Chapter 16 : Bonds
( Tenebre's POV )
It's all rather ironic.
They call the place where i live in 'The Void'.
For it sucks up anything or anyone who strays from the path.
They've apparently never seen a true voidless space before.
Which is exactly where i'm standing in right now.
A completely blank space devoid of anything, no sound, no light, nothing.
I could barely even see myself.
Just then, i saw a flicker of fire from the side of my eye, and resisted the urge to run deeper into the endless void, away from the memories that i knew would surface, but i know that even if i wanted to run, i probably wouldn't be able to, just like all the other times i end up here in this void.
True enough, the darkness shifted, showing the younger version of me being chained up in a flaming pit of venomous Gehennian vipers, thorns and all sorts of hellish creatures, taking turns to slowly inject their venom into my small, frail, wailing body.
I was only 5 years old then.
I stared at my younger self with a steely gaze, looking at myself wail and struggle against my bonds and against the pain.
I held back the urge to scream and tore my eyes away from the scene, it was as if i could feel the burn of their venom flowing through my body all over again, but it's just a vision of my past i reminded myself vehemently, nothing would change even if i were to do anything now.
" Mama! Mama!"
" Your mother ain't coming you piece of shit!"
" MAMA!"
" Scream, little bitch, SCREAM! In fact, let's crank it up a notch!"
Hours, even days passed and finally i gave in, my throat raw from screaming and my body leaking several multicolored liquids, finally succumbing to the pain and passing out from the sheer amount of poison injected into my frail body.
The two wardens dragged my limp battered body behind them, dumping me into a room with a bloody splat and locking me up before proceeding to clean off the dark red trail i left behind.
The door slammed shut with a resounding clank of metal, shutting away the biggest secret my 'relatives' have to hide from sight.
Me.
It felt like an eternity before the door to her prison finally clicked opened, and a pair of crystal blue eyes peered into the dimly lit room cautiously, those clear blue eyes that've always haunted me no matter where i went.
Myriana...
I felt all the air leave my body at the sight of the girl, squeezing my eyes shut in a desperate attempt to suppress the barrage of images crashing through my head.
Of all memories, why always the ones about her?
What was it that triggered this this time?
Ah, that's right.
Lucy. The Eye.
I have to get out of here.
I attempted to move my feet, but like all the other times, it was stuck through the floor, the ends of my feet held down by invisible restraints.
Unable to escape the onslaught of different memories of my time in Arcadia and Gehenna, from the time i was taken to the time Seraphim and Mephisto finally found out about me.
No escape.
No exit.
Only darkness.
Pain.
Despair.
" Oh Gods!"
Myriana slammed the door wide open at the sight of my curled up body, at my side in an instant as she frantically tried to do something to help my younger self.
Hearing a high pitched scream of terror from behind me, i faced a memory two weeks after Myriana found me, seeing myself trying to fight off an entire pack of hellhounds with nothing but a single shard of demonglass.
Blood dripped from her hand as she gripped hard on its jagged edge, she cowered under their hungry eyes, tears threatening to fall from my younger self's eyes as she whimpered in fear.
A whip came from above the arena and it's deadly tongue lashed at her back, making her howl out in pain.
" Stand up and fight you piece of shit! " Ture's grating voice rang out from the grandstand, her face alight with delight as she flicked her whip at her granddaughter," Crap like you don't deserve to feel pain! Stand up and fight! Amuse us with your suffering!"
Howls and catcalls rang from the arena as the crowd demanded for bloodshed.
Only a few looked on the whole spectacle disapprovingly, but not saying a word for fear of being outcast by their kind,
Little Myriana and her family frowned at Ture's obvious pleasure at her own kin's suffering, although they were sitting at the lower levels of the grandstand, they are considered as one of the most important clan in Gehenna, they've always been different from the rest, smarter, sharper, more sophisticated in every way.
Another scream was heard in the distance, though this time, it did not belong to me.
And i knew all too well what i was about to see.
Dacne sneered at the flailing figure of little Myriana as he held her up by her hair, her parent's screams of outrage from behind him, unable to help her for they were being held back by several guards.
" So little miss smartass here is the reason why our special training program hasn't been going as planned?" Dacne pulled harder on her hair, making her yelp out in pain, but she then turned her furious eyes back to glare at the man.
