"Now what?" I muttered to myself, pacing the floor. "I can't just sit here and wait for a princess to come knocking on my door."
Just then, I heard my parents talking outside to someone, their voices drifting in through the open window. I sprang onto the window ledge—man, could I really hop! I leaped from the bed to the window in one bound.
Peering down, I saw Mom and Dad engaged in conversation with a police officer. Unfortunately, I was too high up to catch any of the words. I needed to get closer. But how?
I glanced down at my webbed hands and recalled something I had seen in a nature documentary about frogs. They could climb walls thanks to their feet, which acted like suction cups or something similar.
With a surge of determination, I took a deep breath and focused on my webbed hands. It was time to put my newfound skills to the test. I shuffled to the corner of my room, where the wall met the ceiling, and positioned myself for my first attempt.
I pressed my palms against the cool surface of the wall, feeling the texture beneath my fingers. Concentrating intently, I channeled all the energy I could muster into my grip. Slowly, I began to climb. My heart raced with excitement as I felt the suction take hold, allowing me to ascend with surprising ease.
As I reached the edge of the window, I peeked down once more. The police officer was gesturing animatedly, while my parents looked on, their faces etched with concern. I strained to hear their conversation, but the words remained muffled.
"Come on, just a little closer," I whispered to myself, inching my way along the ledge. I leaned out, desperate to catch every syllable. Suddenly, the officer's voice rang clear.
"And you're certain he didn't come home last night?"
"No," my mother replied, her voice trembling. "We didn't hear him come in, he wasn't in his room this morning, and he wasn't at school."
"He hasn't called once, and that's not like him at all," my dad added. "Natsu always calls if he's going to be late."
"You mentioned he went to a dance last night?" the officer inquired.
"Yes," my parents confirmed.
"Did he have a date?"
"Yes."
"And how old is he?"
"Fifteen."
"Forgive me for asking, Mr. and Mrs. Dragneel, but is there any chance your son might have just spent the night with a girl after the dance?"
"Not our son." My mother replied, her voice firm but laced with worry. "He's not that kind of boy."
The officer nodded, but I could see the doubt in his eyes. "I understand, but it's important to consider all possibilities. We'll need to file a missing person report if he doesn't show up soon."
My heart sank at the thought of my parents having to file a missing person report. The mere idea of them worrying about me was unbearable, especially when I was just a few feet away. I wanted to shout, to let them know I was okay, but I was trapped in this frog body, unable to communicate.
As I listened to their conversation, a mix of guilt and frustration washed over me. They had no idea of my predicament, and I couldn't blame them for fearing the worst. I had to find a way to reach them, to assure them that I was safe and needed their help.
"Maybe I could try one of those green spheres Erza gave me," I thought, glancing back at my room. "If I can get one into their drinks, they might be able to hear me!"
With determination, I climbed back up to the window and hopped down to the floor with a soft thud. I made my way to the bed and grabbed one of the green spheres.
"Okay, Natsu," I muttered to myself, "you can do this. Just get downstairs and find a way to slip this into one of their drinks."
Taking a deep breath, I hopped toward the door, my little legs moving faster than I thought possible. I paused at the threshold, listening for any signs that my parents were still outside. The officer was still talking to them, and their voices grew fainter as they moved away from the house.
"Now's my chance!" I thought, pushing the door open with my head.
I hopped down the hallway, making my way toward the stairs.
"Shit! That's a long way down!" I exclaimed, staring at the seemingly endless descent.
I took a moment to gather my courage, staring down at the stairs below. Each step seemed to mock my tiny frog body, but I couldn't let fear hold me back. I needed to reach my parents before it was too late.
"Just be careful," I whispered, channeling every ounce of bravery I could muster. I took a deep breath and leaped off the edge of the landing.
The first jump was exhilarating, and I landed on the first step with a soft thump. Quickly regaining my balance, I hopped again, feeling the rush of adrenaline as I bounded down the staircase. The world around me blurred in a whirlwind of colors and sounds, and I was surprised at how nimble I felt.
"Okay, Natsu, focus," I said, my heart racing. I reached the bottom of the stairs and landed gracefully on the floor. I glanced around, scanning for my parents and the police officer. They were still outside, but I spotted the kitchen door just a few feet away.
Peering around the corner, I saw my parents and the officer standing in the living room, still discussing my disappearance. A half-empty glass of lemonade sat on the coffee table, and my heart raced. This was my opportunity.
I hopped across the room, my eyes locked on the glass. As I got closer, I could hear my parents' voices more clearly.
"We should call his friends, see if anyone knows where he is," my dad suggested, worry etched on his brow.
"Good idea," my mom replied. "I'll grab my phone."
I reached the coffee table and climbed onto the edge, my heart pounding in my chest. Carefully, I positioned the green sphere above the glass, trying to balance it just right. With a deep breath, I nudged it forward, watching as it rolled down and plopped into the lemonade.
As soon as it hit the liquid, it began to dissolve, sending a swirl of green into the drink. A spark of hope ignited within me. If they drank this, they'd be able to hear me!
Just then, I heard footsteps approaching. I froze, my heart racing as I turned to see Wendy come running in, clutching a large scrapbook and an old shoebox filled with photos.
"These are all the pictures of Natsu that we have," my sister said. "Will they help?"
The police officer smiled warmly at her. "They'll help a lot, young lady. Thank you."
Wendy set the shoebox and scrapbook down on the coffee table, then grabbed the glass of lemonade.
My heart dropped as I watched her down the entire glass in one swift motion. I hadn't accounted for her being there, and now I had no idea if she would be able to hear me or if the spell would even work on her. Would it take effect instantly?
"Wendy, wait!" I croaked out, panic lacing my voice.
To my amazement, her eyes widened, and her expression shifted from casual curiosity to astonishment.
"Natsu?" she whispered.
I hopped closer, excitement bubbling inside me. "Wendy! You can hear me! I'm right here!"
She glanced around the room, bewildered.
"Mom! Dad! I just heard Natsu!"
"You did?" my dad asked, hope lighting up his face.
He, my mother, and the police officer rushed out the front door, calling my name. "Natsu! Natsu!"
"I'm over here!" I called out.
"Where? Where are you?" Wendy asked, her eyes scanning the room.
"On the coffee table."
She looked down, her curiosity piqued.
"A frog?" she exclaimed. "How did you get in here?"
"Wendy, it's me!" I pleaded.
That's when she screamed and jumped back.
"Wendy, let me explain! I—" SPLAT! She had squashed my entire body with that scrapbook of hers, which was heavier than I remembered. "Okay... that hurt."
"Talking frog!" she screamed. "Mutant! Freak! Demon possessed!"
"I am not a demon-possessed mutant freak! I'm your brother, for God's sake!"
Wendy's eyes widened with disbelief as she took a step back, her mind racing. "Natsu? Is that really you? But... you're a frog!"
"Yes, yes, I know! It's a long story, but right now we need to get someplace where we can talk!" I pleaded, trying to hop closer despite the ache from the weight of the scrapbook that had knocked the wind out of me. "If Mom comes back and sees me like this, she'll probably have Dad flush me down the toilet or something!"
For a moment, Wendy just stared at me, as if waiting for someone to jump out and reveal this was all a joke. I couldn't blame her; I wished it was just a prank. But eventually, she picked me up and took me upstairs to her room, where I would explain everything. I only hoped it wouldn't freak her out too much.