I just want to thank you all for reading my story to the end. Thank you all for your love and support.
I want to give a special shoutout to Tiernank. This special reader helped me write the rest of this chapter. There was an unusually insulting comment yesterday from a reader and Tiernank sent me a very heartwarming message to combat it. Thank you Tiernank for helping me get past that comment. I do enjoy reading constructive criticism but unfortunately there are some people out there who just have no conscious meter of how destructive they are to others or have no shame.
Seriously and please. If you do not like a story, please do not read it. And if you do not like it please don't comment how terrible it is. There really is no need to be bashing on someone's work and these stories are to express our creativity. If you don't like it, move on. Please really move on.
I dedicate this chapter to Tiernank. Thank you.
Hiro Mashima owns Fairytail.
Mira lied on the bed with Lucy. She gently brushed Lucy's hair with her fingers. Finding Lucy after all this time had made her feel nostalgic of when she and Elfman had finally found Lisanna. It was truly amazing how resilient their family was, their FairyTail family. Time and time again they faced darkness but they always came back to one another.
"Mira." Laxus spoke softly yet firmly.
Mira sat up slowly, making sure that she didn't wake Lucy.
"We need to go."
"Yes. There is no time to lose." Mira gently got off the bed and tucked Lucy in the covers. "We'll be back for you. Sweet dreams Lucy." She smiled and walked towards the door.
"I'll take care of her" Lily said towards Gajeel.
"I know you will." Gajeel answered while watching Lucy with a serious face. He was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. With one last moment, he turned and left.
Mira left as well and Lily went to see them off.
Laxus walked slowly towards Lucy and took his coat off. He gently placed it over Lucy and watched her soft breathing. The brown hair and face he didn't know. He was going to make everything right. He had to. He walked away until he stood with his back to Lucy at the doorway. He left without a goodbye or a second glance.
"I will protect you."
Outside the cottage, Mira, Laxus, and Gajeel stood facing the dark forest.
"Follow my lightning." Laxus said.
"I'll give a warning if I see anyone in our way." Mira said transforming into her Satan Soul.
"And I'll give them the nightmare of their life." Gajeel said turning into his iron shadow dragon slayer mode.
"Try and keep up." Laxus said to Gajeel.
"Oh don't you worry. I'll be the first one there." Gajeel said clenching his fists.
"We'll see about that." Laxus said as he lit up and boomed away.
Mira flew up and blasted away. Gajeel shot forward into the darkness and disappeared in a blink of an eye.
"Goodluck everyone." Lily stood alone as the wind and leaves rustled. He shivered from the cold and hurried back inside.
Further ahead, Natsu and the gang were trudging up a slope.
"I think I see something up ahead" Gray said toward a horizon of orange.
"Yea.. I definitely smell something. Something disgusting." Natsu said
"It smells horrible.. it's so strong" Wendy said covering her nose.
"Let's hurry." Erza said as they all arrived at the top of a cliff.
They all froze in shock at the sight.
Wendy and Carla trembled. "Whatt… whattt is that?" Wendy said horrified.
Happy trembled next to Natsu with unbelieving eyes.
Gray and Erza stood speechless and their eyes wide.
Natsu stood with his fists clenching and shaking. His eyes were wide and narrowed. His teeth clenched.
He could see children being taken from their mothers. Their cries and desperate pleas for help. The men were being forced into the giant tree's mouth. The women were being hanged up near the monsters forming inside the tree's bulbs. They were being offered as the first meals of the newborn monsters.
Natsu couldn't take it. He ran down the cliff blazing and roaring.
"NATSU!" Happy yelled as he flew down after him.
Erza and Gray soon ran down yelling as well. Knowing full well that they had to stop this evil. They had to.
"Carla…. I..." Wendy said trembling while still staring at the horror before her.
Carla had tears brimming her eyes. But something caught her eye. She saw the Raijinshuu hanging by their arms on the side.
"WENDY! LOOK!"
Wendy looked over and something deep inside her sparked. She saw the Raijinshuu. Fury brewed. Her family had been hurt. The fear was overrun by rage. The wind began to swirl around her body. Carla looked up to Wendy in surprise and saw how hurt and angry Wendy was.
With renewed determination, Carla flew up and took hold of Wendy. "Wendy. Let's go."
"Let's go!" Wendy answered back with confidence.
They blasted towards the Raijinshuu.
A blast outside had caught him off guard.
