Lucy gasped in awe at the resort they arrived at. A beach was positioned next to it, it was the perfect place to spend a nice weekend in. She hauled her suitcase from behind her and ran up to catch up with Erza. Erza was extra excited. And Lucy was glad.
Lucy didn't know much about Erza, but she still was a good friend. And she loved to see all her friends happy. Looking behind her, she ushered Natsu and Gray to hurry so they could get settled in their room and go swimming before it turned dark. Erza checked them all in and had Lucy follow her to their room. Luckily, Natsu and Gray's room was right across from them. Incase any trouble arised.
Lucy sighed in content and plopped onto her bed, bouncing with every movement. "Isn't this place just the best so far? Ah! I can't wait to go swimming!" Lucy giggled as she stripped from her clothes and slipped on a bikini. Tilting her head to the right, she noticed Erza wasn't changing. Or talking for that matter. She just stared into the mirror with a faraway expression.
The blonde put a hand on her shoulder suddenly. Startling the redhead out of her trance. Erza backed away and held a sword to Lucy's throat. Lucy squealed and put her hands up in surrender. Natsu must of heard her call of distress, because he kicked their door open with every intent to kill. Prompting Lucy to practically jump three feet in the air.
"What the hell Erza?!" Natsu yelled, pulling Lucy back towards him. Erza blinked and lowered her sword. She looked away from the both of them. The sword disappeared from her hand.
"I apologize for my outburst. It was uncalled for. I just...had a lot on my mind." Erza explained with a apologetic smile. Lucy chuckled awkwardly and nodded her head, not wanting to further upset the mage. Lucy rubbed the back of her head and turned to Natsu.
"Yeah I understand. It's okay. Anyway, were all going to head to the beach, you can join us whenever you feel up to it," she held her thumb up to Natsu, signaling that she was alright. He crossed his arms and gave her a worried look, eyebrows furrowed. She uncrossed his arms and grabbed his wrist. "Come on Natsu, let's get the others to join us. Yes?"
"I guess..." He pouted. Lucy twisted her neck around to meet Erza's apologetic gaze once more and smiled. She shut the door behind her, giving Erza the chance to sigh heavily. She fell back on her own bed and requipped into her own bathing suit. It wasn't anything special, just a plain black color.
She felt horrible that she subjected her poor friend to her uneasy attitude. Arms wrapped around herself, she brought her legs close to her in an attempt to curl herself in a small ball. She grunted as a memory wiggled its way into her mind. The beatings, the hunger, and the smell of death. She could sense it all. She could feel it.
She covered her right eye as pain made itself present. She stood up and made her way to the balcony. She leaned over the railing and watched her teammates play in the water. She smiled softly at the way Natsu splashed Lucy in the face, and the blonde clenching her fist in anger. Eventually running after him with Marie on her trail.
"Maybe I should join them." She mused to herself, seeing how Happy played a round of volleyball with Gray. She giggled and left her room quickly and ran over to them. They all smiled brightly at her and tossed her a beach ball. At one point, they were told to leave the beach, since Natsu and Gray's rivalry set half of the beach on fire and the other half covered in ice. Disturbing the peace and the other people present.
Which got them beat to pulp, courtesy of Erza. Lucy shook her head in disappointment as she sat in Natsu and Gray's room, patching the both of them up. "You didn't have to beat us so hard." Natsu whined. Erza scoffed and crossed her arms. The blonde laughed at their expressions.
"Jeez you guys." Lucy said, shaking from her own laughter. Her arms shook as she wrapped Natsu's head in bandages. Gray stood up, already bandaged, and leaned against the wall. His nose wiggled from the band aid running across it. He turned to Erza and shoved his hands in his pockets.
"I heard that they have a pretty sweet casino downstairs. We should go there after flame brain is done being a wuss." Natsu growled and went to stand, but Lucy grabbed his shoulders and slammed him down back on the floor.
