Water flowed along the rivers' stream, a never-ending cycle, never stopping in its movement. The wind blew across Natsu's hair, fluttering against it's current gently. His eyes watched the fish below swim around without a care in a world. So clueless, such peaceful creatures ignorant to the world that was ever changing around them. They didn't have responsibilities, burdens, duties to bother with. Apart of a small food chain, humans being on top. How he wished to be like them, calm, free of any worries of this cruel world.
A sigh escaped his lips, running his fingers along the waters edge, some of the fish curiously pressing their small mouths against his palm. He smiled, gliding his along its slimy skin, before it took off to join the others who flocked downstream. He smiled sadly, lowering his head to look down at his hands, turning them over in stupid curiosity. "I would be afraid of me too..."
When did life become so complicated? So frustrating, so stressful. Natsu's nerves were pressed on edge, clenching his shaky palms into fists with gritted teeth. Why did any of this have to happen? Why couldn't he just go on silly adventures with his friends, goof around at the guild, start brawls without a care in the world. In the past his life felt like a fairy tale, a magical adventure filled with fun and wonder. When did it all change? Zeref, his brother, his creator made him to be the most destructive demon on the planet, but he chose his own path. He had family, friends, Erza... He didn't need anything else.
It felt like weeks ago when he had been resurrected by the system. He had changed so much in a short amount of time, his firey, childish personality making a complete 180. Natsu was... he didn't even know the answer to that. He placed his hands on his lap, his hair shadowing his expression from the world. For once he would kill to turn back time, arriving at this same spot with a big stupid grin on his face. Happy and him would come to this river often, both holding their fishing pools to start their morning with a peaceful silence.
Sometimes Erza would join the duo, leaning her head on the slayer's shoulder with a content smile. They were close, closer than anyone else in the guild.
How he wished for it to be that simple again, but in the end this wasn't a fairy tale. We couldn't solve our problems with love and friendship. He had to fight to his last breath to maintain a sense of peace in this world. Right now... he doubted he could even accomplish that.
A goal he desperately wanted to achieve with no end in sight. What a joke.
Clenching his hands over his lap with gritted teeth, his attention focused once more on the peaceful flowing river. What was next to come for him? More blood? More death? Was that all he could offer anymore? A stray tear slid down his cheek. His heart tightened, churned around in his chest. As amazing as it was to be this powerful, it was a lonely path. He was solo leveling with no end in sight. When could he finally rest? When... when could he finally be happy?
Natsu cracked a sad smile, feeling his heart tighten in resolve. The answer was obvious as day. Happiness wasn't in his cards, it wasn't a possibility anymore. His life as a carefree Fairy Tail wizard was over. This path he's been forced to walk has brought nothing but sadness and pain. Was this the life of a player? An emotionless drone, following along like lap dog, finish quests as per it's order, gain strength that could potentially rival the very gods themselves. A life filled with nothing but loneliness... would Erza be really willing to follow him without regrets?
Having her own sense of duty, a code she followed with heart and conviction. Fight for the ones who couldn't help themselves, women, children, the elderly. A noble goal to follow in the path of radiating light. But this path... was nothing but a never-ending abyss with no shed of light in sight. Would she abandon her ideals to match his own? Could he even allow that?
"We're in this together, okay?"
Natsu could hear her voice in the back of his head, scolding him for his behavior. Natsu Dragneel didn't mope, he didn't cry, he pushed to his mere limits, defending the only family he's even know besides Igneel. He smiled with tears slowly flowing down his cheeks. No matter what he's done so far, she hasn't abandoned him like she promised. If there was thing he knew the knight for; she was never a liar and committed to her word. To how he snagged a wonderful woman like her, he may never know.
"So this is where you've been..."
Slowly turning his head to meet the woman in his thoughts. Erza stood there, staring intently into his onyx eyes. She offered the slayer a smile, smoothing down her skirt. "Does this spot have room for one more?"
Natsu couldn't help but smile, wiping away his tears. His hand gently patted a patch of grass next to him. She smiled, slowly walking over to take a seat next to him. On instinct her head rested on his shoulder, her hand finding its rightful place in his own.
A silence washed over the duo, their eyes both watching the river. No words needed to be said for the moment, this was plenty enough for them. Erza desperately missed moments like these, bathing in each other's presence to calm any thoughts that threatened harm. Just touching his hand sent a flutter through her chest. His inhuman body heat that filled her body with an unresistable sleepiness.
