I do not own Fairy Tail.
Chapter Five: All You Have to do is Watch Them
He took a deep breath, eyes closed and hands behind his head as the whole group walked down the cobblestone sidewalk coming back from Galuna Island after a few days on the Island itself; Gray sighed, "It's good to be back," shaking his hair out of his eyes.
Lucy giggled from beside him, she had once again gone on a mission with Natsu and Happy that was actually an S-class mission. The blonde had thought it was easy enough, even though it was one of the top jobs on the board and questioned the slayer on how he even got the job in the first place. She really should have known.
This was right after she and the team went and took care of Lullaby from the Eisenwald Guild. They were a dark guild that was trying to kill all the legal guild masters at the magic council. It was a hard week for the blonde, but she was still feeling happiness bubbling through her at gaining a new gold zodiac key. As she thought about it, the keys on her side warmed.
Right after Natsu, Lucy and Happy finished with the Everlue Mansion and the Daybreak book, she was packing for her mission to take down Lullaby when she spotted something glinting on her desk right under the new chapter of her novel. She didn't remember having any jewelry that was gold, so it was odd that something like that was here.
She walked over to it with a soft look on her face, just about to move the papers when she heard a loud thud at her window, Lucy yelped turning to see Natsu and Happy falling from her window sill with a smile and a laugh emanating from the two of them.
"Natsu! What the hell? You scared me," Lucy scowled but laughed towards the end when she noticed that Natsu had his pants stuck on her bed frame by the window.
He was laying on the floor with his foot stuck up in the air and just laughed. Lucy had to roll her eyes and turn back to the gold piece that was on her desk, reaching out and touching the soft gold.
Her scream caused the fire dragon slayer to flinch on the floor as he was trying to free himself, Happy flew over to the blonde who was just holding something to her chest with a wide smile and her eyes closed, "Something wrong Lucy? Did you stub your toe again?" chuckling around his paws.
Ignoring his comment, she brought out her hand to show them the Virgo key she now possessed, "I got a new key!" she exclaimed loudly, even doing a little jump of excitement as Natsu finally got himself free.
"Where did you get it from?" he asked, getting to his feet, dusting himself off before standing in front of the stellar mage.
"I just found her on the desk, I don't know how she got there," looking back to her desk and moving the papers before Natsu could read them again. "Oh, I can't wait to make a contract with her!"
Natsu had to remind her that the spirit was large like a gorilla so, she shouldn't summon them here, in her apartment. The dragon slayer left right after Lucy went to the canal to summon the earth's spirit but was pleasantly surprised to find out that she looked like a normal maid with pink hair.
The spirit looked nothing like the first time Lucy saw her, she stood tall with short, pink hair, and that was topped with a frilly little headband that was cute. Her short-skirted maid was normal against the very odd-looking shackles that hung from her wrists.
She bent at the waist in front of the blonde, bowing with hand to her heart, "Hello Mistress, how may I help you?"
"Mistress?!" taking a step back in surprise. Lucy hadn't been called that since she was back with her father when he would take her to clients' houses or a ball or masquerade party. The older men around her would call her 'Lady', 'Mistress', or 'Young Heartfilia', it made her shiver in her boots. Shaking her hands in front of her, "No Mistress, I don't like that. Anything but that please," she told the earth spirit.
Virgo lifted her eyes to stare at the young mage, confusion wafting through her mind but her face was stoic, "Princess it is then," she spoke after a moment of thought.
"Princess is fine, or just Lucy," She took a sigh when the spirit nodded slightly.
Now, as they strolled down the street, passed vendors and stores when Lucy started to feel a shudder down her spine. Her brown eyes started to wander to the townspeople all staring at them. Some pointing and others whispering at them. She felt weird, her arm came across herself when her nerves got the better of her.
Swallowing, she tugged on Natsu's vest from beside her, he leaned his head back to give her a questioning look, "People are looking at us," she gestured to the townspeople whispering as they walked further towards the guild.
His jade eyes glanced around then shrugged and kept walking, "It probably because of such a great job we did on Galuna Island."
His laugh was always infectious, but this time she just gave him a small smile, her worries making her paranoid. Erza and Gray didn't seem to notice either as they made small talk just as the guild came to sight.
