I Can Do It Myself

Natsu, Lucy and Happy had just recently gotten off of the train to the town where their latest job was taking place. Their job was to stop some bandits outside of town that were stealing and harassing the town. "Uuugh... I'm never riding a train ever again..." Natsu groaned. "Too bad we need to take the same train back once we finish our job." Happy said. Natsu just hung his head and groaned. "You better get your game-face on soon Natsu. We've gotta find those bandits soon." Lucy said. And just like that Natsu was back to %100 energy. "Alright! I'm all fired up!" he shouted. "How are you feeling better so fast!?" Lucy asked.

The three were almost at the edge of the small town when they were stopped by a little old woman. "Eh! What do you kids think you're doing!? It's dangerous in those woods!" she shouted. "Excuse us, we were the wizards hired to arrest the bandits outside of town." Lucy said to the old woman. "Eh! Sorry 'bout that! Well I'm the one who hired ya!" the old woman said with a smile. She looked at the three Fairy Tail wizards. "Eh? So what do we got here?"

She examined each one very carefully. "Um Natsu... what's she doing?" Lucy whispered. "Being a hag?" Natsu replied. "Eh!? So you're all that's gonna take on those bandits?!" the old woman asked. Lucy raised a finger to explain but she was interrupted by the woman. She pointed to each one of them and said "Eh! There's a pinked-haired boy! Some pretty girly girl! And a blue flying cat!" she shouted. "Lucy... she's loopy. She said you were pretty." Happy whispered to Lucy. "Stupid cat..." Lucy whispered back. "Well we are all Fairy Tail wizards!" Lucy said as she pointed to herself with her thumb. "Yeah! We're the best of the best, old lady!" Natsu said. "Aye!" Happy added. "Eh. Well as long as you think you can do it. I have faith in you kids!" the old woman said. "What's with her change in attitude?" Lucy whispered. "Eh! What are ya waiting for? Go get them bandits!" the old woman shouted. "Aye!" the three said in unison as they ran into the forest.

The three Fairy Tail wizards were now wandering the woods, looking for the bandits camp. Lucy was being vigilant while Happy was flying above the forest to see if he could spot anything. Natsu was just walking with his hands behind his head, keeping his nose ready to smell anything suspicious. "What was that old lady's deal? She was weird." Natsu said. "I don't know. She's probably stressed out over the bandits." Lucy replied. "Or she's just old and crazy." Natsu added. "Yeah, that too.". While they were walking, Lucy was thinking about the conversation she had with Mirajane the other day. "Me and Natsu dating... pfft, as if. Why does Mira always obsess over that kinda stuff. I mean, me and Natsu are best friends, nakama!" Lucy thought. "Hey Luce." Natsu said as he grabbed Lucy's shoulder. Lucy was so deep in thought that Natsu's actions startled her. "W-what?" she asked. "You okay? You looked like something was buggin' you." Natsu stated. Lucy turned her head away from Natsu to hide the blush that appeared on her face. "I'm fine, you weirdo. Let's just keep looking." she replied. Natsu just shrugged and kept walking.

"Guys!" They could hear Happy say as he flew back down from above the forest. "Happy, did you see anything?" Natsu asked. "I saw smoke coming from this direction. Follow me!" Happy said. Happy flew towards the direction she said the smoke was coming from and the two wizards followed. After running for a bit Natsu suddenly grabbed Happy and Lucy and hauled them down behind a bush. "Get down!" Natsu said. "Ah! What the hell?" Lucy said. Natsu put a finger to Lucy's lips, signalling her to be quite. They all peeked from behind the bush to see the bandit camp that was right in front of them. "Okay, on the count of three, we're gonna jump out, and beat the crap out of 'em all." Natsu whispered. "No, how about we surround them, and then we jump out." Lucy suggested. "Okay but are you sure? If we all go out in a group, then they can't over power us." Natsu said. Lucy made a slightly irritated/insulted face. "I can handle myself, Natsu." Lucy whisper-shouted. "Okay, just makin' sure.".

The three took their positions, surrounding the bandits. It was three against fifteen. So the odds are in their favor. Lucy and Happy agreed to jump out once Natsu did, so they were waiting for his go. "Oi, when we gonna 'it up that town again?" one bandit said to another. "T'night when they're all sleepin'.". "Beautiful. I can't wait ta get me some more loot. Eh, maybe we can snag one of their girls. Some of them were lookin' mighty pretty last time." "Ehehehehe, good idea mate.". "Ugh... what pigs." Lucy whispered to herself. Then suddenly Natsu jumped out. "You leave those girls alone, you bastards!" Happy flew out, armed with a sick. "Aye sir!" Lucy also jumped out, key in hand. "Open, door to the maiden, Virgo!" Virgo then appeared in a puff of smoke. "Punishment time, princess?". "No! Beat up those guys!" Lucy shouted. Natsu let out a battle cry and fire dragon punched a group of bandits. "What da 'ell!? Wizards!?" one of the bandits said before he fell into a hole that Virgo made. "Where the hell did these guys come from!" another bandit said before Happy flew by and hit him with his stick. The battle was very one sided. Natsu was taking out Bandits one by one, while Happy flew about, hitting and distracting them, and Lucy was using Virgo to trap the Bandits in holes.

