Chapter 24: Prisoner 8
Natsu woke up in the most pain he had ever been in. His leg was throbbing the spots where Brain had brought his hammer down onto his leg now had large swollen purple, and yellow bruises. His hands shot to grab it he winced in pain as he sat up, a pain filled groan escaped his lips as he rested himself against the cold metal wall. He looked around and noticed he had been laying down on a gross and worn out yoga mat, with an itchy blanket and flat pillow. The room he was in was a small square room made completely out of some kind of metal, except for one thick plexiglass wall. He attempted to stand up, but fell back down crying out in pain, clutching his leg he fell to the metal floor face first with a thud. There was a knock on the wall next to him.
"Hey, are you okay in there?" A feminie voice called out. Natsu struggled to sit back up.
"I'll be fine…" Natsu replied, he crawled over to the fake glass wall and glanced out of it. He noticed that he was in a hallway composed of many other similarly styled cells. He looked down at himself wearing only his boxers he let out a small shiver, not used to not being able to use his powers to keep himself warm. Turning around in his cell he crawled on the floor to grasp the itchy blanket and wrap himself around in it. As he picked it up a rolled up bundle of clothes fell out. He picked up the bundle and unrolled it soon he was holding a grey jumpsuit with a number stamped in roman numerals on the front his was VIII or eight as he recognized. On the back the word NIRVANA was imprinted in all caps. Figuring something was better than just his boxers he hastily put the jumpsuit on wincing as he had to sit down to put his left leg through the hole. As he was getting dressed he noticed that thankfully his arm was still covered in the wrap keeping Igneel's power inside of him, and that his other one was just looking worse, it felt completely numb and the purple lines seemed to just keep growing. He stood up hopping up and down on one foot, and made his way back to the glass wall. This time he noticed there were people in the cells across from them, he pounded on the wall to get their attention.
"Huh?" One of the men across from him looked up, he had medium length blue hair, and wore a matching grey jumpsuit to Natsu only his number said three in roman numerals, he also had a collar around his neck. The most noticeable feature about him was on his face, an intricate red tattoo covering the right portion of his face, Natsu recognized him at once as Erza's boyfriend.
"Jellal?..." He called out to the man who walked over to his own glass wall, and gave Natsu a stunned expression.
"N-Natsu? What are you doing here? I thought you didn't have powers?" He asked stunned, Natsu shrugged.
"I have always had them, just couldn't control them until recently…" He leaned up on the glass to support himself so he didn't need to keep hopping. The pain was almost too much to bear, but he wasn't about to let the people here know that, he couldn't show weakness, that's what they wanted.
"Jellal, you know him?" The same voice from next to Natsu as before asked the blue haired man.
"Yes I do Ultear, and you should recognize him as well, He's friends with Gray, and Erza…" Jellal informed the woman Natsu couldn't see.
"Oh I see, Natsu was it? Yes that name does ring a bell...I am Ultear, Gray's cousin…." She introduced herself through the metal wall.
"I think I remember seeing you around at some of Gray's hockey games…" Natsu stated trying to remember what the face of the woman next door looked like. He was horrible with names alone he needed to know the face that was associated with it. He shrugged after racking his brain a little.
"That is quite possible, my mother forced me to come to him and Lyon's games for years…" Natsu saw Jellal's face fall into a frown.
"Ughhh….would you lot keep it down?! My head is killing me!" A new voice yelled out from the cell to Jellal's right, Natsu glanced at it's direction and saw a very drunken looking man leaning against the glass. He was only wearing the pants of his jumpsuit, and his jet black hair was slicked backed into some kind of bun. He had a swollen black eye that prevented him from opening it all the way.
"Maybe that will teach you not to be such a moron and attempt to smuggle the guard's flask…." A new voice suggested in a judgemental tone. This time it came from the other side of Natsu, it was another femine voice that sounded monotone as if this wasn't the first time this conversation was had.
"Shut it Kagura! They may have me locked up in here, but they can't force me to sober up! That's just immoral!"
"Ummmm Bacchus...I think you have a problem, maybe it's for the best that-" A new delicate sounding voice coming from a girl with short white hair next to Jellal's cell started, but Bacchus quickly cut her off.
"Do not go there Yukino! I don't have a problem! The only time I have a problem with drinking is when I run out! So these guards are about to have a problem if they don't know what's good for them!" Bacchus snapped, Natsu watched as the girl bowed her head a little.
