Fairy Tail
Fairy Tail Angst Week (April 29th, 2015 and May 1st - 8th, 2015)
Bonus Day #1 - Ever After/Perfect Disaster
April 29th, 2015
Read At Your Own Discretion
(Possible Spoilers)
"I never would've imagined it." Lucy Heartfilia starts as she swipes away a dab of her blood from her mouth as she can barely stand. The ground is rendered uneven due to the battle that ensued. As she wanders, she seeks several decrepit and lonely items sprawled across the ground: as if a monster spewed them around haphazardly.
Through the haze gathering in her mind, the bruised flaxen mages entertains the idea that it serves as some macabre display. That it's meant to mock them (and their failure to subdue) thoroughly. She spots several articles: a splintered necklace, a charred gauntlet, an abandoned sword. She forces her eyes away.
Perhaps if her current situation weren't so precarious, she would've choked back a sob.
"To think it would've ended-" She coughs as she feels herself inhale the nearby smoke; the inferno only serving to worsen how she feels. She cannot help feeling as if the smog's gaseous state is increasing. And as her eyelids get heavier and heavier, Lucy knows it will not be long until she falls into an unconscious state and then - well, she does not want to think about what comes next.
Aside from her lowering eyelids, the sound of approaching footsteps makes itself audible. And she knows that the footsteps can only belong to one person.
"That Fairy Tail would end up being nothing more than-" The weight of her legs is not enough to support her as she collapses on the ground. A fit of coughing wracks through her body as the footsteps are almost in front of her.
Past her russet eyes which she struggles to keep open, she sees a familiar pair of sandals. However, instead of filling her with a warm feeling of security and making her want to smile weakly at the person they belong to, she only experiences an icy feeling of dread creep up her spine.
She wants to force her head upward to look him defiantly in the eye one last time and perhaps even try to help the person who lies trapped within their own mind, but her body feels too broken and the idea of sleeping sounds appealing. Very appealing.
Before she can contemplate further though, the monster speaks.
"Tch." He mutters, his voice sounding like him only instead of the cheerful exuberance or the willingness to spar for fun and strengthening magic abilities, the Celestial Spirit Mage can hear only maliciousness lacing his tone. "To think that his friends would've given up so much of a struggle." She can almost hear his lips curve upwards in a sneer. "Pathetic."
The next thing that Lucy knows is that the creature in front of her is placing his hand under her chin to coerce her to look him in the eye. As she is helpless to stop him, Lucy's brown eyes meet a pair of onyx. And how the green flecks only accentuate the unfamiliar coldness lurking within their depths.
What further drives salt into the wounds are the uncharacteristic crimson horns sprouting from his head of salmon hair. Out of Lucy's peripheral vision, she can spot a pair of crossing hammers as a curved line is on either side of them on his arm.
The guild mark of those belonging to those of the Tartaros dark guild. Or more specifically, the mark belonging to its very guild master: E.N.D. Etherious Natsu Dragneel.
As she stares into his frigid eyes, Lucy can see nothing of her friend.
"Although, I must say I'm impressed that you lasted so long." Etherious comments, his sneer morphing into a smirk. "How ironic that my beloved girlfriend should be the last one I kill."
With that comment, anger flows through Lucy's veins like white-hot volcanic rock.
"And what makes you think killing me will be easy?"
"What makes me-" He pauses, shakes his head, and throws it back to laugh. A cacophonous sound is the only thing that the Stellar Mage can hear. "Look around you." Etherious taunts as he gestures with the hand not holding Lucy's chin to the shattered battleground. "Who do you think is going to come to your rescue you pitiful excuse for a human?"
He wrenches her up and Lucy has to hold back a feeling of revulsion as she finds herself locked between his arms. A particularly cruel facsimile of the caring embraces she is used to.
He regards her with the detached interest one might examine a squashed insect on the bottom of their shoe. "What did I ever see in you?" He shakes his head. "Do you think that the Devil Slayer will come to save you?" He asks, tilting his head in the direction of the necklace. He makes a disapproving sound in the back of his throat. "And to think that he was so determined to kill me." Another chuckle.
