Chapter 28: Tartaros
Jellal stared at the body.
The gruesome scene in front of him would have dropped a weaker man to his knees, but Jellal had seen far worse fates spending most of his lifetime around the dark side of humanity. The corpse, decomposing anywhere from eight to fourteen hours depending on the two missing girls' time frame and the amount of maggots burrowing into its skin, sat in a clearing next to the remnants of an old campsite. The face, blown clean off, made the person impossible to identify. Pieces of meat were scattered everywhere, most likely from the bullet ricocheting inside the skull. His upper clothes were caked in blood. Jellal couldn't help noticing that man's pants were loose and soft, not normally something worn by locals - more the design of nomadic, desert herdsmen.
And the smell.
The rotten cheese, death stench had warned them something was wrong before they even glimpsed the scene. The smell increased steadily the closer they got to the body, creating a terrible sense of dread hovering over them. The three men had arrived at the area with their guns drawn. When they had discovered the body, Sting, not use to death, had volunteered himself to stand at a distance with the horses who were spooked by the smell.
Jellal observed the pink haired ranger circling the body like a vulture. His face was more serious than he had seen in a long time. It was easy to forget the man was an officer of the law, while he had been living on the ranch. Jellal wanted to hunt for clues quickly then move on but decided not to rush the man. Natsu had a duty to investigate whether the body was one of the people they were tracking or some poor helpless fool in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the end, he was the impromptu leader of their little posse, not Jellal, and would make the decision on how long they would stay.
"See this funny shaped tattoo on his right shoulder. Do you know what it is?" Jellal inquired after seeing the odd emblem on the dead man's upper right shoulder. It almost looked like one tattoo overlay another, older one. The one underneath seemed familiar but he couldn't place its origin. Maybe something he had seen in prison? All indications, at least in Jellal's mind, pointed this person as being one involved with the kidnappers. Loke's trail lead specifically to this spot where a lone, unidentifiable male lay murdered. The man also sported tattoo with potentially suspicious connections while wearing clothes not endemic to the area.
Scowling, Natsu glanced between the wound to the shoulder, one eyebrow furrowing in concentration. "The first one is common tattoo: the desert division of the military uses. I have no idea what the new mark is. Almost seems like a gang symbol." He took off his bandana using it to dig into the hole before dislodging a bullet with a sickening crunch, making Sting doubled over, belching out last night's supper. "Now this is special. The hole made from a small pistol. Not a normal one for a man to carry but perfect for a female."
"Levy owned a small pistol, a Remington ladies pocket pistol, .22 caliber. She was carrying it on her body when she disappeared, right?"
"That's what I am thinking too." Natsu commented, studying the metal after rubbing off the blood before tossing the bandana to the side. "Yep .22 caliber even though the metal is warped after hitting bone."
"She got the drop on them." Jellal murmured, walking around as well, contemplating how the meeting occurred. He handed the ranger a waterskin to wash off his hands. "The action surprised them. She was able to shoot one before they captured her too."
"Loke got shot. The big cat was probably thought to be a threat." Natsu added as he rinsed his hands. His silver star gleamed brightly in the sunlight. The man didn't wear it often but he had donned the badge as soon as he left Phantom S. Somehow riding on the right side of the law gave Jellal more confidence they would succeed.
"They didn't make sure he was dead though, which is why he stumbled home. They were in a hurry to leave. Not caring how much evidence they left."
"To be fair, nobody would have predicted the wounded critter would drag himself home."
"Between the two interruptions, the girls fought back. The perpetrators were nervous. Maybe hurt themselves. So they high tailed it out of here, thinking someone would follow the girl, leaving their buddy and this evidence."
"Why did they take them both? Or shoot Levy if they had just wanted Lucy? Extra people are hard to carry. Lot of trouble for an accidental kidnapping. Some reason they want to take them with them. A goal? Premeditation? They didn't stop to mess around with the girls. They are moving too quickly to be interest in sex. Maybe they are working for someone? Or they have to be at a specific destination by a certain time?" The boys' thankfulness remained unspoken at not finding either girl dead or raped so far. At the same time, it worried Natsu and Jellal about where the group was headed. And why the girls were taken in the first place.
