So it's been a while... I'm sorry. I'm a horrible person.

Here's some word prompts/reminders to help you remember what happened if you can't be bothered to reread all my horrible writing (it's basically a bad summary because I write too much):

Chapter 1: NaLu, NaLu, NaLu. The world and Fairy Tail Academy was sort of introduced. One-shot with possibility of more. There was more XD

Chapter 2: Some orphanage is part of a child-slave-trafficking-ring thing D: Wendy, Erza and Jellal posed as family looking to adopt to investigate (Naw, Jerza...). They find useful information and a select group goes to confront the evil guys. BUT IT"S A TRAP! The army turns up to arrest Lucy, Wendy and Juvia. The opposing group fled the scene, leaving Jellal lying on the ground to die.

Chapter 3 (it's BIG): BUT HE ISN"T DEAD! Jellal's sent off to Porlyusica to heal. Lucy is interrogated and informs the Council about the trafficking ring, with the hopes they'll do something about it. The Exceeds are find the girls in their cell and fly Juvia back to the guild after she turns herself into water to escape through the bars on the window. Levy is sent to work at the orphanage undercover and gather intel. She learns that men in colourful clothes come to visit (D: WHAT COULD THIS MEAN?). In a rush to tell the guild, she sees this newspaper clipping before the story switched to Erza, who is helping Porlyusica with Jellal. Erza has been reluctant to help the others because she's too worried about Jellal. Natsu shows up with the newspaper, revealing the planned execution of Lucy and Wendy. Erza's back on board the recue mission. And finally we skip to Wendy and Lucy in the interrogation room where they are met by one of the high Council members, who just so happend to be the man who tried to kill Jellal. SURPRISE.

And that's where it ended.

I also want to add a language warning before this chapter (It's only in the first part and all Gajeel's fault, okay) and a violence warning for the last part (because I like describing gruesome things in a fair amount of detail...). I don't think it's enough to upgrade the rating to M, mainly because it's only this chapter so far. It might get worse in late chapters. We'll have to wait and see.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Fairy Tail. Why would I be writing fanfiction for it? (Actually, if my original work ever gets published, I would definitely write fanfics for it just to tease people and mess with their minds. Mwahahaha)

Burn

"You can't go down that street, flame brain. That's one of the Council's bases. Do you want to put the guild in even more danger?"

"What? Of course not! That's why we burn the place down before we go. No one will be there then."

Gajeel leant back against the wall, arms crossed against his broad chest. For the past twenty-three hours the arguments had not stopped. The guild had been attempting to construct something that resembled a concrete, foolproof plan, but holes kept pushing at the seams. It hadn't taken long for the tension to rise; it was almost palpable in the air. The lack of sleep was not helping matters.

"Boys, can't you shut your mouths?" Cana yelled. "A girl wouldn't mind having a drink in peace."

Gajeel cracked his knuckles and considered the pink haired idiot and his stripper friend. Normally he found their quibbles entertaining; he would often add fuel to the fire by contributing insults of his own. Yet these past few hours had not put him in the greatest of moods. Gajeel swung his arm, loosening his shoulder muscles. It had been a while since he had sparred with anyone; he could do with a little practice.

"Hey, boys," he called out. "Stop this little lovers' quarrel. These sorts of things should be sorted out in the bedroom."

"What?" Natsu roared as he spun around, eyes narrowed. "Did you just say what I think you said?"

"That you and your private stripper there are have a lovers' spat? Yeah, I think I did."

"Why you son of a—" Natsu leapt forward, fists flaming. Gajeel grinned; this was the exact reaction he had been looking for. Iron scales melded over his body, he knew the Salamander had no intention of holding back; he'd need all the protection he could get—Levy would notice any new bruises and he didn't need any more scolding.

The ice freak yanked the fire mage's shirt, interrupting his flight. "What are you doing, idiot?" Gray snapped as he unceremoniously pulled his friend back to his feet. "Don't you know how to tell if someone's baiting you for a reaction?"

"But he said—"

"Who cares? Don't you want to rescue your girlfriend? Or would you rather see her burn? Maybe you'll ignite the pyre yourself."

Natsu grumbled under his breath and returned to the table in the middle of the room, uncharacteristically controlling himself. Gray shot Gajeel a stern look before following and pointing out something on the map as the others murmured amongst each other.

