Ch. 2- Lisanna Joins In

Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima

Story and OCs are mine

"EEEEEEEEE~!" Haru had to have let out the loudest squeal ever as she ran up and hugged Lisanna, who laughed as she embraced her. "I can't believe it! Lisanna's going on a job with us!"

"Now there's something that hasn't happened for a while," Gray said as he stepped forward. "It'd be like old times, eh, Lisanna?"

"It would be nice to work with you, again," Erza said, "but are you sure you want to come with us? We've changed a bit over the last 2 years you've been gone."

"Well, I figured what better way to give myself the old test run than go out on a job, again?" Lisanna asked.

"Well, I've seen you fight, Lisanna," Lucy said with a friendly smile. "You're definitely no pushover!"

"Aw, thanks, Lucy!" Lisanna replied.

"This is great, isn't it, Natsu?" Happy asked as he jumped up onto Natsu's shoulder. "Lisanna's gonna be working with us, again!" He then gasped in excitement. "Ooh! Maybe she can join our team, permanently!"

"Well… err… does she have to?" Natsu asked as he scratched the back of his head, causing everyone to look at him in surprise. "I mean… I don't think we need more members. The team's pretty big as-is, and it's hard enough keeping track of everybody."

"So… wait, you don't want me to work?" asked Lisanna.

"No, you can work!" Natsu reassured. "You just can't go with us."

Everyone gave each other these sideways glances, wondering if this Natsu standing before them was really their fiery, knuckleheaded Salamander. They knew that Natsu tended to speak his mind now and then, but this was a bit of a stretch. In fact, if they didn't know better, this almost seemed familiar.

"You don't… want me to go with you?" Lisanna asked.

"Well… Lisanna, I'm just tryin' to be realistic, here," Natsu said.

"Uh, I'm sorry," Gray spoke up. "Realistic, Natsu? You?"

"I'm sorry, I wasn't asking for comments from the peanut gallery," Natsu snarked before he looked at Lisanna. "Look, Lisanna, I've been working with Luce and the others for a while, now, and… well… we kinda worked up this whole… dynamic, I guess you could say."

"Really?" Lisanna asked as she crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow, skeptically. "Because from what I heard from Lucy, you guys traveled all the way to a neighboring country with Levy, as well as two of the former members of Phantom Lord."

"That is true," Levy pointed out.

"Yeah, Salamander," Gajeel agreed. "What about that?"

"That was a different job!" Natsu argued. "We needed more people back then! I'm saying we have more than enough people!" His eyes darted back and forth for a moment. "And… err… b-besides! Granny Porlyusica might not let you go! You might still have… Edolas cooties or whatever!"

"Cooties…?" Lucy repeated. "What are you, Natsu, eight?"

"Honestly, how immature can you be?" Carla asked, incredulous.

"Miss Porlyusica already gave Lisanna a clean bill of health," Elfman pointed out. "She's free to go back on jobs again whenever."

"Oh," Natsu muttered before he bit his lip. "Uh… well… she still can't go because she…" His eyes lit up as the proverbial lightbulb lit up. "She can't go unless she asks Gramps!"

"She doesn't need my permission, Natsu," Makarov clarified. "If Lisanna wants to go, she can go."

"Huh?!" Natsu questioned. "Well… what about Mira-"

"Natsu, let Lisanna go with you!" Mirajane interjected, actually looking as if she was about to lose her patience for once. "If she wants to go on the job with you guys, then let her! Besides, I think reconnecting would be good for you guys!"

"But… but…!" Natsu stammered.

"Natsu, come on, just let Lisanna come with us!" Haru argued as she stood in front of her adoptive brother. "I mean, seriously, what are you afraid of?"

Natsu suddenly went rigid, his shoulders tensing and his eyes going wide. His breath hitched in his throat as if the words he wanted to say were caught in it. He tried to speak, but the words just wouldn't come out… and for a moment, everyone did look a bit concerned for the Fire Dragon Slayer.

"Natsu?" Wendy asked worriedly as she put a hand on his arm. "Is everything okay?"

"Uh… well…" Natsu muttered.

"Natsu?" Lisanna asked, being just as concerned as the others, and yet, he still didn't speak.

"Okay, dude, you're beginning to freak me out here," Gray said.

"What's wrong, Natsu?" Erza asked.

"You okay, buddy?" Happy asked, concerned for his best friend.

"It's… it's nothing," Natsu replied as he turned away. "It's fine… I guess. If Lisanna wants to come, let her." He paused. "It's… her life." He then looked at Haru, who blinked in confusion. "Well, sis? You gonna get Blue Fang and hitch him to the Wolf Wagon or what?"

"Actually," Erza began, "Sayuri Village is a bit far, even for the Wolf Wagon. We'll have to take the train there. It's the fastest way."

Natsu's face instantly paled with dread as pools of sweat formed underneath him.