" Special, my arse! It's just plain brutality! Wait till Mephisto-sama hears about this! He'll never forgive you for hiding her from him!" Myriana spat back, the murderous tone in her voice matching the deadly look in her eyes, she then smirked when she saw him turn pale, knowing that she struck a nerve, she rode on her momentum,
" What's this? Afraid that your precious position as one of Gehenna's elites be overthrown by a little girl?"
A slap rang through the room and a red mark appeared on Myriana's cheek as Ture's face turned red in fury,
" S-Shut up you insolent brat! Remember who you're talking to here!"
" Seriously?" Myrianna barked out in laughter, " Making use of your title to intimidate me, personal adviser to the Royal Brothers?"
She scoffed mockingly," HA! What a joke, Councillor Ture and Councillor Dacne!"
Despite knowing what's coming next, i can't help but smile at seeing those idiots get owed by someone that's at least a few centuries younger than them, though that smile was quickly swiped away with Ture's next words,
" Mephisto will never hear about this, everything that happens here, stays in here. Nothing escapes." She crackled, a desperate maniacal look in her eyes, raising her clawed hand at her.
As if she already knew this was coming, she turned to look a my crumpled figure on the ground, desperately trying to move her body to save her, and mouthed the words whilst smiling brightly,
" Be happy. Be free."
And the claws descended.
Blood and sinew spilled everywhere.
Agonized cries were heard as they tore apart every living inch of her body into shreds.
Dumping what's left of the body in front of the horrified couple, Dacne licked his bloodied claws and stalked towards her parents.
" Next."
I clenched my fists as i saw myself shatter and break at the sight of the first ever people to treat her not as a piece of trash but as an equal brutally murdered in front of her eyes.
" This is all your fault. If you'd left them alone, they would still be alive by now." Ture brought forward the hearts of the family and dropped them in front of her, a sickening grin on her blood smeared face, " And its all your fault!"
As if i wasn't broken enough, the remaining shards of my soul was further trampled on as my younger self was force fed their hearts, Dacne practically shoving the organs down her throat.
" Look at you! A disgusting creature! Eating the innards of the very people who treated you nicely! Nothing but a monster!"
" Go on! Eat to your heart's content! Eat!"
Black tears flowed freely from my younger self's face as she was tortured further, her broken self moving robotically as she was forced to further desecrate their bodies, her soiled hand ripping shreds of flesh from their carcass, her clouded eyes staring blankly down as Dacne and Ture laughed on.
Just then, the doors slammed open and Mephisto and Seraphim stormed in their full glory, with fire in their eyes and shadowed faces.
Seraphim immediately went to my side, gently coaxing me to stop doing what i was doing, as soon as she convinced my puppet-like self that i no longer have to follow my grandparent's orders, she picked up my bloodied brutalized body personally, hurrying back to Mephisto's palace and back to her quarters, immediately summoning their healers and calling in her own from Arcadia to try and mend me.
They might have mended my body.
But they can never mend the heart and soul.
I only found out much later that Myrania knew that they were coming for her and minutes before they captured her, she used the king's ravens and sent a letter to both Mephisto and Seraphim, informing them of my plight and of my very existence.
My days after that incident passed in a blur, i insisted on continuing my 'studies' despite Seraphim's fervent protests, but she relented, only when i agreed to spend two seasons in Arcadia and the other two in Gehenna.
But after that incident, i lost everything.
I lost my emotions.
I lost sight of who i was.
I continued each day like a programmed robot. Studying under the best warriors, teachers and scribes sent by Seraphim and Mephisto as part of their conditions for continuing my studies.
It wasn't long till i was ready for their missions. I was the best, the most powerful, invincible, and immortal as well.
Missions that would normally annihilate entire squadrons would be completed with ease by me, only with multiple life-threatening wounds on me, for i felt no pain, no sorrow.
Centuries later, i was sent away to become the Gatekeeper, i learnt many new magics, met many new people, made many new friends, but i never smiled, not even once.
Not until several decades later.
Layla gave me a name, an identity other than 'Monster','Abomination' or simply 'Gatekeeper'. She taught me to smile, to cry, to emote. That emotions are not bad, they make one strong instead.
But in the end she was taken from me as well.
And so will her daughter. My sister. Lucy.
Am i not meant for happiness?
Am i not worthy of love?
Should i just...
Die?
" What in Mephisto's fine ass are you doing here? I thought i told you to be happy? Noooooo, here you are, moping over the past!"