"No. He's just trying to rile you up so you get another beating. Don't be stupid." Lucy said with a roll of her eyes. She grabbed ointment and slathered it on his cheek, then grabbed a bandaid and stuck it on top. His bottom lip jutted out in another pout. Lucy shook her head and stood up, patting his hair. She turned to Gray. "That sounds like a good idea. C'mon Erza, we should get changed."
"What for?"
"I don't want to go to my first casino looking like a walking disaster. I want to wear something nice and classy. And do something about my hair." Lucy hummed. She grabbed the redhead's hand and dragged her out of the boy's room. "Be good you guys. It should only be twenty minutes or so!" Lucy smiled and dug through her suitcase once she was back into her room. She smiled as she grabbed her favorite dress. Burgundy in color with a slit on once side, showcasing her leg.
She slipped it on and grabbed the matching bow that went with it. Calling out Cancer, she had him fix her hair in almost an instant. With the same side ponytail she always had. She smiled as she looked in the mirror. Turning to Erza, she gasped at the mages beautiful attire.
"Wow, that purple really looks good with your hair." Erza smiled with a small blush.
"Thank you Lucy. You look nice as well," then a frown etched its way onto her lips. "About before, I'm sorry-"
"Oh please don't worry about that. Like you said, you had a lot on your mind and I probably shouldn't have bothered you. It really isn't a big deal." Erza's eyes filled with sadness as she embraced Lucy. The blonde stiffened before loosening and hugging Erza back.
"You're a good friend..." The requip mage muttered. Lucy chuckled and let go of Erza, walking towards the door. She gave the mage a little peace sign and smiled widely.
"I know! I'll meet you down there, 'kay?" Erza nodded and watched Lucy go. Erza gazed into the mirror. She touched her face, as if this was all a dream. She shook her head and forced a smile. Slowly, it became genuine. She was beautiful, like Lucy said.
She wasn't going to think of those days anymore. Her past was, as the name states, in the past. She wouldn't allow it to control her any longer. She left the room, suddenly crashing into Gray. He panicked and picked her back off from the ground when he saw her glare.
"Sorry bout that Erza. I'm just feeling so uncomfortable. Like someone is watching me." She hummed as he rubbed the back of his neck. She sighed and accompanied him to the casino. She nodded at Lucy and Natsu once they saw her. "Hey," she heard the ice mage mutter. She turned to him with a tilt of her head. "You look pretty good. The outfit looks good with the hair."
"Thank you Gray. I would compliment you also but I see that you've already stripped out of your clothing." He gasped a curse and searched around for his clothes. She giggled and left him behind to catch up to Lucy and Natsu.
"Hey Erza, since this has been my first time in a casino, can you show me around if it isn't too much trouble I mean. I just don't know where to start." Lucy asked. Erza nodded and crossed her arms with a closed eye smile.
"I don't see why not. I've been to plenty so I know a thing or two." Lucy grinned brightly and clapped her hands, immediately following after Erza, Marie trailing behind. Natsu grunted in amusement at Lucy as she left and turned to Happy. Only to see him smirking.
"...What?" He asked as he narrowed his eyes at the blue feline. The cat put a paw to his lip.
"Oh nothing...just that look you gave Lucy." Natsu blinked at him for a moment. What was Hapoy talking about?
"That stupid puppy dog look, flame head." Gray scoffed, struggling to get his pants back on. Natsu, now realizing what they were talking about, grew frustrated.
"Shut up stupid stripper, you don't know a thing!" Natsu sputtered. "Come on Happy, let's go play a game or something." He stomped off with Happy. Leaving Gray to shrug and wander off on his own. Natsu brooded, thinking about Happy and Gray's words over and over again. Tch, like they had any idea what he was thinking! Puppy dog look his ass!
He only stopped his attitude when he saw a cool number game. Forgetting why he was angry in the first place, he pulled Happy along to help play the game. He put in some money and looked at his set of numbers. If he got them, he would win a jackpot. He gasped when four of his five numbers showed up. All he needed was seventeen.
The last number rolled. His smirk grew bigger...until the number appeared on the screen. It was a twelve. Anger filled his vision as he stomped over to one of the servers. "This machine is so rigged! I was about to get seventeen! And then it gave me stupid twelve! Make it go back!"
