[ Daybreak Arc {1} ]

-L-H-

Lucy, Natsu, and Happy decided that they were going to take a break from anything too serious or adventurous for the next couple of days, allowing Lucy to settle into Magnolia. She ended up finding an apartment that she loved, without Rushii's help. Rushii didn't say that she ended up choosing the same apartment that she had during her timeline, but Lucy could feel the contentness radiating from her Nee-san anyways. Good, she had thought. If Rushii felt uncomfortable in the apartment that she had chosen, she would've moved out immediately.

The trio hung out almost every day afterwards, doing various things as they rested. Natsu had a small bandage over his arm, a wound that was healing nicely thanks to his advanced healing rate and the maintenance of the treatment. Lucy had been worried a little bit initially, but Natsu was quick to reassure her that he was fine.

But also informed her that taking on quest doesn't mean everything is going to go smoothly, and injuries tended to be unavoidable.

"We're sent on these missions so that the general public won't be put in positions that can cost them grave injuries."

"And what about us, Natsu? We're put at risk too."

"Somebody has to do it, Luce. I'd rather it be me, someone who knows how to defend himself, than anyone else who isn't equipped for this lifestyle. Even if it means that I have to go alone."

Lucy frowned at the thought of Natsu going on dangerous missions alone. Natsu saw the look at her face and gave her a reassuring grin,

"Don't worry Luce! Not all missions are dangerous, sometimes people are just lazy and want you to do their grocery shopping!"

"Was that even a mission or were you tricked…?"

Natsu opened his mouth to retort, but paused once he realized that Makarov had been in the area when he had completed the mission, even opened the door to the assignment of the house. Natsu let out a betrayed sound as Lucy just shook her head in amusement and pity, he was swindled! That rotten old man!

Rushii just shook her head softly. She's been drifting in and out of consciousness ever since she took over Lucy's body. It seems to be a recurring side-effect. She suspects the longer she takes control, the longer her recovery period is. That…was something take into consideration in the event of an emergency.

Happy laughed as Natsu sulked at the revelation, Lucy patting his head as he slumped onto her bed. Today, Natsu had decided that they were going to go on another mission again and Lucy ended up agreeing. She was going to start having to make rent after all, and missions were the fastest way to getting easy coin.

But first-

"Anyways, you're not getting out of your daily reading assignment! Finish your book for the day and then we can talk about the mission that you wanted us to go on."

Natsu nodded seriously and was quick to jump onto her bed, laying on his stomach as he grabbed Happy from the air and rummaged through his green sack for the short story that Lucy had Natsu practice reading. Lucy let out a small yawn as she stretched, getting up to grab a snack from the kitchen.

When she came back, she saw that Natsu was struggling on a part as his eyebrows scrunched and he seemed to be stuck on the same page for the past couple of minutes. Lucy hummed quietly at the observation, swatting Happy away when he tried to dive down and steal her snack.

She plopped the rest in her mouth and stuck her tongue out of her bloated cheeks at Happy who huffed and pouted, collapsing dramatically onto one of Lucy's pillows. As she awaited Natsu to ask her for help, she ended up summoning Plue, who was a cute snowman that was about Happy's height. Happy perked up at the sight of Plue, and suddenly they were running around Lucy's apartment as Lucy finally came over to lay down next to Natsu.

She propped herself up with her hand as she peaked past Natsu's pink head, looking at the word that Natsu seemed to be stuck on.

Natsu glanced at her before returning to the word, frowning slightly. Lucy just stayed quiet as she rubbed his back, waiting for him to take the initiative. Perhaps they needed to take a step back to figure out what the word was.

"Tell me about the rest of the sentence. What is it trying to convey?"

"Convey?" Natsu cocked his head.

"What is it trying to tell you?" Lucy rephrased. "Sometimes it's the context clues that is surrounding the word, that helps you determine it's meaning."

"Oh! Well, okay. The guy is tryna talk to the other guy to work together, I think. They want to study to complete the last exam before the summer time hits."

"Five points to Natsu!"

Natsu grinned.

"You're exactly correct. The word that he said specifically was collaboration . The proper definition is 'the action of working with someone to produce or create something', but as you said, it's just a synonym of teamwork."

"What's a synom?"

