Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or it's characters.
Ch.2
Even before she was free, before she sees him on the floating prison of Alegria, she swears she's seen him somewhere. Seen his figure in a distant dream, constantly shuffling around, surrounded only by people who either do not care or prefer not to be bothered by his presence. It's almost heartbreaking to watch really. The loneliness presented in those shimmering pools of liquid gold, has her wondering if they perhaps met before. Usually it would end there, Lucy or someone would kick her awake, yelling about how they are always trespassing in her home uninvited.
This time however, he turned, golden eyes unmistakenly fixated on her. His lips curl back into a sadistic sneer and he looks older than before, he seems to be saying something scathing to her. An insult?
She reaches out, trying to somehow latch onto him pull him back! A voice inside demands angrily, unrelenting in it's pursuit to grab hold of him. He turns drifting away and she can feel something inside shatter: A dam wall breaking just as he was grabbed.
She watched, helpless, as he was dragged away before her very eyes. Made to kneel before a false king with dark hair and cruel eyes, a book held closely to his chest.
She wants to scream. She wants to yell and kill anyone foolish enough to touch him: He's mine!
The voice is getting stronger. It's own power is starting to smother her, suffocating her in it's dark, cold grasp and dragging her consciousness down into the abyss. For a moment there is only the dark. A few moments pass before she finds herself able to move again, only this time she realizes she is watching through another's eyes.
"N-Na...tsu...?"
'Natsu' turns, slowly locking eyes with the frozen celestial Spirit mage-what was her name again? Loony?Lacy?-Lucy. Her best friend. Her nakama.
"Lucy Heartfilia." Is that...my voice?
"Where. Is. Jackal?"
No words could describe the look of horrified shock that came onto poor Lucy's face, nor those of the newly re-formed Oracion Seis members gathered around her. Then again they had come expecting a fight-seeing someone burst out of a statue in a newly demonized form wasn't something they thought possible, much less anyone would think to actually occur-instead they saw Natsu, free and enraged.
"N-Natsu, w-what...happened? Y-your whole body, it's-"
""Do not call me by that name, human!" Lucy cowered instantly. "I am E.N.D. Leader of Tartaros, you would do well to remember it." E.N.D advised. No one dared talk back-their eyes still wide mostly from awe at the heavy amount of raw power emanating from Natsu's being-opting to tread carefully.
Out of the eight gathered mages, one eventually did muster the courage to speak.
Cobra.
"Oi, S-Salamander..."He tried to keep his voice from failing, especially when looking into those harsh eyes of hers. "If you're...really E.N.D. then, does that mean we have to fight you?"
.
.
.
.
"Muhahahaha! You fight ME!?" By this point fear was replaced by the sudden need to prove himself as Cobra dug his heels into the dirt beneath, grinding his teeth in frustration. Who did she think she was?
E.N.D. herself looked ready to entertain the idea too, her eyes getting that all too familiar gleam Natsu had whenever she challenged someone-namely Laxus or Erza- to a fight. It made Lucy feel a little more at ease. Giving Cobra the go ahead, Lucy felt herself move in between the two, her words striking a small but powerful cord inside E.N.D.
"There's no time! I thought you wanted to save Jackal?"
Lucy watched, timid with fear, slanted eyes narrowed further at her menacingly. A clawed hand flexed impatiently at E.N.D.'s side like it was just waiting for the chance to tear into someone-Lucy swallowed nervous, envisioning dismembered parts of her body strewn across the floor-E.N.D. did a quick sweep of the room and spat out, "Idiots. Never send a human to do a demons job!"
And with that she turned, stalking off to who knows where.
"Aaaaahhhh!"
"that's enough Yakdoriga."
Jackal grinded his teeth together, taking a moment, the cold stone floor felt oh so wonderful against his charred and bruised skin. He tried to stifle the small noises of pain-Kyouka's curse was a real bitch and a half to deal with sometimes, then again maybe this was payback for what he did to Lamy?-surrounded by his fellow guildmates. Each took turns torturing him.
A fitting punishment, Mard Geer had declared, all the while smiling. For what could cause more pain to a demon then another demon, let alone several?
Kyouka stepped forward, her hand reaching out and grabbing him by the hair on his head before he could hit the ground. She smiled sweetly resting her forehead against his, "Does it hurt Jackal?" He shivered glaring back at her, all the while his muscles trembling with rage. "No? Good. Because I want you to feel every ounce of anger I have right now," A low chuckle slipped through her lips licking a trail of blood along the side of his face "And then I'll show you the true meaning of hell. My dear Jackal."
