17: conflicted.
Where's Natsu? He's usually running to my rescue, Lucy wondered as she glared at Jacob who was casually sitting at her father's desk. Did he not hear the gunshots? No, he obviously did. Doesn't he have, like, super hearing or something? So where is he? Or did Jacob do something to him?
"Are you ready to hear the terms of the deal?" Jacob asked, snapping Lucy out of her thoughts.
Lucy glanced at her father's dead body. One bullet in the chest, one bullet in the left leg, and one bullet in the head. They're the same places my dad shot my mom. Which means Jacob knows the truth about my mom. But how? She forced herself to stay calm. "First, I need to know a few things."
"Go on, Jacob said, adjusting the leather black gloves on his hands.
"One. You know about my mother and the true cause of her death, correct?" Lucy asked.
"Yes, that is correct," Jacob answered.
"How? My father made sure nobody knows," Lucy asked.
"I am from the Underworld. There is know way for me not to know," Jacob answered.
"Underworld..." It suddenly clicked in Lucy's mind. "You're one of the Spriggan 12!?"
"That is correct," Jacob answered.
Seriously, where's Natsu!? Lucy wondered as she started to slowly back up.
"Careful. If you try to leave, I won't hesitate to shoot you," Jacob warned, making his Glock very visible for Lucy to see that he was serious.
Lucy reached into her pockets and felt a key. I should use it...but I still don't know how!
"Do you have any more questions?" Jacob asked, folding his hands together and putting his elbows on the desk.
"I understand that it's the Spriggan 12's mission to have me return to the Underworld, correct?" Lucy asked. Jacob nodded.
"So how come you killed your father instead of me? You have a good chance to get me. Natsu isn't here and my father and I were so occupied with our argument that we didn't even hear you coming," she asked.
"Because, if I just came in and took you, then I would have to deal with the wrath of END and he's shown himself to be very capable. He has completely traumatized Dimaria and has killed Wall and Neinhart like it was nothing," Jacob explained.
Who's Wall again? Lucy wondered before speaking. "So you fear him."
"No. I just don't feel like dealing with him. I'm responsible for the torture of sinners from the Underworld. How long they are tortured? It depends on the weight of their heart that carries all the sins committed against a simple feather. The heavier the heart is, the more the sinner will be tortured." He glanced at Jude. "This man you call father already has lots of sins that he must be punished for. So, why don't I just take him off your hands and avoid with dealing with the wrath of END?"
"I see...so will you be back?" Lucy asked.
"Depends on the answer you give to the deal," Jacob answered.
Lucy had a bad feeling but she brushed it off. "Okay. What's the deal?"
"You switch places with Jude Heartfilia," Jacob answered.
Lucy blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Jude Heartfilia has committed a bunch of sin, like the murder of your mother. What if there was actually more to your mother's murder?" Jacob asked.
"What do you mean there's more to it? I know what I saw that night," Lucy spat out, hugging herself.
"Your mother has been sickly all of her life and no treatment she's taken has healed her. Suddenly, out of the blue, the symptoms are gone and she's completely healed. Suspicious, isn't it?" Jacob asked.
"She was just blessed like that," Lucy answered.
"Are you sure about that? Or is there...perhaps...something more...?" Jacob asked.
Lucy thought about it. Father called mom a demon and said that mom wasn't mom. Mom was saying how I needed a mother that night. "Wait, so you're saying that the woman who my father killed that night wasn't my mother!?"
Jacob simply tilted his head to the side. "Ask Jude yourself."
"But...he's dead..." Lucy said.
"True, but his spirit still lingers. I can put his spirit back into his body and he'll come back to life, but he will need medical attention immediately or his soul will slip back out and the Grim Reaper will arrive to take it," Jacob answered.
"And if he's back alive, I can properly ask him why he did what he did and to confirm whether that woman was my mother or not," Lucy said.
"Yes...but then I will have to kill you," Jacob said.
"Kill me?" Lucy asked.
