Natsu wasn't easily surprised, but it had happened twice in one night. The first surprise had occurred in the dungeons when Lucy had revealed to him that the Italian Mafia's heiress, Juvia Lockser, had helped her to escape the rival Boss. After their first encounter with the mafia heiress, Juvia seemed more likely to kill Lucy on sight than to save her. So, why did she? The revelation didn't sit well with him. It didn't make any sense. After all, Juvia was the reason the members of the Italian Mafia were hunting Lucy. Juvia's order was absolute and she hadn't recanted it. Why save the person you ordered to be killed?
Juvia's appearance had thrown Natsu's plan off balance. Lucy and the princess had been far too stubborn to let him handle her rescue alone. Both of them had death threats hanging over their heads, but they still had persisted on coming back here to help save her. Everything in him knew it would be a bad idea to allow them to walk into Lyon's den of wolves again, but he had ignored his instinct. Natsu had believed in his abilities to get them all out safely, despite the high level of failure. However, he had underestimated the rival Boss' wolves—something Ichiya had warned him against doing. The wolves had sniffed out their prey and almost devoured them. Perhaps, Natsu's own pride was what had led to this situation.
Thirteen men armed with pistols surrounded Natsu and the others. The men wore matching black suits, the tailored fabric outlining their tone, muscular physiques. However, Natsu didn't care about any of them. All of his attention was focused on the fourteenth man. The second surprise of the evening:
"Gold Pistol."
The short round man dressed in a black pin striped suit was the leader of the Italian Mafia, Boss Salvatore "Gold Pistol" Lupo. He stood directly behind Lucy, his signature gold pistol hanging lazily in his hand. The Boss stroked the end of his curled moustache with his free hand as he smiled wickedly at Natsu, his gold tooth glinting. The sight sent a wave of blazing anger through Natsu. Just when he thought all the variables were removed from the current situation, he had to show up. Natsu hadn't forgotten the last conversation he had with the Boss when he thought that the man's wolves had snatched Lucy. He took a step toward them, but Gold Pistol aimed his gun at Lucy.
"Ah, ah, ah," Gold Pistol chided Natsu, inclining his head toward Natsu's gun. "I don't like repeating myself, Salamander."
This was the third time Natsu had to watch Lucy be held at gunpoint. Even from this distance, he could see how Lucy's eyes were wide with fear. Now that the smoke was gone, Natsu was sure he could take out Gold Pistol with one shot, but with the Boss's finger on the trigger of his gun, the risk was too high to attempt it. He felt the familiar white-hot rage roaring inside of him to punish the Mafia Boss for even thinking about threatening Lucy, but Natsu shoved it down. He couldn't lose himself to his rage at the moment. He needed a clear mind to figure out a way to save them all.
There were only eight bullets in Natsu's gun. Even if all of his bullets found their mark that would still leave five more wolves, plus Gold Pistol. Not to mention, the second Natsu started firing, the wolves would fire right back. It would put Lucy at risk, as well as Juvia and Gray. An offensive maneuver wasn't an option. A defensive strategy wouldn't be helpful either. Lucy was too far away to get to without Gold Pistol reacting. Gray could take care of Juvia, but he wouldn't be able to fight off the mafia wolves while he carried her. Her condition was too critical for that.
In the past, Natsu would have taken one look at Gold Pistol and his wolves and smiled with delight. He had lived for the danger, the thrill of conquering challenging feats. The adrenaline would course through his veins, pushing him to defy the odds with little regard to his well-being. He would get drunk on it and lose himself. The white rage inside of him would make everything burn. Except, this situation wasn't like any of his past experiences. He had been alone with only himself to be concerned with. This time, there were others who were counting on him. This time, there was more on the line than himself and his impulsive actions.
Lyon remained motionless in front of him. It seemed like something had broken inside the Russian Mafia leader the moment he realized who his bullet had struck. All the rival Boss could do was stare at the limp figure of Juvia in Gray's arms. In Natsu's mind, he still catalogued as a threat. Broken men were unpredictable, after all.
Gray was desperately trying to stop Juvia's bleeding, pressing his jacket against her abdomen. The princess's face was pale with crushing anxiety, tears still streamed down his cheeks. There was so much blood that Natsu couldn't tell if the shot had been fatal or not. For all of their sakes, Natsu hoped for the latter. With Juvia shot and bleeding just a few feet away from him, there was no telling what the Mafia Boss would do. Gold Pistol was the type to shoot first and ask questions later—if he asked any questions at all.
Fuck.
Things were looking grim.
