Hey guys! Here's another chapter just for you! Due to some request I've decided to make this chapter longer, hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 5 – Is this long enough?
"Why do I have the worst luck in the world?" thought Lucy to herself resting her head on her crossed arms on the table as Natsu sat opposite her, gobbling his breakfast so brutality that's bits of it splatted all over the table and the poor blonde mage.
"Hey Lucy! Aren't you gonna eat that!" said Natsu pointing to Lucy's untouched breakfast.
Before Lucy could so much as grumble a reply the Salamander greedily grabbed her plate and began to devour it, Lucy glared as her breakfast splashed all over her.
Wendy laughed as she watched Natsu pig out while Charle kept her back to Happy, refusing to even look at him as he offered her a fish.
Lucy sighed and closed her eyes, thinking back on the dream she had last night. Yet more she thought about it, the more it felt like a memory. Her heart gave a painful lurch and she flinched, did it really happen?
"Lucy? Are you ok?"
Lucy broke from her stupor and looked at Wendy who had concern written all over her face for the stellar mage. Lucy smiled and sat up, stretching her arms above her head.
"I'm fine, just a little tired." She gave the Sky Dragon Slayer a wink and thumbs up, trying to be cheerful to stop her worrying.
"Ah! That hit the spot!" grinned Natsu as he lay back on his chair, his stomach bulging. He looked over at Lucy and gave her one of his trademark grins which caused the blonde to blush.
"Stupid Natsu!" thought Lucy with a grumble quickly looking away.
Suddenly the ground of the inn they were staying began to lurch and shake.
"What the hell!" yelled Natsu as Lucy and Wendy fell from their chairs, their breakfast plates crashing to the floor.
Finally the earthquake settled down, everything became quiet. Too quiet
"What was that about?" asked Lucy as she gingerly picked herself from the floor and then gasped as a sharp pain flashed across her right hand. She looked down and saw her blood pumping steadily from an open gash; she must have cut it on some of the broken shards on the floor when she fell.
"Oh Lucy!" gasped Wendy as she saw her friends blood.
"Don't worry! I'll heal it!"
As Wendy busied herself healing Lucy's hand with her Sky Dragon magic Natsu walked around the room sniffing.
"Ohohohoho!"
The group quickly turned as laughter rang out from outside the inn, suddenly an explosion blasted part of the wall of the inn, leaving a large jagged hole to the outside.
Natsu growled as someone walked in through the newly made entrance.
"Oh? More people!"
A lean man with long dark blue hair, yellow eyes and a nose worthy of a rat stepped forward. His body clad in a biker type uniform with a long black trench coat.
"Who the hell are you!" Snarled Natsu getting into his fighting position.
Lucy stared at the man and noticed a black symbol on his head, a crescent moon turned on its side with what seem to be a blade going through it.
The stellar mage stared at the symbol and became stuck with a sense of fear, so strong it made her windpipe tighten, chocking her. Why is the symbol so familiar to her? She couldn't ever remember seeing it! Could she?
"Me?" said the man and he started to laugh while clutching his face, his screaming like laughter made Lucy and Wendy flinch. Happy and Charle flew into air and watch the scene below with bated breath.
"I don't tell people my name you see, they never live long enough so there's no point!" the man said after he had calmed down and stopped laughing.
"FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!"
Lucy snapped out of her thinking as Natsu flew past, bright intense flames flowing behind him.
"SKY DRAGON'S ROAR!"
Lucy yelled as a blast of wind rushed past her, was Wendy trying to hit her too!
The man simply laughed and twisted around, his body seemingly disappearing into thin air.
Natsu and Wendy's attacks zoomed through the hole and smashed into the building next to it, completely destroying it.
"Ooops!" gasped Wendy in shock as she covered her mouth with her hands. Natsu popped his head out of the rubble, blinked a few times then burst into a human inferno with anger.
Lucy sweat-dropped, the city is already being ruined without their help.
"Sweet…."
Lucy jumped with fright as the man hissed quietly in her ear, before she could turn and retaliate, strong cold fingers wrapped around almost lovingly around her neck. She gasped in pain as the fingers tightened, strangling her.
