Chapter 14: The Rescue

"Lucy and Yukino were taken by the royal army?" Erza questioned.

"To think that the two are involved in some top-secret plot is utterly ridiculous," Makarov remarked as he sat on the bar counter in contemplation.

"Let me get this straight," Laxus voiced, "If we somehow take the top spot, we can ask the king to get them back but only if he allows it?"

"I find it hard to believe anything that old guy told us," Gray expressed, showing his distrust towards the scarred minister.

"I feel the same way," Juvia agreed to the ice user.

"Are we just supposed to put up with this shit from those jerks!?" Natsu yelled. He was currently tied to a post to prevent him from storming the palace and cause any more trouble. "Untie me and I'll go and get them right now!"

Wendy, Happy, and Carla were doing their best to calm down the furious dragon slayer.

"We can't afford to take any drastic action," the guildmaster of Fairy Tail advised. "Though I'm also sure that they wouldn't want word to spread that they mistreat innocent civilians. So, for now, we can consider Lucy and Yukino to be hostages." He then looked to the Kurosaki twins and asked, "How is Kazui's condition?"

"He'll be fine," Karin answered. "Orihime is restoring his lost energy as we speak. Although, that's not what you should be worried about." Her eyes slowly moved and landed on her brother.

The rest of the mages, except for Natsu who was still yelling in anger, followed the Soul Reaper's gaze to see Ichigo unusually silent. Knowing that his son is unconscious and his daughter is in the custody of the army, they were afraid of what the family patriarch would do.

"There is one thing I don't understand," Gajeel spoke, dispelling the tension that was filling the air. "If we know so much about this project of theirs, how come they just let us walk away?"

"It's obvious their primary target was Colonel Arcadios, to begin with," Panther Lily explained. "Maybe they let us go so we could testify against him later."

"I don't know," though plausible, Happy still expressed his doubt.

"If that were the case, then it'd still risk their secret getting out," Carla reasoned.

"The reason is simple," Yuzu chimed, "You're on a high-profile team. If anyone of you were to disappear, it'll be a cause for concern."

"That's true," Karin agreed with her sister before adding, "They wouldn't want to risk earning the ire of every wizard guild in the kingdom."

Erza was in thought. There were still a lot of unknown things. "The royal guard isn't the kind to act rashly and take citizens without good reason. If we can find out the reason why they were supposedly arrested, then maybe we could use that to help them."

While everyone was discussing, Natsu's impatience finally took over. He thought that they shouldn't be talking with each other and just storm the palace to get their friends. With all his might, he broke free from his restraints and shouted, "HEY! WE ALL NEED TO QUIT FLAPPING OUR GUTS AND DO SOMETHING!"

That rambling quickly stopped when an overwhelming pressure wafted the room. Everyone, except for the twins, felt the force strain their bodies as they looked to the source. Sure enough, it was Ichigo who was unleashing his spiritual pressure. His eyes though were focused on one particular mage.

Natsu felt the brunt of the pressure and just like before, it was frightening. The dragon slayer's body stumbled onto the floor as he tried to fight the otherworldly weight pouring down on him. His body was starting to ache from the strain and his breathing became labored.

"You're overacting, Natsu," Ichigo calmly told the dragon slayer.

Natsu may hear the Soul Reaper's words to be calm but deep down, he knew he was beyond pissed.

"My son is unconscious and my daughter is taken hostage," the hybrid reminded. "I'm more furious than you but you don't see me running my mouth and threatening to raid the palace. I'd rather do this the right way instead of going in there, guns blazing. So, I suggest you sit down and SHUT UP!"

The pressure finally lifted, giving the Fairy Tail mages some levity. They gazed at Natsu and saw him quiet and scared stiff.

"Wow. He managed to shut him up," was the collective thought of everyone.

Coughing into his fist, Makarov called for his mages' attention. "Members of our family have been taken against their will. Moreover, a father just had his daughter taken hostage while his son is in bed recovering. Believe me, we all want justice right now." He closed his eyes and then continued, "However, we cannot just recklessly charge headlong into conflict like we usually do. We do this carefully without attracting the attention of the army."

"So, what are we going to do?" Lisanna asked.

"We change the teams for the final day of the games," Ichigo suggested.

"Why?" Makarov questioned the reaper.

"Considering that it's my daughter they have, they'll be expecting me to take action and rescue her," Ichigo explained. "So, I'm going to replace Natsu in the line-up for the final day."

"WHAT!?" the members of Team Fairy Tail exclaimed in surprise. The implications of such a line-up change would be drastic. They'll be ridiculously stacked!

"Wait!" Natsu cried. "What about me?"

