A/N: This story is very different from anything I've written before...but I think you will enjoy it. Part of Nalu week is stepping outside of your comfort zone...and so I have done just that.
Please let me know at the end what you think.
:D
Natsu didn't remember falling, but he remembered the events leading up to his fall. One minute, he and his comrades were fighting the beast - a massive winged creature that breathed fire. Natsu had had the brilliant idea to jump on its back and try to spear it from there. Instead, Natsu could only assume that the beast threw him off, plunging him to the valley below.
He woke up in a grassy patch at the base of the cliff. Looking up, he couldn't see the sky, nor the top of the cliff, through the canopy of trees above him. It was a miracle that he'd survived. How had he survived? He surmised he must have hit the canopy of branches above before falling to the ground. It was the only plausible explanation.
That left him with his next dilemma...how was he going to get back to his comrades?
The ground was crawling around him. Large beetles scurried between the fallen logs, the grass thick and untamed. There were no paths surrounding him, no sign of human life, although there were plenty of other types of life rustling unseen around him. The brush was so thick, he couldn't see what was on the other side. Perhaps the best way to get answers was to climb the tree so he could see his surroundings.
It took Natsu a long time to scale the enormous tree. It stood several hundred feet in the air. The branches were smooth, giving him limited footholds. He persevered, knowing if he didn't, he could walk straight into danger.
The tree was also teaming with wildlife. Twice, he batted away 6" long beetles from him. A large snake tried to wrap him in its coils and Natsu had no choice but to kill it with his knife, throwing it to the ground below. Unfortunately, his knife went with it. Panic set in. He had just thrown away his only weapon of defense. He didn't know where he was, but it was dangerous...and he did not want to stay here any longer than he had to.
The top of the tree didn't offer him any answers. The canopy extended as far as his eyes could see. The cliff rose several thousand feet above him. He still couldn't see the top. The skies were filled with large birds with huge teeth and talons, swooping into the trees. He could hear the cries of their victims as they were plucked up, then crushed in the birds' vicious claws. He jumped as an ape-like creature managed to loose itself from the talons, only to fall from the sky, landing metres from him. It bounced on the branch. Natsu could hear its bones crushing before it finally crashed down to the forest floor below.
Gulping, he ducked underneath a massive leaf, hiding himself from the predators. Now he had no idea what to do. He had survived the fall, but he'd be lucky if he survived the night.
Just as his thought finished, Natsu looked down to see a spear aimed at his throat. He shuddered, then followed the long, iron-made utensil to its wielder. He let out an audible sigh of relief, realizing it was a just a young girl. Her hair was blonde, her eyes a dark brown. He slid his eyes down her body, appreciating how toned and tanned it was. She wore nothing except a thin piece of fabric around her waist, a belt of sorts with many compartments attached to her side. Her breasts were completely exposed. He had never seen such nice breasts, but now was not the time to appreciate them. He forced himself to avert his eyes to hers.
"Hi!" Natsu lifted a hand in greeting.
The girl shoved her spear toward him, warning him not to come any closer.
"Any chance you speak English?" Natsu asked.
The girl scowled, thrusting her spear again.
Natsu threw both hands up, "Okay! I'm sorry! I promise I won't come any closer."
He glanced up at the sky. Some of the circling birds were swooping. It seemed the girl was thinking the same thing. She lowered her spear slightly, eyeing one bird in particular that seemed to have set its sights on them. It was getting closer.
"Tunow Lu-tka!" she growled at him.
"I don't understand," Natsu said, shaking his head.
"GET DOWN!" she cried out, pushing him off balance with the butt of the spear.
Natsu fell through the canopy, catching himself on a lower branch. He scrambled back up the tree, anxious to see how the young girl intended to defend herself against the monster.
The giant bird dove, its talons extended. The girl leaped into the air, releasing something from her hand. Natsu couldn't figure out what she had done, but whatever she threw hit the bird in its' side. It cried out as the object tore through its body, splaying blood across the nearby treetops. The object returned to her hand. A second bird diverted its path, releasing a blood-curling roar. The girl watched it dive straight for her.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Natsu shouted.
The girl stood her ground, waiting until the bird extended its talons, then threw the object a second time, slicing the gigantic bird's feet off its body. It cried out, then dropped, narrowly missing Natsu on the way down.
The girl climbed down a few branches, eyeing Natsu as she came to a stop.
"You speak English," he said in awe, his brain still trying to comprehend what he'd just witnessed.
"Hunya donee," she replied, glaring at him, "Toalee a mestwa."
"Okay, we have to come to an understanding here!" Natsu shook his head, "You can speak English...but I don't speak...whatever language that is."
The girl sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Long time for me, English," she told him, "No remember."
"You're pretty," he commented, admiring how her blonde hair shone in the sun.
She glared at him, raising the spear again.
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, raising both hands to show he meant her no harm.
She snarled at him, glancing up at the sky to ensure they were still unhunted for the time being.
"Yaoo neng," she spat, as she spun on her feet.
"What the hell does that mean?" he demanded, "Hey wait! Where are you going?"
