Chapter 55: Silver
1 Day Ago:
For the past week things all over the country were slowly returning to normal, shops were reopening, schools as well. People could walk the streets without fear of any buildings going up in explosions. Word quickly spread that the vigilante from Magnolia had saved the city of Shirostume from a crazed maniac known as Jackal who had referred to himself as an Etherious, a demon from Tartaros. As is the way with the human race they put this behind them to return to the old grind. This was the case for Fairy Tail as well, Gildarts had to return to his job, as did Laxus and the Thunder Legion. Before the whole Jackal scare they were sent on this job by Master Makarov to protect a former prominent political figure who had stood against the Balam Alliance in their prime. He had been victim to threats on his life for the past few weeks. Now he was hiding somewhere in a small podunk town while the Thunder Legion stood guard outside the building he was in. It was an early morning in mid-April. The weather was starting to warm up, but there was still a cool breeze that blew through the small town.
"Ever wake up!" Freed snapped his female companion awake from the bench near the entrance that led into the town where Bixslow and Laxus were stationed closer to their client.
"Hmmm…Wh-what?" Evergreen yawned and stretched, she wiped the sleep out of her eyes and glanced at her green-haired companion who stood on guard with his sword drawn.
"We have company." Freed muttered, and began scribbling a purple enchantment on the ground. Evergreen put her glasses over her eyes and squinted down the trail that they were facing where sure enough a large hooded figure slowly stomped towards them.
"HEY! WHO ARE YOU?!" Evergreen shouted walking towards him while Freed continued to scribble strange runes on the ground near the gate. The stranger stayed silent, yet continued to walk closer to them.
"HEY ANSWER ME!" Evergreen snapped, the figure stopped a few feet in front of the two, because it was still dark outside they couldn't make out any details of his face, all they were able to do was make out a single word he muttered.
"Sink." He quietly murmured while lifting his hand up in Evergreen's direction. The woman blinked a few times trying to process what was going on before she noticed that the figure was getting taller, no wait that wasn't it she was getting shorter.
"EVER! YOU NEED TO FLY UP NOW!" Freed's voice snapped Evergreen out of her confusion and she finally pieced together that she was being swallowed into the Earth as if she was stuck in quicksand. Her eyes bulged from their sockets and she at once summoned her pixie-like wings popped out of her back, and began fluttering to pull her out of the ground.
"Who is this freak anyway?" Evergreen muttered, landing back on the ground glaring at the hooded man in front of them.
"Move out of my way…or die." The man whispered, Evergreen scoffed.
"YEAH RIGHT EAT MY FAIRY BULLETS!" She screamed holding both her hands out in front of her and a flurry of golden projectiles fired out of her hands toward the stranger.
"Hmph….inferno…" As the projectiles were speeding towards him his body began to emit a large amount of fire that made Natsu's flames look like a candle wick. The flames erupted and sent Evergreen flying through the air with a cry.
"EVER!" Freed cried out worried about his friend who crashed into the ground hard, burn marks covering her body. She was down for the count.
"My name is Tempester of Tartaros…now move, you stand in the way of my target." Tempester muttered towards Freed who pointed the tip of his sword towards the person who attacked Evergreen.
"Tartaros? Like that fiend Jackal?!" Freed snapped and the man said nothing, instead he walked towards the open gate.
"Stop! You won't be able to enter! I have cast an enchantment that acts as a gate that nobody will be able to penetrate unless I am defeated!" The cloaked man huffed.
"You think you stand a chance against a demon gate of Tartaros? You see what happened to your friend there, don't you?" Freed glanced over at Evergreen's unconscious form and glared at Tempester.
"Indeed and you shall pay dearly for it." Freed wasted no time at charging the man with his sword. Tempester didn't make an effort to dodge, instead muttering something.
"Thunderbolt." Freed's eyes widened as his body was entrapped in some strange sphere and a powerful lightning bolt that might've rivaled Laxus' own came from the sky crashing down onto Freed who cried out and fell to his knees.
"No….it's impossible….I'm sorry Laxus, I failed you…" Freed whispered to himself before being taken over by the darkness like Evergreen had been. The purple enchantments that prevented Tempester from entering the town disappeared and he simply strolled past the two bodies into the town. He kept walking until he came across a small shack where Laxus, and Bickslow stood in front.
