"speaking"

"thinking"

On with the story

A few days after the Magic Duel

Lucy and the others were having lunch in a club room but, in a bit, awkward-ish situation

Natsu sits on a seat pillow as he reads his book before he was poured a cup of green tea by Ikaruga

"so….care to tell us on why we are having lunch here?" Lucy asked as it was hard to eat lunch when there are 4 members of the Seven Empress who were all glaring at Ikaruga "With Ikaruga-senpai?"

"I won the magic duel" Natsu said taking his cup of tea and drinks it before sighing in a bit of satisfaction "she is to pour me green tea when I want and where I want"

"you're telling us that you battled Ikaruga to the point of destroying the arena just to get her to make you TEA?!" Mira said as her eyebrow twitched

"yeah" Natsu said finishing his tea before Ikaruga brewed him some more "and her tea is quit how to say 'very refined' and have a very calming taste"

"gratitude" Ikaruga said as she poured more tea for him

"why did I even bother asking?" Mira said rubbing her face

"you do know that she could've poisoned the tea, right?" Erza said glaring at Ikaruga

"ara, Erza-han. I may be low but I do not do such action" Ikaruga said placing her hand over her mouth before smirking "not to one I have an interest on"

"this Psycho Woman!" Erza, Mira, and Kagura have tick marks on their forehead as Lucy goes a bit away from them

"then, what is the other reason?" Kagura said while eating her lunch

"what do you mean?" Natsu said drinking his tea before reading his book

"a battle for a simple tea serving? There has to be more to it" Erza said keening her eyes at Ikaruga

"keen thinking" Natsu said as he drinks his tea before sighing a bit "yet you still do not see the big picture"

"and what 'big picture' is it?" Erza said not taking her eyes off of Ikaruga

"all Seven Empress holds power in certain aspects of the school, right?" Natsu said biting in some tea snacks "if you think carefully, how many of you have I already defeated?"

"you plan to take control of this school, aren't you?" Kagura said as Natsu nodded before Ikaruga poured more tea into his cup

"don't get the wrong idea, the school is a very fine place, that gives students many advances in their magic" Natsu said as he drinks his tea before his eyes went reptilian for a second and returned back to normal "I just don't like the one who owns it"

Erza frowns as she looks down a bit to think of her mother

Kagura placed a hand to her shoulder as Erza nodded to her

"the Seven Empress has the power of the school, and that power also rivals that of the Headmaster." Natsu said as he placed his tea and a tea stalk floats up straight in it "having you all with me, makes me have your power, doesn't it?"

"you're a crazy one, aren't you?" Ikaruga asked brewing more tea "having us maidens be used as your stepping stones to gain what you desire. You men are crazed"

"I never said anything of using any of you as Stepping Stones" Natsu said as he reads his book "I only think of you all as my friends…and that is all"

Everyone looks to him before smiling a bit to his words

"anyway" Natsu said as he finished his tea before standing up "I need some help as well"

"with what?" Lucy asked as Natsu pulls out a list of available clubs in the school

"I still don't have a club to go to" Natsu said showing the list "having a recommendation is better than blindly picking"


After school, Natsu started walking around the school as to find the clubs in it

Lucy accompanies him as she knows where the clubs are

"first off is my club" Lucy said as they went to the library

Walking in, Lucy leads him to a door by the end of the library where there was a small room filled with shelves of books and a single long table

"this is where we do our readings, and where we discuss on ancient magic formulas; we've discovered in the ancient book texts" Lucy said as Natsu sees many books, some looking old; very old "we also do some translating on some texts that aren't that easy to read"

Natsu walks around as he took one book from the shelves and it was a comic book

"and this too?" Natsu asked showing the comic book

"ah! No!" Lucy screamed as she snatched the book away "this! I!"

"if you call a comic book, the ancient magic book then you should read a dictionary," Natsu said as he started walking out


The two soon heads out for the next club as it was the Archery club

"archery, huh?" Natsu said before they went into an open club room where there was a field

"welcome" Kagura greeted them as she wore a traditional magic archer uniform

"this is where you train?" Natsu asked looking around the club room "you use a sword yet you practice with a bow and an arrow"

"my training with the sword is for power and speed, archery helps my coordination and precision" Kagura explained as she took a bow and arrow before shooting it at the target in the fields. Hitting straight at the center

"I see, your swords style does involve accuracy" Natsu said as he took a bow and a few arrows in hand "may i?"

