I am extremely sad to hear about everyone being attacked on this site and that many authors will be moving to AO3. I am already on the site as Brittles_06 and have been publishing my works on both for quite some time. I am hoping that all readers and authors who switch over will continue to follow and support everyone who is wanting to continue following the works that were started on here.
Some long-awaited LaLu fluff is ahead, plus Lucy's ranking battle with next chapter about Wendy vs Cristoff battle for her ranking. I am excited about these fluffy chapters before we have to get into the bad again.
Lucy was sitting at a table by herself, wanting to order food for lunch but too nervous to eat. Her battle with Kaleb was in one short hour and after seeing Cobra beat Emzadi it was hard to see her coming anywhere near competing with the Master of White Sea. Immaculate Light wielder and a Wizard Saint against her caster magic . . . yea who was she kidding. She nibbled on a luscious strawberry, while she was drawing invisible lines on the table with her finger. She was trying to figure out a plan that would work against someone who can literally see everything you think. She groaned to herself, head sliding onto the table in defeat.
"You alright there Blondie?"
"Laxus!" Lucy sat straight, almost giving herself whiplash. "Yea I'm fine. Hundred percent a-ok!"
"You're an awful fuckin liar," Laxus said as he sat down beside her. "What's got you groaning and looking like your favourite spirit was stolen?" Lucy was quiet for a while, debating whether she should tell the lightning slayer, or what he might think of her.
"Do you have any idea how intimidating it is knowing you're going up against THE strongest mage in Bosco? He'd like a fucking God and could literally take me down in one fell swoop. I can't shut my brain off like Natsu did with Cobra and there's no way in hell I can win in a battle of strengths. I am going to score horribly and be the laughing stock of the magical world, again!" She was beat red at the end of her rant, embarrassed for her sudden word vomit that had happened. Wasn't her plan it just happened! He probably thought she was a complete idiot now.
"Firstly, what do you mean again? Secondly, if you weren't nervous then I'd be concerned," Laxus said, as Lucy looked at the blonde out of the corner of her. Her big mouth may get her into trouble one day yet.
"After the Grand Magic Games, and my more than epic failure in both my matches, the rumours spread. How did she get into Fairy Tail? Why is she part of Team Natsu? Why was she chosen for the games? So many others reached me as well, so I began to doubt myself. Let my team handle things and I would be there for support when needed. What use is a damsel during a battle?" Lucy said the last part sarcastically and with an eye roll. She'd been ridiculed by her father for not being the best woman to be wed off, then she was the laughing stock of the guild. She couldn't handle being made fun, not at her new guild.
Laxus recognized the look of self-doubt when he saw it, experienced his fair share as well. How the hell was he supposed to pull Blondie out of this slump before her fight? He honestly didn't know much about her or her magic, was trying to work his way up to it and now he needed something and fast. She wasn't crying, so that was a bonus. He probably wouldn't have come near her if that was the case. He had a soft spot for tears and if she never found that out life would be good. "Do your spirits have any powers against mind readers? I know they each have a skill so would they be able to help?"
"Laxus! You brilliant, brilliant man!" Laxus jumped from her spot, kissed Laxus on the lips and then scampered out of the room. Laxus sat there blinking, a flush adorning his cheeks while his dragon hummed in delight at getting a small piece of their mate's attention. After Lucy's ranking, Laxus had to ask her out on a date or cough up five hundred jewel to Vander. Sneaky shit lured him into a drinking game the previous night and on his pride was now at stake, so he'd be damned in he wimped out. Plus it would be with his mate so it's not like it would be awful, he hoped.
Lucy stood in the women's changeroom with Wendy and Juvia, both trying to help calm her nerves. She smiled patiently at them but honestly just wanted a minute to herself and kindly asked them to leave. They wished her luck and headed to the stands where they would be watching with the others. Cristoff, Emzadi, and Thane would be judging her while she fought Kaleb, being under such scrutiny made her stomach roll. She brushed her hand over her keys one last time, going over the plan with them and ensuring they were alright with it. This would be her one shot to make a real impression on her guild, family, and crush - she was damn well going to make it count.
The training grounds were completely full for this battle, most were excited to see their guild master in action. There were rumblings about how they would be able to see their master use his light magic instead of his terrifying mindbending abilities. They were even broadcasting this fight to the other branches of Bosco so they could all bear witness as well. The hum of eager mages filled the air as Laxus sat down with the rest of his team, Juvia, Wendy, and the Pradesh siblings. Even Arman had made time to venture to the guild to see how this would all play out. Arman knew the strengths of all of his children, raising and guiding them as they grew, but Lucy was a wild card. She was as beautiful as she was brilliant, he was very much looking forward to seeing how Kaleb handled this as well as Laxus. The lightning slayer was putting on a brave front, but underneath the I-don't-give-a-shit attitude and the white knuckles, they would be hard pressed to keep him contained once the barriers were down.
