Thank you for all the follows and the constant reviews. I'm sorry for the long wait. Also I made Lucy a year older than canon for timeline and stuff, and just becuase I felt like it. Also I'll try to update the next half soon. Thanks again.
"Was that an awesome job Luce picked or what?" Natsu laughed as he and the rest of the team walked through the streets of Magnolia heading back to the guild.
"Sure was, Lucy should be in charge of picking more missions from now on." Happy replied.
"Well yeah, I only choose the best for myself" Lucy said as she struggled to wrap an arm around Erza, who continued to push her off, which reminds me, why did you guys join when this was a simple solo mission." she said showing the request paper asking for help finding a lost dog for 5,000 jewels. "Not that I mind my beloved Erza's company" she winked, only to get her head bashed into the ground.
"Oh, come on, isn't it obvious?" the Dragon Slayer asked laughing at his friend's misfortune.
"No." Lucy groaned from the floor, getting a grimace from Gray and Happy.
"We're Fairy Tail's strongest team, literally, so we have to stick together." Natsu answered giving her a toothy grin and a thumbs up.
"Aye sir," Happy agreed.
"And don't you forget it." Gray added.
Erza only nodded in agreement, feeling slight guilt for hitting the blonde so hard.
"No job is too tough." Natsu stated with confidence. "Not for you, me, Happy, Erza, even icicle pants here."
"Watch it." Gray grumbled.
"We are quite a capable bunch." Erza admitted happily.
Lucy jumped up with renewed vigor, surprising everyone after she looked like she was on the verge off passing out from Erza's punch. Looking to the confused group, she waves off their concern, then proceeds to gather them in a group hug.
"Welcome to Team Natsu then!" Lucy said, inviting Virgo out to toss confetti towards the two, garnering a smile.
"Thanks Lucy" Gray said
"Yes, thank you for accepting us into your team" Erza said.
"Of course, like I'd let anyone else take my mate for themselves." Lucy says laughing at the thought, causing Erza to facepalm and Gray to chuckle.
"Hey Lucy" Gray spoke up.
"Yes?"
"I was just wondering, you're 18, right?"
"Yup! And I've already found my mate, unbelievable right!"
"I'm not your mate" Erza growled at the celestial mage/demon slayer who ignored her words and instead wrapped her arm around her waist.
"Yeah, congrats. Anyway, I was just wondering how exactly someone your age, became a wizard saint, while wielding such powerful magic, yet has the education of a 12-year-old... no offense" Gray asks regretting his question when he sees the glares, he was receiving from Erza and Natsu. Though when they looked at Lucy, expecting her to look insulted, they instead saw her standing in place with furrowed eyebrows deep thought.
Lucy couldn't help but think over Grays words. She never really thought about it, but it was true she was at times denser than others. Her social cues were horrible and most of the time she needed help from her spirits to figure that out.
It's not your fault Miss Lucy, Lucifer wasn't the best teacher, Capricorn justifies.
And besides brat, don't you remember what Lucifer said about the affects your power would have on you, Aquarius chastises the blonde when she senses her think lowly of herself.
While Lucy thinks back to what Lucifer had told her about her powers, behind her Gray was getting a smackdown from Erza on etiquette. "How dare you insult Lucy's intelligence! She may a bit dense but that is nothing to question her on!" Erza said punching Gray into the ground. Natsu was on the side staring daggers at his longtime frenemy in disbelief that he would ask such a thing to Lucy.
"To be honest, Luce wasn't the greatest at teaching me how to read and stuff like that so that's why I get stumped a lot. And since I was the first human, he ever had contact with, the only social skills he ever taught me were how to court my mate. I have a lot of trouble reading social cues, because most of my skills come from what I learned from my spirits." Lucy laughs.
Gray goes to apologize for bringing up the subject when Lucy continues, "But it's also because of my powers" she explains shocking all of them.
"What do you mean by that Luce?" Natsu asks confused.
"Demon slayer powers can drive the user's soul to be tainted and eventually lose their sanity. And throughout my travels I've extinguished a lot of demons. I was strong enough to avoid this fully with the use of my light magic, but that doesn't mean I don't have drawbacks in replace of that. Instead I just have a harder time of understanding things" Lucy said, rubbing the back of her head.
"Lucifer said eventually with enough studying I can overcome that, which is why I'm having Levy tutor me on the side, so I can be smarter" Lucy said with a toothy grin.
"Lucy, you're not... you're already very smart" Erza said softly.
"I think you guys forget I'm a demon slayer, so my senses are enhanced ten times that of the human person. Probably more. I hear everything you guys say in the guild" Lucy says smiling, causing a slight feeling of guilt to run down the other mages body. "Then again what I lack in smarts, I make up in battle strategy" Lucy chuckled, walking ahead of the other three with her hands behind her head.
"Now come on, are we gonna stand here and talk all day or are we gonna head to the guild and get some of Mira's yummy food!" Lucy yelled from ahead.
"Yeah Lucy, let's go!" Natsu yelled, wanting to quickly change the subject. The other mages hanging back with a slight sense of guilt running down their spines.
As the team strolled down the street, passing Magnolia citizens stared at them and whispered to one another. They looked at them with what appeared to be sympathy.
"What are they all staring at?" Lucy asked looking at the crowd, "Oh no, is there something on my cloak!"
