Author Notes: Hello everyone! This is my first NaLu fic and I have had a lot of fun writing it! This idea has been in my head for months and I finally have it written. I plan on updating frequently until all 13 chapters are posted. I hope you all enjoy it! Please feel free to leave comments! I always appreciate advice or comments from readers and other writers! Thanks in advance! I hope everyone enjoys it!
Additional note: This work is also published on AO3 under my account [I have the same username on both websites].
September 2nd
Curse that midnight special. Why do late night reruns of romantic comedies even exist? They're just black holes that suck viewers in until it's past two in the morning and they realize they have to wake up in four hours to get ready for the day. I mean, really, who thought it would be a good idea? Apparently I did last night. As soon as I saw the title on the guide, I brewed some coffee and plopped right on the couch to indulge in the onscreen romance and playful banter of the two main characters. Screw my lack of self-control. A yawn escaped my lips as I snatched my gate keys, clipping them to my belt before grabbing an apple and sprinting out the door. Of all the days to snooze my alarm seven times, it just had to be today. I can't miss Monster Literature again or Dr. Roche may eat me. My eyes scanned the side streets until the little green overhang fell into my line of sight. I skidded to a stop, nearly face planting on the hot cement as the bus doors slid open. The bus driver narrowed his eyes at me as I got my act together and yanked my ID from my pocket.
"Good morning sir!" I smiled brightly, stepping up onto the bus and swiping my ID. He didn't bother responding and my lips tilted down as I turned to face the fairly empty bus. It always picked up downtown before stopping at the dorms nearby. Running to this stop was the only way to guarantee a seat on the bus. I stepped forward, the bus lurching into action, sending me flying towards the lap of the only man curled up by the door. He was too preoccupied with holding his stomach to notice me as I flailed, landing on the seat next to him. I fixed a glare on the bus driver who was also oblivious to my existence. He could have at least waited for me to sit down! It's not like anyone on this bus is in a rush! Low groaning escaped the lips of the man beside me and I felt my eyes being drawn to him. In fact, he was quite an odd character. His pink, spiky hair was untamed and a white scaled scarf rested around his neck over the top of a black t-shirt. A bag shifted by his feet and I tried not to stare. He continued curling forward, his moaning intensified as the bus driver ruthlessly whipped around a corner, nearly sending both of us onto the ground.
"Think you could slow down Mr. Bus Driver?" The man whimpered, groaning again as the bus screeched to a stop. The doors flung open and more students flooded on. It was then,with the bus stationary, that the man opened his eyes and set his curious, onyx gaze on me. We both blinked, eyes locked on one another. A young guy took the seat between us and the pinkette didn't pull his gaze from mine. That was until the bus lurched forward again and the man huddled over in pain, his cheeks puffed out. I blinked a few times, finally pulling my eyes away to study the passing scenery. After a few more minutes, the library caught my eye and I yanked the pull-cord, signalling the bus driver that I wanted to stop. He slammed on the breaks and the man beside me groaned again, his body hitting the wall of the bus. Sorry stranger! I hauled my bag over my shoulder and dropped off the bus, most of the students following. It was the center of campus and a popular drop-off stop.
"Behold! The mighty Salamander!" My heart stopped beating entirely before picking up speed and nearly escaping my chest. He's here? I thought he was on a quest in the East! I kicked up speed, following the swarms of giggling girls. At the center of the crowd was a tall, lanky man with deep blue hair and a cloak. He had a wide grin on his face and I was entranced. Is this truly Salamander? Maybe he will take pity on me and get coffee some day this week. We could end up falling in love and taking on the world after we graduate! The adventures would never end! As the girls flocked to the man in the cloak, pink spikes pulled my attention. The man from the bus stood a few feet away, eyes narrowed at the man. He didn't look ill anymore, standing tall with his shoulders squared. A blue cat resided on his shoulder, its eyes narrowed as well. Wait, a blue cat? I glanced back at the man's face, acknowledging his onyx gaze and sharp jawline. Just like that, the illusion was shattered. My heart slowed and I clenched my fists. My brain slowly emerged from the trance and I cursed under my breath. That slimy creep is using charm magic!
"You aren't Salamander buddy." The pink-haired man shoved through the adoring crowd and they all turned to glare at him. The group of men hanging back behind the phony closed in around the back of the crowd, glares fixed on the man and his cat.
"Why of course I am young man! Here, I will even give you my autograph!" The man used a deep purple fire to etch his name into paper before handing it off with a broad grin on his lips. "I am Salamander of Fairy Tail! Dance with me ladies! I wish to get to know all of you before I leave on my next quest!" He spun in the center, the purple fire dancing around him. This loser can't be Salamander. He really needed the charm magic, otherwise the women would see right through him. He was spineless, while the real Salamander would be strong and confident.
