Chapter Fifteen

She squealed as he leapt at her growling. She spun and ran through the waist high shelves and vaulted over a table. He leapt the table easily as well; his grin wide. She slid under a table and popped up and feinted left and then bolted right.

"Stop running from your charity case!" Natsu yelled at her as he scrambled to correct his course. Lucy pushed Gray out of the way as she rounded a shelf, laughing as Natsu tackled his friend. Erza and Cana were watching as Lucy ducked under Gajeel's outstretched arm and kicked off of the circulation desk and planted her hand on Laxus' shoulder and used him as a brace to propel herself behind him. Levy giggled as her friend ran up the stairs with Natsu hot on her heels. Wendy stared in confusion and brushed her hair out of her face. The other girls watched as Lucy came to a sudden stop, dropping low as Natsu soared over her. She scrambled on her hands and knees to turn around when he sprang at her.

"I caught you!"

"No fair!" Lucy laughed as he swung her up in his arms. "I saw the flames. You used your fire boosters!"

"There are no rules in a chase silly." Natsu said and grinned down at her. His chest was heaving from the exertion of the chase. She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. He tightened his hold and her eyes got wide.

"Don't you da….re!" Lucy shrieked as he jumped over the banister of the second floor down to the first. Lucy punched him as he chuckled. "Why are you always doing that?"

"It's the quickest way down silly."

"Oh forgive me for being slow on multiple levels."

"How are you two so energetic so early?" Sting whined as he yawned.

"Don't start that!" Laxus, Lucy and Natsu scolded as they all yawned, making everyone laugh. Lucy wiggled until Natsu set her down and she yawned as she walked over to Levy and wrapped her arms around her friend.

"I'm hungry." Lucy looked down at Levy who nodded. Everyone agreed.

"Think you have enough energy after that chase to make breakfast?"

"What do we have?" Lucy asked and the girls scrambled away. Mira, Elfman and Lisanna watched as the girls all set various cans out on the circulation desk. Lucy looked over them, pulling some apart.

"Fruit salad sound good?

"Not super filling." One of the girls sniffed and shrugged. "But it's better than a can of just chicken broth. I miss chewing food."

"We have some food too." Wendy offered and opened one of the cases that Gray, Sting and Rouge had brought back in last night.

"Thanks. We can make a small buffet." Levy smiled and looked over at Lucy who nodded and looked around.

"What I wound't give for flour, eggs, milk and a frying pan." Lucy sighed and looked at the cans of fruit.

"Oh your pancakes were the best." Kinana sighed in remembrance. "Still don't know how you made them taste so good."

"A secret spice and lots of butter." Lucy laughed and Wendy looked at her.

"What are pancakes?"

"Pancakes are a traditional breakfast food. You mix flour, milk, eggs, and spices if you want them together and then cook them over a hot frying pan. Then you can put butter, syrup, fruit, chocolate over them."

"Chocolate?" Natsu perked up and grinned. "You can have that for breakfast?"

"You technically can eat anything for breakfast…or any meal. No one to stop you really." Cana said and rolled her shoulders. She missed her mattress last night as the floor of the library wasn't the most comfortable thing she'd slept on recently.

"Wow."

"If we hadn't gotten caught by those Raiders before big brother Elf got hurt; we'd still have our chickens." Lisanna sighed as she listened to the girls talking about breakfast food.

"What's a chicken?" Rouge asked and worked on cleaning a table top.

"It's a small to medium sized bird that humans raised for their eggs and to eat." Lisanna sighed. "Specks and Spackle were the two best chickens. And Captain Bawlkin was the crankiest rooster."

"Specks, Spackle and Captain Bawlkin?" Levy asked while giggling.

"They're good names." Lisanna defended with a giggle.

"Sacrificing them let us get away, and I'm sorry but still grateful." Mira said and patted her sister's shoulder.

"I know. I'd rather have you and big brother than them…but they could have helped with breakfast."

"Maybe we could…retrieve them. If they haven't been eaten." Gray tossed out and everyone looked at him. "They stole from people…so stealing it back isn't really a crime."

"It's a fine line." Erza, Laxus and Lucy all said in unison. Mira giggled and shook her head.

"I think if anything, it would be wiser to try and get out to the country. It's where we found Specks, Spackle and Bawlkin anyway."

