Divinity abandoned. Laxus x OC

Chapter Thirtyfour

Darkness enveloped Satomi as she finally awoke, her head throbbing mercilessly, wringing a groan from her. There was an unrelenting roaring in her ears and she shifted, quickly taking note of a set of edged, clammy braces at her wrists.
"She's waking up." Satomi's eyes fanned open at the sound of a soft voice. The dimly lit room around her spun.
"Finally." Another clipped, the sound of it strangely familiar.
And that was when everything came pouring back into her memory. The agonising pain that'd jolted through her. The demon gate - Tempester, if her memory served her correctly. And the bond with Laxus, that precious, precious bond...
Panic seized her as she threw her mind towards it, the action met with utter silence. Her breath heaved as her eyes stung. He couldn't be-
A faint glimmer. There was a flicker of movement, brushing up against her mind. A sob wrung its way from her lips from relief.
Talk to me... Her request was more of a desperate plea. She needed to feel him, to hear him. If she didn't, she dreaded that the sensation of feeling him die would never leave her.
Only her words received no response. He had to be injured then. Perhaps not fully conscious. She had to get to him. Help him.
An ear numbing clang rammed into her ears, ringing through the space around her with utter clarity as her head shot up. Her eyes snapping fully open instantly and her heart stumbled as she finally became aware of her situation.
The room she was in was small, dark and damp. The scent of rot and mould straining into her nostrils. There was the sound of water dripping on stone somewhere behind her. And her hands... Chained over her head, leaving her hanging from a bolt in the roof above her. Magic cuffs.
Perhaps the reason why she hadn't been able to fully communicate with her mate. Satomi hissed, baring her teeth as she yanked at the chains. She didn't have the time for this sort of bullshit.
"I'm afraid that's no use." Surprise flashed in her head as she recognised the voice from earlier. A figure stepping out from the shadows behind her and Satomi's eyes went wide as they clashed with the cool collective of Georgie's. The teen pacing to stand square ahead of her, while the presence of two others still lingered in the shadows behind her. Shock and confusion overcame her for but a brief moment before she realised what'd happened. It wasn't Laxus that'd kept her from being able to move. Somehow this brat had found a way to immobilise her. A soft growl rumbled in her throat as the shapeshifter levelled her most bone-chilling, merciless glare at the blonde.
"What's all this supposed to be?" To her credit, Georgie didn't flinch at the cold lash in Satomi's voice, and merely crossed her arms over her chest sternly.
There had at some point between the last time the two interacted, occurred a stark change in the young female's demeanour. Any sign of the dolled-up spoiled runt from earlier in the day was all but gone. Save for the patronising sneer that Satomi swore to take utmost pleasure in wiping off her face in a couple of moments.  Rationality and moral be damned. Anyone who dared interfere or keep her from getting to Laxus when he so clearly needed her-
"Damage control. Don't worry, you'll be let out as soon as you're no longer a threat to our plans."  Satomi's eyes narrowed at that, reigning in her impulses to bulldoze her way out and race to Hargeon as swift as possible. 
"What plans would that be, if I may ask?" She was in a hurry, but that didn't mean that the reckless teen in-front of her hadn't quirked her interest. It wasn't difficult to notice the rapid drumming of the girl's pulse. The scent of her anxiousness was rolling off her in waves. Clearly not accustomed to this sort of thing then.
She'd changed her clothes since last Satomi'd seen her, and now wore a set of snug, dark pants and a black jacket, clearly more suited for stealth than the lavish tastes she'd exhibited the past couple of days. Her hair which had previously always been unbound, was now tied into a snug braid coiling like a crown atop her head. A faint inkling at the back of Satomi's mind told her that the girl now facing her, was Georgie's real complexion.
"Plans that are none of your concern. I merely need you out of my way while they're set into motion, that's all."
"So is this about why I was called here in the first place then? Are you affiliated with the supposed thieves that's been sacking your father's riches?" The mention of thieves had the blonde's face blanching for a moment, before a snarl washed over her features. Too easy. It was too easy for it to be entertaining when dealing with someone untrained.
"Like hell we'd be affiliated with those criminals!" Satomi had already guessed it before the words were spat in her face. She eyed Georgie with a calculating look, despite the girls refusal, it seemed this was definitely connected to the matter. At least now she had confirmation that the thieves were real.
"So what's going on Georgie?" She didn't have the time for this, but at the same time, she had little other choice. She needed to get to the bottom of this if she wanted to at least try to preserve Fairy Tail's reputation. Only the blonde in front of her gave her a bemused look before turning on her heel.
