Lucy groaned as she woke up.
Her arm throbbed and she had a headache. She could tell Natsu was at her back because of the warmth.
The woman from yesterday- Claudia, hadn't felt comfortable sleeping alone, and was snuggled up to Cana.
Just like I did with Mary and Kay after the breakout.
Lucy just shook the memory out of her head and got up to prepare for the day. She was still wearing her normal traveling cloths, but at least she could clean them and have a bath here.
Two baths in two days. She sighed. Just wait till i get that apartment. I am not going to leave that bath for a week.
She made her way to the bath house as she thought about the day ahead.
Hunting in Aster forrest, taking down three camps of bandits, then finding the missing people in Helleborus town, and trying to find Macao for Romeo.
It's strange we didn't see him on the road here. We should have seen him.
Lucy stripped and dumped her cloths in a tub of soapy water, scrubbed them on a washboard and hung them up to dry.
She jumped into the hot spring again with a large splash this time.
With a sigh of delight she relaxed and enjoyed herself.
Natsu woke up to the familiar warmth at his back fading.
He jumped up and looked around. No Lucy.
Sniff. She was near by.
He pursued her Scent downstairs, past the tempting smells of the kitchen, past the toilets and into the bathhouse.
There was a small tub which swam with her scent. He peered in to see soapy water.
Her clothes were hanging up beside the tub, her long black awesomely badass cape/cloak thingie, three quarter pants and a comfortable looking shirt both with black wing emblems on it- The Black Aquila brand.
Not the most fashionable, but extremely durable.
She was in the hotsprings again. She really loved her baths.
What a weirdo.
Natsu had a wicked idea as he saw a hollowed out piece of bamboo.
She still had her eyes closed, so he left his scarf by her cloths, took a deep and silent breath in, and slipped into and then under the water.
She hadn't so much as moved. Good.
He started gently heating everything around him, then pushing the water towards her, stopping only to take deep breaths from his bamboo tube.
After a minute she didn't seem to notice.
He got frustrated and swam in closer.
He saw all her scars again.
They strangely suited her. It was proof that she was the was Tough as any Fairy Tail Wizard could be.
It occurred to him that each one would have some story behind it.
Something that hurt hur, that made her sad.
But they are what made her stronger.
Natsu didn't know how to feel about the marks that littered her skin.
He decided to think about it later.
He swam right up to Lucy and suddenly started tickling her mercilessly.
She jerked and started wriggling as he kept going.
He could hear her laughing hysterically above the water, her hands trying to keep his off her skin.
She changed tactics and grabbed his shirt and pulled him up out of the water by it.
He looked at her with a big sheepish grin, and said cheekily "Hi."
Her face looked conflicted between annoyance and mirth.
He decided to keep talking to her. "You weren't in bed so I wanted to know where you were."
Lucy waved at him with her free hand as if saying hello.
She then snatched the breathing tube out of his mouth and shoved him under the water.
He came up spluttering to see her standing over him, hands on her hips and a smirk on her mouth.
He stared right back at her, eyes hooded, and a pout on his face.
She just seemed to look at him, like she was expecting something.
"What?" He asked as he stared back at her.
She reached over to the edge of the pool and got her light pen.
-Nothing.-
"Hmh. Wierdo."
-Hello pot, my name's Kettle. You're black.-
"What?"
Lucy just sighed. -You are an idiot.-
She just sank back into the water so she was covered again.
-Natsu?-
"Yeah?"
-That bandit that attacked Claudia, you broke his arm, his nose, three of his ribs, burned his face and drew a penis on his forehead. That seems a bit excessive.-
"I got a bit angry. What about it?"
-None of the other bandits were beaten that badly. What made you get angry?"
Natsu looked down. He could feel Lucy's eyes boring into him.
"She had your eyes. When you woke up from your Nightmare, you looked so scared. She had the exact same look in your eyes...and…"
I thought that may have happened to you. I couldn't take it, I promised to protect you. I didn't want that happening to anyone else.