Resting his head against hers, slowly inhaling her strawberry scent with a content sigh. He wished this moment would never end, why did it have to? The cool breeze running through his hair, along with her scarlet locks. Birds chirping, outside chatter from inside town. Reconstruction was underway, Erza taking the lead in her silly construction worker uniform. Sweeter than a cake around him, bossy and scary around the others. That's what made things special for the couple, they saw things they hid from others.
Erza was more carefree, losing her armor with a bright smile, like she couldn't give a damn about anything else but him. He was more emotional, less of an idiotic tool who bickers with Gray, and starting daily brawls that most of the time left him face planted into the wall in a Natsu shape.
His arm glided around her waist, pressing her closer which she welcomed happily. Natsu pressed his lips on top of her head, holding his pose for a moment with closed eyes. Erza closed her eyes, loving the feel of his warm lips against her.
"What's on your mind, love?"
He lifted his head with a deep sigh. A small smile curved across his lips. "That obvious huh?"
"As obvious as your love for food," she replied with a small giggle, hearing a small grumble from him in return.
Erza lifted her head from his shoulder, shifting her body across his lap to sit between his legs, her full attention on her lover. Her hand reached up to gently caress his cheek, her fingers tenderly rubbing the scar left by the beast man with a small frown. "Talk to me... please."
Staring into her caramel eyes, those beautiful eyes he could drown in. How they reflected in the sun's radiated light, practically glimmering with care for him. It was obvious clear as day she deeply cared about him, she was his girlfriend after all, wasn't that her job?
He leaned into her touch, letting out a shaky breath. Her hold on his cheek tightened, telling him she was here for him. Natsu covered her hand with his own, a small frown making it's way across his features.
"I-I... I'm afraid."
Erza looked deep Into his onyx orbs, searching for what was bothering her dragon so much. She smiled softly, cupping his cheeks on both sides with her hands. "It's okay to be afraid. If we didn't show fear, we wouldn't be human at all. Fear is a natural instinct, one that we must follow when the time comes."
"So why aren't you ever afraid?" He asked, leaning into her tender touch.
The knight frowned, biting her lip as she turned away to avert her gaze away from him. "Who says I haven't felt fear? All my life all I've known is fear. Being a slave in that tower, fighting for my own life, my own survival..."
"Erza..."
"Natsu, we all feel fear in our lives at some point or the other," Erza cracked a weak smile, stroking his cheeks on each side with so much love and care. "I can make many examples where I truly felt afraid. The tower, Hades, being tortured to death by Kyouka, and last but not least Alvarez when I faced my own mother, Irene the scarlet despair."
He raised his brow in question, knowing the story behind this encounter. It still blew his mind that Erza's mother was the sole creator of Dragon Slayer magic, the very magic that ran deep through his veins, a gift bestowed by his father Igneel.
Taking his silence as he was listening, she continued on. "My mother was a force to be truly reckoned with. No matter what I threw, she easily deflected or countered my attacks with ease. The power behind her blows left me gasping for air. But... when she turned into a dragon in front of my very own eyes..." she lowered her head with gritted teeth, taking a shaky breath to steady her nerves the best she could. "I was scared to my core... one strike left my body broken, battered. My whole body screamed for this agony to end... I truly thought this was where I was going to die, and that scared me."
The slayer sat there with wide eyes, looking down at his shaky palms. How could he be so clueless? Erza was human too, just like him. Of course she would feel fear. Guildharts words rung true. "H-how did you keep going?"
Watching as a pair of hands clasped over his own, he lifted his head to see Erza with a bright smile. That smile turned into a small grin, holding his hands dearly to her chest.
"Isn't that obvious? I had you, Natsu. When I even considered on giving into my fears, I would think of you. Natsu Dragneel, a man who has stood up to the most dangerous foes of history... you never gave up, even facing Acnologia, Zeref... most people would've caved in, but you didn't. You kept fighting, never giving into your fears. That's what I always admired about you Natsu. Your firey determination, your optimistic outlook on life," Erza leaned down to kiss the palms of his hands tenderly with a warm smile. "Even when you are scared to death, you never gave up. Don't you dare give up now. That's not Natsu Dragneel."
Every word struck hard against his throbbing heart. Natsu was left breathless, staring into Erza's eyes who stared into his own with a smile, a smile that pushed the darkness away, melted away his worries. God... he loved this woman more than words could even begin to compare.
"Just because the system controls you, doesn't mean you have lost control of your fate. I know you are struggling with all of this, I can't begin to know what is going through your mind, but just know one thing. I will never... and I mean NEVER leave you on this path alone. If darkness is where you go, I will be right by your side through thick and thin. I love you Natsu Dragneel and I always will, nothing will ever change that."
