"Turn left here," Juvia instructed. Lucy, disguised as Sherry, led Juvia down the long corridor, turning left just as her friend had indicated. "Everyone should be in the Sala del Maggior Consiglio to make sure all the preparations are completed. Everything must be ready before Lyon opens up the room for the ball, if it hasn't already started. Sherry is one of his officers so you won't be bothered. Just make sure to act with confidence. Sherry never takes orders from anyone besides her Boss."
"She's in love with him. No wonder," Lucy muttered.
"That fact is well-known, so when you deliver me to Lyon you have to act like you're in love with him, too. If you don't, they'll know something is amiss," Juvia warned. A staircase descended to the lower floors of the building. A nod from Juvia, and the pair started their descent. Chills went down Lucy's back when she remembered meeting the mysterious rival Boss for the first time. With every step they took, Lucy's stomach clenched tighter and tighter. She was basically handing Juvia over to the enemy. She was allowing Juvia to take her place — to endure the torment of Lyon's icy blood lust.
Even though this plan would allow Lucy to rescue Gray, something both girls wanted more than anything, it didn't sit well with Lucy. Having Juvia take her place felt wrong. As the girls made their way closer to the ball, Lucy couldn't help having second thoughts about letting Juvia stand in for her. What if something happened? What if Lyon found out about the switch before Lucy could make it back in time and save Juvia? What if Juvia was killed because of Lucy? That guilt wasn't something she could bare.
"Juvia," Lucy halted her steps, forcing Juvia to stop as well. "Let's switch costumes again."
"What?"
"I think you should be the one to look for Gray," Lucy declared. "I'll go back to being Lyon's sacrifice while you go and rescue Gray from the dungeons."
"That's not the plan, Lucy. Lyon wants to kill you. You can't be anywhere near him. You said it yourself; if you're not at the ball, then Lyon can't get his revenge. If something happens to you, then-"
"Then let's go look for Gray together! We know he's in the dungeon, so all we need to do is go there and get him out, and we'll all be safe." Lucy tugged on Juvia's arm, trying to lead her in the direction she thought the dungeons were located. However, Juvia was stronger than Lucy and wouldn't budge.
"Lucy. Stop." Juvia yanked her arm from Lucy's grasp. "You know that plan will never work. Lyon is expecting Sherry to deliver you to him now. If you don't show up, then he'll lock this place down faster than we could escape. This would all be for naught. It has to be this way. You have to be the one to go and save Gray."
Lucy shook her head. "But-"
"What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" Juvia asked. "You were fine with this plan moments ago."
"I know. It's just...Lyon wants me dead," Lucy reminded her. "Lyon wants to kill me . If…if you were to get hurt because you were pretending to be me…I…I—"
"You're making it seem as if I haven't thought any of this out. I understand the dangers and what could happen if things went wrong. But I'm happy that I can do this. I'm happy I can save you and help save Gray. So don't be upset," Juvia sniffled, and Lucy saw the other girl's eyes water.
"Juvia-"
"We need to hurry before Lyon suspects anything," Juvia stated, turning away from Lucy and continuing down another hall. After a moment's hesitation, Lucy followed after her.
Not long afterwards, Lucy started recognizing the surrounding décor which meant she didn't need Juvia to guide her anymore. She was finally back in the area of The Doge's Palace that she had toured with Natsu. When the pair arrived in front of two large oak doors, Lucy knew the Great Council Chamber lay beyond them.
"This is it," Juvia said, staring at the doors in front of them. "No matter what happens, please save Gray."
"I will. And," Lucy took Juvia's hand, squeezing it tightly, "I will come back for you. I won't let Lyon have any of my friends. I promise I will save you, too, Juvia." Out of the corner of Lucy's eye, she saw Juvia nod her head vigorously, while wiping under her mask. Juvia squeezed Lucy's hand tight in return before letting it go. There was nothing left to say, so Lucy took a deep breath and opened the doors.