That was fun while it lasted, Gajeel thought as he returned to his corner. Boredom began to settle over his mind once again. There was no one else in the room he could bait, or at least anyone who'd fall for it. And Levy was still at the orphanage. He would often sit with her for hours just to listen to her talk. He had never thought books and languages could be as interesting as they were when the words fell from her mouth. Not that he'd ever admit that to her, he had a reputation to live up to.

Gajeel sighed and glanced at the clock again. Levy should be back soon, although 'soon' was never soon enough.

"You look like a lovesick little puppy staring at the clock like that." Cana took a seat close to him, heaving her keg onto the desk. It was her safety blanket of sorts; you knew important shit was going down when Cana didn't have her beer keg with her.

"Oh, don't stop because of me," she said as Gajeel glared daggers at her. "It's adorable. We don't get to see that side of you too often."

"Fuck you," Gajeel grumbled. "Why are you over here?"

"I got sick of those bastards—" Cana inclined her head, indicating the group surrounding the table "—and sought the company of another, more charming individual. You seemed to fit the bill." She unplugged the tap on the keg and lifted the barrel. Gajeel wondered how she managed to drink so much so often. The lady was tougher than she looked.

"Don't you want to rescue your friends?" he asked. She should have been helping him plan.

"Don't you?" Cana quipped. Gajeel shrugged. He wasn't sure if he could call all these people 'friends'. He was still new; in his eyes, they hadn't fully accepted him yet. Receiving the guild mark was one thing, but friendship… The concept was completely different to what it had been at Phantom. He still wasn't sure what to make of the whole thing.

"They won't settle on a plan," Cana continued. "They're knit-picking at all the little things and refusing to focus on the outcome. Which I already predicted because I am awesome," she boasted as she pulled tarot cards from her pouch. She laid three on the table and arranged them in a particular order.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" All Gajeel could see was the colourful, gaudy artwork that decorated them. He knew nothing about their meaning or how they were read. He just knew some combinations were good while others were bad, and that most people who did this sort of thing for money were frauds. Not Cana though, this was her magic. She would do it truthfully (although that didn't mean she never lied to make a little money on the side…).

"If you had a skill most commonly known as patience you might have realised I was about to reveal their divine meaning to you."

"Patience?" Gajeel scoffed. "Such a quality does not exist in this guild."

"Maybe not in most people, but I am one of the rare exceptions."

"Yeah, and that's why you can wait an entire day before having a drink."

"Hey, everyone has their vices. At least alcohol is normal among the general public, unlike that craving for iron you have. Now shut up and let me read the cards." She pointed to the first one and launched into a long-winded explanation of its history and meaning. This continued to the next card, and the next. Gajeel, having absolutely no interest, tuned the majority of it out. He did manage to catch important things, however.

"So basically," he said once she finished, "things are bad, are going to get a little worse, then a tonne of shit's gonna go down, but everything will be all sunshine and rainbows in the long run."

"That's a very basic and crude way of putting it, but yes."

"Then why didn't you say that in the first place?"

Cana hit the desk with the side of her fist. "You have absolutely no appreciation for different cultures and magic, do you? And you have to be rude about it. Wait until I tell Levy, young man."

"Rude? I'm not the one who constantly drinks from a keg, sits in unladylike positions, and smells like a brewery."

"Do you wanna go, dragonslayer?" Cana challenged as she pushed herself out of her seat.

Gajeel stepped away from the wall and cracked his knuckles. "If you're offering." He prepared himself as Cana reached into her pouch and pulled out an assortment of cards. She threw them to the ground. "Prayer's Fountain!"

Gajeel took a deep breath as she said it; this woman wouldn't be able to move soon. "Iron Dragon's R—"

Was that a blue head in the doorway? Gajeel cut off his attack and searched the room for her. He saw the girl in the corner, speaking to Makarov. And… were those tears?

A column of water slammed into his side. Gajeel felt himself falling, felt his head connect with the thinly carpeted concrete floor. When he next opened his eyes he was greeted by the brunette's laughing face. "I win, iron boy!"

"Only because I was distracted." Gajeel sat up and winced as he gently touched the back of his head.

"Psh," Cana flapped her hand at him. "Insignificant details. I still flogged your arse. In a single move too, that has to be a new record or something."

"It's never going to happen again." Gajeel took the hand she offered and stood. His gaze darted around the room as soon as it stopped spinning.

"Yeah, yeah." Cana pushed him gently. "You're little girlfriend's that way. Go get her to kiss your head better and repair your battered ego." Gajeel didn't see the wink Cana added as he made his way across the room. Levy was back and she was crying. Her feelings were all that mattered to him in that moment, in any moment.

