"Ok, Question." Cana grumbled as they trekked over one of Magnolia's more broken roads north.
Well, more of a rocky sandtrap than a road.
"Why are we walking and not taking a carriage?"
Lucy pointed to Natsu and made a sick face.
"He could handle it."
-Yeah, but I can't.-
"Isn't it a pain to have to write while walking?" Cana asked as she looked behind them to see what she wrote.
-Very- She wrote while nodding.
Natsu grunted as he looked up from the flyers he was reading.
"Hey Luce? Why'd you take so many Jobs?"
"You're definitely starting with a tour de force here girl." Cana commented as he read the papers over Natsu's shoulder.
" 'Temporary Restaurant Staffing' and 'Destroy Cursed Chest' at Aster Town, then 'Bandit Hunt' in Aster Forrest, then Missing Villagers in Hellebores town."
Cana Pointed to the requests in order.
-Plenty of stuff for Natsu to punch.- Lucy smirked.
"That's great, but why did you choose to bring me?"
-Master asked me to bring someone extra for my first mission.-
"So why not Levy then? You seemed to hit it off with her."
-You'll see.-
Cana sighed as they walked on in silence.
-Vintage-
"Not bad." She Hiccuped.
-Cana Albarona, the Vintage Fairy-
"Uh, never mind, that makes me sound like an old hag."
-Strong brew?-
"Too...Elfman."
-Fortified?-
"not bad." Cana chuckled as she took another swig from the bottle she had produced out of nowhere.
"What are you doing?" Natsu asked.
"We are trying to come up with an Alias for me. Everyone calls you the Salamander right?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Well I don't have one!" Cana waved her arms around as they walked.
"We always call you the Walking Brewery anyways." Happy chirped snidely.
"Zip it furball. I could scorch you so hard you'd want to change your name." Cana growled.
"What about Lucy?" Natsu asked.
-I'm not well known yet.-
"Doesn't mean you shouldn't have one."
-Mira said that Cana has been at fairy tail the longest out of you guys. So she needs an Alias.-
Lucy thought for a moment -How about 'The booze Fairy?'-
With that Cana started Laughing.
"That's a good one! Haaahahah! Booze Fairy."
Natsu and Happy just looked at each other and shrugged. "It suits her." They chorused.
"Look out world!" Cana proclaimed. "Here comes Cana Alberona the Booze fair-pffft, haaaaaaaa!" She just burst out laughing again.
"Maybe we should stop for the night." Natsu suggested.
Lucy nodded in agreement.
"RAWR! I AM THE BOOZE FAIRY!"
Lucy and Natsu began unpacking while Cana was on the ground, rolling around while laughing her ass off.
She's Drunk Already. I'm starting to regret bringing her. Lucy thought, embarrassed by her new friend's antics.
While Cana was sprawled out on her bedmat snoring peacefully, Natsu and Lucy were Lying on their own bedmats staring at the stars.
-I love looking at the stars-
"I saw you looking at them the first time I saw you."
-You mean inside the fire?-
"Yeah. You look so happy when you look at the stars."
-I like it. And I love them.- She touched her key pouch.
"You mean, those guys up there? The constellations? Those are your spirits?"
Lucy nodded. -Taurus, Cancer, and Aquarius.-
"Those stars there." Natsu pointed to a cluster. "And there too, those stars are a bit funny."
-Those are Leo and Aquarius.-
"Does that mean anything?"
Lucy looked closely at the stars.
Leo's looked faded, weak and flickering. The darkness around them more prominent than the other constellations in the sky.
But Aquarius, one of her stars was faded. It was brighter than It used to be, but it was still dull compared to the others.
-Yes. The stars reflect the spirit. Leo must be suffering.-
But Aquarius...
-We should get some sleep.-
"Allright. Night Lucy."
-Goodnight Natsu-
She was in a stone walled prison cell, dark flickering light burning from the lamp. Everything smelled musty and damp.
moss grew everywhere, but even that bit of green couldn't cheer up the place.
