Holy shit guys... I was for some reason surprised by the amount of support y'all are sending. Thank you very much for the kind words and support, it actually did help a little.

One thing: the previous chapter was pretty close to being a transcript of the filler episode "Lightning Man" (Hence the name). Just with a couple tweaks and additional dialogue. Like, I had the wiki page for the episode open while I wrote it to double check I got stuff right.

This next one is also pretty close to being a transcript with tweaks, except I straight up watched the episode and paused it to get the whole beginning altercation down. Not sure how well this and the rest of the little story arc will go, but it's a neccessary series of events to really solidify the relationship.

On a side note, please excuse the obvious "Previously on..." moment at the beginning, I didn't feel right just assuming everyone knew and remembered the exact events of the canon storyline.

Oh, and SPOILERS for if you haven't made it to the Tartaros arc yet.

Chapter 16: "War (or, "The Beginning of the Story Arc That Had Me Fucking Bawling Countless Times")

I grunted in annoyance, looking around. As much as I hate to admit my own weaknesses, my sense of direction is one of them. I heft up the paper bag of vegetables in my arm.

Blondie had gotten back from her mission a couple of days ago. I still can hardly believe the request came from one of the four gods of Ishgar… and Warrod for that matter! That guy was one of the original founders of Fairy Tail. I'm almost a little jealous - I'd like to meet the guy. Gramps always talked about how cool he was, after all.

But that was the least of my problems. The news was what had me feel on edge. I knew Lucy was safe at the guild with everyone else, but I still felt nervous. The entire magic council had been assassinated yesterday by the Dark Guild Tartaros – the last remaining dark guild in the Baram Alliance.

Me and my team were currently on a very simple, easy mission – we were helping out at Yajima's restaurant 8-island. I couldn't help but feel like something big was coming. There was a storm on the horizon and my instincts had me on edge. But Blondie insisted I go after Gramps asked me specifically. He was worried about his old friend, and wanted me to at least check up on him. She agreed with him and asked me and my team to also see if Yajima had any information on everything. She also was helping Levy do some research on something called E.N.D. – I think it has something to do with Zeref's demons. I wasn't much help with that so letting her do her things was probably best.

I wandered around. I'm not lost. I'm just not completely sure which way the restaurant is. I catch a whiff of something odd on the wind and I pause. I can't quite describe it – it somehow carried the scent of dark magic. Powerful dark magic. It wasn't quite the same as Zeref, but it was similar. I need to get back.

There was an explosion of some kind of massive cyclone in the distance, and my hearing picked up my team's screams. Shit.

Anger heats my blood and I dematerialize into lightning, firing off towards the commotion. I land just in time to interrupt a hooded figure attacking Yajima. I can already sense that this guy is not a run-of-the-mill mage. I could smell the dark power coming off of him – and his presence gave off a power only S-Class mages have. I release a powerful pulse of my lightning and the figure jumps back in surprise. "I may have gotten confused on my way back…" I growl. "But I ain't confused about killing you."

Evergreen coughs and I look around to see my team battered and on the ground. A growl rises in my chest. I keep my gaze locked on him. "Who the hell is this guy?" I ask levelly.

"He's with Tartaros! He's after Mr. Yajima!" she croaks out, arms shaking in effort to hold herself up. I turn to stare icily at the figure. The man straightens up and ripps apart his upper robe, revealing his face. I can't help but be taken aback by his odd visage – the only word to describe him is "beastly". My magic sparks off my body threateningly, and my fists tighten in preparation. This guy… is not human. The demonic foe mutters something that sounds like "whoosh", and razor sharp winds surround him. I let my lightning envelop me completely and shoot out of the way, rematerializing behind him and driving my foot into his back with a force that causes a shockwave of pressure. The beast shouts in surprise as he crashes to the ground in a crater. My lightning crackles aorund my fist and I get ready. It's not over yet.

The demon struggles to his feet, surprise written on his face. He rips the back of his claw across his face, wiping away the trickle of blood coming from his mouth. He looks at me with wide eyes – I would guess he wasn't expecting a power like mine. I scowled at him.

"You chose the wrong guy to mess with," I snarl. Before he can gather his bearings I launch, channeling my power into a vicious downward strike that crushes him into the ground, a massive bolt of lightning exploding downwards from the heavens and hitting his prone body. The ground crumbles beneath the sheer force of the combined attack, sinking a good seven feet into a crater. The atmosphere sparks with the residual electricity, dust slowly clearing away. I look down at the incapacitated beast with a disgusted look. I didn't even break a sweat, but I don't let down my guard. I'd imagine my swift victory had something to do with catching him off guard and him underestimating me. I turn to my battered but smiling team and the former councilman.

