Meilin: How was everyone's Halloween?
Happy: I dressed up as a fish! I looked so tasty that I wanted to eat myself =^.^=
Meilin: I was a half-eaten watermelon! Hehee :3
Natsu: Why did you guys dress up as food? Being a dragon was way cooler.
Meilin: Hey, you're a Dragon Slayer! That doesn't count Dx
Natsu: What, and you're telling me that your costume was better than mine?
Meilin: Of course it was! I hand made my watermelon dress and everything! –puffs out cheeks- Besides I could probably slay you in one stroke!
Natsu: Ha! Well, I could've eaten you in one bite!
Meilin: O/./O
Happy: That sounded perverted Natsu.
Natsu: WHA? I didn't mean it like that! Stop twisting my words around Happy!
Meilin: -In shock-
Happy: Please read on, aye!
-Update-
Meilin: Oh gosh….I freaking hate being busy and I've been so swamped! School is supposed to get easier at the end of the year NOT "oh hey let's pile on the homework before Christmas break"….UGH! –sigh- I want to apologize for updating super late. I wanted to get this out early but….it seems not. Please excuse all the grammar and spelling issues. This was not edited. Lol. Any who, please read on and thanks for all the reviews!
BROKEN BIRTHDAY BONDS: Episode 3
I went straight home to my apartment and locked the door behind me. For once, I locked my windows and closed my curtains. As much as I wanted to see him, I didn't want to see him at the same time.
Poof. "Happy Birthday, Hime-Sama. Is it time for my punishment?"
"Thank you, and no, Virgo, no punishment. Can you help me pack some of my things? I'm going to go on a job soon." I dragged out a big suit case from under my bed and flopped it on top of my bed.
"That is a rather large luggage bag, don't you think?"
"Not for the mission I'm going on," I replied packing some clothes into my bag.
"Hime-Sama, may I ask you a question?"
"What is it Virgo?" What she said to me next was completely unexpected that it had me stop in my tracks.
"Is this about Natsu-san and the others?"
"Can you grab me that notebook over there?" Pointing over to the table that had my writing equipment on it, I completely ignored her question in hopes she would understand. After handing me the book, she bowed and disappeared.
I was truly grateful that she did not press into the situation further but I was still uneasy about the whole situation. It wasn't something that I was ready to talk about.
"Lucy-Sama," he said down on one knee.
I sighed. "Did Virgo send you, Loke?" I shut my suit case and zipped it up.
"We need to talk, Lucy." He came over and stood behind me. His lean form towered over my head. He hugged me from behind and set his chin atop of my blonde hair. "All your spirits can feel your distress. What can we do to make you feel better?"
Tears fell silently, but he could still see the few droplets that rained over my pink case. I turned into his chest and whimpered quietly. He understood. I knew he did, but at this point he couldn't do anything except embrace me so that I could cry.
At times here and there I could feel myself nodding off to sleep but I had to catch the train before the last one departed.
"You should get some sleep," Loke advised.
I shook my head. "I have to catch the last train tonight. Will you accompany me?"
"I really don't think that you should go on this mission by yourself."
"I'm going, Leo. I need to get away and clear my head. If you don't want to come with me, I'll call out Taurus." I lifted the bull's key up but the lion stopped my hand from summoning him.
"I'll be with you, my Princess, all the way."
I knew he was only saying what he did for my own good and I'm grateful, but another day with this awful feeling would be the death of me. And so, I boarded the train with the King of the Zodiacs until I fell into a slumber on his shoulder.
"Natsu-san, wait," Wendy called out. Said boy marched angrily from the guild into the streets kicking the pebbles that blocked his path. Her words fell deaf upon the older dragon slayer's ears.
"Did anyone else forget it was Lucy's birthday or was it just me?" he asked.
Wendy looked at the back of Natsu's vest and gave him the truth. "Everyone else seemed to have forgotten when Lisanna came back."
"Who knew they would have the same birthday, huh?" Natsu Dragneel bitterly chuckled. He was hoping that Lucy wouldn't have been offended but it was her first birthday here in Fiore…with Fairy Tail! "I'm going to Lucy's place to apologize."
Wendy smiled to see the determination on Natsu's face. "I'll come with you!"
…
"What do you mean, 'Lucy isn't here', Landlady?"
"It is exactly as I stated pink head. Lucy has gone out. She is not in her apartment. Do. You. Understand?" And then she shut the door in both the dragon slayers' faces.
"What do we do now?" Wendy asked timidly.
"Let's go back to the guild. Someone else might know something."
