Natsu groaned as he spread out like a starfish on the unfamiliar bed, a familiar small and light weight stuck to his tanned flesh. He needed a quick blitz through a shower, no doubt about that. His eyes were momentarily washed with white as he eased them open, a quick glance at the nearby alarm clock told him that it was a bit after two in the afternoon. He felt the weight shift on top of him, Levy must have woken up due to his movement.
"Mmm… What time is it?" The blunette murmured sleepily among a cute yawn.
"2:14 PM according to the clock over there." Natsu replied while pointing over to the device, drawing the heavy-eyed gaze as she slowly pushed herself upright.
Levy's unfocused eyes immediately sharpened and darkened with primal needs as she felt something large shift within her core, pushing itself deeper as she straightened up. "Heh, I forgot that big boy was inside there." She instantly clamped down with her core muscles, squeezing Natsu's manly rod with all her might and forcing a deep groan from the man. "Just wait until your girls find out just how long this bad boy can be up for. You're definitely not human~."
"Oh gods…" The man muttered quietly as he covered his eyes with a hand. "I don't want to think about the fighting."
"Nah~." Levy giggled playfully as she slowly rubbed her hands up and down the man's chiselled chest while slowly moving her hips up and down, savouring the shaft while she could. "I think I might keep this big secret to myself. Waking up like this is kind of thrilling~."
"I didn't think it was possible to happen over one night. But, I think you somehow managed to squeeze me completely dry…" Natsu laughed and enjoyed the view of the petite blunette. He brought his hands to her perky little breasts and started to massage them.
"Well, I am a very small woman~. It only makes sense that I'd be able to squeeze it all out with my tight little pussy~." With great reluctance, Levy slowly brought her hips all the way up, dropping the man from her narrow channel with a long groan. "Gods I feel empty now. I may need to shove it back in."
"Maybe I'll surprise you with it sometime later." Natsu whispered huskily into the woman's ear while flipping their positions and sliding a hand down her thigh and to her slit where he teased the little bundle of nerves that had come out to play.
"Don't say that!" Levy moaned loudly, it turned out that he had never taken the enhanced sensitivity off her and the little touches on her clit sent a bomb off in her core, causing her to spasm and clench her womanhood over and over. "Now it'll be stuck in my mind and I'll be soaked all day, waiting to have your cock shoved in so roughly that it knocks the wind out of me."
"Who knew that the sweet little bookworm that is Levy McGarden had this kind of kink~?" The pinkette teased the woman, grinning seductively as he kissed down her neck and reset her sensitivity.
"Erza wasn't the only closet perv at the guild, I have my fair share of sexual fantasies. And no one bothered me while I was sat in the corner of the hall, reading books on "ancient magics and runes". I am very good at using a book with one hand~." Levy grinned mischievously and quickly scurried out of the man's grip, making a break for the bathroom while giggling like a schoolgirl. "You should have heard how often Lucy wanted you to fuck her senseless over the years~, she is a very detail intense woman too. It always managed to get me in a frenzy too so I had to take care of myself, sometimes right there on the spot, she'd do the same though."
Natsu laughed heartily and followed the woman into the bathroom. He turned on the shower and thankfully the water was clean and clear. It didn't smell off or anything, well… it smelt faintly of treatment chemicals but that was it. "So, the cars?"
"Since they both work, we ought to take them right back. I need to set up some temporary ventilation in the workshop though." The blunette murmured while she enjoyed the hot water running over her skin, unfortunately, it seemed that getting reamed by Natsu has ruined heat for her. Now it only made her desire for sexual satisfaction to rise its lustful head once more. She'll have to tend to herself later, or hope that Natsu makes good on his promise of surprising her… oh no, there she went again, psyching herself up… She was going to have to put up with the desires and a soaking wet womanhood all day now. "Damn you and your big cock." She murmured softly.
"What's this about my big cock?"
"And your hearing too!" The woman spun around and slapped the man on his ass, shooting a fiery glare up at him. She sighed and relaxed as she grabbed the body wash that the previous occupant had left behind. "Anyway, I need ventilation in my workshop as Jessie was picking up dangerous oxides coming from the exhaust, stuff that could kill if not properly vented. So until I can make a fuel that runs like the fuel in these vehicles, without the negative aspects, I have to have the door to my lift open."
"How long do you think that'll take?" Natsu asked softly. He grabbed the shampoo from the rack and started washing the short woman's hair, earning a small but thankful smile from her. "Given that I've got a bunch of those Jerry Cans stored away."
"Without a good understanding of Lacrima fuel, probably a while. That's why we need to get to Edolas and get some fuel from there." Levy closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of Natsu's calloused fingers massaging her scalp, she felt like she was about to melt under his talented touch. "Did Lucy teach you how to do that?"
"She taught me many things." He replied slyly, grinning to himself. "But yeah, she's the reason I know the best way to give massages. She'd always get me to give them to her after particularly strenuous missions."
"Plus it allowed you to get your hands on her sensual body, I bet."
"I'll admit…" Natsu chuckled while rinsing the woman's hair and starting to apply conditioner. "I did love getting my hands on her supple body, making her a moaning mess."
"And then you two had sex, and now you massage her insides~!" Levy giggled perversely, letting the man see the hidden side of her. She sighed and shook her head lightly bending down to do her legs while giving the man a foxy look out of the corner of her eye and a slight wiggle of her behind. "You know you want to shove it in~."
"I know, but I'm going to make you wait for it. Stew in anticipation." The pinkette grinned as he started to wash her back, once again massaging the soap into her skin and earning a groan of appreciation.
