Chapter 8: Tragedy of a Friend
The next day it was the Evening.
Gray was with, Taran, Juvia, and Akame.
They were laying on the ground looking at a fortress on mountain.
"This is where the Fortress King Known as Viper and his grunts are." Akame said. "I remind you all to be cautious, he has a lot of traps that..."
"That could be anywhere, in the trees, the ground, and those kinds could trigger if we stepped on a switch or a piece of thread." Gray finished.
The Night Raid Assassin Wild child glanced at him.
"What?" The Ice Wizard asked noticing the girl's face.
"You seem to be very observance." She commented with a impressive smile.
"Oh thanks." Gray said slightly blushing red.
Juvia started to twitch with jealousy. "Take it easy." Taran said calmly.
"Anyway, Viper and his grunts are group of terrorists that take anything from people that end up passing through their territory." Akame explained. "The people get their stuff stoled first but the ones that don't have items that interest them they take hostage then torture them to death."
"That's horrible." Juvia said with a glare. "Let's do this." Gray said with deep determination.
"Yes." Taran added cracking her knuckles.
Akame walked ahead of them cautiously.
Meanwhile.
Bulat was with Lubbock, Levy, Gajeel, and Lily.
They were behind trees and up ahead was a base camp with bandits.
"This place is under control of Bandit King's brother, Sayer the Slayer." Bulat explained. "He and his men, like to break into houses in any villages that are close or if they come anyone that travels nearby."
"That's awful." Levy said looking worried. "It gets worse, they torture their victims for while watching their victims cry and beg for their lives until they're finally die of shock." Lubbock stated with a glare.
"That means they're satisfied when their victims are cry and begging for their lives, simply put, they enjoy watching people's pain and suffering as if it were entertaining." Lily commented with a disgusted look.
"Let's kick their butts." Gajeel growled cracking his knuckles.
Tatsumi was with Leone.
They both were gazing at distict full of fancy hotels and resturants with shining lights.
"So this is the Capitals Red Light District, it makes me nervous." Tatsumi commented. "Aw, you're so cute when you act bashful." Leone said in a cute tone. "Anyway, that money isn't going to make it self, let's start cooking."
She put her hands together. "LIONEL TRANFORMATION!"
Leone grew longer hair, cat like paws with claws, and a short cat tail.
"Wow!" Tatsumi exclaimed in amaze while he clapped.
Leone picked him up bride style. "Let's get in there and make a mess of things!"
Leone then ran really fast with such speed. "WHOA, NOT SO FAST, NOT SO FAST!" Tatsumi panicked.
Meanwhile far away from the Capital.
The four figures appeared still wearing their cloaks in a desert however it was night time. "Looks like we made out of that portal." One of them said who was the tallest one.
"Yes, we did, so let's begin our search for the wizards we heard that transported here." The short figure said. "That's the boss to say!" The emourous large figure spatted.
"Let's begin our hunt, after we get out of this desert." The taller figure stated. "If we run into anything or anyone, then destroy and kill them."
Leone still carrying Tatsumi made through without being seen and jumped into a hotel's ceiling.
The Assassin cat girl sighed and stood up. "Looks like we made it."
"I thought we were going to sneak in." Tatsumi said on his knees.
Leone bend down pulling up a piece of yellow board. "Look down there."
Tatsumi saw a strange purple smoke around the room below, there were a lot of beautiful women.
Just then two men with fancy uniforms came in.
One was wearing a suit with a orange tie, while the other who was taller and had an eye patch on his right eye.
"If you want me to bring you more then be good little girls.' The eye patched man said with a malicious smile.
"Ok." The girls said together.
The white suited man noticed a girl in front of him. "Hey, boss what about her?"
"Nah, I'm done with this one besides she reeks of fish just get rid of her." The eye patched man ordered.
The white suited man then punched the girl in the face as she tried to reach her arm to him.
Leone's eyes twitched violently at this.
"I'll pick up more girls from the slums." The white suited man said.
Tatsumi was disgusted at this. "Those bastards."
"That girl that man just hit was a friend of mine from my town." Leone stated with a glare. "Let's slaugther those freaks!"
Meanwhile.
In the mountain fortress.
Akame was taking out several grunts using her sword to cut their throats. "One strike is what it takes."
