Yo everyone! Mslead here to bring you your Sunday update! It's a LONG chapter this time! I just read this WHOLE fic this weekend, and I gotta say some of you guys are SPOT on with the guesses you had with our theories. A few of you are off mark, but damn. Real clever. Anyway, enjoy the fic!
CHAPTER 17
Sea Legs
A man is said to have his sea legs when he can stand steady on the deck of a ship pitching and rolling on the waves. Sometimes a sailor, used to this motion, takes a while to get his land legs back when he goes a'shore which makes him swagger a bit as he walks
The stars in the sky were endless, and they blanketed the world in a soothing embrace. Among them the celestial guardians of the sky were considered the embodiments of the stars themselves, and all were governed by the Celestial Spirit King. He was the god of the heavens, overseeing the world's first signs of life made by the Creator.
His two children came from that very light, a son who controlled the bright light of the stars themselves, and a daughter who commanded the guardians of that light in heaven's celestial army.
The twins were inseparable, a close pair that delighted in fun mischief, but were as calm and patient as they needed to be. They worked well together, and it was well that they did. For their job was more important than any other in The Pantheon.
For when mortals first came into being, their lives were fragile. Delicate. And upon their deaths, it was the twin's job to guide them through the stars and into the peace of the afterlife to remain until the soul was ready to return to the mortal world.
It was a delicate balance of life, death, and rebirth, and the twins oversaw it all. From the mightiest dragon to the smallest blade of grass the twins were there, breathing renewed light and life into their uncle's creations even as they guided others into death. It was a cycle that brought them closer to the mortal plane than any other and, perhaps, was what moved them to sometimes respond to the prayers of their followers.
Lucy blinked as she looked away from a conversation with Leo and down into the mortal realm, her attention pulled by the sounds of a whispered prayer. Her eyes softened as she looked to her family's temple where a scruffy looking boy was kneeling down before their altar. His eyes were closed and hands clasped in prayer, but she noticed that they trembled despite the neutral expression on his face.
He prayed that his father would have peace in his next life, that he would not have to die in a needless war again. The boy prayed that one day he could gain the strength to prevent such things from happening again to anyone else. A way to stop the endless fighting and to protect his family.
He prayed to show his gratitude that his father's death had been painless, and by the grace of the stars he would be guided with a gentle hand.
Moved by the simple, earnest, prayer Lucy looked into the boy's heart and history and felt her heart ache at the sight of his smiling father marching off to war and leaving behind only the tearful boy and his mother.
She saw as the war marched inexorably forward. The fear and uncertainty at home, the way the boy's father bravely tried to keep up the morale of his troops and lead them, and finally the hit that had taken the man's life. It had indeed been quick and painless, but it had left the boy and his mother bereft.
She shook her head sadly. The mortal world was such a hard, cruel, place at times. And there was little gods could do to prevent it. Free will was the most sacred of gifts and the reason there was a world rich in life and growth to begin with. However, it came at a price. For with free will there would inevitably be those who chose to harm rather than help, and when that happened... this was the result.
And yet the boy did not rail against the gods as so many did. He wasn't screaming for his father to return, or howling over the unfairness of it all and making demands for them to fix it. No. He simply asked for his father's peace and a blessing towards his dream.
He was a great deal wiser than many grown men.
She smiled at him, moved by his humble prayer and even more humble offering, and stepped lightly down from her heavenly perch and into her temple.
"You have a kind heart little one." She said softly, startling both the boy and the clergy as she knelt next to him, "Kind and wise."
She reached out to brush a bit of his pink fringe out of his eyes and smiled at him, "Your father is at peace." She assured him, "He was a good and brave man. He waits for you and your mother now, but one day, when he's ready, he will be reborn."
She cocked her head slightly, and grasped his still trembling hands in her own, "But that has left you in a difficult place hasn't it?"
The boy's lip shook as he tried to swallow back his tears and without a second thought Lucy wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. She smiled serenely at her high priestess as the boy burst into wracking sobs and gently rocked him as he cried his heart out. There was the grief and pain she'd been expecting, but even now none of it was directed at her.