Kagura nodded as she stood aside and lets him aim at the target with an arrow

His eyes look at the target in the field before he fired his arrow and a few more

The first arrow splits Kagura's arrow before the other arrows splits the other

"amazing" Kagura said as some of her club members clapped for Natsu's amazing capability "you could join us if you want"

"grateful offer, but I'm here to check and see before I make my decision" Natsu said as he gives the bow to a nearby club member and started walking away after taking a glance to Kagura "and do remember to focus more on your stance, your right-hand wavers before you shoot"

Lucy bowed before she left with Natsu

Kagura looks to them before she looks at her right hand


Natsu and Lucy went to the next club as it was the Judo Club

"been waiting on you!" Mira greeted them while wearing her Judo outfit

"I don't need to ask on what I see here" Lucy said backing away as she knew that Natsu will do some try outs here

"10 people" Natsu said as he takes off his glasses and pockets them "one lands a hit. I might consider joining this club"

"interesting bet" Mira said as she snaps her fingers and 9 of her club members stood in a circle before they went into a battle pose "don't regret it"

"really now?" Natsu asked folding his hands behind his back

In a matter of minutes, Mira was fling down to the ground as Natsu stood near her

"nice coordination of techniques, power and speed? ok, keen in next action? Not so much." Natsu said as he puts on his glasses before walking away "try eating some broccolis, they're good to make you smart"

"that guy doesn't hold back, huh?" Mira said as she tried getting up before lying down on her back "and I thought we would win"


Natsu went to the next club as it was the singing and dancing club

"I think I'm going to cross this one out" Natsu said as they went pass the club but not before Natsu took a glance inside and he sees Éclair dancing in the club

He smiled before he went away with Lucy


The two went to every single club as Natsu out matched their pro in their own game

Natsu and Lucy went to the pool as the swimming club was next on the list

"nice size swimming pool" Natsu said before Demonic Natsu appeared beside him

"Oh, SwIMMIng Pool. WheRE ArE ThE LaDIes?" he asked looking around for the club members

They went in as they find no one at all

"no one is here?" Lucy said looking around but Natsu looks to the pool as he sees air bubbles

"you might want to stand a few feet away" Natsu said backing away

"huh? Why?" Lucy asked before a big wave of water came flying above her

"AAAaaaahh!" she screamed before the big of water splashed on her, making her and her uniform dripping wet "why?"

Natsu handed her a towel before looking to the pool as there was a Dark Purplish haired woman coming out of the pool and then going to a bench where there was a bag

"an instructor?" Natsu said as Lucy dried her hair before looking to the woman

"no, she's a student" Lucy said as Natsu looks to her confused "she's 19" Lucy added in as Natsu looks to the woman "she's Ultear Milkovich, another member of the Seven Empress. They call her the Time Witch"

"aNotHER OnE, HUH?" Demonic Natsu said as he floats around Ultear who was drying her hair with a purple towel "OvERaLL A+ On AlL AspECTS"

"Time Witch?" Natsu repeated her words

"rumors said that her magic is based on Time manipulation, she can manipulate non sentient things of their time" Lucy explained "either speed it's time to the point that its breaking and dissapearing, or revert it to its primal form or so to speak"

"Time Magic, huh?" Natsu said rubbing his chin

The two then walked towards Ultear who wore her towel around her neck before seeing them, walking towards her

"can I help you two?" Ultear asked them before focusing her eyes on Natsu "Dragon Emperor, Salamander…."

