Chapter 3: Problematic.
Makarov frowned when Erza had told him of what had occurred after they defeated the bandits. Makarov then looked up at them.
"So, you're saying that you met a man in a cloak? Hmm, this is troublesome." Makarov muttered. Erza nodded.
"Um, actually, he looked to be about my age, considering his height." Wendy told. Natsu shrugged.
"He's just short. There's no way I got my ass handed to me by a kid." Natsu told. Gray snickered.
"Hey, look! Flame brain's finally admitting it." Gray mocked. Natsu growled.
"Shut it, ice perv!" Natsu shouted. Gray smashed his forehead against Natsu's.
"You wanna fight!?" Gray threatened. Natsu growled at him. A tick mark appeared on Erza's head, and she knocked them both to the ground.
"Knock it off!" Erza shouted. Natsu and Gray muttered a small 'aye.' Lucy sighed, and faced Makarov.
"Master, the bandits that we fought were wearing these odd rings. The rings allowed them to turn invisible. Sadly, we weren't able to salvage one because the cloaked person had shattered all of the rings." Lucy informed. Makarov nodded.
"Can you tell me what the rings looked like?" Makarov asked. Happy raised his hand.
"I can! The rings had an opal in them with a silver band. It looked like any ordinary jewellery though." Happy told. Makarov hummed in thought.
"Hmm, an opal in them, huh? I've heard of magic that turns you invisible, but never in the form of a ring. It's strange." Makarov told. Erza frowned.
"Master, if you'll allow it, may we investigate?" Erza asked. Makarov looked up, and nodded.
"Yes, I'll allow it, but do be careful. If you encounter him again, do not engage in combat. We have yet to know of this man's strength." Makarov told. Erza nodded.
"Yes, I'll make sure that we retreat immediately if we encounter him again." Erza then turned towards Natsu and Gray who were glowering at each other. "Did you two hear that? We are NOT to engage in combat if we are to encounter that man again." Natsu looked at Erza in bewilderment.
"What!? Why not!? That bastard needs to pay for what he did!" Natsu yelled.
"Natsu! That's enough out of you!" Makarov yelled. Natsu stood up.
"No way! If we ever meet that bastard again, then we should beat him up!" Natsu yelled. Erza glared at Natsu.
"Do you and I need to have a talk?" Erza questioned with a glare that could kill an army. Natsu started to sweat, and shook his head. Erza nodded, then turned back to Makarov. "We'll start our search tomorrow." Erza told. Makarov nodded.
"Yes, that would be a wise decision." Makarov then grabbed a bottle of beer, and downed it. Erza turned towards the others.
"Listen up! We are going to search for that man in the cloak tomorrow at dawn! Am I understood?" The rest of team Natsu groaned.
"At the start of dawn? Isn't that a little too early?" Lucy questioned. Erza eyed her.
"Too early? Nonsense! The more light we have, the better! And who knows when he'll appear next. For now, head home and get some sleep. We'll meet at the guild at the crack of dawn." Erza then left the guild hall with Wendy trailing behind her, waving. Gray sighed, and stretched his saw limbs.
"Well, I'm gonna head home. Don't want Erza on my back. See ya." Gray waved to the rest of his team, and left. Lucy waved goodbye. She then turned to Natsu.
"Well, I guess that I'll see you both at the crack of dawn." Lucy then walked out of the guild hall, and towards her apartment. As she walked, she heard footsteps behind her, and sighed. She then turned around to see Natsu and Happy walking behind her. "Um, what do you think you're doing?" Lucy questioned as she rested her hands on her hips. Natsu raised his eyebrow.
"What do you think? Going to your place obviously." Natsu told. A tick mark appeared on Lucy's head.
"Oh no, you don't! You both are going to your house!" Lucy told. Natsu and Happy groaned.
"Aw, but your house is so much closer to the guild! It would be a pain walking from our house to the guild at the crack of dawn." Natsu complained. Lucy shook her head. Happy then flew up to her, and hugged her chest.
"Come on, Lucy! We'd be all tired by the time we got to the guild. Let us stay at your house for the night, pleeeeeeeease!" Happy begged. Lucy sighed, then smiled, and rubbed his head.
"Oh, alright. But only for tonight!" Lucy told. Happy cheered.
"Yay!" Natsu frowned.
"Oh, so when the cat asks you say yes, but when I ask, you say no! What, do I need to hug you around the chest just for you to say yes?" Natsu questioned. Lucy blushed, and covered her chest with her arms.
"What!? No! If you did that I'd smack you into oblivion!" Lucy shouted. Natsu rolled his eyes.
"Relax, I was just joking." Natsu told as he walked in front of her. Lucy growled.
"Oh, just you wait Natsu Dragneel. One of these days I'll..." Lucy muttered, but Natsu's perfect hearing heard her loud and clear.
"Let me stay at your house whenever I want?" Natsu asked. Lucy huffed, and turned to the side. Natsu grinned at her. He then saw her apartment in the distance, and opened the door for her. "After you." Lucy rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, don't think that trying to act like a gentleman means that you're gonna sleep in my bed tonight." Lucy told as she walked in. Natsu frowned, and followed behind. Lucy threw her bag to the side, and walked over to her dresser as Natsu walked in. She grabbed some clothes, and walked over to the bathroom. "I'm going to have a bath. Don't you DARE mess anything up!" Natsu rolled his eyes.
"Aye." Natsu told. Lucy smiled, and walked into her bathroom. Natsu then heard the water turn on, and a ruffling of clothes being removed. He then heard her enter the bathtub, and sigh in content. Natsu then looked over at her desk, and walked over to it. He then picked up her story that she had been working on, and opened it. "Okay, I think that I was up to chapter five last time I checked." Lately, Natsu had been getting into reading books, but only Lucy's. He tried reading others, but always felt bored. For some reason, Lucy's books had interested him. He opened the script, and started reading from where he left off. Happy flew over to him from the fridge, and perched himself on Natsu's head, and read the book Natsu was currently reading. Natsu tsked when he tried to read a hard word. He then heard Lucy get out of the bath tub, and hurriedly put her book away, wanting to avoid getting dropped kicked by her. He then ran over to her bed, and dived under the covers. Lucy opened her bathroom door, dressed in her pyjamas, and walked over to her bed. She then frowned when she felt someone else in her bed, and pulled the covers off. Natsu had his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. Lucy growled.
"I thought that I told you that you're not sleeping in my bed!" Lucy shouted. Natsu ignored her, and turned on his side. Lucy sighed, too tired to argue. It had been a long day, and she wanted to get some sleep. "Move over." Lucy grumbled as she pushed Natsu over, making room for herself. She then went under the covers after turning the lights off, and fell asleep. Natsu peeked an eye open, and grinned. He then moved closer to Lucy, and wrapped an arm around her waist. He then closed his eyes, and sighed in content as he fell asleep.
