Okay, ya'll had a sweet, fluffy chapter to ease the pain. The reprieve is over and now the suffering shall commence... I hope you're ready...
rated: M (violence and language)
summary: In a world of underground fighting only the strong survive, abiding by the rules of kill or be killed. In the Ring, a feeble emotion like hope is all it takes to destroy you. And yet it exists– and those who hold onto it play a dangerous game. But once you enter into the Ring, it will never let you go.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Queer Street
a colloquial term referring to a person being in some sort of difficulty
Sleep loosened its hold on Lucy when a sudden bang! exploded in her ear. She jolted upright, her heart racing as she looked around her, trying to see what had fallen over in the room to make that noise. She was still drowsy from her impromptu nap, and she could see Salamander, Natsu, slowly opening his eyes with clear reluctance. His hand slid down from her back, resting at her hip.
She almost smiled at the sight of his tired eyes raising to meet hers, a lazy pout on his face as if to say 'come back to bed.'
At least she would have, had there not been another sudden bang! in her ear. It wasn't coming from inside the room.
No, it was coming from her earpiece.
Lucy straightened up, her spine going stiff as she heard the connection fizzle out for a second before snapping back on. Her hand flew up to her earring just as Lucy heard Levy's voice crack out clearly.
"Lucy, you have to get out of there!" The panic in Levy's voice was so poignant, it took root in Lucy's chest. "They found me and are trying to get into the van! If they do when you're still in there, they'll find out who you ar-"
There was another bang, louder than the last, almost like something had knocked the metal doors of the Hackmobile inward. It was a crappy van, but it had those large heavy doors that swung outwards from the back to make loading it easier and more secure. For them to break in…
Levy let out a frightened scream. "Lu, there's no time!"
There was a mad scramble as she could practically imagine Levy's small frame standing up to try and rip out wires from monitors and computers. Unfamiliar voices snarled over the receiver and the sound of Levy crying out in sudden pain was enough to send a stone plummeting into her stomach.
"Oh my god." Lucy felt the color drain from her face, pooling somewhere useless, like her feet. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe, not when the sounds of Levy's faint groaning rang like a bell in the background of angry, stomping feet.
"Lucy?" Natsu's voice came out thick, his eyes no doubt scanning Lucy's bloodless face. She felt like a ghost and probably looked like one too. "What's the matter?"
She couldn't even hear him, sliding off the bed in a rush and running towards the door, hiking up her dress enough around her legs to make easy strides. She completely ignored her heels, dismissing them in the urgency of the situation.
"Lucy!" Natsu was sitting up now, his expression growing alarmed and wary at the sudden shift in her mood.
Her wild tugging at the heavy door was probably not helping matters. She whipped around, her back pressing against the metal door as Natsu stood up.
He was extending a hand to her, but approaching slowly like she was a spooked animal, and she almost had to laugh at the gentleness in which he was approaching. Their lives were on the verge of collapse, and he was focused on trying to get her to calm down.
Tears welled in her eyes, hating herself and her foolish endeavor if only for the fact she dragged Levy into her wild adventure. She would have done the same thing a hundred times again if it meant seeing Natsu.
But Levy...
"I'm so sorry," she apologized to him, "I did something stupid."
He froze, hand in midair and eyes growing wide.
"What did you do?" he asked, seemingly unable to wrap his mind around what was going on.
Lucy just took her head, blinking away her tears. It seemed now, if any time, was the proper one for the truth.
"I-"
"Lucy, what did you do?" Natsu stressed, taking a few steps closer to her. His hands settled on the sides of her arms, his eyes imploring her to answer the question.
Before she could choke out a response though, a crackle in her earpiece opened up into a new line.
Then, a new voice spoke into her ear. She recognized this voice. It was one she had heard fifteen years ago, if matured with time.
"Ah, Ms. Lucy Heartfilia - I wasn't expecting you to be our culprit."
"Where's Levy?" Lucy demanded, her voice shaking with emotion. "What have you done to her?"