"You're my real target. I must take you to the Underworld. Besides, nobody is supposed to know the truth of what really happened. Lady Mavis' orders. So I have another reason to have you killed," Jacob answered.
Mavis is in on this? But, I thought Natsu said that she was on our side? Was this what he means by her and Zeref making up just to get back at him? Lucy wondered. "Why does Mavis want to keep the truth of my mother's murder a secret? I don't understand. Jude Heartfilia murdered someone, he should be punished. Isn't Mavis all about karma?"
"END has murdered millions of humans over the years, 2 guardians, and a god. Shouldn't he be punished as well?" Jacob asked.
Lucy bit her lip and grew quiet. She couldn't argue with that.
Jacob cleared his throat. "I will do you a favor. I will let you choose how you want to go. Option A is you finding out the truth. Jude will be brought back to life and you will go to the Underworld in his place at will. END won't be able to do much since it's your own choice. Option B is you letting Jude die. You will still get to live, but that doesn't mean things will suddenly be okay. I will kill each of your friends one by one."
"What!? But they did no wrong!" Lucy cried.
"Exactly. But their blood will be on your hands and I will torture them for all of eternity...unless you decide to go the the Underworld quietly," Jacob answered.
"You can't do that," Lucy said.
"Yes I can. My orders was to use any means necessary. What other way than to play with the guilty conscious of a girl?" Jacob responded.
Lucy felt conflicted. She definitely didn't want to die and she still wanted revenge against her father, but her friends' lives are on the line. Natsu...where's Natsu?
"You're expecting END to come and save you, aren't you?" Jacob asked, snapping Lucy out of her thoughts.
Lucy narrowed her eyes at Jacob. "What did you do to him?"
"Nothing, really. I just did a spell that hides our presence from the whole world. Nobody can hear what's happened in this room, which means nobody's heard the gunshots. It's like there's nobody here," Jacob answered.
Lucy quickly pulled out her phone so she could call Natsu and have him come up.
"Lucy Heartfilia. You must make a decision now or your father will die and there will no longer be an option to save your friends," Jacob ordered.
He took the hourglass that was sitting on Jude's desk and put it up. The sand started to fill up the bottom. "Once all of the sand reaches the bottom, the deal's off," Jacob said.
"Can I at least call Natsu? I can't make this deal on my own," Lucy asked.
"The minute you call someone, I'm dragging you to the Underworld," Jacob answered.
Sighing in frustration, Lucy put her phone back into her pockets and stared at the sand in the hourglass. Fuck! It's moving fast! What do I do!? What do I do!?
She was feeling guilty. Naturally, someone who's a good person would immediately choose Option A. But Lucy was terrified of death. But her being terrified of death means the death of her friends that gave her a home and never made her feel lonely. They've done so much for me! I don't even think I'll be here if I've never met them. So I must stop thinking about myself and choose Option A. But...I'm scared.
"Tick tock, tick tock~" Jacob sang.
Almost all of the sand was at the bottom. Time was running out and Lucy still hasn't made a decision.
But, there's been so much trouble because of me. Sabretooth was shot up. A whole island was frozen in time. Everyone at the hospital was put under a sleep spell. Maybe it's better if I just go.
Dimaria's words from all those nights ago popped into her mind: "It must suck finding out that you were actually alive at one point but died. Now look at you having to die again, even after your demon boyfriend caused hell all over and made a deal with my boss for you to stay alive."
Natsu went through so much just to bring me back to life. All of those lives that were lost would be all for nothing if I just left. What would he do though? Would he do the same thing he did the last time I died? But I can't let him do that! Lucy dug her fingers into her hair. Ugg! Why's this so hard when it shouldn't be!?
"Time's up," Jacob announced, snapping Lucy out of her thoughts.
Lucy looked up. "Time's up!?"
"Congratulations on choosing Option B. I'm sure we'll see each other again," Jacob said.
"Which means-" Lucy quickly turned around and saw a being that looked like his skin had been pealed off standing next to Jude. He had a black cape.
"You may take Jude to the afterlife now, Bloodman," Jacob said.
