So this has taken me F-o-r-e-v-e-r... Sorry! I'll be going back into it now that BoFW is over (silently crying for the end on my most popular fic) well in case any of you have forgotten where the story is I'll give you a quick summary.
Natsu is a half dragon, and the heir to the dragon king's thrown. Lucy is a half spirit and queen of the celestial realm. They got married at the end of the very first installment, after a whirlwind romance that leaves them both breathless. In book 2 Lucy learns that she is Master Makarov's granddaughter, and that she was well trained in preparation to bring an age old war to it final conclusion.
At the very end of the second book she faces off with a man who grew up with Lucy and Laxus. They face off in a decisive battle that Lucy wins.
Short there after the celestial mage begins a journey with the rest of their 'family' to the dragon king's lair. She begins to suffer from nightly premonitions that foretell a grave future for her and the rest of the mages, not just in Fiore, but in the whole of Earthland. Upon arriving in the Dragon King's lair, Natsu regains his memories, and latent powers as well. Two long years of training bring them to a place where they can face their final opponent, and return to Fairy Tail, where time has practically stood still.
Lucy and Natsu now face the last leg of their journey, and the most deadly of all their opponents, Zeref and the Black Dragon. Follow them now as we return to our story...
Wendy looked out the window of the train, her stomach knotting uncomfortably as the vehicle lurched to a stop. She had to say that she never liked trains but this trip was proving to make her distaste for them grow even more profound.
"It's about damn time." She hissed in annoyance as she grabbed her knapsack from under her seat. She made her way off the hard leather cushion and quickly motioned for her companions to follow her to the exit. There was a collective groan before the group joined the line of people who were waiting to exit the train. Wendy was exhausted, and she figured the others were reaching their limit as well, so she wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible.
"Do you think we'll catch up to him here?" Romeo asked with a groan. They had already ridden to twelve different towns chasing rumors and phantoms of their goal, and the ever present sense of failure was beginning to bring down the team's morale. They had hit a break in the last town though; there was finally a scent trail for Wendy to follow. That was more than enough to lead them to this town out in the middle of nowhere. Charle had put in her efforts to divine a destination that they could use as a starting point for their search.
"It doesn't matter if we get him today or if it takes us a whole year; I'm not going home until I've given this bastard a piece of my mind!" Wendy's answer came out harsher than she had intended, though it was understandable when you considered that she had been tracking the man for over a month already and he kept evading her.
"We still have to be extra careful, don't forget Lucy's warning." Happy folded his arms over his chest, clearly offended by Wendy's harsh tone.
"Happy when did you become such a downer?" Romeo punched the blue exceed playfully in the shoulder, in an attempt to defuse the situation.
"Someone has to act like an adult, might as well be me." Happy huffed.
"He's here, I'm sure of it." Charle scowled at the blue cat who stared back with a small frown of his own.
"That's what you said last time, but did we find him there? No, no we didn't." Happy chided, glaring at the white cat that was walking beside him.
"Do you have any idea how hard it is to see a person you don't know? It's extremely difficult to pin this man down!" Charle huffed as she turned her gaze away.
"Just be quiet the two of you, all this fighting is giving me a head ache." Wendy hissed. "I want to get off this god forsaken contraption and get on with our mission, got it?" Everyone present nodded their heads, except Lily who simply snickered quietly as he followed the others until they were finally able to exit the vehicle.
It wasn't long before they found the tavern that Charle had seen in her vision; it was a shabby looking building where the sign was hanging from one hinge. This is the perfect place for a fugitive to blend in. Wendy took a deep sniff of the air, and smiled, there were already faint traces of a scent she recognized. She motioned for her teammates to head inside, as she took up the rear of their party. Their presence was met with stares from the male patrons, as well as whispered conversations.
"This ain't no place for brats, go find a playground or something!" The bartender's gruff voice met Wendy's ears along with a mixed cheer of agreement from his patrons. Wendy was too tired and too angry to pay them any mind, so she marched right up to the man who was easily twice her size (in both height and girth) and grabbed the front of his shirt. This action effectively silenced the men who had voiced their opinion beforehand. She summoned a light wind having it swirl around her menacingly as she brought the man down to her eye level.