"Funny, I don't remember seeing you at our guild hall. I know everyone in my guild and you aren't a part of it." The man growled, lifting the sleeve of his shirt to reveal a red sigil tattooed on his shoulder. HE'S A MEMBER OF FAIRY TAIL? "We don't take kindly to people imitating Fairy Tail wizards, do we Happy?" He glanced at his cat who dropped down onto the ground, standing on two feet.
"Aye sir!" It thrust its paw in the air with a grin on its face.
"You heard the cat. Time to teach you a lesson punk." The man slammed his fists together, fire wrapping around his wrists and knuckles. My eyes widened as I stepped back, majority of the girls following suit.
"I'd like to see you try!" The fake Salamander shouted, sending his flames to engulf the pink-haired man. My breath caught in my throat as the man laughed, thinking he easily defeated the Fairy Tail wizard. The flames slowly dissipated, swirling up and into the mouth of the wizard. He smiled widely, fangs bared as his eyes shut slightly. He swiped his lips with the back of his hand and fixed a glare on the other wizard.
"Now I've got a fire in my belly. This is your last chance pal." He warned and the fake Salamander shot more flames at him. He dodged them effortlessly and shouted as he sprinted forward. "Fire dragon's roar!" Flames shot from his mouth, scorching the other wizard who collapsed. The fire mage stepped forward, flames wrapping around his ankles before he shot off the ground. He managed to punch a few nearby wizards, leaving scorch marks on their cheeks. The other men that were lurking in the corners fled, screaming as they ran. The girls all ran as well, terrified of the fire mage. His eyes finally fell on me and they softened, the fire wisping away into the air. "Yo! You're the girl from the bus. Are you okay?" His head tilted as he smiled widely again, his demeanor oddly jubilant. My eyes were wide as the cat walked over to me.
"Natsu, I think you scared her." He frowned, blinking up at me. I shook my head, straightening my skirt before clearing my throat.
"I'm fine. That creep was using charm magic, but I snapped out of it." I explained and his eyes studied me for a moment. They fell to my keys before he smiled again.
"You're a celestial wizard?"
"Yep!" I nodded and he kept smiling at me until a growl escaped his stomach. His hands gripped it and he frowned.
"Damn, fighting that guy made me hungry. Happy, do we have any food?" He glanced down at his cat who shook his head.
"You ate it all before we left the East." He muttered, walking back towards Natsu. I reached into my bag and pulled out the honeycrisp apple from earlier. I held it out to Natsu with a small smile.
"It's not much, but you can have this." He sniffed at the air a moment before meeting my gaze. "It's my way of thanking you." I insisted as my own stomach growled. If he didn't take it, I was going to devour it. "Please take it." He finally accepted the apple with a smile. He handed it to Happy who cheered before digging into it.
"Come on! Mira can make something for us at the guild hall." He walked by me and paused a few steps away. "Oh, right! What's your name?" He questioned over his shoulder.
"I'm Lucy!" I blurted, urging my feet to move so I could catch up with him.
"Nice to meet yah Lucy! I'm Natsu and this is Happy!" He grinned as I fell into step beside him.
"It's nice to meet you both." We walked together through campus and up the steps to a huge castle-like guild hall. It was breathtaking. Shouting and loud voices could be heard through the large oak doors and Natsu hopped up the final few steps.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail!" He threw the doors open and we were immediately assaulted with people. A blast of ice hit Natsu from the side and his body flew into the nearby table, splintering the wood on impact.
"Flame brain! Why the hell didn't you answer your phone?" A man with navy hair and grey boxers jumped forward, hands shaping more ice to hit Natsu with.
"Because it broke Ice Princess!" Natsu roared back, forming fire in his hands and launching forward to nail the other man in the face. They tumbled around, throwing different attacks at each other until nearly the entire guild was brawling.
"Gray! Your clothes!" Someone shouted and the navy-haired man seemed shocked by his lack of clothing before Natsu decked him again. He had a wide grin on his face, clearly amused by the assault.
"Hi there! Are you one of Natsu's friends?" A beautiful white-haired girl stood behind the bar, wiping a glass clean. She smiled brightly, awaiting my response.
"Her name is Lucy! She was on the bus with Natsu and I this morning! This is Mira, she makes the best fish!" Happy dropped onto the bar next to me.
"It's nice to meet you Lucy! Welcome to Fairy Tail! I would say it's not usually like this, but it's fairly normal for the guild to brawl." Mira smiled warmly, stacking the last glass.
"It's amazing." I said breathlessly, eyes scanning the various wizards. "Oh! I almost forgot. Do you have breakfast here?" I looked back at Mira who nodded with a smile. "Can I have pancakes and whatever Natsu and Happy usually get." Mira's eyes widened, glancing at Happy before looking back at me.
"Are you sure?" She asked and I nodded, handing her my debit card.
