Yay, here's a new chapter finally! I actually had this written but got sidetracked and just edited it today. I realized that for some reason I tend to put out shorter chapters on this story compared to my other stories, so I'm trying to fix that. Once we get into the more interesting things it should resolve itself anyways. I was going to finish the battle in this chapter but I think I'm gonna wait and do it in the next chapter since there's another famous Gajevy moment coming up. It shouldn't be too long between chapter updates this time, at least that's what I'm hoping. I need to get on a writing schedule so I can dedicate equal time to all my stories!

Review replies:

Zachariah T. Kitchell- Thank you! ^_^

lazar123- I do my best not to abandon and hope to catch up to the manga eventually. Thank you!

Dutchess-of-Dirt- Thank you, I hope you continue to enjoy!

Delirium0629- Thank you so much! I'm glad you like both my POV's and I'm glad I'm writing in character! I'll try to get on a regular schedule again, but with school back in it's a little hard!

mjfunk2001- Thank you, I'll do my best!

Chapter 6: Cracking the Code

Her hands moved in front of her face, shielding her eyes from the bright lights shining onto the stage. What…? What happened? Why am I here? And where is everyone?

"LUCY!" A flying blue furball slammed into the blonde's chest, Levy looked around, seeing the girls around her and Natsu, Gajeel, and Master down below the stage. A strange sound echoed through the room and in the door of the guild runes announced that Erza was victorious against Evergreen. What does that even mean? The master began explaining the situation while she continued to stretch her arms out. She couldn't help stealing a glance at the iron dragon slayer, wondering why he was still here. Gajeel stood near Juvia with his typical scowl on. When she realized his crimson eyes were staring right back at hers she quickly turned her attention back to the master, but she felt her cheeks heat up, embarrassed that she was caught staring. Hopefully he doesn't think I was thinking bad about him.

"The Battle of Fairy Tail?" The celestial mage's questioning brought Levy back to the conversation happening in front of her.

"Laxus pulled a thing like that?" Cana was sitting on the edge of the stage, already back to drinking after just being freed from their stone prison.

"...But either way, it's all over now. Now that all of you are de-petrified, Laxus can't possibly keep up this ridiculous game any longer." The Master was smiling wide as his story caught up to the present.

"Still… what about everyone who was caught in Freed's traps and got seriously hurt…?" Mirajane had frown on her face, something not seen very often.

"That's right! Laxus had better see some punishment for this; we can't simply tolerate it!" Bisca spoke up this time, and Mirajane's eyes fell down to the ground. It's odd seeing Mira like this. Maybe she's concerned for Elfman? As the Master began his tirade of what he would do to Laxus, he was quickly interrupted.

"Hold it a second." Everyone turned their heads at the words of the rowdy dragon slayer who had been rather quiet the whole time. "Here's the thing… I've gotta admit it was a bit screwed-up of Laxus to force everyone into situations where they had to fight against each other… but there's nothing wrong with his basic idea of finding out who's the strongest in Fairy Tail, is there? All I'm saying is don't be too harsh on the guy, Gramps." Natsu smiled while everyone just stood there gaping at him. "So, let's get the Battle of Fairy Tail round 2 started! Bring it on, all of you!"

"Ehhhh!?" Everyone's confused voices sounded out at once. Typical Natsu. Always wanting to fight. Levy couldn't help but giggle a little at her guildmate as he prodded Lucy to fight him.

"Stop that, coming from you it's hard to tell if you're joking or not…" The stellar mage dodged the light punches he was throwing at her, looking unimpressed at her friend.

"Hell, if you really want to I wouldn't mind giving it a go." Cana jumped off the stage, rolling her shoulders preparing to fight.