"Have you ever seen what a dragon slayer can do when they are really pissed off old man?" Wendy whispered in a low and dangerous voice. "I mean, you've heard the stories Fairy Tail's Dragon slayers, am I right?" The man begrudgingly nodded his head, which brought a twisted little smile to Wendy's face. "Good, now I need some information, if you don't want a personal demonstration, which I will be all too happy to give, if you refuse to cooperate. I suggest you spill your guts, before I lose patience and you lose your job." Happy couldn't suppress a giggle at seeing little Wendy act like her big brothers. It was such a huge change of character that it almost felt like an act, but Happy knew that this was no act, Wendy had been changed during their years of training in the dragon king's lair and this was the proof.
Wendy went into a barrage of questions that would help her learn where to start looking for their mystery man, hardly giving the larger man time to think. The bartender answered to the best of his ability, occasionally wiping sweat from his brow as he looked around the room for anyone who might save him from the crazy blue haired teenager. No one dared move from their seat, as Wendy allowed her magical presence to seep out in the most intimidating way she knew how.
After an hour, Wendy decided she was satisfied, throwing the man back behind the counter, muttering her thanks for his hard work. Once all of her companions were reassembled outside, Wendy briefed them on the information that she had gathered, and they came to an arrangement shortly after. Once a meeting time was set, the team broke apart so they could cover more ground in a shorter amount of time while keeping a low profile.
Wendy casually strolled down the street intently sniffing the air in an attempt to track down the phantom's scent, it was a long shot and she knew it, but she had to at least try. She had smelled it faintly in the pub, but as she got closer to the out skirts of town, the familiar scent became stronger. Wendy inhale with a vicious grin on her face, knowing that the trail was still extremely fresh. She pulled out a small crystal from her pocket and poured some of her magic into it.
It didn't take long for the other's to receive her signal, and soon they were all standing around the fountain in the center of town.
"The warehouse district, is that right?" Romeo quirked his eyebrow in disbelief as Wendy simply nodded in confirmation. "What the hell is a guy like that doing in an abandoned warehouse?"
"I'll be dammed if I know, but my nose never lies, he's there." Happy shuttered as he saw Wendy begin to crack her knuckles excitedly. "Let's get this bastard so we can go home." There was a collective nod before the group followed Wendy back to where their target was hiding.
Wendy was the first to reach the buildings, and instantly began to sniff out the target more thoroughly. It took her all of ten minutes before she signaled that she had him trapped. Romeo and Happy volunteered to take the back entrance Charle and Lily agreed that they would take one side entrance each. When the signals were sent out that all team members were in position ready for anything that could happen.
One swift kick took the door off its hinges, revealing the haggard looking man curled up under a pile of tattered old blankets. One deep breath was all she needed to confirm that this was the man she had been searching for. "Oi, it's time to get up and pay the piper old man." Wendy put her balled hands on her fists, holding back the urge to hall off and deck the man in the side of his head. Unseeing Amber eyes looked out from under the blanket in hopes of finding the intruder. Wendy watched as he wiped the sleep from them, focusing on her with an expression that clearly meant he was trying to decide if he had ever encountered her before.
"Who are you child?" The man's voice had grown gravely since last the blue haired mage had heard it, but it was still unmistakably his. For a moment Wendy caught herself wondering why Lucy was so frightened of this lousy looking man.
"I'm a messenger from Lucy," At the very mention of her name, the man's eyes began to glow with recognition. That's the look I remember, now I can fight him seriously. She couldn't fight the grin that spread across her face as the man got up, his hands balled into fists. Wendy watched with excitement as the man's face twisted up in anger.
"What message has the little witch send with you?" He all but growled his position shifting slightly into what Wendy assumed to be his ready stance for a serious fight. The very thought brought a shiver of pleasure up the young woman's spine, it had been ages since the last time she had engaged in a fight that was worth her time as well as serve to challenge her skills.
