NATSU:

I could always clearly remember each time I woke up. It was always the same, so not that hard to remember. The stone walls never changed, save the occasional splatter of my blood. The door was still the same dull gray. The chains used to be black, but after so many years they took on a shade of scarlet. At least, I think it was years. I have no idea how long I've been down here. I think I was supposed to be standing, but more often I just sagged in the chains until my arms would numb over, and then I'd be able to sleep. He'd come in later with more questions, questions about my messed up Dragon Slayer magic that I couldn't answer. My guild probably thinks I'm dead. A half-hearted smile forms on my face as I picture them bawling their eyes out if front of an empty grave.

I pick up the sound of steps on the landing. My smile vanishes as I resign myself to another eternity of pain. The door to my cave-like cell slowly creaks open, the person behind it uncertain. That pokes at my interest, giving me an incentive to raise my head. Small fingers slid around the edge and with a quiet protest the door swung open. I raise my eyes enough to look her over, and I need to say that she was the most unlikely person to work in a dungeon for dragons.

Big chocolate eyes stared from a pale face. Her blonde hair fell slightly past her shoulders. She was no princess, that's for sure: her clothes were plain and I picked up the scent of soap and dirt. No perfume, no scents of cleansers or shampoos. She was probably a maid. My brain screeched to a complete stop. This was making no sense. Why was she down here? Then she stepped to the side and my personal tormentor stuffed his incredibly wide body into the door. I sagged in the restraints again. The girl was either meant to throw me off guard or she was here to help him. Neither was good.

"Rise and shine, my Dragon Slayer." I felt my lips curl into a snarl at his words. I wasn't a belonging, but he didn't seem to think so. "I'd like you to meet my new helper, Lucy. She won't babble about our secret, so I think she'd be perfect for the job. Her magic is quite interesting as well. Tell me if you like it." He closed the door with a grunt and pulled his chair out to the center of the room. It was a big cushy thing that looked ridiculously uncomfortable. I think it was supposed to make me jealous. Well, that failed epically. Once he squeezed his fat ass into the chair he nodded at the girl and she bowed to him. Yep, definitely a maid. What was her name again? Luigi? She walked up to me and placed a small hand on my forehead. The coldness of her touch shocked me. My vision began to black out and within moments I was somewhere else. A field of bodies stretched out around me while smoke hid the sky. Terrifying roars shook the air as dragons landed around me, dozens of them. One of them picked up a limp body from the ground and I could see scarlet hair caked into a bloody mess, hiding her face. I knew who it was.

No way. Erza wouldn't die. She was invincible. She was a scary monster. She was my friend, my family. I yelled a challenge to the dragons as I attacked them, my body covered in flames. They roared flames, but I ate them up and kept on fighting. They were endless. I was nearing the end of my magic power when a huge shadow covered the ground. Glancing up, I could make out a blue and black shadow circling the carnage. Its roar shook the ground. My eyes widened in terror. Acnologia. The black dragon began to gather its breath for a roar and at that moment my magic seemed to just shut off. As the pale blue light descended onto the bloodbath I closed my eyes and waited to blow up. Instead I jerked awake back in my cell, coughing. Her cold hand was gone and she was back in her corner, her head slightly inclined to the fatass. The fatass himself grinned at me.

"How did you like it, huh? Seeing your friends die by your hand… mmm, must have been pleasant." I just stared at him. What? He looked at me and shook his head. "You are much too dense. She will help me soften you up a bit, and then we can play again!" He laughed and I closed my eyes. He always left after his threats. A stinging pain shot through my side and my eyes shot open to see him holding a whip. He laughed maniacally and he swung the whip, cutting open my skin each time. It hurt like hell but I refused to give him a response. An ice-cold sensation made its way up my side where the first hit had landed and after a moment I realized it was poison. He probably thought I could burn it out. Maybe. For a second I though the girl flinched, but I shook it away as an illusion. She was on his side. Why would she feel anything towards me? She was going to help him. When the fatass was satisfied with the blood dripping down my body he left with his usual, "See you later!" This time, though, before shutting the door he glanced at the maid.

"Lucy, keep working on him. Make him nice and tender." He sneered. She bowed and he left, locking the door behind him. Luigi ran up to the door and peeked out through the barred window on top, as if she was checking to make sure that he was gone. Then she pulled out a gold key and pointed it at the wall.

"Open Gate of the Maiden: Virgo." She whispered. With a blinding flash of light that had me closing my eyes a maid with purple hair popped up out of nowhere. She had broken chains on her wrists. How sadistic was this girl?
"Yes, princess?" The maid turned to the girl. I frowned: princess?

"Please break the chains and bring my kit from the Celestial Spirit World." Luigi whispered. Why was she whispering while the maid was talking normally? Wait. Break the chains? Whose side was this girl on?

Virgo nodded and disappeared. When she popped up again she was holding a small black bag, which she gave to the girl. Then they both moved towards me and I made an attempt at raising my head. I was tired. The maid hit a chain holding my arm and it exploded, broken in half. My arm dropped, my muscles having no energy to even move it. The girl pulled my arms across her shoulders and the maid broke the second chain. I slumped to the ground while the girl lowered me gently and the maid took care of the chains on my feet. Last thing I saw was the girl's guild mark on her right hand, a reminder of a happier time.

"Fairy… Tail…"