A/N: I declare that I hate fighting scenes. -.- This is why I'm not Mashima LOL. But then again, fighting scenes are one of my most favorite scenes in stories. Damn.
Chapter 5
Gray learned something about Anna after a few strikes. One; she is a holder type mage, just like Lucy. Two; the spear and her armlet aren't ordinary weapons. It seems like they are magical items a holder type mage used, that can immensely absorb a huge amount of magic. The spear can be turned into different shapes when it absorb a certain amount of it.
And the armlet.
That armlet on her left arm is probably the most troublesome thing they had to encounter. It was like her ultimate defense. It can absorb the enemy's magic and return the attack like a mirror. And since Gray's magic is basically the user type, it can almost reflect all of his. Gray groaned inwardly. This isn't going anywhere. Why did this type of troublesome weapon ever existed anyway?
"Tenryu no Houkou!" Wendy breathed a hurricane blast towards Anna. But Anna dashed daringly towards the attack, holding out her left arm as the armlet reflected back the attack.
"No way! Even the dragon slayer magic is also reflected!" Lucy commented.
"Wendy, dodge!" Gray desperately ran towards Wendy when he saw Anna's spear started to expand longer, shooting itself towards Wendy.
Gray shoot out an ice spear just in time when it almost hit Wendy, pushing Anna's spear out of the way. Anna's lifeless eyes shifted to Gray.
"Damn it," Gray cursed. It's getting harder for him to fight in this situation. "We have to win against her and get past that door."
"Even if you win, you won't be able to proceed," Anna said flatly.
"Oh? Why is so?" Gray smirked back.
"You just won't," she said. "Trust me. It won't be that easy for you."
Gray wanted to retort, but realizing that they did actually get lost before meeting Anna, Gray thought she's probably not bluffing. "What's with this labyrinth anyway?"
Anna shook her head. "This is no labyrinth. This is our guild."
"Is it coated with magic that make people lost or something?" Lucy interrupted.
"No," Anna answered.
"Who is your leader?" Lucy urged again.
Anna didn't answer this time. She turned her head, gazing into Lucy's brown orbs as she retreated her spear into its original form.
"She becomes quiet again," Gray squinted. What was wrong with this woman anyway? But that aside, they are at a disadvantage anyway. Gray and Wendy both are user type of mages. While Lucy, despite being a holder type mage, her spirits attacks are mostly magical energy too. Their best bet would be Sagittarius arrow, but then again, without proper chances, Anna might dodge it anyway. Gray groaned. If only Erza was with them.
"Wendy, can you hear me?" Gray whispered, a little too low just so Anna won't hear. Wendy nodded as a sign she did.
"We need to get rid of that troublesome armlet," Gray continued. "I have a plan."
"Karyu no Houkou!" Natsu's mouth shot out a massive amount of fire, only to be dodged by the black-haired guy. Natsu groaned in annoyance. They just haven't managed to hit the guy. "He's like a fly!"
It was then that Erza suddenly flew fast from behind Natsu, dashing at high speed towards the black haired guy as she gave multiple slashes to the target; "Sonic Claw!"
The guy was fast alright – he dodged almost successfully. But a part of the multiple slashes managed to hit the side of his face. Erza expected to see some drip of blood, but instead what she saw was a few crumbles falling down from his cheek. Erza's eyes widened.
"What the hell... What are you?" Erza demanded, staring at the guy's cheek. There was a slight crack on it instead of a wound.
"You are quite fast," the black haired guy gazed down to Erza's Flight Armor. "I heard it; the Titania."
Erza squinted at him. Oh? So he knows her. It looks like the Black Urchins wasn't really a secluded guild after all. Erza wanted to get on another attack, but she paused when she heard a thud behind her. Turning around, she registered the sight of Natsu's figure lying on the rocky floor, sweating profusely.
"Natsu! Are you alright?" she jumped back, getting closer to her nakama. Happy quickly flew by Natsu's side. Natsu was trying hard to breathe, as if all his moves before had exhausted him to the very end. Eyes closed, mouth opened in small pants, he could barely keep his consciousness.
"What did you do to him?" Erza growled towards the black haired guy.
He smirked, bringing up his fist with a few more needles sticking out between his fingers. Erza watched him for a few seconds before her eyes widened. Looking back at Natsu's bleeding leg, she gritted her teeth. "Was that poisoned?" she question.
The black haired guy shrugged, before throwing the needles between his fingers towards Erza. Erza quickly swept Natsu and Happy with her as she dodged the needles.
"You really have fast moves, Titania. Not everyone can get away from my Thousand Needles," he praised.
Erza wanted to retort, but then she felt Natsu wriggled away from her hold. "Natsu, don't move too much! The poison..."
"This is nothing!" Natsu stubbornly objected. "Do you seriously think this could bring me down?" he wanted to sound more assuring, but his vision wasn't really the best at that time. But then again, he's a dragon slayer. He didn't need to see to give a good fight.
