Erza's POV

I sat at one of the tables in the guild hall, feeling utterly defeated. Milliana, I thought to myself, bitterly. They took Milliana.

Memories of her swam around in my head, memories of us. My almost little sister. She went through so much in the past few years, with the Tower of Heaven, Jellal, Simon, and the Grand Magic Games. Not to mention, her childhood.

I sighed, for once in my life, clueless. What could I do? Without knowing who these people were, what they were up to, or even their location, I was a sitting duck.

My eyes flitted over to where Natsu stood, still questioning Makarov. He looked frantic, waving his arms. That's my Natsu, I thought. Always wanting to go barging into everything.

Lucy sat down across from me, her eyes red from rubbing them. "Hi," she murmured, handing me a tissue. "How are you faring?"

I took the tissue and blotted my eyes, still wet from more unshed tears. "I guess I'm ok," I began. "Just wish I knew who these people were and where they took Milliana and the others."

Lucy nodded, silent. I remembered the friendship between her and Yukino, and I sympathized for her, knowing how she felt.

Gray and Juvia sat down next to us. Gray gave me a hesitant grin. "Hey, how's it going?" He asked me gently. I chuckled. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?" I replied, giving a half hearted smile.

"Because we all know how you're feeling," Juvia said, her blue hair falling gently down her back. "Juvia knows that if it was anyone Juvia loved, she'd feel terribly upset as well."

I clasped Juvia's hand in mine. "Thank you Juvia." I said sincerely.

I stood up and grabbed my sword. I had leaned it on the side of the table, and with relief I quickly strapped it back onto my belt, comforted by the familiar weight of my weapon.

"I'm going to go back to Fairy Hills." I said. Lucy began to stand up. "Do you want-"

I raised a hand. "No Lucy, it's fine. It's only a short walk, it's broad daylight, and there are people walking in the city. As far as we know, these fiends only seem to attack during the night, like the cowards they are. Not to mention-" I said, using my thumb to push my sword out of its sheath a bit, just to show its razor sharp edge, "-even if they did come near me, they'd pay with their lives for taking Milliana."

I looked hard at each of them. Gray had one hand on Juvia's wrist, to prevent her from coming with me. He gave me a hard look. "Just don't get caught. I don't want master throwing me to the sharks cuz I let you leave."

I chuckled. "Take care of Lucy and Juvia." I said, giving him a look when I said Juvia. His eyes widened and he looked away, his usually pale cheeks pinkening. Juvia gasped and blushed.

I left the three of them to their own devices, stopping only when Lucy called out to me. I turned, and she ran up, leaving Juvia and Gray alone, who looked glad for the privacy.

"Listen we'll find them, I promise." Lucy began. She pointed over my shoulder to where Natsu was still arguing with master, no doubt asking to go and kick some ass. "Natsu will do anything to protect us, and to make us happy. Which means he'll do anything in his power to keep us safe and find the others. I know it."

I looked long and hard at Lucy. "You believe that strongly in him," I stated. Lucy blushed. I smiled and clapped her on the shoulder. "And I believe too. It'll be ok," I said, not really convincing myself, but doing enough to convince Lucy.

I turned again and walked to the door, intent on finding space to clear my head. Otherwise, I'd end up somewhere in the forest, searching for theses kidnappers, and quite possibly, getting myself caught. And I couldn't let that happen.

Just before I reached the doors of the guild, they slammed open, letting light shine in. I covered my eyes at the sudden brightness, and when I got used to it, I cautiously opened my eyes.

A figure stood there, panting and out of breath. His blue hair was shaggy and windswept, and his green- hazel eyes were glazed over with fatigue. A red tattoo ringed his right eye.

He wore a blue cloak over his armor, and it flapped open to reveal a familiar symbol.

Crime Sorcière.

Jellal.

I gasped, staring into his tired eyes. He stood there panting with exhaustion.

"Er...za," he gasped, sounding relieved. He suddenly pitched forward, and I lunged forward and caught him before he hit the ground.

"Jellal?" I murmured, just as people came crowding over to see.

He blinked up at me. "Thank god you're ok..." he whispered. "I was afraid that you might've been taken."

I blinked. "But why are you here?" I asked.

Jellal's eyes began to close, his mind clouding over with exhaustion. His mouth opened, and I had to lean in close to hear what he was saying.

"Meredy's...be...en ta...taken." he murmured, before losing consciousness.

Gray's POV

Juvia and I hurried over to Erza's hunched form, only to see her crouched over a man. A very familiar looking man, with cerulean blue hair, and a red tattoo circling his right eye.

"J...Jellal?" Juvia gasped, confusion drawn on her face. I bent down and put my hand on Erza's shoulder. "Why is he here?" I questioned.

Erza looked up at me, her eyes solid chips of ice. "That is the last straw," she snarled. "They've taken Meredy."

My whole body went cold. "They...they took Meredy?" I asked, dumbfounded. Another one?

Juvia gasped, clinging onto my arm for support. I didn't blame her. Meredy and Juvia were friends, and I understood her pain at seeing her friend taken.

But that also woke me up. For the past few weeks, I've slowly accepted Juvia to be more than just a friend. She was kind, loving, and powerful, and actually, quite beautiful.

Juvia could be next, I thought to myself. A fierce desire to protect her rose in me, and I slipped my arm around her shoulders, giving her a brief, comforting hug. She looked up at me in shock. "Gray, what are you-"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry," I said, squeezing her shoulders. She smiled tentatively, tears pooling in her eyes, and she buried her head in my chest.

