HELLER! Welcome new, or faithful fellow reader(s). All I have to say is...I'm having such a good time typing this story for you, and I hope you are liking it. Also, (I hate to keep pestering you) please review. (I only keep on saying this, because I love getting messages, and look to see if I have any every day.) I guess you can say I'm a desprate freak to chat. I won't mind if you agree, or call me something along those lines, cause it's most likely true. XD! Anyway. I can tell you right now that I probably spelled part of the title to this chapter wrong, but I don't care! Enjoy this chapter, Young Grasshopers!
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Secrets and A Tour
Early the next morning, I wake up enough to hear my surroundings, but not enough to open my still tired eyes. Rustling and the light tap tap of sandles on the wooden floor make me want to try to see what is the cause of their sounds, but I just listen, too lazy to bother trying. 'Where am I again?' I wonder as the faint sounds continue. 'Oh, yeah. I'm at what's his name...Natsu! I'm at his place. Maybe it's him making the noises.' A quiet "Found it." breaks into my thoughts. 'That sounded like him...Must be getting something.' I shurg mentally, and roll onto my stomach, wrapping my arms around the pillow I borrowed. I hear Natsu catch his breath just as the sound cut off abruptly. I can imagine him wincing. Then, after a few seconds, the door slowly creaks open, then closes softly. 'That was nice of him for trying not to wake me.' I smile, 'Usually someone would just yell to get me up if I was still working for "Mistress Ivory". I smirk at the memory of ditching Ivory as I fall back to sleep.
After a few hours, though it seems like a few heart beats, a loud gasp rouses me from my sleep. I lift my head, forcing my eyes open groggily. The first thing I see is...Happy...staring about two inches away from my face.
"Mmmmhi, Happy." I sigh sleepily, rubing my left eye. He jumps to his feet, landing on the arm rest of the couch, and points at me.
"Who are you, How did you get here, HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME!?...WHAT DID YOU DO TO NATSU, AND WHERE DID YOU PUT HIM!?" He yells in my face. I fake wipe away spt from my face.
"Say it, don't spray it..." I grumble half to myself, then answer him in one jumbled sentence, "MynameisCyrus,yourfriendNatsuhelpedmeoutbigtimelastnight,andI'mthegirlwhogaveyoufishthreemonthsago,wheniscaredNatsuoutofatree." I prop myself up on one arm, and blink slowly at him, waiting for his reaction.
"Oooooooooooooooohhh! So that's why he asked about the couch so late last night. Okay." He nods to himself, satisfied. We're silent for what seems to be hours, then he blurts out a random question that catches me off guard. "Can you cook? 'Cuz I'm hungrey. And Natsu will probably want something once he comes back from where ever he went off to. He can never go long with out food at any time of day...or night." I nod slowly, following along so he won't know, that I have no clue what the heck he's talking about. He waits patiently for my answer, making me snacp out of my wandering thoughts.
"Oh. Yea I can cook. I've been cooking fancy food for the worlds pickiest woman, or human for that matter, for the last three years." I squeeze bragging in, just cuz I can. "What have you got for me to work with? Ask what you want if you've got the stuff for it, and I bet you I can make it." He claps happily, leads me to the "Kitchen" area, and shows me all the supplies he has.
"This is all we have. Usually I do the cooking, and Natsu does the work to get money for the food. We call our savings "Food money". Anyway...I don't know what you or Natsu want, but I just want a fish from the fridge."
"Can't you get the fish yourself?" I ask nicely. Happy shakes his head sadly.
"No. Natsu likes to lock the fridge when he leaves, so no one can steal anything. If I'm here, though, he leaves the key to the lock with me, so I can get stuff. What he doen't know, is that..." He starts that pout-cry of his as he points at the lock on the fridge handle, "I CAN'T GET THE DOOR OPEN ENOUGH TO GET ANYTHING!"
"Whaaat...?" I walk over to the fridge, and look over the whole lock set up. There's around three ultra strength, heavy duty chains wrapped around the wole frigde in a confusing twisting way. They are all brought together and held in place by a huge cast iron lock that hooks around the handle of the fridge door. "Woooooooww...You guys really don't want anything to happent to your food."
"Mmmhmm!" Happy smiles and nods enthusiastically.
"So...What do you eat when Natsu's gone?"
"Stuff from the pantry and cubards."
"Okay...Then why don't you just tell Natsu that you can't get stuff?"
"Well..." He looks away from me, a look of embarrassment bathing his face, "I don't want to be so helpless!"
"Helpless!? Are you kidding me? You've got to be kidding me!" I shake my head like an irritated teacher, "You are like...the most important friend to Natsu. I can tell you that in all honesty."
"You think so...?" He finally faces me, but he still has a sad spark in his eyes.
"Yeah! I know I haven't met your guys's friends yet, but it's clear that you are the closest and best friend to Natsu. He's lucky in that way." My pep talk appears to be starting to work, "How long have you and Natsu been friends?"
