"Done!" Mirajane announced proudly, pressing the Magical stamp onto Lucy's hand. "You are now officially a member of Fairy Tail!"
A pink crest appeared on her skin with a small flash. Lucy examined the back of her hand with a wide smile. "Whoa," she exclaimed. "That was easy. Isn't there an entrance exam or something?"
Sitting cross-legged on top of the bar, Makarov chuckled loudly. "Nonsense!" The master said loudly, scratching his moustache. "Fairy Tail is always happy to accept all Mages! This is a collection of friends and family, not a workplace!"
Lucy beamed, still staring at the Fairy Tail mark. It felt weird belonging to a guild, but not unpleasant. After persistent badgering from Natsu and Mirajane, Lucy had finally surrendered and joined the guild. Besides, she had come to quite enjoy the constant pandemonium of the Guild Hall.
"Besides," Makarov continued brightly, looking at Lucy happily. "You are a powerful Dragon Slayer! Any guild would be proud to accept such a—"
He paused. "How strong are you, anyways?" He asked in a quieter tone, awkwardly.
The Celestial Dragon Slayer never knew how to reply to that. Makarov looked towards Mirajane questioningly, who just shrugged. "I don't know. I've never seen her fight."
Lucy frowned and folded her arms. "I can hold my own," she muttered, wondering whether to brag or be modest.
The old man rubbed his chin. "Hmmm…" He mused. "Well, are you stronger or weaker than Natsu?"
Lucy shrugged uncertainly. Makarov seemed confused. "I don't think that she's fought Natsu yet," Mirajane explained.
The statement just seemed to confuse the guild master even more. "But everybody fights Natsu!" Makarov protested. "Natsu is the yardstick we use to rate a Mage's strength."
Around them, the other Mages nodded in agreement. The guild could be quite cleanly split into either 'stronger than Natsu' or 'weaker than Natsu', with the exception of Gray, who had so far consistently drawn with Natsu. As a matter of fact, it was a commonly held rumour that to be an S-Class Mage you had to be able to beat the Fire Dragon Slayer without breaking a sweat, much to Natsu's annoyance.
"Natsu has never challenged me," Lucy explained simply.
"Huh! Natsu challenges everyone !" Makarov objected. "Sometimes as soon as they walk through the door! Occasionally before that! I mean, one time I bought a new coat stand and Natsu challenged that to a fight!"
Mirajane nodded in confirmation, with a smile. "To be fair, it was a very intimidating coat stand," she said reasonably.
Makarov sighed, shaking his head with the memory. "Sometimes that lad drives me up the wall…"
Lucy smirked. Mirajane looked at her with a teasing grin. "I don't know…" The white-haired woman said playfully. "There must be some reason why Natsu doesn't want to fight you."
She caught the implication. "Don't even start," Lucy warned. That just seemed to encourage Mirajane even more.
"Natsu and Lucy… Summer and Spring." Mirajane mused. "It does have a nice ring to it. Natsu and Lucy… K-I-S-S-I-N-G…"
Lucy forced herself not to blush. Mirajane leant back against the bar, grinning as she found something to tease her new friend with. Lucy squirmed uncomfortably, glancing around. Makarov was hobbling away to sort out a brawl between Gray and Elfman.
"Just…" Lucy muttered to Mirajane pleadingly. "Just stay out of it. Please?"
She held up her hands innocently. "Hey, I'm fully supportive," Mirajane smiled. "It's been so long I've wondered whether Natsu was only interested in fire and fights."
Lucy paused, glancing around awkwardly to make sure no one was listening. She looked at Mirajane curiously. "Does Natsu…" Lucy murmured in a hushed voice. "Well, has Natsu ever been in a relationship before?"
There was a flicker in Mirajane's eyes. Her voice changed slightly. "Once," she admitted. "Kind of, anyways. With my sister, Lisanna."
The mood died slowly as the conversation fell onto an uncomfortable subject. Mirajane forced a smile, but it was wooden. Lucy knew Mirajane well enough to know that she never had a sister anymore. There was a pause.
"I'm sorry," Lucy said sincerely, her eyes compassionate.
"No… it's alright," Mirajane muttered quietly. "It was a long time ago…"
There was a shout from the other side of the hall, Mirajane bustled away quickly to serve drinks. It was still early morning, and the guild was slowly waking up.
Lucy sighed as she took a seat next to the bar, sitting with her head in her hands as she stared at the Fairy Tail mark thoughtfully. She glanced back at Mirajane, who was bustling through the tables and laughing as if nothing was wrong. For the first time, Lucy wondered why Mirajane never went on missions anymore.
"Lucy!" A booming voice exploded across the hall as the door kicked open suddenly. "Is it true?"
She turned, just to an excited Natsu burst into the Guild Hall. He glimpsed the Fairy Tail mark on her hand before she even had a chance to say anything. His smile split his face as he rushed her.
"I knew it!" He shouted happily, rushing to congratulate her. "I knew I could get you to join! You're going to love it in Fairy Tail!"
Lucy giggled, glancing up to Natsu. He was grinning brightly, next to her as he stared at the mark. He looked the same as ever; wearing his trademark white scarf and a sleeveless, open black waistcoat with white shorts. Lucy wondered briefly if that was the only outfit he had.
"Well, this place is definitely fun," she replied, returning his grin.
Happy jumped up on the bar, looking Lucy up and down. "Oh, there's a rule that all new members have to serve existing ones for the first six months," the cat said cheerfully. Lucy very carefully pushed him back down onto the floor.
"We need a job to celebrate!" Natsu shouted happily, pulling a piece of paper out from behind his back. "And I've got the perfect job!"
"'We'?" Lucy asked, raising her eyebrow. "I don't want to get in your way."
Natsu hesitated for half a second. "Well, I just figured that it's always more fun when you're with people you know…" He said brightly. "And since you're new and all, well, maybe you'd like to form a team?"
"Teams are always good between people you get along with!" Happy added. "It makes difficult requests easier!"
Lucy glanced at Natsu's face, but he seemed completely earnest and excited. She felt her heart skip slightly. "Ok," Lucy agreed. "That sounds like a good idea. Let's see this job…"
He handed her the piece of paper. "Hmm… Shirotsume Town, that's not that far…" Lucy read. "We just need to get a book from the mansion of someone called the Duke Everlue…"
"Yep, it's an easy job," Natsu said, staring at her expectantly.
She read on further. There was a warning at the bottom of the paper. Duke Everlue was a pervert and a deviate, currently hiring red-haired maids. Lucy's mouth dropped open. "Natsu…" she muttered in a quietly deadly voice. "Are you asking me to dress up as a maid for this pervert just to steal this book…?"
