When the sun was well past the horizon I was still running, my body tingled as I drew closer to Karkas Shihri. Dux was at my side the entire time, his eyes set only for the horizon.
Memories began to flood my mind of all the friends I've made in Fairy Tail, and everything they had done for me. Natsu bringing me to Fairy Tail, Laxus confessing to me on Tenrou, my life as Nix when my friends appeared when they were searching for me.
"It's time for me to show them how much I've grown over the years," I said biting back the tears that were trying to fight their way up. "Dux," I said coming to a stop. The dog looked towards me, a soft whine came from him.
"Go back to Magnolia and make sure everyone is okay," I said softly petting the dog. His whine grew and his eyes softened as he looked towards me. "I'll be fine, just go back okay, I'll be back in a few day."
Dux understood and began running back towards Magnolia. Once he was out of sight I again began running towards Karkas Shihri. My feet carrying me like it was nothing, my breathing was as even as it could be. And only a few hours later I reached my destination.
I alone stood outside the city, and after a moment I entered the city. The city itself reminded me a lot of how Felden was when Roaring Skeleton was ruling it. There was almost no one there and the streets were so eerily quiet that I felt unsure if I was at the right place.
"Well, if it isn't Miss Lucy Heartfilia," a familiar voice said behind me. I quickly turned to see a woman wearing all black and had a bright blue bun. "It's been awhile hasn't it, how are things, I see you finally got that arm thing patched up," she said with a wicked grin. "I truly do hope you find it more useful than that one you had before, or wait, was that the arm that showed you were a part of Fairy Tail." She began laughing and smiled a terrible smile.
"Oh how we are going to have fun with you tonight Lucy Heartfilia," another laugh rang through the dark city. "And it seems you're alone this time, where's your boyfriend at and those two lovers that were with you last time."
"Fire Dragon's Roar."
"Lightning Dragon's Breakdown Fist."
I turned just in time to see two attacks barreling towards me and quickly jumped out of the way. "Oh here they are," she added laughing as the smoke cleared to reveal Natsu and Laxus.
"What have you done to them," I growled out, my fists clenched.
"We haven't done anything to them, we simply showed them what they really are to us," Wendy, Gajeel, and Mira stepped out of the shadows that were surrounding me. The woman walked over to Mira and slung her arm over Mira's shoulder. "It truly was a shame Scarlet wasn't there when we destroyed the guild, she certainly would have made a fine addition to our little army of destructive mages."
"You will pay for this," I said sternly.
"Oh will we, from the look of things you don't have your keys with you, has Xinos finally taken care of them or have you simply abandoned them when they proved not to be strong enough."
"Jessy," a stern voice said, Jesse quickly straightened up and looked towards the woman who was now approaching us. She was as tall as me, and had deep blues eyes that could easily stare into one's soul. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her simple colored clothes stood out in the dreary city. "Leave our guest alone for right now."
"Yes miss," Jessy said with a bow.
"Go make sure our new recruits are doing well," the lady added with a stern look on her face. Once Jessy was gone the lady that stood in front of me relaxed slightly. "Being the leader of a dark guild is harder than it looks, let me tell ya."
"Why did you take our guild members," I asked, not letting me guard down for a second.
"Simple, they weren't being treated right at your guild, I mean look at Laxus here," she placed her arm around Laxus and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Poor guy, his last girlfriend kicked him out for trying to help her."
A shiver went down my back as I watched the scene unfold. "There was more to it than that."
"Oh was there, Laxus sure didn't think there was," her arms wrapped around Laxus more as we spoke. "Does this bother you, I'm sorry, but he's just such a cutie," another kiss was pressed to Laxus' cheeks. I remained silent for several moments, unsure what to do.
"You know Lucy, he talked about you a lot. You really hurt him when you kicked him out, all he was trying to do was help."
"Like I said there was more to it than that."
"And like I said oh was there, Laxus here was drinking away the pain of you when I first found him. Took me months for him to agree to go on a date with me. He's such a sweet guy, way nicer than that flame brain Natsu, or metal head Gajeel."
"Give me back my friends," I said sternly, my patience beginning to wear thin.
"Are they really your friends Lucy, I was a part of the Fairy Tail life for a few months. Not once did I see you, not once did anyone say how you were doing except for Levy, the only person who dared to go into your home after what happened with Laxus. You scared your so called friends away, so are they truly still your friends."
"Of course they are still my friends," my voice grew louder and traveled through the city.
"Then why did you do what you did then, hmm," her words struck a nerve in me. I clenched my teeth angrily as I looked towards her. "Oh, you don't have to answer that, I already know why. You blamed yourself for all the things that happened, and deep down you thought pushing your friends away would in the end save them right, isn't that why you became Nix in the first place, to protect your friends. It's really too bad Wuufs gave Xinos explicit orders to use your friends to draw you out."
