sea shells | natsu dragneel

chapter forty four

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"I will not lose to a bunch of fairies! Sabertooth is stronger than you! Then all of you!"

Minerva is frantic. Her swings, punches, and kicks are erratic. They're losing the kind of strength I had witnessed in the beginning- they are no longer strong, confident, and arrogant. Fairy Tail has greatly dulled down their blades from a sharp metal to a blunt edge. 

I wrap my arms around Natsu's waist, who hums and tries to stand up. I tut with disapproval, letting him sink his injured and tattered body into mine. My eyes travel back Rufus and Gray, just in time to see Gray land the killing blow. Rufus is dazed, shuffling on both feet, before tumbling to the ground. 

"No!" Minerva shouts, eyes on her comrade as he goes down. She grits her teeth, emotions on full display. It causes Erza to stall. 

"It doesn't have to end this way," the redhead persuades, voice grim but empathetic. 

It seems to piss off the leader of Sabertooth even more: she growls, like a wild animal, leaving sand clouds in her wake as she readies a fighting stance. Her fists are raised, covered hands balled and almond eyes gleaming with ferocity. I shiver: she was truly a picture of skill and lethality. 

 "She's right," an unexpected voice perks up, and a head full of blonde, golden hair threads herself through the crowd. "it's time to end this feud, Minerva." 

"You!" the black-haired woman whips around, pointing an accusatory finger at my friend. "that's rich, coming from a traitor and deserter! When things became difficult, you ran to Fairy Tail and left me!" 

Lucy winces, true pain flashing like lightning across her face– just as bright and clear, but gone within a second. She recollects the feelings displayed across her face, taking a deep breath, ready to show her vulnerability in front of her... enemy? Friend? They knew each other before. 

I glance to Natsu to my right– his breathing, thankfully, deep and even. "Do you know anything about the two of them?" 

He shakes his head, interlacing our fingers. "We suspected. But it is her story to tell when she is ready. We were waiting, that's all." 

I nod, smiling. I lean over and press a kiss to his forehead, not minding the sand or the blood. He closes his eyes, relaxing. The stress and fear were slowly dissipating like a wave upon the beach. It was clear that after Sting's defeat, and Orga now face-first pressed into the ground by Laxus, Fairy Tail was going to emerge from this fight as victorious. Not unscathed, but better off. 

Natsu hums, inclining into my touch. He cracks open an eye. "That's it?" 

I laugh, the sound clear and bright. "After you get fixed up, mister." 

It seemed that Lucy was finally ready to reveal her secret. 

Ready to face her fear: I remember her despair with ease when she saw a sleeping Rogue on my couch. 

Speaking of Rogue, he was also holding his brother. Sting was barely able to keep his eyes open: probably exhausted from the emotional weight of what had happened in the last hour. His ruby eyes meet mine, and I give him a smile. My heart radiates with sunshine when Rogue returns the smile, fearless and unabashed. 

"I did run," she admits, taking a step forward. I can see Erza step away as well, as Minerva's attention is drawn to Lucy. "because I was scared. I was scared of the way Sabertooth governed, and I didn't want to be a part of that," she wrings her hands across in front of her torn, bloodied shirt. It was first white, but now it's stained with red. 

"You ran," the leader spits, words hissed and teeth bared. "and after everything we've done for you. We saved you from your own father. And you leave because you did not like our rules?" 

"They weren't just rules!" Lucy breathes, brown eyes bleeding with concern and love. "they were ways of life! I couldn't be myself. I was suffocating under your domination." 

Minerva's breath stops in her throat. I recognize that sign- of understanding. But it's gone a second later, as she defiantly shakes her head and takes a step away from her ex-friend. "No... no, no that's not right..." I can see her fingers, covered by sand-stained gloves, tremble against her chest. 

"You don't have to continue Jiemma's reign," Lucy whispers, slowly moving forward. Her pace was quiet and timid, nothing assaulting about it. Fairy Tail watches on, carefully taking care of their wounded in the meantime. "I know that you were taught to believe that following your father's footsteps was your destiny. But you get to decide your future– not him. You can change." 

"I can't," she gasps, taking in a ragged breath. I watch in awe as a crystal tear forms at her right eyes, brilliant in the moonlight. 

"Of course you can," Lucy smiles, broad and wide and compassionate and beautiful. "we'll be there for you. I'll be here to help you. You're not alone in this, Minerva." 

"You– you won't forgive me," she tries to sound accusatory– but fails, as her voice cracks like a fist upon bone. 

"I forgave you a long time ago," the blonde murmurs, slowly opening her arms, offering herself up, in her bloodied, tired state. Minerva wails, crashing into that forgiving stature. She hides her head in the shorter woman's neck, and Lucy's arms wind around her dress and hold on tight, not intending to let her go. 

Fairy Tail– and a second later, Sabertooth as well. Laughter and shouting fill the crater, the moon twinkling in the sky as if congratulating us. I let out a sigh of relief– I really had no idea how the night was going to end. And neither had Natsu, as he was hollering in joy, high-fiving a passing Gray while he was adjusting the hat he had stolen from Rufus. 

Lucy had been a brief member of Sabertooth before officially joining Fairy Tail. And it was clear that the things she'd seen there, the things she'd experienced, still haunted her to this day. It would take some time before those fears would be truly gone, I think, but this is a good step towards the right direction. 

For both Fairy Tail and Sabertooth.