Chapter 10
Jeihel

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, only my own OC's, Magic I create, and my own original Ideas

.:+:.

She couldn't see the color of her skin under the pitch, jagged black that covered every inch of it. The black stretched up her hands, her arms, she could feel it's heat as it crawled up her neck, curling over her jaw and just under her eye, too hot, burning like an inferno- and yet it didn't hurt, she couldn't feel it... she couldn't feel anything, she was numb, emotionless.

Cold

She was scratching at the walls, jerking at the chains that kept her pinned under what insane fire was clouding her senses, she saw the blood, red bursting brightly against the black.... so much of the crimson liquid, it was everywhere, and it wasn't hers.

She was screaming, begging and pleading- she had to get herself under control, what part of herself that hadn't been swallowed up by that darkness was bound and helpless in some small, deep, faraway section of her soul- too far away to stop herself... to stop herself from what murder and slaughter she was committing.

Kill, maim, burn... burn it all to the ground, every last soul, every last fiber of what was living, breathing. She was numb to it, even relished in it- the screams, the terror, the pain-

Stop it!

She couldn't make it past the burning dark, she couldn't settle those murderous flames, she was losing herself... she had already lost.

She had finally... turned into it.... a monster

Demon

.:+:.

Hora stifled the panicked gasp she nearly let loose, her eyes snapping open to see the night sky overhead, the sound of the wind whistled through the grass and the sparse few trees, the call of some nocturnal creature sounded from far off.... it was quiet.

She sat up quickly, her hands moving in front of her as she stared down at them, her eyes shinning and no small shred of relief falling over her heart when she saw the tan color of her skin, and not the stained, tar-black and blood.

Her hand's clenched, pressing them against her chest as her head bowed, her teeth gritting and eyes shut tight. She felt a small twinge of pain run through her core, and sorely hoped she wouldn't end up coughing because of it.

... damn it..... those dreams again... I haven't had them in so long..... fuck....

'Calm down.' The voice murmured lowly, she felt a flash of sheer rage run through her in that next instant though.

Shut the hell up, you're no goddamn help, you don't get to tell me to calm down!

'.... the night air is cool, there is no fire.' It pressed, regardless of her snapping at it. Hora sweatdropped, her eyes narrowed to slits as her eyes landed on the grass, shining silver in the moonlight overhead.

'... You understand why the dreams have come again, don't you?' It asked slowly, calmly. Hora stiffened, her jaw clenching.

'You can feel it... smell it... it's getting closer.'

She shook her head furiously, ignoring it now completely and not giving the satisfaction if it were to say anything again. She didn't have the patience... not right now.

Her eyes moved sideways, smiling softly when she spotted Lucy, Natsu, and Happy laying out on the grass together- Lucy tucked away in her sleeping bag while Natsu and Happy invaded her space in their sleep, but the blonde didn't wake up... In fact Hora saw small wisps of a smile on her face instead. She let out a low breath, her panic falling as she looked toward them, before turning away and getting to her feet quietly.

She had no real want to go back to sleep, not if it would land her in that dream again... So she'd walk a bit.

She and the Fairy Tailers had set out that morning, crossing back over into their own Country from Veronica as they headed back toward the area in which North Wind had been running rampant. They wouldn't be near anywhere where they could sniff out another North Wind Mage until a bit after they started off again, so after having been walking the entire day they had stopped for the night.

The Fairy Tailers were pleasant, and kind. She would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy their company, and though she was still a bit nervous at times- even she had warmed up to them rather quickly. Lucy was the more level-headed and mature of the three, though she seemed to have a short temper at times (mostly at the teasing from the boys, or their foolish tendencies), she was kind though, and friendly... And snap as much as she did, Hora could still see that Lucy cared for Natsu and Happy deeply.

Happy was a goofball and a bit oblivious maybe, but he was cheerful and had an innocence that reminded her of Frosch... But also a mischievous side that was oh so much like Lector.

And Natsu, he was energetic and maybe a bit oblivious too- but friendly and funny. It still caught her off guard at how at ease he seemed with her, there was hardly a time he wasn't without that toothy grin of his.... But given what he said last night, she liked him, a lot, and she smiled back. Genuinely.

