#genavere

Summary:

Flames from the torches flickered in their depths, captivating and reminding him how far he had fallen for this woman. Brushing back some escaped strains of her hair behind an ear, he let his fingertips trail over her skin. "Every Lucy I have ever met has gained my trust over any Rogue that might try to convince me otherwise."

A moment of time before the Eclipse Gate was opened. Where Gray had gone with the rescue team to find Lucy, and stood by Lucy in those fateful moments.

Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, Mentions of Canonical Character Death, Communication, Thoughts of Self-Sacrifice, Tender Moments, The Guild Awards Secret Santa Gift Exchange 2024, Artwork, Not Beta Read

Notes: Merry Christmas, @classysassy9791!

The idea for this went from really wild to just…a short almost character introspect, but I am pleased where it went, even if it is not as epic as I originally hoped. I purposefully did not re-watch the anime around this scene so I was able to mold it how I thought it could be.

Hopefully, you enjoy it and the feels between GrayLu.

BTW, Btw, the picture also changed quite a bit due to how the story turned out, and it took me forever to get it to actually show up. The image link kept breaking.

AO3

-------------------------------------------------

Lucy Heartfilia was dead.

Not his Lucy, no, but a different Gray's from a future that they could still possibly find themselves in. Where all hope for humanity had come down to a woman traveling back in time to give warning.

A woman who died when someone else from the future delighted in that wretched antagonism that they could revel in. It took a sick freak to think the destruction of civilization and the death of their friends was worth a future of self-importance.

Yet, as he had watched the blood clog Lucy's mouth—not his Lucy's—and pool under her, he vowed that no one would get passed him to harm his Lucy. Whatever happened to the Gray of the future, if he still lived or not, he promised that version of himself not to let anything else happen to the women they loved.

That was how he found himself standing next to Lucy and Wendy, surrounded by the military of the capital, with Princess Hisui and her personal guard standing before the gate that would bring their salvation. Their friends and the other guilds who had all gathered for the Grand Magic Games were off preparing themselves for the coming onslaught of dragons elsewhere in the city, while the civilians were evacuated.

Everything had begun to work like clockwork. A well oiled machine with enough Ethernano to run each part without flaw. But something nagged at the back of Gray's mind about the whole thing: The games had been being used to power the gate for the last four years or so, but neither Lucy nor Rogue from the future had mentioned being arriving any earlier than the current games.

Why had the royal family been using the games for the last few years as a means to power the gate? Had they suspected something would happen during the eclipse? Had they wanted to use the gate for nefarious reasons themselves?

He frowned, tuning out the orders being shouted around him, the metal clanking of guards rushing to their positions, the scent of torches being lit for better lighting. Nothing was making sense, and he hated when that happened. Cold logic suited him better than standing around trying to understand the motives of everyone else. At least Natsu wasn't there to say stupid shit that would just piss him off further.

"Lucy—" he started, wanting to warn her of the growing doubts settling heavily in his gut.

"Yeah, I know."

Still, Lucy did not turn to face him, focused entirely on the massive gate, shoulders tense. If they survived—no, Lucy would survive tonight—he would make certain to massage her neck and shoulder muscles.

"What's wrong?" Wendy asked, voice quiet enough that only the three of them heard.

"Something's off about this whole thing. How is a gate supposed to be a weapon, unless something comes out of it. Kinda like Lucy's gate keys," Gray said. "All of this reeks of manipulation, or some darker purpose. If the Lucy from the future did try to stop this from happening, then she had a good reason to."

"Gray?" Lucy turned, soft, brown eyes gazed up at him.

Flames from the torches flickered in their depths, captivating and reminding him how far he had fallen for this woman. Brushing back some escaped strains of her hair behind an ear, he let his fingertips trail over her skin. "Every Lucy I have ever met has gained my trust over any Rogue that might try to convince me otherwise."

"Guys…!" Wendy's voice strained, higher in pitch.

"Don't worry, Wendy," he said, turning to look at the young Dragon Slayer who he considered a little sister. "I doubt any of us will be able to convince them to stop this madness, but we will do our best to keep everyone safe."

"We should at least try to stop them," Lucy argued, lips pursed tight.

They all turned to look at the young Princess Hisui, dressed in military armor that shone like the stars her powers commanded. A cloak with fur-lining stretched over her shoulders and over the back of the horse she sat astride on, giving her a better advantage over the soldiers she commanded. Beside her, on a much larger horse with armor plating of his own, Arcadios, Chief Holy Knight of the Cherry Blossom Squadron, gave his own orders, not once undermining his princess'.

Neither of them were incompetent, both highly skilled in matters of state and military, but Gray could not help but feel that there was some sort of darker play going on. Similar to watching a play with puppets and knowing someone pulled the strings. Who that person was, he didn't know, but he could feel the tugs. The gentle hints to go this way or that without being given a reason why.

No, there would be no way they could tell them to stop this madness. Instead, Gray felt a compulsory draw from deep within himself to take Wendy and Lucy far away from this place. The others could catch up if they could get a message out. If they were willing to abandon the capital, but knowing their friends, they would stay and fight to the death.

Gray took a glance at Lucy and sighed. There would be no way he could drag her away, either. Their guild was nothing if not filled with a thick-headedness that rivaled the fabled legendary creatures of ages past, and the sheer stubbornness of confident drunks. Both things their guild were well known for—or had been, seven years past. They'd make quick work of regaining that reputation if they managed to survive whatever was going to happen.

"We should find someplace safer—"

"No," Lucy cut him off, stubborn as the goat she held the key of. "The Princess has all of our keys and will use them to open the gate. I won't leave my spirits."

"Lucy—"

"No, Gray." Her eyes narrowed, and he felt the need to swallow. This woman had no idea the effect she had on him. It was a good thing he hadn’t stripped himself of his pants—a small pat against his leg confirmed he still wore them.

Little miracles. Now they just needed a large-scale one.

"What's the plan, then? We can't take on the whole royal army, and unlike Natsu, I rather not attempt it while so heavily outnumbered."

"I don't know if there is anything we can do," Wendy admitted, voicing what they both knew. "If a gate can only be a gate, then when they open it, something will come from the other side."

"And eho knows what could be on the other side," Lucy added, crossing her arms. "Unfortunately, fear will make anyone unreasonable, so they won't listen to us. This whole situation could have been avoided if I hadn't been captured."

"Don't do that to yourself, Lucy," Gray said. "That leads down way too many what-ifs and blame games, trust me on that. The crown wanted your keys, and they were going to take them one way or another. Force or otherwise."

"Gray's right, Lucy, and none of us would ever blame you for something out of your control." Wendy took Lucy's hand, squeezing it, "And I never want to see you the way I did earlier…"

"Agreed."

Lucy glanced between them, worrying her lower lip gently with a hint of hesitancy Gray hadn't seen in her since Phantom Lord attacked. It pissed him off. Any celebrations they should have been celebrating had been turned into this, and witnessing a Lucy, who had risked everything to warn them, bleed to death.

Would they even be able to make it back home, he wondered, frowning. After sleeping for over seven years and struggling to find their place in the world again, they had to solve another issue when they should have been able to relax. How pissed off would the old man be if they weren't able to receive the winnings depending on how everything played out?

A red hue crept over the city like a blanket as the lunar eclipse moved into place.

"The time has come!" Arcadios' voice bellowed over the courtyard and the sound of armor clinking together as soldiers readied themselves followed. "Keep prepared for any signs of dragons that might appear and sound the alert immediately once spotted! Our Princess will ensure the weapon is ready to be used."