The girl was leaping to the next canopy top, her bare feet nimble on the branches. Natsu was extremely clumsy in comparison, almost slipping twice. If he fell to the ground from this height, he'd die for sure...not that he could figure out how he survived the initial fall in the first place...he'd driven himself batty trying to figure that one out. There was no more time to spend worrying about it...especially if he intended to catch up with her.
"You're moving too fast!" he cried out, "I can't keep up."
She stopped, turning to him, her eyes dangerously narrowed. Natsu hadn't been afraid of her until this point, but the look on her face said in no uncertain terms that she would not hesitate to kill him.
"Yaoo neng!" she repeated.
"I don't understand," Natsu said, trying to keep his voice even and non-threatening, "Please. I have nowhere to go. I'm lost. My friends are at the top of that cliff."
He pointed upward, the girl following his finger with her eyes to the endless cliffside.
"I need help," he reiterated, "Please…what does 'yaoo neng' mean?"
She sighed, her expression softening as she searched for the translation in her head, "It mean...piss off."
"Piss off?" Natsu gasped, "You told me to piss off?"
He kicked the leaf next to his foot, nearly losing his balance again. His face was turning red with anger, stunning the girl. Why wasn't he more afraid of her?
"I don't believe this! I'm a fellow human!" he ranted, "What decent person leaves another person to die? Piss off? I have nowhere to piss off to! Don't you get it? I won't survive the night unless you help me!"
The girl was still staring, her eyes wide. He was a strange creature...one that she hadn't seen since the days she had lived in Ishgar...a human male. She forgot how loud males could be.
"I'm Natsu," he said in a quieter voice, extending his hand.
She went to raise the spear, but something about this 'male' made her hesitate. He wasn't dangerous. He was alone and if she understood correctly, he was a long way from home. She knew that feeling well, although it had been years since she'd thought about her origins. She no longer belonged to that world.
"My name is Natsu," he repeated, placing a hand on his own chest, "What's your name?"
He took a cautious step forward, moving slowly so that she wouldn't freak out. When she didn't react, he took another step forward, then another. The gap narrowed until he stood in front of her. He was taller by several inches, his hair an odd pink colour she hadn't seen before. His eyes were dark, but glinted green when the sun flickered through the leaves. He wore a cloth over his shoulders, but it was open in the front, exposing his muscular body.
'Vest,' her mind told her, 'And pants...he's wearing pants.'
She glanced down to his feet. He was wearing shoes. That's why he kept slipping on the branches. If he could not return to his people, he would have to get used to going barefoot.
The others were going to freak. Most of them had never seen someone like him before.
"Natsu," he said again, his hand on his chest.
She placed her hand on her naked breast, her heart thudding as she spoke her name from her other world for the first time in years, "Lucy."
He grinned, elated at their breakthrough, "I'm glad to meet you, Lucy."
Lucy nodded to him, then assessed their position quickly. They could go down to the ground from here. The village was not far away. The winged creatures above were beginning to circle around again. It was time to descend before they decided to attack. Plus, it was necessary to return to the village before nightfall.
She pointed down, then jumped, landing on the branch below. Natsu was much more clumsy, much to her chagrin.
Twenty minutes later, they finally managed to get to solid ground. Natsu stepped on a large beetle, cringing as he lifted his foot, the gooey insides sticking to his shoe. Lucy knew the villagers weren't going to accept him readily. She needed a plan to keep him alive.
As they neared the village, Lucy lead him to a small hut on the outskirts. She could get some supplies there before taking him inside the village.
"Is this your house?" he asked, following her inside.
"Yaoo neng," she warned, halting him.
Natsu stood in one place, at first scowling at being told to piss off again. He relaxed slightly as he waited for her, whistling to himself. Aside from the hut, there were no other buildings. It was more of a lean-to, covered in vines - and if she hadn't lead him straight to it, he might not have realized it was there.
She emerged from the hut a moment later, thick chains in her hands.
"What are you going to do with those?" he asked, taking a step back. He felt a feeling of foreboding wash over him.
"No move," she told him.
Iron clasps clicked shut around his wrists. He stared in horror at her as she shackled his feet too. He could have fought back, but he wasn't sure what the lesser evil was. He would die in the jungle alone...or he could die at the hands of this girl. Something told him he was better off taking his chances with Lucy as a roar from something large echoed through the trees.
Lucy didn't flinch at the blood curling scream that ensued afterward.
"Villagers...will worry," Lucy told him, carefully thinking out each word, "Chains...keep Natsu safe."
"Safe?" he repeated, "I can't defend myself if I'm chained, Lucy."
She sighed, shaking her head, "Natsu trust Lucy. Lucy keep Natsu safe."
He stared at her, his eyebrows furrowed. He wasn't sure what to think...but he had no other options.
"Stay quiet," she told him as she started to walk, pulling him with the chain, "No talk. Lucy talk."
A moment later, he understood why she didn't want him to talk as she dragged him into a village. The huts were nestled in the trees, a large spiky fence surrounding the perimeter. She halted at the gate, glancing back at him, warning him with her eyes to remain silent. He nodded to her, understanding that he would be at the mercy of whomever was inside. The gate was made with spiky branches supported with metal beams, most likely to keep wild animals out. It had a wheel, so Natsu surmised that the village must have at least some technology. Lucy pulled the gate open enough to allow them to pass through, shutting it securely behind them.
