Vander was slowly waking for the strangest dream he'd ever had, dancing flamingos were doing the polka while he lounged on the beach. Whales were singing kumbaya in the ocean, the sun was blazing down, and the palm trees had smiling faces. Whatever concoction of drugs that had been blasted at them were pretty fucking strong, he barely remembered hitting the forest floor. He had heard the faint sounds of the other three yelling his name but if he was knocked out then the others more than likely were too. Cristoff may have been the only one to ward off the effects due to his healing powers but Vander suspected that even he had been captured. Judging by the looks of his cell he'd hazard a guess that they were in Joya and they definitely knew each of their magics. He was locked in a white padded room where no shadows could be formed, not to mention there was some serious magic cancelling runes.
"Someone did their fucking homework."
"Laxus?"
"Vander? You alright?"
"I think so but flamingos can fuck a guy up, ya know?" Laxus snorted from wherever he was being held.
"That was some insane shit they threw at us. Think Cobra could have withstood that?"
"I think he may have been able to get high off this stuff before his body absorbed it all. Have you heard from Kaleb or Cris?"
"No." Laxus stayed quiet for a moment longer. "I can't hear anything outside of where we are. Every now and then I'll hear a door open and get a snippet but that's it."
"Well if we're in Joya, like I'm guessing we are, then Cristoff and Kaleb are probably isolated in another room."
"Joya? Well fuck, why would those bitches want to capture any of us?"
"Kaleb was supposed to come to Queen Sydelle before dad managed to get ahold of him. She's been bitter about it ever since," Vander leaned against the wall, eyes closed. "Plus there's the whole 'she wants your mate for some evil plan' thing going on here too. The fact she caught us means she's likely going to want to breed us to the other queens."
"They are aware that Cris and I won't be able to get it up unless we're with our mates, right?"
"I'm sure their alchemists have figured out some things to try on you two. Probably another mixture like earlier. Speaking of which, do you have any idea how long we were out for?"
"No. I've been awake for an hour at the most."
"Laxus?"
"Cris!" Two shouts rang out when they heard the lunar slayer speak. "Bro, are you hanging in there?"
"I think so. I tried to fight them off but damn, I only lasted a few minutes before I was out. I was talking to Kaleb earlier before they took him in front of Sydelle. I'm hoping he'll have more insight for us once he returns."
"If they bring him here," Laxus stated as he kicked the wall. "How long until White Sea figures out what's going on?"
"Well if we knew how long we've been in here for then maybe . . ."
"Five days Vander. We were captured five days ago," Cristoff closed his eyes while he spoke. "They were talking about the full moon only being four days away."
"Fuck." "Double fuck."
Kaleb had been forced to his knees the moment he was directly in line with the empty throne. They'd kicked his knees out from under him and forced his head to be bowed. The magic cancelling cuffs that had been slapped on his wrists negated his power decently enough but he was still able to hear everyone around him. Albeit it was harder the more powerful the mages he was around which had him wondering how strong Sydelle's magic was. No-one had ever seen the woman use magic but everyone was well aware that she possessed it, yet there were only rumours on what kind of magic she wielded. Most thought she was a dark seith mage with how she was able to control people, others thought she was a mindbender of sorts, either way, he'd find out for himself. Kaleb heard several footsteps making their way to them and knew whatever he found out wasn't going to be good.
"Rise Master Kaleb," Sydelle's sweet voice reached his ears as he stood but kept his head bowed, wouldn't do him any good to piss her off right now. "I have to say that you definitely grew up to pass all expectations. It's a shame you haven't been able to warm my bed all these years but being raised Boscan has its perks. Please look at me when I talk to you." She sat in her throne, crossing one leg over another to show off her long toned legs. She was unnaturally fair skinned for one being of Joyan descent but the blonde hair was typical of its royal lines. "Tell me, Kaleb, how much of my plans do you know?"
"Only what I have overheard."
"And that would be?"
"You plan on breeding us the night of the full moon in four days time. Cristoff's need to have sex to decrease the effects of his magic could bring you several good matings, plus the lust he'll inspire in the women will be an added bonus. Your alchemists have made something special for Laxus since you are aware his mate is Lucy and plan to use the same on Vander and myself."
"Hmm, it seems that the gossip in the palace walls travels fast. You are not wrong and I plan to have you, finally, after waiting several long years to get to this point."
"I fail to see what this has to do with Lucy." Kaleb was trying to stall for time before he was sent back to the cells. Sydelle's mind was strongly fortified but not unbreakable, if he'd been at his full strength this would have been a stroll down the beach.
"All in good time Kaleb. For now, just enjoy the time you'll have with your fellow companions before the night of the full is upon us." Kaleb saw several images in Sydelle's mind and it took everything he had to not gasp at her plans. It wasn't enough for him to know for sure what she was after, but it definitely ended in Lucy's death. If only he could reach out to his family, could form a link with any of his siblings then maybe they could save them from a life of forced slavery and breeding.
"Your friends and family will be here to see to your enslavement, of course, they will all be enslaved as well. Lucy will lose the will to live as she watches her beloved dragon being taken by one of my warriors, followed by watching all of you being forced to do the same. Then, then she will be mine. Take him away!" The two women that had drug him into the room were taking him back to where he, hypothesized, had come from earlier. This did not bode well for the four of them because in order for Lucy to be drawn to Joya there'd have to be some kind of lead dropped. She'd be drawn to come rescue them, hell all of White Sea would come if it meant saving their Master. The lights turned on in the room as they entered, and he saw the three cells become transparent, thankful that Laxus, Vander, and Cristoff were alright. He was placed in the fourth cell, as the women left they allowed the four of them to see each other.
