Chapter 10: With all the Colours in You

Making close friends had never been an usual and easy thing for Lucy. As a matter of fact, she tended to be the kind of girl that talks a lot, but doesn't actually get close to someone to the point of sharing secrets and laundry. Sure, she would have fun with others, but it was always kind of superficial. Yet, since the beginning of this strange mission, she found more difficult NOT TO make any friend.

She began to care for Gray and his whereabouts, and for Erza and her belligerent tendancies. To face it was terrifying and brought back memories she didn't want to talk about. It was now even more painful as she didn't know where Gray was and that Erza had been put into arrest without her doing anything about it. The fact that all these things were acted ridiculously did not even ease her pain. She felt guilty. She accepted to do this in order to know what her father was up to and maybe be a good girl and save some unaware guys. Now she had no power to do even one of these things.

As she was moping about it at the factory's bar with Lisanna serving her hot chocolate (funny how the two sisters were alike), Levy approached her with a smile.

"Come on, Lucy, don't be sad. You have us now."

She turned towards the little Oompa Loompa and tried to smile, but failed.

"Come with me," Levy continued. "I'm going to introduce you to the others. "

And she did. Our heroine officially met Cana Alberona, the one that led her to her room (and lent her temporary clothes, which were kind of stretched on her). Lisanna suggested, by the way, that she could give her the clothes she had when she was big (she still wondered about that story).

Lucy found out that the brunette was kind of a drunkard, but she was very nice and had a good sense of humour. She learned many names, including some odd ones like Freed or Ever (said-persons did not even aknowledged her presence. The jerks) and shook many hands. They seemed all nice and fun. Surprisingly, she found that she really wanted to know about them.

Then, out of nowhere, came loud cries.

"LEVYY!"

And suddenly, the poor blue-haired fairy was attacked by two men. Lucy was preparing herself to help her when said-victim began to talk.

"Jet! Droy! Get out!"

"BUT WE THOUGHT WE LOST YOU LAST TIME AT THE CITY!" They protested.

"You did, you idiots."

And that was how she learned that these two were supposed to help her doing some deliveries during the night when she got her twisted ankle. Pissed off, Lucy began to reprimand them.

"Hey, jackasses! How irresponsible can you be? How could you let her all alone in the dark? She could have found someone with bad intentions! Then, she would have been abducted, let starved to death and maybe... abused! How can you live with yourself, you bunch of idiots?!"

"Yes ma'am! We're miserable, ma'am!" They cried with despair in their eyes. They didn't even questioned who she was, they just accepted punishment. Odd. But quite enjoyable.

"THAT IS NOT ENOUGH!"

"Hey Lucy..." Levy sweat-dropped. "You kind of did it too... Well, except for the starving and the abusing part..."

"Anyway..." Lucy looked away, looking for something else to focus on. Oh, Natsu.

Natsu?

Crap. He only meant trouble.

"Hey Lucy! I was looking for you, actually!" He exclaimed with a grin.

She sighed. Jet and Droy used this distraction to get out of there, with Levy sighing irritably at them.

"What for, now?" Lucy asked, tired already.

"What for? You're working here, now, remember!" He smirked. " So do your job."

"You're going to pester me until I do, right? " She sighed.

"Damn right I will. Here. Eat it."

"Er... What is this supposed to be?"

Lucy looked at the little rainbow-coloured sweet that Natsu was handing her.

"This? It's the new super cool colour-mood sweet. You eat it, and everyone can tell what's your mood of the day! Super cool, don't you think?"

Sure, that sounded innocent... She stared at him. He was grinning just a little bit too much. And there was one "super cool" too much in his sentence...

There had to be a trap somewhere.

"Where?"

"Where is what?"

"Where is the trap?"

"There is no trap..."

He really seemed to enjoy torturing her.

"There has to be. You look sneaky."

"And you're weird. The only difference here is that I actually have the power to throw you to the bin over and over again."

She sighed. The bin threat was beginning to be kind of old.

"Where do you have to look to see the effect?"

"Don't know."

"Dumbass."

His grin got only larger.

"Come on, Lucy, where's your sense of adventure?"

"It had been thrown to the bin last time I checked. "

"Don't be such a fun sucker, let's find out!"

She looked at it. Sure, it was tempting, and that cute little rainbow-coloured sweet seemed innocent. Maybe a little too much...

"Well, that can't be worst than your 36 last inventions..." She sighed.

"Hey! You're supposed to feel sorry and make up for this, you weirdo, not insulting my inventions! And it was 35, by the way."

"36. Did you just call me weirdo again?"

"Oh yeah, I've forgotten the pimple one. Just eat it!"

With an extreme hesitation, she took it, looked at him closely and swallowed it. He was grinning all the damn time.

Then he turned around her, looking up and down, right and left, arms crossed and chin on his right hand. Like a creepy vulture. Lucy felt invaded. That was then she realized she had forgotten that others were watching. Lisanna was wriggling her eyebrows suggestively. Levy looked even amused. Damn.

When Natsu faced her finally, she released a breath she had been holding.

"Oh, that's just the hair? What a disappointment." He stated, pouting.

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU EXPECTING IT TO BE?" She shouted, irritated.

But then, she checked at the mirror at the bar. Her hair, once golden, had become tainted in a deep red colour that was fading slowly as she calmed down. Now, it was more like her original shade, just a little more... flashy. But she didn't mind.

