A/N: Simply a short story that will have a follow up in the coming weeks. I feel I'm horrid with battle scenes but it's an effort at least. Also a reference to something not Fairy Tail related in here kudos if you spot it.
Several people dressed in black hooded robes stood around an elevated platform. On top stood another who directed a large beam of magic energy. The dank chamber reverberated with their constant chanting. Unknown to them they were being watched from the other side of the room.
"I say we kick their asses now." One of the onlookers whispered.
"Hold on Natsu." Replied a feminine voice.
"Yeah listen to Erza for once would you hot head." Another replied.
"If you put your clothes back on maybe I would." He replied.
"Crap!" Gray replied as he realized her was once again down to only his shorts.
"So this is the source of the problem you think Erza?" asked another feminine voice.
"Without doubt, I suspected it was a curse but seems to be some kind of ritual instead."
"I hate to encourage him but what are we waiting for?"
"You seem rather anxious to rush in for once Lucy." Erza replied.
"Well I want to get out of here, this place is filthy. It stinks of mold and decay as well."
"Screw this." Natsu suddenly spoke up as he leapt out of their hiding spot. "Hey you cloaked freaks!" The chanting came to an abrupt stop as all the cultist turned to Natsu. "We're not gonna let you keep doing that freaky ritual thing you're doing. If you haven't noticed it's hurting the people of this town!"
"Deal with these intruders brothers, I will make sure the ritual proceeds!" The one who stood on the platform exclaimed.
All of the cultists moved towards Natsu as the rest of the group left their cover as well.
"Looks like about thirty or so, here I was hoping this was gonna be fun." Gray remarked.
"Don't be too lax, we don't know what these guys can do." Erza replied.
"Screw this!" Natsu exclaimed as he charged towards them. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" he exclaimed as he swung his fist that became engulfed with flames, easily knocking away five of the cultist.
"I'm not letting you have all the fun! Ice make, Ice Bringer!" Gray exclaimed jumping into the fray as two blades of ice formed in his hands. He slashed through a few cultists with ease.
"Re-quip! Lightning Empress Armor!" Erza exclaimed as her armor swapped and her swords were traded for a spear. "We're not letting you have your way anymore! Lightning beam!" she exclaimed as a bolt shot from the tip of her spear bringing down at least ten of the cultist.
"These guys are monsters!" exclaimed one of the cultists.
"That one over there looks fairly normal!" another exclaimed pointing at Lucy.
"Yeah let's get her!"
Five of the cultists charged at Lucy.
"Always underestimating me because of my looks, scum like this will never learn." She grasped one of her keys and held it out. "Open gate of the scorpion! Scorpio!"
In a flash of light Scorpio appeared. "We Are!" he exclaimed as he held his usual pose. "So how can I help you today?" he questioned.
"Get rid of these freaks!"
"No problem!" He kneeled extended his tail. "Sand Buster!" A torrent of sand shot forward from his tail striking and sending the cultists flying back into the wall. "So that all?"
"That'll work thanks!"
"No prob!" he replied before disappearing in another flash of light.
All of the cultists were knocked out leaving only the ring leader on the platform remaining.
"You lose pal!" Natsu exclaimed.
The ring leader ceased the ritual and turned and unexpected to them he simply clapped in response. "Well done! It seems they actually hired quite some fearsome mages to deal with us this time."
"I think it'd be in your best interest to just surrender." Lucy remarked.
"Oh I'm sorry to say little girl it is all of you who should be surrendering."
"Big words for someone who just had all his lackeys beaten to a pulp." Gray replied.
"Meh. They were basically useless anyways. You'll find I'm on quite a different level."
"Shut your mouth and fight!" Natsu exclaimed as he leapt towards him.
"Reckless idiot. Abyss chains!" Dark purple magic circles formed at his hands as two black chains shot forth and wrapped around Natsu. He swung Natsu around a time or two before slamming him into the ground. Before he could lift him back up Erza leapt forward and severed the chains with her sword.
"I can see you're not one who can be charged head on." Said Erza.
"Now you get it. You should reconsider standing down." He taunted.
"Abyss magic is quite rare, but it's something I'm more than ready to counter. Re-quip! Black Wing armor!" Once again her armor changed in a flash of light. "This will be enough."
"Quite an armory it seems you have, very well. We'll put it to the test. Abyss Claws!" once more two magic circles formed at his hands however this time they moved up past his wrist leaving dark purpled claws in place of his hands. He lunged forward towards Erza as he began slashing at her furiously.
Despite his assault she managed to deflect his attacks with ease. However she wasn't the only one with a good defense as he dodged the slashes she made at him. He finally leapt back onto the platform.