"Who the Hell are you?" Laxus glowered at Tempester with his arms folded as he came closer to them.
"You are in the way." Tempester replied Laxus growled.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Bickslow questioned, his dolls floating around him.
"YEAH TELL US! TELL US!" The four dolls spoke in unison.
"My target rests behind those doors, move."
"AS IF! GET HIM BABIES!" Bickslow lifted his hand and his four wooden dolls sped at the etherious who closed his eyes and sighed.
"Cyclone." Tempester muttered and a large twister formed, blowing away the dolls. They crashed into buildings or the ground and shattered. Laxus' eyes widened.
"NO MY BABIES! YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!"
"BICKSLOW WAIT!" Laxus tried to stop Bickslow from attacking, but it was too late Bickslow had flipped his helmet visor up and his eyes glowed green as he tried to take control of Tempester's soul, but it had no effect on the demon who walked closer to them, and grabbed Bickslow's arm.
"Impact." He mumbled and instantly Bicklow was sent flying through the air with the blast, he crashed into the shack leaving a hole in the wall where Tempester could see his target. The man's eyes widened in fear and he got up to run away.
"QUICK! GET OUT OF HERE!...This guy is bad news." Laxus instructed the man.
"DON'T NEED TO TELL ME TWICE I'M LEAVING!" The man began to run, but Tempester glared at him.
"Sink." He commanded, and like with Evergreen the man cried out and began to sink into the ground.
"LET HIM GO!" Laxus growled, turning to Tempester furious. Sparks coming off his body.
"Unless you want to end up like your three pals, I suggest you stay out of this." Tempester turned away from him and began walking towards the man who was now crying and trying to crawl his way out of the sinkhole that had formed under him. Laxus stood still shocked, he had watched this guy take down Bickslow like he was nothing. Does that mean he also wiped out Evergreen, and Freed.
"BASTARD! YOU'LL PAY!" Laxus shouted and shot a large blast of electricity at the etherious who had his back turned to him. Tempester turned his head in time to see the blast and quickly moved out of its way.
"Very well. You shall die first." Tempester scoffed, his hood falling down in the process to reveal his true demonic face. Laxus growled, and surged forward his fists swarming with sparks of electricity.
"Inferno." Tempester blocked Laxus' strike with his arm and his body became engulfed in flames that erupted like a volcano, the blast pushed Laxus backwards. The lightning user scoffed, he puffed up his cheeks and sent a roaring attack at Tempester's direction who dodged the blast.
"Thunderbolt." Like before with Freed a sphere formed around Laxus and a large bolt of lightning shot from the sky onto Laxus who groaned and fell to his knees. Tempester walked away from him and began closing in on his target, but Laxus began chuckling. Tempester turned to face Laxus who was rising to his feet his entire sparking.
"Thanks for the boost….NOW IT'S TIME YOU GO DOWN!" Laxus growled, his body began growing to the point that he burst out of his dress shirt and scales formed on his bulky arms. Tempester raised an eyebrow as Laxus entered dragon force.
"Cyclone." He mumbled sending a twister at Laxus who was unaffected, and faster than a flashlight disappeared and reappeared in front of Tempester and punched him with all the force he could muster electricity swarming around the two as Tempester fell to the ground coughing up golden blood.
"Pathetic. You mean to tell me the entire Thunder Legion got wiped out by someone like you." Laxus muttered, his body returning to normal. Tempester began to chuckle.
"Very well….I will just kill all of you then…his body began to glow purple and to Laxus' shock the etherious began to disappear, turning into a black gaseous form that traveled up into the air covering the sky with a black mist.
"What…the heck?" Laxus mumbled, but began to cough. As did the man Tempester was targeting who had successfully freed himself from the pit he was stuck in.
"What….is happening to me?..." The man coughed out struggling, and gasping for air before falling to the ground. Laxus was coughing as well, he found it hard to breathe. His vision began to blur and soon he also fell to the ground succumbing to the blackness.