Lucy gave an audible gasp when she saw it, the steel pillars that struck all over the broken guild. There were so many columns stick out here and there, that she was surprised that it was still standing. Before anyone could even say anything, Natsu ran straight into the broken guild hall screaming and cursing as he went with Happy flying off after him. Erza and Gray ran after him just a second later.
She walked after them, still in shock of just seeing the guild in such disarray. Her feet stepped in the guild hall, seeing up-turned tables, broken chairs and the bar was in pieces. Erza, Natsu, and Gray were slowly stepping around the empty guild, nobody saying a thing until MiraJane stepped up from a staircase from behind the bar.
"The guild was attacked by Phantom Lord, we opened up the basement for everyone to stay while we take jobs," She explained, motioning for them to join her downstairs.
Once the team made it to the basement, Lucy saw the saddened faces of the guild members with mugs of beer or half-eaten plates of food. She felt bad for the guild, that they can't have their safe space of their guild home when someone destroys it.
She didn't know anything about this Phantom Lord guild and why they even did this. Lucy watched Natsu stomp up to Master, who was sitting crossed-legged on a crate, drinking a beer, "Gramps! What are you doing here getting drunk? We should be attacking them!" He yelled.
Taking a sip and a sigh, keeping his eyes closed, "Quiet, boy. Its no use when they attacked the guild with no one here. They struck the guild at night," burping lightly before taking another sip.
Tilting her head, why would they attack at night when no one was here? That seemed counterproductive. Wouldn't someone want to contact with the guild you're trying to fight with unless there was more to come. They should have their most skilled members here to defend us but upon looking around she didn't see Laxus or the thunder legion around anywhere.
Tentatively walking up to Master, she leaned against the wall next to him, "Master, where are Laxus and the others? Shouldn't they be here if Phantom Lord attacks again?"
His right eye opened slightly to glance at her, "I have no idea where Laxus is but Freed is on a job with Bickslow and Evergreen," he muttered against his glass, emptying it before setting it beside him.
Lucy thanked him as she walked out to go back home. Was Laxus with them or was he on his job and didn't tell Master where it was. Lucy was just going to sleep off her worries till the morning. However, once she opened the guild doors, it was much worse than the previous day.
Everyone was running around rushing everywhere, grabbing weapons filled with Lacrima, and several of them taking drinks in encouragement from Mira. Lucy tentatively made her way towards the bar, dodging and apologizing when someone bumped into her, she found herself in front of Mira behind the bar, "Mira?"
Her head turned to her as her hands worked their way around mugs and beer and handing them out to people, "Yes, Lucy?"
"What's happening?" watching Max and Nab work themselves mad, on getting a bunch of supplies in a bag and running out the guild doors.
The takeover mage laid her hands down with an empty, clean mug, "No one told you?" she asked, having the blonde slowly shook her head. Lucy had just arrived moments ago, and no one was really saying anything clearly, "Team Shadow Gear was attacked last night, Natsu and Happy found them this morning crucified to a tree. They are upstairs in the infirmary," pointing to a door just right of the staircase on the second floor.
Gasping, Lucy looked up to the door for a second before looking back at the white-haired mage, "Well, what is everyone doing then? Who did it? Are they alright?" Lucy fired off question after question until Mira stopped her with a hand in the air.
"Master has declared war on Phantom Lord, there was a note nailed on the base of the tree with the signature of Black Steel Gajeel." She said his name with malice, "Everyone is going around to attack them all at once."
Placing her hands on the counter as her mind raced, everyone was going to attack another legal guild? This seemed normal to them as every member had an evil angry aura about them. Weapons and magic swirling all around the guild as almost everyone was now ready to raid.
Lucy gradually stood up, "I'm going to watch after Team Shadow Gear," stating before making her way up the stairs, looking at the lounge area where Laxus and the Thunder legion would originally stay but it stood empty as she expected.
Opening the door gently, she saw the three of them lay still in cots across one side of the room, right across the door was wide open windows and medical supplies seated on small tables to the right of them. Making her way over to the small blue-haired mage, laying her hand on the bandaged wrist of her friend.
