Chapter Forty-One
Lucy froze; tilting her head left and right. She's heard something but couldn't name what it was. She had been stealthily making her way towards the far out nest. But as soon as she'd left Natsu's side; she'd been so sure she was being followed…or tracked. The suit was solid gray, so she knew it wasn't Natsu following her. And Happy was with him; and Gray had run off too quickly in his direction. She hoped it was just her fear but she had a feeling deep inside it wasn't.
She crept along the empty street and looked at what had once been the business district. Empty skyscrapers blocked out what was left of the sunlight and she could see through a gap in the buildings that the moon was rising. A full moon.
"That isn't ominous." She muttered out loud to herself and then turned the corner. She went still because the bugs had gone still. She pressed herself against the wall and waited. The screech of a Silverback echoed; bouncing off of the metal and glass. It swooped down; it's tail flicking bath and forth. A rabbit panicked and started to dart across the street and the Silverback zoned in on it and before Lucy could close her eyes; the rabbit was speared on sharp claws. It screeched and flew off. She didn't move until the bugs started to make their sounds.
She headed the way it had come in from. The sensation of being watched still followed her but she pushed it to the back of her mind. Until something happened; she couldn't focus on it. She came to an intersection and carefully looked around the corner. She didn't see anything so she started across the street.
Screech! She swore as she turned and saw the Fireshooter lift its head from here it was resting in the back of an abandoned truck. She didn't move until it stood up and took a deep breath. She knew what that meant and she started running. She heard the sound of clambering claws as the draconic climbed out of the truck to follow her. She was about a block and a half away when she heard the whoosh of flames. She threw herself on the ground and rolled. As she did she saw the Fireshooter running towards her; inhaling to recharge its flames. She got to her feet and started to run but at the end of the block she saw another Fireshooter running parallel to her on the adjacent street.
She closed her eyes and threw her hand out in front of her as she ran, "Aquarius I need you!"
She didn't see the third or forth Fireshooter lean out of a partially fallen building; but she heard their fire attack. Her helmet shot up over her head and face; and she got knocked off of her feet by the sudden shift of air from the twin attacks. Before she could get back to her feet; water washed over her, putting out the fire. She got to her hands and knees and looked up. Aquarius stood before her; a large urn in her hands.
"Get moving brat!" The Zodiac Guard ordered and she scrambled on all fours for a few feet before get upright. She saw the second Fireshooter come up behind Aquarius and she wrapped her hand around the whip on her hip and flicked it out. It hit the Fireshooter's maw; the heat of it sealing its mouth shut. The flames it was trying to expel couldn't find a way out and within seconds; it exploded. Lucy crouched down as its flesh and scales shot out like shrapnel from a bomb.
"What the hell was that?!" Aquarius demanded and she wrapped a hand around Lucy's upper arm to get her to her feet.
"They apparently explode if you seal their mouths shut when they're trying to spew fire."
"Ugh." Lucy nodded in agreement and she watched as Aquarius turned her attention to the other three Fireshooters. They were weaving back and forth and the two females eyed them with trepidation.
"Where is your Dragis?"
"Taking out his own nests." Lucy said and she unraveled the whip and cracked it. Trying to intimidate the draconics. It did break their synchronized weaving and they scrambled in different directions. Lucy broke away from Aquarius who tried to shout at her; but Lucy had jumped up and flicked the whip; sending the draconic in front of her head over tail. As it landed on it's back she jumped up again and pulled her pipe-scythe and swung. The head rolled as the body twitched three times before going still.
Lucy landed and her breathing was labored. She looked over at Aquarius whose water attack had resulted in the third draconic getting impaled on an exposed metal garter. She turned and offered Lucy a nod but Lucy's eyes widened. The last Fireshooter crept up on Aquarius and opened its mouth.
"Celestial Shuffle!" Lucy shouted and felt herself move even though her muscles were still. Aquarius' eyes widened and she spun around in a second and watched as Lucy threw up her arm; spikes rising from the scalut to try and defend herself from the Fireshooter's fangs.
"No!" Aquarius shouted and tried to use her power but there wasn't time for the water to travel the length of the block. She watched as the powerful jaws started to smash closed on Lucy's arm.