He motions in the direction of the charred gauntlet. "Or do you expect the mighty Titania to rescue you from the clutches of demons?" He shakes his head before he sighs, the action insincere. "Such a disgrace."
Lastly, he gestures to the direction of the abandoned sword. "Doesn't seem like anyone will be able to save you this time dear Lucy Heartfilia."
The aforesaid female was about to make a caustic retort when what he said sank in. This time?
"What do you mean this time?" She questions curiously. In the back of her mind, she can vaguely feel the makings of a plan - of a way to defeat E.N.D. - forming.
Etherious looks at her with false puzzlement before sneering once more. He slides a strand of her blonde hair between his fingertips and the Stellar Mage recoils. "I mean that there won't be any inscensed knights coming to save you from the tower," He trails a finger down her face. "there won't be any crimson dragons to defend you from a dragon clad in iron,"
He tips her chin upwards. "nor will there be any valiant saviors ready to protect the future or any sort of scenarios that arise." His sneer deepens into a smirk. "For a strong mage, you fall into perilous situations often."
As Lucy registers his words - and the plan she is hatching is two-thirds finished - her eyes widen as the implication of what he said hits its mark. "Then that would mean...if you knew that…" She trails off, not wanting to say what she knows must be true.
"Indeed." Etherious nods. "I've been here since before you even joined the guild." He sneers. "I've been watching, waiting, seeing how my lesser half was wasting his life saving his friends and defeating his foes." He spits away from them. "Disgusting."
"The only disgusting being here is you!" Lucy shouts as she tries to wiggle out of the demon's grasp. However, the effort is in vain as his hold on her tightens and her resolve weakens.
"Well, fortunately, you won't have to deal with my presence much longer," Etherious says with fictitious remorse. "because soon, you too will join your friends." He lowers his finger from her chin. "But before I send you on your way, any final words you would like to give me Luce?"
Lucy's anger reaches a peak as the beast in front of her utters Natsu's nickname for her.
"Don't you dare call me that!" She mutters disdainfully. While her russet eyes blaze with rage, sadness festers beneath the surface. "Only Natsu can call me that."
At that, Etherious tips his head back and laughs, seemingly louder and more discordant than the last. "Oh you poor, foolish girl." He gazes at her with a smirk on his face. "Natsu and I are one in the same!" A crazed glint shifts in his eyes. "I'm merely what he hid behind a carefree, moronic façade!"
Lucy meets his eyes head on with a glare of her own, trying to ignore the prickling behind her eyes. "That's a lie!"
Etherious lowers his eyelids. "Is it?"
"I know Natsu," Lucy murmurs, more to herself than to the creature bearing her best friend's face. "And this isn't him! He would never harm his Nakama."
"Never, hmm?" Etherious remarks as he glances at the items of the fallen combatants once more.
"Never." Lucy reiterates. A faltering smirk graces her features despite the situation. It would be a long shot, but she would try anything to prevent more destruction from being sowed by the hands of Etherious.
"Judging by current circumstances, such thoughts are foolish." Etherious states with a malefic grin.
With the smirk still on her face, Lucy's expression hardened. Using what remains of the magic power flowing through her, Lucy summons up the energy to blast the demon in front of her with a rush of water and a blaze of golden light. As she does, her tattered outfit flickers into something covered with colored blue waves. The surprise burst of water manages to allow the flaxen mage to distance herself from Etherious.
Using the time she has, she takes her Fleuve d'Étoiles from her belt and undoes it. After she does, she wraps it around Etherious' arms.
"Do you honestly think a blast of water and some rope will stop me?" He barks.
"Truthfully, I don't." Lucy says before her wavering grins turns into something more substantial. "But that might."
Etherious' look of malice changes to one of perplexity. He turns around halfway before his eyes became wide as an illusion of Lucy utilizes the abandoned sword to puncture his chest.
"Piri Piri." The Lucy lookalike says, betraying its identity as a Celestial Spirit. "To think that Natsu fell so far."
Before Gemini can comment further, the Twins disappear into golden particles, back to the Celestial Spirit Realm.
