Fairy Tail 67

"FREEZING POINT: Beyond Ice Make"
Well in progress!
[bottom-left:]
Photo: Mirajane
Styling: Lucy
Hair/Makeup: Cancer
[insert text: How am I meant to take my clothes off in this cold?!!]

2
[insert text: Who cares if the guild gets knocked down?! We just have to pull ourselves together and start from scratch!!]
[Text: A week has passed since we finished our battle with Phantom. // And it looks like we're finally back to some semblance of normal... // ...Afterwards, things did turn out pretty crazy, after all. // We were surrounded by the Rune Knights, army of the Council.........]
RuneKnight: Nobody move a muscle!!! // We are the personal law enforcement squad of the Council of Mages... the Rune Knights!!!

3
Gray: Oh, crap...
Kana: Looks like they must have got wind of what was going on...
Natsu: RUN FOR IT!!!
Mirajane: We can't do that, Natsu... they'll catch us in the end either way.
Makarov: Waaaaaaaahhh!!
Erza: Pull yourself together, Master...!!!
[Text: We were all taken over to their garrison for questioning. // They kept interrogating us every day... // So yeah, it's only now, a week later, that we've really got a chance to breathe. // It looks like they're going to decide the appropriate punishment for Fairy Tail later... // ......Ahh...]

4
[Text: But you shouldn't worry about me, Mother! / I don't think they'll give us any huge penalty. // After all, we have evidence and witness reports on Phantom's attacks...]
Lucy: Owww... // Man... I hope this doesn't leave a mark or anything...

5
Lucy: Phantom......... yeah...
[Text: Hey, Mama... This wasn't all some elaborate plan of his, was it...? // I know he's crazy, but I never thought he'd go so far.]
Flashback!Lucy: Hey, Papa, I made an onigiri! // Um, Papa...?
Flashback!Father: I'm working right now. Go away.

6
Flashback!Lucy: ...Okay. // ...Hey, Papa...!
Flashback!Father: HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU NOT TO DISTURB ME, LUCY?!!!!

7
Flashback!Father: We have chefs to attend to the cooking!!!! If you have the time to waste on such things, why do you not apply it to your studies?!!!! // Get out of here!!!!
Flashback!Lucy: Y'know... // Today... // It's my birthday... / *sniff*
[Text: Actually, come to think of it, that man... // He wouldn't have any trouble doing something like that...]

8
[Text: But why now? Why would he come after me all of a sudden like this? // He never showed the slightest interest in me before... // I really did cause a lot of trouble for Fairy Tail... // Mama... He won't leave it at this, will he... // He'll use his money... and come after me again... // But me, I'll never...]

9
Natsu: SOOOOOOOOO HEEEEAVYYYYYYYYY!!!
Gray: Well, you shouldn't try to carry all that stuff at once, then. [aside]what are you, an idiot?[/aside] // ?
Natsu: Hahah!!! You're just so damn weak you can't cerry any more than that, huh?!!
Gray: What?! I could carry as much as you're carrying if I wanted to!!!

10
Gray: Nnh... Nghhhh... / How... d'you like that...?!
Lluvia: [aside]Aaaahhh![/aside]
[sFX: clap clap clap clap]
Gray: Hm? // Guaaaahhhhh!!!!
Natsu: Hah, you're pathetic!!! Hey, Happy, did'ja see that?!
Happy: Aye!
Gray: ......
Erza: Oi, you lot...

11
Erza: If you've got the time to spend playing around, then why don't you put it to some use?
[Label: Ex-quipped into a working outfit]
Erza: We're trying to get this Guild fixed up as quickly as possible!
Dude: Man, Erza's really getting into this...
Mirajane: Same goes for Master!
People: ...
Droy: Yeah, the old guy said we should take this opportunity to restructure the place; he even drew out some plans...
Jet: This thing's ridiculous, the perspective's completely screwed...
Makarov: Perspective is just an optical illusion invented by artists long ago... Art should be free of such restrictions!
Jet: Yeah, but who the hell could build a BUILDING from these things?!!!
Erza: Foreman, where am I taking this one?
Makarov: Put it over there!
Dude: And who's she calling a "foreman"...?