He remembered the day when he first saw her in the park with Jet and Droy. He had knocked her and her friends out and strung them up in the tree, all for the sake of creating a feud between the Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail academies. Not exactly the best of starts for any relationship. He had felt so guilty harming a little blue fairy.

Levy was everything he imagined a fairy to be: small, sweet, not-so-innocent, and fierce. And she was all his. He had tamed a fairy. Barely.

Jet and Droy hated Gajeel because of it. They were standing on either side of the girl now, guarding her from the big bad world. Gajeel appreciated their devotion, but that was his job. He was her iron knight, her protector. It was a role Gajeel hoped to hold even beyond the ends of time.

He cupped her arm and pulled her into his chest, stealing her from her teammates. They glared at him but said nothing as she squirmed closer. They knew their place.

Gajeel squeezed Levy tighter and lowered his head to her ear. "What's wrong?" he asked softly. He felt some sort of reply, the shapes of jumbled words murmured against his shirt, before her shoulders started shaking. He rubbed her back, unsure what to say. He had never seen her this hysterical before. For the first time in a long time Gajeel found himself looking around for help.

"Over here," the master said as he tapped a desk beside him. "Mira's gone to fetch her a drink. Sit here while we wait."

Gajeel did as he was told, but when he tried to place her on the table she clung to his shirt. No matter how hard he tried her hands refused to loosen their grip. After a few futile attempts he gave up and sat on the desk himself, pulling Levy into his lap.

He met someone's burning eyes from across the room. Natsu. Gajeel glared back, giving the other dragonslayer a hard look until he realised there were tears in Natsu's dark eyes. They quickly looked away from each other in silent, mutual agreement. It was never to be mentioned again.

Mira appeared with a glass of water in one hand and something resembling chocolate in the other. She stood next to the couple, murmuring sweet words to Levy as she coaxed the girl's face away from Gajeel's wet shirt to eat and drink. Levy pulled away slowly and accepted the glass. Gajeel's eyes never left her tear stained face as she drank half heartedly, as if she had no motivation to undertake these mundane acts anymore. It was concerning.

A crowd had gathered around their desk. Whispers filled the room as people conspired. A few at the front called out to their nakama. Levy responded with shrugs and nods at first, eventually upgrading to low, depressed murmurs. It was then Makarov decided she was ready for harder questions.

"What are you so upset about?" he asked bluntly. "What made you call me, hysterical, half way through your shift? You almost blew your cover!"

Levy's eyes flicked down immediately, her grip tightened on the glass. It started shaking as tears began to fall again.

Gajeel glared daggers at the master. "You don't have to answer the cruel bastard if you don't want to, Levy."

She shook he head. "N-no, I—" Her pained eyes flew up to meet the old man's. "Luce and Wendy are in the Council's custody. They're—"

"To be publicly executed tomorrow," Erza finished. She was leaning against the opposite wall with her arms crossed, very much the position Gajeel has stood in earlier. "We are already aware and are presently planning a rescue." Levy gave a small smile at the sight of her old friend. The old Erza was back. Maybe they had a chance.

"That's not why you called me though, is it?" Makarov said. It was more of a statement, one that sucked the tiny piece of joy and hope Levy had just regained from her heart.

She shook her head and pushed out the words the guild didn't want to hear. "We might be out of our depth with the human trafficking situation." She heard some guild members scoff at the idea. Fairy Tail was the strongest guild in Fiore after all; they could handle anything. They had always believed that, she had always believed that. Now Levy wasn't so sure.

Makarov's reaction was different to the others'. He had seen so much of the world; he knew what human beings could be capable of. He didn't laugh at Levy's words, did not pass them of as nonsensical worries of a hysterical little girl. He frowned. "Elaborate."

"It's not being run by criminals like we thought," she gushed. Levy wanted this burden removed from her shoulders and placed on the shoulders of someone whose back was strong enough to hold it and dissolve it.

Everyone's eyes were on her, she didn't know where to look, whose eyes to watch as all hope fled from their depths. It was Gajeel's they settled on. The man had supported Levy for such a long time, she trusted him to stay by her side despite their rough beginnings. He met her eyes with just as much loyalty. Levy didn't feel afraid or hopeless as she finally uttered the dreaded words.

"It's run by the Council."

"Y-you're that man," Wendy croaked, using her voice for the fist time in days. "You're the man that shot Jellal."

He smiled. His blinding white teeth were sharpened to points, like fangs. It gave him the appearance of a shark, grinning before he took that final bite. "Well, it wasn't me exactly, but I did give the order."