One of Gold Pistol's subordinates walked toward Natsu, his hand outstretched to receive his weapon. Natsu's finger twitched, stroking the trigger in the barest of motions, almost reverently. Every nerve screamed at him to shoot them all, but he couldn't. Not with everyone and everything he cared about on the line. Reluctantly, Natsu handed over the gun. He was out of options.
"There's a good Salamander," the Boss lowered his gun. "Who would have thought that your weakness was a pretty face?" he cackled. "Now, I see you have my treasure here. Your work is a little sloppy compared to the work you've done for me in the past, but I guess that's what retirement does to a person. It doesn't matter though, I'll still get what I came here for." Gold Pistol snapped his fingers and two men broke from the circle, stalking toward Gray.
"Stop!" Lucy shouted, standing as she faced the Mafia Boss. "Stop it! Can't you see? None of that matters now. Juvia...Juvia's been shot. You need to save her!"
"Juvia?" Gold Pistol looked away from Lucy to where Juvia laid unconscious in Gray's arms.
Natsu winced at Lucy's words. He was worried about Juvia, she was losing a lot of blood. Time was ticking away if they wanted to save her. However, even if they explained that it was actually Lyon who had shot Juvia, Gold Pistol would surely blame them for his niece's injuries. If only Juvia was conscious...she could command these wolves to step down and stop Gold Pistol. We could all get out of this alive.
"Help her!" Lucy visibly shook with fear, as she bent down and clutched the lapels of Gold Pistol's suit. "She's the real Boss of the Italian Mafia, isn't she? You have to save her!"
"Lucy, don't!" Gray yelled across to her as he still tended to Juvia.
The air in the room suddenly changed, feeling charged by an emotion Natsu knew well. Bloodlust. His protective instinct was practically screaming at him to grab Lucy and get the hell out of there. He clenched and unclenched his fists, hating how powerless he was at the moment. Out of the corner of his eye, Natsu noticed the ripple that went through the mafia wolves. It was only then that he realized how grim their situation was.
"Help her?" Gold Pistol smiled, a toothy grin with a manic gleam appearing in his eyes. He patted Lucy's cheek, the way one would an ignorant child. "Why would I do that?"
Lucy gasped, letting go of the Mafia Boss. "But Juvia…she's your family..." She turned to Natsu, her brows knitting closer together. "It's Juvia. You told me the Italian Mafia would do whatever it takes to protect her." Her eyes scanned over the men in the room, noting their lack of movement. Her gazed landed on Juvia. There was so much blood, and so little time. "WHY ISN'T ANYONE HELPING HER?!"
"What I said is true, Lucy, but ," Natsu glared at Gold Pistol, feeling a new wave of hatred and loathing wash over him for making Lucy suffer like this. "These men aren't members of the Italian Mafia."
Everything, from the beginning, had been one giant ruse. Natsu cursed himself for not realizing it sooner. He had underestimated both mafia bosses. Natsu didn't believe that Gold Pistol could be this cunning—this manipulative. He had been so wrong. The tiny man was able to blindside him. Natsu hadn't been able to see the bigger operation being orchestrated. He had allowed himself to be used as a pawn. Such carelessness even put Lucy in danger. There was more to this than even he could have suspected. He ground his teeth together as he realized all the mistakes he made. Gold Pistol was right. He had grown sloppy.
"Juvia, hang in there," Natsu heard Gray murmur to her unconscious figure. "I won't let you die here."
"Gold Pistol needed Juvia dead, but he couldn't do it himself. The Italian Mafia would kill him if they found out he had anything to do with her death; so he hired these grunts to do it for him. They're from Phantom Lord—the mercenary guild with money as their only Boss."
"Oh ho, Romeo!" The Boss turned and applauded Natsu. "I see you picked up quickly." He gripped the end of his moustache, toying with the curl. "Yes, I hired members of Phantom Lord to kill my niece, but it seems the Sub-Zero Emperor beat them to it."
"Gold Pistol," one of the men gruffed out. "We're still getting paid." The Phantom Lord members started to grumble to themselves. These mercenaries weren't loyal to anything but gold—not even to each other.
"Yes, yes. You all will get your money." Gold Pistol said, speaking loudly to talk over the men's complaints. Sighing, the Boss rolled his eyes as he looked in Natsu's direction. "They don't have the same finesse as you, Salamander, but they get the job done."
"Let me get this straight," Natsu edged a step closer to the Mafia Boss and Lucy. "You hired Gray for his services, but when Juvia fell in love with him, you got spooked. Your title of 'Boss' is directly linked to Juvia, because without her blessing, you would be powerless." At this, Gold Pistol's eyes narrowed, and his grip tightened on the gun. "When their engagement was announced, you knew you had to act. You saw that your power over her was threatened. As her husband, Gray could persuade Juvia to make him the Boss of the Italian Mafia and dethrone you. That was a chance you couldn't take. That event was a reminder to you that your power in the Underworld wasn't absolute. It wouldn't be enough to get rid of Gray, you needed to get rid of Juvia as well."
