Two weeks has passed since 'the burst', as I had come to call it, had happened in the library, and in all that time since I haven't seen hide nor hare of Miss Lucy Heartfilia. Not in the halls; where I commonly see her in the southeast hall during passing time between periods three and four at eleven every morning, exiting the dining hall and heading for the northeastern hall's restricted area; or the library, where she'd be for the first twenty minutes of dinner; or even the dining hall, where she would eat thirty minutes past the end of the dinner period. I'm not a stalker, I'm an observer. It's not like I followed her around everyday for two weeks to get this information or mapped out her exact locations along with times and dates to calculate when I'd most likely be able to talk to her alone without interference by staff or other students only to chicken out each time and reside to just watching her from a distance close enough to see her perfectly, but far enough not to be caught, while taking notes on what she does and wears to try and decipher her likes and dislikes. All skills of an everyday stal- I mean observer.
However, now that she's just disappeared from under the radar, I don't know to do or how to look for her. Reverting to my old life of just hanging out with my friends playing video games and watching disney doesn't feel the same anymore. Not to mention the 'Watchers', as I had once again nicknamed the strange men in black suits working under Dr. Marson, are still keeping their constant gaze on me. No longer in large number, as they had learned a scare tactic wouldn't be enough to end my pursuit, but still constant in being everywhere I went. They were only ever absent when it came to me being in class or inside my dorm, but in the halls and lounges they were a continuous presence with an unshifting gaze.
On the second day of her absence, things took an unforeseen turn. The Watchers no longer kept their gazes limited to only me, but every student and staff member in the facility. It did not take long for the others to notice the Watchers that surrounded us, by the third day everyone in the entire academy knew of their strange presence. Most students chopped it off as being a new form of security in the school sent by the government and did their best to sweep it under the rug, trying to ignore them. But this simple explanation did not stop students from talking about the possibilities of a nearing punishment or expulsion of a student or group of students. Others thought it was a secret move by anti-mutant members of the governmental senate to take over the school and possibly kill them all.
As the days of the week passed on, the tensions of the student body only began to rise further than before. The school had started to become divided between those who saw the presence as a mere step of protection, and others who saw it as a threat on the school and their lives. Teachers tried to calm the minds of the worried and confused students, but in truth they didn't understand what was going on either.
Currently, I sat in the cafeteria eating breakfast on the sixth day since Miss Lucy Heartfilia disappeared, my closest friends sitting with me. We all sat just slightly closer together than usual, our eyes trained on the intruders who stood as guards by the doors, mutacuffs and muta-based tranquilizers hanging from their sides. Nearly eighty percent of the students here nearly expected them to cover the exits and shoot the all down right then and there.
"I don't like this." Levy stated from her spot by her (unofficial but we totally know there together) boyfriend, Gajeel. Levy had the ability to bring words she drew to life, an interesting power, but quite useless in battle and a bit weak. Gajeel, on the other hand, was perfect for combat and really powerful as he could turn his entire body into solid iron.
"Me neither." Erza agreed with the blue-haired mutant. "But we've been ordered by the dean not to mind them."
"Well I mind them." Loke huffed and leaned back in his chair, putting his arms behind his head to rest it on them. Loke was a dual powered mutant, meaning he was born with two different powers; them being the power to control and manipulate light, and the ability to shape shift into a lion. Dual or multi power mutants were uncommon, but not rare.
"I agree. This whole babysitter crap is a bunch of bullshit." Gajeel agreed in his usual gruff voice.
"Well we can't do anything without getting in trouble with the dean. It's best to ignore them until they leave from whatever they're here for." Mirajane, a shape shifter/power stealer, cut in with a sigh.
