Hello everyone!

Thank you for reading! Just an important note, there are different meanings and use for the term "spirit". Sometimes, I use it in the same manner as "ethernano", sometimes as a being itself. Spirit is used here in the same sense as "energy" or "force" that governs the laws and order of the world. I refer to Spirits as creatures that was formed when spirits(ethernano) formed consciousness. They cannot be seen with the naked eye unless they were powerful enough to form a physical manifestation.

I hope you enjoy!

Eleventh Wish:
A Simple Talk

"Hydrea!"

Lucy called out as she stepped to the grass field where the lake with a water Spirit was located. Natsu and Happy were right behind her.

She was greeted with silence.

A bead of sweat ran down her cheek as she nervously waited. 'As I thought, she won't come out if I'm with a human.'

Hydrea hated humans. She won't even show herself up in the mere presence of them. Her friend didn't even come out of her lake when they first met. She had to go into the waters herself just to talk to her. And she wouldn't have talked to her under normal circumstances, but she got lucky as Hydrea gave her a slip because Lucy couldn't have known her hate for humans.

Now that she knows though, there was a high chance that she would incite her anger for bringing a human along.

"Please, I need to talk to you" she called out again in hopes that her friend would figure out that she was in a tight situation.

A few heartbeats and she felt the energy in the lake stirring. She smiled in relief as the water glowed and bubbles rose up. Water shot up and interweaved at each other until it took the form of a young lady with black fish eyes and pale skin.

Natsu's eyes widened as he saw the Spirit.

Truth be told, he had doubts at this "friend" of her.

Okay, although he had indeed saw a few unbelievable things these past few days like a flying genie and a powerful celestial creep, to just accept that Spirits really exist was just too strange to wrap his mind around it. After all, he hadn't seen her yet at that time when Lucy was talking to herself. He thought that it was either Lucy was just making it up, or that she went nuts. He had never really thought about it since then, but now that he had seen her with his own eyes, all those thoughts and doubts were washed away.

The water nymph gave off an unworldly and ethereal aura. With skin as pale as milk and eyes as black as the abyss of the deep sea. She was definitely not from this world, at least not the one he knew. Her long hair was made of seaweed and decorated with starfish and seashells. She had no legs. Instead, her lower body was made of water that cascade down to the lake like waterfalls.

Seeing a Spirit with his own eyes, it felt like he had stepped into a different world. A realm out of the boundaries of men, unknown and full of mystery that should never be discovered.

Tinggggg . . .

'What?' Natsu felt a weird sensation in his head. It was like something unwrapped in his mind, unveiling it. Suddenly, his brain felt very exposed. His awareness rose as his eyes became clearer and his vision widened . . . as if a blindfold was taken off him.

'What . . . is this?'

Different sensations entered through his body. He felt the coldness in the air that surrounded them. A force was being expelled from the lake filled with threat and aggression. The pressure kept on pushing him away. His knees buckled into the ground, as he crouched down. He couldn't breathe from the intensity of it. It was suffocating.

Odd . . . it was a very familiar sensation . . .

He closed his eyes as he felt himself sink into abyss . . . deeper . . . and deeper . . . and deeper . . .

Darkness it was. That was all he could see, this pitch black darkness. Yet, at the same time, he could "see". There was something ahead of him. No . . . there were more. He could feel it. They moved fluidly like smoke, surrounding him. Their murderous aura sending cold chills to his bones, they come closer . . . and closer . . .

What? What's happening?

They were laughing, screaming, whispering . . . In hundreds of voices, the sounds kept echoing in his head with words he couldn't understand. Dark figures moved and went and grabbed him, pulling him down to the deep. He couldn't breathe. He was frozen in fear as he saw their glowing red eyes filled with hate and lust for blood.

Then a figure appeared amidst the darkness.

The person smiled at him as he pointed his finger between his eyes.

"You do not see, child? You got the fairy eye"

What eye?

The figure changed to someone smaller.

"You, the child who could see me, shall have a great adventure ahead"

Ah, who's this now? Who are you? I . . . I can't remember . . . the voice is full of warmth . . .

That person only smiled.

"It's time for you to go back where you belong . . ."

