CHAPTER 3 . . . A Different Approach
This time, Natsu awoke with silent tears streaming down his face. A burning ache pulsed in his back as if something had torn through him. His fingers probed the spot, but his skin was smooth—untouched. His breathing was heavy as he scanned the room. Everything was just as it had been before.
This time, he wouldn't let them go on the mission. He wasn't going to risk anybody dying. Not Lucy. Not again.
. . .
Natsu found the team at the Guildhall before they could leave for the train station.
"What do you mean, we can't go?" Gray demanded. "Have you seen the pay on this job?"
"Natsu, you need to explain why exactly we must stay behind," Erza insisted, crossing her arms.
Natsu clenched his fists. "I've lived this day before," he stated. "Twice. Both times, things went to hell. We can't go."
Carla tensed. "You mean you had a premonition?"
"I dunno what that means, but this is the third time I've woken up to this same damn day."
Lucy's hand brushed his shoulder gently. "Are you sure it wasn't just a bad dream? I mean, I've had some realistic ones before—"
Natsu jerked away from her touch, his voice sharp. "Dammit, Lucy, I'm sure! I know what I saw." The hurt in her eyes made his chest tighten. He hadn't meant to snap.
"I think we should take Natsu's word for it," Carla said firmly. "Visions aren't something to ignore."
Natsu wanted to argue that this wasn't just a vision—he had lived through it twice.
"I agree," Wendy said, and Erza nodded in agreement.
"Ugh, fine. But I'm not happy about it," Gray grumbled.
As the team dispersed, Lucy lingered beside Natsu.
"Natsu… are you okay?" she asked softly. Her voice wavered, as if she was nervous he'd react angrily again.
"Yeah," he muttered. "Let's just take the day off, 'kay? You can write, or somethin'." He walked away after dismissing her, satisfied. Lucy would be safe. No one would die today.
. . .
For the rest of the day, Natsu stayed at the Guildhall, lost in thought. Mira tried to talk to him, offering food and conversation, but he barely registered her words. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the image of Lucy's lifeless eyes, staring into nothing. The memory of her blood, warm and slick between his fingers, sent a shiver down his spine. He kept glancing at them, checking that they were clean. He wouldn't let anyone take her future away—not some dumb magical weapon, not some monster. She would live.
"Aye, you alright, Natsu?"
He blinked and turned to see Cana, her cheeks flushed from alcohol.
"You've been actin' weird all day," she observed.
"I'm fine, I guess," Natsu replied. "It's hard to explain…"
"Does it got to do with Lucy?" Cana asked. "She's worried about you. You snapped at her earlier, y'know?"
Guilt crawled up his throat. "I didn't mean to hurt her feelings. I jus'…" He rubbed his face. "I know it sounds crazy, but… I saw her die."
Cana's eyes widened. "What the hell do you mean? She's alive now, isn't she?"
"Yeah, but…" He glanced around, suddenly realizing he hadn't seen Lucy in a while. "I dunno. It was like I was stuck in a loop. I saw her die, then I woke up, and everything started again. Like life was givin' me another chance."
Cana stared at him. "That's… not normal," she muttered, her drunken haze lifting for a moment. "You're serious, aren't you?"
He nodded before she took another swig of her drink. "Have you talked to Carla? She gets visions and stuff."
Natsu sat up straighter. He hadn't thought about that. "Thanks, Cana—I'll talk to her now." He jumped up, scanning the hall for Carla. In his rush, he collided with a solid wall of muscle.
"Watch it, Salamander!" Gajeel snapped.
"Get outta my damn way, then!" Natsu shot back. Gajeel scowled, ready to retort, but Erza's voice cut through their tension like a blade.
"Quit it, you two."
They immediately stood down. Natsu quickly recovered from her intense demeanor, having more important matters to attend to. "Erza, have ya seen Carla?" he asked.
She raised an eyebrow. "Last I saw, she and Wendy were headed to Lucy's."
Natsu's stomach unhappily twisted at the mention of Lucy. "Thanks," he said, already moving.
Happy fluttered beside him. "Where are we going?"
"Findin' Carla."
. . .
They caught up with the duo just outside Lucy's place.
"Carla!" Happy called, eager as always to get her attention. Carla and Wendy turned, startled.
"Natsu? Happy? What are you guys doing?" Wendy asked.
Natsu barely stopped to catch his breath. "Carla, when you get… visions… how do they come to you?"
Carla blinked in surprise. "I don't control them. They just come to me before something terrible happens."
"Do you live through it? Like the entire day?"
Carla frowned. "No. They're just snippets of the future."
Frustration gnawed at Natsu. If this wasn't a vision, then what the hell was happening to him? A silence stretched between them before Carla spoke again.
"Does this have to do with your 'time-loop' issue?"
Natsu's jaw tightened. "Yeah. It does."
Carla's expression softened with sympathy. "I'm sorry. I don't know what you're experiencing. But whatever it is, you're right to take it seriously. Staying behind was the best decision."
Natsu exhaled, some tension easing from his shoulders. He hesitated, then asked, "You guys headed to Lucy's? Can I come?"
Wendy and Carla exchanged a glance before smiling.
"Of course!" Wendy said.
Relief washed over him.
. . .
