Hello to all!
I don't own fairy tail
Enjoy!
It was silent in the hotel room, apart from the occasional sound of a weapon being re-quipped. This was what it had been like for the past twenty minutes: Erza switching swords absentmindedly, Lucy staring at her hands and Gray leaning against the wall; Happy was sleeping on the bed nearest to the window.
They had been told by the town mayor that they had deserved a break.
"Really, we're fine." Gray had said but the mayor wasn't having it.
"You must!" He had said happily, "You have helped our town enough for today!"
So now, here they were, in the hotel room, meant to be having their break.
The truth was, all of them had agreed to the job so they could take their minds off things; now, all they could think about was how Natsu used to spend his breaks with them- it wasn't the same without the dragon slayer.
"Damn it." Gray muttered under his breath, looking around the room. He needed to get out. Gray clenched his fists and walked to the door- he could feel Erza's glare on his back, but didn't care.
Gray was about to turn the handle when a knock came from the other side of the door.
Gray looked back at Erza and Lucy. They shrugged.
"Better open it." Lucy whispered. Gray did so, and was shocked to find Master Mokarov standing there.
"Master!" Gray exclaimed and bowed in respect.
"Master?" Erza questioned and then caught glance of the short man in the doorway. "We didn't realise you were coming."
"I wasn't planning to, but I have something to show you." Master replied, stepping inside the room. Gray shut the door quietly and walked next to where Lucy sat.
"What do you want to show us?" Lucy asked. Suddenly, Happy stirred and opened his eyes, awakening from his sleep. The blue cat caught sight of Master Mokarov and gasped.
"Master…I didn't realise you were here!" He gasped.
"It's alright…I just came now."
"Oh…Good."
Happy uncurled himself and stood up, listening to what Mokarov has to say.
"Wendy and Gajeel found this on their most recent mission." He said and pulled out Natsu's scarf out from his robes; the mages' eyes widened in shock. Lucy let out a small, chocked back sob as she stared at the item of clothing- thousands of memories erupted in her mind.
The time Natsu pretended he was a ninja.
The time they all spent a day at the beach.
The time she first seen his scarf, not knowing what strong friendship would evolve from that first meeting.
-#!-#!-#!-#!
Erza was, for once, speechless.
She could feel tears start to form in her eyes, and for once she didn't stop them.
All that she could think of, when staring at Natsu's scarf, was all the times that she had to thank the dragon slayer for being…there.
Always, Erza realised, when she saw that scarf, she felt…safe.
You only know how important your friends are to you when they are no longer there, Erza thought sadly.
-#!-#!-#!-#!
To Gray, Natsu's scarf was always in his face. Literally. Gray had fought Natsu so many times he could no longer keep count, and during the many brawls they had, Natsu's scarf had somehow slapped itself into his face.
Gray had always hated this at the time, but now he realised why he never complained or made any effort to brush it away- Natsu's scarf had been a reassurance to Gray that the dragon slayer was still there, and would always stay in his sight…
Until now.
Gray felt more hopeless than ever.
To him, that scarf made him feel guilty for all those times he took Natsu for granted.
-#!-#!-#!-#!
Warmth. Joy. Safety.
Happy was instantly reminded of those feeling he had forgotten ever since Natsu went missing.
Igneel's scarf was always the thing that Happy snuggles into when he needed a hug, or when he was sleepy.
Natsu had always been there for him, ever since he hatched.
Now that Natsu was gone, the scarf was now only a painful reminder of all the memories he had shared with the dragon slayer, and all those times when Happy needed to feel safe.
Still:
Warmth. Joy. Safety.
Happy wanted to hug Natsu again, and snuggle into his scarf once more.
-#!-#!-#!-#!
"They found it close by to a river," Mokarov explained to the stunned mages, "and lost his scent because of the water."
"Do you think he fell?" Lucy asked. Gray shook his head.
"Knowing Natsu," he reassured, "he would've done it on purpose."
"Gray's right." Erza said, "I don't think Natsu would be careless enough to fall, to be honest."
Mokarov handed Igneel's scarf to Happy, who took it gratefully.