"Yajima. What should we do with this fucker?" I bark. The short man huffs and sits down cross legged.

"Well, he doesn't seem to be in any shape to do further damage," he starts. "I can't believe he had the nerve to destroy my restaurant," he grumbles. Bickslow pats him on the back reasurringly. Freed thumbs his chin thoughtfully.

"Perhaps we should bring him back to Fairy Tail to interrogate him?" he suggests, eyeing the unconscious man distrustingly. Evergreen smiles devilishly.

"I like that plan," she muses, a string of…sausages? In her hands. She snaps them like a whip, grinning evilly. Everyone ignores her.

"They're not just after current council members. They're going after former ones, too. I'm curious to know why," Freed says. Bickslow nods in agreement.

"Call me mistress!" Evergreen smirks, raising her makeshift whip in the air.

"Stop playing with the food!" Yajima scolds her.

"Fairy Tail, huh…" I look back down to the man at the sound of his voice, seeing his hand twitching. "I miscalculated. I never imagined there were humans capable of such power…" he continues, voice disturbingly calm and steady. "Such extensive damage…" he muses to himself. HE pauses. "I guess I better die for now."

I cock an eyebrow. "The fuck you talking about?" I growl. His gaze shoots to me.

"I'm saying, perhaps you picked the wrong guy to mess with, human," he says emotionlessly. Bright purple light erupts from his skin and suddenly, he's gone.

But there's a strange black smoke in the air. "He… blew up? The fuck?" Bickslow exclaimed.

"What is this black mist?" Freed asks fearfully. Said black mist swirls ominiously.

"You cannot defeat disaster," said the man's voice from nowhere. I look around frantically. "They're Bane particles." It continues. "They pollute the air and eradicate the ether-nano within." My instincts scream danger and I get a horrible feeling of dread in my stomach.

"A… zone of anti ether-magic?" Freed asks. He suddenly grips at his chest and begins coughing painfully. The others follow suit, their bodies being wracked with violent coughs.

"It also causes Magic Deficiency Syndrome and Bane sickness," the voice continues to explain. I clutch at my chest as pain begins to bloom. The others grab their throats, eyes wide in terror. They fall to their knees one by one. "In other words…" My throat begins to constrict. "It is a deadly illness for wizards."

Bickslow cries out, his voice gurgling as if he's choking on water. I see the others' eyes bulge and go bloodshot, faces twisting in pain and a look I seldom see on their faces – a true fear of death. My body cringes and contorts on its own, the wracking pain becoming the only thing I can feel. I claw aat my throat – I need air. I need air. I need air.

"The only downside is that I must return to headquarters in order to restore my body to normal," the voice continues in a passive, mildly irritated tone of voice, as if this whole thing is just a mild inconvenience. I cough, and the sight of the blood that comes out makes my head swim. I clench my teeth, trying to hold my breath to stop any more mist from getting into my body. I cast a glance at the others and fear wells up inside of me when I see them on their knees twitching, gasping for breath. The gurgling sounds they're making are bouncing around in my head until all I can hear and think about is their suffering. Fuck. I can't let them die. I won't let them die. "I'll see you dead people in the netherworld," the demon finishes.

"D-Don't inhale the mist!" Freed chokes out, hand clenching around his own mouth.

"Fuck we have to do…something…" Bickslow grunts. "If we don't… we're goners… and the town…" he trails off in a fit of coughing that has his body hunching over unnaturally. Yajima forces himself to his feet.

"You all have to… escape!" he desperately shouts around his hand, his bloodshot eyes wild. "you have…"he cuts off with a horrible retching sound and he falls forward to the ground, body sapped off strength. Ever screams and tries to reach for him, only to collapse herself with a terrified, pained whine. Bickslow goes down next, his mouth twisted in a terrified expression I've never seen him make. Freed crawls towards them.

"Ever! Bicks! Get… up! We have… to get… out…" he gasps, voice weakening with each word and each step until he, too, collapses. No. NO. I can feel their magic fading, I can hear their hearts slowing… Their lungs constricting desperately. No.

"No one's fucking dying, goddammit!" I growl, more to myself than anything. Freed reaches towards me.

"Lax-us… C-close your mouth! Don't… breathe…" he continues to try and speak, his voice choked with blood. I make my decision.

I'm so sorry Blondie. But I can't let everyone die.

I send the apology to the heavens, a single tear welling in the corner of my eye. My heart constricts at the thought of what I'm about to do, but I shake the feeling away. There's no time. I open my mouth wide and begin to inhale.