"She said to give you her regards before I beat you senseless." Wendy answered with glee. The man didn't wait for a proper invitation as he launched himself at the young woman, pulling swords from under his long coat. Wendy took pause for a moment, before using a trick she had learned from Lucy herself. Her hands hung at her sides with open palms a strong wind wrapped itself round her arms, circling down until it extended from her palms by a little over three feet. Wendy closed her grip, now holding to lethal blades that hissed angrily at her opponent. "You picked the wrong day to mess with me old man." Wendy cried as her blades came down heavily on her opponent's.
Hearing the commotion inside the warehouse, Romeo and the others decided to take a peak. The boy's mouth dropped at the sight of the blue haired girl, as she held her ground against a man who was at least two heads taller than she was. Happy smiled as he watched her skilled dance, thrusting and dodging all while keeping her eyes away from her opponent's. Lucy had been very clear about that, once they were in battle, no one was to look Bastion in the eyes.
Lucy could feel the vein in her forehead pulse angrily as she listened to the blonde spirit rant on and on about his particularly lively night of activities. She wanted nothing more than to throw a large pillow at his face maybe he'll stop talking if his mouth is obstructed, but she held herself back, knowing that she still owed him one for saving her life. Even Loke looked annoyed with the fox spirit, though Lucy knew that was a part of normal everyday life with those two.
"So, tell me Lucy, how are you feeling this fine morning?" The fox spirit stretched his arms over his head with a wide yawn before he settled his chin on one of his fists. Vulpi gave one of his infectious smiles as he looked the blonde over, Lucy's lip twitched but she managed to form a smile in return, before staring the fox down.
"I'm going home today." Vulpi's eyes widened at the statement. "Natsu's worried sick, and Levy is running on nothing but adrenaline." Lucy pushed back the covers, heading for the wardrobe. She knew that what she wore in her spirit state didn't affect her human vessel, but she didn't want to return in her silk pajamas.
"I suppose you regained contact with them then?" Vulpi paled a fraction, as the last encounter he had with his master's husband come rushing back to his mind. He gulped trying to release the sudden knot in his throat at the thought of the man being unsatisfied with Lucy's recovery. The last thing he wanted was to become a pile of ashes; he still had so much to do with his life, and so many women to seduce.
"Yes, it was late last night, and since my magic is back I see no more reason to stay." Lucy pulled on her suit leaving the top two buttons of her blouse undone. "I've been gone long enough." She silently called out for Natsu to open a gate on his side, so that she could come through right where he was. She muttered a farewell to her spirits. Lupus and Lynx had stayed silent up to this point, but once she said it was time they rushed over to give her a hug.
Lucy smiled down at the two of them, whispering softly that it wouldn't be long before they saw each other again, and that she would be counting on them when the time came. Both nodded and promised that they would do their best for their master.
Lucy patted their head and gave Vulpi a stern look before crossing the barrier back to Earthland.
"Lu-chan!" Levy sobbed throwing herself at the blonde spirit, tears streaming from her eyes. Lucy smiled softly as she returned the hug, trying to restrain a few tears of her own. "God, I was so worried!" Levy continued to sob into the woman's chest, refusing to release her friend from her iron grasp.
"I'm sorry Levy-chan, I was being reckless and you had to suffer for my miscalculations." Lucy breathed. She watched over the blue haired woman's shoulder as her husband began releasing her body from its ice encasement, she knew it was a process that could take a while, and there were other things to take care of so she decided it was time to get moving.
"I need to get in touch with the others, where is the Communication lycima?" Lucy turned her attention to Gajeel who was holding the small crystal. The tall man made the short walk over to the spirit and handed over the item she had requested.
"Erza hasn't been told about any of this, we told her that you'd get in contact when you could." Lucy nodded; she didn't want Erza to know the particulars of what had happened either. Lucy was honestly embarrassed that she had miscalculated, and misjudged several of her opponents. The blonde took a deep breath, and prepared to connect to the Fairy Tail network of communication Lycrima. When she was sure that she had a solid one way connection she began her short speech.
