Yay Chapter 3 is finally done. I apologize to all of you that have been waiting patiently for this update. Work has been hectic and most of my days off have been spent in relaxation. But I will try my best not to let so much time go by before my next update :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail
Porlyusica disliked people. They were loud, disgusting creatures and there was simply too many of them. She much rather stay in her home, in the forest annoyed on occasion by Makarov and his brood. And yet here she was in the middle of the day walking through a bustling Magnolia to the guild. Of course it wasn't entirely her fault this was happening. Though she had forgotten to tell that annoying drunk something important. But she- what was her name? Cana?- shouldn't have come seeking help from Porlyusica in the first place. Porlyusica snorted softly. If only Makarov knew what was going on right under his nose. How would he react knowing he was going to be a great-grandfather in nine short months?
Porlyusica stopped at the guild doors sighing disdainfully. She really didn't want to go in there. Sighing again she pushed open the doors in time to see a chair fly across the room. This was exactly why she hadn't wanted to come. She didn't see Makarov as she glanced around the chaotic room, which may have been a good thing seeing as she was here concerning something he didn't know about. She made her way to the bar where Mirajane was, the only person not fighting.
"Hello Porlyusica. What may I help you with?" she asked pleasantly, her face showing no hint of the surprise she must have be feeling.
"Cana Alberona. Where is she?"
"Cana?" Another voice sounded. Gildarts was still at the guild hall, finding the younger generation rather amusing.
"What do you want with my daughter?"
"At the moment I just want to know where she is."
"She left yesterday afternoon on a request." Mira stated. Porlyusica internally groaned. She had been afraid this was going to happen.
"Porlyusica?" Makarov had exited his office into the guild hall looking upset, although Porlyusica wasn't to blame.
"Master?" Mirajane looked inquiringly at the crumpled piece of paper in his fist.
"There was a big explosion at a mountain bandit base in the southern mountains. Half the mountain collapsed."
Mira's eyes widened and Gildarts choked on his beer.
"That's where Cana and the others are!"
"Yes, it seems some of my children decided to bury themselves under a mountain."
This time Porlyusica's groan was clearly audible.
~CA~
Cana shifted in her sleep, unhappy with how uncomfortable her bed was at the moment. Although the more she thought about it the more she couldn't remember having gone to bed at all. Wasn't she on a mission? Cana snapped her eyes open. She was lying on her back, on the ground of the large cavern she had fought the boss bandit in. Only now half the room seemed to have collapsed. Lucy was sitting nearby her eyes following Natsu and Happy who were looking at something on the other side of the room. Gray was no where to be seen.
"Lucy?" The blonde whipped her head around, eyes filled with worry.
"Cana you're awake!"
Cana sat up slowly confused as to why she felt so exhausted.
"What happened?"
"Um I'm not really sure. You were fighting the boss bandit when we came in. After you beat him you collapsed. Gray caught you but then you did something weird."
"Weird?"
"Yeah. You let off this powerful blast of magic. That's how the cavern collapsed. Gray went back to town to get some help. Though I'm surprised he could stand. You blasted him right into the wall."
Cana said nothing. What could she possibly say anyway? First with her cards now while unconscious. Something seemed to be wrong with her magic. Lucy watched her friend in silence.
"Oi why are you back so soon boxer boy?" Natsu shouted across the room. Lucy and Cana turned to see Gray walking out of the tunnels, alone and with his hands shoved in his pockets.
"We have a problem." He said after staring at Cana for a few seconds.
"Now what's wrong?" Lucy asked.
"That explosion did more then collapse this room. All the tunnels have collapsed too. I tried blasting my way out but that only made it worse. It's like the entire mountain came down around us."
Cana stared at him, her mouth slightly open in shock. Seriously who the hell did she piss off lately? First she gets pregnant by a man she doesn't love, then her magic is all off and because of it she buries her and her friends underneath a mountain. What the hell? Lucy and Natsu were just as speechless. If they couldn't blast their way out did that mean they were stuck?
