"speaking"
"thinking"
On with the story
A few weeks soon passed
Summer had already came to Magnolia as the sun was shining bright
Lucy was walking around the mall with Cana and the others as they were shopping
"this one is more cuter!" Lucy said holding up a summer dress as they were all in a clothing store
"this one is way more sexier" Cana said holding up a bikini
"Cana!" Levy exclaimed seeing what the clothes, she picked
After the exam, Summer Break had come and everyone was taking a break from studying
"hey!" Lucy and the others look behind and sees Mira with her siblings coming into view
The group then went on shopping together before they went back home while Elfman was carrying most of the shopped items
"I never knew how much good priced clothes that were being sell these days" Mira said while carrying a few shopping bags in hand
"it's Lucy after all" Cana said drinking some bottle of rum in her hand "she knows her connection"
"in a way" Lucy said snickering a bit
They went on before they decided to part ways at mall's exit
"See you tomorrow" Mira said as she and her siblings parted ways with Lucy and the others
"same time tomorrow!?" Lucy called out as Mira gives a bit thumbs up in return
"Karaoke time?" Cana asked before drinking her bottle of rum
"we just did that yesterday" Juvia said before Cana just laughs drunk
"come on! One more time!" Cana said laughing
"better not, it's getting late" Levy said looking at her watch as it was close to 9 pm "and it's going to get spooky soon"
"why?" Lucy asked confused
"you do not know?" Juvia asked "Juvia heard of rumors that shouts and screams of anger and pain was ringing out in these parts of the town"
"yeah, everyone keeps hearing the shouts and screams before they lose their minds and went crazy" Levy added in
"that's just crazy talk" Cana said drinking her rum before they heard a loud echoing scream coming out of nowhere, causing Cana to stop drinking "ah, am I drunk or was that a scream?"
"that was a scream alright" Lucy said as everyone in the surrounding area heard it and were going to inside "it's getting dark, let's get home quick"
"yeah, we should" Levy said before they heard the echoing scream again
Everyone soon went to their homes as Lucy went back to her apartment
Heading in, she finds Happy meowing and scratching the glass window of her room
"Happy, come on stop it" Lucy said carrying the feline away from the glass window
Happy meowed as it looks sad
When the summer came, Lucy and the others had been taking turns in taking care of Happy, while Natsu was nowhere to be found in his apartment nor anywhere in the town
"come on, let's go to sleep" Lucy said placing Happy on her bed while scratching its chin to calm it down
Happy meowed as it got out of bed and went to the glass window and started scratching it again
Lucy frowned as she didn't know what was wrong with the little feline
The next morning came as Lucy wakes up and sat up
She yawned and stretched her hands up
"good morning, Happy" she said rubbing her eyes a bit before looking to where Happy was, but he wasn't there
"Happy?" Lucy called out as she looked around for Happy
Getting out of bed, she looks under her bed for Happy but he wasn't there
She started looking around her room, but Happy wasn't anywhere in the room
"where could he have gone too?" Lucy said not being able to find Happy before she finds her window slightly open, large enough for a small cat like Happy to go through "oh no"
Erza was looking around a park as she got a call from Lucy that Happy was gone
"Happy? Here kitty kitty!" Erza called out trying to find the little feline "Happy!"
She looks around the park, but saw no sign of the feline
Erza soon heads out of the park before she met up with Mira and Kagura
"in the park?" Mira asked as Erza shook her head in reply and caused Mira to sigh in tired "why is it so hard to find a little cat? Especially a blue furred one?"
"I've went to Natsu's apartment, he wasn't there too" Kagura said
"not in the park, not in his apartment, nor in the alley" Mira said thinking of the possible places, Happy would've went to "where could he have gone too?"
"Guys!" the three looks back and sees Lucy, Ikaruga, and Éclair coming into view
"did you guys find him?" Erza asked as Lucy and the others shook their head
"but my neighbor said that he saw a little blue cat making its way to the Magnolia Western forest in the morning" Éclair added in
"the Western Forest?" Kagura said before looking to the others "But isn't that where the screaming and shouting of pain are coming from?"
"why would Happy go there?" Mira said "that place is full of wild animals there, right?"
