I just finished chapter three and now 5 minutes later (after checking my email) I am starting chapter 4. I still haven't started my poetry paper by the way, hehe. I'm doing the song Wake Up by Story of the Year. It has to be three pages, but hey, that shouldn't be a problem because I have practice in writing 7 pages because of my chapters. First of all happy Veteran's Day and hopefully I don't screw up this chapter*flashes a cocky grin*.

GoldenRoseTanya: is that a good or bad "oooooooohhh"? Erza Scarlet Titania: Haha thx. Jerza will be the next couple then. I still haven't thought of a fairy tale for them though… Anybody have any ideas? cely13: ya I thought it would be very ironic. I had the idea even before I created my account I just had to think of a plot/problem. nehamerchant123: remember the compromise I stated in the last chapter? That's the best I can do since majority wants her dead, kay? Hopefully, everyone who hates Lisanna is ok with this compromise. XOAnimeShipperOX: Wendy will stay alive and she will be with Romeo. It's just a personal opinion of mine that I dislike her. natsuxlucyONLY: Man… a lot of people like Wendy. Can you explain why? But since it seems everyone but me likes her she will live. At least I'm not alone with my thoughts on Lisanna. So really, is everyone ok with that compromise? etcetra 101: Thx for the website, and I'll try not to use to many OCC's because personally I think too many OCC's ruin a story, but I'm stubborn in the way I will not repeat characters cuz they're in their own different worlds…. I want to kill Lisanna so bad but I'm trying to make everybody happy and one person likes her so….

Without further ado…

DISCLAIMER: FAIRY TAIL BELONGS TO HIRO MASHIMA. I OWN NOTHING!

CHAPTER 4: HEARTS' DECISIONS

"*ROAR~~*" The mighty roar disrupted the waves of the oceans and caused the nearby lands to shake.

"What's bothering you, Igneel?" Acnologia responded to his comrade's angry outburst.

"The Jade Emperor promised to send rain a week ago," Igneel growled, "He lied to us. That back-stabbing-"

"What are we supposed to do about it?"Grandine asked.

Igneel went silent for a few moments before taking notice of his surroundings. "We'll give them water," Igneel whispered. "Yes, that's it; we'll give the people our water!" Igneel said louder.

"Are you sure?" Metallica questioned with narrowed eyes. "We will be accused if the Jade Emperor finds out."

"I will do anything to save the people whose hearts the emperor ignores!" Igneel claimed and he swooped down and gathered much water in his mouth and headed for the Land of Blessings.

"I agree with Igneel. The people have suffered for too long. I am willing to take the chance of being blamed as long as the people are saved!" Grandine declared repeating the actions of Igneel.

"Igneel speaks the truth. Remember how we felt when we asked for rain in the first place? My heart is still in the same place," Acnologia grunted before dipping his head into the ocean to get his own mouthful of water to spray over the dry, forsaken earth.

"I agree with you all. I just wanted to make sure you all were aware of the future consequences that could happen if we are discovered. Saving the people's crops is my top priority right now," Metallica explained as he did the same as the others before him. They were going to make it rain. _ Natsu wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Thanks a bunch, Luigi."

"It's Lucy!" Lucy yelled infuriated at the boy named Natsu.

Now that Natsu's eyes were starting to focus he looked back up at Lucy. He was surprised to see a dirty blonde girl with encompassing brown eyes. "You're a girl?" Natsu asked in what sounded like it was asked in a very rude way to Lucy's ears.

"Yes, I'm a girl, you pink-haired summer freak!" Lucy shouted at him, her face as red as a tomato. She had never met anyone who could push all her buttons like this. Truthfully, Lucy hasn't met a lot of people, but she was sure any normal person couldn't mess with her nerves this much.

Natsu frowned. "It's not pink, it's salmon! And don't call me summer!" Natsu had no idea why his parents named him summer. He was born in the spring.

