All because of a fight and a job request

Ch 16

^I couldn't find the group I've created in the story in an image. So just picture the above with Levy but without Lucy..^

*small time skip*

Normal pov

Everyone regroups at the guild after packing for the journey and each receives the disguise lacrimas they needed to ensure the obscurity of their true identities and true intentions from the enemy. "Be careful with these lacrimas children. As I've already explained to Levy, should they shatter or even receive just a crack, the disguise will disappear and your true selves will be exposed. Natsu and Gajeel do you understand?" Master explains to the group.. "Hey don't include me with salamander in his always-destroys-everything crap!" "Shut up metal mouth you're just as bad as me!" Natsu glares at Gajeel.. they're now both smashed together at the foreheads when master shouts, "Knock it off you two! This is precisely what I'm talking about!" They both back off from each with arms crossed and equal "hmph"s at each other.. "Good luck my children. Take care of each other.. bring Lucy home." "You bet gramps!" Natsu smirks, "Aye sir!" Happy shouts in agreement. They began to make their exit when Juvia shouts, "Gray, wait!" Gray sighs but stops and turns around.. "What Juvia? I'm sorry but I have to go.." She stammers, and is twirling her hair around of her fingers.. "Well.. iiits, its just that I.. uh" she stops talking and looks up at him then throws herself at him and squeezes him into a tight hug.."Just please be sure you come back... come back safe.." He remains still for a second before relaxing into her embrace and returns her hug.. "Juvia you've got nothing to worry about. Like I said, I'll be back before you know it." he smiles at her and she lets him go.. he runs to catch up with the others but turns around to wave at her.. Her heart swells yet aches at the same time.. "please.. everyone.. be safe.."

*time skip after the train ride, and are now in the last stretch of their travels via wagon*

Normal pov.

For most of their travels.. they'd remained quiet.. aside from Natsu trying not to puke out of the train window.. no one said much..  "We're almost there. The town is just over that hill up ahead and the tavern is in the middle of town. Let's check into a hotel first to drop off our stuff before we head to the tavern. But before we get up the hill, we need to activate the lacrimas." Levy says to everyone in the wagon.."Just what I was thinking as well" Erza says, her eyes fixed to the trail. Wendy nods between them. Gray walking beside the wagon, "Sounds like a plan." Levy looks up above the wagon, "You two hear that?!" Natsu and Gajeel had Happy and Lilly fly them instead of riding the "barf machine". "Loud and clear Levy!" Natsu says. Gajeel smirks and says "Yea, yea hill coming up, activate lacrima, go to hotel, go to to tavern." Levy just scrunches her nose and groans.. "Hey, Levy?" "Yea Wendy?" "When you saw Lucy... did she look okay? I mean, I know that you said she's captive at this tavern but... how did she look?" Erza and Gray glance over at hearing this and both dragon slayers above are attentively listening as Wendy finished her question..  

Levy thinks hard about her answer with a concerned face... "Well.. I'm not too sure. When I saw her face to face on stage, she was performing.. she was smiling and seemed happy.." Natsu's face drops into a frown.. 'what if despite being captive.. and even though Lucy thinks we're all gone, what if when she finds out we're all still alive, she doesn't actually WANT to come back?.. '"but.." 'but?' he redirected his attention to levy, ".. she didn't seem like herself.. like she was appearing that way for the sake of the show.. if that's the case she was really convincing. In my honest opinion though... I think she's miserable. I think she's really hurting.. more than she already was.." Levy glances up at Natsu, who sees and hears what she's said and avoids her eyes "I also suspect that she's being physically abused.." Natsu hears this and has Happy zoom him down to hover in Levy's face, "What do you mean?! You never mentioned that back at the guild!" Levy, surprised and stuttering at Natsu's sudden closeness, "yyyea, when I was there, and LaVey was sitting next to her at the bar.. it looked like they were having a conversation when LaVey put her hand on Lucy's wrist... Lucy didn't try to yank her wrist from her or really react till she got up from the stool.. she yanked her wrist up then and I could see a bright red... burn mark? on her wrist.. even from a distance it looked painful.." Natsu has smoke coming out of his mouth and nose still staring at Levy.. "Uhhh??" Levy shrinks back before Natsu finally says, "she is going to pay.. I'm gonna make her regret that she ever laid a finger on Lucy!! "Uhhh, Oh there's the hill guys! Erza stop here.." Levy says thankful she had a reason to have Natsu look away from her.. he sure can be intimidating when he wants to be..