Freed, and Evergreen who weren't inside the city at the time were unaffected and were able to drag Laxus and Bickslow back to Magnolia for Porlyusica to treat them. The gas that Tempester had turned his body into was poisonous, and with how close of proximity Laxus had been he had inhaled so much that Porlyusica was worried he wouldn't recover. Their client was not fortunate enough to survive, nor were over twenty townspeople. They had all died from the poison before it had disappeared. Makarov stood next to the bed where his grandson laid, coughing and gasping for air. Porlyusica at the older man's side with a sorrowful expression.
"Tempester. Jackal….there is no doubt about it Porlyusica…Tartaros has revived the demon gates…a war is on the horizon..."
Present Day:
"NATSU!...LUCYYYYY! WAKE UP I'M HUNGRYYYYY!" The cries coming from the small girl dressed as a cowgirl woke up the couple who snapped awake, well at least one of them Natsu just fell back to sleep almost immediately.
"Asuka sweetie, it's like five in the morning…" Lucy yawned, glancing at the clock. The young girl puffed out her cheeks.
"I can't help that I'm hungry….besides don't you have to get ready for school?!" Lucy sighed and rolled out of bed glancing at her sleeping boyfriend with envy.
"Fine, fine…c'mon let's go get some cereal." Lucy yawned while she stretched.
"YAYYYY! I WANT CHEERIOS!" Asuka cheered and followed the older girl out of the room. Even though it was still a school night Lucy, and Natsu had agreed to let Asuka stay the night so that Alzack and Bisca could have a date night. The two teens adored the young girl, but waking up early was never pleasant. Lucy poured both of them a bowl of cheerios and ate them in silence while Lucy still tried to wake up. Asuka happily gobbled up her entire bowl and gave the milk to a joyful Happy who wasted no time slurping the treat. An hour later the small girl's parents came to pick her up.
"Mommy! Daddy!" Asuka laughed as her parents walked into the small apartment after Lucy had let them in.
"Hey buttercup!" Alzack greeted her happily and took her into his arms, picking her up and spinning her around while she giggled cutely. Lucy and Bisca watched with grins.
"Thank you again Lucy, you and Natsu are lifesavers as usual!" Bisca smiled brightly at the teenager who returned the smile.
"Oh it's no problem, you know me and Natsu love little Asuka."
"And she loves you two as well….say speak of the devil, how is Natsu?" Alzack peered around the room looking for the loudmouth pink-haired boy. Lucy sighed.
"He's still asleep, he hasn't had that much energy lately…I imagine it has something to do with using up all his power." Lucy frowned, ever since the party the night Natsu had beaten Jackal the poor boy was always tired.
"Yeah, I remember Elfman once ran himself dry training. Poor guy was sick for a month…" Bisca laughed while scratching the back of her head. The three soon left, leaving Lucy to slowly waltz into her and Natsu's bedroom where the boy was quietly snoring. Lucy smiled as she watched him peacefully slumber. She began undoing the buttons from her pink pajama shirt and let it hit the ground, same as her matching pants. She began rummaging through her dresser for clothes to change into for school. That was until she felt a pair of eyes watching her, she turned around to see her boyfriend had woken up and was watching her carefully, a faint blush on his face as was a small grin. When she spun around to face him, he closed his eyes and pretended to snore. Lucy rolled her eyes.
"Natsu I know you are awake! So get your lazy butt up and get ready for school." The blonde threw a hairbrush at him. The pink brush bounced off the boy's head, and he grumbled while sitting up and rubbing the sore spot on his head.
"Owww what was that for Luce!" He groaned, a yawn escaping his lips. Lucy glared at him, putting her hand on her hip.
"For being a pervert…now hurry and get dressed, it's the first day the school is back open and you aren't missing anymore class. Graduation is around the corner, and I'll be damned if all Levy and my hard work to get your grades back up was for nothing!" Lucy ranted while she got dressed in a brown turtleneck, with a matching brown, and yellow plaid short skirt. She began tying her hair up in a side ponytail, but failed to notice Natsu sneak up behind her.
"You're gonna pay for throwing that hairbrush at me." He whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine, and before she knew what was happening she was lifted up in the air.
"HEY! PUT ME DOWN NATSU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" She shrieked as Natsu flung her down on the bed and climbed on with a devious grin and glint in his eyes.
"Hehe!" Natsu mischievously snickered and began to tickle Lucy who tried to hold in her laughter but couldn't one Natsu began tickling her sides.
