Natsu

Natsu was running throughout the streets of Magnolia. He could smell her, he didn't know where it came from though. Her smell seemed to be

coming from everywhere. His heart was pounding painfully against his ribs as he ran.

This shouldn't be happening, he had only just gotten her back! Why now was he losing her again! He knew he shouldn't have let her be

alone, but Lucy was stubborn.

He turned sharply around the corner into an alleyway between houses.

"I said wait you idiot!" An angered voice yelled suddenly. Natsu turned, as Gray came running up behind him. "What is going on!?"

"The guys that took Lucy, the ones we fought… they're here in Magnolia." Natsu met eyes with Gray, noticing Gray's brow crease as he

spoke. "They left a letter, they're after Lucy, and their scent was mixed with hers this morning. I haven't seen her, and I don't like the feeling I'm

getting from all this."

"Why didn't you say something at the guild!?" Gray responded shortly. "We could have had everybody help us search..

Natsu clenched his jaw, his teeth gritting together. "I wasn't thinking, I just need to find Lucy." He looked to the ground, his knuckles popping

as he tightened his fist. "I can't waste time informing the others."

"These guys worked for Shakira, right now I don't think they have a plan. They're just set on a mindless mission of revenge." Gray said, his

mind running through what the motive behind this attack could be.

"That's what makes it even more dangerous." Natsu stated. "Every action is spur of the moment, with only some planning behind it. Their

actions could change on a whim. right now it could just be capture Lucy, use as bait, and then suddenly they change their minds to kill." Natsu felt

his throat tighten as he said the final word.

He had already almost lost Lucy, and he'd be damned if he ever let that happen again. "You can help me search, or go tell the others, but I'm

not going to stop searching." With a final huff, Natsu turned and started sprinting again, trying to follow Lucy's scent.

His heart was pounding hard, and the anxiety that ran throughout his whole body, made him want to vomit. "Lucy.. please be alright."

Gray

Gray watched for only a moment, as Natsu ran down the street, he quickly disappeared as he turned a corner. Gray turned running back

towards the guild, he could instantly aid in the search, but two people searching the entire town would take too long. He figured it would be

more useful to inform the guild and get them to help.

Within a minute he was at the guild, he threw the doors open, loudly, he was aware of the effect it had. Everyone would always silence,

their attention going straight there. "Everyone!" he called, his voice echoing through the room. "We need to start a search immediately!"

"What's happened?" Erza asked, rising from her stool at the bar. He eyes darkened, and her posture tensed, as she asked what her mind

thought. "Does this have to do with Natsu looking for Lucy?"

Gray nodded grimly. "There were threats made, and Natsu recognized their smell. He hasn't seen Lucy yet this morning."

"Did he check her apartment?" Mirajane asked, she came stepping out from behind the counter, her brow furrowed in concern.

"That would be an obvious place that Natsu would have checked already." Erza said. "Then let's get searching. Everyone, disperse

throughout Magnolia."

"We need to be careful though." Gray said, interrupting before Erza could throw out more orders. "These guys are acting recklessly, they

don't seem to have much more of a plan in mind, besides revenge."

"Try to find her, without giving yourself away, if you find her get others to help you. If they find out we are searching, they may start to act

quicker." Erza said, her voice a loud boom of commandment, Everyone nodded, all of them tense.

"All right, let's go!" Gray shouted. He turned running out of the guild.

Lucy

"Loke!" Lucy shouted swinging her arm forward summoning one of her stronger spirits. Loke appeared in a bright flash of light, in his

signature suit, he was already standing in a fighting stance. "Take them down, Loke!" Lucy shouted, still wiggling her wrists to loosen the

rope around them.

Loke nodded, Daruku, and Shin stood staring wide eyed, and stunned. Loke used lion brilliance light radiating out from him blinding the

two. Shin started screaming angrily, blindly shooting his dark orbs out randomly. Loke lunged forward throwing a powerful punch full of fury.

Lucy hadn't been summoning her spirits for several days, the spirits were all concerned.

For the briefest moment their contracts started to nullify, as if she had died. Loke didn't know really what was going on, but he was willing,

and ready to crush anyone even threatening Lucy. He would have to ask her once, he as done with her current task assigned to him.

Loke knocked down Shin who was still blinded, before he turned and swiped the feet out from Daruku who was trying to hold his

composure while trying to see. Loke rolled over quickly to Lucy, and unwrapped the loose rope from her hands. "What's going on?" He

asked.

"Pest control." Lucy answered shortly. She was happy to see her friend, but ready to be rid of these two men once and for all. She

grabbed onto her whip, and swung it bringing out the glowing cord. She stood, the chain around her ankle rattling. "You were lucky the first

time. You can only attack when your opponent it unprepared, or weakened." She glared at them angrily. "And right now I am neither."

Daruku glared at her, his eyes finally regaining their sight. "You think you can fight against me?" He asked raising his hand, and letting his

dark lightning spark in his palm.

"Easily." Loke answered standing next to her. "Strongest celestial spirit mage in all of Fiore." He bragged, proud of her.

Lucy held back a slight smile pleased with what Loke had said, although she didn't believe it to be true, she didn't challenge it.

"Question should be if you guys can fight against me." Lucy said a bit mockingly. "It's two against two, and from all my previous knowledge

you can't handle more than one opponent at a time.

"Shut up you little bitch!" Shin screamed standing up to join Daruku after recovering from Loke's attacks. "I'm gonna kill ya!" He growled

his anger radiating off of him.

"I'd like to see you try." Loke said, his palms lighting up as he readied an attack. They lunged forward with an attack, Loke meeting them

head on, Lucy attacking with her whip.

Natsu

"Natsu!" A familiar voice chimed inside of his head. "Can you hear me?"

"Warren?" Natsu answered out loud.

"Gray has told everyone what's going on."Warren said. "The guild has spread throughout Magnolia to search. Are you having any luck?"

"No." Natsu answered solemnly. "I haven't been able to pick up her scent anywhere." His heart was pounding, and Natsu was so angry.

Having feelings like this was the worst. Lucy made him happier, calmer, and more relaxed than anyone, but she also made him worry,

scared, and sad when she was in situations like this.

"Are you some kind of dog, flamebrain?" Gray said through Warren's telepathy. He had apparently reached out to the whole guild to work

as a way of instant communication.

"Shut it ya stripper!" Natsu yelled back. He was grateful for it though, realizing Gray was trying to help keep him focused. "Keep it up, and

I'll sick Erza on you!" He laughed, his tension relaxing a little with the knowledge that everyone was looking, and there was no way she

couldn't be found.

There was a muffled boom that rumbled around in the air. Natsu's eyes shooting to the sky to see a cloud of dark smoke billowing up.

"What was that?!" Natsu asked, his heart was pounding, as he watched the dark cloud drift higher, and higher.

"Some kind of explosion went off." Levy called over the open transmission. "Over by the bakery!"

Natsu found himself climbing up the side of one of the buildings he was by. He quickly reached the roof, his eyes scanning the best way to

move along the tops of the houses.

"Do you know what caused it?" Erza asked.

"I'm still a few houses away from it, I don't know what it could be!" Levy said. Her voice sounding anxious. "I hope Lu-chan is okay!"

"She's just fine, Levy!" Natsu huffed, as he jumped from one roof to the next heading towards the stack of smoke. "She has to be." He

whispered to himself, his heart pounding.