"Captain Bawlkin…Captain." Lisanna stressed as her sister rolled her eyes. Her brother was smiling but she saw his eyes watching all of the Dragis as they moved around.

"Do you remember where you found them?" Laxus asked and Mira nodded. "We could split up. Some of us go there and see what can be found and taken up to the Guild Station."

"Where is this…Guild Station?" Elfman asked softly.

"It's our station up in orbit of this planet. We have a lot of survivors up there; as well as more allies who want to try and help the survivors." Rouge explained and opened a few packages of dried meats and set them on the table. Wendy was cutting some of their fruits and Gajeel had grabbed Natsu and the two were heating up something that Gajeel was stirring with a long metal spoon at the end of his fist.

"I don't know if I feel comfortable going into space." Elfman shifted and looked around. "Just because you all say you are the good guys; doesn't mean you are."

"I wish my word meant anything to reassure you." Lucy said and looked at him. He turned his eyes to her. "Because I trust them. I've…seen enough to know that they aren't the bad ones."

"What's that supposed to mean blondie?" Laxus asked and Lucy turned her head slowly and looked at him. "What?"

"Your blond too!" She huffed in annoyance and he shrugged. She looked at Natsu who nodded slowly. "And what I mean by that is…I've seen Mard Geer kill a raider who upset him; so I'd rather put my lot in with you and the Guild Station."

"Mard…" Gray turned and looked at her; his expression dark. "Are you sure?"

"Tall, long black hair, carries a book around?" Lucy murmured and Gray closed his eyes and then looked at Laxus.

"We need to get off world as soon as possible. Gramps will need to know Mard Geer is here."

"No joke." Laxus ran a hand over his face. He looked at Mira and her siblings. "If you all want to stay here; we won't force you to come with us. But if you could point us towards where you found these…chickens; it might help the workers on the station."

"Well…" Mira bit her lip and Lisanna took her hand and made her look at her.

"I trust Lucy." Lisanna stated calmly. "I think we need to trust them and their allies. We all nearly lost one another. If we stay here, we may not be so lucky a second time."

"Lis…" Elfman sighed and looked around once more. His eyes landed on Lucy who offered him a compassionate look. He looked at his older sister who looked torn.

"You don't have to decide right now." Laxus stated and motioned to the table. Levy was setting a plate full of different drained fruit next to the stuff the Dragis had provided. "Eat and let us continue to get to know one another."

"I don't know, and probably don't want to know, what type of meat that was but it tasted good." Cana nearly teared up as she helped sort through books that seemed important to show to Laxus and Wendy. They and Levy were working on deciding what books could go on the first trip to the Guild Station while the rest would have to wait.

"I agree." Kinana sighed and looked at a book and put it back on the shelf. She looked over her shoulder. "And their fruit wasn't bad either, but somehow Lucy made that canned fruit salad taste amazing."

"I swear she sprinkles LSD or something in her food." Cana sniffed and everyone laughed because it was impossible.

"Speaking of Lucy…where is she?" One of the other girls asked and everyone looked at Cana.

"She, Erza, Natsu and Gray are going to the shop where she found everything she brought back before the chaos; to have more food stuffs to take to the Guild Station." Cana said and she was a little jealous. She wanted to leave the library but at the same time; she knew that she needed to stay here. Erza and Lucy knew where the shop was and were familiar with what they all needed.

"Do you think she and Natsu are bumping uglies?" One of the other girls asked as she wagged her eyebrows up and down. Kinana dropped a book on her head and stared hard at the girl when she tried to glare at her.

"Just because they're flirty does't mean anything. And besides, they're on a mission with Erza and the other Dragis. They won't have time."

"You don't have to be such a bitch about it." The girl whined and Cana rolled her eyes and pointed at her.

"Hey! Don't complain and don't pick fights. Lucy's earned anything good that comes her way. If you want what she's got; quit being lazy and put the work in."

"Can't even voice an opinion." The girl sulked and went down the shelf to get away from everyone.

"So Cana…do you think?" Kinana asked and Cana chuckled.

"Lucy isn't going to sleep with him this quickly. She's got some standards."

"Good point." Kinana started to hum as she climbed up a step stool to look at the higher books.

"How did you two run into a nest one block over?" Natsu asked as Gray huffed in annoyance through the video feed from his Magi-Hover.

"I don't know man. But it's here and they're blocking the way. So it's going to take a while to clear them out. Just get to the shop and start working."

