I do not own FairyTail.
"Please Erza!" Natsu begged, terror in his black eyes. "Anything but THAT." Erza walked ahead, her face stern, showing no weakness to Natsu's pleas.
"I've told you before. You broke the rules. Anyone who breaks the rules must be punished." She remarked, her stern tone showed no signs of faltering.
Gray sulked beside me. "So unfair. I shouldn't I have to do THAT. I went to stop them." He muttered, freezing the ground slightly where he stepped.
Erza shot him a glare. "You did the exact opposite Gray Fullbuster. Therefore you most certainly are doing THAT." She hissed.
I scowled. "Seriously is no one going to tell me what THAT is?" I cried, more irritated than afraid. The conversation had been going in circles since we left Hargeon. After a few hours of endless squabbling we had finally made it to Magnolia and were almost at Fairy Tail.
Happy hovered by my shoulder, sniffling. "You really don't wanna know Lucy. THAT is the worst!" he whimpered. I huffed, quickening my step.
"I am beginning to wonder if THAT is even real…" I muttered under my breath, my eyes on the cobblestones. I would have preferred to stop by my apartment first but Erza was insistent about seeing the Master first and our mysterious punishment. My ribs ached slightly, still raw from my encounter with the moon worshipers. I found myself fantasizing over a hot bath and clean sheets.
My head bumped into Erza's cold back, waking me from my daydream. My nose stung from where it had collided with her armour. I touched it gingerly, confused by Erza's sudden stop.
Gray cursed beside me, a wave of intense heat washed over me, no doubt from an infuriated Natsu up ahead. I stepped aside, trying to see what the cause was.
I blinked, taken aback by what I saw. The guild hall was destroyed, large metal spikes sticking out of it.
"What the hell?" I breathed.
"So Phantom Lord is responsible?" I asked casually, passing out tea to my new, uninvited guests. After discovering the guild hall in tatters we had found Master Makarov inside, completely calm. It surprised me how composed he was. I had come to know Fairy Tail as this feral collection of mages – so I had expected them to be out for blood after seeing their home destroyed like that. But the Master had no intention of retaliating.
Despite his carefree attitude to his guild's magic use he still abided the rules, the important ones anyway- wars between guilds were forbidden. I was beginning to have a new found respect for the old man; he was a lot more responsible than I had previously believed.
Gray nodded, leaning against my bedroom wall. "Yeah, looks like it." My expression darkened when he took his shirt off, thankfully Erza scolded him before I had a chance to react. Sighing I sat down on my bed, where Natsu was already lying. Happy was undoubtedly raiding my fridge for fish and Erza was perched on my armchair, sitting gracefully with a cup of tea in her hands.
"But what's their motive? Don't they care about the consequences?" I asked, befuddled by the whole encounter. Phantom Lord wasn't a dark guild, it didn't make sense.
"Phantom Lord hates Fairy Tail, their Master was beaten by Makarov a few years ago and we've been rivals ever since." Erza explained. "Although they've never lashed out like this before…"
I frowned. "Then maybe it's not them? How do we know that Phantom Lord did it? Did they leave their insignia?"
Gray shook his head. "They didn't need to. The metal spikes were enough." He remarked. I furrowed my brow, more confused. "The metal spikes? You mean those giant rods that impaled the guild hall?"
Gray nodded. "Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail are equally matched in a lot of ways." Erza began, setting her cup down. "Both have Masters who are Wizard Saints. Both have high-ranking magicians- they have Element Four and we have our S-class."
"And both have a Dragon Slayer." Gray finished for her. "Except theirs is a lot stronger than firebrain over here."
Natsu leaped off the bed, incensed. "WHAT'S THAT POPSICLE?!" I grabbed him by the back of his waistcoat, holding him back from attacking Gray and destroying my apartment. "I'll show you who the strong one is!" he spat, rolling back his imaginary sleeves.
Erza cleared her throat and the two boys froze, remembering her presence. Natsu slumped down beside me, muttering under his breath.
My heart beat erratically. Another Dragon Slayer? Nerves twisted my insides. I wasn't sure whether to be excited or afraid. I sat up straight, my breath shaky.
"That still doesn't explain the metal spikes?" I pointed out, trying to calm down.
"He's an Iron Dragon Slayer." Gray explained. "The guild was his handywork."
Metalicana's slayer, a small sliver of hope ran through me. I had only met the Iron dragon twice but he might know where the other dragons are. He wasn't the friendliest of dragons but I had met worse. If the Iron dragon slayer knew where Metalicana was…
I nodded. "I suppose that explains why the Master doesn't want to retaliate. If were so evenly matched than people could really get hurt."
Gray nodded. "That's why we need to stick together in case there's another attack."
I sighed, glancing down at my keys. I was hoping on trying Sagittarius out tonight. "Yeah but you really don't need to be worried about me. I'll be fine. You guys can go home." I hinted, although I doubted it would work. I couldn't heal myself if they were here.
"Nah. We're staying. We're a team remember?" Natsu smiled beside me. Erza and Gray nodded in agreement. "Plus I feel kinda bad for letting you get captured by those weirdo moon followers…" Natsu admitted, fidgeting with his hands, uneasy. I blinked, unsure what he was talking about. "What?"
"On Galuna? When you disappeared? Those Moon weirdos kidnapped you?" Gray finished for him, rejogging my memory- or at least my cover.