"Regulus Attack!" A blinding white light hit the draconic and it went flying into a building. As it landed on the ground; part of the building crumbled; falling on top of it with a sickening squishing and crunching sound. Lucy turned and Loke jumped down from the top of a glass and metal building.
"Are you insane? You could have been killed!" He shouted at her; and before he or Aquarius could comprehend what was happening; she had flung herself at him. She wrapped him in a hug as her helmet melted out of sight.
"Thank you." She cried; tears falling down her face as she hugged him. He froze, startled and confused and looked over at Aquarius who was looking smug.
"You do like Lady Layla's brat after all." She teased as Lucy cried into Loke's shoulder.
"I do not." He denied and tried to pry her off but her scalut reacted where his hands touched her. He looked at his fellow Guard. "Get her off!"
"Uh huh." Aquarius shook her head. "I'm going to leave her there."
After a few minutes, Lucy pulled herself together and released Loke and stepped back, looking at him. "Thank you so much. And I'm sorry for breaking down like that."
"You are so weird." He sniffed and tugged on his sleeves.
"Yeah." She tilted her head smiling through the last of her tears and nodded. She turned her attention to the other Guard. "Are you okay?"
"Of course I am. What were you thinking? Using the Shuffle spell like that?"
"I didn't want you to get hurt." Lucy said and Aquarius flushed and shook her head, but her eyes watered for a few seconds. Then she pointed at Lucy and snarled.
"Quit being an idiot! You are the Celestial Mage and are supposed to be protected! Not used as a shield. If you ever do that to me again I'm going to drown you personally!"
"Understood." Lucy nodded and Loke noticed that her left hand had two fingers crossed as she spoke. He was going to ask her what that mean, but not while Aquarius was glowering. He didn't want to explain to Capricorn why his second best fighter killed the Celestial Mage. Aquarius disappeared with a soft pop and Lucy turned to look at Loke. He turned his attention to their surroundings.
"You've been following me since I left Wendy's Magi-Hover, haven't you?"
"What?" He turned and looked at her and she smiled at him. "Stop smiling like that."
"I felt you watching."
"I was not…"
"You hid your scent…but I felt you watching." She nudged his shoulder gently and he rolled his eyes. "I'm glad you did. Aquarius and I needed that help."
"You need a keeper." He argued and watched as she made a face.
"Natsu has mentioned that one or twice."
"I can't believe he let you go off on your own." Loke shook his head and Lucy laughed. "What?"
"He may have made a bet with Gray that you would show up if I got into trouble." She wrinkled her nose as she spoke and Loke dropped his head. She patted his shoulder. "Sorry Loke."
"Whatever." He lifted his head and pushed his sunglasses up on his nose. "Let's go. That nest isn't going to destroy itself."
"Your coming with me?"
"It saves me time." He said and she giggled and turned on her heel and started to walk down the street. He walked beside her, watching how she paid attention to her surroundings while not moving in a jerky fashion.
"Loke showed up." Wendy's voice came across Natsu's comm and his lips twitched. He grinned widely when he heard Gray swear over his comm. Natsu had felt the worry wash over him; and then intense relief. He had a feeling it was Lucy. He didn't understand why he was occasionally feeling Lucy's feelings but he was just trying to accept it without questioning it. He would eventually ask Gramps if it was something to do with being growlkins; but until he had to worry about it; he wasn't going to.
"Thanks Wendy. Are Lucy's metrics good?" Natsu asked and Wendy confirmed she was fine. He smiled and jumped up onto the side of a building. Happy was perched at the top, looking across the top of the buildings. They'd already taken out one of the nests; and were headed to the second of four. There had only been two Shadowcrawlers in the nest and it had been quick.
"You okay buddy?" He asked when he got even with Happy. The blue Exceed turned and looked at him and then looked back out across the building tops. "Happy?"
"Those hybrids…they had thoughts and feelings. What if normal draconics do too but they can't say express it?"
"What do you mean?"
"What if Mard Geer bred them so they couldn't communicate? What if they don't want to be brainless killing machines but they don't know how to stop it?"
