Kon'nichiwa, everyone!  Here is the next chapter to my NaLu fan fiction, I hope you like it! c: ♥ I woke up really early this morning, so I was able to get a head-start on this next chapter.  Yayy, haha. c:  This one is also a bit long, but I hope you all like that. ~♥  I dedicate this chapter to FullmetalFairy. Thanks for complementing on my stories; it means a lot! ;w; Well, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and the rest to come.  Feedback is, as always, very much appreciated~!  Until next time, Minna!

яу-¢нαи,

тнє иαℓυ ωяιтєя ❖

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As the smoke piled into the sky and air exploded across the premisis, everyone watched in shock as the smoke thickened, and they all looked for any sign of Lucy and Mai.

"Lucy!"  Natsu exclaimed, searching for her.

Suddenly he stopped, because the dust cleared and everyone started to see again.

Renold was on his knees, while Mai was a ways away from him, on her side; she started to pull herself up shakily.  Lucy was on her stomach, her hair covering both sides on her face so all you could see was her teeth clenched as she tried to get over the pain.

Renold's face was angry, and he headed straight for Mai, picking up the child by the collar.

"Mai!"  Happy exclaimed.

"What did you do?"  Renold growled at the child, who cringed.

Lucy was struggling; she felt more weighed down for some reason.

Renold, after glaring at Mai for a few seconds, froze.  An instant later, Natsu and the others began to feel the magic bonding them to the ground start to weaken, and they struggled even harder to break free.

"My powers...!"  Colenburn muttered, amazed.  "They're depleting..."

Renold's face was astonished, his eyes unbelieving as he let Mai drop to the ground, realization dawning on him.

"T-The power isn't in you anymore...!"  Renold exclaimed, shocked.  "W-Which means..."

Renold turned to Lucy, who was finally pulling herself up to her knees.  Her hair was still covering her eyes, but as she took a moment to regain her breathing from the impact of the blast, she thrust her head up in a scowl to Renold.

Renold looked angered in that instant.

Lucy had one golden eye.

Growling, Renold walked over to Lucy, who's anger only grew.  She hadn't figured out yet that she - somehow - had the power of Etheoria now.

Somehow, it had been transfered.

Renold reached to grab her, and Lucy was still recuperating from Mai's surprisingly strong blast to do anything.

"You've taken the power!"  Renold barked at her, and Lucy stared with awe.  "You're the culprit now!"

Renold was about to move in and punch Lucy, but he noticed a little too late the force rushing towards him.  Yelling a roar, Natsu slammed his fist into the side of Renold's face, making him sail away from both Lucy and Mai.  Natsu caught Lucy before she hit the ground, dropping with her.

"Oi, Luce; you okay?"  He asked.

Lucy was clutching onto his vest weakly, but she looked up at him.

Natsu stared as he saw Lucy's one golden eye, shocked.

"Natsu...what happened?"  Lucy asked.  "D-Do I really have...?"

"Lucy!"

Mai came running over, and Natsu stepped back to let her in.

"Mai!"  Lucy exclaimed in relief, wrapping her arms around Mai's torso as the child buried her head in the side of her neck.

"I'm sorry!"  Mai hiccuped, crying now.  "I'm sorry!  I-I gave you my magic!  It was an accident!"

Lucy looked up at Natsu.  "It's true, then?"

Happy came flying over as Natsu nodded.

"You have one yellow eye, Lucy."  Happy said, confirming it despite his awe.

Natsu turned to face Renold, who's scowl was threatening.  "I think it's about time you get out of here."

"Not without the Etheorian user."  Renold hissed, his eyes gliding over to Lucy.  "No matter who becomes it, they're coming with us."

"If you think I'm going to let you take Lucy, think again!"  Natsu growled.  "You'll have to do it over my dead body!"

"Don't forget about us!"  Gray exclaimed, him and Erza stepping forward.

At that moment, Lenn and Colenburn appeared next to Renold.

Lucy clutched tightly to Mai, fear and confusion on her face at what was going on.

Natsu lit his fists on fire.  "Time to get some payback, one hundred times over!"

Charging forward, Natsu yelled a battle cry as he aimed for Renold, Erza and Gray right behind him.

Wendy ran over to Lucy, Carla following.  "Lucy, let me heal both of your wounds."

"Thank you, Wendy."  Lucy replied, sitting straight up now.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"  Natsu exclaimed, bringing his fist up for Renold's jaw.

However, Renold did the same thing he did back in Ellain.  He used his supernatural speed and disappeared right before Natsu landed his blow.  Surprised, Natsu had forgotten that Lucy told him about his speed.  Renold reappeared behind Natsu, and grabbed his arm to swing him over his shoulder.  As Natsu hit the ground on his back, the ground dented in, showing Renold had much more strength than his physical appearance showed.  Natsu, shocked, felt his back arch from the impact, and felt his bones rattle.