"You'll be with the rescue team," the reaper answered. "With me in the team and you out, the crowd will be in an uproar because of your absence. Since you beat Sabretooth's twin dragons not long ago, people will be expecting you instead of me."

"I'm beginning to understand what you're thinking, Ichigo," Makarov remarked, liking what the Soul Reaper was suggesting. "With Ichigo in the line-up, our firepower would increase exponentially. It would bring our chance of victory closer. At the same time, we'll send out a team to rescue our captured guildmates while everyone is distracted by the switch. This is ingenious."

"So, basically, Ichigo will act as a red herring to confuse not just the audience but also the army. Is that right?" Lisanna asked for clarification to which was replied with an affirmative nod.

"The plan is sound."

They all turned to see the first master, Mavis Vermillion appear from nowhere. "First Master!" they all exclaimed in surprise save for Ichigo, Yuzu, and Karin. The three already knew the childish ghost was present.

"May I suggest who will be rescuing our captured guildmates?" The former master requested. The members didn't see any problem and even welcomed her opinion. "Mirajane and Wendy will go along with Natsu. Wendy will provide some healing if necessary and Mirajane will be there if they face some resistance. Not only that, with two dragons slayers they could find Lucy and Wendy quickly by tracking their smell."

"I'd like for Yuzu and Karin to go with them," Ichigo requested. "If by any chance their sense of smell gets disrupted, my sisters can trace Yukino's energy through the pendant we gave her."

"I see. That will indeed help." Mavis faced her successor and asked, "Are you in favor of this plan, Makarov?"

"I am," Makarov agreed.

With the masters and the majority of the members agreeing with the strategy, it would seem that nothing more would be discussed. The rescue team was more than enough to take back their members and those participating in the tournament will now have a massive advantage with Ichigo's participation. Still, there was one member that felt she needed to do more.

"Master…"

They all looked to the one who called and saw Lisanna with a determined look.

"What is it, young one?" Makarov asked the youngest Strauss.

"I want to go on the rescue mission," the Take-Over mage requested, surprising everyone, her older sister the most.

"I'm not sure if it's necessary to add more people into the rescue attempt," the wizened mage stated.

"Please, master," Lisanna pleaded. "I don't want to just sit by and watch as everybody else does everything while I do nothing. They took my friends. They took my best friend. I don't want to feel useless." She paused for a bit. Her hands were trembling as her fists got tighter. Her eyes held resolve to that not even Mirajane had seen before. Finally, she spoke. "I don't want to be left behind anymore."

From where he sat, Ichigo had a smirk while seeing all of this unfold. Seeing his other guildmates' expressions, they were indeed confused by what the girl said. To him, however, he knew very well what she meant. His spar from three months ago made him understand Lisanna's inner struggle and to see her taking the initiative made him smile. "About goddamn time."

Mavis and Makarov were still on the fence about whether they should include Lisanna in the rescue team. The people selected were more than enough to retrieve Lucy and Yukino. They thought further when they heard Ichigo say something.

"Let her go with them," the reaper said and explained. "Her Take-Over magic could be used for recon and stealth. She could scout the area before the others get in and proceed with the rescue. Besides, more people would mean that no one would face the enemies alone."

The two masters pondered on the reaper's words. After some time, Makarov and Mavis both agreed and conceded to letting the youngest Strauss join the rescue party. With that out of the way, the first master of Fairy Tail wanted to share her plan with the members who will participate on the final day of the tournament. Being part of the team, Ichigo promptly stood up and followed his teammates when someone called his name. He turned around and saw someone approaching him.

"Ichigo!"

It was Lisanna. "What's up?" Ichigo asked.

"I just want to say," the white-haired girl paused, clearly flustered but quickly regained some confidence and finished, "…Thank you."

The oldest Kurosaki raised an eyebrow. "What are you thanking me for?"

She smiled, the brightest the Soul Reaper has seen in a while. "For convincing the masters to let me into the rescue mission."

"It was no big deal," Ichigo said, trying to be modest.

Lisanna wouldn't have any of it and really wanted to show her gratitude. "No, really. Thank you. What you did for me, meant so much more than you realize."

Ichigo understood what she meant very well. "You're right," he agreed. "It was so much more for you because I know what you were feeling when you made your request."

A look of surprise graced the Take-Over mage's face. "You do?"

"I do. Tell me, do you still remember the spar we had three months ago?" the hybrid asked, hoping the girl would still remember that day.

"Clear as day," Lisanna answered. "You managed to know my emotions while fighting. Was that the reason why you helped me convince the masters?"

