Of Fangs & Of Lightning | Famine |

Oh, how she truly hated the cold. There had been many terrible climates she had crossed through — countless and possibly life threatening at times, though, Mt. Hakobe was the worst of them all. Lethal side cliffs and punishing winds, it was extremely easy to get lost in this desert of constant white, anybody that approached this land must've been asking for death. Though, that was not what she was here for. As much as death was probably what she would've wanted, that option was unavailable — Natsu was searching for a flithy snake today. A Basilisk Fang.

Numb fingers gripped at the door handle — the one that lead straight into the tucked away fortress of crawling vermin. Not that she really had a right to call them that in the first place. In-fact, she might've actually admitted to titling herself as something much worse, though, there was enough of a grudge to at least dislike one in particular. The sheer image of that woman annoyed Natsu greatly — enough to evoke an actual expression onto her features as she pushed the wooden door open, its loud creak ringing out into the dimly lit area.

There was a fire that rested at the end of the hall, most presumably the guild-hall as tables and chairs were scattered everywhere, though, the place was evidently emptied of life. Or was it? Now that there wasn't a blizzard blocking her sense of smell, the loud bang that came from the closing door startled her slightly as she glanced over her shoulder. A strange silence washed over the area, one that could've been quite calming, yet, was only unnerving to her. After all, Natsu knew that she was not alone. Something... or someone, was watching her. Though as much as she was aware of that fact, it wasn't like she could see where this individual was. The fire settled calmly at the end was but a flicker of light that danced across the room.

Approaching it carefully, Natsu lowered her hood, strands of vermillion slipping past her shoulders as she stood close to the flames that emitted a comforting heat. It was obvious that the supposedly young woman probably was not welcome here, though, she at least needed to regain a sense of feeling in her hands before being approached by any of the snakes in this building.

ALL I ASK OF YOU IS BELIEVE

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And it was then, through the stillness of darkness, that the shadows surged and rippled at the movement of a figure. The mundane voice erupted a shiver up her spine, though, not a single motion was made as the snake entered the room, her presence, despite the warmth of flames, seemingly causing the area to grow colder. A whisk fluttered by, the touch of metal barely grazing the strands of vermillion as the set of ocean blues peered towards the object and the thin material of paper it had firmly pinned ahold of. For a moment, she looked towards the photo that settled across the long article, brows arched in confusion as to why that face felt so familiar to her. Though, the interest she held in that single article alone, was quickly taken away from the apparently young woman — torn from the wall and tossed into the fire as the flames ate mercilessly at the weak substance. Her attention brought towards the master of Basilisk Fang.

"Don't you remember what you said to me?" she answered nonchalantly, still watching the paper as it quickly turned to ash, "Although those the plans did not end up going your way, I still betrayed my friends... though, it was not without reason." as she spoke the fire crackled into the silence of the large hall, and her memories consumed her of the time she had been tortured. It was painful, and excruciating. Though through the midst of that all, this woman mentioned that if she disowned the bonds she had formed with her friends and joined the guild of snakes — the pain would cease to exist. Which, after agreeing to this statement, she ended up harming the vermin and her friends in the process, and then... simply disappeared. As much as their attention had been diverted onto her, there was no point in being to careless, that they would not attempt to strike the Hydras once more. That point alone had somehow been made loud and clear by a simple child that opened her eyes. Lashes fluttered downward, concealing the blue briefly before she turned towards the woman.

"I've come to make a deal with you." she paused, tugging off the fingerless glove that veiled the marking of the guild she deceived, her hand extended forth, "You don't get someone like me joining you everyday. I could benefit well to your guild — though, not without an understanding... that you'll leave them alone. Infinity Hydra." her tone was laced with faint sincerity, though her expression remained dull as she awaited for Famine to answer her.

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She wasn't afraid. For some reason, it was as if a part of her could understand the young woman that settled soberly in the light of the moon. There were many scars that painted their hearts, the fake smiles and sham at being happy lastly being tossed to the side in a display of giving up. The majority of dark mages she had encountered in her time, would never feel the weight of sins that she bestowed. Their lives were fickle and short. Sometimes she wished she was like them. That she could be human. With such a short life-span, humans had so much to fight for - to work for their dreams and rebel against the world's laws. Natsu could honestly say, within her mind, that she envied the Guild-Master of Basilisk Fang and at the same time, hated her. It was irritating to have these two opinions contradict each-other when all she wanted to do was just hate this young woman. But, it was to tiring to show how much she loathed her. For now, being emotionless would do just fine.

A gasp swept past her lips as the exposed hand was firmly forced downward, royal clashing with sapphire in a now equal height. There was a fierceness in her eyes, that it almost reminded her of Kurama. Intense and almost scary, that for a brief moment she'd doubt her inability to not be handed so easily into death. "It may not look like it. But I'm much older than you." she started after the opposer questioned her, "I know more about this world than you do. Though, unfortunately, the only thing I don't have, is my power. I've lost it all. I've grown weak... yet I still have my knowledge... and, my inability to die." she paused, the crown lowering as vermillion locks shifted to cover the expression of her face, "Those people... they gave me a home and they treated me like family. That may seem stupid to you, but that is the only reason I'm here now... this is... my thanks to them." peering up, she continued, "One day, they won't even remember my name. But that doesn't matter to me. I'm doing this, to protect them. So they'll hate me, and they'll no longer recall the love they once held for me." shrugging off Famine's grasp, she straightened her posture, fingers tracing over the reddened flesh that had suffered the wrath of such a firm hold.

"...Though, I don't have to worry about that with you, do I?" there was a hint in her words, yet a strong recognition for the woman's distaste for her presence. Perhaps she might've hated anyone that acted so confident before her, or, maybe she was just different. Maybe the many snakes that crawled about this place all respected her and treated her like she was their queen, and they, the loyal servants. Natsu could picture it clearly in her mind. After all, there was a time she had embarked along that certain route herself. Though, she was not one for respecting those that did not deserve her respect. When it came down to it, the deal was all she cared about. Whatever this woman wanted, she would do it, as much as she might've hated it in the end.

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