Chapter 9: Phantom Lord
Lucy's head was fuzzy as her eyes fluttered open. She sat up noticing the cold, damp stone floor she laid on. Looking around the dimly lit room she found herself in a small cube like room, made completely out of stone bricks, the only thing in the room with her was a small rusty bucket. On one of the walls there was a small hole with iron bars acting as a window. A wooden door on the opposing wall. Lucy clutched her head groaning in pain, she racked her brain trying to remember what happened. Walking over to the lone tiny window, she looked out of it.
"I can't see a thing! What time is it?" Lucy asked herself as she stared into the pitch black outdoors. Her head still fuzzy, she wandered over to the door and attempted to open it, it didn't budge. Lucy slid down it letting out a long sigh rubbing her temples as she let the situation fully process through her brain. Her eyes widened as she remembered everything that had happened.
"Natsu…..Levy" She whispered quietly as she remembered how some stranger knocked Natsu out cold, then turned on Levy when she tried to run interference. Her head stung from where the assailant had hit her in the back of the head. Placing her hand on the place it hurt the most, she felt something sticky and wet on the back of her skull. Wincing in pain she immediately removed her hand, looking down at it she saw that it was now painted in a red substance, she cringed at the revelation and wiped her palm on her white skirt. She had been kidnapped, from the safety of her own house, and to make matters worse the perpetrator had attacked her two best friends, one of which she was just about to confess her feelings to, talk about poor timing.
"I need to get out of here somehow…." She slowly rose to her feet and turned to face the door. She clenched her hands into fists and began pounding on the hard wood.
"LET ME OUT RIGHT NOW!" She screamed as her assault on the poor innocent door continued. This door was standing in between her and beating up whoever had taken and tossed her inside this small room that was giving her claustrophobia the longer she was in it.
"OI! CAN ANYONE HEAR ME! I DEMAND TO BE RELEASED, THIS INSTANT!" When she heard no response, she switched her approach to trying to kick the door down. She took a couple steps back and ran towards the wooden inanimate object and attempted to drop kicking it open, she just bounced off the landing square on her butt.
"Owwww, that hurt." She winced, rubbing her now sore, and bruised cheeks. She slowly stood to her feet once more. She ran at the door again this time using her shoulder to bust the door off its hinges. Yet again she just got flung backwards, she rubbed her shoulder. Okay so maybe she wasn't going to be able to bust the door down….But maybe she could fit through the bars in the window. She limped over to the window and tried to stick her head through. It became apparent to her very quickly that her new plan wasn't going to work. So she moved to plan K.
"HELLOOOOOO!" She yelled out the window hearing her voice echo. She continued.
"CAN ANYBODY HEAR MEEEEE!" She yelled out praying for a response.
"It's kind of hard not to shortstack." A low growl-like voice alerted her to a new presence inside the room. She turned to face the man and her eyes widening as she recognized the figure standing there. The man who had attacked her friends and kidnapped her towered over her. He was tall, and had a muscular build. He had long spiky black hair that was slicked back leaving his forehead exposed. His red eyes glowered at her, his face was covered in metallic studs, he wore a sleeveless black tunic, beige pants, and black studded boots and gloves. He wore a permanent scowl, even more studs were embedded in his forearms. Lucy quivered slightly in fear of the man, but swallowed her nerves and put on her big girl voice.
"Who are you, and what do you want with me?!" She asked, getting straight to the point, the man rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.
"Like I have any idea, the bossman just wanted me to bring you here…" he grunted, but then a devious smirk played on his face.
"Perhaps the old man is just lonely." He flashed a toothy grin, Lucy felt the panic rise in her chest.
"That's sick….you can't joke about that!" Lucy shrieked, but saw the man's smirk fade into a serious expression.
"Trust me. I wasn't joking barbie." Lucy's heart pounded, fear taking her over.
"Black Steel...you wouldn't happen to be scaring the poor mademoiselle would you, because that is a non, non, non!" A new voice came from the room Lucy whipped her head back to see a lanky man with green spiky hair and an orange suit with a matching monocle appeared in the corner.
"So what if I was Sol...Are you going to tattle?" The man named Black Steel grunted back at the Frenchmen who smiled back.
"Oh Heaven's non, non, non!" Sol held up his index finger and waggled it back and forth.
"He was just upset that you got to intimidate the girl instead of him." Yet another male waltzed in, he was wearing a red jacket with a fur neck line, his two-tone black and white hair was tied up in a Japanese styled high top ponytail. Lucy slowly walked back into one of the corners as a man followed in behind the new man.
