Natsu's POV
"Oh wow! Natsu Dragneel in the flesh!"
"Natsu Dragneel! Can you sign my helmet!?"
"Man, for a guy with pink hair, that dude's the man!"
"What I wouldn't give to talk to him..."
Who am I? Hi, nice to meet you, the name's Natsu Dragneel. Not to brag or anything, but I am a pretty good bike racer, I've only lost one race in my life...and I had the flu. Some would call me a prodigy, others a gift from God. I don't really care, all I know is racing is everything that I am good at. My friends and I make up a "gang" called Fairy Tail. Don't worry, we don't steal or kill and that crap; strictly racing in our group. Today is the City Motor Race, an annual gathering for everyone to see how Fairy Tail is racing. Challengers are allowed to race and we always have one, but they never come back after I'm done with them. Roads close down and traffic is dormant. Like I said, anyone can enter, I always win.
I walked passed all of my fans and watched as my bike was worked on, the polishing of metal and my helmet. My bike was a red and black MV Agusta F4CC, the best of the best. I smiled at motorcycle, my body reflected on its smooth surface. I picked up my helmet and walked over to my friends, my black motorcycle suit tight on my body, showing muscles.
"Looks like Natsu's going to race, everyone back out now, or your betting money will be wasted!" a raven haired male said sarcastically. He was the same age as Natsu, 19, and was the pinkettes biggest rival. As good as he was at racing, Fairy Tail was his biggest competition. Gray Fullbuster stopped being sarcastic and laughed. "Nah man, today you are going down Flame brain." Always a close second, Gray took losing pretty well, especially when he was almost first every time. The two were like equals in the biking world, and Gray received almost as much attention from fans as did Natsu.
Natsu smirked. "You know Gray, for as long as we have raced together, you have been saying that EVERY time we race, and EVERY time… you lose!" Fairy Tail laughed as Gray smirked larger. "But-" Natsu cut him off, ending his little comeback. "'BUT I did beat you!' yeah I've heard that one a lot too, and you only beat me because I had the flu." Just then, Erza Scarlet, the Red Devil spoke up. "Looks like we have a challenger. I tried talking to the dude earlier, but he won't talk. Don't know where he is from or what he looks like." I looked passed the eight Fairy Tail motorbikes to see a white and gold… Icon Sheen? This guy must be rich...Oh well, it doesn't matter, I always win anyway.
"Welcome everyone to the City Motor Race! As you can see, there is no traffic for safe driving, and we have cameras lining the streets giving the viewers as well as the racers a view to see what is going on during the race! Today it looks like we have a challenger, like every year, and this biker is anonymous, never has that happened before!" I got on my bike which was the 8th one, in front of the challenger and spoke loudly to Gray in 7th place, indirectly talking to the anonymous biker. "Probably doesn't want anyone to know who they are when we crush them!" Gray laughed and the challenger simply increased their posture. No response? Fine by me!
"On your marks!" Nine bikers revved their engines, everyone anticipating my win, and this guy would leave, shameful and unknown like all the others that have entered in the past.
"Get set!" The challenger cracked their neck and looking in my side view mirror, he looked very relaxed. Hearing his high pitched sigh, I laughed. "Yo kid!" The newb looked in my direction. "Prepare to lose!" He simply nodded once. Loser.
"Go!" Wheels burned out, causing smoke to rise and once it cleared, it showed our ranks immediately. Obviously with me in first and the challenger in last, everyone cheered to a great start of the race.
Nobody's POV
The challenger didn't seemed phased by the position they were in. They always start off in last and take over the spot of first in the end...to easy. "Lisanna Strauss in 8th place, huh?" The challenger whispered to themself. "Let's take her out first!" They sped up and with Lisanna in a pretty slow bike, it was easy to catch up, but passing was another story. Every time they went to pass, the white haired girl would drift in the same direction, never allowing a gap for passing to challenger. Frustrated, the challenger decided enough was enough, and jerked the bike to the right and then hard to the left. An amateur would have fallen off, but they were skilled and Lisanna tried to follow but spun out and crashed.
