Natsu jumped off his bed, cold sweat beaded down his face. His body shook.
Everyday in that place he would have this dream. But ever since he left it had stopped. So why had it suddenly come back. Natsu shook his head. Feeling a tingling sensation spread across his back. He could feel it, just remember it , he could feel the blade.
That wasn't the part he hated most though. It was what happened a few years after. When her mother came.
Natsu sat on the ground just next to his bed, noticing that Gray was no where in the room. He placed his head in he's arms that rested against his knees that he tucked against his chest [Not sure if that's how you describe it O.o]
He remembered that day clearly. He hated every day since then.
The door slammed open startling Natsu. He jumped up.
" Gray?"
" I hope you know its a weekend." He said grinning, " But that won't stop us from doing some little quests. Erza wanted to know if you and your teammate wanted to join us for the day."
" I… Guess. Where will we be going?"
" Oh, well, it's just in this town. We'll be delivering some supplies for this mans shop. Simple really. Erza already has the things needed, all we need to do is deliver them."
" So if it's practically done already, why does she want us to come along? "
" I guess you could say she wants to get to know you more." Natsu sighed and went to change. When he came out Gray was waiting outside.
" So, have you decided to come?"
" I guess. Got nothing better to do. Have you seen Lucy?"
" The new girl right? Nah, haven't seen her since yesterday. She's late."
Natsu panicked, though not showing it to Gray. He just sent Lucy out by herself last night. What if something happened to her. Natsu looked down the hall and back at Gray. He was staring at him oddly.
" What's wrong?"
" Uh… Do you know where Lucy...lives?"
" Well, no. But I think Maka- O-oi where are you going?" Gray shouted watching Natsu rush down the hall.
" To see Jii-chan!" Natsu ran down the hall making his way to the principal's office. Lucky for him the old man was there. " Jii-chan?"
" Oh, Natsu." Makarov said, looking up from behind the desk. The old man was barely visible from his spot given his shortness. That is, until he stood on his chair and crossed his arms grinning, " What brings you here?"
" Well uh…L-Lucy's not here, so… do you know where she lives." Makarov fell from his spot to the ground. As he got up and dusted himself he nodded.
" I see. It seems you found the one." He said keeping the grin on his face.
Natsu jumped and waved his arms in the air, forming an 'X' ." Wrong!" He yelled, " T-that's not it! Its… Lucy, She might be in danger…"
" I see. So you're jealous she might be meeting another guy."
" Where are you even getting these ideas!" Natsu questioned pointing a finger at the old man. Makarov's grin was replaced by a frown as he looked at Natsu thoughtfully, " Care to tell me why she's in danger?"
' If I tell him… he might be able to help but… What if I'm wrong?'
Natsu shook his head slowly. Makarov sighed, " I know all about that man."
" W-wha-"
" Listen Natsu. As of right now, until I feel it necessary to take action, you must not go anywhere near him."
" Didn't plan to." Natsu said, " Now Lucy…"
" Strawberry street. She lives in an apartment." Makarov said, " If you run into that man, be sure to get away quickly. If he finishes his plan, this town is doomed."
" If… that's true. Why aren't you doing anything about it?"
Makarov turned around and walked to his chair, " … I only have an idea as to what he's up to. I'm not sure yet."
" But still…"
" I'll take care of it. Until then you mustn't go near." Makarov sat down on his chair and watched the pink haired teen leave the room, " Hades… Just what are you up too?"
Lucy jolted upright from her bed and glanced around looking for her alarm clock. It sat on the other side of the room. 10:00 it read. Lucy gasped and jumped off the bed, swung her closet open and searched through the pile of close for something to wear for the day. She rushed into the bathroom.
After taking a long shower and changing clothes it was already half past ten.
" Jeez, I forgot to set the alarm. Natsu's probably freaking out."
She was lucky enough that the man never showed up last night. She made it back to her little apartment with no trouble.
Just as she searched through her kitchen to find something to eat her doorbell rang. She walked over slowly, hoping she didn't just jinx herself and the man didn't just randomly show up at her front door.