"No Lucy, they're staring at all of us." Happy commented, then looking at her cloak "Your cloak is fine".
"They look like they're pitying us" Erza stated, abruptly stopping to look at something in front of her. This caused Lucy and Natsu to bump into her having not let go of each other yet.
"What the heck Erza?" The two slayers yelled from the ground.
When the rest of the group followed her gaze, they were dumbfounded at the sight before them. From the distance, the Guild Hall was not at all in the form from when they had last seen it. Instead from where they stood large metal columns were sticking out in random spots all over the building.
"What? Why does the Guild look so…bizarre?" Erza wondered.
The Team continued down the path that led to the Guild Hall. When they finally reached their destination, they were dumbstruck. Several giant metal pillars were protruding out from the guild hall; one was sticking out through the Fairy Tail sign above the front entrance.
"No way," Gray muttered.
"What's happened to it?" Erza asked.
"Someone put iron poles through the building Erza, even I could see that from here." Lucy said, surprised Erza couldn't tell.
"Yes, I know. I meant, you know what never mind" Erza said shaking her head.
"Our Guild," Natsu snarled, clenching his fists. "It's been destroyed."
"But who would do such a thing?" Erza wondered.
"It was Phantom Lord." a female voice answered.
The team, minus Lucy, turned around to see Mirajane standing behind them, ready to break into tears.
"Are you serious?" Gray said calmly.
"You mean Phantom did this?" Natsu growled looking at Mirajane with pure fury in eyes.
"We couldn't do anything to stop them. They got us good when we weren't expecting it." Mirajane sobbed.
"Phantom Lord…...is this a... dark guild perchance" Lucy said hoping it was so she could destroy it.
"Uh, no. Phantom Lord, is more of a rival Guild to us and a powerful one at that." Gray explained to Lucy "We've never been on the best terms with those jerks…as you can see."
"Damn" Lucy whispered. The celestial mage hoping it was so she could go and destroy it without any repercussions.
The group proceeded into the building and headed down a flight of stairs that led to the basement. The basement apparently was mainly used for storage but since there were iron pillars everywhere, it was the only place in the Guild Hall unaffected by the devastation.
The rest of the Guild was sitting at makeshift tables, either eating, drinking, or brooding. Currently the entire guild's morale was low, not at all what Fairy Tail was usually like.
"Yo! What's up kids?" Makarov slurred, obviously drunk if the mug of beer was any indication.
"Sup" Lucy greeted, ignoring Makarovs drunken state.
"I apologize for us not being here sooner." Erza added, skipping greetings entirely.
"Why the heck is everyone just sitting around down here?!" Natsu demanded angrily.
Natsu was ignored as the old wizard shifted his gaze to Lucy. "How did it go, Lucy? Did yah finish the job like a good girl?"
"Listen up old man, no one treats me like a child except Lucifer got it" Lucy growled, heading towards the makeshift bar for a beer.
"Yes, yeah, understood." Master said sweating from the glare he had just received from the blonde.
"Master," Erza said firmly, "how can you act so calm when the guild has been vandalized?"
"The Guild Hall has been completely destroyed!" Natsu shouted.
"Don't work yourself up you two." Makarov responded as he took a big gulp of beer. "It isn't the end of the world."
"What?" Gray asked, stunned at the master's reply.
"This just shows how cowardly those wannabe mages are at Phantom Lord" Makarov continued "They attacked when no one was here, how is that worth bragging to anyone?"
"Nobody was here?" Erza said curious about why they would do such a thing.
"It was after everyone had already left for the night." Mirajane explained quietly still shocked over the events. Although she knew that the master was right, and they shouldn't be worked up over an empty guild being destroyed this was her home and she was just as mad as the rest of the members that her home was destroyed.
"I suppose we can be thankful for that." Erza sighed in relief. "At least no one in our guild was hurt in the attack."
"Lucifer said that when enemies sneak in and attack you behind your back then you do the same but tenfold" Lucy said casually across the hall.
"See!" Natsu yelled, "Even Lucy thinks we should".
"I never said that, I just gave you Lucifer's advice" Lucy said sage like, as she chugged her beer.
"We shouldn't trouble ourselves with people who don't even have the guts to face us head on." Makarov asserted. "Forget about those fools."
Suddenly, Natsu slammed his fist into a wooden crate, putting a large hole in it sending wood chips flying getting everyone's attention.
"Isn't gonna happen, gramps!" the pink haired wizard shouted angrily. "We can't just let them trash our place and get away with it!"
"We're not talking about this any longer." Makarov replied calmly. "We'll handle job requests down here until the upstairs is repaired."
"We shouldn't be worrying about jobs right no-"
"NATSU!" Makarov yelled cutting off the Dragon Slayer. "That's enough out of you!"
"Fair warning Makarov…the last person to try and grope me was buried six feet under...alive." Lucy stated while downing her flaming shot, causing an arm and the hand attached to it to freeze just short of her rear and retract back to a horrified Makarov. This girl truly is a demon!
"Hands to yourself, master!" Mirajane admonished, "And Lucy please don't threaten Master so severely" Mira requested, getting a shrug in response.
The master of Fairy Tail then jumped off the crate he was sitting on and ran across the room.
"Where are you going old man?" Natsu demanded still infuriated.
"Oh, relax." Makarov retorted. "I gotta take a leak."
