Natsu had gotten halfway through the small town before abandoning his search. He couldn't smell any new traces of Lucy, just her stale scent from earlier. Happy had become discouraged and trailed in the dirt behind Natsu with his tail dragging dejectedly. The miserable duo trudged back to the large house to see Danni standing in front of the door.
"Natsuu! Where did my handsome guest go?" The blonde girl cooed, again ignoring the cat.
"Danni! You must have seen Luce right?! I can't find her." Natsu called hopefully.
"Hmm…let me think…haven't seen her! Maybe she went back to your guild or something. Enough about her, let's have dinner and our walk. Oh and since the girl is gone you can have your own room now!" Danni cheerily brushed the matter of Lucy's disappearance away.
Natsu slumped slightly; Danni had been his last hope at finding Lucy. "Nah, I need to find Luce. Me and Happy will go search somewhere else."
"Really? Why are you chasing after such an ugly girl? Forget about her! She left you." Danni was growing impatient of Natsu's faithfulness.
Natsu jerked in shock, "Luce is beyond lovely, and don't you dare say she is any less. What do you mean she left me?"
"She's gone and isn't coming back! It's time for you to move on. I'll help you get over her." Danni coaxed evilly.
"Lucy would never leave Natsu! Something happened to her, why are you saying stuff like this?!" Happy shouted angrily. The blue cat knew now that the two mages were meant to be together. He had grown to feel like the child of the two. Happy was very fond of Lucy and didn't like what Danni was saying about his friend.
Natsu eyed her suspiciously, "I don't know what you are trying to do but I need to go. Come on Happy let's go look in the woods."
"Oh no you don't! I won't you interfere with the plans! Damn you!" Danni screeched in frustration, seeing the orders her master had laid down for her crumbling before her very eyes. Roots shot out of the ground at Natsu's feet and climbed up his legs, quickly entrapping him. A small root found its way to Happy's tail and leashed the cat down.
"Whoa! What's this?" Natsu thrashed experimentally at the bindings and tore a few of them. As soon as one was ripped two more took its place.
Danni cackled, "I'm a mage too! If I can't seduce you, I'll just restrain you until the master is done with the blonde bitch."
"Done with her? I don't think so. You won't be restraining anyone!" Natsu growled fire spreading in his palm and singed the ties.
"Ah-ah-ah." Danni scolded while waving one index finger back and forth at Natsu. A small pain filled squeal sounded next to Natsu's ear. The blue cat had been completely wrapped from head to foot and was being squeezed tightly. "I'll crush him if you move!"
Natsu stopped moving and using his magic and the cat let out a sigh of release as he felt the restraints relax slightly. Natsu growled menacingly at Danni but was completely unable to do anything to her.
"Why don't we take this around back?" Danni snickered. The roots wrapped around Natsu's wrists like shackles and the other side of the roots ended up in Danni's hand. Happy was still bound from top to bottom and dragged across the ground. Danni led the two behind the house and into the garden. It would have been a beautiful scene if not for the situation. Neatly trimmed boxes of all sorts of plants and flowers were in full bloom. A gravel path snaked its way through all the growth with elegant wooden and metal benches spotting the edges here and there. The scent of so many mingling flowers hit Natsu's nose like a ton of bricks, almost overwhelming his senses. The flower beds were organized by color in a dazzling display. They stopped next to the crimson section. Blood colored roses tangled everywhere with vicious needles ready to slash flesh. They looked as dangerous as the forest green eyed girl controlling the mage and cat.
She looked around to make sure they were alone before sitting down on a bench. "Will you look at this? We still get to have our walk in the garden, though this isn't what I was picturing. Sit." Danni patted the spot next to her on the bench, but Natsu didn't budge. He stood glaring at her venomously. "Sit now."
Happy was lifted off the ground and slammed head first into a nearby tree with a sharp yelp. Natsu sat next to Danni feeling bile rise in his throat. Everything about this girl made him sick.
