It was just another day in the Fairy Tail guild hall. Loud voices shouting, drinks spilling from their glasses as friends and comrades in arms toast. Games are being played, and laughter echoes through the hall. Cana had a large barrel of mead she was pouring down her throat. Mirajane was behind the bar talking with Levy about a recent book she had just read. Evergreen, Freed, and Bickslow were off in the corner chatting in secrecy. Erza was scolding Gray who was in his boxers as he stood on the table yelling at Elfman.
"Elfman, I'm so sick of you talking about what a real man would do, lets spar!" Gray shouted
"Gray put some clothes on, RIGHT NOW!" Erza screamed
"A real man would challenge his rival in an appropriate manner." Elfman responded
The guild hall was always lively and fun. Lucy stood at the door and her smile lit up the room. She always seemed to be in a good mood. Dressed in her patented skin tight white sleeveless shirt with blue trimmed cross, navy blue miniskirt, and side ponytail with a navy-blue ribbon. She was always easy to spot in a crowd, she was an absolute 10; she always seemed to go above and beyond to keep her bleach blonde hair always in place, her make-up looked professionally done. She was the envy of the women and the lust of nearly all men.
"I'm so glad to call this place home" She said quietly
She looked over to the mission board, oh it's Natsu and Happy. She saw him looking over the mission requests. She lifted her hand and waved trying to draw his attention.
"Natsu! Happy! What are we going to be doing today?" She shouted with a smile
Natsu and happy turned their heads to acknowledge her. Their faces brightened seeing their beloved teammate so happy. Lucy ran to them, itching to get into a mission. She was behind on her rent yet again. While she was the stunning beauty known by all, she was also a shopaholic to boot.
"Have you found anything interesting? How much does it pay?" She asked excitedly
"As a matter of fact we have. Look at this!" Natsu smiled
He held up a flyer that read
A Class Request
2-3 wizards
Mt. Hakobe peek
Search and Recover
Locate a rare healing herb that only grows on the high peeks of Mt. Hakobe. We desire a small satchel filled with the herb for medical testing.
*BEWARE OF VULCAN*
Dr. Hija
Reward 950,000
*EEEEEEEKKKKKKKK* Lucy squealed
"It's perfect, as long as we make our way up there quietly and don't encounter any Vulcan this will be super easy!" She grinned ear to ear
"Well that's only if we don't run into any Vulcan, you remember how difficult it was last time." He reminded her
Natsu had grabbed Happy with his left arm and Lucy with his right and pulled them in close.
"With the three of us it shouldn't be any problem at all!"
"You're right!" She agreed
"YUP!" Happy added
The three made their way to the bar, Mirajane approached them promptly.
"How are you three doing? Find a mission?" She said sweetly
"Heck yeah we did, we should be able to take care of this in just a few days!" Natsu relied
He pounded his fist on the bar top, squinted his eyes and grinned. Mirajane tilted her head and winked.
"As long as Erza will be joining you two I have no issues with you taking this job." Mirajane replied
"Absolutely, we'll go let her know now!" Lucy squealed
Lucy ran from the bar and approached Erza, she was still scolding Gray however.
"And for the last time, keep your clothes on you disgusting pervert." Erza shouted
"Ha ha ha ha, Erza he's never gonna stop." Lucy giggled
Erza turned to face Lucy her armor glistened in the light of the hall. She was obviously annoyed at Gray's shenanigans and quite fed up with the usual guild ridiculousness.
"Ahh, Lucy. What can I do for you?" Erza's tone changed
"We got a job from the board, we…."
"No, I have an urgent matter to take care of. I must leave immediately." She cut Lucy off
Natsu approached and held up the mission flyer. Happy flew closely behind him. Erza grabbed the flyer and browsed over it.
"Preposterous, you three are more than capable of handling this mission. I will be able to join you in two days. I will be ok with you two doing recon of the terrain, and checking for danger. However you will not start this mission until I join you!" She ordered
Natsu and Lucy turned toward eachother and smile like little children that just got their way.
"We are off to the mountain base, we better get the area scouted out." Natsu replied
"Very well, I'll see you in a few days." Erza said commandingly
Lucy and Natsu nodded at one another.
"Meet me at the train in 45 minutes, and remember to grab something warm." Natsu teased
"I won't be making that mistake again!" She smiled back
*1 Hour 20 minutes passed*
Natsu was pacing back and forth on the train platform, loudly stomping his feet in detest at the situation.
"Where the heck could she be, I said 45 mintes. I don't remember saying oh Lucy take your time. No it's not like trains run on a schedule or anything. They'll wait for you!" Natsu muttered to himself
"Hey Natsu, Happy sorry I'm late I had to buy a thicker coat. I couldn't find one thick enough." She apologized
Lucy was toting a reasonable suitcase and a small satchel. Natsu was pleased that she didn't seem to pack too much. The trio boarded the train and found their seats. Lucy knew it was only going to be a matter of time until Natsu turned green from his motion sickness. After placing their luggage in the stowage shelf they sat down and Lucy took the opportunity to catch a nap during the trip. It was a mere 2 hour train ride to the small town of Rakuba at the base of Mt. Hakobe.