"I don't understand why he's being like this." Natsu said as his ire dimmed looking at the floor.
"Listen, this is just as hard on him as it is for you. " Mirajane said her tone becoming subdued again. "He's mad, but conflict between the Guilds is strictly forbidden by the council."
"But that's not fair!" yelled Natsu. "Those Phantom creeps started it!"
"I know, but that doesn't matter." The white-haired girl responded.
"If the master's decision is to not retaliate, then we must respect it." Erza said with a hint of reluctance in her voice.
""Relax Natsu" Lucy said putting her arm around Erza, ignoring her glare. " We just gotta wait for Lord phantom to make the first move that way when we attack, we can claim self-defense."
"What are you talking about, we could easily destroy them now!" Natsu protested.
"Well no duh, you guys have me on your side. I could easily blow that place up" Lucy laughed, ignoring the nervous looks from her guildmates "But look Natsu, fights like these, it's just best to play the waiting game".
"What do you mean play the waiting game?" Natsu asked, surprised at his best friend being so level headed.
" If we're seen attacking Phantom Lord over something, what's that word Levy-chan taught me,… oh frivolous", Levy's eyes shining at the fact the girl was putting use their tutoring lessons, "as destruction of a guild, we could cause the Magic council to disband Fairy Tail and those jerks will be getting exactly what they want" Lucy stated shaking her head.
"Whoa Lucy, I think that's the smartest thing you've said in all your time here at the guild" Max said, a round of agreement from everyone in the guild.
Lucy glared at Max before retorting, "That's why I'm the wizard saint and you're not" before getting glomped by a small bluenette who was so happy at how she used the word frivolous in the correct context. Meanwhile the guild was laughing at the frowning sand mage.
"So, what, we're gonna do nothing?!" Natsu shouts to nobody.
"Yup, for now we wait" Lucy replied, as she patted Levy's head in thanks, "I know it's a drag, trust me. But if Phantom Lord really wants a war, then they'll get impatient from us not doing anything and do something stupid, like attack someone from the guild. When that happens, we strike back claiming self-defense".
"But I hate waiting." Natsu complained.
"We have no choice, Natsu. It's either that or Fairy Tail throws down first and we get in trouble" Lucy stated.
"She's right Natsu." Makarov said as he returned and hopped back up onto his crate. "It's better for the guild in the long run if Phantom Lord were the ones who started it and that's only if they really are looking for a fight. So just let it go for now."
While Natsu grumbled angrily, Lucy went to get another drink thinking of ways to destroy Phantom Lord without getting caught.
Lucy, this isn't the Alvarez Empire you can go to jail if you do that, Loke scolded, popping up to greet everyone.
"Tsk, fine be that way kill joy" Lucy complained going back to drinking her beer.
"What a drag Plue." Lucy sighed as she teetered along the canal's edge with Plue. "I wanted to take my mate out on a date but nooo, instead this stupid Phantom Lord guild pops up and destroys our guild" jumping off the canal she looks to the sky. "What do you think would help me win Erza over faster Plue?"
Plue wobbled along happily, humming to himself.
"That's brilliant Plue. After this whole Phantom mess, I'll sneak into her apartment since the girls there refuse to let me in, where I'll set up a candle lit dinner, then I'll serve her strawberry cake. After we'll watch a scary movie where I'll protect her from the scary parts and then when the moments right, we kiss!" Lucy says pumping her fist in the air with Plue mimicking her.
"Big brother shouldn't we tell Lucy that breaking into someone's apartment isn't very romantic?" Virgo asked, the cackling lion.
"No. I want to see how this goes" Loke says.
Eventually Lucy made it back to her apartment and entered, immediately heading for her room. When she entered, she gasped in surprise at who she saw, a giant grin erupting on her face. Maybe I won't have to break into her apartment Afterall.
"Your bedroom is very nice." Erza complimented sitting at a table with a cup of tea.
"Mate, what are you doing here", falling to one knee and grabbing her hand, "did you finally accept my proposal to sleep-ack", Lucy failed to finish what she was saying when Erza slammed a fist in her stomach, flustered.
"No" then taking a deep breath Erza composed herself to speak again, "Look since the guild's been attacked, we've determined that Phantom Lord members are most likely in town," Erza said matter-of-factly, sipping some tea.
"They've probably found out where everyone in Fairy Tail lives by now," Gray added, "So Mira, said it'd be safer if we held up together. You know, strength in numbers".
"Yes, that makes sense." Lucy agreed, frowning at not being alone with her mate, but still enjoying the fact that she was even in her apartment. She came to me so obviously she must want to spend time with me.
"That's why everyone in Fairy Tail is having a slumber party tonight!" Happy said popping up.
"You are an attractive teenage girl after all. I wasn't entirely comfortable with you just being alone here with Natsu and Gray." Erza said with a smile. "I felt I could only relax if I stayed here as well" regretting her words immediately, when she saw the smirk on Lucy's face.
"Pfft, the only person I'd ever allow to touch me is you Erza" Lucy said with a wink.
"And that's why we decided we couldn't leave her alone with you" Gray mumbled, getting a glare from Lucy.
"It's not time to relax," Natsu grumbled with a huff as he sprawled himself out on the floor, Plue mimicking Natsu and lying next to him.
