I just felt myself stare waiting for Natsu to burst out laughing but his eyes remained unchanging.
Why wasn't he laughing? Why did he suddenly look like he regreted what he told me? I'm pretty sure that must be a form of lying, it had to be.
"Is this a joke of yours Natsu?" I laughed carefully.
"My Dad being in jail isn't funny, Lucy!" He snapped obviously offended.
"No not that! I'm talking about you accusing my Aunt! Aunty Michelle wouldn't do that!" I bit back, narrowing my eyes.
The falling snow outside flew down heavier and the harsh, howling wind began rattling the door. The sky had darkened considerably and the temperature was dropping.
I couldn't even fathom what I had just heard! Michelle? The woman who saved me from the loneliness of Father's home and accepted me with a kind smile and warm hug? No! I wasn't possible.
"Yes she did! She was always there! A snake! A rose with thorns embedded under the petals! She took him! She accused him and acted like a hero about it! Even had the nerve to try and talk to me like she had done the right thing!" By the end of his little rant he was seething and huffing for air. His anger was on me and I felt trapped and boxed in.
I was mildly astonished. I almost believed him for a second, however, "You don't just get sent to prison, Natsu. You have to do something bad, something illegal which means you're not safe to be out in public."
"Well duh! Listen! Igneel used to be bad but then he was good! That snob just couldn't see it..." Natsu looked away and fiddled with the dragon figurine tracing the scars and details.
"Well that's not enough!" I stood up quickly pulling on my boots and making my way to the door, "I'm going home, I want Michelle! She'll tell me!" I opened the sliding door and embraced the icy cold wind that hit my face.
Natsu was a liar Father was right about these people being stupid! He is always right...
I had begun down the ladder when I heard foot steps running above me, "She won't tell you the truth!" I looked up to see a tears eyed Natsu staring down at me, pure desperation in his eyes. "She lied to everyone else about it saying I was better off with out Igneel," he held out his hand to me, "Stay with me Lucy, I don't want to be alone." His voice had cracked slightly.
I could feel myself already forgive him and I just realised how much Natsu had me wrapped around his fingers, I couldn't bring myself to leave him alone.
"Okay."
As I was still at the top half of the ladder I only had to stand on my tiptoes to grasp his hand.
Gently going to place my hand in his I leaned up.
Suddenly I felt that numb sensation, that one where your heart pumps so fast it hurts. When I heard that scrape of bark I froze up.
I knew I wasn't imagining the deafing sound of wind rushing past my ears or the fact that Natsu's face and out-stretched hand was getting further away. I couldn't scream. I was moving too fast.
"LUCCCCCY"
My back hit the ground with a huge thump and the back of my head was numb, all I could hear was Natsu's yelling followed by my vision blurring. I allowed my eyes to close and slipped into unconsciousness.
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When I opened my eyes I was in my old bed and Mama at my side, her eyes sparkled like stars and was as angelic as I remembered her. Her pale blonde hair made me know that she was an angel in human skin.
"Hi Mama!"
She looked down at me with a confused smile, "What do you mean Sweetheart? It's time for your bedtime story."
Oh.
"What story is it tonight Mama?"
"A story of the Fire Dragon and the Human Boy."
I settled my head on my old pillow inhaling familiar scents and listened to my mothers words that sounded like bells chiming. Her words painted a huge landscape with characters that were popping out from the pages and running across my duvet, Mama could make a table spoon sound magical if she wanted.
"Mama," I interrupted her fascinating tale, I felt some kind of De-Ja-vu swoop through me from the story she told.
Mother looked at me with concern shining in her big brown eyes, I usually never interrupt my bed time stories as books were things me and my mother thrived on and regularly occupied the library discussing our own universes and alternate endings. It was like our own private Mother-Daughter book club.
"Yes Dear, is something troubling you?"
"In the past the Dragon killed humans and terrorized them, I get that he's good now but it seems that it has just been brushed under the rug." I didn't understand the origins of my rambling, I was certain I should be happy for the dragon not so focused on his past.
My mother blinked and gave me a soft smile and patted my head with her soft hands and brought them down to cup my cheek.
"People can redeem themselves in different ways, Honey. In this story our Dragon raises a child not to be monster, but a loving son. You could say he is making sure his mistakes will not be made again or is renewing himself in this boy."
I took in what she said, "But that doesn't change anything. Shouldn't he be punished for what he has done?"
