===Chapter 8===
Masquerade Ball
"Mira, please stop!" Levy cried as the woman tightened the corset.
"Now, now, Levy, you have a wonderfully slender waist. I'm sure that we can get this tighter!"
"Please Mira! I have to be able to move! I might be required to dispense my duties this night!"
"Okay fine!" Mira huffed, stepping back to admire Levy. "You look gorgeous!"
The dress that Lucy had sent for her was scarlet red. It was far more racy than Levy was used to, cut low across her bust with floral trim. The skirt brushed along the floor, constraining her legs, and her hair and been pulled back into a fashionable ponytail in what she was sure was the most painful fashion possible.
"I…look like a child," Levy replied, despondent.
"You look like a beautiful lady," Mira replied forcefully. She raised her voice to call out of the door. "Lily! Please come in and tell your charge that she looks radiant!"
"Mira, why…"
Lily came through the doorway, bowing ever so slightly to fit. He studied Levy for a moment with an unreadable expression.
"The young lady looks lovely tonight," he said at last. Levy smiled, but then noticed something.
"Why are you in a suit? Shouldn't you be in uniform?"
"Levy!" Mira chastised. "Lily needs to stay close to you as your bodyguard and you need a date for the party. So this works out perfectly."
"Mira! This isn't some kind of social outing!"
"Actually, I think you'll find that it is." She pushed Levy so hard that she tumbled into Lily who caught her before he could fall. He was enormous compared to her, her head barely reaching his chest. "You two look so cute together! So mismatched!"
"Mira, could you please stop enjoying yourself?" Levy asked, face flushing red with annoyance.
"No, these are the moments I live for. Now, let's hurry! You can't be late!"
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Even the Heartphilia estate was becoming crowded by the sheer number of guests swarming every nook and cranny. Levy was amazed. She knew that the Heartphilias were well connected, but this must be every mover and shaker in the greater London area. She wouldn't have been surprised to see Queen Vic herself!
But the creepy thing was all of the masks. She was sure the higher society, sheltered in their ivory towers might find some cheap thrill with all of the 'danger' of a masquerade ball, but to Levy it was terrifying. She began to realise just how much of a person was written on their face, and with a mask that connection was gone.
Everyone had been sent a plain white mask after sending their desire to attend. They seemed eerily like the Slayer's, but Levy had to believe that that had been pure coincidence. Lucy had even been so kind as to attend to some degree to the relative sizes of her guests. Levy hoped that her mask was not the smallest size possible.
As she and Lily began to wander through the expansive gardens, she hoped that Jetson, Macao and Wakaba had arrived safely. Apparently, there had been some argument between Jetson and Mira as to who would escort her as her date. Levy sadly assumed because neither wanted to escort such a plain girl.
She caught a glimpse of two infantrymen, patrolling the grounds in their crisp red uniforms. The mansion was under heavy guard alright. Even if the Slayer wanted in, he probably couldn't.
Unless he'd been invited.
That was the nasty thought. All of these masks hid a person's identity. Was one of those the identity of the Slayer? It couldn't be Zeref or Rogue…or Gajeel, right? Or could it? Levy had sprung upon a new idea…what if Zeref's Slayer was fake? He didn't speak and he could be anyone…but in truth, that made him a second murderer.
Stop thinking, Levy! Be on guard, but just enjoy the night. She walked through the enormous entrance. Amidst the hubbub, Lucy's butler Loke greeted her. Unlike the guests, the staff went unmasked like the military. Levy didn't ask how Loke recognized her with a mask on. She'd begun to realise just how obvious she was with her distinctive hair and height.
With a drink in her hand –Mira be damned, she was an adult! – Levy began to mingle. She didn't recognize anyone, but they all spoke with highborn accents and demeanours, and more than a few disapproving glares came her way. She decided to start holding Lily's hand. Damn their bigotry, she would be no part of it, even if this wasn't a real date.
"You're a very kind woman," Lily noted in his passive voice.
"I try to be," she responded cryptically. A man stepped in her way and her heart froze. It was the Slayer! Red eyes, black hair – the splitting image. Oh god, Lily didn't realise! She was going to die! She was…
"Evening, Inspector," the man said smoothly and Levy suddenly realised that it was Rogue Cheney. He carried a cane and walked with a slight limp since his beating the other day. "I had no idea that you were also invited."
"Well, I happen to be old friends with the hostess," Levy replied, trying to calm her racing heart.
"In truth, my father was invited, but I thought I would attend in his stead since he is busy and I needed some time to unwind after recent events."
"Ah yes, how are you?"
"Not well enough to be running over rooftops, if that's what you are asking," he responded, humour creeping into his voice. He moved away into the crowd, leaving Levy feeling a little conflicted. Before she could put words to her thoughts, a large man pushed past her, knocking her to the side. She dropped her drink and Lily barely caught her before she hit the floor.
"Excuse me," Lily said in acidic tones, "It is impolite to barge into a lady."
The man turned back, a blonde haired giant. "I don't need a lesson in manners from a monkey."
Lily's eyes narrowed. "Apparently you do. I can give you a quick lesson right now if you like."
The two men stepped up, equal in height and build, their masks pressed together. A silence descended as the crowd stepped back from the imminent fight.
"I don't take back talk from anyone, let alone a negro."
"Keep talking, I dare you," Lily hissed. A masked, green-haired man suddenly appeared, yanking on the blonde's arm. The blonde stared at him angrily, but nodded in understanding. With one last hate-filled glance, Laxus and Fried stalked back into the crowd. They had more important fish to fry.
"Thank you for defending me, Lily," Levy said earnestly. "You're very kind too."
