Chapter 15

Author's Notes: This one took me a while, as I'm still not that great at action scenes. :( But that's what practice is for I guess.

I don't own Fairy Tail and sadly, am not making money off of this.

Of all the things she thought of the Fairy Tail group, rundown was not it. But apparently their meet up for their street racing group was a rickety old warehouse of questionable origins. She at first thought that perhaps this was a joke on her behalf (being the newbie and all some of that could be expected, she reasoned). But alas, it didn't seem to be a joke, as no one's aura spoke of contained mirth, hidden secrets or anything similar. Even Levy, who was a open book most of the time to Lucy, wasn't hiding anything. Natsu walked ahead and opened the gates. Driving in after him was Gajeel and she was to follow.

The warehouse was large and obviously could fit quite a few cars and innumerable number of bikes. It wasn't until they walked her to the far back corner into a rather new looking lift that she began to understand why this place looked so run-down. When the lift stopped and opened to pristine halls with floors made of recycled tires, did she realize where the money was actually spent. The hall was well lit and lined every so often with windows and doors. Every so often Natsu would grab a folder from a holder sitting to the left of all the doors, and tucked them securely under his arm. Looking into various windows they passed she saw various cars and bikes in various stages of repair and sometimes out-right creation, their frames being the only thing sitting there. The grease monkey part of her was itching to go through each one but she reigned in the impulse and remained walking after her escorts. There are large metal double doors at the end of the hall that hey entered, it was a large empty place with racks of metal chairs along the back wall. There was a stage at the opposite of them and several people wandering about. The mass majority wearing biker's leathers. It was much warmer down here, Lucy noted. Almost uncomfortably so.

As she shrugged out of the overly large hoodie she was wearing, Natsu had turned to smile back in her direction only to do a double take in disbelief. Lucy knew she shouldn't have listened to Cana. This outfit was a shitty-idea. Now he thinks she's a street slut. She smiles politely as he offers her a seat. Several of the men standing around had stopped to stare and looked at Natsu for some clues as to the nature of this new woman found in their midst. Natsu to his credit didn't give their curious glances any attentions of his own, though Lucy knew he was aware of it just choosing not to acknowledge it on their time.

This was going to be the hardest race of his life...

And he wasn't even on the bike yet!

Or at the location.

The meet had finally come around and while it had been a relief that Lucy had agreed to drive for them, she was being horribly distracting, already. Though he couldn't exactly fault her. If you have it flaunt it sometimes.

But still.

Did she really have to sit in his seat while wearing LEATHER?

LEATHER.

Never mind that he had actually offered the seat to her himself...

Do you know what happens to her ass in LEATHER? Not just any leather, oh no...black with red stripes going down the outside of either thigh. Two of his particularly favorite colors, especially together, especially when looking like they where painted on a certain blonde haired bombshell. All on a day when he had to act all mature and in command. Rather than like a hormone driven teenager. The Gods have a sick sense of humor.

(Authoress: *snicker*)

"Actually it was more like Cana." Lucy murmurs to him as she look up to him. "Sorry, you seem a little uncomfortable. This outfit was her idea." Natsu blinks down at her and fights a blush as he gets a great view of just how lost he could get in her cleavage. Especially since it was presently being shown off in a delightfully formfitting off the shoulder long sleeved knit shirt. She was completely covered but oh what was shown was just enough to tempt, and the contrast of her blonde hair against the black was striking and mysterious. "How..?"

"Uh...well I can tell. It's hard to miss these twins and I'm rather used to people staring. I used to make my brother uncomfortable all the time." She stands up and kisses his cheek. "Don't worry I'll be alright. Oh, I'll be back in time for your meeting, Levy wants me for some reason." she blows a kiss in his direction before heading off back out the doors they entered through. He gets elbowed from behind and scowls back at the retired head of the Riders. "Marco..."

"Hey, I'm just say'n she's a pretty hot little number, ya got there. Shame someone as dumb as you probably won't be able to keep her satisfied."

"Come again old man?"

