I got a new chapter for you guys, and oh boy do i think your all gonna go nuts with it. You'll see why when you read it.I dont really have much to say about this one without spoilers, but I really do hope that you all leave a review, we really appreciate it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach of fairy tail. Those belong respectively to Tite Kubo and Shounen jump and Hiro Mashima and Weekly shounen magizine. This is just for fun!
Ankoholic's Disclaimer: As you can probably imagine I do not own the Fairy Tail or Bleach series or any of the characters that appear in either. The honor of being the man behind Fairy Tail belongs to the one, the only Hiro Mashima. Oh, and Bleach's creation rests solely on the shoulders of Tite Kubo. Oh sure, I've purchased plenty of manga, DVDs, video games and maybe a few too many Rukia Kuchiki and Erza Scarlet action figures and statues (though only the Fairy Tail merchandise remains at this point), but the series themselves? Oh no, they're certainly not mine. You'd know if it were me in charge. Though to explain how different Bleach would be, well to detail that would take a higher word count than this story will eventually end with. Though oddly enough, little would actually change about Fairy Tail. Huh. Go figure.
The guild hall of Fairy Tail had been home to many brawls in its existence. The first such occurrence had been between two of its founding members, Precht Gaebolg and Yuri Dreyar. It had not been a battle born out of maliciousness on either side. No, the two had simply made the dire mistake of celebrating a successful mission by drinking perhaps too much alcohol. An argument had spawned as a result, one that centered on who had been the more important factor in their mission's success, and the battle had begun. It had been left an undecided matter, the distraught first guild master of Fairy Tail, Mavis Vermillion, managing to put an end to the fight by shaming the two wizards with words alone.
The fight had ended, yes, but it simply been a sign of things to come. For decades had the Fairy Tail guild hall been quiet after that night, the likes of its second and third guild masters being able to keep its members in line. Precht, despite his intoxicated state that day, had managed to take Mavis' words to heart. When his time as the second guild master had come to a self-imposed end, he had made certain that his successor, the formerly unruly Makarov Dreyar, had taken then to heart as well.
However, none of the three guild masters had ever expected the next generation of Fairy Tail wizards to be the most rambunctious lot of individuals the word had ever seen. Makarov's words, passed down from Mavis and Precht, had fallen on deaf ears time and time again. The likes of Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster and Elfman Straus fought amongst themselves time and time again, their actions a black hole that dragged in the majority of the guild as well. Still, much like the battle between Precht and Yuri from decades earlier, they were not mean spirited, they were not driven by a malicious nature. Fairy Tail's guild hall had not seen a battle like that in its existence.
Until now.
Levy McGarden found herself alone in a battle not with a fellow Fairy Tail wizard, but with a member of Phantom Lord. This man, cloaked in the violet color of his guild, was not merely looking for entertainment. He was not looking to simply find pleasure in battle.
No, he had come here to kill one of his own, the captured and recovering Iron Dragon Slayer of Phantom Lord, Gajeel Redfox.
"You're going to stop me?" the man asked as he kept his strange katana by his side, his eyes peering out from underneath the shadows of his hood. "What a foolish little woman you are. You should have just stayed down and let me kills this failed wizard. I have no quarrel with you... yet."
Levy did not let the man's words get to her. She was going to stop him one way or another. However, she was also not so foolish as to try and fight him head on. She had managed to take his attention away from the helpless Gajeel, but she knew that was the most she could hope for. Now she had to get others down here. Erza, Cana or Liltotto, surely any of those three alone could handle this man. Levy began to open her mouth then, preparing to scream at the top of her lungs.
Then she suddenly felt a black gloved hand clasp around her face, her jaw held tightly shut. The cloaked man had cleared the space between them in the blink of an eye, leaving the Solid Script mage in shock.
"Clever girl," the man said. "You do know better than to fight me along. But don't think I'm foolish enough to let you summon reinforcements. I'll just- No!"
The cloaked man had seen it out of the corner of his eyes, Levy's hand tracing a series of letters in the air. IT had not taken the man long to realize that she had been righting the word sound. Was her magic capable of producing a noise loud enough to alert the wizards upstairs?
The man would not take that chance. He threw Levy aside and swung his katana around, the blade cutting through the ethereal nature of the word. The magic that held the letters together dissipated altogether in response, leaving Levy's tactic undone.
"You are a clever one indeed," the man said as he looked back at Levy. "I know of you, yes. You are not one of Fairy Tail's strongest, but you do possess a keen mind and a versatile magic. Perhaps it would be best for Phantom Lord if I put an end to you now. Just in case."
The man took a step towards Levy then, giving her heart reason to beat faster. He truly meant to kill her, just as he had meant to kill Gajeel only moments before. However, despite that fear attempting to claim her heart and soul, Levy knew she had to do something, anything, to survive. She had been battered and broken once already by a member of Phantom Lord. She refused to let it happen again, at least not without a fight.
She wrote quickly then, four letters forming in the air before her. They quickly came ablaze with power, the word known as fire shooting towards her adversary.
The man in the cloak was caught by surprise, if only for a moment. His body vanished from sight, his body appearing a few feet to the left, as well as closer to Levy. Her attack struck the far wall then, dissipating as it struck the stone that made up the basement wall.
"That," the man said as he continued to walk forward, "was futile. Did you really think I could not evade such an obvious attack? Did you-"
The cloaked man suddenly dropped to the ground, the solid metal of the word steel crashing down upon him. Levy began to stand then, casting her fearful gaze at the downed man.
"How dare you," the man hissed as he began to push his hands against the floor, the magic word slipping off his back. "How dare you strike me!"
Levy prepared herself to write another word, to drop another metallic word upon her enemy, but the man was quick on his feet.
"You are quite fortunate that I cannot use my full strength," the cloaked individual said, his tone low. "An exertion of my power would no doubt attract the attention of the Quincy upstairs. But such leniency... has let you hurt me. And that is unforgivable!"
The cloaked man lunged for Levy without hesitation, his blade poised to remove her head form her shoulders. The Solid Script mage's eyes went wide in terror, her hand waiving out and quickly giving life to another word before her.
"What?" The cloaked man was caught unawares, his katana stopping as it struck a large word that had appeared between himself and the wizard. "So by writing the word guard you can create a protective barrier? Interesting and impressive. But all you're doing is giving me further incentive to kill a potential threat."
Levy leapt back, her barrier fading as she did so. She swung her hand out again as the cloaked man approached. Another word formed, this time in the flooring itself. The wizard hoped for her enemy to fall into the word hole itself, yet he simply walked over it, as if working his way across thin air.
"Enough games," the man said with some degree of impatience. He raised a hand then, pointing his index and middle fingers towards Levy. "Bakudo number sixty-one, Rikujokoro."
Before Levy did six bars of golden light materialize, each of them slamming into her midsection. She gasped in response, the woman finding her body suddenly unable to move. She began to panic then, realizing that her fate was sealed thanks to this spell that was unknown to her.
"There," the cloaked man said as he looked at the frozen wizard. "You can't move your hands, so no more spells. And if you can't move your lips, then no calling for help. And how fortunate for me that such a meager spell is unlikely to have caused enough of a surge of spiritual pressure to have gotten the attention of the Quincy upstairs. Now then..."
The cloaked man moved closer and draped his katana across Levy's shoulder, the blade making contact with the side of her neck. The wizard could not move, but she could still feel. Sweat began to form on her face, Levy beginning to truly fear for her life. She had been scared before, when Gajeel had assault Shadow Gear without revealing his intentions or how far he would go, but this was different. This member of Phantom Lord had made it very clear how far he would go.
"The hell you doing, man?"
Levy could hear it, the sound of Gajeel's voice. Frozen as she was, she could still see the Dragon Slayer over the shoulder of the cloaked man. That very man turned his gaze away from Levy, his own gaze settling upon Gajeel.
"Yeah, you heard me," the Dragon Slayer continued to say. "I thought you came here to kill me, so why are you wasting your time with the little lady?"
The blade of the cloaked man's strange katana did not budge, continuing instead to press against Levy's neck. "Why do you care? Didn't you attack members of this guild yourself?"
"Yeah, attack," Gajeel retorted. "But I don't recall trying to kill any. Hell, I don't recall killing one of my own something I ever considered either."
"And yet you have attacked your own in anger," the cloaked man continued. "So tell me, is there any real difference between our actions?"
"I'm scum, no doubt," Gajeel shot back, "but you take it to a whole new level, pal."
"Wait." The cloaked man looked from Gajeel to Levy and back again. "Well, well... Don't deny it, Dragon Slayer. I can sense your soul's turmoil. You feel guilty, even if just a little."