"I have nothing to say to you. All you adults do is screw things up anyway." Well... So much for  persevering reputation. Satomi waited two seconds for the girl to move out of striking distance before sighing.
"A little word of advice Georgie..." Her comment had the teen turning to send her a bored glare. One which was efficiently snuffed out as Satomi yanked at her chains again, making the metal groan and screech in protest. It only took her a second until the chain splintered with a chime, bolts of flying metal darting in every direction. Georgie, as well as the two others that'd remained hidden behind Satomi shouted in shock.
Jolts darted up her legs as Satomi landed, her legs barking their protest from the sudden weight on them. Being strapped up like that had put her body in a strained position, and her muscles didn't take kindly to the sudden shock of movement. Even so she didn't falter, her posture steady as she bucked her magic against those cuffs. The harsh reprimand of the lacrima embedded in them only lasted a second. The small, feeble devise stood little chance of containing a power such as hers.
Georgie had grown pale with horror and shock as the chains cracked and crumbled from her wrists into a pile at Satomi's feet. The shapeshifter offered the young girl a humourless smirk.
"If you're planning to chain someone up, and kidnap them, you better be certain the restraints you've prepared are strong enough." Georgie's lips parted, her bottom lip quaking to release a hollow scream. Satomi was upon her before she managed to draw breath. Her hand fisting in that black jacket, her command pouring into the head of the helpless girl.  "Start talking."
—
Satomi sat with her elbows propped on her knees, her joined hands pressed against her lips as she scowled at the group assembled before her. Young and old alike, all villagers. Their clothes worn and ragged, faces bleak with fear and exhaustion. Her mood certainly hadn't improved once she'd got the mayor's daughter talking. Once she'd learned the truth behind what was going on. The reason for the outrageous shopping sprees and complete disregard of her father's pleas to stay home.
No. Satomi's mood hadn't gotten anywhere near improving as she realised that the issue at hand wasn't only more complex than she'd initially gleaned. It was also, inarguably much more time-consuming than she'd like it to be.  She had to hand it to whomever sat spinning her life's story, for their truly impeccable timing of throwing something such as this in her face.
it wasn't her first time coming face to face with a village plagued with a dark guild lurking close by. It wasn't by any manner uncommon, but that didn't mean she couldn't be pissy about it. Especially when her mate was out there somewhere, injured, suffering. And every fibre in her body screamed at her to go to him.
But he was alive. Conscious at fleeting moments. She'd managed to get through to him once the cuffs came off.
Fucking Tartaros... Sent by her father, no doubt. It only took her a moment to guess at what their objective was, but it nagged at her as to why they hadn't come for her yet.
"So." Her voice was dry, clipped and disinterested as she let her eyes sweep over the crowd gathered once more, stopping at Georgie. The spoiled runt she'd assumed her to be... Satomi had to admit with a small sense of shame that the girl had had her fooled. "The mayor's will has been bound by these outlaws, and they're bleeding you dry." Silence weighed on the room, Georgie's unmoving expression as much of a confirmation as she'd be given. Satomi sat back in her seat with a sigh. "Why not report it to the magic council?" Another long moment of silence until Georgie sighed, her head dropping.
"We tried. It's not worth the casualties..." A shudder snaked it's way down Satomi's spine, a tingling of malice having her claws slide out from under her fingernails at the sound of that dreadful word. Casualties.
"They killed someone?" An elderly lady at the back of the room loosened a shuddering sob which was enough of an confirmation. It was an effort to keep in the growl that wanted to surface.
Georgie, to her credit met Satomi's gaze with unflinching calm. Even dared to let some of her simmering rage at being manipulated to spill the beans, show. It wasn't the stare of a snot nosed noble lady. Or a ill mannered teenager. The stare peering back at her was of one who had already seen too much, experienced too many horrors, in her short life.
Four years... They'd been stuck in this mess for four years. And the control this Opantos Veil excreted over the town was complete. The officials had all but been eradicated. The few who'd survived, now loyal servants to the merciless killers.
"So what's their objective?" A question she'd already pressed Georgie for, but the girl hadn't been able to supply an answer. She didn't know. That gruelling lack of information the very reason for this little meeting.
Satomi had offered Georgie at point blank to break the glamour on her father, but the girl had responded with no small amount of horror, telling her absolutely not. Which was when the girl had found it convenient to drop the atrocity of a bombshell, that there was a magic circle edging around the entire town, should they exhibit signs of resistance, the whole place would be blown to smithereens. And while Satomi was a walking armoury of magical weapons, creatures and power... Enchantments and scripts were not her forte. 
