Chapter 36
Soooo~ This chapter'll explain the burning sensation Lucy had when Jaaku touched her mark.
Besides, guys, if you can wait till chapter 39, I'll have a surprise for you~
Okay… I can't keep it a surprise… THE TRAINING'LL BE SKIPPED FROM THERE! Yes, you heard me right, I'll skip the training just three chapters from now!
Thank you to DesolationDeath for helping me with my story!
I apologize for any grammar errors that I have made! R&R!
Disclaimer: Slowpoke's final decision to make me the owner of Fairy Tail has not yet been made. We're still working on it. I apologize for the inconvenience.
In the Dragon Realm~
Acnologia's P.O.V
I shot up from my lying position when I felt a burning sensation at my chest, where my mark was. I quickly pulled off my shirt, but there was nothing to see. The mark was as black as always. I brushed it off as my imagination and grabbed my shirt to put it on, but just as I was getting started, the same burning feeling reappeared, only much stronger. I grunted in pain. What in the hell was going on?!
Suddenly, I just knew that Lucy was in Earthland, and somehow I knew the exact location. I raised an eyebrow. I didn't expect that the day where Skyadrum decided not to show up would be the weirdest day off all.
Which leads me to that Dragon's lack of presence. What was she doing, not showing up like that? Moreover, what was Lucy doing in Earthland? So many unanswered questions…
I turned around when I heard a pair of flapping wings approaching. I could see a silver Dragon in the sky, not far away. And it was definitely not Lucy or Silvia.
Alodiculis landed next to me and looked weirdly at me. "Acnologia… What are you doing?" He asked slowly, probably trying to figure out why I was only halfway wearing my shirt.
I looked up at him and decided to answer his question with a question. "Say, Alodiculis, what does it mean if your mating-mark suddenly begins burning?" I asked him. Maybe it meant something, I wouldn't know.
Alodiculis stared at me with a deadpan expression, before his face changed to a mixture of shock and anger. "Acnologia, where is Lucy?" He growled through clenched teeth.
I raised my eyebrow and looked at him confused. "She's somewhere in Earthland." I told him. "Why do you ask? Has something happened to her?" I asked him.
He looked at me with narrowed eyes. I knew his anger wasn't directed at me though. "We're heading to Earthland. Immediately." He simply told me and took off again, flying in the direction of the Field, where we always made the portal.
I sighed exasperatedly. Why couldn't he just tell me? I quickly put on my shirt properly and changed to my Dragon form, took off and caught up to the Peace Dragon. "Alodiculis! Please explain!" I called after him. I was getting anxious, if he wanted to go to Earthland so quickly, then it meant something had happened.
Alodiculis turned and glared at me. "When your mark burns like that, it means that some other male is touching your mate. I thought you knew." He said. I adopted a face of horror and sped up towards the field. THAT BASTARD WAS GOING TO DIE!
I sped off, with Alodiculis following me, I didn't know how far apart we were, but he was on his way. When I reached the field, I saw two ugly figures standing there already. An Iron Dragon and a Fire Dragon. Of all Dragons…
I landed on the ground and ignored the two. I didn't have time for them. They didn't think like I did though. Metallicana smacked Igneel's head with his tail and turned to me. "Oi! Brat! Where are you going so fast?" He asked just as Alodiculis landed.
I turned to him with a beyond pissed glare. "If you must know, Lucy is being touched by another man. I have no time to talk with you morons now." I hissed at him, not even bothering to sugar-coat it, and began creating a portal for Alodiculis and I.
Metallicana growled, much to my surprise actually. "HELL NO! No one and I mean: No. One. Touches Squirt without my permission! I'm going with you Brat, that bastard is going to DIE!" Metallicana yelled and marched off into the portal I had just created.
Igneel stomped after him. "You took the words right out of my mouth." He agreed and walked through the portal as well. How in the world did it come to this? I only expected Alodiculis, am I supposed to deal with those two now as well?
I moaned, knowing I could do nothing to stop them now, and gestured for Alodiculis to go through it too. He nodded and went through it with me following close behind.
We appeared at an empty field with a city in the long distance. I could feel that Lucy was there. I changed to my Human form and sped off in the direction of the city.
Seconds later, I heard three sets of footsteps behind me, quickly catching up. I ran faster than I ever recalled running before. Soon enough, we passed the gate to the city and ran directly onto the streets. My weird 6th sense led us to the slum of the big city, which name I didn't catch on my way in.
In the far distance, I saw a shady character holding a lifeless silver-haired girl in his arms.
Serpus' P.O.V
I made it out of the dark alleys and onto a bigger street. We were still in the section of the city, which was classified as 'slum'. I looked around from left to right, trying to figure out where I was supposed to go to find this café.
"OI! Shady guy!" Someone called to my left I turned and was met with four sets of eyes glaring at me with pissed expressions. "What have you done to that girl? TELL ME!" One especially ugly one of the four yelled at me and took a threatening step forward, malice flashing in his crimson eyes.
I just raised an eyebrow at him. How assumptive of him. Immediately blaming me for Miss Lucy's state. "I did nothing to harm this 'girl'." I told them plainly.