Cries of acknowledgment sounded. Chain mail shifted and rubbed against plate mail, leather boots pounded the once immaculate grass into mud and tracked it into the brick foundation.

Gray watched both Princess Hisui and her knight dismount from their horses and moved to stand in front of the Eclipse Gate, both of their capes dragged behind them and added to the importance of the moment. The one that would change everything.

If Lucy or any of them tried to bring a halt to this, they would be silenced—either by command or force. The Rogue that Natsu stayed behind to fight had claimed the Lucy of his timeline had kept them from opening the gate and the dragons had still attacked, but it didn't make sense. Where would an army of ten thousand dragons come from if not from the gate itself?

Scenarios and ideas ran over and over in his head, trying to find a solution to this predicament. Somewhere for him to keep his Lucy and family safe. Then, a single idea came forth, one he hated immediately, but—

If Princess Hisui, with all the golden celestial keys, were encased in a block of ice like Deliora had been, no one would be able to open the gate unless they were able to gather the power of the moon drip. And even if they did, both Gray and Princess Hisui would be dead, and the current threat—hopefully—would be eliminated.

Maybe, after going through his effects afterwards, Lucy would finally received the necklace he had bought for her the night before they left for Tenrou Island. The one he had been too coward to give her.

Lucy would be without her golden gate keys, sure, but she would be alive. Let her be pissed, it wouldn't be like he would be around to listen to her yell at him. And Natsu, Erza, Wendy, and the rest of the guild would be there to keep her safe.

Now, if only he could get into position to cast it—

"Whatever you are thinking," Lucy's voice fell an octave, a clear indication of her anger, "you better stop that train of thought right now."

"Ha, Lucy, I wasn't thinking—"

"I know you weren't. Now, put your pants back on."

"What the hell?!" Lucy shoved the discarded garment into his chest and led Wendy ahead as he hurried to put them back on. "Wait, Lucy!"

"I don't want to hear it, Gray!"

"Just hear me out, will you!"

"No!" She spun around on him faster than he had expected and shoved a finger into his bare chest. "You listen to me: I watched myself die earlier today. I have my own blood on my hands, under my fingernails. I can feel it flaking off my clothes every time I move. I will not watch you die, too!"

"How do you know what I was thinking?"

"Any time you think about using that horrible spell your teacher used, you get this look in your eyes. Like your soul has frozen over and you are backed into a corner," she cried, eyes glossy and red with tears swimming. Behind her, Princess Hisui's voice rang out, but he couldn't pull out any of the words issued. Couldn't comprehend the spell she was casting to open the gate.

"You are always ready to throw away your life, Gray!" Lucy continued, the world around them narrowed down to this moment. "Have you thought about how the rest of us would feel if you did that? How did you feel when you watched Ur shatter and dissolve into ice? Have you ever been able to move on from that night?"

Memories of Ur standing there, one leg missing and replaced by bloodied ice, a fissure splitting through her frozen eye and spreading down her face even as she smiled. Always chasing that last bit of ice shards that formed around Deliora, both figuratively and literally.

The sad truth, he knew, was that he had never been able to move on. Not even after beating the truth of the situation into Lyon and watching the ice that had once been their teacher melt away. He had always felt that her ultimate spell would be his doom one day, as well. A right of passage for all those who dealt with ice maker-magic.

If he was able to save Lucy and everyone in the city by sacrificing himself, why shouldn't he? One versus however many mages and—

"You're doing it even now!" Lucy accused, rightfully, her finger turning into fists that beat against his flesh. "How can you expect me to accept your death when you haven't kept any of the promises you've made? After I lost my father? Are you this heartless, Gray?!"

No, harming the woman he came to love had never been his goal, desire, or even a want. Doing any of that to his Lucy especially hurt.

The other Lucy never said what happened to her Gray, never really said what happened to anyone expect that most, if not all of them, were dead. Had the other him tried to do something similar? Could he have actually gone through with his plan, had frozen the princess, which left them unprotected and vulnerable?

All he wanted was a future for his Lucy. To keep her safe from the other Rogue that had already tried to kill her, and from whatever threats coming their way. That included a murderous wave of thousands of dragons that were set to appear out of nowhere. Whatever he could do to save her, he had to try.

"Don't." Lucy leveled a look at him, and once more, he felt his entire body heat up. Another pat ensured his pants had not gone flying off again. "I know that look, and I will tell you now, mister, I am not some princess that needs saving. I am a member of Fairy Tail, just like you, and I will fight with you, side by side. Wendy and I will stand by you, but we need you to stand with us."

A roar of sound and a slow caress of light billowed from the gate and filled the courtyard, enveloping all the troops and everyone nearby. The illustrious golden zodiac keys had done their job of opening the gate and all eyes were on it, waiting. All eyes except for two pairs that stayed on each other.

They both knew what the future might hold for them. Neither were guaranteed a sunrise in the coming hours. Nor were they promised that everything would turn out how they wanted it.

How many times had he doubted others due to their lack of capabilities, he wondered, thinking about how useless he thought being in a guild was when they couldn't help him get stronger overnight. He had thought the same of Ur when she first took him on to train. Looking back on everything, patience had never been his strong suit. Recklessness had always been the word he would pin on Natsu—and most of the guild, but if he were honest with himself, it also describe him. Reckless to a fault, and never wanting to let others push him where he didn't want to go.

Bullheaded. A head made of ice.

Since the gate was open now, if he took the easy way out and used Iceshell on it, there was no guarantee that it would work, or that Lucy wouldn't die in a different way. A sacrifice actually had to amount to something of worth to mean something. He didn't even know if inanimate objects could be blocked with ice. Even Ur didn't know exactly if a demon like Deliora could be encased before she cast it. The most he might have given those in the courtyard would have been a minute more. A mere minute to escape and change the fate their princess pushed them towards.

It wouldn't be enough.

And then he'd have to rely on others to keep Lucy safe. Not happening.

"I'll stand by you, Lucy," he said. The space between them disappeared with a single step. "And I'll stop trying to force myself to use Iceshell until all of us have exhausted every possible option, as long as you promise to stand by me, always."

Fingers tangled easily between them even as the ground rumbled, the soldiers around them began to quake, and loud, monstrous lungs bellowed out roars of fury. Their time before destruction quickly ran out, but still they stood, smiling.

"I'll stand by you, Gray," Lucy promised, loud enough for him to hear, but whisper soft in the chaos. "And in the morning, we'll watch the sunrise together."

Gray nodded, kissing her softly. "Sounds good to me."

Congratulations @genavere!! Your fanfiction "A Moment Before Our Destruction" has been nominated by one of your fans for The Guild Awards First Term of 2025!

The Guild Awards was created by five Fairy Tail enthusiasts who want to spread the love of fandom creators all across the net, and we are very excited to give you this message!

Your work has been nominated into the following category:

Best Romance

Voting will take place after the nomination period closes, and the link to do so will be found on theguildawards tumblr page.

If you would like to pull your work from consideration for an award, please let us know via tumblr or reach out to one of the moderators.

Once again, congratulations for your beautiful contribution to this wonderful fandom, and thank you for all that you do!

Episode One: Hargeon

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Chapter 7

Another fist swung just passed Natsu’s face as he pulled back his own and smashed it into the face of his would-be attacker. Flesh and bones gave way under the force of it and flames shot forward to engulf the slave trader. Screams and incoherent babbling filled the air as the man ran flailing about, colliding with others.

