Boy do my finger's ache from typing so much! Sigh. New chapter of Glass Hearts YAY! I also have a surprise for all you USA readers that I've mentioned at the bottom of this chapter. You can see it after you've read chapter 4! Enjoy! :)
Happy, Carla, Wendy, Gray,Erza, Natsu and Lucy all met up outside the guild doors. A gentle autumn breeze whistled in the afternoon air. The stellar mage seemed cheerful, smiling to herself with pride.
"Lucy you look weird." The blue exceed whined. a happy smile turned into a murderous scowl within a split second, and a second after that, a whirl of blue shot behind the dragon slayer, seeking safety. Eye brows knitted together as dark, onyx eyes studied the celestial wizard inquisitively. The evil aura emitting from her die almost instantly. A weird tingling sensation made her heart flutter. Natsu was looking at her. The tingling sensation was like some kind of weird alarm or six sense, telling her that the dragon slayer's sometime alluring eyes were on her. It was strange and it only worked on the boy in churned inside of her which was a new side effect to her six sense. Since she had that nightmare, Natsu had been acting...to put it simply- strange. Everywhere she was, doing whatever she was, Natsu was always watching. Those dark eyes never left her for a second. He could at least try to be a little more subtle in stalking her with his suspicious stare.
As they walked up to the train station, Lucy turned to Erza, trying her best to play innocent and pretend she hadn't noticed Natsu and his gaze. "So what's the mission about?" Lucy asked, hoping the reequip mage wouldn't give her a vague answer like Gray's "Some mission with bad guys."
"We need to assist an arrest on a known gang of child kidnappers." Erza blandly put it, swiftly moving onward towards the busy station, chattering with noise and cluttered with busy train comers and go-ers.
"Oh," Lucy sighed. Gray was quick to react and pop up at her side like a flash of light.
"You alright?" Normally, Gray's voice was sturdy and smoothed, the way Juvia liked it, but now it felt anxious and uneasy. Just like how she had been feeling recently. But right at that second, she just felt patronized and irritated.
"I'm fine." She replied, her eyes narrowing into slits and focusing onto the ice mage's face. Gray quickly retreated, turning his face to the nearing station, wearing his usual disinterested look.
"I was just wondering that's all." the ice mage dusted her off quickly. A tingle vibrated up her spine, curdling her stomach.
"I've almost been kidnapped before." Lucy said, absentmindedly, looking off into the distance. All six ears caught onto her words with shock.
"Woah. Wait. What?" Gray exclaimed, feeling guilty for pushing the subject but mostly overwhelmed with surprise.
"It was a long time ago, so it doesn't matter." Lucy carried on plainly, focusing on everything that past but not looking at it really. It seemed more like she was trying to divert her attention away from her friends.
"Are you sure you want to do this job? If you were kidnapped before maybe-" Erza began.
"Almost." Lucy broke in. "I was almost kidnapped."
"Sorry." Erza apologized.
"Don't be," she turned back to the group with a gentle smile. "Like I said; It was a long time ago, I can hardly remember it." Looking around at the gloomy faces she sighed. "Come on," she broadened her smile, trying to uplift the heavy atmosphere. "Let's go." She laughed awkwardly, grabbing Gray's arm. Oh no.
Guilt rushed into her like a blundering tornado, whirling through her system. It hurt like a thousand knives, stabbing her in the heart. A cold, icy shock skated over her veins, knocking the wind right out of her gasped, releasing Gray's arm. Her feet staggered back in surprise. 'Why does he feel so guilty?' Lucy's mind raced, aching from the feeling churning in her system. Her hand clutched to the fabric of her red, cotton shirt over her chest, twisting it painfully.
"Luce?" Natsu called to her, stood right by her side. Lucy quickly snapped back into reality, straightening her body up. Six shocked faces all glared at her with surprise, shock and most of all worry. Lucy gathered herself quickly, letting a large grin flash across her lips.