"Congratulations to all of you on a job well done. Your part in this mission is now over, and I thank you all for everything you have done so far. I know most of you are back at the guild now, so have a tall one on me, Cana, and Cana I know you want something a little stronger, go right ahead. We are preparing for the final battle, so keep on your toes when you leave for missions guys. Please keep a close eye on Gramps as well, don't let him get too worked up. I know he's going to give you guys a hard time, so thanks in advance. Since this maybe the last time I talk to you all for a while I want to say thank you for trusting in me. You will never know how much your support means.
Lastly, Laxus I need you to bring our newest members to Era. Levy and I have done some remodeling, and I need the skills of an artist to clean up the mess we made. There is a messenger waiting for you at the counsel building. That is all for now, wish us good luck." Lucy cut the connection taking a moment to sit down on the floor. She looked over to Natsu to see that her body was only half way defrosted, and sighed.
"What does she mean by remodeling?" Gajeel asked quietly. Levy smirked, remembering that she hadn't told her husband the details of their whole mission; she had been much too distressed at the time.
"More than half the old counsel is in jail, and Lucy destroyed a large chunk of the main floor with her last attack." Levy wished her husband would have showed some form of surprise, but nothing registered on his face.
Lucy laughed at the exchange, between the two, as she waited for Natsu to complete his work. She took the time to search through their memories of the separate mission they had taken on and suddenly she wanted to smack herself in the face.
"You left Elfman behind, how is that even possible?" Lucy groaned.
"He was scouting ahead, and Flame brains panicked." Gajeel gave a rough barking laugh when Natsu visibly paled and tried to explain himself. By the time he had laid the entire story out, Lucy's body was finally ready for reattachment.
When the blonde opened her eyes a hiss of pain left her unintentionally. She quickly took stock of the open wound in her side and all the minimal scratches across her arms and legs.
"That one with the vines did a number on your face." Levy muttered as she pulled out a mirror for Lucy so she could see the damage for herself.
"Yeah, I have a feeling his vines were a portion of the reason I miscalculated. This is nothing though, I'll heal up in a day or two." Lucy handed back the mirror with a calm smile before seeing that the lycrima screen was lite up once more.
"Lucy, are you there?" A female voice called out, sounding extremely satisfied with herself. Lucy knew that voice very well, and she moved to pick up the screen with a warm smile.
"Hello there Wendy." Lucy grimaced slightly at the pain smiling caused the small lacerations around her mouth, but shock it off quickly as to not worry the rest of her companions.
"Lucy what happened to you?" The smaller blue haired teen asked gently.
"It's a long story Wendy, and it isn't important right now. So tell me why you're calling, I haven't heard from you in a month or so." Lucy watched as a devious smile lit up the young woman's features.
"Oh yes, I am happy to report that we got the bastard this morning; we were getting ready to head back with him and I wanted to know where you wanted me to put him." Wendy's eyes sparkled with sheer glee, since she had done her job just as she had been instructed.
"I knew I could count on you." Lucy smiled fondly at Wendy, taking in how much the girl had changed over the last few years. "I need you to bring him to Era. Make sure he is bound with magic depleting ropes. That is really, really important." Wendy agreed, and informed that she had everything under control now. Lucy told the young team that they would be heading to their next destination, and when their delivery was complete, Wendy was to join up with the rest of the family.
Erza stared at the dull screen in her hand with a sense of unease. Lucy had been in her spirit form, which made her wonder what exactly was going on over there in Era. She watched as Laxus and the Master had a conversation in hushed tones off to the corner. That was just one more thing that made her want to get down to the bottom of all of this.
"Ultear, get the others together, we are heading out as soon as humanly possible." Laxus boomed over the noise of the guild. "Erza, keep an eye on the old man till we get back. I have a feeling this could take a while."
The red head nodded moving over to the Master who was watching the crowd by the door with a look of sheer nervousness. Things were going to get heated soon, of that Erza was certain.
Next time war will be waged, and the royal family's true powers will be tested!
I plan to up date with in a week to two so don't worry, I won't leaving you hanging for very long this time.