They had finally lost the guards by the time the moon was in the sky and the stars winked at them. Natsu found a shelter made from the very large uprooted roots of an oak tree. Lucy had summoned one of her spirits, Virgo, to help set up the camp, spreading out bedrolls, and gathering wood for Natsu to light a fire.
He watched her from the other side of the flame, she had changed out of that dress and into a shirt that covered her neck, the billowing sleeves was a dark royal blue. Her dark skirt similar to the dress but the slits stopped a little up the mid thigh length, and she now wore knee high leather boots, her long hair braided back, and shone in the fire light.
He too had changed, thanks to Virgo who had tackled him and tried dressing him herself. He now wore fitted pants and a long sleeved tunic similarly cut like Lucy's skirt, in the same matching navy blue, but with golden accents. And his cloak held to his body with leather straps, a matching belt to go with it. And then the pushy spirit had taken away his sandals and switched them with leather boots, leaving him his scaly scarf.
"Where did you learn your magic?" His thoughts were interrupted as he blinked, focusing on the golden haired mage in front of him. He was still in a little shock from what had happened earlier.
"My father, he's a dragon," Natsu answered, reaching over the fire to turn over the fish he had caught.
Happy purred as Lucy stroked his head, she didn't seem to be fazed by the odd looking cat with wings. She nodded, focusing on the fire. "I thought dragons were extinct a long time ago," she murmured, her brows coming together.
He shrugged "Well my Pops wasn't, so there's that." it had come out harsher than he meant it to, but when he looked up to read her face, it didn't seem she was even bothered.
She just looked thoughtful, staring into the flames. "I see, my mother taught me to use my magic before she died." She said, looking at him. One secret for another.
He glanced at the fish, quickly taking it off the fire before it got burned, and hanging on stick to Lucy, taking the other for himself and throwing Happy a raw fish. They ate in silence, the only noise was the crackling of the fire or the sudden roar of a wild beast.
The roar had sent Lucy flying to her feet, her staff in hand and glowing as she muttered something under her breath. Even though Natsu had excellent hearing, Lucy spoke so softly and quickly he couldn't make out a word she was saying.
Happy was by her side, wings flared out and teeth bared, snarling as she stared out into the darkness. "I don't like this at all. It's too dark." he muttered. He looked up at Lucy who had stopped muttered and scanned the darkness. "What were you mumbling Lucy?"
Lucy looked down at him, "A protection spell," she answered, glancing back at Natsu. He only watched his cat and his new companion look into the woods for the beast. "You two go and sleep, I'll take first watch." she says, voice firm.
He watched with furrowed brows as she walked around the small camp, dragging the top of her staff on the ground creating a circle around it, then drawing weird symbols too, pounding the butt of her staff on the ground twice before turning back to them, Happy now at his side.
"That is a protection circle, plus with the runes around it and the spell i already said we should be safe from any outside intruders." she says looking determined. "Since you guys helped me out back there, i'll pay you back by taking the night watch."
Natsu looked down at Happy, and Happy looked up at him.
Is it really okay to let her take the first watch? I mean we didn't even mean to help her. Happy murmured through their bond.
Yeah, i mean i just grabbed her hand… i mean if she really wants to, then why not? The more sleep the better. Natsu shrugged, feeling just a twinge of guilt at what he had "said". But, hey what's wrong with sleeping in just a bit?
Aye!
Natsu looked over at Lucy who watched with with a thoughtful face, "Sure, if you really want to Luce, go ahead. Just wake us up if you need anything, okay?"
Lucy nodded and turned back to watching the forest, planting her feet in the ground. Natsu didn't take any notice to it as he and happy curled up on their bed rolls, muttering a good night and passing out.
. . .
Lucy stayed in the same sport that whole night. She didn't even flinch as numerous monsters came and go, some pounding against the barrier and hissing when the runes glowed and whispered, burning them. Even with her gifted powers, each spell she casted, whether it's a barrier spell or summoning one of her demons, she felt what they felt. When a monster tried breaking the barrier, she felt the sudden jolt and slight pain of each shock the barrier went through.