"A synonym, " Lucy gently corrected, "is a word that means the same thing. Teamwork and collaboration are synonyms because they both mean to work together. Starving and hungry are synonyms, because they both mean that the person wants to eat. You've probably used many synonyms in your life without even realizing, most people do."

Natsu stared at her in wonder, entranced as she explained the comprehension aspect of what he was reading. Lucy was brilliant, and she was taking time out of her day to help him. She hasn't rushed him so far, even letting him ask for help first instead of asking him whenever she sees him struggling. She's patient with him and that's…all he asks.

She gives him a chance.

"You're smart, Lucy, " Natsu breathed out, "B-Brilliant! Genius! Intelligent !"

Natsu seemed proud of being able to remember and say those words, as Lucy flushed out of embarrassment of the praise. She just huffed and poked him in his side, causing him to laugh lightly as he squirmed a bit.

"What are you even saying, " Lucy flushed.

"Synonyms of your greatness, " Natsu replied seriously, with a grateful look. Lucy just sighed happily as she looked away, idly looking at Happy and Plue. She didn't know what to say to all of the praise, no one has really praised her this much before. Her servants did, but there was a level of superiority that Lucy had over them that would never change. She didn't doubt that their praises were genuine, but it was different hearing those same words from a friend.

Her best friend, Natsu proudly proclaimed.

"Better get used to it, Luce. We're friends, remember? Best friends actually, which means that I'm gonna be like a leech! A virus! A pimple! Those never go away!"

"That's-That's not something to be proud of! And no one likes those things!"

"That's the point! There will be days where you're going to hate me, you'll get irritated, you'll laugh, you'll cry. What I am trying to… convey is that I will still be there. As your best friend. As a forever friend. Is it crazy to say that? Uh, actually forget that last part-"

"No," Lucy felt like she could cry. Friendship was the one thing that was really absent from her life. She was new to all of this, she didn't have a blueprint to follow or didn't know the rules to how to be a good friend. She just cares for everything that comes into her life, and Natsu was definitely one of them. "It isn't crazy at all, Natsu."

"W-Well I don't want to overwhelm you, " Natsu suddenly admitted, scratched the back of his neck a bit sheepishly. Lucy has become so important to his life, so incredibly fast. What if he was overwhelming to be around considering she's never really had a friend her age before? He didn't want to be annoying, he just really liked being around her!

And the urge for destruction is less, when he's next to her. The darkness that he feels in the back of his mind goes dormant. It goes quiet. He should probably talk about that to someone, actually. Lucy had taught him when they were younger that it's okay to unpack to others every once in a while.

Maybe he'll visit Mira again, on a quiet day. She probably understands, even if Natsu doesn't know what's causing it for himself.

"I just like being around you, Luce."

Lucy was utterly speechless and when she gave Natsu a bright, pure smile at his words, Natsu felt as if she had glowed a little bit. She was quick to lean against his side, laying her head on his shoulder as they laid on the bed together.

"There is no standard for me, Natsu, I'm new to all of this. If this is too fast for most friendships, I..don't care. Because so far, it's been perfect . You are the standard as far as I'm concerned. If anything, am I doing okay? As a friend?" Lucy finished off hesitantly. Was she being a good friend? Doing the right thing?

His answer was an evil grin and suddenly, Natsu had Lucy in a headlock as she screamed and flailed underneath his weight as he ruffled her hair, grinning maniacally. It was chaos in the Heartfilia house. Happy and Plue were dancing on her coffee table singing horrid tunes, while Lucy was trying to escape Natsu's chokehold, screaming with laughter.

If happiness had a sound, Natsu thought as he growled playfully at Lucy while they wrestled, it would be her laugh.

-L-H-

"Collaboration, " Natsu started causing Lucy to look at him questionably as she peeled an orange. She threw one of them in the air and Natsu caught it with his mouth without missing a beat as he placed the quest on her table, taking a look at it. He chewed as Happy took a look at the mission, perched on top of his head.

"Hmm~ All we have to do is get a book?" Happy cocked his head. Natsu nodded as he swallowed, turning towards Lucy with his mouth open for another peel, which the latter complied. Lucy ate one of the peels as she raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Is that necessary for an entire quest?"

"Seems like it."