The Grand Chamber Hall was completely transformed. The space was already grand, but under Lyon's vision, the room had evolved to a new stage of opulence. Long tables covered by silver cloths were stacked with plates of succulent dishes. Candelabras sprouted out of elaborate flower arrangements placed at intervals on the tables. Performers were stationed at various places in the room. Identical triplets performed amazing acrobatic skills on a small stage, flipping their flexible bodies in perfect unison. An illusionist made things levitate, people disappear, and items conjure out of thin air. Male and female dancers with golden painted bodies and scantily clad outfits slinked in and out of the crowd of people, seducing the guests with their moves. A full string orchestra occupied one corner of the hall, filling the space with beautiful music. A section of the floor was already claimed by the guests who waltzed with their partners, creating a spiral of rustling silks, flashing with color.
Seeing the mass of masked guests enjoying the festivities made Lucy's heart drop. All of these people, every single one of them, were here to see her be killed — to see Gray die. They wanted to bear witness to Lyon finally achieving his revenge. As she walked through the room, Lucy tried to emit the same haughty confidence Sherry had displayed, but inside, she was spiraling with the knowledge of how many people supported her and Gray's death.
"Ah," someone sighed. "There she is." The crowd in front of Lucy stepped aside as Lyon strode towards her. Lucy froze at the sight of him. Lyon was dressed in a navy blue tunic with gold borders and black pants tucked into tall silver, armored boots. Around his shoulders hung a long white cape, black feathers accenting the shoulders. Lucy would have thought he looked like a knight or a prince if it wasn't for that terrifying demon skull helmet he still wore. Although, the helmet seemed to portray his true nature.
"I was beginning to worry that you had gotten lost on your way here. But thankfully, my guest-of-honor has finally graced us with her presence," Lyon grabbed the edge of his cape, flinging it dramatically behind him. "And what a stunning sacrifice you make."
The room seemed to quiet around them. Lucy felt the blood start to roar in her ears, her heart hammering in her chest. It wasn't until Lyon took Juvia's hand, that she realized he wasn't talking to her. He hadn't realized Juvia was taking her place which meant he hadn't yet realized that his loyal subordinate wasn't standing in front of him either—that it was Lucy, not Sherry, behind the mask. Steeling her heart, Lucy mustered up her courage. Juvia was risking her life for Lucy, and Lucy couldn't fail her now by giving them away.
"My- My dear boss!" Lucy tried her best to mimic the high, shrill voice of Sherry's as she spoke. "There was a… a slight wardrobe malfunction that needed taken care of. For love," Lucy almost choked on the word but surprised herself when her disgust at saying it didn't impede her performance. "I wanted to make sure nothing was awry for your guest-of-honor's appearance."
Lyon turned his head to face Lucy, staring at her for a moment. He let go of Juvia's hand, instead placing it against Lucy's cheek. Thankfully, her mask acted as a barrier so she wouldn't have to feel his fingers stroke her skin. Lucy had to force herself to keep from shivering from the closeness, though.
"Sherry," he said. Lucy's heart was thundering inside of her. Please believe me. Please believe me . "You did well. Enjoy the festivities with the other guests."
Lyon dropped his hand and turned back to Juvia. "You're awfully quiet. Nothing to say? Did all that fire in you burn out? Or have you accepted your fate as my sacrifice?" Lyon tilted his head. Juvia made a noise of disgust before turning her head away from him. The action only made Lyon laugh, grabbing Juvia by the arm, roughly. "This way, Miss Heartfilia."
He led her towards the raised dais in the back of the hall. Lucy took a step to follow but stopped herself. Her hands clenched into fist at her sides, shaking in anger at Lyon and at her own helplessness. She could do nothing now but watch. For Juvia's sake, and for Gray's sake, she had to keep pretending to be unaffected by it all.
