Best Friend

Natsu was snoring, as he slept in his hammock, while Happy slept in a hammock over him, sleeping by tying a pillow around his head. They had a rather active day, and were more than happy to finally go to sleep.

As Natsu continued to snore, his dreams began to take form.

(in Natsu's dream)

Natsu was standing over the beaten Erza, Laxus, Gray, and Gajeel, laughing triumphantly. His Eye of the Fire Dragon was glowing bright.

"I'm the strongest one there is!" he declared proudly.

"Indeed you are," a deep voice rumbled. Natsu turned, as he saw a massive darkness consuming him.

"Your power is great, but it can be greater!" Natsu looked around for where the voice was coming. He turned, and saw two blazing eyes, the same as his Dragon's Eye staring down at him.

"Who are you?" Natsu asked. The being didn't answer, as all Natsu suddenly saw was a blast of fire, and a tremendous roar.

(end dream)

Natsu let out a gasp, as he abruptly set up, breathing heavily. He looked up, and saw Happy still sleeping over him.

What was that? he thought, as he looked at his hand.

(the next day)

As things turned out, Natsu didn't get that much sleep that night. Something about that dream seemed to deny him his ability to sleep, so Natsu spent the a good chunk of the rest of the night tossing and turning. He let out a massive yawn, exhaling a small cloud of fire as he did.

"Is it too much to ask that you maybe cover your mouth when you do that?" Lucy asked, "I'm not up to being singed."

"I can't help it when I yawn," Natsu answered, "If you don't like than just move."

"But I was here first," Lucy pointed out.

"So?" Lucy sighed, and shook her head, as she went back to her food.

"Aren't you going to take any jobs?" she asked.

"Not today," Natsu answered, as he lay his head on the table, "I'm too tired."

"Natsu had a bad dream and was too scared to sleep," Happy said, as he sat on Natsu's head.

"That's not what happened!" Natsu said as he abruptly leaned up.

"Todays probably not a good day to take jobs anyway," Erza said, as she checked her reflection in her sword. Lucy looked her over, and noticed she had re-quipped into a nice dress, with her hair tied back, and her make up done.

"What's today?" Lucy asked.

"Didn't you hear? Sorcerer's Weekly is coming today," Erza explained.

"What?!" Lucy cried, as she stood straight up, "Nobody told me!" She then ran out, going to her apartment.

"I've got to get ready!" she cried. Natsu watched her run out.

"You probably should get ready as well," Erza said to him.

"I don't care about some dumb magazine," Natsu muttered.

About half and hour later, Lucy returned, her lightly curled, and wearing a beautiful dress. She took a pose to her friends.

"How do I look?" she asked, "I got Cancer to do my hair, and then had Virgo get me a nice dress."

"You look great!" Mirajane said with a smile.

"I'm sure you'll attract the reporter's attention," Erza said. Lucy looked to Natsu, and caught him swinging his gaze away.

"What's with you?" Lucy asked.

"Nothing," Natsu answered, as he put his head back on the table. Unbeknownst to Lucy, he was blushing.

"I've been reading Sorcerer's Weekly since I first become a mage!" Lucy explained, "Its always been one of my dreams to get into it someday!"

"Well, today's your chance!" Happy said as he jumped up to sit on Lucy's hand, only the shoved away.

"Don't mess up my hair," Lucy said flatly, "Now where should I go to be seen?"

"Don't you think you're taking this to seriously?" Natsu asked, his eye shifting to Lucy. Lucy flicked him on the forehead.

"Of course not!" she said firmly, "Sorcerer's Weekly is on of the top magazines in the Kingdom! You get on it, you can get anywhere!" Natsu was silent, as he put his head back down.

Eventually, it was said that the reporter was about to arrive. Lucy quickly got into position, sitting on the table, as she took a pose.

"Can you move, I can't eat," Natsu said. Lucy ignored him, as she watched the door, as it opened.

"SO COOL!" A flash slid into the guild hall, revealing a man in a pink shirt with blonde hair, with a small spike at the top.

"Welcome Mr. Jason!" Mirajane said as she approached the reporter.

"Mirajane Strauss! Cool!" Jason roared as he immediately started snapping photos of her. Lucy frowned. She was sitting right next to him, and yet hadn't even been noticed. Jason looked her way, and Lucy smiled and waved, only for him to run right past her towards Natsu.

"Natsu Dragneel!" Jason said, "You're so cool! Tell me, why are you always destroying everything?"

"First you tell why you always write crap about me," Natsu answered, not picking his head up, "Piss off."

"Can I shake your hand?" Natsu responded by punching him away.

"So cool!" Jason roared. Lucy sighed with disappointment.

"Ignored again," she muttered. That caught the ears of Natsu, who looked up at her, noticing her disappointment. He looked in the direction of Jason.

"Oi!" he called, "Try interviewing the blonde!" However, Jason was too caught up in trying to interview Erza.

This continued for a time, as Jason interviewed almost everyone. Lucy watched as he talked with Cana, Shadow Gear, Elfman, Alzack, Bisca, Max, Macao, and essentially everyone but Lucy. So Lucy decided to take desperate measures. She ran behind the stage, and asked for a spotlight. When everyone turned, Lucy got ready to emerge wearing a bunny suit. If there was anything Erza taught her, skimpy outfits caught a man's eye.

She cracked her knuckles, and as the curtains opened, Lucy spread her arms to present herself. She was on the stage, in all her exposed glory. Everyone stared in surprise at Lucy's uncharacteristic immodesty. Natsu flushed brief red.

