With a grinding screech of metal on metal and the loud hiss of steam the train reached its final stop for the night halting at Onibus station. Heckler stepped off the platform carrying Natsu in one arm setting his feet on the solid ground. "Can you stand?" he asked holding him up by the back of his shirt.

Natsu nodded wearily, "Y-yeah," he said standing of his own accord, "I think I'll be able to walk in just a bit."

"We don't have time," Heckler said keeping a wary eye on the people stepping off the train, Onibus station was mostly empty at this time at night but Heckler didn't want to linger in a public place, especially when midnight was only a couple of hour away.

Lucy draped her arm over Natsu helping him balance, "Here I'll help you walk," she said leading him forward Lisanna and Browning. Heckler led them through the streets of Onibus walking them to the hotel he had already chosen for them to stay in.

"You've certainly thought everything out," Lisanna said as he navigated the city streets in the dark cutting through alleyways and staying in the light, Browning kept his nose in the air sniffing audibly as he walked alongside his master.

"I've stayed here before," he said, "I've had to get used to staying in such places since I travel a lot."

"Makes sense," Lucy said, "Why'd you choose this place?" she asked holding onto Natsu as he wobbled next to her still recovering from his motion sickness.

"It's an older building," he explained, "Made of brick, it has twenty floors and easy roof accesses meaning it can be easy to escape, and at the higher floors no one can throw weapons and spy on you from the ground level, the brick walls are thick and sturdy block sound very well and can stop small caliber rounds."

"Do you always think things this far through?" Lisanna asked realizing she would have just chosen an ordinary hotel to stay in for the night waiting for the next train to be available.

"It's just part of my job," he said rounding a corner, "and we're here."

They all stepped through the doors into the old building walking calmly into the lobby, Heckler walked up to the front counter ringing the bell calling for the manager. An elderly white haired woman stepped up from the counter looking up at Heckler and smiled at him, "Looking for a room dearie?" she asked politely, "I'm afraid we don't have any four bedrooms available, for you all the most I can get any of you is a two bedroom."

"That's fine," Heckler said putting down the appropriate amount of money for the room, "we'll retire for night, and be gone by sunrise," he informed her taking the key.

"Very well sir," she said smiling pleasantly, "you'll be in room twelve on the twelfth floor."

"Thank you ma'am," he said turning towards the stairs and stepping up with Lisanna and Lucy, Natsu who had recovered followed from the rear with Browning lumbering up one step at a time. They didn't say a word until they reached room 1212 and stepped in.

Heckler turned the key and pushed the door open letting it fully swing out and bump against the wall, he drew his revolver and stepped in, "Stay here," he ordered clearing the rooms, he checked behind the curtains and closed them glancing under the bed and the bathroom, "come in," he said, "It's all clear."

They all shuffled in and dropped their bags, room 1212 had a single bathroom and two beds, the second of which was in a separate room behind a sturdy door.

"Salamander," Heckler said putting his pack down, "do you think you can keep a watch on things for a while?" he asked sliding his rifle out of its scabbard and leaning it against the wall close to the bathroom.

"Sure," he said, "what are you going to be doing?"

"For one," he said removing his pauldron from his left shoulder, "I'm going to take a shower," he sighed wearily, "then I'd like to get a couple hours of sleep."

Lisanna looked at him realizing he hadn't slept all day his two hours of sleep at the guild hall had been ruined by an android in a top hat and he certainly hadn't bathed since watching Lucy.

"Go right ahead," Lucy said stretching out and sitting on the nearest chair, "you've earned yourself a break."

Heckler silently removed his tattered duster and set his various weapons aside on the table only keeping his revolvers with him, he pulled off his vest and stood in his shirt, he reached across his chest with his right hand to his left shoulder flipping several latches and pulling his metal arm off from the shoulder socket, they watched as he put his metal arm next to his pile of armaments, the lacrima crystal could be seen in the shoulder, now his pauldron make sense, the armor shoulder plate protected the crystal battery that powered his magic arm, taking a seat in a chair he rolled his right pant leg up exposing his metal leg, repeating the process he unlatched the metal appendage and removed it at the knee, standing up on one leg he hobbled off to the bathroom balancing on his left leg, as he disappeared into the bathroom removing his black leather skull cap from his bald head, as he closed the door behind him Lisanna caught a glimpse of his scalp, various scars covered his head crossing each other mangled and hideous, small burn patches dotted the top of his skull. Lisanna shuddered and wondered how this man's body became so damaged, the sound of running water made her turn away from the door and take a seat on the bed.

