4. azerath

Happy looked around. "Is it just me, or does this place really creep you out?"

Lucy nodded and shuddered. "It's even scarier on the inside... I don't understand this place. Where is everyone?"

"Maybe they knew we were coming, so they're hiding."

"That could be." Lucy agreed. "And maybe they'll come out and do surprise attacks."

Happy looked down. "Well, we can fight. Natsu may be stronger than us, but we defeated Bickslow on our own."

Lucy smiled. "We can. I know we can!"

a.a.a.

Natsu slammed the last punch toward Gorou who collapsed on the floor. "I… lost?" Gorou panted, eyes wide. "That's impossible."

Natsu took two deep breaths. "I told you I would defeat you." He staggered, and then fell to the floor. "Damn, I'm out of magic power."

A few minutes passed and Natsu struggled to his feet. "I better go meet up with Lucy and Happy." He said as he walked into the next room.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried as soon as she saw him. "Thank goodness you're okay!"

Natsu half-smiled. "Lu…cy…" he managed to get out before he started to fall to the floor.

Lucy ran over to him and caught him up in her arms. "Natsu, hang in there. I'm just so happy you won! I knew you could do it."

Natsu grabbed Lucy's shoulder and pulled away from her so he could look at her face. He smiled a wide grin. "I swore I would win, so I did."

Lucy smiled too, and laughed. "Maybe I should try that sometime."

Happy cleared his throat. "How long is this little lovey-dovey moment going to last? We're on a job, here."

"We are not lovey-dovey!"

"Sure you aren't."

a.a.a.

A few minutes of searching passed, when suddenly, they heard voices. "There's someone talking in the next room." Lucy said, pointing in the direction where the voices were coming from.

They all walked to the door and listened in.

"I'm telling you, they're stronger than they look." "And I'm telling you that we can take them." "Jiro, I'm not saying that we can't take them… I'm just saying that they're strong." They heard, then silence.

Lucy cocked her head to one side in confusion. "Where did they go?" she mouthed to Natsu.

Natsu shrugged his shoulders.

Bang!

The door burst open and two burley men stood in the doorway. Lucy watched in shock as the door shattered into pieces.

"Huh," the bigger man grunted with a smirk. "So they were listening after all…"

Natsu straightened up. "Lucy, stand back. I'll handle them."

Lucy bit down on her lower lip. "No."

Natsu's eyes widened. "But, they might-"

"Natsu, you can barely stand!" Lucy said, turning toward him. "I'm always being saved by you… you're always fighting for me. For everyone. Now it's my turn to save you."

"Lucy…"

Happy took hold of Natsu and flew him upwards. "Natsu, Lucy can handle it." He said.

Natsu looked down at Lucy. "I know she can. But I'm still worried. If something were to happen to her…" he flinched at the thought. "Lucy." He called down to her. "Promise you'll come back to me!" And then he was gone.

Happy had flown him to the next room. Lucy grabbed her keys and stepped closer to them. "Why did you kill all those people from Blue Pegasus? What is your goal?"

The bigger man chuckled. "None of your business, Barbie. Now step out of the way. I don't have time for weaklings."

Lucy gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes. "Never underestimate a Fairy Tail wizard!" she shouted. "Open gate of the lion: Leo!"

Leo came out and smiled. "It's been a while, Lucy."

The two men started whispering to each other and Lucy couldn't make out what they were saying. Suddenly, the smaller one ran out of the room.

"What's going on here? Where is he going?" Lucy asked, whipping her head from side to side.

The bigger man, Jiro, smirked. "I told you, it's none of your business. But, let's just get this over with."

Leo narrowed his eyes. "How dare you talk to my Lucy that way." He lunged forward and started fighting Jiro.

"What's this guy's power?" Lucy asked herself as she watched closely to the fight.

Leo, suddenly, was thrown against the wall. "Leo!" Lucy screamed as she ran over to him.

"Lucy… I truly am sorry." He said and disappeared. Lucy looked up at Jiro who still had that smirk on his face.

"So," he said. "Are we going to just let the fun end here?"

Lucy stood up and grabbed a key and her whip. "Open gate of the Maiden: Virgo!"

Virgo came out and bowed. "Time for punishment, princess?"

Lucy sighed. "I just need to beat this guy… I don't even know his power."

Virgo nodded. "Understood." She went underground and popped back up behind Jiro.

Jiro clapped his hands together. "Dark chain!" he yelled as two medal chains came out of the ground and wrapped around Virgo.

Lucy gasped. So that was part of his magic? What else could he do?

Virgo looked at Jiro. "Sorry for the disappointment, but that technique will not work on me." She said as two boulders came up from the ground and cut off the chains.

Lucy smiled in amazement. "Way to go, Virgo!"

All of a sudden, Jiro jumped down and aimed his attack at Lucy. "Every celestial wizard's weakness," he explained. "Is that they themselves aren't very good fighters."

Lucy fell back, but pushed herself back up. "Sorry," she said. "But you're wrong. Take a rest, Virgo." She said and Virgo disappeared.

Jiro arched a brow in confusion. "Hm? I've never heard of a Barbie that can fight."

"Then you'll be in for a treat." Lucy said as she took out her whip. "I'll show you the true power of a Fairy Tail wizard!"