She lead him through the centre of the village. He could feel the ominous stares of the villagers, but couldn't decipher individuals due to the rapid decline of light...only that they were tall - at least 7 feet tall on average.
As she led him toward the campfire in the centre of the village, Natsu's heart began to pound. In the centre of the clearing, they were torturing a wild boar, taking turns whacking its dying body with...something...Natsu couldn't decipher what. The wild pig cried out as one of the villagers delivered a last blow. It keeled over, several of the villagers attacking at once. In moments, the boar was reduced to bones. Natsu felt a chill rush through his body.
All eyes turning to Lucy and her captive. She wore a scowl as she approached, determination etched on her brow.
Natsu was able to make out more images now with the campfire light. The first thing he noticed was that they were all women - tall, incredibly fit women. Some were clad in garbs much like Lucy's, the same utility belts at their sides and their breasts exposed. They sat at one side of the fire, segregated from the others that wore white garments that completely covered their bodies from their necks down to their feet.
"Ateansic," one of the women greeted.
Natsu surmised that this must be the leader of the village. Her body adorned lavish jewels, her hair hidden under a tall turban-like headpiece.
More words were spoken. Lucy gritted her teeth, spitting her answers angrily. She held onto Natsu's chain with an iron grip, refusing to let go when the leader reached for it. The leader seemed amused at her answers, all eyes scrutinizing Natsu's appearance.
Two of the women flanked Natsu, reaching out long hands to touch him.
Lucy growled, releasing a warning roar, her round weapon in her hand. The women backed off, but not before releasing more anger-tinged words.
Lucy addressed the leader again, her weapon still in hand. The standoff broke when the leader uttered some decisive words. Only then did Lucy's grip on the chain relax. She turned, leading Natsu off into the darkness.
"What's happening?" Natsu whispered to Lucy. It bothered him that he couldn't comprehend the discussion. All he knew was that the look in the leader's eyes - and all the other women's - was frightening. It was a cross between lust... and possibly a fate similar to the pig's.
"Lucy will fight to keep Natsu as her pet on the morrow," Lucy told him, "Akkadia wants Natsu for one of the child bearers. Lucy told Akkadia Natsu is Lucy's."
"I don't belong to anyone!" Natsu protested, digging his heels into the ground defiantly.
Lucy turned to him, placing a hand on his bicep, "Natsu does not want to belong to a child bearer. Lucy will be good to Natsu. Pakawala...not so much."
Natsu bit his lower lip, wondering what a Pakawala was. He decided to let it go for now. He had a myriad of other questions to ask her.
"Where are the men of this village?" he demanded.
"No men," Lucy shook her head, "Men work in caves. Bring metals for Lucy to make weapons and jewelry."
"They're slaves?" Natsu asked incredulously.
Lucy nodded solemnly as they arrived at a tree hut.
She gestured to the ladder, "Climb."
It was no easy feat to obey her with the chains on, but somehow Natsu managed to get to the top.
She lit a few candles, providing soft light. He noted the hut was very simple. There was a cloth bed, but no blankets. A few garments sat in one corner, a latrine of sorts in another. He sat down on the wooden floor, watching as she poured water into a metal cup. She offered it to him, holding the cup steady for him as he drank.
"You aren't from here," Natsu stated as she sat on the bed.
She shook her head, "Lucy is from Ishgar too. Village name 'Ateansic'...it mean 'Girl Who Fell from Sky.' Lucy is Ishgar name."
Natsu's face fell, "Then you're a prisoner too."
"Lucy live here now. Not prisoner. Lucy is Ateansic."
"Do they accept you?" Natsu asked, "You're very different than them."
Lucy nodded hesitantly, "Ranks in village. Elders, childbearers, warriors, and workers. Lucy is warrior. She defends village. Lucy also knows things from Ishgar, so they do not kill her. They need Lucy. Lucy is...respected."
"Do you...have a little one?" he asked slowly.
Lucy shook her head, "Lucy different than others. Men think Lucy ugly."
Natsu scoffed. Ugly was not how he would describe her at all. Lucy was gorgeous. Although he hadn't gotten a good look at the villagers, he was pretty sure none could compare to her. They were all tall and buff. Lucy was maybe 5'7. She was fit, but her muscles didn't bulge like the other women's did. He wondered what the men looked like, feeling terribly sorry for them. He didn't think a human male could procreate with one of these beings...which meant if Lucy could not prove his worth, he was in real trouble.
"I'm glad," Natsu said awkwardly, "If they think you're ugly, then they will probably leave you alone. But what will become of me?"
She crawled forward on her hands and knees, watching Natsu's face intently as she unlocked his restraints with a key she'd kept in her belt. He couldn't help but notice the sultry look in her eyes. Her breasts brushed against his lap as she set the chains aside, taking his hand.
"Natsu will be Lucy's."
