Warning: Chapter contains violence and disturbing imagery.
*Chapter Eleven: Clearer
(October 6th, 2017, Friday Morning)
"Everyone remember the drill?" Laxus, the guard in charge of the clearers, asked as he looked from person to person.
He watched as the clearers nodded, each one of them looking more determined than the last. 'Good,' he thought, knowing they would need to be on the top of their game. They had one of the most important jobs at Fairy Tail. Without their help, the runners would struggle to raid the nearby houses and buildings for supplies.
Every day they worked, they had to do their best to kill the undead. They had to stay sharp if they wanted to make it back alive.
"Everyone do your stretches. I'll get set up. Five minutes." With that, Laxus left the clearers alone to prepare their bodies. They would be put to the test once again today, but it was worth it. Section four was within their reach, finally.
They just had to get through the masses of zombies in between.
"Do you hear anything?" Laxus asked when Erik, nicknamed Cobra, stepped beside him.
"No," he mumbled, his one good eye narrowing as he looked around the neighborhood.
Laxus' jaw tightened as he nodded. "Me neither. I don't like it."
The neighborhood they stood in was eerily quiet. It didn't make sense seeing as they hadn't cleared it yet.
"Well," Erik snickered, his lips pulling into a smirk, "why don't we make some noise?"
Laxus looked to his side, seeing Erik fiddling with the controller in his hand. "Good idea. I'd hate to run into another ambush."
"I doubt we will." Erik said, leaning down to turn on the remote control vehicle. The remote control car stood almost half a foot tall, painted black and purple. "But just in case, Cubellios will figure out what we're dealing with."
Laxus shook his head lightly, holding back a chuckle. He would say something about Erik naming a toy, but he wasn't much better. Before the outbreak, he gave his bright yellow Jeep a name, even if his boyfriend said, in his words, "It's a tad bit ridiculous."
Laxus was just upset his vehicle didn't last long after the zombies started taking over. In an attempt to avoid hitting another car, he ended up wrapping his Jeep around a tree, totaling it. 'Bye bye, Thunder.'
"I'm ready when you are," Erik said, bringing Laxus out of his thoughts.
"Go for it," he whispered, hands gripping the rifle slung around his chest. He looked behind him, seeing the clearers were done stretching and now ready for action. It was a good thing, considering everything was about to get started.
Erik bent down and lit the end of the long fuse before driving the remote control vehicle forward. He had about a minute before the flame would reach the firecracker, so he had to get as far into the neighborhood as possible.
Everyone aside from Laxus and Erik waited with bated breath as the toy raced down the street. In the corner of his eye, Laxus could see Gray, Ultear, and Natsu inching closer. He snorted, already knowing they were going to compete today to see who could beat Sting's count from yesterday. It wasn't uncommon to compete. As long as everyone remained safe and made progress, Laxus didn't give a fuck what games they played while clearing zombies.
The firecracker when off one block down the street. It was taped to a stick on the car so the toy wouldn't get damaged when the firecracker exploded, not that anyone actually thought the little thing could hurt the toy. It was just a precaution.
As soon as Erik heard the loud popping sound, he drove the car towards a real truck, hiding under the vehicle. After a few seconds, everyone heard sounds throughout the neighborhood. While some of the noise came from inside houses, some came from the streets, sprinters and walkers making their way towards that block to check out the source of the sound.
"Wait for it," Laxus whispered, seeing some of the clearers getting antsy from where they stood. He wanted to be sure there were no humans in the area. He had lost people from rushing in too fast, and he wasn't going to make that mistake again.
Four minutes passed before Laxus switched his weapon off of safety, aiming it down the street. It was obvious to him there were no humans in the area, and the sprinters had started to calm down from the silence.
Laxus spoke loud enough so the clearers could hear him, but quiet enough so the undead weren't aware of their position. "Everyone, be careful. Take out the ones on the street before going to the houses. If you need help, holler. I'd rather fire off a shot and save you than have you get bit. Now, move."
He watched as they took off, all of them cautious as they approached the living dead. Today felt like any other day, but experience told Laxus that could change any given minute.
All it took was one screw up to end up being brought back in a tarp. Laxus was going to do everything in his power to make sure that didn't happen.
The resounding crack that filled Ultear's ears made her smile. At first she had qualms about killing the undead, even if they posed nothing but a threat to her and everyone around her, but after a while, she got over it. Now she loved killing zombies, taking revenge against whatever disease or plague infected the world.
No one knew what made the dead come back to life. Well, no one she knew had the answer. That information would be a tremendous help, if only they could learn the origin of the 'virus'. She didn't even know if it was a virus, but she knew it was highly contagious. She saw one person die just from swallowing zombie blood. Of course, it hadn't been their decision to do so, just the messed up luck they got stuck with that cause the zombie to fall over their body, dripping some of its infected blood into their mouth.
It was the main reason Ultear wore a bandanna around her mouth, trying to keep herself safe. Everyone did their own thing to keep themselves protected.
Dan carried a shield he found to hit the zombies before going in for a kill shot, Kagura wore arm and knee pads to keep herself safe against bites to those areas, Warcry wore a thick poncho to help against chest and arm bites, and Gray...
Well Gray was currently ripping his shirt off in the middle of the street while he ran towards a zombie.
"Gray!" she yelled, not bothering to keep her voice controlled. "Get that shirt back on or I'll hurt you myself!"
Gray's steps stuttered for a second before he resumed his run, hacking at the neck of a walker before kicking it to the ground. There, he stomped on its skull before pulling the ax out.
He gave Ultear a short wave of acknowledgement before he doubled back, grabbing his shirt and shrugging it back on.
"Idiot," she mumbled, shaking her head before zeroing in on her next target. She couldn't help but form a small smile. Her brother was still the same to his core, even if the world turned to shit.
One of her biggest fears wasn't the zombies, though to be fair, it was a close second. No, her biggest fear was that they were going to lose themselves because of the outbreak.
As long as she could look at her friends and family and recognize them inside and out, she would be happy, even if the nightmare never ended.
But just like everyone else, she hoped it would end. There were too many losses already, the burden being heavier to bear every day.
Natsu grunted as he dragged a dead zombie's body across the pavement. His shirt was covered in blood, but he didn't care. As long as it wasn't human blood, he was fine. So far, no survivors had died while out today. Everyone was working hard to ensure that wouldn't change.