"Oh yes~, work those knots out~."
Natsu shook his head at the woman's unusual antics, he never expected her to be like this but then again, everyone had their secrets. "We'll have to be precise with our portal placement when taking those cars back…"
"Not necessarily, I've got a prototype… what was it you called it again?"
"PIT: Personal Interdimensional Transporter."
"Yeah, I've got a new prototype based on my watch-like design." Levy held up her left arm to show the device strapped to her wrist. She straightened up and rinsed her hair out before starting on washing Natsu, paying extra attention to his magic wand and crystal balls. "It's mainly adjusting frequencies and fine-turning the portal emitter and boosting the overall efficiency, but I've managed to create a clear portal. It should allow us to see the destination as if it was a tunnel."
"Alright, I'll let you go set that up after the shower."
"I'll need you out on the road so I can pinpoint the optimal location." Levy licked her lips slowly as her hands roamed the man's body, savouring the heat and taught muscle. "I also need you to pin me to the shower wall and fill me right up."
Once the woman had finished exploring him with her dainty hand and washing him, he spun her around on the spot and pressed her against the wall. Natsu breathed a gentle breeze of hot air against the woman's neck, making sure that he gets her all hot and bothered. He made it look like he was about to take her again but quickly vanished from the shower, leaving her to complain loudly at the laughing pinkette. Light flashed around Natsu as he dressed himself in a simple tee shirt and jeans while heading to the garage. He slowly ran a hand over the 240z, unable to stop the wild grin from appearing on his face. The hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention as the memory of the test drive raced through his mind. He opened the right-side door and grabbed the keys, following the steps from the night before as he started up the car, a shiver of anticipation running through him.
Levy soon joined the man in the garage. "Can you take the vehicles out onto the road and leave them running? I'm going to duck back and set up the portal."
"Alright." Natsu replied with a wide grin. He left the 240z to warm up as he walked over to the Rhino and climbed inside. "Now… how the hell do I start this thing…?" A mop of blue hair popped up as Levy reached past him, plucking the keys from a cubby in the centre of the dash and sticking it into the ignition.
"Make sure it's in Park, then stick your foot on the brake and turn the key to run. Let it sit there for about ten seconds then turn it to run, once she kicks over let the key go." The blunette looked up at the man from near his lap with an apologetic smile. "I forgot I hadn't shown you how to operate this one. Once it's started, keep your foot on the brake and pull that lever on the column to stick it into reverse."
"Thanks, Levy." He replied while following the woman's instructions.
Levy jumped back to the ground as the vehicle rumbled to life. She glanced back at the man with a small smile, remembering how not that long ago, he couldn't stomach vehicles and now here he was, helping her sort some out. She brought up the PIT's interface and travelled back to her workshop as the man pulled out onto the road and parked the Rhino.
Natsu parked the armoured vehicle at the side of the road and left it running. As he climbed out he could smell the stench of rotting corpses and splattered bodies. "I think I should at least wash it…" The man quickly grabbed a garden hose and rolled it out to the Rhino so he could start hosing off all the blood and guts. Once it was clean enough, he rummaged around in the garages of the houses around him, finding a pressure washer with a soap can on it. "I hope this will help…"
'It should, looks like it is for heavy-duty washing of stuff. Maybe it'd be good to take with us?'
'Talking some sense, that's rare for you END.' The pinkette chuckled to himself as he took the device back and started using it on the large vehicle. It thankfully removed all of the stubborn bits of zombie that clung to the front, sides, and underneath it.
'Hey, I'm not just a common pervert. I'm an intelligent pervert!'
A clear portal opened behind the man, catching his attention. From within it he could see Levy standing in her vehicle workshop. She had changed her clothes while she was gone it seemed, opting for denim shorts that stopped at her mid-thigh and an orange singlet. The small woman stepped through with her hands in her pockets and her Eyebot floating over her shoulder. "That's all set. Thanks for cleaning all the gunk off. Saves me from taking it home and potentially contaminating our world."
"I think we should take this thing… Jessie, just what is this?"
"It's a pressure washer, Sir. It is used for cleaning."
"Yeah, I figured that much out fairly quickly." Natsu grumbled and shot the bot with a burst of water before going back to washing the vehicle. "She's almost done, you can take it over in a sec."
"Just stick it in the back once you are done." Levy instructed as she made her way to the Fairlady and popped the bonnet. She bent over and took a look at the engine, making sure there were no leaks.
The pinkette leant back and glanced over at the woman's ass, watching it sway side to side slightly as the woman carefully gave the engine a check-up. Realising that he had been spraying the same spot for solid two minutes, he quickly focused on the Rhino and found that it was completely clean. "Yo, Lev! The car's done."
"Alright." The blunette closed the bonnet and came back as Natsu loaded the washer up in the back, placing it next to the cans of diesel. "I'll take this in, you grab the other car. And maybe grab one of the cars from around here. I think I'll use that one for fuel testing so I don't ruin these two."
"I'll look for a diesel and a petrol one then. I think I saw a four-door thing around here that was a diesel when I was having a poke around."
"Could you bring them over before taking the Fairlady in, please?" Levy glanced at the man curiously, pausing mid-climb into the vehicle. "Doesn't have to be anything flashy, just something that won't be missed if we blow it up." She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a silver watch-like device. "Here, my most current iteration of the PIT. I've programmed a drop-off point into it, under Vehicle Bay. Here, let me transfer your current settings and locations." She turned and sat on the driver's seat while holding her hand out for his current PIT.