She dropped his hand, then crawled into the cloth bed, stretching. She beckoned him to join her. Natsu was hesitant at first, but her wide open arms were enticing. Slowly, he slid into the bed beside her, letting out a sharp breath as she settled her head in the crook of his arm. Her hand stretched out across his chest, tracing his abs. He felt his body begin to tingle as she reached for his hand, gently placing it on her breast.
"Lucy?" he asked hesitantly.
"Natsu is the same as Lucy," she whispered, "Natsu can make Lucy child-bearer."
Natsu nearly choked at this revelation. Child bearers were obviously much revered in the village, and yet, Natsu hadn't seen a single child. It seemed that warriors were also respected, as were elders, but child bearers were treated as sacred.
Lucy drew his attention back to her as she ran a hand down his cheek, drawing him into a languid kiss.
She encouraged his hand to knead her breast lightly, her legs intertwining with his as she leaned into his embrace. Natsu's senses were reeling as she shifted, hovering over his body. Their eyes locked, Natsu's hand stilling.
She lowered her body onto his, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pressed her lips to his again. Natsu's heart threatened to burst out of his chest, unconsciously bucking up into her hips as he kissed her back. He didn't know what it was about this woman, but he trusted her explicitly.
He had to stop this. It wasn't right.
"Mavis," Natsu whispered when they broke apart. He pushed her back slightly, "Lucy...we can't do this. I don't even know you."
Lucy paused for a long moment, then nodded, "Tomorrow. Tomorrow Natsu will be Lucy's."
She sighed contently, settling back into the crook of his arm.
"The fight tomorrow...is it dangerous?" Natsu asked, trying to distract himself from his aroused body.
"Lucy won't lose," Lucy stated.
He frowned. That didn't answer his question at all.
The sun couldn't light the village completely due to the amount of greenery above, but Natsu could see much better than he could the night before.
Lucy had shackled his hands and ankles again, apologizing with her eyes as she led him back to the centre of the village. She locked the chain around a tree to prevent Natsu from running away. Honestly, he couldn't have run even if he did have an opportunity. The jungle outside the village was dangerous and impossible for him to navigate. He had no idea where he was now. He wouldn't last a day.
"Stay here," Lucy whispered, leaning in to kiss him passionately, "Lucy needs to get ready."
Some of the villagers screamed angry words at Lucy, but she ignored them, disappearing into the hut beside the fire pit. Natsu surmised this must be a supply hut. It was larger than the other huts and it was built on the ground. It was locked, however, and Lucy had the key.
He could see the villagers clearly now. He was right in his assumption that most were over 7 feet tall. Their muscles bulged like they'd been on steroids for most of their lives, their skin most likened to an olive green. Their faces were oblong, their hair jet-black. Some wore their hair in jeweled turbans like the elder, Akkadia. Most wore it down. Their eyes were as black as their hair, tear-drop shaped.
He could clearly distinguish the warriors from the workers. He assumed there must also be a level of ranking amongst each group. Some of the working age women were better dressed than others. Many of the workers were bare-breasted like Lucy was last night. He guessed the child bearers were the ones with the long white robes. None appeared to be pregnant...and the absence of children still worried him.
A woman, well over the 7 foot average, approached Natsu, eyeing his body up and down. She reached out, lifting his arm with a single, 7" long finger, then dropped it, moving to his pink hair. She ran her fingers through it, then dropped her hand to grope his crotch.
"Hey!" Natsu warned, kicking at her, "Back off!"
She looked at him. Natsu couldn't read her eyes, but her touch was unwelcome.
"You heard me," he growled, "Yaoo neng!"
The woman reeled back in apparent surprise. Natsu let out a low chuckle, vowing to learn more words from Lucy. The woman uttered something as she glanced toward the hut, her dark eyes promising she'd be back.
As Lucy emerged from the hut, he could see that she wore a breastplate, tailored to her body, and a metallic-like skirt. Natsu had never seen material like it before. Her hair was pulled back from her face underneath a metal helmet. A whip was fastened to her waist belt on one side, a circular metallic ring fastened to the other side.
"Pakawala," Lucy seethed, her eyes narrowing on the other woman, "Ne geth sowdema!"
Pakawala straightened, dwarfing Lucy by 2 feet. She scowled at Lucy, opening her mouth to reveal two rows of jagged teeth. Her fingers extended, revealing sharp talons.
Pakawala was Lucy's challenger, he realized.
She let out a feral scream, chilling Natsu to his bones. He didn't know what these people were, but they weren't human. The scream pierced his ears. Lucy did not flinch as she stared Pakawala down, despite the face that Natsu was now beyond scared shitless.
There was no cordoned off ring in which to fight, no referee to declare the fight was on. The villagers sat to the edges of the clearing, well out of the way. Natsu's tree was a little more inside the fighting zone. Akkadia adorned what Natsu supposed was an entertained grin. He cringed, wondering just how violent this was going to get.
Lucy lowered her body, preparing herself for an attack as Pakawala circled her. One hand waited on her whip.
