A/N: OKAY, SQUEAMISH PEOPLE DO NOT READ! Otherwise, please don't kill me! ;) :) MWAHAHAHHAHAHAAAAAAAA! XD
Laxus's POV
The next morning me and Bix didn't need to have a conversation or plan anything.
As soon as we'd eaten, we immediately left to walk along the road that leads to Onibus. I knew this was the route blondie had been planning to take thanks to Gramps dropping none-too subtle hints about her mission.
I normally would leave it well alone, but I had a horrible feeling deep in my stomach that was telling me something was up.
I glanced across at Bix, and saw his face contorted in a pained and anxious expression I'd never seen before. He was striding along slightly ahead of me, his worry for blondie forcing him to go faster, and his babies had flown ahead and were now zipping in and out of the trees on either side of the road.
'Calm down Bix.' I muttered, staring at the metal grate mask he'd worn since last night.
I'd never been nervous around Bix with his Figure Eyes, even now when he had little control because of his raging emotions, but he'd become used to showing his eyes, and his tattoo to everyone.
That he was forcing himself to wear that piece of scrap metal to cover his eyes just went to show how much he loved blondie, and how much he worried about her.
Come on Laxus. Quit it with the weak thinking. You've gotta be the level headed one here, seeing how Bix is already over the edge, you need to hold back. For her. I clenched my jaw as I suppressed my own worry for her.
'Laxus... I can't... I just... Fuck, something's wrong! I don't know what, but I just know, in my freaking guts that something's not right.' His fists were clenched at his sides as he stared down the empty dusty road, searching for the familiar blonde we'd both come to love.
Sure, I told Bix I might not love her in the same way as him, and sure, I love blondie as a guild mate; as a sister in some ways. But I knew I loved her much more than that.
Even after our agreement at the Konzern, I forced myself to hold back. I know she forgave me for all that I'd done to her and the guild, but I hadn't forgiven myself, and I felt that I never would. It's because of that, that I decided I wasn't good enough for her.
The only person I would accept losing to was Bix, I knew he loved her just as much as me. Also, if they did get together I'd still get to see her every day, and it wouldn't be weird for me to talk to her or touch her because she was my best friends woman.
That would be enough for me; seeing her and seeing Bix happy.
You'd have to kill me to admit it, but I loved Bix like a brother. Ever since I found him wandering around with those totem dolls and covered in old dried blood, cowering in fear from his own power; I'd felt protective of him.
Blondie was the first person to get behind that final wall he'd thrown up between himself and the world, the only person to show him how to open up and show everyone the real Bix only myself, Freed and Ever had known. He wasn't a perv at all, it was just one of the walls he'd built to hide from clingy women; sure, he liked women, and yeah, he did want to see blondie's underwear that time, but I think that's because he loved her before he knew it... or he was just trying to push her away while he could... or he really was being a sick creeper.
Jeez, I don't know. I'm not some psychologist; all I knew was that Bix deserved Lucy. Far more than I ever could hope to, and just having her near me was enough.
The more I repeated it, the more it felt more real... at least that's what I kept telling myself.
'Laxus!' Bix's voice called me out of my thoughts, and I turned to look at him as he pointed down the road. Lying on the ground was Natsu, unconscious and severely beaten up along with Happy.
'Shit.' I muttered before running forward along with Bix.
As I approached Natsu, I pulled my emergency contact lacrima out of my pocket and rang Gramps.
'Helloooo Laxusss-'
'Shut it Gramps! Get Wendy and back-up here, NOW!' I interrupted his greeting, my voice and face showing my panic, as he suddenly nodded seriously and cut communications to send some of his brats our way. I rarely asked for backup, so I had a feeling he would be sending Erza, Gildarts and some of the more powerful mages, including Ever and Freed as well as Gajeel.
I knelt down beside Natsu and started checking him over for injuries, trying to identify the wounds that had stained his clothes red.
He looks like he's been put through a shredder! I thought, looking at the huge amount of deep lacerations that criss-crossed his body.
