Chapter Fifty-Two
"Lu-chan?" Levy's voice pulled Lucy's attention to the side and she flinched when she heard the sound of fist to metallic jaw. Levy's face twisted for a second before she smiled at her friend. She reached out, but the scalut erupted into long spikes and Levy gasped and stepped backwards.
"Damn it bunny girl. Calm you're scalut down before you hurt Shorty."
"I…I didn't…." Lucy closed her eyes and shook her head but the scalut remained defensive. She turned and saw that Natsu was pinned to the wall, struggling against a set of metallic bands holding him there. "Let him go Gajeel."
"Now listen…" Gajeel started to object and Lucy's eyes snapped to his and he nodded slowly, his hands up by his head. He turned and long metal poles replaced his hands and went flying through the air and connected to the bands holding Natsu. They melded together and then the bands shrank and Natsu dropped to the ground. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he was racing for Lucy. She opened her arms and he landed against her, the scalut receding as they clung to one another.
"It's okay Natsu. Deep even breaths." She whispered and his body shook as he struggled to breathe. "That's it. Deep even breaths."
"What's going on? Alfie started sounding an alarm that Natsu was nearly in a stasis." Laxus' voice broke the calm that had followed Lucy's comforting words. Natsu stiffened, but Lucy didn't react. She kept running her hands up and down his back, occasionally scratching the back of his neck. Mirajean pushed past Laxus and Freed and looked from Lucy and Natsu to a guilty looking Levy and then an irritated Gajeel.
"Does Natsu have horns?" Lisanna asked and Elfman hushed her. Eve whistled which made all the Dragis flinch and he blushed.
"That doesn't happen without either intentional thought or…"
"Or no one needs to know." Lucy said softly and nuzzled close to Natsu's head. She rocked them side to side. She eventually looked up at Laxus as Natsu's horns started to slowly shrink out of sight and he grew limp against her.
"It's fine. We'll be fine. I promise." She offered him a soft smile and jerked her head over at Levy. "Wet blanket over there will explain everything."
"Hey I am not…" Levy tried to deflect but Lucy turned on her and raised a brow and the bluenette's face turned bright red and she nodded as she twisted her leg restlessly and twisted her arms behind her back. Mirajean looked at Lucy and then to Levy again and then started to giggle.
"I think I know what happened. Poor Natsu."
"Yeah..poor him." Lucy's tone was dry and Mirajean giggled some more. She pulled on Laxus' arm and urged him to pull the others back. So he conceded and gave the order. Everyone headed back to the camp location. Gajeel stopped beside Lucy and looked down at her. From close to the camp Levy's voice called out to him,
"Come on, leave them alone!" He grunted and shuffled away and Lucy sat there, cradling a sleeping Natsu against her. She wasn't sure how long they sat there, her gently rocking him while listening to him breathe in his sleep. Her heart rate had slowed down to a normal, resting tempo, and she had the ability to think again. She couldn't believe she'd lost control like that. That she'd lost sight of where they were, what was happening, or the potential dangers. Natsu had always made her feel safe; and while she knew she had been safe in his arms; the recklessness of the actions hit her hard. They could have been watched…by Mard Geer or his cronies. Our worse; her parents could have snuck off the Guild Station and caught them.
She shivered at that thought and Natsu groaned as her body shivered. He lifted his head groggily and smiled at her, that small crooked smile. "Heya Luce…you okay?"
"Yeah? How about you Sakura head?" She asked and he scrunched his nose up at her.
"It's Salmon pink, per Alfie." He sniped and she smiled softly and his grin came back. Sheepish. Boyish. "What exactly happened?"
"What do you last remember?" She asked and he looked at her for a few moments in silence.
"You thanking me and hugging me…then…I don't know…" He shook his head and she blushed a little.
"Do you remember kissing me?"
"A little." He sounded bothered by that.
"Did you not want to?" She asked and his head jerked back and he was shaking his head in a flurry.
"Never. I always want to kiss you!"
"Always huh?" She teased and his tan complexion darkened and the scales around his face looked to shine more.
"I meant that…I uh…It's not that…I just…"
"I'm teasing Natsu." She murmurs. "But you got…into the kissing."
