Hello Everyone!
Yes I'm back. Sorry for the long wait I've been busy with school so my stories kept getting pushed back. I just finished this chapter so I hope you all enjoy!
~wolvesfinalden
Fairy Tail: By Your Side
Chapter 16: Save the Exceeds and Mistogen's Role
Duke and Lucy were tracking on where to go in order to get the others out of the lacrima. Duke made his way through the crowd so that he could get some kind of information out of the guards up ahead. Though he knew Lucy wouldn't understand until he pulled away from her far enough. Once he did Lucy caught on and stayed farther back. He managed to get close enough to hear what the guards were talking about.
"Do you think that this will really replenish our magic supply?" one said.
"Yeah that's what the king said. I suppose it must have some powerful magic trapped within it to replenish our land."
The wolf softly growled at his words. They were planning on destroying their guild, their family for their own personal gain. Duke activated his magic allowing Lucy to hear and see everything he did. Once he got what he needed he ran back towards her and the two left to find Natsu and the others.
Edolas Duke stood with his Natsu and Lucy as they looked at their guild mates. Some were beyond happy to see Duke alive and well, others were unsure about him fearing that they had corrupted the wolf and he was sent to spy on them. Lucy immediately yelled at those who believed that and challenged anyone who still believed so. This however was not what had bothered Duke, he could sense something coming and feared what it could mean for the guild.
"We must keep moving if we are to keep from getting caught. I don't like what I'm sensing." Duke told his Lucy.
"Right I'll get them moving, you go ahead and check it out for the time being. Just be careful." Lucy warned him.
"I always am." Duke said with a smirk.
The wolf then took off in the other direction. Once he was far enough away from the guild, he closed his eyes and showed his jet black wings. His red eyes opened and looked towards what he believed to be the home of the exceeds.
"I just hope I'm wrong about all of this."
He then took off towards the home of the cats.
Natsu and Happy were in the middle of town scouting out for a way they could free their guild. However they were failing at that task miserably, Natsu had a couple of ideas but he had to think what the outcome would be and he didn't like any of them so far.
"Natsu how are we going to free them? No matter what we come up with, it could backfire easily." Happy said sadly.
"We'll find a way. I'm sure that Lucy and Duke must have found something by now."
Natsu sniffed the air and froze when a familiar scent hit his nose. He looked forward and saw a cloaked figure coming towards them.
"Natsu it's good to see you." It spoke.
"I could say the same if we ever talked. Mistogen correct?" Natsu said.
"Yes, at least that's who I became."
Natsu didn't speak as Mistogen's scent hit his nose again he picked up exactly who it reminded him of.
"Jellal."
"Yes but not the Jellal you know I'm afraid. I'm the Jellal of this world."
"I see so that's how you came here."
"More so I do have something for you."
Jellal then held out his hand and Natsu held out his to take what he was giving him. When it fell into his hand Natsu looked at him confused.
"This is what I gave to Duke and Lucy before they made it to Edolas. This will allow you to use your magic in this world."
"So that's why they were able to use their magic."
Natsu then took it without further questions. He then looked over to Jellal.
"Thank you but why should this matter to you. After all if you're from here why do you care what happens to us?" Natsu asked him.
"The answer is actually pretty simple. I simply need you all to defeat the kingdom itself."
Natsu stared at Jellal not accepting what he had just said. Normally he wouldn't care but this was affecting all of them so he had to know more.
"Once the kingdom falls Edolas has a chance to recover and become what it used to be. I care because I am actually the hair to the throne. Though I can never be their king anymore. The people will have lost trust in the kingdom entirely, why would they trust the prince that had disappeared and let them fall?"
"You're wrong Jellal."
Jellal looked in shock at Natsu.
"It is the kingdom now that they have lost trust in and who they are fighting against. They'll need someone to be there that is able to put Edolas back together. And if they don't trust you, we'll just have to fix that for you, won't we?"
Natsu then smiled at Jellal.
"Thank you Natsu Dragneel."
Edolas Duke reached the exceeds only to find all of them trembling in fear. At first the wolf believed it may have been him but then realized that none of them were even looking his way. The wolf then looked ahead and saw that their world was actually falling apart. Duke growled and began to speak to them.
"All of you need to evacuate now!" Duke yelled.
All of the cats turned to him and widened their eyes.
"Why should we listen to you?! Our queen will save us!" one of them yelled.
