Chapter 3:

AN/ I'm finished tafe for the year so I'll and get most of this story done by the time I start up again next year. Oh and a reader pointed out to me that because I'm Australian and we use different words for things others don't I'm putting this in, and Aus. to Other translator.

Thongs- flip-flops

Tongs- something you use to pick up food with on a BBQ or cooking apparatus.

Thong- we generally don't call them this it's either a G-string or V-string, but if I am using this word I will put (V) beside it to notify you.

Please inform me if there are any other words you don't understand.

After waking the sleeping dragon Lucy proceeded to look for the check in office, finding it to be a two story dark wood cabin with multi paneled windows. The large windows made the building seem more modern then she had expected. There was a decked path connected to the parking lot which led up to this lone cabin, the fact that she couldn't see any of the other cottages told her they where rather far off from the main lodging. It made her wonder how far between and a how much land this complex sat on. Leaving their bags in the car Lucy walked up the path, toward the small construct the path was a similar wood to the house a dark ash brown almost black but not at the same time. 'It fit' she thought while walking the green flora creating a great contrast that mad her want to stare at it for hours, shaking her head of her time wasting thoughts. Lucy jogged the rest of the way up to the cabin, noticing a yellow glow coming through the windows. Wiping her feet on a mat she entered, the room she stepped into was cozy the walls a cream colour while the floor was dark moss green, the décor was white and brown, couches positioned around a bronze thin necked fire place casting its light on a women sitting in the arm chair closeted to it. She turned around hearing someone enter; she had slightly graying hair but the rest was a lovely brown colour that shone in the firelight.

"Hello dear are you perhaps Lucy Heartfilla?" receiving a nod the lady continued "I was told to expect you rather late, but it seems you made it on time. " she smiled when she said this, "your friends booked you in for the week right? I can't really recall which cabin was assigned to you." Standing she walked over to a desk Lucy hadn't noticed coming in, it was situated to the right of the door the desk held a computer and keyboard as well as papers and pens dotted across it's surface. Falling into her chair the brunette turned to her computer screen fingers rapping over the keys. "My name is Risa by the way, I own this place."

"Nice to meet you Risa." Lucy replied liking that Risa had manners unlike some places were their service was so poor and the use of common courtesy wasn't common at all. Smiling at their hostess Lucy look behind her as the door opened showing a now fully recovered Natsu. Walking to her side he placed his arms on the check in desk.

"Hi." He said smiling at the women and then turned his attention to the window. The view was magnificent; this cabin was more inland then the ones she'd seen on their site, and the woodland made it hard to tell what was 20 metres ahead of you because of the thick bush was just so hard to see through. But it was amazing non-the less, it was a wall of shrubbery and so lush it gave off a feeling of peace and soothing.

Turning her attention back to Risa, Lucy saw her face dropping her smile from before dropped.

"Is there something the matter?" Lucy enquired.

"No it's just I wasn't hear when you where booked in it was my fourteen year old daughter." She smiled the same smile from before.

"Are you sure there nothing wrong?" this time it was Natsu who asked, his head still facing the window; like he didn't much care if she answered or not, but his voice said other things. His tone was intrigued turning to Risa he asked again. "Is there something wrong with our cabin?" his black eyes borrowing into her.

"Not especially," she said not looking at them but at the fireplace, the flames reflecting in her silver eyes. "It's just a story." She said softly, her eyes now dark.

Waiting for her to continue they stood there silently. "Would you like a cup of tea?" Risa said suddenly getting up and disappearing through a door. Returning a few minuets later with a; tray which she settled down onto the coffee table between the couches, following her silent request the sat on the white couch across from her. Leaning toward the tray Risa started pouring the tea.

"It's just a silly story really, nothing to fear but I'll feel better after telling you."

"Well it is almost bed time, tell us this story please." Natsu quietly said trying to coax Risa to continue.

Smiling at his wording Risa started, "This is a legend, a story a fairytale that I was told as a child. Many years, well over our combined ages ago this land belonged to a rich family. They built a summerhouse here; the family was small one child; a little girl and her parents. It was said that they had been coming here for many years since the girl was a baby; they would come here every year. Unfortunately one year the little girl fell; I don't know where but my mother told me that the family sold the cottage off, that they couldn't go back after she died. The property has been through several hands since then but never stayed in one person's hands long.

The other cottages only appeared when my grandfather bought it and turned it into a mouton lodge a good 70 years ago now.

But away from my families business back to the actual story."

"So your saying someone died in the cabin and people are freaked out about it?" Lucy surmised.

"NO I'm just telling the story behind it. I don't personally believe what people say about it. Plus it's horrible for business thanks to this little rumor." Risa said sounding rather annoyed at that last part. It would be rather annoying to have your trade robbed of customers because of a story that probably wasn't true.