"Indeed he was very sorrowful…." A deep rumbling voice came from the tallest man, He wore a green overcoat, a top hat, and a blindfold over his eyes. The man was too tall to even fit inside the room so he was crouched down. He made the tall Black Steel look like Levy. Lucy panicked as she was now surrounded by creepers in the tiny cell.
"Ah salut monsieur Totomaru, Aria!" Sol greeted the two new figures. Black Steel grunted.
"I thought I smelled a skunk, turns out it was just you Totomaru...hard to tell the difference sometimes."
"You're one to talk Black Steel! You smell like a dump!" Lucy watched on silently as the two soon began to squabble.
"Do you want to run that by me again?!"
"I'd love to! I said you smelled like every dump in the world, on fire!"
"WHY YOU!"
"Please monsieurs! Let's calm down…" Sol pleaded, but was punched in the face by the two men.
"I'm so sorrowful that we can never get along…" Aria mournfully wept. It wasn't long before the four men had broken out in a brawl in front of Lucy. Her eyes shot to the wide open door, she took the distraction as a blessing and silently snuck out of the door while they were preoccupied. She quickly slammed the door behind her locking it to keep the four men inside to sort out their differences.
"WHY YOU! DAMN GIRL!"
"GET BACK HERE!"
"MADEMOISELLE I INSIST YOU COME BACK HERE AT ONCE."
"I'M TRAPPED! I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING MORE SORROWFUL!" Lucy ignored the yelling men as she broke out in a run. She ran down the twisting halls that were lit by dim exposed lightbulbs.
"I can't believe how easy that was…." Lucy muttered to herself as she turned a corner running into something. She fell to the ground with a thud, looking up she saw the something she ran into was more like a someone.
"What the hell…" She groaned, but the man grabbed her arm and forcibly tugged her up. He was wearing a military-like blue overcoat that went down to his feet, it had yellow accents. He had a red sash over his shoulder, his dark red hair was tied up in a ponytail, he had a thin mustache and dark red lipstick that matched his hair, he was a total creep by the looks of him, and right now his forest green eyes were staring intently at Lucy, she felt a cold shiver running down her spine as he opened his mouth to speak.
"Well , well, well….It looks like our little birdie escaped her cage...What am I to do with you?"
Natsu sat at a table inside the Fairy Tail building, clad in his Salamander outfit, his mask and hood were pulled down though. He tapped his foot on the wooden floorboards, he looked at the door for what felt like the thousandth time where Makarov, Erza, and the resident doctor at Fairy Tail Porlyusica were taking care of Levy who was in pretty bad shape. Natsu clenched his fist allowing his body to heat up, glancing at the bandages wrapped around his arm he wondered about just unwrapping it and hunting down those Phantom Lord punks who had blindsided him and taken Lucy. Shaking the thought away after remembering what his father had told him about the power contained behind the wrapping, he had to use it against Zeref and Acnologia, but Mavis knows he wanted to right now.
Gray sat at the bar solemnly, Juvia sitting next to him, her head resting on his shoulders. He glanced back at the pink haired boy who sat alone at a table in the corner.
"Gray, darling what's wrong?" Juvia tugged his sleeve, turning to look at the bluenette he sighed.
"Nothin much, I'm just thinking."
"Thinking about what my love?"
"These Phantom Lord guys….what would they want with Lucy of all people…" He could see the girl next to him shift uncomfortably at the mention of her old crew.
"I wish I knew my beloved, when I was with them they never did anything like this. I suppose many things have changed in the last four years."
"I guess….I'm still uneasy about this whole thing."
"Me too. When I was with them we believed in strength in helping people, not kidnapping and beating innocent people. Juvia feels sick that her old friends would do something so cruel. Especially Gajeel."
"Gajeel? I've never heard of him…" Juvia frowned.
"Gajeel was Juvia's closest friend. He could be cold and ornery at times, but deep down he is a nice person. It's Jose who's the problem. When he became the master of Phantom Lord, I left. He was ruthless, treated people without powers as ants beneath his boot...That's when I left and joined Fairy Tail…"
"So, you're saying this is their master's doing? If that's the case gramps might get involved."
"That's Juvia's guess. Jose is one of the strongest people alive today, so whatever it is he is trying to accomplish, it's likely he will succeed."
"Say Juvia, do you know where their base of operations is? It could help give us an edge to get Lucy back." Gray asked, Juvia pursed her lips trying to remember.