"So, it was already decided that you're all going to stay with me?" Lucy yawned, not angry at all but excited at the prospect of having her first ever, as Happy called it slumber party.
"Yup. Well actually everyone wanted to stay with you since, you know wizard saint and all but Team Natsu called dibs" Gray chuckled.
Chuckling along with Gray, Lucy found the thought funny, then agreed that it was only fair Team Natsu got first dibs.
"Woah, you sure have a lot of dirty clothes," Happy said, rummaging through her things, "How come you have so many clothes, but only one cloak? Wouldn't you want a lot of cloaks in case that one gets ruined?" Happy asked.
"I'm pretty lazy when it comes to washing clothes" Lucy grinned, "And I technically have my wizard saint cloak too, but this is the only cloak you'll ever see me wear" Lucy said clutching it tightly.
"Why?" Erza asked.
"This cloak was given to me by Lucifer himself before he disappeared" Lucy said clutching her cloak, "Luce and my spirits created it themselves, even embedding his magic in it so it's physically impossible for this cloak to be ruined" hugging the cloak close to her.
"Whoa" Happy and Natsu said looking at the cloak. Natsu, clutching his scarf, now felt especially closer to Lucy, Igneel have done the same thing for him.
"Well now that story time is over, we need to move on to another serious problem" Erza stated getting the three mages attention.
"What's that" they said in unison.
" Your hygiene." Erza interrupted changing the subject. "I refuse to sleep in a room that reeks of sweat."
"I don't wanna take a bath right now," Natsu whined, laying on the floor eating a lollipop, Plue had found.
"But I already got into bed," Gray agreed lying on Lucy's bed.
"Yeah, can't we just go to bed?" Lucy whined waving her arms back and forth, Plue imitating her.
"It's settled, Lucy said we can go to bed all sweaty!" Natsu said jumping up.
"Come on boys, do we have to take a bath together like when we were kids?" Erza asked, making both boy blush with embarrassment at those memories.
"Oooh, I wouldn't mind taking a bath with you mate!" Lucy said perking up at the thought of a bath with Erza.
Coughing into her hand Erza blushed "Uh, on second thought you three are capable of getting a bath by yourself" Erza said heading for a bath, Lucy behind her until she felt two pairs of hands trying and failing to pull her back. She was only stopped from entering when she got an armored hand to the stomach, causing her, Gray and Natsu to fall over in a dogpile.
"Fine, I can wait", Lucy groaned, "But don't think I haven't noticed you've yet to take off my courting bracelet Scarlet, I will win you over!" Lucy yelled through her bathroom door, causing Natsu, Gray and Happy to laugh and Erza to slap her forehead.
You sure this is okay?" Droy asked as Team Shadow Gear walked down the streets of Magnolia after the sun had set.
"Shouldn't you stay with Laki and the others at the girl's dorm?" Jet agreed.
"It's fine, I don't want to split up our team," Levy replied happily, unaware of the blushes on her teammates faces.
"The three of us can face anything together!" Jet cheered.
"I'll always protect you," Droy added, with just as much enthusiasm as Jet.
"No, I will!" argued Jet.
The three stopped, to turn around as they heard something rushing at them from behind. They didn't even have time to cry out before darkness took them.
Lucy quietly emerged from the bathroom with a freshly changed pair of pajamas on stretching.
"Okay Natsu, I'm done with my bath it's your turn." she said before pausing and chuckling when she saw that he'd fallen asleep.
"Wanna take his place?" Lucy asked Gray.
"Hmm" the ice mage said, busy looking at all the trinkets and photos the girl had from different continents in awe of the many places she had traveled.
"You should, it was so relaxing," Erza sighed, sitting on Lucy's bed wearing just her towel to conceal her modesty.
Lucy couldn't contain her grin, confusing Gray.
"Uh what's up Lucy" he asked. Lucy kept quiet as she shook her head, shrugging and going to change, when she came out, she saw her Erza was still in a towel now laying in her bed, and decided to address the fact.
"I'm happy you feel so comfortable marking your scent in my home Erza" Lucy said not able to contain her toothy grin. "Usually it's the other way around but the other girls refuse to let me into Fairy Hills, so I guess this works too".
Jumping up she used her Requip Magic to change into her Heart Kreuz pajamas. "I was not doing anything like that!"
"Oh really, only someone who was comfortable with their mate would be so willing to lay practically naked in their bed" Lucy said smugly as she read off one of the steps to courting your mate, carefully watching as Erza went to make herself another cup of tea, almost spilling.
"That proves nothing your bed is just comfy" Erza countered.
"Yes, and when we mate-oomph" bending over Lucy held her stomach looking to Erza. "I'm starting to think these are your way of saying you love me" Lucy chuckled.
"Yes, that's exactly what they are" Erza growled.
"I know I haven't been a member long so I wouldn't know" Lucy said as she stretched her body across Erza. " But do you have any ideas as to why Phantom Lord would try to provoke a fight now?"
"I'm afraid I don't," Erza replied long giving up on trying to move Lucy's body off hers, instead crossing her arms above the blondes' head and getting a thoughtful look on her face, "We have had our fair share of scuffles with them in the past, but never anything on this sort of magnitude before."
"If Gramps wasn't so scared of them, we could wipe out those punks once and for all." Natsu grumbled now awake.
