Oh, hi guys. What is this I have here? Might this be the first chapter? Yes, yes it really is.
I'm actually very excited to write this story, and it's going so much better than I ever thought. I'm glad you all have encouraged me to keep this idea going!
Please, enjoy the beginning of my poor Natsu's journey!
"Father, please. Where are we going?" The little boy struggled to keep up, despite the fact that he was being dragged by his arm. His father kept a tight grasp, almost bruising, as he led them up the mountain path that lay behind their town. The boy's feet stumbled once more, but, just as he did all the other times, his father ignored him.
He and his father had done this before; leaving before dawn, with packs on their back full of survival supplies, sleeping mats and meager snacks, they would travel to the next town on foot to trade, or into the forest to gather meat. It didn't matter that he had only seen six harvests pass, he was treated as if he were an integral part to his father's survival: learning to track, hunt, skin and cook. Learning how to navigate, which berries were poisonous, which trees had healing properties in their bark and leaves. All because of the man in front of him.
However, this was not like one of those times. He had his pack strapped across shoulders, his only pair of good shoes on his feet. His warm leather-lined jacket was wrapped around him, and his meager stocking cap was secured on top of his pink locks.
His father, he had nothing but his cotton smock and scarf.
The boy could do nothing but continue to be dragged up the path, noticing that this was not the way they usually went. He wasn't sure where they were now, but he had faith in his father. This continued for about another hour, until finally, his arm was released.
The boy sighed, dropping down to rest the legs that were being worked past exhaustion. He might be a seasoned farm worker, hiker and hunter, but he was still a young boy, and his father had set an unbearable pace.
"Natsu." The boy raised his small head to see his father still had his back to him. "Do you remember what happened today?"
The boy lowered his eyes, focusing on a group of trees just off the main path. Yes, he remembered, but he still didn't understand. He had had episodes like that in front of his father many times before, but it was never treated like it had been today. Was it because he had been-
"Do you remember!" His father's shout made him jump, and he swung his attention back to him.
"Y-yes, father. I remember." The boy waited for another response, still staring at his father's strong back. He was confused, but he trusted his father had his best intentions at heart, so he waited silently.
His father turned, and the boy noted that his hands were clenched in fists so tight, his forearms were straining. "They want me to...They want you killed."
Fear started pouring over the boy like a thick blanket of rain. It was several minutes before he was able to speak, his words straining through his throat, "Why...father, why? Wh-what did I do? I didn't hurt anybody, I was just trying to fit in and tell stories, please, father, what do we do!?" Tears were threatening to fall down his cheeks, but the boy held them back, a small part of him still confident that his father would get them out of this.
The man was silent for many minutes, his face hidden in a shadow. The boy couldn't take it; his panic was threatening to take hold and he felt as though he might collapse from fear. "Father, what do we-"
"Don't you see, boy! We can do nothing!" His father's shouts made him jump backwards, falling back onto his hands. "If we disappear, they will follow! If they do not follow, they will spread word! We will have nowhere to sell goods, nowhere to buy supplies, nowhere to take shelter, because they will all be looking to kill us! There is nothing that 'we' can do!"
Paralyzed, the boy had no choice but to stare as his father raged in front of him. There was never a time when his hero had looked so helpless. And suddenly, the weight of death was pushing down on him so hard he couldn't breathe.
His father took a deep, shaky breath, then seemed to disappear. Not in the literal sense, but even though the boy was staring straight at him, he suddenly felt very alone. The man stepped forward, reaching around his neck to release his scarf.
The boy knew what would be next, and even though he knew his time on this world was over, he wasn't afraid.
Closing his eyes, he prepared for his end. He felt his father's scarf get wrapped around his neck tightly.
Then...nothing.
The boy opened his eyes, hoping to stare into his hero's eyes one more time, to express his love for him, his sorrow in letting him down. But he saw nothing.
He was alone. In every sense of the word.
"Father..." The tears that had threatened to break earlier spilled down his cheeks. The boy collapsed fully on the ground, curling up into himself.
He would have rather died.
The boy, now a man, sat up in his bed quickly, gasping for air. Sweat poured off him, soaking his blankets above and below. His chest ached as if he had been stabbed, his throat tight as if he had been choked...
Which, in all honesty, had been the outcome he had been hoping for all these years.
But his memories stayed the same, the dreams never failing to remind him of the beginning of his end, and always, he would wake.
His back tightened in a quick spasm, and a quick whoosh of air behind him brought him out of his thoughts. Sighing, he turned onto his stomach, dropping the blankets down to his waist. His wings, after all, would blanket him well as he slept.
My baby!
A few things: I'm finishing up my last college class (woohoo!), so bare with me on the update times. I might be able to upload once a week, but if I fall behind, don't hate me! I'm sticking this out to the very end, and if I don't, I'll allow you all to come to my house and bludgeon me until I relent and finish it. Second, I'm 99% sure I'll be changing the rating from T to M, for language and, quite possibly, future lemons. But I'll give fair warning before that comes to pass.
Anywho, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! Leave me love, leave me hate, doesn't matter, just leave me something!