The pounding in Lucy's head yanked her out of unconsciousness. As her senses slowly returned, she became aware of her seated position, her back protesting against the jagged surface behind her.
Groaning, she groggily attempted to shift her body to alleviate the discomfort, but somehow, something seemed to be holding her firmly in place.
What the hell? Lucy attempted to move her arms, only to find them bound behind her back. That was when she realized her vision was obscured with a tight blindfold.
Fully alert now, she squirmed frantically to break free, panic rising in her chest as she tried to make sense of her situation. But every movement was met with resistance, every attempt to break free bested by the unseen restraints that held her captive.
The desperation to cry for help finally clawed at her throat, but just before she could give in, the crunch of footsteps reached her ears and stopped her cold. Her heart pounding, she strained to make out the voices drawing near.
"C'mon, Erza, we can't leave her tied up like this," a male voice, energetic yet edged with concern, protested. "It ain't right."
Suddenly, Lucy heard the ground give a dull thud as though something heavy was set down.
"Yeah, it's messed up, even for us," said a different male voice, lazy and measured.
There was another thud.
A third voice, noticeably feminine yet authoritative, countered, "We don't know anything about her. I'm not taking any chances."
"But, Erza—"
More thuds followed, and this time, they sounded like a bundle of massive objects being dropped carelessly.
"Shut it, Natsu. If you're so worried about her, stay here and keep watch while Gray and I gather some more firewood."
There was a tense silence. Then, the footsteps resumed, their crunching growing fainter until they vanished completely, leaving her in an unsettling silence.
Lucy's thoughts raced. Who are those people? And where the hell am I?
The earthy scent and texture of the ground beneath her confirmed her surroundings: she was definitely outdoors.
The air was crisp and chilly, each breath she took sharp and biting, carrying the faint scent of pine and damp moss. The distant call of a bird, the soft rustle of the leaves above—wait, am I tied up to a tree?
Lucy tried to focus, to pull together the scattered fragments of her memory and recall what had led to her chilling situation.
"Laxus, honey, can we take a breather?" Lucy called out, struggling to keep pace. The incline was merciless.
Laxus pivoted, frustration etched across his handsome features. "I knew you shouldn't have come," he grumbled. "If you lag behind, we'll lose our group."
"But I'm exhausted!" Lucy complained, her voice strained. "Surely we can rendezvous with the others at the mountain's end. That's where we're headed anyway, isn't it?"
The weight of Laxus's disappointment hung heavy in the air as he sighed. "I can't believe this," he muttered, shaking his head. "You're putting a damper on this whole trip. I've been lugging your gear, pleading with everyone to slow down for your sake, and now you want to stop? No, I'm going ahead. Catch up when you're able."
Tears pricked at Lucy's eyes as she watched her boyfriend disappear ahead, leaving her alone on the unforgiving slope. "Honey, you can't just abandon me here!" she cried, desperation creeping in…
And that was where her memory hit a wall. Whatever had gone down, she must have taken a hard hit to the head. The constant pounding was a dead giveaway, and the confusion and disorientation she was feeling only added to the evidence that she might have suffered a concussion.
Lost in her mental maze, she didn't notice the approaching presence until a calloused finger poked her cheek.
"Hey, lady, are you awake?"
She flinched, cursing herself mentally for the slip. Of course, she was awake.
"You are, ain'tcha?" His voice was unnervingly close, as though his face was inches from hers. "Didn't mean to scare ya. What's your name?"
Lucy Heartfilia, her mind involuntarily answered, and she felt a little relieved.
But she snapped back, her tone defiant, "Who are you people? And why am I tied up like this?"
"Oh, uh, sorry about that," the voice sounded genuinely apologetic. "Name's Natsu Dragneel. I ain't here to hurt ya, okay?"
"And how am I supposed to believe that, hm?" Lucy shot back, her restrained body twitching back and forth to emphasize her point.