He put on a smile. "I wanted to help her, like you helped me."
Not entirely a lie.
Lucy smiled as she raised her pen and wrote. -Thank you. But don't forget, you helped me as much as I helped you.-
"When?" He asked.
-You flew me away from Golem's Fist, then tried to protect me from Black Hand Regan, then you took me to Fairy Tail. And now you're my partner.-
"Huh, I don't remember the first one. I remember seeing you sit down and go to sleep, then watching you for a while, then those guys showed up and I smacked one. One of them cast a spell that hurt, then I kind of….lost control." He grimaced as he recalled.
-That reminds me, what's it like being a Dragon?-
"Dunno, what's it like being Mute?"
She glared at him. -I'm not Mute, I just can't talk. I can laugh, cry and Hum like you, I….just can't talk.-
Lucy felt a tear escape her eyes.
Natsu just looked downcast.
"Sorry. It's hard for me to share something like this." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, please don't cry. I never wanted to see you cry again."
Why does it matter so much what he says? People have been rude about my lack of voice before. Why is he so different?
"Being a dragon feels cool and all, but sometimes I can't control it. If I get angry I go wild. I hurt my friends once."
Natsu sighed.
"But being a dragon, it feels so cool. You feel your scales sliding over each other when you move, having wings and flying anytime is fun. Oh, and my magic gets a huuuuge boost. I could probably destroy a Mountain like my Dad did."
-Igneel could destroy a mountain?-
"With a single roar."
Lucy stared in awe, her tears and melancholy forgotten.
-What was he like?-
"He was a nice guy, sometimes a bit impatient. He was huge though, his scales were a really dull red, and his claws were the length of my legs. Heh, when I was a kid my body was only as big as his finger."
-Was he ever scary?-
"Nope. The only time I felt scared was when I was flying with him. I had to hold on for my life. It was so cool though."
-Maybe you could take my flying again someday.- Lucy wrote with a smile.
Natsu looked down. "Yeah. I promise."
"So what about your father?"
Lucy felt her shoulders sag. -He changed after my mother died. He wasn't the same. My adopted father was nicer. He didn't care who I was. He was kindhearted, but also gruff. He could kick ass and bake scones at the same time. I think my mother would have liked him.-
Lucy smiled. -He's also the one who rescued me from Naked Mummy. Salt Morris.-
"He sounds awesome."
-He is. was.-
She saw Natsu staring at her correction, then lower his head.
Cana set beneath the open window, struggling to catch the scraps of talk that floated in on the breeze.
He was Talking about Igneel. Since when did he do that?
Has he ever shared that with anyone?
He even apologized for making Lucy cry! Since when is Natsu sensitive to others?
Never!
Is it her?
Cana peered out the window at Lucy.
Lucy was facing Natsu, writing her own history into the air, with him watching her every word.
Master was right then.
Cana now had a lot more to think about and consider.
But she also had a girl in her bed to mess with. Cana shifted herself back into her bed, putting herself and Claudia into a compromising position.
As her eyes closed she began to think about all that had happened.
Processing it.
"I'm really sorry for imposing on you." Claudia spoke shyly as they traversed the road to Aster forrest.
"Hey, it's no problem." Cana grinned at her.
Claudia just blushed and looked away.
What the hell did Cana do to her while we were in the bath? Lucy wondered as she and Natsu followed behind the two girls.
Whatever the case was, she and her clothes were cleaner than ever before.
Note to self though, be more careful when getting Natsu to dry cloths.
Her frayed sleeve had been blackened and burned.
Lucy clapped her hands to get everyone's attention and when they looked, she pointed her hand to a trail that lead upwards, with a sign that read 'Aster Lookout'.
"Hm? Why'd you wana go up there Luce?"
"Yeah, Aster Forrest is this way."
