Chapter 13

Natsu and Lucy returned to the guild hall after a frantic chase around the library, Natsu smirking as Lucy huffed and puffed behind him. Happy, who had watched the whole thing with obvious enjoyment, flew onto Natsu's shoulder as the two collapsed at a table where Erza, Gray, and Juvia all sat. Suddenly, Natsu's smile melted away as he turned sharply at Lucy.

"Okay, what the hell?" Gray and Erza looked at her with expressions that plainly asked the same question. She quickly shook her head and put her hands up to defend herself.

"I swear it's not what it looks like…"

"What it looks like is that you left the guild alone and returned with Laxus who apparently saved you from Naomi. How different could the truth be?" Asked Erza sternly.

"If anybody had been paying attention, they would have noticed that I didn't get to say two words about what happened!" Lucy replied, obviously stung. Grey rolled his eyes.

"So what's the real story, huh?" he drawled out.

"I just wanted to talk." Said Lucy, looking apologetically at Natsu. "She just seemed so…sad when she came to the guild. I just wanted to see if I could get to know her. I know it was stupid, I know I shouldn't have done it. I thought she might have needed someone to talk to." She finished lamely.

"You have always been too kind for your own good." Looking up, she saw that Erza was smiling at her, albeit a little condescendingly.

"Thanks?"

"But what happened in the woods? I get why, but what the hell happened?!" Natsu demanded. Lucy growled a little in frustration.

"Be patient, Natsu! I had gotten a few miles into the forest when I ran into some bandits who were giving me a little trouble." Natsu almost burst in here, but Lucy silenced him with a deadly glare. "I was doing fine, when all of a sudden Laxus and Naomi burst through the bushes! I had taken care of the bandits by then—yes, I did Natsu, don't you dare—and the two of them were evidently just as surprised as you are that I could take care of myself. Eventually she told Laxus to take me back here (as if I needed help!) and went back into the forest."

Gray immediately jumped in. "And why was Laxus with her?" Erza nodded.

"That's what I want to know."

"Juvia wants to know too—"

"You think I didn't ask? He wouldn't speak a word to me on the way back, just grunted a lot like the jerk he is. All I could tell is that they seemed fairly used to talking to each other." Lucy shrugged and called Mirajane over, asking for some water. Natsu frowned.

"Why would Laxus get all chummy with her?" Erza nodded.

"Clearly something is going on. If you remember, it was Laxus who brought her to the guild in the first place. We were all too shocked to notice at the time, but she did seem injured."

Juvia finally spoke up. "Perhaps Laxus helped her with whatever Porlyusicaa said was troubling Naomi. And maybe he felt he had to continue helping her. I don't know Laxus at all, but could that be possible?"

Natsu burst out laughing, and the rest of the team were coughing into their drinks. "Laxus? Taking care of anyone? He's an asshole, plain and simple. There's no way."

"He does care deeply for the guild." Said Erza, recovering herself. "But I have trouble believing he would pay that much attention to someone outside of his family." Grey snorted.

"Well, something's going on, and I'm not about to sit around here much longer. I'm gonna find out what he's up to." Lucy put her hand up.

"But…maybe this is something we should leave alone. They probably have it figured out, and it's not really our business…" she trailed off as her teammates stood up, clearly preparing to leave.

"I'm surprised at you, Lucy. Naomi may not be under the same influences as before, but she attacked us and she could be ensnaring one of our strongest mages. It is our business." Erza said, her face stern once more.

"Still, I think ensnaring's probably an overstatement. Also, didn't I just get my ass kicked for going after her? Master's order still stands." Lucy objected.

"I'll take care of it!" Natsu said brightly, walking over to the job board. He immediately picked one up. "Mira! We're taking this one!" Mirajane looked up, nodded, and made a note.

"Since it's in the opposite direction of the forest, I'll let you take it." Natsu turned, grinning as he led the others out the door. Juvia went to follow, but sadly stayed behind as she realized Gray wasn't looking back. He was busy talking quietly with Natsu.

"The opposite direction, huh? And are we actually planning to do the job?" He smirked.

"The job? Of course no—of course we are!" Natsu changed tack when he saw Erza and Lucy's faces.

"We'll do the job first, and then skirt the city and search the forest." Said Erza, who clearly would not take no for an answer.

"And what is this job exactly?" Asked Lucy. "And how much does it pay?" Natsu looked back and laughed.

"Is that all you care about? 10,000 jewels for dealing with some weird shit in a village. How hard can it be?"