"Into it how?" He sounded hesitant to ask. She looked around and didn't see anyone so she tugged on the collar of the scalut and pulled it down and to the side. He started at the bruising already starting on her neck, and the larger one at the crook of her shoulder and neck. He looked back up at her, an almost haunted look in his eyes.
"I did try to eat you?"
"If this wasn't so serious I'd laugh at that." She reassured him and shook her head, letting go of the scalut so it closed. She cupped his face and smoothed the worry lines from around his mouth with her thumbs. Then ran her hand up to smooth out the lines at his brow. "You didn't try to eat me. You were just very focused on…making us both feel…good."
"I don't understand…"
"You know…flesh bonding…kind of feel good?" She hedged the concept and this time his skin full on darkened.
"Mating? I tried to…Oh…Oh…" He shook his head and she blushed and shrugged a little.
"We are two consenting adults so it's not that horrible." She tried to reassure him and he started to pull back but she instinctively leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him back closer.
"Lucy…it's not that…I…"
"I know. I know. It's something you only want to do with your growlkin." She murmured against his throat and he went still before relaxing and nodding.
"Yeah. That's it exactly." He murmured and his arms wrapped around her. She titled her head back and he stared down at her.
"Natsu I…"
"What happened?" Levy groaned as she pushed up off of the ground. She looked around and saw that everyone was on the ground, covered in a thin gray layer of dust. She looked over to where Natsu and Lucy had been but saw nothing but thicker dust. She swallowed hard. The command center she'd been standing next to was sideways, laying on top of Eve. She knelt and touched his throat and felt a pulse. She turned and saw Gajeel laying face down. She stumbled over and touched his shoulder and he jerked, rolling to his side; his arm coming up instinctively in the shape of a blade.
"Shield." She threw her left hand out and the shield appeared and the clash of his bladed arm against it seemed to bring him all the way to consciousness.
"Levy? Shit! Are ya okay?"
"I think so?" She coughed and looked around. "What happened? I remember Alfie getting agitated but not being able to communicate and then…waking up to this."
He looked around and swore. He leapt to his feet and groaned and looked down. Levy blanched and looked away as a bone was sticking out of his leg at a weird angle. He took deep breath and grabbed the bone and shoved it back in and at the squelching sound, Levy started to gag. He pulled out a healing device and held it to his leg.
"Sorry Levy. I forget you aren't used to stuff like that." He murmured and she nodded.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"It's not as strong as little Breeze's healing but it's better than nothing." She nodded and looked around. She saw Wendy's hair and started to scramble over to her. She rolled the girl over and sagged in relief when she saw her lips moving as she dragged in deep breaths. "How is she?"
"Alive." Levy said and looked over at Gajeel. She heard rumbling and watched as a pile of rubble near them started to shake. Her mouth fell open as a large beast jumped up, throwing the rubble off of itself. Her mouth opened to scream when Lisanna and Evergreen jumped up and waved their arms.
"No Gajeel don't!" Lisanna shouted worriedly.
"It's Elfman you lump of scrap metal!" Evergreen swore and Gajeel stopped his charge a few steps in front of Levy and Wendy. The beast calmed down and waved, and then slowly shrank until Elfman stood there; his clothing ripped and a few new scrapes and cuts on his body.
"What did we miss?" Gajeel asked and Elfman looked embarrassed but Evergreen shook her head.
"It doesn't matter. Where is everyone?"
"Eve is trapped under the control station stuff. He's got a pulse. And Wendy is here. But I haven't seen anyone else." Levy said and Evergreen started to flutter her wings and lifted off of the ground and looked left and right and left again. Gajeel lifted his head and inhaled and started to hack. Levy started to stand up, but he waved her off and restated Wendy's head on her lap.
"I can't see anything through the residual dust." Evergreen groused as she settled back down on the ground. Lisanna bit her lip and looked around, her eyes wide with fear and concern.
"Mira-sis?" She shouted and started to head in the direction that she'd last seen her sister walking but Elfman grabbed her and shook his head.
"Something's out there…in the dust. It can feel it."
"What do you mean it can feel it?" His sister asked and he thumped his fist to his chest.
"My beast form…he can sense something out there. Something powerful." He shook his head. "Something dark."
