Part 71 - Rouge

                                    

                                          
Reader continues to fight along with Natsu and the others.
"I'm way too hungry for this!" yells Natsu
"Yeah! How long have we been at this?" says reader as she dodges spells.
"Were running out of time! The dragons will be here soon." cries future Lucy.
More reinforcements show up for the royal army.
"We need to wrap this up!" yells Loke
"Happy! Carla! Find the rest of the guild and tell them what happened to us!" Pantherlily says to the other exceeds.
Just as Happy and Carla begin to fly over, they are stopped by one of the executioners.
"Y'all gotta stay put. No one is leaving this castle." he says
                          
Back to the games area.
Laxus, Erza, Gajeel, Grey and Juvia are in the infirmary get their wounds mend and bandaged. Master walks in with a few members.
"I'm so proud of you kids! You did good out there!" says Makarov
"You were great, Gajeel!" says Levy walking up to Gajeel, he smiles at her.
"Thanks, shorty."
Other Fairy Tail members walk in congratulating everyone one of the team members.
The thunder legion are next to Laxus with big smiles and phrasing him. Laxus notices no sign of reader anywhere so he looks at Evergreen, Bixlow and Freed.
"Where's (Y/N)?"
They say nothing. Laxus then looks at Makarov.
"Say gramps, I'm guessing by the looks of it. The rescue mission team didn't make it back yet."
Everyone in the infirmary goes silent after what Laxus mentions.
"That's correct. We still haven't heard back from them." replies Makarov
"I wonder if they ended up being captured themselves." says Erza
"I blame salamander. He probably let the whole castle know they were there to break Lucy out." says Gajeel
"Sounds like something Natsu would do." says Grey
"Well, we did have a negotiation with the castle of letting Lucy free if Fairy Tail won the games. We just gotta talk them into letting out the rest as well." says Makarov
Just then there was a knock on the door. The door opens to a royal soldier.
"We have a message from the King of Fiore. All wizards including Master of guilds are to meet urgently. They apologize for any inconvenience." he says as he bows and closes the door.
"I wonder what this is about?" asks Grey
"Maybe to have a big celebration for Fairy Tail." smiles Makarov
"Let's get going. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can ask about (Y/N) and the others." says Laxus
Everyone leaves the infirmary and are lead towards the meeting place.
                          
Back at the castle where the rescue team are.
A dark shadow is covering the army and the executioners feet.
"What is this?!"
The dark shadow is then sinking the army and the executioners into the ground like quicksand. Reader and the rest of the rescue mission can do nothing but watch. Then they're gone.
"What the heck is going on here?" says Natsu looking nervous.
"All those royal soldiers." says Happy
"Why didn't it target us?" asks Lily
"Someone is coming from the shadow!" says Loke
"Stand your ground." says reader
Just then a man comes walking from out the shadow and into the light. A man with long hair in two parted colors, with a tattoo on his face.
"Who are you?" asks Natsu
"It seems we meet again, Natsu Dragneel. I traveled quite a ways from the distant future, I'm Rogue."
"Future Rouge?" says Wendy shocked
"You came from the future too?" asks Lucy
"No way.." says reader looking at Rouge who looks completely different.
Rouge hears reader's voice, then he looks towards her.
"Ah! (Y/N). It feels like I've just seen you awhile ago, didn't think I would run into you here in the castle grounds."
"What? I haven't seen you before!" says reader as she's taken by surprise.
"No, not in this time you haven't."
Reader is stunned by future Rouge's words. Looking at him and how he seems so different physically and emotionally.
"What are you talking about?" says reader getting angered by Rouge making her body glow.
"(Y/N)! It's okay." says Wendy grabbing reader.
"Yeah. I've done no harm to you then and I won't now. We're still good friends." says future Rouge
Reader is still confused by Rogue bringing up the no harm part, but she keeps herself calm. Her body shows it by lowering her glow.
"So why are you here?" asks Happy
"What do you want?" asks Carla
"All I want.. is to use the eclipse." replies future Rouge
"What's that gonna do?" asks Lucy
"It can save us all, if we can tap into it's hidden power. As you know it can be used for time travel, but it can also serve as a weapon called eclipse cannon. That is the only chance to defeat the ten thousands of dragons. Opening the eclipse gate will do it."
"So it's possible. We can win!" says future Lucy
"Alright!" cheer Happy and Carla
"So does this mean we are gonna be okay?" asks Wendy
"Afraid not. I come from the time where the population is 90% dragons. There's only 10% of humanity left. I come back in time to save everyone from the one person who closed the gate. In which the closed gate let the dragons live and take over. So as long as that person is alive, it's bound to happen again. They will close the gate."
"So who's this person you're after anyway?" asks Natsu
Future Rouge stays silent, then he opens his eyes.
"It's you." he casts a fast spell "Lucy Heartfillia!"
The spell flies right for Lucy but then Future Lucy jumps in front of the spell, giving her a fatal hit. Future Lucy lands on the floor.
"No!" yells Happy running for future Lucy
"Lucy!" yells reader
Lucy runs to Future Lucy.
"I didn't close the gate.." says Future Lucy barely able to talk.
"I know, I believe you, I promise I won't!" says Lucy
Happy and Lucy are next to Future Lucy as she slowly fades into death.
Wendy is in tears and then holds onto reader and reader holds her too. Seeing Lucy slowly die before her eyes causing reader's body to glow and tears stream from her face.
"You don't need to be sad.." says Future Lucy
"But we are sad! We don't care what world you come from, cause no matter what you're still our Lucy! You're our friend and we love you! We don't wanna lose you!" says Happy in tears.
Natsu still hasn't said a word.
Future Lucy then dies.
Everyone looks back towards Future Rogue instead of Natsu.
"Why would you do that?! You heard her! I would never close the gate!" yells Lucy towards Rouge.
"You say that now but you will. Not while you're alive." says Rouge as he casts another spell to hit towards Lucy.
Natsu blocks his spell with his own, pushing Rouge back.
"I'm not gonna let anybody steal Lucy's future! Not while I'm alive! I promise!" says Natsu in rage.