Calming the Chaos

*33.

"You're out of places to run," Sherry sneered. The boulder monster came toward me. 

Water can't break boulders apart. Besides, Aquarius will just wash me away with her attack. 

The boulder monster tried to smash me again, so I jumped out of the way. Wash me away. My eyes widened in realization. That's it!

I held out Aquarius's key. "Open, gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!" I chanted. Aquarius appeared in front of me.

"Aquarius?" Sherry asked in shock. "How did she manage to get such a powerful spirit?"

"Our enemy is that woman!" I told Aquarius.

"You hate her kind, right? Get her!" Aquarius rolled her eyes.

"Are you still giving me attitude?" I asked. "Please just take her out," I pleaded.

"You're as annoying as ever," Aquarius scoffed. "Leave me out of this."

"Doll attack, marionette," Sherry said. I smirked a bit. This will work in my favor no matter what.

Sherry laughed. "Now you can't use Aquarius," she said triumphantly. 

Use Aquarius? What does she think I think they are? Tools? "Just send her back."

"No," I said. "Not her. I'd never throw away my trump card." It doesn't matter who she attacks. She'll sweep both of us away.

"What?"Sherry asked in shock. Then she smirked.

"Then I guess you don't mind being shattered to pieces by the power of the sea! Aquarius, send that woman into her next life!" Aquarius doesn't like to be bossed around.

"I was going to do that anyway!" Aquarius yelled. She sent a tidal wave at me. I was swept away.

I heard Sherry laugh. "She really is a fool," she said. "Huh?" Just as I thought. She was swept away too.

I heard Aquarius laugh. "Forced closure," Aquarius said. "Big deal. I can close my gate any time I please, fool." Then Aquarius went back through her gate.

I slowly stood up. "Aquarius sends her tidal waves against friends and enemies alike," I explained.

"Eh?"Sherry said. "I was too overconfident." We stumbled around, trying to get balanced after Aquarius's attack. "But she didn't take down my rock doll."
"Yeah, what about it?" I asked. "A puppet only moves when the puppeteer can make it move. In other words, I don't need to defeat your rock doll as long as you're too dizzy to manipulate it," I explained.

"You..." Sherry trailed off. We finally got enough balance back to turn around and try to hit each other.

"That's what it means to be a Fairy Tail mage," I said. 

I may not be as physically strong as everyone else, but I'm definitely smart enough to get myself out of tight situations.

"Oh yeah?" Sherry sneered. "Playing for a draw?"

"A draw?" I asked. "I won this match."

"Don't spout nonsense," Sherry said. "You're just as dizzy as I am!"

"Think so?" I asked. "Then let's try this!" I stuck my arm out beside me and closelined her.

"How could she defeat me?" Sherry asked in shock as she fell on the beach. I smiled happily. I beat her without anyone's help. "Even if the light in my soul were to be snuffed out, I will never by untrue in my love for Reitei," Sherry said.

"You aren't dying," I said with a wink. "Quit being a drama queen."

"Angelica," Sherry called, "Avenge me."

I heard the rat as it jumped out of the forest. I turned to see it hurtling towards me. "Huh?" I asked in shock. "You mean the rat wasn't a doll attack?" I fell to my knees. Uh oh. My legs refuse to work. I'm going to be crushed. I'm going to die!

Terror consumed me as I watched the rat get closer. I screamed and covered my head. Then the most unexpected thing happened. Erza attacked the rat and saved me. "Erza!" I shouted in relief. Then she glared at me. I flinched back. What did I do this time?

"That was very irresponsible," Erza chastised in an ominously quiet voice. I nod my head.

"All right, Lucy!" I heard Happy's voice. "You're okay." I looked around and saw Happy flying toward us. I smiled and held out my arms for him. He flew into my arms and snuggled into me. I smiled down at him. "I was worried about you," he frowned.

"I'm sorry I worried you," I said as I hugged him.

Erza sighed. "Let's go find the villagers and check on Gray," she said.

"Okay," I agreed as I stood up shakily.

~ Gray's P.O.V. ~

My eyes snapped open. I quickly sat up and looked around. There were barrels and crates everywhere. I furrowed my brows. Standing up, I looked out of the tent I was in. "Where am I?" I asked. I started to walk around outside. Where's the rest of the team? Actually, where's the village?

"You're awake," a woman's voice called. I turned around to see one of the women from the village smiling at me.

"I'm so glad. I guess you're pretty surprised, huh? We're in a place a ways away from the village," she explained.

"We normally store our supplies here. We," she paused, "Lost our village yesterday, so everybody has evacuated here."

My eyes widened in shock. "You lost your village?" I asked. How did they lose their entire village?

"Eliminate the village!" Lyon ordered.

My eyes widened in realization. 

Lyon had them destroy the village. They lost their homes because of Lyon. Lyon, you creep! You really did it, didn't you? 

My chest suddenly throbbed. I grunt in pain and put one of my hands on my chest.

The villager apparently wasn't done talking though. "But thanks to Lucy, Erza and Chaos nobody was hurt. At least all our lives were saved."

"Are they here now?" I asked.

"Yes," she said, "Everyone besides Chaos. They wanted me to ask you to go to their tent if you were to wake up."

I nodded. "Alright," I said. She directed me to my team's tent. I let myself in. Erza sat on a crate with her legs crossed and hands clasped together and on her lap in a businesslike manner.

I flinched back a little bit when I saw the glare she was directing my way. What did I do to make her that angry? Oh yeah, I pushed her down a hill. 

I gave her an awkward wave. "Hey, Erza." I  hesitated.