"How was meeting the esteemed queen?"
"Not awful."
"Buuuut," Vander poked for more information knowing Kaleb was holding back. "We already know that she plans to stud us out, so it can't get much worse than that."
"She plans to have Lucy watch her warrior breed Laxus and also," Kaleb steadily looked at Laxus, remaining as calm as possible, "she plans to kill Lucy once she's heartbroken. I don't know why but I was able to get that much from her. They're going to lure everyone here to capture them the same way they caught us." The room was quiet as they let everything sink in. This just wasn't their day.
Lucy was laying on Evergreen's lap, who was resting against Cobra's chest, another day without any news of the four missing mages. Wendy and Juvia had joined them shortly after Thane had made the evening announcement about what efforts were being put into locating the missing men, what ground had been covered, and what rumours they were looking into. Five days had gone by, FIVE DAYS, and they had heard absolutely nothing from them. There were no scent trails, no sightings by animals in the forest, absolutely jack shit! The two bluenettes were resting on Lucy's stomach and thighs, both had already whipped the tears away. It had been hard on everyone, especially the Pradesh family and the previous mages of Fairy Tail.
"I wish we had Cristoff's lunar jumping capabilities, then maybe Presca would have been able to cover more ground," Evergreen uttered with closed eyes as one hand played with Lucy's long locks and the other was interlocked in Cobra's.
"Presca had Emzadi, and Beck, with him when they went to search. Plus a whole slew of other talented tracking mages, there was just nothing to be found," Lucy sighed, for what seemed like the thousandth time. "I wish one of them was a key so I could just summon them to my side. Could you imagine Laxus' face when that happened." The small group laughed, for the first time in days, imaging the pissed off and stunned look the blonde slayer would have.
"Sorry to interrupt, but you have visitors, Miss Lucy." One of the mages that worked in the guild office smiled politely at them.
"Visitors? Me?"
"Yes, Miss. They asked for you by name and only you." Curious Lucy stood to follow the petite woman, letting Cobra know she would let him know if anything was amiss. She hadn't been in White Sea long enough for many other mages or guilds to know her whereabouts, she hadn't even taken a real mission yet, and she hadn't appeared in any tabloids, that she knew of. This person either had to be extremely connected or she was walking into a trap of sorts.
"Hey Bunny."
"Gajeel!" Lucy flung herself at the iron slayer who was prepared for one of Lucy's diving hugs after being on the receiving end of them enough times. "How? What? I don't understand?"
"I've been doing some undercover work for the Magic Council and had heard rumours you had been found and inducted here. I needed to make sure you were alright after your disappearance."
"Magic Council? Seriously?"
"Hey! It's not that hard to believe." Lucy giggled as Gajeel set her back on the floor. "I have also been talking with Bickslow on occasion, he filled me in on what's happened here and asked for some help. There'll be a couple others joining us once I have met with Thane and Bix."
"Gajeel!" Another squeal filled the room as Wendy lunged at the older man, knocking him onto his ass.
"Damn half pint, that was quite the tackle. What are they feeding you here? You've grown at least a foot and have started to fill out some too." Wendy blushed at the compliments her dragon kin was giving her.
"Hey, metal dick."
"Poison slut. Evergreen. Juvia. Nice to see you all here too."
"Juvia is happy to see Gajeel is doing well. Where is Levy at?"
"In Fiore with a couple others who have been contracted to work for the council. She took your disappearance hard Bunny, and has been holding off on her marriage to Jet until you were found."
"Jet!" Evergreen screeched. "I thought you had a thing for one another."
"We tried for a month but she isn't my mate and she understood. She tried dating another man, utter idiot he was, before Jet showed up for some work as a courier. I'll let her know where you are, if that's alright?"
"Sure, but you're not staying?"
"I've got a month of vacation saved up. Figured I'd help out here and then relax a bit before heading back to work. Gotta make a living still and working for the council isn't that bad."
"Well how about we show you around the guild before taking you to meet Thane. I am sure you'll have lots to talk about." Lucy suggested as Gajeel nodded in agreeance.
"Keep it in your pants while you're here on 'official' council business. Pleasure can wait until after this is sorted," Cobra smirked at the other slayer who was turning heads as they walked through the guild. He was dressed in his formal clothes, the white jacket drawing attention itself, but Cobra could hear the lude thoughts of the majority of people in the guild. Gajeel was a tall, well-built mage whose muscles could be seen through his skin-tight black shirt and the form-fitting brown slacks weren't helping either.
"How funny would it be if Gajeel's mate was here?" Evergreen whispered in the lowest tone possible, hoping that Gajeel wouldn't hear here or just ignore her.
"Stranger things have happened, like him working for the council."
"I can hear every fucking word!"
"Thane!" Lucy brightly announced so everyone's attention was brought forward. "This is Gajeel Redfox, Gaj this is Thane."
"It's nice to meet you Gajeel," Thane shook the slayer's hand. "Would you like to come in so we may discuss what has happened. Bickslow will be joining us shortly if that's alright."
"Pretty much the whole reason I'm here is because of him." Gajeel looked over his shoulder at the celestial mage. "I'll find you once we're done here, ok Bunny?"
"Absolutely." Lucy watched as the doors closed, hope blooming in her chest for the first time in days. Gajeel was THE best tracker that she had ever known, still had his contacts int he dark guilds, and was very high up in the council by the looks of things. She looked to Wendy and Juvia, both women smiling widely as they shared her feelings. He'd find her in the morning because knowing him he'd been in there until he had all the details and in the morning they could start fresh. A new day filled with new hopes.