Several others began panicking as their clothes caught on fire, or the burning fingers caught their skin and left red burns. The chaos that swept through the mass of sailors added to the pile of bloody, burnt bodies around him. Still, more continued to file in from the stairs and the darkness of the hull. The ship had not looked that large on the outside.

“Dammit, where’d you all keep comin’ from?!”

Another swung a plank of wood embedded with nails at him. A wave of fire turned it to ash and consumed the slaver. Natsu silently acknowledged the man’s self-preservation as he watched him drop to the ground and rolled around while screeching.  

A quick glance around gave him the status he needed on the current situation. Most of the women who had not been thrown into the cages yet had been set to the side. Some of them just unconscious heaps on the floor while others were leaned against others. They were far enough away from the flames and fighting to stay safe. That was one problem he could worry about later.

Around him, though, were still a decently sized group of slavers. Bulky men who lived on the sea and were used to hauling around human-shaped goods. Some were eyeing the destruction around them in disquiet, while the rest resembled beasts whose territory you stumbled into. And what is a lone wizard if not something that stumbled where he shouldn’t have? “Whatcha all waitin’ for? Thought you were gonna to take me down?”

That got most of them of them going. Some still eyed the literal charred corpses that had been their shipmates, but they all had a joke to do and cargo to put away. All of them against one wizard had to favor the force with the larger numbers!

With a shout, they stepped forward together and charged.

Natsu grinned and took in a deep breath. Lungs and diaphragm expanding outward, and his hands came up to focus the core of his attack at the group coming at him. A burning hot stream of raging flames billowed out in a straight line, expanding out just past his pinkie finger.

The flames roared unhindered toward the stairs, consuming the men who had tried to sneak away while the others fought. Their screams filled the air with the smell of burning flesh and melting metal.

What the…Natsu blinked in confusion.

None of the men who had been charging at him mere seconds before remained. Not their shoes, bodies, or their ashes. He stepped forward to look for any sign of the missing men, ignoring the burning men.

Down one of the rows of cages, a large, imposing shadow slowly straightened up to tower over a pile of bodies and limbs gathered at his feet. Blood pooled on the ground beneath them, and some still twitched or groaned in pain. Without a care, the creature stomped on the pile and turned back to fix a glare at Natsu.

A shiver of fear actually crawled down his spine at the power he felt from the—beast? In better lighting, he noticed the stature, the weapon attached to his back, the height of him—at least seven feet tall, if not taller—and were those horns coming out of his head?

“Taurus!”

Natsu jumped at the shout behind him. Ninja-swinging his arms around, he relaxed when he saw Happy flying toward him carrying Lucy. He grinned, “Happy! Lucy!”

Dark, bloodshot eyes met his and filled with tears even as she smiled, “Natsu!”

Moving forward a step, his smile fell when he noticed the blood and bruises that covered her, and even noticed some poking out from under her clothes. Worse, from the scent alone he was certain that those were not the clothes she had been wearing before. His nose coiled up, and smoke seeped through clenched fangs. “Did these bastards do this to you?”

“W-what?” Lucy recoiled inward at the tone of his voice. It took a moment, then she remembered how she must have looked and wrapped her arms around herself, wishing for her sweatshirt. “Oh, y-yea. That Salamander guy…he is the one in charge of all of this.”

“You mean the fake Salamander,” he growled, fists clenched.

“Fake?”

Taurus stepped out of the dimly light section he had stampeded the men into and rolled his shoulders. They looked up at him, noticing the gore and remains left on his clothing and hooves. “Explanations later, we need to focus getting Miss Lucy to safety first. Her magic power is waning, and I am only able to supply so much of my own.”

“Right!” Natsu punched his fist against his palm, “I’m ready to kick more ass and teach that bastard a lesson!”

He led the way up the stairs, silently glad that Happy still carried Lucy over the heated metal where several fires still lingered, and listened to the loud clonks of Taurus taking up the rear behind them. The stairs led to one of the back hallways, a similar look to all the other ones he had run through earlier, and began maneuvering them to the outside area based off smell alone.

“Don’t worry, Lucy,” he called behind, finding a door that smelled strongly of the sea air outside, “we’ll get you off this boat!” Pressing against the metal door—Taurus’ loud clopping lagging behind due to his size, Natsu shoved it wide open and stumbled out of the hallway onto the deck of the ship.

Waiting for them, several more slave traders held various types of weapons from chains to clubs. Nothing designed to kill, but could inflict maximum damage.

“Dammit! How many of these bastards does this guy have?” Taking up a stance in front of Lucy and Happy, Natsu felt a flicker of satisfaction when Taurus stepped up beside him, axe at the ready.

“Not enough for my axe,” the bull snorted, steeling himself for the fight. “They will all perish for harming my mistress!”

Laughter cracked over the sound of waves, pulling everyone’s attention up to the deck in front of the wheelhouse. Standing in front of a large, blue Lacrima that hung on the wall between the wheelhouse windows was the very man who had caused all of their problems. Blood seeped from the bandages covering the mid-section of his face making the laughter sound more like a dolphin.

“I had heard that the real Salamander of Fairy Tail might come after me if I used his name,” Bora yelled down, voice a nasally pitch compared to the bass register he hit before. “Seems those rumors were correct! Come now, Salamander, let’s see your mark!”

Eyes narrowed, Natsu kept his attention on Bora and shrugged his shoulders, letting the straps of his bag slip. A heavy thunk filled the air with a somber feel and soon his coat fluttered down to cover the bag.

Using his name for slave trading, kidnapping Lucy, being complete scum…a list of crimes committed that filled pages of legal books. He refused to let him get away with more and cause more damage.

With both arms bare, only those to his right were able to see the crimson proof of the guild mark on his shoulder. An undisputable truth. One that made Lucy worried her lower lip and take Natsu in with a different light.

Not once had the salmon-haired man next to her seem like a typical ‘bad guy.’ Not like the man above them or those she had met before. Really, he had treated her well, with a sense of welcoming that not many offered those down on their luck. “You really are Salamander.”

“You didn’t know?” Bora’s voice sneered and he leaned forward over the railing. “Renown around the land after some good PR. But,” he lifted a crowbar up and grinned around the bandages, “he does have one simple weakness.”

Lacrima shards shattered and littered the deck as the metal bar slammed into it with enough force to crack the windows on either side. The once smooth sailing of the ship dipped and waves began to rock it back and forth—gently, but enough to feel a difference. Many of the men around them grew pale and green, but kept their stomachs.

Unfortunately for Natsu, no amount of peppermint covered cloth would help the sudden onslaught of motion sickness. Stomach rebelling, everything he had eaten early came up and splashed on the deck. A cold sweat broke out over his face and he fell to his knees as he hugged his stomach.

Lucy stared down at him as he withered around like a pathetic creature instead of the man she had meet earlier. Happy cried out in alarm.

“Oh no! Without that stabilizer, Natsu won’t be able to do anything!”

Below them, the growing hum of the engines began to rev up. They were preparing to move the ship again! Quickly, she took in the situation, the crumpled-up form of Natsu, the dissipating stores of her magic, and the men closing in around them. Drastic situations called for drastic measures.

“Taurus!” she called out to her spirit. “I need you to go back. Happy! I need you to get me to the water.”

“The water?”

“Yes, please!”

“Aye, sir!” Without explanation or more questions, Taurus closed his gate as Happy flew them up into the air above the heads of the men below. Some switched at Lucy’s bare feet while others rushed at Natsu and began kicking and punching him without remorse.