"Oohh yeah." I smiled nervously, scratching my head. "That…"
Happy flew into the room, beaming as he swallowed the last of his fish. "Yeah! Those guys who beat you up real bad! Maybe they punched you so hard you lost your memories?" He hovered above me, cheerfully oblivious to my death glare. "You're lucky Erza saved you Lucy! Or else you'd be a pancake right now!" he giggled, his tail wagging in the air.
I grabbed my pillow, swinging it onto the feline's face. "WHO'S THE PANCAKE NOW HAPPY?" I snapped, not feeling a shred of remorse as he slid down the far wall, stars in his eyes.
We walked towards Fairy Tail in silence. Erza's back was stiff as she marched ahead of me, her brown eyes inspecting our surroundings with caution. Gray was beside me, ice appearing on his fingertips- as if preparing for a fight. Natsu and Happy lagged behind, I glanced back at the dragon slayer. He may have not looked alert with his eye's half closed with his hands behind his head but I knew he was focusing on the smells around him.
We had gone through the night undisturbed but that had put us on edge. The others hadn't said it but it was obvious they were expecting Phantom Lord to strike again. I touched my keys lightly, the tense atmosphere getting to me.
We were halfway to the guild when hushed voices caught our attention. Following the noises we found a large crowd surrounding a tree. I couldn't see past the swarm of people but their hushed tones unsettled me. I felt my heart beat speed up as I approached, the ominous feeling intensifying. I pushed through the crowd. My eyes widening in shock at the scene before us.
"Levy." I yelled, finally reaching the tree's base. She was pinned to its thick trunk, her fellow teammates at her side. All three were unconscious and badly beaten. I felt the observing crowd distance themselves from us.
Natsu smouldered behind me, trying to control his rage. I stepped closer to our guildmates, inspecting their wounds. I let out a deep breath when I saw they weren't serious. "They're gonna be ok. " I informed my worried teammates. Erza sighed in relief and Gray nodded appreciatively.
The ice mage's arms were crossed, showing off his pale biceps and slightly concealing his sudden lack of a shirt. "Iron stakes. Looks like the dragon's slayers work." He remarked, his expression grim.
There was a strange symbol on Levy's bare stomach. "Is that?" I began to ask, afraid I already knew the answer.
Erza's mouth formed a thin line. "Phantom Lord's insignia." She turned to a bystander, a young boy who froze in fear under her glare. "You there, go get the Master of Fairytail at once." She commanded in her regal tone. He sprinted off towards the broken guild, too terrified to disobey.
I gazed up at our beaten comrades, calm. "Does this mean what I think it means?" I asked aloud, unable to pull my eyes away from the dragon's slayers work.
Erza requiped a spear, preparing to pull out the iron stakes holding Shadow Gear in place. She stepped closer, our shoulders side by side, keeping her eyes on the victims. "If I know the Master like I think I do…"
Her brown eyes meet mine for a brief moment, sending chills through me.
"…It means war."
I stretched my back, satisfied with my freshly healed ribs. Strolling down the crowded main street I glanced around before taking a sharp turn into an empty alleyway, my footsteps echoing slightly down the narrow path. It was a shortcut to forest, a few more back alleys like this one and I would reach the outskirts of Magnolia without being noticed- useful when I wanted to practice my natural magic without being followed.
My keys rattled in my hand as I walked absent-mindedly through the narrow streets, eager to test out my new key. The others had gone to the Phantom Lord guild. I shuddered, remembering the outrage on Master Makarov's face when he saw what happened to Shadow Gear. They had rushed off to Phantom Lord immediately after, itching for a fight. I had stayed behind. It would be reckless of me to get involved in unnecessary battles – especially with the guild around. Even if I wanted to find Metalicana's whereabouts.
Somebody had to stay behind to take care of Shadow Gear so I volunteered before Natsu could drag me along to fight. The iron dragon slayer hadn't left any permanent damage but the scars he left on Levy's limp body made me think twice about wanting to meet him. Those scars were gone now- I had used my healing magic on them, not enough for them to make a miraculous recovery but enough so they'd be walking again in a few days.
Metalicana's slayer- perhaps Natsu was an exception to my Mother's and Grandeeney's warnings. The iron dragon slayer's brutality reignited the caution I had felt when I had first met Natsu back in Haregon. An uneasiness coursed through my veins, this whole situation seemed off. Why attack our guild only to start a war? Why provoke FairyTail and then disappear? It was almost as if they wanted us to retaliate… But why?
A heavy raindrop splashed on the ground before me. Another landed on my head a few seconds later. I frowned looking up at the clear sunny sky as more raindrops began to fall.
"How is that possible?" I murmured to myself, watching as the droplets just materialised out of the air. I squinted as rain began to stream down my face, slowly becoming a downpour. Realising that something was wrong, I quickened my step- knowing that I couldn't risk drawing HeartString in the middle of Magnolia. I had almost reached the next alleyway when my feet stopped moving. I looked down as I saw the puddle beneath my feet wrap around my ankles, slowly spreading its way up my calves.
In front of me stood a silhouette of a woman, her face hidden by an umbrella. It didn't take a genius to know she was behind my water-binding. It seemed to rain harder around her. I tried to break the binding but my movements only increased the water flow.
"It would be in your best intentions not to struggle." The woman remarked, her voice melancholic and musical, matching the downpour surrounding her. I froze hoping to bide some time.
"Why are you doing this?" I demanded, hiding my key loop behind my back. I knew I didn't have much time left until the water was engulfed me completely but my curiosity held me back. I tightened my grip on Aquarius- waiting for more water to form.