"you've heard of me? or know me?" Natsu said looking interested

"I've heard of you before" Ultear said "you're the first male student to join Belserion High, the first Male student to have ever defeated 4 members of the Seven Empresses for the duration of two months"

"guess I'm getting famous, aren't i?" Natsu said rubbing his chin and then crossed his arms "words reached your ears even if you were absent during the festival"

"I had my time used for something else" Ultear said before looking to Lucy

"Lucy Heartfillia" Lucy said as she reached a hand out to Ultear "nice to meet you, Ultear-senpai"

"pleasure" Ultear said shaking her hand before looking to Natsu "and the reason on why you are here? Challenge me and make me your slave like you did with Erza and the others?"

"it's not like that" Lucy said trying to explain things to Ultear

"If I were to challenge you, I would do it if I have something, I want from you" Natsu said crossing his arms

"hey, Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed

"if it's not then what?" Ultear said keening her eyes on Natsu

"finding a club that I have an interest on" Natsu replied showing her the pamphlet of the swimming club

"we don't take any more members," Ultear said as the pamphlet turns to dust "especially males"

"is that so?" Natsu said as he can see hate in Ultear's eyes "very well then"

Natsu soon started walking away as Lucy bowed to Ultear before leaving

Ultear looks at them before she packed her things and went to the shower room


Natsu and Lucy walked away in the hall as they left the pool area

"what was that all about?" Lucy asked as she can feel how Ultear's aura was filled with anger and hate

"who knows" Natsu replied shrugging his shoulders before he stops when he heard some chatters

"what is it?" Lucy asked as Natsu shushed her

"did you hear? The vampire just appeared again" "oh my god, who was it this time?" "gang members, high school students too" "this just gives me the shivers when there is a vampire in the town" Natsu heard some whispers as some students were chatting around by the end of the hallway

"vampire?" Natsu said hearing them

"you haven't heard?" Lucy said as she takes out her Lacrima Phone and showed her the picture of a news "there's been incident of the vampire"

Natsu takes the phone as he reads the news 'Vampire in Magnolia?! 40 people found dead in alleyways! Blood drained dry?! Organs gone!?"

"it's been going on for days" Lucy said to him "many people were found drained of their blood, organs ripped out of their body, and the police have no idea on who the culprit is"

Natsu hums as he looks at the list of the victims and sees that most of them are males who are in his age

"some are males in my age" Natsu said as Lucy looks to him before to the list of victims

"you're right, some victims are high school male student or anyone in the age of 17-18" Lucy said seeing the list before to Natsu "are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

"that depends" Natsu said giving back her phone "are you up for a nice night stroll?"


"why did I ever be friends with you?" Lucy who was wearing casual clothes said as she and Natsu were out in night, looking for the elusive vampire in Magnolia

"this is part of your training too" Natsu said wearing casual clothes while reading his book "facing fear with a brave heart, that's how some mages face great obstacles in their lives"

"yeah but this obstacle is a fricking vampire who sucks the victims dry of their blood and rips their organs out" Lucy retorted before the two meets up with Erza and Kagura who are joining them on the vampire search

"thanks for coming" Natsu said before noticing that Mira and Eclair wasn't with them "Mira and Eclair?"

"Mira's at her house with her siblings, she has a little brother in the same age as us. She thinks that the vampire might attack him so she stayed behind" Erza replied "Éclair said she wasn't fond of things like this so she backed out"

"I understand" Natsu replied nodding before a police car parks beside the street as Macao and Wakaba came out

"thanks for waiting, kid" Wakaba said getting out of the car "we appreciate all of your help, this vampire incident is taking a big toll on the police force"

"do you have the map of where all the victims have been killed?" Erza asked as Macao takes out a map of Magnolia and sets it on top of the car's hood

"the victims' bodies are always found in dark alleyways and were found by passerby" Macao explained as there were several locations in Magnolia that has been marked X "all the victims are people in the age of 17-18, cause of deaths, blood loss. Literally drained of any drop of blood in them with addition of some of their organs gone and ripped out"

"talk about pure creepy" Lucy said shivering a bit

"where was the last victim found?" Natsu asked as Macao points to a spot near his apartment "that's near my home and it's close too"

"what?" Erza and the others said as they look and sees that there is a pattern in the attacks

"here, here, then here, and then here" Wakaba said as he made numbers on the first attack to the last known one

