So, just to let y'all know, I kinda redid ch. 10 – well, more like added a part than redid – if any of y'all are interested in a renewed version of the interaction between Gray and Lucy. Just throwing that out there. I just had to add more emotion from Gray's part to make it better.
Well, I'm glad that I got this going again :D Oh, yeah, another reminder that I changed my pen name.
I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters...
Please R&R and enjoy!
~Remedy~
Chapter 13
If our love is a tragedy, then why are you my remedy?
"Gray!"
Lyon immediately flashed beside his brother and caught him before he could fall. The white-haired vampire knelt down and gently laid his brother on the ground. His eyes were wide, terrified, to see Gray's state. He was so used to seeing Gray strong, emotionless, and fierce in battle, not that he would ever admit it to Gray's face. But now...now his skin was slightly sweaty and he was burning up, which was extremely rare for vampire, and it only meant one thing: poison.
Also, Lyon noticed since Gray found his mate, he hadn't been watching himself, and Lyon couldn't blame him. His thoughts briefly drifted to Juvia... He couldn't imagine how his little brother must've felt when his mate was taken. Even if they hardly knew each other, he knew the dire need to protect because mates only came once in a lifetime. Lyon couldn't help but feel the air around him drop due to his magic, not only to his distress of the situation, but for what his little brother must be going through as well.
"Wendy!" he yelled urgently.
The little blue-haired huntress appeared before him. Lyon could only look down at his brother, and Wendy wordlessly began peeling off Gray's coat and shirt to look at the bite wound. Wendy grimaced when she noticed the poison had already spread throughout his arm, and she could see the purple venom flowing.
"Natsu, bring Erza over here!" Wendy ordered, her voice shaky with anxiety.
Natsu complied, and with the help of Hibiki, they carried Erza over and set her beside Gray.
Wendy ripped Erza's shirt, and there it was. Everyone made a small collective gasp when they saw the ugly bite wound on her shoulder. The little blue huntress bit her lip and began scanning her eyes around for any medicinal herbs.
"Wendy?" Lyon asked.
"Is it bad?" Sherry inquired tentatively.
"It will be if I don't find some decoction."
"Say the word," Hibiki said.
"If anyone can find a canteen and a small pan, great," Wendy replied. "Natsu, I'm going to need your flamethrower. I'm going to find some roots. Lyon use your use magic to cool Gray and Erza down while I'm gone."
Lyon nodded. His eyes widened a fraction when he felt Wendy grab his arm. Her grip was firm and desperate. He looked into her frantic brown orbs and nervous visage. Lyon raised his brows in alarm.
Wendy stared at him with watery eyes. "Keep them awake no matter what."
It was so difficult to breathe. An infinite blackness, a colorless void of nothing. It was suffocating. She was unconscious, lost in the dark recesses of her mind. Despite being out cold, she could feel the toll of pain on her body without her necklace. Every breath Lucy took in, pain skyrocketed through her chest and ribs. Her breathing became shallow, and her body felt heavy like lead. Contrastive to the sharp pain, she felt a ghostly touch of cold running along her. It was a soothing feeling, yet it was chilling, eerie. It felt wrong.
Lucy fluttered her brown eyes open. The first thing she saw was she that she was in a cave of some sort. A few torches were lined on the dark walls of the cave, and the flickering warm light did nothing to calm her nerves as they bounced along the cave walls with a mysterious aura. Her eyes nervously scanned the room, and to her relief she was alone. For the time being, at least. She gave a small gasp of pain when she tried to move. It was absolutely agonizing. Any sudden jolt or movement sent shockwaves of pain.
The blonde huntress froze when she heard voices bouncing off the gave walls. Oracion Seis, she cursed inwardly. She lled deathly still when they came closer and closer. She recognized them immediately.
There was a grunt of disbelief. "She's still out of it?" Cobra asked. "Tsk, annoying."
"Why did Midnight bring her here?" Racer asked. "Hostage?"
"Who cares? All I know is that she smells...absolutely delightful."
Fuck, Lucy swore. She could feel Cobra's smirk and suppressed a shiver.
"Cobra?" Racer called.
"She's awake. Her thoughts..." he said. "I can hear them."
She heard them walking closer. She heard her heart start beating erratically, and she could heard them chuckling, knowing they could hear her heart as well. She clenched both her fists, and when Cobra touched her shoulder and flipped her onto her back, she punched him in the jaw out of reflex.
"Fuck off," she snarled.
