Chaos XIV
Natsu knew Siegrain was trying to get rid of him. If there was any dragon graveyard in Bosco, he would've long known of it.
Something was stirring behind the scenes. And there was no doubt it had something to do with the mysterious new councilwoman that clung to Siegrain like a leech. Either way, Natsu would play along. He preferred to stay away from big events when he could. So, he'd happily wait out the storm in Bosco.
Unlucky for him, trouble seemed to follow him everywhere as of late. The familiar noisiness of his guild was undeniable and close. They were here. And, of course, it was the group he couldn't escape. But that wasn't all, someone else was here too. Someone who desperately needed the help of this team. A perfect matchup, as if fate itself aligned on this quiet Boscan island.
Natsu could play mediator for a bit.
Lucy never liked Bosco.
It was a famously dangerous country, but Fiore's closest neighbour. It had beautiful beaches and perfect getaway resorts (though who knows what happens in the walls of these grand hotels?). Delicious food, fun music. And when she and her teammates were given the opportunity for a free weekend stay at a quiet waterfront villa, who were they to decline?
Lucy let out a relieved sigh as she stepped out of the hot spring. It felt amazing to rejuvenate after all that had happened recently. She pulled on a towel and tied up her hair. As she dug through her bag for clean clothes, she heard someone else enter the changing room. Glancing up, she saw a head of flattened ginger and nervous eyes behind thin glasses. Recognition spread across her face.
"Loke? Is that you?" Lucy asked. He wasted no time pulling a slick heel turn and attempting to speed off, but not before Lucy could catch up. She held her towel with one hand and grabbed his arm with the other. "Listen, I know you have something against me, or you don't like me or whatever, but I have to say thank you."
"Thank… me?"
"When Phantom found the hideout, you came to rescue Reedus and I."
"I couldn't protect you then."
"I don't blame you a bit. Phantom was… strong… and ruthless. You gave your all for me, a guild member you hardly know, let alone like, and for that I'm eternally grateful." Lucy gave him a small bow. Loke's head began to throb.
"Don't mention it. I gotta go." He left in a hurry, barely sparing the blonde a glance.
"Okay, bye…" Lucy's words trailed off as she remembered she was outside and exposed, and she rushed back to the changing room.
The ring mage retreated to a nearby tree, sluggishly slumping down the surface and watching the flowers stir in the breeze.
"You really have it out for me, huh, Karen?" A shadowy figure appeared beside him, swaying to the wind.
"Nice to see you're choosing to ignore my assistance."
Loke jumped at the sharp tone, head whipping to the new presence on his other side. "Chaos! What are you doing here?"
"Better question is why are you avoiding her?" The dragon slayer looked down at him with an expression Loke couldn't tell was abhorrence or pity.
"What?"
"I go out of my way to bring you someone who can help you, and you avoid her like the plague." Chaos chastised his guildmate, whose face fell in shame. "You didn't think me letting a celestial mage follow me back to Magnolia was coincidence, did you? She's kind to her spirits, you know."
"I know that!" Loke snapped, quieting upon seeing a few passerby glances. "I know… I just- there's nothing she can do. The celestial spirit world no longer accepts me. All I can do now is await my inevitable demise."
"If you were waiting on death, you would've killed yourself ages ago." Natsu crossed his arms. Loke flinched. "Face it, you're holding on to hope. You're just refusing to accept your saviour."
"I'm not bringing harm to another."
"She's nothing like Karen. You've seen Lucy and her spirits. She fights alongside them. She treats them as friends. If you're gonna turn a blind eye to a light shining right in front of you, sit here and keep taking pity on yourself for the rest of your numbered days. Keep up the good work, Leo." Natsu shot him a final glare and left, heading back in the direction of the resort. Loke slumped further against the tree, watching another flower wither beside him.
Natsu's goal was to provoke Loke into seeking Lucy's aid and to get off the island. The first part went smoothy.
Getting off the island, however, did not.
"Chaos? Is that you?"
Natsu stopped in his tracks at the dock, slamming his eyes shut in a moment of frustration. He glanced up to the boat that was supposed to be his escape route. He considered continuing forward and pretending to be someone else, but responding to his name already confirmed their suspicions.
He turned around and gave his guildmates a blank expression. "What's up?"
"What's up? We're on vacation. Why are you in Bosco?" Lucy tilted her head. Erza crossed her arms.
"Work."
"You're on a job? Can we help?" Gray asked, stretching as if he were itching for a fight.
"I just finished a job. I'm going back to Magnolia."
"You should tell us when you take jobs, you know. You're part of this team, whether you like it or not."
Natsu bit the inside of his cheek. "I'll keep it in mind." He almost made it to the ramp before a cold hand touched his shoulder.
"Hey," Gray stopped Natsu before he could leave. "Why'd you just leave the other day? You didn't even go back to the guild after we came to find Lucy. She was pretty upset."
Natsu side-eyed Gray's hand in annoyance and shrugged off the ice mage. "Not my fault this time. I was being held by the council."
"You were what?" Erza asked as she, Lucy, and Happy caught up. "I hope you know being arrested is unbecoming of any respectable Fairy Tail wizard."
