Hello everybody who is taking the time to read this instead of skipping down to the story! I am fairly new to writing on fanfic (although I have been reading fanfics for years...), but my past stories having all been difficult to continue due to me being busy and not having a computer for a year...However, I am once again blessed with my own computer to fill with stories and ideas (that I may or may not ever publish...), and I've decided to try again. I am open to constructive criticism, but do not promise to always change things in order to comply with reader's wishes. I hope you like the first chapter of "How Much Can You Stand?" and I would LOVE to get some helpful advice and feedback on my writing.

"How much can you stand before you break?" The first words her captors had spoken to her since her capture echoed in Lucy's head as she was left shaking and alone in a small cell. Her hands drifted to her waist, out of habit, only for her to remember that her captors had taken her keys and whip away from her. Looking around her she saw the cell was made of stone and dimly lit by two small torches. Though the small flames were only enough to send flickering light across a few feet, they filled Lucy with hope as the sight of the flames reminded her of her hot-headed partner, and best friend. "Natsu," she whispered. Just saying his name filled her with a rush of warmth. But just as suddenly, the warm feelings were extinguished as she remembered her last words to him…."Baka! I don't need you to protect me all the time! I could have handled that bandit just fine on my own! And you went way overboard too! I lost half my reward money in order to pay for damage costs! I'm taking a solo mission, and don't you dare even think about following me!"

Lucy choked back a sob as she remembered the hurt that had flashed through his eyes when she yelled at him and stomped away. At the time she had been so angry that she hadn't cared… Why had she been so angry? It wasn't like it was the first time his over-protectiveness had caused trouble….Lucy tried to remember, but the back of her head was throbbing painfully from where her captors had knocked her out. Trying to block out the pain, she pushed further into her memories. Lucy's mind flashed back briefly to an article she had read in Sorcerer Weekly titled "The Strongest Team's Weakest Member". "Oh, that's why," she thought, remembering the events that had led up to her fight with Natsu. Lucy had stopped at her favorite magazine vendor cart on the way to her guild in the morning. To her surprise, the vendor told her that all of the monthly copies of Sorcerer Weekly had already been purchased.

"Don't look so glum child," the vendor said. "You can have my copy, I always make sure to save one so that I can read it myself later."

"A-are you sure?" Lucy had stammered, hardly daring to believe her good luck.

"Of course my dear," the kind vendor said with a laugh.

Thanking him profusely, Lucy had excitedly begun to read the article while she walked to the guild. When she came to the article titled "The Strongest Team's Weakest Member", her heart began to thump painfully. Praying that her hunch was wrong, Lucy's eyes quickly skimmed over the article. She froze in place as she read the article, which designated her as the weakest member of a strong team. Lucy felt tears forming in the corners of her eyes as she read phrases such as "only on the team for her looks" and "rumored to be used only for a-a…" Lucy squeezed her eyes shut and threw the book into the river beside her. Running back to her apartment, Lucy had sat crying for hours…when she had composed herself again, Lucy's eyes glinted with determination. She set off to the guild with a new purpose.

When she got to the guild, she had picked out a moderately difficult mission. The mission required a wizard to go undercover and investigate a group of bandits that was rumored to be attempting to form a dark guild. She left expecting to do it as a solo mission in order to prove the article wrong, but Natsu had followed her and ended up butting in at the worst moment possible. Blowing her cover and destroying half the town….At the time she had been so mad… "Why do you insist on protecting me all the time?!" She had yelled at him, "Do you really think I'm so weak and pathetic that I can't handle anything on my own? Or is it because you just can't help but act like a reckless fool?"

Feelings of guilt and shame coursed through Lucy as she recalled her words and actions that day. After her first failed attempt at a solo mission, Lucy was even more determined to prove herself. After shouting out those horrible last words to Natsu, she had stomped out of the guild and left for her mission. However, this time Lucy hadn't even made it to her destination. Aboard the train ride to her client's home, Lucy had been ambushed by a pair of powerful wizards. The first one had frozen her body in place with a type of body-control magic, while the second one had manipulated her keys away from her using a type of object-control magic, similar to Sherry of Lamia Scales Doll Attack magic. Luckily, Loke managed to slip through the gate. Using his Regulus impact, her punched her first assailant, freeing her from the body bind that was freezing her in place. However, before he could do anything else, a metal pole had come flying out from behind the second assailant. Lucy could only watch in horror as the pole pierced Loke's torso, impaling him and trapping him against the train compartment's wall.

