. Between the Lines .
She ignored the metallic taste of blood in her mouth in favor of protectively holding the unconscious girl in her arms. The sticky red liquid matted both of their hair from wounds on their heads, both caused by something heavy striking them. And while she'd woken…
Wendy hadn't.
Lucy swallowed thickly, hugging Wendy tightly, relieved to feel the younger girl's breath on her cheek. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, and murmured a silent prayer that Natsu realize that something was wrong and that he realized it soon.
It had happened so quickly, Lucy hadn't had the time to truly realize what had occurred. She'd been walking out of the store after purchasing some gloves for Natsu when the world had gone black. She'd cried out in alarm, immediately grabbing Wendy so she wouldn't lose her and then...wham! Pain had exploded in the back of her head and she remembered nothing. Now…
Well, at least it was nicer than Jose's place had been. It wasn't a dungeon. But she was surrounded by things that had to do with cats and she was just a little freaked out.
There was also some strange material wrapped tightly around her ankle as well as one wrapped around Wendy's. A small comfort was, however, the fact that she still had her keys. They were warm when she touched them, a comfort. It appeared her wallet, the gloves, and her phone were alright as well…
She slapped a hand to her face.
Her phone! How stupid could she get? She dug her hand into her pocket and immediately checked to see if she had a signal.
She was more than surprised when she discovered she did. It wasn't too good, but it would work.
The second she realized she did, in fact, have the ability to contact her friends, Lucy was scrambling to do exactly that. The first one she called, to her relief, picked up.
"Natsu," she gasped before he could say anything. She winced at the crackling over the line. "Natsu, can you hear me?"
"Lu-?" The call cut off before coming back, going in and out. "-alright? Where-"
"I'm fine," Lucy reassured quietly, biting her lip and hoping he could hear her. "I don't know where we are. But...Wendy's hurt." She set her phone between her shoulder and her cheek, brushing the hair from Wendy's face. There was only crackling. "Natsu?"
"-here," he muttered back. "Got-" More crackling. "-find you, Erza…"
Lucy gritted her teeth. "What about Erza?"
"They're...find you. Hold...Jellal…"
Her face went white as it clicked. So the one she'd seen in Mirajane's message to the entire magic community was behind this? Damn.
"-safe. I'm...promise. I'll-"
The line went dead, and a giggle filled the air. Lucy slowly lowered her phone, pressing her lips together as she turned her gaze on a doorway that had appeared in the room. She instinctively held Wendy closer, glaring.
The girl was pretty…and clearly had an obsession with cats. Her light brown hair contrasted sharply with her green eyes, and she wore an outfit that put Lucy's short skirt to shame. There were two red marks on each cheek and what looked like cat ears atop her head. A cloak had been tied around her neck, and a gloved hand messed with a tail that twitched every now and then. When she smiled, she showed off just barely sharpened canines - nothing compared to Natsu's and Gajeel's.
"You're awake!" she said with a cheerful tone, making Lucy cringe. How could someone be so happy when they were kidnapping people? "We were worried that you were hit a little too hard…" She frowned. "Are they too tight?" she added suddenly, indicating the strange bands on their ankles.
Lucy narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but then blinked.
This girl was actually concerned. She wasn't mocking her, she wasn't trying to brag. She was really trying to make sure she was alright. "...no," Lucy said carefully, "But my friend isn't waking up."
She grimaced apologetically. "Sorry. That would be Jellal's fault...he must have hit her a bit harder than he thought." Lucy's gaze snapped up to her face. Maybe she was seriously a nice person, but if she was working with the one who was behind this...the one who'd hurt Wendy…
She was the enemy.
Simple as that.
Lucy raised her chin, clenching her jaw as she demanded, "Why am I here?"
The girl paused, cocking her head for a moment. "I don't think it's a good idea that I tell you. I don't know all the details myself, but our ultimate goal is for-"
"Milliana," a deep voice suddenly chided gently, "You're not supposed to give plans away to the ones we kidnap." A rather tall man had appeared, his dark eyes darting to Lucy for a moment. Lucy swallowed thickly and quickly lowered her gaze to Wendy. He didn't seem all that bad either, from the looks of it.
Milliana scoffed. "I know that!" A pause. "I think."
Lucy knew just who to go to to get information, then. She ignored them, and then murmured a hissed "Keep quiet!" when Wendy stirred. While relieved that the girl was okay, she wanted to gain some time.
"I'll let Jellal know she's awake," Millianna said cheerfully, giving Lucy a little wave before slipping out of the door. "Sho will be excited to know, too, I'm sure."
