The rattling of the lock brought Lucy out of her slumber. She stared blearily up at Erza as the door to the cell swung open, clanging against the bars.

"Look lively Lucy. Captain Makarov wishes to speak to you."

Natsu helped Lucy up and clasped some handcuffs around her wrists, pulling her out of the cell.

"Are these really necessary?" Lucy asked timidly.

Erza looked at her sternly, "I'm afraid this is for the safety of the crew. They will be removed…once you've earned our trust."

Lucy sighed, and clasped her hands together. There's a compliment in there somewhere…

Makarov greeted them with a smile, "You can let go of Lucy now Natsu."

"Well Lucy I hope you managed to get some sleep."

"I guess so…" Lucy said pointedly staring at Natsu.

He had kept her most of the night with his horrendous snoring.

Makarov frowned at Natsu, "I see…Well I was hoping to ask you-"

Erza cut him off, "How soon can you begin to plan a route to Tenrou Island Lucy?"

"Do you have any maps or star charts?"

Erza picked up a bundle of heavy papers from the floor and thrust them into Lucy's arms. Lucy coughed inhaling the musty smell of the old parchment. She gripped hold of the papers more securely and continued.

"Well…I'll need to study the stars tonight and look at the shipping lanes. If you want to get to Tenrou, quickly without any bother I suggest we avoid all main trading routes."

Natsu grumbled, clearly annoyed he couldn't beat up anymore sailors.

Lucy raised her eyebrows and unrolled a map; "I guess it could take around a month or two to get there, but we'll need to stop and stock up on supplies."

Erza looked impressed; "well Lucy, you clearly know what you're doing."

"I'll give you a telescope after dinner and you and Natsu can go up to the crow's nest to map a route." Lucy nodded.

She got the feeling, she shouldn't oppose Erza. She reminded her of her old shooting instructor back at the naval academy and she was scary, way scary.

Once they had been excused Natsu grabbed Lucy's arm and began sprinting down the wooden corridors, with the blue cat bounding along beside them. Lucy had no clue where they were going. This ship is like a fucking labyrinth. She became aware of the smell of food assaulting her nostrils, making her mouth water. They ascended the rickety steps to the food hall; deep in the ship's hull.

The cavernous space was packed, with all the crew members, eating and brawling noisily. A woman in the corner was chugging down a barrel of rum; the brunette wiped her mouth with the back of her hand tossing the now empty barrel into a large pile of others. Two younger teens were tossing knives at each other and laughing. The girl's long blue pig tails swayed around her; she watched giggling, as the boy with dark black hair toppled over the rum barrels.

Erza sat at a round table with Gray, Gajeel and a tall muscular blonde haired, man with a lightning scar on his face, wearing a scowl. Behind what looked like the counter, which was littered with food and bottles of alcohol, stood a particularly stunning women with long white hair and blue eyes; she was handing a plate of food to a man with a ginger ponytail. Next to her was a woman with short white hair and blue eyes. Opposite this was a huge white haired man who was enthusiastically brawling with a gang of crew members, proclaiming loudly how manly he was, while a woman with long light brown hair dressed in dark green rolled her eyes and returned to her glass of wine. A family of three were shooting at a cork target on the wall with a picture of the king of Fiore on it. The little girl with black hair in a ponytail giggled, when she shot the king in the nose.

"Let's get some grub Luce," Natsu yelled, taking Lucy to the food counter

The young woman behind the counter tossed her long white hair and smiled warmly at Lucy, "welcome aboard. You must be Lucy, I'm Mirajane, but just call me Mira."

Lucy returned the smile. A girl with short white hair placed two bowls of porridge and a flagon of grog on the counter. The girl smiled at Natsu, before regarding Lucy sceptically.

"Hey Lisanna," Natsu grinned at the girl. "This is Luce, she's new." He put his arm around Lucy and cracked a huge grin.

"Hi, there Lucy I'm Lisanna and this is my big sister Mirajane."

Lucy nodded, "It's good to meet you both, thanks for the food."

