Chapter 16- Thank You For Making Me Stronger

"Now," Lucy said. "Let's go find the wench and research."

"Like Hell you will!" Lucy's head snapped to the direction of the voice. Her eyes widened. Could that be. . .? No, the change is too sudden. Yet, the attire. . .

An old woman, probably Master's age, dragged herself from the shadows into the torch light. Her hair was dry, stringy, and as white as snow. Her wrinkles emphasized the age in her face, allowing her cheeks to sag. Her mouth was sour, eyes filled with hate, and it seemed as though her robe did not fill as it used to.

"Y-You're the castor?" Lucy asked. The others, who watched the old hag, too, frowned in Lucy's direction.

"Impossible," Wendy said. "This woman is much older." Lucy shook her head, pointing to the pink Sakura robe.

"Same robe, and the eyes." They looked into her eyes, cautious of the effects it may cause. Her eyes were the same color, even more bitter. However, they were slightly faded with age, but they still had their menacing stare.

"It is her. . ." Natsu realized.

"Then shouldn't we not look into her eyes?" Gajeel exclaimed. Erza shook her head.

"She doesn't have any magical energy left. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it was you who screamed every time your spell was broken." The woman gritted her teeth.

"I don't need any magical energy to take down you twerps!" She screeched, pulling herself up from the ground, arms limp at her side. She lunged at Lucy, and head-butted her.

"Ow!" Lucy explained, pushing away the old lady. "You're gonna get it now Grandma!" She exclaimed. She charged forward, ready to kick her to the ground with a Lucy Kick, but Erza held her back. Lucy strained against Erza, clawing at the air in front of the old lady.

"Lucy- um, calm down. . ." Gray said cautiously. She glared at him, feeling a bruise form on her forehead.

"Come here, you old hag! I'll kill you!" She growled. Erza squeezed Lucy, making it difficult to breathe.

"Ow, ow, ok, ok! Sorry, I won't kill her!" Lucy said, gasping for air. Erza nodded, letting go of her. Lucy took a deep breath. Her sides hurt. "Didn't have to squeeze so hard," Lucy dared to utter. She stood and they all looked at the pathetic woman.

Erza re-equipped a sword, and it dragged to the floor. She rose it, the point of the sword only inches away from the woman's eyes which had caused them much pain. "I don't like repeating myself, so I'll tell you this once and only once." The old woman gulped. "Where is the research you so loyally guarded?" Erza's face looked so scary that Lucy took a step away.

"Like I'd ever tell the likes of you!" She yelled. Erza's eyes lit the same color of her hair.

"So you admit there is research," the woman cursed under her breath.

"There's no way you'll find it!" She exclaimed. Erza pulled back her sword, ready to slash the woman's throat. The woman scrunched her eyes tight, ready for the impact. She had promised to protect the secret, even if it cost her life. She knew they had defeated Malus, but she hadn't thought of them as this strong. No one has ever broken her spell. The magical energy usually age her over 60 years, but never had the risk addressed to her because no one had beaten it. Even she didn't know the secret to beating the spell without special knowledge.

Guessing from when she had watched the blue-hair girl heal her friends, the girl must be a medical mage. An impressive feat. Was she somehow able to break all three? No, impossible. The woman had brought up the very ground to separate them. She glanced at the woman in bandages and the one in armor. She frowned. She should be dead, had the red-head not killed her. She gulped at the slight pain in her throat. The point had pressed itself into her skin. It wasn't meant to kill her, nor harm her. It barley penetrated the skin. A small tinkle of blood rolled down her small cut.

The red-head glared. "I," she growled. "Don't. Like. Repeating. Myself."

No, she mustn't say anything. Not a word. She rather die than give up. "Neither do I." She said boldly. "I will never tell you." It will take some time for her magical energy to restore itself, and when that happens, it'll automatically start to repair her body. There was no possible way for her to survive. The magical energy needed to restore her body will work instantly, never refilling, and then, she'd die from lack of magical energy. Her body will destroy itself trying to restore herself. Ironic? Yes. Maybe that's what she deserved, since she was doing that to time, too. Now time was giving her her turn.