"Since he found me as an egg. I hatched...like...a few months later. We've been friends since." Happy shruggs like it was nothing.
"Amazing. And do you think you're helpless, when you think of all the things you've probably done that have saved and helped Natsu, and probably some of you other friends too?!" My pep talk livens Happy's spirits.
"Yeah. There were a few times that Natsu could have died or gotten really hurt if I hadn't caught him in time. And I do the cooking, so I help that way too!" He stands on the counter I'm in front of as he pumps a fist in the air. "Well. Here's the key to the lock. Have fun getting the door open." He hands me the lock's key, and I unlock the chains. "What ever you're gonna make, I'd make a whole bunch of it. Natsu can eat so much! It's crazy! No one can out eat him. No one!"
"Well he is a Dragon Slayer, after all. Some of them can eat a lot." I begin to fiddle with the chains. I, soon, am able to open the door to the half way point, so I start to dig out the supplies for pancakes, waffles, toast, eggs, and beacon. Lots of beacon.
"Wait." Suddenly Happy is on my face. Literally. Our noses are touching, and he's grasping the sides of my head as far back as he can reach, feet on my shoulders. "How do you know Natsu's a Dragon Slayer? Did he already tell you!? He's never done that before!"
"What?" I pull Happy off to answer. "No, he didn't tell me. He just smells like one, so I just thought-"
"But only other Dragon Slayers can smell the differences of regular people, wizards, or other Dragon Slayers!" Happy interupts me, then he gasps hugely, hands on his cheeks, "YOU'RE A DRAGO-" I slap a hand over his mouth.
"Shhhhhh-shush-shush-shush! I don't want the whole world to know about it. Now be quiet!" Once he nods, I let him go.
"You're a Dragon Slayer!?" He whispers loudly. I whip together the waffle and pancake mixes, then poor them into seperate frying pans.
"Yeah, and it's great, now you can't tell anyone." I make my voice sound all sweet and sugary. Happy's jaw drops slightly, and he glances quickly from side to side from slight fear of the way I had spoken to him. As the food cooks, I set up a few spots on the table that's close by. Happy starts to ramble of question after question so fast, that I almost fall over from dizziness.
"Okay, hold up there! You're makin me dizzy!" Happy stops mid sentence, then muffles a laugh. "Yeah, ha ha, very funny. NOT! Start over, but slower this time, so I can actually answer them." I lay a tenth pancake on a plate stacked high with them. Happy opens his mouth to start asking questions again when the door explodes open, and Natsu toples, head over heels, through. A basket of fish, a fishing rod, and one of Natsu's sandles go flying, and land in the middle of the floor.
"FIIIIIIIIISSSHHH!" Happy screams, and bolts to the basket after giving Natsu a massive hug. Natsu unfolds himself, then narrows his gaze at Happy, who doesn't notice at all.
"Who's making food with my stuff? Happyyyy..." Natsu stares Happy down.
"Whaaaaatt? She was up, I asked, she agreed, so now she is." He shrugs, then returns to opening the basket to get a fish. "She's making lots for you too." He continues, not looking away from the basket full to the rim with freshly caught fish. "She's also a-"
"Breakfast!" I call, stopping Happy from telling Natsu about my Dragon Slayer side. Natsu instantly perks up, and quickly puts away his fishing rod, then quickly makes his way to the table. I set down two overflowing plates of eggs and pancakes, giving Happy a hard glare. He mouths and "oops" to me, and I roll my eyes in responce.
"Wait. So she's a breakfast?" Natsu teases.
"Yep. Absolutely." Happy nods sarcastically.
"I am not!" I smile/glare at Happy, "Now eat before it gets cold." I set down another plate, only this one is full of beacon.
"Mmmmmm...Beacon...Smells great!" Natsu sighs, anxious to dig in. "A singer and a shef. Anything else I should know about you?" Happy and I stop dead, then I shake my head.
"That's for me to know, and for you to find out." I turn back to the food that's still cooking. "More's on the way." I say before he can respond. I keep piling more food on the table, and he eats it, almost faster than I can make it! "More? Or no?" I ask him. He frantically shakes his head and waves a hand at me. "Okay." I make enough for me, set it all on the table, then eat away.
When I finish, I notice Natsu staring at me along with Happy. "What? Never seen a girl eat so much?" I smile at them, close to laughing a their funny faces.
"No. Never." Natsu finally speaks. "How did you..." He stares at all of the dirty plates and cups. "Wow, that's a lot of dishes. I didn't think we had that many!"
"I like to have a lot, so if we break some or, if I didn't get the dishes done." Happy states, starting to pile them up beside the sink.
"Here. Let me help." I stand, grab a big stack of plates, then carefully put them in the sink, filling it with hot water. "How was the food, Natsu?"
"The best I've had in a while."
"HEY! I CAN COOK TOO!" Happy yells.
"And I bet you're amazing at it. I just wanted to give you a break from doing it all the time." I coment, squirting dish soap into the full sink, and start to wash a plate.