Despite herself she quickly started treating him a bit more roughly, poking fun at him and teasing where usually she would have kept more manners and politeness with other people. She had even had to catch herself earlier, before she knocked her fist against his shoulder- a friendly gesture, coming from her... And maybe she'd allow herself, later. She felt just about as comfortable with the Salamander as she had with Lyon, it was a nice feeling.... She liked him even more because of what he had said, about her and her Magic.

He gave her some sort of... Maybe hope was the word, that she wasn't that monster that her dreams told her she was. That her Magic didn't define who she was... But she supposed time would tell if he was right.

Brother.... I do hope he is right.... I want him to be right about me... I really do.

She shook her head at herself slightly.

... Natsu was like Sting, she noticed that too. Which maybe wasn't a surprise given he had been Sting's role model when the White Dragon Slayer was a kid, they were both bright and friendly and deep down they were loyal and caring. They were both also somewhat foolish and idiots at times, Natsu seemed to have that habit of speaking before he thought about it at times- Sting struggled with that too. They didn't mean offense maybe, but sometimes they just stepped into a mess... It's how they were.

Hora sighed slightly, her eyes trailing up toward the moon overhead as she trudged down the grassy slope, far enough away from the Fairy Tailers she didn't worry about being heard, but still close enough- just in case something happened, though she doubted it would.

She hooked her arms behind her back, her eyes falling closed as the breeze whistled through the grass, ruffling her hair and making the braided piece at the front brush against her cheek.

She blinked, her eyes narrowing slightly when she felt a pulse of warmth flash through her fingers- it was a familiar feeling, a small, faint indicator that Drille had finished his delivery and the flame that gave him life had consumed him entirely. She wasn't altogether surprised it had taken the small creature an entire day to deliver the letter... She was of course on the edge of the country, and from where Sting and Rogue usually trained for the Games- they were on the other end almost. Total, opposite directions with thousands and thousands of miles between her and them... And it felt like worlds.

She sighed though, if Drille had been burned up just now, it was late and they were probably asleep. She smiled sadly at that small flicker of disappointment that settled in her heart... But she could wait another day.

That was if Drille delivered the letter at all, she had no clue if Minerva was around or not.

There was a surge of anger at the sheer thought of the woman, she bit the inside of her cheek to try and settle it.

She sat down cross-legged in the grass, her fingers picking absentmindedly at blades here and there, plucking them up from the ground and twirling them in her fingers.

Her eyes narrowed, a pulse of Magic moving from her fingers to the grass, the green set alight in a small, concise flicker of flame that turned it to nothing but ash in seconds.

There was that other feeling of disappointment in her heart... And one she was all too familiar with.

.... Hmph.... So why do I have to deal with that bloody bastards voice in my head then....?

She stopped herself, still not wanting to talk to it, and less so give it reason to bud in.

Bling..!

Her heart jumped, a sudden chime of a low, soft bell ringing on the air around her. She abandoned what ash had settled in her hand, reaching around as she pulled the faintly glowing card from her back pocket- one of those same two cards she had been working on last night. The surface of it shone in the dim, the words 'Idiots Calling' blinking across the face with four small depictions of them dancing along the edges.

Her eyes shone, her breath catching in her throat as her heart sped up a bit faster.

Holy hell..... Is this thing actually working?! And on my first try to make something, anything like it?!

This sort of Magic was new to her of course, she could use Picto Magic that was born of her own Magic, but something used to communicate directly was a first for her. She had made the cards, experimenting with the Magic and trying to use her own to Mimic what Magic she had felt from the Calling Card Lucy had. She hoped they would work- but hadn't been sure they would (as she had mentioned in the letter she had sent with it, that the Cards were a new thing for her and a prototype. Hora was fairly good at most basic sorts of Magic and in instances her base Magic was quite flexible, but even she had limits.. ), a part of her had been a little concerned with how new this Magic was that she wouldn't get it quite right. But the sudden life in the Card had her hopes jumping a bit higher,

She lightly tapped the card face, the words blinking away as the image appeared across it's surface, four faces she knew oh so well peering closely (maybe a bit too closely) up at her as they all crowded around it.

Her lips pulled at the edges, her heart fluttering.

"... It worked..." She breathed, her voice wispy in disbelief.