“Hurry, Happy!”

Purple flames slammed into Happy’s back like a whip. The poor cat cried out in pain and his paws loosened. Lucy screamed as her body fell onto several shoulders and then the hard deck of the ship. Pain erupted through her body and was reminded vividly of all of her previous injuries.

Just briefly, she watched as Happy’s continued momentum of flying and being stuck sent him falling over the other side of the railing. From the noise of the sailors, the rocking of the ship, and the roaring in her own ears, she couldn’t tell if he had hit the water or not.

“Happy!” she cried out, pushing herself up and away from the mass of people. No hands grabbed at her, and the stuttered rumbling below sounded like the ship still struggled to move. If the propellers weren’t functioning, that meant she could get into the water and grab Happy. They wouldn’t have to worry about getting pulled in by the propellers or chopped up.

No matter what, she had to get to the water!

A pair of hands grabbed her. The straps of her pack ripped loudly and it was thrown somewhere else. Those same hands frisked over her body and a familiar weight fell with a jingle to the deck.

Her keys. Her keys!

Crying out in pain, one of her arms were pulled up behind her back, forcing her up onto her toes to try to relieve the building pressure. The arm that wrapped around her chest and reached up to grip its hand around her neck didn’t help, either.

“Where do you think you were going?” Bora’s breath blew over her ear and he bent her arm up further. A chuckle mingled with her cries. “I still need to show you my gratitude—” A loud pop sounded before her scream of pain from her shoulder, “—of your little stunt earlier.”

“Lucy!” Natsu’s voice called through the blows of the men around him. With the stabilizer gone, and the crew attacking him, he could do nothing to help himself or her. And Happy had fallen limp over the side of the ship.

Heated shame and anger flushed over his skin. They had come to save her, dammit!

Hot tears-stained Lucy’s cheeks. Nothing around her registered—the rapid beating of her heart, the sound of waves in her ears, the constant rolling of the ship and her stomach…only the burning feel of Bora’s hand slipping from her neck down her chest broke through what panic had taken over. Desperate to escape, to find a way back to safety.

Since finding herself on the streets, all of her spirits had sought to ensure she could manage in the real world alone. No servants would be there to bring her food or clothes. Tutors would not teach her lessons that would prepare her for running her father’s business. Guards would not be there to keep her safe. They stepped up and took over her teachings.

The grip on her wrist released and moved to her hip.

It was time to put it all to use.

Pressing her tongue to the top of her mouth, she snapped her head back. Flesh and bone slammed against the back of her head. Reflexes took over, and even barefooted, she raised her leg up and stomped her heel down on the top of his foot.

Bora’s hands pulled back, gripping his bloody bandages with a muffled cry of pain, and released her from his grip. Scrambling over the deck, Lucy grabbed for her keys and did not stop her movement as the delicate metal pressed against the skin of her palm or when the cold railing of the ship pressed against her stomach as she tumbled over the edge.

A sense of weightlessness overcame her. Air brushed her hair upwards with her tears and stole the breath from her lungs. It made taking a deep breath difficult as the water surface of the ocean engulfed her completely.

Cold.

It was so cold!

Toes curled inward and her limbs pulled inward to keep what warmth she had in her core and biting the inside of her cheeks, Lucy struggled desperately to keep her hand over her nose and mouth. To keep them closed and not take the desperate gasp of air her lungs ached for.

Salt burned her eyes the moment she tried to take a glance around her, hoping to catch a glimpse of Happy or figure out which way was up. Desperation clutched her chest tighter, an ache blooming into an open wound that seeped bubbles instead of blood. Then a realization dawned on her, one that sent bile racing up her esophagus and irritation.

Her arm was useless.

Out of socket and blinding when moved, Lucy had willingly sentenced herself to drown by way of barely being able to handle the ocean depths. Of all the ways to die, this would be the most pathetic, the worst to live with.

Good thing if she did die, she wouldn’t have to live with it long.

A blurred shimmer caught her attention. Something near the bottom, just a small way from her. Whatever it was, she needed to make sure it wasn’t Happy. They had risked their lives to save her, and she wouldn’t fail them when it was her turn.

Pushing past the pain and the claws ripping apart her chest cavity, she pushed herself forward with a few good kicks of her legs and used her good arm to steer towards it. There, the poor cat bobbed near the bottom of the ocean, tangled up in old fishing line. Metal hooks and weights cut dances of light through the water.

Another set of icy fingers gripped her lungs. Happy looked so still! How long had he been wrapped up in the netting? How would she get him out?

There was one of her spirits she knew could cut the lines easily, but her magic reserves only allowed for one more summons.

Pursing her lips together, she kicked harder to get down to him and began to pull at the litter. One arm slipped out, but his left arm remained tangled. Bubbles rose up from her lips. Gathering him in her injured arm, she pulled the coral and vegetation from the sea floor up with the tangled mess.

Lungs burning, she gathered all the netting together and used the sea floor to push herself toward the surface. More bubbles rose up from her blue-tinted lips that begged for a touch of fresh air. The added weight of Happy and the fishing line around him dragged her downward. Each limb desperately wished for a break to rest; her body exhausted.

Air greeted her fingertips. Her head broke the surface and she gasped desperately for each lungful. Waves splashed against her face, and her legs struggled to keep her above the waves.

Stretching out her good arm, she let out a deep breath, focusing her magic. Wisps of power poured from her hand and swirled around the key in her grasp. A light similar to that of the sun enveloped her and she shouted, “Aquarius!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's Note:

Is this chapter severely late? Yes, yes it is. Has it been finished since I started posting this fic? Also yes, BUT it was not edited, and I have been having a hell of a time focusing on editing for awhile.

Should only have one last chapter to go, and then Episode One will be complete! I just need to edit it (and I would post it without editing, but many things changed during the edits, and continuity errors are my biggest pet peeves, lol). I have started Episode Two, but I have been going different ways with it. Not sure which way I will end up going, though. And if we want things done quickly...editing might be out of the cards for now, lol.

I am also hoping to get a Fraxus story out before the end of this month. Just need to finish editing it a bit more, and then write up the smut!

Links: AO3 (Is locked to registered AO3 users) | FF.net

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

For the @allaboutnalu gift exchange, I had @lcydragneel!

I will admit, I struggled hard with the fluff, and this was actually my third attempt on a story. I am sorry for the lack of fluff, but I think I got most of everything else! If you have an AO3 account, let me know and I will add you as the giftee! Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nightmares of the Soul

Everything had gone cold, quiet. A desolate absence settled over the world as the one who had been Natsu Dragneel passed from the world. His heart had failed to beat. His lungs deflated with not even a breath to fill them. The ever-enduring flame had been snuffed out, and she felt it all the way down into her very soul.

Fingers shook even as she tried to write in the book of E.N.D., but how could she keep writing if tears blurred her vision? No matter how hard she tried to clear them, more gathered on her lashes and stained her cheeks.

“Lucy!” Gray called to her, but his voice sounded miles away, barely echoing off mountain peaks to reach her. If he said more would remain a mystery as waves broke and pulled her underwater, filling her ears and lungs, reducing both to a state of uselessness.

There was no way he could be gone, right?

No matter how many times the enemy had knocked them down, somehow, against all odds, Natsu always pulled himself up and finished the fight. If it meant protecting his guild, family, and friends, he would put his own being on the line to ensure their safety.

But he had never died before! They always came out on top, the victors to go on another adventure together, to wake up and know the other would be there.

