A/N: this is it, guys. Your final reprieve before things GO DOWN. But don't worry, if you make it through ALL I have planned, you might just be rewarded with something extra fluffy. Also, I'm sorry of this reads a little clunky, I've been suffering with the worst headaches but really wanted to get this chapter published for you guys.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: DAY OF RECKONING
I paced around for hours on empty.
I jumped at the slightest of sounds.
And I couldn't stand the person inside me.
I turned all the mirrors around.
I'm bigger than my body. I'm colder than this home.
I'm meaner than my demons. I'm bigger than these bones.
And all the kids cried, "Please stop, you're scaring me."
I can't help this awful energy.
God damn right, you should be scared of me.
Who is in control?
"Back so soon, Natsu?"
Natsu pinched his nose and sighed. Great. Here again. He was starting to miss those dreamless nights he'd scorned not too long ago.
The faintest blink brought him back into this nightmare, surrounded by breeding darkness. It scurried through the burning village, shadowy figures marching into broken houses, rustling behind old curtains.
Lucy patted his shoulder, offering only the slightest squeeze. "Don't worry," she said. "The vines aren't here. E.N.D. won't stab you this time."
"No. He won't."
Both turned at the sound of Zeref's voice. He looked different than usual. Zeref's smug face was drawn and pallid, his cheeks flushed and scraped, like a man barely surviving the bloody cicatrices of war.
"What happened to you?" Natsu said.
Zeref quirked a brow. "You care?"
"Okay, don't tell me."
Lucy offered a small smile. "Are you going to tell him?"
Zeref shrugged.
"He gave you some more time," Lucy said. "Not much, though. You should be grateful. If it wasn't for Zeref's magic, you'd be running rampant right now."
"You woke me up?" Natsu asked him.
Even in dreams, Natsu was sore from battling it out with Gray. He'd scarfed down more food than he'd ever eaten before, savouring every last bite, wondering if it would be the last meal he ever shared with Lucy.
She didn't say much about her special plans, but her resolve was cemented in her silence. She was planning to die no matter what he said. Which meant Natsu had to become stronger. He had to stop her, no matter what. Even if that meant becoming a demon for the rest of his life. Even if it meant fighting every last mage in Earth Land. He couldn't lose her.
But...
If he gave himself over to E.N.D., if he became a true demon, wouldn't he lose her anyway?
"My head hurts," he muttered.
"You don't have long to live out your carefree days," Zeref told him. "A week, if you're lucky."
Natsu bristled. "A week?"
"Don't worry. Lucy and I have a plan."
"I know. You're going to let her die," Natsu snapped.
Zeref's brows tented. "We don't know for certain whether she'll die or not. It has never been done, but there are anomalies to every rule. She could very well survive all of this. And perhaps then you will see the future you long for."
Natsu's gaze flit to Lucy's. "What do you think?"
She waved her hands. "I'm just a fragment of Lucy's soul. I don't make the plans, just follow them. Although, without me..."
"What?"
"It's just, you know, the Golden Plains."
Zeref shot her a scathing look.
"What?" Lucy returned the glower. "He deserves to know what he's condemning her to."
"People who cross the Golden Plains aren't all necessarily dead," Zeref said.
"If Lucy finds her way there, she won't be able to cross the Auric Bridge. Incomplete souls can't move into a new life. She'll be stuck there." Lucy spread her hands. "When she—when I—rewrote the Book of E.N.D., it was a powerful soul magic that connected us. It's not something I was consciously aware of until I awakened here within your subconscious. Our souls are connected, but only by a fragment. Your Lucy doesn't understand the true power she unlocked when she rewrote Zeref's magic. Our souls are bound no matter what happens. I'll be stuck here until you are both reunited again."
"So there's a chance to save her," Natsu said.
If a piece of Lucy's soul kept her between life and death, Natsu had a chance to bring her back again. He had to seize the opportunity. Even if that meant chasing her across the Golden Plains.
"I see you haven't stopped with those crazy plans of yours." Her tone was insulting, but that sweet Lucy smile had him melting all the same. "You can't just die and go looking for her in the afterlife. This isn't a game, Natsu."
Zeref didn't look convinced either. "Chasing her won't matter in the end. Even if you catch her, she won't be the Lucy you remember. Every step she takes across the plains will claim a memory she holds dear."
So it was a race against time. Natsu could do that. He'd tear apart the very universe if it meant protecting what they had. If it meant seeing her alive.
"Mavis and I are trapped in the Plains," Zeref said sharply. "But we lived exceptionally long lives. We're lucky to recall what we still do."
