Hiya All! Thanks for all the reviews and the support. So onwards with the disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail it's property of Hiro Mashima! Other than that I'm glad people are understanding the misunderstanding between Levy and Lucy, I want big drama and next chappie is a WTF are you on Eclipse... so please don't hate me XD I know what I'm trying to convey.
Wendy in all her youth saw her older guild brother toss and turn in anguish as his dragon instincts tried to reason with his humanity. Gajeel in the past might have been a rebel, and a notorious member of Phantom, but he still had his pride. It was evident that his sobriety was the catalyst of his emotional breakdown; the overwhelming guilt about what he did to Lucy was maddening and completely out of his normal character. He tried to distract his guilt with Levy, the engagement, and the unavoidable wedding. When the Shrimp was absent, his unoccupied mind contemplated on the possibility of harming Lucy, and that drove him directly to a bottle.
The Iron Dragon Slayer couldn't speak to anyone, his bunny girl had runaway from his clutches and left him with a bitter taste in his mouth. The only moments of peace the usually quiet loner was when he passed out on alcohol or exhaustion. The stress and anxiety his guilt caused him was unparalleled to anything he had ever felt, but the resolution to this problem eluded him. Lucy ran away and left him completely empty inside. Dark voices started to whisper things to him in the dark, only he heard them and they were helping him lose what little sanity he retained.
Wendy continue to sit next to the emotionally aching man and sighed in frustration. 'How can adults ruin their lives so easy? Is talking so hard?' The small child thought profoundly, as she wiped away the sweat from his forehead gently.
Swiftly the once dormant man, grasped her tiny wrist tight, causing the girl to wince in pain.
"Where's Bunny girl?" Piercing red eyes, threatened the small girl who smelled faintly of the tormentor of his dwindling sanity.
Nervously she shook her head honestly not knowing where Lucy was.
"Oi, don't give me that bull brat. I smell her all over you. You better tell me where Bunny girl is or I'll-" Gajeel got up from the bed, dangling Wendy by her aching arm.
"- Or you'll what Gajeel?" Lily asked in battle mode with his sword pointed at his partner's throat.
Wide scarlet eyes glared at his partner. "How dare you threaten me you worthless exceed."
The cold metal blade rested against Gajeel's frozen neck. Panther Lily was not amused at his friend's insult.
"Put the girl down Gajeel, or I swear on Metalicana that I'll slit that throat of yours." The large exceed nervously threatened his friend.
Ruby eyes snapped back into reality. Holding his breathe, sweat trickled down his forehead as the sheen of a blade caught his attention. The current surroundings made no sense; he was griping Wendy by the arm, as Lily held his blade in determination, ready to strike at any moment.
Gajeel head pounded furiously as he tried to recollect the events that led to this point and that's when the snickering shadows started to laugh.
Oh how the mighty have fallen. Black Steel Gajeel, the murderer of innocent children and rapist of women. If this continues you'll only have us to keep you company. Even Panther Lily wants you dead now. The echoing voices informed him of his attempted actions, and once he grasped what he almost did to his guild mate, his grip loosen on Wendy's petite arm.
Falling to the ground, the young sky dragon slayer, just held her wrist in shock. She knew Gajeel was succumbing to his inner dragon, but he never once raised his hand at her. Gulping slightly, the child only understood one thing, Lucy and Gajeel had to talk before it was too late.
"I'm sorry shortie, I don't know what came over me." Gajeel said apologetically as he stared at his clawed hand, and that's when his throat felt dry. Not only had he probably raped Lucy, but he was willing to shed the blood of an innocent child. What kind of monster was he becoming? Why did his insides burn and where was Lucy, the cause of all his angst?
After calming down, Wendy immediately forgave him, but not without a warning: 'Insanity and love are intertwined, normalcy is a myth and your objective must be met or blood will spill.' The young sky dragon had a way with words, but Gajeel was not fooled; this ordeal with Lucy was bigger than anyone actually stated.
Just the whiff of her scent was enough to drive him feral for blood.
'She's been here!' His instincts screamed in his mind. Her captivating scent was like a fine scotch and he just wanted to drink her scent. Hyper-aware of her proximity, the Iron Dragon Slayer needed to find his bunny girl, he wanted answers, but above everything else, he wanted to see with his own eyes that she was fine.