Ichigo smirked. He ruffled the girl's hair, getting her annoyed and pouting at him. "You catch on pretty quick. You're right. I did that because you already showed the necessary resolve to face your worries. All I did was give a little push. Even so, something must've happened for you to want to save Lucy and Yukino."

Lisanna remembered the night she and the silver-haired mage had that conversation. Yukino helped her. The Celestial mage brought her back from losing hope and promised to walk with her while she catch up with everyone in Fairy Tail. The Take-Over mage told all of this to his best friend's adoptive father and saw the death god gave a proud and heart-warming smile.

"I'm going to save her and Lucy," Lisanna declared with conviction. "What Yukino did for me that night; this is the least I could do for her."

"I understand," the carrot-top stated. "I'm putting my faith in you, Lisanna. I know you can bring my daughter back."

"I will."

With all that said, the two separated. Lisanna went to her sister while Ichigo convened with his teammates.

Scanning the desolate dungeon, Lucy was trying to find any means of escape for her and Yukino. The two were arrested since they were considered "accessories" to Arcadios' supposed treason. To make sure that they don't do anything funny, their Celestial keys were confiscated and held somewhere by the royal army; probably near a guard station or something.

"How did it turn out like this?"

"Huh?" Lucy turned around after hearing Yukino say something.

"This always happens to me," the silver-haired Celestial wizard mutter all downtrodden. "I guess I'm just a bad luck charm with all the misfortunes I've had recently."

"Hey, don't beat yourself up," Lucy said trying to cheer the glum wizard. "Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, let's find a way to get out of here instead."

"You don't understand," Yukino stated, silencing the blonde. "That family that just adopted me; in just one day, they treated me with love and care like I've been with them for so long. When I saw poor Kazui get his powers drained from his body, I got scared."

The way she sounded, Lucy could feel the worry and concern her fellow Celestial mage had for her adoptive little brother. She saw her move her hand to an object around her neck. A pendant with a five-pointed cross motif. Yukino held on to the artifact tightly.

"That was probably the first time in a while that I felt afraid," Yukino admitted. "I was afraid because just when I thought I've found a place to belong, something would tear it away just as fast as it came. And it happened because of me. I don't want that to happen again."

Empathy was all Lucy could feel. She understood what the girl was feeling right now since she went through the same thing seven years ago. The ordeal with his late father and the attack on her guild by the now-disbanded Phantom Lord happened because of her.

The blonde walked up to the depressed mage. "Hey. Don't be so down," Lucy said to lighten Yukino's saddened state. "I know how you feel because it happened to me before. I'm guessing that you're blaming yourself for what happened to Kazui, right?" That questioned earned her a nod. "Then don't. They wouldn't want to see you like this. Besides, Kazui is a lot tougher than you think. I'd even say he's tougher than Natsu."

"You think so?" Yukino asked.

"I know so," Lucy replied confidently. "Anyway, if we manage to get out of here, our first order of business is getting our keys back."

"You're right. Still, what occurred earlier was just so sudden."

"It seems we got caught up in a power struggle within the kingdom. Aren't they just fighting whether they should open that Eclipse Gate or something? To be perfectly honest, I don't know enough to have an opinion about it."

"I'd go through with it," Yukino voiced out.

"What?" Surprised, Lucy further asked, "Why?"

"If it means ridding the world of people like Zeref and Acnologia from the world then they should go through with it," the silver-haired mage reasoned. "Those two beings are the reason for all the tragedies that have been happening in the world. Their existence gave birth to different evils that to this day, still bring grief and despair to the innocent. If they were vanquished before their rise to power…"

"…Then none of the atrocities they committed will happen and their influence in history will disappear," the blonde wizard finished.

"Right…" A pool of tears began forming in Yukino's eyes. The memory of the cultist attack came back to her. The night when her whole world came crashing down and her sister being abducted became crystal clear once more. The tears finally poured. "Then maybe my family would've been still alive," she sniffled. "Maybe I would still have my big sister."

"Yukino…" was all Lucy could say. She understood the intentions of her fellow Celestial mage but altering time? "There's no guarantee that the world will change the way we want it to," she thought. "We don't have that kind of control. That's why it's such a risky thing, and why some people will do anything to stop it. Nobody even knows if it's possible." Looking at the former Sabretooth mage, she can see her holding the pendant firmly between her hands. "Can we really go back in time and change the past?"

It felt like a great burden was relieved from her shoulders. Basking in the moonlight while on the balcony, Lisanna could feel the midnight breeze brush her skin. The cool wind of the evening was giving her a sense of release…

…Of freedom.

