Part 1: Shadows of Magic (Rogue Cheney Love Story)

Chapter 4

Pic above is Natsu Dragneel—->

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Hope's P. O. V:

Now walking down a corridor, Lucy groans as she mumbles, "This is useless! I can't find him anywhere!"

Happy says in agreement, "Aye...!"

Lucy questions, pausing, "What do you say we just go back to where Erza is...?"

I nod as I agree, setting myself on the ground, "Agreed. We're not getting anywhere here."

"I second that," Says Alec.

Suddenly, Happy cries out in fear, black eyes wide, as a deep purple aura swirls around him, "WAAAHHH!!!" He's standing on the ground as well.

Lucy asks in surprise, "Whoa! What's with the crazy reaction?"

A fearful Happy replies, "Erza gave you an order to go after the bad man!! So... So you have to do as she says, Lucy, Alec, Hope-chan! Ignoring an order from Erza is never a good idea!! She's gonna be super angry with you three! And if I have to watch her punish you, it might scar me for life!!"

I deadpan at the blue cat.

Lucy says nervously, "What kind of punishment are we talking about, here?! Heeeyyy! I was just kidding! I would never give up on a mission like that!"

Happy says triumphantly, grinning, "The thought of an Erza smackdown scared some sense into you, huh?"

Lucy snaps back, "Shut up, you stupid cat!! Why are you even following us?!"

I say, "Don't listen to Happy, Lucy. Erza wouldn't really hurt you like that. She was never like that around me."

Lucy stares at me in surprise. "Really?"

"That's because you're an exception, Hope-chan," Happy says. "You're just as terrifying as Erza when you're mad, even now, after seven and a half years!"

I raise one eyebrow at him as Lucy starts getting a nervous expression. "You guys really think I'm that scary?"

"Your temper can rival with that of Erza's!" Happy tells me, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

Lucy questions me, "Seriously Hope-chan?"

I nod, smirking. "Uh huh!"

Lucy gapes at me in disbelief.

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Sometime later, the building started to shake. Happy and I are hovering in the air again.

Lucy asks, "Why is the building shaking like that...?"

I murmur in response, "I bet I know."

Alec nods his head in agreement.

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Lucy, Happy, Alec, and I found Natsu, Gray and Erza who is whacking an unconscious shadow mages head against the floor a few moments later. There's a huge hole in the wall behind Erza, and Natsu stands before it, his back to us.

Lucy mumbles, "Uuummm, bad timing, huh?"

"Aye!" Happy agrees.

Gray suddenly whips his head up at us, a desperate look in his deep blue eyes. He says to me, "Hope-chan! You can heal Kage!"

This causes the redhead to jerk her head up as well. I ask, "What happened? Isn't he the Shadow Magic user from Eisenwald?"

Gray explains, "One of his comrades used some kind of magic to shove his hand through Kage's stomach and injure him. He's a seal breaking wizard, and we need him to get us out of the wind barrier Erigor set up around the station."