It was getting late. The sky was already dark outside, and these were rough times. I wanted to get home soon, as it was cold. Winter was still a far way to go, but it was just some of those chilly days. I waved goodbye to the few people who were still hanging around at the guild and started walking home.
I pulled my cloak around me, for one, to shield me from the cold, and the other, to mask my identity. I took fast steps towards my apartment as I missed it after my three-day long job. I sighed. It was my first job without Natsu. I hadn't seen him at the guild the whole day; neither did I see Happy, so I assumed they'd gone out on a job. But, there still was a feeling at the back of my mind that this wasn't the case.
A cold wind blew, making me shiver. I pulled my cloak tighter around me. I had to go and have a hot shower at home soon. Just thinking about one made me feel relaxed. I walked on faster, to reach my destination as soon as possible.
There were no street lights on one particular road, and I tripped. I thought it was a stone at first, but then I noticed it was warm, no, not just warm, it was hot, and it was soft too. I turned back I got back up, and with the help of as faint light could make out that it was the figure of as person. I was about to walk on, but I saw something that stopped me. It was a scarf. A scarf that looked like a dragon's scales.
I recognised it immediately, it was Natsu. A wave of worry flooded me. I walked back to him, and looked closely to check if it really was him. It was Natsu. I tried waking him up, but he was unconscious. He was breathing heavily and his body was hot. Natsu was usually warmer than normal people, but it was completely different this time. He was burning hot. He had a fever. I quickly took off my cloak. He needed it more than me.
I searched around for Happy. He was nowhere to be seen. That left me no choice. I had to take him on my own. I lifted him up with great difficulty, and started walking home. Natsu seemed heavier than he ever was. It must have been because of the fever.
The only thing I didn't understand was how he got there, and why he was lying down like that on the street, out of everyone's view. Was it an enemy? Natsu could have defeated anyone if he wanted to. I had faith in him. He wasn't weak. Or was it someone whom he couldn't fight? Rather someone who overpowered him? I didn't think there could be anyone like that.
It couldn't be a usual brawl, or he wouldn't be knocked out. It seemed too convenient. Firstly, he was on a street with no street lights; secondly, he was in a corner where almost no one would notice him. Happy was not with him too. The most important thing though, was that he was knocked out. That alone was enough to raise suspicion, at least among the guild members.
The only thing I could think of was that he was caught offhand, and knocked out. I decided to think about in detail later as I saw my apartment come into view. I could always ask Natsu about what happened rather that speculate theories about it in my over-imaginative brain.
When I was inside and had locked up my door, I lay Natsu on the bed and checked his temperature. It was pretty high, but I couldn't take him to the guild's infirmary. Everyone would be gone and I was too tired to go anyways.
Carrying Natsu had made me too tired even to think. I was not in a condition to even take a shower, so I just got ready to make my make-shift bed. I'd have to sleep on the floor... even in this cold! I pushed my mental baggage to the back of my brain and went to sleep without even taking a blanket or a pillow.
I dreamt of different things that made no sense at all, and they were boring, as usual. We were in port Hargeon, Levy and I. We entered a restaurant to satiate our hunger after a whole day of shopping. The restaurant was empty, even though it was a weekend. The size of the restaurant was nothing to laugh at either. It was about the size of our own guild.
A waiter came up to us with water. It seemed a pleasant place enough so we didn't understand why no one else was dining at the place. We got our food soon, and dug in. It was nothing to complain about. It tasted of something familiar, yet I couldn't grasp it immediately. I wasn't something I'd tasted before, as in food, but I'd tasted it in feeling. The food started tasting repulsive, but it wasn't the food. It was the vibes I got. I didn't know how it affected us directly from the food, though. I finally realised what I tasted.
It was bloodlust. Before I could warn Levy, she passed out. I became more alert than I was when I entered the restaurant. I tried waking Levy up, but she gave no response, and I could sense no magic power from her. I thought it was because I was dizzy myself, but the place was very suspicious in itself. If it wasn't, then Levy wouldn't have fainted, and I wouldn't have lost my magic power. I wanted to summon a spirit to help me, but my magic power depleted greatly when I tried to do it. I tried to leave with Levy, but a sharp blow at the back of my head prevented me from doing so.
The next I knew, I was surrounded by something all around me. It was cold, and I couldn't breathe. My muscles wouldn't move an inch, either, for me to surface and catch my breath. My field of vision was narrowed because I was still dizzy, but I could notice Levy, still knocked out, and she was in a condition far worse than mine. I tried all I could to reach out to her, but all was in vain.