"S-Sir, we can't change it back because you lost."
"Such a poor sport." Happy sighed. Then, a man...puppet? He appeared in front of Natsu. Natsu let the server run away as he glared at the man. Though the wooden looking man was not phased.
"Who the hell are you?"
"The man that's going to put you in your grave." A beam of light shot out of the man's arms, hitting Natsu in the shoulder. Natsu raised an eyebrow and sucked in a breath. Releasing a fire dragon's roar. The man dodged it. Natsu shooed Happy away.
"Get out of here and find the others Happy!" Happy nodded and went ro leave, only to be blasted by that yellow beam of light. Natsu screamed as Happy fell to the ground. He punched the man in the face using just his pure rage. "What the hell you asshole! He wasn't your opponent." The puppet like man used his block like body to push Natsu back and trap him on the machine he was complaining about. Natsu growled, pulling on the restraints.
The puppet gave him a grin and lifted his yellow blast at Natsu. Natsu couldn't dodge. He was hit with the beam of light as he screamed in anger. The blast hitting him right in the mouth. He fell to the ground, obviously unconcious.
Steam rose from his mouth.
...
"Oh wow! You are good Erza!" Lucy laughed, watching Erza play the man across her pretty well. She had a pretty high stack of jewels waiting for her. Lucy could only wish to be that good. Erza was so skilled, a large crowd also stood from behind her, watching her dominant the game. Erza hummed as she gazed at her cards.
"So...this is what you're doing these days Erza..." The redhead froze at the familiar voice. Lucy blinked in surprise, watching the server/opponent look up from the ground. Erza gasped and dropped her cards.
"Shô..." A frown graced the man's face, taking over his smirk.
"So you do remember me then, sister. Do you also remember that you betrayed us?!" Lucy couldn't speak. She had no idea what was going on. Suddenly, cards laid sprawled on the counter. Spelling out death. Lucy squeaked when a rope tightened around her body. Constricting it. She fell to the ground, seeing the people gathered behind them trapped in cards.
"Shô, I can explain. I was forced to leave! I didn't want to leave you all behind!"
"But you did. And that's bad enough. Now...were going to have to kill your new friends. Wally already got to the salmon haired hothead." Lucy's eyes widened at his words. Was Natsu dead?! She struggled against the restrains, they only got tighter.
"Let me go right now! Erza help, I need to find Natsu!" Just as Erza was going to cut the rope, two other's appeared.
"I wouldn't do that Erzy Werzy. If you did, I would be able to twist her so fast, there might not be anything redeemable left to her." Lucy growled.
"Erza, I don't care who they once were to you but they're enemies. They got Natsu!" She yelled. "Dammit, let me go!" A red light then shined on her forehead.
"You better stop talking blondie. Or I'll blast you just like your friend." A big man said nothing and walked past them all, right up to Erza. He touched her forehead and she was immediately knocked out. Lucy screamed.
"Erza, dammit, wake up! If you take Erza, we'll come for you! I promise you!" The girl that had the rope connected to her hand, let it go and walked up to Lucy. She purred and ruffled Lucy's head.
"You and what army, meow~? We took down everyone," Lucy glared at the cat woman as she backed up to join her possy. "We're gonna go now, meow~! That rope will slowly tighten every minute. But you look strong, so I have faith you'll live. If you really want to get Erzy back that is." They disappeared.
Lucy pulled on the orange rope, but it only got tighter. "Don't worry all of you, I'll get you and get Erza back!" She grabbed her key pouch and took out Cancer. "Open, gate of the giant crab: Cancer!" Though nothing happened. She laid her head on the floor. Dammit, the rope suppressed her magic.
Then, she felt a sharp object jab her leg. "Ouch!"
"S-Sorry ma'am, I thought that maybe I could use my knife to get out." An elderly man explained. Lucy smiled and positioned herself on top of the man's card.
"Can you see if you can cut this rope?"
"I can try." A few minutes passed. She felt slack on her limbs. She grinned and thanked the man happily, grabbing his card and kissing it. She grabbed the cards laid on the floor and set them on the counter.
