Change of Fate

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 11

It was the day when Team Natsu came back into town. Every one of them went to the guild, hoping to find Grace Heartfilia there. Neither one of them were able to see the strong willed woman, anywhere. The ground found their master sitting upon the bar. While many within the guild had been grumbling about the master keeping everyone at the guild.

Erza led the group to the small man. "Master," she asked, trying to get his attention. Once his eyes open, she asked, "Where's Grace?"

This caused many within the guild to stop with their talking. Bringing all focus towards the man in charge.

The man huff, "I was going to tell you in private before talking to the guild." He sighed, "I guess it's better this way. About two nights ago, I had gotten a call from Grace." Makarov glanced towards Lucy with sad eyes. "There is no other way to say this, but she has been kidnapped."

This caused an uproar within the guild. Causing many to yell, curse and other things that are known to do.

"SHUT UP," Lucy cried out in pain before she had gotten everyone's attention. "What do you mean, kidnapped?"

"They call themselves the Oración Seis." He closed his eyes, trying to hold back some emotions that he would like to let go. "I've already called some other guilds to help with the search." He opened his eyes again to look at Lucy. "They'll call back once they've heard something."

Natsu stepped forward, "Sorry gramps, but why would they help us? I mean we've never worked well together before."

The elder man chuckled, "Apparently, while Grace traveled the country. She had helped many of the other guilds out when they needed it. Once I told them who needed the help, they were more than willing to do so."

Gray grumbled, "Do you know why they took Grace?"

Makarov shook his head, "I don't but some of the other masters had thrown a lot of ideas." His eyes darkened. "Neither of them sound pleasant enough." He gave a sigh, "Since Fantasia is nearly here and our Fairy Tail Battle Royale is upon us. I suggest we focus on that for the time being since it will start in a couple of days."

"Yes, master."

The guild as a whole was not pleased with the events that were presented to them, but none had any other better ideas. So as a whole, they went along with the plans that they had set forth for the event.

Lucy glanced around and noticed Gajeel sitting in the corner. Looking all too familiar of a dark brooding dragon. She made her way towards him, knowing that she would not be alone in her feelings about her sister. When she had gotten to his table, she sat down in front of him.

Gajeel glanced up to see his mate's sister. "Bunny, tell me what happened."

Lucy sighed, just as her team came over to sit down. "We ran into something the caused Grace to want to take the late night train home."

"What was it," he growled out in anger.

"Tower of Heaven and Zeref," stated Erza with hollowness in her voice.

"What about it," his tone getting darker by the moment.

Natsu sighed, "The Dark Wizard's followers, who slaved people to build the tower to resurrect him." He glanced towards Lucy, who gave him a nod before he faced the Iron Slayer. "Grace; as a child, was a victim to scientists testing some old journals of Zeref's. She was the product that came from those tests."

Gajeel closed his eyes, allowing a sigh to leave his lips. "I wasn't expecting that to be the cause of her leaving the resort without you guys." He glanced up towards the group. "If we find anything, I want to come too."

Natsu nodded, "Understood." He glanced towards the other, who looked at him with mixed feelings. "Sorry, guys. But he needs to come, she is his mate and he'll kill anyone in the way of him finding her."

Lucy glanced towards the side of her eyes and found Levy, who glared at them. Lucy excused herself before going to her bookworm of a friend and sat across from her. She noticed that her two teammates were off talking somewhere.

"Hey, Levy."

"Hi, Lu…"

Lucy sighed, giving her friend a sharp look. "Alright what's going on with you?"

"Nothing…" When the blue haired girl saw the glare, she huffed. "Fine, I read up on Dragon Mates and Dragon Slayer Mates and I didn't like what I have found out." Her eyes hardened. "It seems, once they had found their mate they can't see anyone else as one either. Meaning they are it for them, even if that mate dies. No one else can take that mate's place."

"Why were you so interested in it, Levy?"

"I wanted Gajeel, Lucy. Even after he nailed me and my team to that tree." Her eyes flashed with something that Lucy had never seen in her friend's eyes. "He should have been mine, Lucy. Not your sister's."

Lucy gave a glare towards her friend, "That's enough Levy!" Causing many to look towards their table, but neither girl was paying attention. "My sister has been kidnapped and you're talking about wanting to take my sister's place in Gajeel's life!" Levy jumped back in her seat, seeing that Lucy had hit a nerve. "I don't know if I can be your friend after today." She had gotten up on her feet, "I'm glad that Gajeel is smart enough to know who his true mate is."

