"Fairy Tail you say?"
The girl looked at them curiously, eyeing them one by one. She took another step forward, forcing Gray to step back. The look in her eyes were sharp, with a sudden dark look.
"Fairy Tail?" She asked again. Her eyes darkened, replaced by a look of pure rage and hatred.
"Why...? Why Fairy Tail!?" She screamed, shaking with rage.
Gray stepped back, returning to his friends, side by side.
"Run!" Erza had shouted, as the chaos began. The girl shrieked, lifting both of her hands, beams of white light forming. She pushed her hand forward, controlling the beams of light which were shooting out rapidly, aiming at Natsu and the others.
Natsu jumped out of the way, nearly hit, but not scathed, luckily. He ran, holding a hand out as he grabbed a branch and pulled himself over it, jumping behind a thick tree bush. There, panting for breath, Natsu saw Erza, Lucy, and Gray all sitting quietly on the wooden floor. He joined the others, resting on the floor, gazing at the hole in the bush where Erza was looking at.
"What's up with this chick?" Natsu mumbled. Something was wrong, Makarov never told them the guardian had wanted to kill them.
"We have to take her out," Gray stated.
"Seriously? Harm a little girl like that?" Lucy whispered, eyeing the shaking girl nervously.
"Uh- If you haven't already noticed, she already tried to kill us-" Natsu started.
"-So we have to return the favor," Erza said, starting to get up. She glanced around at everyone, motioning for them to follow her.
This is really gonna suck, Natsu thought to himself.
2 Minutes Later...
"You who! Scary little girl, over here!" Natsu called out, successfully drawing the attention of the pale-haired girl. She glared at him, tears in her eyes. It wouldn't be long before she charged.
Hmph. Why was I put on for bait? And why is she crying? Natsu thought, he casted her a confused look, searching her eyes for any emotion besides anger and hatred.
"Fire Dragon Roar!" Natsu shouted, letting a mountain of fire erupt from his mouth and onto where the girl was. The temperature turned fairly warm and sparks of fire flew around in the sky. As the fire and smoke cleared, he saw the girl emerge from it, unscathed. She swung her hand and shot out several beams.
Natsu dodged most of them, running around her and trying to keep her attention on him. Natsu only prayed that she wouldn't look behind her. As Gray was currently sneaking up at the potion, reaching out to grab it.
Gray felt beads of sweat to start forming as he cautiously went to grab it, his fingers colliding with the bottle. But as soon as he touched it, he felt a slowly burning sensation take over his senses. The pain rapidly increased into what felt like sharp jabs all over his hand, moving down to his hand and soon his whole body.
Gray hissed, retrieving his hand back, holding it with his other one. Dammit, Gray thought, I can't reach the bottle.
It only got worse for Gray.
The girl stiffened, her body frozen for a second before she turned around, dark rigid eyes meeting with blue onyx ones.
"Crap!" Gray shouted, jumping in the air to avoid multiple beams of light. He positioned his hands in a familiar way.
"Ice-make Lance!" He shouted, returning the attack with multiple ice lances. He watched as the girl dodged what seemed all of them, shattering to the ground. She looked unharmed, but there was a trace of blood coming out from her cheek. A single cut. That's all Gray needed. He glanced back at Natsu, who was staring at him and gave a small nod.
"Hey! Pay attention to who you're fighting, will ya?" Natsu growled, the girl turning back at him once again. This gave Gray time to sort out the plan with Erza and Lucy.
"All right! Now I'm fired up!" He shouted, igniting himself in flames. He grinned, before jumping high in the air to attack her.
"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu shouted getting closer and closer to her. He was so close now, just about to hit, when several beams flew right between the two, separating them. The girl raised a small smile, blasting the Fire Dragon Slayer backwards.
"Now!" Natsu shouted in midair, while he was still recovering from the attack.
Erza flew out from behind the bushes, flying at the girl in her Heaven's Wheel Armor, dozens of swords following beside her.
"Heaven's Wheel Armor!" She shouted, watching as the girl slowly turned around, a look of horror and fear mixed on her face. Erza struck her, putting all her might into the swords. One after another, all the blades took a turn swiping at her, cutting her up.
Erza panted for breath, looking at the dust and smoke everywhere. When it cleared, Erza thought she saw someone lying on the ground. That means the girl was down.
"Erza! Watch out!" Natsu yelled. But it was too late.
Erza looked back just enough to see a giant ball of light being shot out at her, she gasped, blood trickling out of her mouth. She fell backwards, until there was no more ground left. Everyone watched as Erza fell off the cliff, a shocked expression of her face.
Erza!" Lucy shouted, running out from the bushes to try and save the redhead. "Open! Gate of the Lion, Leo!"
Waving her golden key in the air, and with a dash of bright light, Loke had appeared.
Natsu only stood, watching as Loke dove down hopefully grabbing Erza. Lucy looked off the edge of the cliff, unable to see the both of them. Maybe they hadn't made it back safely...
