Author's Note: Hello everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter! I'll be uploading the next one tomorrow evening! (:
April 12th
Grace
"This is ridiculous. How do we even know the twins will be there?" Gajeel growled, crinkling the flyer in his fist. He tossed it into a garbage can on the street corner, his lips fixed in a scowl. The group had arrived in Dershire earlier that morning, slipping through to blend in with the bustling crowd. The town was active this morning, the streets littered with flyers advertising a grand ball at a mansion on the outskirts of the neighboring town, Berkshin. As luck would have it, the mansion was the same place Grace met the twins.
"What, do you think I lied to you? They live there, so yeah, they'll be there." Grace snapped, keeping her head low. Erik had been by her side all morning, having found a cloak for her to keep her face hidden. Together, the pair had been yanking flyers, plastered with pictures of her face, from the alleys and storefronts. She had to stay one step ahead of the others or this would all blow up in her face.
"Leave it to the twins to dabble in luxury and shove it in everyone's faces." Erik smirked, amusement in his eyes. Everyone turned to look at him and he rolled his eyes, shoving off the wall. He tended to linger on the outskirts of the group, taking over Gajeel's typical role as the group's shadow. "Look, we just have to doll ourselves up and play the game. Knowing the twins, they did this intentionally to draw us in so we have to make our appearance on our own terms or we'll never get the two idiots to join us." He reasoned, meeting Natsu's narrowed, but thoughtful gaze. Grace glanced between the two of them, noting the tension forming there. She made a note to ask Erik about it later, but judging by his hardened gaze, he heard her curious thoughts loud and clear.
"We aren't going to a ball dressed like this. We would stand out and be laughed at. It would draw too much attention to us. We should just keep watch from outside the mansion and make our move when all the guests leave." Lucy was always the logical one, but this time, the slayers disagreed with her.
"We have to go. Cobra's right. Maybe we can find dresses at an antique shop or borrow clothes from somewhere?" Wendy offered, shrugging her shoulders as she spun to look at everyone.
"Yeah, let's borrow some clothes. Come on Gajeel, we have a job to do." Natsu muttered, stepping away from the group.
"I can go with you guys!" Lucy moved to go after him, but he met her gaze over his shoulder.
"Stay here Luce. We won't be long." He stated flatly before slipping into the crowd with Gajeel on his heels. Lucy faltered, her breath catching in her throat. Grace frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. What was Natsu's problem?
"Hey, Lucy?" Erik spoke gently, his gaze softening as he looked at the stunned celestial wizard. She shook her head, shaking herself out of the surprise before turning to face him. "Don't take it personally. Boss lost someone important to him in this town. My guess is that the idiot thinks history might repeat itself, so he's distancing himself from you. Give him time." He walked over to her, squeezing her shoulder before moving to stand next to Grace.
"Was it Lisanna?" Lucy's fists clenched, tears welling in her eyes. Erik seemed taken aback, speechless for a moment. Grace twiddled her thumbs, guilt settling in her core. She decided to answer before Erik could.
"I don't know, but I never should have fabricated her from his memories. I'm sure he will tell you when he's ready, so don't pester him." Lucy fixed a glare on Grace and it took her by surprise.
"Don't pester him? Really Grace? It's your fault I know about her in the first place. If it is her, that means Natsu's childhood home was here and that he lost his best friend here too." A few tears slipped down Lucy's face and Wendy grabbed her hand.
"Salamander is stronger than you give him credit for. Don't worry so much." Erik added and she scowled at him.
"Natsu is the strongest person I know, demon or human. Even so, he still needs support every now and then. He's not an emotionless creature." Lucy countered, before freeing her hand from Wendy. "I'm going to look around and see if I can learn more about the party. I'll meet you back here in a few hours." She quipped, disappearing into the crowd before anyone could follow.
"I'll shadow her, don't worry." Wendy whispered softly before slipping away in the same direction Lucy went. Grace sighed, dropping down to sit on a curb. She placed her head in her hands and tensed when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't beat yourself up over it. No matter what you said, she was going to stomp off. I think this place makes everyone on edge." Erik dropped down next to her, stretching his legs in front of him.
