Here begins, the rewrite of Captured. It is far darker than before, contains adult language and themes, hence the M rating. Please let me know what you think, and do try to enjoy...
Neko.
Edited: corrected grammar mistakes. Please do point these out if I missed them in primary editing! Thanks! xx
The candle flickered unsteadily, settling momentarily, before resuming its hypnotic dance; staggering like a drunken teenager. It was set into the wall in a crude window-like hole that allowed the light to illuminate the jaggedly carved corridor. There was a large gap between that candle and the next, creating pockets of darkness between each orb of light. A sudden gust of wind howled down the corridor, unsettling the flame before it calmed itself back into a restless slumber.
A groan sounded out from behind the cells that stretched down one side of the corridor, and he slowly opened his eyes, wincing at the blinding pain behind his left orb. Cursing at the pain the black eye caused, he peered around with the offending eye, it being almost swollen shut. His arms were shackled above his head, the runes on the magic cancelling cuffs glowing a dark purple. Similar restraints encircled his ankles, suspending him from the floor like a puppet. His shirt was nearly non-existent, scraps of the maroon material stretched across a bloodied chest, the frayed edges and lengths of cotton making his injuries even more uncomfortable as they scraped against the raw flesh. His black trousers clung to his legs, covered in dried mud, thorns digging into his skin from where they were lodged into the fabric.
'Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.' He said, clenching his jaw to hold back the groans of pain as the ache across his cheekbone become more pronounced with the movement.
Forcing himself to focus, he took a deep breath before analysing his surroundings. Damp straw covered the floor of his cell, and in the far right corner sat a rusted bucket, catching drips falling from the rudimentarily crafted ceiling. Beside the bucket sat a small wooden mug, and an empty bowl. He could smell the broth that had been in the container, and though it had clearly been a disgusting concoction, his stomach released a groan that echoed up the corridor.
'Where the fuck am I?' He said, narrowing his only functioning eye in contemplation. It was then that he heard a door slam open. Closing his eyes, he opened up his senses to whatever was approaching.
The footfalls were heavy and regular- a man's- and were creating a loud echo along the slate floor, yet it sounded as though he were dragging a sack of some sort along the uneven ground. Taking in a deep breath, he could smell the body odour of the creature; a foul stench that even from this distance made Laxus internally retch.
The footsteps grew louder and louder, before they stopped outside his cell door. Opening his eye slowly, he turned to stare at the man behind the bars, his expression blank and emotionless as it slid open the squeaky door.
Stood on the other side of the cell door was a rotund man, his hair made up of thick, long strands on either side of his pumpkin like head with a large bald top; sweat dribbled down the curve of his cranium before soaking into the greasy strands of hair he had left. His facial features seemed almost too small for the entirety of his head. Small, muddy eyes leered at the slayer, and his thin, wire like lips stretched into a smirk, showing off yellowed teeth that contrasted horribly with his pasty complexion. From one hand he held what looked like a pile of rags, yet Laxus could hear the quiet heartbeat, and the shallow, pained gasps from beneath the material.
'Glad to see someone's awake.' Laxus raised an eyebrow at the high pitched, almost feminine voice that emerged from the disgusting excuse for a man before him, and resisted the urge to laugh.
'Who the fuck are you?' Laxus's voice was steady as he stared straight through the man, as though bored with his presence.
'Why, I'm your worst nightmare, Dreyar.' Laxus's eye narrowed, and he tensed, jerking slightly against his restraints. The pig before him laughed, cackling as he lifted the person and threw them into the cell. Laxus could hear their head smack against the ground and winced, his eyes trailing over the slim, frail limbs that had no cover from the cold.
'How do you know my name?'
'Wouldn't you like to know?' He grinned at Laxus, yanking the cell door shut and locking it, before walking away without another word, the quietening jingle of the keychain he swung seeming to taunt the dragon slayer.
Laxus glared after him, before a pained whimper drew his attention back to the small woman on the ground, shivering uncontrollably.
'Hey, you okay?' He said, trying to soften the rough edge of his voice.
