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This fanfiction contains violence and sexual content. Reader discretion is advised.
"Where on earth did he take you?" Gajeel's booming voice caused Juvia to pinch his arm, startled by the attention he drew towards them.
"Gajeel!" she hushed. Her eyes flickered around the hallway where a few other recruits passed by curiously. "Not here."
"You do realise that the man who hurled you away like a sack of potatoes was the captain himself?" Gajeel held onto her shoulders, looking up and down in concern. "I hope you're okay, Juvia." His eyes suddenly averted from hers. "I need to apologise for my lack of action." He bowed his head, ashamed. "I should have helped you… But it took me weeks to get to fourth place, I–" Juvia grabbed his hands and held them between hers.
"It's okay, Gajeel," she smiled sadly. "It was inevitable." Gajeel shook his head.
"No, it wasn't okay," he gritted his teeth. "I should have done something. I was selfish." Juvia sighed and on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into an embrace. An action that surprised even herself. "It's okay, Gajeel. I forgive you." She was used to being abandoned. She never expected someone she only knew for one day to help her. At this thought, the image of Gray flashed through her mind.
Gajeel hesitated at first, before reciprocating the action. "It wasn't okay, but thank you, Juvia." He pulled away, holding out a fist. "We good?"
This time, Juvia curled her fingers into a fist and bumped it against Gajeel's. "We're good."
"It's time for me to introduce you to everyone." He flashed her a smirk and beckoned her to follow. "Properly, this time."
Juvia followed behind, recklessly meandering between the lively bodies of the other recruits. Gajeel's pace quickened, dodging a few recruits who were bickering.
The pit seemed bigger than ever, as without any commanders around, the recruits all occupied themselves with eating, drinking or boisterous chatter. Juvia had never witnessed such energy in a single place. The way some downed gallons of liquor near a bar stool left her in shock. A brunette in particular, caught her eye. She was bent down, her mouth caught against a barrel that poured gallons of bright orange liquid. Before Juvia could stare any longer, she realised that she had lost herself in a maze of people. The pit mirrored the same darkness as the tunnel, but it was a completely different environment. People spoke loudly, their voices assimilating into one and another, blurring until their voices became one single unit that sent echoes down the subterranean network.
Swaying, Juvia's eyes followed the dull walls of the pit. They went higher and higher, revealing a single opening where hundreds of other floors spiralled around them. Before Juvia's eyes could find a familiar figure that leaned against the metal bar at the very top, she was jabbed at roughly.
"Sorry!"
A slender woman reached out a hand, bending down as Juvia stared back at her from the floor. She tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear, offering her hand once again. "Please, let me help you up."
Juvia hesitantly grabbed onto her hand, felling herself rise from the floor as the woman pulled her upright. "I'm really sorry for bumping into you, Juvia." She quickly patted down Juvia's leather pants and extended a hand. "I'm Lucy Heartfilia," she beamed. "Is your name Juvia? Juvia Lockser?"
Juvia nodded shyly, sliding her hand in Lucy's. "Thanks."
"No problem," she laughed. "It was my fault after all." Her eyes trailed behind her, searching in the crowd. "Did you lose Gajeel?" Before Juvia could reply, Lucy interrupted her. "Gajeel probably lost you! Here, I'll help you find him."
Juvia found herself behind tugged along by Lucy, who weaved through the crowds of people expertily.
"Lucy?"
"Hm?" The blonde flickered a glance back at Juvia before training her eyes back in front.
"What exactly are… exterminators?"
Juvia found herself bumping directly into the back of Lucy, who had come to a complete stop.
"I'll take you somewhere else…"
»»—- —-««
Juvia stood in front of a stone chamber. Its walls enclosed rows of beds, each with clothes or tools scattered across the floor. The emptiness of the room contrasted with the pit, as only the two of them stood inside the dim room.
"This is where the recruits stay." Lucy pointed to a bed in the corner. "That one's mine. I don't think you have a bed yet, so stay with me for tonight." As she made her way over, she turned to glance at Juvia. "I don't know if Gajeel's told you this, but it's unisex."
Juvia cocked her head in confusion. "Unisex?"
"Yeah, unfortunately." Lucy pulled off her shirt in a swift movement. "So, it'll take some time to get used to." Juvia immediately lowered her gaze, finding interest in the iron floor.
"Oh," was her only response.
"We've all been together since the start, so we're pretty close." Lucy grabbed an identical shirt and tugged it above her head. "Wait till you see the showers," she chuckled.
"How long have you all been recruits?" Juvia queried.