"Hora!!" Sting and Lector snapped,

"Atia!" Frosch piped in,

"Hey! What's with the sudden letter?!" Sting questioned immediately,

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?!" Rogue asked, his voice feverish as he looked up from the screen, struggling for space as Sting pushed his face farther into view.

"Did something happen?!"

"It worked!!" She exclaimed happily, too caught up in her own excitement to notice or even really register the questions they were asking in what seemed like an interrogation. Her hands shot up, holding the card between them as she beamed up at the screen, before she hugged it to her chest, grinning like an idiot maybe, but this- this was exciting for her.

She'd attempted an entirely new form of Magic and a new way of using her own, and got it on the first try!

She'd told Lucy before that she took pleasure in the small things- and this was one of those things.

Thank you Lucy, for showing me that Card! And thank you Cana for creating something so freaking cool!!

She pulled the card back in front of her, still smiling in triumph and pleasure as she finally focused on them entirely, jabbing her thumb to her chest as she shot them a smirk through the screen.

"Am I good or what? I got these cards to work on the first try boys, you should be impressed!" She smirked still, chuckling. "I'd never even heard of Magic Items like this! Isn't it cool? They're like Communication Lacrima, only smaller and easier to carry around- it's a completely new kind of Magic for me, and an even newer type of Enchantment Picto Magic. And I did it on my first attempt- hehe, that is freakin' cool!" She smiled, her eyes glinting as she looked down at them and the utterly deadpan stares she was receiving. Her excitement and rambling slowed, she blinked a few times, her head tilting at them. "... What?"

"WE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG, HORA!!!"

They snapped all at once, looking frustrated as she blinked, sweatdropping.

"..eh? Why?" She asked quickly,

"You never send any letters while we're Training!" Rogue snapped,

"And Drille said it was important! And then disappeared right away!!" Sting had pressed his face closer to the card, looking absolutely agitated and rather annoyed.

"We get an important letter out of nowhere, knowing you're out on some dangerous mission! What the hell were we supposed to think!?" They snapped in unison, Hora blinked once as she simply looked at them, they were all a little red in the face out of frustration- and it finally hit her how panicked they had looked when she answered the card.

Despite herself, she smiled at them, a small, soft smile as she chuckled under her breath.

"Hehe... I'm sorry I freaked you out, but nothing's wrong." She replied softly, her blue gaze glinting. "I just wanted to see you guys, that's all, and I'll have a talk with Drille about defining 'important' between emergency and casual. I'm sorry you were worried for no reason." They seemed to collectively bite the inside of their cheeks, sweatdropping as they tried to simmer down at the apology. She rest her cheek in her hand, her elbow falling on her knee.

Internally, her heart clenched a little, they wouldn't have been panicking if they hadn't already been worried about her even before the letter arrived. Which meant they had been concerned since she left, and she hated that thought.

"..... Are you really ok?" Sting asked at length, his voice lowering on the other end. She could see the worry glittering in his eyes,

"... You're not hurt or anything? And Over-Drive isn't...?" Rogue mumbled,

"I promise, I am fine." Hora smiled softly, "Over-Drive hasn't been giving me any trouble, either. I've just been dodging between towns looking for information, there haven't been any really major fights either."

Outside of the one she had met the Fairy Tailers in... But for someone with her skill that battle hadn't been major.

"..... You sure?" They nearly deadpanned the question, Hora smirked slightly.

"Would you like me to strip and prove it to you?" She quipped back easily, earning the desired effect when both Sting and Rogue turned bright red, steam coming from their heads and averting their eyes, as they fell out of view of the card face. She laughed, seeing Lector and Frosch shaking their heads in exasperation.

"..... You're awful." She heard Sting's voice in the background.

"..... That's not funny, Hora." Rogue grumbled, she couldn't help but laugh again.

"Oh I think it is." She replied lightly, smiling toothily at Lector who seemed to be the one holding the card aloft now. "Hey Lector, how have you been? Sting and Rogue been acting like idiots without me there to keep an eye on them?" She smiled, Lector smiled a little in return.