"it's like a Spiderweb" Kagura said as everyone looks to her

"I've heard of it in my Familiar class, we were discussing on how spiders hunt down their preys in a web like surrounding" Kagura said as she grabs a marker and connects all the marked location and sure enough it formed a web

"it's true!" Lucy said seeing how they formed the web

"since the last known victim was in this location, the next one might be…" Erza said running her finger along the map, following the web and stops to a certain spot that is an alleyway "here"

"I'll get the other forces on" Macao said getting in the car and takes the radio "in the meantime, you guys be careful, we don't know what we are really dealing with"

"yes" Erza and the others replied while Natsu just looks at the map and the web formation

"blood drained dry, organs ripped out and gone….i think we're dealing with an organ dealer" Natsu muttered out before he remembered something and looks to the others "wait, where does Mira live?"

"here" Erza said pointing at the map before her eyes widen when she realized that the next target location is near Mira's home "we have to get there! Mira and the others are in trouble!"

"hop on!" Wakaba exclaimed getting into the car

Erza and the others get in before noticing that Natsu wasn't with them

"where's Natsu?" Lucy said before they see him jumping on top of house roofs and was heading to where Mira's home is located

"go!" Erza exclaimed as Macao turns on the siren and they speed away on the car


Mira was out in the night as she and her siblings were going back home after some grocery shopping

"this creeps me out" Lisanna Strauss, Mira's youngest sibling and little sister; said as she holds a grocery bag in hand "a vampire….this just makes us feel like in a horror movie"

"don't worry, Lisanna!" Elfman Strauss, Mira's second Sibling and Little brother; said as he holds a crate over his shoulder and grins "the Man Elfman! Will protect you!"

"be quiet, Elfman. We're in the neighborhood, so don't make a fool of yourself like last time" Mira said carrying some bags with her "and don't worry about a thing, Lisanna. You two just stay with me and I'll protect you both"

"that's Neechan! she's a Man!" Elfman said grinning

"I'm a woman, you big oaf" Mira said

The three keeps on walking to their home without noticing that they were being watched from the shadows as two red eyes were looking at them


Natsu jumps from house roof to house roof before he finds Mira and her siblings

Landing to a near house's roof. He looks at them before he looks down and sensed something hiding in the alleyways

"that.." Natsu felt a demonic presence as it felt negative and there was something about it that makes him feel dizzy

Natsu keens his eyes before he saw two glowing red eyes that soon disappeared

"it disappeared?" Natsu muttered out before hearing a scream coming from down the alley

He looks to where it comes from as it came from the opposite direction of where Mira and the others are

Natsu soon jumps to the location of where the sound is and went to see if it was the vampire


Lucy and the others were on their way to the street of where Mira's home is at as they were going as fast as they can

"where next?!" Macao exclaimed driving the car

"turn the corner there!" Erza directed him as she knew of where Mira lives

They turn the corner before they heard a loud explosion near

"what was that?!" Lucy exclaimed as they look out and sees flames raging near an alleyway

"let's go!" Macao exclaimed getting his magic gun as he and Wakaba runs out with Erza and the others following


Natsu stood in an alleyway while a woman was running out of it

In front of Natsu was a burned man who he had just pummeled to the ground

"so this is the vampire, huh?" Natsu said looking bored

He soon heard running as he turns around and sees Erza and the others coming into view

"you're late" Natsu said as he points to the burned man "I already finished up"

"excuse us for not having high jumping ability like you do" Lucy said as Macao and Wakaba went to the burned man

"well well well, if it ain't the elusive Organ Taker, Ivan Dreyar" Macao said handcuffing the man and pulls him up "you've been hiding for 2 years, and now you're out in the open."

"know him?" Erza asked as Wakaba nodded

"yeah, this guy used to run for mayor back in the day. Words came out that he bribed the votes and was a damn organ dealer" Wakaba said as Macao called in on the other forces to come while he holds Ivan "Makarov-san is going to have a long talk with you in the interrogation room"

"so the vampire was a crook. How typical" Kagura said crossing her arms

"no" Natsu said making everyone look at him "he's not"

"he's not?" Lucy asked as Natsu reached into Ivan's pocket and takes out the items in it

Scalpel, plastic bags, drugs, and a napkin. Natsu soon reached into his bag and takes out a small plastic compartment box and inside were organs

Lucy holds in a puke as she looked away

"you disgust me" Erza said glaring at Ivan

"where's the blood?" Natsu said as everyone looks at Ivan "what did you do with the blood?"