Natsu didn't respond. Lucy crossed her arms angrily. "There's no way I'm doing that!"
"The reward is 200,000 jewels," Happy added, jumping up from above.
For half a second, Lucy's eyes glittered as she imagined all that money. The decision was easy. "Ok, let's do this," she said happily, standing up clutching the paper. "Do you know a good clothes store?"
***
Both Lucy and Natsu insisted on walking towards Shirotsume Town. The town was close to Magnolia and so small that it didn't have a railway station, and neither Natsu or Lucy could stomach a coach journey up the mountains. Instead, they started walking quickly, with Happy sitting on Natsu's head.
The walk was quiet and comfortable. Lucy wore knee high black boots and a short skirt, relaxing in the warm sun, while Natsu's heavy bag slung over his shoulders.
"This is so much better than a coach," Lucy muttered thankfully, staring out over the rolling landscape littered with trees. The very thought of transportation made her woozy. "It should only take an hour or so."
Natsu nodded, crossing his arms behind his head. "I'm not used to journey's that I can actually move on," he sighed, keeping a fast pace. "Coaches are unnatural."
"I know, right?" Lucy agreed, watching the town disappear out of view. "We've got a nice comfortable walk, and then a pretty easy job, and a big pay day."
"You seem interested in the mission," Happy noted. "Considering you didn't really like the idea."
"Of course," Lucy said cheerfully. "I just have to sneak into the mansion and get one book, right?"
"To the perverted old fart's mansion," Happy reminded.
"Yup, the perverted old fart's mansion," Lucy shrugged. "Easy."
Natsu cast her a glance. "You know you don't actually have to dress up as a maid," he said. "We'll just break into the place the old fashioned way."
"It'll be easier and safer just to let me do it," she said with a wink and a playful smile. "I'm pretty confident in my sex appeal, you know."
Natsu didn't reply. Happy looked at her critically, and then shook his head. "Nope, I can't see it," the cat said dismissively.
"Besides," Lucy continued. "If he tries to get too perverted then I'll just get Taurus to pound him into the ground. Or maybe I'll call Cancer to give him a little bit of a snip…" She mused jokingly, motioning with her hands.
Natsu's eyes bulged. "You don't have to go that far…" He murmured, backing away slightly from Lucy. She giggled. Happy just looked confused.
The Fire Dragon Slayer looked at Lucy curiously. "Say, how many Celestial Spirits do you have?"
"Quite a few," Lucy admitted, counting on her hand. "I've got three big Golden ones; Cancer, Aquarius and Taurus, then about half a dozen Silver ones, maybe three Bronze Spirits."
"Huh, what's the difference?"
"Golden Spirits are the twelve Zodiac Spirits—they were the first ones to make a contract with humans, and are quite powerful. Golden Gate Keys are quite rare, and they're like a symbol of prestige among Mages," Lucy explained. "And then there are Silver Spirits, which are more standard yet still quite useful. Bronze Spirits are very basic; they're still alive, but they just don't have any personality of their own, which makes them more like tools than anything. As well as that, there are plenty of other types of Gate Keys; Iron, Platinum, Wood… There are a lot of Spirits out there."
Natsu frowned. "Celestial Magic is really complicated."
"Oh, it's simpler for me," Lucy shrugged. "All I have to do is eat the Gate Key and then I become the Gate. I can summon any Spirit I want, I don't have to make a contract, and all of my Spirits fall under my dominion, not the Celestial Spirit King's. I suppose you could call me the queen of all the Spirits I summon." She said that last sentence with a touch of smugness.
"Those poor Spirits…" Happy muttered.
"Hey, I'm a great queen!" Lucy snapped at the cat. "I'm really more like a princess than anything, I mean. I'm friendly, approachable, and beautiful!"
Happy murmured something under his breath, but didn't dare say it. Natsu scratched his head. "So what about Celestica? Did she summon Spirits too?"
"No, Celestica never bothered with them," Lucy explained. "The Spirit World just lived in fear of her. Not even the Celestial Spirit King would cross her. Instead, Celestica spent most of her time in the untamed corners of the Spirit World, hunting wild Spirits."
Natsu looked at her strangely. "Celestica used to eat Spirits," Lucy clarified. "She fed on Spirit Magic, but she never usually went for contracted Spirits. There are large wildernesses in the Spirit World where the King has no control over. Celestica lived in those corners, hunting down the dangerous, wild Spirits. Truth be told, she was always a strange dragon. Few people ever knew she existed. She almost never interacted with humans, and I don't think she talked to other dragons much either."
He nodded, thinking back to Igneel. His foster parent had always been quiet about his personal life as well, but they had lived in the forest together in almost complete isolation, despite the almost constant wildfires that they both created.
"So wait, you're the Celestial Dragon Slayer…" Natsu murmured slowly. "Does that mean you eat Celestial Spirits too?"
Lucy nodded. "Of course."
Both Natsu and Happy jumped backwards in shock. Lucy stopped to look at them. "Well, you eat fire!" She protested.
"Fire can't talk back!" Natsu snapped. "Those Spirits are alive!"
"Is that why all those Spirits listen to you?" Happy demanded, staring at her like she was a monster. "They're afraid of being eaten!"
Lucy rolled her eyes. "Of course I can't eat my Spirits. That would be… sick." She shivered at the very thought. "But I feed on Spirit Magic. Celestial Spirits are made out of Spirit Magic, yet I don't eat them. I eat the Gate Keys, and that's like my connection to the Spirit World. I eat the Gate Keys, I become the gate, and then I absorb Spirit Magic through the link. It means that I'm always 'feeding' on the ambient Magic from the Spirit World. When I need to, I can also pull out the Spirits from the same connection, but then I have to supply Magic to keep them in this world. It's like a symbiotic relationship; they get to break the rules and come to this world and I'll sustain them, while I get to feed on Spirit Magic from their domain and they'll also help me if I need it. The more Gate Keys I eat, the more Spirit Magic I can consume consistently and the stronger I become, and the more Spirits I can summon."
Natsu's gaze was blank. Lucy sighed. "Think of every Gate Key like a straw. I suck Spirit Magic out of the straw, and then eat it in the same way you eat fire," Lucy explained simply.
"Oh…" Natsu nodded. "Why didn't you just say so?"
Happy frowned, scratching his ears thoughtfully. "So you become stronger by eating Gate Keys?"
"Usually, although there are some Spirits that…" Lucy hesitated. "Well, they object to the different relationship. Sometimes the Spirit can refuse work with me, and then it can get a bit awkward. If the Spirit is willing though, then we can both benefit. The big difference between me and an ordinary Celestial Spirit Mage is that I'm in charge of the relationship, even if I do treat my Spirits fairly."
