Chapter 18: Being Strong

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NATSU'S POV

He's lying. I know he's lying. How can he get control over Lucy? She's her own person. She wouldn't let anyone take her over. Lucy is strong.

So why is he saying he has control over her? Why does she look so out of it? Am I just in denial? That can't be it, can it? Lucy fine. She's standing right in front of me. I laugh it off. "Good joke" I say sarcastically. "Now, Luce. Help me get free" I said, trying to see what was true and what was a lie. She did not even move an inch. My eyes widen. "Luce. Come on. Help me!" I say, starting to get a little panicked. He can't have control over Lucy. He just can't.

Codin laughs as he sees me trying to get Lucy to do something I say. "Do you understand now, dragon slayer? She doesn't have control over her actions. I do" he says, smirking proudly. Why is he so proud? He should be ashamed of doing this. I glared at him with nothing but hatred in my eyes. "Let. Lucy. Go" I said in a serious tone. I hope he gets how serious this is. For just touching Lucy, I'm going to kill him. I took a closer look at Lucy, I haven't checked her injuries yet, being so preoccupied with him taking Lucy's control and everything.

She had a bit of blood coming out of the corner of her mouth. She limped a bit, signs of being kicked in the shin or having her ankle broken or sprained. My eyes narrowed looking at this. It looks like her stomach is bleeding. The blood had just soaked through the shirt she was wearing a second ago. He was going to pay for doing this to her.

"Do you need anymore proof of me having control over her? I can show you..." Codin trailed off smiling happily. He leaned in, right above my face. I glared. "Lucy wouldn't let you take over! She's trying to break free! I just know it!" I shouted right in his face. He smiles. "She might be, but I'll have complete control soon. Just you watch" Codin said sinisterly. I smirk.

"So, you don't have full control yet?" I ask smartly. Ha! I just caught him! He looked genuinely surprised. "You're more observant than I thought" he said, starring at me with interested eyes. He shook his head, most likely to get rid of some thoughts. "Anyway, tell me where the dragons are" he said. I bit my lip. I had no answer. I had no idea, yet, if I didn't answer Lucy would be threatened. What was I supposed to do?

I look up at him. "I don't know." I said shortly, as fast as possible. He grew a little angry. "Stop pretending you don't know! Do you want Lucy to get hurt?" He asks me. I shake my head. "Why would you think that?" I question. "Because you won't answer!" he yelled at me. I took a deep breath to calm down. "Listen. I don't know where the dragons are. There's nothing more to it" I said, seriously. "Oh, I think there is" Codin said with a smirk.

"Lucy, come stand in front of me and don't move an inch" Codin said, smiling at me evilly. My eyes widen. No. This can't happen. I started to pull more on the chain. I have to get free. Lucy needs my help. She walls forward, and stands right in front of him.

Codin looks at me, his eyes sharp. "Now, Natsu. Calm down. I don't think that's the way you should be behaving" he said when he saw me pulling against the chain. When he saw me continuing to pull, not even looking up at him, he got mad. I heard flesh hit flesh. There was no more sound. I had froze when I heard that.

I looked up to see Lucy standing right where she was told to. Codin had his fist raised, indicating he had just hit someone. I look closely at Lucy. And then I saw it. He had hit her. Her eyes was swelling. He had punched her in her face. "Do I have your attention now?" Codin asks after a moment of silence. My head snaps to look at him.

I growl at him as he steps closer to me, but nodded to let him know I'll listen. I will, but only because Lucy will get hurt if I don't. He looks straight into my eyes. My eyes, burning bright with anger. I look into his eyes, which were shining bright with cruelty and malice. He looks smug as he stares at me. He opens his mouth and threatened Lucy.

"Every time you don't answer the way I want, your Luce will get punished!"

GRAY'S POV

Happy's claws dug into my back because he was so worried. I was going to say something about it, but I didn't think he would appreciate that at this time. And I also thought it helped him a bit to relieve stress and worry. I couldn't say something to hurt him right now. Especially since he is low on magic.

Yes, I know. I can sense his magic. It's almost on empty. I wasn't going to say anything, because I figured he would argue and yell about how now was not the time to be worrying about him and that we have to find Lucy and Natsu. But I have to say something now. I can't let him go any further. He will push himself too much and die. I can't let that happen.

"Happy, you should rest. We all should" I told him softly. He shakes his head slowly. "No Gray," he pauses in the middle of the sentence to yawn. "we have to continue going." "But Happy, you are almost empty of magic" I said. He shakes his head. "Don't worry. I'll be fine" Happy said tiredly. I opened my mouth to continue to argue, but Erza cut me off.

