Chapter 20: The Job – Accused Traitor

POV: Natsu

I felt anger and disappointment fill me the moment I saw what was happening. I was angry not because I saw what she was doing, I was angry because I couldn't help her. Disappointed because I thought she would be able to control it, I believed she could.

I just stood there, staring at her. She then locked gazes with me, her eyes dull; the shine only coming back after what I assume was a minute of staring back at her. I saw different emotions while staring at her brown eyes; sadness, pain, regret. I saw through her. Her eyes started to water, indicating that she couldn't take it.

She broke her gaze and in just a second, she broke the big glass window behind her and went through it, making her way outside.

Wait, was she that strong? That glass was thick, how did she break it that fast?

I may not be that much of a dramatic person but I care, and that is what makes me worry for her, as her best friend. I didn't like seeing her cry in pain; it makes me feel like it was my entire fault.

My legs started to move involuntarily, trying to follow Lucy but was stopped when Erza held me by my shoulders. I was shaking in rage, what was she doing?!

"Look Natsu, I know that you want to go to her but you shouldn't. First, she needs to be alone, and second, she is dangerous. You did saw what she attempted to do and who knows what she might try to do to you!," she exclaimed.

"I DON'T GIVE A CRUD ABOUT WHAT SHE MIGHT DO TO ME?! DON'T YOU SEE IT?! SHE IS SUFFERING! SHE NEEDS US! SHE NEEDS HER FRIENDS. NOW LET ME GO BEFORE I-," I shouted but I wasn't able to finish. I felt pain shot in my stomach, I felt weak and light-headed. I fell to the ground.

Just before I drifted out of consciousness, I hear someone say something.

"I don't have a friend who is a traitor."

POV: Erza

I punched Natsu in the stomach, him slowly slipping consciousness.

"I don't have a friend who is a traitor," I mumbled just after Natsu fell to the ground. It may be Master's order to not treat her like she is an enemy but right now, she is; I am sure Master will understand once we tell him what happened but right now, she's an enemy and a dangerous one.

"Gray!" I called for the ice-make mage. "Yes?" he asked his voice plain which was weird.

"Carry Natsu until he wakes up, we'll go on with the mission," I ordered.

"But what about Lucy?" he asked, a questioning look.

"Let her be, you did saw what she almost did. She's a danger to all of us," I answered with a stern voice. He just shrugged and did what I told him to do.

In all honesty, I don't even think Lucy is that strong, we wouldn't even lose to her if ever we had a fight without concerning our emotions. With those emotions, we would've not even tried to hurt Lucy but she will keep hurting us, which is bad.

We walked out of the station, heading towards the client's house which was located near the center of the town.

We'll do this job without Lucy. Simple, like how we do it everytime.

POV: Lucy

"Hey!" an all too familiar voice called from behind me. I wiped my tears and Looked at the direction where it came from. My red puffy eyes widened.

Seriously?! What was she doing in here?

"What are you doing in here?" I voiced out, asking the coral-pink haired mage who was now standing in front of me.

"I sensed that you were in trouble. Besides, I am your friend, I worry for you," said she, who was Meredy.

"Well, you already knew I was in trouble back then, right?" I told her. She knew I was already in trouble not long ago, now why did she appear only now?

"Yeah, I know. That is why I have been following you ever since then," she told me. My eyes widened.

"Wait, you mean all this time, you were somewhere near me, watching me?" I asked, not able to believe it.

"Well, yeah," she answered like it was a normal thing to do. I stared at her, disbelievingly. This girl, she is crazy.

"Putting that aside. I showed myself to help you. I already knew what happened," she told me, sympathy evident. Gosh, is she my godmother?

"Well, since you already know what happened, I will not say anything else," I told her. I hugged my knees, my head being supported by it while I looked down on the ground. Meredy sat beside me, cross-legged.

"Even Natsu huh?" she mumbled. I looked at her, questioning her as to how did she knew it was mostly about Natsu. She seemed to have read my thoughts.

"It's pretty obvious, you like him, much," she started; I looked at her weirdly, like she's crazy. "Besides, I listened to what he said, and I know how to listen to every word, I am a girl, remember?" she told me. I chuckled; I may or may not have forgotten that she was a girl. She just ignored my reaction to her last statement.

"But seriously, you like him. It's too obvious, you can't hide it," she told me. I just looked down, thinking about it. I, liking him? How? I shook my head a no. I saw her roll her eyes from the corner of mine. "You're too hard," she mumbled.

"No worries. You know you have me, right? I'll always be here," she told me. I smiled at her.

We stayed silent for a while, watching some animals roam around the forest.

"I think I have a solution to your problems, you know, your undefined losing of your good side," she suddenly mentioned. I looked at her, interested.

"How?" I asked her. I need to know.

"I'll tell you someday, maybe after your job. I'll come to your apartment when you're alone there," she told me. I just nodded. I can't complain right now, can I?

"Now go back to the others, they might be looking for you," she told me.

"Like they'll even do that," I mumbled.

"Who knows? You'll have to find that out, right?" she encouraged me.

"If they were even trying, they should have found me right now. I mean, they would have used Natsu to find me if they were even trying," I explained to her.

"Something may have happened…?" she told me, not sure. I just shrugged. Then silence, not until…

"Oh I know!" she exclaimed, surprising me in the process. "What if we, follow them. You know, spy on them," she told me.

"Are you out of your mind?! They are not as stupid as you think they are. With their sharpened senses, especially Natsu's, they would've spotted us," I explained to her.

"Then we'll just run away, simple," she answered simply.

"Well, alright," I replied, not even thinking about it thoroughly. Besides, if Meredy was following me all this time, at least one of us, Team Natsu, could've sensed it, right?

"Then let's go!," she exclaimed with much excitement. She really is excited about this spying thing.

We then made our way through the forest, not even thinking about the worst thing that may happen.