A/N: Hey guys, hope y'all enjoyed the end to Remedy. I posted a new story called the Rage of Acnologia, or as I like to call it, Rage of Acno, because Acnologia is just really long and I'm not the best speller on the planet. Please check it out, and thanks for the continual support!
Also, I forgot to mention! This request came from guest-reader and reviewer Zeus!
Here's the second part of Dead or Alive! Enjoy :) Just need to point out that because this is an apocalypse-themed short story, the forefront of everyone's minds is survival. I know it may seem a bit slow, but I'm just exploring this story while writing it. Let me know your thoughts.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters. If I did, Gray and Lucy would've def been together...
• Red String of Fate •
Dead or Alive (pt. 2)
IV. Tartaros
It was peaceful. At the moment, Lucy reminded herself.
Rolling white clouds delicately decorated the blue sky. Green farmland and trees stretched until the eye could see. Some barns and ranches could be spotted, dotted along the smooth and hilly landscape. A small herd of cows gently mooed before minding their own business. The occasional horse trotted and galloped in the distance - free and wild, not a care in the world. A gentle wind passed through every now and then too, reminding Lucy of how ridiculously humid it could get in the south during the summer.
"Wow," Wendy breathed in awe.
Lucy hummed in agreement, taking it all in.
It was as if the apocalypse never touched this place. No sign of any walkers. They haven't come across some in a while either. After they passed the Burgess Falls, it had been smooth sailing. Hell, they even went for a dip despite how cold the water was. Lucy wished they hadn't stayed there that long, but Wendy was smiling and laughing and carefree - a rare thing for anyone during these times.
"Gotta love Tennessee," Lucy said with a small smile on her face at the untouched beauty.
"Can we stay here tonight?" Wendy begged, eyes wide and bright with a full smile. "Please? It's so pretty out here!"
Lucy hesitated. She glanced at their surroundings once again. No walkers, no other humans... They'd been on the move constantly, floating from one place to another nonstop for about two weeks- scavenging, hiding, hunting. To be honest, she was tired, and she bet Wendy was too. She chewed her lip but eventually sighed with a small smile of her own. "Fine," she found herself saying. They needed the rest anyway.
"Yes!" Wendy cheered.
The sun was setting as they secured themselves in the barn and finally sat down to eat something after their long day. Lucy pulled out some canned food and water, and they happily sat and ate. They were both gently scraping the bottom of their cans when Wendy asked her.
"What did you do before all this?"
Lucy swallowed her last bite of Chef Boyardie. "Well, I was in my second semester of junior year in college. Then spring break, and then this happened."
"What were you studying?"
"Nothing really fun, honestly," Lucy shrugged. "Business and finance to make my dad happy, but I took creative writing electives because I love writing."
"That's cool," Wendy smiled. "Did you ever want to write a book?"
Lucy paused, replaying this conversation in her head. It was just so odd to her that they were talking about this like nothing would ever go back to normal.
"Um, yeah, I started writing a little bit of something," she said a little shyly. "It was a fantasy-fiction sort of thing."
"What about?"
"Well, just about wizards and magical guilds and fighting evil," Lucy explained, scratching the back of her head sheepishly. "Nothing too special."
"So, like a fairy tale!" Wendy beamed. "Well, I would love to read it someday! Consider me your first fan."
Lucy smiled. "Sounds good to me." She sighed and leaned back against the barn. "What about you, Wendy?"
"Well, I was in high school when this whole mess started," Wendy said. "I wanted to be a doctor someday."
"Considering how you helped patch me up, you already are."
"Hehe, thanks."
"Where did you learn all that?"
Wendy hugged her knees into her chest, staring at her shoes. "Ms. Porlyusica. She's part of my survivor group and helps patch everyone up. It looked like she needed help, so I just went up to her and asked if I could learn. My brother wouldn't let me join the raid group anyway, so I felt happy to learn how to heal everyone when they came back with cuts and scratches." She giggled. "She waved me off at first and said she hated being around people, but I'd just follow her around like a shadow to the point she just accepted it."
"She sounds..." Lucy searched for a word. "Pleasant..."
Wendy nodded vigorously. "Ms. Porlyusica may seem like a cranky old woman, but she has a soft spot. There was this one time..."
Lucy gently smiled as she watched Wendy happily talk about her survivor group. Each person she talked about had quite the character, but everyone sounded like family. She talked very fondly about her brother Jellal and how they weren't actually related but they were from the same orphanage and were fortunate to be adopted into the same family together. She then talked about a fierce woman named Erza that her brother was in love with. Lucy mentally noted not to cross this woman if she ever met her.