"I… don't understand." Natsu said scratching his head.
"We're stuck in this room." Lucy said softly. She normally would have flown into a fit of panic and rage at this point but one look at Cana's face shut her up completely. Cana had paled visibly, her eyes were wide and her hands were shaking. She was panicking. Natsu was still frowning, trying to puzzle out their situation. The fact that confused him most was the fact that they couldn't blast their way out.
"Lucy are we going to die?" Happy asked solemnly.
"Don't be silly cat." She said pulling him into a hug. She was at such a loss of what to do. Cana, finally over her initial panic, began laughing.
"This is ridiculous." She said as tears formed at the corner of her eyes. Both hands were clenched against her abdomen.
"Not when I've finally decided to keep the little bugger." She mumbled. Her tears were falling faster.
"Cana what are you talking about?" Gray asked. He had heard the words that slipped from her mouth. Cana ignored him trying to wipe away the tears that wouldn't stop.
"Lucy what is she talking about?"
Lucy didn't look at him as she knelt next to Cana.
"Wouldn't know."
Gray gritted his teeth. Why were they keeping secrets?
"Does anyone hear that?" Natsu asked suddenly. He was squatting on the ground with his head cocked to one side.
"No one has hearing like you flame brain. I don't hear a thing."
"I don't hear –" Cana stopped mid-sentence. She suddenly felt a wave of magic coming from underneath her.
"Cana?" Lucy asked.
"I… feel something."
Lucy just looked at her questioningly.
"It's coming from below." Natsu reported. Then his eyes opened wide. Natsu opened his mouth again but before he could say anything the room was shaking.
"Earthquake?" Gray's voice was disbelieving.
"No! Someone blasted something beneath us." Natsu shouted. He was clutching Happy to his chest and he caught Lucy's arm as she stumbled to her feet.
"What a bunch of idiots!" Lucy shrieked as the floor collapsed beneath them. The caverns already weakened by Cana's magic couldn't take the magic blasts the bandits below were using in order to escape their mountain prison. The residents in the nearby village watched in horror as the entire mountain gave way and collapsed in on itself.
~CA~
Levy frowned as they entered the small village of Odessa. It wasn't the village itself or its residents that caused the wrinkle in her brow, rather she was once again contemplating the reasons Master Makarov could have had for putting together such a strange group. Along with her were Gajeel, Pantherlily, Wendy, Mira, Laxus, and Porlyusica. Porlyusica had insisted on coming though she wouldn't give the reason why. Gildarts had also wanted to come but Master had somehow convinced him to stay behind and sent Laxus instead. All in all it had been a very uncomfortable trip. Mira had fretted the entire trip and upon entering the village immediately ushered everyone into finding the mayor's home.
"Excuse me?" Mira said to a gardener tending the square's flowers, "Could you direct us to the Mayor's office?"
The old man looked over the group for a minute before responding.
"Are you from that guild? Fairy Tail?"
Mira nodded.
"Thank goodness you've finally made it. I'm the Mayor of Odessa and I'm afraid I have some bad news."
Levy bit her lip. This couldn't be good.
"I sent a message to your guild explaining how a portion of the mountain collapsed."
Mira nodded again.
"Yes that's why we're here. Were the villagers or village harmed?"
"Oh no. The mountain is too far. The bandits did more damage to us. I'm afraid that since I sent the message the rest of the mountain has collapsed. I'm sorry but I can't imagine anyone having survived that including your friends."
Silence fell over the group. Levy felt her heart sink to her toes. The worst thing that could have happened just did.
~CA~
Lucy stared around the tiny….space… her and her friends had fallen into. It was barely ten paces across. But if it hadn't been for Aries they would have been flatten in that tiny space.
"Thank you again Aries." She said to the celestial spirit.
"Gomenasai." The spirit murmured as she disappeared.
"Now what?" Cana asked. She was leaning against a pile of rocks feeling both physically and mentally drained.
