Falling star chapter 12: Fire that fuels the Fight

Lucy felt the cold winds brush her spine. A clatter of metal caused the blonde's body to flinch. Slowly she opened her eyes. Captain James towered over her with a unregistered expression. Large hands hovered about his head, empty.

Lucy's head snapped behind her to see the golden star sword had flown to the other side of the mountain top. Small flames diminished into the air from around the blade.

Thrashing against her chest, her heart was going wild. Tears of joy trickled over her warm cheeks. A hot sensation bubbled in her veins. She turned.

Pink hair wavered in the air current. A few cuts and bruises decorated his skin. Stood proudly, dark, raven eyes melted into the brown orbs filled with relief. "Natsu," she whimpered. Lucy's palms smacked over her mouth as the tears fell from her eyes like a waterfall.

"Hey Luce," Natsu smiled softly at the crying girl, tossing a small pair of stones in his hand.

"You fell." James growled, drawing his own saber from it's black sheath.

"I did." Natsu agreed, acting as if he was not even interested in the blade aiming his way.

"Then how?" The man's voice sounded slightly mixed; curiosity, relief and irritation. "You couldn't possibly have survived that fall unscathed."

"Yeah I don't think I would be moving if I fell that far down." Natsu laughed bitterly.

"So...How?"

"Birds."

"Birds?" the man asked in surprise, lowering his blade by a fraction of an inch.

"They made nests all the way up this damn mountain... On ledges."

"You climbed the ledges." Lucy chuckled lightly through her overwhelmed sobbing.

"Oi! Don't laugh. Those birds were pecking at me all the way up." Natsu muttered rubbing his head. Lucy laughed again. "What?" The dragon slayer huffed.

"I expect nothing less." Lucy sighed softly.

"Its good to see you up and kicking and using magic as well." The man grumbled lifting his sword again after noticing its sight decent.

"That magic lock you put on us was really annoyin'. I'll have to pay you back for that." Natsu threatened.

"You're smart. I'll have to pay you more attention next time. I dismissed you too
quickly. Creating fire the traditional way was quite ingenious of you." Amira interjected.

"What?" Lucy wasn't able to flow of what ever direction this conversation was going.

"Your beloved slayer and yourself have magic locks on your power. You cannot produce magic but it doesn't effect your power to control it." Amira explained sourly.

"So Natsu can't make flames but he can still control them," Lucy giggled at Natsu's uncharacteristic intelligence. Then again, Natsu has always been smart in the right situations. People should give him some more credit.

"He'll need to because I'm gonna burn you black." Captain growled, launching forward in an impossibly fast sprint. As the sword plunged towards his chest, he was gone in a flash.

From years of training the captain was only just able to follow the lightening quick slayer's movements. Following the boys sly slip behind him, the saber cut through the air as the elder swordsman spun on . Natsu leapt backwards, dodging the swipes to his neck. Lucy was sure his scale scarf had been cut several times, yet when she looked again, it was perfectly fine. There must be some sort of magic involved for that scarf to survive for so long.

Lucy watched as Natsu slide, glided under each swipe. Slowly they were moving further back towards the other side of the mountain top. Lucy watched with growing horror as they approached the edge. "NA-" Lucy began to call warning to him. Abruptly, her call dropped off. Natsu had flashed that mischievous smile Lucy knew all too well. Natsu was planning something. Instead of anxiety, curiosity replaced it. It was so intriguing to Lucy to think Natsu had a trick up his sleeve.

It's a good thing Natsu was so agile. Especially when the swords razor sharp blade just missed his skin by precious millimeters. Lucy gasped every time she was sure that the blade had ran him through. However, he continued to roll, jump and dodge in order to avoid the blade.

When Natsu was close enough, he saw the slayer slowing down his movement to distance himself from the man on a rampage. Lucy caught a glimpse of something black in the slayer's hands. It was the black stone that he was tossing earlier. The stone played between his fingers.

Anxiety was pounding as he waited for the right moment. One chance to get it right. There was no excuse for mistakes. It was necessary for his plan to work so be could save Lucy.

There. The sword was midway through its draw back. Captain James had lifted his blade before he advanced. This was the opening and he was going to take it. The black stone was cast out of his hands. Flying across the floor, sparks flew as it scratched the stone. A single flames quickly shot it the air but immediately became a dying blaze.

Lucy watched the black,mysterious stone jump over the stone tiles. Flame

Flames jumped every time the stones skipped. Recognition flickered in her mind. It had been on the tip of her tongue. For the stone wasn't just any stone. It was nothing other than flint.