My head snapped back and my eyes instantly widened at the sight, my hands flying to my shocked opened mouth.
" What? " A semi-solid Myriana tilted her head to the side, with an amused smile on her face, " Miss me?"
I merely let out a surprised gasp," Wha..?"
" Oh big fucking Seraphim boob, come on! It's been so long since we've seen each other and 'Wha?' is all you can manage? You're wasting the efforts of your friends out there! Sending all that positive energy to you and making it possible for me to materialize. " She crossed her arms and glared.
I smiled grimly, " I would normally say it's nice to meet you but..."
" Nope. No. Nada. I'm am not hearing any more of this," She gestured wildly at me with her hands, " depressing bullshit any longer."
She jabbed at my arm repeatedly with each word, " You, young lady, you listen to me and listen well!"
" No one you've ever cared about has ever intentionally died by your hand." Myriana said heatedly with fire in her eyes, " Not the Dragons. Not the Otherworlders. Not the Faeries. And don't even mention the humans that you know, including Lucy."
" Now answer me, from the time you've know them till now, has anyone, other than Layla and me, died?"
I shook my head.
Myrianna's hand slapped over her hips with a victorious grin on her child-like face, " Ya see. They're all still alive! So what are you still moaning about? Get your big fat crissed crossed ass outta here and do something already! Who says there's no hope for Lucy? There is always hope you big blathering blubber head!"
The dark mass beside her shivered and gave way, showing Layla and Serpe in the sakura grove.
" See? There are people that still care about you, people that are waiting for you! Move on from me, i'm in a happy place with my family, lot of finnnne guys there!"
She waggled her eyebrows at me knowingly and i can't help but let a giggle escape me.
Poking at my cheeks, she smiled,
" See, smiling suits you?" Myrianna poked my cheek and smiled sadly, " You shouldn't have lost it then you know?"
I wiped moisture from my eyes and returned the gesture, much to her chagrin," Yeah, i know."
As a response, she sent a flying kick in my direction and huffed when i landed on my butt in a satisfying thump.
" What was that for?!" I glared at her from my spot,
" What in Mephisto's fine 6 packs are you still here staring at me for then? You've seen me, got back what's left of your fucked up sanity, so get your ass moving and out of this void already!"
She slapped my head to the side and to where the tear in the shifting void parted to show the slightest bit of light,.
" There's the exit! Get out of here already!"
I glared halfheartedly at her and grumbled, " Ok ok, i'm going, i'm going!"
Walking towards the rip, i hesitated just before i passed it, turning my head back to take a longer look at Myrianna,
" Just... Just before i go, i've never got the chance to say it but," I looked up from my feet and at her, mustering up the brightest smile i could manage through my tears, " Thank you for being my first ever friend, i'll never forget you, ever."
With those final words, i walked through the rift and back into the light.
( Normal POV )
Myrianna's hands lowed slowly just as Tenebre disappeared from sight, just as she started to fade away,
" Well, i guess that settles it then. I no longer have a reason to linger in this world anymore."
" You are finally free, Tenebre, free from the curse of my memory."
Myrianna sighed her final breath, and with a last smile, she whispered to herself,
" And now, i can finally... rest."
" The wind stopped!" Layla exclaimed in relief, her grip on Tenebre slackening as she slumped back tiredly.
Serpe simply frowned, swiping his hand against his forehead and leaving a crimson line behind, " It usually lasts longer when it comes to Myrianna, what changed?"
" She was there."
Tenebre's body shuddered as if she just woke from a really long dream, her eyes fluttering open slowly as they returned back to their original states,
" Myriana was there."
Serpe's eyes bugged out like a goldfish, Layla simply looked at her with a confused expression, and he stammered,
" T-there?! In there?! Like really-"
" Yes, for the third time Serpe, there. In the void." Using the sleeves of her tattered kimono top, she wiped off the black tear stains from her cheeks, grimacing at the sight of the many lacerations scattered on Layla's body,
" Whirling tornado of black tendrils?" She asked as she healed Layla, taking the opportunity to change her up into a floor length off shoulder dress, the sky blue fabric swishing around her silver flats as Tenebre spun her in a quick circle, replacing Layla's torn clothes.
" Yeah," Layla replied woozily, while grabbing onto Tenebre's shoulder for support as she steadied herself from the spin.
" I've seen this happen before, but what triggers it? This state of yours?"