"It's just a precaution," Natsu explained.
"A precaution?" Lucy repeated in disbelief.
"Look, it ain't my idea."
"You release me this instant!"
"Hey, there's no need to yell," said Natsu awkwardly, clearly unsure of how to defuse the tension.
"Okay, Natsu Dragneel, or whatever your name is. If you don't release me right now, or so help me, I'm going to scream my lungs out and—"
"God, you're such a girl."
"I am a girl, you fucking idiot!"
Only the sound of her breathing filled the tense air for a few uncomfortable moments.
"Yeah, I can… see that," Natsu finally stammered, his voice suspiciously stiff.
Suddenly, Lucy's skin prickled with unease, a raw exposure that left her feeling defenseless. And her lack of vision only intensified her sense of paranoia.
Indignation flaring, she snarled, "You! Keep your eyes away from me, you pervert!"
"What? What do you—no, it ain't like that!" Natsu sputtered, followed by the sound of footsteps crunching away, as though he had hastily retreated from her.
"Didn't you tell your little friend, 'this ain't right'?" she accused, her voice adopting the rough timbre of his, a direct echo of his earlier words. "So why won't you just let me go?"
"Hey, I don't sound like that—" Natsu began to protest, then stopped. "Wait, you were listening?" His surprise was evident.
"Of course, I was listening!"
"Okay, okay. But… You're not crazy dangerous, are ya?"
"I will be if you don't let me go."
Natsu remained silent, and Lucy could feel her impatience growing. Taunting him probably wasn't the wisest course of action. Whether she liked it or not, she needed his cooperation to get out of her current predicament.
Okay, focus. Maybe if she could calmly explain everything to this stranger, she might be able to convince him to let her go. Unless he's actually a mountain bandit.
"Natsu, listen to me," Lucy started, her tone steady, "I came here with friends but got separated from them. They're probably out there looking for me. I need to find them."
"Oh, really?" said Natsu. "Your friends must be a shitty bunch then, leaving you behind."
"At least they wouldn't tie me up to a tree and slap on a blindfold," Lucy fired back.
"Fair enough. So, was your boyfriend out here with you too?"
Lucy felt a tightness in her throat at the mention of Laxus. The image of him striding ahead, leaving her struggling to keep up, flashed through her mind.
Suddenly, a prickling sensation crept behind her eyes. Hiking had never ranked high on her list of enjoyable activities, yet she had insisted on accompanying him, hoping to bridge the gap caused by her preference for books over outdoor adventures. Their relationship had hit a rough patch lately due to her literary pursuits, leaving little room for shared experiences.
But in the end, it seemed her efforts had only fueled his anger. Was he right? Should she have simply stayed home and endured his absence for a few days?
Lucy tried to suppress the rising tide of emotion, but it was a futile effort. Tears welled up behind the blindfold covering her eyes, soaking the fabric with her anger and resentment. Her lips quivered involuntarily.
"Hey, are you crying?" Natsu asked, sounding startled.
Lucy sniffled. "No," she lied, the tremor in her voice unmistakable.
There was a heavy sigh from him, followed by a groan and several crunching footsteps.
To Lucy's astonishment, warm, gentle hands brushed against the sides of her face, as though handling something delicate, only to move smoothly behind her head, fumbling to untie the blindfold.
As the fabric fell away, she blinked repeatedly to adjust to the dusky light filtering through the trees. Through the haze of tears, she sensed calloused fingers gently wiping them away.
"What are you doing, Natsu?" Lucy whispered.
But Natsu didn't answer.
When her vision finally sharpened, Lucy was startled to find a boyish face dangerously close to hers, a closeness that quickened her heartbeat and left her momentarily speechless. This face was—well, Natsu's face looked—
Lucy caught herself just in time, her expression hardening into a glare. "Get. Away. From me."
"Fine," Natsu quickly responded, straightening up and taking a couple of steps back.
