A/N: Hey guys, I know I updated yesterday but I had Solo and Ensemble today and I was a bit stressed out, bit afterwards, I was in a more relaxed feeling. Before I went to perform (which this was hours from than) I thought "hey, why don't I get my mind off it and work on this story?" So I did. :)
Lucy's POV
I sat up after being asleep for ...who knows how long. I looked around. Erza was next to me. Happy was in my lap and Gray... I turned. He was behind me. His skin was pale and his cheeks were flushed. I don't remember falling asleep. Than again... My head feels light. I thought back to the last thing I could recall.
I remember running after some thing that took my friend. Happy and I were running after Erza - more or less, I was running and Happy was on my back. I remember that Erza had gone into a big tree. I saw that she had brought out her sword and had run further into the tree. I waited a moment but heard nothing. I walked closer to the entrance when I hear Erza speak.
"What do you mean? Rest? I don't..."
Than I heard nothing. I pushed back the vines that covered the entrance and saw that Erza was in the ground. There was blood on the ground as well. My mouth dropped and my eyes widened from shock. I looked up and saw that the one who took my friend had blood dripping from its mouth. I froze.
"Lucy? Why did you stop?"
I had forgotten Happy was on my back. I kept my eyes on the thing in front of me. It had looked up from Erza and looked directly at me and Happy. It's head tilted toward the right and walked over to use. I was too scared to move. Erza was knocked out, unconscious, and she could be hurt. Was the blood on its mouth Erza's? Gray's? Both? The creature before me stopped just arms length from me. I was able to get a better look at it and something seemed off. I couldn't tell and before I could examine anything further, some kind of dust was blown into my face. Happy coughed as the dust got into his face. I suddenly felt dizzy and fell forward, unable to stand. I tried to keep my eyes open. I tried to fight this dreariness that had overcome me, but I couldn't. I let myself drift to sleep.
A thought crossed my mind... I died. Why else would I feel disoriented. I wasn't used to being dead. That thought left my mind after my head started to clear up a bit. I was not dead. I was alive and breathing. I was in a tree somewhere where no one knows where we are. Erza, Gray, and Happy were unconscious, and I have no idea where that thing went.
After sitting in silence for sometime, I heard a sound outside the tree. Was it that thing that took Gray and knocked us out? I didn't know if I should look, but if I didn't, how would I get my answers? I wouldn't. I will have to be cautious. I stood up and walked toward the entrance if the tree. I held my breath, unsure if it could hear me breath. I glanced out to see that the sun was in the middle of the sky. It was midmorning by the earliest. I looked around and saw that it was calm. I didn't see anything and walked out. I could hear birds chirping and the sound was perfect in this peaceful place. I examined my surroundings, considering that I didn't take a good look at them when I was chasing after Erza.
This meadow was so... calming. There were many little flowers that were yellow, orange, as well as white. The grass was tall and danced as the wind blew from the north. The lake was still and reflected the sun's light, making it have a shine to the still water. The mountain in the far distance had a thick fog near the top and it was toped with snow against the gray, treeless top.
(Something like in the pictures below for reference)
This land was untouched by any civilized human culture. It was breathtaking. The sweet smell of the flowers... The sounds of the birds... Everything was calming. I looked around before I saw something crouched down near the lake. I walked over, cautiously. As I walked closer to it, I saw that it was what helped us yesterday. I let out a short gasp. It heard. I watched as it turn its head toward me. Wait... Now that I get a better look at it, I an see that it was a human. Based on its shape, it was a human male. I watched as he looked me up and down, examining me. I looked down. I noticed that I apparently had some minor scratches. I assume I got it from the fight or from running through the woods.
"You... hurt?"
I looked up. It, I mean, he talked? His voice sounded rough. Not rough that it was difficult to understand, more like it was rough from not talking. That is what it sounded like to me. It took me a moment to realize that he had asked me if I was hurt and I didn't get answer him.
"Uh, no. I'm fine."
He dipped his head and turned away. He seemed different than when we first ran into him. He was calm. He had honestly scared me when I first met him, but now... I was unsure. I watch him as he stood up and walked toward me. I got scared because of the mask on his face. It made me feel uncomfortable. Why was he wearing the mask? He walked over to me, leaning forward as he walked toward me. I took a step back. He tilted his head when I did. He walked closer to be and I stayed still this time. I held my breath as he walked around me. He got close to my head and I could feel his breath blowing down my neck that sent a shiver down my spin. I let my eyes close as I was starting to get nervous. After a moment, I opened my eyes to see that he was not next to me. I looked around and still didn't see him. Where did he go? I turned and he was suddenly right next to me.