I couldn't hold my breath in any longer, and my consciousness started fading away. Just then, I felt a warm sensation around me. I wanted to scream out that it was actually Levy that needed the help, but my tiredness got the best of me, and I fainted.
The rest of the dream elapsed into something happier.
I woke up soon, only to find myself in my own bed. I searched around for Natsu, calling for him, but I got no response. I figured he must have left early as it was already ten when I woke up. I just hoped that he was better. His fever was bad the last night.
I wanted to ask him about what happened that day, but at the same time, I was also thankful he wasn't there. I needed some time for myself and a breakfast that wouldn't set me back on my reserve cash. Natsu could easily exhaust my whole week's supply of food in one meal.
I went down to the kitchen to make myself a decent breakfast that would help me regain my lost energy. These cold days weren't made for me.
I wanted to have some comfort food, and the only idea that came to my mind (actually screaming at my mind) was Pancakes. I made my pancakes and sat down at the table, slowly chewing down my food. I kept staring at the wall, and imagined different shapes forming on it. It helped me take my mind off the issue of the previous night.
When I was finally done with my breakfast, I went and got dressed to go to the guild. My cloak was nowhere in the house, so I assumed it must still have been with Natsu. I took out my beige overcoat as a replacement for it, and stepped out of the house. It was still chilly. I walked to the guild fast, so I could be warmed by the heat lacrima in the guild that acted as a fireplace.
The fireplace (or heat lacrima), was in the centre of the guild, so that no one, and no one at all, could fight for it. It also kept the guild livelier, if that was even possible.
The weather was not usually this cold, even in the winters. It was an odd thing. There was hardly ever anyone outside (and there was more than enough reason for that), as the cold was severe, there was no moisture in the air and there were hardly any clouds due to that. The trees were all almost withered, and above all, there was a deathly silence in the air. Even the wind that blew whispered an eerie and empty silence that would send a chill down the spine, even if it weren't for the cold.
I reached the guild sooner than I had expected, and ran toward the heat lacrima to warm myself up, before I went to meet anyone. I heard someone stomping towards me.
"Lu-chan!" she said in an angry tone. "I've been waiting for you for so long."
"Levy-chan! I'm sorry. I woke up late. I was very tired last night. Bye the way, have you seen Natsu?"
"No. We've not seen Happy or him for the past three days. They might still be on their job."
I shook my head. "I met Natsu yesterday. Well, not exactly met, but at least I saw him."
Then I spilled out to her everything that happened the previous night.
She let out a sigh. "I don't know what could've happened. Anyway, let's go in. Mira-san wanted to do something fun."
"Like what?"
"You'll see."
We went there and Mira-san smiled her wonderful smile that could make anyone's day. But somehow, I was still uneasy. The dream, which shouldn't have bothered me, was hitting at me from the back of my mind. I felt there was something more to it than of it just being a dream; only, I didn't know what.
I tried to avoid it taking the main focus of my mind, and enjoyed the game that Mira-san had set for us after that task was accomplished.
When it started becoming dark outside, I took my leave, and went home soon, without paying much attention to anything else around me. The usually lively Magnolia was now deserted, and it wasn't a very nice sight.
I reached home and first went to the shower. As soon as the hot water touched my skin, I felt all the tiredness leave me. I stood under the shower for a long time, the water helped loosen my body after the cold had nearly frozen it. I got out of the shower and changed into a pair of pyjamas.
I wasn't hungry, so I just drank some milk and I went back upstairs to complete my book. I sat down at my desk letting my hand flow, filling the page with the words that seemed to just come one after another continuously. I didn't stop writing till I was very sleepy. I got into my warm, cozy bed and turned off the lights. Hardly a few minutes after I went to sleep, the window started rattling, and the sound woke me up.
The minute I got up to pull the curtains; there was a sharp knock on my window. I couldn't make out the figure outside, and wanted to just get over with anything that disturbed me, so I could go to sleep.
I opened the window, and gasped because of the cold wind that chilled me to the core. I didn't take notice of the person, but somehow he entered and closed the window before another gust of air could affect me (I happened to know that it was a 'he' that came in due to my intuition that I lacked in until recently, but it had suddenly bestowed its ever shining light upon me.)
I came back to my senses once the window closed, and I called out to know who came in (even though the answer should have been obvious to me), "Who is it? How can you disturb a girl in deep sleep? And that too, in this time of night?"
But before I could even get a response, the window glass broke, and the glass struck me in my elbow. I sensed the imminent danger, and got off my bed, ready to attack in case anything happened, but the glass stuck in my arm pained my to an extent where I couldn't even think clearly.
And before I could even figure out what was going on, a wave of calm spread over me, and I slipped into oblivion.