Turning my attention away from the conversation, I turned to look over my shoulder at one of the Watchers, who in turn was staring right back at me. Glaring at him I looked down at my cupped hands, and started to think about the school's situation and the cause for it. Government workers were occasionally seen at the school, but they never stayed over night and never openly carried weapons as to not pose a threat. These people were different, staying for days on end out in the open, plainly carrying weapons as if to purposefully pose as a threat to them, so these men could not work for the government. But if they didn't, who do they work for, and what brought them here? The first time I saw them was the night of the Burst when they came in to take Miss Lucy Heartfilia away, so they were most likely here for her. If that's the case, why are they so interested in Miss Heartfilia, and why do they not want anyone to know about her?
Gray must have noticed my abnormal silence, as I felt his hand on my shoulder as he steered me into the conversation.
"Hey, Natsu you alright? You're never this quiet." Gray inquired with a jab. Nodding my head I murmured a quick "just tired" and stood up from my seat.
"I just need to think." I said as I turned away from the table, hearing Gajeel make a snide comment about my supposed lack of the ability to think as I quote unquote "don't have a brain." I simply ignore his pestering for once and continued on out of the cafeteria. As I walked over to the double doors my eyes trained in on one of the Watchers and time seemed to slow down as we stared each other down, both with more knowledge than everyone else, yet I seemed to have less. When I finally left the room, the door closing shut behind me, time continued on normally, and I turned to make my way to my room, wanting time to be alone and to think with no hindrance until class started. Maybe I'll skip today.
Shit hit the fan the next day, on the seventh day of the first week, when during the last class of the day, a sudden surge of energy erupted from the ground and created a level six earthquake. The alarm systems went off and Teachers directed their students to hide under their desks in a hurried panic. The earthquake lasted for about thirty seconds, but was enough to cause damage to the majority of the eastern hall. A total of five students were injured in the quake, and luckily none were killed. The Dean later declared that Hall inaccessible to students until further notice. However, this strange event only caused for more panic and confusion. Earthquakes were rare where they were, being so far inland, and no student with earth abilities or anything similar was known to cause it. However I recognized this kind of power and magnitude and later went to search the eastern hall, but found nothing.
Needing a place to point a finger, many students and even staff turned on the Watchers, blaming the strange outsiders for causing the havoc on the school. The accusations had begun to become violent on the ninth day when a student, Eric Cobra, got in the face of one of the Watchers and shoved him when he remained unaffected. This caused the Watcher to put him down and send him to the detention hall on account of harassment. Many of the students saw this as too rough of a punishment and openly tried to bail him out, as every mutant knew how hellish the detention cells were, even low case cells like the ones they had at the school. But the Watchers stood guard at the detention center, and when any student showed any sign of aggressive behavior, they were thrown in as well. The first to be sent in where all of Eric's closest friends, but a few others were sent in as well, including his girlfriend Kinana.
Staff then got involved with the Watchers, demanding the release of the children. Mr. Clive, Cana's father, especially stood up for them and threatened to throw down if they weren't released. Eventually the kids were let out later that day, but were weakened by the excessive amount of time forced in the anti muta walled rooms. The rest of the day was left in silent loathing, but just about everyone was wondering why Dean Makarov didn't do anything about it.
I was just as confused as anyone else even though I knew the reason behind why the Watchers were there. Me. Because of my involvement with the Burst of Lucy Heartfilia. They were here to silence me, but it made no sense for them to involve anyone else. Until Gray, the only other person with knowledge of the Burst, approached me on the tenth day while we were in our dorm. That night when I sat alone in my bedroom staring and the dark heavy clouds moving in, Gray had knocked on my door and walked in before I answered. He looked at me troubled and concerned, what about other than the obvious I wasn't sure. But Gray had always been a cool-headed person for as long as I've known him unless provoked with a fight, so seeing him so bothered was a little unsettling.
"Natsu." He spoke first, starting in a grave voice right off the bat. "We need to talk." Turning around in my office chair, I crossed my legs and gave him my full attention.
"Shoot." I nodded toward him. Gray nodded back and walked in, shutting the door behind him and sitting himself down on my bed.
"You said these weird spies-"
"Watchers." I corrected.
"Right, watchers, showed up after the incident with Lucy Heartfilia, correct?"
"Yeah." I confirmed nodding my head.