"I'm alright," she laughed nervously. "I just thought I forgot my keys. But I remembered that they're on my belt." Lucy tried to cover up, in an appalling attempt at that. All of them studied her curiously. Curiosity that was deep fried and battered in concern. After a long silence, Gray, Natsu and Erza all exchanged similar looks.
"If that's all it was," Erza broke the stiff silence. "Let's go, we'll miss our train otherwise." Natsu didn't even complain like he'd usually do at that, they all just turned and walked towards the station, all except Natsu. Lucy turned to find the pink-haired boy standing up-close next to her. She felt her heart almost stop in surprise and then suddenly leap, speeding up again at thousand miles per hour. The familiar feeling of guilt shuddered in her bones. But this time, it was hers, not Gray's. Hurt covered the entire expression of the dragon slayers face. Even as his body moved it looked like was suffering through aching pains. Eyes watching her full of dismay and most of all, disappointment.
Once again, she had lied. The boy wasn't that stupid. Well not on things involving his best friend, Lucy Heartfilia. the fire mage knew when she was lying. But, he didn't interfere with her choice or try to find out the reason for her lying. All he could do was wait for her to tell him the truth. Nevertheless, it still hurt. Desperately, he waited with her for a long few moments, hoping she would just break and tell him everything. She didn't. No matter how much he wished for her to tell him, if he tried to force it out of her, then he would not succeed. No matter how persuasive the dragon slayer could be, she was even more stubborn. The worst thing was, the flame mage couldn't help but bear the unnecessary weight of feeling responsible
Big brown eyes glared at him, tears pricked. Heaving a large sigh, her sorrowful face looked away to the group carrying on up to the train station. "Sorry..." she muttered in an almost inaudible tone. It was like it was more to herself than anyone else. Surely she didn't forget about the dragon slayer's hearing. Of course, not. Without looking back, the girl sprinted forward to catch up with the advancing group.
A small smile tugged at the corners of the boy's lips. Strangely, he felt relieved. Could it be because she has admitted it? Could it be she was apologizing? Could it be that it wasn't a lie. The dragon slayer didn't know, but inside, he was slightly happy. Thought, he knew not to feel too hopeful. Something was still wrong, and a little apology wasn't the end of it. But at that moment, that was all he needed to hear. "NATSU! Hurry up or we're going to miss the train!" Erza shouted back at the idle slayer. Color drained from his face at the last word and he began to grudgingly catch up.
Erza, Gray, Natsu, Wendy, Carla an Happy all sat in a booth, whilst Lucy went to the train's restroom.
The train was slowly moving along the tracks. A tense silence shifted over them. Troubled expressions marked their faces. Eyes averted gazes. Wendy curiously watched them, sensing their worry. The blue-haired girl noticed the same expression after the thing with Lucy earlier. A horrible sinking feeling made her heart drop to the bottom of her chest, squeezing with a sickening tightening. "Is something wrong with Lucy?" Wendy whispered cautiously.
Everyone's head snapped to the girl's solemn face and she instantly knew she was right. Sympathy and pity gushed through them, watching the innocent girl's face drop. Natsu was the only one who hadn't moved. He hadn't even flinched. Natsu's forehead pressed against the cool glass window, dark eyes staring distantly at the passing scenery. A pale green color tinted his skin, showing signs of his motion sickness. Strangely, he hadn't seemed to feel the effects very much. Then again, he was obviously distracted. They all were. From the opposing chairs, the two elder mages and the exceeds next to her, were watching Wendy dolefully.
"Lucy's fi-" Era began to console the girl when Natsu interrupted her.
"Don't lie." The dragon slayer warned with a blunt snap and an intense stare, glaring at the reequip mage. Lowering her head, the boy's eyes gazed back over to the window in the seat besides the air dragon slayer.
"Something is wrong with Lucy at the moment." Gray managed to mumble before shifting his own gaze onto Erza. A scornful look was sent back in reply and Gray shrugged his shoulders sympathetically before the scarlet-haired mage turned back.
