Hey guys! Kytrin in for Mslead again! She's got another evil back-to-school shift at work, but like I said last time we can probably expect this off and on until school actually starts and things go back to normal for her. Or the story ends. Whichever comes first. And honestly I don't know which it will be. This chapter marks the start of the final countdown of Golem! That's right, we're on the first of our last 10 chapters! Lol hard to believe isn't it? I hope you all like the final part of the ride!
In other news... THIS FIC UPDATES EVERY THREE DAYS: Post, Break, Break, Post!
CHAPTER 38
Treant
Treants are sentient, mobile trees that can appear as normal trees, but if you anger them or ask them to reveal themselves, they will reveal their faces, their branches will turn into hundreds of strong arms and their lower trunks will split into legs. A full-grown treant in a bad mood is a fearsome sight.
"What do you mean they're leaving?" Came the shrill cry of young Wendy early the next morning. Lucy startled awake, while Natsu snorted upright before sinking right back down into his pillows.
She twaped him on the chest to wake him up, and Natsu let out another grunt before his eyes open and his brows tugged in a frown.
Wendy was loud, and getting louder. It was clear that even if Lucy hadn't woken him up, Wendy would have eventually gotten there herself. Natsu frowned as he sat up, his tapered ear twitching as he tilted his head to the door.
"What're they arguing about?" Lucy whispered only for Natsu to shush her. Lucy made an offended noise, but he waved his hands at her and slid out of their bed of pillows to tip toe to the wall.
His scarf trailed behind him, the long ends resting crookedly on his shoulders. Lucy watched his back in amusement, even as he tried to ninja-crawl his way to get a better listen in on the proceedings.
Not that his sensitive hearing was needed with how loudly Wendy seemed to be crying.
"But they just got here! I thought he was going to stay!" Wendy protested, the desperation and confusion clear in her voice.
Natsu's brows furrowed as he heard his mother's voice, much softer, respond to his distraught sister.
"They have a very important mission to accomplish back in Lucy's home town. They'll be needed, but don't worry, Sting will be accompanying them," Grandine soothed.
It seemed to be the incorrect thing to say, as Wendy's voice pitched again.
"Sting's going too? Then I have to as well! They could be hurt! And if anything bad happens to Lucy, it would be awful for her and Natsu!" Wendy pleaded with her mother.
What Grandine said next was too soft for Natsu to hear, but Wendy's shout of frustration that came next was answer enough she had not gotten the response she wanted.
Lucy grimaced a little as Natsu prowled back over to their pillow nest to rejoin her, "Poor Wendy." She wrapped her arms around him, "Part of me kind of wishes we could stay, but..."
She shook her head and Natsu nodded his understanding.
"We've got a job to do." He agreed, "And if we don't things are just gonna get worse." He smiled at her, "Besides... I'd miss our Fairy Tail nest too much."
"Yeah." Lucy smiled back, "There's that too. I still feel kind of bad for Wendy though."
Natsu did too, but he shook his head resolutely, "She'll be alright, and once everything is taken care of she can come visit!" He grinned at her toothily, "She can crash at your big fancy mansion!"
Lucy rolled her eyes, "Natsu, that place is big enough for an entire nest of twenty if they didn't mind being in their human forms inside. Probably with room left over. She would get lost in there."
That sounded like a pretty impressive nest size to him, and he couldn't help wondering if maybe his siblings would be interested in a ready made nest like that. Hell, add him and Gajeel and their queens into the mix and that would be a pretty good core size. Sure, half the occupants were human, but so what?
Lucy stretched as she got up, "C'mon, we might as well get started for the day now." She sighed, "I expect Wendy will have something to say to us. Or at least me."
She hated that would be the case. She really liked Wendy, but it seemed like every time she turned around there was something new for the little dragoness to hiss at her over. She couldn't really blame Wendy when it happened, but at the same time it wasn't really her fault.
She would not, could not, leave her people to suffer against demons indefinitely. And where she went Natsu would follow. That was simply the way it was.
Maybe Wendy would understand that in time?
Natsu groaned and pawed at the empty covers, but twisted around to look over his delightful queen. He grudgingly followed her example and dragged himself out of the comfort of their bed.
"You know Wendy likes you," Natsu shuffled over to his pack to get dressed. It was the day they were due to leave, although he supposed he couldn't exactly blame Wendy for being so mad. Especially since she was being taken by surprise.
