Chapter 7

"You...you bastard! You're lying! Zander please, please! Tell me he's lying!" Lucy shouted. Zander didn't raise his head. It still hung low as he clenched his fists and grit his teeth.

"Th-then...what he's saying..." Lucy choked out. She slowly put her gaze at the ground in front of her.

"Heh. It seems like the two of you need a minute." said Jakkuna as he and Brass left.

It has been at least ten minutes since Jakkuna and Brass had left Lucy and Zander now, alone in their cell after saying the truth about Zander, and there has been nothing but silence between them. After hearing that Zander was actually the notorious bounty hunter Asuma, she became dead silent and her head now hung low, like she had given up. And Zander, or Asuma, was in the same position.

"...Is...is what he said true...?" Lucy trailed off, finally speaking. Asuma slowly raised his head to look at the blonde mage across from him.

"...Yes. I'm sad to say it is." said Zander.

"Why? They kill people, why join them? And what was your mission?" asked Lucy, slowing raising her voice, along with her head.

"I...I had no choice but to join them. If I didn't, they would've killed me like they did my family at least five years ago. And...the mission was to assassinate Makarov." said Zander, choking out the loud part. Lucy began to clench her fists, soon causing blood to run down her hands. Her back was soon straight up again, but she didn't dare look at Asuma and she had her eyes covered by her bangs.

"Tell me? If you really do hate these people, then why help them? Why didn't you ever try to run?" Lucy asked.

"Like I said, if I ever tried to do anything against them they would've-" Zander was cut off.

"Bull crap! You keep saying that they'll do something to you like kill you if you disobey them, but really, you're just making an excuse for being a coward! You have to take responsibility for this!" Lucy yelled, snapping her head in Zander's direction.

He flinched from her sudden out burst and slightly shifted away while avoiding eye contact. Lucy calmed down and her face soon changed to a sad expression as she went back to looking at the ground in front of her, her body almost going limp again.

"Does that mean that everything we all went through the other day was lie? You being worried about me, being nice to me and Lisanna? All of it?" Lucy mumbled.

After thinking about all of that, tears began to appear in her eyes and one slid down her cheek and landed on her leg. Zander saw this and a new emotion washed over him, guilt. He looked away from Lucy and began to look at the ground as well.

"No. My times with you two were the most fun I've had in a long time." said Zander. Lucy snapped her head in his direction once again.

"At first, joining Fairy Tail was just part of my job, but...after meeting you and going on a mission with you and Lisanna, I was genuinely happy. For the first time in a long time. I never thought I would've fallen as hard as I did for someone like I did with you..." Zander trailed off.

Tears began form and to slide down his cheeks and hit his floor. Lucy also noticed this after a short time. He looked up from the floor to look at Lucy in the eye, and she was surprised to tears forming and falling from his eyes continuously.

"I'm sorry...I was so happy...You were so happy...but, then I ruined it...I'm so sorry..." Zander choked out. He continued to sob as Lucy stared at him.

"Zander..." Lucy thought.

She clenched her fists tightly as she ran many thoughts through her head. Suddenly, an idea hit her. She looked down at her waist to see that her belt that had her whip and keys was still on. Her keys were gone, but she still had her whip that she got from Virgo. Lucy moved her waist around for a while, until the whip fell off of her belt and landed near feet. She pushed her back against the wall and began to stand up. Once on her feet, she used her feet to make the whip be thrown into her left hand. Lucy gripped it firmly as she the whip rap around one of her chains. It took a little time, but the chain finally snapped, freeing one of her hands. Zander saw the whole thing and was completely dumb struck. Lucy quickly did the same to the other chain and ran over to Zander.

"Ok, we have to hurry. I think I can break off the bars on that window, but we'll have to hurry." said Lucy as she began to free Zander. Zander had a puzzled and shocked look on his face as Lucy helped him. He was continuously looking at the shackles and broken chains that were on Lucy's wrist and her still bleeding shoulder.

"Why? Why help? Even after I lied to you." said Zander.