Whatever it was that made her feel sadness before seemed to have disappeared. Fear and doubt were still present but it wasn't ruling her thoughts anymore. All that filled her thoughts was steadfast determination and resolve. No longer will she let her doubts consume her like they almost did a while ago. She'll keep moving. Even if it means taking forever, she will not stop. She won't hesitate and she won't waver.

And it was all thanks to Yukino.

If it weren't for her, she may have never got out of that rut. She would've become someone different; someone her siblings, her friends…Natsu, might not recognize. Lisanna owed it all to her and now that Yukino's in trouble, it's her turn to rescue the Celestial mage from her trouble. That is her resolve.

"…And my first step in the right direction."

"Lisanna?"

The youngest Take-Over sibling turned around and saw the last person she expected. "Natsu? What are you doing here?"

"What? I'm not allowed to visit?" the fire mage jokingly asked.

"No," Lisanna denied, a little embarrassed. "It's just that you're usually so busy with your team that we rarely get to talk."

"Well, I'm here," Natsu casually replied. "We can talk now."

The son of Igneel made his way beside the youngest Strauss. He didn't say anything at first, opting to admire the night sky that was painted with stars and the breeze that was caressing his skin. Natsu looked to his side and saw Lisanna just as quiet as well.

They remained that way for a while. Silence permeating the air while being in each other's company. It was awkward, to say the least. Since her return from Edolas, not once have they gotten the chance to talk to each other aside from the casual greetings.

It was maddening.

Gathering all the courage in the world, Natsu finally spoke. "Thank you."

"Huh?" Lisanna uttered in confusion. "What for?"

"For coming with us," the pinkette replied. "For risking yourself to rescue our Lucy and Yukino."

Lisanna smiled. "Of course, I'd do it. Who wouldn't do anything for their friends and family?"

"Yeah. You're right," Natsu agreed.

Once again, they were silent, and just like before, it was deafening. They couldn't utter a single word to each other. It had been so long. Two years where they were separated by space. Fate then had a cruel joke and put them to sleep for another seven. In that time, a rift had formed between them, preventing the two mages from any chance of reconnection. The once inseparable friends were drifting apart.

"What did you mean, Lisanna?" Natsu asked, finally ending the unbearable silence.

"About what?" Lisanna questioned.

"What you said about being left behind…" the dragon slayer clarified. "What did you mean by that?"

She didn't want to answer. It was too personal for her to share. "It's nothing," she dismissed.

"No, it's not," Natsu argued. "The way you said sounded like you were hurting."

The Take-Over mage was surprised. Natsu was never this perceptive.

"I don't want to see anyone in the guild hurting," the dragon slayer said. "I don't like it when someone important to me is hurting…especially you. So please, talk to me."

Lisanna didn't want to talk about it, especially to Natsu of all people. And yet, she relented knowing how persistent the fire mage could be.

"What I meant when I said that I was being left behind," Lisanna began, "…was that since I came back seven years ago, I thought that things in Fairy Tail would've stayed the same."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like everything's moving so fast," the youngest Strauss replied. "Everyone in the guild was moving forward, meeting new people, going on adventures, and growing not just individually but also as a family. It seemed like every time I try to reach out, all of you slip from my grasp. I tried to reconnect but no matter what I do, the only thing I could see are images of your backs moving farther away while I'm frozen in place, unable to follow."

Natsu was at a loss for words. He couldn't come up with any reply as he continued to listen.

"Even with all of you there, it was still different. I felt so alone. I felt so out of place that I thought of leaving the guild." Lisanna heard a surprised gasp from the dragon slayer. "But then, I remembered what Ichigo told me months back."

"What did he say?" Natsu asked after recovering from his shock.

"He told me to abandon my fears," the white-haired girl answered. "He told me to look forward and move without ever stopping. He said that if I let my fears control me, I'll get myself killed. At first, I didn't understand what he meant but eventually, I did. It was never about just physically dying. It was about me dying as a person. My fears, my doubts, and my worries were eating away at me that I was losing who I truly am. I was turning into someone that I'm not and it only made reaching out to you all even harder. With all that, I was left behind."

Natsu could feel the frustration in Lisanna's voice. All this time, this girl whom he came to know as a ray of sunshine, was hurting inside. Behind that smile that he saw every day hid sadness and isolation. He can't help but blame himself for not noticing sooner. If there was anyone in the guild besides her siblings Lisanna was close to, it was him. He should've talked to her; made her feel that she still had a place.

…Made her feel that she belonged.

"I'm sorry."

"What for, Natsu?"

"For not talking to you," the fire wizard replied. "All this time, you felt this way. I should've noticed. I should've done something."

"It's not your fault, Natsu," the Take-Over mage assured. "It's alright. Everyone has to move on eventually."