"And then there's Gray! He's really cool and oddly just never gets cold," Wendy said with a raised eyebrow. Lucy raised an eyebrow in turn because apparently, it was a funny thing. "He likes to walk around without a shirt on all the time. He's from Alaska originally, so I guess that makes sense..." Wendy trailed off. "But what about your group?"
"Not really a group. Just the two of us. I uh...we got separated," she said, suddenly feeling heavy but empty.
Wendy, sensing the topic to be a little touchy, reached out and squeezed her hand. "I bet they're as tough as you and are doing just fine."
Lucy felt words caught up in her throat, so she just squeezed Wendy's hand in thanks. But she was right in a way. He was tough. Way tougher than her. She knew that, but it still hurt to remember the way he screamed her name in all the chaos. That was about a year ago.
Natsu, I hope you're okay, she thought, missing her idiot, best friend.
.
.
.
The night was quiet other than the sound of cicadas.
Lucy found herself, as per usual, her back propped against a wall and hatchet in hand staring at the doors of the barn. It was more so out of habit than anything else at this point, but it never hurt to be too careful. For the night is dark and full of terrors, she thought.
Lucy froze when she heard a scratching noise come from the door. It stopped for a few moments but then continued to persist. An image of rotted hands and gnarled fingernails scraping against the barn filled her head. She silently popped up into a crouch and wielded her hatchet with the intent to kill. Her breathing steadied with each precise, quiet step she took until she placed her ear against the door. Curiously enough, there was no moaning or groaning - just scratching noises. With bated breath, she pushed the door open a sliver.
The scratching stopped.
One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi!
Lucy pushed the door open wider and almost yelped when three shadowy figures darted into the barn. She was about to throw her hatchet and scream bloody murder to wake Wendy up when the illumination from the moon filtered into the barn. She lowered her hatchet realizing they were only kittens.
"Why must you be so paranoid," she muttered to herself, eyes falling to her feet with a huff.
An eerie chill ran down her spine when she noticed another shadow appear next to her own.
"Not paranoid," a slithery female voice said. "Perceptive."
"WENDY!" Lucy yelled, quickly lunging back into the shadows of the barn.
The bluenette jolted awake, confusion on her face.
"RUN!"
Wendy fumbled around and grabbed the closest weapon to her, which happened to be a knife. Lucy led the both of them to the back of the barn where they had another entry/exit point. She looked behind her to check if Wendy was behind her, and in that one second, she was disarmed and pushed to the ground.
"LUCY!" Wendy cried.
Shit, shit, shit. The blonde squirmed, but her attacker pressed a sharp knee to her neck. She sucked in a heavy breath.
"The more you squirm, the harder I press," he growled.
"Oh, Jackal," the woman lightly reprimanded, sashaying into the barn. "That's no way to treat a new friend." She smirked, her purple lips glistening in the moonlight.
"Tch," Jackal scoffed. He lessened the pressure on Lucy's neck only a smidgeon.
"We don't have time to waste. Let's grab the girl and go."
"What about the blonde, Kyoka?" Jackal asked, grinning. "Can I kill her?"
"That'd be giving her the easy way out." Kyoka's eyes gleamed. "Just make sure she doesn't follow."
It was then Lucy felt pressure on her leg when it suddenly snapped. An agonized scream ripped from her throat, the pain so sharp, so sudden, it made her nauseous. She sobbed when she felt pressure on her other leg.
"No, stop!" Wendy shouted, pleading. "I'LL GO WITH YOU! BUT PLEASE JUST...stop..." She broke into a whimper.
"Jackal," Kyoka signaled.
"But-"
"We're late as it is," she growled. "Mard Geer is waiting at the bayou."
Jackel muttered angry expletives under his breath, letting go of her good leg.
Lucy's eyes fluttered, her vision fading in and out as she helplessly watched Wendy get dragged out of the barn. She heaved a breath, her arms shaking as she tried to raise herself off the ground, but the sudden movement sent sharp pain and another shot of nausea. Tears of frustration, anger, and fear dripped down her face until all she could see was a void of darkness.
V. The End of the Trail
"You sure this is it?" Gajeel asked, eyeing the rickety barn from afar.
"Not sure at all, but it's the closest thing from Burgess Falls," Gray responded.
Gajeel scratched his neck. "I don't like it."
Gray followed his gaze, squinting as the sun glared in his eyes, and eyed the barn doors wide open and slightly swaying in the wind. Sighing, his fingers hovered over the grip of his machete but then reached for his glock instead.
"I don't like it either."
Gajeel grunted beside him and locked and loaded his AR.