Natsu's eyes watered, clenching his fists tightly together with gritted teeth. He clenched his eyes shut, before he felt a pair of arms, press his head against a soft surface. "I-Im so sorry.. I'm sorry Erza.."
"Shhh..." Erza's fingers gently combed through his hair with a smile. "I know you are, just don't push me away anymore, okay?"
He instinctively wrapped his arms around her in a vice grip, burying his face into her chest, soaking her white blouse with his tears. "I promise..."
Erza closed her eyes, leaning her head against his with a smile on her lips, clinging onto her lover with a small blush cheeks.
"I'll hold you to that, dummy."
"A job change quest?"
Natsu nodded his head with a small frown, bringing up the same screen that appeared after his battle with the serpent. "I don't know what this entails exactly, but it doesn't look like I can avoid it."
Erza raised a finger to her chin in thought, staring at the flowing river in front of them, trying her best to make sense of any of this. "So.. when you reached level 40, you received this quest for a job change, correct?"
"Yeah."
"Have you tried denying it?"
Natsu watched the screen in front of him glitch and sputter like it always did. He frowned. "No, but at the same time I think it would be a bad idea. Who knows would would happen if I chose not to accept."
She hummed with a small nod. "That would be troubling, knowing how the system in it's self works. So... what are you going to do?" Erza asked with a small frown. "I understand if you need to leave to investigate this matter. But..." With a glow in her palm, a small crystal lacrima orb appeared. "Take this with you."
Natsu raised a furrowed brow, reaching out to take it from her hand, slowly rotating the orb in his palm in curiosity. "What is it?"
"A spectator lacrima."
"Why would I need-"
"So... even when you are out there on your own, we will be watching. Master wants to see firsthand the things you are encountering in these... places."
Natsu stared down at the lacrima with a small smile. 'Of course you would do this, Gramps. Well... if you want a show, I'll make sure not to dissapoint' he slipped the lacrima into his pocket with a sly grin. "Are you sure this isn't more for you?" He smirked, watching as the knight's cheeks grew deep red.
"I-I have no clue what are you talking about!"
"Suuuuure."
She pouted with puffed cheeks, making him chuckle in amusement. "Well... then I better go. Who knows what's to come... I have to be ready for anything. But.." he gave her the biggest toothy grin he could possibly muster. "Having you watching over me will make it much more bearable."
Erza smiled softly, reaching out to kiss his lips for a small moment before pulling away with a small grin. "Do your best out there, and come home safe."
Natsu flexed his arm, puffing his chest out with a stupid grin. "Count on it. Now cheer me on along with everyone else," he kissed her cheek, turning away from her, slowly walking away as he raised his hand, turning his palm, his thumb to the side as his pointer finger shot high in the air.
'No matter where you are, no matter how far. I will always watch over you, my love. I promise.'
Standing on the outskirts of Magnolia. Natsu gazed out in the open field, taking a deep breath of the fresh air. Not a thing was in sight, the perfect location to see what this quest was about. Opening up the screen in front of him, he took one more deep breath, narrowing his eyes forward.
NOTIFICATION
Would you like to accept the Job-change quest?
Yes No
"Well... here goes nothing," Natsu muttered, staring straight forward, flowing magic into the spectator lacrima that hovered above his head.
"Yes."
Suddenly a large surge of energy, crackling with red lightning, slamming into the ground as daylight vanished into night in an instant. The orb expanded and narrowed, growing beyond the size of other portals he's found in the world. Natsu stared at the gateway for a moment, cracking his knuckles, a small grin on his lips.
"Time for the real fun to begin."
Gathered around the guildhall, watching the large expanded screen that covered half the hall. Erza and many other members sat, watching with wide eyes.
"What kind of magic is this?" Makarov paled, feeling the surge clear from here with a deep frown. "I hope Natsu knows what he's doing."
"Natsu won't let us down," Erza butted in with a smile, watching as her lover entered the portal, the lacrima following right behind him. "Have faith Master."
The old man smiled in response, his eyes focused on the lacrima screen as many others did the same.
"Good luck my boy, we'll be watching."
Another chapter down for the books. I know some of you are confused on the spectator lacrima. Makarov wants to know what is behind this, or at least try to understand what they are dealing with. Natsu is the only one to have access to these places, so his faith is placed solely on him. Plus I'm a weirdo that likes to write reactions to characters, especially for the fight to come.
Next time, Natsu begins his job change quest with Fairy Tail watching right with him. The fight of his life is to come to push him to his mere limits.
For now that's all, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Later :)