"Pretty good!" he smirked, his eyes glinting as he gestured a paw behind him toward the still out of sight forms of Sting and Rogue. "The Lady is still on her job so Training has been fun, everyone has been helping Yukino out. Without the Lady around they've been more outgoing, but they haven't done anything dumb, yet." Lector replied, "Yukino is already really good! You should have seen her beat Sting-kun at hand to hand combat yesterday! He didn't hardly stand a chance." Lector shrugged, smiling in slight exasperation, Hora smiled,

"Oi!" Sting grumbled hotly

"Oh I don't doubt he lost." Hora chuckled, "I've brawled with Yukino a few times, she's one strong lady."

"Sting-kun is still the strongest though!" Lector announced, defending his Partner as he usually did.

"Rogue-kun is great too!" Frosch added,

"How is Yukino doing?" Hora murmured,

"She's workin' real hard, she doesn't seem all that nervous but I think she is." Lector replied, Hora sweatdropped slightly, she didn't doubt that.

"Well, as you long as you four keep looking out for her I won't have to worry too much." Hora murmured,

"We are." Sting popped back into view,

"We promised we would, Hora." Rogue murmured softly, he seemed to have collected himself as well.

"Fro thinks so too!" Frosch mewed,

"You bet." Lector smirked, Hora smiled a little more at the replies.

"And your promise, Hora?" Rogue murmured lowly, she smiled slightly, that familiar feeling of sadness run through her core, she could see it in their eyes... And fear too.

"Yeah, don't think we're gonna let you get away with breaking it." Sting murmured,

"I know you won't." She murmured softly. "Like I said, I'm gonna do my best. You know how strong I am, right boys? It'll be OK, there's no way I'm gonna lose."

Not when losing means you're put in danger.... Not when losing means I'll never see you again either.

She smirked slightly, "Don't go doubting me now! I'm gonna be back before you even know it."

.:+:.

Natsu blinked, his eyes resting on the night sky above him with his arms hooked behind his head. He'd been pulled from sleep at the sound of some bell ringing, and noticed that Hora wasn't near. Her scent still hanging on the air told him she was still close and from the sound of her voice he could tell she had gone down the hill some, even without having to get up and look- a Dragon Slayer's hearing didn't have a hard time picking her out in the quiet of the night.

It didn't take much effort to hear the happiness in her voice, he found himself smiling slightly at the tone- though he found himself listening intently to the four new voices that had popped up (presumably from the Card she mentioned in the midst of her celebration it had 'worked'). He didn't recognize the voices, but the names Sting and Rogue jumped out.

Why wouldn't they? The Twin Dragons of SaberTooth had caught his attention the moment he had been told about them, and more so for what cocky, brash and violent behavior that Guild had described them in. (Not to mention how strong they were supposed to be- and being Dragon Slayers was always an interest).

In that instant though... He didn't get what the Guild thought these guys were jerks. They didn't sound like that, not with how they were talking with Hora. What worry had made its way into their voices straight off had him reeling slightly, it was genuine worry, they sounded like they really cared about her and her safety.

End then- even the way Hora's voice lowered when she answered them, like she was sad she had worried them over anything at all.. and then the teasing? The entire sound of the conversation was content, easy- the sort of conversation only people who had known each other a long time and grown close could have had. He recalled Hora calling them her friends, and he could tell how true it was- just by listening.

He did frown slightly, sweatdropping once the unknown mention of 'Over-Drive' came into the conversation- it clearly meant something to them, but he hadn't a clue what it was.

He didn't dwell on it, not even when it sounded like Hora had made some promise to come back (which faintly made him wonder why she thought she wouldn't). Their voices lightened, adopting a soft, easy tenor as their conversation steered toward catching up with one another... It reminded him of his own conversations with Lucy.

Natsu smiled softly, his eyes falling closed as he allowed himself to lull off into sleep with the sound of their soft voices and laughter.

.:+:.

"Salamander."

Natsu paused at the sound of Hora's voice behind him, his attention having been cast ahead toward the ever approaching city-line of Jeihel. Lucy and Happy came to a pause too, though they had stopped sooner, already being in view of the Saber girl where Natsu had had his back to her.

He stopped, glancing backward to see her eyes weren't on him, instead her head was tilted to the side, searching the hills out to their right. To which they had been crossing the grassy planes since earlier that morning, moving ever closer to that next town they would be searching through- and mostly in content, light chatter with one another. Hora had been listening to Happy and Lucy argue back and forth for a little while, before her attention caught something else.