"That's weird," Natsu muttered, folding his arms. "Fire Dragon Slayer Magic is much cooler."
Lucy scoffed. "It is not ."
"I can make things explode," he said simply, as if that completely answered the debate. Happy nodded firmly in agreement.
"I can summon a giant bull to fight for me," Lucy retorted, sticking out her tongue.
"I can breathe fire," he argued.
"I can breathe starlight."
"I can take things out of the oven without using gloves," he said simply.
She giggled. "Well, I don't have to carry around a big backpack with me."
"I don't have to go around eating keys !" He smiled.
"What? Instead you need a pile of logs and a tinderbox or you'll starve?" Lucy replied, hands on her hips.
Natsu laughed. The argument over which Dragon Slayer had the better element lasted right up until they reached Shirotsume Town. The town was a small settlement cradled in front of the mountain range, surrounded by rolling valleys of green. The town was built around the main road, covered in white stone buildings and wooden houses. Even from afar Lucy could see the people milling around the town, and when the fresh scent of bakery and flowers reached her nostrils she couldn't help but laugh.
She and Natsu were walking so close they were nearly hand in hand, talking and arguing good-naturedly. Natsu's stomach was growling hungrily, so they went into a nearby restaurant. Natsu proceeded to wolf down an entire five course meal, while Lucy and Happy started arguing about whether she liked oily food or not. They were both laughing while the plates of food disappeared in front of them, much to the shock of the other patrons.
By the end of the meal, Lucy was in such a good mood that she didn't even mind paying for the meal. As they left the building, she turned around to Natsu. "You go talk to the client," she suggested. "I need to go shopping for something."
"Alright," Natsu grinned, patting his stomach. Happy was still munching on a large fishbone. "Let's meet up in front of Everlue's mansion in an hour, ok?"
"Deal," Lucy agreed with a broad smile, turning to walk away.
Natsu watched her leave. He had to shake himself just to gather up the wits to move.
***
Fifty minutes later, and Natsu was racing through to the far side of the town, chasing after Lucy's scent with a broad smile. Happy was running behind him, also grinning with the news they'd just been told.
"Lucy!" He shouted happily, glimpsing a figure in the trees. "You won't believe what we've just been to…"
His voice trailed off his bottom jaw hit the floor. Happy crashed into him from behind. Lucy pulled herself up, standing with her hands behind her back and her head lowered slightly.
"How are you, sir?" Lucy said playfully, touching her lips gingerly. It was a sign of the duke's perverseness and wealth that the nearby clothes shops actually had a very good collection of maid uniforms. Lucy wore an extremely short black skirt with long white tights, and a waistcoat over a sleeveless collared shirt that only served to exaggerate how large her bosom was. Her blonde hair was drawn back into two pigtails, with a maid's headband.
She winked. Natsu's tongue felt very heavy as he tried to speak but only ended up stuttering. Lucy smirked. "I look good, don't I?" She said smugly. "Then again, I like good in anything."
"Nope," Happy announced after a few seconds, shaking his head. "I still don't get what the appeal is."
"That's because you're a cat," Lucy replied dismissively. "I'll bet this duke is going to fall head over heels in love with me, or else I'll eat your bag. Now, Natsu, what were you going to say?"
"Um… yeah…" Natsu blinked several times, before finally finding his voice. "I've just spoke to the client. A guy called Kaby Melon. We've got to find a book called 'Daybreak'. And the reward's been increased to two million!"
Lucy's eyes bulged. A slow grin spread over her face. "Two million?" She exclaimed.
"Aye!" Happy exclaimed. "That's one million for me, one million for Natsu, and the rest for you."
"Why exactly does the cat get any share at all?" Lucy questioned coldly. Happy looked hurt. "Oh, two million! God, I really need that money. I've still got to find rent a place to live…"
"And he doesn't want to steal the book either!" Natsu said cheerfully. "We've just got to destroy it!"
Lucy frowned. "Why does he just want—Ah, for two million I really don't care," she decided loudly, glancing towards the Duke Everlue's mansion, an imposing rectangular structure of orange stone and windows. "This rich guy really hates a book, got it!"
She straightened up her maid's uniform, pulling up her tights and ruffing up her hair. "I'll go get that book," she said with a wink. "Just watch a professional at work."
She walked away, but then paused, sniffing the air curiously. "What's wrong?" Natsu asked curiously.
"I smell a Celestial Spirit," Lucy muttered, glancing towards the mansion with a frown. She hesitated for a second and then kept on heading towards the gate.
Natsu spent a few hypnotising seconds staring at the way her hips rocked. When she was out of earshot, he quietly asked Happy. "Do you really not find her attractive at all?" He muttered in a hushed voice.
"Aye!" Happy said cheerfully, focusing on the gate of Everlue Mansion.
They watched Lucy knock on the door, shouting towards the mansion. It was too far away to hear anything, but then they saw the ground next to her bulge as a figure shot out of the earth. It took a few seconds for Natsu to realise that the figure was a woman, and not actually a gorilla. Her arms and legs were as thick as tree trunks, while her fatty body was practically bulging out her skimpy maid uniform.
There was a short conversation, followed by another person jumping out of the hole in the ground. He was a wrinkly, old man shaped suspiciously like a giant egg in an expensive suit, almost bald with a lecherous grin and a moustache like nose hair covering his face. Natsu instantly recognised Duke Everlue from his picture.
Lucy posed for him, pushing her breasts together with her arms while he looked her over. And then Everlue turned his back dismissively, and Natsu could practically hear the vein pop on Lucy's forehead.
Four more 'women' in maid uniforms jumped out of the hole to join the gorilla maid, striking suggestive poses despite being so misshapen that Natsu had a hard time recognising them as human. He saw Lucy try to recover by flirting with the man, but then the maids laughed and the duke threw tissue at her as she left.
Lucy walked away from the mansion slowly, her arms trembling with rage. Her gaze was murderous. Neither Natsu nor Happy dared to say a word as she approached. There was a tense silence.
Then, slowly, Happy removed his bag for Lucy to eat.
She stared at the green fabric with rage. Her breathing was shallow. "That man…" She muttered in cold fury. "…must die
***
Ten minutes later and Lucy was being dropped onto the roof of the mansion by Happy, while Natsu was already there. Lucy was still wearing her maid uniform, and Natsu peeked cautiously through a window. In the last ten minutes, Lucy had cooled down enough that she went from 'murder' to 'grievous bodily harm and mutilation'. Hopefully, if she never saw any reminders again, she would eventually reach the point where leaving the Duke homeless and destitute would satisfy her.
