Fifth Woman This Week Found Dead!

As of this past month (December), the town of Magnolia has become the base of what local officials believe to be a serial killer. According to the information provided, there is no pattern in the women found. The list of damages done to the women includes: loss of eyes, multiple lacerations, death by asphyxiation (strangled, if the bruises are anything to go by), and an odd brand on the tongues. The local Fairy Tail guild has expressed interest in helping, but has not yet been given the permission. Until the situation can be resolved, government officials ask that no one walk around alone and that everyone continues to obey the curfew of six o'clock p.m..

Making a sound of disgust, Lucy Heartfilia set aside the newspaper and scowled. "This is horrible," she muttered, turning it over so she didn't have to see the picture of the body that had been posted. "Isn't there something that says they can't put those sorts of pictures in the news?"

"I'm not sure, but...it is concerning that such a thing is happening here, isn't it?" Mirajane Strauss murmured as she placed a warm cup of tea in front of the blonde. Her blue eyes flashed. "What if one of us is targeted?"

"Oh, I think you and Erza would be fine," her sister reassured. Lisanna looked amused as she swept past her. "To be honest, I think anyone who wears a Fairy Tail emblem is fine. I mean, they'd be suicidal to attack any of us. After what you told me about Phantom Lord...they'd be plain stupid. Besides, even if one of us did go missing, there's always that three day period before the girl shows up dead and Natsu or one of the other dragon slayers would find us before that time ran out."

Lucy propped her chin on her open palm and reached for her tea. "I suppose...but I still don't like that someone's running around Magnolia doing this. I mean, we live all over this place and we haven't seen anything. How is that even possible?"

"Master's brought Laxus and the Thunder Legion home," Mirajane said softly as she reached for cloth and quietly swiped it over the counter behind the bar. "They're going to do some secret investigating from what I've gathered."

"Good," Lucy sighed. "I'm glad."

Mirajane's gaze suddenly flickered up and she smirked before sidling away. Lucy frowned in confusion - until an arm suddenly draped around her shoulders, an arm that was hotter than the average person's.

"Hello, Natsu," Lucy sighed, shaking her head and looking over at her partner. The pink-haired dragon slayer beamed innocently at her, which told her that something was wrong. Without giving him a chance to speak, she demanded, "What'd you do to Erza?"

"I didn't do anything to Erza," he protested, pouting. "How come you automatically assume I did something to Erza?"

"Okay, what did you do period?" Lucy questioned.

"Nothing," he protested. She stared at him, waiting. "...okay, fine, I might have accidentally scorched a table a little," he admitted, and Lucy groaned, running a hand down her face. "I'll pay for it!" he huffed. "I promise, Luce!"

"Okay, okay, I believe you. Make sure you do though, okay?" she pleaded. She shrugged his arm off, sweat gathering at the back of her neck. She swept it away with a sigh. She adored her partner in crime. He was her closest friend, the one she leaned on in the toughest of times, when she couldn't turn to anyone else. Natsu had seen her at her best and at her worst.

She trusted him with her life.

But the guy was a complete and total moron sometimes.

After knowing him for as long as she had, did he really think she wouldn't know any better? She gave him a long look and then rolled her eyes. "Alright, you idiot, what job are we taking this time?"

Natsu looked delighted. "I'm glad you asked, I-"

"Sorry, Natsu," Lisanna suddenly cut in. "Master wants Lucy here. He thinks that her status as a Heartfilia will lure the culprit behind the series of murders out."

Neither mage looked pleased.

"Are you kidding me?" Lucy complained. "I'm not just bait, you know, I actually do have to pay for rent someday!"

"Yeah! I want to take a job with her!" Natsu said, entirely bothered with this. He didn't exactly approve of Lucy being used as bait for some killer. He knew precisely what conversation he had interrupted. He'd interrupted on purpose, knowing it was making Lucy unhappy to discuss it.

Lisanna gave both a sympathetic look. "Sorry," she said gently. "And I know you're not bait, Lucy. You're Lucy, our nakama. But Gildarts is coming home soon and Master wants most of us staying here overnight until that murderer is found. It's a safety precaution, that's all. Not," she added hastily, "That Natsu isn't someone to worry about, but…"

"No, no, I get it," Lucy said with a heavy sigh, rubbing her temples. "Natsu can hold his own against someone and I can't."

Lisanna furrowed her brow. "That's not what I mean."

"Yes, it is," Lucy replied with a reassuring smile. "And it's fine. I know that I wouldn't stand a chance against some of the people Natsu's faced." She gave her partner an affectionate nudge with her elbow despite his scowl of annoyance. "It's fine, Natsu, why don't you and Happy take a job together? I'll stay here like Master wants and you can tell me all about it when you get home, okay?"

"Okay," Natsu sighed. He reluctantly left her to go back to Happy so they could run and check the request board, and Lucy shook her head.

"He's like a lost puppy without you," Mirajane giggled. "Look at the way he's pouting!"

"Shush," Lucy scolded. "He's just annoyed that he can't show off his destructive habits to someone, that's all." She sipped happily at her tea. "So Gildarts is coming back? And we're all expected to sleep in the guildhall from here on out?"