"Ah Mademoiselle you shouldn't underestimate zee Element Four!" A voice chimed from behind me. My keys were knocked away before I could see my assailant. They lay in the gutter, out of reach. I tried to break free, forcing more water to surround me instead. The water woman stepped forward, her solemn eyes appearing from under her soaked umbrella. I opened my mouth to speak but bubbles came out. I blinked, realising that I was engulfed in water.
When? I thought, amazed by the speed of her magic.
A man appeared from the ground, he seemed to be the disembodied voice that had knocked my keys away. He watched me next to the water woman. Who was observing me with concern, a light frown on her pale pretty face.
The man readjusted his glasses. "Juvia, why is Mademoiselle still awake? I thought this water lock of yours incapacitated them? Is something wrong, ma cherie?"
I glared at them from inside my water dome, unable to move. Forming HeartString was almost impossible. Wait, did that man call himself Element Four? My heart sped up, remembering what Erza had told me the night before- these guys equalled S-Class.
What the hell were they doing here? Are they capturing any remaining Fairytail members?
Juvia- the water woman, stepped closer, inspecting me. "Juvia does not know. There's no oxygen in there, she must be holding her breath." She frowned, her dark blue eyes meeting mine. "But Sol, wasn't she supposed to have brown eyes? This girl's are blue?"
I shut my eyes, preventing her partner from having a look. Are they purposely targeting me? My stomach flipped. Did they know about my magic? No, I calmed they did know they wouldn't be surprised by my eyes.I must have intuitively used my water magic. It wasn't the first time I had unintentionally used my powers, that day on Mt Hakobe I had used Glaciem's naturally too. I hadn't even realised I was using magic.
I sighed internally; realising there was only one way out of this. I needed to be taken and see where it lead me. I focused my power, pulling it back into my centre, feeling my brown eye colour return. The sudden lack of air almost made me return to my water magic. My chest felt like it was being crushed as I gasped for remaining oxygen, failing to find any. The dizziness washed over me and my mind went black, succumbing to the water lock.
A six year old Lucy Heartfillia lay motionless on the wet grass, blood oozing from a wide gash on her forehead. A white dragon at her side, inspecting her wounds. Another two; a red and a black dragon watched from afar.
Lucy couldn't move, unable to open her eyes or ask Grandeeney what happened. Yet she could feel the Sky dragon presence looming over her.
"Is the human dead?" A low gruff voice asked Grandeeney. Lucy recognised it as the Fire dragon, she didn't know him very well. He had visited her only once or twice before.
"Igneel what exactly were you thinking, striking her like that?" Grandeeney scolded.
"It was only a small fireball. I thought she could handle it. Being one of those…" Igneel replied, his rough voice trailing off with uncertainty. Lucy focused on their voices, trying to escape from the throbbing darkness of her mind. Why did it hurt so much? Had her headaches come back so soon?
"She may have the ability but she does not yet possess the skill. Or perhaps you already knew that?" The Sky dragon remarked, accusation clear in her voice. Lucy's head began to tingle as she recognised the feeling of Grandeeney's healing magic washing over her.
"If the runt can't even survive a flicker of Igneel's power then she is undeserving." An unfamiliar voice rasped, sending shivers down Lucy's spine. "Come now Grandeeney. You can't really believe this human girl contains such a rare trait? It would be better to end such a pitiful creature now before the other dragons saw what a mistake you made." The voice purred. Lucy didn't understand what the black dragon was saying but it scared her.
"Don't you agree Igneel?" The black dragon inquired. "Just look at her, can we really put our faith in something so pathetic?"
"Touch her and I'll burn you to the ground." Igneel growled, the air cracking around him from intense heat. The black dragon laughed.
"How surprising. You care for the child?" He snickered. Igneel didn't respond , leaving a heavy silence in the air. Lucy was beginning to feel dizzy, her head spinning from the lack of blood. She dug her nails into the damp ground, a wave of pain pulsing through her as she lost consciousness, barely able to catch the fire dragon's reply.
"Not this child."
My eyes shot open, unsettled. My body throbbed all over, my cheek resting against a cold stone floor. I grimaced, rolling onto my back, the iciness of the stone sending chills down my spine. The ground was uneven, rough edges digging into my side. I blinked, disorientated.
Where am I?
I winched as I sat up, my body stiff. My clothes were damp and creased, probably from the water lock. I shivered, hunching slightly as I tried to warm myself. I stared at the cold stone walls in front of me, a sturdy metal door marking my escape, no doubt locked from the outside. I pulled myself to my feet, the dull ache in my brain residing. A strong breeze whipped hair across my face.
I brushed a blonde strand out of my eyes, turning to follow the breeze, squinting and shading my eyes as I adapted to harsh sunlight flowing in. The cell was missing a wall. A gust of wind fluttered my skirt. I raised an eyebrow, curious as I stepped closer to the ledge. The cell was isolated up high, dozens of metres in the air. An ordinary prisoner would be trapped.
A smile tugged at my lips. Escape just became much easier. Satisfied, I strolled over to a side wall and leant against the cold, moss covered stone. The silence of each step a painful reminder that my keys were gone- probably lying abandoned in a puddle back in Magnolia. I winched, thinking of the retribution Aquarius would insist on giving me. My hand instinctively going to my forehead, gingerly touching where I had been struck in my dream.
Had it been a dream? Or was it something else?
