Lucy still wasn't quite sure just how she'd managed to convince Natsu to actually get into the carriage. But somehow the fire mage wound up sprawled out on the bench opposite of her. He was pale, shaky and groaning, but at least he wasn't throwing up everywhere. She didn't think she could afford the driver's cleaning bill.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Lucy couldn't help but gush over how cool, kind and pretty Mirajane was to the uninterested Happy and the comatose Natsu.
"…And next time, I really hope we can hang out outside Fairy Tail… Maybe I could even visit her house or something!"
"You really do talk a lot," Happy deadpanned. "Just don't steal underwear and stuff, okay?"
"Why would anyone do something like that?" She nearly shrieked.
"Why are you here anyway, Lucy?"
"Didn't I just say? Mirajane asked me to. Does it bother you?"
"Aye, of course."
That was a shockingly mean response said with such a straight face. Lucy brushed it aside though. "Besides, you and Natsu helped me join Fairy Tail, it's the least I can do for something like that."
"Hrmm…" Happy gave her a considering look.
Lucy changed her focus to the still not well looking Natsu. "He really isn't good at transportation, is he?"
"Aye."
"Has he tried eating ginger before getting onto things?"
"Aye, and during. It just makes a mess."
"Peppermint?"
"Aye."
"Black horehound?"
"Aye."
"Drinking chamomile tea or eating licorice root?"
"Aye, chamomile makes him sneeze too."
"Dry crackers and a fizzy drink?"
"That's the worst one."
"Most of those combined?"
"Aye," Happy sighed. "I think Natsu's tried everything back when this first started."
"When was that?"
"Hm…Four years ago? I was really little then."
"Ah… I take it you've tried pills and other medicines too."
"Aye."
Lucy wracked her brain to figure out something that could help the Dragon Slayer. Unfortunately the only things she could think of where things they'd probably already tried. "Sorry, I can't help."
"It's okay, we're used to it."
She didn't think anyone could get used to being that sick when on something as common as transportation. However, thinking about motion sickness while watching Natsu was making her nauseas; so she quickly focused on Happy and changed the subject. "I'll still need to find a place to live once we get back." She'd need to get more money too. Considering this thing with Macao was probably going to take the entire rest of the day, she'd be too tired to go on an actual job when they got back. She'd have to shell out her remaining meager funds for a hotel and get some paying work tomorrow.
"You can stay with us."
His attitude had just gone from too cold to too warm, she thought, shocked. As sweet as the offer was, she couldn't imagine what their house would be like. "I think that'd be a bad idea." She gently said.
"It stopped!" Natsu abruptly cried out, springing to his feet and rushing for the door.
"We're there?" Lucy had somehow missed when the rocking of the carriage stopped. She flinched as soon as Natsu flung the doors open, cold air billowed in and bit at her exposed legs and arms. She hadn't realized just how much the fire mage could heat up an enclosed space, even when he'd been far too sick to actually use any magic.
"I'm sorry," the driver shouted out above the howling winds, "we can't go any farther than this with the carriage."
"What's going on?" She cried out, "even though we're up in the mountains, it's still summer! Why is there a snowstorm?" Mirajane could have warned her about this. Not that it would have helped, the warmest things she had were her sleepwear, even then they were as thin as tissue paper.
Natsu on the other hand wasn't effected at all.
"It's cold!" Lucy couldn't help but whine. She'd never felt so cold before. Already she couldn't feel her toes, and they'd just gotten out of the carriage.
"That's cause you're wearing so little." Natsu pointed out.
Which was true, a tank top and short skirt weren't good things to wear during a snowstorm. However she didn't want to hear it from someone wearing an open vest, sandals and capris regardless if he was a fire mage or not. "So are you!" The only thing weather appropriate he had on was his white scarf.
"Well, I'm heading back!" The driver informed them before turning around and leaving for the nearest town. "Good luck!"
"Wait!" She cried out, trying to chase after it. "How are we supposed to get back?"
She thought she heard both Natsu and Happy say something, but whatever they were talking about was lost to the wind. The trio were soon left alone on the mountain side. Lucy was really regretting listening to Mirajane.
"Hey, can I borrow your blanket?" Lucy tugged at the thick, likely warm, rolled up blanket nestled in Natsu's pack.
"No way. It's mine." He emphasized the last word strongly. She didn't understand why, Lucy already figured it wasn't anyone else's. However it was too cold to think about anything other than getting warm.
She tried to take it out regardless. Natsu batted her hands away with a small growl.
With a shivering sigh and a wavering voice she summoned her faithful clock, chanting the words to open his gate without even thinking about doing so.
The large pendulum clock spirit appeared with a poof of smoke and posed, trying to impress Lucy's new guild mates. Both the fire dragon slayer and the blue cat looked amazed, but Lucy could only really appreciate the warmth of Horologium's interior. She sighed in relief as the glass door closed and the warmth of his insides soaked into her frozen skin.
"Thanks Horologium." She murmured, patting the wood at one of his sides.
He hummed in response. The sound vibrating soothingly throughout his hollow chamber. She figured he was happy that she was using him for his intended purpose. He was never happy with being used for storage. While she knew she couldn't stay in him forever, her magic wasn't strong enough, she'd savor what little time she had.
She raised her voice, letting him know that she wanted the ones outside to hear what she was saying. "I'll stay in here."
Natsu spoke, though she couldn't hear him. Horologium had to provide his voice. "What did she come here for, he says."
"Mirajane asked me to help." He apparently hadn't listened to her talking earlier, which made sense, considering how sick he'd seemed. "Anyway, what kind of job did Mr. Macao come here for?"
Natsu looked incredulous. "You came here without knowing that? He came to fight Vulcans. He says."
She squeaked as she recalled just what kind of creatures Vulcans were. "I want to go home." Never mind that she didn't have a home to go back to at the moment.
"Yes, go ahead says I. He says." Horologium murmured into her ear, as Natsu and Happy walked away. He paused for a moment before adding, what could only be something Happy would say, "Aye. He says."
"That's probably going to get confusing." She muttered to her clock. She received another hum in agreement before her spirit started waddling after the two.
"Your male friend is currently calling out for his missing comrade." Because neither of the ones outside Horologium were talking to her, the spirit felt no need to parrot what exactly was said. Even if he hadn't told her that, she could see Natsu shouting, though she couldn't hear him. "I have 50 minutes left before I must leave."
"Thanks."
Natsu suddenly dodged back as a large white monkey creature landed before him and attacked.
"It's a Vulcan! The cat says."
She couldn't get a good look at it before it vaulted past Natsu. Suddenly she got too good of a look at it since it pressed its face right into Horologium's glass. It had a long face, made even longer by its pointed chin and spike of hair. It licked the glass, as if trying to taste her. Despite knowing that nothing could get into Horologium without his say so, Lucy still cried out and cringed behind his pendulum.
"A human woman! He says." While her spirit faithfully parroted the Vulcan's words and tone, he couldn't hide the disgust in his voice when he finished quoting the perverted creature. Dimly, Lucy recalled that there were no female Vulcans, that the only way they could reproduce was by finding and raping females of various species. Most commonly human woman.
She screamed as the creature picked her up, though only Horologium could hear her. He offered her quiet words of comfort and encouragement as the beast bounded and jostled them on the way to his lair.
However her spirit could only protect her for so long. After he went back, she'd be vulnerable to the Vulcans grabby hands.