A/N: VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT! REGARDING WHOLE ENDING OF STUFF AND POLL! SO READ! NOW! :P

Okay, so I closed the poll on who Lucy should end up with... and I am going to admit to not following it... SORRY, but listen now, listen, LISTEN! It kind of developed in it's own way, no matter how much I tried to keep it neutral, so SORRYYY!

ANYWAY! HERE'S THE IMPORTANT BIT! XD

I've put up a NEW POLL I SWEAR TO KAMI I WILL FOLLOW!

Basically, I have two ending's I could use, so I'm leaving it up to you guys to decide which way to go.

You can vote for an EVIL ENDING which you will hate me for, then love me for, and it will be super interesting and amazing and just great cause I've thought it out and everything.

OR you can vote for the HAPPY ENDING hwere it's a bit less dramatic, and you won't hate me much, and will still hopefully like it, but I will have to plan this one out better, cause my idea is still rough round the edges!

EITHER WAY, THIS POLL WILL BE DOWN VERY SOON, CAUSE I'M PLANNING TO FINISH THIS STORY IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS/WEEK, SO VOTE QUICKLY! IT IS ON MY PROFILE, AND I'M ONLY ACCEPTING THE VOTES, NOT REVIEWS WITH COMMANDS (except from guest users who can't vote, I think... :/)

SO GO VOTE AS SOON AS YOU'VE FINISHED THIS CHAPTER! QUICKLY! ;)

NOW ENJOY! :) xxxxxxx

Bickslow's POV

I slowly woke up, rubbing my eyes before yawning and stretching out my back, satisfied as my spine clicked slightly.

'They not here yet?' I asked Laxus as I looked around the empty room for any other members of the guild.

'They'll be here soon. I can already smell the metal head.' Laxus turned away from the window and walked over to the bed to sit down beside Natsu on the arm chair he'd claimed as his.

I sighed; running a hand through my hair as my babies slowly woke up from beside me, and slowly hovered in the air.

I stood up, walking into the bathroom to retrieve my mask from the ground, before sliding it on my face. I blinked rapidly, trying to get used to the metal bars that imprisoned my eyes once more, and walked into the room to meet Laxus's questioning gaze.

'I'll go down to the lobby to meet them... prepare them too.' I muttered, looking towards Natsu's sleeping form that was covered in bloodied bandages.

Laxus nodded his agreement with my plan as he began to undress some of the worst wounds of Natsu's to wash them again and re-bandage them.

I grabbed our room key and exited, walking down the narrow, badly lit corridor to the staircase that led to the lobby of the inn.

My babies hovered silently beside me, their depression mirroring my own at Cosplayer's disappearance.

When I reached the lobby, I leant against the wall beside the staircase that was opposite the entrance; they would see me immediately upon entering.

I didn't have to wait long before I saw the group of familiar faces enter. They strode towards me, Gildarts leading the way, before Erza shoved past and grabbed onto my coat lapels.

'Tell us what happened right now.' She murmured, her demonic aura only beaten by that which Mira emanated from behind her.

I didn't even flinch, only waited till I was released from Erza's tight grip by Gildarts command.

'We'll talk upstairs. Wendy needs to heal Natsu... now.' I whispered, my voice hoarse from my nap and from the emotions I kept locked away.

I saw Freed and Ever shoot a worried look my way, their eyes drawn to the mask I'd taken to not wearing, but I ignored that and began to lead the group up to our room.

As we reached the door I hesitated before opening it.

'Listen, don't be shocked. Natsu's in a worse state than he's ever been in... that Phoenix spirit somehow came out and managed to heal the worst internal injuries, but he's still bleeding... a lot. So just... don't panic. He's better now than he was earlier.' Gray and Erza's faces paled slightly, and I saw Gildarts take a deep breath before clenching his jaw tightly and nodding.

I opened the door and led the troop inside, taking my seat beside Natsu as my babies hovered by his head, peering down at him.

Despite my warning, I heard Gray swearing in surprise and Erza gag slightly. Wendy tried to hold back a sob while Mira ran straight to Natsu and gently pulled one of his hands in between hers. Gildarts however just took a sharp breath as he looked down at the heavily bandaged boy, before he turned and walked to stare out the window as Wendy began to heal him up. Gajeel stood still in the doorway as he stared at our guild mate, before he blinked his way out of his stupor and shut the door. He walked across the room to sink into a chair in the corner, and absentmindedly began to eat the metal decorative bowl that was on the side unit beside him.