Juvia encountered a big large muscle man who wield a large metal hammer. "Well, sweetcheeks, if you stay with me then I might let you live."
"Sorry, but I'm in love with someone else." Juvia replied. "SEIRRA!"
She engulfed herself and transformed her whole into a water and slammed into the large muscle man. "WHAT YOU ARE?!" He screamed as he send out a window and fell to his death.
Taran was fighting a man wielding a two pistol guns.
"Take this girly!" He yelled as he fired his guns.
"PSYCHIC SCREEN!" Taran proclaimed creating a large yellow barrier.
"What the..." The bandit began to say in shock as he bullets were blocked by the Psychic Screen shield.
"PSYCHIC BEAM!"
Taran unleashed her a Psychic colorful energy beam that blasted the man through his chest and made him fall down a stairway.
Gray encounters the leader Viper who was wielding a snake like staff.
"I'm not sure who are you." Viper snapped. "But if you aren't careful, then I'll have to hypnotize you with my staff, see once its hypnotic waves go in your eyes, you'll be in my control."
"ICE MAKE: FLOOR!" Gray declared as he turned to whole floor into ice.
"What the, is this ICEEEE!" Viper asked as he slipped dropping his staff which slide to Gray's feet. "OH NO!"
"ICE MAKE: HAMMER!"
Gray smashed the staff into pieces with a large ice hammer.
"NO!" Viper screamed.
"This is your end!" Gray growled as he stripped off his shirt.
Akame seeing this caused her blush red.
Taran's face went so red seeing the Ice Wizard's muscles including his biceps.
"ICE MAKE: CANNON!"
He created an Ice Cannon that launched a cannonball ice bomb and blasted Viper.
"YEEAAH, MY DARLING GRAY!" Juvia cheered happily with hearts in her eyes.
"Oh brother." Taran groaned doing the face palm.
Akame just smiled. "(Gray is amazing.)" She thought.
In the base camp outside the forest.
Bulat was in his armor. "LET'S DANCE!" He declared slicing a few bandits in half.
Pantherlily was in his battle mode and deflecting the bandits arrows using his large sword.
"What kind of cat is this?" One of the bandits asked in fright.
Sayer appeared wielding a large axe. "No matter, this cat will be dead meat."
"He's not a cat, but you punks won't lay a finger on my cat!" Gajeel yelled in anger.
"IRON DRAGON'S ROAR!"
He unleashed a breath of metal and force that blasted the bandits.
Sayer was knocked away by one of his men that crashed into him causing him to drop his axe.
Lily ran to it and observed it. "GAJEEL, HEADS UP!"
Gajeel grinned and caught the axe the began to eat it.
Bulat and Lubbock were surprised. "(IS HE EATING THE AXE?!)" They thought together.
Gajeel began to glow with very intensely.
"(This power I'm feeling now, I can tell he's got a strong force I've never seen before.)" Bulat thought.
"It helps Gajeel, eating Iron gives him a boost." Levy explained.
"That's awesome." Lubbock said looking impressed. "I figured this man was more then he looks." Bulat commented with impressive smile.
Gajeel began to transform, then his whole body was covered in Iron Dragon Scales.
"What the?!" Lubbock exclaimed in shock.
Sayer was left speechless and started to shake in fear. "WHAT ARE YOU A MONSTER?!"
"I'm no monster, but I'm a Iron Dragon Slayer!" Gajeel answered. "IRON DRAGON'S HARD FIST!"
Gajeel's charged ahead and punched Viper in the face with his now iron fist, sending the Bandit leader into the air.
"Looks like, our mission is complete." Lily commented.
"Way to go!" Levy cheered.
Gajeel's face went slightly red but he looked away. "Uh, sure."
"(Wait, does Levy love Gajeel?)" Lubbock asked himself. "(No fair.)"
Bulat did a thumbs up and smiled. "Atta boy, Gajeel."
The Iron Dragon Slayer scoffed. "Yeah, sure."
Meanwhile
The eye patched man and his partner were in another room with other men and few women.
"Looks like we're in prime position to move and expane the drug little, huh?" The white suited man suggested.
"Yeah, probably so I'll have a talk with Mr Sebru and see how he feels." The eye patched man replied.