She smirked, looking to the ground "I know I don't have long to live." She looked up, determination brimming her eyes. "But i swore on my life I wouldn't let anyone pass!" She screamed. The team looked at her with sympathy. They could understand what it meant to put their lives on the line for their friends. This woman was fighting for her comrades also. But in doing so, many people died. They could not allow that.

"I will not doubt your loyalty. However, countless people are dying." Erza warned. "People, spirits, they're dropping and we came to find out why."

"Our friend died, and the celestial king told us we could save her." Lucy said.

"To Hell with that king," the woman muttered.

"I almost died thanks to your comrade. Three times. I won't let anyone else be hurt. I got off easy and now I need to help others who didn't." Lucy said. "I'll find the research, with or without your help. You'd just make this a lot easier."

"Ha! You call me a wench? Pathetic, all off you!" The woman yelled. "Resulting to help from the enemy. To hell with all of you!"

"Let's go, were wasting Levy's time." Lucy muttered. The others nodded as the bound The woman's hands.

"I feel this is unresonable, and also very tight." The woman protested. "I'm 80 years old, I can't make it up the stairs. Ha! I won't even live to see the stairs!"

"You can never be too cautious."

"Do I look dangerous to you?"

"Look at my forehead!" Lucy exclaimed. "I'm wrapped in bandages thanks to you."

"More like thanks to your little boyfriend there," she said, smirking at Natsu's angry face.

"Come on, Natsu." Lucy said, grabbing his upper arm to lead him away from the woman. His face was indescribable, a mixture of sadness, anger, guilt, and fear. "We're wasting time on her." He turned and walked beside her as they decided to search together. The group found scattered wood here and there, and decided to use the scrap as torches.

Lucy didn't need a torch, however, because she had Natsu. The group decided to split up, taking different areas among the enormous chamber, hoping to find another door or clues. Lucy and Natsu decided to search at the end of the room opposite of the entrence. All the while, Natsu refused to look into Lucy's eyes.

Perhaps it was the guilt of having burnt her so badly, or maybe it was the embarrassment to have told her that he loved her. Whatever it was, it made the tone between them uncomfortable. Natsu never made things uncofortable.

"Natsu. . ." Lucy said, tracing her hands along the wall, looking for any switch or breeze.

"Yes?" Natsu asked, looking up from the floor.

"Do you-um- do you perhaps remember our fight?" She asked weairly. If he said yes, she didn't know what she was suppose to say. Well, she didn't know what to say if he said no either. What if he starts asking questions? Lucy cursed, she should have just kept quiet.

"No, but Lucy. . ." He said cautiously.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry. For you know, hurting you so badly. I didn't mean too."

"It's okay, Natsu. It's my fault. Or, actually, the hag's fault. Honestly, Natsu, I'm impressed." He looked at her confused.

"Impressed?"

"Yes, the power you radiated, just because you thought I had died. I want to thank you for caring so much." He looked at her, grateful. If she would have blamed him, or worse, had been scared of him, he didn't know what he would have done. Lucy was a comrade and a friend. Having hurt her hurt him beyond healing. But prehaps, he wasn't meant to be the one who healed those wounds in his heart. Forever he knew he'd have to live with the guilt, but Lucy could lighten the burden by just being there.

"I didn't get burnt because I couldn't get away, it's because I wanted to save you. Save you without having to hurt you." She continued, still focusing on the wall. He glanced are her.

Lucy traced the wall again, feeling Natsu's eyes bore into the back of her head. She was about to respond to her comment until she felt a small cold tingle on her fingers. Her eyes widened as she tried to feel for the spot again, but she had no luck. She sighed, she swore she could have found something.