"We aren't sure what it is. But don't worry; she'll be-" The girl began before being bluntly cut off once more.
"No. She won't." the slayer's eyes fell onto the small dragon slayer, sending a pang of regret through her. Maybe she shouldn't have asked. "Lucy's been acting weird. We don't know why or how, but she is. We don't know how bad it is or what it is but we definitely know it's not good. She's decided to hide it from us and lie about it. So, all we can do is wait until she tells us. Just...wait." The boy's voice softened, as he sank back into his seat. "She'll tell us eventually." Natsu finished, setting the room back in silence again. Weak, fragile eyes lingered on the young girl, baring his heart and soul. Then, they hardened again with an icy steeliness and turned back to the open, green landscape.
Wendy sat shocked, watching the boy's painful expression, his words laced with pain, repeating over and over again in her head. It wasn't just Lucy who was suffering, it was Natsu too.
The tense silence of brooding was interrupted as the compartment door suddenly slid open. A certain blond celestial wizard stood in the doorway and quietly slipped in. Instantly, big brown eyes landed on the pink-haired boy staring out into the land beyond the glass, looking distant and cold. Guilt churned and flipped her stomach as her gaze hesitantly slipped away. Closing the door, she moved and sat at the opposite chair besides Gray and Erza. Two exceeds and their two slayers sat opposite. Lucy noticed the blue-haired mage's dampened spirits and curiously watched as the girl avoided her inquisitive gaze. "Wendy, do you feel okay?" She asked. Wendy almost jumped out of her skin at the question. Instinctively, her eyes leapt over to the dragon slayer next to her. He didn't look, move or even acknowledge that the question was ever asked.
"I'm okay." The girl replied smiling and simultaneously instigating a casual conversation with the celestial mage. "What were you and Levy laughing about in the guild; Levy went bright red?" Wendy asked curiously, remembering when they first met up before the mission.
"Ah that. I wouldn't say Levy was laughing." the celestial mage let out a small laugh.
"Didn't she end up crying?" Gray jumped in with the attempt to liven the mood and relieve himself of the heavy weight of the atmosphere.
"You made Levy cry?" Erza exclaimed, feeling her own reluctance to join in slip away.
"Lucy you're so mean~!" Happy whined, pointing a finger at her with disappointment.
"Oi." Lucy growled.
"Lucy does seem to have a violent side to her." Carla observed.
"Not you too Carla!" Lucy laughed, pretending to act upset and betrayed.
"So what happened?" Wendy tried to revert back to topic to fill her burning curiosity that had arose recently.
"How about I start with a question. '"Gajeel Redfox- boy friend material. Yes or no?"'." Lucy began.
"What?" They all exclaimed.
The dragon slayer stayed out of the jolly mood. Even though he was happy when she apologized to him, he felt a familiar ache. She was being painstakingly slow in confessing. All the dragon slayer could do was watch and think about how it could rapidly progress with all the time she was wasting on lying. It almost killed the fire mage being unable to help his friend. But this was Lucy. It was an effort to breath while she was in pain.
The celestial mage noticed the distant boy excluding himself from the conversation. There was nothing she could do for him. The dragon slayer in the worrisome and upset mod was completely opposite from the carefree, destructive personality he normally possessed. One which the celestial mage, no matter how annoying, adored.
Ignoring the horrible knotting inside her stomach, she continued conversation. Even if she couldn't fool her best friend, dragon slayer, she could at least do it to the others; Tell them she was okay and that nothing was wrong with her.
"Gajeel!" The group exclaimed again with Lucy hushing them all needlessly.
"I didn't tell you." the girl denied, giggling as she pushed a finger to her lips.
Finally arriving at the destination by night fall, the group unloaded in aftershock of their conversation. "Levy and...Gajeel?" Gray gawked in disbelief, finding his own words to sound like gibberish.
"I didn't know Levy was that kind of girl." Erza expressed her thoughts aloud.