Cobra blinked in surprise before he snickered in amusement. "Feisty," he remarked with mirth-filled eyes. "I like it."
"Cobra," Racer warned.
"What?" he groused. "I was just going to play with her a little."
Lucy didn't know if it was the adrenaline or some miracle that she was able to move, but when Cobra lifted her wrist and was about to bite, she kneed him where it counted. It really didn't make much of a difference because she had only human strength, but she wasn't going to let him drink from her without a fight.
"Goddamn it," Cobra cursed.
He angrily pinned her wrists above her head with a vice-like grip and placed a leg in between hers, so she couldn't try anything else. Lucy winced from the crushing grip and wrestled against Cobra's grip even though it was futile.
"Bitch," Cobra growled.
"Leech," Lucy hissed back.
Cobra's eyes narrowed, but before he could even respond, Lucy headbutted him for good measure. And that's how Cobra ended up having a choke hold on her neck. With an easy twist, he could snap her neck or with a simple squeeze, he could crush her windpipe. Lucy shut her eyes, expecting the pain but was surprised when the pressure was immediately let up and instead she felt him pull down her shirt to the side. Lucy opened her eyes in shock and found Cobra staring at her with new interest. His eyes flickered back and forth between her and her neck. It was when he traced her mark that Gray gave her when Lucy froze.
"What's this?" Cobra smirked. "Hey Racer!"
"What?"
"Looks like the huntress has been marked!"
Racer was there in a blink of an eye. "You really weren't kidding."
Cobra took a whiff. His eyes widened at the familiar scent before he let out a chuckle. "Interesting... She was marked by none other than the ice prince."
"Cobra, Racer, what are you doing?" an oh-so familiar voice asked.
The two rogues froze before immediately jumping off Lucy and backing to the other side of the cavern. Lucy would've breathed a sigh of relief, but she only tensed up even more when she heard Midnight. She saw Cobra and Racer nervously fumble with their words of apology, but Midnight paid no heed. Instead, he ordered them out because the hunter guilds were on the move. Now it was only Lucy and Midnight left in the cavern, and the silence was deafening.
Midnight chuckled. "Glad that you could wake up. I was starting to believe I crushed you a tad bit too much."
Lucy only glared at him, hatred swirling in her eyes.
"I suppose it can't be helped," Midnight mused to himself.
The rogue vampire disappeared and reappeared beside her. Lucy flinched and made a move to back away only to end up gasping in pain and hugging herself up with her arm. Midnight pushed her down, removed her arm, and lifted her shirt, showing her bare toned stomach.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Lucy growled.
"Keep still."
Midnight's hand gently caressed her skin and ran up and down her side. Lucy eyes widened when she realized it was the same exact feeling. The dreadful, soothing cold touch that felt utterly wrong. He was touching her while she was unconscious?! Lucy eyes swirled up a storm as she glowered hatefully at Midnight. If looks could kill, he would surely be dead, suffering from a long excruciating torture for every evil that he had done.
"You sick bastard," she snarled.
Midnight's hand stilled over a protruding rib. Without a second thought, he pushed the broken rib back to its original place. Lucy whimpered and tears pricked the corner of her eyes in pain. She struggled within his grasp, but Midnight easily held her down. He then pulled down her shirt down her shoulder to see the junction of her neck and shoulder. He traced the scar with his cold fingers.
"Hn, so Cobra was right," Midnight grunted distastefully. "Then Gray's your reason to live?"
"Yes." Lucy was slightly surprised by the complete certainty her tone held. She went on. "You have no reason to keep me here. The deal is finished."
Midnight hummed. "That is true, but I have other options."
Lucy narrowed her eyes. "What are you saying?"
"The first option: I could kill you and torment your dear Gray. Two: I could kill Gray and keep you."
The blonde huntress drowned out Midnight's voice. How could they be so stupid?! Minerva was the main force in all this. They were distracted by Oracion Seis' movement!
"Oh God," Lucy whimpered, praying to whatever god out there that everyone back in Crocus was all right.
Midnight snickered. "So you finally figured it out, hm?"
Lucy could only glare.
"Now, now, let's forget about that and become better acquainted," Midnight suggested with a smirk.
"What are you saying?!"
His smirk grew wider. "Nothing. I just took a liking to my second option, that's all." He gripped the hem of her shirt. There was a brief ripping sound as he tore her shirt.
Lucy screamed, terrified.