Magic pulsed around her, warring with the burning heat of her skin—the extinguished flame in her soul offered no heat to ward it off. When the cold snap of ice magic burned her skin, not a sound or attempt to pull away came from her. Not with her heart breaking at the loss of their connection, the realization why her body dimmed and dulled, or when the hammer of truth finally crashed down on her.

Natsu was gone...

He was gone.

He...

“Natsu!”

Air caught in her throat. Gut churning coughs tore at the insides of her throat, cutting off any way of gasping in air. Hands grasped the blankets, twisting and pulling them, wheezing for any morsels of breath she could.  Another round started just at the end of the last and her gag reflexes had her scrambling from the bed.

Blankets caught up around her feet, toes tripped over the rug, and her own legs couldn’t seem to go straight. The cover of the toilet barely lifted before everything from dinner's salad to the cheat ice cream she had before bed came back up and out of her mouth and nose. Acidic bile burned her sinuses and throat, leaving a vile taste that nearly added to the mess in the bowl.

Air finally filled her lungs, tinged with the scent of vomit. With her nose plugged with particles of food and bile, she forced herself to breathe through her mouth. Saliva and left overs dribbled down in long strands from her lips, adding to the disgusting pile that was Lucy Heartfilia at that moment.

That nightmare...a cold, dead weight settled in her stomach and brought another wave of nausea. Luckily, she managed to keep everything down this time, but the feel of it haunted her, lingering into her waking thoughts. It hadn’t been the first time it had struck without warning, nor the first time it left her with dark circles. When she would find herself home and soaking in a bath, silence would buzz in her ears, needles prickled her skin, and tears sent ripples through the bath water.

No one could understand her distress. The grief, shock, and heart-wrenching terror she had felt in those endlessly long seconds when he had been taken from the world.

From Fairy Tail.

From her.

No one else had felt the flame extinguish from both of their souls—souls connected by a life story and a demonic book. Not even the other half of the connection.

In those few seconds, she had truly been alone. The flames that had seared his soul, been passed down from dragons to slayers, rose up and claimed her for itself. Their souls had burned and fused together, fluttering as the beat of their hearts aligned.

Neither her spirits nor the guild could come close to the connection she had made with him while rewriting his book.

When the chill of mortality spread from the depths of her soul, the thought of dying with Natsu filled her with a sense of peace that scared and calmed her. A way for them to go together and continue their adventures. But while his fluttered and seized, her heart had crumbled and bled.

Getting up from the floor with the help of the toilet, she wiped her mouth and blew her nose to get rid of the taste and smell. A sigh dropped her shoulders when she realized she would need to brush her teeth again.

Another night without a restful sleep, another day to worry about others asking what was bothering her. There had to be a foundation she could use to hide the dark rings under her eyes, or a spell to keep her energy up. Anything to keep Natsu's attentive eyes away from catching on.

Most knew him only as an aloof moron, but he always seemed to instinctively know whenever something was wrong with her. During a mission a few months ago, she had taken a bad hit in the midsection, but the bruising had been hidden by her clothing. Without being able to see or smell any blood, he had come up to her and tried to pull her shirt over her head.

Erza had nearly cut his head off, flames of fury making everyone back away in fear except him. With a seriousness that spoke of his concern, everyone had turned from glaring at him to waiting on her.

Had he felt something through the link? She doubted he had even felt it in the first place.

Since that day almost a full year ago, not once had she felt anything from his side. The bond was still there, warm and steady, but that was all. No other connection, no heartbeat, no flames. Not even a way to talk telepathically, the writer in her grumbled. That had to be how he felt it, she reasoned and slathered a dollop of toothpaste on the bristles of her brush.

Maybe she would just stay home, she mused, letting the mindless action of brushing her teeth droll away as she thought over the coming day. She had been waiting for the last review of her book from the publisher. A final call before her dream came true and it was published. There had been so many revisions and edits that had to be done to get to that point. Characters that needed to be cut or adjusted, sections of story that fit in better areas, editing–everything she had known would happen, but had gnawed on her nerves either way. Everyone in the guild knew how much she had been fretting over it, and now in the homestretch, maybe she could use it as an excuse to stay home.

Not that she needed an excuse, but without one, a certain dragon slayer would appear on her windowsill.

Spitting the foam out, she scrubbed her tongue and rinsed her mouth and face thoroughly. Yeah, just staying home and catching up on sleep sounded like the best plan, and they had only come back from a mission last week. Rent was paid, her fridge stocked with enough food to feed an army—an army of one fire dragon slayer and an Exceed. No one would expect her to be rearing to go on another mission for another week when she needed more food and rent hovered over her head.

A shot of pain brought her attention back and stared at the area where the magna lines from the book had once marred her skin. No visible marks lingered there now, but at times when Natsu needed more energy or grew furious, she could feel the crevasses burrow through her skin again. Could feel his power surge, tingling down to her bones. There were times she wished she could take on some of that power during fights when her own magic power was near exhausted.

There were some things that she noticed were different besides their connection. Where the lines once burned her right eye, she could now see things that were…different. No matter how hard she tried to explain it, the words would never do it justice and no one understood what she meant. And it was hard to find the right description of since it had only happened a handful of times. Even after Levy had tried to help her research and find some magic that could cause it, nothing came up.

In the end, they had to chalk it up to a lost magic or something that had been part of the Black Wizard Zeref spell on the END book.

Whether it was just lingering ghost pains or possible damage she sustained from writing in a demon book, she had known the risks and took it. Only Levy knew of the potential issue since she didn’t want to worry anyone else or face their guilt.

Everyone in their group had a hard time accepting that they can only do so much even after all these years growing. Gray normally felt guilt over things he could control and would feel responsible for not removing all of the demonic magic.

Erza had been fighting her own battles, but would still argue that she should have been there to protect them. Being the highest rank wizard on their team put pressures on her that she refused to admit but they all could see.

Wendy had grown quite a bit in the years since she joined Fairy Tail, developing a inner strength that they were all proud of, but even she suffered from negative thoughts. Being the healer of the group left her with the largest responsibility when the physical fighting was over and they now fought for their lives from their injuries. Not being able to find the cause of the issue would bring a babble of apologies forward and she would risk exerting herself to try to fix it.

And Natsu…

“Lucy.”

No one would believe that for half a second the once unclimbable wall behind her had been conquered. The item in her hand—the toothbrush she had forgotten to put back in the cup—had been chucked at the unexpected voice, and a squeal that would have raised the dead filled the apartment. Her neighbors were going to complain again, but she might be on the verge of being murdered!

Where her toothbrush had landed, a sandaled foot stepped down from the open window and her eyes traveled up the leg, over the bare chest, to the dragon scale scarf, and finally landing on the concerned eyes of her teammate and very person she had just been thinking of: Natsu Dragneel.

“Natsu.” Her entire body sagged, no longer having the adrenaline to climb walls, before she straightened up and glared at the man in her window, hissing. “Natsu! What have I told you about coming in through my window! And unannounced in the middle of the night!”

“What did you dream about,” he cut her off—probably hadn’t realized she had been yelling at him, if she were honest—and stalked over to her. A trace of something flickered up the back of her skull and she stepped back from his approach.

“W-what are you talking about?”

“Lucy—” he gripped her upper arms and locked eyes with her, “—Tell me, I need to know!”

“How did you—”

“You know how.”

Ripping her gaze away from him, she shook her head and tried to force the dream away along with the feelings they invoked. If she voiced it out loud, it would come back. Tears gathered on her eyelashes, “Please, Natsu…don’t make me remember it.”

