Chapter 32: Retribution
Sting darted along the path, swearing profusely under his breath at the fact that Jellal disappeared within three minutes of entering the bay. The sun was setting, taking with it the rich orange glow Sting had been admiring. Now the whole shoreline was left lonely and uninviting.
"Does anyone stick to the plan anymore?" He growled, frustration mingling with his every word.
His mission was the set of cabins next to a pier. The cabins looked like good places to keep the kidnapped girls, and that's what Natsu told them to do: "Free the girls."
Discounting his fears that he couldn't do such a tall order by himself, he continued running, a clear goal in his mind. His heart beat furiously as a rounded, heavyset man blocked his path. The blonde didn't even stop as he flipped into a spinning side kick that had the man floored and unconscious as Sting sailed passed him.
"Where did he even come from? Stupid prick trying to get in my way." Sting grouched, leashing the other complaints he wanted to say. He ducked behind some brush beside a white picket fence after he clearing the town's first street. Spotting no people from his hiding spot, Sting sprinted toward the first house, vaulting into a body slam at the door. The old wood splintered without much resistance. Sting was greatful the sound wasn't too loud. Hopefully, no bad guys would hear.
Nothing stirred inside as his eyes adjusted to the shadows. Searching the cabins lead to nothing fruitful. He checked out a window at the fading light. Soon it would be completely dark, and he had no idea how to find anyone. He observed the town, trying to find his next target. The other cabins seemed uninhabited upon first inspection; however, an old building at the end of the main street had a light flickering through one window. As Sting watched, he could also detect movement of at least two people on the ground floor and another on a higher level.
"Ready or not, here I come." Sting warned under his breath, grinning at the impromptu plan that came to his head. He was going to take this town by storm, get his cousin and Levy back, round up the bad guys, and have Jellal and Natsu groveling at his feet. Then he would high tail it home where he could sleep for a month and have ladies pamper for being a hero. Sting smiled at the vision while exiting the house. He felt giddy rushing off to the next building until he stumbled over a tree root, landing face first into the dirt.
"Dammit!" He groaned, kicking the tree root for good measure.
Brushing off dust, he quickly glanced around before saying, "Good! Nobody was around to see that." Shrugging his shoulders while cracking his neck, Sting took off again thinking back to how scared Laxus had been when he came home to the ranch to find Mira and Elfman gone.
"Mira!" Laxus tore the house apart when he saw the pool of blood on the porch. The others stood in shock before jumping to help. Circling around the first floor, Laxus moved toward the stairs wile Jellal and Sting split up. Sting gaped at Natsu who barely moved, seemingly in a daze, mumbling, "When I left, they were here. Elfman was taking care of her. Maybe they went to the doctor?"
"Hey man, it's not your fault. We don't know wh…"
"Is the wagon gone?" Jellal asked suddenly. Natsu in understanding took off toward the barn, Jellal close at his heels to check.
Sting walked in not sure what to do. He could hear Laxus screaming and coughing from the second floor. He paused at the table. The salt and pepper shakers had a folded paper. Sting wouldn't have noticed it except large hearts were drawn that looked like one of Mira's doodlings. He picked it up, quickly scanning the writing:
Dear Laxus,
Elfman and I had to leave suddenly due of a physical nature of motherhood. We have sought guidance with an old family friend and his daughter.
Love Mira,
PS:This message is written in code in case unsavory character lurked about reading people's mail.
Sting rubbed his temples. He loved Mira, really he did, but she thought up the most goofy, off-the-wall things sometimes. Natsu said Mira was in pain. And they are seeking guidance. That leaves off Gildarts and Cana. Only other family friend and his daughter was...
"Hey Laxus! Get down here. Elf's taken Mira to Bro. Atlas and Flare's."
"Stop!" Sting ducked, startled from his thoughts as two men leaped off the porch. He didn't even slow down as his foot collided with one's kneecap while his gun came down on the other's temple knocking that one cold. The other one tried to put up a fight, but Sting had already punched him square in the jaw before laying him flat with a mid air scissor takedown.
"And that is why I am awesome, peeps" Sting winked at his imaginary fans. His adrenaline surged but nothing could dissipate the heaviness he felt in his body of the memory that came next.
Natsu, Sting, Jellal and Laxus have ridden to Atlas Flames.
Laxus has fell to his knees at Mira's condition. No matter how hard Sting tried, he would never lose the image of Laxus broken, cradling Mira when he thought he had lost her and the baby. She was sleeping when they arrived. His tormented voice shaking her caused her wake and give her most tremendous smile. She was tired but still carrying the baby. Her breath labored.