There were symbols on the wall to drain her magic power, leaving her feeling weak and pathetic.
"Well would ya look at that. Naked Mummy captured the Blond Heiress."
"Yeah bro, It's incredible that Naked mummy captured the blond Heiress,
"Yeah, but the girl did beat up a lot of our guys, maybe we teach her a lesson."
"Yeah bro, I was thinking we teach her a lesson for beating up our guys."
Lucy just tried to summon a star.
Just one, Please!
A fist crunched into her face, leaving her seeing stars
Another smashed into her guts, crunching her muscles and knocking the wind out of her.
Coughing and dazed, she tried to raise her hands to defend herself.
One of her hands was grabbed and slammed against a knee.
Lucy screamed as she felt and heard her bone snap.
A foot caught her chest and kicked her to the floor, a hand pinned her arm and her pinky had a boot smash down on it.
Lucy screamed again as her captor droned "This little piggy went to market."
His foot came down again on her ring finger.
"This little piggy went to town." his drawl was drowned out by screaming.
"Wait brother I think you got that one wrong."
"Yeah brother I think that I got that one wrong."
Concentrate, I need my star! COME ON LUCY DO IT!
A fist smashing into her nose broke her concentration.
Lucy's head spun as she sat up, blood flowing down her nose.
No, this isn't right, I am supposed to have my shield by now!
"Hey brother, she's a pretty one."
"Yeah she's real pretty brother."
"Maybe we should teach her another lesson."
"Yeah she needs another lesson brother."
They started fumbling with their pants.
NO! COME ON STAR PLEASE! SINGLE STAR SHIELD!
Nothing happened and Lucy started panicking.
No, please, this isn't supposed to happen. This isn't real, It's a Nightmare, I had my star back then, and Salt was on his way here! Please! NO!
Nothing changed, she felt her pants being pulled down.
"Lucy!" She heard in the distance.
A fierce heatwave erupted around her, forcing her Nightmares back.
Natsu?
Flames erupted all around her, burning the two figures away and melting the stone walls of her cell like they were made of wax.
Everything faded to white...
Natsu knew something was wrong, he could smell it immediately.
Sweat, darkness and Fear, coming from Lucy.
The dark fear clouded her smell of starlight.
Natsu leapt up and rushed over to her.
She was shivering, tossing and turning, curled up into a ball, clutching her arms to her chest.
"Lucy!" He called to her.
She just whimpered.
Natsu put his hands on her shoulders and tried to shake her awake.
She felt so cold under his hands.
Lucy's eyes flew open and she jumped to her feet and scrambled backwards until her back met a treetrunk.
Her knife was out and clutched in both hands, her eyes wide, breathing heavy and ragged, shivering all the while.
"Lucy, it's alright." Natsu whispered calmly as he walked over to her.
He reached out slowly to her hands.
Her knife swiped at him.
There was a small sting on his arm. He barely noticed.
"Lucy, look at me." Natsu whispered.
Their eyes met.
Her chocolate eyes started to soften, but they were still wary and tired.
He placed his hand on hers, and gently guided the knife back to it's sheath.
"I'll protect you. I've got you." Natsu wrapped her in a warm hug.
She weakened against him, and he gently guided her to the ground.
She curled up against him, one of her hands around his arm, holding it like a child would hold a stuffed animal.
He just stroked her hair until he heard her breathing slow into a steady sleeping rhythm.
-Thank you- she scrawled, unusually messy, before her hand dropped to the ground, and the pen rolled out of her hand.
Fast Asleep.
What kind of nightmares would do that to a person?
And why did did she wake up so violently?
Natsu sat there in thought as he looked down at the girl in his arms. So strong, but so fragile.
She didn't have nightmares when we slept together.
He lifted her up and gently placed her on his bedmat and lay her down on her side then went behind her and lay back to back with her.
It was nice being so close to her, hearing her gentle breaths and feeling them through their contact. Engulfed in the scent of starlight, and the warmth of her magic.
Natsu was worried, but he smiled all the same.
I will protect her. Natsu resolved as he drifted off to sleep himself.
