Here's the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy!
July 6, X791
"We're fucked." Kyo bluntly said.
The rescue team that infiltrated the castle, including Lucy, Yukino and a future Lucy were now in what appeared to be a dining room.
"I never imagined we'd get lost." Leo said.
"It is a problem." Mirajane laughed.
"I should have studied the layout of Sir Castle a bit…" Yukino said.
"Sir Castle?!" Wendy looked blankly at Yukino.
"It's actually 'Madame Castle'." Kyo joked.
"Just when we really want to get out and let the others know we've escaped!" Lily said, now in his small form.
"Aye!" Happy agreed.
"Then let's just beat some details outta the soldiers!" Lionel suggested.
"I like where this is goin'!" Natsu exclaimed.
"No!" Carla quickly objected. "We have injured here."
"But with all these wizards, we can manage something, right?" Happy asked.
"Sorry." Mirajane replied. "It isn't just that… We have guild members participating in the games. It's a royal event. I think we should avoid leaving a bad impression on the Kingdom's military."
"It may already be too late…" Yukino said. "We did just take out their executioners."
Lucy was kneeling next to her still unconscious future self.
"Lucy, don't look so depressed." Leo said.
"Yeah…" That was all Lucy could say.
"After all, even with two of you here, I can declare that love you both!" Leo proclaimed cheerfully.
"Can you please get a clue?" Carla asked.
"I second that motion." Lionel raised his hand.
The Future Lucy was stirring about as she regained consciousness, which drew everyone's attention.
"Are you okay, Future Lucy?" Happy asked.
Future Lucy sat up. "Where are we?"
"We don't know." Natsu answered.
"It looks like the castle's dining hall." Happy stated.
"So… we're still in the castle?" Future Lucy asked before grabbing her forehead like she had a migraine. "If I remember right… after we escaped the Palace of Hades…we were all caught by the palace guards again. So I've got to tell you now…"
"What're you talking about?" Lionel questioned.
"The future Lucy is probably talking about events she's already experienced." Lily surmised.
"But we'd never get caught by the guards again." Natsu said.
"Well, I'd certainly have no desire to get caught again." Mirajane said.
"We were on the run, and came in close to Eclipse." Future Lucy explained. "Because of that, we couldn't use our magic and we all got caught."
"That was pretty dumb, huh?" Natsu retorted.
"I'd just call it bad luck…" Future Lucy said.
*Bad luck…* Yukino thought sadly.
"When it came… we were all imprisoned." Future Lucy said.
"'It'?" Happy inquired.
The expression on Future Lucy's face indicated it was painful to think about.
"Um… Ms. Lucy, why did you come back to the past?" Wendy asked.
"So the worst future could be prevented." Future Lucy answered.
"'Worst future'?" Natsu asked.
"Just what happened in the future you came from?" Yukino asked.
"… Nothing but terror and despair…" Future Lucy replied. "A horde of more than ten thousand dragons will attack Fiore and destroy everything in their wake."
Everyone looked at Future Lucy in shock and dread.
"… What… is… that… SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" Natsu screamed.
"Keep it down." Lily said.
"That's awful!" Happy panicked.
"More than ten thousand dragons…" Mirajane muttered.
"How could that happen?" Yukino wondered.
"Do you think the dragon graveyard has something to do with it?" Wendy asked the Exceeds.
"I wonder." Carla responded.
"What does all this mean?" Lily questioned.
Future Lucy looked at them with a hint of surprise.
"Anyway, we can't waste time here." Natsu said as he put on a guard's helmet and carried a bundle of spears in his arm. "Let's get ready for battle!"
"You're going to fight?!" Lucy exclaimed.
"You'd just die!" Kyo said.
"You mean… You believe me?" Future Lucy asked.
"What?! You were lying?!" Natsu stopped what he was doing.
"No!" Future Lucy replied. "I just… thought you wouldn't believe me."
"Why would anybody doubt you, Lucy?" Natsu asked.
