And Onto the Story!
"Who was that?" Lucy asked as she watched the boy and his mother leave the guild, the child being scolded for running off.
"Oh! That's little Romeo, his dad is Macao Conbolt, and that was Enno Conbolt, they're both mages of the guild, so they agreed that they would take turns taking job requests so one of them would always be home to take care of their son." Levy explained with a smile, while Jet and Droy continued to stare at her like usual, believing they were being discreet.
"That's actually kind of sweet… This place seems pretty amazing," Lucy said with a smile as she looked around the room, half the tables full of people, while there were some others dancing in the corner, laughing and talking.
" So how do these missions work, if Macao is an experienced mage what chance do I have?" Lucy commented, her tone becoming morose as she watched Jet and Droy argue in front of the request board, standing beside a tall dark man in tribal clothing.
"Oh! That's right, you're new to all of this. Well, job requests could be any number of things. Monster extermination, Person or Package Escort or even missing pets." Levy explained with a smile as one by one guild members came around and introduced themselves to her.
"Really? I thought they would be hard, dangerous missions. What type of mission should I try and take first?" Lucy asked as she rubbed her chin, looking to Levy for an answer.
"Well, there are a lot of factors that determine what type of mission you should take. Knowledge, skill level and Magic type are the three main factors when choosing a mission. What type of magic do you use?" Levy explained to the blonde, who nodded in understanding.
"I'm a Celestial Spirit Mage!" Lucy exclaimed cheerfully, catching some of the guilds attention as they turned to the girls table, surprised to see Levy's eyes widen in shock.
"Really? That's pretty amazing, that's considered a Lost Magic. How many keys do you have?" Levy asked as she raised her right in the air, drawing a rune in the air for 'Journal'. Lucy watched in awe as the runes turned into an actual book, falling right into Levy's hand's as she began to take down notes.
"I have Three gold, and Four Silver keys. But only the Golden Keys are good combat types," Lucy explained sheepishly, watching as Levy took notes.
"You know what? How about you join us for a mission, and if you're a good fit, we might even invite you to our team." Levy offered as she caught Jet's eye, waving him over while a smile erupted on Lucy's face, her eyes glistening in joy.
"What's up?" Jet asked, appearing at their side within seconds due to his Jet Speed Magic, attempting to impress his crush.
"Were there any good missions we could take for Lucy here? I was thinking we would help her with her first mission and show her the ropes," Levy asked, even though she was the de facto leader of the team.
"Yeah, Droy found one about a book, it should be fairly easy. We'll be right back!" Jet replied with a salute as he ran back to the request board.
"So you're the newbie huh?" A strong, masculine voice called out from behind Levy, who smiled at the blonde.
"Yep! My name is Lucy!" The blonde introduced as she looked up, a small blush developing on her cheeks as she took in his pale, chiseled torso, his navy blue Fairy Tail Guild Emblem proudly displayed on his left pectoral, his hands in his pants pockets.
"Well, I'll catch you around, I'm heading out on a request," Gray said as he headed towards the exit, Lucy's eyes glued to his back, counting the faded white scars.
"Alright Levy, what do you think about this one?" Droy asked as he stopped at the table, Jet by his side as Levy began to read over the job request.
'Please retrieve a book from the Duke Everlue of Shirotsume town. The posted reward is 200,000 Jewels. Please confer with us at the listed address before proceeding with this mission," Levy read aloud, surprised as the reward amount, but also nervous at the lack of information.
"Really? Two hundred thousand jewels just to find a book?" Lucy asked in shock as she looked at Team Shadow Gear, all of them contemplating the request. By now the Guild returned to their day, everyone from Reedus to Chico having introduced themselves to Lucy.
"I think we should take it, between all of us we have more than enough experience, knowledge and muscle to figure this out." Jet concluded after a couple minutes of silence, a hopeful smile on Lucy's face as she looked at the other two.
"I agree, we are called team Shadowgear for a reason," Droy commented with a shrug as both boys looked to Levy, knowing if she said no they would just look for another. Since Levy joined their team, they had never failed a mission, with low damage and injuries.
"Alright, but if Lucy falls behind, Jet, you gotta get her to safety," Levy agreed, cheers erupting from the boys lips as Jet took the request back from Levy, and brought it to Makarov to validate and approve Lucy's involvement.