"Where's Cubellios?" She responded, not really wanting to talk about it or this forsaken place. He sighed, leaning back and placing his hands behind his head.
"She's circling the town, sulking. She's pissed I didn't let her follow us." He responded, eyes scanning the crowd.
"How'd you meet Cubellios anyway?" She continued and he looked down at her, surprised. "It's not like a giant snake is in any of the stories or legends surrounding the dragon slayers. I can only assume you found her in the past decade." She shrugged and he sighed.
"It was a year after we went into hiding. Natsu and Gajeel had joined Fairy Tail. They offered me a spot, but I never saw eye to eye with Laxus, so I didn't want to owe him anything. I went out on my own, traveling and trying to pick up odd jobs to stay afloat. One day, a mob had formed, pitchforks and all. It was laughable, but I thought they figured out who I was. I fled, not wanting to cause any trouble. I ended up stumbling into a cave and set up camp for the night. I made a fire and was roasting some squirrels I had caught earlier, when I felt another presence." His gaze was distant as he spoke and Grace didn't want to interrupt him. She kept her mouth shut, trying to clear her mind so she didn't distract him. The corner of his lips twitched up, as if he heard her internal struggle. She almost laughed, but he continued the story. "I couldn't hear words, you know? They weren't normal thoughts. I just felt pulses of fear, confusion, hunger. It was overwhelming and for a moment, I thought I was losing it. I left a few squirrels out and curled up for the night. When I woke up the next morning, there was Cubellios, staring me down with a curious look in her eyes." He choked out a laugh, his lips fixed in a smirk.
"What?" Grace inquired, leaning closer to him. Erik turned his face, leaning closer to her, right into her personal space.
"I shrieked. When I saw a giant snake staring me down, I thought I was going to be her next meal, and I shrieked like a little girl." He paused, focused on Grace's stare. She couldn't help it, laughter shaking her core as she nearly fell over, clutching her stomach. A wide smile blossomed on Erik's lips as he continued. "It was so loud, Grace, that the townspeople came running and Cubellios bolted, disappearing into the cave. My heart was pounding and it's all I could focus on as I laid on the ground, staring into the darkness. I didn't even hear the mob approach." He was still smiling when Grace calmed her laughter, eyes trained on him. "This old guy, he stepped into the cave with a torch and pitchfork. I mean, it was a classic medieval mob. I would've laughed if I wasn't terrified of the giant snake that almost chowed down on me. So, anyway. This guy walks up and he starts questioning me about a serpent. He said this monster was chowing down on the local cats and dogs, and that it needed to be punished." He paused, turning his gaze to the woods for a moment. "I would've sold her out in a second if I didn't have this power, but I could feel her fear, hear her worries. Images of cats and dogs flicked through my mind, mingled with a pulse of raw hunger. Then images of kids throwing rocks flicked through my mind. They were tiny kids, small enough that she could have devoured them, but she didn't. Now, in my opinion, a creature choosing to feed on animals instead of people has to have some kind of moral compass. So I looked at this guy and basically told him I screamed because bats lived in the cave. I told him they'd probably get rabies if they didn't leave and the man sprinted out of there. I left after that, hunted a bit more and returned to the cave. I cooked my meal and then left food out for the snake creature. When I woke up the next day, I was surrounded by scales. Cubellios had surrounded me and I panicked, but then I saw her head. Her eyes were shut and she was just snoring peacefully. I tried to wiggle out of her grasp and it woke her up. When she realized I was freaking out, she loosened her grip and slipped away to the edge of the cave, watching me closely. All I could feel was a sense of content and warmth. Those lingering feelings of fear, hunger, despair; they were all gone. I looked at her and introduced myself. She was buzzing with happiness, weaving around my legs and then she stretches up and nudges her face against mine. I took her with me after that and the rest is history." Erik's gaze was misty and he used his sleeve to wipe his eyes.
"You saved her." Grace concluded, a smile on her lips.
"Honestly, we saved each other. I was going a bit crazy, always looking over my shoulder. I felt more secure with her on my side." He smiled softly and Grace nodded, leaning her body towards him, letting her head rest on his shoulder. He smirked, letting his head drop on top of hers.
