Now an important note for the first part of this story, they are kids. If they seem too gullible or out of character to you remember this, whilst it may be an AU this isn't 2014. It takes place in a Fairy Tail time period. So kids are kind gullible. If it is good or bad only the story will tell. Also Lucy is fresh to...friends, she was brought up surrounded by fairy tales and women knowing their traditional role. I won't get into it but remember this when Lucy doesn't mind being...protected.
Disclaimer, I do not own Fairy Tail.
The suburbs of Magnolia were a splendid breath of fresh air to the ten year old Lucy Heartfilia. She skipped down the road acknowledging all the friendly faces and smiles sent her way. A long row of conjoined houses faced opposite each other and running in the middle was a vast river with the occasional crossing bridge high enough for the small fishing boats to float under. Lucy had never imagined a town could glow so radiantly!
Magnolia was a small town filled with mainly farming folk yet maintained a city-like structure. It was a change from the crowded cities and a change of pace.
Her small black shoes tapped lightly as she sped across the bridge and onto the other side of the river, in the excitement she hopped onto the safety ledge by the river that stopped people from falling in. She even laughed cheerily as she brushed off the concerned calls from boatmen telling her she'd fall. She assured them she wouldn't.
The reason for her cheeriness was for the fact she was free! She had come to spend her life with her Auntie Michelle because her father had realised she needed to socialise more. She couldn't contain her squeals when she was told, the thought of friends made her stomach flutter.
She hopped off the ledge when she began approaching the huge brick house a the end of the river. It was the biggest house on the Strawberry Street by far.
Along the way she she heard a crash. Her head whipped to the small alleyway between to houses where a trash can had fallen and a terror stricken blue cat sprinted out. It eyes seemed locked on her and he turned slightly so he could accurately jump into her arms. It was a huge jump because although she was small this wasn't a cat, it was a very small kitten that fit into her cupped hands.
"Happy wait up!"
A salmon haired young boy around Lucy's age ran out of the alley. He was so set on retrieving his cat he only noticed Lucy last minute. He came closing to a stop but slipped on some fallen trash and fell forward into Lucy and Happy which caused her to stumble back bringing the two of them with her. Into the river. No make that the freezing river, it was November after all.
The young blonde resurfaced with a hissing kitten in her arms, gasping she settled the feline on the ledge whilst she frantically searched for her other diving buddy. Her eyes focused on the sinking mop of salmon hair, out of rage she fisted his hair and yanked it back up the identity of the boy now revealed.
She hauled him over the ledge and he landed with a grunt. Lucy huffed as she flopped over the ledge and lay on the ground next to him, Happy had surprisingly stayed.
Lucy felt her eye lids shutting and her body had decided to call it a day.
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When she opened her eyes she saw...tree bark, and wood. Her blanket was a rough green carpet and her pillow...a white scarf. She remembered the river-boy wearing the exact same thing, she summed that he had brought her here. She turned to see Happy perched on the window sill of the surprisingly tall spacious wooden room. She crawled to the window and looked outside only to see the entire landscape of West Magnolia. The sun was setting and it was nearly dark.
"A treehouse?" She voiced.
"You betchya'," Lucy jumped at the sound of the foreign voice.
She turned to see the salmon haired boy at the top of the ladder at the entrance. He slid the screen door open with a hard shove and crawled in placing a handful of sweaters on the floor in front of her.
"You were shivering so I had to get you something," he paused giving a confused yet amused stare."Only a real Weirdo would be walkin' aroundn' November with outta sweater or coat!"
Lucy flushed in embarassment, "I just moved here! Where I live it's colder so it's warm here!" She moved the blue white trimmed sweater over her head and pulled the over sized sleeves up to her elbows.
"It's not warm Weirdo, it's freezing!"
"I meant for me not for you!" She protested, "and stop calling me weird! You're the one who pushed me in the river chasing a blue cat!"
The cat in question twitched his ears in growing annoyance.
"I saved you so we're even," he crossed his arms in a huff.
