I'm back!
Sorry for making you wait longer this time. This chapter will be a little different from the others, but I promise to keep focus on the genre... somehow.
I'd like to thank once again Emil for the correction of some mistakes in my last chapter. What would I do without you bro? xD
And off we go to the next chapter.
Chapter 5: Friday
"Lucy... Lucy!"A familiar voice echoed in Lucy's mind.
"Where am I?" Lucy laid on a completely white room with no doors nor windows.
"Loke? What are we doing here?"The spirit seemed to be worried and in a hurry.
"I don't have time to explain anything now Lucy... I need your help." Loke's figure started to fade.
"Loke! No, no!"
The white room disappeared as Lucy desperately woke up gasping for air. It took her some time to recover her breath. Once again the mage found herself in an unknown place.
"My head hurts, what happened? Where am I?" Lucy found herself in a river with calming water flowing past her body. Around her, some small trees and strange looking animals.
"The celestial realm." Loke's voice came breaking Lucy's trance.
"Loke? That dream... What was it?" The blonde asked while rising to her feet. "I was at Gray's house when I went to sleep." Loke waited patiently, but kept the concerned look.
"We need your help. The celestial realm is in great danger." Loke finally explained. Lucy frowned at Leo's last statements.
"I'm through with this kind of joke Loke, this isn't funny." Lucy stood directing her glare at her companion.
"Unfortunately, this time it's not a joke..." Said the spirit while gazing sternly at the girl in front of him.
"But... If you really want help from Fairy Tail, why didn't you pick the strongest mages? I'm not as strong as them" Before Lucy could finish her sentence, a warping hole appeared in thin air, and from it came none other than Natsu.
"Wahhh!" The dragon slayer landed hardly on the floor. "I did as you asked, Leo." Virgo's voice could be heard from behind the hole.
"Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed. "Looks like they brought you too." The blonde sounded relieved to see she wasn't the only in this situation.
"Aren't you mad at me for what happened yesterday?" Natsu asked in awe. "Everyone deserves second chances." Lucy replied in a kind tone. Natsu just smiled. "Plus Gray and I aren't together anymore... we had a fight, and I decided to break up." Lucy lied. Loke knew she was lying, but decided not to interfere. Natsu didn't seem to react at such information.
"Loke, aren't Gray and Erza coming?" The fire mage asked.
"They should be arriving here soon." Loke replied before they heard more screaming and splashing water besides them.
"Tough landing. Ouch!" Gray rubbed the back of his head. "Huh? What are you two doing here?" The ice mage questioned in surprise. Taurus moved away from the Gray's side. "I brought him." The spirit stated the obvious before moving to where the others were with a frown in his face.
"Same as you." Natsu bluntly answered Gray's question.
"Hey, you two! No hard feelings, ok?" Lucy asked with a worried look on her face. "Yeah, yeah.." said Gray in an annoyed tone while moving closer to the mages. "It's fine with me." Natsu said with his typical big grin.
"Good!" Lucy jumped in joy. "I thought you two would act differently towards each other. I'm glad to see I was wrong." Lucy confessed.
"Aren't we forgetting the main reason you're all here?" Said Loke. "You're right, but we should wait for Erza." Lucy remind the other mages. "And Happy, right?" Natsu gave emphasis to the his last word.
"I'm sorry Natsu, but Happy isn't coming." Loke explained earning him a glare from the fire mage. "Why not? Happy is my partner, he should be here!" Natsu let out in rage.
"He would be just a burden for us." Said Loke gazing coldly at the rest of them.
"I'm not trying to deceive you... moshi moshi!" A voice came from behind a tree. "Lucy, tell her I'm a friend moshi moshi!" Erza came forth holding Sagittarius below her arm before dropping him to the floor.
"Your spirit brought me here without my permission." Erza crossed her arms over her chest.
"That's because we need your help Erza-san." Loke explained with a wry smile."We're all here. Now what's going on?" Natsu said in a hurry.
Loke looked at all the mages around him, and then started explaining. "The celestial realm is about to lose its king, and there is nothing we can do about it." Loke spoke with a serious face.
"What do you mean, Loke? Spirits are immortal" Gray asked in confusion.
"Spirits can die on one condition. There are five spirits rebelling against the king, they plan to take control over the celestial realm, but in order to do it, they'll need to kill the king, which is possible if they can put their hands on the legendary weapons. The weapons were previously used by gods, so they're able to kill everything." Loke started to sound nervous.
