Natsu just stared open-mouthed when he saw the downed Oracion Seis member, Lyon and Sherry hovering over him like an angry guard. He just got there in time to hear Lyon explaining that Racer had slow magic, not superspeed, and their plan the entire time. Natsu had to give it to the guy, for a walking living ice cube, he had brains. Probably more so that he and Gray put together.
Thinking of Gray, Natsu looked up just as Gray entered the clearing, his magic swirling around him, transforming him into some kind of winter warrior. It was pretty epic, and Natsu started to wonder if he looked that epic, though considering it was him and Ice Princess, he likely looked more epic, as he was better than Gray in every way.
"Good work Gray, that blast was powerful," Lyon complimented, getting a quirk of Gray's lips in return.
"Not too bad yourself, we wouldn't have won if not for your quick thinking," Gray said, resting a hand on his rival's shoulder.
Natsu was just about to interject when his sensitive ears picked up a beeping. He looked around in confusion, until his nose picked up a putrid rich smell coming from Racer. The man was struggling to get up, ignored by the others. He moved his hand to his chest, and Natsu's eyes widened in realisation. "Move!" He shouted, making everyone duck, Gray in reflex after working with Natsu for so long "Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu called, spewing a twirling cone of fire that went directly to Racer.
The man's eyes widened comically before the roar sent him flying off the edge, right before sonic waves and light pillaged the area, sending the group flying back. Gray groaned as his head slammed into a rock, while Lyon had his arms protectively wrapped around Sherry, holding her to his chest. Natsu held Happy to him, worried the little guy would get more injured. Slowly fluttering his eyes, he came too and saw the group groaning as they adjusted to the blast.
"What the hell was that?" Gray asked, rubbing his head as he sent an accusing glance to Natsu.
"I heard a beeping and a weird smell. His hand was moving to his jacket so I acted on reflex. Sorry if anyone got hurt," Natsu explained, sheepishly tacking on the apology.
Gray shook his head fondly but gave Natsu a grin, earning himself one from the other boy in return. "Can't say I loved being blasted like that, but good job on saving us. We would've been toast otherwise." he said as he heaved himself up, still rubbing the pain spider webbing outward from where his head made it's acquaintance with the stone.
"Thank you for that Natsu, who knows what would have happened otherwise," Lyon said, helping Sherry up.
"Don't sweat it, come one, we better go find the others. Gray, you wanna help me find Erza and Jura while Sherry and Lyon, you want to find the other Trimens?" Natsu asked, getting a nod from all of them.
"What are we waiting for, Luce needs us!" He cheered, darting into the trees with Gray hot on his heels.
Erza and Jura had made steady work, combing the forest. Erza had requipped into her Forest Nymph Armour, one she usually kept at her place but had placed in her Requip dimension knowing they would be going into the forest. It was gorgeous, the top was a sweetheart neckline corset made of oval leaves pointed down, the coils changing from vibrant green, to bronze to brown and made of steel so hard she couldn't be hit. The skirt was long, with a pair of brown short shorts under it, and reached just above her ankles, with two massive slits that went up to her hips coloured a emerald green with a braided root belt double wrapped around her waist and draping down the slit of her left leg. Her hair had been left out with small intricate braids through it, completely straight with a golden headband perched in it, with a large sunflower head on it, the edges wicked sharp. Her feet bare with woven anklets on it, the magic of the armor hardening her feet so she wouldn't get hurt. In her hand she was clutching a large pole with a wicked spear on the end, flanked by two sharp axe heads pointing outward.
She readjusted her grip as they kept waking forward, using the magic the armor gave her to listen to the sounds of the forest. She stayed behind, with Jura ahead using his earth magic to sense any incoming attacks. It was a solid team and they had dispatched multiple dark guilds who came after them, with such precision a surgeon would be envious.
"Do you sense anything?" Erza asked, keeping her tone respectful as she was speaking to a Wizard saint after all, someone in the top echelons of the magic world.
"No, but I'm sure we will find some soon. Let's have a rest for a moment and conserve some magic, you must be getting tired keeping that armor on," he said, and Erza shrugged, not really feeling much strain but not wanting to displease her companion.
She requipped back into her usual outfit and they made their way over to a large tree that took up part of the clearing they stumbled into. Erza had to admit it was pretty, the way the trees braceleted the clearing, with small yellow and purple flowers bunching together in the middle. The sun trickled down upon them, making everything shine in the watery light. She sat down and leant against it, her mind awash with worry. What if they didn't manage to save Lucy? The guild would be devastated, it would be like their heart was removed, leaving them functioning through sheer force of will. Though on a more personal note, it would crippled Erza. She had never gotten along well with other females, case in point Mirajane, but Lucy was like sunshine, able to find the cracks in her armor and sneak through, lighting up the dark cavern and filling it with warmth and light. She was like a sister to Erza, and if she let someone else down, who was just trying to save her, after Simon, she didn't think she would be able to breathe with the cloying guilt that would disable her. Especially Lucy, the girl she thought of like a sister.
"Erza," she heard a stern but kind voice say, ripping her out of her reverie. "We will find Wendy, or if we have to, we will force Cobra to save her. Either way, she will be fine." He said formally, his conviction relating to his elemental power- hard but fair.
