"This is beautiful," Lucy said softly, in awe as they crested a hill and found themselves looking out over a beautiful valley lined by trees clad in autumn leaves. Her breath puffed out in front of her, signaling the chill despite the fact that they were heading a little south, but Lucy didn't care – not as Natsu amped up the heat around them, ignoring Gray's eye roll.
"The south is kinda nice, right?" agreed Gray as he ignored Natsu. He looked out over the valley himself. It was massive, and it was very clear that no humans called it home. A river ran through the center – a large river that he noted, as they'd have to cross it. "There's no guilds down here though; the closest one is Lamia Scale."
"That would be kind of problematic for people who live near dangerous mountains," Lucy mused with a heavy sigh before squealing when Natsu, who'd been riding Salutem with her again, sent the stag flying down the hill. Salutem bellowed in excitement, and Gray sent his own favored stag after them, grinning at Lucy's response. Lucy elbowed Natsu when he drew Salutem back a little bit, letting the stag slow to a brisk walk when they began to near the river.
Natsu snickered in her ear, ignoring her complaints and Happy's yowled protest from the basket. "C'mon, Luce!" he cried as the stag came to a stop beside the water, lowering his antlered head to sniff at it. "Have some fun."
"You're having a little too much fun," she grumbled even as he slid from Salutem's back, dubbing the place a good one to stop for the night. Plus, they'd discussed the fact that they'd have to ford this particular river, which was nearly three miles across and rather notorious for being a hard one to cross. They wanted the stags – and themselves – fully rested first.
At least he was in a better mood, more at ease away from town. Lucy wondered if it was something that had always been the case and she'd just not noticed. Lucy glanced over when Gray spoke, heaving himself down from Shiria and patting the stag's neck happily. "We're only a week or so out, I think. Erza and Jellal should be waiting there when we get there."
"Good, I'm getting tired of traveling," Lucy said, relieved. Although she had to admit that she was anything but excited about how close they were getting to the southwestern mountains. "I could use a break, even if it's only for a day." Natsu snorted quietly as he reached up to help her down from Salutem's back. She flashed him a grateful smile and immediately went to fetch Happy before heading for the nearby river, fully intending to get a drink.
"Watch out for anything that might grab you!" called Gray warningly, and she waved him off.
The river seemed peaceful enough, Lucy thought, kneeling beside it. It was beautiful and wide and blue, with barely a ripple despite the fast-moving water. The birds were quiet, but singing. Two good friends of hers were chatting behind her, and the stags were at ease as they began to graze.
Lucy didn't think that anything could possibly attack her from the river.
She was, naturally, proven wrong only hours later.
She awoke in the middle of the night, somewhat disoriented from the darkness. The fire they'd lit had died down, and she found herself curled between Gray and Natsu – somewhat closer to her partner, who was still awake and exuding extra heat for her since it had become chilly. It was, after all, November.
"Luce?" rumbled Natsu questioningly, voice low as she rocked upright, still heaving for air, face dampened with sweat. "You good?"
"Yeah," she breathed, voice hoarse and raspy. "Just a nightmare." Full of smoke and flames, full of screaming and misery from the one who created them. She rose to her feet, throat dry. "Give me a moment," she murmured, and he grunted in acknowledgement, eyes locked on her as she made her way down to the river, hands still shaking and knees threatening to buckle.
She dropped to wash her face, feeling much better even just then, and paused when she thought she heard a splash. Lucy furrowed her brow, looking out at the still water – and then blinked when she saw a ripple. She opened her mouth to say something – possibly call for Natsu – only for something to rather suddenly grab her wrist and drag her into the water.
Fury flooded her almost immediately when she choked, having not expected it and instinctively going to breathe in but only finding water. She pushed that fury back and pried at the fingers that circled her wrist. But they were too strong, so Lucy took to kicking. Her feet connected with something she couldn't see in the dark, so she kicked again and again, trying to get to her keys.
All it took was one brush for a flash of light to fill the water. Just as suddenly, she was hauled to the surface of a nearly boiling river. Rather than being angry as she normally was, Aquarius looked rather serious as she demanded, "Can you breathe?" Lucy coughed and heaved, vomiting water onto the bank Aquarius had hauled her to. The celestial spirit glared over her shoulder at something. "Cut that out, boy, or you'll boil us both alive!"
Lucy looked over and grimaced, hoarsely calling, "Natsu, stop." The furious hybrid had appeared knee-deep in the river and was glaring at it, the heat around him so intense that it boiled. The second she asked him to, however, he stopped what he was doing and splashed over, growling loudly in annoyance.