"what blood?" Ivan said in reply

"don't you dare lie while we're around!" Macao exclaimed as he pushed Ivan against the wall "answer the kid!"

"I only take organs! What is the use of taking blood!?" Ivan exclaimed

"why you!" Macao exclaimed before Natsu grabs Ivan and looks at his eyes

Natsu's eyes turned reptilian before they turned back to normal

"he's not the vampire…" Natsu said pushing Ivan away "he couldn't be…he doesn't have that demonic presence, nor does he have the magic to utilize it"

"what do you mean?" Lucy asked

"what I'm saying is that the real vampire is still out there" Natsu said


Mira and her siblings walked back home before they see the black hair woman walking towards them as her clothes and body was covered in blood

"um, are you alright?" Lisanna asked going to the woman

"Nee-chan.." Elfman muttered out as Mira nodded seeing the woman

"Lisanna, get back. Now!" Mira exclaimed dropping her bags and going into her Satan Soul

"huh? Why?" Lisanna asked looking to them without noticing that the woman's eyes turned black and her pupils went red with her long fangs showing

"get back now!" Mira exclaimed before Lisanna was pushed to the ground and the woman hissed as she leans to Lisanna's neck

"NOooooo!" Lisanna screams as she tried pushing the woman away but her grip on her was strong

"get away from Lisanna!" Elfman shouted as his arms turned into bear arms

He swings his claws at the woman who dodged it and swipes her hands at him

Elfman defended before noticing that his arms were cut and bloodied

"what the!?" Elfman exclaimed in surprise as he was wounded so easily

The woman looks at Lisanna before she bites her neck, causing her to scream in pain

"get away!" Mira shouted as she fired a black energy sphere at the woman

The woman saw this and jumped away from Lisanna who grips her bloodied neck

"Beast Arm! Black Bull!" Elfman shouted as his right arm turned into a muscular black arm

He punched his arm at the woman who dodge it before hissing as she went for Elfman's neck

"Elfman! Don't let her bite you!" Mira shouted

CLANG!

A fang broke and falls to the ground as the woman screams in pain while holding her mouth

"heh" Elfman smirks as his neck skin turned metal "can't bite through metal, can you?"

The woman glares at Elfman as her fang regrow itself

"Demon's Blast!" Mira exclaimed as she fired a powerful black energy blast at the woman

The woman's eyes glowed red and black before Elfman got in front of her and the blast hits him instead

"Gaaah!" Elfman shouted in pain as the blast hits him hard

"Elfman?! What are you doing!?" Mira exclaimed seeing what her brother did

"i-it's not me! m-my body just m-moves on its own!" Elfman exclaimed frozen in spot, trying to move

The woman climbs on Elfman's back as she tilts his neck and licks her lips while her fangs showed

"Elfman!" Mira shouted as she flies towards them

The woman saw Mira as she hissed before Elfman runs towards Mira

"Neechan! look out!" Elfman shouted as his arms turned into lizard like limbs with long claws and he started swinging them at Mira who dodged them

"is this her magic?!" Mira exclaimed dodging the slashes before seeing the woman going for Lisanna, intending to drink her blood again "get away from her!"

Mira punches Elfman's gut hard as the man gasped in pain before falling down, Mira soon runs towards the woman and rams her side at her

She and the woman fell to the ground as Mira punches her fist at her

The woman caught her fist before she rolled them and the position was reversed

"Damnit!" Mira exclaimed trying to attack but the woman blocks her hands from moving before going for her neck but stopped at the moment

The woman soon disappeared into thin air, leaving Mira dumbfounded

"what the?" Mira said sitting up and looks around for the woman but she was gone

"Mira-san!" Mira turns and sees Natsu and the others running towards her

"you guys" Mira said standing up to meet them "why are you here?!"