"That isn't reassuring." Evergreen murmured and knelt beside Eve who was starting to moan. "How is Wendy doing?"
"She's still out of it but she appears to be relatively uninjured." Levy said and Gajeel leaned over her and she looked up at him. His red eyes ran over her face, his jaw tightening. He cupped her chin and squeezed it gently before straightening. He looked in the direction he'd seen Laxus, Bixlow and Habiki heading off in.
"Stay here…I'm going to go look for Laxus and the others."
"Be careful Gajeel." Levy murmured and watched as he faded into the dust. Lisanna limped over and put her arm around Levy and cried into the nook of the other girl's neck. Levy wanted to cry but she knew that if Wendy came to; she needed at least one calm presence. Elfman was carefully lifting the components of the control station off of Eve as Evergreen held a healing device over him. As the last of the components was removed, his eyes slowly opened.
"Wha….happ…?" He struggled to get his words out.
"We don't know." Evergreen shook her head and helped him to sit up. He flinched as the soreness overtook him. He saw young Wendy being cradled and the crying Lisanna. He looked back at Evergreen. "Anyone..else?"
"Gajeel but he went off to look for the others." She said and he swore as he tried to get to his feet. "You can't stand up. Your injuries were too severe. Unless you want to do unfixable damage you have to calm down."
"We need to…move…"
"Without knowing if we are surrounded; moving could put us into more danger than out of it." Evergreen argued and Eve hated that she was right. But she was part of the Thunder Legion. So he wasn't too surprised. He grimaced when pain shot up his leg, through his hip and across his back.
"Can you hand me that…grayish tablet?" He asked and she found it and shook the dust off the best she could before handing it to him. He pulled his shirt off and wiped the tablet down and held it. It flared to life and he bit his cheek as the lights offended his eyes. His head throbbed as the recording started to play. He saw them all talking, going about things…then there was a flash of light. He rewound the recording and slowed it down.
"A black energy bomb." Evergreen gasped from over his shoulder and he nodded.
"A what?" Elfman asked, he had found Ren and Freed under more rubble and was carefully carrying them closer to Wendy and Levy. He topped now, and stood there looking at the two of them.
"A black energy bomb." Even repeated. "It's a dark spell bomb. It blocks out light for a few minutes, and then releases black magic and helps to spawn demons from the book of Zeref."
"Demons from the what book?" Levy asked and blink.
"It's the book that Mard Geer lost to Happy."
"He what to Happy?" Levy asked, her voice getting higher. "This was not covered in any messages."
"Laxus thought it was more prudent not to share that over open communications." Evergreen objected and looked away.
"The book is the source material for demons that he can create with his dark magic. Without it; he can't bring any more to life. But if he had a stock pile of these black energy bombs, he has a small army of demons just waiting to be released."
"What a clever little pet." A voice whispered and everyone stiffened. "Oh…did I reveal myself too soon?"
"Get closer to the others." Elfman ordered and Levy watched as he grew. His skin took on a greenish tone, and his hair grew longer and shaggier. Horns came from his head and his body bowed under the weight of the muscles that magically appeared.
"Oh…will you look at that? He went from an ugly little human to a perfectly handsome monster. Can we keep him?" The voice whispered in the shadows.
"Shut up!" A new voice scolded and they all thought they heard the sound of a blow.
"Ouch!" The first voice whined and then it fell quiet. Elfman…now Beastman snarled and started to walk forward and then pivoted and threw his arms down and out and snarled.
"Oh, he can track us. How impressive." The voice crooned in adoration.
"Lamy shut up!" The second voice scolded and against the sound of a strike.
"Owe…Seilah…" The voice called Lamy whined. Beastman snarled grabbed a piece of rebar and threw it in the darkness to the left and they all heard the grunts and shuffling of feet. Then from the cloud of dust came two figures. One small and the other somewhat larger. As the dust settled a little they could tell they were females of some race. One extremely well endowed and the other looking like a young child.
"Idiot…He found us because of you." The larger scolded and the smaller shook her head softly.
"I'm sorry. But look at him. He's an amazing specimen. Do you think Master would let me keep him and make improvements on him?"
"You can't have him!" Evergreen shouted and the two females eyed her and she stood, her fists on her hips.
