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

Chapter 23

I've edited Chapter 22!!

Hope's P. O. V:

I walk beside Erza-chan with my music lacrima playing in my ears, Happy flying as we walk back to Fairy Tail. We'd just finished up a job that Lucy was going to go on by herself, but the rest of us insisted that we come with.

I hear Natsu laugh joyously as he asks, arms folded behind his head, "Ahaha!! Was that an awesome job, or what?!"

"Well, the client sure seemed to think so!" Happy says.

"Face it! You guys are just lucky that I decided to come along," Gray inputs, walking with his hands in his pants pockets.

Jerking his head to the ice mage, Natsu demands, "We're lucky that you 'begged' to come with us?! How do you figure?"

"Because you were about as helpful as one of Erza's suitcases," Gray smoothly retorts, causing me to raise an eyebrow.

I sweat drop on the back of my head when Natsu and Gray bash their heads against each other, and the pinkette snaps in annoyance, "You'd better watch your mouth, or I'll pack you like a suitcase, pal!"

"That doesn't make any sense!" Gray shouts back, arms crossed below his chest and suddenly in his boxers. We'd all gotten injured on the job, but I'd used my ether healing spell to heal our injuries.

Erza-chan shoves the boy's faces apart and says sternly, crossing her arms, "That's enough, boys! Now, please get dressed."

I let out a sigh of slight exasperation when Gray exclaims in surprise, flailing about, "What the hell?! Why does this keep happening to me?!"

Happy holds up a sign that reads 'Advice' in pale blue font as he says, "A bit of advice here, Gray: never pick a fight in your underwear!"

Lucy takes a step forwards and says, Plu held in her arms, "Hey! Sorry to interrupt you conversation, but..."

"What's up?" Natsu asks.

Lucy holds up the job request she'd picked and finishes, "When I took this job, I was originally thinking it'd be more of a solo job, you know? So, why'd you all have to come along...?"

Plu lets out a soft whimper.

"Awe, c'mon, isn't it obvious?!" Natsu says, hands on his hips as he faces Lucy.

"No, I don't think so."

Natsu points at himself with his thumb as he replies, grinning, "We're Fairy Tail's strongest team, so we gotta stick together!"

"Aye, Sir!!" Happy cheers, perched on Gray's left shoulder.

"And don't you forget it!" Gray says, smirking.

"You bet!" I add, while Erza lets out a "Hmph!" of agreement, smirking.

"I second that," Says Alec.

Lucy stares at us in silence for a moment, before she gives a closed eye grin and says, "Yeah, we are!"

Natsu says as he and the rest of us gather around each other, leaving Lucy standing nearby, "No job is too tough! Not for me, Happy, Erza, Alec, Hope-chan and Ol'e Droopy Jaws, here!"

"Don't call me that..." Gray mumbles.

"Hmmm, we are quite a capable bunch," Erza muses.