The right fit
Natsu slowly made the trek to Fairy hills in the early hours of the day. His feet slowly dragging behind him as he took a glance up to the dormitories, a look of silent acceptance of his fate plastered on his face. This was day one of Erza's weapon training, or as Natsu liked to refer to it as, Death camp.
He finally made it to the door of the dormitory just as they opened up to reveal a wide awake armored mage making her way towards Natsu. "Good morning Natsu, are you ready for your lessons?" she asked crossing her arms, a small smile gracing her lips.
Natsu looked up in horror as a flashback to Erza's previous 'lessons' entered his mind. "Why do I need to do this Erza!? Look you can't even tell I was cut yesterday!" Natsu whined as he raised his arms to show that both of his arms had in fact already healed with only a small scar showing that he was ever even cut.
Erza let out a sigh "You will learn how to use a weapon. Understand Natsu?" she eyed the dragon slayer making the dragon slayer shiver.
"A-a-aye sir" Natsu saluted.
"Alright, we will be training in a clearing in the woods so that we won't have any distractions." Erza stated as she turned and began to head toward the forest, Natsu following in tow.
"I still don't understand how I was even cut." Natsu said aloud as he scratched the back of his head looking at the small scar on his other arm. "Usually being a dragon slayer makes my body a lot more durable then stupid swords and what not."
"Tork, the bandit leader you fought was a wind mage. Although he was weak he had an ability to create a high speed wind current along the very edge of his blade. This allowed him to cut extremely hard surfaces, I guess even your dragon slayer abilities weren't strong enough to deflect such an attack." Erza commented.
"Well if I had actual dragon scales that wouldn't have happened." Natsu grumbled as he crossed his arms and continued to follow Erza.
After some time they finally arrived at the clearing that Erza described. When they arrived Erza turned to Natsu and started to study the dragon slayer eyeing everything from his head to toe. The dragon slayer shuffled from foot to foot as Erza circled him, feeling like a cornered animal about to be sold at a meat market.
"Well there is no doubt that you have strength so maybe you could match with this." And with that Erza reequipped a large black mace that was usually part of her Purgatory armor.
Natsu looked in awe at the large spiked mace floating in the air before him. That was until the mace fell to the earth successfully crushing every bone in Natsu's foot.
"AHHHH ERZA MY FOOT!"
"SCILENCE!"
"Y-y-yes ma'am" Natsu shrunk with anime tears covering his eyes.
Erza turned and put her hand on her chin. "Hmm it seems that I have forgotten my chees cak- I mean something important at the dormitory. While I'm away test out these weapons and try to find the one that fits you best." With that several different types of weapons appeared around Erza and dropped into the clearing "I'll be back shortly."
Natsu watched Erza leave as he grabbed the mace and removed it from his foot and held it across his shoulder. "Yosh! I'm Natsu the Barbarian!" he yelled as fire flew from his mouth. He jumped into the air and swung the large mace, crushing a tree into splinters. He then threw the mace back onto his shoulder causing him to stumble backwards several steps. "Jeez this is heavy."
Natsu set the mace down, making sure to put it as far away from his foot as possible. He walked over to the nearest weapon that was laying on the ground. It was a red and black katana. Natsu grew a large smirk as he picked up the sword, he then wrapped his scarf around his head as he struck a pose. "Nin-nin" he whispered as he charged at a tree, unsheathing the blade and cutting the tree into pieces then using his momentum to scale another tree and clearing it of branches before jumping off and landing back in the clearing. He adjusted the scarf back around his neck and looked at the blade "Wow this is awesome! I'm like an actual ninja!" He exclaimed with a large smirk. He then put a hand on the far end of the blade and pushed slightly, feeling the blade bend and give slightly.
"Wow that so cool!" stars appeared in his eyes as he continued to play with the springy blade. "I wonder how far I can bend I-"
*SNAP*
…
…
"SHIT I BROKE IT!" Natsu yelled as he held the two half's of the katana in his hand "I CAN'T LET ERZA SEE THIS! SHE'LL KILL ME!" and with that Natsu did the best thing he could think of. He threw the broken Katana as far as he could into the woods.
After that Natsu tried a spear, axe, several different types of swords, and even a bow. All of which either ended with Natsu having a near death experience or the weapon in question begin broken and thrown to join its katana comrade in the woods
Natsu let out a depressing sigh as he walked around the clearing "I knew getting a weapon was a stupid idea." he grumbled to himself as he felt his foot hit a metal object. He looked down and saw a rather interesting pair of weapons. The looked like single edged swords but instead of the handle being at the ends the came out horizontally about a fourth of the way down the blade form one end. Natsu reached down and picked up the two blades. From the handles the blade curved inward covering the front of his knuckles, the blade also continued along his forearm in the other direction, the blade ending just beyond his elbow.