Slowly, her pale arms shifted till her palms rest against the floor, level with her shoulders. With a small grunt, she forced her body to lift itself, her weight distributed between her knees and hands. Her arms trembled at the exertion, and she was panting desperately, the rag covering her head falling to the ground.
Laxus took in the short, bloodied tufts of matted hair, the mud that was slathered across her face, as well as the bruises that marked the skin he could see beneath the coating of dirt. It looked as though someone had used her as a training dummy.
'Hey, what's your name? I'm not gonna hurt you, I'm gonna get you out of here – 'He was cut off by her choking laughter, the sound distorted and pained, her shoulders hunched in defeat. 'I'm not kidding girlie, I'm getting us both out of here, okay? How's your head?' She stayed still, appearing for a moment as though she hadn't heard him, before she turned to face him.
Laxus's breath caught in his throat as he saw her face. Blood poured from the side of her temple from where her forehead had made contact with the ground, but what made his stomach churn wasn't that. Her mouth was wide open, her lips cracked and dry, and buckled tightly around her face was a small leather belt, the thick material wedged into her mouth. Laxus could see where it had cut into her skin from the scabs that surrounded the top and bottom halves of the leather across her cheeks.
'Shit… what have they done to you girlie?' A single tear slid down her cheek, making her wince as the salt water stabbed at the cuts across her face. Her face twitched, before she winced.
Wait… did she just try to sile at me? With that thing in her mouth? Laxus thought, surprised at her actions. It was clear the girl had been tortured, and that strap that held her mouth in a permanently open position must be killing her jaw, let alone the ravaged corners of her lips.
Slowly, she pushed herself to her feet, the rag like clothes she wore falling to cover more of her legs and arms, but revealing a shapely figure beneath; despite the obvious weight loss and malnutrition she'd suffered from. Her cheeks were far too hollowed out, and her legs quivered from the effort of standing upright.
Wobbling on her bare feet for a moment, she regained her balance, before approaching him. Laxus watched her, frowning.
She smells familiar… He thought, before growling as she prodded at a cut across his chest. She shook her head, before turning her back to him and walking towards the bucket, tearing a part of her clothing as she walked.
She blinked back tears as she soaked the rag in the bucket, dampening the fabric. She'd tried to find the cleanest piece from the clothing she'd been supplied with, and hoped it would be good enough to treat the injuries across his chest.
Laxus continued to watch her in silence as she returned with the damp cloth, and winced as she tried to tear off the remnants of his shirt.
'If you wanted me naked girlie you should have just asked.' He winked, and grinned as she raised a single eyebrow, before returning her attention to his chest. Laxus had to hold back a groan as the damp cloth dabbed softly at the markings, the jagged flesh catching at the uneven edges of the material before it was slowly pulled away.
The girl tried to mumble something from behind the gag, but it only came out as a hoarse series of changing tones.
'Don't apologise, if that's what you're saying. I shouldn't have let those assholes catch me in the first place.' He winced as she moved onto another injury across his ribs. 'The bastards set up a rune trap and caught me off guard. They have an illusionist, so I thought one of my guild members was in trouble. Should have listened to my instincts.' She hummed her agreement, nodding her head. He laughed slightly, ignoring how the movement split apart the injuries across his torso.
'Thanks for the sympathy.' She looked up at him then, with sad eyes, before poking herself in the chest and pointing at him, then gesturing to the room.
'Caught you the same way huh?' She nodded, before standing on her tiptoes to press the cool and bloodied rag against my swollen eye. Laxus sighed in appreciation as it helped calm the swelling.
She stared up at him, noticing how the cool rag helped the pain in his eyes, and grabbed one of the strips of his ex-shirt, before carefully tying the damp rag over his eye as a make shift eye patch. He opened his other eye, and peered down at her, smiling softly.
'Thanks girlie. I'm Laxus, fancy finding a way to tell me your name?' She blinked, before turning once more and stumbling towards the bucket, plunging her hands in the icy water.
She scrubbed at her skin thoroughly, removing the dirt and Laxus's blood from her hands, before standing with her arms hanging by her sides.