Lucy rested her chin on her knuckles, squinting her eyes in thought. "I honestly don't know. Time doesn't exist anymore in our lives since we became recruits."
"What exactly are we?" Juvia bit her lip. "Recruits, I mean."
Lucy raised an eyebrow, casting a confused glance at Juvia. "You mean you don't know how you got here?" Lucy fell backwards onto the mattress, her back sliding down against the wall. "Sit," she beckoned, patting the spot beside her.
Juvia gingerly sat, her body flinching at how hard the mattress was. "I don't know why I was brought here by Gr –" she cleared her throat, "by the captain. All I remember is being taken away from a tunnel."
Lucy's eyes widened; her brown pupils immediately tracing back to the entrance. "You should be glad that no one's here." She shifted her position, leaning in closer. "Listen carefully, Juvia. I don't know how and why you became a recruit, but we're all controlled and watched by the administration. They run this world. If I'm guessing correctly, you must be a drifter." Lucy hopped off the bed and slid out a chest from beneath the bed. Grabbing at her collar, she pulled out a locket and hastily pushed it into the keyhole.
"You're one of the few people I show this to, Juvia." Lucy gazed back at the entrance one last time before turning it. A click escaped from the chest and she jerked it open. Within, layers of blankets concealed away a tattered book. Pulling it swiftly out, Lucy rapidly flipped through the pages until she pressed a finger to a page. Her eyes flickered across, mumbling before showing Juvia.
"Look," her finger landed on a picture where a familiar plaque was roughly sketched out. "Do you recognise this?"
"An alexandrite plaque," Juvia breathed out. She traced a finger over it, remembering its glow that blinded her in the tunnel the first time she ever saw one. "I heard from Gajeel that only exterminators wore these." Lucy nodded, "that's right. And an exterminator is someone all recruits are trying to become," she whispered. "And by all, I mean all, Juvia." She stared right into her eyes. "Some recruits are willing to kill to become one." Juvia felt herself unconsciously swallow.
Lucy suddenly let out a chuckle, rolling her eyes. "Ironically, exterminators are the administration's ultimate weapon." She paused, turning away her gaze. "And I'm also trying to become one," she muttered softly.
"What's so great about being an exterminator?"
"Power," Lucy simply replied. "As an exterminator, you get favoured by the administration. You're basically set for life. You get rewarded for doing the administration's dirty work." Lucy flipped to the next page, its condition browner than the previous.
"Here," Lucy edged closer to Juvia who peered on cautiously. She read aloud, "Exterminators are the administration's weapon, designed to kill."
At the edge of the page, a miniscule illustration of a dagger caught Juvia's eye. It equipped a trail of patterns that swirled around its handle, emitting a purple sparkle. Before she could look closer, Lucy slammed the book shut.
"And this will be the first and last time I'll be showing you this book," she smiled.
»»—- —-««
Naked bodies of people in the shower were something Juvia never thought she'd ever see. Grasping onto her change of clothes tightly, she was unable to move. Wherever she looked, naked bodies moved in and out of the vicinity. Shower heads were littered across the walls, but that was the only facility Juvia could see. No doors or walls covered anything that needed covering. Shielding her eyes in terror, she shrieked in surprise when a man marched past her, his wet skin grazing hers.
"Watch it," he barked. Juvia immediately twirled on her feet and turned to leave. She ducked beneath her clothes, holding it against her face as she raced back to the bed chamber. Scurrying over to Lucy's corner, she collapsed onto the floor, exhausted. Her clothes reeked of sweat, but she was too afraid to change. Back in the tunnel, she didn't have the same concerns that troubled her now. Getting changed or eating properly with other people were not on her immediate list of things to do. Two men that occupied beds directly opposite of Lucy's were eyeing her down, their gazes never leaving Juvia's as they got changed. The one closest bent over, his muscular arms raising over his head to pull off a shirt. Juvia hesitantly occupied herself with her clothes, intertwining her fingers nervously together she prayed that they would finally look away. But instead, she only found their booted feet standing directly in front of her.
"Oi, drifter," one hollered. He cracked his knuckles, baring a hideous smile as he approached her. "You're the newbie, aren't you?"
"Sorry, but we don't have a lot of entertainment around here, so you'll have to do," snarled the other. Right as he finished his sentence, he swiped a hand down, attempting to grab at her arm but she promptly moved herself away. Juvia hastily stood to leave, but only found herself captured between the hands of the recruit.
"Where do you think you're going, sweetheart?" he chirped, earning a snort from the other man. "Come here," he hummed, pouncing for her other arm. Juvia screamed as she felt the man snake his arms around her rib, heaving her into the air.