Above him Yakdoriga's tentacles tightened slowly pulling him up off the ground and onto his feet while they crackled menacingly. Some of the more merciful ones-Seilah and Silver mostly-turned their gaze elsewhere just as Jackal screamed once more. The sound reverberating off the walls of the audience chamber and no doubt reaching into the rooms down below.
"Are you sure this is-"
"Stop Talking." E.N.D. ordered pleased to notice they were actually complying now. Her eyes focused ahead. "We have company."
Lucy followed demon Natsu's gaze-she still wasn't completely convinced Natsu was gone-and stepped back seeing an all too familiar bag of bones staring back at them. It was Keith. The holes where his eyes should have been were fixed right on them, and it made Lucy feel like she was actually being stared at. Meanwhile form her spot in the group Sorano had began trembling, "I-is that...an actual skeleton?"
"It would appear so." Midnight commented.
"What're you clinging to me for!?" Cobra snapped, snatching his coat from her grasp.
Just as Sorano was about to yell back, a loud screech of pain came from the floor above them. The ones with more sensitive hearing-E.N.D, and Cobra-winced at the volume covering their ears. E.N.D however soon snarled recognizing the voice as Jackals whirling and fixing Keith with a glare so full of hate, it was a wonder he didn't spontaneously combust from the sight of it.
"Now this is most shocking, when I heard we had intruders again, I assumed it would be the mage Jackal allowed to escape-"Shame flitted across poor Lucy's face. "-perhaps a few stragglers she might have rallied-" Jellal and the Oracion Seis members glared right along with E.N.D. "But you."
"Master E.N.D. it has been a long time..." Wordlessly Keith dropped down onto one knee before the demonized Natsu. Lucy and the others tensed. "Forgive us for not recognizing you sooner."
"Where is Jackal?"
'As impatient as ever...'Lucy thought sweatdropping.
There was a pang of silence in the air as Keith stood at his full height.
"The traitor is being punished for his actions. I suspect he is almost at his limit-"
"Take me to him. Now." E.N.D. commanded.
Lucy herself had witnessed fights between her nakama on a daily basis, most of which consisted of her own team members-Natsu, Gray, Erza-all maiming and smacking one another around like flies at times. Swords, ice, flames and everything else you could think of flying around the room creating a maelstrom of chaos which couldn't be put into words. Standing where she was now though, the same place she had been moments from losing everything, she realized the futility of it all. The power she was potentially facing now.
Because when Natsu-E.N.D. as she kept calling herself-released that first wave of magic.
Nothing was left standing afterwards. Not even Keith.
"She's strong."
Lucy whirled to face Jellal, he and the rest of Crime Sorciere standing a short distance away. His eyes were focused solely on Natsu who had reverted back into her old self, much to Lucy and everyone's relief-Jackal seemed oddly saddened by it though-still she had pretty much refused to leave said dog demons side for some ungodly reason. Could it be she had feelings for him after all?
"Yeah. I mean, to think that Natsu was E.N.D all this time-"
"That isn't what I meant." Jellal cut in. "E.N.D. wasn't the one who found Erza and Mira, E.N.D didn't stop Jackal when they fought, and it wasn't E.N.D who found us." He surmised drawing a confused look form the busty blonde. Her brows furrowed together in confusion.
"Her strength of character, it makes the impossible possible. That's the real reason I think she was able to break out on her own, not because of E.N.D." Looking over his shoulder, Jellal and Lucy saw Erza now recovered from her injuries, standing beside a slightly flustered Midnight and Sorano, bringing theearlier into one of her bone-crushing hugs threatening him for being so careless.
'It's part of what finally allowed Erza to move on as well...' Jellal thought, a small smile stretching across his face that was shared by Lucy.
Unknowingly, the moment of peace was to be short lived for the fairies.
Zatana was furious, not at Natsumi, not at Tartaros for losing the battle overall-no, rather she was mad at herself for overlooking such a huge miscalculation both on hers and Natsumi's behalf. Her red-rimmed eyes stared down at the listless form of Jackal in her arms: The trigger to Natusmi's anger.
Walking through the forest terrain Zatana ignored the way the trees would wither, and how the birds fell out of the sky up above when she did little more than breeze past them. It was her own curse at work after all. She walked until she came to a clearing with a large stone grave, and a stone dais before it. She gently lay Jackal's body on top of it, carefully brushing a few stray strands from the demons face.