Tatsumi and Leone dropped down the room making smoke and causing the ground to shake. "WE'RE TO SEND YOU TWO TO HELL!"
"GET THOSE PUNKS, BRING BACK THEIR HEADS!" THE white suited man ordered.
The black suit men charged while they let out a battle cry.
Tatsumi ran ahead slashing a few suited man with his sword.
Leone was then surrounded by several black suited men. "Everyone of these people is our target, get ready for some pain."
The black suited men charged at her but Leone dodge their attacks and punched them with her fists.
Tatsumi killed another by slicing one in the stomach while Leone kicked two more into a door.
The white suited man began to shake in fear. "I'm not going to die, I won't let you get away!" He pulled out a gun as soon as Tatsumi was close to him.
"You'll have to move faster." He commented slicing the man in the stomach.
The eye patched man watched in horro as Leone grabbed him by his throat.
Tatsumi and Leone left the distract.
"It felt good." Leone said putting her hands behind her head. "The doc always responded to pretty girls."
"I see, I always knew you had a soft side." Tatsumi said with a silly grin.
"Well, like I said I used to be friends with one of the girls." Leone said acting tough. "I just decided to lend a helping hand."
"Its not just that, all those girls can start over again." Tatsumi said gazing up at the sky with a smile.
Leone blushed at him. "Hey Tatsumi, when you smile like that you're really sweet."
The boy jumped in surprise and blushed. "Aah!" He exclaimed backing away.
"You can't hide anymore, heh, heh, heh, I already marked my territory, once you grow up, you're going to be mine." Leone giggled.
A short time later
Sheele and Mine were running through a park.
"I can't believe our target so hard to track down." Mine said.
"That's true, but at least we completed the mission on time." Sheele stated.
In one of the passing trees.
Seryu and Koro were hiding on one branche of a tree.
Meanwhile.
Gray and his group were walking away from the fortress.
"Those punks weren't so tough." Taran commented. "Don't get cocky, whenever an opponent isn't strong you can be sure any others during the next encounter will be even stronger and on top of that if you understimate an enemy, that could get you killed." Gray stated.
Akame was impressed by the Ice Wizards words. "(Is he quite smart than I thought he was.)" She thought with impressive smile.
"It felt good, taking out those manics with a splash." Juvia commented.
Akame then stopped walkind and glanced at her group. "You know, my comrades from Night Raid are important to me like that includes everyone, like Juvia and Taran."
"That's kind of you." Juvia said with a smile. "I suppose so." Taran said despite not smiling.
"That includes you, Gray Fullbuster." Akame said blushing at the Ice Wizard.
Gray was left speechless and his face went red.
Juvia started growl with jealousy.
"I think you should chill out." Taran whispered.
Meanwhile in the Capital Park.
Mine was on the ground injured with a broken arm.
Sheele was still standing wielding her Imperial Arms.
"Koro, Use your trump Card, go Berserk!" Seryu commanded.
The Imperial Arms dog got more muscle, more larger size, and its skin color changed into deep red blood color.
Bulat and the others were walking away further from the Base camp.
"That was quite the fight." Levy said stretching out her arms.
"Yes, I admit, that fight went by quickly." Lubbock said stretching out his arms too.
"Yes, its because we had wizards like Levy, Gajeel, and an Exceed cat named Pantherlily." Bulat added doing a thumbs up pose.
"Thanks." Levy said with a smile.
"Uh, sure." Gajeel said turning his head away.
"You ain't bad yourself." Lily praised. "Anyway, let's go meet up with the others."
Meanwhile in the Capital park.
Seryu was standing up with both her arms ripped off, and next to her was Koro back to its original form.
A few guards approached her. "Are you ok?" One of them asked.
"I feel fine, justice has prevailed, ha, ha, ha, ha!" Seryu cackled manically.
The three groups got back.
"Mine, what happened to you?" Levy asked seeing the pinkette girl with bruises on her face and body.
"Is someone missing?" Juvia asked.
"Yes, that someone is Sheele, where is she?" Gray asked.
A shore times passes as Mine explained what happened to their friend.
Lubbock had his hand on his face with sad expression.
Levy was left speechless with horrified look.
Pantherlily looked at the ground with hated glare.
Akame was shocked but silent.
Bulat just gritted his teeth angrily while his eyes were shut.
