It was a warm day. Very few clouds littered the vast blue sky. The sun was high and an odd trio of Fairy Tail members rested in a wagon as it made its way up a steep mountain path. Lucy sat up with a smile on her face, admiring her new guild mark. Natsu leaned back in his seat, staring listlessly at the ceiling. Happy sat on Lucy's lap, blissfully kicking his legs and rocking side to side as he hummed a common tune.
"Natsu? Are you okay?" Lucy asked. The cloaked man had been concerningly quiet. For a trip this long, he should've spoken to her at least once. He hadn't even snapped at her since leaving.
Natsu shot her a glare. "Why are you even here?"
"Didn't you ask me to come?" Lucy grumbled, sitting back. "Either way, you shouldn't have to go alone. I thought maybe you could use a friend."
"Well, I don't," He bit. "You could jump out of here and crawl back to Magnolia for all I care."
"Sorry?" Lucy offered. She knew her new comrade had a short temper, something notable from their first interaction and trek to Magnolia. She didn't mind if he found her annoying, it probably wasn't personal. It only made her more eager to gain his approval.
As the wagon rolled on, Happy had stopped humming and an awkward, thick silence filled the space. The only sound was the huffing of the horses and the creaking of the carriage as they ascended towards a higher point of the snowy, steep Mt. Hakobe.
Why were they headed up this mountain?
Natsu saw a boy, a guild member's kid, crying to Makarov that his dad hadn't returned from a job- that was supposed to last only three days- in a week. Lucy didn't understand why Natsu felt the need to rescue this boy's father when the only emotion she had witnessed from him thus far was hatred. She was happy to tag along and find out.
Buried in deep thought, Lucy wasn't prepared when the wagon came to a sudden halt, and let out a short, high pitched, squeal.
"Quit your screeching. This is as high as he'll take us."
"Sorry… again."
The three exited the vehicle and looked up at the mountain. Natsu wandered around, likely trying to find traces of which way the missing man might've gone. Happy hovered above him with mild interest as Lucy shivered and took a seat on the frozen ground.
"W-why is it so c-cold?" She hugged herself, rubbing at her freezing arms.
"Maybe you shouldn't wear such revealing clothing. Dress like a prostitute, face the consequences."
"Maybe you should've told me where we were going! I could've changed into something warmer! How are you not cold anyway?"
"I was trained in conditions worse than this. If I wasn't fit to fight in any weather or temperature, I was weak, and weak is useless."
"Not all of us are so big and powerful that we can walk around in temperatures below zero unfazed."
"Maybe you shouldn't have come."
"I wanted to help!"
"Help? From someone as disposable as you? You're nothing but an inconvenience."
"Well, I-"
"Be quiet!" Happy shouted. "You two are arguing like an old married couple! Can we just go find Romeo's dad and be done with it?"
With a growl, Natsu trudged towards the blue cat. Happy, terrified, braced himself, yet nothing happened. Natsu walked past him towards a stone staircase, camouflaged by ice against the mountainside. Lucy and Happy exchanged sceptic glances but followed behind.
After only a few minutes of climbing, Lucy summoned Horologium, a clock spirit, and rode inside of him to keep warm. She stayed silent, not wanting to further piss off her hot-tempered companion. They didn't seem to be making any progress up the mountain before a monster appeared out of nowhere.
"What the hell is that?" The clock spirit relayed Lucy's words.
"A Vulcan," Happy answered. "It's a hostile monster that lives in different environments and take over human bodies to survive. Natsu says they're too weak for his time and usually ignores them." His point was proved as Natsu didn't even bother to look at the Vulcan, instead passing it without a care.
Before the monster could react, it caught sight of Lucy, who was still curled up inside the clock, and immediately lost control. With a grunt of "woman!" and a lust filled gaze, the monster snatched up Horologium and Lucy, whose screams were echoed by the clock spirit as she was carried away.
Next thing she knew, Lucy was in a cave. She stayed curled up in the clock until her time ran out and celestial spirit disappeared into a puff of smoke, apologising as his time expired.
"What? No! Don't disappear on me!" Lucy was left alone and exposed in the icy cave as the Vulcan stalked towards her. She slowly backed away, begging silently for protection from any god willing to listen before she heard a crash and a shout, and her saviour burst through the stone wall. "Natsu!"
"Alright, chimp. Give it up. Where's Macao?" He crossed his arms. The monkey creature responded with a confused grunt. "Don't play dumb with me, you perverted ape. I know you understand me. Where is Macao?"
"Man? Oh!" The Vulcan pointed towards an opening in his cave that led to nowhere but a long fall and inevitable death.
"What, you think I'm gonna walk over there so you can push me out? Nice try. Tell me where he is, or I'll beat it out of you." The monster let out an angry huff and turned away. "Fine. You asked for it." Natsu balled his hand into a fist and ignited it in flame. Lucy gasped. "Iron fist." He mumbled. One flaming punch and the monster was out.
"Woah. I've never seen him use magic." Lucy said. Happy nodded.
"Wait until you see him in Chaos mode. Fire is nothing." Before they could exit, the unconscious Vulcan began to glow. A magic seal appeared beneath it as it's form twisted into the shape of a man.
"Macao." Natsu walked over to check the man's pulse. The man grunted as he returned to consciousness and sat up slowly, letting out a hiss of pain as his hand flew to his side. He opened his eyes and let out a yelp of surprise.
"Chaos? What are you doing here?"
Natsu glowered and walked away.
"What happened, Macao?" Happy asked, floating over to the wizard.
"I'm pathetic. I took out nineteen of them…." Lucy's jaw dropped. "...but the twentieth one got me." He laid back on the ground, throwing an arm over his face in shame. "I'm so disappointed in myself. I didn't accomplish anything but disappointing my boy. How am I supposed to face him now?"
"Don't say that!" Lucy interjected. "Your son was so upset that you hadn't come back that he punched the guild master right in the nose! He really misses you. Why don't we go back and see him? He needs to know you're okay." Lucy smiled and reached out a hand, a silent offer to help him stand. Macao returned her smile and grabbed her outstretched arm.
"Thank you...?"
"Lucy. I just joined."
Macao nodded. "Thank you, Lucy."
And so, the odd trio escorted their injured guildmate back to Magnolia. They trailed down the empty street until they came across a young boy crying on the sidewalk.
"Romeo!" Macao called. The boy looked up and his tears fell ever harder, now of joy.
"Dad!" Romeo jumped into his father's arms, nearly knocking him off his feet.
"I'm sorry, kid. I didn't finish the job. But if those boys at your school tease you again, ask them if their old man can defeat nineteen Mt. Hakobe Vulcans all by himself?" They both erupted into a fit of laughter and Natsu, Lucy, and Happy decided to take their leave.
"Thanks, Lucy! Thanks, Happy!" Romeo shouted. The blonde and the cat waved. "Thank you too, Chaos!" Natsu faltered, not expecting a thanks. But he recovered quickly and continued on his way.
What a day.