'He's mine.'
Zatana couldn't quite explain what it was that possessed her to say such a thing to her younger sister. Jackal was a demon she herself did create, however it was all for her sisters benefit in the end.
'So then why?' her fingers ran against his face, softly brushing along his cheek. 'This emptiness inside, have I become so desperate that I would resort to a demon of my own creation?'
A small inner voice of hers piped up: E.N.D. did.
E.N.D her greatest creation: Her dear little sister. Seeking acceptance from a fellow monster? Is it even possible?
She saw it though, clear as day, the glimmer of protectiveness that entered the pinkette's eyes when she spoke of sealing away Jackal. Still, even knowing this, Zatana couldn't quite shake the odd feeling there was another reason she had taken Jackal from her. But what?
"What are you doing to me?" She asked the unconscious demon, half expecting some kind of answer.
As if hearing her thoughts, Jackal began to stir, pools of liquid gold turning halfway visible caught off guard by the harsh glare of the sun. He groaned, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the bright rays.
"So you're awake." Zatana said, eyes flaring between their coal black and crimson red. "How are you feeling, Jackal?"
Said Demon jerked forward, eyes wide in recognition, no doubt the memories before he lost consciousness coming to the forefront of his mind giving out a sudden snarl as he shot back, scrambling off the stone dais she had set him on. She watched him wordlessly tilting her head to the side assessing him seeing the way he winced, taking in the multiples signs of bruising and cuts covering his skin.
"Where am I?" He demanded. "Where is Master E.N.D.?"
"If you mean Natsu," Zatana began calmly, his eyes flashed with pain "I would imagine she is back with her guild Fairy Tail. As to an exact location, I am unsure."
"And...the other members of Tartaros?" He asked, fearful for the answer.
A cold smirk broke out across her face. "You are the only one left." He froze, his body tensing. "Which brings me back to my question Jackal: How did you bring out E.N.D.?"
"I-I already told I didn't. Alegria-"
"Would not have been strong enough." Zatana supplied. "Think Jackal, you know the answer. What happened in Alegria?"
She really was curious. All previous attempts to draw Natsu's hidden persona have thus far failed, but when she came on the wreckage that was previously Tartaros's headquarters there were definite traces E.N.D. was present, only the book remained unopened. She wondered why?
"I...don't know."
Zatana's eyes stayed fixated on him. A few seconds longer of silence went by before she addressed him again, only this time her voice was softer with a hint of nostalgia to it he didn't think fit her all that well.
"Tell me Jackal, did you know I once had a sister...as well as a lover?"
Jackal blinked, surprised by the information. Why she decided to suddenly tell him, he had no idea, shaking his head in response to her question he figured he may as well go along with it. He had no death wish, and his circumstances weren't really favorable for him to try and escape with.
"Yes. She died when I was younger, so strange isn't it?" She said thoughtfully. "How fragile life can be, it's one of the reasons I became so fixated on the concept 400 years ago you see...life and death, two sides of the same coin, only back then magic wasn't always looked upon with such favor, you see."
Zatana's eyes drifted towards his hands."I was warned countless times not to pursue the topic naturally, looking back on it their fear was understandable...said I would bring the wrath of Ancesalem down on me. Said it would cost me."
"Why are you telling me this?" Jackal snapped, impatient. If she was going to kill him, she may as well get it over with. "Why drag me all the way out here? Why didn't you...seal me with the others?" His voice cracked, forced to take a pause.
Red eyes met his golden ones. She lifted a hand pointing to the tombstone directly behind him.
Slowly he turned not understanding what exactly she meant by the gesture, staring up at confusion at the stone slab reading over the various words inscribed onto it. He growled frustrated, "I don't understand! If you've got something to say then just say it-"
Jackal's body tensed, feeling Zatana's hands grasp his forearms moving to rest her lips beside his ear whispering into it, "I already have. The answer is staring you right in the face." Jackal gave no immediate response drawing a strangled noise of exasperation from the dark mage who then whirled him around to face her, slamming his back into a withering tree while she glared.
"Look at me." Jackal shook his head, screwing his eyes shut. "Jackal."
"Jackal...look at me when I am talking to you."
Looking back on it he blamed his stated of exhaustion for what happened next. His eyes flipping ope halfway, meeting Zatana's own relentless crimson ones. A breeze blew across the field making her raven colored hair dance in the wind a bit. Her scent was the same as E.N.D.'s.
