A/N; The eight chapter is finally here, I am so happy I managed to finish this chapter and post it. I am sorry it took so long to get this one out, but I sadly had a minor accident (nothing major or life threatening) which ended up with me spraining my right wrist, so I was forced to spend weeks in a wrist brace and wasn't allowed it to use it. Now the doctor finally cleared me three weeks ago, but I didn't want push myself and strain it too much. A decision that ended up pushing the publication of this chapter even further back.
A sprained wrist is a pain in the you know what, and while it had its perks (No cleaning, no cooking etc and lots of Netflix and time to read the books in my TBR) I did miss the writing, I couldn't write ideas down whenever they popped up, which as a amateur writer is a faith worse than having no snacks at hand on movie night.
So, I apologize for making you wait so long and I really hope, that the chapter will be worth the wait. As always I want to thank everyone who has read, favorite and reviewed Juubi No Kitsune. Beware, there will be some grammar and spelling mistakes and there are probably some typo's somewhere, I apologize for those. Considering that this chapter is 24 pages long (in word) I decided to keep the review replies as short as possible.
Maiden Warrior; As always you know how to make my day, thank you for the kind words. I hope you are ready for the rest of the ride, because unlike the last chapter this one and the upcoming ones will have less humor and more of everything else. Lucy is a great character and a very kind one, her being jealous of a friend or Lisanna being down right mean is out of character for both characters, so you won't be seeing that in this fic.
Lisanna and Lucy are both alike, in the sense that they are bright and kind. With Lisanna being the more mischief and outgoing one, and Lucy the more down to earth one. You can see it in the way, Lisanna is always fine with the antics of the Guild and Lucy tends to lose her mind whenever they get all crazy like only Fairy Tail can be. which is, why I will have so much fun, developing their friendship. I'm glad you liked, Azami and Eizan, I can promise you, that you will be seeing and learning more about them. They are more than your typical bad guys, they all have their motives and reasons (even Ackerman) and everything will be revealed as the story goes on.
So, please sit back and enjoy the ride (And PS: You are sadistic :P, that is one well thought out plan. How long were you sitting on killing Ackerman, like that?)
Airbone3; I am caught, though I would say I rather borrowed the names than copied them. I really don't believe one can copy a name, I needed names and I did what I always do. Go through all the Anime, Manga I have devoured and use the grand magic known as Google. I know a lot of Japanese names, but I wanted names that gave me a certain vibe and Azami and Eizan were the winners of that lottery. I really liked them and because I wanted to names that were close to each other but still weren't the same. I decided to go with them, so I hope you don't mind that I am keeping them for the duration of the story. Don't worry, you won't find a Erina, Souma or Isshiki-Senpai here.
JD98: Don't worry you don't sound harsh at all, you gave me advice and you did it in a nice and kind way. Your words weren't taken as anything but the helping hand they were meant to be. Thank you for pointing it out to me, I will make sure to work it into future chapters and I will edit "Face' to 'Phase' I didn't even notice I typed it like that, until you pointed it out.
Guest (Jan 28); Thank for your kind words, it took me a while but the eight chapter is finally here.
Also as we always tend to forget, I do not own Fairy Tail in any shape or form. Which is sad, if I say so myself. I have so many ideas with Lisanna and such a burning need to show her potential as opposed to wasting it. Ach, we can't have everything we want, now can we? So, without further ado, I present you Chapter eight of Juubi No Kitsune.
Date/Place; December X794, Island of Zorro.
Location; Mobile somewhere between Maximus Coliseum and the Underground Facility.
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Lisanna's heels clicked on tiles as she dashed though the underground passageway's, leading the Celestial Spirit Mage through the different hallways and down the last remaining stairs leading into the underground facility and the location of her Star Ball. Lisanna could sense it now, it was close and with every step she took, Lisanna could hear it. It was calling to her, demanding her to reclaim it. It wanted to return to its rightful place.
While the call of the Star Ball was getting louder and louder, it wasn't the dominant thought in her head.
...Saizo...Natsu...I will never forgive either of you, don't you dare to lose a fight you two are having for my sake. I can promise you two, that I will blame myself for the rest of my live, how long or short that may be...
The white haired woman thought while she increased her pace, forcing the blond running behind her to do the same. Lisanna knew that she had to keep her attention focused on the location of her Star Ball, but it was proving itself to be a very daunting task. Lisanna couldn't help the worry and fear she felt, so she had to force herself to push it all aside and focus on the location of her Star Ball.
Her eyes closed for a moment as she tried to extend a mental hand towards the powerful Artifact, it was only when she felt the familiar pull against her senses that her eyes shot open.
It was close.
Lisanna took a deep breath, continuing on towards her destination, it had taken some effort on her part but Lisanna managed to not think about her partner. She had to force herself to not think about what would happen if she ended up losing Saizo, nor what would become of her, if the one person that could pull her back to her senses, ended up not being around.
She somehow managed to ignore the fear she felt at the possibility of losing her childhood friend, her siblings and the rest of the Fairy Tail Mages. They could take care of themselves, all she had to was trust them.
And trust them she did, Lisanna sighed softly knowing that the people she called family. They wouldn't go down, especially after they promised her that she would go back, home. Back to Fairy Tail. A Fairy Tail Mage never broke their word, come Hell or High Water. They would take her back home.
Lisanna also knew that Saizo could take care of himself, the Devil Slayer despised losing against someone he deemed to be worthless and weak. There was no way, he would go down in that fight and she shouldn't be worried about, Vincent either. That man didn't know the meaning of giving up, her teammates were both two of the strongest people she knew. Both males would make sure that they would get out of their battles, alive and so, would Fairy Tail.
Trusting that they would be alright, Lisanna decided to focus on her own task.
If they wanted to get off this Island, they would be needing that Star Ball. Lisanna refused to leave this place without her Jewel and it was because all those people she cared about were too stubborn and just so damn caring, that they would all opt to stay as long as it would take her. There was no way in hell, that they would even think about leaving her behind on this cursed Island.
Which meant that they were only putting themselves, in more danger.
As long as that artifact stayed in Ackerman's hands, Lisanna was still vulnerable to its effects. Which made her the biggest threat on this Island, who would ever thought that out of every single thing on this Island, it was the one who used to be so bright and kind, was the one who held the most blood lust. Lisanna also knew that out of everyone currently on the Island, it was Lucy who was facing the biggest danger. And if Lisanna would have her own way, she would have ditched the blond and go on, on her own.
But...But, Lisanna had seen it, had seen the determination in the blonds eyes. She couldn't betray those feelings, so Lisanna had decided to just risk it and trust that she would be able to get to the Star Ball, before Ackerman's order became too loud and too powerful to ignore.
Lisanna strengthen her resolve before once again focusing on the pull of her Star Ball, finally managing to pinpoint its exact location. It seemed to be located in the Q-Department and moving up, she frowned wondering what they could be seeking there, there was nothing there. At least nothing of importance nor something they could possibly want. The only thing located on that floor, were the Chem. Labs and the Pharmacy -
Golden eyes widened.
If it was really Rin that had taken her Star Ball, than the only reason she could be making her way towards the Pharmacy was for that Drug. Lisanna cursed under her breath, just what was she doing? How could she risk herself like that? There was no antidote and she hated to admit it, but Lisanna needed that drug. It helped her dull her emotions, Lisanna didn't even want to think about what she would do if she went to long without it. The Fox was cold and composed, most of the time but she was also the most fickle being Lisanna had ever met and one that could get insulted by the weirdest of things. Lisanna Strauss as herself and still sane, could ignore it all.
The Fox wouldn't.
Lisanna sighed turned a corner and descended rest of the stairs, setting course for the Q Department and the location of her Star Ball, hopefully they would reach Rin before she had set foot on that floor. She needed to stop her from even attempting to enter that floor, Rin had no idea the horrors that lie beyond those sealed doors. Damn, the last thing she wanted was for Rin to encounter that woman. The woman who had betrayed her and brought her to this place.
"Be careful, little one...There is something down here."
Lisanna tensed when the Fox's warning registered, she extended her senses trying to locate what had drawn the Fox's attention, when it happened, the stairs they've been using disappeared, sending the Mages plunging through the gaping hole.
Lisanna twisted her body, debating for one second if she should change Take-Over's but deciding against it when she realized that she couldn't pull another Tail out of her hat. If she dropped the Fox's Take-Over, Lisanna would lose her only real chance to protect herself and her friends. "Between a rock, and a hard place." Lisanna cursed swinging one of her Tails out when Lucy cried out to her, telling her to grab a hold of her.
"Alright...Just hold on a for a moment, don't move."
