Chapter 18- Pride is a Sin and a Woman's Best-Friend

Lucy rode in what seemed to be a wagon. She looked down at her hands and feet which were cuffed. She looked around, unsure of her surroundings.

"Stupid mountain!" She heard someone bark. She looked up, past the back of the wagon to the only source of light, a small window. The wagon jumped.

"Hate this bumpy-ass rode," someone else cursed.

"Oh, shut the hell up, I'm the one driving." It was the first voice. She looked toward the tiny window. She crawled to it, peering out. She saw the back heads of two men, one driving and the other riding passenger. She looked past them, unable to see anything other than the gravel rode.

Given the situation, she guessed that she was in fact not a guest. Most likely the opposite. She scooted toward the very back of the wagon, farthest away from the men. She didn't want to make them aware of her presence.

Where was she? Who was she? What's going on?

She didn't know who she was, or what was happening, but her gut told her it wasn't good.

She tried to get as much information from the two bickering men as possible. They were loud, and since they weren't aware she was awake, didn't try to discern any information from her.

"Why do we gotta go up this mountain? It's the road of death!" One of them yelled.

"Because the boss needs to make sure no one can follow our prisoner! No doubt whatever town we snatched him from we'll be after us."

"Fableridge."

"What?"

"The town is Fableridge."

"Does it look like I give a shit?"

"That's my home-town, you jerk!" They began bickering again. Fableridge? The way one of the men said it kinda sounded like it was precious to him.

"Hurry up, we gotta take him in!" One of them said, throwing his thumb at Lucy.

Him? Lucy looked down. She obviously wasn't a man, so why did they call her a him? An insult?

All she knew was she had to get out of there fast. She leaned against the wagon's door, using all her strength while trying to stay quiet. It was almost as if it were locked. Lucy hoped not.

Her heart began to run as the men soon stopped the wagon, and left the coach. Lucy gulped. She could either spring when they opened the door- if they opened the door- or fake being unconscious and prepare a sneak attack.

Panicking, she choose the latter, falling with a thump, pretending to be asleep. When the men opened the door, light blinding Lucy through her eyelides, she tried not to stir.

The poked her, harder and harder till they were practically punching her. Impatient, the grabbed her shackles, dragging her off the wagon, and dropped her to the ground.

"What the hell are you doing?" Said a irritated voice. Lucy cracked a single eye, careful not to be noticed. This woman was vaguely familiar.

A short pink Sakura printed robe, crystal, deep sapphire eyes. Lucy felt something flash her mind. Fire. . . An old woman who was wearing the exact thing this lady was now.

Did she know this woman? Before she lost her memories?

The woman approach Lucy, crouching low.

"Venus-sama," chocked one of the men, a slight blush on his cheeks.

"You poor, poor, old man." Venus purred at Lucy. Old Man? "Take him to the cell at once, I will not have you two foiling our plans!" She yelled, turning her head to face the two men.

"Yes ma'am!" They said, hurrying to collect Lucy off the ground. Venus smirked as she watched Lucy be carried off, each man holding one of her upper arms.

"And when you're there, call the celestial-spirit brat. What's his name. . . Maluce or something!" She called.

"Yes ma'am!"

Lucy couldn't say anything as she was carried away, as if her throat had been torn out. That's what it felt like, so hollow it hurt. Her feet dragged against the floor, she felt so weak and exhausted she could barley move.

The men hurried. "Ugh," one scoffed. He glanced past his shoulder. "Venus-sama is such a bitch."

"Yeah," said the other. "But she's so beautiful and powerful." The other grunted in agreement.

Lucy fought to stay consious, her body failing her. They led her away from the road into a cave. After what felt like miles, they took a turn and went down a flight of stairs.

Torches that alined the wall were the only sources of light. The walls, which looked like the had been carved out with a pocket knife, were jagged and uneven. They were so sharp, they looked like they could actually cut you.

Lucy was led down another cave hall, which ended in a thick wooden door. She expected the men to throw her against it to open it, but that was over-dramatic of her to think. Instead, one gripped her arm even harder while the other fumbled for a key in his pockets.

"Hurry up, man!" Yelled the one clutching Lucy.

