Author's Note: Hello! Here's a new chapter. I am TERRIBLY sorry for not delivering anything yesterday! I had a term paper due for a class, and I wanted to finish it before I continued fanfic work. Do note that I want this story to finish up on time, so don't expect me to miss a day too much from here in out. either way enjoy!

Also, I do not own Fairy Tail.

Chapter Eight - The Ghastly Pirate Crew

Levy awoke from a very extensive nap inside a mysterious cell. She had no idea where she was or where she had been taken too after the assault on her hometown of Hargeon, but after running into two Phantom pirates in the Heartfilia mansion, she was knocked unconscious and left inside a miserable prison cell in the bottom of a ship.

One guard stood on watch, and another always came down to feed her and provide water, but for the most part she did not see any of the other crew members during her horrible experience.

Now, she had a new situation to deal with as the supposed ship she was riding on suddenly began shooting out canon fire towards what could only be an enemy vessel or another random fort or town. The guard stayed down to watch her, but her meal deliverer had failed to arrive at his usual time, which originally sent Levy into her nap.

Now, she tries standing from her bed as she also felt the ship being fired at as well, which did not help her nervous situation in the slightest.

"Hey! What's going on?" She yelled out to the lone guard with what little strength she had.

The mad had a goofy jester-like hat colored in purple with the Phantom Lord emblem on it, similar to the one worn by her captor Sue. This man looked idiotic and just turned to give her a toothy grin.

"Oy! You don't need to be worryin' about that." He said with a homely voice while scratching his arm.

Levy sighed and stumbled back to her uncomfortable cot as the ship began to rock back and forth. She was hungry, tired, and now carried a headache in lieu all the battling up on the deck.

However, after a short time the guns stopped firing, and all the rumbling stopped to allow Levy to collect a breath of silence.

Then, she heard the door at the top of the stairs slam open as footsteps stopped down to greet her and the guard.

Another foolish Phantom pirate smiled at the guard and pointed back to the door. "Come on! The captain's gonna send 'em off!"

The guard smiled and went to run up, but then frowned as he looked at Levy. Then he snapped his fingers and grabbed a pair of hand shackles from the wall and opened her cell door.

"Hands behind yur back, girlie. You're not makin me miss the fun stuff."

After being re-secured by her new friend, Levy and the nameless henchman marched up to the open deck. It was a bright, mid-day sunlit afternoon, and the glaring rays blinded Levy as she stepped foot on the main deck.

The entire crew was shouting as loads of Royal soldiers were seen dead on the ground, and their blood and broken weaponry seemed to decorate the floor of the pirate ship. Levy looked horrified, but did her best to hide her emotions. In fact, it took all her strength to keep her head from turning to see the smoldering rubble of a royal ship to the starboard side, signifying an easy win for the Phantoms.

Now, she had no choice but to eye the two lone survivors bent down on their knees. One had long brown hair tied back in an ornate pony tail and also wore glasses with a very well decorated captain's jacket.

The other wore his brown hair as short as it would go, and he also featured a series of scratches and scars near the outside of his left eye.

Levy had a rough idea of what was about to become until a series of six pirates stepped out of the command office.

The first four looked very fearsome, and seemed to be officers aboard the ship. One had a long cloak of brown with bandages wrapped around his eyes, while another had a sandy shirt and pants on with green hair, a red bandana, and a monocle over one eye.

The third appeared to be a man dressed in orange cloths, pirate robes with white sailor's pants underneath. He had a bare chest under his coat, and his black and white hair was tied tightly atop his head. And lastly the final commander was not a man at all, but a woman. She had a long cloak of deep blue that almost passed as a dress of sorts. She had tall brown boots, and she wore a blue Cossack hat over her bright blue hair that curled at the base.

Then, the four commanders made way for the two real men of the group. The one on the right stood well between 6 and 7 feet tall, matching the first commander's height, but this one also looked very brawny. He had skin as dark as night, with a think but short beard of white. Finally, he wore long green pants with brown boots, and no shirt as his eyes were piercing with two little red pupils.

This man stepped up and spoke up with a deep voice. "Well, it appears you're little hunt for pirates back fired…I hope you two share no last regrets?"

The royal captain looked up. "Only that I foolishly endangered my crew and kingdom. For that I hope I, Captain Lahar, am forgiven."

The other prisoner shook his head. "Look, do you have any idea what'll happen if you kill him?! He's a royal captain in the navy, they'll hang you!"

The tall dark man stepped over and punched this prisoner right in the face. Levy let out a yelp, but luckily the crew's laughter covered her tracks to keep her from standing out.

