Chapter 27:Simplistic Struggle

Kuma and Koga ran around looking for Luka. They called him the King of Illusion because he could be there and you wouldnt even know it. But Kuma developed a skill that lets her sense magic energy near her. And so far the only ones she senses are her, the boy next to her, and the cat flying by her side.

"Wait a minute..." Koga grabbed Kuma's hand. "If we 'wait a minute' that gives us twenty minutes left!"

"But wait! Somethings not right!" They began walking slowly and cautiously as she began to explain her reasoning for thinking at a time like this.

"I can sense magic energy using the earth. That's something Ive always been able to do and have gotten quite good at it. The Tower is suppose to have enough magic to some comprible to the ten Wizard Saints. My senses aernt picking up any energy from the tower itself."

"So what does that mean?"

Glaring at the ground I try to sense the power that should be blaring through my feet but I felt nothing. "How is that possible? Jellal needs magical energy for this thing to ressurect Zeref. I dont know. So he just build the tower for dramatic effect? He does seem like the type who'd go Cleopatra on us just for the theatrical flare." Suddenly Koga wasnt walking by me anymore and I looked around. Neeya was still there but Koga was gone. "Koga! Koga where'd you go?!" No answer. Neeya made sure she was on top of my head.

"Im impressed. You picked up on that? Well think a little harder if you want the answer. I wont just give it away. Then it would be to obvious. The best part of a game is the mystery."

"JELLAL!

"Konbanha, Kuma Scarlet. O genki desu ka?"

The man stepped out of the shadows and smiled deviously. Backing up I remember fully well his magic. Heavenly Body Magic. His is worse than air, because at least I could see the person who used air. His magic made him as fast as a meteor at times. Trust me Ive been at the recieving end of his fists and its not fun.

"Where's Mom?!" I demand and he chuckles as he circles around me. "She is currently being trapped in a card by one of her old friends named Shô. Your friend Koga has been captured by Luka and your friend Claire has actually defeated Pricella. This game is quite the performance!" Keeping my guard up I feel my nails grow. He chuckles and stops behind me. I dont move an inch. "So you figured out that your Zeref's child, correct?" When I didnt answer he continued. "Why wouldnt you want to ressurect the man who gave you life? Cant you realize he's your entire races chance—the whole human populations chance at finally having the freedom that we deserve?! This is the way to have it!"

"But by killing someone else's chance of living? Thats below selfish."

"You call it selfish because that's whom you consider someone dear. In others minds they will see how selfish you are being by not giving up something so insignificant as ONE life."

"YEAH AND I CALL YOU CRAZY! Do you not hear yourself talk?! Then again you were always the sick bastard that would do nothing but to get what he wants." Jellal chuckled and mocked bowed. "You flatter me so, Kuma." Growling I meet his eyes. "The fact that your laughing in my face and calling my mother's life inconsequential is probably the stupidest thing you have ever did in your life. I would say you being born was the first but that title goes to whoever gave birth to you." Again he laughed and ran a thumb over his tounge, pretended it was hot and whipped his hand a couple of times, making a hiss sound like a fire. "Ouch! So the little soldier has gotten a back bone?"

"You dont even know the beggining of it!"

"Well then LET'S SEE HOW MUCH YOU'VE GROWN!"

Dodging each beam with ease I strike the wall and make his side of the room shake. Thank goodness I took off my shoes! Just from those beams I could get a little taste of his power. Let's just say it got alot stronger than I last remembered. Then again, so did I.

He stumbles from the little earthquake but other wise un-phased. He smiles then. "I must say, you've improved! You couldnt even dodge one beam when I trained you. Now you can do that and sense magic energy. Well done. But it wont be enough."

"Are we gonna fight or listen to your stupid villian-y speaches that have been repeated to many times on television that it seems mandotory? What's next 'with my power I'm an unstoppable force! No one can stop me!'? Well Mwahahaha to you too! Bring it, jerk face!" He laughs and runs towards me. I feel Neeya hang on even tighter. She lets out a squeal when she sees Jellal fast approaching.

'He's fast but right now it's about Mommy's speed.' He throws a punch towards my face and I block. I swear I heard a bone crack in my forearm. '...And he punches like Cousin Mira! OWWW!' He sweeps his leg up and I duck under. He almost jumped on me but I rolled from underneath him and kick him in the side. Jellal flips back and that sickning smile seems to have gotten bigger.

"Your not the only one who can move the earth, Kuma." Jellal stroke the ground with his palm and the ground broke apart, splitting towards me. I just stood still. As soon as it came towards me I jumped and brought my feet back down hard, making a tiny crater and sending the crack right back to him. I didnt notice he had another spell being activated. "Dark Grab!"

"Oh shit!" I dodged a huge arm made of space and almost became a shish kabob on the second. The first arm grabbed me in my middle of dodging and threw me to a wall. Neeya and I got seperated and she fell unconcious.

Hitting the wall with a giant 'BANG' and groaning I melt into the wall. I can hear Jellal's heart as calm as a breeze and smell the confusion emanating from him. Walking throughout the walls untill Im behind him I get ready for my next attack. Closing my fists with two fingers out I cross my arms like an X and quietly hit the ground with my left leg, slightly twisting it towards my knee. A collumn made of iron slams angrily into Jellal's back and he lets out a scream. I let out my own when I feel something tugging on my hair. Whoever did that pushed me out of the wall.