The throne Lyon had been sitting on the first time Lucy met him was still positioned on the dais. He deposited Juvia at the foot of his throne, snapping his fingers. A length of chain was rushed to Lyon by one of his masked subordinates. With a nod from Lyon, the subordinate stepped towards Juvia. When the subordinate moved away, Lucy couldn't help the gasp of horror that escaped from her. A metal collar was placed around Juvia's neck. Lucy scanned the length of chain that trailed from it, her eyes resting on Lyon's hands which held the end.
"Juvia," Lucy breathed, her eyes already watering from the sight. This was what Lyon had in mind for her. Chained at his side, that was supposed to be Lucy up there, not Juvia. If Juvia hadn't rescued her, if she hadn't taken her place, she would have had to endure that torment. This time, Lucy couldn't stop her feet from moving towards them.
"Sherry!" A large woman stepped in front of Lucy, blocking her path and sight of Juvia. Lucy blinked, snapping her back to her surroundings. She tilted her head up to take in the full sight of the towering figure in front of her. The woman, or what Lucy believed to be a woman due to the large pale pink dress she wore, leaned down towards her, a large rat mask obscuring her face. "Didn't you hear me? I was calling your name."
"Oh, sorry. I was… uh… distracted." The woman turned to look behind her and then back at Lucy.
"That makes sense. That damn brat we picked up together gets to sit up there with the Boss. Ugh, it's not fair. She's like rotting cheese. She doesn't deserve that honor," the woman sneered.
So she's the other person that grabbed me on the bridge . Lucy realized, staring at the massive person in front of her. Sherry hadn't seemed strong enough to carry Lucy through Venice, but this person surely did.
"Have you seen Toby anywhere? He said he would dance with me all night!" The woman squealed with delight. "I didn't even have to threaten him…as much."
"Toby?" That name sounded familiar to Lucy, but she forgot where she had heard it from.
"Oh, I know. I know." The woman waved her hand in front of her, seemingly embarrassed. "But there's something about the way he wears those cute little dog ears that just gets me every time. I can't help myself."
Lucy had no idea what that woman was talking about, but she didn't have time to waste there, chatting with her. She had to leave and find Gray. The sooner she got him to safety, the sooner she could get back and rescue Juvia. "Say," Lucy started. "How about I go look around for Toby for you and then send him your way?"
"Oh, Sherry, you're the best!" The woman wrapped her large arms around Lucy and spun her around before placing her back on the ground. "Tell him, 'Angelica's waiting by the buffet.' I look my best surrounded by food. I'll be irresistible to him."
"R-right," Lucy managed to get out, doing her best to smile at the woman—Angelica. "I'll be back in a little bit, Angelica." Lucy waved and hurried away towards the exit. That worked out…I guess. Now I can use this as an excuse to be roaming around . Lucy opened the door to exit the hall. Looking back, she spared one last glimpse at Juvia.
"I"m sorry. Juvia," she whispered, gripping the edge of the door. "But I'll be back. I'll keep my promise to you." Lucy slipped out of the room, leaving Juvia chained to a monster.
There were only a handful of Lyon's men roaming around, but no one stopped her. Instead, they stayed clear of her way. It seemed Sherry really was one of Lyon's officers that no one wanted to deal with it. It didn't take long for Lucy to make her way to the dungeons. Now that she was in the area of The Doge's Palace she recognized, maneuvering the area was easy.
The air was freezing the moment she entered the dungeons. The warmth of the upper levels didn't reach the stone walls and iron doors that made up the large expanse of prison cells. The dungeons extended the entire length of the palace. This didn't even include the extension, which Lucy remembered the tour guide mentioning, that was added on to house more prisoners. It was eerie and creepy being the only one down there as she started to check the cells.
He could be in any one of these , Lucy thought, wrapping her arms tighter around her for warmth. How am I supposed to check all of these in time to save Juvia ? Lucy peered into another cell; finding it empty, she hurried to the next one.
"This is taking too long," Lucy grumbled as she came across another empty cell. "I need to find Gray and get him out here." Nonetheless, cell after cell after cell was empty with no sign — not even a trace of her best friend. "What do I do?" Lucy's heels hit the stones hard as she ran, looking into each cell she passed. "Gray? Where are you?"