Looking in the review, the challenger laughed. "Sorry mate, but I gotta do what I can!" Meanwhile the white haired girl took off her helmet and stood slowly in defeat, hearing the announcer's voice. "Looks like the challenger in now in 8th place! Lisanna Strauss is down for the count!"
Natsu listening closely rolled his eyes. "Lisanna… I thought you were better..."
Now in 8th place, the biker looked ahead. "Another Strauss huh? Elfman… the big man on a big bike; that means less control and easier passing." The only problem with a big bike was the location of the racing area. They were in alleyways and big bikes took up ¾ of that space… How were they going to pass? Simple actually. As they got close, Elfman looked at them and laughed all manly like. "Try me pip squeak! Ima ma-" with one jerk to the left, the slim Icon Sheen was now beside the muscle bike, being driven by the big man. "H-hey what are you..." slowly, the challenger's bike was moving to the right, forcing Elfman's bike against the walls of the alleyway. Finally with enough room, they slid passed Elfman, sparing him and his bike from too much damage and flew into 7th place. They smirked as the announcer laughed with surprise.
"Wow, would you look at that! This biker seems to be passing again! Elfman is now in 8th place! Now he just has to get passed the crowd!" The crowd… A good opportunity to jump many spots in one pass, but hard to pass in general. A crowd is that middle group where everyone generally has the same level and speed, and...well it's crowded. The challenger smirked. "Let's do this..."
Natsu still in first with Gray a close second spoke to each other about a certain challenger. "How the hell are they passing?!" Gray shrugged and they didn't care about ranks as they watched the cameras zoomed in on the challenger from an aerial view approaching the crowd. Erza looked to everyone. "Don't let him pass!" The crowd nodded. It consisted of 4 people, 6th place to 3rd, with Gray being second a good distance ahead. The challenger looked at the alleyway. "A good racer knows to use their surroundings to their advantage...What can I use?" They looked around as the blob got into two lines of two people, preventing any form of passing.
"Well, it looks like they've got it under control!" Gray yelled to Natsu, his voice barely reaching the pinkett's ears from the wind. "Yeah...yeah" For a second, Natsu actually became nervous. Never had a challenger gotten this far up in placement before… No, he couldn't think like that; obviously Natsu was going to win...he had to!
The challenger stayed at a decent speed behind the crowd, Erza in the front left position, Mirajane in the from right position, Cana in the back left position, and Gajeel in the back right position, all watching cautiously at the challenger, who seemed calm and unphased by the problem. "We are halfway through the race folks and it seems the challenger won't be getting passed any time soo- hold on...Hold on! What is he doing?!" The challenger smiled and looked at dumpsters that lined the alleyway, driving toward them slowly, waiting for an opportunity.
"Three...two...now!" They got right behind a dumpster, did a wheelie, and watched as Fairy Tail bikers scrambled the get in front as they flew ahead, but the positions they were in caused them to spin out and slow down.
Natsu and Gray watched in slow motion as wheels came dangerously close to them as they hit the ground. Burning out slightly, and then speeding up, the challenger was now in between the two Fairy Tail racers, slightly behind. "Oh...my….GOSH! This challenger is unlike any we have seen so far! Who is this racer?!"
Natsu grumbled in frustration looking at the challenger who seemed to be shaking their head in disapproval, only making the boy more upset. "I want to know the same thing! Who is this guy!?" Gray shook his head and under his helmet, he gave the expression of the same question Natsu was asking. Gray tried swerving to keep the challenger at bay, but it seemed pointless; this racer was experienced no doubt, and Natsu was nervous...he was very nervous.
Speeding around a corner, the positions still the same, the challenger was smirking under their helmet. "I bet you're scared now pinky...Just you wait until I take first!" They said, quietly enough so no one could hear. "We are ¾ done with the race and oh boy am I on the edge of my seat! I bet everyone at home are tuning into the race, watching and waiting to see what the challenger has up his sleeve!"