"I promise I'll come back for you once I get Erza!" She ran out, ignoring their pleas and protests. She stopped and lifted her nose in the air. She first needed to find Natsu. Shs vaguely noticed Marie was not with her. The cat disappeared after the cat woman appeared. And she remembered seeing Happy in the woman's arms. Along with Marie. Now seething angry, she stomped around for Natsu.
Not only did they hurt Natsu, but they stole their cats. She clenched her fist when she found Natsu on the ground. She grabbed his arms and lifted half of his body up. She shook him awake. "What...aw my mouth!" Natsu held his jaw in pain, stepping away from Lucy.
"Natsu, they took Erza, Happy, and Marie. They're old friends of Erza I guess," Lucy crossed her arms as Natsu stood up and wiped the blood that stained his mouth. "We need to find Gray." Lucy sighed in worry. That's when a hand planted itself on her shoulder. It was cold.
"Ice bucket. Took you long enough." Natsu mumbled. Lucy turned to the raven haired man and smiled in relief. Only to frown once again. Who was with him? It was that one girl from Phantom Lord! Juvia.
"Why is she here?" Lucy asked. Juvia stepped forward and bowed.
"I wanted to tag along and help fight with my beloved. I want to help get your friend back, if I can..."
"Well, sure-"
"But just so you know love rival, Gray is mine. I bet your so jealous, Gray was inside me!" Lucy sweat dropped.
"I'm not really...I don't even know what your talking about."
"A man with armor covering his face attacked us. Juvia saved us, and we tricked the guy into thinking we were dead." Gray explained in a shiver. Thinking back to how Juvia went about saving him. Encasing him in her body, as she was made of water.
"I see...he was the one that knocked Erza out." Lucy stated with a hard expression. Natsu, on the other hand, was growing restless. He scoffed.
"Why are we here talking about it. Let's just go save her, Happy and Marie too!" He turned to run, but Lucy's hand grabbing his arm stopped him.
"We don't even know where they went. All I remember hearing before they left was something about a tower. Tower...heaven...Tower of Heaven? Something like that." Lucy pursed her lips in thought. Tower of Heaven did sound right. But where the hell would a tower like that be?
"Jeez Lucy are you stupid? We can use our noses and track their scent from where they came." Lucy blinked.
"Oh yeah." Lucy smiled sheepishly. She and Natsu began to walk towards where they could smell the scents of the people who took their friend. Juvia and Gray shrugged, following behind them as they lead them outside. Natsu and Lucy eventually stopped at the beach. Lucy stared out at the sea with a frown on her face. The trail stopped here.
"They must of came from an island of some sort. C'mon," Lucy announced. "Let's get a boat and get going." Natsu nodded and grabbed the nearest boat they could find. Everyone got in and began to row away from the resort. Lucy sighed for the umpteenth time. And here she thought she would get to relax.
Hours passed as they drifted farther and farther into sea. Lucy and Natsu started to pick up a scent once more, though it was faint. That's when they saw it. The Tower of Heaven. It was as if the tip of the tower went on forever. It was rather uneven and as what Lucy could only describe as frightening.
"We're here, but we shouldn't just stroll in. We have to do this in secret." Gray thought aloud. Juvia put a hand to her open mouth. She had an idea. Holding up a bubble of water, she began to explain her thinking.
"This water bubble works like a diving helmet of sorts. It'll help us get in the tower undetected and we will be able to breathe underwater."
"Good work Juvia." Gray smiled, slipping on the water helmet and diving into the water. Juvia squealed with delight. Natsu rolled his eyes as did Lucy. Once everyone was in the water, they searched for entrances underwater. Once they found a trap door from underneath the tower, Natsu banged on it. It opened up, Natsu being the first to jump up and expect for any enemies.
None so far. He grabbed Lucy's hand and pulled her up. She took off the water helmet and popped it, the water falling to the floor. She guarded Natsu as he pulled both Juvia and Gray up with him. "It's unusually quiet. I don't like it." Lucy whispered. Just like she suspected, tons of guards came running at them, hands clasping spears.