She smiled again as he slowly came back to himself and pulled away, a horrified look on his face, "Don't worry. A few tears aren't going to hurt me." She grinned and tugged at her dress, returning it instantly to its pristine condition, "See? Good as new."
She sobered a little, "Now, you want to grow stronger yes?" He nodded, still a little too choked up to speak, "Then you must work for it. The path will not be easy, and I cannot help you along it. You must forge it for yourself. What I can do is give you the freedom to do so." She looked at her high priestess, who had been watching the whole proceedings in awe, "This boy's mother is a skilled weaver, but times have been hard for her since the war began. See that she receives the full widow's stipend until she's able to support herself again."
She looked back at the stunned boy and winked, "I look forward to seeing what you make of yourself Natsu. Maybe one day you'll succeed well enough to become my champion."
The boys eyes widened, surprised she knew who he was, before a smile broke over his face. Lucy found it to be very warm, as she realized his face was made to smile, even through his tears.
"Champion?" His eyes met hers, warm like smoke, face relaxing even through his watery eyes. He curled his fingers into a fist, turning towards her, "Thank you my lady. For your kindness, and granting my father peace."
He put a hand over his heart, somewhat clumsy in his movements. The boy was young after all, uncoordinated, but Lucy could see the potential in the fiery nature of his spirit.
"I will be your Champion. I swear it on this life and any one I live afterwards," Natsu gave her a smile and curled his fingers into his palms, "Thank you my Lady."
-::-
Lucy woke up with a start, a gasp rattling from her chest as the dream shone starkly in her mind for a moment. It drained out of her mind almost at once though, becoming a hazy wisp as her mind awoke. She tried to grasp for it, for the smiling face of the young boy in her dream, but it slipped from her as if she were trying to hold smoke until nothing was left.
Frustrated, she moved to get up only to nearly brain herself with a low hanging beam as she struggled out of bed. Swearing a blue streak that Cana and Gajeel would be proud of, she managed to drag herself out of bed without further incident and throw her overcoat on.
The dream was a strange one, what vague impressions she still had of it, but it was hardly new. She had dreams like that all the time, of a palace among the stars and a family whose faces were out of sight. Of a kingdom by the sea and the sparkle of water next to a magnificent ship.
This was the first time she saw someone she vaguely recognized in her odd dreams of the stars though. The child had almost reminded her of Natsu, but he was a boy in it. And clearly a human. She shook her head a little and smiled to herself. Ridiculous. Her dreams were clearly scrambled. It wasn't the first time that had happened, and it probably wouldn't be the last. Hadn't she had a few crazy dreams involving Gray and water after they'd first met?
Her mother had always said that she had a wonderfully wild imagination, and what were dreams but her imagination given free reign?
Satisfied with the explanation, she stepped out onto the deck, stopping mid-stride when she spotted the very subject of her dream musings leaning against the railing. Natsu had that sense of familiarity to her, with his broad set of shoulders and powerful arms pressing into the railing.
She shivered a little as the cool night breeze hit her, and had to crush a sudden desire to walk over to him and slide under one of those arms to leech at his heat. It was an odd, intrusive, thought and Lucy shook her head to dispel it. That fact that he was a fire dragon was not license to mooch his heat!
Her mental screaming seemed to attract his attention though, and she quickly found herself locked in his slanted gaze.
He flashed her a wide smile that had her starting a bit, "Couldn't sleep cap'n? We've got a big day ahead of ourselves, and you're looking pretty tired from all the gods that have suddenly started paying attention to you," He grinned at her.
She snorted a little as she walked over to join him anyway, "Don't remind me."
Natsu cocked his head a little at her as she settled beside him, not too close to invade his space, but close enough she was able to leech off his natural heat anyway, "Something wrong?"
Lucy glared out a little at the ocean for a moment before dropping her gaze to the railing, "You'd probably think I was being petty."
"Not a chance cap'n." He replied with such solemnity she looked up at him.
"You don't know that." She huffed a little to hide her sudden goosebumps at the gaze. There was something ancient and knowing about it, and it made her feel as though he was looking into her very soul. It was disconcerting.
