Chapter 16:
**later that night**
''Are we there yet?'' Mira whined as she pulled her leg out of another hole in the ground where, by the looks of it, the grass and roots tried to keep it. The last two hours were very similar to this. Ever since they stepped into deeper parts of the forest it seemed that Magnolia was hundreds of miles away. The environment and even temperature were drastically different.
Wendy laughed silently though she was not too far to ask the same question... again. She looked at Natsu that managed to make the walking through the pathless woods they found himself in, gracious. It was quite obvious he was used to this sort of terrain.
''Yes, we are'' Natsu said, not bothering to turn back as he ducked under a branch Wendy didn't even notice hanging there until then. ''If you allowed me to take you there trough Chaotic void we would've already been there.''
''I would rather walk another two hours'' Wendy huffed through a smile stretched her lips when she caught Natsu's quiet ''I should've just grabbed you and pull you through''
''Don't think you can use the same trick that you used on Lucy to work on us'' Wendy admonished her brother though the smile was still present. ''And besides, Mira and I would kick your ass for doing that... the moment we could stand straight that is''
Mira laughed at the comment though her eyebrows knitted together in slight confusion missing Natsu's sentence so unable to connect Wendy's with anything but quickly the confusion disappeared and she looked at Natsu. ''Bastard'' she said with a grin.
This time Natsu did stop and turn around to face them. ''Watch it'' he said with a voice so dry it almost made Mira thirsty. ''I could still use it on myself and leave you two on your own''
''I could always sniff our way out'' Wendy countered.
The small twitch in Natsu's lips – a smirk if you will – was left unseen because of the almost nonexisting light around them and the girls could only silhouette of the dragon slayer in front of them.
''Try it''
If it wasn't Natsu who was talking to them girls would swear there was a mischievous tone to his otherwise blank voice.
Wendy raised her eyebrow in question but did as Natsu instructed. After a moment she frowned at looked at Natsu. ''I can't smell anything other than our immediate area... What did you do?''
Mira gave a curious look to the pink-haired teenager whose teeth flashed in small light almost as if the small grin passed his face. ''I've learned a thing or two in my life. The least I can do is make this place hidden from people that don't know what to look and mask the scent once the wards are passed''
''That's why no one knows where you live'' Wendy realized.
''And why there is no path. I don't walk all this way very often'' Natsu said with a nod before he turned and started walking again.
''Chaotic void'' Mira spoke. Not as a question or seeking for confirmation. It was obvious that was the way he got home considering he used the spell every morning to appear in front of the bar for his morning fix of coffee. ''How does that spell work if you don't mind me asking?''
''Not at all'' Natsu replied, almost sounding genuinely pleased ''How familiar are you with time-space spells?''
''Not much'' Mira shrugged, almost falling over one root that stuck out of the ground though Wendy thankfully caught her elbow and pulled her to her feet.
''Not surprising'' Natsu gave a small shrug with one shoulder. ''Anyway, when I open the portal it takes me to a small pocket dimension - something like... tunnels? Let's go with that. Anyway – trough that I can move to where I want – under condition I can see the place or have already been there''
Wendy blanched at that. ''B-but we didn't see anything and the time it takes you to reappear is only a few seconds!'' she referred to her trip at the Oshibana station.
''Only the caster can see the tunnels and the time in the tunnels is different. The laws of physic and common sense as you know it does not apply to the tunnels'' Natsu explained.
''So all the side effects and the like... how do you even carry so many people around with you?''
''Rather simply. You follow me – you walk through you are not aware of it''
It was kind of creepy to know that and both Mira and Wendy agreed without a word spoken between them. ''Headaches, nausea and everything else is because of that?''
''Well partly though it is mostly caused by the passage through the dimensions''
''That makes some... weird, twisted sense... I guess?'' Mira said finally. ''Why don't you have headaches... and everything else?'' the white-haired girl wandered.
''I did at the beginning when I started learning the spell but if you use it enough times the side effects start weakening until they are completely gone''
''Interesting'' Wendy muttered. ''So if we use the spell enough times we would get rid of the pain?''
''Yes'' Natsu nodded, stepping over another root and immediately ducking under a low hanging branch.
Wendy and Mira followed him and immediately stopped afterward when they realized they were standing at the edge of a small clearing, the grass underneath their feet almost looked silver underneath moonlight that was now more visible when the thick treetops weren't hanging over their heads.
In the center of the clearing stood a small cottage, a tree that it seemed to have been built around pushed its roots through the bottom and branches through the roof but the bricks were built in a way that didn't leave any holes in the small house. A chimney decorated the other side taking the large part in the middle of the small wall.
''Is that your house?'' Wendy asked in awe at the pretty picture the sight produced.
Natsu just looked at her with a dry look that Wendy recognized as one of those he gave her when she asked a stupid question. It was a funny thing really – no one would even notice the difference between his usual expression but the small changes he made to his facial expression were more or less obvious to Wendy.
''Of course'' Wendy blushed.
''Well are you going to get inside or gawk at my house for the rest of the night?'' Natsu raised his eyebrow at the two who nodded and the three continued.