"We sit and wait." Lucy said sitting.
"But-" Natsu began.
"No!" Lucy snapped, "We've already come close to dying too many times on this stupid mission. We wait that's it." Natsu frowned but sat down anyway. He didn't want to be on the receiving end of Lucy's anger. It was a scary place to be.
"Are you really expecting a miracle Luce?" Gray asked.
"Yes."
The other three sighed. She clearly would not be moved on this subject. Happy settled into Natsu's lap, closed his eyes and was soon asleep. He had no interest in having a staring contest as his four human friends were now doing as they stared at each other in the dim light from the lamp Aries had left.
"Cana." Gray said after a few moments.
"What?"
"Are you pregnant?"
"No." the response had been quick and automatic and it made Cana blink. Hadn't she said she was going to keep it? Why was she still denying it? Gray sighed.
"Don't lie to me Cana. I know you."
Cana glared at him. What the hell did he know?
"Why would you think Cana is pregnant Gray?" Lucy sounded nervous.
"Something she said earlier." Gray responded. He was studying the brunette next to him. Cana didn't say anything. What was there she could possibly say? She was keeping the baby so a lie here would get her no where.
"Yes Gray." She finally said, giving in, "You're right."
"Really?" Natsu asked. He was excited. He hadn't been around during Bisca's pregnancy. Lucy said nothing, merely looking at Cana uneasily.
"Who's the father?" Gray asked vehemently.
"None of your business." Cana snapped back.
"Luce who-"
"Don't ask me!"
An unsettled silence fell, broken only by Happy's gentle snores.
"Do you think anyone will find us?" Natsu suddenly asked.
"Who knows." Lucy responded dully. They had all momentarily forgotten the predicament they were in.
"If I tell you will you promise not to say anything? To anybody?"
"Cana but-" Lucy would have jumped up in alarm if she had any room to jump up in.
"Hush Lucy." Cana said. She was studying Gray's face her thoughts racing through her head. It hadn't been so bad telling Lucy and Lucy had been a big help so far. Gray was her best friend, had been since he had joined the guild. Why shouldn't she tell him?
"Tell me." Gray said after a minute pause.
"It's Laxus." Cana said softly.
~CA~
Levy watched as Gajeel turned another boulder to small rocks with a blow of his iron pillar. It was now nearly noon and the group had been clearing rubble all morning. After finding out that the mountain collapsed entirely they had decided to wait until the following day before trying to find their friends. It had been nearly dark by the time they heard the whole story and floundering in the dark would have helped no one. It had now been a two and a half days since Natsu's team got stuck.
"Do you think they're okay Levy-chan?" Wendy asked. The poor girl was trembling slightly, afraid that the removal of a rock would uncover the unmoving body of one of her nakama.
"Of course they are." Levy said cheerfully. She said it not only to ease Wendy's worries but her own as well.
"We're getting closer." Porlyusica said from behind them. Wendy looked at her, relief filling her features.
"I can sense a body at the very least." The older woman continued with a shrug. Wendy turned back to where Gajeel, Pantherlily, and Laxus were clearing rocks her hands clasped in front of her and a face filled with hope. Levy sighed.
"Is there really any chance of them surviving under all that?" The blunette said.
"Yes. And I can guarantee that Cana Alberona is alive under all that. The dragon too. I sense their magic." Porlyusica said in response. Levy allowed herself a small smile. If Natsu was okay then so was everyone else. He would never let anything happen to his teammates. Things were starting to look up after all.
"I think I hear someone." Gajeel called over.
~CA~
Natsu squirmed in his seat. The tension in their prison was making him uncomfortable. Gray had said nothing since Cana's confession. Cana herself just watched him waiting for some sort of reaction. Lucy had her head in her hands mumbling something about a headache.
"When are you due Cana?" Natsu asked curiously. Despite finding it odd that Laxus was the father Natsu couldn't help his curiosity or his excitement. People didn't have babies at the guild everyday after all.