Natsu seemed to consider that as he settled back down, "I know that a lot of weird stuff has been happening to you lately." He said slowly, "I know that what Juvia's asking ain't exactly reasonable even if it's needful. And I know you're worried about your nest." He smiled gently at her, "I doubt there's anyone aboard who can't tell that. And all of it's more than enough to unsettle anyone."
Unsettle was one word for it. She could think of a few others.
"It's nothing to do with Juvia exactly." She replied after a few minutes, "It's just... I'm frustrated."
Natsu eyed her contemplatively, "Why?"
The short, simple, question brought a brief smile to her lips before her expression darkened, "Because there's a part of me that wants to know where the hell have the gods been all my life." She replied, "Which, I know isn't fair. The sea has been the sanctuary of my family for generations. It's been my sanctuary. The one place I could be free."
She looked down at her hands, "But then I think about all the other parts of my life that have sucked and I wonder where the gods were then." She looked at him, "Where were the gods when my father broke my mother's heart and she fled back to the sea to escape their marriage? Where were the gods when she died and I was forced to go back to that awful house?" Tears gathered in her eyes, "Where were they when the only people I saw were grown ups?"
"Where were they when I desperately prayed for a friend? And when I begged for freedom from the endless lessons?" She shook her head, and glared back out at the water, "For so long I've forged my own way. The gods weren't there for me so I made it work myself." She gestured around herself, "And this is the result."
She took a breath, "And don't get me wrong, it's a good result. I'm proud of what we've built here. But I still can't help feeling..."
"A little resentful?" Natsu asked as she groped for the right word, and nodded, "I know how you feel. I've resented my amnesia off and on for four hundred years. And it wasn't until after I met you that Juvia responded. Truthfully, I'd almost given up faith that she even existed."
He smiled at her and reached out to push a strand of hair away from her face, "But y'know, I don't think you're being petty. I think it's normal to feel that way. I know I would in your place." He smiled, "But I don't think you were as alone as you think you were either."
"How do you figure?" Lucy asked curiously, and he grinned.
"Because you made it!" He replied happily, "If the gods were really all that against you, or ignoring you, how far do you think you would've gotten? Maybe it wasn't fair what happened to your mother, or you going back to your house you hate so much, but what could the gods have done to prevent it?"
Lucy frowned a little, and she had to concede Natsu might have a point there. Nothing short of divine intervention could've gotten her out of that situation at the time, and if they'd done that she wouldn't be where she was now.
She wasn't sure she liked admitting it though.
"And for the rest... well, you escaped didn't you? You've got friends now, and you're out here having the adventures you've always wanted."
"You don't blame Juvia for your memories? For your curse?" Lucy asked him, needing a moment to center herself. As difficult a prospect as that was with her cheeks turning rosy at the feeling of his rough fingertips lightly brushing over the curve of her cheek.
"Why would I? I would have been dead otherwise, even if I didn't remember it," He asked her back, not skipping a beat, "If anything I've always felt a measure of guilt for it. I can't remember why, but I get the feeling Juvia lost something very important to her to save me."
"She disappeared for so long, it was the only thing I could think of. It was my fault," Natsu gave her a crooked grin.
"Anyway, I think if a god had interfered with your life, you would have been a whole lot less interesting than you are now." Natsu changed the subject back to her, his forearm nudging over to brush into hers.
Lucy looked at the man, somewhat amazed that he never blamed the gods for the actions of others. For the lack of a response from the all powerful beings and the thought that perhaps they didn't care. He seemed to simply smile, shoulder the burden, and keep on forging ahead.
It was a little awe inspiring really.
She had to admit, for a man that seemed so foolish, it was times like this where she could believe he captained his own ship in the past. There was an age-old wisdom in his gaze, patience of travel, and a steadfast approach to problems.
He had a commanding presence on his own, and Lucy admired how unflappable he looked. Natsu was literally a fish out of water and he was rolling with a quest to save the world like this was the best thing he could do.
Almost surprisingly, Lucy found herself relaxing next to him. Her own thoughts began to calm and fade, washed away by the confidence in his stance and the sweetness of his smile.
