The Fairy Queen and the Beast

Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima

Story and OCs © Me

Summary- With nothing else to do, Haru decides to go on a job with Erza and learns a little more about her while doing so. Takes place before Galuna.

Ch. 1- Haru and Erza

Author's Note: ...Yeah, I lied, I'm not done with Fairy Tail, after all. XD

"Ugggh... man, it's not fair!"

Haru glanced over at her brother, who had his head against the table while he glared at his untouched mug of fire whiskey. Happy also sat at the table, eating some raw fish from a plate while Lucy sat in front of the two while Apollo lied in her lap, wagging his curly tail as she stroked his head. Blue Fang, meanwhile, was lying at Haru's feet, as usual.

"And just what isn't fair, Natsu?" asked Haru. "You've been such a grump since yesterday. I thought you'd be happy since Elektra came back!"

"I am happy about that," Natsu replied. "It's just that I'm still pissed that Laxus won't take me seriously!"

"You're still angry about that?" asked Lucy as she sat with Natsu. "Natsu, the guy is obviously a jerk."

"Aye!" Happy agreed.

"Seriously, Natsu," Haru added with a worried expression. "Laxus only does that to get under your skin."

"She's right, honey," Elektra said as she walked by while giving the Dragon Slayer an affectionate pat to his head, which caused him to smile as he felt a warmth in his stomach. "Don't let Laxus get you down. You know how he likes to push people's buttons."

"Yeah, I guess," Natsu muttered. "It's not just Laxus, though... even Erza won't take me seriously."

"Erza was tired!" Lucy argued. "You can't blame her for not wanting to continue your fight after what she went through with that whole mock trial!"

"Personally, I prefer it if you didn't try to fight Laxus, again," Haru said. "He almost killed you, last time, don't forget."

"Wait, what?!" Lucy asked in shock. "When did this happen?!"

"It's a long story," Elektra said. "We prefer not to talk about it, really."

"Whatever!" Natsu shouted as he crossed his arms and stuck out his lip in a pout. "I've gotten a lot stronger since then! I could totally take him on! Erza, too!"

"Natsu, that's enough," Elektra said in a scolding tone, causing him to wince. "No more talk about this, understand, young man?"

"Yes, Elektra..." Natsu muttered.

"That's better," Elektra said as she went to the bar to talk with Makarov, who sat at his spot on the counter, and Mirajane, who was preparing drinks for the other guild members.

"Well, I don't know about you guys," said Haru, "but I'm gonna go find a job. Come on, Blue Fang!"

Blue Fang yawned and stretched his legs as he stood up and followed after the Beast Wizard to the request board while Natsu began to down his fire whiskey. As he did, he glanced up at the upper floor, where he saw another board filled with more jobs than the one on the bottom floor. The pink-haired teen sneered at the upper floor, grinding his nails against the table, so much so that they began to carve into the wood.

He hated this feeling. He hated feeling like a little kid who was being told he couldn't do anything. Even despite Elektra giving Laxus that talking down that the Lightning Wizard deserved, Natsu still felt his words sting him.

"Little man..."

"Uh... N-Natsu?" asked Lucy while Happy whimpered as he hid behind her.

"Huh?" Natsu muttered before he looked down and noticed steam rising from his hand and on the table, which was beginning to smolder. "Ah, crap!"

"I got it!" Gray suddenly shouted as he tossed a bucket of water on the table to prevent a fire from burning. "Dammit, Dragonbreath! Are you tryin' to ruin another table?!"

"Who asked you, Ice Cube?!" asked Natsu.

Meanwhile, Haru sighed as she listened to her brother and Gray argue behind her back, then looked to the request board to look for a job to do. While she did understand why Natsu was still upset, she honestly didn't like it when he got like this. He tended to get rather compulsive, just like what happened the other day when the Magic Council arrested Erza.

Haru loved Natsu, she really did... but she just wished he'd be a little more levelheaded.

As Haru looked at the jobs, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching her from behind, causing her to glance over her shoulder to see Erza approach.

"Hi, Erza," Haru greeted.

"Hello, Haru," replied Erza as she looked through the request board. "Trying to pick a job?"

"Yeah," Haru answered as she looked at the request board again. "I'm just trying to pick one that'll get me through the next few days, you know?"

"I see," Erza replied before she noticed one request on the board.

REQUEST FROM HYDRANGEA TOWN

HIGHWAY PATROL NEEDED ON ACCOUNT OF THIEVES

REWARD: 500,000 J

"Haru, what about this?" asked Erza as she pointed at the request.

"Oh, that sounds good!" said Haru as she tore the flier off the board. "Hey, Erza, you wanna come with me? Since you picked this job out and all."

"I don't see why not," Erza replied. "I could use a distraction after what happened the other day." She then turned to leave. "I'll go get my luggage and then I'll meet you at the train station."

"Sure thing!" Haru replied as she went to get her backpack, which she slung on her shoulder, and Blue Fang walked alongside her.

"Hey, where are you goin'?" Natsu asked as he noticed his adopted sister walk to the doors.

"I'm going on a job with Erza," said Haru.

"What?!" Natsu questioned. "Why?!"

"Uh... because I can," Haru replied with an irritated look. "What are you, jealous?"

"N-no, I am not!" Natsu replied as he looked away with Lucy rolling her eyes.

"He is so jealous..." she muttered.

"Look, I'm just gonna be gone for a little while, Natsu," said Haru. "When I come back, you and I can go on a job, okay? Just the two of us."

"...I guess," Natsu muttered, prompting Haru to sigh before she walked over and hugged him, causing him to halfheartedly put an arm around her in turn.

"Try not to let what Laxus said the other day get to you, okay?" asked Haru. "And please don't do something reckless while I'm gone."

"...Yeah, sure," Natsu said, not making any eye contact.

"Natsu, promise me!" Haru said, causing Natsu to look up at her as she gave him a glare... and that's when he knew that she was serious about this.

"Okay, okay, I promise!" Natsu said. "I won't do anything dumb while you're gone."

"Good," Haru said before she walked by... only to stop next to Lucy and whisper in her ear. "Do me a favor. Keep an eye on him, please."

"I'll do my best," Lucy replied, prompting Haru to nod before she headed out the door with Blue Fang on her heels. As she did, a feeling of unease began to settle in her stomach, causing her to momentarily stop in her tracks.

"...Blue Fang... you don't think that Natsu's gonna do something crazy, right?" asked Haru.

Blue Fang only tilted his head in response, causing her to giggle.

"Yeah, you're right," she said as she kept walking, prompting the wolf to follow her. "I mean, seriously, how much trouble could Natsu possibly get himself into? And besides, he did promise, so there's no way he would go behind my back or something dumb like that!" She paused.

"He... he wouldn't... would he?"

Man, is she in for a rude awakening when she gets back.

Review, please!