"Don't encourage him, Cana." Bisca shook her head at Cana as Levy moved to stand beside the card mage while Natsu chased Lucy around the guild. She could see Gajeel and Juvia mumbling to each other across from them and she wondered what they were talking about. Juvia was the one person Gajeel seemed to actually tolerate in the guild since they had already known each other before joining. It seemed funny to her that Gajeel would be friends with a girl like Juvia and she couldn't help smiling as she observed them. Maybe one day we'll be friends like that too. Hopefully he'll warm up to everyone in the guild. Suddenly, the room began to fill with dark colored runes, and the playfulness stopped abruptly.

"What's that?" Juvia moved back closer to everyone else, with Gajeel following in her motions.

"Is he up to something else now?" Cana set her bottle down as everyone grouped together. The runes created a skull shape in the middle of the room.

"Do you hear me old man? And all you others too." Laxus's voice filled the room as it poured out from the mouth of the skull head. "One of the rules has gone out the window so I'm adding a new one. I'm activating the Thunder Palace in order to keep the Battle of Fairy Tail underway. You have one hour and ten minutes. Do you have what it takes to beat us? Or will you give up instead, Master." Laxus' laughter echoed as the runes dissipated.

"The Thunder Palace? What are you thinking, Laxus!? Are you trying to drag innocent bystanders into this too?! Ohh..!" The Master grabbed at his chest as he fell forward, shocking everyone in the room.

"I'll go get his usual medicine!" Mirajane rushed off to the back of the guild.

"Master! Please hang in there!" Levy dropped to her knees beside the man she had come to love like a grandfather. She could feel the panic rising in her chest as the situation grew worse.

"What's this Thunder Palace?!" Natsu had begun to show his worry in his angry state, and Levy knew that he now wanted to end this as quickly as possible for the Master's sake. He may seem like a dunce at times but everyone knew that he was one of the people that cared the most about the Master and the guild.

"Everyone! Look outside!" Mira came running back down the steps with medicine bottles in her hand as everyone else ran out to the balcony to survey the town. Round, glowing balls hung around the perimeter of the entire city.

"What are those?" Natsu hung tight to the railing, glaring at the levitating balls. Wait a minute… those are...

"Lightning lacrimas…?" She finished her thought out loud. What is Laxus doing with so many lightning lacrimas surrounding the city? Surely he doesn't plan to use them all, that would harm everyone within the circle!

"What happens if all those go off!?" Lucy turned back to her guildmates and Levy's mind immediately went to work. There was almost no way to quickly destroy all of them, and Laxus had given them a time limit.

"Countless lightning bolts will rain down on the city…" Cana glanced back down to the people in the streets as she spoke.

"I won't let that happen! Sniper rifle requip! Target: lock on! Stinger shot!" Levy watched as Bisca aimed a gun and blasted a lacrima to pieces. As everyone was singing their praises to Bisca, she suddenly froze and lightening trickled down her arms. No one could help as they watched the green haired woman be electrocuted by a harsh lightning shock.

"Bisca! Stay with us!" Levy dropped to her knees beside her, shaking her as she lay unconscious. Everyone was shouting out with confusion at what had happened.

"It's body link magic! Those lacrima are embedded with magic so that it links any damage done back to the attacker. In other words, if we attack it, we just end up attacking ourselves!" Cana yelled out angrily before she ran out with Lucy, Happy, and Juvia to help the town. Levy was kneeling next to Bisca as Natsu attempted to follow, only to be stopped by the runes surrounding the guild hall. She watched Natsu struggle against the runes while Gajeel stood next to her.

"Natsu, calm down!" Levy stood and walked to the stone railing. Runes, huh? Well good thing I'm a script mage.

"I can't calm down! Stupid invisible walls are everywhere!" Levy smirked with confidence as she mulled over her next words.

"It's an enchantment, right?" She watched the runes show up, relieved that she recognized a few of the characters.

"Yea, thanks, we already knew that." Gajeel's voice sounded out behind her and she glanced back at him with a glare. Stupid Gajeel.