He wasn't too upset that his shirt was ruined. Clearers got new clothes first when theirs were messed up, meaning he could get it replaced. Not only that, Laxus said they were going to stop by the creek that ran towards the school on their way back. They could clean up a little there.
"How many do you have?" Ultear asked as she dragged a body, walking backwards a few feet away from Natsu.
"Fifteen," he mumbled, wishing he could wipe the sweat off his brow, but he knew it was too risky to touch his face. He was lucky he managed to keep the blood off his cheek, even if it was covered with a bandage to prevent contamination.
"Not bad," she said, readjusting her grip before carrying the zombie again. "You're almost caught up with me."
Natsu chuckled, thankful they were almost to the dumping spot. They were piling up the dead zombies, making a roadblock out of their corpses. It smelled terrible, but it was a good way to cover their scent when they went back to base. It also prevented some zombies from passing, as long as they didn't try to crawl over it.
The whole idea was more of a precaution than anything. It would help if they needed to make an escape quickly, not wanting to have any zombies track them. Natsu didn't know if the zombies could find them based on their smell, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
"We still have the rest of the day," Natsu reminded her, grinning when they made it. They helped each other, one taking the arms while the other took the legs to pile their kills higher. After disposing of the bodies, they stretched, preparing themselves for more.
"You're in a good mood," Ultear pointed out, causing him to nod.
"Actually got some decent sleep."
Natsu hated that he had to wear Lucy out emotionally for her to finally sleep through most of the night, but it turned out to be just what he needed. She was too tired to scream in her sleep for the most part. At two in the morning she finally did, but by that time, he had gotten some rest. It wasn't a lot, but like he said, it was decent.
She woke up one other time than that, but it was about twenty minutes before his alarm would have gone off. Deciding to just stay up, Natsu got an early start that morning. He was almost tempted to try to wear her out again tonight, but he wouldn't. Not only was it mean, it might damage Lucy further.
"That's good," she said with a nod before returning to the streets. They still had a lot to cover before their break.
"Good luck," Natsu said as he followed after her, searching for Gray to make sure he was okay before finding the next zombie he would kill.
Being a clearer had its pros and cons just like any job. The cons were obvious. They spent more energy, got more dirty, were always sore, and they took the highest risks since they dealt directly with the undead.
However, they also had some advantages. For one, they received extra stuff at the commissary as compensation. Natsu was excluded from that though, since he got first pick at stuff when he was a runner two times a week. Clearers also got replacements on their ruined clothes before other people -Natsu thankfully received that perk. Plus, they got lunch, unlike the people who worked on base.
The higher the risk, the greater the reward.
Not only did they have a few more perks to their job, they also got the satisfaction of helping the base the most. Of course, everyone had to work as a team to keep things going. Everyone had their part to play.
'Soon Lucy will have a part,' Natsu reminded himself as he went into a house to clear it out.
He came face to face with a walker in a matter of seconds. With not a lot of time to think, Natsu grabbed the zombie's shoulder while stabbing at its face. He struck it three times while trying to kill it. One was on the cheek, the other two times were through the eye socket.
It usually took two hits, once to break the part of the skull between the eye and the brain, and the second strike to pierce the brain and kill it. Seeing as he was using his seven inch knife, it did enough damaged to steal the life from the walker.
Natsu grimaced when he pulled the knife from the brain, wiping it on the zombie's shirt before checking the rest of the house for infected. Finding none, he moved to the next house.
'I forgot to ask what jobs are available,' he thought as he checked each room, feeling relieved every time he found nothing. He didn't have time to stop and search for supplies, so he didn't bother looking at what was around him. They had to utilize every minute they could, meaning he couldn't waste any time.
Natsu knew he didn't want Lucy to have an off base job, but that limited her options. She wouldn't be able to be a clearer, runner, or water gatherer. Hell, she wouldn't be able to be on the laundry detail either.
'Maybe she can work with receiving?'
Levy worked there, along with Freed and a few other people. He doubted Lucy would like working with Ichiya and his fanboys, but it was better than off base.
'I wonder if she could be a gardener? Or—' Natsu shook his head. He didn't want Lucy to be in the arsenal. Not only would that put her near weapons, Nobarly and his group of assholes worked there. He didn't want Lucy dealing with them.
'Worst case scenario, she could do general maintenance.' It could be a gross job, but it was relatively safe. They did everything from digging graves to cleaning the 'toilets' outside.
Natsu shuddered as he expelled that thought from his mind, not wanting to think about it any longer.
'I'll ask Freed or Levy if there's any openings in receiving. I'm sure they could use more help.'
As Natsu exited one house to find another, he heard someone up the street holler, "Laxus!"
Laxus, who was half a block away, started running towards the voice, his rifle tight in his grip. Natsu and everyone else who wasn't currently fighting a zombie ran too. If someone was in trouble, they would need all the help they could get.
However, judging by the tone of the yell, it didn't sound like someone was hurt, more like someone just wanted to get Laxus' attention. Natsu found out why a moment later, stunned to see two new faces coming out of a house with Dan.
"Survivors," he heard one of the clearers say, but with his mind racing, Natsu couldn't tell whose voice it was.
Natsu thought Lucy was going to be the last survivor they found. Every day that passed, the odds of finding people alive dwindled. He looked over the two men, shocked but hopeful.
The first man looked young, probably Natsu's age, but he couldn't be certain because of the dirt on his face. His hair was blond while his skin was a dark tan. Natsu furrowed his brows at the smudge on his chin. It was darker than dirt, almost looking like a tattoo, but without moving closer, he couldn't be certain.
Natsu's eyes flitted down to the torn, dirty pink suit the man wore, realizing both men were in suits. Playing a guessing game, Natsu imagined both were hole up in some rich guy's house and decided to play dress up, but before they could change, danger came and they had to leave, keeping the impractical outfits.
Looking up at the other man, Natsu noted his jaw was his predominate feature, his chin more square than what Natsu thought was humanly possible. They both looked shaken up, flinching when spoken to.
"Are you infected?" Laxus asked, jumping straight to the point. Names and other personal questions could be asked later. Right now, he needed to make sure his clearers were safe. Natsu knew without a doubt if either of them were infected, Laxus wouldn't allow them to get near his men and women.
They shook their heads, but Laxus wasn't satisfied. "Let me see your arms and legs." He turned to the other clearers, a scowl working its way on his face. "Show's over, back to work!" Only Erik stayed with him, a machete in his hands, ready to pounce if either of the new people made a bad move.