They came upon the barn - Gray posted on one side and Gajeel on the other. They nodded at each other and both swiveled around, guns high and ready, eyes scanning the entire barn. They slowly crept forward, one deliberate foot in front of the other, watching where they stepped so as not to make any unwanted noise. They moved further into the barn and thoroughly checked for any sign of life. About to lower his gun, Gray caught movement through his peripheral. He immediately straightened and pivoted towards the large stack of hay.
"Thought I saw something move down here but just found some kittens," Gajeel called out. "A little trail of blood, some walkers, and an empty gun, but what's new." He stopped behind him. "What're you looking at?"
Gray narrowed his eyes at the pile of hay. It shone in the sun that filtered through the window. Nothing moved. He slowly lowered his gun. "Thought I saw something."
Before he could say anything else, Gajeel pushed him to the ground. Gray watched in surprise as a hatchet went flying over his head and right by Gajeel and embedded itself in the wall.
"What the fuck?!" Gajeel yelled, immediately pointing his AR. "Don't fucking move!"
Gray rolled and immediately got into a kneeling position and pointed his gun where he saw Gajeel looking. His eyes widened when he saw a disheveled blonde within the hay about to grab what appears to be another lethal-looking hatchet. He wondered why she didn't have a gun but noticed the empty holster on her leg and concluded the discarded empty gun Gajeel mentioned may have been hers.
"Get the fuck away from me!" she growled.
Gray's brows furrowed. She looked worse for wear. The blonde was barely able to hold herself up, and her leg was at an awkward angle. Her eyes held a frantic look, like an animal backed into a corner, and right now pointing guns at her was not helping the situation. He slowly put his hands up.
"Gray, what the fuck are you doing?" Gajeel barked.
He ignored him and tried to make himself appear less threatening and intimidating. "We're not going to hurt you. We're just looking for a girl, in her early teens, short, blue hair..."
The blonde's eyes widened, and she slowly lowered her shaking arm holding her second hatchet. "Blue...?" Her voice trailed off.
Gray glanced at Gajeel, pointedly looking at his still pointed rifle. Gajeel nodded and lowered it. He turned back to the blonde, and her eyes seemed to glass over.
"Yes, blue," he continued. "Her name is Wendy."
"Your name?" she demanded fiercely. "What's your name?!"
"I'm Gray," he introduced slowly. "That's Gajeel." Said man grunted.
There was a thud as she dropped her hatchet in recognition, and she started crying. "Oh god, I'm sorry! I-I tried, but I-they-!"
"Woah, woah, woah, slow down," Gray said gently. "Take a deep breath."
"I-" She sobbed. "I...was trying to bring her-bring her home... I- I promised her!"
The blonde hiccuped as she tried to steady her fast, shallow breathing. As she steadied herself, Gray was piecing things together in his mind. First things first though...her leg... "Gajeel, find something so we can make a splint for her leg. Something for crutches too." The sound of quick shuffling told him he was doing just so.
"You knew me how?" he asked quietly.
She sniffled. "Wendy, she...she talked about the survivor group." She tried shifting herself and groaned in pain. "And I-ugh...remember your name, and a Ms. Porlyusica."
Gray silently scanned the woman before him. Upon closer inspection, her good leg was bandaged expertly, just as Wendy was taught to do. He remembered the bloodstain on the car they found on the side of the road after that alleged firefight in a town renamed "HELL." He remembered how Gajeel said they weren't many people who were the good-Samaritan type anymore. Her eyes were closed and her face was slightly scrunched from pain. This woman... He had never felt such an immense amount of respect for a stranger before. She didn't have to do what she did, but she not only did, she promised.
"What's your name?" he finally asked.
"Lucy." She opened her eyes. "My name's Lucy."
VI. Looking for Wendy
The afternoon light hit Lucy's eyes, which flickered and moved underneath her lids. She eventually opened them groggily, her eyes staring at the ceiling of...a car? She blinked a few times before jolting upright, remembering she passed out after having half a bottle of whiskey before being treated by those two strangers. She looked at her leg to see it was no longer at an awkward angle but now in a splint correctly aligned. Surprisingly, her trusty hatchets were neatly stacked underneath the driver's seat within her easy reach. This was a sign of trust, and she was sure as not going to break it. She was alive because of them.
"Well, would you look at that, Blondie is awake," Gajeel remarked.
"Don't worry, you're safe," Gray said, looking at her through the rearview mirror before looking back at the road.
"Where are we going?" she asked, looking out the car window.
"Memphis." Gajeel turned to look at her. "Radioed the team and we're meeting up before heading down to the bayou you mentioned in your half-delirious, half-drunken state."
"I...did?"
"Yeah," Gajeel chuckled. "Wouldn't shut up about it."
