Tower of Heaven

Part 1

It has been a couple of days since Erigor's group attacked the Fairy Tail guild at their hall and Fairy Tail's Strongest Team was having a blast at a beach. They were glad to be able to finally relax after the threat of Phantom Lord & Erigor's group. The only ones not there were Erza and Soron. They had vanished at some point, and nobody knew why. However, the entire guild believed they'd return. Erza is one of the most loyal members and would never abandon them. Right now, Lucy was screaming with glee as she used an underwater creature to pull the rowboat or surfboard she was on really fast. Natsu happened to be right behind her on the boat/surfboard… and was, of course, hating every second of it. He was doing his best to not spew whatever meal he had the day prior or earlier this morning.

"Lucy," Natsu moaned. "Let me off this thing!"

"This was your idea in the first place," Lucy smiled.

Grey, Happy, and Juvia, on the other hand, were having fun playing Volleyball. However, it was pretty much one-sided as Grey was the only one really into it. Juvia was doing her best to not accidentally hurt Grey and Happy… well, Happy's a cat. All of them were in their swimwear… even Happy for some reason.

In the Time Vortex…

The TARDIS console room shook as it flew through the vortex, and Soron was having the time of his life. Erza, however, was less than happy. She had never had to deal with such a bouncy vehicle before. It was so bouncy she had to hold onto the TARDIS's rail that was on one side of the control pillar.

"Can't you do anything about the shaking?" Erza almost complained.

"Sure, but why should I?" Soron smirked. Soron had pretty much returned to the personality Erza had gotten to see before that strange gray-haired man showed up. However, she could still see the pain and anger in Soron's eyes. It was at the same level as it was after Soron's real memories before his life as Soron MacLeod returned.

"Because, if you don't," Erza warned with her usual glare. She didn't even finish her threat, because she knew she didn't have to.

"Oh, fine," Soron sighed as he pressed two blue buttons on the controls and the TARDIS stopped shaking vigorously.

"So," Erza said as she let go of the rail. "Any chance we're going to go back home to Earth Land?"

"I dunno," Soron replied. "There are still so many places to go and so many times to see."

"Well," Erza said decisively. "I'm ready to go home. This life you showed me the past month… it isn't for me."

Soron didn't say anything for a few minutes, but eventually, he sighed.

"I know," Soron admitted. "I didn't say anything, but I noticed you looking at the Fairy Tail logo that sat on a flag in the year 4030. You were homesick. I had hoped that you'd grow to enjoy traveling through time and going to other planets as much as I do, but… this life isn't for everyone."

Erza didn't say anything except to stare at him as he typed in coordinates and flipped a lever.

About five minutes later, the TARDIS rematerialized. Erza immediately walked toward the exit, but stopped and looked back at Soron.

"Don't be a stranger," Erza said.

"Oh, this won't be the last you see of me," Soron said as he made the "shoo" gesture. "Go. Go be with your family."

Without another word, Erza requipped back to her normal Heart Kreuz armor and exited the TARDIS. Soron sighed and leaned against the rail before he picked up a photo both Erza and he had taken. The former reluctant while he was exuberant. He immediately folded the photo and put it inside of his leather coat pocket and prepared to close the doors with the door control. However, Erza suddenly stormed in with an irritated expression.

"You said you could bring me back to the same day!" Erza said as she walked up to him.

"I didn't?" Soron asked. To answer, Erza merely thrust a discarded magazine in his face and pointed to the date with a finger.

"Oh…" Soron said upon realizing it was two days later. "Sorry about that."

"You didn't even land at the guildhall!" Erza exclaimed. Upon seeing Soron's confused expression, she grabbed his left arm and dragged him to the TARDIS's exit. She only stopped dragging when they were outside. The TARDIS had indeed landed somewhere else not intended. They appeared to have landed at a beach. Right outside of a hotel that sat next to a roller coaster as well.

"Where are we?" Soron asked confused.

"Akane Resort," Erza growled.

"That's close to Magnolia, isn't it?" Soron asked.

"No," Erza said bluntly before she prepared to push Soron back into the TARDIS.

"Erza!" shouted a familiar voice. "Soron! Why don't you join us?!"

Both Soron and Erza turned to see Lucy waving at them from a volleyball net. Erza and Soron looked at each other before the former shrugged and walked toward them requipping into a bikini as she went. Soron shrugged and figured he may as well join them. However, he didn't feel that he was wearing the right outfit for going to a beach. So, he elected to change first.