"HAHAHA! N-NO…S-STOP….PLEA-HAHAHAHA" Lucy cried out through her laughter, her eyes watering. She kicked her legs trying to get Natsu off her until one of her stray kicks connected with a nasty bruise on his side. Natsu groaned and his hands shot from Lucy's side and grabbed at the bruise wincing. Lucy's eyes widened horrified, and she sat up.
"Natsu? Are you okay?!" She reached to grab the bottom of his black tanktop and peeled it off him with his cooperation and Lucy frowned. His torso was still covered in bruises and scratches that Porylusica had said just needed to heal like normal.
"Y-Yeah….Just sore…" He replied, Lucy just rose off the bed and ran into the bathroom grabbing the first aid kit.
"Here hold still." She announced and sat on the bed in front of Natsu. She grabbed some ointment and put some on her hands.
"Luce…" Natsu mumbled as she began rubbing the pain cream on his torso with determination in her eyes. Natsu studied her closely, his lips forming into a warm smile as watched her stick her tongue out in concentration while smearing the ointment all over his wounds. When she finished she grabbed bandage wraps from the kit and wrapped them around him, everytime her delicate hands grazed his skin his heart paused for a second. How did he get so lucky was all he could think about as he stared at her. She finished wrapping the bandages around him, and moved to put the supplies back in the case they came from, once she closed the first aid kit she turned to face Natsu with a large grin.
"There all better, just try to take it easy from now on." She beamed, and Natsu had no idea what overcame him but he put his hand on her cheek and leaned into her. Lucy was shocked to say the least when the boy closed the distance in between them. Lucy hesitated for a brief moment before grabbing Natsu's neck and pulling him in closer to her. It had been too long since they had a moment like this, the two melted into the kiss until all too soon for their liking they had to pull apart for air. They rested their foreheads against each other, both sharing stupid grins. They just stared into one another's eyes, getting lost in them.
"What was that for?...Not that I'm complaining." Lucy asked, and Natsu just shrugged.
"I just…felt like it was right ya know…" Natsu giggled, causing Lucy to do the same.
"I love you Natsu…I'm glad you came home, watching that fight with Jackal…..it was hard. I never doubted you, but still seeing you in pain..." Natsu cut her off with a quick peck on her lips.
"I love ya too Luce…you have no idea how scared I was that I wasn't going to fulfill my promise…and I'd be lying if I didn't say that there was a moment where I wanted to give in, but you calling out to me….along with the rest of the guild….I wasn't about to lose and never see you guys again!" He sent her a heartwarming smile, Lucy just wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight.
"We should probably get ready for school…" Natsu sighed, Lucy just nodded and didn't release her hold on him, wanting nothing more than to hold onto him until the end of time.
"C'mon Luce….I need to get dressed…." Natsu chuckled and pulled himself away to which the blonde pouted about, but once Natsu rose from the bed her pout vanished and was replaced with a sly grin. A blush crept onto her face as she leaned back on the bed watching the man clad in only his boxers walk around the room. Natsu turned to her, raising his eyebrow at the girl.
"Uhhhh….Luce….what're you doing?" He asked the girl ogling him.
"Oh don't mind me….I just thought that since you watched me walk around in my underwear I was allowed to do the same….": She winked with a shrug. Natsu just blushed, and without saying another word grabbed a pair of black jeans and a black graphic t-shirt with a red dragon on it, and of course his signature scarf that had been recently cleaned. The two exited their apartment hand in hand and instantly things became awkward as they passed people on the street they would turn to stare at Natsu muttering. Natsu's face contorted into one of embarrassment. The entire walk was like this.
"Gee….I should've tied my scarf around my head to block my hair or something…" Natsu whispered to Lucy, blocking his face in embarrassment. Lucy giggled.
"Yeah, your hair is pretty noticeable….but so is announcing your name, and the fact that you are The Salamander on national television."
Things didn't change when they got to school, in fact they got worse. As soon as the couple walked through the doors everyone's heads turned to face him. Silence filled the halls. Natsu gulped and stood awkwardly, but a split second later. He was rushed by everyone in the hall.
"LUCY RUN SAVE YOURSELF!" Natsu cried as the large group of students circled him. Excited chatter filled the halls.