Sighing, Erza ran a hand through her long hair, internally wincing at the split ends. Lucy will not like those, she will throw Cancer at me as soon as she notices, she through, a sad smile forming on her lips as she remembered the last time the younger girl did that. "I know she will be, she is tough. Though it still hurts to know that she is like that because of me. If only I had been faster," Erza said, trailing off.
"There is no point in thinking about if onlys, that will just distract you from now. Lucy needs you to fight for her, while she can't for herself. You need to be strong Erza, you need to be Titania right now, not Erza," he said, sparking a reaction from the girl.
Of course, it makes sense. I need to become my warrior self right now, not Erza the girl who cares, but Titania, the woman who gets things done. She returned her gaze to Jura and nodded firmly, the fire returning to her eyes. "You are right, sir Jura. Now is not the time for my remorse, it is a time for action." she said firmly, slipping seamlessly back into fighter mode.
Jura smiled in approval, but before he could respond the earth morphed under them, transmuting itself into liquid. It sloshed around them, pulling them under as if they were caught in a rip. It surrounded them, making them flail around as if they were rag dolls, not a Wizard Saint and Wizard Saint to be. The sky was blocked off by the sludge, and Erza couldn't make heads or tails of where they were. Growling in frustration, she rifled through her mind, trying to figure out the best armor to get out of his mess. Figuring out the right one, she called out her catchphrase, and the magic transformation occurred, leaving her in her Wind God Armour.
Erza held the ornate broadsword and slashed at the liquid earth, creating a hole large enough to get through. Seeing where Jura was, she slashed at the space near him, and without looking back flipped out of the magic, requipping into her Black Wing armor and with a flap of her bat-like wings, shot off into the sky so she could observe her attacker. A cursory glance, she saw that Jura had escaped, though considering his magical level that was of no surprise.
"All you need is money!" a loud voice proclaimed, drawing Erza's attention to the portly redhead form the Oracion Seis.
Makarov sighed as she sipped his beer, his mind resting with his children. He hated staying on the sidelines, he desired more than anything to be with his young ones. Sure, he knew they were powerful in their own right, but that didn't stop the protective instinct from raring inside him. It didn't stop him from wanting to wrap his arms around them and hold them to his chest, to use Fairy Law to obliterate everyone that could ever hurt them. Unfortunately, he needed to keep his magic ready, not drain it all in one attack. With three of his heavy hitters away- he had to swallow back the bile that rose at him not including Lucy in that, even in her own mind- he needed to stay ready. Gajeel and Juvia were on recon, Cana was out with Elfman, Bisca and Alzack on another mission of great importance, and Laxus… Laxus wasn't here.
"Master, are you okay?" the soft voice of Mirajane asked, making the master look up from his mug.
Normally her beauty would be enough to cheer him up in an instant, but right now he was too glum. "I'm a well child, just worried. I can't help but worry that this is bigger than we know right now, and it fills me with fear." He confided, knowing the mage was powerful and could bear his burdens with ease.
"Perhaps it's time to call Gildarts and Mystogan home, we could use the help as our S class mages are decreasing in numbers," Mirajane said softly, tactfully avoiding his grandson's name.
signing for the umpteenth time, Makarov had to agree with her, their numbers were decreasing. "Very well Mira. While the members are so limited, have you considered returning to mission work?" Makarov asked, looking at the woman carefully.
She aerated her eyes, hands busy wiping an already clean mug. "I'm not sure master, after everything that happened with her, I'm not sure if I should," she sighed, the pain clear as day on her features.
Makarov felt his heart ache for the girl, knowing how much she was hurting. He reached over and gently moved the mug from her hand, taking both her hands in his. "Mira, I know that you were hurt, we all mourn her with you. We may not feel your pain exactly as you do, but we share it with you, as is the Fairy Tail way." he paused to let his words sink in. "She wouldn't want you hiding behind a bar or camera, she would want you doing what you do best, protecting Fiore. If you are anxious, I could help you train, and you could even choose members to make a team with, until you get your confidence back," Makarov suggested, looking at the trembling girl.
"W-who would want to work with a demon?" she whispered, her words fractured from pain.
"I know two people without a doubt." He said, his words brokering no argument. " your brother for one, and Lucy for another. That child will see you as you, not as the Demon Soul. So before you write off the guild my child, remember, that even if there are some who may be wary, there are many others who will stand by your side, not out of obligation but out of love," he fished, and Mira looked up at him, her lower lip trembling.
"How about this, my child. I call Mystogan and Gildarts, and you consider whether you would like to try with missions. There is no requirement for you to say yes, just consider it. What do you say?" he asked, his eyes shining with grandfatherly affection.
Mira was torn. Her head was saying one thing while her heart was violently disagreeing. The guilt she felt for letting her baby sister and baby brother down had festered into something ugly, disfiguring her confidence into a desire to hide. She looked into Master's eyes and could see she knew this, he wasn't pressuring her to decide, he was simply giving her the safety net she needed to have the confidence to try.
Mira smiled and gave him a small nod, a small smile on her face. Makarov smiled and removed his arm, telling her with his eyes he was proud. Without another word he slid out of the seat, leaving Mira smiling slightly after him.
She was keeping her end of the bargain, so it's time he kept his. He had S class mages to wrangle.
Erza is such a softy under that armor. I love her and Lucy's relationship and wanted to take a minute to delve into her having a second friend risk their life for her would impact her. Next chapter will be Lucy, and Angel will finally be defeated. It'll be an emotional one so get ready for that!
As always, I hope you enjoyed and see you next time!