Finally the final pirate commander stepped forward. "Relax Lily…it seems this one has sealed the fate for his captain…"

Levy's skin began to crawl as the supposed pirate captain of the Phantom Lord guild, Jose Porla, emerged to the scene. He was exactly as Gajeel and Natsu described. Tall, slender but fit, with hair like the color of wine and sharp facial features hidden under a round captain's hat. He had a deep purple robe that made him look like a ghost, and his eyes…his evil eyes looked ready for more bloodshed.

The captain smiled and looked around to his crew. "So what do we say? Shall the sea take their souls? Or shall I?"

The entire crew rounded off random answers, but it appeared that he already made his decision.

"Very well then…gentlemen I'm sorry for your fate." He drew his black of black steel, and stabbed the royal captain in the chest.

Levy cried out with discomfort as the guard held her by the arms, and the crew yelled out in support of their captain.

Then, the deck got quiet, and as the living first mate of the navy shook with fear, he watched as a whirl of small shadows started to form around the execution. Then, Lahar's skin quickly began to change from its pasty flesh color to a paler white, and then Mest lashed out to knock his captain off the sword.

"STOP THIS SORCERY!" He was flogged again for that outburst, and as he lay on the ground, the Phantom Captain twisted his blade through Lahar's heart.

Then, a strange occurrence happened. As time lingered the shadow's slowed down, and Lahar's skin turned closer to its normal color. He was still dying, and blood was now pouring out of his chest wound and mouth, but it actually appeared as if the shadowy ceremony had stopped all together.

"AGH!" Jose yelled out with anger. He pulled his sword out of the dead captain's chest and slashed it around in thin air. "WHY MUST IT ALWAYS FAIL ME!? DAMN YOU!" He flailed his blade around in anger before finally composing himself.

The living sailor began to smile through his tears. "You dumb ass…the rumors are true. Your powers are wearing out."

Jose raised an eyebrow and looked to Lily. The large brute the grabbed the prisoner by his feet and faced him towards Jose.

"…you're not actually a royal soldier, are you?"

The poor captive man remained quiet and proud as Jose grabbed his shirt sleeve and ripped it off at the top, revealing an emblem of the Fairy Tail pirate guild.

"Ah hah…Mest Gryder. You're the little mole running around the navy for Fairy Tail." Jose shook his head and snapped to his pilot. "Turn the ship due north. We're leaving our Fairy out on an island. He can spread the word of my supposed failure if he wishes…"

Jose turned as his crew began to follow orders, but then he noticed one of the guards downstairs was not doing his job, but rather brought his job to the fight.

The eerie captain grinned with satisfaction and walked over to his captive damsel. "Well, you must be the girl we captured at Hargeon. I must say my crew has treated you awfully poorly. What's say we get you out of those shackles and horrible cloths? I have a nice new wardrobe and bed waiting for you in the main hull."

Levy shook with fear because she actually hated the sound of joining Jose more than returning to her prison, but either way the guard removed her shackles and pushed her forward.

The timid prisoner went to walk, but before she followed orders, she mustered up some pride and looked Jose in the eyes. "I want to know why you captured me."

Jose laughed in her face. "My Dear, we'll discuss it over dinner this evening. Get some rest until that time comes."

Now we're located somewhere far away from the location of the Phantom Ship as the crew from Tenrou Island has just recently set sail for their new destination. Natsu was having a hard time regathering his sea legs, but everyone else seemed to handle the new ship very well.

It was named the Magnoia. It had a hull made of bright brown wood, with a nice finish all over. It stood just as tall and just as long as any Royal galleon, but it appeared to sail much faster even with its tattered sails made of orange and white miss-matched patching. Finally, the banner of the Fairy Tail guild flew on the flag post in orange and white as the wind favored their direction.

At the top of the stern castle, Gray and Cana joined the captain and first mate pilot Wakaba for a sunny day on the board. Gray nodded with an impressed expression.

"This thing looks pretty nice. It could use some work on the sails, but the hull looks like it's in great shape!"

Wakaba gently turned the wheel to keep the rudder aligned with the sails. "Yea, she gets us where we need to go. Plus it really doesn't take too many people to keep it sailing."

Macao smiled. "Yea, for a boat this size you'd need to look all over the world to find a crew big enough to handle it, but not for this perfect beauty. We can run it with half the men!"

Cana smiled and sipped on her new bottle of rum. "So do Makarov and the others just stay back on Tenrou Island?"