"What are you doing here?" Lucy growled. Wendy had never seen that expression on her face before. She was almost foaming at the mouth, her nose wrinkled with the force of her anger. She resembled Natsu in a way, when he was fighting an opponent who threatened his friends.

The man chuckled and held his arms of to the side to emphasise his flamboyant clothing. "I'm simply fulfilling my duties as a Council member. You can't tell me there's something wrong with that?"

"You're supposed to protect the people of Fiore," Lucy snarled, "not sell them off to the highest bidder! How could you do that? To children no less." She was pulling against her restraints, hands clenched. Wendy was sure if the restraints buckled Lucy's hands would be around the man's throat before he could call the guards.

"My gosh, woman, make up your mind. You want to know why I'm here, then demand to know information about a top-secret mission. I can only answer so many things at a time."

"And only provide roundabout answers at that," Lucy snapped. She was wincing slightly. Wendy could see blood trickling down between her fingers.

"Lucy," she whispered. "Stop it. You're hurting yourself."

"The little girl's right, blondey." The man moved to stand in front of them. He leaned over Lucy, taunting her. His hands were clasped behind his back; his face was close to hers. She shrunk back, pressing against the chair.

"I don't condone self-harm," he muttered. "Not that it matters much. The Extermination is tomorrow."

Dread settled deep in Wendy's stomach. "What does that mean?"

"I thought Domonic had told you," he said slightly surprised. He turned to the dark haired man.

"I thought it best you deliver the news, Lord Brent," Domonic said, glancing up from the notebook. "It was your order after all."

"Fair enough," Brent said just as Lucy started screaming again.

"You were in on this? You knew he was behind the entire scheme. You led me on, you pig! You are all despicable human beings! You do not deserve to live! Mark my words; Fairy Tail will make you pay. The entire country will make you pay!" Her voice cracked on the last word, lessening the effect. She was near tears. Wendy wanted to lean over and comfort her friend, like Lucy had done for her every day for the past few weeks. But the restraints made that simple wish impossible.

"Is that all you have to say to us?" Brent asked, his amusement was clear. "I hope it is. You went on for a while there, I was worried you might lose your voice. And we can't have that. Not if I want to listen to your lyrical screams tomorrow."

As he turned Wendy noticed something. It was a small detail, nothing overtly important, but it was a horrible precursor to the dreaded events the Lord was waiting to reveal.

"Wait!" she called. There was a tiny spot of discolouration marring his otherwise unnaturally smooth face. "On your cheek… Is that a burn?"

He grinned and touched it lightly, almost stroking it lovingly. "Why yes it is. I did that this morning somehow. But it's only small, nothing like what you're going to receive tomorrow. I look forward to our next meeting, ladies. I have a little bonfire planned for the occasion. I hope you'll enjoy it just as much as I will."

They silently watched him walk out of the room. Once the door shut the only sound left was the scratching of a pen and Lucy's angry breaths. She was glaring daggers through Domonic's notebook. He ignored it at first, but the heat slowly got to him. His hand began to move in jerkier movements, the notebook started to shake. Every now and then he would glance toward them, a hint of fear in his eyes.

"Why," Lucy asked quietly, deciding to take pity on the man Wendy was sure. "Why would you do such a thing?"

He kept writing, ignoring the question. The girls waited for an answer, their eyes never leaving his face.

"Because they were my orders," Domonic replied eventually. He crossed his arms. "I had no choice."

"And you had no issues with the orders at all? It didn't strike you as morally wrong?"

He shrugged. "My job is to follow orders. The better I follow orders, the faster I move up the ranks. I want to be at the top, that's what counts in this game."

Lucy lost it again. She began screaming harsh words at the man, pulling hard against her restraints. Wendy never found out what words Lucy shouted in that moment, she lost her voice on the first syllable and refused to repeat them later.

After minutes of the strange attempts from the malnourished blonde girl Domonic sighed and ushered in the guards. It was time to return to the darkened cells once again.

As the guards loosened the restraints and put their arms in the cuffs, Wendy muttered three final words. She had never said anything with such intensity before, but she knew the words were true. They had to be true.

"You. Will. Pay."

"… okay, Master?"

"Uh-wha?" Makarov grumbled as he lifted his head. He hadn't meant to fall asleep at his desk, using the paperwork as a pillow, or not until everyone had left, at least. But his eyes must have drifted closed as his brats took their time filing out of the room on their way to soft beds and to attempt to rest.