Soon all of the cats were yelling in agreement and refused to leave, believing their queen will save them.
"Fools! Your queen can't stop your home from falling apart! I'm sure she'll say the exact same thing I have, no get your tails in gear and move out!" the wolf growled.
Duke became angry when again the cats refused to leave, not even making an attempt to save themselves.
'This isn't good. If they don't listen and hurry and save themselves they'll fall with their home.'
Duke ran in a dead sprint with Lucy riding on his back, the two were now looking for Natsu. Along the way Lucy was trying to come up with a way they could free the guild but nothing would come across her mind. The very last thought she had was that they had to defeat the kingdom and then the spell would simply disappear with whoever had created it.
"This isn't good Duke we need to get to Natsu and work quickly to save the guild, if we don't we might lose them all."
Duke looked back to his human, he knew he could easily speak to her with words that would only comfort her but he decided against it. It wasn't the time to surprise her with this. For now he'd just have to play along.
"Wait Duke I think that's Natsu up ahead." Lucy said.
Duke looked up ahead to see the dragon slayer and Happy was there with him. Though what surprised him was that the Jellal of this world was there with them.
"Natsu!" Lucy yelled out.
Natsu looked up to see Lucy and Duke running their way. When the two reached them Lucy got off of Duke.
"Were you able to find anything out?" Natsu asked her.
"All that we heard was that they are planning to use the guild's magic to supply their world for a year." Lucy told him.
"Great, when do they plan on doing that?"
"As soon as possible which means we have to work quickly."
Natsu then caught Lucy up with the Edolas Jellal and what was going on.
"Alright makes sense. Though now we'll have to focus on the guild and freeing them, the only way I thought to free them was defeating the kingdom but that could take too long." Lucy said.
"No you might be right Lucy, if anyone did this it would be the king. We defeat the king we free the guild." Jellal said.
Duke then looked up to the sky and noticed something was falling apart. Happy noticed and saw this as well. Before the two could alert the others two voices were calling out to them.
"Natsu! Lucy!"
The group turned to see Wendy and Carla running towards them.
"Good you two caught up." Natsu said.
"Yeah good thing too, Carla said that their home was falling apart look up there." Wendy said.
The group looked to the land that was crumbling above. Duke was about to pay no mind until he heard howling coming from the place.
"Did you hear that?" Lucy asked.
"That sounded like the other Duke." Natsu said.
"Happy we have to go!" Carla said.
"I'm going with you." Wendy said.
The exceeds nodded, Happy flew up ahead and Carla grabbed Wendy and quickly followed after him. Duke stared at them as they flew, something was wrong if his other self was up there something more is happening. He looked to Lucy who was staring up there herself with worry written all over her face. Natsu looked the same but turned to Edolas Jellal.
"We should get moving ourselves, I'm sure they can handle whatever is going on." Natsu said.
"You're probably right but something is still bothering me." Lucy said.
Duke began growling as the wind picked up and he heard his other self once again. Now was the time to act.
"Lucy. We must go after them." Duke spoke.
Lucy stared in shock at Duke when he spoke, along with the dragon slayer.
"Duke when could you talk?" Lucy asked still in shock.
"I'll explain later but we have to act now." Duke said.
The wolf then closed his eyes and a flash of light appeared on his back. When the light faded his white angel-like wings appeared. He opened his eyes and motioned for Lucy to get on. Lucy obeyed and ran over to her wolf and got onto his back.
"Natsu we'll leave the guild to you and Jellal. Be quick about it, we've wasted enough time as it is. Target the king and from there you should be able to free the rest of the guild." Duke instructed.
Duke then took off at full speed towards the floating world above, leaving Jellal and Natsu to themselves.
"Well you heard him let's get moving." Natsu said.
The two then made their way back towards the castle.
Duke and Lucy raced towards the home of the exceeds, once they landed they were face to face with Edolas Duke. He was glaring at Duke and Lucy as they landed.
"About time you got here." The other wolf growled.
"And here I thought you'd be grateful brother." Duke replied.
Edolas Duke smiled when he heard Duke finally speak.
"Took my advice I see, about time. Your bond was strong enough when I met you, I'm surprised that you hadn't yet."
"It simply wasn't the right time. Besides there was nothing important to say at that point." Duke told him.
The red-eyed wolf simply nodded in agreement. He then looked back to the exceeds who were face to face with their queen. Happy stood by Carla and Wendy, listening to the queen's words.