Later, in the hotel room…

Erza relaxed in a chair outside on the balcony while Natsu and Grey arm-wrestled with Soron inside. Both lost. Happy was, of course, sleeping off the calories he gained from eating all that fish and Lucy was busy at a typewriter. Juvia… was lurking in a shadowy corner watching Grey without wavering. Once Grey and Natsu began arm-wrestling each other, Soron walked out to the balcony and sat in one of the chairs.

"You didn't have to join us, you know," Erza said without opening her eyes. "You could've left. Traveled all of time and space."

"I know," Soron responded.

"Why didn't you leave, then?" Erza asked.

"Some things are more important than traveling through time and space," Soron replied as he looked at her. Erza opened her eyes at that and noticed how he was staring at her. She suddenly realized that Soron found her to be the most important thing in the world… nay, the universe. Her face immediately went red and she looked away to gather herself.

A long time ago, somewhere in the ocean…

There was an island that had a construction nearing completion. People were working on it against their will, and keeping an eye on them were several guards with a symbol that looked like pick-ax heads and two hooks connected them. The symbols were on their backs, and on the cloth that covered their eyes. Ships with the same symbols were also on their way to the island. A young redheaded girl that bared a shocking resemblance to Erza cried as she saw the other slaves either being literally worked to death.

"Don't you see?" said an angry young boy's voice. "There's no freedom in THIS world."

Erza suddenly jolted awake as daylight touched her. She looked to her left and saw that Soron was no longer in the chair. She then remembered that Soron had headed back inside after she kept looking away. She looked down at her wrists after panting and felt relieved.

"Just a dream," Erza said. "I must've fallen asleep without realizing it."

She got up from the chair and stood to stare over the water as seagulls flew over it. She turned away from the sight and headed inside, but stopped next to a full-body mirror and looked at herself. She laughed once as she smiled when she folded her arms up and touched right next to her collar bone. A couple of seconds later, she requipped back into her Heart Kreuz armor.

"I always feel more at ease wearing armor," she thought out loud.

"Although," she said in an amused tone as she turned and crossed her arms. "As a wardrobe choice, it's not the most feminine."

Just three seconds later, she heard knocking and turned to see the door open revealing Lucy in a stunning red dress. One side of her dress was done in a way that allowed her right leg to be seen.

"Erza," Lucy smiled. "Get out of the room and have some fun. Natsu, Grey, and Soron are downstairs. Want to go find them and play some games?"

Soron stayed? Erza thought shocked but immediately dismissed those thoughts. Get yourself together, Erza. All he is to you is a guildmate. That's the way it has to be.

"That's right," Erza said to Lucy. "There's a casino here, isn't there. In that case…"

She immediately requipped a second time that day, and now she wore a purple dress with roses near the side of her breasts and under her arms. The shoulder straps formed an "X" under her collar bone. At the bottom of the dress was a white stripe with roses inside of them. She wore long white gloves that reached her biceps and she had her hair in a bun. Like Lucy, a side of her dress was designed to reveal her left leg.

"So, how do I look?" Erza asked with one hand touching her hip and the other touching her hair.

"You look great," Lucy said enviously. "Maybe on the glitzy side, but whatever. C'mon c'mon! Let's go!"

I guess it's okay to relax and enjoy myself every once in a while. Isn't it? Erza thought with a smile as she looked at herself in the mirror again.

Later, down in the Casino…

A lot of guests were having fun. The kids got to do their own, safe, gambling and the adults did the usual risky gambling. Natsu was at a glass globe filled with numbered balls with a button device in front of it. The buttons had the same numbers as the balls, and on the glass globe was mystical circles with numbers in them.

"Seventeen!" Natsu said loudly. "Come on!"

"Don't be mean, seventeen!" Happy said loudly as well.

The numbers stopped whirling eventually, and for a second Natsu thought he won because there were two sixteens. Unfortunately, the top seventeen turned into a sixteen. Both Happy and Natsu complained at that.

"There is a saying on my world," Soron said as he walked up to them with his hands in his pockets. "'The house always wins.' Casinos make it next to impossible for anyone to win. You'd have to be lucky or be extremely smart."

"Are you saying I'm not smart?!" Natsu growled as he butted his head against Soron's.

