Thoughts: 'Yo'

Dialogue: "Yo"


They were split into several tactical groups, each formation carrying members that either specialized in reconnaissance or had other practical skillsets that could be of use. Thus naturally with their heightened sense of smell and skills far broader than the average guild member, the Dragon slayers were given the task of leading the main search parties. It was the logical thing to do for this mission, with three to five teams carrying communication Lacrima's and reporting with hourly updates to the guild master.

Cana, Mira, Natsu, Gray and Romeo were one such team. The tension in the air simmering between all of them was almost palatable, as they travelled together towards Oak Town. The plan was simple really. Search for clues, anything that seemed amiss and scrabble to find any leads to latch onto, before reporting back. If any definite leads did come up, they were ordered to follow through without preamble, because this was their missing guild member and they'd do anything to get her back. The weeks passed in this assembly, a frenzy in which everybody sucked themselves dry trying to spread all over the place. They searched crevices, rock faces, and the bottoms of riverbeds, deserted towns and going as far as infiltrating underbelly rigs. Leaving their Guild hall an empty memory, only used for regrouping and planning. The once carefree atmosphere had vanished like steam billowing into the air, with the situation so bleak.

They wanted, needed their beloved Celestial mage back home.

And yet despite their optimism that Lucy was going to be found one way or another, their stomachs still churned and bubbled with worry when nothing came up, not one single peep from the civilians or local mage guilds they happened to interrogate. They searched desperately, watching and waiting like hawks on a hunt, fearing the troubling other possibilities and despite themselves they began to use threats as a tactic. Yet there was nothing. Each group carried out their individual tasks with resolve and solid effort, returning to the guild as fast as possible to hear of any news from the others. And yet each time they were let down, they themselves not finding anything of use. It was impossible some began to say, the weaker willed of the guild voicing out their hopelessness. But they were shot down by the hard gazes they received in their lack of faith, Fairy Tail had faced enemies stronger than gods and this wasn't going to put a dent in their armour.

They couldn't allow it.

Their situation did not go unnoticed from the outside world either. Alliances stirred when they began hearing of a 'loss' within the famous guild 'Fairy Tail' and their interests piqued when they heard of the struggle the guild was going through. Guild masters turned their heads away when their members probed about the sayings floating around across towns, like a wildfire spreading its flames. They knew of the situation of course, for they were informed themselves and pleaded to keep an eye out for one of Fairy Tail's guild member. Their blonde Celestial mage.

The Masters did not turn their heads away from this request. But they also did not actively participate in helping out either.


When some form of valuable information is revealed, one would expect to feel a sense of elation and a trickling relief spreading through their system. This was not exactly the case, however, when something was finally found in result of their valiant efforts. It wasn't exactly motivating.

It was on the outskirts of Oak Town, hidden within a small compartment on one the trains that they searched and found Lucy's keys. Natsu's sensitive nose twitched as he picked up that familiar scent, hope flaring soundly in his heart. Her jingling keys rested innocently under one dusty seat in the fourth cart, Lucy herself nowhere to be found. Natsu tried to follow more of her scent but reiterated the frustrating truth that her trail had ended with the keys.

"Gosh Luce," he clenched his hand around the silver keys, every golden Zodiac omitted from the leather pouch. "You're killing us, why'd you have to go and disappear…" They could not discern where the rest of her keys were.

Moodily exiting the train, Natsu yanked an attendant by the arm and fired questions. He released him with a snarl when no suitable variation of an answer could be presented. The rest of his team noticed this with consternation, "Oy, Natsu," Gray warned. The Dragon slayer ignored him.

"Listen," Natsu grabbed the annoyed man by the collar of his way too expensive looking work-shirt, "If I find out that you hid something from me, anything, I'll come back here and rip you apart." He shrugged the sniffling pansy off and parted away from his group.

"Natsu!" It was Erza who called this time.

He stopped and shot his team a look of scathing contempt before walking off again, leaving them.

Mira opened her mouth to call him back but desisted and instead turned a glower on the lanky worker. He squeaked at the attention and scrambled to hurry away, abandoning his dignity. "Lunatics the lot of you!" They heard him say as he swept past.

Gray scoffed when no one said anything nor moved, "Well what now?" he droned on almost boredly, shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants, "The moron is being a pain-in-the-arse and we've got half of her Lucy's keys, sans Lucy." He glanced sideways at the silent Cana, lip curling upward when she glared back at him.'All these problems, so troublesome.' Gray thought humourlessly, dragging his eyes across the faces of the rest of his disheartened 'team'.

