Glass Hearts
Chapter 1; Unexpected Encounters
Water gently flowed down the canal. Crisp autumn breezes flustered in the darkness casting a curtain across the sky. Twinkling little stars peaked through its dark sheet, but dulled in comparison to the beautiful white orb glowing like a ice white locket. A warm, amber light emerged from the old iron street lamps, casting an amber burn over Magnolia's sleeping city.
The stellar mage balanced on the edge of the water, followed by her small celestial spirit, Plue. Crumbling rocks tumbled from the edge where the girl stepped, falling with a 'plunk' into the water, small waves rippling across the still surface. Tired feet practically stumbled after her, exhausted from the last mission.
"Careful Miss!" A kindly canal driver warned as they always did. Ignoring them completely, Lucy was in a world of her own.
Suddenly, something caught hold of the girl's pale wrist. Shocked, the stellar mage leaped around, her free hand reaching toward her belt and her keys. To her surprise, a small man's hand shook vigorously on her wrist. A deep navy cloak was pulled tight around his neck. Only about three quarters of Lucy's height, sweat trickled from his face. Legs weakly shaking underneath his frail body.
As his eyes looked up to meet the girls, Lucy gasped. Deep black eyes full of pain and fright glared at her. "Are you okay?" The celestial wizard quickly placed her other hand over his small shoulder to stabilize him.
"Are you Lucy Heartfilia?" The man coughed. Quickly, the blonde mage nodded. "I- I need your help."
"What can I do to help?" The stellar mage answered hastily. Slowly, his free hand reached for her ivory face, stabilizing its shaking against her pale cool cheek. Deep, chocolate orbs watched the man's swallowing black eyes with expectancy.
Suddenly, a white light burst out from nowhere, instantly blinding the blonde. Surprise shoved her backwards and her feet stumbled beneath her. One ankle caught another, knocking the girl backwards. Caught mid-air, the girl was jerked to a stop by the old man's constricting grip on her arm, teetering over the surface of the rippling water.
As the light dimmed, the stellar mage was shocked. Instead of a frail old man in front of her, a young beautiful man replaced him. Firm, sun-kissed hands wrapped around her wrist, keeping her suspended over the water with ease. Arms were held onto the strong, broad and muscular body. A broad, masculine face held the most dazzling emerald green eyes deeply set into his sharp features, covered with full head of short mahogany-brown hair.
"H- Hey what are you doing?" She stuttered. Attention was grapple at the feet hanging onto the last edge of the pavement, but it was also focused on the hand holding her above the water; the only thing stopping her from an icy dip. Although the worst that could happen was taking a splash, Lucy couldn't find that sort of relief in the sickening twist in her stomach. Dark shadows fell over his green eyes, shading his expression. White teeth gleamed in the moonlight, lips pulling them open into a sinister grin.
Without wasting another second, he leaned forward, pulling her close to his face. Lips pressed against hers before Lucy could even make a sound. A split second later, power surged into her body like a tidal wave, slamming into her heart. Its overwhelming power put a pressure too great on her body, crushing her lungs so not even a wisp of breath could get in. Brown orbs shrunk in shock, bearing the white's of her eyes, stuck in shock. Her free hand clutched the fabric around her chest, shaking in panic. Yet, she was unable to look away from his darkly shrouded face.
Time seemed to slow, white teeth appeared again in one last evil smirk with the slip of his fingers. Hand departed from her wrist, and for just a moment, she was still.
A moment later, cold surrounded her like a storm, swallowing her whole. Electrically suffocating magic felt as dense a lead inside her chest, pinning her entire body into paralysis. All she could do, was sink. Ice cold water surrounded her on all sides, fading from a illuminated grey into a dark jet black. In her last moments, she watched the pure white moon beam down over his warm skin and dark face, staring unsympathetically down onto her sinking body. Final darkness gripped her remaining consciousness and took her away.
Walking towards their regular hide out, Natsu and Happy casually strolled to Lucy's apartment. The dragon slayer and his companion were in a pretty good mood. After such a good mission and Lucy being able to pay rent, there was no reason for them not to be feeling good. Or was there?