"Thank you so much! I'm so excited!" Lucy cheered as she jumped over the table, wrapping her arms around Levy as she gave her a hug.
"Hey, you don't need to thank me for anything, we're family now." Levy said with a smile as she returned the hug.
"Alright buddy, this is as far as I can take you," The carriage driver called to Natsu who was laying in the back. The poor man was shivering, his thick wool jacket unable to withstand the cold, icy mountain breeze.
"Hey, no worries! Just make sure to get back to town safely. I left a tip in your carriage," Natsu replied with a smile as he hopped into the blizzard that was Mt Hakobe, securing the carriage doors behind him before waving the man off. The cab driver quickly snapped the reins, his horses quickly making their way down the mountain trail to escape the blistering winds.
"Ahh, nothing like a nice fresh breeze to wake you up," Natsu muttered with a smile as he stretched his back, arms in the sky as he took in the sight.
"Now, if I were a gaggle of vulcans… I'd probably be higher up, it's a shame I can't enjoy this." Natsu thought with a sigh as he narrowed his eyes, looking towards the peak, unable to catch the scent of anything above him because of the roaring winds.
"Fire Dragon's Majestic Flight" Natsu muttered under his breath as he tapped his feed on the ground a few times, confirming he was standing on hard rock rather than ice. Blazing white wings of fire began to grow out of his back, unaffected by the wind as they fluttered to life. It was like they were sculpted from marble, thick strong spines connected my thin scaly membrane with a claw on the end of each spine.
He slightly bent his knees, the fiery wings extending to their full width, before launching him into the air, his eyes trailing over the mountain side as he continued his ascent, flying around the peak of the mountain in a systematic spiral, his draconic eyes able to see every single spec of snow.
"Well would you look at that, that seems like a perfectly Vulcan sized cave" Natsu said with a smirk as he looked down at the mountain, almost wishing Reedus was there to paint a picture and preserve the image forever.
"I guess there's no time like the present," Natsu muttered as his wings spread, pointing his body towards the small cave before propeling him forward. He slowed down, lightly touching his feet onto the uneven icy ground.
"Well, If the scent of rotting flesh and the overall smell of death doesn't mean this was a Vulcan den," Natsu said under his breath as he quickly dispelled his wings, carefully creeping his way into the cave.
It was surprisingly bright inside the cave, the sunlight reflecting off the snow, the sounds of cracking and growling echoing outside. His eyes narrowed before quickly darting into the cave, catching sigh of a large ice vulcan tearing it's way through a mountain goat, it's head completely torn off and thrown to the side in a pool of blood.
Natsu didn't even give it a chance to see him, his feet crushing the ice beneath him as he sprinted forward, planting his fist in the monster's gut. The vulcan choked, it's eye's bulging as it vomited the raw, bloody meet over Natsu's shoulder onto the ground.
Natsu took a few steps back, carefully looking for the rest of it's gaggle, before sighing.
"Oh, well that makes this really easy," Natsu said as he turned back to look at the unconscious vulcan, watching as clumps of hair and skin fell to the ground, revealing an unconscious Macao who had fallen victim to the Vulcan's takeover magic.
"C'mon Macao, you got a kid to get home to, what happened?" Natsu asked himself as he requipped a spare cloak, laying it on a cleaner patch of ice, carefully moving Macao over as he began to patch him up, using a canteen full of salt water, carefully cleaning an open gash on his left side, before sitting him up and wrapping his abdomen, and any other cuts he had.
"Fire Dragon's Blessing," Natsu whispered as he gently placed his right index and middle finger against Macao's bandaged forehead, his magic flaring as a magic circle flashed in the air, Macao's prone body being enveloped in a white flash, gently heating his body and protecting him from the cold.
"Hey Natsu! How's Macao?" Lisanna asked with a smile from the bar as she saw Natsu push through the front door of the guild, wearing a tailored salmon coloured dress shirt and black pants. The guild was lively as usual, people laughing and drinking, sharing stories and planning for upcoming missions.