"Of course! I owe them for saving me and an entire group of women earlier!" And with that, Mira nodded and slid my card before handing it back and disappearing into the back room. The door to the guild slammed open and I turned to see a boot holding the oak against the wall.
"Enough!" A woman shouted, her voice echoing off the walls. She had long, deep red hair and silver armor. A horned skull rested on her shoulder and she let it drop into the center of the guild. "We have a guest and you are all acting like idiots! Enough Natsu! Gray!" She growled, yanking the two men apart. "Go put some clothes on!" She snapped at Gray who made himself scarce. Everyone worked to clean up the guild hall before the woman tossed Natsu on the ground by Happy. He groaned, rubbing his head before wiping the blood dripping from his lip. "My name is Erza Scarlet. You are?" She stood tall in front of me, her hand extended. This was THE Erza Scarlet! She's one of Fairy Tail's toughest wizards!
"My name is Lucy! Natsu brought me here. I actually transferred to this school to join Fairy Tail. I'm a celestial wizard." I explained, touching my fingers together nervously before shaking her hand. She had a firm handshake and she smiled proudly as a small man walked down the steps. He had white hair and a jester hat on his head. He stood on a table and eyed me.
"Master!" Erza bowed, turning away from me at once.
"Welcome back Erza. Natsu." The elder man chucked a cellphone at the fire wizard who was still sprawled out on the ground.
"Thanks Gramps!" He clutched the phone and grinned.
"Lucy, welcome to Fairy Tail! We all look forward to working with you." A stamp formed in his hand before he pressed it onto the back of my extended hand. All this time… I could have just walked in and introduced myself to the guild. They were all so welcoming. Tears welled in my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away, replacing my surprise with a wide smile.
"Thank-you so much! I'm honored!" Instantly, I was pulled in by the guild members, pushed around until I met everyone. Their names were jumbled in my mind as I tried to keep everything straight. There were so many members! I had ended up sitting next to a shorter blue haired girl named Levy. We gushed over the latest romance novel that came out the day prior. Turns out, she was in my department as an English major! She even let me borrow her notes from Monster Literature. Our conversation was cut short when Mira called out my name, signaling that my order was ready. I smiled at Levy before saying farewell and dropping off the stool, wandering over to slide into a booth next to Natsu. "Natsu! Look, I'm officially a member!" I beamed at him, holding my hand up for him to see the pink mark. He grinned, his smile full of light. Mira stepped out of the kitchen with her brother, Elfman. They dropped piles of plates onto the table before setting down a stack of pancakes in front of me.
"Mira, we didn't order this." Natsu had to wipe the drool escaping his mouth as he spoke.
"Lucy did! She said it was to thank you guys for saving her and other people earlier this morning!" She smiled sweetly before walking back to the bar to serve Cana, who was already four mugs in before noon. Apparently that was a common occurrence.
"Are you sure Lucy?" He blinked at me, eyes wide as Happy already sank his fangs into the first of many fish.
"Of course. You brought me to your guild and I wanted to thank-you for making my dream come true!" I smiled honestly and he beamed before digging into the feast.
"Hey Pyro! Maybe try chewing between mouthfuls!" Gray wandered over to the table, fixing a glare on Natsu.
"Shove off Popsicle!" He grumbled between bites, tearing into the meat easily with his fangs. Gray started forming more ice in his hands before Erza towered over him. He paused, slowly glancing up to meet Erza's glare.
"Enough Gray!" She snapped and he instantly retreated, deciding to glower at Natsu from the bar instead. Natsu didn't seemed bothered by it, preoccupied with the mountain of food on the table before him.
"So, Lucy. Want to pick a job for us? The board is over by the stairs!" He gestured to the job listings and I paused, pancake hovering by my mouth.
"You want to go on a quest with me?" I was baffled. I wasn't on the same level as Natsu, not even close. I knew the first job had to be completed with an older member, but I never expected to work with Natsu in the field.
"Of course, weirdo." He smiled between bites and I smiled in return. I nodded, finishing my breakfast before walking over to the board. My eyes scanned over the requests, weighing the pros and cons before picking one. It was odd though. It seemed like the guild quieted, eyes flicking between Natsu and I. It only made me more nervous so I needed to pick one quickly.I decided on the request for travel guards and hurried back to Natsu. "Protecting some big wig on his trip to another town this weekend? Sounds easy enough and the reward is good. Nice choice Luce!" He punched my shoulder gently and took the paper. I smiled, my eyes falling on the clock above the door. IT'S ELEVEN ALREADY?
"I'm going to be late for class! We can figure out a plan this evening, I'll be back around dinner time! Bye Natsu! Bye Happy!" I hauled my bag over my shoulder and sprinted towards the west side of campus. I can't be late to nature writing! I already missed one class this morning!