"Perceptive, Salamander...retirement hasn't completely dulled your abilities."
"Bastard!" Gray shouted at the Boss.
"You would throw away your only family member just for power. Does Juvia mean nothing to you?" Lucy asked.
Natsu kept his eyes on Lucy, searching for an opening to get her away from Gold Pistol. It seemed her concern for Juvia had overridden her fear of the Mafia Boss. He remembered how she had acted toward the man when she found out that he wanted her best friend. When it came to people Lucy cared about, it seemed it didn't matter how terrifying the person was. She would stand up to them in order to protect her friends. Natsu admired that quality in her, but it was a deadly characteristic to have in the Underworld. He warned her before—there were no heroes here.
"You don't belong in this world at all, Juliet." The Boss shook his head, laughing. "Juvia and I do share the same blood, but you're naive to think that a word such a 'family' would mean anything in this world. If that were the case, I wouldn't have been able to kill my own sister. The only thing that means anything is power."
He killed the Tempesta? Natsu's eyes widened as he stared at the Mafia Boss.
Lucy dropped to her knees, holding her head as if she were in pain. "You killed...Juvia's mother?"
"Of course I did," Gold Pistol bragged, continuing to cackle as he held up his weapon. "She had the power I wanted, so with this gun, I killed my lovely little sister Marcella. She never saw it coming! Afterwards, I framed some low mutt, making it appear as if he lost his mind. They bought it all! It was too easy."
"YOU'RE A MONSTER!" Lucy eyes were hard with rage as she looked up at the Italian Boss, but there was an emotion laced in her voice that chilled Natsu.
The Boss lifted his gun, bringing it down on Lucy's head, knocking her out. "That mouth of yours has always irritated me."
"Lucy!" Natsu lurched forward, but the member of Phantom Lord that took his gun grabbed him, holding him back with surprising force. He felt the barrel of his own gun press against the small of his back, but it was only because Gold Pistol pointed his gun at Lucy's unconscious self that made Natsu stop struggling.
"Gold Pistol!" Natsu growled, the white-hot rage writhing in his veins.
"Come on now, Romeo. Calm yourself. Your Juliet is only asleep. You, let the man go." On Gold Pistol's command, the mercenary released Natsu. "Now, to ensure she wakes up...well, that all depends on you."
"What do you want?" Natsu snarled. It was taking every ounce of control he had not to leap across the room and throttle the little man.
"Your earlier rundown of my plan was correct. I planned to kill the happy lovers to ensure my power was secured. However, there's more to the story. I discovered some particular information regarding that man's past," the Boss nodded his head in Gray's direction, "—that made it more than a necessity to kill him."
"His past?" How did Gold Pistol know about that? The background report he had given Natsu was full of errors and false information. There was nothing regarding Gray's past with the Russian Mafia. Did Gold Pistol uncover something even Ichiya didn't discover? That would be impossible.
"As you and I both know, the Underworld is fueled by three cravings: power, money, and blood. Though those who stalk in the Underworld crave all three, most remained starved for the first two. There's a system to maintain, after all." Gold Pistol snapped his fingers and the mercenary closest to him walked up and produced a light. Natsu watched as the Boss pulled a cigar from his breast pocket, and bit the end. He waved the man away once the cigar was lit and continued on. "Yet, those, like myself, who have obtained the power and money needed to feed the thousands of hungry wolves that work for us somehow. Luckily, blood is a cheap craving to feed. The Bosses give their wolves prey to kill, and everyone is satisfied." He exhaled a stream of smoke and started cackling again. "Well, even though you practically bathed in it, your craving for blood was never sated, Salamander."
"Get to the point!" Natsu snapped. Standing here, chatting like this wasn't helping anyone. Every second was making the situation more hopeless than it was to start with. There was no telling how much longer Juvia had left. Lucy was still in danger and Natsu's self-control was barely hanging on. Despite his insistence on urgency, Gold Pistol just stared at him, taking a long drag of his cigar. Natsu bit the inside of his cheek hard enough to draw blood. There was no more time to waste.
"Patience, Salamander. Don't rush me." He flicked the tip of his cigar with a ring adorned finger, sending ashes floating to the floor. "For the most savage in our world, blood can also be a means to obtain the other two cravings."
"Yeah," Natsu rolled his eyes, irritated with the man's desire to talk his ear off with things he already knew. "If someone kills a Boss or someone else in power, then that person can take his position in the Underworld. That method doesn't always work though. It's a gamble, and not many people succeed. Power and money are a double-edge sword. Someone would be an idiot if that person thought having either or them would keep someone safe. They make those possessing them targets. What are you getting at?"