Natsu hesitated before going back to the streets, still surprised they found survivors. If there were still others out there, they needed to find them. The more people they had on their side, the higher their chances of winning. He didn't know what caused the outbreak, whether it was a biological attack from another country, an experiment gone wrong, or even some higher power deciding to test their strength.
Natsu wasn't much of a spiritual person, especially after the outbreak, but he wasn't ruling anything out. The one that made the most sense to him, as well as a few others at the base, was biological warfare. Fiore and Alvarez weren't on the best terms right before the outbreak. He hadn't followed it too closely, so he wasn't sure.
There was no way for them to confirm anything. Communications had been cut off once the cell towers went down. They couldn't use a phone to call people or the internet to look anything up. The radio still worked, but the problem was the radio stations didn't have power anymore, so their range was drastically cut short.
The world around them was silent, at least from what they could tell.
Natsu wished there was another way of dealing with the outbreak, that they could round up the zombies and wait until some magical person made a cure for whatever it was that plagued them. He was starting to give up hope that it would happen, at least any time soon. Then again, he didn't know if any of the zombies could come back after going through the infection process. Maybe the CDC knew, but finding out was a hit or not. Unless he traveled there himself, he wouldn't find out.
'Too bad Gildarts isn't heading to Crocus,' he thought as he went from house to house, slaying any zombies he found, which thankfully weren't too many.
Gildarts went to look for help at the naval base located in Hargeon. Normally it wasn't a long trip, but with the infected everywhere, Gildarts would have to be more cautious and travel smarter.
'If he's still alive, that is.'
Natsu shook his head, refusing to think the worse. Gildarts was a good guy, and he was as tough as nails. If anyone could make it, he could. Natsu chuckled, remembering the times he challenged Gildarts to a fight. He got his ass handed to him every time, but it was still fun.
'Gildarts has to be alive.'
If not for his sake and everyone else's at Fairy Tail, then for Cana's. Natsu knew what it was like to be separated from his dad. He didn't want Cana to feel the same way, even if she acted relieved when Gildarts left. To Natsu, it seemed like a coping mechanism, but he didn't tell her that, only observing from afar.
After a while, the clearers made their way through five blocks of neighborhoods. Unfortunately, they also had to go outwards instead of just forward, so the real progress was only two blocks at most. Gray said they still had a ways to go before they hit their first store, but Natsu was looking forward to when they reached section three. He wanted to raid Magnolia Mart.
Natsu was excited to get to the sporting goods department. Last time he worked, he remembered stocking camping showers. There were too many, so he had to put the excess on the overhead shelf. Hopefully that meant they would have enough. More camping showers might equal more showers for the survivors, but then again, water was still an issue.
The water gathers could only get so much a day, and even then, they still had to boil most of it. 'Maybe I should just let Lucy do that. She'd be with other people. Plus a guard would go with the group. She'd be safe...'
Natsu shook his head. He had too many roommates die, and it always happened off base. He wasn't going to let that happen again, so long as he could help it. He didn't want anyone else to die, ever.
Before Natsu realized it, it was their break time. Everyone headed back to where their vehicles were parked, knowing it was the safest place for them. They all got in a circle, just like the runners did to make sure they had each other's backs. Natsu sat between Gray and Warcry while Gray sat next to Ultear.
After every one of them got a squirt of hand sanitizer and a rag to clean their hands, they were handed snacks and bottles of water. Just like every other time Natsu worked with Gray and his sister, they all compared their snacks to see if they wanted to trade.
They received a package of crackers, each with a different flavor. Natsu's said it was peanut butter and grape jelly, but the smell it gave off made his nose wrinkle. Gray had cheddar cheese crackers, while Ultear received crackers with cream cheese filling. Since there were six crackers in each package, they all kept two of their own and traded with the others, making it to where they all had two of each.
"Dude, I wanna trade back. These are gross," Gray chuckled, chewing the peanut butter and jelly crackers.
"Yeah, they don't taste too good. Kinda making my mouth dry." Natsu still ate it, knowing they all needed the calories and energy it provided. He wished they had more to eat, but he understood they couldn't pig out.
For a moment, Natsu allowed himself to remember what it was like before the outbreak, going to a restaurant and ordering anything that sounded delicious. Buffets were the best, allowing Natsu to get plate after plate of food while only paying one price.
Gray's laughter pulled Natsu out of his fantasy. He scowled before looking over, ready to growl at him for interrupting such a sweet daydream, but stopped when he saw Gray tapping at his own mouth. Natsu lifted his fingers to his mouth, realizing he had been drooling.
'Damn it.'
Despite being a little embarrassed, Natsu laughed too. It was nice to laugh, seeing as they didn't get to do it as often. Well, they could, but there was hardly anything funny nowadays.
They went back to eating, all of them trying to eat without actually touching their crackers. It helped that they were given a napkin each, letting them use that to handle their food without directly touching it with their hands, even if they 'washed' them.
As they finished eating, Natsu overheard someone talking with Laxus, his curiosity piqued when they said they grabbed something even though they weren't supposed to. Clearers killed zombies, runners grabbed stuff. Usually they didn't do the others job, but sometimes there were exceptions.
In the guy's case, Laxus pardoned his actions since the item the man grabbed was infant formula. There were only three babies still drinking formula or breast milk on base, but they still needed as much as they could find.
Laxus nodded, patting the guy on the back. "That'll help."
Natsu frowned immediately. He wanted a pat on the back from Laxus. 'Maybe I should try to find some formula too...'
Before Natsu could finish devising a plan to find some formula, another person asked, "Was there a baby in the house where you found that?"
The guy lowered his head, his voice quiet as he said, "Yeah. But it was dead."
A sick curiosity plagued Natsu's mind. For a split second, he wanted to know how the baby died. Was it a bite? Starvation? Before he could wonder anymore, the man said, "I think it was drowned. It was in a bathtub by itself."
Natsu felt sick to his stomach, wishing he had never found out. If he hadn't already finished his food, he wouldn't have been able to. He didn't like how the outbreak was affecting everyone. No one was coming out of it a better person. No one.
"That's enough," Laxus said, sending everyone who was still looking at him a glare. "Finish your food so we can get back to work."
No one said anything else for the next few minutes, either too stunned or too disgusted. Natsu thought about the times he had to kill an infected kid. It always left him messed up in the head for the following days. He hoped he would never have to again, but as long as one crossed his path, he would have to put it out of its misery.