"It's not alright!" This startled Lisanna a bit. "It's not because we've known each other for so long that I should've seen that you were hurting. You were always so quick to put me at ease when I was anxious or agitated. You always knew what to say. Why can't I do the same for you? It's not right seeing you like this. Hearing you say that you're dying inside reminded me of when they told me you died."

"Oh, Natsu…I'm sorry if my 'death' caused you so much pain."

"When they told me you died, a piece of me shattered," Natsu expressed. "Everything just felt…hollow. I didn't understand what that hollow feeling was so I didn't mind it. Even then, no matter where I go, that feeling of emptiness still lingered. It was only when I found you that it somehow lessened; like the broken pieces were put back together. When you came back from Edolas, I thought that this sensation would finally disappear. I was wrong. Though the pieces were together, there were still cracks that prevented it from completely mending." He then looked Lisanna in the eyes and admired how the moonlight reflected off her innocent face…a face he can't bear to see saddened. "Now I understand," Natsu continued, "…that maybe only by talking to you would these cracks finally heal."

To Lisanna's surprise, Natsu quickly took her hand and intertwined their fingers. This was uncharacteristic for him to do. It made her feel all flustered and worried. Luckily for her, what the dragon slayer would say next would drive those anxieties away.

"If you think you're left behind, then I'll stop moving," Natsu declared. "I won't wait for you. Instead, I'll come running to you. I'll pick you up and carry you on my back. I'll run as hard as I can and as fast as I can so you can join us moving forward. That way, you don't have to worry about catching up because I'm doing it for you."

They faced each other. Natsu's eyes can't help but stare at those ocean-blue eyes that were glimmering under the moonlight. Those eyes, the only pair of eyes that could see his soul.

"…And if we aren't able to catch them, I won't ever leave you." Natsu's two hands raised and held her shoulders tightly. "I don't want to lose you again, Lisanna. That hollow feeling inside me, only you can fill it."

The last words are what finally struck her to the very core.

"…You complete me."

A pool of tears began forming in the corner of her eyes. What Natsu said meant so much to her. This is what she wanted for so long. Two years of separation and seven years of forced slumber. Fate trying to force them apart. Finally, she can mend the bond that was separated by space and frozen by time.

Lisanna broke free from Natsu's grip and hugged him tightly. Her tears now poured furiously as she hid her face on his chest. The dragon slayer's hands crept up the white-haired girl; one found its way on the top of her head while the other was drawing circles on her back. He rested his head on hers as he took in her scent…a scent that he missed for so long.

"Natsu…" Lisanna whispered. Her grip on the one she fell in love with getting tighter. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too…" Natsu answered. Having this girl in his arms, he finally understood what that hollow feeling was.

Longing.

That's what it was. And now with her here, the longing that he had will be finally filled.

They separated and look at each other once more. The son of Igneel had a childish grin as he recalled a fond memory from long ago. "Do you still remember that time when we were kids and were playing house?" he asked.

Lisanna had a bright smile that could rival even the moon. "I do."

"I never thought I'd be the one to say this," he said as he rested his forehead on hers. He closed his eyes and felt the touch of her skin. A memory he remembered that was so heart-warming to him. "Welcome home, dear."

There was only one thing Lisanna could say that would make this moment more special.

"I'm home…"

July 6th.

The final day of the Grand Magic Games. A day filled with jubilation and excitement. This is what everyone was waiting for. With a week filled with incredible magic and emotional moments, the crowd was expecting the best series of battles they could ever hope for. Today, only one guild will be victorious and take the title of the strongest guild in all of Fiore.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it has been an honor spending time with you all," Chapati Lola, now wearing a spiky-haired wig, showed his appreciation for being the announcer of the tournament. "I would also like to extend that honor to my fellow commentator, the esteemed Mr. Yajima."

"It has been my pleasure," the former councilman expressed.

"We also have a very special guest today!" the quirky announcer revealed. "You all know him as the game's official mascot, Mato!"

"Hey ya!" the pumpkin-headed midget greeted.

"Usually, you're in the arena acting as referee but not today!"

"No, sir. That won't be necessary because today is special! Today is the final match!" Mato reasoned. He leaned onto the commentator's booth to get a good view of the arena before saying, "Let's get things started and bring out all the competitors!"

