine."

Gray raised an eyebrow at Lucy's dismissive tone as she swerved around a corner, drifting slightly as she changed gears. "You sound very uncaring about this whole situation. And where'd you learn how to drive! You're like, younger than me!"

Lucy laughed at the wind making her hair tangle behind her. "I've known how to drive for years! I've probably been driving longer than Erza! I'm probably better to. Well," the blonde lowered her voice so that Gray couldn't hear. "Better at outdriving people when they're chasing me."

"Did you say something?" Came Gray's voice from inside the carriage.

"Nope!" Lucy could now see the now stationary train in the distance. "Is Erza awake yet? That was a hard punch she punished herself with!"

"I'm quite alright, Lucy." Erza crawled out of the carriage window and made her way across the side to sit next to Lucy, not knowing that she was flashing a steaming Gray behind her. "Are we nearing the train soon?"

"Yep." Lucy pumped more magic into the SE-plug and howled in excitement as the four-wheeler gunned beneath her. "Do you mind taking the wheel? I want to get a better view on the train."

Erza nodded in bafflement as she took the SE-plug from Lucy and quickly poured magic into it so that the four-wheeler wouldn't slow its' frantic pace. 'Where could Lucy go to get a better view?'

Crouching on the side of the four-wheeler to let Erza sit behind the wheel, Lucy grinned reassuringly at the girl before hoisting herself up onto the roof, ignoring both Gray and Erza's frantic shouts. "I fucking love doing this again. It's been too long." The blonde quickly crawled across the roof, keeping low so as to not be torn off the roof by the howling winds.

She kept an eye on the – slowly beginning to move – train as they pulled up beside it, not knowing where exactly Natsu would come from.

A shattering of glass drew her attention to directly in front of her, and Natsu came flying out of the window with his arms crossed in front of him to ward off the glass shards.

"Natsu!"

The Fire mage's eyes widened to see his blonde friend standing on the roof of a vehicle, her arms wide as if to hug him.

"Lucy move!"

The girl stubbornly stood her ground as Natsu went uncontrollably barrelling into her. A grunt brushed his ear as her arms wrapped around him and they went toppling back. His eyes widened as he looked over Lucy's shoulder to see only the ground. This was going to hurt. Bad.

Then the ground suddenly flipped and he found himself sliding back, still in Lucy's arms.

The Celestial mage hissed as her new boots tried to break her ankles. So maybe catching Natsu and back flipping to lessen the force wasn't one of her best ideas. But she didn't regret it as she awesomely hit the ground feet first and slid backwards, her feet digging grooves into the ground as they tried to slow her backwards momentum.

"Jashin. Fucking. Damn." Lucy pushed a stunned Natsu off her and upright before inspecting her legs for any damage. "Okay, so no injuries. I'll say that was a success." She lifted her head up to grin wolfishly at a still stunned Natsu. "How do you like that catch? I say that was a classic catch!"

"Lucy!" Erza jumped off the front of the stationary magic four-wheeler and advanced furiously on the reckless girl. "What the hell do you think you were doing?!"

Lucy crinkled her nose as she shook the tingly feeling residing in her legs out. "It was the logical thing to do. If Natsu continued at the speed he was going at, the force in which he would've hit the ground would've ensured that he would be knocked out or concussed. The only way to slow him down was to place something in his way to lessen the velocity and force. I am in no circumstances going to use one of my spirits as a pillow. As such, I used myself." The blonde gave a sniff and determined her legs to be fine. "It's not like I was injured or anything."

Erza gaped at the girl. For such reckless – Natsu-like! – behaviour, she had a perfectly sound and persuading way to convince people that such behaviour was correct. But it wasn't! Yet, Erza had no way to reply to the girl.

At seeing Erza's predicament, Gray decided to smooth the whole thing over. Hopping out through the window, he trudged over and gave Lucy a solid punch in the arm, ignoring her yelp of pain. "What'd I tell you about using polite words in your filthy mouth?"

Lucy rubbed her arm and scowled at him. "Whatever. Let's just hurry up and get in the bloody car." She ignored the surrounding people's confused looks at her last word and tugged a still speechless Natsu towards the vehicle. "We've got stuff to do and people to save."

Erza's brain started at Lucy's reminder and she quickly hurried over to the driving seat. "Get in Gray! We haven't got a moment to lose!"

Gray blinked at her before walking over to the vehicle, muttering all the while. "Oh so Gray is the one suddenly in fault."

"What was that Gray?!"

"N-nothing!"

Over by the four-wheeler, Natsu began to struggle when he realised that he was going to be put inside a moving object, but he couldn't do anything as Lucy showed her impressive strength by lifting him up and tossing him through the window, not caring that he hit his head or that Happy nearly got squished under him.