Unexpectedly, the pink-haired boy stopped, catching the scent of vanilla and strawberries. The blue feline looking at his curiously. "Hey Natsu, why'd you stop?" Happy asked, slightly worried at his serious expression.
"Lucy." he breathed.
Suddenly, something exploded out from the canal, sending the pair leaping back in fright. "Ah! A sea monster." Happy screamed in fright, darting behind the dragon slayer shield. All of the pink-haired boy's body stiffened, sending instant warnings down the cat's spine. Courage pluck itself up from inside of her, casting dark eyes hesitantly back to the water. Burning orange hair plastered against the color-drained white, drench face. Soaking black fabric clung to his body, showing all his muscles in his leg as it dropped against the concrete. Most shocking of all, the unconscious blonde mage in the lion spirits arms.
"Lucy!" Natsu cried, instantaneously darting into a sprint. Color faded into a chalk white as onyx eyes fell onto the drenched girl. Gentle arms set her down against the stone pavement beside the dragon slayer dropping down next to her. Water droplets beaded on her ivory skin, absorbed by her water-logged clothing. Tangles of flaxen gold hair spread against the ground, slicked back from her face. A hesitant tanned hand reached down, brushing aside a stray hair across her face. Skin grazed hers, sending a sharp shock through his body. Ice cold prickles sent goosebumps riding up over his skin, despite the loot warm weather.
"She's breathing." Loki gasped, dropping both legs beneath him. Happy appeared as well, flying down to her face. A gentle paw reached out and touched her wet cheek, ignoring the cold. Natsu stared at her sleeping angelic face with a painful expression twisted with relief and worry. Relief seemed to overpower him, dropping his head against her damp stomach with a sigh.
"Na...Natsu?" A soft thread of voice whispered. Pink hair jerked back with his head, dark eyes jumping to her face. Deep brown orbs met him with an odd vacancy.
"Lucy!" Everyone exclaimed in surprise and relief. Her pale eye lids fluttered constantly, struggling to keep them open.
"Lucy, you need to stay awake," Loki probed from her side, reaching towards her arm. A moment before he touched, his hand came to an abrupt stop and stayed there for a moment before retracting. Damp lion eyes gave it a concerning look momentarily before moving the gaze to Natsu. "We need to get her to the guild."
Without hesitation, Natsu nodded, smoothly slipping his hands around her back and legs. Blonde hair spilled over his bicep, leaning her tired head against his warm chest. Heat shrouded her in transparent blanket. Pulses of calming tranquility raced through her aching, heavy body with the soft thud of his heart. The blurred scenery behind his face began to blur even more, falling into the distance. Even though her own body felt numb, she would have been stupid to miss the trembling of his entire body. Worry plagued his face, despite the smile pasted over it. "Natsu..." Lucy mumbled again.
"Yeah Luce?" Natsu asked gently, deep onyx eyes studying her face. Their rushed pace, sending flashes of buildings behind them at a steady but fast pace, seemed odd to the stellar mage.
"Where are we going?" Lucy asked softly, brown eyes slowly falling shut. Natsu caught her fading gaze and gave her a small squeeze, probing her awake. Eyelids fluttered open again, looking around with slight confusion.
"To the guild infirmary; we need to see Wendy." Natsu replied as normal as he could manage.
"Why? Is someone hurt?" She whispered, concern dripping onto her dull, tired face. Shock struck the pink-haired boy, surprised by the fact the girl was completely oblivious to what happened, or her situation. After a long moment of silence, which Lucy took as avoidance, she seemed to press it.
"You're worried. I see it." She frowned. Of what little strength she had, she used it lift her shaking, heavy hand up towards his face. Cold finger tips grazed against his warm cheek, drawing his eyes momentarily to her face. It fell back down almost instantly, dropping against her stomach. Brown eyes still watching him with a small, knowing smile that said she could read him like an open book; she probably could. Still, brown eyes fluttered, drooping halfway across irises. Natsu probed her again. 'Almost there' the slayer thought to himself with slight relief, seeing the guild appear in the distance. "Why are you worried?" Lucy uttered again, her eyes falling more closed, ignorant to Natsu's attempt to keep her away.