"Are you going to be okay, Master?" Mirajane repeated. She was leaning in the doorway; Lisanna and Natsu were leaning sleepily on the wall behind her. "I've tidied up the room, you only have to lock up before you leave. Will you be able to manage that?"

Makarov nodded as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Hurry up and get yourselves home. You'll need to be fully rested for tomorrow."

The young woman bowed slightly, the light cast dark shadows under her eyes. "Yes, Master. Take care." She turned and marched down the hallway, the pair of solemn teens trudged after her. They'd had four of their siblings ripped away from them. Two had returned badly injured and barely breathing, and with each passing day it seemed more and more unlikely that the other two would ever be seen again. Even now, when an opportunity had presented itself and an extensive plan had been mapped, the situation felt hopeless. Morale in the guild was low. If their worst expectations evolved into reality, Makarov wasn't sure the guild would ever recover.

Natsu and Levy were his biggest concerns. Levy stood to lose a best friend, the rare kind you treasure for a lifetime, even if your friendship slowly dissolves over the course of time to become a simple clouded memory. Makarov had never seen Levy bond with anyone as quickly as she had with Lucy. It had taken Gajeel months to reach a level of trust that wasn't even close to what those girls had. If the worst came to be, Levy would lose her favourite confidant, her almost-twin.

And she would blame Makarov. He had ordered the group to investigate, he had told her to remain trapped in the orphanage to work in the place she detested. When they had a chance to rescue her nakama, he wouldn't let her take part in the mission and instead forced her to stay in that hellhole, tediously gathering information. Makarov didn't know if Levy would ever forgive him.

And Natsu… he would never be the same cheerful boy again. Lucy's death would shatter him into a million tiny pieces, too fractured to ever be repaired. Cracks had begun to appear in his scales soon after her arrest. Makarov desperately hoped the impulsive boy wouldn't do anything rash before tomorrow. Mira and Lisanna were watching over their friend for the night, Gray was going to help too. But this was different to any scenario they had ever experienced before. Natsu had never shown such strong feelings to anyone before, his care and devotion to the blonde girl was enough to plant the seed that he could rescue Wendy and Lucy by himself in his mind.

Makarov sighed and folded the map resting in front of him. It was covered in coloured lines and scribbled names. Follow the plan, kids, he thought as he tucked the paper into his pocket. It's the best chance we'll get.

Lucy's hands hit the rough stone as the cell door slammed shut behind her. She was pushing herself upright when Wendy's arms wrapped around her waist, so tight it seemed that nothing would ever break her hold. Lucy brought the girls head to her shoulder, thinking she needed comfort. Wendy wasn't shaking. Lucy pushed her away slightly, but the moonlight didn't hit Wendy's face at the right angle to reveal her expression.

Lucy voice box worked as she tried to speak, but to no avail. Her throat was dry, sore and incapable of noise.

Wendy had no such troubles. "We're going to die." She sounded so… monotonous. It was a fact to her now, a solid, unchangeable fact. One that Lucy denied desperately, furiously shaking her head as her throat worked begrudgingly.

"No. We won't." The words barely broke the silence of the cell. "They'll come for us."

"How can you be so sure? Wouldn't they have rescued us weeks ago if they cared? I bet they forgot about us and left us to rot in here before we burn out there."

A cloud moved across the sky, freeing the moon to allow more light into the cell. Lucy could make out glistening trails snaking their way down Wendy's cheeks and the hurt, hope and fire hidden deep in the girl's dark eyes.

"You know that's not true," she told Wendy as she pulled her into a hug. "They will take their time, but they will come. I bet they're planning some brilliant spectacle, a rescue the likes of which this world has never seen."

"How can you be so sure? What if they just get arrested and burn alongside us? Or they get cold feet and realise they just can't win against the army?"

"You have to have faith, Wendy. Faith, hope and trust. It's times like these when those three things must be strong inside you or you might just lose yourself to despair. You give up and the worst inevitably comes to pass, all because you lost faith in your nakama."

Wendy looked up at the older girl, curious as to where this little speech had come from. Lucy read the question in her eyes and offered a small smile. "This isn't the first time I've been locked in a cell." Being the daughter of a successful business tycoon meant she wasn't unfamiliar with kidnappers, of both successful and unsuccessful variety. She had either been rescued or escaped from every single attempt relatively unharmed. It was a streak she would not break willingly.

Wendy shrugged when Lucy told her this; her mind was still fixated in a darker place. "Might not happen this time."

