"speaking"

"thinking"

On with the story

At Magnolia's Train Station

The Belserion Highschool students were boarding the trains as they were going on their fieldtrip to Luminia Town

"all aboard! Please remember to show your ticket and id upon boarding!" the train conductor exclaimed while checking the tickets and the id from the students

On the train, Éclair and the others sat in their train seat after storing away their luggage

[attention to all passengers, the train will soon depart in 1 minute, please take a seat at your assigned rows and securely place your luggage above. For any need of assistance, please call our staff, thank you]

The PE system spoke out as everyone went to their seats and buckled up

"this sucks" Mira said taking a seat by the window as her row had herself, Erza, Kagura, Ultear, and Ikaruga and the otherside Éclair, Lucy, Kamika, Cana, and Cosmos "just when I prepared to take the seat next to Natsu"

"don't whine, you know the circumstances he had with the princess" Erza said as Natsu now on a different train which was the Royal Kingdom's train because he had to ride it with the Princess

"just hope that we get to see him again" Kagura said while reading a magazine

"true" Ultear said while Ikaruga had closed her eyes and rested

"man, I can't wait to taste the Luminia Lunar Sake!" Cana said while drinking a bottle of wine "I heard that it cools your body down unlike the Hixs town Fire Sake!"

"that's what you are excited for?" Lucy said sweatdropping

"a very unique set up here" Cosmos said as she was sitting with 6 members of the 7 Empress

"you'll get used to it a bit" Kamika told her before she looks at Éclair who was looking at her lacrima phone "what are you doing?"

"oh, just a text from Atlas-san, Natsu's Uncle" Éclair replied as she pocketed her phone "he just texted me that Momon and Happy were doing fine with him and that we had nothing to worry about them while we're away"

"oh, I see" Kamika said understanding while not knowing that Atlas was blind the first time she met him at Natsu's hometown

"he has a phone and he can text while blind?" the rest of the girls thought as they never knew that Atlas was a bit advanced


Meanwhile

Natsu was looking rather out of mind as he was sat on a round dining table filled with an assortment of high leveled dishes that is only able to be eaten by royal families

Maids and butlers prepared his utensils as one place a towel on his lap and a napkin around his neck

"please enjoy yourself, Natsu-sama" Hisui said with a smile. Their train had left first unlike the others as everything inside was filled with nothing but royalty items

"yeah…thanks" Natsu said before two butlers came while holding bottles of wine each

"Chatee Le'devenon?" the butler asked before the second butler spoke "Grooveria Berries?"

"just tea is fine" Natsu said as the butlers nodded before walking away

"I am very excited on the school field trip! I heard that there are tons of fun and exciting activities there!" Hisui said smiling while a maid poured her a glass of wine "like your concert! Night outings! And so much more!"

"yeah" Natsu said as he was given a cup of tea by a butler who he thanked before taking a sip of it and sighs a bit "are you sure that you can come to the fieldtrip? I'm not sure that your father would allow it"

"oh it is fine!" Hisui replied while still smiling "I just told father that if he did not allow me then I would just fall off the highest tower from within the castle"

"you really wanted to go to this school field trip, didn't you?" Natsu thought with a sweatdrop as the Princess can be scary at times

The two conversed in their meal as Natsu knew that being a Princess of a kingdom was hard but when he hears it from Hisui, it was really hard

"and then I would have a dance practice with the royal dance instructor. Followed with my study on the fiore kingdom's history both political and economic" Hisui said as she was letting Natsu know of her life in the castle

"I see" Natsu said while cutting his steak meal before biting down "and then you retire to your quarters like any other day"

"yes, father said that it's the best way for me to learn and become the future queen" Hisui replied with a smile as always

Natsu looks at her as her smile….seemed so fake


A few hours later, the train arrived at the Luminia train station

"man, that was a nice nap" Mira said stretching her arms and back while getting off board the train with the others following behind

"look there" Lucy said as everyone looks to the side and sees a crowd forming around.

"something happened?" Erza said, thinking that there was a reason for a forming crowd

"must be Dan and the others" Kagura stated

"not exactly" Ultear said looking up to the side as she was looking at a tv hanged up "look here"

Everyone looks to the tv as it showed a live recording of Natsu with Hisui at Luminia Station, the two were making their way out of the station while being bombarded with questions and camera flashes of the reporters and newsmen

"the vultures are seemingly relentless, no?" Ikaruga said while raising a single eyebrow

"guess that what happens when he's engaged to the princess" Cosmos said as Kamika nodded

Everyone watched as policemen came and made a way for them to get out but Natsu suddenly stops when he heard one reporter asked him a question

"is it true that you have blackmailed the princess just so that she would marry you and give you access to the power of the throne!? And is it true that you have mistresses in plan when you become king!?" the reporter asked as Natsu glanced back and his eyes glowed red

"if you're a reporter, I suggest that you know how to find the difference between hoax and truth" Natsu said

"then is it true!? You are just blackmailing the princess!? And that you just want power!?" the reporter exclaimed, pressing forward and it was a bad mistake

"Nirk Vos, 25 year old, rookie reporter" Natsu stated as the reporter who was asking him questions looks surprised "famous for finding people who have bad past but most of them are people who are repenting their sins, in your reports of news, you find a way to get their past out into the light and then you expose it to the world."

