Come Back (Sequel To: I'm Sorry)

~Chapter 10, Power~

~Natsu~ 

Lucy had me worried all night. She never came back after going off with Brandish or Dimaria. I got to the training room with the others as soon as we got down the stairs a man was there turning around looking toward us. He had blackish eyes and roughly shoulder-length, wavy, silvery white hair, with the majority of his bangs swept leftward. He had a short mustache, and a lengthy, mildly thin beard that reached down to his upper torso that shot up towards the mouth in large spikes, and linked to his main hair via sideburns. 

He was wearing a light-colored robe consisting of two major pieces: a long garment that reached past his knees, with a tattered bottom edge and intricately designed linings on the ends of its sleeves, including a line of dark lozenges, and a shorter, more billowing garment above it, over only his chest area. The guy also had an externally and internally dark-colored cape that was additionally above both parts of the robe, jutting out in sharp, more elongated lozenge-shaped spikes around the back of his head, also having a tattered bottom edge, having the Alvarez Empire's symbol emblazoned on its back.

Finally, a dark ring on his right middle finger and plain dark high boots completed the outfit. "August pay attention to the fight at hand" I heard Dimaria's voice as she walked over seeing us. "They own this place, let them through already" Dimaria snapped toward August who looked toward her as she went pale stepping back. "Please" she begged as this August moved away letting us nine welders down the stairs to see Brandish and Lucy going at it, both looking tired and out of breath as they was fighting close combat.

They were changing in and out of different weapons so fast I was unsure on half of what they was using to attack or block the other. "How long have they been at this?" Erza soon asked as Dimaria started thinking. "Since around ten last night" Dimaria answered as we was all in shock both girls not backing down as Brandish was able to use an small explosion to push Lucy back away from her as both were badly out of breath. "God that new power is strong" Brandish spoke as Lucy nodded laughing slightly.

"God I missed these types of training" Lucy spoke as Dimaria laughed. "My turn" Dimaria spoke as Brandish moved out of the training center to stand next to August as Dimaria moved in looking toward Lucy as she summoned her sword. "Better not go soft of me too" Dimaria spoke as Lucy got in a fighting stance, still trying to catch her breath. "As long as you don't go soft on me" Lucy replied as Dimaria rushed at her as they was both moving around the room faster than my eyes could go.

To me they was blurs moving around faster than most as Erza, Mira, Jellal and Laxus were staring in pure shock. They was a higher level than the rest of us. "Grandpa you think Lucy is close to mastering it yet?" Brandish soon asked closing her eyes and crossing her arms as August closed his own eyes. "She is close to master the weapon inside of her that is true but I am unsure on the Star Dress, it needs more work" August spoke as Dimaria was sent flying into the wall badly hurt as she had blood coming from her mouth.

We all looked at Lucy who was out of breath her right hand covered in a glowing black scaled gauntlet that looked attached her skin. "Weapon has been mastered easier than the dress, very rare for it to be that way around" August spoke playing with his beard, him and Brandish both still had their eyes closed thinking. "How powerful is that thing" Dimaria spoke getting up looking in pain as Lucy looked toward the gauntlet on her arm. "I am unsure" Lucy answered and then looked toward August.

"Weapon testing is over we shall start on the Star Dress" August spoke as the three girls replied with a loud 'Hai' as the gauntlet on Lucy's arm vanished as she looked tired and weak as hell. "Shouldn't she rest first?" Wendy asked as Erza, Jellal, Mira and Laxus were all in to much shock to reply. "She does not have the time with the taint the faster she bonds with the serpent spirit the faster she can fight the taint head on" August replied and explained as Brandish opened her eyes, looking slightly worried.