Behind the door, Lucy heard several members yell in chorus then steps of running away from the guild. It was quiet now, Lucy assumed that no one was downstairs anymore, she had to watch over them, hopefully nothing would come after them again.
[***]
Her path from the corner store back to the guild was clear, Lucy figured that the three of them would need something to eat when they wake up. Some drinks and chocolate bars swung in her hands as she strolled down an alleyway to get to Fairy Tail quicker.
Why did Phantom Lord do this to them? What did those three do to anyone that inspired this? She knew that Levy was the sweetest girl she's met, they clicked instantly when Lucy first arrived in the guild. Jet and Droy were okay, they were a handful when it came to the small solid script mage and anything she does. There's nothing that she could think of that would warrant this, at all.
She walked past a young girl with bright blue hair that was curled at the end. Her little pink umbrella held small hearts around it, Lucy thought it was really cute but quickly dismissed it as her mind went back to Levy and the boys.
Yet, she heard a whisper from the girl as she passed. Turning around, Lucy looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "Did you say something?"
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a fluid of green until it manifested into a person who was flexible, bending back and forth with his arms off to the side. His hair was green, and a monocle held on his eye, "Juvia dear, we have a job to do. Don't forget," his eyes never leaving the blondes.
The Juvia girl twirled her umbrella over her shoulder, "Juvia hasn't forgotten. She was just walking past," spinning her head towards Lucy, her eyes as dead as Lucy had ever seen before. No spark of a fight, no light from behind those blue eyes of hers, just empty, fake souls of eyes. Bickslow's magic could help, Lucy wondered if this girl even had a soul.
Just as she was going to pull a spirit from her key ring when she was surrounded by water, the stellar mage opened her mouth only to be filled with a gulp of water, sucking the oxygen right out of her lungs. She swore that Juvia had said something, but she could barely hear anything beyond the muffled waves of the water bubble.
Then it all went black.
[***]
Her head was stinging, pounding in pain as her mind came back to life. Blinking slowly just seeing bright, blinding light in front of her, Lucy came to her senses to see an opening with clouds beyond flowing by. A groan made it through her mouth as she tried to look around to see cream-colored stone and stairs off to the right of her. Trying to sit up, Lucy figured out her hands were tied behind her back, and her key ring nowhere in sight.
Another groan and a push on her shoulder and Lucy was sitting up with a clearer look around the place. Still empty with only a metal bucket in the corner, she could only guess what that was for. Scraping her leg on the hard, broken ground she heard the sounds of footsteps coming up the staircase, Lucy saw a man she had never seen before.
"Well, hello there, Miss Heartfilia. Have a nice nap?" he asked tipping his hat at her in apparent mockery. Her glare was trying to burn the mustache off him. "Do you know why you're here?" he paced around the vacant space.
"To get back at Fairy Tail like you did Levy, Jet, and Droy?" Lucy guessed shrugging, feeling the rope around her tug against her skin.
His shoe tapping against the brick below, he made his way to the stellar mage while his boney, long fingers gripped her chin. Pulling her towards his face, smelling his gross breath in the air, "No, no miss Heartfilia. This is a mission that has to be complete. You, young debutant, are wanted back home, for a high price at that."
Her eyes went eye, back home? She was just a reward? They did this all to her guild for her, because of her? Lucy hardly noticed the man, she assumed was Phantom Lord's master from context, move away from her to look out the arched doorway.
Choking out a word, "What…um…what does he want?"
"How the hell should I know? All I know is that daddy wants you home," she marveled at his nonchalant attitude about kidnaping a girl from her home to bring her back to some asshole father who wanted her to do some kind of revolting event he needed her for.
Maybe she could get herself out of here, her head lifted to the open archway, thinking that she could throw herself out of it. Getting to her feet and clearing her throat, "I need to go to the bathroom," mentally shrugging at the cliché act.
The Phantom Lord master lifted a thin eyebrow at her, "You really think I'm going to fall for that?"
Squeezing her knees together to make it more believable and bending at the waist, "I REALLY have to go though," she whined.