Hurriedly, Natsu ran to the guild at full power with Wendy struggling to keep at his tail. He slammed the two doors open upon reaching his destination and screamed, "Where's Gray and Erza?!"
The place went silent and all stared at Natsu Dragneel but no one seemed to address his question.
"They went on a mission, but they should be back soon," Master said while chugging down a glass of beer with Cana.
"Gramps! Did Lucy take on a mission? She's not at her apartment and I can't find her anywhere!"
"Natsu, my boy, Lucy can handle the mission on her own. Don't forget that she has Loke with her."
"So she did go on a mission! Thanks, Gramps!" And so Natsu dashed toward the train station.
Wendy inwardly sweat dropped. There's no way I can catch up to him now. She thought.
"Relax, Wendy. The boy has got to do what he needs to do." Cana Alberona sat on the bar table gulping down her barrel of alcohol and sighed deeply. "Besides, there is no stopping that hot head when his mind is made up."
She was right. Nothing in the world could stop the Fire Dragon Slayer when there was something that he needed to accomplish.
…
"Stop the train, stop the train!"
"Sorry, son, I can't stop it until our next destination," the engineer shouted from the moving train. Even though the speed wasn't humanly possible to catch up to, the Dragon slayer was no ordinary human.
He clenched his teeth tightly together, balls his hands into fists so hard that his veins popped out, and gave himself a boost with the flames around his feet.
"LUCY!" I heard someone shout.
"Is something wrong, Lucy?"
"Huh? Oh, no, Loke. I just thought I heard my name. That's all." I must be imagining things.
Thump…
"Ack!" I screamed. "Natsu? What do you think you're doing?"
As much as I "loved" seeing Natsu's sickly green face pressed up against glass, I had to get his face away from mine.
"Open…the window….blargh."
"Ew! Don't puke on the train!" I opened up the window, feeling a bit sorry for him and his motion sickness problem. After I let him in, he collapsed on my lap with his green puffy cheeks.
"I'm going to go for a moment. I'll be back later."
"Wait, Loke, don't leave me here with him!" Despite my protests, the Lion kept walking away. "Aw come on! At least bring me a barf bag! Loke!" I cried.
After about a half hour or so, Natsu decided to wake up.
"Lucy, I-"
"Why are you here?"
"I came to-"
"Shouldn't you be back in Fiore celebrating Lisanna's return?"
For a few seconds he remained silent. I guess my bitter tone of voice didn't exactly tell him I was happy.
"Sorry," I apologized.
"Lucy, I'm sorry I forgot your birthday." He bowed his head in respect.
His face had a hurt and guilty expression and I felt a bit sorry. He came all this way to come and apologize.
I laughed and he looked up confused. "Did you honestly think I was mad because you forgot my birthday? Ha-ha!" I falsely wiped a tear from my eye."
"You're not mad?"
"Of course not. That's silly." I lied.
He didn't seem to buy the lie though. "Then why did you leave? Come back and enjoy the party."
"I left because my rent is due soon and I have no money to pay the landlady. She was so angry that she kept nagging me about it. I'm just stressed out, that's all. Plus, every time I go on a mission with you, Gray and Erza, something always gets broken and we're left with nothing!" That's true, but the reason why we never get the job done without destroying something is because you always have to save me. I always have to be saved by someone.
"Oh, so you just have money problems? I guess I'll leave you to the job then. Are you sure you can handle it?"
I nodded my head. "Don't forget, I have Loke and my spirits by my side." I winked and held up my shiny gold and silver keys.
"Oh, that reminds me," he stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a box. "Wendy got this for you as a birthday present. I don't have anything for you though. Sorry."
"For me?" I took the box and opened it and gasped. "The Venus Key."
"Oh-ho-ho," Nastu laughed. "It's so shiny! What does it do?"
"This is not an 'it'. Venus is a 'she'. Like in mythology, Venus is the goddess of beauty, sex, prosperity, and victory. She's not a constellation but a goddess who was said to be as beautiful as any star in the heavens. That's why she's so rare."
"Goddess of victory, huh? That means she can beat anyone!"
"Um, I don't think that's how it works." I sweat dropped. Suddenly, something came to mind. "Oh wait, aren't you supposed to have motion sickness?"
There was a dumbfounded look of realization on his face before he fell to the ground and clutched his stomach.
"I think you should get off the train now."
Without a second of hesitation, the dragon slayer was up and out that train kissing the ground as if it were his very life.
I laughed. He was so simple minded, but that was probably why I fell for him.
Loke came back not too long after that and told me our destination was just up ahead. I was going to be gone for a few days. I would still be in Magnolia but a few hours away from Fairy Tail.