"Now Bacchus, we've been over this. We are all stuck in here together, let's not take it out on each other…" Jellal tried to act as a moderator, Bacchus grumbled a little, but then made eye contact with Natsu who was sitting there silently listening to the conversation and he smirked a little.
"Hey newbie...What's your name?" He asked, Natsu looked over to him confused.
"Oh me? It's Natsu…." Bacchus' smirk grew into a large grin. As Natsu replied.
"Man….you look like shit! And I thought I got wild! What's your story? You don't look like a drinker….Maybe you're more into the hardcore stuff…."
"Bacchus that's enough, leave him alone…" Kagura's voice came from next to Natsu. Bacchus glared at her, and then returned his gaze to Natsu.
"Oh relax….I'm just trying to learn some more about our new friend….So come on, what's going on….I can tell there is something in your body right now….Meth? No you don't strike me as a druggie either…."
"...Poison…." Natsu replied feeling a little woozy, his arm now becoming entirely numb.
"HOT DAMN! I KNEW YOU WERE A WILD ONE!" Bacchus cackled. Jellal, and the white haired girl Yukino both send Natsu looks of concern.
"D-Did...Cobra poison you?" A new quiet voice asked, her voice shook a little as she spoke, Natsu looked around for her, but couldn't see far enough down.
"Yep...Why? Did he get you as well?" Natsu asked the voice, he heard her whimper a little.
"N-no….I just can't believe he would do something so cruel…."
"It's okay Kinana…" Ultear tried to comfort the voice Natsu assumed was coming from his side of the hall.
"Come Kinana….It is alright Cobra has just been led astray by Brain, like I had been previously OH YEAH!" Natsu tilted his head in confusion at the final voice, he looked and saw a large ginger man standing in the cell next to Yukino.
"You think so Richard?" Kinana asked softly.
"I am sure he will discover the path of light again as I have! OH YEAH!"
"...Thanks…I really hope my Erik is still inside him somewhere…"
"They used to date before all this happened…." Jellal explained sadly as he noticed Natsu's confused expression.
"...Ah…" Was all Natsu said. Bacchus grinned as he looked at Natsu once again.
"What about you Natsu? Do you have a special someone?..." He asked, Natsu glanced at him confused as to why this was relevant, was….was he coming onto him?! Natsu shuddered a little at the thought and replied.
"I-ummm guess?...I think?...I dunno it's complicated…."
"How is it complicated?" Yukino asked him sweetly. Natsu shrugged.
"It's just one of those things...We've been best friends forever, but neither of us made a move….I think the ship sailed and I missed my chance...Besides it's not like it matters seeing as I'm stuck in here for the rest of my life…." Natsu muttered the last part as he rubbed the arm that was now completely covered in purple marks remembering Brain's promise to completely break him.
"Don't think of it like you'll never see them again...You have to use the love you have for this person as motivation to survive this Hellhole…OH YEAH!" Richard exclaimed, Natsu smirked a little as his mind pictured reuniting with Lucy.
"...I guess you're right…." Natsu smiled softly looking down at the floor. The image of his blonde best friend came to his mind, he could see her smiling face as she hugged him tightly and scolded him for being reckless or something.
"...I'll live for her….I won't let this place break me….no matter what." Natsu whispered to himself, just then the sound of footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway. Three guards clad in full SWAT team riot gear walked up to his cell, two of them were tall and lanky, the other one was short and stout. They all had matching all black bulletproof vests over thick black jackets and pants and their entire face hid behind a mask that went up to their nose, goggles, and a black helmet. They looked intimidating to be sure, but Natsu didn't back away from them, instead he glared as they came to a halt in front of him. One walked off to the side while the other two stood and stared him down. The one that walked away swiped a card and punched some numbers into the keypad next to his cell. A split second later his glass door slid open.
"Prisoner eight...you are coming with us…" One of the guards standing in front of him reached forward and tugged him out into the hall by his collar. The other prisoners watched on silently unable to prevent what was happening, some turned to look away completely.
"It's initiation time freak!" The second one pushed Natsu forward which caused him to lose his balance and fall onto the ground. He groaned out in pain as the three guards began laughing, why did they sound vaguely familiar? Two of them walked to either side of him, and hooked their arms around his, the third one closed his cell back up as they dragged Natsu off somewhere. He took a deep breath remembering what Richard had said and his promise to himself, he kept the image of Lucy fresh on his mind as they dragged him into what appeared to be a large storage room. The two guards dragging him picked him up and tied his arms to a rope that was hanging up from the ceiling. It lifted him up in the air a little making his broken leg dangle a little. The guards all at once removed their helmets and Natsu's eyes widened as he recognized their faces.
