"Forget it." Chico said annoyed. "We can never find that sort of things in just one hour."
Master Makarov just smiled. "Patience my child, I will give you some clues. But first, choose your clues wisely as you would choose your partner."
It was one hour earlier; they all stood there waiting for Makarovs instructions. He had just told them that 5 objects were hidden around the mountains. It wasn´t the easiest way to find them though, this very mountain were bigger than the whole city, and with just one hour deadline they all had that feeling of hopeless.
"This is my clues, listen carefully and don´t interrupt."
Lucy didn´t need to hear more, she knew exactly where she should go after the first word.
"Now go, five of you will find the object. But how many will manage to take it?"
That's where Lucy was right now, on top of the mountain, fighting the dragon who didn´t know the meaning about losing. And she could see it, Natsu was strong but hiding things wasn't his specialty. A dark egg shined behind his left foot, he didn´t move from Pisces attack but had his eyes busy with the mother and son, leaving Lucy who slowly walks forward.
"Don´t take me for a fool." He suddenly said as he pinned her down against the rock. Lucy could see in the corner of her eyes that Pisces was finished for today and letting them go back. Natsu didn´t even seemed tired as she could feel his heat streaming from his entire body.
"So did you understand masters clue?" Natsu whispered, but since he was so close he almost didn´t have to use words.
"Yes…" Lucy answered low, her back hurt by the sharp stone and she wanted him to let her go.
"So you got some new trick…" Natsu kept going. "When did you get Yukinos keys?"
"She passed away in an accident a couple of years ago, leaving her keys to me." Lucy answered short trying to reach one of her keys to summoning anyone. But Natsu noticed her hand and grabbed it, now holding both of her hand above her head.
"It was a cute effort, but you´re finished now."
"Oh really?!" Lucy said, as she then kicked him hard in the stomach, making him twitch for just a little second letting her crabbed a key.
"Open the Gate of the Goat! Capricorn!"
Natsu had to let go of her just to not getting hit by Capricorns attack. But he had the egg safe in his arm.
"Really Lucy? You want this?" he said teasingly throwing the egg up and down. "Did master tell you what happened if it broke?"
"Don´t U dare." She yelled as she tried to race him. But he was quick, never attacking himself just dodging away from Capricorn and kept teasing her like the game he always played. The darkness didn´t make anything better, his sight was as good as ever but Lucy tripped one or two times extra.
"Capricorn return." She sighed, already tired when she felt he magic drop.
"I´m may be of help one other time…" he said.
"Giving up already?" Natsu said from the cliff above her head, jumping down so he landed in front of her.
"Not really."
She said, taking a steady hold on her whip, making it whirligig around he´s leg and with all her force taking him down, but she had used too much strength and were falling with him. She waited to feel the pain of being pushed around the sharp rocks but just felt the warmth of another body and quickly opened her eyes. She had fallen right on top of Natsu, and she guess he had protected her out of reaction.
"I win." She murmured, as he had let go of the egg just to not letting her get hurt and she now had it safe in her arms.
"Don get cocky." He said cold as he pushed her away from him. "You´re not even close to win yet."
Lucy nodded, she maybe got the egg but it was just for tonight. Soon the trial would start for real and if she would have to fight Natsu face to face, she was scared for that out coming.
"Come on, I´m obligated to take you back to the camp." Natsu said, making her realize that she still where sitting on the ground, dirty and even injured. He didn´t seem to be hurt, even though he had been throwing his body against the rock just a few minutes ago. She guessed that's the perk of having dragon skin.
"Let´s go then." She said annoyed and started to go right.
"It´s the left path." She heard him notice behind her, making her turn around and change direction without even look at him.