"Shut your trap!" Gajeel shouted. "I'm-"
Gajeel suddenly found the cloaked member of Phantom Lord before him, the blade pressed against his neck. The man had moved so fast that the Dragon Slayer could scarcely recall even see him take a single step.
"Don't think I'm a cruel man," the cloaked individual whispered. "I'll kill you first and spare you the sight of watching this Fairy Tail wizard die."
The cloaked man began to pull his arm back, fully intent on decapitating Gajeel then and there. It was the quickest way to end this farce, to conclude the life of a comrade who had found himself at the mercy of the enemy.
Yet, as the man tried to bring his sword back down, he found it would not move. He turned his gaze in response then, catching sight of a woman dressed in white, her eyes blazing with a barely restrained fury.
"Hey," Bambietta Basterbine said as she held tightly to the man's katana with a hand infused with the power of Blut Vene, "what'cha doing?"
The cloaked man began to move, intent on retaliating, but the Quincy before him was one step ahead of him. Bambietta let go of his sword and turned around, the palm of her hand smashing into the man's face, gripping tightly. Switching to Blut Arterie, Bambietta threw the man forward, letting him sail past the still frozen Levy. He collided with the wall furthest from Gajeel, a low cry escaping from him as his the stone wall behind him cracked from the impact.
"You know, I've been having a rough day or two lately," Bambietta said as she moved towards the downed Phantom Lord member. "First I find my fave hangout wrecked, then I find my bestie all beat up and left for dead, then I get the chance to beat up the dick splash responsible just in time for have a moment of moral madness, then my attempt at a love life goes balls to the walls screwy... It's been crazy, you know? So here I am coming back to my home away from home away from home to have a little rest and relaxation with people I kind of like, only to hear my bestie is stepping it up and confronting the aforementioned dick splash who hurt her. So I come down to make sure everything is all honky-dory... and what do I find? Three things pressing my berserk button!"
Bambietta stopped by Levy, her eyes glancing at the six bars of light holding her in place.
"First I find someone having tried hurting my buddy here," Bambietta continued as she stared at the man in the cloak as he tried to get up on his feet. "And you were trying to kill one of your own? You're going for double or nothing, huh? But best of all... going by this spell and that derpy sword you're wielding, I'm guessing you're the type of guy I really can't stand!"
Bambietta dashed before the man as he began to get up on one knee, using his katana to brace himself. Hirenkyaku took her directly before him, the Quincy glaring at him.
"Do you know what happens to a Soul Reaper who hurts my friend and tries to kill someone he should be working with?" Bambietta asked. "He gets his shit wrecked!"
Bambietta brought her knee up quickly, smashing it into the hood before her. A spurt of blood flew out from the violet garment, the Quincy hearing her enemy cry out in pain as his head was pushed back, bouncing off the stone wall with a satisfying sound.
Lucy Heartfilia was amongst friends on the upper level of the Fairy Tail hall, the lot of them conversing. She however was staying quiet, her thoughts focuses instead on Bambietta. They had returned together yet when Bambietta had heard that Levy had gone downstairs to confront Gajeel, the Quincy had gone to check up on her.
Moving closer to Erza and the others, wanting to speak with them, Lucy knew she had no need to be nervous. Levy was one of the most level-headed people she knew and Bambietta, while rough around the edges, was kinder than even she knew. To that end, Lucy gave voice to her confidence with a whisper.
"I'm sure everything's just fine down there."
Bambietta was lost in her anger, a habit that she was beginning to wonder if she would ever shy away from. Anger led to violence and that, in turn, led to bloodshed. However, at this very moment, Bambietta knew that it was a necessary evil. There was a wolf in Fairy Tail's midst and she had to deal with it accordingly.
The fact that the wolf in question had not only hurt a friend of hers but had also attempted to slay one of Phantom Lord's own, those were bad enough. The fact that his abilities and hidden spiritual pressure indicated that the man in the cloak was a Soul Reaper was just icing on the hate-filled cake that Bambietta was gorging herself on.
That was why she took particular satisfaction as she threw the cloaked man forward, the sickening sound of his face impact against the wall music to her ears. As the man fell back, the sight of some blood on the wall was a visual stimulus that the woman who had once been known as Stern Ritter E would not soon forget.
Levy, meanwhile, watched on from across the basement. The six bars of light holding her in place were beginning to weaken, as if the beating the cloaked man from Phantom Lord was receiving was also affecting his spell.
Soon enough did the bars shatter as Bambietta dodged a sword slash and drove her knuckles into the man's stomach, doubling him over. Levy fell to the floor then, her body free at last.
"Huh," she heard Gajeel say from over her shoulder. "Never thought I'd be rooting for that crazy lady in white."
It was the truth, the Dragon Slayer realizing that this day was full of surprises. His own guild had attempted to kill him and apparently that had triggered something deep within the woman who had defeated him. Gajeel knew painfully well how vicious Bambietta could be, and that was something he was quite fine seeing his potential killer be forced to endure.
Bambietta, meanwhile, had something she wanted answered. She was seeing many a deceased individual in this new world she called home and the Quincy was left to wonder how a Soul Reaper was added into that equation. They were all spirit beings in the first place, but perhaps they required death of their presence in the other world's afterlife as well. Then there was the Hollow she had encountered in the town of Clover.
It was all rather confusing to Bambietta, the Quincy not one for thoughts exploring the intricacies of an afterlife she was not sure if the rest of the world itself had properly planned out. All she did want to know was what Soul Reaper she was beating on. One of her own victims in the battle with the Soul Society? One another Stern Ritter had killed or perhaps a Soul Reaper that would have no relation to either herself or the Vandenreich.
Whatever the case was, Bambietta wanted answers. "Come on," the Quincy began to say as she reached for the man's hood, "don't be shy. I want to see the face I'm going to beat into a pulp."
The Quincy moved fast, pulling the hood away and allowing a purple mane of hair to come into view.
"Wow, nice color," Bambietta said. "Very striking. Probably would look good on me. But... I don't remember any Soul Reapers with-"
The man turned to stare Bambietta in the face. The Quincy saw it then, a scar adorning the man's right eye, a black mask covering his face from the bridge of his nose down.
"Who the hell are you?" Bambietta asked, the Quincy unsure of just who she was staring in the face. "Some no name loser from Squad Two?"
"Of course you don't know me," the masked man said as he looked up at Bambietta. "I worked within the shadows of the Soul Society and-"
Bambietta cut the man off, striking him in the face. "Oh, big hairy deal. The Vandenreich was literally doing that shit before you were probably even an unhappy accident your parents couldn't undo."
"How dare you!" the man shouted. "I don't know what this Vandenreich you refer to is, but Hanza Nukui of the Kasumioji clan will not be insulted by the likes of you!"
Bambietta simply blinked. "Kasumioji clan? The hell is that?" The Quincy suddenly stepped to her side, Hanza's blade suddenly plunging forward, the ninja having aimed for her midsection. "And what's up with that sword? Bambietta asked as she grabbed Hanza by his hair and slammed his back into the wall. "Seriously, I don't know what I'm feeling now that I'm paying serious attention, but that sure as shit isn't a Zanpakuto."
Bambietta could tell there was something decidedly different about the strange sword. It was not in harmony with Hanza, not in the least. No, it seemed void of any spiritual strength save for a small portion that seemed to be calling out to Hanza's own soul, as if it was desiring him to empower it. It was the furthest thing from a Zanpakuto.
It was also a clear indication that man was decidedly weak or simply holding back his strength. Judging by the Kido spell the man had employed against Levy, Bambietta had to assume it was the latter.
"This is pathetic," the Quincy said, beginning to turn Hanza's attempt at a proclamation against him. "I want to see everything you have to offer, jackass. Bambietta Basterbine of the Fairy Tail guild will not be insulted by the likes of you, okay?"
Hanza knew what he was capable of, yet he was not entirely sure what this woman could do. He could sense her power, the strength similar to one of the allies that the Substitute Soul Reaper known as Ichigo Kurosaki had worked alongside. He could tell now, that this was a Quincy.
"As much as I'd enjoy putting you in your place, woman," Hanza said as she pulled himself back up to his feet, "I can't give this my all. Not with how much attention it would attract. So for now I shall take my leave. Until we meet again, Quincy."
Then Hanza was gone, the masked man having used what Bambietta could only imagine was the Flash Step to try and escape. "Oh ho ho, no you don't..."
Bambietta was about to reach out with her senses, to try and lock on to Hanza's minimal output of spiritual pressure and give chase with Hirenkyaku, yet that was when she stopped.