Lucy woke up to that comforting warmth again, and not just from the morning's sunlight.
Her back was pressed to another, and she could feel his breathing.
She twisted around and looked back over her shoulder.
As she looked back...there was Natsu's face.
Very close. She stared at him for for a second before he grinned.
"Morning."
Lucy jerked back and fell onto her front.
As she got up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes she looked around.
The lumpy bedmat that Mira had loaned her was sitting empty and she was laying on Natsu's with him.
Cana was sprawled out on hers, and happy was laying on her chest and using her cleavage as a pillow.
Her eyes shifted back to Natsu's grinning face.
"You ok?" He asked cheerfully.
-Yes, thank you.-
"You had a nightmare last night. It was really bad from the look of it."
Lucy hung her head. She could still remember it.
-It was from when a guild named Naked Mummy captured me.-
"And then when I woke you up you were acting weird."
-That's normal If someone interrupts my sleeping.-
"Seriously?"
-It's happened too many times.-
Natsu was silent as he thought about it, his arms crossed.
Then Lucy saw a fresh cut on Natsu's arm.
Lucy touched the cut gently.
"Oh, this? It's fine."
-I did that.-
"Hey, it's ok, I've gotten worse from Grey when we fight, even Erza has done worse for punishment. Don't worry about it."
Lucy couldn't help a few tears escaping her eyes.
"Hey, why you crying now? ya weirdo."
She just hugged him.
As they separated he got an evil grin on his face.
"It's time to go, and that means waking Cana up." Natsu laughed evilly.
Lucy just looked at him in confusion.
"Trust me Luce, it'll be good."
"You two are assholes." Cana grumbled for the fifth time as they entered Aster town.
-I dunno, you make great drunken poetry when you wake up.-
"I can't believe she got snot everywhere." Natsu grumbled.
-Your idea, your fault.-
"And all of it got on me." Happy sobbed, not living up to his name.
"Serves you right, my boobs are not a pillow you fleabag."
Lucy giggled, enjoying her friend's bantering.
"Excuse me, but would you happen to be the Wizards from Fairy Tail?"
A young man had come out of one of the houses as they had strolled through town.
"Yeah!" Natsu affirmed simply
"That we are." Cana Stated proudly.
"Wonderful. I am Lucas Emberson. I am the Mayor of Aster Town."
"A little pipsqueak like you is mayor? no way!" Natsu exclaimed.
Lucy smacked him over the head.
-Sorry. My friend lacks manners.- Lucy scribed.
A small smile tugged at the mayor's face.
"Don't worry, Fairy Tail's reputation for being unruly has preceded it." He linked his hands behind his back. "Now, there are three requests I have sent on behalf of the townspeople, we need you to destroy a Cursed Chest, Hunt down and capture some Local bandits lead by a man calling himself 'Hot dog', and help staff the Snowy Bottle Cellar Bar and Restaurant."
"The Snowy Bottle? It's here?" Cana whispered in awe. "It has one of the biggest collections of alcohol in Fiore."
"Correct. Your job will be to be extra hands while the more experienced ones train the new staff. It's just so they have more time to teach and Learn."
Lucy nodded. -We'll take the cursed chest first, then tonight we'll be at the Restaurant, and we'll deal with the bandits on our way north to another job in Hellebores town. We can collect the reward on our way back.-
"Splendid. Now, I must get back to my paperwork. The cursed chest is in the basement of the Percius household, the one with the green roof. I will see you later." Mayor Lucas strode confidently away.
As soon as he was away, Cana squealed and whirled around to Lucy.
"You knew about this right?" She asked breathlessly.
Lucy nodded, amused before Cana caught her in a hug.
"It's a Boozer's dream come true!" She giggled. "Thanks Lucy."
She smiled and winked at Cana. -So long as you can sell as much as you drink.-
Cana's smile turned sly. "I'm pretty confident I can get a few handsome guys to buy me a drink."
She leaned over a bit to show off her cleavage.
"Or ten." She added.