"Good." She purred. Happy landed at their feet and gave Natsu an apologetic look. This girl was hurting Natsu's family, and he wasn't going to just sit by and watch. "You know Natsu if you weren't such an idiot you might be sexy. But with how you are now you just have a boyish charm. Hmm, well I guess some people have a taste for that, but not me. I want a rugged guy who has this…air about him."
"What are you blabbing about? Are you just keeping me captive to listen to your preference in men?!" Natsu snarled completely out of patience with this insolent woman.
"Oh, would you rather me talk about what my master is doing to your precious Lucy as we speak? I was just trying to pick a topic that we could talk about without…upsetting you or me. I'm just stalling you here until I get word that master is done. So why not fill the silence? Unless you want me to complete my mission like I was supposed to, we can go inside and do it right now." Danni shrugged like any of those options worked for her.
Natsu spit, "You are disgusting. You are only keeping me here because I am allowing it. Tell me about this master of yours, and what he is supposedly doing with Luce."
"Allowing it huh?" To prove her point Danni rose Happy off the ground and smashed him down again. Happy grunted but otherwise gave no complaint. He nodded at Natsu to show he was okay. Her eyes glossed over and a faint smile lifted her lips as Danni spoke. "Ah you ask of me an impossible task! To describe my master is indeed a difficult request. Master exceedingly gorgeous, there aren't words to define his beauty fully. His might is breath taking; he could slay ten dragons without breaking a sweat. He is so powerful that he can bring back the dead, which he has promised to do for me. Did I mention he is in love with me? How lucky I am! Today will be the best day of my life. Today I will be reunited with my late parents and married to master. After he has had sex with Lucy and locked her away until he needs her again, master will be all mine!"
Natsu cringed already sensing betrayal. If this master was attracted to Lucy he didn't intend to do anything for Danni. Natsu felt a little bad for the lied to girl, but not that much. Natsu knew that this other dragon slayer wouldn't kill Lucy if he went to such lengths to obtain her, that much was a bit of a relief. "Danni, you have to snap out of this delusion you are living in. Please! Your master won't do these things for you! He isn't as strong as you think he is. Please realize this, for me. Let me go and I will show you that you are being lied to."
"You are the one who lies!" Danni shrieked, "Master loves me! He promised me! Why do you people want to take away all of my happiness?! That blonde bimbo Lucy tried to say the same thing. You are both liars and idiots!"
Natsu sighed understanding that trying to convince her would be moot. But the direction of the conversation had distracted her and the ties on Natsu's wrists had slackened. Natsu didn't revel in hitting woman, especially confused ones, but he had to do it for Lucy. Quick as a flash a fisted hand shot from his lap and straight into Danni's astonished face. His knuckles collided with the soft flesh of her cheek. She fell backwards off the bench into the waiting thorn covered roses. She screamed in pain as blood welled out of her long, deep thorn caused scratches running out up her arms. Danni stopped moving, unconscious. The cerise roses seemed to drink the red fluid from the sleeping girl. Her gold hair curled in with the dirt and roots, she looked like another one of the plants. It was a gruesome yet beautiful sight. Natsu stood up shaking his head. He was glad he could still hear her breathing; she was alive and would survive.
"Any day now Natsu!" Happy huffed, still tied up. Natsu ripped the roots away from the cat and helped brush the scraps off the fury body. He looked to the darkening woods, the light from the setting sun casting dancing shadows along the tree trunks.
"Let's go get Luce." Natsu said to Happy absolutely determined to succeed.
"Aye sir!"
Lucy's voice had grown hoarse from screaming and her body sore from struggling. The ogre lumbered through the trees not even noticing when he smashed one with his giant feet. He paid the thrashing girl no mind as well. Lucy soon gave up the fight, panting.