12
Natsu: Ughhhh... // I'm hungry~~~~
Gray: Now you mention it, I'm gettin' pretty hungry too... // ! // Huh?!Natsu: What the hell was that...?
Happy: A girl...?
Gray: And... what's this... a bentou?!!
Natsu: Ahhhh!!! Who knows where it came from, but it looks delicious!!!

13
Gray: This isn't some kinda joke, you know! I can't eat somethin' if I don't know where it came from!
Natsu: ...Can I have it, then?
Gray: Sure!
Lluvia: (Lluvia is sorrowful!!!)
Natsu: Itadakima~~su!
Lluvia: (After Lluvia got up early especially to make it...!)
Gray: Hm?
Natsu: Maaaan!!! This is tasty stuff!!!
Gray: ........
Loki: Natsu... Gray.
Gray: !
Loki: H... hey... Could you give this to Lucy for me?
Gray: Keys? / Ah, those are Lucy's!

14
Gray: Hey... don't tell me...!!! I haven't seen you around for a while... you haven't been searchin' for these things the whole time, have you?!!
Loki: Ahh... Hahahah... Being a true gentleman can be hard work...
Happy: We would've helped you out if you'd let us know...
Natsu: Mmm.
Loki: N - Never mind that, what about Lucy? ...How is she?
Natsu: She'th ad her houth ribhingh ugngh ghebnnmgh.
Happy: Why don't you finish eating before you try talking...?
Gray: ...I think she's at home.
Loki: I see.
Natsu: Hey, maybe we should all pay her a visit!!!
Gray: Yeah... I'm a little worried about her.
Happy: Aye!!!
Natsu: Loki... you've never been to Lucy's place before, have you?
Loki: Ah... I won't be coming. Don't you remember? Being around Stellar Spirit Mages brings back bad memories for me...
Natsu: Oh, right... Lucy's just Lucy, though, you know...
Gray: ?

15
Erza: Why, you...!!! Where do you think you're running off to?!!! GET TO WORK!!!
Gray: !!!
Natsu: RUN FOR IT...!!!
Erza: [aside]WAIT RIGHT THERE!!![/aside]
Natsu: [aside]Quick, Happy, let's fly!!![/aside]
Happy: [aside]Aye, sir!!![/aside]
Gray: [aside]Oi!!! Dammit, Natsu, don't fly off without me!!!![/aside]
Natsu: Hey, Lucy, how are ya?!!!!
Happy: How are ya?!

16
Natsu: ........
Gray: After all that, you came along too?!
Erza: Well, I'm worried about her too...
Happy: Hm? Looks like she's not home...
Gray: Is she in the bath?!! That could lead to some very interesting developments...
Natsu: She's not there.
Gray: YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO CHECK!!!
Erza: It looks like she must have gone out somewhere.

17
Happy: Lucy, where are you~? // Ah! // Ahhhhh!! // !!!!
Natsu: What's all this?
Gray: Letters?
Natsu: "Mama... I finally managed to become a member of Fairy Tail like I always wanted..."
Gray: Hey, don't just read them without thinking! // [aside]Even if we did just barge into her house...[/aside]
Natsu: "Mama... today I met a girl called Erza!! She's so cool and pretty... Oh, yeah, about Natsu........."

18
Natsu: "To Mama"... // "To Mama"...
Gray: Are these letters all addressed to her mother?
Natsu: Why were they never sent?
Gray: Well, she did run away from home...
Natsu: Then why'd she write them in the first place? // Hey, Erza...?
Gray: Hm?
Natsu: What's wrong?
Erza: Lucy... she left a note.

19
Erza: "I'm going home." // That's what she says.
[TN: Just because the author writes in bad English doesn't mean I have to :p]
Everyone: WHAAAAAAT?!!!
Natsu: Going home?!! What the hell's with that?!!! / What on Earth's she think she's doing?!!!
Gray: D - don't tell me she's started to feel all guilty again...
Natsu: Who knows... But anyway, we've gotta go after her! / We're goin' to Lucy's hometown!!!

20
[insert text: Sacrificing herself for the sake of the Guild...?! // Lucy has made her decision... Is this train carrying her towards a lonely future...?!]
[bottom text: To be continued in Chapter 68: "Goodbye"]