When I woke up, it was already morning. The pain in my left hand had subsided a lot, I looked at my arm. It was bandaged, but not properly. It seemed to be done by a complete amateur. I sat up in my bed, and pulled the curtains to the sides, but immediately closed it when I realised the window was broken. I didn't want another taste of that cold wind that upset my system all the time. I heard the turning of the doorknob to my room, and I looked curiously to see who entered.
The door creaked open, revealing Natsu. I sighed with relief. I couldn't believe it was Natsu that bandaged me. Actually, I could, since it was done so horribly, but I never thought 'he' would administer medication to anyone. He was too dumb for that. I had never seen him do anything as such.
Well, I'd seen him do work when we were out on jobs, but it was never constructive, or even if it was constructive (which was rarely the case), I didn't expect it to be of this sort.
He entered and smiled widely when he entered.
"Good morning. How's your wound?"
I scowled. "Try using the door for a change."
"I just used one now."
"Not this time; I meant, when you knocked at my window in the night." I paused. "And don't disturb me so late."
He didn't say anything for a while. I guessed he was thinking. Really? That Natsu. Thinking? I couldn't believe it.
His stomach answered for him by growling loud. I sighed. Then he spoke "I came in last night because I was hungry."
Well, if he just had to say that, he needn't have thought about it that much. Something wasn't right.
"Can't you make your own food? Ugh. Okay, I'll make something."
"Hey, Lucy, don't be so mean. I know you are a nice person."
"Well, you're wrong about that. I'm not a nice person."
"Okay. I'm sorry about bandaging you."
"Thank you for that. Oh! Didn't I thank you before?"
"No."
"Sorry."
"Hmm."
I went down to the kitchen to make something. After breakfast was done, I went to replace my bandages while Natsu followed me all around. I decided to get some answers from him.
"Natsu, answer me a few questions."
"Okay."
"Why were you lying on the streets that night? You had a fever too. What happened? Where was Happy? Why did you leave so early yesterday? It seemed strange. Did someone attack you? Why didn't you fight back then? Were you caught by surprise? But you weren't even hurt. I'm confused. Okay. What happened?"
"Those were too many questions, and I don't know what happened myself. I felt a strange magic, and went to investigate it. I don't know what happened after that."
"You didn't find anything then? I was really worried."
"No, but thanks for saving me that night. I forgot to tell you earlier. And I left without saying anything too. I went to search for Happy, that's why."
"Oh! Okay, that's no problem. Did you find him?"
"No. I forgot that he went to meet the Exceeds along with Carla and Lily."
"You're such a blockhead."
"No... I'm not a blockhead."
"Say what you want. You know the truth yourself."
"What truth?"
"You're pathetic."
"Don't say that Lucy."
"Hmm."
Then, we didn't speak again until I had finished bandaging my arm. Somehow, it felt like the reason behind Natsu lying on the streets the other day was not something to just pass off. It was more complicated than it seemed.
Natsu and I soon went to the guild. I didn't want to waste any time. I'd promised Levy-chan to help her. She wanted to bake cookies for Gajeel. I found it humorous that the two of them got along so well. I wanted to tease her about it. She wouldn't take it seriously anyway.
She told me that she needed my help yesterday, but I was in too much of a hurry to get home for me to even consider teasing her.
We reached the guild in a few minutes and I hurried on toward the fireplace. The weather got colder and worse with each oncoming day. Even Gray, whose habit of stripping never left him in any kind of weather, wore two layers of clothes on these days. The most incredible part, though, was that he hadn't stripped even once for quite some time.
Levy came and pulled me out my reverie soon.
"Lu-chan! Lu-chan! LU-CHAN! Come on now, we have work to do."
"Yes, yes, Levy-chan… wait. Where do we go?"
"My dorm of course, Lu-chan."
"Right. Come on, we have cookies to bake."
We stepped out of the guild and I asked her if she was bringing anyone else.
"No Lu-chan. I've only told you about it. If I tell anyone else, word will go around."
"I see…"
"What do you 'see'?"
"You don't want anyone to know that you like Gajeel."
She blushed and turned away from me to hide her red face. She didn't say anything until we reached her dorm. I didn't say anything either, though the urge to tease her was very much.
Levy's dorm was cozy. It was full of bookshelves.
I wanted to finish writing soon, because I knew Levy would be a good critic and also that she was waiting to read my book.
We hung around her bedroom for a while. Around lunch time, we went to the kitchen to finish with our baking.
Levy made me laugh by saying that instead of chocolate chips, she wanted to add iron screws. I told her it was a good idea, so we decided to do it.
When the cookies were done, we just packed it into a box. We didn't dare take a bite of it, for fear of losing our teeth.