A bright aura enveloped him, hugging him as he felt the warmth spread through him.

"Natsu!"

Someone called him and his consciousness was pulled up.

Eh . . ?

He was back at the lake with everyone. He found his self still standing although he remembered falling down. 'What just happened?'

"Natsu, are you alright?" it was Happy who called out to him out of worry. He saw the change of attitude from his partner at the moment. When the water Spirit showed herself, he had taken a step back instinctively and stood on guard. Yet suddenly his eyes widened a bit as if being hit by something and he clutched his head with one of his hands. There was a faraway look in his eyes as if he was seeing something else.

"It's nothing . . ." Natsu, who doesn't really know how to explain what just happened, tried to brush off the question. He felt his body wet with cold sweat, but he tried not to show it to him. It'll just confuse his partner and right now was not the time for idle chat. He could feel the anger coming from the Spirit that Lucy was trying to abate right now.

"It seemed thou were faring quite well to even have come all the way here. Why had thou called for me?"

Lucy sweated. 'She's in the bad mood', she knew that when Hydrea had switched to referring to her with "thou", instead of the more familiar "you". Hydrea was among the cheerful type Spirit who refers to her friends in quite endearing manners to show her affection. The sudden change to a more formal tone was definitely a bad sign.

"How are you faring, dear friend?" she greeted courteously, kudos to her still being able to smile despite the terrible atmosphere being filled with rage. The water nymph may look calm but she was definitely angry.

"Forgive the intrusion, but I have important matters I really needed to discuss with you" she put her hands together in her chest and looked at her with serious eyes, Lucy was really hoping that her friend would be reeaaallllly understanding this time and realized that she wouldn't purposefully bring a human along without reason.

Hydrea stared at her for a long moment then closed her eyes. "I guess what I heard was true, you did make a contract with a human."

She smiled in relief when she heard her friend refer to her with "you" again. That was a clear indication that she wasn't angry anymore, at least, not at her. There was still the unpleasant aura in the air. There was even a clear hint of disappointment in her tone of speech.

'At least I got her to realize that I'm not intentionally meaning to do this' Lucy thought positively. 'She even understood that I'm chained by the contract . . .

. . . Wait.'

"How did you know that I made a contract!?" she exclaimed in surprise. She doesn't know there were earthly Spirit who could see if other Spirits were contracted or not.

'Ah, she said she heard it from someone . . .' Lucy got into thinking mode. 'Who could have known other than . . . huh? Could it be . . .

"You . . . did you hear that from . . . Loki?" her face darkened as the realization hit her.

Hydrea answered nonchalantly. "Who else would it be?"

Natsu's eyes narrowed. "Hey, could it be that you're collaborating with him from the start!? That's why Lucy got into trouble with him!"

Hydrea ignored him.

"I-Is that true?" Lucy asked her, frowning.

Hydrea tilted her head to her. "What are you asking, dear friend? There is no need to look alarmed. I've shared my meal with you. I will not do anything that will disfavor my friend. Loki-sama is a celestial revered by us Spirit of Nature, an old friend who used to come visit me from time to time. Is it wrong if he shares to me the worries he carries from your reckless actions?"

"I . . . I see . . ." Lucy looked down, sad at the fact that she made everyone worried.

"What were you seeking here in the human world that had driven you in this situation? I couldn't imagine."

Lucy smiled at her. "It is because I made a promise to return" she told her. Spirits were always bound by their words. Besides, I want to understand something.

Hydrea stared at her. "I see . . . Then that is unfortunate. I have more questions I wish to ask of you but I'll hear yours first. It seemed to be of importance for you to even risk my anger at coming here."

"Ah, right. Actually, I want to ask you about the Fimorian you gave us . . ."

"Fimorian?" Natsu and Happy tilted their heads in confusion.

"It's the fish she gave us," she explained to them. "That fish . . . where did you purify it?"

"Purify? Why does it need to be purified?" Happy asked.

Lucy turned to him. "It's because Fimorians are poisonous creatures."

"EH!? You mean she gave us poisonous fish!?"

"Uhh no. As I've said before, she already purified it or else you would've been dead by now. Fimorians can be eaten too if you cleanse the poison out of its body. They were usually hunted because their poison could be used in arrows tips and serve as raw ingredient for medicines and such while the left-over meat could be the meal for the families. I guess you wouldn't have known since they lived on the far west."

