Chapter Sixty-Five: What a long week

(April 22nd, 2018, Sunday Noon)

Natsu wasn't the brightest bulb in the box.

Was that even the saying? He wasn't sure, but he was fine with that.

He didn't need to be the smartest around, happy with his general education and physical strength. Plus, he liked to think he had a great sense of humor, often laughing at his own jokes.

So, when Laxus briefed them on the solar installation project, Natsu simply didn't follow. Maybe it was all the technical talk that had him lost, or maybe -definitely- it was his distracted mind that didn't allow room for the random knowledge.

From the sound of it, Laxus said it would be a few weeks before they got electricity in the school since there was a lot to do, but things were running smoothly? He wasn't sure, but Laxus didn't look worried, so Natsu didn't fret about it.

He wasn't looking forward to removing all but three fluorescent bulbs from his room, but it made sense. The solar panels could only generate so much electricity, and the school was a huge place. They didn't need to light up a whole room. Three bulbs would be more than enough.

They could store the rest for when the others died, thus extending their supply of lights.

Plus, on a darker note, it wouldn't be wise to make the school too bright at night. It might attract unwanted attention, from zombies or other threats.

Natsu listened as Kagura took over, telling Makarov and the others how they could improve the outdoor showers based on how Hargeon set theirs up. Natsu chose then to zone out, wondering how a certain friend of his was faring off base.

His heart thrummed uncomfortably as he thought about what Lucy was doing, hoping she was keeping safe. He had barely gotten through Wednesday when she went back out there, but he had controlled himself and stayed in receiving all day.

He had never felt such relief when he saw her at dinner that night, though he didn't say anything more than a "Hey" before eating his food.

Things were still tense between them, though not as bad as it had been a week ago. They exchanged greetings, but other than that they hadn't spoken since last Sunday, when Natsu met his breaking point.

He had fallen apart, but with Levy's help, Lucy's encouraging words, and his stubborn determination, he was putting himself back together, one piece at a time.

It was frustrating. Natsu had nearly given up on himself a few times, but he had to keep moving forward, even if he took a small step back to calm down every time he faced a new challenge.

So far Levy said he was doing well, though she did mention his resistance to open up a few times. It was weird sharing his thoughts and feelings with other people, even with someone like Levy, who he had known for years.

He couldn't stop, even if he got overwhelmed. He needed to get better, even if it was taking longer than he wanted.

If only there was a way to magically fix all his flaws with the wave of a wand, or maybe some type of potion?

Natsu shifted in his seat, but he doubted the chair was making him uneasy. He just had to keep reminding himself his progress was like Lucy's in a way. Sometimes it seemed hopeless when only a baby step of progress had been made, but combined, they looked like strides in the right direction.

That was his aim, but he was just starting. It would take time and patience. One of those he had, the other he was working on.

"That's awesome!"

Natsu jolted when Millianna shouted from beside him, the girl wincing before placing a hand over her stomach. He perked up, wondering what had her enthusiastic, especially since she had seemed so down lately with her limited energy.

Natsu listened a bit, realizing a chicken had laid its first egg. He smiled with the others, glad at least one chicken felt comfortable in the temporary coop made for them.

They were in the process of building permanent coops, but they were also building a bigger greenhouse, outdoor showers, and reinforcing the fence around Fairy Tail. There was even talk about copying Hargeon with small pools to do laundry during the summer and maybe setting up a dish washing station in the arena to lower the risk of bacteria spreading.

There was so much to do, but only so many hands.

Natsu had thought about helping with the construction projects, but he didn't trust himself yet. He feared he would end up leaving base if he didn't have some supervision, thankful Levy was extending a helping hand his way, especially since it wasn't her responsibility to fix his problematic behavior.

Natsu took a slow breath in before exhaling, counting along until his heartbeat was less noticeable. There were a few knots in his stomach, most likely staying there until he saw Lucy again. He was looking forward to dinner, needing to see she was safe.

He also had another reason he wanted to see her, though he was unsure if he should go through with it or not.

Lucy's gift was resting in his pocket, wrapped in red construction paper and sealed with a single piece of tape. It was the cat charm he got from Hargeon, but he hadn't given it to her despite giving the rest of his friends their gifts.

Well, most of his friends anyway. He wasn't on speaking terms with Gray at the moment, especially since Gray had decided to sit with his sister instead of the group after last week.

He didn't blame him for the distance, but part of him missed having Gray around, though that only brought up more conflicting feelings since Natsu and Gray weren't seeing eye to eye.

There was too much confusion in Natsu's life at the moment, and since he couldn't fix everything, he settled for improving himself.

"There's been some complaints around the base," Makarov said, capturing Natsu's attention for a moment until he added, "about a possible lunch schedule... Also talk about reducing working hours or adding extra days off. But that's making the clearers upset. One person in particular has—"

Natsu tuned it out, trying to find his train of thought once more. He had been in plenty of meetings to know he hated all of them. Parent-teacher conferences, work meetings at Magnolia Mart, even the Hargeon meetings failed to keep him interested.

He just wanted to get it over with, readjusting in his seat before swiping his thumb over his pocket, making sure Lucy's gift was still there.

Natsu wanted to wait until things were good between them before giving her a gift, but he felt that option slipping away after that morning.

Jellal had thanked Natsu again for his gift, causing the others to thank him as well. Ordinarily that wouldn't be a problem, but Lucy hadn't received anything from him since returning from Hargeon.

Natsu had seen the furrow in her brows as she gazed up, her mouth parting as if she wanted to ask, but then she had gone back to eating like nothing had happened. Natsu wanted to explain he was waiting for the right time, but that felt silly.

As long as he didn't try to talk to her, giving her a simple gift was fine? Right?

He planned on double-checking with Levy afterwards to see what she thought, but damn, the meeting was going on forever.

Slumping in his chair, Natsu rested his cheek on his palm as he zoned out again, briefly catching Makarov asking Gray how he was adjusting to being a clearer again.

"Kinda like riding a bike."

Natsu's eyes fell to the floor, trying not to think about how badly it hurt fighting with his best friend. Gray had been there when he had no one, but now he felt like a stranger.

'Worse,' Natsu thought, eyes narrowing as frustration started to rise. 'He's like Zeref.'

His biological brother was the furthest thing from family he had. Cold, distant, and unwelcoming.

Gray was never that warm, but at least he was reliable and shared in the good times and bad.

Now... Well, Natsu was left with a lot of uncertainties and broken friendships that needed repair.

Natsu almost groaned when Alzach asked a question, prolonging the meeting. He knew it was important to catch up on information, but did he have to be there? He hadn't contributed to the conversation once. His presence felt pointless, but he didn't say anything.

He knew Makarov and the others were on edge. Hargeon was expected to arrive any day to meet with the leaders and collect their people. He wasn't sure how long Hargeon's people were staying, but the sooner they left, the happier Natsu would be.

"I think that about wraps it up," Makarov said, causing Natsu to relax.