We ate a hearty lunch, and went to Levy's study. She had some of the most beautiful stationery which complemented her writing.
Levy asked me to stay with her for a sleepover, but I cleverly refused it. I couldn't let Levy see my arm.
Levy got more worried about such things than even Mira-san. She would tell me to stay with her the entire time, but now, I was determined to complete that book.
I couldn't complete it if I wasn't at home. Levy was such a great friend of mine, and had always supported me in whatever I wanted to do. I had to give her something in return.
We left her house and walked to the guild. It was a short walk, so we decided to stop by a few shops nearby that promised good stuff.
It soon got dark outside, and I left to Levy and walked on home.
All the shops around me were closing. I passed by the magic store where I bought my key to the celestial spirit Nicolas. I retraced my steps to the steps to the shop, and entered, for I felt a need to buy something (I was still in the shopping mood).
I looked through the shop and found a heat lacrima. It reminded me of Natsu. I bought the lacrima so it could keep my room warm. It also strangely attracted me (it was on sale), and then, after buying it, I continued home. The cold got progressively worse, so I hurried home, thinking of a warm, relaxing shower.
I think I was walking with my eyes closed, because I ran into a pole. Rather, I only thought it was a pole. I felt icy when I banged into it. I felt my head my head I took a step back. There was a slight bump. I really thought it was a pole until then.
I was about to walk on, when the so called 'pole' started talking "Are you fine, miss?"
It was a sweet voice that spoke, which seemed befitting of a little girl. I turned up to answer. "Well, yes, I think I'm fine."
I noticed the girl then. She was a lot taller than me, and was in an outfit that didn't seem suitable for the weather. She apologised, saying that she should've been more careful.
"No, no, that's fine. But are you okay? You seem worse. Do you need anything?"
"I'd just like to get a place to rest. That's more than I'll need."
As the guild was closer to me than my own home, I took her there. I could worry about going home later.
Mira-san was yet to go home, so I told her that the girl next to me needed help. I immediately pulled the girl over to the heat lacrima and Mira-san got her some hot coffee.
The girl became relaxed, and some colour came into her previously pale cheeks. When I looked at her then, under proper light, I saw that she was beautiful. She had sharp features, teal coloured irises and long lilac hair that reached her waist. Her complexion was cream and roses, which surprisingly, suited her other features.
The colours would seem awkward on a person usually, but somehow, on her, it was magnificent. I didn't know if it was what she wore or whether she looked so good naturally, all I knew was that she was very pretty. Her beauty rivalled that of even Mira-san's, in my eyes.
I sat down at the bar counter, and looked around. There were only the three of us at the guild. I stared at the wall for a while, debating with myself about how I should go home.
Mira-san came to the counter shortly, offered to have late night snacks with us. We agreed to the idea. Then it dawned upon me that I never asked the girl her name.
"Umm… excuse me. I never did ask you your name. What do I call you?"
"Yeah. I never did introduce myself. I'm Misha. You can call me that."
"Such a nice name! Do you have a second name?"
"No. I'm just Misha. What about you? I don't know your name either."
"I'm Lucy, Lucy Heartfilia. This is Mirajane Strauss."
"I know Mira-san. She's almost always on the weekly sorcerer."
"Yeah. Our Mira-san is the best."
"I know that now."
We stopped talking for a while when Mira-san set some snacks on the counter. Misha was the first to talk, after the long pause.
"I've been meaning to join Fairy Tail for a while. I'm so glad that I arrived at the right place. Can I join?"
"Of course you can. Everyone will be so happy to see a new member in the guild." Mira-san said. She herself was beaming with joy.
"Are you sure?"
"If I wasn't, I wouldn't have told you that."
Misha smiled.
"Where would you like your guild mark, Misha?" Mira-san was already with the stamp, waiting to impress the guild mark on Misha.
"On my left hand, please."
Mira-san put the guild mark on her hand. It was a bright teal that matched the shade of her eyes.
It was already late, so I decided to save all my questions for the next day. For a moment, I'd forgotten how cold it was outside, so the minute I stepped out, I felt like I was almost frozen.
I started walking home fast, in hope that at least my body warmth would keep me from getting frozen.
I reached my home soon, and hung my coat on the coat-rack. I stripped and entered my bathroom, and I couldn't wait to get the water washing away my tiredness.
I wrapped myself in a towel and opened the door, but the lights were already on. I shrugged it off, thinking I must have accidentally left it on.
I pulled the curtains away and slipped on a bar of soap that I didn't notice, and I screamed out loud. There definitely was someone in my bathroom.
My head hit the ground, and as expected, my nerves failed me. I fainted.