A blast of heat made Lucy flinched as she squirted her watering eyes to see a huge blazing fireball heading in their direction.
"Come any closer you two and I'll snap her neck like a twig! It won't be hard." Hissed that same voice again.
Lucy coughed and gave a long intake of breath, slowly she twitched her fingers towards her keys at her side but her hands clutched at empty air. She heard a clinking of metal and a deep throated chuckle, Lucy mentally slapped herself for not hiding her keys, the man is bound to have notice them and took them.
"You bastard!" growled Natsu baring his fangs as Wendy stood beside him, fear visible on her face.
"This is just great!" thought Lucy to herself as she tried to breathe through her constricted windpipe.
The Stellar mage closed her eyes and waited for something to happen, when without warning, she felt a slight tingling sensation within her. It felt similar to the presence of her gate keys yet at the same time completely different.
Then it clicked, it was magic! Lucy could feel magic, similar yet different to her stellar spirit magic. It felt like a tiny spark that is slowly growing inside her, Lucy reached out to the magic within and became surprise how warm it felt.
It felt familiar yet so strange, what the hell is going on!
The Blonde mage was flung out of her deep thinking when she felt the man's finger receding from her neck with a shriek of pain. Natsu and Wendy gave a roaring cheer as Lucy looked behind her, she smiled with happiness as she saw her other teammates.
"Erza! Gray!" yelled Lucy smiling widely.
"Yo!" said Gray lifting up a hand holding Lucy's keys, he tossed them back to her.
"Oi! Ice queen! Look down!"
Gray looked at Natsu and then looked down.
"Gah!" he yelled when he see he had only his boxer on. Wendy squealed and covered her eyes blushing.
Erza on the other hand had the man pinned down on the floor with both of her swords; she glared intensely as the man began to sweat like hell.
"Who are you? And why were you harming my nakama?" Erza said in a deadly tone, her glare burning a hole right through the man's soul.
"T-T-Ted!" yelp the man called Ted.
"WHAT!" yelled everyone collapsing to the floor in shock except for Erza who just carried on glaring.
"T-Ted? This guy?" sweat dropped Lucy looking at the pinned Ted on the floor who looked like he was about to cry?
"My client gave me a job to cause a ruckus in this city! I can't believe you beat me without me even using any magic! I feel so pathetic!"
Everyone sweat-dropped including Erza as Ted actually burst into tears.
"Luce, are you ok?"
Lucy turned her head and saw Natsu crouching down next to her; she began to blush as she felt his warm hand brush her neck. Natsu moved his head close to her and growled at the marks left on her neck; Lucy felt her face suddenly flush with heat as she saw how close Natsu is to her.
"What the hell!" Thought Lucy as she quickly looked away, willing her blush to disappear.
"Hehe… they liiiiiiiiiike each other!" sniggered Happy floating to Natsu's shoulder.
Natsu and Lucy looked at each other then quickly snapped their heads away, a blush burning on both of their faces. In that one moment they made eye-contact the Fire Dragon Slayer and Stellar Mage felt a tiny shift in their relationship, small but notable and left both of them wondering if anything could happen to their best nakama status in the future.
"Stupid Cat!" muttered Lucy and she stood up, she looked around the Inn's room and stomped her foot in frustration.
"Damn it! I've wanted to come to Orleana city for ages and now it's ruined!" Lucy glared at the man on the floor and felt a sudden urge to stamp on Ted's nose.
"Don't worry Lucy! We still had fun right?" exclaimed Wendy as she ran to her friend and stood smiling in front of her.
"Our shopping is safe upstairs and we can always come back again in the future!"
Lucy looked surprised and then grinned, she gave the Sky Dragon Slayer a pose and a thumbs up causing the girl to giggle.
"Right then!" shouted Natsu with his trademark grin as he slung one of his muscular arms over his blonde nakama.
"Let's eat!"
Everyone sweat dropped at his words and Lucy couldn't help to laugh as Natsu grinned even more.
"Flame head! Is that all you think about!" shouted Gray in dismay.
"What I'll like to know." Stated Charle as everyone looked at her.
"Is why you two are here?"