"The hell is going on?" called Gray from where they'd been camping, but everyone else ignored the half-demon as Lucy sat up, still heaving for air. She shivered violently as a brisk breeze washed over her, and Natsu, feeling it, scampered over to crouch on the bank beside her, frowning.
As she gratefully accepted the offer of heat, Lucy rasped, "What was that thing?"
"A grindylow," said Aquarius, eyeing the water with distaste. "Nasty, impolite little creatures who try to drown those who infringe upon their territory. You've been here for over a year now, girl," she added with a sharp glare at Lucy. Lucy winced when she gave her a sharp jab in the shoulder. "You should know better than to think that anything is safe."
Natsu, rubbing his own shoulder, muttered something insulting under his breath, and the glower that Aquarius turned on him was enough to make both he and Lucy freeze. Aquarius stared at him for a few moments before turning her attention back onto Lucy. "Be more careful. I didn't make a contract with you to save you from pathetic little grindylows. I expect a proper battle next time I am summoned – am I clear?"
"Yes," said Lucy in a small voice, and Aquarius vanished in a flash of light.
"You good?" demanded Natsu, suddenly prodding her in the shoulder. It was far gentler than Aquarius had been, and Lucy felt his concern swirling through her, the twist in his gut as he worried. It was such a difference, she couldn't help thinking, from when she'd first come to this time.
"Yeah," Lucy reassured. She stood on shaking legs, clearing her throat. She eyed her sore wrist, getting the feeling that it was going to bruise. "I'm fine, Natsu, I promise." She shook her wrist out and checked to make sure she still had her whip and her keys. "Some day I'll stop getting into trouble like that," she grumbled, frustrated. With Natsu's constant proximity and the protective amulet he'd given her, the amount of shadow people that chased after her decreased, but they still encountered them in the least expected places – including while bathing, which was just a nightmare of a situation waiting to happen.
Natsu grumbled under his breath as they made their way back over to the impatiently waiting Gray. Gray looked somewhat annoyed with their lack of willingness to answer him straight away, and Lucy quickly caught him up. His annoyance faded after that. "You're okay though?" he asked, and Lucy nodded.
"I'm more cold than anything," she said, smiling reassuringly as she settled back among the blankets she'd brought. Happy was still nestled there and eyed her with distaste for the water she brought back with her. Natsu flopped down beside her again after re-lighting the campfire. He let gentle flames dance up and down his arms, offering what warmth he could.
Gray watched the pair curiously before shrugging and going back to bed, figuring he'd need all the rest he could get with how often Lucy seemed to run into trouble.
Just over a week later found the travelers stepping into the village they'd agreed to meet Erza and Jellal in. Lucy, cloaks and jackets pulled tightly around her as she sniffled from a cold that she'd been trying to beat since her dip in the cold river, pretended she didn't notice how many of the residents seemed to pause to look at her. Not them. Not Natsu, not Gray, nor Happy or the stags. Her.
Natsu noticed, too, and Lucy could feel the growl that rattled his chest as they began the process of finding an inn. "There's no way in hell you're staying outside tonight," Gray said to her. "You need some real rest. We'll stay a few days so you can recover. You don't want to be sick in the southwestern mountains, Lucy. We'll have enough trouble as it is." He didn't say anything about the staring, though Lucy got the feeling that it was part of the reason they'd be staying inside an inn.
When they finally found the single inn in the village, Lucy wasn't surprised to see that Erza and Jellal were patiently waiting outside. Jellal would have seen them coming from a distance. What did surprise her as Erza smiled warmly and stepped forward to greet them was the presence of an ugly, knobby little creature that clung to Jellal's cloak. Rather than politely greeting them as she should have, she instead spluttered, "Isn't that the goblin from–"
"Yes," interrupted Jellal with a small chuckle, smiling fondly down at the creature. It merely blinked nervously at Natsu, shyly clinging tighter to Jellal's cloak. "I know I was rather late in getting to you in time when you were in the north, but it was kind enough to guide me to Gray and then back to Natsu so that we could help him and Erza."
"Owed debt," squeaked the goblin, blinking again.
Natsu squinted at it. "You haven't been stealing again, have you?"
"No, sir!" Its eyes went as wide as saucers, and it desperately looked to Jellal for help. "Only what given."
"Good," grunted Natsu before rolling his eyes when Lucy gasped and coughed upon being dragged into a tight hug on Erza's part.
She wheezed, "Erza, I can't breathe! Seriously!" Erza gently released her, and Lucy rubbed her chest, coughing heavily into her hand with a grimace, sniffling against the stuffy nose her cold had given her. Her confusion turned to horror when Erza bowed her body to Lucy, looking rather sorrowful.