There was no accurate way to track time in the dungeons, but it felt like Lucy had been running for hours. She leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath. Her feet were killing her, and the corset of the dress made it hard to really breathe. The weight of the fabric clinging to her body and the wings tugging down on her shoulders weren't helping her situation either. Despite all the running Lucy had been doing, she still felt so cold.
Footsteps echoed down the hall ahead of Lucy. Panic shot through her and Lucy's first instinct was to hide. She tried the door of the cell closest to her and found it was locked. She raced down the hallway to another cell, and luckily, the door was already slightly ajar. Opening it wider to make room for her wings, Lucy slipped into the dark space beyond. The footsteps sounded closer now, and she tried to quiet her breathing. Edging to peer out into the hallway, Lucy peeked outside.
One of Lyon's men stood a few feet away from the cell Lucy was currently hiding in. His back was facing towards her, but she could see he was dressed in a black costume with gold epaulettes on his shoulders and a rapier hanging from his side. During her time searching in the dungeon, Lucy hadn't come across anyone else. "What is he doing here?" she thought aloud. "Is he a guard?"
A thought suddenly occurred to her. Since she was still disguised as Sherry, she could order the supposed guard to take her to where Gray was imprisoned. It would save her time from checking every cell. She had fooled Lyon with her disguise; a low-level subordinate shouldn't give her any problems. Taking a deep breath, she steeled her nerves. Show time .
The moment Lucy stepped out of the cell, the guard whirled around to face her. Lucy stood in the hallway, facing him with her head held high, trying to exude confidence and superiority. "You there," Lucy pointed a black gloved finger at him. "Take me to our dear Boss's captive. For love, I, Sherry, have been instructed to oversee the prisoner's delivery." The guard relaxed his stance after Lucy identified herself as Sherry. He gave a bow, stepping to the side to signal for her to continue forward.
Lucy kept her mouth in a firm line, like she was above even smiling. However, she was flipping cartwheels inside of her mind. That worked! She silently praised herself and her acting skills as she walked past the guard. I can't believe that worked! Now, I'll find Gray an -
The guard had moved fast. One moment she was lost in her thoughts, the next, Lucy was pinned against the wall, her hands held above her head. The guard loomed in front of her, his black mask filling up her vision.
"So you're Sherry?" The man's voice was dark and menacing. "You saved me the trouble of looking for you." Lucy tried to break free of his grasp, but he held her wrists together with only one hand.
Who is he ? Sherry was one of Lyon's officers. Disguised as her, Lucy wasn't supposed to meet any resistance among Lyon's men. Lucy didn't really know how mafia groups worked, but certainly being an officer meant a certain level of respect. Then why was this guard turning on her? Did Sherry do something to him? Was this the moment he got his revenge on her?
An even more terrifying possibility: did they somehow find out that Lucy was masquerading as Sherry and were looking to capture her again? If that was the case, what had become of Juvia? If Lyon saw that Lucy and Juvia had fooled him….
Damnit. When I'm so close to finding Gray….I can't be caught like this. She struggled harder to get away from the man, but he only held her wrists tighter.
"It's time for you to start talking," the man declared.
"I won't tell you anything!" Lucy snapped.
"You don't want to piss me off anymore," he growled. "I already know you're the one that was sent to kidnap her."
"What?" Who was he talking about? Kidnap? " You don't want to mess with me. Lyon will-"
"Trust me. Your Boss will get what's coming to him soon enough. Now tell me," he demanded again. "Where is she? Where is Lucy?"
Me? Lucy was shocked. He's looking for me ?
Before she could process why this guard was looking for her, he reached up with his free hand and ripped off her mask. He stared at her for a moment, and then Lucy heard his slight intake of breath.
"Lucy?"
