The Hargeon Carnival

Precinct No. 38

Bonus NaLu Week Prompt: June 16 — Carnivals

Rating: K+

Summary: When Lucy arrived in Hargeon for one of the greatest carnivals in Fiore, she never expected to meet the one who they called the Great Salamander...

For Tumblr's pre-NaLu Week

"Hurry, Virgo! We're going to be late!"

"Please wait, hime. You left your cloak on the train."

The blonde paid her companion no attention as she rushed over to the edge of the overlook. Her eyes widened with excitement as she spotted brightly colored tents and balloons near the docks.

"The Hargeon Carnival."

The words fell out of her lips in surprised amazement. Lucy Heartfilia never thought she'd be able to come back to one of Fiore's most memorable events of the year, but she'd taken special precautions to allow her to visit this year.

"Hime, it is dangerous for you to lean over the ledge. Please step back."

With a small laugh, Lucy turned around to face her maid. "I'm sorry, Virgo. I just couldn't help myself."

Virgo's tense expression softened. "It's alright to be excited, but at least cover yourself properly, hime." The self-shackled maid held out the long flowing cloak to her lady.

Lucy sighed as she wrapped the cloak around her shoulders, pulling up the hood to hide her blonde tresses. As the only heir to the Heartfilia Konzern, Lucy wasn't allowed to even step foot off the Heartfilia property. It was only with the help of Virgo that Lucy was able to escape her home without alerting the guards that stood by.

Lucy shivered as she thought of what her father might do to her if he ever found out she left without permission. He was supposed to be in Era for the week due to some business with the Council, but she wasn't sure if news of her absence would reach him before she returned. Even though she knew the risks of her leaving, Lucy wouldn't have missed the Hargeon Carnival for anything in the world.

"When you're ready, hime."

Lucy nodded gratefully at the maid before heading down to the docks.

It was her first time at the carnival in seven years and Lucy was determined to have as much fun as possible.

Lucy's eyes shone with wonder as she and Virgo moved through the crowds gathered at the docks. Hargeon had always been a busy port town, but this exceeded all of her expectations.

There were people everywhere. Colorful booths lined the pavements, offering splendid prizes for winning games and selling delicious delicacies and sweets not found in this part of Fiore. Children laughed and ran after each other with toys and sparklers, happily ignoring their parents who scolded them for their inability to behave.

Lucy laughed as she spotted one dark-haired boy stick his tongue out at his father and say he was going to visit some girl named Wendy. His father retaliated by saying he wouldn't take the boy to Totomaru's fire lessons if he left his side. Apparently, he didn't want to be left alone with 'the pipe-sniffing Wakaba.'

Lucy tread herself through the throng of people carefully, taking her time in absorbing the vibrant atmosphere.

There was a woman challenging men of all ages to a drinking contest, declaring herself as the champion beer-guzzler of Fiore.

There was a tent fashioned after an ironworks, where a tall long-haired blacksmith forged immaculate creations out of iron, all by request of his customers.

Next to it was a small yet comfortable book stall, where Lucy spent time conversing with the blue-haired attendee in charge about the new books that had come out in the past year and discussing some that Lucy hadn't heard of before. By the time she left, she had a new stack of literature being safely carried by Virgo's capable hands.

A trio of silver-haired siblings ran a small booth where they sold aromatic beverages and confectionary items. The eldest of the three offered Lucy a small sample of fresh rosemary tea while the other two tended to a rampaging redhead who demanded for more strawberry cake.

"Oof!" Lucy felt herself get knocked to ground before being caught by a pair of strong arms.

"Are you alright, miss?" asked a deep voice.

Lucy turned around to thank her savior, only to find herself turning as red as a tomato. "Yo-you're not wearing a shirt!"

The tall dark-haired male looked down before letting out a yelp of surprise. "When did that happen?!"

"Gray-sama!"

The male's eyes widened before addressing Lucy. "Sorry about running into you. I would make it up to you, but I don't think I have the time. Goodbye, miss!" And with that he was running off again.