"Hey, chuck her over here," the other howled. "Let me greet the newbie, too."
Juvia shrieked as she felt herself being thrown effortlessly into the air until she landed against the harsh grip of the other man. Before he could take a hold of her, she bared her teeth and sunk it deep into his hand. When she heard him screech in pain, she pushed at his chest violently and fell to the safety of the ground.
"Grab her!"
The other man leaped across; his arms ready to seize her. Juvia carelessly moved her body away, only to slam right into a bed. Crawling away desperately, her heart throbbed as she felt her palms skid across the hard, metal floor. However, before she could leave, she felt a compulsion against her stomach and she was sent flying across the floor, crashing into the body of another recruit.
"What the fuck?"
Juvia winced as she clenched to her side. The pain arose once again, igniting her skin like a flame.
"Stay away from her!"
Gajeel's roaring voice echoed through the chamber. Her eyes slowly peeled open to see Gajeel's broad back shied her.
"Bora," he snarled. "I hope you understand what this means." Gajeel yanked down his shirt and directed a finger at his chest. As if on cue, the number '4' glowed a purple shade. Bora cocked an eyebrow and raked a hand through his navy hair. "Gajeel," he sighed. "Why on earth are you helping a drifter?" He raised his chin arrogantly. "Unless you're one yourself."
Gajeel gnashed his teeth, pounding a fist against his other hand. "You fucker, I dare you to say that again."
Before Bora could storm towards Gajeel, the entire chamber was silenced by a thundering voice. Commander Erza marched into view; her armour equipped from head to toe. Its roughness crashed against the metal floor as she paced until she was situated at the centre of the entrance.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps trailed into the chamber, where other recruits all ran inside. Even those that were dripping wet from head to toe hurried over from the showers, quickly tossing on clothes.
"The trenches" she hollered. Her eyes landed on Juvia. "Now."
»»—- —-««
The recruits all piled into a spacious room where equipment of all sorts was littered across the floor. In each corner, a different set of obstacles resided. As the recruits moved into the room, they instinctively moved into rows, facing Commander Scarlet who stood with her hands at her hips. Juvia hurried behind Gajeel, who cocked his head, beckoning for her to follow.
"Recruits," the commander bellowed. "There's been a change of plans, so tonight, we will be training earlier than usual." Beside her, an array of weapons scattered upon a table. She advanced over to an axe and welded it between her fingers. "You will be paired up." She bounced the handle of the axe calmly against her other hand. "There are no rules." She then turned on her heels, waving a hand towards a wide scoreboard that suddenly materialised upon mention. "If you do manage to make it to the next round, this will tell you what weapon you shall wield." Commander Scarlet snapped her fingers together and instantly, the list of rankings poured onto the board.
Juvia spotted Gajeel's name instantly; number 4. Her eyes glanced over the list, barely recognising any of the names until she found her own. Dead last, at number '62', her heart palpitated nervously.
Commander Scarlet's voice bounced against the walls, interrupting her thoughts.
"This counts towards your ranking." A sinister smirk plastered across her face. "So, fight to the death."
A neon glow flashed across the screen, its lights materialising into words and numbers. Beside Juvia's name, the words 'Bora' clearly spelled out. She winced, feeling the same menacing stare bore into her back.
"Juvia?" She whirled to face Gajeel. "Will you be okay?" Worry flashed over his eyes as he narrowed his eyes, the metal piercings creasing with them. "Do you know how to fight?"
Before Juvia could reply, she felt herself lurching forwards. Laughter erupted as she snapped her face to find Bora roaring with laughter. "I'll see you soon, newbie." Sending her a wink, he turned to leave. Juvia gritted her teeth, rubbing at her calloused palms. Gajeel pulled her up. "You've been falling a lot today," he chuckled. Giving her a small smile, he gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Ignore him, Juvia." He sent a glare at the other recruits that looked on curiously. "He's all talk. Make sure you act fast when you're fighting him. He's big but slow."
Juvia nodded with confidence, but when Gajeel jogged off, she felt her face sweat, her hands tremble and her heart pound. She wasn't ready at all. But she didn't have time to contemplate her options, as her name flashed across the board, with Bora's following close behind.
At the centre of the room a boundary marked a radius around a line that radiated a dim purple glow. The other recruits situated themselves around the circle, some chanting Bora's name. Juvia gulped as she cautiously made her way onto the surface. She cringed when she entered, a sudden wind flushed past her, and within seconds she found herself facing Bora in an enclosed arena. A mauve mist hovered around them, obscuring their view of everything but each other. Commander Scarlet's voice exploded, "Now fight!"