"Princess?" A voice shouted across the townsquare and all eyes turned to the source of the voice. A guard stood by the fountain, eyes trained on Erik and Grace. The eyes followed his gaze, settling on the pair.
"Shit." Erik huffed and yanked Grace to her feet. They took off, sprinting through the winding streets, dodging cars and clusters of people. Grace was breathing heavily, trying to keep up with Erik as they stumbled into the forest. "Cubellios!" He hissed and the snake answered his call instantly. "Go, I'll find you guys later." He picked Grace up in a swift motion, dropping her onto Cubellios. The scales were rough against her thighs and she clutched onto the snake, bewildered by the sudden motion.
"Erik…" Her eyes were wide and she didn't want to leave him.
"I'm not fast enough. They'll catch up and I can hide easier when its just me. Cubellios will take care of you and bring you back in a few hours when things calm down. I promise." He leaned forward, pressing his lips to her forehead before slipping back into town. Cubellios chirped, her wings expanding, before taking off into the forest. Grace held on, shutting her eyes as she tucked her body close to the snake. Her cheeks were warm and she tried her best to calm her pounding heart. Erik had kissed her head. What was happening?
Lucy
Lucy stormed off, shoving through the crowd. She just needed to clear her head, that's all. Natsu was just being cautious, and she understood that. She just wished that he would be more honest with her. He had lived multiple of Lucy's lifetime, experienced more than she could ever imagine. While she was just starting to process that, she accepted that there were things about him that she might never know. Something like this though, something that impacted how he interacted with her, she should know. She paused in front of a store, her eyes catching that familiar salmon color through the window. Natsu was holding up a mauve-colored dress, his nose scrunching as his hand ran over the ruffles. Gajeel was holding his stomach, cackling as he snatched the dress and shoved it back on the rack. He grabbed a small, beaded gown, light coral in color. Natsu's head tilted, his brow furrowed as he studied the dress. A sigh escaped Lucy's lips and she slipped away from the window, not catching the turn of Natsu's head as he gazed out the window.
She continued through the crowd, slipping through and blending in with the townspeople. Her breath caught in her throat as she spotted a street dancer. The girl was young, her body adorned with peach chiffon and lupines. She twirled about, a violin resting on her shoulder. The girl was beautiful, her body swaying with the music. Lucy was entranced, the music giving her chills. It was beautifully haunting and Lucy couldn't place where she heard the song before, but she felt her body swaying to it. Her chest tightened, the song pulling on her heartstrings as she lost herself in memories of couples dancing, swaying together to that very song. The girl curtsied, the last note leaving her violin as she smiled brightly. The crowd erupted in applause around her, startling Lucy from her trance before a hand snatched her arm, yanking her back into an alley.
"Are you Lucy Heartfilia?" A musically harsh voice snapped. Lucy yanked her arm away, hand settling on the pouch on her hip.
"No. Who the hell are you?" She barked back, her mind still hazy from the beautiful performance. She studied the lean woman in front of her, her pale gray eyes fixed in a glare as the soft breeze blew her deep purple locks behind her shoulders.
"You smell like her. You sound like her. Your magical aura matches and you recognized her parent's wedding song."
"Who the hell are you?" Her grip tightened on the pouch, beads of sweat forming on the small of her back.
"Taryn, the huntress. Your father, he's a tough man to say no to. He had an offer that I just couldn't refuse. I've been tracking you for months. You're pretty good at hiding, I'll give you that. But, you can't hide from me or my magic. I always find my target, so just come with me quietly and no one will get hurt." She smirked, flicking her wrist to form iron handcuffs, glistening in the afternoon sun. Her stance faltered, stumbling backwards as a body hit into her. Natsu positioned himself defensively, yanking Lucy behind him. Taryn's eyes widened, her mouth hanging ajar as Natsu growled, his fists clenching.
"I don't know who the hell you are, but you'll be the only one getting hurt if you don't get lost, lady." He hissed, fangs bared.
"What kind of monster are you?" The huntress was bewildered, frozen to the cobblestone as Natsu growled. Her body braced itself against the faded brick of the buildings lining the alleyway.