Natsu watched her with curiosity as she knelt on the ground and pressed her ear to the corner where the wall and floor met. She got up, still kneeling and grinned at Natsu. "I think i found something." He came and knelt down next to her, too. He pressed his ear right where Lucy's was.

"You hear it right?" She asked. He nodded. It was the slight whistle of air. He was impressed she could hear it.

"How did you find it?"

"I thought i had felt a breeze in the wall." She looked around. "Now, how do we open it...?" she murmured to herself.

"Oh, I have the key." Natsu said.

"Key? What? Where?" She asked.

"Here," he raised his fist and then, after igniting it, smashed down the wall. Before Lucy could protest, debris went all around them.

"Natsu!" she exclaimed. "You could have destroyed some valuable information!" He stepped inside the dark hole in the wall, lighting it up with his flames.

"There's nothing here." Lucy followed him. It was another room with a dark, looming archway. Lucy and Natsu examined the walls, which were bare save few cracks.

"Should we call for the others?" Lucy asked.

"Why wait?" Natsu said, stepping toward the archway. Lucy quickly followed. This could possibly be a trick room. And it might be booby trapped. He illuminated the room. Lucy looked up to the ceiling, which was bare except for strange circles. What could the circles be for? Ventalation? Booby trap? It wouldn't surprise Lucy if it's purpose had died long ago. If there were any traps, the would have been worn with age, possibly disarmed.

Still, Lucy was cautious about where she stepped. One wrong move could send her and Natsu hurling toward their death. The floor was tiled, but cemented together. It looked so old and thick Lucy doubted anything could force it's way through.

"Lucy," Natsu called. She stood and walked to him where he stared at a pedestal. Bestowed upon the pedestal was an ancient looking scroll. They looked at each other wide-eyed. Could this be. . .?

"The research?" Natsu asked. Lucy reached her hand out hesitantly. She squeezed her eyes shut when her hand grasped the scroll, waiting for it to snap off her arm, or summon poisonous spikes to impale them.

When nothing happened, she opened one eye and gently pulled the scroll back to her. She expected the pedestal to start oozing lava, or explode, but nothing happened.

She gulped as she carefully undid the seal. Natsu watched over her shoulder as she slowly unrolled the scroll. In large bold print was one word. It was placed center of the scroll;

UP

Lucy dropped the scroll and looked up, the circles in the ceilings withdrawing themselves and being exchanged for long rusted spikes.

"Natsu!" Lucy yelled as they both turned for the door, only to find it sealed shut with rubble.

Lucy cursed as she ran to the door, keeping a close eye on the ceiling, watching it slowly lower itself to the ground. She pounded her fist against the now-blocked archway.

"Lucy!" Natsu said, shaking his head. "The debris has completely blocked our way, we need to find another way out." Lucy glanced at the door, then Natsu. Deciding to put her trust in Natsu she nodded.

"The floor is our best option." Natsu said, igniting his flames. He punched the floor, and Lucy could feel some wayward flames lick her skin, not burning her however.

The floor was undamaged excluding the scorch marks that coated the bare rock.

"That's not gonna work!" Lucy said in a panic.

"Then what do you suppose we do?" He asked bitterly. Lucy looked up, the ceiling was progressing, getting faster with each inch. They'd be able to touch her in a matter of minuets.

"Maybe Virgo can break through." Lucy said. She wasn't positive, the ground was incredibly hard.

"Try it," Natsu said. She nodded and pulled out Virgo's key.

"Open! Gate of the maiden! Virgo!" The doorbell echo was unheard over the sound of rock sliding against rock.

"Virgo!" Lucy said, not giving the spirit a chance to ask the question. "Drill a hole into the ground if you can." Virgo nodded. She drilled down, easily surpassing the rock. Lucy grinned.

"Success!" She was crouching down now, so that her head wouldn't be grazed by the spikes.

