"Finally, got my cloths back." Natsu wrapped his scarf around his neck and gave it an absentminded pet.
Lucy's cloak flew around her as she put it back on and flipped her hood over her head.
She looks so mysterious.
"I need to get back to happy. I've been gone too long."
Natsu saw Lucy tilt her head
"Happy. He's my best friend. Anyway, what about you? You know why those guys were after you?" Natsu asked as he brushed leafs off his backpack.
She looked away from him.
"What is it?" Natsu glanced around. Stream, lots of trees, small cliff which he had hidden his cloths and backpack. Nothing.
She didn't want to meet his eyes.
"So you do know."
Her lips were set in a grim line.
"You going to tell me?"
She shook her head.
"C'mon you can tell me." He said as he poked her cheek.
She looked at him, her eyes unamused and hard.
"Jeze, fine. Let's keep going then." He started walking
He watched her out the corner of his eye as she hastened to catch up.
She had raised her hand to her neck, there on her neck, a large scar.
She really can't talk huh. I wonder what happened.
This girl was strange. She had seen Natsu as a dragon, he had kidnapped her, but instead of escaping the first chance she got, she stayed. Then she healed him.
And changed him back.
She smelled like expensive perfumes, silks and velvets. But those smells were all so faint. Her more recent scents were dirt and dust, hints of sea salt. She had been to Hargeon too.
What is this smell? It's making it hard to smell other things from her.
It smells like...the sky, a shining golden sky.
The wind shifted.
The smell of men filled Natsu's nose, the scent of the men who attacked him and tried to take Lucy.
He put his hand out to stop her.
She bumped into his arm and looked at him puzzled.
"I smell them. Those guys from before."
She looked at him.
-You smell them?- She wrote with her light pen, looking at him doubtfully.
" 'corse I can. They are that way and headed for us."
Natsu pointed in front of them to the right.
She tilted her head.
Natsu could barely hear them in the distance.
-Fight or run-
"I'm a little weak right now. It's your choice. If we fight I'll need you to back me up. All right?"
Those eyes
Lucy felt something stir in her. The trust, the conviction, the courage.
They had known each other for less than an hour, but he trusted her.
And she trusted him.
But why?
Lucy shook her head. she couldn't think about that.
She swiped her hand through the floating text from her light pen to disperse it, grabbed him by the arm and started running.
"Right." He said, running with her.
They raced through the trees, hand in hand.
She could hear them behind them, crashing through the forest.
They knew where they were.
The hunt was on.
"These guys are pissing me off." Natsu spat.
You and me both.
Lucy and Natsu burst through a tree line
...and stopped.
They were facing a cliff.
"Well, looks like fighting it is." Natsu growled.
The mercenaries came bursting through the foliage, and seeing them, surrounded them.
"Nowhere to run now!"
"We found her!"
"Aww, she brought her boyfriend."
Natsu stood just in front of Lucy, not moving.
One of them stepped forwards.
He had leathery skin, hard eyes, muscles on top of muscles, and a scar that ran from his forehead to his temple.
He radiated with magic power.
"Lucy Heartfilia. You will have to come with me."
"What do you want with her?" Natsu demanded.
"Stay out of the way boy." He snarled. "I am Black Hand Regan, the Leader of Golem Fist. I could kill you easily. So come quietly."
"Oh yeah? Well I'm Natsu Dragneel, Fairy Tail's Salamander!"
Natsu exhaled and blew steam everywhere before taking a deep breath in.
"THINK YOU CAN TAKE ME ON? FIRE DRAGON ROAR!"
A stream of fire erupted from Natsu's mouth and streamed towards Golem's Fist.
No way, he's the legendary salamander? One of the most destructive wizards in fairy tail? He's so strong, even when he's not a dragon. So dragon Slayers can turn into dragons too?
"I'm impressed. The legendary Salamander." A cloud of darkness wafted out of the flame stricken surroundings.
The darkness drowned out the flames, and Black Hand Regan stepped out of it. The darkness spread and dissipated the fire, revealing all the other golem fist members.
All down for the count.
"If that's all you got then this won't be fun at all." A tendril of darkness snaked out and smacked into Natsu, sending him sprawling backwards.
He got up with a growl, his hand flaming.
"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" He yelled as he leapt at the Shadowy figure.
He's so slow...He must be more tired than he was letting on.
Again Natsu was sent sprawling away.
"You are trying to protect her? Pathetic!"
Natsu roared in rage as he Boomed off his mark, rushing at the Black hand with blinding speed.
Flames boomed as Natsu flipped and landed back near Lucy.