"Legendary weapons? What are you talking about?" Lucy asked holding her hand in a fist near to her heart.
"They are four... Apollo's bow, Susanoo's sword, Kusanagi-no-tsurugi, Odin's spear, Gungnir and Zeus' shield, Aegis. With one of these, they will be able to actually kill any spirit." Loke finally finished his explanation. "We have no time to lose. Let's get moving." Said Loke leading the way as he started to walk ahead.
The new group started their way to a mission that seemed to be from a whole different level compared to the previous ones. Loke took the role of the leader, as he was the only one who actually knew exactly what was happening.
"The spirit took separated ways, they've gone after the weapons. Each of you will have to go after one of them." Loke filled them with the details from the mission.
"Won't you come with us?" Asked the Titania preparing for battle.
"Four of the spirits went searching for the weapons. I still need to figure where the last spirit is. He is likely to be the leader, since he is the only one who didn't show up until now." Loke's words made enough sense, so Erza just nodded and continued on her way.
"How will we get there?" Natsu asked already fearing for the answer. "Don't worry, it'll be quick." Loke smiled playfully. They kept walking until they reached a small station with a cabin and a few machines nearby.
"That's not the problem, I-" The fire mage didn't have enough time to conclude his speech, as Loke pushed him inside the cabin, which closed instantly.
"Let me out of here! I'm gonna explode this thing from inside out!" Natsu struggled to get free, but the the fire mage found himself surrounded by a type of material strong enough to hold even an enraged dragon slayer.
"This is the only way, the other means of transportation were disabled to prevent people from leaving the town. I could keep this one for us, so stop complaining and do as I say." Loke said sternly.
"Natsu, put your hand over the panel, and choose one from the places below, it'll drain some of your magic power, but it's just enough for the trip." Loke pointed to the panel. Natsu looked at the bottom part of a magical projection in front of him, and selected his destination. The chosen place had a warning sign informing any user about the wandering spirit.
"Like I would do anything to make this thing work! I want to get out." Natsu shouted making everyone sweat drop. "If you don't stop joking around, my world will be ruled by some fearsome monsters... I don't think you want this to happen right?" Loke gave one of his charming smiles. "One more thing! Don't forget that in order to defeat the spirits you'll need the weapon." Loke stated.
Natsu agreed to put his hand on the panel. As soon as he did, light started glowing through his hand, and then along the cabin. After a blinding flash, the fire mage could no longer be seen.
"Poor guy, he picked a nasty one." Loke covered his eyes. "Something told me he would go after this spirit in particular."
"Why can't we go together?" Erza asked the lion spirit. "Because there's room for only one in case you haven't noticed." Loke explained.
"What is going on?" Gray asked with wide eyes still trying to understand what happened. "Natsu went after one of the spirits. Unfortunately, I can't send all of you at once, since this mechanism takes some time to recharge it's own energy." Loke held his chin between his fingers as if trying to think about another way to send all of them.
"How do we return after we've done what we have to do?" Lucy asked in concern. "There are stations like this one everywhere, you just have to search for one, and do the same." The Leo spirit concluded.
"We'll have to wait then." Erza let out coldly. "I guess." Loke replied.
Natsu arrived in a deep forest, and before him was a very spacious volcano. It had a large entrance and it didn't look like it was man-made, indicating something very large made its way inside the structure.
"Alright. I'm pumped up! This spirit is gonna get it!" The fire mage went past the entrance, just in time to avoid the huge piece of magma rock that fell behind him blocking the only way out. Inside the volcano, the heat was unbearable, even the salamander was having a hard time inside it. A small path of rocks in the middle of the lava was the only way Natsu had.
"Come and get me fire spirit!" The dragon slayer shouted as he made his way through the lava, rock after rock, Natsu was slowly getting to the other side, where a gigantic figure awaited. Hot streamsof lava rose from below making the mage stop on his tracks, as it almost melted half of his body.
"I'm gonna eat all this flames and become invincible." Natsu began sucking the air around him trying to eat the flames just to figure out that lava and flames weren't the same thing. The lava wouldn't come his way due to its consistence.
"I don't need it to beat that puppy over there right Happy?" The salamander forgot for a moment his partner wasn't there. As Natsu advanced towards the owner of the volcano, he started to realize how small he looked besides the beast, but to back off now wasn't an option, as the creature felt the smell of the intruder, and stood up revealing its true form.