"It's nothing, Luce." The boy chuckled, looking at the faint pout on her lips.
Finally they were there. Guild doors burst open with the force of the dragon slayer's foot, rippling a bang across the entire hall. It was late but a lot of the guild members still remained. Eyes all shifted onto the fire mage with surprise, and then down to what he was holding; the still, drenched body of Lucy. She had finally succumbed to her exhausted unconsciousness, brown eyes fully closed."Lucy!" They all exclaimed, launching out of their seats. Wizards completely surrounded the pair, all trying to see what had happened and how they could held. Eventually, Wendy managed to push through.
"Get her to the infirmary," Makarov commanded. Gray jumped forward, prying the limp blonde girl out of the weak dragon slayer's arms.
Weakness spread down to the dragon slayer's legs, dropping him down onto his knees. All his body ached with exhaustion, feeling emotionally and physically drained. People fluttered around him, calling out his name, touching his shoulder, trying to get a response, but all of the noise faded into the background. Dark eyes could only manage to hold onto the body of the blonde mage until she disappeared behind the infirmary door.
A few second later, Happy appeared in the doorway without Loki. "Natsu!" Happy huffed, flying down to his friend. White wings dissolved into the air, big eyes looking up at the slayer's shadowed face.
"Where's Loki?" Natsu managed to mumble, fighting the drain of physical energy in his body.
"Gone; he went to the spirit world." Happy reported, moving closer to the ill looking boy. All color was drained from his face into a pale white, despite his marathon across the city. Short dense breaths of air shakily fell in and out of his lungs. Trembling spread across his entire body, slightly swaying backwards and forth.
"Good. That's okay," The dragon slayer finally breathed, giving a small smile on his lips.
Suddenly, the boy collapsed in exhaustion onto the floor, sending shocking exclaims from the crowd around him. Faint sensations of hands around his arms and body drowned out into the darkness, giving in to his own exhaustion. Both his emotional and physical fatigue caught up to him, pulling him down into blackness.
"Natsu?" A voice called, probing him awake. "Natsu?" The pink-haired boy groaned, turning on his side away from the direction of the voice.
"Let me sleep. It's too early Luce-" The fire mage remembered everything. Images fluttered across his vision like a slap to the face; Loki bursting out from the water with Lucy in his arms, her faint whispering mutters in his arms, Lucy being carried into the guild infirmary. "Lucy!" he exclaimed, vaulting upwards.
Onyx eyes darted around the room, recognizing where he was in an instant; the guild infirmary. Scarlet red hair drifted in the breeze from the open window, dark eyes looking down upon hi,m.. "Where's Luce?" he asked Erza quickly, scanning around the empty beds.
"She's fine." The equip mage informed him. "She's down in the guild."
"She's awake?" Natsu repeated, and Erza nodded. A sigh of relief escaped from the dragon slayer's lips. As it did, he became very aware of the orange-haired figure hidden in the corner he'd missed.
"Loki?" Natsu asked in confusion. Pink eyebrows furred as the lion drew closer. "What is it?"
Both Erza and Loki looked back and forth, sharing concerned glances with each other. Finally Erza sighed, turning to the dragon slayer.
"Look, about Lucy-" Erza began.
"What about her?" The pink-haired boy snapped, feeling a restless increase in his heart rate.
"Before I came through the gate last night something happened." Loki interjected before the boy's mind would jump to any outrageous conclusions.
"What did?" Natsu asked, still feeling a sense of urgency to see the blonde haired girl.
"I'll start from the beginning." Loki sat on the blue, plush bedside chair, sighing in exasperation. "When I was in the spirit world, all of the zodiacs Lucy has a contract with, including me, felt something. It appeared so fast that we had no idea where we came from. An incredible surge of energy soared though all of us. The celestial king sent me after Lucy immediately. When I got there, she was already in the water. Then you arrived." The spirit recalled.
"So what was the surge of energy?" Natsu inquired, calming down only slightly, but raising a different deeper concern inside of him.
"I don't know. The other spirits and I only got a small fraction of what ever went through Lucy. She must have taken the full blow from whatever it was." Loki replied.