"No, but you're not of the intellectual variety," Soron replied as he punched Natsu in the stomach. "Levy would have more chance than you. Also, don't headbutt me again."

"You're just as mean as Erza!" Happy accused as he stood next to the groaning form of Natsu. Soron just shrugged innocently before walking off to find Grey. He was at a cards table, and before Soron got close he saw Juvia standing next to him. She wore a blue dress, a golden fairy tail logo pendant around her neck, and a smile.

This isn't going to end well, Soron thought dryly. Can thoughts be dry?

"Grey, my darling," Juvia said awkwardly. "I'm Juvia. Do you remember me?"

"Yeah!" Grey exclaimed. "You're that chick from Phantom!"

Soron noticed something in his peripheral vision, and when he turned to see it… he widened his eyes. It was a man that was very blocky. He looked like he could've been made out of wood due to how blocky he was.

He's so… square?! Exclaimed Soron in his mind as he dropped his jaw.

"What yous looking at roundy?" asked the blockhead.

"A puppet?" Soron asked.

"I'm not a puppet," the guy asked with narrowed eyes. "I'm a real person, see?"

He may not be a puppet, but he can't be flesh and blood. Can he? Soron thought to himself. There's no way any living thing can be that… blocky."

"Someone oughtta teach ya some manners," the blockhead said as Soron was suddenly rammed against a nearby wall. Soron looked to see blocks holding him there and the blockhead missing a portion of him.

"Lesson one," the blockhead continued. "Don't make assumptions based on appearances."

"Lesson two," the blockhead finished as his right arm turned into a rectangular gun of some kind. "Accept the consequences if you do."

With Grey and Juvia…

Grey and Juvia had moved to a nearby bar so they could converse. Shockingly enough, Grey hadn't stripped down to his skivvies yet.

"I heard Phantom was disbanded," Grey said. "That had to be tough on you."

"Yes," Juvia said. "But not I'm a free wizard, and I can join any guild I want!"

"I see," Grey said. "And I take it, you're wanting to be a member of Fairy Tail, huh."

"Oh, yes. Very much so," Juvia replied.

"I don't know," Grey said as he looked away from her. "After everything that just went down. I mean, I personally don't mind, but who knows what the Master will say?"

"I promise I'll do whatever it takes!" Juvia said beaming that Grey wouldn't mind her being in the guild.

"If I were you," Grey said amused. "I'd be careful making promises like that."

They were so involved in their conversation, they didn't even notice when someone stopped behind them.

"Gray Fullbuster," said a voice behind them. They turned to see a guy that had a metallic lower jaw and a white bandana on his head. Suddenly, a sort of purple-blue mystical circle appeared in front of his right eye. Suddenly, the bar exploded at the same time as fireworks exploded in the sky outside.

With Erza and Lucy…

Both Erza and Lucy were at one of the card tables when they heard the explosions. Concerned, they looked behind them toward where the explosions originated.

"What's all the commotion about?" Erza asked.

"It sounds like the parade has started outside," said the man wearing the resort's mascot.

"Makes sense," Lucy said.

"Yeah," Erza said not so sure.

Back with Grey & Juvia…

Grey managed to get himself into a sitting position, and looked to where Juvia had been sitting and saw that she was prone on the ground.

"Juvia!" Grey exclaimed. Her only response was a pained groan.

"What do you think you're doing buddy?" Grey asked angrily as he turned toward the man who attacked them.

With Soron…

Soron struggled against the blocks holding him, but he couldn't move at all. Natsu was also in the same predicament. The blockhead had two rectangular guns now and had each aimed at their heads.

"Where is Erza?" the blockhead asked.

"Come on, sing!" the blockhead demanded when they didn't respond.

"Do you think the strongest woman in Fiore would ever come to a place like this?" Soron laughed. Both Natsu and the blockhead turned to look at him. The former confused because he saw Erza just last night. The latter irritated at not getting the answer he wanted, but also considering that Erza might not be there. Mainly, because of the reports on her that he has heard.

Back with Erza…

Erza and Lucy had been surrounded by onlookers as Erza had become the luckiest woman at the casino that day. Erza was also looking very cocky. She placed her cards down and Lucy widened her eyes with glee as the onlookers muttered between themselves.

"Oh, wow!" Lucy smiled excitedly. "Check it out! You totally got a straight!"

"Looks like today's my lucky day," Erza smirked.

"I have a feeling this hot streak's just getting started," Erza said after a couple of seconds.