Sting complained as he moved toward them, "What are you two? Sherlock and friggin' Nancy Drew? The Hardy Boys? Tch... It's like you're not even real humans anymore... I feel my brain cells getting smart from just watching you two. Can we at least step away from the body to talk about this? I think I am going to puke more."
"And why are you here again?" Natsu asked incredulously. "We don't need commentary."
Standing beside him, Sting yawned, "To help you. Isn't it obvious?."
"And yet you haven't provided any use, Sting."
"Please, you are the one that had to take a nap as soon as we started."
"BECAUSE I HAD BEEN CHASING CRIMINALS FOR GILDARTS ALL NIGHT!" shouted Natsu. His teeth clenching so hard at the end that it was surprising he managed not to crack a tooth.
Seeing the situation escalate, Jellal move to intervene between the pair, distracting their attention by pointing out the tracks leading in and out of the campsite. "Someone else visited them while they camped here. They seem to left going north but there is a second another trail from one of those motorized bikes, it leads in another direction."
"The horse prints are most likely our guys."
"The new person didn't stay long. Maybe delivered a message and left."
"Should we split up? Head into the hills?"
"No the girls are our target. We follow the trail that took them. Everything else is a distraction right now."
"Maybe you are the one slowing us down.." Sting quipped at Natsu. Ever since they left home, Sting had been nothing but a pain. Natsu suspected it was because Sting felt so helpless especially after he saw the state Mira had been in before they left. It had even unsettled him to see Laxus break down in tears, which is why the older Dreyar did not accompany them.
"Honestly Jellal and I could have handled this alone."
"Repeat that? Lucy is my cousin. Levy works for my family. Neither of you have been on the ranch for very long. Jellal only after Laxus brought him from prison. You only recently because your horse was shot. And I am a master at these things. Once we meet the bad guys, I'll teach them a thing or two about messing with my family. You'll see my true instincts come out. I'm like a hawk or a wolf. Maybe a tiger."
"What instincts?" Natsu muttered as rolled the body over, checking for clues underneath.
Sting ordered, his tone sharp, "Say that to my face you rose colored bast…."
Jellal, attempting to keep the peace between the pair, stated, "That's enough bickering you two. At this rate you both are slowing me down."
"Why are you in such a rush? You don't even know Lucy and Levy" Sting retorted with more than a little hostility at being interrupted.
Jellal thought about Lucy. How Irene had threatened her when she snuck in the bunk cabin. How he always felt close to Lucy who looked after him and seemed to be the only one on the ranch that understood him. He thought of the two girls loaning him some of their favorite books when they found out he liked to read. How Levy hunted him down when he forgot to return hers. He still remembered every word of her tongue lashing.
"You know nothing." He mumbled under his breath while fighting a smile at the memory.
"What? Trying to finish this fast so you can get it on with that redhead or her mother or both?" Sting smirked. "Don't pretend your alliance is purely with Love and Lucky. I can see the signs. You and that Erza chick been fooling around for awhile now. How can we be sure you aren't sabotaging the ranch yourself for a bit of free ass?"
A fist shot out so fast that Sting never saw it before he was on the ground tasting dirt.
"Once a criminal, always a criminal" The blonde man spitted out toward Jellal.
Natsu got between the two this time, scanning Sting to make sure he was alright as he rubbed his jaw, before shooting the blue haired man a glare as Sting stormed away.
"Did you have to hit him?" Natsu groaned. "He was clearly goading you."
Jellal turned, exhaling slowly.
"I didn't bring enough whisky to deal with this nonsense."
"We have to escape Levy." Lucy determined after a long span of broody silence. Drawing in from the elements around her - the sun, the air, the sea - a feeling of tranquility washed over her. She reached up to brush the velvety skin of her scalp. Hair grew. One day the small roots would be long again. She couldn't work up enough motivation to care beyond that. She was tired, hungry, and afraid. And she had decided instead of wasting her last energy on crying, she was going to use it to be angry.
Angry to be snatched up so easily.
Angry that she was so weak.
She could mope or lament her situation, or she could do what she did best with Levy: Plan outrageous schemes that may or may not work.