A small drop of sweat dripped down Wendy's forehead as finished preparing the decoction. She mixed the crushing herbs and tree sap together until it made a type of lavender paste. She gave a small sigh of relief, but she knew she was far from feeling secure. She grabbed the flamethrower from Natsu. She turned it on and adjusted the flame. She heaved a breath and started on Erza first because she was bitten before Gray.
"Hibiki, Ren, hold her down, would you," Wendy said.
They nodded.
"All right." Wendy bit her lip. "Here it goes."
She brought her steady hand and placed the flame right over the wound. Everyone held their breath. The silence was deafening, and it was when Wendy heard the hissing of burning skin. The delusional Erza suddenly thrashed and screamed in pain; her strength gave Hibiki and Ren a run for their money, so it was when Sherry helped that she was only able to squirm.
"Just a little bit more," Wendy observed.
She could feel everyone's gaze on her, but she didn't care; she was doing what she was trained to do. A few seconds passed when she stopped and turned the mini flamethrower off. She immediately grabbed some of the lavender paste and spread it across the snakebite. Erza's body suddenly relaxed. Wendy smiled, knowing the cold cream would soothe the hot burn. It also had a calming after effect.
"Is she going to be okay?" Natsu finally asked.
Wendy nodded. "She'll be fine, but she's out. Erza needs to rest. If she doesn't the poison will spread even further than it has. I made a special paste that Porylusica taught me, and it will absorb the poison, but it will take some time."
Wendy turned to Gray and cracked her knuckles. She grabbed the flamethrower and turned it on. Lyon and Natsu wordlessly held him down. Lyon held down his arms, carefully avoiding the snakebite, while Natsu held down his legs.
"Lucy," Gray whispered under his breath. "Lucy…"
Lyon shut his eyes, feeling his brother's pain. "I know, I know. We'll find her."
"Ready?" Wendy asked.
Lyon and Natsu nodded.
Wendy applied the flame right to his wound. Immediately, Gray jolted in pain. The unexpected jolt surprised Natsu, and his hold on his legs became loose, and that was all Gray needed to be able to send an involuntary kick. Natsu dodged, but as the flame only intensified, his thrashing became violent, almost as if he felt threatened. Another quick kick caught Natsu off guard. The adrenaline running through the pure blood prince doubled his power, so Natsu went flying out of the cleared into the dense clearing. He crashed into a tree, and everyone could only watch dumbfounded to see seven trees collapse. Out of horror, Wendy quickly extinguished the flame, and Jura took Natsu's place and held his legs down.
"What going on?" Sherry asked worriedly.
"I don't know," Wendy said, at a loss. "It's possibly that the heat of the flame is unbearable to his ice cold body temperature."
Lyon only grunted. "That, and he's not thinking."
"What do you mean 'not thinking'?!" Eve asked incredulously.
"He's just going off of adrenaline and natural instinct. When that happens, a pure blood's power doubles. Also, he probably feels we are a threat to prevent him from finding Lucy."
"A threat?!" Sherry echoed in shrilly voice.
Lyon looked at her. "Yes. Like I said, it's instinct: he's not thinking."
Jura's furrowed his brows as it clicked. "Lucy's his mate?"
Hibiki's eyes widened with realization. "Of course!"
Wendy cleared her throat, and that got everyone to look at her. She smiled in gratitude. "Hibki, Ren, could you please see if Natsu is all right?"
They nodded and followed the path of fallen trees.
"How much longer does it need to be cauterized?" Lyon asked.
"A few seconds more," Wendy replied.
"Ready when you are," Jura said.
Wendy only nodded and turned the flamethrower back on. Without hesitation, she placed it right above the bite wound. Gray immediately thrashed in response, but it was expected this time. It was still an effort for both Jura and Lyon. They had to apply enough pressure that everyone could hear the ground beneath them rumble and groan. Wendy stopped and turned it off. She grabbed the lavender paste and spread it across the wound. Like Erza, his body relaxed.
"Thank goodness," Wendy breathed as she fell back on her butt from exhaustion.
Sherry put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Nice job, Wendy. You did great!"
Wendy's cheeks dusted with pink out of embarrassment. "Thanks, Sherry!"
"No, thank you, Wendy," Lyon said sincerely.
They stared at Gray and Erza, watching their rapid, shallow breaths slowly change into soft, deep ones. Their visages were no longer scrunched up in pain, and they were no longer muttering things under their breaths.
A branch snapped.