She grabbed the roof and swung her legs up and through the window, narrowly missing Natsu. Shoving him over so that she could sit down, she peered through the small opening of the window at Gray. "You getting in or what, Fullbuster?"

Gray grumbled some more before answering the blonde. "There's probably not enough room, so I guess I'll have to just ride on top." He made to grab the roof and climb up, but found his – miraculously still on – shirt being tugged by an arm.

"There's plenty of room." Lucy began to pull him through the window. "You just sit on the other side of me and Natsu and we'll just crush our legs in. Okay?" The girl didn't wait for an answer before pulling Gray right through the window and onto the seat opposite her. "Okay. Let's go Erza!" She rapped the wall behind her and listened with a smile as the four-wheel roared to a start beneath her. "Love that sound."

Natsu disagreed in his head, but couldn't say anything out loud since he was holding back the vomit he wished to let up.

"I've got him." Gray turned the motion sick mage so that his head could hang out of the window. "But what are we going to do about space?"

Lucy tossed him a grin before chucking her legs up to sprawl across him and onto the small space on the seat next to him. "I'm good."

Happy settled himself down on Lucy's lap and raised a paw. "Aye! I'm good."

Natsu barely took up any space as majority of him was hanging out of the window, only stopped by an absent hand of Lucy's. He's…good enough.

Gray muttered something under his breath as he tried to get comfortable. His legs were cramped in the small space already and it didn't help that Lucy had her legs over his. Erza's maniac driving didn't help at all as Lucy's legs constantly thumped against his, the bone making odd knocking sounds as they did. He let another sigh and turned to face out the window that Natsu wasn't blocking. "This will be a long ride. I just know it."

The four-wheeler skidded to a stop and tilted at a ridiculous angle as it hit the curb. Erza calmly undid the SE-plug and stepped off the front, opening the door for her companions to get out.

Natsu came first. Yelling in victory and leaping in joy, Happy fluttering around his head.

Gray came out with a sway, still not yet over the terrifying journey that was Erza's driving. He paused to look at the open door Erza held before shaking his head and moving on. "A door. There was a bloody door this whole time…"

With an excited bounce, Lucy excited the car, her face stretched in a massive grin that surprised Erza. Lucy didn't seem to be one of those people to grin as big as Natsu, more small smiles and smirks.

"That was awesome!" Lucy thanked Erza before closing the door and ushering ahead. "But I dibs driving next! We're going to go faster this time!"

A moan of 'no' came from Gray and Lucy grinned wider – if that was even humanely possible – at the sound.

After a few moments of running, in which Erza took charge of the group since she knew where she was going, the mages finally made it to Oshibana station. This was where an explosion was said to have just happened, occurring to a bunch of civilians that Lucy had asked.

"I can smell smoke," Natsu said as he sniffed the air. "It's getting stronger. Hard left and then we're there."

The group nodded and sped up to round the corner, only to slow back down at the sight of a partially destroyed train station.

"Damn." Lucy let out a low whistle before racing ahead of them, intent on asking the guards there before someone – coughcoughErzacough – could get to them.

Approaching an officer with a microphone, she smiled politely at him and dipped her head in respect. "Sir, we are mages of the guild Fairy Tail and we have come to restrain the mages that have caused the destruction to your station. Do you min-"

Lucy was cut off by a wild Erza suddenly head butting the man into unconsciousness. "Too slow!"

To say Lucy was surprised by the rather rude interruption was to say that Natsu only destroyed a few walls on jobs. In fact, she was rather mad.

"ERZA!" Lucy advanced on the girl who had knocked another unknowing officer out. "STOP THAT RIGHT NOW YOU IDIOT!"

Natsu, Gray and Happy trembled at both Lucy's furious tone and the glare of death that Erza activated when she turned to Lucy.

"Somebody's going to die!" Natsu took a step back as Erza advanced on Lucy,

"A-aye!" Gray could only watch in horror as Lucy didn't back down.

"Bye Lucy." Happy draped himself over Natsu's shoulder. "I liked your patting."

"What did you say Lucy?" Erza glared at the girl who dared to stop her from finding out the situation that was currently going on inside the station.

"You don't scare me Titania," snarled Lucy. "Now shut up and listen to me." Erza didn't reply as she was too surprised at the girls' anger and the fact that she attacking her with her words. Erza was never questioned.

"That is no way to go about this situation!" Lucy jabbed her fingers into Erza's breastplate, earning herself dull ringing in answer. "These officers have done nothing to incur you fucking knocking them unconscious! That is no way to deal with this situation and we would already be inside if you let them speak!" Lucy let out a sigh and relaxed, kneading her temples angrily. "Now I've gotten all worked up and we're wasting more time." The blonde turned to one of the remaining officers and asked him politely the situation that was going on inside the guild.

