a mermaid tail [nalu, under rewriting]

Chapter 6: Scared of Skeletons?

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Hello minna! I have just seen that this fanfiction has reached 300 views! I think that is really cool, and I am very glad you all like my story! Sorry again for the super slow updates, school doesn't do itself... But, I am super angry at myself for it taking... TWO MONTHS!!! (๑•̀n•́) Well... without further adieu, the next chapter.

A Mermaid Tail
Chapter 6: Aqua Cave

Enjoy~
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"Captain, we've arrived!"

The ship crashes into something, waking Lucy from under the ship. She sits up immediately, confused to why the ship had stopped.

She walked as quickly as she could up the stairs of the ship to the deck, where everyone stood. The ship was stopped in front of a sandy island, and the crew was walking along a strip of wood to get over to it from the ship.

"What's happening?" Lucy asked as she approached the last one in line, Lisanna. "We've arrived at Aqua Cave, the place we were trying to get to the entire time we were on the ocean. Now we have to explore it." Lisanna explained.

"Why?"

"So we can find what we've come for."

"...What is that?"

"You'll find out. For now, follow us, and help us along. You are apart of this crew now, aren't you?" Lisanna said with a smile, walking off the ship and into the sand under the wood strip. Lucy took a second to ask herself, but nodded and smiled back, following her off the ship.

Captain Natsu, which Lucy preferred on calling him, lead the crew near a cave along the beach. Lisanna had moved to the front, leaving Wendy walking next to Lucy. Apparently, Wendy actually talked to Lucy.

"You know where we're going?" She asked Lucy. Lucy looked down at Wendy, then at the cave Captain Natsu had began to lead them inside of.

"I don't know... It seems familiar though..." She replied, glancing around at the deep blue walls.

"This is Aqua Cave." Wendy said, admiring the look of the cave.

The walls had a reflection of the water that curled along the floor, from a source nobody had ever noticed or saw. The ceiling had plant life on it, and on the floor in some parts. Rocks and small pebbles were scattered around the place. But, overall, it looked quite beautiful.

It reminded almost everyone of the sea, then Lucy, which led them to remember the reason they were here. They came to find the remaining pieces of the Merineel Stone, and then take the last part from Lucy.

"Oh, no wonder it looked so familiar! I remember my mother taking me to a place just like this as a baby..." Lucy said with a smile. Wendy smiled back and nodded.

Suddenly, the crew stops. Everyone, except for the leader, looks up in questioning. "Is something wrong, Captain Natsu?" Erza asked from behind him. But, Erza quickly became quiet as well.

The entire crew was now frantic about what was ahead, and stepped out of their places to see. And in front of them, was a glowing stone on a chunk of cave rock. The Merineel Stone.

But, what they hadn't noticed, where the skeletons around it... Skeletal hands reached towards the stone, and some lay as if they were running from something.

But yet, nobody seemed to notice. They were all memorized by the stone. Captain Natsu took a step closer, and Lisanna reacted almost immediately after.

She pushed him aside, saving both their lives. Captain Natsu had stepped on something that triggered a trap, which revealed to be a square hole. It was deep from what anyone could easily see... And no water was at the bottom.

"Be careful!" Lisanna scolded, helping him up from the rocks. "Captain, Lisanna, are you okay?" Erza asked, rushing over to them. Lucy couldn't help it, but joined her to help in any way she could. "Aye, aye, we're fine." Captain Natsu said. "Thank you Lisanna, but, don't be puttin' your life in danger for mine." He added, walking back to the stone.

"Can we get the stone and go please? This place scares me..." Wendy commented. Lucy nodded, joining Wendy again at the end. "What are you scared of? Skeletons?" Captain Natsu asked, taking a skeleton's arm and pointing at Lucy and Wendy.

Lucy rolled her eyes, but Wendy shivered. "It's dead, it can't hurt you, lass." Captain Natsu said. Right after he said that sentence, the skeletal arm comes to life and grabs onto his wrist. Wendy let's out a cry of fear.

Captain Natsu glared at it, and pried it off. But, it just grabbed onto his other wrist. Lisanna was still with Erza, talking about something, obviously distracted... Gray just stood and watched, enjoying the show put on.

From behind Captain Natsu, a skeleton with a missing arm grabbed onto his other wrist and reconnecting his stolen arm. "I seriously wish you things would stay dead!" Captain Natsu said, kicking it in its skeletal head. The bones were scattered from the kick and everything else went lifeless.

"Captain Natsu!" Erza and Lisanna exclaimed, now paying attention after noticing the action. "I'm fine, just get the stone and let's leave!" He said.

Erza nodded, dashing to the rocks, but also keeping an eye out for traps. She pried the stone from the rocks and rejoined the crew. She gave the Merineel Stone to Captain Natsu, who had apparently came prepared with a slightly damaged satchel. He threw the stone in, and began walking out at the lead once again. Gray, however, was still doing nothing but following their faster walk out.

Lucy stayed behind with Wendy however, who had stopped moving.

"What's wrong, Wendy? We have to go!" Lucy said, shaking her lightly. Wendy just stared behind Lucy with wide eyes.

Suddenly, Lucy could hear a rushing sound, similar to the roaring of the ocean waves... And immediately, she knew what was behind her.

"Lucy, Wendy, hurry now!" Captain Natsu said, dashing back to the two. "Don't come over here, run!" Lucy said, dashing towards him with Wendy, who had finally started moving after a few more shakes.

Captain Natsu looked to Lucy with a confused face, but then say the huge mass of roaring water behind her. He nodded and began running at her side to the exit, when the crew was begining to board the ship at Captain Natsu's order.

The water's roaring got louder and louder, and the yelling of the crew for them began. They spotted them running from the waves in the cave, even boarded safely on the boat.

They were nearly at the exit to the cave, but the water had caught up with them. A huge square hole, even bigger than the last, appeared below them. The water crashed into all three of them and sent them down into the trap.

Lucy held onto Wendy, who was panicking under the freezing water. Captain Natsu was holding onto both of them too, so they wouldn't get separated, at least.

It seemed the were never to escape anyways... But wouldn't they just drown under the heaping amount of freezing water?