"Ok, remember the plan," she told Natsu. "We break in quietly, burn the book and get that out of the way first."
Natsu nodded. "And then we burn this mansion to the ground and destroy everything that the duke holds precious," Lucy continued firmly, slamming her fist into her hand.
"I really don't think you're in the best state of mind to be making plans…" Happy muttered reluctantly.
"Lucy's scary when she's angry…" Natsu murmured under his breath to Happy.
The cat nodded. "It must be because she's so ugly."
"What did you say!? " Lucy roared, so furiously that they both jumped.
"Nothing!"
"Aye!"
Natsu burned a hole in a glass pane with the palm of his hand, breaking into a small storage room filled with obscure objects. Slowly, they moved out into a long corridor lined in expensive wood and thick carpets, before creeping downwards towards a staircase towering through the huge, three storied mansion.
There were doors on both sides. Lucy went first carefully creeping through the corridor, watching for any sign of movement as they looked for the book. Suddenly, Lucy caught a scent, and she glimpsed the carpet in front of her bulge. She was already moving even as five figures jumped upwards.
"Intruders detected!" A thunderous voice shouted, as the huge gorilla woman leapt out of the floor. She was followed by the four other ugly maids, swinging brooms around like a clubs.
Natsu jumped to his feet, but Lucy was already ready. Her foot spun around furiously, knocking a made with a face like a horse and a maid with a face like pig to the ground.
"You!" Lucy demanded angrily at the gorilla maid. She recognised the scent. "You're the Celestial Spirit Virgo, aren't you?"
The gorilla maid frowned but didn't respond, slamming her fists towards Lucy like a club. Virgo's punch phased straight through Lucy, much to the Spirit's confusion. Lucy lashed out with a fist glittering in starlight, exploding as the Spirit Magic sent the maids dropping over the bannister and down to the ground floor.
So Everlue has the Key of the Maiden, Lucy thought with a frown. The other maids were, surprisingly, human.
"Let's go!" Lucy ordered, racing down the corridor while Natsu ran behind her. "I'm going to take that Gate Key off the duke as well!"
They ran through a thick door at the end of the corridor, leading into a huge, oval room covered in bookcases. The library was filled with thousands of books.
"Whoa!" Natsu exclaimed in awe, looking around. "So many books! Come on, let's find the one we want!"
"Aye!"
He blurred as he rummaged through the shelves like a bull in a china shop. Lucy paused, looking through the annoyingly impressive collection of novels. She glimpsed a couple of first editions of her favourite books, and then shrugged and decided she might as well pocket them.
"Ohhh!" Natsu screamed excitedly, snatching a book off the shelves on the other side of the room. "I found a golden book!"
"What?" Lucy muttered, turning to see. The glittering cover shined in the air, proudly revealing 'DAYBREAK'. Lucy's mouth dropped open. Happy cheered. "That's it! But that was easy!"
"Told you this was an easy mission," Natsu said with a broad smile, ignited his hand in flames. "Let's burn it, then!"
"Wait!" Lucy snapped, pulling the book out of his hand. Her eyes gleamed as she read the author's name on the bottom. "Th-This author is Kemu Zaleon! But I've read all of Kemu Zaleon's titles. Does this mean this one's unpublished?!"
"Who?" Natsu asked with confusion.
"He was a big Mage and a writer," Lucy explained. "And I'm a huge fan! This book is amazing!"
"Whatever, let's burn it!" Natsu ordered, holding out his hand. Lucy looked at him as if he just said 'let's burn a baby'.
"No!" She screamed in shock. "New plan! We hold off burning this book until after I've read it, and then we'll see about burning it!"
"You're abandoning the job," Happy said disapprovingly. Natsu folded his arms. Lucy looked at him pleadingly.
There was a crack of earth, and a voice echoed around the room. "I see, I see!" A man laughed, and Lucy felt her skin crawl. "So that's what you guys were after!"
The floor flexed almost like a fluid, just as a fat figure leapt out of the ground behind them. Duke Everlue was laughing loudly as he burst into the air.
"See!" Natsu shouted. "This is because you were slow!"
"Shut up!" Lucy snapped, clutching onto Daybreak tightly. "Let's just beat this guy up and get out of here, but you're not burning this book!"
"Lucy!" Natsu glared at her angrily. "It's our job!"
"No!"
"Hmph!" Everlue snorted, glaring at the intruders angrily. "I was wondering what the Mages were looking for so frantically. And it was just that worthless book."
"Worthless?" Lucy asked with confusion. "Does that mean I can keep it then?"
"No, regardless of how trashy it is, it still belongs to me," Everlue sneered.
"Stingy," Lucy muttered.
"Shut it, ugly," Everlue said dismissively. Lucy felt her fists clench with anger.
"Oh, I'm going to enjoy to beating you up!" Lucy shouted furiously, glaring at Everlue. "I'm going to beat you up, steal your stuff and then read this book!"
"But what about stealth?" Happy exclaimed in shock.
Lucy shrugged. "So long as he's not capable of remembering me by the time I'm down with him," she said with an evil grin. "Then it's still stealthy."
Everlue's face contorted in anger. "Bullshit! How dare you threaten the great Duke Everlue!?" He snarled. "Come, Vanish Brothers!"
There was a creak as suddenly two bookcases pulled open to reveal a hidden door. The footsteps echoed around the room as two men walked out; one short and the other monstrously large.
"It's finally time for business," The short one muttered. He was mostly bald with a long dreadlock falling down below his waist, and four tattoos across his chin, forehead and both sides of his face. He had what looked like a giant frying pan hanging on his back.
"If we get paid without doing actual work, Mama will get mad at us," The large one replied coolly. He was tall and broad shouldered, with a large hooked nose and a weird, pronged afro held back by a bandanna. "Are these brats the Mages of Fairy Tail? Mama would be surprised too."
Happy's eye bulged. "Look at that cloth on their arms!" The cat shouted, recognising the symbol. "They're from that mercenary guild, the Southern Wolves."
"He hired guys like that?!" Natsu growled, clenching his fist.
Everlue was laughing furiously. "Vanish Brothers!" He ordered loudly. "Retrieve the book at once! And kill them!"
"Oh, you mean this book?" Lucy muttered with a sly smile, holding the golden book in her hand. She clicked her fingers, and suddenly the book vanished in a flash of light. "Oops? Where did go?"
Everlue's mouth hit the floor, his fat jiggling as he tried to speak. Lucy just sent Daybreak for a short trip into the Spirit World, but she doubted that Everlue was a good enough Celestial Mage to bring it back.
"Natsu!" Lucy ordered. "You handle these two! The duke is all mine!"