"What?" He murmured, his own head tilting at her.

"..... Do you hear that?" She asked at length, her blue eyes narrowed as she listened intently to that faint whisper, and buzzing noise that had caught her attention, even among the louder noises of the Fairy Tailers and the wind.

Lucy and Happy both blinked in question, Natsu paused, before glancing away in the direction Hora was, his own ears straining to pick out what she seemed to have noticed. 

Natsu blinked, an eyebrow quirking as his head tilted a bit, a look of concentration working its way into his face as he strained- he heard... Something. Something faint, so faint he had a hard time picking it out- and he slightly wondered just how Hora managed to.

.... It almost sounded like electricity, but it was muffled and muddied.... And even then electricity didn't seem right to describe it.

"... ah... I mean yeah, I guess I do..." Natsu mumbled, his hand running along the back of his neck as he sweatdropped. ".... it's real quiet though, and I don't really know where it's comin' from, or what it is." He glanced toward Hora, who was still glancing away from the lot of them, her deep blue gaze narrowed to slits and sweatdropping slightly. "Why? You think it's somethin' important?" He asked,

There was a long few moments of silence between them, Hora bit the inside of her cheek, taking in a small breath.

The wind picked up over the grass and the hills, destroying what little she had managed to catch onto that sound- something like buzzing, subdued though, and almost naturally in a way.

... that was odd... for a minute I swore it sounded like.... well, voices.

'... I heard it as well, though it seems to have vanished now.' The voice butted in quietly, it did nothing to settle what tenseness that suddenly crept into the pit of her stomach.

Hora looked away slowly, shaking her head as her eyes moved to catch Natsu's.

".. no... I guess not." She murmured, shrugging slightly. "I was just... wondering, I guess. Making sure I haven't lost my mind."

'... now that is debatable.'

.:+:.

"This place is completely empty." Lucy murmured, blinking in slight shock as she glanced around on either side of them, the city a dim, grim collection of empty buildings and silence. Hora sweatdropped slightly, glancing around too as their small band made their way through the empty streets- senses on high alert for any sign of... well, anything. There didn't seem to have been a living person in Jeihel in years.

"It's like an actual ghostown." Happy murmured, floating near Natsu's shoulder and looking around with wide curious eyes.

Natsu's nose twitched, a frown pulling at his face and hands on his hips. "I don't smell anythin' either, it's like nobody's lived here in a long while."

"But how does an entire city full of people just... disappear?" Lucy murmured, "When we asked around everyone said that Jeihel may be a place where some of the North Wind Mages have been hiding out, but there is no around. Wouldn't someone have mentioned no one lives here before when we were asking about it?"

"Hmm..." Hora hummed lowly, her arms crossing over her chest and eyes narrowed as she came to a slow halt, their group coming upon a small open square, the cobble street underfoot dirty and the fountain in the center long since stopped running- the basin that was meant for water had been flooded with dirt and debris and left untouched. The Fairy Tailers around her came to a slow halt too, still glancing around at the dark buildings and dirty windows.

"OI!" Natsu's voice broke the silence rather abrasively as his voice raised, echoing slightly. "Anyone here?! Where is everybody?!"

"Would you quit that?!" Lucy snapped lowly,

"Eh? Why?"

Hora sweatdropped slightly at his loudness, shaking her head slightly as she let out a breath- she heard the unmistakable sound of Lucy's hand smacking against the pinkette's shoulder though her eyes had moved from them and toward the distant green shine of the hills they had left behind outside the confines of the empty city.

It was odd though, because Jeihel had been one of those places Hora herself had been told to be a possible location of more North Wind Mages hiding out. But the lack of life and the deathly silence settled over everything was rather eerie, and she felt a shiver run up her spine a moment.

... I do not like this, at all.

"... maybe you ought to tone it down a little, Salamander." Hora murmured quietly, her voice halting what argument had sprouted between the blonde and the pinkette so suddenly. Her hand moved up, her index finger extended as a sudden burst of deep crimson flame began to dance from her finger, another flash of pitch black erupted, the marking running along the skin of said finger- Hora moved her hand before her in air, a dozen or so small, compact bursts of the flame manifesting before her like fluttering little animals, before taking off in opposite directions over the city. She remained still for a few moments, her eyes turned to they sky as those same bursts of flame flashed overhead- each one of them in the shape of an 'X'.