Lucy then made her way back to the table she was before talking to Levy and sat down. Everyone within her group knew that she was not in a good mood. Not after hearing what she had yelled at Levy about. They knew that she wouldn't yell without reason, nor would she lie about it.

Gajeel leaned towards Lucy and took one of her hands and squeezed it. "Thanks, Bunny," he gave a small smirk. "It means a lot that you've done that."

A couple of tears left her eyes, "Anytime. Just help me find my sister and we call it even."

"Deal."

The rest of the day, everyone kept to themselves. While most of them were thinking the same thing. 'How was Grace holding up?'

Grace didn't know where she was, other than that she was in the middle of some forest. She was walking with a group of sadistic mages. Each and every one of them was wrong in the head in some way. She found that Cobra was an intelligent psycho. The more that he talked her, the more she realized that he had a logical brain attached to his madman mind of his.

The man known as Brain had a scientific mind with a mix of some kind of military twist to it. If she had to label the guy, he would the one to keep an eye on. 'Only man with the willpower to actually to rule the world.'

"Oh, he has more than willpower, sweetheart." Speaking of her tormentor, he had a gleam in his eyes that warrant caution. At least she can get to laugh, it must be a good sign.

Brain turned towards Cobra with raised eyebrows, "What did she say?"

Cobra smirked, "Saying that you're the only man with the willpower to actually rule the world."

The leader chuckled, "Oh, yes. I do have more than just willpower." He turned back towards leading the group through the forest. "Call for your snake, Cobra. She might help keep the young lady inline."

"Snake," gasped Grace with worry. "What snake?"

Cobra gave a worried look before calling out, "Cubellios." Within moments a large purple scaled snake came out of nowhere, with a white underbelly. When the serpent came close to Cobra, he scratched her under her chin. "This is my snake."

The snake glanced towards Grace, which stayed where it stood next to Cobra. When the group saw that the snake nor Grace had moved, each one of them turned to see the two looking towards each other. After a few moments the snake slithers towards Grace and stood up to where she could look into Grace's eyes. Grace raised her hand up towards Cubellios.

"Grace… I don't think you should do that," stated Cobra, who was ignored by the woman and the snake.

Brain hissed, "What is your snake doing?"

Cobra turned to his leader, "Hell if I know." He turned towards the two that caught everyone's focus. "She's never done this before."

Grace smiled, "Hsss, hsss..." The snake hissing back at her, before rubbing her head against Grace's hand. Causing the woman to smile and hiss some more at the large snake. "You have an unusual story, don't you Kinana?"

"Kinana," growled Cobra with heat in his eyes. "Her name is Cubellios."

Grace turned towards Brain with a glare of her own in her eyes, along with the snake glaring at the same man as well. "Why didn't you tell Cobra that the snake is really a cursed girl? Who also happens to be his baby sister!"

"WHAT," yelled out most of the members of the guild that she was surrounded with.

The man chuckled, "I was never going to tell him." His eyes held heat behind his eyes. "I was begged by his parents when they had her, knowing they were going to die. They asked me to change her into something that would cause little Cobra to watch out for her. So I turned her into a snake."

The snake in question wrapped itself around Grace as if it was protecting her from the man. Kinana lowered her head to where Grace could pet her some more. "Don't worry, girl. You'll be alright."

Cobra made his way towards the two of them with a worried look in his eyes. "Is it true, Cubellios. Are you my little sister?" The snake nodded. He let out a breath, "What now?"

Brain spoke out with anger in his voice, "Now, nothing. We have a plan that we must follow. Nirvana isn't going to raise itself."

The group went back to walking in the forest, along with Grace with a snake wrapped around her. Who happened to have a maroon haired man walking next to her. He looked lost within his mind.

The snake whispered as she hissed at Grace, 'My brother is lost… Help him…'

Grace could only do was nod, she knew from what Kinana had told her was that he was unable to hear her. Something that he had wanted to do for the longest of times. It was one of the reasons that he had hoped to do, once Brain had risen Nirvana.

Cobra gave her a raised eyebrow when he heard another voice that wasn't her or Angel's. He then glanced at Cubellios, who gave him a nod. He knew then that it was her voice that he heard and he was thrilled to hear it. He leaned into Grace, allowing her to hear his voice only. "We'll talk later."

Grace wasn't really hoping that she would have a chance to talk to him again. Knowing that they were surrounded by other criminals of his gang. Especially seeing that Brain may never allow them to talk alone again. Seeing the tense of his shoulders to go by.