"Come on, you know Master isn't afraid of them Natsu," Gray interjected, "You seem to be forgetting we have two of the Ten Wizard Saints" , looking to Lucy who gave a peace sign.
"Then why wait, if we have two of the Ten Wizard saints who are the most powerful wizards on the continent then we have a way better chance of winning." Natsu yelled.
"Natsu, you can't just run into battle without a plan" Lucy said, eating cake Virgo had brought out.
"Where did you get that?" Erza demanded with a sword at Lucy's face.
"Virgo" Lucy says pointing to the maid spirit behind her. "Hello. Princess said she was having a slumber party, so I took the liberty of making snacks". Presenting a table of different desserts.
Before Lucy and the others could grab another, they were pushed to the side for Erza to start eating them.
"If I'm really your mate you'll let me have them all" Erza says muffled.
"Now hold on Virgo made those for us all" Gray protested, before backing away when a flaming punch nears his face.
"Let my mate eat" Lucy threatened.
Natsu slammed his hands on the table.
"Enough messing around guys! We can't just sit here and eat cake. We need to do something. Gramps is just afraid that Phantom has too many members for us to handle, but with us there we can handle it!"
"First off, Erza's the only one eating cake" Gray said.
"Second, that is not true, and you know it. It's just like Master and Lucy said, the consequences of us going to war with Phantom are nowhere near worth the fight" Gray said.
"They got nothing on us," Natsu boasted, "We could crush those clowns easy."
"No," Erza intervened with a stern tone. "If we were to fight them then neither guild would survive. With Lucy on our side the scales have tipped" Erza explained.
"See! then we would be fine" Natsu exclaimed.
"No, we must also factor in their elite group of wizards like our S-Class known as the Element Four. Not to mention biggest threat possibly being 'Black Steel Gajeel,' I believe that he's most likely the one behind the guild halls destruction. He's known as the Iron Dragon Slayer" Erza finished.
"Whoa, another dragon slayer! Natsu you should go up against him so we can see who's stronger; you or him!" Lucy announced.
"What are you talking about Luce, you already know I'm stronger!" Natsu said slightly insulted.
"oh, yeah sorry" Lucy said, sheepishly.
Meanwhile at Phantom Lords Guild hall Gajeel was trying to eat a plate full of metal but was being bother by another one of his Guild mates bragging about what Gajeel had done to their rival guild.
" I compliment your excellent work, Gajeel," said Master Jose as he entered the room and looked down from a balcony.
"Eh, I figured destroying their guild wasn't good enough." Gajeel said darkly "So I decided to leave them a little something' extra."
"Very good, my boy." Jose praised the Iron Dragon Slayer "Now all we need to do is wait for Juvia and Sol to accomplish their mission and acquire our guest of honor."
"How do we figure out who sleeps in Lucy's bed" Gary asked, scratching his head.
"I don't know, usually I was the company at other people's places" Lucy said, not noticing Erza's glare.
"Ooh how about an all-out brawl!" Natsu said lighting his fists up.
"I'm in!" Lucy said lighting her fists up and calling out Loke.
"You rang beautiful" Loke asks bowing.
"Yeah! We're gonna brawl for my bed" Lucy says bouncing back and forth on her feet positioning herself towards Gray and Natsu. "You take Gray and I take Natsu" Lucy says.
"Uh, okay. Who takes Erza?" Loke says confused at what was occurring right now.
"What?" Gray, Natsu and Lucy says momentarily forgetting about the S-class mage.
Turning to see where the S-class mage was they see Erza already tucked in Lucy's bed with her eyes covered, Happy right next to her. This led to Loke disappearing, cackling at his master's misfortune. The three mages couldn't help falling to their knees and groaning.
"How did we forget about Erza?" Gray said unrolling his snowflake sleeping bag that Virgo brought out.
"I don't know, but what I do know is Erza cheated!" Natsu grumbled as he unrolled his dragon sleeping bag.
"My mate is cunning, but next time that won't work" Lucy agreed as she unrolled her Aquarius constellation, sleeping bag.
The next morning the four teammates had gotten dressed and left Lucy's apartment.
"Hey what's going on here?" Gray asked as a crowd of people looking at something blocked their way.
"Hey, isn't that Team Shadow Gear from Fairy Tail?" one person in the crowd asked. Lucy immediately perked up when she heard the name of her teachers' team.
"What happened?" Another questioned
"Excuse us, we're from their guild," Erza ordered as she marched through the crowd which parted for her, Lucy, Natsu and Gray. "Please let us through."
They were frozen in shock and anger as they stared at the large oak tree before them. Clamped to its trunk with iron was team Shadow Gear, Phantom Lords symbol painted on Levy's bare skin.
"Levy, Jet, Droy!" Gray cried out seeing the three.
Lucy couldn't help walking up to the tree and leaning her forehead onto the girl who was putting in her free time to tutor her in subjects she didn't know. Whoever did this to you will pay Levy-chan.
"Phantom Lord did this, no way we can't do anything after what they've done." Natsu growled as he began visibly shaking with rage.
"Master…" Erza said quietly as Makarov joined them.
"I could handle wrecking our hall, but I will not let harm come to my children without taking revenge! " Master Makarov growled, " We have no choice but to go to war!"
Oak Town is in the northeast corner of Fiore and is home to one very large branch of the Phantom Lord guild.
"That's priceless." One wizard laughed.