"You have no experience with women, not really, and your too dense to make a girl, who's obviously very smart, happy for long. So you should take plenty of pictures. She got a older sister or mom or something?" Natsu shoves him away. "I'm not stupid you know! And what our relationship is or isn't isn't your business...no she doesn't have anyone I can set you up with. Hey, aren't you supposed to be in the retiree section of this meet? You know the one with the guys that all ride those motor powered, fart producing wheelchairs and walkers you call Harleys?"

"Your toys lack class, this is a whole different level of sophistication, that hormone driven CHILDREN would never understand. This is a man's ride. Right Wakaba?"

"Yeah, but I still can't figure out how you ended up with one."

"HEY!"

Natsu shakes his head praying he never gets so 'old' mentally that the idea of one of those sound appealing. Frowning in thought he runs over the few things to address in the meeting, aside from taking a visual account of who was there and who might not be. It was possible with everything happening that one of his people could've gotten caught up in this mess. He'd hoped not and no one had notified him or Gray otherwise. And he had to find a way to introduce Lucy to the group...and at the same time deter the usual horn dogs from bothering her. Not that she couldn't take care of herself, but lately he was rather irritated when customers insisted on being a bit too friendly. It bothered him that such silly things bothered him. They shouldn't. Usually, they don't. Not anymore at least.

Old habits...or...Maybe it's because you haven't officially 'staked a claim'? You can fix that, you know.

He also attempted to ignore the little voices that spoke of such things at inconvenient times. Like now. Shaking it off he opens the top folder to another once over of a set of designs. Anything to take his mind off that.

Lucy stares at her friend. "I need to get a what, where?" Levy giggles at her expression. They sat in what seemed to be a infirmary, that was through one of the doorways and down a little hall, and where both getting very dirty looks from a pink haired woman sitting at the desk within that room. She had looked a bit hard at Lucy but after long moments had turned her eyes back to her computer. This place seemed awfully well outfitted for a simple infirmary...

"A tattoo...or at least a temporary one for tonight, if you really want to join you can do so and get a permanent one later."

"Do you have one?"

"Yep. See?" Levy turns around and slides down her left sleeve to show her the surprisingly classy looking fairy tail symbol done in white ink. "White ink...and this looks what? Less than a year old?"

"That's about right. But you don't need to worry about that now. She opens a drawer in a rolling metal filing cabinet and points to small piles of symbols of varying sizes. One pile was significantly higher than the others. Picking up one of about medium size she flips it over to look at it.

"Yeah, since it's almost always men joining this color is never used. Though I used it once or twice when I was figuring out where I wanted mine." The taller girl's eyes light up and she determines right then and there that this color was what she wanted. Pulling off her right Driving glove she pointed. "Right here." Levy just chuckles shaking her head in amusement. Only Lucy.

"Could you two please hurry it up? Your getting on my nerves with your humanness..."

The meeting started on time and thankfully, none of his riders where missing. When it came time to address the need for a drifter Natsu glances at a already approaching Lucy. She waved cheekily at all the hoots and hollers, good-naturedly before coming to stand beside him.

"This is Lucy, she's agreed to participate in the drift run under the Fairy Tail banner. She's doing us a favor, so all you idiots treat her with respect."

"Sure, we don't give it to you, anyway. Got plenty to spare!" Wakaba calls out.

"Ha, ha." Natsu glares. Lucy giggles and steps forward.

"I look forward to helping you guys tonight! It's been a while since I was on the racing scene. Anything I might need to know, please don't hesitate to tell me." she says sweetly before bowing slightly. During the answering roar, Natsu looks at her, smiling slightly. Oh she was slick, he knew but damn, he didn't think she was that shrewd. He gave a select few he knew not to be harmless in this area stern and clear look to stay away or face very nasty consequences by his hands. It was gone just a quickly as he sent it and most simply wrote it off. However those who he glared at got the message loud and clear.

No sooner than she had stepped down from the stage was she mobbed by a large group of the men. Several of which where married, Natsu noted in mild disapproval. He watched her finch slightly but put on a brave face. He allowed her to interact with them for a while. But after about twenty minutes of almost constant bombardment, he could see the strain. Quickly he waded his way into the fray and lightly placed a hand at the small of her back and moved to guide her out while making excuses that they needed to head out for the race and that any conversations could be continued there. He's sure that any questions not important would be forgotten amongst the excitement of competition and frankly there will be other girls their for many of them to drool over. Escorting her out the door he glances over at her only to meet his cursory stare with one of her own directed at him. She had been about to snap at some of them. Most of the people where simply curious and thus not really a problem. Curiosity was usually only a faint tickle to her senses, nothing offensive...when in small doses. Though there where too many and like with tickling when one takes it overboard the receiver could get sick. She started to feel queasy. But that wasn't so bad she could fight that...