Without thinking, his feet moved like lightning as he escaped through the 2nd floor window. The iron dragon slayer was determined to talk to his bunny girl and get everything right so he could wed Levy in peace.
Landing safely on a nearby roof top, he noticed the smell of his petite fiance, Evergreen, Lucy and a familiar male. Scanning the area he noticed how Levy ran desperately into a library, Evergreen was on her knees distraught over something, but Lucy was no where to be seen. Concerned about his betrothed, his heart ached to chase after her in the library, but his feet moved in the other direction. Conflicted, but certain his feet took him in front of Lucy's apartment; her scent was strong and his sobriety seemed to diminish in the alluring aroma, but while enjoying her unique scent he let out an angry growl. The other scent of a male made Gajeel furious and he couldn't comprehend why. After all bunny girl was free to be with whoever she wanted, so why did he feel so agitated?
"Master, Sting we need to talk!" Wendy demanded with all the authority of the cosmos as she stormed into Makarov's office.
The two guild masters were caught off guard as they were exchanging questionable magazines. Nervously they covered their precious collection with their bodies, quickly they shoved their contraband into the large desk's drawers and suggested Wendy to sit down.
"Ah... next time my child, could you please knock?" Makarov said exasperated.
Sporting an apologetic blush, the child nodded to her father-like master, while holding both Charle and Lily in her arms. Worriedly she explained how Gajeel lost control of himself and threatened her. Gasping in disbelief, Makarov radiated with anger. How dared Gajeel lay a hand on one of his beloved brats! He promised that he would never purposely hurt any of his fairies ever again. The old man just sat in his chair fuming, as Lily confirmed how he witnessed and protected Wendy from Gajeel.
"Master please calm down. He wasn't aware of his actions, he was acting on instinct and he apologized! Right now we need to separate Rogue and Lucy. Gajeel needs to talk to Lucy, there are too many lies, too many politics and lives involved." Wendy pleaded with the two guild masters as she knelt in frustration.
Sting just looked at Makarov, engaging in a telepathic-like conversation, not once did there mouths move. Opening a locked drawer, Makarov showed Sting a sheet of paper, his hazel eyes widened to the size of saucers, but without giving it a second thought, he took out his insignia, bit his thumb and stamped the paper with his scarlet blood.
Quietly the young Sabertooth master rose from his chair next to Makarov and left the room in search of his comrade.
Wendy opened her mouth to ask her master what had just transpired, but he held his ground and told her to exit quietly. Whatever those two had planned was neither for her ears or eyes. Standing up she bowed and thanked her master, as she closed the door behind her, she could hear her master quietly sobbing. Holding her chest tightly, Panther Lily and Charle flew around her trying to soothe her fears.
"It's better this way. You're suffering as bad as them. Please just leave this to the masters." Charle seeing into the near future feigned a smile.
Opening the entrance to Lucy's building, Gajeel drank her scent, his body and head felt dizzy, while his lips were as dry as sand. The effect of her smell got stronger with each and every step up the stair case, but somewhere midway between the entrance to the building and her apartment, a dark figure showed its unhappy face.
"Hello Gajeel, what brings you here?" Rouge said quietly enough for only Gajeel to here.
Letting out a furious growl, Gajeel ignored his former guild mate and continued to head to Lucy's apartment.
Quicker than Laxus' lightning, the shadows bolted Rouge right in front of Lucy's door.
"Get the hell out of my way Ryos, this has nothing to do with you. I gotta talk to Bunny girl, now." Gajeel seethed through his sharp teeth.
Cracking both fists, Rouge glared back at Gajeel's impertinence.
"Sorry to disappoint you Gajeel, but she's asleep right now, and frankly, I don't want you anywhere near my mate, you damn rapist!" Rogue stabbed the verbal dagger into the older dragon slayer's fragile heart.
Boiling anger swiftly turned into anxiety and guilt upon hearing the cruel words Rouge threw at Gajeel. Each word he understood to be true, but it was because he knew there was some validity to them, he wanted to talk to Lucy. He wanted to make sure that he didn't destroy her, that if he had to take responsibility for anything he would act like a man. Gajeel Redfox did not run away from his problems, but apparently his problems ran away from him.
Placing a trembling hand on Rogue's shoulder, Gajeel tried to keep his composure.