The camp was pretty noisy, everyone talked about this night, it was just Max that didn´t managed to get the lost object and had already went home. Romeo had some nasty scars after fighting Grey and you could hear Wendy scold him all the way to the city. Natsu sat down right away next to Gray, Lucy hated it but she sat down on Grays other side. He was her friend too after all, but she was glad that Juvia were there beside her as they started to talk. Lisanna and Laxus had sneaked of somewhere, just guessing what they were up to made her almost barf and Wendy took care of her beloved Romeo with a sweet voice. Ignoring Levys protest as it felt like cheating if Wendy patches Romeo up again.
"Master isn´t it cheating?" Levy asked Makarov.
"The rules simply said that inside the battle you have to stand alone, but right now we´re between days and it´s up to them as individual to decide." Makarov said after some thinking.
"Aw I miss Gajeel." Levy continued after watching Lisanna and Laxus return.
Lucy sighed, this seemed more like a love camp than anything else. Leaving her wanting to disappear more than anything.
"So Lucy beat you huh." Grey laughed, teasing Natsu.
"At least I didn´t get beaten by a kid." Natsu sneers back.
"Hey." Romeo defended himself.
"Sorry Romeo." Natsu laughed as he started to eat from the fire.
Juvia stopped reading her notes, Lucy didn´t dare to ask what they were about but smiled when their eyes met.
"So what have you been up to?" she asked the water mage softly.
"I helped Gajeel with a mission not long ago, but that was a waste of time since he can´t shut up about Levy, no offence." She hurried to say to the script mage. "But he´s head are not in the work anymore… I have worked alone since then. And you?" she asked polite.
"Nothing much…" Lucy answered trying to avoid her in this subject.
"Haven´t you heard, Lucy has been out around the country on all kinds of mission, she´s even got a building called out after her in a far city in the east." Levy said with a proud look over her best friend. "If I didn´t have my fulltime work at home with little Gajeel junior." She sighed but smiled at the same time. "I would have liked to go with you."
"You have a child?" Gray shouted out.
"Since two year, yeah. That´s why I haven´t become S- class earlier, my hands were full. But since Gajeels home with Trelly I could go this time." Levy explained.
"Wow, congrats." Gray said. "I guess you miss out a lot when you´re away…"
Lucy could see Natsu silent nod next to him, he seemed to be buried in deep thoughts making her a little worried.
"Yes, haven´t Lucy told you about her fiancé yet?" Levy suddenly said. A big smash were heard after her statement as the camp then went silent. Natsu had destroyed the bonfire, leaving them with only the moonlight. Lucy yelped when she felt strong arms around her body, dragging her away from their group.
"You´re engaged!?" Natsu screamed as he put her down roughly somewhere in the mountains, she couldn´t say exactly where since her eyesight betrayed her.
"Ouch." Lucy complained, trying to stand up but Natsu held her back. "What the hell Natsu."
"Answer me…" he growled low making her angry again.
"So what if I would be? That doesn't give you the right to torment me and it´s none of your business."
"Don´t give me that crap, is that why you suddenly wanted to become S- class? So you could run away with this guy on dangerous missions?"
Lucy just glared at him, this typical Natsu reaction when something didn´t go as he planned. Or when he couldn´t understand, he got angry instead. But she wondered why, sure she didn´t hate him, they were still in the same guild and been friends for a long time before. But everything was different now, why couldn´t he let her be?
"Forget everything I said before. You´re not strong enough to become S- class, if you´re doing this for someone else than yourself that just prove you´re not ready. I won't let you pass!" he kept going, standing straight as he left the road open for her.
"That´s not up to you!" she screamed, wanted to kick and hit him but settle with just standing up and then rushing of.
"Watch me." She growled after her, not trying to stop her as he smashed his fist into the stone for the second time tonight, making his skin bleeds.
"Maybe I shouldn´t have said that." Levy whispered back at camp where they just get the bonfire back.
"Maybe not…" Wendy and Lisanna agreed.
"Should I go and talk to him?" Gray wondered also little worried for Lucy.
But Laxus just shake his head. "Leave him be, he won´t hurt her and he need to let go once and for all…"