Plus those douchebags needed an ass whipping so bad that they would regret ever crossing Lucy Heartfilia.
Levy rolled her eyes, "Wow it took you that long to figure that out." Even though her friend was trying to cast shade on her idea, Lucy could tell the girl was eager to start working. The same energy that was drumming through Lucy's veins seemed to be reflected in Levy.
The two girls were going to bring down hell on their kidnappers.
"Girl! You know it took awhile before I could reach your level." Lucy attempted to suppress her inner turmoil with humor. People say laughter is good medicine but it's also an anchor holding you to the present, keeping you sane. The infectious nature not only spreads among people but jumps internally from your head to your heart. Lucy could feel a small trace of happiness nestling inside her, something intangible and warm.
Maybe they could actually survive?
Good thing Levy caught on as she fired right back, "I know! I watched you for the past hour, looking like you were planning on how to take over the world then your conclusion was, 'we have to escape.' Stating the obvious much?"
"Levy. You are sooo mean to me."
"Being mean is still better than being anticlimactic."
In the midst of their playful banter, the two remembered they were not alone. Simultaneously, the girls turned toward Gajeel who blinked, unconcerned as if he hadn't heard a word they said.
"You're a horrible guard." Lucy stated annoyed at his presence, wondering whether or not she should be scared of the man despite Levy's vouching of his character. "You aren't even reacting to us planning to escape."
He sneered while unwrapping a ball of cloth "Lucky for y'all I don't care if you flee the coup or not. Just under my watch you better keep your toes in the water and asses in that sand cuz ain't taking shit for losing you two. Now when they get back and take you off my hands. Do whatever. Actually will be really funny if you did escape. Probably wouldn't be to hard knowing those idiots."
"So how did you end up working for the traders? Since you seem so supportive of their activities." Lucy gulped a bit of salty breeze after she asked, knowing such a direct question could be met with backlash. Gajeel seemed a bit strange to her.
"He actually has been really nice, Lu. Beyond his bristles and thorns. I think its defense mechanism. He helped reset you arm Lu when he didn't have to."
"Just think about me like a hired gun." He chimed with a lot less heat than his earlier words. "I'm not usually a bad guy but this is business. Nothing personal."
The smile on Levy's face was stupidly bright to the point Lucy was almost blinded. "I KNEW it! You are a mercenary! Bound to whoever pays you the most. You search the world for a meaning to life. Just like a penny novel Lu! I bet you have even a missing ex lover who you secretly long to be reunited with!"
"Whatever floats your boat, word woman."
Lucy loved Levy dearly but sometimes her imagination was too much to handle. He was a criminal for heaven sakes. She gaped at the small girl, wanting to question Levy about her current Stockholm syndrome but instead asked, "When did you two become friends?"
"We aren't friends." Levy argued with an exasperate huff. "I just thought that sounded interesting."
"Yea, I totally believe that." The blonde said in a tone that implied she thought Levy was an idiot for trying to lie.
Paranoid is what Gajeel made her. Lucy grumbled at how easily he would let them go, suspicious and wanting to interrogate the big man further, but knew her friend was developing feelings for the snake eye stranger. Reluctant to push the man but deciding she didn't have a choice, Lucy glared at Gajeel. He failed to notice as he lay the pieces of cloth out, rubbing some smelly menthol paste on the strips.
"Why are you even here? Why are we sitting on the beach and not on the ship with the others? Why are you helping us?"
"Calm down. Sheesh. The twenty question routine is annoying. You know the easiest money can be made off blondes. They have the largest market and highest bidders in the trade. I have half a mind to sell you both at this rate when all I am trying to do is ignore the two of you."
"Well it's a good thing I'm not blonde anymore since they would cut the price down and you'd lose money."
"If you still had your hair, they would never let me watch over you two. You would be the most the most sought after prize on that ship. Mard Geer or Serena would have snatched you from Jacob instantly."
"So what? You expect a thank you?"
"Nah I really didn't do it for you."
He handed her the cloth.
"What's this?"