"I have to admit I'm growing quite bored with the lot of you."
"Get used to it cause we aren't leaving without beating you down." Natsu replied.
"I thought as much very well I'll simply finish you here and now with one attack."
"We'd like to see you try." Gray rebuked.
"Oh you will." He thrust his hands forward as gold magic circle formed. "Consider yourselves lucky it's not every day you get to bear witness to a spell of this caliber. Megidolaon!"
A massive purple light shot towards them, to which Erza leapt forward in it's path re-quiping. A large explosion of magic energy burst forth as it impacted.
"Well at least they provided me with some entertainment. But now I'm behind schedule."
"Hate to break it to you, but I think you'd best clear your schedule." Erza replied.
As the smoke cleared Erza came into view donning her Adamantine Armor.
"Impossible, you managed to block a spell that was on level with Abyss break!?"
"That little blast was nothing compared to the Jupiter blast I blocked in the past."
"What kind of monsters are you!?"
In unison the four of them replied "We're Fairy Tail Wizards!" The four charged forward.
"Re-quip! Heaven's Wheel Armor! It ends here!" She held her sword firm and shot forward. "Pentagram Sword!" The slashes knocked him back, shredding his cloak.
"Ice make, Ice Cannon!" Gray exclaimed as an ice bazooka formed in his hands which a stream of ice blasted forth striking the cultist leader, leaving him covered in frost.
"Gate of the Golden Bull Open!" Lucy exclaimed to which Taurus appeared.
"Miss Lucy your boobs are moost excellent as always." Taurus spoke as soon as appearing.
"Save it, just get this done."
"Leave it to me." He leapt forward towards the cultist. "Smooth moove!" he exclaimed as he swung his axe slashing him and throwing him to the ground.
The cultist tried to get back on his feet only to look up to Natsu leaping upwards.
"My turn! Fire dragon's Roar!" Flames explode forth from his mouth rushing down onto the cultist.
The smoke cleared revealing a scorched crater with the now unconscious cultist leader in the center.
Officials from the magic council had arrived at the town and were rounding up all of the cultists. The head officer took it upon himself to thank the mages for their efforts.
"We're quite impressed, you four managed to bring down one we have been after for quite some time." The officer said.
"Then it seems we both get paid in this case." Erza replied.
"Indeed my superiors are gonna be quite pleased to hear about us bringing this one in. I will admit its odd, usually half the town is in ruins after Fairy Tail completes a job."
"He's right!" Lucy exclaimed. "We didn't wreck the town for once, which means we get full payment!"
"Maybe we should celebrate by getting something nice to eat before we leave." Erza replied
"Well I'll leave all of you to your own functions, we have to get moving." The Officer said before walking away.
"Since we're gonna have a nice meal I say we go seafood." Gray said.
"Seafood, we're gonna get beef." Natsu replied.
"Fish!" Gray exclaimed.
"Beef!" Natsu rebuked.
Lucy watched as the two yelled back and forth at each other. Panic set in as Gray removed his shirt and Natsu took a fighting stance. "Forget the food!" she exclaimed "Let's just get out of town before you two end up wrecking it!"
"That's a good idea, we'll have a picnic on the outskirts!" Erza replied.
"Sure why not."
Gray and Natsu were still going at each other. However Erza intervened and slammed their heads into each other and dragged them along out of town.
It was only slightly past sundown when the group had arrived back in Magonlia. Lucy went straight to the guild so she could claim payment for the job. She didn't waste much time and simply got in and got out despite Mirajane trying to ask her more of the usual embarrassing questions. She counted through the cut of the reward she had received.
"50000 jewels, looks like with that and what I got I've made this month's rent." She said to herself.
She continued on the path to home, walking on the edge of the canal as always. It didn't take long for her to realize just how late it was as the usual "Miss Lucy that's dangerous." That came from two local fishermen never came.
"I'm beat; really wish Erza wouldn't have done the picnic considering it took forever. However I don't think any of us have the nerve to speak up to Erza over a matter like that. Considering she explodes over the little things like someone running her cake, and yet you can break a chair on her head and she stays perfectly cool."
It wasn't much longer before she arrived at her apartment building. "Now that I think about it I guess Natsu must have been tired too; he didn't even come back to the guild like Erza and Gray did."
She entered the building and made her way to her apartment. Entering she yawned and walked into her bed room and turned on the lights. Gazing into the mirror she spoke to herself. "I'm as tired as can be but I gotta get a bath after walking around that filth ridden hobble." With an exhausted sigh she closed her eyes and turned to her bed and pulled up her shirt being stopped half way by a voice.
