I fell down the stairs at work DX
Feel bad for me and send me virtual fruits baskets, brownies and things to make me feel better. ^_^
Thank-you's to:
My lovely LifeInTheSky who has offered her services up to be my beta reader!
And Sa-nee for the names of the two other boys.
Underlined is 'the voice in the back of the head'
Italics is someone's thoughts.
**************** Is before and after a flash back
-Natsu-
The room was in chaos. Sting was yelling at me, Wendy was shaking, wide eyed and scared, Happy and Fro were bawling and Cobra was standing arms crossed, face impassive. I screw up my nose, and slam my fist into Sting's face.
"It's all your fault!"
Ignoring the slight pain from impact, I ran out the door, not bothering to close it, and smash into several street-vendors, tears burned my eyes. No, it's not my fault. It's not my fault. I…
You didn't protect her.
I couldn't have!
You failed her.
NO! It's not my fault, it's not my fault. It's not…
I trip and tumble head first into a lake. Sitting up, I gazed at the sky, letting the tears free.
Lucy, Lucy, Lucy, Lucy... My voice catches in my throat, blocked by sobs. My head falls to my knees and cried. I cry because I failed to protect her from Sting, I cry because I failed to protect her from Jaxson, I cry because I failed to protect her from the Dragons and I failed to protect her at the club. I failed Lucy and in doing so I failed myself. Was I fit to want her as my mate? I'm supposed to protect my mate, not let her fall into the hands of evil mother fucking dragons. Lucy… I hear a soft thudding and for a second I think it was Lucy. When I realise it's not her, I sink back into my depressed stupor. Something smalls wriggles its way into my lap. It grabs hold of my scarf and cries.
Happy.
I hug him closer, Lucy had filled the void that Lisanna had left. Not replaced, Lisanna was still there, but Lucy had become that mother figure that Happy had wanted. Something that Lisanna hadn't been able to complete, but Lucy did. Lucy completed us. She became a part of us the moment I saw her. The moment I broke that charm spell, another spell had been placed on me. From then on I was complete. I was… What am I doing? Lucy is in danger and you're just sitting here feeling sorry for yourself. I look up.
~Do you know the Dragon of Fire?
Searching the skies itching for a fight.
The unswerving love for his friends,
Enemies fall in his wake.~
"Natsu?"
I stand. I didn't fail her at the club. I wasn't there, I couldn't have helped her. I haven't failed her. Not yet. But if I leave her now there is no way I could face her. I WILL find her and I WILL save her. Then I can call her mine.
I shake my head, placing Happy on my shoulder; I stepped out of the water, setting myself alight, drying instantly. Happy was silent, waiting for me to speak.
I'm going to save my girl.
-Lucy-
"BITCHES! FEED ME!" I slam my fists on the stonewall again. This is feeling strangely familiar.
"You'll get food when you get it! So shut the fuck up!"
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" I yelled back, they hadn't fed me properly for a week and if they had remembered to feed me, it had only been bread and water. I was fucking starving!
I hear scuffling outside and walk to the back of the cave. In the last 24 hours they'd switched my living quarters to a slightly larger area. I had a bed and somewhere to shit. It was still pretty small but at least I could stand up straight now. I threw myself onto the metal bed and winced as something hard poked the back of my thigh. What? I pat my side and feel something hard sown into the fold of my dress. I strip off my dress and tear a hole. Something small falls out and lands on the ground. Navi's key. I stare at the key in my hand. How did I not notice it before? How did I not know that the very thing that could save my life was in my dress the whole time? I don't remember putting it in there though… This dress was a gift from Loke and Virgo. They must've… Oh thank you. Thank you, thank you. The stone wall moved as Shari stepped in, holding a tray. I quickly shoved Navi's key down my bra, I wasn't strong enough to stage an escape plan just yet. Shari carefully set the tray down on the ground.
"Mother wants to see you. When you've finished eating we'll help you look presentable."
She leaves and I stare at the food. It was more food then I'd eaten in a long time! Thick pumpkin soup, soft white bread, a glass of milk, another of water, a sliver of fish as big as my forearm and a tureen of fruit sitting on ice. I stared then dived in, like some kind of rabid animal I shovel food into my mouth, for once, not caring about manners. I don't break until I've eaten almost everything, and even then, I only stopped because I needed to breathe. I chase down my food with the milk then the half-melted ice. I sit back, full to bursting and, feeling somewhat like I was about to be sick. I guess my stomach shrunk a bit or something. I lean back and rest against the bed, finally full for the first time in a week. The stone shifts and I watch as Shari comes in and offers me her hand.