First came Quatro Puppy that took last place with 6 points. Next was Blue Pegasus entering with Jenny Realight as Nichiya's replacement. They got 30 points. Tying in both third place is Lamia Scale led by the Wizard Saint, Jura, and Mermaid Heel confidently arriving in the arena. Both teams gained a score of 40 points. In second place is last year's champions, Sabretooth. Their current line-up consists of the strongest wizards the guild has to offer. Although, the audience did notice the serious expressions the top guild is showing. What they don't know was the tragedy that befell Sting's Exceed companion, Lector, at the hands of Jiemma Orland. This team managed to obtain 44 points throughout the tournament. And finally in the top spot is Fairy Tail with 45 points.

The crowd roared in anticipation of the guild that took the games by storm. From the very bottom of the rankings, the former strongest guild climbed its way to the top with spectacular performances, awe-inspiring struggles, and impressive beatdowns courtesy of its mages. Little did the audience and the other contestants know, they're in for another surprise from the rowdy guild.

"OH MY GOODNESS!" It was clear that Chapati wasn't just voicing his shock but the shock of everyone present. "It seems Fairy Tail is keeping us on our toes with this sudden roster change!"

Four people from yesterday were still participating: Erza, Laxus, Gajeel, and Gray. Everyone expected to see Natsu be part of the final event but instead, they got someone more powerful.

"Natsu Dragneel, the man who beat Sabretooth's twin dragons yesterday, has been replaced by the man who expeditiously defeated the entirety of Raven Tail! Participating in the final match is none other than Ichigo Kurosaki!"

"Very clever of you, Makarov," Mavis praised the wizened mage.

"To be perfectly honest, this was the only real choice that I have," Makarov reasoned. "There was a chance that winning the games would help us get our captured guildmates back through more…legal channels. However, in a situation like this, we must explore every option. We can't put all our eggs in one basket."

Looking down on the arena, all members of Fairy Tail not participating were cheering their comrades passionately. The two masters focused their gaze on their current team, specifically the shihakushō-wearing Soul Reaper.

"With Ichigo on the roster, our chances of winning has risen exponentially," the diminutive master remarked. He recalled how Ichigo managed to win his five-on-one match against raven Tail without even breaking a sweat. "I might even say that he can win this for us all on his own if what Orihime said about his abilities were true."

"Indeed," the childlike ghost agreed. "Still, regardless of who will win this for us, we will be cheering for them to do their best."

"And we will do that with gusto. That's what the public will be seeing. But some of our most capable mages will be setting out on a secret rescue mission."

"A two-pronged strategy. Nicely done."

While the two powerful mages were discussing, the wizards tasked to rescue Yukino have begun to move out. Natsu, Lisanna, Wendy, Mirajane, Yuzu, Karin, and the Exceeds were running across the empty streets of Crocus; their focus solely on their friends held in captivity and the prospect of breaking them free.

"Rushing in while everybody's distracted by the games is smart, but the master's plan hardly covers all the bases," Panther Lily commented as he and his fellow Exceeds follow the people tasked for the rescue.

"It might not be ironclad but it's the best he could come up with on such short notice," Carla remarked.

"So, what's the plan for getting Lucy and Yukino?" Wendy questioned her friends.

"We don't want to attract any attention even when every eye in the entire city is focused on the match," Yuzu stated to which her twin agreed.

"Right. We need to find out how many guards are posted on the prison," Karin suggested. "It'd be best if we could do some reconnaissance before going in there."

"Agreed," Mirajane replied and then looked to her sister. "Lisanna, use your Cat Soul to scout ahead and see how many soldiers we're going to have to deal with."

The younger Strauss nodded and her body was enveloped in a flash of light. Once the light subsided, it revealed Lisanna already in her Cat Soul Take-Over getting ready to go on ahead. She was stopped for a moment when Natsu called.

"Lisanna."

"Yeah?"

"Be careful."

Lisanna smiled at her childhood friend's concern for her. "I will," she replied to ease the pinkette's worry before going ahead.

The final event of the Grand Magic Games will be a 5-person team battel royale wherein the entire city of Crocus will serve as the battlegrounds. Teams will be spread across the city and will choose one member to be the leader. Once the signal is given, they will engage the rival guilds and try to knock out or incapacitate them. Eliminating one member will give a total of one point while defeating the leader of a team will net five points. The only catch is that none of the teams know who the leaders are. This means that a team can score a total of 45 points if they manage to take down all opposing teams.

"Listen," Erza called the attention of her teammates. "We should win this tournament just in case the rescue mission fails. Yukino and Lucy are counting on all of us."

"Let's hope everyone on the rescue team can get those two out of there," Laxus expressed.

"They're not the only ones we're fighting for," Gajeel added.

"He's right," Gray said in agreement. "We're winning this for everyone in Fairy Tail."

"It's the least we could do to thank them," the Lightning Dragon Slayer said while smirking. "After seven years of heartache, they deserve a win."