Heated arms engulfed her, pressing her against his muscled chest that she clung to. A swell of emotions rose up and her grip wrapped around his chest, burying her face into the scales of his scarf, and shuddered. He burned like the fires he consumed compared to her chilled, clammy skin, and served as a reminder that he still lived. That those dreams served only as a reminder of what had happened.

As a reminder of what could happen again.

Her nails dug into the skin of his back, the realization that he wore no shirt or vest crept in the back of her mind. There should have been embarrassment, but the tears that dampened his scarf added enough red to her face.

Beneath her fingers, his skin felt damp and sticky from traces of sweat. She gnawing on her lower lip and wondered if he had ran all the way there from his own. Just the implication that he had rushed to be with her in the middle of the night after a dream made her insides dance.

Younger Lucy would have been mortified at the thought that the person she fell in love with wasn’t a charming prince or a dazzling knight she had read in books. That instead of those imaginary characters, she would fall for the Dragon Slayer who made all of her dreams come true.

Ear pressed against his chest, the rhythmic beating of his heart gave her something to focus on and his scent filled her lungs. Just having him near helped calm her. Swallowing thickly, she burrowed further into his scarf.

“You died.” The words came out barely above a whisper and muffled from the fabric, but she knew he heard her. Fingers curled and her nails sunk into his back. “I felt your flame extinguish again and it scared me.”

Tears fell heavier then, staining her cheeks as she stared up at him. “It scares me, Natsu, to think I could lose you and feel you leave me. That my soul will feel the chill of never having you close ever again.” 

“Lucy…” He stared down at her, his voice trailing off at the end of her name, but that was to be expected. What could she expect from someone with atrocious handwriting who could only give passionate speeches during the heat of battle when he himself was riled up. What she needed to hear from him would never pass by his lips. They were friends, partners, teammates. There was no reason he would—

“Can I kiss you?”

What?

“What?” She took a step back, needing that space to view his face and consider what she thought he said. Of everything that she might have prepared herself for—did he even know what he was asking? “You’re joking, right?”

“Does it look like I am joking?” Instead of following her, he rolled his shoulders back and released her so she could back up. Yet, even with ever step she took, his eyes stayed locked with her own.

She managed to pull her gaze away from his and look around the room, wiping the tears that kept falling from her face. “Where’s Happy?” she choked out, pained laughter came out with intervals of hiccups that caught painfully in her chest. “Is he going to pop out and say this was a big joke? Don’t bother if he is, this not funny, Natsu!”

“Lucy.” The way he spoke her name—his fists clenched at his side, eyes narrowed, and voice low—it made her feel small, like a bunny caught by a predator ready to pounce. Only, she did not know if she liked the way it made her feel.

Warmth spread over her cheeks and up to her ear tips as he continued to stare. “Why are you staring at me like that?”

Crossing her arms over her chest, embarrassment overwhelmed her when the realization that all she had on was her tank top and pajama shorts. No wonder he was staring!

“I’m waiting for an answer.”

“An answer…?”

“Yeah, I asked if I can kiss you.”

He had been serious? Turning away from him, she pressed her hands to her burning face, shaking her head. “This is all a dream. I am still dreaming.” It was the only way she could think of any of this happening. The waking world Natsu would never ask to kiss her!

“Please, Lucy,” he sounded further away–smaller, like a child admitting to believing in something they shouldn’t. “During my fight with Zeref—” They both cringed at the memory of that day and how it played out. “—I died. The wound he gave me stopped my heart. I had no air in my lungs—fuck, I felt myself go cold!”

Arms turned her to face him and gripped her arms tightly—enough to keep her there, but not to bruise. Once more, their eyes locked, and there was such vulnerability in his it made her heart throb. Her own hands reached out and gripped his biceps, clinging to him to ground herself to the present.

“When I woke up,” he continued, lifting a hand and caressed her face softly to brush stray hairs back. “All I felt was you. Everything you did, all your emotions—it was really hard to focus, but I knew I was alive cause I felt them.”

A boyish grin spread over his face and he leaned in closer, their foreheads touching. “That was when I knew Happy was right and you loved me.”

The amount of sputtering she released only added to his grin and he laughed. Unable to hold down her own giggles that bubbled up, her own laughter joined his and filled the apartment. Everything about the night felt surreal. Fingers dug into muscles that flexed and her body sagged in relief.

This was real, she realized, watching him with eyes full of wonder. Both of them stood in her apartment, laughing over nothing after everything had been so tense and serious.

Can I kiss you?

A breath caught in her throat at the memory and realized he hadn’t tried to kiss her yet. That he actually cared enough to get her permission, first. Would it be proper for her to kiss him without asking? Consent was important, but he had asked first…

Taking a chance with the last bit of courage she had, her feet pushed up to her tippy toes and her head tilted to the side just enough to catch his lips against hers.

At first, she felt him still, smile fading, and body tense. Then, he shifted and kissed her back. Everything was soft. His lips, actions, and even his grip. It was soft and tentative. Together, their movements remained slow and gentle, both relishing in this new step they took forward.

Surprisingly, he pulled back first, his hand cupping her cheek and caressing it with a thumb. The smile he gave her lit up the entire room and her knees felt weak.

“That,” his voice lowered an octave, sending a different kind of shiver through her, “was awesome!”

“You are such a child,” she chided, her laughter taking away any bite it might have carried. “What am I supposed to do with you?”

“Say you’ll stay with me forever.”

Lucy felt her heart skipped a beat or two. The passion and determination in his eyes mirrored the times he faced a challenge. Did he really mean those words, she wondered, biting her lower lip.

“Someone once told me Celestial Wizards don’t break their promises, and I plan to always be with you,” he continued, tucking some of her hair behind her ear again. “I’ll never leave you again.”

“Is that a promise?”

“You betcha,” he grinned. “Wherever you go, I’ll follow, and where I go, I’ll make sure you come along! We’re a team, partners—”

“And together,” she finished for him, giving him her own smile. “Forever.”

Episode One: Hargeon

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 Next Chapter

Chapter 1

Fires smoldered throughout the ruins of the once tranquil harbor town. Smoke clogged the air and the lungs of survivors and family members looking for a speck of hope. They wandered the scorched wasteland coughing and with eyes full of tears from the sting and loss.

Shadows from giant beasts soaring far above plunged the hazed sun into darkness with their wings spread wide. No one on the ground reacted to them, even when some swooped down low. Each pass they made to protect those below a stark contrast to what must have felt like the end of the world hours prior.

The young teen thought it amusing. Dragons protecting fragile humans after it had been their own kind that caused the destruction. The massacre.

Next to him stood Igneel, King of the Fire Dragons. Staunch protector of the lesser races and of those dragons seeking to cohabitate with them. It had been on the power of his wings that he had arrived home sooner than normal transport would have allowed. A trip home he to the school where he resided would take nearly a week to complete, one way.

Episode One: Hargeon

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Chapter 6

“Stupid…stupid!” Lucy berated in hard sobs. Chains above her rattled and clanked. Cradled against her chest, the hand she managed to free. The skin around the broken bone already had darkened, a mixture of red and blue from the damage and the bruising. The torn skin from being cut into by the manacle bled freely over her already soaked top.

Even as the air grew warmer, every nerve and muscle in her body screamed and shook from the pain. It hurt…by the grace of the Celestial King, did it hurt! Even the sight of the thumb—out of place, joint limp against the middle of her hand—sent a fresh wave of tremors through her.