Natsu was taking notes and ogling her curiously.

"Oh, so if red is for angry, what does yellow stand for?"

"I guess it's because she likes it," Levy stated sneakily.

He grinned.

"I told you you would."

"Guess you were right." Lucy smiled at him.

He smiled back at her and took her by the hand.

"Come on, let's show Happy."

Before she could even say good-bye to her new acquaintances, he led her towards a room named "The Fishing Point". Lucy wondered one moment how could a fishing point be placed on a third floor, but then she remembered that nothing in this factory was logical. She shrugged her shouders.

"Hi Lucy! Coming for fish?" Happy exclaimed suddenly, appearing out of nowhere.

She shrieked. But then, what she saw made her forget about him.

Amazed, she gaped at the spectacle in front of her. Here was a cute pond with real ducks. Looking into the water, she could see actual fishes with every imaginable colours and shapes. She could smell the delicate perfume of the grass and hear the peaceful flow of the water. With all these atmosphere, she felt at peace. She sat in front of the water, closing her eyes, whereas Natsu was explaining to Happy about his new invention.

But then came remorse: she had no right of being happy. She was at fault for her friends' abductions. If only she...

"Hey, Lucy. Why the blue?" Natsu panicked, shaking his hands in front of her. "Are you sick? If then, you better not approach me, I don't think your weirdness would be good in me..."

"No! Don't give him your sickness, Lucy, I beg of you!" Happy cried.

She shook her head. He came closer, concerned.

She didn't react. He sighed and relaxed a little more. Happy decided it wasn't that important and came to see the fish. Only Natsu sat by her side. He looked at her a long time, then said, scratching his head.

"When I first came in the factory, this spot didn't even exist. Igneel made it for me. I used to tell him about my dad and I going fishing..."

He stopped. Lucy raised her head.

"Your dad? Hadn't your parents come with you when you moved in the factory?" She asked, surprised.

"Well, they did."

"Then why?"

He fidgeted his fingers. "It's my fault. It was me that turned my grandpa into a cat."

She stared. "You did?"

"He was becoming weaker and weaker. This was the only way..." He lowered his head.

She kept silence, letting him continue.

"We had a big quarrel. They told me to let go. I... couldn't. "

He raised his head, seeming to live again what happened. " And then, one day, they were gone... Not a word. I try to find them, but it was like they disappeared in the air..."

She put her hand on his shoulder. He turned towards her, attempting to smile.

"Well, now you know some of my crappy backstory."

She smiled at him warmly.

"You know, I actually prefer when you have your hair yellow. That means you are happy." He stated, grinning for real that time.

She stopped. Well, that was cute. He was cute. Wait, what?

"Hey, your hair is pink..." he stated with a curious smile. "What does it mean?"

"I don't know," She lied, embarrassed. "Maybe it is because I'm trying not to laugh at you."

"Hey, that's sneaky!" Natsu protested. "And now, it's brown! What have you thought, again?"

"Can't help it!" She laughed.

Now, it was back to yellow.

Natsu laughed too. He was weird. They looked weird. Maybe Lucy was rubbing a little too much on Natsu... Happy stared wide-eyed. That was it! This little vixen was going to give her disease to his grandson!

Horrified with his discovery, Happy stood back. That shouldn't be happening! The world was soo going to fall apart! He had to do something against it. But what could a little cat do against a giant weirdo?

Maybe distract the monster.

"Hey Lucy!" He began. "I think I've seen Lisanna look for you at the Squirrels' room. Said she had some new clothes to give you."

Said-girl's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure? Why that room?"

"Oh, come on Lucy, don't be so suspicious, " Natsu added with a smile. "It's Happy!"

Indeed. It's HAPPY.

"She said it was faster that way. If you don't want it, she throws it."

"Makes sense," Natsu commented.

"And I think there are shoes too," Happy added with a smirk.

Suddenly, Lucy's sense of economy awakened. Throwing clothes and shoes to the bin? And what about these poor orphans that don't have any clothes left? She had to go, for their sake.

But then, some scruples came to her. She gazed at Natsu. He smiled reassuringly.

"Go. Your boss commands it."

She smiled back.

So, after waving good-bye to Natsu and Happy, she set out of the place, took several stairs and ran towards the room in question. But when she entered, she realised why she was suspicious at first.

The room was empty and dark, excepted for the, well, damn squirrels.

They sniffed at her, and Lucy had the impression that they recognized her, for they all gathered around her. They were quite a huge number... She was beginning to be afraid. But being afraid didn't do anything to change what was going to happen to her.

They made her fall despite her loud protest and threw her to the bin.

Once again.

The damn cat was going to pay.

She would strangle him.

No. Too easy.

She would force him to eat candies until he explodes.

That was more satisfying.

But still not enough!

She would have still continued in that way, hadn't she actually felt some tissu falling on her head, preventing her to see what was happening. She felt that someone was holding her (like a sack of potatoes! What a jerk! Whoever it was...). Then, she heard a shrieking voice.

"Do not fear, dear maiden with scarlet hair, for thou are saved now!"

Damn, she was abducted. Once again. How was it even possible?

Why was fate hating her that much?

...

Let me know what you think :) The next chapter will be named "Troubles in Paradise"

See you!