"You think you could take me?" Everlue shouted, dropping headfirst into the ground like a drill. "I'll get that book bac—"
Lucy jumped into the air. Both of the Vanish Brothers dived in with a vicious coordinated chop, but Lucy was already taking a deep breath and pulling her head back. "Celestial Dragon's…" She shouted. "ROAR!"
The light was blinding and furious as pure, raw Spirit Magic streamed from her mouth. The Vanish Brother's screamed in shock, but the starlight burst through the floor and then suddenly they were all falling downwards with a ton of rubble.
They landed in a large dining room, with chunks of stone crashing around them. Lucy glimpsed Everlue, and then he was on the floor as suddenly she slammed her foot into his stomach. The Vanish Brothers recovered quickly, bouncing off the ground and launching themselves at Lucy.
"Bastard!" The large mercenary roared, glaring at Lucy. "I'm going to tell Mama!"
Natsu was there in an instant lashing out with a furious fist of flame. Both the mercenaries dived backwards, while Everlue groaned and disappeared into the ground again. Lucy was already chasing after him.
The two mercenaries tried to run after her, but Natsu was there in an instant, blocking off the doorway as he prepared for a fight. The mercenaries growled at him.
"Hm…" The shorter one muttered. "Looks like it's became troublesome."
"Happy," Natsu ordered, not taking his eyes off the mercenary. "Go make sure that Lucy alright!"
The cat looked confused. "But I'll support you here!" Happy protested. "Lucy doesn't need any help."
"I know," Natsu muttered sheepishly. "But just go do it anyways, please?"
He stretched his arms slowly. "I'll handle these guys myself," he announced, looking towards the Vanish Brothers with annoyance.
Happy grinned and then flew away. The big mercenary snarled at him, before the smaller one said coolly, "Calm down. You got to cool down." He raised his hand in challenge. "Come on, Flame Mage!"
Natsu grinned, just as the fire spread over his hand. "Are you prepared to end up charred?"
"That's unlikely," The mercenary replied calmly, drawing his frying pan. The weapon was so large it could cook a whole person, and the man held it with two hands. "Flame Mages are the easiest kind of opponent for me."
The fire glittered in Natsu's eyes. These guys actually seemed to know what they were doing. He could feel his body itching for a fight. "Is that so?"
***
Lucy cornered Everlue on the ground floor, near the kitchen, just before he disappeared into the earth again. Lucy growled, trying to track the man's movements as he swam through the earth.
"That Earth Magic is really annoying…" Lucy muttered, just as hands snatched up from the floor and tried to wrap around her legs. Lucy barely managed to avoid it, but kicked Evelue's fingers causing him to squeal in pain.
"Celestial Dragon's Claw!" Lucy shouted, summoning the Spirit Magic into her palm as she slammed her hand into the earth with a blinding light. The earth shattered as the power cut through solid stone, forcing Everlue to jump out of the ground to avoid the attack.
"You use some really strange Magic…" The duke snarled, glaring at her furiously.
Lucy smirked, but she could feel the exhaustion sinking in. Celestial Dragon's Roar and Claw were the only two direct offensive attacks she had, and both took a large chunk out of her Magic. Normally it was much more economical for her to fight using Spirits. "Oh, you don't know that half of it."
"What did you do with my book?!" Everlue demanded. "Where have you hidden it?"
"If you want it…" Lucy said coolly, sticking out her tongue. "Then you'll have to beat me to get it!"
His face twisted in rage, his hand slamming into his pocket as he pulled out a large, ornate golden key. "That book is mine! I made Kemu Zaleon write it! It belongs to me!" Everlue roared. "Open! Gate to the Maiden!"
There was a flash of light and suddenly the huge gorilla maid appeared in front of him. Lucy licked her lips hungrily as she saw the key. "Cancer!" She shouted, clicking her fingers.
Both Celestial Spirits appeared into view. Virgo was huge and monstrous, her hair into pigtails and makeup smearing her angry face as she stared down at Lucy with cold eyes. Cancer was a tall, slender man dressed in a stylish striped shirt and tight pants, with a pair of sunglasses and his hair shaped like two crab glasses. He had six crab legs sticking out of his back, while he spun two pairs of scissors in his hands expertly.
"So… a battle of Celestial Spirits, then?" Everlue muttered coldly. "Yet where are your keys?"
"Lucy…" Cancer said coolly, glancing towards while raising his scissors. "What kind of hair style would you like today-ebi?"
Lucy laughed. "I was thinking something clique and modern," She said with a smile. "Something you could have fun with. But, first, though I think we'll need to beat that moustache guy up."
Cancer grinned, turning to face Everlue and Virgo. "Right away-ebi."
There was a pause as the two Celestial Spirits faced off with each other. "Virgo…" Cancer muttered, looking the fat maid up and down. "You have really let yourself go…"
Virgo didn't respond, instead slashing out with a furious blow. Cancer was faster, nimbly dodging every powerful attack as he sidestepped around Virgo easily. Lucy grinned, clicking her fingers and instantly the Revolver appeared her hands.
"Sorry about this, Virgo…" Lucy murmured, levelling the gun. "I'm just going to knock you until I get your Gate Key off your current pervert of an owner…"
Before she could even pull the trigger, strong arms wrapped around her body from behind, grabbing a hold of her fingers tightly. The Revolver scattered the ground, and Duke Everlue was popping out of the wall and clutching her hands.
"You use some weird Magic, don't you?!" Everlue screamed, meshing his hands with hers so he could hold her fingers tightly, while twisting her arms behind her back painfully. "You summon Spirits by clicking your fingers! Well, I'm not going to let do that!"
Lucy sighed. "I don't actually have to click my fingers, you know," she muttered, before shouting. "Shield!"
There was a flash of light and a heavy object dropped from the air. Everlue barely had time to gasp before a huge Spirit shaped like a fat bear with a stomach of iron collapsed onto him from above. The Spirit slammed into the ground with enough force to shattered stone, while Everlue groaned as he barely managed to dive into rock.
Lucy sighed. Clicking her fingers was just something she did to help her concentrate, in the same way other Mages dropped into a stance. Still, the strain of summoning a Gold Spirit, a Silver Spirit and an Bronze Spirit at the same time was eating through her Magic quickly, so she had to dismiss the Revolver and the Shield.
Behind her, Cancer and Virgo were still clashing, but Cancer had the clear advantage in pure speed and accuracy. Already Virgo's body was covered in cut marks and her clothes were shredded by Cancer's scissors. Everlue pulled himself out of the ground slowly, wincing at his sore back.
"You bitch!" Everlue screamed, spinning through the earth in a furious cartwheel that Lucy had to dive to avoid. She skidded up against the wall, just as Everlue shot out of the ground towards like a cannonball.