Lucy punched her lightly. "Don't lie. Deep down you know it will. Do you honestly expect Charle to let something happen to you? She'd marry Happy and give up her almighty ways before that happened. Now get some sleep." She pushed Wendy away and stood before moving to the cold metal frames adorned with a scratchy thin blanket that qualified as a bed in this place. "We need to rest for tomorrow."

"Why? Is it because when the guild finally comes to rescue us there's going to be some giant spectacle we'll need to escape."

"You know Fairy Tail, Wendy." Lucy lay down on the frame. "Would you expect any less?"

Once Wendy's breathing evened Lucy sat up again. She knew she wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. Her body was shaking too much, from cold or emotions she could not discern. There was rage toward the Council and their minions for their acts and their secrets. There was for Wendy's life and for her own. There was a hint of excitement at the prospect of glorious escape and freedom and a life of peace in hiding.

The greatest feeling—the one Lucy felt most guilty about—was doubt. Despite her faith in her nakama, one small part of her was asking the same pessimistic questions as Wendy. Would the guild get there in time? Would they even be successful? The longer the night wore on the greater these thoughts became until they almost consumed her entire mind. She began thinking it may be better if they didn't turn up at all, then the guild wouldn't have to witness her death. They wouldn't hear her screams or watch as her skin blister and burn.

Lucy shook the treacherous thoughts from her mind and pulled the blanket closer to her chin. It's going to end happily, she told the rising sun. It will. Just get here on time, please, Natsu. I love you. I want to see you face again. You have to get there on time. Please don't disappoint me, Natsu. Please…

Natsu skulked through the shadows cast by the alley wall, out of sight of the massive crowd that filled Magnolia's main square, all pushing for positions closer to the pyre. It sickened him to see so many people acting like monsters. They wanted to see the mages die, two young girls who were going to crackle and burn. They wanted to hear the screams, see the blisters, and taste the burnt flesh.

It horrified him, made him feel ashamed to be human and proud to be a magician.

Are you in position yet? Warren asked. The mage was an expert in telepathy and was responsible for coordinating the entire rescue effort.

I'm climbing the ladder, Natsu replied as the first broken rung bit into his hand. It must have drawn some blood, his grip kept slipping, but his mind never registered the sting of pain. He was too focused on the mission, on Wendy and Lucy. It was their last chance to free the girls, and the window of opportunity was incredibly tight. If they pulled this off, they girls would be home, safe, and alive. Natsu would be able to touch Lucy again, he could hug her, smell her, touch her, kiss her. At that moment it was his driving force. He didn't want to think about what would happen after the rescue. He didn't consider the possibility of failure. Or tried not to. Lucy could die here to day, burnt alive in his own element, and, despite his best efforts, he would have to stand there and let her go. He would have to learn to live without her. The unfathomable scenario was torturous.

Natsu reassured himself as he stepped onto the rooftop. The guild would not let anything go wrong, they would get the girls out.

He walked over to the edge of the building that overlooked the square and hung his toes off the edge. The wind was stronger up here, frigid on his bare skin.

The people crammed into the large octagon below all faced the wooden structures that had been built in front of Natsu's building. He could pick out some of the undercover guild members winding their way through the crows, setting things up on the ground level. Alzack and Bisca were selling ice cream from a little stall, sowing the seeds of deadly rumour about the Council. Evergreen and Cana were dressed in bright gypsy garb, winding their way through the crowd to deliver fake fortunes. Each and every person had the same words whispered into their ears, "Today something amazing will happen, something completely unexpected. Will it be good or bad? Only the future can tell."

A bright head of blue hair drew Natsu's attention. He was surprised to see Levy huddled in one of the alleys. The master stood beside her, a stern look on his face. She was supposed to be at the orphanage, out of harm's way. Makarov must have relented to her incessant begging. Natsu glanced at Gajeel on the building across from him. The Iron Dragonslayer's face was resolute, there was no sign he had noticed his girlfriend.

Warren's voice entered his mind again. I can see you now, Natsu. There was a sound like shuffling paper. Warren was in one of the buildings around the square with maps and a telescope to ensure the attack began at just the right time. Time for the final check in. The objectives should be entering the area in three minutes. No one moves until I say so. Are we clear?

Clear, Gray responded first. He was to the left of Natsu, shirt long gone.

Juvia stood on the next building over. Dark clouds presented a menacing image behind her as she replied, her voice filled with emotion. Juvia understands.

Mira snarled, grinning over her claws. Her tail flicked as lightning flashed behind her. The demon will claim vengeance.