What was she going to do when she caught up with him? Kill him? That was a consideration for Bambietta's darker nature, but it would not do for Fairy Tail's sake. Then there was the other matter to attend to, the one that had provoked Bambietta's battle with Hanza.
"Levy."
Bambietta turned then, her eyes focusing on the Solid Script mage. She seemed relatively fine and unhurt, a stark contrast to the injuries she had sustained earlier at the hands of the very man that was restrained behind her. She was fine, Bambietta having arrived in time, yet there was an impulse that the Quincy could not keep at bay.
Bambietta used Hirenkyaku not to pursue Hanza, but to move close to Levy and hold her close. "What were you thinking, Levy?"
The blue haired woman was caught off guard by Bambietta's sudden embrace and choice of words. "Bambi, what's the matter?"
The Quincy pulled away from Levy, looking her in the eyes with both judgment and concern, her voice raising. "What the hell were you thinking, Levy? That guy was way too much for you to handle! He could have... Could have..."
"Bambi, I... I had to do something," Levy whispered, the mage trying to find the right words. Her voice grew calmer suddenly, her expression harder. "Gajeel's own guild, his own ally, was going to stick a knife in his back."
Bambietta blinked for a moment, a memory from weeks earlier coming back to her. Her own voice, shaking and whispering. 123"The 'guild' I worked for, I made friends there. I thought we were going to be there for each other until the very end. But when I needed them the most, they... I needed their help and all they did was... was twist the knife in my back."123
Bambietta turned her face away, staring at the restrained Gajeel for a moment. She had defeated him and his two comrades back at Phantom Lord's guild hall had come to his aide. Now his own guild had sent someone to kill him and Levy had protected him. Bambietta herself had done the same inadvertently.
The Quincy scowled for a moment, her voice a low whisper as she shut her eyes, unwilling to look at the Iron Dragon Slayer. "You lucky, fucking bastard."
Levy could hear her friend curse, the woman realizing that she might have overstepped her bounds just now. She had remembered well what Bambietta had said the day they had first met and had used it to defend her actions now. "Bambi, I-"
Bambietta looked at Levy then, her eyes wavering for a moment. "You... would have protected me..."
Levy was simply stunned. "Bambi..."
"You idiot!" Bambietta's hand clenched down upon Levy's shoulders tightly. "You could have died! Giselle and- That man could have killed you!"
"But I had to do it," Levy protested. "You would have done it, right?"
"Yes, but..." Bambietta's voice lowered. ""The whole point of fighting is that you don't want to die! That you'll be killed if you lose! If you throw your life away in battle, where's the point in winning?"
Bambietta pulled Levy in close, resting her chin atop her shoulder as her arms wrapped around her torso.
"Levy, I would have fought because I'd be confident that I'd win even if I couldn't," the Quincy whispered. "I'm an idiot like that. But you're supposed to be smarter than that. So please, for my sake... Don't be stupid like me."
There was a silence then, the Quincy and wizard staying close. Gajeel Redfox simply watched on with no hidden amount of confusion, the Dragon Slayer begrudgingly grateful that these two members of Fairy Tail had saved him.
"Well, ain't this just great," Gajeel muttered under his breath. "Two's company, three's just plain awkward."
Hanza had escaped Bambietta Basterbine, the ninja having cloaked his presence once more. His spiritual pressure was barely exerting itself, which was precisely why he had not left the guild hall that belonged to Fairy Tail.
No, he could not. Not just yet. Not when he had a mission to perform. Taking care of the Gajeel Redfox had ended in failure, but there was another matter he could still attend to.
Wendy Marvell. The Sky Dragon Slayer that Jose had instructed him to apprehend. She was within the guild, directly in Hanza's line of sight.
However, despite his confidence, Hanza was nothing if not cautious. He could see clearly the bevy of wizards around Wendy, one in particular bothering him. The woman in armor, the one who had earned the title Titania, Queen of the Fairies.
Yes, Hanza knew that attempting such a maneuver in front of Erza Scarlet could very well become the most foolish action taken in his existence. She alone would be more than a threat, but there were also the others around.
Growing the slightest bit frustrated, Hanza ran a hand through his violet hair. He could not go home empty handed, a failure. Not after all he had done to earn respect within his new organization. Not since he had earned Jose Porla's confidence.
Then he saw it. Wendy was walking aside from her fellow guild mates. She was stepping outside, perhaps to get some fresh air. The only company with her know was the strangely dressed cat that walked upright.
Taking care of the loose end that was the Iron Dragon Slayer was out of the question, as was the capture of Lucy Heartfilia, but kidnapping the Sky Dragon Slayer? Hanza knew he could take care of that now that she was alone.
A cruel smile forming beneath his mask, the shinobi who had once belonged to the Kasumioji clan vanished from sight once more, his Flash Step talking outside and closer to Wendy and Carla both.
As Bambietta and Levy walked back to the main floor of the guild hall the Quincy was trying her best to hide her frustrations. From destroying the guild hall to taking down Makarov, from hurting Levy to trying to kill one of their own, Phantom Lord was tearing at the seams of Bambietta's psyche. The first two were simply assaults on her pride, but the latter two were unearthing buried insecurities and rage.
"Erza," Bambietta said as her right foot moved away from the stairway and joined the left atop the main floor, "a member of Phantom Lord was here just now."
Bambietta had said it as calmly as she possibly could, yet there was still thinly veiled amount of anger evident in her voice. Levy could hear it well, leaving her to wonder if Erza would catch on as well.
"What?" The S-Class mage turned to face Bambietta, the wizard's right hand tensing as it closed into a fist. "Where is this intruder now?"
"Gone," Levy answered, trying her best to speak up. "He came here to kill Gajeel. I tried to stop him, but-"
"I went downstairs just in time to see Levy driving him away," Bambietta interrupted, placing a firm hand down upon Levy's shoulder. ""It was pretty cool, not going to lie."
Levy was unsure of what to say. Only moments earlier the Quincy had been berating her for challenging a foe that would have killed her, now she was allowing Levy to take all the credit for saving Gajeel's life?
"I'm glad to hear you are both all right then," Erza replied. "And Gajeel?"
"He's fine," Bambietta replied, a slight bit of hesitation in her voice. "Lucky him."
Levy could feel it then, Bambietta's hand tightening a bit, causing a miniscule amount of discomfort before it pulled away. The Solid Script mage glanced to her side and could see a look of sullen look overtake Bambietta's face for a moment.
"This doesn't seem right," Erza mused, the armored mage bringing a hand up to her chin as she began to pace. "Phantom Lord's actions may be bold and foolish, but they are not a dark guild. What madness has overtaken Jose Porla to cause him to send someone to kill one of his own? Surely his guild has not become so corrupt as to allow him reason to attempt to kill one of their comrades."
"Phantom Lord is full of shit individuals," Bambietta said, her voice lowering. "Takes one to know one."
Levy could see it again, a look embodying self-depreciation upon Bambietta's face. The mage remember well how Bambietta had said her own friends had turned against her once before, yet the way she had spoken just now implied so much more. Levy felt her skin crawl a bit in response, the woman unable to understand what Bambietta was feeling.
Liltotto, however, could. She watched from afar, noting the change in Bambietta's mannerisms. It was a telling sight to the Quincy who knew Bambietta and her past better than anyone else in this guild that had become their shared home.
"Stupid me," Bambietta suddenly said, the Quincy lightly slapping her forehead with the palm of her right hand. "I'm sorry you had to hear that, Wendy. Sometimes Bambi says some bad words that you should never, ever repeat."
"I appreciate your concern for the innocence of the young," Erza said, the wizard curious herself what was eating away at Bambietta, "but Wendy decided she needed to take a walk."
"Smart kid." Bambietta stepped away from Levy then, the Quincy heading to the doorway. "I.. think I need some air to clear my head too."
Liltotto was about to take a step forward, to speak her mind and ask to join Bambietta, yet she could see Lucy and Levy doing the same.
"Hey, Bambi," the Celestial Spirit wizard began to say, "do you want some company?"
Bambietta glanced over her shoulder as she stood at the doorway, shaking her head a little. "I just... need some time by myself. I'm sorry."
The Quincy pushed the door open enough to step out into the town of Magnolia, Bambietta's eyes struggling to stay open as she tried to adjust to the rush of sunlight.
Yet then, as her eyes fluttered for a moment, she caught sight of something that allowed her rage to overwhelm her moment of self-reflection.
It was Hanza Nukui, the masked member of Phantom Lord standing alone in the city streets, his violet cloak billowing the wind as his back was turned to Bambietta. Yet there was something else that caught Bambietta's attention, a white cat all dressed up and scampering about the ninja.
Bambietta felt it then, her blood running cold. "No..."