"Thanks Natsu." She murmured, shooting him a grateful look.
He chuckled softly and nudged her shoulder with his, "Anytime cap'n." He murmured, "Anytime at all."
Lucy hummed a little in amusement and they relaxed into a companionable silence as they watched the starry sky reflecting off the water. Maybe it was her imagination, but the stars looked brighter than usual tonight. Certainly they seemed close enough you could almost reach out and touch them. The sight made her smile until abruptly a yawn caught her by surprise.
"Sounds like you need some more sleep cap'n." Natsu chuckled, and she laughed a little.
"Aye. Maybe I do at that." She agreed and pushed away from the railing, "Thanks again for earlier."
"Was my pleasure." He replied sincerely, and Lucy was seized by the sudden urge to lean over and peck him on the cheek.
She throttled the ridiculous urge back and settled for patting him on the shoulder, "G'night Natsu."
"G'night Lucy." He murmured after her as she turned and headed back to her cabin.
Just before she closed the door she felt goosebumps trail all over her body as the soft sounds of a song reached her in Natsu's voice. He was singing. She wasn't sure why that surprised her, but it did. She liked it though. The song was unfamiliar to her, an ancient one no doubt, but it pulled at her heart and made her feel warm inside. Like a favorite song that bordered on an old memory.
She smiled into the dark as she kicked off her boots and jacket and snuggled back into her bed, the faint strains of Natsu's song washing over her as she fell asleep.
—::—
When the ship docked at Crocus two days later, the crew spilled out with a mixture of nerves and excitement. The stop was going to be short this time, but that didn't dampen their spirits any. Refilling their rations for a long adventure was always an activity they relished in.
It seemed that their luck was holding true though, as Lucy's hopes for a quick stop were immediately dashed when they pulled into port and saw it decked in orange and green flags and banners. Every square inch of it was decorated with ribbons and garish emblems. The streets by the docks were lined with vendors, giving away flower crowns or selling food from carts.
Musicians were at every corner, their music playing loud and intermingling with one another in a blast of noise that left the dragons all whining, and it would be a miracle if they were able to make it through the press of people.
Natsu thumped down the gangplank, his eyes wide on the sights before them, his mouth hanging open.
"I haven't been on land to see a festival like this in full swing in centuries." He breathed in awe, drawing up beside Wendy.
"Come on then Natsu, we can go with the captain and her group into town! They'll be right in the thick of things so we can help them carry stuff back and maybe we can still see some of the festival!" She exclaimed excitedly, curling her hand into his, and bouncing eagerly, "I've never seen a festival like this either!"
Lucy laughed from nearby, "I wouldn't dream of keeping you from this." She grinned at them both, "This particular festival was after your time Natsu. It started up about three hundred and fifty years ago to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the Scholisticate and the Navigator blessing the city."
"Yeah?" He asked, his eyes bright with interest, "What is the Scholisticate anyway?"
"It's a cross between a temple, a library, and a school." Lucy explained, "Since Crocus is the capital of the Fiore Islands, the gods all have temples here too, just like in Magnolia. But according to legend, one year during the flower festival the Navigator was so pleased with the offerings that she chose to bless the entire city. The people did so well the following year that the king of the time expressed his gratitude by funding a great library to be added to the temple in the Navigator's name."
"And the classes started after that?" Wendy asked, enraptured by the tale.
Lucy nodded, "It was kind of unavoidable really. Whenever you have libraries like that you're bound to attract scholars of all kinds, and that's bound to lead to talks and debates and eventually students." She shrugged, "That's how it got the name Scholisticate. For all the scholars around. Eventually it evolved into something more formal and structured, but every year there's a big city-wide celebration to show the people of Crocus haven't forgotten their blessing and are still grateful for it."
"And a good thing for us eh cap'n?" Cana grinned.
"Aye." Lucy chuckled, "With so many faces we'll be harder to find." She pointed at Cana, "Mind you don't go tryin' to drink the city dry again Miss Alberona! I'm minded to enjoy the festival while we see to supplies, but we don't have time for extended leave if we can avoid it."
"Yeah, yeah." Cana waved, flashing her captain an impudent grin few others could get away with, "I'll be good."
