Off the coast, Magnolia was becoming smaller and smaller as the ship drifts into the sea, eventually being consumed by the horizon. Operating a ship proved to be more and more difficult however, as the waves started to rise. The next thing you know, you're in a storm. While their ship's built in navigation lachrima was doing it's job just fine, Gray and his crew needed to do their best i order to fnd off the constant attacks of Sea Kings. But Gray was not planning on giving up, and his friends knew that, so they weren't giving up on him either. As the storm slowly calmed, Lucy took this as an opportunity to take a shower. She took off her sea water soaked clothes and bathed in her bubbly tub as she felt the weight on her shoulders leave her body.
Suddenly, the door opened as Erza walked in, without realizing that the bathroom was taken.
''Gah! Erza! couldn't you knock next time?'' she asked.
''Sorry, but my day was not any smoother than yours, in fact, I think it's actually worse, I mean, do you know how uncomfortable it is to get wet under this metal armor?'' she said, unequipping to the bare skin.
''Well, I guess I this bathtub can fit the two off us, Lucy answered as she welcomed her in.''
As the two of the let out a sigh of relief from a hard day, Erza asked her while scrubbing her back.
''Hey, Luce, mind if I ask you something?''
''Yeah? go ahead.'' She replied, looking back at her.
''Do you think I'm a bad leader?'' she asked Lucy.
''Huh?!'' Lucy cried in shock, ''What do you mean? You're a great leader!''
''If that was the case, then Natsu wouldn't have ran away. I know him and Gray are both bashful and immature, but I just couldn't bring myself to completely taming them either. When Natsu disappeared, I just couldn't help but blame myself for not doing anything to stop him.'' she said, looking out the small window they had in the bathroom.
''Now she is out there with Sabertooth, while Gray is undergoing a guilt trip, Juvia nearly died yesterday of alcohol poisoning and Happy won't even talk to me anymore.'' Erza continued, looking down as tear flowed down her eyes. ''None of this should be happening, none it. Right now, our team is falling apart, and I worried that I won't be strong enough to keep it together anymore.''
Just then, Lucy slapped Erza across the face, leaving s light red mark across her ivory cheek.
''That was your way to tell someone to snap out of it, not mine.'' said Lucy, ''Feeling better yet?''
''I guess...'' she said, rubbing her cheek.
''then yes, you are a good leader.'' Lucy said.
''You don't have to give me pity, just tell me the truth.'' said Erza.
''This is the truth. Erza, not every fault done by a team has to be related to it's captain, Natsu went out on his own accord, and suffered the consequences for it, you have nothing to do with any of this.'' she said.
Erza smiled.
''And this is what I adore about you Lucy, you are always the voice of reason.'' she smiled.
Leaving the bath, she reequipped a towel and left.
''I'm gonna go talk to Gray, he's been feeling a little under the weather. So thanks for giving me the confidence to do so.'' she said.
Inside the Sea King's stomach...
Sting was not expecting her to kiss him back, as his mind was panicking internally, trying to formulate a sentence without sounding too creepy. As they finally separate, Natsumi stared at Sting with her beady black eyes, as her breasts were pressed against Sting's chest.
''Oh dear god! Don't Get Hard, don't get hard! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T GET HARD!'' Sting thought frantically.
''Sting?'' she asked, catching him off guard.
''Y-Y-Y-Yes?'' he stuttered, unable to formulated words.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, her fist sunk into Sting's face as it caved inwards.
''I DIDN'T MEAN IT OKAY?!'' She cried out in an embarrassing tone.
''Vigures...'' Said Sting with a muffled voice, lying on the ground.
''Sure you didn't.'' said Happy with a smirk.
''Kya! Happy?! You were here the whole time?!'' Natsumi yelled out.
''We were all here.'' said Rogue, behind him with Frosh and Lector.
''We saw everything!'' said Lector.
Sting got up, dusting himself off, before turning to Natsumi.
''Sorry about that.'' said Sting.
''Hey, you saved my life, I should be thankful to you.'' Natsumi said with laughter.
''Just kiss already!'' yelled Happy in the background.
''WHY YOU...'' Sting was about to charge at Happy, but suddenly, an Axe came through the roof as the Sea king they where in was sliced in half, separating Natsumi and Sting with the rest of the group.
''NATSUMI! STING!'' Rogue was barely able to yell out before water flooded the insides and engulfing them, as Sting hugged Natsumi and clung on fer dear life as multiple other slashes but the room apart.
In the depths of the ocean, Gorilla-like beasts swan across the sea floor holding on to bit on their felled prey. Carrying the meat to a massive underwater infrastructure. The beasts carried the large chunks to the bottom floors, where the guards then walked up to check the meat.
''Hey! this one has people inside it!'' yelled one of the guards.
A 10 foot bare chested man walked up to investigate.
''They appear to be unconscious but alive, must have gotten swallowed by a migrating Sea King. It's a miracle that they're still alive.'' said the man.
''Are they criminals?'' asked the guy beside him.
''Unlikely, take them to the top floor and get their wounds treated, we will have the Warden sort this out.'' he said.
''Crap!'' Thought Rogue, who was able to sneak past everyone in shadow form, currently hiding on the one of the support beams on the roof, watching the two getting taken away. ''They got Natsumi and Sting!''
''What do we do?'' whispered Happy, who was next to him, along with Lector and Frosh.
''We'll have to retreat and regroup!'' said Rogue, besides, I have a bad feeling about that guy.
The man they were looking at was Extremely large, but he could tell that all of that was more muscle than fat. The man also had a bushy beard, with a red nose. He had two giant spiked maces on his back, and was wearing a puffy white scarf and a red toque.
''Supply Keeper Rudorf! we may have a problem!'' cried out a guard.
''what is it?'' he asked, looking down.
''We are one of level 4 the prisoners escapees that was recently recaptured escaped again! he's heading this way!'' he cried.
''He is? must be desperate for food, so he's tackling our reserves, who is he?'' asked Rudorf.
''68 million berry pirate, ''Red Fox'' Sniver!'' he yelled.
''Alright! men! we got a rat to hunt down!'' Rudorf grabbed the two maces from his back and charged through the wall.
''We have a door you know!'' yelled the guards running after him, leaving the room empty and allowing Rogue's group to come out of hiding.
''Alright, we got a couple to save.'' said Rogue.
''Aye!'' said Happy.
TO BE CONTINUED...