Chapter 2
"Makarov, you called us?" someone said.
After talking with Lucy, Master Makarov and the rest headed down stairs to use the guild's personal communication lacrima to get in contact with the magic council. Right now, one of the council's attendants answered the call and Makarov was talking to that person while the rest of the guild listened.
"I would like to talk to one of the council members." Master said. The attendant listened to that and left, leaving the guild to wait for minutes before a familiar council member was on the lacrima screen. It was the council member, Org.
"Makarov, you wanted to discuss something?" Org asked.
"Yes. It's about the mission you picked for Lucy." Master said.
"Ah, I see. Does that mean it has been dealt with?" Org asked.
"No. She came back. Alive." Makarov said. That seemed to shock Org.
"...Alive, huh? Well, she must be very lucky. But, you know that is not what was meant to happen." Org said.
"I know what was meant to happen. But, she came back. And I do not intend on sending her out again." Master said.
"Makarov, we know it's hard, but it must be done. For the sake of everyone." Org said.
"But it changes nothing! This needless annual sacrifice only prolongs that thing's existence!" Master shouted.
That was the real purpose of the mission. It wasn't a real mission at all, it was sacrificial mission. Once a year, a single guild and a single guild member would be selected by the Magic Council to go to the mountain where the demon Lucy faced lived to practically become food for the demon. It's true, the reward was due to the demon's threat, but it was also just meant to just persuade any person to go if they were scared. The person chosen must have high magic power, but seem less important to the guild to the council. So, this year, Fairy Tail was selected, and Lucy was sent out. But, unlike all the others, Lucy came back.
"We know that, Makarov, but until we think of someway to dispose of it permanently, this must be done." Org said.
They resorted to do this annual sacrifice because, even the strongest wizards couldn't beat it. And even if they did, it just seemed to come back again and again. And, since no one has been able to come back, no one has been able to report what it actually is. So, the council has resorted to call it a demon.
"Still, what we are doing is wrong. How many people have needless given their lives to that thing?" Master said.
The guild, just like right now, heard when the council called about the mission. They were all against it, but council said that another member would've been picked if Lucy didn't go, so it would've been pointless to argue about it since a member of thee guild would've died anyway.
"Makarov-" Org was going to talk again, but something happened.
"Master!" Levy exclaimed, running downstairs from the infirmary.
"What's wrong Levy?" Master asked.
"It's Lucy! I-I went to check on her, and now, she's gone!" Levy exclaimed, panicking. That automatically sent the entire guild into a panic.
"What!?" Natsu said.
"What do mean she's gone!?" Erza asked.
"She wasn't in her bed and the window was open!" Levy explained.
"She must've left to redo that mission!" Gray said.
"In her condition, she'll be killed for sure!" Wendy cried.
"No. What was she thinking?" Master said.
"Sounds like there are problems over there, Makarov." Org said.
"...We will discuss this another time. Right now, I must find my child." Master said, turning off the lacrima.
The park*
At the park in Magnolia, under the single tree there, Lucy sat there, taking off all of her bandages with Gemini, as Wendy, who was healing Lucy more, and Virgo, being the one who helped Lucy leave.
"Princess, are you sure it was wise to leave?" Virgo asked.
"Yes. After the way everyone was acting a few days ago and what they all just told me, the only way for things to go back to normal is for me to finish this." Lucy said, getting the final bandages off of her eyes. Her eyes looked a little foggy and the color of them looked faded, but besides that, they seemed perfectly fine. That was just at the same time as Gemini Wendy finished healing Lucy and turned back into Gemi and Mini.
"Alright. We finished." Gemi and Mini said.
"Thanks Gemini." Lucy said, closing their gates.
"Your clothes, princess." Virgo said.
Lucy took the clothes, because she was only wearing a bra and underwear once she got off the bandages. Lucy was now wearing her special gloves and belt with her keys and whip, a hot pink kimono top with a black tank top under shirt, dark blue shorts, and knee high white socks with black boots. She began to get up, but she fell back against the tree and ended up breathing heavily.
"Princess, your body may be healed, but you still haven't eaten enough to regain all the blood you lost." Virgo said.
"Yeah, you're probably right. Probably should head home for a minute or something." Lucy said, beginning to leave the park.
"Should I accompany you, princess?" Virgo asked.
"No Virgo. You've done enough. Thank you." Lucy said, letting Virgo leave. Since she was close to her house, Lucy stopped by her place. That allowed her to get some food and she could repack all the things she'd need. This time, just food and jewels was all she packed.
"Alright. Better get moving. The whole guild will probably be after me by now." Lucy said.
She quickly left her house and ran to the train station. A few times Lucy had to hide from some random guild members that were checking to see if she was still in town. Just like before, Lucy got a ticket and got onto the train.
"Finally. Now, one more thing." Lucy said, taking out Loke's key.
"Open, gate of Lion, Loke." Lucy quietly said. In a quick puff of golden smoke, Loke appeared in front of Lucy. He obviously didn't seem too happy about something.
"Hey Loke. Mind sitting down so we can talk?" Lucy asked. Loke did as Lucy asked and sat down in the seat across from Lucy.
"...I'm sorry Lucy." Loke said.
"For what? Loke, look, I'm fine." Lucy said.
"But I was supposed to protect you. And look what happened." Loke said, looking down. Lucy leaned over and took one of his hands into her own.