"If Juvia remembers correctly there's an old tower outside of Mt. Hakobe, and that's where they set up shop."
"Gray, Juvia. Good news, Levy is expected to make a full recovery, she just needs some sleep." Erza's voice interrupted their conversation. Gray smirked softly, while Juvia beamed.
"Really that is fantastic news Juvia is happy to hear it!" The blue haired girl shot up to her feet clasping their hands together.
"Indeed. However there is now a more pressing matter. Concerning that of Phantom Lord." Makarov walked over to the three teenagers.
"It is quite curious that they decided to attack the Mayor's house and take his only daughter. I shudder to think what devious plan Jose has concocted."
"Master, what do you think our plan of attack should be?" Erza asked, Makarov looked down at the ground, pondering. Just then Natsu slammed his hands against the table.
"I have a plan!" He announced, holding up his fist, he ignited it.
"It's called, storm the palace! It involves me burning everyone inside to a crisp to get Lucy back!"
"Natsu….We must think rationally, we all want to bring Lucy back, but that is totally out of the question." Makarov scolded, but Natsu didn't back down.
"And just why is that?!" Natsu shot back, Gray, Erza, Juvia and Mira all looked at Natsu like he had a death wish.
"You are a member of Fairy Tail now boy! When I tell you something you are to listen to it!" Makarov stood on the table now making the height difference disappear. Natsu just glared at him.
"If being a part of Fairy Tail means that I have to sit idly while my best friend is being held captive, then I don't want to be in it!" Now everyone's eyes were on the pink haired boy who was nose to nose with the master.
"Son. I understand how you feel, but you must understand, Phantom Lord is simply too powerful to take on! The only reason we would launch an all out attack is if they did something to us first, otherwise we would be no better than they are!"
"FINE! IF YOU AREN'T WILLING TO DO ANYTHING, THEN I WILL BY MYSELF!" Natsu turned to march towards the doors, but a bulky arm stopped him. He looked up and saw the muscular man known as Elfman, Mira's sister.
"Natsu. The way you talk, you really are a real man….that's why I will join you! After all you are a member of Fairy Tail now! That means it's my duty...to have your back…." Elfman's tone was uncharacteristically soft, he snuck a peak at Mira, who looked down at the floorboards sadly.
"ELFMAN AND NATSU I FORBID YOU TO TAKE ANOTHER STEP!" Makarov raised his voice at the two young men. Natsu cleared his throat.
"Master...I'm not afraid of these people...I don't care how strong they are, all I care about is that they have Lucy...I am going to get her back!" Makarov's grimace softened ever so slightly at Natsu's words.
"Natsu's right gramps. I won't sit by while an innocent person's life is in the hand of these creeps!" Gray waltzed over to stand next to Natsu and Elfman.
"And Juvia agrees with Gray!" Juvia sprinted to be at his side. Makarov's expression softened once more.
"Usually Master I would agree with you, but right now is not one of those times. If Lucy was anyone of us you would not hesitate to attack." Erza walked past her stunned master to stand next to the rest of them.
"I don't doubt you have the best of intentions….but it is too dangerous to let my children fight this foe alone!" Natsu smirked at Makarov's words.
"Gramps don't ya see….We aren't alone! Elfman said it, we are all members of Fairy Tail, and that means we have each other's back, no matter what!" The few members that were in the building watching from the sidelines erupted in agreement.
"Hell yeah Natsu! You tell him!" Cana drunkenly cheered on.
"Let's go teach those punks a lesson! For Levy, right Droy!" Jet asked his bigger companion, apparently the two had become smitten with the petite bluenette girl they had only just met a few hours ago.
"Yeah Jet, For Levy!" Droy agreed.
"I don't know about ya Sugah, but my trigger finger has been itching all day!" The green haired southern belle named Bisca chimed in looking at her black haired partner.
"I'm always ready for a good scrap!" Alzack agreed to hold up his twin pistols. The two smirked at each other.
"I myself find it hard to resist a good brawl every now and then." Mira, ever so cheerful announced from behind the counter. That's what broke Makarov, his heart swelled and eyes watered as he looked around at his children standing together in unison for good cause. It was easy to get caught up in all the constant bickering that at the end of the day everyone in Fairy Tail was a family, it didn't matter if you had been in the guild one day or one year, as long as you wore the mark. You were family.
"...My sweet children…." Makarov's body began to shake. Natsu marched on over to him and held his hand out.
"You see Gramps. None of us are scared." Makarov took the boy's hand, wiping away his tears.
