Day 2

Lucy eyelids scrunched before fluttering open. Groggily, she sat up and rubbed one hand down the length of her face before looking around, expecting to see a pink haired dragon slayer and flying blue cat scoffing down her food. But no, instead she saw four stone walls and a black haired boy slouched against one of them, tying a strip of red material round his head as a type of bandanna.

For a moment, she was confused – and slightly scared – until yesterday's events swirled back into her mind. Slowly, she climbed to her feet and walked to where Carter was sitting, sliding down the smooth surface of the wall to join him on the floor.

"Hey…" she whispered.

"Hey back"

Silence.

"What're you doing?" She gestured to the red piece of material he was untying from round his head, clearly thinking that a bandanna did not suit him. He then proceeded to wrap the cloth round his upper arm, the same place Natsu wore his guild mark. Only when the red fabric had been rounded off in a neat knot, did Carter finally turn to look at Lucy.

"These" He pulled another piece material from his pocket. "Symbolise what team we're in. Here, tie it somewhere visible."

Lucy looked at his outstretched hands for a few moments before timidly taking the fabric from him and fiddling with it. She then looked down at her right hand and the Fairy Tail logo that lay there. Her heart clenched and she felt hot tears sting her eyes.

"It's best if you keep them hidden. It hurts to be reminded that you are far from them"

Lucy looked up at Carter as small tears trickled down her cheeks, leaving wet trails in their wake.

"Here." He gently plucked the material from her fingers. "I'll do something that'll make you feel better"

Carefully, he wound the red cloth round her right hand, obscuring the pink tattoo from view. Lucy felt guilty about covering her mark, but her heart instantly felt better as the reminder of her family vanished from sight.

"There."

"Thank you."

More silence.

"Ne, Carter?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you in a guild?"

He paused. Twenty two – twenty three – twenty four. Lucy counted the number of breaths before he spoke again. His voice was quiet, hints of sadness laced in.

"Yeah. A small guild called Phoenix. Me and my twin brother lived there."

"Twin? Identical or Fraternal?"

"Fraternal."

Yet more silence. Lucy felt as if she shouldn't push the subject of Carters brother, registering the change in his tone when his twin was mentioned. Instead, she left the silence as it was and retreated in the deepest recesses of her mind, thinking over all that had happened an the information she had gathered.

'We're in a tournament. A tournament for the entertainment of Dark guilds. Does that mean we'll take part in mini tasks? And if so, what type of task results in the loser dying?'

That's the part that worried her the most. She wasn't particularly strong, she was bound to lose. And losing meant certain death. She shivered.

"Don't worry." Carter's voice made her jump. "I'll make sure we don't lose."

'Can he read my mind?'

"How can you be sure?"

He turned to face her.

"Because, I don't plan on dying in a hell hole like this."

Autumn gently shook Apophis, trying to wake the sleeping man. He just groaned and rolled onto his side. Autumn sighed and looked at the twin pieces of green material in her hand, as well and the slip of paper that had accompanied them.

A list of rules.

She hadn't read them yet. She had been too scared to. However, her eyes had quickly scanned the title of the game. Truth or Die. The strawberry blonde sighed and flicked her silvery gaze back to her sleeping partner.

"Apophis, please wake up" She shook him again.

This time though, his red eyes fluttered open and sleepily looked up the worried girl. He thought it impossible, but it looked as if all the colour had drained from her tanned face.

"Autumn, what's wrong?" His voice slurred with tiredness as her groggily sat up, pushing the dirty sheet off of his body.

"W-we… We…"

"Autumn, what is it?" He was fully awake now and was looking on with concern at the trembling teen, not that he let his emotions slip into his voice.

Shakily, she handed Apophis his strip of green fabric and the piece of paper. Quickly, he read the neat writing and then, he froze, his face blanching.

"Apophis. We've been chosen."

Yes I know, short. The next chapter is just sort of a filler chapter to get to know Carter a bit. Just a tiny bit though. The chapter after that focus's on Apophis and Autumn's time in their cell in the past.

OMG! Apophis and Autumn are entered to the first round! What's going to happen?