"WHAT IS GOING ON—" Cesar stormed out of his camp to greeted by a large raging fire towards the end of the camp. There was ice being formed as well. And large floating swords were attacking his mob of henchmen.
Pink haired man. Of course everyone knew who he was.
With a deep hatred in his eyes, he seethed. "FairyyyyyyttAAAIIIIIILLLLLL!"
He ran towards the tree and began to perform a spell. The demon tree began to roar and the mucous bulbs began to throb more and more.
Natsu, Erza, and Gray looked towards the demon tree in shock at the large roar. They were even more horrified that the monsters were now erupting out from the tree.
"We've got to hurry!" Erza yelled.
"HYYAAHHH!" Gray yelled as he sliced some dark mages away with his ice.
Natsu continued to blast the mages around him away.
"ERZA-SAN!" Erza heard from afar.
She looked over and saw Wendy and to her shock the Raijinshuu. They looked to be in terrible condition. And Wendy was protecting them by herself against a mob of dark wizards.
"WENDY!" Erza shot towards them like a rocket and blasted them away.
"Wendy.. Are you okay?"
"Yes.. Carla found them. They are in critical condition."
"Don't worry about the fight and just heal them. I'll protect you."
"Okay!" Wendy began healing Ever who looked the worst.
A maniacal laugh. "I have finally found you.. Lucy Heartfilia!"
Lucy shot up panting and clenching her fists. It was dark and she was disoriented. She frantically looked around the room in defense against the man she had allowed to be close to her. The man who she most definitely should have hidden from.
"Lucy.." Lily rubbed his eyes as he sat up next to her.
"Lily." Lucy gasped as she began to remember where she was, what had happened.
"Are you alright?" Lily asked in a worried voice.
"Yes.. just.. a bad dream." Lucy said as she rubbed her face.
"Oh okay. It was just a dream. Let's go back to bed." Lily put his head back down.
"Lily." Lucy said as she put her hand down.
"hm?"
"Where's Laxus?" Lucy asked as her eyes widened at the coat in front of her.
Lily's eyes shot open. Of course she would notice. "He and Mira and Gajeel went to get more supplies and contact Master Makarov."
"Laxus.. with Gajeel? And Mira?" Lucy looked over at Lily with a raised eyebrow. She had a look of skepticism.
"… yes." Gajeel realized how foolish that sounded. Right then and there he knew Lucy might have seen through him.
"Well.. that's interesting."
Lucy said as she hugged the coat and smelled it. She felt the fur as she rubbed her hand over it and came across a pocket. She felt a light lump in it and gently put her hand in. She felt a crumpled paper and took it out. She could barely see in the dim room.
"I'll be back. I have to use the restroom." Lucy got out of bed and walked towards the door.
"Okay." Lily answered. He lied there scared knowing full well that he might have blown their covers not just a few hours after they left.
Lucy walked into the bathroom and turned the light on. She examined the crumpled paper and opened it. She noticed that the edges of the paper were charred, probably from his lightning. But as she noticed the blood marks and read the note. Her hands began to tremble and she crumpled the paper with both of her hands. She looked up and saw herself in the mirror. Tears of anger, eyes burning with rage, gritted teeth. She was so angry.
She was so helpless. She was beyond weak. She wanted her magic. She needed her magic. She desperately needed it. And there was no way for her to get it back.
Her eyes widened in realization. There was only one option she had. It was nearly impossible but the only option.
She ran out of the bathroom and ran into the bedroom. Lily shot up in surprise.
"I know where they went and you can not lie for them anymore."
Lily was frozen like a deer in headlights.
"I need you to help me find someone and we are going to get my magic back. I am done sitting around and doing nothing while everyone else fights for me. I am a Fairytail mage and I will fight like everyone else!" Lucy yelled.
"Dearie? Are you alright?" the grandma came around the corner.
"Oh sorry grannie. I'm so sorry for waking you up. Everything is fine." Lucy said sweetly.
"Oh.. alright then. Just try and keep it down." The grandma yawned and went back to her bedroom.
Lucy shot her gaze back at Lily. She stalked up to him and whispered.
"You are going to help me." She commanded with a deep frown.
Lily nodded furiously at the angry Lucy. He finally understood Happy and how scary Lucy could be.
"Get ready. We are leaving now."
"NOW?!" Lily whispered loudly.
"Yes. Now."
