You're welcome for the update - I thank you for the reviews! ^^
Isanien, thank you so much for such a long and detailed review! And most of all the complement; makes me so happy!
Guest, who said it was their favourite chapter - thank you so much! I wasn't expecting that! Glad you're enjoying and thanks for letting me know what you like to be mentioned!
FH, thank you so much for your review! There will be Gruvia hints, still, no worries. I was thinking about something more major but it's only an idea, still... think I should (in the background)?
Mitzy, suuuch a long review, thaaank you! Again, I don't see how it is the favourite chapter but it makes me so happy to hear! I'm not doing your wonderful review justice but just know that I'm really really grateful for such kind and many words concerning the chapter! And wow, how you even did two! Thank you so much! Think I should include a Natsu and Gray exposed to Jerza cuteness scene?
Mikasa-Chan, thank you so much for your review! Again the question: Natsu and Gray witnessing more Jerza fluff?
Somnolent Sushi Roll, your review got posted twice on accident and I enjoyed both (the same) reviews wholeheartedly! Thank you so so much! I love how you had to squeal; thank you for telling me - made me squeal with happiness :D
Author-San signing off! Fairy Tail signing in! Hope you enjoy!
The darkening streets were slowly filling up. People came from all around – from long journeys or simply the nearest hideout. Dubious, shady figures, lurking in alleyways or smoking in front of a bar. Beer mugs clinked almost as much as shot glasses.
"Welcome," the bartender from the evening before greeted the team, opening his back door for them. "I'm glad you came – one of the employees called in sick," he informed. Not that anyone from Fairy Tail cared. The bar was still mostly empty, so was the kitchen. It looked as shabby as most of the buildings in the quarter and everyone seemed glad that they would never have to eat there again. The sensitive Dragon Slayer noses screwed up in disgust.
"Now, about your salary, I was thinking something like this," he led them to one of the counters where a sticky piece of paper laid, partly in a puddle of… Erza did not want to know. She was everything but jealous of her comrades' excellent senses of smell at that moment. She kept a straight face, however, regarding the insolently low number. She let it pass – their objective was not money, but to find and capture their target. She gave a nod.
"Wonderful," the parsimonious man said, going over to the next door. Following wordlessly, the group stayed alert, even if there were hardly customers there yet, only a small cluster of figures in the back corner. The noise from outside was starting to pick up.
"Oh, and I assume you are magic wielders?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. They all mirrored it, easing their guard a little once he continued. "Because there might sometimes be mages coming to the bar – but then I can count on you to be able to defend yourselves," he simply concluded for himself without asking for consent. He smirked with what could be some twisted apology at the girls, Lucy and Erza in particular and neither of them was liking the way it looked – and sounded.
Erza already felt for her friend, knowing her hair to have already stood on end upon entering the creepy place. Harassment was not a thing they needed to add to their list of discomfort but if the risk was necessary for their goal…
Natsu pulled up his lips into a noiseless snarl as they passed the VIP room. They did not enter it, squeezing behind the bar to find untrustworthy rungs of a broad ladder, leading to an upstairs. A scarred, brawny man was hunching over the bar, wiping it in an almost mechanic manner, his face seemingly set into an angry attitude for twenty-four hours each day. He did not say a thing, dragging the dirty rag over the stained wood. Another scrawny man at the other end of the room was busy with the same enthusiasm as his colleague.
The hand full of men that had already taken their seats in the corner of the room stopped their whispering as soon as the mages had entered. Eyes peered at Team Natsu from the shadows, not even hushed words uttered. Did they know about the two Dragon Slayers and their good hearing?
"Do you need lockers for your belongings?" The small man asked, apparently as inattentive with newcomers as with hygiene since they were clearly not carrying a single piece of luggage.
"We've left it at camp-" Natsu began but Gray rammed his elbow into his guildmate's stomach.
