The hot air whirled around Lucy, twirling her hair around her flushed face. She clasped a hand to her mouth as the scene before her seeped fear and hurt into every fiber of her being.
Who could have done such a thing? She thought in horror before running to her comrades side's, all fallen before her with cuts and forming bruises covering their bodies. She skid to the closest member near her.
"Gray!" She yelled, slightly raising his head to lay it on her lap. She smoothed back his hair soothingly, only to find her hand streaked with blood. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at the crimson pigment shimmering in the sun, her whole being going numb.
"Lucy..." He murmured, keeping his eyes closed. She burst out into tears as she heard Gray's raspy, terrified voice, once so strong and confident.
"Yes, it's me, Gray." Her voice cracked as she wiped away a tear that fell onto his face.
"You have to stop him." He said faintly.
"Stop who?" She asked desperately, clutching onto him. She had to avenge her comrades. Gray's lips moved but she couldn't make out what he was saying.
"What?" Lucy asked, turning her head and bringing it close to Gray's mouth to hear him. But instead of telling her her much needed answer, he said faintly with a small chuckle before passing out, "Your hair is tickling my nose."
"Gray?" She whipped back her head to look at him. "Gray!" She yelled, her voice shaking at his name. She smoothed his hair back again and caressed his face, hoping- no, begging that the gentle movements would at least make his eyes flutter open for one second. Even a twitch of his hand would do. Anything to let her know he would make it through this.
She pressed her forehead against his and then thrust her head back and let a blood curdling scream erupt from her as sob after sob racked throughout her body.
She reached a shaky hand inside her pouch and held out a key. It trembled in the air as Lucy mumbled, "Open! The gate of The Virgin! Virgo!" Within seconds, the pink haired celestial being appeared.
"Prin-" She began but stopped mid word as she saw the scene before her. "Princess!" She exclaimed, running to Lucy's side, placing a hand on her arm while the other wrapped around Lucy's shoulder's. "What is wrong?" She asked worriedly. Her face was somber, but when she lifted her head up and took in her surroundings, she gasped in shock and her face fell to utter outrage.
"Virgo..." Lucy said in a raspy tone, bringing the spirit back to her attention. "We don't have much time. We have to save them." Lucy looked up at Virgo with tears sliding down her face.
"Right." Virgo nodded affirmatively. "What do you want me to do, Princess?"
"Take them back to Fairy Tail. Wendy's there. She could heal them. She has to." Virgo heard Lucy's voice get more hysterical with each word she uttered.
Virgo quickly, yet gently, took Gray from Lucy's grasp. She could not stand to she Lucy suffering like this. She would do whatever she could to make her smile again. "Yes, Princess." She said before diving down into the ground.
Lucy stared at the hole a while longer before something glinting in the corner of her eye caught her attention. "What the?" She muttered, awe struck by the dome of what looked like to be ice. "What was Gray thinking?"
She walked up to the ice dome and rested her hand on the cool surface. She pressed her face against the dome to get a better look inside and gasped in shock. "Juvia!" She pounded against the ice in hopes of breaking it. "Juvia!" She yelled again, her hand throbbing from the blows. She didn't care though, getting to Juvia was the most important thing right now. Even if Juvia looked like she wasn't hurt too badly, she had to reach her. "Agh!" She cried out in frustration, thrusting both her fists against the ice and resting her head against one of them. She grabbed another key from her pouch. "Open! Gate of The Bull! Taurus!"
"Moooo! Yes Ms. Luuuucy?" He bellowed, ax ready at hand.
"Break that dome!" She commanded, pointing at the cursed object in front of her.
"Right away, Ms. Luuuucy!" He raised the ax above his head and sent it crashing against the ice. It didn't leave even a scratch on it. Taurus's eyes bulged out of his head. "What is thiiiiis?" He roared, lifting the ax above his head and smashing it on the dome again. Nothing.
"I'm so sorry, Luuucy." He apologized. "My ax isn't doing anything." He downcast his face in shame at failing her.
"It's okay, Taurus." Lucy gave a small smile. "You tried." She reassured her celestial spirit, closing the gate of The Bull.