Natsu froze. "You can't move on? Why?"
"Because you call me here, and Mavis refuses to cross the bridge alone. She worries something will happen to me."
"I don't call you here!"
"Until you see the truth, until you accept it, Mavis and I will never pass on."
"Accept what?" Natsu pumped an arm in protest. "Accept that you were willing to kill me to satisfy your own needs? We're supposed to be brothers!"
Thump.
Natsu's heart pulsed an irregularly long beat. He grabbed his chest, pain filling him like water bursting from a vase. He choked on it.
"You have to move forward, brother. Only then can you ever hope to save her."
Move forward? Natsu grimaced. He was supposed to acknowledge Zeref? But how?
"I already know you're my brother," he said.
Zeref smiled. "This isn't about me. You are the one who can't let go."
Natsu wanted to protest, to scream until his lungs burned, but his heart gave another odd beat. He dropped to a knee, dizziness edging into his vision.
"Perhaps I overestimated," Zeref mumbled.
Thump.
Thump.
Stop.
Lucy touched his shoulder gently. "I'll be here when the time comes. Don't be afraid. Whatever happens, we'll be together. You're in my heart and I'm in yours. That's what matters, right?"
No. No, he didn't want that. He wanted to be with Lucy. He wanted the future he'd seen in Crocus; he wanted to see the face of their child. He wanted to see Lucy's smile every morning and do all the things he'd never found interesting before—kissing her goodnight and buying gifts for her birthday. He wanted to do all of those normal things. All of the boring things he'd once overlooked.
He wanted to buy her a real ring.
"The next time you come here, it'll be over," Zeref said. "Don't mistake this act as kindness."
Natsu toppled onto his side.
I was simply buying Lucy more time.
He woke to darkness. Somebody stirred beside him, but it wasn't the face he'd wanted to see. Juvia glanced up from her arms, blue hair tangled around her face. Her eyes widened when she saw him staring.
"You're awake," she said.
"Where's Lucy?"
"I can start to dislike people, you know," she teased.
Natsu blinked. It didn't really matter what Juvia thought of him, but the words still stung a little. He eased himself upright, familiarising himself with the infirmary again. He could've sworn he'd fallen asleep in the guild hall.
"Why am I here?" he said.
"Lyon thought it best to keep you separated. Lucy stayed with Wendy and Chelia for the night."
"But why are you here?"
"Juvia offered to watch over you while Lucy rested."
Right. Juvia had taken the time to watch over him so Lucy could sleep. He shouldn't be interrogating her like this.
"Sorry," he said. "I don't know what's wrong with me."
Juvia offered a small smile. "It sounds like you've been through a lot. Besides, Juvia is used to the cold shoulder."
Natsu cracked a smile. Of course she was.
"How are you feeling?" she asked him.
"Fine. I think."
"We were all so worried about you. Wendy worked tirelessly to heal your wounds, even those we couldn't see. We weren't sure you'd ever wake up."
"Maybe it'd be best if I hadn't." He said it without thought, and regretted it the moment he saw Juvia's smile fade.
"I know what you're going through, Natsu," she said. "During the war with Alvarez, Invel gave Juvia an impossible choice. If I wanted to live, I had to slay my beloved." She raised her shirt, offering a brief glimpse of the scar underneath. "I understand Lucy. I don't agree with her decisions, but I understand. In that moment, Juvia would rather die than kill Gray. I inflicted this wound on myself to spare him, and also to spare myself the grief of living in a world without him. I would rather hurt myself than see my friends suffer. And when it's somebody you love so deeply, as you clearly love Lucy, it changes everything. She didn't want you to suffer, so she made an impossible decision. It's okay to be angry about it. But don't blame her for doing what anyone in her position would do."
Natsu stared at his hands a long moment, counting the creases of his palms. He'd taken so many things for granted.
"But why is my life more important than Lucy's?" he said. "What right do I have to live if it means someone else should die?"
"It's not always about reasons. If things were reversed, would you do what you had to? Would you choose to save her from pain or let her suffer?"
The mere thought of hurting Lucy sent burning chills through him. Bumps prickled across his arms and neck.
He couldn't think too much about any of this right now. He didn't have long to spend with Lucy. If she was dead set on doing this, he had to make the most of their time.
And then he had to stop her.
But he didn't want their final days to go down like this. He wanted her to remember only the fond memories, to think of him as someone who loved her, not someone who fought her in the end.