"Levy?" Natsu asked, confused by the sudden accusations and the sheer panic Lucy seemed to have succumbed to. "I promise I didn't do anything!"
But Lucy was staring right through him, a hand moving over her heart as she swallowed loudly.
She was scared out of her wits, and Natsu had no idea what was going on.
But he knew whatever it was, it was bad.
Her head snapped around, eyes searching the room desperately.
"Lucy," he tried again, "are you okay? What's going on?"
"I'm sorry," she only repeated, and he watched in horror as her eyes filled up with tears and her whole body slumped. As if she was admitting defeat to something, an enemy he did not know and had no means of fighting.
And that was when he heard the footsteps. Many of them, hasty, outside in the corridor. Voices bellowed low commands; boots trampled along the ground.
Lucy gasped, and he noticed she was trembling when she instinctively grabbed his arm for support. Her fingers dug into his bicep almost violently, nothing like her usually so soft and careful touches.
It was beginning to dawn on Natsu that whatever it was she had done, it had to do with the Ring. With Zeref.
His eyes widened at the realization, and his silent question was answered with one look at her dishevelled form and her panicked eyes.
And then, before he could muster another word, they were inside the room.
It all went too fast to process.
He remembered shoving Lucy behind himself, growling at the men who invaded their safe space. They couldn't have her. No one could have her. And if he had to kill every last one with his bare hands, he would do it without a second thought.
And he would have, if only he'd gotten the chance.
But they were too many, over half a dozen at least, and more waiting behind the door. All of them armed. He went down before he knew it, trying to struggle back up but relentlessly beat down by steel boots.
It was Lucy's scream that gave him the strength to drag himself out the way and back up for just long enough to see them grabbing her, shoving a bag over her head that muffled her cries.
He grit his teeth, growling wildly, blind panic and fear driving him on as he slammed one guard into the wall and bit another's arm. And then he froze.
The man right behind Lucy as grinning at him as he pressed the barrel of a gun against her temple, effectively turning Natsu to stone.
"And now we'll all behave," he sneered, nodding towards his underlings in what was a signal for them to advance. This time, when they grabbed Natsu, he did not react, eyes wide and breathing coming flat. He kept his eyes trained on the gun, terrified that any second, if he so chose, the guard could end Lucy's life as if it meant nothing.
He was completely helpless.
They tied his hands behind his back, and he watched the do the same with Lucy, not even daring to hiss or growl. This paralyzing fear he felt was all too familiar: he'd felt it every time they had taken Happy from him, had taunted him with the cat held up by his tail as they tossed him around before they had disappeared - leaving Natsu all alone.
It's all up to you, brat. Behave, and maybe your friend will live.
The words had been pounded into his mind so many times, he found himself working like a wind-up doll in the familiar scenario. It was all up to him.
But for how long?
He knew, this time they wouldn't return her to him like a pet. They wouldn't let her go.
His nostrils flared, body trembling in contained rage and desperation.
He couldn't even see her face, concealed behind a dirty rag he knew smelled like rotten fish. Maybe it was better this way - who knew what he'd do if he saw her face, caught her terrified gaze and saw the tears on her cheeks. No, maybe, for once, this bag was a blessing.
She had to live.
Every second he bought was a second of utmost value.
A low, drawn-out sigh coming from the door attracted his attention. Slowly, not to startle anyone or prompt any actions, he turned his head towards the voice he only knew all too well.
Zeref stood in the doorway, his posture calm and lax. As if he hadn't just organized a sting operation on his beloved younger brother. His dark eyes were cool as he perused Natsu, the corner of his lip twitching...in almost a smile.
Natsu fought down the growl in his throat.
"I should have known," Zeref said in a soft voice. "I knew you were...changing. Becoming defiant and resistant, protecting the weak, and still you somehow remained whole. Intact. Even after your training sessions with Acnologia. I had my suspicions..." He looked down at his hands, slender fingers fiddling with some sort of contraption. "But now I understand completely," he mused and turned to pin the barely-breathing Lucy with a cold look.