Lisanna eyes narrowed not in anger but in amused annoyance. "Really? Lucy, where on earth would I be going? I mean aside, from plunging to the earth?" Lisanna asked using her Tail to pull the other woman towards herself and grabbing a hold of her, by wrapping her arms around her waist. "I really hope, you know what you are doing. While it's true that I love free falling, I usually have a safety line, in place. Usually my Magic."
"Star Dress; Sagittarius Form..." The Celestial Spirit Mage placed the Golden Spirit Key against her chest to once again switch forms, changing from Leo's Form to that off the Archer; Sagittarius. And as was expected of this advanced branch of Celestial Spirit Magic, Lucy's attire changed -something it did with every Zodiac Sign she was incorporating.
This time Lucy's attire consisted out of a green two tailed coat with golden trimmings, the elegant coat had a high collar with a white scarf wrapped around it. The coat was one that left her upper back bare and it seemed to come with attachable sleeves running up to her shoulders, leaving them also bare. The Star Dress of Sagittarius was completed with black thigh high boots with the same gold trims decorating it, the boots were split above Lucy's knees which left the front of her thighs bare.
"Euhm...Lucy...Not to rush you, or anything...But we are still free falling and rapidly descending towards the earth?"
The blond smiled notching an arrow into her bow before she took aim, her brown eyes narrowing in took a deep breath, pulling the string back and holding it for a second before releasing it together with her breath. "Hold on, it's going to get a little bumpy." Lucy said disregarding Sagittarius form and returning back to her regular appearance, the blond Fairy pulled out her whip and swung it out. "Don't let, go."
"Huh? Now, why on earth would I-"Lisanna's eyes widened when she realized that they were going to sail towards the wall. "You got to be kidding me, if you were going to do that-" Lisanna's sentence was cut off when Lucy snapped her whip around the arrow she'd notched into the wall, golden eyes narrowed when the blond swung themselves backwards before swinging towards the brick wall. "Oh, I'm not going to like, this." Lisanna winced when her left side slammed against the stone cold wall.
"Well, that wasn't so bad."
Lisanna sighed softly her eyes opening and facing the blond she was holding. "You're right it could be worse, which is why I am telling you this; Lucy? You are a lousy, knight in Shining Armor. I love you, but you are fired."
"And here I thought, I could win the princess, heart." Lucy said laughing before moving her gaze towards the ground, her brown eyes narrowed in thought. "So, drop the remaining feet? Or try to get back, up?" Lucy's gaze shifted up to the darkness stretching above them, and the speck of light in the distance. "It's quite a way up, and unless we can fly. I don't see ourselves getting up there very easily." She returned her gaze towards Lisanna. "Do you have any Take-Overs that can get us up?"
"I had to release most of my Take-Overs to make place for the Fox Soul, I have a handful left and none of which I can do a full body Take-Over." Lisanna said she shook her head when Lucy send her a questioning look. "I don't want to talk about it. I do have one that can get us up...But...But that means that I have to release this one and I don't have enough Magic left to extract the Tails again. So, I'm really sorry. But, we will have to drop."
The blond nodded, her brown eyes moving down to the ground located several feet beneath them. "So, we shall be greeting the ones who caused our free fall?" Lucy sighed when Lisanna replied that they didn't have much of a choice. "Alright then, let's go." She moved her arm untangling the Whip from the arrow and dropping herself down to the ground and landing in a crouch.
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Her eyes needed a moment or two to adjust to the darkness, Lucy frowned when she she realized that she wasn't seeing anything but the darkness. "Wow, I can't even see my own, hand." She tilted her head when she heard Lisanna land next to her, her brown eyes shifted towards her friend and widened when she saw the glowing yellow eyes. "So, were are we? And how do we get out? Not that we can, tell in this darkness." Lucy said instead of commenting on those eerie and yet beautiful eyes.
The white haired woman frowned, her golden eyes taking their surroundings in. "I am not sure, so far the only thing I see is nothing." Lisanna smiled when she sensed Lucy's displeasure at being so vulnerable. "Kitsune-Bi." Lisanna whispered the name of her most basic spell, the bluish orbs flashed into appearance. "Is this, better?"
Brown eyes widened in surprise when Lucy realized that Lisanna's spell could be used in this way, the blond woman watched the multiple bluish orbs float into the air and hover several feet above the ground in two different rows -on either side of the cavern they had fallen in. "...Wow..." Lucy whispered when the soft glow of the blue orbs lighted up the previous pitch black place. "It's a whole lot better than the darkness of earlier, but I can't help but find this eerie, actually I find this very, eerie-"
Lisanna's lips which were in the process to lift in a soft smile, froze in their action when the ears on top of hear twitched. Lisanna's head tilted when she sensed the presence of someone else, they weren't alone anymore. Someone else had entered the space they were currently occupying. She could feel herself tense up, when she realized that she couldn't see anyone -The Fox's eyes were unable to detect the foreign presence. Lisanna frowned concentrated, it took a moment to detect something.
A sound, Lisanna's ears couldn't detect where the sound was coming from-yet, but she could defiantly hear the faint sucking like sound. Almost as if air was being sucked into a vortex or something quite like that.
"-I didn't know that you could use this spell, like that. It seemed...I don't know, a little to destructive for such a subtle use." Lucy said shifting her gaze towards the white haired woman kneeling next to her, only to tense up when she noticed how tense and on guard Lisanna was. "You did after all, burn everything on your path."
Lisanna had the decency to wince at that, the young woman smiled in apology. "Ah, well they are different? If you look carefully, you can see that this version has a white Aura and are less solid, than the ones I used before." Lisanna said sweeping her gaze over their surroundings, the ears on top of her head kept twitching in every direction, trying to locate the sound and finally finding it. "I can change the properties as I please, changing it from offensive to this one and do it in the reverse, too."
"...I, see..."
Lisanna smiled nodding before tilting her head to her left, her ears following the gesture and angling themselves in that specific direction to. "It's not that hard, to do." She said pushing herself up to her feet, and waiting for the blond to do the same. "Do, you wish to see a demonstration?" Lisanna asked knowing full well that Lucy had understood that they weren't alone anymore and had picked on the location of their newest opponent(s).
"Sure, why not. We are stuck here, for a while. So, why not use it to learn something new."
Lisanna smiled lifting her hand snapping her fingers, mentally ordering the flames to switch from dormant to active. The mental order effected only one single row, the blue/white orbs flashed glowing up and changing to a luminescent blue before vanishing from sight and raining down several feet left to the two Fairy Tail Mages.
Brown eyes narrowed when Lucy spotted the crack appearing in the space, the blond woman watched how the air seemed to flicker as space distorted and revealed the person that had been cloaked behind the Spatial Magic. "...Space Magic..." Lucy mumbled moving her hand towards the Key's attached to her belt, her mind working a hundred miles per minute as she went through the pros and cons, of every Celestial Spirit Key, she owned. What could she use, against him? "This can become a lit-"
"...This must be, my lucky day..."
Lucy's gaze flew towards her right when the new voice reached her ears, brown eyes landing in the direction the voice had come from and spotting the black haired male stepping out of the shadows and into the light of the remaining Orb's of Lisanna's Spell. "Really? Another, one? It's just one after the other, take one out and another crawls out of the wall. They're almost like an infestation, just how many guards, are there?" Lucy removed Loke's Key from its position, clutching it in her right hand.
"Enough, I guess. But, they are just foot soldiers, having nothing but numbers to their advantage." Lisanna said her golden eyes narrowed when they returned their gaze to the males. "The ones we should, really worry about and actually pose a real and deadly threat, are the Dread Knights and all but one are corned by the others -Seven in the Arena and two against Natsu and Saizo- These two are no members of that Group and neither are they Guards."
The blond frowned and she was in the process of asking her to elaborate, when the question was cut off before it was even vocalized. Lucy's gaze moved away from her friend and back towards the two males, her brown orbs narrowed when the black haired Shadow User asked whether Lisanna meant that they weren't a threat and if she really was that arrogant. "Lisanna?" Lucy said only her name, trusting that Lisanna knew what she was asking and would give her some insight in their opponents.
"They are a team, not as good as the twins -the two fighting Saizo and Natsu- but they're still good enough, to be considered dangerous in a tag-battle." Lisanna stepped up next to Lucy drawing her eyes on her person, her gaze moved towards Lucy meeting the blond's gaze with a smile. "So, how about, it? Shall we breathe some life into the Lucy and Lisanna, team?" Her words drew a bright smile from Lucy. "It seems, that you like it."