He barely saw Pakawala charge, her talons swiping toward Lucy. His eyes widened. If they connected with Lucy's body, she would be shredded. Lucy back-flipped out the way, stunning Natsu with her agility, even in the metal garment. She flicked out her whip, snapping it toward Pakawala's ankle. As it wrapped around, the whip electrified, causing Pakawala to scream. She lunged at Lucy, her talons scraping Lucy's arm.
Lucy cried out, ignoring the blood flinging from her forearm as she released the whip, redirecting it to Pakawala's arm. She pulled, tearing flesh away. He fought the urge to throw up as some of the blood landed on his feet, some of the other women rushing to lick it off. He kicked at their faces, crying out in horror and disgust.
Natsu's stomach lurched again as he realized Pakawala's blood was orange. There was nothing human about these people at all. They were savage. He wondered how Lucy had survived so many years with them. But the more he watched, the more he began to understand. Lucy wasn't going to lose the fight...Lucy was a warrior.
"Woavea iw lawo!" Lucy screamed, flicking her whip at the women at Natsu's feet.
They hissed at her, but dispersed back to the edge of the circle.
Natsu couldn't find the time to be relieved, "LUCY - WATCH OUT!"
Lucy pulled the metal circle from her belt, flinging it as Pakawala attacked her turned back. It caught her just below her jawline, drawing blood instantly. Lucy went on the offensive, kicking Pakawala in the stomach, sending her reeling backward. She advanced, landing assaulting blow after assaulting blow.
Pakawala somehow managed to reach out her massive hand, grabbing Lucy by the neck. She lifted her, suspending Lucy in mid-air. Lucy tried to kick, but she couldn't reach Pakawala's body. Her fingers searched for the metal circle on her hip as Pakawala began to squeeze, cutting off Lucy's air supply. Drool dribbled out of her mouth as she began to gnash the 2 rows of teeth. Natsu cringed. The woman was going to bite Lucy. Other villagers began to chatter, similar displays of drool hanging from their mouths.
Lucy chucked the metal circle. It went out several feet, then boomeranged, splitting Pakawala's hand. She screamed in agony, dropping Lucy to the ground. Lucy righted herself, her eyes narrowing in on her target.
Natsu had never seen such determination in anyone before. Lucy attacked. Both women shrieked their rage as they traded blows. Slowly but surely, Pakawala's hits were missing their target. It was apparent that Lucy would win this fight. Natsu wondered how far she would have to take it before Pakawala backed down.
Pakawala clawed at the air, her remaining taloned hand connecting with Lucy more than once, but Lucy's focus was steadfast. She flipped out of the way as Pakawala's teeth bore down toward her shoulder. She landed behind the gigantic woman. Her whip wrapped around Pakawala's neck, snapping it...and the fight was over.
Pakawala fell to the ground, not moving. The other villagers stared, but nobody cheered...or went to attend to Pakawala. Her eyes didn't have eyelids, but Natsu swallowed hard as the black eyes faded to gray.
Lucy had killed her.
Lucy's lungs heaved from the exertion as she turned toward Akkadia, her dark eyes scowling.
"Dsi me so megra," she told Akkadia.
"Woasw leawo we," Akkadia called out, glancing at the other women.
Both Natsu and Lucy held their breaths, but nobody else stepped forward.
Akkadia nodded, gesturing to Natsu. His eyes were wide as Lucy lumbered toward him, unchaining him from the tree. She led him back to her hut slowly, limping on one leg. Her injuries were obviously causing her extreme grief, but her expression remained steadfast as they climbed the ladder. Behind them, they could hear the gnashing of teeth. Natsu cringed, not wanting to know what they were doing to Pakawala's body.
"What just happened?" Natsu asked as entered the small hut.
"Natsu belongs to Lucy," Lucy murmured, "No one will challenge Lucy for Natsu again as long as he is hers."
"But I'm not yours," he protested, "You might have me in shackles, but I'm still free. You can't take my free will from me."
She opened her mouth to elaborate what she'd meant, instead swaying, her eyes rolling back into the head.
He jumped, barely catching her in time. His restraints made it difficult, but he managed to lower her into the bed. He eyed the pouch on her belt that would contain the key to his restraints, then decided to go for it. Lucy needed help.
Once freed, he beelined for the water, dampening a cloth, then began to clean Lucy's wounds. He wasn't sure he liked the idea of 'belonging' to anyone, but Lucy was his only friend in this world. She had fought for him...and he'd be damned if she was going to die now!
6 months later…
6 months...Natsu couldn't believe it had been that long. He assumed his comrades thought he was dead by now. He had settled into life in the village, earning respect as Lucy's hard working servant.
Nobody had challenged her for him since that day, but Lucy had suffered some severe consequences. Her wounds were deep and it took 3 days for Natsu to get the fever to break. Nobody came to check on her. Nobody bothered them. Natsu never strayed far from the hut, hunting small birds and other small creatures, then returning immediately to the relative safety of the hut. After the third day, Lucy opened her eyes, offering Natsu a grateful smile. After that, the two were inseparable.