".... so there really isn't a single person here." Hora murmured, the black that had appeared across her skin fading. "At least... on the surface, there might be something we can't see underground."

"I can check that easy!" Lucy popped in, smiling as Hora glanced around to her- the blonde's hand already holding lightly to a gold key that glinted in the sunlight overhead.

"Open! Gate of the Maiden: Virgo!"

In a flash of gold and the sound of something like a bell ringing, a young woman with bright pink hair and blue eyes wearing a Maid outfit appeared before Lucy, her hands clasped in front of her and bowing a moment.

"Good day, Princess." The Spirit said evenly. "Time for punishment?"

Hora blinked, stiffening slightly at the rather odd and unnerving question, her eyes flicked toward Lucy in question only to see the blonde blushing slightly in embarrassment.

"N-no!" Lucy said quickly, shaking her head and looking a little mortified when she noticed Hora had glanced her way. "Virgo, can you please make a few tunnels and check there isn't anything hidden under the town?"

"At once, Princess." Virgo bowed again, before promptly disappearing down a large hole that appeared below her feet.

".... Eh... 'Punishment'..?" Hora murmured, smiling slightly as Lucy seemed to draw in on herself in embarrassment.

"... I swear I'm not that weird." Lucy mumbled, "... Virgo's just like that... I'm not a pervert or anything.... I promise.."

Hora chuckled slightly, Lucy blushed slightly at the sudden amusement from the Saber girl, biting the inside of her cheek and letting out a sigh. She shot Natsu and Happy a small glare when she saw them both smirking at her.

".... I'm sure you're nothing like that, Lucy." Hora smiled pleasantly, "I get it, Yukino's Spirits have their own little quirks too." Lucy blinked, looking interested,

She didn't have any time to inquire about the comment though, not before their eyes turned toward Virgo as she popped back up from the ground with little a care and ever a neutral expression.

"There is nothing suspect under the town, Princess." Virgo informed, Lucy nodded though she looked a bit disappointed at the news.

"Alright, thank you for checking, Virgo." Lucy smiled, Virgo smiled, dipping her head to the blonde.

"Of course, Princess."

Virgo disappeared in a dim ray of gold, leaving the four of them in the silent town.

"... So, we back to square one?" Natsu mumbled, hooking his hands behind his head and entirely unconcerned. Lucy sighed a little,

"...... I suppose." She mumbled, "... But something about this still... Doesn't feel right....." Natsu blinked at her,

".... I guess so." He replied lowly, "... It is weird, I'll give ya that Luce. It's real quiet.... But if there's nothin' here there's no point sticking around."

"Where are we gonna look next though?" Happy intoned, his head tilting. Natsu shrugged slightly,

"We could try another of the towns we heard mentioned." Lucy replied, "Traveling there will take a bit longer, though."

"What do you think, Hora?" Natsu asked easily, his attention turning from his Guild-mates to the Saber woman- who thinking on it then, had been a little quiet for a bit.

Hora was glancing over their heads, her eyes narrowed on the clear, empty blue sky overhead and her attention casting to everything but the Fairy Tailers and whatever it was they were talking about.

.... Jeihel shouldn't be empty...... a whole town doesn't just disappear... even if the people here did leave because of North Wind and what they've been doing, there should have been news about it.. and even then there would probably be at least one person left.... this town is way too big for everyone to just vanish.

Her eyes narrowed to slits, as she bit down on the inside of her cheek and let out a low, wary breath.

... this place..... it's odd, but it almost feels like it's out of some weird dream... like none of it's authentic, real.

'.... very odd indeed.' The voice grumbled lowly, '... though it is not an illusion, you would have seen through it by now.'

Not an illusion, no. The Buildings were real enough, they just seemed.... fake, sort of. If they had been made out of Magic she would have picked up on it after having walked through the town just a little bit, she was perceptive that way. Where maybe most people would be fooled by an image conjured by Magic, and remained fooled- she could see it, but the illusion was seen through fairly quickly, especially so when she was actively focusing on her surroundings- as she had been doing since walking into the confines of the town.

