Note: There will be one more chapter after this, then the story will be done. I will say that there will ultimately be no overt NaLu in this story. I considered it, and even projected a few endings with it, but it just didn't fit well. Again, this story was never meant to be very long; the last chapter is already finished, and will be up soon.
My Natsu
Lucy slithered as fast as she could towards where END was beating Selene into oblivion, Natsu's scarf tied around her was it. Being completely honest, she had no plan; she had no idea what she'd say to the demon when she got over to him. Really just what was she suppose to do? Lucy was still a nure-onna physically, and according to Irene, seeing her like this was what trigged Natsu in the first place. But when she said that if they didn't stop END now, then he'd just burn himself into nothing, and they'd lose him forever.
Eventually, she got close enough to the demon to the point where the demon's heat physically hurt. Realizing she probably couldn't get much closer without getting burnt, Lucy stopped to look up at the demon, who was still beating Selene. From what Lucy could see, she couldn't tell if the dragon was alive anymore, in fact, she could barely even seen her face.
"Natsu!" Lucy called. However, the demon didn't seem to hear her, as he continued to beat Selene senseless.
"Natsu!" She repeated, again to no luck. Lucy hissed (a sound she never wanted to make again if she could avoid it), as she considered her options, before she generated a large orb of water in her hand. This probably wasn't the best idea, and likely wouldn't work, but it was really the only plan she had at this point.
"Here goes nothing," she said nervously, before hurling the orb at END. Most of it seemed to evaporate the moment it got close, but a single drop somehow persevered, and landed on END's back. Apparently, so much as the sensation of water was anathema to a fire demon, as it finally got his attention, as he stopped beating Selene, and turned towards Lucy.
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"Lucy…"
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"Uh oh," Lucy said nervously, as she finally realized she may not have fully thought this through, right before END let out a thunderous roar into Lucy's face; the force of the roar sent Lucy tumbling away, before she managed to get a hold one of the remaining trees with her tail. Once the roar died down, END then stuck his nose closer to Lucy, as he exhaled a cloud of black smoke that made Lucy cough.
"Hey Natsu!" She said, once she got over the coughing, waving slightly, with a nervous smile "You certainly look different. Though I suppose I'm not one to talk." That may not necessarily have been the best thing to say to the giant fire demon, but it wasn't like Lucy was thinking entirely clearly right now.
Said demon was silent for a time, as he studied her, his long tail lashing behind him; with him so close, Lucy felt the heat off his body so much more intensely. It wasn't an understatement to feel like Lucy was being cooked, and she was honestly barely sure how she was still conscious now; maybe being a nure-onna gave her resistance to heat, or maybe holding Natsu's scarf gave her some protection. That was when, to her surprise, with gruesome sounds of cracking, END started to shrink, and reshape his body. It took a moment, but he was back to his original Etherious form, without the tail, wings, or red markings. He approached Lucy, looking her over, as if processing what he was observing.
"Yeah," Lucy said, with a nod, "It's me, I'm back." That was when END leaned in close, looking straight into Lucy's eyes. He then reared back, and opened his mouth…
"No." Lucy looked up to see END holding back his fire enhanced fist. Lucy had only just enough time to lunge out of the way.
"Natsu!" she cried, "What're you doing?! It's me!"
"No," the demon repeated. As he advanced on her, his hand formed fists, narrowing his eyes at her.
"I know I don't really look like myself," Lucy insisted, "But it's still me under these scales!" This time, END didn't say anything, as he cracked his neck, as he picked up his pace slightly.
"Damn it, Natsu!" Lucy said, as she clenched her fists, "Don't make me have to fight back!" She knew she didn't stand much of a chance against END, but maybe at least her water magic could slow him down. Sure enough, when she sent a wave of water his way, it almost immediately evaporated, as END waved the steam away. However, in the distraction, Lucy managed to slither away, but in a single jump, END was immediately in front of her.
"Natsu! What's gotten into you?" Lucy cried.
"No." The demon thrust his hand forward, creating a telekinetic blast that sent Lucy tumbling back into a tree. The girl groaned as she pulled herself up.
"Do you not recognize me anymore?" she asked, as she felt tears in her eyes. Though his face was just a skull, Lucy could somehow recognize the look in those glowing eyes. There was no humanity left in them, just rage, hate, and pain. Seeing Natsu, her Natsu, like this, with everything that made him who he was stripped away from, it felt Lucy's heart was falling apart, and that was when a realization came over her.
"Was this how it felt when you saw me as a yokai?" she asked slowly. END didn't answer, as he clenched one fist.
"Please!" Lucy said, rearing up, "I need you to calm down and listen." She reached down to take Natsu's scarf, but suddenly she felt END grab her tail, and throw her to the side, and into another tree.
"Natsu," Lucy said weakly, as she looked up to which END just growled again. Lucy sucked in a breath, as she tried to rear up while the demon came up to her.