"Damn, can't we get a break!" Gray complained. His hands became cold with his powers as he shot ice lances at a group of guards running towards them. Lucy pulled her fist back.
"Celestial dragon, iron fist!" Her punch sent a man back, so that he knocked into the others he had behind him. She called for Virgo to give her help, though the spirit was less than help. She was more interesting then modeling her bikini than helping Lucy fight. Groaning, she let Virgo disappear and defeated the guards herself, using a very annoying Taurus.
"How you doing Lucy?" She heard from below her. She turned to see Natsu looking up at her. He had defeated his set of guards. So had she. And Gray. And Juvia.
"Yeah I'm good. I'm glad we took them all out." Then, another door above Lucy opened.
"They're practically inviting us." Gray furrowed his brows. We all followed Gray and came up to a dining table full of food. Natsu immediately sat down and began to stuff his face. Even Gray and Juvia joining in. Lucy rolled her eyes and turned to see Virgo still there. She jumped and pointed a finger at her spirit.
"What are you doing here still?!"
"I came to help you out of your attire." Virgo smiled, a glint of mischief caught in her eye.
"R-Right here?"
"Yes, princess." Lucy squealed as she was stripped of her swimsuit. Then sighed in relief when a green dress appeared on her. Her hair being pulled up by a bandana.
"Damn that Virgo," Lucy huffed, ignoring the flustered looks from Gray and Natsu. "Doesn't she know the meaning of privacy." Though, Lucy stopped complaining when she saw a familiar redhead.
"Erza!" Gray gasped. She turned to them with wide eyes.
"Why are you all here?!" She yelled.
"Coming to save you!" Gray yelled back.
"And to find Happy and Marie."
"Them too? I guess Millianna would have them, don't worry they are unharmed. She loves cats to death..." Lucy and Natsu gave each other a small glance before running off. Leaving Gray, Juvia, and Erza alone. Lucy felt a little bad about it, but she had to find her Marie. They stopped their movements at the strong smell of cats coming from one specific room. Lucy hesitantly knocked on the door.
"Marie, Happy! You in there?" Lucy questioned.
"Natsu and Lucy!" Marie cried, prompting Lucy to open the door and run to them. The room they were caught up in was pretty colorful and covered head to toe in cat decorations. But the more important thing, both flying cats weren't harmed. Marie and Happy ran into Lucy's arms and snuggled into her chest.
Lucy jumped at the sound of Natsu's grunt. She turned to see the fire mage tied up much like she was. The orange paw rope wrapping around his body. She stuffed both cats behind her and lit her hand up in her magic. "Millianna, right? Let him go, I'm already pissed you took our cats and took Erza so don't test my patience." The cat girl stepped out from the shadows and smirked at the blonde.
"See? I told you you'd survive. But meow~ now I have your boyfriend in my same trick." Lucy cracked her knuckles and charged at Millianna. Only to get blasted in the stomach by a yellow beam of light. She coughed and flipped backwards, landing on her feet.
"The hell?" Out came the man she wanted to see most. That wooden looking guy, Wally. "You! You're the one that shot Natsu in the mouth!"
"Arg, let me out of this. I want to beat his face in!" Natsu sputtered, struggling to get out of the cat woman's contraption. Lucy stood back up and called out Cancer. He cut Natsu's rope pretty easily. Millianna gasped and stepped back.
"Natsu. I'll take care of Millianna. You can have the other guy."
"Alright, I wasn't prepared before, but now I'm ready to kick some ass!" Natsu laughed, using his fire dragon's wing attack first. Wally was hit directly and wounded, but as expected, he stood back up. Natsu punched his in the face and kicked him away. Grabbing the nearest thing, he slammed it on Wally's head. Which happened to be a cat mask. Millianna, distracted, awed at Wally.
"A kitty!"
"Millianna, pay attention to your opponent!" Wally gasped, trying to pull the cat head off him.