Rogue said something about releasing the zombies from their prisons. Natsu wasn't sure what he thought. He hoped they weren't still conscious in there. He hated imagining it.
Trying to put those disturbing thoughts out of his mind, Natsu stared at his empty wrapper, wondering if Lucy already took her mass gainers for today or not. He did the math that morning after Lucy finally told him her weight. It was a little tough getting it out of her, but not as tough as last night had been.
He also asked her what her weight was before the outbreak, then compared the two. If they got the same brand, size, and flavor of mass gainers, Lucy would need seven or eight more containers. Of course, he knew it would be harder to find the exact kinds, so he figured the amount he would need would vary.
He hadn't found any today, but even if he did, he wouldn't have grabbed it. Rules were rules, with only a few exceptions. A hungry baby took priority over a skinny woman.
When everyone finished eating, they threw their trash away in a small plastic bag. Just because the world went to shit didn't mean they needed to start littering if they could help it. Natsu, as well as a few others, started stretching again, working out stiff muscles and aches so they could perform better.
Laxus led them down the street, stopping less than half a block from were they left off. "Okay, let's get back to work. Rocker, you and Dan go that way, while Natsu and Gr—"
His voice cut out when everyone heard a snarl. They looked forward, seeing two zombies walking towards them. For a moment, no one worried, thinking they were just walkers that could be taken down easily, but once the first one started running, everyone realized it was a sprinter.
Laxus pointed his rifle at it, ready to fire if someone didn't stop it in time. Kagura ran towards the sprinter, drawing her sword before hacking into its skull. While she did that, Natsu, Gray, and Dan ran towards the second one, killing it. They thought it was just two sprinters they had to worry about, but they were wrong.
Once they saw a horde of infected running towards them from a block away, they realized there were too many. Instead of trying to fight that many sprinters head on, Laxus yelled, "Retreat!" There was no point in taking that risk, especially when they only had twelve clearers.
The clearers started running, but considering how tired they were and how fast the zombies could get, Natsu didn't think they were going to be fast enough.
Apparently, neither did Laxus.
A loud bang sounded from beside them, Laxus' rifle firing off at a sprinter who was already one house away from them. The infected ran much faster than them. They didn't get winded or sore, only kept moving until they physically couldn't anymore.
The sprinter closest to them jerked due to Laxus hitting it in the chest, but it was still running, seemingly unaffected. Laxus fired off more shots, each one just as loud as the last. He took down that sprinter, as well as another who was getting too close, but the sound of gunfire only riled them up. They weren't just attracting more sprinters, they were attracting the walkers as well.
Two or three of them at a time wasn't a big deal, but a large group of them all at once was too much, even for someone with a rifle who had no cover. Laxus moved to run with his clearers, turning his back on the approaching horde.
The clearers followed Erik, who was running towards a house. On either side, a pile of dead zombies laid. The point of going through the house was to confuse the zombies and throw off their scent. With any luck, the infected wouldn't be able to find them.
Natsu's heart pounded as they burst through the back door, running down an alley to get back to their vehicles. They couldn't risk running straight down the street, knowing the zombies would see which way they were going. The last thing they wanted to do was lead the zombies straight to Fairy Tail's front door.
Natsu kept looking for his friends, relief flooding him every time he saw Gray, Ultear, and Sting running with him. He didn't want anyone to die, but honestly, he cared more about his friends' lives than the others.
Natsu looked behind him to make sure they weren't being followed. The only straggler seemed to be Laxus, who was gaining ground quickly. Natsu looked straight ahead, seeing they were closing in on their vehicles. It wasn't time to leave yet, but they couldn't risk sticking around. Too many zombies would be alert, ready for a fight.
Now wasn't the time to give them one.
Dan climbed into the driver's seat of the truck while everyone else either piled in the back or the car next to it. Natsu, Laxus, Sting, and Erik stuck to the sides of the truck's bed, knowing they would need it in case they vomited.
Natsu chuckled the first time he found out they suffered from motion sickness too, but now wasn't the time to laugh.
Dan took off in the truck while Rocker drove the car, both racing down the street, taking a few extra turns to ensure they weren't being followed. Natsu caught a glimpse of his watch, seeing they were leaving over four hours before they were supposed to, but that wasn't uncommon. About once a week they had to retreat. It was always better to be safe than sorry.
Laxus' strained voice shouted, "Headcount," before he went back to hanging his head over the side of the truck.
Kagura counted, giving Laxus the good news. "We're all here, including the two survivors."
Laxus barely nodded, but a smile crept on his face. "That's good."
Instead of going straight to the base, they drove to the creek. Natsu was one of the first to climb out of the truck's bed, his legs wobbly as his stomach settled. Laxus, sounding just as worn out as Natsu felt, told them to get cleaned up before they would head back to base.
Natsu stripped off his shirt, dropping it inside the plastic bag of trash. It was a plain white shirt, so he didn't worry about wasting it. He could get another one when they got back to Fairy Tail.
Some people washed just their hands while others, like Gray, stripped down to their boxers and cleaned their torso, arms, and legs. Natsu only cleaned his arms and torso, seeing as the rest of him was relatively clean, all things considered. He made sure to wash his knives as well, trying to clean every nook and cranny.
A few soap suds floated downstream, letting Natsu know laundry detail were still working today. The clearers were the furthest down the creek, not wanting any infected blood to contaminate their water supply or laundry.
The system they had ensured the water gatherers would bring back the cleanest water they could. They boiled all their drinking and showering water, so Natsu didn't know if it really made a difference either way.
After cleaning up, everyone headed back to base. They didn't bother getting processed since they weren't staying for long. They grabbed buckets and plastic bins to collect water, driving back and forth to the creek where the other water gatherers were to help collect water.
They had plenty of gas since they siphoned from everyone else around them. Their biggest drawback would be when the gas was no longer usable, but they had debates on how long that would take. Some said the gas would be bad within a year, some said it would take longer. Natsu never read how long it took before gas went bad, but he hoped it lased a while.
There were some additive they could use to prolong the life of their gas, but they needed to get the additives to use them. They only found a few bottles while scavenging through houses and garages, but they were sure to find more at a store, specifically an auto shop.
The overall goal was to use all the gas they could before it went bad, otherwise it would go to waste. They just hoped it outlasted whatever the outbreak was, then they would be in the clear.
Laxus stopped his group at four in the afternoon, saying they did enough for the day. Everyone was exhausted from clearing that morning, so he let them 'get off' early. They still had to go turn in their weapons and get processed, but Natsu easily put himself on autopilot for that part.