Laxus frowned as she turned to face him, her eyes almost dead as she lifted her right hand.
'Oh my fucking Mavis… Lucy?'
Lucy blinked, nodding as more tears slid from her face. Her heart leapt in her chest from happiness, just hearing her name… her name… after all this time, it reminded her of who she was. She could see the horror on Laxus's face as his uncovered eye roamed up and down her body, taking in her appearance with even more horror than before, comparing the skeletal creature before him to the Lucy Heartfilia he'd seen every day at the guild only two months prior.
'Fuck… Lucy, what happened…?' Lucy shook her head and, staring down at the floor, she wrapped her arms around her waist as her body trembled uncontrollably; whether from the cold or from mentally reliving the past few months, Laxus didn't know.
'Blondie, it's okay. I'm here, I'll get us both out of here, you hear me?' Laxus gritted his teeth as she shook her head, looking at him with pain filled, hopeless eyes. 'No. I will get you out of here and back home, to Fairy Tail. You've got no idea how worried everyone is. We've been looking for you ever since Natsu got back – yes he's fine now, still out searching for you. And me by now, probably.' At hearing Natsu's name she'd frozen, her eyes widening with obvious worry, but upon hearing he was okay, she slumped to the floor, relief draining her of any remnant of strength.
'Blondie, you listen to me. We're breaking out of this shit hole, and soon, you got it?' He said, not releasing eye contact as she groaned and shook her head once again, wincing as pain from various parts of her body lashed out at her nerves.
Laxus opened his mouth to argue with her once again, to reassure her, but she held up a hand, silencing him. Pointing to herself, then upwards, before clapping her hands together. At Laxus's confused face, she sighed, before lifting her shirt to reveal her stomach.
Laxus finally saw the extent of her starvation; her ribs poked jaggedly out from beneath her skin, as though they were about to cut through the paper thin layer. Between some ribs were surgical cuts, neat stitches holding together the skin, making regular little patterns across the long, red line. But what made Laxus's fists tighten in fury, was the large brand that marred her stomach. Her skin was raised, bumpy from the burning iron that had been pressed to her body. Some parts of the mark were still scabbed over, and some parts were bleeding, whilst other sections had healed up; forming a raised and brutal looking wound. They'd branded her. Like they would cattle.
Laxus felt his dragon roaring in pure outrage, clawing inside him to lash out at the monsters who did this to her. But all he could do was scream his rage, the runes sending painful pulses of magic along his nerves; making his muscles contract.
Lucy stood and staggered towards him, dropping her shirt back in place as she shook her head, placing her finger over her lips as she shook her head desperately. Laxus continued to thrash against his restraints, his mind controlled by his anger.
How dare someone do this to his guild member? Someone from his family? Someone like her, who'd only ever treated him with kindness, even after everything he'd done… His dragon force was fighting to come to the fore; scales forming around his cheek bones, his nails forming into claws and lightning crackling between his fingertips. The runes somehow held up under the magical onslaught, turning a bright red as they sent their own sparks across his body in retaliation.
Lucy stared in shock as his body jerked from side to side, fluctuating between his usual appearance and his dragon force mode, his own body fighting against itself in his rage. If she'd known he'd react like this she never would have let him see what they'd done… and he still didn't even know the half of it.
His roars echoed loudly, making her wince as the sound bounced off the walls. She pressed her hands against his chest, avoiding his wounds as much as she could as she tried to calm him, the heat of his body permeating her freezing fingertips. Attempting to speak, she released hoarse croaks and moans, tears streaming from her eyes as she desperately pressed a hand to his mouth, trying to hold back his cries. He growled suddenly, making her tremble in fear, but she held her hand over his lips, waving the other in front of his eyes in an attempt to regain his attention.
Her slim fingers across his face seemed to shock Laxus out of his fit, and he gradually calmed down, before all Lucy could hear from him was a quiet growl. Removing her hand from his mouth, she shook her head and then pointed to the leather strap, before placing a finger over her lips as though shushing him.
Laxus glared, his growl becoming marginally louder.
