Natsu awoke in a dark room. He wasn't exactly tied up. Only his hands were, tied behind his back. Natsu stretched out his legs to make sure they weren't tied up. Then he sat up, and then stood. He walked a short distance to make out the area, seeing if there was a lot of space or not.
' Maybe its not a good idea to walk around.' Natsu thought, now realizing that there was duck tape tapped across his mouth. He kept walking, only more slower, ' I might run into something. Damn, if only there was light. Where the hell did they put me?'
" Mmph!" Natsu grunted as he ran into a wall. ' Well, at least I know where the wall is.' Now he wished his hands weren't tied. Natsu backed up into the wall, and walked along side it hoping it would keep him from walking into another one. He reached a corner, and turned. Just a little further ahead of him, he felt a handle for a door. He slid down a bit so his arm reached it and tried to pull it down. It didn't budge.
' Can't believe they actually remember to lock the door,' Natsu kept moving forward, ' Maybe there's a light switch somewhere.' Natsu felt around as much as he could with his shoulder. He felt something. But just as he was about to try and push it, he heard something open, a metal door. Natsu turned around, the room slowly lighting up as the door opened. Natsu squinted as the bright light suddenly washed through the entire room, blinding him for a moment. He opened his eyes slowly, making out the figure in front of him. Zancrow. He walked up to Natsu and ripped the duck tape of.
" Ow. Should've known." Natsu muttered.
" Nice to see you again too," Zancrow said, " Daren just can't wait to see you again." Natsu looked around the room he was in, it was entirely white, no windows at all. Just the metal door which Zancrow was now standing.
" Could you," Natsu turned around moving his wrists, " Take these off, there uncomfortable."
" No can do. We're not all stupid, you know. You'll just try to fight us all. Even though you wouldn't be able to get very far." Zancrow said grinning, " This place is like a giant maze, you'll never find your way out. And nobody but us will ever find their way in."
' Damn, I underestimated them. They thought this through. Now what do I do?'
" Well if that's true then there's no point in me even trying now is there?" Natsu replied.
Zancrow thought for a moment, " I guess there's no harm in untying you seeing as you can't do anything anyway." He untied the rope around his wrists. Natsu immediately rubbed his wrists, now showing red where the ropes were tied. Natsu looked up, ' I'm gonna have to try anyway, here it goes.' Natsu broke into a run, passing Zancrow, and into the hall beyond. It was a giant room with three ways to go. Natsu chose the closest to him, his right. He went straight and turned left, the only way to go, he came to another forked path. He took left again. Another left, right and straight ahead. Natsu started to think he was getting somewhere. Until he hit a dead end.
" Dammit." Natsu muttered, catching his breath. If only he could climb the walls to see from up there. But there was no foot hold and the wall was too high to jump up on. Natsu turned around and started to head back the way he came, hoping he'll find another pathway. But someone blocked his path. " Daren."
" Hey Natsu. Now, didn't Zancrow tell you? There's no way out for you." Daren walked up to Natsu and grabbed his arm. Natsu tried to yank it back. But Daren held his hand still. Natsu looked surprised, " Wonder how you can't pull yourself free from just my hand?" Natsu glared, " Easy, after knocking you out, we used a little potion I whipped up, weakens you for a while. Don't worry, you'll be back to normal soon. And when that happens, we'll just give you another one." Daren grinned.
" What do you want?"
" I told you before. I want you to tell me where Lucy is."
Natsu stared into his eyes, " No. I can't do that. Because, I don't know where she is now."
Daren glared dragging Natsu behind him as they walked through the maze, " Where was she?"
" Dunno." By then, they reached the exit, back to where Natsu first came from. There Daren's entire group was standing around by a fire.
" You know I always hated you, even before you sent me to jail and took my Lucy." Daren said Shoving Natsu to his knees and pushed him down, stomach first to the ground. Zancrow and Midnight, held his hands behind his back keeping him still, while Daren walked over to the fire. " I won't give up. Your the only one I hate. And Lucy, I'll never do anything to her. Come on, I'll be her perfect boyfriend." Natsu said nothing. Daren grabbed an end of metal sticking from the fire. He pulled it out, showing the hot, glowing red, steel bar, waving it around in the air. " Too bad. But don't worry, I won't give up until I find her."
" If you want her so bad, why aren't you searching for her?" Natsu asked.
" I am. I already sent some of my men."