I knocked on the door of the large double doors. Was this a guild? It bared a flag in the front of the guild with the head of a…a tiger head on it, I think.
"Um, excuse me. I came here to accept the job offer," I yelled through the doors.
It opened up and revealed a woman.
"Who are you?"
Man, was she scary. "I'm Lucy Heartfilia. I came to accept the job on behalf of Fairy Tail." I held up a flyer with the information on it and she rudely snatched it away from my hands.
"Why would Sabertooth ever ask help from a bunch of stupid fairies?"
Sabertooth? Oh, this must be another guild. Wait, why would a guild ask another guild for help?
"Minerva! Who is at the door?"
"A fairy. She claims that we asked for help and put it up at Fairy Tail's job board," the girl named "Minerva" spoke.
My eye twitched. Stupid Fairy? How can they be so inconsiderate?
"Um, hello. I'm standing right here," I stated as a matter of fact.
She eyed me up and down and bitterly laughed. What nerve.
"Oi, Minerva. I put up that request."
"What? Why would you do such a thing, Sting? How disgraceful."
"Relax, Minerva. It's fine." He looked at her directly in the eyes and smirked. She wasn't too happy but smiled back at him.
"Fine, but if she gets in my way you can consider your pet as good as dead."
They both chuckled as Minerva walked away.
"Um, I think maybe I'll have to reconsider this job offer," I said hesitantly. This didn't seem like such a good idea after all. I turned around only to be held back against my will.
"I guess the weaklings of Fairy Tail can't handle such a simple job. What a joke," he evilly whispered in my ear. He pushed me into the street and laughed in my face. "Go ahead and leave. I knew Fairy Tail was a disgrace. There's no reason for you guys to be considered a real guild. Pathetic."
A vein popped from my forehead as my eye twitched (again!) in annoyance. "Fairy Tail is not a joke! We're stronger than anyone else in Fiore! I'll show you. I accept your job offer!" I screamed. Immediately I began to regret having such a big mouth…but no one talks about my friends that way.
"Perfect," he commented.
And then it hit me… "You set me up!"
He rolled his eyes at me. "What gives you that idea?" He walked away after that leaving me behind. Cocking his neck to the side, Sting looked over his shoulder and ordered, "Hurry it up. You are now my temporary slave so you better listen to you master."
Yet another vein formed on my forehead and my brows furrowed together.
"If you keep frowning, you'll get wrinkles."
This guy…he's so…ugh!
"Let's get going. I have things for you to do, slave."
"Stop calling me that," I demanded.
"Fine then….Let's get going, Blondie," he smirked.
I've had it! I raised up my fist and hurled it at his face.
He caught it with ease. "Ah-ah-ah~" he sang. "You are never supposed to attack the client. Or is Fairy Tail so incompetent that they can't even do that much?"
You're lucky that I can't hit you right now.
"Please forgive me. I don't know what I was thinking." I bowed in respect even though I didn't want to, but unfortunately, he was right about that rule.
"Please forgive me, what?" He pressed.
"Please forgive me….master," I gritted.
"Much better. Now let's be off. I have things for you to do."
I had a bad feeling that this was going to be torture.
…
"Here, all of these things should be done by tonight." He handed me a scroll of paper. As I untied the small piece of string, the piece of paper rolled down to the floor and past my feet by a few inches.
"How can any human being finish this all in one day? You have got to be kidding me!"
"Listen here, Blondie, if you can't do it all by tonight then you can forget about getting paid."
I went to open my mouth but I had no comeback. "Fine."
Not wasting any more time, I got straight to work. I cleaned the entire Sabertooth guild, Sting's room and bathroom. He was surprisingly clean and tidy for a boy. I stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind me and all of a sudden-
"Oof!" I fell on my butt.
"You don't fly gracefully, do you, fairy?"
Scratch that….I was pushed onto my butt.
"What's your problem?!" I finally snapped.
"My problem is you! I don't know why Sting offered a job for you, but don't get close to him. He's mine."
"Listen, Minerva, I don't want to have anything to do with him! He's loud, rude, and an arrogant bastard! I'm just trying to get this stupid job done so I can get paid and go home. So, back off!"
Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say.
"What did you say, fairy?" She looked beyond pissed now. In just a second, her hand clutched at my neck while my back was firmly pressed against the wall. I wasn't strong enough to shove her off and I was beginning to lose all supply of air.
"You better watch what you say, you stupid girl. I'm the queen in this place. Whatever I say goes. I could have anyone of my goons dispose of your body right now."
I can't breathe.
Minerva dropped me like a weight. No doubt my face was turning blue. Any second later and I would have been a goner.