Lucy grunted, spinning her leg around in a lightning fast kick. The impact jarred her leg, but it sent Everlue crashing into the wall. He tried to stagger upwards, just as a blue shape slammed into his head and he dropped to the ground again. Happy was there in a flash of wings, punching his paw into the duke's face.
"Happy!" Lucy shouted in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Natsu sent me to make sure you're ok!" The cat replied, dismissing his wings as he dropped to the ground.
"Oh, that's cute," Lucy grinned. Behind her, a lightning fast cut from Cancer sent Virgo dropping to the ground. "But I've got this guy, easy."
That fat man was bright red as he glared at her. "Don't you dare!" Everlue growled. "I will not be beaten by someone as ugly as you!"
He dived into ground again. Lucy was expected him to go for her, yet then she shouted in shock as he went underneath Cancer, his arms grabbing the Spirit's legs long enough to trip him over. The next second, Virgo landed a heavy double handed blow and Cancer crashed to the ground.
"I'm sorry-ebi…" Cancer gasped, just before blacked out.
"Ebi?" Happy exclaimed in confusion. Lucy paid him no attention. "Who's that guy and why is he saying ebi?"
"Go now Virgo!" Everlue ordered. "We'll take the ugly one together!"
They both jumped into the ground at the same time. Lucy glimpsed the cracks in the earth as Everlue tunnelled left and Virgo tunnelled right. Lucy dodged right, avoiding Everlue's attack while Virgo's hands just phased straight through her leg.
"Ha!" She smirked. "Celestial Spirits can't hurt me!"
Virgo didn't respond, but she jumped out of the earth and slammed her fingers straight through the stone wall, heaving out a huge chunk of rubble. Lucy barely had time to gasp before the rubble flew towards her, catching her shoulder as the impact sent her skidding to the ground.
Happy's mouth dropped open. "I thought Celestial Spirits couldn't hurt you!"
"Celestial Spirits can't!" Lucy snapped, jumping up while cradling her shoulder. "But flying chunks of rock can!"
Everlue was already on her. He burst out of the ground, grabbing her neck and pulling her downwards. Lucy could hardly breathe as the surprisingly strong arms forced her to the floor. "Now Virgo!" Everlue bellowed. "Finish her!"
The Celestial Spirit heaved out a huge chunk of rubble, wielding it like a club. Virgo's footsteps were deafening as she slammed the stone downwards onto Lucy with a tremendous crack as the rubble cracked into pieces. Happy shouted in shock. The dust flew everywhere.
"Tell me something Virgo…" Lucy's voice came out of the dust cloud. Everlue's eyes bulged in astonishment. A dribble of blood poured down Lucy's forehead, but otherwise she looked unharmed. "… Are you happy with your current contract?"
The Celestial Spirit didn't respond. Lucy's eyes were sympathetic. "You can't answer me, can you?" Lucy continued. "That's because your current 'master' is forcing you to be mindless drone. He's forcing you to take that form. How long has he trapped you in this world? Your strength is terrible."
"Shut up!" Everlue snapped in her ear, trying to strangle Lucy. Her body wasn't moving. "She's my slave I can do whatever I want with her. I made the contract, I own her!"
'Slave'. The word caused Lucy's heartbeat to race with anger. Everlue's arrogance was quickly infuriating her.
"I see. You've got Virgo trapped in a strict contract, haven't you?" Lucy muttered with quiet venom. "You're forcing her to stay in this world to be your maid and she is suffocating, unable to scream. Don't you know that the strength of Spirit depends on the bond with the contract holder? You are a horrible Celestial Mage, and don't worry Virgo, I know you can't ask me, but I will not allow you to stay trapped in that contract for any longer!"
Everlue screamed, trying to throttle the life out of her uselessly. His arm was around her neck, but her body felt as strong as iron. "How are you doing this?!" He demanded, eyes bulging.
Lucy snorted. She didn't seem even slightly concerned by his efforts to strangle her. "The bond between me and my Celestial Spirit's works both ways," she explained simply. "Right now, I'm channelling the strength, stamina and toughness of Taurus into my own body. You are just too weak to even hurt me!"
Everlue was beetroot red with rage. Virgo tried to pick up another stone slab, but Lucy casually grabbed Everlue's wrist. There was a crack of bone, and he screamed as he let go and dropped into the ground. Lucy's body was glowing with starlight as she glanced at Virgo, and then back to the unconscious body of Cancer. She was burning through Magic fast, but she would end this soon.
"Allow me to show you what a true Spirit/Mage bond can accomplish!" Lucy announced. "Cancer! Take my strength!"
Everlue surfaced, nursing his wrist gingerly while glaring at Cancer's body. "Don't bother! That Spirit is out cold, there's nothing he can…"
Suddenly, Cancer's body started to shimmer. The Spirit Magic pulsed from Lucy as she closed her eyes to focus. "I told you, the bond works both ways," she murmured. "Right now, I'm putting my own power into Cancer. When my Magic meshes with his, it revitalises him."
Cancer was still shimmering, his outline growing brighter and starting to flex as he pulled himself up. Everlue's mouth dropped open. Lucy smirked. "And it makes him stronger."
The slender hairdresser was slowly starting to shift. His body was growing bigger and wider, while the six crabs legs became longer. His scissors grew in size until they were massive, and slowly his whole shape rippled.
"Thank you Lucy," Cancer muttered, but his voice was deeper and louder. "I'll take it from here-ebi."
"Alright," Lucy nodded, looking at him thankfully. "And I'm sorry; I know how you don't like reverting to this shape."
Nobody moved. In an instant, where there had been had a slim humanoid Spirit, there was now a humongous orange crab surveying the room with beady eyes swivelling on stalks. Eight thick legs twitched experimentally, while Cancer snapped his giant claws in anticipation. The crab stood up to Lucy's chest, but his long legs were bent so far his body was trailing over the ground, while his orange shell was so broad it could have been used as bed.
Happy's eyes bulged. "That's a crab!" The cat squealed excitedly. "That's a giant crab! That is so cool!"
Everlue dived into the ground. Virgo lashed out with stone brick, but Cancer was faster. Much, much faster. With Lucy's Magic powering his body, Cancer moved so quickly he was nothing but an orange blur scuttling through the room.
With a ferocious snap of claws, Virgo collapsed to the ground and then disappeared back to the Spirit World. Everlue tried to swim through the wall, but Cancer's claws cut through solid stone like a hot knife through butter. The man never even time to scream as dozens of cuts shredded his clothes, removed his hair, and then a giant pincer knocked him to the ground. Duke Everlue came to a landed in a pile on the floor while Cancer finally came to a halt.