' Lucy. You better be safe.' Natsu thought. Daren walked over and showed the hot metal to Natsu, bringing it close to his face. He brought his free hand and yanked off Natsu's scarf and pressed the burning steel against Natsu's neck. Natsu sucked in his breath, holding in his pained shout. Natsu felt the heat, burning through his flesh. Once Daren removed it, he could feel blood running down his neck. The pain after the steel was removed stung, and didn't go away. Daren through Natsu's scarf on his face and kicked him.
" Put him back in the room. I'll try later." Daren said walking away. Zancrow dragged Natsu into the room, shutting the door leaving him in total darkness once again. Natsu held one hand against the side of his neck, and his arm across his face. He didn't move from his spot.
' Damn. This is pathetic,' Natsu thought, ' I can't fight back like this."
Lucy sat in her class, currently bored with the lecture the teacher was giving, she decided to doodle in her notebook. She couldn't help thinking, that she and the others could do something. Anything to catch Daren right now.
' I wonder if Natsu's okay. I hope they aren't doing anything to him.' Lucy thought. She scribbled on her paper. Sketching out a crappy drawing of herself and her friends Lucy laughed silently at her crude drawing, ' I'm terrible at drawing, its hilarious.'
" Ms. Heartfilia?" Lucy looked up. Her teacher was standing in front of her desk, the class was silent, everyone was facing her. Embarrassed Lucy answered.
" Y-yes?"
" This isn't art class. You're suppose to be taking notes." The teacher said.
" Yes sir. Sorry. I guess I spaced out."
" Well I'm sorry lecture is so boring to you Ms. Heartfilia." The teacher said, and walked back to the front of the class and continued talking. Lucy continued her doodle, but still listened to the lecture. She sighed.
It was lunch break. Levy was walking through the hall. Heading to the cafeteria.
" Alright, I know this isn't the time and all, with Natsu missing and Daren after Lu-chan. But I can't take it anymore. I have to say it. I need to know the answer." Levy rushed down the hall, until she ran into someone. She looked up to see the black haired teenager, with piercings, Gajeel.
" Gajeel?"
" If it isn't the shrimp."
Levy pouted, " It's not my fault I'm short!"
" I never said it was."
" You might as well have." Levy said and turned around, " What are you doing here anyway?"
" Heading to the cafeteria, why? I do go to this school, I have every right to be wandering in the hall. And how about you? What are you doing here?"
" Same. I'm going to the cafeteria."
" Well you do know your going the wrong way right. You passed it further down the hall." Gajeel pointed out.
" I-I guess I spaced out."
" Well, if there's nothing you want I'll just be going my way now." Gajeel said and started to walk past Levy.
" Wait." Gajeel stopped and turned around. " Um..."
" What is it? Spit it out already."
Levy glared, " I- I..."
" If you aren't going to say anything I'm leaving." Gajeel said.
" I think I like you! Even though your a total jerk, and act like you don't care about anything, I like you!" Levy shouted. Levy looked around hoping no one was around to hear that. She sighed when it was only her and Gajeel in the hall.
Gajeel stared at her speechless. Causing Levy to turn bright red. Levy shouted in distress, " AH! I-I didn't say that! Forget it." ' Ah~ what am I saying? This is ridiculous Levy! Lu-chan going to laugh at you for this!" Levy tried running past Gajeel, but thanks to her small size he was able to grab her just as she reached him.
" Really now?" Gajeel said staring her in the eye. Levy squirmed trying to get out of his grasp. " Well then. Glad its not one sided." Levy froze.
" Y-you... Stupid! Stupid Stupid Gajeel!" Levy shouted, " If... If you lying, If your making fun of me I'll-"
Gajeel laughed, " I ain't lying shrimp." They both paused.
" That, that was easier than I thought. B- But I said I think S-so don't go thinking I'll... I'll start to... k-ki-" Levy started.
" Well, then I won't think that." Gajeel said, " Anyway Lets go. The other's are probably waiting for us."
" Levy-chan? " Lucy said, surprised to hear her little friend just confessed to a boy she had a crush on, " That's awesome!" Lucy cheered. Erza sat there speechless.
" L-Levy. I-I never knew you were interested in him! Are you g-going to go on a d-date?" Erza stuttered, happy for her friend.
" N-NO!" Levy cried out, embarrassed by the attention the other girls were giving her.
" Juvia's happy for you," Juvia said.
The boy's were congratulating Gajeel on finally getting a girl. Fist bumping him and jumping him.
" That's cool man!" Gray said.
" That's Man!" Elfman yelled." Well, he didn't exactly do anything, Levy's the one that confessed." Jellal pointed out. But they ignored him.