"I'm not the queen you thought I was. I cannot save you from this, you need to act on your own accord and save yourselves. Please." The queen begged.
Most of them were in shock but then disregarded what their queen said, still believing that she would still save them. Duke and Edolas Duke growled at this, how could they be so blind to the truth? Finally the queen showed them that she truly wasn't who she said she was. She revealed that she only had one wing instead of two and she could not fly. They saw her as a queen only because of her vision power, other than that she was exactly like the rest of them.
Duke looked over at Carla, it was obvious now this queen of theirs was her mother. They looked too much alike and now she said she had the same power that Carla herself had. The small white cat walked over to her with tears in her eyes. Asking why she sent her away. The answer she got was simply that she was trying to save the younger generation from this world.
"You all have your answer! Now get your tails in gear and evacuate now!" Edolas Duke nearly growled as he shouted at them.
They all trembled in fear of the wolf with the blood red eyes, fearing to move. Duke shook his head and left Lucy's side and approached them.
"He's right we all need to leave. We've wasted enough time as it is already." Duke told them.
This seemed to calm the cats and they began to nod. The exceeds all began to fly off, the queen was carried by the guards that came with her. Duke took Lucy on his back and waited for his other self. Both wolves summoned their wings and looked back to Happy, Carla, and Wendy. Duke stared at Happy and called over to him.
"Happy get out of here and get to Natsu!"
Happy looked up in surprise but before he could ask a question, Duke stared again.
"Not the time Happy. Hurry up and get to Natsu."
The blue cat nodded and flew off towards Natsu. Carla quickly took Wendy and flew off with her while the wolves with Lucy, followed after them.
Natsu and Jellal made it into the castle and were going after the king. Natsu ran up ahead and ran into Gray and Erza along the way. The group made it to the kings thrown room and Natsu challenged him, however the king simply smirked and sent his attack force after them.
"Natsu we'll take care of them you go ahead and go after the king." Erza told him.
"I'll follow him, I should be the one to bring him down." Jellal said.
Erza simply agreed and let the two go after him. They approached and Natsu went in first and attacked. Jellal followed close behind attacking after Natsu jumped back. Natsu watched Jellal fight and went to go after but paused. Jellal was right, Natsu hated to admit it but this fight was not his, it was Jellal's. Natsu stayed back waiting for an opening to attack to help Jellal out but the battle drug on without an opening in sight.
"Natsu!" a small voice yelled.
Natsu looked back to find his cat flying towards him. He smiled when he saw him but saw that no one else was with him.
"Happy, where's the others?" he asked him.
"Duke sent me back to find you. Did you know he can talk?!"
The dragon slayer chuckled, this was going to take some time to get used to.
"Yeah I spoke before he followed after you. Where are they?"
"They were evacuating the other exceeds from home. Their world is falling apart, last I saw they were all flying off." Happy said.
"That's strange, Duke and Lucy would have followed after you then right?"
"That's what I thought but I didn't see them follow me, not even Wendy and Carla."
Natsu froze, something else was wrong. Duke and Lucy would have flown here after Happy instead of waiting.
'Did something happen?' Natsu thought.
Duke and Lucy along with Edolas Duke looked up to the sky and saw something falling at top speed. It was going towards Edolas below and if it hit who knows if anyone would survive.
"We must stop that from falling!" Edolas Duke yelled.
Lucy took a closer look at the object and gasped when she realized what it was.
"Duke that's the guild!" Lucy shouted.
Duke's eyes widened, if they let it hit their guild would be gone forever along with everyone frozen inside.
"This makes things difficult." Edolas Duke spoke.
Duke growled thinking on what to do. They would have been free if the others had taken down the king. They would just have to buy them some time.
"Brother! We must hold it off from hitting the ground. Once they defeat the king the spell will break. We just need to hold it off until then." Duke spoke.
"How do purpose we do that? Two of us can't hold that off." Edolas Duke said.
"The exceeds. If they all help us then we should be able to hold it off until then." Lucy said.
Edolas Duke nodded.
"I'll take this side, you take up the opposite. We'll meet here, they couldn't have gotten too far."
"Roger." Duke said
Edolas Duke took off leaving Lucy and Duke to themselves.
"You with me Lucy?" Duke asked.
"Always."
There you guys have it! Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long. Thank you for reading and don't forget to follow or fav the story if you haven't yet. I'll see you all later!
~wolvesfinalden