"I heard Gajeel went and took out three of them himself!" another chuckled.
"Yeah we need to try picking' off a few fairies wings ourselves."
Before the bragging trio could exit their guild, they were thrown back by a flurry of flames which destroyed their guild doors. Standing amid the wreckage was nearly every member of Fairy Tail, all except one who was told to stay back and protect the injured.
"FAIRY TAIL IS HERE!" Master Makarov boomed.
"Alright, who wants to play with fire?!" Natsu shouted, barreling through Phantom Lord members.
"Purple Net!" Macao said, "Now Wakaba!"
"On it," Wakaba said, "Here comes Smoke Crush!"
"Guns Magic!"
Alzack fired rapidly at the many Phantom Lord Wizards knocking them all out cold.
"That one's my spark shot," Alzack said, before returning his gun to its holster.
"Eat thi-"
"Very nice shootin' Bisca." Alzack thanked, looking up to the wizard in question who had sniped a Phantom Lord Wizard about to ambush him.
"Getting rusty there Al?" she teased, before taking aim at more Phantom members.
Master Makarov decided to join in growing to his giant state, crushing many more Phantom members beneath his hand.
"He's a monster!"
"You thought you could hurt my children and get away with it! Human laws cannot protect you from my rage, anymore!"
"I'll be back Levy-chan, I mean I know you can't hear me, but I'll still be back, I'm just super hungry and it's Virgos' day off, so since she can't bring me food, I have to get it, which is a real drag since I'm kind of tired and don't want to get up, but I'm hungry" Lucy sighed, not realizing she was repeating how hungry she was. "I'd summon Gemini to get me food so then I could kill two people with one spirit and be able to stay here, but knowing them they'd go around and wreak havoc" Lucy murmured, not realizing Mira was on the side trying to hold in her laughter at the blonde talking to the small bluenette, while also finding it adorable.
In the spirit world
"That's not the saying at all!" Loke screeched.
"Stupid Demon, teaching her stupid sayings that don't even make sense" Aquarius grumbled.
Ignoring her spirits, Lucy continued speaking her thoughts aloud, forgetting Mira was beside her the entire time. "Oh wells, it won't take long Levy-chan, I'll even grab something for you and your team" Lucy before putting her forehead to the bluenette, missing Levy's lips twitching upwards once she left the room.
Drip, drip, drop." A fur-clad woman chanted, approaching Lucy slowly who was on her way to get some pastries. "The rain goes wherever Juvia is... drip, drip, drop."
" What?"
"And what of you?" Juvia asked, opening an umbrella over herself.
"Riddles aren't my strong suit" Lucy frowns. "Can I get a hint maybe?"
"Hmm, Juvia enjoyed herself. Farewell." Juvia intoned, passing by the blond girl.
"Bye, Juvia" Lucy smiles.
"Non, non, non." A sinister voice chuckled, causing Juvia to stop. "Non, non, non. Non, non, non, non."
"Bonjour!" A green-haired man with a monocle bursts out of the ground.
Lucy scratched her head. "Uh, Bonjour?" Man, if I had known so many weirdos were gonna be out today I'd have gone ninja mode, Lucy thought, before pulling her cloak around her face concealing her features confusing the two mages in front of her.
"Mademoiselle over there is our precious target." The man observed, causing Juvia to turn to her.
"So, she's the one." Juvia muttered, smiling at the goofy blonde. "Thank you, Monsieur Sol."
"Indeed, I am Monsieur Sol of the Element Four." The man bowed, twisting out of the pavement. "Juvia is also of the Element Four, the Rain Woman."
"Non, non, non-I am Lucy of the Fairy Tail" Lucy said trying to imitate the two element four members, while still wrapped up in her cloak like a ninja.
"You two wouldn't happen to be the ones who attacked Levy, now would you?" Lucy questioned.
"Non, non, non." Sol smoothed his mustache a bit insulted by the blonde mimicking him, although Juvia found it a bit endearing. "The wrecked guild and the attack were done by our guild mate Gajeel."
Lucy nodded her head at the information before getting engulfed in an orb of water.
"Although, it was done with our guild's approval." Sol finished.
"What is this?" Lucy said before closing her mouth quickly.
"Juvia's Water Lock. It cannot be broken so do not even try to." The blue-haired girl smiled.
"CELESTIAL… I'm too hungry to even try" Lucy thought. "Besides I need to find out why these guys are after me" Lucy thought before passing out in the water bubble.
"Tres Bien!" Sol exclaimed. "We have captured her!"
"Do not worry." Juvia told the still form. "Juvia will not kill you. For it is Juvia's duty to bring you back... Lucy Heartfilia."
"Did Lucy seriously let herself get captured" Loke deadpanned.
"I'm sorry, but yes" Aries said.
"For fucks sake, we really need to teach this girl a better battle strategy than constantly letting herself get captured and attacking the enemy from the inside" Aquarius said.
"Say what you want, but it is affective. We are!" Scorpio yelled.
Meanwhile back at the Phantom Lord guild the war between Phantom and Fairy Tail was raging on.
Before attacking she used Requip and changed into her Flame Empress Armor. Then grabbed the closest mages for answers. "Tell me! Where can I find Gajeel and the Element Four?" Erza asked angrily. The Phantom mages frightened by the physical prowess Titania was showing off.
On the otherside of the guild was Natsu having the time of his life battling it out with weak mages.