"That's what that woman said," Lucy remarked with a tight expression.
"Do you remember their names?" Gray asked.
Lucy nodded. "Jackal and Kyouka." She raised her brows when she saw Gray and Gajeel make eye contact. "What?"
"They usually don't leave anyone alive," Gajeel said grimly.
Lucy's lips quivered when she thought of Wendy, how she willingly left with those two psychopaths so they would stop torturing her. However, if it weren't for Gray and Gajeel, she probably wouldn't have made it. Really just boiled down to damn luck too because they seemed to be in a hurry.
"Barely," she managed to say. "Thank you."
"We'd been trailing you guys for a while," Gray explained. "I'm just glad we finally caught up, albeit a little late."
"What made you want to help Wendy in the first place?" Gajeel asked, curious. "Not many do-gooders in this kind of world anymore."
Lucy gazed out the window, watching the passing scenery as she thought of Gajeel's question. It was a fair question too. She hadn't really thought about it, but it all boiled down to the fact she wouldn't have been able to live with herself if she turned her back. She would have been happy dying to try and save Wendy, she realized because it was the right thing to do. After learning more about Wendy along their brief journey, the small girl gave her a sense of hope, not just because she was a walking cure, but that there were still good people like her in this twisted world. Just like Natsu.
"It's like those stories you hear when you're little," Lucy started off. "The ones that really mattered...with heroes facing trials and tribulations, fighting against darkness and danger, but when they had a chance to turn back...they kept on going because they believed in something." She finally looked at Gajeel. "I helped Wendy because I believed that it was the right thing to do, and with her, I've learned there's still some good in this world, and I can hold onto that."
"It's worth fighting for," Gray continued, seeming to agree with her.
Lucy met his eyes in the rearview mirror. She gave a small smile, feeling warm. "Yes, exactly."
Gajeel grunted, blankly staring ahead. "You would think that with so much shit that happened, it seems impossible for the world to go back to the way it was."
"It does seem that way," Lucy agreed. "However, everything does come to end - it has too."
The car was silent for the rest of the ride to Memphis. Lucy wasn't sure if they agreed with her or not, but it was what she believed because that was the way of the world. It may not end during her lifetime, but maybe more into the future.
The landscape became greener and thicker with trees, and it wasn't long until she saw the skyline of downtown Memphis, the sky orange and purple. For a brief moment of concern, she hoped they weren't driving directly downtown because hordes of walkers loved congregating in large cities, but to her relief, Gray took an exit, and they were back into the thick greenery of the trees. It wasn't until another hour later that Gray took a hidden road. It quickly became dark because the sun had set behind the trees.
"Lucy, just a heads up, the road's pretty bumpy from here to the ranch," Gray warned.
The blonde wordlessly braced herself and held onto the safety handle above her. And boy, he was not kidding. There were sudden divots here and there that bounced the car around enough to the point she saw Gajeel's face go green and her head almost banged into the window. It eventually smoothed out where it only happened here and there, but damn, it did not feel great having her bad leg move around that much.
Gray flashed his headlights in some sort of pattern toward the gate guards, who opened the gate and let them pass. Lucy was sure it was Morse code because of the brief pauses and different lengths he'd leave the headlights flashing. It was about another full minute of dirt road before they reached another gate where Gray did the signal again. He finally pulled up to the large three-story main house of the ranch and parked - him and Gajeel hopping out of the car. She looked out the window and squinted and was able to pick out two large garages, another house, and several other cars parked around all over the place. People were milling about, all carrying different sorts of weapons from a range of knives to crossbows, but no one carried a gun.
Smart, Lucy thought. Wouldn't be a safe house if they used guns often because the living and the dead would come flocking. The location was also pretty ideal because ranches had acres of land, and it was far from the radius of the city.
Gray opened the door opposite her. "Ready to move?"
"Yeah, just give me a second," she said.
"Take your time."
Lucy carefully slithered her way until her legs were dangling out the door. She scooted herself closer to the edge and tried having her good leg touch the ground, but she didn't realize how tall the truck was. Shit, was all she thought as she peered down.
"Need some help?" Gray asked with a chuckle.
She looked back up at Gray, and for the first time since meeting him, she really got a good look thanks to the warm indoor lighting from the car. Eyes as dark as the night sky itself gazed at her, seeming to twinkle in amusement, almost as if he could read her thoughts. Lucy felt the side of her lips twitch ever so slightly upward, knowing in another time or another life, just maybe...
"Yes, hope you wouldn't mind."
"Here, just wrap your arm around my shoulder and lean on me."
She did so, and he slid his arm around her waist.
Gray looked at her. "Ready?"
