Chapter 6 –
Authors note: If you have only seen the anime but not the manga, there are spoilers in this chapter. Apologies guys… Also the chapters numbers are messed up because I accidently doubled up chapters sorry!
Lucy sat on the bed of the small inn room with her face in her palms. Sting…. Likes…. Me…. But do I like him? I know I haven't thought of him like that before…. But last night Sting said that Natsu liked me to? Or maybe Natsu just likes my bed… It's kind of weird that I don't feel awkward around Natsu after he seen me naked during the fight against the seven dragons… Maybe it's because I don't care? But why don't I care? What if I like Natsu!? What is wrong with me? I can't like that flaming pink headed weirdo! Besides, it's obviously going to be Natsu and Lisanna. I remember the way they looked at each other in the Grand Magic Games when Mirajane and Jenny had the pin up model challenge, those two in their wedding attire and then me just ruining it for them. Sure it was funny, but I do feel a little guilty, I mean they were having the cutest moment, I even think I saw Natsu blush! Natsu can't like me… It will always be Natsu and Lisanna… But what if Natsu did like me? Would I like him back? I know last time I thought this way it ended with a slap across Natsu's face because he just wanted to see Virgo! I don't want to like Natsu! I don't! I don't! I don't! Stop thinking about this Lucy! Staahhhhppp it! Now!
The door open and the twin dragons walked in, Lucy announced she was going for a shower.
"She was just thinking about it wasn't she?" asked Sting
"Maybe." Rogue replied.
Later that night around 10.30pm when the evening sky was black and starry, the three mages left the inn and walked toward the Crocus Mountains. They were careful to not make much noise and to stay together to avoid any attacks from goblins, they needed to reserve all magic for finding the Demon-souled one. They started hiking up the mountain, looking for hidden caves and anything of the such, for a couple of kilometres there nothing. Luckily Lucy's Natsu styled training had improved her stamina a little bit. The next half a kilometre they finally found a cave hidden in the depths of the mountain side. It had to be it, Lucy was determined to finish the job and go home to her apartment free of rent. They stepped inside the cave, there was no light. Where is Natsu when you need him! Thought Lucy frustrated.
"Don't stress Princess." said Sting as he produces a white light from the palm of his hand.
Lucy scowled and turned on her heel, she walked into the cave first with the boys following behind her. As she lead the way she felt brave, for once she felt strong, she didn't need anyone to tell her because she knew in her heart that she really was. The cave felt so long that by the end of the entrance they were in the heart of the cave. When they reached the heart there was four tunnels. Lucy prayed that they had a few more people, she longed for Natsu, Gray and Erza, even Happy would have been appreciated at that moment. On the thoughts of the exceeds,
"It just occurred to me, where are your exceeds?" asked Lucy.
"They went to search for their parents after that Natsu's exceed told them about the other exceeds from Edolas." Rogue said.
"So which paths do we take?" asked Sting.
"Are we splitting up?" Lucy wondered,
"No." replied Rogue.
"Yes. We are all capable mages, if one of us find it, yell out, the person who finds it can hold it off until the others get there." Lucy said.
"Fine, if you're confident about this. But there are four paths and three of us." said Sting.
"Gate of the Lion I open thee!" Loke appeared before Lucy.
"Yes Princess?" said Loke. Sting laughed but then stopped after Lucy's death glare.
"Take the fourth path, we'll handle the rest." explained Lucy.
"Fine. But I'll use my magic so if you need use yours you won't have to simultaneously release. If you need me, just call, I'll return to the celestial world and then open the gate by force straight to your side." said Loke.
"Okay I'll take the first, Rogue take the second, and Lucy take the third. Prince charming over there can take the fourth like Lucy said, now let's go." Finished sting with determination.
He seems so much like Natsu when he's determined… All he'd have to say is 'Now I have a fire in my belly.' I suppose them two are alike, although Sting argues more…
Lucy walked along the dark tunnel. With no light she drew her whip from her belt and it illuminated the surroundings. After walking for several minutes Lucy noticed something in the distance. Glowing green eyes. She wasn't scared though, in fact an evil smile crept across her face in the dim lighting. Yes, Lucy Heartfilia had been waiting for this battle, she knew her path led to the Demon-souled Goblin all along. Crux had told her of his location which was slightly east of the heart of Crocus Mountains, Pixus had told her the direction of east once they were outside the entrance before she starting worrying about light. She could have told Sting, Rogue and Loke about her plan and his location. But she wanted to do this herself, she wanted physical evidence she was strong to bring back to Fairy Tail. Proof she was truly a member of Fairy Tail's strongest team!
The goblin raised his arms/wings and a ring of green flames ignited around Lucy and the goblin. He looked just like the other one but about double its size and ten times more mean looking. She cracked her whip with a fire in her eyes, make them proud Lucy. Lucy drew two keys like lightning,
"Aries! Virgo!" Lucy demanded.
"Sumimasen! Wool bomb!" said Aries,
"Virgo now!" commanded Lucy.
Virgo drilled away. The wool bomb was being swallowed by hungry green flames. Then, the goblin spoke.
"Slow! Weak!" it roared in Lucy and Aries' direction. Lucy closed the gate of the ram.
"I am not weak!" Her eyes were flaming with determination. Lucy charged forward and slashed the whip down its body in a fast motion. The goblin spread its bat-like wings and tried to fly upward but found himself routed to the ground by to hands clutching his ankles from the ground. The slash left a gash from its face to its chest, the goblin flew backwards and hit the back wall with a puff of smoke. The goblin emerged from the smoke cloud in an instant, a second later he was in Lucy's face with a claws raking across her face. Lucy fell to the ground and the goblin stabbed three long claws into her stomach pinning her to the floor. Lucy screamed in pain, she couldn't hold it back anymore.