All of them stood up, automatically drawing their weapons out and surrounded Gray and Erza. There were a few curse here and there before Hibiki and Ren stumbled out with a stupefied Natsu hanging on their shoulders.
"It's only them…" Lyon sighed.
The hunters all breathed a sigh of relief and dropped their weapons.
"Is he okay?" Wendy asked.
"Yeah, he's good," Hibiki said.
"He's just a bit dazed from the hit," Ren informed. "He might have fractures in some ribs, but it doesn't seem like it." To make his point, Ren poked the salmon-haired hunter in the ribs, and like he said, there was no reaction whatsoever.
"That's good," Wendy responded. "Just place him next to Gray and Erza."
Ren and Hibiki complied. Once done, everyone sat in a circle around the injured to regroup. While doing so, Wendy poked and prodded the still Natsu and grimaced to find he indeed fractured a few ribs, and there was one too close to puncturing his lung. She immediately set to work on a special drink with a few of the herbs she had. She started a small fire, and started cooking some of the crushed herbs with leftover water from the canteen.
No one questioned the small bluenette. Instead, they focused on the problem at hand, which was: a missing Ichiya, an injured Gray and Erza, and a kidnapped Lucy.
"Jura, what happened to Ichiya?" Ren asked.
"I'm in the dark, but I believe Angel already took care of him."
"I hope he'll be all right," Eve said with slight worry.
"He'll be fine," Hibiki said confidently. "He'll find his way back to us."
"We could send a few to look for him," Sherry suggested. "It may lead to Angel's whereabouts."
Jura grunted in agreement.
"And to find them would help us find Lucy and eliminate the Oracion Seis once and for all," Ren finished.
"Yes," Jura agreed. "But we need to split ourselves up into teams. It would be better for all of us."
"Divide and conquer," Lyon said with a nod.
"Before any of you say anything," Wendy began, "I'm staying here with Gray and Erza. I can't leave them by themselves." She handed Natsu the herbal drink.
The pink-haired hunter stared at it for a second before taking it and gulping it down. His face scrunched up at the terrible taste, and before he knew, he was on the floor gasping for breath as he felt his ribs realign themselves.
"I was planning to stay as well," Sherry said. "Can't leave Wendy alone."
Jura nodded. "Sounds fine."
"I can go," Natsu mentioned, out of breath.
Everyone looked at him skeptically.
"What?" he asked. "I'm not a cripple. Besides, I want a rematch with Cobra. Once I'm done with him, I'm going to give Gray a piece of my mind after all this shit. Fucking bastard…" he trailed off.
Everyone sweatdropped.
Jura looked to Lyon. "What do you suggest? I know that you have dealt with Midnight before from records."
Lyon grimly nodded. "I have. It has been a while. But…here's how I think we should go about this…" He looked at everyone. "Jura, it would be best you seek out Hoteye. With your staff, you have the ability to make barriers and cut through magic, correct?"
"Indeed."
"Good, because Hoteye's pureblood ability is to soften the earth. It would have been best that Lucy take on Angel, but since she is not here, I leave that to Sherry."
"But–" Sherry protested.
Lyon looked at her and cut her off. "My brother will come to fairly soon, and Erza is strong. It wouldn't surprise that she will wake up as well. Wendy will be fine. As for Angel's pureblood ability, it remains unknown to me. I apologize for my lack of knowledge."
"I can help there," Jura jumped in. "She has the ability to summon creatures to do her bidding. One of them was able to copy Ichiya and tricked me to believe it was the real one. It was the reason I was held back."
"Good to know," Lyon said. He looked to Sherry. "Got it?"
She only nodded hesitantly.
"The Trimen can search for Lucy's whereabouts. Gray would've had an easier time with Racer, but I'll take him on instead. Then that'll leave–"
"Me with Cobra," Natsu finished with an eager grin. "I'm all fired up."
Eve furrowed his brows. "Aren't there six of them?"
"Klodoa," Lyon answered.
"Who?" Hibiki asked, confused.
"Oh!" Natsu said in realization. "You mean the creepy staff Midnight has?"
Wendy widened her eyes. "It has a soul?"
"I have no idea what it can do, but watch yourself," Lyon advised.
"What about Midnight?" Sherry asked.
"I'm afraid the only ones who can would be myself or Gray."
"Oh, come on!" Natsu whined. "I wanted to kick that guy's ass, too."
Lyon glared at him. "Are you asking for a death wish?"
"Don't I always?"
