Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, it's Hiro Mashima's. (I'm sure you al know that). Nor do I own Grease. ;)
A/N: Heya all! I apologize for the delay in updating, I know I said Saturday, but my internet was down so I was unable to post it up. But it's here now and that's all that matters.
ENJOY!
Chapter 4: Chance Encounter?
The train came to a standstill sooner than Lucy had expected. Natsu was soundly asleep on her lap, and Happy slept on his side. Lucy felt sad that she would have to wake Natsu up. She played with his hair, trying to wake him up gently, but that would soon prove to have not been necessary.
Natsu's face twitched and he squirmed a bit, his eyes flickering open. When he felt that he wasn't motion sick anymore, he bolted upright, his head hitting Lucy's. Lucy head shot back, but luckily there wasn't any wall or railing behind it.
"That hurt, Lucy! What's inside that big head of yours!? It's probably something really heavy…" Natsu complained, rubbing his forehead. Happy awoke to, murmuring something about how Lucy's whiplash looked so funny. Lucy snapped her head back to its original position and stood up, causing Natsu and Happy to fall to the ground.
"That's my brain! And for your information, it's so heavy because I have to do the thinking for all three of us!" Lucy explained, eyebrow twitching.
"Oi Lucy, wait!" Natsu said squeamishly. The sudden fall caused him to feel sick again. Lucy only continued walking "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Natsu tried to apologize. Lucy looked over at Natsu and couldn't stop herself from laughing. Lucy never thought that an expression mixed with guilt and queasiness could look so funny. She walked up to Natsu and swung his arm over her shoulder.
"Geez, you're really hopeless, you know that?" Lucy scolded contentedly.
"Lucy, what about me?" Happy called after Lucy as she started to walk away. Lucy glanced at Happy before she grabbed him and put him on her traveler bag. Happy looked at Lucy unpleasantly. "That's not fair; Lucy's big enough to carry both of us!"
"If you don't like it you could always fly." Lucy pointed out, ignoring the comment about her being big.
"It's not the same…" Happy said dejectedly, looking up at Lucy with big eyes. It caused Lucy to pause. She scolded herself for falling so easily for that trick. She picked him up and let him hold on to her. Happy purred contentedly into Lucy's shoulder.
"No funny remarks or I;m carrying you by the tail!" Lucy warned.
"Aye!" Happy affirmed. Both him and Lucy missed Natsu's pleased smile.
Natsu and Lucy were walking on the ceramic-tale paved path which was situated in between the tall brick buildings. In the distance one could see the clock tower stretching into the sky, overlooking the entire town. Chariots were the primary mode of transportation. Those who were rich had ones made of gold and those less fortunate rode wooden or steel chariot taxis.
Soon Lucy and Natsu reached their destination. It was a tall building, but not as tall as the others. It had a little green roof over the exterior door and potted plants stood in some of the windowsills. The red tile roof gleamed as the sun's light was reflected by it.
Lucy knocked on the door and a voice from the inside told them to enter. A woman at the front desk told them that their contact was on the top floor.
Lucy was surprised when she entered their contacts' room, it was immaculate. Dark green sofas surrounded a white wooden table. An old piano stood against the one wall. Curious, Natsu went to inspect it, Happy followed after.
"Don't touch, Natsu!" Lucy hissed.
"Don't worry, I'm just checking to see if it could hold any clues to our criminal." Natsu said, lifting the top and stoking the black and white keys with his thumb.
"Aye! It could be dangerous!" Happy agreed.
"I assure you that the piano is not the enemy." A new voice joked. A middle-aged woman, with short curly brown hair and a long-sleeved floral-print dress walked through the door next to the piano carrying a tray of steaming cups. She went to sit them on the table.
"Noriko-san" Lucy chirped. "We apologize for our late arrival; there was some…complications with the train." She tried to explain.
"Its fine, the criminals usually only come out at night, so it's good that you arrived when you did." Miss Noriko told them.
"So, about the criminals..?" Lucy asked, going to sit on the sofa.
"Yeah, what do you have on them for us?" Natsu queried and sat down next to Lucy while Happy went to stare at some fish in a tank on the far side of the room.