"I like it, a lot." Lucy said throwing the Golden Key into the air and grabbing it once again. "This will be a first for us. So, I will be in your care and in return, you can count on me." She placed the Golden Spirit Key against her chest, calling forth the Star Dress of Leo, her words were accompanied by a bright light that covered her entire body, and when that faded, Lucy's appearance had changed to one that matched that of the Zodiac Spirit Leo. "You ready, to teach them what happens, to those that mess with Fairy Tail?"
The white haired woman's eyes fell shut for a moment, her lips lifted in a gentle smile. "I am more than ready. So, let's give it all we got." Lisanna said while at the same time gathering her Magic, mentally going through her reserves judging exactly how much she had available, how much she could use here and how much she needed to make it back into the Facility. It wasn't much, it was even less, than she had expected. She hadn't been lying when she told Lucy that she couldn't afford to lose this transformation.
She really couldn't. This Take-Over was standing on its last legs, the Magic she was using to keep it active, was all the Magic she had.
Lisanna didn't have the luxury to use her spells recklessly. Which meant that she had to make do, with what she had. Something that wasn't as bad, as it sounded and if she played, her cards right. Lisanna would be able to walk out of this, with at least half of the Magic she had. She would be able to do it. This Take-Over would allow her to do it, Lisanna was glad that she had opted to go with the Four Tails as opposed to the Three Tails.
Yonbi was technically stronger than her to go -most preferred- Form which was the Three Tailed State, unlike Sanbi whom focused more on power. The Four Tails was one that specialized in Defense, Speed and Agility. The Robe of the Fox was one of the most powerful defenses she had come across, the Robe could protect her against almost everything and that included physical and Magic spells, and if she trusted the Fox's instincts-which she did-, than it could also protect her against extreme temperatures - cold or heat.
Though.
It all depended on how much Magic she had to spare and Lisanna didn't have enough, to be willing to recklessly use the Robe's abilities. Lisanna wasn't the Fox, unlike her 'roommate' Lisanna could only use the protection of the Robe a few times in every single battle.
It asked a lot of Magic and Lisanna didn't have an infinite pool of Magic at her disposal, she had enough and it was more than most, but it was still not enough. Besides, her stay in Edolas had damaged her magic 'container' almost till the point of no repair. And it hadn't been until, Fairy Tail had dissolved for a year that she had managed to recover and repair the most of the damage. "..Tsk.."
She couldn't even use the Life Force she had stolen, to increase her own Magic Level-not that she wanted to, but she had already absorbed it.
Lisanna didn't know what she had been suffering from, but whatever it was it must have been something very bad. At least bad enough that she had ended up using what had remained of that War Beast life force-what she hadn't used to seal, her wounds- so there was nothing left, nothing to infuse into her Magic container and nothing to inject into the Robe's abilities. So, she just had to make sure that she wouldn't recklessly use it's protection and only restore to it, when she really needed it.
This wasn't bad, she'd been in situations more dire than this and she had managed to overcome them.
The white haired woman smirked her eyes opening once again and falling on their two opponents, it seemed that they were waiting for them to make the first move. A smart tactic and one that would allow them, some insight in their abilities, though this tactic could also work in their favor. Those two didn't know Lucy -her abilities and strengths- and they had never seen her use, Yonbi. This was after only her second time, using this form.
So, it could work.
Lisanna's smirk widened lifting the single white Tail up into the air and fanning it out, revealing that it wasn't one but actually four Tails she'd pulled so close together that it had only seemed like it was one.
This was bad.
She could sense it, she could feel how close she was in actually getting back home. And all she had to do was get pass these two, find her Star Ball and reclaim it. "What was it, again? Ah...I am all fired, up." Lisanna said drawing a smile from the blond woman, the blue flames that hadn't been used in her initial spell flared, brightening up and fully illuminating the cave like space and covering the four Mages in its eerie blue light. "...Scorch... "
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Blue flames danced between the cracks on the ground.
The white haired woman sighed releasing her hold on her opponent, allowing his body to drop on the ground. "I can't believe, that he pushed me to use it." Lisanna stepped away from the unconscious male and gave the space they were occupying a quick once over, her eyes narrowed when she couldn't find anything that could tell her where they were."Flare." The light blue flame like orbs that were still hovering in the air, lightened up fully brightening the cave like space. "Huh..." Lisanna's eyes swept over the expanses of the chasm as she tried to remember where exactly they were, before they had taken the plunge and how to get back to the surface.
Golden eyes switched to the ground when they couldn't find anything on eye-level, Lisanna sharp eyes took every detail in and focused on anything that seemed to be out of place. She had been in this place long enough to know, that they tended to hide things in the most obvious of places and in ways one found to be too random. Lisanna's eyes moved over particular spot on the ground, before snapping back. "Huh, how utterly expected."
"...Regulus Lucy Kick..."
Lisanna shifted her gaze when she heard Lucy call out Leo's signature spell, her golden eyes caught the moment the blonds powerful kick hit home. It slammed down on the Shadow Mage's head with enough force to send the black haired male crashing into the ground. "The poor idiot, is going to really feel that in the morning." Lisanna mumbled before addressing Lucy, whom had landed on the ground in a crouch. "You, good to go?"
"You found a way out?" Lucy asked lifting herself back to her feet, before giving the illuminated space a quick once over. "It's not that I don't trust you, but I really don't see a way, out of here." She returned her gaze to Lisanna whom moved her hand, sending one of the floating fire balls down to the ground several feet in front of her. "Oh, that is actually quite smart." Lucy said referring to the carefully hidden hatch. "Let's go, then?"
The Take-Over Mage closed her eyes for a moment, once again checking her reserves and deciding that she could manage to have one more fight, before she was really out of magic. "Ah, let's go." Lisanna said already moving towards the carefully hidden hatch or better said; the hatch that had been carefully hidden. Their opponents had forgotten to cover it after they had used it or they probably had expected to defeat them and hadn't seen the need to it.
Whatever the reason, it had secured their way out of this place.
Lisanna kneeled down before reaching towards the handle pulling it up, and throwing the hatch open to reveal the dark abyss lying beneath their feet. The white haired woman frowned hoping against all hopes, that this hatch would not lead them to where she thought it would lead them, those two were crazy but even they weren't so far gone that they would willingly pass through the Pits. Who was she kidding, this hatch would lead them to the Pits, because nothing ever went as one wanted. "We will be picking up the pace, tell me if I am going too fast. I tend to forget that everyone isn't as fast as I am. Tell me, and I will slow down."
"Don't worry, I will keep up."
Lisanna decided to trust her words and reduce her speed if she sensed that Lucy was falling behind, she wasn't being arrogant when she said that she was fast. Lisanna had always been fast and quick on her feet, her old Animal Soul; Obsidian Cheetah had been lighting fast and it should be, it was the fastest animal known in the world. But Lisanna had learned that Kitsune Soul was even faster than that and it was obvious that a Demon could move faster than any mortal Animal, add to it, that she was currently in the Four Tailed State, which was the fastest of all Four Forms she could currently use and Lisanna could cover vast distances in mere minutes.
The two Fairies didn't hesitate before taking the leap, jumping down the hatch, both woman landing in a crouch, taking a moment to listen for any sounds that would indicate that there was someone else down here. It was only after they were certain that they were alone and that nothing but the sound of dripping water was filling the tunnel, that they both rose to their feet and set off in a run. The white haired woman whom had released the blue colored orbs was the one leading the journey down the tunnel, her blond haired friend following close behind.
It had been a good ten minutes since Lisanna had started to set the pace, slowing down twice when she realized that she was going too fast and it was during Lucy's third apology, that it had happened. Lisanna who had been somewhat at ease and had been enjoying the calm before the storm stopped so suddenly that she even ended up skidding for several feet, before coming to a complete stop. "There is something, in front of us."
"Something? Not, someone?"
Lisanna didn't reply instead she focused on the dark tunnel stretching in front of them, her golden eyes flickered to crimson red before returning back to their default color. "Remember when I said, that there were things here that were worse than those Death Hounds? Well, you're about to meet one." Lisanna closed her eyes taking a moment to center herself and focus all her Magic power in this fight, a fight that would be her last of the day.
After this one, she would be completely out Magic.
Lucy stepped up next to her friend and Guild Mate, facing the tunnel stretching out before them and waiting for whatever it was to come out and face them. "I can't hear nor see, a thing." Lucy said regretting her words the moment Lisanna moved her hand, sending a few of the blue colored orbs down the dark tunnel and revealing the being that was lying in wait. "What...In...Just what is that?" Lucy asked sounding almost as scared as she sounded shocked, her brown eyes tried to place the thing staring at them, but try as she might, Lucy couldn't come up with an answer. "If I didn't know any better, I would say that it looks like a Chimera?"