Don't hurt them too bad, Gajeel huffed. We need some of them left alive.

Bixlow laughed. That would be too much of a courtesy, and more mercy than they deserve. Right, babies? The dolls floating around his head chimed in agreement.

That may be true but Gajeel is correct. Erza slammed the sword of her Purgatory armour into the rooftop. But we can always hurt them once done with our questions.

Children, Pantherlily purred, the sound was slightly deeper in his warrior form. You are wasting precious time for mental preparation. There are still many things that could go wrong.

No time for that now, Natsu murmured. They crowd near one of the alleys was beginning to part. The time had come. "WE ARE FAIRY TAIL!" he declared to the wind. "AND WE ARE INVINCABLE!"

The first lungful of fresh air brought joy to Lucy as the stepped from the awful prison. Only traces of sweat and human wastes scents lingered on her clothing, overpowered by the smell of gasoline and human life that came with cities.

The small sense of freedom was lost when the guards shoved her forward, making her lose her footing as she stepped over the curb. The road jarred her knees and knocked the cotton from her ears. A crowd was jeering somewhere out there, crying out for her blood. The guard grabbed her dirty collar and hauled Lucy to her feet. He did not remove his hand from her back, hovering over her bound hands. If she escaped someone would want his flesh in exchange for the hide he lost.

Stray pieces of loose gravel stabbed Lucy's bare feet as they slowly approached the crowd. They were getting louder; someone on the edges had noticed them. Lucy cast a look over her shoulder to see Wendy cowering toward her guard, holding back tears. The mob was jostling now, trying to get into a prime position to see the mages as they approached. Surely they weren't going to be led through the mess. They'd die well before the final sentence was officially passed.

"Wendy," Lucy murmured as she turned around to address the girl. Her guard jerked her back around and shoved her forward again. "No conspiring with the other mage." She glared up at him but kept moving forward. Her reassurances wouldn't have done any good anyway. The crowd had them now.

Lucy's guard moved forward to create the path ahead, shoving men, women and children out of the way. Wendy's guard followed behind, protecting their back and leaving their sides undefended.

Hands reached out to slap them, grope them, and pull their hair. Edged words floated into their ears, cutting away until all that was left inside the girls was disgust and shame. Lucy was waiting for a weapon to appear, for the pinch of pain in her side from a stab wound. Death would probably be a pleasant change from this horrid reality.

The mental blankets covering her ears smothered the crowd's voices. A few still got through, wounding Lucy more than any weapon could have. Other insignificant noises breached the wall. The barking of dogs, the gunshots of backfiring cars, the jingling of bells.

Lucy's head lifted at the soft sound. It was close and completely out of place in this thunderous environment. The jingle sounded as an arm swathed in brightly coloured cloth swung past the edge of her vision. A woman was walking along beside her, dressed in gypsy garb, the type the "fortune tellers" wore at carnivals. The bright shades of orange and blue drapes covered her body, the edge of each piece held a string of bells. Lucy looked up into gap between the pieces of the veil. A stray piece of dark brown hair had fallen between a set of dark eyes clouded by worry. The gypsy winked at her before raising her right arm slightly, her hand folded into a symbol. Her thumb and forefinger were spread and the final three fingers folded as if she were making a gun. But the gypsy's thumb pointed away from her body.

Lucy lowered her eyes and fought her face muscles as the woman melted back into the crowd.

They were nearing the stage now, a raised structure with a microphone set up in the centre, and behind it, the pyres. Two had been set up beside a gallows. The wood was stacked as high as the stage, a tall wooden pole equipped with chains and shackles rose from the centre of each.

Brent stood in front of the microphone, shushing the crowd as the mages were brought onto the stage. He delivered a propaganda speech on the horrendous actions of mages as tomatoes, cabbages, and turnips—among other distasteful things—were hurled into the air. It never ceased to amaze Lucy how primal human beings could be, and how terrible their aim.

Eventually the crowd grew tired of Brent's posturing. "Kill the witches! Kill the witches!" they chanted. Their faces twisted into masks worthy of only the most bloodthirsty demons. The people had come for blood. If they didn't get it soon, they'd riot.

Brent gave a shaky laugh. "Let's begin the executions then, shall we?" The crowd cheered and the first man was pushed toward the gallows.

One after the other a suspected mage fell to their death. Some were lucky and received a quick death as their necks snapped. Others weren't. They hung there for minutes, struggling as the rope strangled them. Lucy suspected being burned would be worse.