One with spiky black and blue hair stepped forward and looked even more pissed than the others. "Don't you dare lie to me..!" He hissed. I wondered who these men were to Miss Lucy. Did she know them?
The silver haired guy, who seemed like the most reasonable of the four, put a hand on each of the two men's shoulders. "Acnologia, Metallicana, calm down, this man is not the one we are looking for." He looked at me. "Isn't that right, Serpus of the Dragon keys?" He asked.
As I said, he was the most reasonable of the four. "Ae, (Yes), that is right. I am a Spirit of Miss Lucy's. The ones I'm assuming you're looking for are right down that alley." I told them and gestured to the alley where I had appeared to find a paralyzed Miss Lucy.
The ugly one looked at the guy with flame-hair and a stupid expression. "Stay here Igneel, and keep an eye on the Shrimp." He told him and then ran with the other two.
With the guys~
Acnologia's P.O.V
I ran into the alley that Spirit had pointed out. I could smell the disgusting smell of the slums, but behind it all, I could just faintly catch Lucy's smell along with it. My favorite scent just didn't fit in here, it only fit in one place, and that was with me. That place only.
My mate's scent only served to agitate me even more. I would beat whoever was at the end of this valley up so much he wouldn't be able to get away from here ever again.
I felt myself speed up just a little. That guy was a waste of space, the faster I got rid of him, the better. The two others followed me, but stayed a bit in the back. I was the one to get the honor of choosing who I would beat first.
Finally we saw three men on the ground, about to get up, looking like they had been beaten down. The smell of alcohol hung on them along with the smell of the slums. But one of them was different, the one farthest away, the blonde one, he didn't just smell of alcohol and slum, he had another scent hanging around him. One that didn't suit him at all. One that made me want to beat him to a pulp. Made me want to kill him.
I almost saw red as I went towards the man, who held his head as if he had a headache. He finally looked at me when I was right next to him. "What is it?" He asked exasperatedly and then looked up at me. His face turned blue and he seemed to be shaking.
I glared down at him with a deadly aura. "That girl… Just a while ago…" I said slowly. He nodded, shaking just as much as Plue. "Don't ever touch her again." I warned him with venom lacing my voice.
He nodded again, shakily. "Y-yes, I w-won't." He told me.
I shook my head. "I don't believe you." I thought about what I could do to make him remember, but I already knew almost before I began. "I know." I said and looked at him. "If I beat you up so much you won't be able to walk, then surely you will remember, right?" I asked rhetorically and stepped closer, rolling my sleeves up. Didn't want them dirty, you know.
The thing crawling on the floor shook his head. "N-no, I-I'll reme-member!" He reassured me, trying to convince me not to beat him up. I had made up my mind long ago, there was no way around it for him.
As his pleas fell on deaf ears, I jabbed my fist forward and connected with his face. I let my fist stay connected with his face for a second before pulling back, I shook my hand, that guy had a pretty hard head. Even though he had, his head was still red where I had hit him and I could literally see where my fist had hit him.
I looked down at him with a deadly glare. "You have a hard head." I told him. My face spread into a grin. "But that will only make it that much more fun." I said. The man seemed to shake even more at this.
I cracked my knuckles. Oh sweet, sweet revenge. He was never going to touch anyone ever again for the rest of his life.
I hardly needed to put anything into this either, he already was beaten up and was weak even before that. I just loomed over him for a second, before I punched him once again, this time in the stomach though.
He breathed out roughly, probably losing all the air he had in his lungs. He gasped for air, trying to regain it again, I didn't give him the opportunity though. I pounded down on him, releasing all my fury on him, just as I had planned to. He even screamed like a little girl.
My vision actually turned red as I kept knocking him around and beating him up, with magic at times too. He deserved it. He deserved it after touching Lucy however he had touched her. No other man was allowed to touch her, carry her scent. No one. No one at all. And most definitely not when she didn't want to.
At some point, the man fell back and I stood over him, making sure he didn't escape. "Will you attack another girl again?! WILL YOU?!" I yelled at him.
He shook his now bloody head. I had already broken his nose, it sat in a very wrong way now. "N-no! I w-won't!" He said back terrified. Well, he better be.
I shook my head and kept beating him down even harder. "I don't believe you." I growled and saw him lose consciousness. "I don't believe you!" I growled even louder.
I was just about to give him another in the head, when I felt my arm being held back. I whipped my head around and glared at the ugly man holding my arm. "Brat, you got to stop now, or you'll kill him." The old man told me.
I tried pulling my arm out of his grip, but he held on too tight. I growled at him again. "What do you think I was trying to do?" I snarled at him. I turned around and glared at the man underneath me. "I'll kill him for touching her!" I told him and let my other hand shoot forward.
But that was caught too. This time not by the ugly one though, the one holding the other arm was Alodiculis. He shook his head with a firm expression. "You've got to stop now, Acnologia." He told me.
I looked away and glared at the man lying unconscious on the floor. Blood was flowing from his mouth and especially his nose.
The two men pulled me up and away from whoever that a-hole on the ground was. "Now calm down Brat and go back to your mate." The Iron Dragon told me rather firmly.
