"speaking"
"thinking"
On with the story
Lucy and the others were still being surrounded by the giant spiders as they were watching them
"can Natsu please come back faster with their queen?! The spiders keep watching me and it's creeping me out!" Lucy cried out as she looks to be afraid of the eight legged creatures
"be quiet!" Erza exclaimed as a spider looks at her directly and she could see her reflection in their eyes "the more rustle you make, the more they will be attentive to you!"
"this reminds me so much of the movies," Cana said while not minding the spider that was rolling her around "they usually eat the blondes first as an appetizer before going for the rest as the main dish"
Lucy instantly cried as she was afraid of being eaten first
"why is she one of the mates?" Kagura muttered out while sweatdropping
Everyone soon heard a loud screeching sound as the spiders instantly crawls away
"w-what's going on?" Ultear said as the spiders went away
"there!" Mira exclaimed as everyone looks to the cave and sees the Queen Spider coming out of it
"that must be the Queen" Ikaruga said before they see Natsu with Araneo coming from behind
"they did it" Éclair said with a smile "they saved the queen"
Natsu made his way towards the group as he snapped his fingers and the cocoons instantly burns in flames, freeing Lucy and the others
"what took you so long?" Mira said while pulling off some spider web from her hair
"we've only been gone for 10 minutes, don't complain" Natsu said as he helps Éclair get up "it's surprising that they didn't want to start eating Lucy first. They usually eat those people first"
"you mean I could've been a snack!?" Lucy exclaimed in shock
"just a joke" Natsu said as he looks to Araneo who nodded before back to the others "come on, you all have to see this"
"see what?" Éclair asked as Natsu just motions them to follow him
Everyone made their way into the giant web nest as the queen settled near the Queen's egg which Atlas had looked after in her absence
"with this, the next generation of Arachnidis is safe" Atlas said with a smile
"yes" Araneo nodded in agreement before taking off his helmet and had a smile "my brethren will thrive for more another century"
"with the magic seal, I've placed upon the hidden entrance, this place wont' be intruded ever again" Natsu said as he looks to the egg and sees it shining in the Queen's embrace
"a question" Erza said as Araneo looks at her "what is this place? What are you people?"
Araneo looks at her before to Natsu who nodded
"they are good friends of mine" Natsu said while smiling "they won't ever sell this place out even if they are tortured to death"
"I don't know about that" Lucy muttered out with a sweatdrop, Araneo sighs before nodding
"We are Arachnidis, a race of half man, and half spiders. we are called the Webs Stringers" Araneo said
"I heard about them" Eclair said "I once read a book of ancient extinct species, and I read a page about a race of Spider men but I thought that they were extinct"
"not extinct" Araneo stated "merely hidden, in this domain of ours from the outside world"
"hidden? Why?" Mira asked "are you guys hiding from something?"
"yes, we are-" Araneo was about to reply when Natsu stopped him
"the queen" Natsu said as Araneo turns to look at the queen and everyone sees that the next queen's egg was hatching
"the Next Queen! She is about to be born!" Araneo exclaimed as the egg cracks before the next queen emerged out of it
"this is truly an amazing time" Atlas said chuckling
The Spider Queen soon let out a screech as the nest was filled with the giant spiders who all bowed
Araneo, Natsu, and Atlas bowed to before Lucy and the others followed them
After saving the queen spider, everyone was going home
"truly thankful" Araneo said as he shakes hand with Natsu "you have kept your word like in the past, Natsu"
"you should know that I don't ever go back on my word" Natsu said chuckling a bit while grinning
"true" Araneo said smiling
"you know, I've been wondering one thing" Cana said as she got closer to Araneo
"that is?" Araneo asked
"why is your face like Natsu? Are you two relatives?" Cana asked as everyone else sweatdropped
"Natsu is human/demon, and Araneo-san is an Arachnidis, how are they supposed to be relatives?" Éclair said with an awkward look
"we, Arachnidis have the ability to mimic other beings' facial structure," Araneo said as his face changed into that of Atlas before to Natsu "I merely look like him as a sign of friendship"
"then what do you look like originally?" Lucy asked and she soon regretted it
Araneo's face changed as his face turned into that of a real spider
"this is what Arachnidis look like" Araneo said as Lucy instantly fainted while looking white as a towel
"sorry about her" Natsu said while rubbing the back of his head as Araneo's face turned back into Natsu
"then, I ask of this" Araneo said as Natsu looks at him "what of Catastoras?"