"Oh yeah?" Lucy challenged.

"In that case," said the dealer as he began passing out cards. "I've got a special game for you folks tonight."

Upon hearing his voice, Erza looked up to see a blonde kid with dark skin. The dealer wasn't the same as the other one with the dark hair and caucasian skin. In fact, she could swear that she had seen him before somewhere. That was impossible… wasn't it?

She looked down at the cards and saw that they had letters on them which spelled out the word "Death."

"And while we're at it," the dealer grinned evilly. "What do you say we raise the stakes a bit higher, sister?"

"It can't be," Erza said in disbelief. "Shou. Is that you?"

"So you do remember me," Shou said as he raised his hands. Lucy turned to Erza and saw that she was frightened. Her eyes and mouth were quivering.

"You know him?" Lucy asked

"You're…" Erza stammered not even registering Lucy. "You're alive."

"Alive?" Shou asked as he leaned toward her.

"I… I mean," Erza stammered.

"You okay?" Lucy asked concerned.

Back with Grey…

Grey had stood up and prepared to fight the metallic-jawed jerk, but he wasn't about to do so when there were innocent civilians nearby.

"Now," the man said. "Where is she?"

"You think I'd tell you?" Grey asked angrily. "Huh?!"

Suddenly, streams of water whirled in the air between them and Juvia reformed herself with a furious expression. She had her arms out protectively.

"I won't allow you to lay so much as a finger on my beloved!" declared Juvia much to Grey's shock. "You'll have to go through me first!"

"Juvia," Grey said.

"Erza needs your help right now," Juvia calmly told him without looking away from metal-jaw. "I fear she is in grave danger."

"You're right," Grey said as he looked at the metal-jawed man. Suddenly, the man raised two fingers to his head and looked away from them.

"Ah, you've located her," the man said as if someone was telling him something. "Yes, I see. So, I should clean things up here? Understood."

He lowered his hand and looked at them. His sole eye seemed to glow red as the lights seemed to go out.

"What happened to the lights?" Grey asked confusedly as the man vanished.

"It's magic of the dark lineage," the man answered suddenly reappearing behind them. "Dark moment."

Back with Soron and Natsu…

Natsu and Soron looked around confusedly when the lights vanished, but only the former was getting angry about it. The latter realized that it was a tactic, so it didn't matter how the lights went out. At least, not to him.

"Hey!" Natsu exclaimed as he looked around. "What gives?! Who turned out the lights?!"

"I can't see!" Happy cried out. "Where are you?!"

"I'm right here!" Natsu replied. "Wherever that is!"

"Good night," blockhead said as he prepared to fire his gun arms.

"Uh-uh," Natsu said with resolve as he opened his mouth. "No way!"

He was just in time too, as the rifle arm aiming at him blasted. The rifle aiming at Soron blasted as well, but he merely moved his head to the side to avoid the magic laser blast.

Back with Lucy & Erza…

Lucy and Erza stood in the dark not knowing what they could do. Especially, the former. Lucy had to cover her ears when she heard the gunshot. She began to get terrified.

"A gunshot?" Lucy asked shocked.

"What's going on?!" demanded Erza

Suddenly, the lights came back on and when they looked to where the Shou had been, he wasn't there.

"Where'd he go?!" exclaimed Erza.

"I'm right here, sister," Shou said evilly as he allowed cards to fall from his hands. As they fell, panicked voices and screams could be heard. They looked down and widened their eyes in terror. The cards had all of the people except for the Fairy Tail members inside them. Well, specifically the ones that were watching Erza's winning streak.

"Oh no," Erza gasped.

"He trapped them inside the cards?!" Lucy exclaimed both terrified and angry.

"Help!" shouted the mascot man as Shou held his card up. "Please!"

"Cool, huh," Shou smirked.

"You use magic?!" exclaimed Erza.

"That's right," Shou replied. "You're not the only one with powers anymore."

"But who taught you that?!" Erza demanded.

Suddenly, they could hear a "meow" right before a mystical circle appeared under Lucy and tied her up. It looked slightly like bondage ropes as well.

"Let her go!" ordered Erza as she turned to see a lady with cat ears and whiskers painted on her face.

"Well aren't you all Rosie!" the cat lady said cheerfully.

"Millianna?" Erza exclaimed shocked. "You can use magic, too?"

"It's been a while Erzie-werzie," Millianna said.