The doctor diagnosed toxemia, which most pregnant women went through without any symptoms, but Mira's made her blood pressure unusually high, causing pressure on the baby and her heart, inadvertently triggering her cramps. The doctor thought they might have to cut into Mira for the child but everyone was set against that. In the west where medicine wasn't the best, septic childbirth complications ran high with cesarean sections.
Needless to say, Laxus had decided to stick with his wife instead of hunting for the missing girls. While Sting initially had been disappointed in the decision, he understood that Mira and the unborn child was way more important that galavanting through the countryside.
Natsu and Jellal saw to getting supplies for their trip. Sting was going with them , much to Natsu's annoyance, but mostly he tried to stay out of their way. He checked up on Loke, seeing the poor pussy cat neglected in all the chao wrapped from head to toe in cloth with only a toddler as nursemaid.
"Yo. I'm Sting!" He introduced himself to the child going to one knee to look him in the eye. Sting vaguely remembered the boy hiding in some blue haired girl's arms from Lucy and Mira's party. He scratched Loke's head as he waited for the kid to react. It took a few tries but the little child finally could almost say his name.
"Sing!"
"No Sting. Who are you little man?"
"Sing sing" The boy giggled before pushing his fist in his mouth, causing drool to spill over the floor. Sting blanched, wondering if he should clean it up.
"You are saying my name wrong. It has a 'T' sound." He tried awkwardly to make the child remove his fist but that only caused the boy to slap Sting's face in laughter with his wet hand, causing the man the shiver in repulsion.
"That's so fucking uncool to call me 'Sing.' Really, little dude?" Sting complained, trying to wipe off his cheek.
"Are you cussing around my child!" A voice screeched at him, making him instantly terrified. The blue haired female walked over grabbed his collar and drug him into the kitchen without even a by-your-leave. He stumbled after her, not even trying to fight, curious at what she was doing. In the kitchen, she proceeded to stick a whole bar of soap in his mouth
"Eh, hey wa'ch it o'oman." He tried to say but she was brushing her hands off:
"Now any time you use foul language remember tasting that bar in your mouth."
"Yes ma'am." He gulped, wanting to spit fire but not while the kid was around. The little boy had followed them into the kitchen, finding it fascinating to watch his mother literally wash Sting's mouth out with soap. The overprotective woman gathered up the little boy who squealed in delight, before she frowned in Sting's direction. Then turning on her heels she gave a "humph," walking out with her head held high.
Sting rubbed his temples for the second time that day with the word "women," uttered disdainfully under his breath.
Loke purred. The lion also crawled into the kitchen.
Sting glared at the creature, "I don't need the advice of a tabby cat."
It was a few hours later that Jellal, Natsu, and Sting were preparing their horses for a hard ride. Not knowing where their next meal would come from, Flare and the girl, Juvia, prepared the three men's rations before they tracked. Sting was pretty sure the blue haired chick had placed poison in his meal, her eyes shot daggers at him even after they left.
A cry up ahead froze him when he opened the door of the building. A man appeared ahead of him dragging a white haired female down the stairs. She didn't appear to be struggling but Sting didn't like vibe of the man. His hair was black and spiked with tattoos lining his body. The words Sub-Zero were written on some type of vest.
When the man saw Sting, he hoisted the girl up wedding style and moved toward the blonde. Sting raised his gun shouting, "Don't move," not caring who heard him. He didn't want to hit the girl, but he was more afraid of the man moving closer.
"She needs medical attention and someone to check her head wound." The dark haired man flatly stated, holding the girl out to Sting. The blonde paused, glancing between the two in a distrustful manner before holstering his gun and taking the girl. He suspiciously waited for the black haired man to try to shoot him or run.
The man merely watched him sadly before walking around the two. Sting felt he should stop him and followed him out the door. Before he could say anything more, he hissed catching sight of the girl's face.
It was Sorano Aguria, the one who had framed Laxus for murdering her husband.
Not even thinking, he dropped the girl as if his hands were on fire.
The girl whined when she hit but Sting couldn't feel any remorse. The woman ruined his family! Her lies tore apart the one constant in his life! For a moment, Sting didn't move or even glance in the direction of the retreating man. Instead a ball of fury uncoiled in his body, ready to lash out at the girl on the ground. Because of her, Laxus acquired consumption. Because of her, the Love and Lucky ranch sat on the edge of ruins.
He really shouldn't have been able to recognize her on sight. The only reason he could was from studying old newspapers covering his brother's arrest and subsequent trial. Nobody knew what he did in his spare time. Most thought he rode into town to drink or womanize but he actually had taken up reading over the past few years he had been away. He wanted to know everything. The truth was painful. He had been gone when Love needed him the most. Sting left because he couldn't stand Laxus's iron control over him and one hot headed decision lead to another. He hadn't know Laxus would be sent to prison. He hadn't known Mira had been pregnant and alone. And Lucy would be running the ranch in his brother's place.