'What happened?' Ever's voice whispered in shock as she rested against Freed for support, before he guided her to sit on another chair.

'Honestly, we have no idea. We went to find blondie and Natsu, and all we found was him... and these.' Laxus pulled out her key pouch, and both Wendy and Gajeel's heads snapped up as they smelt her blood.

Wendy began to sob all over again, before forcing herself to pay attention to her healing, though tears streamed down her face as she noticeably began to breathe through her mouth.

Gajeel choked on the metal he was eating and strode towards Laxus, grabbing her keys and running to the bathroom. I heard the taps go on, and answered the other's confused and questioning faces.

'They can still smell it... I washed them already... but they can smell her blood still-' I broke off and took a long intake of air to calm my nerves, clenching my shaking hands into tight fists.

'Whoever hurt her is going to die.' Gray whispered, his ice spreading across the wall he was leaning against, before he managed to calm down.

'Get in line stripper.' A weak voice said from behind me, and my head snapped around to see Natsu's eyes wide open, filled with hatred and pain as he looked around to see us all before him.

Natsu's POV

I was trapped in darkness... and pain... so much fucking PAIN!

My eye's felt like they were nailed shut, and someone had poured sand over my eyeballs before nailing them closed with a freaking nail gun.

Every inch of my body ached and stung, as though I had a million giant sized paper cuts and had been thrown into the ocean afterwards, then a barrel of bleach.

Slowly, I became more aware of the pain, and managed to push it back from the front of my mind so it became a dull ache that freaking hurt every time I thought about moving.

Gradually, I became conscious of voices around me, and forced myself to concentrate on what was being said, my ears functioning before my eyes opened fully to see I was in a large bed with Wendy crying as she healed me, Laxus to one side and Bickslow sitting on the other, while Mira knelt on the ground holding my bandaged hand... wait, every part of me was bandaged!

What the hell- ah. Xavier, that fucking bastard!

'Whoever hurt her is going to die.' I heard Gray's familiar voice whisper from somewhere in the room, and somehow managed to speak up.

'Get in line stripper.' I sounded so fucking pathetic as they all turned to look at me, and more people rushed to the bedside to peer down at me.

I tried to smile as I recognised Freed, Evergreen, Erza and Gildarts appear, and then Gajeel poked his head over the top of everyone else's, his face solemn as he stared down at me.

'Nice to see you flame brain, finally awake?' Gray smirked as I winced when I tried to move to punch him.

'Natsu-san! Stay still! I haven't finished healing you!' Wendy snapped, sending me a glare that Luce and Erza would be proud of... wait, LUCE!

'Where's Luce? Have you found her? Where's that fucking asshole, I'm gonna fucking murder him!' I ignored Wendy's angry huff as I shot upright in the bed, feeling a warm sticky liquid leak from my side before I was shoved back down by Laxus who scowled down at me.

'Shut up idiot. We need you to tell us what happened and who did this. We need to go get Lucy now, you understand? She was hurt.' It was then that the memory of what happened came back to me as clear as day.

'Nat...su... help...' She coughed out my name as I sat stock still in shock, blood splattering out of her mouth as she collapsed to the floor.

I stood slowly, my heart beating faster and faster as what was happening before my eyes finally sank in. I felt my eyes widen in horror as her metallic, spicy smelling blood dripped from her chin and flowed from her stomach, her hand covering the wound as she desperately tried to slow the flow of her life from draining into the dirt.

I began to hyperventilate slightly as I realised who had done it and felt my anger and fear burst out of my body like an erupting volcano.

'LUCE!'

'NATSU!' I snapped out of my memory and turned to look at Bickslow whose masked face was inches away from mine as he shouted at me.

'We need you to tell us what happened.' I nodded slowly, realising Wendy had got most of my healing done while I was stuck in memory land, though she was exhausted, and was sweating heavily as she panted.

I closed my eyes painfully as the memories assaulted me.

'The guy we were supposed to be escorting did it. Obviously, it was a trap. Mavis knows how the bastard set it up, but it was all a trap. It was early morning, and I woke up to see that bastard grinning as she fell to the floor with blood pouring out of her side... she was unconscious from pain, and I couldn't do fuck all to help her... I was fucking useless... I couldn't even get close to the bastard! He has some weird ass magic that traps you in these invisible ropes, and then cuts you up like a slice of meat on a hog roast! I couldn't do anything to protect her... so fucking weak...' I stopped talking as I breathed in and out to steady my rapidly beating heart and rising temper.