It wasn't him to her relief. But it was also someone she didn't expect, nor someone she wanted to see. Her father. Without her consent he pushed right past her and walked into her room. Lucy glared at her fathers back, but when he turned around, she forced a small smile.
" Nice to see you father. "
Her father was not pleased. " Why did you leave?" He asked when she didn't answer he continued, " You didn't have permission to leave, nor did you have permission to enter this filthy school. "
Lucy dropped her smile and her glare returned, " What I do is none of your concern."
" You're my daughter, everything you do is my concern. "
" Daughter? I'm pretty sure , father, that a parent does not act like you. I'm not a daughter to you. I'm just something you use to release your anger on! Ever since she died!" Immediately her father's hands reached out for her, pinning her against the wall.
" She died because of you!"
" She died because you weren't there to protect her! All you ever do is sit in your dusty office doing whatever the hell you do! You never once paid any attention to her! But She didn't care! Because she LOVED you!" His fist collided to her ribs. Lucy bit her lip, keeping herself from crying out. " You even lied to me! " She continued, " You said she was sick! When she was kidnapped! And what did you do?!"
Her father punched her jaw, grabbed her hair and slammed her against the wall, " You know nothing child!"
" You did nothing!" He kneed her in the stomach. Lucy gasped and fell down to her knees but kept her glare. She was used to this. Her father beating her. Every since her mother was kidnapped and killed he became a merciless monster. " Some father you are. Beating your one and only kid." She was asking for she knew that. But she couldn't stop herself. She hated this man. Maybe once she may have loved him, but not anymore. " Why are you here?" She coughed.
" To bring you back. " he said, " You weren't suppose to enter this school."
" You can't take me back."
He ignored her, " Maybe when we get back, I'll teach you how to respect your parents."
" You're not taking me back," Lucy said managing to stand up, " How long has it been since I had any friends? I've finally made some, and you want to take me away?"
" These people are nothing but pathetic wizards."
" In case you forgot, I'm a wizard also." Lucy said as her hand reached for her belt. She looked down, noticing her keys weren't attached like it was suppose to. Her eyes searched her room. They were probably still on the bed somewhere."
Her father stiffened. He hated Lucy because she looked exactly like her mother, not only that but also inherited her abilities as a mage. So why did he need her back so badly. He should be happy she was gone. Or was it because he wanted her to suffer just like he was suffering from the loss?
" I'll be taking you out of this school, not get yourself to the door, we're leaving."
" I will not!" His hand grabbed her face, he pushed her against the wall again, " I HATE YOU!" She screamed. His free hand, clenched into a fist and punched her stomach, over and over. His hand's grip loosened, and his punching stopped.
For some reason her room felt like it was on fire. She fell to the ground slowly. Looking up she saw her father sprawled on the floor, a hand clutching the side of his face. He was furious. And next to Lucy stood Natsu. Covered in flames, he glared at the man on the floor. His gaze met Lucy's.
Natsu kneeled down next to her, extinguishing his flames and placed a finger against her cheek rubbing it. That was when she realized she was crying. He smiled at her and got back up, walking over to the man on the floor. Her father stumbled to his feet.
" Who are you?" He asked. Natsu growled.
" Her friend." Natsu lit his fist on fire, " Get out."
" Don't tell me what to do, boy." Natsu frowned.
Get up boy!
No need for violence boy.
I've never had a dragon slayer before...how fast do they recover… will it leave scars?
Natsu took a step back, his eyes widening. Natsu clenched his teeth. ' He's not him… He's not him...' Natsu thought. Natsu allowed his entire body to erupt into flames, his glare returning.
" I can do what ever the hell I want old man. Now who are you! Why are you hurting Lucy!"
" Who am I? I'm her father of course." He smiled, Lucy sat up.
" I see." Natsu growled, his flames burning brighter and hotter than before, " Than that just gives me a better reason for beating the crap out of you!" Natu charged and punched the man across the cheek, followed by a kick. " Father you say? Why the hell are you hitting her! You have no right to do this to Lucy!"