Natsu leapt out of bed. His legs melted beneath him like molten lava burning through the floorboards. He collapsed to his knees.
"You might be a little weak," Juvia said. "We gave you some medicine while you were sleeping. A mild sedative, to ensure you didn't..."
Natsu grimaced. "How long until I can walk again?"
"Soon." She crouched to offer a shoulder. "Please, let Juvia help you."
Thump.
Thump.
Stop.
His chest tightened. What was it about feeling so weak that made him long for E.N.D.'s strength? Ever since his fight with Gray, something in Natsu hungered for power, like tasting a new flavour he couldn't recreate.
Ever since the seed tried to kill him, Natsu hadn't been himself. A kindling anger caught flame in the dried up remnants of his heart. His breathing slowed, matching the affected pace of his heart. He'd heard it said that people who died in dreams often died in real life, but this was something else entirely. Natsu felt like he'd just brawled Erza and Gildarts at the same time.
Natsu slid an arm around Juvia's shoulder. She stood slowly and walked him to the guild hall, a small crowd of familiar and unfamiliar faces rising to meet him. It was still early. He bowed his head, more apologetic than he ought to be. It wasn't his fault. Not really.
He heard Lucy's laughter before he saw her standing there, clad in Virgo's handmade suit. Lyon and Gray stood around her, talking in unison with an odd mixture of excitement and concern. Aquarius's key twinkled soft light against her chest. She hadn't noticed him enter.
"I spent a lot of time with texts like this," Lyon was saying. "It's the one benefit of having obsessed over Deliora for so long."
"Well? What does it say?" Gray leaned close to Lucy's face. Natsu felt Juvia tense beside him, but not at Gray's closeness with another woman. He hadn't noticed the beating red marks on Lucy's face until just now.
Lyon took her face in his hands. Natsu's heart gave an odd stutter, beating a jealous rhythm in his chest. He suppressed it, swallowing it down like foul tasting medicine to cleanse the ailing thought.
Thump.
...
Thump.
...
Stop.
"It's a date. Or perhaps a number," Lyon said.
"A date?" Lucy wrinkled her nose. "For what?"
Lyon shared a long look with Gray, the kind of look one had to squint to notice. But it was clear to Natsu, who didn't miss the dance of Lyon's fingers on Lucy's skin. Natsu grit his teeth, trying to push down jealousy's bitter aftertaste.
"I'm not certain. I can't quite make it out." He leaned closer. "'Three'?"
'Perhaps I overestimated.'
Natsu's body clenched in ways he didn't think possible. His muscles twisted so hard they burst to hot, mushy gore beneath his skin. He fell onto Juvia, their bodies tumbling onto the floor. Heads whipped around.
"Natsu!" Lucy and Gray moved in unison.
Lucy helped Juvia to her feet.
Natsu rejected Gray's hand, somehow bitter that Lucy didn't help him first. "I can stand," he said, though it took a long time to prove the words true. He wobbled to his feet, relieved to find his strength returned, though just barely.
"Don't push yourself," Gray said. "Unless you want another beating."
Natsu's lips twitched into an unwanted smile. "Yeah, right. With those puny muscles? Have you even been training?"
Gray rumbled an uncharacteristic laugh. It seemed training in the mountains with Juvia had helped him more than he knew. All those icy walls were beginning to thaw. Too bad he wouldn't be around to see Gray at his finest.
"What's happening in three days?" Lyon blurted.
"It might not be a countdown," Lucy said, self-consciously touching her cheek. "It's an old book. It could mean anything."
She knew exactly what it meant.
"Regardless, while you're here, I expect both of you to be on your best behaviour," Lyon said, his gaze flicking between Gray and Natsu. "We'll have no more fighting. Understand?"
Natsu nodded almost mechanically. Lyon had more in common with Erza than should be possible. They were both pretty steadfast in their roles overseeing the guilds in their masters' absence. And both were oddly frightening in said roles.
For a moment there, Natsu almost missed Erza and her brash punishments. Or was it the thought of never seeing her again that hurt the most? If he stopped Lucy, Natsu would remain a demon. He'd lose everything and everyone he'd ever loved.
"Lucy, your face..." Natsu couldn't finish the words. He just stared at her, red marks bleeding into sentences under her skin.
Her expression soured. "Choose your words carefully," she said.
"N-nothing," he deflected. "Wait, where's Happy?"
"Sleeping," Juvia said. "Poor thing, he was worried sick. He stayed beside you as long as he could. You shouldn't wake him."
