BlackLynx17: Boom! Boom! Boom! New chapter! New chapter! New chapter!

Title: Love At First Sight

Secret Title: Pirate Love

Summary: Wendy is a princess forced to be married at the age of 18. It wouldn't be a problem for her if she had fallen in love with her fiance, but alas fate is not too kind. Determined to runaway to chose her own love, she runs into a nice man who rescues her from her guards. Thinking this man is her one true love, she decides to escape with him. She had no idea that her true love was a no good pirate.

Chapter Four

Spicy Off Color

Wendy gives Mest a look over. He looks completely different than how she first saw him at the market. Back then he was dressed kind of hush-hush like, a large coat on him covering his outfit until he gave it to her to wear. Underneath he simply wore a nice dress shirt and some dress pants, matching everyone else in the market that day. Presently he's wearing layers of clothing, all dark colors, the coat she borrowed now rightly where it belongs. His has a sword on one side of his hip, a gun on the other, the true signs of a pirate, and all these jewels covering his fingers. The hat on his head is what truly makes him look like the pirates she's seen in books; pitch black perched upon his head. He really is a pirate. She's really with a pirate, trying to make a life on a pirate ship.

"Come on princess, let's get you fed." Mest announces leading the way.

He can recognize everything on her. She's wearing Levy's stripped blue and white shirt (something he hasn't seen on her in a long time, but remembers because he lost a bet to her wearing that shirt). Her dark blue trousers belong to Juvia (he remembers her spilling beer all over them once) and kind of sag a bit, probably would be completely falling off if it wasn't for Lucy's studded belt keeping them on her (only she would wear that much sparkle). Mirajane even provided her own jacket to make sure Wendy stays warm, it completely consuming her. She looks better in his clothes, a voice in the back of his mind tells him, a voice he completely ignores and scoffs at.

Wendy walks after him, pulling her sleeves up every time they fall down. Maybe she shouldn't have worn the jacket, but as soon as she's out on the deck a gust of wind hits her and she finds herself shivering. She pulls her jacket closer to her chest and sticks next to Mest, happy when they start descending back downstairs. Loud noises can be heard from down the hall and Wendy gulps as she's about to meet her new friends... then a small smile appears on her face. She's never had friends before. Servants, yes, people to talk to, all the time, but actual friends? Who like her for her? It'll be a new experience.

"Morning scallywags!" Mest bursts in through the doors, smile on his face.

His crew gives him similar greetings and he's pushes around, getting pats and hugs and shoves. Wendy walks in after him and fails miserably to not stand out. She smiles and nods when she meets someone's eyes, and nearly screeches when a hand grabs her arm and pulls her away. She finds herself falling into a seat and surrounded by four females, all of them standing over and blinking down at her.

"Wow, so this is what a princess looks like," one of them says.

"Her hair is something amazing, you have really beautiful hair dear. I've never seen such a color before," another mentions touching it.

"Ah- thanks?" Wendy mumbles.

"She's a tiny thing though, isn't she? How old are you there princess?"

"Um, 17-"

"What? She's our age Levy! I didn't know you could be a 17 year old princess! Wait, no, that didn't come out right."

"Hehehe, and everyone thinks you're the smart one Lucy."

"Shut up Juvia!"

"Um, hi there. You can call me Wendy, you know, if you like. I'm no longer a princess, I'm... I'm a pirate like the rest of you now too. So... yeah, I would like it if you would, if you could, be my friend." She whispers, losing her confidence half way.

The four girls all look at each other before smiling back at her.

"Hello there Wendy," they say all at the exact same time.

Wendy's shocked as her hand gets grabbed to and fro.

"My name is Lucy, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hi, I'm Levy. Let's be good friends."

"I'm Lisanna, Mira is my big sister and Elfman is my big brother, so if you ever need me I'm probably hanging around them."

"Juvia's name is Juvia, and she's happy to see another female on board. Too many men stink up this place."

Wendy looks around her. Lucy, Levy, Lisanna, Juvia. And apparently she's as old as two of these girls... she's never had friends her own age before.

"So Wendy, what made you want to join a pirate crew?" Levy asks with a smile.

"Ah, well-"

"Levs, weren't you there yesterday? When Mest explained the whole debacle?"

"I was, but I still would like to hear it from her. We both know he left a lot of things out."

"That's an understatement."

Wendy's stomach growls a little and she blushes, the girls all looking at her again. All of a sudden they stop surrounding her and are standing up.

"Sorry, we should totally get some food in your first, huh?" Lucy asks her.

"What is it that you like? I'll have Mira sneak you some extra," Lisanna winks.

"Um, well what do we have?" Wendy shrugs.

"Don't worry about it girls, I already got her something." Mest says coming from behind.

He hands a bowl to Wendy and takes the seat next to her on the bench, placing his own slop down in front of him. Wendy smiles and thanks him before fixing her position and joining him.

"Mest, go back to the boy's side. It's the girl's turn to hang our with your wife," Lisanna shoos him away.

"Is that anyway to talk to your captain?"

"Is that anyway to talk to a lady?"