Gray became flushed and looked at Erza who still hadn't stopped glaring at Ted who had fainted long ago from her constant intense stare.
"When we saw Natsu running out of town we thought he might be coming here. So we came to make sure he didn't cause any trouble."
"What!" yelled Natsu glaring at Gray.
"You cause more trouble them me you ice prick!"
"You mean YOU cause more trouble ash brains! Trouble follows you like a bad smell!"
Lucy sighed and slapped a hand to her forehead as a fight broke out in the middle of the ruined Inn room, trouble will always find her with these two chuckleheads around!
A twelve year old Lucy looked around her large grand bedroom making sure she had everything she will need to survive on the open road packed safely away in her bag. Tonight was the night she would escape from under her father's thumb, tonight will be the night she finally becomes free!
"Excellent!" smiled Lucy in fear and excitement of what she would be doing, her hair tied in the way she loved it and wearing a blue top with brown shorts and combat boots that she had snuck into her room earlier that's day.
She looked at the modest sized rock on her bed side table and grinned, licking her lips. Her father's estate is huge, everything up to the mountains belongs to her father and she would need to be constantly running for a good while before she could relax. The boulder would give her the energy needed for this feat.
Lucy picked up the rock and bit into it, savouring its unique taste and feeling the energy coursing through her body. Fire is still her favourite element to consume though, but the blonde didn't want to risk setting fire to her room.
After licking the rocky crumbs from her hands she hitched up her bag and walked over to her window, pulling it open. With quick reflexes born from the training her dragon mentor gave her all those hard painful years ago Lucy leaped through the window and scramble down the vines creeping up the wall.
When she finally reached the bottom she testily sniffed the air and smiled when she realised her escape route is clear. With a burst of speed she ran through the court-yard and down the gravel driveway, never looking back as her heart pained her.
It was true she is leaving behind her mother's grave and loving memories of Tengoku but she couldn't carry on living like this under her father, she had to escape.
She had to have freedom! And the chance to finally make friends, something she never truly had in all her pampered lonely years.
Lucy opened her eyes and yawn; she looked around bleary and noted that she must have fallen asleep on the train that's were taking them back home.
"You are amazing Erza!" smiled Wendy staring at the re-equip mage with admiration in her eyes.
Erza simply smirk with pride and closed her eyes as Gray faked cough in her direction.
Happy is smiling and chatting to Charle who to Lucy's amazing was actually responding back!
Lucy looked down and sighed as she saw Natsu half fainted on the floor, his cheeks puffed out and a constant dribble of drool dripping from his mouth onto the floor making a large puddle. No matter how much Natsu travelled, he could never overcome his motion sickness.
Lucy winced at her nakama's discomfort and looked at Wendy who looked back.
"Sorry Lucy, I've cast Troia that many times on him it has no effect anymore! He's going to have to deal with his motion sickness until we get back!" smiled Wendy apologetically.
"Moron." Muttered Gray looking down at the pitifully groaning Dragon Slayer.
Lucy shifted uncomfortable in her seat as her perfect hearing picked up every little groan and moan issuing from Natsu, for some reason his suffering really bothered her more than usual.
"Oh for goodness sake's!" snapped Lucy angrily at Natsu as everyone stopped and stared at her stunned.
"Rest your head on my lap! Your moaning is grating on my nerves!"
Natsu instantly opened one of his eyes to stare at his red face nakama and gingerly started to stand up, his body slumped onto the seat next to Lucy and his head sank into her lap.
Lucy cringed as she saw his drool dripping from his mouth, but nevertheless she started to stroke his pink spiky hair gaining startled looks from her companions.
"What!" asked Lucy a bit riled, her face turning red.
"My mother use to do this whenever I was ill! I thought it might help him!"
Natsu's stopped groaning and soon began to snore, his sweaty clammy face turned to that of a peacefully sleeping child.
"She liiiiiiiikes him!" sniggered Happy behind his paw and Lucy flinched.
"I do NOT like him you mangy cat! I'm just doing this because he's my best nakama and partner!" she hissed through her teeth, Natsu gave a happy snore as drool continued to dribble from his mouth.