"Mages of White Sea," Thane began to call to the crowd, everyone went quiet within moments. "Today our Master will be facing off against a celestial mage new to our guild. Normally we wouldn't let everyone in to view such an event, nor does the Master tend to rank our members himself, but as you are all aware Miss Heartfilia interrupted his training one morning and he has wanted a rematch ever since. Without further ado, Master Kaleb Pradesh." A round of cheers and clapping filled the arena. "And his opponent for the evening, Miss Lucy Heartfilia."
Lucy walked out into the arena, eyes on Kaleb who was smiling at her. She had been able to block him out briefly before, but that was before she knew just how powerful his magic abilities were. He'd easily be able to shatter her measly defences with a single blink, but she knew he wouldn't cause her bodily harm. She needed to stay conscious enough not to make a fool of herself and hopefully, her plan would be that successful. At least the crowd would be moderately entertained no matter what happened here today. Plue flashed into the arena running up to Kaleb, kicking him in the shin while nattering at the Master.
"Plue. That's quite enough of that foul language. I will have Virgo restrict your time from them if you continue," Lucy had her hands on her hips while tapping her foot in annoyance with her small spirit.
"Pun pun. Pun pun pun!"
"Enough Plue. Please go back," Lucy said with a strict face yet kind smile. The small white spirit walked back to her, hugging her legs before leaving in a shower of gold dust. "Sorry about that Master. He can get a bit defensive with me, even though he cannot do much."
"The kick didn't hurt and I am afraid that I don't know what he was saying. Should I be offended?"
"He threatened you. Stated he'd shove an icicle up your ass if you hurt me. I don't know where he'd find an icicle though, but maybe that is something you'd enjoy?"
"I am Boscan and willing to try anything at least once, but I an icicle is something new. Care to share the experience with me?" Laxus jumped up in his seat and was about to storm down there and beat the mage with his fists himself. Bickslow, Vander, and Zen had to pull the large man back into her chair until he was calmer than before.
"There will be a shit tonne of this throughout this fight," Bickslow whispered to Vander, who was all too happy with the idea of restraining the man. It would add more wood to the fire that he was building, the bonfire he was building would be amazing once it was ablaze. Oh, the fun he was having poking the bear and the fun he would have such glee rubbing his scent on Lucy and drawing the man's ire his way. Bickslow said being hit by his lightning wasn't fun, but he had yet to be hit and was cocky enough to believe he never would be. "Van stop with the plotting face. They're about to start."
Lucy summoned Aries to the field as Kaleb charged at the two of them, targetting Lucy trying to bring her down hard and fast. Aries wool bombs cushioned Kaleb's powerful blows, he kicked her legs out as she fell into a hole of Virgo's making hearing Kaleb curse. Lucy called Aries back and sent Virgo out to throw some fists at the platinum blonde man. She peeked her head above the lip of the hole to see Kaleb and Virgo at a standstill, a wicked smile on her lips. She star dressed into her Virgo outfit and popped up directly behind Kaleb landing a solid kick to the back of his knees before both ladies went back underground. They appeared several feet away from Kaleb who was righting himself.
"Haven't had someone hit me like that in a while. I didn't hear you amongst the dirt but I won't make that mistake again," Kaleb sent a beam of light from his hands towards the blonde who went back underground to avoid being hit. She couldn't hide in the ground forever but just needed to prove her theory before she enacted the plan. She sent Virgo back and reappeared in front of Kaleb who blocked her punch and sent one of his own to her stomach, she swiped it to the side and brought a knee to his stomach connecting and send Kaleb back a couple feet. It worked! Holy flying fuck it worked!
"What . . . what is going on?" Xally whispered to her father, the arena quiet. "How is she landing attacks against Kaleb?"
"It seems that Miss Heatfilia is ever as clever as I thought she was. Perhaps you should as Laxus what's going on," the elder man looked to the blonde, followed by every other head swivelling his way. "What the hell? I don't know anything about this shit. We talked at lunch when I mentioned that her spirits . . . Well fuck."
"Exactly my dear boy. Now you understand the brilliance of your mate." Arman smiled as he looked back to the battlefield where Kaleb was sending several beams of light at Lucy who was aptly dodging them all. "You should share with the class Laxus, it's only polite."
"Kaleb can't hear Lucy's spirits so when she borrows their powers for star dress she borrows the ability for Kaleb to not hear her." It was utterly brilliant of the petite woman. "I don't understand why he can't hear them though. They are living beings."