He was surprisingly young, with disheveled, spiky pink hair, fierce black eyes, and slightly tanned skin. He sported a black rain jacket, pairing it with white hiking sweatpants and charcoal hiking boots. A white scarf was loosely draped around his neck.
"What are you staring at?" Natsu's eyebrows arched as he crouched in front of her.
Lucy cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. "Nothing," she said curtly, her gaze flicking to the piece of cloth discarded on the ground before returning to him.
Natsu snorted. "Well, I hate to disappoint, but this is me," he said dryly.
"I'm not particularly interested."
"Well, that stings," he muttered, the sarcasm evident in his tone.
Lucy tore her eyes away from him and scanned her surroundings. She found herself in a makeshift camp, nestled in an unfamiliar corner of the mountain she had been trekking earlier.
A circle of big rocks marked the camp's edge, with two large camping tents pitched nearby. Next to the tents, a pile of firewood lay scattered, waiting to be used. And at the heart of it all, there was a small campfire.
The sky above was a canvas of pinks and oranges, a sight that should have been beautiful if it wasn't for the sinking feeling in Lucy's stomach—it's almost nightfall? Where are Laxus and the others? Did they really leave me behind?
Turning back to Natsu, Lucy said sullenly, "You know what really stings? These ropes."
"I was about to undo them," Natsu retorted, "but then you went all 'get away from me.'"
His attempt this time at mimicking her voice grated against Lucy's nerves, yet she found herself lacking the energy anymore to berate him. "Fine," she conceded, "I'm sorry—and I definitely don't sound like that."
To her surprise, Natsu flashed her a lopsided grin. "You're weird," he remarked simply. "I like you."
With that, the atmosphere shifted somehow, and Lucy felt oddly flustered—which was ridiculous, really, given the circumstances—as the grinning idiot began untying the ropes binding her.
With each knot undone, Lucy's muscles relaxed, and she couldn't suppress a grateful sigh. As the last restraint fell away, she flexed her wrists, savoring the return of feeling to her hands.
Relieved that her back was no longer pressed against the rough surface of the tree trunk, she slowly hoisted herself up. But as she did, she felt her head throb more intensely, making her head spin.
She didn't realize she was staggering until she felt strong hands grip her shoulders, steadying her. Looking up, she saw Natsu's concerned expression.
"You okay?" he asked softly.
"No," groaned Lucy, "my head is killing me."
"Yeah, there's a pretty big bump here," said Natsu, his hand maneuvering behind her head.
Lucy instinctively reached up to feel where the pain was, confirming the presence of a bump at the back of her head. It felt massive. Oh, God!
Natsu frowned. "Do you remember what happened?"
"I... I don't know," she admitted, looking down. "Everything's a blur. I can't remember much."
"A concussion, huh," he suggested, scratching his head.
Yeah, I hope it's just a concussion.
"C'mon. Let's stay inside the tent while we wait for my friends."
Lucy looked up and blinked. "What?"
"It's chilly out here," Natsu explained lightly, rubbing his arms.
"There's a campfire over there," Lucy pointed out, nodding her head at the crackling flames at the center of the campsite.
"You really wanna wait out here?" Natsu grimaced as if it was the worst idea in the world.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm not getting inside the tent with you!"
"Why the hell not?"
"Because I'm leaving, of course! And you're not going to stop me!"
"Where ya goin' then? It's gonna be pitch black soon," Natsu shot back, his tone bordering on exasperation.
Lucy bit her lip, thinking hard. Searching for her group in the darkness was a stupid idea. What if she ran into wild animals or some mountain traps? The mere thought of them made her shiver as she contemplated the grim possibilities of injury. But even in the absence of these dangers, there remained the chilling prospect of freezing to death.
"You're quiet," Natsu said, cutting through the tense silence. "Is this the part where you say 'fine, you win, Natsu'?"