" Either a really negative emotion or a seriously scarring memory." Tenebre answered brusquely.
She then sighed when she recognized the look in her eyes and said, her eyes taking on a faraway look as she talked,
" I first found out this ailment of mine when i was in a mock battle with some elite archangels, one of them got stabbed at the exact same spot where Myrianna got stabbed through, and i just... snapped."Her hands fanned out in front of her to emphasize on the word.
Letting her hands fall back onto her knees that she folded beneath her into a more comfortable sitting position, she continued," When i came too, 3 weeks later, in Seraphim's bedchamber, i found out that i killed everyone that were in the same arena with me, the whirling black tendrils that appeared during my fit got to them."
" With every free minute i got off from training from then on, i invested it into learning how to control my emotions and learning how to keep my memories from resurfacing. It got better, to a certain extent, but it still resurfaces every now and then."
" I guess watching Myriana, the first person i ever cared about, die in front of me was enough to trigger such a side effect." Tenebre chuckled bitterly. " All hail the mighty Gatekeeper."
Layla immediately wrapped her arms around her, silent tears streaming down her cheeks," You are not alone, you hear me, i-"
Layla stopped short when Serpe cut in, hugging Tenebre from behind, whispering fiercely as he stared intently back at Layla in agreement," No, we are all here for you. So don't you dare think, not even for one moment, that you stand alone."
The snake zodiac pushed Tenebre back and glared half-halfheartedly at her, " And don't you dare breakdown again! Do you have any idea how worried we were?!"
" Took the words right out of my mouth." Layla giggled, smiling warmly at the both of them, a part of her feeling a bit nostalgic at the sight of the close bond between master and spirit as they bantered, exchanging friendly blows with each other.
Layla then looked up at the darkening sky, " Oh my, time sure passed quickly. Tenebre, i think it's about time you head back to Earthland."
" As much as i want to catch up with you on recent events," Layla grasped Tenebre's hands tightly together with hers, " I think Lucy needs you more now."
" Take care of her, and promise me you'd visit."
Tenebre nodded, hugging Layla briefly before letting go, " I will. I promise."
Layla smiled, her eyes watering, " And a Celestial Mage-"
"-never breaks her promises!" Tenebre finished with a wide grin, the blond woman returned the gesture and patted her cheek in a motherly gesture,
" That's my girl, now go and find a way save your sister!" Layla said, turning Tenebre around and pushing her forward.
" Yes mom."
Layla grabbed Serpe gave him a quick peck on his cheek and said," Take care of your master would you?"
" With my life." He replied solemnly, and with a final bow to her, he followed behind Tenebre as they both stepped into the gate back home.
When they disappeared, Layla let her waving hand fall back to her sides as the sakura groove shifted and mended itself from the carnage, then calling out to the shadowed figure behind a tree, " You can come out now."
Jude walked over to Layla from his hiding spot held onto her free hand." So that's the girl you were talking to me about."
" Yep, that's her." Layla leaned back into Jude's body and sighed, " She's just as reckless as ever."
" Well, according to the stories you've told me about her, if she ain't reckless, she isn't herself then." Jude said, smiling gently at Layla as he wrapped his arms round her waist,
" True," Layla then frowns worriedly, " I really do hope that she find a solution for Lucy though, i don't want to see Lucy here even before she gets to live her life to the fullest."
" All we can do now Layla, is to hope for the best. And to believe in them with all our might."
As soon as Wendy casted a sleeping spell on Lucy to help her recuperate, the sky dragonslayer tossed a quick word to Carla and Happy to help keep an eye on Lucy just in case something else happens, and with a short bow she promptly dragged her brother figure out the apartment and onto the streets.
Once they were out of hearing range, Wendy let go of Natsu's arm and turned around to look at him, her arms crossed and with a uncharacteristically serious look on her face
" Natsu-san, did you perhaps mark Lucy-san as your mate?"
Wendy's sudden question startled Natsu, so much that it finally triggered the right memory in his dense head, and his eyes widened in realization, but just to make sure, he asked Wendy,
" What do you mean?"
" Well, after my examination, i felt something similar to Natsu-san's magic surrounding Lucy-san." Wendy looked down at her feet and twiddled her thumbs nervously, " At first i thought it was because Natsu-san was standing next to me, but when i thought about it, i found it to be quite similar to the protective mating mark Grandine once told me about."