By the time they reached Lucy's apartment, the sun hung lower in the sky, casting a warm glow over the streets. Natsu barely noticed. His mind buzzed with thoughts of the loop, the warnings, the creeping feeling that something still wasn't right. But he pushed it all down as Wendy knocked on the door before walking in.
Lucy straightened from her desk at their arrival. "Hey, guys—" Her eyes landed on Natsu, and she quickly looked away. "Uhm… what's up?" She shut what looked like her journal a little too fast.
"Well… since we have the day off, we thought maybe we could hang out!" Wendy chirped.
Lucy hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Sure! That sounds fun." She swiveled in her chair before standing. Her gaze flickered back to Natsu for a split second before she turned toward a shelf. "Er—let me get a game to play."
. . .
For the next few hours, they sat cross-legged on the floor, the tension between Natsu and Lucy gradually melting. She started stiff, her movements guarded, but as Happy whined about his losing streak, she cracked a smile. When she teased him, calling him the worst gambler she'd ever met, she even laughed.
Natsu watched her carefully. This—this was the Lucy he needed to protect. Her laughter, her warmth, the way she gently smacked Wendy's arm playfully after losing a round—he would keep it this way. No blood, no lifeless eyes.
The sunlight faded into deep caramel hues, pooling through the blinds. Wendy yawned, rubbing her eyes.
"Perhaps we should take our leave," Carla suggested.
Lucy stretched her arms and then started gathering the cards. "This was fun! We should do this again sometime."
Wendy and Carla left first, followed by Happy, who floated after Carla with a dreamy expression. That left just Natsu and Lucy. The air between them thickened slightly.
Lucy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Hey…" Her voice was quieter now. "Uh… how are you feeling?"
Natsu let out a slow breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "Better than earlier. Sorry, I made ya stay home, but…" His throat tightened as the visions clawed at the edge of his mind. Blood. Cold skin. Her eyes were empty. He swallowed. "I jus'… I needed to."
Something in Lucy's shoulders relaxed. "That's okay." She took a step closer. "Do you want to talk about it? What you saw?"
He looked away. "Dunno… Bad things kept happenin' to you."
Lucy's face softened. "I'm sorry you had to see that."
"It's okay now," he muttered, but the words felt hollow.
Silence stretched between them. Normally, it wouldn't be uncomfortable, but tonight, it was. Like there was something left unsaid. Maybe Lucy could sense it, too.
She finally shifted on her feet. "Well… I'll see you tomorrow, I guess?"
His gut twisted.
He felt hesitant to leave her alone. "Yeah, 'kay. Just let me know if you need anything." He turned around and reluctantly began to walk out of her door.
"Natsu! I'll be fine – promise," Lucy exclaimed before he had the chance to exit.
Something about the way she said it made him pause. He glanced back. Lucy was smiling at him—small, reassuring. It wasn't forced. It wasn't for show. And for the first time that day, he felt himself relax. He returned the grin.
Then the sound tore through the air. A high-pitched, piercing noise, unnatural and wrong.
Natsu's hands clamped over his ears. "Damnit—"
"What is that?!" Lucy cried, doing the same.
A split second later, white light swallowed his vision.
No. No, no, no! Natsu lurched forward, instincts screaming, arms reaching for Lucy—
When the blinding light faded, the room twisted into sharp clarity. Natsu's breath hitched. A shadow loomed before him.
The hooded figure stood there, just like before. Its elongated fingers looked ready to stab into the vulnerable pair. Natsu's entire body went rigid. Lucy's fingers clutched onto him. "Natsu… who…" Her voice trembled.
A raspy laugh slithered and rippled through the air. The figure stepped closer. "Coward," it mocked. "You could not even bear to face me again."
Natsu's heart pounded like a war drum. His arms wrapped around Lucy, shielding her from the monster's gaze. His teeth clenched. "Don't come any closer." His voice was low, deadly. "I didn't fight you before 'cause my friends' lives were on the line. But I will now. I won't let you hurt Lucy!"
The figure sneered. "There is no escaping." His voice dripped with certainty, with cruelty. "You and she," He pointed to Lucy, who recoiled in fear, "will die," the figure continued, stepping closer. "Again, and again, and again."
Natsu's breath came out ragged. No. No, I won't let this happen again.
He set Lucy down, then lunged.
His hands wrapped around the bastard's throat, squeezing—
The world flashed white.
No! He held tighter. He wouldn't let go—wouldn't let the cycle restart—
The white light flickered, the room twisted, and then—
Pain. Burning, sharp pain in his stomach. Natsu gasped, but his grip didn't loosen. Through hazy vision, he saw the monster's grin stretch wider.
"Too… late…" the figure rasped.
And then it slumped. Natsu panted, his limbs trembling. He glanced past the body—
The white sphere.
It was there. He did it. He killed the damn thing. The loop would stop. Relief flooded him as he reached toward it—
"Natsu…"
His whole body locked. The voice—weak, fragile—
No. No, no, no.
He whipped around.
Lucy.
She was slumped on the floor, blood soaking through her shirt.
Natsu's breath caught. "No. No, no—" He bolted toward her, but the movement sent fire through his gut. His hand pressed against his stomach. Wet. Warm. Blood.
His vision blurred. His body felt heavy. The world's edges softened.
"Lucy – " He reached for Lucy but didn't make it.
Everything collapsed into nothingness.