"I'm trying!" Even Lucy was quiet unimpressed to see how long it took these "evil masterminds" to find the key. After ten more minuets of blind searching, he realized that he had put the key in his shoe for safe keeping during the kidnapping.

The other man sighed. "Why do I live with this?" He mumbled as the man finally found the key, and unlocked the door.

Lucy took that time to watch her kidnappers. She could try and send a message with their description, but they were probably aware of her magic and that's why she was kept deep undergroud.

Magic? Did she posses such things? What type of magic was it?

The kidnapper who was grabbing Lucy had a long hooked nose, and thin sour lips. His clothes, though torn and dusty, were casual.

His partner on the other hand, did not dress casual. It looked as though he grabbed the King Costume out of the dumpster behind some Halloween store. With fluffy pants, strange tights, and a stripped button up, this man appeared to be quiet unintellegent. His brain, unlike his big buck teeth, were probably the size of a pea. Although his nose wasn't quite as hook shaped as his partner, it was certainly large.

The men led her through the door to a corridor. The corridor looked like a prison, with 6 cells on each wall. Lucy wondered why they would need 12 cells. She gulped. What would happen if they needed to make more room? She could already feel the removal of her head.

They took her to the nearest cell on the left, sliding the door open and forcefully pushing her in. As she fell, quite ungracfully, on her face waiting for a groan that never came, the men slide the door shut. The chuckled as they for the key partnered with the lock.

"I wanna lock it!"

"Shut-up, I already have the key."

"Rock-paper-scissors?"

"Sure."

"Rock-" they said in unison. "Paper!"

The man with the key locked it fastly, laughing at the outraged look on the other man's face.

"You bastard!" The defeated one yelled.

"Whatever, let's go tell Heathcliff we got our catch."

"You're still a jackass."

"Sure, whatever."

They walked to the door, but before shutting it completely, one of them said something to her.

"Cacapon, Heathcliff will see you shortly." And he laughed. Lucy stood, gripping the bars of the cell tightly.

Cacapon? Is that who she was? Why couldn't she talk? Where was she? What's happening?

Lucy felt like she was going to cry. She sank to her knees, ready to sob.

Suddenly the room flashed. Lucy looked up. It flashed again and her vision seemed to ripple as it changed.

She frowned. Her vision was somehow zooming out, like it was drawing away from this nightmare. Her head began pounding and a feeling dawned on her.

A feeling like her soul had lost it's body, light as air. She gulped, memories flooding through. This is what she had felt when she had died.

"Natsu?" She screamed. "Natsu!"

"Lucy. . . Lucy. . ." Said a distant voice.

"Natsu?" Lucy said finding her voice, almost crying in relief.

"Lucy. . ." The voice seemed to be getting closer. Has someone come to save her? But before she could figure it out, everything went black.

Lucy sat up with a fright and gasped. She clutched her head, looking around. She saw familiar eyes watching her with concern. Natsu.

"Natsu? Where am I?" She asked, looking around. This wasn't the cell.

"Same place as yesterday." He said. "Are you okay?" It was just a dream. A unbelievably realistic dream. She looked at him.

"Yeah, just a strange, strange, terrible dream." He looked at her with concern.

"You sure you're okay?" He asked pressing the back of his hand against her forehead. She nodded, taking his hand off her forehead.

"Yeah, swear."

"Okay," he said wearily, standing and helping her up. "We're about to split up for the search, so I guess this is good-bye for now." Lucy nodded absently, still thinking about the dream. Then she remembered last night's discovery.

"Wait! Did the others leave?"

"Without you? No."

"Where are they?" Natsu frowned, before hesitantly pointing behind him to the large door.

"Getting that woman." Natsu led Lucy through the door to the others. They turned and saw the woman, bound with rope, being healed by Wendy. Wendy's forehead was beaded with sweat, her face set in concentration as she tried her best to replenish the woman's energy.

The woman, who was wheezing and huffing, laughed at Wendy's attempts.

"She's trying to help you, shut up!" Natsu growled. She smiled.

"It's futile. I'm going to die. That's the cost of breaking the spell. I know I'm not suppose to use it, but I never-" she erupted in a fit of coughs. "I never thought that someone could break it. It's just so. . . Impossible." Wendy sat up, and shook her head.