Natsu's broken heart mended just a fraction. Happy was his best friend in the whole world. What would he think about all of this in the end? He'd suffered so much on this journey. Natsu had been so obsessed with Lucy he hadn't stopped to think about how all of this might be affecting Happy. But therein lied the problem. Natsu's emotions were heightened every time the seed awakened. It wasn't that he was obsessed with Lucy.
E.N.D. was.
If Lucy died protecting Natsu, all of Fairy Tail would mourn her absence. Everything would change. He'd never see her sitting there at the guild, flaunting her guild—
Thump.
...
Thump.
...
He snatched Lucy's hand. "We need to talk."
"What? Natsu, I'm—"
He dragged her out of the guild.
Lucy sat on a wall nearby, the smooth stone shimmering pearl white in the morning sun. He'd forgotten how radiant she could be with such little effort. Braids of hair, a little longer than when their journey started, fluttered behind each shoulder. She still wore his scarf even though her face glistened with sweat from the sun, the tails swaying loose against the tight-fitting bodice of her suit.
Scant few words left a trace under her skin, lending only a soft redness to her already glowing cheeks. No wonder Sorcerer Weekly marveled over her so much. Lucy really was beautiful.
"If this is about yesterday, I don't want to talk about it. Just forget everything you've heard," she said, the words siphoning all light from the sun and rendering him in darkness.
"It's not about that," he said. He took her burned hand, tracing the ruined mark with his thumb. He couldn't even bring himself to apologise. Something about the sight of it made him feel like things were truly over. It was a sign of the end.
"It was an accident," she said
"No, it wasn't."
Lucy's eyes darkened. "Of course it was. You weren't yourself."
"But I was, Lucy. E.N.D. is a part of me, and that part of me remembers how it felt to take away something you loved. I think I've always known that you're the only person who can stop me. E.N.D. knows it too."
"Natsu, let's not talk about this anymore."
"You needed me, Lucy. You lost Aquarius and I couldn't even keep it together for one night."
That's right. Even though Natsu spent most of his time hiding away in his subconscious, too afraid to see what he might do to Lucy, parts of him belonged with E.N.D. too. It wasn't that he'd been locked away in his mind. He simply couldn't stand to see it. And that's exactly what Lucy had meant when she'd told him to accept it. By refusing to hear what Zeref had to say, by fighting the demon seed, he'd only pushed himself into a corner. And now E.N.D. had nothing standing in his way. If Natsu was going to stop this, to stop himself, he needed to be in control. To be at the forefront of his mind.
But there was something else, something about Zeref...
"I lost Aquarius a long time ago," Lucy said, but the words sat like knives in his ears, piercing Natsu's flesh and dripping hot blood that thumped hard in his thoughts. "And you returned her to me, didn't you?"
'I can't explain it, but I have an odd feeling. I could see a darkness in Lucy that wasn't there before. She looks remarkably like her mother. Too much so. There might come a day when she needs me,' Aquarius had whispered, offering Natsu the broken key Lucy had placed in her care. 'I don't bend the rules for everyone. But should Lucy be in trouble, I might turn the other fin just once. Hold onto it.'
Natsu stared at the broken key now, watched it dangle and sway as she moved. Lucy planted her hands on the wall and leaned forward, inhaling the sweetness of a cool breeze. Floral scents wafted from gardens all across the street.
"Let's go for a walk," she said. "It's beautiful along the river. And there are lots of places to see."
Margaret Town was beautiful, but seeing all the glittering waters reminded him of home. Reminded him that Natsu might never see Lucy balance on the edge of the canal or grin when she saw him watching, waiting to catch her should she fall.
He'd always been watching over her, even without conscious effort. All this time, blindly observing, casually protecting the person he loved the most.
"Whatever you want," he said.
Thump.
...
Thump.
...
Stop.
Lucy stood on the wall and followed it towards the eastern river, where a small wooden bridge connected nearby streets. She hopped off the wall and snagged his arm tightly, squeezing herself against him as they crossed the river. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed, the sound of doubts being shaken free for just a moment.
"We're long overdue for a date," she said.
"A date?"
"Of course. What, you think because we've been intimate you don't have to date me?" she teased, not even the hint of a blush on her face.
The way she said it left him stunned. It wasn't like Lucy to be so forward. Not when it came to things like that, at least. But of course she was in a hurry. She knew they were running out of time.
"Well, I guess we don't really need to go on a date," she said.
"No. I want to." Natsu stopped her. "Let's go on a real date."
Lucy smiled. "Well, in that case—"
"In three days."