Her father couldn't fight back against a mage. Lucy watched Natsu fight, unable to do anything.
" You should be comforting her!" Natsu yelled, trying hard not to burn down her appartment. Natsu ceased his attack, watching the man get up to a standing possition.
" This doesn't concern you. Leave at once."
" No. You leave, this isn't your place. She may had to do what you said in your house, but this isn't your house is it? You're her guest! If she tells you to leave, you leave!" Natsu took a step forward, " If you won't, I can't promise you'd get out uninjured. "
They were in the kitchen now. Lucy stood up slowly walking over to them, "Natsu."
" So, are you going to leave or what?" Natsu prepared himself to fight, but the man said nothing.
Lucy made it to him, gripping his shoulder, she turned him around to face her.
" Natsu, it's fine. "
" Fine? Lucy are you crazy? This man just hit you,"
" He'll leave, I'll make him. There's no need to fight." Lucy said, " Besides, you already caught my room on fire."
" W-what?" Natsu looked around, seeing sparks of flames in the floorboard, and on the walls. " Shit, sorry."
Lucy smiled, " It's fine." She looked behind him, watching her father. He was glaring, his hands curling and uncurling into a fist. She looked back at Natsu seeing him, grin sheepishly. Then she looked at her father once more. His hand reaching out behind him. It took her a moment to realize what he was doing.
Seeing her expression Natsu turned around, as a blade sunk into his shoulder.
What? You never seen one before?
He twisted the knife, and pulled it out. Getting ready to aim once more, this time for Natsu's chest. But Natsu was aware now that the man had a weapon. He bursted into flames, kicking his hand that held the blade and punched his face. Natsu grabbed him by the collar, and dragged him over to the door.
" Want to say good-bye before I kick him out? Literally?" Natsu asked Lucy.
" Don't you ever come back here." Lucy said, " Or I'll call the police."
With that Natsu kicked the man outside and slammed the door shut, locking it behind him.
Lucy grabbed his arm and turned him around, eyeing his wound.
" Come in the kitchen, I'll clean that up for you." She said pulling him with her, " Why'd you come?"
" Well...I thought you were kidnapped by that man, since you didn't show up this morning.
Lucy reached for a clean cloth and soaked it in water.
" I'm sorry for worrying you."
" Are you kidding? I was right to worry. Look what happened. That crazy bastard was hurting you Luce!" She rolled up Natsu's sleeve, seeing as it wouldn't allow her to get to the wound she stared. Natsu pulled down the side of his shirt and allowed her to wipe the cloth against his skin, clearing it of the blood.
" How'd you know where I live?"
" Well… I kinda asked around." He said scratching the back of his head, " Then I remembered I could have just followed your scent. So I did when I couldn't find Strawberry street."
Lucy finished wrapping Natsu's wound and he pulled his shirt back into position, " I see." She said, " Well thank you. And, you might want to see a doctor for that, I'm not sure if it needs stitches or anything."
Natsu nodded. The sat there at her kitchen table for a moment more, " So he was your father?"
Lucy nodded staring at her hands, " He's been like that since she died."
Natsu got up from his seat and walked behind her leaning down his face near hers, " Are you okay? He hit you right?"
Lucy nodded smiling, " I might have bruises, but nothing bad." Natsu sniffed the air suddenly remembering something important.
" Shit! Lucy! Your house is still on fire!" Lucy shot out of her seat.
" I forgot!" She ran over to the sink, grabbing a bowl, dumping some water in it and doused most of the flames. Natsu stomping the ones on the floor out.
" If these weren't my flames, I would've eaten them, it'd be much faster that way." Natsu muttered.
After the flames were extinguished Lucy sank to the floor. " I can't believe we forgot about that."
Natsu laughed, " Sorry! haha," Natsu held out a hand for Lucy, she grabbed it and he hauled her to her feet, " So, what are you going to do if he comes back? Maybe you should live in the dorms.I mean… that way, if something happens, I'll be able to...get there. Faster."