"Remember this Lucy, sometimes there is no right or wrong answer, there will always be two sides to every story."
She then picked up the book and continued on with the Fairy tale book as if nothing had happened and I found myself drifting off to sleep in my Mother's warm arms.
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My eyelids were so heavy when I woke up I almost thought I had gone blind. My back ached and my vision was blurry, I vaguely remembered that I had fallen off Natsu's ladder. My body was stiff and hard to control when all my body wanted to do was go back to sleep and be with Mama.
Looking around I was in the doctor's infirmary with Michelle sleeping beside me snoring lightly. She had a tight grip on my hand and was trembling slightly and whimpering- wait was she awake?
I used my free hand to shake her slightly, it took her a few moments to react, she slowly sat up staring at me through hazed eyes and didn't seem very aware of her surroundings.
"Aunty?" I tried.
That was all it took for the dam of tears to break.
She was all over me in seconds firing question after question all similar to "Are you okay? I'm so glad you're up!"
"How long have I been here?"
"Always straight to the point aren't you? Well they don't call you Lucky Lucy for nothing, that fall should have paralysed you but the snow broke your fall! Snow is my new favourite weather! It saved my baby Niece, Oh if anything had happened to you I don't know what I'd do!"
I made sure to wrap my hands around her but I cried out when my back started burn with pain, it brought tears to my eyes at how excruciating it was.
"Oh, careful Sweetie, you fell on your back so it's now very happy with you," Michelle hovered over me running her fingers through my hair lovingly.
"There was a lead up to why I fell." I blurted. I could never keep this to myself Mama told things like that weren't healthy.
It went silent. The dirty blonde stared at me with confused eyes.
"I was having fun with Natsu I showed him the present it was great but then he told me something funny." I let out a bitter laugh it almost wasn't audible because of the tears building up in my eyes. My mother's words rung in my head, there was a possibility that Michelle wasn't in the right and Natsu was justified in his hate for her.
"It was so funny you fell," Michelle suggested lightly.
I giggle despite myself, I loved Michelle so much that I was too scared to know any other side to her aside from the one I know.
"He said you're the reason Igneel is in prison."
"I was hoping you wouldn't be asking about that for another month or so...Natsu and you are that close?" The dirty blonde laughed to herself. "Lucy...your friend isn't wrong not in the slightest, however, he doesn't know the full story."
I just sat and stared.
"In my prime I first travelled to Magnolia fifthteen years ago with my best friend Éclair, you may have seen her in photo albums." I nodded, Éclair was stunningly beautiful with long brown hair and matching eyes.
"Also during this time there were gangs crawling the area killing and stealing and very much a tough world," she inhaled and let out a shaky breath, "One night we were out walking home from an adult night out and slightly intoxicated and witnessed one of these murders first hand."
I gasped.
"In this gang there could be no witnesses, Éclair was shot dead and I ran. However, I saw his face, big spiky red hair and slanted black eyes," Michelle seemed to be internally struggling knowing she needed to sugar coat it for me.
"I'm talking to you as an adult because you're very mature for your age, I'm trusting you to make the right decision concerning Natsu."
"I'll stick with Natsu, I promise."
She gave me her signature warm smile, "Good girl." Suddenly her face dropped to a frown, "Éclair was my best friend and I was obsessed with finding her justice since the police were useless. It took around ten years of hopeless searching until I finally saw him again but he was a new person entirely.
A well dressed man with a loving smile and a giggling infant boy on his shoulders, Igneel Dragneel. I didn't have any evidence and by this time everyone thought I was going off into the deep end. I did my research asked locals and it was the same man but I couldn't see that he had turned his life around.
I came up to Natsu when he was alone every week or so and asked him about Igneel and Natsu would always vent to me how great Igneel was. At this point I believed Igneel had brainwashed or deceived his own child into believing him to be some sort of hero, in return I would tell Natsu about you, Layla and Jude. The more I think about the more I notice that Natsu had trusted me and considered me a trusted acquaintance to tell his problems.
I never forgot his face when I saw him in the police station. I thought I was saving him when really I had ruined everything I was too blind to see Igneel had reformed and regularly delivered flowers to his victims graves, Éclair's included. He pleaded guilty and revealed the reason he hadn't turned himself in was because he had Nastu-"
"But he was a murderer! He had to pay for his crimes!" Michelle was being ridiculous I loved and sympathised with Natsu but I wouldn't sit here and listen to my aunt fall apart defending a-
"I ruined Natsu's life. I took away a father who built his son that magnificent tree house from scratch before he left for prison."