-Stop for Lunch, and the second reason I brought Cana along.-
"Ok, I'm curious now." Cana stated as she followed Lucy up the hill, leaving Natsu and Claudia to tail them.
-So Cana, Happy and Claudia will go straight to Helleborus town, Cana takes Claudia to her parent's house and then makes a start on the job with Happy. Meanwhile, me and Natsu will clear out the Bandits, then meet up with Cana when we are done.-
Cana smirked. "Leave you two to bond over excessive Violence. Great idea."
Lucy sighed as Natsu grinned.
"I'm always ready for more action!" He waffled through a mouthful of food.
-Swallow you Idiot.-
Cana snickered.
"What?" Natsu asked through his now clear mouth.
-She has her mind in the gutter.-
"Speaking of me, why are we up here again? I mean the picnic is great and all."
"Yeah Luce, Your food is Tasty"
Claudia was munching on a sandwich of her own. "How did you get all this made in the few minutes before we left?"
-Practice. Waaaay too much practice. As to why here: Cana, You got your tracking cards?-
"Always."
-Can you use Macao's Card please?-
"Sure. What for though?"
-I want to check on him for Romeo. If he's still on Mt Hakobe then we can check in on him.-
"That's the fairy tail spirit." Natsu smiled warmly.
"I'll say. You'll fit in nicely." Cana was smiling a well.
She picked out one of the cards in her deck and her face frowned in concentration.
"Yup, he's still at Mt Hakobe. or at least up on the mountain."
Lucy nodded.
-Ok, Natsu. Let's go bandit hunting.- Lucy beckoned as she started walking down the hill.
He grinned as he followed. "Sounds like fun."
"Good luck!" "Take care!" "Take em' down!" Cana, Claudia and Happy called after them.
"All Right, two down, just this one left."
-We haven't found the bandit Leader yet. He must be in here.-
They were crouched behind a tree not far from the gate into the log fort.
Lucy had convinced Natsu to stay quiet and still, giving her the opportunity to watch the guards and give them the element of surprise.
These guards looked much more Alert, much better armed and armored.
May be a challenge. Lucy grimaced.
"What's that look for?" He whispered.
-These guys may be tougher. Don't underestimate them once we are inside.-
"Got it."
-Ready?-
He nodded.
She raised her hand as she gathered her stars.
Almost….There! Thirteen!
FOUR STAR FIELD: SPEED!
The stars glowed under their feet and Lucy swiped her hand down.
Natsu rocketed off the mark, his fist flaming, Lucy rushing right behind him.
"FIRE DRAGON IRON FIST!" He yelled as his fist smashed into the Wooden Gate.
CRACK! wood splintered as the door broke.
The rest of the gatehouse and remaining pieces of door all strained under the Injury.
Natsu stopped at his punch and Lucy rushed by him, gathering six stars in front of her.
She stopped just inside the door and the stars glowed and spun in a circle.
SIX STAR STREAM: STARDUST STORM!
The stars started slowly dissolving, unleashing a torrent of glowing dust and energy in a cone in front of her.
It boomed through the shacks, the tents and the bandits.
Lucy heard yells and creaks as her stardust swept over the camp.
All the stars had dissolved and the stream thinned and faded.
"See? Good as a dragon roar. Not as strong as mine though."
Lucy looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes showing amusement.
-It got the job done.-
"Yeah but look at that, the houses are all standing, and those guys are getting up."
-It wasn't meant to take them down. Intimidation, show of force and weakening a lot at once.-
"I could just burn these places to the ground."
-Like I said, if things get bad, then do just that. Otherwise, we take them down the gentle way.-
"Tch, softie."
Lucy just smirked back at him.
They bantered as the stardust cleared, the bandits getting to their feet to draw their weapons or flee.
-Remember, stay together. You go first.-
Natsu grinned. "I'm all fired up now!"
His fists on fire and hers glowing with starlight they started running further into the camp.