'He was gloating as he had me trussed up in his fucking spell... said I would be meeting Luce soon enough when they were finished with her... when she was past her usefulness. I begged him to... to take me, leave her alone... but he just said I wasn't powerful enough, or useful in their plan.' I suddenly remembered what he'd whispered to me before I sank into the darkness, and my eyes opened up.

'I need to speak to Gramps. He knows who these guys are.' Wordlessly, Laxus handed me a lacrima, and I focused on that rather than the pain-filled faces that surrounded me, forcing my body to sit upright and ignoring the glare Wendy shot at me.

'Laxus what's wrong- NATSU! Are you alright?!' I nodded at Gramps question before I interrupted him before he could ask any more.

'Gramps, before I passed out, the guy said to tell you something. He said the Master of Soul Savage sends his regards. Who are they Gramps? I know you know.' I watched as Master's face paled and his mouth opened and closed, before he clenched his jaw and took a deep, shaky breath.

'Soul Savage... is an ancient Dark Guild. They were the most prominent guild in history when Fairy Tail was first Created.' We turned to see Master Mavis floating behind Bickslow, and she hovered forwards to fly over my bed, before crossing her legs and sitting at my feet.

'The reason I created Fairy Tail was to combat the evil Soul Savage spread across the country. My goal was passed down to the second Master, and it was during his time when Makarov Dreyar succeeded in taking out the guild Master. It disbanded and all mention of them was whipped from history so another dark guild couldn't follow in their footsteps. After that, Fairy Tail became a guild of peace. Murder or killing became taboo for our members; the weight of responsibility and guilt they carried from their combat with Soul Savage haunted them.' I stared at First as she seriously looked around to each of us, I could tell we all hung on her every word.

'If they were all whipped out, how come they're back? And what do they want with Lucy-sama?' Freed's cold voice cut through the air, and First turned to face him sadly.

'I don't know. All I know is that any members who have been overlooked, would be highly powerful, and will wish for revenge on Fairy Tail. What better way than using Fairy Tail's light to destroy them?' Mavis whispered the last question, and I felt my heart grow still as her words set in.

Luce... don't worry, I'll save you.

Lucy's POV

I slowly opened my eyes, shivering as I slowly looked up to see my blue hands peeking out from the cuffs, and winced in pain as I tried to move them.

Frost bite... where the fuck am I? Why is it always cold places anyway? I thought, forcing myself to move my fingers and hold back my cries of pain.

I'd already discovered how those bastards drawing that massive magic circle around me loved to hear my pain.

The freak with my letter box had popped in every so often, cackling before leaving.

No one had picked up the blanket that had fallen from my shoulders, and it now lay beneath a thick layer of snow.

I looked up, to see the snowflakes falling softly through the hole above me, and shook the snow that had settled on my head off, shivering violently as the freezing cold substance slowly crept down my back and rested on my shoulders.

I had tried to ease open my magic container, and had succeeded in edging off the lid while hiding the minute pain I felt at the contact with my magic.

I'd found that if I didn't try and rip open my magical container to use my power, the pain wasn't over-whelming, and I could access a small amount.

It wasn't enough to summon any spirits, but it was enough to send out a small beacon to Loke and the others about where I was. It was also enough to pump through my veins to warm my body slightly.

Hopefully, I would somehow manage to get out of this before Fairy Tail arrived and fell into the trap this crazy old thing had set up.

I narrowed my eyes and peered around me, taking in the amount of mages that were in the room, and knew that my only chance was to hit hard when the creepy old guy wasn't here. I could feel his magical pressure pushing down on me, reminding me of Gildarts and Master when they were on a rampage.

I knew I didn't have much time before the others got here, judging by how fast they were scrambling to complete the circle... but there was no way for me to escape while that guy had control over me through the emotions I'd poured into the letters to my mother.

It hurt and disgusted me that he absorbed my private thoughts and feelings to supply him with power... and for him to use that power to control me... I felt violated.

I knew then, that no matter what, that guy would die by my hands...

Please Fairy Tail... Natsu... Laxus... Bix... stay away just a little longer... please... don't come for me!