"That's right. Well basically every night the last week young women had disappeared on their way home from the local night clubs. People have reported sightings of dark figures flying through the night. The woman has become so afraid that they refuse to leave their houses, even just to go to the 500-jewel store down the street." Miss* paused and took a sip from her Elizabethan tea before she continued. "Normally, as the head of Akai Tsuki's Department of Security I would have seen to it that the threat would have been dealt with already, but the criminals vandalized our offices. So while it's being repaired, I decided to call in the help of a mage guild. Do you think you'll be able to help?" she finished.
"Late night perverts targeting young girls? This will be a cinch for Fairy Tail!" Natsu said, showing of his bicep.
"I don't know Natsu, I don't think the hit first; ask questions later approach will work this time…" Lucy contemplated, staring at the fishes just like Happy. Both had their heads tilted slightly in front of the bowl. The fishes, scared by the attention, swam away and hid in their coral homes.
"Don't worry about it Luce, what could go wrong?" Natsu said as he went towards the door, shouting that he's all fired up.
"Lucy, what's wrong?" Happy asked, flying up to her.
"Now that Natsu had said that, I feel like everything will suddenly start to go wrong…" Lucy said and sighed. "We'll be leaving now, Noriko-san"
"Alright, I greatly appreciate Fairy Tail's help. Your award will be given upon arrest of the criminals. Until then, take care!" Miss* greeted. Lucy waved and left.
The rest of the day the two spent going around town. They planned to go to one of the nightclubs that night, so Lucy decided to do some shopping while Natsu started senseless fires just to get a snack.
Back at the Akai Tsuki station, Lisanna stepped out into the warmth of the sun. Lisanna's contact was in this town, the same as Natsu's. It would be only a matter of time before they met again…
It was dusk when Lucy and Natsu left the apartment building in which they would stay for their mission.
They were both dressed up in 70's outfits and donned their dancing shoes. Natsu had a white and gold Rocket man suit on while Lucy wore a far out hippie dress and white boots. They decided that they would enjoy some dancing while they waited for the criminals to make their move. No use chasing after a shadow in the dark as Lucy always reckoned...
They arrived at Club Nishibi. Natsu picked up the smell of many young human girls.
"This is the place which Nori O bāchan told us would be a good place to start, né Lucy?" Natsu said. Lucy looked at the club and back to Natsu.
"Yup, this is the one! Let's check it out. If it gets too quiet, we'll move on to the next one. Those criminals are bound to show up sooner or later!" Lucy said with surety.
When they stepped inside, they were it with the sound of oldies music; people everywhere chatted and swayed their hips side to side. Neon red and orange lights danced of the walls, lighting the room up in an almost fiendish glow. A large disco ball hung over the checkered dance floor
"Welcome to Club Nishibi" a waitress in a 'free spirit' costume said as she walked up to them, offering them champagne.
"Oh, thanks!" Natsu said and wanted to take one, but Lucy stopped him.
"Maybe later." Lucy said and smiled at the waitress, who looked cast off. While she pulled Natsu towards the dance floor she whispered into his ear. "We have to remain sober for our mission."
Natsu wanted to argue, but he knew that Lucy had a point. 'Although the only thing I could truly get high on was too much fire, but no one needs to know that, so don't tell!' Natsu thought the words to no one in particular.
I got ch-i-lls, they're multiplying
And I'm l-o-sing control
Cause the power, you're supplying,
It's electrifying!
The Grease song began, and Lucy suddenly had the urge to hit the dance floor. She signaled for Natsu to join her. He looked unwilling at first, but shrugged and stepped up to the stage.
You better shape up,' cause a need a man
And my heart is set on you
You better shape up, you better understand
To my heart I must be true…
Nothing left, nothing left for me to do…
Lucy felt the words had struck a chord and she began to blush as she lightly moved her head to the tune.
You're the one that I want
You are the one I want
Ho, ho, ho honey x 2
You're the one that I want
You are the one I want
Ho, ho, ho, the one I need,
Oh yes indeed
Natsu took Lucy's hand and began to spin her around, twirling her by her finger. He swung her outwards and back into his chest.
If you're filled with affection
You're too shy to convey
Meditate in my direction
Feel your way
Lucy didn't know what to think, she was on fire, but it was so much fun! She kept going with it.