"I think it's cute. Good for Levy!" Wendy cheered, full of hope and prospect for the possible relationship of the rough iron dragon slayer and the innocent and smart script mage; An unlikely pair. Especially after the phantom lord incident. Gajeel had beaten Team shadow gear, nailed them to a tree and branded the phantom lord insignia on Levy's stomach.
In Lucy's mind, she believed it all stemmed from when Laxus was bulling Levy. The old, violent Laxus sent a bolt of electricity straight for her. she would have been severely injured if it wasn't for the very same iron dragon slayer who stepped out in front of her and took the his, saving her in the process.
Lucy had told the group of Levy's feeling towards Gajeel as long s they kept their mouths shut. Their group was probably the only ones who didn't know. It was major guild gossip and one of Mira's favorite subjects. Other than the celestial mage and a certain destructive, annoying, intruding, childish, brave, proud, understanding, warm and honorable, pink-haired dragon slayer.
Natsu wandered behind the group quietly, sticking close to the stellar mage. No matter how much she would purposely avoid him, he remained close anyway. Even if she didn't want to tell him what was wrong, he still waned to stay nearby and protect her.
Once they all arrived the blond mage and blue haired wizard, along with the two exceeds went to find a good inn in Magnolia's neighboring city, leaving Natsu, Gray and Erza at the town center.
A large, circle fountain sat in the middle entrapped by a circle of colored bricks, twirling outwards in a magnificent display of art. The three sat on the edge of the fountain, watching the water flow downwards, spilling out of the fingers of an angel. "What are we going to do about Lucy?" The reequip mage finally broke the frozen silence in the autumn breeze. However, the only answer she got was absent from sound.
"We can't do anything though. How are we supposed to help if she won't tell us?" Gray snapped in frustration. " Lucy is the most stubborn person I have ever met. I know if she doesn't want to tell us, we won't be able to make her." Gray sighed loudly and dropped onto the edge. Both the ice mage and reequip mage fell into pits of gloom, looking down depressingly.
"She'll tell us eventually." Natsu interjected, surprising the other two mages. They had expected him to say nothing, but he continued. "It may not be now, or in a month, hell, it might be a year. But, she will tell us. Natsu's eyes gazed up into the night sky. Stars shone brightly through the endless darkness, lighting up the night.
"And how do you know that, Matchstick." the ice mage irritable growled. Either he didn't hear or her didn't care, either way, Natsu's eyes remained on the still sky, unfazed. Erza didn't miss Gray's hostility, punching him hard in the arm as punishment for trying to provoke the boy.
"The reason she will tell us, it because she trusts us." Natsu answered absently.
"Trust." Gray blurted, almost falling into the cold fountain water. A small smile curved on Erza's face as did the dragon slayers. Gray watched them both with confusing, he felt like he was missing something.
"She trusts us." Erza repeated softly. "So eventually, she'll remember how much she trusts us and she will tell us." The scarlet-haired mage explained, satisfying Gray.
"For all our sake..." the ice mage huffed, eyes finding his feet again. A small smile curved at last on his tired face as the revelation came to him slowly. He understood. "I hope it's soon."
So, Gray, Erza and Natsu are all on the same line and have banded together for Lucy's sake. But what is going to happen during the mission? Will it go smoothly or end in catastrophe? And who's the new character from Lucy's past appearing next time? Find out in the next chapter!
Also, If you want to find out more on Lucy's hinted 'Almost kidnapped' keep an eye out for the upcoming Fanfiction 'Forgotten Shadows' that I've been writing.
And Sorry Natsu's been so sulky. I promise he's more himself in the next chapter :)
Surprise time: At the end of July 2014, I, a citizen of England, Shall be moving to the USA, Connecticut. I will also be attending East Haven High School for two years! WOOP! Big news, Big news. If any of you live near there or are going to be some of my new classmates, feel free to P.M. me!3 I hope to see some of you soon!
If you liked Glass Hearts try checking out some of my other stories.
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-A-ccentric