Natsu replied to the announcer, talking to himself. "Nothing, the challenger has nothing left up their sleeve, and I am going to win this!" Gray's bike was good, but there is a reason that Natsu always wins. The raven head's bike soon was starting to slow and he was neck and neck with the challenger, just to the right of them. "Hey! You are pretty good, so I have to apologize for what I am about to do!" The challenger simply sighed. "Way to predictable..." They whispered and braked as Gray swerved hard to the left, aiming for the challenger. "Oh shi-!" He hit the wall and metal clashed against brick, causing Gray to fall off his bike completely and onto the street. He balled his hands into fists and did a small punch to the ground in frustration. "Damn it...Juvia is going to kill me."
Natsu watched Gray crash and a shocked expression showed on his face. "How did he see that coming! Wait… Where did they go?!" The challenger was in fact not on the same road as Natsu was. "A good racer always studies the layout of the racing area before racing! Thanks mom..."
"Maybe they crashed too… Damn, wish I could hear that announcer now..." The reason he couldn't was simple. During the last stretch of the race, no cameras recorded, or announcers spoke across the streets. Nobody could see the racers and the racers couldn't hear the announcer, for distraction reasons.
Meanwhile, at the finish, fans waited in silence to see that red and black Agusta bike come drifting around the last corner and down the final stretch into the finish. While Natsu raced alone in silence, the challenger was dodging walls, turning left and right through a different alleyway, little by little catching up with the undefeated champion.
Soon, however, Natsu DID come drifting around that corner, and fans cheered loudly waving banners and flags. Natsu's fears went away as he sighed in relief. "Thank goodness..." he said listening to the cheers, not knowing that someone else was listening to them too, getting very close. "...I thought I was done for! Too bad, I always win in the en-" Just then he caught a glimpse of gold from a perpendicular alleyway, and an Icon Sheen came bursting through, sparks flying as they turned hard. Another second later, the finish ribbon was broken, and not by a certain boy.
Complete silence… Gray having tuned into the channel on his phone watched in silence as well and if he weren't so shocked he would have laughed. "Well I'll be damned… Someone beat him..." Erza drove up slowly, picking up Gray on her bike after seeing him there. "Who won?! I didn't get to see!" He shook his head. "Lets just say Natsu going to kill that challenger!" Erza laughed. This was going to be good.
Natsu was going to kill him. That Icon Sheene just… the finish was right there...he was right there! And this BOY took his spot. "O-oh...Oh wow! This c-challenger actually d-did it...Well h-how about that folks…" the announcer said. Natsu took off his helmet and stormed over to the challenger, their team coming to clean the bike and talk to him. One was a very short girl with blue hair and an orange bandana. "Wow Lu! That was amazing, but you've done that trick before!"
Wait...Lu? What kind of boy is named Lu? He took another step, this time walking slower as the biker...took a pillow from under their suit! Wait are those boo- "Sorry Levy, but those tricks can be used more than once! Maybe I should find a signature move, just for me!" That voice… the challenger was a… Natsu couldn't finish his thought as the challenger took off HIS helmet… and SHE...took his breath away.
The first thing he noticed was silky blond hair come spilling out of her white and gold helmet. "Wait a second folks! I think we all should know who this racer is! It is in fact not a male, but a woman! Lucy Heartfilia has ben racing this whole time!" Gasps shot around the finish line and Gray's eyes widened on the back of Erza's bike. "No way!" Erza looked back for a second. "What?!" He laughed pulling the phone forward so the redhead could see it. "Oh my gosh...Lucy Heartfilia!? Why is she here?!"
Natsu couldn't breathe. When she turned, time slowed and he took in everything. Her pale skin, big brown doe eyes, light pink lips… She laughed and he gasped for air. It was… heavenly. His anger vanished as he shook his head, clearing the shock and walking over to her. She was mid sentence when he made it to her. "Yeah! Dinner sounds great, I saw a sweet burger place not too far fro-" Natsu tried his best to smirk. "You wouldn't want to go to dinner with me?" She turned and he was surprised once again to see a frown on her face.
