Admittedly, it had taken Lucy close to 30 minutes to find the smoldering skid marks that led to a, surprisingly, normal looking house. The only signs of a struggle was, what looked like, Natsu being dragged away.

Which told her even more something was wrong, because Natsu would never let himself be taken without a fight.

The blonde bit her lip as she tried the doorknob, eyes widening to find it unlocked. Was this kidnapper wanting her to find them? Or were they expecting her to run away that easily?

She slowly stepped in, the place surprisingly neat, and walked through the hall, determined to get to the bottom of this. And she found her answer when she turned a corner and gasped, seeing Natsu sitting on the couch, arms thrown over the back coolly, his dark eyes giving her a once-over.

But something wasn't right...

His posture was more rigid, his eyes colder... Lucy's senses screamed at her to run, but didn't move, his dark gaze cementing her in place.

"Lucy... How did I know you would still come to find me...?" He murmured, voice softer than his eyes as he stood, approaching her. Lucy also found that she couldn't make her voice work, which terrified her. "Always so brave in the face of danger, no matter how many times it hurts you in the end..." Natsu continued, hand reaching her jaw, making her look up at him.

What was he even talking about? She'd never done anything remotely brave in her life!

"It's such a shame your fate is so..." He paused, lips curling into a smirk "twisted"

"But that's why I'm here!"

Natsu jumped back, and both him and Lucy looked up to see... Natsu? Two Natsu's? This was either a really weird dream, or Lucy was tripping right now.

The new, and most likely real, Natsu was wearing different clothing from before, and instead of jeans and a T-shirt, he was wearing something that didn't looked like it belonged in the country or era.

He was wearing an outfit that consisted of a robe-like top with only one sleeve, a sash around his waist, and scarf around his neck, loose white pants and sandals.

Well, Lucy certainly couldn't say it didn't look good on him. In fact, it kinda looked better on him than his previous, normal outfit.

"So you admit to your crime?" The false-Natsu hissed, before it's form melted away, before Lucy was staring at a mirror image of herself.

Natsu looked both panicked and enraged as he ran over, punching the other Lucy square in the face. "IT'S NOT A CRIME TO LOVE SOMEONE!" He yelled almost desperately, and the way he said it, so full of emotion, made her heart wrench in her chest.

Fake-Lucy's skin melted away again, into some kind of formless being, which resembled a shadow. "HOW CAN YOU LOVE SOMEONE YOU AREN'T EVEN SUPPOSED TO KNOW?!" The creature screeched, and lunged. But not towards Natsu.

Lucy gasped, stumbling back as it descended upon her, but before it's claws could make contact, Natsu was there, guarding her as it's hand raked through his chest like a set of sharpened knives.

He yelled out in pain, panting hard, and shaking his head like his was trying to keep himself conscious, before a flame ignited at his feet.

"I don't give a damn what I should and shouldn't know!" he cried, bangs shadowing his eyes "I came here for a reason!"

Lucy watched in awe as she saw his nails turn sharper, as his hands morphed into dragon-like claws, and before she knew it a tail was also hanging behind him. Despite the weird occurrences of today, she couldn't help but wonder what the reason was for all this... What was the real reason he sought her out?

More importantly, how did he know her?

Natsu's head snapped up, his glare alone enough to ignite his opponent "I don't care what the rules say and I don't give a damn about fate!" He bellowed, striking out "I will..." he panted as the whole place was set on fire.

His hand pounded over his heart with a faint 'thump' "Deny this twisted fate."

Natsu had passed out again shortly after that skirmish, but within another few hours, he was finally awake, in time to be able to get ready for their boat which was departing soon, of course, giving Lucy plenty of time to hound him with a million questions.

"What was that thing and what was it talking about?" She demanded, as he packed his bag, a tick of annoyance forming on his forehead, as she peered over his shoulder curiously "And where did you get that outfit?"

Natsu sighed in exasperation, closing the bag "That thing was a 'mimic', a type of shadow, and higher-class one than what we've seen before. It was talking about me, and that's all you need to know. And I always dress like this, I just changed it up for this country." He listed off, irritably.

Lucy stared at his back as they walked down the street in silence, and he knew, since it felt like his back was on fire.

They had just reached the dock when he felt her grab his scarf, making him blink in confusion as he turned to face her, surprised to see the faintest of blushes on her cheeks.

"Who is it you love then?" She asked, twirling her hair around her finger cutely.

He couldn't help but smile as she reminded me of all the reasons why he loved her so darn much.

"Idiot…" He breathed out, making her look up in shock as Natsu smiled softly, turning to board the ship "Isn't it obvious…?"

"You're the only one I could ever possibly love."