The man stammered slightly before taking heart in the fact that she was on his side and that she was being patient with him. He straightened up and gave her a detailed report on how a man with a scythe leading an abundance of mages had charged through the guards and had effectively evacuated the station with a series of explosions. He went on to sketch a scene of them holing themselves up, giving exact times and numbers. When he finished, he gave a stiff salute to the female before going to help his fellow officers.

"I thank you kindly." Lucy bowed to the young male before whirling around and stalking off to the entrance. "We shall help the situation here in any way we can, please evacuate the remaining people of this area and possibly the town. A large area, death magic may be played and I don't want civilians being caught in the radius.

The man nodded alongside the comrades he managed to awaken. They gathered themselves up and set out to do the task that the confident girl set them.

Lucy nodded to herself as the officers moved out before turning to a gobsmacked trio of males that were her comrades. "I would normally suggest a sneak attack in situations like this. But," she eyed Natsu and Erza before continuing. "I believe that your skills are not set to that task. So we shall judge the situation once we get in and go from there. Are we clear?"

Gray, Natsu and Happy saluted her crisply. "Yes, ma'am!"

A tense smile crossed Lucy's face before she looked to a silent Erza. "Come now, Titania, we shall head in now. Be prepared for anything."

The loose ends of Lucy's sleeves and shirt fluttered as she turned on her heel and stalked towards the station entrance, only looking back to beckon the stunned mages forwards.

"Holy shit," breathed Gray as he ran up the stairs after Lucy. "I've never seen someone take charge from Erza like that."

Natsu nodded tensely just behind him. "I don't know if I should be amazed or terrified."

"Aye!" Chipped in the ever cheerful Happy as he held onto Natsu's scarf.

The two mages and one he-cat sprinted up the last of the stairs to fall into step beside a purposeful Lucy.

'She took charge like I meant nothing." Erza's brow crinkled as she stood in the same spot. 'She told me what I was doing was wrong and that I was an idiot.' The Re-quip mage slowly began to make her way up the stairs, her steps quickening with every second. 'She wielded authority like I do, but with kindness and politeness.' Vaulting the last few steps, Erza began to catch up with her comrades. 'So what the hell am I, if not a leader?'

"I beg your pardon, Titania, for my earlier comments."

Erza stiffened and slowed her steps as Lucy dropped back to jog beside her. "What do you mean by that, Lucy?"

The blonde ruffled her hair before answering in a tired tone. "I took charge when I was clearly under your command. I have broken the chain of command and for that, I am sorry. I shouldn't have questioned your techniques out loud, even if I did not like them. That was not how a lesser should act to their leading officer. I beg your pardon once again."

Erza's mouth didn't move to answer as she stared at the back of Natsu's and Gray's bobbing hair as they approached the station doors. Lucy took that as her cue to pull ahead from the female and away from the increasingly awkward situation.

Tossing one last look at the mage behind her, Lucy steeled her resolve before yelling out to Natsu who was just in front of her. "Natsu! Knock it down!"

"Un!" Natsu's fists caught fire and he leapt up, fist ready to punch the doors down. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" The attack connected solidly and blew the doors out into the station with a blast of fire and smoke. The mages didn't falter and charged right through the explosion, but Lucy lagged slightly and hesitated to leap through the flames.

'They're not the same you dolt!' Lucy reprimanded herself as she leapt through the flames and skidded to a stop beside Natsu. 'Stop being scared!'

She was met with a large crowd of mages – all males those sexist pigs – who turned in one group to glare at the group of Fairy Tail mages.

"Oh my." A smirk worked its' way across Lucy's face and her soft voice that echoed in the silent cavern of the station caught the attention of the Eisenwald members. "It seems that we've stumbled across something we were probably not meant to see. How troublesome." The blonde sighed a tilted her head to the side. "I guess we'll just have to apprehend the people who did this."

A large symphony of snickers broke out across the members, making them swirl like reeds in the breeze.

"What are you going to do maggots?!" A male with spiky hair shaped into a ponytail stepped forward with a leer. "You are no match for the likes of Eisenwald."

"How cliché," Lucy muttered.

"YOU'RE THE BASTARD WHO SMASHED MY FACE IN!" Natsu screamed at the male, brandishing his arms angrily. "I'LL SHOW YOU NO MATCH, YA DICK!"

"Natsu," said Erza warningly, finally getting her steam back. "Let us find out what is going on before we attack."

Cackling laughter rung out and Erza snapped her gaze up to a man with spiky white hair, dressed in what seemed to be just a black scarf of shredded cloth. "You guys are all just maggots waiting to be killed Fairy scum! You've made a mistake in attacking the great Shingami, Erigor!"