If this doesn't attract his attention… Lucy thought.

"I wrote a song," a familiar voice said, "Its called Best Friend!" Lucy whirled around, and saw Gajeel sitting in a white suit, with a guitar.

"Get off the stage!" Lucy, along with just about everyone else, yelled. Gajeel, naturally, ignored them.

"Colorful, colorful, shooby do bop!" he sung, "Tremble with love, gray steel, and metallic, shooby do bop!"

"Gajeel!" Jason, as he ran up to the stage, "SO COOL!"

"We said get off the stage!" Macao yelled.

"He's actually not half bad!" Elfman said.

"Go for it Gajeel!" Juvia said.

Shadow Gear watched as well. Levy caught herself smiling softly. Something about his passion was admirable to her. Jet and Droy, however were staring more than daggers at Gajeel. If looks could kill, Gajeel would be incinerated several times over.

After Gajeel played a brief solo with his harmonica, that made a sound similar to a screaming goblin, he turned towards where Lucy was.

"Bunny girl, dance…" However Lucy was gone.

"Where'd Lucy go?" Happy asked. Natsu was silent, as he stood up, and left.

(in Lucy's apartment)

Lucy was sitting at the edge of her bed, her legs tucked in. She had of coursed changed out of the bunny costume, and was wearing her usual outfit. She could have lived with not being interviewed, but being completely ignored by that…

The blonde tightened her grip on her legs, as she hid her face. She heard the window open. It was Natsu, same as always, with Happy following behind him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. Lucy didn't have the energy to start yelling at him this time around.

"Nothing," Natsu answered. He looked over Lucy. When he heard how excited Lucy was for the reporter, he didn't think anything of it, but seeing her like this…

"Who even cares about that stupid magazine?" Natsu said, trying to make her feel better.

"I do," Lucy said, burying her face back in her knees. Natsu sighed, as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"For what its worth, I think you're pretty cool," he said.

"Aye! You're really cool!" Happy said, pumping his paw. Lucy looked up, tears lining her eyes. Natsu grinned at her. Lucy smiled back, wiping her tears.

"Thanks."

(out in the park, later in the day)

Gajeel was heading back to his residence, as he let out a loud yawn, spitting out a few iron files. As he crossed through the park, he heard someone calling him.

"What the hell?" he muttered. He turned, and saw Shadow Gear standing at the tree. Jet and Droy were staring down him, while Levy was staring at the ground, her hands clasped together.

"The hell do you want?" Gajeel asked.

"Come over here," Jet said.

"Why?"

"What are you scared?" Droy said. That was just what Gajeel needed to come over.

"What's the problem?" he sneered.

"Its time we discussed what you did to us," Droy said. He then threw his seeds into the ground, as several massive vines erupted out of the ground, and smacked Gajeel clean in the face. Jet followed up by shooting over to Gajeel, and punching him the stomach, knocking him to the ground. During this, Levy didn't look up, as she clenched her teeth.

"This is for all the pain you brought us!" Jet said, as he kicked Gajeel in the face.

"And this is for you what you did to Levy!" Droy answered, as another vine socked Gajeel in the stomach.

During all this, Gajeel didn't do anything, he just took it all. That didn't go unnoticed by Levy, as she looked up while Gajeel was still being beat up. She clenched her fists, as she shook her head.

"Alright, that's enough!" she said, "He got the message!" Jet and Droy looked up at Levy. They wanted to keep on going, but if Levy told them to stop, they'd stop.

"I'd beg to differ." They all looked over, and saw Laxus approaching.

"Laxus?" Levy asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to deliver some payback," Laxus said, as he held up his hand. A bolt of lightning then struck down at Gajeel, who let out a roar of pain, which was odd. Levy let out a gasp, as she covered her mouth. Even Jet and Droy were surprised.

"Its your fault that Fairy Tail has the reputation it does now!" Laxus yelled over Gajeel's burned body. Another bolt of lightning struck down, hitting Gajeel again.

"Laxus!" Levy said, as she jumped forward.

"Levy!" Jet and Droy cried.

"That's enough!" Levy said, "He got the message! You don't have to hurt him anymore!"

"That's where your wrong," Laxus said, "I've got to hurt him until he, and everyone else gets the message. Now get out of my way."

Levy stood her ground. She wasn't going to let Laxus brutalize anyone.

"Fine then, I'll just remove you," Laxus said, as he cracked his neck, and pointed a finger at Levy. He then let out a bolt of lightning. Jet and Droy cried, as they jumped forward.

When the dust faded, it showed Gajeel, defending Levy, his arm made of iron.

"The reason I was defending myself from you was because I wanted to show you I was your comrade," Gajeel explained to Levy, "But when when you start shooting at each other, instead of me, then that's uncalled for." He then turned, and left.

"Just leave me alone," he said. Levy and Shadow Gear just stared after him. Levy couldn't help but smile at him. Laxus growled, as he turned and walked away.

"This is how Fairy Tail is supposed to be."

Note: Thanks to Johnny Specter for helping to put this idea for Gajeel in my head. I'm going to state a few pairing facts here. The following will be present: NaLu, GaLe, and Gruvia.

I figured Lucy would feel much more hurt about being completely ignored during Jason's visit. I used this as a means to insert another NaLu scene.

And really people, only two reviews last chapter? Come now, reviewing doesn't take too long.

Next will be the start of the Fighting Festival. I may take a brief break from "Eye of the Black Dragon" to work on this.