My hand searched for a dent or a scar where the fireball had hit but found none. It must have been a dream- I tried to reassure myself but the unpleasant vividness made me hesitate. It had felt so familiar. I furrowed my brow, the dragon's enigmatic conversation echoing in my head. What did Igneel mean? One of those? I clenched my jaw, feeling as clueless as I had in the dream. Taking a deep breath, I pushed any thoughts of dragons aside, aware of the situation I was in.
I needed to know the reason behind my kidnapping. Was it just me or were there other FairyTail members here? A childlike curiousity coursed through my veins, now that I had an escape route there was nothing to fear. I eyed the metal door, wondering if they would come on their own or if I needed to draw them out.
"Hey! Ghost Lord. Let's talk!" I called out, getting the name wrong on purpose. Feet shuffled behind the door, accompanied by hushed whispers. I frowned, becoming impatient, resisting the temptation to smash the door down with HeartString.
A pair of feet scuttled away, returning a few minutes later with loud voice booming, the words were muffled by the door but it was evident the speaker enjoyed the sound of their own voice. The chattering stopped and the sound of the deadbolt being undone rattled through my cell. The door swung open, revealing a tall man, who appeared to be only a few years younger than Master Makarov. Bags drooped under his beady eyes. His lanky body was hidden by a large flamboyant cloak and a matching purple pointed hat bearing the Phantom Lord insignia. A thin moustache framed his dark lips which were curled into a predatory smile.
I kept my expression blank. Judging by the insignia and his strong magical aura this was Phantom Lord's master- one of the ten wizard saints. He shut the door after him, watching me with satisfaction. "You woke earlier than expected. Juvia must have gone easy on you." He remarked, stepping closer towards me. "You're lucky. My Element Four are usually much more… severe." His dark beady eyes stared into mine with pride.
I broke eye contact, gazing out towards the green hills in the distance. "I'm not here for small talk. What are you planning?" I inquired, keeping my voice calm.
He grinned, performing a small bow in the centre of my prison. "My apologies for keeping you in such a barbaric place my Lady but one must be cautious. I am Jose Porla, Master of the finest magician guild in all of Fiore." He boasted, his hat tipping off the ground. "Phantom Lord!"
I crossed my arms, watching him with disdain. "Don't ignore my question."
Jose smirked knowingly. "Of course not. How could I ignore such an honoured guest!" His smirk widening at my confusion. "Ah you see I actually have a lot to thank you for."
"What?" I asked, knowing he wouldn't continue without my insistence.
"Thanks to you I get to destroy FairyTail and get paid for it!" Jose threw his hands in the air, ecstatic. "Do you know how long I've been waiting to show Makarov just how weak his puny guild is?" He continued to rant, his actions getting more animated and his voice more irritating. I clenched my fist, a headache forming. My patience was wearing out.
"Oh shut it old man. No one cares about your revenge." I muttered, rubbing my forehead. Exhausted from just listening to him. I glanced out at the open wall, if he wasn't going to tell me anything useful I'd just leave. I stepped away from the wall, eyeing the ledge.
Jose stopped ranting, a faint sneer on his weathered face. "My my, how rude. I expected more from a Heartfilia." I froze, my eyes snapping to the Phantom Lord leader. My heart thumped uncomfortably in my chest, hoping that I had just misheard his words. Any patience I had disappeared.
"What did you just say?" I hissed, glaring at him. Jose seemed pleased with my reaction, a wide grin stretched across his face. "You are Lucy Heartfilia are you not? The sole heiress of the Heartfilia estate?"
The heiress- I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to form HeartString and show him who I really was; a mage not some rich princess. I stepped closer to Jose, his dark aura repulsing me. "You're wrong." I spat, glaring up into his beady eyes.
Jose raised an eyebrow, unaffected by my anger. He smiled, pulling something out of his billowing cloak. "Did Makarov tell you to lie like that? I'm afraid you can't fool me. You match the photo." He teased, waving a small square photo of a young woman almost identical to me. Appalled I reached for it, only for Jose to tuck back into his pocket.
"Where did you get that? If you think my Father will pay a ransom for me you're mistaken." I warned, taking note of where he put the photo, the woman's face lingering in my mind.
Jose chuckled. "Who did you think gave me the picture? Mr Heartfilia is my employer."
I blinked, unable to comprehend what he was saying. My Father hadn't looked for me before. Why was he suddenly so interested? The sliver of hope within me was trampled by a stronger sense of foreboding. If he was willing to kidnap me it couldn't be good.
I stepped away from Jose back towards the ledge. The realisation of my Father's actions hitting me.
"You attacked FairyTail because of me." I remarked, my voice hollow, guilt and disappointment aching in my chest.
Jose twirled a corner of his moustache, watching me with amusement. "Well it's more like I used you as an opportunity to attack the guild. Your Father was quite insistent I retrieve you by whatever means necessary. How could I refuse such a generous man?"
"How much did he offer?" I asked out of bitter curiousty.
Jose sneered, his ring covered hands resting on his hips. "10 million jewels." He boasted.
I scoffed, a sour taste in my mouth. "He underpaid you."
Jose snickered. "Oh I know. I looked into him after we made our deal. Jude Heartfilia of the Heartfilia Konzern- one of the wealthiest companies in Fiore. Most notably the owner of Heartfilia Railways. Tsk... He really held out on me. Which is why we won't be giving you back until we've sucked every last jewel out of him." He grinned proudly at his master plan.