Damn was he hot. She had to admit that when she took in his features. Slightly tan skin, and a hella good jawline stuck out first. Then moving up, she was his onyx deep eyes and ALMOST blushed. His pink hair stuck out in different directions and she wanted to touch it… but this cocky racer was the reason she was here. "No thanks. I would rather got to dinner with a man who is humble or can beat me in a race, you don't seem to fit either of those positions, sorry."
He didn't know what to do. Rejection? Not in his vocabulary. He did his best to not seem phased. "W-well, anyway, congratulations on the win, noody ha-" she rolled her eyes, cutting him off, shifting her weight onto one leg and sticking her helmet under her arm. "Nobody has beat you in a race, I know… You yell it a lot...Guess you can't yell it anymore."
He should have been angry. This girl has insulted him twice and it hasn't even been a minute, but this attitude was amusing to him. He smiled and got closer to her. "Well Miss Heartfilia..." she internally shuddered at the way he said her name. "...are you planning on staying here in Magnolia?" She moved away, a bit flustered from the sudden movement of the pinkette, but quickly composed herself. "No, I am just visiting… Anyway, I got to go eat dinner, hope I don't have to see you again." He moved back and rolled his eyes as she walked off.
Wish I could say the same… The sound of an engine came and stopped close to Natsu. "Wow...Lucy Heartfilia. Is she staying?" Erza asked, watching the blonde and the bluenette walk off together. Natsu sighed. "Nope. She's leaving soon."
Levy looked confused at Lucy as they walked off. "But Lu...Didn't you buy that place down the street? I thought you said you were never going back?" Lucy smiled and looked down at the girl, even though Levy was a bit older. "Yeah, but he doesn't know that! Do you have a place to stay?" She smiled waving her keys excitedly. "Yeah!"
After dinner, Lucy had to pick up her bike from the racing area. "See you later Levy!" "See ya Lu!" The blonde walked alone at night and soon made it to the spot where she finished first not that long ago. Her calmness soon went away as she heard the sound of voices, two males...wait. One of them she knew to be a certain pink haired racer.
She combed her hair out with her hands and then stopped. What are you doing Lucy?! You can't allow yourself to like the guy! She also noticed his bike was there as well. It was a good looking bike, she had to admit. They continued to talk, facing away from her, not realizing she was there. "...she's a good racer, I mean she beat you. Fairy Tail would be lucky to have her if she was staying!" A raven haired boy said, she knew him to be Gray Fullbuster, but that was it. She laughed thinking about what it would be like to join Fairy Tail. It didn't sound that bad.
They, however, heard her laugh and she quickly covered up her genuine laugh with a sarcastic one. "Fairy Tail? Thanks but no thanks. If they all race like pinky than it's a waste of my time." She lied, and Natsu knew she was. She knew as cocky as he was, he had a good reason to be; he wasn't a bad racer, in fact he was really good, and if they raced again, who knows who would win.
"Well well, turns out I was racing with a celebrity the whole time." She smirked. "Yeah not some loser, or a newb. I only raced when I heard about a pinkette who needs disciplining… Then I figured out it was a dude."
Gray snorted. "Pretty AND smart, too bad I already have a beautiful girlfriend, she's all ours Natsu." Lucy glared causing Gray's smile to vanish. "Hey Fullbuster, I belong to nobody, especially nobodys who are cocky enough to celebrate before the race even starts." Natsu frowned. She was amusing, but boy was she laying it on thick… She seemed to notice and softened up. She didn't want to crush the poor guy. He just lost his first race. "Sorry, anyway it was a good race. You are a pretty good racer Natsu." He was glad it was dark, or else she would've noticed a blotch of pink that laced his cheeks. "Oh yeah, and turns out I am staying longer than I thought… I moved in, maybe for a while. See you around." She got on her bike, put on her helmet, and revved the engine before leaving with a screech of her tires.
Natsu just stared at the spot where she was a few seconds ago and Gray walked up laughing. He placed a hand on the pinkette's shoulder and shook his head. "You've fallen hard for Heartfilia huh? Good luck." Natsu gulped and sighed. "Thanks… I'm going to need it."