Chapter 2
Naomi had always recovered and healed quickly; it was just part of her dragon slayer magic. But the four people who had apparently made it their mission to take care of her were surprised by her rapid healing, even the dragon slayer boy, Natsu. He was the only one who had told her his name but she had picked up the other's names by listening to their conversations. The red head's name was Erza, the blonde was Lucy, the raven was Gray, and the little blue cat was Happy. It seemed like an odd name for a flying cat but she said nothing about it. In all honesty, she hadn't spoken a word since she'd spoken to Natsu the first day after she'd woken up.
After a few days, she was totally healed and the others had gone out to do something or other, but Natsu stayed behind to see if she would talk to him again.
"So, we're gonna be leaving this town soon, seeing as you're feeling better," he started. "And Erza wanted me to see if you had any plans…"
She looked down, not sure, if she really should answer him. When she didn't he added, "Because if you didn't we wanted to know if you'd like to join our guild…"
She looked at him at that. "Guild? What guild?" she asked softly, her voice so quiet if Natsu hadn't had heightened hearing he might not have heard her.
"Fairy Tail. We're the most famous guild out there," he answered with a grin. "So what'd 'ya say? Wanna join?"
"Why should I?" she asked. "I don't see the point."
He frowned. "You travel alone right? Isn't that lonely? Don't ya wanna be in a place where you have lots of friends?"
"No. I travel alone for a reason. I don't need friends," she said. Natsu winced a little. She hadn't meant to come off as so cold, but if it got her point across then fine.
"Please? Try it? For just a little bit? If you don't like it, you can leave but… You seem really cool and you're a dragon slayer too and, well, I guess I just want to get to know you…" he said sheepishly.
"Why should I? It'd just be a waste of my time."
"What if we made a bet?" he asked.
"A bet?"
"Fight me and if you win, you can leave and I'll quit bugging you, but if I win you have to join the guild?"
"Or you could just leave me alone period."
"C'mon! Please?" he pleaded. "Please, please, please, please, please. plea-"
"Fine! I'll join your damn guild!" she snapped starting to get irritated. "But I swear to god, you better not expect me to stay long." she growled.
"Yes!" Natsu cheered jumping up and punching the air. She rolled her eyes and laid down.
This boy… She hadn't wanted to talk to him at all and yet… She had… What was wrong with her? What the hell was he doing to her that made her act so out of character? If she wasn't careful he would ruin everything she had fought so hard to put up, and would breach her wall, and that just couldn't happen.
She couldn't risk a bind like that. She couldn't have friends, or anything else but her solitude. It was the only thing that was safe.
Natsu was slightly confused by her actions, and wanted to question her about it, but it just didn't seem right. He also had noticed that she had a sad look in her eyes that she didn't seem aware of. It made him kinda sad, since it reminded him of how he felt when Igneel had disappeared and seeing as this girl was a dragon slayer too he had a slight feeling that it was somehow connected.
Somehow, he just didn't know how… It bugged him enough he was going to find out though, even if he had to follow her everywhere, which he didn't want to do since he'd seem like a stalker and that was just not his thing, and since Lucy was on his team so his stalking her didn't count.
He would get to the bottom of this, and though he knew it would take time, he was stubbornly determined. He'd figure it out and find a way to fix it if it were the last thing he did, since watching people suffer upset him just as much as someone hurting his friends. He just wouldn't stand for it. No matter what he had to do.
The others found it kind of funny that he would be willing to do this for a complete stranger but they also knew that with all the things he's gone through over the years, from being taken in by Igneel to this day, he would always be willing to help someone in their time of need, whether the person wanted the help or not. That was just how he was. He would always be like that.
As he thought all this over he looked outside the window to a tree where birds were singing a pretty song and he smiled a little. 'If only everything was as simple as a bird's song… Then again life wouldn't be as exciting so I guess it's okay…' he laughed at his own thoughts and then looked back over at Naomi. Her back was to him and his smile fell a little. 'I really wonder what happened to make her like this though… Ugh, I hate it when people are upset or hurting…' he thought pulling his knees to his chest and frowning, as he laid his chin on his knees. 'It makes me sad too…'
He heard the sound of the door opening and Happy bounded in, jumping into his lap with a grin.
"Natsu! Natsu! You have to come to the park! Erza's totally giving it to Gray! You have to come see it!" the small blue cat said cheerfully.
"Alright! About time that ice freak got it!" He cried jumping up as Happy took to the air.
"Let's go!" Happy cried flying out. Totally forgetting Naomi in his excitement Natsu followed Happy out and said girl sighed in relief and turned onto her back.
"Finally. I'm alone," she said aloud, letting her eyes fall closed. Images of Granite flashed in her mind and a few tears fell, slipping down her cheeks. Within a few minutes, she was on her side full out sobbing, unable to keep the wall that blocked her emotions up at that moment. 'It's all that boy's fault,' she thought. 'If he hadn't bugged me about that damn guild this wouldn't be happening.'
When she could finally control herself and manage to get the wall back up to block everything thing out she tried hard to go to sleep. She didn't want to deal with those people when they got back from where ever. She didn't care. She just couldn't find enough will to care…
