It was dark by the time the carriage reached Magnolia. The driver tipped his hat, "This is as far as I go Miss." Blue paid the man and ran as fast as she could towards the guild; despite it being late someone had to be there. She used her magic to boost her speed as well. Luckily there was no one else on the streets for her to go around, or so she thought.
"Watch out Levy!" Jet exclaimed and pulled her from Blue's path. Blue crashed right into Droy.
With Blue groaning on the ground, Droy exclaimed, "What the hell man?"
Jet smiled and said, "Sorry but if you had to pick between me and Levy-."
"Alright I get it." Droy shrugged and helped Blue up. "You alright Blue?"
She nodded and then shook her head, "No! It's Lucy, she's in danger! We have to warn her!"
Levy's eyes widened, "What do you mean, what happened?"
Blue replied, "Lucy is the daughter of a bazillionare! Her full name is Lucy Heartfilia and her father is offering money to guilds to kidnap her and bring her back, look!" She held out the job request.
Jet was the first to react, "This- you don't think this is why Phantom Lord attacked the guildhall?"
Levy bit her lip and shrugged. Blue widened her light blue eyes and said, "What happened to the guildhall?!"
Droy sighed and shook his head, "Last night after everyone left, Phantom Lord destroyed everything." He grabbed the paper out of Levy's hand and exclaimed, "Those bastards have always been looking for a fight with us, now they have a chance. We gotta warn Lucy, they'll be after her next!"
A chilling unknown voice cut into the conversation, "Well, can't have that can we?"
Blue and Jet were out first, taking the majority of the Metal-dragon slayers hit. Levy and Droy were out after being thrown against the wall. Before Levy succumbed to the darkness she saw the enemies hulking figure above her, and she felt scared. "Lucy…" Her friend's face passed through her mind. "Be careful!"
Erza, Natsu, Gray and Lucy walked through a crowd of people standing around the biggest tree in Magnolia's southgate park. When they reached what everyone was staring at the team gasped in horror.
The unconscious bodies of Jet, Droy, Levy and Blue were bolted to the tree. Their skin was bruised and beaten, clothing ripped, and hair disheveled. There was a crude painting of the Phantom Lord's guild symbol on Levy's stomach as well as a message on Blue's legs.
'Gotcha Fairy Flies'
"Oh no…" Lucy whispered with her hands over her mouth. Her brown eyes brimmed with tears.
Gray's eyed locked onto his younger sister's beaten body, he could feel himself getting angrier by the second. Natsu took one look at his injured guildmates and seethed with rage, "Phantom Lord did this!"
Though grief-stricken, Erza remained calm. Someone had to in a situation like this, "Master." She whispered pitifully.
Master Makarov made his way to the scene next. He held his head down until reaching the tree, looking up he stared at his magical children and spoke harshly, "I can our headquarters being reduced to rubble. But I will not let harm come to my children without taking revenge!" He crushed his staff in his hand. "We have no choice but to go to war."
Gray refused to leave the hospital until he was sure that Blue was going to be okay. He and Lucy sat in their hospital room in almost silent anticipation.
Finally a nurse came back and gave them the news.
"All four are suffering from pretty bad concussions; it may be a while until they wake up. Jet has a broken leg and two broken ribs a long with severe bruising. Blue has four broken ribs and was suffering from internal bleeding. We've stabilized her for now but when she wakes she should take it easy to not irritate anything else. Her muscles are also badly bruised, Droy has broken his arm and collar bone but did not get hit as much as the first two." She flipped through her chart and said, "Finally Levy has two broken ribs and had to get 8 stitches in her leg for the stab wound. Her muscular bruising is also light."
"But- they'll all be okay?" Lucy asked.
The nurse nodded and smiled kindly, "Of course, with the appropriate amount of rest and care they will recover within the next month."
Lucy thanked the nurse and sat back down in her chair. Gray had yet to sit down; he stared at his unconscious sister with regret.
"Gray, she'll be alright." Lucy reminded him softly.
Gray nodded and said just as softly, "I know. But, it could've been worse...I need to be better. I need to be a better brother."
Lucy frowned, "Can I ask…what happened to you two?"
"You can ask but I don't promise an answer." He replied quietly.
Lucy grimaced and said, "I know it's none of my business."
The eighteen year old sighed and shrugged, "After Deliora killed our parents I became really cold to Blue. She was everything I missed about Mom and Dad. She even looked like both of them at times, more than I do in fact. While I became moody and obsessed with revenge she became kinder and gentler. I hated her for that. The more I tried to push her away, the harder she'd latch onto me. She never gave up, after she failed at ice-make magic, after Ur Died, and after we split from Lyon. Blue was always there for me, and I was never there for her in return."