It was some of the more touchy feely questionnaires that really started the beginnings of a headache. Multiple handshakes one after another made her feel like a chalkboard that was written on too many time without being wiped off and cleaned, with the writer making horrible screeching noises with each new word. Too much information in a short amount of time hastily written and irritating to the reader who already is having trouble figuring out what's on the board to begin with. Then suddenly Natsu was there and the writers where slowed down, filtered out as the board was wiped and organized allowing her to get the impressions of each person without the pain and confusion. It was nice, like always...

Always...

Something had been bothering her for about a week now. The timing of his arrivals and interventions, sometimes,...

"Thank you..." they seemed...

"Your welcome..." too convenient...

"...how did you know?"

Glancing over again very casually. "Know what?" she eyes him noting how his 'fire' dimmed and turned a bit brownish on the edges. "When to come bail me out from people? I don't...deal with them well but I never really told you that. How did you know that I needed help right then? It's almost like you always know." Natsu pauses to stare at her thoughtfully. He seemed to be choosing his words very carefully.

"You don't go out often and aside from work it was clear that you did not socialize much, after all Levy is always complaining about how you never go out. So I thought maybe it has to do with the fact that you don't like large groups of people." Not a lie, she acknowledged, but he wasn't telling her everything he knew either. His usually honest and straightforward colors where now muted and brownish. Sighing she pulls him into a darker, obviously less used hall.

"Alright, spill. I'm not stupid, and neither are you. Your not normal."

"What do you m-...?"

"You hear things your not supposed to, you see things you shouldn't be able to see, and your sense of smell puts many dogs to shame. Lets not get on the subject about some of the things you lift..." she glares at him. "And...and you know I'm not normal either, but for some reason your hiding it..." she finishes lamely looking down and away. "It's OK you know. You don't have to be so accommodating I know it's annoying. I'm a big girl, I can take it. I'd rather you be honest, than to feel obligated. I don't want to be anyone's burden...so you don't have to do that anymore! I have ways of getting through..."

Natsu looks surprised, at first at her outburst. Then confused as he listened to her. After listening to what was beneath the chatter he just chuckles.

"It's not funny! I'm not playing! You listen here Mr...!?" Simply pulling her into a hug, trapping her arms at her sides. "Whoever said that you where a burden? I didn't want to say anything because Levy made me promise not to tell you that she told me about your gifts."

She snorts into his shirt inelegantly. "It's not a gift. More like a curse. And I'll have to get her for blabbing"

"Don't be too hard on her. She only told me because she was worried about you and knew I could help. It certainly is a gift. But I've found that gifts like ours have drawbacks. You think yours is bad? I never go to concerts, their too loud and the one time I did, I nearly went deaf within the first ten minutes. Even when I left then I had ringing in my ears for over an hour." Despite her intentions, Lucy can't help but smile, I don't like them because peoples emotions run too high and are all over the place." He smiles into her hair absently. He could play that game.

"Try being me with my sense of smell after me and the guys go and get some Mexican food. Especially since some of them love refried beans. Or going into public restrooms. And since more than half of scent is taste...yeah...yeah...just imagine that."

She laughs softly and looks up at him. "That is pretty bad."

"Yeah...can you imagine trying to eat after that? You don't."

"Eww." she laughs gently then stops and shoves him gently. Predictability, he barely takes a step back. Damn it! He did it again! Why can't I stay mad at him!?

"The point is, I don't mind helping you out with your powers if I can. We all have limitations. Yours makes it hard to be around people in certain situations. Mine makes it difficult too in certain situations. So why don't we help each other? Your place smells better than mine..."

"I work in a garage. That could hardly be better."

"Yes and I have another guy living with me and a cat. Your place still smells better." She smiles faintly at that. "You love Happy, and you know it."

"I do. But he still smells like a cat."