"A... d-dragon?" The dragon slayer had in front of him the chance to prove he deserved the title. The dragon had an extensive body making him a quadruped. The beast roared making Natsu's ears hurt, and then started making its way to fire mage. In a matter of seconds the the dragon slayer had to make all his way back to the entrance, as the huge figured rushed after him spreading lava everywhere along the way and making the few places Natsu could stand, tremble with the force in its steps.
"Looks like it's a dead end..." Natsu stopped before the fallen rock. "For you!" The salamander turned around and threw himself over the dragon just to have his whole body pinned between the floor and his enemy's right paw. The dragon leaned forward smelling the fire mage's scent, before opening its mouth ready to have a snack, when Natsu released his dragon's roar inside the beast's mouth. The dragon lost its balance moving his paw away from its victim, and almost falling on its back.
Recovering from the fire mage's attack, the dragon lifted its wings and started flapping them causing the lava to rise in a massive wave going straight towards the defenseless mage.
"Wow!" It was too late to try breaking the rocks behind him now. Natsu would have to think about a way to avoid the wave, or simply stop it. "Ahhhh! I won't die here!" Natsu set his whole body ablaze with flames surrounding him in a spiral motion. The salamander released all his magic power at once in an explosion sending back part of the incoming wave, and stopping its advance in the process.
Natsu could barely walk when he stepped out of the volcano. The explosion blasted away the rocks, and now the place was going down. Natsu's body fell almost motionless. "I guess this is the end." He chuckled weakly. The fire mage's happiness didn't last long as another roar could be heard. Looking back, Natsu spotted the dragon coming his way flying in full speed.
"I can't move. Damn... I have to do something." The beast advanced destroying everything in the way with the force of his wings. Natsu managed to sit, and saw his salvation not so far from there. A sword, it had to be the Kusanagi. The salamander stood up almost as with will power alone, because the physical and magical were at their limits.
Natsu stood up staggering towards the sword, as the dragon landed roughly sending him to the ground. The beast opened its mouth once again, but this time Natsu had no magic power to counter, the only option he had was to wait for his demise, but instead of trying to bite him, the dragon released fire from his mouth. A grin could be seen in the dragon slayer's face as he vanished int the ravaging flames. The fire quickly started to gather at a certain point, revealing the fire mage already standing and while he ate his favorite element.
"You're done for!" Natsu ran towards the sword taking it in hand. The dragon prepared another strike with his paw, as fire mage came in its direction with his body once again in blazes. The two blows collided, and to Natsu's surprise, the scales weren't that easy to pierce.
"You're going down, no matter what!" The salamander received a roar as an answer. Both of them kept forcing their attacks against each other, when the sword released a red light around the mage making his body glow red in the process, and with that, Natsu pierced through the dragon leaving a hole in the beast's body. The floor trembled for the last time, as Natsu emerged triumphantly.
The dragon slayer proved himself worthy of his title.
Back at the station, the remaining mages waited patiently for the cabin to start working again.
"It's about time this thing regenerated its power." Erza stated. A sudden glow appeared on the station making everyone cover their eyes. Once all of them recovered their vision, Natsu was standing right in front of them with a sword on his right hand.
"Here it is! The Kusanagi is ours!" Natsu cheered with a large grin before his body fell to the floor. "I guess I overdid it this time." The fire mage said in a cheerful, but exhausted tone.
"Natsu! You're alive!" Lucy held her friend in a warm embrace making Gray look away.
"Good job Natsu. We can always count on you." Erza praised in a firm tone.
Gray was still looking away, and didn't notice when the fire mage barely managed to stand up going in his direction. "Won't you congratulate me droopy-eyes?" Natsu offered a kind smile. Gray turned back to look at him. "You've done well... keeping yourself alive." The ice maker teased. "I expect you to do the same." Natsu replied with a confident look.
"By the way, where is Loke?" Asked the salamander.
"He taught us how to use this system and left after the fith spirit." Erza stepped ahead. "Speaking of which, we don't have time to lose, I'm going next." Erza bravely informed.
"Be careful out there Erza, Loke wouldn't ask for our help if it wasn't really necessary." Lucy said worried about her friend.
"Natsu, what kind of spirit did you have to fight?" Erza asked in a serious tone. The fire mage was silent for a while, making the air around heavy with the suspense.
"I fought a dragon." Natsu answered.
"What?" Everybody asked in unison.
"It was nothing like the mages and monsters we're used to fight. If I didn't to eat its flames, I'd be dead by now, I had to use all my magic power two times." The dragon slayer confessed.