It was a small price to pay. And the bigger the spell, the more pain.
She didn't mind as her new comrades slept, it must have been hell trying to travel in forests. Though she traveled a lot, she always stayed in towns, near people, dealing with demons or beasts only if she had to. Plus, she hated the dark.
For the long hours she just waited and watched,until one monster kept at it, pounding at the barrier and she to step out to deal with it. Earning a limp in return for it's death.
She let out a breath of relief as the sun's morning light flooded through the grim forest. Monster don't usually come out during the day, so she was safe for now.
She glanced over her shoulder at Natsu and Happy, Happy was now laying on Natsu's stomach and Natsu just snoring away. She chuckled to herself, blinking a few times to steady herself, she had used a lot of magic energy with that barrier, plus with summoning her demons from earlier. It was just now hitting her, she hadn't even realized she used that much. She shoved her exhaustion aside and set off to find some things for breakfast.
Her staff in the air and resting on her shoulder Lucy wandered around the forest, gathering different mushrooms, eggs, and other things she thought would be good to cook. Until she heard thunderous footsteps behind her.
And then loud sniffing. Huffing, coming closer and closer.
Lucy prepared her staff, tensing as she turned around to face it. This was the beast that had roared last night. The monster had some jacked up face with jagged teeth and hundreds of eyes. It towered over Lucy, a little bigger then Dragon Natsu.
Then it saw her.
Those eyes turned on her, and then it snarled, a noise that rattled her bones.
She pounded her staff on the ground, readying herself to call one of her demons, seeing a lake near by. She pointed her staff at it, her staff's top changing into coral and water, "I call thee, Aquarius!"
The water stirred and trembled at the siren appeared from it. Her face slightly rotten, yet still beautiful with her large blue eyes and sneering mouth. Her hair was made of seaweed, brushed together to create green locks, and she slightly decaying fishtail decorated with seashells and nets. On her arms she cradled a pot, where she magic came from.
"Hello Brat." she jeered, facing the tired looking mage. "Are you alone again? No boyfrien-" she didn't finish as the beast lunged at her, forgetting Lucy entirely. Aquarius roared, baring sharp teeth at the best as her acidic water was poured onto it like waves.
Lucy twirled her staff, it slowly melting into a glowing whip as she braced herself beside Aquarius, lunging out with it. They were doing well, driving the monster back into the forest, before she remembered it had a tail.
And it remembered too, because it lashed it out, sending Lucy flying into a tree, the breath knocked right out of her. She gagged, breathing heavily, and coughing. The last of her magic energy vanished with Aquarius, as she struggled to get up. She was so tired.
She struggled to get up, leaning on the tree for support as she looked up at the beast, and then blinked as it was set on fire.
"I told ya to wake us up if you needed help," Natsu growled, appearing before her.
Happy was at her side, helping her to the ground. "Are you okay Lucy? You've got some weird colored bruising. And your skirt and are all ripped up."
Lucy blushed, looing down at her clothes, they covered what they needed too, just a little ripped shorted then it was before. "I'm out of magic energy, that's all. Plus i just got thrown into a tree."
Natsu huffed from in front of them. "Should have woken us up," he muttered. "Why the hell are you even out here?"
"I was looking for things to cook for breakfast," Lucy answered, closing her eyes and leaning her head on the tree, she had a headache.
"Oi, Luce, you don't owe us anything, so stop trying to 'make it up' to us. Alight?" he asked, watching at the beast burned down to ashes before turning around to pick her up, bridal style. "Hey Happy, fly ahead and pack everything up, she's out of magic power so she needs to rest up."
"Aye sir," Happy called as she took off, leaving the two alone. Natsu began to walk through the woods, muttering under his breath, "You're so weird Luce," before she fell alsleep.
