*I do not own Fairy Tail. However since I'm doing this just for fun and not actually making any money off of this, I can go off on my own little adventures with the characters of Fairy Tail.*
A/N: Thank you to those reading and reviewing, and those who have favorited and are following the story line! Please continue to read and review as that is what helps keep me going to bring more adventure to your screen!
Chapter 5 Just Beyond The Veil
*Down in the Guildhall*
'Twelve hours. In fifteen minutes it will have been twelve hours since I gave flame for brains that damn ring. He should've been awake by now!' Gajeel mentally cursed, tapping his fingers against the table in agitation. He had stayed by Natsu for a bit after that little stunt, ignoring the odd looks he'd been given by Laxus, Wendy, Erza, and Gray. Dammit he was a happily straight, male, dragon slayer! He should NOT have been giving the annoying pipsqueak he begrudgingly considered a brother, a ring!
Huffing out an irritated breath, his eyes shifted to the blue haired fairy that sat across from him. As per usual her nose was buried in a book, learning something new or touching up on something that she had already found. Tilting his head ever so slightly, he couldn't help but smirk as he read the title along the spine. "Dragons, Dragon Slayers, and their Mates". Chuckling silently, Gajeel eyed Levy's fingers to get an idea as to how big they were, and with a smile reached into his pocket for the small blue gem he had found.
Closing his hand around the gem in a loose fist, he focused his magic in his hand, an image clear in his mind of what he was looking for. He knew he was going to claim her eventually but he wanted to make sure she got what she wanted as well. And that was, eventually, going to need to include a ring of her own. So with another impatient sigh, Gajeel continued focusing on his magic even as he watched Levy, waiting for Natsu to finally wake up.
The sudden roar from down the hall had everyone in the main hall jumping before Laxus and Gajeel scrambled to their feet, darting away to calm down a certain hot head. They didn't notice a certain worried blue cat who followed close behind them.
*In the Guildhall Infirmary*
He was in the infirmary. He knew that much from the feel of the bed under him and the smells around him. He even recognized the feel of the ring on his hand that had managed to make itself known even in his subconscious thoughts.
What he didn't understand was why the hell he couldn't move!
Low lighting pierced his eyes as they flew open, and Natsu looked around to confirm that yes he was in the guilds infirmary. Taking deeper breathes he was able to pick up the smell of others in the main guild hall, including those of bolts for brains and sparky. Fisting his hands, he tried to get up again, only to find that there was actually something holding him down.
Of course, being a dragon, and considering his still shaky mental state, being held down was not a good thing….at all.
The roar that escaped him had the rafters in the main hall shaking.
"Dammit Natsu! Calm down!" Laxus roared as he barreled into the infirmary, the door swinging open to crash against the wall. Gajeel was right on his heels thankfully so when the door bounced back it just barely missed smacking him in the face. Happy on the other hand….a yelp was heard as he was knocked back into the hallway beyond the door.
Any other time Gajeel might've tried to check on the blue cat, but right now he was more worried about the thrashing dragon slayer in front of him.
"LAXUS! YOU BETTER GET THESE FUCKING THINGS OFF IN THE NEXT TWO SECONDS OR SO HELP ME-"
"OKOK HOLD ON!" Laxus hollered racing over to rip away the magic sealing straps that were keeping him down. It wasn't surprising that Laxus took a few quick steps back when he was done to dodge the flame engulfed fist that flew at his head a bare moment later.
"WHY THE HELL WAS I STRAPPED DOWN?!"
An iron club came down and smacked Natsu over the head, dazing him for a moment, and the other two dragon slayers reveled in the silence while they could.
"Before you go and start screaming like a little girl again, you were strapped down because a week ago you lost control of your power and yourself. We had to knock you out fast before you demolished the hall, and possibly Magnolia. Then we had to strap you down because you kept thrashing and bursting into flame. We knew you couldn't control it, and the only way to keep everyone safe was to strap you down. Ok?" Laxus quickly explained, plopping down into one of the chairs next to the bed.
"And you've been out of it for a week. Happy got back a few days ago with the other exceeds and has been worried sick about you because you wouldn't wake up." Gajeel continued gruffly. He stood at the end of the bed, arms crossed over his chest. "We've been waiting for ya ta wake up to tell us what happened."
Before Natsu could say anything, the door to the infirmary swung open showing a concerned Wendy, Erza and Gray with Happy on Grays shoulder, and Lily and Charle walking ahead of them.
"Is everything ok? We heard the yelling downstairs." Erza asked as she stepped into the room, her sharp gaze taking in everything of the room at once. "I see you're finally awake Natsu, are you able to tell us what happened?"
"NATSUUUU!" Happy cried, leaping off of Gray's shoulder to fly over and tackle his best friend.