"Somehow I doubt that." Gray muttered with a roll of his eyes, and glanced at Lucy, "Don't worry, I'll keep her in line."
"Good," Lucy smirked over at a pouting Cana. She nodded to him and then turned towards where Juvia was sitting on top of a barrel looking out at the ocean.
"Sailor! Get your fins off the ship, you're coming with us!" Lucy barked at the goddess, who started and looked around herself, looking surprised she was being dragged along instead of watching the ship.
Natsu hid a smile at the somewhat embarrassed look on the goddess's face, or the way Lucy seemed to be encouraging her to be a bigger part of her crew without regard to her actual station. He hummed and threaded his fingers behind his head, it was nice to see her making an attempt to move in the right direction despite her justified reservations and resentment.
It would probably do the goddess some good too.
Juvia had been alone for a very long time, and dragging her out to have fun with the crew might backfire because of it. But it also might cause unexpected happiness, and as far as he was concerned that was always worth the risk. An opinion it seemed his captain shared. His heart warmed as he looked at Lucy, her kindness was something to be admired. That was for sure.
"Levy," Lucy glanced towards her nervous looking friend with a grin, oblivious to Natsu's musing, "It's been a while since we last were here together during the festival season!"
Levy nodded and shifted her weight anxiously, her fingers twisting together, "Ah, yes!"
At Natsu's questioning look, the incognito goddess rushed to fill in the blanks, "The captain went to school here when she was younger and we were friends. I was studying as an acolyte at the time she first left. We kept in contact with letters and whenever she would visit, but one day she just showed up out of the blue with a ship and almost no sense of direction!"
Lucy let out a bark of a laugh and draped an arm around her friend, "Yes, I had to beg her to leave the Scholisticate and join my crew. I would be so lost at sea without you!"
Levy snorted and tapped her friends cheek, "I wouldn't go that far! You've gotten much better at navigating and reading sea charts and maps! You hardly need me anymore!"
Lucy grinned back at her, "Maybe. But it wouldn't be the same without you!" She nudged her friend teasingly, "Unless you're planning to finally settle down with our cranky shipwright?"
"Lu!" Levy hissed, her cheeks flaming red, and Lucy laughed.
"Maybe one of these days we'll talk him into joining us." She winked, smirking at the way Levy's face burned even brighter, "That is if he'd ever set foot on our ship."
She shook her head and stepped forward, "Alright people let's get moving!" She called, "As much as I'd love to give everyone leave to see the festival right now, we're on a bit of a time crunch, and the sooner we get started the sooner we can get everything organized and enjoy ourselves before we head out!"
"I don't understand why you're talking about seeing the festival at all." Juvia huffed as they headed down the gangplank, "We don't have time to waste on it."
"Time or not it can't be helped." Lucy shrugged, though her expression was sympathetic to the stress on the goddess's face, "Even on a good day it would take more than a day or two to get everything ready for the kind of trip you're talking about. With the festival going on there's no telling how much surplus supply there is to be had. Or how quickly. Therefore, once we get the cart rolling so to speak there's no harm in enjoying ourselves a little too."
"And only a fool wouldn't stop to give thanks to the Navigator during her own festival." Natsu spoke up.
Juvia sighed in mingled frustration and dejection, "It's just... this is an emergency!"
"Aye it is." Lucy replied, her expression sobering, "One that could see us all killed. And there's not one of us that doesn't know that. Which makes giving my crew one more chance to have fun before we start our race all the more important."
"Why's that?" Wendy asked innocently before Juvia could respond, and Lucy smiled at her.
"It has to do with morale. Humans crack under too much stress. That's why we often celebrate after a victory. We have to blow off the stress somehow or we'd wind up killing each other. And since we're going to be delayed a day or two anyway, there's no harm whatsoever in allowing everyone to blow off their worries and fears." She looked back at Juvia, "I promise you, we'll all be the better for it."
Juvia's brow creased at the explanation, not seeming to understand, only to blink when Natsu slung an arm over her shoulder, nearly knocking her to the side.