"Come on Lucy." I take her hand and haul myself up. She blindfolds me and carries me for a few minutes then dumps me on the ground.
"You have half an hour." She takes of the blindfold and I discover that I'm in a hot spring. Four large pools of steaming hot water and a big white, fluffy towel sitting on a rock a little ways away. "Alicia and I will be… Keeping guard."
"Why?" I ask.
"Mother put Alicia here so you didn't try to make a run for it." Then she leans in and whispers in my ear, "I'm here so the boys don't peep." She withdraws, winks, exits the room and I'm left feeling that she's not such a bad person after all.
I took a look at the water, grinned and dived in. I floated there for a minute before realizing I'm still wearing my dress. I climbed out if the water and peel it of, throwing it and my underwear into a corner somewhere. I dive under the water again and swim around for a bit. I looked over to my right and see a primitive looking shower. On the floor is an assortment of colored bottles. I get out and inspect them. Shampoos, conditioners, body washes and face scrubs. I set to work, lathering up my hair, scrubbing away all the dirt and dead skin. By the time Shari comes to collect me, I felt a whole lot better.
"Come. You have to get dressed."
I follow Shari into yet another cave. She throws a bundle of clothes at me.
"These are mine. I think they'll fit." She turns her back but doesn't leave. I shift through the clothes to find undergarments. A white sports bra and matching bikini-style underwear. I drop my towel and put them on. There's a pair of skinny jeans, a black shirt splashed with neon colors and high-top sneakers with a star on the side.
"They're called Converses. They come from outside of Fiore." I look up to see Shari standing in front of me, and I'm still only in my underwear.
"Ah!" I screech. She rolls her eyes but turns away anyway.
I scramble into my clothes. "Done."
Shari walks around me and tugs at my hair. "Sit." I do, and she runs her hands through my hair with a strangely familiar pattern. Come to think of it, I wasn't sure why I was doing what she told me, maybe because she'd shown me kindness, probably against orders. Her and Axel were good people. I'll ask Natsu to go easy on them. And they way she combs
her fingers through my hair is familiar, where from?
"Lushi~" Natsu calls cheerfully sticking his head through the window.
"GET OUT!" I scream, throwing a pillow at him.
"Why?" His voice muffled
"Because I'm getting dressed!"
"How's about I close my eyes instead?"
"Whatever."
He steps into the room, shuts and locks the window and closes the curtains. "Done yet?"
I flick my wet hair out from underneath my collar.
"Yeah." He turns and I hang my towel over the back of my chair.
"Aren't you gonna dry your hair?"
"No." I crawl into bed and he follows.
"But you'll get sick!"
"I'm tired and I can't be bothered drying it."
"I'll do it!"
"No."
"Why not?"
"You'll burn the house down!"
At that he'd rolled me over and made me look at him. "Don't you trust me Luce?"
"Of course I do! Just not with fire."
"Haha. Lucy, you're funny. Come on. I'll dry it for you." He sits up and pulls me into his lap. "Be still Lucy."
He combs his fingers through my hair slowly and gently. After a few minutes my hair is dry but he keeps combing my hair anyway.
"Your hair's so soft Luce. It feels nice."
Oh, Natsu used to dry my hair this way. Before we left.
Shari then tugs at it and twists it around.
"Okay. We're done."
I put a hand to my hair. She's braided it around my head and knotted it at the base of my neck.
"Let's go." Shari tugs my arm.
"Where are we going exactly?"
"To see my mother."
This would be my chance to escape. I pat my pocket but Navi's key is gone. I dig in my pockets for her. Shoot. Where are you?
"What's wrong?"
I couldn't let on that I had one of my keys with me. I think back and remember, that I'd left it with my old clothes. Shit.
"Can we go back?"
"What? Why?"
"I want my clothes."
"I'll get them for you later. We're already here."
I begin to panic, I have to get out of here.
-Acnologia-
The eighth one brings the girl in front of me. I look her over. Nothing particularly extraordinary, blonde hair, tallish, big bust, tiny waist and brown eyes.