Natsu snorted. "I wouldn't."
"Wouldn't expect you to. You're no gentleman." Cana huffed haughtily.
"Whatever, let's go burn that chest already."
"Aye sir!"
The girls both sighed.
"Yeah."
-May as well-
"I mean how hard could it be?" Natsu asked grinning as they headed to the green roofed house.
-Don't say that! You should never say that!-
Natsu harrumphed. "What's the worse that could happen?"
-That's even worse!-
"You just had to say it." Cana spat. "Not just one thing, but two!"
"How was I know something would happen?" Natsu asked as he jumped out of the way of a set of long sharp claws.
"It always happens if you say things like that!" Cana yelled back at him.
"Well why are you to just standing back and watching?"
-We like it where it's less stabby.- Lucy wrote.
"You said it."
Cana and Lucy watched as the half chest, half monster attacked Natsu, sending swipes and bites, Natsu ducking and weaving through the large deserted basement.
Well, more like it's a monster popping out of a chest, but kind of connected to it. All squishy and gross.
"Lucy! Pleeease?!"
She sighed. -Fine.-
She breathed in deep, focused on her magic to bring out three stars.
ok, THREE STAR ARROWS!
The Stars appeared in a flash of light, split into little pebbles of light and sped towards the chest monster….
...Just as the monster ducked back into the chest, and the star arrows bounced off the Ancient and apparently magic resistant wood.
Awww crap.
The Monster burst out of it's chest and shot out some of the spines that were protruding from it's arm.
The spikes flew towards Lucy and Cana, whistling as they rushed towards them.
Lucy managed to only get one star in time, and it settled on Cana's chest and glowed.
She spun around to get behind Cana, but went too slow.
A spike Lodged in her arm and another streaked past her shoulder, grazing it.
Lucy hissed in pain as it stuck in her, and then as she promptly pulled it out.
She finally had her own star glowing on her chest, and the spikes clattered harmlessly off her body as she stepped out from behind Cana.
"Lucy!" Natsu yelled out.
-I'm fine.-
"Sorry I wasn't ready for that." Cana apologized.
-It's Ok. Now, can we light this thing up?-
She smirked "Yeah, Let's bring the heat!"
"Now you're speaking my Language!" Natsu grinned, smashing his flaming fists together.
"FIRE DRAGON IRON FIST!" He yelled as he smashed into the monster.
Lucy drew Taurose's Key and swiped it.
The golden bull appeared in a flash of light with a long drawn out Moooooo.
"Woooohoooooo, it's a double dose of hotness today Miss Luuuucy."
-Could you please help Natsu destroy that chest?-
"Nooooo problem!" The bull called as he Lunged in, his axe held high.
Natsu had left a black patch on the chest with his punch.
Taurose hit this spot too, forming a crack in the unnaturally strong wood.
Cana drew out three of her cards."Tower! Sun! Judgement! Holy Fire!"
A stream of flames tinged with with gold streaked towards the chest.
Lucy saw the crack widen as the flames started to dissipate.
Before the flames disappeared completely, Natsu started Inhaling- the flames rushing into his mouth as he ate them.
So he can Eat fire as well as breath it?
"FIRE DRAGON ROAR!"
Flames boomed from his mouth and Crashed into the chest monster, a constant jet of intense fire.
The chest broke with the crack of old wood as Natsu eased up on his flames.
"Woohoo! one down!" Cana cheered.
"Alright!" Natsu chuckled.
Lucy sighed in relief. -Well, that could have gone a lot worse.-
"Well, it could have gone a little better." Cana Laughed as she pointed out broken and charred shelving and furniture.
"Are you kidding? We got off easy." Happy Chirped from behind the girls.
-where were you during the fight?-
"I decided to go and find a place to buy some fish. Freaky chest monsters are bad for my health."
Lucy sighed. -Well, it's a few hours before we need to be at the Restaurant. What now?-
"How about a bath and a drink?" Cana suggested.
"Take a nap!" Natsu yawned.
Lucy sighed. -Fine, let's find an Inn-