The thought quickly passed through Bambietta's mind, a thought she did not dare believe was the truth. Her temper flaring again, she began to move forward, the Quincy ready to rush forward and close the gap between herself and the member of Phantom Lord.
Then did Hanza suddenly lash out with his right foot, kicking Carla the cat away from him. He turned during the motion then, allowing Bambietta's worst fears to be realized. Cradled within Hanza's arms was Wendy. She was unmoving, her left arm draped across her chest, her right arm dangling down and hanging limp.
Bambietta's teeth grit then, the Quincy summoning her power and bringing her luminous bow into existence. "You bastard!"
"So that's what you are," Hanza said as he eyes focused on Bambietta's weapon. "I'm glad you are here, Quincy of Fairy Tail. Burn this image of your failure into your memory."
Bambietta raised her bow and prepared an arrow, only for the Quincy to see Hanza and Wendy's bodies begin to shift. The shinobi and his captive began to split apart hen, their images multiplying until at least two other copies stood beside Hanza, each of them carrying a Wendy of their own.
Bambietta recognized it well, the intelligence that had been gathered by the Vandenreich over centuries privy to her. This was a technique that belonged to those who were a part of Stealth Force of the Soul Society, and while Hanza's employment of it was nowhere close to what Bambietta had seen Captain Soi Fon of the Thirteen Guard Squads employ, it was still a troublesome technique. She had seen him employ it with her eyes, his Flash Step having created perfect duplicates that even her spiritual senses could not discern from one to another.
Still, she let fly her arrow, the weapon covering the distance and striking the middle Hanza in the head. There was no scream nor blood, just the sight of the man flickering as he and the Wendy in his arms faded from sight.
"A nice try," both the remaining copies of Hanza said, "but futile."
The two remaining ninja took off then, one head to the left and the other to the right. Bambietta snarled as she watched both take off with Wendy, the Quincy realizing that she had to gamble with the Sky Dragon Slayer's freedom now.
"Damn it!" Bambietta lunged for the Hanza heading to the right, her Hirenkyaku taking her close. She primed her arrow once again, moving forward through the sky with leaps and bounds as she tried to lock on to Hanza's own high-speed and erratic movements. Finally she felt she had the proper aim and Bambietta let loose another arrow.
Hanza looked over his shoulder and shouted towards Bambietta. "You took our Dragon Slayer and now we have one of yours! It's only fair, Quincy!"
The arrow struck then, Hanza's image fading out of existence, Wendy doing the same.
Gritting her teeth, Bambietta did not stop her movement. She forced her body to turn abruptly, the Quincy never letting her stride break. She simply redirected it and ran through the air in the other direction.
Yet it did not matter. She could not see the true Hanza. He was gone, his spiritual pressure hidden. There was no trace of Wendy's presence either, the young Dragon Slayer unconscious.
Bambietta's body began to shake, her bow dissipating as her hands closed into fists. Her teeth grit together once more, the edges of them scraping against the right side of her mouth so hard that blood was drawn.
"I ask if you might bring Wendy and Carla to your guild."
Bambietta could hear it in her mind, the request that the Roubaul had asked of her and Liltotto when they had gone to Cait Shelter.
"You stupid old man," Bambietta whispered as the invisible force beneath her feet kept her high above the buildings of Magnolia. "I told you I wasn't a hero."
The Quincy began to look down at the town then, her expression growing cold. Phantom Lord, it always came back to Phantom Lord. The guild had assault her pride, attacked her friend, left her remembering Giselle, now they had stolen from her the young wizard that had been left in her care.
All Bambietta could see then was Hanza's masked and scarred face before her, the Quincy growing enraged as she began to scream. "I'll kill him!"
The Quincy began to move forward then, her right leg stepping forward and preparing to initiate the use of Hirenkyaku. She was going back to Oak Town, she was going to take back Wendy and she was going to make Hanza, Kariya, Jose and all the rest of Phantom Lord pay.
Then Bambietta stopped. She remembered what Erza had said to her of Jose's power. She remembered what she had said to Levy after the battle with Hanza.
"I can't win this all alone." Bambietta began to lower herself to the ground then, her gaze turning back to the Fairy Tail guild hall.
The Phantom Lord guild hall stationed in Oak town was under repair, the members present working to fix the damage Fairy Tail had caused when they had arrived not a few hours earlier. It was going simple enough, the doorway taking little effort to fix, but it was not a task that had been left to the lower ranked members of the guild.
No, Totomaru of the Element Four had taken it upon himself to repair the damage. It was not a task that had been assigned to him, no, but he had wanted to see it through for his own reasons. This guild was his home after all, and he wanted to make sure it was taken care of.
However, deep down, there was a part of him that questioned if Phantom Lord had brought this upon itself, if it deserved more from Fairy Tail. They had drawn blood first after all, a topic that had concerned Totomaru greatly.
Once he would have probably been fine with the matters at hand, but he had worked with Fairy Tail back in Clover and had seen what they were made of. Worst of all, however, was the way his guild master was acting. Jose Porla was himself, yes, but his flagrant cruelty for a rival guild was unnerving Totomaru all the same.
Jose Porla had always held great pride in his guild, yes, but his twisted actions as of late were not the actions of the man that Totomaru had sworn his allegiance to so many years before. No, it was clear that Jose was beginning to fall into the abyss.
Yet Totomaru had to wonder if he himself was simply misinterpreting the goings on of his guild master. Even if he was not, what was there that he could do? He was one who bore the proud emblem of Phantom Lord and he was unsure of whether he could ever forsake it.
"Do you require assistance?"
Totomaru was startled by the unexpected voice, the wizard's concentration slipping enough so that his aim was off. The hammer in his right hand came down not upon the nail he was working with but instead his thumb. The fire mage gasped in pain and pulled his thumb away, the flesh red and tender and pain overtook it.
"Damn it," Totomaru asked, his expression souring as he looked at his hand.
"I've gone and made someone depressed again, haven't I?"
Totomaru turned to see that the one who had spoken to him was Juvia Lockser, his comrade within the Element Four. Of the group she Totomaru was closest to, even if the woman could be quite prone to bouts of sorrow. Totomaru could see that this was one of those very situations, Juvia the type who was quite sensitive to others' feeling. She had felt she had upset someone, made them sad, and she in turn was becoming withdrawn and upset with herself in response.
"No, not at all!" Totomaru said, trying to ignore his pain. "Honest, Juvia. It's not you. I've just... got a lot on my mind is all."
Juvia tilted her head a bit, trying to get a read on Totomaru. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Totomaru laughed. It was not a malicious laugh, no. It was just one born out of an old memory. He could recall it well, Juvia's first day within Phantom Lord. She had looked absolutely miserable, but so had everyone else. Her despair had somehow managed to defy all reality and allow it to rain near constantly outside the guild hall. All those within Phantom Lord had simply complained to the guild master, but Totomaru had been different. He had approached the Juvia as she had been sulking in a corner and had asked her one very simple thing. "Come on, you're among friends. Be sad, be happy, be whatever. Something's bothering you, so do you want to talk about it?"
"Yeah," Totomaru replied at last, the man looking at Juvia. "I just... I don't know what's wrong with Master Jose is all. This isn't the Phantom Lord I joined. That we joined."
"Surely the master knows what's best for the guild," Juvia replied. "I mean-"
"If you had asked me that a couple of weeks ago, I would have agreed," Totomaru interjected. "But... what he has us doing... Attacking another guild blatantly, destroying their home, attacking their members, leaving them broken as a warning... We can't get any lower than this, can we?"
Juvia did not know what to say, the water mage unable to recall a time she had seen Totomaru so distraught. Of all the members of the Element Four, he was always the most exuberant. Yet here he was, doubting his own guild. It was so unlike him and yet Juvia could see why he was concerned. The Jose Porla who had instructed Gajeel to attack Fairy Tail and set in motion the chain of events that had occurred in recent memory was a far cry from the man who had given her a home after so many years of solitude and loneliness. Something had changed with Jose, with all of Phantom Lord, and Juvia could see why it bothered Totomaru so very much.
Then did one of the more recent changes to Phantom Lord arrive, the latest in a long line of mysterious members making his presence known. Through the damaged door did a man clad in violet robes appear, his hood obscuring his visage.
It was nothing new to Juvia or Totomaru, the trio of new recruits coming and going as they pleased, as if they were above those who outranked them and possessed seniority, but there was something different than before. Something that took hold of both Totomaru and Juvia's attention.
Cradled in the man's arms was an unconscious young girl, one that Totomaru was quick to recognize from the mission he had been a part of only a few weeks earlier. "Wendy?"