Natsu hummed, looking at the price. Two hundred thousand jewels? That's quite a reward for a mere quest to retrieve a book, he reckoned. Well, it's nothing to do with him. If that's how much the person who requested their services wants to give, he won't complain.

"Anyways, collaboration ." Natsu wiggled his eyebrows at Lucy who chuckled. He learned a new a word and doesn't know what to do with himself, Lucy thought with amusement.

"Yes? What about it?"

"We should make a team, an official one. Let's collaborate ." Natsu said proudly. Lucy shot him a bright smile, Natsu felt his chest puff out even more. He made her really happy with his suggestion.

"I've never been on a team before," Lucy said a bit shyly, but she was excited at the thought. That meant that they would do all sorts of missions together, which she wanted to do. She wanted to explore the world after being isolated from it for so long, and what more than to travel with her best friend?

"Well that's changing, starting now!" Natsu shot up from his seat, sticking his hand out. Happy cheered with his catchphrase "Aye!" and placed his paw on top of Natsu's. Lucy grinned and placed her hand on top, finalizing the team. "Team Haluna!"

"Haluna?" Lucy laughed. It had a pretty ring to it, but what did it mean?

" 'Ha' is for Happy, 'Lu' is for you, and 'Na' is for me! I came up with in on the way up the mountain to find Macao."

"It sounds lovely, " Rushii murmured, and Lucy wholeheartedly agreed. This Natsu was fascinating the more she watched him, Rushii realized. There were differences in this world. Her Natsu was quick to call their name the first thing that he likely thought of, which was his own name. She was fine, and still is fine with her team being called Team Natsu.

But this version of Natsu, he seems so much more aware of others. In all worlds, it seems that Natsu has a big heart, and he cares for others in his own way. They both were a bit rough around the edges, and maybe they were prone to use their fists more than their brains first, but they loved hard. Yet in this one, he talks more, articulates himself to boost Lucy up in a friendlier manner.

Her Natsu used to teasingly call her ugly and whatnot, working her nerves but never meant any serious harm. It was the nature of their dynamic, because she's called him some unsavory things in response.

Rushii couldn't see this version of Natsu doing the same to Lucy, because he was beginning to look at her as if she hung the stars and changed his very existence.

Alike, she has noticed, but different.

"I'm assuming from the lack of surprise from your feelings, this has happened in your timeline, " Lucy began with a smile, "Was your name Team Haluna too, Nee-san?"

"No, we were Team Natsu."

"How…creative."

Rushii cackled.

"Team Haluna… " Lucy breathed out. A name that had all of their names in it. A name that had thought put into it, because it was clear that Natsu wanted a piece of everyone to be represented. She loved it.

"It's actually Team HaLuNa, but it's easier to say Haluna, " Natsu said matter-a-factly. Lucy and Happy both paused as they shot each other a look, before humming in agreement while sweatdropping at Natsu's words. They didn't hear a single difference in both versions, but if Natsu says so, then it must be so in this case.

"So we're really just going to pick up a book for the client? That's all?" Lucy prompted.

"Seems like it, yeah. It's in Shirotsume Town, so we'll probably take the… train , " Natsu suddenly looked sick to his stomach while Happy laughed at his facial expression. Lucy looked at him in small alarm.

"Natsu?"

"Don't mind him, he gets motion sick whenever he uses any for of transportation. 'Cept when I carry him, he doesn't seem to get sick, " Happy explained as Lucy opened a can of sardines for him. He let out a big, dopey smile as he drooled at the sight of the tiny fish and Lucy rolled her eyes. They were both the same when it came to food.

"Medicine doesn't work?"

"He's used them so much when he was younger that he's pretty resistant to everything that's in the stores these days."

Damn, Lucy thought as she watched Natsu shake at the thought of riding a train. It'll have to be done though, she's just let him lay on her or something to ease the pain. Or force him to take some sleeping medication before they get on the train. Hmm, she'll see.

"W-Well anyways, the quest is to find this book in some guy's house, his name is Duke Ev..erlow?" Natsu shifted the paper to Lucy, who took a peek at the Duke's name before frowning heavily at the sight of it. "Duke Everlue. A pervert from what I remembered from back at the manor, although I did hear that he had a bit of an…unorthodox taste."