"Yeah."
Gray easily brought her down and gently set her on the ground. Gajeel came up to them and handed her some make-shift crutches. Lucy eyed them in disbelief, a sudden stinging appearing in her eyes. She glanced at both of them before looking down at the splint on her leg. They really did a lot for her, didn't they?
"Thank you," she said softly. "And thanks for taking me with you."
"Are you fucking nuts?" Gajeel gave her a strange look. "The hell we would leave you behind for?"
She smiled softly.
"I can take her to Chelia," Gray said. "I'll see you later."
"Yeah, yeah, see you at the briefing," Gajeel waved nonchalantly.
"This way," Gray directed with the tilt of his head.
Lucy silently followed, crutching her way behind him. On the way to Chelia, they met some people along the way. Lucy noticed Gray would slow down, so she didn't have to rush to catch up. Even so, she tried her hardest to match his pace.
Before they entered the smaller house, Lucy noted the tall hunting tower in the middle. Two members of the survivor group were posted up top with infrared binoculars.
They really do have their shit together, Lucy appreciated.
"I thought you guys were based in South Carolina," she commented.
"We are," Gray confirmed. "Gramps is good at making alliances with other survivor groups though so that when we're traveling there's always a place of refuge. It came in handy since all of us split up to look for Wendy."
"Gramps?"
He chuckled fondly. "Yeah."
Gray held the door open for her, and she was shocked to see the guest house turned into a clinic. Lucy crutched in tentatively. A young pink-haired girl, about the same age as Wendy, lifted her head at the sound of their entrance. Bright blue eyes met her own and began scanning her injuries from afar.
"Gray," she greeted without moving her eyes from her. "Who's this?"
"Chelia, this is Lucy. Lucy this is Chelia," he introduced.
"Nice to meet you," the small girl smiled.
"Hi," Lucy greeted back timidly.
Chelia stood up. "I can take care of her from here."
"Well, if you need anything, don't be afraid to ask," Gray told the blonde.
"Oh, okay," Lucy said hesitantly. To be honest, she didn't want to be left alone, but she wasn't going to admit that. Being in a new place with people she didn't know wasn't exactly comforting to her.
As if sensing her unease, Gray gave her a soft, crooked smile. "Don't worry, you're welcome here." He waved. "I'll be in the next house over."
Then he was gone.
Chelia led her to one of the many beds in the make-shift medical clinic. "Why don't you sit down here and..."
Lucy let the younger girl poke and prod her, wincing when she better aligned her leg and properly put it in a cast. Chelia gently and steadily took out her old stitches and treated all her old wounds, amazed at how she was able to survive to which Lucy could only shrug. Some of Chelia's mannerisms reminded her of Wendy; she was a lot more talkative and less timid but just as skillful when it came to first aid and emergency care. Chelia animatedly talked about everyone at the ranch that was part of her survivor group, as well as some funny stories. Her warm personality made Lucy crack a smile. For the first time since the beginning of this apocalypse, Lucy finally relaxed.
.
.
.
The humid air hit his face as Gray exited the make-shift clinic and closed the door behind him. Lucy had seemed pretty uneasy, but he knew she was in good hands. Based on all the scars and injuries he saw on her body, she needed proper bed rest. It unsettled him how much Lucy has been through, especially with Jackal and Kyouka of all people. But despite everything she had gone through...
I've learned there's still some good in this world, and I can hold onto that.
She still thought like that... Her spirit reminded him of an old, idiot friend of his.
Gray chuckled to himself as he entered the main building.
He really did meet a one-of-a-kind woman, and it just had to be during the damn apocalypse.
"Gray, my man," String greeted him with a clap on the shoulder. "Good to see you again, brother."
"Yeah, just wish it was under better circumstances."
"No kidding," Sting sighed. "Well, let's get to it."
Gray walked into the middle of a living room-now-HQ-command-post of Sting's survivor group. Rogue was silently waiting in the corner like the shadow he was. Minerva was focused on fiddling with a radio. Orga was slumped in his stool getting some quick z's. Then there was Rufus who was smoothing out the United States map. He noted Gajeel and Laxus from his survivor group on the couch.
On Sting's cue, everyone gathered around the map spread out on the old pool table. Gray eyed Rufus, and the man threw him a red marker.
Laxus walked up to Minerva. "Yo, you got Gramps online?
After a few more button presses, the radio went from static to clear but then back to static again. She glanced at Rogue, who then sighed and glanced out the window.
"Antenna's up," he stated. "Should be working."
"Piece of fucking shit," Minerva grumbled, giving the radio a good slam.
It was clear again.
"Yo, Gramps, can you hear us?" Laxus tested.