Totomaru watched as the cloaked man moved past him without a word, the fire wizard's eyes staring intently at the Sky Dragon Slayer. She was breathing still, yet she was clearly not well. Growing frustrated, Totomaru reached out and clasped his hand down upon the cloaked man's forearm. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Juvia was quite shocked by her teammate's actions, the water mage calling out to him. "Totomaru!"
The cloaked man, Hanza Nukui, halted his advance yet did not turn his gaze upon Totomaru. "I could ask you the same thing, Totomaru of the Conflagration. Fairy Tail has stolen from us our Dragon Slayer. Is it not fairy that I return the favor?"
"But..." Totomaru could see it then, the emblem of Fairy Tail adorning Wendy's shoulder, an asymmetrical emblem opposing the Cait Shelter one that was on the other side. Still, it did not matter if she was a part of the guild that Phantom Lord had declared its enemy. "She's just a kid!"
"Is that supposed to be a point?" Hanza asked. "She is a wizard, a Dragon Slayer who would aide our enemy. You take solace in that I only kidnapped her upon Master Jose's orders. Others in my past have requested much more... extreme measures of finality when it comes to children that impede their plans."
Totomaru's eyes began to widen. Was this member of Phantom Lord daring to imply what he thought he was? His expression hardened then, his grip tightening. "There's no way that Master Jose would instruct you to kidnap a kid!"
"That's enough, Totomaru."
The fire wizard could hear it, a voice quite familiar to him. It was one he had spent the better part of his life obeying. Turning his gaze, he could see his guild master standing in the main hall. "Master Jose..."
"Let go of your fellow Phantom Lord member," Jose said sternly. "You know full well that I am not like that imbecile Makarov. I will have no fighting amongst my guild."
Totomaru did as Jose instructed, his hand letting go of Hanza. Still, he could not help but protest. "But Master! This Dragon Slayer, she's just-"
"A child, yes," Jose said as he walked towards Hanza and stared down at the still form of Wendy Marvell. "But a threat nonetheless. I will not allow Makarov to have another Dragon Slayer in his midst. Especially not one that specializes in healing magics."
Totomaru held his tongue as best he could, yet he still spoke up to some degree. "What do you intend to do with her?"
"Well, Fairy Tail did take our Dragon Slayer, so it's only fair we make this one our own," Jose answered, the man never looking towards the member of the Element Four. Instead he peered beneath Hanza's hood. "On that matter, I can see that you were unable to take care of Gajeel."
Hanza was unsure of just how his new master could tell, but he turned his head down in shame nonetheless. "I am sorry, Master Jose. The captured Iron Dragon Slayer does draw breath still."
Juvia and Totomaru was aghast at what he had just heard, the fire wizard unable to contain himself. "You tried to kill-"
Jose cut Totomaru off then, the guild master's right hand suddenly lunging forward and grabbing Hanza around the throat. "You tried to kill one of Phantom Lord's best wizards? One of my best wizards?"
"Master... Jose..." Hanza felt the breath begin to leave him, the man struggling to hold on to Wendy as he felt his neck begin to compress on himself. He could feel it, a strange power dwelling within his new master. Jose's magic was spiking, a terrible and dark power revealing itself within him. However, that was not all. What Hanza could feel he could see, Jose's eyes losing all color. All that peeked beneath his wizened flesh then were twin black orbs, as if a void of dark magic had settled within them. "Master Jose, you... you instructed me to..."
Jose's grip tightened, his lips curling back in a sneer. "What kind of fool do you take me for, Hanza Nukui? I instructed to capture Lucy Heartfilia or Wendy Marvell! I instructed you to take care of Gajeel Redfox! I-"
Jose's grip suddenly went slack then, his eyes returning to their true illumination. He pulled his hand away from Hanza's throat, leaving the man be.
"Well now." It was all Jose could say at first, an uneasy air falling upon both himself and all those around him. He began to chuckle then, further increasing that concern among those who worked under him. "I suppose I may have failed as your guild master, Hanza Nukui."
Jose could remember well the first day he had met Hanza, the man who considered himself a ninja having appeared at random outside Phantom Lord's guild hall. He had been distraught at the time, in a complete panic. Jose had responded to the occurrence at his doorstep only for Hanza to attack him in a panic. It had not taken the guild master long to restrain the strange newcomer however, his power over Shade magic absolute. In the end he had learned of Hanza's upbringing, his life as an assassin, and Jose had allowed him into Phantom Lord with some reservations. It had been months since then and Jose had grown accustomed to Hanza and others like him being Phantom Lord's secret weapons of a sort. So long had it been, so much had Hanza's presence become second nature, that Jose had all but forgotten his past.
"I suppose I should have taken in account what you were trained to do," Jose continued to say, his voice becoming truly calm once again. "It was my mistake for not being more specific with you, Hanza."
Totomaru and Juvia simply watched and listened in shock. This was the guild master that Totomaru had come to know and respect in years past, not the man who threatened other guilds and attempted to strangle one of his own. The brief moment of nostalgia should have been calming in its own right, yes, but it was not. Despite Jose's momentary lapse into his past self, Totomaru could only concentrate on what the guild master had said about this Hanza Nukui.
What sort of past and upbringing had this member of Phantom Lord been subjected to if his first inclination had to be to kill a captured ally?
"Now then," Jose said as he looked back to the still form of Wendy, "I suppose we should provide some accommodations for our little Sky Dragon Slayer. Jason?"
Totomaru could see a member of Phantom Lord fast approaching, one in particular he did not like. Jason Joker was not strongest member of the guild, not by a long shot, but he was one of the most loyal, acting as if Jose was a father figure to him. There was little Totomaru appreciated about the slender young man however. His Sewing Magic was an unpleasant sight to behold, particular when Jason used it to bind two enemies with a thread and needle piercing through their flesh, but the way he found personal enjoyment in sewing through his own flesh while hanging out in the guild hall was also a grotesque concern for the Element Four member.
Jason had only been within the guild for six months now and, after seeing his particular brand of magic when they had taken a job request together, Totomaru had spoken to Jose about his concerns. The young man was bright and energetic, but there was a darkness within him that concerned Totomaru greatly. Jason had grown to truly enjoy inflicting pain and suffering, going above and beyond to enjoy hurting others. Yet Jose had let it slide and that moment had become the first time Totomaru had grown concerned for his guild's well-being.
"What's up, Master Jose?" Jason asked as he stood beside the guild master, a beaming smile on his face.
"I want you to take this darling little Dragon Slayer up to top floor," Jose said as he stepped aside and allowed Jason clear view of the unconscious Wendy within Hanza's arms. "This guild hall was once a castle after all. Surely we should put the old prison cells it has to good use."
Totomaru took a step forward, clearly shocked. "Master Jose, you must be joking. We can't be treating a kid like this..."
Jose simply turned his gaze over his shoulder, glaring at Totomaru with cold eyes. "I will have my orders argued with. Especially when they are not even meant for you, Totomaru."
Totomaru swallowed any concerns he had, a nervous sweat forming on his brow. "All right. But Master Jose, please allow me to bring Wendy to her cell.
"Jeez, why you got to be such a worry wart," Jason said as he walked past Totomaru and shrugged. "It isn't like I'm going to hurt the little kid while I'm carrying her upstairs. Not too much anyways.."
Totomaru's hand suddenly reached out, grabbing Jason around the forearm. He held the young wizard in place, his eyes blazing with anger.
"Ah, come on," Jason protested as he winked at Totomaru. "I was just kidding, you big baby."
"What did I say about fighting with fellow guild mates?" Jose asked Totomaru with no hidden trace of his commanding tone. "Let him go. Now."
Totomaru took a deep breath and did as he was instructed. He took a step back towards Juvia, yet his eyes never stopped staring. It was as if he was trying to burn twin sets of holes through Jason.
The Sewing Mage took notice of it and simply stuck his tongue out at Totomaru before whispering under his breath. "Oh, looks like somebody's in trouble with the master..."
Sol of the Land had a mission to carry out, one handed down to him from his fellow Element Four member, Aria. It was an order that had come directly from Phantom Lord's guild master himself. He was supposed to capture Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail and bring her back. It was a simple matter, yes, but the green haired man could not find the strength, courage of conviction to go through with it.
Standing outside the Fairy Tail guild hall, the wiry older man was peering through a window, his target in site. She was herself easy pickings, but it was those around her that concerned Sol the most. Despite any bravado he may well have possessed, he knew he was no match for the likes of Erza Scarlet. Adding the other wizard in the guild into the mix, he knew his chances of success were nearly nonexistent.