"Jackal."
He barely registered the familiar voice feeling Yakdoriga's hold on him loosen,a whimper of pain being heard before the beast let go completely allowing him to fall forward. He felt a foreign pair of arms wrap against him, keeping him upright while they cursed, spitting out a few choice words to vent their aggravation. He wanted to yell back at them to shut up. To say he was in no mood for their shit.
"Y-your body...i-it's returning to normal...!" He knew that voice. That blonde chick.
"Dammit...you would be unconscious the moment I get to talk to you." The first voice snarled, they sounded so close. "Whatever. I don't know if you can hear me or not, but...what Mard said," The persons hold on him tightened "It wasn't true. I-"
"E.N.D." His eyes finally fluttered open, albeit weakly, seeing the dark eyes fixed on him. The familiar set of horns jutting out of her head, and the unmistakable unruly hair. "But how-"
"Alegria." She cut off. "I think."
Wordlessly, his eyes fell shut again settling for breathing in the her scent. Memorizing every detail. Before she disappeared and he was left on his own again.
Zatana placed her hand against the trunk of the tree, the other brushed against his cheek. "You hold her heart." She whispered, a grim look set on her face. "Which means if I want E.N.D. to come, all I have to do is break it." He swallowed suddenly feeling the air around him grow thin.
"Then why haven't you?" He asked aloud, voicing his own curiosity. She could have killed him at any time, so why wait?
"Well?"
She glared. Lips parting slowly, and he braced himself for the killing blow he thought would surely follow.
"Because I don't want E.N.D. I want You!"
His eyes flew open, unable to comprehend the words that came out of her mouth-a confession? Was she serious?-his mind trying to process what kind of trick she was playing. Was there even one? There had to be.
"Don't you remember? We used to play together, you and I." A look of hurt flashed across her face. "I couldn't save you back then, it's true. Natsumi's body was left intact, but yours-I did what I could-I learned life magic so I could transfer your soul. Preserve you somehow."
Jackal was horrified at where this was heading. The more she talked of a past he didn't remember, the more images-memories she described with such vulgar detail he cringed-were dragged to the forefront of his mind. He didn't remember any of this.
"Jack, don't you get it!?" Zatana said, frustrated. "This is your grave!"
Whatever anger he had felt up until that point. Whatever sadness and despair. Any form of stability he had in him crumbled away with that single statement. Her hold on him refused to loosen anytime soon.
He had never expected to see the great dark wizard look so...broken.
It was in that moment Zatana realized: Jackal was not Jack.
Her suspicions were wrong. She may have used pieces of the boy's flesh in creating the personalized demon, but he would only ever be that: A demon. Unable to comprehend and feel the complex emotions humans normally would with ease such as love. It infuriated her to have come so far, held such high hopes, only to watch it all fall apart before her.
She couldn't help but feel enraged.
"Useless!" She snarled, blasting him aside ignoring the shrill cry of agony that left his lips. He shivered, the cold brush of death lingering on the spot where she hit him, laying in the grass shivering. He jerked at the sound of crunching dead leaves, backing up until his back hit the tombstone overhead. He was trapped. Whatever small semblance of mercy had lingered in Zatana's soul beforehand was wiped out.
"I won't kill you." Tendrils of death magic seeped out into the air, filling the sky. "Rather I'll keep you out a while longer, let you experience true pain even, and then in your final hour-"
("Go Anna-just go!")
("No!-No! I won't leave you!")
She gnashed her teeth together, clenching her hands into fists. Why did he have such an effect on her? The stabbing sensation that gripped her heart was worse than any punch. He looked at her-he looked lost and confused by the sudden change in events-he looked almost human. Almost.
"No." She said, finally calming the storm that was building inside of her. Her fists unclench, taking a few deep breaths of air. "No, I won't kill you."
She took a good long look at him, and reflected in those pools of gold she saw everything she had worked for up until now: She saw E.N.D. She saw herself, inflicted by the contradictory curse. All the sacrifices and pain-staking hours put into her creations. If the world would reject her so harshly, then so be it.
She would reject the world. Tear it down and build anew, just as it always had been whenever an era came to an end.
Jackal turns, his own curiosity getting the better of him, and he finds himself staring at the name inscribed on the piece of stone before him. He idly wonders if there was some kind of connection. He recalls his earliest memories being only of Zatana and E.N.D. waking up after first being created and knowing nothing.