"A fish that big lived on the far west?" Happy was already drooling as he thought of eating those many fishes.

"That's true. Fimorians are usually not that big. But aside from the size, its features and properties matched the description properly" Lucy looked back to Hydrea. "So, where did you purify it?"

"At the Nuada River, where the water flows to the shores of men. That Fimorian had been attacking my friends, so we made a feast on him" she told her.

"N-Nuada!? Did you know how many lives are depending on that river!?" she angrily yelled at her. She was hoping that she would say anything but that.

Natsu caught on. "You mean that this is the reason that people at the villages are sick?" he felt the rage inside of him. A lot of people were making a living by fishing on that river and they always used the waters there for drinking and various activities. If it was poisoned, many of them would be affected.

"There is no need to worry, I've made sure that it won't affect my fellow neighbors" she assured her, ignoring the human.

"Right, but it will affect us humans who were drinking on those waters," he scoffed at her. Hydrea paid him no attention. He might have as well been an air the way she was treating him.

"Does it mean that the fishes were also poisonous now? Why would you poison the river? Many people will die" Happy was horrified at the idea.

"Hmph. Don't put all the blame to me little blue one. The humans have those coming. A single Fimorian won't affect the purity of the river waters. The waters only became toxic because of the trashes" she stressed on the word "trashes" like it was synonymous to "human".

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked her.

"The humans had been throwing their garbage in the waters of my friends. Fimorians are known for being the ones who clean the waters by absorbing the dirt and toxic substance and using it to produce the poisonous properties of their bodies. Fimorians had also been chased out of their homes due to human hunting and a school of them had moved in to this area, attracted by the waste.

"With the incredible rate of the pollution of the water that accumulated for years, even the Fimorians couldn't take it. The toxicity even made changes on their bodies, making their next generation deformed and dangerous" she explained to her.

"I see. That's why the Fimorian became that big. It also explained a lot why docile creatures like them started attacking the other fish folks" Lucy held her chin in thought.

"I must warn you though, my friend. Those Fimorians were carrying a lot of poison that it was even oozing out of their bodies. They could destroy the homes of many fishes just by being near them" Hydrea looked at her seriously.

"But I wish to help on purifying those river waters. What should we do to have that?"

"That is not my concern. I believe that it wasn't yours also" she answered her.

"But I want to help too!" Lucy insisted.

"You already helped a lot by making me explain this. You do realize that one shouldn't meddle too much with the matters of men, right?" Hydrea spoke in tone that broke no argument.

"But –" Lucy planned on arguing more for answers but Natsu put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"That's enough," he told her. He stepped out in front and stared at the Lake Spirit. "She won't give the answer to you. I should be the one asking her that." That much was clear when she stated that she shouldn't meddle too much. Lucy already did a lot by bringing him here.

He stared at the water Spirit. "Hey! What do you want me to do to purify the river?"

For the first time, Hydrea paid him attention. She looked at him with eyes as black as the abyss, he doesn't like those eyes. Her seaweed hair floats up and down around her pale body as if she was still underwater and the lower half was covered by a skirt of cascading water.

"My, a human dared enter my territory and demand for help. You humans are always the same. You will cause trouble without a care even if you are hurting others. You will only realize your mistakes until your actions bite you back in the end. And even after that, you will just end up running back to us to demand for help as if you are entitled for it."

"Yeah, yeah right. Humans are this, humans are that. I already get your point about us" he picked on his ear. He couldn't care less about the thoughts she have on men.

"N-Natsu," Lucy paled at his rude way of talking. If they incite her anger, they would be in big trouble.

"Just tell me what you want, everyone wants something in exchange of a favor" he continued.

"A rude human, bold yet idiotic. You should be glad you are still alive with that nature of yours" Hydrea commented on him. "But very well, for the sake of my dear friend here and the exceed I will tell you. We water nymphs could very well purify the water and chase out the Fimorians from our homes. The oceans are vast and deep, those waters could purify even them."

"And for you to do that?" he prompted on. There's always a catch.