The colour drained from Lucy's face. "Natsu. Please."
"What? You don't want to?"
When it was clear he didn't intend to drop the subject, Lucy pulled him into a side street and down a narrowing alleyway. She glanced about for intruders, knowing better than to trust Gray or Juvia to leave them alone.
"I won't let go of the future, Lucy," he said. "We'll be a family. For real. You, me, Happy, and..."
"And?"
He grabbed her hands and shook them hard between them. "Let's have a baby, Lucy."
She spluttered a cough and stepped back, hammering her chest with a desperate fist. "A what?"
"A baby."
Lucy held up a hand, requesting a silent moment with her thoughts. She moved to the wall, mumbling to the shadows rustling against it. After a long moment she twirled back to face him, frustration etched into her ruddy countenance.
"Are you out of your mind?!" she snapped. "We can barely afford to stay at an inn! How are we going to afford a baby?"
Natsu burst into laughter.
"What?" she demanded, fists on her hips.
"You didn't say no."
Lucy's entire body seemed to ignite. She turned away, fanning her cheeks and muttering to herself.
"You know, Gildarts told me that Cana is the greatest thing that ever happened to him," Natsu said. "Though, he said it in a lot more words than that."
"Natsu, Gildarts is..." Lucy shook her head. "I'm not ready to have a baby right now."
"I know," Natsu said.
She turned around. "Are you teasing me right now? I swear, Natsu, that isn't funny! Do you even know how babies work?"
Natsu snaked an arm around her waist. "You don't remember?" he whispered, his own hunger rising to meet the obnoxious heat of E.N.D.'s presence. "Should I remind you?"
Lucy smacked his mouth. "Did you forget where we are?"
Natsu grinned. "You didn't say no," he whispered.
"I think it's very clear what I meant."
"To the baby," he said.
"Wait, are you serious?"
He shrugged. "About being a family, yes."
"Natsu, listen..."
"You know, Lucy, I've been thinking about this for a long time. Not the baby, just, about families. Well, about the baby too. But, that's not the point."
"What is the point?" she asked, clearly hedging between discomfort and sincerity. She wanted to listen to him, but not at the expense of being teased again.
"I spent so long searching for Igneel. And then I learned that I had another family before him. A mother, a father, and a brother."
Thump...
Thump...
Stop.
"Zeref," she realised.
"I couldn't get to know him. I barely even remember my own family. I think a part of me has always known there was something missing, something important. I was so mad, Lucy. I couldn't see anything but my anger. But when that started to fade, I realised something. I miss him. I miss my brother." Natsu placed a hand over his chest. "Under all that hatred, I..."
He couldn't breathe. The mere thought strangled him, overpowering every demonic urge in his body. He was supposed to hate Zeref. To kill him. It was his purpose, his destiny. But he couldn't do it.
"So you finally realised." Lucy smiled. "You're allowed to grieve him, Natsu. He was your brother. And though blood doesn't make a family, a part of you loved him, once. You played together and laughed together. That piece of you is allowed to miss him. It's okay."
"But all of this is because of him. It's because of Zeref!"
Tears came unbidden, traitorous, burning. He hated this. He hated himself so much he wanted to scream and chase the pain away.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
"Natsu, it's okay."
He wiped the tears from his face, refusing to lose himself completely. Suppressed feelings bubbled in his heart, restoring what little humanity remained.
"Lucy, don't hold back," he said. "The next time we fight, you need to do everything you can to stop me."
"Did you forget?" Light winked on her ring finger. "We made a promise. I'll chase you down forever, if that's what it takes."
"I'm going to find a better ring, Lucy."
"What?" She nursed it gingerly. "But I like this one."
"Let's become a real family."
"I swear, Natsu, if you start talking about babies again I'm going to cry."
He laughed at that. "No. Not babies."
He took her hand gently, admiring the ring on her finger, imagining something more refined, more elegant, something perfect for Lucy in its place. He could see the struggles warring in her eyes. Neither of them could fully acknowledge the moment for its tenderness, not when time pushed them closer to an undeserving end.
"Let's get married, Lucy."
Lucy's eyes widened. "What? Right now?"
Natsu laughed. "No. In the future."
"Fine," she said. "But on one condition."
Natsu's heart fluttered. He'd been expecting another rebuttal. "What is it?"
"When all of this is over, you'll do it properly."
He blinked, barely catching her meaning in time. "Wait, is that a yes?"
"That means you have to get on one knee, Natsu. I've always dreamed of a perfect proposal, you know. So, for now, consider it a maybe."