Back with Serpus and Igneel~
Serpus' P.O.V
Stupid turned to me and looked down at Miss Lucy, then back up at me. "What happened?" He asked me. He was looking at me with an expression that told me I'd better tell the truth.
Well, that was what it was supposed to. I decided to tell him, because these four men seemed to be close to Miss Lucy and cared for her. "She was attacked by three men, who tried to rape her." I told him with a deadpan expression.
Stupid looked at me with a weird expression. "Lucy's a strong girl, I can't believe she couldn't defend herself." He muttered to himself.
I cleared my throat to get his attention. "She was unable to do anything, because one of them cast a spell on her to paralyze her. I don't even know how she managed to reach my key." I told him honestly. I figured as soon as I knew of the situation, that I had found myself a strong summoner with a good heart. A rare sight these days.
Stupid looked at me with a shocked expression. "What? Really?" I nodded. "Then it all makes sense…" He looked up at me again. "She's strong though, she managed to fight through her paralysis and grab your key, as well as summoning you." He told me. I knew that already. "That's why she fainted too, right?" He asked and looked at Miss Lucy again.
I nodded. "Ae (yes) I would guess so." I said and thought back to when I first saw her. That disgusting man having his hand halfway down her shirt and doing something with her neck and his mouth. I looked down at Miss Lucy at her neck, where the disgusting man had been especially intimate. A weird symbol shone in a bright blue color. I narrowed my eyes. There was no question about it, that mark was the mate's-mark. She had been touched there, of all places, she must have been through a lot of pain. Probably also another factor in her losing consciousness.
I was cut off from my thoughts when I heard girlish shrieks from the alley I had sent Ugly, Spikey and Reasonable off to. I sighed. I guess I hadn't knocked the three out cold, I simply didn't have time for that. The condition of Miss Lucy was a bit critical at that point, so basically I didn't have time for those three, as the safety of our summoner came first for us Spirits.
The noise I heard from the alley clearly indicated that those three were being beaten up severely. Flashes of silver and red as well as the sounds of metal hitting bodies along with punches and kicks, told me that maybe those three wouldn't survive. I couldn't care less.
Soon after, the three friends of Miss Lucy's appeared from the alley, Reasonable brushing dust off his shoulder. Spikey quickly ran up to me, looked down at Miss Lucy, then back at me. "I'll take her from here." He told me and looked at me with an expression that wanted no resistance.
Somehow, I got the feeling that this one was especially close to Miss Lucy and I gently handed her over to him. I figured that he was her mate, the blue mark in the crook of her neck was the same color as his hair. Miss Lucy's head tilted back and leaned against Spikey's shoulder. I didn't usually have eye for romantic things, but even I could see the two were perfect for each other.
Spikey looked at me with a little smile. "Thank you for saving her, Serpus. I owe you one." He told me and tightened his grip around Miss Lucy. Definitely her mate.
I shook my head lightly. "Káo (no), you don't. It's my duty as her Spirit." I told him. I reached into my jacket and found my key. When Miss Lucy passed out, she couldn't hold on to the key, obviously, so I had put it into my jacket, so I could give it to her when she woke up. That didn't seem to be necessary now. I stuck the key out to him. "Please give this to Miss Lucy when she wakes up." I said. Spikey nodded. "I will take my leave then." I was just about to leave when I remembered something Miss Lucy had said. "I turned and looked at Spikey again. "There should be a Water and a Sky Dragon with Miss Lucy; I would suggest you take her to them." I told them and then disappeared in a golden light.
Acnologia's P.O.V
When I got Lucy back in my arms, it wasn't her scent which welled over me. Instead, her sweet, natural scent was completely covered in the smell of the slums and that man, whose name I didn't even get. I didn't care his disgusting scent was dirtying my mate right at the moment, but I would change that. Instead, she would smell of me rather than the slums and that man.
I looked at the key Serpus had given me. It was golden and the handle looked like a snake's head and the thinner end was the tongue of the snake, sticking out of its mouth. There were two onyx-black dots at either side of its head, the eyes.
I put it into my pocket and told myself to remember to give it to her when she woke up. I turned to the three other men with me. "Do any of you know where Grandine is?" I asked, wanting to get there immediately.
They shook their heads, none of them knew what had happened. Igneel stepped forward and looked at me with a rather serious expression. "Acnologia, the first one we should find is Amelane." He told me.
I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why do we need Amelane?" I asked him. Had Serpus told him something? I asked him exactly that. "Did Serpus tell you what happened?" I asked him.
He tilted his head with a confused expression. "Who's Serpus?" He asked clueless.
I moaned exasperatedly and would have face palmed if I hadn't had Lucy in my arms. "The guy who just disappeared in a golden light." I told him slowly and clearly, as I was speaking with a person with a mind of a child.
His face cleared up in realization. "Oooh… That guy. Yeah he told me what happened." He nodded and stayed silent looking alternately at all of us.
Metallicana whacked the back of Igneel's head with an angry expression. "Tell us goddammit!" He yelled at the Fire Dragon.
Igneel nodded. "He didn't explain it in detail, but I think Lucy may have tried to fight back, but they had a mage on their team, who paralyzed her and somehow she released some of the spell on her, gaining some movement and grabbed a random key in her pouch, which then happened to be Serpus'." Igneel explained. "Well, that would be what I think that happened." He added with a shrug.