"Lucy, it will forever be a regret of mine that I was unable to help you when you needed it in the north," Erza said hoarsely before lifting her head to meet Lucy's gaze. Her dark eyes shone with fierceness. "I watched as you fought your captors even as you were clearly in immense pain, watched as you were dragged away against your will, and my inability to help you will be a sin I carry until the day I die."
"That's…Erza, that's a bit much," stammered Lucy. She smiled hesitantly at her after a moment. "But…I'm glad to see that you're alright. You got hurt, too. Did you heal alright?"
"Yes. I have a scar, but nothing more." Erza patted the spot on her leg with a grimace before looking to Natsu. She eyed him curiously before stating, "It has been some time since I entered these mountains. Thank you for inviting us to come along with you. I'm very much looking forward to testing my strength."
Gray grinned at the look on Lucy's face. "Careful," he warned them, "Lucy's scared."
"I would say you have no reason to be so frightened with Erza, Natsu, Gray, and myself accompanying you," Jellal told Lucy, "but it would be a lie." Her face went from relieved to absolutely terrified, and Natsu cackled under his breath at the feelings that shot through him. "You'll do well to be prepared for anything in these mountains." He turned his hidden gaze in the direction of them, and Lucy studied them, too, taking in their dark, craggy peaks. They were rounded and small compared to the mountains outside Crocus, but they were littered with dead trees and gave off a dark feeling that spoke of something dark and malicious.
"In any case," Erza said, smiling fondly at Jellal, as if approving of his words even as Lucy opened her mouth to say that it might be smart to just go back to Magnolia, "I believe we should get you some rooms. Lucy," she said as she guided the girl towards the inn, ducking her head near Lucy's, "why don't you tell me how you caught that cold…?"
The rooming situation wasn't entirely what Natsu could say was pleasant. He'd been shoved into a small room with Jellal and Gray, while Erza had taken the other room available with Lucy, declaring that it was the safest method for Lucy to get better. Natsu, knowing better, hadn't dared to say anything. His skin had crawled uncomfortably at the idea of not being near Lucy, but there was no way in hell he planned to challenge Erza about it.
Now, long after they'd had supper and the sun had set, Natsu sat in his claimed corner, watching Gray casually sort through supplies, noting what they needed to get more of with the help of the cheerful goblin, who beamed when Jellal paused in watching something to praise it. Natsu cocked his head a little; the goblin had certainly latched onto the Keeper of Visions.
Gray seemed to trust it as much as Natsu did, because he kept glancing at it every now and then. It was during one of those moments that Jellal suddenly spoke, and Gray's gaze darted to him. "Natsu," said Jellal, and Natsu cocked a brow silently. "Is it true that the Empire sought your help to keep the peace with the Pergrande Kingdom?"
Natsu only choked on the air he breathed. Sputtering, Natsu snapped a nasty look to Jellal as he said rather sharply, "Yeah. S'true. And it's not gonna happen. They don't deserve it after everything they did." Natsu was careful with what he said – very careful. Gray knew he was a demon, after all, but he didn't know about the other part of it.
"Ah, perhaps not, they were rather cruel during the Demonic Wars, but I hear they've changed." Jellal turned his face in Natsu's direction, and Natsu could practically see the eyes that rolled this way and that, seeing everything that Gray and Natsu couldn't. "I've heard good things about the direction in which Empress Brandish has taken the Alvarez Empire."
"If you're going to try and convince me to help them out, Jellal, you're going to be trying for the next thousand years," said Natsu coldly. He was tired of everyone trying to convince him to help people who had seen him tearing through battlefields and had done nothing to stop Zeref.
Natsu had gone to their leader once – just once – before things had gone so, so bad. Before he'd been turned into a demon. "Help him," he'd begged him. "Stop Zeref. The way he's heading…things won't turn out well. We need to stop him – help him. Please. Before he goes too far."
The Spriggan had chuckled and told him to mind himself, or his words would be seen as treason.
Less than seven days later, Natsu had emerged as something new and monstrous. Unable to control himself, he'd razed half of his own country before Zeref had been able to get him under his command.
Jellal held his hands up calmly in surrender, indicating that he wouldn't push the matter further outside of a simple, "It's your life, Natsu, but keep in mind that anything that happens may direct you in that way anyways–" He cut off, face turning, and his entire body went still.
Gray paused. "Jellal? What's up?"