Sorting supplies was boring, but it beat the hell out of sitting through a meeting. He couldn't wait to be dismissed, but he wasn't that lucky.

"We'll have another meeting after they get here, but until then just go about your normal schedules."

As Natsu and the others stood, Makarov added, "Laxus, Natsu. Hang back for a minute?"

Natsu raised a brow, ready to question why he had to stay. Kagura beat him to it, asking, "Why just them?"

The woman had a fierce gaze yet somehow the rest of her face seemed unreadable, Natsu thankful she wasn't directing her look at him.

"It's a private matter," Makarov said hesitantly, further confusing Natsu.

'What do we have to discuss?'

"Is it about Hargeon?" Alzach asked, causing Makarov to shake his head, though it was Laxus who answered.

"It's another mission off base. Figured no one else would want to go on one of those," he said, moving to stand beside Makarov, easily towering over his grandfather. "Am I wrong?"

"Nope," Alzach said, nodding before excusing himself.

Natsu couldn't blame him. After being separated from his wife and daughter for nearly two months, Alzach didn't seem likely to leave again. He barely left the base for his hunting trips, though he accompanied Bisca half the time anyway.

"I'm not interested either," Jet said, waving as he left.

Natsu glanced at Kagura, seeing the confliction in her eyes. After a few beats, she asked, "What's the mission?"

Before Laxus or Makarov could reply, Millianna reached out to grab Kagura's arm. The two shared a look, a silent conversation held before Kagura sighed. "Never mind." She wrapped an arm about Millianna, giving the remaining men a nod before they left.

Aside from Makarov and Laxus, that only left Natsu and Gray. The latter crossed his arms over his bare chest, his shirt already discarded on the floor. From what Natsu saw in the cafeteria, he had been doing that more often. It was a nervous habit he couldn't seem to kick.

"What's the mission?" Gray asked, not budging from his spot.

"At this point it's classified," Makarov said carefully, his tone suggesting he didn't wish to discuss it.

"But he gets to know?" Gray asked, brows darting inward. He looked at Natsu, as if it was his fault he was out of the loop. "What the hell?"

Natsu scoffed, not bothering to meet his gaze. He had nothing to say to him, even if the urge to throw a random insult pushed at him. He didn't know what the mission was about either, but when Laxus spoke, he realized why he was asked to stay back.

"We may know where Ivan is."

"Wh... what?!" Gray gawked as Natsu's eyes widened, forgetting they had planned on going to the lake house. "Are you serious? Insane Ivan? Where?!"

Makarov looked at Laxus before turning towards Natsu. "Is it alright to tell him more?"

Natsu wasn't sure if Makarov was asking because he knew the two were fighting or because it had to do with Lucy. He swallowed, stomach jerking at the thought of Lucy finding out.

Would she be mad if Gray knew? He didn't know, and he wasn't taking that risk. He never wanted to hurt Lucy, and he refused to betray her trust again. With a heavy heart, he shook his head. "No."

"No?!" Gray's head snapped in his direction, voice harsh as he asked, "What gives you the right to decide something like that?"

He didn't give Natsu a chance to answer, looking back at Makarov. "How do you know where Ivan is?"

"We don't know if he's still there," Laxus said, voice guarded. "We just know he's been sighted in an area, but honestly—" His shoulders dropped an inch, a hint of defeat in his voice. "He's probably not still there. It's been over six months since anyone's seen him."

"Six mon— Who saw him?! Why'd they wait so long to tell?" Gray asked.

Instead of answering, Makarov looked at Natsu once more. "I was just going to tell you that with everything going on Laxus and I both agree it would be better to wait until after the electricity is on before leaving."

Natsu's throat tightened, luckily stopping him from asking if they were just delaying the mission. A small part of him could understand. Family was important, but what Ivan did was enough to remove him from any family tree.

Hell, he didn't even deserve to be called a human. He was no better than the infected.

'Actually, he's worse. The infected are mindless. Ivan chose to do those things to Lucy and the others.'

Natsu wanted to know if there were other reasons for putting off the mission, but he ended up giving them a simple nod. "Let me know when we're going, and I'll be ready."

He didn't want to go on another mission, unsure how long it would take them. However, if there was even a sliver of a chance at catching and stopping Ivan from hurting anyone again, he would take it.

He had half a mind to ask Lucy for the location to go find the monster himself, but he wouldn't do it alone. A team meant a better chance of survival, of making it back to his friends.

Of making it back to Lucy.

His heart ached at the thought of not seeing her again.

It was too dangerous to go alone, and they had a good point. It had been over six months since Lucy escaped, almost seven. The odds of Ivan and his group still being there were too slim. They probably left after Lucy escaped.

Natsu didn't stick around to hear more, dismissing himself. As he walked through the door, he hoped to hell Laxus and Makarov kept their mouths shut about Lucy. Gray didn't need to know how they came about the information.

Instead of going to receiving like he was supposed to, Natsu went to his room to get a break. His heart was pounding, something he hadn't realized until he took a seat at his desk.

Happy was busy at the window, making that silly chattering sound when he spotted a bird. It brought a small smile to his face as he rested his head, allowing the noise to distract him.

Unfortunately, it only lasted a moment.

Before he knew it he was thinking about Lucy and all the messes around them. There was so much he wanted to make up for, but what could he do?

"Apologize properly," Natsu mumbled, ready to admit his faults in their fights. "Promise to respect her more... Show her I've changed."

He took a deep breath, knowing that would take more time. He didn't want to rush his progress and end up making things worse, but he also wanted to be at the finish line already.

To have Lucy look at him with those big brown eyes and that bright smile, fuck, it tore his chest up in the weirdest way.

He couldn't help but laugh, wondering why he felt so strange, but he blamed it on the chaos going on around him. Everything was messy, and it would take a lot of time and effort to clean them up.

With a sigh, Natsu stood, knowing he had to get to work. He walked over to the window to pet Happy's head, hearing the cat purr in response. "See ya later."

As Natsu left the room and headed towards the stairs, he continued brainstorming ideas to make things better with Lucy. There was one idea in particular rattling around in his head, something Cana had mentioned Lucy wanted.

If he went with that idea, it would take a while to get everything together, if it was even possible. Despite the daunting tasks he would have to do to lead up to that moment, he knew she was worth it.

Natsu felt a weird pulse in his chest, scratching over his shirt as he nodded to himself.

Yeah, Lucy was definitely worth it.


With his eyes closed and his headphones in, Natsu didn't hear anyone approaching. He was startled when he felt a tap on his shoulder, convinced Bisca wouldn't bother him. He thought she was the only other one on the roof, but he was proven wrong when he glanced up.

"Oh," he started, pulling out an earbud as he worked to control his frantic heartbeat. "You snuck up on me."

"Did I?" Erza asked, raising a red brow. She looked at his headphones before moving to take a seat next to him. "When did they put chairs up here?"

"Shouldn't I ask you that?" Natsu turned his attention back to the road, frowning when he didn't spot any activity. "Musta happened when I was gone."