"So you can fight! hah, this may be fun after all."
"That was Just a taste bud!" Natsu spat back.
His hand!
Natsu was cradling his hand that he attacked with. It was growing scaly and his nails were starting to become talons.
He's pushing himself and he's changing again. If he keeps going he'll become a dragon again.
Lucy bit her lip.
I can fight.
Lucy put a hand on Natsu's Shoulder, as if keeping him there.
"Lucy?"
She stepped in front of him.
Lucy felt her power rush through her body as she called her magic up.
Ok now, most of my Star Spells use less magic than summoning. Let's see if I can take him with what I got. THREE STAR ARROWS!
Three stars shone as they appeared around her.
She let one of the stars fly, and it split into five smaller lights and rocketed towards the Black Hand.
He stumbled out of the way, the stars missing him, but piercing through the darkness.
"Damn it!" He rushed in to reduce the range she had on him.
Come on! Try it! Get up close! I'm not some weak little girl! Not anymore! TWO STAR IMPACT FISTS!
The two remaining stars whizzed to her hands and glowed as she wrapped her hands around the stars to form fists.
The Man tried to stop and jump back
Too Late!
Lucy swung her fist, clocking him in the side of his face.
The impact sending him flying, and crashing into a tree trunk.
"Dam Bish!" He yelled, his cheek swelling in a bump that was still glowing from starlight.
"Daaknesh Shtreem!" He held his palm out and a dark ball formed.
An area attack? SINGLE STAR SHIELD!
Lucy let them go and the stars rushed to her and Natsu, settling on the centre of their chests, a golden aura streaming out from the star and covering them.
The Black Streamed towards them, crashing over them.
Lucy could feel the strain on the stars as they repelled the attack, like the sea on a breakwater.
The stream was gone. A thick cloud of darkness still fouled the air around them.
"Tsk, I hope the heiress is still alive." The dark hand sneered.
Be careful what you wish for. Lucy Thought with a predatory grin. THREE STAR ARROWS!
Another star winked into existence, and the other two stars had detached from Lucy and Natsu.
They all split up and fifteen star arrows blasted through the darkness.
"Gahhhhh!"
The darkness split and faded to wisps, revealing Black Hand Regan on his knees bleeding.
Lucy drew Taurose's key and let her magic flow. The golden magic circle appeared and Taurose Appeared in front of her.
"What can I do for ya Miss Luuuucy?"
Lucy drew her dagger and pointed it at Regan.
"If I dooo do I get a Smoooooch?"
Lucy Ignored him as she focused on summoning three more stars.
Taurose rushed in, swinging his axe at the Bounty hunter.
Darkness covered Regan's hand as he deflected the axe.
Bull spirit and Bounty hunter clashed, then separated, then clashed again.
She had three stars. Perfect.
Suddenly Regan broke off and rushed towards Lucy, his darkness coated hand raised and open, as if to grab her.
BRING IT YOU DARK GUILD ASSHOLE!
Lucy grabbed two of her stars and let the third settle on her chest.
The hand Slammed into her neck, the star's aura reducing it's force to the brush of a feather. Grey mist billowed from the meeting of light and dark.
Lucy tightened her grip on her stars, and punched him in the stomach.
She sent him punch after punch.
All of his bumps and bruises glowed faintly as she her fists kissed his body.
She forced him back until he bumped into a tree.
"ahggg, mercy! I give up! Mercy!" Regan Pleaded.
mercy? MERCY? Here is my mercy!
The starlight faded from her fists. And she punched him again.
And again.
You were trying to take me back! I am never going back! HERE IS MY MERCY!
Natsu stared as the Cute and Kind girl vanished.
Her face was twisted by her emotions as she hit the Bounty hunter over and over.
The pain, the rage, the fear.
"Stop Miss Luuuucy, this is too far!" The bull called to her.
She didn't seem to hear him.
A ray of sunlight filtered through the trees, illuminating the scene.
Tears Ran down Lucy's face as blood ran over her fists.
Natsu got up off his knees.
"Lucy!" He called.
She froze mid punch.
Silence.
Nothing happened.
It felt like forever before she slowly turned.
"That's enough Lucy. You've won."
She turned back stared at her hands.
She looked at Natsu again and she started to shake.
Her expression broke down into a horrified look as she sobbed, then covered her face with her hands.
He strode over to her and put an arm on her shoulder.
She flinched away at first, but then she looked into Natsu's face and started to cry harder.
She grabbed him and cried against his chest.
Natsu put his arms around her, holding her tightly.
"Come on now, you're safe."
She cried until she ran out of breath.