" So did you by any chance mark Lucy-san as your mate?" Wendy crossed her arms, her dark brown eyes looking at Natsu worriedly, worry for both her older brother and sister.
Natsu thought for a moment, looking up into the sky as he did and frowning up at it, before shaking his head dejectedly,
" I don't recall having done so... I think..."
" What about that time Lucy-san brought you back home when you were drunk?" Wendy prompted.
" I don't remember much of that night," Natsu shook his head again, " My memory of what happened that night's fuzzy."
" Hmm, i just learnt this spell from one of Porlyusica's books to help cure Cana's hangovers but..." Wendy's hand reached forward to Natsu's head, and blue magic circle appeared on top Natsu's head, " Maybe it'll help."
" Clarity. " She chanted, immediately a bright blue light flashed from her hand and momentarily blinded Natsu, but the blindness worked and Natsu remembered everything that happened that night.
The moment he did, his eyes widened and he forgetting for a moment that Wendy was still there and looking up at him worriedly, he cussed,
" Fuck!"
4 weeks ago...
" Ne Natsu, don't you think you're drinking a tad too much?" Lucy settled down on the barstool beside him and looking on worriedly as he downed another shot of fire whiskey, " You look kind of tipsy."
" Tipseeey? Whazzat?" He slurred, waving at Mira for another glass with a lazy grin on his flushed face, " I'm juzz getting staaarted!"
Slamming down his glass, he stumbled drunkenly towards one of the many bar fights happening around the guild and socked someone in the face with a surprising amount of strength and sent him flying.
It wasn't long till the effects of alcohol finally kicked in and his reflexes were too slow to dodge an incoming attack from Grey, who was just as intoxicated as him.
He too, was sent flying, but unfortunately for him, he was sent flying in the wrong direction.
He landed with a crash onto Erza's table, and on her (luckily) emptyplate.
Silence ensured.
Erza's chair grated against the wooden floor with an eeire loudness as she strode towards Natsu and pulled him up by his collar, cringing back slightly when she unintentionally got a good whiff of his alcohol filled breath
" Natsu." She looked him in the face with her scary brown eyes, " You're drunk, go home."
" Don't wannaa!" He struggled under Erza's grip but was unable to snake out of her grip.
Ignoring his protest, Erza dragged him towards the direction of the bar and dumped him in front of Lucy.
" Lucy, take him home, i think he's had enough fun for tonight."
Lucy pointed at herself with a befuddled look," Eh? Why me?"
" Are you questioning my choice?" Erza's eyes gleamed dangerously behind Natsu's body as she lifted him by his collar like a kitten right in front of Lucy's face.
" N-no Erza." Lucy squeaked, quickly accepting the body from the scarlet haired woman.
" Good, see you tomorrow then Lucy." Titania turned back and pointed a finger upwards as she skipped daintily back to her wrecked table, proclaiming dramatically," For i have a cake to finish!"
Lucy sighed and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, tossing one of his arms around her own shoulders as she trudged towards the guild's entrance with much reluctance and difficulty.
Waving a hand backwards as a drunken chorus of ' good byes' and ' see ya tomorrows' followed behind her, she walked out into the dimly lit streets of Magnolia and towards her apartment, knowing that drunk or not, Natsu would appear there one way or another.
" Mffmm..." Natsu groaned, his eyes darting blearily from side to side," Luce, is that you?"
" Yes Natsu, now stop moving, you're making it hard for me to carry you." Lucy huffed as she hefted his arm up more securely around her shoulders, but unintentionally also moving his face closer to her neck at the same time.
Natsu breathed in and caught the whiff of Lucy's scent and unconsciously snuggled closer, making Lucy blush,
" Natsu! What do you think you're-" She squeaked, but was cut off by Natsu when he turned to take another deep whiff right next to her ear,
" Ya smell nice Luce..." He mumbled.
" I smell what?!" Lucy shrieked incredulously.
Natsu's demeanor then took a sudden change, his pupils dilated and just as Lucy passed a dark alley, he pushed her up against the alley wall, pinning her arms above her in one smooth action.
Lucy flushed bight red when Natsu buried his face into the crook of her neck, shuddering when she felt his hot breath fanning along her skin, leaving a warm, wet trail above her pulse point as he ran his tongue along the stretch of her neck.