Wakaba nodded. "Yea they mostly just get drunk and throw parties. We do all the real work on Tenrou ourselves. They have other ships, but none run as well as this one."

Macao then looked troubled. "Truth be told Makarov isn't doing so hot these days. As a result his two grandchildren take care of him back at the Red Lizard. They're all actually decedents of the earliest Fairy Pirates, and his granddaughter is the real leader of the guild."

Cana smiled. "Hey I like the sound of some girl power leading you guys. I bet between her and Erza they pretty much run the whole crew!"

Wakaba pulled his pipe out of his mouth and laugh. "Eh don't kid yourself. Master Mavis is actually 13."

"Geeze." Gray looked surprised. "How well can a little girl run a pirate guild? Especially one that operates out of a bar…?"

As those four enjoyed their lengthy conversation we now find Natsu leaning over the side of the boat. Lucy stood by trying to rub his back and give him comfort.

"Ugh…Lucy stay back before I vomit all over your dress." He moaned up to his fiancé.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Relax, Natsu. I changed cloths." She was now wearing a white blouse with red pants, and her hair was tied back with a matching red ribbon behind her head. She then laughed and continued to comfort Natsu. "Why don't you change before you get puke on you uniform?"

Natsu lifted his head up and tried to crack a smile. "Hehe…come on. What kinda commander would I be if I didn't wear my uniform?"

"Natsu you're not a commander out…oh never mind." She rolled her eyes and dealt with her stubborn best friend anyway as they both stood there to idolize the passing sea below them.

While they both tried to enjoy the view, Gajeel and Erza were seen trying to dodge all the passing sailors and crewmen as they each held a sword in hand.

Erza lunged forward and jabbed at Gajeel, but the iron brute shifted his feet and watched her run past him. He then followed up by swinging his sword hand back at her to deliver a blow, but she quickly caught the blade with her own and held the stance.

"Wow, are you sure you want to keep practicing with real blades?" Erza asked with a cocky grin.

Gajeel held a similar expression. "Why? Am I startin ta scare ya? Truth be told, sister. You're the best practice I've had in a long time." They released the locked blades as he continued on. "Those idiots with Phantom were no match for me without guns, and the soldiers I call on to practice with back at Hargeon stink something else when it comes to real combat."

Erza nodded. "Well, I accept your compliment. You're a very skilled swordsmen, yourself. It's no wonder you work as a blacksmith…" She then looked to his bandaged arm and smiled.

"Plus I take it you've been around a pirate crew before?"

Gajeel didn't like her cocky attitude, and now he was almost certain she knew his identity. "Yea? Maybe I was. Doesn't matter now. I'm just tryin to find my friend."

Erza sheathed her white iron cutlass. "Yes, I heard a friend of yours is missing…and I hear she was very pretty."

Gajeel was now really starting to get annoyed. "Okay, no more talkin. Practice is over."

Erza held up a hand. "Relax. I apologize if I struck a nerve…I know what it feels like to fear for a friend's whereabouts."

Gajeel raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Well I bet your story is a hell of a lot more interesting than mine."

Erza laughed. "You needn't be so defensive all the time. You may be missing one friend, but a crew of others are helping you find her." She then gestured to all his new and old friends rushing around the boat.

Gajee sighed and went to reply, but. Then there was a faint whistle in the air, followed by a crash and explosion off the side of the ship.

"AMBUSH!" Max Alors yelled from the crow's nest as he spotted a ship with blood red sails approaching on the horizon.

Gajeel and Erza ran to the side to get a good view, and at that moment the blacksmith looked to the pirate queen with a reassuring message.

"Relax. It ain't Phantom. They ride with black and purple."

That didn't calm Erza. "I know…but it seems that you don't know your former pirate crew as well as you thought."

Another crash of water erupted overboard as another canon shot barely missed the Magnolia, followed by a blast from their own guns launched right for the enemy ahead.

Erza turned to address her crew, but she left Gajeel with one last word. "Over the past seven years Phantom has accrued a vast number of other pirate guilds in their employ. It appears that the Royal Navy isn't the only one hunting us now…judging by that banner I'd say we're going to expect a run in with the Six Demons."

She then ran off to ready her men, and as Gajeel was standing alone looking to the fast approaching ship, he smiled and laughed.

"HA! Fine by me…I've been getting board on this lousy ship anyway."

Okay, some new mini stories are developing. Please leave reviews! I'm worried this story is being rushed, but I still feel like my chapters are doing well. If any of you read my western try to compare it to that. after all these two stories are supposed to be in the same series.