Hey everyone! Did you all have a Merry Christmas, or at least all of our Christmas celebrators out there? I got a "NALU" shipper phone case and I got a replica "Dark Repulser" from "Sword Art Online". It's made of foam but it still hurts. Anyway, I hope you all got great presents and were able to spend time with people who matter to you. Without further adu, today's chapter!
Nalu and Happy walked giddily down the dark streets of Magnolia, fishing poles in their hands and a bucket of fish between them. They had just returned from their fishing excursion and it was already growing late, very few people were on the streets. Happy was recounting a mission he and his team had taken a few months ago and Nalu was just listening respectfully. While listening, Natsu and Lucy thought about the fun day that they had spent with Happy.
Sure the mission they took didn't go quite as planned, but in the end they were still able to revive the old Happy through terrible ninja's and fishing.
We smell like fish! Lucy whined. Natsu chuckled.
Admit it, you had fun.
Well, I can't deny that. Fishing can be sort of exciting.
You should fish with us more instead of poking your nose in a book all the time.
For your information, I like reading, and you should really try it. I took up fishing so humor me and try reading.
Okay, I'll try it for you.
Thank you, responded Lucy, a light blush decorating Nalu's cheeks. They glanced over at their furry partner. He looked so much more cheerful since that morning and they couldn't help but pat themselves on the back for a successful mission.
"What happened after that?" Nalu questioned.
"Natsu escaped and chucked the boulder at the Cyclops!" The two of them laughed at the memory, remembering quite clearly. Nalu calmed down enough to speak again.
"That Natsu of yours has no limits does he?" Happy nodded.
"Aye, Natsu is the strongest person ever. He'll do whatever he can to protect our nakama and Lushi."
Nalu quirked an eyebrow, "Your nakama AND Lucy? Why is she separate?" Lucy was slightly confused by Happy's wording. Did they not consider her nakama or something? Natsu had grown uncharacteristically quiet in the back of their shared mind.
"Well, Lushi is special, at least that's what Natsu says. Yeah she's our nakama, but she has something different about her."
Nalu's face began to grow more flushed. Lucy tightened her grip around the bucket with fish.
"R-Really? What do you mean?"
L-Luce, does that really matter?
Happy shrugged, "I've tried asking Natsu, but he doesn't give me a very clear answer. All he ever says is "Lucy is Lucy" whatever that means."
Nalu's subconscious grew quiet. Neither Natsu nor Lucy knew exactly what to say. Happy went on to talk about other missions he had taken in the past, but Nalu remained quiet.
Natsu began to grow uncomfortable with Lucy's lack of response. He expected her to start sputtering wildly and her face turn into a cherry. He expected her to act like, well, Lucy!
Luce, l-look, about what Happy said, he didn't mean it in any way like-
You think I'm special?
Natsu's sentence died after Lucy asked her question. Lucy could hear him sputtering in the back of their mind.
W-Well y-yeah I think you're s-special! You're my partner! You're Lucy! You mean a lot to me and I couldn't imagine my life without you.
Natsu waited for Lucy to respond. It was quiet for a long time before her sweet voice resurfaced itself.
I think you're special too Natsu. I can't imagine my life without you either.
Nalu's cheeks grew warmer. Her heart banged against her rib cage. Lucy recognised this sensation as well as natsu. Neither could tell exactly who was responsible for their heartbeat, but they had the slight idea that it was theirs. Not Natsu's or Lucy's individually, but their own.
Together.
Hey Natsu, you remember the night this all started, right?
Yeah.
Do you remember the conversation we had?
…yeah.
Natsu…
Before Lucy could continue, a large sword came crashing down in front of them. Nalu jumped, dropping the bucket of fish. Happy yelped in surprise. They followed the sword up to its owner and were met with a creepy metal mask. They could hear him breathing through it and it sent shivers up their spines. Black cloaks covered his large body.
Nalu was the first one to respond. She dropped the fishing pole and grabbed Happy by the tail.
"Come on Happy!" she yelled. The man in the metal mask picked up his sword and started off after them. Nalu and Happy were too frightened to look back but they were sure he was close behind. Nalu focused on the path ahead, but suddenly a sharp pain stabbed her in the head. She screamed out in pain, releasing Happy's tail and clutching her pink head.
"Nalu, what's wrong?" Happy asked, but Nalu couldn't hear him. Natsu and Lucy watched as images flashed through their mind faster than they could process.
Metal, lost of metal. And lights, just like in the dream they had.