The man gave a kind look - Lucy was sure he smiled beneath the strange thing he wore to hide the lower portion of his face. It looked like a metal jaw that had been pinned there by some sort of magic. She was sure it was some sort of magic holding it there...it was always magic now a days. "Don't worry, we don't want to hurt you."
"You might not," Lucy said tightly, "But I don't trust anyone." And she wouldn't. Not until Natsu was with her - or someone else who could fight. But mostly Natsu, because of all of the people in the guild, she trusted him the most. Not that she didn't trust anyone else, but...he was her partner. And she trusted him to play dirty if necessary, not something she was sure the others would do.
"Smart," was all she got in response before he slid out of the room after Milliana. Lucy waited until the door was shut to gently nudge Wendy.
"Ow," Wendy mumbled, touching her head as she sat up. Lucy released her, her gaze full of concern. "That kind of hurts...where are we?"
Lucy shook her head. "I don't know." She peered around at the crazy cat room again, deciding it must be the girl's. "I was able to get through to Natsu a moment ago though...he and the two cats are looking. They'll find us. But...we're going to be dealing with Jellal Fernandes if what I could gather is correct."
Wendy's eyes darkened, and then flashed with pain when her head throbbed. "That's not good...he was imprisoned in the first place because he tricked the Magic Council into thinking he was someone else before trying to gather some kind of incredibly powerful magic they had."
Lucy pursed her lips and then said simply, "Well, we'll just have to see why we're here, hm?" She went to work on inspecting Wendy's injury. "It doesn't look too bad...you'll be alright. You might have a bit of a concussion, though."
"I'll be okay," Wendy reassured, grimacing.
Before the sky dragon slayer could say more, the door opened again, and Lucy protectively wrapped her arm around Wendy's shoulders, pressing her lips together and reaching for her keys. She'd use them if she had to, even if it meant fighting and losing.
Better to fight and lose than to not fight at all in this case.
This time, rather than Millianna and the tall man, her eyes settled on a young-looking man, only a few years older than herself. Blonde hair contrasted sharply with dark skin, and his green eyes were surprisingly cheerful. His cheek was dotted with a strange mark, Lucy noted, and one ear had been pierced. "Jellal would like to see you." Lucy moved to pull Wendy to her feet, but he stopped her with a hastily said, "Only you."
Lucy contemplated how to respond. Did she go with this man, see the Jellal everyone was worried about? Or did she stay here, where it was safe with Wendy?
Wendy chose for her. "Go, I'll be okay," she said firmly. "The others will be here soon, I'm sure. It won't take Natsu long to find us."
"Right." Lucy gave her a final hug, and then stepped over to join the newcomer with a blank look on her face. She paused, however, and tossed her phone to Wendy. The dragon slayer caught it. "Use it if something happens, okay?"
"Got it," she replied, smiling just barely.
The last she saw of Lucy was the celestial mage's messy blonde hair swinging behind her as she turned a corner.
She wouldn't see her for a while after that.
Natsu tapped his foot impatiently on the ground, his onyx eyes full of rage and just daring the man that worked in front of them to give a wrong answer. "Are you done yet?" he gritted out.
"One moment, please," he protested. "It takes a moment to trace calls to begin with...the fact that this one isn't connecting is a little concerning. It may be broken, or someone's blocked the phone with their magic. I'm not a magician here! Well, actually…"
Gray stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "Look, buddy, we just need you to answer the damn question. Where's the phone?"
The man ignored them for a few moments, muttering under his breath, "Freaking mages...impatient little bastards, aren't you? Here. This should be a general location." He grabbed the map they'd laid out and drew a circle around an area before slapping it down in front of them. "I know it's a bit testy and stupid, but it's the truth. It's in the middle of the water."
Erza studied the map carefully beside Juvia, and then narrowed her eyes into dangerous slits. "I know where she is...thank you, sir. Juvia, if we rent something as simple as a small boat, how fast could you get us there?"
Juvia looked startled. "Juvia would be able to get to where we're going within at least an hour."
"Let's go, then." Erza shoved the map back at the man that had helped them, murmuring a quick thanks before turning and darting out of the store, already requipped into her casual armor. People stared as she stepped outside, but she ignored them - especially when Charle spoke up from where she was hiding in Wendy's bag, which was carried by Juvia.
"What are you not telling us, Erza?" Charle demanded. "You know where they are and who has them, do you not?"
"We've already said it was Jellal," Gray reminded the white cat, crossing the street quickly and tugging his shirt off as he went. Juvia paused to quickly scoop it off the ground, as if used to picking up her beloved's clothes. "What more could do you think she knows?"
"Charle's right," Erza said suddenly, startling all of them. She glanced back, leading them towards the docks of Hargeon. "I'm...I was a good friend of Jellal's once." Her voice became pained, her eyes flashing with grief. "I'll explain more once we're on a boat. But...I know exactly where we're going, as well. The island he's on was once where I lived with him and a few others. It was our hideaway. What he could possibly doing and in need of Lucy for, I don't know."