I looked down at Lucy. She had fought through a paralysis spell back there. She was strong; she probably waited till he was close enough and then made her move. Had she felt hat burning feeling too, or was it just me?
Metallicana began storming off down a street. "We better find those two, then." He said with gritted teeth and what seemed like barely contained anger. I knew he cared for Lucy, but I never knew it was this much.
Three sets of footsteps approached us from behind. "Find who exactly?" A sharp female voice asked curiously and slightly worried. We turned around in half relief and saw the three ladies we wanted to see. "What are you doi-" Skyadrum stopped up in her tracks when she saw the 'lifeless' form of my mate in my arms. "LUCY!" She screamed and looked like she was about to break down. Amelane and Grandine weren't far behind, wearing the same expression.
Alodiculis quickly interrupted their grief before they dove down too deep. "Wait! Lucy isn't dead, she just passed out." He reassured them.
An expression of relief washed over the ladies' faces. Grandine looked at me with worried look on her face. "Why is she unconscious? What happened?" She asked worriedly, her eyes shifting between me and Lucy alternately.
I glanced shortly at Igneel before answering. "She was attacked by three men, one of them used a spell to paralyze, but somehow she called out a Spirit to help her." I told them. That was the short version, but I didn't see how we could get time for more than this. I looked at Amelane. "Somehow even though the one casting the spell is unconscious, it didn't wear off. So Amelane, we need your help here." I said surprisingly calmly.
I was getting restless myself, I was trying to hide it though. I was going mad worrying about Lucy, I wanted to know if she was okay, if anything had happened and if there was anything I could do. What if those three bastards had touched her places they shouldn't be touching her?
It was only barely Metallicana and Alodiculis could keep me from killing them, especially the one who had Lucy's scent lingering on him. We only beat them unconscious, sadly.
Amelane looked at me with a serious expression. "Please, put her down on the bench over there carefully." She said and pointed at the nearest bench. I nodded and put Lucy down as gently as I could. Amelane kneeled down next to her and worked her magic.
Water magic slowly crawled out of the Water Dragon's hands and lay as a cocoon around Lucy. It was like she was caught in a big bubble. Amelane had closed eyes and a look of concentration on her face. She had slightly furrowed eyebrows.
After a while, which in realty probably just was a few seconds, I was getting impatient. Hadn't I waited long enough already? I glanced at Amelane. "Well? How is she?" I asked, interrupting her work.
Amelane simply raised a finger to silence me and I moaned internally. I got it, 'shut up and wait'. After an eternity, she opened her eyes and the Water retreated back into her palms. She turned and looked at me with a half-smile. "I've gotten rid of the spell, she should wake up soon now." She told us.
Metallicana stepped forward. "And…?" He asked, urging the Water Dragon to tell us of her condition.
Amelane glanced at me, then looked at Metallicana. "And apart from that she is fine. Nothing happened, it would seem, and she's only a bit surprised." Amelane told us. I nodded. Alright, that was good. Now all we needed was for her to wake up, so we could get home, it was getting late too.
I looked down at Lucy. Even though Amelane said she was a bit surprised, I knew that was an understatement. Like, come on, you've been attacked by three men and paralyzed, of course you would be a little more than just a bit surprised. I would get rid of this memory somehow. I would make it worthless, so it wouldn't hurt her. Somehow turn it into something less negative…
I woke up from my thoughts when heard soft moaning somewhere just below me. I looked down at Lucy and saw at the edge of my peripheral that Amelane moved away. I took the place Amelane had filled and kneeled down just like she had. Lucy looked like she was just about to wake up, her face looked a little pained.
I reached out and placed a hand on her cheek and watched as her features turned peaceful again. Her fluttered open and she looked at me with a confused expression. "Acnologia…" She whispered lowly and blinked a couple of times. "Why are you here?" She asked
I smiled and nodded. I dropped my forehead so it rested against hers. "To save you, of course." I whispered in return before I captured her lips in a deep kiss. I faintly believe I heard an 'awww' somewhere behind me, but it seemed so far away. I pulled back again, but only so much that our noses still touched. I felt relief flood through me as I looked into the familiar brown orbs I loved more than anything in the world. "Are you okay?" I asked concerned.
She nodded lightly, smiling. "Yeah, I'm fine, I just need a bath." She told me with a sigh, looking away with a faint blush on her cheeks. "I must be stinking of that man." She muttered embarrassedly.
I didn't really know how to respond to that, because yeah, that man's stench lingered on her, but I didn't want to make her sad about it all either. So I decided to pull her into a hug instead. That way I could also leave my scent on her.
An ugly grunt broke the silence. "While all this is very 'sweet', could you two lovebirds get a move on so we can get home?" The Iron Dragon complained.
I could hear a smack behind me and when I turned around, I saw Amelane looking up at Metallicana with an uncharacteristic scowl. "You ruined the moment! Damn you!" She scolded him. Except, her voice just didn't have the edge to be threatening, so it looked kind of cute instead.
