Starlight, Starbright

Chapter One

The Wrong Number

Natsu Dragneel carefully typed in the new number of his friend, Lisanna Strauss as he prepared to send her a text.

He was seated in the cafeteria of his school. Lisanna had been absent that day, so he wanted to tell her that he was coming by her place by 7 to drop of her notes.

Gray Fullbuster, Natsu's long time rival chose that moment to step up to him. "Oi, Flame Brain, I challenge ya to a fight."

"Not now, Ice Princess, I'm busy."

"Heh, ya scared?"

Natsu jumped up and spun around-typing the last three numbers 593 instead of 498 accidently-and glared at him. "Over my dead body!"

They fought heatedly for the next 20 minutes and then the bell rung, signaling the end of, lunch-time.

"Darn!" Natsu hissed. He hurriedly picked up his phone and typed jerkily the following message:

DragonSlayer:

Lis, i'm coming over 2 ur house at 7. See ya!

That done, he shoved his phone into his pocket and dashed to class. It wasn't touched for the rest of the day, until while waiting at for his little sister, he casually pulled it out and checked it.

A new notification had popped up. Natsu clicked on it. The message was from StarlightSpirit.

Natsu blinked at the unfamiliar name and then shrugged it off. Lisanna had changed her number so she probably would've changed her username, too. He opened up the message.

StarlightSpirit:

I'm afraid you have the wrong number. I am not the 'Lis' you have mentioned nor do I know her. Sorry.

Natsu stared at the message. He had been distracted while typing the number but…..

DragonSlayer:

Are u sure?

Minutes later, a reply appeared.

StarlightSpirit:

Perfectly.

Natsu replied.

DragonSlayer:

Sry bout that.

StarlightSpirit: No problem. :D Everyone makes mistakes.

Natsu looked up from his phone. Waiting for his sister, he had been standing near the school gates. There was no sign of her yet. Looking back at the device, he preceded to text her.

Dragon Slayer:

Wendy, what's taking u?

Almost instantly, a message arrived.

MaidenoftheSky:

I'm sorry, Natsu! I got caught with school-work…..I'm on my way over.

Satisfied, Natsu was about to reply when he noticed a message from StarlightSpirit.

StarlightSpirit:

Are you there?

DragonSlayer:

Sry, I was texting my sis.

StarlightSpirit:

Oh, you have a sister? Lucky. :D I've always wanted one.

DragonSlayer:

She's younger to me. She's only 14, but she's a super genius and skipped classes all the way to high school.

StarlightSpirit:

WOW! Are you serious?! That's amazing!

Natsu smirked in pride over Wendy as he replied.

DragonSlayer:

Yup, you got it.

StarlightSpirit:

Heh, it's kinda nice talking to you DragonSlayer. I was pretty bored until now and needless to say, that feeling's gone.

Natsu blinked in surprise and slowly typed his response.

DragonSlayer:

Yeah? Thx! It's cool talking to u, too! Y'kow, u kinda remind me of Lisanna.

StarlightSpirit:

Lisanna? Is that the friend you were trying to text?

DragonSlayer:

Yup! Ur personalities seem alike. Lis is pretty nice. She's an awesome cook, only not as good as her older sis, Mira.

StarlightSpirit:

Whoa, whoa, whoa, HOLD ON! Are oyu telling me that your friend is Mira, as in Mirajane Strauss' sister?

DragonSlayer:

Yeah, what about it?

StarlightSpirit:

Nothing, only, I know Mira. She owns Fairy Tail Café. I visit it regularly on Friday and Saturday nights.

Natsu's eyes widened.

DragonSlayer:

Really! Cool! That means you live in Magnolia, too!

He sent the message and looked up as Wendy came running up to him, panting. "Sorry for the wait!"

Natsu took Wendy's bag from her, swung it over his shoulders and ruffled her hair affectionately. "No problem, Wens. Let's get goin'."

Wendy nodded with a smile. Natsu tucked the phone into his pocket and they started to walk home.

Natsu and Wendy Dragneel lived with their mother, Grandine. Their father, Igneel was a captain in the Fiorian Army and hadn't been home for 3 years. Due to the money that he sent along with his bright, cheerful letters despite the muddy trenches, Grandine only had to work a part-time job in the mornings to support them comfortably. Natsu dreamed of being a soldier like his dad one day, and Wendy wanted to be a doctor.

"We're home!" Natsu shouted as he and Wendy stepped into the house.

There was no reply.

"Mom?" Natsu called, confused. Wendy ran toward the kitchen and Natsu quickly followed her.

Wendy reached the kitchen first and gave a little shriek at what she saw.

A glass lay on the floor, shattered. It's contents was spilled.

And, Grandine Dragneel was laying face-first on the floor.

Natsu dropped his bag and stood as if frozen.

Wendy stared for a minute and instantly took charge of the situation. Turning around, she ordered Natsu to pick up Grandine and lay her on the sofa. Then, Wendy got the first aid box and a thermometer. Checking Grandine's temperature, Wendy discovered that she had a particularly bad fever and had collapsed from the strain. Was she hurt from the fall? No, only a slight ankle sprain. It would we well in a day's time, Wendy decreed.

"Natsu," Wendy told him as she covered her mother securely with warm blankets and pressed an ice-pack to her forehead. "I need you to run down to the chemist and pickup some medicine for me. Here." She thrust a list into Natsu's hand. The pinkette nodded and flew out of the door and down the street at top speed.

As he rounded a corner, he bumped hard into someone and fell down. Natsu looked up. He saw a pretty, rather short girl with light blue hair and hazel eyes on the ground.

"Sorry!" Natsu helped her up and apologized. The girl shook her head. "It's okay. But what are you in such a hurry for?"

"I'm going to the chemist," Natsu explained. "My mother's sick and needs medicine."

"I see," the girl said sympathetically. "I hope she gets better soon. Though it's funny that you should say that, as I'm going down to the hospital to visit a sick friend."

"Oh!" Natsu blinked. "I hope your friend gets better soon," he started to leave, giving her a grin. "See ya around!"

And with that, he was gone. Natsu thought no more of the girl and the girl thought no more of him.

But, little did they know, Fate was already setting its wheels in motion.