"Eww…she's hideous." Lamy shook her head and looked back at Beastman who was obviously perplexed. "She isn't worthy of being in the presence of this perfection."
"You are going to get us into a fight and I have orders." Seilah snarled and Lamy wiggled in excitement but calmed down a bit. Evergreen however was incensed by the comment of her looks and Eve was holding her back with one arm while typing on his tablet with the other as it balanced on his lap.
"She isn't here." Seliah muttered as she looked around and Lamy wiggled and pranced around. Levy carefully moved her hand on the ground behind Wendy's prone form. Trying not to make her movement obvious.
"Are you sure?"
"Trust me…there is no Celestial Mage in this area. She must have been sent flying during the blast." Seliah sounded bored; but the others tensed. Worry leaching into the air. She tilted her head and smiled a sickening sweet smile. "They fear for her…their fear is refreshing."
"Let's go find her. I want to make her perfect for Master Mard Geer." Lamy begged and begged as she leapt from one foot to the other. They both took a few steps when bright purple lights shot up from around them and they stared at the lights. Lamy threw her hands against it and screeched as the light pained her.
Seliah's gaze searched everyone before landing on Levy. "Oh…so you can write rune spells huh? Let's see how strong you are in a fight."
With that she broke free from her rune cell but Lamy was still stuck in hers. Beastman tried to interject but was sent flying with the flick of a wrist. Evergreen went to him and Levy handed Wendy over to Lisanna and scrambled to her feet.
Seliah moved quickly but Levy dodged; her hands moving. A flock of vultures appeared and started to attack the demon female. Levy ran away from the group despite their shouts and Seilah pursue as rage filled her for the indignity of being attacked by fowls.
"Uh…" Lucy rolled her head and her eyes fluttered open. "Owe…"
"Try not to move too much Lucy." Loke's voice made her eyes open more and she looked into his amber eyes as he leaned over her.
""Where's Natsu?" She asked as she tried to sit up but Loke had a hand on her shoulder, keeping her pinned to the ground.
"I don't know. I felt that you were in danger and by the time I got here, I only found you. Don't move. You were injured and I'm not the best medic out of the Guards." He sounded ashamed and she looked at him.
"Loke…Please…."
"I don't know if the others are okay or not. I only know that you were in danger." He responded and she nodded. She swallowed back her fear. She couldn't; remember what had happened. She and Natsu had been speaking. And then…darkness… Darkness and pain.
"Okay. That's the last of the worst of it. Let's get you sitting up slowly." He murmured and helped her to sit up. She looked around. In the distance was a large dome fo dust, covering the buildings and everything on the ground in the gray matter. She shook her head and looked back to the male beside her.
"Thank you for coming." She swallowed, or tried to, but flinched in pain. Her throat was so dry it felt like she had been shredded by glass.
"Here, drink some of this." Loke held up a bottle and she took a sip. Fresh water filled her mouth and she slowly drank it. He nodded as she appeared to regain some healthy color in her face and look less dazed and confused.
"Any idea what did that?"
"A black energy bomb." Loke said and she looked at him to explain. "One of Mard Geer's favorite little tricks. He fills them with demons from the Book of Zeref and sends them out to cause damage and havoc when there is a particularly rambuchous rebellion to be rubbed out of existence."
"That's not reassuring." She murmured and started to try and climb to her feet but he pushed her back down.
"No no… You stay sitting." He murmured and she shook her head. "Lucy you were flung blocks away by the blast. If it wasn't for your Celestial Mage heritage you'd be dead."
"I have to find Natsu." She said and held onto his arms as she got to her feet. He gave in and helped her to stand straight up.
"He could've been sent flying anywhere. Just like you." He warned and she closed her eyes. "If not worse."
"He's alive." She said, her face serene. "In that direction."
"That direction?" He asked and pointed to the left and she nodded. He made a face but led her in that direction. He knew if he tried to argue she'd put up a fight and he didn't want her to wear herself out over something silly. He and the other guards had felt the tremor of fear as her life had been put in danger in a split second. But he was the only one that wasn't chained to the planet they were hiding out on. They were asking permission to have their chains to the planet released until this war was over; but he wasn't sure if it would happen. Their high commander had his own rules and didn't like people breaking them-no matter the reason.