"Get back in one piece." Gray encouraged.
"I'll do my best, for all of you." Erza went inside the cabin going through the same procedure, and disappearing with the light.
Erza reappeared near a ruined temple, her surroundings completely devastated. "I won't hesitate in facing whatever comes my way." The Titania moved forward going walking along an extensive stone bridge to face her foe.
It didn't take long for Erza to find her enemy. Once inside the temple a woman with heavy armor and a sword in hand came in her direction mounting the winged horse pegasus. Behind her was Odin's Gungnir laying gently over a well decorated table.
"I can't believe my eyes. It's a Valkyrie!" Erza had her eyes and mouth open in disbelief.
"My name is Brynhilde, and I shall decide your fate now." The woman with long brown hair and pale skin identified herself, dismounting her ride as she charged towards the Fairy Queen. Brynhilde threw several strikes at the Titania's body before she could equip her armor, some of them connecting to Erza's body, and severely injuring her in the process.
"I won't attack a defenseless warrior. Prepare yourself." Said Brynhilde. Erza equipped her strongest armor, armadura fairy.
"I won't fight back such a noble spirit, what made you rebel against your king?" Erza asked while dodging another set of strikes. They moved in circles around the temple.
"You know nothing about me, just fight like the warrior you are." Brynhilde kept punishing the Titania's body who didn't seem to fight back. With each blow another crack appeared on Erza's armor.
"I won't fight you, I don't need to fight you! And you don't want to fight me." Another blow connected to Erza's body tossing the Fairy Queen to the floor.
"I don't want to kill you. You're a strong spirit, but you lost your will, I can feel it." Erza stood up once again.
"You don't want to kill me you say. I don't think you understand your current situation." The Valkyrie retorted as she recovered her stance after her last attack. "I'll show you how great is the gap between our powers." Brynhilde charged once again.
"I wish you didn't have to realize how great this gap really is." Erza said with her eyes closed while she held her swords. "Very well then, show me the true power of the Valkyries." The Titania waited in her battle stance for the assaulting enemy.
Inside the temple, only battle cries and the sound from their clashing swords could be heard. Erza had the upper hand, and came to the point of only dodging the attacks.
"You leave me no choice Brynhilde." Erza disarmed the Brynhilde's in a swift move throwing the Valkyrie's sword away.
"Even if you pierce through my body, it won't be enough to kill me. I'm immortal." Brynhilde's voice echoed through the temple.
"I could have killed you in the moment I set my feet in this place, but that's not what I want." Erza equipped the Gungnir. Brynhilde looked back to the table were the spear once laid to find nothing.
"When did you...?" The Valkyrie was dumbstruck.
"I have what I came after. Don't waste your life over unstable things such as power." Erza had her back turned to the woman who knelt in shame inside the temple. "In the end... you were the one who decided my fate." The Valkyrie let out, her voice barely a whisper. The fairy queen went back to her original outfit, and left the temple without noticing the smile forming on Brynhilde's face.
Lucy walked in circles with a extremely worried expression, Natsu rested his back on the cabin and Gray stood lost in thoughts beside the fire mage.
"Erza is surely taking her time there..." Natsu was the first to speak.
"Do you think she is alright?" Lucy questioned.
"You shouldn't worry about Erza, I'm sure she is fine." Gray offered the blonde a sympathetic smile. "Next is one of us." The ice mage looked at Lucy with concern. "You're right." She dropped her gaze to the floor.
"Wahh! This thing is working again!" Natsu removed his back from the cabin as another flash of light appeared.
Erza stepped forward with intact clothes making it look like it was an easy battle, but her skin showed otherwise. Several bruises could be seen, and some blood streamed down Titania's skin.
"Erza!" All of them shouted in unison. "Are you ok?" Gray held Erza's body as she was about to collapse. "I'll be fine... thanks Gray." The fairy queen sat with the ice mage's help. "I fought a Valkyrie in case any of you is wondering." She concluded.
"That explains your current state." Lucy said as she examined all the cuts on the other mage's body. "These guys seem to be pretty strong." The blonde mused.
"Who is the next?" Natsu asked in a hurry. "We can't afford waiting, we have to beat these spirits fast." The salamander shouted. Lucy's hand were shaking frantically, the blonde had never been so scared. She feared not only for herself, but for her friends as well.
"I'll go." Said Lucy standing. "Lucy?" Gray called for the celestial spirit mage's attention before she could take another step.