"I try to be," he responded, clearly amused with himself. Shaking off the unpleasantness, they continued with their evening. While she was enjoying Lily's company, Levy kept having one thought.
I love having someone big around, but I wish it was someone else.
There was a gunshot and a scream, piercing the entire ballroom. Levy's eyes widened in shock – that was Lucy! She immediately headed for the grand staircase to the second floor, and she couldn't help but notice that the blonde and green-haired men had reached it first.
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Lucy had snuck off from the party depressingly early to fool around with Natsu. It was not proper behaviour for high society, but Natsu was away for long periods and they were young and in love. They were behind her desk, passionately embraced though still semi-clothed when the door had opened.
Natsu clamped a hand over Lucy's mouth and grabbed his revolver. He had no idea who would sneak off from the party to enter Lucy's office, but he was taking no chances. He snapped up over the desk, pistol aimed.
In a bizarre frozen moment the Slayer hung in mid-leap like some figment of nightmare, an ornamental sword in hand. Natsu's pistol barked, but the Slayer was already inside his reach. Natsu swayed back and a fatal blow turned into a grievous injury instead, a crimson line appearing in his chest. That is when Lucy screamed.
"Luce! Run!" Natsu shouted, wielding his spent pistol like a club. Lucy tried to run around the desk, which made the Slayer leap at her instead. Natsu hurled himself over the desk with almighty fury, bearing the Slayer to the ground.
Lucy ran out into the hallway, desperate to find help. She never saw the two men coming up the hallway behind her. Laxus spared one glance into the office and barked an order to Fried before leaping in.
"Kill her! No witnesses!"
With that, Laxus entered the office, lashing out with a savage kick to the Slayer's shoulder. It had enough force to rip him from the ground and elicit a scream of pain. Before the Slayer could recover, Laxus shot. The pistol ripped a chunk of meat from the Slayer's shoulder, forcing the sword from his hand in reflex agony.
"You're nothing special," Laxus sneered. "Without stealth, you're just a little baby playing dress up."
"Y…you…you..ass…hole," the Slayer gasped in pain.
"This is for the boss…but also Bixlow you bastard!" Laxus roared. With a complete lack of common sense spurred on by the need for violence, Laxus didn't simply kill the Slayer, but rushed over, and with superior weight and speed hurled him right through the window.
On the second story.
Laxus walked to the window to stare down at the body below, blood extending in an expanding lake. The body had hit the stone courtyard. Belatedly, he realised that he should have unmasked him first, but the press should plaster the true identity over all of the papers come the morning and-
Laxus died, his brains splattering over the wall.
"What did you say about killing Luce?" Natsu hissed, lowering his reloaded revolver and finally passing out from blood loss.
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Lucy was still running, realising that in her panic that she had fled away from the ballroom. But now a man was chasing her. A pistol kept firing, but in the darkened corridors he hadn't hit her yet. Then random chance failed her, and a bullet grazed her thigh, sending the blonde woman to the floor.
"There, there," Fried reassured, reloading his gun. "I am not a cruel man. I will end this in one shot."
A gun fired.
Fried screamed, his hand a bloody mess. A man advanced out of the dark of the corridor, smoking gun in hand.
"Who are you!?"
"I am Loke Leon, butler to the Heartphilia Organisation. I answer the door, I clean up the estate and I take out the trash. I also kill self-entitled little twats like yourself." Loke pressed the gun's muzzle to Fried's head. "Now, you're going to tell me everything I want to know."
Fried smiled. "Okay, I have one associate unaccounted for."
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Dammit! Lily's long strides had quickly left Levy behind. She tore off her mask to help herself breathe and hitched up her skirt. As she passed a doorway, a figure leapt out, slamming Levy painfully into the wall.
"Don't fight little girl," Evergreen gloated as her hands clamped around the smaller woman's throat. "Laxus wants you dead, so it's easier on everyone if you just go quietly."
Levy gagged, her head swimming. Her eyes were teary as she looked up into Evergreen's malice filled gaze. She was too weak to break the grip and panicking made the situation worse. She was going to die! But then, Ever's eyes changed, widening in shock before going limp. She collapsed against Levy before slipping to the floor.
This revealed the man standing behind her with a bloody knife. He wore a suit and mask indicating that he'd come from the party. His hair was black and his eyes were red.
"You're not the Slayer," Levy gasped defiantly. The build was wrong, the pose. The man cackled and removed his mask.
It was brother Zeref.
"No, I am only the Slayer's agent on this Earth!" He crowed, reminding Levy of his insanity. "Now, he's requested a special death for the woman hunting him! Come with me!" Zeref grabbed Levy by the hair and began to drag her painfully down the corridor.
The cane sword had been too heavy for Levy.
So Gajeel had given her a second gift.
Levy reached under her skirt and drew a stiletto dagger that was strapped to her thigh. She slashed aimlessly over her head and was rewarded by Zeref screaming in pain. He released her and she scrambled to her feet desperately trying to get the knife between them. Zeref lunged at her, heedless in his insanity.
Zeref killed himself. He had thrown himself right onto Levy's knife. He looked down in amazement, as if uncomprehending. He looked into Levy's eyes as if searching for the answer to his confusion. Then those eyes became glassy and he slumped backwards, knife still in his chest.
Levy was shaking violently. It was all too much, literally two different murder attempts within the space of thirty seconds. Trembling, she slowly made her way to Lucy's office, where her friend embraced her. Loke was tending to the unconscious form of the green-haired man while Lily was patching up Natsu.
"He's dead. Outside in the courtyard," Natsu stated, voice drained of emotion. "The Slayer."
"Then let's go." Levy sighed deeply. It was over. "Time to get some answers."