"We've at least found them, which is promising; and Natsu will come back." Cana spoke coldly, before lowering her gaze to the ground and crossing her arms, "There is nothing else to it." The wind roughed up her hair and shadowed her eyes, obscuring the view for the rest of the group from the bitter tears gathering in her brown orbs. She had to be strong; she wouldn't allow them to see her pain. She still had faith in her missing friend, unwilling to think that Lucy, strong and vibrant Lucy had kicked the bucket.

Natsu did return, after taking some time to cool off. His furious aura from before had dissipated, leaving him with a blank expression instead, which was unnerving. However this façade of this fooled no one; his eyes were still very expressive. Smouldering with repressed emotions threatening to spill, Mira suggested that they move forward. And continue they did, spanning out into the town to see if they could hunt down any more clues. Lucy's pouch of keys remained in the possession of Natsu, who refused to relinquish them.

"Maybe we are going the wrong way about this," Mira finally spoke up once they all informed each other with their findings- which were not one thing. The other's looked at her in question with dulled eyes.

"How so?" questioned Cana, whose shoulders had dropped into a slouch. The tense atmosphere was getting too heavy, the pressure grounding her downwards.

"Well," The beauty started, "Look at it this way, if Lucy was kidnapped by a Dark guild as we have thought- hypothetically speaking- wouldn't they also take her keys? They are valuable pieces. So why leave them instead of taking them for let's say, to use for ransom or add to a collection?" She thought it was odd when they found Lucy's keys –some of them gone, yes- but not all of them had been taken. It was obvious speculation at this point that a third party had been involved and had done something to their teammate. "I can understand taking the Zodiacs, but why not the Silver keys? Why leave them behind?"

"If that's-"Cana started before getting rudely cut off by the Fire Mage at her side.

"Stop with the stalling and get to the point." Natsu snarled at Mira.

She gave him a dirty look, "I don't think it's plenty clear to you all what im trying to say, which is I don't think Lucy got snatched in the first place like we've thought. No, I think something spiritual occurred."

"That makes no sense." Natsu muttered gruffly.

"Oh?" Mira retorted. "Then please explain to me how Cana's Tarots are connected with Lucy, why her smell has vanished? Is it not a conceivable possibility? Do you doubt Cana's magic?"

"Excuse me for not finding her 'spiritual abduction' to make sense?! A person just doesn't evaporate into thin air! If that were really the case then I wouldn't be able fucking feel her!" Natsu's voice became louder. It was clear he believed Lucy was kidnapped, sharing the same belief as many others. But Mira –obviously-wasn't so convinced. "And i trust my nose, so how the fuck does that work?"

"Don't get pissy with her," Cana snapped at him, "I don't see you sharing any ideas." She shook her head, "Maybe Mira is right and we've been searching like blind fools from the start, in our ignorance we didn't think that other, stronger and much vaguer sources could be explored." She disregarded the burning eyes drilling a hole into the side of her head, instead considering Mira to see if she had anymore to share. The Soul Mage shook her head for the questioning look, so no.

"Maybe she ran away?" Gray proposed.

The others gave him looks of incredulity, as if to say; "Are you stupid?"

"What?" He barked at them, "It was just a thought."

"She didn't run away." Spoke Natsu.

"How the hell would you know that? She could have cloaked herself and hidden in another country for all we know."

"That's not true!"

"It's a possibility we can't ignore." Gray gritted out. He didn't want to believe it himself, but all was up on the table at the moment, as Cana said so herself. If Mira could suggest that she'd 'disappeared' by some godly happenstance then he could do the same. And they couldn't rule out even the craziest ideas.

Natsu advanced on him with an unwavering stride, "You have no idea what you're talking about." He hissed in the ice mage's indifferent face, "Lucy isn't like that. Lucy would never do that to us!" He couldn't believe it; did Gray trust Lucy so little?

Gray stared him down then scoffed, angling his body away. "Whatever you say Natsu." He knew he was being somewhat of a dick and the fact that he doubted his blonde team mate was making his stomach churn. But he just couldn't help it.

Natsu's respect for his friend significantly dimmed and turned to the rest of the group before speaking with purpose. "Lucy was taken away from us; there isn't anything more to it. I'm going to get her back, pounding those assholes that took her into the dirt and make them regret ever messing with Fairy Tail."


Edited: 23/11/2016