I eyed the ledge before glancing sideways at Jose. "How much do you think he'll pay if I'm dead?" I stepped back, my heels at the edge, wind whipping my hair.
The mage hesitated slightly before letting out a chuckle, not taking me seriously. "Very funny Miss Heartfilia. Now step back from the ledge." He spoke soothingly, stepping closer.
I smirked, enjoying the wind on my back. "Since you know how rich my Father is you shouldn't be surprised about his connections- especially to the army. Wouldn't want to get on his bad side."
Jose stepped towards me, closing the distance between us to only a few feet. His calm voice was ruined by his panicked expression, a vein throbbing on his forehead. "You're too old to be throwing tantrums. Get back from that ledge!"
I shrugged, a knowing smile on my face as I leant back, preparing to fall. Jose shrieked, leaping towards me and grabbing my shoulders. Using his momentum, I pull him past me, letting him drop over the edge as I stay standing, my hands gripping his collar. Utilising my strength I held him there, face to face as his feet dangled in the air.
Jose's face paled, realising he had been tricked. His grip tightened on my arms, terrified that I would let go. "What are you doing?! Stop this nonsense!" he cried, his voice cracking. I sneered. "Okay." Loosening my grip for a millisecond, he shrieked.
"I was planning on just leaving but you've pressed some buttons that should have been left alone." I informed him calmly. "Now you're going to stop whatever your evil plan is or I'm going to drop you."
Jose shook his head. "It's too late. FairyTail will be destroyed! You'll just have to drop me." He exclaimed dramatically, his voice shaking slightly. I glared at him, briefly distracted by a glimpse of pink hair far off in the green hills.
You have got to be kidding me.
"It's tempting." I muttered under my breath. Tapping into my magic for strength I let go with one hand and reached into his cloak, searching for the photo. "I'll just be taking this." I said, taking out the wrinkled picture and tucking it into my skirt. Jose wasn't paying attention, his eyes fixed on my left ear. "Dragon's tooth." He murmured, astonishment on his pale face. Realising that we had gone into risky territory I pulled him up and sent him stumbling across my cell.
"Well I better go." I commented, turning away to face the open sky. I attempted to hide my ear with my hair only for the wind to expose it again.
"Wait!" a black tendril reached out to me. I instinctively struck it away with HeartString, which disintegrated it in one blinding flash. I glanced back at Jose with a guilty expression. He glared at me, his dark aura intensifying. "You tricked me! Lucy Heartfilia is a celestial spirit mage! Who are you?! An assassin?" he roared. I ignored him, peering over the ledge to the steep drop below. "Aren't you going to attack me? That's why Makarov sent you right? To eliminate me? I'll show the both of you!"
I sighed. "I'm not dumb enough to fight a Wizard Saint. Your fight's with Makarov right? Leave me out of it. I'm too involved as it is." I glanced back at him with disdain. "And forget about whatever deal you had with my Father. I'll go see him myself." I stepped off the edge, plummeting towards the ground.
I needed to get out of here before Natsu arrived, if that pink head was his. Otherwise escape would become impossible. I wouldn't be able to use my power to get down if he was watching. Only a few meters from the ground I prepared my sky magic, about to shoot my bow when I was knocked out of the air by a warm pair of arms. My bow disappeared, my concentration broken by the sudden impact. I cried out as we spun through the air, crashing into an old stone wall and smashing it to pieces.
We landed shortly after. "What the hell?" I murmured, my eyes half-open and my world spinning. I was lying on top of something warm, glancing down I saw the same pink hair I had seen earlier, embedded in my chest. I held my temper, realising that Natsu took the worst of the impact. I rolled off him onto the cool dirt, pulling myself up, stumbling slightly.
"Natsu what are you doing here?" I asked, hoping he didn't suspect anything. He groaned, rubbing his back as he stood up. "Happy and I came to save you." I turned to see the blue flying cat, hovering in the air a few feet away. "Hey Lucy! Where's that stick you were carrying? Did you drop it?" he asked innocently. Cold sweat ran down my neck, realising that Happy had seen my bow. "I wasn't holding anything Happy." I laughed nervously. The cat watched me for a moment, suspicious.
"Hey Lucy is this you?" Natsu called, holding the photo I had taken from Jose earlier. It must have fallen out during my fall. I walked over to him, taking the photo and gazing down at the woman, a faint trembling in my hands. We really did look alike- to the point that my Father could pretend this was me.
"It's my Mom." I answered quietly, putting the photo away before I got upset. Natsu's mouth opened slightly, amazed. "Whoa! Really? You know if you were prettier you could pass as twins." He remarked innocently, surprised when a rock hit him square on the nose a few seconds later.
The guildhall was chaotic. The Master had been hurt along with most of the guild members who went to Phantom Lord. I sat with Natsu and Happy in the corner, silently watching the mess I had created worsen, unable to do anything about it. I clenched my fist. Maybe I should have fought Jose after all. But if I had I would have blown my cover- Natsu definitely would have seen. And Jose was a Wizard Saint- I frowned remembering my last and hopefully only fight against a Wizard Saint.
"Laxus you need to help us! Master is gravely injured and we can't contact Mystogun." Mira pleaded into the crystal ball where the arrogant s-class mage smirked back, enjoying every moment of it. "Why should I? You're big girls, you deal with it. Oh man. Looks like Makarov will be handing over the guild in no time!" he guffawed. Mira clenched her fists, holding back tears. "Laxus they're after Lucy we need to protect her!"