"Nine months Natsu." She said with a small smile.
"How could you be happy about it?" Gray said angrily. Cana rolled her eyes.
"I'm not sure I am, but being happy is better then being angry."
Gray opened his mouth to retort but Natsu hushed him his head cocked to one side.
"I can hear something."
"Like what?" Lucy mumbled from her hands.
"GAJEEL!" Natsu roared completely ignoring Lucy's question and scaring all his friends.
"What in the world is going on?" Happy asked rudely woken from his nap with his hands clamped over his still ringing ears.
"We're gonna be saved." Natsu said grinning.
~CA~
"I hear Dragoneel." Gajeel stated.
"Yea so do I." Laxus muttered shaking his head slightly. He was surprised no one else had heard. Natsu had an unbelievably loud voice.
"Thank goodness." Mira said. She shifted into Satan Soul to help clear the rocks away, as Wendy and Levy helped moved smaller ones.
"Tell him we'll get them out in no time." Levy said.
"He probably heard you." The two dragons said in unison.
In a short twenty minutes they had uncovered a small tunnel where they could now all hear the voices of their trapped friends.
"Shut up Gray!" Levy frowned as Cana's voice came floating down the tunnel. What could they possibly be arguing about?
"But you know I'm right!"
"What the hell are they arguing about?" Gajeel asked from behind Levy. The blunette shrugged.
"Only one way to find out."
~CA~
"Would you just stop?" Cana hissed. This was not the right time to be arguing about her condition. Not when they were almost out of this hole.
"You're pregnant Cana! Did you not expect me to get angry?"
"You were fine two minutes ago. Couldn't you have snapped at some other time?"
"Why afraid someone might overhear?"
"I'm pretty sure they all know by now." Natsu said dryly. He had his ear pressed against a rock where he could hear Gajeel digging through to them. He could hear Levy and Wendy talking excitedly somewhere behind Gajeel, along with Mira and Lily and…
"Um Cana? Laxus is with them." Natsu whispered. Cana snapped her mouth shut immediately, Lucy groaned and Gray snorted. Happy looked from face to face realizing he missed something very important while he was sleeping.
"Just great." Cana mumbled.
~CA~
Gajeel paused unsure of whether to continue. Laxus stood next to him just as still with an unreadable expression on his face.
"Oi bookworm!" He called behind him.
"What Gajeel?" she called back clearly annoyed that he had stopped digging.
"Did you know the alcoholic was pregnant?"
"What?!" Mira shrieked, "Get them out of there this instant!"
Gajeel shrugged then looked up. Hopefully this wasn't going to crush anyone.
"Iron Dragon's Roar!"
~CA~
"Everybody down." Natsu said suddenly. Cana heard the panic in his voice and immediately flattened herself as best she could on the ground. She soon felt fresh air as the area above their heads disappeared in a blur of iron and rocks.
"I got them out." She heard Gajeel call out.
"And nearly took off our heads." Lucy grumbled as she stood.
Cana jumped to her feet and looked around. The only person she noticed as she squinted in the sunlight was Laxus standing quite close and staring at her with his head cocked. Cana gulped.
"Are you really pregnant?" he asked softly.
"Cana why didn't you tell me?!" Mira shouted from next to Porlyusica. The pink-haired woman was frowning at her, but Cana had never been so glad to see the healing mage. Laxus grabbed her arm as she scrambled over rocks nearly falling and taking him down with her.
"Easy."
Cana blushed as she gently pulled her arm from his grasp.
"I'm fine." She mumbled. She caught Gray glaring at her and immediately turned her head away. She'd deal with him some other time. She carefully made her way to Porlyusica's side ignoring the looks and stares she was getting from her friends. When standing next to the older woman she glanced at all them her gaze lingering on Laxus before dropping to the ground.
"Yes I'm pregnant." She stated lifting her eyes to Porlyusica she continued, "Now please take me home."
O.O They All Know! Poor Cana. Review and let me know how I'm doing :)