Natsu Dragneel
Well then… So, I have Lucy Heartfilia on my back and my heart is making a raging storm of beats. What the heck is wrong with me? This is Lucy! I have carried Lisanna like this before, what makes carrying Lucy more different?
Oh gosh… Please don't make my heartbeats be felt by Lucy.
Suddenly, as I am carrying her, I notice that she is extremely light. Has she been eating right lately? If you compare her to my childhood friend Lisanna, this is a difference between a pig and a feather. I mean, Lisanna being the pig and Lucy being the feather…
Don't tell Lisanna I said that. She is really scary when she's mad.
I also notice something else. Lucy's body is cold, like ice. However, I can feel my body temperature evening out with hers until we have the same degree of heat. I wonder if all that bullying of the person who beat her up earlier made her this weak.
Dammit. Whoever did this to her, I'll make sure to give that person a beating.
"Natsu…" I hear Lucy say suddenly. "Natsu…" she says again.
Whenever she says my name, I feel like an electrical shock is running through my whole body. "W-What is it, Luce?" I ask.
"I… I'm sorry, for having you carry me… Am I heavy?" she says. I can feel her tears soaking up into my school blazer. I don't know why, but her crying makes my heart feel as though it has been broken into pieces. Painful. Stressful. Sad.
"It's fine," I reply. "You are really light. You should eat more."
Lucy makes a giggle. It sounds like the silver bells in Christmas. Beautiful. "I'll try," she says. I wish I could see the expression on her face. I bet it would be stunning and lovely… Well, problem is, her face is completely covered by my back.
Ugh, what am I thinking… I don't even understand myself. My heart beat is increasing. Oh no, I don't have a kind of heart disease or something right? The fingers on my hands holding her against my back are getting hotter every second that I carry her for.
Maybe I should check with the school doctor tomorrow. I may be sick or something.
"We're here," I hear Gray say.
"So…" Sting says. He takes a deep breath and stares at Lucy's front door. "Let's see if the king is truly still alive…" He takes his hand and places it on the door knob. For some reason, he seems to look nervous. His eyes show fear and anxiety, as if he had a fear of something in the house.
Slowly, he twists the door knob and opens the door. Now that I think about it, this is the first time I've went to Lucy's house through the front door. Last time, I went through her bedroom window. It was kind of funny to see her sleeping. I remember poking her cheek several times to get her to wake up and her adorable red dragon pajama dress. You have to admit it, that was pretty funny.
I feel someone poke my back. I turn around to see Lucy staring at me. Her face is too close… "Natsu, can I walk on my own from here?" she asks.
"But your bruise-" I start to say.
"I'm fine," Lucy replies with a smile.
I want to help Lucy. I don't want her to hurt herself. But I also want to allow her to do whatever she wants. I want to be her biggest support. I want to be the person she relies on the most. I want to be her most important person.
Slowly, I bend down and allow her to get off my back. Gradually, she stands up, but she falls down again. "Luce!" I shout. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Lucy says. But her facial expression doesn't match her words at all. She is holding her bruised waist as she takes heavy breaths. Sweat is forming at the side of her cheek and a painful expression spreads through her face. Just seeing this makes me feel in pain as well.
I stick out my arm towards her and crouch next to her. "Hold onto my arm," I say. "It might help."
Lucy makes a gentle smile at me. Then she takes her hand and is about to hold my arm when Gray suddenly interferes.
"Hold it, Natsu," Gray says, glaring at me.
"What Gray?" I say. I don't know why, but my eyes are also sending daggers at him. He just irritates me so much. Why is he so protective of Lucy? Especially if it is me? It's not like Lucy is going to die if I touch her. Also, didn't he mention that Lucy was immortal?
"Don't touch Lucy," he says with an angered tone of voice. "I already allowed you to carry her. No more, I'm not going to risk it."
"Risk what?" I ask.
Gray rolls his eyes. "Don't you know that-"
"Her weakness is fire," Sting interrupts. "She is immortal like me, but she will die with even a quick touch of fire. In fact, the only thing that could kill Princess Layla-, I mean, Lucy, is fire. And you can use flames Natsu. We never know if you are planning to kill her."
"What are you saying?" I exclaim. "I would never do such a thing!"
"Sting…" Lucy says. "So that's why you wouldn't let me pat down the fire on my skirt earlier… Because you didn't want me to touch the fire…"
"Yes," Sting replies. "I'm sorry I didn't explain earlier, Princess Layla."