What is this stuff? Wendy lifts up her spoon and lets this tan concoction fall from it. She's never seen food like this before. Could this even be classified as food? What food group is this from? She looks towards Mest for answers, but he's still arguing with the girls. Wendy looks in front of her and sees a man with a book sitting there, eating the same thing she is as he sketches.

"Pst," Wendy whispers.

The man looks up and smiles, "yes?"

"Do you know what this is?" She asks motioning to her bowl.

"Porridge. We still have a few leftover ingredients that Mira wanted to use up. Don't worry, she'll be making the good stuff by lunch."

"Oh, thank you- um-"

"Reedus, nice to meet you. Welcome aboard."

Wendy smiles, "thanks Reedus."

So if Reedus is eating it, and Mest is eating it, Wendy can surely eat it. She's heard of porridge before. Sure she's never seen any that has looked like this, but she has heard of it. She takes a spoonful and shoves it into her mouth. It tastes... milky, but very sweet, and a lot like cinnamon. Wendy decides she likes it and begins to dig in, emptying her bowl by the time Mest finally gives in and throws his hands up in defeat. He can't win against women anymore, he doesn't know how it happened but he just can't.

"Wendy, you good?" He asks turning his attention back towards her.

Wendy looks up with innocent eyes as she holds her bowl towards him, "may I have some more please?"

Mest blinks, "you ate it all?"

"It was very good; I've never had anything like it before."

She likes the slop. She's a princess, he figured her tastes would be refined being used to all the good stuff, but she likes the slop that Mirajane makes. Does that mean Mirajane cooks like a royal chef? Or that his little princess just has the taste palate of a commoner?

"Here, you can have mine. I'll get some more for myself," Mest says grabbing her bowl, and pushing over his own.

"Thanks Mest!" She cheers before digging in.

He can't hide the smile on his face as he leaves the bench and heads back towards the counter. Unknowing to him, a new face steals his seat and Wendy looks up to see a man with salmon hair next to her. She blinks, swallows her mouthful, and then blinks some more.

"Hi," she tells him.

The man gives her a boyish grin, "hi back there."

Wendy nods her head and takes another spoonful of porridge.

"Tastes good, right?"

She nods her head, "amazing. I've never had anything like it before."

"Yeah, Mira cooks alright. Here, try some of mine. I like it with a little bit more kick to it." The man says offering her his bowl.

Wendy stares at it before looking at him, a little unsure of herself.

"Ah- sorry, where are my manners? The name's Natsu, us off colors have to stick together, you know?" Natsu winks at her.

"Off colors?" Wendy asks tilting her head.

"Our hair? Our unusual hair colors aren't like the norm. My salmon, your... what is it, midnight neon blue? It's something I've never seen before, way different than Levy and Juvia with their mild blue hair color that is more common. If anyone gives you any smack you can always tell me, we have to stick together."

Wendy giggles and decides she likes this Natsu guy. He has a cute smile, and he's nice, and he likes her hair (which apparently is an off color?). She lifts up her spoon to try some of Natsu's porridge, it being a completely bright red color instead of tan. She lifts her spoon to her mouth and swallows a bite, tears immediately coming to her eyes. It tastes nothing like her own; it's spicy and hotter. Once she had to drink this spicy soup when she had the flu and she's reminded of it as she swallows. It isn't all displeasing though; it does have a nice flavor to it. If she ignores her burning tongue it does have something there.

Natsu's laughing and patting her back as her face turns red, "good, right?"

Wendy nods her head, "a bit too much for me. Maybe," she mumbles and takes another spoonful.

She mixes it into her bowl and tries a bit, that spicy flavor still there, but not as strong. She smiles and nods her head to herself, loving it.

"Much better." She sighs out.

"What's much better Wen-..." Mest freezes as he stares at her face.

There are tears in her eyes, threatening to fall down, and her cheeks are bright red as she looks back up at him. Mest immediately begins to glare at Natsu and reaches for his shirt.

"What did you do to her?" He growls out.

"Geez Mest, relax! I'm just being friendly!" Natsu yelps.

"It's true, he offered me some of his food!" Wendy tells him.

"You had my food, you didn't need more, it's still full. I can see it right there Wendy. You don't have to cover for him." Mest tells her as calmly as his anger will allow him.

"But his had something spicy in it and it was actually really good. I just wasn't used to it and it kind of burned my tongue a little."

Mest takes a deep breath and drops Natsu, scooting him aside as he takes his rightful place beside her. Natsu just shrugs and walks over to the other side of Wendy, sitting there instead and ignoring the scowl on his captain's face.

"I bet back home you eat much better than this, huh Wens?" Natsu asks.

Mest doesn't think it's possible for his scowl to darken, but it does and he really wishes someone would drag Natsu away right now. He shoves his slop in his mouth, not even tasting it as he glares.

"I wouldn't say better, just different. I've tried something like this porridge before, but I don't think it was called porridge, and it never tasted this good. Although I have to admit, I'd like your flavors a little better if they weren't so strong." Wendy replies.