"Oh look at that boss….I think he remembers us…." The chubby one with green hair beamed. Natsu gulped sure enough he remembered them all too well. His bandaged wrapped arm stung a little remembering the last encounter he had with them.
"Good….that will make this more satisfying...you ruined everything Salamander….I'm going to enjoy every second of this..."
"...Go to Hell Erigor…." Natsu spat in the face of the man who had gotten up a little too close to his face. He didn't know how but standing in front of him were the members of the gang known as Eisenwald he had taken out on his very first outing as Salamander.
"Oh, my dear friend….don't you see….we are already there….Kageyama….I believe you are allowed first dibs, remember Brain said to give it all you got…" Erigor smiled at his lackey. Kageyama stepped forward cracking his knuckles with a wicked grin on his face. Natsu gulped and attempted to break free of the rope, man he really missed his powers. Kageyama sent a strong punch to Natsu's gut that knocked the wind out of him causing him to cough up a lung. Kageyama beamed as he delivered a flurry of punches to Natsu's midsection as if he was a punching bag.
"Hey! What about me?!" Karacka whined, Erigor smiled and waved his hand in front of the man.
"Patience my friend….We have all the time in the world with Prisoner eight." Erigor spoke in his creepy whispery voice.
"Damn right! Wait your turn! I've waited for this for a long time!" Kageyama snapped at his fellow Eisenwald member, he turned away from Natsu who groaned out his midsection feeling like he had been run over by a semi. Kageyama picked up a metal pipe that was laying on the ground and returned to his helpless enemy.
"Hey...watch it….I'm not a piñata!" Natsu quipped, but just as the words left his mouth the metal pipe had struck his ribs with a lot of force. Despite trying to hold it in Natsu let out a pain filled scream. He took a few shaky breaths closing his eyes shut tight. He kept thinking about Lucy, praying to whoever he could that he was going to survive this to see her again. The seven other prisoners were forced to listen as Natsu's cries filled the hall, Jellal winced with each audible swing of Kageyama's pipe.
"This is ridiculous...It's torture! We need to stop it!" Kagura shot up to her feet and threw her weight against the glass, but it didn't budge. She began pounding on it in hopes that it would break, but nothing.
"Yeah….It is truly sadistic, but unfortunately there is nothing we can do without making things worse for him…." Jellal muttered sadly hating the idea of anyone being inflicted with the pain Natsu was going through. The next time they heard Natsu scream out in pain it was followed by the audible cracking off a kendo stick being whacked repeatedly on Natsu's body. Yukino shut her eyes as tight as she could and let out a small whimper at the thought of anyone being in pain.
"IS THAT ALL YOU GOT!" They heard Natsu's voice yell out causing them all to sigh.
"He's got spirit….but this is a place where having spirit makes you a target for them….They are going to destroy him…" Ultear sighed softly. She winced as the smacking sounds of the bamboo weapon grew louder, and faster. Natsu's cries once again filled the halls.
"...Poor Natsu…." Kinana spoke in a quiet voice.
Natsu's relentless cries and beating soon came to a halt as Karacka had been told to stand down from Erigor who was now stalking Natsu with his trademark scythe in hand.
"You remember this...don't you?" Natsu breathed heavily and didn't say a thing, but he glared at Erigor who grinned wickedly as he held it up to the side of Natsu's neck and slashed at it. Natsu cried out as the sharp metal cut through his skin twice in the shape of an 'X' similar to the one on his midsection from Gajeel. Blood trickled down his neck as he fell somewhat limp.
"Oops...guess we have to clean him up now…..Get the bucket…" Erigor commanded the other two who wore equally sinister grins and ran off, they came back with a large wooden crate full of water with floating ice cubes in it. Erigor cut the rope hanging Natsu in the air with his scythe making him fall down to the ground. Erigor picked him up by the back of his shirt and dragged him over to the bucket Natsu didn't have a second to register what was happening until his head was forcibly thrust under the water causing him to squirm and gurgle he struggled to get up to the surface for fresh air but it was no use Erigor had to good of a grip on him. It wasn't until he was ready to pass out and his limbs stopped squirming that Erigor pulled him back up, he threw him on the ground as Natsu coughed up water and tried to get fresh air in his lungs. Erigor looked at the watch on his wrist and frowned.