I slap Gray's hand away and hold onto Lucy's arm. "I'll hold her," I say. "I'm not going to kill her just because I can use fire whenever I want." I wish people would trust me. Lucy is my best friend. I would never do something like kill her. I can't believe Sting is acting like this also though. I thought Sting and I were best friends too!
As I am thinking this, suddenly, I feel a tender hand gently grab my arm. It is Lucy. She makes a smile at me. "I trust you Natsu," she says. "I trust you with my life… Even if you have magic that could kill me, I trust you because you are you... my best friend."
"Lucy…" My mouth slips out her name unintentionally. "Thank you… for trusting me…" I embrace her tiny body into my arms. "Thank you… Thank you," I keep saying over and over again. I begin to cry for some reason. I don't know why. I just weep. This time, it is my warm tears that are soaking into her school blazer.
I'm just so happy. I'm so happy that at least Lucy believes me. That is all I need now. Just Lucy's trust.
Slowly, Lucy and I loosen the hug. She smiles at me and wipes my tears with her hand. "Let's go see my dad," she says. "You'll hold me, right?"
"Right," I reply with a smile. "I'll protect you, Lucy."
It takes a while, but I manage to get Lucy's arm around mine and help her stand up. Slowly, we make it inside the house, together. Well, with Sting and Gray too.
"D-Dad," Lucy says in a weak voice. "I-I'm home…" Then she coughs. I hold her stomach tightly. She seems to be getting weak.
A blond man in a white suit walks to the front doorway and looks at Lucy. His eyes widen. "Lucy!" he exclaims. "What happened?"
"Dad, I-" Lucy starts.
"You aren't her father," Gray interrupts.
Lucy's father looks at Gray and smiles. "Oh Gray!" he says. "Welcome back! What joke are you telling this time?"
"He isn't telling a joke," Sting says. His eyebrows angle to the center of his face. "You are not Lucy's father, are you? Your presence doesn't feel the same or even similar to Lucy's."
Suddenly, Lucy's father's eyes turn into a stern glare. "What are you talking about? Who are you anyway? I've never seen you before."
"Don't change the subject," Gray states. "Ever since I met you, I had some suspicions about you…" Gray stares deeply into Lucy's father's eyes. "Give the princess's memories back, you fake memory maker."
"Wait!" I exclaim. "You guys are being rude! This isn't a way to talk to someone's father!"
"Dad…" Lucy says. "Is… Is this true?"
Lucy's father doesn't reply. His short bangs make a shadow on his eyes. I can not read his expression at all. Is he angry? Sad? Happy? I have no idea.
"Dad?" Lucy says again, but her father doesn't reply.
Lucy's eyes begin to tear up. "Dad? Please… tell me this isn't true!"
Slowly, the shadow around her father's eyes clear up, showing his eyes full of laughter. His mouth twitches into a smirk. "So what if it is true?" he says. Then he begins to laugh in an extremely creepy way. "I'm surprised you figured me out, Gray Fullbuster and Sting Eucliffe," he says, looking at Gray and Sting. "Or should I say, the ice magician and the white dragon?"
"D-Dad?" Lucy says again. "W-What are you saying-"
"I'm not your father, Lucy Heartfilia," he replies with a chuckle of laughter. "Oh yes, I should call you by your real name now, huh? Since you found out, Princess Layla Eucliffe."
"No… No!" Lucy exclaims. She grabs onto her head and digs her nails into her white skin. "No! Please tell me this is all a lie!"
Her father smirks and takes off his white suit. "Unfortunate for you," he says, "this isn't a lie. This is reality, Princess Layla."
Slowly, black and gray light wrap her father in a cocoon, making us unable to see him. All we can hear is his loud laughing within the light.
"Protect Lucy!" I hear Gray yell.
Suddenly, I hear an explosion and feel a blast of heat. My ears begin to ring loudly. The pressure from the explosion is so strong, I am falling backwards, hot wind blowing against my face. Quickly, I hold Lucy close to my chest. I wrap one arm around her shoulders and the other on her head as we fall to the ground. I can hear Lucy's tears streaming down her face and her sniffles.
"It's going to be okay... Luce," I say before the explosion envelopes us. "I'll protect you..."
-End of Chapter 10-
~ Metallic Snow