Chapter 8 — Runaway Train of Chaos
POV Style: Mixed (primarily MC + Erza + some Natsu)
(≈2,000+ words)
— MC POV —
The platform wind whipped against my coat as the train continued to speed away — with Natsu still inside. Gray pinched the bridge of his nose while Lucy waved her arms like that would magically stop a hundred-ton vehicle.
Erza, however… Erza had other ideas.
She marched directly to the nearest conductor, who was still on the platform.
"Stop the train. Someone important was left on board."
"I-I understand, Miss Knight—" He nervously fumbled with a clipboard, flipping pages like he was searching for the meaning of life.
Too slow.
BAAAAM!
Her fist smashed into his face, and the conductor dropped like a sack of potatoes.
Happy and Lucy screamed.
Gray and I? Not surprised.
At all.
Another conductor nearby froze like a deer in headlights. Erza locked eyes with him like a predator.
"You. Stop. That. Train. NOW."
He flinched as if slapped by her voice alone.
"Y-Yes! Just give me a sec—"
BAAAAM!
Second conductor down.
Lucy shook me. "Yuta! Do something! Erza is going to knock out the entire railway staff!"
"And that's a bad thing because…?" I asked, trying to keep a straight face.
Erza turned toward a third victim, cracking her knuckles like judgment day incarnate.
Yeah, okay… maybe time to intervene.
I reached up and yanked the emergency brake chain above us. A loud alarm shrieked, and the train, now in the distance, slowly screeched to a halt.
Erza blinked.
"…You could do that?"
I nodded. "Punching every employee in Fiore isn't necessary."
She coughed into her fist, cheeks slightly flushed. "R-Right. Plan B then!"
Lucy stared at me with newfound respect.
Gray stared at me like I was the monster.
Erza quickly shifted into mission mode.
"We'll catch the train using a Magic Four-Wheeler. We can't waste a second — Eisenwald is already in motion."
"And we need to punch Natsu for being a dumbass," Gray added.
I smirked.
"If anyone is punching Natsu, it's me," Erza declared.
Oh?
A little territorial, are we?
"Let's go!" Erza ordered.
We sprinted toward the rental area.
Natsu POV
Everything was spinning.
Why was the train still moving?
Why was Happy not with him?
Why did he still feel sick even after getting knocked out?
"Oy, you okay?" a voice asked beside him.
Natsu's eyes cracked open.
A man in dark clothing sat across from him, staring with a sharp interest.
"Ugh… I hate trains…" Natsu groaned, pressing a hand to his temple.
The man's gaze slid to the emblem on Natsu's shoulder — the Fairy Tail guild mark.
"So you're Fairy Tail…" he muttered, bitterness dripping from every word.
"You must feel proud… being with the light."
Natsu blinked. "Light? Huh? What are ya talking about?"
The man suddenly lunged, gripping Natsu by his collar.
His eyes were wild — full of rage and desperation.
"It's because of you light-side mages that Eisenwald is treated like criminals! All we want is freedom! But no—mages like you get the praise while we're forced underground!"
Natsu frowned—not angry… yet.
Just confused.
"What does that have to do with Fairy Tail? We've never met your stupid guild."
The man snarled.
"You will pay for standing in our way.
For mocking the dark!"
He swung his arm—hidden blades extending from his sleeves.
Natsu dodged, his face suddenly serious.
"So that's how you wanna play it, huh?"
Fire crackled around his fists.
"Bring it on!"
Then "Ugh… I hate trains…"
MC POV
The Magic Four-Wheeler jolted violently as Erza steered it like a battle-wagon from hell. Lucy screamed every time we drifted. Gray held onto the door for dear life. Happy was pale—feathers visibly shaking.
And me?
I was praying that Senku and Orochimaru wouldn't find my corpse and turn me into a research experiment.
Never let Erza drive again… never let Erza drive again…
"We are closing in," Erza said with frightening composure.
