Reflections

Chapter 4: Stars and Silver

Levy shrieked, so near to her ear that it hurt. In an instance, Lucy saw the doorway of the pub sliding downward past her-- moving sideways through the air-- she glimpsed the ground very far below-- the hot blaze of the explosion -- the scorching heat--

And then, with a scraping shriek, Lucy fell on the hard ground, a sickening fall, and her stomach heaved in the moment before the world became totally black, and silent.

Sprawled out onto the pavement, Erza gasped. Dear God, what had happened?

She blinked, her eyes now on the pub that glowed in the distance.

It was on fire.

She couldn't believe it. They were already through the door when she had spotted one of the culprits before the explosion. A man with spikey hair and a silver skull chain. Was he the one who caused the explosion?

In a sudden flash of soundless lighting, she saw clearly: there were a couple of bystanders on the ground around her, as well as flaming heaps of wood and orange embers.

"W-- what happened?" It was Levy. She collected herself, her frail body struggling to sit up.

Even though she looked battered and bruised, it appeared she didn't have any serious injuries.

Faintly, over the crackling fire, Erza heard the sound of a girl shouting.

Standing, she composed her long red hair and heart kreuz armor. "Are you alright, Levy?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. But wow, Erza, there's hardly a scratch on you." It was true. Erza stood there with all of her valor.

The people on the floor began to rise. Grunts and moans were uttered as they scattered from the sight, afraid of involvement with the explosion.

Erza realized she couldn't spot Lucy in the wreckage and panicked, "Lucy!!"

Lucy Heartfilia lay in the street, her cheek pressed against the sidewalk curb. She drifted slowly back to consciousness when she heard her name. She only wanted to sleep. She shifted her position, and felt the pain in her cheekbone where it lay against the curb. Her whole body ached.

"Erza?" She pushed herself up on one elbow. Opening her eyes she tried to get her bearings.

The pub sizzled and cracked a few yards away from where she lay. She looked up as Erza and Levy found her, helping her to her feet and dusted her off.

"They blew up the pub. Damn, we failed to stop them in time. I'll take responsibility for this." Erza announced, fist clenched to her chest.

Levy wondered why they weren't burnt to a crisp. Only her short orange dress and shoulder bag were scorched black. A magic fire, she thought.

Lucy looked like Levy did: scratched and bruised, and the collar of her white-blue rimmed blouse was burned off, but she wasn't.

"The people we're after... did this?" Lucy asked, messaging her temples. Her mind was scattered and mashed from the fall, she could barely even remember her name.

"Yes, I saw one of them--"

Erza heard the same girl from before shout again. "There." Her features were sharp.

Inches away from the flames, were individuals who did not have a scratch on them.

"Let! Why did you burn the place down?!" The man with spiky hair was cutting into another man with gray hair and a scar running down his forehead.

He stood with his arms crossed peering over the destruction he had apparently caused. He looked uneasy.

"Not now, Musica! We have to go! Someone will come and I don't want to be here when they do!" A pretty young girl dragged the other two bickering.