"Better than a Dog."

"Ugh. Thankfully." she laughs at his expression causing a answering smile on his face. Though he was intrigued by her angry face, and found it very attractive, her smiling visage was much better for his nerves. Now that was one crisis adverted. This race should be easy.

The race was easy.

Gray had easily out stripped (Figuratively and literally) Oracion Seis's Racer. He seemed distracted and perhaps recovering from injuries judging by the antiseptic and faint metallic smells coming from him. Jet and Gajeel took the first place spots for both sport and muscle cars. And the old fogeys where all sitting around on their 'walkers' talking with the other groups elders on their 'canes' talking about the good old days , eying women (that where young enough to be their daughters and in some cases granddaughters) and smoking. There seemed to be a air of excitement about this new race added to the line up.

But a certain blonde was being terribly distracting from all these events. Lucy was sashay around gathering information and impressions like a sponge as well as any bit of knowledge she picks up, before making her way back to him and latching on to him of her free will. Natsu supposed he should feel honored as Lucy isn't a hanger on like that but it seems after their little talk earlier she's much more willing to touch him. Not that he's complaining...he rather liked it...but it make concentrating on the information she was supplying him with. At first he was confused at how she was able to openly be around him and hanging on him then going to rivals and gaining information. It wasn't until he actually saw someone from Blue Pegasus, look right at her all but sitting on Natsu's lap right before she goes up and talks to him and the guy responds like he's a best friend that Natsu outright asks her.

"Oh, it's simple really. So long as the person is kind of self centered or otherwise occupied I can kind of make my self seem...not all that important to those around me. It's why I wore mostly black, most people here are as well and my blonde hair isn't all that remarkable in the grand scheme of biker bimbo's out here." Her riding gloves easily covering her temporary mark too, Natsu notes mentally. He chuckles and shakes his head. Despite her earlier disparage about her abilities she used them masterfully. "Also I can mildly influence people's emotional state. But only if they are a completely open book or don't see me as a threat at all. But it's usually such a mild effect that it doesn't matter. At this point in time it's good enough that with all the excitement I can calm the anxious people enough that they would give me some information I needed. It gives me that connection I need to put them even more at ease. I guess to put it simply I help people trust me."

"And your big brown doe eyes and snuggling on that Tri-Men's group have nothing to do with it at all." She looks playfully offended. " I'll have you know that Hibiki's a very good informant. He has information from all over the country at his beck and call. He and Levy took classes together. He's harmless."

Natsu snorts, unconvinced. "You didn't notice how he looked at you."

"He's just flirty, Ichia is a god to him. You know what? Your in rare form today. I'm going to let you have your man time. Besides I have a race to get ready for and I don't need to be stressed out by the likes of you before hand." she waves back over her shoulder at him as she quickly hops back into her car. Natsu shakes his head at her. He loved having her around but at times she could be a terribly, pleasurable frustration. Her absence is felt keenly but it does allow his mind to absorb what she told him.

Apparently everyone is disturbed by the sudden out break of gang violence. Sure they all did shady things but nothing that would cause such disruptions. While the Oracion Seis was a small but powerful group they nor their present seeming opponent, Grimoire Heart, never played well with the more civil groups and in fact was more of a crime syndicate than anything. Their actions ranged from simple things like vandalism upwards to the much more chancey actions such as smuggling anything and everything for the right price. Fairy Tail had runner of their own but they never ran anything like illegal weapons or drugs. It appears these two would do all of the above and more for the right price. Apparently they where in a bit of a bitter dispute because one was moving in on the economical 'turf' of the other. At least that was what was said. Lucy had stated that she wasn't convinced that that was completely true as several of the people who talked about it seemed uneasy about this as well. With Natsu's knowledge of the dead head of the Oracion Seis he's not so sure that that's all the story either. He just feels like a big ploy.

The Drama was too mundane.

Too...predictable.

But he was missing a very large piece of the puzzle and he wasn't sure what it was. And that was another kind of frustrating that wasn't at all pleasant.

Lucy synced her phone with her car's blue tooth. The excitement was larger than the people present. Oh sure everyone was excited about a 'new' style of racing coming to the area but this excitement was almost anticipatory. Like they where expecting something else other than the excitement of good race. Then there was that new man she met on her way over here.