"Hey Lis, thanks for listening to the kid, Macao got ambushed by the vulcans, and just as he was finishing them off they trapped him in an avalanche before using their Take-Over ability. Enno is taking care of him while Cana took Romeo out for ice cream." Natsu replied with a grin, reaching over the bar to kiss Lisanna.
"Well you're certainly looking dapper today, hot date?" Lisanna asked with a wink as he sat back onto his stool with a blush, accepting a mug of beer with a smile as Lisanna returned to her duties, comprising a list of what everyone owed. The guild had a system where everyone was allowed to keep a tab on what they owed, which was paid off every time they took a mission added onto the guild's 'upkeep tax'.
"Hopefully, Any idea where Mira is? I wanna make it up to her," Natsu said as he took a sip of beer, while Lisanna continued to tally who ordered what for lunch.
"I'm pretty sure she's home packing, I think she wanted to take Elf-nii and I with her on another S-Class request," Lisanna replied with a huge smile, excited to spend more time with her siblings. They usually went on a S-Class request once a month for sibling bonding, the further away the better.
"Alright brats, I'm off to the Guilds Master Meeting. Try not to get into more trouble than usual alright?" Makarov grumbled as he walked down the stairs towards the bar, wearing his white Wizard Saint's cloak, over a blue collarless dress shirt and black pants.
"But getting into trouble is the fun part," Natsu whined with a smile as Makarov walked by, rolling his eyes as he used his Giant Magic to extend his left hand, reaching around and slapping him across the back of a head, the entire guild bursting into laughter at Natsu's expense.
"Please be safe, Master! You have Beverley coming in for the next week right?" Lisanna asked as Makarov stopped to take a look at the request book, before closing the book with a smile. He would be forever grateful to have members like Lisanna in his guild, and he wouldn't dare to think what would have happened if they lost someone to the Beast.
"You know you don't have to work the bar alone Lisanna, I can hire some help. And yes, Beverley will be coming with her friend Julia this time." Makarov said with a smile as he looked at Lisanna, who had decided to start working the bar last year when their last bartender moved to Hargeon with their husband.
"I appreciate that, but as I've told you before, I enjoy working at the bar, I get to see everyone and give them advice, congratulate them on a mission well done! And, you still let me take a request every so often with my siblings. I have everything I could ever want." Lisanna explained passionately as she reached across the bar, squeezing Natsu's hand with a smile.
Everyone looked at Lisanna in appreciation, smiles on their faces as they listened to her speech, looking down at their respective orders with a new appreciation.
"Well, let me know if you ever change your mind alright dear?" Makarov asked with a smile as he put the request book back under the counter, waving at the guild as he hobbled his way out the front door while everyone called their good-byes.
"Hey, where's the new girl? Luigi or something," Natsu asked as he sniffed the air, before looking over his shoulder, catching lavender, black, white, brown, ginger and green hair in the guild, but no long blonde hair.
"Oh c'mon, you know it's Lucy! Anyway, it seems she and Levy get along really well, they're actually on a mission right now," Lisanna said with a smile that was soon mirrored on Natsu's face, glad to see her fitting in.
"Well, I hope it goes well. For all her talk about joining Fairy Tail being her childhood dream, she clearly has no combat experience or training. I pray she's not one of those people who rely entirely on their spirits," Natsu said as he raised his glass, before taking a drink, trusting that Team Shadowgear's experience and great teamwork would keep her safe.
"Please, not all of us were crazy strong Dragon Slayer's before we were found in a forest by the Master," Lisanna said as she stuck her tongue out at her boyfriend, who choked on his beer, attempting to fix a half-hearted glare at his lover, which easily crumbled when she smiled.
"I swear Lis, you're true magic is you're beautiful smile," Natsu commented in faux annoyance as he shook his head, leaning back to avoid another swat to the head as Lisanna's musical laughter began to fill the guild.
"Oh hush you! Now go ask Mira-nee on a date, it'd really make her happy," Lisanna said, a large smile on her face as it was overcome with a blush, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him over the bar into a passionate kiss.
"Get a room!" Max called out from his table with Warren, his hands cupped around his mouth, the guild erupting into catcalls, wolf whistles and laughter.
"Wow, uhm… so totally not complaining." Natsu stuttered when she broke it off, a proud smile one her face as she sashayed into the dining room, knowing his eyes were trained to her waist as she grabbed her serving tray.
