The year is X800.
"Natsu, where are you going?"
Natsu freezes at his house's front door, his hand on the handle. His outfit obviously prepares him for treacherous conditions, which is worrisome to his wife. Quietly, he mumbles, "I just got somethin' I need ta do."
Lucy frowns, her eyebrows scrunched together in confusion and worry. Natsu waits for her approval to continue, but she wordlessly ventures back to their bedroom, only to walk back to him dressed for the same conditions he is. A silent agreement passes through them: I'm going with you. He nods, and they walk out of their house.
They stop in front of the guild, and Lucy sends Natsu a questioning expression. "Natsu, what are we doing here?" In response, he opens the guild doors and walks in.
"I thought you guys would never arrive here. Tell me, has Natsu been acting acceptably towards you? Has he been offering to do things for you? Has he been threatening to fight you at all?" Erza continues to interrogate Lucy, all the while gripping the blonde's shoulders like a vice.
In the shadows, Natsu slips behind the action and goes up to Mirajane, gently laying a hand on his shoulder. "Mira, we need to talk. You too, Laxus."
Shocked at his unusually serious tone, Mira softly agrees, and Laxus stands up from his seat among the crowd, joining the two as they walked to the Master's office. Meanwhile, the other people at the bar give each other surprised and perplexed glances, wondering why on earth Natsu of all people is acting so stoically. Erza questions Lucy, but she just responds, "I don't know."
In the office, Laxus sits down at the desk chair and Mira sits on the chair beside his. Laxus gestures his hand toward another chair while looking at Natsu, but Natsu just shakes his head. "I'm going somewhere. It's not a paying mission, but it is a mission. Lucy's coming too," Natsu announces, staring at the couple.
"What're you gonna do?" Laxus questions.
"Right before he died, Igneel… he… he asked me to do something. I didn't really have the time or the heart to do it until now," Natsu responds, his words reflecting just how much the young man has experienced. "I need to find his mate's grave, and make sure that she was okay once he left."
"Igneel had a mate?"
"Yeah."
Laxus nods, understanding exactly why Natsu feels the need to go through with his father's final wish. Although Mira is not a dragon slayer, she is Laxus' mate, and thus she understands enough to know that the matter is not up for debate.
Laxus says, "Don't do something reckless, Natsu."
"We still wanna see you guys have lots of babies one day!" Mira squeals, clapping her hands together.
"And you guys already have a home and family to get back to, so don't go getting in trouble," Laxus finishes.
"Do you want a communication lacrima or one of Cana's cards?" Mira offers.
"No, we'll be fine," Natsu insists.
"Go. If you two aren't back in a few weeks, I'm coming for you guys. Good luck."
"Thanks, Laxus."
Natsu comes back, and everyone looks at him strangely before bombarding him with questions. Silently, he walks over to where Lucy is and grabs her hand, pulling her away from their guildmates as they walk out of the guildhall together.
The two leave Magnolia, and soon the town is a speck in the distance behind them. They pass through a large forest, all the while silence being their only company. "Natsu," Lucy finally speaks, "Where are we going? And what are we supposed to be doing? You haven't told me a single thing about all of this."
Natsu looks at his wife, her concerned face showing him how much she cares about him. His heart swells at her obvious show of affection and his face softens for a moment, but it squeezes again when he remembers what their mission is. "You'll see. Trust me," Natsu responds, his serious attitude contradicting the happy-go-lucky personality his wife expects from him.
"Okay. I trust you."
The duo travels for what feels like days, mostly because it does take them days to go where Natsu takes them. Although Natsu does not know the exact location of their destination, his heart pulls him in one unwavering direction, so he follows his instincts.
One the third day, they make it out of the forest, only to come across a seemingly endless volcano area. Volcanos of all sizes tower over each other, spanning farther than the horizon. Both of the mages' hearts race, one out of fear, the other out of instinct that their destination is near. "U-um, Natsu," Lucy shakily whispers, "Is this really safe for a non-fire mage like me? And where on Earthland are we going?"
Natsu takes a long look at the horizon around them. "We're close. And don't worry about the volcanos. I'll always protect you, right Luigi?" Natsu prods, laughing when Lucy yells in response. "I'm your wife! Shouldn't you know my name by now?!"
A laugh bubbles up rom Natsu's chest, but a volcano erupts, bringing both of their minds back to their current location. After a deep breath, Natsu takes Lucy's hand in his own, and they begin walking forward. After a few more hours, Natsu takes a sharp turn and heads directly toward the largest volcano. "N-Natsu, aren't we gonna avoid the volcanos?" Lucy hesitantly asks, clutching his arm.
Natsu sniffs the air, and he stares at the enormous volcano in front of them. "We're right where we need to be."
"Okay."
When they finally arrive at the volcano, Natsu stalks around its base, studying where it meets with the ground. They walk around half the volcano before he points to a large crack in its base further ahead. Lucy scoffs, "What? Is that supposed to be some sort of special landmark or somethi-"
Natsu walks up to the crack and heads through it, proving that although it appears to be just a crack, it is large enough to walk through. Stunned, Lucy wanders into the side of the volcano in a haze, muttering a soft "wow" as she walks into the volcano. "I didn't expect that," she remarks, her voice filled with confusion.
His hand lit as an improvised torch, Natsu continues marching forward, his task so close at hand. They walk through twists and turns, making Lucy wonder where they are going. After a while, Natsu's fist flame dies out, and before Lucy has a chance to question him, she sees light at the end of the tunnel. In a matter of seconds, they arrive at one of the most gorgeous scenes either of them had ever seen.
An oasis is hidden in the mountain. Lush, green plants cover the ground, and animals happily run around with each other. Nature, beautiful and very much alive, is all around them. "Wow," Lucy breathes. Natsu closes his eyes and takes a deep sniff of the air.
"This way."
Still holding her hand, he walks forward slowly until they reach a clearing. A beautiful cherry blossom tree stood, larger than any tree either had ever seen. Instead of pink, the flowers were a fiery red and a dragon tattoo is wrapped around the trunk. All the animals, even the nature itself, seem to hold that particular area in high regard. None of the animals touch the tree, even though it is the loveliest of all the trees in that oasis.
"Natsu, what is this place?"
"It smells like Igneel… but sweeter. Know what that means, Lu-chan?"
Lucy looks up at him in a silent no.
"We found her. His mate."
The two stare at the tree in awe and respect, Lucy holding Natsu's arm as they remember the fire dragon and his miracle.
~FIN~
A/N: Thank you guys so much for reading! It's been a pleasure having you. Please, if you liked it, check out my other works. If you have any comments, suggestions, requests, etc. just comment below or send me a private message! Sadly, it is time for out tale to end. Once again, thank you! I wouldn't be able to do this without everyone's support.
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