People seem to really like last chapter? I mean I was debating over posting it, because I felt like I should have done something else or written it differently but you guys really liked it, so I guess it's for the best? I'm going to be completely honest here, I kind of forgot about the twice a week update schedule, so hopefully we can get back on track. As an apology, have the next two chapters mashed into one.
Phoenix, honestly I would have loved to keep going but I had to give myself somewhere to build off of. But I admit, it really does suck when you're really into something and then you're snapped out of it. I look forward to seeing how your predictions match up with what's going to happen, so feel free to share! By the time this chapter is posted I'll likely be back in school, wish me luck! To be fair, if I'm not interested in the subject I'm writing about then my writing quality is going to fall quite a bit, unfortunately. And hey, status doesn't matter to when it comes to personal stuff! (I mean if a police officer threatens to strangle me over an (admittedly) terrible pun then I'm gonna take it a whole lot more seriously then a teacher.) I'll do my best!
Guest, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, people's ideas tend to stick, Jack jumped over a candlestick, though some of them are as dense as a brick. Haha, hopefully I'll keep you going! Honestly if you wanted to use a Genie wish then you should make so I have all future chapters prewritten! Then there'd be no long times without updates or instances of writers block coming back!
Otaku789, oh wow, you're happy eh? Yeah! Positivity!
Phoenix(2), no worries, my friend! Trust me I'm not gonna ditch this in the middle of an important arc. I've gotten attached now so if I ditch it I'd probably emotionally damage myself and eventually come back.
Guest(2), UPDATE!
Phoenix(3), oh yeah! Fixed iPad! Oh no! Cracked phone! And yes! Blending these two chapters smoothly was admittedly tough, but I did it! Haha yeah, I'm actually really surprised at the response for last chapter cause I didn't like it too much. As of current, it's before my birthday. But hey, I appreciate the sentiment! Thanks! Yeah I'm kinda hoping for a new phone or laptop or something cause all of my devices are like… My iPod is three years old? And my iPad. Oh gee. I have no clue how old this thing is.
Happy barely struggled over another rooftop, the wind that had clutched at his wings and begun to drag him down to earth letting up for a moment before returning full force, the gale tearing at his feathers and whipping his fur around wildly.
In his grasp, Natsu scanned for their unseen assailant, the powerful wind ripping away any chance the DragonSlayer had of locating him by scent.
"I'm going to try and fly higher!" Even though he was shouting, the little cats words were torn away by the near tornado surrounding them, leaving Natsu unprepared for the sudden jerk upwards as Happy strained himself.
Like pushing through a sheet of plastic, there was a moment where the resistance increased to near unbearable levels, and then vanished, leaving the two of them to rocket into the sky.
"Aw yeah!" Happy cheered, "Now to get to Lushie!"
"Happy look out!"
Unbeknownst to the cat, he had been so caught up in his victory that it went unnoticed that he had come alarmingly close to one of the thunder Lacrima in the sky. As if sensing potential danger to its form, the lightening magic lashed out, some of it being pulled away by Natsu but an alarming amount making it to its intended target.
Happy let out a shriek as the magic ran its course through his body before being pulled away by Natsu, who managed to cradle the little cat even as they began to fall.
A snarl working its way out of his throat, Natsu twisted in midair, letting out a blast of flame, which barely slowed their descent. Gritting his teeth, the DragonSlayer barely had time to flip again before crashing into a roof, cushioning the unconscious Happy with his body.
The cloud of debris that had risen into the air seconds after impact was quickly swept away, before a rather imposing figure stepped over the hole in the ceiling.
While he couldn't exactly look down at them, as he had bandages over his eyes, he managed to simulate the effect well enough, enough to send a chill down Natsu's spine even as he tried to regain his bearings.
"Such tragedy, a child leaving his parent and harming those around him."
"The hell do you know about me!?"
"Tragedy, tragedy!" Aria let a breeze lift him off the roof and into the ruined building, either not hearing or not caring about Natsu's question.
Natsu barely managed to back up a little, sort of a half crab walk with one arm still cradling Happy, but he didn't make it far. With a rough twinge of pain, his shoulder gave out on him and it was as he crashed into the carpet he realized his shoulder wasn't quite as healed as he, or anyone else, had thought.
Happy let out a muffled groan, the sudden movements agitating his lightening burns.
Barely, he managed to shove the little cat under a nearby desk, well aware that his assailant likely wouldn't bother with him. It wasn't the best hiding place, under a table in some house he had never been to before, but there was something about the smell that was familiar, a tinge of gunpowder in the air he could have sworn he had smelt in the guild before.
And… Strawberries?
Erza crashed through the ceiling just as Arias fist closed around Natsu's arm, the large man grabbing the bad shoulder.