"the vampire, did it attack you guys?" Natsu said as Mira nodded before she went to Lisanna who was bleeding badly by her neck

"I'll call in the ambulance" Macao said as he takes out his Lacima phone

Natsu looks around before he sees the woman standing on top of a house's roof before she disappeared

"that time…" Natsu muttered out


10 minutes later, the ambulance soon arrived

Lisanna was taken into the ambulance on a stretcher as Lucy accompanied her to the hospital

Elfman had woken up from the punch to the gut as he was sat down with Mira beside him

"you said that this vampire is a woman?" Macao said hearing the explanation from Mira

"yeah, black hair, black eyes with red pupils, fangs like a bat, she wears a blood-stained leopard kimono, wearing knee socks but no shoes or anything" Mira explained as she described the vampire attacker "and she has tattoos on her shoulders with the addition of horn looking things on both side of her head"

"horn looking things and Tattoos," Macao said writing it down before rubbing his forehead "the vampire is a black hair woman with tattoos, horns on both side of her head, blood-stained kimono and is shoeless? This day just gets weirder"

"guess it's back to the drawing board, huh?" Wakaba said smoking a cigar

"anything else?" Macao asked "her magic or something?"

"some weird magic that allowed her to control Elfman's body" Mira said patting her brother's shoulder "she forced him to attack me without him being in control"

"I've heard of Mind Control Magic but Body Control magic? This is getting weird" Wakaba said as Macao writes it down on his notes

"really sorry, Neechan" Elfman muttered out while looking down on his hands "my body just"

"it's fine" Mira said patting his head "all that matters is that everyone is safe"

While Mira converse with Macao and Wakaba on the vampire, Natsu and the others were checking around the area

"there's no tracks at all" Erza said kneeling down and touched the ground "it's like she really did disappear into thin air"

"people can' just disappear, can they?" Kagura said checking around "unless its some sort of Spatial Magic that allows teleportation?"

"I think so" Erza said as they went to find more clues

Natsu looks around before he spotted the broken fang on the ground

He picks it up with a napkin and checks it

"you got something?" Macao asked walking towards him

"this" Natsu said showing him the broken fang

"a fang?" Macao said looking at the fang before taking out an evidence plastic bag "I'll get this check at the police station"

Natsu nodded as he drops the fang into the evidence bag

"it might be from an animal but since this is a vampire, it might be from it" Natsu said as Macao sealed the bag tight

"we won't know till we get the result" Macao said before shaking hands with Natsu "thanks for everything, kid"

"yeah" Natsu replied before he looks behind him and senses someone watching him from the shadows

"what's wrong?" Macao asked seeing his actions

"nothing…nothing at all" Natsu replied before everyone went away


In a dark alley, the black hair woman was feasting on a dead woman as her blood was drained dry and her organs ripped out

The woman was eating the heart before two men; one wearing a black suit, the other light blue with glasses, came into the alleyway

"my my, so this is where you are?" the black suited man said smiling to the black hair woman

The black hair woman stands up as she licks her fingers of the blood and wipes her mouth a bit

"you've ruined your kimono" the man said walking towards her "I think we can get this clean, can we?"

"yes" the blue suited man said as he folded his hands behind his back

"did you had your fill of the outside world?" the man asked the black hair woman who nodded "good, and did you meet him yet?"

"yes….Natsu-sama…..i..wanted to meet him" the woman spoke out in a bit of a monotone voice

"I see, I want to meet him too, but the time is not right yet" the man said patting the woman's head "right now, you still need some sleep, ok?"

"yes…" she replied

"do you think E10 will stay still this time?" the glasses man asked the other

"she might, but let's give her a name, shall we?" the black suited man asked "E10 isn't a good name for her"

"what do you suggest?"

"hmmm" the black suited man hums before looking to the crescent moon above "since it's a good night and the moon in its crescent form with the addition of it being a chilly night, I suppose we should call you Sayla, yes"

He looks to the woman who looks emotionless with her complexion

"the Goddess of the Chill Moon, Sayla" he said as the woman's eyes glowed black and red before everything went dark


That's a wrap!

Bye bye