"I'm never up here," Erza said as she pulled her weapon aside to get comfortable. "They must have went through a lot of trouble."

Natsu didn't reply, now wondering why she was even on the roof. As he turned towards her, she asked, "Are you waiting for Lucy?"

He flinched, realizing he was caught. "No," he lied, refusing to make eye contact. "Just, looking out."

"Sure." Erza didn't press for his motives, instead letting out a soft sigh. "You're quite fond of her."

"Who, Lucy?" Natsu stole a glance at Erza just as she nodded. With a shrug, he said, "She's my friend."

"Yes, but..." Erza paused before shaking her head. "Never mind. I shouldn't pry."

"What?" Natsu turned his body halfway towards her, intrigued by her thoughts, but she didn't finish them.

"I'm sorry again for all the prying I've done lately."

Natsu's muscles stiffened, sensing the conversation heading somewhere he didn't want to go. He knew he had to face difficult situations and challenges, but not all the time. He was stressed, wondering why Lucy's group hadn't made it back yet.

If he didn't think it would make things worse, he would go after her.

But, he had to learn to trust her abilities, even if every bone in his body wanted to protect her from the bad.

Bad people, mean words, zombies. He just wanted her safe, but he had to learn to take a step back and let her handle herself.

'She'll ask for help if she needs it, right?' Even Natsu asked for help on occasion, and he had been called stubborn a few too many times in his days.

'Fuck,' he thought as his mind pulled towards the past. "I miss the good old days."

Erza cocked her head as she asked, "What brought that on?"

"Just..." Natsu grunted, trying to find the words to describe how he felt. "I miss when everything was easier."

He never thought in a million years he would say working for minimum wage at Magnolia Mart and dealing with high school or the years to follow would be considered 'easy', but he missed it.

"I know what you mean." Erza's eyes fell to the ground before flitting back to his. "I still dream about before."

"I don't," Natsu admitted, trying to recall the last time. "It's been months."

"What do you dream about?"

Natsu's cheek twitched, not wanting to dive into that topic. If it wasn't darkness, it was death and gore. He heard all the screams again, saw all the blood. He would prefer thoughts of before the outbreak, but he couldn't exactly control what his dreams contained.

"Do you know what's for dinner?" Natsu asked, not-so-subtly changing the subject.

Erza blinked a few times, but otherwise accepted the switch. "I'm not sure." She stopped there, letting silence fill the space.

Natsu didn't mind, turning back to the road to see there was still nothing moving. It was getting late, his concern for his friend's safety growing. "How're you and Jellal doing?" Natsu asked, needing to take his mind off the unknown. He looked at Erza, seeing a faint smile on her lips.

"Good."

Natsu raised a brow, wondering why she looked like she was holding something back. She didn't appear in distress, leading Natsu to believe her. There was enough tension between his friends. It would be a shame if things were bad for the married couple too.

"How's— Is that them?" Erza asked, abruptly standing. She gripped her weapon as she squinted her eyes.

Natsu jumped up, heart pounding in an instant. He searched the streets for the zombie chariot, but unfortunately the only movement was coming from four trucks and a semi.

He frowned, then tensed. The trucks were heading right down the road leading to Fairy Tail. What if they were hostile? What if they tried to fight?

However, one thought hadn't occurred to Natsu until Erza said, "Hargeon?"

Slowly, Natsu's eyes widened before his shoulders fell. He stole a peek at her as she radioed someone, informing them trucks were approaching. From a distance Natsu couldn't read what was put on the side of the semi, but if he had to guess it would say something about Hargeon, much like the message they put on their semi when they returned.

"Let's go see if it's them," Erza said, already heading towards the ladder.

Natsu jolted before following, his mind filling with unanswerable thoughts.

'Is that really Hargeon?'

'How's that going to go?'

And finally...

'Where the hell is Lucy? Why isn't she back yet?'


"Did you hear?" Levy asked as soon as she entered her room, spotting Cana on her bed.

A book was in the woman's hands, the title suggesting it was about card tricks. Levy knew Cana was great at games with cards, but she never pegged her as the type to like magic.

"Hear what?" she asked, answering Levy's question.

"The people from Hargeon arrived." Levy walked over to her shelves, taking off her shoes and socks before changing into something more comfortable.

Cana's eyes never roamed from her book, her words indifferent but her tone held some tension. "Oh? I guess it's about time."

Levy discreetly peeked in their closet, grabbing a cardigan to wear in case Cana got suspicious. To her relief, Cana's backpack was still on the ground, flat as could be. It may have been selfish hoping Cana wouldn't leave, but she couldn't help it.

Despite their differences and the awkwardness that followed after confirming what Levy already suspected, they were still friends. She didn't want her to leave, especially when she was worried about Cana's mental stability.

The past week she had been better, in a way. She stayed in her room mostly, keeping a low profile and avoiding any talks that led to the decisions she would have to make.

Was she going to Hargeon with her father, and was she done messing around with Macao?

Asking about her affair was out of the question. Cana would shut down, not ready for that type of conversation yet.

However, Levy felt the need to ask about Hargeon. If they had arrived, it wouldn't be long before Gildarts left.

Would Cana be joining? Levy sucked in a deep breath before asking, fearing Cana's answer.

At first, Levy wasn't sure Cana heard her question, the brunette's eyes fixed on her book. It took a good minute, Levy's shoulders tense until Cana let out a soft sigh.

"I don't want to."

That had Levy's body relaxing, until Cana added, "But—"

Her eyes shut as she tightened her grip on her book, her eyebrows darting in as she thought. Levy waited, using her deep well of patience. After dealing with her crazy friends for years, she had built up a healthy amount.

Cana released her breath before her eyes opened, looking up at Levy with what appeared to be a broken smile. "If I stay, I may never see that asshole again."

Levy stared for a moment, processing Cana's dilemma. While Levy didn't have to deal with a situation like that since her parents had passed, she could understand Cana's hesitance, though the answer seemed obvious to her.

However, it wasn't wise to tell Cana to ditch her father for her friends, even if Gildarts had been pressuring Cana to do the opposite.

She had heard a conversation or two through the door to their room. She hadn't meant to. If there was one trait Gildarts passed on to Cana -aside from a never-ending thirst for trouble, it was the inability to whisper when angry.

Instead of telling Cana what she wished would happen, Levy moved to take a seat on her bed, a few feet apart from Cana's. "I'm sorry you have to make a decision like this."

Cana shrugged. For a moment Levy thought she would pretend it didn't matter, but Cana surprised her by saying, "Me too."

A stretch of silence followed, Levy searching for the right words to say. In the end, it was Cana who spoke up, offering a rare moment of vulnerability. "Why can't he just..." Her eyes fell, voice distant as she asked, "Why can't he just be better?"

"I don't know," Levy said, answering as honestly as she could. She didn't know what Gildarts had been through while at Hargeon. She imagined losing a limb certainly didn't help. He probably leaned on those around him, developed friendships and a relationship in an unfamiliar place.