He frowned. "Lucy? Do I even know her?" He froze for a moment a sly smile creeping to his lips. "Ooh… Is that the new girl?" He smirked. "I'll tell you what if you make her my woman I'll do whatever you wa-" The crystal ball exploded, tears finally coming out of Mirajane's blue eyes.
The guilt I had been feeling was momentarily replaced with a new found hatred of Laxus Dreyar. I was secretly glad Mira broke the crystal, I had only been seconds from smashing it myself and I didn't need to be responsible for causing any more damage to the guild.
Mira wiped away her tears, turning to face me. "I'm sorry Lucy. I thought he'd help us." She sniffled. I sighed, standing up and leaving my corner, sulking wouldn't solve anything. "It's ok Mira. We didn't ne-" I was interrupted by the ground shaking and the shrieking of metal.
Loke burst in the door. "It's Phantom Lord, they're here. " He panted, his eyes hesitating for a moment when they met mine. Natsu sprinted outside, Gray and Elfman in close pursuit. Mira was frozen to the spot, terrified. I approached a window, stunned to see Phantom Lord's entire guildhall on mechanic spider legs- only a few hundred metres away. Thinking back to Jose's flamboyant style I shouldn't have been surprised.
I felt someone approach me, turning to see Loke awkwardly standing a few feet away, avoiding eye contact. This had probably been the closest he's been to me since he found out I was a celestial spirit mage. I eyed him suspiciously. "Are you okay Loke?"
"Em yeah. I just wanted to give you these." He reached out towards me, my keys jangling in his hand. I felt a weight lift off my chest, knowing my keys were safe. I stepped towards him, taken aback when he faltered, almost retreating away from me. "Thanks Loke. I was really worried about them. Where were they?" I asked graciously. I reached out for my keys, my fingers brushing his. I froze, my brown eyes snapping to his, a strange sensation at my fingertips. Loke pulled his hand away, flustered by my searching gaze. "Em just a gutter."
Mira called me over, her face pale. I left Loke by the window with a worried frown. Mira marched quickly over to me, Reedus following her. She put her hands on my shoulders, her blue eyes focused. "Lucy it's too dangerous here for you. You need to go. Hide, we'll take care of this." She pleaded. I smiled, my conscience pricked slightly as I realised that it wasn't the attack she was afraid of but my own wellbeing. "Okay." I replied simply, surprising her.
"Oh thank goodness I thought I would have to drug you or something." She breathed, not showing any guilt over the idea. "Reedus will take you to the safehouse."
I glanced at Reedus before my eyes were drawn to someone else. "I'll take Loke instead." I declared, surprising Mira. She opened her mouth to argue but thought against it, obviously just relieved I was going in the first place. "Fine. Loke bring Lucy to the safe house."
Loke's handsome face twisted into one of horror. "Me?! No. No. I can't!" he insisted, his resolution breaking under Mira's commanding glare. "We don't have time Loke. Go now!"
I shot Loke a smile, walking towards the front door. He looked away, not wanting to make eye contact as he followed me, full of reluctance.
"Where are you going?" Loke yelled after me as I disappeared down a side alley. The streets were deserted; any civilians were locked away inside, hiding from the danger. I put a finger to my lips before waving him over. He approached cautiously, stopping a few feet away.
"This is the opposite direction to the safehouse Lucy." He pointed out, his arms crossed in disapproval. I continued to creep through the narrow streets, searching for a good spot. "I know." I murmured, distracted.
Loke scowled, keeping his footsteps light as he followed me. "What are you looking for?"
"A vantage point." I replied instantly. "Somewhere high up, not too close to the fight but not too far away either." I continued to murmur under my breath.
Loke watched me, perplexed. "A vantage point? What are you planning to do? Watch?" The disgust evident in his voice. I shot him a glare. A thunderous boom went off in the distance followed by incoherent yells. I bit my lip, quickening my step. Ignoring the judgemental stare Loke was giving me. Being this close with him warped my senses. There was something odd about him, a familiar but erratic aura. The instability of it distracted me.
"Wait." Loke called out after me, exasperated. "There's a guard tower near the edge of town, by the waterside. It'll probably have the best view."
I nodded in thanks, giving him a small smile as another thundering boom echoed from our guildhall. "Let's go. We don't have much time." I followed Loke's directions, taking the narrow streets and alleyways until the building was in my sights, looming a few streets ahead.
The tower was a tall stone turret overlooking the edge of town and the bay where the mechanical guildhall was attacking. Young trees surrounded its base, along with a stable and some smaller buildings. Loke walked beside me as we approached. "The guards should be inside but they'll help us if we show our stamps." He spoke softly, aware of the silence surrounding us.
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed across the cobblestones. Counting more than one pair I pulled Loke into the alleyway next to us, signalling him to stay silent. I froze as four shadows loomed in my peripheral vision. Their stillness told me they hadn't spotted us yet. I glanced at Loke, noticing the strain in his face, his strange aura pulsing weaker than before. He didn't seem ready for a fight.
I touched Virgo's key, summoning her in my mind. She appeared silently before me with her usual bow. I pointed out towards the street, a finger to my lips. Virgo bowed again, chains forming in her hands. She stepped out into the light- propelling her chains. I followed her out, preparing to summon Taurus if needed but she already had them knocked out and bound in chains.
"Thanks Virgo. That was quick." I commented, impressed. The maid nodded, her pretty face expressionless as usual. "Thank you Dreadlord."