"Don't forget Mira-nee~" Lisanna called out over her shoulder as she sauntered through the hall, collecting plates and mugs, pocketing the tips with a smile.
"Right! Mira! Date! I'll see you later?" Natsu asked as he stumbled his way towards the door, a dazed look on his face as he slowly pushed the door open, before staggering out the door.
"It doesn't matter how strong a man is, the woman will always have all the power," Lisanna commented when everyone looked at her; Bisca, Laki, Mickey and Chico cheered in pride, while the men looked at them nervously.
"You know, I still don't know how that relationship works though, don't you get jealous?" Bisca asked curiously when Lisanna collected her dirty plate, as everyone turned to the Take-Over Mage in curiosity. Nobody had the guts to ask before, but with the mood Lisanna was in, and all the major players missing it was worth the risk.
"What would you have me do? Lose the man I love? Break my sister's heart? Or what about my best friend? Natsu has a good heart, and he would never do wrong by us. It works really well, and we all get to be happy. I'd much rather that everyone gets to be happy together, we're like one big family." Lisanna explained with a smile as she carried her tray to the back, supporting it on her right shoulder while everyone looked at her in shock.
"Oui, all that matters is they're happy," Reedus commented with a smile, his french accent carrying through as he deftly painted a perfect depiction of Natsu's blushing stunned face, which he was going to sell to the highest bidder.
Maybe he should wait for Laxus, or Erza to return, Gildarts would take forever...
'Maybe I should get some flowers, Fauna's is on the way over…' Natsu thought as he walked through the city, a content look on his face as he enjoyed the cool gentle breeze blowing in the streets, between the homes, apartments and stores.
The city was split, vertically and horizontally by large roads, helping to split the different districts while allowing carriage and magic mobile travel. The City was centered around the Kardia Cathedral, one of if not the most important heritage buildings in the city, where all meetings and celebrations were held. The Fairy Tail guild was at the northern part of the city near Scilliora Lake, which bled into the city forming different canals.
The shopping district was near the heart of the city, with large wide roads, allowing for small businesses to set up little stands and sell their wares. Fortunately it was only around four in the afternoon, leaving the streets relatively calm and peaceful, save for the few pedestrians who got off work early.
Natsu paused on the stone bridge connecting the Northern and shopping districts, taking in the gentle sounds of running water, as he leaned on the railing. 'I long for these days, when I'm not fighting for my life, or dealing with stupid Council politics. These are the days that make all that fighting worth it.' He thought before pushing off the ledge and entering the market place district of Magnolia.
The shopping district was one of the most popular areas in Magnolia, as you could buy anything from Art or furniture, to fresh fruit and delicacies. The air was filled with a sweet, floral smell; the air filled with bartering and advertising as everyone went through their day, purchasing, selling or trading.
"Hey Natsu! I got some fresh Salmon today!" The fishmonger called out as he watched the Wizard Saint walk by, a smile on his face at seeing his best customer, who would pay a little extra on the slow months to help keep his family going.
"Oh, hey Saito, how's your wife?" Natsu asked with a smile as he walked back to talk to the man. Saito was a short, burly man, standing about a head shorter than Natsu with long braided black hair, but he was built like a barrel. He was wearing a red plaid button up shirt, with tan waterproof overalls and rubber black boots.
"Ah, well, it's a girl, a healthy little thing too. Her name's Ono," Saito replied with a proud smile as he turned around and began to look at his stock while Natsu waited patiently.
"That's good! I'm glad it all went well, did you get the gift I sent over?" Natsu asked worriedly, wanting to make sure that it was delivered safely, while Saito picked up a barrel with a laugh.
"Oh man, thank you so much for that by the way, Mochi was shocked when she saw the number on that cheque, it was way too much, but I already know you're too stubborn to take it back. I got one barrel of Salmon for ya, it's on the house." Saito said with a serious look on his face as he placed the barrel on his counter, daring Natsu to argue with him.
"Fine! Fine, but I'll be back," Natsu said with a smile as he placed his hand on the counter, placing the barrel in his magic space before shaking hands with the fishmonger.
