Asami The Water Dragon Slayer

::93:: Reasons

When you're hiding a secret from the whole world,

It puts a weight on your shoulders.

-Yaegashi Taichi

The group were all locked in the same cell together. Haru and Happy were both bound by an iron shackle keeping them moving their paws. Lucy and Natsu were also bound by chains.

"There must be a reason for this." Lucy said, Virgo had been sent back to the spirit world because of the magic seals placed on them. "He could've been possessed by something... or..or... maybe he's under someone's control..." She tried to find some sort of excuse for Gray's change.

"Yeah... Gray wouldn't do something like this." Happy chimed in, taking a glance at Haru who was looking down.

"Someone's coming." The brown exceed mumbled, hearing footsteps nearing. He couldn't believe that Gray had just stood idly by and watched how they were being hurt. He was starting to doubt that the Gray he knew since he was born was still there. He glanced up at Goumen who was outside their jail cell when he said something about a purification ritual. "Purification ritual?"

"The purification of the soul." The man said. "And death is the only way of attaining it. And the smell of death will only bring Zeref closer to us."

Haru grit his teeth, wondering if Gray really would go through with killing a bunch of people just to get to Zeref. Would he really do this just for revenge and the promise he made to his father? He thought and snapped out of his thoughts when heard a cry of pain. He saw the blonde being held against the wall while her wrists were bound and how Natsu and Happy were knocked back including himself.

"Just stay there and watch. My torture show." Goumen said, approaching the blonde, using his magic to keep the other males against the wall, chained as well. "These are all anti-magic restraints, you see." He pulled in a table with a bunch of sharp equipment and torture items. Lucy gulped and trembled as he began to show her the different items. "Whipping, Candlewax dripping. Watering.. Roping... or even the licking of your feet." He pursed his lips, "Where oh where should I start first?"

"You're.... You're sick!" Lucy snapped, despite the shakiness in her voice she continued. "And stop bowing in places where there's no one else in front of you, it's creepy!"

"Alright, I've got it, we'll start with the licking!! It hurts the least!" He said, a bit of excitement in his tone.

"No way!" She exclaimed. Just the sound of it...

He hummed. "I see, you don't seem to understand why it's classified as torture." He said. "We start with dipping the soles of the feet in salt water in a fixed position. And then a goat will start licking the soles for the salt content. But as times goes by, the barbs on the tongue of the goat will tear through the skin and to the meat. Even then, the goat won't stop and will keep going..."

Haru's expression along with the other two males turned to horror at the explanation he gave. "That seems to hurt more than imagined." Happy whispered.

"So let's try it out?" Goumen began to slip Lucy's socks off, ignoring her protests.

"Oh no." Haru mumbled, his eyes wide as he watched the man began to strap Lucy, leaving her feet bare.

"So tell me, who sent you here." Goumen said, placing a cloth to keep the blonde from talking. "Before the feet of this girl are no more."

"I TOLD YOU!! WE'RE HERE TO TAKE GRAY BACK!!" Natsu yelled, sweat dripping from his brow as his face turned to rage watching Lucy.