Jellal gave Natsu a new shirt, as well as a few others the same. The two new people were escorted by Laxus to do the official processing, but Natsu didn't have to worry about that.
After Gray and him were finished, they each grabbed a pitcher of fresh water before heading towards the main building, trying to decide what they would do with their extra time before dinner.
"Oh, shoot. I forgot I need to go talk to Levy. Do you mind?" Natsu asked, causing Gray to shrug.
"Not like I'm doing anything anyways."
The two men went towards receiving. It was too early for the runners to come back yet, so mostly everyone was inside, doing inventory or something. Natsu wasn't completely sure what they did all day while they weren't taking stuff in. Maybe they just sorted stuff from the day before?
He found Levy outside, talking with Freed and Rufus. He walked straight to the girl, easily getting her attention since there wasn't much movement outside anyway. "Hey! Got a question for you."
"I might have an answer," Levy fired back, excusing herself from the conversation between her, Freed, and Rufus before meeting Natsu and Gray halfway. "What's up?"
"I was wondering if you had any positions open in receiving?"
Levy cocked her head, her brows furrowed. "You want to join receiving?" When Natsu shook his head, her eyes widened. "Oh, are you asking for Lucy?"
"Yeah," Natsu said, running a hand through his hair. Surprisingly, it wasn't tangled today, though he did feel how long it was getting. He might need to get it cut soon.
"Sorry," Levy started, looking genuinely upset. "We're actually talking about transferring a person or two from receiving since we have too many people."
"Damn," he muttered, trying to think of another job Lucy could do that would keep her safe. "That sucks."
"Lucy can gather water," Gray pointed out. "I'm sure she can handle that."
Natsu's lips twisted, his brows pinching together. "Maybe..." He didn't want her working off base if he could help it. There were a few other jobs they could try, but he would find out later. Lucy still had one more day left of rest before she had to find a job, but he knew it would be easier if they knew what she would be doing sooner than later.
"Thanks anyways," Natsu said, turning to leave. "See ya later!"
"Good luck," Levy called out as the two men made their way back to the building, giving her a short wave goodbye.
On their way into the school, they moved aside to let someone out. Natsu immediately recognized the man as Wakaba, the person who somehow always had weed on him despite the outbreak. He heard Wakaba used to grow marijuana for the local dispensary, and that he still had his plants even after the shit went down.
Natsu knew they couldn't be at the school. He had been to the gardens before and never found a pot plant. Rumor had it, Wakaba had them at his house before the outbreak and frequently went to check on his plants to care for them. Of course, without actually following Wakaba off base to see for himself, Natsu wouldn't confirm this theory, and honestly, he didn't really care.
As long as everyone stayed in their own lanes, he was fine with almost anything, so long as it also didn't harm anyone in the process.
"What's that?" Gray asked, causing Natsu to blink. He looked down at Wakaba's arms, seeing a bundle of blankets.
Natsu thought they were going to just head inside and start relaxing, but apparently that was too much to ask for. 'Why does Gray have to be so damn curious. I wanna get off my feet!'
Wakaba looked down, his lips curving into a frown, making his cigarette bob. For a split second, all Natsu could think about was having a smoke. He hadn't enjoyed one since that morning, and he was getting antsy for another. He didn't bring his cigarettes when he was a clearer since they could easily get damaged.
"Oh," Wakaba started, shifting the blankets in his arms. "This is Emma."
Natsu cocked his head, wondering why Wakaba was carrying someone else's baby. More importantly, why he was carrying the baby with a blanket over its face. "Isn't that gonna make it hard for her to breathe?" he found himself asking, frowning when he saw the way Wakaba shook his head.
"She's dead."
"What?" Natsu asked, voice frantic, while Gray's voice was stunned. "How?"
"SIDS," Wakaba said, tone darkening. "Mom said she didn't know what happened." The man looked back and forth, then behind him before whispering, "Between you and me, I think the mom put Emma out of her misery."
Natsu's shoulders fell as his gut twisted painfully, refusing to believe a mother would do such a thing despite hearing about it happening even before the outbreak started. "W-why would she do that?" It didn't sound like Natsu who asked it, but he did feel his lips moving, so he guessed it really was him who spoke.
"Kid has— had respiratory problems. Probably wasn't gonna last long anyways."
"That's not a reason to murder her kid," Gray snapped, voice sharp and loud.
Natsu couldn't blame him. He wanted to yell too.
"We can't prove she did," Wakaba said, shifting the baby in his arms to ash his cigarette. "Makarov's talking to her now, but I doubt he'll do anything. What can he do anyways? Ain't nobody else seen what happened."
"There's gotta be something someone can do," Natsu reasoned, but Wakaba shook his head.
"Not without a proper investigation, and without any cops or detectives, we're not gonna get that."
"Laxus was a cop," Gray said, but Wakaba shook his head once again.
"Laxus didn't deal with investigations. 'Sides, he was only a cop for a year I think. Doubt he'd be able to prove this was foul play."
While Natsu and Gray fumed, Wakaba started stepping forward. "I gotta go bury her while it's still light out." He left without saying another word, leaving the two men speechless as their minds went wild.
Finally, Gray spoke up, the anger slipping from his voice, replaced with frustration and desperation. "Fuck man, that's... God this is so fucked up."
Natsu nodded, his mind still trying to comprehend a parent killing her own child, even if the kid had a medical condition. He heard the baby wheezing a few times when he was close to her in line, but was it really that bad? He didn't know, and honestly, part of him didn't want to know. It would be easier to just look past it and not do anything. They already had enough on their plate.
"I'm sick of living like this," Natsu confessed, his arms and legs feeling heavier than before, the weight of everything settling on top of him. "Not much we can do though... besides what we're already doing."
A long silence fell between them before Gray eventually sighed. "I guess you're right. This whole thing is still fucked up though."
"I agree," Natsu whispered, his mind already trying to protect itself by forgetting what he heard. It was similar to when he tried forgetting about the many people he saw die already.
He took a step forward, then another. Natsu assumed Gray was doing the same as him, considering the next question he asked had nothing to do with the condition of the world they now lived in.
"So, do you wanna hang out?" Gray asked as they entered the school, the light from the window allowing them to see where they were going.
Natsu thought about it. They had time before dinner. "Sure, but I gotta check on Lucy first." His voice was still marred with his disbelief over everything, but he was slowly getting back to normal.