They arrived at a small camp like place. There was a fire pit in the center of dirt with ash strewn about the edges. A large stack of badly cut fire wood gathered too close to the pit. The entrance of an ominous cave loomed near the pit. Many boulders of all sizes were in a somewhat "neat" mound by the cave. A line of rope stretched between two trees much like a place to dry clothes on, but instead of garments three young girls hung from it. They were dangling by their wrists which were tied to the line with a thick rope. They all looked pretty banged up, cuts and bruises covered their bodies. There was dried blood around the camp and stuck to their tattered clothes. They looked up through matted hair as the ogre approached. The wolf creature Sweetie Pie, followed behind her master and eyed the girls with hunger.
In unison like they had practiced they all began pleading, "Please let us go Tarrog! We aren't tasty! Please!"
The ogre chuckled, "As if I'd let my dinner go! Your flesh smells delicious from all the way over here. I brought you a new play mate. I have a job for all of you swine. Whoever cleans this bitch up the best will be eaten last, or first depending on which I prefer. Die first or watch everyone else be eaten before your very eyes!"
With unexpected dexterity he tied Lucy's hands tightly with the same kind of rope holding the girls. He untied the line for the trees and looped on end around the massive wolf's neck, then attached Lucy to the very end, "Take em' to the river Sweetie Pie. I'll start the fire for a human roast tonight!" He patted the wolf on the back and wandered over to the fire pit. Lucy could tell that the wolf wanted to eat all four girls right there but loyal did as her master ordered.
They were taken to a long winding river that came from the horizon and disappeared in the distance. The rumbling of the waves was almost soothing. Birds swooped over the waters; the sound of insects chirped in the shrubs, and the lowering sun cast a shimmering glow on the swift waters. It would be a peaceful place for a picnic. Sweetie Pie snagged a fox out of the brush and started munching on it. The sickening snapping noises and the now gut covered grass destroyed the tranquil image.
The three other girls filed into the water like they had done this a few times. The wolf watched them carefully from the bank. The others forced Lucy to follow them into the chilly waves. It was like stepping into an ice bath. Lucy shivered and squeaked.
"What is your name?" The chubbiest of the three captured girls asked Lucy. This girl was a bit short and pudgy. Her blonde hair would have been very curly and pretty if not for the mud and blood caught in it. She had clear blue eyes that stared at Lucy with a look of defeat.
"M…my n…name i…is L…Lucy" Lucy was able to say through her chattering teeth.
"You'll get used to the water in a few minutes." The pudgy girl said and introduced Lucy to everyone, "My name is Erin, this is Yukta" Sam gestured to the tallest of the group. She had a similar appearance to Erin. Sticks were dangling out of her belly-button length blonde tresses. Her eyes were the color of stormy skies and would have held the same fierceness of the wind but instead looked at Lucy with less power than a breeze. "And she is Armanda. She was captured first, then Yukta and me" The last girl was the same height as Lucy, the shocking difference between her and the other girls was that she was close to flat chested. Her hair was more dirty blonde and didn't fall past her chin. Her hazel eyes, though with and air of downfall, gave Lucy the impression that Armanda still had fight in her. Each girl as introduced nodded at Lucy.
"That monster that brought you here is a mountain ogre by the name of Tarrog and his wolf pet Sweetie Pie over there." Yukta shivered, but not because of the water.
"Welcome to the family." Armanda snarled sarcastically. "Let's get you cleaned up shall we?"
The three kidnapped girls worked hypnotically. They did their best to scrub all the dirt off of Lucy with their bare hands and no soap. Working though Lucy's yellow hair with their frozen fingers, they actually did a pretty good job of getting Lucy clean.
"Why are you doing this?" Lucy questioned.
"Tarrog told us too. If we don't do what he wants…we pay for it later. Besides you are the one who will finally set us free of this torment. We will finally be killed and not have to live this hell anymore." Erin sighed almost happily.
"Free?! That isn't freedom, dying to escape is cowardly. Think of the people who are waiting for you at home! You should try to get away from here, not die." Lucy gasped astonished by the portly girl's words.
Yukta scoffed and pulled her fingers a little too roughly through Lucy's blonde curls, "You don't believe we haven't thought about our families day and night? Missed them every passing moment? Wanted desperately to return to them? We have tried to get away! But there is no escaping from that monster! The only thing we have left is to hope that we make it to heaven and see our loved-ones there once they grow old."