"That's a form of written magic, so I might be able to do something about it!" The two dragon slayers looked at her incredulously. "I...I believe that the two of you have what it takes to stop Laxus." I've got to do this! I may not be the best with runes but I know Freed's quite well so there's a good chance I can do this.

After getting Bisca inside to the infirmary, Levy went to work. She copied down as much of the rune sequence as she could from the barriers, and pulled out all the books she thought she might need. Pulling her hair up and breaking out her gale-force reading glasses, she spread everything out and began to analyze. Gajeel sat next to her, watching her work, while Natsu was still taking out his anger. Does he really need to watch? It makes me a little nervous… but I want him to know that I'm not some weak mage like he thinks I am! I'm just strong in a different way I think…

"If I break down the rogue character's sequence data into basic component blocks, and then pinpoint the characters used to make up the rules… L, O, S, U… Okay, now if I convert that into guile grammar…" The script mage couldn't help her out-loud rambling as she broke down the runes, but Gajeel didn't seem to mind. He continued staring at her working.

"You're incredible, ya know? We speak the same language but I don't understand a word you're saying…" Gajeel's voice broke through her thoughts, making her stomach turn a flip. Uh uh uh, not today feelings. Wait… I got it!

"No wait! The L and S are a bluff! That means the key code must be 'arth'!" She turned towards Gajeel excitedly before writing down her new discovery.

"Uh, yea, I… I see…" He mumbled a bit and continued watching her.

"Don't worry. I'm going to get you guys out of here." She pulled some loose hair back behind her ear so she could see him out of the corner of her eye. His eyes widened and he glanced to the side.

"It's not like I really…" She cut off his words and looked up at him, meeting his unsure gaze with her determined one.

"Please. Stop Laxus." The two of them shifted their gaze over to look at the angry fire dragon slayer. Levy got back to work. I have to get them out of here, no matter what. I know I can do this. I didn't learn script magic for nothing. I didn't spend hours learning languages for nothing, and now it's time for me to help Fairy Tail and my nakama. Gajeel acknowledged me and I can't let him down either!

"Ohhh, Lucy vs Bickslow!? Go Lucy! Knock em' out good!" Natsu cheered loudly to the side as a new fight began. Lu-chan, I believe in you! Gajeel stood and walked over to the runes, mumbling something about a bunny. Levy smiled at his actions. And he tried to tell me he didn't care.

"Lucy kicked his butt!" Natsu yelled victoriously, breaking a long silence throughout the guild hall.

"You're kidding me!? The bunny princess can actually fight!?" Gajeel's surprised voice made Levy look up at the scene of the two dragon slayers.

"Yea, she's tough as nails!" Natsu nodded approvingly and Levy smiled at his proud face. Aw, he must really love her. I hope I get someone one day who thinks like that of me! I can't believe Lu-chan doesn't see what's right in front of her.

"Yea right, she's just a bunny girl!" Gajeel yelled back at his fellow dragon slayer, refusing to believe the outcome.

"That's Lu-chan for you!" Levy said her congratulations to the air as Natsu tried to convince Gajeel that bunnies were strong too by telling him about the tortoise and the hare. And now I've got to do my best, too. If I could just solve this part here, write over the enchantment, and….

"Hey! That's it!" The script mage pointed up at the dragon slayers and they jumped at her voice.

"What's what!?" Their voices shouted in sync as they moved closer to her.

"Of course! I just have to go through it deciphering the two different grammar styles at different rates, just like the tortoise and the hare!" She went back to her papers, writing furiously as she could see the new sequence working itself out.

"I've done it!" The bluenette jumped up and held her papers out victoriously, smiling brightly at the two confused men in front of her.

"Yeahhhh!" Natsu and Gajeel celebrated in unison as she strolled to the front of the guild where the doors stood open and the battles were listed.

"Just give me a second to rewrite the enchantment. Are you guys ready?" She smiled back at them knowingly.

"Hell yea, I'm fired up!" Natsu ignited his flames staring back at her.