Natsu reached into Lucy's bag to reassuringly pat Happy on the head when the blue cat made an unhappy sound. "Wendy's there, too...he should have just left her here if he needed a celestial mage. So what the hell does he want with her?"
"I don't know," Erza said gravely, pressing her lips together. She nodded towards a small building as they made their way onto the docks. "I'm going to go rent us a boat. Stay here. Don't go anywhere, is that clear?"
"Yes," they all agreed.
When the requip mage had gone inside, Juvia bit her lip. "Juvia is worried. Do you think they're okay?"
"I hope so," Gray grumbled. "What the hell is the Magic Council doing? How could they have let him get so far and not found him?"
Natsu said nothing, only glared furiously at the ground. He was more than just a little pissed off about the fact that his partner had been kidnapped. "I should have been there with them, damn it!"
"Don't blame yourself," Juvia scolded gently. "Lucy and Wendy will be alright."
"They better," he replied darkly. "I'll incinerate the bastard if they're not."
Charle was silent, unlike Happy, who'd begun to frantically claim he wanted out so that he could help, too. She remained still, her gaze blank as she stared off into a distance they couldn't see.
It was the same vision she'd had before, but at the same time, it wasn't.
Flames. A figure dotted with patches of red scales that gleamed in the firelight of the inferno that swirled around them. Lucy, doubled over, screaming with blood staining almost every inch of her skin as she clutched a scaled scarf to her chest. Gray protecting a pained looking Juvia and terrified Wendy alongside the screaming blonde from a blast, his shield of ice cracking beneath the pressure as he bellowed for Natsu to help him, not seeming to realize that the fire mage was nowhere in sight. Erza, her eyes blank with grief, her face streaked with ash as she held an unconscious Happy away from the dangerous heat and knelt before a man. A man cloaked in darkness, whose dark eyes gleamed with tears and malice as he begged for her forgiveness.
Wendy beside a body, sobbing hysterically into her hands as she screamed for them to wake up.
Charle shuddered.
Where they were going…
The white cat wasn't sure they'd be coming back.
Ah! Sorry for the lateness! I've been watching some American Horror Story... Anyhow! A bit of craziness, yes? And some more detail in Charle's vision...a warning, by the way. I'm not too big a fan of Wally, so he's not going to be making an appearance. BIG NEWS! I'll make sure to get it up on my profile soon, but BTL got some amazing fanart from ajdrakes! Thank you so much once again!
Reviews:
Shidake: We may never know about Natsu...but I agree. Lucy does tend to get into a LOT of trouble, doesn't she?
Risa98: Thank you! This is my favorite one that I've written so far! :D
fanficlove2014: Natsu in the morning IS definitely adorable. Virgo's one of my favorites outside of Aquarius and Loke. She's such an interesting character. Jellal's intentions will be made clear eventually...the question is when! ;)
Blue VanLocke: No worries. But Council scenes would be interesting...I might have to try it eventually.
ilftnatsu: I apologize for making you wait longer than normal. Now you must wait two more days. ;)
serioushugsies: Yeah, Lullaby was another sort of transitional thing, like Phantom Lord, but it's not completely done with just yet. No worries. :D
TigerArrowgirl: Anticipation is good. I like seeing you all anticipate the next chapter.
Guest #1: Sneaky, sneaky Jellal! I'm with you on being lazy in the mornings. Sometimes I sleep at my desk 'cause I get yelled at otherwise.
Typhlosion8: Sweet Erza is adorable, but scary Erza is terrifying as hell. I dunno who I'd be more scared of, her or Jellal, honestly...
Kinsutenekochan: Those little tiny moments are so much fun to write. Jellal needing a celestial mage was something I decided to twist in for some reason. It seemed fun. XD
artistofthemind: Oh my goodness, thank you!
PinkFireandGoldenStars: Tired Natsu is the cutest thing. You'll have to wait and see for Jellal's evil plans, and you just wait for Loke's official entrance. I can't wait for you all to read it. Only...fourteen more chapters!
Uzumaki Naho: Lucy needs to be way more careful than she is, doesn't she? XD
Miya: That was indeed a reference to our favorite Zodiac leader that you saw. ;) Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed!
Guest #2: Jerza might come into play, might not. You'll have to wait a LONG time to find out though. Que some evil laughter right there... Lol.
Sara lovelymusic: A giant chill pill would have been good for him. And speaking of Simon... ;D
Guest #3: Perhaps Natsu does get dragon force, perhaps he does not. In any case...hope you're ready for a wild ride. :D