"I apologize," she told the woman. "I cannot heal you." The woman looked up to the dark ceiling, which was so high and dark you couldn't see it if you tossed a flashlight as high as you wanted. If anything, the ceiling looked like it could simply suck in the flashlight.

"Ah, well. I guess it's one impossible succession a week." She sighed and closed her eyes. "My head's pounding though, think you could do me the favor?" She asked, looking at Wendy. Wendy frowned slightly, but nodded. She stood and moved, walked to her head. She placed two fingers on each of the woman's temples, healing her.

The woman let out a blissful sigh. "That feels good, ya know?" After some silence, she sighed yet again. "At least I didn't blabber. I may not have my pride, but I managed to keep whatever dignity I had left. Hm, yes, dignity. Pride is a woman's true best-friend. Yet dignity is something few can keep when the sins come a taunting. Pride is a sin, ya know?" She asked. She looked at Wendy, who eventually nodded. "Get too proud and you start taking chances. Thats why it's always good to have friends to tell you to get off your high-horse. Whether it'd be rivals," Gray and Natsu glanced at each other. "Friends," Lucy smiled at Wendy. "Or partners," Gajeel gave a Gee-Hee as Lily nodded. The woman hummed. "Look at that, I'm babbling like an old woman. Though I do suppose that's what I am." She leaned back, seeming to get comfy. "You're gonna ask, aren't you?" The woman asked suddenly. Lucy felt like that was directed at her.

"My name? I'm not gonna tell you much about my. . .work, that idiot Cacapon probably already did, but I suppose that's okay. As long as it all goes according to plan." The woman said. Lucy was beginning to think she was perhaps taking the brain of an 80 year-old woman, or in simple terms; crazy.

"Alright, your name." Lucy said cautiously. "It's Venus, right?" Venus smiled a bit, looking down.

"That damned Cacapon, he'll rot in Hell one day." She mutter, but looked up again. Lucy looked into her once beautiful eyes, now faded and clouded with age and defeat.

She nodded and Lucy bit her lip. Against all odds, this was good. She had gotten information. But, usually when things started looking good in their case, it was a sign that something bad was coming.

"Who is he?" She asked, ignoring her friend's confused and puzzled looks. "Is he the reason I'm getting those dreams?" Venus looked down, obvious that she wasn't answering anymore questions.

"In my time of dying. . ." She slowly said. "Please untie me." Everyone stiffened.

"Untie you?" Erza exclaimed. "Do you think we're stupid?" She yelled in outrage. Venus just sighed, as if trying to argue with Erza was taking up so much energy.

"I don't have any magical energy, and I'm dying. . . But, I would like to die with dignity!" She snapped. The others watched her, wondering if they could trust this woman or not. Of course, they weren't gonna trust her, just whether to believe if she had enough magical energy to inflict damage.

After a while, they all looked at each other. Soon, one by one, they nodded. Lucy untied the rope, and held Venus up. Venus groaned as she was hoisted up.

"Ouch, ow, ow, I'm old, ya know? These won't heal!" When she was finally on her feet, she dusted off her short Sakura-print robe. "I won't deny that I'm a little flustered, not to mention the fact that you six are the reason I'm going to die, yet I feel. . . At peace with it." She said. "However. . ."

She approached Lucy, and Natsu tensed next to her. If she tried anything, he would. . .

"I can't die yet. I still got a few hours. It's not so far, I'll make it. Prehaps."

"What?" Lucy asked. Venus smiled.

"Why, to warn my comrades of you of course." She said. Lucy's eyes widened.

"How? Your so old you probably can't make it up the stairs, let alone through us." Natsu said. She sighed.

"That's true, defiantly not through all of you in my case. But," she said. "I'll find a way." She turned toward Natsu, smiling evily. He frowned, wanting to take a step back, but he couldn't move. He saw a faint glimmer in her eyes, and he cursed. He fought the magic, and it was weak. It wasn't taking over his mind, just paralyzing him.

Natsu was ready to fight again. This time, he'll take her out with one hit. He was just afraid to think what she's do while he was paralyzed.