Dragonslayers have sort of… special lungs. I'll inhale all of this shit. I won't let any of it escape. I won't.

My body protests and my lungs burn with a level of pain I've never felt as more and more of the black mist is pulled from the air into my mouth. Freed looks at me in horrified realization.

"N..no… STOP! LAXUS!" he begs before his body crumples with another coughing fit. I stop inhaling for a moment and force my face into a cocky smirk.

"Just get everyone home safe," I say to him, hoping he can't see the fear in my eyes. I'm trusting you with this, Freed. You've never let me down before. I feel a strange magical pull and I feel… I feel a strange bubble of magic in my chest. It feels just like Lucy's magic.

I don't have time to figure this out. "Loke, Virgo, the weird horse-man guy…" I mutter under my breath, focusing on that bubble of magic. "If you can hear me… take care of Lucy for me."

I wrench my mouth open again, and try not to cry at the unbelievable levels of pain my body reaches with every passing second of inhaling the particles. My lungs feel like they've been sliced to ribbons by razors… my veins feel like my blood heated to a boil and burned my flesh from the inside out… my vision is fading… I can't see… My lungs give out just as the last of it is consumed and for a split second I feel nothing but triumph.

I did it.

My heartbeat stops… there's so much pain… I can't see anymore. My lungs won't work anymore. There's a sense of vertigo as I fall forward, and in my last moment before the darkness consumes me, I sense a burst of celestial magic and I catch a whiff of that stupid, pervy lion.

I'm so sorry Blondie.

Lucy POV

The worst sense of dread I have ever felt in my life hits me like a brick. A horrible anguish follows and I fall to my knees with a yelp, startling Levy and Gajeel. I feel a strange sensation of my magic pulling towards something outside of my body. I struggle to my feet, clenching my teeth against the sudden sensations. And I just know it's Laxus.

Fear grips my heart and turns my blood to ice, a cold sweat rushing over me. I shoot a hand to my keys and grip Loke's key with a shaky hand. I have no idea if this works, or if it's even possible but… Loke… Please go to Laxus.

I can feel a sense of urgency and confusion coming from my keys, but I sigh in relief when I feel the familiar twinge of Loke opening his own gate.

"LUCY! What's wrong?!"

I finally focus in on the pair of brown eyes in front of me and I can only stare at Levy. Gajeel's eyes are narrowed and I can sense Natsu coming up behind me. MY eyes water and I turn to look at him, finding a scared look on his face.

"L-Laxus is… in trouble…" I croak out, voice shaking. I start to hyperventilate and everything goes blurry. The world seems to tip on its side, my heart is beating too hard, my ears can't hear more than muffled sounds… Spots dance in my vision and my breathing refuses to slow, my lungs ejecting the small puffs of air I manage to take in. I hear Wendy's voice before I let myself slip into darkness.

[-iforgothowtolinebreaksorry-]

I awoke to sounds of urgency and I jumped to my feet. I sprinted to the main Hall to find a worried, sad crowd. Panic started to set in again but I felt myself pulled towards them and I forced my way through the crowd, and my world came crashing down.

Jet, Elfman, Loke and Virgo were carrying the Thunder Legion and Yajima between themselves. Porlyusica was shooing people out of the way and Wendy was running after everyone, her magic glowing brightly with each pass of her hands.

They weren't moving. The Thunder Legion was barely breathing, their skin sickly pale and eyes so sunken they looked bruised. There was dried blood around their mouths and bruises blossomed all over their bodies as If they all suffered some horrible internal trauma. But my eyes zeroed in on Loke, who was carrying a large hulking blonde. When I met his eyes, the helplessness in them told me everything I needed to know.

Laxus' body was completely limp. He was in the same, if not worse, condition as the others. I noiticed a distinct lack of magic coming from him and bile rose at the back of my throat. My fists clenched at my sides and I lost all sense of location. All that existed was me, Loke, and the seemingly dead man he was carrying. Anger, hurt, anguish… I could feel nothing but them. I can't even feel my own body. I vaguely hear some kind of horrible, heart-wrenching scream. Is… is that me?

I barely hear the distant screams of surprise surrounding me. I can't move my gaze from Laxus' lifeless body. My vision fades from the edges and I feel my consciousness splitting from my body.

Levy POV

The horrible, agonized scream coming from Lucy sent ice through my veins. I turned to look at her, reaching out in desperation to comfort my friend. But her visage had me stopping short.