"We can swing around to help." Natsu offered and Gray's scowl deepened.

"I don't need your help Fire Freak. You just get to the shop." The video feed went dead and Lucy snorted.

"I think you hurt his feelings assuming he needs help."

"Gray is just sulking because he wanted to stay at the library." Natsu shrugged and looked over at Lucy who was sitting on the bench across from the main entrance. "But he's got Erza. So I think if he gets into any trouble; she'll save him."

"Probably. But who is going to save him from her if he upsets her?"

"Not our problem." Natsu said and Lucy grinned. Gray had been grabbed by Erza when Laxus had suggested Lucy and Natsu get the rest of the food from the shop where they'd met. Stating that they'd get it done quicker as a set of four than just two people working on it. No one had argued. Gray had tried, but Erza had been dragging him out of the library in a headlock so it wasn't effective.

"Erza isn't that bad. She's just intense. The past two years took a heavy toll on her."

"Well once she's up on the Guild Station; she'll be able to relax." Natsu said and Lucy nodded. He turned and looked over his shoulder. Lucy was biting her lip and looking up towards the ceiling. "What are you thinking?"

"Once we're up there; what is going to happen?"

"You all will be given lodging. And I'm sure Gramps will give you all jobs that will help reassure the survivors we haven't been able to talk with; that we're not trying to harm them. And you all won't have to struggle for food or anything."

"And will you and the others came back here to keep looking for survivors?" She asked and Natsu nodded.

"We're supposed to get as many humans off world as we can. With Mard Geer being down here; we need to speed it up. He might try to control them."

"Can…Never mind." Lucy leaned back and closed her eyes. He unlocked his chair and pushed so he slid down towards the bench. He turned the chair and grabbed her hands. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Can what?" He asked and she shook her head.

"It was stupid. Ignore me." She started to close her eyes and he squeezed her hands until she opened her eyes and looked at him

"Come on Luce. Talk to me."

"Luce?" She asked and he tilted his head and grinned.

"I heard Erza can you LuLu and you called her Zaza. I asked Levy and she said they were nicknames. And when I asked what those were she explained they're names that show you are close to someone. So I wanted one that's just for me!"

"Oh." Lucy smiled shyly. She shook her head. "I can't really make much of a nickname out of Natsu. If I call you Nat someone might think I'm glaring you a gnat."

"What is a gnat?" He asked and scrunched up his face.

"A small annoying bug." She said deadpanned and he huffed out some smoke and she giggled. "Relax Natsu, I won't compare you to a small annoying bug."

"Good."

"You're at least a massively annoying bug."

"Hey!" He pulled her into his lap and started to tickle her in retaliation to that dig. She laughed and tried to block his fingers but he was too apt at this form of torture. He finally took mercy on her and stopped and she gasped for breath.

"Gah…how are you so good at tickling?"

"Wendy." Natsu said as if it was the most logical thing and Lucy shook her head.

"That poor girl. I'm surprised she isn't neurotic after being stuck with you five by herself."

"I have no idea what you mean by that, but it's not going to make me forget you had a question and are trying to change the subject." He said and looked at her. She sighed.

"I was just wondering if…I could come back down when you all did."

"Why would you want to come back down?" He asked looking horrified. "Are you scared that we're actually the bad guys?"

"No!" She shook her head. "I was just thinking; I'd be able to help. Like with Lisanna."

"Oh." He stopped and looked up at the ceiling. He tilted his head and then looked down at her. "That isn't a bad idea."

"You..don't hate it?"

"Why would I hate it?"

"Seriously? You have been acting like I can't think for myself so I was sure you'd hate the idea." She stated and he sighed heavily. He kicked his legs up onto the bench, forcing the seat to lean back a bit and they reclined. She looked at him as he settled her to the side of him in the seat.

"And you have repeatedly reminded me that you will end up doing what you want." He said and cut her a look that made her grin. "And if you come down with us…I can keep a better eye on you."

"There it is." She said laughing and he shrugged.

"But it would be helpful. Lisanna ended up letting us help because you calmed her down enough to trust us. Even if it wasn't a hundred percent trust. It was enough to let us prove we weren't the bad guys."

"Well I'm not sure every encounter will be that easy. I'm sure there will be plenty who will assume I've been either mind-controlled or threatened into saying you all were the good guys."