"During the war with Alvarez," Lucy continued weakly, "You said no matter what I looked like, I'd still be Lucy. And I know you meant it then." END hissed, as he picked Lucy up by the throat, bringing her up to his face, as he held up his fist, a spike appearing out of his wrist.
"Well, you may look like this," Lucy said, "But I know… " The demon brought back his spike…
"…you're still Natsu." END paused at that, as his expression turned to one of surprise at the feel of Lucy's hand on his face. The yokai-girl cringed under the pain of the flames, but she fought through it, and sure enough, the flames around END's head began to dim slightly. With that, Lucy shakily reached up, and wrapped Natsu's scarf around his neck. END looked down at the scarf, as he reached up to touch it, before looking back at Lucy.
"And you'll always be Natsu," Lucy finished, smiling weakly at him, "No matter what you look like, you're my Natsu." The demon could only stare at her, his mouth opened slightly, as those words sank in...
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"She's back," Natsu said, as his eyes began to gather tears, "She's finally back."
"No she's not!" Natsu turned, and gazed through the smoke to see the other him emerging out of it, though, his skin was now glowing red, as were his eyes.
'Come on!" he said, gesturing, "We've gotta finish Selene off! Then we can move onto the rest of them!"
"The rest of them?"
"Her servants are still alive! We have to kill them all, and then we can move onto Elentir itself."
"Why Elentir?"
"Because this whole world is at fault," the other Natsu said, "If we hadn't come here, none of this would've happened. It's the reason Lucy became what she was, and why we lost her.
"But..." Natsu said slowly, "Lucy's back to normal."
"You can't be serious!" Natsu opened then closed his mouth, as he looked down, narrowing his eyes, and taking breath, before looking at his double.
"Leave," he commanded, softly but firmly.
"What was that?" other Natsu asked, arching an eyebrow while narrowing his own eyes.
"You heard me."
"Tell me anyway."
"I told you to leave," Natsu said, "I don't need you anymore."
"Selene's not dead, yet!" the other him said, spreading his arms.
"Don't care," Natsu answered, "Lucy's back."
"She's not back! Look at her, she's still a monster." An image of Lucy, back before Irene had cleared her thoughts appeared, with that cruel, predatory gaze on her face. Seeing that made Natsu's teeth and fists clench, but he closed his eyes. When he opened them, the image had changed; it now showed Lucy, still a nure-onna but without that same look in her eyes. Rather, even if her eyes were still slitted and snake-like, she now had the same kind, wise gaze Natsu knew so well, and as far as he was concerned, that was enough.
"No," Natsu answered, looking to the other him, "That's Lucy."
"You stupid…," the counterpart said, trembling with visibly rage.
"Get outta here," Natsu said, as he turned his back, waving his hand, as he started to walk away. The other him just stared at him in shock; did he just get brushed aside like a common insect?
"You bastard," he growled, "After everything that I did for you, you're just going to walk away?"
"Like I said, I need ya' anymore," Natsu said casually, like he was talking to a little kid. The other him began to shake, as his fists clenched, and his jaw began to tremble.
"No!" the other him snapped, "I won't go back into the smoke! This is my body! I won't let you take away my freedom!" He then roared as he lunged at Natsu, only to collapse into smoke before he could reach him, which started to lift itself out of Natsu's inner world…
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Lucy felt END's grip loosening, but to her surprise, he didn't drop her. Rather, he just set her down gently, as he lowered his hand, the spike receding into his wrist, as the flames cloaking his skull fully disappeared. With that, he visibly convulsed, and shrieked in pain, and for a moment, Lucy was worried, until she watched as the black markings began to recede across his body. The tears she felt started to turn to ones of happiness, especially as a spiky crown of pink hair reappeared atop his head, and the markings disappeared to reveal a red guild mark.
Eventually, the transformation was complete, and Natsu collapsed forward, back to his human form, where Lucy caught him and held him. Looking around, she noticed the fires starting to slowly but surely die down, and the smoke began to dissipate. For a time, Natsu just panted, until he reached up with hand, putting it on her shoulder. At first, the feel of the scales on her shoulder disquieted him, but he quickly got over it as he felt the warmth of her hold.
"Lucy?" he asked weakly.
"Natsu," Lucy said softly, through her tears, as she tightened her hold on him, "Don't worry, I'm here for you." Natsu seemed to slack in relief at that, as he let out one big exhale.
"I'm tired," he said.
"Yeah, tough guy," Lucy answered, as she tightened her hold on him, "Me too."
Note: So Natsu's finally back, with Lucy's help.
Some might call foul on Natsu rejecting Lucy the way he did. But consider this: this isn't Natsu, it's END. As Irene said, END is just a swirling torrent of negative emotions; he still just saw Lucy as a nure-onna, not as the Lucy Natsu cares about. However, Lucy was still able to reach the real Natsu in there, and pull him back to the surface.
Please leave a comment.
Also, I call on my fellow writers to explore the Natsu and yokai Lucy concept as well.
Oh, and to the guest reviewer who keeps putting "pog"... Have at it, you won't stop no matter what I say.