Lucy looked up at Natsu, a worried look in her eyes. She shook her head slightly, and Natsu knew what it had meant. They probably didn't make it out.
A fiery rage suddenly flew inside of Natsu. This girl had killed two of his friends, he cared deeply for them (Even Loke, I guess). And she severed those ties to them.
Gray and Lucy both watched in amazement as a new glint shone in Natsu's eyes. This is what made him stronger, more powerful. The power to protect the ones he cared so deeply for. For his Guild, and for his family.
"Fire Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Crimson Lotus Exploding Flame Blade!" Natsu roared, charging right at the girl. The girl's eyes changed, this was it. She knew she was done for.
A direct hit.
Natsu stood on one knee, gasping for air. Burn marks laid across the whole tree, amazed that it hadn't all burned down yet. And yet, once again smoke was piled everywhere, thick layers arising above, higher and higher. When it all finally cleared, the girl was lying on the ground, covered in ash marks. Still faintly breathing, the girl had not died.
Gray arose from the bushes and Lucy from the edge of the cliff. They walked to Natsu and stared at the girl. They had to take the potion now. For everyone, including Erza.
"Erza.." Lucy mumbled. She was gone.
"Hey, don't count me out that quickly," Came a sharp voice from behind Lucy. Everyone spun their heads and looked back at Erza, who was well alive and healthy, leaning slightly on Loke.
"I saw you Natsu," Erza said, "That was very good. Are you hurt?"
"Forget about me! What about you?" Natsu exclaimed, gazing at the redhead, failing to see any injuries or marks on her.
"No, I feel quite fine. I'm fine." She replied back.
"Not to cut this cute moment, but we still need the potion and time is running out fast," The raven-haired boy interrupted.
"Yes," Erza said, looking back at the girl who was still lying down on the ground, right next to the potion.
Natsu started walking towards the potion, but then switched paths and sauntered right up to the girl. He gently picked up one of her arms, feeling a pulse. He flipped the girl over slowly until she was on her back. Surprisedly, She was still conscious. Her eyes were half opened, but she was still awake.
"G-Go, ahead," She whispered, "Take it. Take the potion, you've earned it."
"What?" Natsu spoke, "But why?"
"L-Long ago, a few bandits had came up to this tree, c-claiming they were from Fairy Tail. Back then, I protected t-this tree with my dear brother," She whispered, tears forming in her eyes, "But, they weren't pure of heart, and we said no. B-But soon, they attacked, and my brother, he protected me with his life, sacrificing his to save mine. H-He casted a forbidden Fairy Tail spell that killed anything the person sees as their enemy. He successes, but died to in the p-process."
"Hold it right there," Natsu said, refusing to hear anymore of this. "Your brother risked his life to protect the bottle and you. So what? Do you think he gave up his life just to see you like this? I mean c'mon, you're a mess right now."
"W-What?" The girl whispered.
Natsu wiped a few tears from her face. "Be strong, not just for your brother, for also for yourself," He simply said.
The girl started crying, she couldn't hold it in anymore. "T-Thank you. W-Whoever you are, you t-truly have a pure heart."
Natsu stood up, glancing at the girl one more time before reaching out to grab the bottle. It didn't burn, instead it felt cool in his grasp. He gripped it tightly and took it out. Nothing happened.
"Alright!" Lucy shouted, "We got the potion!"
"Now all we have to do is bring it back to the Guild, and give it to Laxus," Erza said, now standing on her own, with Loke gone.
"Nice job Flamebrain," Gray congratulated the pink haired boy.
Natsu grinned, they had gotten the potion, now all they had to do was give it to Laxus.
Back at the Guild...
"You're late," Laxus snarled. He sat comfortably in a large chair, encarved in it was jewels and polished silver.
"I-I'm sorry Laxus," Warren rambled, "I saw someone on the street unconscious and I brought her to a hospital, a-and, and-"
"SILENCE!" Laxus shouted, he brought out a whip, which was encased in lightning. He brought it down on Warren and stroke him right across his side. He howled with pain, before collapsing to the ground, now unconscious. Everyone at the Guild watched in horror as blood stained what use to be a pretty pink carpet.
"Get him out of my sight," Laxus huffed, turning his head away from him, not bothering to even look at him. "That'll teach him to not be late. And a word of advise," Laxus stated to everyone at the Guild "Address me as Master from now on, or else you'll receive the same fate as poor Warren right here."
Everyone watched silently, cringing at the sight Warren was in. Elfman picked up Warren and quickly ran to take him into the Medical Unit. Mirajane began scrubbing at the blood, trying to remove it while Levi stood back, trying not to gag and spelled 'WATER' with her magic, helping Mirajane to remove it.
"Oh.. Where are you Natsu?," Laki whispered, trying to hid herself in her cloak, "Please, wherever you are... Hurry, time is running out. I don't know if we can survive anymore of this..."