"That's right. I never finished my story, did I?" Zatana commented, a distant look in her eyes, her cirmosn irises lingering on Jackal a while longer as she spoke.
"I guess Ancesalem got angry with me, you see..."
Jackal felt his hands begin to tremble weakly clutching at the grass around him, something foreign swelled inside of him making his knees go weak. Behind him Zatana's own eyes took on a look of understanding, with an almost sadistic gleam in them watching the demon before her come apart.
"The more I held life precious, however small the more living things around me would perish." Her eyes traveled up now looking at the tombstone. "Finally in order to control the power forced unto me, I began to stop thinking of life preciously."
Jackal looked like he was going to be sick. His hand came to cover his mouth, giving a small gagging motion.
"Jack-the only boy I loved at the time-was my saving grace. It was tragic really, what happened to him." Her tone reflected the sadness she felt. "He was no older than Natsumi was I suppose, it was from his flesh you were constructed you know-"
"You mean" His brows furrowed in comprehension "you created me from...a human?"
Zatana's eyes darkened menacingly. He stood backing away watching her step towards him, more dead leaves crunching under the weight of her boots. All around them the previously lush, beautiful greenery was gone and replaced by withered trees and barren dirt. A wasteland if nothing else.
"Created" Her hand rose caressing his cheek affectionately with a small smile on her face, "Is such an ugly word, don't you think? After all you originally had a body, as well as a name."
"You were human."
"And you were once mine, my dear Jack." Zatana whispered, a menacing undertone coming through reaching Jackal's ears and causing them to twitch nervously just before having his senses come to a grinding halt feeling something soft and warm on his lips. Zatana was kissing him!
The kiss itself felt odd, nevermind who it was with. Jackal never having been kissed before-demons possessed no real concept of love, right?-So then why did his chest tighten so? Was it fear? Maybe denial?
Without much thought he shoved her away, not having the actual strength left to make her stumble, but the small sudden distance was more than enough. Then slowly and without really knowing why, he crumbled down to the forest floor, emotions that were not his own stirred inside of him: What was happening to him?
"Stop..."He finally rasped, it was weak and defeated. "Please...just leave me be, Lady Zatana."
Zatana herself was elated, a true budding of hope blossoming in her chest. She lowered herself to eye level pressing him back into the tree, her breath brushing over his lips while the tree he was pressed up against had already began to decay, the life draining from it and flowing into her filling her with a renewed sense of longing: Longing for him.
"I've waited so long, god you have no idea." She whispered, her thumb tracing over his lips. Jackal's muscles were tense, his sharp canine-like teeth accidently nicking her thumb while he averted his eyes trying to pull away. He just wanted everything to go away right now.
He wanted...he wanted...
"E.N.D."He rasped weakly, feeling zatana's cold hardened gaze on him. "I want to see E.N.D."
"And you will, in due time," Zatana stated calmly resting a hand on his shoulder squeezing it in reassurance "But first I need you to accompany me to see someone. Understand?"
Jackal looked up. Swallowing the small amount of bile that had crept into his throat he pushed himself back onto his feet giving a small nod of resignation. If it meant seeing E.N.D. just one more time he would ignore the way his skin tingled uncomfortably everytime she touched him.
"I never thought you would actually be willing to meet with me." Zatana commented smiling at the newcomer. Beside her Jackal stiffened seeing the hate-filled eyes they possessed, fixed solely on him. "My apologies, you two haven't officially met yet, have you? This Jackal."
"How's your arm, Acnologia?"
Zatana smirked already feeling the fear that radiated form Jackal. The look in Acnologia's eyes asking the silent question she knew was coming: Who is he?
Amusement flickered through her expression.
"He is...E.N.D's personal plaything."
It took a split second for recognition to flit across Acnologia's face, and when it did another second in which Zatana blocked him. The dragon, now in human form had all but sped like a rocket, eyes glowing murderously while reaching for Jackal who could only blink having nowhere near enough time to react.
Acnologia glowered disdainfully, arm stretched out to grab the etherious being, while Zatana stopped him pulling Jackal close and shielding him. The two entities stared one another down. A battle of wills underway before slowly they backed away from one another.
The KI Acnologia gave off was palpable, Jackal himself could barely stand from it forced to cling onto Zatana's robes so as not to fall. He couldn't stop trembling, an odd sense of relief stirring not needing to wonder what would have happened should the dark wizard not have been present. Acnologia's response to him made it clear.