He'd learned quite a bit about the village since then. He'd learned that Lucy had earned her place in the village by being a warrior. Despite her small stature, Lucy was quick and agile. Whenever the village was threatened, Lucy was the first to respond. He'd learned that the hard way the day the village was attacked by a 40 foot lizard. Lucy sprang into action before the other villagers could mobilize, defeating it quickly. The meat was devoured within the hour. Natsu had had to turn away, unable to watch the woman-like creatures tear the flesh from the lizard's bones with their teeth. Lucy took a small share, but cooked it for herself and Natsu. Lucy never ate raw meat. For that, Natsu was truly thankful.
There was more than one benefit to having Lucy in the village. Lucy knew how to cultivate the metal that was mined into useful items. She told Natsu once that her father had been a miner. Her mother cultivated the metal into useful items, teaching Lucy everything she knew. The metal found in these caves was not native to Ishgar. It was a bendy substance with the strength of the strongest steel, both flexible and durable.
Lucy kept the weapons for herself, aware that if the villagers ever turned against her, she would need to defend herself. She designed the weapons so that they could not be used by the villagers' gigantic hands. However, she also used the metal to contribute to the village in other ways such as constructing waterways with metallic passages which allowed each hut access to clean water and a clean latrine, a defensive fence to help keep predators away from the village, and creating the jewelry that the elders wore.
Natsu ran into his first man after he'd been there for a month. He was tall, like the women, but his skin had more of a blue tinge to it than green. He was much less muscular. Akkadia had him brought into the village for the child bearers. There was a ceremony of sorts, and then he disappeared into Akkadia's hut, a dozen or more child bearers waiting for him there.
Natsu never saw the man again, but he would never forget the screams that wracked the village that night. Later, Lucy explained that once a little one had been made, there was no more use for the man. He would return to the mines to gather the metal there if he survived.
This man had not survived.
The mating ritual was repeated monthly. He never did get used to the cries of helpless victims. The villagers were savage...Natsu had seen example after example of their brutality toward each other. One time, two of the women had gotten into a spat of some kind. Lucy pulled Natsu away, claiming he did not want to watch what was going to happen. Later, he found out the two women fought until one died. The other woman cannibalized her on the spot.
Natsu spent his time assisting Lucy in her duties, but one of his favourite activity was hunting. Natsu had become quite adept at using a bow and arrow that Lucy had made specifically for him. He became as agile as she was, already proficient at using weapons from his job in Ishgar. Plus, hunting provided the only time he was permitted to walk around chain-free. Lucy explained to him that as long as he acted as her servant, the other villagers would leave him alone. If he became free all the time, she would be challenged again. Natsu had learned to accept it. The rest of his life with Lucy was near perfect, so he would tolerate that injustice.
During the 6 month time frame, Natsu also worked on Lucy's English with her, slowly getting her to drop the 3rd person. He introduced her to basic words, teaching her a new phrase everyday. Natsu was learning the village language too, not that anyone ever talked to him. Her ownership of him was absolute. In essence, he was her pet...and she had won the right to own him exclusively.
Nighttime had quickly become Natsu's favourite part of their daily routine. They were filled with caresses and soulful stroking, although Natsu had never allowed full intercourse. Lucy respected his views after a long discussion one day. Other villagers spawned little ones, who were quickly whisked away to a corner of the village to be raised separately by caregivers. Natsu found the impersonal relations of these beings very sad. If he were to get Lucy pregnant, he didn't want his offspring treated like that...raised emotionless and without love...segregated without hope of having a family.
He was sitting on top of the canopy of trees, contemplating his new life, when Lucy joined him. Natsu was a good tree climber now. He'd gotten rid of his shoes, and was now as adept at climbing as Lucy was. This was their favourite spot at night. The stars were still too far away to see, but the birds that preyed overtop of the canopy during the day were gone in the dark hours, resting in the caverns within the cliffs. They could see the entire valley from here. The view was spectacular.
"You're quiet today," she mused, smacking his arm playfully.
He nodded, "I'm just thinking, that's all."
"About what?" she asked.
He hesitated, not sure she'd understand. She'd been in the village for so long that this was her way of life now.
"I'm homesick," he admitted, "I miss my friends and my family."
She frowned, intertwining her fingers with his, "Are you not happy here?"
He squeezed her hand, "I am to a point. I'm getting used to life here...but there's a lot of things I miss about Ishgar."
She kept her eyes glued to his, asking what he missed with her eyes.
"I have a sister," he told her, "And a best friend. And other friends."
She nodded slowly. Family was not important in the village. Neither did the villagers form close bonds. That was part of the reason she loved Natsu so much. She had been craving the bond that only a close relationship could provide.
"What were you doing when you fell down the cliff?" Lucy asked.
It was a question she hadn't asked before. They never talked about his life in Ishgar. Perhaps it was due to the fact that Lucy could barely remember her life there. She was a child when she'd been thrown to the valley below by a man who was angry with her father. She had found her father's body shortly after she'd woken up. Her mother was a short distance from him, her body torn apart on the rocks. Lucy had no one to return to.
"My friends and I," Natsu said quietly, "We were adventurers. A town hired us to exterminate a large beast that breathed fire."
"A wyvern," she supplied, "We haven't seen one around here for awhile."
