"Yo, pretty boy." a man who had orange hair jumped down, licking his lips as he held a large gun-type weapon. "You're just in time for a hot date with the Cannon."
"Say what?" The ice mage looked weird out just as I did.
I felt my hand twitched with my expression staying the same. "Sorry to break it to ya, but he's mine!"
"Uhh... You got the wrong idea, lady!"The man said blinking a few times.
"Like I care! You and your buddy attack my boyfriends now it's payback time! Water Dragon Sword Dance!" I shot my water swords at him.
He fired his weapon and the bullets rapidly destroyed my water blades. Gray stepped in front of me and formed an ice shield to protect us. But that didn't stop the weapon user who fired bigger shots and knocked both of us back.
"Keep Eclair safe," Erza ordered Lucy Requipping.
"Yeah, I promise." Lucy nods.
"This ends now!" Erza changed into her Black Wing Armor and launched at the female enemy.
The blond held out her hand causing Erza's armor to vanish. "It appears that even Titania knows her place is to kneel before the great coordinator!" She smirked when Erza kneels down. She attacks Erza while changing her outfit.
"She requips?!" She says shockingly jumping back.
"Bow down!" The blond swings her sword at the redhead.
"There she is." Dist smirks
Lucy and Momon were levitated off the ground where Eclair was and were knocked away. "Lucy! Momon!" Eclair shouted worriedly for her friends.
The cloaked figure from before sneaked up and captured Eclair.
"No, please! Don't take her." Lucy begged weakly on the ground.
Natsu shouts getting himself back up from the pile of rubble. He went in to attack but Dist threw more debris at the Dragon Slayer.
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I was healing Natsu's wounds when Lucy started crying over how she failed to protect Eclair. "I couldn't help her when she needed me... they took her, and all I could do was watch it happen." she sobbed.
"I gotta--go try and save her." Momon wanted to get up but Happy put him back down.
"You will, but you're too hurt now." Happy did his best to comfort the yellow bird.
Natsu smashed his fist on a piece of rock. "Those bastards destroyed our guildhall and kidnapped one of our friends. They are messin' with the wrong guild! They're gonna pay for this!" He growled angrily.
I smacked the back of his head and a bit of smoke came out of it."Don't move when I'm still healing you, idiot!"
"Ow!" He rubs his head.
"Please do make him hurt more, Shana." Wendy nervously said.
Everyone stayed quiet taking in the situation that just happened. "How unfortunate..." A familiar voice interrupted the awkwardness. "They gave us a beating we won't soon forget." Master stood at the entrance with Gajeela and Lily.
"You're damn right. So now what?" Natsu asked.
"Whadda we do?" Happy also asked.
Erza appeared before the master. " Please forgive me, master. I wasn't able to protect the guild for you." She bowed her head.
"Hey, master. Did Jet tell you what happened here?" Droy questioned the old man looking worried for his friend.
Gramps tilted his head to the side confused. "Um, no... was he supposed?" Droy's mouth dropped.
-----------
"There's been some unusual magic power reported recently." Lily began to speak once we went downstairs to talk with Gramps. "So we investigated it."
"And we ended up in this puny little country. It was called Veronica." Gajeel added.
We all gasped upon hearing that name. "Eclair was talkin' about that place." Happy said.
"She told us she thought that. they were the ones. Who had stolen the other Phoenix Stone." Gray told them.
"The guild was attacked by Carbuncle. They're mercenaries. They were hired by Veronica's Duke Cream. We've overheard them talking about getting a large amount of money for abducting a girl named Eclair." Lily explained who our enemy was.
"We also heard that Veronica is throwin' a 400th birthday party tomorrow... And this Duke Cream is gonna make some fireworks --- by puttin' the two Phoenix Stones together." Gajeel mentioned the enemy's plan.
"What'll that do?" Erza asked worriedly.
"There happens to be an ancient legend about those stones. It says that when the two become one, the fiery Phoenix will spring forth from its eternal prison." Lily answered.
"And apparently give you eternal life as a thank-you gift," Gajeel said causing all of us to gasp.
"It'll make you live forever?" Natsu mutters in disbelief.
"When the people of the Fire Village sealed away the Phoenix many years ago, countless lives were lost. I can't imagine the havoc that demon would create were it released today." Gramps told us the chaos it could create.
"All we have to do is dispel the magic from one of those stones to keep that thing from ever coming back. That's why Kalard was so worried about being there and was waiting for her to bring him the stone." Gray figured the whole thing out.
"If Cream does this... he'll have the Phoenix's Power and be able to do whatever he wants without the fear of death stopping him," Gajeel said.
"If the Phoenix were to go on a rampage... just like what happened last time... the duke will survive the attack. But he'll be the only one." Lily warned us.
"We won't let that happen!" Natsu declared.
"Let me go," Lucy spoke. "I need to at least try to rescue Eclair. She was crying, so I held her. She still couldn't stop trembling. It was so much that I was shaking, too. This isn't just about the stone! Or about the Phoenix! Eclair's life is at stake!" Momon looked at Lucy in surprise hearing her talk so honorable about the brunette. "She's just a girl like me...When she found out that her father had died, she cried just like I did... She needs our help! We can't abandon her."
Gramps lifts his head up. "I see. You can go..." He gave Lucy his blessing. "Erza, you choose who goes with her. "
"Right." The redhead nods.
"Keep it small and efficient. Veronica may not be a large country, but we cannot afford to go to war with them." Gramps warns us.
"Of course, master," Erza said agreeing.
"Hey, Wendy," Natsu calls out to the younger Dragon Slayer. "Shana and I are 'onna need your Troia to spell this time."
The bluenette smiled. "Yeah, so that means I'll have to go with you."
Gray lifted his hand up. "Then I'm going to. Ain't no way I'm putting Shana's life in your hands."
"Wherever Gray goes, I will follow." Juvia butted in.
I groan. "Oh great." Juvia's gotta tag along.
"Aye, sir!" Happy cheers.
Gajeel and Lily also offered their help. "We shall hope for the best while still preparing for the worst... I will return to the Council at once and give my report." Gramps stood up. "Godspeed, everybody." He prayed for our safety.