"Then let's go!" Natsu said. He was about to plunge down the hole before Lucy stopped him.

"Not yet," she said. "If we catch up to her were trapped for good, we'll get stuck and she wouldn't be able to move without hurting us. Wait for her to signal us."

Natsu glanced at the ceiling. "Lucy, we might not have time-"

"Perhaps not, but there's still a possibility." He looked at her. Could he trust her words? It could mean certain death if they don't make it. But, being trapped down the hole, slowly dying, or trying desperately hard to crawl back up didn't seem to pleasant either.

"Alright," he said. "I trust you." He gulped.

"But, maybe now is the time to tell you," Lucy nearly flinched. Now wasn't the time to announce his love for her! "I have used your bath on many occasions."

"What? Natsu!"

"I'm sorry. Also, seeing how death is at our doorstep," they both glanced at the stalagmite-like iron spikes that would soon impale them. "I believe now is the time to tell you. . . H-how I-I r-really feel." No, Lucy refused to let him confuse his love here. She was gonna do it right, it a romantic setting! Not some death trap!

Lucy grabbed his hand a squeezed it before he could continue. "Save it until after we're safe, you make it sound as though there's a chance we're gonna die." Despite the situation, she smiled at him. He looked shocked for a moment, but soon returned her smile.

The spikes were closing in and they were forced to lay on there backs. Refusing to acknowledge death and the rusted spikes, Lucy turned her head to Natsu.

She squeezed his hand tighter. Please, Virgo, please hurry. Lucy pleaded.

Just when she was beginning to lose hope too, she heard a faint sound. "Princess! I found another room!" Lucy smiled and laughed with relief.

"Natsu!" He nodded and the scooted to the hole. Lucy and Natsu slipped down together, one of Lucy's hand intertwined with his, the other trying to desperately keep her skirt down.

They both screamed on the way down, maybe Natsu did in pleasure, but the curves and depths scared Lucy.

It was pitch-black and the air wiped at Lucy's face. She began to feel as though she were suffocating, and she began to panic.

"Natsu, I-I don't think i can breathe!" She said. She felt him squeeze her hand in reassurance, pulling her closer to him.

"Just keep breathing Lucy, it's almost over." She did as she was told and soon she began to see a tiny white light.

"Is that. . .?" Lucy asked.

"The exit!" Lucy smiled in relief. She mentally prepared herself for the fall, waiting (with her luck) for a broken bone of some sort. Natsu gently pulled away and soon he was falling faster than Lucy, sliding right under her. When he had disappeared down the hole, Lucy's body slid to the center, accelerating. She screamed as she neared the exit light. She scrunched her eyes tight and fell with a soft thud.

She waited for the impact but it never came. Instead it felt like a warm mattress had caught her. She opened her eyes.

"N-Natsu?" He immediately greeted her with his causal grin. He had caught her, bridal-style. "Thank you," She said as he slowly set her on her feet. She suddenly exploded into a big grin. "Natsu!" She yelled.

"Um, yes?" She jumped on him, hugging him as she laughed.

"We're alive!" She cheered.

"Um, yea, i can see that." He said patting her back.

"Oh man, I almost thought that was the end!" Natsu's eyes widened.

"What? You were so confident! We almost died- no, you thought we were gonna die?"

"But we didn't!" Lucy said. Then she immediately stopped smiling when a thought dawned on her. "Where's the rest of the team?" She asked. She looked around the room which was empty except for the hole in the ceiling. "Virgo, where are we?" Lucy asked.

"The only room I found without dangerous traps." She looked tired, and Lucy felt bad for making her work so hard.

"Thank-you, Virgo. You did more than enough, go rest." Virgo nodded and disappeared. Lucy looked up. No circles. She looked down. Completely sealed and bare. The walls revealed nothing, except something that jutted out one of the walls. Lucy approached cautiously. It was a key hole. She gestured for Natsu to follow her. He came quickly behind her.