"Okay. I guess..." Happy grumbles to himself. Natsu stands, grabs a dry cloth, and starts to dry the dishes I've finished cleaning, and Happy puts them away once Natsu's done. In a short time we finish, and I fix up the couch/bed I slept on last night, then flop onto it. I reach over the edge, and pull my scarf from my duffle bag. I bunch it up, bring it close to my nose, and breathe in it's sent deeply, sighing as I breathe out. 'Still smells like her.' I sigh to myself. Natsu sits on the bed next to me and stares at it curiously. I wrap it around my neck once and pull it tight and snug. Kind of like a choker necklace.
"I like your scarf. It's a lot like mine. But more girlly." Natsu comments. I glare at him when he says "girlly". "Well, because of the silver...uh...thread! Yeah thread. Because of the silver thread in it. Mine's just got a checker patterned indent." He flicks the bottom of his scarf. I smile at him, and we sit in an awkward silence for a few minutes.
"Say, Cyrus?"
"Yeah?"
"Would you join Fairy Tail?" Natsu blurts out. I sit in surprise for a couple of seconds before answering.
"Wha-...uhhh...I don't know anyone there, Natsu. I don't know what it's like, or if I could even be skilled enough to enter." I raise my shoulders, struggling to find the right words.
"Uh...Happy...Is in the guild. He's not an S class wizard, now is he? Look at him. Does he look like an S class wizard to you?" Natsu gestures to his friend. "Sorry. No offence pal." Happy gives him a dark glare. Suddenly Natsu jumps to his feet. "HEY! Why not see what the guild is right now!? I can give you a tour of Magnolia on the way there!" He spreads out his arms for more effect.
"Are you sure it's okay?" I persist. 'I want to be careful now. Who knows what kind of people could be in his guild. There could even be some dark guild members in disguise there.' I think to myself, trying not to give anything away.
"Yeah, it's okay!"
"Then let's go!" I jump to my feet, startling both of them, and push Natsu outside. I rest my arm on his shoulder. "YO, HAPPY!" I call back into the house. "WE'RE WAITING! C'MON!" Quickly, Happy flies out and closes the door.
"Just had to lock up the fridge." He states.
"Well. Lead the way, Fire Boy." I tease, turning my head to face Natsu, arm still on his shoulder. Slowly he turns his head, a solid glare set on his face.
"What 'chew call me?" He mutters.
"Hey, Cyrus? How'd you know Natsu uses fire?" Happy tries to stop the tension from hapening.
"It was easy to figure out. It's really hard to miss the fire smell, no matter how bad your nose is, and when he was letting belches out while he was eating his breakfast, I spotted a few sparks fly here and there every now and then." I smile widely at Natsu, who's still scowling at me, and Happy is comfortable with the answer he got. Tension crackles in the air. I'm not getting out of this without a little fight of some sort. Oh, crap.
When Natsu's about to explode, I jump two feet away, and prepare to dodge. Natsu charges, and I jump out of the way. I run a good distance away, and when Natsu charges again, I run at him. When there's a little bit more than 1 meter of ground between us, I twist my feet, so I'm going at him in a surfer's position. At the perfect time and distance, I step, jump. Up, up, over, land. My move leaves Natsu off balance, so I push him lightly on the back, and he belly flops. thump.
"Natsu. Ground. Ground. Natsu." I laugh. "I win." Happy flies over and lands next to Natsu, who's just sitting up.
"What sort of crazy move was that?" Natsu mutters.
"Well, it looked like a cart-wheel, but her arms were at her sides. So a Cart-wheel with no hands!" Happy explains.
"Actually. It's a dance move. One of my favorites, but I have no idea what it's called. I don't mean to brag, but I taught myself how to do it." I giggle at the dust in Natsu's hair, and all over his pantlegs. He stands, and brushes the dust away. "Okay. Now that you're standing, let's goooooooooo." I hang off his arm like a four year old, whining the "Let's go" part. He tries to stop a smile, but fails.
"Okay, Lollypop." He plays along, patting me on the head a few times. We laugh, and I let his arm go.
"Okay, but let's not do anything like that while we're in Magnolia. People might think we're...dating..." I whisper the end awkwardly.
"Yea. I got ya." Natsu agrees enthusiastically, then sets off in a random direction. "Off to MAGNOLIA!"
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Okeedokay! This chapter is done! See? I told you the real stuff starts happening in this story! Sorry all these chapters are taking so long. I have three excuses. 1) These take forever to type. 2) I said I would type and post the rest of the chapters for this story all at once. AND 3) I DON'T HAVE UNLIMITED INTERNET, SO I'M LIMITED. But that's not my reason. My reason is, there was an issue with the internet, so my family went over our time limit. So (For the day I'm typing this) I have no internet access until the sixth of January. I've been without internet since the 27 of December or something like that. That is also the reason why (If you've sent a message or review) I haven't answered any reviews or messages. MY APOLOGIZE TO YOU! I SOWY! *#sad kitten face* Pweese read dah next stowy. Because I sowy.