"You are dismissed."
The eighth bows and scuttles out of the room like the beetle she is.
"I'm Lucy." The girl says.
"Yes. I'm well aware."
-Lucy-
Oddly, she wasn't as half as frightening in human form as she was in her dragon form. Blue scales wrap around each of her legs and wind up her body and finish at her neck. Tiny black wings sprout from behind her back and a gold crown circles her head, a golden eye patch covers her right eye. She stares at me with her one good eye. My tongue begins to feel heavy and my brain slows to an almost standstill. I'm not prepared for this.
"Do you have knowledge of Lumen Histoire?"
"No."
"Do you have knowledge of the one magic?"
"Yes."
"What can you share with me?"
"It is love."
She snorts and rolls her eyes.
"What can you tell me about Mavis Vermillion?"
"She was the first Master and founder of Fairy Tail. She had knowledge of The One Magic. She still lives today in spirit, though only those with the Fairy Tail insignia are able to see her." What am I doing? I have no control over my mouth.
"Anything else?"
"No." No. Stop, don't talk anymore. Don't talk. She'll make you say something you shouldn't.
"Who are you most attached to?"
"Natsu Dragneel."
"Is he your mate?"
"No."
"Do you want him to be?"
"I cannot answer."
"Why?"
"It is not for you to know." I clamped my hand on my lips.
Her eyebrow raised and she shrugs. "Fair enough."
She stepped down from her 'throne' and circled me. She leans in, sniffs and then growled.
"EIGHTH!"
Shari ran into the room, looking panicked. "Y-yes?"
"Bring me the traitor."
She bobs her head. "Yes ma'am."
She ran out again and Acnologia sneers at me. She continues to circle me, I'm frozen, unable to move, every part of me screaming to escape, but my body just won't obey my command. Four very tense minutes later, Shari and Axel return, dragging a very disgruntled person with a black sack over their head. Acnologia yanks the sack off and I gasp as I see a very beat up Jaxson. Acnologia raises a hand and slapped him with such force that it sends him flying halfway across the room.
"You fool. Does this girl even have a trace of Vermillion's power? Well? Does she?"
Jaxson weakly raises his head to look at me, after a while his mouth pops open and he shakes his head.
"It appears I was mistaken."
"You traitor!" I scream at him. "You were going to kill us all! I hate you! I hate your guts!" I throw myself at him but am intercepted by Axel.
"Stop it Lucy, he betrayed us to keep you safe."
"NO! I'm gonna kill him! I will kill him!" I bit Axel's shoulder, he yelled and dropped me. Something hard smacks into the back of my neck and I collapse.
"Stupid girl." Acnologia says. "Kill the traitor."
"And the girl?" Shari asks.
Silence.
"She may be of use to us later. But not in that cave."
"Ma'am?"
"Give her to Shardas and Darrym. Let them play with her for an hour. Then wipe her memories and leave her in the forest."
"How far back?"
"Enough so people won't figure out she's had them removed, but so she won't remember anything about this place."
No. Leave me alone! I begged silently to Shari.
"Yes mother."
40 minutes later, I lay on the ground, violently coughing up blood.
"That's enough Shardas. Anymore and she'll die. We need her later."
"One more kick?"
"You can drag her by her hair if you like."
Someone takes hold of my hair and drags me along the ground. My hair roots screamed in pain.
"We need to take her to Anaranria."
"Why?"
"To erase her memories."
"Anaranria's dead."
"Is she? I didn't know that."
"Yeah. Jaxson killed her."
"Didn't know he had it in him."
"He's such a weakling."
"Yeah I know."
Please kill me. Let it be over. Someone kill me. Please.
"I'll take her." Shari. Thank god. "Mother told me to take her."
"Whatever." My head hits the ground. Tears of relief flowed silently as I stared at Shari's blurry figure. I needed to find Navi's key, it was my only hope.
Shari leans over me and gently puts her hand on my head.
"Shh… It'll be over soon."
A soft glow emits from her hand and my vision slowly fades to black.
What happened to Lucy's magic? Will Natsu find her or will someone else get to her first? Are Shari and Axle just acting nice to gain Lucy's trust? Does Acnologia know about the mission to destroy her army? What's happening back at the house? Read and Review for me? Thanks and loves! :)