"You better! I don't know what I'd do without my best customer. Enjoy the rest of your day!" Saito called out as he waved at Natsu, who continued on his way to the flower shop, buying some fresh fruit, vegetables, a kilo of dried rice and raw meats, doing his grocery shopping a few days early since he had the time.
After about thirty minutes of perusing through the shopping district, he arrived at Fauna's Flowers, the best flower shop in the city. They had the widest variety, but also the best quality. It was a cute little shop, with flowers and grass painted along the bottom of the windows with a cute sign above the entrance.
Opening the door to the flower shop, the bell rang as he walked in, he was overwhelmed by the smell of flowers. Looking around he sees flowers of different colors and types, all organized along the walls in planters and holders, the floor is a nice mahogany, and light lacrimas hung from the ceiling.
"Hello, Welcome to Fauna's flowers, how may I help you- Oh, hey Natsu! Who are you shopping for today?" A young woman greeted him with a sly grin as she walked to the counter. She was wearing a straw hat with her ginger hair tied back in a messy ponytail. A green apron with clippers and a yellow sundress covered her slim body.
"Hey Blossom, I was looking to get some flowers for Mira today," Natsu replied sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck, remembering when he first tried to explain to her about his unusual predicament. She yelled at him for a good five minutes, wacking him in the head with a shovel and covering his clothes in dirt.
But now they're pretty good friends, after the girls went down to the store and explained that he wasn't cheating on any of them.
"How is she doing by the way? I really liked her last spread in the Weekly," Blossom said as she walked towards the long wall perpendicular to the counter, that was covered in organized pots from floor to ceiling, wall to wall. The pots were on a seventy degree angle, so they could still hold water.
She began picking white and red lilies, babies breath, sunflowers, hydrangea and jasmine, before walking back to the counter, knowing the model's favorite bouquet by heart.
"Oh, she's doing pretty good. She's taking an S-Class request with her siblings tomorrow, so I wanted to make the most of it." Natsu said with a frown as he watched her begin to arrange the flowers in the gift wrap, making sure to wrap the stems in a damp cloth to preserve the flowers better.
"Well aren't you just the sweetest. I wish I had a boyfriend like you, all the guys I go out with are dicks." Blossom commented as she rolled the wrapping before tying it off with a white ribbon.
"Hey, well, I'd offer to set you up, but I'll spare you the pain. I can ask one of the girls though?" Natsu offered helpfully as he pulled a wad of jewels out of his pocket and placed it down on the counter, before gently taking the flowers and putting them in his requip space and walking to the exit.
"Uh, Natsu, this is like ninety thousand jewels too much," Blossom called out as she counted the total before running after him to the door, stopping when Natsu waved his hand at her as he opened the door with a smile.
"Nah, keep the change and get yourself some new clothes for that date alright?" Natsu asked as he walked through the door, missing the shocked expression on the florists face as he made his way down the street.
'I just hope one of the girls will be able to set her up, I don't want to get her hopes up for nothing,' Natsu thought worriedly as he turned at the corner, putting his hands back in his pocket as he continued towards the Strauss residence.
The roads were beginning to fill up, as rush hour began, magic mobiles filling the two way street as they brought people home from work.
'Ah well, Blossom's a wonderful girl, it can't be that hard to find her a good date right?" Natsu thought positively as he crossed the street, turning on to Mira's road as a flash of white covering his upper body as he requiped a tailored black blazer, running his hand through his hair as he walked up to her porch and knocking on her door.
"Give me a minute!" Mira called from the other side of the door, a smile on Natsu's face as he removed her bouquet of flowers from his magical space and hid them behind his back, leaning against the railing as he patiently waited for her.
"What?... Oh! Natsu! Come in! How's Macao?" Mira asked as she poked her head out the door, her hair wrapped in a white towel like a hat, a smile blooming on her face when she saw her boyfriend.
Natsu's jaw dropped when she opened the door, the only thing protecting her modesty was a towel that barely reached her thighs, her skin glistening the falling sunlight.
"Oh come in you dolt! Although it is cute your brain still cuts out when you've seen me a million times," Mira commented with a blush when she grabbed his arms, pulling him into her house and closing the door and locking the chain.
"Uhm, these are for you," Natsu said with a smile as he gave Mira the bouquet of flowers, feeling his face heat up when she flashed him a dazzling smile, raising them to her face and taking in their scent.