His grasp on her hands disappeared; instead, his arms wrapped around her. "Lucy," he murmured her name and held her tighter. Lucy blinked, surprised by his reaction. Why was this man embracing her like this? Why was he acting so relieved — so happy to see her? With her cover blown and her identity revealed, Lucy had to act fast. She needed to somehow keep him quiet. There was no time to find out the answers to the questions that his actions had created. Her priorities were rescuing Gray and saving Juvia. Before her fear could stop her, she grabbed the hilt of the man's rapier and pushed him away. He stumbled backwards, his mouth opened in shock. Aiming the thin blade at the man's heart, Lucy gripped the hilt tighter. Lucy may have never handled a gun in her life, but fencing lessons from her childhood had made her comfortable with a blade.
"Don't move," she ordered. In spite of the decorative hilt of the rapier, the thin blade attached was real — thankfully. With a quick slash of the air in front of her, Lucy adjusted her stance, preparing for any of his attacks. "I don't know why you're looking for me, and I don't care. Now that you know who I am, I can't have you spreading that information."
"Wait. Lucy," the guard put his hands in front of him, trying to appear peaceful. Lucy wasn't buying it. He took a step towards her, but Lucy slashed with the rapier.
"I said don't move." A thin line of blood appeared on the man's left hand where she had struck. He sucked on his teeth, seemingly annoyed with the pain, but he retracted his step. "I want you to lock yourself in this cell." Lucy nodded her head towards the cell she had been hiding in. "Move slowly with your hands up, and I won't use force."
"Are you hurt?" the guard asked.
"Huh?" He was the one bleeding; why was he asking her? Lucy furrowed her brow. He was trying to distract her with random questions. She needed to remain focused. If only she could get him into that cell.
"Did they do anything to you?" The guard still ignored her order, standing there as if he was assessing her. "I can't see any physical wounds, but…" The man continued his questioning. Asking her whether or not she had been fed, if she had been allowed to sleep, if they had put her through any psychological torture. "I was worried about you."
Worried? Lucy rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to fall for this act. Natsu had said the rival Boss was smart. She was outraged as her mind worked out what Lyon had orchestrated. Lyon had to have figured out that Lucy wasn't with him and sent this guard to apprehend her. No, Lyon probably knew that Lucy was pretending to be Sherry when she handed over Juvia to act as Lucy's replacement. He had let her come down here without any difficulties. Lyon wanted her to feel like she could win — to give her hope that she would save Gray. Now, when she was close to achieving her goal, Lyon wanted to snatch her back, and that's where this guard came in. Lyon's lackey was trying to make Lucy drop her guard. She wasn't about to make that mistake.
"I don't know who you are, but I'm not going to fall for this trap. So you can stop acting like you care about me. That's not going to work. Now, hurry up. Get in the cell. I don't have time to deal with your games." Lucy cursed inside, hearing how her voice shook, but she kept glaring at him. Even if she caught onto Lyon's manipulation, the guard he chose was a good actor. Her heart even stuttered every time he said her name.
"Games? Lucy, I pr-"
"Enough!" Lucy slashed the blade in front of her again, emphasizing her word. "Stop saying my name."
It was then that she heard a second set of footsteps coming down the hall behind the man. Another guard? No . Lucy could hope for a miracle and handle one guard, but two? The prospects didn't seem likely. Still, Juvia was counting on Lucy; Juvia was placing all her hope in Lucy's rescue of Gray. Lucy couldn't fail now. There was so much at stake, not just her own life, but Juvia's and Gray's.
"Quickly," she hissed, as the footsteps sounded closer. "Get in the…" The moment the second arrival appeared, Lucy's words dropped from her tongue. He appeared, dressed as if he was about to attend Lyon's ball in black pants, shiny, black dress shoes, a white shirt with a cranberry colored coat over it. The wings of his bowtie dangled on either side of his collar, and the top three buttons were left undone. A gold mask dangled from his hand as did a cane with a dog bust on top and a band with dog ears attached to it..
"Okay, I'm done. But there's no way in hell I'm going to wear these dog ears," Lucy heard him say. Dropping the rapier, Lucy ran straight towards the new arrival. All thoughts of the dangers around her, the death looming over her, and the consequences of failure that would claim the lives of her friends evaporated. All she could think about was the person in front of her.