"Is something wrong, Gray?" The girl stopped smith a frightened expression on her face. "I don't... want you to go. Let me go first." The ice mage confessed. Lucy gave a nervous chuckle. "We'll some trouble then, because I also don't want you to go." With that, Lucy went inside the transportation device without looking back. She put her hand over the panel and waited for the lights to take her away.
"Lucy! I..." Gray dashed towards Lucy, but seemed to hesitate when he got close enough. "You what?" She asked with a tender look on her face "I..." Gray's words didn't leave his mouth fast enough as Lucy's figure disappeared leaving a desperate ice mage with the rest of his sentence about to be revealed. "...Love you." He muttered to himself.
Lucy's scenery was a dark room with no doors or windows. The place was filled with mirrors the blonde's reflection was everywhere. "Hello? Is anybody there?" Lucy asked as she walked from one side to the other agitatedly.
Lucy continued to walk nervously with all those mirrors confusing her. The celestial spirit mage stopped and carefully started examining her surroundings. As she focused her eyes on her reflection in one of the mirrors, the girl spotted a finger moving slowly and then stopping again. "I must be seeing things." She declared, but soon enough, the same finger began to move again, while her own finger was motionless. Lucy approached the image in the mirror scanning it carefully. She stared at the feet, before lifting her head to look at her chest, and finally her face. The blonde saw a devious grin on her face as an acute scream sounded through the whole room. Lucy covered her ears and closed her eyes in pain, but when she opened them once again, there was no longer any reflection in the mirror in front of her.
"What's going on with me? I was never this scared to confront an enemy before, I'm just not being myself, and it has to stop now! Natsu and Erza gave everything they had in their fight, I can't allow myself to fall behind them!" Lucy spoke out loud, determination burning in her eyes, as the blonde got new motivation. "Now! Open the gate of the Ram! Aries!"Lucy summoned.
"Aries! Use your wool bomb over the whole room, now! Lucy commanded, and Aries prepared her attack. "I'm sorry... but I have to obey my orders." The spirit stopped with a puzzled look. "I'm sorry Lucy-chan... but where exactly am I supposed to use the wool bomb, there's no one here." Aries said with her shy attitude.
"We'll see about that. Do it!" Lucy ordered once again. "Are you sure?" Asked Aries. "Yes!" Lucy yelled. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" The spirit repeated with a scared expression that seemed to be provoked by Lucy's sudden outburst. Aries created the wool bomb engulfing all the mirrors in its length.
"Good work Aries! Now back to the celestial... hmm, now do whatever you want." The blonde finally managed. The spirit vanished.
Lucy's eyes started moving from side to side looking for the other spirit. "There you are!" The celestial spirit mage spotted a moving figure between all the wool. Lucy took her whip in hand and launched her attack just to have it countered by another whip.
"What?" Lucy retrieved her whip as a blonde girl with caramel eyes dropped from the wool. "Smart move." The other girl teased before standing up and showing her true identity.
"I'm fighting myself?" Lucy squealed. "I can say the same thing." The other girl teared the remaining wool in the room and started walking towards Lucy. "Let's begin!" With this, the copy started swinging its whip around while walking towards the other blonde.
"I know what you are! You're a doppelganger." The mage realized. "You took so long to realize? You're an alive proof of the lacking intelligence from the blondes. "But you're blonde too!" Lucy retorted. "I'll fix that soon enough." The doppelganger's hair went chestnut brown. "Brunettes against blondes huh? We know who is going to win!" The brunette smiled wickedly. "Don't you mess with the blondes pride!" An angered Lucy replied.
Lucy kept concentrating on the continuous flow from the creature's whip. It was a repetitive movement, noticing that, the celestial spirit mage countered with her own whip entangling it with the copy's whip., and pulling it with all her force. The fake Lucy went flying and eventually crashed against one of the mirrors.
"Haha! That's what you get for messing up with a blonde! Who is the best now?" Lucy started a victory dance not realizing the brunette already standing and going at her with furious eyes.
Both of them exchanged blows with their whips, obviously making their clothes shorter. (A/N: Or else this wouldn't be about anime)
"You're so dead blondie!" The doppelganger seemed to lose its cool and was now throwing desperate attacks at Lucy. The creature had the upper hand once again, Lucy could barely move inside the room without being hit by the whip.
"That's enough! I didn't want to do this but..." The blonde took one of her keys. "You'll be sorry!" She threatened. "Open the gate of the lion! Loke!" Lucy finished her summoning.