Virgo popped out of the ground. "Gray has been safely delivered to Wendy." She reported.
Lucy sighed in relief. "Thanks, Virgo."
"Do you wish to punish me, Princess?" Virgo asked.
"NO!" Lucy yelled. "Not now, Virgo..." She whispered, her face clouded with sadness. "Please..."
"I'm sorry, Princess." Virgo said in remorse.
"Virgo, can you please drill under this dome and bring Juvia to me?" Virgo nodded and returned with Juvia clutched to her chest within seconds. Lucy ran to Juvia and gazed down at her, relief flooding through her when Juvia's eyes opened. Juvia in a moment of panic at her surroundings pushed against Virgo and landed with a thud on the ground. She immediately jumped to her feet and when she saw Lucy, she grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Where is Gray!" She demanded, worry lacing her face. "Where is he?!" She yelled, whirling around to start looking for him. Lucy grabbed Juvia's arm mid-step.
"He's fine. Virgo took him to Wendy."
Juvia pressed a hand to her mouth and tears flowed over it. "H-h-he saved me!" She wailed in anguish. "Gray risked his life to save me." She tugged her arm out of Lucy's grasp and rested it against her side, balling her hands into fists. "He's an idiot!" She yelled up to the heavens. "A big idiot!"
"What happened?" Lucy coaxed gently. Seeing Juvia act like this was heartbreaking.
"We-we were fighting together and I was about to get blasted but Gray grabbed me and took most of the blow himself. The last thing I remember seeing was him lying on the ground, reaching his hand out towards me and yelling my name." She gasped when more of her memory returned. " That's right! After he blasted us, he came after me again. Gray used the last of his magic to engulf me in this dome to protect me!" Her voice became hysterical as the memories came rushing back to her. She fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands.
"Gray." She uttered, her shoulders shaking as she cried.
Lucy slowly walked towards her, resting a hand on Juvia's shoulder. "You need to rest up. Let Virgo take you to the guild. That's where Gray is right now."
Juvia shook her head. "No." She whimpered.
"Why not?" Lucy asked in surprise. Juvia never gave up a chance to see Gray.
Juvia looked up at Lucy with sadness filling her eyes and her lips trembled. "Why would he want to see the person that put him in his current condition?"
"Oh Juvia," Lucy began, kneeling down next to Juvia and gathering her in her arms, stroking her hair. "He did what he did because he cares for you. He'd smile because you're safe. Now go and let him worry about one less thing."
Juvia nodded slowly and Virgo picked her up.
Wendy stood above Gray, hovering her hands over his wounds. When Virgo brought him to her, she didn't even know where to begin.
Gray's chest slowly rose and fell, his ragged breathing echoing throughout the guild infirmary.
Wendy's face started to get grim as she continued healing him. Oh Gray, what happened to you?
"These boys of Fairy Tail are so reckless." Carla stated, crossing her arms.
"Carla..." Wendy warned.
"I'm just saying. Look at him! He can't even breath properly!" She exclaimed, shaking her head as her face softened in sorrow.
Beads of sweat formed on Wendy's forehead as she strained to heal him.
"Don't push yourself too much." Carla scolded. She knew Gray was no longer in any danger. Wendy's immediate action upon his arrival at the guild stabilized his condition.
"Gray. Natsu. Lucy. Erza. Everyone in the guild always gives it their best. They were all there for me when I needed them." She turned to look at Carla with tears brimming on the edge of her eyes, she wanted to give it her best too. "Now Gray needs me!" She burst out, the tears overflowing. Her hands shook above Gray as she continued healing him.
Carla's mouth fell open at her outburst but then turned into a small smile. Wendy was sure growing up.
Virgo popped up just then with Juvia in her arms. "I have brought another comrade." She stated, gently letting Juvia down on her feet. She kept an arm over her shoulder in order to help walk Juvia to Gray's bedside.
Juvia fell to her knees as soon as she got besides Gray and held his face. "Gray..." She rested her head against his chest as she wrapped her arms around him as best as she could. The thump of his heartbeat brought a rush of relief through her. At least he was still alive.