"I'm going to take a quick nap, I have to conserve my strength to drag you off the train when we get there" She chuckled
"OH, HA HA HA VERY FUNNY LUCY. YOU KNOW I HATE RIDING ON TRAINS AND BOATS." He shouted
"Natsu calm down everyone is staring, you're making a scene." She quieted him down
The passengers resumed their boarding. Lucy used her satchel and placed it against the window and placed her head against it. She scooted her hips away from the window and in doing so her skirt rose up just to the point where Natsu could see a flash of white lace. He cocked his head to the side and his skin was on fire. He had never really taken an opportunity to sneak a peek, but he wasn't going to pass this one up. Erza wasn't there to spoil it or scold him. He squinted his eyes like he was going to get some sleep also and traced his gaze up her soft thigh. Her skin was so smooth it looked like it could be softer than silk. He didn't let that stop him from advancing. He looked further in and could see the outlying traces of lace. It was a fairly subtle cute pattern around the edges of her panties. Natsu didn't even realize that his game of I SEE was causing him to tent up his pants. Just as Lucy shifted to get more comfortable He heard the worst sound he could imagine
"All aboard!" a man shouted loudly
The steam engine of the train could be heard building up pressure as he saw the train station inching past. This was all the influence he needed and his face went a pale green and he looked like he could vomit any second.
"Next stop Rakuba!" echoed through the train car
Lucy woke suddenly, hearing the announcement. She felt a cool breeze wisk between her thighs. She shuttered at the feeling and her eyes shot down to her thighs. HOLY CRAP, her skirt had ridden up and her panties were on full display. Luckily Natsu was virtually comatose or he could have been peeking this whole time.
"Wow, I'd better be a little more careful from now on!" she muttered to herself
She brushed her skirt down as she squared up in the seat. She could hear the squeaking of the breaks as the train slowed down to it's destination. She looked out the window and the mountain range was such a beautiful site. The leaves were still green but would soon change color as autumn was approaching. Lucy stood up as the train can to a quick mechanical stop pushing her forward. She stopped herself form falling by bracing her hands on Natsu, and Happy's seats. She woke Happy and grabbed her luggage, while Happy grabbed Natsu's suitcase and took flight. Lucy grabbed Natsu's arm and stood him up. She escorted him off the train and onto the Rakuba platform. She gently sat down with him on a bench, hoping he would snap to quickly. His head still slumped over and his color slowly regaining.
"One of these days Natsu you're going to have to find a suitable way to travel that doesn't leave you out of commission!" she giggled
"It's not all bad, if he didn't get motion sick he would have been staring at your panties the whole trip" Happy joked
Lucy's face turned red and she pulled Natsu's arm from her shoulder. She grabbed his chin with her hand and looked him in his eyes.
"Were you peeping at me while I was sleeping?" She asked sternly
"Luuucy, It's stilllll… Spinning!" He responded
It was useless to talk to him before he regained his 20% brainpower ( because he doesn't act like he uses anymore than that) She chuckled at her whimsical joke. She wasn't so much mad that Natsu might have snuck a peek, moreover she was shocked she had allowed her outfit to slide up in that way.
"Well he is a boy afterall, I can't expect him to be clueless forever" She said softly almost monologuing
Happy sat next to Natsu, pulling on his sleeve. It was cute to watch their interactions, they were more brothers than master and pet. This brought a smile to her face.
"Awww, what a cute couple!" An elderly woman spoke to her husband in passing
"Was she talking about us?" Lucy wondered
She kind of liked the sound of that, but wasn't sure Natsu was mature enough for it.
"So where are we going to go eat?" Natsu said casually
His demeanor was back to normal and he looked around like he wasn't nearly comatose for the last 2 hours. Lucy pushed him gently and chuckled again, he never fails to make me laugh. Lucy stood up and kept her hands to her side and patted her skirt to ensure it was in place. Natsu scanned the area and the train began to take off, leaving the station on it's way further north. He looked up at the peaks, and just seemed to get lost in the sight.
"It sure is beautiful isn't it?" He said
"Yes it is." Lucy responded
"It's so beautiful I can almost taste it." He started drooling
"Yea….. Wait, what?" she was lost
Natsu leapt up and took off in a full sprint. He didn't have a care in the world.
"Come on let's go, I SMELL FOOD!" he smiled
Her hands rose up to her hips and she looked really annoyed.
"Is that what he said was beautiful, I should have figured"
Lucy grabbed her luggage and reminded Happy to grab Natsu's as well. They walked behind the dirt trail Natsu left in his wake. The two shared friendly conversation as they made their way into town and saw Natsu. His hands and face were pressed against the glass of a café. He looked like a starving puppy that hadn't eaten in days.