"That's cool. I was gonna change anyways." Gray caught himself trying to undress, his fingers working to button his shirt. "How 'bout I come over at five?"
"Sounds good."
The two men parted in the hall, Natsu standing right in front of his door while Gray walked towards his. Natsu's eyes widened as he started following Gray, remembering something important. "Hey!"
Gray paused, his room key in his hand, ready to unlock his door. "Yeah?"
Natsu waited until he was a foot away before talking, not wanting Lucy to somehow overhear him, even if he doubted she could at that distance. "Promise you won't ask Lucy any personal questions?"
Gray raised a brow, hesitating before he said, "Sure?"
"Thanks."
Natsu left Gray standing there, hoping he wouldn't have to give any explanations. He didn't want a repeat of what happened last night. One breakdown was enough to let Natsu know not to push Lucy too hard again.
When Natsu entered his room, he found Lucy sitting on her bed, Happy in her lap. She didn't jolt or flinch when she saw him, but he guessed she had a second to compose herself since she must have heard him unlocking the door.
"Hey," he greeted, giving her a wave before putting the pitcher of water on the desk. Lucy nodded once before her eyes fell back down to the book in her hands, the one she had been reading the day before.
"Do you like it?" Natsu asked, taking off his shoes and socks so his feet could air out. He looked over to Lucy, seeing her nod again. "That's good. I only got halfway through." He chuckled as he stretched, feeling his muscles ache. "One day I'll finish it."
He caught the faint smile on Lucy's lips, but when he blinked, it was gone. Sighing, Natsu's hands went to his pants, pausing when he realized once again that Lucy was iffy when it came to him undressing. "Is it okay if I take off some clothes?"
Lucy's eyes widened as she tensed, her fingers gripping the book tighter.
"I promise I'll keep my boxers on," he said quietly, hoping he wouldn't startle her. "I just need to let my skin breathe. I'm kinda sweaty."
Lucy stared at him for a long minute, her eyes unblinking as she slowly loosened her grip on his book. Just when he thought she wasn't going to respond, she opened her mouth, uttering a single word. "Okay."
Natsu smiled, glad she didn't stutter. Even if it was just one word, it was an improvement. He took off his new shirt and pants, setting them out on the teacher's desk to dry.
If he didn't have a roommate, he would consider taking his boxers off, but Natsu wasn't comfortable with Lucy seeing him naked, so he didn't bother asking. He felt Lucy's eyes on him as he walked towards his bookcase, grabbing his cigarettes and lighter.
Natsu went to the windows furthest from her, giving her space while he smoked. He would have stood, but his legs were tired, so he sat on the cool tile, relishing in the feeling of the cold on his heated skin.
When he looked at Lucy again, her head was in the book, but she had scooted towards the wall, further away from him. He tried not to take offense, but he did. He hadn't hurt her before, so he didn't know why she had to act like he had. The worst he did was restrain her when she threatened him with a knife, and even then he didn't actually hurt her.
'I might have scared her,' he realized belatedly. 'But it couldn't have been that bad. I mean, she's here, right? That has to mean she's okay with me...'
Deciding he didn't want to think about it, Natsu let his eyes wander around the room. He frowned when he noticed Lucy's cup once again on the window sill, meaning she peed inside the room again.
He waited until he was done smoking his cigarette before asking, "Need to use the bathroom?" When she quickly nodded, he said, "Okay, let's go."
Natsu didn't bother putting on clothes as they walked across the hall to the bathroom. He only brought his headlamp while Lucy brought her roll of toilet paper and cup to wash out. He decided to pee while she peed, seeing as she wasn't going to go to a different room anyway and he needed to go.
When they finished, they headed back into the classroom, Lucy taking her spot on the bed while Natsu grabbed the pitcher of clean water, pouring himself something to drink. As he let the water run down his throat, he remembered he needed to check Lucy's wound, as well as remove the bandage from his face to let his cut get some air.
Natsu took care of his first, looking in the window to see a vague reflection of himself. From what he could see, his cut was healing just fine, but he didn't expect anything less. Grandeeney was great at her job, even without all her fancy medical equipment she used to use on a daily basis.
"Lucy," Natsu started, throwing his bandage away in the small trash can by the desk, "I gotta take those bandages off your leg."
He padded over towards her. The book was down, but the sharp look in her brown eyes told him she was apprehensive about letting him touch her. Instead of getting right to it, he asked her to roll the sweatpants up so he could see the bandage.
She did as told, slowly sliding the material up, revealing her many scratches and cuts. They were already healing, some faster than others. Speaking of healing, her black eye and busted lip already looked better, though they still needed more time before they disappeared.
Natsu showed her both of his hands before reaching towards her, carefully unwrapping the bandage from her leg. He could hear her rapid breathing, but he didn't comment, not wanting to set her off.
He pulled the bandages away, gently moving her leg so he could look at the wound. It still made his stomach churn, but it wasn't as bad as before. At least there was no pus or dirt, only dried blood and stitches. The antibiotics she was taking must have been working.
"Wait here," he said, inwardly chuckling at the command. 'Where's she gonna go? She can't leave the room without an escort.'
Natsu grabbed the pitcher of water and a clean pair of socks, bringing them both over to Lucy before sitting down. "This is gonna look weird, but I'm gonna try to clean the blood off."
Lucy didn't stop him as he dampened one of the socks before dragging it over her skin, her leg jerking a few times while he cleaned the wound. He used the other sock to pat the area, knowing rubbing at it would hurt worse.
When he was satisfied, he put the socks in his pile of dirty clothes, then returned the pitcher to the desk. He sat down in front of Lucy's bed again, wanting to check once more to make sure the wound was healed enough to leave it uncovered.
He frowned when he noticed Lucy's hands were now on parts of her legs, as if hiding her cuts from him. Furrowing his brows, Natsu asked, "What's wrong?"
Lucy swallowed, her lips parting before she started to whisper. "I-I haven't shaved..."
Natsu blinked three times before looking at her legs again, realizing what she meant. "There's no reason to worry," he said, almost wanting to smile at the idea of Lucy being embarrassed about having hairy legs. It made her seem like a normal woman, not the scared person he had known her as. "It's not like grooming is a top priority."
Lucy slowly nodded, but her eyes told him she was still upset.
"If it makes you feel better, you can use my razor to shave." He chuckled, placing a hand on the back of his bare neck. "You'll have to dry shave though. I don't have any gel to use."