"I think I'll take the bed in the other room," Lucy said opening the door to the adjoin bedroom and stepping inside and dropping her bag next to the double bed.

Heckler's shower was brief and efficient, in a few minutes the water stopped and he stepped out trailing steam behind him, he had dressed himself in the shower and hopped over to the chair where his leg was waiting for him, "Why'd you take your arm and leg off?" Lucy asked as he attached the metal leg clamping down the steel latches.

"I try not to let them rust," he explained, "Magical though they may be they are still vulnerable to the elements, it's best if I keep them out of water." He walked over to the table and picked up his arm latching back onto his shoulder, staying close to his weapons he pulled up a chair and sat down folding his arms and closing his eyes.

"You're sleeping in a chair?" Lisanna asked thinking of how uncomfortable it would be sleeping in that wooden chair."

"I don't need a bed," he said eyes still closed, "You can take them."

Lisanna shook her head, "No, you need proper sleep and you've earned a good rest, take the bed," she ordered.

Lucy nodded, "It's not like you'll be sleeping there all night, it's just for a few hours and you've been sleeping in our guild hall for the past week, I'm time for a bed."

Heckler nodded and rose from his chair, "Thank you," he said sitting on the edge of the bed, he turned to Natsu, "Wake me in four hours Salamander," Natsu nodded as Lucy grabbed her Pajamas and moved to the bathroom to take a shower of her own, Lisanna decided to do the same, they didn't know how long they would be able to enjoy such simple luxuries and wasn't the time to take such things for granted. Heckler laid out on the double bed, his dog Browning hopped up on the bed and curled again his master's leg.

Lisanna looked at the man laying upon the bed his large frame taking over half the double bed and his long legs stuck past the end of the bed, as Lucy took her shower with Natsu waiting at the door Lisanna observed the gunslinger as he slept flat on his back, it didn't take long before a soft audible snore sounded from the bounty hunter as he peacefully drifted off to sleep.


Lucy stepped out of the bathroom feeling clean and refreshed dressed in her pajamas, she turned to Lisanna who was sitting next to the bed close to Heckler he hand rubbing the top of Browning's head as he slept, the small dog was snoring even louder than his barrel chested master.

"Your turn Lisanna," she said prying the girls eyes away from the sleeping gun mage.

The silver haired girl nodded and grabbed her pajamas stepping into the bathroom to shower, Natsu was leaning against the wall looking at her silently, Lucy stepped into her room and shut the light off walking through the dark toward her bed. Lucy crawled under the warm covers and closed her eyes hoping sleep would conquer her restless mind, the image of that mechanical man so human and lifelike pulling twin pistols from that top hat, the memory seemed surreal to her it was hard to imagine she had been shot at earlier this morning and by such a harmless looking man, who wasn't even a man at all. She found herself more aware of the presence of strangers immediately suspicious of everyone that approached her, and the creations of the so called Mechanic weren't the only thing she needed to worry about, others were on the prowl for her as well she didn't think she'd be able to trust anyone apart from her guild mates, and Heckler, she'd only know him and week and although she didn't fully understand him or his motives yet she believed he could be counted on, he'd earned his colors today fighting alongside her guild when they needed him.

But despite Heckler's good intentions his healthy paranoia was rubbing off on her, the way he cleared the room before allowing her to leave, making sure he or Natsu where constantly watching her, and his large arsenal he carried around with him, it all made her scared, she found herself checking corners and fearing dark places, she hadn't been afraid of the dark since she was a very young girl, before her mother died, she was frightened someone would take her, or even worse her spirits, she didn't want to think about what terrible things a dark guild would do with them.

Her door opened and a beam of light peaked in, the sound of footsteps followed and the door closed plunging the room back into the darkness she had come to fear once again.