"As expected of you."
The blond woman didn't know whether she should be amazed by the sheer 'talent' these scientist possessed or be disgusted by their utter disrespect of life and nature. Lucy had read enough books to have come across the origins of the Chimera, whether it was the mythical creature or the urban legend of a cult of Alchemists trying to create the ultimate Animal, by taking the best parts of various organisms and putting them together. She'd only come across one book detailing, a Scientist who'd managed to do just that but had been killed by his own creation. A creation that had ended up dying within three days of its birth. "Growling won't help, this time?"
"Sadly it will only challenge, him."
Lucy nodded following Lisanna's example and moving into a defensive position, she trusted the Take-Over Mage's judgment. If Lisanna thought it was better to wait this one out, than she would wait it out. Besides, she did not like the Magic that thing was emitting, though Lucy doubted that Magic would be the right word. Lucy's eyes narrowed taking the man made creature in, trying to place every single Animal she could recognize. So, far she had managed to distinguished it's head as that of an Eagle, it's middle was that of a Lion and its tail was a Snake and finally there were birdlike wings protruding from its side. "Why do I sense, different types of-"
The Chimera moved, lifting itself from the ground.
Both woman tensed preparing themselves for whatever it had planned for them, Lisanna slid her feet apart grounding herself on the rocky ground. The two Fairies stood their ground when the Chimera charged them, not moving out of the way of the attack until the last possible moment. From the angle it had been going, it was assumed that it had been aiming for Lisanna but it seemed that, that had been his motive as the move had been nothing more, than a diversion.
The Chimera's snake tail snapped out, slamming into Lucy and flinging the blond woman backwards with several feet.
Lisanna's eyes widened in both shock and worry, her gaze snapping in the direction Lucy was send in. "...Lucy..." Lisanna cried out for her friend and was in the process of moving towards her, when her attention which had been diverted towards her friend was forcefully drawn back, by the Chimera. "...Ah..." Lisanna gasped in pain when the Chimera expanded his wings and attacked her with them, Lisanna hissed slamming into the ground, rolling over three times before coming to a stop.
The Chimera growled in satisfaction.
Lisanna cursed pushing herself back to her knees and trying to get some of her bearings back, the white haired woman groaned. "That was painful...It was painful..." She sighed closing her eyes and trying to hold on to the Transformation, she could feel the Robe's defenses weaken. "...This is bad, I don't have enough Magic, left..."
The Celestial Spirit Mage who had been send flying backwards managed to flip herself mid air and land on her knees on the ground, her gaze moved towards Lisanna who was kneeling several feet away from her. "Lisanna? You alright?" Lucy asked sounding awfully worried, she could still recall that Lisanna had told her that she didn't have enough Magic to pull out another Take-Over. If that was the case, it meant that she was working with the last of her reserves. "How are you, holding up?"
Lisanna lifted her gaze smiling, the gesture was meant to be reassuring and though she seemed to have trouble hiding the pain she was feeling, Lisanna managed to at least ease Lucy's biggest concern. She was still responsive and she could still defend herself, Lisanna pushed herself up in a crouch. "And what about, you? You, okay?"
The blond nodded lifting herself back to her feet, Lucy's brown eyes moved away from Lisanna when she heard the Chimera growl again-this time in anger. The Celestial Spirit Mage frowned answering Lisanna's question. "I am fine." She moved her legs stepping into a more defense stand, Lucy's eyes narrowed when she realized that the Chimera had turned its back on Lisanna and that he was currently facing her, all his attention seemed to be fixed on the blond haired woman. "I don't like this"
This was odd.
Why, did it seem like it was aiming, for her? Lucy didn't think it was because it saw her as a threat nor did she think, that it was because it considered her the weakest link. So, why did it turn its back to Lisanna-whom was closer to him, than Lucy was. Did it think, that Lisanna was to wounded and to weak, to be a challenge? No, Lucy didn't know much about how animals thought, but what she did know was that they tended to go after the weakest Link and currently, Lisanna was in a worse shape.
So, why did it aim for her as opposed to going after Lisanna?
Not, that Lucy wanted that to happen. She would rather face everything in this place and die, than allow Lisanna to go through one more painful thing. it was just that it did not make sense, no sense what so ever. "I've a very bad feeling about this-" Lucy's brown eyes widened when the Chimera pawed the ground, reading himself to charge her.
Lisanna who still trying to get some semblance of control, lifted her gaze when she realized that nothing was coming at her. It took her a little over twenty seconds to realize what was going on, Lisanna's golden eyes widened cursing Ackerman to hell and back. That man...That man, had ordered them to Kill everyone...But, Lisanna.
The Chimera, kicked off the ground charging the blond woman.
"Lucy, move and get out of here." Lisanna cried out kicking off the ground and charging the Chimera who'd been planning to attack the blond woman. "Kitsune-Bi; Daini No Jumon..." The white haired woman called out jumping into the air, ignoring the Fox warning her against using the second stage of that spell in her current condition.
The Chimera turned around when he heard her voice, preparing himself to move out of the range of the attack.
Lisanna's golden eyes flickered momentarily to red, then to blue before once again settling on the Kitsune State's default color. Lisanna charged the blue colored spell, changing its properties and revealing an aspect of the Fox that they had kept hidden. Her ability to draw on more than one element, Lisanna knew that she had to kill it and kill it fast. That Chimera could not and would not leave this tunnel alive, there was no way she was letting anyone find out about the Fox's true identity.
An identity, Lisanna had found out by accident.
The white haired woman forced her Fox fire to switch from blue colored flames to black colored energy, successfully changing the properties from Fire Element to that of Void. Lisanna moved her hands fully planning to send it down towards the Chimera when Lucy called out to her, to look out. "What.." Lisanna started only to be cut by a piercing beam of light that cut into her back, and exited out her chest. "...Not...Good...Losing..."
"...Lisanna..."
The Take-Over Mage fell backwards her golden eyes falling on Lucy, finding the blond running towards her with tears streaming down her face. How, odd. Why, was it that she was crying? What could make her cry, like that? Why, did she look so worried? Didn't she know? Didn't Lucy realize that she had become a Monster? One that was very hard to kill? That she would just heal all these wounds? Didn't Lucy realize that when Rin had told them that a Demon Fox was placed in her body, that she was slowly but surely mastering and absorbing aspects of the Immortal Fox? That she would soon, cease to be Lisanna and that she was becoming the Fox.
Lisanna's lips parted on a apology before golden eyes fluttered closed, as the Take-Over Mage allowed herself to give into darkness obscuring her vision.
It was as she was falling deeper and deeper into unconsciousness, that Lisanna was taken over by a single memory. It was an event that had happened weeks, maybe a month or two after she had became the Host of the Immortal Fox and it was a memory that showcased just how much of a monster she had become.
The memory took her back in time and back to the day that she had realized that she wasn't Lisanna Strauss anymore, back to the day that the Immortal Fox had managed to not only taint her values and believes, but had also managed to soil her Soul-one that was slowly being erased- And Lisanna wondered why she was remembering this, why would she recall that horrible day? The day that Lisanna was slowly becoming something, she didn't want to be?
She could feel herself go back in time, return to that horrible day.
And as more and more aspects of that memory started to seep into her, Lisanna started to realize something. She couldn't help but feel that there was another, reason. That maybe this memory didn't show itself to remind her off the things she had been expecting, that its purpose wasn't to remind her off the fact that she had been right in thinking that the Fox would end up owning her body.
Lisanna started to realize that this memory was meant to remind her of something, something other than Ackerman being right, in believing that Lisanna wasn't strong enough to hold on to her Soul. No, Lisanna understood the reason for remembering this particular day. Understood that this memory didn't show itself to remind her off the Monster she became.
It showed itself to remind her of something she forget.
Date/Place; June X794, Island of Zorro.
Location; Maximus Coliseum.
.
.
The brown haired male cried out in pain.
Lisanna Strauss leaped back in order to evade his next attack, but it was already too late. The man known as Venom in the battle ring, had already moved his hand sending his deadly Magic in the form of a stream of acid. The poisonous liquid already dissolving her clothes and starting to eat away at her flesh. The white haired woman's mouth opened on a pained gasp, Lisanna forced herself to bear it and ignore the pain coursing through her system. But it was proving itself to be a near impossible task, Lisanna could feel it. Feel the bubbling acid eat through her skin, through her flesh and muscles, feel how it was eating its way down towards her bones.
It was as she was planning to put some distance between herself and her opponent, that Lisanna felt the slight sting.