And as the tremors hit, so did the pain. It shot from her hand to every nerve of her arm. Muscles spasmed and sent another wave of pain. A vicious cycle that she could not contain. Breathing became a chore with each gasp and sob of agony.

Tears blurred her vision. A headache assaulted her senses, each heartbeat in her chest urging another blinding stab of misery. None of it kept the reality of her situation from overwhelming her. A harsh truth she could see no escape from.

Even if she managed to get her other hand out—dislocating or breaking her thumb as she had on her left one—then that still left the cage. It had been opened by magic on the bracers the crew wore. Unlike keys, bracers would be impossible to steal without being caught. Attempting to do so would leave her enduring another beating.

Each breath she took warned that another beating would lead to injuries she could not afford to have. Running would be near impossible if the opportunity arrived, and it would leave her weakened beyond the ability to fight back. Salamander would be able to do whatever he wanted to her, and that was without the threat of what he would do to her keys.

A different form of fear crept up like the bile at the back of her throat. Clenching her right hand, she remembered the stories that those she worked with through the years had told her. Injuries to their bodies happened more often than not, and the aches their bones felt when the weather changed had made her heart ache for them. Broken bones never healed properly, and the pain would remain with her for the rest of her life.

Could she risk damaging her dominate hand without a clear way to escape? The one that held her keys as she summoned her friends, the whip she used to fight beside them, the sword and bow she used to have before needing to sell them for a bit of jewel. The hand she used to write her stories.

Would her thumb heal correctly and only minimum pain ghost her for the rest of her life? If it did not heal right, it could be too painful to do anything.

Her lip trembled. Everything that she had done to escape—to stay hidden and just be her own person—had it all truly been for nothing? While she had learned much since running away, and the only course of action she could act on was to remain free as long as possible, there were so many more adventures that she had wanted to experience. Things she had never tried.

“If you ever find yourself stuck,” her mother’s voice echoed in her mind, “remember these fairy tales. They will be your salvation, my little star.”

“They won’t,” she sobbed, gripping the chain in her right hand and letting her body sag. “They were nothing but stories!”

Soft words spoken under starlight and the glow of a fire; every night had been spent cuddled into her mother’s chest as the words of stories danced around them. Daring sword fights, brave adventurers, loyal friends, and creatures long forgotten by normal folk. A book would be chosen and they would read it together, but every so often, her mother would slip out a particular book and lift a finger to her lips.

“Shh,” a smile would grace her lips, “this book is our secret.”

Between those pages, a different sort of tales filled the night. In hushed whispered when her father was off on trips, tales of past wars, dragons who sought the end of humanity and those who stood with them, and people selected by the very gods of their religions fought against others. Even the stars above helped, granting celestial keys to the world and connect the two realms.

“Remember, my star,” her mama’s voice trembled those nights. Very tight and cautious. “Your father would not take too well to know of these stories. That is why we keep them from him.”

“But Mama,” she cuddled against her mother’s chest, feeling the bone-thing body press against her cheek as they huddled under blankets on the couch. “I miss papa.”

“I know, my dearest.” A kiss to her head signaled the start of the next story.

The stories allowed beyond the hush of nightfall were the simple fairy tales that had been a nightly ritual for them. In the beginning, all three of them would cuddle under woolen forts with pillows and chairs that helped keep the structure up. Her parents would laugh as she acted out scenes from the stories.

Some of the stories were of dragons befriending heroes, who later would turn on the poor beast. Others of mice helping women fulfill impossible tasks. Her personal favorites usually had princesses, and when they befriended the dragons who hid in the mountains all alone, her tiny body would jump and cheer.

“Everyone needs a friend, mama!” she’d cry, relieved when the story ended with friendship.

“Yes, my dearest, everyone needs a friend.”

It had taken running away from the only place she had known to realize why her mama had looked so sad when she said those words. The pull of her lips in a smile that cried without the use of tears. A look given to a child who unknowingly had no friends besides a doll named Gonzales with a lovely nickname of Michelle.

Child-like innocence had hidden much of what life had tried to pin her with.

Metal of the ship groaned. Vibrations rippled through the chains down her arm. The air around her paused, and she felt her breath catch at the pressure.

Heat erupted through the darkness and lit it up in an explosion of oranges, reds, and yellows. Pain pierced her eyes at the change of lighting. Clenching them, she pressed her face into her chilled arm and tried to listen beyond the ringing.

Voices loud enough to sound their distress caught her attention, then shouting from people she could only guess were the crew. Had the military become suspicious? When had they entered the hull of the ship? Maybe she had fallen unconscious from her beating or breaking her hand. Whoever had attacked were not pulling their punches, that she knew as another rumble went through the ship and her cage.

Voices crying out and screaming filled the silence the ringing had provided. Some were the frightened calls for help from women. Others full of pain that continued for several minutes or abruptly ended.

Like the winds of a desert, heat pulsed through the bars and swirled through the darkness. It from a relief from the chill of the air that she desperately wished to cling to. If the military were attacking, then they would be providing help to those like her. The moment she could get free and get back to land, she would find a way to slip away.

But her keys, and her bag…her heart clenched at the thought of being completely alone without her spirits. How would she be able to find them?

Something flickered in the space of the cages. A bit of white flashed through again, and her eyes widened. “Happy?” The word caught in her throat, and came out rasped. With nothing to wet her lips, she pressed herself forward, the word less than a wisp of air. “Happy!”

Frantic that the cat would not hear her, she pushed through the pain and numbness that had set into her limbs, and started to clang the chain again the bars above. A loud reverberation traveled down her arm and rang in her ears, but it did exactly what she needed.

“Lu-shee?” Happy halted midair at the new sound. Looking around, he noted that most of the cages in this area were empty compared to the other side, but there had to be someone here. Deciding to investigate the noise instead of wandering mindlessly for a clue where Lucy could be, a large smile lit up his face when he finally saw a cage with someone in it.

“Lucy!” He got right up to the bars and pressed his face in to look through them at her. “Where are your clothes? It’s chilly down where without Natsu!”

She choked back a sob that escaped with her relieved laughter and heaved a sigh of relief. Heat built up behind her eyes and his concerned blue face blurred. “You have…n-no idea how happy I am to see you, Happy!” A well of happiness flooded through her and she wanted to reach out and hug the cat to her.

“We came looking for you when Natsu found your hat!” Placing her pack on the ground, he looked at the lock on the door and tried shaking it open. Nothing rattled or shook. It felt like the door was fused with the rest of the bars and left no clear way to get out. A twinge of fear crept up her spine at the thought of what would have happened if the ship sunk.

Pushing the thought and fear down, she focused on the here and now. That meant getting out of the chains and cage. If Happy could find Salamander and somehow get his bracer from him…a frown pulled at her lips.

No, that would be too tricky and dangerous for him. There were too many variables that could put him at risk. What if Salamander used his charm magic? Could that affect a creature like Happy? She could not be certain, and sometimes even knowing the usage, those rings could pose a serious threat.  

Glancing down at the bag below Happy, a striking familiarity caught her by surprise. Each rip, patch, and stitch down to the mismatched buttons stood out to her. Even the thick leather she had managed to barter for after the bottom of the bag fell out on her. “You found my bag?”

“Of course, we did!” he said with a hiccup of a laugh.

Something glinted on the far edge of the bag and drew her attention away from what he was saying. Scents and Salamander, or something along those lines. Tilting her head for a better look at the items, a hoarse cry fell from her lips. “My keys! Happy, you found my keys!”