She got close. A little too close for Natsu.

"I'll find a very pleasant way." She murmered.

"What are you-?" Lucy began but her voice died down when she saw what Venus had done. Venus, pressing her body against Natsu's, kissed him. The others watched in shock.

"Na-" Lucy murmered, "tsu. . ." For some reason, and she knew why, watching him kiss her broke her heart. Into pieces. And those pieces into pieces. And even those pieces to pieces. Until finally, her heart felt like grated sand. This bitch had to die.

Lucy growled, clenching her fist. She stalked toward them. Venus seemed to be enjoying herself, and Natsu wasn't fighting it. Why? He was paralyzed, but Lucy didn't know that.

Venus' pink-gray hair then started changing. From the roots, it turned a fire orange, the color crawling down her hair like a tidal wave.

Lucy watched as Venus slowly gaining back youth. She was 50. No, 40. 25. And then she looked 16 years-old. Venus' skin grew tanner, like the sun had kissed it.

She drew back and disgustingly licked her lips. She opened her eyes, which glowed. When she blinked, her eyes stopped glowing, but instead had turned a orangish-ruby color. "A little too young but it'll do," she murmured. "Release." She whispered into Natsu's ear. When she did, he fell to the ground, spitting and wiping his mouth.

"Ew!" He spat. "You taste and smell like old lady!" He started choking dramatically. Venus laughed.

"Funny." She said. She put her hand on his chin, turning his head toward her. "I might take you back. Make you my monkey."

Natsu's eyes widened. He scurried back. "No way, you're still an old hag."

"You-!" Lucy said from behind Venus. Venus looked behind her at Lucy, rage boiling in her veins. Her eyes were on fire, her teeth clenched. "I'm going to kill a whore tonight!" She yelled, cracking her knuckes as a deathly fire aurora surrounded her.

Venus glared at her. She sighed yet again. "Guess I'll learn to control my new powers here." Lucy didn't know what she meant, nor did she care. She wanted to wring her perfectly tan neck and rip out her gorgeous hair. Then cut off her lips! Was Lucy jealous if her looks?

. . .

No, of course not. . .

. . .

Maybe. . .

But she kissed Natsu, and because of that there'll be Hell to pay.

Venus was in luck. Lucy was about to raise it.

"You're a pyro, right?" Venus asked Natsu casually. He didn't respond, but stood, ready to fight.

"Fine, don't answer. But Hellhag over seemed to be burnt to a crisp in your fight.." Natsu looked away, both disgusted with her, and guilty. Was it so obvious he had badly hurt Lucy?

Lucy nearly exploded. "Me? The Hellhag? Your the hag! How old are you, 85?!"

"84." she replied smoothly. "And yet, my skin is so much better."

Lucy charged, fist up, ready to send this bitch to Kingdom Kung. Just as she did, Venus' fist lit on fire. Could she always do that? She punched Lucy in the gut, while at the some time, Lucy was pretty sure she heard her nose crack.

Both girls stumbled back. Venus clutched her nose. She looked at her hand, blood coating it like a shiny blanket. She laughed.

"I'll give you credit, for an underdeveloped brat, your good." Natsu lit his fist, ready to join the fight, but an arm stopped him.

Erza blocked him, giving him a look that signaled him to back-off.

"What are-?"

"This is Lucy's fight." The others didn't seem to mind the fact of the fight. They just watched, mildly entertained.

"Got 20 on the Bunny-girl," Gajeel murmured to Gray.

"50." Gray smirked.

Wendy watched, slightly worried. She smiled though. "Ms. Lucy is strong, she'll win."

Venus looked at her hand, and sighed. "Been so long since I was old, seems sighing is a habit I picked up." She smirked. "Also been a long time since I was a fire-mage. I find them quiet boring, you can find them at any street corner. But a Dragon-Slayer. Now that's a catch!"

"How did-?" Lucy asked. Venus smiled.

"Although I did like the magic and style of the previous mage, I guess this will do for now." She looked down at her Sakura-print robe. "Although a new robe is in question. Do you think this robe fits my new look?" She asked a baffled Lucy. Lucy sweat-dropped.

