Shattered (Fairy Tail)

1: The Job

Lucy's P.O.V

"Any luck?" Mira asked me with a sad smile. I kept my gaze on my papers of suspects and theories. There was no evidence where he had went.

"Not really. Natsu's whereabouts are still unknown. I can't find a single lead that checks out. The only story we have semi close is Happy's, and he can't even identify what happened." I told her. It has been almost four years since then, and I am working the hardest to find him. Everyone else are still worried, but when the case grew cold they stopped. I don't get how. The guild is so quiet without Natsu starting up fights.

"What did he say?" Mira thought to herself. How could she forget the story?

"That Natsu was on his way to the Sabertooth guild with Happy when people jumped them. The only thing other then that is the fact that Natsu had saved Happy from being caught as well by blasting Happy away with hot air far enough in the sky for the people not to reach him. After that, he can't remember a thing." I reminded.

"It's a shame that he can't provide any evidence." Mira replied. The only clue we have is that the only thing left was Natsu's beloved scarf. I still kept that in my small pink back pack that I bought just for that reason. I thought wearing the scaly cloth would be admitting to myself that Natsu is gone. I just can't bring myself to accept that.

"Hey Lucy."

Erza held the job flyer up to me. The job was about stopping the dark guild that goes by the name of Demon Hawk. It was a high ranked quest since it involved taking down a whole dark guild. Just like all high ranked quests, this one had a large reward that could pay my rent for a whole year split between Happy, Erza, Gray, and I. It made me sad not to count Natsu in the mash. There are still so many things that I was not used to. So many changed since Natsu left.

"I don't know. I'm a little busy." I told Erza.

"I think it would be good for you to take a quest. Get your mind off of some of this stuff." Mira said with a small smile. I looked back to her and then down to my papers. I will take them along with me just for me to reread them if I have the spare time. It will take a while for us to get there.

"Fine." I said. After packing some papers and a few pencils and pens, I was ready. I slung my pink backpack over my shoulder and left with my team. The team that I originally took because of Natsu. Team Natsu. That name hasn't been said in almost four years.

~.~

When we finally made it to the Demon Hawk guild it was night. The perfect time to take them down according to the others. The guild was made out of stone, like a old haunted castle. The roof came up into cones and the wooden doors were huge. All it needed was lightning and rain and it would be something out of a horror movie. Stone hawk statues were placed on each side of the door.

None of us were going to knock and start up a conversation. Erza kicked open the door revealing what was inside. Inside of the dark guild was just plain looking people talking and doing their own things. Right now, they looked innocent, but what we found later proved me wrong. After all of the others had tied up all of the people in the guild I looked around. Behind their drink bar, there was a trapdoor. 

"Gray!" I called over. The ice mage walked over to me to begin studying the wood on the floor. The trapdoor was locked so I needed Gray to help me get it open. I used too much of my celesitial magic while fighting the guild so it's easier to just have Gray do it. Plus, I don't want something to jump out at me without someone to protect me. Since Natsu went missing, I haven't gone on very many mission. That makes me pretty rusty anyway.

So he unlocked the trap door and we both jumped down into the black void. There was a ladder that went down onto a concrete floor with stone walls. You wouldn't be able to see all of the bugs if it wasn't for the dim light lacrimas. As we continued down the hall a smell of blood became known. The farther you go the stronger the scent. 

Soon we found the source of the blood. Iron barred cages that lined the walls. There was five cages that were 10 by seven feet on each side of the hall. Each cage floor was pure concrete with blood splattered and pooled. Whatever was kept in these cages was obviously in bad conditions. No food scraps anywhere, and in each cage was a small dog dish that held dirty water. 

"Look at all of these cages." I muttered. 

"It's sickening is what it is." Gray said. All of the cages were empty. No sign of life in any of them. At least, that's what I thought before I came to a dead end. At the end wasn't just a plain wall. It was an eleventh cage. One that had someone in it.

This person was covered with grime. Dirt coated his body and his clothes were torn. Bruises ranging front purple to black littered the skin along with other scrapes and bruises. Dry blood was all over him and the floor. A heavy 15 pound chain hooked onto a leather dog collar around the man's neck. Even though the man didn't look at me, I knew who he was. Watching as he held his legs close and laid his head on his knees, it all sunk into me. It made my heart skip a beat. The salmon color of hair was unmistakable despite the dirt and grease that coated it. 

"Natsu."

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This book is for @pavlinagiot for the great idea. I got this whole book from an idea of another fanfiction that she wrote, or writing, called Broken. Thanks for the great ideas and continue to write. Your so good at it. 

Word Count: 1068