Ch.10

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Lucy fought her way through the crowd. The second her eyes landed on the man in the center, her palms started to sweat, her heart began to race. 'What is this?' she thought, 'Could I be… in… love?' Her heart fluttered at the prospect. The man was smiling and filling out autographs. His cape flared out behind him when he moved.

"IGNEEL!" A happy voice yelled out. Natsu burst through the crowd with a huge smile on his face. He took one look at the blue haired Salamander, and his face fell. "Who are you?" He asked, extremely unimpressed. The hearts faded from Lucy's eyes. This man wasn't all that dreamy now that she looked a second time. She saw the rings on his fingers and realized she had been duped with a love spell.

"You must have heard of me!" Salamander smiled, and tossed his head in an arrogant manner.

"Nope." Natsu shook his head. The girls in the group seemed to be very unimpressed that Natsu had interrupted their moment with Salamander. Lucy didn't have a chance to get Natsu and Happy's attention before they were over taken and pushed (More like thrown) out of the group.

"Hey, guys!" Lucy greeted the fallen duo, "Nice to see you again! Have a nice trip?" She teased. Natsu grinned sheepishly at her.

"Sorry, Luce. I thought he was someone else." He pulled himself up and brushed himself off.

"So, did you find your friend?" She asked him as they walked down the street to a nearby restaurant.

"Igneel? No, it was a false lead." Natsu frowned. They sat down at a table and Natsu ordered several dishes, while Lucy only ordered a drink.

"Man, you sure can eat a lot." She commented, "So who's this Igneel you're searching for?"

"Hm?" Natsu mumbled through a mouthful of food, "He's my dad! I should have known he wouldn't be here though," he took another mouthful, "This town is too crowded for dragon." He reached for another bowl.

"A dragon!? Your father is a DRAGON!?" she couldn't believe it. Dragons were extinct. Natsu wouldn't lie to her though, would he?"

"Igneel is Natsu's adopted father. He found him as a baby and raised him. He's the one who taught Natsu his fire magic." Happy explained.

'Well that explains a lot.' Lucy thought to herself, "Hey, Natsu!" She said suddenly. Natsu looked up from another bowl he was polishing off, "You said in the square you didn't know that guy. Why'd you say that? Wouldn't you know everyone who's in your guild?"

Natsu downed a glass of water, "I don't know that guy." He answered, "Why? Did he say he knew me?"

"Well, no. But he said he's from Fairy Tail." Natsu's eyes flew open and he stopped eating. "He said he's the great Salamander from Fairy Tail. Considering he's so famous and from your guild, I figured you know him."

Natsu leaned back in his seat, the remainder of the food forgotten, "Nope. Impossible." He said.

"Impossible he's famous, or impossible he's from Fairy Tail?" Lucy leaned forward on the table, extremely interested in what Natsu was about to say.

"He's not the famous Salamander from Fairy Tail." His mouth worked its way to a smirk as Lucy argued he had to be. People just didn't pretend to be others for no reason, she had said. He had leaned forward on the table and stared her straight in the eyes. "Salamanders are fire dragons. Considering I am the only flame dragon slayer in Fairy Tail, I'd say that makes me the famous Salamander."

"It's true! He's been called Salamander since I was born!" Happy piped up. Lucy stared at him, shocked. All this time, she was traveling with a famous mage!

"I really don't like this guy using the name of Fairy Tail like that though. We have a reputation to uphold and bastards like him ruin it! Especially while he's posing with me!" Natsu's temper was beginning to flare. "We need a plan to bring him down!" he and Happy put their heads together and whispered. All of a sudden they looked at Lucy and grinned. "Ohhh Lucy! How'd you like to help us save Fairy Tail's reputation?"

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It was later that evening and Lucy was down by the docks, sitting on a bench with her Sorcerer's Weekly magazine. According to Natsu's nose, this fake salamander was hanging around near by. She was flipping through her magazine waiting for him to walk by so she could stop him, when all of a sudden fake Salamander jumped out of the bushes.

"Well, well we meet again!" He greeted with a slick smile, "My dear, I had so wanted to invite you on my ship tonight, but you were gone before I had the chance to extend the invitation. I want you to be my personal guest." He had grabbed her hand. Lucy fought back the shivers running down her spine and clamped her mouth shut before she ripped him a new one for using a love spell on her. Archibald didn't even creep her out this much. She nodded her head and bit her tongue to keep from gagging when he placed a kiss on her hand. "Excellent my dear! We set sail at 7!"

"You can come out now!" She glared at the dragon slayer and his cat as they jumped down from the tree. "He was disgusting. You owe me big!"

"C'mon Lucy! You can buy a new dress!" Natsu grinned.

"Didn't I just escape a life of dresses and parties?!" she groaned. Then a thought struck her. She could wear the most form fitting, hip hugging, low cut, high slitted dress she wanted! Visions filled her mind of sexy, sleek dresses. Her eyes shone with excitement.

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It was 7:30 that night and Lucy was on the boat. Her dress was red and hugged her body perfectly. The hemline was still long, but the slit up the side made it daring. She had tied her keys around her leg, just in case. Fake Salamander and she were sitting in a private area while the guests mingled on the deck. The plan had basically been to lure fake salamander to a private area, and then Natsu would just in and beat him to a pulp. Then this guy had to make it easy by inviting Lucy on to his ship. Which in turn made it harder for Natsu because of his sickness.

"So, Salamander…" she started, then stopped.

"Lucy, my darling, you look ravishing." His voice dripped like poison. She itched to run away. "Try some of the wine. Experience the flavor." Wine droplets floated in the air. 'Natsu, hurry!' she opened her mouth and the droplet was right at her lips when she pushed it away and stood up, "Not a chance!" She yelled at fake Salamander, "You're not really a Fairy Tail mage are you?!"

Fake Salamander grinned and his eyes flashed, "So you've figured it out have you? There's no harm in wanting a little attention."

"If you just wanted a little attention, why invite all these girls on your boat, and then not even pay attention to any of them! Why pretend to be from Fairy Tail and pose as Salamander?" her eyes flashed with challenge.

"You're inquisitive Lucy. I don't like that in my girls." He snapped his fingers and two men grabbed Lucy from behind. She wrenched one of her arms free and reached for her keys, "Uh uh Lucy. You've seen far too much." He snatched her keys from her and threw them out the window, into the sea.

'I'm screwed!' she panicked inside, "You just wait, buddy! Fairy Tail doesn't like it when their name is used by creeps like you! They'll be after you as soon as they know what you've done!" 'Hurry, Natsu!'

Fake Salamander smiled and looked at the two men holding her. "Dispose of her. Such a waste of beauty, but too much of a risk." He waved her away. And then the ceiling above exploded. Wood flew everywhere. In the center of the mess was Natsu. "You messed with the wrong guild, buddy….urgh…" And Natsu's grand entrance was ruined by the sudden onset of motion sickness.

"Great time to get sick Natsu!" Lucy yelled, struggling against the guys. Happy flew past Natsu, swiped Lucy's keys out of Salamanders hand, and then grabbed Lucy. "Great save, Happy, but what about Natsu?" She called up to the cat.

"Natsu can take care of himself! Besides, I can only carry one of you!" Happy struggled against the wind.

'What can we do? We have to save Natsu