"Um Lucy?"
Her eyes shot open to see Natsu laying on her bed and out came a shriek that was likely able to wake the entire building. "What hell you pervert! What do you think you're doing sneaking in at this hour!?"
"I was tired and didn't feel like heading back to my house. I figured you'd be okay with me stopping here for a nap."
"Well I'm not okay with it. Its one thing to break in, but another to come and fall asleep in a woman's bedroom! I mean I almost stripped right in front of you for goodness' sake."
"I don't see the big deal; Erza doesn't seem to care about being seen naked."
"That's because it's Erza! Besides even she doesn't put herself on public display!"
"You know; you're weird."
"I'm the weird one!?"
"Either way the nap was only part of the reason I came here."
"I would hope peeping on me wasn't the second reason."
"Actually the second reason was to talk with you; not to mention you're one who started taking your clothes off without looking around the room."
"Because it's my apartment, but I guess I should know better by now since it seems everyone comes and goes as they please."
"I have something serious to speak to you about though."
"Which is?"
"I've been thinking a lot lately. We've been all over Fiore and I've not seen any trace of Igneel or any dragons."
"I guess you don't count the big black one that tried to kill us then."
"So I was thinking, maybe the dragons aren't here in Fiore. Maybe they're in one of the other kingdoms or countries."
"Have you ever thought maybe they just don't want to be found?"
"Well yeah, but still I'd like a reason. But I've been thinking about me and Happy going on a Journey to the other kingdoms. You know look for the dragons there or maybe even learn something."
"Wait so you're thinking about going on a long journey like Gildarts? I don't think I could handle that."
"I never said I'm gonna bring you along."
"Wait you mean go off all alone with just Happy for that long?"
"Yeah, but guess I wanted to ask what you think. I like to hear what my closest friends have to say on the matter."
"Well I'm not the one to tell you no. I mean it would make me a hypocrite to tell you to do something you don't wanna do; mainly after I made that fuss about being my own person."
"So do what I feel is right and what I wanna do right?"
"Yeah, but it's something you need to put a lot of thought into. I mean you'll be leaving behind the guild, all your friends, even me, Erza, and Gray."
"Yeah."
"What about Master, have you spoken to him yet?"
"Yep, he said he'd be for the idea. He is always going on about taking your own path. Either way it's not like I'd be quitting the guild or anything."
"Yeah that sounds about right."
"But Lucy, give me your actual thoughts as to what you'd want me to do."
"I can't really tell you what to do. I mean I wouldn't want you to go, but I wouldn't want you to not walk the path you wanted to walk."
Natsu let out a sigh. "Well guess I've decided then."
"Wait, already? Isn't that a bit sudden?"
"I've been thinking about this for a few months. I guess I just decided you'd be the last person I'd ask about it."
"What did you decide?"
"I'm gonna do it. I want to find Igneel no matter what. The journey would make me stronger as well; I mean there's no telling what I could learn from the other kingdoms. I might even find other dragon slayers out there."
"So guess you're mind really is made up then huh?"
"Yep." He replied as he stood up off the bed. "Well I'm leaving, gotta go tell Happy what we're doing and guess we'll be leaving in a day or two."
Natsu climbed out the window in his normal fashion and was on his way. Lucy watched as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop.
"So he's leaving." She turned back to her bedroom with a slight frown on her face. "I'm too tired to think about all this right now." She walked to the bathroom throwing her shirt aside.
Time moved forward by a day and a half. The guild was filled with talk of Natsu and Happy leaving in the afternoon. Natsu and Makarov stood in the master's office.
"So you're still a hundred percent sure on this right?" Makarov inquired.
"Yeah, I think this is something I want and need to do." Natsu replied.
Makarov chuckled. "Well if it's what you feel is right then I still fully back you in your decision."
"Thanks Gramps."
"Still though I want you to know; no matter how far you go or how long you are away. You'll always have a family and home here. We'll each be thinking of you every day, so I want you to remember that."
Natsu smiled. "Yeah I will Gramps."
"Now I suppose you have goodbyes to say before you get on your way."
"Yeah, take care Gramps." Natsu turned and walked to the door before stopping. "Promise me you'll still be here waiting when I get back."
"Neither death nor retirement will take me until I know you're back safely."
"Good."
Natsu left the office and made his way down stairs, where Wendy approached him.
"Here you are Natsu, what you asked for. It's about a hundred Troia lacrima." She said as she handed a small glass container to him.
Inspecting the container he said "These are really small sure they'll do the trick?"