Large tubes with strange liquids and unknown devices were everywhere.
There were two people, a man and a woman. They had on bright white lab coats. Their faces were dark, but their glasses shined with evil intent.
Finally there was a voice, one they recognized but couldn't place. It was so familiar ut with the fear in their heart and the pain in their head, they couldn't remember.
"Natsu. Lucy."
"Nalu! Keep running!" Happy yelled, snapping her out of her thoughts. The pain in her head slowly died and she kept running as Happy ordered. She glanced back behind her to find the strange man chasing them about to swing his sword again. Nalu gasped and ducked just in time. He had not hit her like he intended, but he did cut a small strand of her pink locks. Nalu increased her speed in fear of being killed.
I can't be killed like this!
Then turn around and fight Luce!
But I don't have my magic!
"Nalu, this way!" Happy called out in front of her. They quickly turned an alley corner in hopes of losing him, but the assailant kept at it. Happy and Nalu ran into a dead end at the back of the alley. They looked up above to see all sorts of clothes wires and nets hanging around.
"I don't think I can fly through that," Happy said, his voice shaking slightly.
"We're trapped," Nalu muttered. They turned around when they heard the sound of footsteps nearing them. They gasped as the man chasing them stood a few feet away. He stood there motionlessly, staring at them through his dark mask.
"You're them?" the man questioned toward Nalu. His voice sounded cracked and raspy. Happy quirked an eyebrow in confusion, however, Nalu's eyes widened.
Natsu, h-he knows!
Who is this freak?
"Who are you?" Happy yelled. The man stood there silently. Slowly, he brought a hand up to his cloak. He held the clasp tightly.
"I was ordered, to only retrieve the experiment." He released the clasp, letting his cloak fall to the ground. Happy and Nalu shook at the sight of the man's body.
He had large, metal patches nailed onto his chest. Tubes stuck out from different parts of his body. They could see a green substance pumping through his veins. On his back and sides were multiple human arms, all flailing around mindlessly.
Nalu felt her stomach churn and pushed down the need to throw up. Something about him made her head hurt and her stomach shift. Her body shook as she tried to pry her eyes away from his arms. Eventually she was able to resist the temptation to look and turned away.
"Are you afraid girl?" the man questioned softly, sending shivers up Nalu's spine, "You should be. You were the lucky one. You were the only one!" he screeched. Nalu brought her hands up to her ears to block out the torturous voice. Her eyes clenched shut.
"And now," he growled, "They want you back."
"Leave Nalu alone!" yelled a high-pitched voice. Nalu's eyes shot open. She glanced down at the blue exceed a few feet away. He stood firmly in front of Nalu and the metal man.
"I won't let you take my friend!"
The metal man growled lowly. He dropped to his hands and started crawling toward them at incredible speeds like a crazed animal. Happy stumbled backward and tripped. He stared up at the beast before him, as it was about to attack him.
"HAPPY!"
Suddenly, a golden light blinded Happy. He covered his eyes and waited for the light to die down. As it did, he could make out a figure standing in front of him where the monster was. His eyes slowly adjusted and he gaped at what lay before him.
On the floor was the creature that just tried to kill him. It's skin was burning and the metal plating on it's body was literally melting off. It scrambled around like a spider frightened for it's life. Before it stood Nalu. She glared down at the beast with a glare as fierce as Natsu's and as passionate as Lucy's. Happy marveled at the girl before him. His eyes landed on her fist and he nearly screamed.
It was on fire. Golden flames coated the fist, dancing around carelessly. As the beast fell to the floor lifeless, Nalu fell on her knees, the flame dying away. She was exhausted by the attack she just pulled. Happy didn't waste another second rushing over to her.
"Nalu! Nalu! Are you okay?" he asked. Slowly, Nalu nodded her head, taking deep and heavy breaths.
"Yeah Happy. I'm okay." They both looked on at the creature lying in front of them. They watched his chest rise and fall slowly.
"How did you do that?" the exceed questioned. Nalu lifted her hand up to eye level. It still felt warm from the fire and it slightly frightened her. Natsu and Lucy could not explain the phenomenon that just occurred.
"I… I don't know." She said nothing more as she stared at the man lying before them. She had no idea who or what he was, but he was their only clue at that moment. He knew something about their situation, and they were going to make him talk.
This chapter was slightly shorter than the last few. Still, I thought it turned out okay. What did you all think? Review! Follow! Favorite! Have a lovely day!