I better shape up, 'cause you need a man
I need a man who can keep me satisfied
I better shape up, if I'm gonna prove
You better prove that my faith is justified
Are you sure? Yes I'm sure down deep inside…
Natsu held her closely, and while wearing his signature grin, began to lead Lucy. He stepped forward, backward, to the side and backwards again. They turned and turned. Lucy laughed and held on to Natsu's shoulder so she didn't fall, he was holding her tightly around her waist for the fun of it.
In the last chorus Natsu released her and they began to move in sync, playing around on the dance floor. The moved around each other, Happy flew over and sung falsely while giggling. Lucy knew why, and she blushed more. Natsu just kept that priceless expression of pure enjoyment on his face.
The song ended, Natsu and Lucy still giggling.
"I'm going to get us something to quench our thirst," Lucy called to Natsu who started doing 80th century moves* on the dance floor to the following Grease song Summer Days.
Lucy ordered her drink at the bar and sat down on one of the bar stools, sighing.
"Having a blast, aren't we?" a voice hissed from next to Lucy. Lucy almost yelped thinking it was a snake. When she looked she saw the person sitting one bar stool away from her.
"Lisanna?" Lucy called in surprise. Lisanna stirred her drink with a straw as she inspected Lucy.
"He's cute, isn't he?" Lisanna asked rhetorically, looking back at Natsu who started doing tricks with his fire. Lucy laughed.
"It's only a matter of time before he sets the building on fire." Lucy suspected. When Lisanna didn't reply, Lucy decided to try to keep the conversation going. ""So, what are you doing here?" she asked. Lisanna looked at Lucy for a moment and then back to her drink.
"I'm here on a mission, although I came to this night club hoping to spend some time with Natsu, but I forgot that you're here." Lisanna said bitterly. Lucy was taken aback.
'Lisanna must have heard about it from Happy when he asked Mirajane about where we were. Did she come all this way because she didn't like the idea of me and Natsu being alone together? But we're always together on other missions, so why now?' Lucy wondered, concerned.
"Tell me, did you get anything out of it?" Lisanna suddenly asked. Lucy raised a questioning eyebrow at Lisanna. "Are you just craving his attention and for him to protect you like his princess? Do you want him to complete all the difficult missions so that you could brag for being part of the strongest team?" Lisanna interrogated Lucy. She stood up from her stool, knocking over her drink. At the sound of shattering glass, Lisanna was face to face with Lucy. "Well forget it! I knew Natsu long before you. And I'm still crazy for him! You may have fallen for him at first sight and think that something is beginning to ignite between you, but this is nothing more than a summer fling!" Lisanna snapped.
Every word hit Lucy full force. She felt offended, and although she considered Lisanna her friend, if Lisanna wanted to play this game, Lucy wouldn't back down.
"Don't get frustrated with me because you disappeared all those years ago! I admit that I have fallen for him, but it's only because he was kind to me. He showed me Fairy Tail, saved my live more times than I dare to count, and taught me to never give up!" Lucy defended herself.
"Natsu's kind to everyone! Don't think that you're special; you were merely a replacement for me!" Lisanna sassed. Suddenly the images of the dream she had, came back to her. The hug, the kiss…no! Lucy scolded herself, I won't give in!
"I don't believe that for a second!" Lucy declared, standing up. "You don't have a claim on him, but you're more than welcome to fight for him. I should warn you though that I won't go down without a fight!" Lucy resolved. Lisanna smirked devilishly.
"I'll make you eat those words! I have just arrived so you may have a head start, but from here on out it's anyone's game!" Lisanna declared dramatically and left, slamming the door behind her.
Lucy fell back down on her seat, exhausted in every aspect. She didn't mean for their quarrel to get so out of hand. 'But this could be an opportunity to find out where Natsu's heart truly lies, which was the whole point of this mission in the first place. Then something suddenly hit Lucy. 'If Lisanna just arrived and hasn't been to her contact yet, then that means she doesn't know of the late night perverts yet…!'
A/N: Thank you so much for reading my story! I'm sorry I had to break the chapter off here, but if I didn't then the chapter would have been too long. The next chapter will be up soon, like in now. So go on head and see you in the next one! (^.^)/
P.S. Please tell me what you liked, disliked etc. I would like to improve for myself and for your enjoyment!
To be continued in Chapter 5: The Game Heats Up!