'Oh Kami, here comes the evil person talk. Fuck, I don't want to listen to this.' Lucy's eyes narrowed on the form of the male who first spoke. 'Kageyama, Shadow Mountain? That's, really unoriginal. It really doesn't help that he looks like Shikamaru.' She let out a low thrum before her eyesight locked onto a still boasting Erigor. 'He's probably implying that he's going to broadcast Lullaby right now.' Focusing on the black scarf, she suppressed a chuckle. 'Voldermort's clothing. How many fandoms are in this show?'

"We'll stop you Erigor!" Erza's booming shout made Lucy's ears ring. "Come down here and fight us you coward!"

"I have no time to deal with pathetic maggots like you." Erigor began to laugh as he floated up, enjoying the shocked gasps from the Fairy scum. Well, almost all. The blonde girl was looking at him, completely unimpressed. Erigor guessed he just had to amaze her with his next trick. "I'm quite busy killing off the worthless lives of the people around here. I won't see you around, Fairy maggots."

Erigor's form wavered before it seemingly disappeared.

"Come back here!" Natsu growled after the man. "He ran like a coward!"

"Natsu, Gray!" Erza swung her arm towards the nearest corridor in the station. "After him!"

The two males made to argue, but Lucy blocked their attempt with a stern look towards Erza. "That is not advisable Titania. Both Gray and Natsu are wide-spread magic users, they would be more advisable to stay here to deal with the canon fodder."

A couple of angry yells sounded from the surrounding Eisenwald members, but were dismissed by a wave of Lucy's hand.

"Natsu and I should go as Natsu will be able to sniff out anybody and I am statistically faster than him, highly likely making me faster than Gray." Lucy stared down at Erza, daring her to go against her logic. "If you do not have any qualms, Natsu and I shall head out."

There was a tense moment before Erza nodded. "Fine. Leave now and hurry up and catch him!"

Lucy nodded in reply before grabbing Natsu's wrist and beginning to run, dragging the male until he righted himself and sprinted alongside the blonde. Erza and Gray watched the two round the corner and disappear out of view before they faced the Eisenwald members.

Gray snuck one last look at Erza, glad that she couldn't hear his thoughts. 'That's the second time Lucy has usurped her command, why hasn't she snapped or something?"

"Re-quip!"

The Ice mage paled as Erza's form was covered in a flash of gold and reappeared in her Heavens Wheel armour. 'Oh god, she's angry. Really angry.'

Brandishing her sword towards the crowd of mages, Erza proudly declared for them to take her on with all they have. Gray, on the other hand, decided to creep away to the other side of the spacious room to fight. He did not want to get hit with one of her weapons.

A collective roar went up in the Eisenwald guild and they rushed the two mages, unaware that they had earned their place as some of the best members of Fairy Tail.

"Ice make…!"

"Blumenblatt…!"

"Slow down Lucy! Geez…"

Lucy ignored her friend in favour of tearing down yet another corridor, Natsu close at her heels. Seeing the split corridor in front of her, she slid to a stop, before Natsu – not seeing that she was stopping – slammed into her and crushed her underneath him as they went sprawling.

"Ow." Lucy spat Natsu's scarf out her mouth and slowly tried to shift him to the side. "C'mon, Natsu, get off of me."

Hearing no reply, the girl began to get angry. "I swear to fucking Jashin Natsu, if you don't…" The words died in her throat as she looked back at her friends face. "Oh. Sweet. Kami-sama."

Dun. Dun. DUUUNNN!

Cliffhanger biatches. Have fun with that.

Anybody notice that I put a little future plot thing in there? Why'd Lucy hesitate to jump through the explosion? Are you all curious? 'Cause I'm excited to write it as it will be my own part in the Fairy Tail plot that doesn't apply to the real storyline, but does add somewhat to this one.

Be intrigued, very intrigued.

Oh, and Lucy beating Erza down? What! I put that in because a lot of people were going on about it and I had to agree with them. Lucy/Tia wouldn't be very good friends with Erza at the start. Even though they could be very similar, Lucy has a disregard for authority if she finds it stupid. As Erza's act of knocking people out was.

Like seriously, in the anime it was funny, but when you think about it, Erza's being a stupid bitch and wasting time. And sending Natsu and Gray to chase Erigor, even though they are the better suited for bigger crowds was stupid. Especially since Erza left herself with a girl whose magic she didn't even ask about.

Great job Erza. You are such an appealing character.

But fret not dear readers, I admire Erza and she will redeem herself later on. I find her general awkwardness to be amusing and her strength to be legendary.

So, love you all and I hope you enjoy this chapter. I found it great to write and I am proud of it.

See you all soon!

Maybe.

Hopefully.

I really don't know…

Just, bye.