"L-lucy," Loke had managed to spit out as he coughed up blood from an obviously impaled lung.

"Loke!" Lucy cried, running to his side. "Don't worry, I'm sending you back now to recover. You'll be ok. I promise."

"N-no," Loke stammered. "I won't l-leave you."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not giving you a choice," Lucy responded. "Close, gate of the lion," she said, her voice full of determination. After Loke disappeared, however, Lucy's determination wavered at the sight of the first assailant's return. She reached for her keys to summon another spirit, only to remember that her second attacker had taken them. To her horror, she also discovered that her celestial whip was missing too. Lucy looked up to find her own whip swinging towards her. The whip coiled around her, trapping her as the second attacker looked on in silence. Lucy strained to catch a glimpse of the features of either of her attackers, but was unable to since both of them wore masks inscribed with strange symbols. Something about those symbols had seemed familiar to Lucy, but she was unable to continue her train of thought when she felt something large and solid connect with the back of her head. Her vision going black, Lucy's body slumped to the floor. Her last sight was of her two captors standing over her body, ready with magic nullifying cuffs.

Coming back to the present, Lucy's eyes widened as she quickly looked down to her wrists. To her horror, both of her wrists were enclosed in magic nullifying cuffs. Knowing it would be useless to try and break their seal, Lucy felt her hope wavering. Lucy desperately tried to think of something else and found her mind drifting back to her partner…"Would he even care that I am gone now?" Lucy wondered. Shaking her head to try to dispel those negative thoughts Lucy thought," Of course, I'm sure he'll come looking for me the second I don't return on time from my mission."

"Or will he?" a voice of uncertainty creeped into her mind…."You were so mean to him, and he was only trying to protect you. Why should he save you? You told him yourself that you didn't need saving…"

"No!" Lucy corrected herself, "I know he will come for me! He'd never abandon his nakama!" Lucy's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps echoing on the stone hallway outside of her cell. "They're back already?" she wondered, "Maybe they've changed their minds and will let me go….ha, as if. But a girl can hope right?" Her thoughts were interrupted again by the sound of the cell door swinging open. A tall figured pushed open the door, slamming into the wall with a loud resounding bang. Jumping to her feet at the sudden noise, Lucy turned to face the now open doorway. As light flooded in from the hallway, Lucy's eyes strained to catch sight of her captors. The bright light from the hallway cast a shadow over the face of her captor, making it impossible for Lucy to make out any of the person's facial features.

"How much can you stand before you break?" A man's low, taunting voice rang out through the silence. Lucy felt a flash of fear course through her when she heard that ominous question for the second time. Before Lucy respond to the question, he spoke again, "A delicate little fairy like you most likely won't last a day, but I guess we'll see won't we?" His voice sent shivers through Lucy's body. She could feel the bloodlust and insanity leaked from his very essence. The man took two steps forward, entering the small cell and filling the room with a crushing feeling of power and fear. As he continued forward, Lucy tried her best to move further away from the evil man, her back bumping into the cold stone wall behind her. One step further and Lucy's eyes were finally able to make out his face. She gasped at the sight of scars marring almost every inch skin. But when she caught sight of his eyes, she felt as if all of the air in her body had been sucked out. "Oh yes…" he drawled, "I'm going to enjoy breaking you."

"Who are you?" Lucy managed to spit out, the terror coursing through making it hard for her to speak.

"While I wish I could begin by tearing you to pieces," the man said in a voice filled with longing, "I was told that your first session would be with my sister." His fists clenched and his voice rose in anger. "That stupid bitch gets all the fun! And although I doubt a weakling like you will last long in her special care…I won't get my turn either. Knowing my sister, after she finishes playing with you, you'll already be dead."

On that terror-instilling note, the man spun around and stomped out of the cell and back into the hallway. The second he was gone, Lucy's legs gave out and she slowly slide out to the ground. Her back scrapped painfully against the stone wall, but Lucy barely noticed it as her body had gone numb with fear. Her eyes drifted slowly around the room, resting on the sight of one of the torches flames dancing wildly, as if angered.

"Natsu," she whispered.

So...What do you think? Once again, I would LOVE to get some feedback and advice from readers so please review!