When she was given the device, she quickly conducted the transfer and handed the watch-like device to Natsu. "Thanks." The man strapped the new device onto his wrist and tapped it, receiving the same holographic interface that he had with his previous model. "I'll grab these cars and bring them over now."
"I don't care what it is, just grab the two first ones you find."
"Alright, I'll take the Fairlady for a spin then and take a look around the block." Natsu stepped back as the door swung shut. He gave the woman a quick wave as she drove through the portal which closed behind her. "Time to go car shopping I guess."
'I think we passed a car store on our way to this place, we could go for a drive back that way and see if we can find it?'
"Good idea, she's had enough time to warm up I reckon. What do you reckon, Ruby or Cherry?" Natsu walked over to the garage and slid into the driver's seat of the 240z. He gave the car a few revs as a grin spread across his face once more.
'I think the paint reminds me of those dark cherries from that farm outside Hargeon. So Cherry fits the bill.'
The man put the car into first but didn't let up on the clutch, he was grinning too hard from the sound of the engine flicking the dial into the red.
'Hurry up and let it rip! I'm sure Levy won't mind, as long as we get her those cars and get this back to her in one piece.'
Natsu let out a crazed laugh as he dropped the clutch at full throttle, spinning up the tyres and smoking the garage before racing down out of the driveway and out onto the road. He was grinning from one ear to the other as he rowed through the gears and blitzed down the deserted street, it almost felt natural.
The 240z screamed as it sailed around a sweeping bend at speeds that would have had the city's police on it in seconds were they still alive. Natsu tap-danced on the pedals as he flung the car around a tight corner, panic surging through him as the rear end started to come out and swing around. "OH FUCK!"
'FIX IT NOW!'
"SHUT UP! MOTHERFUCKER!" The man shouted back as he wrenched the wheel back around, hoping to the gods that something would happen. In his freaked out state, he kept his foot planted on the accelerator, not even thinking about coming off it as he was holding on for dear life.
But something magical happened… The car became controlled chaos, sliding sideways in a perfect arc around the sharp bend. The man's eyes shot wide open as adrenaline flooded his system, his panicked look morphing into a crazed grin as the car slowly straightened out.
Something had infected him. Gotten into his blood and drove him insane. The smell of smoking tyres and the roaring sound of the engine made his heart beat as fast as a fight would. He glanced at the next corner and had the brilliant idea of trying it once again, swinging the rear out on purpose.
It was addicting, like a drug, the raw adrenaline surging through him as he flung the car around corner after corner, racing through the streets and swerving in and about abandoned cars. The grin turning into maniacal laughter as he pushed the car and himself harder and harder.
The smell, the sound, the vibrations, the inertia, it all soaked into Natsu and it finally clicked, the reason his counterpart in Edolas loved cars. Very few things could compare to what it felt like, the power, the adrenaline, being thrown back in his seat and pressed into the corners of it as the car ripped around the city streets… it all made his heart race like crazy. But as he rounded the next corner, he was met with a sea of undead, shambling toward the noisy car.
Fiery spikes erupted from the car's body, slicking back to form a dense protective shell as the Fairlady surged through the crowd of zombies, sending them ricocheting off the armour without damaging the car. The God Slaying flames turning the light vehicle into a machine of utter carnage.
'Move Bitch, Get Out The Way!'
Natsu hooked around a corner, sledgehammering his way through the piled up zombies, bursting out the other side of the mob. The car dealer had to be not far, while he wasn't exactly bee-lining it he was still heading in the rough direction of it. The magical spikes stood up and shrunk into nothingness, revealing the pristine bodywork underneath. Natsu started to slow down and pulled into the Dealership, leaving the car running as he got out. "What should we get…?"
'Let's have a look around, there seems to be a variety of brands here. Maybe something fancy and something utilitarian?'
"Hmm…" The man walked about until he came across one that looked reasonably fancy. He moved to the back so he could see what it was. "Mercedes-AMG A45…? I suppose that covers the fancy side of things, looks a hell of a lot newer than my car. Need to find the keys for this baby…"
'Inside, probably behind one of the desks or locked in a cupboard somewhere.'
"Might just get Levy back here. Get her to pick something out." Natsu murmured quietly as he tapped on the new PIT and opening a portal to the vehicle bay. He saw Levy glance over from where she had the Rhino parked and run over to him, passing through the portal.
"What have you got for me?" The woman asked curiously as she glanced around at the car yard. "Ooo~ I may have to save this location, lots of vehicles I can use. If I break one I can just come back."
"Yeah, we passed this place last night when running from the zombies. I just did my best to find it again." The salmon-haired man glanced at the car next to him. "Figured we could use this one, still need to find a diesel."
"How about this, you put the 240z away." Levy pointed over her shoulder at the portal with a bright smile. "And I'll look around here."
"Alright." As Natsu turned away, he saw Levy stand up on her toes with a sly but expectant smile. "What's up?"
"I want a thanks for taking over the job I gave you." The corner of her mouth flicked up into a small smirk as she leant forwards a little more. "So~ come thank me."
Natsu reached out and lightly cupped Levy's chin between his forefinger and thumb, tilting it up a little as he leaned in slowly, not once breaking eye contact. As his lips became a hair's breadth away, he grinned. "Maybe I ought to make your wait for it?"
"Ass." Levy giggled as she launched forwards, knocking the man to the ground and forcing him into a heated lip-lock, battling fiercely with his tongue. She held onto his shirt tightly as she walked her knees forward and sat firmly on his lap. After a few good minutes of snogging, the woman pushed up off of the pinkette and turned to the car. "Off you go now~."