He kept glancing around as they walked. No draconics. No signs of any life. It was like the entire planet was dead. He didn't even see any plants or hear any bugs. Lucy kept pulling him in the direction she wanted to go so he followed slowly. They got to an intersection and she stopped, and once again closed her eyes.
"That way." She said and they started to cross the street. They were getting somewhat close to the impact zone but still too far out to know what was going on; and the dust getting thicker. Loke could barely see ten feet in front of them; and he had superior vision compared to Lucy so he wans't sure if she could see at all.
"What is it?" He asked after some time when she stopped and stood at the corner of a three way intersection. She closed her eyes and stepped forwarded and inhaled.
"To the right now." She said and he led her onwards in that direction. Then he stopped and stared. Natsu was sprawled out on the remains of a red car and didn't appear to be moving. Lucy pulled free and climbed up on the car and touched his throat.
"He's alive!" She cheered and leaned over him. She rested her forehead against him.
"How touching." A voice said from the darkness and Loke leapt forward and put himself between Lucy and the unseen threat. "I think it's time test how much a Zodiac Guard can handle."
Loke grunted as he was hit by a ball of dark light and it rested on him. He wasn't able to get it off. But every time he touched it; it seemed to darken. Lucy crouched closer over Natsu and looked around. Soon enough Loke screamed as the dark ball of light exploded and he was lifted into the air.
"That's a little gift from me to you." The voice said and Lucy swore. She didn't want to leave Natsu but she had to check on Loke. She was about to get off of the car when Loke rolled over onto his side and then pushed up to standing. The voice grunted in the shadows.
"You are going to have to do better than that to keep me down." Loke swore and another ball shot out. Only he dodged it and it hit a tilting little blue mailbox before it too exploded.
"Bet you think your hot shit. But you aren't." The voice yelled in frustration as more projectiles rained through the air. Loke dodged each and every one; some by a large margin but most by just a hair. Lucy had turned and was gently slapping Natsu's face trying to revive him.
"Natsu, please wake up!" She whisper-screamed at him but he didn't move. She threw her hand out and Virgo appeared. The pinkette stared in shock as Loke dodged lethal attacks and then turned to Lucy. When her eyes fell on Natsu her expression turned grim.
"Virgo,I need you to get him somewhere safe and stay with him until he wakes up."
"Princess I don't think…"
"Loke needs helps; and I can't help him if I'm looking after Natsu. I'm trusting you to protect him for me." Lucy said, looking at the Guard with an expression that registered something for her. She nodded and scooped up Natsu and disappeared into a hole that appeared at her feet.
Lucy exhaled a shaky breath and then turned on her heel and stared into the thick dust. She watched the attacks aimed at Loke and nodded to herself. She threw her hands out and leapt into the air.
"Precision Meteor Attack!" She shouted as her clothing changed into Sagittarius' clothing. A bow appeared in one hand and an empty quiver on her back. As she pulled on the draw string; bright lights flew out of the bow at the direction she was aiming. Loke stared as Lucy's attack continued until she hit the ground and rolled. Lucy grinned as there was the inexcusable sound of her attack hitting flesh.
"You bitch!" The voice sounded winded. Loke snarled and leapt around until he landed next to her.
"Nice use of Celestial Wardrobe." He murmured and she nodded ever so slightly and kept the bow taunt and ready for another attack.
"Are you going to come out and face us like a true warrior. Or are you going to keep hiding in shadow like a scared little bully?" She called out and grunted when Loke shoved her out of the way when a black object whipped between them. It hit the remains of the car Natsu had been on and it exploded; leaving nothing but a crater behind.
"You try to sound so high and mighty but you aren't anything more than a spoiled little girl." The voice taunted and Lucy rolled her eyes. She aimed the bow straight up and released the string multiple times.
"That isn't even near me!" The voice crowed and Lucy's head whipped around and the laughter cut off. Lucy smirked, realizing she'd been right about where the attacker was hiding in the dust.
"Falling Sky Attack." She announced and Loke's mouth fell open as stars, comets, and other things flew past them and disappeared into the darkened air. More sounds of flesh being hit.