"Loud and clear."
"All right, Gray, Gajeel," Sting said. "Take the floor."
Gray eyed Gajeel, and he replied with an imperceptible nod. As Gajeel began narrating their route from South Carolina, he began marking it on the map. He circled the town that was now known as Hell in Arkansas.
"There was a massive firefight between Tartaros and Grimoire Heart in Arkansas. That's where we picked up the trail," Gajeel finished.
Everyone perked up at that.
"Long story short," Gray continued, circling the names of towns and highlighting the route they took. "We trailed them to Ozone and eventually to Tennesee and found Lucy there near Burgess Falls. She was with Wendy since the Tartaros and Grimoire Heart firefight."
"She...went out of her way to save Wendy?" Minerva asked, incredulous.
There were small whispers amongst the group, and Gray could hear the doubt. He couldn't blame them. It was hard to trust the living these days.
"My first thought too," Gajeel agreed. "But..." The whispers died down because Gajeel never went out of his way to defend anybody. "This chick's the real deal. Fuck, guys, they left her to die, but she still is ready to go and find Wendy."
"I talked to her," Gray added, now feeling everyone's eyes on him. "She knew who I was, and she knew who Porlyusica was."
And that was the end of that discussion.
"Did she mention where they could possibly be heading to?" Gramps static voice asked.
"Yeah, she said the bayou," Gajeel replied.
"That could only mean one place," Gray observed on the map.
"Yes, Ooba's survivor group confirmed sightings of Tartaros coming and going in Louisiana months ago," Gramps confirmed. "Specifically the Bijou Bayou run by a man called Mard Geer. Have Erza and Jellal returned yet from reconning the area?"
"No," Sting answered. "They radioed in about an hour ago. The connection was pretty spotty, so the only thing I was able to catch was that they said they'll be back within the next two days."
"Good, how are we looking at logistics?"
"With enough resources, we could get there within ten hours by car," Rogue calculated. "Worst case scenario, about twenty days on foot."
Orga stood up. "I'll run accountability and motor inspections tomorrow, as well as find the numbers on gasoline and see if we need to scavenge for more."
"Armory is full," Minerva added.
"I'll talk with Ooba to coordinate reinforcements and further discuss matters with Sting and Laxus," Gramps said. "In the meantime, you are to prepare yourselves."
"Sounds good," Sting agreed. He and Laxus eyed the group, and all dismissed themselves to do their own things.
Gray left for the kitchen, knowing Gajeel was close behind him. They hadn't had a good, decent meal since back in South Carolina, which was about a month ago now. It was kind of special since they practically lived on the water. They'd go fishing and get a fresh catch every day. Sometimes, if they were lucky, they'd get some crab. Just the thought of dipping crab legs in melted butter made his mouth water.
"What do you think Erza and Jellal could've seen if anything at all?" Gajeel asked.
"I don't know," Gray replied. "But the faster they come back, the faster we can save Wendy."
VII. The Insider
When Lucy woke up, it was still dark outside. She rubbed her eyes, slightly disoriented. Damn, exactly how long did she sleep? It felt like she had crossed time and space and woke up in another dimension.
"Oh, you're awake!" Chelia said happily, handing her a glass of water. "How are you feeling?"
Lucy gratefully accepted the beverage, now realizing just how parched her throat was. "I'm okay. A bit groggy from just waking up." Speaking of which... "How long have I been asleep?"
"For about two days."
Lucy choked on the small sip of water she just took. "T-Two days?!"
"Yeah, you've been through a lot," Chelia commented. "This was your body's way of saying 'Hey, chill out.'"
"Why didn't anyone wake me up?! I need to..." Lucy trailed off, wincing when pain shot through her body when she moved too much.
Chelia rose an elegant brow. "Lucy, you do realize you have a broken leg, and you'd be more of a hinderance than a help, right?"
The blonde didn't answer. She felt utterly useless at the moment, and she hated it. Wendy was important to her, and she had a duty to bring this girl home. Right now, her condition prevented her from the one thing keeping her going, and if she didn't heal soon, she felt she might go insane.
"How long will I take to heal?" Lucy finally asked, voice raspy.
Chelia looked grim. "Six months to a year."
The earth seemed to drop beneath Lucy. Her fists clenched the starch white sheets of her bed, knuckles turning white.
"I know you want to go out there and help save Wendy, but you need to trust us," Chelia said gently. "Wendy is family, and we would never leave one of our own behind." She stood up from her doctor's stool. "Let me get you something to eat. You must be hungry."
Lucy watched Chelia leave, and despite herself, warm, frustrated tears slipped down her cheeks.