A jagged sword dug its way through her back and was currently buried deep in her stomach, the woman standing behind her chuckled darkly. "Try to survive this, you fucking demon." She whispered moments before jamming a needle in her neck and injecting her with something. "I am sure that you didn't notice it due to the pain, but my sword is coated in Basilisk Poison and that needle? That needle contained Curare, bye bye little Fox."
Blue eyes widened in shock, wondering how she had managed to get her hands on either poison.
It didn't take long for Lisanna to feel the effects of the double poisoning, Lisanna could feel how the curare was starting to effect her and as expected of that particular poison, its effects were almost immediately. While it was true that her muscles were slowly losing their strength and that the Curare was effectively pushing her towards a complete paralyzes, it wasn't that poison that was causing her the most torment. That price went to the Basilisk poison currently invading her system. The vicious and acid like poison of the Basilisk was burning through her muscles and entering the rest of her body, Lisanna's mouth opened on an ear piercing scream.
The torment filled sound ripped through the air and filled her teammates with a sense of fear and worry.
...It hurts...
Lisanna felt as if her body was on fire, and in a sense it was. The poisonous acid was eating through the flesh, muscles and finally it was eating away through her stomach. The pain was unbearable, Lisanna could feel how everything was burning away and how even her blood seemed to be boiling in response to the deadly poison entering her system. Lisanna convulsed nearly buckling over, she wanted to throw up but Lisanna knew the danger that lay in that small but needed action.
The acid would rise up and burn her throat, and Lisanna didn't really want to suffer anymore than she already was. She closed her eyes pushing the acid bile back down her throat, it was an action that didn't help the nauseating feeling, it only seemed to be make things worse, for her. Lisanna could feel the ripples of pain tear through her stomach, further increasing the need to empty the contents of her stomach on the ground.
...Not...Good...I am losing, consciousness...
Lisanna's head lulled a little giving into the pain and exhaustion, her blue eyes fell shut as she allowed the darkness to obscure her vision and drag her under. It was as she was falling deeper and deeper into unconsciousness, that Lisanna's mind was suddenly filled with thousands and thousands of words.
They all seemed to speaking at the same time and they all seemed to be in that old and ancient language that Fox tended to speak in. The Language the Fox's Spells and Techniques used. It was an Language long dead and buried under the sands of time. A Language people had forgotten. Lisanna who had decided to focus on those words as opposed to the pain dulling her senses, tried to take them all one by one and see which words she could translate...On the words that the Immortal Fox would allow her to translate...There were a lot...To many to tell apart, but she still tried and by focusing, Lisanna was able to translate a few of the words.
Numbers?
Yes...They were repeating the words Numbers...Tails...Fox...Soul...They were also talking about Physical and Spiritual Tails...It took Lisanna a moment to go through all those words and discard the hundreds of dozens she didn't know and it might have been because the poisonous acid was working its way through her system, that it took Lisanna that long to figure out what the Fox's Instincts were telling her.
She didn't do it.
Lisanna hadn't extracted the Fox's powers in the correct way, it seemed that she was merely in a in-between state. There seemed to be major difference between extracting the powers of the Tails and using that to utilize the Fox's powers -Her current state- and actually extracting said Tails.
From what Lisanna could gather, she couldn't just extract the Fox's powers but actually extract the Physical Tail and become the Fox. Or better said she would be able to enter a State called her Half Way Sate, a form that stood between her True Form and her Human Form. The Immortal Fox had a Human Form? Lisanna wondered trying to make sense of it all, but she was just too tired. Too tired to search for the answers to that question and too tired to even find out how she could utilize that stage of the Fox powers. "...Huh...Why, do I feel so tired? I am so sleepy...So, very sleep...Just a little...Just a little nap-"
The rest of her sentence was lost as the young woman lost her consciousness, finally giving in to the pain and exhaustion.
It was as Lisanna lost the battle against the poison, that the voices filling her mind switched from simply whispering to downright screaming in her head. And together with the voices came a darkness, an need that went beyond the mortal woman and even the Fox sharing her body. This need wasn't tight to anything nor was it driven by anything other than instinct. It was a need that every single living thing should have, the need to live.
...Survive...Survive...You must survive...We must survive...We won't be put down my a mere mortal...Kill to live...Kill to survive...Kill...Kill...Kill that mortal...
They had changed.
Before they had been many and they had all sounded like Fox, but this time it was just one single voice and this one sounded different. Lisanna who was hovering somewhere between life and death, could tell that it wasn't the Fox. It sounded like her, it sounded a lot like her but at the same it also didn't. There was something else lurking under its depths. Unlike the Fox's voice which was civil and educated, this one was more feral.
Something was coming.
Lisanna could feel it, something was rising from the deepest part of her being and it was rising fast. Whatever it was, it wasn't the Fox and it wasn't her. Lisanna didn't know what it was, that was pulling her even further under, but even out like it as she was, she could tell that it was bad. She could hear the words. Even with her barely consciousness mind, Lisanna was able to translate a few words. Words that filled with her with dread.
...To survive is to kill...To kill is to survive...So, we must kill to survive...To live is to eat...To eat is to kill...So, we must kill to eat. Kill to survive, kill to eat...Eat to live...Eat to survive...We must survive...
The Take-Over Mage's eyes shot open.
Lisanna's blue eyes flashing to red -a deep glowing blood almost ruby like color- her slit pupils were slightly dilated, something that indicated just how much pain she was in. Lisanna's sighed her mouth opening, her lips revealing the enlarged canines and it was as she lifted her hands that one could spot the claws protruding from her fingers. Lisanna's head which had slightly lulled lifted up, her red glowing eyes facing the brown haired male standing before her, watching her suffer as the poison of his comrade was seeping into her body. "...Kitsune...Bi..." Lisanna said aiming her hand towards him and uttering the only spell of the Fox she managed to learn.
The Spell wasn't strong but it did its job.
It had forced Venom to leap backwards and away from her, putting some needed distance between herself and him. Lisanna's lips lifted in a smirk when she heard the woman behind her call out his name, her red glowing eyes lifted to face the clear blue sky. "The last one standing...Let's see which one of us, will be the last one standing." Lisanna whispered before tilting her head sideways and facing the woman jamming her sword in her body. "Let's see...The Demon...Or the Human..." She grinned in such a way that the brown haired woman knew for a fact, that this wasn't the one she knew as Hecate. This was something different.
"Impossible, you should be already-" The rest of her sentence was lost when her captive moved her hands and placed them against her head, her eyes widened when she heard Hecate say that she was hungry and what she would do. "No." She gasped sensing something cold and something she could only describe as darkness enter her body, the woman known as Iron Maiden in the Death Games was certain that nothing was really entering her body, but she couldn't shake the sense that something was brushing against her mind, against her heart and moving through her veins. "Let me, go." She whispered sounding for the first time in a long time afraid.
... Noroi no Kitsune; Seimeiryoku Kyushu...
Those soft words filled her mind and with those words came knowledge, they wrapped themselves around her mind and filled her with the need to do what was needed. She needed to survive, to survive she needed to kill and she needed to eat, to eat she needed to kill. So, her already warped mind came to the conclusion that killing this woman and feeding on her, would allow her to achieve both of her objectives. "Noroi No Kitsune; Seimeiryoku Kyushu..." Lisanna said repeating the words that had filled her mind, that had showed her the way out of this predicament. "Hungry...Just so, hungry...Need to eat...Need to feed...You'll suffice.."
...Yes...Yes...Feed...Eat...Indulge...Take it all...To survive we must kill...To eat we must kill...So, this is the natural way of things...We must feed to survive...Feed to heal...Feed...Feed...Feed us...Feed me...
The woman known as Iron Maiden gasped for breath, she could feel the life seep out of her and realized that she was going to die. This monster clad in human skin, would end her life and it was as that realization hit her that she opened her mouth on a silent scream, her brown eyes begging for mercy...Begging someone to safe her from the clutches of this evil.
Lisanna's red eyes fluttered shut as she started to drain the woman of her very Life-Force and made it her own, it was amazing how she could feel the energy returning to her. The brown haired woman struggled trying to get away from Hecate knowing that if she wanted to survive, that she had to get away from this demon.
But Lisanna ignored her vain attempts to free herself and just kept her in place by strengthening the Iron tight grip, she had on her head. "Almost...Almost done." Lisanna said indulging in the strength and power that was floating into her body, the white haired woman could feel it all come back to her. "There, there little Human. We are almost done, I promise...Soon...Soon, you won't even feel yourself kicking the bucket."
...A little more...More...More...We need more...
