Mermaid Tail by Cryptic_Eyes, All Rights Reserved, © 2015
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Disclaimer: These characters will be as close to the personalities of the original characters, but some moments will be OOC, to fit the story. I hope you enjoy!
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I've updated, yess! I couldn't leave you guys anxious like that for long, haha! This chapter hopefully is gonna get you guys really pumped up! I have had this done since this morning, but I've been getting school supplies (ew.) for my senior year. c: Song is "Hated You From Hello" by Downplay! I'm sure some of you have heard this in an amv or two, haha.
I dedicate this chapter to hikari011! I love all her comments and laugh at a lot of them; thank you so much for following this story. You and all my other fans mean so much to me! I hope you all enjoy this story, and please don't forget to comment and vote! The feedback is greatly appreciated, since it helps encourage me to write more nalu fan fictions for you guys! c; Lol, enjoy, and until next time~!
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They made it by sundown at Natantis, and everything seemed to be normal. Natsu was rearing to get off the ship, but they needed to dock properly first. Once the anchor had lowered and the ropes were tied, Natsu and the others didn't bother to lower the ramp, and instead just jumped over the side and landed on the dock, looking ahead.
Everything seemed normal with the townspeople, all of them carrying on their day as normal.
"Where could their hideout be?" Gray muttered, looking around on Natsu's right.
Natsu sniffed the air, flinching when he caught the scent of Kane and Lucy. But it was so faint he thought it'd been a mistake, but as he moved forward, it only continued to decorate the air.
"Can you smell her scent, Natsu?" Wendy asked, looking at him hopefully.
"Ah. We need to hurry, though, cause it's fading pretty quick."
They began to advance forward, the other crew climbing from the ship, and Plue joined Natsu's side as the other cats stayed on the ship. But just as they were about to take a step off the docks, people began to be shoved, shouting in surprise as armored Trackers pushed their way through the crowd. People began to run, leaving the area until the docks were completely covered with only Trackers, an estimated two hundred.
Gray smirked. "So the bastards know we're here already, huh?"
Erza stepped forward. "Natsu, go with Gray and Wendy and move forward. The rest of us will take it from here."
"Fine, but I want to knock 'em out too," the pinkette muttered, his expression showing unfairness. "Let's go!"
"Right!" Gray and Wendy exclaimed, following after him and Plue as he scaled over the soldiers.
Lucy had fallen asleep while waiting for Blight, and she was confused when she woke, the sun still in the sky. Why was it that Blight hadn't come and done another "session" with her? Did he forget?
She scoffed. Blight wouldn't forget; he wouldn't pass up an opportunity to torture Lucy and get information out of her. The pain in her legs was still strong, and she could barely move, and sleep had temporarily relieved her of that pain. Yet to her horror, the pain was beginning to ebb away, even though she knew it was going strong. She was beginning to be in so much pain that it was fading away, just like Blight had told her that morning.
Lucy was too drained to move, and she laid there on her side, facing the wall. She had tried healing herself of the curse, but it had only made it flare up in agony, so she didn't dare try that again in fear of speeding up the process.
Just then, she heard a loud explosion, and the surprise was so great she shot straight up while ignoring the pain.
What was that? the blond wondered, her eyes widening before she doubled over again.
Natsu and the others had followed Lucy's scent all the way to the large building, and Wendy remembered with a start how she had overheard Lucy questioning about it to Levy.
The structure was huge, the biggest building on the island. Smaller, normal town buildings surrounded it, but this one was made of solid dark storm gray stone. The door was wooden, the structure seeming to resembling that of a fortress, the top of the building going further up the mountain.
"This is it," Natsu growled, his fits lighting on fire.
With a hard kick, the door exploded off its hinges, flying through the enclosure and landing in a heap on the floor. Walking through, Natsu was looking at a room that extended both left and right, the only items within being a torch on the wall.
"Gray, take the left. Wendy and I will take the right."
Gray nodded, running in that direction. "Got it!"
Once he had disappeared behind the door, Natsu turned to the other, slamming his flamed fist into it and knocking the door into oblivion. When the dust had settled, the both of them removed their arms from in front of their face, looking through the opening and seeing a long winding hallway that bent out of their view.
"Can you still smell their scent, Natsu-san?" Wendy asked, Plue beside her.
The fire dragon slayer nodded, and they began to sprint forward, their feet pounding against the stone floor. Rooms lined the hallway, but luckily Lucy's scent was guiding the team, so they didn't have to stop and check those for a sign of the blonde.
"I-It feels like this'll stretch on forever!" the blue-haired girl replied, referring to the hallway as they ran.
Natsu suddenly flinched, slamming to a stop and making a noise of surprise. He spun around and grabbed Wendy, his expression serious and urgent. "Get down!"
Just as they hit the floor--Plue on his haunches--the area in front of them exploded, sending debris over their heads. Wendy covered her head, and Natsu hid most of his face in Igneel's scarf, but Plue covered most of their bodies to protect them from any potential dangerous objects.