"You are going to regret that." The voice said and slowly a male walked out of the dust and stared at her. He wiped black blood away from his mouth. She shrugged and pulled back on the string of her bow.
"I think the only person who is going to have regrets today; is you for attacking us." She stated and Loke pulled on the sleeves of his suit jacket and shirt. The male looked over him and then her.
"I'm going to take out your kitty here and then show you what happens when you take on the great and explosive Jackal!"
"You are really cocky for someone who has cat ears on their head." She snipped and his expression darkened.
"They are not cat ears! They are from an animal on this planet called a canine!"
"Whoever told you that lied." Lucy said and slowly released the bowstring several times. Loke watched in awe; when he realized this Jackal hadn't realized she was firing the bow. "And whoever told you that the tail was a good idea…they were probably wanting to mess with you."
"Shut up!" He shouted and threw another dark ball but it never got close. Instead it hit a clear force and exploded in his face. He was flung back into the dust and Loke looked over at Lucy.
"Interstellar Vacuum Mines." She explained and he pushed the sunglasses up his nose and chuckled in admiration.
"Someone has been studying." He murmured more to himself than her and she shrugged. Jackal howled in outrage and raced forward and threw more of his bombs. But they hit additional mines and he was thrown into the air. As he landed on the ground with a heavy thud Lucy shook her head.
"You need to surrender. You won't win. We have too much to lose while you have nothing to gain." She chided and he pushed up on his forearms. Loke tensed as he realized his forearms and hands were turning completely black and he was also swelling in size.
"Nothing to gain? Nothing to gain? I will gain immortality along side my master Mard Geer once he corrupts you to darkness and you mate with him. I will become so powerful…"
"You think he'll grant you power?" Lucy asked and shook her head. "He won't do that. He wants you weak otherwise you might get the idea to try and overthrow him. And immortality means nothing if you have no one you love by your side for all that time."
"He promised myself and the others…"
"He is Mard Geer!" Lucy shouted and Jackal jerked his head back as her voice echoed around them, bouncing off of the empty buildings. "He has no loyalty to anyone but himself. He doesn't keep promises unless it's beneficial to his own goals. He will kill you as soon as you are no use to him."
"You don't know what you are talking about you lying little bitch."
"Watch how you speak to the Celestial Mage!" Loke shouted and Lucy threw her hand out and it landed on his chest. He looked down at it and then to her. Her jaw was set and her eyes narrowed.
"No matter how much you yell at me. No matter how much you insult me. It won't get rid of that gnawing doubt at the back of your mind."
"I have no doubts!" He shouted and charged. He managed to get through the mines and Lucy swore and then gasped as Loke wrapped his arms around her and leapt into the air. Sagittarius's clothing disappeared and Jackal sneered as Loke and Lucy landed half a block away. Loke was breathing hard and Jackal's eyes narrowed. Lucy looked over and Loke shook his head.
"I'm fine. I'm trying to make him think I'm not so he'll make a mistake." He said and she turned back to look at their aggressor. She didn't believe it. Those bombs had taken a toll on Loke. But she also knew if she tried to send him away; he'd fight her and she couldn't afford for her attention to be split. She threw her hands up and Loke's outfit appeared on her, and he smirked. Her whip was on her hip and he nodded his head at it and she nodded. He clenched his fist and pointed it at Jackal who was eyeing Lucy in confusion. She leapt up and flung the whip forward. Jackal hissed as it sliced his cheek and he pointed at Lucy but never got a bomb off. Loke's voice thundered in his ears, "Regulus Attack!"
Lucy squinted behind her sunglasses as Loke's light whited out the entire block. As the light faded; she saw Loke standing where Jackal had been. He turned towards her and had a smirk; as her mouth fell open.
"Jump!" She shouted but as he turned, sensing something behind him; he was hit by both of Jackal's hands. Lucy screamed as blood erupted as Loke was sent careening towards her from the force of the explosion. Jackal was kneeling from the recoil. Lucy caught Loke's form and gritted her teeth as her heels slid on the uneven asphalt road. She and Loke finally stopped moving and her hands pressed against his chest and he coughed up blood as he shook his head and tried to stand up.
"Forgive me." She whispered and he stopped struggling and looked at her.