Still, she wished he had come back sooner. Cana deserved a better father, but she couldn't live his life for him.

"Whatever you decide to do," Levy started, looking over at Cana, "I hope it's for you, and not anyone else."

A small smile twitched at Cana's lips, but it was gone in the blink of an eye. "Thanks." She shook her head and torso before straightening her back against the wall, bringing her book back up. "I'm still deciding."

"You have time," Levy pointed out, earning a nod.

"Yeah." Cana tilted her head to glance at Levy. Her face was unreadable, but there was a flicker of hope in her eyes. "I'm sure I'll figure it out."

Levy gave her a soft smile, curling against the wall to retrieve the latest book she had been reading, resting beside her bed. "I know you will."

It was impossible to make everyone happy, but Levy sincerely hoped Cana would make the best decision for herself, even if it tore her away from them. Just like Cana couldn't live Gildarts' life, Levy couldn't do the same for Cana. She could help guide her if she let her, but otherwise, it was up to Cana to make the decisions that would impact her happiness and health.

Until she had to make that choice, she would stand by her friend, in silent or vocal support, whichever the occasion called for.


Natsu paced the fence as he debated what to do. It wouldn't be long until dinner started, but more importantly, it wouldn't be long until the sun set. He had been out there during the night, knew the dangers.

Those things didn't seem to do better at night, but neither did humans. Using a flashlight was out of the question, the light drawing unwanted attention. Moonlight had to be a guide, but even that wasn't enough when navigating through neighborhoods with those freaks.

Natsu stopped moving, clutching the fence as he forced himself to take a steady breath, then another. He was panicking, and it wasn't doing him any good. He didn't know what else he could do. Lucy was out there, with only Rogue as her backup and a hell of a lot of zombies behind her.

He swallowed hard, trying but failing to get a grip on himself.

Hargeon had arrived, which was alarming enough given what Natsu knew about them, but he also knew they had supplies and resources that Fairy Tail needed. The fish alone was a good reason to make a deal with them, but it still had his stomach twisting thinking about what they had done.

On one hand, he knew they could benefit from answers about the virus, but at what cost?

Their humanity? He wasn't willing to give that up.

However, Gray made a sickening good point last week. It still haunted him when his mind was left idle for too long.

What if it was Gray standing next to Ivan. There was definitely a difference. While both were okay with people dying, one was on the condition it better served mankind whereas the other liked hurting people for their twisted pleasure.

If Natsu could get his hands on Ivan he would turn him over to Hargeon in a heartbeat and tell them to have their way with him, sparing no test or experiment for his disturbing ass.

Actually, if Natsu got his hands on Ivan, he didn't think he would ever let go. He squeezed his hands, imagining them circled around the sick fuck's neck, squeezing and squeezing until the light left his worthless eyes.

He had never wanted to take a life, Ivan's actions fueling dark thoughts that left him feeling unstable.

Natsu clenched the fence until the metal dug into his skin, his anger and disgust boiling through his veins. While it was hard dealing with those thoughts, he was relieved it took his mind off his current dilemma. However, upon realizing it he was right back to worrying about Lucy.

Apparently Hargeon had run into her group on their way into town. All but two runners caught a ride with Hargeon, leaving Rogue and Lucy to bring back the zombie chariot and the trailers of supplies.

It burned him up that they were willing to leave their comrades behind. Even Hibiki, who claimed to be Lucy's friend left her out there, though he had told Erza, "She's tough. She can take care of herself."

There was a difference between being confident in Lucy's abilities and being naive. Why leave a friend out there when it was unsafe? It didn't matter how strong she was, it was just two of them. If they ran into even three zombies, that would put them in a bind.

Natsu was back to working on his breathing after he nearly hyperventilated. He just needed Lucy back, but unfortunately for him, there wasn't anything he could do to speed up the process.

He could always go out there and meet them on their way back, offer assistance, but he didn't want to make her mad again.

It was something he was going to bring up when they finally started talking again, though he needed to work on how to approach the topic. He wasn't sure asking if she was okay with him coming after her if it got too late was acceptable, but he hated the uncertainty more.

Natsu forced himself to move again, legs bringing him to the corner of the fence before he started working his way back to the gate. He went all the way and was almost back to the corner when he finally heard something aside from restless crickets.

He looked up to catch movement, heart nearly soaring when he saw two people walking down the road.

For a split-second he panicked upon seeing a small horde of zombies behind them before reminding himself it was the chariot, taking a few heavy breaths to calm himself down.

She was back, and from the looks of it, she was unharmed.

Natsu waited until they got closer before waving, drawing Rogue's then Lucy's attention towards him. Rogue gave him a nod while Lucy shouted, "Hey?"

He couldn't describe how relieved he was to hear only confusion in her tone instead of annoyance. He feared she would be upset. It looked like he didn't have faith in her abilities. He waited for her, but her reaction had him relaxing. It didn't appear like he crossed a line.

"Hey!" he called back, almost grinning before his eyes widened.

Rogue and Lucy weren't the only ones to notice Natsu, the zombies closest to his side starting to pull at the chariot to get towards him.

"Fuck," he mumbled, knowing yelling wasn't the right choice but saying nothing wouldn't work either. Natsu frantically pointed behind them, causing the two to look at the mess.

Lucy purposely shook her hips to get their attention, but the bells didn't seem to work. The zombies were getting more riled up, the chariot swerving a bit as the zombies closer to him tried to leave, but their restraints kept them from escaping.

'For now.'

Natsu had no idea how strong those holds were, but he wasn't risking it. Not when Lucy was right there in harm's way.

He looked over at her, locking eyes for a second before making up his mind. He would deal with the consequences later, but now wasn't the time. If those zombies pulled their way free somehow, Lucy might not make it out long enough to get mad at him for overstepping.

Natsu gripped the fence as he climbed, ungracefully making his way over it as his heartbeat pounded. He ran up to the other two, effectively getting the stray zombies back on course.

"Thanks," Lucy said, offering him a strained smile as she looked at the chariot. "Haven't seen that happen yet."

"Sorry, uh..." He wasn't sure what to say. He hadn't thought he would end up off base, now realizing if things had gone wrong, he would have been left without a weapon to defend himself.

In hindsight it wasn't his best decision, but it seemed to work out.

"Everyone else already here?" Rogue asked, causing Natsu to nod.

"Yeah. Been there like, thirty minutes?"

Natsu looked back at the chariot a few times, feeling vulnerable in a new way. He had no tricks for diverting a zombie's attention if he came across one, no weapon to use against an attacker.

He looked at Lucy, seeing her busy adjusting the belt of bells. Natsu stole a deep breath, hoping she wouldn't get upset for him asking what had been on his mind.

"Why're you guys coming back so late?"

To his surprise, Lucy didn't look offended. "We just lost track of time. Rogue's watch stopped working, so he didn't know it was this late."

"When I thought it was about time to leave," Rogue started, shaking his head as he let out a defeated laugh. "I looked at my watch and saw it said it was only three, so we stayed out. No one else asked about it until it was close to five, and then we had to wrap things up."