" At least we have some good news for Natsu when he comes back." Mira said, clasping her hands together. The group went silent.
" If he even comes back," Lucy muttered. Erza's cell rang. Erza picked it up.
" Yes? Ultear?"
Gray looked up.
" A strange area huh? Your gonna what now? If that's true, wouldn't it be... I see. Yes please do." Erza hung up.
" What was it? What did Ultear have to say?" Gray asked.
Erza looked up, " She says she found a building. She caught glimpse of a member of Daren's gang. She's going to infiltrate the building along with a group of cops. She said she'll call us back if she finds anything, or anyone."
" Hopefully she finds something."
" That was fast. Ultear's pretty awesome huh?" Lisanna commented.
Natsu cradled his bad arm, holding it from the elbow.
' Dammit, how long was I here?' Natsu thought. Daren came in multiple times, asking the same question that Natsu couldn't answer. And not just because he didn't want him to know where Lucy was. He had no idea where she was at the time. Well, he knew she could be at school. But he hoped that she would avoid any member of Daren's gang. Each time Daren came in, he'd either came in with the drug they used to keep him from gaining his strength back or with the questions and beat him up if he didn't answer, first the burn, then the knives, and now he broke his arm. ' If only they didn't drug me. I would've beaten the crap out of them by now.' Natsu thought. Natsu was tired. He tried not to fall asleep. He didn't want them to try anything on him if he was out cold.
The door opened and Daren came in once again. Holding the usual knife. Natsu sat up slowly, his head was starting to ache. Natsu spat out blood. " Back again are you?" Natsu asked.
" So, are you going to speak?"
" I already told you. I don't know where she is right now." Daren punched Natsu, and grabbed his broken arm. Natsu yelled out, and kicked as hard as he could in his drugged state. The blow connected with Daren's jaw and he let go of his arm. Natsu fell back.
Daren hissed. Daren reached out and grabbed Natsu's scarf. Natsu reached forward. ' If physical blows won't do any good against him I'll just do this.' Natsu bit Daren's hand as hard as he could. Daren screamed, pulling his hand back. Natsu spat on the ground and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt on his good arm. Daren glared.
" Daren!" Zancrow yelled. Daren turned around, " This isn't good. The cops, they've found this place."
Daren cursed, " We're leaving get the others."
" What about him?"
" We're bringing him with us. As long as we have him, Lucy will come find us eventually."
' So that's what their planning.' Natsu thought. Daren walked up to Natsu, ' Now what?' Natsu looked up as Daren pulled Natsu up and stuck something that pricked his neck. Natsu winced.
" Lets go Zancrow." A large man walked up to Natsu and picked him up. The man turned around and Followed the others. Natsu was faceing the direction behind them, Natsu felt his eyelids getting heavier. He yanked his scarf, now he could see that it was stained in his blood, he took it off and dropped it on the floor.
' Erza, You better find away to get us. Gray... I hate to think this, but you better keep Lucy by you. And you better keep her safe.' Natsu thought before he blacked out.
Erza and the others were leaving the school campus.
" I guess it'll be safer for us all to stay together. Even when we sleep. So we're all staying at Lucy's place," Erza announced.
" Why my place?" Lucy asked. But no one answered, Erza's phone rang again.
" Hello? Ultear, did you find something? What? Are you sure? Yes, we're coming right now." Erza said hanging up.
" W-what is it this time?"
" Ultear found something. Lets go." Erza said.
They ran down the street. Ultear gave them the directions. And when they arrived. They found a tall building. Outside was a street full of police cars. Erza was the first to walk in followed by the others. Inside, a wall went from across the room , so all they saw was the wall and one small opening where Ultear stood waiting for them. " This entire building is a maze, we sent out some people to find the way to the other side, and we did."
" Ultear, did you find anything?" Erza asked.
Ultear held out a scaly white scarf stained red with blood. " That's Natsu's" Lucy said, " Where is he? Is he here?" Her voice was filled with worry."
Ultear shook her head, " Afraid he isn't. But if this is Natsu's then Daren and his gang was here, which means we'll be searching this area for any clues." Ultear said, " I'm lucky I even found this place." Ultear looked at Lucy, " Lucy, be careful, its you that Daren is really after."
Lucy nodded, ' Which means it's my fault Natsu was abducted.' She thought.
I have to say this is the longest chapter I made so far, I think anyway.
Sorry for the late update again, my computer was slow and kept deleting my work, when I hit save the browser would say it lost connection. I'm just glad its working now.
Hope this chapter is good. :)
Please Review!