"Happy, it's not the same." Watery eyes looked up into his. "It's not. They struggle within their own nests. If they wanted to be peaceful; why would they fight among themselves?"
"You, Gray and Gajeel fight all the time!" Happy argued and Natsu had to stop and reflect on that.
"Okay…bad example." He looked at his friend. "But; we get over it. I've never seen draconics walk it off after a fight. They don't comfort each other after; get each other something to eat or drink or a medi-pack."
"I guess." Happy got up and walked along the edge of the roof. "I'm just worried we're killing them when they might be like the hybrids."
"Those hybrids were definitely unique. But they may also be the only ones and they may not live long. There is no telling if they'll survive if other draconics find them; or anyone else."
"I know…and it's sad." Happy leapt down and walked over to Natsu and looked up at his friend. Natsu squatted down and picked him up; then cradled him close.
"Its okay to feel sad about them and their situation. Just don't get so distracted that you get hurt. Okay?"
"Okay." He sniffled and curled into Natsu's chest. Natsu took off at a run and started leaping from building to building. He inhaled and stopped on a rooftop and Happy lifted his head and sniffed. He wiggled free and crawled to the edge of the building. This one didn't have a raised edge around the roof; it was flat all the way around. He looked over and then looked at Natsu before pointing down with his paw. He extended two claws. Natsu nodded and looked around. He pulled up the map on his information pad and saw that they were one building over from the nest. He took a deep breath and jumped off of the building. As he fell; he swung out with his foot; fire staring up along his calf and heel and it sliced through the two draconics before they even realized what was happening. He landed among their remains and Happy drifted down slowly. He sniffed and wrinkled his nose.
"Why do they all smell so bad?"
"Lisanna said she thinks it's because they're inherently evil." He said and Happy nodded as he thought about it. They headed down the street and he felt the fur on his tail stand on end. So he leapt onto Natsu's shoulder and Natsu froze. They watched as a massive Shadowcrawler came out of a building with a large hole in the wall. It was by far the largest he had ever seen. He held his breath, afraid to even breathe and alert the draconic of their location. The Shadowcrawler stretched; then shook its head. But as it went from being towards him and Happy and opposite; it whipped its head around.
"Shit." Natsu swore and tensed; waiting for it to make the first move. It turned it's entire large body and opened its mouth as the wings flipped back.
"Happy, to the sky!" Natsu ordered as he lunged to the right; barely missing getting sawed by shurikens the size of serving platters. He rolled over the ground and used his fire boosters to fly forward under it; at the angle where it was nearly impossible for it to bite him. So he struck out; but the impact on its abdomen felt off. He backflipped out of the way of its tail and dodged more shurikens. He leapt into the air and crossed his arms; using his dragon wing attack. The Shadowcrawler screamed in pain as the fire burnt its chest and neck.
"More coming from the right Natsu!" Happy warned and Natsu growled in annoyance. He leapt up and spun in the air; fire encompassing his entire body. As he came down; the fire shot out in all directions. Happy carefully dodged the flames; used to Natsu and his attacks. The attack took out two of the new approaching draconics but it only angered the monster sized one. The new ones that hadn't been culled by the flame attack surrounded the monster sized one and protected it. Natsu jumped into the air and Happy grabbed his shoulders and they stared.
"They're protecting it. Why?" Happy asked and Natsu shook his head.
"I don't know. But it can't be good." They dodged shurikens and Natsu was thinking as hard as he could but he couldn't figure out why they were shielding the large Shadowcrawler. He pressed on his comms.
"Natsu?" Lucy's voice soothed a part of his mind.
"Any idea why draconics would surround and protect one solitary one?" He asked without preamble.
"Is the solitary one different somehow?"
"Its freakin' huge!" Happy screamed as he dodged its extra large shurikens.
"Could it be pregnant?" She asked after a heartbeat and Happy nearly dropped Natsu.
"Its stomach was feeling weird when I struck it." He admitted and he grunted as a shrunken sliced through his thigh.
"Are you okay?" Lucy asked, her worry washing through him.
"Yeah…it's hard to dodge so many shurikens." He said and Happy flew higher and aimed for a rooftop. They got there and looked around.