Natsu nodded, "I jumped on its back to try to spear it and I fell. I don't know how I survived the fall."
Lucy laid her head on his chest, "I do."
He glanced at her, his eyes questioning.
"You maimed the wyvern," Lucy told him, "I saw it descending into the valley. It tried to land in the trees, but the birds of prey could smell the blood and attacked it. You didn't fall from the top of the cliff, Natsu. You fell from the wyvern's back when it was attacked."
"Oh," he said simply. There was nothing more to say. If his friends had seen him fall with the wyvern, they would definitely think he was dead. Nobody was searching for him.
"Let's go back to the hut," she suggested, seeing the sadness in his eyes.
Natsu sighed, laying his thoughts aside for the night. He shimmied down the tree after her, entering their hut in silence.
Lucy pressed her body to Natsu's, slowly removing his now jagged vest. He still insisted on wearing it, even though his pants had long since worn out and he now wore a loincloth most of the time. She dropped it now to the ground, rendering him completely naked. He reached out, caressing her breasts lightly as their lips met in a slow, soulful kiss. He pulled the string on her skirt, releasing it to the floor.
"Will you make love to me tonight?" she asked.
She asked every night, knowing he would turn her down. She saw the logic in his reasoning. Even though she'd lived in the village for most of her life, she would never get used to the way the social dynamics of the villagers worked either. Natsu's arrival had offered her a chance to have that much needed intimate relationship. Tonight, she sensed his sorrow and pain. There was still a part of her deep down that felt that same sense of loss. He would need her tonight more than ever.
He shook his head, "Luce...you know we can't."
Lucy smirked, running her hands over his muscles, "I know. Maybe you need me to love you tonight though. I don't like seeing you so sad."
He kissed her longingly, thankful that she understood. Lucy took both his hands, sinking with him to the bed. One hand migrated to his cock, encircling it. She pumped it, feeling the adrenaline rush through her when it twitched. His body amazed her. She loved how responsive it was to her.
Lucy's kisses deviated from his mouth, slowly making its way down his neck. There was a spot on his neck that made him putty in her hands. She suckled it, feeling the adrenaline hit when he moaned, falling down to his back on the bed.
His hand groped her ass as she hovered over top of his body, kneading it lightly as she made her way to his chest. She stroked his cock gently in time to her kisses.
"Luce," he whispered.
Lucy pressed her hips to Natsu's groin, pausing her ministrations to gasp at the contact. The sensation drove her wild, fueling her lust. Her lips left his chest abruptly. Natsu was about to protest when he felt her mouth take him all in. She sucked hard, bobbing her head up and down. He cried out, beginning to pant as she worked. Her right hand massaged his balls as her left stroked underneath of her bobbing mouth.
"Mavis, Luce…" he groaned, "That feels so good!"
A moment later, he couldn't hold on anymore, his hot juices exploding from him. She continued to stroke him until he was done, his entire body going limp.
She settled into the crook of his arm, positioning herself so that he could touch her when he'd come down from his high. Natsu rolled over, pinning her underneath of him as he claimed her mouth in a deep kiss. This was when it was hardest for him. He wanted nothing more than to make love to Lucy, but the fact remained...he did not want any children of his to be raised in this village. If they were in Ishgar, he'd agree to it in a heartbeat.
He paused, realizing that this feeling was not going to go away. He'd been putting it off for months, waiting for the monsoon season to be over. They'd been pounded with heavy rains for weeks. Now the rain was subsiding...and it was time to put a plan into action to get home.
He wondered if she would tell him he couldn't go. He was, afterall, still technically her pet, regardless of the fact that they acted more like partners and best friends for months now.
"I want to leave, Luce," he said softly, "I want to go home."
She froze, her hands still cradling his face as shock set in, "You can't just leave."
"Will you hold me here?" he asked.
He watched her, assessing her response. A shadow crossed her face and for a moment, Natsu thought she might cry - but he had never seen any emotion like that come from Lucy in the past. That couldn't be it.
She shook her head after a long moment, "You've never been my prisoner. The chains are to keep the other women from challenging me for you. I won't stop you if that's what you really want...but I will miss you."
"Lucy," he said softly, taking both her hands, "Tell me how you feel about me."
Lucy's eyes were large as she searched his.
"I don't want you to leave me," she whispered, her voice trembling, "You have made life joyful for me again. I look forward to spending time with you every day...and loving you every night...and waking up in your arms each morning."
"Do you love me, Luce?" he asked.
It was a simple question, but one that sent Lucy's senses into overdrive. Love had never been an option for her before. But the thought of him leaving her behind in the village forever...never seeing him again…
"Yes," Lucy murmured. The squeak in her voice surprised both of them.
He caressed her cheek, leaning forward to kiss her gently.
"Then come with me."
"Come with you?" she repeated.
Natsu hadn't seen that look on her face before. In this place, there was no room for doubt. Lucy had to be confident and assertive all the time. She would be killed at the first sign of weakness. It was strange to see her so vulnerable.
Escape hadn't been an option for Lucy for years. The idea of leaving the only place she'd known for years was...daunting.
"I don't want to leave without you," he murmured, his lips against her neck, "Come with me."