"How do you like this?" one yelled as they threw a fire spell at him.
Natsu smirked at the weak excuse of an attack and inhaled all the flames shot his way.
"Oh yeah, now I've got a fire in my belly!"
"What the…"
"He just ate fire!"
"I'm gonna blow you away, Fire Dragon Roar!"
"Erza! I leave the rest to you." Master Makarov as he headed up the stairs.
"Yes Sir!"
"Jose must be lurking on the top floor, when I find him, there will be hell to pay."
"Please, be careful," Erza whispered as she watched Makarov smash through a wall and go deeper in.
"Now that their little boss man's outta the way it's time I threw myself into the mix." Gajeel stated jumping down from the rafters to join the fight. The entire guild hall shook as Gajeel landed on the balcony, cracking the Phantom Lord sign as he did.
"Who's that?"
"It's the Iron Dragon Slayer," Erza growled, "Black Steel Gajeel."
"Heh, heh, show me what you got, unless you idiots are too scared to face the great Iron Dragon Slayer."
"I'll be more than happy to take up that challenge" Natsu yelled before he sent Gajeel flying backwards into their bar with a kick to the face, making everyone gasp.
"Whoa, that kid sent him flying!" Most if not all Phantom Lord was in awe of what the pink haired teen had done to their supposed strongest mage.
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Natsu, Fairy Tails Dragon Slayer".
"Iron Dragon Claw!" Natsu held on tightly to Gajeel's iron arm as he slid backwards eventually coming to a halt as he dug his feet in to the ground.
"Natsu!" Erza shouted in worry.
"You destroyed our guild hall and then attacked Levy and her team. For that I'll make you pay" he growled, his flames heating up to an unbearable temperature burning the iron dragon slayer and tossing him across the guild hall.
Gajeel flipped over in the air and leapt off a beam and back at Natsu. When he neared Natsu he threw his fist towards the fire mages face only for it to be blocked and getting sent flying again, with ease.
"Woah, the kids fired up now." Wakaba smirked.
"He's quite a wizard," Erza smiled.
"Nice try, but I'm still standing'," Gajeel said as he rose from the rubble.
"True, but you won't be for much longer though," taunted Natsu.
"Oh yeah?" Gajeel asked, before sending an iron pillar into Natsu tossing the boy across the guildhall like a ragdoll.
"Aww, what happened to I won't be standing much longer? You all talk after all?"
Flames encompassed Natsu as he jumped to his feet, grinning. Natsu deciding to finally get fired up and get serious. Don't worry Lucy, I'll pay this Gajeel dude back for all the hurt he put on Levy and her team for you.
"It's gonna take a lot more than that to keep me down."
"You seriously think you can beat me, hot head?"
"I don't think. I know I can."
"We'll see about that!"
Natsu block Gajeel's Iron rod like arm with a single hand.
"Your steel beams can't even touch me, you better start stepping' up your game!" Natsu growled, still covered in flames.
"Guess those rumors aren't without merit, you're way more powerful then you look. That actually burned," Gajeel taunted, his arm returning to normal,
"That's nothing. I'm just getting' warmed up!" They stared one another down before lunging forward, creating craters in the floor from the force of their attacks. They began exchanging blows, however even as Gajeel was able to block Natsu's attacks one got through forcing him to dodge. Refusing to relent on his attacks Natsu was able to break though his defense and punch Gajeel in the head sending him smashing through several more rafters before he was able to correct himself and hang upside down from a beam.
"How was that, metal head?"
"Don't get cocky, it won't happen again," Gajeel replied, still feeling confident.
Again, Gajeel looked Natsu up and down just before the entire guild began to shake.
"I don't like the sound of that," Gray added.
"This is what happens when Gramps gets angry, it's called giants wrath" Cana chuckled.
"Prepare to fight," Erza ordered, brandishing her sword, "We cannot lose if long as Master Makarov's still with us!"
In a room high up in the Phantom Lord Guild hall a wall completely disintegrated before Makarov's immense magical power.
"Jose!"
"Look what the cat dragged in…" Jose commented sitting in a throne.
"Why are you attacking Fairy Tail? Tell me!"
The glass in the windows shattered as Master Makarov began exerting his magic power even more. The power was so strong the ground itself began to crack beneath him as he approached Jose.
"I haven't seen you in quite a while Makarov, six years ago at a Guild Masters Conference. I remember that day, I was a complete mess.
"I didn't come here for small talk, I want answers Jose!" Master Makarov yelled as he slammed his gigantic fist into Jose only for him to realize Jose was nowhere in sight.
"A projection? You coward, I should've known you'd flee with your tail between your legs." Makarov commented as he saw that Jose was simply projecting himself.
"It's not cowardice, I'm simply trying to avoid a fight between two of the Wizard Saints. In avoidance of that mess, I prefer a victory without all the commotion," Jose replied calmly.
"Why are you hiding? Come out and face me like a man!"
Master Jose chuckled darkly, his gaze lowering to the floor before himself. Slowly a second projection appeared, one of a young unconscious blonde female.
"L-Lucy? But how? She was supposed to be watching over Levy out of sight."
"Quite simple really. When you have mages such as mine subdue a weak celestial wizard like her than it's quite easy". Jose explained.