"Please!" Erza begged. "You have to let her go! She's okay! She's a friend of mine!"

"Meow," Millianna replied skeptically. "A friend, huh?"

"We used to be friends of yours, too," Shou said attracting Erza's attention. "Remember? Good friends"

These creeps were her friends? Lucy thought not believing it for a second, but also getting angry at the idea of it.

"Yes," Erza admitted uncomfortably. "I-I do."

"We were very close," Shou said insanely. "At least, we were. Until you decided to betray us!"

Erza began to sob out of rage and sadness because of Shou's accusation. She didn't respond in any other way.

"Why don't you cut the dame a little slack, pal," said a voice belonging to blockhead who appeared behind Shou.

"Keep those emotions in check and everything will be real dandy," blockhead said.

"What?!" exclaimed Lucy. "A blockhead?!

"Very nice," blockhead said lecherously. "Life on the outside's been good to ya, huh."

"Wait a minute," Erza said uncertainly. "Wally?"

"I've gone through some changes, myself," Wally said as he moved his hand to his hat. "Old Mad Dog Wally you grew up with has seen a lot since the old days."

"Ya see," Wally said as he looked straight. "I'm much smoother now."

"You practice magic as well?" Erza guessed.

"Why you so surprised?" asked the voice of metal-jaw as he appeared behind her. "It's not so hard once you get the hang of it. Of course, you already knew that. Didn't you?"

"Simon?!" exclaimed Erza as she walked forward and turned around. Millianna decided that now was a good time to push Lucy to the ground which allowed the ropes to pull her feet toward her hands.

"Erza?!" Lucy asked pained. "Who are these people?! Why is he calling you sister?"

Erza sighed as she prepared to tell part of the truth if not the whole truth.

"He's not actually my brother," Erza explained. "But we all grew up together."

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked confused. "I thought you said you joined Fairy Tail when you were just a little girl?"

"This was before I joined the guild," Erza explained.

"Why did you find me?!" demanded Erza as she centered her attention on the attackers. "What do you want?!"

"You really want to know?" Millianna asked.

"We're here to take you back with us," Wally said.

"I'm begging you!" Erza pleaded. "Please release Lucy!"

"Who cares about her?" Shou said coldly. "We want you, sister."

"Listen, babe," Wally said as his arm turned to a gun again. "Don't make this get ugly."

Lucy whimpered when she saw the square rifle barrel aim at her.

"No!" Erza begged. "Don't hurt her!"

"No!" Erza begged as the rifle vanished. "Please, Wally!"

Suddenly, she felt a magic laser blast hit her square in the back. The blast had come from the rectangular rifle that had reappeared behind her.

"Erza!" Lucy cried out. "Somebody! Help!"

Simon picked Erza up and held her bridal style.

"We got what we came for," Simon stated. "Let's go home."

"Sure she's okay?" Shou asked worriedly.

"She's just taken a nap," Wally replied as he raised his rifle arm.

"Hold it! Just where do you jerks think you're taking her?!" Lucy demanded. "I hope you know you're not gonna get away with this!"

"Natsu, Grey, and Soron are going to find you!" Lucy shouted. "And when they do, they're gonna make you pay!"

"Sorry, toots," Wally said. "But those ganks are gonna be lickin' pavement for a while, get me?"

"What?" Lucy asked shocked.

"Those three were nothing but talk," Simon said. "Though, one of them actually managed to escape Wally. Nearly beat him too. It was fortunate I got there when I did."

"But… that's impossible!" Lucy said in disbelief. "You mean they're…"

"Yeah," Wally confirmed. "Sleeping the big sleep."

"Meow," Millianna said as she pointed at Lucy. Suddenly, the bondage ropes began pulling on her even tighter. Lucy's back was bent so much, it looked like it would snap at any moment.

"Meow," Millianna said insanely. "In about another five minutes, you're gonna be all twisted up just like a yummy little pretzel."

"Hey, Millianna," Wally said attracting her attention. "I scored a little something for ya."

"Meow?" Millianna asked curiously. Wally held out his hands and Happy materialized in them. Millianna shrieked excitedly as she snatched Happy out of Wally's hands.

"A kitty of my very own!" Millianna shrieked. "He's such a little cutie-wooty! I'm so happy!"

"That's enough," Simon ordered. "Calm down and tie Erza up."