"Your worst nightmare. Get lost before I burn you to a pile of ashes." His voice was deep and honest.
"I won't give up. You won't be with her every minute."
"If you so much as touch a hair on Lucy's head, you're dead. I'll send you to the deepest, darkest pits of hell. Your soul will be screaming for mercy." His gaze hardened and Taryn was the one visibly sweating now.
"This isn't over." She fixed a glare on him, the iron vanishing from her hand as her fists clenched.
"Judging by how your lip is quivering, I'd say it is." Gajeel smirked, slipping from the shadows to lean against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Just how many of you are there?" She stepped back, bewildered.
"A few and we won't let you touch Lucy." Wendy danced out of the crowd, standing tall with her hands clasped behind her back. Even the smallest of the dragon slayers appeared fiercely intimidating, the gentle breeze picking up as it whipped her hair around. Taryn gulped, glancing around at the slayers, sizing each one up. She cursed softly before vanishing into the crowd. Gajeel pushed off the wall, grabbing Wendy's shoulder and guiding her away from Natsu and Lucy as the atmosphere around them calmed.
"Come on. I want to show you what we found. Natsu can handle this now." He smirked.
"But-"
"Just quiet down and come on. If you don't like the dress, I'll have to find you a new one." His words trailed off as they mingled with the crowd.
"Natsu…" Lucy started, eyes trained on his tense shoulders.
"Why were you alone? Where's Grace and Cobra?" He growled, spinning around to stare her down. His eyes were twisted with anger and worry, pulling at Lucy's resolve.
"Probably back at the town square. I don't need a babysitter Natsu." She spoke half heartedly.
"Well apparently you do because you were almost kidnapped by some psycho your own father hired." She stepped back, tears welling in her eyes.
"I didn't know he was still looking for me. I figured he wouldn't care."
"I should just go and send him to an early grave. He deserves to have his soul rot in hell along with that cursed huntress." He muttered, eyes darkening.
"That won't change anything right now Natsu. Please, just drop it."
"YOU COULD'VE BEEN TAKEN BACK TO THAT HELLHOLE!" He shouted, stepping away to pace in the narrow alleyway. He took a deep, shaky breath before pausing to meet her wide eyes. "I can't lose you too. Not now, not in this forsaken place. I can't. I just wanted you to stay put, where I knew you would've been safe. I can't go through it again."
"Natsu, I know you lost someone you loved here, but-"
"You don't understand." He cut her off, a look of foreign terror distorting his features.
"Then help me understand." She pleaded, stepping forward to close the distance between them.
"No." He spoke abruptly, startling her.
"Please, Natsu. I want to understand. I care about you." Her hand reached out, cupping his cheek gently. His face settled in her touch, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he met her concerned gaze.
"This place. This is where I lost Lisanna and Happy. Both of them had wandered from the group to find me, but they were found by someone else first. This bitch, she crushed Lisanna's soul and ripped Happy apart before I could find them. I can't-." Tears were spilling from his eyes, his body shaking. "You can't wander off! You can't just follow after me. You'll only wind up dead. I'm a monster and there's nothing but bad luck in this town."
"Natsu, that won't happen again. This was completely different from then." She assured him, stepping even closer.
"It doesn't matter." He shook his head, pulling it away from Lucy's touch. She grabbed his wrist, her hand brushing down his skin to settle in his hand.
"History isn't going to repeat itself Natsu. The only thing my father ever taught me was that if you fail to acknowledge the past, you're doomed to repeat it. He used to tell me that all the time before my mother passed. I hated learning history in school when I was a child. I didn't get why any of it mattered, but his words, they stuck with me. They've followed me, even now, when I want nothing to do with him." She took a deep breath, squeezing his hand. "It's important to remember the ones you lost and to be a bit cautious, but going to the extremes won't help anything. You, the other slayers, Grace, and I. We are a team, Natsu. We look out for each other and we won't let anything like that happen again, okay? History won't repeat itself. Just, stop pushing me away. Please."
"How do you know it'll be okay?" His voice was wavering and she smiled softly.