A hand clamped onto Lucy's shoulder and spun her around until she was face-to-face with another blue-haired woman. "Did Juvia see Gray-sama with his arms around you?" she asked angrily.

"Err..." Lucy looked to Virgo for help, but the maid was standing too far away to be of any service. Lucy's eyes narrowed when she saw Virgo chuckle at the trouble she was in.

The woman, Juvia, scowled when she saw Lucy was at a loss for words. "Mark my words, love rival. You won't steal my precious Gray-sama away from me!" And the woman sped off in the direction of the male. "Gray-sama! Juvia loves you!"

Lucy stared in amazement at the blur of blue, turning around only when she sensed Virgo's return to her side. "Thanks for helping me out," she said sarcastically.

Virgo didn't even bother hiding her amused smile. "It was my pleasure, hime."

Lucy groaned exasperatedly but soon laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.

Virgo was pleased to see her lady so content after such a long time. "Are you having fun, hime?"

Lucy closed her eyes and let the salty wind blow across her face before opening them again. "Yeah. I think I am."

Lucy gazed at the glittering sea with a nostalgic smile as she continued walking, not even noticing the little lump of blue she accidentally bumped into.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lucy said embarrassedly. "I wasn't paying attention."

What looked up at her wasn't a child like she originally thought, but a small cat with a large smile. "You should look where you're going next time, eh?" he said cheekily.

Lucy gasped and bent down to take a closer look at the creature. "You're an Exceed, aren't you?" Lucy asked amazedly. "I've only read about them in books before."

"Aye!" said the blue Exceed, lifting a paw. "I'm Happy."

Lucy smiled and shook the little paw with her hand. "My name's Lucy and this is Virgo," she said, gesturing to the maid behind her. "It's very nice to meet you, Happy."

Happy tilted his head. "Ne, have you seen the Great Salamander yet?"

Lucy blinked. "The Great Salamander?"

"Yeah! He's the closest to a real dragon you'll ever see!"

Lucy felt her heart skip a beat. "A dragon?"

"Aye, sir!" Happy grinned before releasing a pair of beautiful wings on his back, causing Lucy to step back in surprise. "Come on! I'll show you the way! You can't come to the carnival without seeing the Salamander, you know."

"Really?" Lucy's curiosity was piqued. She turned to Virgo. "Do you mind taking those books back to the inn and waiting for me there?"

A troubled look crossed over Virgo's face. "Hime, will you be safe by yourself?"

Lucy shot a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I'll be fine on my own. I wanted to do a bit of exploring anyway."

Virgo didn't want to leave her lady alone, but she was bound by her orders. "As you wish, hime. Please be careful."

"Of course!"

"Aye!" cried Happy. "I'll take care of Lushi!"

Lucy giggled and waved goodbye to Virgo before allowing the flying cat to lead her through the crowd toward their destination.

Salamander... I wonder what he's like...

They made it to the edge of the sea, where there was already a group of people milling around a small pedestal. Happy took Lucy by the hand and dragged her to the very front of the crowd. "You can stand here, Lushi!"

"Alright, but where are you going, Happy?" she asked as she watched Happy fly away from her.

The Exceed smiled. "Up."

Lucy raised a brow, but decided not to question him anymore. The other people had noticed the blue flying cat and started to quiet down as well.

Happy did a few twirls in the air before pointing a paw toward the still-empty pedestal. "Presenting Magnolia's greatest attraction!" announced the enthusiastic Exceed. "Here is the Great Salamander! The one and only, NATSU DRAGNEEL!"

Lucy's vision, once focused on the pedestal and the scenic beauty of the sea behind it, was filled with raging swirls of flames as a dark figure leaped out of nowhere, covered in a mass of fire. The flames started to dissipate and Lucy could finally see the man behind the mask of Salamander.