I groaned, hiding my face in my hands. "Virgo I told you not to call me that." I snuck a glance at Loke who seemed to be hiding in the shadows. Virgo's eyes narrows when she saw him. "Did I miss one Dreadlord?" I shook my head. "No Virgo, he's okay. Thanks for the help." I touched my key, returning her to the spirit world.
Loke emerged from the shadows, watching me apprehensively. "I didn't hear you summon her?"
I shrugged, examining the mages Virgo beat up. "I did it in here." I pointed to my temple. This seemed to surprise him. "But doesn't silent summoning take a lot of magic?"
"Well our cover would have been blown if I called her out and it didn't look like you could handle a frontal assault. So I did it the sneaky way. Anyway my magic regenerates pretty quickly so…" I turned to face him, realising I was rambling. I was also being a little too honest. Eager to change the subject I gave Loke a wide grin. "You know for someone who apparently hates Celestial mages you certainly know a lot."
Loke froze under my gaze, shuffling his feet uncomfortably. He nodded towards one of the tied up mages. "How did you know they were Phantom Lord?"
I smiled sheepishly. "I didn't." I began to walk towards the tower. I waved a hand back at the shocked redhead. "It's ok though. They all have the Phantom Lord stamp."
The guards were knocked out; no doubt by the mages Virgo beat up. I sighed in relief, glad that I didn't need to use sleep magic on them. Another boom shook the ground more severe than before. I clenched my fist, itching to take out HeartString and actually do something. I turned to Loke who was hovering at the entrance. "Thanks Loke. But I'll take it from here."
He blinked, assuming he had misheard me. "What? You're joking." He exclaimed stepping inside. I crossed my arms, staring back at him. He hesitated under my serious expression. "Mira told me to protect you. I can't just leave you here!" He cried, readjusting his glasses.
"Look Loke your magic has been depleting since we left. I don't think you'd be much help here. In fact I think you'd just get yourself hurt." I said bluntly, ignoring the horror on Loke's face at the mention of his magic.
Loke slumped against the doorframe, defeated by my words. "How?" He whispered in shock. Another boom resonated from the guild. I glanced at the stairs longingly. "It's… hard to explain. Look if you follow me I'll call Virgo again. Don't worry about Mir-)
"Okay…" Loke interrupted, taking off his glasses, exhausted. "Go." He said softly, his voice shaking. I didn't reply, instead sprinting upwards to the tower's rooftop.
The rooftop overlooked the bay. The sparkling water overshadowed by Phantom Lord's guildhall which had completely transformed into some kind of robot. It was a little less than a mile away, not an easy shot but not impossible. I smiled; Loke had chosen a good spot. The back of the FairyTail guildhall was swarming with small shadow creatures that FairyTail members were holding back while several fights were occurring on the giant robot itself. A fiery explosion broke some of the robot away, collateral from a duel. I sighed, relieved that the noise I had been hearing wasn't from the guild being destroyed.
"Okay here we go." I muttered to myself, taking out my new golden key.
"Open gate of the Archer. Sagittarius!" I pointed the key out and a man in a horse costume appeared in front of me. I blinked, taking in his ridiculous outfit.
He stood up straight, saluting me. "Hello! I am Sagittarius, a master of archery. How may I be of service?" He held a small toy bow in his left hand. "Is that your bow?" I asked, disheartened.
He nodded. "Rest assured. I will never miss with this bow."
Another boom echoed through Magnolia, returning my mind to the situation at hand. I marched over to the tower's edge, forming HeartString and using it to point out towards the shadow creatures attacking FairyTail. "I look forward to it. Help me kill those shadow ghost things."
Sagittarius saluted me, eyeing my bow appreciatively before getting to work. I watched as he notched three arrows and shot them simultaneously. All three meet their targets, their shadow forms evaporating into smoke. I whistled lightly under my breath, impressed by his accuracy. I might have hit two out of those three if they weren't moving. While my accuracy wasn't bad I used much larger missiles than his arrows so it was easier to hit the target.
"Wow nice work. Keep it up." I praised him, deciding the best plan of attack, eyeing the giant robotic guildhall. Was there a way to stop it? Searching it's body I saw no weak points, apart from the obvious- it's legs.
Sagittariius let out a disgruntled huff beside me, notching three more arrows into his childlike bow. "It seems the damage isn't permanent. I can only deter them at best. My apologies." He hung his head honourably, shooting off without looking and still hitting the targets. I scoffed, envious.
I watched as the creatures he shot into puffs of smoke returned after a few seconds, continuing their assault. I sighed, realising how exhausted everyone must feel fighting such a thing, they wouldn't hold out for much longer.
"If we can keep them from attacking even for a moment it'll be worth it." I affirmed, turning my attention back to the robot. I raised my bow, unable to waste any more time and took a deep breath, listening to my instincts as I equipped Taurus' key to HeartString. The robot stepped forward with its right leg- the leg furthest from me. I focused, aiming for the giant cogs turning in its artificial knee. I pulled my hand back, releasing Taurus' concentrated shockwave. It was invisible except for light ripples it made in the air it shot through, making a sickening crunch as it crushed the exposed cog into its counterpart, stopping the leg in mid-air.
I frowned, disappointed that the robot managed to stay standing. I returned Taurus' key and reached for Cancer's, wanting to end this as soon as possible. My Father weighing heavily on my mind. I aimed for its right arm, without it the robot would surely topple back into the sea, away from the guild. While I had a better chance of tumbling it if I shot the other leg the robot could fall forwards and crush my guild members, if not at least the guild hall itself.
