Wheels of Fire

Chaos in Edolas

In Edolas, Natsu hid behind a broken bit of a low wall, crouched with Edo-Lucy beside him. She had a crossbow, and he held a flamethrower. Both of them were out of breath. The air was smoky from something burning, and Edo-Lucy kept coughing from the ash that swirled in the air.

"I hate this dumb piece of crap," Natsu yelled, punching the flaming device.

"Idiot," Lucy Ashley snapped, slapping his hand and forcing the flamethrower to point toward the ground. "That thing is volatile. Hit it too hard, and it'll explode in your face."

"Good! Maybe if I eat the flames, I can use more of my magic."

"Get over that already!" the blonde screamed. "How do you think we got into this mess?"

"Well, I managed to light a flame earlier," he pointed out proudly.

"A tiny one!"

Natsu looked stubborn. "It was still something. Whatever Mystogan gave me back then, it must still be working a little."

"After seven years?" she shouted.

"It wasn't seven years to me. Honestly, it seems like I was here less than six months ago."

"That's true," Edo-Lucy muttered. "So you guys lost time too, huh? No wonder you still look like a fucking kid."

"Yep. Seven years, then another three months while we were in the Spirit World." He grinned widely to her. "Mystogan's pill must still be in my system despite all that. I've still got a little bit of my abilities."

"Shit yeah, enough for those bastards out there to realize you have magic, but not enough to actually fight them," Lucy Ashley yelled. "Those assholes don't give a rat's dick whether you can breathe fucking dragon flames or barely light a cigarette. You have magic inside of you still, and that's what they—"

An explosion cut her off, and the ground nearby shook. Natsu grabbed her, covering her as dirt and rocks rained down on them. From the other side of the wall they heard a yell. "Watch out! Don't kill the magic user."

"What are you doing, pervert?" Edo-Lucy growled, shoving Natsu aside roughly.

"What else? Protecting you," he said, not understanding what her problem was.

"Like I need that!" She dusted the debris off of her black leather outfit. "Fuck, we were doing just fine until you showed up."

Natsu yelled angrily, "Hey, you were the ones who brought me here. I want you to send me back."

"Oh, trust me," she laughed wryly, "I can't wait to get a bastard like you out of here." She slipped above the edge of the wall to take a shot with her crossbow. "You're nothing but trouble, Salamander."

"Back at you, Ashley."

There were more shots, and one grazed Edo-Lucy on the shoulder. She cried out and slid back down the wall, grabbing the bleeding wound.

"Dammit, just what I need," she growled, pressing her head hard against the bricks to focus off of the pain.

Natsu saw blood dripping down her arm. "They shot you!" he yelled in astonishment.

"No shit, dipwad," she growled. "Whaddya think they've been trying to do this whole time? Fucking bitch, that hurt." She cringed and flexed her fingers to see if there was nerve damage.

Natsu smelled the familiar and hated scent: Lucy's blood. Whenever Lucy bled, the instinct to protect her surged in his chest. He knew this was not his Lucy, but seeing that face drawn up in pain inflamed his sense of justice. He glanced around the edge of the wall at the mob of cutthroats who had pinned them down.