Story name; Jinchūriki
Summary; "The boy who eats fire." She murmured. Lucy/Erza pairing. Lucy is the nine tails Jinchuriki
Disclaimer; I own nothing. I write this purely for my own amusement.
(Gray)
With a single look he knew something was wrong.
Gray didn't consider himself the most observant of wizards, hell there were plenty within his guild far greater than himself but even to him there was an obvious air of tension. There were a few ways he could go about it.
One, the tactful way. It was a delicate situation. The mission had obviously gone wrong. Now, on any normal occasion Gray could simple count that off by Natsu being who he was but it just didn't seem so simple. It was the reason he was here after all. The mission Natsu had take was suspicious. The rapid change in prize money was enough to worry anyone but of course Natsu had plunged in head first even dragging Lucy, a brand new member of the guild. The Ice wizard had taken it upon himself to figure out what was going on and it wasn't because of a certain red heads prompting. Well, not entirely. He didn't want to wound any wizards pride by not believing in them. Gray wouldn't want anyone messing with his missions either.
The hell with it. Gray wasn't one for subtly anyways.
"What the hell happened to you guys?" He worded with all the tact of a rampaging rhino.
It was such a small thing. The master always used to tell him about the power of words but things left unsaid? That was were true weight of a person's character could be counted.
The body language coming off the blonde girl was screaming she had something to hide.
The tiny tense muscles twitching across her neck, the slight frozen moment or perhaps it was nothing at all. Gray just thought he saw something in those blue eyes that he hadn't seen in a long time.
He should know, mirrored in his own dark reflection was a similar look. It was something someone wanted kept quiet.
The boy's body arched, his curious but cautious gaze turning to her. Lucy picked up on his sudden change, head perking up a frown formed.
"Well?" He prompted.
"We failed." She answered evenly.
The air was tense as blue met black. If Gray wasn't sure there was something to hide before he was sure of it now. Boldly meeting his challenging stare Lucy refused to stand down, in fact she was even moving toward him.
Natsu and Happy we're quiet, unusually so for the two of them. They weren't ignorant to the sudden change of the mood and seemed rather stunned. Hell, Gray wasn't even sure why she was suddenly acting so violent. For a second, for a small window there, he thought he might have seen a flash of red in her eye.
"Why are you here Gray?" It was more of a demand then question.
The threat not being so subtle the Ice wizard kept his face passive. With a simple shrug his shirt scrunched up over his shoulder before slacking, it covered the slight ripple of cooling air rippling off his body.
"I was just out to-"
"The bathroom." She cut him off. "Yeah. I got that."
His eyes narrowed into slits. "What of it?"
She scoffed. It was a crude noise, loud filling the air around them. "Curious place for a bathroom." Sharp eyes turned on him. "Don't you think?"
Tilting his head back to peer out at her under his disheveled bangs Gray made little pretense as he openly examined her. This attitude, this whole persona Lucy was giving off wasn't like her. Granted he'd seen very little of the blonde since her first day he knew she wasn't a bad like this. It was almost enough to make him think she was purposely acting off.
"Didn't think I needed a hall pass."
Lucy laughed a small dark chuckle as she ignored his comment. "If I didn't know any better I would think you were spying on us?"
Well, there was nothing suspicious about that. "That depends. Do you have something to hide?"
A look crossed the girls pale features. Brow dipping in a slight twitch her lips turning up revealing teeth. "Do you?"
She didn't let him answer. Gray had little time to react at all before he was being pushed back.
'She's fast.' His mind whirled.
It was instinct. Hands moving on their own years worth of training did their job as not a second after being blindsided a beam of Ice launched out toward the girl.
Horror struck as Gray realized what he'd just done. The attack while not being even close to full strength was moving at Lucy with impressive speed. His mouth opened in warning the words already forming at the tip of his tongue but in the end weren't needed.
With gravity defying athelistim, Lucy's body twisted, contorting at an odd angle before snapping back avoiding his strike all together. She was good.
A smirk was pulling at his lips but just as before the words never left his mouth before the blonde surprised him again. Without missing a beat or even giving Gray a second thought Lucy exploded with activity.
While Gray's attack hadn't hit her, he had managed to hit someone else. Two different bodies seemed to appear out of thin air pulling out long wired weapons.
The ground exploded in a splash of water the two figures jumping out. The first was struck in the shoulder clipping him before he even raised his weapon. It didn't take Gray long for him to figure what was happening. They were under attack.