Future Lucy looked at Natsu for a second and then looked away and smiled.
"It may be pretty pathetic to say this to my future self, but…" Lucy said. "You should trust your friends more."
"I'm lecturing myself?" Future Lucy said in slight disbelief. "But… you're right."
"Say, when the dragons came…" Carla spoke up. "You said we were in the castle at the time. What happened to us?"
Future Lucy looked down in sadness.
"Carla, don't ask that." Wendy said. "We probably…"
"Do we die?!" Natsu asked.
"No…" Mirajane said.
"Are we going to die?" Happy asked.
*Is it because I'm with them?* Yukino continued thinking to herself. *Because of my bad luck?*
"There were several days I don't remember." Future Lucy stated. "When I came to, I… remembered Eclipse. I didn't know the magic to make it work, but somehow, unconsciously, I opened it. I trusted that I could go into the past. And… I actually was able to come to the past. To July 4th, X791!"
"The fourth? Just a few days back!" Leo said.
"You mean Eclipse can execute such a short jump in time?" Mirajane asked.
"I don't know…" Future Lucy replied. "A portion of it was broken, so maybe that's why I didn't go far… There are lacrima all over town showing the Grand Magic Games. So what I'd like you to do is go underground and meet up with Jellal's group."
"Jellal?" Natsu asked.
"Him?!" Kyo exclaimed. "He's a criminal!"
"They can be trusted." Future Lucy said. "I've told them everything. Right now, they should be coming up with a plan."
"A plan?" Lucy asked.
Future Lucy looked down and bit her lip. "I'm sorry. It isn't like I came from the future with a plan to prevent it. Actually, I have no idea how we can avoid it. I'm… so sorry! Now I'm not even sure why I came at all… The whole time I've been here, I've been wandering the streets trying to figure out what to do…"
"No…" Natsu smiled. "We'll figure out a way to stop it."
Future Lucy looked up at Natsu and he knelt down to her and placed a hand on her head and his forehead against hers. The warmth she was feeling made her eyes start tearing up.
"Thank you." Natsu said in a soothing voice. "For giving us a future…"
Everyone looked at the two and smiled, even if it was small.
"I know we'll be able to change things!" Natsu said.
Somewhere outside of Crocus, Ultear was stuffing chili peppers into Foster and Meredy's mouths and the older woman did not look happy at all.
"Do you two have ANY self-control?!" Ultear glared at them before slapping her own eyes. "Oh God, I've got that mental image again! How long have you two been doing this?"
"Ofy triff." Foster replied as best he could with his voice muffled by the bushels of peppers in his mouth.
"Well that's twice too many!" Ultear said loudly and pointed at him. "Foster, I know you and Meredy truly love each other, but as Independent and former Dark Guild wizards marriage isn't an option for us. If Meredy gets pregnant, I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen again!"
Ultear held up two fingers and made a snipping motion with them like they were a pair of scissors, prompting a yelp from Foster. While Ultear continued scolding Foster and Meredy, Morticia was speaking with Jellal about what Future Lucy had discussed with them.
"Do you think she was telling the truth, Jellal?" Morticia asked.
"Possibly." Jellal answered. "A horde of dragons… Eclipse… There are too many inconsistencies. The question is if it's Lucy's words that are false… or Lucy herself."
"This way!" Future Lucy guided everyone through some dank corridors.
"You really know these hallways!" Natsu said as they all ran.
"Even if I did nothing else, I wanted to avoid the future where we get captured by royal forces!" Future Lucy said.
"That makes sense." Lily said.
"So you mapped out the underground routes, huh?" Happy said.
"We need to get above ground quick and set off the signal!" Mirajane said.
"I'm sure everybody's worried about us!" Wendy said.
"Wonder if anyone's noticed that we're gone?" Lionel asked Volt.
Back in Domus Flau, Karina looked around at the seats around them before turning to Static.
"Where are Lionel and Volt?" Karina asked.
