Hey everyone! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you like protective Lucy over her Spirit's, you'll like this. I'm thinking after the Oracion Seis Arc I might need to do up to 5 more chapters to link it to the sequel, then I'll start working on that one again. Thank s to everyone who reviewed, and yes, her mates, except for Gajeel as he's mot there will see Lucy being awesome, nut he will likely see it in the time after this arc.
Now, on with the story!
He remained swathed in shadows; the umbra shielding his glower from prying eyes. Normally, he would revel in the kid's anguish, and the way the different emotions pulled on her soul; stretching the threads like sky-coloured taffy. He would relish the distinct notes present in the different negative emotions as they swirled around, like a decadent aromatic wine gliding over your tongue. This time was different, however, as despite the turmoil the girl was in, her mind was set. The theatrics were nothing more than a pantomime used to delay, something he didn't appreciate when ultimate power was within his grasp.
Cubellios must have sensed his less than stellar mood because she coiled around him, putting just enough firmness into her squeeze for Cobra to know that she was there, and concerned for him. He looked at the giant snake and his expression softened, the smallest flicker fighting through his barricades to shine at the large reptile. Honestly, he knew that prison break would have been easier than getting a smile from him, so he knew that Cubellios treasured each small glimpse, knowing that she was the only one he reserved them for.
"I'm fine Cu, just want this to speed up," he whispered to her, making the large snake nod her wide head.
Cobra wasn't lying when he said he wanted her to hurry up. This was a serious, not to mention illegal, mission, not some stroll around a fairground. If they lingered, catering to her emotions- which were disingenuous in his opinion- then they may as well go hand themselves over, and kiss Nirvana goodbye. If only Midnight was awake, the slayer thought, sparing a glance to his sleeping comrade. Oh, how he envied the guy right now, not having to deal with this shit and to just stay firmly in his own mind.
Perks of being the favourite Cobra sneered, tearing his eyes away so he could watch as the kid- Winter? Whitney? Whatever, it didn't matter, she was a walking corpse at this point- finally 'decided'.
Despite his newly gleaned annoyance with the Sky Dragon Slayer, the girl's magic was beautiful. The spells smelt like ozone mixed with the fresh wind that was slathered in rain. It was entrancing how it flowed freely through her veins, swirling around her soul and making it iridescent. He watched, intrigued as she moved that magic through the air to Jellal. For a split moment, his own body matched her, his soul mimicking the colours of her sound. Slowly it dissipated, like how a rainstorm turns from thunderous to a mere trickle. Cobra watched as Jellal opened his eyes, the man glancing around before pointedly ignoring everyone and striding out of the cave, a glassy look on his features.
"Cobra, after him," Brain demanded, making the man huff in annoyance before doing as commanded, not feeling like dicing with death by testing Brain.
He made sure to keep a careful distance because despite knowing that Jellal wasn't endowed with supernatural hearing, Cobra wasn't really feeling like getting his hands dirty if he didn't have to. He used his magic to try to hear the man's soul, only to come up against a black wall of nothingness as if Jellal had created a condensed black hole around the cavern his soul should be. Cobra blinked in confusion, positively stunned. No one had no soul, it just was against nature. Sure, some people's souls were dimmed like the flickering embers of a fire, and others were dazzling like the sun, but no one ever had this.
How peculiar. Sure is strange going from pure white and gold stardust to… this, he thought, his mind drifting back to earlier today. Keeping enough focus on what he was doing to make sure he didn't encroach on the man's space- lest he is detected- his mind traveled back in time to earlier that day. During the battle, he had done a cursory glance at everyone's souls, partly to get a feel for their magic and partly out of curiosity. Some were boring and almost bland, filled with typical heroic crap and, in the case of the Trimen's, lust. He internally rolled his eyes at that, and it got worse when he turned to the squat redhead, whose soul he left as quickly as he could, his thoughts about Erza way too graphic for him. The pink-haired girl was mainly focused on her white-haired companion, the boy battling with dramatics from what was so long ago it may as well have been another life. Natsu, the Dragon Slayer and the black-haired emo kid, Gray, were the worst. Their thoughts periodically return to their blonde friend, Lucy.
Now her… she had a soul and a half. Despite the darkness she had experienced in her life it was almost blinding in it's pureness. It looked like a condensed ball of stardust, typical of Celestial mages but hers was unique. It flowed back one way and then the other, as if it got whiplash. It was almost like it had another form of magic weaved in, creating a braid of stardust and whatever else was there. It was gorgeous, both in the brightness and motion, and despite the optimism in it, there was also pragmatism to temper it.
