Day before the fight, outskirts of Magnolia in some abandoned ruins
Laxus was sat on what had once been a water fountain but was now cracked in multiple places and any water in it had long since dried up, he was hunched over with his elbows on his knees holding his head between his hands.
He'd been fighting for days against the mage who'd taken control of him, livid that someone had managed to gain control of his body. He'd been granted freedom at times, now was one of those where the mage didn't need him to go anywhere or do anything, if he tried to leave this area though he'd take back his control and force Laxus: he felt like a dog on a very tight leash.
The other thing he could feel was Lucy, he wasn't even sure what he'd done to her, but he knew it wasn't something good. From the taunts in his mind he'd gathered as much information as he could, sickened to find that he'd forced her into some form of dragon mating ritual all so whomever was controlling him could gain control of her too. And ever since he'd bitten her yesterday he seemed to be able to feel where she was, right now he knew that she was heading directly for him and he had no way to stop her and wouldn't be able to leave this area.
Something had happened, the mage had taken control of him several times today and made his magic do some strange things with some 'lightning dragon mate roars' which sent shivers down his spine just thinking about them. He had no idea what they'd done but he guessed it was why Lucy was on her way towards him.
He heaved out a sigh and leaned back to look up into the sky, he was trying to work out how he'd been taken control of and if he could break it. It was something to do with the terrible lightning he ate; he could still feel it in his system unable to remove it and its subsequent hold on him. He'd tried expelling as much lightning as he could in the hopes it would leave right along with it, but nothing he'd tried had come with any success.
"Well, I think this show's about to get on the road", he mumbled out as he felt his control slipping away and felt his body forced to stand. Even if he couldn't sense her location he could now smell Lucy approaching…and wait…was that a whiff of Natsu and Happy?! His eyes flew wide for a moment, as much of an idiot Natsu was he'd never let something happen to Lucy, and maybe he'd manage to destroy whatever plans this mage has, then he felt himself totally submerged, his eyes clouding over.
"Laxuuuuus! Oh Laxus, I've missed you", she came running at him with the fakest smile on her as she flung herself up to him wrapping her arms around his neck as his came up to hold her tight against him. He was shocked at her display, sure he could see it was fake, but why would she fake missing him and not just have Natsu attack him, it didn't make any sense.
"Hey blondie, I knew you'd be coming back for me. Knew you couldn't resist me. Now then…shall we finish what we started?"
She pulled back from his neck to look into his eyes, hers were brimming with tears, that fake smile still present as she said, "oh yes Laxus, please, I will do anything for you! I live to serve you, mighty lightning dragon, I will do whatever you ask of me."
He heard laughter echo around his brain and that's when it clicked, that mage had somehow used this mating ritual and whatever the 'mating roar' was to take control of Lucy. Her less than convincing expressions were proof it didn't reflect her true feelings, but if he had to guess then she didn't have any choice in following along. If she did whatever he said, and he did whatever the mage said then he now had direct control on the two of them. But why not just take direct control of Lucy he wondered.
Still not figured that bit out yet eh? Poor dumb dragon.
He growled internally at that voice, managing to keep it at bay from his own thoughts before it dawned on him in full. Of course, he'd been so stupid not to see it sooner. This mage could only control with lightning, when he'd eaten it he'd basically relinquished control, he couldn't control Lucy in that way so he'd just used Laxus to get to her.
"Laxus, why are you growling? Did I do something wrong?" well that was new, he'd managed to take back a slither of control it seemed, he wasn't able to voice any other words or let her go but his growl had broken through making him smile internally to himself. He'd proven it was possible to break the hold, that was something positive.
As fast as he'd broken the hold it came crashing back down, "no Blondie, you're just too hot I couldn't contain myself. Now, strip for me and we can get this show on the road". Great, he thought, this mage is making me look like a right pervert, but diligently Lucy hopped back from him and put her hands on the bottom of her shirt to lift it, even as the tears brimmed over and ran down her cheeks the fake smile stayed plastered on and Laxus felt sick to his stomach.
"Oh no you don't! Happy drop me now!", a quick 'aye sir' and Natsu had landed between the two blondes, thankfully as he landed Lucy took a few steps back from him. He cast her a quick glance o see Happy flying towards her to land in a hug at her chest seemingly derailing the instruction Laxus had given her.
"Not you again! You are always getting in the way!"
"Hey, if you went picking a fight with Lucy then you picked a fight with me too Laxus!", Natsu found that unlike with Lucy he could get as close as he wanted to Laxus with no physical downsides, pouncing on the opportunity he lunged forward, catching him off guard and landing a fire dragon fist to Laxus' jaw making him stumble back a few steps. Laxus, had seen the punch coming of course but it seemed the mage controlling him had been thrown off with Natsu's brazen attitude.
"I've come here to challenge you Laxus and you better not back down from this fight." He raised himself from the fighting stance he'd adopted to square himself up against Laxus' bigger form. "I challenge you to a dragon fight for Lucy"
Laxus could swear he'd never seen the fire and determination stronger or brighter in the pink haired man in front of him, in a different situation he'd surely tease him for such a bold stake for Lucy, instead he took advantage of the cockiness of the mage controlling him, shoving him back into the corner he'd managed to before.
"I accept." He gave an internal victory, he'd didn't know what on earth Natsu was suggesting but things tended to work out for him and it was far better than doing nothing, given how angry the mage was in his mind he'd no doubt he'd made the right choice.
As fast as the words left him the mage took control back in a fit of rage but it was too late. Laxus and Natsu's bodies suddenly sparked with their elements swirling around them before swirling round each other to form a lightning-fire inferno which then headed straight for Lucy.
"Luce!" he reached out towards her but the inferno was far faster already engulfing her, she'd thrown Happy from her so he'd managed to escape.
"I'm fine Natsu", and she was, she was coated in their lighting-fire inferno but was completely unharmed instead smiling brightly at him which he naturally returned.
"Natsu, you gotta set the fight remember"
"Oh yeah thanks buddy!" he turned back to Laxus, a serious expression covering his features again. "Tomorrow, midday, the field behind my house should be big enough"
He could still feel the rage of the mage, but apparently he knew enough about the dragon laws that once the challenge was accepted there wasn't anything he could do now.
"Fine. Tomorrow. Then Blondie, we will continue this"
And as the terms were set the inferno died down to nothing, Natsu took some hesitant steps to Lucy but upon finding her lightning bubble seemed to let him in he quickly closed the distance scooping her up quickly in his arms and running away from Laxus with Happy flying alongside him. Sure, he was going to fight Laxus but he still wanted to put some distance between him and Lucy especially with how close they'd just gotten. She wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her head in his scarf with a smile.
You better win this tomorrow; master will not be pleased with this. Not at all…and you won't like master when he's angry.
Not caring who this mage's 'master' was nor for what may become of him he merely laughed at him, unsettling the mage in his mind more until he was left alone with his thoughts. Control back until he presumed the challenge tomorrow…
Sorry my update schedule for this is all out of whack, been trying to work on another fic that popped into my head and just conflicting with which gets a chapter first!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, thought we'd go Laxus POV as I feel the poor boy has been given a bad light in this fic (sorry Laxus!).