"Okay boys, sadly that's all the time we were allowed..." He spoke and the other two begged for five more minutes. Erigor ignored them and crouched down to Natsu's level who was still trying to catch a breath.
"You've made some powerful enemies Salamander….Unfortunate for you that most of them have ended up here….Each and every one of them wanting a piece of you…." He threatened, Natsu glared up at the man and smirked.
"If they are as pathetic as you….I'm not worried…" Erigor snapped at Natsu's retort and picked him back up, he dragged him back to the water bucket and repeated his previous actions.
"I...am...not...pathetic!" Erigor seethed through clenched teeth, his grip on Natsu's head tighter than before as Natsu flailed his limbs worthlessly and gurgled from under the water.
It was twenty more minutes before Natsu was finally thrown back into his cell, his head completely drenched, his midsection totally beat up, and his neck bleeding. He groaned as he tried to stand back up the other prisoners looking at him in pity, but he just flashed his signature grin.
"Out of curiosity when do we get fed?" He asked as if the previous hour had never happened. He was in pain for sure, but it was like he told Lucy after his fight with Laxus, pain is temporary and would heal, but it was worth it as long as he was going to see her again, and dammit he was going to see her again. So bring it on Brain! Natsu was just getting fired up there was no way he was going to go down without a fight! The poison coursing his veins continued to spread, but Natsu ignored the fuzzy feeling in his head.
The Fairy Tail members plus Meredy were currently huddled up at their favorite restaurant The 8 Island, they quickly stopped at the guild to drop Asuka back off with her parents. Gray had called his cousin Lyon to meet them, and Levy had called Gajeel which left Lucy a little confused.
"He would be useful if there was a fight!" Was all Levy said when she was questioned on it by Lucy who had shrugged it off, she was willing to look past everything Gajeel did in Phantom Lord so long as he made up for hurting Natsu and Levy, and helping get Natsu back would be a great way to start. They sat at a large booth with a table pushed up to it so they had enough seats. Soon Gajeel showed up clearly wanting to be anywhere but there, he was followed by the arrival of Gray's cousin who showed up with a young girl maybe a year older than Wendy.
"Sherria!" Wendy beamed and waved at the girl she obviously knew from somewhere, Sherria grinned and ran over to meet Wendy, the two young girls embraced each other in a big hug.
"Why have you called us here Gray? Sherria and I were closing in on a money laundering scheme." Lyon asked his cousin as he plopped into a chair next to Lucy in a huff.
"Woah! Is that true Sherria?!" Wendy asked her friend awestruck. Sherria beamed her grin stretched from ear to ear.
"You bet! Lamia Scale has been on the trail of this one gang for a while, Lyon and I were hoping to gain some evidence to incriminate them." Sherria explained cheerfully, Lucy and Levy blinked a few times sending a glance at each other.
"What's Lamia Scale?" Levy asked the question the two were both wondering. Lyon looked at her like she was a moron.
"Lamia Scale is a guild, just like Fairy Tail. To my knowledge there are several in the major all over Fiore." Erza explained.
"And Lamia Scale is the best out of all of them...Ah hello Juvia you look positively stunning this fine day!" Lyon had noticed the blue haired girl sitting next to her boyfriend. She blushed slightly, but Gray reacted by glaring at his cousin and throwing an arm around her.
"Watch it Lyon…." He hissed, Lyon just held his hands up defensively.
"What is this about anyway?" Gajeel groaned, wanting to get straight to the point. He sat at a chair in the corner, his cheek resting on his fist looking bored out of his mind. Levy sent him a small glare.
"Meredy would you care to fill everyone in?" Lucy asked the pink haired girl who had stayed silent that whole time. She nodded and proceeded to fill all the newcomers in on the situation regarding Nirvana and Crime Sorcière. Lyon shifted in his seat at the mention of his other cousin Ultear, Sherria looked up softly at Lyon and laid a supportive hand on his shoulder, blushing as she did so. Gajeel listened with moderate interest once he heard that Natsu had also been taken.
"So...What I'm hearing is Salamander needs my help…." Gajeel grinned at the idea of not letting Natsu live it down that he had to get rescued.
"It sounds to me that this conspiracy goes deeper than just the Oración Seis….This Mard Geer character, what do we know about him?" Lyon pondered.
"Little to nothing in all honesty." Levy confessed looking down at the table.
"Not to mention we don't even know where Nirvana is…" Erza added.