"Unless you have a brilliant plan newbie, we aren't going to get out of this forest alive." Armanda sighed.
"I…I don't have a plan…but I have hope! I know someone who can help and I will hope that he is able to find this place. He is strong and brave, he will come to save me. Once I am free I will untie you three and you need to run as far as you can while I distract Tarrog." Lucy made up an escape for the girls on the spot trying to raise their moral.
Armanda was more interested than the other two, "What are the chances of this guy finding you? Also why would you do that for people you just met?"
"Very good chances, he has the nose of a blood-hound. Tracking this place down will be easy for him." Lucy said confidently then thought to herself, I hope he can find it…and get past Danni. "I want to help you! This was also part of my mission; I'm a mage from the guild Fairy Tail. My friend and I were sent here to investigate the disappearance of you three and the monster in the woods. And well…here I am!"
"You're a mage? Why don't you use your magic right now and get us out of here!" Erin perked up.
Lucy got slightly embarrassed, "I…I can't. Tarrog stole my magic keys and without them I can't call on my stellar spirits."
"So you are useless?" Yukta growled angrily at Lucy for getting her expectations up.
"Not completely! Remember my partner will come looking for me! He will save us, I'm sure of it." Lucy retorted.
"What if he's too late or can't find you?" Erin sighed heavily, giving up optimism again.
Lucy wasn't able to respond because Sweetie Pie had finished her crude meal and started to drag the girls back to camp. "Looks like bath time is over, let's see if your guy is as sharped nosed as you say." Armanda whispered then the three girls fell into a stony silence.
The group reached the camp to find a huge blazing fire in the pit. An unskillfully constructed spit was resting above the flames.
"Ah, all clean now? Sadly I can't eat you yet. Master says he doesn't want his mate to see me eat. So you have a little while to wait until he comes to collect her. Have you decided who is going first?" Tarrog smiled. The order of their deaths was like a game to him.
"I'll go first." Erin whimpered weakly.
"Splendid! You will go last!" He chuckled tauntingly. He eyed the others and pointed at Armanda, "You are the least meaty, so you will be eaten first. I want to work up to my desert."
The three shared surprised gasps. Armanda gritted her teeth and started at the monster with absolute hated.
"And you," Tarrog grabbed Lucy, breaking her off of the line and bringing her in uncomfortably close to the fire, "need to be dry by the time master gets here."
The other three girls sat in the dirt not caring that the soil clung to their damp legs and clothing. Silent sobs wracked their frames.
Lucy began to tear up too. She had been so sure that Natsu would come for her. But he wasn't there to rescue her. He was probably in bed with Danni. Lucy was going to be raped and these girls were going to be eaten. And Lucy began to think it was all her fault.
There was a sucking sound and the warmth behind Lucy dissipated. Lucy opened her eyes to see the fire pit was empty; the wood was still smoking in the ash covered dirt.
"What the-" Tarrog breathed before a flaming fist smashed into his face. Tarrog's head went back but he remained sitting up right. There was a small thump as a person landed behind the ogre. Tarrog heaved himself into a standing position and turned to face his attacker.
A pink haired boy stood in a fighting crouch with a huge smile plastered on his face and his fist on fire, "Hey Luce."
"Natsu!" Lucy cried in delight.
"Fire-boy" Tarrog hissed.
Author's note: I'm really sorry it took me this long to update! I have had a crazy busy week/weekend. I'm involved in my school's drama club and I'm the paint lead so I have to decide what it will look like/paint the entire set for the fall play. But I was able to get this written, I hope you enjoyed! This is where my plans for this story start getting a little fuzzy so I'm just writing by my mood I guess. Heh, should probably do some homework now that I'm finished with this. Updates will get a little sporadic from here on out, going to be staying at school until 11:00 at night so I don't know exactly when I'll be writing but I promise I'll try to be as often as possible! Have a good week :)