"Don't be stupid. I can't possibly hate you. Alright, yeah, you were sent to kill Makarov, but you didn't right? And you said you had fun with me and Lisanna. I can't hate for something you didn't do and I can't hate you because when the rest of my guild wasn't there for me, you were there. Asuma or not, you're Zander of Fairy Tail now and my friend, nothing will change that." Lucy explained, snapping the last chain.

Lucy grabbed Zander's wrist and pulled him over to the window with her. She had him stand behind her as she used her whip to break the bars. Once the bars were broken, she looked out the window to see that their cell was only two stories above the ground and it was right on next to a small hill that was going downward.

"Alright. You can go first. It's only a two story drop and we're right next to a downhill slope. I think we can find the tracks that lead back to Magnolia a mile or so into the forest." said Lucy.

"R-right." Zander agreed. Lucy helped him steady himself on the ledge as he looked down. Right as he was about to jump, the door to the cell swung open, revealing at least three cloaked men.

"Hey, what's with all of this noise?!" a grunt wearing a mask shouted. Lucy and Zander both had looks of shock on their faces.

"The prisoners! They're escaping!" said another grunt.

"Zander! Hurry back to Fairy Tail and lead them here!" said Lucy.

"No! I'm not gonna leave you here! These people will torture you if I leave!" exclaimed Zander.

"I'll be fine. I promise. Now go!" Lucy said as she pushed him out the window.

"Lucy!" Zander shouted as he plummeted, futilely reaching out for her.

"Stay safe!" Lucy shouted, just before two grunts could grab her arms and drag her away.

He landed on the ground right on the slope and rolled down the hill until flat on his stomach. He looked back up the hill at the giant castle like structure. He had to forcibly pull himself away from that spot and began to run through the forest. As he ran, getting faster and faster, he began to use his magic to become a wolf. He was about half as tall as he was in his human form and his fur was the same color of his hair.

"Lucy, please. Stay alive!" Zander thought. He continued running, back to where they were originally attacked.

*Fairy Tail's group*

Lisanna had just lead the others from Fairy Tail to the place where the accident happened. The train was still in the same place near the cliff and the forest was still totally leveled. Saying that they were all in shock was an understatement.

"I-I can't believe this. One man did this much damage?" said Erza.

"But, it's the truth. Look, you can see that the tracks were also damaged." said Wendy.

"Man! I missed out on all the fun!" Natsu complained.

"Aye!" Happy agreed

"Lucy was captured and that's what you're screaming about!?" Gray said.

"And so was Zander!" Lisanna added. Gajeel was simply sniffing the air around the area.

"Yep. It's bunny girl's scent alright. Along with two others." said Gajeel.

"It's probably the one known as Brass and Zander's." said Panther lily.

"Actually, I smell it too. In fact, one's getting closer!" Natsu exclaimed.

"He's right! I smell it too!" Wendy said.

"We don't know if it's Zander or the enemy. Get ready everyone!" Erza ordered. They all got ready to fight. After waiting a few moments, a figure jumped out from the few remaining trees and landed near the group. They all recognized it as a wolf. A large one at that.

"What is a wolf doing this close to Magnolia!?" said Charla.

"And why does it have blue fur?" said Erza.

"Hold on a minute guys." Lisanna said. She slowly approached the wolf.

"Lisanna, be careful." Natsu called out. Lisanna was soon face to face with the wolf. She looked closely at it's eyes and was soon able to make the connection.

"Z-Zander? Is that you?" asked Lisanna. Everyone couldn't help but gasp in shock. The wolf slowly began to slightly shrink and all of it's fur and tail was beginning to retract. It was soon Zander huffing and puffing while on his hands and knees.

"No way! Zander can become a wolf!?" Natsu exclaimed. Lisanna had to help Zander up to his feet while putting one of his arms over her shoulders.

"P-please..." Zander whispered. They all cold just barely hear him since his head hung low, but he then snapped his head back up.

"Please! You have to help Lucy!" Zander practically shouted.