"You act as if you know me, and my reasons for what I've done," I said with a soft laugh.
"But I'm right aren't I, you just want to protect your friends right, that's why you have those tattoos on your body, or what's left of them I suppose now. What is it, you have wings on your back, and tribal tattoos that means fighting."
"They aren't to show my want to protect my friends, but to tell my story," I simply said.
"Interesting, who all knows your story then, obviously Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Wendy. Actually Wendy probably will share the same story as you, someone who grew to be a fighter."
"No one knows my story except for me."
"Oh is that so, because Roaring Skeleton seems to know quite a bit about you Lucy. When your mother died, how your father treated you, all the jobs you took while in Fairy Tail, who trained you when you were Nix and even who gave you those tattoos." I again went quiet.
"Cat's got your tongue Lucy, come now, we were just having a friendly conversation," the woman said with a laugh, her more wicked side starting to show itself.
"Who are you," I finally asked.
"I am Suki, leader of the Roaring Skeleton, and girlfriend of the lovely Laxus Dreyar," Suki said placing another kiss on Laxus.
"Give me back my friends, this is your last warning," I said sternly.
"I know Xinos and maybe even Fern told you that I'm stronger than Wuufs who took your arm away from you, do you really want to fight me. I know it's just to get Laxus back, for you two to be dating again but-"
"I am here to get my friends back, not to win anyone over, or to redeem myself for what I have done, now give them back to me," I roared in anger.
"My my, aren't you feisty Lucy." Natsu and Gajeel moved to me and grabbed my arms and pinned them behind my back. "Unfortunately we have plans for you Lucy, surely you would understand, I mean, this would help protect all of your friends."
"I'm sorry guys," I said softly. "But I won't be apart of your plans," I shouted breaking away from Natsu and Gajeel's grip. They started to come at me, only for them to be thrown into one another. Wendy and Mira were up next as they attempted to use their magic to stop me, which didn't work.
"Lucy, Lucy, Lucy," Suki said as I broke away from the circle they were trapping me in. "Are you really going to make me get involved, or do you want to take care of this Laxus, honey," Suki rubbed her hands over Laxus' chest as she spoke.
"I'll take care of her," Laxus said, his voice not showing any emotion.
"Oh, you're the best," Suki added pressing a kiss to Laxus' cheek as Laxus began to approach me. "Now the rest of you, go find your lovely people." Everyone else left, leaving just me, Laxus, and Suki in the area we were in.
"What have you done to them," I asked as I looked into Laxus' eyes to see nothing.
"We here at Roaring Skeleton have shown them the true love they've been wanting," Suki answered. "Now Laxus will you please."
"Of course my love," Laxus said right as he launched into an attack towards me. I quickly dodged and looked at the man I once love, his eyes looked directly into mine. "You have come to the wrong place, Lucy Heartfilia," Laxus said standing straight up, his hand began to spark with lightning.
"Laxus," I said softly. I clenched my fists in anger at the site of him, the way he was acting. "This isn't the Laxus I knew," I said softly.
"Maybe because you broke the Laxus you knew," Suki said as Laxus launched another attack towards me. "You killed that Laxus the day you turned him away. You didn't even know that did you, of course you didn't you haven't even spoken to him in a year."
"Shut The Hell Up," I roared blocking Laxus' lightning filled attack, I countered with a solid punch to Laxus' stomach with my left hand, and threw Laxus into a nearby building.
"Oh you want me to stop talking about your abuse of Laxus, your flaws in life, well aren't you little miss perfect. Look at what you did, you hurt your precious Laxus," Suki's voice fueled the flame that was building in my stomach.
"How can you call someone like me perfect," I said with a dark laugh. I was still facing the way I threw Laxus, who was getting out of the building rubble. "After all, look at me, I'm anything but perfect." Silence fell over the three of us.
The light breeze moved my hair slightly as I looked towards Laxus, who was now standing, his clothes were torn from the building falling on top of him. "Suki, like me you've made a mistake in Fairy Tail's will."
"Oh and what would that be."
"Their will and devotion to finding, and protecting their friends," flashes of back when I was known as Nix entered my head, my friends devotion to finding me, and to protect me if needed. I turned to face Suki, who had her arms crossed. "Now I'm going to show you that devotion to finding and protecting our friends, and the Roaring Skeleton will finally crumble."
Suki began to grin at the words I spoke. "Then maybe it's time we show the fruit of our work here at the Roaring Skeleton head quarters. Xinos should be arriving soon with some people you might be interested in, Lucy Nix Heartfilia." I heard a bark in the distance and smiled at the sound.
"And maybe it's time you see the people who've been searching for their friends and loved ones so desperately." Suki began to scowl at my words, and quickly looked around her, before pressing her hand to her ear.
"I need all of you back here right now," she almost shouted.