E i g h t e e n

(Y/N)

I opened my eyes and squinted at the bright lights overhead. I blinked a couple times before my pupils adjusted. I slowly sat up, my magic energy had returned to my body but I was still a little sore.

"(Y/n), you're awake." Mirajane smiled sweetly down at me.

"Hey..." I waved weakly and turned around to see the battle still raging on outside the guild window. "What did I miss?"

Mira laughed. "Always so quick to get back into the action. Well, long story short, three of the members of the Element Four are down. Gray defeated the Rain Woman Juvia, Natsu defeated Totomaru, and Elfman- well he saved me and defeated Sol!" She grinned widely. "He used a Full-Body Take Over and didn't loose control!"

"Wow..." I smiled at the ground, proud of him. I always knew he had potential; soon he'd grow to be just as strong as Mira once was. I only wish Mira would fight again, she was an amazing wizard and her magic was truly something to see. "What about the fourth member?" I questioned after a short pause.

Mira's smile faltered. "Well, I guess Natsu's fighting him. He's the only one who hasn't returned here."

My eyes widened and I shot up out of the infirmary bed. "He just fought one member of the Element Four, he can't take on another! I have to go help him defeat Aria." I started walking out of the guild when Mira grabbed my wrists and gently pulled me back.

"(Y/n), you've done enough. You already saved us all by withstanding Jupiter's blow." Mira tried to get me to sit back down, glancing at my wounds to see how much they healed.

"I feel fine! I can fight, I can't just sit here and-"

"You're still as stubborn as ever (y/n)." A voice interrupted. I turned to see Erza standing in the entrance with a small smirk.

"Erza!"

"Mira, I'll accompany her to defeat Aria. Just like old times, right (y/n)?" Erza turned her gaze to me; obviously referring to when we would take quests together once we had matured out of our rivalry. She became my new partner after Laxus had left me.

"Just like old times." I repeated and held out my hand to her. She held out hers, and we intertwined pinkies. Erza and I had made that tradition years ago, right before we went to fight alongside each other we'd make a pinky promise. It was an unspoken agreement that neither of us would fall in battle.

(A/N: Sorry if Erza seems a little OOC, but I'm trying to emphasize the fact that her and reader-chan are really best friends :) Anyway, let's get on with the story!)

And at that we were off, running towards the Jupiter cannon.

"Good luck, you two!" Mira called after us, waving her pale hand in the air in encouragement.

We sprinted straight into the Phantom Lord guildhall without hesitation, making our way through the pillared halls as quick as we could.

I was usually great and finding my way into trouble, so I knew sooner or later I'd run into an enemy wandering the halls.

Suddenly screams filled our ears and we halted, relying on our ears to lead us. "I-I'm loosing... my magic power! Aghh!"

"Is that...?" Erza started.

"Natsu!" I wailed, now tearing through the hallways attempting to find my pink-haired friend... more like little brother.

Finally, I reached a giant ballroom to see Natsu surrounded in an intense golden and electric blue light, crying out in pain. "Damn it! I-I can't-!"

Before I realized what I was doing, I sprung forward and roundhouse kicked Natsu's enemy in the face. He grunted as his body dissipated into thin air.

"(Y/n)!" Happy cried out cheerfully.

"Y-You're here! Are you sure it's okay for you to move? You're injured." Natsu shakily stood to face me with wide eyes.

I turned around and gave them a giant grin, but before I could reply Erza appeared behind me and glared dauntingly at Natsu's enemy, who I recognized to be the elusive Aria.

"So you're the one who harmed our master." Erza stated threateningly.

"The great (y/n) (l/n), along with Titania. How unfortunate, it seems that two of Fairy Tail's legacies will loose their heads alongside their friend, Salamander." Aria's deep voice boomed throughout the echoic room.

"Our master suffered greatly by your hands. I will avenge him." Erza narrowed her dark eyes.

"You can't!" Natsu opposed.

"Well, now that I'm faced worthy opponents, I suppose it is time I take my battles more seriously." Aria decided, and with that he shed his blindfold. His eyes blinked open and revealed two small magenta pupils. They then reshaped into two circles with x's through them.

"(Y/n), stand back. Allow me to take this fight." I agreed without objection, knowing how important it was to Erza to take revenge upon the people who wronged her friend's, especially the Master.

"Now, Titania," Aria murmured as a powerful wind circled around him. Natsu crossed his arms in front of him trying to stand his ground while Erza and I endured the attack with deadly stillness, watching Aria's every move.

"Step into Zero, airspace of death. It consumes the lives of all who dare to enter!" The wind became ten times stronger and dust surrounded Aria and Erza.

Natsu stumbled back a couple steps, with Happy hanging on his scarf yelping, "I'm too cute to die!"

Suddenly, a bright red magic circle appeared through the dust and then disappeared, a sword being wielded by an armored hand in its place. "A spell that consumes life? Tell me, how are you able to take others' lives so easily!" Erza pointed her sword at Aria, her red hair whipping violently around her.

"It'd be more fun to show you!" Aria retorted, taking a step towards her.