"Oh is that so?" Lucy asked in disbelief that had Natsu smiling innocently at her, "Because I could have sworn she had a major bone to pick with me ever since you out-stubborned me and almost had your soul ripped out."
"Details," Natsu shrugged and shrugged on one of the vests he got from Magnolia. It felt strange to be wearing clothing native to the humans again. He had begun to get used to the dress of dragons and demons.
"Just give her some time alright, she's young and a little frightened," Natsu wheedled. Lucy sighed and rolled her eyes. The smile on her face told him he won though.
"Alright, lets go face the music," Lucy groaned, fitting on her skirt and a pair of knee-highs. She struggled into a sweater because she knew it was going to be cold up high where they would be flying, and proceeded to finish getting ready for the day.
Natsu grinned after her, rubbing a warm hand through his hair to make the spikes flair up in a disarray the way he liked it while Lucy combed her long hair out. Soon they left their little nest together and they headed out into the morning area.
There, Wendy was sulking away from her family, tears stinging in her eyes as she crouched down to hug her small arms around her knees.
When she spotted both Natsu and Lucy walk in, she got up and ran to Natsu.
"You're really leaving? So soon?" Wendy demanded, "But this is your home!"
Natsu sighed a little and dropped his hand on top of Wendy's head, rubbing it lightly, "Magnolia's my home too." He told her, crouching down to her level, "It's where Lucy and all my Fairy Tail nestmates live."
"But they're humans!" Wendy protested, "Humans don't have nests! We're you're nest brother!"
"Humans don't have nests, but they have families." Lucy said quietly, "And a family, especially the family you choose, looks out for each other. We protect and help each other through the good times and bad."
"Sounds like a nest to me." Natsu agreed as Wendy's eyes filled with tears.
"But even if that's the case, it's not fair!" She wailed, "You've only been back for a few weeks! Why can't you stay longer?"
Natsu grasped her shoulders, "Wendy," He said firmly, "We're not leaving because we want to. We're leaving because we have to. A lot of good people, innocent people, have died because of this war, and a lot more will keep dying if we don't put an end to it soon."
He hugged her tightly, "I'm going to miss you. A lot. But I can't let anyone else die because of what Zeref made me do. I have to put things right, and the only way to do that is to stop the fighting."
Lucy smiled at him, beyond proud that he felt that way, and wasn't just doing this because she wanted it anymore.
"Then let me come with you!" Wendy protested, her voice muffled in his chest.
Before she could respond, Gradine gave a sharp growl that made Natsu jump.
"You are not to go Wendy. You are still a hatchling, much too young to go out into a war!" Grandine barked at their daughter. Both Natsu and Wendy cowered back at the sight of their mother's anger. Even though it was muted, it had the desired effect.
Igneel came up behind his wife, setting a hand on her shoulder and closing his eyes for a moment, "Your mother is right. There is no use to try and rush into war. Battles will always be fought."
"And this one should have been fought years ago. It was my own fear and neglect on the state of matters which allowed things to escalate as far as it did," Igneel sighed and looked at Lucy and Natsu, "I am glad my son was awakened by you Lucy. It takes someone brave to be willing to do what you've done so far just to stand a chance."
Lucy's cheeks warmed over the praise, which coming from a dragon was very high indeed.
"Thank you very much Igneel," Lucy murmured, "And thank you for giving your support."
"It's I who should be thanking you." Igneel replied, "For waking me up to the reality of things, and forcing me to face it." He shook his head, "I fear I've fallen far from the ideals I fought for so hard in my youth. And I feel I owe you and your people an apology for four hundred years of silence."
Lucy stared at the dragon in surprise. A surprise that was mirrored by his family.
For Igneel to praise her was surprising enough, but for him to admit such a thing so openly, and all but offer an apology, was something else entirely.
Lucy smiled at him, but there was a hint of ferocity behind it when she did, "Don't apologize for what happened Igneel." She told him firmly, "Just keep doing what you already are. That, more than anything, will go a long ways towards fixing things. Once this stupid war is over, then we can work on rebuilding and mending bridges alright?"
Igneel stared at her for a long moment and then burst into deep throated laughter, "I understand what Metallicana was saying now."
He bobbed his head at her in respect, a fire starting to burn in his eyes that had been largely absent before, "Now, let's have breakfast. You and I both have work to do."