" N-Na-Ah!" Lucy gasped, her fingers flailing as she struggle against his vice like grip, her body arching up against his when he bit down on her neck, just hard enough to pierce the skin and to draw the barest bit of blood.
She suppressed a moan when he lapped up the droplets of blood and sucked the the spot, alternating between biting, sucking and licking.
Lucy finally regained her composure from her lust-induced haze when he started to move downwards, quickly pulling her hands away from his grip, the gritty walls of the alley wall leaving minuscule scratches on the back of her hands as she did so, and pushed him away roughly.
Her hands immediately flew to cover her neck and she looked at Natsu with startled eyes, her face still a bright cherry red from the events that just transpired between the both of them.
She didn't realize the almost feral look in his onyx black eyes when she just pushed him away looking at her hungrily, before it disappeared along with the faint outline of scales on his face and arms when his back hit the wall.
" Natsu! How dare you!" Lucy shrieked, her face red from both embarrassment but mostly from anger and her entire body shaking furiously," I'm not your food!"
But Natsu was only conscious long enough to hear her finish her indignant shout before falling into an alcohol induced sleep, slumping back onto her flustered self in a drooling limp heap.
Presently...
Natsu remembered everything.
He remembered that he let his instincts run wild for that one short moment under influence, but that one short moment was enough for the primal dragon side of his to recognize Lucy as his mate and to mark her as his.
Even though a part of him felt an indescribable amount of happiness from finally claiming Lucy as his mate, another part of him felt an immense amount of horror, dread, and disgust, mostly directed at himself.
He had just marked Lucy.
Lucy.
" Ano, Natsu-san?" Wendy called out to him worriedly, waving her hand in front of his dumbstruck face, " Did you perhaps, recall something?"
" I marked Lucy as my mate." He said, still a tad dumbstruck.
Wendy blinked, " Natsu-san, can you repeat what you've just said?"
" I marked Lucy as my mate." He repeated, this time with more certainty than shock, as if already resigned to his fate.
Wendy finally managed to digest the information, and then slapped both hands to her face in shock as she screeched,
" YOU MARKED LUCY-SAN AS YOUR MAT-MMFTH?!"
" Shhh!", Natsu hands slapped over Wendy's mouth and he shushed her, looking frantically around and above, just in case Lucy happened to be there.
" You marked her without her approval? " Wendy whispered horrified as she moved his hand away from her mouth, trembling a little, fearing for her older brother " You skipped straight the Acceptance Stage?"
" Who what what the Acceptance what?" A gruff voice said from behind them, and Gajeel stepped out from the shadows, his red eyes gleaming bemusedly from the darkness of the night. " Salamander did? Wait, he's got a mate? Well i'll be damned!"
" Can it, Tin Can. I'm not in the mood." Natsu growled, glaring at the iron dragonslayer, " What the hell are you doing here anyway?"
" What's got your pants up in a knot Salamander? I was just passing by while on my way home from the guild, Lily walked up front ahead of me. " Gajeel said, narrowing his eyes as he folded his arms, " Now what's this about you skipping the Acceptance Stage?"
Wendy tilted her head to the side, " But ain't the guild in the other direction?"
" You came from Fairy Hills didn't you," Natsu deadpanned, " I smell Levy on you."
" W-What are you talking about, " Gajeel huffed, crossing his arms as he looked away from the two prying eyes, turning his red eyed glared to stare straight into Natsu's and attempted to divert the attention from himself, " Now, what's this about you skipping the Acceptance stage?"
His diversion worked, Levy momentarily forgotten as Wendy said, " Natsu-san marked Lucy-san as his mate without her approval and her knowledge."
Gajeel whistled, " Wow, you really fucked up big this time."
" Gajeel-san!" Wendy gasped, " Cussing is not good! And you're not helping at all!"
" What? It's his mess, why should i be involved?" He said almost dismissively, but he then turned to look at the sulking pinkette with a dead serious expression,
" But seriously, you know the dragonslayer traditions aren't to be taken lightly, and here you are messing it all up."
Gajeel blew a strand of hair from his face, " You do know that if you mess this up it can cause you, especially bunny girl, a shit ton of pain?"
Natsu growled at his bland choice of words, " I know that okay! Even though i just remembered most of it just now..."
Even though he mumbled the last part, with their sensitive hearing, Gajeel and Wendy still heard it, earning him a well deserved punch to his head and kick to his shin.