Natsu laughed loudly as he rose up off the ground. "Feisty little one, aren't you?" He gave the woman a quick spank and got a defiant poke of the tongue in return. Unable to stop the grin forming, Natsu shook his head softly and headed back to the Fairlady, lowering himself into it and coasting over to the portal. He opened the window and looked out at the blunette. "Where did you want this?"
"Just park it over by the car hoist. I'll move it later." Levy replied without a glance back, too focused on the car in front of her.
"Alright."
Fairy Tail Guild Hall, Magnolia, Universe 129-G
Natsu parked the car where Levy had indicated and left the keys on her workbench. "I hope she doesn't notice the tyres…" He murmured as he headed out of the workshop and up to the main hall, it seemed quiet and when he walked into the great hall, he found that it was mostly empty save for a few stragglers and Mira at the bar.
"Welcome back, Natsu!" Mira called out while waving from her spot. She handed a drink off to one of the guild members who had joined while Natsu was with Natsumi then made her way across the hall to the pinkette. "How'd it go? Seilah told me it was pretty hectic out there."
"Turns out there was a bunch of undead there, but we found some cool vehicles. Levy and Seilah found something with a massive gun on top, and when we found a place to spend the night we found this nice two-door called a 240z Fairlady. Apparently, it has been modified by the previous owner." Natsu smiled and wrapped his arms around the stunningly beautiful white-haired woman, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "The thing is very fun to drive."
Mira sniffed at his skin softly, her large blue eyes flicked up curiously. "You smell a little of smoke, and not the usual woody kind of smoke that smells delicious… it smells acrid almost."
"I, err, found out a fun way of driving it." The man replied while grinning nervously. "Don't tell Levy, but I wasn't exactly driving all that slowly, or in a straight line…"
The model's eyes lit up with excitement, her heart starting to race. Not many people knew but she owned an SE powered Magic Motorcycle, she had actually had a photoshoot with it at one point but of course, everyone thought she borrowed it from a friend. "You may have to take me for a spin soon, it sounds amazing. And I don't want a Sunday cruise either." She giggled softly into the man's ear and rested her forehead against the crook of his neck. "Wanna stay over at mine tonight? Lis is with Laxus, and Elfman is with Evergreen, so I'll just be there all on my lonesome."
"Sure." Natsu smiled as his stomach grumble loudly, he gave the woman a slightly awkward grin and chuckled. "Sorry, I haven't eaten since last night in that other world. What time is it here?"
"Um…" Mira glanced over at the clock above the bar. "About Ten PM, You've been gone for almost two nights."
"Alright." The man slipped a hand into the beautiful woman's silvery locks and slowly combed it with his fingers, earning a cute little moan from the woman. "Touch starved are you?"
"Oh, you know it~?" She purred and pressed herself flush against the man. She fluttered her eyelashes at the man as her voice lowered into a soft yet husky whisper. "I can think of a lot of better things you could be doing with those magic hands~."
"Are you all finished here?"
"Yeah, my shift is over. Kinana will be taking over at Ten, I don't think she'll mind if I duck out with a few more minutes before her shift. I just need to let her know. She's in the kitchen right now." Mira smiled and kissed Natsu's cheek, turning against him slowly as she slid a hand down along the cheek. She sashayed over to the kitchen and disappeared past the door, reappearing a few moments later in a thick winter coat. "Alright, let's go!"
Natsu slipped his hand into Mira's and squeezed it softly, earning a bright smile from the woman as they left the guild and walked through the snowy city towards the Strauss Residence. "It's strange, being in one season an hour ago and coming back to snow…"
"That'd be a bit of a shock, but at least it's not cold over there." Mira smiled and pulled his arm to her chest, taking in the man's natural warmth. "But at least I have you to keep me warm."
"How have you been, Mira? I haven't had the chance to check in with you privately."
"Well, aside from missing your warm body, especially in winter. I've been doing alright, busy but alright." The snowy-haired woman smiled against the man's shoulder as her eyes drifted down across his chest. "Oh, you have a watch?"
"It's the latest version of the portal device, the PIT. Levy gave me it in exchange for the one I had on me." Natsu smiled and brought his wrist up for the woman to inspect. "It's very compact, much more than the previous models."
Mira tapped on the face of the device, bringing up the interface. "Looks like the previous interface. Must just be all hardware changes."
"Yeah." They came to a stop outside the woman's house and Mira took a bundle of keys from her bag. "You look beautiful, Mira."
"Thanks." She smiled back at the man and gave him a kiss while unlocking the door. "Could you get the fireplace going for me, please?"
"Alright." Natsu replied as he took his shoes off in the entranceway, placing them on her shoe rack before ducking into the lounge room. He heard Mira duck up the stairs, probably to get changed out of her clothes. "Did Hisui talk to you?" The man called out as he put some logs in the fireplace and threw a ball of fire into it.
"Yeah. I'll be teaching her after tomorrow." Mira's melodic voice carried itself down the stairway. "We've got those dignitaries coming tomorrow too."
"From Alvarez, right?" The man stretched out with a groan. He heard Mira's soft footsteps enter the kitchen so he followed her inside, finding her in nothing but a white apron. "Well, that's a welcome sight."
"I thought you would like it~." Mira giggled and wiggled her hips sensually. "Aside from me, what would you like for your dinner?"
"How about some fried rice?"
Mira smiled and grabbed out what she needed while humming a song. "Oh, about Hisui. She is very keen on becoming one of my staff. I'm guessing you had something to do with that?"