Lucy shook her head smiling, as they headed for her door, " I'm fine here. I'll make sure not to open it for him. "
" Be careful." Natsu said, opening the door, and letting her take the lead, before closing it behind them. " Anyway, Gray and Erza want us to join them on their mission." He said changing the subject.
" Really? Why?"
" Well, you and I are new, so I guess Erza wants to know us better, maybe Gray too, but I share the dorm room with him so there's no need for him to know about me."
" I see. Well then, we better get going." Lucy said taking off towards the school, Natsu not too far behind.
" Hey! Why were you late anyway? Did your dad stay that long with you?"
" No, I sort of woke up late." She said, " Then he came."
" Oh."
They stood before the front of the school, Gray and Erza met them there. Erza smiled as they made it.
" What took so long Natsu?" Gray asked.
Natsu glanced at Lucy she said nothing, " Lucy overslept." He said, they didn't need to know about her father.
" I.. forgot to set the alarm. Sorry."
Erza sighed, " Well, its not your fault. It is a weekend, and I sent Gray on short notice. Don't worry about it. " She said, walking away, " Now lets go. We don't want to keep our client waiting." She was swinging a small basket as she walked, Gray slowed his pace to match Natsu's and Lucy's.
" Get up here you guys! You're all slow." Erza called. Natsu and Lucy sped up, leaving Gray behind.
" So then. Erza is it, your hair is really pretty," Lucy commented, " Scarlet, like when the sun sets."
Erza blushed lightly, " And yours is like the sun." Lucy laughed. Natsu watched her laugh.
" Natsu, so how'd you end up in this school?" Erza asked the pinkette.
" Well, Jii-chan sorta threw me in through the gates." Gray laughed.
" Sounds like him! Though he usually does that to young chicks that walk by."
Erza nodded thoughtfully, " Well," Natsu said, " I did kind of say, I need to go to any schools. And then he just threw me in."
" Well that makes sense." Erza said, " One shouldn't skip school, even if you think you're strong enough. There will always be someone stronger."
' I know' Natsu thought.
" Anyway, what about your parents, did you tell them you joined this school? If Makarov just threw you in and ever since you attended, don't you think they might be worried?"
Natsu sighed, pulling his arms behind his head, " Nah. I mean. I don't have family."
" What do you mean?" Erza questioned.
" Well, I was raised by a dragon… but he disappeared." Erza didn't laugh like Gray did when he told him.
" I'm sure he'll come back." She said, " Don't worry about it. You're not the only one with no parents." She said. Natsu met her eyes.
" Most of our friends, the ones that sit with us at lunch, don't have parents either." Gray said.
" It just means you'll fit in even more." Erza smiled Natsu returned the smile with a grin of his own.
" Guess so." Erza sped on forward, talking to Lucy on the way. While Gray and Natsu walked together. Natsu looking off to the side, while Gray just stared ahead, before he leaned over and whispered.
" How'd you get her to smile?" Natsu jumped back in surprise.
" W-what do you mean?" Natsu questioned, " You mean she never smiles?"
" She does actually. Its just, usually she's got this evil glare that sends a shiver up your spin when you do something."
" Did I do something wrong?"
" Well...no."
" Then why would she glare?" Natsu asked, " You make her sound like a bad person."
" She's not, she's just incredible scary."
" Should ask her?" Gray stared at him.
" Wha-" he stopped himself realizing it, " No! Natsu don't!"
"Oi Erza! Gray said you're scary or something! Is that true?"
Gray shot Natsu a glare, while Erza turned around with a glare of her own directed at Gray. " Gray?"
" Y-yes ma'am?" Gray said backing up. Natsu studied Erza. She had a strange dark aura going about, it really did send shivers up his spin. He took a step to the side, and walked around , over to Lucy.
" Mind telling me what you said about me?" She growled, taking a step towards Gray. Gray turned around and ran down the street shouting, while Erza chased him. Natsu and Lucy just stared after them.
" So… I guess, our mission will have to wait, huh?" Natsu said.
Lucy sighed, " What did you do?" Natsu simply grinned.
" Guess she really is scary." He laughed, watching the tiny figures of Gray and Erza in the distance.
