FULL SUMMARY:
Lucille is a Celestial Wizard, with only the former feelings from her past life as the only real thing that clings to her in her new life filled with magic and wonder, with danger lurking around every corner. The moment that Lucille found out about the Guilt known as Fairy Tail, she couldn't help but feel a sense of longing for home as she made her way to the Guild with her Celestial Spirits alongside her.
A Natsu Dragneel/OC!In-Lucy's-Place fanfiction that no one asked for but I wrote for self-indulgence reasons. Slow burn, but not slow like NaLu is.
Vaguely Lucille could remember life before her current one, but the parts she could recall slipped from her like smoke. Only the emotions that were connected to such memories lingered better than anything. Such instances were when Lucille stared into the mirror, wanting to call her reflection "Lucy" if she ignored the two beauty marks below her lower lip, throwing the whole thing off, and causing Lucille's head to hurt when she lingered on it for too long. So she tried not to stare into the mirror for too long.
Many things would also trigger brief flashes of random "memories" for her, be it a particular shade of blue and pink, or the cream-colored sarong that had a scale-like pattern that her mother had gotten her before she passed away. Another is the golden keys that once belonged to her mother, causing a feeling of awe and deep love when her mother explained about the Celestial Spirits.
"Momma! I really love Celestial Spirits! I love Big Sis!" she shouted loudly, beaming up at her mother.
The older blond smiled softly at her while petting her head. "Maybe one day Aquarius will be your Spirit, Lucille," she informed her daughter, feeling her heart swell in her chest.
The young blond smiled, looking out the window of her train as she remembered when she first summoned the Water Bearer.
Nine-year-old Lucille turned the tap off for her huge bathtub, the golden key that once belonged to her mother tightly gripped in her hand as she took a deep breath and slowly voiced the spell to summon the Spirit to her, feeling silly as she dipped the key into the water and turned. A bright light blinded the little girl as she took a few steps back, feeling woozy as she rubbed her eyes.
"What do you want, brat? I have better things to do, you know." Demanded a feminine voice. Lucille blinked hard, her vision finally clearing, and gaped at seeing a mermaid lounging in the large bath. Said mermaid glaring down at her, not looking amused in the least bit.
The young girl's eyes watered as she sniffled, a whole bunch of different emotions swirling in her gut. "You're so beautiful," she stated, rubbing away the tears. Without warning, or care about getting her pastel blue dress wet, Lucille hugged the Spirit tightly around the middle. "Momma's gone, Big Sis Aquarius!" she cried, holding her tightly.
The Spirit sighed, frowning as she gently patted the girl on the head. Aquarius knew Layla was gone, their contract broken the moment she died. She wanted to mourn in peace with her beloved, not expecting to be summoned for a long while. Yet here she is, with Layla's little girl clinging to her tightly. "Okay, that's enough!" she stated firmly, pushing the small girl away and leaning down into Lucille's face. "I ain't your cuddle buddy, got that? You summoned me, so you must want a contract, right? So go get a notebook and we'll talk." Aquarius grumbled, poking her forehead sharply, causing the human to sniffle before nodding and rushing to get her star-themed notebook.
She never used it, so on the very first page, she carefully wrote 'Aquarius' on the top. "What days are you available, Big Sis?" she asked, making bullet points.
"Only Wednesdays." Aquarius huffed, lounging back in the large bath. The tub was deep enough that while leaning back, the water went up to her collarbone, and spacious enough for her large tail with extra room to spare. "You better not summon me using gross water, either! If I find out you summoned me using a muddy puddle or a toilet, consider our contract null and void!" She snarled, speaking firmly to get her point across.
Lucille nodded, scribbling the conditions down before peering up at the Spirit through her bangs. "It's Wednesday today, so does that mean you'll stay?" the little girl asked timidly, cheeks pink with a blush. "If so, can I brush your hair? It's so pretty…"
Lucille had a complex relationship with her first Celestial Spirit. At times, Aquarius would get frustrated with the young wizard and sweep her away using her water magic. In contrast, at other times she would be very caring, allowing the human girl to brush her hair and talk about anything and everything. Aquarius even went out of her way to teach Lucille how to swim as a gift for her tenth birthday. In return, Lucille gave Aquarius a soft-bristled brush that had an aquatic design on the back in mother of pearl. The mermaid hadn't said anything, merely accepting the gift.
"Attention, passengers, we have arrived at Hargeon Town! Please make sure to grab your bags and exit the train in an orderly fashion." The conductor informed them over the speaker.
Lucille stood up, stretching to relieve her muscles from sitting so long, before grabbing her lone suitcase. She made her way off the train, enjoying the ocean breeze as she pulled the powder blue case behind her. She looked around the port town and ended up finding a cozy magic shop by the docks. She entered, hearing the bell jingle as she walked up to the elderly man working the counter. "Excuse me, sir, is this the only magic shop in town?" she questioned.