He then pointed to the gross, rusty bucket in the corner, telling her to go in that. She growled quietly before slowly walking over to the bucket and hearing the man squeal behind her as she almost pulled down her underwear and skirt. Once he turned around because he's a 'nice guy', Lucy grinning as she lifted her leg back to kick him hard between her legs.
The blonde ran towards the open doorway just to glance down, all the way down to the dirt floor. She had to be at least 20 floors up, what was she gonna do? Jump? Looking back at him to see him getting back to his feet and pointing a nasty glare at her.
Her feet shuffled, she had no idea if anyone was coming or catch her if she fell. Moving back and forth as if she was going to jump off, when her hair was grabbed from behind, causing her to land right on her hands behind her.
"You little bitch, you'll pay for that," he growled through his teeth as he sneered down at her.
Lucy groaned, rolling on her side when he stomped back down the stair as he mumbled to himself. What was going to happen now? Go back to Father?
[***]
Fairy Tail was back in their guild, licking their wounds after their failed fight with Phantom Lord when Laxus and Bickslow with his totems walked through the front doors. They had plans to train Lucy in the next week after Freed and Evergreen get back from their mission. Natsu covered in bandages while sitting next to an equally bandaged Gray, looking up at the blonde s-class mage with a glare.
"Where the hell were you?" Natsu asked Laxus as he passed by.
"For what?" he jeered with Bickslow just behind him.
The fire dragon slayer got up on his feet, face to face with the lightning mage. Fire rolling down his arms while he growled, "Phantom Lord attacked us, and Gramps got hurt badly! Where the HELL were you? We could have used your help!"
He crossed his arms, cocking his head, "What? You couldn't beat the measly little guild? No wonder you lost," scoffing as he walked by, followed closely by Bickslow who's eyes were looking for a mop of blonde hair in the mess of sullen looks and bandaged egos.
He furrowed his brows at her absence but thought nothing of it. Then out of nowhere one of his babies floated just a hairs breath away from Natsu's face just as the hothead was about to start screaming at Laxus again. They started chanting 'Cosplayer! Cosplayer!' over and over when Natsu raised an eyebrow at them, not having his totems ever talk to him before.
"Who?" he asked in reply when they wouldn't stop without an answer.
Bickslow ran over to physically grab his babies before Natsu set them on fire. "It's Lucy. They were asking where Lucy was," he muttered. It was weird to talk directly to someone in the guild that wasn't Laxus or his teammates.
"Luce? I think Mira said she was in the infirmary," scratching the back of his head, almost unraveling the bandage wrapped around his forehead.
The Seith mage turned back to Laxus who in turn nodded as the two of them headed up the steps. Below them, they could hear the fire dragon slayer screaming random insults before a guild brawl was started.
The two opened the doors to the infirmary only to see Team Shadow Gear sleeping on cost covered in bandages. No blondie insight or any trace of her.
"She's not here," Bickslow stated opening a cabinet just to see blankets and more dressings for wounds. Laxus nodded, flipping the curtain in his hands before turning back to the Seith mage.
"I'm sure she's fine."
[***]
The sight of her childhood home was coming closer out of the doorway. Her hands tied behind her back and a nasty black eye forming on her face with Gajeel holding her blonde hair between his gritty fingers. A tear falls down her cheek as Jose manically laughs with the Element Four standing beside him.
Her side stung where Gajeel had kicked her repeatedly for mouthing off, as he put it. Lucy was shocked that the whole guild building moved, walked on its own.
"This is going to be fun," Gajeel grunted from behind her.
So sorry this took way too long!
LEA: I planned on it being a BIxLu story but that could always change, I guess. Lucy and Freed always seemed like they would get along great with each other. Also, thank you so much!
Readingspoons: to be honest I totally blanked on Virgo, even though I mentioned her! so I put it in for you on how she got the key, so thank you a lot!
Snerfshoe: I think they are super awkward, they don't really have good social skills as a group so when someone is nice to them, they don't know how to act correctly.
Neffateri13: she would always work with Natsu! He brought her to Fairy Tail, after all, also it's kind of hard not to like him as a friend. But thank you!
Thank you guys so much for reviewing and favoriting! I really appreciate it! Until next time!