Gold Pistol smiled, his cigar burning between his teeth. "Eighteen years ago, before I obtained the title of Boss, I hatched a plan to acquire the power I sought. You see, I knew the Russian Mafia's main source of income came from their dealings on the Black Market. The wolf I wanted to catch was someone that was notorious for obtaining and selling priceless items. It was a simple matter of implanting a rare painting in a town and spreading the rumors of its appearance. I hired members of Phantom Lord and sent them to that place with instructions to kill this person on sight."
Lyon mumbled, "Eighteen years ago...but that's when..."
This was the first reaction Natsu had seen from the rival Boss after Juvia had been shot. What was Gold Pistol talking about? And why was Lyon interested in what happened eighteen years ago?
"Thankfully, the members of Phantom Lord only crave money and blood. Which meant," Gold Pistol took another long drag of his cigar and puffed out bits of smoke. "For the right price, anyone can be killed and his power can become yours. Even if the person is one of the leaders of the Russian Mafia."
"Ur." Lyon moved jerkingly, standing slowly as he turned toward Gold Pistol. The mercenary standing next to Natsu and Lyon shifted his attention to the rival Boss. Natsu watched him warily as well. There was a cold tension emitting from him that Natsu didn't like.
Ichiya's report had revealed that Lyon wanted to avenge the death of his mentor, the once infamous Ur Milkovich. She was known throughout the Mafia Underworld by her alias, Snegurochka—Snow Maiden. Her beauty was largely praised, but that was the only fair aspect about her. She was as cold and harsh as the domain she ruled over. As one of the three leaders of the Russian Mafia, Ur was a formidable foe no one wanted to cross.
"Before I killed my sister, I thought I could obtain the power I wanted by killing the ice queen herself, Ur Milkovich."
"The members of Phantom Lord were no match for Ur," Lyon spat, glaring at Gold Pistol. "They couldn't kill her, so they butchered innocent people instead!"
"Mercenaries," Gold Pistol shrugged and flicked away more ashes. "They're brutes. What can you do? So, what if a few people died? They could have killed the whole town and I wouldn't have cared as long as they did the job I paid them to do."
"THAT WAS THE MASSACRE THAT KILLED OUR PARENTS!" Gray and Lyon yelled together.
All of this madness had begun because of one man's desire for power. Stories like this one were not uncommon in the realm the mafia operated in. It was one of its many dark truths. The deaths of Gray's and Lyon's parents were mentioned in Ichiya's report, but it hadn't contained this level of detail. Natsu looked from Lyon to Gray to Gold Pistol. They had been connected since long ago.
"They died in vain, because Ur's death didn't provide me the power I wanted," The Mafia Boss sighed. "By this time, my sister had united the many gangs of the Italian mafia and became their leader. Even though I failed with Ur, I saw my chance to obtain the power I desired through my sister. Marcella had done the hard part for me by assembling the gangs together. I just had to kill her and take the power I craved."
Gray glared daggers at Gold Pistol from across the room. His hands and clothes were stained with Juvia's blood and Natsu could see his body was trembling. He could image what was going through his head. This man had orchestrated the event that had led to the deaths of his parents. It was that event that had sent Gray into the madness of revenge, leading him to the same dark world Gold Pistol sought to reign over.
"You didn't get the power you wanted either! It was Juvia who inherited her mother's influence. You killed your own sister for your greed and made Juvia grow up without her mother!" Gray yelled. "You made her suffer so much for nothing!"
"An eight year old!" The Boss yelled back. "The damn fools gave all that power to an eight year old! If she wasn't so heavily guarded, I would have killed her then. Do you even know how hard it was always pretending to be the kind, understanding uncle?"
"I spent all those years searching for the monster who took everything away from me! All along it was a fucking bastard like you! My parents. Lyon's parents. The most important people in our lives died that night!" Gray looked away from the Mafia Boss and down at Juvia. She was so pale and her pulse was barely there. He didn't want that man to take another precious person from him. But he wondered how would Juvia react when she found out that her own family member was the one responsible for taking away her mother.
"Tsk," Gold Pistol blew out a cloud of smoke and dropped the remainder of his cigar, letting it smolder on the ground. "You're forgetting one more person on that list, boy. The main reason I need you dead is because of her too. Eight years ago, I was in Russia and heard whisperings about someone looking for revenge on the massacre that had happened ten years prior. I'm not the type that likes any loose ends fraying in the wind, so I sent some of the Phantom Lord members I had working for me to investigate."
"Those men came from you?" Gray paled further, as if reliving the scene in his mind.