I'm sorry, Wendy.
.
.
.
Gray headed toward makeshift clinic once he heard Lucy had woken up. Everyone was worried she had possibly fallen into some sort of coma, but according to Chelia, Lucy's body was injured and overworked, as well as her psyche, hence her body shut down to get the rest it so desperately needed.
He opened the door to the clinic and easily spotted Lucy amongst the other patients. Her golden, blonde hair was hard to miss. Gray appreciated how it tumbled past her shoulders and cascaded down her back. Concern laced his features, noting how she vacantly swirled her soup with a spoon. It was easy to tell she was trapped within her own thoughts, and they didn't seem to be good ones.
"Hey Lucy," Gray greeted. She slowly looked up at him, and he held back a wince when he noticed how dull her eyes looked. They were red-rimmed and slightly puffy from crying. "How are you feeling?" He hated himself for asking it because he knew she was not okay.
"I'll be okay," she managed, voice raspy.
Gray pulled a chair and sat down, crossing his arms. His face was impassive, but the only thing on his mind was that he'd sit here until she started talking to him. Whether it be minutes or hours, he didn't care because she was drowning herself. As if she sensed his demeanor, Lucy rose both her brows as if to ask "Really?" He only gave her a smirk, to which she seemed to slightly bristle in irritation.
How cute, he thought.
"I know you probably want to be left alone," Gray eventually said. "But...it also looks like you need someone to talk to. I may not be that person, but at least let me help you find that person."
Lucy's dull eyes glimmered with something, and Gray decided it was better than nothing.
"I...uh..." Lucy started. "It's supposed to take six months to a year to heal..."
Without saying anything else, Gray already knew what she meant, what she was feeling... This woman had a sense of duty and an emotional attachment to Wendy. With her injuries, Lucy was now out of the fight and had to rely on others in a post-apocalyptic world where it was unthinkable to do so. Additionally, judging her character, she hated feeling useless, and it was probably extremely frustrating how bad her injuries left her indisposed.
"We'll find her, you know," Gray said, his tone soft. "We're doing everything in our power."
"I don't like being out of the fight," she explained plainly.
"You like having control when you can, don't you?"
"I do... Because I only trust myself, especially in a world like this."
"Smart," he agreed. "However, you're out of the fight this time."
"No need to remind me," she muttered bitterly.
Gray leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "I know you don't like relying on other people, but I want you to understand that you can rely on me. You're not on your own anymore, Lucy."
She was silent, gazing into his eyes - searching for something. He didn't know what, but suddenly, a soft smile graced her lips and her eyes seemed less dull. "Okay," she finally said. "It's not like I really have a choice anyway."
Gray chuckled at her joking tone. "True, but I mean it. We'll bring her back, Lucy. I promise you that."
"You don't have to promise me. Promises are hard to keep and meant to be broken, especially during the apocalypse." Lucy's words were soft, but Gray felt the pain behind them. While her words rang true, he wanted to prove her wrong. He opened his mouth to say something, but she continued. "However, I believe you."
For some reason, those words made him feel warm. "Good," he said, leaning back in his chair.
A comfortable silence filled the air.
It was broken when Chelia stepped back in. "Lucy, did you finish your soup?"
"Oh, uh, no I didn't," she said sheepishly.
"Didn't you even touch it?!"
"Um, uh, no..."
"How do you expect to recover if you're not getting any nutrients?! Now listen here..." Chelia conntinued lecturing Lucy, and the blonde could only stared wide-eyed as the pink-haired girl got animated and chewed her out. It ended with the small doctor grabbing her cold bowl and grumbling out back to the kitchen to get it reheated.
Gray watched in amusement.
Lucy caught his look and scathingly glared at him. "Not a word."
He raised his arms in surrender, chuckling.
"If you don't mind me asking, did I miss anything these past two days?"
"I thought you said 'not a word,'" Gray teased.
"You know what I meant!"
"Well, you don't really know them, but Jellal and Erza came back from reconning the Bijou Bayou in Louisiana just a few hours ago. They briefed us, and we finally have a good idea of what we're up against. Now, we can plan accordingly."
"That's good," Lucy said. She was then silent, her brows scrunching down in thought. "Hey Gray..."
"Yes?"
"How did Tartaros find out about Wendy?"
Gray had been so focused on tracking down Wendy for the past few months, he hadn't really thought about it. Everyone in his survivor group was trustworthy, and they were sworn to secrecy by Gramps because he knew something like this could happen. It must have leaked to another survivor group in passing, and in turn, it became a rumor that Tartaros and Grimoire Heart caught lip of. But then again, that was just speculation and not hard facts.
"I'm not entirely sure," he admitted.