"Sure is! See, the folks around here are more into fishing than magic, but I opened this place for travelers like yourself." He pulled out an item that Lucille already owned. "This colors magic is popular," he stated, using it to change his clothes to purple.
Lucille sighed, a bit disappointed. "I already have one of those, but thank you anyways. It was a long shot, but I was hoping to find some Gate Keys."
The owner smiled, bending down to grab something after turning his clothes back to their original color. "Gate Keys, huh? That's a rare request," he stated, setting a wooden box on the counter and opening it.
Nestled inside in a white pillow was a silver key. Lucille gasped, her heart thudding in her chest at the possibility of having a new member of her Celestial family. "Oh wow! It's Canis Minor! How much is it?" she inquired softly, not seeing a price tag.
"It's not very powerful, you know."
"Silver ones normally aren't, but I would still love to give it a home. So how much for it?"
"20,000 Jewel."
The young blond felt her heart sink. She only had a little over 100k left on her, and she needed some of it to pay for a hotel room before making her way to finally join a Guild and the cost of travel, too. "Is there anything I can do for you instead? I'm very good at tidying up and organizing!"
"I do have some stock that needs to be put out. If you can do that for me, I'll charge you 13,000 Jewel. Do we have a deal?"
Lucille brightened up and shook his hand. "Deal! Just show me where it is and I'll take care of it!" And like that, Lucille helped the elderly man, paid him the Jewel, and happily left with her new key. "Welcome home," she whispered, pressing a light kiss to the key and then clipping it on the ring with the others. Once that was done, she found a cheap hotel, with them giving her a two-bedroom suite for only 500 Jewel a night, which allowed her to drop off her suitcase before wandering around town again.
"I wonder if anyone is hiring part-timers? If I want a chance to make it to Fairy Tail, I'll need more cash to cover traveling expenses…" she muttered to herself as she played with the cuff of her off-the-shoulder cream-colored sweater top that was paired with a knee-length powder blue skort and chunky heeled booties. As she crossed over a bridge, she heard screams, causing her to look for the source which was a group of girls below. "Huh?"
"Are you serious?! He's really here?" A girl asked her friend as they ran by the blond.
"It's Salamander!"
That word triggered a feeling of fond exasperation to flood through Lucille, similar to when she saw a certain shade of pink when she was younger. "Salamander? As in the wizard who uses fire magic that you can't buy in stores? Wow! He's here?!" She ran after the girls, joining the group she had spotted from up high.
However, something didn't add up when she laid eyes on the older man wearing a gaudy cape. He didn't give off the right feeling to her, making her question precisely who he is, because there cannot be any way he is the Salamander that triggered pleasant feelings and made her think of cozy campfires under the vast night sky. Yet, the longer she stared at the strange man, the more her heart raced, confusing her so badly as she made her way to the front of the crowd.
"You ladies are all so sweet," he crooned, making Lucille's skin crawl. The feeling became more intense when he locked eyes with Lucille. She honestly thought she was going to faint with how hard her heart raced.
"Igneel!" Came a faint cry from a masculine voice, slowly overpowering the weird lovesick feeling she was having as it drew closer. "Igneel, it's me!"
A young man, no older than Lucille, burst from the crowd with a large grin, showing off a set of fangs. Flying behind him was a blue cat with wings, and wearing a small backpack. The ocean breeze tickled Lucille's skin as it blew through, waking her up from the charm as she stared at his pink hair. It was just the perfect shade of lychee pink, triggering that feeling of safety deep inside her.
The young man frowned, looking disappointed at the sight before him. "Who the heck are you?" he asked blandly.
"Who am I? I'm Salamander. Surely you have heard of me before." The older male stated with a grin, only to be shocked as the teen and his cat turned and walked away. "Hey, wait a minute!"
Lucille sighed, making her way after the pair. There was just something about them that she was drawn to, and wanted to talk to them both. She witnessed the charmed girls beating him up. Lucille was quick to run over and pull him to his feet while the so-called Salamander soothed the angry mob. The man then gave the pink-haired teen his autograph, causing the younger male to stare blankly at him, not registering Lucille's hold on his arm.
"Yeah… No thanks," he stated, looking annoyed.
Noticing the mob getting angry, Lucille tugged on the stranger's arm, ignoring his surprised shout as she dragged him away. "Guess that wasn't him after all…" chimed the cat, flying after the two.
"Definitely not him!" he denied, before pulling his arm from her grasp. "Who are you?"
"I'm Lucille. That guy was a real creep, using charm magic on those girls. If you hadn't shown up when you did, I don't know what would've happened to me, so thanks!"
