The Pain of Memories

Chapter 8.. Rescue

< Natsu's PoV >

I rolled over in my sleep and expected to hit Lucy. She always slept against the wall. Every night, I've climbed into bed with her to sleep. And we only slept. But she wasn't there. I opened my eyes groggily and saw a note left on her pillow. I rubbed my eye and sat up to read it.

I'll be back. I had to go talk to my father, so don't worry about me. I'll be home by tomorrow night! Xoxo –Lucy

I mentally cursed and got out of the warm bed. Where the hell did her father live? She's never wanted to talk to him before! I ran through my head to try to remember anything she's said about her dad recently. The only thing that came to mind was that old dude who looked kind of like her from our mission in Acalypha...

Damn it. That guy was her dad! That was why she was acting so cold and how he already knew her before we even introduced ourselves!

"Come on, Happy!" I called, running to the door. Happy got up slowly and trudged after me.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"We gotta go save Lucy!"

Happy lifted his wings and sped up. "Aye, sir!" he yelled. We ran off towards the road taken to get to Acalypha.

Why would Lucy leave without me? I made her promise to never leave my side! Maybe she had to do this alone...Would she be angry if I came and interrupted her and her dad talking? Should I even go at all?

Shut up, I told myself. Even if she's angry with me, at least she'll be alive. I know she's still been dreaming of Umidjon. I'm the one that wakes her up in the middle of her nightmare every night and holds her until she falls back asleep. She calls out my name every night in pain, and I know there's nothing I can do to help, except be there for her when she needs it. I pretend to ignore the dark circles under her eyes, just like everyone else at the guild. Whenever she isn't around me, somebody comes up and asks if they can do anything to help. And every time, I sadly shake my head and go to find her.

"Lucy!" I yelled.

"Lucyyy!" Happy called, soaring above me. I stopped when I saw a bunch of men lying on the ground. "Have you guys seen a blonde girl run by here?" I asked.

"She went that way!" one of the men said, pointing further down the road.

"What happened to you guys?" I asked.

"That girl beat us up with her giant cow. We made fun of Fairy Tail and she got mad." I couldn't help but laugh.

"That's your guys' fault. She loses her temper when someone disses our guild," I called over my shoulder, continuing on my way.

"Lucy!"

I found someone. A girl was sitting on a stump on the side of the road, looking manic. Her hair was black as night. One of her eyes was a familiar beautiful brown, but the other was completely purple. She was staring at the ground in front of her, laughing as seemingly nothing, but stopped when I walked up.

"Have you seen a blonde---," I started, but cut myself off. The girl looked up and smiled.

"Lucy?" I gasped. "What happened to you?"

"Hey there, Natsu," she cooed, standing up.

"Luce, what happened to your hair?" I asked. Happy sat on my shoulder.

"Oh, this? I thought it would fit her better. You might as well save your breath too. Lucy isn't here anymore" her voice said. I tilted my head in confusion. She looked like my Lucy, minus the hair and eye thing, and she still had the same voice (although it echoed creepily and was devoid of its usual happy lilt).

"Stop joking around, Lucy. Let's go back home," I pleaded.

"I said, I am not Lucy, although this is her body." Lucy –err- Lucy's body laughed hysterically. "I think I remember you. You're in a lot of this girl's thoughts. I'll take pleasure in crushing you.

"You see, this girl has given in. I got into her mind and took control, and after that, it was simple to take control of her body.

"I am Umidjon."

.

.

.

< Lucy's PoV >

I will never forget the look on Natsu's face. He was equal parts shocked, angry, and disgusted. While Umidjon is in control of my body, I'm still in here, watching everything happen. There's nothing I can do to stop this. Umidjon was going to destroy Magnolia and then disappear, leaving all the blame on me. Every single person he kills will be blood on my hands, all because I wasn't strong or confident enough to banish this guy from my mind. But that couldn't stop me from trying. I focused on the light in my head that saved me from giving in weeks ago, trying to use its strength to push through the cage that's preventing me from controlling my own mind.

"Nat...su....Run!" I panted. It took all of the energy I had to get out those two words.

"I'm not leaving! I won't leave you alone, Lucy!" Natsu growled. "If you can't beat this guy, then I can help! Roar of the—"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Umidjon said in my voice. "I really hoped you weren't that dense. I am inside Lucy's body. That means, if you hurt me, you hurt Lucy." Natsu stopped.

"Now this is where the fun really begins," Umidjon squealed. "Gate of the Lion, I open thee. Leo!"

Leo appeared. He looked confused when the person he was staring at was Natsu. "Lucy?" he asked.

"Attack," Umidjon purred. Loke hesitated. When he didn't move, Umidjon's aura grew darker. "Are you disobeying your master?" he snarled.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. You aren't my master," Loke said abruptly. I cheered for him internally. He understood that this wasn't really me! Loke thrust his arm out, hand lighting up golden for a moment. Gemini appeared in the space next to him, silently morphing into a second copy of the lion celestial spirit. Before Umidjon could gather his bearings, they tackled my body to the ground and pinned my wrists and ankles down.

"I'm sorry!" Gemini said.

"Natsu, you have to get inside her mind. She needs you to help her destroy this," Loke said.

"How do you expect me to do that?" Natsu yelled.

"Just focus only on Lucy. Block out everything else. Concentrate only on her."

"Happy, go back to the guild and tell Gramps what's going on. Get the rest of the guild together," Natsu ordered, walking closer to me.

"Aye, sir!" Happy yelled, soaring back into town. Natsu crouched down beside me and hugged me.

"YOU CAN'T DISOBEY ME!" Umidjon screamed, thrashing in the spirits' grasp.

"I'll save you Lucy. Just hold on. Wait for me."

A second later, and Natsu disappeared. I felt his energy in my mind, only adding to the chaos that had been present before. My voice beat past Umidjon's control and I let out a scream. Having three people in your head at the same time was not easy or fun. It was physical, gut-wrenching pain.

"Ha. Ha ha ha ha!" Umidjon laughed. The spirits released my body and vanished. "Now, I have both of you trapped. Nobody will ever stop me! I'll absorb Natsu's magic and destroy even more people! You have given me Magnolia forever! I'll never let Lucy go!"