Which was why dealing with this would require no small degree of finesse. Simply marching into the culprits stronghold and brawl her way out of it, as tempting as it sounded, was off the table.
And Satomi really didn't have the time for this. Or the capacity in her to really care. Not when Laxus and the others were fighting a different, much more pressing battle. A selfish thought. A truly, selfish, shallow thought when she could so clearly see the suffering that'd been bestowed on the bleak, hopeless faces staring back at her in the dimly lit wine cellar they sat in.
The silence following her question did little to lift theirs, or her own spirits. No. There was no one here who knew the objectives of the culprits in question. She sighed deeply, her stare falling to the ground.
The plan Georgie had mentioned, reckless and bold as it was, might not be so far off from what needed to be done. Even if it put the entire town in peril.
She clicked her tongue impatiently, studying the specs and dents in the pebbled stone floor. "Do you at least have the location of their residence?" Another long silence, then-
"Four kilometres to the west, through the woods. They got a cot perched by the edge of a cliff, from what our scoutings has told us, they've got some sort of means to travel up and down. There's a small port by the seabed below." Satomi's frown deepened.
"And that's all you've got?" She knew her impatience might unnerve the man that'd spoken, but lifted her stare coldly to meet with the dark eyes of the man. He met her stare with the same frankness as Georgie, he'd been one of her two companions in the improvised cell they'd arranged for her. If he'd been shocked or terrified of her previous demonstration of raw power, he didn't let on.
"There are beasts prowling the woods at their command. We haven't dared venture closer, should it risk costing us more lives." Another shudder went through her. They'd already slaughtered more than one, then. Her chest tightened and it was an effort to not release the stream of sputtering curses that wanted to slip out of her. 
"Anything else?" No one would meet her stare, even the man who'd replied to her previous question. Not even Georgie, her formerly defiant posture suddenly slumping and growing more timid, as if she'd rather turn into her own mind and not open up to the world ever again. The silence that followed was too heavy, too different from the ones that'd come before it, and Satomi knew she wouldn't like the answer that followed. "The longer you hesitate to talk to me, the longer their movements go unchecked, so I suggest you start tattling." The implied offer had Georgie's head snapping up again, her eyes lighting up slightly.
"You'll help?" Satomi held her stare, but remained quiet as she pursed her lips. Georgie's eyes shuttered at the lack of confirmation. But Satomi still struggled with herself in deciding what to do. Stay, or go. She couldn't make up her mind. And she would not lie to these people who already had so little.
Georgie sighed deeply, but straightened her back before the others could notice her faltering conviction. Sixteen years old, and at the head of this little operation. The only one brave enough to think of doing anything. Even if that something was as simple as venturing from shop to shop and buying anything in sight to at least try to get some of the money back into the pockets of the towns people. Not to mention sniffing at a way to infiltrate that base of operations...
"There are people missing. Our baker, Hyun, and his family. The tailor, Jes, and the butchers daughter Ferisa are among the most recent." Satomi's blood turned to ice in her veins at the possible fallouts that might've claimed the people mentioned. It wasn't unusual for hostages to be taken but... If they'd been present for four years... No wonder the streets had seemed eerily deserted. And if they truly were taken as hostages, for that purpose or otherwise... It only further complicated the situation.
Satomi rubbed at her forehead in frustration at the headache of an issue unfolding before her. The predicament was perfect for her, in any other situation her blood would be simmering with glee at this point. A perfect puzzle of spying, scheming and games, watching her opponents squirm under her hand... This was not the feeling washing over her in this moment at all. It was an effort to withhold the tremble of her hands. Not for the townspeople, or for Opantos Veil, but her guild-mates.
Satomi had never felt more lonely and lost. Especially when she dove deep within her own mind, latching onto the bond woven between her and the certain blond it connected to, and received but a whisper of response.
"Your initial plan to infiltrate their base, I'd like for you to walk me through it." Satomi faced Georgie as she stood, and the young girl's eyes once more lit with that chokehold of hope. It all but squashed Satomi's own hope to be able to return home. She could not go. Not when she was so dearly needed here.
All resignation and malice Georgie had previously exhibited had been washed away, like footprints in the sand would be by the coming of the tide. The teen all but trotted over to her as Satomi cast a final glance at the crowd gathered, opening her mouth to dismiss them.