"Whatever you say, Pinky," Lucy smirked. Natsu was about to complain about that too, but right when he opened his mouth to shout he started coughing up more blood. Lucy pulled him closer; she didn't know what else to do. Then she pulled off her cloak and ripped some pieces from the bottom of it and started making bandages. She took care of the deeper cuts first so he wouldn't lose too much more blood. Natsu moaned with blood trickling out of his mouth and trailing down his chin.

"I'll try not to make this hurt too much. Now open your mouth," Lucy tried to say in a way that would comfort him. She slowly turned his head toward herself he slowly opened his mouth. Lucy did her best to hide how freaked out she was. The inside of his mouth was a bloody monstrosity. Bloody pieces of raw flesh were torn inside his mouth with glass shards wedged deep all over the places, and there seemed to be nothing but red blood pooling everywhere. Lucy felt like she could vomit.

Instead she ripped another piece of her cloak off and covered her hand in it as she slowly lowered her petite hand into Natsu's mouth. She first tried soaking all the blood in his mouth into her cloth, but it became soaked all too soon. She hurriedly tore another piece and gently started to pull the glass out. It would make him bleed more, but it was more dangerous leaving the glass pieces in a letting them burrow deeper in the flesh.

Natsu struggled to keep his mouth open for Lucy; his natural response would to tightly clench his jaw to get through the pain. Right now he was doing the exact opposite of that. He knew Lucy was trying her best and for some reason Nastu trusted her.

Once Lucy pulled out the last glass shard that she could see/reach she broke off multiple scraps of her cloak and pressed them to the ruptures at the beginning of his throat. She was afraid that if she shoved the cloth deeper that she would choke him more than his own blood was. After many discarded pieces of bloody scraps of cloth Natsu bleeding seemed to have subsided and his breathing a little more regular, although still hard. This is when Lucy decided to get a better look at him.

He really did have rosy pink hair, no matter how much he denied it, his eyes seemed droopy and Lucy thought it was not just because of the situation, he had an old scar on his neck (although Lucy doesn't know why she noticed that wound out of all the others), some of his teeth seemed like fangs, and lastly she noticed that his clothes weren't originally red. He slightly shifted in her arms and turned his head. "My… scarf," he whispered in a hushed tone.

"You baka, don't talk!" Lucy shouted at him. She then surveyed the room and saw a small coil of white and red cloth across the room. Gently moving Natsu from her lab to the floor Lucy quickly scurried to the scarf. She leaned down and picked it up, running her hands over the scaly fabric. She carried it back to Natsu and lightly wrapped it around his neck. He instantly looked more at ease.

"Thanks, Luce," he muttered.

"How do you feel?" she blurted out awkwardly.

He shrugged. "Not at my best, but well enough to stand." Lucy doubted him when she saw how much of an effort he made to sit up.

"…Here, lean on me," Lucy said without thinking. She had absolutely no idea why she said that. She also had a feeling her facial expression told Natsu that, too.

"Heh, alright, lean down near me and put your arm around me and I'll do the same to you." Natsu thought he saw Lucy blushing, but he wondered why she would. They started walking towards the door.

"Wait, your clothes." Lucy said suddenly.

"What about 'em?"

"They're too fancy for what is going on right now."

"What is going on?"

Lucy stared at him in disbelief. "You're kidding right. We…. Everyone has been suffering from a drought for seven years. How the heck could you not know? There's been no water, food, clothes….nothing."

Natsu couldn't believe what he was hearing. A drought? He had water available to him every day when he was at the Jade Palace. So much that he got sick of it.

"… Whatever. Here, take my cloak. It'll keep people from trying to mob us; we don't want a repeat of what just happened to you."

As Lucy shoved the cloak over his head, Natsu noticed the change in her voice. It changed from warm and caring to cold and distant. Natsu guessed it was the subject of the supposed drought. "That's ridiculous, there can't be a drought. What nonsense was she sprouting? But it would explain the condition of everyone…"

Lucy watched the change in facial expressions as they slowly hobbled through the alleyways. "I wonder what he is thinking about that makes his face change so much," Lucy thought.