"Then what are we waiting for? Fairy Tail….IT'S TIME FOR BATTLE!" The guild exploded in cheers. Natsu and Makarov smiled at each other.
"You may be the death of me dear boy...but them again, perhaps you are exactly what we needed to remind us of who we are."
"Don't be ridiculous. We are all here, because of you, because you saw something in us when nobody else would!"
It didn't take long for the entire guild to get themselves ready to attack Phantom Lord's hideout, and soon they were marching on over to Hakobe Mountain.
Lucy was now tied up in a chair struggling to break free. She looked at the only other person inside of the small cell with her. He wore a twisted grin on his long face, he stroked his mustache as he looked down at the young girl.
"So little birdie...I guess an explanation is in order as to why you are here." He spoke out softly, Lucy just glared back at him.
"You won't get away with this! Do you know who my father is?!" Lucy shot back, now in any other situation she would have hated playing the good old my day is the Mayor trick, but she figured now was the best time to use it. The tall man laughed at her in reply.
"Of course I know who your dear old Daddy is...But my question is, do you know him as well as you think?"
"And what is that supposed to mean you...you freak!"
"I suppose I should start with an explanation. My name is Jose Porla, and I serve as the master of the Phantom Lord guild."
"And I could care less!" Lucy bit back, Jose just smirked in reply, walking forward he raised his hand and slapped Lucy's cheek. Lucy's head whipped to the side from the force, she hissed in pain as the noise echoed throughout the tiny room.
"Now, now, is that anyway to talk to the person who holds your life in their hands."
"What do you want?" Lucy whimpered. Once more Jose's face contorted into a twisted grin.
"Why I want nothing less than sweet revenge...Your father is not the kind hearted man you think he is!"
"W-What are you talking about?!"
"Isn't it strange how a simple farm boy, somehow became a millionaire seemingly overnight? How can he become elected Mayor despite having no real qualifications to do so?!"
"P-Please just let me go, and I'll give you anything you want…" Lucy pleaded.
"I WANT JUDE HEARTFILIA'S HEAD! I WANT HIM TO SUFFER! THAT BASTARD TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!"
"W-what?" Jose took a calming breath.
"Jude and I were partners you see. We hatched a plan. A get rich quick scheme….and it worked, and for years we lived happily, your father got married as did I….twelve years later and he comes to me, telling me that he has a new grand plan. To become Magnolia's Mayor. He asked for my help! I lent him the funding, I did his marketing and campaigning! I did everything for him, and how did he thank me….He threw me to rot in a cell just like this one. He took every last penny from me...My dear wife, she left me, took my own son with her…." Lucy listened to the story with wide eyes, she was in pure disbelief.
"I made a vow that day I heard they had died in a plane accident….That I would destroy Jude's life. I would make him watch as the world he falsely created came crumbling down! What better way than for him to watch helplessly as his own daughter dies in front of him…" Jose smacked Lucy again, causing tears to drip from her eyes out of pain and confusion. She looked up at the fuming man.
"P-please….y-you don't have t-to do this…" She begged for her life, Jose just spat in her face.
"Of course I do. It's what he deserves. Now he shall get a front row seat as his legacy is destroyed. His precious city becomes overrun, by the very same man who helped him reach the power he wields." Jose grabbed a knife from his belt and held it up to Lucy's throat, she shook uncontrollably as he applied pressure, small drops of blood falling down her neck.
"Make no mistake little birdie...you are going to die...but not yet….I have too many years of repressed anger on your father I need to let out." He raised the knife, Lucy shut her eyes tightly unable to hold back the cry of pain that came from her mouth as she felt the cold metal impale her shoulder, blood dripped from her shoulder as she screamed in agony. Jose relished in her screams and his twisted grin grew as he turned his knife while it was still embedded in her shoulder. He couldn't contain the cackle that escaped from his throat, relishing in the young girl's pain. That came to a halt when a loud explosion could be heard coming from below them.
"What the Hell is happening now?!" Jose grumbled pulling the knife of Lucy's shoulder as she whimpered, tears pouring from her eyes. He turned to the blonde once again holding a white cloth in his hands and dousing it in some liquid.
"I'll be back for you…Until then I can't have you pulling another one of your escape tricks." Lucy's eyes widened while Jose pressed the rag against her face. She let out a muffled scream and struggled, but against the much older and stronger man it was no use. Soon everything went black for her. The last thought she had before succumbing to the darkness was that she would make it through this, because she had to see him again. She would see Natsu once more…
Chapter 10: Phantom Lord vs Fairy Tail!