Lighting his hand ablaze, Natsu closed his eyes, enhancing his ears and nose as he dashed towards the enemy. The black haired guy was already on his stance, ready to dodge Natsu's attack, but then Natsu jumped in a very fast speed using his healthy leg as he landed behind the guy. With their distance, it was already impossible for the guy to dodge the attack, but he smirked anyway. It gave chills down Erza's spine.
"Natsu, stop!" Erza screamed, noticing how the guy had extended the poison needles backward from his hands.
Natsu, aware of Erza's warning, tried to halt his feet, but it was almost too late, feeling his own body sliding almost too close with his enemy. Natsu could almost caught the glimpse of the fine needles protruding from the man's behind.
Then it happens. A splash appeared harshly from the ground, reflecting the needles away while bedding Natsu in a soft hold. Natsu fell back on his back, squirming a bit at his poisoned leg. The black haired man was pushed back a bit, glancing to the source of the power.
The splash of water swirling between Natsu and the black haired guy, slowly forming a solid blue haired girl with dark dress coat.
"Juvia?" Erza breathed. "What are you doing here?"
"Sorry," Juvia smiled apologetically. "Juvia came for an extra information."
Natsu sat up, wincing in pain as he felt the poison stinging deeper. "What extra information?"
Juvia turned to the black haired guy who had been staring at her. "Before that, it had been such a long time since Juvia saw you, Fern-san," she said, making the black haired guy stepped back.
"You know me?" he reflexively asked.
Juvia's eyes narrowed. "Or should Juvia rather say; Juvia didn't expect to see you again, Fern-san. Since you were dead anyway."
Erza's and Natsu's eyes widened at that. "What? He's dead?"
The guy addressed as Fern quickly clutched his needles in his stance. "Who are you?"
"Juvia, what do you mean he's dead?" Erza asked.
"When Erza-san and the others set for this mission, Master asked Juvia to confirm something from Jellal-san's documents. There was a few guild members that used to be in a dark guild before, but mostly were already exterminated. There was this one particular man that Master thought was dead," Juvia explained.
"And he is this guy?" Erza guessed to which Juvia nodded.
"He was supposed to be dead. And Juvia confirmed it with Gajeel-kun," Juvia said. "Because Gajeel-kun was the one who killed him."
Fern's questioning expression finally turned into a smirk. "Gajeel? Really?" he laughed. "Now I get it. You are the rain woman aren't you? I heard rumors that you and Gajeel had rot in that fairy guild. I never knew we would meet again."
"Very well said," Juvia frowned. "But Gajeel-kun had not rotten away. If anything, Gajeel-kun had gotten stronger."
"Bullshit!" Fern spat. "Just look at you. You look far weaker than you are before."
"You don't look strong yourself either," Erza interrupted. "Or shall I finish you off this time?"
"Before you even finish me off, how about you attend to your dear suffering friend?" Fern smirked, pointing towards the quiet Natsu lying on the ground.
"Natsu!" Erza quickly rushed to Natsu's side, but getting no immediate answer, she gritted her teeth, turning to Fern with a threatening glare. "Cure him! Now!"
Erza saw Fern snickering from his place, shaking his head playfully. "Too bad, I don't have the cure. Do I look like a doctor to you?"
With that answer, Erza dashed towards Fern with a speed Fern had never experienced before. Slashing her sword, though visibly once, Erza knew she had slashed him multiple times. Fern's eyes widened in shock. It was a speed he had never experienced before.
"Then I have no more time to play with you," Erza snarled.
Juvia had scooped Natsu onto her lap in the process, placing her palm on Natsu's cheek. It was cold. Juvia couldn't remember someone's skin to be so cold. She unconsciously gasped softly.
"Juvia, bring Natsu to Wendy," Erza commanded. "I'll take care of this guy."
Juvia looked up at the scarlet haired woman. "But going back up is impossible."
"Just get out of this guild. Gray, Wendy and Lucy are supposed to be around this floor anyway!"
"No, Gray-sama and the others are not around here at all," Juvia objected. "They're still at 7th floor."
"What?" Erza turned. "What are they doing up there after all this time?"
Juvia frowned, trying to explain the situation. "Gray-sama had made the mistake right when they entered the guild – they used Lucy-san's spirit to get underground. It is not a way to enter this confusing guild."
"What do you mean?"
Dodging the crash caused by the spear, Gray created ice blades on both his arms as he ran closer towards Anna. Anna had regained her composure after her attack, facing Gray with her spear ready in front of her. Her spear clashed head on with Gray's blade, forming a cross.
Lucy took that as a cue, fishing out her key as she summoned her spirit. "Open, gate of the giant crab; Cancer!"
"What?" Anna wanted to pull back, but Gray's blade had kept her spear in place.
Smirking, Gray shifted his blade to tilt her spear, trying to pull it away from her hand. Anna instinctively reached out to her spear with both her hands. Then Lucy picked up the chance, summoning Cancer to scissor the armlet away.
In a swift movement, Cancer cut away the clothing that enveloped the armlet, pushing it out of her arm as the instrument rolled over to a corner.
Anna stood frozen, realizing just what they had planned on her. "You were after the armlet from the start," she growled.