"A keyhole?" He asked. Lucy nodded.

"If we find Gray, he might be able to make a key." They looked around once again.

"Doesn't seem as though there's a way out. . ." Natsu said. "Ask Virgo to make another hole."

Lucy shook her head sadly. "I can't, Virgo already used so much energy." She felt helpless and useless. "I'm sorry," she said looking down. The others might never find them. They'd probably die of dehydration if the lack of air didn't get them first. Lucy doubted the air would be traveling much without ventilation.

"If we can with stay for a few hour, Virgo can probably get us out." Lucy said in a futile attempt to perk their morale. Natsu looked at her and again she felt guilty. She shouldn't have picked up the stupid scroll. The trap was obvious, too obvious, so she decided to keep galloping on her high horse and now look at them.

She looked away. "I'm sorry," she whispered again. Natsu glanced at her.

"Why? You saved us."

"No, I doomed us. Again. Why am i such bad luck?" She cursed herself, slumming against the wall and sitting. Natsu sat next to her. "Every time I seem to doing something right, something even worse happens!"

"That's not tru-" But Lucy cut him off before he could finish.

"I couldn't even die right! I couldn't save you guys, I can't save Levy, I can barley fight!" She said, glancing at the bandages that wrapped her entire body. She pushed her head against her knees and sighed. "I can't do anything right."

"Lucy, believe what you want, but you're stronger than you think. Not only are you strong, but you make others strong. You make me strong. You did save us many times, and you will save us many more times to come. We'll get out of here, find Levy, and then we can go back to being Team Natsu."

Lucy glanced at him, thankful for his kindness.

"Lucy, if anything, you brought Fairy Tail the best luck of all. You. You're an awesome celestial mage, and you made Team Natsu."

"I did?" She asked.

"Yes. Without you, I would have stayed partners with only Happy. Because of you, we are the strongest team in Fairy Tail." He grinned at her. "So don't doubt for one minuet that you're weak or ugly, cause your strong." She gave him a sour face.

"I didn't say I was ugly." She muttered. Nor did he deny that she was.

"Really? I swear I heard you say that." Lucy let out a huff of air, but despite that she smiled at him. "Thanks, Natsu."

He gave her his trade-mark smile. "No, Lucy. Thank you for making me stronger." He scratched the back of his head. "Oh, and. . ." He trailed off.

Lucy frowned. "What?" He suddenly looked like he was suffocating, his face getting. . . Red?

"We-We, um. Well, you see-" He gulped. She was confused.

"Are you okay? Not sick are you?" She asked. Pressing her hand to his forehead. Warm as always.

"Are we safe?" He suddenly blurted, getting an inch away from her face. She frowned.

"Yes, I think so. Why?" Then it suddenly dawned on her. "Oh."

Natsu suddenly turned into a strawberry. "I-I wanna tell you," she could feel his warm breath against her face. She was waiting, just waiting for him to say it. "Lucy, I-"

"Sh!" Lucy said fastly, covering his mouth with her hand, suddenly vigilant. He removed her hand.

"Lucy! What are you doing, I was gonna tell you-" she shushed him again.

"Listen." They both listened as Natsu's eyes widened.

"I can't tell what it is," Lucy said. "It's too faint." Natsu's eyes widened as he looked at Lucy.

"It's-"

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Haha! Cliff Hanger! Muhahahahaha! Sorry for this it's kinda short compared to my other's. I'm finally catching on with my Naruto Shippuden. Naruto awesomely shattered Tobi's mask (yea i know who he really is). Muhahaha! But you don't know who Natsu hears! As I have mentioned before, I pre-write my chapters, so today July 4, 2014 at exactly 4:29, I'd like to wish all my fellow Americans happy 4 of July! To everyone one else; Happy July 4th! Everyday should be celebrated because everyone should be thankful to be alive and be able to live life.

Until chapter 17, mina. Bye.