"No Happy! We all have to rest. Come on. Just for a bit and then we will continue" she said in a voice that demanded us to obey. Happy looked at though he was about to fight back, but didn't, seeing Erza was just as tired as everyone else and would not take no as an answer. "Fine. Just for a bit" Happy said and started to descend. "Happy. We'll find them. Don't worry" I whisper to him. He nods and lets me drop the last 3 feet.

I land on me feet. My eyes started to tear up a bit. No. I can't cry. Not while I'm with everyone. I have to be strong. They need someone to be strong, and Gejeel is not the one for this group. I am. I have to be strong. I looked around as everyone lands. "I'm going for a walk." I say. I have to leave before I break down and cry.

Erza stares at me for a second, but finally nods, sensing I need some space (probably).

I sigh and walk off.

WENDY'S POV

I stare as Gray walks off. I feel bad for him. He's trying to stay strong while all he wants to do is cry. I don't blame him. First, his best friend/rival was captured. Now, his pseudo sister was taken. Also, Charla had a premonition about Lucy, his pseudo sister, being beaten up. That probably didn't bode well for him. "Poor Gray" I said softly. Charla obviously heard me since her head snapped in my direction as I said this.

Charla got up from where she was resting and walked over to me. "Wendy, are you ok?" she asks concerned. I nodded. "Yeah. I think so" I say. "I just..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say. Charla nodded, telling me to go on. "You just what?" she asks. I stay silent as I try to figure out what to say. "I... I think Gray needs someone right now" I say, staring off in the direction he went. "So why not go with him?" Charla asked.

I stared at her in silence. How did I not think of that? Am I an idiot? No. I as just overthinking what to do. Happens all the time. I smile at her. "Thanks Charla. I think I will" I said. She nods. "I'll tell Erza then" Charla said, walking off to the direction Erza was. I thanked her and walked in a different direction. The direction to Gray.

GRAY'S POV

I've been walking for several minutes now. I should be far enough. I sit down and start thinking about all that has happened the past couple days. The mission that started it all.

FLASHBACK

I was walking into the guild. It was noisy as usual. I smiled. I love coming to the guild. It was a second home to me. Well, my main home. "GRAY! PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!" Erza yelled at me, seeing me walk in in nothing but underwear. Erza had her sword pointed at my chest. I cowered away from the pointy edge. "I don't know where they are" I said, slightly afraid. SH glared at me. "Find. Them." she said through gritted teeth. "B-But..." I was cut off when Natsu came into the guild, kicking the doors open.

"GRAY! ERZA! LET'S GO ON A MISSION!" he had shouted, obviously not seeing the situation I was in. Lucy and Happy were right behind him. Erza glared at him for interrupting this, while I thanked god he did. Natsu flinched with Erza's glare on him. He tries to laugh this off. "I mean, if you want to" he says hesitantly. "I will, if Gray gets some clothes" Erza said. My eyes widen. Is she trying to sic Natsu on me? Everyone knows Natsu will do anything to go on a job. Natsu smiles. "Ok! Gray! Let's go get you clothes!" he says.

He grabs my arm and drags me off. I complained the whole time and tried to pull my arm from him. "Gray. Just go alone" Lucy, my pseudo sister, whispered to me. I rolled my eyes. "Natsu. Let Gray go. He'll come with us" Lucy said, trying to free me. He stares at me with narrowed eyes before deciding she was telling the truth and let me go. "If you try to run, don't think I won't tackle you" he said.

We walked into a store, and bought a new shirt and a pair of pants. The shirt was a button down with fish as the design. Happy picked it out.

As I walked back with them, I somehow lost my clothes, but Lucy found them. "GRAY! KEEP YOUR CLOTHES ON!" she shouted at me. I look at her sheepishly. "I'm sorry" I apologized.

We walked into the guild. "Good, you're back!" Erza said, dragging luggage behind her. "I found a mission. Come on!" Natsu eagerly followed as Lucy and I stared at them. "What's the mission about?" I asked Erza, once Lucy and I had walked and caught up. "We have to catch a thief. The reward is 100,000 J" Erza said. I smiled. "Ok! Let's go!" I say happily.

BACK TO PRESENT

I was so happy back then. Everyone was still with me. We still joked and had fun in the guild. Tears started to pore out of my eyes. "Gray?" I heard a soft voice ask. I looked around. "Wendy?" I asked, thinking it was her. She nods. She stares at me before smiling slightly.

She runs straight into me, hugging me around the waist. "It's ok Gray. We'll find them" she whispers into me stomach. I could feel rain come down. I guess I was wrong. I wasn't the one being strong for everyone else. I tried to, but I missed one. I missed the one being strong. I missed the one person who hasn't asked me if everything was going to be ok (besides Gajeel). I missed the youngest.

I missed Wendy.

LUCY'S POV

I have to fight this. He can't take control of me. I can't let him. I have to stay ok.

I have to be strong.