She looked up at Wendy. "Thank you for saving Gray." She wept. This time they were tears of joy. She slightly jumped when an arm wrapped around her, weakly squeezing her.
"Mmm..." Gray muttered. He slowly fluttered his eyes open, taking in his surroundings. Juvia laid on his chest with wide eyes. He was awake and holding her. Her mood did a 360 and she started to blush.
"G-Gray!" She stammered. "You're okay!" She rejoiced, raising herself to take a look at him.
A smile spread across Gray's face as he pushed back a stray strand of hair behind Juvia's ear, cupping her face in the process. "Glad you're safe."
Juvia's eyes widened again, and when she recovered from the shock, she gave a grin that could rival Natsu's.
Lucy continued across the battlefield in disgust until she stumbled upon another of her comrades.
"Cana..." She whispered, bestowing a look of pity at her mangled body. Kneeling beside her, she ran a hand down Cana's arm and clasped her hand. Around her lay Cana's scattered cards. Lucy noticed that some of them were either half burnt, or still burning. Dread started to form within the pit of her stomach. But before she could dare think of who was the cause of all this, Virgo appeared again. She carefully picked up Cana, trying to avoid stirring such a tattered body. Lucy held onto Cana's hand until it slid out of her grasp as Virgo burrowed her way to Fairy Tail.
Lucy tore her eyes away from the spot Virgo was. When she turned her head, what she saw next made a lump form in her throat. There lay Erza, her Heaven's Wheel armor lay broken, the metal bent in odd ways. The once glorious lacquer of her armor hidden by streaks of blood.
"Erza..." Lucy gasped before running to Erza's side, kneeling besides her. "You overdid yourself." She muttered sadly. Erza's eyes shot open and she pushed herself up in a fighting stance. In the process of getting up, one of Erza's swords sliced Lucy's face. Lucy cried out in pain and cupped a hand to her cheek.
"I apologize!" Erza exclaimed when she saw the blood dripping down Lucy's face. She stumbled when she tried to walk towards Lucy. Before she could hit the ground, she flung her sword into the barren earth, leaning on it. "I failed them..." She muttered angrily.
"I failed my comrades!" Erza yelled in anguish. "I especially failed Natsu." She sobbed, wiping away her tears.
"It's no-" Lucy tried comforting her, but she was interrupted by Erza. "Lucy," She panted, the strain of trying to stand taking its' toll on her. She paled by the second. "You have to stop Natsu." She pleaded. "You're the only one left." She gritted her teeth against the pain.
Lucy took a step back in shock, her eyes wide in horror. "You- Natsu would never hurt his comrades!" She yelled in denial.
"You're right. He never would." Erza half smiled at the thought of Natsu ever hurting a comrade.
"Then why?" Lucy asked, trying to keep her throat from closing as fresh tears started to form.
"It's not Natsu's actions." She said carefully, looking up at Lucy to see if she understood what she was saying. "Zeref did something to Natsu with that book of his. Natsu tried to fight it," Erza shook her head in distress, "But Zeref kept going until Natsu couldn't resist anymore." A tear fell down her face. "Then that's when all this happened." She whipped her head up and stared at Lucy with urgent eyes. "Go! Save him!" She stressed.
Lucy's face hardened and she nodded in determination.
Just then, Virgo popped up and helped Erza stand. "I'm counting on you, Virgo!" Lucy yelled over her shoulder as she ran to find Natsu. "Take care, Erza! She said softly.
Her comrades lay hurt on the battlefield. The very people she laughed and cried with. The best moments in her life happened because of them. Anyone that dare mess with her guild would regret they ever crossed paths with her. She would save Natsu. She would avenge her comrades. She would not let anyone drag Fairy Tail's name through the dirt. She is a member of Fairy Tail and bares the insignia proudly.
"I'm coming for you, Natsu! Because I'm all fired up!"
~*~*~*~* Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It feels so good to write again. Please let me know what you think, so I can get all fired up for writing the next chapter! c: Ahaha, I'll never say that again. Any who please vote/comment! :)