I paused. 'It was a Dragon's den, not a tree house.' My mind corrected.
"Natsu lost his smile all together. He threw temper tantrums in play group and sent some children to hospital, he was lucky that Gildarts was willing to take him in with welcoming arms. It was almost like karma was slapping me in the face when I noticed that my neighbours had taken in the one boy I never wanted to see again. He stayed locked up in his room and only answered when he thought that Igneel was walking through the door.
The community hated me as well I found myself as lonely as Natsu, thankfully he was granted permission to visit his father." Michelle finished with a smile.
"...When will Igneel be released?" I desperately wanted father and son to be reunited and living together again.
"Its been five years now so ten more- eight assuming he'll be let out on good behaviour."
"So...you want Igneel free?" I questions not entirely sure of Michelle's logic.
"Oh don't misunderstand me, Lucy. I'm happy to see the killer of my best friend behind bars and paying for what he did. However, I never wanted to cause Natsu any harm."
"Doesn't Natsu have a mother? To take care of him?"
"None that I know of, just Natsu and Igneel."
"But doesn't the stork deliever children to mothers?"
Michelle gave me an amused smile that I couldn't understand, "The stork must have realised that Natsu belonged with Igneel as it would make Igneel a better man."
Well that makes sense, I nodded in agreement. The stork was never wrong.
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A few days later it was December 16th and officially Christmas break and I was given permission to leave by Doctor Porlyusica who, in my opinion, was much too happy to see me leave.
Father also called to see how I was- well he called Michelle and then asked her to pass the phone onto Mr Lobster to discuss business. I cried myself to sleep because I knew that he had only called about me as an excuse to talk to Mr. Lobster
The next day there was still no word from Natsu which made my heart sink slightly, to help distract me Michelle let me decorate the Christmas tree and would put things on the branches that I couldn't reach and to put less strain on my back.
Michelle also insisted that we go out Christmas shopping with Mr Lobster to take our minds off of things and shop till we drop. I was ecstatic to buy all the toys I saw and Mr Lobster just looked indifferent, although, I did catch him buying an expensive necklace when Michelle was occupied else where. Just the thought of Michelle's face on Christmas when she opened it had me giggling in glee.
The very next day I gave Plue a festive red and gold Christmas collar and wrote Natsu, Gray, Jellal, Erza, Levy and Cana's and even Mister Gildarts' cards.
I personally designed all of them with my special set of crayons and made sure to also buy Natsu another gift, it was a toy medieval castle set that I came across in a cute dated toy shop.
I carefully placed the cards in my coat pocket and Michelle carried Natsu's present as she refused to let me do it with my healing back.
We walked next door and Michelle knocked twice and readjusted the big gift in her arms.
Mister Gildarts was one of the funniest people I had met and was really nice. He did always keep insisting that I be more informal and call him by name but I had too much respect for him to drop the title. So imagine how I felt when he swooped me up shouting how glad he was that I was safe. It felt like I had a loving dad.
Cana also came to the door and gave me a hug and a small shove for making her worry.
"Be careful now, Lucy watch your back." Michelle scolded.
"I'm finnne," I whined back.
"Good ol' Natsu really has rubbed off on you hasn't he?" Mister Gildarts laughed whilst Cana eyed the present in Michelle's arms.
"Look, look, look! I made you Christmas cards- But you can only open them on Christmas!" I threatened.
I presented them with both their A5 cards with both different colours and different seals.
"Why thank you for the gifts young Lady," the man dramatically bowed before me which had me laughing lightly.
"Who's the present for?" Cana seemed to already know the answer.
"It's for Natsu! He can't open it either! Oh, and here's his card as well." I rambled as I placed the red envelope on top of the box when Michelle had handed it over to Mister Gildarts.
"Aw, I'm sure he'd love anything you gave him."
"He better because I saw some other boy looking at it and all the boys were jealous of it when we were paying!" I may have exaggerated. A lot. Still it was a good present and I expect Natsu to gift me with a huge hug when he opens it.
The reply made the three of them laugh.
"So, uh, where is Natsu?"
Mister Gildarts jerked his thumb back so it pointed to the stairs, "He's in his room, You better get to him soon because he hasn't been in his tree house."
I turned to Michelle who nodded softly at me. "Don't forget to mind yourself and be good for Gildarts." She began to walk off.