His mind was already cataloging the two men before him. Two opponents, average height, both wearing cloaks, breathing masks and sporting long chained weapons. One injured the other bouncing back to gain some distance. Gray was already moving even as Lucy incapacitated the injured man.
With startling strength a single blow blasted into a the masked mage before the blonde. The sickening crunch was enough to know that short fight was over. That didn't much matter to Gray, his only concern was the man circling them.
The two behind Gray rose ready to fight but weren't needed, Gray was more than ready.
As the injured man was snapped back by a powerful blow the second was moving behind Lucy hands blurring though hand seals. "Water pulse attack!" 'Too easy.'
Moving to intercept with a single extended hand Gray allowed the massive pulse of water to hit. The second the water touched the palm of his hand his own magic intervened. A loud crack echoed out as water snapped crackling as it froze. The man's eyes widened watching as the ice was moving at him too fast to dodge.
Ice traveled quickly covering the man before he could even blink. The fight was over before it ever really began, the disappointed Natsu stepping into the fray just a second too late and he let them know it too.
"Ahh man! Come on, I had him."
"Snooze you lose." He taunted the pink haired boy. His eyes however where watching Lucy as she robotically started to search her fallen foe making sure he wouldn't be a problem, Gray too quickly ended his own spell securing the other masked mage.
"I'm impressed." He'd been right. The entire thing had been an act. All along Lucy had know the two were there hiding in plain view. She also knew they were being closely watched. Any attempt at alerting them would have resulted in them being attacked. So by luring them into a false sense of security Lucy had promptly sprung her own trap. He had to wander just who the hell this girl was.
"You weren't so bad yourself." She smirked.
"Right. Though," He paused eyes looking out. "How did you know these guys were there? Their magic was hidden pretty well. Not even the wonder twins over their smelt them."
"The puddle." She answered ignoring the indignant shout coming from the two boys.
'Puddles?'
Seeing his look she sighed before explaining. "The rain? Have you noticed even the slightest bit of rain in the last few weeks?"
"No, I haven't." He said slowly.
"So. . . "She told him leading him on.
Realization struck. "The puddles." He drawled.
"Right." A smile spread across.
"I don't get it." Natsu complained.
"Natsu you dummy..."
"Shut up Happy!"
"They were using a concealment technique." Gray interrupted. It was probably wise to stop them before things got out of hand. "It's a type of magic that temporary turns the user into their very magic. Not something your average crook knows about. But, it is noticeable considering one needs an active source nearby. These two placed the water there."
"So who are these guys?" Natsu asked.
"Assassins by the looks of it." The blonde spoke up. "Though I don't recognize their insignia."
"I do." All eyes turned to him. "That's the sign of Esienwald. A dark guild."
"Why are you here Gray?" She finally asked. Thankfully her voice was void of her earlier anger but she still held some curiosity. Gray stilled himself for the uncomfortable conversation.
"I've got bad news." He informed grimly. Eyes turning to the Dragon Slayer he felt the blood leave his face. "Erza's back. And she wants us on a mission."
(Lucy)
A tiny squeak left a certain Dragon Slayers lips. While curious it wasn't out of the norm for the boy's erratic at best attitude. Even having spent so much time with Lucy she couldn't' have anticipated Natsu and Happy's sudden and very dramatic change in attitude.
Over the course of their disastrous mission something or someone had shaken them. It was their first real taste of failure and if her suspicions were correct their first taste of real fear. Lucy wasn't one who could really judge. Whatever malicious force they had encountered had nearly crippled her as well. Expect Lucy had one clear advantage. Fear was a hard thing to overcome, it took time and experience, the demon within her saw to that.
Two shrill voices crying out in tears surprised her. Clutching one another as if their very lives depended on it, the scene would have been hysterical had a thought not accrued. THE ERZA SCARLET?
"Um...Gray?" She inquired feeling nauseous. "Do you mean the Erza? As in Tatiana, Queen of the Fairies?"
"That's her." He nodded.
"Oh." Her fingers suddenly found the hem of her beaten skirt very interesting. "What is she like?" Lucy tried to keep her voice light, fanning simple curiosity but the fluttering in her stomach caused that to fail only slightly horrible.
"She's a monster!" Natsu yelled, appearing between them along with Happy emphatically waving his arms, making scary faces for good measure.