Smiling softly, Natsu wrapped his arms around the small blue exceed, patting his head. "Hey little buddy, you doing ok?"
"Y-yea I'm fine, but we've all been so worried! First we lost Lushie and then we almost lost you!" Happy blubbered, burying his face in Natsu's scarf.
"Nah, you didn't lose me. I'm not that easy to get rid of."
"Tom cat will you shush for a moment so Natsu can tell us what happened?" Charle huffed, crossing her arms. Wordlessly Wendy walked over to hold her glowing hands over him, checking for any possible injuries or other complications. Giving her a smile in thanks, Natsu turned back to the others.
"Honestly? I don't know. I remember telling you three to claim your mates, and then I walked outside. I sat on the steps for a bit, Loke came out to join me and then-" Natsu paused as pain lanced through him sharply at the memory, his inner dragon roaring in denial and anger. He didn't notice Wendy flinching back as the heat around him became more than she could handle and she stepped back quickly.
"Lucy." Natsu gasped, shoving Happy away from him as he doubled over in pain, his left hand clutching at his chest while the other fisted around the blankets in his lap. Gritting his teeth, he managed to explain through the pain lacing his voice; "Lucy was there. She came back. But it wasn't her. She took Loke. And then she said she was dead." Natsu snarled, body tensing as the pain exploded out from him. The others quickly dove for cover, just barely being missed by the wave of heat that swept over them, singing their clothing. After a few seconds they got back to their feet cautiously, struck dumb at the sight before them.
Before Natsu had looked to be in massive amounts of pain, and losing control of her powers once more. Now though….
Now he was calm and breathing deeply, looking at each of them apologetically. And he had an odd golden glow around him.
"I'm sorry for that. I'm still struggling with what the physical Lucy told me, and what the spirit Lucy told me." Natsu said with a shrug.
The silence that fell over the room was deafening as everyone but Gajeel looked at him like he really had gone insane. Hopping up on the bed, Lily walked up to Natsu to place a paw against a cheek to test for fever.
"Well, he doesn't feel hotter or colder than he normally does. What do you mean spirit Lucy Natsu?" Lily asked, stepping back to sit on the bed next to Happy who was watching and still in shock. When Natsu simply smiled further, they could only stare.
"She's not dead. Not in the way we thought. She came to me, when I was sleeping. She came and explained that Phantom's Fist had somehow shoved most of her conscious, her soul out of her body to put someone or something else in. She's still here, and she's still alive." Natsu explained, glancing down to run a finger over the engraved stars on the ring he swore to never take off again. "By the way, thanks for helping with this bolts for brains." Natsu smirked, throwing him a smug look.
Giving him a look in return, Gajeel simply shrugged. "I don't know how she managed to reach out to me, but she did and she demanded I make you that. I'm assuming that this is what's currently got you glowing like a matchstick?"
"Yea, it's acting as a lead or whatever you wanna call it to where she is as well. All while also helping keep my magic under control."
"Wait wait wait what the hell is going on?" Gray finally broke in, realizing that a good many people in that room were still in the dark as to what had happened.
Letting out a sigh, Natsu turned to him. "Lucy came to me apparently a week ago, claiming she was dead. I lost it because when a dragon loses their mate, they lose control of their magic and they go berserk. Apparently the tin can over here –"
"Hey!"
"-managed to knock me out and get me in here and strapped down. While I was passed out Lucy came to me, in my head, my dreams or whatever you wanna call it, to let me know she's alive in the spiritual sense. She doesn't know where she is, but knows that her body was basically stolen from her. I'm guessing at some point she somehow managed to get in touch with metal head and laced this with her magic before he gave it to me. That sounding about right so far?" Natsu trailed off, glancing at Gajeel. The grunt given was taken as a confirmation.
"Ok, if this is all true, then where the hell is she?" Laxus asked.
Rubbing a hand over the back of his head, Natsu took on a bit of a confused, sheepish look. "Ah..do you mean her physical or spiritual self?" He asked.
"How about both. We need answers Natsu." Erza stated sternly, glaring at her fellow teammate.
"Well, I won't know where her physical self is until I start following the lead that I planted on her. That's the easy one. Her spiritual self…well…that's going to be a bit harder." Natsu answered.
"What do you mean?" Wendy asked, finally stepping forward after everything she had heard.
"Her spiritual self is going to be harder to find and keep in touch with because she's…well…" Natsu sighed, once again running a finger over the ring now on his hand before looking up at the others.
"She's where we can't reach her right now. At least not consciously." He paused again, hesitant to tell them where she was for fear of how they'd all react.
"Where is she Natsu? Please we just want to bring Lucy home." Happy stated, looking up at his best friend with teary eyes.
Letting out a sigh, and lowering his gaze to the hands he now had fisted in his lap, he closed his eyes against the slight pain he knew he was going to feel.
"She's just beyond the veil."