"No! Don't change the subject! Did you say you were a Fire-mage now?" Venus sighed yet again, putting her hands on her hips and looked away.

"You're quiet boring. All this demanding, I refuse to answer until I get my low-fat, sugar-free, decafe, cappuccino. Oh, and hold the whipped-cream."

"This isn't a joke! People are dying because of what you're doing! We don't have time for your petty games." Venus gasped, putting her hand over her heart.

"You know, that really hurts. Hurts right in here." Lucy growled with aggitation. This girl was making her mad.

"Oh shut the hell up, like I care." Lucy growled, grabbing her whip. She snapped it back, ready for the fight. Venus looked unamused, checking her nails for dirt.

"Are you serious?" Lucy yelled.

Venus suddenly gasped in pain, making Lucy frown. "Sorry, hangnail. . ."

Lucy whipped her leather whip, wrapping it around Venus and pulled at it hard. Venus wobbled a bit.

"Ow, don't need to be so assertive!" She said. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Suddenly, Lucy's whip caught on fire. The fire crawled around Venus like a snake, eating away at the whip. Lucy gritted her teeth as the fire grew in size and slammed into Lucy, knocking her off her feet and skidding against the floor.

"Oops!" Venus smirked. "You really shouldn't ever judge a person by their looks, such as me, I was an old lady. You are way too trusting. Well, I guess you can judge some people, such as yourself. Weak, bratty, easily set-up, hot-tempered, too trusting," Venus said. She leered at Lucy. "Or simply in love," Lucy's eyes widened. How did she. . .?

Was it that obvious?

Lucy glared at her, trying to recover from her wavering nerves.

Lucy stood, eyes ashen and hidden behind her hair. She crossed her arms, brandishing 3 keys in each hand, one between each of her fingers.

"That's it," Lucy whispered. "I'm not gonna hold back!" She swiped the keys in the air, uncrossing her arms as the glowed in her hands.

"Open! Gate of the Celestial Spirits, Virgo, Loki, Taurus, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Cancer!" The whole chamber shook with magical power as six new figures stood in front of Lucy. She was getting serious. One spirit was probably enough, but Lucy was gonna kill her. The energy though, felt like getting hit by a truck. No, a Transformers truck, and then one of Bob the Builder's trucks. Double the impact, twice the annoying.

But her magic seemed to explode tenfold. Wether it was the frustration of this infuriating woman, or the fact that this woman could read her so easily. Maybe because she mocked Lucy's feelings. Mocked Lucy in paticular, but there are some lines you just shouldn't cross. Like being in love with your best-friend. And even though that line had been crossed long ago, mocking Lucy about it was wandering into shark-infested waters.

Venus stumbled back. Her eyes widened. So many spirits, was it possible? Could she even defeat one of them? She gulped and quickly recovered her wits, trying for a bluff.

"Spirits are only as strong as their castor!" Still, calling out 6 spirits was amazing. "I can defeat all of you at any time!"

"You sure you want to talk so big?" Lucy asked. "Cause I'm feeling murderous."

Venus snorted. "Anytime."

Loki approached her first. His hands glowed with light as he moved right next to her with amazing speed. Venus gulped, shaking. That was almost faster than light!

His hands glowed and she tried to take a step back. Something was forming in his hands. A knife? A sword? She scrunched her eyes closed. She rather die then surrender. She wasn't lying when she said she rather die with dignity. This form she had taken won't last more than 24 hours. She was gonna die either way, but at the hands of such a weakling seemed unthinkable.

She waited for the piercing pain, but nothing happened. She opened one eye and nearly fainted.

"A-a r-rose?" She stammpered. Loki smirked at her, presenting her a red rose.

"A symbol of love for a beautiful lady."

"Loki!" Lucy yelled from across the room. Even the others who were watching fell to the ground in disbelief.

Lucy took a big breath, trying to settle her anger. "Cancer! I think her new form needs a change!"

"Snip-snip!" Cancer announced and jumped at Venus while Loki distracted her. Lucy rubbed her temples. At least he was good for some things.

Venus gasped when she felt her head grow lighter. She spun and saw her long orange hair fall to the groud. She nearly cried out.

