*Disclaimer: I do not own the story or the characters from Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima owns them.*

CHAPTER 21

Happy flew into the cottage and froze, staring at the two strangers. "Oh, aren't you both the new people at the guild, what are you doing here?" He stared curiously at them.

Natsu smiled, "It's me little buddy!" Before Happy could say anything, Natsu turned the small knob on his bracelet and his hair and eyes switched back to normal.

"Woah!" Happy shot over to Natsu and started to pull at his hair. "How'd you do that?" He glanced over to Lucy. "So does this mean that the girl over there is. . ?" Lucy turned her small knob and was instantly back to being the brown eyed blonde. "LUCY!" Happy jumped over to her. "So that was you both at the guild? Why didn't you tell me?" He pouted, "Why am I always being left out?"

"Hey!" Lucy picked up the blue Exceed who had floated sadly to the ground. "We weren't trying to leave you out or anything, it's just we needed to convince everyone that we weren't ourselves."

Happy's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, so you could go on missions?"

Natsu beamed, giving a thumbs up, "YEA! And Gramps has already given us the okay!"

Happy looked between the two thoughtfully, "So when Mira told me that the painting Reedus made was of the two new people. . ." He grinned evilly to Lucy, "that was of you both?"

Lucy felt her face pale. "You. . . saw the painting?"

Happy's devilish smirk stretched across his little face. "Everyone's seen the painting." Lucy avoided looking at Natsu. "You liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike eachoth…."

Lucy put her hand over Happy's mouth. "Shut it you stupid cat!"

Natsu laughed, "That reminds me, Luce, what are you going to do with the painting?"

She glanced worriedly over to him. "What. . I . . don't know yet."

He picked it up off the couch and examined it. "Hmmm."

Lucy walked over, forgetting that she was still holding the Exceed, and stared thoughtfully at the painting. "I guess take it home to my apartment."

"Where are you going to hang it?" Happy smirked at her. "Next to your bed?"

Lucy frowned at him, trying to hide her blush. "What, no! I'll. . find a spot." She looked outside and sighed. "Well, I guess it's time for me to go. She put Happy back on the floor and started to gather her belongings. "Natsu, where do you want to meet tomorrow morning? I live too close to the guild to meet at my house and someone might notice us."

Natsu glanced at Happy thoughtfully, "Our house should be good."

Lucy nodded and grabbed the painting before heading out towards town.

Happy and Natsu watched their blonde friend make her way down the path. Happy turned to Natsu, mischief clearly plastered on his face. "I bet you were hoping to keep the painting, weren't you?"

Natsu glanced at Happy and shrugged lightly, "It would have been nice to put it on our memory board or something."

Happy raised his eyebrow before heading back towards the house. "So Natsu. . What happened to the hammock?"

Natsu frowned, turning back to the blue Exceed. "You know. . just the usual."

Happy frowned in response, "Hmmm. What happened to the house?"

Natsu followed him in. "What do you mean?"

"It doesn't smell like home, and it's clean. OH!" His eyes widened with excitement. "THE CLEANING GODS!" Happy flew around the room with enthusiasm. "Natsu! I told you praying to the Cleaning God would help!"

Natsu laughed, deciding not to spoil the excitement with the disappointing truth. "Yea, we should try to maintain it still since that helped." Natsu grabbed some rope and started to tie a new hammock.

Happy watched Natsu, "You're becoming an expert and tying those." Natsu shot him a dirty look, warning him to stop there. The little blue Exceed shrugged and walked off towards the kitchen to see what the fridge held.

Lucy called out Plue once she arrived in town and she walked at a faster pace than usual. "Okay Plue, let's hurry home today." She clutched the painting closer to herself. "I don't want anyone to see that I have this painting."

"Puun Puuuuuun!"