"It makes no sense!" Natsu suddenly perked up and shouted. This sudden action startled Lucy and caused both to fall forward. Ironically, Natsu landed on top of Lucy, pinning her down. Natsu's face was only about an inch away from hers. Natsu also noticed that her eyes were wide with shock and her cheeks started developing a blush. "She looks pretty cute like this," Natsu thought, his face slowly getting closer.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Lucy squeaked. She was finally coming to terms with the situation. Lucy tried again when Natsu's face started getting closer, "Na-Natsu…" Natsu blinked up and knelt up. "That doesn't help. You're still on me," Lucy thought.

"Sorry, Luce. I'm not sure what happened," Natsu muttered, rubbing the back of his head, clearly embarrassed.

"Um…Could you just get off me now? Please?"

"Ah! Sure, Luce, here," Natsu got up and offered his hand to help Lucy up. Lucy accepted. "By the way, Lucy, where are we going?"

"That's right. I forgot to tell you. I'm heading to the Jade Palace, but I can take you to your home first. Which way is it?"

"Oh, I…" Natsu's voice faltered. For some reason he felt like he shouldn't mention that he lived at the Jade Palace to Lucy. He felt she wouldn't take it well.

"Hm? I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Natsu stared at the ground and quickly muttered, "It doesn't matter. I'll come with you to the Jade Palace."

Lucy's first thought was that Natsu no longer had a home. That was common enough nowadays. "Well, that might not be the best idea. I'm taking a big risk by going there to ask for an audience with the emperor. I'm sure you at least know how those who go to ask for an audience with the Jade Emperor and aren't accepted are executed right where they stand."

"That not true! That can't be true!" Natsu couldn't accept that his father would do that. It was just too cruel.

"Natsu," Lucy started in all seriousness, "Where have you been all your life or at least the last seven years? It's been like this for a long, long time now. Everybody wishes they could deny it, but that's the thing. You can't ever deny the truth. Not when it's right in front of your eyes."

Natsu could tell she spoke from experience. He knew that by the bitterness and emphasis in her voice when she said the word "ever." "Er…. Right. So why are you going? Why would you risk your life?" Natsu's heart tightened painfully at the thought.

"My mother. She's sick. Deathly sick. She needs medicine to survive, if… if she hasn't already passes away while I was gone."

Lucy's voice was shaking and tears formed in her eyes as she explained to him. "You love your mother that much?" Natsu softly whispered.

"Yeah. She is the only one who has ever understood me."

"Tell me about her. Your mother," Natsu ordered her, blushing.

Lucy sadly smiled and told him all about Layla Heartfillia. She left out her father as much as possible. Natsu caught onto it.

"What about your father?"

Lucy was silent for a moment before responding, "…He ignores me; that is when he doesn't hate me. End of story." Just then they reached the steps of the Jade Palace.

Just as they were to climb onto the first step a guard saw them and shouted, "Halt, who goes there?"

"One, I mean two, of the Jade Emperor's people. We request an audience with his Highness and all his glory," Lucy responded. She still felt guilty for dragging Natsu here, but was secretly glad he was there with her. He gave her courage.

The guard looked amused. "Haha, step on up. Oi, Jack, go inform the emperor that he has a visitor. A peasant girl plus friend." The guard named Jack shouted something back at him, but Lucy didn't catch it. Natsu did and started growling. The guard spoke again, "Yeah, I know. I didn't think there was anyone brave enough to come again. Must be very desperate times. Oh well, it's their choice, but I sure am going to enjoy another bloody execution. The chick's will be entertaining at least. The executioner always was a perv." Natsu felt ready to lunge forward and tear the head right off the guard's body while Lucy pretended not to hear. She boldly strode up the jade steps with Natsu trailing after her.

Once they reached the top step they had to wait. They had to wait for Jack to come back and tell them whether the Jade Emperor will meet with them or die. It seemed like an eternity, but finally they heard steps getting louder towards them. Gasping, Jack made it back and said with a twisted smile, "The Jade Emperor refuses to see them."