It was close to seven now. Dinner would be starting soon. Natsu said neither of those things, sighing in relief that they hadn't run into trouble. "Glad it wasn't anything bad."

"Me too," Lucy said, looking up to offer him a small smile. "Have you been waiting for us?"

Natsu held back a cringe, but he could feel the tightness in his face. "I uh..."

Rogue moved ahead, giving them some privacy. Though, with the groaning behind them and ringing beside him, Natsu wasn't sure how quiet he could be.

"I... was," he admitted, finding it hard to look her in the eyes. He was terrified of seeing her disappointed. "I'm um... still working on... stuff."

Instead of anger, Lucy's face softened. "That's okay."

"It is?" he asked, raising a skeptical brow.

She nodded. "Now if you came looking for us, I'd be a little frustrated, but this is fine."

Natsu opened his mouth to speak, but held his tongue when they started walking past the gates of Fairy Tail. The guards remained quiet and still as they passed.

The next part went as it should. Lucy and Rogue helped guide the zombies around so they were facing the correct direction before others came in and put bricks around the tires so they couldn't budge.

The three of them got to leave as others unloaded the supplies, careful to stay far away from the zombies so they could avoid going through processing.

It was a fate Natsu couldn't escape from despite not having any contact with the undead.

After getting inspected by a disgruntled Jellal who had to work during dinner, Rogue and Natsu were dismissed. As they moved to exit the locker room, Natsu wondered if he should stick around for Lucy or if she wanted more space. He didn't want to rush things, but he also missed talking with her.

By the time he opened the door he decided to continue keeping his distance, but that plan was thwarted when he stepped out, finding Lucy standing a few feet away.

Rogue continued on, stopping only to tell Lucy she did good out there. She nodded, but her eyes remained on Natsu. A few beats of silence passed before she grabbed at her arm, sounding unsure as she asked, "Are you getting your dishes?"

Natsu hesitated before nodding. "Yeah."

He didn't notice as Jellal walked around him, focused on Lucy as she said, "Want to walk with me?"

"S-sure." He did his best to keep from reacting. Natsu assumed it wouldn't go over well if he had, or asked what made her decide that. Instead he followed after she turned, the two walking past the eating survivors to leave the arena and head for the school.

Pulling out his phone to use as a flashlight, Lucy and him walked down the halls, their rooms on the opposite side of the school. He kept wanting to say something, anything, but he couldn't form any words.

Thankfully, he didn't have to worry about starting a conversation, Lucy taking care of that. "So, did you hear about the play?"

"Play?" Natsu blinked in confusion before moving his flashlight to the walls as if he might see a poster. It was what happened when they featured a play at their school in the past.

"They probably haven't announced it yet, but Mira thought it'd be a good idea to boost morale." It was faint, but Natsu saw a small smile on Lucy's face. "I think it'll be fun to watch."

"You're not gonna try out?" he asked, causing Lucy to chuckle.

"No way. That sounds scary."

Natsu almost snorted at how silly that sounded. She was off base dealing with the dangers out there, but performing in front of a crowd scared her. He almost reached out to... Well, he wasn't sure. He wanted to comfort her, tell her there was nothing to worry about, but he kept his hands to himself.

Baby steps. He would need a hell of a lot of baby steps before he could give her a casual pat on the back.

"Are you?" she asked.

Natsu shook his head. "That's not really my thing, but I'll see it if I can." He assumed it wouldn't be during work hours, but if he had watch, he wouldn't be able to go.

He planned on getting back to his old schedule of being on watch, a clearer, and a runner throughout the week, eventually. He liked working in receiving a bit, liked Levy helping him more, but he was getting antsy.

Receiving was too mundane for him, and the longer he stayed off base, the more rusty he felt.

"I'll see it too," Lucy said, the silence lingering not as tense as he expected.

With some apprehension, Natsu said, "Do... you mind sitting together?"

Lucy raised a curious brow as she stole a glance at him. "I'm sure all our friends are going to sit together."

Natsu almost said that wasn't what he meant, but he stopped himself. They weren't there yet, and he had to be patient. He smiled, realizing he was too focused on the future instead of enjoying the fact that they were talking now.

Deciding to take advantage of that, Natsu said, "Thanks for the manga, by the way."

"Oh, you found it?"

He nodded, wishing reading Death Note wasn't as complicated now. Reading about Light killing people for 'the greater good' only had Natsu thinking about his situation with Gray and Hargeon's experiments. What could be used as an escape from the world he lived in was currently a reminder of how complex the issue was, but it wasn't all bad.

Reading Death Note had him thinking about the past, before the outbreak. Late nights watching anime instead of doing his schoolwork came to mind, Natsu wishing he could go back to when it was all so simple.

But, he wanted Lucy there too. He was sure she could have found a way to fit into their lives back then, somehow.

Breaking the silence and his train of thought, Natsu said, "I've watched the anime, but it's cool reading it too."

Lucy looked up at him again, eyes lingering for a moment. "Good. I'm glad you like it." She laughed, the sound making his chest tighten in a weird but not bad way. "I didn't notice the warning on the back of the book that said not to read it like a regular book, so I was super confused at first."

"You read Death Note?"

"Only a little. I um, spent most of my free time reading or writing... Or hanging out with the girls."

Natsu nodded, remembering Cana mention Lucy spent time in their room. "I'm almost caught up with your story..." He wanted to ask if she would continue writing for him despite their rough patch in their friendship, but luckily there was no need.

"I'm almost done with the next chapter." Her smile was contagious, Natsu's lips twitching into a smile as well. "I should have it done by Wednesday. Thursday at the latest."

"Take your time," he said as they turned, heading up the stairs. It wouldn't be long before they parted, Lucy's room at the far end of the hall while his was much closer. "I can be patient. I'll read Death Note in the meantime."

As they neared Natsu's room, Lucy said, "Speaking of gifts..."

He thought she would ask why everyone at their table received a gift from him except her, but to his surprise she said, "I wanted to go off base on my next day off. Tuesday."

That had Natsu stopping as he furrowed his brows. "Why?" He did his best to sound calm, but inside he was panicking. Why did she want to leave base on her day off? That was a guaranteed safe day.

"Hibiki's birthday is this Wednesday. I wanted to find a gift for him, and Rogue said you guys haven't cleared through the houses north of here?"

Natsu couldn't hide his displeasure at the idea of Lucy risking her safety for a gift, especially one to Hibiki. However, he had to remind himself it wasn't his decision to make, even if it irked him.

It didn't help that the bastard didn't stick around to stay with Lucy and Rogue, though she didn't appear upset about it.

"I was hoping to get something for him. He likes journaling, kind of like you, so maybe I can find something like that?"

That reminded Natsu of the notebook he got for Lucy, along with a box of pens. They were less special to him than the charm in his pocket, slipping his mind.

"I'm sure there's some around, even if we have to go a few miles towards... is it called Section Four?"