Erza had chosen Lenn, and faced him with an angered expression.  Turning into her Flame Empress Armor, she advanced on Lenn, using her sword to block his mysterious magic bullets.  When she got close enough, Erza swung her sword down with incredible speed, however Lenn was also quick, and dodged.  Instead, Erza's sword sailed into the ground, causing the ground to explode with earth from the impact.

Since Gray was facing Colenburn and his magic had strangely been depleted from the blast, Gray had an advantage.

"Ice Make..."  Gray started, thinking of using an attack that was quick.  "...Lance!"

With a shattering noise, a plate of ice extended from Gray's hands, and out of that hundreds of small ice lances.  Shooting through the air with intense velocity, Colenburn scowled, knowing his magic had temporarily been subdued.  Deciding on just dodging, Colenburn steped from side to side, jumped into the air, and ducked; anything he could do to avoid Gray's lances.  However, Gray's magic was just fast enough to skim Colenburn's body, and got an injury on his right shoulder and left thigh.

"You really do have Etheoria now, Lucy..."  Wendy murmured, the others gathering around her in awe.

"What...does it feel like?"  Mira asked.

Lucy looked down at Mai, who was anxious to see if she was okay.

She looked back up at them all.  "Strange.  I know things we didn't before about Etheoria, that's for sure.  And..it doesn't feel like the two magical abilities are in confilct, like I thought."

"It's strangely being compatible with it?"  Carla asked.

Lucy nodded.

"Do you think it has something to do with Lucy's bond to those dragons?"  Romeo asked, standing next to Wendy.

"I understand!"  Wendy suddenly exclaimed, and they all look at her in surprise.

"What is it, Wendy?"  Carla asked, worried.

"Yes, Romeo is partly right.  Lucy  had to deal with carrying her magic power along with the dragon's souls awhile ago.  But she had been compatible with it...It's the same now."

"What?"  Lucy asked.

"This magic is strangely harmonizing with Lucy's Celestial Spirit powers!"  Wendy exclaimed in awe.

"How is that possible?"  Happy asked.

"It's like...Etheoria has met the same powers before..."  Wendy added.

"We'll deal with this later,"  Master Makarov replied.  "Right now, Natsu and the others are taking on the enemies."

"Couldn't you do something, Master?"  Romeo asked.

Makarov shook his head.  "I don't like to interfere unless necessary."

Lucy cringed as she felt her shoulders pinch from the ache.

"I'm sorry, Lucy."  Wendy replied.

"I'm fine, Wendy."  Lucy replied, smiling slightly.  "It's just a few cuts."

"Lucy..."  Mai murmured, a guilty look on her face.

"Mai, it's not your fault."  Lucy replied, rubbing the top of her head.  "You wanted to protect me too, right?"

Mai nodded.

"Then thank you."  Lucy replied, smiling.  "You were able to, even if this happened.  Actually, I'm glad; this means you're safe."

"But now you're in danger, Lucy!"  Mai protested.

Lucy smiled slightly.  "I'll be fine, I promise."

Renold backed away as the other guild members joined in the fight, and realized they were most definately out numbered.  Even if he did use his speed, he would eventually get caught.

"What's the matter?"  Natsu taunted, advancing.  "Scared?"

Renold scowled, realizing what he had to do.  

He turned, facing Colenburn and Lenn.  "Lenn!  Colenburn!  The Master has need of the news!  We'll leave, for now!"

"You're not goin' anywhere!"  Natsu exclaimed, swinging for him.

However, Renold used his speed again, and moved away from them all.

"Oi, get back here!"  Natsu exclaimed, angered.

Colenburn and Lenn backed away as well, dodging Gray and Erza's attacks easily.  Renold set a hand on their shoulders, and they disappeared, leaving the silence behind.

"Damn it..."  Natsu muttered.

Turning to see Lucy still being recuperated, Natsu ran over to her, along with Erza and Gray.

"They're gone."  Gray replied, annoyed.

Makarov nodded, his hands behind his back.  "Everyone, get back inside.  We'll have to discuss this."

Obeying, everyone filed back into the guild.  Lucy wasn't properly healed yet, and Wendy wanted to make sure Lucy's magic and Etheoria were securely balanced.

"I've got her, Wendy."  Natsu replied, letting Lucy try standing up on her own.

Lucy smiled gratefully at Natsu.  "Thank you."

Natsu grinned.  "Anything for you, Luce."

.

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Looks like Renold has set his eyes on Lucy!  

And what's going on?  Why does Lucy have Etheoria now?!  And...will they find more answers now that Lucy can use the power?

Find out what happens next in Chapter 9: Lucy's New Power.