Is that the Grim Reaper!? Lucy wondered.
Bloodman glared at her, causing her to shiver. "I remember you!" Then he laughed. "I'll see you in the Underworld soon so don't get comfortable! Well, I've taken Jude Heartfilia's soul to the afterlife! Time to go!"
Lucy watched Bloodman vanish before her. Then, she noticed that Jacob was gone.
Immediately, the doors were kicked open by Natsu.
"I gave you extra time! I'm beating up your dad now!" Natsu yelled.
His fists were engulfed in flames and he was ready for a fight. However, his face changed when he saw Jude's dead body laying on the floor. "What happened...?"
The servants then ran into the room and screamed when they saw Jude's body.
"Master Heartfilia! What happened!?"
"Check to see if he's still alive!"
"Aigoo! How could this have happened!?"
Lucy stood off to the side as she thought of an excuse. "I...just found him like this. I think he killed himself cuz I saw a gun on his desk."
Luckily, Jacob had left his Glock on the desk. Was it on purpose or not? Lucy will never know the answer.
The servants gathered around and sobbed over Jude's death. Spetto came up to Lucy and rubbed her arm in reassurance. "Everything will be fine, Miss Lucy. Please. You must get some rest. It's been a long night."
"I'll take her to her room," Natsu said.
"That is so nice of you!" Spetto cried before running over to join the rest of the servants.
Natsu wrapped his arm around Lucy as he led her out of the late Jude Heartfilia's study. "Luce? You okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine," Lucy answered.
Natsu studied Lucy's face. "You've been crying."
"I don't have a reason to stay here anymore, so can we go into town?" Lucy asked.
She's changing the topic, Natsu thought before putting on a fake smile. "Sure!"
30 minutes away from the Heartfilia Estate was a small, rural town. Lucy and Natsu were at a bar where a brawl had broken out right next to them.
"Yo. You sure you're okay?" Natsu asked, subconsciously moving closer to Lucy in order to block her from the men who were fighting.
"Yep! All's good!" Lucy cried as she poured herself her 10th glass of Tequila.
Natsu took Lucy's cup and the bottle away. "No more!"
"Okay. I see. You hate me. It's fine..." Lucy responded gloomily.
"Wait! I don't hate you!" Natsu cried.
"You don't have to lie. You hate me," Lucy said, scooting away.
"Okay, how can I prove to you that I don't hate you?" Natsu asked.
Lucy's smile returned. "Carry me around town!"
Natsu blinked. "What?"
Lucy wrapped her arms around Natsu's arm. "Carry me around town!"
Reluctantly, Natsu complied. He lifted Lucy onto his back and exited the bar.
"Go that way!" Lucy cried, pointing left.
Natsu turned left.
"What's wrong with you!? I told you to go that way!" Lucy yelled, pointing in the direction they were going in.
"But I am going the way you're telling me to!" Natsu cried.
"Are you blind!? Go the way I'm telling you!" Lucy cried.
"Did you mean to point right?" Natsu asked.
"Go left!" Lucy cried.
Natsu continued going in the direction he was told to go.
"This is not left!" Lucy cried.
"Yes it is!" Natsu cried. Then he turned around and went the other direction
Lucy smiled. "Satisfied."
So she meant go right, Natsu thought. "Do you have a destination in mind?"
"Yes. We're going to the magical land of Candymania," Lucy answered seriously.
"Yo. But Candymania doesn't exist," Natsu said.
"People don't exist either yet here we are," Lucy responded.
"That doesn't make any sense," Natsu said.
Lucy started pulling on Natsu's hair. "Go to Candymania!"
"Owww! Fine! I'm going!" Natsu cried. Although he had said he'll take her to Candymania, he was actually looking for an inn.
Lucy pointed ahead. "Just follow the rainbow and you'll make it."
Ahead of them, 6 silhouette of people were standing in a straight line.
"Who the fuck are they?" Natsu wondered out loud.
"Who are you!? Are you with Dullahan Head?" One of the silhouettes cried.
"Are you a gangster?" Natsu asked.