"Who did it?" Natsu asked.
"We don't know. When I arrived whoever did it was gone and Lucy doesn't remember anything." Loki grumbled. Natsu nodded, trying his best to accept all the information he had just received as he rose from the bed. "Lucy knows; we told her. However, you should still be wary; we don't know what that energy was yet. I'm working on it."
"Right." The dragon slayer nodded ans left the infirmary, hoping to find the stellar mage which he desperately needed to check up on.
There she was; the beautiful blond mage was idly chatting with Mira and Levy at the bar. The blue-haired girl glanced his way and smiled. Watching their friend's redirected gaze, the other two girls followed it. Big brown orbs widened in surprise, then fell into joy. Leaping forwards, swinging her arms around his neck, she embraced the pink-haired boy. Gladly, he returned it. The celestial wizard leaned back leaving her hands wrapped around his warm neck. The fire mage's hand settled on her thin waist. "Mornin' Natsu!" Lucy giggled. The pink-haired boy let out a small sigh. She was okay.
"Mornin' Luce!" He greeted with his usual goofish smile. "You alright now?"
"Yeah, great. You've been sleeping for a while. You must have been exhausted...Um, Thank you." She gave him that innocent, cheerful smile she always did. A familiar pang of pain rang in his heart, knowing immediately what it meant. It meant that Lucy was lying, and Natsu absolutely hated it. Worry was in turmoil under the smile that he loved. But the dragon slayer understood that she want to put up a strong front. However, that didn't mean he had to like it or how it caused his heart to ache.
Sudden disappointment rushed down through the girl's arms with a dull tingle. It felt heavy, falling onto her heart and making her feet horrible. But what was the weirdest, was that it wasn't even hers. It was an odd thing to think, but Lucy immediately knew that it didn't belong to her. In fact, the strange sensation was coming from...Natsu? From where her hands touched his warm skin, she felt it slowly be absorbed into her like a flowing river. It was such a shock to her that she couldn't even subtly hide it as she quickly pulled back from the dragon slayer.
As soon as she let go, it all stopped. No contact, no strange sensation. Brown orbs glared at her hands, still lingering with warmth, feeling as normal as they ever did. Maybe she was imagining it?
Fluttering attention shot back up at the dragon slayer, noticing the confusion and hurt watching the stellar mage cautiously. At first was a little taken back by his expression until she remembered; she had just pulled away from him like he was on fire. "Sorry Natsu. I just remembered I needed to go home. I haven't been there yet." A nervous sweat trickled down her head, worried Natsu might catch her out. Luckily, the easily gullible dragon's son believed her.
"Okay Luce!" He laughed, patting her stiff back.
"W- Well I'll be off then..." Lucy slowly shuffled towards the door.
"Later Luce!" Cute and oblivious, he waved the anxious girl goodbye. Lucy disappeared out the doors like light, closing the doors with a quiet bang behind her.
"Phew." She breathed, wiping a hand across her forehead, shaking away the slick of sweat. "I really should go home." Lucy took a second take back at the guild, knowing Natsu was in there, and turned, speed walking home.
"Happy," Natsu called calmly, dark onyx eyes still watching the door, plagued with concern.
"What's up Natsu?" The blue exceed called, stuffing his face full of juicy fish.
"I'm worried about Luce. Something's not right." he mumbled. Happy knew better than to second guess a dragon slayers instinct, especially Natsu's.
"Got'cha Natsu. Ninja Magic: Stealth mode." the blue feline pulled a random strip of black cloth over his eyes and was straight out the guild doors and after the girl without another word.
The dragon slayer sighed deeply, face falling into his palms. The look of shock as she pulled away flashed in his mind; it worried him deeply. However, he trusted his best friends to keep a close eye on her for him.
"Worried?" A smooth voice calmly asked beside him. Scarlet hair fell over her face, as her eyes joined him in watched the door. Natsu watched them with her quietly for a few moments before responding.
"Something's not right about this." he muttered.
"I agree." Erza sighed and walked over to Mira at the bar. Happily, the white-haired girl handed her a small strawberry cheese cake. "For now, we'll just have to wait."
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-A-ccentric