"Natsu…" Lucy got cut off and he was worried for a second. "Help is coming."
"What do you mean?"
"She means me." Loke said appearing beside them and both Natsu and Happy jerked back, nearly toppling over the edge. Loke grabbed Natsu who grabbed Happy's tail and they were pulled back onto the roof.
"Thanks." Natsu said and he pointed at the draconics that were screeching and milling around the unbelievably large one. "That's the one that Lucy said could potentially be pregnant."
"Holy Constellations." Loke pulled off his sunglasses. "I didn't think Shadowcrawlers could get that big."
"Neither did I." Natsu said and flinched as Happy sprayed a mister on his thigh.
"What do we do?"
"We have to kill it. It we can't and it does produce more draconics; we're in trouble."
"For sure." Loke agreed. "Even my strongest attack won't take that out alone. I barely take down an Aerial Silverback with one hit of it."
"My Fire Bomb attack only pissed it off." Natsu murmured as he looked at the littler ones. "Did take out two of the little ones and injured three more. The rest are irritated."
"I cannot believe I'm seeing a pregnant draconic." Loke shook his head. "I thought they just sprouted out of the book Mard Geer carries around."
"I might have thought that too." Natsu admitted and Happy climbed up to his shoulder and patted his head. "What's up buddy?"
"The little ones are starting to climb the other buildings. I think they want to get us in range to fire shurikens."
"They're so tiring." Natsu sighed and rolled his right arm around in a winding motion. "Well, let's get to it."
"How exactly do you want to do this?" Loke asked and Natsu took a deep breath.
"We take out the small ones. Leave the big one alone. We tag team it. If we use our strongest attacks in unison it might take it out."
"And if it doesn't?"
"Then we'll have to come up with a backup plan." Natsu said and Loke watched as Happy's wings popped up. He hovered behind Natsu and grabbed his shoulders tight.
"Ready Natsu?"
"Aye sir!" Natsu nodded and he was lifted off of his feet. Loke watched as the two went out over the street than Happy sped downward like an arrow. He suddenly broke left while Natsu spun to the right. His body seemed to explode into waves of flames that washed over the small Shadowcrawlers and when the flames flickered out; half of them were dead. Natsu was on the ground; dodging shurikens. Loke leapt down; spinning then swept out with his leg. Light flared; cutting down the remaining small draconics.
Natsu nodded and ambled over. They stood shoulder to shoulder and looked at the pregnant draconic. It was watching them calmly; eerily calmly.
"I know you're watching Mard Geer." Natsu said after a few moments and the head nodded forward and Loke stiffened. "Watch all you want. Fairy Tail is going to end you."
The Shadowcrawler opened its mouth and roared. The roar caused loose debris to fall; but as Loke flickered out of danger; Happy swooped in and grabbed Natsu. Natsu, Happy and Loke landed in the reminisce of an office.
"Mard Geer was in that thing?" Loke asked and Natsu shook his head, breathing hard.
"He can watch through their eyes and sometimes control their bodies." Happy stated bluntly and the Zodiac Guard tilted his head. "We've been noticing peculiar actions in the past and its a theory but I think that reaction just now cinches it."
"How do we take that thing down if a master of darkness is controlling it?"
"Together." Natsu grabbed Loke's forearm and looked him in the eye. "We'll figure it out together. We'll take it down together. The three of us."
"Yeah. We can do anything as long as we do it together." Happy cheered and Loke looked at them.
"You honestly believe that, don't you?" Loke was not sure if was impressed or annoyed at their confidence. Natsu grinned; something in it made him think of Lucy. It was the way she smiled at her friends before saying goodnight; when she agreed that they would get their assigned missions executed successfully. The hope and faith in her eyes had shone like the light in his eyes.
"Of course. That's what being a part of the Fairy Tail Guild Station means." Natsu explain. "We live for our friends. And we believe in one another. We can't win this war on our own. We have to do it together."
"Heh…Together." Loke shook his head. "Together is something I've forgotten."
"It's easy to forget. Especially when all you are surrounded by is darkness." Happy murmured and he looked over at the small Exceed. "We've all doubted ourselves and our friends. But we always find our way back together."