Suddenly,the flames erupted into a burning blaze. Flames grew and drove towards the dragon slayer. Whipping around his body in a column of flame, it burned bright like a beacon. Both pirates coward in its enormity. Air squealed and swayed at the blazes whim.

With a large hiss, rain poured from the sky, fighting the enormous flame. Embers fraught bravely to stay alight, but the rain didn't stop on its counter attack. Charcoal smoke rose high into soot colored clouds. "Your pretty trick has failed you slayer. I thought you would show me something marvelous with all that power, but it seems the weather has played against you and my wish has slipped from me," the captain bellowed into the dispersing smog, ready to witness the distress on the pink-haired boy's face.

"Who knew such nice words could come from such a corrupt mouth." A voice retorted. A white light, brighter than anything on Earthland, pierced the dark veil. Its because it wasn't something that could ever be from their Earthland. It was a star.

Entrapped by the beautiful glow, his whole body illuminated in a white shine. Beautiful patterns of swirled and flicks danced across the sky, extending their call to the dark sky lights. As the lights faded back into the darkness, the light dimmed. A visible silhouette emerged from the blinding glow.

Pink hair danced in the gentle winds, dark, onto eyes contrasting to the light glared powerfully. Tattoos entangled around his arms, legs, torso and face. They coiled around his hand, clutching the silver blade, burning brightly. Its memorizing twinkle yearn to Lucy's heart. Its star-like shine glowing with joy. Stars that yearned within the sword were finally in the hands of the true knight. They didn't glow dimly like they did in the hands of the pirate, now they glowed truly, like a star really should; bright enough to scare away the darkness.
Natsu held the blade lightly in his palm. It sliced through the air in a gently swipe.

"Natsu," Lucy gasped.

"W- What did you do to it?" the captain sputtered sheepishly.

"What do you mean?" Natsu questioned before his gaze turned quizzically to the blade.

"Wow~" He mused. "That's so cool. Look Lucy, even the engravings are glowing." Natsu presented the blade towards Lucy. Instead of seeing the irritation in her eyes the way he usually did when he showed her something weird, Natsu saw her smile. Brighter than any star, it shone.

"It's beautiful Natsu," Lucy declared, giggling slightly.

Finally recovering his wits from the stunning show, the captain lifted his sword. Almost as silent as air, the captain advanced outstandingly quick towards the distracted boy.

"NATSU!" Lucy wailed, catching sight of the man. It was too late, Natsu only managed to turn as the blade crashed down towards his head. A rippling thunder and powerful winds exploded from the impact.

Lucy's heart thumped rapidly inside her chest. Eyes wide in disbelief she searched the settling winds. Relief flooded her once again at the sight as the winds settled.

Natsu crouched on one knee, his head hanging from his shoulders. The captain glared in disbelief as his sword pushed down against the colliding metal. It had been stopped three inches from Natsu's head. Between the two was a thin, silver blade glowing with luminescence Natsu had managed to stop the blade in time. With the glowing sword held strongly above his head, it didn't even quiver under the weight of the black saber Nevertheless, it was still only clutched lightly in his hands.

"Igneel told me, that it's wrong to hurt a woman." Natsu muttered lifting his head just high enough to look into the brown orbs watching him with concern. A goofy smile flickered over his lips. Catching the glance her way, a warm rush tingled inside her body. A soft smile tugged on her lips. "That's why..."Natsu began again, returning his serious expression. The dark saber began to rattle and shake as the dragon slayer began to counter its force. Slowly, he rose, winning the effortless battle of overpowering his sword. With a sharp sound of metal scraping metal, the two blades pushed apart. Natsu rose to his feet, disregarding the dark saber away. "...Id won't forgive you for trying to kill Lucy." Natsu roared, the sword glowing brighter to strengthen his menacing words. Those dark eyes which were filled with reassurance, were ice black with anger.

As the sword rose, the captain could sense his seriousness to battle. There was a small likelihood that he would win this, but the greater possibility was against him. It was a fact that if he lost, he would certainly die. With eyes as ferociously frightening as his, full of rage and murderous intent, there was no way of turning back on this fight either. Then again, he would have it no other way. If a similar situation had happened to him, James was sure that this would be his fate too. Both the dragon slayer and the pirate captain had only one choice. That choice was to fight. This would certainly be the final battle for one of them. An ending for one was growing closer with each swing. But who will win and who will fall?

Find out in the next chapter of Falling Star Mwhahaha. Who will come out on top? Captain James, the man left in the suspension of time or Natsu, the knight fighting to save his beloved star? Who would you like to win? Tell me in the reviews!

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-A-ccentric