"Uhh… You're welcome?" Just then, his stomach rumbled loudly, making the girl giggle.
"As thanks for your help, how about I treat you to some lunch?"
"Really?! Thank you so much!"
It didn't take them long to find a place— cheap and tasty! Well worth the 1,000 Jewel— and ordered their food. Lucille got a medium rare burger with all the fixings and a side of potato wedges, and a blue raspberry lemonade to wash it down. Soon the table was covered in food ranging from pasta, pizza, curry, sandwiches, soups, and even a giant lobster!
"So, what are your names?" she asked, eating one of her seasoned potato wedges, and silently savoring the taste.
The other teen paused, his drink at his lips, blinking a few times as realization flashed across his face. "I'm Natsu, and this is my friend Happy!"
"Aye!" The blue feline raised a paw with a cheerful wave, then went back to eating his fish.
"It sure is a pleasure meeting you both!" she grinned, taking a bite out of her burger. "So, what brought you two to town?" she questioned, watching as his slitted pupils seem to dilate.
"We heard there was a Salamander in this town… So we came, but it turned out to be somebody else."
"We could see he wasn't a real Salamander just by looking."
"I was sure it would be Igneel," Natsu pouted, clearly upset that he didn't find who he was looking for.
"So, when you say Salamander, do you mean like the newt or what?" she questioned, taking a sip of her drink.
Natsu chugged his beverage, so Lucille waved down a waitress to get him a refill. "Nah, Igneel is a real dragon." He stated nonchalantly.
"You… You actually thought a dragon would be in a human town?" she asked, giggling as they both realized how silly it sounded. She finished her meal and wiped her face. "I wonder if real dragons differ from a Celestial one?" she questioned, looking up at the sky through the window.
"Celestial?" Happy asked, nibbling on some shrimp.
Lucille smiled at the cat and tugged out the one Gate Key she kept separate from the others by wearing it on a long chain around her neck. "Yeah, there are Celestial Spirits for each of the constellations, with the Zodiac Spirits being the strongest of them all. So it wouldn't be too far out there to think that there's one for the Dragon Constellation, known as Draco."
"But what's with the key?" he questioned, sniffing at the item.
"I'm a Celestial Wizard, and these keys— known as Gate Keys— let me summon the individual Spirit that is tied to the key." She gently rubbed her thumb over the engraving standing for Aquarius. "I managed to find a Silver Key earlier, and I hope I can find more to add to my family as I make my way to the Fairy Tail Guild."
"Fairy Tail?" asked Natsu in-between bites.
"Yup! It's a fairly popular Wizard Guild, though that's not the reason I wanna join." She leaned back in the booth, grabbed her drink, and sipped. "When I first heard of Fairy Tail, I couldn't help but feel like that's where I belong, and I suddenly become homesick, ya know?"
Natsu slumped back in his seat, chewing on some dried meat as he looked to the side. "Yeah, I can understand that…" he stated.
"Well, do you guys have any place to stay yet?" Lucille questioned, shoving some fish towards Happy.
"Nope! And because of Natsu accidentally riding the train twice, we're flat broke!" Happy cheered, not caring about their situation at all.
Lucille felt sweat beading at her temple at his carefree answer. "Isn't that a bit of a problem?"
"It wouldn't be the first time we've had to rough it out," Natsu cut in, biting into a hunk of steak.
Lucille dug into her pocket and pulled out the spare key for her hotel room. "I'd feel bad forcing you to sleep outside if I could do something to prevent it." She slid the key across the table to Natsu. "I managed to get a room with two beds, so you're welcome to the spare." She stood up, pulled out her wallet, and laid the correct amount of Jewel to cover their food and extra for a decent tip. "Enjoy your meal and I'll see you later, 'kay?"
"Thank you so much for the food!" they both shouted, going into a dogeza position with their foreheads pressed firmly against the ground. "And a place to stay for the night!"
Lucille felt her cheeks warm as she forced them both to stand. "There's no need to thank me! You helped me with the charm earlier, so this is the least I can do, honest!" she stated, forcing Natsu back into the booth. "But if you want to pay me back, then just be my travel buddy!" Lucille ruffled his hair with a grin before disappearing out of the lovely little restaurant.
— — —
Natsu stared dumbly at the leftover food in front of him, while Happy reclaimed his spot and grabbed a plate of smoked mackerel. Reaching up, he ran a hand through his spiky head of hair, his scalp tingling as he remembered the feeling of Lucille's fingers running through the strands. Crossing his arms on top of the table, Natsu buried his face in them as his face warmed.
"You okay, Natsu?" inquired Happy, as he pulled away from his fish.
"Yeah, I'm okay… So, Lucille wants to join Fairy Tail, huh?" Natsu asked, sitting up and taking a drink as one of the waitresses cleared away the empty plates and bowls.