Lisanna sighed in a pleasure, her expression morphing into a one of utter rapture. One of her hands moved away from Iron Maiden's face and moved towards the sword jamming into her body, the annoying thing was slowing her healing down, she needed to get rid of it. Lisanna grabbed a hold of the weapon and pulled it out of her body, before releasing it allowing the deadly weapon to fall on the ground. "Ah, much better." Lisanna said turning around and fully facing her food source of the day. "Ah, this is so much better." She said before she allowed her eyes to fall shut, her lips lifted in a smirk as she rested her head against the woman. "So, tasty...So, alive."
It was the fearful whimper of Iron Maiden that penetrated the fog enveloping her mind.
Lisanna's eyes opened a little meeting the fearful and weak gaze of Iron Maiden, it took Lisanna a few seconds to register why the other woman looked so scared. Lisanna's blue eyes widened in pure and unadulterated shock. "...What..." The white haired woman's hold loosened a little, her mind trying to process just what she had done. Just what had she been doing, to her? Why did she look, like she was dying? What did she do?
"...Please, let me go..."
The white haired woman released her hold on the other woman, her blue eyes trying to process what she was seeing. "This...Is...Not...What" Lisanna moved her hands to her head clutching it when the brunette collapsed on the ground. "...I...What have I been doing?" Lisanna whispered backing away from the other woman, just what was she doing to her? Did she really do this to her? She couldn't have done, this right?
Iron Maiden gasped for breath, trying to get some air back in to her lungs.
Lisanna's eyes softened filling with remorse, self-loathing and fear. "No...No...No...This is not what I wanted...Why did I do that? What was I exactly doing?" Lisanna asked no one in particular, not that anyone could hear the soft mumbled words, the white haired woman legs gave out from under her, she let out a choked sob landing on her hands and knees. "What was that? What in the world was I doing? Did I cast, something?"
... Noroi No Kitsune; Seimeiryoku Kyushu...
The words that flashed through her mind and for some reason, they sounded familiar. But as Lisanna tried to remember where she had heard them before, she noticed that they were starting to fade. The words seemed to retreating to the furthest regions of her mind. Lisanna reacted almost instinctively, her mind -the part of her that was still hers alone- reached towards the words and took a mental hold over them. She didn't know why, but something in her told her to do that and to make those words her own, to wrap them around her mind. So, that was what she did and it was as she forced those words to open up, that she discovered it.
She didn't understand, how she did it.
But it seemed that she had managed to unlock a new ability of the Fox, Lisanna ignoring the commotion going on around her, concentrated and focused on those words. Once again opening her mind and allowing the words to fill her mind, fill it with knowledge. It had been the same when she had managed to unlock the ability known as Fox Fire and just like that time, Lisanna's mind automatically translated the words in that ancient language to one she could understand, this spell was different than Fox Fire.
It was a whole lot stronger and a lot darker.
No, that wasn't right. This wasn't a spell. It was a Curse. A weaker version of something else. Of what...Nothing. It seemed that she wasn't allowed to access that part of the Fox abilities and knowledge, she should have known. It wasn't like Lisanna had managed to control some of the Fox's immense power, because the Fox had given her that knowledge on a silver platter nor had she figured out how to utilize Fox Fire because the Fox had just allowed her access to that spell.
No, Lisanna had done it all on her own, by training for weeks and this battle was meant to see how she would fair in a real life and death situation.
Now, what could this Curse do?
Lisanna regretted asking that question, a mere two seconds later. It was as she translated those words, that Lisanna was hit by the meaning of them and the purpose of casting such a dark and evil curse. The Curse of the Fox; Life force absorption. This spell allowed the caster to remove the Life-Force -Energy, vitality and health- of another and draw it into their own body, the absorbed energy could then be used in various ways. Such as but not limited to enhancing themselves, using it as an tool to heal oneself faster and even amplifying their own magic.
So, that was why she had been compelled to use it.
Lisanna couldn't believe she had been willing to go that far, for something as trivial as surviving. Lisanna had been willing to take the life of someone else, how could she have fallen so far? How was it possible that she had reached a point, in which she could enjoy the suffering and pain of someone else? Had been wallowing in the euphoria that had filled her, when she had been taking someone else's life and tried to made it her own.
How could I do, something like that?
The white haired woman closed her eyes in disgust, how could she just accept that feeling? How could she even bring herself to be alright with it? See the need of it and have the nerve to enjoy, it? Because, Lisanna had been enjoying draining the other woman of her life. She had liked the sheer power she had been gaining and she had enjoyed to watch her struggle against her, fight for her life. "Can a human, drain life." Lisanna asked.
No, they can't.
Lisanna gritted her teeth when that answer resonated with her, no a human could not drain the life of another and make it their own. At least they shouldn't be able to do that, if there was one that could drain the life of others and make it their own? Then, that person had lost all of what had made them human. Which meant only one thing, didn't? That she wasn't a Human, anymore. "Ackerman was right. I am dying...No, that isn't right. I am being erased. It's just a matter of time, before she will eat through my Soul." Lisanna was so consumed with her own dark thoughts, that she didn't notice that her teammates had managed to finally reach her.
"I told you to be careful, I don't recall giving you permission to sit, this one out."
The white haired woman lifted her head when those words penetrated the fog enveloping her mind, Lisanna's blue eyes met the cold and even gaze of the Lightning Devil Slayer. "...Saizo..." Lisanna mumbled his name sounding pained, scared and a little relieved to see him. "...Saizo..." Lisanna said again her eyes filling with tears, tears she didn't try to stop from falling. "I am scared...What is happening to me?" She asked softly wanting nothing more than to bury her face in his chest and hide from this world, take in the comfort and safety he always offered her. "I don't know what is happening to me, and I don't know what to do."
"The same as always, you will live."
Lisanna shook her head already picturing how far she would end up falling, if she allowed herself to breath another day. She had managed to stop herself, but what if she wouldn't be able to pull back? What if one day, she would end up attacking her friends? Ackerman had that Star Ball and from what she could gather, that thing allowed him to control her...Or control the Fox. Lisanna wasn't the Fox...At least she wasn't the Fox yet.
But one day, she would be.
There was no doubt about it, it was just that Lisanna had managed to keep her at bay. Lisanna wasn't physically the strongest person, but her mental and emotional state were powerful. They had to be, she wouldn't have been able to survive Edolas, if she wasn't capable of accepting whatever life threw at her. "That sounds like an awful, idea."
"And caring about you, like an headache inducing one. And yet, here we are." Saizo Kiryu said ignoring the word exchange between Vincent whom was listening to their conversation and Rin who had pulled up the ground and was currently using it as a shield to guard them. Instead he focused on the young woman kneeled before him, his words were cold and sounded harsh but they did manage to draw a small smile from Lisanna.
"That was cruel, you shouldn't say that to a woman. If you continue on like that, you will never be able to get a woman to like you."
Saizo tilted his head regarding her for a moment, before replying to her words. "Let's put aside the fact, that any woman that can't accept me as I am, is already not worth a second of my time. And let's focus, on the fact that with the amount of time, I spend with you. I won't be able to give any other woman the time of day- I don't think, that she would be alright with all the attention I give you-, you are annoying, stubborn and lack a brain. Which is something that forces me to become both your brains and self preservation. While at the same time, functioning as your selfishness."
"I...Is that supposed to be a compliment? An insult? An odd combination of both?" Lisanna asked sounding a little upset and feeling guilty that she was already starting to feel a little better, her blue eyes moved towards Rin and the earthen wall she had pulled up. The other woman, the one who Lisanna had nearly killed was located on the other side and Lisanna didn't know whether she was still alive or not. She had managed to stop herself, but sadly she had been unable to stop before she had stolen a chunk of her life. "Ackerman was wrong...I was not ready...Am still not ready and I will probably never be ready...She is winning, Saizo..."
"I fail to see the problem, the Demon is winning and that means that you will lose?"
Lisanna frowned trying to find the meaning behind his words, but for the first time since she had known him, Lisanna was at a loss. "Euhm, if she wins than I automatically, lose." Lisanna said drawing a exasperated frown from the dark haired male. "What? Am I missing, something?"
"She is winning, that means she hasn't won, yet. Instead of worrying about, the head start she has, why won't you think, about how you can turn this situation to your advantage?" Saizo said his eyes moving towards Vincent and gesturing with his head to deal with the ones trying to breach, Rin's defense. "Aren't you a Mage of Fairy Tail? The Guild that doesn't know the meaning of giving up? The one that always comes out, on top? Are you really willing to turn your back, on all that Guild taught, you? Or were all those stories, you shared, a lie?"