Lucy began giggling at the scene, I smiled too, glad she was okay. Then her features unexpectedly turned more solemn and she looked alternately at the three ladies. "It was the three guys from earlier, the attackers. Jaaku, Ryoga and Kaosu. They were the ones who attacked me." She told them. I furrowed my eyebrows. What in the world was she talking about?
Grandine looked surprised. "Really? Those three nice guys? They didn't seem like that type of guys…" Grandine tailed off, probably blaming herself for not realizing their true intentions earlier.
Lucy nodded. "Yeah." She looked into the alley where she had been attacked. How she knew that was the place was beyond me. "They smelled of alcohol though, so…" She trailed off, then looked back at us. "Well, it doesn't matter." She looked at the ladies again a smile spreading on her lips. "I see we have to go back to that café." She giggled gain.
They all looked around confused, when Skyadrum figured it out and laughed too. "Ah, yeah, we might have forgotten the bags back at the café." She admitted. "We were kind of in a hurry when Grandine felt Igneel nearby and figured something had happened." She explained.
So Grandin had felt Igneel? Well, that would explain how they showed up so fast, I was surprised when they just appeared out of nowhere. If she felt Igneel, then everything makes sense.
Alodiculis turned to Amelane, Grandine and Skyadrum. "Then please lead the way, you three." He told them.
Skyadrum raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you seriously ordering us around, Alodiculis? Us, the Head Dragons? Your bosses." She asked. Alodiculis seemed to realize his mistake and backed away slowly and gulped. I almost couldn't contain my laughter. Skyadrum followed Alodiculis with a finger poking at his chest. "Are you, a mere Second in Command, ordering three Head Dragons around?" She kept asking persistently, Alodiculis seeming even more nervous.
Skyadrum was just about to continue her rant when Amelane began giggling. "Let the poor guy have some peace, Skyadrum. Can't you see he's shaking like a twig?" She said between giggles.
Alodiculis looked alternately at the two with a confused expression. "W-what's going on?" He asked. I actually never thought I would see him like that…
Skyadrum smirked too and flicked his forehead. "Remember who's boss another time, okay?" She ordered him and turned around, waling in the direction where she had come from. Metallicana followed her laughing his ass off.
I helped Lucy off the bench, even though she protested a lot and we began following the others. The only one who hadn't begun moving yet was Alodiculis, I believe he was still embarrassed with that incident. Lucy looked at him over her shoulder. "Aren't you coming, Sensei?" She asked him. Sensei? Some joke between them or something?
Alodiculis looked up and locked gazes with her and nodded with a big, sparkly smile. "Ae (Yes) I'm coming~!" He said happily and skipped towards us surrounded by a pink aura.
I looked down at Lucy for clarification of the situation. She smiled at me and giggled. "When I call him 'Sensei' he takes it as I'm calling him 'Dad'." She explained.
I nodded. "Ahh…" Lucy had told me that she and Alodiculis considered themselves as father and daughter, but that she didn't want to call him father, as that word was connected to someone else.
When Alodiculis had caught up to us, his pink aura faded and he went back to look as he originally did.
Soon enough, Skyadrum, Amelane and Grandine had lead us away from the slums and towards the central part of the city. There were many more people here, whereas there were close to no one in the slums where we were.
What I noticed though was that everyone seemed to be looking at the eight of us. Of course it was so that the men were looking at either Grandine, Amelane, Skyadrum or unfortunately Lucy and the women at either Metallicana - which was weird -, Igneel, Alodiculis or me. None of them with lecherous expressions or anything like that, just checking us out, I'd say. Although, all those men looking at my silver-haired angel weren't just checking her out, they were ogling.
I grabbed Lucy's hand and kissed the back of it, partly because I wanted to, but probably more to show everyone that this one was taken. Lucy smiled up at me and didn't seem to notice all the stares we got. Even the other three ladies did and stepped closer to one of the men, even if it weren't their mates.
Grandine went to Igneel, of course, who put an arm around her and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. Skyadrum, poor Skyadrum, went to Metallicana, but the two of them didn't kiss or anything, just walked closer to each other, it just wasn't like any of them to hold hands or anything.
Amelane went to Alodiculis and the two held hands as if they were some kind of couple.
We had been told to do this when we came to Earthland, if we got too much attention. Dravola, the oldest and wisest of us, had explained that we as Dragons usually were more handsome or beautiful than ordinary humans, that was because they once were out prey and we lured them to us that way. Kind of creepy, but there was nothing to do about it. Humans would lose interest if the person was already in a relationship.
And just as Dravola predicted, we weren't looked at with that kind of eyes, well, not as much anyway. Instead, people were looking at us with envious gazes. Okay… That didn't work out as we had expected.
I glanced down at Lucy, she still made no signs or having seen the many looks around her. I leaned down with my mouth near her ear, in turn getting many glares from males all over and Lucy getting just as many glares from females. All of them were annoying. "Haven't you noticed the people are looking at you?" I asked her and pulled back.
She looked at me with a confused expression, then around at the surrounding people. And nodded. "Yeah, I know they're looking, but I usually ignore them." She looked back up at me again with a nostalgic smile. "You attract a lot of attention when you walk with a pink-haired guy setting his fists on fire and with a flying and talking, blue cat around him, a stripper and a lady in armor pulling a wagon with luggage. But you also get used to it and ignore people at some point." She told me.