"Aye, sir! That's what she said!"
"She would make a nice addition to the Guild. She even called Fairy Tail home." He pointed out, adjusting his scarf. "Everyone would be excited if I brought home a new Guild member."
Happy paused, looking up at his friend over the fish he nibbled on. He got the feeling that there was more to it than what Natsu wanted or even knew to say. His tail swayed lazily behind him, tucking the bit of plausible gossip away for when he met with Mirajane and Levy again.
— — —
Lucille fiddled with the cream-colored fabric of her scale-patterned sarong and decided to tie it like a halter dress. Cancer stood behind her, his scissors snipping away her dead ends before running his fingers through her long blonde hair, muttering to himself as he gave her loose barrel curls before pulling it into a half ponytail with a few strands to frame her face.
"What do you think, baby?" he asked, bending down to help fasten the cream-colored wedge sandals he brought from the Celestial world to compliment the sarong.
"Fantastic as always, Cancer! The makeup is also really well done. Thank you so much!" She hugged her spirit around his waist, smiling wide as he chuckled.
"That makeup is waterproof and should handle an Aquarius beating… Though are you sure you wanna go to this shindig, baby? This dude seems very sketchy, baby."
Lucille pulled back with a determined gleam in her eyes, reminding the Spirit why he agreed to be contracted with her. "I know he is. But I feel like if I don't go, a lot of innocent people are going to be hurt, Cancer." She was firm in her beliefs as she stared up at him. "I made a few new friends today, so I'll leave a note saying where I am if that'll make you feel better, and if I have to make a quick exit, I'll leave my belongings with you, okay?"
The dark-skinned man gently patted her head, nodding in agreement. "You're gonna be on a boat, so keep Aquarius closer to you than the rest of us, ya dig, baby?"
Lucille saluted him with a smile. "Of course! Also, thank you for the thigh holster for my keys~" she cheered, following him out of the bathroom as he collected her important belongings. Lucille grabbed the complimentary pen and paper on the bedside between the two beds and jotted a quick note to Natsu and Happy, adding in her odd feeling and how she was going to see what was up. "I'll leave this with the front desk to give to my friends when they show up, so wish me luck, Cancer!"
"Just be careful, baby." He stated before closing his Gate and leaving.
Taking a deep breath, Lucille left her room and left the note with the front desk attendant, making sure to describe Natsu and Happy to them before hurrying off to the harbor. It didn't take her as long as she thought it would as she walked the gangplank to bored the fancy boat.
Lucille stood around awkwardly, smiling at the other girls as she fiddled with one of her curls. Her skin crawled as she noticed a few sketchy-looking men also on board as 'Salamander' charmed more girls before his eyes locked on the blonde. "Well hello there. I'm glad you were able to make it to my party… Lucille, was it?"
"Y-yes. Thank you for the invite," she replied as politely as possible, her skin prickling as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. There was just something about him that made her feel icky.
He didn't seem to notice her discomfort as he led her away, into a private room. "Lucille is such a lovely name," he began, gesturing to the empty sofa behind a small table. The young blonde tucked her skirt as she took the seat. On the table set two champagne flutes and a bottle sitting in a bucket of ice. 'Salamander' took the seat next to her a poured them both a glass, smiling the whole time as he passed her glass to her. "I'd like to toast your beauty," he informed her, snapping his fingers and causing orbs of the drink to float in the air toward her. "Now, open up wide, Lucille~" he crooned, trying to lay the charm on thick. "Savor the taste of each flavorful drop as it enters your mouth."
Her eyes widen as she caught sight of the other ring he wore next to the one that cast the charm spell, her heart racing in her chest as she quickly stood and brushed the droplets away. "I knew something was off! You're trying to use Sleep Magic on me!" Lucille cried in shock, her stomach sinking as plausible reasons for such tactics rand through her mind.
'Salamander' chuckled, showing off the rings and he cradled his chin. "Very impressive, my dear." He began, tone oozing with condescension.
Lucille bit her tongue as he stood, shuffling a few steps away from him to create distance. "I don't know what you're planning to do with all of us, but I have a feeling that it'll come crashing down tonight!" She stated, trying to sound brave.
He chuckled, turning slightly away from her. "You're quite a handful, aren't you?" Just then, the faux walls opened up, and behind them were the sketchy men that she noticed earlier, with the slumbering women being held like sacks of potatoes. "Welcome aboard my ship. And you'd be wise to behave yourself until we make it to Bosco," he informed her as two men grabbed her, freaking her out.
'Are they working for Father?! But that doesn't explain the other girls!' she thought, twisting every which way in her panic.
"Don't make me angry." 'Salamander' stated, his voice dropping as he gripped her chin.