Lucy sighed in exhaustion, staring at the crab appreciatively. "Thank you so much. I really look forward to letting you cut my hair."
Cancer grinned, or tried to at least, but a crab's mouth just wasn't built for smiling. Lucy dismissed him with a click of her fingers, and nearly collapsed to the ground with exhaustion.
"Lucy! You ok?" Happy asked with concern.
"I'm fine," she muttered wearily, staggering upwards. Channelling a Spirit's power wasn't easy and it costs Magic to sustain the bond, but supplying her own Magic to a Spirit burned through her Magic furiously. One of the biggest disadvantages of her power was how quickly Celestial Spirits could consume her Magic; she usually tried to be very conservative. "I'm just tired."
"That crab was so cool!" Happy said cheerfully. "Can you bring the crab back?"
"No, Cancer really doesn't like staying in that shape," Lucy explained with a smile, staggering upwards. "He much prefers the whole fashionable hairdresser one."
She paused as she looked down at Everlue's unconscious body. There wasn't a hair left on him, and his fine clothes were in tatters. Lucy grinned as she saw a golden key on the ground next to him. "Well, I'm exhausted…" She muttered, picking up the Gate of the Maiden Key. "But luckily I've got a nice little pick me up."
She carefully placed the Gate Key in her mouth and bit downwards, laughing as the Spirit Magic flooded through her body. It tasted warm, sweet and rich, and the power revitalised her body as she felt the gate connection open up.
***
"It seems like the Mages of Fairy Tail think that they're the strongest or something," the bald mercenary commented coolly, still holding his oversized frying pan calmly.
"It is true that we do hear a lot about you," the large one noted, his arms folded. "So we'll approve its status as a top Mage Guild."
Natsu didn't respond. His hand was still flaming as he glared at both the Vanish Brothers.
"…But a Mage is a Mage," the bald one finished. "You are just no match for professional fighters, mercenary soldiers."
That comment caused Natsu to grin. "Then why don't you come and get me?" He said arrogantly, weaving the fire around his fingers until it spelt out the words 'COME ON'. "Both of you at the same time is just fine."
They attacked with furious speed and practiced coordination. The bald one charged first, slamming his frying pan downwards with enough force it cracked the ground. Natsu barely had time to dodge, yet the big mercenary leapt on to grab Natsu, wrapping a huge hand around his overcoat before slamming Natsu into the wall like a ragdoll.
The stone crumbled as Natsu went flying straight through it a cloud of rubble and dust, soaring over the balcony and down to the level below, but the Vanish Brothers were relentless. The short one swung the frying pan like a club, cracking the balcony with an earth shattering impact.
Natsu cartwheeled in the air and landed on the ground, but the Vanish Brothers were already leaping downwards with experienced grace.
"Let's finish this quickly," the bald one muttered. His pose was perfect, while he wielded his oversized frying pan with all the power of a sledgehammer and the dexterity of a dagger.
The earth cracked under a lightning swipe that Natsu barely managed to dodge. The big one was there in less than a second, slamming his fist down before following up with a huge kick. Natsu tried to retaliate, but between their perfect coordination he was forced backwards, nimbly dodging the flurry of attacks.
"You no match for us in neither speed nor power," the bald one said coolly, not pausing his assault for a second. "We train our bodies day and night. Mages don't stand a chance."
They both lashed out with a dual strike that Natsu had to cartwheel to avoid. Still he brushed the dust off and stuck out his tongue mockingly. "Yeah?" He said sarcastically, his arms wide. He was completely unharmed. "Then why are none of your attacks hitting me?"
They paused, analysing his movements critically. "Your speed does seem to be good," the bald one conceded unwillingly. "You have trained yourself, uncommonly for a Mage."
"Brother…" The other muttered, cracking his knuckles. "He wouldn't be able to avoid that attack."
They moved quickly. The big one cartwheeled into the air, just as the bald mercenary used his frying pan to catch him. "I'll tell you why we're called the 'Vanish Brothers'!" The large one roared, bouncing upwards like a gymnast.
"We vanish," the other continued, easily throwing his large brother into the air with one hand, as if flipping a pancake. "And we make others vanish, too."
"Heaven and Earth Extinct Slaying Attack!" They roared, just as they both attacked together.
The speed and coordination was flawless. In an instant, the large one shot up to the air while the frying pan swiped out in a furious arc. Natsu tried to dodge, but it was over in a second. Just as he jumped to avoid the frying pan, the other mercenary dropped down on his with the force of a ton of bricks, slamming Natsu head straight through the ground. The earth cracked and shattered into dust.
A flash of pride flickered through their faces. The solid ground crumbled into rubble under their blow. "That was Vanish Brothers's United Attack!" The mercenary declared triumphantly. "Heaven and Earth—"
Natsu groaned slightly as he pulled himself up, glaring at them irritably. His head was spinning from the blow, but he was more annoyed then anything. "I'm sick of this now," He muttered. Their eyes bulged with shock as he brushed himself down. Natsu slowly took a deep breath. "Just get blown away already!"
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu screamed, as the flames burst out of his lungs and tore through his throat like an inferno of heat and power.
The Vanish Brothers recovered quickly, darting to the side while the shorter mercenary held up his frying pan like a shield. "Fire Magic, as if!" He smirked. "This is Anti-Flame Magic! Flame Cooking!"
The pan absorbed the inferno, just as the mercenary twisted around on the spot. Natsu could feel his own fire being absorbed, and he barely had time to react before the explosion of flames burst out of the frying pan straight towards him. The fire was so hot that even the solid stone underfoot started to sizzle.
"A roasted fairy!" The large mercenary laughed triumphantly. "Perfect for starving wolves!"
Natsu's grin was predatory as he jumped out of the fire. The scorching flames surrounding felt like a warm bath to him. The Vanish Brothers never even had time to be surprised as Natsu charged towards them.
"Didn't you hear me?" Natsu smirked, just as his arms exploded in fire. "Just get blown away!"
His burning hands grabbed the pair by their faces, clutching tightly just as he before he threw both of them behind him with ease. The air exploded into burning flames. "Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!"
Natsu was already walking away just as they crashed to the floor in a smouldering pile of flames. He sighed, recovering his breath as he felt the Magic drain, but he was still ready to move. The Vanish Brothers were muttering incoherently as Natsu casually strolled away. There was a light chuckle from the corner of the corridor.
"Well, you look like you're having fun," Lucy noted, leaning up against a pillar. She was bleeding slightly from the forehead, but otherwise seemed dirty but uninjured.
He stared. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough." Lucy shrugged. "I didn't want to disturb you."
