Sweet Starry Shadows (Fairy Tail)

Training and Dragons

Sweet Starry Shadows
Chapter 23: Training and Dragons

Her hair thrashed through the fighting winds as she dashed through the trees which felt like they were slowly swallowing her deeper into the woods. Glancing over to her right where the thickest, and the most sturdiest, branches towered over her, she watched the crimson darted through the treetops with an unreadable expression on her face.

Lucy continued her run as she turned her head to look forward. Like Sakura once said during her training, "Be aware of your surroundings and always look forward before it's too late." With heavy pants, she ran, ignoring the pain in her feet as she listened to the boys' ragged breathing from behind her.
She knew that the Dark guild was following her, and it was going accordingly to plan until an arrow pierced into Sakura's shoulder where she yelped and dropped to the ground. "Sakura!" she cried out, abruptly stopping to turn her body to face the girl crumpled on the soggy leaves which were slowly rotting and decomposing.

"Run! They're too powerful when they use Black magic!" Sakura hissed before Rogue jogged up to the blonde to place a hand on her shoulder. "They're gaining on us," he informed where Lucy shook her head. "I can't leave her..." she whispered.

Sting groaning, he jogged over to Sakura who was holding the end of the arrow with glowing eyes. "I knew that they had a dragon tamed," she whispered as her pained face was slowly changing into an expression of anger.
The boy watching her slowly get up, he listened to her slow intakes of air where he turned his head to look at the other two waiting for further instructions. They were lost, and they were standing in front of a fork road - Which would they choose?

"We'll fight," he boomed where Sakura widened her eyes. "A dragon has been tamed! You're stupid to demand a fight against them!" she stated as he looked back to her. "You're a dragon too. Just kill the Celestial mage," he bluntly stated, looking over her as he heard loud yells and grunts coming towards their direction.

Lucy looking and watching as torches were seen in front of them, she balled her fists. "I'll fight the -" She got interrupted by Sakura. "No, you're not going to fighting against them. You don't know the capabilities of that wizard and I cannot put you into such dangerous risks," Sakura said as she stood defensively in front of them.

"This will be your training grounds. Commence the training," she then said where roots emerged from the ground and caged the wizards that were supposed to hunt them down for entering their territories. "If you're in danger, then you might as well take advantage of the thrill of it," she whispered before four slipped through the gaps of the roots and came running at them.

Sting picking up Sakura bridal-style, he jumped high into the air where they both landed on the branches. Training has now commenced for the female blonde, and since she was all alone, Rogue decided to join in with the brutal fun just to accompany her.

For roughly three months, they had accepted almost every Black guild raid request there was from the Magic Council. Each time was a success, but at times, Sakura had to unleash her blood lust in order to help them escape. Although that was dangerous, Lucy managed to keep her at bay after each raid.

A few of them had dragons under their control, and it pained the blonde to know that Sakura had to fight against them as they were being controlled by their evil and ruthless masters. Those dull and empty eyes were what fuelled Lucy to train harder. The stronger and quicker she gets, the better.

"Remember Lucy... You don't have to have a lacrima or a dragon to control the shadows. It is your mind and your body that's doing the controlling..." Rogue whispered as he eyed the four running.
Leaving her side as he ran forward, he easily dodged an incoming punch where he grabbed it and twisted it behind the man's shoulder. Standing behind the man where he kicked the back of his knees, Rogue took a step back as the man buckled his knees and fell to the ground.

In haste, he looked up to look at Lucy concentrating like how she would always when he first began to teach her Shadow Dragon Slaying magic. Even though it wouldn't be authentic, he believed that once Sakura fulfils her goals, she would introduce them personally to the dragons that wait for her return.

"Eyes on the enemies Rogue," Sakura said where he widened his eyes and blushed, turning to the opposing girl that was jumping towards him with a scythe in her hands.
The boy jumping back just as she swung her weapon, he kicked her back where the other two came running towards him rather than to Lucy who was trying to control the shadows surrounding him.

While he fought to delay the incoming opponents, a few more managed to slip through the cracks of Sakura's cage making the two spectators furrow their brows in concern. Their two friends facing high risks, and with Sakura injured, Sting would have to jump in if anything serious happens with small support from the dragon.

Lucy, on the other hand, was struggling to grasp onto the shadows which flickered around her like a ghost taunting her for her inabilities to catch them. Her mind trying to reach out to them, a spark of electric would always zap her whenever she was close.
What was trying to hold her back? It's been like this for the last three months, and it was killing her inside to know that the shadows were rejecting her.

Opening her honey-brown eyes, she bit the bottom of her lips where she reached out with her arm in the air. Trying to gather her magic to control the thing, suddenly another spark stopped her where Sakura narrowed her eyes. "It couldn't be..." she whispered before widening her eyes where the trapped dragon shifted into its dragon form.

Lucy flinching where she took a few steps back, Rogue came running towards her direction where he grabbed her hand and ran. "She... She became a dragon..." Lucy said where her mouth quivered to the large beast roaring behind them. As they tried to escape, a large tail slammed into the ground in front of them. In horror, they turned to face the snarling, empty-eyed, green dragon that was eyeing them like mere prey.

"Rogue!" Sting called out where he jumped and landed before them. His body stiff as he looked up to the dragon, he felt Sakura move in his arms where he looked at her with a raised brow. "Now what are we supposed to do when we have fifty potential Black wizards and their pet dragon in front of us?" he questioned, placing the girl to her feet where she swayed a bit.

"They haven't attacked us yet, so we do have a chance to fight back. You guys handle the other humans... They're not strong and are basing their magic from a book. You'll be fine without me. I on the other hand, will face the dragon," she whispered, knowing that the dragon could obviously hear them.

Lucy grabbing onto her kimono sleeve, she watched as the girl forced herself to smile at her. "Are you going to kill her?" she asked. "I would never kill my own kind other than Acnologia... Lucy, you have potential and you may be a Dragon Slayer," Sakura replied before yanking the arrowhead out of her body where blood splattered onto the forest floor.
"I will protect you," she reminded the blonde before jumping high into their air where she too shifted into her original form since the last seven years.

[Dreame 2019 Edition]
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