"That is unfair-"
Saizo kneeled down lifting her chin up and forcing her to face him, his green eyes narrowed and for once showed an emotion other than boredom in his eyes. He was angry, enraged even. "You know what is unfair? You, giving up on life. You being so damn selfish, that you are not even considering how your team, might feel. Do you really think, we enjoy watching you break down like this? Enjoy seeing you start to hate, yourself?"
"Then what am I supposed to, do? I nearly killed her, I was absorbing her life and I was enjoying it. All because, something in me screamed to survive? Because, absorbing her life would allow me to regain the vitality, I needed." Lisanna snapped sounding lost and more than that afraid, her blue eyes filled with a self loathing. "And if that is not enough, I just found out that I haven't managed to extract the Fox powers right, I can't control her...I can't keep her at bay and I can't beat her...I am weaker than she is and-"
Saizo sighed softly his hand moving to cup her cheek, gently brushing his thumb against the soft skin. "Why, are you trying to be someone you aren't?" He smiled when she frowned in confusion. "Why do you want to beat, her? Why do you wish to keep her at bay? Why do you want to control, her? Why are you trying to be like me? Vincent and Rin? Why, won't you be yourself when you deal with this? Why, won't you be Lisanna?"
"...Huh..."
The dark haired male leaned towards her, resting his forehead against her. "You are the strongest person, I know. You are warm, bright and kind. Never, ever forget that. You are a better, person than we are. So, never ever try to be like us." He pulled back sending her a rare grin before lifting himself up to his feet and turning around, making his way towards Rin who was starting to have trouble with keeping her wall up. "And Lisanna? If you need to absorb life to survive, than you should do it. Remember, that there is life all around you. You really don't need to take it from someone who falls under the same species, as you."
Date/Place; December X794, Island of Zorro.
Location; Unknown, somewhere under the Facility.
.
.
"Why, are you trying to be someone you aren't? Why do you want to beat, her? Why do you wish to keep her at bay? Why do you want to control, her? Why are you trying to be like me? Vincent and Rin? Why, won't you be yourself when you deal with this? Why, won't you be Lisanna?"
Ah.
She could remember it, Lisanna could recall that day so vividly now. Not as the day that she realized that she was becoming something else, but as the day she had earned the Fox's reluctant trust. It had taken Lisanna a while to find the meaning behind Saizo's words, but she had managed to do it. And it was then that she had realized something, that she hadn't approached the situation with the Fox as herself. Lisanna had up until that point in time, viewed the Fox as an intruder, as someone she had to keep at bay and nothing more than, an enemy.
Saizo had been right, Lisanna had forgotten or more Lisanna had been unwilling to view it from the Fox's stand point. How she would have felt of being pushed in a different body, every time she ended up eating through one's soul. That she wasn't the only one who was suffering through this, it wasn't just Lisanna's life who was turned upside down and inside-out. The Fox was someone who had to go through, the same amount of pain, the same amount of suffering, as Lisanna.
Lisanna's eyelids fluttered, a little.
It was on that day that the Take-Over Mage had finally managed to extract the Fox's Physical Tails for the first time, it was on that day that the two woman had managed to come to an agreement. It was on that day, that Lisanna had struck a deal with the Fox. Lisanna would borrow the Fox's powers and the Fox would keep residing in her body, not as a parasite nor as an intruder. But the Fox would reside in this body, like she belonged.
They would both own, this body and they would both decide what happened, to it.
Lisanna wouldn't do anything without her full consent and the Fox would give her the same courtesy, it was a dangerous bargain but the Fox had been willing to listen. All she wanted to know, was what she would have gotten in return, considering that she would eventually eat through Lisanna's Soul and possess this body, it was just a matter of time. What she had offered was the only thing she could, something none of the Ancient Fox's previous Hosts had offered her and the only thing, Lisanna considered to be more valuable than power and riches.
She had offered her, her friendship and full acceptance.
It had been an offer that had drawn three distinctive reactions from the Fox; Shock at the words she had uttered, laughter at the sheer ridiculousness off her offer and finally, something close to relief and the comment that there were still humans who were capable of such insane and stupid ideas. Lisanna didn't know why she had accepted her offer, but the Fox had and she had allowed her access to her powers. Though it had come with a catch and that was that the Fox would with-hold anything she deemed her not ready for, not worthy off and simply wasn't any of her damn business.
Lisanna at that time hadn't cared -and she still didn't care- all Lisanna had cared about was, having the strength to protect herself and not to be a liability. As long as Lisanna had the power to stand by her friends and not hide behind them, Lisanna hadn't cared how much she would be burned, in the end. Releasing so many of her Animal Souls, had made her weak and a Mage without access to her trademark Magic. So, Lisanna had made that deal, knowing that the Fox could decide that she wasn't allowed to use a spell in the middle of a battle.
She had accepted that clause, and Lisanna had yet to regret it.
That deal had allowed her to protect herself and to not stand in the way of her teammates, it had allowed her to take care of herself and it had allowed her to take some of the worries that plagued her teammates away. In the months following that conversation, Lisanna had managed to extract Four Physical Tails and two more abilities of the Fox; Noroi no Kitsune and Tsuki No Mai. Those Tails and spells had allowed her stand on her own two legs, it had allowed her to get some of her self worth back.
But most of all, it had taken some of her guilt away.
The same guilt that had filled her when she realized that she was leaving Lucy to deal with their current situation. Lisanna knew that Lucy could take care of herself, it was just that she didn't like the idea of leaving Lucy to deal with multiple opponents and protect her motionless body. But what could she do? Lisanna had reached the limit of her Magic, her Take-Over was flickering and was just moments away from dissolving completely.
...Feed...
The voice ringing in her mind was right, Lisanna really needed to feed but she didn't want to. As much as she had accepted the Fox as part of herself, Lisanna had never been willing to accept that part of herself. The part of her that was always hungry, Lisanna had noticed that normal food wasn't nearly enough to sustain her -not that she got any decent meals, here- it didn't matter if Saizo tended to give her his share, it didn't matter that Rin and Vincent tended to steal more for her, Lisanna was always hungry.
She knew what she needed, the voice in her mind had told her what she needed. But Lisanna had never accepted it, she had simply refused to follow the same diet off the Fox. Lisanna knew that the day, that she would accept that part of her, would be the day that she truly died and seized to be the woman known as Lisanna Strauss.
But now came the question, who was Lisanna Strauss?
The girl that had lost her parents at such a young age? The one who had decided to never cry in sadness or fear, because she was afraid to trouble her siblings? Or was she the one who joined Fairy Tail? The one who befriended Natsu and hatched Happy's egg? The one was taken to Edolas? Or the one that came back? The one who was abducted by a evil Cult? Or the woman who came out on the other side? What was it that made her Lisanna Strauss, exactly?
It was as that question, flashed through her mind that she recalled part of a conversation, she had nearly forgotten. One she had buried away, due to the events that had let to that moment in time.
"Lisanna is Lisanna, that is all she is and she is nothing more and nothing less. Whether she has two heads, six arms or has a Fox, Bear or the Devil himself sealed in her body. Lisanna is Lisanna, that is just it." The dark haired male said washing the blood -his blood- from under her nails. "Your parents named you Lisanna, they didn't name you Human. So, that is secondary to whom you're. Being, Human doesn't mean being Lisanna."
Golden eyes fluttered, once again.
Lisanna couldn't help but smile softly, her expression changing from that of pain to one that looked at peace and content. Just what would she do, without him? Lisanna wondered, realizing not for the first time that Saizo had been the main reason she'd managed to hold on for so long. To him it didn't matter how she appeared, or what she did or even became as long as she was herself and was happy, Saizo would accept her as she was.
It was about time that she did the same.
The white haired woman lips parted on a sigh, it really was time that she accepted every single part of herself and that included the part that needed Life Force to life. It was time that she stopped being so selfish and did what was needed. It was about time that she did something back for the Fox that had always protected her, Lisanna's mind reached out towards the Fox residing in her body. "Forgive me...I will be better...I promise I'll."
...What exactly are you, planning to do...
Lisanna felt the Fox's question, more than she heard it and she took a moment to answer it. "Something that I should have done, a long time ago..." Something that was long overdue, Lisanna couldn't afford to go down here. And she refused to let Lucy deal, with her problems. This was Lisanna's mess and Lisanna had to clean it up herself or at the very least, contribute in some way or another. There was no way, she was willing to let everyone else deal with it, while she sat this out. But, was she really willing to kill a Human, just to survive? To secure the safety, of her family and friends? No, the real question was, would she do it and was it worth it.