"Yeah, you should pay attention!" Lucy screamed, roundhouse kicking Millianna in the stomach. Lucy sucked up a breath. "Celestial dragon roar!" A blast of magic left her mouth, hitting both Wally and Millianna dead on. They fell to the ground, clearly knocked out. And clearly defeated.
"We should get back to the others." Natsu said as he picked up Marie and Happy and planted them on his shoulders.
"Yeah."
...
They all made it back to the others. And it seemed things were all worked out. Erza allowed the rest of team Natsu to join her in defeating a man named Jellal who tricked Wally, Millianna, and Shô into thinking Erza was the enemy. Though Simon was never fooled and helped bring Erza to the Tower of Heaven to help set his friends striaght. So Shô is finally on their side.
Jellal though, he's in the tower somewhere and is trying to torment the ones there. Firstly by sending three assassins from a dark guild to try and kill them. Lucy and Natsu were forced to split up on Erza's orders. Lucy ran off with Juvia and Natsu went off with Marie and Happy. Natsu ran in the opposite direction of his blonde friend, looking back one more time.
He frowned as Juvia glared at her. Though Lucy was oblivious. Natsu sighed and ran off until he came to a room. Using Happy and Marie, he had them fly to the window. He smirked. "There wasn't any rule against going striaght to the top, was there?" Happy smiled brightly and shook his head.
"No sir!" Natsu was shot up in the sky by both cats but was quickly thrown down.
"Hoo hoo! Not playing by the rules will get you killed!" Natsu hit the wall hard, smashing Marie and Happy against the wall. They managed to fly right and watched as the man who knocked into them come into view. He was an owl, though from the chest down, he was man. And he wore a jetpack.
"You're a whole type of confusing, huh?" Natsu scoffed, wiping his bloodied lip. Natsu lit his hand on fire and flew back at the owl, punching him across the face. The assassin flew back slightly. He gave Natsu a blank look, then gazed behind him. Right at Happy and Marie. He used his jetpack to fly at incredible speed. Going right passed Natsu and grabbing the cats.
Slamming them down on a hanging platform, both were instantly knocked out. Natsu gasped and fell to another platform. "Dammit! You guys, wake up!" Natsu growled and stood up. Only to be snatched by the owl man. Natsu yelled as he fell into the mouth of the owl guy. He was being swallowed!
He then heard a voice from the doorway.
"Natsu! Stay still! You'll just be digested faster." The lights were then turned off, though it wasn't because Natsu was completely swallowed. It was Simon! He did that!
"Hoo hoo! Who turned off the lights!"
"You won't get away!" Simon yelled.
"I think you may be misinformed hoo! Owl's are nocturnal. Thus we can see very well in the dark!" Simon gasped as he was kicked harshly in the stomach.
"D-Dammit..." Simon grunted as he was quickly thrown to the ground. He was defeated so easily. He sucked in a deep breath as footsteps grew closer to him. They weren't of the owl man's though. The temperature dropped as the man came closer, it was Gray! He looked around to see Simon on the ground and Natsu halfway swallowed.
"Shit! Erza isn't here! That damn Shô took her somewhere."
"Gray, you must help Natsu! If not, he will be swallowed whole and that man will take his powers and use his as his own." Gray looked up at the assassin and rolled his eyes.
"Guess I'll save his ass first," Gray growled. "Ice hammer!" The large ice hammer slammed onto the owl man's head, propelling him down. But he sucked up a breath and blew fire at Gray from his mouth.
"Hoo hoo! Your friend's fire is mighty powerful!" Gray scoffed at his words and used his lance spell to throw them at the owl. More to distract him than to try and attack him. The man dodged, expected, and gave Gray a smirk. Though the ice mage had another trick up his sleeve. Gray's hand covered over with ice.
"Natsu's fire is way hotter!" Gray yelled as he punched the owl man's gut so hard, he threw up Natsu in the process. A groan escaped the fire mage's mouth as he coughed up whatever was constricting his throat. He sat down on the floor and ruffled his wet hair. He felt so ridiculous, being swallowed by a weaker enemy. Gray dusted his hands off and glared down at the defeated owl man.
"Ugh, I need a shower."