The demon inside.
By: LemonSherbert
Chapter 17: broken.
I do not own any of the characters in this story, they are owned by the creator of Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima, do enjoy and don't forget to review.
Levys heart throbbed, all she wanted to do was cry, she wanted to break down, she wanted to throw something, break something, she wanted to tear the walls apart but she didn't. She never thought she'd want to get revenge for her brother... he was always so mean to her, he hurt her but knowing he died begging for his life in exchange for hers made her lungs burn, her head was a mess and the lump in her throat was close to bursting.
"Okay... well, we'll close the school that day, we don't need any students getting harmed and I want a perimeter around the building... he does not get passed us okay?!" Igneel said in a stern voice and his few men nodded as Levy bit her lip. The plan was good, it was almost fool proof but she didn't have much faith, the images of that man burned in her brain and she didn't hold out much hope for any of them coming out alive.
What was she going to tell her parents? She couldn't just casually slip it into the conversation that the child they had raised was murdered by probably the most dangerous Demon she had heard of. How was she even supposed to fight this guy? She was weak and small... she could barely hold her own against a human let alone a Demon of this man's size. In her dream he had easily stopped her... even after she had eaten, the man was ruthless, he was merciless and she was apparently going to fight him. It wasn't exactly something she wanted to do but she had too, all of her friends, the people she cared about, they would die without her help.
"Levy... why don't we give you a ride home... it's getting late?" The woman known as Grandeeney smiled and Levy stood up as she shook her head, she opened her mouth to say 'no thank you' but he stopped her.
"I'll walk her!" he simply barked and Levy looked up at him as he stared at the patrolmen, his red eyes were stern and unmoving, he wasn't even looking down at her but he was human again and she turned back as well. The men around them looked uneasy and she looked away, of course they would be, a Demon was in their chief's house. Levy didn't see the point in arguing with Gajeel because he was a stubborn pain in the butt and it would just be wasted words. She didn't need coaxing as she said 'thank you' to everyone in the room and walked to the sliding door, she slid it open and jumped back as Lucy, Natsu and Wendy all fell in with a yelp. The room went silent as everyone including Levy stared at the trio and they grinned innocently.
"Uh... hey!" Natsu smiled, acting as if nothing had happened and he pushed himself to his feet, helping up Lucy and Wendy and they dusted themselves off as Levy put her hands on her hips like a mother about to scold a child.
"Natsu Dragneel was you eavesdropping...?" Came the deep growl of the boys' father and even Levy shuddered as Natsu scratched his neck and looked anywhere but at his dad.
"N-no... okay, a little but you wouldn't tell me what was going on... come on dad, you even let Gajeel in on it!" Natsu exclaimed, clearly not helping his cause. "Plus, dad I can fight, you know I can so why can't I be included, I'm going to be a patrolman, and you should include me!" The pink haired boy yelled, it was clear he felt a little hurt but Levy could see why Igneel didn't include him. Natsu was reckless, he would pick fights, big or small, he never knew when to quit and sometimes that was good but this time, it might get him killed.
"Natsu... I know you want to fight but this is a lot bigger than you, it's a lot bigger than all of us, this Demon isn't just one of the small ones we detain from time to time... he will kill you, he doesn't care that you are a kid, he won't care if you are already hurt... he will kill you just for the sake of killing!" Igneel argued back and Natsu scowled at him like he didn't believe him.
"Then wouldn't you want more people to help... you know I can help dad, this is my school, Levy is my friend, let me help her... what kind of friend would I be if I didn't help her!" Natsu practically begged and Levy stared at him, he really would have risked his life for her, even though he knew she was a Demon.
"Natsu... this isn't a game, you could die, you'll be fighting for your life, the Demon won't give up and he won't let you have a hit, do you really want to risk your life for me?" Levy questioned as she smiled at him and he looked at her, his eyes confused as if she had two heads.
"Of course I would... Levy we've been friends for years, you're practically a sister to me, why would I want to let you die, Demon or not you're still Levy and hey... you could die to, doesn't that mean anything?" He asked and she was kind of taken aback by his answer.
"So will I... if you don't mind Igneel, I want to help, and I can ask my father for reinforcements... he'll do anything to keep me happy, plus I have my own Holy weapon, a whip called Celestial!" Lucy said with the confidence of a queen as she stepped forwards and Levy wanted to hug them close as a wave of pride and fear washed over her.