Suddenly, I heard Bix's chilly voice from my right.
'Laxus.' My head snapped around to face him, and saw what he had held up.
My heart stopped, before hammering at a pace I'd never thought possible.
He held up her usually brown leather key pouch, which was dripping blood and stained dark red, her keys submerged in what I smelt now was her life blood.
*3 hours Earlier*
No-one's POV
It was 4am, and the birds of the forest were just awakening, along with a far more sinister being with a dark purpose.
He walked over to a sleeping bag that had a blonde head of hair poking out of the top, her body snuggled deep within the confines of the sleeping bag as she slumbered peacefully.
He knelt beside her, not sparing the snoring pink headed boy a glance as he whispered hoarsely in her ear.
'Lu-cy.' She frowned, squeezing her eyes tightly shut, before opening them and blinking wearily. A gentle smile crossed her face as she recognised the man.
'Good morning.' She muttered, stretching her arms out of the bag and sighing contentedly.
'Did you sleep well?' She asked as she climbed out of the sleeping bag to stand up. He stared at her silently, his face expressionless as he stood beside her.
She finally seemed to realise his serious expression and frowned in confusion.
'Hey, are you alright?' She asked, her hand making an instinctive move to caress her keys, but it was caught in a tight grip.
She squeaked in surprise and pain as his hand tightened on her pale wrist.
'W-What's going on?' She stuttered out, her face a picture of fear and confusion as she stared into her captors eyes.
'My Master requires your presence, Miss Heartfilia.' His cold voice held no hint of emotion, and his blue eyes seemed to ice over her skin as she tried to jerk out of his grip in a panic.
'What? Xavier what are you talking about?' Her eyes showed her confusion and resolve. She slowly widened her stance so she was more solid on the ground, but he noticed her movement and reacted instantly.
A knife was in his hands, and he began by cutting away her key pouch, allowing it to fall to the floor while the blade sunk into her side. She drew in a sharp breath in shock as her blood slowly spread across her white top like a crimson flower blooming in the snow, before he removed the blade and a torrent of the scarlet liquid poured from the wound over her keys and pouch.
Her eyes widened in shock as she looked down at the wound, before she began to collapse forwards, only to be caught in her attacker's arms as he smirked.
'Don't worry, you shan't die yet; we still have a use for you.' She clutched onto his arms, her nails digging into his skin in her final attempt to hurt him before she gave into the darkness that was pressing against her, as she coughed up some of her own blood.
'Luce, what's that smell?' A tired voice yawned from behind her. She pushed herself upwards and turned bleary, pain filled eyes to look at her partner and friend.
'Nat...su... help...' She coughed again, blood splattering out of her open mouth as she finally slipped into unconsciousness.
Natsu had stood and was staring in horror and shock at his friend as blood dripped from her chin and escaped in an unhindered flow from her midriff.
'LUCE!' He screamed out in anger as his eyes locked onto the grinning blonde man they had been asked to protect, who he was now going to kill.
He screamed out his anger and fury as he flew forwards with a flaming fist aimed at the man's smug, grinning face.
He dropped the celestial mage to the floor as he stepped away to fight Natsu, who's eyes were glowing red with an animalistic hunger for blood.
'Lushy!' Happy was beside his friend and gently pushed her over onto her back. He saw her keys lying in her blood and felt vomit rising up his throat, before he managed to suppress it and reached out to grab the wet pouch.
Before his paw could make contact however, a booted foot slammed into him, kicking him back and out of the forest to skid along the dirt road.
'HAPPY!' Natsu's voice echoed in the forest, and all other animals went silent at the furious roar that reminded them of an angered dragon of old.
'Quit with your bellowing Natsu. It's aggravating.' The man said, raising an eyebrow as he scowled down at the furious and flaming dragon slayer.
'You... shall... die.' Natsu's voice was almost a whisper as his skin became covered in dark red scales, and his flames burst into a fiercely bright light.