"Erza!" Natsu cried out. I reached out and grabbed his bicep, pulling him away from the fight. He'd only serve as a distraction to Erza, and she needed all her focus to win this fight.

The fight was over just as quickly as it started, ending with Erza taking Aria out with one hit of her Heaven's Wheel Armor.

"She took him out with one hit?" Happy's face went white.

"Man, she is one scary lady!" Natsu sweat-dropped.

"What the hell?!" I bellowed.

"Someone like you could never hold a candle to the strength of our master. You'll only be remembered as a sobbing coward who fell by my hand." Erza growled.

"That's... so sad!" Aria mumbled with tears in his eyes.

Suddenly, the entire building began to rumble. And as if things couldn't get worse, Erza suddenly fainted.

Natsu instinctively ran and caught her before she hit the cold tiled floor. "H-Hey! Wake up!" He whimpered as he cradled her pale body in his arms.

"Attention you pathetic Fairy Tail scum." The trembling of the building ended and Master Jose's voice rang throughout the guild. "Listen carefully because I'll only say this once."

A blood-curdling scream echoed through the silent room. Both Natsu and I tensed up.

"Lucy?" I whispered with wide eyes.

"We have captured your little gem Lucy Heartfilia, which means our first order of business is out of the way. Which leaves us with one more goal, more specifically my favorite part. Exterminating all you fairy brats!"

"That bastard." Natsu grumbled, his eyes twitching because of his pure fury.

Suddenly Erza awakened, and stared up at Natsu and I with a solemn look in her eye. "Natsu, (y/n)."

"Erza!" Natsu looked down at her with concern all over his face.

"Listen, you two need to use your strength. Natsu, your strength lies dormant, deep down inside of you. Find your strength, and awaken it. For Lucy, for our guild. Go, Natsu! You're meant to surpass me, show me you can do it!" Natsu gritted his teeth at her words and placed her in my arms. He stood with his back to us, then clenched his fists, and exploded into a beautiful flaming dragon.

He yelled out in rage and determination, his strength exploding out from inside of him. I watched with a prideful look, knowing that Natsu had this strength in him all along, and Erza was the one to finally free it.

And with that, Natsu was off, ready to face whichever enemy found him first. Once he was gone, Erza grunted in pain and fell limp in my arms.

"Erza! Are you okay?" I looked down at her with worried eyes.

"Y-yeah. I'll be fine." She replied through gritted teeth and a tough façade. I could easily see through her mask though, we had been friends for way too long for that to work on me.

"C'mon, let's get you somewhere safe." I stood and wrapped my arm around her waist while she placed hers around my neck. We slowly walked over to a pillar in the corner of the room. I propped her against it and almost instantly she shut her eyes and rested her head.

"I'm sorry, (y/n)." She murmured, ashamed of her current state.

"You just rest, Erza. It'll be safer waiting here than it would be trying to get through the battlefield back to the guild." I gave her a small smile before leaning my head against the pillar, shutting my eyes as well.

* * *

I don't know how long Erza and I were resting there before my ears twitched when I heard footsteps coming our way. I glanced over at Erza's sleeping body before standing up and nimbly walking towards the source of the sound, my magic energy sparking off of my body.

When I saw Gray, Mirajane, and Elfman turn the corner I instantly relaxed and let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

"(Y/n)?" Gray called out.

I gave them a small wave as they made their way towards the sleeping redhead and me.

"Is... Is that Erza?" Mirajane asked gently as she kneeled down in front of Erza. When her name was called, Erza's eyelids slowly opened and looked around at all three of us.

"Man, it looks like something big went down." Elfman noted as he looked at the carnage of the ballroom around us.

"You're injured, you shouldn't be here." Gray reprimanded.

"It was too dangerous to try to get her back to Fairy Tail through the war outside." I crossed my arms, placing my weight on my right leg.

"I mean you too, (y/n). You got hit by that Jupiter blast just a few hours ago." Gray countered.

"I'm fine." I deadpanned, looking down towards Erza in concern. She looked a little better than she did before, but still obviously beat up.

"Oh (y/n), always so selfless putting others before yourself." Mirajane spoke to herself in a soft voice.

I was about to reply when Elfman called out to us, "H-Hey!"

Mirajane and Gray turned to see what he was looking at while Erza and I stood still, already knowing what they saw.

"That's Aria!" Mira exclaimed as she stared wide-eyed at his unconscious body.

"What the hell were you thinking, Erza? He's the one who took Master's powers away!" Gray scolded.

"Yeah, you could've gotten really hurt." Elfman added.

"Don't worry, (y/n) was here to make sure I would be fine." Erza looked up at me gratefully.

I returned her look with a grin, but that grin fell quickly when suddenly an ominous feeling washed over us all.

We all froze and called out in a chorus of confusion.

"What the...?"

"What is this?"

"I sense... death." I decided as my pupils shook in dread.

"I don't like this feeling." Gray stated wearily.

"I'm super manly and it gives me chills!" Elfman cried.

"Whatever it is, it's pure evil energy filling the air." Mira murmured.

A menacing sound of slow clapping echoed throughout the room, and when we turned to face the source, a terrible sense of trepidation washed over us all.

Erza began to whimper. "No..."