Mest.

He reeked of a practiced prosciutto.* However, he seemed to only be watching. He had a good cover with his car. Even knew all the stats she asked. But it was wrote. His passion would've seemed genuine to anyone else. But she could see otherwise and was instantly on guard against him. He was gifted. He had to be. One didn't have pink just around their head like that and wasn't. When she inquired about him to some of the other racers they all stated that he rarely raced and kept getting edged out of the final spot every time. But when she pushed for more details everyone fell apart. He was certainly a plant. So that means the nation itself is suspicious of the goings on too. She looks at the time and drives to the starting line. She only hopes they don't attempt to flush all such organizations . If so they could all be in for a very rough ride.

At the starting line she looks around in amusement. Several of the cars wouldn't effectively drift at all being too front heavy or too heavy in general, she eyes the muscle cars that are there too. She didn't really have much competition except for a few people from the neighboring countries that came to tease the greenies.

Sorry to disappoint, but I raced several of you already years ago. Going easy on me might put you into a tough spot. Pulling her hair back into a low ponytail she sighs in pleasure. Glancing over she blinks as she sees Mest pull up to the line next to her and the 'excitement' she felt as a constant hum about her jumped slightly to a higher octave. Rolling up her window she stretches and calls out to her car, only moving her lips when necessary: "Nova, call Cana."

"Calling."

Ring...

"Lucy." Cana doesn't seem surprised.

"You expected me."

"Of course."

"What do you feel when I say the name: Mest?"

She pauses. "Confusion. Honorable. Well meaning. But confused." Lucy nods as if expecting that. "Thanks."

"I don't have a good feeling right now. Be very careful."

"I will." she hangs up just as Natsu and Levy waves at her and nods his head to let her know he'll be waiting for her at the finish line. She nods smiling. She could see the organizers waving people off the road ahead of them down the mountain. Lucy frowned absently as she adjusted her seat. That hum was really annoying. So much so she nearly misses the girl they choose to drop the flag sashay out in front of all of the cars holding the flag tauntingly.

Lucy found her annoying but obviously someone thought she was cute, due to the hoots she heard.

Personally she thought her make up was a little over done and the skirt looked more like a band-aid than a clothing item...but hey, who was she to judge? She was very relived when the girl walked out of sight and dropped the flag.

Hitting the gas and shifting into first gear was just a prelude to the familiar rush she always got when drifting. She laughed when she realized that several of the competitors where already dusted. The ones she was familiar with keeping pace with her easily was expected but she wasn't concerned. What did interest her is that Mest was easily keeping pace with them all, and for someone who only barely looses every time that was curious.

Surely, being on par with anyone in this first group you won some drifting races due to the sheer chances that you where with people who didn't know what they where doing. Especially seeing as it was a new thing in most of the country...it would be odd that he hadn't won anything. Focusing on the race she easily swung close to the inside easily sliding past a orange racer. The familiar pattern of the throttling, shifting, and timing the e-break use was comforting. What was not however, was that annoying HUM. It should've lessened since leaving the starting line over 10 minutes ago now. But it seemed, if anything, to be getting stronger. And it was really distracting. Was it her fellow racers? Or something else?

There was about a three mile straight shot that was now a speed game. She could easily gain her lead back again when the next set of curves appeared. Now would be best time to try and figure out what this was...

For the first time since starting the race she changed focus just slightly and instead of solely focusing on the road and her fellow drivers. Allowing her eyes to un-focus ever so slightly she pulled strongly on her gift to try and see the hum. What she saw startled her so much she nearly swerves into someone. The 'hum' was coming from all along the base of the mountain at the mouth of the very road they where traveling down. The orange-red color told her enough.

Everyone was driving into a trap.

With only one way up and down it would be easy to pull this off. She might not get out of this either if that bright spot of orange circling in the sky was any indication. Thankfully, the other members had left before to get down and out to the finish line not far from the race track. If she got arrested, she could loose her bounty hunting license and loose customers! Worst yet...

Grandpa would kill her.

* "Prosciutto"- a Pig above city, county, or state status. Federal, basically possibly even interpol. Made it up on the fly.