"Thanks, Plue," Natsu said after the explosion faded, helping Wendy to her feet.
Looking ahead, they saw the wall was destroyed, leading out into the open air again.
"There must be traps through here," Wendy noticed, her expression worried. "I hope Gray will be alright."
"That Ice Freak will be fine," Natsu replied, and they began their pursuit again.
They finally saw a door up ahead at the end, and when Wendy opened it, there were stairs on the other side. Plue put Wendy on her back and together, they and Natsu climbed up the winding staircase. Once they reached the top, they were in a room that was open and large, holes in the walls that served as glassless windows. There were two ways they could go; through the left or the right door.
"Natsu-san, Plue and I will take the right. You go for the left!"
"Alright, thanks Wendy! Be careful!"
They nodded to each other and Plue barked at him before they split up, taking the separate doors. As soon as Natsu entered, however, someone was waiting for him. Multiple guards were crowded in the room, and they faced the captain, their spears drawn.
Natsu smirked, his fire increasing in intensity, his sword still on his hip. "Finally, some people I can fight."
They all charged him at once, and Natsu went to work, slamming his fist into one and sending him flying back, hitting others out of commission. Grabbing his sword, he lit the blade on fire, swinging it around his body and taking five out at once. Others jumped back, coming at him again, and he ducked as a spear jabbed at his head. Natsu slid back on his feet, the motion causing dust to rise from the ground at his heels. He threw his head back, his cheeks filling up, and released it with a powerful rush.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!"
The final Trackers were sent flying back, hitting the next door and breaking it completely. Natsu straightened his posture, Lucy's scent suddenly much stronger.
He climbed up the smaller set of steps next, his pace quickening.
Wendy and Plue came to a halt, soldiers surrounding them from both sides.
"It's an ambush..." the girl muttered, climbing down from the shapeshifter's back. "Let's show them what we got, Plue!"
Plue howled, lunging for the nearest soldier, snarling.
Wendy gathered air around her hands, her magic circling her arms and lifting her hair up from against her back.
"Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!"
The Trackers exclaimed in pain as they were sent flying, some triggering another trap that exploded, knocking Wendy over and forcing her to cover her eyes. Plue attacked a Tracker that had been coming at her back, slamming his large white paw against the male's chest and knocking him against the wall. The force of the blow caused the male to hit his head against the stone wall, knocking him out cold and causing him to slump to the ground.
All of them unconscious, Wendy nodded to Plue and they ran forward, further progressing into the Tracker's hideout.
Lucy heard multiple explosions this time, but the pain in her was ebbing her strength away. Was the base being attacked? By...who?
Blight had appeared moments before, his expression angered, and Lucy had turned to him to ask him what was going on. But a sudden sensation came over her, and she fell forward to the floor, unable to move. She thought she was used to the pain, but it increased all over again, causing her to curl in on herself.
"Shouldn't be much longer..." the leader tracker muttered, watching his victim.
Lucy writhed on the ground, crying out, tears gathering in her eyes again. She didn't think, out of all the words in the world, that there was one that could describe the pain she was feeling right then. One particular set caused her to release a loud scream, her eye squeezed shut tightly.
As soon as her scream hit her highest pitch, the door exploded, fire flying everywhere. Smoke spread throughout the room, and Lucy's eyes widened, Blight stumbling back to regain his composure. A darker figure rose from the ground, standing tall and regal, and the blonde couldn't believe her eyes.
Natsu, panting and his expression dark, emerged from the clouds, Blight caught in his fists.
"N-Natsu...?" Lucy whispered, her throat sore and raw.
It was enough for Natsu however, and he dropped Blight, jerking his head in her direction. "Lucy!"
He slammed up against the bars, and Lucy shakily reached for him, breathing shallowly.
Anger grew in Natsu so fast at seeing the state Lucy was in that his fists lit automatically as he turned to Blight, seeing red. He was climbing to his feet, clutching his neck, breathing heavily.
"You bastard, you hurt Lucy! What did you do to her?!" he shouted, his anger reflected in the shadows of his face, the tense set of his shoulders.
Blight had the audacity to smirk. "Everything. You know...I must say I really enjoyed her screams of agony the most out of all the people I've tortured."
Tears fell down Lucy's face as she struggled for air, trying to drag herself forward by her hands but failing.
The enemy chuckled. "Going into 'er mind was my favorite. The lass had such tasty memories, you know. Oh..." he glanced back between the two of them, "...you and that girl had such touching moments together."
Something snapped in Natsu, and he lunged, punching Blight in the stomach so hard that he sailed backwards, his limbs up in the air. He crashed into the wall, breaking through it and multiple other walls, landing in a pile of broken stones and splintered wooden beams, his eyes rolled back and his body covered in dirt. His clothes were singed, some parts smoking.
