Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 3.2 - Magnolia Again Pt. 2

Natsu peered back at the lone Magic Four Wheeler that'd brought a couple of soldiers. He pursed his lips. They had spears and shields, maybe with some anti-magic armament, but if they were caught off-guard?

"Can you put your head down?" Lucy hissed. She forced Natsu's head back beneath the rocks. "Are you trying to get us killed?"

"Oh, come on," Natsu said. "Even you could take those guys."

"Yeah, and sound off every alarm bell again?" Lucy asked.

Happy padded over. "I think Lucy's just a chicken."

"We just had half the guild teleported away from two of their people and you're calling a chicken?" Lucy asked.

"If we hijack the vehicle," Natsu said. "You can drive it to Magnolia, Lucy, and Happy can fly me there. We can't be too far."

"You want me to steal an Imperial vehicle?" Lucy asked. "That probably has a tracking device on it? Will you think things through for just a second?"

Natsu rolled his eyes. Lucy always had to find a way to complicate his plans. At least Gray wasn't there to back her up and call him an idiot.

"Happy, your thoughts?"

"Aye, sir. Let's hijack this thing."

"Alright, Lucy, you're outnumbered."

"Oh, come on!"

"Lucy!" Natsu exclaimed, perhaps a bit too loud. Whatever. What were those guys going to do? "You want to get home, right? This is our best ticket there."

Lucy folded her arms in front of her chest. Ah, great, was she going to pout? No, no, the way her lips were puckered wasn't a pouting face. It was Lucy putting on her thinking cap! She was considering every situation.

"I'll do it," Lucy said. "But I don't think Happy will be able to carry you all the way to Magnolia. You'll have to ride for a bit."

There it was. The flaw in Natsu's plan. He swallowed his pride...knowing that his lunch was going to come back up.

Hold on, Natsu realized. The last meal he ate...was it really seven years ago?

"I think," Lucy said, putting her fist in her open palm. "I can summon Loke to help us out, too. Or, at least have someone to pass the baton to if I get tired."

"Nah, he'll drive us the whole way," Natsu said. "Great, we have a plan! Happy, let's go!"

Then, he heard Lucy cry out against his next move, but he was already halfway across the gap of soldiers. Only two of them? Easy!

Four more stepped into the clearing, lighting up cigarettes. Natsu flattened his expression, quickly changing spells on the fly.

"Fire Dragon Roar!"

None of the soldiers saw him in the sky. Happy let him go as the spell blasted the ground, sending them scattering. Natsu slammed onto the road in front of the vehicle.

"Don't bother getting back up!" Natsu shouted. Lucy rushed over. "We're taking the car. Call in whomever you want. We're outta here! Let's go, Happy!"

Lucy sidled into the car. "Open, Gate of the Lion! Leo!"

Loke appeared next to Lucy in the car, his glasses glimmering in the faint sunlight. He grinned at her.

"Ah, good to see you again, my lady, it's been too long."

"Cut the crap, dude, we've gotta go!" Natsu shouted as Happy flung him into the air.

"Wait!" Lucy shouted. "How do I drive this thing?"