"Thanks…" Lucy pants. "Gemini."
As Lucy struggles to stand upright once more, she can see through her exhaustion that Etherious is attempting to pull the sword from his chest. He turns to glare over his shoulder. Whilst he does, the blonde can see how truly frazzled he became. "You think a small sword can stop-" He breaks off as blood splatters against the upturned ground. He wrenches the sword free, a gaping wound in its place as blood slowly oozes from it.
With renewed intensity, Etherious eyes Lucy spitefully. "You damned Celestial Mage." He grunts as he places a hand on the wound. Flames ebb from his fingers before licking at the wound, effectively cauterizing it and stemming the flow of blood.
"I am E.N.D.!" Etherious declares as he walks over to Lucy. He yanks her up by her throat; his hands firmly grasping her throat. "The Black Wizard Zeref's greatest creation and the guild master of Tartaros!"
He growls with an almost beastial quality. "Time and time again, even in my more pitiful, weaker human form of Natsu Dragneel, I have defeated every obstacle in my path!" He starts to squeeze her throat, eliciting a choked groan as Lucy claws, futilely, at the hands around her throat.
"The great Titania and all our other guildmates only additional proof of my unbridled power!" He smirks at her. "Defeating them was mere child's play!"
The thought of her friends, dispirited and unconscious on the ground, crosses Lucy's mind. Forcing the tears back, she focuses on the abomination in front of her.
"So, let me ask you a simple question." Etherious hisses derisively. "If they were unable to defeat me, what makes you think you can Lucy Heartfilia?!"
Etherious' question, laced with hatred and contempt, rings in the blonde's head as hopelessness starts to take hold.
He's right. Lucy thinks, unable to keep the tears under control. They fall in rivulets down her countenance, mixing with the dried blood. Erza, Gray - even Mira, Laxus, and Gildarts weren't able to defeat him. If some of Fairy Tail's strongest can't defeat him, what chance do I have?
A satisfied smile appears on Etherious' face as he takes in his prey's facial expression. "Finally given in to your despair; the absolute tragedy of your predicament?"
As the full weight of current events registers, it's like a vise around Lucy's throat. A grip far more constricting than that of Etherious' calloused, battle-worn, and blood-stained hands.
"You're right." Lucy utters tersely. The words are like venomous bile in her throat, but that doesn't make them any less true. "If you've defeated all of Fairy Tail along with our past enemies, what chance do I have?"
Etherious' regards her with what looks like pity in his eyes. The blonde mage however, knows that he is entirely incapable of feeling such a sentiment. "That's just it Lucy," All throughout their conversation, he had been loosening his hold on her jugular. He leaned his face close to hers; almost dangerously so. "You don't."
Lucy shifts her eyes away from the man in front of her. She cannot believe that it is to end this way. That she would meet her demise at the hands of her best friend. Someone with whom she loves with all her heart.
Love.
The blonde feels an indescribable sensation course through her being as that lone word runs through her mind.
"Now," Etherious starts. His expression is that of boredom, as if dealing with her for so long as left him depleted. He lights his right fist - the one he draws away from Lucy's throat. "Any parting words?"
Staring him in the eyes defiantly, Lucy doesn't hesitate with her answer. "I love you."
For a moment, Etherious simply gave the girl in his clutches his scrutiny. With his eyes ablaze, he shortly slams Lucy's head to the ground. Her vision clouds as her thoughts become hazy.
"What do you think this is?!" He howls in rage. "Some sort of children's fable?!"
Etherious slams her head into the ground once more, evoking a pained moan from the Celestial Spirit Mage as her vision worsens.
"Do you honestly believe that your love for me will cause me to vanish?!" He inquires, his voice acidic.
Etherious pulls her up to meet her eyes. "I tire of dealing with you." He smirks. "Say goodbye Lucy Heartfilia."
The last thing that Lucy is aware of - before the world goes black and she feels weightless - are two words coming from her mouth as a shadow envelops her in its embrace.
"Urano...Metria...!"
Originally Added: January 18th, 2016