In the small silence Lucy looked at her surroundings, the treehouse had been built remarkably well. The wood was fine and splinter- free, it was big and had that amazing window view with clear glass. The door was a bit stiff but still not many tree houses came with screen doors. Her eyes traveled to the small hatch and ladder on the ceiling, her ten year old mind could only wonder to where it led.
"Your treehouse is amazingly built," Lucy praised clapping her hands together.
She said built because the rest of the tree house screamed the pinkette. The walls were sloppily painted red and the camoflouge rug that she now sat on (and previously slept under) didn't match with the orange furniture. Lucy could see that the boy had aimed for a flame effect but the coffee table, bookcase and shelves just looked orange with yellow splotches on them.
She had also noticed that the shelves had been filled with pictures of family and friends, the bookcase also contained action figures, mostly dragons. Overall it looked terribly colour coordinated, and it wasn't very filling compared to the size of the room. However, to Lucy, it felt...like home.
"My Daddy Igneel built it," he stated proudly. It made Lucy smile fondly, "and I decorated it myself," Lucy prided herself on guessing right, "this isn't a treehouse by the way. This is my dragon den."
"A dragons den?" Lucy's eyes widened, " A real dragon? Is it safe? Isn't this place a bit small for a dragon?"
"Weirdo I'm the dragon!"
"..."
"What!? Quit starin' at me!"
"But...you don't look like a dragon..."
"That's because I'm in human form," Lucy gasped in amazement.
"Then what do you look like...as a dragon."
"I'm red! I breathe fire and I have sharp claws and huge teeth and I can defeat Erza and Laxus-" Lucy wasn't sure of who they were, "-and I have huge wings and big horns and I can cause earthquakes as I walk and I uh..."
"You don't sound to convincing, are you lying? Are you sure you're a dr-"
"I am! I am! I am! I AM! I can I can prove it look at all this stuff I have!" He stomped his feet and motioned towards his bookcase.
Lucy eyed the dragon memorabilia, her thin blonde brows knit with confusion.
"I don't remember dragons collecting...dragons." She was even more confused when he sighed in irritation. What wasn't she getting?
"No Weirdo, it's not just 'dragon stuff', it's treasure!" Her big brown orbs widened, standing behind the figurines were...treasure! Pocket watches, necklaces, a golden covered book, rings, keys, coins and much more.
He elaborated further, "Dragons steal and take treasure, they hide it in their den and protect it!" The boy then proceeded to take the discarded scarf off the floor and adjust it around his neck.
Lucy looked at the fabric...scales 'He is a real dragon' she thought.
"Wow I've never met a real dragon," Her smile dropped into fear. "You're not going to...eat me...are you?"
The boy giggled, with a small blush, "No way! I'd never eat a friend, plus your my treasure now!"
The blonde flushed and her heart pounded.
"I...am?"
"Yeah a proper dragon needs to be able to steal a real princess! When you got me out of the river I knew you were worth protecting, and now we're best friends so you have to protect me too!"
Lucy's eyes lit up with excitement and she tugged his sleeve slightly, "You really want to be friends!?" She jumped up and down slightly.
The boy placed his small rough hands on her pale shoulders to calm her, "Of course Weirdo, best friends. That's what I just said- Wait!" He paused, his face serious, "Only if Happy can join too."
Lucy glanced at the blue kitten, he had jumped from the window sill and was curled up on the camoflouge rug. He had one small black eye open and it held a light hearted gaze on the blonde.
"Sure, and I'm Lucy by the way. Not Weirdo."
The boy laughed, "Lucy. I'm calling you Luce for short." Luce, she liked that, " I'm Natsu, Natsu Dragneel." He emphasised.
"Wow!" She gasped, "that sounds like dragonneel!"
"I know right? Told you I was a dragon."
"Real dragons can't be pink though..." She started giggling.
"Huh, pink? Wait a minu-"
She was already rolling on the floor in hysterics.
"My hair's not pink Luce, it's red!"
She laughed harder.
"Shaddup Luce! I said I was a red dragon!" He bellowed.
Tears of laughter began to prick her eyes.