Ch. 3- Talks

Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima

Story and OCs © Me

"I can't believe Natsu."

Erza looked up at Lucy, who was sitting across from her as she stared out the window as the train chugged along on the rails, on their way to a town northwest of Magnolia. The Celestial Spirit Wizard had been quiet ever since they boarded the train and it felt like hours before she said a word. In all honesty, it did startle the Requip Wizard a bit, but she maintained her composure.

"I mean, seriously, what's his problem?" asked Lucy. "He was acting like such a little kid!"

"Now, Lucy, Natsu didn't mean any harm," said Erza. "While he shouldn't have eaten all your food, he was just being playful with all the teasing."

"Yeah, well, I wish he wouldn't do it in the first place," Lucy said. "I mean seriously, how old does he think we are? 7?!"

"That's just how Natsu is," Erza replied. "He can be a bit... over the top, but really, he means well."

"I just don't understand why he's picking on me," Lucy said.

"Well," Erza began as she crossed her legs and propped her chin up on her hand, "it could be that perhaps... he likes you."

"Huh?" Lucy asked. "Well, yeah, why wouldn't he like me? We are friends after all."

Erza only gave a chuckle, to the Celestial Spirit Wizard's confusion.

"No," she said. "I mean... Natsu likes you."

At first, Lucy still didn't seem to get it... until her eyes went wide as the realization finally hit her.

"Y... you mean... like, like?" she asked.

"It's possible," Erza said.

"But... but why?!" Lucy asked, her cheeks flushing a bit. "I mean... I've only known him for, like, about a month!"

"A lot can happen within a month, Lucy," Erza pointed out. "Plus, I'd be surprised if Natsu wasn't enamored with you, somehow. After all, I wasn't there when you first joined the guild... but can you truly recall a time that he wasn't by your side since then?"

Lucy opened her mouth to speak... but then fell short as she suddenly found herself unable to answer. When she first joined up, Natsu seemed indifferent to her presence, but as the days went on and they began to take on more jobs together, Lucy suddenly realized that the Fire Dragon Slayer was practically sticking to her like glue... and then there was the Phantom Lord fiasco. Even now, Lucy recalled all the times where Natsu would cheer her up and reassure her that their rivals attacking their guildhall was not her fault and that the Fairy Tail Guild was where she belonged. He even came and rescued her, not just once, but twice, risking his life for her just the same.

Somehow, and without her realizing it, having Natsu around almost seemed natural, now.

"I... I guess I can't," Lucy said. "Ever since I joined Fairy Tail, it's like he's stuck to me like glue."

"I thought so," Erza smiled. "You know... he cried when you left for home. He honestly thought you were leaving for good."

"Oh, yeah," Lucy said, her eyes softening. "He did cry, didn't he? I didn't think I came to mean so much to him."

"It's actually amazing to me," Erza said. "I didn't think that Natsu would ever be this close to a girl, again."

"Again?" Lucy repeated. "I don't understand."

"Well, he hasn't exactly been this way since..." Erza started, only to trail off before she cast her eyes to the floor.

"What?" Lucy asked. "What is it?"

"That's right..." Erza muttered. "You still don't know, do you? About Lisanna."

"Who's Lisanna?" Lucy inquired.

"...She was Mirajane and Elfman's younger sister," Erza answered. "She was the youngest of the Strauss Siblings... and she and Natsu were actually very close... up until two years ago, that is." She closed her eyes, solemnly. "We actually don't talk about her much whenever Natsu's around... it only upsets him."

"Why would it upset him?" asked Lucy.

"Because Lisanna died two years, ago," Erza answered, sadly. "It was a real tragedy."

Lucy's eyes went wide, the world darkening around her as the train entered a tunnel.

XXX

Haru sniffled as she sat by the stream, tears falling from her eyes. Blue Fang whimpered as he lied beside her, nuzzling her gently, causing her to glance down at him before she stroked his head... but even that didn't seem to cheer her up. She just sat there, sniffling and wiping away her tears.

At that moment, someone else approached before they sat down beside her, causing Haru to look over to her left and see that it was none other than Gray, who placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You okay?" Gray asked.

"...No..." Haru murmured.

"...Haru-" Gray started, only to be cut off.

"I know what you're thinking," Haru said. "I know you're probably gonna try and say that I didn't deserve to get snapped at like that... but... I was the one who provoked Natsu."

"...Actually... that was what I was gonna say," Gray pointed out. "I mean, yeah, your brother overreacted, but... you know how he gets whenever we talk about Lisanna."

There was a pause... before Haru sniffled again as her tears began to form in her eyes, once more.