XXX

The whistle blows as the train chugs down the tracks, carrying its precious cargo to Sayuri Village. The members of Team Natsu were all sitting in their respective seats, and as usual, Natsu was doing his damnedest to keep himself from spewing all his stomach contents onto the floor. Wendy already tried using her Troia, but unfortunately, it ended up not working. It seemed that Natsu had started to build up an immunity to the spell. Sometimes it would still work, but only for a short while.

Natsu sat in one booth with Lucy, Haru, Happy, and Lisanna, while Erza sat with Gray, Wendy, and Carla in another booth.

As for Blue Fang, unfortunately, Haru was forced to put him in the baggage car with all the other animals and suitcases. Due to an incident that happened the last time the silver wolf boarded the train, not to mention due to his size, the train conductor said that if the Beast Wizard wanted to take Blue Fang, she had to put him with all the luggage. It was either that or nobody was getting on board the train.

Haru promised her lupine friend that she would make it up to him when they got home from the job by giving him her (and Natsu's) bacon every morning for a week.

"Urrrrgh… kill me, somebody…!" Natsu groaned as his face turned a sickly green and he hugged his stomach, begging it to stop rebelling against him.

"Easy, Natsu," Lucy said as she placed her hand on his back in a comforting manner. "You're gonna be okay."

"Sorry," Wendy apologized while holding Carla in her lap. "I guess I used my Troia one time, too many."

"Aww, poor Natsu," Lisanna said in concern. "This still happens to him?"

"Yeah, and it's actually not just him," Haru said. "It happens to all Dragon Slayers when their powers reach a certain point. Gajeel gets it, too."

"You told me that Laxus turned out to be a Dragon Slayer, right?" asked Lisanna. "I wonder if the same thing happens to him."

"Huh…" Gray muttered as he crossed his arms in thought. "You know something? We never really did find out if he gets motion sickness, too, since he's not exactly a real Dragon Slayer."

"If you want," Erza began while holding up her fist, "I can knock you out, Natsu."

"Not a chance!" Natsu shouted before he gagged.

"You better not hurl on me or my fish!" Happy cried while holding his raw fish protectively.

"Okay, okay, come here, Natsu," Lucy said before she gently eased him onto his side and laid his head on her lap, then proceeded with her usual treatment of massaging his hair while rubbing gentle circles on his stomach. The moment she started her soothing ministrations, Natsu sighed in relief as a pleasant smile creased his lips, causing Lucy to smile, too. "There you go. Is that better?"

"Much," Natsu answered. "Thanks, Luce."

"Happy to help," Lucy replied, and meanwhile, Lisanna blinked in surprise and piqued curiosity as she witnessed the act. In all the time she had known Natsu, she had never thought of trying to massage his stomach and head to ease his motion sickness. However, she soon smiled warmly at the sight as she felt a sense of relief.

'I see…' she thought. 'Good for you, Natsu.'

XXX

It was sometime in the afternoon that the train finally arrived at Sayuri Village. The moment it stopped, Natsu immediately jumped off the vehicle to kiss the solid ground beneath his feet. Blue Fang soon joined him, happy not to be crammed into the baggage car with all the other animals, and Haru immediately embraced her wolf friend with a cuddle. Both the Beast Wizard and the wolf decided that they liked trains a bit less after this particular sojourn.

As everyone disembarked, they found themselves standing at the entrance of a bamboo grove.

"Is this the place?" asked Lucy. "All I see is bamboo."

"Maybe it was a hoax?" Gray inquired, but then they heard the sound of encroaching footsteps, and as they looked up, they saw an elderly man approach them from the grove, accompanied by a young woman that was at least 18 years old. The old man wore a dark blue Yukata with dark green hakama pants, and he had his gray hair tied back in a topknot. The young woman had her hair done up in a geisha hairstyle with colorful hairpins, and a pale yellow kimono with a purple and blue morning glory pattern on it, tied together with a lavender obi sash. She gently supported the elderly man as they approached, even though he used a wooden cane to walk.

"Are you the wizards that have accepted our request?" the old man asked.

"Yes, that would be us," Erza answered.

"Thank goodness you've arrived," said the old man as a smile of relief creased his wrinkled face. "My name is Moriyama Shizuo, and this is my granddaughter, Nagisa."

"It's very nice to meet you," Nagisa replied with a bow of her head.

"Judging by your clothing," Erza began, "I take that you are originally from the oriental nations, am I right?"

"Indeed," replied Shizuo. "Our people immigrated here, long ago, and settled here in the Kingdom of Fiore… but I'm sure I can explain to you the details later. You all must be quite tired after your journey here, and you would like to know the details regarding your task."

"If you could hook us up with some grub, old-timer, that would be great!" Natsu said as he put his hands on his stomach, which growled loudly. "I'm starvin', here!"

"Natsu!" the others shouted in annoyance.

"What?!" Natsu questioned. "That train ride made me hungry!"

Lisanna couldn't help giggling to herself. She was glad to see that hadn't changed, either.

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