"Oh Natsu, that's so sweet of you! I'll go put them in a vase right now," Mira said with a smile, as she walked towards the kitchen, a devious smirk growing on her face when she felt his eyes trained to her waist.
He shook his head when she disappeared from sight in an attempt to regain his composure. 'You'd think after all these years I would get used to seeing her like that… But every day that goes by, it's like she gets prettier… If that's even possible…' Natsu thought with a sigh as he bent down to take his shoes off.
"So what's the special occasion? Is everything alright?" Mira asked as she walked back into her living room, pulling the towel from her head, her long platinum blond locks flowing down her back as she shook her head. She looked at Natsu, bursting out in laughter when she saw his jaw on the ground.
"Hey, Natsu! Hellooo!" Mira said with a smile as she looked down, quickly checking that her towel was still in place as she walked forward, carefully closing his mouth. Unfortunately, she was used to this, after the first two weeks of her modeling career, they had to change her entire set to women, and even then they had to replace a girl on the make-up team.
"Oh, uh, I wanted to ask you out for dinner, since you're going on a request tomorrow I know you're not making dinner," Natsu said with burning cheeks and a smile as he rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed to be caught staring in such an overt manner.
"I'd love to! Can you come back in about an hour and a half while I get ready? I need to make sure I have everything ready for tomorrow." Mira asked with a radiating smile, a happy glisten in her eye as she stepped forward and placed a kiss on his cheek, before stepping back towards the stairs.
"Sure, and don't dress up too nicely, I'm not really planning on going to a restaurant," Natsu said with a smirk as he backed towards the door, finally getting a semblance of self control back, even though he wanted nothing more than to rip that towel off and throw her down on the couch.
"Oh really? Well then, I look forward to whatever you have planned," Mira said with a smile as she turned around, a happy lilt to her step as she rushed up the stairs to prepare.
"I swear, whatever I did in my past life, to deserve this… Thank you, truly from the bottom of my heart." Natsu said under his breath as he gestured to the room, to his life, as he undid the chain and locked the door handle before stepping outside.
"Now I have some work to do, Flaming Steps." Natsu said as he looked to the sky, running the plan through his head, as he placed his hands in his pockets, before blinding white flames seeped out of his pores, before shooting off into the sky, leaving not even a trace.
"You look beautiful Mira-nee," Elfman said with a smile as he watched his older sister, and role model walk down the stairs, digging through her purse and making sure she had everything she needed.
"Please, Elf, I'm always beautiful," Mira said absentmindedly as her purse slid to the crook of her right elbow as she stepped onto the landing. She was wearing torn black skinny jeans, with a white studded belt, and royal purple high heels with one inch pumps that ended mid shin. She was wearing a purple shoulder-less blouse that matched her boots and a white choker collar with a silver skull.
"Of course, of course. Where's Natsu taking you tonight?" Elfman asked as he walked into the kitchen to make himself a few sandwiches.
"Actually I'm not too sure tonight, but he did mention a picnic. I left my bag beside my bedroom door. Please make sure to be packed and ready for tomorrow, our train leaves at 9." Mira said as she walked into the living room, sitting on the couch and grabbing a magazine off of the coffee table.
"Of course Nee-san, a man would never let his family down like that!" Elfman roared from the kitchen, prompting Mira to roll her eyes as she flipped to the next page of her magazine, quickly moving on when it was an interview with her rival Jenny Realight.
"Riiight… Well, you're lucky I let you choose the request this time, so you better not let me down alright? Oh, by the way… Did I forget to tell you that you're taking points on this one?" Mira commented in an aloof manner with a smirk that grew when she heard a plate shatter on the floor.
"Shit… Really?" Elfman cursed as he bolted into the dining room, his heavy footsteps echoing through their home as he stared at her wide eyed, a large smile on his face as he stared at his big sister.
"Oh c'mon, don't make a big deal about it alright? You've come a long way the past few years, I think you're ready for it. You're easily one of top three prospects for this year's exams." Mira commented off handedly as she flipped the page of her magazine.