Natsu examined the two blades, they reminded him of two 'J's' with the handle coming out just where the hook of the 'J' began. He fit both of them on him and took a stance. Natsu smiled since with these weapons he was able to take a normal fist fighting stance. He lunged at one of the few unscarred trees around the area and swiped his arm across it, causing the tree to split in half. He then punched another tree, his power driving the blade and his fist several inches into the tree itself. Natsu pulled out his fist and looked at the two weapons. "I have no idea what you guys are but this is BADASS!" he yelled as he jumped up and made his way back to the center of the clearing in time to see Erza entering it at the same time.
"Natsu…" She said silently.
"Yo Erza look I found these two things! They're amazing and I don't have to change how I fight that much to use them." Natsu smiled as he ran towards her. His run and excitement however were short lived as a steel fist slammed into his face and through him back several feet.
"Why are all my weapons broken? Prepare yourself Natsu!" Erza yelled as she equipped a long sword and charged after Natsu.
"I'm sorry Erza I didn't mean to-"he was cut off as Erza was already on him, he held his blades up catching her attack. "Hey I used them to bloc-"Erza's leg then stopped Natsu from finishing his sentence as he was shot backwards yet again.
"Dammit Erza let me finish a sentence!" Natsu yelled "If you wanna fight lets fight!" he got in a stance fire coating his body. Erza only gave a small smile before reequipping into her flame empress armor.
"Let's see how well of a match those are for you Natsu!" Erza yelled as she charged Natsu.
/Later at the guild
"Ugh. Why won't this thing work?" Lucy whined as she slammed her head on the counter top, the lacrima jumping slightly at the impact. "Why can't I use any other magic with this thing?" the blonde asked aloud.
"Hey Lu-chan!" Levy called from across the guild as she raced toward Lucy and dropping a stack of books on the counter beside her. "I did some research on the lacrima since I saw you having trouble with It." she smiled.
"Hey Levy-chan." Lucy answered unenthusiastically, "and what did you find?" she mumbled out.
"Well," Levy opened a book and started to run through the pages "It says here that each 'holder' lacrima can only be used to on a certain type of holder-type magic. Like each lacrima can only use a specific holder-type magic with it."
"But Levy-chan I already used every holder-type magic I could find! Cana's cards, Loki's rings, I've tried all of them." Lucy whined as she smacked her head against the table again.
"Hmmm, Lu-chan do you mind if I borrow Plue's key?"
"Sure, what for?" Lucy asked as she reached down and slid the key from her pouch.
"Just an experiment." Levy grinned as she snatched the key and lacrima away "Uhhh, Plue I summon you?" Levy said awkwardly as she swung the key around and touched it to the lacrima.
A light appeared before her and died to show a very confused Plue.
"Puun pun?" Plue asked as he tilted his head in confusion.
"How did you even summon him? That's not even the right words!" Lucy yelled as she ran up to Levy and snatched the key and lacrima form her hands, making Plue disappear.
"Well at least we know what type of holder magic it uses Lu-chan!" Levy said with an upbeat.
Lucy looked down at the lacrima "But what is a spirit mage supposed to do with a spirit lacrima! I'm going to be broke fulfiilling my promises to Natsu, Gary, and Erza and I didn't even get the power-up I wanted." Lucy cried as she sunk to her knees, anime tears streaking down her face.
Just then the doors burst open to reveal a smiling Erza walking in, and a half dead looking Natsu trailing behind. Erza walked in dragging a beat and bruised Natsu behind her and made her way to the bar, throwing Natsu on a bar stool before sitting beside him. "Some cheese cake Mira."
"Sure thing Erza, what about you Natsu?" Mira asked her sweet smile never leaving her face.
"W-w-w-water and m-m-meat." He coughed out as he laid sprawled out on the counter top.
Gray made his way up to the bar "What happened to you flame brain?" he asked poking Natsu in the side, only getting a few grunts in reply.
"He has been taking lessons with me." Erza smiled as Mira returned with her cheese cake and she took a bite. "Ahh it feels so nostalgic does it not Natsu?" She asked looking over to the fire mage as he tried to lift his head high enough to reach the straw of his drink.
