A Railgun in Fairy Tail Book 3: Bridge Between Worlds

The Battle Of Crocus........The Terrible Demon VS The Great Dragon

Natsu blinked....his eyes trying to refocus after the strange light that had just blazed throughout the entire area. The last thing he remembered was throwing Touma at Mikoto, then watching as Touma was swallowed up by Mikoto's energy body..........the thing he knew, there was a tremendous explosion and a burst of light, and everything went white.

Now, Natsu stood up in the rubble, trying to clear his head of the churchbell sized ringing that was going off in his skull.

Lucy stumbled over the rubble and managed to get to Natsu. She was followed by Elli, Happy, and Loke.

"What happened!?" said Lucy. "Where are Touma and Mikoto!?"

"I-I don't know.." said Natsu rubbing his head sorely. "Wait......what's that?"

The group looked into the massive dust cloud ahead of them, as they could see a figure walking out of the ruins. A figure that seemed to be holding someone in his arms.......

In a burst of wind, the dust cloud was sweapt away to reaveal Touma Kamijou walking through the smoking rubble, carrying a barely conscious Mikoto Misaka in his arms. Mikoto had burns all over her arms and legs.....it seemed that being a Level 6 for as long as she did put a physical toll on her body.

"Guys!!" shouted Touma. "Hurry! I think she needs some medical attention!!"

Natsu and the others hurried over as Touma set Mikoto gently on the ground and leaned her against a rocky outcropping of rubble. Lucy immediately began pulling out some bandages as Elli cried and flew straight into Mikoto's arms.

"Hey Elli....." Mikoto said softly. "You've got burns.............should probably get Wendy.......to look at that......"

"This is nothing!" said Elli shaking her head. "You're the one who needs Wendy to have a look......"

Elli couldn't go on. She started crying again and hugged Mikoto even harder as Mikoto hugged her back.

Natsu sighed with relief. "Man.......that was a close one.......though that ringing is still going in my ears......."

"Natsu." said Lucy. "That's your phone."

"Phone?" said Natsu. "You mean the ones Mikoto gave us? But there aren't any bars in this world!"

Natsu reached into his pocket and was astounded to find that Gajeel was calling him.........how the heck was he doing that, when service didn't extend into alternate dimensions?

Natsu answered the phone. "Hey Gajeel! How the heck are you getting service out here!?"

"Salamander!" shouted Gajeel on the other end. "You won't believe the stuff we've been finding....turns out there's a hidden Academy City lab right here in Crocus that's managed to connect signals to back to Academy City.....Levy just figured out how to use it.....after we wrecked the place fighting AIM Burst...."

"AIM Burst?" said Natsu. "Eh?! What is that? Some sort of new vending machine drink?"

"Long story." said Gajeel. "But all you need to know right now, is that this lab has eyes on everything in Crocus.........and you need to get out of there now!!"

"Eh?!" said Natsu. "Why!?"

"He's coming your way!!"

"Whose coming my way!!?"

Before Natsu could get an answer, the phone flew out of his hand and straight into the outstretched clawed metal gloves of Diablo Etwatia, who clenched his fist and crushed the phone into dust.

"I'm coming....." said Diablo as the ground beneath him turned molten from his intense rage.

Touma looked at Diablo, his eyes wide. "You!!"