"Loke, look at me. I would've died if it hadn't been for you. Get a little banged up is just fine." Lucy said with a warm smile.
"Lucy...Thank you. I promise to do a better job of protecting you next time." Loke said. With that, Lucy closed his gate and decided to watch as the scenery flew by.
"It'll all be back to normal soon. I know it." Lucy muttered, falling asleep.
Lucy, finally back at the train station she needed to be, this time walked to the mountain. It took her at least half an hour to reach it, then another half an hour to climb it. Before reaching the top, Lucy stopped a few times eat some food she packed and to drink some water. All the time she was walking, Lucy thought of ways to be able to fight something she can't see. She thought of multiple ways once she finally reached the cave again. Lucy instinctively grabbed her one of her keys in case she needed to summon a spirit as she moved into the cave.
"Hey! Demon, you still here!?" Lucy shouted, her voice echoing throughout the cave. It didn't take long before the sound something moving across the ground.
"Ssu-ssu-ssu. Ssso, you actually came back. I mussst sssay, I'm impresssed." it said.
However, as the demon spoke, Lucy carefully walked forward and something caught her eye. It was faint, but Lucy could now see it. Something big and white was moving just in front of her. Lucy could see that the white thing was covered in scales just in the shadows.
"Scales? But, I didn't see those last time." Lucy thought.
"Tell me, are you actually some kind of snake or demon?" Lucy asked, keeping on her guard.
"Well, thisss is rare. You can sssee me, can't you? Ssu-ssu-ssu. Yesss, I am a demon." the demon said.
"What do you mean 'rare'? Why can I see you now?" Lucy said.
"That'sss sssimple. After being attacked by a demon and sssurviving, anyone isss given the ability to sssee usss." the demon said.
"So, that's why no one could say what you are. You kill anyone who comes here." Lucy said, her hand just barely shaking.
"That'sss right. But, you managed to essscape. That makesss you ssspecial." the demon said.
"S-special?" Lucy repeated.
That was when the sound of something moving across the ground started again. This time, it only stopped when the demon now towered over her. When Lucy could finally see the demon, her face paled. The demon appeared as a giant white cobra, most of its body still coiled behind it. Its eyes had black slits and they were purple.
"She...she's huge! How am I supposed to..." Lucy thought, shaking, about to take a step back. But, that was when she remembered why she came here. Lucy was sent here to kill this demon, and she was not planning on leaving until she did.
"What'sss wrong? There'sss no reason to be ssscared." the demon said, lowering its head down towards Lucy.
By instincts, Lucy tightly clenched her fist and punched the demon against the face. It wasn't a strong punch, but just by making contact, the demon reeled back while letting out a cry of pain. Lucy was shocked, but remembered that the same thing happened when her hand touched something last time. It must've been part of the demon's body. When Lucy put her attention back on the demon, she saw that the demon's face had a spot where its skin was peeling off and it was giving off smoke.
"Thossse glovesss. Where did you get thossse?" the demon said.
"It doesn't matter where I got them. It just matters that I can kill you with them." Lucy said, putting away her key and putting her fists up. None of her spirits could see the demon, and Loke obviously still needed time to heal, so Lucy had to fight along.
"Ssu-ssu-ssu. Jussst because you got ssspecial gloves, you think you can win?" the demon said.
"That's right." Lucy said.
"Then let'sss sssee if you can back up what you sssay, girl." the demon said. When the demon said that, Lucy took a deep breath and charged at the demon, letting out a loud battle cry.
On the same mountain Lucy was at, more people were walking on the trail up the mountain.
"Yukio, remind me, what are we doing here?" a boy with pointed ear and tail asked. In front of him was another boy with glasses.
"I told you before we left, Rin. Some people reported they saw an injured girl being carried away from the mountain while the people who were carrying her seemed to be talking about a demon." Yukio said.
"Oh, right. But, why were we sent here?" Rin said.
"Because we just got word of a demon being here only a few days ago, and you didn't listen to me and tagged along." Yukio said. Rin just laughed nervously. With that, the two boys came across a cave at the end of the trail.
"So, this the cave where the demon should be?" Rin asked.
"Yeah, but I don't see any signs of a demon being here. Be careful Rin." Yukio said, taking out one of his guns. The two of them walked carefully into the cave, only to see something more surprising than a demon. It was a girl. A girl with long blonde hair, looking a little beaten up, lying face down on the ground.
"A...a girl?" Rin said.
"What would a girl be doing up here?" Yukio said. Rin was the first one to get closer to the girl.
"Rin, be careful. It could be a trick." Yukio said. Rin didn't seem to listen as he kneeled onto the ground beside the girl, taking the girl into his arms and turning her over. She was unconscious.
"I don't think it's a trick, Yukio. This girl really needs out help." Rin said.
Yukio, putting his gun away, walked over to Rin and the girl he was now holding. Yukio closely looked at the girl and saw all of her injures. She was covered in bruises and cuts, but the major injures were two puncture wounds that looked like two holes on her right shoulder.
"If there was a demon here, this girl must've fought with it. We better take her back to the academy." Yukio said.
"Right." Rin said, picking on the girl and carrying her bridal style.
The two of them carried the girl all the way to the train station only to look for a door and, once no one else was around, Yukio took out a key used it to unlock the door. But instead of a room, there was what appeared to be a school ground on the other side. Yukio and Rin, taking the girl who was actually Lucy with them, entered the door and closed it behind them.