There was a moment of silence, during which a sharp sting worked its way into Natsu's arm, a bone deep ache that seemed to rip something away from him. Roughly, Aria tossed Natsu over his shoulder, clasping something around one of his wrists that seemed to weaken him, and then Erza was spinning into action.
Her dual blades bit into the table leg Aria's breeze had tossed in the way, the first sword cleaving through it smoothly but the second ending up wedged deep into the study wood.
"Oh, how tragic. Such a young warrior! Tragedy! I cannot grace you with a fight. Such tragedy!"
Erza didn't bother with a response, quickly swapping her usual armour for her Cheetah armour, counting on the speed to give her the upper edge. A heartbeat passed, and then the dual blades were replaced with an ornate spear.
Aria barely had half a moment to recover himself, before Erza was right in front of him again, the spear halfway through its movement towards his middle. A gust of wind shot towards her hands, and while the tip of the spear left a long scratch over the mans rather large stomach it wasn't quite the impaling she was hoping for.
Another gust of wind ripped through the room, picking up dust from the roof and stirring it until he disappeared from view, something that took barely a second. Even as Erza lunged forwards again, Aria was gone.
Launching herself into the sky after him, the red headed warrior swapped into her Black Wing armour, the steady wings catching on the strong gust Aria had left behind, and she only just barely managed to catch up when she slammed into a wall of runes.
Aria turned back towards her, intentionally letter her catch sight of Natsu's right shoulder. Which was blank.
Sharp needles littered the street, the ones farther back dissipating and providing more fuel for Evergreens attack, creating a continuous rain of the things on the half blind duo.
Lucy, who by this point had recovered just enough sight to see outlines of things, grasped for her keys, miraculously managing not to drop any even as Loke tugged around, switching from shelter to shelter.
It was presumable that Evergreen was just as blind as Lucy was, meaning the woman was just shooting randomly instead of following the two of them. Unfortunately, that made it very hard to predict where she would angle her shots next. Loke, unknown to Lucy, had almost run them into the attack several times, each time barely managing to stop.
Finally, her hand settled on the key she was looking for. "Loke, can you take me to the closest body of water?"
"Feel like taking a dip, Princess? I'm not adverse to seeing you in a swimsuit but this is hardly the time- oof!" Lucy dug her elbow into his gut for a moment longer, still managing to have unerring accuracy even while unseeing.
"Not for that! I have to summon one of my spirits!"
"Aquarius, right?"
Lucy didn't have time to respond, as Loke was already pulling her in a different direction, leaving the blonde celestial mage unaware of the needles that had shredded the shop canopy they had ducked behind.
They continued on this frantic pattern of running and dodging and half seen shapes until Loke slammed to a halt, and the sound of sluggish water echoed off canal walls. "Alright, Princess. I trust you can find the water from here?"
Lucy nodded, and cautiously started forwards, keeping her experience of blindness from the Tower of Heaven in her mind and feeling the ground with her shoes. Loke's hand slipped from hers, and behind her she heard shouting. That was something to worry about later, though.
The tip of her boot met with thin air, and Lucy stepped back before carefully crouching, and reaching down until water bubbled past her fingers.
"Open! Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!" The familiar doorbell sound rang out, and then a sort of bubbling sound.
"Brat! I was in the middle of a date!"
Lucy blinked, it was sort of disorienting to not know when her spirit had made it out of the gate. Squinting, she could just make out the outline of Aquarius against black.
"Sorry, this won't take long, I promise. Can you just take care of the lady in the green dress over… there, I think?" As it turned out Lucy was pointing in the wrong direction, but I was a little hard to miss the twister Loke had whipped up with one of his rings.
If Lucy could see properly, she would have seen the flash of recognition and then thought on Aquarius' face, but as it was the Celestial mage was oblivious.
"Alright. But just this one time, and you better not interrupt me in the middle of a date again!"
"Uh, y-yes ma'am."
If the resulting swirl of water just missed Lucy, well. It wasn't like there was anyone around to see it.
It was as she was being pulled back through the gate that Aquarius made a snap decision. It wasn't like she wouldn't have done the same thing he had, if it came down to it. Besides, surely the Celestial Spirit King was being just a little unfair with his punishment?
"Hey, brat. Watch out for the Lion, Le-" and her gate snapped shut, perhaps a tad faster than she thought it would.
It's still Sunday, right? Which is the last day of the week, right? And this is two chapters mashed into one? So technically, managed to uphold the twice a week thing right? Ha! Oh, I guess I forgot to mention the day my birthday was on? Whoops. Anyway, I was born on the seventeenth! Feel free to wish me a happy birthday then! Or don't. That'll be fine. Oh yeah. Regarding this chapter, you may be looking at it an think, 'hey, isn't that too short for two chapters?' I had to cut a couple things out to make it flow smoother. Trim the fat, yes? So, we'll have more later. ~ShadeShadow