"The only death that's happened here in the last 70 years wasn't even staying in Tilpi." Risa seemed to be talking more to herself then them now.

"Tilpi?" Natsu said raising his head from it place; observing biscuits and looked at Risa, a question hanging in the air.

"It's the name of your cottage, it was one of the original conditions when the house was sold the first time. The cottage was named after there daughter, or well it's a rendition of her nickname 'Tili Pie' her parents wanted her to be forever remembered as their treasured Tili Pie through 'Tilpi'."

"That's so sweet." Lucy said finding it to be a great story even if it was a sad one.

"I've not always thought that myself, but it does have a certain beauty to it." Their hostess replied, "There are a few old book about the story in the addict of your cottage if you want to know more."

Natsu was sitting silently; his lips pressed together in a line and eyes narrowed in thought, staring at the table like he was trying to bore a hole in it.

After finishing up with all the bookwork, Risa showed us to our cabin. Upon first seeing it the pair was gob smacked, the building arose to three stories high. A porch; wrapping around the outside on both the second and first floors had tall balustrading with decorative circular designs curved into the wood. The walls were a warm brown wood that made Lucy think of gingerbread, the windows looking down on them were square and encompassed the greater part of the wall, thin white dividers running through the glass.

"It's gorgeous. Like a real life gingerbread house." Lucy was in awe of the structure. "Fit for a princess!"

"That was the point when it was built, to be fit for their little princess." Risa said, like she was commenting on the weather, not of a fable that outlived all of them.

"You know a lot about this don't you?" Natsu said speaking up again from his silent study of the house.

"Of course," Risa replied, "I've lived all my life growing up in this town living in these cabins. I know almost everything about them."

Stopping the questions there the group entered Tilpi cottage it was just as decadent on the inside, ivory drapery, a red hall runners.

Stepping into the foyer Natsu still didn't like the place a hundred percent, yea it was beautiful but… he couldn't put his finger on what exactly freaked him out.

"Luce maybe we should look into getting a different cabin." He said placing his hand on her shoulder making her turn towards him.

Looking I his eyes Lucy saw that Natsu was somewhat unsettled, feeling nothing herself; Lucy put it down to him taking the story too much to heart.

"Natsu it's alright, it was just a story, plus just imagine Grays taunts if we went back to Fairy Tail now." Lucy said calmly entreating him to settle. There was nothing wrong with this house, someone may have died in it a long time ago but that didn't mean it's haunted, that was just folklore. People making up their own stories, to satisfy some need. For what she didn't know, but it was interesting, Lucy had always loved stories as a little girl. About a princess and knights and the dragons of old, a tale of heroes and adventures she could never take. Seeing that Nastu was placated for the time being Lucy turned back around to face Risa, and there she was hand on the stairways railing; the same circular design from outside decorating the top of the railing at both foot and head of the stairs.

Noticing that her charges had finished their discussion Risa continued on, gesturing to the kitchen, bathroom, lounge rooms; the list went on and was starting to confuse Natsu and Lucy. So many different rooms passed by as she showed them around, but eventually the tour ended and they where shown where their room were. The bedrooms were located on the second floor down a long corridor, doors doting the white walls. Counting the rooms as they walked by Lucy found there to be six doors all together. "Are these all of the bedrooms in the house?" Lucy asked she didn't really care that much but she just wanted something to interrupt the silence that surrounded them in its uncomfortable cloak.

"No there is one other, it was meant for a house maid, a sort of living quarters away from the family." Risa told her.

"Oh, where is that?"

"You seem quite intrigued with this house Miss Heartfilla."

"No not really intrigued… well maybe a little. I'm just trying to get the layout down." Nodding at her Risa helped them deposit their bags into their rooms and then left.

Looking to each other they asked in unison, "so what do we do now?"

"How should I know? We could unpack." Lucy suggested.

"No that's boring, I want to do something fun." He replied pouting.

"I brought some movies with me, I guess we could watch one of those." The only question was where was the living room? The quick run through they where given hadn't really stuck and Lucy couldn't recall where the lounge room is, she only knew it was on the first floor.

"Natsu do you remember where the lounge room is?" Lucy asked.

"Why don't you remember where it is?" Natsu had a devilish grin on his face, daring her to say he was wrong or that he was right she couldn't tell. After a heated moment of silence Lucy retorted, "of course I do!" hiding her eyes under her fringe, knowing Lucy was a sorry excuse for a liar she broke after a few seconds. "Fine no I don't, I wasn't paying attention when she told us where everything was. Are you happy? And seriously can you talk, you got lost in my closet when I told you to grab a pair of socks." taking offence to her jab at his sense of direction (A/N. as all men seem to) Natsu went up in smoke, hands in the air "that's because your 'closet' is the same size as another room; and it has two floors! How am I meant to navigate in there? Take a left at the pantyhose and then continue past shoes and you'll find yourself in Sock Street?" his voice becoming mocking on the last sprint of his speech. Jutting his arms about to emphasize his point.