"How am I to capture the cible now I wonder?" Sol knew he could not return to Aria and Jose without some evidence that he had tried to capture Lucy. "I am but a gentleman. I cannot resort to such crass methods, especially if they will end with me hurt."
Despite his claims to the contrary, Sol was no gentleman. He was not beyond manipulation and cruelty, two factors that were going to play in his favor now. He had seen Hanza take off with Wendy Marvell only moments before and that had given him an idea. A devilish grin spreading across his face, Sol pulled from his coat pocket a slip of paper and a pen and began to write.
"Stupid fucking ninja! I'm going to kick his ass from here to the Soul Society when I get my hands on that jackass! I just... just..."
The voice stopped then, replaced by a scream of utter rage and anguish. Sol visibly cringed, the man not only hearing the scream but very well feeling it. He looked over his shoulder and could see someone rounding a nearby corner. It was the Fairy Tail member he had seen giving chase to Hanza and the capture Wendy.
Panicking, Sol quickly finished his note, folded it up and tossed it in front of the entranceway to Fairy Tail's guild hall. He quickly employed his Earth Magic then, his body becoming one with the stone walkway that made up the roadway. He fell into the stonework itself, his shifted form beating a hasty retreat despite having obscured itself from all sight.
Bambietta, meanwhile, was too lost in her rage to notice the spike in magical powers around her as Sol slipped by through the ground. Her body was shaking, her teeth grit and her hands closed inwards. It was taking all of her restraint to keep herself from shouting any more obscenities. She knew deep down that Fairy Tail would no doubt receive complaints from the neighborhood after her antics just now, but she also knew that it was the last thing the guild had to worry about.
Bambietta moved towards the guild's door, the Quincy preparing herself for the task of asking Erza for help. It was something she was not entirely used to, but she also knew that she simply could not fight all of Phantom Lord on her own. Not with the likes of Jin Kariya around. Not with what Erza had said of Jose's power as a Wizard Saint.
That left Bambietta slightly concerned. Erza had said that without Makarov they had no chance against the other guild master. It was no different than the Vandenreich then. They had attacked the Soul Society knowing that none of them had a chance of defeating Head Captain Yamamoto. That had been a task deemed capable by only Yhwach himself. However, that had not stopped a few Stern Ritter from trying to do the impossible.
Bambietta had not been one of those Stern Ritter. She knew her chances and there was little way she would ever seek out a battle she knew she could not win.
Yet here Bambietta found now found herself ignoring all that, the Quincy intent on rallying Fairy Tail to fight an unwinnable battle. All for Wendy.
"What the hell has happened to me?" Bambietta was not entirely sure, yet she was ready to press on, to find Erza and try and set things straight or die trying.
Yet before she could finish opening the doorway, Bambietta could see something on the ground by her feet. It was a paper, folded up and left leaning against the door. Confused, Bambietta reached down to pick it up, then unfolded the paper to find a message written across it.
'Salut, Fairy Tail wizards. We have your Mademoiselle Dragon Slayer. If you wish to have her back in one piece, we of Phantom Lord offer an exchange. Lucy Heartfilia and all her lovely money for your precious Wendy Marvell.- Phantom Lord.'
Bambietta's face began to twitch then, her teeth once more becoming grit together. The letter held between her hands, the Quincy could not help but crumple it into a ball. She tried to calm herself then, opening the door to the guild hall at last.
"Erza Scarlet!" Bambietta shouted as she moved towards the armored mage, her temper beginning to fight past her attempts to restrain. "Wendy was just taken by one of those hooded creeps from Phantom Lord! The same bastard who tried to kill Gajeel!"
All those within the guild hall were quick to react, yet Erza was the first to speak. "Phantom Lord continues to hound us and-"
"I know, I know!" Bambietta shouted. "We're going to sit here and do nothing right? Jose's too much for us to handle without Makarov? Fine! I'm going alone then! So either help me or get out of the way!"
Erza moved towards Bambietta then, their eyes locking. "Bambietta Basterbine, you will not-""
"Yeah, yeah," Bambietta interrupted as she began to circle around Erza. "I knew this is how it was going to be. I just wanted to give you the head's up. So like I said, get out of my-"
"You will not be going alone." It was Erza's turn to interrupt then. "Phantom Lord had done enough to warrant are attention once. Makarov would not allow them to kidnap one of our own and neither will I."
Bambietta's lips curled upwards a bit, the Quincy satisfied with what she was hearing.
"However," Erza continued. "We will do this right. We've already let our emotions cloud our judgment and walked directly into a trap once before. We need to be cool headed this time."
"Forget that!" Bambietta and Erza both turned their attentions, catching sight of Natsu Dragneel about to move towards the doorway. However, much to his and their shared surprise, the Fire Dragon Slayer was going nowhere.
Blut Arterie empowering her, Liltotto held her ground quite casually as she held on to Natsu's right wrist with one hand. She looked at Bambietta and Erza, a dull expression on her face. "Don't worry, I've got the enemy of all common sense. He isn't going anywhere."
"And I bet you just don't want to let go," Bambietta whispered, her attention span slipping for a second. She turned back to Erza, the Quincy more inclined to agree with Natsu than her. "Wendy can't wait that long."
"I know it's hard to accept with all that has gone on," Erza replied, "but I know in my heart that Phantom Lord would not dare to hurt a child. At most I can imagine that Jose simply wanted to deprive Fairy Tail of a Dragon Slayer."
"So when do we move?" Bambietta asked, the Quincy trying to keep her emotions in check.
"Levy, Mira and I will plan out a strategy," Erza said as she stepped away. "I promise you, Bambietta, we will bring this conflict to an end soon."
Bambietta watched as Erza moved towards the other two, Bambietta catching a look of concern from Levy that was directed at her. Bambietta tried her best to forge a smile, no matter how fake it was.
First Phantom Lord had attacked her, then they had kidnapped Wendy, then there was the letter regarding Lucy. It was as if this guild was targeting everyone Bambietta had found herself truly caring about in this guild.
"The ransom letter..." Bambietta whispered once more, her thoughts returning to it. She knew she should have shown it to Erza, yet the Quincy was unsure if that was truly the best course of action. Fairy Tail could save Wendy without sacrificing anyone else, Bambietta had to believe that. Yet there was a part of her that wondered what Erza or anyone else would do if they knew of the option that Phantom Lord had given them.
Makarov and the others, they spoke of family so very much, but it was an impossibility that they would still believe that when push came to shove. They would no doubt sacrifice Lucy if the need arose. The Vandenreich would have. The Soul Society would have.
Bambietta's right hand fidgeted in her coat pocket, the crumpled letter within it still. She could not share this information with Erza or the others. It could not factor into their plans to save Wendy.
However, there was one person Bambietta felt she needed to speak to about it. Sighing, the Quincy turned and walked towards that individual. "Lucy, can we talk? Alone?"
"Bambi? What's the ma-"
Lucy never got the remainder of her question out, Bambietta gripping tightly upon her wrist and taking her out of the guild hall with Hirenkyaku. The two arrived out on the streets of Magnolia again, dust and dirt kicking up as their feet skid to a halt. Despite the suddenness of the moment, Lucy tried to finish her question. However, much to her surprise, Bambietta's hands gently clasped down upon her upper arms.
"Lucy," Bambietta whispered. "What the hell would Phantom Lord want with you?"
"What?" Lucy was caught off guard by the question, the mage quickly noting the slight hint of panic in her friend's voice. "Bambi, what's got you so spooked?"
Pulling herself away from Lucy, Bambietta pulled from her coat pocket a crumpled up note. She opened it fully then and showed it to Lucy. "A ransom note," Bambietta began to explain. "They want you in exchange for Wendy. You and your lovely money."
Lucy's eyes began to widen, the Celestial Spirit wizard clearly becoming even more distraught then Bambietta. "I... Bambi, I..." Lucy's hands began to tightened, the mage finding some resolve tucked away in the inner recesses of her heart and soul. "If that's what it takes, then fine. They can have me."
"Hell no!" Bambietta suddenly leapt upon Lucy then, the Quincy wrapping her arms around Lucy. One hand pressed against the small of the wizard's back, the other gently caressing her blonde hair. "Fairy Tail's going to get Wendy back our way. We're... going to get Wendy back. So I damn well don't want to hear anything about you giving yourself over to those creeps."
"But she's just a kid," Lucy replied. "She can't be there because of me."
"Lucy, just-"
"I can handle myself, Bambi," Lucy interjected as she pulled herself away from Bambietta's embrace a bit and looked the Quincy in the eyes. "I'm a big girl."
"In all the right places," Bambietta muttered under her breath.
Lucy simply blinked. "Huh?"
