Hi guys, I'm back! This story came in a strange dream I had last night and just had to write! I hope you enjoy it! I DON'T OWN FAIRY TAIL! Though I wish I did...
"Aw man, this sucks!" Natsu said, crossing his arms along his broad chest and sticking out his bottom lip. He wasn't in the happiest of moods after, yet another, failed attempt in trying to find Igneel.
He got a hint from some client that Team Natsu worked for last week after defeating this rinky-dink dark guild called Shadow's Claw. It wasn't too hard since there were only about 20 members. The client said he saw a 'large' and 'fierce' red beast in the forest near Hargeon Town, but it turns out… it was only a mere Vulcan.
'Damn bastard can't tell a dragon from a Vulcan!' Natsu brooded with melancholy thoughts while narrowing his eyes at the ground and kicking a pebble.
"Natsu cheer up! At least we can have fun while we're here!" Lucy squealed in excitement as the three trod along the street in the bustling town.
Happy agreed only with the nod of his head, flying above the pair in silence. He knew better than to bother Natsu after these types of situations…however… Lucy didn't. It also didn't help that she wasn't planning on giving up her goal of improving the pink-haired mage's attitude anytime soon.
She ran ahead of her teammates and clasped her hands in joy. Her eyes sparkled and gleamed while they rolled over various shops and crowds of people. One thing with Lucy is: she will never lose her excitement for travel.
"If what you call 'fun' is disappointment, be my guest. Go have some 'fun'." Natsu spat back, annoyed of how positive she was. Can't she just leave him to sulk in peace?
This was the first time Lucy had ever gone to look for Igneel with Natsu and she has to think: what a downer he is! This Natsu isn't even Natsu! She couldn't believe how he hasn't even cracked a single smile the entire walk back and peered over her shoulder at the boy with contrite eyes.
"I thought he was supposed to be the happy one…" She mumbled under her breath. Lucy put her pointer finger on the apex of her chin while walking along side the pyro and furry exceed, trying to figure out a way to make Natsu feel better.
"Come on, Mr. Grumpy Pants lets go! Stand up straight." Lucy reached for the boy's slumped form as they wadded through the crowds of people on the cobblestone walkway. Wrapping her thin, pale fingers around his wrist, she started to pull the dragon slayer in an attempt to go have some, as Natsu put it, 'fun'. But he only jerked away at her touch, nudging her hand off his arm.
Ok, he needed to calm down. He really needed to calm down. It wasn't her fault that he hadn't found Igneel. That means there is no point in acting this way towards her. She didn't do anything wrong! It's… not her fault… not… her fault.
He sighed, immediately sorry for his actions. "You go ahead I'd rather go home. Even if it means… the t-train." He gagged at the end of his sentence, feeling a bit queasy. Natsu plus a train equals disaster and a new pair of shoes for Lucy.
"Stop it, Natsu now you're getting on my nerves… LETS GO!" She stomped her food and forcefully straightened her arms at her sides trying to glare the young mage into happiness. The attempt was a complete failure.
'Hmm maybe if I suggest…'-"Oh! I see a vendor! Lets go get some food! Come on!" Lucy said, smiling devilishly, knowing his secret. Well- it's not much of a secret, knowing he had an appetite; just knowing when to use it against him was a secret weapon of its own. She patted herself on the back for this great idea. It was foolproof, impervious, an-
"Can you just get it for me?"… ineffectual. Natsu wasn't even phased by the word 'food' like he normally was. He just plopped down on a rickety, old park bench and stared at his feet, completely unaware of the dumbfounded girl in front of him.
Natsu really didn't feel like boarding the train ride to hell anytime soon and was just done for the day. He just gave up, not on finding Igneel of course! But today was one of those days. The frustration was welling up inside of him and he really just didn't want to do anything.
"Ugh, fine. If you'd rather wallow away in you're own pity, fine…" She took a deep breath and sighed, knowing it was going to be a very long, and depressing ride back home for the three of them. "Flame ramen?"
"Yeah..." Natsu said, his head falling into his calloused hands.
Lucy smiled softly and started to walk away towards the vendor. "Ok, flame ramen and a fish coming up!" She stopped herself with a jolt as soon as she was about 20 feet away, enough for the pair to hear her clearly. She put both of her hands to her hips and paused, gazing at the poor boy and contorted her features in inscrutable manner.
He was kinda already depressed. Was she just going to yell at him and make it worse!?
His melancholy thoughts were set free when she let out a giggle and uttered, "I'll be right back but when I do get back, you better be the same old stupid Natsu!" She put two fingers up to her eyes and pointed them back directly at Natsu. Then she walked away, leaving Natsu a view of the back of her head, her blonde hair swaying side to side with her weight.
His mouth curved upwards for the first time that day. "Alright… weirdo" he chuckled as a warmness overtook him.
"You liiikkke herrr~" Happy said with the roll of his tongue.
"Can it!" Natsu grumbled. 'To think those were the first words he said on this damn trip!' Sighing, Natsu shrugged off his thoughts and went back to being the hot mess he was."I just wish we found Igneel…"
Happy's mood took a downward spiral as he muffled an "A-Aye…" through his dry throat and looked at his partner with glassy eyes.