"What, Are you insane? Lucy isn't just a celestial Wizard, she's a demon slayer too. And a mighty strong one at that" Makarov yelled, "And you still haven't said why you've taken Lucy!"?
Jose froze for a moment from Makarovs outburst before brushing it off as a scare tactic. "Are you saying you don't know who Lucy Heartfilia is? And after she joined your own guild" Jose gasped theatrically. "Well, it won't matter after today."
"What, Lucy...is a Heartfilia? I honestly would've never guessed with the way that girl acts Makarov chuckled, not at all paying attention to Jose infuriating him.
Jose was angered at the old man ignoring him so to put a bit of fear in the man's heart he summoned a bit of his magic and aimed it at the girl for show. Makarov charged forward in fear of another child getting hurt, "No don't!" distracted by the ruse, Makarov was unable to notice the form suddenly appear behind him sobbing.
"What in the, I didn't even notice him!" Makarov exclaimed, unable to do anything as a yellow light engulfed him.
Jose released his power and laughed. " Now I just wait for Juvia and Sol to come to me with the girl" he thought.
"How sad!" exclaimed the weeping man who was lurking behind Master Makarov. " Why do I feel so sorrowful?"
There was a flash of magical power and Makarov fell, crashing to the ground floor amongst the members of Fairy Tail still fighting on the ground floor.
"It must be because the world has just lost a great wizard."
'What happened, why do I feel so weak,' Makarov wondered in his thoughts, a feeling of powerlessness covering his whole body. 'My magic, it's gone!'
"Something fell from the rafters!" someone yelled.
"It's Gramps!" Natsu exclaimed.
"Is he okay?!" Gray asked.
"Master!" Erza shouted.
"Makarov is powerless now thanks to Aria of the Heavens, a member of my Element Four." Jose explained with a grin. "He has the ability to make other wizards' power just disappear into thin air."
Everyone watched as Master Jose came down the steps into the guild hall. A hologram of Lucy laying unconscious below his feet in front of him.
"I think it's safe to say we've won this round, Fairy Tail."
"M-my power is go- …" With no strength left in him to speak, Makarov was unable to tell the others of what happened to him.
"Master." Erza called to Makarov
"This isn't good guys, I don't sense any magic energy coming' from gramps at all," Gray answered.
Natsu looked at master panic etched on his face, "Come on Gramps, you gotta pull through, I know you can do it!"
"I don't understand, Gramps is so powerful, how'd they beat him?" Gray wondered.
'This is bad,' thought Erza.
"NOW'S OUR CHANCE! LET'S GET 'EM!"
"Don't you start getting cocky!" Natsu shouted, punching away the charging Phantom wizards with a flaming fist. Seeing Gramps so weak set a fire in his stomach which only strengthened his resolve to kick these phantom lords guys asses.
"Ah crap, what now," Gray growled. Seeing his guild mates begin to get overpowered by these assholes was angering him, but he knew they were outnumbered, and morale had lowered now that gramps was taken out. Aside from Natsu it looked like they were outnumbered.
Erza looked around at her comrades as they slowly began to lose their edge, falling one by one. If only we had brought Lucy, she thought, we might have had a chance and Master wouldn't have been injured so severely. Deciding there was only one thing they could do she sucked up her pride looking to the remaining guild members still fighting.
"We must retreat! Everyone back to the guild at once!"
"What? No way!" Gray argued.
"Real men don't retreat!" Elfman agreed.
"I still got some fight in me," Macao growled with determination.
"Me too!" Cana added.
"We can't stay; we don't stand a chance against Jose. Now retreat, that's an order!" Erza yelled.
"There they go, I knew it wouldn't be long before those gutless cowards gave up and started running for their lives," Gajeel sighed with disappointment.
"They're retreating with sorrow in their hearts."
"You're really creepy you know that, right Aria? Gajeel greeted to the member of the Element Four, "Although, I guess I gotta give it to you for taking down a Wizard Saint."
"I just followed Master Jose's orders, but thank you!" Aria said, bursting into tears again.
"Why're you always crying? Jeez, cut it out," Gajeel said, his eyes on Natsu, "So what happened with that Lucy girl?"
As soon as he heard his partner's name mentioned he looked up to see Aria and Gajeel speaking, deciding to listen in on their conversation and find out what they wanted with Lucy.
"Juvia and Sol should be taking care of her." Aria replied stopping his weeping. "Against those two she stands no chance of escaping them."
"Rain Woman and Sol" Gajeel hummed "From what I heard the chicks just a celestial mage, sending those two are just overkill. Eh, who the hell cares."
"Damn it." Natsu growled upon hearing this.
"Is something wrong?" Happy asked.
"GAJEEL!"
"What are you still doing here? Go run back to your Fairy palace and we'll finish this another time Salamander. I got other things to do."
Before he knew it Gajeel and Aria had disappeared and were gone.
"Those assholes… they're trying to get Lucy!"
"Everybody out, let's go!" Erza ordered as the Fairy Tail members began retreating the Phantom wizards giving chase.
"Erza, they're after Lucy!" Natsu yelled at the armored mage.
"What, why Lucy!" Erza yelled. "We have to get to her before they do" Erza stated "Who knows what she'll do to them if we don't catch her in time" Erza grimaced.
"Grrrr…I'll kick your ass next time Gajeel!" Natsu yelled before reluctantly retreating with the rest of the Guild.