She nodded. "That's what he said. He went to meet with a few other mages that live outside of the guild but are based here in Magnolia about it. He should be back by nightfall. Why don't you head back home? Just to grab whatever you might need. Have Loke walk you back or something, so that you don't appear to be alone."

"Right." Lucy stood and handed the empty teacup to her friend. Mirajane took it. She smiled at the sight of Natsu and Happy speaking very seriously to one another about which job to take and shook her blonde head before heading for the door, already reaching for her keys. She was just about to summon Loke when a voice calling her name caught her attention.

"Lucy!" Levy gasped, jogging over to meet her. "Are you going to grab things for this big sleepover we're having?"

"Yes," Lucy answered, making a face. "Since I'm not allowed to take work that'll pay my rent, I figured it was the best way to go, you know?"

Her comment earned her a sympathetic look. "What you need to do is bet reverse of what everyone else is betting next time Cana drags people into a drinking contest," Levy told her with a grin. "If you bet that someone won't win while everyone else bets on Cana, then you'll make a large chunk of money because they'll start fighting and Master will give it to you."

Lucy gave Levy a long look. "For a small woman of under five feet tall," she stated, "You're very sneaky."

"With a small size comes brains," Levy replied, tapping her temple. "Anyways, mind if I tag along? I need to grab things, too, so we'd have to swing by Fairy Hills, but I don't think it's a good idea to go alone."

"Sure. Let me summon Loke so it looks like we have a bigger group than we already do," Lucy told her. She grabbed her keys again and with a simple flick of her wrist, the Lion had appeared beside she and Levy.

"Hey, Lucy," he purred and then offered Levy a friendly smile that she returned. They'd been guildmates for sometime before Lucy had arrived, after all. They struck up a small conversation as the trio set out, Loke wordlessly understanding what he was needed for.

Lucy listened to them wistfully comment about older days that she hadn't been present for, brown eyes dark with amusement. She loved hearing about the problems that her friends had caused before her arrival. While it made her a little sad to know that this was a part of life she'd had no part of, it only made the fact that she was there now even better. Someday, she'd be a part of the stories that newcomers were told.

And she was just fine with that.

They swung by Fairy Hills first, since it was further from the guildhall than Strawberry Street. Loke seemed to wordlessly understand why he was there and kept a close eye on both women as they window-shopped on their way to Lucy's apartment. From what had been gathered about the villain running around Magnolia, no one had caught what he so much as looked like - or if he was even a he. Everything they'd gathered had been based upon the victims he'd left behind.

"Make yourselves at home," Lucy said cheerfully as she opened the door to her apartment. She smiled at the humming Levy as Levy did just that, making herself comfortable on the couch. Loke, not trusting anything, meandered off to check out the kitchen.

Levy watched him curiously as Lucy went to work on packing. "Loke, can you still eat food from our world?"

He shrugged. "I can, but I choose not to. I don't need food to survive. We Spirits thrive through our bonds with our mages and the belief held in the stars each night they shine in the sky."

Levy smiled to herself and told Lucy, "You should write a book on the Spirits, Lucy. It'd be interesting to read."

"Ooh, that sounds like fun," Lucy agreed.

Loke shook his head, though he wore a warm smile that showed he meant no insult when he said gently, "That's a bad idea. It'd give away secrets that should be kept in order to allow us to help keep you safe, Lucy."

"Oh, fine," she sighed, making a face. "I can't argue with that. Anyways...I think this is everything I need." She planted her hands on her hips and looked through her bag. "I'll come back in a day or two, grab some more things that I need. If I can convince Natsu, I bet he'll bug Master enough to let us out on jobs again."

"That'd be great. Rent is really high at Fairy Hills when you can't work. Jet and Droy offered to help, but…" Levy sighed. "I don't like asking for help on something like that."

"If all else fails, you're welcome to try and move in here," Lucy offered, "But Natsu comes in through the window a lot, so you'd be subject to an invasive jerk."

Levy threw her head back and laughed, grabbing her bag. "I couldn't, but thank you for the offer."

"Everyone ready?" Loke asked, hopping to his feet. "I want to go back to my world and get back to flirting with Aries. She's so much fun to fluster."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "That's rude, Loke," she scolded gently.

"She's so pretty with pink cheeks, I can't help it," he said with a pout, and Levy only giggled, shaking her head before ducking out of the door. The other two followed close behind, both bickering about the matter.

It was while they were walking by the canal that Loke thought the shadow in the alley beside Lucy's house had been odd enough to require investigation.

A moment later, he was back in his own world, supporting a broken arm that made him cry out.

And, to be honest, Loke couldn't really honestly say what had happened.

Hey, peoples! I'm so excited to share this story with you guys. I've been working on it for the entire month of December, and I'm just going to state here: THIS IS NOT FOR THE LIGHT OF HEART. There will be some very dark things that go down and I don't want people under the impression that it's pleasant.

On that note. I will update this every other day (next day will be December 29th)! I would say I hope you enjoy, but I don't know if that's an appropriate thing to say...maybe enjoy? I dunno. Read away my lovelies.