Village

Natsu and Cobra both relaxed on beds. Real beds. Their wounds were bandaged up and they had normal clothes to ware. Cobra waring black jeans and a red shirt that looked to big for him but that was just because he lost all his weight and muscle. Natsu wore a white tank top and blue shorts. Their beds were in the same room and they felt so comfortable. After sleeping on a cold wet stone floor for a while you start to really miss a good mattress.

The pair of Dragon slayers had returned with the girl and boy to their village not far from the lake. It was a small one not anything fancy. A river from the lake ran next to it, kids could be seen splashing and playing at its banks and men were fishing farther down so as not to hook the children. Near the river was a road and shopping districts. The scent of cinnamon and fresh bread made the slayers mouths water.

The houses were kept father into the town away from the shops. Some farm land lay about but only a little, nothing major. The house they were in was two stories and belonged to the orange haired girl who was named Elipton. The black haired boy, Noir, was one of her friends who lived a few houses down.

Natsu buried her face into the pillow, sighing contently. Her poison eating friend just laid back and relaxed. His arms behind his head and his eyes closed. The two were almost asleep when there was a knock at the door.

"I'm coming in." Elipton's voice called through the door before she opened it. Natsu sat up looking groggy and Cobra opened his one good eye.

"What's up..?" Natsu yawned. Not looking very lady like.

"I was just... "Elipton hesitated. The girl was actually very nice based on what they've seen when she was talking to Noir. Her hair was curly and went all the way down her back. Her eyes a deep green and her skin pail. She wore a big purple shirt that showed off her shoulders and white pants that clung to her legs.

"Speak." Cobra said bluntly.

Elipton glanced to him before looking down. "I wanted to know what happened to you guys..."

She looked up at them when they didn't answer. Her eyes trailed their scarred and bandaged bodies.

"That's private..." Cobra said looking to Natsu who was hugging her pillow to her chest. Probably remembering what they went through. "Just... Know it was pretty horrible." He tapped his eye as a sign of just how bad things used to be for them.

Elipton nodded and didn't ask anymore on the matter. "Would you guys like to explore the house? I have to go out for a while and tell the mayor we've got visitors."

Natsu nodded giving a light smile. Elipton smiled back, she was actually a very pretty person. "There's jewel in the kitchen if you need to go out and get anything. And the people here are very nice so ask for help if its needed."

The two nodded before she waved and walked away, although they didn't leave the room until they heard the door close and watch her walk down the street.

Natsu leapt from the bed and barreled down the stairs so fast Cobra was surprise she was tired a minute ago.

"Oi! What are you doing hot head!" He called following her but more slowly.

"I'm starving! I want real food!" She leaped over a counter and slammed into the fridge.

Cobra sweat dropped as he came down the stairs in time to watch the pinkette pick herself up and open the fridge.

The tan male sat on a bar stool next to the counter and watched her pull out random bits of food. She kicked the door closed with her foot and brought her loot over to the counter where she just tossed it all in front of her friend.

"You do realize this isn't our food right?" Cobra raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yes." She said. "But I really don't care right now. I want to taste your cooking."

Cobra looked surprised. He blinked once before saying. "You serious?"

"You said you would!" Natsu whined.

Cobra rolled his eye and looked through what she pulled out. He grabbed a few different things like peppers, unions and some greens. He found some steak and soy sauce.

"Check and see if they have any rice and in the spice cabinets for pepper, salt and chili powder." Cobra said sorting out his vegetables.

Natsu pouted at being told what to do but she followed his orders, she found the spices, however she didn't find any rice. She returned with what she found and told him what she didn't.

"Guess we will have to go out shopping." Cobra said counting everything they had. "Where is the jewel?"

Natsu looked around the kitchen before finding a small leather pouch. "This is it!"

She tossed it to him and he caught it. Cobra opened it making sure there was money inside it before closing it and standing up. "Lets go check out the town."

"Wait..."

Cobra looked back at Natsu who was hugging herself, he could see and hear her fingers rubbing against her scars.

"I want a jacket..." She said looking at the ground. "If we're going to be around people..."

"Natsu..." Cobra said softly. He could hear she didn't want to be judged by people who didn't know what she's gone through. Typically when you see someone with scars like this on their arms you would assume they were self inflicted. Not caused by months of torture in a dark place under ground.

Cobra walked over and took her hand. "Don't let people bother you. Who cares what they think."

Natsu looked up at him not registering the hand hold. "But... I don't want them to-"

Cobra cut her off. "Just care about what I think okay? Care about how I see you."

Natsu looked at him for a while. He said this to comfort her, he can truly related to her on what they've been through. Only he, and the other tortured dragon slayers, can understand her pain.

"Okay..." She muttered looking down and let Cobra lead the way out of the house and into town.

People were bustling about buying things and having a good time. Talking with shopping vendors and checking out the food. People would look and watch them.

"Cobra..." Natsu said grabbing his arm.

"It's alright." He said listening to them. "Their not looking at us for our scars."

"Then why-"

"We're outsiders here Natsu. Their naturally being wary."

Natsu looked back at them nervously. They watched her curiously but smiled and waved when she gave them a hesitant smile.

"See their not that bad. Their just harmless villagers." Cobra said with a small smile on his face.

"Are we going to be like that to?" Natsu asked relaxing.

"Well, we'll never truly be harmless..." Cobra said, subtly reminding her of their magic.

Natsu nodded in understanding. Suddenly she was distracted and pulled away from him by the look of something shiny. "Wooaaahh."

Cobra walked over so he stood next to her. He saw she was gaping at a necklace sitting on a stand. It was small with a thin gold chain, on the chain was a set of stones. The outside was made up of pretty topaz while the inside had a big ruby, when the light hit it just right it gave an illusion of fire. Of course she'd be attracted to it.

"You like what you see young miss?" The man behind the table selling it asked.

"It's shiny." Was all she said.

Cobra rolled his eyes, shaking his head. He looked over the pretty necklace seeing every detail designed into it.

"Made it myself." The vendor said.

"It's impressive." Cobra gave the man an approving nod and glance.

"I want it Cobra." Natsu said looking at him with big eyes.

The poison dragon raised an eyebrow at her. "Your certainly becoming more feminine by the hour."

She blushed the same color as her hair. "W-well I'm going to be stuck like this for the rest of my life so I might as well get used to it and embrace it! Now pleeaasseeee I want that necklace!"

"You want it just cause its shiny. Your not girly enough yet." Cobra then turned away and started walking off. Natsu gawked at him.

"Come on flame brain." He called back to her through the crowd.

"Your boyfriend is a little mean." The sales man said. Natsu blushed harder.

"He's not my boyfriend..." She muttered looking down before running after him.