"...I think I have an idea…" Lucy spoke up and all eyes looked at her.
"What is it Lu?"
"We need to cause a scene that would cause the taskforce to step in, maybe stage a fight?" And then infiltrate Nirvana in disguise as guards….We won't be able to attack them head on, we have to take a more stealthy approach…." She stated.
"But what happens if we break everyone they captured out of Nirvana? Mard Geer would just increase the size and strength of the taskforce…" Gray countered, Lucy thought for a second before Levy spoke up.
"Then we take him down with them! If we can find a way to connect him with the Balam Alliance he would be forced out of his position of power meaning the taskforce will be disbanded!"
"Sounds good to me...we should divide into two teams of five, one to sneak into Nirvana in disguise and the other to bring down the Mayor." Erza smirked. Everyone nodded in agreement.
"I'll volunteer to go into Nirvana! If Natsu or anyone else is hurt I can heal them!" Wendy volunteered. Before anyone could disagree Sherria stood up.
"Yeah! And I'll go with Wendy!"
"I doubt I would be much help breaking into some place, but I do want to do something to help….I will research Mard Geer." Levy spoke up, Gajeel glanced at her and smirked.
"You'll need some help shrimp...luckily for you I happen to be a world class detective gihee!"
"If Sherria is volunteering to go into Nirvana I guess I'll go with her to keep her out of trouble." Lyon looked down at the young girl who beamed up at him.
"That settles it. I am staying far away from Lyon." Gray muttered, but still gave a small smirk to his cousin.
"Juvia will be with her darling Gray!" Juvia flung her arms around her boyfriend who blushed slightly while Lyon looked away grumbling.
"I would like to sneak into Nirvana, I wish to free Ultear and Jellal…" Meredy spoke next. Lucy sighed as she looked over to Levy and was about to volunteer to help take down Mard Geer, but something inside her gut prevented her.
"...I might not be too much help in a fight, but I am still a member of Fairy Tail….And I want to help get Natsu back….I will go to Nirvana!" she announced, Erza gave her a confused look but sighed.
"Very well….I wish you luck in your mission….It looks like I'll be on your team Levy." Erza smiled at the blue haired girl who was staring at the blonde in confusion.
"...Lu? Are you sure? It is going to be dangerous…." She tried, but Lucy just smiled at her.
"I know it will...But Natsu has put himself in danger countless times for me…It's time for me to do the same for him." Her hand reached up to grasp his scarf that she had wrapped around her neck. Her grip tightening around it she just hoped he would be okay until then.
Natsu couldn't sleep, not only was the sleeping arrangement more uncomfortable than his and Lucy's apartment floor, but he was just in so much agonizing pain. He moaned as it felt like his insides began to burn, clenching his fist he urged himself to ignore it, but it was so intense. He was also really warm, he had already stripped down to his boxers and was laying on the cold metal, but he was burning up. On top of that the purple marks were slowly beginning to move across his chest, the poison was moving fast, and it was agonizing. He would rather take a thousand beatings from Erigor and his cronies over another second of this pain. He rolled around on the ground as sweat dripped down his entire body he let out another groan in pain. Suddenly he felt very sick, he began coughing and gagging, and seconds later his dinner was inside the small bucket in his cell. He collapsed back down and tried to fall asleep, but instead he continued to roll around in agony.
"It's incredible isn't it? How fast it spreads once it's in your system." The voice of Brain caught Natsu's attention, he looked to the glass wall where sure enough the large man in a lab coat stood with his arms behind his back.
"What...do you….want?" Natsu slurred as he tried to sit up but was too dizzy and fell back down.
"I wanted to check in on you to see your progress…..I see Erigor had his fun with you…" Brain noted as he looked at the bruised, cut and blistered chest of Natsu it was so bad that his entire stomach was shades of red, blue and purple.
"I've...had worse…."
"Well it's a good thing we have just begun….I hope you weren't having any intention of a good night's sleep….Allow me to introduce you to my son…." A young man with black hair and eyeliner walked into Natsu's line of sight.
"...I fail to see the resemblance…" Natsu smirked, but Brain and his son frowned.
"His name is midnight….You will come to know him very well over the coming week." With that, Brain walked away leaving Natsu alone with Midnight who proceeded to walk away leaving a confused Natsu to wonder what that was about. He was finally able to shut his body down an hour later and drift into sleep. What a bad idea that was….
Chapter 25: Nightmares