"Who cares?" Static questioned.
Natsu suddenly heard footsteps fast approaching the group and they saw a platoon of royal guards marching towards them.
"There are the jail-breakers!"
"Get them!"
"The Royal forces?!" Future Lucy gasped.
"You're kidding…" Lucy said.
"They shouldn't have been stationed here…" Future Lucy said.
"Nothing to worry about!" Natsu cracked his knuckles. "As long as we got magic, we ain't getting' captured!"
"Exactly!" Leo agreed.
"U-um…" Wendy spoke. "Mr. Arcadios isn't here!"
"What?!" Natsu exclaimed.
They looked behind them and saw that both Arcadios and Yukino were no longer with them.
"Yukino isn't here either!" Happy said.
"Where'd they go off to without saying anything?" Lucy questioned.
The soldiers continued charging toward them.
"I'm going after Yukino!" Kyo began running off from the group.
"Kyo!" Lucy shouted.
"You can't leave now!" Wendy said.
Kyo didn't say anything else and Natsu, Lionel and Leo readied themselves for a fight.
"We can take them without Mr. Metal." Lionel said.
Jellal felt something coming from the city, as well as everyone in Crime Sorcière.
"This magic!" Ultear said.
While Ultear was looking away, Foster and Meredy spat out the chili peppers and used their hands to fan their burning tongues.
"There's no doubt about it." Morticia said. "That dark magic is coming from the city."
"Keep calm!" Jellal said. "The Lucy from the future was caught up in a battle. However, if Natsu and the others are with her, then there is no need for panic."
In the city, Kara was standing over a conscious, yet immobile Jayden in the middle of what looked now to be ruins with Minerva, Erza, who was heavily injured, Kagura and Millianna, who were both lying on the ground with grievous wounds, and Sora trapped within one of Minerva's space bubbles.
"Why do you want me to kill Jayden?" Kara questioned Minerva. "What could you possibly gain from this?"
"If you want to prove your strength to us, show no restraint to your opponent." Minerva responded. "People like us only feast the most delectable meals and when we win, we must prove why we're at the top of the food chain. Leave nothing left for the vultures!"
"WE ARE NOTHING ALIKE!" Kara screamed in rage.
"Perhaps I can up the ante." Minerva pointed a finger towards Sora. "Slay the water dragon and not only will I spare this boy's life, but I will personally welcome you back into Sabertooth."
Kara just stood there and continued glaring at Minerva.
"Are you not tempted?" Minerva asked.
"… My sister and I have our own guild now." Kara stated. "One that actually cares about each other and isn't out to prove themselves as the strongest!"
Minerva frowned. "You WILL return to Sabertooth. I refuse to allow a wizard of your caliber to fight on behalf of another. Otherwise…"
Minerva shrunk the bubble so that Sora's head, arms and legs were all outside of it and it began shaking.
"He will be in more pieces than that girl was." Minerva said.
"You-Rgh!" Erza tried to charge at her, but her injured leg prevented her from moving forward.
Jayden tried to speak, but it was like the words couldn't make it past his throat. *Dammit! I can't even speak! Is this… really how I'll die? Blaise… Spiral… Sakura… Aqua…* His gaze shifted toward Kagura. *Kagura… Everyone…*
Suddenly, Sora's body flies out of the bubble and before sliding along the ground safely.
"How-" Minerva then noticed Kagura's arm shaking out of the corner of her eye.
Kagura was still lying on the ground, panting heavily and cradling her bleeding stomach.
"I won't… let Jayden die…" Kagura spoke between breaths.
Minerva glared at Kagura with intense rage before Erza managed to get in front of her and raise her sword at the Sabertooth mage.
"No one… is going to die here!" Erza shouted proudly.
A/N: Hooooooly shit! That last part took a hell of a lot longer to come up with than I thought! But the reason this whole chapter took longer was because I've been distracted with other things… again. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! Stay tuned for next time!