"Just trust the Cap'n Juvia!" He grinned at her, "I think you can use a bit of fun too, right? Not everything can be all death and destruction!"
The goddess still looked troubled, but she nodded acceptingly at his explanation only to yelp when Natsu let go of her, pushing her off towards Gray even as she lightly protested the action. However, that did not stop her from smiling at the ice wizard and falling into step with him.
Natsu watched thoughtfully as Gray led the way down the docks and into the festival, "Cap'n, she'll figure it out." He flashed her a smile, "Trust me on that."
"Yeah?" Lucy asked as they also joined in with the throng. From the looks of where she was standing, Juvia didn't seem all that interested in figuring out humans, only in bossing her around about this quest. She forcefully throttled back the surge of resentment that brought up, and reminded herself that goddess or not she was the captain of her ship. No one else.
"Aye, the gods are just like humans. At least from what I can remember." He murmured, "They used to walk among humans more often than they do now, it was how I met Juvia to begin with."
"You remember when you met her now?" Lucy asked, somewhat surprised by that.
He laughed merrily at the question, "Aye cap'n! And it almost lost me the Fairy Tail to Davy Jones' locker!"
"She was a snap of her fingers away from crashin' it into some rocks and sinkin' the whole beauty and her crew to the abyss." He drawled.
"What stopped her? I can't imagine she was happy over a bunch of pirates in her water in those days." Lucy asked.
"She wasn't." Natsu grinned at Lucy, "But even with the merfolks and other creatures of the deep, the sea can be a lonely place for a goddess, and we were having fun. And I reckon she feels guilty about what's happening now." He looked at Juvia's back where she squealed away from a mountain of cotton candy waved in her face by a vendor.
"If she hadn't left the ocean, Acnologia wouldn't have had the chance to break out the gates and bring about the end of the world,"
"So she wants to fix it as soon as possible." Lucy filled in, her resentment falling away at the realization, "I suppose I can't fault her for that. I'd want to do the same in her place."
"If anyone should be to blame, it's me," Natsu blew a breath from his nose, "I wanted legs back. Badly. And she helped me get them back, but maybe the cost is too high."
"Hey, none of this was either of your faults." Lucy admonished gently, "Not really. It wouldn't be fair to exile her to the depths of the ocean for eternity any more than it's fair to deprive you of legs. The one to blame here is the Destroyer for taking advantage, not you."
She nudged his shoulder, not noticing that Juvia had paused to listen, "You said you wanted your legs back so you could find me and maybe learn more about your past through me right? And she was kind enough to answer. Unless gods are more far seeing than I thought, how would either of you have known?"
"And what if there were signs?" Juvia asked quietly, dragging Lucy's attention away from Natsu, "But they were ignored? Would you feel the same way then?"
Lucy blew out a sigh, "Look, I don't pretend to understand the ways of gods." She met the sea goddess's eyes, "In fact, I've had more than one case of frustration with them in my life. And I certainly don't know what your reasons were for not knowing this could happen sooner."
She reached out and curled her hand around the goddess's, "But it doesn't matter." She said earnestly, "Whatever happened, whatever your reasons, what's important is that you're working to fix it now."
Juvia's heart thumped in her chest and a surge of guilt rushed through her as she recalled the cool treatment and lack of trust she'd given the captain she'd asked for help over her initial refusal.
"Thank you Lucy." She murmured softly, "And I should apologize to you as well. Your mortal concerns are valid, and I haven't given them the respect they deserve in my haste to end the problem before it gets worse."
Lucy's expression softened and she gently squeezed Juvia's hand, "No harm, no foul." She replied, "I can't blame you for your anxiety either. But I promise we'll do everything in our power to help you fix this." She nudged the goddess a little, "In the meantime... let's get our business out of the way and enjoy the festival a little hm?"
Tears sprang to the goddesses eyes and she gave Lucy a watery smile before nodding, "I'll defer to you for this Captain. Thank you."
"Alright then, there's no more moping. Right Juvia?" Gray spoke up, "It's a festival! Let's enjoy ourselves!" He gave her a smile that had Juvia squeaking something unintelligible as he took her hand.