"Come on Natsu, stop scaring the people eating. Lets go inside and get some food." She told him
"Don't have to tell me twice!" he said quickly
He ran past her and sat down at the first table he saw, Lucy and happy joined him. A beautiful young lady approached the table wearing tattered clothes, and unkept hair. She had a glow about her that drew attention throughout the café.
"I'm Nielle, can I bring you something to drink?" the waitress said politely
"Yeah, we'll have water, and two orders of pot stickers, three fish stickers, and an order of dumplings. Lucy, do you want anything?" Natsu said quickly
"Well Nielle what would you suggest? No, wait. Surprise me!" Lucy smiled
"I know just the thing!" she tilted her head and smiled
Nielle skipped he way back to the rear of the café humming a song. Lucy watched as all the men in the café's eyes were glued to her as she moved. Wow she sure is a popular one, she thought to herself. She even swore Natsu tried to catch a glimpse. NO, surely she was imagining things.
"Lucy, you had better eat fast. We still need to find a place to stay for the night. We're going to be up early to scout out the mountain and find the herbs we need." He stated
"Wow Natsu I'm surprised that you are actually thinking ahead, normally you'd suggest that we go tonight." She joked
Lucy placed her hands on her cheeks as she chuckled. Natsus face changed and he acted almost offended.
"I don't always rush in unprepared ya know!" he got serious
"I know I know, I was just razzing you." She replied
Nielle returned from the kitchen with a serving tray. She brought it to the table and placed their drinks on the table. She also set out a plate of dumplings in the center of the table.
"The rest of the food will be ready shortly, I apologize for the wait. I am working alone today so please bear with me." She said almost ashamed
Natsu looked up at her and smiled.
"Don't worry, you're doing your best. No need to apologize!" He said sweetly
Lucy didn't ever remember him being like this, he was making this sweet girl feel better. Maybe there's something in the air here, maybe he is maturing.
"Thank you!" She bowed
Neille backed away and grabbed the tray. She once again disappeared into the kitchen.
The three sat back in the booth and sipped their water. Lucy kept thinking about how quaint this café was. Natsu seemed to be getting a little more eager in anticipation of the food. There wasn't much in terms of conversation more of an awkward silence around the table.
"Alright here's your food"! Neille announced
They hadn't seen her approach and were kind of taken by surprise that she was able to sneak up on them like that. Neille placed Natsu's food between him and Happy, she even left one of the fish uncooked. His face lit up like he had just opened a present on Christmas morning. She placed Lucy's plate in front of her, it looked like a fish fillet with spinach and mushrooms on top. She bent down and sniffed the food.
"Oh my god, that smells amazing. Compliments to the chef!" Lucy winked at her
Neille blushed and bowed to the table and took her leave . They all dug into their food uninterested in talking while they ate. The plates were clean in a short time and they were all slumped back in their chairs. Natsu rubbed his stomach in approval. Lucy was fascinated at the flavor of the fish she had just eaten. Her cheeks blushed and she felt warm, she wasn't sure why but she blamed the food. Neille was making her way around the café and stopped at the table.
"Was the meal to your satisfaction?" she asked
"Was it ever! It was delicious!" Natsu reassured her
"It was fantastic, we're going to be around for a few days, I can guarantee you have 3 new guests every time we are in town." Lucy added
"Oh my, that makes me so happy to hear." Neille exclaimed
She brought her hands to her cheeks as she blushed. Her demeanor was adorable. Lucy paid the bill and they stood up from the table.
"Pardon me, you had mentioned that you would be around for a few days. Have you decided on a place to stay?" Neille asked
"As a matter of fact, we haven't. We were just about to go find an inn." Lucy responded
"We have rooms upstairs, I generally don't rent them out but you seem like very trustworthy people." She smiled
Natsu grinned from ear to ear. Lucy was delighted by the compliment and broke out a large smile also.
"That would be a huge time saver, and very generous of you. We will need 2 nights if that will be ok?"
"I am not sure what to charge since we don't usually rent them out, so please feel free to pay what you think is fair." Neille said shyly
Natsu and Lucy brought their hands to their sides and bowed, almost if it had been rehearsed.
"Thank you Neille, this is such a kind gesture. We greatly appreciate it." Lucy said
"It's my, pleasure" Neille smirked
Lucy's body felt hot, something had just happened. Her legs were shaking and she was trying to hold her composure. Neille lead them upstairs and showed them to their rooms. It was nothing special but it would suit the trip just fine. They wouldn't be spending much time in the room anyways. It was fairly small with a small bed, a bedside table, and a wardrobe. Lucy entered her room and placed her luggage at the foot of the bed. She still couldn't shake these strange feelings she'd been having sine they arrived at the café. Where were these hot flashes coming from, she hoped that she wasn't coming down with something. The feeling passed and she opened her suitcase and got undressed. She put on an over sized shirt and laid down on the bed. Tomorrow is going to be a long cold day.
To be continued