"Thank you, so much Nee-san... I promise I won't let you down," Elfman choked out as he walked to the closet under the stairs, grabbing the broom and heading back into the kitchen, making sure not to look her in the eyes.
"Are you crying, you big moron? For-" Mira began to rant as she stood up, only to be interrupted by a knock on the door. A smile erupted on Mira's face as she threw the magazine down on the coffee table, and made her way to the door.
"Wow you look stunning," Natsu said with a smile when she stepped onto the porch, closing the door behind her. The sun was setting, the skies beginning to darken to a pink hue, while a gently cool breeze carried through the streets.
"Thanks, you look pretty good yourself," Mira replied as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning into his touch as she leaned up onto her toes. Natsu bent his neck, his arms wrapping around her waist as their lips touched, engaging in a loving, passionate kiss.
Their bodies began to glow, a pure, bright white as Natsu activated his magic, his fire encompassing both of them as they disappeared in a flash of light, shooting off into the sky due East.
Civilians looked to the sky, making wishes and sharing dreams as they saw the fire shoot across the sky like a shooting star.
They quickly began their descent, shooting into the forest like a bullet, darting between branches and leaves as they hit the forest floor. Natsu and Mira quickly reformed, still in each other's loving embrace.
"I still can't believe you can do that," Mira whispered when their lips parted, resting her head on his chest before her eyes widened, recognizing where they were.
Natsu had prepared a beautiful romantic picnic exactly where they became friends, on the shore near the stream. There was a red and white checkered blanket on the shore of the beach, a carefully built campfire, that was dug out and surrounded by large river rocks. There was a steel pail full of ice, a bottle of red wine gently nestled in the pail. And there was a large wicker basket set in the center of the blanket.
"Fire Make; Fireflies," Natsu whispered as a magic circle appeared on the ground, extending to cover the entire area. Little balls of fire began to appear in the air, dancing in the skies and casting a beautiful glow on the shore. The clearing was filled with the crackling sounds of the fire, and the gentle rustling of the creek.
"Natsu, this is just… This is beautiful… Thank you," Mira said with a smile, tears coming to her eyes as she placed a kiss on his cheek before walking towards the blanket and taking a seat, curling her legs as she rested her right hand behind her.
"Well, I thought it'd be nice to just have a break away from all of… that," Natsu said with a smile as he took his seat on the picnic blanket, grabbing the bottle of wine and pouring them both a glass.
"Natsu, this is perfect, it's so beautiful, thank you," Mira said as she leaned over, placing a kiss on his cheek as he gave her a glass.
"I just wish we had more nights like this, ya know? That's why I figure we have to make the most of it." Natsu replied as he swirled the wine in his hand.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were trying to get laid, and you are doing a very good job at it by the way," Mira said tongue in cheek, laughing when Natsu almost spit out his wine as he looked at her with wide eyes.
"Oh lighten up, I'm just kidding, you're nothing like that," Mira commented as she waved him off, enjoying how disconnected she felt from the world as she looked at the running stream.
"What type of request are you guys going on this time? I remember last time you guys had some fun disassembling a smuggling operation near the border of Bosco," Natsu said with a snort. They had spent an entire month, going one by one detaining everyone in the gang from carriers to hired muscle, and finally the boss, who was so petrified he had to be admitted to a psychiatric facility for three weeks.
"Oh, well, honestly, I haven't seen the request, I'm giving Elf a shot like you suggest, so it better pan out," Mira replied as she fixed a glare on the Wizard Saint, who replied with a smile.
"Please, Gramps wouldn't let you guys go on the mission if he thought you couldn't handle it. You are the Demon after all. Would you like something to eat?" Natsu replied with a smile as he gestured to the basket.
"Sure, but what do you got?" Mira asked politely as she watched him open the basket, instantly noticing that he didn't prepare this meal himself.
But she was more than okay with that.
A/N
I hope that I have taken this story into a better direction, I really do appreciate any criticism, constructive, harsh or otherwise. I hate to name people like this, but GrossedOut was correct with their statement.
Anywho, As I'm sure you can all tell, the Lullaby arc will be starting up next chapter.
Apparently 1$ US is approximately 100 Jewels, so 1000$ would be 100,000 J.
Hopefully I don't fuck it up thrice, and huge thanks to Xperior for help with suffixes!