"My fault." Natsu closed his eyes and leaned against a post.
Erza sighed. "Actually, I've been meaning to apologise to you."
Natsu opened one eye and raised an eyebrow. "Talk about unexpected." He stood up straight, waiting to hear what comes next.
"Recently I realised I may have been treating you unfairly. My opinion of you was based on rumours, and I let that cloud my judgement. Every act I've seen from you of late has been selfless and respectable, yet I continued to treat you like an outcast. For that, I am sorry."
Natsu sighed. "The word sorry sounds wrong coming from you. Don't say it again."
An apology from Titania was the last thing Natsu expected today. He supposed it would come eventually. His reputation had slowly been climbing since Lucy had joined Fairy Tail. Despite him running away and ignoring her half the time, she fought for him. She defended him. Even when he wasn't around.
"Where are you headed next?" Lucy jumped into the conversation, saving either side from further awkwardness.
"Dunno. When I get back to Magnolia, I'll look for another job." Natsu thought for a moment before continuing. "Have you heard of Karen Lilica?" Gray, Lucy, and Happy's heads all tilted in confusion, but Erza's eyes sparkled with recognition.
"She was once a celestial mage of Blue Pegasus, no?"
"A celestial mage?" Lucy's interest peaked. "What about her?"
"Nothing. Just remembered the name." Natsu was saved from further questioning by a call from the ship's captain, demanding all remaining passengers to board. With a farewell salute, Natsu was off. Leaving only a clue for Lucy to find new strength.
The journey back to Fiore was as peaceful as it could be. The ship sailed still enough that Natsu was able to sleep through the ride, and Hargeon was, for once, devoid of any nefarious activity.
As aware he was Master Makarov was eagerly waiting to chastise him at the Fairy Tail guild hall, Natsu had other plans.
The trip to Bosco had not been completely for naught. Besides directing Lucy and friends towards the suffering Loke, Natsu had done some digging into Zeref cults.
The people he had rescued from the Emissaries of Revival were captured from Bosco or Seven, the two northeast neighbours of Fiore. None of the captives had known exactly where they were being taken, but general consensus was southwest. The cult intended to cross the entire country with kidnapped slaves. The only reason that would make sense is if the cult intended to ship them out of Morgate, a quiet coastal town with the only direct route to Caelum.
Convenient- new slaves being herded in the dead opposite of where Siegrain pressed him to go. It was suspicious enough to prompt a quiet investigation.
Knowing he was under close watch, the journey to Bosco was a necessary one. By now, Siegrain would have his attention on whatever possibly nefarious plans he was conducting, and Natsu could sneak onto the next trade ship.
Another ship.
The thought made the Chaos Dragon shudder.
The ideal path was by foot but would require passing through the Capital. Even by train he'd arrive faster, but a ticket in his name would surely flag the council.
It was a tough decision, taking a second ship route. But he had to avoid the mainland to stay off the council's radar. He could do that, just for a few days.
Four days.
The amount of time it took for the ship to finally hit land again.
Without even leaving Fiore's waters, the journey to Morgate Port was not a peaceful one. Storms plagued. Waves crashed, tossing the boat around like a toy. Natsu could hardly stand when his feat finally hit solid ground.
He did, eventually, drag himself away from the docks and into a sailor's tavern. Places like this were goldmines of information, if his head could stop spinning enough to catch any.
"Aye, I know sea sickness when I see it." The barkeep called as Natsu pushed through the doors and dragged his feet to the counter. The burly man with the deep voice had already mixed him a concoction, sliding it across the counter where Natsu caught it, downing the liquid in an instant. "An old family remedy. On the house for a trooper."
Natsu let out a breath as he finished the drink, wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve and sliding the glass back to the barkeep. "I need information."
"Don't they all?" The bartender bellowed again and rolled up his sleeve, prompting hearty laughs from other patrons and revealing a shiny black symbol above his wrist. "Well then, have at it."
"Emissaries of Revival."
The room went dead silent.
For a full minute, no one moved. Not a breath or a pin sounded in the space, until the barkeep decided to talk.
"A scary bunch, that crew." He poured himself a drink. "We don't talk about 'em here. We were warned against it. But they've stopped comin' 'round as of late. Can't help but wonder if they finally got caught."
"Or if they finished whatever they had planned." Someone piped up.
"I don't wanna think about that." Another said.
"Besides that," The barkeep started back. "I'll tell you what I know. They came 'round every month on the dot. With covered cages. You could hear whatever was inside sometimes. I know it was people."
"Do you know where they would go?" Natsu asked, eyes narrowing.
"Not a clue. They took unmarked ships. They never docked here at the main port- always somewhere down by the mountains. Always passed by again within the week, and the cycle would repeat."
"Thanks for the information," Natsu stood up. "And the drink."
"Not a problem, kid. You come back-" The man burst into black flames before he could finish the sentence. A cacophony of screams reverberated around the tavern as the rest of the patrons burned with the barkeep.
Natsu listened to them die in silence as the drink he was served burned away in his stomach.
And he left in silence.