Lucy tried to pick up her bowl, the chains clanked loudly on the counter top. Mira handed her the bowl and the mug. Lucy thanked her, while Natsu chuckled at her clumsy movements. She shot him a dirty look and stalked off to an empty table. Once Lucy's back was turned Mira gave Natsu a knowing smile.

"She seems nice Natsu. It's so cute you've already given her a nickname."

"Yeah I know. Can I take my food now please," Natsu held out his hands expectantly.

Mira sighed at the dense pirate and handed him a large bowl of porridge and a tankard.

"It's always food with him isn't it," Lisanna giggled.

Lucy was attempting to eat her porridge without dipping her chains in the bowl. She had succeeded so far and was gulping down some grog, when Natsu joined her at. He grabbed his spoon, devouring the porridge, which flew everywhere as he ate at lightning speed. Lucy looked at him queasily. The porridge was actually quite sweet; she had gotten half way through and was drinking from her tankard, when she noticed the rest of her food had disappeared, she saw Natsu burp and rub his full stomach with a satisfied grin. Frowning at him she downed his tankard of grog and her own before he could. He chuckled happily, leaning in to put his arm around her.

Gray sauntered over and joined their table. "You two look cosy…"

Lucy scowled at him, daring him to continue. Gray grinned.

"I'm just doing my job Gray. Making sure she doesn't get up to mischief," Natsu smirked, tugging on the chains attached to Lucy's wrists.

She wrenched them out his grip with a scowl; Gray chuckled and leaned over the table. His bare chest was in full view and it seemed as though he had lost his trousers, as he was only clad in a pair of dark linen undershorts.

"Erm. Where are your clothes Gray?" Lucy asked flatly.

"Oh man! Not again!" Gray exclaimed leaping up and staring round the room, trying to locate his missing modesty.

"Gray my darling! Juvia has your clothes."

A beautiful woman with blue hair, pale skin and cerulean eyes skipped over to their table clutching Gray's neatly folded clothes. She smiled at Natsu, but when she saw Lucy she faltered.

"Were you trying to steal my beloved Gray!?" She shrieked her blue eyes filled with a cold rage. "Are you my love-rival!?"

"NO! Where'd you get that idea?" Lucy yelled.

"Yell at him!" She pointed at Gray. "He's the one with the weird stripping habit!"

Natsu chuckled, "Hah! Better get ya clothes on ya pervy stripper."

Gray sent a frosty look at the pink-haired pirate.

Juvia raised her fist at both of them, "Stop insulting Juvia's precious Gray. Juvia loves him just the way he is!"

Gray smiled smugly at Natsu and kissed Juvia on the cheek (he had finally put on some clothes).

"Lucy this is Juvia. My girlfriend. Something that buffoon, here will never get."

Lucy laughed and smiled at Juvia. The hysterical woman had calmed down and smiled shyly at Lucy, as she wrapped her arms protectively round Gray's waist. Natsu growled at Gray and pulled Lucy onto his lap.

Lucy stared at him quizzically, "What do you think you're doing?"

Natsu laughed uncomfortably and ruffled his pink hair.

Gray snickered, "Looks like someone got rejected."

Natsu slammed his fists on the table, making it jump. "You wanna go stripper?"

Gray cracked his knuckles and smirked at his opponent. "Why not Flame-brain I'll just make you look stupid in front of Lucy."

Natsu leapt on the table and launched himself at Gray. The too collided into a table and became a ball of fists, kicks, insults, and curses.

Lucy laughed, while Juvia cheered on her beloved Gray.

"They're always like that," Lucy looked at the petite blue haired woman, with brown eyes, "Hi, I'm Levy, I do research for our expeditions", Lucy smiled.

"I'm Lucy, it's nice to me-" she was cut off by a very angry looking pirate with iron piercings.

"What are you talking to her for Shrimp?" Gajeel placed a heavily scarred arm possessively around a sweat-dropping Levy.

"Gajeel…" Levy sighed; "we talked about this Lucy was acting in self-defence, your just a sore loser, you big lug."

Gajeel frowned and pouted before sitting down on a stool, pulling a squealing Levy with him. Lucy smiled, and continued to watch Natsu and Gray beat the crap out of each other. Craziest breakfast I've ever had.