A blonde eyebrow twitched. "I doubt that."
Gray laughed. "Sorry Lucy. Cat-nip and coal for brains are right. She's the strongest female wizard in Fairy Tail."
She noticed he'd said strongest 'female'. Did that mean their where others in the guild even stronger than the famous Erza? That was a scary thought.
"Oh man, Happy." Natsu cried.
"She's going to be so angry." Happy finished. "She probably heard about the hargian port."
"Crap! She's going to kill Lucy."
'Wait, what?'
"Poor Lucy." Happy shuddered.
"I bet she already knows about the Everlue mission."
"Poor Lucy."
Lucy felt her jaw slacken. "How would she possible know-" She cut herself off. "Are you block heads planning on throwing me under a bus!?" She screeched.
Natsu nodded solemnly, sadly. Happy just muttered, "Poor Lucy."
"Shut up!" She hissed covering the cats mouth. "Erza can't be that bad can she?" The dead silence wasn't reassuring. "Right?"
"She was so young." The blue cat spoke through cupped fingers.
"Seriously guys." She whined.
"Really." Natsu spoke serious. "Erza's scary strong. I've seen her kick whole mountains down with a single kick."
She blanched. He was joking. He had to be.
"Don't be stupid, Natsu." Gray interjected. "Erza can kick two mountains with a single kick."
Lucy groaned.
The Fairy's Jinchuriki.
(Lucy)
The guild was in a state of what Lucy liked to call, controlled chaos.
Right from the start there was just something . . . off. The closer the group got to the guild the stranger things became. The first most noticeable being how Natsu and Gray were acting.
The second they came within eye sight of the guild the two went from rivals to best friends. it was so eerie and bizarre Lucy couldn't find the words. One moment they were at each other's throats then, turning a literal corner they shifted attitudes entirely even going so far as too envelop each other in a hug.
It came so swift and without warning Lucy very nearly stumbled as she stopped out of sure surprise. Unfortunately the two boys weren't the only ones acting strange. Expecting the normally erratic group of wizards, the blonde did a double take.
The Fairy Tail guild was behaving, strange. It was the only conceivable thought that seemed to fit.
First, the master was hunkered down in a pout, cradling and rubbing at his cheek what looked suspiciously like a hand print. Wandering blue eyes then spotted a very pale looking Nabb furiously looking over the mission board. She noticed Loki nearby pointedly ignoring a group of girl's attempts at conversation, in fact; if any got too close he would go into a panicked fit. Even Cana was sipping at a reasonable sized mug of beer with a slowed, subdued pace.
"What the hell happened here?" It wasn't meant to be asked aloud nor did she mean it to be so loud. Especially after the entire guild stopped to stare wide eyed at her.
"Who's this?" A voice questioned.
Lucy noticed all the males in the area tense at the sound. Lucy had a slightly different reaction to the sound. Her mind whirled at how almost musical in the rich texture was. A woman no doubt. The speaker held a curious note but carried a weight to it. The guild obviously recognized it, there odd reactions a clear sign they either feared or respected her, perhaps both.
Turning, Lucy was met with the single most beautiful face she'd ever seen. A deep shade of red framed an angelic face. Dark, large brown orbs met her own blues with immeasurable confidence. A very obviously feminine figure lurked under the surface of a sliver set of body armor. Lucy found her eyes betray her as they traveled over her curves.
The armor was a fine dance between elegant and fierceness. A difficult combination considering the woman still managed to look stunning covered from the neck down. Excluding of course the little spots the armor trailed off revealing smooth supple skin. . .
Her breath caught. Once, twice she tried to speak, failing miserable. A helpful voice spoke for her. White hair filled the blonde's vision as Mira's joyful voice spoke, "Erza, this is Lucy. She's Natsu's teammate."
A perfect scarlet eyebrow arched. "Is that so?" She inquired in her shiver inducing tone. Playful almost teasing.
Still unable to speak Lucy nodded dumbly.
Erza laughed, the sound hypnotic. "I couldn't imagine Natsu taking a teammate let alone anyone willingly joining him. You must have tremendous resolve."
Lucy managed a strained smile feeling bashful. "You don't know the half of it."
There was that laugh again. "Yes, well." Erza said after a moment her eyes casting out. "Speaking of whom. Natsu!"
The sudden sound caused half the guild, Lucy included, to jump. Said boy quickly stopped the glaring match he was having with a certain Ice wizard grabbing him in a odd half hug. "Aye!"