I sweat dropped and nodded. "Yeah, but this isn't really the same kind of looks, you know." I muttered. She just looked weirdly at me and then shrugged, going back to ignoring her surroundings. Ah well, it probably made everything easier for her, but she wouldn't be on guard then… I would probably have to talk with Metallicana and Loke about that.
Later, in the Dragon Realm~
Lucy's P.O.V
Picking up the bags at the café and going back home again took no time at all. Acnologia and I parted ways with everyone after we'd entered the portal and had ended up on the field. Now the two of us were flying back to the cave.
We flew in silence just under the clouds, letting the nature pass by underneath us and before long, we reached the cave. I landed and put down my shopping bags near the entrance and transformed to my Human form. I picked them up again and placed them near my bag. I looked through the bag for some clothes I could wear after I had taken the bath in the river.
I felt disgusting, dirty. I really didn't want Acnologia to touch or kiss me right now. It was as if I had betrayed him. I know it wasn't my fault and that I did the best I could, but even so, I had still let another man kiss and touch me. I didn't deserve someone like Acnologia, he was too good for me.
When I had found my clothes, I walked in a b-line towards the exit of my cave and in the direction of the river. I didn't get far before I felt the too familiar arms lock around me and holding me close. The top of his black and blue hair came into my view at my right, where my mark rested, and I felt his soft lips making contact with my skin.
Oh how I loved his touch. Craved it. But it was wrong, it just wasn't right. I whimpered a little, both wanting him to continue, but also desperately wanting him to stop. "P-please…" I whimpered. "S-stop." I finally whispered.
Acnologia immediately pulled back from me. Just goes to show how unworthy I was for him. He always considered what I felt and put that in front, pushing his own back. I closed my eyes as I felt the tears slowly gathering up in my eyes.
He gently turned my head with a hand under my chin. The movement made a tear slip away from the bubble that had been created under my eyes and Acnologia caught it with his thumb. "Lucy, open your eyes." He told me and gently caressed my cheek, where he had just caught my tear. I hesitated to open them, I don't know why but I felt I wasn't allowed to. "Lucy." He called again, more demanding this time.
I opened my eye slowly and felt a tear slip from that eye as well. Acnologia moved his other hand to that cheek and caught that tear too. He looked at me with those concerned eyes, which only added to my guilty conscience.
He noticed that I was about to break down crying and quickly pulled me in for a hug. He pressed my head gently to his chest and locked one arm around my waist and the other one going through my messy, silver hair. "It's alright, Lucy. It's alright." He reassured me, rocking lightly from side to side.
I didn't get why he was still hanging around me. I cried all the time and when I didn't, I let other men touch and kiss me. I was unworthy of anyone. It was just as Natsu said. I'm weak. I'm horribly weak actually. I have trained for months and months again, yet I couldn't even protect myself from three seemingly unexperienced mages. I didn't understand what Acnologia saw in a traitor like me.
I didn't dare hug him back, it would be too wrong. Almost a sinful deed on my behalf. Acnologia tightened his arms around me for a second, before pulling just a little back so he could see my face. Those too mesmerizing, dark blue eyes locked with my brown eyes. "Lucy… Have I done something wrong?" He asked me, much to my surprise.
My eyes widened exponentially as I looked into his rather sad eyes. I quickly and furiously began shaking my head, denying him the blame. What in the world made him think he had done something wrong? What could he have done wrong anyway?
He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at me with a confused expression. "Then why won't you let me touch you? What's wrong?" He asked worriedly.
I looked at the man I loved so much with a sad expression and pulled back, out of his embrace. He reached out for me again, but I shook my head. "Káo (no), don't touch me." I told him. He looked at me with a confused expression and dropped his hand by his side. He was just about to say something, when I cut him off. "I'm not worthy." I muttered.
Now it was Acnologia's turn to have wide eyes. "W-wha… Of course you are!" He told me loudly, almost scolding me.
Káo (no) he was wrong. I wasn't worthy, I wasn't! I shook my head again, facing the ground. "I'm not!" I yelled at him desperately. I looked up at him with tears streaming down my face. "Don't you see? I'm dirty, I'm disgusting!" I yelled at him, trying to convince both him and myself of the cold, hard truth.
Acnologia shook his head slowly with a surprised and overwhelmed expression. "W-what are you saying?" He asked half whispering. "Do you even hear what you're saying, Lucy?" He asked me again and stepped closer.
I took a step back in response. "I-I've betrayed you." I told him. This made him stop in his tracks and look at me with hurt in his eyes. "I've let another man touch and kiss me. I-I let him do it!" I muttered the last par, feeling myself crumble to dust inside. "I didn't do anything to stop him, I was paralyzed. I was too weak, I couldn't do it by myself, I called out Serpus to do it for me." I told him, wrapping my arms around myself and bowing down, at last falling to my knees, gripping myself and facing the ground with tears rolling down my eyes.
I heard Acnologia come closer slowly and carefully, but I couldn't see anything through my tears, they clouded my vision completely. My entire body was taken over by sobs.
