Sorry I took forever to update. I've been focusing on another story. I really should get to work on On a Matter of Twins, but that doesn't matter right now. Thanks for putting up with me!
Natsu stared in surprise at all of the humans. I didn't know that there were so many humans! he marveled. It shouldn't be too hard to find a new home for him and Midori.
Unfortunately, in order to get anything, you needed money, which Natsu had never seen before. Igneel had told him about money, but he never expected to need it. Three weeks flew by quickly, at the end of which he met a tiny old man.
"Hello, son," he said cheerfully.
"Hi, Gramps!" Natsu replied.
"What's your name?"
"I'm Natsu," he said, slightly confused. Most people didn't care about his name, unless he was doing odd jobs for them.
"I've heard a lot about you, Natsu." He stopped sweeping. What in the world did this old man want? "I was told that you're a wizard." Natsu had been surprised to learn that not everyone could use magic, and that they were called wizards. He was still getting used to that.
"Yeah!" Natsu grinned. "I use fire magic! See?" He almost set the broom on fire, but caught himself. He set his other hand on fire instead. "Pretty cool, huh?" Makarov watched Natsu. He was so cheerful, despite doing odd jobs for a living. From what he had been told, Natsu barely knew what money was before arriving in a nearby city. He had traveled around since then, making it hard to track him down. The boy had been inquiring into dragons - an odd topic for a child - and had kept asking despite being told time and time again that they didn't exist.
Makarov invited him to Fairy Tail. Natsu had been dubious at first, but when he was told that a guild was an excellent center of information on magical creatures - like dragons -, he had agreed to check it out.
The last week went by faster than Natsu could believe. There were kids his age in this guild, which made him excited. Maybe he and Midori could live here! Then he realized that he was going to be late for his meeting with Midori.
"Aw, crap, I gotta go!" he shouted. He and the master had just been discussing how Natsu could join.
"Where?" Makarov shouted.
"I'm late for a meeting with a friend. She's scarier than Erza!"
"How am I scary?" Erza asked, annoyed. Natsu yelped and tried to run away.
"I'm late! You've got to let me go! She'll kill me!"
"Will you be back?" Makarov asked.
"I don't know! Maybe! Thanks for the offer!" At that, he ran out of the guild.
"What's with him?" Gray asked. "Did he eat Erza's cake?" He shuddered. "Man, she's scary." A shadow loomed over him.
"Why does everyone think I'm scary?!"
It was just a little farther! Natsu jumped off a log. His left wrist burned and tingled with the anticipation of seeing Midori again. "Midori!" he shouted. "I'm coming!" He slid under a fallen log. He knew this area! He and Midori would run this trail every day, racing in a loop. "Midori?" There was the cave. But were those… bloodstains? "Midori!" He frantically searched the cave. No. It couldn't be. Midori was… dead. He could smell her blood, and lots of it. "Midori!" he screamed, tears streaming down his face. I'm sorry… I was too late… I'm sorry I wasn't here…
Natsu joined Fairy Tail a week later, refusing to say anything about his meeting that he had been excited about. The rest of the guild surmised that it went badly, and didn't say anything about it. Mira teased him constantly about Midori's necklace, which he wore constantly under Igneel's scarf.
"Natsu's wearing a girl's necklace," she taunted as he tried to ignore her. "Lemme see." Mira ripped the charm out of his hands, breaking the clasp.
"Give it back!" he shouted.
"Nah, I think I'll keep it. It's almost pretty."
"Mira-nee," Lisanna said softly, seeing the rage on her friend's face.
"Give. It. Back!" Natsu snarled. Mira hesitated for a moment. The rage contorting his face made him seem like one of her Take-Overs. Then she made the mistake of continuing to taunt him. His response was to jump on her and wrap his hands around her throat. It took the other two Strauss siblings, Laxus, and Makarov to pull him off. When they finally got him off, he had the necklace back. His sharp eyes looked over it. "You're lucky that only the clasp broke," Natsu growled. Mira rubbed her bruised neck and glared at him.
"I'm gonna kill him," she muttered.
"You're in luck, kid," the jewelry maker said, inspecting the clasp. "I can fix it right now, if you want."
"Yeah," Natsu nodded. "Thanks. Uh… How much will it cost?"
"It's just a simple repair," he chuckled. "No cost."
"Thanks!" he shouted on his way out. Midori, he thought sadly as he walked out into the bright sun, pulling the necklace on, I wish you were here. I think that this is the place we were looking for.
I really do.
Well, crap. She's dead. I really hate killing people. Or do I? Mwahaha!