"Um," Natsu narrowed his eyes as he concentrated, "I can't remember." It had been a while since they called the areas out by sections. Their original plan had been to work outwards, but they ended up going south, where Magnolia got more populated.

That was were they were bound to find more supplies, as well as more zombies.

"Anyways, Rogue said the clearers only got a few miles—" She turned towards the front of the school before pointing in a direction. "That way, so there's probably more stuff for grabs."

"There's also more zombies," Natsu pointed out. He almost asked if he could go with her to keep her safe, but he feared ruining whatever peace they seemed to have.

"Which is why I was going to ask, if you'd come with me."

"What?" Natsu's jaw dropped, so much so that she rolled her eyes.

"Don't act so surprised." Lucy crossed her arms over her chest, but her posture somehow didn't feel guarded. "I'm not crazy. I know that's too dangerous for me to go alone. I just want to check out the areas that haven't been picked clean. I don't want to go alone. I thought," she shrugged, "if you're available, you'd be okay with joining me. If not—"

"I will," Natsu said, not giving her a chance to finish that sentence. "Definitely." He would have to discuss it with Levy. He didn't have a set day off anymore, but he would make it happen so she didn't go out there alone.

"Thanks!" Even in the dim light Natsu could see Lucy's eyes brighten. She nodded ahead, prompting Natsu to start walking towards his room. "I figure if we can't find a journal, maybe a book? He likes non-fiction stuff. I know the library has a ton, but maybe something'll stand out? Maybe we'll stumble upon a nice private library? Or maybe—"

Natsu listened as she continued naming stuff that might work. He noticed, through all of her ideas she never once mentioned writing something for him. Maybe it was because he wasn't a fan of fiction? Either way, knowing Lucy actually wrote something for Natsu had him more at ease.

It wasn't a competition, but if it were, he was definitely getting the better gift.

And it wasn't even his birthday.

When they reached Natsu's door, Lucy started retreating to her room. However, before she could leave, he asked her to wait a moment.

"Do you want to walk together?" she asked, causing Natsu to nod.

He hadn't thought of that, but it was a good idea. "Yeah. Give me one minute."

Natsu rushed to gather his dishes, settling for a plate, fork, and cup before grabbing the notebook and pens he got for Lucy. He could wait on giving her the charm, when things felt better between them.

He hadn't wrapped the presents, so when he locked up his room and gave them to her, she gasped.

"This is so cool," she said, letting Natsu's phone light show every detail on the notebook. Lucy held it to her chest before a small frown appeared on her face. "I kind of want to keep it though."

"What?" Natsu cocked his head, thoroughly confused.

"I mean, I'm sure Hibiki would like it, but it's so pretty. Would—" She looked up at him, brown eyes almost pleading. It had his stomach doing something strange. There were no knots or twists, but definitely something happening, almost like fluttering.

'I must really be hungry.'

"Do you mind if I keep it?" Lucy asked. Before he could answer, she added, "I know that sounds selfish, but—"

"It's yours," Natsu said, unable to hide his confusion. "I got it for you."

"You did?" Lucy's eyes widened, her grip on the notebook tightening. "Really?"

He nodded, realizing the misunderstanding. There was no way he was giving Hibiki a gift, only having Lucy in mind when he got it from Hargeon.

Hell, the journal had little stars on it. Of course it was for her.

"Such a weirdo," Natsu said, chuckling to himself as he started down the hall towards her room.

"I am not!" Lucy yelled, though he could hear it in her voice. There was a hint of annoyance, but no anger or frustration.

"Says the weirdo," Natsu said with a smirk, the tension from last week's fight slowly ebbing away the longer they talked.


Erza held her tongue and position, standing stiff by the office door. In the main lobby sat a variety of people. Some from Fairy Tail, the rest from Hargeon. They were working out a trading agreement, involving transportation of supplies and bodies to work towards clearing roads leading towards Clover Town.

The guard kept her gaze focused on the window despite seeing nothing outside, the sun gone for the day. She wanted to appear alert. She didn't want to look too interested in what they were saying, absorbing all the knowledge she could as a bystander.

The meeting had gone on for at least an hour, with different hypothetical scenarios thrown into the mix to have all their bases covered. Fairy Tail didn't ask for much. A steady supply of fish and medical supplies in exchange for workers, so long as they were returned to Fairy Tail regularly.

That, Makarov was adamant about, and Erza knew why.

She had the same fears, horrified at what Hargeon was capable of doing.

"One week rotations?" Yajima, a representative from Hargeon, suggested. He was as short and old as Makarov, the two working together better than some of the others that came from the port town.

"How do we ensure their safety?" Makarov asked, earning a thoughtful nod from Yajima.

"We will have our own people out there too. I assure you they will make sure everyone stays safe."

"No one can guarantee that," Grandeeney said, earning a huff from an older woman with pale blonde hair.

"Our people are trained to handle any situation," she said, crossing her arms over her chest as she sat back in her chair. "Your people will be lucky to have them there."

"Belno," Yajima warned, voice low but stern. He turned to Makarov, letting out a weary sigh. "We will ensure there is enough ammunition and weapons to keep everyone safe. Our top priority is to get to Clover Town with no lives lost."

Makarov hesitated before nodding. "I'm sure we can round up a group to help clear roads if it means supplies. Do you have any idea on shelter for them? While they're out there?"

"Camping trailers," one of the other Hargeon people said, their name slipping from Erza's mind. "Each one can comfortably fit four or five people. If Hargeon puts out five people and Fairy Tail puts out five, we would only need two."

"Do they move?"

"Not on their own. They'll have to rig something to make it easier to pull by hand. We have time to work out the details."

Erza took a subtle deep breath, her muscles tight as she thought about the dangers involved. Natsu had been right. She wasn't out there, facing the monsters. Being away from base for a day was one thing, but a week at a time?

Was the reward worth the risk?

"After we reach Clover Town and harvest the necessary resources, we'll cut Fairy Tail in for the diesel. Seven percent of whatever we can make."

Erza bit her tongue, tempted to scoff at such a low offer. However, their math made sense.

"Hargeon has significantly more people than you. We've run the numbers and seven percent would be enough to regularly fuel half a dozen trucks, if we're able to make as much fuel as we plan."

"Give me a moment," Makarov said, sliding his chair back as he whispered between Mavis, Laxus, and Grandeeney.

In the meantime, Erza glanced over at the five Hargeon people in attendance. The rest were in the arena getting dinner with the rest of Fairy Tail. Aside from what Natsu had said Hargeon did at their prison, she was apprehensive about partnering with any new group.

Especially one that easily beat them in numbers. They barely scratched an eighteenth of what they had.

Still, they had resources Fairy Tail couldn't acquire without help. Risks would have to be made anyway, so it seemed logical to give a trading agreement a try.

"We accept that proposal," Makarov said, causing Erza's eyes to flit back to the window. She was there more for showmanship than anything. Hargeon had surrendered their weapons at the gate, and Erza didn't plan on harming a living person if she could avoid it.

But, it was better safe than sorry.