What I was not expecting was for the other arm to suddenly get in the way, my spinning projectile slicing off its mechanical hand and rebounding into the robot's face, cutting half the automaton's face off. The half torn metal sheet clinging to the robot's jaw.
"Interesting tactic Miss." Sagittarius' droll voice chimed in from behind me as he shot three more ghouls. I clenched HeartString, unable to take my eyes off the mess I had made. Cancer and Taurus were my only long rang offensive keys. I glanced at the shimmering water, wondering if Aquarius' key would work at this distance- I shook my head remembering how destructive it had been in Hargeon. I would wash away my guildmates and possibly flood Magnolia in the process.
The screech of metal echoed through the bay followed by a muffled laugh. I watched in horror as a man with long black hair emerged from the robot's face and proceeded to chew on the large metal sheet I had accidentally sliced off. Something flickered behind him, a dull glow like embers after a fire. My heart jumped, realising it was Natsu. He was slumped against what appeared to an engine, his flames weakening until I could barely see them.
The black haired man was beginning to turn silver, scales emerging on his skin, his cruel laugh chilling me to the core. This was the Iron dragon slayer. He was fighting Natsu and apparently I had just given him a snack. I pushed my fear away only to be consumed by panic. The slayer was approaching Natsu who barely seemed able to move, his flames flickering. I needed to help him but how? With two slayers there was no way in hell I could step in. I watched as the Iron slayer took another bite out of the metal sheet he was carrying.
"Fire." I spoke aloud. Natsu needed fire. I glanced down at my bow, I couldn't use my own flames. I was too close. He'd think Igneel was here again. I turned to my celestial spirit. "I don't suppose you have flaming arrows?" He shook his head. "That is not in my capabilities."
I groaned, running a hand through my hair, gripping it roughly for a moment, trying to think of a solution.
"How can you make fire?" I hissed to myself. Amazed I couldn't think of such a simple answer. "It's not like I can rub two sticks together!"
"Metal against metal should create an adequate spark. You only require it to be near a flammable substance- oil perhaps?" Sagittarius suggested calmly, his eyes examining the robot.
I followed his line of sight, searching the automaton, feeling exasperated as I watched Natsu being flung against the machine's engine. "Its all just metal- there nothi-" I stopped myself, nothing something leak out of the engine where Natsu hit. A very small stream of oil.
My sudden optimism was quickly crushed. "There's no way I could hit that. Not with Iron magic…" I turned to my spirit. "You said you never miss. Can you reach that?" I asked hopeful.
Sagittarius shook his head. "The distance is too far for simple archery." I winched as I watch Natsu being struck yet again. "Do I have no other choice?" I spoke softly. Did I have to expose myself? Could I leave Natsu to die for the sake of my secret? Is that something my Mother would wish for? To what extent should I hide my power?
My celestial spirit paused thoughtfully, inspecting the impossible target. "It may be impossible for our singular abilities to achieve such a shot but combined I do not think it will be difficult." He mused. My head snapped to his direction. "What?"
Sagittarius saluted me. "My key will give you the power. It's primary function is to promote expert accuracy and strength of the projectiles you shoot. I believe it will prove satisfactory in this situation."
I blinked. "And you're only telling me this now?" I pinched the bridge of my nose, resisting my temper. "No. You know what? It's fine. Thank you Sagittarius." I called his key back, lining it up with my bow. I focused on my iron magic, my heart beat erratic knowing my choice of magic was very risky- if it gave off the same aura as Metalicana it may draw the slayer to me. Instead of being fearful I tried to convince myself that using Iron would be productive- I didn't know if all slayers could sense me after all. This was just another simple experiment. I just had to give Natsu his fire and disappear before the Iron slayer could react.
It felt strange, combining my own magic with the keys but not unnatural. I focused on the small stream, releasing my key and watching as the metal spike I shot flew through the air in an almost slowed pace yet I knew it was flying at a speed I would never attain in normal circumstance. It flew with exact precision, smoothly avoiding any obstacles in its path, almost as if Sagittarius was guiding the projectile himself. The iron spike collided with engine, its sparks igniting the stream under it and resulted in the entire engine bursting into beautiful lively flames.
I turned on my heel, using my sky magic to disappear into the clouds. Not willing to wait and see the Iron slayer's reaction, I could always bring it up with Natsu next time I saw him. I smiled, relieved that my shot worked.
My smile disappeared when I realised what I had to do next. Taking the sun as my bearings I headed west- towards the Heartfillia Konzern.
Hey guys! Sorry for wait. I actually have had about 7000 words of this done for the past few weeks but I originally planned to include Loke's story and her Father in it but I realised that the chapter would end up being roughly 15000 words long (WAY TOO LONG) so thats what the next chap is about which kinda sucks cuz I've been dying for the Tower of Heaven arc but next chap will be pretty fun too :D
Hoped you liked it. Tell me all your thoughts! I love reviews! Also I'm relatively new to this site so I don't know the etiquette for replying to reviews. Do I mention you here? Do I message? I'm hopeless so please don't take offense if I don't reply! All your comments are a huge motivation to me! And motivation is very rare for me so please write!
Next chapter will be sooner than this one I promise you ( Only because I'm in the middle of exams and love procrastination)
Bye now. Thanks for your time!