Natsu rushed on ahead, getting into the spirit of things himself. His smile was broad as he stared at Lucy, his head tilting towards her, "Shall we Captain?"
"I think we shall," Lucy stepped to his side. She laughed in surprise when he linked his arm through hers, dragging her down the cobbled streets and towards the center of the town where the festivities were the thickest.
In the center of the town there stood the famous temple of the Navigator. It was gorgeously decorated, filled with colorful banners and intricate ribbons.
"They look like they're having fun," Levy noted, a smile on her face as she looked around, very happy.
"Are you glad to be home?" Lucy asked her friend as they approached. Gray and Cana hung to the back, haggling with a vendor over supplies while they went to pray to the Navigator for a sign to their locations."
"I am," Levy admitted, "Magnolia is wonderful, and I know we were just here, but it's lovely to visit again."
Natsu blinked as he looked up, sniffing through the air as he picked up a familiar scent. His chin lifted and he blinked, "Hey wait a second..."
He shoved his way through the crowd, somewhat rudely as he forced his way through, ignoring Lucy and Levy's cries for him to stop. He rushed through the crowded temple, his nose twitching and nearly barreled over a group of people until he came to his destination.
Gajeel was standing in line to the altar, looking impatient with his arms crossed and fingers drumming against his side. At least until Natsu slammed headfirst into him, unable to stop his momentum, toppling them both over.
Gajeel let out a shout of anger and leapt to his feet, dragging Natsu up with him by sheer force. He froze though when they locked eyes, the hand that was balled up around Natsu's collar loosening.
"Cap'n?" Gajeel gawked at him, "What're you doin' here?"
"Natsu! You can't go haring off in a temple! People are trying to pray here and it's the god's holy grou—" Lucy burst in hotly, followed by an out of breath Levy.
Her eyes landed on Gajeel and she gawked at him, "What're you doin' here Gajeel?"
"That's what I was askin' the runt here," Gajeel grunted, ignoring Natsu's murderous glare, "I'm here for the festival and to pray to the Navigator."
His eyes landed on Levy, whose expression lit up at the sight of him, "Hey shrimp."
Lucy, however, was not watching their interaction. Her eyes were instead fastened on Gajeel's shoulder and the mark there.
"Gajeel..." She said slowly, but with enough danger to pull everyone's attention, "Why do you have the Fairy Tail symbol on your shoulder?"
You guys knocked it out of the park with the reviews! You more than earned your preview this time around so I hope you enjoy it! We had a couple of comments about the length of our chapters. They're actually random. Our chapters vary in length around 5 to 8 pages. Sometimes when we get on a roll the chapter can get ridiculous (like this one). This chapter was almost 6,000 words. So good job for sticking around for it!
"Wait! Levy are you sure about this?" Lucy squeaked as they pushed past worshipers towards the inner sanctum only to dig her heels in as they came up to the glowing lines of script magic that separated the clergy from everyone else, "Levy stop! We're not clergy!"
"I give you permission." Levy intoned in an oddly formal way and to Lucy's shock they crossed the threshold without so much as a bump.
Levy dropped Lucy's hand and gestured to a row of long seats for them to settle. Natsu didn't even bat an eye over it, just flopping down on the cushy chairs and spreading out.
"Sit down Lucy it's real cozy!" He cheered to her.
"Hey, show some respect ya runt! You're in the inner sanctum! Get yer grubby feet off the goddesses chair." Gajeel grumbled, but with more exasperation than anything else.
Lucy squeezed her fingers to the bridge of her nose and pointed at Gajeel. She wasn't so happy about catching Gajeel in a lie, but at least they would be given privacy when she tore into him. But there was a more pressing issue first.
"Natsu, tell me the truth, do you know Gajeel?" She instead turned her attention onto the man who hadn't budged from his spot.
Natsu glanced at Lucy, his expression neutral. His eyes narrowed and slowly sat up, supporting himself with one hand.
He said nothing at first, his eyes flashing over to Gajeel who merely nodded. Natsu sighed and dragged a hand through his bangs, "Yeah. Gajeel was part of my crew. He's a dragon, made my sword and the original Fairy Tail."