The first thing that caught Lucy's attention wasn't the shocking pink hair on his head nor the scaled scarf around his neck. It wasn't that his hands were lit on fire or that his onyx eyes spelled mischief with a capital M. It wasn't the firm muscles that showed from his open vest or the whimsical red tattoo on his upper arm.

It was that smile. That bright, carefree smile...

Lucy watched in shocked disbelief as the Salamander entertained the crowd with a series of fiery tricks. He held onto his flames like tangible objects and threw them into the sky, never failing to catch them. He launched himself in the air, propelling himself upward using the flames on his feet. Happy even struck matches and flung them toward him. He simply laughed and caught them in his mouth, thanking Happy for the snack. The crowd cheered with surprise and awe, chanting the Salamander's name as he flipped and flew in a rush of swirling heat.

Natsu! ... Natsu! ... Natsu! ...

Lucy couldn't take her eyes off of him. She saw the delight reflected in his eyes when the crowd broke into applause at the end of the show and she saw the pride he took in what he did. She couldn't help but think he was the most marvelous being she had ever seen in her seventeen years.

The crowd started to disperse, but not before dropping a generous amount of jewels into the green sack Happy was carrying around. Lucy reached for some jewels herself, but before she could hand them to Happy, the little Exceed grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward where the Salamander stood.

"H-Happy!" Lucy cried suddenly. "What are you-"

"Natsu!" called the blue cat. "Come meet Lushi!"

Lucy's eyes couldn't have gotten any bigger. "EHHHH?"

The Salamander, Natsu, turned at the call of his best friend. His face was now wet with sea water and his hand held the towel he had used to wipe away all the sweat he gained from the performance. "Happy!" he grinned. "Was it good?"

The Exceed landed on the sand, still pulling a dazed Lucy behind him. "Aye! It was better than the last one, I think." He pulled again on Lucy's wrist and turned to Natsu with a big smile. "This is Lushi! I found her in the carnival when she stepped on my tail."

The remark quickly brought Lucy out of her stupor as she glared down at Happy. "I didn't step on your tail, you stupid cat," she said crossly. "I would've felt it if I had."

Happy blinked. "I didn't know you were a weirdo too, Lushi."

Lucy felt her eye twitch. "I am NOT a weirdo!"

"I don't know. You seem pretty weird to me," said a teasing voice from above her.

Lucy looked up to find a grinning Salamander holding his hand out to her. "Natsu Dragneel of Magnolia. You must be okay if Happy likes you."

Hesitantly, Lucy took his hand in hers and shook it. She couldn't help but notice how warm and strong his grip felt. "I'm Lucy. It's a pleasure to meet you. Your show was absolutely wonderful."

Natsu's eyes brightened. "Thanks. I couldn't have done it without Happy's help, though. He's the one who advertises and all."

Happy gave them a smug look and flew around Natsu's head while Lucy giggled. "Well, he certainly did a good job of bringing me here. I'm glad I ran into him when I did. He was right, after all. I wouldn't have wanted to miss this."

"You know how you can thank me?" Happy asked excitedly. "With lots and lots of fish!"

Natsu laughed. "I guess I'm getting a bit hungry as well." He turned to Lucy. "You coming?"

Lucy pointed to herself in surprise. "You want me to come?"

"Of course!" said Natsu, his smile never leaving his face. "You're our friend now, aren't you?"

I'm their friend?

Lucy's face lit up as she let out a smile of her own. "I'd love to join you."

After feasting on hoards and hoards of fish, Natsu and Happy dragged Lucy all over the carnival.

The two together made up a mixture of loudness, destructiveness, and a strange case of innocence. They didn't pull back from an opportunity to annoy or embarrass her, but they still made her laugh and treated her with care.

By the end of the night, the three together had played almost all the games at the carnival, each of them winning many prizes. Lucy's favorite was the snowman toy Natsu won for her. In return for the toy, which she had affectionately named Plue, Lucy bought Natsu a pendant with a red dragon on it, saying it reminded her of him. Natsu kept it around his neck for the rest of the day.