Because the fact of the matter was that he should never have left.
"Hey hold up!" He whirled around to yell at the mysterious man. He saw the figure escaping around the corner of what seemed to be an old millery.
How did he move so fast? Sting thought, preparing to follow. Not sparing the girl on the ground another second, he stepped over her to high tail it after the suspect when felt a sense of unease tickling his back. Sting mentally slapped himself, forgetting there were more people in the building. His hands twitched in anticipation as he planned how he would take down the presence that stood on the porch with him now.
"Stop! Hands up where I can see them!" A voice commanded, as Sting heard the familiar click of a colt. His teeth clenched as he held up his hands. Something hit his memory, a flash random strangers he met.
"You're under arrest now turn slowly."
Sting realized who the voice belong to just as he whipped around to see Lyon Vastia eyeing the blonde warily.
"Yo! Man, you had me worried for a second, Sheriff! Long time no see." Sting grinned, dropping his arms but then held them back up when Lyon repeated his order.
The sheriff shook his head in disappointment, "Well I never would have pegged you for a slave trader Sting. Last time I saw you."
"Long story? Or the short version? After Ranger Dragneel took me into his custody. He met my cousin. Pretty thing, blonde like me, but better looking. Never mind. Lucy is not better looking than me. Although she's sweeter…"
"Your point? Let's park this wagon somewhere…" Lyon said drolly, rolling his eyes at the rambling. He gestured with his other hand at the girl on the ground who started to stir.
"Fine. Anyway Dragneel got put under the old Dreyar-Heartfilia spell. Nobody can resist that. Just as Lucy was about to seduce his pants off, some old farts from Phantom S kidnapped her and another girl Levy. So I'm here with him and another guy named Jellal. Wait, I shouldn't mention Jellal. He's got a record. We are trying to take the slavers down." Sting flashed his most innocent face at the law man who merely raised a brow.
"I didn't follow half of what you just said."
The gun didn't lower. Tension mounted to the point Sting could taste it. He smirked darkly, contemplating how he was going to get out of this one.
"So how do I know your words have any truth?"
The urge to yell was overwhelming to
Sting as he tried to push the feeling down."What? I don't look trustworthy to you?!"
"After you got drunk off your ass and went out of your way to have a gunfight with a lawman. " Lyons's face closed before he replied, "No."
"Hey! I was young then."
"That was two months ago."
"Yea but a lot can happen in two months. We even took Jackal to your jailhouse."
"Natsu brought him."
"I was there too!"
"Where?"
"In the background!" Sting shouted, clearly annoyed.
"I can vouch for him." A new voice appeared. Sting glanced in surprise as Eric Belserion strolled forward with his arms folded.
"Geez, are you two going to stand there all day and argue while there's a girl on the ground hurt?" Cobra bent to pick the girl up.
"I have her. You two go after the hoodlum that just left."
The girl clutched at Eric's jacket. She whispered, "Please,you have to find my sister. They took her somewhere. I don't know where."
"Shhh. Now settle down. I'm sure we will. She can't have gone too far."
"You are a very nice man."
"No ma'am. I'm not."
She leaned forward kissing him on the cheek. "Please take care of me."
"You can't kiss strange men, little lady. I have a girlfriend named Kinana." He said quietly when the girl's head rolled back unconscious.
Leaving Sorano to Eric, the two men went after the SubZero character. Having spent most of his early life in the woods, Sting knew with almost a sixth sense which direction the perpetrator went. The dead silence of the forest warned that not all was right. Before rushing out into a small clearing, Lyon grabbed Sting, throwing him back. The man was to ask what the deal was when movement caught his eye. Lyon kept him from walking in on the group. The sherrif's face blanched paler than a ghost. Sting wasn't sure why. They didn't talk after that - just watched. SubZero seemed to be meeting two others: an older gentlemen inked in native tribal markings and long white hair with a much younger man in chains. The second guy's black hair was matted with streaks of something white or gray. His torso was naked from the waist up and he only had on a pair of dirty trousers. He also lacked shoes, and Sting wasn't sure in the low light, but he could almost see a maniac gleam in the strange guy's face.
"Brain, you two managed to escape. That's good." SubZero began, but the man in chains cut him off with a growl - the sound, more animalistic than human. SubZero seemed fazed for a second before a stoic mask settled over his features. His calm demeanor bordered on eerie.
"Down boy." The older man exerted an air of authority. Raining his brows in attempt to seem shocked, he laughed, "Didn't remember you so jumpy, Zero?" He tugged on the chains, giving the shabby, younger man a fond smile. Sting mentally quivered at the crazed look on the young man's face, like a rabid dog.