"Looookkkkee!" She screamed in pain.
Loke appeared in front of her punching the goblin across the face and then the stomach. The goblin picked up Loke and threw him into the wall.
Lucy saw the faces of her memories flash before her. 'Look Natsu I got the mark of Fairy Tail' Lucy held up a hand with a pink Fairy Tail mark upon it, 'That's great, Luigi' … Lucy jumped backward launching herself from the prison cell, 'Naaatttssuuuuu!' Natsu ran as fast as he could to catch her, 'Luuuuuuuuuuccyyy!' …. Lucy summoned all her spirits before the Celestial Spirit King and Loke, 'It's not a sin!' The spirits disappeared and Lucy collapsed to the ground, 'My friends all feel the same way to!' the Celestial Spirit King looked down on Loke, 'For the sake of that radiant bond, I'll consider this case an exception, Leo, I'll allow you to return to the spirit world.' The Celestial Spirit King smiled broadly….Juvia had Lucy in a water lock inside her body in the tower of heaven, 'Juvia has come to love Fairy Tail.' Lucy listened as Juvia spoke from within herself, 'Even if its raining outside, in the guild, the sun is always shining.' Juvia cried and threw Lucy to the ground. 'Someone who would shed tears for the sake of her friends could never be rejected by Fairy Tail!' Vildaldus began absorbing Aquarius and Juvia's water with his hair sending Juvia and Lucy spinning in a whirlpool of water. 'Juvia!' Lucy stretched a hand out to Juvia, 'Lucy!' Juvia grabbed Lucy's hand. 'UNISON RAID!' the girls lye on the floor. 'We did it together, we're nakama now right?'…..Lucy got up from her bed and peered through her window to see the beautiful sakura tree floating down the canal, Natsu?…. 'I can't, Lucy loves us from the bottom of her heart, us celestial spirits!' Gemini's gate was forced closed by Angel. 'Eighty-eight stars of heaven… Shine!' Angel fell backward into the water, 'My prayer, to fade into the sky like an angel.'… Lucy pulled out Scorpio's key in Edolas and then finds out Natsu nor Wendy can use their magic, 'Perhaps I am the strongest now!' Natsu pulled an infuriated face, 'Whatever just do something!' Lucy drew Aries' key from her leather pouch, 'GATE OF THE RAM!'… 'Can you stand Earthland Lucy?' Edo-Lucy put an arm round other Lucy and hoisted her to her feet. 'There are two Grays?! Unbelievable!' Edo-Juvia was beating the crap out of two royal army guards in the midst of her sentence. 'Natsu! Get it together!' Lisanna encouraged Edo-Natsu and he thanked her happily. 'Wherever we may go, we sure are a noisy guild.' Charla lye on a rock facing toward the sky with a single tear running down her face… 'I don't want to run away by myself, because no matter what, I'd rather be together with everyone.' Lucy pulled a smile on her face as Natsu watched Lucy about to be executed by Grimoure heart's Cain on Tenroujima Island. 'I'm going to crush you skull, just like this.' Cain picked Lucy up by her head and Lucy screamed in pain, then she heard Natsu's voice, 'LUUUUCCCYYYYY!' Natsu grabbed the voodoo doll lying in front of him. 'Iron fist of the fire dragon.' He ignited the fist of the voodoo doll and Lucy found a fire at her fist too. 'Special attack! LUUUUCYY FIIREEE!' Natsu smiled under the rubble, 'We did it!'….. The guild retreated in tears as the master battled Acnologia, 'Behind me are my little brats!' Makarov fell to the ground knowing he had finally acted like a real parent. But Natsu came back, 'Give our old man back!' the rest of the guild followed and launched an all out attack on the dragon. Laxus looked into his grandfathers eyes, 'I want you to know I was against this. But do you really think they're the kind of people who can run away and leave an old geezer behind? It's our guild after all.' 'You idiots.' Makarov replied. The guild stood no chance against the dragon and took their finally measures as defence. 'Everyone, join your power together as one! Let's show it the bonds of our guild!' the members began linking hands. Charla to Happy, Happy to Lily, Lily to Makarov, Makarov to Laxus, Laxus to bickslow, Bickslow to Freed, Freed to Evergreen, Evergreen to Elfman, Elfman to Mira, Mira to Lisanna, Lisanna to Juvia, Juvia to Gray, Gray to Lucy 'Okay! We'll never give up!' Lucy to Natsu, 'We can't let it end here!' Natsu to Erza, Erza to Cana, Cana to Gildarts, Guildarts to Levy, Levy to Gajeel, Gajeel to Wendy. 'We'll all go home together… TO FAIRY TAIL!' ….. The battle with Flare in the Grand Magic Games passed by and she remembered when Natsu and Gray were there to catch her when Minerva made her fall…. She saw the hungry wolves trying to assassinate them, and then them finding a way out miraculously…. She remembered seeing her future self die right before her eyes, Natsu cared so much she wanted to cry, 'You took something precious away from me right in front of my eyes!' …. She remembered the battle with the seven dragons. Everyone was so brave, Lucy longed to be strong like them. Wendy had shown everyone the power of the sky dragon slayer no matter how small… Lucy remembered seeing Yukino walking back to an inn when it was all over, 'Yukino! Come join Fairy Tail!' Lucy's voice echoed in her own head…. Lucy lastly remembered the long and strenuous guild party, the smiles on everyone's faces. That was what gave Lucy the power and determination to fight. The emotions and the bonds that the guild shared. They made everything worth it…
And that's why Lucy Heartfilia woke up. Because she knew that as a member of Fairy Tail she would stand up and fight!