Within seconds Juvia was sent flying, her arms flailed in the air as she was slung by a fist. A clash echoed behind her and she collided against the surface. A sharp pain penetrated her spine, spiralling down to her legs until she could no longer feel them.
"I can easily destroy you." Juvia leaned against her elbows and shuffled backwards, away from the man who approached her with a single stride. He bent down and with a tug of his wrist, he yanked her chin with his thumb. "You're nothing but a drifter," he snickered. "So, don't get arrogant with me." Juvia cringed as she felt his eyes lazily drift from her face to her body. She felt his thumb trail along her jaw, lingering, as his eyes continued to venture lower down. As he extended a tongue along his bottom lip, he began to inch closer. Juvia threw back her arm, mauling her fist against his nose.
"Stay away from me," she growled. Another fist landed on his surprised face and Juvia scurried to her feet as she watched blood trickle from his nostrils.
"How dare you…" he bellowed. Wiping at his face with his sleeve, blood smeared across his menacing face. "Come here, you little –," he screamed, darting towards Juvia with greater force. He grasped Juvia with both hands, and as she struggled in his hold, he drove an elbow directly onto her face. Grinding his bone against her face, Juvia cried out in pain. She hammered her heel onto his foot and stumbled backwards. Bora simply recaptured her and wrapped an arm around her neck, tightening his hold. Juvia felt her body rise, her blood rushed to her head and all she could feel was the compression against her neck. She was suffocating. Kicking at her feet, she barely inflicted any damage as her feet simply bounced against his legs.
"You're going to regret punching me, you wrench," he snarled. With his other hand, he navigated around his pocket, pulling out a pocketknife. Juvia's arms numbed as she desperately clawed at his arms. Her eyes blurred as she realised that she was losing air. Her lungs contracted rapidly, causing her to gasp with pain.
Bora angled the knife at his teeth and teared away the sheathe.
"If you don't want to die," he hissed, "beg me." He held the blade at her neck. Juvia's chest heaved as she watched the gleam of the knife threaten her at the corner of her eye.
"Beg me," he taunted. "Beg me to be my plaything." Juvia was beginning to feel light-headed as she felt her body being lifted higher and tighter against his hold. Her chest throbbed as her pulse accelerated faster. But nothing left her more disgusted by his touch; the way his odious breath wafted at her neck nauseated her. Gaining her last ounce of energy, she once again crushed her teeth into his flesh, plummeting it until he finally released her. But before she could run away, she let out an ear-piercing shriek as she felt a sharpness enter her shoulder. The precipitous pain sent her tumbling to the ground. Her hands scrambled to her shoulder, finally finding the handle of a knife sticking out from her flesh. The sting infiltrated, sending a gush of blood streaming from the back of her shoulder. She wailed as her body burned. The sharpness seeped into her muscles. She felt faint, but her body forced her to stand. She choked on her own spit as she gagged, running as fast as her body could hold her. Juvia let out a shriek as she felt her body tearing back down to the ground.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Bora's bitten arms oozed blood, but they managed to snake around her legs and pull her towards him.
"Stop!" Juvia let out another scream as she watched the knife sink further into her. Bora's hands wrapped around the handle, and with a swift motion Juvia felt her arm disintegrate away from her body. It teared away slowly, but Juvia could not bear to watch as she felt blood splatter at her cheeks. She threw a kick at Bora who rolled backwards.
"Help," Juvia whispered. Her voice was caught in her throat. Her right hand trembled against the harsh floor, trying to pull away her body from Bora for dear life. She bit back a sob and finally let out another scream, "someone, please help me."
Swiftly, Juvia felt her body levitate as she was cradled against a strong chest. The familiar sight of a glimmering plaque came into view as it bounced against her arm.
"So you do know how to ask for help." A husky voice vibrated against her cheeks. Juvia craned her neck, and through half-lidded eyes, she watched as Gray gazed back at her. His dishevelled hair obscured his narrowed eyebrows, hiding his creased features. Juvia slowly raised a hand to sweep it behind his ear.
"Gray," she croaked. She almost immediately missed his eyes as he turned his attention away from her. Holding her against him, he made his way out of the haze. As he stepped past the boundary line, the mist parted and revealed the shocked faces of the other recruits.
"Captain Fullbuster." Gray simply carried on walking. "Captain," Commander Scarlet tried again. "You're interrupting training."
"I told you to train her," Gray snapped back. His gaze drifted back to Juvia's. Her blue eyes reflected his onyx ones, fluttering in surprise. "Not get her killed." His deep voice sent chills down Juvia's spine, and she almost forgot about the knife in her shoulder.