"I think she said something about loving the atmosphere, I suggested that she learn Transformation magic from either of us and then talk to you about becoming a barmaid. Though we'd have to work out a way of getting her here from Crocus." Natsu sighed softly and rubbed his forehead. He sat upon the top of the bench and watched Mira work. "Portals are out of the question… Maybe I could try and make a device that utilises a teleportation magic Lacrima with two set destinations…" His train of thought was derailed when silver silky hair obscured his vision and a pair of soft lips met his own.
"You should relax." Mira smiled warmly as her sapphire-like eyes practically glittered with love and adoration. "Worry about that later, you've just gotten back from being away for months, then also going on that trip with Levy. You need to relax some more."
"You've mellowed out again in the time I've spent away." Natsu caressed the woman's cheek, returning her smile as he leant in and slowly kissed the white-haired woman.
The woman fluttered her eyes at the man, carefully resting against him while she worked on the food. "You haven't seen me have a go at people." Mira giggled softly and took a bowl from a cupboard. "I've had to be the bad bitch a few times with the big Chirstmas party we are having with all the guilds."
"Bet that was quite the shock." The man laughed, smiling happily at the oldest Strauss. "The beautiful barmaid who part-times as a model, has a beautiful singing voice and is great at playing many instruments, can rip someone to shreds if they annoy her."
"And oh did they find that out the hard way." Laughed Mira as she handed the bowl of food to her boyfriend and took the apron off. "As much I bet you'd love me to stay this way, I'm going to put on a lace nightgown."
"Sounds sexy." Natsu smirked as he gave the woman a brief kiss before letting her head up. "Would you like me to come up there after I finish eating, or will you be coming back down?"
"I'm coming back with a quilt, I want to snuggle on the couch and watch some TV." Mira flashed Natsu a loving smile and disappeared upstairs to her bedroom.
The pinkette finished his food quickly and placed what was leftover into containers for Mira to have as lunch, placing them in the fridge and stretching. As he started doing the dishes, he heard footsteps race back down the stairs eagerly.
"Oh, Natsu. You didn't see this one yet since I bought it while you were away." Mira came to a stop in the doorway, her cheeks lightly flushed from the short burst of speed. She placed a hand on her chest as she caught her breath. "I need to run more… Anyway, what do you think?" The white-haired model smiled brightly and grabbed the hem of the short gown, fanning it out at the top of her thighs. Her breasts were supported with intricate white lace while everything to her thighs was almost completely hidden by semi-transparent white satin which while it competently covered her, it somehow accentuated her feminine figure even more as the light that passed through made the woman's skin glow from under the fabric.
"Fuck Mira… how the hell can you be so beautiful?" Natsu murmured while his eyes feasted on the goddess in front of him. "Damn."
"I take very good care of myself." The white-haired model playfully replied, giving the man a smile as she ducked back upstairs. "I'll grab my quilt!"
Natsu pulled his shirt off while making his way to the lounge room, lying down on the couch and stretching out on it. After a minute or two, he was joined by the busty beauty who threw herself down on the man and covered them with the quilt.
"Hiya hotstuff~." Mira smiled warmly while placing butterfly kisses along his jaw. She slowly traced the various scars across his body with a delicate touch. "Even though I know every tale of these scars, I still get a twinge of worry when I touch them… like I can feel the pain hidden behind them."
The salmon-haired man smiled softly as he ran his hands down the curve of her back, enjoying the feel of the fabric. "They did hurt, sometimes I do get residual pain too but they are fine right now. I'm not going to play it off like I don't feel them, but I guess most of the time I'm too focused to notice the pain when I get injured."
Mira yawned softly, she covered her mouth as she gave the man a cute but tired pout. "You're way too comfortable for your own good. I wanted to snuggle but your warmth is putting me to sleep." She slowly dragged her leg up the side of him and shifted her weight to get more comfortable. "Could you get rid of those jeans, please, they are so scratchy against my skin…"
Natsu chuckled softly and did as Mira asked. He placed a kiss on the woman's forehead and turned the TV on, noticing the woman's growing drowsiness. "You've been wearing yourself out at the guild, haven't you?"
"I have too many people to deal with…" The head barmaid mumbled as she buried her head into the man's chest like it was a pillow. "The Guild Hall is so busy with all the other guilds here for Christmas. The entire staff is feeling it, we've even got some of the staff from the visiting guilds helping too."
"I admit, I was surprised when I came back from Natsumi's world that there were so many people at the guild, then again when I came back it was in the middle of a massive brawl."
"At least Ultear is here to rewind things back to their state pre-fight…" Mira mumbled, her voice starting to trail off to nothingness as her breath started to come in an even rhythm. The warmth of Natsu had put her to sleep quicker than she expected.
Natsu smiled and tucked the quilt in around them, keeping the warmth in while he watched some TV quietly.
As morning came around and Natsu awoke feeling a little lighter than he was expecting. He couldn't smell Mira's flowery scent on him either though there was a faint trace of it coming from the coffee table. When he opened his eyes, he was temporarily blinded by the light streaming in around the closed curtain though it cleared quickly, allowing him to see the source of the scent. Mira had left him a note.
Natsu, I had to get up early for work, as much as I wanted to just keep lying there in your embrace… But I've cooked some pancakes and placed them in the fridge for you to either heat up or have cold. See you soon. Love, Mira.
The salmon-haired mage smiled softly, feeling a growing warmth inside. Mira had always looked out for him, even when she was rowdy before Lisanna's disappearance and teased him, she'd always do nice things for him. "I better get going…" The man said to himself as he ran up to Mira's room and had a quick jaunt through her bathroom to spruce up. His body flashed briefly afterwards as he placed fresh clothes on himself before heading into the kitchen and having the breakfast that the model had made for him.