Murder shone in his eyes.
And that was when Natsu realized what Zeref was holding - a headset. It was snapped in two, as though it had been yanked from its owner and smashed in a fit of controlled rage.
From the look on Zeref's face, it wasn't hard to deduce where the matching earpiece to the headset was.
Lucy.
Natsu's stomach sank, fear turning his blood cold and slow. What had she done?
But, when Zeref took a step towards her, hand outstretched, Natsu jerked against the hands that held him still. And he decided that it didn't matter what she'd done - she was his friend.
Side-eyeing him, Zeref dropped a hand onto Lucy's shoulder, effectively startling her. She jumped, breath hitching, and he snorted. "Welcome back to the Ring," he told her.
"Where's Levy?" Lucy demanded again, voice shaky but filled with anger.
"If you don't understand that you're not in a position to demand answers then I'm surprised how you even made it this far," Zeref murmured close to her ear, and Natsu went stockstill when he lifted his hand, sliding it beneath the bag.
It seemed he was searching for something, and Natsu quickly realized what it was.
Lucy squirmed visibly, but had no chance of backing away even an inch.
Zeref frowned a little, before his eyes flashed victoriously. He jerked his hand back with more force than necessary, and the scream that left Lucy turned into a pained wail right after. The metallic tang of blood permeated the air just seconds later.
Natsu wasn't sure how much longer he could stand here doing nothing. Every last part of him was roaring in uncontrollable rage, his body trembling so much he thought his veins might pop.
Zeref eyed the earring in his hand with disdain.
"Clever little girl," he whispered, voice grave. "You're just as much trouble as ever."
Natsu very well heard the remarks Zeref had been dropping about some kind of former acquaintance, but in his state of mind he couldn't really afford to give it any thought. His entire being was focused on being alert - and not punching someone's face in.
Without another word, Zeref turned around and walked out the door. Apparently this was the guards' cue to start moving too.
"You're fucking dead," someone gloatingly whispered into his ear. "I bet he's gonna kill you and your little bitch."
Natsu fixed him with a death glare that was enough to freeze the other's grin for a moment, but then it spread even further. Elbowing him into his side so hard Natsu gasped for breath, the man walked off, leaving him to be the last to be dragged out of the room.
Boom!
We had a question as to how long this fic is going to be. The answer is: we're not sure yet! We've just about 30 planned out but there are definitely going to be more. We'll let you know when we have a more definite idea.
Also! Yesterday happened to be Snogfairy's birthday! Feel free to drop any birthday wishes in her Tumblr inbox or here in a review if you'd like.
Thanks for reviewing: SilverHeat, LovingmyOTP's, Inu Demoness of Darkness, TheSilverCookieMonster, CodenameMise, yucie, Jinx, Lulu Heartfilia, Guest, WolveNeko, xxsomthngvague, Crystxen, ellensaunders, wonderlust714, Snavej, Aya Rose, booklover1947, Zubecksquare, Avengerika, Fairytail-FMA-fan, Min-chan17, fandom-osmosis, Etrinity, BloodRedRubies, rushikikku, Phiafairy, AVMfreak96, Celestial War101, Yuyui Hime, A Beauty that's a Beast, JeslynBoo, Searching for my Rushmore, Animefun17, sthokatrina, Twishadowhunter, BrokenHeartsMend, misssbehavin, pucksabrinadaphne, Soawksahm, xhearthemusic, RunningWithTheRiptide, Ryuu91, ViolentPenguin, FireDragonPhia, Crysteldragon, Wonderwomanbatmanfan, thewildeqoute, SolidScriptJess, Fairy Rains, Gir276, FlameDragonHime, Brannasaurus Rex, MehKitty, mushi0131, TheLovelyMadOne, grace evans13
Next time! Chapter 17: Bare-Knuckling