"This is Scarmiglione's territory! No horse heads allowed!" The silhouette that had spoken earlier cried.
"Oh look. We just entered your territory," a new voice said.
Natsu turned around, with Lucy still on his back, and saw 6 more silhouettes standing in a straight line.
"Dullahan Head! Y'all not supposed to be on this part of town!" Scarmiglione yelled.
"Too bad, mothafuka!" Dullahan Head yelled.
The two gangs started to trade insults back and forth. Natsu and Lucy found themselves awkwardly caught in the middle of the fight.
Lucy put her lips to Natsu's ear. "Put me down."
As a response, Natsu tightened his hold on Lucy.
"Put me down," Lucy repeated.
"Nope. What we're gonna do is sneak out. Things will get violent," Natsu answered.
Like Natsu had predicted, things did get violent. The 2 gangs charged at each other and engaged in a fight. Natsu managed to swiftly move out of the way.
"You still wanna go to Candymania, right?" He asked Lucy.
His answer was Lucy biting the shell of his ear.
"Yo! What was that for!?" He cried, subconsciously loosening his grip.
Now that his hold was no longer tight, Lucy managed to hop off of Natsu's back. She attempted to walk but found the place spinning.
"Wait..." She fell down.
"Lucy!" Natsu cried, bending down to help Lucy out.
Lucy stared at his hand that had been extended to her and furrowed her eyebrows. "Why do you have two hands?" Then she looked up at Natsu. She smiled. "There's two Natsus!"
"You high?" Natsu asked before remembering that Lucy was, in fact, drunk.
Although she struggled, Lucy managed to help herself up. She sloppily walked over to the men fighting. "Wait! Peace and love!"
"Lucy! You're gonna get hurt!" Natsu cried, running after her.
Whenever any of the men were close to hitting Lucy, Natsu simply knocked them out with one punch as if he was One Punch Man. Eventually, Lucy got in between the two gang leaders.
"Don't fight! Use your words!" Lucy cried.
The gang leaders glared at Lucy. "Who dis bitch!?"
Lucy didn't see Natsu behind her. She also didn't see Natsu flash his demon eyes at the gang leaders as a warning.
"D-D-D-Demon!" The leaders cried, running away.
Lucy laughed triumphantly. "Mwahahaha! I did that!"
Natsu quickly rubbed his eyes in order to get the demon eyes to go away.
"Natsu! Natsu! Did you see that!? I scared them away!" Lucy cried.
Natsu's demon eyes were gone so he was able to face Lucy with no problem. He put his hand on top of her head to pat her. "Good job."
The other gangsters were still groaning in pain. Not wanting his demon eyes to show up and to eat any more pain, Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand. "Can we go now?"
Lucy held up a finger to signal 1 minute as she hunched over. Natsu frowned. "What's wrong!? Are you hurt!?"
Lucy vomited all over the ground.
Natsu blinked. He was completely caught off guard. Then he panicked. "Oh shit! What do I do!?"
Random Fact: Ever since watching the Bollywood movies Asoka and Jab We Met (current favorite Bollywood movie), I've been really into Bollywood Movies. It's all thanks to my aunt who's always watching Chinese Dramas, Nollywood and Bollywood movies whenever I come over
Wassup!? It's ya gurl sugarsugarrush!
Yo, so you know how you have a vivid plan for something then when you finally do it, it doesn't turn out the way you expected it? Yeah. That's how I feel like with some chapters like last chapter for example. Oh well. Just gotta move on and upload the next chapter
Reviews:
Amanny- Thank you so much! And your question has been answered!
Copperreign12- Thank you so much! You know what they say, karma's a bitch. And your questions have been answered!
I was debating on how to end this chapter. I decided to end it the way I ended it cuz A.) I got a Zoom in like 5 minutes and B.) Lucy just had a bomb dropped on her in this chapter so I should be nice and let her enjoy her drunk night out
So, yeah. I gotta get to my Zoom now so ima end this! Don't forget to PM me or leave me some reviews! Later, yo!