"Alright, doll," Wally said attracting Millianna's attention. "Time to get to work."

"Meow," Millianna replied.

"Sister," Shou teared up happily. "I can't believe you're finally coming home, to the Tower of Heaven. I know Jellal will be happy to see you."

With Soron…

Soron slowly opened his eyes and looked around. Natsu, Grey, and even Juvia were unconscious. Happy, on the other hand… was gone! Soron grabbed a nearby chair and used it to push himself to his feet. He had seen Lucy and Erza go to one of the more private rooms, and so he hurried as fast as he could. With each step, he winced due to the pain. When he arrived, he opened the door and widened his eyes. Lucy was on the ground and bound in a rope that seemed to be shrinking in length. He quickly limped toward her.

"Lucy," Soron said in immense pain. "Are you alright?"

"Do I look alright?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Where's Erza?" Soron asked.

"Some jerkwads kidnapped her," Lucy said. "But never mind her! Get me out of this infernal rope!"

As if I know how to get through magical shrinking rope, Soron thought dryly as he regarded it. With a shrug, he figured he had to try something. He pulled out a pocket knife. Nothing. He pulled out scissors. Nothing. He was stumped. He sat there touching his chin. Eventually, he had an idea. He painfully pushed himself to his feet and brought up his Megatrix. He pressed a button which popped up the Megatrix and a hologram appeared. He turned the dial until he located an alien he figured would work and slapped his palm down on it. In a green flash, he had been replaced with a living molten man.

"Oh yeah," Heatblast said. "Now this should fry you free."

"Just don't fry me, hotshot!" Lucy shouted as Heatblast knelt next to her and touched the rope. After a few seconds, the rope snapped and Lucy's body was allowed to relax.

"Thanks," Lucy said relieved. "Now, would you mind stepping back. You're making me hot."

"I'm pretty sure that's natural," Heatblast said even though he stepped back.

"Hardy har," Lucy said sarcastically as she pushed herself into a sitting position. "How are Grey and Natsu?"

"They were out of it when I came to," Heatblast said as he reverted to Soron.

"Well, crap," Lucy said as she slowly got to her feet. Fortunately, turning into Heatblast healed Soron so when Lucy stumbled from the pain he was able to help her.

"Thanks for the catch," Lucy said. "However, I think I got it from here."

"Okay," Soron said as he let her go so she could walk on her own.

"We need to wake Natsu and Grey," Lucy stated as she walked as fast as she could to where the main casino room was. Soron was able to keep in pace with her, and when they arrived in the main room, Lucy gasped.

"What happened here?" Lucy asked as she ran to Grey… somehow. For a girl wearing heels, she was sure lucky to not fall.

"The blockhead and metallic-jaw guy happened," Soron replied as he stood out of her way.

"Snap out of it, Grey!" shouted Lucy. "Talk to me!"

"He's cold!" Lucy exclaimed.

"He's an ice wizard, remember?" Soron asked with a raised eyebrow. Suddenly, Lucy screamed attracting Soron's attention. He widened his eyes when he saw Grey had shattered to ice. Lucy began to panic and tried putting him together, but Soron had a feeling that Grey wasn't Grey.

"There's no need to panic," said a bodiless voice attracting their attention.

Suddenly, a pool of water bubbled up until Juvia appeared.

"I remember you!" Lucy said angrily as she stood up and reached for her keys. "You're with the Element Four!"

"Lucy, wait!" said the voice of Grey shortly before Grey appeared out of the water beneath Juvia. Lucy gasped upon seeing that.

"She's not our enemy anymore," Grey explained.

"Yes, that's right," Juvia said. "I pulled my precious Grey inside of me to ensure his safety."

Did she have to word it like that? Soron thought as he tear-dropped.

"Is it me or does that seem really weird?" Lucy asked.

"Are you jealous he was inside of me and not you?" Juvia asked threateningly.

"Uh," Lucy tear-dropped. "Not really, no."

Soron stood up and headed toward the wizards that were awake as Grey began to explain what happened on his end.

"This guy created a darkness spell," Grey explained as he began undressing. "So, I created an ice decoy to distract him so I could figure out my plan of attack."

"I wanted to keep the real Grey safe from harm," Juvie put in. "So, I pulled him inside of my water-lock until I was sure the danger had passed."

"Yeah," Grey said irritably. "And I couldn't do anything from in there. Thanks to you, the creep got away."