"Oh," he muttered, staring around at the devastated mansion. "So are we done here?"
"Nearly," Lucy pulled herself up, indicating for him to follow. "Just one thing we've got to do first."
He followed her for a few steps before she glanced backwards. "Also, I was finished with my fight first," she said teasingly. "That's proof that I'm stronger."
Natsu's mouth dropped open. "I was against two of them!" He protested. "Two big mercenaries! You just had one old pervert!"
She shook her head. "That sounds like an excuse to me."
"Aye!" Happy chipped in, walking closely to Lucy.
"Who's side are you on?!" Natsu demanded at the cat.
The argument lasted all the while they ransacked the duke's mansion. They were laughing all the while.
***
The rest of the day was a blur of emotions that left the Mages shattered. Lucy's newest Celestial Spirit, Virgo, seemed quite relieved to finally be free of Duke Everlue's contract. The Celestial Spirit told them the story between the duke and the author, Kemu Zaleon, and was quite helpful in leading them down to the dungeon and tunnelling into the Everlue's private vaults. It took Lucy almost ten minutes with the use of Wind Reading glasses to see through the enchantment left on the book 'Daybreak'.
After that, it was a trip to see Kaby Melon, the client, a relatively tall, middle aged man with grey hair and a small moustache. At first, Kaby was outraged when they handed him the golden book, but as soon as he touched the novel the enchantment, even after thirty-one years, finally unfolded and revealed the true title, 'Dear Kaby'. The story slowly came out between sobs as the man broke down, flicking through the pages while his wife held him closely.
Kaby Melon's father, Zekua Melon, aka Kemu Zaleon, wrote the story specifically for him while locked up by Duke Everlue and forced to write the terrible book 'Daybreak'. The true novel was a beautiful story, a novel so good that Natsu had to tear Lucy away from reading it while Kaby and his wife had their moment.
An hour later and the trio started to leave. Before the question of payment even came out, both Lucy and Natsu waved the issue away, much to the shock of Happy. They rushed out of the manor quickly, still shivering and grinning with emotion as they headed back into town.
"He wasn't really rich, was he?" Natsu said finally, after a long pause.
"Nope. He was the butler working in that house and his wife was the scullery maid, I'm guessing," Lucy agreed, walking side by side with Natsu. "He was just pretending to have money."
"Which means we're not getting paid," Happy sighed, glancing around as the sun fell over the town of Shirotsume.
Lucy just smirked, clicking her fingers. "Oh, I wouldn't say that," she muttered, just as a large bag appeared in her hands from the Spirit World. It jingled with the sound of jewels.
Virgo really had been helpful going through Duke Everlue's mansion and leading them down to the vaults. Most Celestial Spirits were forbidden to steal or reveal their contract holder's secrets, but under Lucy all of those rules no longer applied. It turned out that duke had been running quite a profitable smuggling operation through the town, and there was a large amount of valuables hidden in the mansion.
Most of the wealth was in bearer bonds and antiques, which Lucy had already decided to donate to Kaby Melon and his wife, under the condition that the pair then used the money to publish 'Dear Kaby', so that other readers could enjoy Kemu Zaleon's final novel. By the time the money and the royalty fees arrived to them, Kaby would probably have enough to buy his own mansion.
All of the really guilty objects; the receipts, the stolen wealth, and the tax records, Virgo had been quite gleeful for the opportunity to drop those off at the authorities. By the time the dust settled, Lucy strongly suspected that Everlue would end up in deep prison charged with… well, basically everything. There had been a lot of incriminating evidence in that vault. Virgo was still working on going through it all.
Even after all that, there was still a fair amount of cash on the property, which, Lucy decided, should rightfully go to them. She still hadn't been able to count it all, but it was definitely enough to more than cover the promised reward.
"Isn't this basically stealing?" Natsu had asked doubtfully, while Virgo ransacked every hidden stash in the mansion. The Celestial Spirit had been a maid for a long time; she knew them all.
"This is all illegal money anyways," Lucy replied happily, although it was hard to argue with the jewels glinting in her eyes. Her mouth was almost drooling with the thought of all that cash. "The government just going to confiscate it. It's practically a civil duty to take it for ourselves."
Lucy was in a good mood as she stared at the sun, slowly drooping behind the mountains. The orange light highlighted the town in a scenic glow, and Lucy felt herself sigh. There was a moment of quiet in the group.
"If you want—" Natsu started.
"You know—" Lucy offered at the exact same time. There was a pause.
"Sorry," Natsu muttered uncomfortably. "You go first."
She smiled softly. "It's getting a bit late to be heading back to Magnolia," she suggested. "Do you want to see if we can find a room here?"
He grinned. "Alright," he agreed, walking into the town.
Happy chattered the whole journey, while Natsu and Lucy walked in comfortable silence. They made a few laps of the town before finally settling on a quaint bed and breakfast, nestled between trees at the edge of the town.
Lucy was feeling generous, so she booked the two largest rooms, and then ordered all the fish that Happy could eat from kitchens. The cat practically collapsed with joy as they started bringing out the platters of fish. He went through a surprisingly large amount of tuna before dropping on to the table for a nap.
It was dark by the time Natsu and Lucy walked up to their respective rooms. They lingered at the doors of their rooms for a long time, while making awkward small talk in the middle of the corridor.
Finally, Lucy smiled and muttered. "Well, goodnight."
He grinned brightly, hesitating as opened his door. "Goodnight."
It was only when she was inside her room that Lucy allowed herself a deep sigh. The room was warm and cosy, covered in thick drapes and a bed smothered in pillows and blankets. She paused slightly, before going for a warm shower, relaxing herself in the water, and then wrapping her body up in a fluffy towel and crashing onto the bed.
She kept the lamp on. She pulled out her favourite Kemu Zaleon book, a classic, and started to read. She never got far before she heard the gentle knock on the door.
Lucy grinned like a buffoon as she slowly cleared her throat and called, "Come in."
Natsu entered her room cautiously. He was still fully dressed, but he left his bag behind in his room. He looked at her uncomfortably, his fingers twitching with unease.
It took a long time before he managed to say anything. Natsu seemed to be having trouble forming words. "Hey," he muttered lamely after a long pause.
Lucy could help but burst out in a wide smile. "Hey," she returned, folding her arms as she lay on her bed. Wearing nothing but a towel.
The moment stretched out uncomfortably long. Neither of them moved, or said a word.
After what felt like an eternity, Lucy broke the silence. "You know you can kiss me, right?" She said with a playful smirk.
There was no hesitation. In an instant, Natsu was moving over to her, bending over as they tangled their arms together. Their lips touched in a spark of electricity. They were both giggling as they collapsed onto the bed together.