I made my way up the stairs and could faintly hear Mister Gildarts say "She's always welcome."
Having been coming and going from this house nearly everyday since I moved here I knew my way around the place blindfolded. I either came racing back with Natsu or strolling in with Cana.
Natsu's room had a maroon door with an obnoxious sign that said 'beware of the dragon' it was more 'caution: cluttered floor' his room was an explosion of mess collecting dust considering the fact he hardly slept here.
I softly knocked on the door, "Hey, Natsu it's Lucy, I just delivered you present and I was wondering if you could help me give out the others." I didn't exactly know where they lived, I roughly knew the street where Jellal lives and the general direction Levy and Erza go- but for Gray I had no clue.
I opened the door slightly only to see Natsu had constructed a pillow fort with two plushies guarding the entrance, I didn't even have to guess where he was.
"Natsu!" I called into fort.
"Lucy?" The fort collapsed at the forceful jerk of his body. I could make out his body scrambling around but not quite finding a was out from under the pillow-blanket chaos. I decided to 'accidently' lift up the blanket and create an exit for him.
The boy scrambled out breathing for the fresh air and his cheeks were flushed with embarrassment.
"Hi Natsu, I just gave Mister Gildarts your Christmas present!"
Natsu shot at me giving me a huge hug which I happily returned and ignored the horrid sensation on my back.
"I'm so happy you're alright! I mean- I knew you were gonna be fine cause you're tough as nails but it still looked pretty painful-"
"Natsu!"
"What?"
"Can you help me?" I brought out the cards and smiled shyly at him, "I don't know where our friends live, I was hoping you did."
"But what about Michelle? And Igneel the reason you fell was-" He seemed very lost and out of character. It was usually me who needed to go back and have everything laid out and explained so all parties understood. Natsu couldn't usually care less and was off in his own world.
"Michelle explained it to me- her side anyway. My Mama also had a say in it and told me that Igneel wasn't a bad person- it's too complicated to explain! Come on Natsu I need to give out my Christmas cards!"
"Weirdo, why would you write Christmas cards for people if you don't even know where they live?"
"That's why I'm asking you!"
"Well how should I know? You're my first friend and I haven't even been to your house," Natsu fired back. That was true.
"I'll invite you sometime but it's nothing on your Dragon's den."
"Yosh!" Natsu threw his hands in the air in triumph. He must have been wanting to go for a while based on that reaction.
"Oh, I know! Cana is close with Gray and Levy. Plus I know what street Jellal lives and if we find Jella we find Erza!" I concluded excitedly clapping my hands together.
"Luce, you're a genius!"
"Lets go and find Cana!" Natsu followed behind me as we ran for Cana's room.
I went to go and knock the door but Natsu barged right on past and into her room. "Yo Cana! We need ya!"
I just sighed and followed after him, "Sorry about intruding, Cana." I looked around the pale purple walls and saw a couple of dream catchers and piles of different game boards. I think I saw some empty bottles from under her bed but she was quick to stand in front of them welcome us.
"Sup guys what do ya need?" She waved to us and made space for us to sit on her bed. Natsu 'gracefully' leaped on her bed settling down and patting a spot next to him for me. Taking the silent invitation I sat down on the side of her bed.
"Hey Cana do you know where Levy, Erza, Gray or Jellal live? I need to give them my Christmas cards!"
"Oh yeah! Levy lives round the back a few gardens over. Jellal and Erza are always at the park at this time and Gray ... uhh I wouldn't bother going to his place. You might catch him though, just look for a trail of clothes on the floor."
That had Natsu roaring.
"That doesn't sound too bad!" I said getting up. I made sure to give Cana a big hug. "Let's go Natsu!"
We were out the door in seconds flat.
Although my back was less than thrilled.
Why did this chapter take so long? I wrote this chapter 3 times. All on different ways that Lucy would react to the news, the first was where Lucy would hear Natsu out but that didn't make sense since Lucy is still a kid and loyal to her family. Therefore in the second she stormed out on Natsu to go to Michelle in which I thought it undermined all the trust I built between Lucy and Natsu. So I did this and LET ME JUST SAY that in this chapter I have embedded 3 mysteries/plot points to ensure the ideas are still flowing and I am not half heartedly uploading when I feel like it. It just took me so long to decide what the characters would do.
Plus this is the longest chapter I have ever written! 4k! Plus Christmas time is coming (So halloweeny I know).