"Nothing." Bambietta shook her head, trying to keep her mind focused on the matter at hand. She whispered at first, still shaking her head. "Think clean thoughts, Quincy. This ain't the time..." Her voice raising to its normal volume, Bambietta looked to her friend again. "Forget the ransom, Lucy. I'm not going to lose you just to get Wendy back. And I'm not going to leave Wendy there either. That ninja creep is going to pay dearly, all right. But... that ransom..."
Bambietta lowered her head a bit, unable to look Lucy in the eyes. The Quincy had been truthful with those she had grown to know in this new world, but only to an extent. The darker parts of herself and her past she had kept tucked away. So how then could she demand Lucy be entirely truthful with her?
"Lucy..." Bambietta paused for a moment. "You don't have to tell me anything, but I... I need to at least ask. You're family, it's... special isn't it? Rich and powerful and Phantom Lord-"
Bambietta turned her head to the side, looking down at the floor. She could no longer look Lucy in the eyes, not with the secrets she held close to her own heart.
"Forget it," the Quincy whispered. "I said it, right? You don't have to answer and I don't have the right to pry. I'll shut up, Lu-"
"The Heartfilia family is one of the richest in all of Fiore," Lucy interrupted, her tone growing solemn and quiet. "It's as simple as that. I just... didn't want to tell anyone in Fairy Tail because I knew you'd all look at me differently. And I... I just wanted to be accepted for who I am, not who I was."
Bambietta's shoulder raised for a moment, a chuckle struggling to slip past her lips. She knew that feeling far too well, even if she knew her past was much more frightful to the average person and worthy of scorn than any skeleton Lucy could have in her closet.
"Wait," Bambietta said, the manner in which Lucy had spoken finally dawning on her. She repeated her friend's words then. "Who I was?"
"My father is rich," Lucy said, the mage clasping her right hand upon her left arm as she became withdrawn. "But you and I struggle to make ends meet. And that's because... I ran away from home."
Bambietta heard every word, saw every bit of Lucy's body language. She had cringed when she had spoken of her father, she had made no note of her mother. Yet there was also the past. Bambietta could distinctly recall how Lucy had reacted when she had spoken of her own mother's departure from life. The signs were there, very nearly a roadmap to the uncomfortable aspect of her past that Lucy did not want to speak of.
"Say what you want," Lucy said as she turned her back on Bambietta, the wizard now clasping both hands against the opposing arms as she lowered her head and closed her eyes. "I'm just a selfish brat who ran away from a life of luxury."
Bambietta's right hand began to raise, the Quincy reaching towards her friend's shoulder. Yet as her fingers hovered over Lucy's skin, Bambietta stopped. She knew what she should do.
Bambietta pulled herself close to Lucy then, her arms wrapping around her friend's torso. It was bold and it was foolish, especially in public, but Bambietta knew it was the only proper course of action. Lucy was hurting, even if she was trying not to show it, and Bambietta knew what the mage had done for her not an hour earlier under similar circumstances. The Quincy had taken a page from Lucy's own book despite the different location they were in now; damn any onlookers' opinions.
"You lost your mother," Bambietta whispered, "and your father wasn't the ideal parent, right? I get it, Lucy. I do."
Lucy let her guard down a bit, the Celestial Spirit mage accepting Bambietta's embrace. She let her head tilt to the side a bit, resting it against Bambietta's own. "He just... tried to control me too much and I couldn't take it. So I did exactly that. I ran away from my problems. Bambi, did you do the same?"
Bambietta remembered well, her last encounter with her father. Before she had left behind her home for the Vandenreich. "Yes, and I ran into new problems. But... it led me to Fairy Tail in the end."
"And look what I've done," Lucy whispered, her voice threatening to break. "Phantom Lord wants me. They want my family's money even if I don't have it to offer. I've brought nothing but trouble to Fairy Tail. To Wendy. That's why I have to let them take me for her."
"Stop that," Bambietta whispered in return. "I already told you that we're getting her back our own way. No sacrifices, you hear me? That's why this little ransom note is staying between you and me, got it? Because after we get Wendy back, it won't mean a thing."
Lucy was reluctant to agree immediately to what Bambietta had proposed for the letter. "But Wendy-"
"You've got a big heart, Lucy," Bambietta interjected. "So yeah, you are a big girl in all the right places. And that's why I... I..."
Bambietta pulled away from Lucy then, the Quincy suddenly finding herself caught unawares by her own thoughts and feelings. Lucy was a kind person, yes, but that was precisely why Bambietta knew there could be no future for them. Lucy had laid bare a part of her past and the Quincy had seen a common bond. Yet there was one difference, something Bambietta kept hidden.
Lucy lived in the light while was lost in the shadow.
"Let's..." Bambietta tensed up for a moment, the Quincy once more crumpling up the ransom note that Phantom Lord had provided. She began to move past Lucy as the wizard looked toward her with some uncertainty in her eyes. "Let's get back to the guild hall, Lucy. Hopefully Erza has a plan to rescue Wendy by now."
Jason Joker was for all intents and purposes along on the top floor of the Phantom Lord guild hall. Wendy Marvell was unconscious within the lone holding cell, yes, but in her present state the young man could not consider her company in the slightest.
So he sat on the stone floor, staring through the bars he had locked Wendy within. Jose had only instructed Jason to bring her to the cell but Jason had decided of his own will to keep an eye on her.
It was no simple case of making certain she was all right despite her imprisonment, to be a comforting face whenever she awoke. No, there were darker impulses at work. Impulses that Jason was trying to ignore. However, it was a losing battle. He had not left after all.
So Jason continuing to sit, his knees pulled up towards his face, his arms wrapped around his legs. His eyes peered out from over the tops of his knees, never blinking as he looked at Wendy.
He had done such terrible things in his past, from killing to maiming. Others' pain was his pleasure, a twisted fact that he had been unable to ignore ever since he had escaped from those who had deemed themselves worthy of controlling his future. He had gotten his freedom in a physical sense, yes, but the scars of his past still continued to dictate his future.
He had thought that perhaps Phantom Lord would offer him structure and relief, being a legitimate guild, but the questionable desires were still playing across his thoughts. Wendy was untouched before him, yet all Jason could visualize was the Sky Dragon Slayer bleeding, her flesh torn open and stitched together again. It was a work of art.
"A masterpiece..."
Jason's lips curled back, his teeth baring themselves. He could not hold his impulses back. Why should he have? They had been slipping outwards further and further in recent times and Jose Porla had not punished him. This was just another transgression, no different than stitching together enemies on the battlefield.
Slowly did Jason rise to his feet, the young man pulling open his white coat with his left hand, reaching into it with his right. He pulled from it one of the many scalpels tucked away within the lining and moved towards the cell.
Using the key still held tightly in his left hand, he undid the lock and moved towards Wendy. Jason dropped down to one knee then, his eyes never moving away from the unconscious young girl. He reached down with his left hand, faintly tracing the edge across Wendy's face. He moved gently and slow, unwilling to draw blood just yet. That would come in time.
"Skin untouched by the ravages of time," Jason whispered to himself. "Pristine as newly fallen snow. Scarlet stains will look so beautiful. Perhaps a gleaming smile will accent your visage... One that can never go away."
Jason slipped his left hand into his coat pocket, dropping it in and grabbing something else. His hand retracted back into the open air, a spool of sewing string within his palm.
"I could make it quite permanent after all," Jason said as he slipped the scalpel between Wendy's lips and began to trace the outline of her mouth. "Surely even Master Jose would not object if I made his prisoner so happy..."
Jason began to raise his hand then, the light issuing forth through the open windows of the guild hall's tower gleaning off the blade of the scalpel. One quick downwards stroke towards the left. That was all it would take to cut open the corner of Wendy's mouth, to extend her smile. Another motion, moving backwards, would do the same to other side.
"Perfect symmetry," Jason whispered. "Then we'll see what lovely patterns I can make upon your legs, feet and stomach..."
Jason prepared himself to bring swift satisfaction to his mind. He was ready to see blood spray out from Wendy's face, to bring beauty to her resting expression. However, much to his utter confusion, Jason saw blood that was unexpected. It was falling down past his eyes, drops of it splattering across the stone floor of the prison cell. Then, alongside the crimson droplets did he see his scalpel fall as well.
"What... is this... pain?" Jason lowered his hand, the man becoming aware of the agony spreading across it as it remained out of sight. He saw it then, a luminous arrow piercing flesh and bone, the point of the weapon sticking out from the his palm. "It feels... good."
"How cute," a voice called out from behind. "I'm not a masochist at heart, so I can't relate."