Gray's face paled as Natsu turned to look him with a pleading look. Gray put a hand on Natsu's back "I'm so sorry, you poor bastard." He then stood and left before he could somehow get sucked into whatever hell it was that Natsu was living in.
Lucy then made her way beside Natsu, tears still in her eyes "Natsu, Erza ill buy your armor and food another month I promise! I need to pay my rent this month and I barely have enough money."
Erza turned to face the blonde "I thought you would have gone on another job already since you have that lacrima and can use a different magic now?" Erza questioned.
"Well you see it will only work on celestial keys so it really didn't help me at all..." Lucy said sheepishly as she diverted her eyes.
"Very well, I will make an exception to your debt. So will Natsu." Erza said as she turned back to her cake. A groan was the only response from Natsu.
"So um what lessons has Natsu been taking to make him so… yeah?" Lucy asked as she helped the poor soul finally reach the straw and chug down all his water.
"Weapon's training. Natsu will be training with me for the next few months to perfect his abilities with his blades."
"Natsu uses blades now?" Lucy asked as she began to think of all the damage and blade slinging destructive a fire breathing Natsu could cause. "Are you sure that a good idea Erza?" Lucy sweat dropped.
"Oh course, he will be a greater impact of the battle field and will be able to defend himself more. Even in our recent spar he showed great improvement." Erza nodded as she took another bite.
"So it's just you and Natsu training then?" Lucy asked out of the blue.
Erza looked up from her cake to the blonde "Yes, is that a problem." She narrowed her eyes causing the blonde to jump back slightly.
"No, no problem at all Erza!" she hurried out as she took a few steps back. "I was just wondering about doing jobs to get my rent money since Natsu is my partner and all."
"In that case I will accompany both of you along your jobs, when we aren't working on the job I will use the time to train Natsu more." Erza thought for a second before smiling and continuing with her cake. She then stood up pushing the empty cake plate always from. "Come Natsu we need to clean up then continue with you training." With that she threw the fire mage over her shoulder and made her way towards the door.
"B-b-but my m-m-meat…" The pink haired mage struggled to lift his arm toward the tray that Mira just brought out only grabbing a piece of fire chicken.
Lucy watched as the two left the guild, her eyes were glued on the door as it shut behind them cutting off her line of site.
"Erza sure has taken a liking to Natsu." A cheery voice said from behind Lucy causing her to turn around and see Mira in front of her cleaning a glass.
"Yeah, it's different. They only started today and I never even saw Natsu until just then." Lucy said dully as she looked back to the door.
"Oh my, someone isn't getting jealous of Erza is she?" Mira teased.
"W-w-what? Of course not! Why would I be jealous of Natsu and Erza hanging out all the time anyways?" Lucy huffed with blushing cheeks as she looked away from Mira.
"No one said anything about Natsu." Mira giggled as Lucy blush darkened.
"I-I-I'm going home for a bit." The flustered blonde spat out as she hurried out of the guild. 'I'm not jealous of Erza! Natsu and Erza are friends and they can do whatever they want. Who am I to tell Natsu what he can and can't do?' Lucy thought as she made her way to her home. She unlocked her front door and walked into her apartment. It was probably the first time she has ever entered it without being confronted by Natsu or some other guild mate. She let out a sigh "Guess it's going to be quite around here with Natsu training with Erza all the time." Lucy said to herself as she moved to her kitchen and opened her refrigerator "At least I'll save money on food now!" she said with a smile "And I don't have to worry about someone coming in the shower either!" She smiled as she walked around her empty room before sitting herself at her writing desk "And not to mention I will finally be able to finish that story for Levy-chan!" Lucy smiled as she began to write.
After an hour and a half Lucy had yet to write a single word. "Grr this writer's block is killing me." She said aloud to the dark, empty room. She yet out a light yawn before slowly standing up and making her way to her bed, she reached over to lock her window like she did every night but stopped as her hand reached the cold lock "Wait Natsu is probably too tired from being with Erza to sneak in tonight. That means I don't have to worry about him sneaking into my bed!" Lucy cheered as she left the window unlocked and changed into her sleep wear before falling into her cozy bed.
"No more Natsu eating all my food, no more Natsu reading my stories, no more Natsu breaking into my house." Lucy muttered as she sank into her covers. Lucy felt a small chill and looked over to her heater 'Oh yeah it broke a few months ago.' Lucy thought to herself as she tried to bundle up in her blankets deeper to fight the chill and find some type of warmth on this cold evening.
"I wish Natsu was here…" and with that the blonde slowly began her dissent into what she would probably describe as the worst night's sleep she has felt in many years.