I inhaled deeply and continued speaking. "I'm not good enough for you, Acnologia." I told him lowly. "I'm dark and I'm sinful and I shouldn't be allowed to cast such a dark shadow over your light." I continued. Nothing good ever happens at my birthday. Nothing ever. Today wasn't any different and next year it won't have changed either. That was just how it was.
I felt a hand on my back, which slowly stroke me. "Lucy, look at me." He demanded. I felt that there was no room for argument here and looked up him, my eyes acting like waterfalls. Acnologia was looking at me with a stern face, which then melted into an expression softer than I had ever seen him wear. He pulled me into a hug again and rested his chin on my head. "When you say something like that, it hurts me." He told me.
I widened my eyes. I had done it again. I had hurt Acnologia again. When would I ever stop? I kept hurting him over and over again. I never stopped. Why couldn't I just stop? Why did I have to continuously hurt him and letting him cheer me up? Why didn't I ever do anything for him?
The man of my dreams squeezed me. "What happened today… It hasn't changed my view on you, Lucy. It hasn't changed anything." He reassured me. "I still love you more than anything on the world. If anything, my love for you has only grown." He told me. I stared at the bright blue color of his t-shirt with widened eyes. "Even though you were paralyzed through a spell, you still fought through it and managed to call out Serpus with your own magic and let him fight those three using your strength and you kept him out even when you were unconscious." He told me.
I didn't understand what he was saying. I wasn't as amazing as he made me out to be. I was weak, I was pathetic and I couldn't fight for myself. Whether it was my Spirits, my fake best friend or my mate, I always needed someone to protect me. I was a damsel in distress, and I would always be.
I felt Acnologia's chin being removed from my head and felt him place a light kiss on my forehead, then resting his own here he had just removed his chin. "You're not weak, Lucy, believe me. I've seen your strength with my own eyes." He told me. I closed my eyes and tried desperately not to cry again. "What happened hasn't made you either dirty or disgusting and you are by no means dark. You are one of the brightest persons I have ever known." He said.
I shook my head. Káo (no), káo (no) what he was saying wasn't true. He was only saying it to cheer me up, to make me happy. It wasn't reality. I wasn't bright, I wasn't strong. I was a traitor, a dirty and disgusting traitor, who had no power to defend myself. I wasn't what Acnologia said. I wasn't.
Acnologia held me tighter, so tight I wasn't able to shake my head. "Lucy, why do you think I call you my angel? It isn't just because it's a nice nickname, it's because you are like an angel." He explained. "You are as bright as the purest light, you're as innocent as a little child and you would do everything in your power to make sure no one is hurt." He said. I felt my tears falling down my cheeks and dripping off from my chin. "You protect your Spirits and fight alongside them, you don't use them as shields. That's why Phoenix, Aelurus and Serpus have chosen you and not someone else to be their Summoner." He reassured me.
I let my forehead rest against his chest and grabbed his t-shirt roughly and clenched my fists. Suddenly his scent welled over me and filled my nostrils. That scent, my favorite scent of all time. The owner of that scent was saying that he still loved me, even if I had let someone else too close. I began trembling as another round of sobs were making their way to the front. And I was once again powerless to stop them.
Acnologia pulled back, leaving me cold as the absence of his embrace was evident and I felt the cold, judgmental wind hit me like a bucket of icy water. He began moving around, but I didn't open my eyes to see. Suddenly I was lifted and placed on the lap of my mate and held even closer than I was before.
He remained silent and kept me close as the sobs wrecked through me. Why was he telling me all this? How could he still love me after what happened?
After a little while, I had calmed down and the crying had finally stopped. Acnologia didn't release me from his hold, though. He pulled just a little back, so he once again could see my face. "Are you alright, my angel?" He asked me, whispering.
I nodded. I guess I was alright, I just felt dirty and like a traitor, even if he told me I wasn't.
Acnologia sighed. "I know this incident scared you and made you doubt yourself, but don't let it get further than it has come now." He told me. His grip on me changed. "Now, let's get the stench of that man off you." He unexpectedly said and leaned down, placing his lips over mine and capturing them in a passionate and deep kiss, even more so than he one he had given me earlier, when I woke up.
I kissed him back after a moment of hesitation, but when I finally gave in, I kissed him back eagerly. I wanted to smell of Acnologia, not Jaaku and the slums. I put my arms around his neck and moved one of my legs, so I had one leg on either side of him and would be able to deepen the kiss.
I stood up on my knees, so I was taller than Acnologia. I was in control of the kiss right now. Acnologia locked his arms around me and pulled me close. This also resulted in him losing balance and falling backwards to the moss-covered floor.
We didn't even break apart to laugh at it, we kept kissing each other deeply and eagerly, only wanting more of each other. We continued kissing until we were out of breath. I fell down and rested on his chest.
I sneaked a peek up at my mate, he was looking down at me as well. "Acnologia?" I called to him.
He raised his head a little and looked down at me. "Ae (yes), what is it Lucy?" He asked with a smile on his lips.