"You must build me a shrine" she told them.*

Natsu almost laughed out loud but luckily he didn't. The seaweed kept on insulting humans but in the end she wanted to be revered by them. How ironic.

Lucy brightened up. "Then you will help us now?"

"If he did as I asked" she told her.

"Yes!" Lucy jumped in the air in joy. "Thanks, Hydrea. Then, we'll be going now and tell everyone."

She already turned to leave with the two when Hydrea called out to her.

"Before you go, I have a question to ask of you" she said. "Oh right," Lucy turned to her, waiting.

"Who are you? I'd had thought that you are merely a lowly spirit of earth who travels around but now I have second thoughts. Why would Loki-sama chase you fervently if you are? Now that I looked at you more carefully, I see that the power you display doesn't match your nature. It is like you are hidden in darkness. Just tell me, who are you?"

Lucy blinked at the question. She didn't expect that to be asked of her. She was about to answer her but then she remembered Loki's warning about revealing her identity.

Right, I shouldn't, she thought. So instead, she smiled at her.

"I am who you see. You may think of me as a genie who grants people's wishes or a torch that lights the darkness. You may compare me to the moon or stars that lit up the night sky to guide everyone on their paths. But in the end, I am me."

She put her hands behind her. "That is all I can say."

Hydrea closed her eyes. "I understand. Then I won't push you for it anymore."

Natsu and Happy looked at them, confused on what they were talking about.

"Then let's go now . . ."

"I have something to say to you too, young man" Hydrea called out to him too. Natsu almost jumped in surprise. He didn't expect that the seaweed would want to talk to him no more than she needed to, much less call him "young man".

"What is it?" he called out in wariness.

"I'll acknowledge you for now since Lucy-sama had accepted and made a contract with you. But be warned, if anything were to happen to her because of your doing . . ." she opened her eyes and stared at him. Her eyes glowed red with rage.

Natsu's eyes widened. He wasn't exactly scared of her threat since he won't do anything that would harm her but seeing those eyes reminded him of something. It awakened an old memory sleeping deep inside him.

Those eyes . . . Unintentionally, his hand shook a bit. He remembered being in deep blue darkness, the screaming, and the cold clutches of death in his throat.

He gulped those feelings down. He doesn't plan on showing any weakness on this seaweed. He knew it would be taken against him. So instead, he glared at her.

"Don't worry. I don't betray my friends either."

.*.

Lucy and Natsu ran to the town as fast as they could. Well, in case of Lucy, she was flying a bit ahead of him, while Happy sat on Natsu's shoulders.

"Hurry! Now that we know the cause of epidemic, we could help everyone!" Lucy called out to Natsu.

"I know that! But we don't really need to run for it! Besides, who are you planning to tell it to, anyway?" he answered back. Truth be told, he was tired from all the running, hiking to the forest and facing an angry Seaweed Spirit had drained him quite a lot. He could still keep up with Lucy's fast flying though.

"Umm, maybe the village head and the doctors? Anyone who should know, preferably everyone. We got to stop the people from taking the water from the river" she told him.

"Uhh, you do realize that I am a wanted criminal around here, do you? Did you really think people will believe me, especially if I said that it's a Spirit that told me about it?"

She was about to answer him when a familiar voice called out above them.

"That's right. You're just a lowly thief. What can you possibly do? Better yet, go hide somewhere and die in a corner so that we could leave this place peacefully."

They looked up in alarm.

Happy's eyes widened. "Ah! I-It's . . . it's . . ."

Natsu clicked his tongue. He had expected the creep would come sooner or later ever since their conversation with the Seaweed.

Lucy glared at the young man with orange hair who was dressed in a leather vest on top of a white shirt with a matching pants and golden belt. He was standing on top of a tree. "Loki, what do you want this time?"

Loki looked affronted. "Ouch, Luce. Is that how you're going to greet a friend?"

She immediately flew close to Natsu and Happy. "Just so you know, you're the one who was rude first. It's not nice to tell people to die. Besides, you only show up to cause for trouble."

Loki just gave a small smile and shrugged nonchalantly, "Fair enough, you have a point". He was the god of mischief after all.

He jumped and landed in front of them, blocking their way to the town.