"You need to change your bandages unless you want infection to spread. Gangrene can set deep in the tissue so fast that it can take a whole leg, or in this case an arm." He shivered at some unknown memory. "People didn't lose their appendages from the battle but the unseen enemy that entered their body after the battle."
The group sat in silence as Lucy tried to process the surprising gift. He didn't want her to lose her arm? What type of guy was he?
"I did it to leave my cousin a message." Gajeel randomly stated to nobody in particular.
"Your cousin?"
"I've known for days that Jacob was being being followed by someone besides me before I finally caught up. It was a chance of fortune that I saw Salamander before he saw me. Luckily I still had Igneel's knife which I took from Azir's body. You two wouldn't nearly been as interesting to me if I hadn't realized you knew him. Leaving the knife and the hair together means he's sure to hurry his ass up before that ship leaves port. Nice shot on that head wound bunny. Didn't think you had it in you."
Lucy shook her head. "I didn't kill him. Levy did."
Gajeel's face screwed up in utter bewilderment,"Shrimp did?"
"And the same thing is going to happen to you if you don't quit making fun of my height?!"
"Who's Salamander? Are you possibly talking about... Natsu?" Lucy asked hopefully.
"Yeah. By the way…. why did you have his knife? That and his scarf are the two things he always carries with him and never loans out to anyone."
Levy twittered before Lucy could put a word in edgewise, "Because Natsu is a tad bit smitten with her."
"Levy!"
"And she's completely head over heels for him."
"Levy! Don't say that!"
"Why it's true. Plus they are engaged."
"Levy! You know that engagement good and well is fake. Stop spreading falsehoods or God will strike you right now."
Shaking his head, Gajeel laughed. Lucy still couldn't get over how deep and booming the sound was. "I knew it was a lie. Salamander doesn't know how to use his dick, much less propose to a woman."
Lucy paused, "That's not what I heard. My cousin Sting said that he was a regular Casanova. Pleasuring a whole town of women."
"Yea… uh… no. That's our cousin Larcade. a thrill seeker and skirt chaser. Who looks a bit like Natsu in the face. Plus he's a marshal. He pleasured a whole town of women once and got ran out by the men. The stories about Natsu and Larcade get confused at times. Natsu, on the other hand, has never like a girl. Unless he found one while he was in the war but the most that would have been would be a booty call."
Levy punched Gajeel with a growl about the crude way he spoke about his cousin. He grinned wickedly, calling her fists marshmallows. The bluenette let out a noise somewhere between a strangled cat and a hiss before dissolving into a fit of sharp barbs aimed at their burly guard. To which, he grew more amused at by the second.
Honestly, was this really the time? Lucy asked herself. With their flirting ringing in her ears, she turned, scrutinizing the large ship sitting peacefully in the bay. It was a galleon. The sails high as clouds above three or four heavy masts. The intricate rigging from a master builder must have cost whoever a fortune to build. Like all galleons, it was made of oak and had a large hull and upper decking. Lucy learned a bit about boats when she had fled Ishgar. Galleons were especially good for moving cargo unlike man-of-wars or schooners. The huge hull made her wonder if girls were on board now, her mind filled with stories about the traffickers.
For a long time they had been active in Alvarez. Finding a niche in to supply girls to Bosco where slavery was still legal and the price of Alvarez's girls after the war went up. So Cain and Jacob were trying to secure passage, along with these new characters.
"No it couldn't be" She gasped as she realized Serena was probably the man who tried to kidnap and rape Mira and Lisanna, the one that caused Lisanna's death. How many men named Serena went around kidnapping women? There couldn't be that many. If so, he had to have been kidnapping women for a while. His organization would be huge by this point.
Her stomach grumbled, leaving her hot and embarrassed at Levy's stare.
Patting her belly awkwardly, Lucy asked, "So, Gajeel, you got anything to eat?"'
Normally, traveling with feuding companions would be annoying but Natsu was thankful for the quietness, too preoccupied with his own thoughts to make idle conversation. Jellal ignored Sting who in turn remained stoic. Not to say, Natsu didn't rub his growing headache a couple of times over their childishness but chose to stay out of the quarrel. He knew Sting's ass-in-mouth disease only popped up when he thought someone like Laxus was dismissing his opinions. Sting probably hadn't truly meant the comment, while Jellal's reaction had probably been out of bounds.