"I told you..." Natsu growled, his fire dimming. "...you touch my Lucy, I'll turn you to ash!"
Lucy watched in awe at the power behind Natsu's strength, but it was cut short when she felt another fit approaching, forcing her to cough and blood to trickle down her chin.
"Luce!" Natsu exclaimed, running to kneel on the other side of the bars. "Hang on, I'll get you out of there!"
He wrapped his hands around the iron bars, but just as he did, static forced them away. The dragon slayer looked at his hands, which were steaming, his eyes shaking in confusion.
"Magic...won't affect it..." Lucy rasped, clutching her stomach. "Unless...you have the key..."
"Son of a...!" Natsu growled, his expression pained.
"Natsu, this curse..." she dragged herself along the floor, inch by agonizing inch, "...is going to destroy the mermaid in me..."
"What does that mean?" the pinkette asked desperately, trying again to heat up the bars. "Lucy..." he mumbled unsurely.
"It means," she said, a little louder this time as tears rolled down her face and mixed with the dirt, "that I'm going to die."
The warmth seemed to leave Natsu, and his pupils shrank in horror.
"How do I stop it?! How?!" he suddenly exclaimed, his hands shaking.
Lucy stopped next to the bars, laying on her side and reaching for him. "Y-You can't...Blight worsened it, so that he could figure out...where the Obsidian Stone is...by my memories..." she sobbed, struggling to smile. "I'm sorry Natsu, you came all this way for me..."
"Stop it, don't say another word!" he replied quickly, his eyes in shadow.
Lucy's eyes softened, and she reached through the bars, resting her hand against his cheek. Natsu took her hand in his hands, moving it so that he could rest the side of his face against the outside of her hand. He breathed through his nose deeply, taking her in, his eyes squeezed shut tightly as his lips brushed against her hand.
"Luce..."
Her eyes widened.
Natsu's pained expression was revealed as he lifted his head, wrinkles around his eyes and shadows on his face. His eyebrows were scrunched together in his distress, and his teeth were clenched, his lips slightly parted. His eyes were shining, shaking as well, and overall he was so tender it took Lucy's breath away.
"Don't leave..." he pleaded, his voice low and soft, just simple.
"T-The Obsidian Stone..." she murmured. "I won't break my promise...I know where it is..."
Natsu's eyes widened.
"It's--"
"I don't care about that!" Natsu interrupted, yelling. "You're an idiot, Lucy...you think I care about that now? All I care about is you right now, and nothing else!"
"Natsu..." Lucy's heart swelled.
"I came here to rescue you because you're precious to me, Lucy..." the pinkette murmured, his voice faltering. "And I want you to be free from the curse, so that we can continue our adventure and then begin a new one!"
Something began to glow inside Natsu's vest, and the dragon slayer moved back, standing. The light grew, reflecting against his facial features, his eyes. It collected into a large ball moving towards Lucy, entering her body after her eyes widened in surprise. She slowly closed her eyes, and an explosion of light erupted through the room, shining through the windows. Natsu had to block his gaze, a faint breeze in the air, and he looked ahead, startled, once it cleared.
He gasped.
Lucy stood, looking at her arms, her legs, though which were still bruised, did not have pain running through them anymore. The magic on the bars faded away, steaming, and Lucy looked up at Natsu in realization. Her chains crumpled away, and she rubbed the skin where they once were. Relief hit Natsu so fast he barely remembered breaking the bars, only stepping on the other side where Lucy was. He rose to his full height, watching her, who watched him in awe.
And in one smooth motion, Natsu scooped her up, burying his head into the crook of her shoulder, his eyes shut tight and his expression pained. Lucy wrapped her arms around his head, holding him tight as tears fell from her eyes lightly. They stayed like that for a moment, a small laugh escaping from the blonde, a mix of feelings tumbling within her.
When Natsu set her down, she moved his vest aside, seeing him wearing her necklace around his neck and underneath his scarf.
"Natsu, you just used the Obsidian Stone to make your wish..." she murmured, sadness filling her. "I-I took away your chances of finding a clue about Igneel..."
Natsu put his hands on her shoulders after realizing what she meant. "Lucy, I would have done it anyways it if I'd known. I'd rather have you than a clue about Igneel."
"But you've searched so long for the stone..."
Natsu smirked. "I'll just find Igneel some other way. There's got to be one."
Lucy smiled, her eyes shining.
"How touching."
They spun around, Natsu automatically putting an arm out in front of Lucy.
Kane stood there, his arms crossed. "You took the Obsidian Stone from me, Fairy Tail," the leader began to unsheathe his sword, the blade beginning to darken and twist, "and now I'll kill you in return."
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Kane has finally declared vengeance on Fairy Tail, and though Lucy has been cured, can her and Natsu defeat the sword master? What powers are in store for them, and how are the others faring in their battles??
Find out what happens next in: Chapter 14, Breaking the Silence!