Lucy listened to him and nodded, "When did things change?"
Gray chuckled, "Surprisingly it was Laxus."
"Do it again." 19 year old Laxus ordered.
Gray watched from afar, his sister went over forms like no tomorrow. She had somehow convinced the master's grandson to teach her lightning elemental magic which she was picking up fast than he thought was even possible. He thought she wasn't able to do magic.
"Now I want to see your charge. Through your whole body this time." Laxus noted.
"But I couldn't even keep it in my arm last time." She argued.
"Just do it, Brat." He rolled his eyes.
She performed adequately and held the charge for 10 seconds before shocking herself. Grimacing she apologized and promised to practice more.
"You don't need more practice- you got the forms down pact. Having experience in ice-magic must've helped." He said matter-of-factly. "What you need is stamina training."
Gray stepped out and said, "What she needs to do is give up, she wasn't meant for this."
Blue didn't meet her brother's eye but replied quietly, "I can do this."
"Yeah right." Gray sneered.
"What is your deal punk?" The lightning dragon slayer asked, "Why are you so mean to her?"
Gray scoffed and said, "I don't have to answer you."
Laxus raised his brows and crossed his arms, electricity crackled around him as he said, "You sure about that kid?"
The 14 year old ice-mage shuddered and said, "She's pathetic! Always sucking up to me and following me around. It's like she's too dumb to realize that I don't even want her around!"
Blue swallowed the insults with a sad smile but Laxus wasn't having it.
"I think you're the dumb one kid." He said and slammed his fist into Gray's head.
"Ouch what the hell was the for!?" He exclaimed.
Laxus grabbed him and looked him in the eyes, "For being so dumb to think she has stayed by your side because she wants to."
"Laxus!" Blue exclaimed. "Don't! You don't have to do this for me."
"Get over yourself, I'm telling him cuz' I wanna see his face when he realizes just how dumb he is." He snapped. "Blue has catered to your every whim and tailed you since your parent's death because it was your mother's dying wish!"
Gray's blue eyes widened and he shook his head, "Wha- no, why would she-?"
Laxus cut him off, "Because she's your sister you idiot. She promised your mother that she would do everything in her power to keep your family together, no matter how small it became. She's done all of this to keep her promise and what is her reward? To be treated like garbage to said family. You say she's pathetic but really, you're the pathetic one."
Laxus tossed Gray back to the ground, below his sister's feet.
"B-Blue?" He asked quietly. Tears gathered in his eyes. "I'm-I'm-."
The small twelve year old wrapped her arms around her brother, "I know. It's okay."
For the first time since his master's death gray allowed himself to cry, he promised himself he'd be better. He promised himself that no matter how long it took, or what he'd have to do he'd make it up to her. He would, because he promised.
Lucy listened to the story and awed at Blue's strength. To endure that kind of torment for years, she was surely something. Then again, Fairy Tail was full of impressive wizards.
When Blue woke up it was midday and she was alone in a hospital room. There were three empty beds and a table of flowers and balloons.
"What? Where- What happened? I'm in the hospital…"
Blue recalled the events prior to being attacked. "Lucy! Levy! Jet and Droy!"
She yanked on the tube attached to her arm, making the machine next her beep erratically. A nurse rushed into the room followed by two more.
"Blue Fullbuster, please calm down!"
"You're going to hurt yourself Miss!"
Blue exclaimed, "But my friends! The guild!"
"They're safe."
Blue stopped struggling and stared at the girl in the doorway.
"Lucy, you're okay!"
Lucy smiled and said, "I heard you tried to warn me, I'm sorry you were hurt because of me."
Blue blinked and said, "Oh this?" She pointed to her bandages. "These are nothing, I'll be back in the guild tomorrow."
Lucy grinned and sat down next to her bed, "Oh about that. Funny story haha…"
Lucy then explained what had happened within the past couple days.
"Wow…"
"Yeah…" Lucy nodded, "We're still working on rebuilding the guild and the wizard council has finally stopped questioning us."
"Sounds like a wild ride." Blue said softly. A sort of melancholic feeling washed over her and she smiled wistfully. "Are you doing alright?"
The blonde smiled and nodded, "Actually I'm feeling better than ever, Fairy Tail really is the best family I could ever have!"
"Aye!" Blue grinned.