"So, who will be the leader?" the ice mage questioned.

"Isn't it obvious?" the Iron Dragon Slayer pointed out.

All eyes then landed on their silent member who was in deep contemplation. Ichigo was aware of their chatter and didn't object. He stood up, dusted his shihakushō, and stretched his arms.

"I don't mind being the leader," the reaper stated. "Besides, everyone will be expecting it."

"You seem to have thought this out," Erza remarked.

"I did. Which means that I'll be the primary target of the strongest mages from each team."

"And you're fine with that?" Laxus questioned.

"I am. It just means that I'll be having some enjoyment today…" He gave out a grin that would make Kenpachi Zaraki proud. "…And Zangetsu will finally have his fun."

The flares have risen above the stadium. All teams noticed this and prepared. In a bright display of colors, the flares exploded, signaling the beginning of the event.

The Grand Magic Game has begun.

"We're finally going to know who'll take the crown as Fiore's number one guild."

"It sure looks like it."

Atop a tower in the royal palace, two guards voiced their excitement as the final event of the games was about to commence. With them was a young woman with jade-green hair watching the tournament take place. The guards were there to watch over this woman. The lady in question had a smile on her face.

Noticing her smile, one of the guards said, "You won't find a better chance than this, princess."

The woman turned around to face her guardians to give an order. "I agree. Make ready soldier…and begin the Eclipse II project."

It didn't take long for Lisanna to return and report her findings. There were only a dozen guards posted around the prison. Using their immense speed, Yuzu and Karin managed to subdue all of them without alerting any possible reinforcements. They went inside and began looking for their captured guildmates.

"Can you smell them?" Mirajane asked the two dragon slayers.

"Something's blocking their scent, making it difficult to pinpoint their location," Wendy answered.

"Don't worry," Yuzu assured. "That pendant we gave to Yukino has been filling up with her energy. I can detect where she is right now."

"And if our hunch is right, Lucy should be with her too," Karin added.

"I'm curious," Lisanna voiced out. "What's so special about this pendant you gave to Yukino?"

Yuzu lifted her left hand to show a similar five-pointed cross dangling on a bracelet. "This is a special Quincy cross that's mainly used by beginner Quincies for making spirit weapons. The pendant we gave Yukino was a similar one, only that we designed hers to absorb magic particles instead of reishi."

"So, it was made specifically for Yukino," Carla concluded. This earned the white Exceed a nod. "There must be a reason why you made that pendant aside from just being a tracker."

"You catch on quick," Karin remarked with a grin. "Yeah, we made that artifact just for her. After this whole clusterfest gets resolved, we'll be training her to be the first Quincy of Earthland."

That was sure a surprise.

"We're here."

They all stopped when Yuzu halted in front of a holding cell. In it were their friends who were arrested by the royal army.

"Everyone!" Lucy exclaimed after seeing her guild members outside her cell. "Thank goodness you came."

"Nobody gets left behind in Fairy Tail," Lisanna said with a smile.

"Yukino, are you alright?" Yuzu asked her niece.

The silver-haired mage was ecstatic to see her adoptive family come to her rescue. "I am. Although, how did you manage to get past the guards."

"We just knocked them all out," Karin answered.

The younger Kurosaki twin reached behind her and took a metal rod. She poured some of her energy into it and the object produced a bright blue blade that was constantly making a slight humming noise.

"Stand back," Yuzu told the imprisoned girls.

They did as they were told and once, they were far enough, Yuzu slashed the iron bars with her Seele Schneider. The weapon went through the iron like a hot knife through butter as the bars of metal clattered on the ground. Reuniting with their captive comrades, the rescue team quickly offered the two Celestial mages food and a fresh change of clothes.

"Now we should just have to find a way out of this hell hole," Carla told everyone.

"I think it's best if we find a route that will keep us hidden from the castle sentry," Lily suggested.

"Hold your horses!" Lucy exclaimed while changing into her new clothes. "Those jerks still have our keys. It was Scar Nose who took them." She growled while mentioning Darton. "I swear if I get my hands on that guy, I'm going to give him a grand tour of the Celestial…"

Lucy's rambling and whatever it is everyone else was doing paused when the ground shook all of a sudden. The shaking stopped, putting them in a false sense of relief until the ground they were standing on opened, causing them to fall to the dark pit below.

They landed hard. Natsu was the first to hit the ground, taking the brunt of the fall while the rest landed on him. The twins managed to catch Yukino just in time and made her stand on a spiritual platform they made.

"No fair!" Natsu yelled when he saw Yuzu and Karin floating in the air.

"It's not our fault we could walk on air," Karin casually replied while shrugging.