"Alright, I think that about covers everything," Yajima said, flipping through his notes before raising a thick grey brow. "Oh, I guess they added something?"

A moment passed as the older man read over what Hargeon's leaders had written, the people in the room acting as messengers. It made sense they didn't send any high-ups to do their negotiating.

"Okay?" Yajima furrowed his brows before looking up from his notes. "What do you do when someone disobeys a rule? Specifically doing something unforgivable."

Erza's stomach unsettled as she waited for Makarov's answer. She didn't have to wait long, his voice hesitant as he said, "We don't face that often, but the few times we have we've told them to leave."

"Hmm." Yajima glanced at the notes again. Without taking his eyes off his papers, he asked, "Would Fairy Tail be willing to send people who commit heinous crimes to Hargeon?"

"No," Makarov answered, barely waiting for Yajima to finish before speaking. "Why would they want criminals?"

Erza's shoulders tensed as she looked over at Fairy Tail. They had also begun stiffening up while Yajima looked indifferent.

"We do have a rather large prison. That's probably why," he said, setting his notebook down. "Now, I think that about covers it all. Do you have any questions?"

The way Yajima said it suggested he thought nothing of the prison, but Erza wasn't convinced. How could anyone be oblivious to such horrors?

"Yes, I have some questions about the prison," Makarov started, his tone cautious but firm. He didn't bother beating around the bush. When Yajima cocked his head, Makarov asked, "What can you tell me about the human experiments."

The members of Hargeon showed mixed reactions. Yajima and two others jolted at such an accusation while the other two narrowed their eyes and straightened up.

"What?" Yajima asked, his squinting eyes now wide and full of shock.

Erza's stomach jerked as Makarov explained what they had heard. As the room grew tense, Erza's fingers twitched. She didn't reach for her weapon that hung on her hip, but she was mindful of its placement. She wouldn't attack, but if she was needed to act as a defense, she would be ready.

Luckily for her, there was no need to draw her weapon, the only battle following involving a heated exchange of words and insults that ended in a shouting match and slamming doors.

And a broken agreement.


"Erza'll definitely want to audition," Jellal said before sighing. "But she'll have to get over her stage fright."

"She has stage fright?" Lucy asked, but it was Natsu who answered.

"Our junior year she got one of the main roles in the school's play. She did great in rehearsal, but when the big day came she choked."

A frown pulled at Lucy's lips, causing a stir in Natsu's stomach. She looked heartbroken for Erza, the empathy on the woman's face enough to get Natsu feeling that pain.

"That's so sad," Lucy said, comforted when Levy rubbed at her back.

Natsu swallowed, wishing he could be the one helping Lucy, but he was at the other side of the table. It seemed best to give her space, especially after walking together moments ago.

He had fun talking and teasing with her, but he figured it was better to quit while he was ahead.

"It surprised us all," Levy said, retracting her hand when Lucy eased up. "She gives speeches well, and when she had to do an oral presentation in class she never messed up. There's just something about plays that gets to her."

"Well," Lucy started, a spark lighting behind her eyes. "Maybe this time it'll be different. Maybe there's some books in the library about stage fright? Or performance anxiety?"

"It's worth a look," Levy said, the two breaking into their own conversation about resources that could help.

Natsu's eyes lingered on Lucy for a few seconds before turning to Jellal. He was moments away from asking if he thought Erza was bored sitting in the Hargeon meeting, but before the words could form a loud crash sounded from the entrance to the arena.

Natsu wasn't the only one to jump to his feet, expecting danger. When he caught a glimpse of some Hargeon people, he began to lower his guard, only to panic when one of the men started shouting.

His words didn't register to Natsu at first, needing time to process as he tried figuring out if they were showing hostile behavior or not.

It was aggressive, but when the words clicked, Natsu realized no one's lives were in immediate danger.

"ANYONE FROM HARGEON, WE'RE LEAVING!"

"Wh-what?"

"Leaving?"

"When?"

The few questions were soon lost in the sea of everyone talking, some whispering while others shouted. Some people approached the man who yelled first, but between the distance and the chaos around Natsu, he couldn't hear what was said.

Gildarts made his way to the front, staying for all of four seconds before turning on his heel to rush towards Natsu's table.

It all happened so fast, Natsu and the others stunned silent as Gildarts crouched by Cana's seat, his words messy as he started begging her to pack a bag to leave.

"I-I— No," she said, shaking her head as she scooted her chair away from him, but that only made Gildarts more frantic.

He took her hand, his eyes filling with tears as he said, "Please! I can't leave you baby girl. Come with me."

"You don't have to leave," Cana said, her voice small, unlike the bold personality she usually presented.

"Please, Cana. I— We don't have time! You... You have to come with me." He straightened his shoulders as his brows furrowed, frustration ticking at his forehead. "You have to," he ordered. "So just, pack a bag and let's go."

Before Cana could say anything, someone was ripping Gildarts hand off his daughter, the man looking up to see fierce brown eyes.

Erza glared down at Gildarts, tone threatening as she said, "You can't force her to leave if she doesn't want to."

Gildarts opened his mouth to protest before his features twisted, the earlier man shouting that they all had ten minutes before they were hitting the road. "Cana," he started, eyes falling on hers as he pleaded. "I can't choose between you and them, so come with me, please!"

Time seemed to stand still as everyone waited, Cana's eyes morphing from confusion to something unreadable. She reached out, setting a hand on Gildarts' shoulder.

The man's lips quirked into a watery smile, but it didn't last. Cana's voice was not stern nor broken. "That's not true," she said. Cana held no judgement in her tone, no hatred or betrayal as she gave her father a gentle push.

"You've already made your decision."

Tears fell down Gildarts face as he shook his head, shoulders shaking as he failed to contain his emotions. "Cana, pl-please. I... I can't lose you—" He sucked in a sharp breath, reaching towards her before stopping when she flinched.

He pulled his hand back, his eyes pained as his lower lip quivered. "I'll see you again," he promised, swallowing hard before standing. He took a step closer to her, but before he could lean in for what was presumed to be a hug, the man shouted once more.

"SEVEN MINUTES! GET YOUR SHIT OR STAY!"

"I love you," Gildarts said, eyes on Cana as he took a few steps back before he turned, heading towards the entrance of the arena.

Natsu watched Gildarts until he was gone, feeling a deep ache in his chest at what happened. They had lost two months of their lives trying to find him, Millianna had permanent damage to her body, and in the end he just walked away. He was never lost, because he didn't want to be found.

They weren't the only ones who lost something.

Cana had lost her father to a complicated situation, but it looked all too simple to Natsu.

He would be devastated if Igneel replaced him with another family.

Another child.

Natsu forced himself away from that trail of thoughts, eyes flitting to Cana. She was now surrounded by Levy, Lucy, and Erza, the three consoling her as the woman cried. Natsu couldn't blame her.

He was a second away from joining in when the man yelled once more, only now his words were directed at Fairy Tail.

"If anyone wants to leave here and join Hargeon, now's the time! Five minutes!"