"See we can help dad... just give us a chance, our help might sway the odds in our favour!" Natsu coaxed and there was a long sigh as Levy turned to Igneel. Gajeel had done the same though she wasn't sure what his expression was saying while she was silently pleading for him to say no.
"...Fine but you do everything I say, when I say it, don't run off with your own agenda, you stay close to the group and for the love of all things great under no circumstances and I mean it Natsu, do you go after Acnologia, a human will not do any damage towards him, he's far too strong!" Igneel said firmly and Levy inwardly screamed at him for being so easily swayed.
"Ha, let's see how he acts when he gets a hit off of Salamander!" Natsu grinned pulling out a wavy blade from the back of his pants that was almost red in colour.
"Natsu!" Igneel growled and they young boy shrunk almost as he lowered his blade and looked at the floor. "I mean it, you leave him to Gajeel, Levy and the resistance, we just fight his lesser Demons, if he brings any...!" The chief snapped and like a scolded child, Natsu huffed, then nodded and tucked his blade back in place.
"That's no fun..." Natsu moaned and Igneel pinched the bridge of his nose as Gajeel coughed and Levy looked up to him, she watched his eyes flick from her then the door and remembered.
"Oh... right, well, I'll be going now, thank you Igneel... for listening..." Levy smiled and the large man nodded in approval as she waved at everyone. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, guys" she said as she walked past Lucy, Natsu and Wendy who said goodbye to her. Levy could feel Gajeels eyes on her as she walked to the door and opened it, seeing the pelting rain and she sighed, maybe that ride would have been a good idea but she didn't want to take liberties.
"Wait here..." Gajeel mumbled as he walked through the hallway and Levy stayed just in the threshold of the door with the rain splashing her shoes. He came back a few moments later, in his hand was a large umbrella and as he stepped out, he popped it open, it was large enough for two people and he ushered her out of the door. She stepped inside the shield of the umbrella and he leaned over, closing the door behind them. They made it down the pathway in silence, the creak of the gate made her grit her teeth as he opened it and closed it, apparently he knew where she was supposed to go which was good because she had never been this deep in the city before. Levy stayed close beside him, watching the rain drip from the waterproof material above them, it felt comfortable but she felt the need to speak to him.
"So... y-you didn't have to walk me home..." Levy said slowly, unsure of how to speak to him, she felt like he was angry or annoyed and that kind of put her off wanting to speak to him.
"It's fine... you don't know where you're going, what were you going to do, just wing it and hope for the best?" He grumbled as they walked and she looked up at him, he was glaring into the rain and she bit her lip as she looked away, sticking her hand out of the umbrella to feel the wet droplets hit her skin.
"Kind of, I was just going to back track the way we came and follow the road home" she told him, truthfully, she had a photographic memory so she wouldn't have gotten lost but she didn't want to be wandering around when it was getting dark.
"A car ride would have been quicker..." he grunted as he turned a corner and she followed, keeping close to his side to keep herself dry.
"Sorry... you don't have to walk me home, I'll be fine on my own" she said and he let out a snort as if she had just cracked a joke and she frowned at him.
"Yeah... every time you're on your own, you get into trouble, I think I'll walk you and you'll deal with it!" He said between gritted teeth and she gulped as they passed a small bakery that was closing for the night.
"What's wrong, why are you acting so... so angry?" She asked and he looked down at her for the first time as he searched her face, his eyes growing soft before he looked away. He looked pained, angry, confused and everything in between.
"Nothing... just, ah it doesn't matter..." he muttered and she saw the pink flush in his cheeks and ears, whatever was wrong it was clearly making him flustered. Levy didn't want to push him and cause him to lash out so she stayed quiet, it felt strange like both of them wanted to speak but neither could find the words to do so. She exhaled and watched as the rain beat down on the pavement creating puddles against the concrete as they walked. The air was crisp and fresh, the scent of wet grass drifted through the town, the smell made her feel a little more relaxed as she liked the rain, it felt calming and gentle, even in its stormy state. Though even in the rain she felt like she was shattering, she wanted to go home and rip everything from the walls and break everything because she felt so utterly broken. She wanted to scream and kick and cry because nothing felt right and everything was going wrong... and no matter how many people were going to fight, she knew nobody would make it out alive.