"GRAY!" she shouted, leaping into his arms.
"Lu-LUCY!" He spun her around as he caught her, dropping his mask and cane.
It was him. It was really him. He was here. He was alive. All those weeks of worrying, of not knowing where he was, of not knowing what was happening to him lifted from her heart. Lucy could hold him in her arms, feel for herself that he was alive and intact. She hadn't been too late. She hadn't failed him. Lucy could keep her promise. She could save her best friend.
"Gray," she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so glad…I'm so, so, so, so glad I found you."
"How? How did you escape?" Gray looked down at Lucy, confusion on his face. Lucy looked up at him, giving him a brilliant smile. There was so much to tell him, but that would have to wait. She found him. Finally. However, his life was still in danger.
"I'll explain on the way. We need to leave first," Lucy wrapped her arms tighter around him, confirming again that he was really here. Gray made a gasp of pain. Startled, she eased her grip on him, looking up in time to see him trying to hide a wince. "You're hurt!"
Looking closely at him now, she could see that bruises peppered his skin, and his lip was cut and swelling. His clothes hid the remainder of his wounds, but she could only imagine the extent of his injuries. "Lyon did this do you?" Anger flared up in her, seeing the torment her friend had been put through.
"Uh, well…no. I tripped and fell in my cell. The stones are hard and stupid, and so I got a little battered up," Gray said, trying to laugh at his clumsiness.
"You fell?" Lucy asked, not really believing a single fall could cause all of those injuries.
"It was dark in my cell, so I tripped a lot. Did I mention how stupid those stones are? I think it's important for you to know that I really, really don't like those stupid stones." Lucy was about to ask whether or not he had hit his head on the stones, but her best friend gathered her up in a hug again.
"I'm sorry," Gray apologized, sounding close to tears. "I never meant for you to be involved in any of this. I'm so sorry, Lucy."
"Gray…"
"There's something I need to tell you. About my past, I-"
"That's enough, princess." The guard pushed Gray away, causing him to stumble back. "I think you made your point. Why don't you stay in here for a moment?" The masked man forced Gray into an empty cell, closing the door.
"Don't!" Lucy protested, running to rescue Gray. The relief she had felt from finally finding her best friend had made her completely forget about the guard trying to bring her back to Lyon. Lucy reached for the rapier but realized she had dropped it. The blade lay feet away from her.
"Time to go." The guard scooped Lucy up in his arms and started walking briskly down the hall.
"Gray! Gray!" Lucy looked over the guard's shoulder, back at the cell Gray was now stuck in. "Let him out!"
"Relax. I'll let him out in a minute," the masked guard declared. "It was his fault for interrupting."
"Let me go!" Lucy demanded. "I said, let me go!" She struggled to get out of his arms, but the man's grip was solid.
"I'm not going to do that. So stop telling me to," he snapped at her, but he thankfully stopped walking. "If I hold you like this, no one can take you away again. So shut up, and let me keep my promise to you."
Lucy stopped struggling. She stared up at the guard, who glared down at her, his mouth set in a firm line. ' So shut up and let me keep my promise to you. ' There was only one person she knew that talked about keeping promises so fiercely. But that couldn't be right? He shouldn't be here. Didn't this guard work for Lyon? He couldn't be him. Her mind saw the golden haired girl and the kiss that followed. Her heart still couldn't shake that image from her memory. He had made it clear he didn't want to help her anymore.
"Nat…su?"
"Who else could sweep you off your feet?" he smirked.
When Lucy saw that insanely infuriating smirk, she knew, without a doubt, it was him. "But why? Why are you here?" she asked, staring up at him in disbelief.
"Why? What do you mean why? I'm here to take you home…and the princess, too. Just like I promised you."