I looked down at Erza, who was gently setting Jellal on the ground. "He's asleep," she clarified. "He was probably running for 2 days, without food or water. Let's get him to the infirmary."

Gajeel and Laxus stepped forward and hoisted the blue haired man up, carrying him to the infirmary with Erza hot on their heels. I vaguely remembered the three men together in the Fairy Tail B team during the Grand Magic games.

I watched Erza go, seeing her never drop her eyes from Jellal's sagging form. She's such a hypocrite, I thought to myself, snorting. She tells me to be with Juvia, yet she stands there with Jellal, oblivious to it all.

Someone has to get those two together and be done with it.

Natsu's POV

It's not everyday you get to see Erza cry, I thought as I watched her follow Gajeel and Laxus carry Jellal way.

I don't want to ever see her cry again.

I had watched the whole scene from afar. And everything I heard made me clench my fists in anger.

Meredy was kidnapped. My eyes flashed over to Lucy, who was standing a little ways off to the side, her eyes wide.

She's freaking out, I thought to myself. She's afraid. They could be taken too.

That thought pissed me off. No way in hell, I thought. They're not gonna get their slimy hands on Lucy, and they'll rue the day they made Erza cry.

I stalked over to Makarov. "Oi, Gramps," I said, standing in front of the older man. He looked down at me, his eyes troubled.

"Natsu, my boy, what is it now?" He asked, not unkindly. I pointed a finger at the disappearing back of Erza. "They made her cry. You know I can't let that go unnoticed."

Makarov sighed, almost defeatedly. "Natsu, as I told you before, we can't go running into the unknown," he said, sounding tired.

"They took Meredy. How long will it be before one of us gets taken? What if it's Levy? Or Lucy!? And with Erza in this unbalanced state, who knows how long it'll be before she gets herself into something she can't get out of? What then?" I asked, beginning to rant.

Makarov raised his hand. "Peace Natsu. Your anger is overclouding your judgement to see clearly. You know we cannot do anything. As much as it pains me, we have to wait for more information."

I snarled and spun on my heels. I knew that Makarov was right, but seeing my nakama in pain did not sit well with me.

I walked over to Lucy, who was in the midst of a conversation with Levy.

"No, really, I'd gladly stay with you," Levy was saying.

Lucy shook her head. "No Levy," she argued. "Stay in the dorms, it's the safest. I'll find-"

"I'll protect her," I heard myself say, coming up and wrapping an arm around her.

"Yeah, Natsu will- hold on! What?" She exclaimed, looking at me as if I'd grown another head.

I looked at her, confused. "Why not? I've done it before, and it's not like I'm going to steal you away."

Levy blushed madly while Lucy's eyes got bigger and bigger, until I thought they were gonna pop out of her head.

"You...sleep...at my...place?" She gasped out. I scratched my head. "Um, well yeah. I do it all the time, so-"

"Gahh! Shut up!" She shrieked, jumping up and clamping her hand over my mouth. Levy giggled, and Lucy's face turned a deep shade of red.

"Fine," she muttered, glaring at Levy, who promptly shut up, stifling her giggles.

I grinned. "There we go," I said, taking Lucy's hand and dragging her to the door. "So let's go!"

"Hey! Hey let go of me! Who said I was going now!?"


"How many girls do we have now?" The man whispered to his companion, sitting down outside the abandoned warehouse. Inside, quiet sobbing and whispering could be heard.

The man's companion, wearing a dark suit, his face hidden in shadow, grinned. "So far, about 50. But that's still not enough. We need more magic power."

The other man smiled. "You want more power huh? Then let's get those Fairy girls. Remember Titania? She's got enough power to rival the magic council. Not to mention the others, Wendy, Lucy, Juvia, Levy..."

The man continues to ramble, and the other one looked out into the forest.

After a few minutes, a magic vehicle drove up. Two men hopped out, and pulled a wriggling girl out from the back.

"Sorry boss," one of them yelled out. "We had to far to catch this one, and the ride took most of the night."

The man in the suit straightened up and watched as they pulled the girl closer, noting her pink hair and purple eyes.

She was bound hand and foot, and had a rag tied around her mouth, muffling her screams.

"Got a good one thought"

"She's a fighter."

"She's got a nice amount of magic power too."

The man in the suit stood and walked over to the captive, and pulled her gag off. She spat immediately and glared up at him.

"Who the hell are you," she snarled, yanking at her bonds.

The man in the suit smiled and gave a small bow. "I am Styx, at your service. And you are?"

"Why should I tell you?" She gasped out, her eyes burning with hatred. "You are a monster, stealing girls in the night like a coward."

Styx laughed, and gestured with his head. "It was nice to meet you, my lovely. I'm sure my men will get you comfortable, and you can be with the rest of the girls."

The men began to drag her away, kicking and screaming. Meredy never felt so scared in her entire life. "Jellal," she whispered, tears beginning to leak out of her eyes.

Please, she thought to herself. Save me.

Styx laughed with glee as he watched the girl be taken away. His companion walked up to him. "Sir?"

Styx turned to him. "Bring me the Fairy girls. I want them."


A/N: oh dear, what's going to happen now? Find out in chapter 3. Hope you liked it.

About the name, Styx, it's the name of one of the 5 rivers in the underworld. There is a reason why I chose this name. You'll find out later in the story.

What did you think of it so far?