"I expect that you want to look for him again?" Mokarov asked with a sigh. The group nodded. "Then I won't stop you…AFTER you finish this mission."
"We're almost done here anyway, Gramps." Gray said. Mokarov smiled at the nickname and made his way to the door.
"I have to get back to Fairytail, or I fear the place will be in ruins." He said and Erza nodded in understanding. Mokarov gave a wave and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
-#!-#!-#!-#!
"Who's idea was it to trip up the waiter again?!" Yuki yelled angrily as the friends turned a corner.
"It was funny!" Myron yelled back at her.
"It was." Natsu backed up and started to laugh breathlessly at the memory.
The group of friends had decided to stop at a café to get something to eat; the problem was, they had no money.
Haru has came up with a plan to pretend that they had the money until they had ate the meal, then run.
The plan wasn't one of his best.
However, the waiter wanted the money upfront, and that's when Myron tripped him over.
And then, they ran.
"We'll have to split…" Haru said breathlessly, looking at the passers by. "We are causing to much attention."
He was right. People were stopping to watch the chase, or were joining in.
"Meet at the park, right?" Natsu suggested.
"Good idea. Ready?"
"Three, two, one…" Rinn counted down.
"Go!" Mika yelled loudly and took a sharp left. Yuki doubled back slightly and turned into a alley. Rinn then turned left, and taken a different route to Mika's. Haru turned right and slipped down a hill, Myron and Villian turned into a alleyway close to them and Natsu ran straight ahead.
"Bye for now!" Mika yelled loudly and Natsu did a wave, despite the fact that she wasn't facing him. The dragon slayer looked behind him and found that the small crowd chasing then was more disorganised- however, some stubborn people were still chasing him. He ran faster, and tried desperately to dodge all the people on the pavement.
"Fuckers…" Natsu panted, looking behind him again.
Yep, three of his chasers were still there.
Suddenly, Natsu felt himself crash into someone, and he went flying into the air. The dragon slayer gasped- he must of fell right over the poor person…
All too quickly, Natsu felt himself hit the pavement on his side and he skidded a few metres; the dragon slayer winced and stayed on the floor when he had finally stopped moving- he could feel some blood dampening his trousers and shirt; he must be scraped pretty bad, then.
Natsu groaned, remembering he was meant to be running away, and slowly tried to get up; he only got into a more kneeling position before pain erupted in his injured side- not too severe, but enough to make him gasp.
"Did I trip you up? I'm sorry for that."
Natsu looked up and saw a short man- a really short man- dusting himself off with his back turned to him. This man was old, wore clothes that were only in the colours of blue and orange, and was holding a small staff with a smiley face in it. Something about this old man sparked in Natsu's memory, but it went as soon as it came.
"Are you hurt bad? I think you fell way harder than me…" The man said and turned around to face him, holding his hand out.
For some unknown reason to Natsu, the man's eyes went wide and he suddenly seemed speechless. Natsu gave him a confused look and picked himself off the ground carefully, ignoring the offered hand. The man didn't seem to notice, but he kept staring at him as if he knew him. Natsu wanted to ask him 'what?' but his tongue seemed to be stiff inside his mouth.
Natsu wanted to speak, but once again he was completely mute to the stranger.
The only sound that he made was a half gasp sort of sound.
"Natsu?" The old man uttered; now the dragon slayer was completely freaked out.
'How do you know my name?!' Natsu wanted to cry out, but no sound came out. Instead, he gave a panicked look to the stranger. He tired to walk away, but the shorter man caught hold of his wrist.
Something suddenly snapped in Natsu.
He didn't want to get touched.
Not by anyone.
Not by a stranger.
He didn't like this physical contact.
A memory in Natsu erupted:
A cruel hand running along his waist and a knife to his throat.
"Don't move or you will die." A cold voice said and he was roughly pulled towards a man unwillingly, and he could feel the man's hands grip him around the waist...
Natsu tugged out of the old man's grasp sharply, and stepped back.
"Natsu?" The man questioned and stepped towards him; Natsu immediately stepped back again.
Then he turned, and ran.
By the way, the reason that Natsu is mute because of the trauma he experienced when he got kidnapped ant tortured.
Just so you know.
Please R&R!