"I found the location of the spirit's leader, so let's do it quickly." Loke said with his usual calm voice.
"Loke use the lion brilliance!" Lucy ordered consumed by anger due to the brunette's constant teasing about blondes.
"Oi, Lucy! I know what to do. Don't just order me around like I am some freaking pokemon." Loke frowned.
"What's happening with all my spirits today? Why can't they just do what I say?" Lucy sighed. "I won't just stand and watch you two arguing. Here I go!" The doppelganger charged forward in Lucy's direction.
"No you won't." Loke got into casting stance with bright lights surrounding his body. The lights shone bright on the dark room reflecting on the mirrors, and with this, making the creature go blind for a moment. Aside from making the doppelganger temporally unable to see, Loke's spell revealed a vault on the corner of the room, and all of the entrances it had.
"I'll take care of the weapon in the vault, and get back to the station." Loke looked at the blonde with concerned eyes. "You should do the same, Gray is worried sick." The spirit informed.
"Oh my... I see the blondie has a boyfriend. Perhaps I should stay with him in your place after I'm done with you." The brunette teased.
"What did you say?" A vein popped on Lucy's head as she tightly closed her eyes, and held her hand in a fist. "The doppelganger stepped back twice scared at the difference in girl's tone, being it dark and intimidating. "Who did you say you're gonna be with?" Lucy sprinted in the creature's direction without any weapon in hand. "Take this! Lucy kick!" The blonde hit the brunette's chin with a high kick sending her to the ground.
Loke watched from a safe distance as the enraged girl came in his direction, took Apollo's bow with excessive force and headed towards the nearest exit.
"Let's go back." Lucy said in an annoyed tone. Loke couldn't help but laugh.
"She is taking too long, I better go after her." Gray spoke the same thing for the ninth time.
"You better shut up, you've been saying the same thing over one thousand times!" Natsu finally lost his patience.
"What did you say squinty-eyes?" Gray turned to look at Natsu. "I said-"
"I'm back!" Lucy interrupted the dragon slayer's part of the dialog.
"Lucy! You're... ok." The word Gray meant to use instead of ok was 'sexy' as the blonde's clothes were all teared by the whips attacks. The ice mage didn't resist the urge to hug his friend.
"Calm down Gray. I'm fine." Lucy laughed full-heartedly. "It's your turn droopy-eyes." Natsu pointed to the cabin.
"Fine then." The ice maker made his way to the small transportation device.
"Wait Gray!" It was Lucy's turn to make an appeal. "What is it, Lucy?" Gray stopped on his tracks turning back to look at the blonde.
"Promise me you'll come back...?" Lucy moved closer to the ice alchemist while resting her forehead on the ice alchemist's chest. "I promise." Gray replied wrapping his arms around the girl. "Promise me you'll come back... to me." The blonde muttered under her breath. Gray kissed her head, and started to let go.
"Wish me good luck." Was Gray's last words before he also went after his challenge.
"I suddenly feel at home." Gray's current location was a thick ice cap. To the ice mage's surprise, the Aegis shield was right in front of him. Something that looked like the tip of an ice berg could be seen near an area where the ice cap was shattering, and held the Aegis shield inside its matter.
"This is too good to be true... do I have any choice?" Gray walked carefully over the breaking ice, stopping in front of the strange ice formation. "Here goes." The ice mage punched the ice being able to touch the weapon. "Just a little further!" Gray stretched his arm as much as he could trying to hold the legendary item. "Gotcha!" The ice maker pulled Aegis out of the ice and rose it like it was a prize.
"They won't believe how easy it was." Gray started looking for the closest station in order to get back when he felt the ice cap trembling.
"What now?" He looked around to see the small portion of ice breaking through the ice cap, and rising from the floor. Gray lifted his head following the little piece becoming a giant humanoid made of pure ice, better known as ice golem.
"This isn't happening!" Gray started walking backwards as the monster's hand made its way to smash the ice mage on the floor. Gray was able to roll sidewards at the last minute, but even then had his body tossed away with the impact from the hit. The golem continued to rise from the floor, now taking both of its legs out of it. The monster prepared another attack moving its arm in a devastating strike. The ice alchemist noticed it was too late to dodge from such attack, and did the first thing that came to his mind.
"Ice make! Shield!" The small shield that was supposed to appear in front of its caster was huge, and instead of one there were four shields, one to each side of the ice mage. Gray felt the force of the hit pushing him back, but the shield didn't break, not even a small crack could be spotted on the ice creation. After enduring such a blow, and wondering why there were four shields instead of just one, took notice of the glowing blue light coming out of the shield.