"So you're gonna kidnap all of us?! And do what?!" she demanded, fighting the urge to kick him.
"To make you all my slaves, of course. Well, some of the girls will be sold, but I do plan on keeping you for myself…" he purred, brushing as hand over her carefully done curls.
Without warning, Lucille spat in his face, making 'Salamander' jerk back away from her as she stomped on the toes of the man holding her. "You disgust me!" she yelled, pulling out her key ring that glittered with mainly Silver Keys and two Gold Keys.
Before she could summon anyone— preferably Cancer to give these guys a makeover that reflected their inner ugliness— 'Salamander' snatched the ring from her hands with his Flame magic. "Hmm… These are Gate Keys. So you're a Celestial Wizard." He almost sounded impressed as Lucille gasped. "Only the Wizard who is contracted can use this magic. So these are absolutely useless to me." He scoffed, tossing them out and into the sea.
"Cancer! Taurus! Horologium! Lyra! Nichola!" she cried, hearing the faint splash of her family sinking into the water. "You're a monster, using magic to take advantage of others," Lucille spat, tears prickling her eyes. "You're the worst Wizard alive! You don't even deserve to call yourself one!"
'Salamander' apparently didn't like that, as he quickly advanced on the crying blonde and struck her across the face hard enough that Lucille fell to the floor. "Why don't you keep that pretty mouth of yours closed before I get really angry, little girl." He hissed, eyes flashing with his anger.
Lucille whimpered, curling her legs under her as she cupped her reddening cheek. Under her sarong, Aquarius' key warmed to the point of nearly burning, making the female Wizard wince. She had to wait for the right moment to jump overboard, to claim the other members of her family before letting Aquarius out and causing chaos.
As she whimpered, making 'Salamander' grin happily, did the roof break as something came crashing down behind the horrid man. Lucille sucked in a breath, her eyes wide as she stared at Natsu. The teen was frowning, his slitted eyes narrowed as he glared at the sight before him. "N-Natsu…" she whispered, drawing his attention. She smiled as brightly as she could, somehow knowing that everything would be just fine now that he was here.
The lychee-haired teen gagged, covering his mouth with his right hand as he bent forward. "I knew this was a bad idea!"
"Natsu! Are you okay?!" she cried out, hearing him dry heave as she scrambled to her feet and rushed to his side. She knelt down and began rubbing his back in soothing circles.
"Hey, what are you doing here, Lucille?" chimed Happy, flying above the hole that Natsu had created.
Lucille looked up, her cheek stinging still from the hit. "Happy, this jerk is planning on kidnapping all the women here and forcing them to either be his slaves or sell them!" The men stared, completely dumbfounded at them both.
The blue cat zoomed down towards the blond and used his tail to grab ahold of her before flying off. "Hold on!" Happy called back, flying as fast as he can away from the boat.
"Happy, what about Natsu?!"
"I can't carry two people!" he informed the girl.
"Then drop me in the water, Happy! I need my Gate Keys!" She yelled back, just as magical flames shot up, making her scream as the cat dodged them.
"Okay! My time is almost up anyways!" He flew low, a few meters above the sea just as his wings disappeared. The fall wasn't so bad, as he managed to only sink a few feet while Lucille dove for the glittering right of Gate Keys. Grabbing them, she clipped them back to her thigh before making her way back to the surface. Happy bobbed along, watching her as she swam over to him and held him tightly.
"Get ready! Open, Gate of the Water Bearer– Aquarius!" Lucille tugged the key she wore around her neck out, slamming the end into the water and twisting it like one would unlock a door. In a bright flash of light did the mermaid appear, holding her clay water jug.
"A fish!" cried Happy, salivating over the sight of Aquarius.
"Now that's rude, Happy! She's the most gorgeous mermaid ever!" she scolded the blue feline, flicking the tip of his ear. "Big Sis! Can you please use your water control to push that boat back into port? That creep wants to sell and enslave all the girls he tricked! He even hit me!" She asked her most beloved Spirit, wondering if today would be one of her moody days or not.
Aquarius scoffed, her jug brimming with water as she glared down at the blonde, making her gulp in fear. "Let's get something straight, brat. The next time some shady guy invites you to a party, don't just happily skip into what is an obvious trap! I know you're smarter than that, got it?!" The Spirit ranted, shoving a well-manicured finger into Lucille's face. "You should've jumped overboard as soon as possible and summoned me! Or at least called upon Cancer!" she ranted, jug overflowing with her anger as she swung it, easily manipulating the water to create a giant wave that pushed the boat back towards the port.
"Hold on, Happy!" Lucille shouted, taking a deep breath as the wave crashed into them and sent them both back to the shore. A bit dazed, she sat up on the damp sand and smiled at the mermaid. "Thanks for the help, Aquarius!"