"I brought it up to Wendy when she first showed me her bite mark," Lucy explained. "But do you think it could have been someone in your survivor group? I hate to sound accusatory, but I told Wendy that South Carolina may not be safe anymore."
Gray stared at the floor in thought. Everyone in his survivor group was family. The thought of one of them betraying their own made him furious. His brows furrowed because he didn't remember anyone getting kicked out for anything or having a grudge of sorts. Not since he joined at least, and Wendy joined shortly after. Most knew how Gramps kicked out his own son, Ivan, for unpredictable, aggressive, and reckless behavior, but that happened before he joined and way before Wendy joined.
"I need to talk to Laxus."
"What is that?" Lucy asked, confused.
Gray looked up and followed her gaze behind him to see...a flame heading closer and closer... Before he could blink or react, all the windows shattered and flames erupted, rocking the clinic building with an explosion.
VIII. Woeful Reunion
It was a painful bright white ceiling Lucy opened her eyes too. She squinted, blinking several times to adjust her eyes to the sudden brightness. A heart rate monitor beeped in the background rhythmically, and the only other sound she heard was her own breathing.
"Gray?" Lucy called out, confused. "Chelia?"
The last thing she remembered was that they were talking...and then what? Shattered glass and scorching heat. An explosion? And where the hell was she? A hospital?
Lucy tried sitting further upright, but she couldn't move. Alarmed, the blonde looked down to see her wrists, stomach, and good leg were strapped down by leather bonds. Her bad leg was put in a new cast, elevated in a sling. A fearful cry escaped her lips as she writhed in her bonds, also noticing the IV needle in her arm and several other tubes attached to her.
"Gray?" she cried out again, desperate and scared.
The only response she received was that stupid heart rate monitor beeping rapidly.
Lucy felt her stomach drop. If an explosion actually happened, was she the only survivor from the ranch in Memphis? Was Gray dead? Chelia? Gajeel? She was so utterly confused and lost, tears began welling up in her eyes.
A sudden, violent rapping sound against glass startled her. Lucy craned her neck and met oh-so-familiar onyx eyes.
"N-Natsu?" she stuttered out, breathless, not believing her eyes.
He continued slamming against the thick glass wall that separated them, frantically yelling. She squirmed against her bonds once again, wanting to desperately hug her best friend. To her horror, two men in lab coats came up behind Natsu and grabbed him, one with a syringe filled with strange liquid.
"Natsu!" she screamed, the glass wall between them turning opaque. "Natsu!"
This place wasn't a fucking hospital. It was a laboratory. And she was now a lab rat.
Lucy halted in her frantic movements when saw two people she did not want to see again enter her glass cell.
"My, my, she's awake~" Kyouka chimed. "How delicious."
"You should have begged me to kill you," Jackal told her. He gave her a maniacal smile. "But now we'll just have fun with you."
Lucy breathing became shallow, eyes wide with fear and skin pale, as they approached her. "No! Stay away from me!" she yelled, squirming against her bonds.
"Oh hush," Kyouka cooed.
They pushed and dragged the medical bed she was in out of her cell.
"Where are you taking me?!" Lucy demanded.
Jackal gave her a demonic glare. "Shut up before I decide to break your jaw too."
Lucy swallowed thickly as she was pushed through the deep recesses of the laboratory. Left and right, she saw other subjects in their own cells. Not just the living but also the dead. Dread filled her.
It wasn't long until they reached the center of it all. Lucy's eyes widened in horror, spotting Wendy in the middle strapped down on a metallic table, slowly being drained of her blood. Several needle marks marred her arms, and her breathing was short and shallow.
"Wendy!" Lucy screamed.
The bluenette's body twitched, her head slowly turning toward her. "Lu..cy..." Wendy's eyes... They were so dull, so vacant, almost lifeless.
"Stop!" Lucy sobbed. "You're killing her!"
"So you're Lucy..." a third voice said. A man with long raven hair and snake-like eyes appeared before her. "I'm Mard Geer. It's finally nice to meet you. She would cry out your name in her sleep."
"Please...stop..."
Mard Geer chuckled darkly. "Welcome to the Bijou Bayou. It will either be your salvation or your unfortunate end."
A/N: So...what're y'all's thoughts? Any requests? If you want to request me to write something for Red String of Fate, please go ahead and PM me. If you left it in the comments, I'll try and look for it, but PMing would be easier. This request came from guest-reader and reviewer Zeus! Don't be shy! I don't bite! Anyway, hope everyone is being safe and staying healthy :)
Stay tuned for a PART THREE :D Yeah, I didn't expect it to turn out this long either, haha. Please enjoy!