"Why is he suddenly talking like Happy?" Lucy muttered.
"O-oh, hey there Erza." Gray managed for the two of them.
"Gray." Erza greeted evenly. "I see you managed to fetch Natsu. I hope your trip was uneventful." Her eyes flashed dangerously causing the young wizard to gulp.
"You know us." He stuttered. "Just two buddies enjoying a good old road trip."
"Aye!"
"I see." Erza mused. "It's alright that you were late then. Being as you and Natsu are such good friends. Though it's only natural, friends fight every now and then."
Lucy noticed Gray flinched a little. "Us? Nahh I . . ." He looked like he was swallowing something very stale. "Can't get enough of flame... Er, Natsu."
"Aye."
An amused look crossed Tatiana's features. "That's good. Anyways, it's good to see the two of you are here. I'm in need of your help."
"So it's true." She heard Mirajane whisper. "They really are going to join a team."
"Is that bad?" Lucy whispered back just as quietly.
"It's amazing." Mira answered with a smile. "Together they might just be Fairy Tails strongest team."
"The strongest team huh?" Eyeing the group leaving the guild Lucy acted on an impulse, she followed.
The Fairy's Jinchuriki
(Lucy)
She was staring.
Lucy realized this but she also couldn't look away. Since the beginning of their long train ride the blonde had kept stealing glances back and forth at the red head.
Every so often Erza would catch her in the act curious eyes glancing up holding her blues before she would blush and glance away in a nervous fit.
The S-class Fairy tail mage made her nervous. She had a small idea as to why. She idolized Erza Scarlet. It was embarrassing really, to realize the woman she had read about for years was really here.
For the better part of Erza's career she had all but stalked the famous titania. Stalked was such a terrible word. She preferred 'very interested'. Following her exciting and brilliant career with child like glee and to be seating so close to her, going on a mission with her. . . It was too much.
She almost felt bad about lying to her earlier. Mira hadn't 'exactly' sent her to chaperone the boys but she had mentioned they would need it. Who was to say Lucy wouldn't be the right girl for the job? The others hadn't objected, it only made sense she be here.
'Keep rationalizing.'
It was a slim argument at best. In reality the risk of 'her' being on a mission with potineal danger was not something she normally chanced. In the end caution had gave way to child like admiration.
Watching an armored gauntlet stroke an unconscious pink head of hair, a stirring settled in her gut. It was confusing and a bit upsetting to watch, even more upsetting once she realized she was staring again.
"I-is Natsu going to be okay?" She questioned timidly.
Brown orbs looked up at being addressed before back down at the Dragon Slayer 'resting' across her lap. Her brow crinkled in thought as her angelic voice spoke. "Natsu will be fine. He always gets like this on transportation. It's best he stays asleep."
She knew that. Of course she did, having been on missions with said boy. Why did she ask that? Stupid. She mentally cursed. So stupid.
Ignoring the look Happy was giving her, Lucy just barely resisted the urge to cry out in frustration; instead, hiding her face in her palm leaning against the train window.
She didn't last very long before her eyes slowly, as if containing a will of their own, went back to Erza. Was this really her? She had wandered. The queen of the Fairies. From the way Boys spoke of her she was a monster. Literally. They told tells of a massive fire breathing beast swiping away mountains with a single kick.
Though most of that could be counted as just being Natsu's own personal brand of storytelling Lucy was still surprised. While tough and demanding the scarlet woman was unusually tender for someone to be so powerful. Her harsh but strangely velvet voice spoke with a gentle touch the boys didn't seem to pick up on. Her motherly display the woman was showing with Natsu being proof there was far more under the surface then a violent she-demon. Well, that was if you ignored who it was that knocked Natsu into unconsciousness but Lucy decided not to dwell on that.
Erza's gaze lingered up catching Lucy's. For a moment she held the look until she decided was considered 'socially unacceptable' again looking away. She noticed the elder Mage head tilt in silent question but thankfully remained quiet.
Feeling the eyes on her, not just Erza but Gray's far too perceptive look as well, Lucy voiced the obvious, "So the mission."
It wasn't worded as a question but Erza took it as such, nodding. It was fascinating to see her go from curious to business in a blink of an eye. "Right."
A/N: Not too much to say here. As always hope you enjoyed it and stay tuned.
-RRR