"I feel you, not everyone can handle my secret concoction. I'm proud of you though Wens, when I made Luce try it she screamed and cried her way to the refresher," Natsu laughs.

Wendy joins him in giggling and Mest feels completely ignored. Well, isn't this what he wanted? Her getting along with his crew? Well, yes, but not this close. He didn't want them to all of a sudden be buddy buddy with each other. Wendy looks back at Mest and smiles, his scowl disappearing as he tries to smile back at her.

"Is there anymore?" She asks, her bowl empty... again.

"You have to be kidding me," Mest says in disbelief.

She's a princess, a tiny princess at that, yet it seems she has the appetite of a full grown man. Wendy blushes and looks down at her hands, placing the bowl back on the table in front of her.

"Um, never mind. Sorry, I'm actually not that hungry anymore," she lies, biting her bottom lip.

Was it not right for pirates to ask for seconds? Or well, thirds? At home she could have anything she wanted as much as she wanted, but this wasn't home. This was her new one, her new life, and she would try her best to adapt to it.

"Damn Mest, let the poor princess eat. Look at her, she needs as much as she can get." Natsu advises, shaking his head.

Mest goes back to glaring, "you don't think I know that?!"

"No, it's fine! I'm done!" Wendy waves her hands at them both.

"No Wendy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that- you can have as much as you want. There's plenty to go around. Here," Mest explains pushing his bowl over to her again.

Wendy pouts and looks up at him, "but you haven't eaten yet either."

"Well my first concern is you."

"But that's not fair. If what you say is true then I'll just get some more myself. I want you to eat too you know." Wendy says getting up.

"Wendy, it's fine-"

"Calm down Mest, she can walk over and get her own meal. You see where Mira is standing over there? Just ask her and she'll give you some more. Gosh, you baby her too much Mest. How is she suppose to learn things if you're by her side every step of the way?"

"Shut up Natsu!"

Wendy excuses herself and starts heading over to Mirajane, listening to Natsu's instructions. There's a small line waiting for her. More people say hello and are courteous and Wendy does the same. It's a bit of a surprise. These pirates are nothing like the pirates she's come to known from her tutors. They're nice, and polite, and sure they look kind of scary, but they aren't really.

"Hello again Wendy, I'm glad the clothes fit... or well, some of them." Mirajane greets.

"Yeah, they do their job. Do you think I could have some more porridge? It's really good." Wendy asks offering her bowl.

"Sure thing sweetie, I'm glad to hear that. Thank you. It's an old recipe I created when I used to live in the slums with my sister and brother. It doesn't take a lot to make something good." Mirajane says pouring in a spoonful.

"Well it's really good, do you think I could have a little bit more?" Wendy asks.

Mirajane looks at her as she puts another spoonful in.

"A little more?"

And another.

"A bit more?"

Her bowl is nearly full and Wendy smiles brightly, reaching back for it. "Thanks Mira!"

"You're going to eat all that now, right?"

"Of course, I'm starving, or well, I've never eaten anything this good either. A little bit of both," Wendy giggles before heading back.

Mirajane sighs and stirs her pot. She's going to have to make more. Good, great, they've picked up another Natsu and Gajeel. She swears those boys can eat pretty much everything in her kitchen and it seems now their new princess shares that same appetite. Wendy walks back over to her table, sitting between Natsu and Mest who are glaring away from each other. She wonders how that happened, but Reedus gives her a small smile which has her smiling back.

"Natsu, do you think you could?" Wendy asks pushing her bowl towards him.

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure! No problem Wens." Natsu grins scooping some of his into hers.

Mest watches with narrowed eyes, "what are you doing?"

"Ha! See that! Wendy actually likes my spices!" Natsu laughs proudly.

Wendy stirs up her meal and takes a bite, her eyes widening from the flavors. She looks over at Mest and nods her head, agreeing with her new friend.

"Yup, it's really good. It makes my tongue feel like it's on fire."

Mest wants to retort, that's not a good thing, but bites his tongue. She's happy, she's smiling, she's eating like a champion, let her have this. Mest takes a small breath as he continues to eat, watching her pack everything into her tiny body.

"Hey Mest, we've got a situation. Think I can talk to you for a second?" Erza calls walking into the room.

Mest looks down at Wendy, still eating, then over at Erza. She rolls her eyes at him.

"Come on, ten minutes tops. She'll be fine, you trust your crew, right?"

All of a sudden eyes are on Mest and he clears his throat, getting out of his seat. He pats Wendy on top of her head, telling her he'll find her right back here, and glares at Natsu before he walks over to the door, Erza smirking as she leads the way.

"You're not funny." Mest growls.

"Come on, you can't protect her from us forever. Let her socialize, let the crew get to know her. The reason they're so pissed at you is because they know nothing about her. She's a princess, they're bound to be curious."

"It's that curiosity I'm worried about."

Erza sighs and shakes her head, "I just need to go over the inventory with you, and then you can go back to playing bodyguard."

Mest rolls his eyes off and scoffs, "bodyguard," he chuckles.

He doesn't know why he's laughing though because that seems to be exactly what he is for her right now.