"I don't." She stated simply. His eyes were trained on her, waiting for her to continue. "What I do know, is that distancing yourself from me, won't make it any easier. We're a team, Natsu. You and I. We are stronger together than apart." Natsu blinked, processing her words as he gazed into her misty stare. He wiped his tears with his sleeve and reached out to grab her shoulders, pulling her into his embrace. He curled his body around her, holding tightly.
"Yeah, okay. I'll do better. I promise." Lucy hugged him tightly, arms wrapping around his waist as she settled in his gentle warmth.
"We can do this, together." She assured him and he made a noise of agreement, tucking her head under his chin as his hand tangled in her locks.
"Come on. I think you're going to really like the dress I picked out for you." He released her, smiling gently at her.
"You picked out my dress?" Her eyes widened and his gentle smile flicked into a smirk.
"Of course. I wasn't going to let Gajeel choose a dress for you. He doesn't know you like I do." He shrugged, entwining their fingers together as he led her from the alleyway.
"How'd you guys afford the dresses anyway?"
"We borrowed them."
"People don't lend out fancy dresses to strangers."
"So maybe we borrowed them without asking…"
"You stole them?" She hissed under her breath as they ducked through the crowd.
"Heh." Natsu smiled innocently. "I mean, we are demons Luce. We don't exactly have a sparkling moral compass."
"What if someone knows we stole them?"
"No one will know, trust me. Now stop worrying and hurry up. The ball starts soon." He quickened his pace, Lucy hurrying to keep up with him. They ended up at a hotel and he swiftly led her to the fifth floor. He knocked on the door of the room at the end of the hall and Wendy opened it, smiling widely. She stepped back, twirling as her coral dress sparkled in the sun leaking from the open windows in the hotel room.
"Whatcha think? Gajeel picked it because it was the same color as the dress I wore when I joined Fairy Tail. It's a lot fancier than I'm used to." She beamed, adjusting the halter top. The dress was shorter in the front, showing off her crystal heels. The back of the dress brushed the floor as she twirled and Lucy smiled widely.
"You look beautiful Wendy and your hair looks perfect with the dress." Lucy gently brushed her fingers through Wendy's curls.
"Thanks Lucy! I can help you with your hair after you get your dress! It's hanging in the closet!" She bounced away, dropping down on the bed to sit next to Grace who are pulling twigs and leaves from her hair. She was wearing an opal ball gown adorned with gold lace. The dress was gorgeous and she looked like she belonged in it. Cobra sat cross-legged next to her, donning a sleek black suit, gold shirt glistening under the jacket. He scratched Cubellios' head while Grace muttered under her breath.
"What happened to you guys?" Lucy inquired, freeing her hand from Natsu's to step over to the closet.
"Nothing." They both huffed at the same time, causing Wendy to giggle. They both fixed a glare on her and she giggled even harder, clutching her stomach.
"Okayyyy." Lucy huffed a laugh, pulling open the door. Her breath caught in her throat, eyes widening as a soft gasp escaped her lips. A beautiful burgundy gown hung in the closet, the sweetheart neckline catching her eye. It was an off-the-shoulder satin dress, one that Lucy never pictured herself wearing before. She felt a presence behind her and she glanced over her shoulder to see Natsu on his toes. "It's gorgeous Natsu." She let out with a breath of air. His smile dazzled her and he bounced forward.
"See. I told you I know you." He mused and she laughed, her fingers running over the soft material.
"I never doubted you, you know."
"Stop flirting and get dressed. We got shit to do." Gajeel grumbled, shoving by them with two suits over his arm. "Come on Natsu. I got us another room to get ready in. We have to go scout out the place first before everyone arrives." He grabbed Natsu's arm. Lucy giggled, Natsu's worried gaze relaxing as he laughed as well.
"Aye-aye Captain Metalface!" He saluted to Gajeel, laughing as the other slayer rolled his eyes. "See you at the party Luce. I'm sure you'll look beautiful." He leaned down and whispered softly in her ear before Gajeel yanked him out of the room. Cobra's nose crinkled as he locked eyes with Lucy.
"Guess everything's alright because you two are back to being nauseating."