Natsu turns to look at the reporter as his eyes glowed black and red

"and you are mostly famous because of how low you are in making up false information on the line" Natsu stated as he looks at the reporter dead in the eyes "you did many news on some innocent people who are related to a billionaire and millionaire. All for getting a juicy story and big bucks of jewels for yourself. And what do the innocent people get? They get dozens of dozens of criticisms from others and were isolated out of their own comfort zone"

Natsu grabs the reporter's camera and takes it away before crushing it into pieces

"if I were you, I would keep my nose out of other people's business" Natsu spoke out as flames rages around his right hand that turned into a fist "or you'll get burned"

"y-yes!" the reporter screamed before he ran away

Natsu glanced at the other reporters who all backed away from his sight

"I don't care who you are and what bad thing you can give to me, I don't give a damn" Natsu said as his flaming right fist turned into a flaming right claw "just make sure that you can face my flaming wrath"

The reporters soon scrammed in a flash as they were gone and out of sight

Natsu sighs as the flames on his claw disappear and his claw turned back into a human hand

He turns and walks away as Hisui followed him, her face was bewildered


After arriving at Luminia Town, the students went to their inn which was a hotspring inn

Right now, our attention is to the room where the girls were at, unpacking their stuff

"yikes, news flies so fast" Mira said as she watched the room's tv where it showed the news of Natsu's action in the train station

"this might make some people dislike him" Ikaruga said while holding a folded towel because they'll be heading to the hotspring "very much"

"you can't blame him" Kagura said while placing away her belongings away "not when they try making up false things"

"who gives a damn!?" Cana exclaimed "who can't feel angry when they make up false accusations!? I wanted to give the guy a knuckle sandwich! Blackmailing!? That's so not Natsu!"

"that's why reporters are just called crazy foxes," Ultear said as she and Kamika watched the tv with Mira. Seeing how the news was making up a piece of news that Natsu was threatening the reporters who did nothing

"just look at that" Kamika said "they're already making him look bad"

"even though they're the ones at fault" Lucy added in while holding her towel, toothbrush, and lotion cream

"must be very tough living famous" Cosmos stated

"this is the very reason why Jason from the Weekly Sorcerer is the only one nice enough to be a reporter" Erza said as she grabs the remote and turns the tv off "let's just get to the hotspring, I heard that most of the other students have already used it"

"let's go then" Mira said as everyone got up

"hey, I've been wondering" Cosmos said as she looks around "but have anyone seen Éclair? She came in with us, right?"

"eh?" the girls said as they look around and just realized that Éclair was not around

"don't tell me!" Erza, Kagura, Kamika, and Mira exclaimed before they bolted out of the room

"….what was that all about…?" Cosmos said sweatdropping as a dust trail was left

"they just love hotsprings that's all" Ultear replied as she, Ikaruga, and Cana followed behind

"love hotsprings?" Cosmos said as Lucy awkwardly laughs

"let's just go there" Lucy said


Erza and the others came bolting to the hot spring as it was a mix gender bath

Getting in, they find that Éclair's cloth in the baskets just nearby one that had Natsu's clothes in it

"I knew it!" Mira said gritting her teeth

"how did she even get out of the room without us noticing!?" Kamika exclaimed

"just strip and get in!" Erza exclaimed, already taking off her clothes with Kagura

After stripping themselves of their clothes, the girls went into the hot springs while only having towels on

There they find Éclair in the middle of washing Natsu's back, the man sitting on the onsen stool

"Éclair! You!" Mira shouted as Éclair turns to look at them while Natsu just sits by

"I always thought that you were a normal and modest girl, but you are a very terrifying opponent" Kagura said as Erza nodded in agreement

"what are you talking about?" Éclair asked, looking a bit confused

"you snuck out of the room while we were talking so that you can get to clean Master's back! That's not fair!" Kamika exclaimed while looking to be crying a bit

"eh?" Éclair said looking more confused

"can you guys keep it down?" Natsu asked as the man sighs tiredly before glancing at them "Éclair didn't snuck out of the room, I got in and called her to ask her to wash my back while you girls were just discussing with each other on those vultures news on the tv"

"eh?" they said in a bit of surprise and confusion as Natsu sighs again

"just quiet down, and take a bath for god's sake" Natsu said as he looks away before sighing once more "can't even have some peace even during this time, huh?"