"It's time to go have me a little fun." Gajeel crossed his arms over his chest and winked at her before turning his stare to the outside. Levy turned back towards the barrier and tried to hide her blush. Oh wait, before they go...

"Before I let you go, listen up. Freed's enchantments are still going to be all around the city so you're gonna have to split up if you want to avoid being caught up in them. Got it?" The two nodded back at her and she turned back to overwrite the enchantment. In a few minutes she was done, and Natsu shot out of the guild like a rocket. Levy wiped some sweat off her brow, exhausted at the work it took to overwrite Freed's complicated runes. She felt a hand rest on her shoulder and turned to look up at the iron dragon dragon slayer.

"Ya did good, Shorty. Looks like shrimps might be able to fight too. Gihee." Gajeel smiled down at her before continuing forward out of the guild.

"I know you can do it, Gajeel." Levy smiled at him, ignoring his teasing nicknames as he disappeared from her sight. She retreated back to the infirmary to keep watch on Makarov and Bisca for the time being, checking back at the runes for any battle updates. So far it looked like Juvia and Cana were forced to duke it out, with Cana coming out as the victor, who then challenged Freed. Shortly after that Levy was surprised to see Mirajane join in against Freed. Magic power filled the air and it was obvious that somehow her take-over magic had come back to her. This is good, maybe it means that her heart's finally healing. The runes came up saying Mirajane was the victor, and then they went silent. Come on guys, get to Laxus!

"Only 10 minutes left. Is Laxus really serious about this? But it'll work out somehow! We still have Erza, Natsu, and Gajeel too. Oh, and Mystogan! Although I've never really seen him…" Levy was pacing around the guild watching the clock. She hadn't heard from anyone and Makarov wasn't getting any better. Her thoughts were interrupted as she noticed someone approaching her. Huh, who could be at the guild at a time like this? Her eyes widened as they landed on the older pink-haired woman.

"Where is Makarov?" She turned and looked at Levy with a plain look on her face.

"Porlyusica-san!?" Levy looked at her in shock. She never comes into the guild anymore, we always have to go to her!

"Hurry up, where is he?" The woman turned her head away again.

"Uh, he's back there in the infirmary. I don't mean to be rude, but right now he's... uh, he's..." Levy struggled to find a way to describe the state of their Master to the intimidating woman.

"I know, that's why I'm here." Levy followed the old woman back into the infirmary where Makarov and Bisca lay.

"Oh, so you're here to treat our Master?" When she didn't answer Levy took a second to sulk. Well I was trying to be nice but she doesn't seem to like anyone ever... They continued walking back into the infirmary and the script mage stood to the side as the healer looked down at their Master.

"Bring Laxus here." Porlyusica's voice made Levy jump, not to mention her request. "Bring that idiot boy here. He's out gallivanting around ignorant of his grandfather's critical condition. Bring him here at once." Her eyes widened as she listened to her words.

"Crit..Critical... condition...No, surely it's not..." The bluenette's body was shaking as she looked between the healer and their Master.

"Please just do it. He hasn't got much longer..." The odd woman turned her head to meet Levy's gaze. There were tears in her eyes and Levy was completely shocked by her words. He doesn't have much longer? No, this can't be happening... The bluenette turned and ran, trying to forget the pain in Porlyusica's face. Her eye's landed on the runes as she wiped tears from her eyes and ran through the guild doors.

*Mystogan vs. Laxus*

Oooh it's about to get lit y'all (Yes I live in the south and yes this is a phrase I use often. It's hard to be a meme queen in the south). But really, I hope you guys liked it and enjoy the longer chapter! I love reviews cause I like to know your thoughts, and feel free to check out my other stories! I've got some Gajevy one-shots, a teaser for my RoguexMinerva story, and a new Nalu-ish fic (it's more Lucy adventure centered rather than romance centered). Anyways, thanks for reading!