"Lucy?" Natsu's voice said to her, she felt the corner of the bed sink as he sat upon the corner, Lucy didn't say anything and pretended to already be asleep, she didn't want to spread her concerns to him or Lisanna. "Come on I know you're awake," he said, "your breathing is all different when you're asleep." Lucy cursed inwardly, leave it to a dragon slayer to hear and smell everything.

"What is it Natsu?" she grumbled trying to sound annoyed at being disturbed, "I'm trying to get some sleep here."

"I'm just checking on you," he said softly, "I heard you crying in the shower."

Lucy cursed herself in her mind, of course he'd have heard that even over the sound of the running water, nothing escaped his heightened senses. She wanted to deny everything, put up a strong front and pretend that her mind wasn't filled with frightening images of metal men, dark guilds and men with gun, she wanted to say that she didn't fear for her spirits and treat this as just another one of their adventures, that she wasn't afraid of the darkness of her own room like she was when she was eight, but I'd be pointless, Natsu could be an idiot but he knew her too well. A sob escaped her and she clutched her pillow to her face tears slipping through. She felt Natsu's hand touch her shoulder.

"We're going to get through this Lucy," he said assuring her, his hand gripped her shoulder and he sat her up on the bed, Lucy abandoned the pillow, it wouldn't hide anything from him, he could already smell the salty tears, even in the pitch black she knew his eyes were looking directly into her own, "We always get though stuff like this, this time is no different, before you know it we'll be back at the job board trying to pay your rent."

Lucy gave a small sound between a sob and laugh, "Yeah," she said agreeing with him, but this wasn't quite the same, in the past they knew who their enemy was, now it was all shrouded in mystery and they were completely on the defensive, but that wouldn't sway Natsu she knew. A tear rolled down her cheek and she felt a callused finger wipe it away, some her hair was wet and clung to her face but she felt Natsu brush it behind her ear, she sighed pleasantly and found her worries momentarily forgotten.

"I need to sleep Natsu," she told him.

"Alright," he said, "I'll keep watch."

Lucy lay back down and hugged her pillow breathing easier, she expected to feel Natsu stand up from the corner of the bed and walk out the door but he stayed where he was sitting in the dark, she couldn't see him but she focused her attention on the sound of him breathing and found herself slowly drifting off to sleep her mind distracted from the thoughts of metal men, and dark wizards and her resurfacing fear of the dark.

…..

Lisanna stepped out of the shower dressed in her pajamas, Natsu wasn't waiting in the room like when she left, she supposed he was watching over Lucy in her room, the thought of that made her feel somewhat lonely. Heckler and Browning were still asleep on the only other bed snoring contently, Lisanna smiled seeing both of them at peace. She walked around the bed and sat down on the edge wanting to avoid the uncomfortable chair. Heckler slept atop of the cover flat on his back head propped up against a pillow with his legs hanging over the side, his boots were still on and Lisanna wondered if this man ever gave himself time to relax, he was older than her by ten years at the least and she wondered how he would look if he wasn't as scared or mangled as he was, his face was mostly untouched but after seeing how torn his scalp was she wondered what or who could have possibly done such things to him, turned him into such a dedicated and focused hunter, his past remained an enigma to her, he was to be a lawman once, a stable life with a badge and gun, but somewhere along the line that had changed and she questioned why, she knew it had to do with his missing arm and leg and now she guess it had much to do with his scars as well.

The cold night air made her skin rise in goose bumps and she shivered, the only blankets were currently being slept atop of and she didn't want to disturb Lucy especially if she was being comforted by Natsu at the moment. Throwing caution to the wind she scooted up to the head of the bed and slipped her petite body between the covers Heckler covered most of the bed but her slender form managed to fit in just fine as she put her back to him and tried to get some rest, the sound of their snoring wasn't helping nor was the feeling of his form pressed up against her back, tonight was going different than she had planned, not that she was complaining.


Simon watched as the hooded man in the leather jacket entered into the front entrance of the hotel, one of his gang had broken away from the posse and broke into the building opposite the street with his rifle taking the high ground, as the rest of the men walked in armed up for a fight, Simon slipped around back for an alternate means of entrance, clearly this couldn't wait until morning.