"So, do you think it's possible that the occupation is some type of security measure?" Gray asked me, thinking that I'd be able to confirm it or not, when I didn't know what was going on either.
"I doubt it, I only spoke with Dr. Marson twice, and that was enough to know that that woman has no care in her heart for mutants, she would never try and protect us."
"Then why are they here?"
I don't know, that's what I'm trying to figure out."
The next day, as heavy rain poured down around them, another energy surge occurred, this time turning the landscape within a fifteen mile radius into a frozen snowy tundra, a complete flip from their mid-spring weather. The panic raged more fiercely than before, with students and staff alike turning on the Watchers, while others turned on the ice and snow mutants. Violence broke out by noon and people on both sides were injured from the scurry and fighting. A freshman named Eve had gotten his arm broken and another, Lyon, had gotten a broken leg. Gray managed to avoid any serious injuries with the help of his girlfriend Juvia, but he had ended taking a bit of a beating before matters were able to be softened. By seven o'clock the majority of the physical fighting had ended, but the school had turned to shambles. Dean Makarov had openly helped tend to the injured and put down the fighting, but he too faced accusations for not doing anything to stop it sooner.
The worst of it had come at nine o'clock when the sun set and temperatures had begun to drop rapidly. The heating systems, along with all of the power, had been shocked and ice had begun to take over the walls. Everyone ran to there rooms to grab any extra clothing they could use, along with blankets and coats. Students had momentarily decided to call a truce between each other to help everyone make it through the storm. I, along with other fire related mutants, worked to keep everyone warm, meaning we got no sleep. Blankets were piled on top of each other in stacks and we eventually ended up staying in the cafeteria as to share body heat. But even with all our efforts, we could not stop the ice from penetrating the interior of the building. So we focused all of our power on keeping those around us warm.
Late at night, or in the early morning, on the twelfth day, when all but the fire mutants were asleep, a figure cloaked in black winter clothes appeared behind me. I Instantly recognized Dr. Marson's second hand man. He nodded and me to follow him, so I did with no resistance, slipping away quietly so no one would see me leave. I strode behind him to the damaged eastern hall, ice cold wind blew against me, finding its way through holes and cracks in the walls and windows. Setting my body on fire, I warmed myself up, as well as provided light for my darkened path. When we stopped I noted that it was the library doors we were about to enter. Stepping in I saw Dr. Marson sitting alone at one of the tables, her small area illuminated only by a candle. She, too, was clothed in heavy winter clothes.
"Natsu Dragneel. Glad you could make it." She said in her usual sweet voice. I grimaced at it, sensing the sick, twisted tone beneath it.
"I get the feeling I didn't have much of a choice." I spoke. Marson didn't reply, just smiled, and that sent shivers down my spine. Being shoved in the back by her lackey, I made my way over and took a seat across from her.
"Mr. Dragneel. I'm sure you've noticed by now the state of your school caused by my men?" She asked in a soft, but deadly sharp hum.
"How could I not?" I glared at her coldly with a growl in my voice, my hands twitching in irritation. "My friend is injured because of this." Marson didn't seem to be affected at the news that people were injured because of her actions, only smiled. It then dawned on me that she knew this was going to happen all along, that she had actually planned this.
"Then you must know the reason behind it." The doctor acknowledged with a joyful clap of her hands. "Your incessant interest in my subject and refusal to stop your pursuit has forced my hand to take drastic measures to stop you."
My anger raised by her lack of concern and worry and overjoyed attitude at the news of injured students. I had already known this woman was twisted, but this was just disgusting.
"You call this drastic measures? This is insanity!"
Dr. Marson chuckled lightly and closed her eyes. "Sometimes the business calls for a few screws to become loose." The woman opened her eyes again, mania clear as crystal in them. "My dear Natsu, all this drama will stop if you simply stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."
I felt my heart fall for a slight moment, feeling guilt that his actions had caused these storms, but I quickly snapped myself out of it. It wasn't me who had caused all of this to happen, it was her.
"And what happens if I keep it there?" I challenged.