As the arrow impaling his hand vanished from sight, Jason could feel the hairs on the back of his neck begin to stand on end. The air around him was crackling, as if there was a similar power behind him. He reached into his coat with his good hand, retrieving another scalpel so as to be ready to defend himself. Then, as he turned, he took sight of a lithe individual with jet black hair standing at the entry of the jail cell, a small and strange bow within her hands, another glowing arrow forming within it.
"I'm not much of a sadist either. Promise." The newcomer in white continued to speak with a cheerful exuberance, closing one eye as she took aim at Jason with her bow. "But I can't let you go and hurt little adorable little Dragon Slayer. Bambi would be so sad if you hurt her and I just can't have that."
"You're quite the looker, lady," Jason said as he looked over the individual before him, ignoring all that she had to say. All that interested him was the physical reality and what he could do to it. Finding it hard to resist, Jason brought his injured hand up and began to run his tongue over the blood seeping away. "First you, then the Dragon Slayer. So many masterpieces..."
"Ewww." The individual in white's face scrunched up, revulsion and disgust evident in her voice. "That's gross, man. And stop smiling. This is so unfair. The person I wanted smiling in death cried and the one I want sad is grinning like an idiot."
Jason lunged for the lithe young woman, lashing out with his scalpel. His aim was true and the blade nicked the woman's face, cutting into her cheek. The member of Phantom Lord felt a moment of elation at the wound he had caused, yet it did not last long. His smile dropped suddenly, Jason beginning to understand something. "That... was too easy."
"Now look what you did," the woman said as she let her bow and arrow vanish in a flash of light. She reached out and ran a gloved thumb against her wounded cheek, allowing the blood to dribble upon it. She smiled in response. "You went and drew blood. Meanie..."
Wendy Marvell could hear it faintly, a voice calling out to her. The world around her was dark, the Sky Dragon Slayer trying to concentrate on that voice. The last thing she could recall was the sight of a masked man landing before her, chanting some kind of spell. Then it had gone black. That darkness was still around her, but it was slowly beginning to fall away.
"Wakey, wakey, sleepyhead."
"Huh?" Wendy's eyes began to flutter open, the Dragon Slayer taking a moment to adjust to the onrush of light. She was greeted then by the sight of an unfamiliar individual, one who was looking down at her with eyes wide. "Where.. Where am I? Who are you?"
"You're in Phantom Lord's dumpy little jail cell," the woman, her expression beaming, said as she pulled away from Wendy and allowed her to sit up. "And me? Why, I'm your hero. See?" The woman brought her hand forward, showing Wendy the key held between her index finger and thumb, all the while tilting her head towards the open door.
"Well... thank you." Wendy smiled as she looked at the woman before her. She took notice of the white uniform then, the Dragon Slayer's curiosity becoming piqued. "Say, you wouldn't happen to be a friend of Bambietta Basterbine and Liltotto Lamperd?"
The woman's eyes truly lit up then, a broad smile forming on her face. "Bambi and Lil? Oh, we go way back! I'm a Quincy too you know! And I mean me and Bambi are tight! Besties even!"
Wendy felt safe then, a sense of trust in this unnamed woman forming thanks to their mutual bond with another. "That's a relief. I'm Wendy Marvell by the wa-"
"Oh, I know who you are," the woman interrupted as she stood up, helping Wendy do the same. "Bambi seems to like you and I couldn't let my bestest buddy lose someone she's so fond of after all. So here I am!"
Wendy began to step out of the jail cell then, looking around nervously. There didn't appear to be anyone, but there was still the corner leading to the bottom floor. Someone could be coming up at any moment. Concerned, Wendy began to move towards that corner to make certain the coast was clear.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" the unnamed Quincy said as she suddenly appeared in front of Wendy. "No need to look over there, kid!"
"But that's the only way out of here," Wendy replied. "I know that everyone's probably downstairs, but how else can we escape."
The Quincy simply smiled and scooped up Wendy into her arms. She began to move towards one of the opened windows built into the stone walls, her pace never slowing.
Then, much to Wendy's despair, her supposed savior suddenly leap forward and out the window, taking her with her. The Sky Dragon Slayer began to scream as her twin pigtails were pushed up by the rush of air, closing her eyes so that she would not see the ground coming ever closer. "We're going to die!"
"Don't worry," the Quincy said, trying to be as positive and reassuring and positive as possible. "I've got you."
Wendy was not so easily relieved. "You've got me? Who's got you?"
Then, without any warning, the rapid descent to death came to a slow stop, Wendy's blue tails of hair settling down upon her shoulders once more. She opened her eyes, looking around to find an answer to what had happened.
It was then that she took notice of the bony wings that spread out from the Quincy's back. "See?" the woman in white said, closing her eyes and grinning. "Everything's just super."
The Quincy descended down to the ground then, her feet touching down. She put Wendy down gently then, leaving the Sky Dragon Slayer to watch as the strange wings slowly dissipated, as if they had never been there at all.
"Thank you again," Wendy said, returning the never-fading smile her savior possessed. "I guess we'll be going to Fairy Tail now."
"You will, yeah," the Quincy replied, her grin suddenly dropping. "Bambi will be happy to see you, but I don't think she'll be all hugs and kisses with me."
"But you're her friend," Wendy retorted. "Right?"
"Her best one ever," the Quincy replied. "But it's complicated. Messy, silly stuff, you know? But you can do me a little favor."
"Anything," Wendy replied honestly. It was the least she could offer the person who had saved her after all.
The Quincy perked up again and moved closer to Wendy, leaning over until her chin was hovering over the Dragon Slayer's shoulder. The Quincy whispered then before pulling back to her full height.
"Now you go on and scoot, Wendy," the Quincy said as she turned the Sky Dragon Slayer around and patted her on the back.
"Okay." Wendy did just as she was told, the Dragon Slayer walking away from the castle that was Phantom Lord's guild hall. She headed towards Oak Town, slightly worried about how she would get from one town to the next on her own. Still, she knew she had little to worry about. The hardest part was behind her now, all thanks to the Quincy. Looking her shoulder, Wendy waved back to the woman. "Thanks again!"
The Quincy waved in return, stopping only when Wendy fell out of sight, the Dragon Slayer having walked down a hill. The woman stopped then, yet her smile never dropped. No, it simply intensified. She whirled around then, bringing her hands together and resting the side of her face against them.
"I can see the newspaper headlines now," the Quincy all but giggled. "Giselle Gewelle, friend to all children! That has a nice ring to it."
The woman who was known as Stern Ritter Z in another word tried to calm herself, knowing that she could not nearly be so loud. Getting the attention of an entire guild and the Wizard Saint that ruled over it would be disastrous to her health after all. However, there was one last matter to attend to. One that would require the risk of a little yelling.
"Hey!" Giselle shouted up towards the guild hall's prison tower, cupping her hands around her mouth as she did so. "You can come out from that corner and get down here now!"
There was no response at first, at least not a verbal one. Giselle simply watched as a figure began to crawl up towards the window then leapt. It was much the same as what she had just done. The only difference is that this individual did not sprout a pair of wings.
No, this individual simply landed before Giselle, his body cracking and breaking as it unceremoniously struck the ground before her.
"Wow," Giselle said before she began to clap. "I give that landing a... seven out of ten? Hard hitting but you really need to work in some flips and stuff. I know! You could try spinning! I hear that's a good trick!"
Jason Joker began to rise up to face Giselle. The wizard was much different than before, his pale skin now a vivid shade of dark red. It was a clear sign of the Quincy's corrupted blood that had now taken control of him. Heart, mind and soul; it all belonged to Giselle.
"I am so sorry," Jason answered. "I will do better next time, I promise."
"Don't worry about it," Giselle said as she turned her back on Jason and began to walk away from Phantom Lord's guild hall. She motioned for him to follow. "I was just teasing you, you super freak you. Now come on, I need to go give a report to... to... September? January?"
Giselle stopped for a moment, the Quincy scratching at her chin and tapping her foot against the ground.
"Think, Gigi, think." The did Giselle's eyes suddenly widen with realization, as if a light bulb had light up within her mind. "Yeah, there we go! I need to go report to August! I can't keep the old guy waiting after all!"
Im going to take a guess and say none of you saw THAT coming now did you? Thats right, Giselle is already making her first appearance...Saving Wendy of all people. I'm surprised as you all are, and im the one who came up with the idea!
And yes, Giselle IS part of Alverz. How? Why? Im not saying just yet, but it sure does add to the mystery now dosnt it?
Don't worry though, you'll all have a huge answer as to how all the Bleach characters got here by the time this arc is over.
Id really appreciate it though if all of you who read the chapter could leave a review, it would really mean alot to us. We worked really hard on this one.
Regardless, I hope you all enjoyed it.