Lucy peeked over her seat. "How can you even tell?! The train is gone!"
"It left tracks. Tracks do not lie," Erza responded like a knight quoting a holy scripture.
Gray nodded like this was normal Fairy Tail logic.
We all knew: arguing with Erza = early funeral.
Meanwhile, my mind wandered…
Kakashi should be watching Natsu and the others…
He'd better report everything, or I'm deducting his ramen funds.
Yes, I summoned Kakashi Hatake for surveillance.
Because only Kakashi could babysit a dragon slayer and survive.
Probably.
Scene Shift — Train Roof
Kakashi POV
This world is exhausting.
Kakashi crouched on the roof of the train, lazily flipping through a small book while muffled chaos sounded underneath.
Yuta did warn me… This pink-haired brat is like a mix of Minato and Jiraiya, but with a brick's toughness.
He turned a page.
So far, he hadn't interfered. That would change soon.
His visible eye hardened as he sensed magical malice below.
"Well… time to earn my ramen allowance."
With a flicker, he disappeared.
Train Interior (Train Moving)
Natsu POV
Natsu's eyes snapped open.
His face turned green immediately.
"Ugh… I already hate today…"
The Eisenwald member beside him smirked menacingly as he noticed Natsu's Fairy Tail emblem.
"You… Fairy Tail rat… You think you stand on the side of justice? Because of guilds like yours, we were branded DARK!"
Natsu groaned. "Bro… not now…"
The man drew a blade—
But before he could strike—
SCREEEEEECH!!!
The entire train lurched violently to a stop.
Everyone flipped, flipping forward.
Something small and metallic tumbled out from the Eisenwald mage's coat—
A skeletal-shaped flute.
Kakashi silently appeared behind the mage, snatching the flute mid-fall.
He replaced it smoothly with a transformed wooden stick—illusioned to look identical.
Natsu finally regained his balance.
His flames returned to his fists.
"Ohhh, you wanna fight NOW? GOOD!"
His punch smashed the mage through the train car wall—
A massive hole is forming.
Wind roared through.
But before they could continue—
CHUG—CHUG—CHUG!!
The train suddenly started moving again, jerking harshly.
Natsu's face immediately went back to sickly green.
"Nonono—stoooop—blarghhhh—!!"
He stumbled toward the hole—
Gray yelled up from below the tracks:
"HEY NATSU!! WE JUST CAUGHT UP—!!"
CRASH!!!
Natsu flew right out of the train, slamming directly into Gray.
Both rolled across the ground in a tangle of limbs and curses.
"GET OFF ME, SALAMANDER!!"
"Ughhh… stupid… trains…"
Scene Shift — Magic Four-Wheeler
MC POV
We screeched to a halt beside the tracks.
Lucy hopped off first, panic plastered on her face.
"Natsu!! Gray!! Are you two okay?!"
They both groaned in stereo.
So… yes, technically alive.
Kakashi landed silently next to me, tapping my card pouch lightly to signal:
Mission accomplished. The flute is secured.
I nodded.
Erza quickly shifted to commander mode.
"Oshibana Station is their target!" she declared.
"We cannot allow them to use Lullaby!"
Lucy shuddered.
"That flute… it kills anyone who hears its melody…"
My fingers brushed over my card deck.
I exhaled.
Time to look cool.
"Fairy Tail moves," I said.
"Dark guild or not — Eisenwald's done."
Natsu stood, fire blazing around his fists.
"KICK. THEIR. BUTTS."
Gray cracked his knuckles, a competitive smirk returning.
Happy flapped beside Erza.
"Aye, sir!"
Erza's scarlet hair whipped in the wind like a battle flag —
eyes shining like a warrior goddess.
She glanced back at me…
A hint of warmth.
Secret.
Dangerous.
"Fairy Tail — MOVE OUT!"
We charged forward together.
The real fight had only just begun.
Chapter End.