"Arg! I ain't gonna let no wizard punks stop me!" a bandit shouted. "Fire!" he said as she shot fire towards the flying cat, but missed. "Whoa! This guy can use magic! He has a fire ring on!" Happy shouted. The bandit growled, then took aim at Natsu. Natsu just stood there and grinned a devious grin at the bandit. "Burn in hell, brat! Fire!" the bandit yelled as she shot fire at Natsu. The bandit laughed at his successful hit. Then his jaw dropped at what he was seeing. Natsu was eatting his fire attack. "Man, this fire tastes awful." Natsu said as he was eating the fire. "Ah! Thanks for the meal." Natsu said after he was finished. "Fire dragons roar!". The bandit stuck his ring out."Fire shield!" the bandit said as a wall of fire appeared in front of him, blocking Natsu's attack. "What the?" Natsu said. The bandit then turned to Lucy. "Heh, I bet you can't eat fire." he said with a sly grin. "Eep!" Lucy said. The bandit aimed his ring at Lucy and shot a fire ball at her. Lucy got in a ready stance. Then suddenly Natsu jumped in front of her and pushed her out of the way, letting the fire ball hit him. "Oof!" she said as she fell on the ground. Natsu then lunged at the bandit. "Fire dragons iron fist!" he shouted as his fist collided with the bandits face, sending him towards one of Virgos holes which he then fell down into. And with that, all of the bandits were trapped in holes.

Virgo walked over to Lucy. "Princess are you alright?" she asked. "Yes, I'm fine. You can go back now." Lucy said as she got up rubbing her behind. Virgo disappeared into a puff of smoke and went back into the spirit world. Natsu walked up to Lucy with a big grin on his face. "We did it Luce!" he said. Lucy had an angry look on her face. She shoved Natsu in his chest with both of her hands. "What the hell was that?!" she shouted. "What was what?" Natsu asked. "You pushed me! I could of handled that guy myself!". "I just tried to save you. I didn't want you to get hurt.". "Well I didn't need you to save me! I don't always need you to stand up for me, Natsu! I can do it myself!". "Lucy I'm sorry. I just-". "Y'know it doesn't feel very good when you do stuff like that. It makes me feel helpless and weak.". "But you're not helpless and weak Lucy!". "Then let me handle myself, Natsu!". And with that Lucy stomped off, back into the woods. Natsu just stood there. He was feeling angry at Lucy for yelling at him, but at the same time, he knew where she was coming from. Natsu did protect her a lot. And he wouldn't like it if someone was always protecting him too. "Lucy's scary." Happy said. "Nah... she's just..." Natsu said but finished with a sigh. Then Lucy suddenly came back. She had her arms crossed and she refused to look at Natsu. "I only came back because I don't know how to get back to town on my own." she said. Natsu chuckled and said "Okay. Let's head back then."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE ONLY PAYING US HALF?! WE STOPPED THE BANDITS JUST LIKE YOU ASKED! THE AUTHORTIES ARE GOING TO ARREST THEM RIGHT NOW!" Lucy snapped at the old woman. "Eh! I know you stopped them, but you caused a forest fire while doing so!" Lucy shot a glare at Natsu that could rival Erza's. Natsu just nervously gulped and stepped back from the pissed off spirit summoner. "Ugh... fine. We're sorry about the fire." Lucy said to the old woman. "Eh! Here's your money. Thanks for the help. Now scram!" the old woman said. Lucy took their pay, and divided it between the three. She handed Happy his share and chucked Natsu's at him, letting it fall on the ground, and then angerly walked towards the train station. Natsu bent over to pick up his share and then followed his angry friend. "Gee Natsu, Lucy sure is pissed at you." Happy said. Natsu didn't reply. He just had a contempt look on his face. He didn't like that Lucy was angry at him, but he knew he deserved it. "This is gonna be a loooong train ride home." Happy said. "Ugh." Natsu said as he hung his head, dreading the ride home.

Natsu, Happy, and Lucy were now leaving the train station in Magnolia and were walking towards the guild. The sun was almost fully set and the day was coming to an end. Natsu and Lucy were walking side by side, but weren't speaking to each other. They were now in front of Lucy's apartment. "I think I'm gonna call it a day guys." Lucy said to the two. "You don't wanna come to the guild?" Happy asked. "Nah." Lucy said. "Okay. See you tomorrow, Luce!" Natsu said. "Natsu, wait." Lucy said as she grabbed his wrist to stop him. "Look... I'm sorry for getting so mad at you earlier. That was really unfair of me." Lucy said. "It's fine Lucy. You had a right to get mad. I know you're strong but I just really hate to see you when you're hurt, y'know?". "I know. Thanks for looking out for me Natsu.". Lucy smiled a small smile at Natsu and he smiled a big one back. Then he wrapped his arms around her for a quick make up hug. This surprising action made Lucy blush a little. Natsu unwrapped his arms from Lucy and said "See ya tomorrow!" Natsu said and him and Happy walked off. She smiled and then stepped into her apartment building. "You silly idiot." Lucy thought.