As an afterthought, he added, "Do it before you shower though, that way you can wash the hair off."
When Lucy nodded, he smiled. "Great." He stood up, walking over to his bookcase to grab a clean pair of gym shorts for himself, slipping them on since his body felt dry enough. "Oh, almost forgot. Is it okay if Gray comes over?"
Lucy's eyes went wide in an instant, her lips pressing into a thin line. He slowly raised his hands, giving her a mock surrender. "He's not gonna ask you any questions, I promise." He saw the way her eyes flickered, but she still looked nervous.
"I already told him not to. He won't. If you want, we'll keep to ourselves." He shrugged, knowing that might be difficult. When they got together, they were usually loud. "We'll do our best to keep quiet."
"Th-that's okay," she finally said, slowly releasing her breath. "I don't mind."
"Really?" he asked, not that he didn't believe her. She sounded genuine enough for him. "Great." Stealing a glimpse at the watch on his wrist, Natsu said, "He'll be over soon. We'll hang out over here."
When Lucy nodded, Natsu went to set up his room for guests. He placed one of the spare chairs on the opposite side of the desk, then grabbed a few decks of cards. Some were Pokémon cards, others were regular poker cards. One of his favorites was a deck of 'Phase 10' cards, but Gray didn't like that game all that much, but Natsu grabbed it anyway, just in case.
Before Natsu knew it, someone was knocking on his door. "It's open," he called out, causing Gray to come inside.
Natsu noticed that Gray's eyes fell to Lucy first before quickly snapping to him. "Hey."
Nodding, Natsu pointed towards the seat Gray would take, facing away from Lucy. He figured that would make her feel more comfortable, but it also allowed Natsu to keep an eye on her.
Natsu and Gray started playing rummy first. Gray insisted it was like Phase 10, even though it bored Natsu to no end. He endured it for Gray's sake since he was promised a round of Pokémon afterwards.
While they played, Natsu's eyes kept flitting over to Lucy. He caught her staring a few times, but instead of saying anything, he just gave her a smile. He wanted to laugh when she quickly ducked her head, as if he hadn't just caught her looking.
As they cleared the desk after their game, Natsu grabbed the two decks of Pokémon cards they would use. He had three, but they always chose the same decks no matter what, Gray preferring one with water, ice, and dark while Natsu went with fire and electricity.
His third deck consisted of fairy and psychic, but he rarely used it, only buying it because the package was damaged at Magnolia Mart and reduced to half off. He couldn't resist that deal, even if he didn't particularly like fairies or psychic-type Pokémon.
Halfway through their game, Gray sighed. "Man. I wish you had more cards."
Shrugging, Natsu said, "Not my fault I only brought this with me."
While they were camping, Natsu brought a few things to keep them entertained when they weren't out doing things. He had more in his real room, but he couldn't get to them. For now, they were stuck with what he had, even if they were getting a little boring. "Wish I had my Charizard."
"I like that one," a soft voice came from beside him.
Natsu jolted, eyes widening as he looked up, seeing Lucy was standing a few feet away from him. She tensed, probably a natural reaction from startling him, but soon she relaxed when he did.
"Fuck, you scared me," he mumbled, pressing a hand to his pounding heart. He hadn't seen her get up. Hell, he didn't even hear her walk over. If she was a zombie, he would have been bitten for sure.
As Natsu calmed down, he realized what Lucy said. "Wait, you like Charizard?"
She paused, slowly nodding her head as she hugged Happy closer to her chest. Natsu blinked, wondering if she was holding Happy a few seconds ago. He hadn't noticed.
"Do you wanna watch us play?" Natsu asked, scooting his chair over to the side to make room for her.
Lucy looked down at the desk where their cards were laying before her eyes flitted to Natsu's face again. He honestly thought she was going to say no, but she nodded once more, surprising him. "Y-yes, please."
Natsu found himself smiling. He would have never guessed Lucy liked Pokémon, let alone liked his favorite one too. He quickly went to grab the other chair in the room, setting it beside his own before taking his seat.
Lucy was slower to sit down, waiting until the men started their game again before inching towards the empty chair. Natsu saw Gray stealing glances at Lucy, probably curious about the woman. Truthfully, Natsu was too, but he didn't want to upset her by asking too many questions. He hoped Gray would do the same.
By the time Natsu ended his turn, Lucy was fully in her seat, Happy resting in her lap. Natsu was glad his cat took such a liking to Lucy. He figured Happy was bored while he was gone all day, so maybe it was a good thing Lucy had time off so they could hang out.
Though, Happy was probably upset he had to use the bathroom outside while Lucy did it in the room. It would forever remain a mystery to Natsu, seeing as Happy couldn't exactly speak.
Natsu wasn't surprised when Lucy remained silent during their game. He wished she would say something, but he couldn't force her. At least he was able to talk to Gray, even if some of the things coming out of that stripper's mouth were annoying.
"Your Pokémon suck!" Gray laughed as his ice-type Pokémon beat his fire-type.
"Shut it," Natsu mumbled, moving an electric Pokémon up to destroy Gray's. "Ha! Eat shit, you Pervy Popsicle!"
That game ended with Gray winning, but only by one prize. They played once more, but they didn't get to figure out who won since it was getting too close to dinner time, forcing them to end their game early.
Gray left to grab his stuff while Natsu cleared the desk. Lucy sat quietly in her seat, holding Happy while he worked. He debated in his head how he would ask a certain question, trying to word it as formally as possible so Lucy didn't get riled up again. He was curious about her interest in Pokémon, but he didn't want her to think he was prying into her personal life again.
After putting on a clean shirt and taking a deep breath, Natsu asked, "So, what's your favorite Pokémon?"
Lucy's eyes found his, but her mouth remained closed. After a minute of silence, he shrugged. "Mine's a tie between Charizard and Groudon, but most days it's Charizard all the way."
Lucy said nothing, causing him to sigh. 'Well, I tried to get her to talk.'
Accepting defeat, Natsu gathered his dishes, telling Lucy to do the same. She reluctantly let go of Happy before heading to her bookcase, Natsu's eyes flitting straight to her leg when it came into view.
He frowned, noticing the leg on her sweatpants had already started to slip downwards, almost hitting her wound. "You might wanna just go with shorts. Don't think you want fuzz in your wound."
Lucy furrowed her brows before looking at her leg, her hands pulling at the material to lift it up again. He took that as her saying she didn't want to wear shorts, and the sweatpants would work just fine. He never found out if that was what she meant or not, seeing as she was too quiet.