"There's too many of them!" Gray yelled as he tried his best to keep attacking. He was panting with exhaustion.
Natsu was getting tired as well.
Freed coughed as he opened one of his eyes. He saw Wendy and Carla.
"Freed-san. We are here to save you." Wendy assured him.
"Wendy… The monsters.. they are innocent people." Freed spoke in stutters.
"No.." Wendy looked towards Erza. "Erza-san! They are people! innocent people!"
"What?!" Erza said as she fought her monsters and looked towards the monsters Natsu and Gray were fighting.
"Natsu! Gray! The monsters are people!" Erza yelled.
"SSSHHHIIIIAAAA!" Gray and Natsu yelled as they pushed back a wall of monsters. They stood back to back.
"That means we can't kill them." Natsu said in frustration.
"Or even really hurt them." Gray said panting. "This is impossible"
"WHERE IS LAYLA!" Cesar yelled at them.
"WHO THE HECK IS LAYLA?!" Natsu fired back as he continued to fight.
"LUCY YOU STUPID FLAMEHEAD IDIOT!" Gray yelled back
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING IDIOT ICE PRINCESS!" Natsu yelled.
"SHUT UP! I WANT LUCY HEARTFILIA NOW OR ELSE—"
"BOOOOOMMMM!"
Natsu and Gray finished beating the monsters around them while the ones remaining watched the new guests.
In the center, stood Laxus and Layla Hart. Laxus looked pissed and Layla looked straight into Cesar's eyes with steel cold eyes.
Natsu and Gray watched Layla in shock.
"Lucy…?" Gray said in a whisper-like voice.
Natsu watched Layla as she kept glaring at Cesar. His heart pounded hard at the thought of finally meeting Lucy again but it was not her. That was not the Lucy he remembered.
But then she started walking towards Cesar.
"no no no No NO! LUCY!" Natsu began to run after her. The monsters got in his path and he began fighting through them towards her. Gray frantically did the same as well.
"What.. what is Laxus-san doing?!" Wendy cried as he watched him hand over Layla.
"He's giving her away!" Carla said in shock.
Erza couldn't believe his eyes either. Laxus had shown so much progress. He would not betray his family. He had changed. He definitely would not. She narrowed her eyes at Layla to understand what was going on.
Laxus glared at Cesar.
"Our deal."
"Oh, how wonderful this whole situation is. You've brought me Lucy Heartfilia. Mmmm~ Yes yes you may take your friends away. But you should hurry before I change my mind. Especially those meddlesome four." Cesar grinned as he put out a hand towards Layla.
Layla completely ignored it and walked right past him.
Cesar huffed at her insolence and for rejecting his generous hand.
Laxus turned around and began walking towards Natsu and Gray.
Cesar turned around and began walking after Layla towards the tree.
"I say, Laxus Dreyar. You surprise me. Giving up Lucy to save your own. Maybe you do have what it takes to be Master. Enjoy it while you still can. The world you all know will come to an end." He said loudly as he walked away.
"NO! HOW COULD YOU!" Natsu fired up.
"LLLUCCYYYY! LUUCCYYY!" He continued to try and get Lucy's attention. But Layla would not look over.
"LUCY! STOPPP!" Gray yelled also.
Laxus lightning teleported to Gray and teleported away with him.
Natsu couldn't believe what he saw next. Cesar brought Layla to the mouth of the demonic tree. He performed a seal on Layla's back. Her eyes and mouth opened showing excruciating pain. Her knees began to bend and she began to fall into the demon's mouth.
"LUUUCCYYYY!" Natsu yelled as he suddenly was dragged into the ground and enveloped into darkness.
He heard some flapping above. His eyes narrowed in preparation of an enemy.
His companion sensed the intruder as well.
Their eyes widened as they saw a woman land with an exceed.
"Who are you?" He demanded.
"Jellal. Meredy. It's me.. Lucy Heartfilia." She walked into the light.
"Lucy.." He frowned as he took the woman's image in. "Lucy Heartfilia is dead. And you certainly do not look like her. Who are you." He then realized that the woman strangely had a similar looking coat like the one Laxus always wore. It was just too large for her.
Meredy's body began to glow with magic in defense.
The woman turned around and took off the coat. She then began to lift up her shirt.
Meredy and Jellal's face reddened. This woman was going to strip in front of them!
"What are you doiii-!" Jellal stopped mid-sentence. His eyes widened.