Days later and four towns south of their starting point, the men sent telegram back Cana's bar where they were head as the neared the coast. He didn't know how many nights they went without eating, or how often they went without sleep. At some point along their journey they ran into rain which made tracking damn near impossible. They even had to cross a river swollen from all the extra water. A headache in itself of dealing with horses frightened at the wild rapids.
On the other side of the river, the terrain changed into the last major forest before the land would start to slope toward sea level. Then the area would become swampy or before leading out to the ocean.
"These aren't normal kidnappers. No ransom. They covering to much distance." Deciding to break the uncomfortable silence, Natsu speculated what had been looping in his brain for a few hours now.
"They know where they are going. Most likely organized. Maybe a history of doing this" Jellal spoke tensely.
Natsu nodded while Sting wondered aloud, "Your point?"
"There were only a few we didn't catch on the night of Gildarts raid."
Sting thought for a second before shouting "You mean those slavers you rounded up!"
Jellal nodded while Natsu said, "I think before they left the area, their plan was to kidnap Lucy." An odd thought kept tickling at the back of his mind. A nagging fear that he didn't want to put into words, which was why he hadn't told Jellal or Sting.
Why were they getting closer to the coast? If the girls had been taken to the coast by the tram kickers then they would probably be trying to get across the sea and might even already been gone. Sweat made his hair cling to his forehead while his vest and scarf plastered uncomfortably to his body. He tied his scarf around the saddle. Every hour they didn't catch up, his anxiety started to rise. Natsu pulled away from the others, needing to clear his mind.
"Hey where are you going?"
"To that brook. Going to wash up."
He knew a few of the traffickers had gotten away. God, he had hoped the few of them that remained would keep their head down. They must have headed to Love and Phantom during the roundup. Lucy just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, but they wouldn't have been there if they hadn't been planning on doing something. He felt a pang in his heart as he knew she had been outside waiting for him.
Pulling off his hat, Natsu walked beside the horse deep in thought until something reflected at the edge of the creek. He angling his ride towards the shining, unnatural object at the base of some huge oak, but stopped short a few feet away.
There in the center of a tree was his father's blade stabbed into the bark.
Even at a distance, he could recognize the handle and craftsmanship. At first he froze, not knowing why the knife was stuck in a tree. Was it a trap? His senses reached out probing every rustle or breeze. His eyes darted from shadow to shadow.
The strange tattoo from the dead man's body, had been carved under the knife into the tree along with the word Tartaros.
Tartaros? He didn't recognize the word, but figured it must be what the symbol stood for.
Letting of Pantherlily's reigns, Natsu went to inspect the blade. Everything looked normal except some light colored thread encircled around the grip. He gave a low whine when the sun hit the strands at the right angle to show him they weren't threads but blonde hair.
With shaking hands, Natsu reached to grasp the hair, unwinding it as the first wave of her scent hit him - gardenias from the bush outside Lucy's window and honeysuckles from the soap she used. He rubbed the silky strands almost reverently before bringing the hair to his nose.
Natsu saw red.
He let an inhuman growl causing the horse to rear up before smashing an angry fist into the tree. The bark splintered before he actually felt the pain of the punch.
Hatred. Frustration. Emptiness.
The emotions boiled over, giving way to savage fury, which he could not control. The anger pulsing under the surface of his skin, ready to snap and devour anyone foolish enough to be close by.
He hadn't been able to save her!
Natsu sunk to his knees. His head couldn't wrap around that one thought. Pulling back his hand, he stared numbly at the skin over his knuckles, torn and bloody before placing his father's blade back in his boot. He kissed the hair with a silent promise before looping the ends around as a makeshift bandage. In sadness, he stood up ready to brutally harm whoever harmed Lucy.
This time… there would be no stopping him
Next chapter: E.N.D.
