Colors of our Souls

17: A Frightened Wizard in Armor

Ikari:

Okay, now the chicken on steroids is down for the count.

I turn my head to see Gray slam his elbow into the fortune teller's face, taking him out easily.

"Oh wow, he's not even using magic," Lucy says in awe.

"Not like it should be a new concept to you Luce," I say to her in frustration. "Put some clothes on Gray!"

"Crap," Gray says, realizing that he's once again in just his underwear.

"Where'd these brats come from anyway?" A small green man with a bull's eye tattoo on the side of his head asks no one.

Natsu is still in the Sand Lock that's floating in the air.

Ugh, do I really have to help this guy out again?

Just before I do, the sand ball explodes into flames.

Natsu lands on the ground in a crouch, "You jerk, now I've got a mouth full of sand and it's all cause of you." He says, spitting out some sand.

Natsu slams his fists together, an orange magic circle appearing in front of them.

"Fire Dragon: Iron Fist!"

I find a quite convenient roll of rope and quickly use it to tie up the green guy's goons.

An explosion sounds behind me as Natsu's attack makes impact with the green guy.

I immediately add his body to the group that I've already tied around a thick tree while Natsu and Gray bicker behind me.

Lucy comes up next to me and kneels on the ground in front of the group.

"Lulla-" The green man says, voice pained.

"What's lulla?" Lucy asks sweetly.

"Lulla-by- is," he finishes the word in a strained voice.

"Lullaby?" Gray asks as he and Natsu stop their arguing.

Suddenly, a force knocks everyone flying away from the tree as a black shadow in the shape of a hand appears. I land lightly on my feet, catching Panda's limp body and setting it down before it can slam into the earth.

The group looks frightened as the black hand closes over them, destroying the bottom of the tree as they disappear.

"What was that?" Lucy asks, frightened.

"Who was that?" Natsu asks in a rough voice.

"Well whoever it was, they're fast," I comment.

"I can't even sense their presence anymore," Gray adds.

"But... What could this mean?" Natsu asks, glaring in the direction the hand went.

"Lullaby," I whisper to myself, searching my mind.

I know I've read about something called 'Lullaby'...

"Panda? Panda wake up," I hear Gray's voice. I turn to see him sitting cross-legged on the ground, Panda's head in his lap.

Oh crap, I slammed her into the ground harder than I meant to.

I dash over, dropping to me knees to begin healing her left wing as fast as I can.

Pandora:

When I come to, the fight is over. What the hell happened? Gray's holding my head in his lap, but my head hurts too much for me to really care right now. I'm laying on my back, my wings laid out to either side. Kari's bent over my left one, working furiously and muttering to herself. I don't think she even realizes I'm awake. Gray does though.