Natsu took a battle stance instinctively and tried to guard Lucy. He scoffed at that, "Oh come on, it's not like I'll do anything just yet. You guys are already in the contract. I couldn't just separate you two even if I wanted to."

"Why are you here then?" he snapped at him, a little louder than he intended. He could feel the cold sweat ran down his cheek. Somehow, the creepy guy looked more powerful than he was before though he was sure nothing much had really changed. It was like he could see his power much clearer. Now, he could really tell that he was no human with that insanely strength of his. He must have gone mad to even challenge this guy.

The creep smiled widely at him, an obviously fake and cold smile. "Why, I just want to talk with Lucy for a bit."

"Then state your business fast because we are in a hurry. She has no time to talk to you."

Lucy frowned a bit. Although she was very well aware that Natsu was just being protective of her, she couldn't help but feel that he was being a little bit too aggressive. Loki was still her friend after all. Even if he was such a jerk and a meanie who took her memories away and annoyingly kept on trying to take her home.

Loki sighed. "Unfortunately, this is a matter between us. There's no need for you to get involved" his tone might be playful, but there was definitely a tone of annoyance especially when he stressed "you".

Natsu kept his cool. "Well, unfortunately, she got a contract with me. And she won't go with you till that contract is finished."

Loki looked down on him. "Don't push your luck with me, thief."

"That's enough. Loki, you know that I can't move away from him with the contract" Lucy intervened between the two when she felt that the conversation was moving to somewhere dangerous.

He smiled at her, "Ah, actually you can if he agrees."

"Really?"

"Hmph. Like I would leave her alone with you" Natsu crossed his arms stubbornly.

Loki sighed. "Stubborn, aren't you? If that's the case, let's make a deal."

"Why would I make a deal with you?"

"Oh sheesh. Would you rather have me kill you? Be thankful that I rather not have my hands bloody. It's just a simple bet anyway." I would have killed you already if I knew she would make a contract with you, Loki thought coldly. I won't care anymore even if she started to hate me for it, as long as she . . .

Lucy frowned. "A bet with you?" she knew how tricky the celestial could be.

"Hey, no need to be so skeptic. I won't do anything funny. I have some news with me for that human, and I bet that he will ran like crazy to the town after hearing it. So, wanna make a deal with me? If you did run, I'll take it that I can have Lucy alone. If you stay with her even after hearing it, then I'll leave you two peacefully."

"Like I will, what you're gonna say is more likely a threat or something similar that will make me ran anyway" he growled at him, Happy nodded in approval.

"You know, I can just resort to violence if you want" he smiled.

"He's got a point. If its news like a war started or someone was dying, that would make anybody run. It's not a matter of bet anymore. Also, what do you mean 'have me alone'? I won't leave him until the contract is finished" she told him.

"Lucy, you know that I mean it as 'have-a-talk-with-you-for-a-while', right?" Sharp as usual, there goes my chance. "Besides, don't worry. The news is something joyful and I know you want to hear it too. So?"

Lucy and Happy looked at Natsu. He crossed his arms. "I don't trust you."

"I don't lie. Anyway, if you don't accept, you will regret it" Loki told him. I'll make sure you will.

"Natsu . . ." Happy gave him a worried look. He doesn't think it's safe to pick a fight with this guy.

At the look of his partner, he gave in. "I just have to not to run after hearing your 'good' news, right? Then you won't bother us again."

"Just so we're clear, you shouldn't run because of the news I gave you. And the whole kingdom will celebrate for it, so don't worry."

"Then, fine. Let's hear it" he resolved that he was not going to run, no matter how urgent it would be.

The celestial smiled widely.

"The princess is getting married."

. . . * . . .

End of chapter!

Dun dun dun! The princess was getting married!? What would Natsu do now? Fufufu. I took this chapter as a chance to reveal a little tid bits about him.

Comments:

* Actually, Hydrea was asking for a shrine because having a shrine would promote a spirit and make him or her name distinguished. Spirits with a recognized name will make them stronger and having followers will make them stronger still. Hydrea needed a shrine so that she will have enough power to purify the river. So in the end, she wasn't really being greedy with that wish as Natsu thought. It was more of necessity to accomplish the task. She was really nice even if she hated humans.