Lucy couldn't help the tears that fell from her eyes. So many emotions were running through her. She was happy and relieved that Gray was safe, and now Natsu was here. He had come to rescue her. "I thought…the girl…and the k-kiss," Lucy sobbed. "I didn't think you wanted…wanted to help me save Gray," she revealed. "I didn't think you wanted to keep your promise anymore."
Natsu held her tighter, his smirk disappearing. "C'mon Lucy," he said after a moment of silence. "Have a little more faith in me; I'm not that type of guy. I thought I told you already. I always keep my promises. Have I ever made a promise to you that I didn't keep?"
"No," she said quietly, reflecting on the very first promise Natsu ever made to her. Despite how frustrating he was, he had kept his promise and all the others after that.
"But what about that girl?" Lucy cringed at how that sounded. "Who was she?"
"That was Ichiya's informant. She was just delivering some information that I had requested from her boss about… Well, that's unimportant."
An informant ? Was that all that girl was? Lucy had only been mistaken about the whole situation? "So you're going to help me save Gray?" she asked.
"A promise is a promise," Natsu grimaced. "I had forgotten just how annoying your princess is, though."
"Hey, he's not annoying at all," Lucy admonished half-heartedly.
"Remind me to show you that his picture is used to define that word in the dictionary," Natsu teased.
"Whatever." Lucy rolled her eyes. "Just let him out of that cell. He's been locked up enough."
"We differ on that as well."
"Natsu!"
"Well, it really hurts a man's pride when his wife not only threatens him with a sword but then runs off, leaping into another man's arms all teary-eyed and shouting his name," Natsu huffed loudly, his irritation clearly evident. "So your princess can stay in there for a little while longer."
"W-wife?" Lucy's eyes widened. "That was only pretend. Wait, you didn't tell Gray did you?"
"He was a little upset he didn't receive an invitation," Natsu laughed.
"Natsu!"
"When we get back, we can have a large ceremony if you want. I'm sure you'll want Levy as your maid-of-honor…well matron-of-honor now."
Lucy rolled her eyes again. It was so easy to forget that she was in the middle of enemy territory where a Mafia Boss wanted to kill her, Gray, and anyone who tried to stop him from achieving his revenge. With Natsu here, she felt like those things didn't matter. Lucy felt like she could do all the things she had promised to accomplish. Most importantly, she felt safe.
"Natsu, put me down, please," Lucy said. "I can walk."
Reluctantly, Natsu set Lucy back on her feet. "You can just jump back into my arms whenever you want."
"You bastard!" Gray's voice thundered down the hall. Natsu rolled his eyes, but Lucy saw a wicked gleam shine through them.
"Language, princess." Natsu smirked.
"The damn door wasn't even locked!" Gray glowered, inches away from Natsu's face. Natsu continued smirking, clearly enjoying Gray's reaction.
"It's not my fault you can't open doors," Natsu said cooly.
Before Gray and Natsu could continue their banter, Lucy cut it. "Natsu, could you please take Gray somewhere safe? Maybe Cana's house? Now that we have Gray, I don't want him any place where Lyon or Gold Pistol or any other mafia Boss can get to him. I'll meet you there as soon as I'm done here."
The smile on Natsu's face faded. "Lucy? What are you talking about?"
Both Gray and Natsu turned to her, the expressions on their faces nearly identical. They were both looking at her as if she had sprouted two heads and asked them if they were lovers.
"Please," Lucy grabbed Natsu's hand. "Take Gray now, and go. We've already wasted too much time. I can only trust you to protect him — to keep him safe. Promise me you'll-"
"I"m not going to promise you that." Natsu's eyes hardened.
"But-"
"Lucy," he interrupted. "I promised you I would save your princess AND you. If I left you here, who knows what would happen to you. There's no way I'm taking that chance."
"Natsu-"
"Even if this flame brain listened to you, I wouldn't leave you behind," Gray claimed. "Why would you even suggest that?"
This wasn't going the way Lucy wanted. She needed Natsu to take Gray away so Lyon wouldn't be able to hurt him. If Gray was gone, Lyon wouldn't be able to get his revenge. Lucy would be able to keep her promise to Juvia and then rescue her. If Gray was still here, though, he would still be in danger. He had to leave.