The golem kept advancing towards the small human being in front of him, with each step another fissure appeared on the ice cap. On the other hand, Gray had the power to kill a spirit in his right arm, but how is someone supposed to attack with a shield?
"No way out... this can't be the end." The ice maker kept running from the giant as it came stepping over everything in its way. "I have the shield, this must be able to attack somehow!" Gray continued to think about a way to counter attack as he approached an enormous wall made of ice. "That's it!" The ice mage hurried to the wall and waited for the golem to reach him.
"Now give me all you got in your next punch!" The mage shouted as if the monster could actually understand it. And surprisingly, it seemed to comprehend Gray's words at it threw another punch in the ice maker's direction, but this time the ice alchemist had a plan.
"This will have to work!" Gray dodged the incoming attack making it land on the wall behind him. The wall started to fall over the monster that didn't have enough time to escape. The ice cap crashed below the creature's feet making it fall on the water. "I got you now." The ice mage charged towards his enemy, in his hand the shield that would decide his fate.
"Eat this!" Gray threw the shield on the golem's head with all his force hoping it would destroy the fearsome creature, but to his horror, the giant stood once again, slowly moving towards him.
"No way! It can't be!" Gray expression changed to one of total despair. The boy lost the only chance he had to actually defeating the spirit with that last move.
"I'm sorry... Lucy. I won't be able to keep my promise." Gray clenched his hands into fists. "Bring it!" With an ice aura emanating from his whole body, Gray went straight to death colliding his fist with all his force against the creature's leg, which obviously dealt no damage on the giant standing in front of him.
The golem caught Gray in its hand and started squeezing him hardly between its fingers. The ice maker let out a cry from pain, as he trying to resist as much as he could. Gray felt his body becoming numb, and his vision started to be blurry. The boy was slowly losing his senses. "I'm sorry Lucy... I couldn't..." Death wasn't a distant reality anymore as the mage's vision became completely dark.
"No!" Gray's eyes were once again wide open and his arms struggled to free his body from the monster's grasp. After resisting a couple of minutes, the ice maker heard a cracking sound, and the grasp around his body beginning to get weaker. A fissure formed on the spirit's body starting from the head exactly at the place the shield hit. The ice started to break in several pieces, and one by one they feel to the floor. Gray feel along, but was able to pick the shield before it fell on the water.
"I... I'm alive." The boy laid on the remaining ice. "I'm alive!" He shouted before starting to laugh in joy. "I'm aliiiiiiiiiiiiiive!"
"Damn it, he ran away! Once the spirit's leader took notice about his comrades demise, he simply ran away!" Loke informed the group at the station.
"But without the four weapons he won't be able to hurt anyone." Erza stated walking closer to the lion spirit.
"There is still one weapon missing, we can't relax yet." Loke retorted.
"Gray is taking care of it." Natsu said cheerfully. "I know he'll make it... he has to." Lucy looked down with sad eyes.
"I can't... move." Gray dropped from the cabin with the shield on his back.
"Gray!" All of them shouted in unison.
"I'm back..." The ice mage let out playfully.
"You got us worried for a while." Erza was the first to speak. "I thought you were dead!" Natsu followed. "I told you they were tough." Loke smiled sympathetically. "If you dared not to come back, I'd go there and kill that spirit myself!" Lucy pouted while crossing her arms over her chest.
"By the way, what did you fight?" Natsu asked curiously. "I bet it wasn't even close to be as strong as the dragon!" He teased.
"I fought an ice golem, and it was pretty tough." The ice mage informed.
"Now we have to get you all back to your world. I'll keep an eye on this missing spirit, and if I find anything about it, I'll contact Lucy immediately." Loke said as he opened a portal back to earth.
"I hope to come here for a party next time." Natsu was the first to go past the portal. "Say sorry to Sagittarius for me." Erza followed Natsu inside the portal. "You owe me one for this Loke." Gray said while smiling before he also vanished from the celestial realm. "Well... I guess it's time to say goodbye." Lucy winked at Loke and was about to walk away when he held her by the wrist.
"You can't keep pretending you don't feel anything, it won't make you any good." Loke finally spoke something he'd been holding inside since the mages arrived at his world.
"I know... but I can't hurt my friends either." Lucy smiled kindly before disappearing from the celestial realm.