"We couldn't go if we wanted to," she whispered, "We don't know how to return to Ishgar."
"I do," he argued, "I've been exploring the birds of prey caves when I'm out hunting. There's some tunnels that I think could lead us back to Ishgar."
Lucy shook her head, worry clouding her dark eyes.
"We'd have to fight the birds!" she tried to reason.
"We are both skilled warriors," he asserted, "Luce...consider our options. We can spend every day fighting for our lives in a village of savages...or we can die trying to go home. I don't know about you, but I'd rather die a free man. You're their prisoner too, Luce."
Lucy knew it was true. She had fought for her survival and adapted to their way of life so that she could continue to live.
"They don't care about you," Natsu growled haughtily, "They let you live here because you have talents they can't replicate. They need you as a skilled warrior, but they don't care about you. They're using you, Luce."
"The villagers...they can't process the metals without me…" she murmured.
He placed his forehead to hers, kissing her nose gently, "They survived before you...and they'll survive afterward."
She was still hesitant...afraid of the unknown.
"I'll make love to you right now if you promise to go with me," he murmured, "There is nothing here for us. Even if we can't get back to Ishgar, we can make a life outside this village. Yes, I want to go home and see my family and friends...but I don't really care where we end up...as long as we're together and away from here."
Lucy felt an unfamiliar wetness in her eyes. She ran a finger along her eyelid, surprised to see the moisture on her finger. It had been a long time since she'd felt emotion other than anger and the drive to survive. Since Natsu arrived, she'd been introduced to a whole new array of feelings. She couldn't go back to life without him. He made her existence worthwhile.
"I love you, Lucy," he murmured, "Come with me. My friends will welcome you. We can be a family."
Lucy was surprised as her eyes started watering. Suddenly, the idea of going to Ishgar was overwhelmingly all she wanted.
"I'll go with you," she whispered.
He grinned, kissing her longingly on the mouth.
"Tomorrow night," he told her, one hand slipping between her legs, "We'll leave in the dead of night."
She nodded, throwing her head back as he stroked her. His lips settled on her left breast, his free hand kneading the right. His cock was stiff again, pressing into her thigh as he stroked her with his fingers, slipping a finger inside of her wet passage. The sensation was unlike anything she'd felt before. He regularly went down on her, but never had he stroked her inside. Her heart pounded. He was going to make good on his promise. He was finally going to make love to her.
"I want you, Luce," he whispered huskily.
Lucy couldn't answer, her senses reeling. She felt him adjust, the head of his penis replacing his fingers. Lucy cried out, barely able to breath as he pressed into her.
'So good!' she wanted to scream, but her voice was gone, completely sucked away.
Natsu kissed her deeply as he began to thrust, one hand still stroking her clit. He set a pace, withdrawing slowly, re-entering hard. Lucy found herself lifting her hips to meet him, her breath all but gone. New sensations claimed her entire body. She had had orgasms before - his tongue delving into her pussy made her cum every time - but the buildup this time was different than anything she had ever experienced. Her entire body tingled, every fibre of sensation leading to her passage.
"Luce," he groaned.
He had to change positions or he would cum too soon. He wanted her to orgasm at least twice. He flipped her over, his chest flush against her back as he re-entered. Lucy began to moan with each thrust, the new position allowing him to penetrate deeper. His fingers resumed playing with her clit, sending her to new heights.
She cried out, her walls clenching him as she came hard. Her entire body shuddered. Natsu didn't stop, drawing out her orgasm for as long as he could before he withdrew again.
"Lie on your side," he murmured in her ear.
Lucy could barely hear him, the adrenaline from her orgasm not washed away yet. Somehow, she managed to obey him. He spooned her behind, entering her as his arms wrapped around her. One hand played with her breasts, the other with her pussy. The addition of his lips on her neck sent her into overdrive again, the buildup rapidly climbing.
"I'm going to cum with you this time, Luce," he told her.
She still couldn't answer him, gasping as his pace quickened again.
"Natsu!" she cried out, gripping the forearm of the hand that massaged her boobs.
"Oh gawd," Natsu groaned.
Three hard thrusts later, Lucy released again, unable to contain her voice. Natsu followed immediately afterward, pulling out so that he wouldn't cum inside her.
Lucy was panting hard as she felt the hot strings hit her back.
They collapsed together, thoroughly satiated for time being.
Lucy gasped, trying to catch her breath, "That was...Natsu...we need to do that again."
"That's what's great about it, Luce," he murmured into her ear, "Once we're outta here, we're free. We can do this every night for the rest of time."
As much as Lucy didn't want to admit it, she wasn't going to miss the villagers that had held her captive for long.
The fear of the unknown gave way to her aspiration to follow Natsu to the ends of Earthland until they found Ishgar...
...a life where they could be free.
A/N: I really hope you enjoyed this. I wasn't kidding - I stepped out of my comfort zone big time!
We are down to ONE PROMPT - the bonus prompt of 100 Year Quest. I'll post it in a few days, so if you have amazing suggestions, lemme hear it! I love hearing opinions.
Seeya next time!
~Shana~