Her feet were bringing her forward toward one of the many empty, silent buildings before she had any time to think about what she was doing. She stopped outside the door and tapped her fist against the frame, blinking in slight surprise at the thin, light sound that came with it... the walls were thinner than they really should have been to serve as proper buildings, now that she was thinking about it.

..... this feels really wrong.

"Hmm?"

Hora's attention snapped back to reality when she noticed for the first time that Lucy had drawn up beside her, the blonde's chocolate gaze moving along the building Hora faced and looking skeptical for a moment, her arms hooked behind her back as she seemed to muse over what she was seeing.

"..... Find something?" Lucy asked without glancing Hora's way,

"... maybe... I don't know." Hora mumbled, "... it's just... the buildings seem a bit too barren. And the way they're made, I'm having a hard time picturing anyone living in them. They aren't built like normal." Lucy blinked at the words, her hand moving forward to tap her own knuckles against the wall, her eyes narrowing in thought.

"... you're right." Lucy murmured quietly, tilting sideways to take a glance inside the window. ".... there hasn't been a lot of furniture or anything, and the building materials seem really cheap. It's been that way with all the buildings we've seen too." Hora nodded slightly in agreement, sweatdropping slightly as she felt a shiver run down her spine for a moment- though she didn't know why.

"So the buildings are made of cheap stuff?" Happy asked, floating forward toward Lucy's shoulder. "That seems like poor planning for a whole town, wouldn't their roofs and stuff break all the time if it weren't made right?"

"Yeah, not just roofs and things. Their walls would probably leak and crack if the weather got a little rough." Lucy replied,

"Maybe that's why everybody left?" Happy suggested, Lucy grimaced slightly at the idea, not looking convinced in the slightest.

Hora wasn't convinced either, but her eyes had moved sideways along the street, surveying the other buildings slowly.

"... so like, the whole city is a big dump?" Natsu mumbled, stopping on the other side of Hora from where Lucy had drawn up.

"More like.... it's sort of...... inauthentic." Lucy replied, pausing slightly to come up with the word. A word to which both Happy and Natsu seemed to blink at,

".... you sayin' it's a big fake, Luce?" Natsu mumbled, though there was a seriousness that crept into his voice as he said the words- a seriousness matched in Lucy's expression in nearly the same instant.

"It's a trap." Hora grumbled lowly, eyes narrowed to slits and shoulders tight as she immediately tensed up- that same odd feeling intensifying and changing into foreboding all in an instant.

The reason it felt so fake? Is because it was. Her thoughts clicked together in the next instant- and the only explanation that made sense was this city, the whole of it- was a ruse.

And we walked right into it, damn it!

"A trap?!" Happy echoed quickly, but hardly any of the other three heard him say anything at all.

All of their eye snapped down to the sudden glow of gold and red that began to shine brightly under their feet, the streets and the spaces between the cobbles glittering as a massive Magic Circle stretched out under their feet in an instant- and the feel of Magic Energy rising rammed into them all. Hora let out a low growl, her fists clenched at her sides and heart jumping in shock, beside her Natsu had immediately moved to grab hold of Lucy, whilst Happy rammed into the blonde's neck, holding on for dear life and looking scared out of his fur.

"What the hell?!" Natsu growled,

"A Magic Circle?!" Lucy exclaimed in shock,

"What's going on?!" Happy asked quickly,

"Shit!" Hora hissed under her breath, taking a step sideways and mind racing for some reaction- she felt Magic not just under their feet, but something else too- something heavy that suddenly had her feeling as if Gravity had tripled, and she could hardly keep her eyes open as drowsiness settled in.

... this feels.... like a sleeping.. Spell....

A quick glance sideways saw that the Fairy Tailers were looking off balance and dizzy too, Hora swallowed.

Her hand swept out in a line before her, her skin along her arm turning jet black as a deep crimson flame flared around them, forming a circle around their group just as the light of the Magic Circle gleamed brighter than ever, and they couldn't see anything outside of it's glow.

It felt like the ground had disappeared from under their feet altogether, and Hora's mind teetered on the edge of forced unconsciousness as they were all sent into a sudden free-fall.

H...how the hell... did we walk... right into.. a... a god damned... trap...?! Why didn't I... see it... coming...?!

.:+:.

Short and sweet, but sets up for the next chapter and the excitement to come!

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