The Fox sharing her body, didn't reply, to that question.
Instead she reached towards Lisanna's consciousness and pulled the Mortal Woman under, taking her back to the day that she had accepted the Fox as part of herself. It was as the Fox filled her mind with the events that had happened that day, that Lisanna realized that it had been her that had forced her to recall that day, in the first place. Lisanna felt that her friend and roommate was searching for something and it wasn't until the first words filled her mind, that Lisanna realized what the Fox was trying to tell her. Or more what she had been looking for, Lisanna's mind's eye projected the fragment of a memory.
A memory that filled her with a sense of purpose, one that gave her an Iron-clad determination.
"And Lisanna? If you need to absorb life to survive, than you should do it. Remember, that there is life all around you. You really don't need to take it from someone who falls under the same species, as you."
The white haired woman felt herself being pushed back to the surface of her conscious, could feel herself regain some semblance of control over her motionless body. Golden eyes opened, the hazy orbs gazed at the roof of the cavern-A roof that seemed to be getting further and further away- it took her a few moments to realize that gravity was pulling her down to earth. "Thank you, Saizo. I forgot, it won't happen again." Lisanna mumbled shifting her body tossing herself into an cartwheel, twisting mid air and landing on her hands and knees on the rocky ground. "Noroi No Kitsune; Seimeiryoku Kyushu." Lisanna said sending the curse into the living ground.
This was the first time, she casted this curse with the full intention to use it.
Lisanna could feel the difference between the previous times and this moment, it should have been something to expect. Lisanna was a Mage and she more than anyone else, should know that the Heart -Emotions- tended to empower ones Magic. The more determined you were, the more feelings you put in your spells, the stronger they became. And that was what was happening right now, Lisanna had never casted this curse while she was present of mind let alone, use it with her heart behind it.
Something she was doing, right now.
Lisanna closed her eyes feeling the life of the earth under her feet, seep into in her. If she had to survive by taking life, than she would rather do it like this and while she didn't like destroying nature, Lisanna knew that she didn't have a choice. If this what she had to do to keep her friends safe than she would, if she had to become a monster to ensure their lives, than Lisanna would become the vilest creature this earth had ever seen.
The Immortal Fox's response to Lisanna's determination, was a heart-filled laugh.
Something deep inside Lisanna clicked open, as the Fox rose from her resting place and moved towards the Silver Gates sealing her in. "If you are that determined, then I will lend you a hand." The Fox's single tail lifted itself up into the air, splitting in four before they fanned out behind the Silver Fox. "Lisanna Strauss...My Host and My friend... Mortal that I have accepted, I grant thee access to my Fifth Tail. Use it wisely, little one."
...You...
The thought was barely formed or Lisanna felt the Fox's Magic spike, her mind's eye catching the moment the Fox snapped out her Fifth Tail. The Silver Tail expanded behind the Fox, growing in size before joining the Four already fanned out behind the Fox and it was only then, that Lisanna felt it. Felt the magic seep into her veins, into her nerves and seep into her Magic Container. "Soul Morph." Lisanna mentally said the words to the spell that would allow her to morph the 'Spirit' to her own Soul and she could feel it. Feel herself reach out towards the Foreign entity and draw it in, wrap herself around it and slowly but surely absorb it into herself.
Lisanna could sense the Fragment of the Fox's soul, resist her pull.
It was something to be expected nothing wanted to be absorbed into something else, Lisanna knew that and it was why she always approached it differently. Instead of simply submitting the other Soul to her own will, Lisanna would open herself up and try to get to know the entity she was taking in and she would make a 'deal' or adjust something in herself to accommodate to the Spirit she was taking in. There was a reason why it was said that one could only Take-Over the beings that they truly understood.
A good Take-Over Mage, was one who understood and accepted each and every single Soul as their own person and not see them as a means to an end, as a weapon or worse as a servant subjected to you. When one thought like that, the Souls they took in would rebel and they could turn against you, Take You Over and in the worst case scenario they could even burn your soul out. Exhaust you to such extremes that you would die.
Which made respect one of the Key's to being a successful Take-Over Mage, the other two being a strong will and emotional stability. Three things people often discarded in favor for a Higher Magical Aptitude and a strong physical body, while the last two were important they weren't the most important tools, that one needed to master the dangerous Magic Branch, known as Take-Over.
That honor went to a strong will, emotional stability and respect.
One needed to have a strong will and determination, to be capable of defeating and submitting the 'invading' spirit; If you lacked the mental strength or were to easily swayed by emotions, the foreign spirit would just end up consuming you and become the dominate Soul in this body. And even if you manage to submit the Spirit, but ended up treating it badly like it was some sort of tool as opposed to an extension of yourself, you would end up with a honest to god Mutiny in your own body.
Following the advice her partner had given her, Lisanna stayed true to herself and that was why she did, what she always had done. She accepted the Fox's Soul Fragment exactly as it was, Lisanna showed it that she wasn't attempting to change it nor was she going to judge it. Lisanna opened her mind, allowing the Spirit to access and it was as the Spirit of the Fox's Fifth Tail was attaching itself to her own soul, that Lisanna noticed it. She hadn't been imagining it, each and every single one of the Fox's Tails seemed to be their own separate person, having their own quirks and tempers, if that even made sense. "I share my body, with a strange one."
"Kettle? I would like to introduce myself, I am Pot and I want to share a secret with you, we are both black."
Lisanna could feel herself smile at those words, allowing herself this private moment with her friend before she would shift her attention outward and onto the world around her. Moments like these could feel like they had taken hours, but they tended to always be less than a minute as everything moved with the speed of thoughts, but without the time needed to set any action in motion. Lisanna sighed before drawing herself up to the surface of her consciousness.
Sound, was the first thing Lisanna registered while sense of smell and touch were both the second and third thing.
Lisanna took a deep breath anchoring herself and asking her friend whether she was ready to teach them the dangers of pissing a Kitsune off. Lisanna's lips lifted in a smile when the Fox responded with that she had been born for nothing but that purpose. "...Very well, then..." Lisanna's eyes fluttered open flashing to red and glowing eerily in the dark, her lips widening into a smirk. "Kitsune Soul; Gobi No Kitsune." Lisanna said seconds before a bright light flashed covering her body and hiding her from her view, it took mere moments before the lights dimmed and revealed the kneeling woman in her newest form. "...Fifth Tail, released..."
"This is the first time you have entered and are using this State on your own. I am not the one currently in charge nor are you pushed into this state by the Star Ball." The Fox said retreating back into her own mind space, sealing the Gates behind her, the ancient and immortal being lied down, resting her head on her forelegs. "You unlike me, need to earn the abilities and attributes a Kitsune gets with the release of a New Tail."
The white haired woman pushed herself of the ground, lifting herself from her kneeling position. Lisanna really didn't need the Fox to remind her off that little fact, she was well aware of it. Whether the Fox would allow her access or not, Lisanna had to prove she was worthy of unlocking the Tails on her own. It was something she shared with all Kitsune -excluding the one sharing her body- Something she was for as long as she used the Fox's Tails as a Take-Over, which meant that the ancient rules applied to her as well. Which meant that, Lisanna had to earn her Tails, proof that she was capable of mastering it's abilities. "This is going to be a long, day."
"Don't be so glum, I for one have the utmost faith in you. And besides, you aren't facing them, alone."
Lisanna's ruby colored orbs flickered back into a golden hue with slit pupils, as the last traces of the Fox being on the surface of her consciousness disappeared. It was the truth in that statement that eased her nerves, she was right. No matter what would happen to her, no matter what she would end up facing and wherever she would wash up, Lisanna wouldn't be facing it alone not as long as she was here. She was never truly alone. "...Thank you, Setsura..."
No matter what happened, Lisanna and the Fox were in this together.
A/N: And this is a wrap ladies and gentleman, I know this chapter was mostly a Flashback and some self reflection, but they were both needed to get the plot moving on. We can't have Lisanna think like she is a monster all the time, as she needed to accept herself as she was, sooner or later. Of course, this is merely a step and whether Lisanna can continue on this train of thought or not, depends on what still lays ahead of her. The next chapter will be up to schedule, so either once or twice every month.
I hope you all enjoyed, the chapter and do tell me what you thought about it. It's a long one, so I hope you all don't mind. The chapters following this one will vary in length, so either shorter than this one or brace yourself twice as long as our current chapter. The Island Arc is almost over, though I have deviated from my original goal of ending this Arc in the next two chapters. There is still a lot, I need to work in and I don't want to end this Arc without resolving it all.
Well that was it, for this chapter and hopefully I will see you all in the next installment.