"Gray, listen," Lucy pleaded.
"No, you listen, Lucy." Gray, grabbed her shoulders. "You don't realize the severity of the situation you're in. The man who kidnapped you wants to kill you to get back at me. I know Lyon better than anyone else in this room. He'll do it, too. So hopefully you'll understand now why Hell would have to freeze over before I let you stay here."
"I think Hell just froze over because I agree with the princess," Natsu said, crossing his arms. "I'll carry you out of here if I must."
Lucy shook off Gray's hands and took a step back. "I know Lyon wants to kill me to hurt you, Gray. That's why I need you to leave so that won't happen." She gabbed fistfuls of the fabric of her dress, clenching them in frustration. "It's you two who don't get it. I have to keep my promise! If Gray stays here, I can't do that."
"Promise?" Gray asked. "What promise?"
"I didn't escape from Lyon on my own. I had help," Lucy admitted. "She took my place as Lyon's sacrifice so I could rescue Gray. But once I made sure Gray was safe, I told her… I promised her I would come back and save her."
"Who did you make that promise to, Lucy?" Natsu asked, arching his brow.
"To Juvia Lockser," Lucy revealed.
"Juvia?" Gray gasped.
"She disguised herself as one of Lyon's men and was trying to find you Gray. Except, she decided to save me so that I might rescue you in her place," Lucy explained.
Natsu shook his head. "It sounds like a trap. Juvia could just be using you to get Gray to safety before turning around and letting Lyon kill you. After all, she did thr-"
Gray twisted his body and delivered a punch to Natsu's gut. Gray's sudden burst of violence made Lucy gasp in shock. Natsu was taken by surprise with Gray's first attack, but Lucy watched as he blocked Gray's second punch.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Natsu yelled, punching Gray in the face and grabbing him by the collar. Gray grabbed Natsu's collar as well, seething with rage.
"Don't you dare speak about Juvia like that!" he roared. "She's not twisted and heartless like that monster that has her now."
"Not twisted or heartless?" Natsu scoffed. "She pulled a knife on-"
"NATSU!" Lucy shouted, trying to stop him from finishing that sentence. She shook her head when his eyes met hers. He held her gaze, and Lucy hoped he could read the silent message she was sending to him. Don't finish that sentence. Don't tell Gray , she pleaded with him. Natsu narrowed his eyes, but after a moment, he gave a subtle nod, shoving Gray away from him.
"Do you trust her?" Natsu directed his question to Lucy.
"I do." Lucy nodded her head.
"Fine. I'll help you keep your promise to her then. But the second she turns on you, I'll stop her. Permanently, " Natsu threatened.
"You'll do no such thing," Gray argued. "I'll stop you before you can even touch her. And since you like promises, I'll promise you this. If you hurt Juvia, I'll bury you."
Lucy watched the tension grow between Natsu and Gray. They looked like they wanted to rip out each other's throats. And Gray…She was shocked by his reaction towards Juvia. She knew Juvia loved Gray, but Lucy didn't expect him to have any feelings for her that went deeper than friendship. However, his actions, his words, his protectiveness — Lucy was starting to doubt her initial assumption. What had developed between Gray and Juvia?
"Juvia wants you far away from Lyon, Gray," Lucy reminded him. "You need to leave."
"I'm sorry," Gray tore his gaze from Natsu to speak to her. "I wasn't going to leave you here with Lyon. And now, I have more than enough reason to stay here with you. I'm glad you're safe, and I can't tell you how much it means to me that you would risk your life to rescue me. You're my best friend, and I never wanted you involved in any of this. But now my past has even dragged Juvia into this mess," Gray's gaze shifted to the ceiling of the dungeon where, floors above, Juvia awaited Lucy's help. "I won't let Lyon take away anyone I care about. So no matter how much you beg me, I won't leave here. I won't leave here until I know she is safe."