"Living beings with contracts to one key holder. It would betray all they hold dear if they were unable to hear the thoughts of their master," Arman simply explained. He had been friends with Dean of Academe Celestine for a very long time, plus his late wife dabbled in celestial magic. "Not to mention they are not human but spirits and live in a plain where time flows differently. Kaleb cannot hear animals though so it stands to reason that even his magical abilities are not as all-encompassing as people have made him out to be."
"Capricorn. Taurus. Leo." The three spirits made their way to the stage, with Lucy behind them. Kaleb would be hard pressed to keep up with her top three fighters while she geared up for Urano Metria with Gemi and Mini underground. "Are you two ready for this?" "Piri Piri." "Let's do this!" Lucy headed back up in her Sagittarius star form, sending a barrage of arrows at the guild master.
"Light Bullet Projection!" Kaleb yelled as he summoned small spears of light to counteract the arrows Lucy had launched at him. "Sword Beam Emission." A while light sword formed in his hand as he formed an arc over his head, the crescent shot towards the three spirits. Capricorn jumped out of the way, Loke scooped up Lucy to avoid being hit and Taurus took the brunt of the attack, being sent back to the spiritual world. Kaleb had Lucy running now and he wasn't about to let up. "Light Bomb Generation." Glowing orbs appeared sporadically on the ground as looking like mines but had a timer on them for three seconds. Explosions were happening all over the arena, Capricorn was hit hard and left the field of battle. Leo threw Lucy from him as he was also sent to back after being hit from several close explosions. The blonde rolled on the ground several times but thankfully the bombs seemed to have dispersed.
"Lucy," Laxus stood up, lightning arcing off his tense shoulders. He didn't like where this was going, didn't like how his dragon was raging inside of him. Wanting to save her, but logically knowing that she needed to do this. He walked down to the lower viewing area, hands gripping the banister with his claws digging into the wood. He wanted to go and fight for her but knew he'd get a Lucy kick to the head if he impeded. Still didn't sit right with him but his potential mate was independent as fuck.
Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens...
All the stars, far and wide...
Show me thy appearance...
With such shine.
Oh Tetrabiblos...
I am the ruler of the stars...
Aspect become complete...
Open thy malevolent gate.
Oh 88 Stars of the heaven...
Shine!
Urano Metria!
The grounds were covered in the mystical blues and purples of the galaxies while eighty-eight multi-coloured orbs filled the skies. A second Lucy stood behind Kaleb, in her regular clothes, with a magic circle under her feet and eyes glowing gold. The attack hit, rocking the entire arena with its power as everyone sat in awe. Kaleb lay on his stomach several yards from where he originally stood, he groaned as he attempted to get up. That attack had come out of nowhere and had hit him like a damn freight train. He was able to stand and see Lucy heaving heavily behind him, sweat dripping down her face. She stood straight and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. Obviously not an easy spell to pull off, plus she had three spirits out right before that would have drained her magic containers.
"Do you give?" A knife was pointed at his throat, so he turned to look to see Juvia standing behind him now. He elbowed the mage, grabbed her wrist and threw her over his shoulder before using the knife against her. Juvia popped into two small spirits who went back home, so he looked up to see Lucy's foot lit up and aiming for his head. He rolled to the side, flipped and wrapped his hand around Lucy's throat before tossing her to the ground. He jumped on her, pinning her hands and feet with his own.
"Do you give?" Kaleb asked Lucy, who was trying to wrench her way out of his grasp with no success. He magic was almost depleted so in the interest of not causing herself bodily harm so conceded the fight. Kaleb released her falling onto ass, happy to be done with this battle and ecstatic with how it played out. He relayed his thoughts to Cristoff, Thane, and Emzadi to take into account their decision. "That was well done Lucy. I think the crowd is awestruck right now since there aren't too many thoughts going on in their heads." Lucy looked around from her point on the ground, her eyes landed on Laxus. His storm-colored eyes were boring into her own, lightning was still flickering off his form and their friends and family had backed away from him.
"Laxus," Lucy uttered as her eyes began to flit shut. The barrier fell and Laxus was down there in a heartbeat, Lucy resting comfortably in his arms. "I knew you'd come for me."
"I always will Lucy. You have my word." Laxus kissed her cheek as she fell asleep with a smile on her face. "Cristoff!"
"I'm on it Laxus. Her wounds aren't too severe but her magic is low," the lunar mage stated as his hands glowed with his healing powers. "She'll sleep until tomorrow so you're date will have to wait." Laxus rolled his eyes at the slight jab. "Take her to her room to rest Laxus. I'm sure she'll want to hear from you that she is making Double S Class with a fast track onto Century mage with Cobra." Laxus carried the blonde to her room, taking his sweet ass time since he was revelling in holding her in his arms. Once he reached the room he placed her in the bed and covered her with the blanket, his desire to lay beside her was overwhelming so he caved to his whims. He promised himself he'd only be there for an hour or two, just enough to calm his dragon and soothe his own nerves.