"Oh, I know. I read your diary."
Lucy's mouth opened. "Y-you what?"
"Just kidding."
She smacked him. "You're a jerk."
"Maybe."
She rolled her eyes. "Should I have said yes?"
"Hmmmm. Maybe."
"Hey!"
"This means you have to live, Lucy."
It seemed for just a moment she'd forgotten about their predicament, because the light in her eyes darkened just a smidgen. The truth emerged again with its dark clouds and never-ending thunderstorms.
"I'll marry you," she said. "But no babies. Not yet."
"One baby."
Despite her obvious frustration, Lucy laughed. "In the future. But just one."
"So you'll live?"
"You're full of questions today," she said. "Just stop talking."
"And do what?"
Lucy kissed him. "Please stop talking."
Natsu didn't need to ask questions anymore. He kissed her again, a man at the edge of his life, a man losing control, and Lucy felt it. She moaned against his mouth, fingers knotting hard in his hair, pulling him closer.
They separated for a brief, agonising moment, chests heaving, hands desperate to be on skin.
"I swear, this wasn't my intention when I brought you back here," she whispered.
"Right."
"I'm serious."
"And now?"
She leapt against him, legs swinging around his waist. Natsu shoved her against the wall, crushing his mouth against hers. The world stopped. Time stopped.
Three days.
What was it about death that left people so desperate? So famished for physical touch? He'd never wanted anything as much as he wanted her in that moment.
ThumpThumpThump.
"You make me human, Lucy," he said.
"That's Future Mrs. Dragneel to you," she giggled. "Or should I hyphenate? I'll have to discuss with Levy before I decide."
They knew it was all a lie.
Every promise rolled across the board like a no-faced dice, offering no path, no answers, no thrill. Natsu knew it every time he breathed in her scent, with every kiss of her lips on his skin. That future didn't exist.
They would forget everything now. Forget that demons and horrors lurked within the dark, uncertain future they proclaimed to want. He wanted to forget it all.
And for a brief moment, he did.
Natsu didn't know what to expect when Gray asked for him that night. A lecture, maybe? Another fight? But the face that greeted him wasn't icy cold. It was warm, inviting. The face of a friend.
A brother.
"We should talk," he said.
Natsu stared into the silent guild hall, drunken members sprawled unconscious at Lamia Scale's freshly installed bar. It still glistened with the scent of polish on brand new wood.
"Than talk," Natsu said.
"It's about Lucy."
Natsu didn't so much as flinch. He'd been expecting this, though not in such a tame manner. He'd thought Gray would be angrier than this.
"I don't really know how to say this," he continued.
"Just say it, Gray."
"I don't want to lose her either. You know that, right?"
"Of course. We're friends."
"And that's why I'll trust her on this. I have to." Gray clenched a fist at his side. "My father gave me this power to stop you."
Natsu's instincts kicked in just a moment too late. Adrenaline thumped a hot medley of fear and betrayal. He moved too slowly. Tendrils of water twisted all around him, enveloping him in a soapy-thick bubble. He spun to find Juvia standing in the doorway, tears on her face, hands guiding the shape of her creation. Gray touched the bubble gently, ice creeping along the cold surface.
"I'm so sorry," Juvia mouthed.
Natsu smashed his fists against the translucent barrier. "What are you doing?"
Another figure emerged behind Juvia. Lucy stopped in the doorway, illuminated by dim candles hung from sconces within the wall. Letters swam through her face like creatures lurking beneath her skin, alive and breathing power.
Thump.
...
...
"Are you sure?" Gray asked her.
Natsu's body weakened to Juvia's strange magic. His body sank into the breathable water, his feet lifting, back arching until he floated within his new cage.
Thump.
"We had one day," she said, touching the words on her cheek. "And now we're out of time."
"This isn't right," Juvia sobbed.
"Remember, you have to wait three days," Lucy said. "If you don't hear from Natsu or—"
"I know," Gray's tone fell somber.
...
"Tell Happy I'm sorry," Lucy said. "I don't want to put him through anymore suffering."
"I'm coming with you. We can beat him together," Gray insisted.
...
"Even if we do, what happens the next time? Or the time after that? I'm going to end this," Lucy said.
"Lucy..." Natsu breathed.
His eyelids fluttered closed.
"I'm sorry, Natsu," she said, her voice fading with every sap of his strength. "I don't think I can make our date after all."
Stop.
Song: Control - Halsey.
COMING SOON—–
CHAPTER NINETEEN: NO MATTER WHAT