"WOAH NATSU I HAD NO IDEA YOU WERE SO STRONG!"
"So like you're The Salamander huh? Superheroes are totally my type!"
"NATSU SHOW US A FIREBALL!"
"OOH! OOH! Do the thing where your body got all scaly!"
"Oh wow….you're arms are so muscly…"
"OUCH!" Natsu yelped as someone had just squeezed his butt commenting on how firm it was.
Lucy chuckled at her boyfriend's misery. Teacher's began running towards the crowd to disperse it so she decided to walk towards her locker not wanting to be late to her first class. At least that was the plan, but there was someone by her locker and a chill filled her body. She gulped as the man standing next to her locker noticed her, his face morphing into the biggest grin ever. Lucy's fell into a frown.
"Oh no…" Was all she mumbled before the boy rushed towards her.
"There you are my sweet, darling Lu-Lu!" Dan's voice pierced her ears as he stopped in front of her grabbing her hands and dropping to a knee.
"I am so glad to see you again my dear beloved! It has been much too long, my heart has ached every second we were apart!"
"...Uhhh…hi Dan…" Was all Lucy said awkwardly as she tried to pull her hand back, but Dan tightened his grip.
"I don't ever want us to be apart again! So come! Let's tie our knot in holy matrimony! Lu-Lu! Will you marry me?" He flashed her a grin that would've made any girl weak in the knees to receive, but not Lucy who pulled her hand away and glared at the boy.
"I don't think so! Have you forgotten I already rejected you! Not to mention I have a boyfriend! You know Natsu!" She grumbled, but Dan pouted.
"B-But….I can make you happy…." Lucy sighed, and grabbed her books from her locker before walking away.
"Bye Dan."
"Lu-Lu….why must you hurt me like this….please come back!" He whined. The rest of the day was a total drag. The entire school was buzzing about the incident with Jackal. She had to dance through the halls to avoid Dan who refused to take no for an answer. Lunch was boring because the boy she wanted to sit with was swarmed by almost everyone in the cafeteria. Lucy didn't see Natsu again until the end of the day where he grabbed her hand the second he saw her following the final bell, and pulled her behind him.
"Natsu what the?" She questioned as he yanked her out of the school at fast speeds.
"NO TALK TIME! MUST RUN!" He yelled back at her trying to escape before the hoard of students swarmed him again. Gray, Juvia, Levy, and Erza watched the scene unfold in shock, and cringes on their faces.
"Gee, I was there too. How come nobody cares about me…" Levy pouted. Erza just placed her hand on the girl's shoulder as a large crowd followed Natsu and Lucy outside.
"Trust me….this is for the best…" Erza sighed. Levy just nodded her head stunned at the absurdity of everything. Gray just frowned.
"That idiot has it coming if you ask me….Juvia, are you ready to go?" Gray coldly glanced at his own girlfriend who nodded.
"Of course darling, we can stop by your house if you want. I'm sure your Aunt will want to visit them as well…" She replied quietly.
"Naw, she really doesn't like visiting their graves….especially this time of year…." He replied softly. Erza turned to him with an expression filled with sadness.
"Is it already that time of year?" She frowned and Gray just nodded. Levy gave him a sad glance.
"Give them my respects….I'm so sorry Gray…" Levy muttered, Gray just shrugged.
"It's been eighteen years since they passed away, I never even knew them…but the least I could do is pay respects to the people who gave birth to me…"
Later that night Gray, and Juvia took a train ride to a village in the north where his Father and Aunt were raised, and ultimately where his parents' grave was. The air was chillier than it was in Magnolia, but the cold didn't bother the two as they slowly walked into a small graveyard. The village these days barely has anyone living there. The harsh winters destroyed any crops, and it was too far away from any major cities for people to survive out here. So they strolled into the graveyard that hadn't really been kept up over the years due to the lack of anyone living in the village. The pair quietly walked side by side until they came to a stop. Gray's breathing hitched in his throat. He stared up ahead where his parent's grave was, but there was someone there. Actually two figures. One of them turned their head to face the pair, his eyes widening as he laid eyes on Gray.
"No way…" Gray muttered, staring at the man ahead of him. He looked identical to him, only older, and scruffier. He was clad in some strange armor.
"Gray? Is that you?"
Chapter 56: The Book