Natsu's PoV
Lucy fell to the ground a few minutes after Takeshi started hurting her. It looked like she was holding an invisible person on the ground, crying hysterically.
"What are you doing to her?" Happy whispered. We were all frozen in place by fear.
"Takeshi's power is special. He's extremely fast, as we all are along with enhanced strength, but he can also create illusions for the person he is fighting," Oscar explained.
"So that's what makes you powerful. You cut off a person's magic. Klein finds their deepest fears and sorrows. Takeshi creates it," Erza worked out. "The others are to bring the person back, or beat them until they can't move anymore."
I felt so helpless. Was there nothing I could do to save her? When Erza's discovery was made, we sprung into action. I threw that stupid Keen guy off easily, but he was persistent. Gray and Erza were having the same difficulties. We're stronger when it comes to plain strength, but Stone Heart would just not stay down.
At this rate, we'll never be able to save Lucy! I felt my body start to burn with rage. It kept growing and growing until I was completely on fire. If Lucy could find a way around Oscar's power, then so could I.
"Leave Lucy alone!" I roared, charging at Takeshi. Keen stepped in front of me at the last second, but I knocked him down in one blow. Kale abandoned his fight with Erza and put a hand to my chest. I burned him straight through my vest. Nothing was going to stop me.
"He's not going to stop. This one is stronger than we were informed. Without your abilities, we will lose to him," Klein said. That stupid bastard was reading me. If only I could punch that smug smirk off Oscar's face.
"Let's go, Takeshi. And leave Miss Lucy something to remember us by," he said. Lucy's scream shattered my eardrums and my heart. Takeshi dodged my flaming fist and melted into the shadows.
"COME FIGHT ME, COWARDS!" I yelled, whipping around to see the others had disappeared also. I went running into the woods after them without a second thought. I heard Happy flying behind me.
Those idiots were going to pay for hurting my friends, and for hurting Lucy.
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Lucy's PoV
A fiery pain ripped through my hand. It felt like I was being tortured. Natsu vanished in front of my eyes. He was gone. Where did he go? Was he dead? DID HE DIE? His words still haunted my mind.
"Why did you leave me?" I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to leave you! I only turned away for a second, and now look at what's happened!
"Natsu!" My heart ripped apart as I opened my eyes. I was in the forest once again, lying on my back. I looked down to try to find the source of my pain. It was my right hand. I lifted it into the air above me, staring in horror. Takeshi somehow burned off half of my Fairy Tail mark.
"Natsu?" I asked hopefully. I don't understand what happened. Why was I in Magnolia a few minutes ago, but here now? Is Natsu really dead? That blob barely beating in my chest clenched at the thought of my dragon slayer, gone.
"He ran off… Lucy, are you okay?" Erza asked, crouching over me. The wounds she obtained from Stone Heart still marred her otherwise perfect skin. It made her look even more dangerous than usual. The barely contained look of worry and anger softened her face, ruining the dark aura around her. I was relieved to see that she wasn't terribly hurt.
"My… insignia…," I whispered tearfully. Erza gaped openly at my hand.
"Gray! Set up the tent. Lucy needs to be treated. Happy, get more bandages!" Erza barked. "Happy?" The blue cat was nowhere in sight. "DAMN IT. Just hold still, Lucy. You'll be fine." She bolted off to our discarded suitcases and bags, returning with a large red and white box. Erza acting so dis-shelved and panicky scared me more than anything.
"I don't understand what happened. Natsu… he died in my arms! I saw him! Why did he have to die?" I sobbed, confused in my own mind. What was the truth? Is this a dream, or was Magnolia and Natsu's death a dream?
"Natsu is completely fine. He ran off after Stone Heart. He's alive and healthy," Erza soothed, pulling me tightly to her chest. My fingers circled around her Heart Kreuz Armor, trying to take shelter in her warmth. In a flash, her chest plate disappeared and I was simply clutching her white ruffled shirt. I saw my burnt skin through clouded eyes.