"What's taking your friends so long anyway?" Lucy asked briskly, changing the subject. "There's already a stash of firewood here that will probably last the entire—"
"They're having sex somewhere, I bet," Natsu interjected casually.
It took a moment for his words to sink in. Then, Lucy's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"
"I said I bet they're having sex somewhere," he repeated, louder this time, causing Lucy to flinch.
She could feel heat creeping up her neck and ears. "How... How can you speak so... So crudely! You…" she sputtered, her voice trailing off.
"So," said Natsu, looking smug, "wanna wait for them out here and maybe catch them coming back all messy and guilty?"
Lucy didn't answer, feeling like her face was about to burst into flames.
"Yeah, didn't think so. Now, c'mon."
Lucy followed him wordlessly into one of the tents. It's not like I have a choice at the moment. Although Natsu didn't strike her as someone who would intentionally hurt her, she couldn't quite place her trust in him. And as for the other two "fetching firewood" somewhere, well, she wasn't sure about them either.
Once inside the tent, Lucy's eyes immediately fell on a sleeping bag and a large knapsack spread out on the tent's floor. In one corner stood a camping side table, upon which a glowing lamp was placed, casting a warm, flickering light.
Natsu settled onto the tent's floor, using the knapsack as a makeshift pillow.
"You can take the sleeping bag," he offered, his hands resting behind his head.
"Um, thanks," Lucy said, moving toward the sleeping bag a few feet from Natsu. She sat down, crossing her legs, and watched as Natsu's gaze shifted upwards, seemingly lost in thought, his expression unreadable.
"So, what's your name?" Natsu asked moments later.
Taken aback by the sudden question, Lucy blinked. "My—? Oh, it's Lucy."
A crooked smile tugged at Natsu's lips, his eyes still focused on the ceiling. "That's a pretty name."
"Thanks." Lucy hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the fabric of the sleeping bag. "Can I ask you something?"
Natsu's head turned, his eyes meeting hers, a look of curiosity in his gaze. "Yeah, what's up?"
"How… How did you find me exactly?" she asked tentatively.
"Erza found ya," Natsu corrected. "A bit far from here, actually. Gray and I had to carry your sweet ass back here since you were out cold."
"Then, why did you guys tie me up to a tree?" Lucy couldn't help but want to know.
"Erza's idea," explained Natsu. "We didn't see any of your belongings, so she figured you might swipe our stuff and make a run for it while we're off somewhere."
Right. Because Laxus was the one carrying all my stuff.
Suddenly, the tent flap flung open, prompting Lucy to gasp in surprise. Standing before them was a dark-haired guy, dressed in a crisp white rain jacket, gray hiking pants, and sturdy black boots. His deep blue eyes narrowed with suspicion as he took in the sight of Lucy and Natsu.
"What the hell, Flame Brain?" he muttered, his accusatory tone evident as he fixed a steely glare on Natsu.
"Right back at you, Gray," Natsu spat as he glared back. "Took your time, didn't ya?"
So, he's Gray, Lucy noted silently. And it wasn't the only thing she noted as she continued to stare at his features.
"Erza's gonna be pissed," Gray groaned, running a hand down his face. "She specifically told you not to let her—"
"Hey, I'm right here," Lucy interrupted irritably.
But Gray ignored her, his heavy-lidded eyes still on Natsu. With a tense exhale, he pivoted and slipped back outside, a final remark tossed over his broad shoulder, "Whatever, man." And the tent flap fluttered shut behind him, leaving Lucy and Natsu in an uneasy silence.
Moments later, the tent flap was tossed open again, and a tall woman with a mane of long red hair emerged. She wore a silver fleece jacket, paired with hiking pants and boots of similar dark hues.
This had to be Erza. And she was nothing like Natsu or Gray—she looked awfully intimidating, and yet… she was probably the hottest woman Lucy had ever seen.
How do these three manage to look like they've stepped straight out of a magazine? Lucy thought to herself, feeling a mixture of awe and disbelief. Jeez!