The snow was coming down thick and heavy as the man stepped outside. Natsu glanced around at the rugged up civilians and requipped a long dark-maroon coat with Durandal on his back. He stifled a little yawn while walking to the guild; waving at those who said hello to him and offered compliments on his attire, saying it was good seeing him in something other than the same outfit he used to always wear. There were whispers flittering about the various crowds of people, of an Alvarez Destroyer-Class Airship floating around Magnolia, it probably meant that the diplomats had finally arrived albeit a bit late. The man hurried his pace, jogging through the bustling streets as he noticed an increase in the new magical vehicles. A thought popped into mind, about how they'd react to the new series they were working on, would they like the revised design. At least everyone would be out of the elements soon.
As the man pushed the doors open, he was hit with an intense wave of nervousness from within the Hall, at lot of people were on edge. His eyes rapidly adjusted from the bright white outside to the warm lighting in the Guild and he saw that the dignitaries had brought a small consignment of elite Alvarez soldiers with them who were heavily armed and armoured. Natsu felt someone's emotions shift from casual superiority to utter horror and dread, drawing his attention to one of the dignitaries. It was the Warrior Queen and former Spriggan 12 member, Dimaria Yesta. She was muttering to herself as she took a fearful step away from Natsu.
"Sup everybody." Natsu's loud, casual voice cut through the tension in an instant. The soldiers spun around and levelled their weapons with the salmon-haired man, recognition instantly flashing across their faces. It was the notorious Salamander, the man who decimated their ranks during the war with almost unparalleled ease.
"Stand Down!" Ordered a bikini-clad and gold adorned greenette. She quickly pushed the Captain's weapon down. "We aren't here for a fight, I didn't even what you lot here with us to begin with. And another thing! Don't even try starting a fight with that man, it'll be the last thing you ever do." Brandish turned her gaze to the smirking dragon slayer, noting the demonic red eyes that appeared when he had weapons pointed at him. "You feel like that time during the war, Natsu."
"Lady Mu. You mustn't…" The Captain tried to raise his weapon once more at the pinkette, but it also drew a look of ire from the woman whose magic started to radiate around her. However, what scared the soldier more was the arm that had instantly draped itself across his shoulders as casual as if it was from a close friend.
"Hey bud." Natsu bore a devilishly sly grin as his crimson eyes scanned the man's features. "Take a quick look around, you want to know what I see." The man waited for a moment, watching as the soldier's eyes darted around the room. "I see a group of soldiers in the heart of enemy territory, with all of the most powerful guild's of Fiore present in this building. I see Wizard Saints, former Wizard Saints, people who could easily be Wizard Saints. I see ex-assassins, ex-dark mages, and former criminals turn bounty hunters. I see the seven Dragon Slayers who took down Acnologia. And you want to know something else? Heh, we're all even stronger than we were during the war. You sure you wanna take your chances in a fight?"
Brandish crossed her arms under her bust, her calm eyes surveying the two men. "Not to mention, the man who has his arm around your neck, he is the Former Emperor's younger brother. This man bested Zeref in his powered-up form, how do you think you'd fair again him alone? Why don't you ask my bodyguard about what she thinks?"
"Hey! Leave me outta this, Randi. I agreed to being your bodyguard out here because we're friends, but I'm not about to pick another fight with END!" The blonde warrior threw up her hands and stepped back, terror in her eyes as the demonic glow of Natsu's eyes brought horrific memories back. No living person should be able to enter her personal pocket of time, yet that monster could freely pass through it. She had even kept her distance from the blonde Celestial Mage when Brandish shared a hug with that woman, for fear that her voice would draw out that demon.
"Calm down, Mari." Brandish softly reassured the woman, ditching the soldier to go and bring her friend into a comforting hug, she ran her hand through the messy shoulder-length hair. "It's ok, you know he won't hurt you."
"He's a monster!" Dimaria's shout was heavily muffled by Brandish's chest as her friend did her best to soothe her.
"You guys get out of here." Natsu murmured as his eyes faded to green. He shot a glance at the Captain as he stepped back. "You aren't needed here. They are in no danger from us."
"Natsu is quite right." Hisui's mellow, regal voice cut through the tension as the Queen of Fiore walked down from the second floor in all her majesty. "We bear you no ill will. And we expect the same from you."
Lisanna came over to the two Alvarez mages with an unopened bottle of Merlot and three wine glasses. "This came straight from our cellar. I hope it suits the occasion."
The Queen came to a stop a few steps up from the ground floor, quietly observing the foreign mages. A small smile tugged at the woman's lips as she gestured the ambassador and her bodyguard over. "Come, we'll talk upstairs where it is less busy."
The salmon-haired man stopped by the bar where Kinana stood, smiling at the crowd but the strain of stress was starting to show as she started to look fairly tired even though it wasn't even lunch yet. "How long have you been here, Kinana?"
"I was here until two then back at six…" The woman murmured tiredly, she held up a hand and covered her mouth as she stifled a yawn. "I'm almost done today."
"Go and finish up early." Natsu said softly as he hopped over the bar and flashed the busting barmaid a sympathetic smile. "Find somewhere quiet to lay down and have a nap. I'll let Mira know what's up, she won't mind since she was also feeling drained last night."
"Thank you." Kinana murmured and gave the pinkette a quick hug before heading down to one of the guild's guest rooms.
Natsu's clothing flashed briefly as he changed into attire that looked straight from Hibiki's wardrobe. He was sporting black dress shoes, black slacks with a matching vest, and a tucked-in maroon dress shirt that had the top three buttons undone. He figured that he should at least look the part while he covers the bar. Natsu placed Durandal under the bar and smiled as his blonde partner approached him, an appraising look in her eyes. "Can I get you anything, Lucy?"