Even while she was getting beaten by Gemini and Angel she was observing, soaking in her surroundings. She drank it in like a sponge, making notes about what was happening. When she saw that Cubellios was tensing to spring, her soul solidified as if frozen by determination and she used all her energy to spring up, charging over to push Erza out of the way.
It had floored him, as if it was him who she had tackled. He checked her soul to see if she thought that this would have saved them both, but what was even stranger was she knew she would be taking the bite instead. The girl just didn't care. The love and logic was so bright in her, that she didn't care if she got hurt, she just didn't want to lose someone else she loved. Not to mention that she knew Erza was more powerful than her, so she would have a better chance against the Oracion Seis than she herself would. The girl was astounding, and despite the fact he was lithely dancing through trees chasing a blue-haired man to find the ultimate power, his curiosity was piqued. He wanted to use his senses to go find her and drink every iota of her soul, committing it to memory. It was almost a shame she would either be dead or dying, removing or dampening her soul. He would have to enjoy the tease he got, because it didn't matter how strong you were, no one survived Cubellios's poison. No one.
Natsu winced at the saccharine smell of poison lacing Lucy's scent. Her scent was usually sweet, but now it was sickly, the smell of death glazing her normally floral smell. He kept running, his nose fixed on Lucy. He mentally thanked Ingeel for helping him develop his sense of smell so acutely, his lessons about how smell lies less than any other sense reverberating through his brain. He was careful to not jostle Happy in his rush, his worry for his little buddy skyrocketing every time he glanced at him. Natsu hated when people he loved were hurt, and although he acknowledged no one worth knowing liked people being hurt, he especially hated it. The lingering fear seeded by Igneel and watered by Lisanna's disappearance. He adored Happy and Lucy, the two moved into his heart and had placed no trespass signs so no one could take their place. Seeing, and smelling, their pain made him see red, and dread to pool in his stomach.
If I was stronger, this wouldn't have happened, he berated himself, his eyebrows furrowed as the toxic thoughts poisoned his mind, as if echoing Lucy's own physical turmoil. He was glad that Carla lingered behind him, giving him space to think and berate himself for his own stupidity.
"N-Natus?" The voice of his little friend cleared the negativity long enough for him to let out a blinding smile at Happy, relief crashing into him like a tidal wave.
"How are you, little buddy? Gave me quite the scare." he tried to joke, the string in his voice giving him away.
"I'm sorry Natsu, where are we going?" he asked, his wide eyes expanding as she cocked his head slightly.
"I'm taking you to Lucy, so you can rest with her," Natsu said, still joking.
Happy frowned, the action making Natsu stop and ask his friend what was wrong. "We don't have time, Natsu, we have to find Wendy so we can heal Lushy," He said with determination, making Natsu stop.
Natsu stared at the little blue cat for a few moments, studiously looking for any signs of him not meaning what he was saying and wanting to turn back. He was met with pure conviction, and couldn't help but smile at how committed his little buddy was. A small part of him considered if maybe he was so determined because he lost Lisanna, and Happy wasn't wanting to lose Lucy as well. It would make sense, seeing that the little blue cat loved both women very much. Knowing he had things to do, Natsu nodded at his little cat, mentally telling his nose to switch to Gray or Erza's scent.
Though considering the blinding ray of cold magic he saw careering down, with the tell-tale scent of clean crisp chill and faint minty smell characteristic of Gray, he should've gone with his sense of sight.
Glancing at Happy and checking Carla was with them, he began running. Not to the source of the magic but the direction it was heading, internally praying to Igneel that he made it on time, before anyone else he cared about got hurt.
Despite her vision blurring at the edges, like she was wearing smudged glasses, Lucy clung onto her consciousness with all her might. She fought against the seductive darkness, picturing it running off her form like water off a duck's back. She had to stay awake, she had to keep the gates open for her friends. They were fighting tooth and nail for her and she was not going to repay them by being weak. Her mother always called her the personification of light, that her determination and love lit the way to a better future. Sure, she was partly named because of their old guild but this was the other reason. And as long as she had breath in her lungs, she was going to keep fighting. For her Spirits, her mother's love and belief in her, for her friends but ultimately, for herself. She would never give up on herself ever again.