"I went to the warehouse where they had found the vengeful spirit and couldn't believe what I was seeing. There she was, the Snegurochka. She wasn't dead like I had been told, but alive! She had killed the mercenaries and looked as fearsome as ever." The greedy little man seemed to be delighting in the spectacle before him as he recounted his tale. Natsu had a feeling he wasn't going to like what Gold Pistol was about to say.
"And there you were." Gold Pistol smiled at Gray, the sight unnerving Natsu. "From where I was standing, I could see the desire for revenge in your eyes. You wanted blood and you wouldn't stop at nothing to get it. You even aimed your gun at the Snegurochka. I thought for sure she would kill you. She had killed other men for lesser crimes. Yet, she dropped her gun and told you to kill her to sate your thirst for revenge."
"Ur…" Lyon clenched his fists together, shaking with emotion. "You bastard!" He yelled at Gray. "I remember. I remember it all! That's when you took the shot and killed her!"
"Is that what you think happened, Sub-Zero Emperor?" Gold Pistol laughed.
Lyon whirled to Gold Pistol, his eyes blazing. "Of course it is! I was there and saw it with my own eyes." The rival Boss jabbed a finger in Gray's direction. "He didn't even hesitate. He pulled the trigger and murdered our mentor! I was foolish enough to let him live after I saw what he had done, out of respect for our time together with Ur. I thought the bastard was dead until I received notice he was alive a month ago. And when I found out he was worming his way to Juvia, there was no way I was going to sit back and let him kill another person I cared about. But because of YOU...Juvia...she's about to die! I'm going to lose another person I love!"
"Lyon…" Gray trailed off.
At this, Gold Pistol burst into laughter. The cackling sound grated against Natsu's ears as it filled the room. The mercenaries around them were quick to join in. On and on and on they went, laughing at some joke no one else knew. Finally, the laughter died down.
"Oh ho!" Gold Pistol wiped away fake tears as he breathed heavily to calm himself down. "This is priceless! I didn't think it could get any better, but I even surprise myself."
"What's so funny Gold Pistol? Enough with your stories and games!" Natsu growled.
"I knew the Sub-Zero Emperor was fond of Juvia after they met years ago, so I was the one that passed the information along about Gray to him. I thought he would get rid of Gray because he saw him as a love rival. While he was busy doing that, I had instructed these mercenaries to kill my niece. I was going to pin everything on the Russian Mafia and my hands would be clean. I only hired you, Salamander, to keep up my appearances as a concerned and doting uncle. Yet, I didn't know the Sub-Zero Emperor was also one of Ur's pupils and that the two of them," he waved his gun between Lyon and Gray, "—had their own personal history together."
"All along, you were using me as a distraction so you could kill Juvia?" Lyon's cold bloodlust emitted off him and Natsu found himself shifting to a defensive position.
"That's not even the best part!" The Italian Boss just laughed some more. "You always prided yourself for your intelligence. You thought you were so much smarter than me and all the other Bosses, but you couldn't even see how ignorant of the situation you were. You are as blind now as you were eight years ago. You thought you saw your friend kill your mentor, but you were so wrong. That boy never even pulled the trigger. He was weeping like a baby and frozen by his own conflicting emotions. I couldn't have the Snegurochka discovering it was I who tried to kill her and come after me in the future, so I took out my gun and," he lifted his pistol and aimed it directly at Lyon as he stomped on the remains of his cigar. "BAM! I KILLED UR MILKOVICH!"
Lyon let out a battle cry, launching himself at Gold Pistol. Natsu reacted instantly. He swiped his gun from the mercenary's grasp, aimed and fired. With a cry of shock, Lyon dropped to the ground just in front of Natsu. Seven bullets left , Natsu thought.
"LYOOON!" Gray yelled.
Natsu stared down at the rival Boss, feeling nothing after what he had just done. Lyon had lived with the knowledge that his best friend had killed his mentor. That type of betrayal would eat at a person's heart. He had almost killed Gray for a crime he hadn't even committed. Yet, none of that mattered to Natsu. The man had almost killed Lucy and he needed to pay.
"Lyon…" Gray trailed off, staring at the body of his blood brother.
"Salamander?" Gold Pistol's voice held an unnecessary threat.
The mercenary near him moved to attack Natsu, but Natsu held out his hand, returning his gun to the man. "If Lyon attacked you, these mercenaries would take it as a cue to start firing. I won't put Lucy in any more danger."
"You should come out of retirement Salamander." The Mafia Boss twirled the ends of his moustache, laughing as he watched the scene. "We could do wonderful things together."
"I've listened to your stories long enough. Now, tell me what you want from me."