He face was twisted in agony, but her eyes were radiating a brilliant light. Her tears cascaded down her face, almost sparkling in the light produced. Sparks danced across her skin ominously. Bolts of lightning arced off of her body dangerously, barely missing those surrounding her. I jump back just in time to dodge one that leaves a scorch mark on the floor.

Her agonized cries and sobs continue, the heartbreaking sound spreading sorrow to everyone who hears it. Those around her jump and stumble backwards out of the way of the lightning leaking form her pores. Gajeel's strong arms catch me as I lose my footing and I look up to see a pained expression on his face, his jaw clenched. It was fear – but not of lucy. It was a fear of the helplessness he felt, of what we all felt. It was a desperation to sooth her suffering but being unable to do so.

"LUCE!"

Natsu's wail draws my attention back to the scene of Lucy functioning as a lightning generator. Natsu was struggling his way closer to her, blocking each errant bolt of lightning that comes his way, despite the scorch marks each leaves behind. His eyes are wild, and tears run down his face. Each step is accompanied with a wince, but his face is set in a determined expression as he forces himself closer. An errant lightning bolt strikes the lights above, showering the room in sparks. I move to jump towards her, but Gajeel's iron grip on my arm holds me back. We can only watch in sadness as we place our hope on Natsu. A bolt shoots straight at me, but a blur appears in front of me to block it.

Erza had donned her Lightning Empress armor and was doing her best to contain the lightning, her wincing a testament to the strength of the bolts. Her face is determined, but her eyes betray her helplessness.

I know Laxus isn't dead – if he was, Lucy would be dead as well. It was a part that I wish I had made sure Laxus knew of, but it was too late now. The vision of her mate so completely incapacitated and hurt has triggered a meltdown of anguish few humans will ever experience naturally. Gajeel growls lowly in helplessness, sharp crimson eyes locked on Natsu's approach. More lightning arcs strike various things, more sparks showering the room and sending everyone stumbling back farther. I chance a look at Loke and my heart drops even more. Aside from Lucy, I've never seen a more helpless, heartbroken expression. He's still holding onto the lightning dragonslayer's limp body, his knuckles turning white as he resists running to his master.

Natsu finally makes it to her, and with a pained grunt that he tries to suppress he wraps his arms around her and holds her close. He's whispering desperately, eyes blurred with tears. We watch with bated breath.

Finally, finally… the lightning begins to recede. The two mages in the center of the storm slowly fall to their knees, Natsu cradling the sobbing blonde. Her heart wrenching sobs slowly quiet, the pink haired slayer holding her tight. She appears to lose consciousness, and I rush to their side, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. Loke starts to make his way to her but Erza stops him.

"You take care of Laxus, Loke," she murmers, her face trying its hardest to hold its composure. The lion spirit's face is a hopeless expression, but he nods. The guild disperses into groups – taking the injured Thunder Legion and Yajima to the infirmary, Porlyusica following with a shaken look on her face. Natsu slumps a little and Gajeel kneels down next to him. The two share a wordless communication and Natsu hands Lucy over to Gajeel with a grimace, who hoists her up in his arms. Natsu grimaces again and clutches his forearm, offering a sad smile to a worrying Lisanna who was reassuringly stroking his back. She and Wendy help him to his feet and carry him to a chair, where Wendy begins to heal the surface electricity burns on his arms. Me and Gajeel carry Lucy to the infirmary with the others, Loke coming out to take her himself as we near.

With the unconscious set up in the infirmary under Porlyusica's care and Natsu freshly healed, we can only look at each other in despair. Master shook with fury and anguish – we all did. No one had much to say, we could only sit and try to absorb what had just happened. With every passing moment the shock was wearing off – leaving nothing but a burning fury in all of us. But one thing was at the front of all of our minds – Fairy Tail was going to war.

We will get justice.

Yea fuck Tartaros. They're total dicks, amirite?

I couldn't help but keep Natsu being super protective over lucy. (A good visual scene to imagine is similar to the third X-Men movie, the one before the weird but appreciated time travel reboot. Think of the part where [spoiler] wolverine is trying to get close to jean and she's like shooting off all this death and fire pulse and super intense.) The way I view their relationship in this AU, Lucy is probably the second or third most important person to Natsu, and while if he had to choose between her life and Lisanna's, he would pick Lisanna, but it would absolutely kill him. I also see Gajeel as also being super protective over her, not only due to her actually being one of his friends (not that he'd admit it) but also since she was one of the few to accept him at first after he joined. All the scary slayers are just big marshmallows, after all.

Keep them reviews coming, they make me feel better about myself and I just love validation. GIVE ME ATTENTION.