"Yeah, just remember you don't wanna over use them or you'll build up a resistance. Not to mention you don't have me around to resupply you."
"Then I'll make them last even if it means swimming across an ocean. Thanks Wendy."
"Don't mention it. Just be safe Natsu."
"I will."
"Carla!" Happy exclaimed walking over to her. "I'm gonna miss you!" he said tears forming in his eyes.
"I'm sure you'll manage. But I suppose I'll miss you a bit as well." She replied trying as hard she could to be as warm as possible.
Happy stepped forward and hugged her. "Don't forget me."
"I won't, don't worry." She replied with a faint blush on her face."
"Happy you need to be strong, and get stronger as well so you can keep supporting Natsu." Lily said as he walked up to the other Exceeds.
"I'll miss you too Lily."
"I will too. Be sure to eat a kiwi often it'll help you stay in top form."
"Oi, Salamander." Gajeel called out walking towards Natsu.
"What'd you want Gajeel?" he replied
"If you see or hear anything about Metalicana, you let me know."
"Yeah, I will." Natsu held out his arm lifting his forearm. "We might not have seen eye to eye very well, but I'm glad I've had you as a friend."
Gajeel bumped his arm with Natsu's "Yeah, yeah no need to get all sappy with me."
"Promise me we'll have a fight when I get back."
"Count on it, and I promise you I won't lose."
"Also take good care of your shrimp if you know what I mean."
Gajeel blushed slightly. "Don't know what the hell you're talking about."
"Yeah I bet."
Natsu walked to the other side of the room stopping half way and looking up to the second floor, where Laxus stood leaning over the railing.
"I'm expecting a fight from you when I get back too, Laxus. I'll kick your ass for sure." Natsu exclaimed pointing at him.
Laxus simply smiled, closed his eyes and gave a simple nod.
Natsu made his way over to where Gray, Erza, and Levy were sitting.
"Guess this is the last we'll see of each other for a while." Erza spoke.
"Yeah, you're another person I'm gonna wanna take a crack at when I get back."
"I'll be undergoing rigorous training while awaiting your return."
Natsu turned to Gray. "We might not have agreed with each other much Gary, but‒"
"You don't have to say anything. I think at this point we're past words on this kind of matter. You just be safe and get ready for the ass kicking I'm gonna give you when you get back."
"We'll see about that." He turned to Levy. "Make sure you keep metal mouth in check alright?" She nodded in response. Natsu looked around the room. "Any of you seen Lucy?"
"Nope." Gray replied.
"Come to think of it I haven't either." Erza replied.
"She took a job yesterday. I asked why and she told me she needed a little extra money to get something she wanted. It was a small job so I'd think she'd been back by now." Levy replied.
"I see." Natsu replied before going silent for a few moments. "I wanted to see her before I left but if you would give her my regards. Same goes for the geezer if he comes back while I'm gone."
Natsu and Happy both made their way out, the entire guild following in suite. Once Natsu walked a little ways away from the guild he turned back, as everyone raised their right arms extending turning their palm to him and extending their index fingers and thumbs. Natsu and Happy did the same before turning and being on their way.
"I can't believe Lucy wasn't here for this." Levy spoke to herself.
"Yeah it's odd." Mirajane replied. "I know she came in this morning and collected a reward for the job she took yesterday."
"Wait you mean Lucy is here in town?"
"I think she would be."
"I gotta go." Levy said as she ran off.
"Where are you going?"
"To find Lucy."
Lucy sat at her desk intently watching the clock. "I guess he's on his way about now." She sighed gazing down at the letter she was writing to her mom and dad for the day. "I should be happy; he's doing what he wants to do. It'd just be selfish of me to try to talk him outta it." Bring the pen to the paper she stopped tapping it ever so gently not able to come up with the words. "Damn it I can't get him out of my mind for a moment can I?"
She heard a knock on the door. "Lucy are you there?!" It was Levy who was there. She got up and walked to the door and opened it to Levy standing there bent over slightly taking deep breaths.
"Um, in a rush for something Levy?" Lucy asked.
"I was looking for you." She replied.
"Well at least come in and sit down, I swear looks like you ran all the way here from the guild."
"I did." She replied as she walked in and took a seat.
"What's the rush about then?"
"Why didn't you come to see Natsu off?" Lucy grew silent, a frown growing on her face as she gazed down at her feet. "Well? You do know this is the last we'll see of him for a few years likely?"
"Yeah I know."
"Then why didn't you come, he was looking for you too." Levy saw a tear run down her cheek. "Lucy?"
"I couldn't bring myself to say goodbye to him."
"I don't understand, how come?"