"That hurt," Lucy cried while rubbing her aching back.

The downed mages managed to regain themselves and examined their surroundings. The Kurosaki twins and their niece landed on the ground to do the same.

They were in a cavern filled with green rocks. They didn't know if it was just the eerie lighting of the place or if the rocks were actually jade crystals. Before they get to inspect further, a voice got their attention.

"Welcome to your permanent holding cell."

The voice sounded like a woman speaking through a microphone. Mirajane, Lisanna, Natsu, Lucy, Yukino, the twins, and Exceeds looked around to see where the voice came from.

"I hope you'll enjoy our special trap."

"No!" Happy refuted.

"Who'd enjoy that!?" Carla spat at the voice.

"Take a good look around," the woman behind the voice ordered. "This is The City of Perdition, also known as the Palace of Death. It's the last taste of freedom for criminals and to this day not a single one has ever escaped."

A light caught everyone's attention, causing them to turn around. The Fairy Tail mages saw a projection of the woman behind the voice. She had emerald-green hair and wore an elegant dress while adorned with what could be priceless jewelry.

"I seriously doubt you'll fare any better, you thieves."

"You have a lot of nerve calling us thieves when your lackeys arrested my friend and my niece," Karin countered with a scowl. "Judging by how you look, I'd say you're a high-ranking official of the kingdom."

"You are speaking to Hisui. E. Fiore, princess of Fiore Kingdom."

"You think we give two shits about who you are!?"

"You dare speak to the princess of the kingdom that way!?"

Yuzu stood beside her twin as they both glared at the image of the princess. "No," she calmly said. "All I see is a spoiled brat with misguided intentions."

And then the twins unleashed their spiritual pressure.

Hisui dropped to the ground. Her breathing suddenly became heavy when this otherworldly weight appeared out of nowhere. The guards beside her weren't fairing any better when they went unconscious.

"What is this force?" she questioned in her mind.

Not once has she encountered anything so overwhelming. She could see the atmosphere tearing itself apart with this unseen power. She looked to her men and saw some were convulsing from the massive pressure while others had their mouths foaming. The sight made her shiver and question whether or not she made the right choice antagonizing the two women clad in black and white on the screen. Just when she felt she can no longer resist the power, it slowly vanished.

Taking a deep breath, the princess looked to the screen to see the siblings glaring at her. "What did you do?" she questioned, fear starting to creep up on her.

"That was just a taste of what the two of us can do," the woman in white replied through the screen.

"Now we know who was behind that massive energy we sensed yesterday," the one in the black robe stated.

Hisui's eyes widened. She never thought people knew of the existence of Eclipse. "You knew?"

"Ever since we stepped foot into this city," Karin answered, liking the reaction from the green-haired royalty. "Now we know your identity. Now we know who was the one behind our niece's unlawful arrest. Mark my words, this won't go unpunished."

"We're coming for you," Yuzu threatened. "You can send all the armies you can muster against us but it won't do anything. You can send your best men and they won't stop us. Nothing you will do can ever prevent us from seeking retribution for what you did to our family."

Karin then said, "We know who you are. We know what you're doing. We will be looking for you. We will find you and when we do…"

Hisui cannot help but listen and hold her breath in fearful anticipation.

"Everything you ever built will fall."

A/N: ModernRogue11 here and yes, I'm setting up Lisanna with Natsu. It's something that I've been planning since I started this fanfic back in May. I'm sure most of you would prefer Lucy instead of Lisanna, but I find Lisanna a better match for Natsu than Lucy. It is just my preference, mind you, and I don't hate Lucy. In fact, I love her character. It's just that I don't want to disregard the shared history between Lisanna and Natsu. To be honest, she should've had a bigger impact on the story since her return. You can't just revive someone who was supposedly dead just to sideline her, especially someone who has a deep relationship with the main male character. Besides, I'm a sucker for childhood friends. Most of all, Lisanna gets so much hate in fanfics that it's driving me crazy. How could you hate such an innocent, caring, and self-sacrificing girl like her? I've seen here in this platform multiple stories vilifying her just because she gets in the way of NaLu. I mean, seriously!? Lisanna's the last person to do some stupid shit like that!

In terms of their character development, Natsu still doesn't see Lisanna as a love interest yet but sees her as an integral part of his being. This is just groundwork for getting them together in the future. One final plot point will be necessary to finally get the two characters together and it will be explored in the later chapters of this arc.

Thanks for all the support you guys have for this fic and as usual, leave your thoughts in the comment section. I always appreciate feedback from all readers and if you have any criticisms, constructive and respectful opinions are preferable.

See you next time!