"Sorry, Kuma. But your fight is with me." I felt my hair tugging painfully at my scalp and my feet are far from touching the ground.

Im a short person.

"OW HEY WATCH IT! This is REAL hair ya know?!

His cheek presses against mine from behind and I feel him chuckle. "You were fighting the wrong person Kuma." I couldnt do any spell that would get me out of this fast enough. My eyes just widened in horror.

And then the most painful wave of agony spreaded throughout my entire body.

I couldnt help the scream of complete and utter torture that errupted from my lips. Looking down I see a hand had went straight through my abdomen. I feel myself cough up and blood splatters on the floor.

I cant...breathe...

-Lucy's PoV-

"Ju...via!...Are you...alright?"

The blue haired woman nodded weakly and smiled. Suddenly a vision lacrima pops out of no where and I feel her stiffen. So do I. But its bad because we dont have any energy left. We used it all up performing a unsion raid against some crazy rocker dude named Valdaldus Talka.

What was on the screen killed me.

"Ku...KUMA!"

She was being hung by her hair and a hole was going straight through her stomach. She was gasping for air and blood was all over her cheeks and chin.

Juvia looked mortified and tears were in her eyes. "They did that...to a child!" She cried and she clawed the ground. Oh yeah, she's a mother. My heart was pounding while I watched her.

Just then Cobalt and those guys who kidnapped Erza walked in. Cobalt wasted no time to get to Juvia and she threw herself in his arms. She hugged him as tight as possible. The water mage let out a choked sob. "Its alright Mum. Your alright." He then turned to the vision lacrima and choked at what he saw. "Kuma?!" She was thrown to the side like a ragdoll! The fact that the man behind her use to be her friend made this even worse.

"Dont worry Fairy Tail! She is still alive! Although it wont be for long. At least, not untill you tell me who the stigma is! Just yell it out, I can hear all of you!" Jellal, as I assumed he would be, vanished with a violent laugh. Luka stood there and licked Kuma's blood from his arm, his eyes flashing demonic. My fist punched the ground.

"DAMNIT!"

-Natsu's PoV-

The vision lacrima followed me during the middle of fighting the stupid owl. Watching my niece fall like that...MY FOOT IS GOING STRAIGHT UP SOME BASTARD'S ASS!

"Kuma! Is she...?"

"No Happy, the guy just said so. Besides I can see her hand grasping for dear life! We gotta get there quick!"

"But with the Etherion on us we dont have anytime. We have twelve minutes left! Kuma is in critical condition she cant hang on for that long!"

I frown at my best buddy. Part of me knows this is true but damnit Im not giving up on her. I couldnt save Lissana, but Ill be damned if Im actually close enough to watch Kuma die! "You must not know how tough the girl is, Happy. She's as hard as the rock she controls. Besides as long as she has Erza and Jani to look after there's no way she's gonna die! Anyways do you have any idea who this stigma is?! What is a stigma anyways?!" Happy just gave a shrug.

DAMNIT!

-Gray PoV-

"HOW DARE HE TOUCH MY NIECE!"

The lacrima following me showed that Luka guy walking back over to Kuma. Fuck Erza screwing him up, if I get to him first there wont be anything to destroy!

As my mind goes through all the attacks I could use on the boy my mind wonders to Kuma. Which leads me to Erza. Kuma was Erza's DAUGHTER, her life! If Kuma dies right now, I dont know what the requip mage would do. Erza would probably become more cold than she did when she first joined Fairy Tail so many years back. Erza loved that kid to death, even a blind man saw that. Just the fact that she was caught in this mess would probably make her blood boil.

I love Erza. Ive known that scince I was thirteen. Adding Kuma was like a little fantasy for me where Erza and I were married and we watched her grow together. And where as we aernt and Erza doesnt love me in that way, I did get to watch this girl become strong. She could easily become an S-Class wizard. Her heart was just as pure as gold. The fact that this place has been plauging her for years, she's always been able to put a smile on everyone's face.

We're not going to loose her.

I refuse!

If Erza cant then I will.

-Erza's PoV-

My heart wont beat.

Shô sees me just standing there and he keeps reassuring that she's not dead.

How can I not believe that my DAUGHTER isnt dead?! She's not moving, her chest isnt rising and falling and theres a GIANT HOLE IN HER STOMACH! Tears streamed down my face mercilessly. This was not happening.

€Erza! Erza..can you hear me?! it's Lucy!€

I just nodded staring at the screen.

"If you wont say anything I'll make it even worse for her suffering!" He kicked her in the side and she roared in pain. My hands go up to my lips in desbelief and the tears continue to flow. She's alive but barely and she was in pain.

€Erza...Listen to..to me! Kuma has that power remember? She showed you a...transf-formation. If you talk to her and clear up any uncertainty of hers...she can use that form to heal herself. But it...has to be you, Erza. Your the closest one to her heart. Hurry...before she's gone!€ And then Lucy's voice dissappeared. One question comes to mind.

How the hell am I suppose to reach her?!