Éclair went back to cleaning his back as she scrubs the soap up and down

"guuuuh!" the four girls squealed in displeasure as they wanted to be the one to wash his back

20 minutes later, everyone else came in and dipped into the hotspring's water

Natsu sighs in the warm hotspring water as he splashed some of it to his face

"did you do something tiring?" Ikaruga asked, sitting beside him while having a wooden stool floating near her and had a bottle of sake in it

"I had to escort the princess to a 5 star hotel here while being bombarded by news reporter and cameramen" Natsu said as he rubs his face with water before sinking a bit deeper in "and I had to deal with them again the moment I wanted to go in the inn"

"why don't you go in disguise again? It worked last time" Éclair said while sitting beside Natsu

"last time it did, but not anymore" Natsu said as he sighs again "I tried getting in while wearing a cap and a hoodie but they somehow knew that it was me"

"talk about creepy a bit" Lucy said with Cosmos beside her

"more like annoying" Ultear said "they are relentless like hungry vultures"

"so true" Cana said while drinking a whole bottle of sake

"i just want to have a normal field trip but I can't thanks to them" Natsu said letting out a long sigh "I don't think I want to go outside tomorrow"

"then! Let me take care of them!" Mira said "I can get rid of them real good!"

"no me! I am more resilient in ridding of pests!" Erza stepped in

"I am more resilient! I can give them nightmares beyond nightmares!" Kamika exclaimed

The three girls soon glared at each other as a rivalry spark flied in between them

"why don't we have Éclair just cast an Illusion spell? That way, those reporters won't be able to know that who you are" Kagura stated, not taking part in the rivalry battle

"now that you mention it" Natsu said while rubbing his chin before looking to Éclair "that might work"

"let's try" Éclair said as she waved a hand around Natsu's face, his face turning into Happy that made everyone nearly burst out laughing

"w-what is that!? H-He has H-Happy's face!?" Lucy stated, trying to hold in her laughter

"i-I can't…but it's too!" Mira put her hands over her mouth as she looks away, trying to hold in her laugh

"Éclair…." Natsu spoke out, his Happy face making a glare but looks like an adorable pout

"s-sorry, I was thinking of Happy and that made the spell go wrong a bit" Éclair said sweatdropping a bit as she waved her hand around Natsu's face again, this time his face turning into Momon which made everyone tried harder to hold in their laugh "one more time"

The face change turned into a game as Natsu's face changed into many other faces ranging from animals into elder faces, the other girls nearly laughing when his face changes each time

"this time!" Éclair exclaimed as she waved her hand around Natsu's face, this time his face turning into that of a 20 year old with his hair black and had a scar around his chin "there! I did it!"

"after 15 fails" Natsu thought with a sweatdrop before he looks at his reflection in the water, the illusion spell worked so well that it fooled even him

"not bad…" Natsu said rubbing his chin before looking to the others who are nearly fainting with their mouth forming smiles that were not forming away "what's wrong with you guys?"


20 minutes later, after finishing taking their bath, they headed to the dining hall

Entering in while wearing the Onsen's Yukata, Natsu and the others finds other students eating their dinner together

"glad that you could make it" Irene said, in the middle of eating her meal

"mother? Why are you here?" Erza asked looking a bit surprised that Irene was here

"let's just say that a Principal must always supervise her school's students up close" Irene replied before drinking her bowl of soup

"yeah, right" Natsu thought before everyone took their seat and their meal came served by the staff

Everyone ate their meal as small conversations were shared

"this is going to be a relaxing and fun trip" Kagura said as Ultear nodded

"with Kyria not coming along, we don't have to worry about her" Ultear replied

"truly peaceful trip, I must say" Ikaruga said, taking a bite of her meal before sipping her soup

Natsu ate his meal in silence while sitting in between Cana and Erza, and as the man was drinking his cup of tea, his ears picked up some small whispers from the other students

"can you believe that Natsu Dragneel is married to the princess?" "yeah, it's hard to believe that a high ranking princess would be in love with him" "sure he's strong and all but how come he gets the good parts of life?" "yeah, and I heard that he is dating a lot of the second year students!" "yeah and a few of them are from the Seven Empresses" "and I heard that they all went into the hotspring together! so goddamn lucky!" Natsu heard them whisper around as they were mostly talking about him

"stuck up brats, huh?" Demonic Natsu said appearing beside Natsu "they have no idea on what trouble, they'll get themselves in"

"just let them be" Natsu said as he continued eating his meal before he stopped again when his eyes caught sight of Sayla

The girl was eating her meal while sitting between some girls who looks to be her classmates

"really strange….she's masking her demonic presence so well..or either she's not that vampire from last time" Demonic Natsu said as he floats around Sayla, eying her from all side "all aside, she's a fine girl"

"who cares..in the end, her true nature will come out" Natsu said as Demonic Natsu shrugs his shoulders and sighs before disappearing

But as the astral spirit disappeared, Sayla's eyes had looked at Natsu's direction, glowing a bit red and black at the same time before dimming


Night soon came as everyone were at their assigned room

Natsu was sitting on a seat pillow as he yawned while the girls were in a game of cards except for Lucy and Cosmos who were staying out

Éclair, Ultear, Ikaruga, Cana, Erza, Kagura, Kamika, and Mira were in a deadlock card game, all having poker cards in hand while looking at them and then to each other

"ready?" Cana asked grinning as some of the girls looked in distress to the cards in their hands "show them!"