"I forgot how good you look when you get dressed up. You look like you belong in Blue Pegasus." Lucy giggled as she took a seat on the barstool in front of him. "Could I maybe get a chocolate milkshake?" Natsu's warm smile made her heart race, and she knew full well that he could tell as his lips momentarily flicked up into a smirk before settling down. The ingredients floated out of their respective locations as the man never broke eye contact, he was showing off again as always, but it was all for her.
"How have you been, Lucy?" The man asked softly while slowly leaning closer to the blonde, placing a small kiss on the woman's lips.
"Mm." Lucy couldn't help but well up with love for the man, practically glowing with the strong emotion as a small blush dusted her cheeks. She returned the smile and propped her chin up on her palm on the bar. "Feeling a little cold, but definitely better now that you're home safely."
"If you're cold, then why do you want a milkshake…?"
"Because it's hot in here, Silly." The woman tittered and softly batted the man's shoulder. "We've got all these people stuff into the hall with the fires going, it's fairly hot in here."
"Oh, sorry. I thought that it was just me." Natsu shot back playfully, winking at the busty blonde as he started making the drink by hand. "We're the rest of our team?"
"Erza is due to return today; Wendy is with Chelia and Sherry doing a bit of shopping; Happy and Carla are on a date, surprisingly; Gray has come down with something, a fever I think, so he is staying home to recover." Lucy listed off on her fingers, developing a small frown. "I wanted to go on a job with everyone once Erza got back… but with Gray out of commission…" Lucy sensed a set of almost unfamiliar eyes on her, gaining her attention and causing her to look at the stairs where she met the gaze of Dimaria. "Do you ever regret your actions that day? What set you on the path to becoming a full-on Etherious?"
"No." Natsu murmured as he shook his head slowly. "I don't regret it in the slightest. This power saved you. It saved our team. Hell, it probably saved Natsumi's entire world too. Though I have noticed some worrying changes in my behaviour, when I'm enraged I become bloodthirsty, it's different to my lust for battle when I have a good opponent. It feels strange… like it's natural yet unnatural at the same time." He placed the milkshake down in front of his partner with a soft sigh. "Worst part is that when I do fall into that state, it feels good… it feels good to dominate and decimate the enemy…" Natsu leant down and folded his arms on the counter, resting his forehead against them. "Gods… what am I becoming…"
'You already know the answer to that, Kiddo.'
A dainty hand slipped into the man's thick spiky hair as Lucy slowly combed her fingers through it. When Natsu looked up, he was met with a sweet smile. "You may change, but you'll always be the same man. I'll always love you, Natsu, no matter what."
"You're so corny, Luce." Natsu chuckles softly and planted a kiss on the woman's lips. "I'll never stop being in love with you."
"Well, I'm also things that rhyme with that but that's a matter for another time." Lucy whispered softly as she blushed a little more. She took a draw from her drink's straw and smiled once more. "Everyone here knows you for who you really are. You may have a dark side, everyone does, but you are still my Natsu."
"Thank you, Lucy." The man murmured, a smile tugging at his lips as he straightened up. "Now I really think I should really start serving people instead of having a crisis of identity in the middle of the guild." He joked quietly with a quick glance about the bar. "We'll find a sub for Gray if we need one, for that job you wanted to go on. But I think it should wait until after Christmas and maybe the talks between Hisui and Brandish are over. So if he is fine by then, we can head out together." Natsu gave the woman one last peck on the lips before he made his way down the bar to Max and Warren. "Hey guys, how's it been?"
"I've been pretty good." Max replied loudly, trying to ensure he is heard over the loud din of chatter. "Been trying to score with the Mermaids. Two Pale Ales please."
"How's that going for you?" Natsu chuckled while two tankards floated over to him. He snatched them out of the air and started to fill them from the tap. "Knowing those girls, probably poorly, am I right?"
The salmon-haired man's words knocked the wind out of Max's sails, making him slump down in a heap on the bar. "How could you tell?"
"Well for one, I only smell your scent on you. And two, you need to earn their respect first." Natsu calmly explained, a small smirk dancing on his lips as he placed one of the tankards down in front of the beige-blonde man. "When I was at their guild before I left a few months back, they were very hostile towards me but over the time I stayed there they started to warm up to me."
"You've been inside their guildhall?!" Max rocketed back upright as his eyes grew as wide as dinner plates. "What's it like?"
"Like a cross between our hall and Blue Pegasus' one. Anyway, you'll probably have better luck if you talk to some of the girls in Sabertooth. Since Sting took over, they've mellowed out a lot and a lot more people feel comfortable joining them. You may find love there." The acting bartender turned to the other man and held out the second full tankard. "What about you Warren, what've you been up to?"
"Helping Levy with those dimensional devices of hers, doing programming and showing her how to miniaturise her parts. In fact…" Warren's eyes fell on the watch-like device partially covered by Natsu's cuff, the brushed silver face reflecting the guild's warm lighting. "I'm not sure if Levy has told you or not but in the settings section of that device's UI you can enable a holographic watch face that can save the times of whatever locations you wish. So you can find out the local time and date of a place you have just visited or keep informed of important places." The man smiled proudly into the tankard of ale as he puffed out his chest. "Utilising the sustained micro-portal idea that you and Levy came up with to link alternate worlds together for communication though our Lacrima Mobiles, I was able to set up a linked timekeeping system thank can span the multiverse at our whim."