"Shush," he hissed and Natsu mumbled something annoyed but understanding. One of the figures in the back rose from his seat, exiting the bar in a stride. He had clearly heard, poorly pretending to be lighting a cigarette outside, even though the entire bar reeked of smoke.
One person less to fight, Erza thought, relief washing down her back to replace the cold shiver when knowing their plan to have worked up until now.
She negated their new employer's offer and carefully climbed the creaking steps he pointed up to. "The women's uniforms are through the first door to the left, the men's through the second – do hurry up if you please, we are open," he called after them.
Giving each other meaningful looks, they split up into the designated rooms.
Wendy glanced out the tiny triangular window opposite the entrance door.
"Charle," she whispered as loudly as she dared. The Exceed appeared within a heartbeat, giving a stern nod. She pressed herself against the wall next to the window when someone in the street halted, harking. He continued, however and the white cat relaxed the slightest bit.
"We haven't spotted anything particularly odd – no one seems to be organised or in communication with someone far away," she reported through mostly sealed lips. "We'll scout above the market place again and meet back here right after," she said, taking off.
"Be careful," Wendy said quietly, watching her best friend disappear in the darkness of the descending night. She would have to find an excuse to come back up at some point.
They had decided on allowing Happy and Charle patrol the area from the air – they were not to land unless necessary and only if there was no roof window where someone would be able to sneak up on them.
Whether involved with the team's target person or not, no one was to be trusted in a quarter like that.
"What… is this?!" Lucy made a face, staring down at the chair where her attire was draped over. Erza turned from having listened at the closed door, catching sight of the… outfit. Wendy's eyes widened and she shivered shortly. "I mean…" Lucy picked the item up, frowning critically.
"This can't be it, right?" Wendy gulped. Her eyes wandered over the flimsy piece of leather, a harness of some sort, strapping around arms, wrists, legs and ankles more than properly covering a lady's private parts. It did fulfil that requirement, if only barely. Erza gave a long sigh, clenching her jaw. There was no way she would let Wendy wear something like that but if it was the only way to finally end the hunt, she would put it on. She wondered what the boys were forced to wear.
"I've worn less…" she shrugged with as much confidence as she could muster, picking her own up to eye it up and down.
"Yeah, in the shower…" Lucy grumbled. "But hey, at least yours includes fabric," she picked Wendy's by far too short skirt and top up.
"It's mocking me…" Wendy mumbled while taking what was definitely tailored for busty women.
"We'll be out of here faster if we get going now," Erza said, manually unbuttoning her blouse and unhooking her skirt, placing them over the chair's backrest. She did not want to raise any suspicions of which magic they all used, especially since theirs were well known from the Grand Magic Games. The moment people realised, it would be over.
Or perhaps, it would only start. It was hard to decide and she had to admit that it was all a matter of time to see which tactic would prove victorious.
Reluctantly, Lucy followed the example, stripping off her clothes.
"I'm sure at least one of us is already done undressing," she joked, avoiding Gray's name but managing to make her friends giggle despite their unease.
"Then let's not make them wait," Erza suggested. She pouted to herself when noting that she was wearing one of her new, extra lacy sets of underwear, now hoping more than ever to be able to pick her clothes back up after their mission. She had dozens of skirts and blouses, but the elegant lingerie was something she had yet to try out – to have him see.
"Oh, Erza, I didn't know you got hurt, too," Lucy said. Confused, Erza turned to tilt her head at her guildmate. Lucy pointed, her finger slowly curling back up and lowering awkwardly as she came to realise. Those were not bruises caused by intruders. Erza blinked in puzzlement, following the gaze to spot several trails of lovebites from her neck down all the way to her stomach. She closed her legs to shield any more on her thighs from view.
"It's nothing," she hastily said, turning away for Wendy not to understand and get worried. They were the last things she wanted healed and gone from her subtle skin; she adored them. Still, in her fantasy scenarios, she had been a lot cooler about them, seeing as she had only ever imagined showing the ones on her neck and cleavage off. Her face was steaming with blush but she pretended not to notice.