"Where did you...?
All I got was a head tilt. He had something in his had. He held it out to me. It was an apple. I didn't go for the apple. I may be hungry, but I don't know if I can take his food.
"Hungry?"
I looked at him. Although I can't see his eyes, or any part of the top half of his face, I can tell that he was being genuine. I let out a sigh before I nodded my head and accepted his offering. He dipped his head and walked away from me. I took a bite of the apple and it was rather sweet. I suddenly felt guilty that I had been hesitant. If he truly wanted to hurt me, he would have done so while I was unconscious. I walked back to where Gray, Erza, and Happy were resting. I walked right to Gray's side and looked at him. He was really pale except on his cheeks. I touched his forehead. He was burning up. His body temperature is normally low due to his maker magic. This fever was concerning. His arm had a strange wrapping around the wound.
"Gray..."
I said his name as I let out a breath that I had been holding. I heard a sound of the vines being moved and I turned to the entrance. It was that guy that helped us. He had with him more apples as well as some green plants with flowers. Strange to bring flowers. I doubt that they are edible. He set don the apples and watched me from the entrance.
"Did you do this?"
I was asking about Gray's wounds that were wrapped. He gave a nod.
"Help."
"Help? Do you need help?"
He paused and shock his head. He hesitated. Did that mean he did? He pointed to Gray. Oh. I was just over thinking this. He was talking about Gray. Gray needs help. I moved to the side and he walked next to Gray. He set his hand down next to Gray and a small mouse thing that I didn't notice called down from his shoulder and started sniffing Gray's wound. I was confused by this action. It looked like a mouse but it also didn't look like a mouse. It had the body shape of a mouse but it was a redish color with black stripes. It had a all black tail and tiny black ears. It was no smaller than his hand.
I watched as the small mouse thing kept sniffing Gray's wound. It made a few squeaks sound and the male in front of Gray nodded. He took off the thing wrapping Gray's arm and started to clean off the substance that was under the wrapping. A green paste had covered his wound and now that it was off, I could see how bad it was. The monster had dug its claws deep into Gray's arm. The blood was stained on his arm. It left a shade of red on his pale skin. The mouse creature made another squeak. He let out a sigh and began crush the leaves of the white flowers. Once he made it into a paste, he applied to Gray's wound. I watched as he worked. I found it rather strange. This plant... It was a flower wasn't it? Why is he putting it on Gray's wound? I couldn't be sure, but I don't think he has the intention to hurt any of us. I know he took Gray and knocked me, Erza, and Happy unconscious, but I think there must be some kind of reason. There had to be. I let out a sigh as I looked down in thought. When I looked up again, he was staring at me.
"Uh, Hi?"
"H-hello."
I was unsure what he could understand, so I tried to make a conversation with him. Hoping to find some answers.
"Is he okay?"
He glanced at Gray before giving me a half nod.
"Poison... almost gone."
"Poison? What poison?"
"Poison from demon."
"Demon? That creature was a demon?"
"Yes."
He went silent again. He was taking out the poison, wasn't he. I did read somewhere that there are plants that can take out poison, if prepared properly. So that monster was a demon. I didn't realize that we had fought a creature of the underworld, or even from the Book of Zeref. I look back at the person who helped us fend him off. He could have left us to fight the demon, but he risked his own life to save ours. He brought Gray to his home to make sure Gray doesn't die. We would never have know that Gray was poisoned from the beast. That explains why he was paralyzed. This person can't just do any of this without a reason.
"I know this may sound rude but, can I trust you?"
A/N 2: So... I have another chapter up. Yay! Chapter 10. Wow. I can't believe I got to chapter 10 in this story. This story is mostly all planned out, I just need to write it down. This story, as well as another, has been my main priority in my writing. I will work on One-shots, and other works, but I really want to get this story completed so I can focus on my other works. I love working on this story and all, however, I have many story plots I have to get written down that I wish I could just have my mind connected to my computer and what ever story I have come up with would just write itself as I think of the plot. At the same time, I think "Where is the fun in that?" So, I'll just have to deal with my own slow updates. Hope you guys are liking this story. See you in the next chapter.
~Zolf
Posted: 2/15/2020