" Ow! What the hell was that for?" He glared at the both of them as he nursed his bruised shin and the growing bump on his head.
" You-"
" You idiot!" Wendy screeched, acting purely on impulse, cutting Gajeel off, catching the both of them by surprise, " How could you have forgotten something that important?!"
She panted hard after her outburst, but when she realised what she just did, she quickly covered her mouth and was just as quick to bow and apologize,
" I'm sorry, i didn't mean to say that...i did but...i didn't...hoe!" Wendy stuttered, at a lost for words in her flustered state.
" Gi hi, looks like our lil' sis here is growing up." Gajeel glowed with brotherly pride, ruffling up up her dark blue hair in an affectionate manner, " About time you follow in her lead eh, Salamander?"
" Hey, what is that supposed to mean?!"
Gajeel ignored Natsu's indignant cry and instead pulled down his collar, pointing at the side of his neck near his collarbone," Oi Wendy, did ya happen to see a mark here on Bunny Girl's neck? Like a brand or a kind of tattoo?"
Wendy thought for a moment and her face brightened when she remembered something, " I think did see something, like the faint outline of a dragon's snout."
" Jeez, i should've just asked you this from the start." Gajeel glowered at the pinkette, the cause for all his problems, and stabbed a finger at his chest,
" Look Salamander, if that mark progresses any more, that shows that the both of ya have mutual feeling for each other." Gajeel threw his hands up in the air, " Heck, the fact that that bloody mark is there in the first place shows that Bunny-girl's got feelings for ya."
" There, Acceptance Stage done." Gajeel folded his arms with a smug smile, " I'm tellin' ya, just tell her already, i mean you've already completed the Selection, Dominance, Acceptance, all that's left is the final Marking stage to seal in the Bond."
" I'm sure you've received more than enough suggestions from Cana and the geezers in the guild to help you with that eh?"
Gajeel grinned widely, showing off his sharp pearly whites as Natsu took a moment to digest all that he just said, before his face burst out in flames.
" Gajeel-san!" Wendy cried out as she covered her flaming cheeks," You said too much!"
" Can all of you keep your volume down? I just barely managed to convince Lucy to go back to sleep you know?"
All of them turned back to see a rather annoyed Charla floating down from Lucy's window with Happy at her back, her arms folded over her nightdress.
" Lucy-san's asleep? " Wendy sighed in relief with a hand on her chest, " That's good, rest is something she definitely needs right now, after receiving such news of her condition.."
" What condition?"
" Well-"
" It's none of your business Scrap Metal." Natsu snapped irritably, shooting him a look to back off.
Gajeel glared back with just as much ferocity, " Well, I'm going to make it my business since she's Shrimp's best friend," He said gruffly, looking away while crossing his arms, a faint blush on his cheeks, then adding in as a second thought, " And a fellow guild mate."
" Shrimp?" Natsu said, confused,
" Oh, you mean Levy-san?" Wendy clarified, " Ah! So what Mira-san said was-"
" Right that's enough from you!" Gajeel covered Wendy's mouth with haste, to prevent his not-so-secret secret from being compromised. " That devious barmaid..." He muttered vehemently.
" Oooo, you and Levy eh?" Natsu grinned, lifting an eyebrow knowingly.
" Wipe that grin off yer face before i do it fer ya!" Gajeel growled at Natsu.
" Oh, is that a challenge i hear, Junk for Brains?" Natsu grinned, flexing his muscles,
" Bring it on, Pinky!" Gajeel got into his battle stance, when a potted plant fell onto his head.
" Hey! Shut it down there! " A voice screamed from above them.
" I think that's our cue to go home, Gajeel-san, Natsu-san." Wendy glanced sheepishly at the flat above them and healed the bleeding spot on Gajeel's head where the pot cracked on.
" I'll head home first then." Wendy took her cue from Carla's pointed look and the pointing of her paw at an imaginary watch on her fluffy wrist, " Take care of Lucy-san okay, Natsu-san? Make sure she keeps hydrated, not use any of her magic for at least twelve hours..."
Natsu ruffled her hair and chuckled, cutting her off, " Yes Doctor, I'll take really good care of her, off to bed you go, you're way past your bed time. Sorry about that by the way."
Wendy simply smiled and waved it off, " Anytime, Natsu-san, we're nakama afterall. I'll check up on her in the morning, good night- ah, i mean morning, Natsu-san, Gajeel-san!."