"Now what?" Grey asked turning his attention to Lucy. "Do you know where everyone else is?"

"No," Lucy replied as she looked down.

"The assholes who attacked us kidnapped Erza," Soron explained.

"Happy was taken, too," Lucy spoke up.

Suddenly, they heard a loud noise and saw Natsu standing with a big torrent of flame spewing out of his mouth. All four of them hurried up to Natsu who was busy grumbling about the guy shooting him.

"Natsu!" Grey said.

"Hey!" shouted Natsu as he turned around. "What kind of jerk shoots people in the mouth?! Huh?"

"I mean," as he grabbed his face. "Someone could get really hurt!"

Did he just repress that he opened his mouth to swallow the magic laser blast? Soron thought as he tear-dropped.

"Uh," Lucy said. "I think that'd kill anyone who wasn't a weirdo, like you."

"I would have to agree," Juvia concurred.

"I'll show that blockhead!" Natsu shouted. Suddenly, he sped off.

"He's not getting away with this!" Natsu shouted as he ran.

"Follow him!" Grey shouted.

"Wait, uh," Lucy asked. "Does he even know where he's going?"

"Natsu has a nose for prey that puts wild animals to shame," Grey smiled.

Still won't be able to get there fast enough to save Erza without the tardis, thought Soron as he and the others hurried after Natsu. Fortunately, I keep a tardis key on me at all times. When Natsu determines what direction Erza is, I'll summon her to us.

Meanwhile, at the Tower of Heaven…

Guards and their pets patrolled or just stood watch while a hooded man sat in a throne room at the very top of the tower. In the middle of the room was a giant jagged crystal. Suddenly, a mystical circle appeared and a man in robes and long black hair appeared. He turned toward the throned man and walked toward him.

"Master Jellal," the man said as he crossed an arm over his chest. "We've received word the mission to retrieve Erza has been completed. They are returning as we speak."

Jellal's only reaction was a victorious smile.

"I must ask," the long-haired man asked. "What are we to gain by capturing that traitor? Disposing of her would've been easy work for someone of your power."

"A rather pedestrian approach to solving the problem in my opinion," Jellal chuckled.

"Yes, sir," the man said.

"However," Jellal continued. "With the Tower of Heaven now complete, allowing her to live would prove to be a thorny issue, indeed. So, the time has come."

"Erza Scarlet is the perfect sacrifice to ensure that my dreams are made flesh," Jellal finished.

With Erza…

Erza had been tied against a wooden pillar in the cargo hold of a ship, and when she woke up she didn't recognize her surroundings.

"This place," Erza said. "Where are we?"

"Inside the hold of a ship at sea," Shou replied as he walked toward her.

"A ship?" Erza asked hoping she was wrong about the destination.

"That's right," Shou confirmed. "And our course is set for the Tower of Heaven."

Erza wasn't shocked at this revelation, because it only made sense.

"I see," Erza said as she looked down. "I should've known. Would you please untie me? I won't cause any trouble."

"I'm afraid I can't," Shou said coldly and regretfully. "You've proven yourself untrustworthy."

Erza pulled as hard as she could on the rope, but no matter how strong she was the rope held.

"That won't work," Shou explained. "Millianna's bindings conceal magic, so you're struggling in vain. You'll find you'll have no luck in breaking free from them. The efforts will just tire you out."

Erza bowed her head in defeat.

"Fine, Shou," Erza said in a hopeless tone. "I won't resist. Will you at least let me requip into my armor? The Tower. I'm afraid of going back there. I just wanna have it on so that I… feel safe."

"But the outfit you have on now," Shou said kindly, or so he thought, "is lovely."

Suddenly, Shou dropped to his knees and embraced Erza.

"Honestly," Shou said sadly. "I didn't want it to happen like this."

"It's okay," Erza said kindly. Shou immediately began to sob upon hearing her be kind even after leaving her newer friends to die as he did.

"I missed you so much," Shou said. "It hurts me. Tell me. Why? Why'd you do it?"

Suddenly, he stopped hugging her and stared at her with immense anger even with tears streaming down his face.

"WHY'D YOU BETRAY JELLAL?!" Shou shouted. Erza's eyes quivered for a few seconds before she closed them.

Jellal, Erza thought as she flashed back to so long ago on the Island before she had managed to escape from it.

I have lost my drive for this, so I'm going to end the story with this special. I'll do my best to get it done quickly.