Chapter 3: The Fire Dragon, Monkey, and Bull
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"Shit," Natsu said, "Mira'll kill me if Lucy goes missing on a rescue mission." The image of Mira sweetly smiling while torturing him to the brink of death was enough to keep Natsu's legs literally burning through the snow and turning it into water. "Hey Happy, has the bastard stopped yet!?" Natsu yelled out. The blue speck otherwise known as Happy flew down so he could still see the Balkan but could answer Natsu.
"Nope, his still on the move! I'd better go now before I lose sight of him!" He yelled back over the howling wind.
A few minutes later, Happy came to an abrupt halt and flew back to Natsu with his ears down. "Hey buddy, what's wrong?" The dragon slayer asked.
"I'm sorry Natsu, I lost sight of him." He said before starting to backtrack, "But it wasn't my fault, I swear, he jumped and then — poof, he was gone."
Natsu looked at him with a kind expression, "Don't worry little buddy, I'll try and sniff them out." Happy cheered up straight away, whereas Natsu's mood turned the opposite, merging between worry and annoyance. He knew everyone's smell, but it still took a while for him to memorise them, something he hadn't done for Lucy or the Balkan, not to mention the snow made for a very convenient cover for scents. Damn it, why snow of all places. He continued to melt and trudge through the snow, smelling for Lucy or the Balkan.
The Balkan that held Lucy captive in Horologium suddenly super-jumped into a hidden cave on the side of a mountain. Lucy yelped in surprise and fear in the process before Horologium was roughly placed on the icy coating on the floor of the cave. "I got me a pretty human girl!" It chanted as it danced around the grandfather clock containing Lucy.
Suddenly, Horologium disappeared with a small poof, "Sorry miss Lucy but my time is up."
The Balkan stared at Lucy. She inched backwards, "Please Horologium, don't disappear!" She called out to her spirit.
"Farewell."
"No! I need an extension! Please!" Lucy begged as she clutched Natsu's blanket closer. Would he even bother to come to find her, after all, she hadn't done anything that would make him want to find her.
"Lucy, I finally caught up to you and that Balkan!" Natsu yelled out as he ran on the icy floor.
"Natsu," Lucy said happily.
"Where's Macau!" Natsu yelled at the monster. Suddenly, Natsu slipped and went rolling straight for an icy wall, he slammed into the wall with a grunt of pain before he stood up as if nothing had happened.
Lucy face-palmed, "Can't he appear in a normal way?" She asked to no one in particular. Lucy realised that Happy was no where to be seen and wondered where he could've gone.
"Hey monkey, where's Macau?" The Balkan looked to Natsu. "You can understand what I'm saying right? So where'd you hide him!?" Natsu said furiously.
Lucy looked at Natsu, surprised, He'd just claimed that the monster had hidden Macau but... Now that I think about it, is Macau even alive anymore? Lucy thought with her blanket clad hand covering her mouth. She watched the the somewhat comical exchange between Natsu and the Balkan with suspicion. That monkey was definitely up to something. He motioned over to one of the openings for the cave.
"Oooh, he understood me, isn't that great Lucy." Natsu cheered and followed him to the edge. "Where?" He asked the Balkan. Without warning, the Balkan kicked Natsu off the ledge and watched as he started to plummet to his death.
"Natsu!" Lucy screamed as she slipped and slid to the steep drop. She frantically searched for him with her brown orbs, looking for pink or bits of clothing in the carpet of white. Coming up with nothing, she angrily pulled out her strongest spirt she was contracted to. "Open!" She shouted though angry and devastated tears, "The gate of the golden bull, Taurus!"
A humanoid black and white male cow wearing a black speedo looking thing with a golden belt around the top and a deadly looking axe strapped to his back. "Heloooo miss Lucy, you have a rockin' body as usual." The perverted cow bellowed.
Lucy's reaction was a face palm followed by, "Not the time Taurus. Please just take down this stupid monkey."
"As you wish, Lucy." He said with hearts beating in his eyes.
Lucy clutched her new Fairy Tail mark, now that she was in a guild she'd have to work harder to improve her magic storage and skills. I don't have much magic power left after summoning Horologium to his limit, and a gold key takes out more magic power than any silver key so I don't know how long I can last...
Taurus slashed down with his massive axe at the monster, taking off a few layers of skin from the Balkan's muscled arm. Lucy kept on checking over her back, towards where Natsu was pushed out, hoping that he would miraculously appear with a stupid grin plastered on his face. Suddenly, the thing she had hoped for happened, Happy flew up into the cave with his blue tail wrapped around Natsu's torso.
"That was close..." Natsu said as he was set down by Happy, who sprouted an 'aye', as per usual.
"Natsu, Happy, thank god you're safe." Lucy said.
"Yep, it's all thanks to my aera (wings) magic." Happy added.
"Why the hell are there two monsters now?!" Natsu said, not waiting for an answer and sent Taurus flying not knowing he was the good guy in the situation. Taurus flew through the air and landed on the ice hard enough to knock him into a daze.
"Natsu!" Lucy shouted at the dragon slayer, "Idiot, he's one of my spirits. If you waited for an answer you might've known!"
Natsu simply looked at Lucy like she was the idiot and muttered an unheard sentence under his breath before he said, "Sorry..." He paused for a while and the Balkan behind him became agitated that he wasn't getting any attention from the three Fairy Tail members. "Listen," Natsu started to go on an unprompted speech, "All of Fairy Tail's members are my 'nakama' that I will protect and support. From the Geezer to Mira,-"
"He's coming!" Lucy pointed and sure enough, the Balkan was starting to charge at Natsu.