The blue-haired woman huffed, a shadow of a smile gracing her pretty face. "It was mere child's play for someone like me," she bragged, turning away from the girl. "Don't call me for a while. I'm going on a week-long vacation with my boyfriend. And he's hot. Not like you'd know anything about that, now would you?" she teased, sending a splash of water at Lucille's face.
The girl sputtered, feeling the cold water hit her abused cheek, only to feel the pain lessen. "I'm just waiting for the right guy!" she pouted at the smirking Celestial Spirit. "He has to be strong and kind, just like Big Bro!" Aquarius huffed, looking amused as she closed her gate.
"I've got an idea!" Shouted Happy, finally free from the sand. "If the fish lady gives you any more trouble, you can call me to take care of her!"
Lucille giggled, patting the confused feline on the head. "That's just her personality, Happy. Aquarius is like a big sister to me, so, of course, she's gotta tease me whenever she gets a chance."
The blue cat pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. "You can still call me to take care of her."
Lucille got up and brushed off her sarong, happy that the material wasn't see-through even though it was a light color. She and Happy made their way to the crash, spying Natsu standing on top of the wrecked boat. "Natsu!" she shouted, waving up at him, relieved that he was okay.
"So you claim to be a member of the Fairy Tail Guild?" he questioned, glaring fiercely at 'Salamander' and his goons.
"So what's it to you? Go get him, men."
"Sir!"
Lucille grinned, grabbing another key as the thought from earlier returned. "I don't think so! Open, Gate of the Giant Crab– Cancer!" She summoned Cancer easily, the crustation constellation ready for action as he held his scissors.
"First fish, now a giant crab?!" Happy exclaimed, drooling once more.
"What can I do for you, baby?" he asked, giving her a once over, his shaded gaze lingering on the fading bruise.
Lucille pointed at the goons, glaring at them with all the disgust that filled her insides. "Give these guys a makeover that reflects their inner ugliness, Cancer!" She ordered.
The dark-skinned man grinned viciously as the moonlight glittered off his shades. "With pleasure, baby." He charged forward, not giving the goons enough time to react as he sliced off all their hair and turned all their clothes to ribbons. The emotional damage from such a horrendous makeover instantly KO'd them all, leaving nothing except the boss for Natsu.
As Cancer returned to Lucille's side to fuss over her sea salt-soaked hair, she watched as Natsu slowly walked towards 'Salamander'. "Let me get a closer look at your face." He demanded, removing his travel coat. Even with nothing but the moon's light illuminating everything, Lucille could still see the red Guild mark on his right shoulder.
"I probably should have told you this earlier, but he's a Wizard too," Happy told her, enjoying the grooming Cancer provided him as he ate a fish that he found.
"He's the real Salamander, isn't he?" she asked, staring in awe.
"My name is Natsu. I'm a Fairy Tail Wizard. And I've never seen you before!" He declared.
"Aye, that's Fairy Tail's Salamander!"
One of the few remaining goons gasped, pointing up at the pink-haired young man. "That mark on his arm, this guy is the real deal, Bora," he cried, shivering at the glare Natsu shot at them.
"Need anything else, baby?" Asked Cancer, finishing with both Happy's fur and her hair. Lucille shook her head, and gave the Spirit a quick hug before closing his gate, not wanting to miss a second of the real Salamander.
Happy frowned, arms crossed over his chest. "I know him. That's Bora the Prominence. Rumor has it, he was kicked out of the Titan Nose Wizard Guild a couple of years ago for bad behavior."
Lucille nodded, easily believing that. "Not surprised, given his heavy use of illegal magic."
Natsu slowly made his way toward Bora and his little group, growling all the while. "I have no idea what you're trying to do here, buddy, and I don't care if you're a good guy, bad guy, or what. I'm not gonna let you dirty the Fairy Tail Guild's name!" He shouted.
Bora just scoffed, not looking threatened in the least bit. "And what are you gonna do about it?" He goaded, a cocky grin spread across his face. "Stop me? Prominence Typhoon!" He cast a spell, causing Natsu to be engulfed by a typhoon of purple flames.
"Natsu!" Lucille cried, just as Happy flew up and blocked her path. "He's gonna be okay, right?" she asked, slowly sinking down to her knees.
"Aye, sir! Natsu won't go down to such weak fire," chuckled Happy, taking a seat in her lap.
To prove the blue feline right, Natsu's voice rang out from the flames. "Aw, this is so gross." He gagged, his silhouette looking like he was shoving something into his mouth. "Are you sure that you're really a fire wizard?" He asked sarcastically. "Because these are the nastiest flames I've ever tasted," Natsu concluded, sounding like he was talking with food in his mouth.
