Learning To Fight | A NaLu Fan Fiction

• Part 17 •

My eyes fluttered open and the first thing to hit my senses was the excruciating pain overwhelming me. I gasped softly as I finally registered the high amounts of pain, my vision wavering as my nerves went into overdrive. I forced a few gulps of air into my lungs as I tried to focus on something other than the pain. It was only after this that I could gather myself enough to look at my surroundings.

I was chained to a chair, my arms bound behind it with a chain meant to tow a car. It was very thick and heavy duty. The weight of the chain tugged at my weak arms and shoulders, making my shoulder blades dig into the back of the chair. I looked around and saw in the dim light that Igneel was across from me and in a similar bind. His head was still slumped over, and I noticed cuts and bruises littered his body.

I finally looked down at my battered body and saw that among the old injuries there where a few newer ones. I also saw that my ankle was swollen and ached more than other parts of my body. I wondered what Zeref had done, and then my thoughts flew to ways to get out of this situation. I considered wiggling out of the chains, or pulling myself closer to Igneel so he could pull my chains off and then I could remove his. I tried to move but the chains weighed me down, and I was in far too weak a state to move.

I gazed around the room feeling helpless for a while, drifting in and out of consciousness. When I was awake I ached to be asleep. When I was asleep I ached to be home. I jolted out of my troubled sleep when the door to the room clattered open. My eyes shifted to the noise despite feeling heavy. Then I saw Zeref pass by the small amount of light being cast by the dim, flickering light fixture above myself and Igneel.

"My little brother... he could have saved you a lot of trouble Lucy," Zeref tsks and I turn my head to see him looming over me.

"Why don't I show you what's in store for you my dear, with my brother and I's adoptive father. Igneel... Please be strong for her. I wouldn't want her getting too scared now," Zeref chuckles and then pulls out a horribly beat up tool box. He roughly opens a drawer, making me flinch at the sound, and pulls out a knife.

"Let's start simple, shall we?" I jerked my head away and squeezed my eyes shut as I heard Zeref plunge the blade into Igneel. The older man's muffled noises of pain and protest could be heard. When the noises quieted I looked over to see Zeref pulling out a small container. He opened the plastic kid and reached in, taking out a small amount of whatever was inside. Then he sprinkled it along the large gash in Igneel's arm. When Igneel began thrashing the arm in pain I realized what the substance must have been.

Salt.

"Zeref why are you doing this?!" I exclaim, my voice cracking as the scratchy voice leaves my lips. In the back of my mind I wondered how long I had been thirsty.

"Ah Lucy, I guess I have to explain it all to you. My brother, as you are now aware, is being inducted into a gang. You may know him as an athlete and a good looking young man but he's much more than that," Zeref looks back at me with his eyes flashing. "He was born to be a killer." I shake my head dully.

"No. There's no way, he isn't like that!" I argue.

"He has no choice but to be. Well, he did. Now he has nothing left to be good for. His Pops here is as good as finished...and you aren't far from the same fate Miss Starving Girl." With a pang I realized why I felt so weak. I was malnourished and dehydrated. My stomach had been gnawing at itself and my skin was tighter around my bones.

"Why?" I croak again, quieter this time.

"You're in the way," He said quickly.

"Of what?" Zeref turns from Igneel and wipes the blade on his shirt. I squirm in my seat and inch myself away from him as he approaches. When he reaches me he then presses the blade into my leg and I scream in agony as it tears through muscle and skin. Blood, warm and sticky, trailed down my thigh. My breathing was panicky and erratic.

"My plans, dear. You are interfering far too much with my plans," he whispers close to my cheek and I jerk away.

"So that's why you plan to torture and then kill Igneel and I?" I mutter through clenched teeth.

"Precisely. I'm glad you are finally catching on," he yanks the knife from my leg as he says that with a wide grin and I cry out again as more blood seeps from my leg. Tears are falling down my face now as well despite my trying to hold them in.

"Within a few days... you'll be long gone," Zeref twirled the knife around in his hand.

"Someone will find us," I gasp through my grit teeth.

Zeref laughed and tossed the knife back on the large toolbox. Then as he sauntered into the darkness and presumably the door, he pushed his hands casually in his pockets. Had you seen him anywhere else you wouldn't have known he had just begun the series of sessions we would have, except for the small stain of blood on the very bottom of his shirt.

The door opened and closed again and I looked at Igneel who was still cringing from his wound. He didn't look at me as he had is head tilted back and he seemed focused on just breathing. I wondered how we would get ourselves out of this mess, but the more I thought about it the more hopeless the situation seemed to become. I wanted Natsu to just burst in at that moment and get us out but that was a bit far fetched. My dad would have police out looking for me, and Natsu would be searching too.

I just knew they would.

• • • •

Third POV

"Yes Mr. Heartfilia, she was transferred to another unit where her extensive injuries are being treated. Visiting is not permitted," the kind voice spoke to Jude Heartfilia.

"Yes, I understand... thank you for taking good care of my daughter," he mumbled a response and then hung up. He then looked up at the pink-haired boy who was standing in his office doorway with his arms crossed.

"She isn't in any hospital," he told the man.

"I know. Her injuries weren't severe," Jude looked back at his phone before sitting it down on his worn desktop. "Where do you suppose she is?"

"I'm working on that, but it's difficult. I'm not really a member of the group that has her, so information won't come easy." Jude sighed. These prospects didn't look too good for his only daughter.

"Might I suggest something?" A gentle voice spoke up, making the two men turn their heads towards Michelle. "I think I know where she is."

"How? And where is she?!" Jude stood from his chair.

"She's probably in an old railroad station, you know the ones that where abandoned after the new system was put in?" Michelle looks down. "I've been there before, it's perfectly isolated..."

"Then let's go," Jude looks at Natsu who nods. "Thank you, Michelle." He says before he leaves with Natsu.

"Please... forgive me Jude..."