"Its…not…fault…he…"
"No..not for that." She shook her head and he looked at her through the missing glass of his sunglasses that were cockeyed on his face. "For this."
She pressed her hands harder and he grunted. "Forced Return!"
"No!" He shouted as he disappeared, leaving her arms to drop onto her legs. She gasped for breath as the magic was drained from her as she forced him to leave even as he struggled to stay. His clothing faded as she finalized the spell and she fell forward on her hands. The gravel bit into her flash and she grunted.
"Foolish to send your bodyguard away like that." Jackal cackled and started to walk towards her. She tilted her head and bit her lip and forced herself to stand up. The scalut shifted; long spikes popping out all over her and the helmet rose up and enclosed her head. "Oh, you have a little scalut. Is it the pink lizard's? I bet it is. I'll make sure to hand it over to him before I kill him."
"I wouldn't have said that if I were you." Lucy's voice was still clear despite the helmet and Jackal tilted his head to the side.
"And why is that?"
"Because I hate anyone who threatens my growlkin!" Natsu's voice made him spin around on his heel and he grunted as Natsu's fist made contact with his solarplex. Lucy started to sway when Virgo caught her.
"I have you Princess."
"I'm not a…" Lucy started to argue but she suddenly cut off and pushed Virgo out of the way as a black bomb appeared out of nowhere. Lucy took the impact and was sent spinning down the road. Natsu screamed and Virgo stared in horror as Lucy tumbled, rolling and repeatedly taking hard impacts until she skidded to a stop near the end of the block.
"She even took one of my bombs for these stupid little twinkling stars?" Jackal threw his head back and cackled loudly. "How stupid is that?"
"Not…"
"What was that twinkling little loser?" He taunted Virgo but made a face when Virgo turned and stared at him with an expression of murder on her face.
"She is not stupid!" Virgo shouted and disappeared into a hole that appeared as her kneeling feel. Jackal's gaze moved to Lucy but no hole appeared.
"Don't look at Lucy." Natsu said and he turned and grunted as Natsu's foot caught him in the jaw. He went head over heels and landed on his back. Then started to scramble as the ground disappeared and a hole appeared under him. Before he could fall into it; Virgo shot up out of the hole; her hands catching him behind his shoulder and the small of his back. At first he didn't understand what she was doing; but as she moved; he realized too late to protect himself. She threw him towards the ground and he lost his breath as his back collided with the hard road. Virgo landed; the chains on her wrist falling across his chest and abdomen; forcing his body to bow up around them.
"Lucy is the bravest Celestial Mage I have ever protected." Virgo shouted. "And she is far wiser than any in recent memory. Don't you ever drag her name through the mud again or you will die at my hands!"
"Wha?" Jackal shook his head as he tried to pull air in.
"She loves her friends!" Natsu said and a flaming kick sent Jackal into the wall of a building that shook from the impact of the collision. "She will never hesitate to protect them. Even if it hurts herself to do it. She is something you could never hope to even get close to."
Jackal slowly pulled himself free and stared at Natsu. His horns were out, his fangs large and his scales glowing from the fire engulfing him. He stared in confusion; not sure if he was staring at a Dragis, a demi-Dragon or a Demon he had never met before. He was sure that Lamy would have thought this thing before him to be way too cool to leave behind. He wiped at the blood on his chin and took a deep breath. His eyes drifted over to the prone female and then he looked back at the inferno in front of him.
"I think it's time I end you all instead of playing." Jackal said and focused his powers. The darkness spread further and further up his forearms until past his elbows. He knew that the markings around his eyes were multiplying and that the fur on his tail and head were changing as well. He needed to take these two out so he could collect Lucy and turn her over to Mard Geer. He needed to gain favor so he could become the next general of Mard Geer's legions.
"You can't end us." Virgo shook her head and took a defensive stance.
"We have something worth fighting for." Natsu added and the flames leapt up higher.
"What could be so worth while that you two would both take me on in my ultimate form?" Jackal demanded to know and he watched as the two shook their heads in unplanned unison.
"Lucy." They said as one and he froze. Power was rolling off of both of them in waves and it choked Jackal. He felt, for the first time in all of his reincarnations; fear. Fear of failure. He watched as they both prepared to attack but he didn't know how to defend himself against them.