Families filtered throughout the vendors. They talked happily to each other. Sharing gossip and negotiating prices between each other. Overall, it was a peaceful port. Everybody seemed to know and care about each other; Lucy envied that. Her eyes fondly followed a small child, with brown pigtails, yellow dress, and gleeful expression; skipping down the road. She was holding a basket of apples and in her excitement one single apple rolled toward Lucy's feet. Lucy bent down to pick up the red fruit; she kneeled in front of the blissfully ignorant child and offered the fallen apple, "Here you dropped this."
The apple was knocked out of Lucy's hand and the girl hidden behind a furious villager. She looked at Lucy in disgust and horror, "Stay away from my daughter! Don't touch her you monster."
Lucy stumbled back in shock only to dimly realize that her hood had slipped sometime throughout her walk; exposing her face for all to see. Before Lucy could utter a single word the woman quickly tugged her daughters hand and raced away from Lucy. Residents noticed the exchange and began splitting away from Lucy. Hateful glances thrown at her. She trembled and looked down shamefully making her notice the fallen apple that had started to turn black. It had quickly decayed with the touch of Lucy. Lucy stomach gnawed in horror and she quickly lifted her hood and spun to get away from the villagers. Lucy agonizes, what was she doing here again?
Lucy would only bring more harm with her presence, yet, she couldn't help but find herself wandering around Hargeon once again. No matter how many times she told herself that it was wrong, Lucy found herself back in the small port town in hopes to see him again, the pink haired mage. Lucy first saw him when she was sixteen years old:
Sixteen-year-old Lucy clenched her fists at the sight of the rogue mages dead. This had been her only lead in months only for it to come to dead end once again. She punched the post. Crackles of much sparked at the impact. Lucy glanced at the sparks hatefully, loathing rising inside her.
A voice startled Lucy from her dark thoughts, "Would you look at that, its fairy trash." A mage with a gruesome scar splitting across his eye all the way down his chin groaned to Lucy. He spittle blood as he choked out those words.
Lucy eyes widened; hope began to soar inside her. Finally, a person alive, albeit almost dead, but still he was alive and he held dear information about Zeref that Lucy needed. Lucy rushed toward the wounded old man she tugged him up by his ratty torn shirt, "Where is he? Tell me! Where's is the bastard planning now, huh? Where is he hiding her! Goddammit tell me!"
The man chortled spitting blood in Lucy's face, "Ain't going to tell nothing to a dark fairy." Lucy eyes blazed angrily, tears stinging them. She shook the man's frame. A lone tear escaping her as she saw the light fading from the man's eyes as he said those last words. Lucy dropped the mage. Her shoulders dropping. Lucy accomplished nothing, she looked around at the littered bodies; now she had to clean up his mess once again.
Lucy numbly took of her gloves and proceeded to go around the corpses, touching them with just the tip of her fingers. Soon the wind was filled with ashes; the remains of the dead long gone. Lucy stared into space, her eyes vacant. She pulled her gloves back on and kept on walking not bothering to disguise herself. She didn't have to; Lucy wore a black wig and changed her eye color with a spell. Her clothes were that of a commoner; she dressed this way because she thought she would feel better for finally getting closer to ridding herself of the affliction. But that wasn't the case, not even close.
Lucy thought she wandered unseeing of the world around her, but something startled her from her trance. It was a combination of masculine laughter and the curious sight of a pink haired male with a blue flying cat companion. Lucy's frown turned upwards slightly at the sight of his goofy grin. It seemed as if all her dark feelings vanished when she looked upon this unknown male.
After that first encounter, Lucy got intrigued and couldn't help but notice him. He seemed to be everywhere she went for the next couple of years. And after each accidental sighting she learned something new about him. Lucy had come to know that his name was Natsu and he had this kind and caring nature, he helped everyone in need. Natsu had this outrageous, but amusing appetite. He had the biggest loyalty to his cat, whom Lucy later found was named Happy. Natsu oozed all these wonderful qualities that Lucy craved to always be around. She wanted to know more about Natsu. Lucy longed to be able to go up to Natsu and become friends. This man gave light to Lucy's life. A year ago things started to turn bleak once more and Lucy told herself to avoid him at all cost before she really convinced herself to talk to him; before she could hurt him like everyone else in her life. That to Lucy's disappointment and relief wasn't a problem; the pink haired man and blue cat had vanished. Lucy didn't see him anymore no matter how hard she tried. And it stayed like that for years, until today.
Lucy's gasped in shock from finally seeing him again. The years certainly have been kind to him. Natsu had grown up to be a strong handsome man. His pink hair grew into wild locks giving him a rough look that was pleasant to Lucy's eyes. He wore a black trench coat with a single long sleeve. His other arm bare showing off his muscles and the Fairy Tail guild emblem. Lucy's cheeks flushed as her eyes roamed down his body; she shook her head, this wasn't the time to be ogling Natsu! Natsu was badly wounded, clutching his left arm. Blood seeped from the cut at an alarming rate. He had bruises all over, in other words Natsu was pretty banged up and Happy was also on the same boat. He looked fatigued and on the verge of falling at any moment. Most alarming of all was the group of bandits surrounding the two. Lucy didn't even think she whooshed in taking out two of the bandits with her fleuve d'étoiles. At the corner of her eye, Lucy glimpses metal glinting in the light going straight toward Natsu.