Lucille watched, jaw slacked, as the young man consumed the flames like one would spaghetti. Slurping it up like it was normal— and it probably was for someone like Natsu— he grinned brightly, fangs on full display. The young blonde giggle, finding the sight to be endearing. For whatever reason, her old lessons in chemistry popped into the front of her mind, wondering if Natsu could actually describe the taste of the rainbow fire. The mental image made her giggle more, causing Happy to look at her strangely. "I just had a really wonderful idea…" she spoke aloud to herself.
"Thanks for the grub, poser," Natsu thanked Bora, placing his hands on his hips.
"What's going on here? Who is this kid?" demanded Bora, sweating nervously.
Happy grinned deviously, standing proudly on Lucille's lap as he explained the truth behind Natsu's abilities. "Fire magic doesn't work on Natsu."
Lucille was in awe, watching as the other wizard stalked forward, looking very much like a predator ready to strike. "He's amazing…"
"Don't let him hear that. I think his head might end up too big to fit in the Guild," Happy chimed, giggling behind his little paws. Lucille scratched behind his ear, making the blue furball purr as he melted into her hold.
"Now, I've got a fire in my belly that's raging to get out!" Natsu exclaimed, slamming his fists together as a red magic circle formed. "Here it goes!" He sucked in a deep breath, spreading his legs until they were shoulder-width apart and slightly bent, his hands coming up to his mouth and acting as if he was blowing into a horn. "Fire Dragon Roar!" Even from her spot far away from the target of the flames, Lucille could feel the intense heat and it caused chills to run down her spine over how powerful he truly was.
Bora managed to doge the attack using his own flame magic, while the rest of his goons lay in the rubble. "Hey, Bora! I swear I've seen this guy before! The pink hair and the scaly-looking scarf, there's no doubt about it. He's got to be the real one." One of the stated, confirming the blonde's suspicions.
The real Salamander of Fairy Tail grinned, his flame magic swirling around his fists. "I hope you guys are paying attention. This is what a Fairy Tail Wizard can do!" He shouted, his magic growing hotter as he charged. "Here I come!"
Bora gasped, not expecting the teen to be so quick as he tried to create distance. "Red Shower!" He shouted, shooting pinkish flame bullets at Natsu. Not like it did much, as Natsu jumped into the air and punched the other man in the face with a fist full of fire.
"So he eats fire and then attacks with it?" Lucille asked Happy, watching from a safe distance as the fire crackled and snapped with each collision. "That can't be any ordinary spell…"
"He has dragon lungs that allow him to breathe fire, dragon scales to help him to dissolve the fire, and dragon claws for attacking with fire," Happy told her, looking proud at his friend's abilities, little paws resting on his hips and chest puffed out. "His brand of Fire Magic is one that allows his body to take on all the qualities of a dragon! It's an ancient spell that's rarely used anymore."
"Lost Magic," she murmured lowly, wondering where that knowledge even came from.
"This particular magic was originally used to deal with dragons."
"Hell Prominence!" Bora cast his spell and ended up destroying a good chunk of the buildings close to the shore.
"It's called Dragon Slayer Magic. Igneel was the one who taught it to him," Happy continued, looking unbothered by the destruction going on. Given Fairy Tail's track record, it was probably a common occurrence for the cat.
Bora yelled, shooting a large ball of flame magic at Natsu, with the teen catching it easily and slurping it up. "Now, that was a hefty meal!" He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth with a chuckle. "You're not doing too bad. But I'm about to cook you like a smoked fish!"
She couldn't help it. Lucille busted up laughing as Happy pouted. "Silly Natsu. Everyone knows you smoke fish with smoke, not fire~"
"Get ready! Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" The flames that surrounded Natsu's right fist were more controlled as he shot forward, making Lucille believe that he was an actual dragon soring towards their prey. With a strong punch, Natsu sent Bora flying back down to the ground, the older man crashing through multiple buildings before smashing into the bell of a church.
Lucille hugged Happy close as she got up, rushing over towards Natsu as he was catching his breath. "Natsu!"
The lychee-haired teen looked up, making her breath catch as she took in how the surrounding fire shined and made his dark olive green eyes almost look more emerald in their fiery dance. "Happy! Lucille! You both okay?" he asked with a carefree grin. "Where did that crazy man-crab from earlier go?" he added, making his way over to them both.
"Lucille summoned him with one of her shiny keys, Natsu! She also has a giant fish lady!"
The blonde pinched the cat's cheek playfully as she began scolding him. "Aquarius isn't a fish lady! She's the most gorgeous and strongest mermaid ever!"
"Aye, whatever you say!" The blue feline cried, pushing her hand away from his face, just as the sound of heavy metal clanking filled the air. "Wait, is that the army?!" He shouted, flying out of her hold to get a better look.