"I'm… gonna go help Lucy with the food." He looked back at the blonde who was trying to balance the weight of about 30 cartons of food that were threatening to tumble down on the girl any second. At first the pyro thought he was just being a caring and considerate friend, but then quickly dismissed that thought as he finished his sentence. "…she might eat it all!"
Natsu couldn't help but let a grin slowly creep back onto his face.
When Happy left, a small and shriveled woman walked over to Natsu and stole his seat next to the fire dragon slayer. 'Man does she look like a prune!' Natsu thought to himself, trying to obscure his laughter and failing miserably.
The elder joined him in his laughter, knowing well that it was directed at her. 'Funny, huh? Well, we will see whose laughing!' she retorted back internally.
"Haha, I overheard you boys talking and my, my what a cute little family we have here! I assume that is your wife over that way?" The lady said gleefully, pointing a feeble finger at the pair who juggled falling cartons and catching one by one in the nick of time. All this while Lucy complained why she even bought it all in the first place.
Natsu immediately averted the old woman's gaze and stood on his feet, blushing furiously.
"Ugh, I don't know what y-you're talking about lady. That's m-my friend Lucy and my other friend Happy." He said, pointing at the two in question. "Why are you s-saying that crap cuz it all isn't t-true!" he stuttered.
'I got him…' the old "prune'" thought as her grin turned sour. "Oh, I don't know never mind me... just an old lass…. Say, I heard you talking before about wishing you found someone. Is that correct?"
Natsu sat down as fast as his body could allow him, easily rivaling Jet's speed. "Yes! I want to find my father, Igneel! I just wish that we had found him…" He clasped his hands on his lap and shifted his weight to the edge of his seat, letting his eyes roam the ground.
"You miss this father of yours very much, don't you? Ah, I could fix this whole mess in a jiffy. I could take you to your father…"
His eyes widened as his body froze in shock. "YOU CAN?! COME ON LADY LETS GO!" Natsu tried pulling the gray-haired woman out of her seat and began to run, but the woman wouldn't budge.
"Nuh, uh, uh. It isn't quite that simple. It also requires pay. 100,000 jewels should do it." She held her hand out to the pink-haired man, impatiently waiting for jewels to arrive.
'Luce is gonna kill me for this… it's her rent money! But it's also my food money…. Anyway Igneel is more important and she'll understand!' Natsu thought as he rummaged through his pockets with his tongue poking out of his closed lips. "Ah hah! Here you go, lady!" he exclaimed as he slapped the money into her fragile hands. He may be on a stick later, but if it was for Igneel, she would forgive him. He was sure of it.
"…Perfect… Now, lets begin." She snapped her fingers and everyone around him paused what they were doing, as if commanded by a television remote.
Natsu saw Happy and Lucy, still fumbling with the endless amount of cases of food back to where they were sitting. He couldn't believe his eyes as he saw both had huge smiles across their features and were happily walking together in-step. He just stared at his partners. They were so special to him and he is eternally grateful they get along.
He started to look around the park, noticing the other residents of the town going about their daily business. A father was carrying his daughter on his shoulders and in return, she held onto his neck in a tight and loving embrace. Both of them laughed like crazy while the assumed mother stood behind and watched the scene unfold with a red tint across her cheeks and with warmness in her eyes. Another couple was buying some food at the farmer's market over by Happy and Lucy. The young woman was inspecting the food before purchasing it while the man beside her, assuming it's the husband, gazed at her lovingly; knowing she was his and he was hers. Then there was another little family by the swings. Two little kids were playing tag while their elder grandparents watched them play a little ways over, on another park bench. The woman's head rested on her partner's shoulder as he read the daily paper. Watching all these people made him realize something that he hadn't ever really thought about before… something… more than nakama…
Now that he thought about it, they were like a family… almost too much like a family….
"Oi, young man we are beginning!" Natsu turned back to face the impatient woman, who now had set up a crystal ball, table and chairs in the street, unbeknownst to him. She literally pulled it out of thin air!
The woman shut her eyes and whispered, "Now, close your eyes tell me what you most desire and I will grant this wish to be true."
He let his eyelids shut and the words flow out of his mouth uncontrollably. "I wish I found Igneel in Hargeon." Natsu whispered hopefully, "Please…Please work." as he gripped the fabric around his neck, given to him by his father.
"Open your eyes, child." The elder said nonchalantly.
As his onyx orbs fluttered open, he saw the images in front of him fly away from his view. It seemed as if all the people were made of little grains of powder, flying into the air, swirling and dancing in the wind.
The last thing he saw was Lucy's beautiful face before his eyelids were to heavy too bare, so he unwillingly let them shut.
'W-what… is happening? Lucy! Happy!'
"L-Lucy… H-happy…" He whispered, twitching in his sleep until he heard… a man?
"Natsu my boy, what are you dreaming about?" A deep and booming voice said with a chuckle, appearing out of the shadows of the little hut.
Natsu opened his eyes as he sat up on top of his bed made of straw and held his head. Running a hand through his pink locks, he looked down to see torn pieces of cloth of probably what once was his clothing along with his father: Igneel the Fire Dragon.
Oooo... get ready! Thanks for reading and feel free to review! ~Lauren