For the rest of the morning Wendy was sullen and quiet, although she seemed to liven up the longer they spoke to one another. However by the time breakfast was over and they were gathering their things to leave, she had once again fallen into silence and completely disappeared.
In fact, when they got up to the landing area with a transformed Sting, she didn't show up.
Natsu grunted as he accepted a large crate Igneel handed to him. It was supplies the dragons were providing for Fairy Tail, and they were sure to be useful in the coming months.
"It's a shame Wendy isn't seeing us off," Natsu pouted, "She must still be really mad."
"She's usually so sweet," Sting rumbled with a wiggle of his hips while Natsu balanced easily on his spine. The demon helped redistribute the weight of the crates, and Lucy even helped at his tail. She had gotten practice standing on top of a dragon's back, although it seemed to be less natural for her than it had been for Natsu.
"She's still mad at me I think," Lucy huffed as she tried, and failed to shove a heavy box up the slope of Sting's tail. Natsu hopped down from spine to spine to grab the rope, hoisting it, and Lucy up with one firm tug.
He showered her with a brilliant smile that almost blinded Lucy.
"Alright alright, don't be so smug," Lucy grinned back, "Are we about ready to head off then?"
Sting looked over his shoulder at the pile of boxes and other supplies and nodded, "You just need to secure yourselves and I can take off."
Natsu curled his arm around Lucy and helped her get tucked securely into the cushioned space left for them before joining her. He wasn't worried about walking around on Sting's back once he was in the air, but the takeoff could be a bit rough and he wanted to make sure he was on hand in case something slipped.
"Ready!" He called and they waved at Igneel and Grandine one last time as Sting flapped into the air.
Not surprisingly, Lucy held tight to Natsu up until they leveled out, but once they did she relaxed and let go of her death grip on him.
"You alright?" Natsu asked, and she nodded as she settled back onto the padding. Sting wasn't high up enough that it was freezing, or going fast enough it was impossible to talk, so now that they were level she was perfectly happy to just sit there. As long as she didn't have to try and walk around.
"Yeah, I'm good." She replied, "I don't think I'll be getting up though."
Natsu grinned, not in the least surprised, and stretched, "I'm gonna go check out the view then."
Natsu got up, balancing well on Sting's back, and Lucy gave him a grumpy look. She couldn't help but be a little envious of his innate sense of balance when it came to walking on a dragon's back while in motion. So long as Sting didn't go too fast, Natsu could walk on him almost like he was walking on level ground.
She supposed it was an dragon thing since every dragon she had met could do it.
Although for a human, she liked to think she faired pretty well.
Of course watching Natsu walk up the much narrow expanse of Sting's neck so he could settle on his brother's head right between his horns, was rather alarming.
Lucy grumbled and settled her arms around Happy to leech onto the little cat's warmth, who looked up at her. She heard Natsu's voice, but couldn't make out what he was saying as he bent down over Sting's eyes. His scarf and vest were flapping wildly in the wind, but he looked at ease on his perch.
"I don't see how he can do that at all," Lucy muttered to Happy.
The cat laughed and settled himself against Lucy's shoulder.
"All dragons like heights, they're fliers like me! I get why it freaks you out though. I couldn't imagine being like one of those weird cats that live with the humans," Happy made a face, "The don't even have wings!"
Seeing the amusement on his face, Lucy rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Yeah yeah. I see your point."
"How soon do you think we'll make it to Magnolia at this rate?" Lucy called out. Natsu looked up from where he was crouched on Sting, his brother's head swiveling up.
"I'm not sure. Maybe three to four more hours?" Sting replied, "We're going pretty slow and steady with all the supplies I'm carrying."
Lucy sighed and decided to pull out a book and see if it was possible to read for a while. Or maybe take a nap if not. She tugged one out of her pack, holding it up so Natsu could see what she was doing.
He grinned back at her and gave her a thumbs up before settling back down, "She's gonna read for a while." He told his brother, "Too bad. She's missing out."
Sting chuckled a little, "I can't blame her for being nervous." He replied, "She doesn't have that sense of balance dragons do."
Well that was true. Still, Natsu kind of wished she was up there with him to see the amazing views. But without something to keep her from falling he could understand why she wouldn't move.
Things descended into silence after that as both Sting and Natsu just enjoyed the sensation of flying, and it wasn't long before they'd moved far beyond the range of the nest and into the true unclaimed wilds.
