Ohai-yo, minna-san~! ♥ Here is the next chapter to my NaLu fan fiction, I hope you all like it! ^.^  I have been feeling really drained today, so I've been resting all day...well, despite writing. c:  I dedicate this chapter to evangelinerun!  I hope you all enjoy, and feedback is always appreciated!  Until next time, everyone!!

яу-¢нαи,

тнє иαℓυ ωяιтєя ♟

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"Gotcha!"  Gray exclaimed, his arms crossed in his Ice-Make pose.

Loren was caught in a column of ice, with everyone around her.  Wendy stopped using her Sky Dragon's Roar, while Lucy and Loke halted and Erza dropped to the ground.

"Good job, Gray!"  Wendy exclaimed.

"Don't be so sure; it's not over yet."  Loren hissed, and she pulled her arm free.

The Casting of Magic was grasped inside.

Immediately, Gray's ice transformed into water, crashing to the ground with a loud splash.  Loren followed shortly after, smirking as she pulled herself to her feet.

"She turned the ice into water?!"  Wendy exclaimed.

"Damn..."  Gray murmured.  "I was so sure that would work!"

Loren snickered.  "You think so?  Just because ice freezes water doesn't mean there is an advantage."

Lucy suddenly got an idea, and she gasped slightly.

Erza heard Lucy's reaction, and glanced at her.  "What is it, Lucy?"

"We have to get that bottle,"  Lucy murmured.  "It powers up her magic, right?  Well, if we destroy it, she'll be an easier opponent."

"That'll be her weakness."  Loke muttered in realization, getting ready to attack again.

They all whisered to each other their plan, and then nodded when they were certain it would work.

"Let's go, then!"  Gray exclaimed afterwards.

Erza and Gray charged forward first.

Gray brought his hands down in a wide arc as he jumped through the air.  

"Ice-Make: Lance!"

Millions of ice shards shot forward, plowing into the ground which was under him.  Loren, however, dodged them with incredible speed, seeming to slither through the columns of ice.  She jumped upwards, aiming for Gray, but Erza interfered and pushed her back to the ground, Erza and Gray also hitting the ground afterwards.  Loke joined the fight, a golden ring appearing  in front of him as his magic shot forward.

It almost grazed Loren's side since she had been off balance, but she was able to dodge it.  However, Wendy appeared, her mouth sucking in air quickly.

"Sky Dragon's Roar!"  She exclaimed, and magic shot forward to slam into Loren's front, making Loren slide against the ground in resistance.

"Why you...!"  Loren grunted, her eyes angered as she crossed her arms as a shield against the strong wind..

"Now, Lucy!"  Erza barked.

Loren's eyes widened as Lucy appeared behind her, diving for the Casting of Magic that was located on her hip.

In a frantic movement Loren tried to dodge, but Lucy's fingers grasped the end and Lucy pulled it from Loren's belt, flying past her.  From the momentum Lucy had made from running, she skidded across the ground before she came to a stop.

"No!"  Loren exclaimed, realizing they'd figured it out.

"Here, Erza!"  Lucy exclaimed, throwing it into the air.

Erza changed into her normal Heart Kruez armor, bringing one of her many swords - from a random armor - down onto the small container and slicing it in half.  It strangely evaporated into the air, leaving nothing behind.

Erza dropped to the ground, smiling triumphantly.

"We did it!"  Wendy exclaimed.

They all turned back to Loren, who looked shocked.  However, her expression quickly turned to anger, and she raised her hand into the air.

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Natsu pulled himself out of the wreckage.

Lores had managed to push him all the way back to the building, where they were now crashing through each floor as they fought.  Lores flashed into existence in front of him, while Happy appeared in the air.

"Natsu, are you okay?!"  Happy exclaimed, flying over to him.

"I'm fine, Happy."  Natsu grunted, pushing himself from the wall.  "That didn't affect me at all."

"You say that, but you really don't mean it."  Lores murmured, his sneer menacing.

Suddenly the Disappearance Staff started glowing white, and Lores smirked.

"What's the staff doing?"  Happy asked.

Lores pulled the staff off his back, raising it into the air.

And it disappeared.

"What the-?!"  Natsu exclaimed while Happy gasped in awe.

"Looks like Loren needs the Disapearance Staff to finish up the job..."  Lores replied softly, almost talking to himself.

"Oi!  What do you mean by that?"  Natsu asked, his voice threatening.

Lores didn't answer, and instead, lunged forward.

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As soon as Loren raised her hand into the air, everyone stared in shock as the Disappearance Staff flashed into existence.

"How did she..?!"  Gray exclaimed.

"She must've exchanged it with Lores!"  Loke replied, standing next to Lucy.

Loren smirked.  "Time it disappear!"

The staff glowed again, and a ring of light appeared underneath everyone's feet.  Gray, Wendy and Carla, and Erza were in a small group, while Lucy was a little ways away; according to the circle, she was on the edge of the ring.

"What is this?!"  Erza exclaimed, the air starting to hum.

However, Lucy didn't feel what they were feeling.

Gray tried to move, but his feet were stuck to the ground.  "I can't move!"

"Neither can we!"  Carla exclaimed.

"Oh no!"  Lucy exclaimed, wondering what she should do; after all, she couldn't move either.

They started to float through the air, and all of the sudden Erza, Gray, Wendy, and Carla disappeared.

"Everyone!"  Lucy exclaimed, dropping to the ground as the light on the ground disappeared along with the echoes of her friends.

Lucy was shocked to see herself and Loke unaffected.

However, she turned to look at Loren.  "What did you do with my friends?!"

Loren smirked.  "I sent them out the portal and into Fiore; this is so they can't bother us for awhile."

"What?"  Loke exclaimed.  "That means they have to run all the way back here!"

Loren started to progress forward, making Lucy flinch.

"Why didn't you send me, too?"  Lucy asked, feeling something was wrong.

Loren smirked.  "Because I wanted to pay you back for breaking my weapon!"

Lucy looked at Loren in shock, but all of the sudden Loren's back was hit, and her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell to the ground.

Virgo was standing behind, clutching the Disappearance Staff.  "Is it time for punishment, Mistress?"

"Virgo!"  Lucy exclaimed happily, relieved.

"You're here..."  Loke murmured, surprised.

"Yes; I simply put this woman into a slumber."  Virgo replied, inspecting the staff curiously.

"Virgo, can you please destroy that staff?"  Lucy asked, and Virgo nodded.

"Yes, Princess..."  Slamming it into her knee, Virgo snapped the staff like a twig.  Magic flowed out of it, and it too disappeared.

"This is actually the first time I'm glad you came without permission!"  Lucy sighed happily, standing.  "But now we have to find Natsu and tell him one is down!"

"We'll be going back now, Lucy."  Loke replied.

Lucy nodded.  "Right.  Thank you Virgo, Loke."

"Good luck, Princess."  Virgo replied softly.

They disappeared into thin air.

Turning to look at the old building a few yards away, Lucy spotted activity going on all around it.

"That's gotta be Natsu!"  Lucy exclaimed.

She turned, looking at the place her friends had disappeared.  I hope they can hurry back...we'll need their help!

Running towards the bridge, Lucy took off to find Natsu and Happy.

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Stay tuned for the next chapter, Chapter 23: Lores vs. Natsu!