Whatever they expected to find when Natsu opened the doors of his house was not the sparkly clean room. Mira and Wendy looked around the small house in wonder. The living room they were standing in was connected with a small kitchen that was separated with L shaped counters, a stove and small fridge pushed against the wall next to counters and a sink in one of the counters. The living room had a two-seat sofa facing a fireplace and in front of the sofa stood a large suitcase that seemed to be used like a coffee table if the lone plate and empty coffee cup on it was anything to go by. Behind the sofa hung the hammock that must've been dubbed as a bed because there were only doors for bathroom left in the house. The hammock was tied between the wall and small wardrobe.
''I'll go and take a shower if you don't mind'' Natsu informed them going to the wardrobe and pulling a pair of baggy black pants and underwear out of it. ''You can search for something to eat in the fridge... I'm not sure if there is anything but you could always make some coffee''
With that the pink-haired dragon slayer left the girls alone in his living room and went into the bathroom, the doors closing without a sound. Two girls looked at each other, not sure what to do but after the water started running in the bathroom Wendy moved to the kitchen part of the room and opened the fridge, looking unimpressed at the moldy cheese and some bread that looked old but not old enough to be inedible.
''Well that's... underwhelming...'' Wendy sighed and her stomach growled. Mira looked through the counters, finding pretty much only enough for one of them – one plate, one cup, one spoon...
''No kidding'' Mira sighed. ''I knew I should've made him go to my house. I have some pie from yesterday we could've been eating two hours ago''
Wendy pouted at that before she pulled out the bread. ''Hungry?'' she showed Mira the bread and the white-haired girl made a face.
''Yes, but I don't think I could eat it just like that considering it's probably harder than a hammer''
Wendy tried to push her finger in it but only chuckled when it wouldn't budge. ''Talk about old''
She stored the bread in the fridge that she realized was not even turned on and closed the doors. ''He's really not often here is he?''
''Well I do eat at the guild when I'm in Magnolia'' Natsu spoke to them as he stepped out of the bathroom, black baggy pants on him but everything else of his trade-mark outfit missing, gray towel cast over his shoulders and water dripping from his still wet hair. Mira blushed at the sight.
'Dear Mavis', he's hot' Mira's blush deepened as she looked at her hands. 'Why am I thinking that now! He's always hot!'
The white-haired mage frowned and shook his head. 'So not the direction I wanted my thoughts to go'
Natsu looked at Mira somewhat curiously, seeing her red face but discarded it quickly. She's a girl. Girl's blush and he's half naked. He looked at the wardrobe wondering if he should've bothered getting the shirt wet with his hair to stop Mira from overheating. 'She does look cute, though'
Natsu would've looked horrified if he didn't lack the facial muscles to pull it trough. The dragon prince shook his head and turned to the fireplace, putting the few logs inside on fire with a match he pulled from the box nearby. Wendy couldn't help but grin at the sight of the two as she moved and sat in the sofa. The light in the house was not well, only the little that came from windows but she doubted Natsu was ever bothered by it, knowing her brother could see in the dark almost as well as during the day. He was probably only lightening that fireplace because of the two of them.
As the fire got brighter and bigger Mira's blushing face paled considerably. Natsu's torso and back were covered in scars. Big and small, narrow and wide. The biggest one was positioned right over his heart, the skin jagged and deformed. His arms were warped in bandages, both of them and it didn't take a genius to figure out it had something to do with dragonification.
''Where did you get all those scars?'' Mira blurted out before she could stop herself and started mentally kicking herself for that. 'Way to go Mira' she scolded herself.
Natsu blinked at her, not seeing what the big deal was. After a moment of contemplating how to elaborate he spoke. ''Most of them are from my training with Father''
''What in the hell did he made you fight?'' Since the cat was out of the bag she might as well satisfy her curiosity. Wendy bit her lower lip and looked at her lap making Mira unsure if she knew the answer or didn't want to know it.
''Dragons, demons – all that stuff I told you about'' Natsu explained. ''Though most of them are gained from punishments. I was quite a failure as a dragon slayer in father's opinion''
Whatever Mira expected to hear that wasn't... well that. Natsu was probably the strongest wizard she knew and while he and Gildarts never fought she had little doubt who would win.
Natsu stared at the fire, lost in thoughts as the memories of his childhood came back. He shook his head to clear his mind and threw another log into the fire.
''Have you found something to eat?'' Natsu changed the subject as he stood up and walked to the wardrobe, pulling on a grey shirt over his hair.
''Old bread and moldy cheese'' Wendy replied making a face. Natsu stared at his sister for a moment before she sighed exasperatedly. ''We can't eat those!''
''Are you certain?'' Natsu asked skeptically. ''You aren't just being picky again?''
Wendy blushed ''No! I mean yes! I mean; no I'm not picky and yes I'm certain''
Mira laughed after a second ''But don't worry. We can get through one night without food''
''The bandages are above the sink in bathroom'' Natsu said to Wendy who looked at him curiously. ''Where are you going?''
''To get some food for you two picky humans'' Natsu replied and promptly disappeared through the hole that opened beneath him.