" Let's go." Carla said, grabbing Wendy by the back of her pajamas and lifted her into the air, flying back to Fairy Hills.
" I'd better get some answers tomorrow Salamander." Gajeel said gruffly, bumping shoulders with Natsu when he walked past him and trudged in the direction of his home.
" Ne, Natsu." Happy curled up sleepily on Natsu's head, " Let's head back upstairs, Lucy's getting cold."
At the mention of the blond's name, Natsu immediately grabbed the nearest tree branch and vaulted himself into Lucy's apartment without a second thought, pulling up the covers over Lucy before settling himself beside her, soon falling into a deep, but troubled sleep plagued by the memories of the past.
But as the night deepened and darkened, so did the shadows the surrounded the town. A pair mismatched eyes stared down at the pair through the shadow of a tree casted into the apartment.
A disembodied voice hissed in the distance, " This cannot be allowed to happen... It'll get tainted..."
" Hmm, okay, you may return."
A red and yellow eyed blue feathered bird cocked its head to the side several times before flying over to the slender outstretched hand, then sinking into the pale skin in a shower of dull gold dust.
" What was that about, Madonna." Pheles moaned, adjusting his head into a more comfortable position on the said woman's lap.
She giggled, a sweet tinkling sound like the sound of wind chimes, but if listened to closely, it held the slightest tinge of insanity and darkness, an uncharacteristic trait for someone of her race.
" Shh, it's nothing, Pheles-sama, so please do continue resting." She said while smiling gently, looking at him with gentle dull silver eyes as she continued to caress his shoulder length black hair.
" I can just sense it already. Success right in the palm of my hands!" He ignored the words of the woman as he raised his hand to the ceiling , as if grabbing onto something, looking greedily at it with a maniacal look in his golden eyes.
" Just a bit more, a bit more and i can finally possess her..." His voice trailed off when he dozed off, his head lolling limply to the side.
" You are right, Pheles..." Madonna urged him, her hand emitting a harsh rusty brown color as she continued to stroke his head, her gentle smile turning up into a crooked grin, " Just a bit more, Pheles-sama, you're doing great..."
"..."
Her last few words were muttered, but the tone of her voice was suddenly so cold, so harsh, that it woke the momentarily unresponsive Pheles from his slumber for a short moment, and her personality changed in a split second, the harsh lines on her porcelain face instantly replaced with gentle ones.
" I'm sorry, did i wake you up, Pheles-sama?" She asked, her voiced thickly laced with concern.
" No you didn't," He sat up, pushing himself off the plush couch and fixed his attire, " I sensed one of the little underlings approaching."
Right on cue, a hand pushed away the curtains that blocked Pheles's private booth, and a platinum-blond haired lady with green eyes peered in and knelt down,
" Master, the preparations are all done and set to go. We can be deployed at any time." She reported, bowing robotically out the booth and back into the throne room.
" Good. Finally it's time." Pheles stood up and pulled back the sheer curtains with a hand, glancing back at Madonna with a smile, " I'll be back soon Madonna."
Before he exited, he picked up an antique photo frame from the table beside him and sneered at the three figures in the bronze framed picture, especially at the black haired male whose arms were slung around the white haired female, and standing beside the woman was Pheles himself.
" She's mine, big brother. She, of all the things you've taken from me, is one thing i'll never give up to you."
Slamming it back down, he snarled as he lifted his hand from the impressive crack he left on the table, then walking out the booth into the throne room, leaving Madonna alone to her own devices.
" Now..." Her silver eyes flashed from behind her smoke white hair as she grinned crookedly, " Time for me to make my own preparations..."
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... you're doing great...
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...my sweet little puppet...
AN : And that's that for Chapter 16! Hope ya all enjoyed reading this chapter! Say, did anyone of you manage to pieces Pheles and Madonna's appearances to two other characters of my story ? ( Hint : Chapter 13 ) Well, it'll be revealed sooner or later so stay tuned to find out ( winks )!
AND HELL YEAH! 6 CHAPTERS OF FAIRY TAIL! 150 PAGES BABY! GO MASHIMA-SENSEI! ( though he can be suuch a major troll at times, he's occasionally nice person eh? )
To all reading this, reviewers and followers, big thank you to all you lovelies! Virtual brownies to ya all!
Leave a review or PM if ya like!
Ja Ne!
~KanaeHitomi~