Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail nor any of its characters.
A/N: I cannot express the gratitude with words. It's that appreciated. ;u; Also, as for my long absence, I will tell you, I am sorry, but it was necessary.
Also, this is just a short update before I go to Wifi-less place for the Fourth. I'll type more in my free time. Keep reviewing! :D
Previously:
"T-Thank you, Lucy!" His voice was shaking and wavering from his tears and running nose that stained her clean shirt. Gray and Erza stood silently by, thinking as rapidly as possible where they'd heard it before. Gray remembered and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off as Erza shook her head at him and whispered.
"Not right now."
After he had recuperated enough, Erza handed Lucy a piece of paper. Natsu grabbed at it, but the blond kept him away long enough to read it and stuff it in her pocket.
"Thanks, we'll go check." Lucy nodded to the red-headed woman. Natsu reached for a corner but Lucy spun to face him, a weird smile on her face. "You aren't a pervert now, are you?" He recoiled.
"No! I wanna read that paper." Lucy shook her head.
"No, cause then you'll run off! I won't let you go alone this time, and plus, who's key are you now?"
"Damnit! Stop using that excuse." He whined, only half-heartedly. She chuckled a little.
"Just come on. We'll have to ride a train, so I might put you in your key for that."
"That's right! Now that I'm a key, I can forget about riding things normal!" He grinned. "Thanks Lu! I never thought of that." She couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped her mouth.
"No problem?" She looked confused as he neatly marched around her in a circle, singing and shooting fire in his suddenly jovial mood. "Uh, Natsu? Ready to go?"
"Sure just as soon as..." He dropped off, happiness gone to be replaced by a more sober attitude. "As soon as Happy gets here..."
"We'd best hurry then. Don't want him to keep waiting now, do we?" She smiled sweetly, easing the poor Slayer's heart slightly. He nodded vigorously, smiling slightly. She grabbed his hand, nearly dragging him from the guild house, Erza and Gray watching them leave. The ice mage turned his head to look at his older friend.
"Should we have gone with them? I mean, the guy could have a connection to those drag-"
"If he has anything to do with them, I trust Natsu can take care of it. After all, his magic is that of Dragon-slaying..."
"What if the guy has 'him' though?" Gray pressed, looking at her hard. "You know as well as I do, that if the keys work how Lucy said, they'll have no choice but to fight..."
"Either way, this is his battle." The requip mage finalized.
Natsu let out a small sigh in front of the entrance to the train.
"The whole no sickness part is good, but I don't want to be alone..." He mumbled. "I just don't feel like I should be in there... Waiting like a good little puppy..."
"Well if you want, you can come out whenever of your own power, just be careful." She warned. "We'll still likely be on the train and you won't know the time in there."
"Fine fine, I'll stay in. Who are you going to travel with then?" Natsu tilted his head and she took out another key.
"Plue. He'll keep me plenty of company. Don't worry, I'll get you out as soon as we arrive." He sighed.
"Alright, just call me when we get there." She nodded before he disappeared in a fiery light. After summoning Plue, she handed her ticket to the conductor and he ushered her into the car. Her eyes roamed as they pulled out of the station, leaving behind Magnolia for the destination on the paper Erza had given her. She turned her attention back to it.
"Why did it tell me to keep it away from Natsu?" She inspected it closer, noting some letters in it were capitalized more than others. "Huh, there's a D-R-A-G... Wait, don't they say dragons? What about the last half where she rambled about the best cake. D-I-S-A-P..." Her mouth hung open slightly. "Dragon's disappearance... That's why they didn't want Natsu to see. They think it has something to do with that... I'd best keep a close eye out then..."