"Very well, Salamander. It's simple. Like I told you before, I don't like any loose ends." His eyes slid back to Gray. "Just kill him and then you and your Juliet are free to go."
"Why do you want me to kill him? You have Phantom Lord here to do your dirty work." Natsu kept his facial expressions under control though his mind was racing frantically. Kill the princess? If he did that, then he could get Lucy out of here safely. Yet, it would break his promise to her at the same time. Damn it, Gold Pistol!
"Aren't you a fan of Shakespeare? Romeo kills Tybalt, after all," the Boss chuckled. "It's not like you haven't killed a man before, Salamander, but if you can't hurt Juliet's precious friend, well...this story always did have more than one tragedy written into it."
So, he wants me to kill Gray because of his love of the dramatics. Natsu restrained himself from reacting to the Boss' threats. Instead, he turned to the mercenary to get his gun back again. The man smirked as he pointed Natsu's gun at him. Natsu glared at the man, wanting nothing more than to beat this person to a pulp. He still had no idea how to save everyone. Gold Pistol had made it clear. Kill Gray and save Lucy or don't kill Gray and both of them die. He was going to have to break his promise.
"I thought the infamous Salamander would be more fearsome than this," the mercenary sneered, still pointing the gun at him.
"After I finish things with your Boss, I can show you just how fearsome I can be," Natsu said, narrowing his eyes.
"Oops." The man released the cartridge of Natsu's gun, causing the bullets to drop to the floor. The mercenaries surrounding him burst into laughter; Gold Pistol laughing louder than anyone.
Irritated, Natsu snatched his gun from the man and bent down to retrieve the bullets. Luckily, they didn't all roll far from him. As he plucked them off the ground, Natsu imagined himself reloading the eight bullets into the gun and then emptying them into the man's face.
Wait, eight? I shot Lyon so there should only be seven. Natsu paused as he held the eighth bullet. Etched into the bullet was a symbol he knew well. It meant he had a way out of this hellhole. It meant he could save Lucy, Gray, and Juvia and keep his promises. The relief that flooded through him nearly knocked him over.
The mercenary raised his eyebrows and smirked when Natsu looked up at him, then turned on his heel and walked to stand with the other members of Phantom Lord. Natsu placed the final bullet in the cartridge and snapped it back into his gun. He stood and rolled his shoulders, shaking off the uncomfortable feeling of dread. Gold Pistol and his mercenaries wouldn't be laughing for long.
"Well, Gold Pistol," Natsu said, walking toward Gray. "I have to thank you."
"Oh ho?" The Boss grinned. "And why is that, Salamander?"
"I've been wanting to kill this guy since I've met him," Natsu smirked at Gray, stopping in front of him. "Now, you've given me the excuse I've been looking for."
From this close, Natsu could see Juvia's condition clearly. She had been shot on her left side, closer to her hip. There was too much blood to determine anything else. He could detect a light rise and fall of her chest, indicating she was still alive. A surge of hope filled him. Imagining how sad Lucy would be if the girl died made his heart twinge.
There were two members of Phantom Lord directly behind Gray and Juvia. The wreckage of Lyon's ball laid strewn further behind them. Since no one had returned to investigate Lyon's whereabouts, Natsu assumed that everyone had long since fled the building. Mafia wolves were loyal because they feared their Boss, but the fear of death made even the loyalest members deserters. He hoped that was the case. It would makes things more difficult than they already were if Lyon's people were still in the building.
"So, you really are the Salamander," Gray glared at Natsu as he settled Juvia to the floor and stood in front of her. "I never expected a demon like him to be a flamebrain like you."
"I kicked your ass once, do you really want another beating today?" Natsu sighed.
"I thought you were serious when you said you kept your promises," the princess said, shifting into a fighting stance. "It seems you're just full of hot air."
"I went easy on you last time we fought, but I won't make that mistake twice." Natsu smirked, aiming his gun at Gray. "And I told you before, but it seems your head is too thick with ice, princess. I always keep my promises."
Shifting his arm slightly to the right, Natsu took out one of the mercenaries behind Gray. Gray reacted by throwing his body over Juvia, using himself as a shield. Natsu tossed his gun to his left hand and took out the second mercenary, not even aiming at the princess.
"Salamander!" Gold Pistol yelled, his eyes bulging out of his head.
"Take Juvia to the extraction point I told you about earlier." Natsu took out another mercenary as he spoke. "There's a boat tied to the docks outside the prison. Take it and go!"
"What are you doing?! Lucy—"
"Lucy is my concern! Juvia is yours! Go! We'll cover you!" As Natsu spoke, the mercenary that had taken his gun earlier turned and started attacking members of his own guild.
