The Dragneel Affair | NaLu

Chapter 19 - The Final Battle

If rest meant sleeping for three hours, then yes, they did rest in Moscow. But nerves had kept them up; all except Jellal who believed he would stay out of the fight because he was French. Juvia, however, wanted to fight. She wouldn't admit it, but she wanted to impress Gray with her skills with a sword. "Even if it is something for a man, I want to show Gray that a woman can do it just as well," she had told Erza that morning.

It seemed that time picked up speed as the battle came closer. Everything was rushed. Everyone marched quickly along the Russian country side to the sound of beating drums and beating hearts. Lucy knew her nerves were starting to take over when she started having trouble keeping up with the others and Natsu had to hold her hand just to keep her close. He wasn't nervous, but he did have a bad feeling about the fight in the pit of his stomach. Part of him knew this wouldn't end well. He would never be able to admit this to Lucy. So he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, mostly for himself.

The soldiers marched in front of a group from the southern area of Russia, they called themselves, Mermaid Heel, for their leader's love of mermaids. Surprisingly, a majority of the soldiers were women. Erza attempted talking to a young woman by the name of, Milliana, who was happy to talk about anything other than what would happen to her within the next hour or so. Once the French could be seen, anxiety had left and gave Lucy only fear. She hadn't fought so many opposing soldiers at once. She squeezed Natsu's hand and had him turn his attention to her.

"Natsu."

"Yes?"

"Will you marry me?"

"No, not right now. I don't have my dress."

"Now's not the time for jokes," she said. "I'm not saying we need to say our vows right now. I'm saying if we get out of this alive, no matter if we win or lose, I would like to marry you," she had to shout as she finished. The French had began firing bombs towards the Russians. Thankfully, no one had been hurt. The front line of soldiers had started firing their muskets. And everyone still continued to march forward. Natsu nodded.

"If we get out of here, alive, I will marry you. I'll buy a house in the country and we'll have thirty kids and watch them grow up and we'll grow old together, like it should be." She wanted to argue about the number of children but pushed it aside, because another bomb was flying towards them.

It landed not far from the soldiers this time, taking out about fifty men. Lucy took her gun and began loading it. Natsu did the same, not as clumsily, and watched the French. They were a strong army, probably as strong as the British; the strongest militia in the world. As soldiers ran past him, he grabbed Lucy's arm. She turned to him with a confused expression. He kissed her, deeply and passionately. When he broke the kiss, he whispered, "think of a white dress," and ran off into battle. Leaving Lucy feeling every emotion she had ever known.

• • •

He stood next to Gray. They were fighting against two Frenchmen. They could've been the same man, except one was a tan blond and another was a pale brunette. They both had strong facial features and scruffy mustaches and were a few centimeters shorter than Gray and Natsu. They both fought while shouting, which complimented the other's style, loud and big.

Gray was the first to take one down. He had stabbed the blond in the chest with his sword. But he was quickly replaced with three other Frenchmen. Gray pulled is sword out and swung, just missing one of the four. As he took a second swing, Makarov stepped in with a loaded Muskets and shot him down easily. Unfortunately, he didn't notice the sword sticking out from his stomach.

"Gramps!" Natsu shouted. Makarov turned to him; and of all things, he smiled.

"This is how I wanted to go!" He told him, "fighting for my country!" He continued to smile even as he fell to the ground. Natsu felt tears on his face as he watched him. Angered, he turned back to the soldier standing above him. Before he could attack, he was shot. As he lost consciousness, he could hear Gray shout his name.