Guards quickly surrounded Natsu and Lucy and pinned them down. "I'm so sorry Natsu," Lucy started crying, "…and mom." Lucy whispered the last part.

"Luce… Don't worry. I'll make sure we get out of this alive," Natsu promised.

"Don't make promises you can't keep! It only creates false hope and pain!" Lucy shouted tearfully.

Natsu waited a moment before replying. "I will keep it. That's one thing you can always count on me for." Then with much effort, Natsu was able to lift his head off the cold jade floor and free one of his hands. He quickly removed the hood from his head and shouted, "How dare you! I am Prince Natsu, son of the Jade Emperor and his wife! Unhand me and my associate!"

The guards took one look at his face and instantly paled. "W-we are so sorry! We beg your forgiveness," they all said in synchronized tones and timing. Natsu just pushed himself up and grabbed Lucy's hand; dragging her up. From there Natsu angrily marched through the front doors of the Jade Palace, towing a dazed Lucy from behind him.

The first place Natsu headed was not the throne room where his father sat and controlled all, but his bedroom which he had last seen when he set it on fire. When he opened its door, the interior was as good as new. He led Lucy to his bed and gestured her to sit on it. She did so like a robot.

"So…um.. Luce, what do ya think? C'mon, say something," Natsu asked worriedly. He didn't know how Lucy would feel about him now. What if she hates him? He wouldn't know what to do.

"Natsu… This is a dream, right? It has to be. The only explanation is that I was knocked out when the guards pounded my head against the jade and this is an illusion. And when I wake up I'm going to die. I'm right, aren't I, Natsu?" Natsu could see how conflicted she was by looking at her eyes. They were dim and slightly flickering.

"I'm sorry, Luce, but you are wrong. This is real. I am the son of the Jade Emperor, making me Prince Natsu. I'm still the same though! Please believe me!" Natsu pleaded, grasping her hands in his. Lucy's foggy eyes started to clear. She slowly focused her eyes on his and asked-

"How…. Why did you lie to me? What are you going to do to me now? You don't need me anymore, right?"

Natsu was shocked at what she had just said. "L-Luce…of course I still need you. We're nakama," Natsu said. "Although it'd be amazing if it was more," he thought to himself privately. "As for why I didn't tell you, after I heard about your opinions about my father I thought it'd be best if I didn't tell you." He let that information sink in.

"I see…," Lucy finally responded. Then she seemed to brighten up into her old self. She then got straight to the point. "What now, Natsu?"

"Um..well… haha. I don't know," Natsu laughed. He hadn't exactly thought this through. Natsu held his chin as he tried thinking about it. "I know," h exclaimed, "We go to my father and ask why he hasn't done anything about the drought, why he doesn't speak with his people, and ask him for the medicine for your mother."

Lucy stared at him before jumping off his bed and wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "Oh Natsu, that'd be wonderful. They broke off the hug.

"But first," Natsu started, "we have to make you presentable."

"What?" Lucy blinked.

"My dad's a big perfectionist so you have to get yourself cleaned up and I can borrow some clothes for you to wear."

"Um, ok?" Lucy said reluctantly.

Natsu smiled. "Great! The bathroom's over there!"

_ *sigh* I was planning on this to be the last chapter of this arc, but I'm almost positive it'll be the next one. Also, I'm planning on making my chapters shorter. Lately I've been getting the feeling that they have been too long. Any objections? Alright, now for a funny story: I went to the mall with my family today for X-mas shopping and I saw a cross necklace I liked at Kay's. So my sister decided to buy it for my present, but she thought it was a bit expensive so I paid for part of it. It also is a cross that men are s'posed meant to wear; not the dainty female ones. So I really love my gift this year. My mother wished she had normal daughters who want make up and dresses, but instead she has daughters who want video games and guy's jeans because they are more comfortable than girls' jeans. What I really want is one of the fairytail games meant for the DS but it isn't in English so that makes me really depressed… And to think it isn't even Thanksgiving. ;)