Natsu simply put his arms out and continued to rant, "-Even the annoying Gray and Elfman-"
"I've got it! I understand! Natsu, please watch your back!" Lucy screamed, there was nothing she could do. Taurus was out for the count still seeing stars and she couldn't call out another spirit for two reasons; one, she couldn't summon one that would be of any help; two, she didn't have enough magic power, even if she was fully rested, to open two celestial gates at the same time.
"-To Happy and Lucy. We are all 'nakama'." Lucy blushed at him using her in his explanation of 'nakama' that he would protect. The Balkan was right behind him by then, Natsu started to turn to deliver what Lucy guessed to be a fiery punch. "That's why..." Natsu flipped back and dealt a strong kick laced with burning fire magic. "I'm not leaving without Macau!" He cried out. The Balkan went crashing just beside a cowering Lucy and Natsu with a cocky grin painted on his face. "Tell me where Macau is or I'll burn you like charcoal."
"Stupid Natsu, charcoal is already burnt." Happy laughed.
The Balkan threw a horizontal shower of deadly looking ice stalagmites towards Natsu as his answer. The dragon slayer lit himself on fire and melted the icy bullets before they could reach their intended target and also managed to protect Lucy from them in the process. "Hahaha, that doesn't work on fire!" He shouted cockily at the beast. The Balkan spotted Taurus' axe and picked it up.
"That's Taurus' axe! Natsu, this will not end up well if you're cut with that. It's pure celestial steel, it cannot be dulled or shattered and is extremely sharp. The important part is that will cut you in half like its nothing." Lucy said.
Natsu nodded his head in acknowledgement just before narrowly missing a swing from the Balkan. The monster swung the axe multiple times with increased speed and vigour, giving Natsu no time for offensive tactics and causing him to go on the defensive. Suddenly, Natsu lost his concentration and slipped on the icy floor. The Balkan took the opportunity to cut Natsu down with one horizontal slice. Natsu caught the blade just before it touched his face and put his muscles to work on keeping the weapon and wielder at bay.
Come on Lucy, you've gotta think of a distraction for the monkey, Lucy rattled her brain and after a few seconds, had a plan that would probably work. "Hey mr Balkan," She seductively said while thinking of how embarrassing this was for her, "Come over here." She beckoned and he loosened his death grip on the axe. Now if I just can get him to come to me... Suddenly Lucy's vision faded in and out and her world swooped under her feet. She stumbled, Damn it, this is not a good time for me to be out of magic power. Lucy collapsed and Taurus disappeared in a burst of light along with his axe.
Natsu looked over to thank Lucy for distracting the Balkan and making the axe disappear. What he didn't expect to see was Lucy passed out with little magic power left and the monkey sauntering over to her with a creepy grin. He set his fist on fire and launched himself at the Balkan, "Fire dragon iron fist!" He yelled, hitting the Balkan hard enough for him to go flying near the opening. The Balkan started to transform and dissolve into a humanoid shape until he was suddenly Macau.
"What the... Hell just... Happened?" Lucy said with difficultly as her eyes were closing on their own but she forced them awake and made herself rummage through Natsu's bag to find the first-aid pack that she knew he had.
"It looks like Macau was taken over by the Balkan." Happy answered Lucy. The celestial mage held up the first-aid kit triumphantly before she got to work on bandaging up Macau.
"Natsu, the wound on his side is too deep, we can't do anything to it with the supplies we have at the moment." Natsu looked over at it, Shit, that'll kill him if we leave it any longer. Natsu made a split second decision that saved his life. He lit his hand on fire and slammed his palm down on the wound.
"Lucy, hold him down!" Natsu yelled as he continued to try and close the wound. "Don't die Macau! Romeo's waiting for you!" Shit, shit this had better work. Natsu took his hand away and shut off his fire then looked over to see Lucy pale and panting. "Lucy, go lie down on my stuff. Set yourself up on the mattress and grab the blanket." He ordered, to which she reluctantly agreed after asking him if he was sure he didn't need her to anything else.
"You liiiiiike her!" Happy teased after Lucy went to sleep.
"Well yeah, she's my 'nakama' now." Natsu answered, not quite understanding what Happy meant.
Happy face-palmed, "Natsu, you're an idiot." Natsu looked at him confused but continued to bandage Macau up.
A small black haired boy with a shirt that had his fathers necklace printed onto it was sitting on a stone seat with a look that Natsu had seen millions of times in his own reflection as a child. Natsu and Lucy supported Macau who was still aching from his injuries, made their presence know when Natsu called out, "Yo, Romeo." The boy looked up and practically flew into the now outstretched arms of Macau. Natsu, Lucy and Happy started to walk away from the touching reunion, the humans both having reasons to move on quickly before they began to develop cracks in their guarded hearts.
"Daddy," He cried, "I'm sorry..." Memories of being bullied for being the son of a mage passed though his head and the day he told his father to do something great so he wouldn't get bullied anymore.
"I made you worry, I'm sorry... Next time those kids tease you say, 'can your dad beat nineteen monsters all by himself?' Ok?"
Romeo gave his dad the biggest smile he could muster with tears still running down his face. "Big brother Natsu! Happy! Big sister Lucy! Thanks for bringing my daddy back to me!" The trio turned to the boy and smiled at Romeo and waved goodbye.