"It'll be okay," Erza said to me, hugging me tightly. Without further delay, Erza disinfected my hand and wrapped it up. She flinched when I screamed at the alcohol she poured on it. By the time she was finished, I looked like I was about to go a few rounds in the boxing ring.
"NATSU!" Erza screeched, charging at him. I turned my head that way to see him and Happy duck behind a tree, trying to hide from her wrath.
"Let's get you up," Gray said. He carefully helped me to my feet. We trudged over to the newly erected green tent. The inside was layered with blankets and sleeping bags, a makeshift bed for me to rest on. My eyes locked on the package from Chika, confirming it was still with the rest of my stuff.
"It'll be okay, Lucy. Master can fix your hand when we get back," he consoled me.
"I'm sorry," I apologized. "I don't feel that bad anymore. We need to keep going." And truthfully, I wasn't. The main pain I felt was in my hand. It still felt like it was on fire, heating the rest of my body to an uncomfortable temperature. I'm sure the rest of the places where I was hit – from almost being chocked and from fighting Takeshi – would have been hurting, but the pain in my hand was numbing everything else.
"I'll go let everyone know. Just try to get some sleep," Gray said. He crawled out of the tent, leaving me to my thoughts.
The first thing I did was gently but quickly change my clothes. I shoved the torn remnants of my last outfit with the rest of the shreds. Geez, if this keeps happening, I'll go broke trying to replace my wardrobe!
Why did I feel so embarrassed? Is it because Takeshi erased part of my guild mark? I didn't realize I could feel so naked without it. I guess I've taken it for granted. The seal on my hand is such an important piece of me; it hurts to not have it anymore. Fairy Tail is a symbol of my family. They're the ones who took me in. They've saved me and loved me. They've always protected me. I wish I was strong enough to protect all of them for once.
Everyone's probably out there talking about me right now. Maybe they have the answers to what happened. Was it Takeshi's power that had caused me to see Natsu dying? I hope they're not worrying over me. What a stupid thought. Of course they're worried. They're always worried when it's about me. If I could just get stronger, I wouldn't hold anyone back. They, nobody would have to worry about me anymore.
"Luce?" Natsu asked, poking his head in through the tent flap. I smiled slightly and waved him over with my left hand. Natsu sat beside me and immediately took my right hand in his, staring hard at the white bandage as if he had x-ray powers. I hissed in pain when he gently squeezed it.
"We'll get them back, okay? No one can do something like to my Luce and get away with it," he said. I took a minute to let myself cherish Natsu's warm hand. I stared at him, memorizing everything about him. He was alive. The boy that I love, the boy that says he loves me too, is alive and here.
"Again with the 'my Lucy'?" Erza asked through the tent wall, already re-quipping a sword. Natsu grabbed both my shoulders and spun, hiding behind me.
"I was just kidding! I didn't mean it that way, honest!" he cried.
With Natsu's chest pressed against my back, and his hands still holding my shoulder, I was roasting. Even though I'm a usually cold person, I was on fire now. It felt like I was being burned alive over a roaring fire. And the weirdest part? The heat coming from Natsu wasn't what was making me feel this way. I think being so close to him just set it off. The burning sensation came from my hand. It felt like my blood was literally boiling inside my veins.
"Lucy? What's wrong?" Erza asked, peeking her head in.
My red cheeks gave it away. "It's so warm," I murmured. My eyelids drooped. "It's too warm. I feel like I'm roasting." Natsu put a hand to my forehead, pulling it away quickly.
"OI! Why didn't ya say somethin earlier?!," he yelped, hurriedly scooting away, scared to warm me even more. "You're burnin!"
"GRAY!" Erza bellowed. The ice mage appeared a minute later by her side, Happy following close behind. I saw their blurry outlines through the tent.
"She's burning up. We need ice to cool her down," Erza explained.
A few minutes later, Erza was holding ice cubes wrapped in one of my torn shirts on my forehead, but I barely felt it.
"On… on my hand," I said quietly. She moved the ice to cover my bandaged hand. In seconds, I felt better. I eventually fell asleep leaning against Erza's legs, listening to the hushed voices of my friends talking over me.