Natsu took a moment before he looks to the side as Catastoras stood near everyone else
"will you seal it again?" Araneo asked as Natsu shook his head
"Catastoras has been sealed there for 10 years, it's time for him to get some fresh air" Natsu said as Catastoras neigh
"I see" Araneo said as he then patted Natsu's shoulder a few times "be well, Natsu"
"you too, Araneo" Natsu said as the two smiled to each other
Soon everyone left the hidden entrance as it soon disappeared
"it's amazing to ever meet a thought to be extinct race" Éclair said as she rides on Catastoras' back while Natsu holds her hand, as if a precaution if she accidently falls
"you said it, girl" Cana said "I nearly fell for the guy if he hadn't shown us his true face, though"
Everyone sweatdropped to Cana as she girl was drunk already
"anyway, let's get back to the cabin" Natsu said as they reached the bottom of the mountain cliff "Happy and Momon should still be there"
"which reminds me, why didn't the Spiders abduct them?" Lucy asked
"it's because Arachnidis are afraid of them" Atlas said
"eh?" the girls said in surprise
"like normal spiders, they are prey to birds, and even to feline species" Atlas explained with a chuckle "facing a cousin of their predator's species. Might have revived their fear of them"
"seriously?" Kagura said sweatdropping
"ah, I forgot" Atlas said stopping
"forgot what?" Natsu asked looking to the old man
"I've forgotten to ask them to return back the missing mountain Climbers" Atlas said facepalming a bit
"missing mountain climbers?" Erza said before the girls paled a bit when they remembered the hanging skeletons on the ceilings
"you young ones, go on ahead" Atlas said making a turn back to the mountain "I shall be back after sunset"
"be careful" Natsu said while the girls did a quick prayer
"should we have told them?" Kagura whispered
"it'd be best for them to find out themselves" Erza replied as Natsu looks at them
"what are you guys talking about?" Natsu said
"n-nothing!" Mira exclaimed with an awkward smile
Natsu looks at them having an awkward atmosphere before he shrugs his shoulders
The sun was soon setting as the sky turned orange
The girls were at the hot spring, having a deep soak after what had happened while Natsu was inside the cabin
Natsu looks at the many pictures hanging on the wall before his attention went to the drawer where he kept the picture frame from yesterday
He took it out of the drawer as he looks at the picture
"this is very interesting" Demonic Natsu spoke out while appearing in the reflections of the glass around Natsu "so he has decided to make a move after all these years?"
Natsu looks at the torn part of the photo as he gritted his teeth in anger
"when I get my hands on him" Natsu growled out as his eyes went reptilian
"Natsu?" someone called out to him as Natsu's eyes turned normal before he turns to see Lucy walking out from the backdoor in a bathrobe
"yeah?" Natsu replied
"me and the others are almost finish with the hotspring" Lucy said "you can get in later on"
"got it" Natsu replied as Lucy went upstairs, probably to get into her pajamas
Natsu looks to the stairs before to the picture frame in his hand
Placing it back into the drawer, Natsu sighs a bit before he went off
Demonic Natsu looks at Natsu walking away before chuckling and then disappear
The demonic spirit appeared in Natsu's mind as he looks upon the Golden Ring
"7 of light, and 7 of darkness" he spoke out while looking at the empty slots in the ring and then to the other metal slots "3 in the middle"
He rubs his chin as he looks at the 3 slots in the middle
"what do these 3 represents?" he said before he sees that one slot was glowing dark and it was a slot in the center part "this is?"
That's a wrap!
Bye bye