"Natsu, watch out!" the words tumble out of Lucy's mouth without her consent. Her body moving toward him automatically with urge to protect him at all cost. Lucy had flung herself toward Natsu making him topple toward the ground. Both stood staring at each other stunned, just inches apart. Lucy half sprawled on tpo of Natsu. Natsu made a noise of surprise at the back of his throat. Finally, the background registered to Lucy, all the bandits were scrambling toward the fallen couple. Lucy sent a burst of magic sending the mages back, unconscious. A siren blasted through the air. Lucy's shrieked in alarm. She pushed herself off Natsu tugging him up by the arm and grabbing Happy by his tail as she ran away from the approaching siren.
"Wait where are we going? Who are you?" questioned Natsu, but followed Lucy anyways.
Lucy didn't answer, but continued onwards weaving through the throng of people, effortlessly. Finally, she reached the edge of the town and the beginning of the forest. Her pace slowed at the entrance of a small wooden cabin. She tugged Natsu toward inside, setting Happy on the bed and pushing Natsu onto a chair. Lucy turned away to get her supplies only to be stopped by Natsu taking ahold of her wrist. Heat curled around her arm traveling upwards. It felt foreign, but good. Lucy couldn't remember the last time she has been touched on purpose.
"You haven't answered my questions."
Lucy stared at the man before her in confusion, Natsu shouldn't be able to do; to touch her. Lucy mentally calmed herself and replied, "Let me bandage you up first." Natsu nodded and let her go. Lucy stood there for a second surprised at the sudden lack of warmth she blushed and shook her head. The lack of human contact was making her feel like this. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was Natsu touching her.
Lucy came back into the room with a bag and a bucket of water. She took out a wet cloth and began wiping away the blood; cleaning the cloth with water when needed. Natsu stared at Lucy in blooming curiosity. His eyes roomed down her figure. First noticing her golden hair shining with light filtering in through the window. Then toward her face; Her chocolate eyes simmered with life, her cheeks flushed from the run, she tugged at her lips in concentration. Natsu was completely entranced with this mysterious woman. His gaze slowly fell down toward her lips again; Natsu unconsciously licked his own; he gulped and proceed his exploring downwards only to quickly look up his face exploding into red. This woman had a hell of a body. But Natsu didn't let her beauty cloud him from noticing her attire. This woman wasn't a normal commoner. She had to be very wealthy due to her attire and the way she held herself; almost like royalty. The sting of a needle brought Natsu back to his senses, Lucy was stitching his arm. Her eyebrows etched in concentration. She smiled in satisfaction as she finished and put on a patch to cover her handiwork.
Lucy stood up and gathered soiled bandages and began to head back to the bathroom, "Well you seem good enough to me. You can head out back home."
Lucy squeaked in surprise. Natsu had trailed behind her and slammed her against the wall. His eyes blazed with unreadable raw emotion. Lucy blushed at his close proximity. "You can't expect me to leave without getting answers. How do you know me?"
Lucy hastily escaped from Natsu warm hold and settled herself on the couch. Weariness making her shoulders slump downwards; she smiled softly thinking how Capricorn will scold her for her improper posture. "I don't know you. I just happen to see a person in trouble and decided to help." she said as she looked Natsu as straight face as possible.
"You said my name."
Lucy stared at Natsu blankly then cursed softly. Natsu snickered amusedly at the action, having a feeling that that girl in front of him didn't normally react this way. He heard her mumble a couple words that even with his dragon senses couldn't catch. "What was that I couldn't hear you?'
Lucy face redden even further, "I may or may have not been watching you sometimes."
Natsu looked at her blankly then a goofy smile spread across his face he let out a loud laugh, "You must have watched some time to know my name." Lucy grumbled and crossed her arms.
"Natsuuuuu!" Happy gasped from his unconscious state, tears filling his eyes as he flew straight into Natsu's chest, "You're okay. I thought we were done for."
"I'm okay buddy. This weirdo helped us."
"Lucy." Natsu looked up at her in surprise, "My name is Lucy, not weirdo, Lucy."
"Oh that's great! This is Happy and I'm…"
"Natsu. I know"
Happy looked at Lucy then backed into Natsu, he whispered in his ear loudly, "You're right, Natsu she is weird."
Lucy's irritation spiked. "Alright I can hear you, stupid cat. Since you both seem so well and energetic I think you should leave."
"But we just got here. And I'm still so tired from the fight. Right Happy?"
"Aye!" he tumbled out Happy energetically as he flew upwards starting to explore the small household.
Lucy sighed and rubbed a hand down her face. "Alright just don't make a mess. I'm going out for a while. I'll be back soon. Behave the both of you."
Natsu gave her a thumbs up and smiled at her. Lucy shook her head and gathered her cloak and bag. She turned once more before shutting the door behind her. Natsu stared after her figure a weird filling tugging at his stomach. He shrugged his shoulders and blamed it on Lucy being weird.
Author's Note: I lost my flash drive this past week with a copy of this story and it was returned to me by my English teacher. When I looked at the files someone added an alternate section for the fanfic. I was so amused that someone read through and felt compelled to write something. It made happy and fuzzy inside. I would have responded but I had no idea where I forgot my flash drive in the first place! Anyways what do you guys think? If it's too confusing or there's any errors please tell me it much appreciated. Alright until next time and it may be a while.