AN: I know more than a few people were upset that all of the hair got shaved instead of Lucy getting a short hair cut. There were many reasons for this. Initially, I was going to have Gajeel scalp someone (like God Serena) upon his introduction. But I realize God Serena had done too many bad things (like causing Lisanna's death) to just be killed by someone newly introduced. And I really couldn't figure out how to scalp someone and you know... allow them to survive... So in researching other Western ideas to do, I ran across the cutting of the hair for a fever. This was about the same time during my binge of GoT episodes where I saw a certain female get her hair cut. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized hair cutting from anime to tv shows to books is always symbolic of change or maturing. Even though Lucy can feel shame at her short hair, hair grows and so does character. And that's where I want to go with her character, grow it further.
Juvia is my spirit animal - HEY! I'm back. Yes besides a lack of westerns, I don't think many people have experienced many westerns that confirm to such rich characters like these. My thought was if you can put these guys in a high school au - why can't you put them in the west with some guns. I am glad that the chapter was confusing in a good way as I wanted the idea of what was happening to be ambiguous until the end. Also I keep adding old forms of medicine to my story whether it is Laxus with tuberculosis or here with how to calm a fever.
JD and HammyJessa - Gajeel has entered the story, most of his development now will be with the two girls but all the stuff I have hinted before with why he killed Gray and his work with Acnologia, Irene, Jellal, and Zeref will come out soon. Plus the anticipated reaction from Juvia and baby Slate.
Lodemai04 - I like Gajeel and Levy too. But don't think for two seconds that because they "like" each other, that the two will have it easy. Lots planned for these two. Also Lucy and Levy are going to straight give these Tartaros members more than they are asking for!
PrincessSarahDragneel - Because Lucy is Lucy whether she has hair or not. And Natsu loves Lucy.
Tohka123 - Thanks so much
KatanaNoNeko - Glad you are here and enjoying the story. Now be sure to come back.
Monika - Yes Gajeel is totally Geronimo/Tonto/Indian guy who listens to the wind and makes smoke signals. When I initially wanted some of the cliché western roles to come out, I thought... Who can be that Indian guy who also is tuned in with nature and covered in feathers (or metal) and tattoos with long hair. And instantly Gajeel was fitted to that part.
Bluragard - I don't have a set schedule with this story, but right now my goal is to update at least once a week.
4evrDorkly17 - Natsu is pisssssed! Also there is a lot coming with these Tartaros people, all I can say is this mini-arc is going to be a wild ride. There's an important slave girl in the ship that our group will meet soon along with an important member of Tartaros who won't be fully revealed at first. As for Mira and Loke, I will let you know what happened to them soon. I actually already wrote that... It's just really hard to find where to put it among all this action as I want to move forward quickly into this scenario instead of jumping back to the ranch. Maybe I will work it next chapter or the next.
FairyglitterXD - Hope you liked this chapter.
MnMAllyn - Lucy's hair cut in Edolas is the next stage of the hair growth. That was a good idea.
JerricaHMcfari3 - Some more Gajevy incoming.
Silver light - Oh I hope not girl! Maybe you can come back after a bit. This might be a low point but things are looking up because as the hair. So maybe come back in a few chapters.
Compucles - The fever did ultimately save her in the end. Nice catch.
Saranau34 - Glad you are back and Natsu is not taking this well!
IntheKnow - Your question is hard. I mean I have a lot of stories favored...? A lot of good stories are incomplete. Right now just this week I read these awesome Nalu fanfictions that don't really have many followers Life in Technicolor by stopnatsu or Sweet-Rot by FrejyaBee.
guest - Well it might have been a plot device. But I didn't look at it like that when I was writing it as it was something I wanted to add to my story and I just went with it. Hopefully you will enjoy where it takes the story. And really cutting the hair just short wouldn't have been the same as people cut their hair all the time and it has no emotional value. While with a shaved head, you have to deal with things like being degraded for your looks. It's really weird because while I was writing this chapter at my hospital we watched a video about cancer patients and how this woman who makes unusual wigs for them to wear (not normal locks of love stuff) is making a difference. She makes really unique wigs to help them overcome this image they have that they are ugly and less then normal people. So in my mind, I wanted to push this thought that Lucy, no matter what she looks like - pretty and blonde or broken arm and shaved head - is no less than still perfect.