"Isn't it a little bit too late to realize that?" Gray smirked wider, his right hand shining as he created an ice bow with it, ready to shoot at her.
Anna squinted. "Arrow? Really? You're going to finish me with that?"
"Yes," Gray simply said.
"And you think I can't dodge that?" Anna said with her flat tone.
"You'll never know until you try."
With Gray's answer, Anna jumped back, trying to avoid the attack. Gray was about to chase after her, when he accidentally tripped on a rock, stumbling down a bit. Anna took that chance, pushing her spear forward in attempt to kill Gray.
"Too bad, young man. The goddess of war isn't smiling at you," Anna said, extending her spear fast towards Gray.
Now, Gray wasn't the type who believed in gods. He wouldn't trust the gods who put him and his nakamas in so much misery anyway. They could be gods themselves if they ever had to pick one. And among themselves, the one suitable as the goddess of war would definitely be Erza.
Gray smirked at that, letting his body fall towards the ground as he pulled his bow towards Anna. "Of course she isn't smiling at me," Gray said, letting the arrow go as he dodged the spear. "Because she had been by my side all along."
Anna's spear pierced down the ground, successfully immobilizing her when Gray's ice arrow shot towards her. Eyes widened, Anna quickly let go of her spear and jumped aside.
"Nice move," Anna praised. "But it's too early for you to predict victory."
Lucy and Wendy scooted further at that, clearing the way for Gray.
"That would be my line," Gray chuckled. "You can die with you weapon."
Anna frowned questioningly at that. Turning around, she saw Gray's arrow she had just dodged hit her armlet that rolled over to the corner. The arrow was absorbed immensely by her armlet, ready to reflect the arrow back at her.
Gritting her teeth, Anna desperately moved back, trying to dodge her own threat. She grabbed her spear that stuck long into the floor, chucked it sideways making Gray jumped a bit. She took the chance to kick the unstable Gray towards her weapon.
Her armlet shone bright, reflecting Gray's arrow fast, giving Gray no chance to dodge. As the arrow hit him, Anna smirked, loving the blood view.
"Gray!" Lucy's face paled together with Wendy. They didn't expect the turn of events.
Anna laughed, finally giving out a little expression. Turning to Lucy and Wendy she snickered. "Too bad, he was too full of himself. You can watch him tear into pieces."
Anna would have laugh more, if only she didn't recognized the gape on Lucy and Wendy's face. What? She quickly turned back to Gray. Was he not finished?
And that's when she saw Gray just right behind her, with a little blood trickled from his abdomen, his hands pulling another ice bow towards her. "Too bad, the one who is full of herself is you," and Gray released the arrow, directly into her chest.
At that short distance, the arrow penetrated her body. And Gray watched as he body cracked – not bled but cracked. Gray frowned as Anna fell down on the rocky floor, her chest bore a hole, cracking her whole body.
Approaching the lying body in front of him, Gray asked curiously; "What are you?"
"Anna!" Lucy crawled approaching the woman. "Are you okay?"
"Hold on, I'll heal you," Wendy tried to reach to her.
"Don't come near me!" Anna shouted, her body cracking further. "What are you guys doing? Trying to save an enemy? Besides, I can't be saved anymore. You guys better stay away."
Gray stared at her, her face also starting to crack. If situation permits, Gray would want to touch her. He wondered what she was made of. Was she not human?
Anna looked at Gray. "I thought you were dead. How did you-?"
"The first arrow wasn't a strong one," Gray interrupted her question. "I used a one-hand casting, which is fairly weaker than an ice-make with both hands. It reduced the damage into minimal."
Anna's eyes widened. "You mean you had planned to take the first arrow?"
"Yes," Gray nodded. "You have a very fast reflex. Even if you are unarmed, you can dodge attacks easily. It was an attempt to catch you off guard."
Anna chuckled weakly. "I see," she sighed. "It was a great fight. I never expected to have one after I died."
Lucy frowned at that. "What do you mean, Anna?"
"I am a puppet controlled by a demon," Anna said, answering their curiosity. "I was dead at some point, but was brought back to life to serve a dark guild. But if I die, I will be blown away."
"Blown away?"
"Yes," Anna said, smokes started to form from her cracking body. "You guys better get back."
"Which demon that brought you back to life?" Gray questioned.
Anna's lips moved, as if to answer Gray. But her voice didn't come out. Gray almost stepped closer to listen, but then Lucy had yanked him away a few meters. He would have ask Lucy why she did that, but he didn't get the chance to when he saw Anna's body exploded. Then the ground started shaking.
"Oh shit, is the guild crumbling?" Gray tried to balance himself.
"But the explosion isn't that huge," Wendy said reluctantly. She had a point though. Then why is the ground shaking?
A/N: Sorry for the late update. The fighting part really hold me back. My goodness, I never paid THAT much attention to Gray and Natsu before. (Most of my favorite Fairy Tail characters are women so yeah) Ugh, there's one more fighting chapter. Or wait. I might skip Erza's and Juvia's fight? Becoz I'm lazy it won't do anything to the plot. LOL XD. Am I busted? :P