"Shhh, he won't hurt you." He felt like a child, forced to cower in the presence of the other two. Then again even the rest of Tartaros feared Acnologia-and with good reason too!-the only being thought capable of standing against him was Zatana herself or...E.N.D.
"It is E.N.D. he wants." Zatana whispered confirming his fears.
Jackal missed the sly grin that came onto Acnologia's face. The beasts eyes meeting Zatana's whose darkened instantly, that look was never a good sign.
"So the great E.N.D. has a weakness after all, now this is amusing." Acnologia' sneered, his eyes already assessing Jackal who met his gaze with wary golden orbs of light. "Come to hand him over then, eh?"
Jackal felt his heart-if he truly did have one-turn to ice at the thought. No-please no! He thought chancing a glance at Zatana who watched the exchange without a word. Finally she stepped forward to speak, eyes directed at Acnologia, " I did not come here to play games. E.N.D. is still 'sleeping' as things stand now, it is not the right time for her to be brought into action."
Acnologia frowned.
"You have enough power to rule this land as is, yet you choose not to. Your motives are largely unfathomable." Jackal knew she wasn't lying, if he really wanted to Acnologia could have crushed them all long ago.
"Much of the same could be said of you." Acnologia quipped. Stealing another small glance at Jackal.
Zatana smiled.
"I have always been lost. Only ever looking on." She simply said. "Should I fight alongside the humans, against you and the demons I have created? Or should I fight alongside you and destroy humanity? Only now do I realize the fallacy in that dichotomy."
Jackal watched the exchange unable to shake the feeling something ill was to come of this.
"I will annihilate both you and humanity. Such is my duty."
Acnologia didn't move. There was no quick comeback, or threat to be thrown back, instead the man sat still as stone unwavering in his gaze as if expecting her to reach such a conclusion. What Jackal didn't count on was his response, "So then he is..."
"Yes." Zatana said firmly following his gaze onto Jackal. "He is."
"Worry not, when the time for the battle between dragon, human and the immortal finally comes I will be more than glad to make you truly fight."
"Natsu?"
"Natsu!"
"...Happy." Natsu turned, looking dazed while the blue feline's tail swished nervously.
"Natsu, are you okay? You've been acting strange ever since-well you know." Mustering a small smile, Natsu patted Happy on the head. No one said Jackal's name around her anymore. She had woken up to find him gone, all the questions buzzing around her head with no way to answer them.
It hurt more than she thought it should have.
"I'm fine. No need to worry!" She chirped happily. No. I'm not.
"The real question is what're we gonna do about this?"
In Natsu hand was a sealed envelope. She knew she needed to get stronger, she wanted to protect all her nakama!And...she wanted to see him again. She just didn't know how yet.
"Aye. She won't be happy."
"None of them will."
Determination flooded Natsu's eyes clenching the small piece of paper tighter.
"What the hell is this!?"
Lucy Heartfilia-residential celestial mage of Fairy tail and Natsu's best friend-raced from her home with tears in her eyes. She had just read the letter-Natsu's stupid letter-a year without her? What was that flamebrain thinking!
"Just going off on a journey by yourselves! What are you thinking?"
She ran faster.
"If you do that..."
Faster.
"If you do that...!"
She raised her head yelling up at the sky.
"I won't...get sad! Moron!"
"Sorry everyone..."Natsu said looking over her shoulder at the city of Magnolia. Her home. "But I need to get stronger so I can really protect everyone next time! And also..." She looked down at her hand clenching it tightly, a small piece of fabric held tightly in her fist. Torn from Jackal's scarf.
"Wait for me."She said, addressing the scarfs holder. "I'll find you, and then..."A newer, stronger voice mixed in with her own, bordering demonic.
"I won't lose you!"
"Interesting." A feminine voice mused, shrouded in shadows while gazing into a crystal ball that hovered in the air before her. The image displayed was of Natsu, in E.N.D. form while holding Jackal. "So the trigger for E.N.D. is you." Her eyes flicked up form where she stood.
Before her was an unconscious, trapped Jackal. His body wired to some type of machine with numerous wires and life supporting equipment strapped against him. Large tubes circled his arms and legs with little plugs clasped around each finger. His torso was bare with another thick tube circling around his waist going down one of his legs. A collar was fastened around his neck.
"Jackal."
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