"Nice!" Natsu grinned widely as he activated the system that Warren had told him about. "Well, good luck to both of you. I gotta serve other people. Shout if you need something." As the man walked back along the bar, he caught sight of a pair of Connells coming over. Bisca took a seat a few spots down from Lucy and sighed quietly while the little Asuka stood beside her. "Hiya you two, how's things?"
"Hiya, Uncle Natsu! We're just waiting for Papa to return!" Cheered the bubbly cowgirl, her head flicking up instantly while her eyes lit up like the Guild's Christmas tree. Asuka reached up and grabbed the bar, trying to pull herself up onto the counter. "Mama! I need help."
As the mother reached down to pick up her girl she started floating up slowly, the girl starting to giggle and wiggle around. Bisca shot a quick worried glance at Natsu who gave her a reassuring nod and a smile which instantly calmed the sniper down but she kept a watchful eye on her daughter as she was lowered onto the bar. "Thank you, Natsu."
"It's no trouble. So, what can I get you?"
"Two vanilla milkshakes, please." Bisca smiled and rested her head on her palm. "Thanks for that rifle by the way. Kicks a lot but she's still good."
"Speaking of rifles." Natsu chuckled softly as ingredients floated around him once more. "I've been given one by Levy, apparently she was going to give it to you but figured I might get some use for it someday. However, I'm a shi…" He quickly glanced at Asuka and bit his tongue. "I'm a poor shot."
"Hehe, Uncle Natsu nearly swore!"
"Yeah yeah, Pipsqueak. Ya caught me." The pinkette laughed as he ruffled the young girl's hair. His infectious smile seemingly lightening up the bar. "Anyway, Bisca, I need your help to get better at hitting far away shots."
"Sure, I can help you. How does tomorrow afternoon sound? Alzack should be back by then to look after our little girl." Bisca smiled at the man and gave Asuka a hug. "What is the rifle?"
Light flashed in Natsu's hand as he brought out the Vintorez and placed it on the counter. "Levy nabbed it from another universe. I used it the other day while I was in a zombie-infested city, it's very quiet."
"Hmm…" The greenette picked up the unloaded rifle and aimed it at the granite wall behind the bar. "Smaller than I thought it'd be. Show me the cartridge." She shot a glance at Natsu and took the full magazine she was offered. "Not as big as the rounds the rifle you got me takes, but it'd still do the job nicely by the looks of it. Probably designed to fly below the sound barrier, and the tube around the barrel muffles the muzzle blast." The woman handed back the Vintorez and it's ammo with a smile. "Yeah, I'll teach you. I'll meet you at your house and we'll head up into the mountains."
"Hey, Natsu?" Came a sweet voice from down the end of the bar. "Where's Kinana?"
The man glanced over at an approaching Mirajane and flashed her a bright smile while the milkshakes landed in front of the two Connells. "I told her to knock off early, she was worn out so I took over and had her go and find somewhere to nap. Said you'd understand."
"That's fine, we're stretched thin here. Thanks for manning the bar." Mira replied, giving him a hug as she passed by. "You're free to stay and help if you wish."
"I'll help for a bit. It gets busy soon, doesn't it?" Natsu glanced at his watch, it was about to hit the lunchtime rush and due to the sheer amount of people in the guild, he knew it would be crazy. "You sure you don't need me in the kitchen?"
"Not this time, Natsu." Mira murmured as she started cleaning glasses and tankards. "We've got the kitchen is fully staffed right now. Even had some chefs from some of the high-end restaurants offer their services, probably hoping that they'll get people from the guilds currently present to visit their establishment."
"Doesn't hurt that Hisui is here. They'd want a chance to cook for her." The man shot back as orders started coming in. He used Macro to tend to multiple orders at once, a calm but confident grin plastered on his face. "Have they been checked? Can't have the Queen get poisoned on our watch."
"Yeah. Each one has had a thorough background check. We've even had Warren go through their heads. They consented in the contract they signed."
"Alright. Well, let's get busy." Natsu chuckled as he grinned to himself.
I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, I've been trying to differentiate the types of relationships Natsu has with the girls with Levy and Millianna being more primal need and playful teasing; Lucy and Mira being more love and adoration; Wendy and Natsumi being instinctual love and need to mate; Seilah being a horny demon who loves her master (and he loves her) and wishes to service him, plus since they're the last two of their race there is a mutual need to reproduce, they just need to figure out how exactly to do it since they are technically beings of magic; Erza, Kagura, and soon Ikaruga are mutual respect and attraction but can come off more fling-like, like repeated one-night-stands every so often mixed with some love, I'd put it above the friends-with-benefits level. Others such as Ultear and Meredy are lustful flings, there is a mutual attraction but it's basically just a game of hide the sausage between friends. I'll try and stick to this formula in future, however, the relationships are flexible and motivations can shift with various desires.
Also, I'd just like to quickly thank the anonymous guest review who brought a discrepancy to my attention, I had forgotten to (re-)add Ultear and Meredy to my list on the profile. This has been fixed now, so thanks for letting me know.
Before I round this little note section out, I want to quickly clarify something: The car scene at the beginning, I know that Natsu has next to no experience in driving cars and as such shouldn't be able to do crazy stuff in vehicles, however, he does have an insane kinetic perception and great reaction times, and he is also a quick learner so it's safe to assume that he'd be able to pick up on how to control a car fairly quickly and once he got the feel of it dialled in, then he'd be a pretty damn good driver.
That should be everything, so again I hope you have enjoyed the chapter, I've blabbed on enough so I'll cut the annoying crap out and just thank you for reading and hope you all are doing alright in the current climate. I'll see you all next time.
