Demon Departure - Phoenix Dragneel

Drained

A new S class mission had appeared on the board one day and it caught the eye of Fairytail's best friend duo: Gray and Phoenix!

"20'000 jewels!!! That would Pay our rent for 4 months and we could get some wicked new clothes" gasped Phoenix clinging onto Natsu's shirt almost nipping his flaming skin. Hissing in pain, he pulled away smiling from ear to ear "Nix you know I can't go on any missions at the moment, Master Makarov has suspended me for stealing the last S class mission remember!"

Phoenix had never done a mission with the absence of Natsu, but without the money they would lose the apartment and be on the streets in a matter of weeks. Choking back a sob, she threw herself at Natsu "I don't want to do this alone, but we need the money!". Turning on her heels, Phoenix walked towards the head of magnetic blue hair that belonged to her best friend: Gray Fullbuster.

Joining Fairytail at the age of 3, Phoenix had been absolutely petrified to meet some of the most powerful wizard mages in the world. However, a small blue haired boy had welcomed her with open arms and made her feel like all her worries had dissolved away. Gray and Phoenix had clicked straight away, one comforting the other if a tear ever slipped from their eye.

"Gray! Please can you come do this mission with me, because Natsu got himself suspended by Master Makorov!" Screamed Phoenix into Gray's now pulsing ear. Grabbing her arms and flipping her over his head, Gray sat Phoenix on his knee, throwing his head back in manic laughter. "Of course I will you dummy, I wouldn't let you do it by yourself id be burnt to a crisp by Mr. Short temper over there!" Subtly nodding towards the pacing fire Mage who was most likely trying to make up an excuse for his petty crime.

Shoving the leaflet into his hands, Phoenix proceeded to explain that the mission was to collect and bring back the healing flower of Kopas.

(Time skip)

Phoenix's POV

Miles of deserted green forestry lay ahead, each step causing the silence to be broken by the snapping of a twig. There was no way I could have done this by myself, the darkness is terrifying, consuming all forms of light from the forest floor. Suddenly, an iridescent glow emerges from the trees creating an almost 'magical' image of a flower. "Gray that's it, that's the flower, we've found it!" I scream happily flinging myself into his arms. This must be the shortest mission I have ever been on. Within 2 hours we had found the healing flower and in no more than half a day we would have 20'000 jewels in our hands.

We ran towards the glow, realising as we got closer that it was inside a small, hidden cottage. Something felt strange, we hadn't ventured out far enough yet to have come across the flower, yet we had decided to run directly towards our so called prize. Stopping in my tracks, I heard a muffled scream from behind. They had Gray! A man draped head to toe in black had Gray in a chokehold, his wrists bound behind his back.

"Phoenix get out of here! Run! Leave me he..." Screeched Gray before being knocked out by a sleeping spell. Frozen, I stared wide eyed at my best friends limp unconscious body and the looming figure that stood over him. Before I could even contemplate running, a hand snaked it's way across my mouth snatching away my breath and knocking me down.

(Time skip)

(Gray's POV)

Groggily opening my eyes, streams of bright light poured into the room I was in. Across from me, I could see a small figure ,that I could just make out as Phoenix, unconscious, chained to the wall. "Fifi wake up, please be okay! Phoenix please!" I sobbed pulling against the restraints on my wrists. The door crashed open,  presenting two hunched figures carrying what looked to be a large bag. "Aah we see you've finally woken up ice Mage! How's your little friend over there?" They mocked while pacing round my chair. "You bastards what have you done to her? I swear to god if you've layed a finger on her I'll fucking kill you!" I bit back lashing my arms around within the caging.

A hand snatched it's way around my neck, choking me, causing me to gasp. At that moment, Phoenix woke from her restless slumber and wearily looked over at me, letting out a small whimper as she stared weary eyed. Blistering pain seared through my arm, they had injected me with something. Whatever it was, it was draining me of my magic!

(Phoenix's POV)

His face contorted in pain as his skin turned a sickly white. These vile people were torturing Gray! He may be strong, but they were draining him of practically everything he had. Salty tears danced down my cheeks, mirroring the torture that was happening in front of me. I was completely powerless to help him and eventually, they had drained him of all his ice magic. Unconscious and on the brink of death, they removed the needle from his throbbing vein.

Heading my way, I scurried back into the corner afraid they would drain my power too, leaving us both helpless. However I didn't see a new needle, only the one they had used to extract Gray's magic. I fought against my captures until a hand grabbed my hair and yanked me back, taking me by surprise. A stabbing pain shot through my stomach as they injected me, not draining my power but forcing ice magic into my bloodstream.

Excruciating pain stabbed at every inch of my body, the ice fighting with the fire, my body rejecting the foreign magic. Ear splintering screams erupted from my throat as the pain overcame me knocking me delusional. After what seemed like hours, they had finished with the experiment and I lay unconscious.

(Third Person POV)

Without haste, the dark wizards carried Gray with ease back to where he belonged. The Fairytail guild hall! They no longer needed his lifeless body, all they ever needed was his magic and Phoenix, their little experiment!