"And you'll remember what it's like to be together with friends again Loke." Natsu swore and grinned at him. "Lucy isn't going to let you be a loner anymore."
"She is reckless."
"Most definitely." Natsu's tone was proud. "I've tried to tell her she needs a keeper."
"And how did she respond?"
"Threatened to take off the scalut and walk away from me…sent me into a mental stasis…" He shrugged and turned to looked down. The pregnant draconic was waddling toward the building they were in. Probably trying to get into range to shoot shurikens.
"How are you standing?" Loke inquired and Natsu turned back to him.
"She brought me out of it…risked her own safety to do it. She did explain she wanted to take it slow; but she has never walked all the way away. And I think she's starting to believe we are growlkins."
"She is beyond reckless. Trying to bring a Dragis out of a mental stasis…." Loke shook his head and ripped off his sunglasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "And I left her alone on the other side of town."
"Then let's finish off this monster Shadowcrawler and get you back to her." Happy giggled behind his paws. Loke rolled his eyes and Natsu grinned. They turned back to the exposed wall and looked down. The Shadowcrawler was backing up and flipping its wings back.
"Duck!" Happy pushed Natsu and Loke as the shurikens flew at them. As the barrage ended; Natsu sat up, bracing his hands behind his back.
"Thanks Happy." He looked over and saw the blue body laying between him and Loke, Loke looking white. "Happy?"
He gently rolled Happy over and saw the shrunken in his shoulder. He pressed his comms. "Wendy!"
"I'm on my way Natsu!" Wendy's voice was breathless. "What happened? I saw Happy's signals go haywire seconds ago."
"He took a…shuriken…" Natsu tried to focus his thoughts.
"He was brave." Loke filled in. Wendy whimpered and they heard the sound of wind on the comms.
""Happy…."
"Natsu…we have to prep him the best we can but we have to take out that draconic before Wendy gets here. She won't be able to get to him if we don't." Natsu looked up, his expression grim but he nodded. He took out a few medical tools and set them on a recurring run to work on healing Happy. Then he stood up, and Loke joined him.
"We do this…for him."
"And all our fallen friends." Natsu agreed and held his fist out to Loke.
"What are you doing?"
"Cana says humans bump fists as a sign of agreement."
"A form of violence as agreement? I can respect that." Loke's lips curled as he punched Natsu's fist.
They both leapt out of the building and aimed for the Shadowcrawler. It looked up; staring in what had to be confusion. Natsu focused all of his fire into his right fist while Loke focused his Regulus Light into his left.
"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!"
"Regulus Impact!"
As the two got closer and closer to the Shadowcrawler; Natsu's flames and Loke's light swirled together like a tornado. At the epicenter was the Shadowcrawler. As they got within reach; panic became evident in the eyes of the Shadowcrawler; it's body too large too move and they were too close for its shurikens to be effective; and due to it's girth it couldn't get its claws up.
The impact shook the buildings for several blocks; and Wendy gasped as she came to a stop; the wind accompanying her forcing the twisting and merging lighted flames to move further down the block. There wasn't much left of the draconic. It's claws, a few scales, and lots of blood and gore were pooling around the feet of Natsu and Loke. Wendy's breath stuttered out of her.
Natsu was glowing black and red; his usual pink hair was now pitch black; and his muscles were even more defined, as if every one was cut out of stone. Loke's suite was no longer black; it was silver—almost like a suit of armor, and his reddish hair looked golden. Each shone with a light that radiated out from within.
"Holy Grandeeney!" She whispered and they both turned to look at her and she felt power roll over her like a tsunami.
"Happy!" Natsu pointed upwards; his voice gruff. She nodded and leapt up toward the exposed metal and saw Happy under the rudimentary setup that Natsu had rigged together. She turned her head, watching as the light slowly faded from both of them. She turned back to Happy and got to work on healing him. By the time she had finished; she felt partially depleted ; she turned and looked over her shoulder. Natsu and Loke were propped up sitting against the wall; heads together; both snoring deeply. She shook her head. They looked normal again.
"They performed a unison raid; for you Happy." She whispered and scratched the fur at the top of his head. "So keep fighting. It's up to you now."