'I miss Max.' Natsu inwardly sighed. 'At least he talked to me.'
For the most part, dinner went on like usual, the only difference being the latest gossip. Natsu's table was buzzing with the news, a woman had been kicked out of Fairy Tail for the suspected murder of her baby.
Apparently, Makarov wasn't as merciful as everyone thought, refusing to give the woman shelter after what she did. He hadn't believed her child died of natural causes, forcing her to leave within an hour.
"I escorted her to her car," Erza said, scooping up a bite of soup. "She didn't look too sad over it."
"I hope she gets eaten by a walker," Gray muttered, no one scolding him for his statement. Honestly, they all thought the same.
Natsu looked down at Lucy, seeing she was just as quiet as ever. She must have felt his gaze, her eyes glancing up at him before shooting back to her soup. He wanted to ask if she was okay, but he knew that was a stupid question. Instead, he asked something easier. "How's your food?"
Lucy swallowed another bite, the corner of her mouth twitching, but she formed no smile. "Good," she whispered, taking another bite.
Natsu found himself smiling. Despite the shitty day and the heartbreaking news that someone probably killed their baby, seeing that Lucy was doing better than yesterday made him a little happy. He wanted to ask what she thought of everything, but he didn't want to upset her. Judging by the vacant look in her eyes for most of the night, he doubted she even heard what they were talking about.
She was in her own little world.
When dinner ended and they finished getting ready for bed, Natsu grabbed one of his empty notebooks, setting it and a pen beside Lucy's mattress. "In case you wanna write about your day."
Lucy's brows pinched together, so he added, "Or if you just wanna write anything, that's fine too."
"Will you... read it?" Lucy whispered, her voice slowly growing stronger, even if it was quiet.
Shaking his head, Natsu said, "I wasn't plannin' on it. Why? Are you worried people will read what you write?"
Her nodding said it all, so he sighed. "I'll see what I can do. I'm sure there's a cash box or something I can get for you." He figured if she could lock it up, she would feel more secure.
Natsu used the candlelight to write in his journal, recording what happened that day. He frowned when he saw his pen was running out of ink, causing him to stop mid-sentence to grab another pen from his stuff. On his way back, he jolted, not expecting to hear Lucy's voice in the silence.
"I don't know a lot of... of P-Pokémon," she admitted, her body curled under her blanket.
Natsu blinked a few times, her words slowly processing in his mind. "You don't?"
She shook her head. "I watched a f-few episodes, but that's it. Sorry."
Finding himself smiling, Natsu took his seat on his bed. "Nah, you're fine. No need to be sorry." His eyes flitted to his phone, wishing he had some episodes downloaded so they could watch, but he didn't. "I'm guessing one of the episodes you watched had a Charizard in it?"
He swore he saw a smile on her lips, even if it was tiny. "Yeah. He was... cool."
"He's pretty badass," Natsu agreed, softly laughing. "If you want, I can tell you about more Pokémon?"
"Sure," she whispered, voice giving away how tired she was.
Deciding it was time to get to bed anyway, Natsu went back to writing in his journal, keeping it brief so he could get some sleep too.
Oct 6th, 2017. Clearer today. Killed twenty-seven zombies. Forgot to ask Gray and Ultear their count. Had to quit early, water gatherer for a while. Someone killed their kid. She got kicked out. Serves her right. Played cards with Gray. Lucy kinda hung out with us. Mira made some pretty good soup today. Too scared to ask what was in it though. Gonna teach Lucy about Pokémon later. Hope she likes it. Maybe I can get her to play with me. Gotta get to sleep. Have AM watch tomorrow.
Natsu tipped his head back, suddenly remembering what came with having the morning shift for watch. He looked over at Lucy, ready to tell her what to expect, but paused when he saw her eyes closed, her lips parted as she slept.
"Damn," he mumbled, returning his notebook and pen to their proper place before laying down on his bed. "Guess I'll tell her tomorrow..."
Natsu set his alarm, already groaning at how little sleep he would get. He hoped Lucy would be able to take care of herself while he was on watch, because he couldn't do much during that job, needing to be completely focused on the safety of the base.
He couldn't afford to worry about Lucy.
Closing his eyes and surrendering to sleep, Natsu thought, 'It'll be fine... I'm sure she can get breakfast on her own... She has to eat after all.'
.
.
.
Can anyone tell I like Pokémon? :P I apologize for this chapter being so long. I tried to find a better place to cut it off, but nothing felt right. Just for research purposes, what do you prefer? Two shorter chapters or one extra long chapter? I'm experimenting with other POVs. :) It will mainly be Natsu's throughout the story though, in case anyone was wondering.
I want to take a moment to say while I do a lot of research for this story, I will make mistakes. If you see that, please politely let me know. So far no one has been rude to me. I'm just writing this as a precaution. I don't know everything, and I know I will make mistakes. I just ask that you be nice when pointing it out so I can fix it. Thank you.
So, what did you think of this chapter? Things aren't all sunshine and rainbows at Fairy Tail. Does anyone else think the baby died of SIDS, or do you think the mother was responsible? FYI, we will never know, as she will never be seen again. What do you think of Makarov's decision to kick her off base? There will be other situations in future chapters that sow things aren't always so black and white. Do you like the Laxus/Erik friendship? I hope I answered some questions this chapter. If not, ask away in the reviews. I try to answer some questions throughout the chapter. :P
Thank you for you support! I appreciate every favorite, follow, and review! Special thanks to the amazing people who gave me feedback last time: Tenma360Warrior, Lcydragneel, 20, cOokIe-MOnzTa, FlameDragonHime, Switchlolly007, LoveroftheWord, MorriganFae, TSG1996, Nalu-Nerd13, Lychee101, Sam, Screeney, Gabbicat18, Rubybird2329, FairyLover01, turtle3334, wolf-cry77, Guest(x2), Guesty, An Amber Pen, Ashnmarley, Terra of Life, BedknobsAndLlamas, alexmalik15, Charlotte621, samurai of sunflowers, ThayetJade, Guest, Tohka123, Rhearenee, cutielove077, Guest, PrincessSarahDragneel, ShootingDownAStar, Meow Orbit, KitAlbert07, Guest, ThatOneFriend-3, Serthrek871, ElementalMiko12(x7), ManderNaner, izzys5977, Lenachwann, and The 0bservanc3!
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