"KILL THEM, YOU IDIOTS!" Gold Pistol bellowed, aiming his gun at Lucy. Natsu merely smiled as he turned and watched Gold Pistol pull the trigger.
"You can't kill anyone without bullets," Natsu stated, watching as the other members of Phantom Lord aimed and tried to fire their guns, but nothing happened. Emptying the bullets from his gun, adding the eight bullet, both were messages for Natsu. This information turned the tables, allowing Natsu to act. "Do you want a fucking red carpet, princess? Get the hell out of here before I shoot you!"
"Protect Lucy! If she gets hurt, I'll kill you!" Gray scrambled to his feet, scooping up Juvia and heading to the exit. "And another thing," he yelled over his shoulder. "Show that bastard hell!"
"As if I need you telling me what to do," Natsu scoffed, striking another mercenary down. His focus shifted from Gray and back to Gold Pistol who still kept trying to shoot Lucy. The sight drove him crazy. His thoughts were full of the many ways he would torture Gold Pistol as he made his way toward him.
"We don't need guns to kill you!" The mercenaries dropped their guns and charged toward them, but Natsu had been waiting for this. His rage had been patient enough.
There were seven members of Phantom Lord left. Three members ran toward Natsu; one battled with the rogue mercenary, leaving the final three to capture Gray and Juvia. Natsu aimed his gun at the men that were after Gray and Juvia, but the rogue mercenary stopped him. He had already taken out the man he was dealing with and shook his head to stop Natsu from pulling the trigger.
"They're fine," he said.
One of the men chasing after the pair broke away from the trio to block their path. Gray looked back and the mercenary yelled something at him that made his eyes go wide. He faced forward again, clutched Juvia tighter and disappeared through the exit. The other rogue mercenary started fighting his former guild members. The fight was quick, leaving him as the victor.
Natsu placed his gun in the inside pocket of his jacket and cracked his neck. It was finally time to let loose. The first mercenary to reach Natsu swung out his fists. The rage inside of him was a song in his blood, and he let it control his movements. Natsu easily dodged his attacks, breaking the man's guard to deliver a punch of his own. When his fist met with the man's jaw, Natsu heard the distinct sound of bone shattering. The mercenary made a strangled sound as he dropped to his knees, his hands fluttering over the wreckage of his face. Natsu gripped the man's hair, forcing his head back before slamming it down on the ground, knocking him out.
"Who's next?" Natsu asked, cracking his knuckles. His blood was pumping in his veins, his rage wanting to rampage more. The other two mercenaries looked at one another and decided to attack Natsu together. Smart, but pointless . Shifting his stance, Natsu prepared for the assault.
The rogue mercenary near him flipped in the air and landed in front of Natsu, standing on his hands. He winked at Natsu as he launched himself backwards, his feet striking the two men in the face. The force of his attack knocked the men backwards. The rogue mercenary stood on their bloody faces, his arms outstretched as if he were a gymnast that had just stuck his landing.
"They were mine!" Natsu stared at the unconscious forms of the mercenaries. His rage felt cheated since he didn't get to fight them.
"Oh, don't be upset. I couldn't let you have all of the fun," the man let out a girlish giggle. "Besides, shouldn't you be more concerned with rescuing your friend?"
Natsu grumbled some obscene things under his breath as he stalked past the mercenary toward the Mafia Boss. Gold Pistol still kept pulling the trigger of his gun, but once he saw Natsu coming toward him, he froze. Sweat dripped down his fat cheeks, as his beady eyes frantically searched around the room for a way out of this situation. Natsu grinned, loving the way the little man resembled a frighten animal.
"Not another step closer or I'll carve up her pretty face!" Gold Pistol tossed his gun aside and pulled out a knife instead. He held it against Lucy's throat as he glared menacingly up at Natsu.
"Get your fucking hands off her," Natsu spoke low, feeling the killing calm settle over him. The last time someone pulled a knife on Lucy, Natsu had shattered the man's wrist. This time, he wasn't going to be as kind.
Lucy had called him a monster, and she was right. What Gold Pistol had done was monstrous, indeed. But Natsu knew just how dark this world was. Gold Pistol was a greedy man consumed by his lust for power, but there were people worse than him. He was just glad that Lucy would never have to know that wolves and monsters weren't the most terrifying things lurking in the Underworld.
"You two," Gold Pistol ignored Natsu, looking at the two rogue mercenaries. "I don't know how much the Salamander has offered to pay you to betray me, but I'll double the amount. No, triple it! JUST KILL HIM!"
The two men looked at one another and smiled. They reached up and started tugging at the skin on their necks. Gold Pistol watched in horror as the men pulled their faces off and tossed them on the ground.