Gray was completely shocked with his head lowered.
Juvia lowered her head down with look of devastation.
Taran had her head turned, clenching her fists, yet she started to tear up but held back any crying.
Tatsumi was so shocked and he approached the pinkette girl. "Who did this?"
Mine was silent. "Tell me!"
"Stop, why do you need to know?" Gray asked. "Its obvious, for revenge!" Tatsumi replied angrily.
"You're more stupid than I thought." Gajeel remarked. "You know if you go running off we'll only get killed or others will see our faces then that'll reveal our identities!"
"He's right, we'll also cause a scene and add more to the body count." Najenda agreed.
"I CAN'T STAND BY AND SIT ON MY..."
Tatsumi was then punched to the ground.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Bulat screamed in anger. "NOW PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, WE WARNED YOU THAT ANY OF US WOULD DIE ANYTIME, YOU ACCEPTED THAT SINCE YOU AND OTHERS DECIDED TO JOIN US!"
Tatsumi shut his eyes in anger but knew Bro had a point.
"(It was mission, you wanted to payback for what we did, I know that but you took Sheele away from us, I'M SURE YOU'LL COME FOR THE REST OF US." Mine chanted as her eyes were filled anger. "(WHEN THAT TIMES COMES I'll SWEAR TO HAVE REVENGE!)"
"Sheele's death is not in vain, the empire sees what happens we have, attacking with more and Imperial Arms, our chances to obtain Imperial Arms will increase." Najenda stated. "Remember Tatsumi and you Wizards from Earthland, these battles are always to the death."
Tatsumi was on a cliff side where he buried his two village friends including where Sheele comforted him.
Then he felt something embrace him, he looked around but then looked up at the night sky.
Esdeath was on a cliff riding on her dragon creature. "I returned home."
Levy was in her bedroom and sitting on the edge of her bed.
Flashback scene.
"You read?" Sheele asked looking interested. "Yeah, I use these glasses to help me and I love to read too." Levy replied sharing a smile. "In fact a friend of mine is writing a novel."
"Really, that sounds great." The Night Raid glasses woman said looking excited. "Is there more books that are interested to read?"
"Yes, also when my friend Lucy will complete her novel someday and I'll be the first to read it." Levy said with a wink. "Maybe if you make it out alive through this war, we can read Lucy's novel together and I'll show all of books to read in Earthland."
"Really, I can't wait!" Sheele squealed in excitement.
Flashback ends.
"(Sheele, I'm sorry you won't get that chance to read the books in our world including Lucy's novel." Levy thought sadly shedding tears. "(Though we only knew each other for not too long, I know you were good friend to everyone in Night Raid including how you comforted Tatsumi.)"
Gray was sitting on a chair in his bedroom. "(Man, this sucks, Sheele, she died, argh, this world is messed up, I mean Earthland's problems were nothing compared to this, then again facing Acnologia and Dark Guilds including Tartoros was a big problem, no really tough problem."
He clenched his fist angrily but decided to put it aside. "No, Bulat is right, despite that he's interested in other guys, he makes a good point, he's also right anyone in this Night Raid group can die whenever going on a mission including when they face guards from the Capital like this Seryu wielding Imperial Arms that's an Organic."
Gray then shed a tear. "(Its strange, losing her was like when Ultear left us...)"
Flashback scene.
An image of Ultear came to his head.
"(Ultear, when during the fight with the Dragons and Future Rogue, you used a Time Spell of some sort to save me from death, we were friends as well.)" He thought sadly as image of Ultear as an old woman came to his head who smiled at him. "(Seeing that you aged due to the Spells effect, I thought I wouldn't get over your lost like your Mother Ur who saved my life.)"
Gray remembered the day he and the others came back to Fiore for a welcome celebrating after Fairy Tail's victory in the Grand Magic Games.
"I remember was still sad despite the praises we were getting from the crowd." He said. "But..."
"Darling, I don't know why you're so sad but you should try to be happy for our friends." Juvia suggested.
Gray's frown then turned into a smile. "(She's right, Ultear didn't save me so I can mop around.)"
He turned to look at his admirer. "I'm good now thanks."
Flashback ends.
"It hurts that Sheele is gone, but she would want us to move on." Gray said wiped his tears away. "I will keep fighting no matter what."
End of chapter.