After bobbing for apples and attempting the Ferris Wheel, something Natsu's motion sickness would not allow, the three decided to call it a night. Happy decided to head back to his and Natsu's place by himself while the pyromaniac walked Lucy back to the inn where Virgo was waiting. Lucy swore she heard the Exceed's tongue roll "You liiiiike him!" but she couldn't be sure as he had already flown away.

The walk back was comfortable, despite the two only having known each other for a few hours. Natsu entertained her with stories of his adventures with his guild, Fairy Tail. She listened attentively, enraptured in the great battles Natsu would describe in full detail. She envied him and the freedom he enjoyed on a daily basis, but she was glad Natsu was happy with the life he lived.

"...Lucy, you're crying."

Lucy stilled and turned away from her companion, wiping her eyes quickly. "S-Sorry. I was just thinking about something."

When she looked up, she saw none of Natsu's usual cheerfulness. Instead, his dark eyes looked serious as they bore into hers. "What were you thinking about?"

Lucy bit her lip and she wondered how to answer him. Finally, she sighed. "I was just glad that I was able to make a friend like you. Someone who was happy and lived to the fullest. It made me hopeful that, one day, I might be able to be that happy as well."

Natsu frowned. "Why can't you be happy now? Everyone decides how they want to live their life. It isn't laid out for them."

Lucy smiled bitterly. "It isn't that easy, Natsu."

The lights of the inn Lucy was staying at were nearly visible. Natsu broke the silence with a question that had been on his mind for quite a while. "Why'd you come to the carnival, Lucy?"

Lucy stopped moving. She turned around to gaze at the sea, marveling at how the moonlight reflected off the calm water. "The carnival was one of the only places I remember having memories with Mama," she said softly. "Before she died, we would come as a family every year. We would play and laugh together all day. When the accident happened, Papa locked himself up and ignored me relentlessly. It's been like that for seven years now. I just wanted to revisit a time when I was happier."

Lucy never noticed when Natsu's arms had wrapped around her, but she was thankful that they were. She laid her head on his chest, reveling in the warmth his inner fire gave off. His chin rested on her head, and she couldn't help but feel as if the fit was perfect.

She gripped his vest with pale hands. "Thank you for everything, Natsu."

"For what?" came his gruff, yet soft voice. "I didn't do anything."

"No," said Lucy. "You and Happy made today one of the best days I've had in years. I felt like I was closer to Mama. She wouldn't have wanted me to stay cooped up inside my home. She would've wanted me to get out and make some friends. You and Happy helped do that for me."

"...you're such a weirdo."

Lucy sighed. "Gee, thanks."

Natsu chuckled softly before leaning down to brush his lips against her cheek. Lucy was sure her heart stopped beating.

Natsu slowly let go of Lucy, smirking a bit when he saw her reaction to his bout of spontaneity. "Hey, promise me something, Lucy?"

Lucy struggled to control her blush. "Y-yeah?"

His onyx eyes locked with her own chocolate ones. "Promise me you'll try to come back next year. To the carnival."

And back to him and Happy…

Lucy looked at him with unease. "And if I can't?"

Natsu shot her his famous Salamander grin. "Then I'll come find you. We'll make some more happy memories together. What do you say?"

Lucy was speechless for a moment before she clasped her hands together and nodded, her eyes swimming with unshed tears of joy. "I'll be looking forward to it, Natsu Dragneel."

"Then we'll see each other soon, Lucy Heartfilia."

Five minutes later, Lucy was in her room at the inn and Virgo was packing up their belongings for the train ride early in the morning.

"How was your day, hime?"

"It was—"

It was then that Lucy realized she had never once told Natsu her last name.

"Hime?"

Lucy laughed. "As surprising as the Great Salamander himself."

(._.) ~ I like pie. Thank you for reading my first attempt at Fairy Tail fanfiction. Any comments/concerns you have are welcome.