All together the sight was comical and had Lucy clasping her stomach in silent laughter.

Stopping his previous actions Natsu raised an eyebrow at his collapsed friend, waiting until the laughs subsided then she started gasping for air; helping her up Nastu shock his head. It couldn't have been that funny. Wiping her eyes of the water escaping them Lucy said, "beside my closet being so hard to navigate; do you know where the lounge room is?"

Holding his finger up he prepared to amaze the faithless Lucy. "It's on the first floor to the…" his finger and the rest of him seemed to sag; it looked like they weren't going to end up watching a movie at this rate.

"Maybe I should go call Risa and ask her."

"Nah never mind that; we can just watch on my laptop." Turning slowly toward her friend Lucy's face a mixture of rage and annoyance.

Natsu's face fell, "Then why didn't you say that in the first place?" her fists colliding with his head in a brutal fashion.

Lucy had always had a bit of a temper though most didn't ever see it. She preserved her rages for a select few of her friends, Natsu being the main target of this rage. He was used to it now it wasn't so bad that he'd die from the pain but… his head did hurt.

"Seriously why couldn't you have said something before? Like before I try to postulate on how to solve the problem or before I go asking a stupid question and make myself look dumb?" the rant went on and on, almost for an hour.

By the time it stopped Natsu was on the verge of sleep and Lucy was huffing and puffing, her face red from the exertion.

"Can we watch the movie now?' he asked his voice muffled as he rested his face against his hand.

Giving up, Lucy told him to go get his laptop. Walking into her room Lucy had a proper look at it. This must have been on of the main bedrooms. The room was made up of dark woods and whites, the walls a paneled wood, which couldn't have been changed from the time it was built. The panels each decorated with a pattern; two inlaid squares a rose-gold boxing them. It was beautiful the same rose-gold colouring the carpet. The room was wonderful and Lucy just stood there staring. That is until Natsu walked in specking loudly, "wow yours is the same huh? Man this place would be a termites wet-dream."

Laughing at his deduction Lucy turned seeing the silver laptop under one arm and a power cord in his other hand. "All set?" looking down Natsu smiled and nodded.

Turning to grab the movies Lucy said, "I think your missing something though."

Giving a confused face Natsu tilted his head to the side; silently asking her what he could have possibly forgotten. Turning around his eyes widened.

"When did you get those?" he asked pointing at the lolly (candy) packet in her arms.

"I've since leaving my house this morning." She said confused slightly. Where else would I have gotten them? Weird boy, he was acting like he'd never had sweets before.

Moving out of the way as Natsu lunged for the packet Lucy couldn't help comparing this situation to bullfighting. As her little bull went for the second lunge, Lucy moved the packet out of his way again.

"Come on Toro, Toro!" Lucy said trying to impersonate the Spanish accent, but ending up sounding like a weird French-Spanish hybrid that was just hilarious.

Going for another round Natsu charged. Moving the lollies out of the way again Lucy screamed as she hit her mattress. Beating the person who tackled her as he laughed.

"Your accent kind of sucks sonority." Natsu said, still laughing. His chuckles getting all the louder as she continued whacking him over the head.

Pushing Luce off of him Natsu couldn't hide his smile; she was red faced with a little pout that just looked adorable in its irritation. Shuffling up the bed Nastu placed his laptop on the bed, it was a mac and he loved it. Feeling Lucy also climb up the bed he moved across. Smiling at her, her scowl broke. She can't stay made at me it seems; that is good to know. He thought turning on his laptop and getting comfortable.

Lucy was doing the same, piling the pillows to make a suitable back cushion. Natsu seemed quite happy with himself as he sat there playing with the functions on his computer. Pulling out the movies she'd brought with her Lucy held them out to Natsu. The choices where Ninja assassin, Love actually, Beethoven, Lake house and Chalet girl.

At first glance I knew what was being put on first, so when a bouncing Nastu shouted, "Ninja, NINJA!" it wasn't that much of a surprise.

Chapter 3- end

A/N. sorry for the cliffy but I just thought it would work there. Hope you guys liked it. I got a review yesterday asking if this Fic will contain lemons. It said "does it have lemon" and I couldn't stop laughing for about 10 minuets. It was just so random, well thank guest who posted that review it made me laugh and is one of the reasons why this chapter is up so fast. And yes it will have lemon not yet maybe in a few more chapters' time. Ok hope you liked the characters and movies I had to walk down stairs and pick because I couldn't choose. Still undecided on which movie to let them watch next and am asking you readers to pick, tell me which one you would like them to watch in reviews panel or pm me. Read and review! See you again in chapter 4.