'So they put that thing on you because you weren't quiet about being locked up in here?' She nodded, peering towards the door in fear as though anticipating the arrival of her tormentors. Laxus growled at the terror that pulsed off of her, his dragon once again angered at the emotion that someone from his clan should never have to feel. Instantly, Lucy's gaze snapped back to his, shaking her head desperately.
Realising his noise could bring forth the source for her fear, Laxus calmed himself. Although he wished the assholes who'd hurt the woman would come, so he could pay them back the favour… yet the runes that held him captive would hold him back, and they would probably either hurt himself or her. Something he knew he would never be able to see.
'Okay blondie. You do realise that, when I get us out of here, they are dead.' Lucy's eyes burned with a fierce hatred as she shook her head, before pointing to herself, her other hand in a tight fist at her side. Laxus smiled at her reaction. 'Okay, I'll let you take point and I'll pick up the pieces, sound fair to you? But, the bastard who branded you is all mine.' Lucy glared at him, obviously not happy, but unable to argue with the thing in her mouth.
It was then that they heard a door creak open from one end of the corridor. Lucy froze, her face somehow going marginally paler, before she stepped backwards till her back rested against the wall. Slowly, she sank down and curled into a tight ball, shaking and whimpering in fear.
Laxus narrowed his uncovered eye, glaring towards the corridor as footsteps made their way towards them. These were lighter than before, and of a steady and slower pace. Lucy seemed to recognise the tread, and covered her mouth with her hand in a desperate attempt to hold back her small sounds of fear.
The terror resonating from her frail body only riled up Laxus once again, and he emitted a low, reverberating growl. For a moment, the footsteps faltered as the warning sound travelled along the walls, before a quiet laugh responded to it. At this, Lucy went silent, her eyes wide as she turned to face the doorway of their cell.
Finally, the figure appeared before them, the candlelight behind him silhouetting a slim man, with short spiked hair. He wore a white lab coat and a tight black shirt and trousers. His arms were folded across his slim chest, and his skin was a pale white. He had what most women would consider a handsome face; his bone structure slim and angled, his eyes half lidded, and his lips stretched into a half smile. However, his smile held anything but kindness, and his purple irises seemed to glow ominously as he smirked at Laxus.
'Well, I'm exponentially glad that abhorrent noise has ceased. I can only assume my little rat quieted you down, hm?' Laxus snarled, pulling at his restraints, only causing the man to laugh as he unlocked the door and slid it open. 'Quite an intriguing specimen, don't you agree my dear?' He said, walking over to Lucy's huddled form, before standing over her trembling form.
'Leave her alone.' Laxus managed to spit out the words, seeing how his presence effected Lucy as she remained motionless.
'Oh? And why should I do that, Laxus Dreyar? After all, she's my little rat, aren't you my dear?' He bent down and placed a finger beneath her chin, before gently persuading her to stand. Her eyes were empty as he caressed her dirtied cheek with his knuckles, but Laxus could smell the fear radiating from her.
'Don't touch her!' He yelled, once again yanking at his restraints, before swearing at the shackles. The man frowned, glaring at Laxus.
'Get one thing through your overly thick cranium, Mister Dreyar; I dislike being told what to do.' As he said this, he ran a finger across the top of the leather strap, making Lucy wince as his finger touched the cuts along her skin. 'Although, I get the feeling should I harm you, it would only inspire more rebellion… however, you do seem to care an inaudible amount about my little rat, doesn't he dear? Should I teach him a lesson?' Lucy shook her head desperately, only to have him seize her chin roughly between his thumb and forefinger; his eyes glowing as he snarled at her, spitting in her face.
'You should know not to argue with me by now.' Laxus stared on, his heart hammering against his chest as the man released her chin, before raising his hand and sending a backhand slap right against her cheek. Her head snapped back and her body seemed to fly through the air, before the back of her head cracked against the wall. She sank to the floor, blinking as her head lolled to one side.
'Lucy!' Laxus shouted, breathing heavily as he turned a vehement glare towards the laughing man.