She managed to clear her vision right as she saw Taurus swing his Labrys towards Scorpio, his muscles tensing and coiling as he threw it with all his strength. The scorpion spirit was able to dodge and Lucy felt her throat knit together when she saw the eagle Spirit send a solid ball of razer feathers towards the unaware Cow spirit. Unable to think, Lucy managed to sit herself up/ she unknowingly pulled on Virgo and Leo's magic reserves, making them stumble as their magic, which they used to stay on Earthland, flowed into their mistress. She wound her hand holding the whip backward, a strangled scream slicing the air as she moved the hand that was poisoned. Taurus and the others looked over, even the Spirits belonging to Angel, and watched as her whip coiled around the solid ball, and with a tug and unforeseen strength, Lucy pulled the ball away and made it swing harmlessly into the earth. Catching her breath and whimpering at the pain she was experiencing, Lucy sent a liquifying glare at Angel, who was still standing shocked at what the other mage accomplished.
"Don't you ever," Lucy hissed, her voice rising to a crescendo on the final word. "Don't you ever, and I mean ever, try hurt my Spirits again. I will do anything to ensure their safety, even at my own expense, so don't you dare try me," she hissed, her eyes narrowing and the sheer fury glazing over the pain she was still experiencing.
Seeing the shock in Angel and her Spirit's eyes, Sagittarius used that moment to send arrows raining down on Aquila, making him cry out as two pierced his wings and nailed him to the earth. Virgo glared at him and summoned her Earth magic, using it to make his wings, which were the focal point of his magic, along with his hands and legs, sink into the earth, rendering him helpless. As much as he struggled to get out, he was sent hurtling into the Celestial Realm when Loke summoned his Regulus in his fist and punched him squarely in the face, sending a painful jolt through Angel when her Spirit was forcefully returned.
Scorpio was fighting Taurus, trying desperately to keep enough distance to stay out of the Raging Bull's range. The bull was seeing red, his fury and shame at not being able to protect Lucy fuelling his motions. He didn't even react to the other Spirit's sand busters, just walked through the sandy tornado like it was made of soft clouds, not abrasive sand. Pulling his hand back, he unleashed a powerful Tension Max with his weapon that sent the Scorpion flashing back to their world, where the furious expression of the Bull would linger in his mind despite being a world away.
With only Aries and Gemini there, Angel hissed at Gemini to take another form, something stronger and better suited for battle. The twins nodded and shifted into another form, the light melting away to reveal the form of Aquila; the eagle being stored in his mind due to their shared contract with Angel.
Lucy whimpered as another round of pain speared through her body, the astonishing level of pain making her mind blank as her synapse was commandeered. Her spirits shot her worried looks, especially when they saw the wall of sweat dripping down her forehead, and the ugly black ring on her arm that was pulsating where the snake bit her. Angel followed their line of sight and snickered, delighting in the girls' suffering. Not long now and the bitch's keys will be mine. Angel thought, her eyes flashing to Leo. And considering I was cheated out of owning him, it's about time I got my servant back.
Angel smirked and crossed her arms as 'Aquila' flapped his wings, sending an amalgamation of air and sparks to the group. They all dodged, Leo leaping away, Taurus twirling his weapon to make the mixture dissipate, Virgo sinking into the earth as if it was water, and Sagittarius leaping out of the way with surprising nimbleness. Lucy looked on weakly as the Spirits entered a type of choreographed dance, attacking one moment and then fluttering away when the opponent attacked back. It would have been beautiful in any other situation; watching the arrows soaring proudly in the sky, the way Taurus split the Earth with his sheer power the cracks spotlighted by the glowing beams and punches Loke sent their way. It may be the delirium but Lucy couldn't help but smile slightly, making Angel give her an ugly sneer.
"What are you smiling at, you worm?" she snapped, her temper flaring at the other girl.
Lucy looked at her slightly dazed." Oh, I forgot you were there," she said whimsically, her mind a million miles away.
"You- you forgot? About me?" Angel sputtered, her body stiffening and shaking as if her rage shook invisible tectonic plates in her body.
Mentally instructing her spirits to keep the others busy, Angel flew over to Lucy, landing a solid punch to the blonde's face and making her hiss as pain bloomed through her face. She straddled the other girl and sailed punch after punch to her face, adding a few dexterous kicks when she stood up for good measure. She heard Lucy's spirits growling and throwing threats that would make a lesser woman shake with fear, but she just smiled victoriously when the younger girl faded into the waiting arms of unconsciousness, dragging Taurus and Sagittarius into the spirit world as she went.
I have some fun things planned for the next chapter, and a certain blonde-haired slayer may be making an appearance, so keep an eye out for that! Any comments or favs and follows are extremely appreciated, so I wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed, faved, followed and read this story, it means so much to me.
Now, random question, if you were in Fairy Tail universe, what magic would you want to have and why? I'm curious to know. I think i'd want to be a Sound Dragon Slayer or have mind magic, what about you?