She gave me a dangerous stare, accompanied by a manic smile. "People will die tonight. Your feeble attempts to keep everyone warm will fail. One by one the mutants here will freeze to death."
I felt my blood run frigid, no pun intended to the raging ice outside.
"And what about you? Won't you die as well?"
"I have my ways to avoid this storm. But you, however, do not. So what will it be?"
"Fine." I muttered with a bit-back tongue. "I'll stop pursuing Lucy Heartfilia."
"Good, wasn't that easy?" She giggle like child, which was slightly more terrifying. But soon her smile had faded away completely, and her eyes shone nothing but death and danger."Mr. Dragneel." She said in warning. "Remember that if you break this promise, everyone around you will die."
With those last words lingering heavy in the air, Dr. Marson stood up from her seat, and walked out of the library, her right hand man not far behind. I watched as she went, closing the door and leaving me alone in the near darkness. Sighing I decided to get up as well, needing to get back to the others and help keep them warm. Reaching to blow out the candle a small glimmer caught my eye, looking over to the back right corner of the book shelves I saw a tiny reflective shine, but as soon as I turned my gaze on it, it disappeared. Shrugging it off I turned and walked for the door, igniting myself in fire to keep my body heat high to combat the cold air.
Though as I walked back, I noticed that the ice in the halls had begun to retreat back outside and the wind had begun to calm. By the time I made it back, all the ice had left the inside of the academy, and the snowstorm outside, which had previously been a whiteout, was snow just a small flutter of snowflakes falling gracefully. Those awake stared in awe at the beauty of it, some adults quickly ran to the breaker and turned the power back on, putting the heater on full blast.
In the morning, when everyone warmed up, students began to go out into the strange wonderland. The young children were the first to play, bursting out their sleds and build snow men and making snow angels. The other older children began to play, along with some teens, though most of still didn't trust it as it had come out of nowhere and had almost killed us.
By evening of that same, almost all of the Watchers had left, except Marson's close lackey, but he stayed out of sight. The older teens and staff were unnerved by their sudden disappearance. Coming out of nowhere and leaving all the same. Although I knew the reason, I still didn't like it either.
Leaving the other students I went and headed for the eastern wing, but stopped mid step when I remembered the dangerous threat of the deaths of everyone here if I were to try and continue my pursuit. It pained me, but I changed my course and went back to my room, deciding to sleep. Without the ability to 'see' her anymore, and his favorite place to be destroyed from the earthquake, there was really nothing for me to do anymore except catch up on sleep.
The next day, the fourteenth, everything was tense but normal. We all tried to continue on as we had before the chaos, but too many people were shook by what happened and wanted answers. No violence broke out, but it seemed like a deep anger was brewing and future mobs were being created. The dean still stayed quiet as to why this was happening or if he had any involvement.
I, myself, felt strangely, empty. I don't know exactly why, but the threat and forbidden sta-watching weighed heavily on me. Even with all my friends it wasn't the same, there was a puzzle piece missing. Miss Lucy Heartfilia. The one puzzle piece the manufacturing company always seems to forget to put in the box so you have to go forever without it. I wanted to find it and complete the picture. I wanted to get to know her and be apart of her strange life, and maybe have her be apart of mine to.
Then as I walked through the halls slowly, with a depressing step, I saw her. Miss Lucy Heartfilia. Walking down her mystery schedule. Just then I felt the skip return to my step as I watched her walk towards me down the hall. And just like I expected her too, she walked past me with not a single glance. I felt my heart warm again, her air of mystery only seemed to attract me once again and I don't know if I can keep myself away.
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Hey guys I'm back! Yesterday was my birthday and I turned 17! I had tons of fun, but I was also away from my computer for a long time so I couldn't get this chapter out to you on my birthday. But I hope y'all enjoyed as much as I enjoy writing it! Oooooo I'm so excited for it to get more interesting!
Well see you as soon as I can, homework, school, and life tend to get in the way, but I'll do my best not to keep you guys waiting for too long.
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