Gray and Lucy were back at the ice maker's house, and all their things were exactly like they left them. It was night by the time they got back. They took their showers and had dinner in utter chatting about their day, and how they defeated the spirits. They finished their dinner, and this time it was frozen food since it was the only thing that could resist so much time without getting rotten, after all time passed faster at the celestial realm, and they stayed there for a whole day, which meant several days have passed on earth.
"We're back..." Gray rested his back on his couch. Lucy smiled as she saw her friend laying on the couch they spent so much time together.
"Can I join you for a while?" Lucy asked already sitting besides the ice mage. "Of course you do." Gray answered in a low and sleepy tone. The blonde sat with a comfortable distance from Gray and watched as he stared intensely at her.
"You know I won't bite, right?" The ice maker teased. "I'm not afraid of you biting me." Lucy giggled. "I'm just making sure none of us make anything stupid." She concluded.
"As I see it, staying away from the one I love is by far the most stupid thing I've ever done." Gray's eyes were closed as he finally found courage to talk about this subject again.
"It's not that simple." Lucy retorted.
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have mentioned it." Gray apologized turning his back to Lucy and getting ready to sleep. "I'll see you tomorrow." He finished. Lucy covered him with his blanket. "I'm fine without the blanket." Gray discarded the blanket.
"Gray... you're not being fair with me." Lucy said as her tears started to fall. "I'm such a weak girl... why can't I keep these damned tears from falling!" The blonde cursed the small droplets.
Gray sat on his couch looking at his sobbing friend. "Come on, Lucy, don't cry. Come here." The ice mage brought Lucy in a warm embrace. "Do you think I want to stay away from you? Can't you see how much it hurts me? I love you... you idiot!" The blonde cried out loud. "I love... you." She repeated, but this time in a fading tone. "Don't act like you don't care, don't act like you're the only one suffering." Lucy held her friend's face with her hands.
Gray started leaning for a kiss. "Gray, don't!" Lucy exclaimed, but the ice mage kept leaning closer to her face. "We shouldn't..." This time her voice was lower. The boy kept leaning in a slow pace, he wanted to be sure he wasn't the only one desiring that kiss. "This is... wrong." Lucy started pulling him by the collar, and that was when he touched her lips with his.
The celestial spirit mage's tears kept flowing as she kissed Gray. Whereas she thought it was wrong to break the fire mage's heart, Lucy didn't think wanting to be with the one she loved would be asking too much. She's been worried about his safety during their whole mission, and when she saw him coming out of that cabin, she felt the other half of her heart starting to beat again.
"I' won't let you go..." Gray whispered. "When I was being squeezed by that ice golem..." Lucy watched as Gray started to release his feelings. "I felt my body starting to get numb, and my vision blurry. I thought I was going to die..." Gray admitted. "But none of this scared me more than the thought of not being able to keep the promise I made to you. That's why I regained my senses when my spirit was broken and my body not answering anymore." The boy muttered softly.
"You're making it really hard for me, you know that... don't you?" Lucy asked with her arms crossed around Gray's neck as she laid below the ice alchemist's body. "I'm sorry, but making it easier isn't my intention. I won't lose you." Gray replied with a smile on his face. Lucy smiled, and her tears seemed to cease.
"Gray...?" Lucy called. "Hmm?" Gray responded. "Promise me you won't ever give so little value to your life." The blonde let out. "Promise you won't give my life more value than you give yours." She asked caressing his face and placing a soft kiss over his lips.
"I promise I'll always be here. I can promise you this much." Gray said with his hands resting on the blonde's waist. "That's not enough." Lucy retorted. "Deal with it." The ice mage simply answered.
"Damn you, you're such a bad boy to me, why do I like it so much?." Lucy said innocently. "You're turning me into one." Gray responded playfully.
"I want you..." Lucy moved from below Gray's body hovering on top of him. She laid over the ice maker kissing his lips once again, but this time, the boy made sure their tongues met. They kissed desperately, like it was their last chance to do it. The broke apart eventually, and let their bodies cool down before going to sleep peacefully in each others arms.
Lucy didn't say she wanted to go back together... but she didn't say Gray couldn't keep trying.
That's it for chapter six... it was supposed to be longer, but I had to cut it in half :S
I'll use the idea I had for another fic, or maybe another chapter.
I hope you like it, and I had to change the genre thanks to this chapter ¬¬
It was romance/friendship before x)
Enough for now, I'll see you guys on the next chapter. Only two more to go!