Natsu snorted. "Stealing from a shady pervert? I got no problem with that, I say we take the quest! What do you guys think?"

Lucy kept reading the sheet, raising an eyebrow, "It says that Duke Everlue is looking for a blonde maid…"

Natsu blinked at Lucy suddenly, realizing that she was indeed blonde. He didn't say anything for a moment as he thought of what to do. The logical thing was to make Lucy the maid and use her to infiltrate considering she fit the criteria the best. But something in Natsu's mind did not like that at all , especially considering that Lucy said that she thinks the guy was a pervert.

A deep snarl threatened to escape Natsu at the thought of the man harming Lucy, or touching her without her permission despite the mission. It won't happen on Natsu's watch.

"Yeah, I'm gonna dress up as a girl, buy some maid outfits and stuff Happy in my chest in order to look like I got boobs." Natsu explained his quick-thinking plan, and Lucy's jaw dropped as she immediately slapped a hand over her mouth and doubled over.

"W-What the hell Natsu?" Lucy sputtered out as she tried to breath and talk as she laughed wholeheartedly. Natsu smiled at her, loving her laugh but he was completely serious. He turned towards Happy, who was looking at him in pure horror, and gave an evil grin. "You like laying on me all of the time, right? Then it should be no problem, Happy!"

"A-Aye, this sounds like a nightmare!" Happy shivered at the thought as Lucy cackled. She wiped a stray tear as she finally was able to ground herself from the imagery that appeared in her mind, secretly feeling warmed that Natsu's first instinct wasn't to send her to satisfy the requirement. It made perfect sense, but he didn't.

It..said a lot about his character, Lucy realized, and suddenly sticking to a maid routine for the sake of a mission didn't seem too heinous. Even if it was for a scumbag like Duke Everlue. They'll have to talk more about the plan of action during the train ride, it seems.

"We can talk more on how things are going to go on the way, but for now, let's eat and head out!"

It was early afternoon after all, they had time to retrieve a book and more to spare. They spent the rest of their small lunch talking, with Natsu making sure to read of the rest of his daily readings in front of Lucy on the table so that she knew he wasn't going to be distracted.

After that, they headed out to begin the next adventure that awaited them in Shirotsume Town!

-L-H-

"Ah, it seems that notorious book mission has finally been picked up, " Levy McGarden said thoughtfully as she stood in front of the quest board with Team Shadow Gear. She had been eyeing that mission for a little while but wasn't particularly hurt to see it taken. She had heard some things about that mission anyways, wondering what must've happened for it to gain a small reputation.

"Yes, Natsu ended up taking it. " Mirajane confirmed, smiling at the memory of Natsu getting excited about taking Lucy on the first official mission as a Fairytail member. Their friendship seemed to be so pure, Mira loved seeing Natsu's expressions so happy at the sight of the blonde. If Mirajane didn't know any better, she'd start the betting pools right away on the nature of their relationship.

Alas, they are still young and a relationship between a man and a woman doesn't always have to be alluded with a romance context. Instead, she shall watch from the sidelines and see how NaLu blossoms. Of all else, she hopes that they can become each other's "it" person.

Someone that they'd do anything for. The thought unconsciously caused Mirajane to take a look at Cana, who was arguing with a recovering Macao, splashing liquor every now and then. Cana looked over briefly to give her a small, smug grin and a wink, causing Mirajane to flush and roll her eyes at her girlfriend.

Honestly, why does she even put up with the alcoholic.

"He took that quest, huh?" Makarov said thoughtfully as he rubbed his beard, holding a mug of beer in the other. He hummed and narrowed his eyes a bit suspiciously, catching the attention of Team Shadow Gear and Mirajane.

"What's wrong?"

"The reward of the quest has done up to two million jewels," Makarov hummed, while everyone else dropped in shock at the turn of events. Two million jewels to find a book?! Everyone was flabbergasted. "That means that the stakes are a little bit higher, don't you think?"

There was truth in the guildmaster's words, but no one was worried. Macao stood up proudly, raising his cup into the air. "Whatever lies in their path, I'm sure they're going to be just fine. They did kick my ass and proceed to save it after all. Plus they are Fairytail members, they'll be fine!"

Everyone roared in approval as Makarov grinned and shrugged, going back into their daily lives soon after.

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