"I... I guess I'm still not used to the fact that she's gone," said the Beast Wizard, "and... I miss her, still." She furiously wiped at her eyes. "And now... Natsu probably hates me...!" She soon buried her face in her hands and sobbed, prompting Blue Fang to nuzzle her in consolation.

"Natsu doesn't hate you, Haru," Gray reassured as he pulled her into a hug. "You know that out of all of us, he took Lisanna's death especially hard... and... maybe he wouldn't have snapped at you if we hadn't been pushing his buttons like that."

"...I guess we all went too far," Haru said as she wiped her eyes, again.

"Yeah, we did," Gray admitted, "but you know Natsu: he won't stay mad, especially not at his family. Plus... you know the quickest way to his heart is through his stomach."

Haru snorted and giggled. "Be serious, Gray..."

"Yeah, you're right, sorry," Gray replied. "So... you ready to head back?"

"...Yeah," Haru answered. "Thanks, Gray."

XXX

At the South Gate Park... Natsu, Happy, and Elfman sat before a little hut made of old grass and twigs. In front of that was this little statuette with the Fairy Tail crest... and a plaque underneath.

In Memory of Lisanna Strauss

A kind and beautiful soul

She will be missed

Year X767-Year X782

Natsu swallowed thickly as he glanced down at Happy, who placed a small bouquet of flowers in front of the statuette, then sat back down between him and Elfman... whose steely gaze did not move from the memorial, his arms and legs crossed. It actually made Natsu a little nervous since he hadn't said a single word since they got here. However, as the Fire Dragon Slayer opened his mouth to speak, Elfman spoke for him.

"I know that you miss her," he said, causing Natsu to look up at him. "Out of all of us, you were always the closest to Lisanna." He then glanced down at Natsu, who shrank slightly. "And yeah, Haru shouldn't have brought her up like that... but I'm not mad at her for that. It wouldn't be very manly of me."

"...I... I didn't mean to get upset at her," Natsu said, sadly. "It's just... everybody was laughing at me and... and I got so frustrated and embarrassed... and then Haru saying Lisanna's name only got me more upset and..." He sighed as he combed his fingers through his hair. "I... I guess I just lost control."

"...I know the feeling, all too well," Elfman said, remorsefully. "The last time I lost control... was also the last time I ever saw Lisanna alive, again." He knitted his brow tightly together as an image of a young girl lying on the ground, injured and bloodied before she disappeared in a flash of light.

"Elfman..." Happy muttered in concern.

"It pains me to know that Lisanna's not here, anymore," Elfman said, "but I have to be strong... because Mira's still counting on me. She may be older than me, but I'm still a man... and a man looks after his family." He then looked down at Natsu. "And Natsu... you have to be a man, too. Don't stay mad at Haru, okay?"

"...Yeah, I know," Natsu murmured, remembering his sister's hurtful expression when he snapped at her. "I'll talk to her when I see her again... that is, if she wants to talk to me."

"You know Haru better than anyone," Elfman replied. "She may be 15, but she's maturing. She realizes she was wrong, I'm sure."

"...Yeah... you're right," Natsu agreed.

"Another thing," Elfman said. "At some point, you have to learn to move on... otherwise, Lisanna won't rest in peace." With that, he stood up and walked away, leaving Natsu and Happy to sit before Lisanna's memorial before the former sighed.

"He makes it sound like it's easy..."

XXX

"...I had no idea..."

Erza glanced back at Lucy as they began to get off the train, the latter's expression sad and remorseful as she held her purse.

"I didn't realize Natsu had... well... a girlfriend," Lucy said.

"In all honesty," Erza began, "we don't really know what kind of relationship Lisanna and Natsu had... but I do know that out of all us, he took her death the hardest of all, even harder than Mira and Elfman did."

"I didn't think anything like that happened to him," Lucy said, sadly. "I mean... first his dad disappears, and then he loses what was probably his first girlfriend. I guess I forget sometimes that even Natsu has bad times."

"We all do," Erza concurred as she put her hand on the blonde's shoulder, causing her to look up at her. "Life's not going always going to be happy, Lucy... and yes, sometimes, it's easy for us to forget that. What's important, though, is that we live in the now and remember what we still have. As long as we have that, we can get through anything."

"...Yeah... you're right," Lucy said as a smile appeared on her face, causing Erza to smile back. "When we get back... I think I wanna talk to Natsu."

"That sounds like a good idea," Erza replied as they both walked away, heading to the location of their job.

'Still, though,' thought Lucy, 'does Natsu actually... like me?'

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