Wendy laughed and stood up, walking towards the bathroom while Mira took a place at the sofa. Wendy returned a moment later carrying a roll of white bandages and moved to warp them around few shallow cuts on Mira's arms that before healing the bruises. ''He had it quite rough when he was a kid'' Mira spoke into the silence. Wendy nodded ''More then he lets on, no doubt''
''You don't think any less of him?'' Wendy asked as she looked at white-haired girl seriously.
''No'' Mira immediately replied. ''Why would I?''
''Just asking'' Wendy smiled.
''Do you know how was he punished?'' Mira couldn't help but ask. Wendy shook her head. ''He doesn't talk about it''
Mira nodded in understanding. It was only half an hour later when Natsu reappeared with a very familiar looking pie in his hands. Mira looked at him wide-eyed. ''How... Where did... You went to my house?''
''And nearly scared the living daylights out of your brother'' Natsu confirmed as he placed the pie in front of the girls and moved to the counters taking a plate and a bowl from it, giving it to the two girls.
''You won't eat?'' Mira asked as she cut the piece of pie out for Wendy.
''I'm not hungry'' Natsu shrugged off the question and sat on the floor since the girls had taken the sofa and that was more or less the only sitting place in the house. ''Do you want that I change your bandages Natsu?''
''I just put them on'' Natsu replied as he straightened his back. Something Wendy recognized as his 'back-off' stance. Since it wasn't accompanied by the usual glare she decided to try once again. ''You only put new ones on your right arm'' Wendy eyed the said arm, the number of bandages around them considerably less than on his left where they reached almost his shoulder. Natsu glanced at Mira who was eyeing the two over the edge of her plate, a forkful of pie halfway to her lips.
''It's alright Wendy'' Natsu said again. ''You've been using your magic all day and I'm sure you're exhausted''
''Nonsense'' Wendy smiled cheerfully as she took the bandages off of the table where she left them after she was done with Mira. The young dragon slayer quietly fingered the edge of the bandages and started unwarping them, biting her lower lip when her fingers brushed against hard scales that were replacing the skin making the transition area jagged and overall not quite pretty. Mira watched with her eyes widening by the second as Wendy revealed Natsu's arm, black scales and red lines covering his arm, his fingernails were replaced by a set of claws, sharp as a razor.
Natsu sat in front of Wendy on the floor, looking at Wendy, curious to see her reaction. The young girl glared at the scales but her eyes watered. ''This is going a lot faster than you said it would'' Wendy accused, wondering if her healing spell would be of any help. She looked over the hand one more time, frowning when she noticed a piece of skin already looking ready to peal of, black scales shining underneath.
''I've been forced to use more magic lately than I thought I would'' Natsu responded evenly, his eyes moving to Mira who was gaping at him.
''Is... Is that dragonification?'' Mira questioned uncertainly. Natsu nodded. ''The beginning of it'' he confirmed. Wendy warped the bandages around the arm, mindful of the claws in order to keep them from tearing the bandages as soon as they are applied. Mira was now the one chewing her lower lip. It was obvious Natsu didn't want to talk about it and neither did Wendy. She sighed and dropped it. It was not her's to pry. She will find out when the two will be ready to talk. She eyed Natsu. 'Soon, hopefully'
With a yawn, Wendy secured the bandages. ''Tired?'' Natsu stood up and looked at Wendy who looked at him, the pink-haired teen now towering over her since he was standing and she still sat on the sofa. ''I'll try to found you two blankets. I should have something in the closet'' Natsu muttered and walked to the small wardrobe. Wendy yawned again and glanced at the clock above the fridge. 1:45 a.m.
This was a long day.
Natsu returned with two blankets a moment later Wendy already barely awake. Mira smiled warmly at the brunette, moving her fingers through Wendy's hair. ''You want to take the sofa or hammock?'' Natsu asked Mira quietly. ''Sofa will be good'' Mira replied, thinking she and Wendy will share the small two-seat. She was somewhat surprised when Natsu gently hooked his arms underneath Wendy and lifted the girl who cracked an eye open him. ''Wha' ar' y doin'?''
''Carrying you to a bed'' Natsu replied as he set the girl in the hammock and pulled the blanket over her shoulders.
''Good night, big brother'' Wendy mumbled as she snuggled with the blanket.
''Good night, little dragoness'' Natsu whispered to her, removing a stray lock of hair from her face.
''You really care about her, don't you?'' Mira wasn't really sure why she was asking that since she knew he does but the stoic dragon-slayer seemed so human now she couldn't remember the last time she saw that.
Natsu looked up from Wendy and turned to Mira. ''...Yes,'' he answered after a long water. Mira smiled before she yawned herself. ''This was a long day''
Natsu nodded in agreement but didn't say anything as he watched Mira's eyes close. Natsu stayed silent as he sat on the floor, back against the back of the sofa, facing Wendy and with Mira behind him. He listened as their breathing evened out, the two slipping into deep sleep.
''Good night... love'' Natsu muttered and as if on cue the fire in the fireplace gave one last spark before it died down, leaving only ember.
End of chapter 16.
Rewritten
Please review and thanks for reading :)