She smiled down at the small, white Celestial Spirit that was scurrying next to her feet, matching her pace. Once home, Lucy dropped everything on the couch and summoned Capricorn for a short magical training exercise before taking a long bath. She caught herself staring at the blank wall, deep in thought about the past several weeks and how rapidly everything has changed. She let out a long sigh and sank deeper in the tub. Hmm, the painting might look good there on the wall. She felt her cheeks flush remembering waking up on the hill with Natsu and giggled to herself at the irony of Reedus painting that.

Lucy put on pajamas and stretched before climbing into bed. "Plue, would you like to stay out all night with me?"

"Puun Puuun!" The little white spirit raised his paw in enthusiasm. She smiled and placed him next to her before staring out the window.

Natsu groaned as he headed into the forest so early in the morning. The only way he could convince Happy to stop poking fun at him was to promise to bring back some freshly caught fish and let Happy eat his own raw. He caught himself grumbling as he looked at the sun. Should be too early still for Lucy to head over still, at least there's that. He finally arrived to the river and scanned it skillfully. He jumped in, throwing 3 large fish out onto the shore. There! That only took a little bit of time.

He piled the fish over his shoulder and trekked the familiar path back to the cottage.

Lucy was proud of herself, even though she tended to be on time, she would never consider herself an early riser on normal days. She joyously knocked on Natsu and Happy

Happy answered the door with disappointment. "Oh, it's you."

"Gee, thanks Happy!" Lucy spit out sarcastically. She slowly walked into the house. "Where's Natsu?"

"Oh he's catching me fish." Happy bragged walking towards the kitchen.

Lucy nodded and looked around the room, eyes falling on the hammock. "Is that a new hammock?"

Happy gave Lucy a questioning stare. "Yes."

"Oh did he make it?"

"Yes."

Lucy glanced out the window. "Hey Happy I have a question for you." She turned around and walked over to him, kneeling so she could be closer to his level. "How often does he burn through his hammocks?" She watched some kind of inner turmoil bubble through Happy and that answered her question well enough. She stood up, pretending to brush off some imaginary dirt off of her dark jean capri pants. "I was just wondering since the other night he burned through one and. . . and he's never burned through my bed sheets at all."

Happy chuckled, "Well of course not."

Am I missing something? "Well I don't see the difference of why he doesn't burn my bed but he burns his."

Happy stared at Lucy perplexed. "Do you want him to burn your bed, because I'm sure if you just ask him he'd be willing to burn it for you while he's awake. It'd be a waste though, such a nice bed."

Lucy sighed. "No, I don't want him to burn my sheets. . or bed. I was just worried, is all." She furrowed her brows. "Happy, do you know why he burns through it?"

Happy shifted on his feet nervously. "Nightmares, I suppose."

Lucy wasn't quite expecting that answer. "Oh."

The door slams opens and Natsu strolls in with several large fish over his shoulder. "Happy, I'm back. Oh, hey Luce!" He sniffed the air. "Did you use the odor eating lacrima already? I didn't smell you when I approached the house."

Lucy rolled her eyes, a smile sneaking it's way on her lips. "Good morning to you too."

Happy flew into the air. "NATSU! Lucy was just telling me that she wants you to set her bed on fire!"

Lucy glared at the flying blue cat! "WHAT?! NO!"

Natsu turned to Lucy, serious expression evident. "Lucy! We can't burn the bed! It's our favorite thing in your apartment."

"AYE!

Lucy huffed out, "Gee, thanks."

Happy smirked evilly to Lucy and she gave him a death glare, hinting not to mention the hammock conversation.

Soon Natsu had 2 large fish grilled and gave Happy his raw fish. Once everyone's appetite was sated, Happy headed out towards the guild, promising to not give away their identity until they were ready. Natsu changed into an outfit that Virgo left for him, making sure to not match with Lucy's sky blue shirt and white pants.

They changed their hair and eye colors and headed towards the guild, taking their time in the park to widen the time frame from when Happy arrived. Once they arrived at the guild, they were pleased to see that a majority of the members were there.