"But it will be easier. Especially as the translator doesn't pick up everything you all say correctly."

"English is chaotic for sure." She agreed. She sighed and looked up at him. "Do you think your superiors would let me come back and help?"

"We may have to just sneak you off station to prove the point; but yeah; I think they'd trust you to help."

"Sneak me off? Oh Natsu!"

"What?"

"Sometimes doing things the proper way is the best way."

"But not when I know it's better to do it my way." He shook his head and she laughed. He sighed and lifted her left hand and started playing with it in the silence. She watched him playing with her hand and wondered what was going on in his head. His hand was larger than hers, scales along his knuckles and his nails looked normal currently but she remembered how quickly they'd grown out into claws.

"Does it hurt?"

"Does what hurt Luce?" He asked and she shook her head, internally chastising herself for asking that out loud.

"When you grow your claws. Right now your nails look pretty normal."

"Not really." He said and laced his fingers with hers and she watched as his claws grew out and rested against the back of her hand. She pulled her fingers free and gently touched the claws. They were hard; and surprisingly warm.

"Are they warm because you're a fire Dragis?"

"Yes actually. Gray's claws are cold; and Gajeel's take on metallic properties when he unleashes his."

"That's cool. I wish I could grow claws. As it is my nails have always been pretty weak. Before the world went to hell I would get them dipped and it made them stronger."

"Dipped?"

"It's what we called a special process we had developed. We would go to places called Nail Salons, and the workers would clean and shape our nails and then apply a special polish to them, then dip our nails in a special powder, and then repeat a few times. Then they'd file it smooth and apply a top coat of polish and it would make the nails thicker and stronger. Usually lasted a few weeks."

"Hmm…I think some of the others on the station would be interested in knowing that. We might find some of these places to see if there are any powders left over we can take and show them."

"Not a bad idea." She said and rolled her head to knock into his.

"What was that for?"

"Because I wanted to." Lucy sighed and tapped the end of her finger against the tip of his claw. She pressed gently and then hissed as it pierced the pad of her finger. "That was sharper than I thought it would be."

She sucked on her finger and Natsu stared at her. She pulled it out and bent her fingers and showed him that the bleeding had stopped. "No lasting damage."

"I could have told you that would happen." He sighed and she wiggled her finger at him. "What?"

"Humans like learning things for themselves. I knew you could hurt me…But I wanted to know how much pressure it would take."

"Well I would never use these on you."

"I knew that already." She smiled. "I realized a long time ago you weren't going to hurt me."

"Why are…" The Magi-Hover beeped and he swung his legs around and they sat up as they moved towards the front. He looked at the map and she realized where they were.

"This thing moves really fast." She murmured and he nodded as he tapped on the symbols before them. Her eyes watching everything he did. He pressed a symbol and the map changed into a 3-D rendering and she saw several dots appear.

"Silverbacks." He pointed to a set of gray dots. He pointed to some black dots near the church. "Shadowcrawlers."

"What are the names for the fire breathers?" Lucy asked pointing at the orange dots.

"Fireshooters."

"Real original." Lucy scoffed and Natsu grinned. "Are there any others?"

"No." He shook his head and she released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. He ran his hands up and down her arms. She felt the soft rippling of the scales. She rested her head against his. "Will you stay in here while I try to get rid of them?"

"You want me to sit in here, while you try to take on…what was that….three Silverbacks, four Shadowcrawlers and five…no six. SIX! Fireshooters." He nodded innocently and she huffed an exasperated breath. "Does this thing have windows?"

"Windows?"

"To see what is happening around it?"

"Oh yeah." He pressed a set of symbols and the entire top half of the Magi-Hover turned transparent. Her mouth fell open. "Why?"

"I'll…uh…." She blinked as she watched a small sparrow glanced off of the Magi-Hover in confusion. "I'll watch you be a one man wrecking crew. But if it looks like you are in trouble, I'm coming out."

"I can live with that." He smiled and stood up with her cradled in his arms.

"Put me down!" She wailed and thrashed, making him laugh as he gently set her down on the bench. He opened a cabinet she hadn't realized was there. He pulled out a bottle of pink liquid and held it out her. She took it and he reached back in and pulled out some food bars of some kind.

"If you get hungry."

"I'll be fine. You need to focus on a strategy on how not to get killed by those Draconics."

"Please. I'm a Fire Dragis. I got this."