The next day, the guild had a peaceful summer like atmosphere. It was a beautiful shiny day that made Natsu energized.
"Hahaha! It's a perfect day for fishing huh Happy?"
"Aye! I wonder if Lucy wants to come"
"I'll ask her!" Natsu walked happily to Lucy who was talking to Mirajane. "Hey Lucy! Want to come fishing with us?" he asked.
"Sure it might be nice" Lucy said.
"Then let's go!" Happy spread out his wings and flew away.
"Wait for me Happy!" Natsu and Lucy chased Happy outside the guild.
Meanwhile Vira watched them leave at the bar with her book wide open, facing her. "Energetic bunch aren't they?"
"Yep, that's our Natsu" Mirajane said.
"What do you mean?"
"Haven't you notice? Natsu always kept asking Lucy to go on quest together and hang out outside or at Lucy's room. What Lucy isn't realizing is that Natsu kind of thinks of it like a date instead of hanging out like friends if it weren't for Happy tagging along" Mirajane said as she wipes a glass mug.
"Really? Still, I can't believe Lucy didn't know Natsu had a crush on her. Do you know how much better off they would be if they were together?"
"I know what you mean, Poor Natsu, he couldn't get a moment with her alone. He is a bit shy around girls you know. That's why Happy tags along"
"The idiot and the weirdo, things couldn't get any more complicated" Vira said in the pit of disappointment. "I'll just talk to Lucy about later"
A few hours later…
Lucy was exhausted by her day with Natsu and Happy. While fishing, a huge fish almost dragged her into the stream. Luckily Natsu was strong enough to pull her back on land. So on the way to her apartment, she was soaking wet, leaving drops of water on every step she takes (kinda like Juvia actually). When Lucy opened the door of her apartment, she was surprised to see someone besides Natsu inside it.
"Welcome home Lucy, you have a nice room" Vira was sitting on the opposite couch Natsu usually sits on.
"Vira? Why are you in my room this time?" Lucy asked. She would expect Natsu, Happy, Erza or Gray in her room but this is the first time someone else snuck in it.
"I ran out of money for a night in the inn so can I pretty please stay here for a while?" Vira pleaded.
"Why don't you just go take a request?" Lucy sighed. "Fine, you can stay but starting tomorrow you have to put down that little book of yours and start working"
Vira smiled. "Thanks Lucy" Vira observed Lucy from tip to toe. "You're soaking wet"
"Thanks for pointing out the obvious" Lucy said sarcastically. "I'll be taking a bath now" Lucy walked into her bathroom.
A few moments later…
"I'm done"
"So I'm I" Vira said who already wore black pajamas with white vine patterns while Lucy was still in her pink bath towel. Vira was lying on Lucy's bed with her right hand behind her head and the left one holding the book.
"Heh? Aren't you gonna take a bath?"
"Nah, I took a bath before you even got here" Vira said bluntly.
"You should have told me that the second I got here" Lucy said with her eyebrows twitching from disinformation.
"Now, about Natsu, do you believe me when I say he has a crush on you?"
"Are you sure? He seems so dense just to show it" Lucy blushed slightly as she slipped on her tank top.
"Then why would he create a team making you the first member of it? And the first request you took was with Natsu and Happy and them only. Why would he sneak into your room sometimes just to see your face by the end of the day? Why would he want to you to come along fishing trips and request just so he could hang out with you?" Vira reasoned. Lucy's face was in a bright shade of pink. She was rendered speechless. "I guess that was just too many questions" Vira pulled both sides of her book to continue reading.
"H-How did you know that?" Lucy's voice was shaking in disbelief.
"Get it through your head. I can mind read too you know"
Lucy was squealing around her room while Vira's eyes focused on the words of her book, ignoring Lucy's noise. "You mean you got the info straight from his head?"
"Maybe" Vira said in a mischievous tone. Lucy was only half right since Vira got half the info from Mirajane. "I was supposed to tell you about it until Natsu barged into our conversation remember?"
"Oh yeah, Wait! Did you tell Natsu…"
"No" Vira already knew of what she was talking about. Lucy was relieved. "Not yet" Vira thought mischievously.
"Natsu has a crush on me?" Lucy thought incredulity. Lucy already was all ready dressed so she flopped on the bedside next to Vira "Ahh! What am I gonna tell Natsu?
Vira smiled. "Don't worry, your heart will guide the way" Vira closed her book and placed it on the bedside table. Vira turned her body away from Lucy. "Goodnight!" she mumbled. Lucy slept under the covers with their backs against each other. Lucy was still nervous on what to tell Natsu tomorrow. Despite all these feelings that are rushing through her head and the fact her heart is beating like crazy, she sucked it up and fell asleep.
A few hours later...
Lucy found herself in a dark dimension. Utter silence and darkness. She walked around the dimension endlessly until she heard her name echo from the distance.
"Lucy..." echoed a faint voice. Lucy ran to the source of the sound as her name repeated faintly. "Lucy... Lucy..." the sound grew louder which told her she was getting closer.
Lucy realized of who was calling her name. She saw a pink-haired boy that had his back turned. "Natsu!" Lucy shouted. Natsu turned around with faithful eyes and a warm smile.
"Lucy, you came for me" he said with a faint voice. Lucy's eyes watered.
"Of course I came for you!" Lucy hugged Natsu as she sobbed near his chest. Natsu hugged her back. But then, Lucy felt a warm feeling around her body. Lucy looked up at Natsu and saw his hair a blaze. Natsu's smiling face still stayed even if Lucy shoved him off but because of Natsu's durable body structure she fell. Natsu's arms were on fire and soon, fire flared around his feet. Natsu held his hand out.
"Lucy... Please... before it's too late" he said as half of his face were covered with flames.
"Natsu! What's happening to you?" she panicked as Natsu's body slowly disappeared with the flames.
"Please... before it's too late..." he repeated. Half of his body was covered with fire and soon the flames reached his hand still stretching out. The flames beneath him expanded through the space which lit the area like being in hell. Fire surrounded Lucy so there's no turning back.
"Natsu!" she yelled. Natsu kept his face smiling as the fire took over half of his face and torso. The fire flared higher around Lucy like a blazing wall. Flames circled around her legs like a snake. She panicked. All she could ever do is watch Natsu disappear as flames fume like a geyser. She felt her self spinning about as the flames raged around her.
"NATSUU!"
Now do you understand why it's useful? Heh, read next week's update with Vira finally getting a job with both Natsu and Lucy being involved in it.