"Good morning Kasai, Stella!" Mira greeted them cheerfully.

"Good morning Mira!" Lucy beamed at the white haired bartender. Natsu gave a quite greeting, trying to sniff the guild hall unnoticeably. All of our Dragon Slayers are here.

After several hours of mingling, the master strolls in and scanned the room; his eyes fall on Natsu and Lucy. He pulled Freed aside and they were out of the room for a while. Once they both returned, the master stood on the stage. "May I have everyone's attention please?" Everyone quieted down immediately. "I would like you all to meet Kasai and Stella." Lucy and Natsu stand up, awkwardly waved to the room. "Fairy Tail mages." Everyone let out a hearty cheer. The master smirked, "Can the both of you show your marks before changing?"

Everyone quieted their enthusiastic cheering to a low whisper of confusion. Lucy took off her glove and help up her pink marked hand while Natsu rolled up his sleeve revealing his red mark on his shoulder. The confusion stretched on as the two both held out their bracelets to everyone before turning the dials. Soon the two 'newcomers' were their familiar guild mates. A majority of the guild's jaws dropped in surprise. Mira let out a loud squeal of excitement while Erza glowered at the two for the deception. After a very short time of silence, the room changed into a flurry of excitement. Everyone rushed Natsu and Lucy, demanding to know what happened and how they did that.

Makarov cleared his throat again, gaining everyone's attention. "We have much to discuss as a guild and I am pleased to say that we have almost everyone here. I had Freed place a barrier over the entire building that would push any non-guild member out and keep out anyone who wasn't in our guild."

The master debriefed everyone on the group called the Dragon Demolishers and how he had forbidden any of the dragon slayers from going on missions. The master let out a long sigh. "Well, you know how Natsu took it, he found a loophole." Several members chuckled and glanced at the pink haired dragon slayer who was sitting with his hands interlocked behind his head, a large lopsided grin across his face.

Gajeel stood up. "So, you tellin' me that if I can get one of those bracelets to change my looks, I can go on missions?!"

Makarov stared around the room thoughtfully. "It would have to be convincing."

Gajeel smiled wickedly. "I'll show you convincin'." He turned to Natsu. "Oi! Flame Brain! Give me that bracelet!"

Natsu huffed, holding his wrist with the bracelet in his other hand protectively. "NO!"

Gajeel growled, launching himself across the room, aiming for Natsu. Natsu leapt out of the way in time for Gajeel's hit to land on a very irate red head. Soon a fight broke out between several different tables. Makarov growled in frustration.

The room lite up with lightning bolts, hitting everyone involved in the brawl. "Thank you Laxus." The master smiled gratefully at his grandson.

He shrugged lightly. "I just want to hear more about how I can go on missions again."

"Levy, Freed, I was hoping I could ask you both to work on duplicating those bracelets."

Levy, who was already at Lucy's side observing the bracelet on her wrist gave a joyous thumbs up while Freed walked in their direction. He gave a slight bow of his head to the master to acknowledge the request.

Natsu frowned. "How long will that take?"

Freed held up Lucy's bracelet in observation, eyes still glued with curiosity to the device. "That would depend on the complexity of these." He turned to Levy. "Would you like to get started tonight on this or wait until tomorrow."

Before she could even answer, Gajeel and Natsu walked over. "Now!"

Levy sighed, "I guess it couldn't hurt to get started today." She turned to Natsu. "Can I have your bracelet as well? It will help the process speed up."

Natsu grumbled, taking off his own and handing it over to the small script mage.

Natsu tossed himself into the chair next to Lucy. "I wanna go on a mission. This is no fair!"

Lucy frowned in thought. "Well, I did promise Happy a fishing day, let's go do that. The day is still young."

He stared thoughtfully over to her before turning and finding Happy across the room "HAPPY! Hurry up! We're going fishing with Lucy!"

"AYE!"