Before she could turn to look, Natsu swept her off her feet and into his arms as he ran for it. "Oh, crap, we got to get out of here!" He exclaimed loudly over Lucille's shout of surprise.
"Where are you taking me?!" she yelled, wrapping her arms around his neck just in case.
He looked down at her in his arms and gave her one of his large carefree grins that showed off all his teeth. "You said that you wanted to join the Fairy Tail Guild, didn't you? So let's go!"
She smiled, heart racing as she nodded when a thought suddenly struck her. "Natsu, what about your bags?!"
"Ah, crap, you're right!" He shouted, taking a sharp turn down one of the alleyways, sniffing the air like a bloodhound as they both arrived at the hotel. Lucille pulled out her key before Natsu had a chance to start patting down his pockets, hopping out of his arms, and unlocking the door.
Lucille sighed happily as Natsu gathered his backpack that was thrown carelessly on the spare bed. "Let me get changed first, then we can leave," she suggested, gesturing towards her sarong.
The pink-haired teen cocked his head to the side as he sat down on the bed. "Why? I don't see anything wrong with what you have on."
"It's not practical to travel in, though…" she pointed out, realizing that the pattern of her sarong matched his scarf. "Anyways, Cancer should have my suitcase, so give me a moment." She pulled said Spirit's key off her keyring and held it in front of her, channeling the feeling of safety into her magic. "Open, Gate of the Giant Crab– Cancer!" She called, twisting the key as the bright light that comes with summoning a Celestial Spirit filled the room.
"You ready for a style change, baby?" came the deep rumbling voice of Cancer as the light vanished, her suitcase right next to him.
"Holy cow! It's a crab-man!" Shouted a surprised Natsu, staring up at the Celestial Spirit.
Lucille grinned, hugging the taller male, resting her chin on his chest as she looked up at him. "Yeah, 'cause we're gonna travel to Fairy Tail, Cancer!" she cheered, cheeks gaining a rosy tint from how happy she was.
The Celestial Spirit hummed, gently pushing her to the bathroom. "One moment and I'll get you a makeover fit for travel and first impressions, baby." He quickly got to work, nudging her suitcase open and pulling out some clothes and Lucille's well-loved chunky heeled booties that were comfortable and stylish. Natsu stared in wonder, crossing his legs on top of the comforter as he watched the Spirit pull out haircare products as well.
Lucille accepted the clothes with a soft smile, disappearing into the bathroom to get changed. Cancer had selected a sleeveless powder blue turtleneck top paired with her cream-colored chunky knitted cardigan, a white knee-length skort paired with black thigh highs, and her chunky heeled ankle booties. Around her waist, she wore a brown leather belt that her keyring and whip hooked on, with only Aquarius' key hanging from a chain around her neck. She exited the bathroom and did a little spin. "So, how do I look?"
Cancer gave a thumbs-up while holding his scissors up. "Just need a little more work on your do to fix the mess from earlier, baby," he commented, pulling out the product he had and forcing her to sit in a spare chair. Lucille closed her eyes, enjoying having the Celestial Spirit play with her hair as he hummed. "Pick a color, baby."
"Pink, please," she answered, feeling the gentle tug of her hair as he brushed it out. She finally opened her eyes when Cancer tapped her shoulder, holding a hand mirror in front of her. She blinked, stunned that he could make her hair look so silky and healthy in such a short amount of time. He had pulled half of her hair back, keeping a few strands to frame her face, and secured it with a pink ribbon. "I love it! Thank you very much, Cancer." The Spirit smiled before leaving. Packing her suitcase back up, Lucille looked over at a silent Natsu. "Let's go drop the keys off and get a move on, okay?" she pulled on his arm, knocking him out of his stupor as they left the room and headed to the front desk. "Excuse me, I'd like to check out, please, and thank you."
"Room keys, please," the person said, holding out their hand. Lucille handed over her copy, while Natsu pulled out his from his pants pocket. "Just sign here and you're all good to go, Miss," they slide the check-in/out logbook towards the blonde before turning around and putting the keys up. Lucille picked up the pen and signed herself out. "Thank you for staying with us, and please come again the next time you're in town!"
"Yeah, yeah, now let's go, everyone!" Natsu stated, impatient to leave and get back to the Guild. "To Fairy Tail!"
Hello everyone! This is the first ever thing I've written for this fandom. I'm sorta nervous to post this, cause I know folks don't like OC fics, but it is what it is ¯\_( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_/¯ Also, before anyone comments, I do like Lucy's character a lot... I just wanna smooch Natsu myself, hence the OC that is Lucille.
Enjoy and please be kind to me~ Also, has it really been that long since I last posted/updated a fic on this site? Wow, AO3 really had me in a chokehold. lol. But yeah, this can be found on AO3 under the same title and username. It's all me~