Natsu was sure no one would take such an offer, but then the man started yelling about fish and doctors and individual houses with electricity for each family. It took a few seconds, but suddenly at least a dozen people rose to their feet before moving towards him.

Green eyes scanned the arena, shocked to see so many people willing to leave Fairy Tail so easily. It had his gut twisting and his jaw tightening, wishing they would stand strong and not give up on Fairy Tail at the first chance they got.

Natsu knew he couldn't make anyone's decisions, but that didn't stop his heart from falling when he saw Gray stand up at the table he shared with Ultear and a few others.

He didn't think, he just moved.

Natsu was already halfway across the room before he realized it, ignoring everything else as he gripped Gray's arm, stopping him from taking another step towards the entrance.

"Don't," was all Natsu could say, his tone coming off more threatening than intended as anger swarmed his body. He thought Fairy Tail was a team, a family. He wasn't willing to lose another member of that family, no matter what shit Gray and him were dealing with.

Gray shrugged Natsu's hand off, nose scrunched as he asked, "Don't what?"

"Don't leave," Natsu said, nearly pleading at the thought of losing Gray to Hargeon. He couldn't, wouldn't let him leave. That place had been a negative influence on Gray after he dealt with trauma.

He thought getting held at gunpoint would make Gray care about human lives more, but it had the opposite effect.

"Don't be dramatic," Gray said, refusing to make eye contact with Natsu. "I was just done for the day."

"Oh," Natsu whispered, unsure what to think. He had convinced himself Gray was leaving. He didn't entertain any other possible reasons he would stand.

"THREE MINUTES!"

"What do you care anyways?" Gray all but snarled, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice.

"Because you're my brother!" Natsu yelled. He wanted to keep his voice steady, but it came out more as a growl. He cursed, knowing he was close to losing his temper. He hadn't figured out how to talk to Gray yet, needing more help from Levy before even trying to mend their friendship.

However, he wasn't willing to let him leave, not if there was a chance they could still be family.

"Just, don't leave," Natsu said, eyes unwavering as he waited for Gray's response.

It took a moment, a full thirty seconds going by before slowly, Gray muttered, "Whatever."

He turned, not bothering to address Natsu as he said, "I'll see you in the room later, Ultear."

Natsu glanced over at Gray's sister, now realizing she had heard the whole thing. Judging by the quizzical look on her face, she didn't know why they were fighting. Hell, Natsu doubted Gray even mentioned it. He probably told her he just wanted to hang out with her for a bit instead of admitting his friends and him were on opposing sides of a moral dilemma.

Natsu released a shaky breath when Gray disappeared, hoping he was telling the truth about staying. He looked at Ultear again, wanting to give some type of explanation, but instead he simply gave her a pitiful wave before making his way back to his table.

By then Cana and Levy were gone, Erza quickly filling him in that they were going back to their room. He sighed, thankful none of his friends were leaving with Hargeon.

Speaking of which, the man was gone, already having reached the end of his countdown. Natsu only had two words for him, glad he was leaving.

'Good riddance.'

"What happened?" Natsu asked, turning towards his friends as if they knew.

Erza was the one to explain, saying the meeting was going well until the prison got brought up. It had gone downhill from there.

One member of Hargeon, the man who was yelling in the arena moments ago, tried to defend their actions. He had admitted to the experiments, on the criminals, the elderly, and the disabled, saying the last two were only as a last resort if they couldn't find other work.

There had been a lot of yelling in the office, mostly from Hargeon. Yajima, one of Hargeon's messengers had stayed behind to tell Makarov he would look into it, but none of them counted on it.

He had left with the others, and that said it all.

"Apparently they discovered what causes the virus," Erza said, piquing everyone's interest. She sighed, answering before they could ask. "Since we didn't finish the deal, they refused to tell us what the cause is. Said it was for allies only."

"That's stupid," Jellal said, shaking his head. "Wouldn't they want to let everyone know? So they know what not to do?"

"I think they've already written us off," Erza said, taking a deep breath before her shoulders fell. "I think we have more immediate problems to deal with."

"Like what?" Lucy asked, causing Natsu to jolt. He hadn't noticed her moving beside him, the woman less than a foot away.

"The electrician left."

Natsu's eyes rounded as his jaw went slack. "That... Damn, that sucks."

"Hey," Lucy started before the news could further bring them down. "We've gone this long without power. We'll be fine."

Despite his concerns, Natsu found himself with a soft smile. He nodded, looking at Jellal and Erza as he said, "She's right. We'll get through it."

Slowly, the other two nodded. "You're right. I was just looking forward to it."

"Me too," Lucy said, offering a half-shrug. "We'll keep going though."

"True," Natsu said, locking eyes with Lucy for a moment before something in his chest felt lighter. He took a solid breath, knowing it would take more than the night to process the repercussions of the evening, but with the world ended, they had time.

They didn't need Hargeon.

Their future would be bright, with or without electricity.

.

.

.

Was that last line too cheesy? I can't help it. I like lame jokes. XD

So! Did anyone see that coming? This was more of a setting up chapter to get us from point a to point b. There is about to be a time skip of five weeks, so be ready for that. It should be coming after the next chapter (which will cover Lucy and Natsu's adventure off base... Just the two of them. Or is it?). I won't be expanding too much on Natsu working through his issues, just mentioning it a few times after this.

Oh, and in case anyone's wondering why Lucy started warming up to Natsu again, she simply misses her best friend and he has respected her wishes for space, showing he can be better. That was enough for Lucy to dip her toes back in the water.

Next chapter is gonna be like falling in the deep end though. ;)

Up next, Chapter Sixty-Six: Take your best shot

Any ideas on what's to come? I absolutely love hearing your thoughts and theories! Think they'll run into any danger while out? Also, I have no updating schedule. I just update when I finish the chapter, however long that takes. :)

Also I've been playing Days Gone recently and this game is addicting. I've only killed one horde so far but it was because they couldn't reach me, haha. Anyone else play zombie-related video games? I'm looking forward to when Dying Light 2 comes out! Hopefully this'll be the year!

Thank you so much for all your support! Shout out to those awesome people who left feedback last time: XxCelestialAssassinxX, Jakezillagfw(x2), Stellar Spirit Mage, Sydneste, stranger1999, SwordBlaze221, Ryu of Konoha, valerioux, MissVarta, Lovesmutbabe, SistershoOk, Guest, Shugo charaa, Guest, Xfangirl123X, sakshishetty3003, shrinemaiden05, AnnLuVazzel, CodenameMise, ElementalMiko12, StellaHeartfilia, Sarah Wolfang, shootingstarssel, dareaderreads, PAKSOO, Patpat, ReynaSofy997, FlameDragonHime, sthokat, MissYukkina, senowica, Guest, positive vibes only, ottermadness, alexmalik15, Duchixx, Flor de cerezoNFTLC, Sam, aiyannaliszkap, Terdooski(x2), Guest, Marinamohsin, ipromiseimnotatotaldweeb, and Guest!

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