And we have chapter up! Sorry that I took so long to update yesterday. Writers block, and then the brilliant idea of watching the show as I wrote, and changing it to fit the story. Of course, I'll be stuck again when I finish season one... But no matter! Read onward, my followers, for the glory of youth! Wait a second... That's Naruto, sorry.
Everyone was shocked to see that Lucy and Happy had actually survived a job with Natsu. He, of course, made his way to the rafters to escape the guild. He watched his guild - since when did he start thinking of Fairy Tail like that? - mill around like ants. He inhaled deeply, smelling the scent of everyone in the building. He managed to forget the names of just about everyone here to make it easier to ditch if he needed to. A yawn nearly split his skull in two. Dang, he was tired.
Discreetly leaving through a window, he made his way to his house, fumbling with the key that he kept hidden in the vines covering his house. Shrugging out of his clothes, he took a quick shower, then flopped onto bed. He must have been more tired than he'd thought, though. He fell asleep quickly.
Fire. Burning. Natsu pulled against the chains restraining him. "No!" he screamed. "Stop it! Leave her alone!" He could hear her screaming for him as the flames grew higher. "No! NO!" His throat was growing hoarse from screaming.
"NO!" He wanted her, needed her. She couldn't leave him.
"Natsu!" she screamed in pain. The fire was all around her, burning her, killing her. He had to escape the chains. He had to save her. He had to -
Natsu woke up in a cold sweat. He hadn't had that dream in years. Why had he had that dream again now of all times? It was weird. Why now? He threw the sweat soaked blankets off and stood. That dream had always meant that his life was about to change dramatically… Not always for the better.
He hated that dream. Memory, really. It was a taunt. Something is coming and you are helpless to stop it. This time it was different. Usually, she died before his eyes before he managed to wake up. But he woke up before she died… Strange. He rubbed his face.
Lullaby. A feral growl escaped his throat. Why now, after so long? Are the demons awakening? Deliora had awakened a few years back, but it got sealed away. He gripped his hair tightly, ideas clawing through his mind. Didn't Lullaby get sealed away too? Wait, wasn't it stolen again a few weeks ago? A dark guild, if I remember correctly. If they unleash it… I need to find them and destroy them… Now!
"I've got bad news!" Loke gasped as he threw open the door. The guild murmured in confusion. "It's Erza… She's on her way here." Lucy watched in surprise as the guild panicked.
"Wow, just mention Erza and the whole place just freaks out," Lucy mentioned to Mira, who was the only person not disturbed.
"Well, she is the strongest female wizard we've got in Fairy Tail. And more than a bit intimidating."
Lucy's nervousness only grew as the guild muttered in fear. "Given this reaction, Erza must be one powerful wizard. I'm so scared!" An armored woman carrying some giant jeweled horn or tooth walked in and set it down.
"I have returned," she stated. "Where is Master Makarov?"
"Wow, she's pretty," Lucy said softly.
"Welcome back, Erza!" Mira said with cheer. "The master's at a conference right now."
"I see."
A wizard had enough courage to speak to her. "What's that humongous thing, Erza?" he asked.
"The horn of a monster I subdued. The locals were so grateful, they decorated it and gave it to me as a souvenir," Erza replied, then turned scary. "Do you have a problem with it?" Everyone panicked.
"No, not at all!" they exclaimed. Erza then berated the guild about things she had heard while on the road.
"Is Natsu here?" she asked. Mira shook her head from where she was doodling with a light pen. "I needed him and Gray for a favor… Very well, Gray alone will also suffice." Gray stared at her in shock. "I heard about something bad while on my last job. Normally, I would consult the master about something like this first, but I believe this is a matter of the utmost urgency. Gray, you are one of the strongest non-S-class wizards in the guild. I want your help. Meet me at the train station tomorrow morning." Everyone murmured in surprise. It would be better if Natsu were here, Erza thought, troubled. He knows so much about forbidden and ancient artifacts. He might know something about this Lullaby. She settled down to a piece of strawberry cake. I hope that we run into him on whatever job he's on.
Review please! Yeah, Natsu doesn't appear much in this short chapter, and probably not much in the next chapter, but then... Bwahaha!