"My hair!" She yelled. She looked at the crab who flipped open a small pocket-mirror. She snatched from him, looking at her short hair. It was a little past her chin, barley grazing her shoulders. "Oh, this actually quiet suits me." She told Cancer. He nodded. "Gotta any special-shine shampoo?" He shook his head, but pulled out a special-shine conditioner bottle. Lucy fell backwards.

"Can one of you just attack her?" She asked. Venus smiled and took the bottle.

"Oh, limited edition. Thanks."

"Taurus!" Lucy yelled and Taurus charged. Lucy sweat-dropped. She probably just made the situation worse.

Taurus approached, and Venus gasped, nearly dropping the bottle. She expected him to trample her, but instead she felt a warm breath fan over her. She frowned as Taurus examined her, hearts in his eyes.

"Oh! Nice body, evil person!" She laughed nervously.

"Thanks?" She wondered if the girl had any spirits that actually fought. Well, at least they were useful in some ways.

Lucy repeatedly smacked herself in the face and sighed. Even her friends sweat-dropped.

"Return, Loki, Taurus, and Cancer!" She called, swiping their keys in the air. The keys and celestial spirits glowed, along with the special-shine limited edition conditioner, and then disappeared, returning to the Celestial world.

Venus gasped, reaching a hand forward as if to grasp the light. "My conditioner. . ." She whispered.

Lucy took a deep breath. "Let's try this again. Go, Virgo. Attack plan 13!" The three spirits nodded. Usually this planned involved Loki, but they were just gonna have to work without him.

Venus frowned. She became vigilant, ready for any pesky attack this "Virigy" or whatever had.

Virgo disappeared underground, and Venus almost laughed at the feeble attempt. She wasn't born yesterday. She was 84 years old. She laughed as she bent and grabbed a rock from the ground. Using her new Dragon Slayer strength, she crushed the pebbled in her hand, throwing the debris nearly Blondie. It scattered on the ground, and Blondie looked and seemed to figure out what she was doing.

(A/N: as I said before, this is in 3rd person omni meaning you can see all the characters thoughts, therefor when it switched to Venus' thoughts, the names change. This is due to the fact Venus doesn't know their names. Sorry, please continue.)

As Pinkie tunneled underground, the tiny rocks shook on the surface, allowing Venus to pinpoint her location. Pinkie's path was nothing elaborate, simply straight from Blondie toward Venus.

Venus waited until she could almost feel Pinkie below her. The ground rattled like a jackhammer, but was so deep that without Venus's new heightened senses, thanks to Pinkie #1 aka Stupid Fire Dragon-Slayer, she wouldn't have been able to sense Pinkie #2 underground.

Although Pinkie #2 was fast, Venus was (again thanks to Pinkie #1) faster. She felt Pinkie #2 directly underneath her. The ground shook more, something that any normal person could feel. She smirked at the moment Pinkie #2 came bursting through the surface, fist first. Venus stepped back, narrowly avoiding getting her tongue bit off. If Pinkie #2 had punch, she wasn't sure she could get another one.

Virgo did miss, but her face remained calm and unfaltered. Lucy frowned slightly. Venus smirked.

"I'm not an idiot, you can't fool me with your simple tricks. I have. . . Evolved beyond simple mages."

"Oh?" Lucy asked. Venus smiled. Then, a column of sand blasted her from the hole. It knocked her back as sand blasted from the hole like a gyser. She coughed, sand in her mouth and throat. She rubbed her eyes, trying to clean them. She growled. Of course. Pinkie #2 was a distraction. She made the hole, and while Venus was distracted, Scorpion-Boy jumped down the hole and blasted her. She coughed and coughed, feeling sand everywhere. She had swallowed a mouth full, and trying to avoid a direct hit to her face, she had turned her head- not that it had helped much- and had gotten an ear full. Not to mention the force of the blast knocked her off her feet.

She struggled to stand. She rubbed her eyes, trying the hear something but it was hard with only one ear. And even that ear was basically clogged up, too.

She then felt a fist in her stomach. She doubled over, having no trouble of getting the sand out of her stomach now. The wind was knocked at of her, and her eyes, against her protesting, shot open. She saw a man covered in white fur, dark sunglasses hiding some of his emotionless face.

