Lucy stood in front of the only mirror in the infirmary, fixing her hair. Out of whim, she had styled it in an up do she had barely used since her childhood days- a tiny ponytail on the right side of her head. For as long as she could remember, Lucy would use this style to comfort herself in a strange place, and wearing it now gave her a peaceful feeling.
Mirajane (the nurse, as Lucy had learnt her name was) knocked on the door. "Lucy, are you alright?"
"I'm fine!" Lucy called.
As she opened the door, Lucy noticed Mirajane hide a smile behind her hand. "What?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing." Mirajane looked perfect as always. "Ready for the grand tour?"
"Is it always this quiet?" Even though Lucy was pretty sure she wasn't being followed, she still whispered.
"Not really," Mirajane chirped, "we had a pretty big celebration last night, so I suppose everyone's still nursing hangovers."
"Oh."
The conversation dwindled to a stop. Unsure of what to say, Lucy minutely observed her fingernails. Then a thought struck her- last night, when she almost fainted, she could have sworn she saw someone with pink hair…
"Hey, Mirajane? Do you-"
"Here we are!" Mirajane pushed open a tall set of oak doors. "The Fairy Tail Saloon!"
Lucy looked around. The saloon was dark and stuffy, dark wood and vinyl. A bar top seemed to float in one corner of the room, and two old men were playing cards in the corner. Whatever it was that Mirajane was staring at with rapturous joy, Lucy couldn't see it.
Old Guy #1 looked up. "Hey, Mira! We need more beer."
"It's 9 o'clock, Macao." Mirajane spoke kindly, but there was a glint of steel in her eye. "What will your son think?"
"I have a son?"
Lucy was saved from a potentially embarrassing scene by the door being kicked open by a boy. A familiar boy. A boy with messy pink hair.
The boy's mouth dropped open. "It's you!"
Lucy blinked as the boy moved closer and inspected her. He opened his mouth, and Lucy could feel the beginnings of a flush on her face.
"Would you like to see my cat?"
Okay, she did not see that coming.
The boy whipped out a cat from behind his back. "His name is Happy."
"How original."
"I know!" The boy smiled like she had made his day.
Lucy gingerly picked up the cat. She had never been that good with animals, but this one cuddled in her arms like it was the most natural thing in the world. A good sign, she supposed. Just as she was starting to get comfortable and feel pretty good about herself, the cat looked up. And spoke.
"You're really pretty."
Lucy shrieked. What else could she do? She also dropped the cat in question.
"Hey!" The cat curled its tail indignantly. "That was demeaning!"
"That cat is blue." It also spoke, but Lucy decided to line up the batting order from the least strange to the most, so that she didn't have a panic attack.
The boy seemed unperturbed. "Yes, he is." He grinned slightly. "Happy fell into a vat of dye when he was just a kitten."
"He never recovered." Macao stage whispered across the room.
Happy sniffed. "I have a dream, when one day I will be judged not by the colour of my skin, but the content of my character."
"Then you would be judged just the same." Mira said sweetly.
"Don't mind Happy, Luce- can I call you Luce?"
Lucy snapped. She had been dragged across sand dunes, subjected to a scrutinizing session by a boy with pink hair, and apparently now cats could talk.
She drew herself up to her full height. "You may call me Miss Heartfillia."
An impressive silence followed her announcement. Then Old Guy #2, who had been largely silent, snorted. "Yeah, of course. And Your Majesty too, while we're at it. Not all of us here have nice manners like Mirajane."
The boy smiled obliviously. "Luce it is, then. Oh, and you can call me Natsu." He turned to Macao. "Master wanted to see you in his office."
Natsu turned around to leave, then turned. Walking up to Lucy, he put his lips next to her ear.
"Hey, Luce?"
Lucy couldn't breathe. Natsu's breath tickled her hair, and he smelt of pine sap and kerosene. "Yes?"
"You're hair looks weird."
And then he walked out. Lucy turned, red faced, to see Mirajane smiling at her again.
"What?" She snapped.
Mirajane shook her head, her blue eyes sparkling. "I think he likes you."
Lucy groaned. This was going to be a very long day.
A/N: I am a troll. No, really.
About the Martin Luther King reference, I really couldn't help it. I would apologize, but it was worth it.
I'm like the ghosts in Ghostbusters, reviews only make me stronger.
Review away. Please do.