Lyon sighed and suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and hit the hunter across the head. "Look, Midnight isn't your ordinary pureblood rogue. One of his abilities is reflection magic, so whatever you throw at him won't work."
Natsu gritted his teeth. "You better be right, or else I'll beat your ass as well."
Lyon ignored him and glanced at everyone. "All right, let's move out."
Jura silently walked through the forest. He was a giant man, but he was nothing compared to the trees that towered above him. The thick branches above were densely covered in leaves and expanded vastly across the sky. Only a few rays of sunlight peeked through the cracks of the of the leaves and illuminated small areas of the forest. It did nothing to ease the hunter's mind. His body was tense, and his eyes scanned the forest around him, but he didn't move his head, so he wouldn't give away his anxiety or show the enemy that he felt he was there if they were watching.
He came across a river and knelt beside it and ran his fingers through the cool, fresh water. He brought his face closer and cupped some water in his palm and began drinking to quench his parched throat. He froze when he saw a body in the reflection of the water. He immediately stood up and wielded his staff.
In front of him was none other than a smiling Hoteye with a bible in hand.
"Hello, Lamia Scale hunter."
"Hoteye."
There was silence as they stared each other down.
"I really don't wish to fight," Hoteye declared.
"Do you think I'd really believe you?"
"Hm, no, but it was worth a try. I just don't like getting my hands dirty."
"Funny hearing that from you."
Hoteye could only smile. His eyes glowed. "Goodbye, Lamia scale hunter."
Before Jura could blink, a pillar of liquefied earth went flying toward him.
"I really hope we find Lucy in time," Eve voiced out.
The Trimen of Blue Pegasus journeyed through the dense forest of the Worthwood Sea. They were in the area where the roots of the trees protruded and gnarled across the forest floor. On few occasions, the three of them would stumble and curse albeit being accomplished hunters.
"She'll be fine," Hibiki said. "She's strong."
"That's not the part I'm worried about," Eve remarked, voice trailing off as he climbed over a humungous root.
"Hmm? What do you mean?" Ren asked, following Eve.
"I mean, Gray will kill us if she even has a scratch on her," Eve said worriedly. "She's his mate after all."
The Trimen all shivered. They could only imagine what the youngest pureblood prince could do to them…
"Let's not think about that," Hibiki suggested.
"Right," Ren said with a nod of acknowledgement.
Klodoa hopped through the dark corridors of the cave and cursed Midnight for leaving him so carelessly, especially when the hunters were now looking for them and their blonde friend. Speaking of which, he could sense one around here, but it was peculiar, a halfblood, and he was with two others, who were normal hunters.
"Stupid Midnight," he muttered. "How can he possibly forget me?! I'm the brains to this whole damn thing!"
As he hopped down the dimly lit hallways, Klodoa's thoughts drifted to the blonde girl. He couldn't understand why the hell Midnight would even bother with a human. Even if it was explained to him, he wouldn't fully understand because he wasn't a vampire, but in the end, Midnight's interest in her turned out to be in their favor anyway. If he heard Cobra correctly as he walked by, she was apparently Prince Gray's mate.
A sickly grin showed on his skull face. "Perfect," he murmured.
Klodoa finally appeared in the chamber where he presumed Midnight was because he could hear the human girl's screams from a mile away. He couldn't care less about what Midnight was up to, his only goal was to inform him of approaching hunters. He paused at the entryway.
"Midni–"
Klodoa stopped as he gazed at the pureblood rogue playing with his prey. He saw Midnight briefly stop, acknowledging his presence, before continuing his...uh...ministrations.
"What is it?" he growled.
"Three hunters are approaching."
He rose a brow. "Interesting..."
"How would you like to dispose of them?"
Midnight's crimson eyes glowed before a smirk spread across his black lips. "I think you haven't had fun in a while Klodoa..."
He raised his palm, and a green and black magic circle. Beams of dark green magic blasted toward Klodoa before it swirled around him. It wasn't until a few moments later that he grew into a humanoid made of Midnight's dark magic. The humanoid wordlessly left, a sadistic gleam in its black flaming eyes.
Midnight turned his red eyes back to his feisty huntress.
"Now, where were we?"
"GRAAAAAAAY!"
Hope you liked it! I kind of decided to split chapter 13 up because it would be too long, and I thought this was long enough, so here it is! Also, just a quick reminder, I REDID THE INTERACTION BETWEEN GRAY AND LUCY IN CH. 10 IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
Thank you everyone! Stay tuned! For there is more to come! XD