"I noticed that you didn't seem surprised when news of Hargeon deputies were seen circling the village." SubZero started passively, with a trace of bite.
"Haven't I taught you anything my friend? A little birdie told me they were coming. Kyoka sung like a cuckoo to the authorities. She took in the little dove that you lost, Yujeha or whatever her name was. Apparently, Silver talked as well. He's the reason Jackal got taken."
Lyon flinched at Sting's elbow.
"Apparently, they locked Jackal up in a local jail. He shouldn't find it too hard to escape. By morning Absolute Zero and that whore's brothel will be blown to smithereens."
The sound of crashing came through the woods from the direction of the beach. A man in dripping wet clothes greeted the others, overjoyed.
"My people! I am alive!"
"Serena."
Sting's fist clenched. So this was the character who killed Lisanna. He was really small when it happened but he remembered when Mira came in and Laxus was gone all night looking for Lisanna. How Elfman tried to put up a brave face to show how manly he was.
Apparently he missed something that was said when the Brain man said, "We don't need weak links."
Serena backed up, shouting, "Wait! When you killed Mard Geer and took over Tartaros,I supported you! Nobody wanted to do business with you any more and I made you wealthy steaming girls for you."
"Oh you must be mistaken. I never killed Mard Geer." The dark skinned haired man sneered, shaking the chains. "My son Midnight did." Paranoia ran deep, and Sting didn't like how the Midnight person strained against his chains. A creepy feeling went through his belly.
"You're not going to let him do to this to me Zero? You aren't as bad as Brain." Serena floundered for a second before rushing to SubZero. The black haired man stared without sympathy before kicking him away. "No."
Brain's murderous smile took an alarming turn, "You're fucking dead Serena. The business is gone and so are you. It's time to cut ties and go."
Lyon whispered to Sting "Get your gun out and back me up."
At the same time Brain released the chains, Lyon stood up yelling, "Freeze! Drop your weapons."
Neither men were prepared for the savagery of the shaggy human. The man, Midnight, leaped out with a shriek on top of Serena. His mouth tore into his face as Serena let out an inhuman scream. Blood gushed as the two fell. Midnight continued snap at his face with his teeth. Lyon beside him muttered in a tight, choked voice, "Oh God..."
Sting didn't hesitate when he angled his gun before pulling the trigger, not know which person to shoot, Midnight or Serena.
Next Chapter: High Tides
AN: I almost made my Thursday deadline? Just 24 hours late (^_^). Hopefully next week I can do better. This is a chapter I have wanted to write for awhile - Sting's POV. He's just a fun character in this story. This is what I meant by Sting getting development toward the end. He's sort of my Arya Stark, watching everything happened to the people he loves, at first being to young to do anything but then he gets the opportunity to have vengeance against these people that wronged his family. Also what about that Slate and Sting interaction? The picture had been in my head for awhile since Sting is immature playboy, and it just kind of fit with his personality that he would have no clue how to act around children. I mean he's basically a big child.
Also Lyon returns, he was last scene in chapter 1 where he mentioned being apart of Silver's division in the war. And we just had Silver as a prominent figure in a recent chapter. Hmmm….. Lots of fun where this plot is going. Where did he come from so fast if his deputies were circling the area? Also this chapter, I got to talk about Mira's illness, which is something my best friend in high school had, toxemia. It got so bad that they had to take the baby early. My friend went from 120 lbs to 210 in 6 months from the fluid build up.
As for Cobra, one of my goals in this story is to write interaction between people who don't normally interact canonly, or even in fanfiction. Which is why I promote the Levy/Jellal/Lucy brotp and now I have this interaction of Cobra/Lyon/Sting, that's a really cool team up to me. And you already know Cobra x Kinana is a thing in my story but now the evil Sorano has made it into Eric's arms. (Bwhahahahaha!)
Next couple of chapters will have more with Jellal and Erza since these two have been neglected in my story. Same with Mira and Laxus. Don't worry Nalu will still be prominent as their relationship is about to go into a smexy stage. Plus the budding romance between Gajeel and Levy will have some drama soon. I am excited for Juvia centered chapter coming soon - not only will she have a sad backflash of how she met Gray but baby Slate will meet Gajeel and Juvia's reaction, let's just say won't be pretty. On second thought, it will be prettier than the end of this chapter. That last scene was inspired while watching too much walking dead.
Initially, I was going to do an answer and question section here, but I realized not many people actually asked questions in their review. I made the author's note more about my thoughts this chapter. Thanks for the support especially the reviewers. Your words give me inspiration and motivation to write.