About an hour or so into the trip Natsu stretched a little and got up, "I'm gonna go check on Lucy and stretch my legs."
"Have fun brother." Sting rumbled only to choke in surprise when a burst of light appeared out of nowhere and slammed into him.
He let out a roar of pain as the blast struck first his chest, but a repeat fire struck true into his wing. Natsu's whole body jerked through the air, and his eyes widened as he slipped backwards.
Sting's wing crumpled to his side, and Natsu flung his head towards Lucy even as he had no control over what was happening. His body couldn't find any purchase but that didn't stop him from trying to reach for Lucy.
Lucy's eyes were wide with shock, even as she reached back for him, their fingertips skimming one another before Natsu went slamming into the crates.
Sting was pinwheeling through the air, and Natsu was dazed even as his impact through the wooden grates did a better job at stopping him.
"Lucy!" Natsu shouted, afraid for her as she too lost her grip on Sting and fell through the air.
Luckily, Happy was with her, and the feline thought quickly as he scooped her up and opened his wings.
Natsu for his part however, was confused. Because he could see another pair of legs and arms falling through the air. Which was impossible because Sting was a dragon, Lucy was safe in Happy's hold - but...
His vision came back into focus as he plummeted through the air, long blue hair and white feathery clothes.
Wendy!
Natsu groaned as he realized his stubborn little sister had chosen to come along by any means necessary. Smuggling herself on board, it was just sheer luck Natsu had smashed into the crate to show they were even there.
He let out a snarl, summoning his demon form in an instant so he could open his wings and catch a hold of her sister.
She was out of it, but Natsu still held onto her tightly, even as his eyes searched wildly for his brother.
"Sting!" Natsu shouted as his brother lost control of his transformation and became just a speck in the distance, "STING!"
There was no way to reach him in time however. Between Sting flinging them off, and the chaos of catching Wendy, they'd gotten separated pretty widely. However, before he could think about trying to go after his brother anyway a square speck appeared in the distance. One he immediately recognized.
Tartaros.
He bared his fangs in a savage growl and dove for the cover of the trees where they wouldn't be able to see him from that range.
Luckily Happy was still thinking on his feet and dove after him without questioning why they weren't heading to where Sting was.
"Natsu!" Lucy called as they landed, "What happened? Why aren't we going after Sting?" She paused and gaped at Natsu's burden, "Why is Wendy here?!"
"It looks like someone was determined to come along no matter what." Natsu growled as he set his sister down, "As for the rest, I spotted Tartaros in the distance. They were the ones who shot Sting out of the air. Flying right now would be too dangerous."
"Oh no." Lucy breathed, and shook her head, "Alright, the most important thing is getting Sting and getting out of here. If we try to stay put Tartaros will definitely find us."
"Yeah." Natsu agreed grimly, "Do you have your communication lacrima?"
"It was in my pack." Lucy replied, "Let's see if we can find it. If we're lucky it won't be broken."
Natsu nodded, "I'll go look. Can you stay and look after Wendy?"
"Of course." Lucy replied, and sighed, "Try to grab whatever you can in case we wind up having to make it back on our own. We're out in the middle of nowhere. We won't make it anywhere to be helpful to anyone if we can't survive."
Special thanks to all of our reviewers! Your feedback was a bit mixed since not everyone was into some of the content last chapter, but that's okay. We appreciate your candidness, and I hope our future scenes are more to your liking. Regardless, we love you all to pieces for reviewing and letting us know! Enjoy your sneak peek! You more than earned it! :)
30 REVIEWS EQUALS A SNEAK PEEK!
"Oh, you're awake" A voice, quiet and nearby called to his attention. Sting blinked and sat up a fraction, his eyes drawing towards the murky face of a human woman.
She had snow-like hair that hung in short locks around her face and kind eyes that watched him with a hint of apprehension and curiosity.
The scent of magic came off her, and Sting at once knew she was a mage.
"How are you feeling Mr. Dragon?" She asked him quietly, reaching out with cautious hands to adjust the bandage around his head.
He tracked her movements with his eyes, sensing her hesitation behind her movements. After all, humans had a very real, inherent, fear of dragons. Sting could transform in a second and snap her hand off at the wrist if he felt so inclined.
He had to grudgingly admit it was brave of her to reach a hand out to what was an apex predator.