Happiness flowed through her like the heat of the sun. The keys her mother had cherished, the only thing she had left besides a journal and her looks, the friends who had stood by her in her need to escape.

Warmth spilled over onto her cheeks and she reached her broken hand out for them. “Please, can you hand me the golden one that looks like an axe?” The urge to request all of them filled her mouth and nearly spilled out. What use would it be to attempt to hold all of them in her broken hand? Enough pain from the beating earlier kept her from reaching out further—a twinge ran down her back from bruises.

Her mind rushed, figuring out what she would need to do to summon her spirit. If she did it in the cage, both of them might be stuck, or her spirit might accidentally hurt her. The spirit with the golden axe happened to be on the larger side.

But—she realized that while the front of the cage happened to be further away from her, that meant the back was closer. Pulling her arm back, another sting of pain shot down her side and into the top part of her thigh, she thrusted her arm out of the bars and held her hand open. “Put it in my hand, and I can get us help!”

There were no objections or words to question her on what she planned, Happy just gathered the keyring in his hand and sorted through silvers and golds until he found one that looked like a weapon once welded by a guildmate.

A warm, familiar hum of magic pulsed up her arm and sent goosebumps over her skin the moment the celestial metal touched her skin. Tears blurred her vision at the soothing nature of each of her spirits pushed through to her. Resolve strengthened, her grip on the key tightened and every ounce of her magical energy pushed toward it.

“Taurus! I call upon thee!”

Along the docks and rows of buildings in Hargeon, crowds gathered to watch the smoking ship just further out of the bay. Concern for those of their community who had gone to party with the Salamander rose. Had something gone wrong with the ship? Would the ship be able to limp back in? Without clearance to bring their ships into bay, or even close to the ship, all the sailors beached that night discussed what they could do to help.

Discussions drifted to faint murmurings above, as a young child stared wide-eyed out the window of their apartment. His mother stood above him, worrying at her nails about her sister’s health who had gone on the party cruise. Only the commotion and the woman’s worry allowed for the young the child to be up so late. In awe, he watched the sky far above and pointed upward, “Mommy! Look at that!”

Heavenly bodies shifted and twisted around the blanket of midnight. Stars radiated and dimmed, pulling some back into the void and others forward toward the earth. Their cosmic dance captivated many onlookers until a constellation gleamed, one out of season and should not be visible for a few months.

The stars that formed above flew together, shattering and shimmering downward. Glitter reflected in the child’s eyes and they watched it seem to touch the ship so many eyes were on before everything settled to normal. A fantastical story only those who had witnessed it would believe.

Within the bowels of the ship, a gust of wind snapped Lucy’s hair around the cage that Happy clung to. A curtain of shimmers stepped forward from the air and heavy hooves sounded on the metal floor. The wind settled and from the shattered stars, strong, fur covered hands grabbed onto the bars of the cage.

Muscles bulged along his arms and chest, both covered by a harness of leather and chain, as he pulled the bars away from each other. Even the muscles in his legs, covered by tight pants that went down to just above where the haunches of his hooves began, flexed with his strength. When one area had been widened, he moved further down until enough space had been made for Lucy to get out, and him to get to her.

Pressing forward, a large, hair covered snout entered the cage and caught sight of Lucy’s form. A snort of anger pushed the large nose ring forward from his snout and his eyes narrowed. “Who do I need to gorge with my horns, Miss Lucy?”

He reached inside, large hands carefully gripping the chain of the remaining cuff and snapped the links apart. Those same furred hands kept her steady and helped her step from the cage onto the floor that bit at her feet.

She pulled in a gasp, hopping between the balls of her feet. Daggers stabbed outwardly, and harsh chills inward. Looking up at Taurus, glancing upon the rack of two large horns swept out on each side of his head—it had always amazed her how they never caught on things—she noticed his own stare over her and remembered her state of dress. Arms crossed over her chest, pushing her breasts inward and her legs clenched together.

His eyes narrowed further. “Where is the bag you carried?”

“Over there,” she pointed to the other side of the cage.

Rivets popped with a loud hiss and metal screeched right into her ear cavity. Before she could register where the noise had come from, Taurus had already torn the cage she had been in from the ground and threw it behind them with a single, uninterested toss. Thunder rattled her bones where hooves met the floor beneath until he snatched the bag—and the cat attached to it—from the floor.

Kneeling down, he picked her up and set her on his knee so her feet would no longer be on the freezing ground. Even with strength that could bend steel apart, every action he made from moving her to opening her bag were careful. An egg could have been inside the bag, and it never would have cracked due to him. He held the bag to her, revealing the clothes she had inside. “You’ll catch a cold if you don’t get something on.”

Worrying her lower lip, she managed to find a large tee-shirt and the cloth pants she wore to bed, “I can wear these.” With a bit of help to keep her feet from touching the ground, both articles of clothing were tugged into place.

Happy landed on her head, staring down into the bag, “What about shoes?”

“I only had the one pair,” she answered, twisting her feet together anxiously.

Taurus and Happy shared a look. Neither seemed keen on letting her walk on her own without some form of protection. Further injury and illness could set in with her current state, and from the blood and bruises that covered her, both understood the risks were higher.

Eyes narrowed in on the other, silently challenging the other. As the air between them grew taunt, Lucy felt the oppressive energy press downward on her. “Could we please talk this out, what ever the issue may be.” Much to her chagrin, neither uttered a word when each put a fist forward and shook them in quick session.

Both hands went flat in the air at the same time. The slowly formed their fists again and shook them in another quick session. The fists stayed, but she suddenly understood what they were doing.

They were settling a decision between boulder, parchment, shears.

Another set of fist shakes, and finally, Happy celebrated his victory with shears defeating Taurus’ parchment. She shook her head and zipped her bag closed. It seemed attracting strange people really was a talent of hers. At least Happy and Natsu seemed to be on her side.

With Happy’s help, the bag slipped over her arms and settled on her shoulders. He came around her front and mumbled something before gathering up what was left of the straps and tied them together across her chest. Little paws worked diligently to make a firm knot that he pulled on until he was satisfied.

“That will keep you from falling out of the straps while I carry you,” he answered her voiceless question and spread his wings wide. “Hold on tight!”

He grabbed the top handle of the bag and flew up easily, lifting her up from Taurus’ leg and keeping her feet from touching the ground. Able to stand again, the bull stood tall and called out his axe from the celestial realm.

“Follow me,” he said and looked at Happy. “No one will get passed my axe or touch Miss Lucy.” A heated snort pushed his nose ring forward, and the amount of muscles that bulged from his muscles made Happy float back a bit. He could not say for sure if anyone he knew had muscles upon muscles.

“Is he always so angry and large?” he asked Lucy in a muted tone.

“He is a bull,” she groaned, wrapping her arms around her sore middle where the straps dug in. “And he is very protective.”

“Then I am glad he’s on our side!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's Note:

This chapter has been written and gone over for awhile, I just have been struggling with anxiety regarding posting for this fandom for a bit. Not sure why, but I am working on pushing through it to make sure I keep this series up and finish the other stories I have written.

Also, I plan to get to all the reviews that I haven't replied to on AO3 since all of this has taken hold. I appreciate each and every one of you who has left comments and kudos. They make my day when I see them, and if anyone tells you that comments don't mean anything, that is a big fat lie. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Along with everything, as well, a deep thank you to @theguildawards discord server and everyone I have made friends with there. They are truly some of the most amazing people.

Links: AO3 (Is locked to registered AO3 users) | FF.net