"Surprise!" A girl with long pink hair and bright green eyes shouted, sticking her tongue out at Gold Pistol. "We weren't ever working for you in the first place, fatty."
"Meredy, you're acting like a child," the woman standing next to Meredy sighed. She had warm brown eyes and perfectly straight black hair.
"You're always so serious, Ultear," Meredy giggled again. "Lighten up or you're going to turn into Natsu."
"Both of you, shut up!" Natsu snapped. He breathed out through his nose, trying to calm himself down.
"Who—Who are you?" Gold Pistol stammered.
"Forget about them." Natsu waved his hand as if to shoo the two women away. "Gray and Juvia are out of your reach. Your mercenaries have been dealt with. So, now, you only need to focus on one thing."
The Boss flicked his eyes back to Natsu, his grasp tightening on the hilt of his blade. "And what's that?"
"Making sure you make the right choice," Natsu smirked. "Choice number one: Let Lucy go without harm and I promise I won't kill you. Choice number two: Hurt Lucy and I promise I won't kill you even if you beg me to. So, what will it be?"
Gold Pistol took in the bodies of his men strewn across the area. The two women standing there had easily taken on the mercenaries and defeated them. He looked toward the exit where Gray and Juvia had gone through, knowing they weren't coming back and no back up would be coming to his aid. His gaze travelled to the Sub-Zero Emperor, remembering how quickly Natsu had taken him out. Finally, he stared up into the eyes of the Salamander. There was no way he was about to take on a demon of the Underworld.
The knife clattered to the floor and Gold Pistol released Lucy. He waddled backwards, holding his hands up in surrender. "Salamander," he called out, awkwardly smiling in his direction. "I never meant your Juliet any harm. She's a nice girl. Sweet girl." He laughed, still backing away from Natsu.
Natsu knelt over Lucy and checked her pulse. It was strong and she was still breathing. There were bruises and cuts all over her, but she seemed to be alright. He smiled down at her as he brushed hair off her face.
"She's all safe and sound just like you asked. And I know you, you always keep your promises, Salamander."
"Don't worry." Reaching into his breast pocket, Natsu pulled out his gun. "I promise not to kill you." He took one look at Gold Pistol and fired. The bullet hit the man in his right arm, but it did the trick. The Mafia Boss collapsed and struck the floor with an almost comically rubbery sound. Meredy let out a whistle as she went over and nudged the man with her foot.
"Those Mystogan bullets certainly come in handy," she said, smiling back at Natsu.
Mystogan bullets were a special tranquilizer bullet created to subdue enemies one didn't want to kill. It looked like a regular bullet, but that was where the similarities between the two ceased. Upon impact, the bullet would only pierce the skin of the target, exploding fake blood. At the same, it would inject the person with a powerful tranquilizer that would render someone unconscious immediately. The trick was to shoot the target to make it seem like a fatal shot had taken place, otherwise, it would ruin the deception of death. However, since Natsu wasn't trying to deceive anyone, shooting Gold Pistol in the arm would do.
Ultear reached into her suit pocket and pulled out a phone, holding it up to her ear. "Got it. Thanks," she said, as she hung up the phone. "I received confirmation that Gray Fullbuster and Juvia Lockser have made it to a nearby hospital. There's no word on Juvia's condition though." She lightly tossed the phone to Natsu and he caught it. "The address is in there. We'll meet you there after we take care of things here."
"You can do what you want with Lyon and these Phantom Lord members." Natsu looked at the screen and memorized the address before tucking the device into his pocket. "I'll send you an address where you can drop Gold Pistol off."
"Gold Pistol?" Ultear asked, arching her brow. "I thought you promised you weren't going to kill him?"
"Don't remind me," he grumbled, irritated that he couldn't do what he wanted to do to the little man. His rage was still thrashing inside of him, but his desire to get Lucy out of this place was stronger. "Don't worry about it, just take him there."
Natsu lifted Lucy into his arms, holding her tightly. Meredy stepped closer to Lucy, tilting her head to the side."That girl—"
"Is none of your concern." He growled threateningly, then turned to walk away.
"But—"
"Meredy," Ultear stopped the girl from saying anything further. "We have a job to do. Get started on it."
Meredy sulked away, pulling out a phone of her own and started calling in their support. In a few hours, it would be like none of the awful events had ever occurred. The damage would be cleared away. The Phantom Lord members would be taken into custody, as well as the Sub-Zero Emperor and the few remnants of his subordinates. Tours would resume in the Doge's Palace, with no one the wiser that this place had been a gateway to the Underworld.
"Natsu," Ultear called after him.
"You don't have to say it." Natsu paused, but didn't look back. "I messed up, I know." He looked down at Lucy, seeing the hell he had put her through. "But it won't happen again."