Jellal cocked his head, silent. "A visitor," he murmured, rising to his feet. The goblin, sensing tension, scurried over to latch onto his clothes as Jellal stared at the door. "Who has more to him than I expected."
A flicker of curiosity caught Natsu's attention, and he perked up, focusing on Lucy. Curiosity was accompanied by wariness that had him rocking to his feet, sinking back and back until images flickered across his mind.
–scarlet hair glowing like embers in the dying light of day, its owner moving towards the door. She wrapped the blanket tighter around her, its soft material clutched in her fingers. The others wouldn't have knocked like that, they would have knocked and come in. Nerves crept in. Thoughts raced across her mind as she realized she wasn't looking at scarlet hair any longer, but at a wall, and that his thoughts touched hers. Confusion turned to amusement, though exhaustion crept through her along with a chill. The door opened, and a man was revealed – one with eyes that resembled hers and pepper-sprinkled blond hair –
"Natsu!" a voice snapped, yanking him free of Lucy's thoughts, and he heaved for air. Blood pooled in his mouth enough so that he spat it out, the black staining his mouth. He glanced up and found Jellal's head turned in his direction. Gray was staring, his eyes wide as Natsu wiped blood away from his face.
"M'fine," he muttered, ignoring the throb building in the base of his skull. Lucy's pain, he instinctively knew. He pushed past the pair and ducked out of the room, fighting back the growl that built in his chest as he made his way over to the room Lucy and Erza were staying in. He heard voices, and didn't hesitate to interrupt. "Erza."
Erza, blocking the doorway as an older man – the one Lucy had seen glimpses of – spoke to her, glanced over. "Natsu," she greeted readily, voice even. "I thought you might show up. This man says he'd like to speak with Lucy." She lifted her chin as she turned her gaze back on the man, telling him, "This is a member of our guild who can help you. Natsu. He's one of the best in the guild – as is Gray," she added when the half-demon appeared at Natsu's shoulder, curious. Jellal hadn't come out, apparently.
The man shook his head. "I need to speak with the girl," he said insistently. "It's important."
Natsu's eyes immediately narrowed. "'The girl' is sick. What do you want?"
"Natsu," Lucy's voice called from the room tiredly, "Erza, just let him in. The sooner we listen, the sooner he leaves." Natsu's lips quirked at the irritation in her voice – and at the fact that he was addressed before Erza. Erza hesitated, then stepped aside. Natsu ducked in before the man could, and trotted over to where Lucy was sitting up, curled in blankets on the bed. She looked as if she'd been mid-nap before the interruption, her hair wild and sticking up as Happy purred behind her. Natsu made himself at home at the end of the bed, folding his legs and glaring suspiciously at the man.
"Thank you, my lady," said the man as he ducked in with Gray a step behind him. Gray's dark eyes were suspicious, and he and Erza watched him closely. " It's an honor to speak with one of the Heartfilia line."
Tension rose, and Natsu bristled. Lucy reached out and quieted him with a simple touch to his knee. Calmly, she said in a hoarse voice, "We never said I was one of the Heartfilia line."
The man merely chuckled and said simply, "You could have fooled me, child. All of the women in the Heartfilia line bear close resemblance to my mother." Lucy furrowed her brow and Natsu stiffened in realization after a moment. "It is nice to meet with kin again after centuries of lingering here alone. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Algieba, the son of the first Keeper of Celestial Spirits and the one who fell to earth nearly three millennia ago: Anna Heartfilia."
Ey! New drama and some fun with Jellal and Erza! Jellal's become one of my favorites to write in ODAS for some reason. For that reason, he's turning out to have a bigger part in everything then initially planned, which I'm one hundred percent down for.
Guest #2, regarding the length of ODAS...I'm in the process of writing chapter 94, so definitely 100 chapters! I'm currently thinking close to 150, although I'm not entirely sure. ;)
A BTL fan, regarding ages...not everyone is that old! Gray, Levy, and others in the younger generation came into the guild around the same time as Natsu or slightly before or after as children! I think I mentioned that mythics in the ODAS universe grow at the same speed of human children, but slow down after a while and eventually stop aging once their power kind of finishes. There are a few who are excluded from this, like the dragons who are several centuries old. I hope this helps?
Thanks to reviewers (nerdalertwarning, Guest #1, Sydneste, Uchida Akira, valerioux, Guest #2, Bugseey, EraticMind, stranger1999, A BTL fan, Lovetoreadff, Surfy, xHallowedFangirlx, Lodemai04, aquarius592, madaraswife, Raquenzel, Krisart610, Lissuin, and BeautifulSamurai!) as well as those who favorited and followed!