"I need to speak to her Ryos, I'm dying. I've hurt her before, then made promises to never touch her again. She lied to me, I tried to rectify everything, but everything I say and think is wrong, but bunny girl can resolve all of this. Please Ryos, let me see her." Rogue heard Gajeel beg, and it broke his heart. Ever since he was a child, he never once saw his idol beg or break down in front of anyone and yet the baffling reality took place right before him.
Hearing the name Ryos usually agitated the Shadow Dragon Slayer, but hearing the cracking of his idol's voice had him immobilized. Should he let these two meet up and resolve their issues, Lucy was most likely going to lie, and Gajeel was in the process of marrying Levy, so there was no threat.
Are you stupid or do we have to do everything? Look at this pathetic man, that damn woman is gonna melt the second she sees him. Don't let his words deceive you, he wants to take her back.
"No he wouldn't! She said she was mine!" Rogue argued like a maniac in front of a perplexed Gajeel.
We're warning you, she loves him and he idolizes her. The flat-chested wench is a 2nd place trophy that he conformed to. Protect your family, and don't be a fool. The shadows swirled loudly making sure both dragons heard them.
Scarlet eyes looked into the abyss analyzing the validity of their statements. 'Did I ever have a chance with Lucy? Do I really love Levy?' Gajeel's hand gravitated to brush his mane in confusion.
Growling furiously at the uncertainty of his idol, Rouge slithered in the shadows. Swirling menacingly around Gajeel, he caught the Iron Dragon Slayer in a painful hold of dark miasma.
"Lucy's mine!" Rogue roared, materializing his upper body and violently headbutted the constricted Gajeel.
Smirking wildly, Gajeel turns his body into steel.
"The second you turn back into your solid state, it's been proven that you're no match for me Ryos!" The Iron Dragon Slayer recalled his winning at the Grand Magic Games while smacking his iron head against the crook of Rogue's neck.
Coughing up a bit of blood, Rogue's scarlet eye shined murderously. Charging back, he takes out his shadow claws lashing at every opening visible. "Tch." Gajeel smiles back as he inhaled Rogue's shadows, but before the younger slayer could make a move an iron club smacks against his exposed abdomen. Ricocheting against Lucy's door, the shadow dragon slayer hisses in anger.
You know what to do Rogue, let us take over. Succumb to anger and jealousy.
Listening to his inner darkness, the shadow dragon sunk into the abyss of desperation. The hallway was engulfed in darkness. Gajeel struggled to breathe and move, consuming these shadows proved to be impossible and the air in his lungs seemed to escape, and he was starting to feel dizzy. Desperately he attacked the darkness, but he was unable to lay one punch on Rogue, as the darkness hid the younger slayer well.
"Iron Dragon Roar! Iron Dragon Roar!" Gajeel spewed out metal in every direction possible, but the void sucked up all form of sound along with his multiple attacks, his senses were all hindered. He couldn't see, everything felt like Rouge, sound and smell were voided. Gasping for what little air remained Gajeel tried one last attack.
"Iron Shadow Dragon Roar!" The huge attack managed to cause a break in the shadow enclosure, allowing the light to shine through and drive the shadows back into Rogue.
Both raven haired men laid on the floor gasping for air, neither one possessed the strenght to get up. Too drained to yell at each other, both bodies were both heavily bruised, yet they still had enough energy to rotate their heads to face each other and glare.
A blinding flash of light caused Gajeel and Rogue to firmly close their scarlet eyes. When the light faded, Gajeel opened his eyes and Rogue was no where to be found.
"Good riddance!" Gajeel belted out in victory as his head gave way and he passed out on the floor.
Standing cautiously behind her locked door, Lucy sighed in relief when she heard silence engulf the once boisterous hallway. Quietly she creaked the door open, her brown eyes peered through the small crack, witnessing the damage left to the torn stairway, the splintering wood floors and a familiar body on the darken floor. Immediately thinking it was Rogue, she ran straight to him.
Kneeling next to the passed out body, she waved her luminous keys over the dispersing shadows. Holding her mouth, brown eyes were shocked to see Gajeel laying before her. White legs rose her trembling body. 'Where's Rogue?' Lucy thought desperately as she slowly walked away from the tormentor of her world.
'I can't be left alone with you. He's gonna leave Levy if he finds out. I gotta run!' Lucy's legs were ready to sprint out of the torn up building when suddenly Gajeel grasped her ankle.
"Oi, Bunny. We gotta talk." Gajeel's raspy voice echoed through Lucy's ears.