She spit out was had been forced out her stomach, mostly sand maybe a little blood, and glared at the man then the ground. The sand was another diversion. Before she could righten herself, the man with ram horns grabbed her and bounded her hands and put her in a head lock. She was trapped, and using magic in that position was almost impossible.

Almost.

She flared her body on fire. She had the power of stealing someone's magic when she kissed them. Her previous power was all about illusions and barriers. Using the forbidden magic, which she used all the time, was what she had done when she first played her hand.

But she has kissed many other fire mages before. As she said, you could find a fire mage on every street corner. A dragon-slayer? Defiantly a rare catch. She had been meaning to catch herself one of those twins, and even though she hadn't watch the Grand Magical Games herself, she had heard about a Salamander {Fire Dragon} who had beaten both by himself. Coincidence that this could be that Salamander? She had heard Fairy Tail winning, and something about them struck her as those Fairy Tail Flies.

So having her years of Fire magic, plus practically the strongest Dragon-Slayer's power seemed to be in her benefit.

What scared her was the fact that she had pinned that very mage against Blondie, and Blondie came out alive. . .

Goat-man quickly let go of Venus, and Venus spun, setting her foot a flame and kicking him in the place reserved for making future goat-babies. Goat-man stopped her leg by grabbing it, but it burnt him.

She knee him in the stomach and pushed him back. He stumbled and Venus turned for a break-out. Just as she began to run, she felt her feet entangle amongst themselves, and she tripped. She groaned and set herself on her elbows. She could taste blood in her mouth, she had bitten her lip during the fall. She glanced at her legs, which stung around her ankles. Her eyes widened in confusion. Wrapped around her legs was a column of water with orangish-white bursts of light.

"W-what's this?" She stuttered. Blondie smiled, holding the silver handle of the strange whip.

"My favorite whip, The Fleuve d'étoiles." She smirked and Venus frowned. She exploded in fire, but they couldn't reach Blondie. In fact, Blondie didn't even looked bothered that the fire was so close. She frowned.

"Is this all? Trust me, I've felt hotter flames." Venus glared. She squirmed and squirmed but the whip held onto her body. Blondie yanked it a little tighter.

She turned to her comrades. "And none of you helped me?" She asked.

"We knew you could do it," Erza said with a smug look.

"Yeah, Luce. You could kick her butt two ways to Sunday with your hands tied behind your back." Natsu said. She sighed, either way they were right. She did take care of it by herself.

"Now what?" Lucy asked.

"We can't leave her here, but she probably won't let us tie her up without getting burtn." Venus slowly started to whimper. It was quiet at first, but then loud enough to echo across the empty walls.

The group frowned and surrounded her. Well, they all made sure to keep a distance from which her flames could reach. Except Natsu of course, he had no problem watching what was happening to her body up close.

Her whimpers changed into a fit of coughs, sounding as though she had holes in her throat. Her skin started drastically changing again, growing shaggier and wrinklier, sprouting age spots up her arms and legs, patching her face and neck.

"She's old again," Natsu said. The mages wondered why she kept drastically changing ages.

"That's her magic." Lucy said. "She told me she is 84. I think she can absorb people's magic by. . . Someway."

"Kissing is just one of my favorites," Venus wheezed from the ground. Natsu gagged.

"Anyway, I think that's how she got your dragon-slaying magic," she said to Natsu.

"Better get checked for Herpes, Herpy Breath." Gray said smirking. Natsu growled at him, grabbing him by the shirt-front.

"What was that. . . ? S.T.I's!" Natsu exclaimed.

"S.T.D's you idiot." Before the two could finish in there. . . Odd conversation, Wendy interrupted them.

"Natsu, Gray, we've wasted a lot of time here. We should split up like in the plan, and find the door." Wendy said, surprisingly sternly.

"Oi!" Lucy said suddeny. "That reminds me, I think I might have found the door!"

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I'm sorry for not updating since the 9th, but I'm dealing with some series writer's block, and my stock-pile of chapters is running out. So they are gonna come gradually till I can get back my spunk. Anyway, comment on wether you think Natsu has Herpes now. Goodnight guys, thanks for reading.

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