I blushed. What I was about to say was a bit embarrassing. "I…" I trailed off. I closed my eyes, picking myself up, and looked back up at him. "I want you to take it." I told him. There, it was out, I had said it. Now I was blushing so much I probably looked like a tomato.
He lifted himself up on his elbows and looked at me with a puzzled expression. "Take what?" He asked me genuinely confused. Well, I guess my message was a bit cryptic.
I decided it would probably be better to have eye-contact with him, so I pushed myself up and leaned over him, so we were face to face, forcing him down again in the meantime. "Before anyone else takes it…" I whispered, my face burning hotly. I looked at him with a determined look in my eyes. "I want you to take my-" I gulped and gathered the last of my courage. "I-innocence." I whispered embarrassedly and averted my eyes to the ground. This was so embarrassing! I had never experienced anything could exceed my borders as much as this.
I was flipped around with a surprised squeal. Now Acnologia was in control, hovering over me in the air. He looked at me with emotions flashing through his eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this, Lucy?" He asked me. "This isn't something I can give you back, even if I wanted to." He told me.
I nodded. "Ae (yes), I want you to be my first. What happened today made me realize how quickly we could have this moment taken away from us." I told him. I was only a moment away from being raped back there. I raised my head as much as I could and captured his lips in a kiss. "I want you to have all my firsts." I mumbled. I know it was cliché, but the moment just called for it. Besides, it was the truth. I dropped my head to the ground again with a sigh. "Also, I want to get Jaaku's scent away as quickly as I possible. I couldn't find a way better than this one." I told him and smiled.
Acnologia nodded and rested his forehead against mine. "If you're certain about it, then we'll do it." He told me and kissed the edge of my mouth lovingly.
I nodded a little. "If you don't mind…" I whispered and enjoyed the feeling of his lips, which had now moved to my collarbone, where he had placed the mark.
He grunted as some sort of laugh. "Of course I don't. I've been dreaming of this ever since we became mates." He told me straight out. I blushed once again even more than before at his comment. H-he'd wanted to do this all along? Dreaming of it, as he said himself?
Then I would be making it unforgettable for him, for sure.
Somewhere~
Someone's P.O.V
Three figures came into my room with three men dangling weakly from their grips. The three men were dropped on the ground and the three who held them walked out again.
I looked with disgust at the three of them. They were so horribly weak. I often questioned myself why people like these were even in my guild.
The three slowly came to their feet, with many groans and grunts mixed with it all, and faced me. Then they knelt on the ground with their heads facing the ground. "Master. We apologize for failing our mission to bring Lucy Mau'Te Rongo here. She was stronger than we anticipated." He apologized to me.
I put my elbow on the armrest and rested my head in my hand. "I already knew you three pathetic fools wouldn't be able to take her here. You would be too busy doing unsightly things to her." I snapped at them. "What were you even thinking?! I never asked you to begin raping her! I only told you to bring her here alive." I calmed myself down again and sighed. "But I was well aware that you would not be able to bring her here." I told them.
The three looked up at me with surprised expressions. "W-what?" The one in the middle stammered. "Why did you send us then?" He asked.
I slammed my hand down and glared at them. Just how stupid were they? "To measure her strength, of course." I told them. Obviously that was what I had been doing. I needed her to be strong when I got hold of her. If she was anything like her mother, I knew she would agree to do what I was planning to do, or in the very least consider it. "She's already strong enough to relieve a spell slightly with her Water magic. She's growing steadily." I muttered mostly to myself.
The three nodded. "Yes, Master." The agreed.
I looked down at them. "Jaaku, Ryoga, Kaosu. Go fetch Ivan for me, I need to speak with him." I told them and they quickly hurried out.
I needed to discuss the details of legalizing our guild. I knew it would take a while, but I also knew it was possible.
Oh look at that. We meet the good old Grand Master of all Mysterious Things here again. Surprised it was all his doing? It would seem he somehow knew of Layla too…
And probably more importantly, I would seem Acnologia and Lucy became serious. I am sorry if some of you expected a lemon there, but I never intended to write any of that kind of scenes when I started the story, and I still don't. If you want that kind of romance, I'm afraid you're going to have to look somewhere else for it.
Well, to be on the safe side, I - with advise from DesolationDeath - decided to put this story on the M ranking. Better safe than sorry, you know.
This turned out to be a surprisingly long chapter though… Over 8 600 words. Not bad, definitely not bad. Please, give me some applause or something in your chair XD
Thank you BecauseIamSoBored, Little Lay Slytherin, Alaina Kuski, Maiannaise, Mayawong, Guest, ExDragon, ButterTARDIS36, clairedamoon, Naluorothing, aristofthemind, Cara KnightWalker, BlyWildcat, Nicole (Guest), dashort12, FairyTail555, julez1225, purplegurl14lusu, mjb379, shadowheartfilia20, Dark Meow Meow Kitten of Doom, Darkverger1, xdtyr8, Lil'OldNarsissticMe, OtakuLover43, Emerillion (Guest), Xx21KatieKat12xX, FairyTailLuvr29, clumzybeans, DesolationDeath, twilightamanda, Musi2k, BustNjust9, Snakequeen2345, tanakaL and all you other wonderful people for reading, reviewing, favoriting and of course following!
~ Line464d