Lucy awkwardly cleared her throat and the two women proceeded to step into the unfavoured working clothes. Wendy had already slid her own on, pulling and tugging to get some length out of them. The bondage attire was admittedly easy to put on, everything connected so conveniently that it was only necessary to mildly adjust some of the straps by their numerous buckles. The three exchanged much saying glances, all sighing. It was only starting.
Suddenly, the door flung open. Lucy shrieked, trying to cover herself up in the embarrassing though complete outfit and Erza instinctively shoved Wendy behind her, summoning a sword. At least trying to. She stared at her empty hand.
"Don't put them on!" Natsu yelled, panting. They stared at him when Lucy suddenly choked. Erza spun around to her, her breath getting stuck in her throat as the leather straps tightened. They wound closely around her arms and legs, clasping around her stomach and back, cording up her windpipe. She fell to the ground.
"Erza!" Natsu exclaimed, then shouted Lucy's name but Erza could not see anything but wooden floor. On her front, she felt the harness cut into her flesh, stealing her oxygen, blackening her vision. She tried again to call for a sword, an axe, a scimitar, anything. Nothing happened.
"Natsu…" she croaked, turning her head as much as possible. Her wrists and ankles were drawn together behind her back by the same force the seal stone interweaved material gashed into her skin with. "Fire," she panted. Sweat was pooling down her forehead and back. She was not sure how the others were coping but she felt her insides contort, hoping it to be her uncalled-for allergy.
"Enjoying the new fashion, I see," they winced when a new voice joined them. Natsu twirled around, glaring at who he found to be the bartender. Growling, Natsu stood in front of his comrades. "You see, Fairy Tail, I have watched you at the Grand Magic Games," the small man retold, "and I envy your power,"
"N-aaah!" Natsu lunged at the man, stumbling through air. His eyes widened in shock. The figure was perfectly intact, a smug grin on its face.
"A thought projection…?" Erza wheezed, managing to watch with one eye forced open. She furrowed her brows even further than already with the inflicted pain from the notching straps when Natsu punched the air again and again. He could not leave their side, but at the same time, he must have been able to smell the actual person somewhere near. His shoulders rose and fell with infuriated heavy breathing.
"Not only that, but have you ever thought about sharing it?" The man went on as if nothing had happened, silencing the furious shouts of the Dragon Slayer. "Only ten percent of our world's population is able to use magic, as you might know," he said with an agonising serenity while they suffered. Erza felt her lungs contract even more, breath coming short with the tension of her restraints. She could hear Lucy and Wendy gasp for air. "And yet, none of you have ever even considered sharing it.
"You boast with it in those stupid games, destroy buildings, cities, existences," his voice started to pick up urgency, lowering threateningly. "You kill with your magic, suppress others, whether they are the same as you or not. People shape their lives around you – have to watch you do their jobs instead of you finding ways to let them help themselves. The government pays fortunes for the development of Magical Vehicles and what about the non-mages? Are there any means of transportation for them, other than crowded trains or stinking carriages?" His voice shook with anger but it stayed spookily quiet.
"Of course, none of you egoistic tyrants would come to agree to such an attempt at equality, so I have outdone myself with the newest way to subdue what is commonly held to be divine – the OE-plug. Opposed to your Self-Energy-plug, mine will benefit someone else besides your cruel selves. It can harvest your magic to be reused by someone or something else – or should I say… harness-d," he grinned cheekily at the bondage outfits.
"We're not responsible for your problems, you jerk," Natsu snarled. He lit up his balled fist, throwing another punch, shortly making the projection vanish. Sprinting down the hall, he hurled a tightly strapped-in Gray into the room, turning back to face the reappearing smirk of a triumphant lunatic. The Ice Mage gave a muffled groan, his face as distorted as his captured guildmates' but his fighting spirit just as high as well.