"Remember this well: I am the Queen of Sabertooth."
Placing my hands around my neck and panting heavily, tears formed in my eyes and I couldn't stop them from falling. It didn't matter if Natsu paid more attention to Lisanna. That was the least of my worries. I just wanted to be home and alive.
I gathered all the cleaning supplies that I had dropped when Minerva slammed me against the wall and hid myself in Sting's room. Locking the door, I took a seat at the foot of his bed and curled up on the floor and cried to myself.
A few minutes later, Sting came into the room.
"Oi, Blondie, you're not supposed to sleep on the job!" He came over to me a nudged me with his foot.
I opened my eyes and looked up at his face. I must've cried myself to sleep.
"W-whoa, why are you crying?"
I quickly stood up and wiped my eyes with the back of my arm. "I'm not crying." Okay, yes, that was a horrible and obvious lie, but I didn't want him thinking I was weak or something.
To my surprise, he grabbed me by the shoulders and held me tight for a moment.
"S-sting?"
He blushed for a second before returning to his original smirk. "You liked that didn't you?"
"In your dreams!" I screamed before storming off. The nerve of these people! I could even hear his annoying laugh from down the hall.
I smiled to myself a bit. Maybe being here won't be too bad after all.
…
"I saw you hug that fairy!"
"Minerva, calm down. So what if I did?"
"So you did?"
"I didn't say that. I said 'what if'."
"Sting! This is not funny. She is from Fairy Tail!"
"Relax, she's just my slave right now. She's only doing some chores and she'll be gone in a few days."
"She better be out of here by the end of the week."
"Five more days will not kill you."
"No…but it might kill her," Minerva hissed as she walked off. Sting's face dropped into a monotone expression and shivers went up my spine. I better stay on her good side. Five more days, and then I will be out of here, huh? I can do it. You can do it Lucy!
I walked up to Sting who stood there in the hallway and pinched his sides.
He jumped up and turned around with a flushed face as I attempted to stifle my laugh.
"What do you think you're doing, Blondie!"
"Lighten up. I was just trying to have some fun. You guys are way too stiff here."
"That's because Sabertooth doesn't tolerate weaklings."
"That doesn't mean you guys can't have fun."
"I am not boring."
"It sure seems that way."
For the second time today I found myself pinned up against the wall, but this time I wasn't being held up by my neck. The blonde dragon slayer trapped me inside both his arms and began to lean forward.
"S-st…what are you doing?" My face felt warm as his lips came closer to mine. He didn't move any closer but didn't back away either. I pressed my hands against his chest and pushed as hard as I could. He weighed a ton!
"Sting-kun, what are you doing? If Minerva finds you like this, you will be in big trouble."
"Lector…"
"Stop flirting with the blonde girl and let's go on a mission!" the dark colored exceed exclaimed. "I already picked one out for us! Rogue and Minerva are coming along as well."
The talking cat picked up the flyer and handed it to his partner.
"Rouge?" I mumbled to myself.
"Rogue is one of the Twin Dragon Slayers, but not as strong as Sting-kun."
"Let's go Lector. We have to pack for the trip. This mission doesn't look all that hard but it'll take almost two days to get there."
"Hai!"
"So does that mean I can go back to my guild?" I said excitedly. Stars twinkled in my eyes and I clasped my hands together in glee.
"Haha. Nice try. You are coming on this mission with us."
…
"EH?!"
Meilin: MINNA! I AM SOOOOO SORRY THIS IS OVER A MONTH LATE!...and it's total crap at that. Jeez. –sigh- Forgive me! T_T
Natsu: Where's the leftover turkey?
Meilin: Happy ate it.
Natsu: No way! He eats fish!
Happy: But the turkey was shaped like a fish.
Natsu: I'm hungry!
Meilin: Hungry for reviews?
Natsu: No, I'm pretty sure my stomach wants food….OR FIRE! Yeah, that sounds yummy.
Meilin: I'll supply you plenty of fire IF you win the Grand Magic Games. THOSE EPISODES ARE SO AWESOME RIGHT NOW AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE REST! AHHH!
Natsu: I'll definitely win! Unlike that loser, Gray.
Meilin: GASP! Don't call him a loser! It was his first time AND he was the first one to go AND that stupid purple guy was only targeting him AND Gray tried his best so don't talk about him like that!
Happy: Breathe, Meilin, breathe! You're face is turning purple.
Meilin: -lightheaded- I'm getting back in bed. I've been sick all weekend and I missed my Monday class because I passed out and slept through my alarm clock. Anyway, see you next chapter!