"don't know but let's go and find out" Erza said as everyone nodded
They went to the Western Forest, and they were surprised to find many trees broken and destroyed
"what happened here?" Mira said seeing the destroyed trees
"it's like there was some sort of a stampede" Éclair said touching one of the destroyed trees
Kagura looks at one broken down tree before noticing that the bottom part was burned
"a flaming stampede" Kagura said touching the scorch marks "these are a few weeks old, whatever made this was rampaging like wildfire"
"or perhaps a flaming whirlwind" Ikaruga said pointing forward as they look to see an opening in the forest, and a big scorch circle in the form of a spiral
"this is crazy" Mira said seeing the utter destruction
Éclair touched the scorch marks before she yelped a bit as her hand got sting
"what's wrong?" Lucy asked Éclair
"it's still hot" Éclair replied as everyone touched the ground and could feel intense heat
"this goes to say that something or someone made this" Ikaruga said crossing her hands together "and very recently too"
"something destructive and has the power to make such havoc in the forest" Lucy said rubbing her chin
"don't tell me…" Mira said looking to Erza who nodded
"let's head further in" Erza said as she leads them further into the forest
The group traveled further in as they find many of the wildlife in the forest seems to be hiding scared
"look at all of them" Mira said seeing the birds hiding in a tree hole, small critters running into hole, and even a Vulcan was hiding in a cave, shaking scared
"it's like they're afraid" Éclair seeing the reaction of the birds
"but of what?" Ikaruga said "are they afraid of our coming? Or are they merely afraid of what made the scorch marks? Will there be a man? Or will there be a beast?"
"I always dislike the way you make poems," Kagura said keening her eyes on Ikaruga who merely giggles in reply
They ventured in before they heard a meow
"was that?" Éclair said before the bushes near them rustles and rustles
"only one way to find out" Erza said as everyone went further and to the bushes
Erza pries the bushes open and they all see Happy eating some grass
"Happy!" Lucy exclaimed seeing the feline as she reached in and grabs him
Happy meowed as Lucy cuddles his chin with scratches
"so he was here all along?" Éclair said scratching Happy's ear, getting a purr in response
"but why?" Kagura said before everyone jumped away when a fireball came flying at them
"an attack?!" Mira exclaimed before more fireballs came flying at them
A shadow came out of the bushes as fireballs came flying at everywhere and everyone
"fire magic!?" Kagura exclaimed jumping away from one of the fireballs
Mira kicks one of the fireballs before instantly hissing in pain as the flames burned her legs and shoes
"so hot!" Mira hissed in pain as she backed away before touching her burned leg skin
Ikaruga grabs her sword as she did multiple slashes and creates air slashes that went flying to the attacker
A flaming wall soon appeared as the airslashes were burned
"who is the attacker!?" Kagura exclaimed jumping away before landing near Erza
Erza looks at the flaming wall as it disappears and revealed an old man with scars all over his eyes, a long red beard, wearing a robe, with a wooden staff in hand
"who is he?" Éclair said backing to safety with Lucy
Happy meowed as he jumped out of Lucy's arms and started running to the old man
"hey! Happy! Come back!" Lucy exclaimed before she hid back behind the trees when a fireball nearly hits her
Happy meowed as he went to the old man and meowed to him
The old man looks down and kneeled on his knees
His hand caressed Happy's head while having a smile before standing back up
"to those who are within nature's woods. Heed my warning and leave now" he said loudly "the woods are no place to wonder around"
He soon turned back and started walking with the help of his staff
"come now, Happy" he said as Happy meowed and followed him
Erza and the others looks at the old man as they can tell that he was no old man at all
"a very mysterious old man, no?" Ikaruga said sheathing her sword "and might I add, a very powerful one too"
"should we go or follow him?" Eclair asked
"let's go, it might be bad for us to stay here" Lucy said "you all heard what he said, right?"
"no, Happy is here and that old man seems to know him" Erza said standing up straight "if he knows Happy, then he might know Natsu"
"if we follow them, they might lead us to Natsu" Kagura said as Erza nodded
The old man and Happy walks further into the forest before they reached to a clear opening where there is a small waterfall with a river and a small cabin
Happy meowed as the little cat runs towards the waterfall where there was a hidden cave in it
He got into the waterfall before shaking his fur from being a bit wet by the water
Happy soon went in as there was a metal prison covered in dozens of magic inscriptions all around it
He meowed as inside the prison was just one man, and that man is Natsu
Natsu was chained to the wall from his arms, legs, neck, and body. His eyes blindfolded and a symbol of fire was shining on his forehead
Happy meowed before sitting down and rest
That's a wrap!
Bye bye