He had been granted something similar to Wendy's outfit – by far more appropriate, or rather less revealing. Still, the seal-stone embedded fabric and the spell – if it was one – contorted around his body, bringing his ankles and wrists together, overstretching his back.
Erza stared up at their only hope, feeling hot blood run down her largely exposed body where the cuts deepened. Something in her spine shifted when it was coerced into bending backwards and she was not sure whether it was popping or cracking of bones she heard.
"Natsu…" she cawed, trying to catch her breath. Tendons and muscles were tensed too far, aching as if already threatening to snap. She felt like passing out, throwing up and breaking in half at the same time. "Burn them," she pleaded. He turned, staring with wide eyes. "Please, hurry," she managed, coughing. Blood speckled the floor.
"I'll hurt you-"
"Do it," she ordered, "my swords can cut them," Erza said. Natsu wasted no time, crouching down while still facing the door, ready to spring to his feet at any given moment. Flames flared up above his palms.
"That will not be of much use," the thought projection patiently said. "It would be better of you just put your own on – I can put a stop to this," he bargained. Natsu's fire burnt into Erza's skin but she felt as if ablaze all over already, quivering heftily. "Surrender your magic and I will save your friends," the man's eyes sparked up ambitiously.
Lucy choked where Erza could not see. Natsu winced, turning.
"Lucy!" He yelled, panic flooding him. Wendy whimpered, crying in pain while Gray gave another groan.
"Natsu!" Erza growled, unable to hide her own tortured features. Torn, he got back to grabbing the nicking leather. Flames shot up into the ceiling, giant balls of fire nearly swallowing her whole. Gritting her teeth, already having bitten her tongue, Erza begged for more. He ignited Igneel's Fire Dragon King powers.
Her skin bubbled with boiling blisters. Tears ran down her face in streams. They evaporated then, even before leaving her eyes. There was a snap, a crack and sizzling of dying blaze. The one on her side was loose! Natsu snatched one end of it, raking it upwards to tear the top of the harness off of his guildmate.
With an outcry, Erza hurled herself up to sit, her ribs cracking loudly at the sudden movement. She braced her gored hand around the remaining restraints around her torso while Natsu violently pulled the rest off. A broad black blade crashed into the wooden flooring, splintering it.
Erza wheezed, nearly breaking together on the spot again. Her arms and legs shook from the pain her entire body was surging with. Clenching her jaw, she huffed, summoning another sword. She shuffled over to Gray, his restrains ripped apart within a second. Natsu let the weapon he had been using fall as soon as the others were freed. He rushed out the door, down the stairs.
"Natsu! Wait!" Erza called. Heaving herself to her feet, she requipped into her Flight Armour. Anything not as heavy as the usual getup. Her muscles burnt as much as her skin, her every limb protesting but she pressed on. "Get Charle and Happy," she ordered over her shoulder, "and stay together!" She added, then ran after the Dragon Slayer. Her legs gave up at the very top of the ladder.
Shrieking, Erza collided with the wall, drilling her hand into it, tumbling down anyway. The VIP door was unopened, the bar full of people. They all stared at her, shocked most of all. A few felt for their weapons or readied magic while others already had after seeing Natsu but she paid them no mind. The front door was in ashes.
Sprinting as much as tripping, Erza stumbled out into the street. A gigantic flame shot up above multi-storey buildings and she aimed for that. The streets were buzzing busily, people staring, snickering, shouting and drinking.
"Natsu!" Erza yelled over the commotion. A large warehouse was burning down and he stood there, a small figure cowering at his feet. Black smoke rose from the combusted walls, a for human noses already biting stench alongside it. Erza covered her mouth and nose, eyes tearing up at the heat and disgustingly strong smells that mixed into something that made her gag.
"They're here," Natsu turned to her. She ignored the hunched man they had finally, finally caught up with. Her gaze met her friend's, then followed it to the ground where, among the rubble, there was a neatly sealed off hatch. "The others."