'At least your volume has decreased; such a shame you're still spouting pathetic platitudes.' The blonde smirked as he spoke, his voice filled with hatred and disgust.
Before Natsu could begin an attack however, the man raised a hand and moved his lips in a silent spell.
Suddenly, Natsu was lifted into the air, his arms seemingly held to his sides with invisible chains as he snarled and struggled against the spell.
'Now I do hate to disappoint, but I must take little Lucy Heartfilia away, you see she is part of an important plan for my Master. If you survive dragon slayer, I shall fight you once again.' Natsu roared out his anger and frustration, his heart breaking at the thought of his Lucy being anywhere near this guy. He'd known from the start this guy was weird, he'd sensed something wasn't right.
'Natsu, there is one thing us dragons rely on more than anything else, more than power or magic or food. It's our gut instincts about people. Never ignore those feelings, you may live to regret it.' Igneel's voice echoed in Natsu's mind at that moment, and he felt tears evaporate from his eyes from the heat his body exuded as he felt regret set deeply within his bones.
'NO! TAKE ME! LEAVE HER ALONE!' He shouted, thrashing against his unseen restraints with a renewed vigour as the man laughed as though he was amused by something a stupid child had said.
'Don't be ridiculous Natsu. Why would I take you when it's her who is more powerful, more useful than you could ever be?' Natsu froze, his eyes wide as he stared at the man before him, whose character had completely changed from what he'd seen the day before.
'Don't you dare hurt her. Don't you fucking dare-'
'Too late for that idiot. Last I checked a knife in the gut counts as harm, but what are you going to do about it? You'll be the one screaming in pain next, and those are the only screams I want to hear from you from now on, Natsu Dragneel, Salamander of Fairy Tail. Good bye. Say hello to Lucy for me when she joins you in the afterlife once her use is fulfilled.' Natsu roared once again, not noticing the man whispering beneath his breath once more.
The only signs he had that the spell had changed was when he felt the pain smash into his body.
His screams of anger, rage and frustration were immediately transformed into cries of suffering and pain as invisible blades repeatedly slashed against his body, blood spraying from his wounds like a crimson fountain, staining the dusty ground red.
His screams gradually quieted, before he slumped forwards and was dropped to the ground beside an unconscious Happy.
His breathing was weak and ragged, and he didn't make a sound as a booted foot kicked him over so he lay on his back. Sightless eyes stared up at the blonde mage as he squatted beside Natsu.
'The Master of Soul Savage sends his regards. If you survive, ensure Makarov hears our name from your half-dead lips, and watch as true fear settles across your brilliant leaders face.'
*Present Time*
Unknown POV
I clutched the burnt box to my chest, stroking the carving that was beneath my fingers as I stared at the door.
It opened, finally, and in walked that mage... what was his name? Ah yes, Xavier, dragging along my prize behind him by the rope binding her hands.
I scowled as I noticed the blood leaking from her side.
'Xavier! Why is she bleeding?' The mage I'd sent on this undercover mission bowed hastily, apologising as he stared at the ground.
'I apologise Master. I was forced to harm her to ensure she didn't use her magic.' I scoffed, waving my hand at him as I gestured to look behind him.
'Shut up you idiot, can't you see you're staining the floor? It might be tile, but blood of light mages is hard to get out. Bind that wound before more of her disgusting blood leaks on my floor.' I scowled; glaring at the offending liquid as my mage hastily took off his shirt to tighten it around the woman's injury.
'Don't allow her to die yet either. I still need her to destroy that annoying guild once and for all.' He bowed and nodded as he dragged the woman back out of my room to the cells.
'Oh, and don't feed it. Devil knows what contaminants might spread should her clean hands touch my food.' My face lifted into a sneer at the thought of those un-bloodied limbs coming near the sustenance I required to eat.
As the doors closed, I felt a cackle boiling up in my throat, and couldn't help but let it out to echo in the empty room.
'Finally, it has truly begun... Fairy Tail, shall fall.'