"I'm innocent!" the last women screamed as the hatch opened beneath her feet. She had been young, twenty at most. A swollen belly had pulled the prison dress tight over her body.

"That's what you all say," one solider laughed. "Some of you have to be lying."

There was no breath left for the woman to argue her case.

Brent turned to them as the soldiers cut the rope. "Are you ready for you little bonfire, ladies?" A thud echoed his words.

They were led to the pyres. A little platform had been set up for easy access to the middle of the pyre. As soldiers secured their hands in the new shackles, Brent read out their crimes. "These girls, rogue magicians from the underground guild Fairy Tail, have been causing us a lot of trouble the past few weeks. Their list of crimes is long: use of magic, murder, resisting arrest, being uncooperative for the duration of imprisonment, and treason. For these abhorrent acts, we, the Council of Fiore, have declared these girls worthy of death by fire."

Brent walked down the centre platform as the crowd roared. He tossed a box of matched from hand to hand, a smug grin on his face. "Any last words, ladies?"

"This isn't over," Lucy snarled.

"You will experience Fairy Tail's wrath. You will pay!" Lucy was shocked at the viciousness in the frail girl's voice. Wendy didn't seem so drained now, the fire was returning to her eyes as she breathed deliberately through her mouth, sucking in as much air as possible. The fresh air must have been doing the sky dragonslayer some good.

"We'll see about that, miss. In the meantime," Brent snapped a ring off his belt and draped it over Lucy's wrist. "I think you might want these back. I certainly have no use for them. Don't forget to scream for me, dears. Nice and loudly." He stepped back and lit the match. Except he didn't. He made the swiping motion required, but snapped his fingers at the same time. A spark appeared briefly above his thumb before leaping onto the pyres.

The wood caught quickly. The flames leapt above Lucy's head as she screamed curses at the man through the burning wall. He knew she was too weak to use her keys; she wasn't strong enough to call any spirits to her. Lucy was going to die here. There was no way out.

It didn't take long for the heat to become unbearable. Lucy could feel the moisture leaving her skin; first it left her feet, then her legs, then her entire body. She felt like she was burning, but the flames hadn't made contact with her skin too much yet. She could feel burns on her feet and arms, the little stings as embers burnt through her clothes. Soon enough they would be caught in the inferno.

Lucy had never wished more for the cooling breezes of winter, the freezing drops of rain. She needed something to sooth her skin, to make the heat go away. It felt like all the liquid insider her was boiling, burning her on the inside as well as the outside. She wanted to scream, maybe that would make the fire go away. No, she told herself. I can't give him the satisfaction. Who? She couldn't remember.

Moaning was the only release she allowed herself. Long, grievous moans for her death, Wendy's death, everyone's death. Release would come soon she was sure, and it would be a relief.

She looked out through the orange curtain one final time. That man was there, smiling. The crowd was smiling. Everyone was smiling, their grins as wide as a clowns. They were happy she was dying. Lucy thought she was too.

An ember landed between her eyes as she whispered goodbye. Then the world went black and the heat finally disappeared.

But the noise didn't.

Lucy opened her eyes. The crowd was still there, but they were angry now, shouting curses as a furious Brent shouted orders. If this was Lucy's Heaven it had to be some kind of joke.

Soldiers began running toward the pyre. The platforms had been removed, so they had to scramble from the base. The burnt wood snapped under their collective weight, sending them to the ground again and again. The back of a man in a black vest partially blocked Lucy's view of the scene. But she could see enough to make her heart soar with hope.

All the flames were being pulled toward the man's pink head as if attracted by some magnetic force. The man's belly had extended to abnormal boundaries to consume the entire meal.

The soldiers were still scrambling at the base when Natsu straightened and wiped his mouth. "Are you boys ready for a fight?" he asked with a smirk. "Because I'm all fired up!"

That's when it started raining fairies.

End Chapter 4

I think that was a horribly written chapter that I should have finished months ago, like I promised multiple time. I underestimated how much work I was going to get from school... Thanks for being patient, dear readers.

I don't know when chapter 5 will be up. This term is REALLY IMPORTANT and has a part in determining what I end up studying next year. I'll try my best to fit in writing between my reading and homework. It probably won't be up until after I update my crossover.

Anyway, I hope this chapter was tolerable and that you might have enjoyed it. There were probably a few obvious mistakes my sister and I missed. Hopefully they didn't distract you to much.

Until next time, I hope you enjoy whatever you're doing right now XD

~Beczy