'Oh! I'd almost forgotten my little rat's name. Whore suits you so much better, doesn't it my dear?' He walked over to her slumped form, pulling out a cloth from his pocket and cleaning off his hands, as though touching her contaminated him. Lucy whimpered as he stood beside her, curling up into a tense ball. 'Oh, did I hurt you dear? Come, stand up.' She hesitated for a second, but as soon as she saw his jaw clench and his eyes flash, she staggered upright, leaning heavily against the wall.
'Leave. Her. Alone.' Laxus could barely restrain the roar building up inside his chest as the man before him laughed as he pulled Lucy against his chest, hugging her from behind as a lover would.
'Or what Dreyar? Didn't I tell you, I despise being commanded by inferior beings?' The man's face rested on her shoulder, and he turned to stick out a snake like, forked tongue, before running it across her cheekbone. Laxus sneered in disgust as the creature before him seemed to relish in the taste of her blood, his eyes rolling back into his head.
The man's eyes snapped open, before he grinned and, raising a hand to grip into the short, bloodied tufts of her hair. He stared into Laxus's eyes, grinning before he slammed her face against the wall. She went limp in his grip as he caught her unconscious body, easily holding her upright as her head lolled back against his shoulder.
Laxus itched to scream, lash out and remove that things hands from her, but the tiny, reasonable part of his mind told him that should he raise his voice, she'd only get hurt more.
'Now, isn't that better? Silence is golden. Do remember that Laxus, or else I'll have to visit little Lucy once again. Is that clear?' Laxus's eyes widened as one of the man's hands lifted her shirt, creeping up her body beneath the fabric to fondle her chest. He ground his teeth together, his eyes locked on the smug grin that covered the face of the monster holding his guild mate. He knew that he was trying to bait him, trying to get a reaction from him.
'Please – ' Laxus cut off his voice as the man's eyes become cold and his hand moving beneath the layers of fabric stilled.
'What was that, Laxus?' Laxus trembled in anger, his hands in tight fists as he took deep calming breaths. After what felt like forever to the dragon slayer, he finally managed to reign in his anger, and dropped his head so his chin rested against his chest.
'That's more like it.' Laxus heard him drop her body to the ground, before kicking her so hard she hit the wall with a muffled thump. Laxus saw his feet appear right in front of him, and stared down at the spotless black, leather shoes. 'The less you rebel, the less I harm her. At least, in front of you anyway. After all, my little rat is helped me in my experiments. She's quite accommodating to me now… and my men.' Laxus's head snapped up as he realised what he was saying. The man stepped back, laughing at the expression on Laxus's face.
'Ah, I do look forward to breaking you, Dreyar. It shall be so entertaining. I am Dr Webster, I always love telling them my name so they know who to curse at night. Though I am yet to suffer from them. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some tests to prepare for. I would appreciate your silence from hence forth, is that clear?' Somehow Laxus managed to retain the emotionless mask he'd developed during childhood on his face as he nodded.
'There's a good boy. Now, when my little rat awakens, do tell her I'll be requiring her assistance once again tonight. I shall see you at a later date, Mister Dreyar.' Laxus's eyes burned with a new found hatred as Dr Webster walked away, his hands deep in his coat pockets as he whistled a jaunty tune, the high pitched notes seeming to mock Laxus for his helplessness.
As soon as the door to the corridor creaked shut, Laxus's attention immediately returned to his blonde companion, who'd remained motionless on the ground.
'Hey! Blondie! Lucy! Wake up, come on chick, he's gone. Please Luce, wake up.' His voice sounded pathetic even to himself as he called out her name. He only relaxed slightly when he heard her groan and saw her chest heave upwards in a pained breath.
It was as he hung from those bars, his eyes staring down at the ground; that he knew. Webster was going to die by his own hands. Slowly, in as much agony as possible. His inner dragon purred in happiness as he pictured the ways he would stretch out the man's death, whilst he waited for Lucy to wake up.
He already dreaded having to tell her that she would be taken by that thing once again. But he was also plotting a way for him to escape, and for it, he needed Lucy to be strong one more time.