Everyone showed their hands as none had pairs but Cana had a royal straight flush

"alright I win!" Cana said grinning as the girls lost the game "I get to sleep in Natsu's futon!"

"damnit! How!?" Mira exclaimed gritting her teeth as she had a bad hand "I shuffled it multiple times! And made sure to give myself best cards!"

"regrettable" Erza said while holding her cards that were a bad hand

"it's not possible! I took photographs of each card and which cards were best cards!" Kamika gritted her teeth while looking at her camera that had took picture of Mira's hands that were shuffling the deck of cards

"yay yay!" Cana cheered as she hugs Natsu who grabs her kimono's chest part and opens it a bit, cards flying out "ah.."

"CANA!" Mira, Erza, and Kamika shouted as the Card Mage had cheated

"deciding something in cards with a Card Mage in play, so stupid" Natsu thought as he yawned again before he looks at the dust fight where Cana was being strangled by Mira, Erza, and Kamika for cheating "this is so tiring and annoying"

"t-then let's play a different game!" Cana said, her body tied up in rope by Mira and Erza "spin the bottle!"

"I can smell a cheating coming" Kamika said, her eyes glowing purple

"come on! I can only cheat in cards!" Cana said, trying to assure herself that she'll be alive for the field trip "come on! It'll decide it!"

"that does sound good, rather than playing cards" Ultear said as Éclair nodded in agreement

"agreed" Kagura said as she had a stern glare on Cana "we'll make sure that there won't be any cheating"

"well then" Ikaruga said, holding an empty bottle in hand "shall we?"

Setting the bottle in the middle on its side, Lucy holds it as she was told to spin it

"ready?" Lucy asked as everyone nodded while Natsu yawned again. She soon spinned the bottle as it spins around, the tip pointing around in a circle

"come on!" "come on!" "come on!" "come on!" the girls screamed in their mind, wanting to get picked by the bottle

The bottle spins before it slowly slowed down its spin

Everyone watched it slow down as the bottle soon pointed at Éclair and stopped

"best one out of three!" Mira exclaimed as she grabs the bottle and spins it again

The bottle spins before stopping at Éclair once again

"one more time!" Kamika stated as Mira spins the bottle again and it landed on Éclair again "how?!"

"that decides it" Natsu said as he stood up and yawned "come on, Éclair"

Éclair nodded as she stands up and went to Natsu's futon which the man was already getting into, Cosmos and Lucy going to their futons

"there's no magnets, right?" Erza asked as Kagura looks at the bottle and sees nothing inside before shaking her head

"how can it always land on Éclair's spot!?" Kamika stated in disbelieve as three bottle spins and it always landed on Éclair

"rather than denying the fact, it is best to accept it" Ikaruga said as she stood up and went to her futon which is beside Natsu's

"h-hey! how come you get to sleep near him!?" Mira exclaimed as she was about to get up and went to the other futon beside Natsu but it was taken by Ultear already "you too!?"

"just get to bed" Natsu said as he holds Éclair under the blanket while letting her rest her head on his right arm while his left arm was draped over her waist "and face the facts like Ikaruga said"

"damnit" Mira as she and Kamika grumbled before going to their futons

"smart" Demonic Natsu spoke out in Natsu's mind as Natsu was the one who made the bottle to point and land on Éclair "very smart"

"just shut up and go to sleep" Natsu told the demonic spirit as he pulls Éclair close

"fine" demonic Natsu replied while chuckling

The lights were turned off as it went dark

"good night" Lucy said while resting in her futon

"good night" the others replied

Éclair leans closer to Natsu as the man caresses her back before he felt someone entering his futon from behind

Ultear had entered in as she leans close to Natsu's back, snuggling close to him

Natsu sighs as he just lets her do what she wants

He sleeps flatly as his arms were now pillows for them and before long, someone else entered his futon from bellow and not to his surprise, it is Ikaruga who had settled to sleep on his chest

"why bother playing the game when you two just come in as you want?" Natsu thought as he now had three girls sleeping on him, just like at Hixs town

He sighs again before closing his eyes and going to sleep with them


That's a wrap!

Bye bye