"I'm BACK!" yelled Natsu happily as he kicked open the door to the Fairy Tail Guild, the rest of the gang walked in afterwards. Even though Lucy had been hoping to enjoy her trip with Wendy a lot more, she felt glad to be back home to her rowdy loving "family".
"Hey Wendy?" whispered Lucy pulling the raven haired girl back and cupping her ear hoping that a certain fire mage wouldn't hear her.
"Thanks for listening to my problems; I'm not too sure about this whole dragon slayer thing but something is defiantly happening to me. I just wish it all made sense!"
"Don't worry." Smiled Wendy as Charle landed on her shoulder to listen to the quiet conversation.
"It doesn't make much sense to me either, but maybe your dreams might help to solve this mystery?"
"That's right!" said the white exceed as she placed a paw under her chin.
"Your dreams seem to be more like memories. Hopefully you'll have a dream that is sure to help us to understand what's going on?"
"Yeah… hopefully…" said Lucy as she bit her lip in worry. All these weird little things were driving her crazy!
"Hey Luce! Whatcha doing?" grinned Natsu as he slung an arm over her shoulders.
"Let's look for a mission!"
"WHAT!" screeched Lucy as she yanked away from under his arm.
"I'm tired Natsu! The last few days have been really tiring for me, I just want to go home, have a nice relaxing bubble bath and go bed."
"Awww your sooooooo boring Luce!" pouted Natsu hoping his puppy dog eyes will win over the stellar mage.
"Nope! Not gonna work!" said Lucy crossing her arms and looking away, she was about to turn toward the door when it slammed open revealing two unknown figures.
The whole guild went quiet as the two strangers, a man and a woman walked in. The man had light brown hair tied back into a very long ponytail that almost touched the floor, dark blue robes covering his well-toned body and his piercing purple eyes that scanned the room around him.
The female dressed in something similar to a ball gown that shined a deep purple, she also has purple gloves that extended up to her elbows, violets tied in bunches in her black raven hair that flowed to her shoulder and ended in a curl. Her deep sapphire blue eyes also scanning the room.
The strangers eyes looked in Lucy's direction and they both gasped with delight.
"Lu!" screamed the girl who seems to be the same age and height as the stellar mage. She ran towards a shocked Lucy and glomped her, both females collapsing to the floor.
"Oh Lu! We finally found you!" yelled the girl happily and she squeezed Lucy half to death.
"Lucy." Smiled the man warmly and he crouched before the girls.
"It's nice to finally meet you Lucy, it's been too long since we saw each other."
"Wha? What do you mean! I don't even know you guys!" gasped Lucy in confusion as the raven haired girl continued to hug her tightly.
"What do you mean you don't know us Lu!" The girl finally released the blonde who panted in relief.
"You aren't telling us you don't recognize your old nakama! It's me! Felicia!"
"And I'm Rico!" said Rico still smiling warmly.
"Felicia and Rico?" asked Lucy confused and as she thought hard about those names, she felt a memory hidden deep within her mind resurface.
A memory of her playing with two other children who looked very similar to the people before her, her first friends! How could she have had forgotten!
"OH!" yelled Lucy as everyone stared at her in bewilderment.
"I! I remember! Felicia and Rico! My first friends! I- I can't believe I forgot!"
"Yay!" smiled Felicia gleefully as she embraced Lucy in another crushing hug.
"Lu remembers us! She remembers us!"
"Thank goodness!" sighed Rico as he stood up. The guild members looked at each other and back to the scene before them, Natsu who had been unusually quiet stepped forward frowning.
"Who the hell are you guys!"
Rico and Felicia exchanged looks and stared at the Fire Dragon Slayer.
"We're her old nakama!" smiled Felica happily.
"And we also came to seek her forgiveness." Sighed Rico sadly as he looked away from the many questioning eyes staring in his direction.
Felicia happiness popped like a balloon and she clung to Lucy tighter, suddenly crying.
"Oh Lu! We came all this way to say sorry!"
"S-sorry? For what?" asked Lucy as she tried to rack her brains for the reason, but she couldn't remember anything!
"For abandoning you of course." Said Rico sadly and he looked the blonde, his handsome face filled with remorse.
"For leaving you behind and never believing you…."