"I didn't want him to go Levy. I couldn't bear to allow myself to tell him to stay. I really wanted him to stay." Lucy sobbed as a few more tears rolled down her cheeks. "It would be selfish of me to try to make him stay."
"Still though you should have come and said goodbye to him."
"It would have been too painful."
"I don't understand Lucy, wouldn't it hurt more to not see him off; to not have said goodbye to him?"
"I don't know Levy. I think he's the one person I couldn't bring myself to say goodbye to."
"I see now." Levy stood up and walked over to her. "Lucy let me ask you something, and be honest with me. You're in love with Natsu aren't you?" Lucy's eyes widened. "That's why you don't want to bring yourself to say goodbye to him."
Lucy slowly fell to her knees, tears beginning to flow more rapidly now. "I really have fallen for that idiot haven't I?"
"It looks that way."
"I've been telling myself that it wasn't the reason. I think deep down I couldn't admit to myself how I felt about him. All this time and he's the one person I've come to count on; the one person I never wanted to see go."
Levy got down on her knees as well. "Lucy, there still might be time you can catch up to him."
"But I can't bring myself to say goodbye Levy."
"Then don't. Don't tell him goodbye, instead tell him how you feel. I mean this is your last chance. There's no telling what things will be like a few years from now. If you don't do it now you may end up regretting it later."
"Levy."
"Go Lucy, don't let him leave without know."
Lucy Hugged Levy before running out the door. Levy remained there on her knees. "I can't say I blame her." She pondered to herself. "There's someone I could never bear to say goodbye to as well."
Lucy ran down the streets towards the small port that was in Magonlia. "Please don't let me be too late." She spoke to herself as she ran. The closer she got to the harbor the more the tears came. Within a few minutes she arrived at the hill that overlooked the harbor. In the distance she saw the only ship there was heading out to sea, the same ship that Natsu had taken. She was a few minutes too late. At a loss of what to do she did the only thing she could think of. "Nastu!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Again and again she yelled his name. It wasn't long before she was out of breath and fell to her knees. She sobbed gripping the grass between her fingers as tears poured onto the ground.
"Damn it, I'm such an idiot. I'll never get the chance to tell him now." She stayed there for a few minutes crying her heart out. "I can't believe this; I'm crying over Natsu. If only I hadn't been such an idiot and just saw him off. Now he's gone and it'll likely be too late to tell him by the time he gets back."
"Tell me what?"
Lucy froze for a moment almost terrified to look up. Despite that she found the strength and looked up to see Natsu standing there with a confused look him his face.
"And here you are, just looking at me with a dumbass face like that."
"You called for me right? I mean it was you yelling my name right?"
"Yeah it was. But you were on the boat."
"Happy is with me remember?"
"How could I forget that?"
"You said you had to tell me something right? And what's with all the tears?"
She tried to get up and quickly found Natsu offering a hand which she gladly accepted.
"What about your boat?"
"Well it's not a big deal it was only going to a nearby port anyways. I can always walk. Now what is it you wanna tell me so badly?"
"Natsu…" She hesitated not sure how to go about it. "Natsu I…"
"You know you can tell me anything right?"
"Natsu I love you."
Neither of them said a word. Judging by the look on his face she figured he was still trying to grasp what she just told him. It wasn't long before she felt him pull her against him wrapping his arms around her.
"You know I'm not really surprised." He spoke breaking the silence.
"Then you know how I feel? But what about you?"
"I never really thought about it before. I guess I figured you didn't really have interest in me beyond being a friend. I always slightly suspected but you're not very easy to read."
"Guess that's why you always call me weird."
"Yeah guess you're right there. I think I'd be alright with you, I mean I do really like you Lucy. I like you a lot and I've consider it several times. If you wanna be together I'll be glad to be with you."
She nuzzled against him a few tears still coming. "That's fine with me. I guess you're still gonna go though aren't you."
"I wanna see this through; I'm still here but only because you called me back."
"I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry about. You've given me something really great to look forward to when I get back."
"Do you promise me you'll come back for me, no matter what?" she asked looking up at him.
"Yeah I promise."
The two grew silent once more, simply enjoying each other presence. Natsu brought a hand to Lucy's face gently run a finger down her jawline to her chin. He slowly lifted her face up to his before lowering and giving her a quick peck on the lips.
"Another?" Lucy quietly asked after he pulled away. He gladly obliged her and gave her another longer deeper kiss. They pulled apart again as her hands gripped his coat. "Just one more?" she asked again and once more he didn't refuse her. One last time he pressed his lips against her going even deeper than before. And so they stood there locked in an embrace lips remaining together for a little while longer.